Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was no secret that Xingqiu had a love for books.

Ever since he was a child, he’s loved books. It had started out with his mother reading to him to help him fall asleep at night, which became their nightly ritual. Each night he looked forward to their joined reading of a story together, him listening enraptured to his mother describe tales of adventure and dragons and martial arts masters and magic. And when he was finally old enough to read on his own, he was able to pick out books that interested him, devouring them as quickly as he would crystal shrimp. As he grew from a small child into a teenager, and then finally into a young adult, he was praised for his keen mind and vast vocabulary, which would no doubt be fitting for the Feiyun Commerce Guild’s second heir. Being well-read and well-spoken were good assets to have in business and would no doubt help with schooling, though his father had gently insisted on him reading his textbooks with as much seriousness as he did his martial arts books. But even though the years passed and his responsibilities increased, his love of reading never left him. Diving into novels was an ideal escape for a child who grew up in an otherwise very sheltered life, and let him experience new worlds without the need of a chaperone. The way a skilled writer could paint a picture in your mind as skillfully as any painter, tell a story as compelling as any movie or play or performance, the ability to transport yourself into an entirely new world… It was a silent pleasure that he indulged in whenever he could.

As he grew older and gained his own disposable income, his personal library expanded as well. Trips to the Wanmin Bookhouse every weekend became his favourite outing, and he always insisted on gift cards to the local bookstores around his neighbourhood whenever his birthday or holidays rolled around. He took great pleasure in picking out fine bookshelves to display his collection, and even business trips and outings were made more bearable knowing that he could just reach into his pocket or bag and be transported to another world. He even took a stab at writing his own stories, and had mastered the art of writing in a notebook or tapping away on his laptop while in one of his father’s business meetings, looking like he was following along but secretly occupied elsewhere.

But perhaps his love of books was a little too strong at times.

There was a certain something about a good story that just kept him hooked on them. Whether in the car, on the bus, in class, or late at night under his covers, a book could grab his attention and not let him go until his desire to know what would happen to the characters printed on the pages before him was sated. It was not uncommon for him to push his homework and chores aside just so he could squeeze in one more chapter, just one more chapter. He’d only taken a break from his voracious reading habit when his school marks began to suffer, but once his marks were back up to respectable levels he was back to reading.

As he grew older and entered college, the importance of his work grew to the point where he couldn’t just push it off all the time. So instead of pushing back his homework, he instead chose to push back his sleeping hours. After all, what’s more relaxing at night than reading a good book?

At least, that was the plan. But more often than not, Xingqiu found himself getting four hours of sleep or less because of how gripping the book he was reading became. How incessant that desire for one more chapter truly was. And despite his insistence that he was getting enough sleep, it was not uncommon for his friends to come across him curled up at his desk, head resting in his crossed arms as he gently dozed.

Such was the case this morning. Though Xingqiu loathed his early-morning alarm, getting up at the same time as his father and brother meant getting to school long before the other students arrived, which was perfect if he needed to catch up on homework before class. Or, more often than not, catch up on sleep. There were still a good twenty minutes before class began, and Xingqiu had figured now was as good a time as ever to get some extra sleep. Unfortunately, despite his desire to get some rest, there were those around him that thought otherwise.

“Xingqiu… Xiiiiiiingqiuuuu...”

Xingqiu blinked sleepily, then frowned as something sharp poked his cheek. He grumbled, using his hand to bat away the offending object, which turned out to be his friend’s sharp fingernail. Laughter floated around him.

“Did you fall asleep again? Geez, have you ever thought of sleeping in your own bed?”

Well, no use getting any sleep now, was there? Xingqiu opened his eyes and looked up, seeing mirthful red eyes looking down at him. He let out a frustrated huff.

“Have you ever thought to not poke people with sharp nails, Hu Tao?”

“Well, how else was I supposed to wake you?” Hu Tao said innocently, shrugging her shoulders. “You were sleeping like the dead! I was considering whether or not I needed to get you fitted for a coffin.”

“She’s got a point, you know.” A second voice said, and Xingqiu turned to see Xiangling looking at him, an elbow propped on her own desk and her chin resting on the back of her hand. Unlike Hu Tao’s playful smirk, Xiangling had a look of concern on her face. “Staying up super late isn’t really healthy for your sleep schedule!”

Xingqiu grumbled a bit, burying his face back into his arms and closing his eyes. “I know, I know...”

“What were you even doing to stay up so late? Were you working on a project?” Xiangling asked. Before he could even reply, Hu Tao spoke up.

“Xingqiu wouldn’t stay up late to work on a project unless it was literally due the next day. Hmm, let me guess… You got to a plot twist and just had to keep reading?” Hu Tao ventured.

“No.” Xingqiu denied, peeking up from his arms and frowning at her.

“Oh, then an intense action scene?”

“No.”

“A love confession?”

“...” Unfortunately, his pause was long enough for Hu Tao’s eyes to light up with mischief.

“Oh goodness, was it??” She asked, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as she giggled. “You’re such a sap, Xingqiu.”

Xingqiu shot his friend a glare, and was about to retort back, when Xiangling perked up and waved at someone behind them.

“Oh, good morning Chongyun!”

Xingqiu lifted his head up enough to turn and look over his shoulder. Sure enough, there was Chongyun, who was making his way through the groups of students and towards their desks.

“Good morning.” When he saw the frown on Xingqiu’s face, he blinked in confusion, looking around at the others. “Is everything okay?”

“Yun-yuuun! Hu Tao is being mean to me.” Xingqiu whined, knowing full well he sounded much more petulant than normal, more than likely due to the aforementioned tiredness. Not that he could really bring himself to care at that moment.

Hu Tao merely shrugged, unrepentant. “Hey, I wouldn’t be so mean if you went to sleep at a decent hour like the rest of us.”

“Says the one who stays up until one-thirty in the morning browsing the dark web.”

“Hey!”

“Well, she’s not entirely wrong, you know. It would be better if you slept more.” Chongyun ventured before their argument got too heated, taking his seat next to Xingqiu. Xingqiu was about to retort back, make some comment on this obvious betrayal by his oldest and dearest friend. But before he could, Chongyun was sliding something in front of him. “Here.”

Xingqiu blinked, looking down at the takeaway cup in front of him. The warm scent of coffee wafted from the cup, and if he breathed deep enough he could catch hints of caramel wafting up with the scent of espresso. A caramel macchiato, his favourite blend. He looked up at Chongyun like he’d been given the holy grail.

“For me?”

“Well, yes.” Chongyun said, nodding. He had his own takeaway cup in his hand, an iced coffee. Xingqiu never understood why the other boy preferred his morning coffee iced, even in the dead of winter. “I figured you would probably need it if you want to pay attention in class.”

“My dear Chongyun, my closest friend, you are truly a prince among men in these bleak times.” Xingqiu said, taking the cup in both hands and lifting it up to his lips to take a sip. The comforting mix of caramel and caffeine warmed his very soul.

“Hey, what about the rest of us??” Hu Tao asked indignantly.

“Huh?” Chongyun looked up at Hu Tao, before turning back to his iced coffee and fiddling with the straw. “Oh, well, I uh… didn’t know what kind you liked.”

Xiangling shook her head, waving a hand dismissively in front of her. “It’s okay, Chongyun! You don’t have to get us anything. I have my own anyway.” She said, reaching over and lifting up her own travel mug. “It was very sweet of you to get something for Xingqiu, though.”

Hu Tao crossed her arms and let out a little huff. “Well, of course he’d memorize his boyfriend’s coffee, but I thought he cared about the rest of his friends.”

“T-That’s..!” Chongyun stammered, his face turning red. Xingqiu frowned at Hu Tao before he moved to wrap an arm around Chongyun’s shoulders.

“Don’t listen to her, Yun-yun. She’s just being a bully, as always.” he insisted, before pointing at Hu Tao. “And you! You should be ashamed. Teasing our dear poor Chongyun when he’s just trying to be nice.” With his frown fixed on Hu Tao, he missed the way Chongyun’s face turned a darker shade of red.

Hu Tao looked between the two, before a knowing smile crossed her face. It was gone before Xingqiu could comment on it, and she closed her eyes as she held her hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, yeesh. No need to get all snippety about it, Xingqiu.”

Their little banter was cut short as the professor walked in, greeting the class with a casual greeting as they got set up. Hu Tao and Xiangling got settled into their desks, and Xingqiu pulled away as he and Chongyun settled into theirs.

As the professor began going through the introduction of their lesson, Xingqiu turned to Chongyun. He could see the way the boy’s ears were still a little red even as he moved to pull his laptop out of his bag. Xingqiu leaned in closer, talking at a softer level so the professor wouldn’t hear them. “You know, if Hu Tao does go too far, you can tell her to back off.”

“Hmm?” Chongyun blinked, looking over at Xingqiu. He shook his head and opened his laptop. “No, it’s alright. She doesn’t bother me, really.”

“Good.” Xingqiu said as he pulled out his own laptop. “Don’t let her bully you into buying her free drinks.”

Chongyun turned to him, a small uptick at the corners of his mouth. “Worried I won’t have enough for you?”

Xingqiu laughed good-naturedly under his breath. “Well, I know I have a good thing going here! I don’t want her to encroach on that.” He took another sip of his caramel macchiato, turning back to face the front. “But truly, thank you, Chongyun. I don’t know how I’d function some mornings without you.”

Chongyun shot a surprised look at Xingqiu, before clearing his throat and nodding, taking a sip of his iced coffee. “Don’t mention it.”

Chapter Text

The Wanwen Bookhouse was by far Xingqiu’s favourite place in all of Liyue Harbour. A quiet little bookstore tucked away in one of the many shopping districts near his home, it was a store he had been coming to ever since he was young. Other kids his age would beg for toys or video games for their birthdays, but Xingqiu always insisted a Wanwen Bookhouse gift card was his favourite gift to receive if the gift-giver had no other ideas what to get him. He knew that they received their new stock shipment on Thursdays and would usually have it on sale by Friday morning, and as such made an effort to try to go to the bookstore every Friday afternoon after school or Saturday afternoon once he had his own income. He kept that tradition up throughout junior high and high school, and even now in college. Despite the convenience of online shopping, he still found himself browsing the aisles to pick out the latest volumes of a series he was reading or thumb through new a series that caught his interest.

He would sometimes be accompanied by Xiangling or Hu Tao, but his usual companion for these weekly escapades was Chongyun. That was who accompanied him today, the two wandering the familiar aisles, a small stack of tomes already tucked under Xingqiu’s arm.

“Ah! Chongyun, look!” Xingqiu said excitedly, picking up a book from the new release shelf. “Look at this cover… They really went all out for the tenth anniversary edition, didn’t they?”

Chongyun hummed, looking over the cover. “That is a nice cover… But don’t you already have the full series of The Legend of the Shattered Halberd?”

“Well, yes, but it’s not every day they release a tenth anniversary edition cover. And look how nice it is!” Xingqiu insisted, running his fingers over the faux leather cover and gold leaflet text. It truly was a gorgeous cover, in his opinion.

“Well, if you really want it, don’t let me stop you from getting it.” Chongyun said, a small grin on his face as Xingqiu picked up the book and added it to his pile.

“Believe me, I would buy it even if you did try to stop me.” Xingqiu said with a chuckle as the two made their way to the queue to pay for Xingqiu’s latest finds. But his chuckle was cut off as a yawn crept up on him, threatening to shake his entire frame.

“Are you alright?” Chongyun asked.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I was just up late last night.” Xingqiu said, pointedly ignoring the look Chongyun gave him in favour of looking at the fancy book in his hands. “Though, it does make sense that they’re releasing a special edition cover. Probably to tie in with the book signing Mr. Nine announced recently.”

“Mr. Nine?” Chongyun asked.

“The author. He’s going to be having a book signing in a couple of months. I have every intention of going, and this cover would make the perfect edition to receive his autograph.” The very thought had Xingqiu grinning from ear to ear.

“Does the author not do autographs very often?”

“Well, he does, but...” Xingqiu had to pause as they were called up to the cashier’s desk, and he placed the books on the table with a light thump. After confirming that yes, this was everything, and yes, he would like a bag, he turned back to Chongyun as he pulled out his wallet. “He does, but there’s a difference between simply ordering a signed book and actually being present to receive it.”

“Ah.” Chongyun said with a nod of understanding. “So it’s less for the autograph and more to meet him in person?”

“Well, it could be for both, can’t it?” Xingqiu asked with a smile. He pulled out his credit card and input his information. But rather than the usual beep confirming his purchase, he jumped in surprise as an unfamiliar beeping sound rang from the machine. The cashier looked down at the machine, then up at him with a sympathetic smile.

“Oh… I’m sorry, sir, it says your card has been declined.”

Xingqiu blinked in befuddlement, looking at the cashier like she had just spoken a foreign language. “Declined?”

“Yes, declined.”

“Oh…” Xingqiu frowned. That didn’t sound right. “Maybe I tapped the wrong account. Can I try again?”

“Certainly.” The cashier said. She rang through the purchase once more, and Xingqiu swiped his card and input his information once again, more slowly and deliberately this time. The machine went through the process again, only to beep in the same manner as it had before.

“Hmm, still declined…” the cashier said as she looked over the machine. “If you’d like I can try again, or if you have another card..?”

“Ah, no, it should be okay… huh…” Xingqiu said, his frown deepening.

“Is everything alright?” Chongyun asked, looking between the machine and his friend. Xingqiu shook his head, pulling out his phone.

“No, everything is quite alright! It’s just, I know I have funds in my bank…” He scowled at his phone as his banking app took its time loading. He looked up at the cashier, feeling his face heat up. “I’m very sorry about this.”

“It’s alright. This isn’t the first time this sort of thing has happened.” the cashier said pleasantly. Xingqiu was grateful for her patience, but it did little to ease the embarrassment he felt.

When the app finally did decide to load, he looked at his credit card information, and… oh. When had he made those purchases? It took him a while to figure it out, but then he remembered the late-night book sale he had found online. The pride he felt at such a good bargain. The sleepy reminder he had told himself after checking out to pay his card off in the morning.

It looks like he had forgotten to pay off his card. Whoops…

Fortunately, he still had plenty of money in his account to pay off his unexpected debt, but it would still take a few minutes for the transfer to go through. He let out a sigh as he put the transfer through. How foolish of him...

“…thank you very much, have a nice day!”

Xingqiu looked up, surprised. “Huh?”

He watched in confusion as Chongyun placed his wallet back in his pocket before taking the bagged books from the cashier, nodding his thanks to her before turning back to Xingqiu.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“O...kay?”

Xingqiu blinked in confusion as he followed Chongyun away from the cashier’s desk and towards the door. His sleep-addled brain was still a little dumbstruck by what had just occurred. “You… paid for my books?”

“Well, you looked like you were having some issues with your card.” Chongyun said, offering the bag to him. “I thought it would be faster if I paid.”

Xingqiu gaped at Chongyun, gaze flixking between the book bag and his friend. “Chongyun! You didn’t have to do that, I have money in my account, I just..!”

“It’s alright, Xingqiu.” Chongyun insisted. “I could tell you needed some help, so I really didn’t mind. I wouldn’t have done it if I couldn’t.”

“But…” Xingqiu looked back down at the bag. He let out a long sigh, before he reached for the bag and took it in his hand. “Thank you, Chongyun.” he said with a soft smile. “I owe you big time for your help. I can’t believe I forgot to pay off my card…”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t stay up late, perhaps you wouldn’t forget to pay off your card.” Chongyun said with a knowing grin. Xingqiu groaned loudly, elbowing his friend.

“Alright, alright. You don’t have to rub it in, you know.” He grumbled. “But I will pay you back for this. Do not let me forget, alright?”

Chongyun sent him a small smile back, putting his hands back in his pockets. “If you insist.”

Chapter Text

The sun filtered in through the heavy curtains of Xingqiu’s room, casting a warm glow over his bed and across his face. The warmth soothed him, but the bright light was enough to pull Xingqiu from his sleep, heavy eyelids blinking awake. He took a deep breath and shifted, stretching his sleepy muscles as he did before curling back up under his blankets. He burrowed his face further into the soft pillows beneath his head, closing his eyes as he re-settled into the comfort of his bed.

The weekends were truly wonderful times for Xingqiu. No classes to attend, and the fact that weekends didn’t count as business days meant he usually had no reason to be up at an early hour. Meaning he could read well into the early hours of the night and sleep in until the late morning sun, catching up on all those hours he lost being the night owl he was.

But just as he was getting ready to allow sleep to pull him back into blissful unconsciousness, a buzzing sound came from his bedside table. Xingqiu frowned, trying to ignore it, but the buzzing happened again a few minutes later, and again a few minutes later after that. It wasn’t a loud buzzing, but given the silence that held in the rest of the room, it might as well have been a blaring alarm. With a defeated sigh, Xingqiu opened his eyes and rolled onto his back. He took his time actively fighting against the tiredness that threatened to pull him back to sleep. When he felt awake enough he rolled over to his other side, reaching out blindly for his bedside table for his troublesome phone. When his fingers finally found the device, he picked it up and looked at his home screen, frowning at it. Who was blowing up his phone? Was there some heated discussion in one of his group chats or something?

What Xingqiu found wasn’t a series of messages from his group chats, but a line of text messages. He stared at them for a moment, reading each message.

[Xiangling - 9:30am]: Xingqiu, are you up yet? Don’t forget, we’re meeting at Heyu Tea House at noon today!

[Xiangling - 9:30am]: Consider this your alarm, in case you’re sleeping and miss your actual alarm!

[Xiangling - 10:58am]: Xingqiu, are you on your way? Don’t forget about our shopping trip today!

[Hu Tao - 11:03am]: xingqiu I s2g if u sleep in again i’ll steal ur wanmen loyalty card

[Xiangling - 11:31am]: Are you almost here? We can still wait for you if you’re going to be a little late!

[Hu Tao - 11:34am]: omg did u sleep in again u disaster LOL

[Hu Tao - 11:35am]: wake up u bum!!!

Xingqiu’s eyes widened in surprise, a cold feeling of dread settling in his stomach as he sat upright. That’s right… he had agreed to meet his friends for lunch and shopping that afternoon. Checking the time only made him further sink into dread; the messages had been sent to him since almost two hours ago, with the latest being a half hour old. He was supposed to meet his friends at noon, and the clock on his phone read 11:47am.

“Shit.” He cursed, flinging himself up and out of bed. He cursed himself for forgetting, and for not getting up sooner. Why hadn’t he set his alarm?!

Ah, but wait, he had. And he had hit the snooze button, and fallen back asleep. Of course.

Well, that didn’t matter right now. Right now, he had to get himself up, make himself presentable, and get to the tea house in less than fifteen minutes.

He took what was quite possibly the shortest shower in his life, then practically ran across his room to his closet and ripped it open. He barely gave his clothes a second glance, grabbing the first few articles of clothing that looked semi-presentable and hastily getting dressed. As he moved to his vanity to fix his hair, he noticed he received two more texts while he was washing up.

[Xiangling - 11:56am]: Xingqiu, just in case you slept in and get this late, we’re going to head on over to the tea house and meet you there. Chongyun said he will come and get you, and we can order for you so you don’t have to wait. See you soon!

[Hu Tao - 11:56am]: we sent ur boyfriend to go get u be sure to be wearing pants

Just as he finished reading those texts, his doorbell rang, causing him to look up in alarm. Crap, crap crap! Ugh, what a morning..!

Xingqiu looked at the mirror in dismay, before deciding that no, he didn’t have time to comb his hair or brush his teeth, not when his friend was literally waiting at the door for him. So with a defeated sigh, he hurried out of his room and down the stairs to the door, quickly opening it.

There, waiting at the front door, was Chongyun. He lifted a hand to wave in greeting, but frowned at Xingqiu’s obviously disheveled appearance.

“Did you just roll out of bed?”

“Don’t even go there, Chongyun.” Xingqiu said with a sigh. He looked at his phone, wincing at the time.

Chongyun shook his head, taking a step back down the front steps. “Come on. I drove here, so if there’s anything you need to finish up you can do so in the car.”

Xingqiu nodded gratefully as he stepped out of his house, locking the door behind him before heading to Chongyun’s car. The vehicle wasn’t the fanciest model, handed down from an extended family member once Chongyun got his licence, but it was well taken care of and ran smoothly. Xingqiu slipped into the passenger seat while Chongyun moved to the driver's seat. As Chongyun started the engine, Xingqiu popped the glove compartment open, and was greeted with the familiar sight of one of his old combs, a palm-sized can of hair wax, and a half-finished packet of mint chewing gum.

“I can’t believe you still keep these in here.” Xingqiu admitted as he pulled down the passenger visor and flipped open the mirror.

“You never took them out.” Chongyun said with a shrug, backing up out of the driveway and onto the road. “Besides, they come in handy on days when we’re running late.”

“You mean when I’m running late.” Xingqiu said with a grumble, pulling out the comb and container of hair wax.

“I wasn’t going to say that.” Chongyun insisted as he drove out of Xingqiu’s neighbourhood and towards the main road. “Xiangling and Hu Tao said they’d go ahead and get a table. Just message them what you want and they can order for us.”

“I will, I will. Once I get myself looking a little presentable…” Xingqiu said, combing the bed head out of his hair.

Chongyun risked a quick glance over at Xingqiu, and his grooming efforts. “Do you want me to take the longer route there, or the shorter?”

“Do you think this is my first time getting ready in a car?” Xingqiu asked, glancing back at Chongyun. But after taking a moment to glance at the clock, he let out a small sigh. “Do you mind taking the longer route..?”

As a reply, Chongyun flicked the signal, taking a right-hand turn that would take them down a more scenic route to their destination. It would only add about another five or so minutes to their commute, but it would buy them enough time for Xingqiu to comb his hair and style it with the hair wax, which helped him look much less like he just rolled out of bed.

They were stopped at a red light when Chongyun looked over, just in time to see Xingqiu tuck the comb and wax away. “Better?”

“Much.” Xingqiu said, helping himself to a stick of gum. “Thanks, Chongyun. I would be an utter mess without your foresight.”

“Don’t mention it. And after all, they are your supplies.” Chongyun said. “Although, you don’t have to go through such lengths just to look presentable. I know Xiangling and Hu Tao won’t mind how you look.”

Xingqiu scoffed. “Are you kidding me? Hu Tao wouldn’t let me live it down if I went anywhere looking like I rolled out of bed.”

“Then why not get up earlier..?”

“Who’s side are you on, here??”

In the end, the two were only twenty minutes late when they pulled up to the Heyu Tea House parking lot. Though Hu Tao poked fun at Xingqiu’s sweater being on backwards, she at least didn’t notice if his hair was out of place or if his breath stank.

Chapter Text

One of the problems with being an insatiable bookworm was storage space. Though he had the means to pick out stylish bookshelves to house his precious volumes, more often than not those brand new shelves would quickly be filled with books, and then overfilled once his collection inevitably grew. Xingqiu did not consider himself to be an overly messy person, but he did find his room was not without piles of books crammed on top of each other in his shelves or stacked atop any flat surface he could find. The top of his wardrobe, his bedside table, his writing desk, even the foot of his bed was not safe from having a stack or three of books piled up beside it. He had done his best to stack them in ways that were out of his way and didn’t impede his ability to move around his room, but he still had to be careful to not tip over and precarious piles of books.

Getting a tablet for reading had been a strange upgrade, though one he soon realized was well worth the investment. Xingqiu was a little old-fashioned when it came to his books, and much preferred physical books over digital - their weight, the feel of the pages in his hands, how they felt in his hand or pocket, even the scent of them. But once he realized he could carry literally hundreds of novels in his pocket and read them late at night without having his bedside lamp turned on, and use his tablet as a means of sampling books he wasn’t sure if he wanted to buy physically, his reading tablet became a welcomed and handy addition to his personal library.

Ebooks weren’t the only digital media that Xingqiu consumed. For those works that became his absolute favourites, Xingqiu found an absolute treasure trove of free reading material in the form of fanfiction, and found some amateur fanfiction writers to be just as engaging as professional published works. It was inspiring to see so many people taking their free time to create new works or reinterpret plotlines using characters he loved. Sure, not everything was fantastic, and the inner writer in him would sometimes critique the works he read pretty sternly, but he never voiced such opinions and always made sure to leave a like on the stories he enjoyed. After all, who was he to stifle creativity? And he was here enjoying himself, so he could forgive a few typos or grammar errors here and there.

He was in the middle of reading one such work, a hand under his pillow as he slowly scrolled, the light from his phone casting a gentle illumination over his face. He was six chapters into his latest fanfiction discovery, and the story, which had already been a little tense, was beginning to ramp up in its action. It was hair-raising, suspenseful, and had him desperate to know just what was going on between the two characters. And the more he read, the more he felt he needed to tell someone about the feelings he was experiencing as he read. While reading was mostly a solitary event, Xingqiu did occasionally feel the need to voice his opinion to someone.

[Xingqiu - 12:16am]: I do believe I’m going to murder this man.

The text had been sent out in the late hours of the night, and though he sent it out to a few of his friends he hardly expected a reply from any of them. He knew he kept an odd sleeping schedule, and had more than once told his friends that if he sent out a late-night text they were free to ignore it until the morning. In fact, after a few minutes he had all but forgotten he had sent it. So caught up in his reading as he was, he nearly jumped when he saw a notification for an incoming text.

He smiled when he noticed the name attached to it, though.

[Chongyun - 12:26am]: I don’t think murder of any kind is really necessary.

Minimizing the tab he was reading, Xingqiu opened the messenger app and began typing.

[Xingqiu - 12:26am]: I can assure you, this murder would be completely justified.

[Chongyun - 12:27am]: Xingqiu, it’s 12:30 in the morning. Why are you still awake?

[Xingqiu - 12:27am]: I promise I had every intention of going to bed at a reasonable hour! But I just got to such an interesting part of this story…

[Chongyun - 12:27am]: A story? And is this story why you want to murder someone?

[Xingqiu - 12:27am]: Someone fictional! And besides, any sort of bodily harm to beings fictional or otherwise would have to wait, since this fanfic has me by the collar and refuses to let me go.

[Chongyun - 12:28am]: You’re up this late reading fanfiction??

[Xingqiu - 12:28am]: It’s just as valid as any other form of literature!!

[Chongyun - 12:28am]: I didn’t say it wasn’t, but didn’t you just buy some new books this past week?

[Xingqiu - 12:28am]: Yes, and?

[Chongyun - 12:29am]: I thought you would prefer to read those over works done by fans.

[Xingqiu - 12:29am]: Nonsense! If I’m to be a literary scholar, I should appreciate all forms of writing, no matter where they’re published.

[Chongyun - 12:29am]: Uh huh.

Xingqiu couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath. He knew that Chongyun wouldn’t really judge him for his choice of reading material, but seeing him get exasperated over his late night habits made a warm feeling grow in his chest. In fact, he could practically imagine him rolling his eyes at him, the disapproving look being sent his way. However, he also knew that Chongyun would suffer even his wildest of outbursts. Even if the other boy chastised him, Xingqiu knew he came from a place of care.

[Chongyun - 12:31am]: Well, you should go to sleep. We have an exam tomorrow, and you don’t want to be tired for that.

Xingqiu blinked, staring at the text before him. He frowned as he processed it.

[Xingqiu - 12:31am]: Exam?? I thought it was a practice exam???

[Chongyun - 12:31am]: No?? It isn’t a midterm but our professor said It was a legitimate exam for marks.

Xingqiu let out a low groan into his pillow. What kind of teacher schedules an exam on a Wednesday?? Ugh...

[Xingqiu - 12:31am]: Alright, alright… I guess I’ll head to bed.

[Chongyun - 12:32am]: Good. Goodnight, Xingqiu. Get some sleep.

[Xingqiu - 12:32am]: You as well, Yunyun~!

Xingqiu let out a small breath, closing the messenger app and glancing at the time at the top of his phone. He paused for a moment, before he reopened his web browser. Maybe one more chapter…

He only read one more paragraph before he received another text.

[Chongyun - 12:37am]: I mean it. Get some sleep.

Damn it, Chongyun… Xingqiu shook his head.

[Xingqiu - 12:37am]: I’m going, I’m going!!

[Chongyun - 12:38am]: Good.

[Xingqiu - 12:38am]: Goodnight! <3

[Chongyun - 12:38am]: Goodnight.

Xingqiu sighed, but took it as a sign and did end up putting his phone away on his nightstand. Chongyun knew him well enough to know when to prod. Besides, he supposed he needed the sleep anyway, if that silly ‘practice test’ wasn’t really for practice.

He ended up falling asleep rather quickly, and as such missed the final incoming text from Chongyun.

[Chongyun - 12:39am]: <3

Chapter Text

Heartache and misery have never felt so pronounced than it did in that moment. Never had he felt such a sharp sting of betrayal, shock, and utter agony as he did last night, and still felt six hours later. Truly, such a momentous shattering of trust would live on in his mind for quite some time.

Xingqiu slumped over his desk, arms up over his face as he looked away from the rest of the classroom. Here he was, a grown college student well into his mid-twenties, and he was trying not to cry in class like some poor high school student who had been refuted by their crush. To all the world, he was a perfect depiction of anguish and sorrow. Surely no one would understand the depths of his pain.

Behind him, he heard Hu Tao’s light scoff, and could practically envision the shake of her head.

“Xingqiu, please, you look absolutely pathetic. It’s just a book, you’ll get over it.”

The logical side of his mind knew that she was right. That getting upset over fictional characters was a silly notion, and that he would be fine. But Xingqiu wasn’t paying much attention to logic right now. No, he was too overwhelmed by emotion, the same emotion that had sunk its claws into him and kept him reading until the late hours of the night, up until he finished the last sentence. The plot twist he had encountered… it was just incredibly shocking, completely unexpected from what the narrative had painted for him. He had sat in complete silence in his bed for a solid five minutes, no sound other than the distant noises of late-night traffic and the pounding of his own heart filling his ears. When his exhausted brain finally caught up with what exactly he had just read, he had immediately grabbed his phone and sent a flurry of texts out to Hu Tao, the only one he knew with certainty who would be up so late in the evening. She had been comforting and understanding at 2 in the morning, but now she looked at him with a mix of pity and exasperation.

“You don’t understand, Hu Tao.” Xingqiu mumbled into his arms. “I feel betrayed. Absolutely gobsmacked.”

“Well, if it has you using words like ‘gobsmacked’, it must have been a serious plot twist, hmm?” Hu Tao asked. Xingqiu merely sighed, going back to his silent moping. Hu Tao let out a small noise, reaching over to lightly pat his back.

“It’s alright, Xingqiu. You’ll live. And if not, I’m sure I can help you pass on in a peaceful manner.” Normally her odd, somewhat morbid sense of humour would draw a laugh or even a chuckle from him. But all her words drew from him was a forlorn sigh. Hu Tao moved back to her own desk, leaving him to his own misery. He was unaware of how long he moped in his desk, only realizing the passage time based on how loud the chatter of other students was getting.

“Is Xingqiu okay?” he vaguely heard the concerned voice of Chongyun from somewhere behind him.

“Hmm? Oh, he’ll be fine.” The far-too-chipper voice of Hu Tao replied. “He’s just upset over one of his books.”

Under normal circumstances, Xingqiu would have turned sharply and snapped back that it wasn’t just due to a book. That if she had taken the time to read the series like he had suggested and gotten to the same part, she would feel just as shocked and betrayed as him. But he was currently too deep in his own feelings to really reply, still sorting through his own emotions to properly snap at her. He sighed, burying his face further into his arms.

Beside him, he heard the shuffling of footsteps, and then the scraping of a chair across the classroom floor beside him. Then, a tentative “Xingqiu? Is everything okay?”

Xingqiu didn’t move, hoping his silence was enough. When no reply came for a few long seconds, Chongyun spoke again.

“Do you… want to talk about it?”

Xingqiu turned his head just enough to see the worried look on his friend’s face, the way his brows furrowed in concern. Were it Hu Tao or anyone else, he would feel deep foolishness for such a display of misery, but seeing such a solicitous look from Chongyun… it made him lift his head just enough, pushing his bangs from his face.

“I’m just feeling very overwhelmed with emotion right now, Chongyun.” He said honestly. “I was reading a novel and the plot took a very distressing and unexpected twist. I’m afraid you wouldn’t understand.”

Chongyun shifted in his seat, scratching at the back of his neck. “Well, you could help me understand. Tell me what happened.”

Xingqiu blinked, lifting his head up a bit more. “Are you sure?”

Chongyun nodded. “I’m sure. Go ahead, I don’t mind.”

Xingqiu stared for a moment, seeing if Chongyun would back out of his offer. But when he remained firm, Xingqiu took a breath. “Okay. You see…”

He began explaining the series he had been reading, some overarching details that were needed to understand where the story was coming from, and who the main characters were. Then he went into the basics of the plot, and how events had happened and built up throughout the story and how it all came to a head in the final few chapters. He became more animated as he talked, gesturing with his hands as he did his best to both provide an abridged explanation of the story and offer enough information for Chongyun to properly understand. Chongyun’s expression didn’t change throughout Xingqiu’s retelling, but he was leaning forward as he listened intently, hanging on every word Xingqiu was saying.

“...and then to discover that the real reason he was so distraught was because the whole thing wasn’t an accident, but truthfully an elaborate murder… it just made the final chapter so much more heart-wrenching, realizing the truth behind his best friend’s actions. I wasn’t expecting such a twist, Chongyun!”

Chongyun leaned back, slowly processing what Xingqiu had told him. He shook his head in disbelief. “Wow… that is quite a twist. I could see why you were surprised.”

“Surprised is an understatement.” Xingqiu said. So caught up in retelling the story, and thus re-living the surprise he had read, he hadn’t prepared for the rise of emotion to well up in his chest again. He took a breath to steady himself, shaking his head to himself. Xingqiu cleared his throat, sitting up a little straighter and waving a hand before him.

“I suppose it is a testament to the author’s skill, if he was able to make me react so strongly.” He said, trying to brush off his near-emotional outburst once more. He shook his head, blinking rapidly to clear the mist from his eyes. “I know it’s kind of silly, getting so upset over a novel...” He trailed, trying to let out a chuckle, but it sounded weak even to his own ears.

Chongyun hummed, tilting his head briefly before reaching over to gently pat Xingqiu’s shoulder. The unexpected contact made him jolt lightly in surprise. “I don’t think it’s silly.” He said. “If it’s something you cared about, and it upset you that much, then I think it’s a valid feeling.”

Xingqiu stared at Chongyun, eyes a little wide and lips parted. He hadn’t expected such an earnest response from his friend over something that really wasn’t all that important. After all, at the end of the day, the events he had read hadn’t happened, and the characters featured were not even real. But Chongyun had taken him as seriously as if the events he had recounted had happened to him personally, and validated his feelings. It caused another bubble of emotion to rise in his chest, one unrelated to the ones he felt from his novel.

It was at that moment their professor chose to walk in, greeting the classroom and getting ready to start the lesson. Chongyun pulled back, settling into his seat and pulling out his laptop to get ready for the class. Xingqiu was acutely aware of the lack of a hand on his shoulder.

Just as he had pulled his laptop out to actually take his own notes for once, he felt a gentle nudge against his leg. Xingqiu looked up, seeing Chongyun looking back at him.

“Hey… after class, do you want to go get some ice cream? It’ll be my treat.”

Xingqiu blinked in surprise. It was a simple offer, something they always did, but in that moment he was hit with a wave of appreciation. Xingqiu smiled, nodding once.

“I would like that.”

Chapter Text

Xingqiu has always modeled his behaviour after the ideals of his favourite fictional characters. He believed in the concepts of honour, fairness, and chivalry, and was determined to keep them alive even in these modern times. Perhaps it was a little childish, but there was something personally thrilling about abiding by a moral code of honour, much like the heroes of the novels he was so taken by.

But tonight was one night where he wished he didn’t abide by such beliefs.

His father was a fair man. He allowed Xingqiu to pursue a career outside of business once he realized where his son’s passions lay. He allowed his son to go to a college of his choosing, allowed him to dive into the world of literature, even allowed him to freely pursue his dream of becoming an author, offering him the connections he had with publishing houses should he complete a manuscript. But in return, his father did expect him to play the part of the second heir of the Feiyun Commerce Guild when specific occasions arose, and that included public appearances at certain events the Guild was hosting. They were few and far between, thankfully, usually reserved for galas or special occasions where the whole family was required to be present. And though Xingqiu often found them tedious occurrences to go through, he still upheld his part of the bargain he had struck with his father. It was a fair agreement, one that took both of their desires into account and respected both of their wishes.

However, tonight Xingqiu wished nothing more than to abandon all ideas of honour, or fairness, or responsibility, and be able to turn his back on his agreement with his father to pursue his own desires in a selfish manner. For this particular gala that his father told him that he was required to attend happened to fall on the very same night that Mr. Nine, author of The Legend of the Shattered Halberd series, would be making a rare public appearance. Mr. Nine was holding a book signing in Springvale to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the series’s inception, and Xingqiu wanted nothing more than to be in line at that book signing, meeting the author who had inspired him so much. It would mean the world to him to be able to meet Mr. Nine in person, shake his hand, thank him for the work he had blessed the world with and got Xingqiu interested in pursuing a novelist career himself.

But unfortunately, instead of making the hour-long trip to Springvale to wait in line at the book signing, he was stuck at this expensive dinner, making small talk and pleasant conversation with business partners and family friends. He had begged for the date of the gala to be changed, but his father apologized, saying it had been planned months in advance and couldn’t change so easily. Never did the smile on his face feel more forced than it did that night, laughing politely at jokes that weren’t funny and acting engaged in topics his mind couldn’t be farther from. He did find some solace in texting Chongyun at any chance he got, but it seemed as though his friend was rather busy that night, sometimes taking nearly half an hour to reply to his texts. It made him sigh in frustration, anxiously tapping at his phone’s screen with a fingernail as he waited for replies.

“Waiting for something to happen?” His brother had teased him once as he sat down at their table, drinks for the both of them in hand. Xingqiu blinked up in surprise, before waving a hand dismissively.

“Didn’t Mother tell you it’s rude to eavesdrop?” He asked cheekily. But he sighed, pocketing his phone. “But, if I am being honest, it is a little annoying to see that all of my friends are also busy tonight, of all nights. Xiangling and Hu Tao are busy with work, and it seems like Chongyun is also preoccupied.”

“Well, I guess if they’re going to be busy, now would be the best night to do it. It would be worse if they were off having fun without you, right?” His brother offered.

Xingqiu let out another sigh, reaching for his drink. “Mm, I suppose… if tonight was going to be a reflection of bad luck, it might as well be the worst, right?”

His brother looked at him sympathetically. “Look, Xingqiu, I am sorry that this gala happened on the same night as your book signing thing. If it helps, we can see if that author is doing another book signing, and if it’s near where Father and I have business meetings, you could come along with us?”

The last thing Xingqiu wanted was to go on a business trip with his father and brother, but he was touched by the gesture all the same. His family may not understand his love of literature and why this book signing in particular was so important to him, but they at least supported him and tried to help him. He smiled his first genuine smile of the night, nodding to his brother.

“I’ll have to look into when Mr. Nine’s next signing is, but… if we could, that would be great.”

His brother gave him a nod and a smile, before patting him on the shoulder. “Alright, just let us know. Now, come on, if we hurry we can at least say hello to Miss Jifang before she leaves.”

“Miss Jifang is here?” Xingqiu asked, perking up a bit. And despite a few lingering feelings of disappointment, Xingqiu did end up following his brother into the crowd to mingle with some of the other guests.

The night went by with little incident, and by the end he was even able to have a few text conversations with Hu Tao and Xiangling as their shifts came to an end. The gala was a success, and Xingqiu was finally able to return home not long after ten. Though many would have easily paid a hefty sum to be able to attend the gala, Xingqiu was just ready to head home and sleep the rest of this unfortunate night away.

Morning came, and with it Xingqiu’s classes. Because of his funk the night before, Xingqiu hadn’t been feeling the urge to read and actually got to sleep at a decent time, meaning he was blessed with a rare morning where he wasn’t tired. Though he was more awake on a Monday morning today than he’d been all semester, his craving for coffee still persisted, and so he decided to take a detour to the campus cafe to get himself a coffee of his own.

As he neared the cafe, the warm glow from its interior a welcomed sight, he paused mid-step when he noticed a familiar figure also heading for the cafe.

“Chongyun?”

Chongyun blinked to awareness, looking back to see who had called him. “Oh, g’morning.” he mumbled. Xingqiu couldn’t help but stare at Chongyun’s state. He looked utterly exhausted, moreso than he’d ever seen the other boy. Deep bags rimmed the lower half of his eyes, and his posture was slumped with a clear heavy weight of both his backpack and exhaustion. He offered a wave to Xingqiu, but was quick to use that same hand to cover a great yawn that shook his whole frame.

“What happened to you, Chongyun? You look awful! I thought you liked mornings!” Xingqiu couldn’t help but comment on the obvious. Chongyun was usually an early riser, so seeing him so exhausted was definitely out of the norm.

“Ah, well… I just had a late night last night.” Chongyun said as he rubbed one of his eyes.

“You? Had a late night??” Xingqiu eyed him suspiciously. Now that was definitely not normal. Chongyun rarely stayed up so late, unless it was to ping Xingqiu to go to bed himself. “What were you doing up so late?? Don’t tell me I’ve become a bad influence on you, Hu Tao would never let me live it down.”

Chongyun didn’t answer right away, shifting on the spot. Then, he shrugged off his backpack and brought it in front of him, opening it and reaching inside. “Well… I was out getting you something.”

“Huh?” Xingqiu asked, blinking a couple of times in surprise. “Getting me something?”

“Well, I know you were upset about having to attend that gala your family put on, so I… went out and got you something. To help you feel better.” As he spoke, Chongyun kept his gaze on his bag, but Xingqiu could see the way his face slowly gained a shade of pink.

“Chongyun! You didn’t have to do anything for...” Xingqiu’s words trailed off as Chongyun pulled out a book from his bag. A very familiar book, with a faux leather cover and gold leaflet text. An anniversary edition of the first volume of the Legend of the Shattered Halberd. He took the book carefully, looking down at it for a moment, and when he gave Chongyun a questioning look, Chongyun motioned towards the book.

“Open it.”

With a confused frown, Xingqiu did as he was asked, opening it to the front title page. His eyes widened and he let loose a gasp as he realized that there was some writing on the inner page.

“To Xingqiu,
Thank you for being such a dedicated fan of my work. It pleases me greatly to hear how my work has inspired other aspiring authors such as yourself. May you be blessed with good fortune on your own writing endeavours, and may your warrior’s spirit never falter.
Mr. Nine”

Xingqiu stared in silence for several seconds, re-reading the words while holding the book like it was a holy tome. His fingers gently tracing the elegant writing on the inside of the cover.

“You… got me an autograph from Mr. Nine..?”

Chongyun nodded, a small smile forming on his face. “I’m sorry for not being very responsive last night. It was a bit of a drive…”

Xingqiu looked up sharply, eyes widening. “But his book signing was in Springvale! Chongyun, that’s an hour’s drive away!”

“I know, I know… but I could see how much it hurt you to not be able to go yourself, and I know how much you love the Legend of the Shattered Halberd series, so…”

“Chongyun...” Xingqiu’s voice fell to a softer tone, looking back down at the novel in his hand once more.

“Oh, right. There’s one more thing...” Chongyun said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone.

Xingqiu looked up once more. “One more thing? Chongyun, what more could you possibly have for me? You’ve already done more than enough..!”

“I know, but...” Chongyun slowly thumbed through his phone, pausing briefly to yawn before bringing something up on the screen. He offered the phone to Xingqiu. “Here.”

Closing the book and carefully tucking it under his arm, Xingqiu took the phone in his hand. It was opened to some kind of video. With one quick look at Chongyun, he pressed play.

The video looked to be taken in some kind of hall of some sort. Chatter echoed in the background of the video, hinting at a sizable crowd. But standing in the forefront, clear as day, was none other than Mr. Nine himself.

“Okay, it’s playing.” Chongyun’s voice said from the background. Mr. Nine nodded, before speaking.

“Xingqiu! I am so, so saddened to hear that you couldn’t make it to my book signing tonight. Your friend here has told me quite a bit about you and how much my work has inspired you. You know, I was once just like you, a nervous writer who was inspired by the greats before me and wanted to get my own story out there, so it is truly wonderful to meet such dedicated fans of my work.”

“I hear you’re trying to write something of your own? Well, the best advice I can offer you is to write the story you want to tell, and stay true to what inspires you. The only limit you have is your imagination. And don’t be discouraged if you get any rejections! The Legend of the Shattered Halberd was rejected from five publishers before I found someone willing to take a chance on my work. I just know that you will create something wonderful. Who knows! Maybe I’ll be coming to your book signing sometime in the future!”

“Anyways, until next time, Xingqiu. I look forward to meeting you next time, and reading what you put out into the world.”

All in all, the video wasn’t very long. Only about a couple minutes or so in length. But by the end of it, Xingqiu could feel himself close to tears. He looked up at Chongyun, eyes wide, and the blue-haired boy offered a tired smile.

“The sign said I could ask for up to two items to be autographed, but I asked if it was okay to do this instead. Since I only had one thing to autograph, he agreed.”

Xingqiu couldn’t believe what he was given. Out of all the gifts he’d ever received, even the fancy, expensive ones from his family, this was by far the most touching, thoughtful present anyone has ever given him.

“Chongyun..!”

He reached forward, grasping Chongyun by the cheeks and pulling him closer and smashing his lips against his tired companion. Chongyun let out a surprised noise that was lost between their lips, but after a few seconds Xingqiu felt him relax, reciprocating the kiss back to him. Xingqiu poured as much emotion into the kiss as he could, trying to show just how much the gesture meant to him.

When his lungs began to burn with the need for air, Xingqiu pulled away, looking up at Chongyun as his eyes pricked with unshed tears. Chongyun was staring wide-eyed at him, his face quickly turning an impressive shade of scarlet. He brought a hand up to his face, his fingers brushing over his lips.

“X-Xingqiu, I…”

Xingqiu couldn't stop the wet chuckle from escaping. Really, Chongyun had gone out of his way to give him such a kind, generous gift, and yet one kiss left him speechless? He had to wonder how someone so pure of heart could exist outside the pages of his beloved novels.

He didn’t dive in for another kiss, but he did pull Chongyun in for a tight hug. “Thank you, Chongyun...”

Chongyun slowly wrapped his arms around Xingqiu in return, nodding against him and letting out a little hum. The two remained like that for some time, ignoring the looks from tired students passing by, before Xingqiu felt more than saw the yawn that shook Chongyun’s frame.

“How late were you up last night?” Xingqiu asked, pulling away enough to look at Chongyun.

“Ah, well… much later than I am used to.” Chongyun admitted sheepishly. “I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember it being past midnight when I got home...”

Past midnight wasn’t too late for Xingqiu; in fact, for him, that was pretty early. But for an early bird like Chongyun it was definitely later than normal.

“Well, we can’t have you falling asleep in class.” Xingqiu said. He pulled away a bit, tugging on Chongyun’s arm with the hand that still held the other boy’s phone; the other held the autographed book against his chest. “Come on, let’s get you some caffeine. My treat.” It was truly the least he could do to repay Chongyun’s immense kindness.

Chongyun looked ready to protest, but then he had to cover another wide yawn. When it subsided, he looked up at Xingqiu, smiling despite his tired look.

“I would like that.”