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About an hour passed and Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe were still intently staring into each other’s eyes. No words left their mouths but the way Luo Binghe occasionally raised an eyebrow and Shen Qingqiu’s eyes twitched was more than enough communication.
“ Shizun , it’s okay to give up,” Luo Binghe suggested, mild concern straining his voice.
Shen Qingqiu snapped, “Never! This master is going to succeed even if it’s the last thing I do!”
Luo Binghe sighed and kept staring ahead, his bright eyes twinkling with happiness. Shen Qingqiu frowned in irritation but didn’t look away. He was not going to lose face in front of Luo Binghe , not ever again!
Everything started a little more than an hour ago when Luo Binghe pointed out something.
“ Shizun , how come you never look me in the eyes?”
Shen Qingqiu, of course, immediately denied the accusation. “That’s not true!”
“It is! You always look at Liu... shishu and the other disciples in the eyes when you talk with them but when it’s me, you always look somewhere else or hide behind your fan,” Luo Binghe whined, getting more and more upset as he surely remembered these occasions he had just described.
Shen Qingqiu felt wronged. It’s exactly because it’s you that I can’t look into your eyes! Your stupid protagonist magic makes my heart beat out of my chest, it’s totally not good for my health! One look and I’m dead. Why would I willingly look into your eyes, huh, to fall for you even more?! Keep dreaming...
“I do look at you or else how would I know how often your eyes get teary,” he answered calmly, consoling Luo Binghe.
Who would have thought that this was not going to work today. Luo Binghe , with the aforementioned tears welling up in the corner of his eyes gave him his best puppy look, his lips trembling, “Then look into my eyes just for ten seconds.”
“Is it really so important to you?”
“ Of course it is! I want Shizun to only look at me but it seems like you’re willing to look at everyone else but me... Do you even love me?”
There it was. The magic words that made Shen Qingqiu drop everything and do anything Luo Binghe wished him to do. Maybe it was because of all the years that Shen Qingqiu had wronged him and the tragic result of it that almost ended up destroying the world but now he absolutely couldn’t take it when someone – especially the man himself questioned his love for Luo Binghe. He loved this demon king more than his heart could take it and he wouldn’t be satisfied unless everyone clearly knew that fact and nobody dared to question it anymore.
Shen Qingqiu grabbed Luo Binghe’s face and pulled him closer, saying in a small voice, “I do... just ten seconds, okay?”
“...Okay,” Luo Binghe nodded, looking back at Shen Qingqiu expectantly. However, that look quickly changed to one of disappointment when Shen Qingqiu turned away after only four seconds.
Shen Qingqiu calmed his loudly thumping heart and risked a glance back. Luo Binghe looked like a kicked puppy, no doubt, already trying to accept that no matter what, his Shizun just cannot bare to look at him, totally misunderstanding everything.
Shen Qingqiu steeled his resolve and grabbed Luo Binghe’s face again. The same thing happened.
Damn this fucking protagonist’s halo! Can it not blind me for ten seconds? Binghe , my dear, you really don’t want to make this easy on me, do you...?
The same process repeated a few more times, leaving Shen Qingqiu completely exhausted for nothing. It was as if he tried to look at the sun directly, without any protection. One can’t expect you to just stare at the sun! It was ridiculous! What if he goes blind? Or worse, what if his heart just bursts from all these annoying feelings he can’t help having?
Several methods were tried for Shen Qingqiu to complete his ten seconds mission while Luo Binghe stayed seated patiently, growing somewhat concerned. Of course, he could see how hard his Shizun was trying to complete his request and the intention was enough to warm his heart. He wouldn’t want to force him to something he wasn’t comfortable with doing. That was why he suggested giving up after an hour passed but Shen Qingqiu was resolute and way too stubborn. He had been challenged and he would be damned if he couldn’t complete such a simple task.
He! Will! Succeed! Looking! Into! His! Boyfriend’s! Extremely! Beautiful! Eyes! For! Ten! Fucking! Seconds!
“Then how about Shizun gives me a kiss every time you fail?” Luo Binghe suggested. He thought that this could make the game a bit more interesting and even if Shen Qingqiu failed, instead of feeling that small sting of disappointment, he would get a kiss to make it up to him.
However, Shen Qingqiu frowned, “Why would you think that kissing you counts as a punishment for me?”
“I mean... Shizun sometimes makes it look like one...”
Shen Qingqiu grabbed Luo Binghe’s face again and pulled him into a kiss. It was a messy one but it still lasted for definitely more than ten seconds. They only pulled away after there was no air left in their lungs and even then, they pulled away very reluctantly. It was a rare occurrence when Shen Qingqiu made the first move and Luo Binghe’s heart was soaring with happiness.
“Cheeky brat...” Shen Qingqiu panted, staring into Luo Binghe’s eyes. “You think you can... talk to me like that... I’ll show you...
Luo Binghe cut him off, announcing excitedly, “Congratulations, Shizun! You made eye contact with me for fifteen seconds!”
“...Did I? Huh, I mean, I sure did! See, I can do it anytime!”
“Thank you, Shizun ,” Luo Binghe pressed a soft kiss on Shen Qingqiu’s forehead and hugged him close. Shen Qingqiu automatically nuzzled his face into Luo Binghe’s chest, letting out a long breath.
“This is such a stupid thing...” he rambled. “Who would be able to stare into your eyes... have you seen your eyes...?”
“I-is there something wrong with my eyes?”
“Idiot, I’m telling you your eyes are too pretty.”
“Oh. Shizun’s eyes are pretty too.”
“Sweet talker... Anyways, I will make an effort to look into your eyes more often from now on. Satisfied?”
“Very much,” Luo Binghe sighed and made the both of them fell backwards on the bed. He adjusted his hold on Shen Qingqiu to a comfortable position and kept cuddling. “ Shizun better keep his eyes on me and only me.”
“Yeah, yeah. I see you even in my dreams, how could I ever look at anyone else...”
Luo Binghe grinned, obviously very satisfied with himself. “Good. I promise to only look at Shizun too.”
“You better,” Shen Qingqiu mumbled, barely audible as he clutched Luo Binghe’s robes more tightly. A thought sprouting in his mind: he better keep his eyes on this demon king. Who knows when would someone appear to steal him away, leaving him all alone?
This, he knew, was almost impossible but one could never be too careful, right? Just keeping his eyes on him a little more wouldn’t hurt anyways...