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Chu Wanning curses his poor luck as he tries to struggle away from the rough hands grabbing him, panic overtakes him as he tries to get up, but with uncoordinated limbs, he falls right back into the water.
“Stop that! Hold still already!" Mo Ran scolds him. He starts cleaning the mud off of him again, his tone turning gentle "Please, it's almost done. Aren't you a sweet little kitten?”
"Scram!" He shouts, but all that comes out is an embarrassing meow. Chu Wanning is very tempted to hiss and scratch but he refrains. He currently has no spiritual powers, he doesn't even know where he is. Cursed into becoming a cat, Chu Wanning was trapped in the heavy rain outside, shivering, all alone, when a cultivator rescued him. The man had gently picked him up and pulled out the front of his robe, lowering Chu Wanning in and holding him in place, letting him rest between the warm layers of clothing and his skin, away from the pounding rain. He kept trying to tell the man as he carried him, but every word came out a pathetic mewl or an unsatisfactory hiss. So he is here now, humiliated by being bathed like a pet. He needs to think of a way to turn back into a human.
“Almost done,” Mo Ran reassures him, scooping him up, bundling him into a towel, using his spiritual energy to warm it and evaporate the water.
Chu Wanning, too cold and exhausted, gives into Mo Ran’s gentle rubbing and melts at the warm feeling, deep rumbling sounds coming from his chest. He hears Mo Ran's pleased voice, “Such a sweet good kitten. How did you get lost? You seem very young, someone must be missing you right?”
The last comment makes him snap out of it and it startles him so badly he tumbles out of his neat sitting position. He feels his hair puff, claws extending, his whole body stiffening, and he meows in his most menacing voice which, apparently, is not that terrifying. "Is that a no, then?” Mo Ran oblivious, reaches out a hand to pet his head again. Chu Wanning jerks back from the hand, and ends up moving a little too far back, tangling himself in the cloth.
“Aiya, sorry, sorry.” Mo Ran holds up hands, laughing. “It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you.” Mo Ran said reassuringly, and doesn’t try to touch him again. Instead, he watches him for a moment, leaning forward with hands under his chin, the corner of his lips tipped up happily, a deep set of dimples appearing, making his handsome face appear even kinder.
When he sees Chu Wanning relax again, Mo Ran brings his palm and starts stroking along his back. Chu Wanning tries to stay still, ignoring the petting while trying to think of a way to get out of here. But all thoughts leave him as Mo Ran scratches the fur behind his ears. Chu Wanning finds himself leaning heavily into Mo Ran’s hand and realises with mortification that he is purring like an actual cat, and he scrambles to collect himself again.
He stares at the man petting him. He knows who Mo Ran is. Chu Wanning has spent only a few months in the Cultivation world but he had already heard about Mo Ran’s talent and heroic tales, even managed to witness it one time. Most of the upper cultivation world had sought him, but his whereabouts were always unknown. Appearing and disappearing in various places. Chu Wanning is baffled how he managed to end up here.
Mo Ran at the moment remains under the impression that he’s just a cat. Chu Wanning wonders how skilled a cultivator 'Mo-Zongshi' is if he doesn't even know that he is a human under a curse. He will have to come up with some way to communicate his identity to this man, some way to get his help.
Mo Ran is wrapping him in the towel again and Chu Wanning lets him, he's still a little cold. After a while, he brings a warm bowl of soup and Chu Wanning sighs in contentment, accepting a spoonful of it. He immediately coughs all of it out in distaste. Is Mo Ran trying to poison him?
"Hey! It's medicine! We don't want you getting sick, right?" Mo Ran chides and he brings the spoon to his mouth again. Chu Wanning tries to turn his head away but Mo Ran is prepared for it, his hand covering Chu Wanning’s whole body, keeping him still and feeding him more of the vile drink.
"Just this one. It's almost done." Mo Ran coaxes him. Chu Wanning only wails pathetically against the lies, as he squirms in his confinement. But Mo Ran feeds him one spoonful after another, even as Chu Wanning keeps coughing most of it out.
Respected Mo-zongshi? This man is a beast in human clothing! Chu Wanning fumes. Let him come closer, he's going to scratch his face off!
"There we go. It's over." Mo Ran says softly after the bowl is empty. He cleans him with the cloth. "Feeling better?"
Chu Wanning only lets out a threatening growl.
Suddenly, the hands are lifting him again. The fear of losing ground overtakes him and he starts struggling against the hold.
“It’s okay! It’s okay! I’ve got you!” Mo Ran hisses in pain when Chu Wanning’s claws dig deep into his hands, leaving bright red marks. Chu Wanning goes still, bracing himself to be dropped, but the hands are still steady and Mo Ran brings him close to hold him against his chest, until he is sure Chu Wanning won't continue to struggle.
“There, see. You’re safe, nobody is going to hurt you anymore.” Mo Ran says soothingly. He then starts walking towards his bed and Chu Wanning wriggles fiercely in an attempt to loosen the man's grip. But instead of putting him down, Mo Ran sits with Chu Wanning in his lap, still holding him pressed against his chest.
Chu Wanning’s small body is cradled in the man's arms, paws tucked underneath him and his tail curled around him tightly. Mo Ran lifts his hand again to start petting him, from his head to the back, the fingers scratching the soft fur behind his ears. Chu Wanning closes his eyes and gives over to the purrs that rumble through his chest, listening to the way Mo Ran's heart beats in even times with his breathing. The rhythmic stroking continues until Chu Wanning’s limbs turn to jelly, pushing all the anxious thoughts from his mind.
How long had it been since he’d been held this way?
Mo Ran at the moment is very warm, so Chu Wanning finds himself relaxing more into his chest. Thinking there isn't much he can do now in this body anyway, Chu Wanning cannot help but arch into Mo Ran's touch. The curse has definitely left him with no inhibitions. He should be ashamed and annoyed by his own behavior, but he gives himself to the warmth and it isn't long before his small sides rise and fall slowly, and sleep overtakes him.
~
Next morning Chu Wanning wakes up warm, covered in a blanket and slowly blinks his eyes open, squinting against the sunlight that is spilling into the small room. He yawns and stretches, arching his back, his paws lifting off the bed. He is disappointed to learn that it wasn't just a nightmare, his body is yet to return to normal. There was this feeling of helplessness that came with being in this small form, and Chu Wanning despised it with all his being.
Sighing, he looks around, and finds himself all alone, so he jumps out of the bed to explore. The straw hut is small with only bare necessities, nothing of importance. After a while, his stomach starts growling, and he realises that except the bitter medicine, he hasn't eaten anything in a long time.
Thankfully, Mo Ran appears at the door, greeting him good morning and asking him if he slept well, as if it's the most normal thing to do. Chu Wanning only looks at him incredulously.
He is carrying two bowls of food, one for Chu Wanning and one for himself, placing it in front of him. Chu Wanning looks up at him, then at the bowl of rice and red cured meat. He takes one bite and chews tentatively, before immediately spitting it out on the ground, coughing horribly.
Mo Ran rushes and returns with a bowl of water frowning at the food bowl. “You don't like it?” he asks. Chu Wanning’s ears twitch, he raises his front paw and then slaps it back down - something akin to dissatisfaction, and huffs and puts his back to Mo Ran. Is this some revenge? Did he kill this man's beloved in previous life or something? Chu Wanning feels tears pricking at his eyes at his current situation. He is stuck in a weak body, hungry, tired and all alone - he's going to die like this.
After a while he hears the door open again and Chu Wanning glares at Mo Ran sullenly as he returns yet again with another set of bowls.
Chu Wanning eyes it for a long time, then cautiously nibbles at the soft bun and laps at the bowl of sweet milk. Eyes widening with delight, he soon finishes the milk and licks his lips as if wanting more. Mo Ran watches him and immediately says, “Ah! Let me get more for you.”
He meows in affirmation, and Mo Ran shakes his head - a tiny chuckle sneaking past his lips as he stares at him. "I'm glad you're here, little kitten. Feels less lonely." Mo Ran says getting more of that sweet milk for him. A warm feeling flows in Chu Wanning’s heart and he raises one paw and pats the idiot on the nose. Mo Ran only laughs and ruffles his fur in return.
After Chu Wanning finishes, he trots up to the window to sit down to look outside, thinking.
~
The next few days pass slowly. Chu Wanning spends most of the day following Mo Ran around. He soon learns that he is in a small village called Yuliang. The famous Mo Zongshi is not here to put down demons and evil spirits, instead he spends most of the day harvesting rice in the fields, cooking food and chatting up with the older folk in the town. Not proper behaviour for a powerful cultivator, Chu Wanning thinks, but Mo Ran is helping people, and that is enough.
Now, Chu Wanning is perched under the tree where Mo Ran had kindly laid a blanket for him. As he looks at said man in the field, reaping rice, bathed in the warm light of sunset, Chu Wanning assesses his options. He figures there’d be no harm in staying for a little while and see if Mo Ran will discover his curse and help him. It's not because he got attached to the man and it's definitely not because of the endless supply of milk candies Mo Ran hides in his pocket.
Chu Wanning assumes he could brave it and venture out, find a sect that can help him. But what if the curse is permanent? Where will he go? He would never ever again return to -
Ribbit!
A frog leaps on top of him, making him jump in surprise. As his instincts kick in, he runs and in no time he scales the tree behind him. That's when he sits down and breathes a sigh of relief. But immediately dread fills him as he realizes what he has just done.
He dares to glance down, refusing to acknowledge the tightening of his limbs around the branch he was practically glued to. He curses this tiny, frail body again that makes him so afraid of heights.
He feels humiliation somewhere in the back of his mind but it is overwhelmed by fear as the branches lazily sways and he hears a faint cracking noise. He shuts his eyes tightly, whimpering quietly in fright. Shivers wander through his body when he hears Mo Ran's soft voice and feels familiar hands hold him as Mo Ran brings him down, supporting him as he rests him on his shoulders.
He yowls again, right in poor Mo Ran’s ear, and leaps off his shoulder onto the solid ground, feeling relief.
It doesn't work out too well, though, because he stumbles and trips, letting out a pained mew as he face-plants into the tree. He doesn't have time to gather himself before Mo Ran’s strong hands pick him up again. He holds Chu Wanning close to his chest, petting him gently, muttering small reassurances. “Aw, it’s okay, there's nothing to be scared of.” Mo Ran brings his small body to tuck it under his chin. Chu Wanning lets out another small mew, and Mo Ran keeps him tucked there safely as he brings him back to their small hut.
~
Later in the evening, Mo Ran sits on the bed and settles Chu Wanning in his lap, hands still fussing over him in ways that makes him purr with contentment. Mo Ran speaks in a low, comforting tone, his gentle fingers scratching behind Chu Wanning's ears. Soon Chu Wanning finds himself relaxing and he yawns, his eyes slowly closing.
"Eventful day, ah? You should rest, little kitten. Good night." Mo Ran whispers and kisses his head softly, and Chu Wanning feels his heart race. He opens one of his eyes, looks at him, and huffs, closing his eyes again. Mo Ran chuckles and gets more comfortable, before closing his eyes too. For now, Chu Wanning is gratified to just rest, knowing he's safe here in whatever form.
Chu Wanning wakes up in the middle of the night encircled in strong arms. He scrunches his eyes shut in the darkness of the room as he tries to hold on to sleep, leaning more into the warmth. His brain finally catches up with the situation. He slowly, uncertainly, opens his eyes. He's back to his human form!
Suddenly aware of his nakedness he gingerly pushes Mo Ran away and grabs a discarded dark robe, almost tripping over himself in his haste. Thankfully, Mo Ran is still sleeping. As he calms himself down, Chu Wanning stares at the man on the bed. He should go, he's used to being alone. He could leave now and Mo Ran would be unaware. He surely won't miss a cat he had known only for a few days.
He has to make a decision, leave or stay. Leave and go back to seeking out an existence for himself, or stay, get over his shame and pay gratitude to the man who's been kind to him all these days, the one who potentially saved his life. The more he looks at Mo Ran, the more confused his thoughts become, emotions too strong, too conflicting, too unfamiliar, his heart beating so loudly he's afraid it might wake Mo Ran up. That more than anything scares Chu Wanning and he ends up running.