Chapter Text
One month after Christmas, Xie Lian responds to his forgotten texts from Feng Xin and Mu Qing. A week later, the three of them meet for coffee.
“So,” Xie Lian tries to hide his shaking hands, but the way the tea in his cup sloshes around gives him away. “How are you two doing?”
His two oldest friends share a glance, and Mu Qing huffs a breath before he speaks. “We should be the ones asking you that.”
“Already? We’ve been here five minutes and you’re on him already?” Feng Xin argues, and Xie Lian smiles to himself at the usual turn of conversation with the two of them.
Ah, they haven’t changed….
Xie Lian explains everything. Of course, it takes several hours and multiple refills of tea because Feng Xin and Mu Qing continue the pattern of interrupting him:begin bickering with each other before they start attracting annoyed gazes and Xie Lian has to reign them in.
When they part ways with a plan to meet once a month at the desired location—to Xie Lian’s surprise, and wonderment, Feng Xin and Mu Qing share an apartment about two hours away—and start to begin to heal their fractured friendship.
Two months after Christmas, Xie Lian is going to weekly appointments, trying to work through all that he has avoided before he met Hua Cheng. While his boyfriend has helped him immensely, Xie Lian knows he needs more help than just Hua Cheng’s comforting words. He was lucky to find an incredible therapist with a low rate, Yushi Huang, who was also quite familiar with magic. With her help and guidance, Xie Lian begins to use his magic again. It’s a slow process, especially when the main barrier is his own anxiety, but he’ll get there.
On the days of his appointments, he would always go over to Hua Cheng’s and would be greeted with soothing tea and a cozy and relaxing night with his boyfriend. Hua Cheng would spoil him silly with kisses and whisper sweet nothings about how proud of him he is and Xie Lian wants to melt into the couch every time.
Five months after Christmas, Xie Lian moves in with Hua Cheng. He practically stays there everyday anyways, and his crappy apartment was just burning a hole in his wallet at this point. The only thing Xie Lian makes sure that Hua Cheng agrees to is that he pays his fair share of rent, even if Hua Cheng really tries to convince him that he wants Xie Lian to relax.
Xie Lian only agrees for him to pay all of it until he finds a new job, which takes a couple months, but Hua Cheng is nothing but supportive.
Seven months after Christmas, Xie Lian lands a job teaching less privileged youths and adults magic, and it’s the best job he’s ever had.
Exactly one year after their first Christmas comes another, and this holiday season, Hua Cheng is no longer his boyfriend.
Now, Hua Cheng is his beloved fiancé.
This year, it is more than just the two of them. Though it took much convincing, Hua Cheng eventually relented with the promise that everyone would be gone by 9 p.m. sharp and they could have their alone time then.
Feng Xin, Mu Qing, Shi Qingxuan, Banyue, Yin Yu, and even Hsiang Xian sit on the couch, laughing and trading stories over drinks. (Only orange juice for Banyue, of course.)
Xie Lian is cleaning some dishes when Hua Cheng sneaks up behind him and wraps his arms around his waist. A flicker of red sparks in the air and Xie Lian playfully drags a golden thread out to wrap around it, as if the threads are meeting in an embrace of their own. Together, the threads weave around each other and hang in the air, stronger than any thread he’s ever seen.
That was another thing: Hua Cheng and Xie Lian have found that their magic works together. It’s rare in the magic world but not unheard of for one’s magic to resonate so strongly with anothers.
Myths say that it happens when two souls fall deeply in love, and their magic responds in the very same manner. Xie Lian still isn’t sure what he believes in, but he knows without a doubt he believes in his and Hua Cheng’s love.
“So, Gege, how is our first Christmas as fiancés?” Hua Cheng asks, biting the tip of his ear. Xie Lian flushes, squirming, because even guests won’t stop his fiancé from being an absolute menace!
Refusing to indulge him, Xie Lian tries to get away but Hua Cheng, of course, is stronger. Xie Lian gives in and sulks in Hua Cheng’s embrace. “It’s truly incredible, San Lang. I’m having so much fun.”
Hua Cheng plants a wet kiss on his neck. Xie Lian almost squeals. “I’m so glad, Gege. Seeing you happy is the best gift I could ask for.”
Xie Lian’s heart flips in his chest and he turns around, still within Hua Cheng’s embrace, to look at him. He’s so wonderfully handsome and beautiful, and Xie Lian is especially pleased that Hua Cheng chose not to wear his eyepatch tonight, showing off his entire beautiful face and scars because Xie Lian has helped him realize he doesn’t need to hide any part of himself away.
Xie Lian brings a soft finger to trace Hua Cheng’s scars, and Hua Cheng practically purrs as he leans into Xie Lian’s touch. Hua Cheng’s magic flares and lights up the whole apartment, clearly dragging everyone's attention their way, but their friends are used to their usual antics by now and easily ignore their display.
“You’re the best gift I could have ever dreamed of,” Xie Lian whispers, and before Hua Cheng can say anything more, Xie Lian captures his mouth in a kiss.
Wrapped safely in Hua Cheng’s arms with light Christmas music playing and his fiancés lips so soft upon his own, Xie Lian can’t help but think about next Christmas already: where they will no longer be fiancés, but instead, husbands.
The word makes Xie Lian grin into Hua Cheng’s lips and Hua Cheng only pulls him closer, threading his hands through Xie Lian’s hair in the way he loves so much.
Husbands, Xie Lian thinks again, and he has never felt so grateful that he and Hua Cheng are going to walk the path they made to create their own future together . Xie Lian cannot wait to spend every single Christmas of the rest of his life with Hua Cheng, and with the way Hua Cheng is clinging to him and refusing to let their lips part, he knows Hua Cheng feels the exact same.