Chapter Text
Liu Qingge is frustrated.
He has it on good faith that he’s attractive. He knows he’s strong and his fighting prowess unmatched. He knows he’s not dumb. Coming from a noble family means he’s learned, he just prefers to fight.
Yet none of this seems to be able to catch Mu Qingfang’s attention.
The Qian Cao Peak Lord is always in his own head except when he’s treating a patient.
Those gentle, steady hands are always warm and he always has a smile even when Liu Qingge can tell he’s had no sleep.
It’s frustrating.
Shen Qingqiu isn’t particularly helpful either. All he can say is “go talk to him” with ever increasing exasperation.
Liu Qingge has tried that. But when faced with warm brown eyes framed by fluffy hair, his words die in his throat.
He doesn’t know how to get Mu Qingfang to actually pay attention to him unless he’s injured. So maybe he’s a little more reckless than he should be. It’s worth it to bask in the calm warmth that practically radiates from the healer and to feel the soft, skilled touch of his gentle hands.
Even if he has to endure lectures about being more careful.
Surprisingly, he’s one of the first ones in the Peak Lord meeting.
They’re discussing some kind of peak competition for the disciples. Liu Qingge knows that his disciples would never turn down a chance to test their might against their fellows.
He settles in his normal seat by Shen Qingqiu who, as usual, is early.
Damn the man for being so perfect.
Liu Qingge idly wonders if Shen Qingqiu can catch Mu Qingfang’s limited attention.
“Look who’s here,” Shen Qingqiu whispers to him. Liu Qingge glances up.
Mu Qingfang settles into a seat by the door. Next to the Lord of Wan Jian Peak, Wei Qingwei. They exchange polite greetings and Mu Qingfang’s doe eyes flit across the room taking a mental attendance as the meeting begins.
Liu Qingge sits up a bit straighter when Mu Qingfang’s gaze passes over him.
“He’s looking at you,” Shen Qingqiu practically purrs. “He really is pretty”
Liu Qingge glances at him sharply.
“You’re married”
“And Binghe is the only one for me of course,” Shen Qingqiu hums, “I’m just saying. The two of you would be cute together. He’s got a softness to him that contrasts your prickliness. Ah, but maybe he’s too nice for you”
“Oh shut up,” Liu Qingge scowls.
Shen Qingqiu isn’t exactly wrong though.
The doors slam open and Shang Qinghua stumbles in. Hair falling out of his crown, robes in disarray.
Shen Qingqiu tuts at the other man and Liu Qingge can’t, for the life of him, figure out why they’re so close.
Liu Qingge glances at Mu Qingfang and recognizes the slightly vacant expression that indicates the man is lost in his own thoughts again.
Taking advantage of the situation, Liu Qingge stares unabashedly. Mu Qingfang has a smudge of something on his cheek and the crown holding his thick hair in place looks like it’s struggling to contain the mass.
Liu Qingge’s biggest urge is to run his hands through and bury his face in the artfully messy locks. He wonders if it’s as soft as it looks.
Yue Qingyuan asks him a question and Mu Qingfang answers absently.
This is how Liu Qingge passes the meeting; staring at the Qian Cao healer.
As the meeting concludes and everyone files out, the Peak Lord of Ku Xing, Zhang Yong, initiates the regular invitation for drinks.
Liu Qingge knows Mu Qingfang never goes. The healer prefers the quiet of his herb gardens to the boisterous crowds. Liu Qingge has gone a couple times. It’s usually pretty fun.
“Aww, Mu-shidi, you work too hard. You need to learn to relax”
Liu Qingge glances over to where Mu Qingfang has been accosted by Qi Qingqi.
“People never stop being injured Qi-shijie,” he bows, “there’s always someone to take care of”
“And who takes care of you?”
“I’m managing fine,” he laughs. Liu Qingge frowns. He knows the healer gets four hours of sleep on a good night and often forgets to eat.
Not Liu Qingge’s definition of fine.
“You have dark circles beneath your eyes, Mu-shidi,” she points out with characteristic bluntness, “you’re not getting enough rest. For a doctor who tells people to take care of themselves, you’re not very good at taking care of yourself”
Liu Qingge bites back his grin. For all that Mu Qingfang tells him to take it easy, he’s terrible at following his own advice.
Although the one time Liu Qingge had called him out on it, he had received a very pointed remark regarding his inability to talk to Shen Qingqiu, who he had feelings for at the time.
“Shijie, please...” Mu Qingfang flushes and looks away. The expression on his face does Things to Liu Qingge’s insides.
“Nope. You’re coming with us”
Liu Qingge bites back another grin as Mu Qingfang goes limp in Qi Qingqi’s grasp.
Really. He’s so pliable it’s criminally adorable.
.....
Liu Qingge ends up on the complete opposite side of the table as Mu Qingfang. Stuck between Shen Qingqiu and Wei Qingwei.
Shen Qingqiu is arguing about something with Shang Qinghua in hushed tones. Wei Qingwei is knocking down glasses of wine like there’s no tomorrow.
Mu Qingfang looks miserable.
Well, as miserable as his normally placid expression allows. It’s only because Liu Qingge is familiar with the other man’s behavior that he can tell.
“Mu-shidiiii”
Liu Qingge frowns as Zhang Yong slides in the booth next to Mu Qingfang, startling the other man. Zhang Yong slings an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close as they exchange words.
Something ugly curls in Liu Qingge’s chest.
Zhang Yong flags down a waitress and says something, pushing coins into her hand. Liu Qingge hears the tail end of his sentence.
“...if I recall, you have a sweet tooth, right Mu-shidi?”
Liu Qingge sits up. That was something he didn’t know. He carefully files it away in the space in his brain reserved for Mu Qingfang.
A pretty flush colors Mu Qingfang’s cheeks and Liu Qingge can tell he’s protesting something. The ugly feeling in his chest sharpens to a point when Zhang Yong lightly pinches Mu Qingfang’s cheek earning a startled, embarrassed expression.
“Go talk to him,” Shen Qingqiu leans in and whispers. “Now’s a perfect chance!”
“Not with Zhang Yong over there,” Liu Qingge frowns.
“Yes! Show Zhang Yong he’s yours”
Liu Qingge glances up at Mu Qingfang as the latter’s gaze flicks from somewhere to Zhang Yong’s face.
A plate of sticky rice cakes is in front of him.
A complicated display of emotions crosses Mu Qingfang’s pretty features before they harden in resolve.
He and Zhang Yong clink cups and Liu Qingge watches, impressed, as Mu Qingfang pours the entire cup down his throat without coughing or choking.
It sends Liu Qingge’s mind into the gutter.
He barely recovers in time to see Zhang Yong pour another, is this his third?, cup for Mu Qingfang as he leans far too close into his space.
The ugly feeling returns tenfold as Mu Qingfang swallows the wine and buries his face in Zhang Yong’s hair with a helpless laugh.
Liu Qingge clenches his fists beneath the table.
Shen Qingqiu is watching them appraisingly.
“I didn’t know they were so close,” the Qing Jing Peak Lord hums.
“Shut up,” Liu Qingge grouses.
Although he didn’t know either.
How had he missed that?
By now, Qi Qingqi and Wei Qingwei had started their horribly sung duet (a different one from last time, Liu Qingge notes) and Wang Wei had started in on yet another absurd story.
Mu Qingfang’s eyes are bright and glossy with inebriation as he downs his sixth cup of wine. Zhang Yong affectionately pets Mu Qingfang’s soft hair before slumping over.
By now, the roaring jealousy has reached it’s zenith and Liu Qingge wants to pull Mu Qingfang away from the Ku Xing Lord and into his arms.
Why can’t that be him?
“Go get your man,” Shen Qingqiu smirks as Liu Qingge gets to his feet.
Mu Qingfang is clearly dozing off as Liu Qingge approaches.
“Liu-shixiong!” he practically chirps as his unfocused brown eyes fix on him. Liu Qingge feels his heart thud at the blindingly bright smile he receives. “D’you want a drink?”
“I think you’ve had enough,” Liu Qingge says dryly.
“Hm. I think you’re probably right,” the smile turns into something soft and mellow that makes the ugly thing settle into something warm. “Take me home?”
Liu Qingge’s pretty sure his heart is not supposed to beat this fast. It’s probably not healthy.
“As you wish”
Mu Qingfang shoots to his feet and nearly topples over. Liu Qingge quickly scoops him up bridal style.
The healer is surprisingly light. Liu Qingge wonders if it’s because he doesn’t take care of himself. That worries him a bit.
But he’s very warm and smells faintly earthy with a floral undertone. Liu Qingge wants to get lost in the scent.
Ignoring the smug look he just knows Shen Qingqiu is shooting his direction, he carries Mu Qingfang out of the restaurant and hops onto his sword.
Halfway back to Qian Cao Peak, he feels Mu Qingfang shift and let out a content hum as he nuzzles closer to Liu Qingge’s chest.
It takes all of his willpower to not lose control of his sword, although it does give a funny wiggle.
Thankfully, they arrive back with no further incidents.
He carries Mu Qingfang into the healer’s cottage, lamenting the fact the other man never seems to lock his door.
The cottage is much like it’s owner; simple, unfussy and cozy. Liu Qingge has been here several times but this is the first time he’s not injured.
He gently settles Mu Qingfang on his bed and carefully strips him down to his inner robes being cautious not to let his hands linger anywhere too long no matter how much he wants to touch.
The one concession he does make is to brush his hands through his hair after he removes the crown.
It’s just as soft as he imagined. It’s like the fur of a fluffy animal. Liu Qingge resists the urge to bury his face in it and carefully tucks Mu Qingfang under his blankets.
He sets a cup of water and, upon further thought, a hangover remedy on the stand next to the bed.
Smoothing his hand down the luxurious hair once more, Liu Qingge regretfully leaves.
Maybe one day, he’d be able to stay.