Work Text:
Feng Xin hated summer.
He hated it before and he still hated it now. Even as it began to come to a close. It was too bright, too warm and overbearing. Even more so centuries later, remembering it as clear as the day it happened. Losing the one he loved had been hard, the way Mu Qing had laid himself down in the field of wheat to watch the sunset like nothing was wrong. The blood, the coughing and desperate promises made.
~~~~~~~~~~
“I’m scared.” Mu Qing had said with his head in Feng Xin’s lap, his already pale skin even more pale due to the blood loss.
Feng Xin had been fighting back the tears from falling from his golden eyes. “I know... But you don’t have to be.” He had said, gaze moving back down towards the silver haired male. “I’ll find you again and again. I’ll search all four corners... And bring you home.” That was a vow more than a promise, Feng Xin didn’t do promises like that, he WILL find Mu Qing again.
~~~~~~~~~~
The brunette was then snapped out of his distant and sorrowful thoughts by a hand waving in front of him rather carefreely. Feng Xin's dark brows furrowing in slight irritation, now blinking a few times to truly get back in the zone. Noticing that Lian had been rambling on and on to himself it would seem and had just realised that his friend had been zoned out for who knows how long.
“What is it? Don’t keep your hand right in my face, I'm listening.” Feng Xin folds his arms across his chest, heaving out a huff as he waits to hear what the other had to say.
Xie Lian seems to let out a nervous chuckle at Feng Xin’s rather abrupt nature as usual. “Ah... Well, you see. Sang Lan and I will be going away for the last week of summer and we were wondering if you wanted to come?” He knew all too well that the last days of summer were the days that the former Martial God hated the most, the days leading up to the anniversary of Mu Qing’s death.
“So, I can so pitifully third wheel? Appreciate the sentiment but I think I’ll pass this time too.” Feng Xin finally lowers his arms back to his sides, the thought of being stuck walking behind Lian as Hua Cheng shamelessly flirted with his husband made him feel somewhat sick. You’d think to do such things behind closed doors, but apparently Hua didn’t think about that. He watches as Lian’s brow furrows slightly with a small frown before nodding in understanding. “I’ll be fine. Just go and... Enjoy yourself.” It came out slightly questionable but still believable nonetheless.
“Well, ring me if you still need to chat. My phone is almost always on. Unless I forget to charge it.” Lian says with such sincerity, arms resting behind his back with the normal gentle smile. He was only looking out for the other brunette and tended to worry just a little too much. Watching as Feng Xin gives a small nod as if to say ‘Will do. Stop going on about it already.’
“Hm. Well, enjoy your holiday or whatever.” That was Feng Xin’s cue to end the conversation there and leave. The two had been sat in the local park since the day had been nice enough for it, and the two of them had needed a good catch up. Luckily, Lian wasn’t the type to pry into his love life. Especially with questions such as ‘Haven’t you moved on yet?’ or ‘It’s been so long. You should find someone else.’ Hell! Pei Ming had once almost got to that point, but of course the former god of the Southeast had shut him up with a glare that could have cut through a hill or tree. He was waiting to take someone home, waiting for his home to come back to him, because that was where he truly felt warm and happy.
~~~~~~~~~~
It doesn’t take the two long to go their separate ways, Feng Xin now walking down the rather quiet street to go back to his apartment. Every night was the same old thing. He’d eat, shower, get ready for bed, fall asleep after some trouble and then wake up again either teary eyed or in a sweat. The day he lost Mu Qing, was the day he stopped having pleasant dreams, stopped trying to smile. Sometimes he would wake up to his other half of the bed empty, only to remember it had been empty for a long while now and wasn’t going to be warmed by the presence of his lover for a long time. The brunette wouldn’t break his vow, he would eventually find Mu Qing and bring him home.
~~~~~~~~~~
After a rather disturbed night of sleep once more, Feng Xin pulls himself out of bed like usual. Today was one of the few days leading up to the end of summer. Today was THAT day. The day in which he would drive himself out towards that exact spot in which he had made the vow, there was a hill there now overlooking what was once a field of wheat, the place where Feng Xin was spending the entire sunset to sunrise just looking up at the sky, drinking whatever alcohol he had brought and thinking of the love he lost but would eventually be found once more.
Getting dressed and ready, the former Martial God looks at himself in the small mirror a moment before giving himself a small nod of approval. Nothing too fancy, just a white shirt rolled to the elbows, black trousers and black shoes to match. First on his list was to finish his own grocery shopping, find something good to drink and then drive on down there in time for the sunset.
~~~~~~~~~~
The drive there was long, too long in fact. Feng Xin had opted to listening to no music since he couldn’t find anything to truly fit his mood. Probably for the best, since he would have just got irritated and switched the damn radio off himself in frustration. Now parking his car in the usual spot down the path, which was legal since it wasn’t exactly a public road and no one was particularly around. The familiar crunch of the gravel beneath his feet as he makes his way up the path towards the small hill, the breeze was adequate and had a softness to it that came with summer, which would soon disappear along with the last days of this year’s summer.
Letting out a sigh, Feng Xin eventually makes it up to his usual spot, his yearly spot like he was waiting, though this time he wasn’t going to be there alone. Standing there on the hill was a slender individual clad in light grey jeans, white shirt and what appeared to be a light grey cardigan that was probably a size too big since it slid off his shoulders ever so slightly to expose the white of his shirt. Hair long and a beautiful shade of silver. Which causes the brunette’s breathing to cease a good moment just to take in the sight, lost in his own world before this male whips his head around to start speaking. What was he saying? Feng Xin wasn’t paying attention until the voice grows louder until reality soon grasps him again.
“I said, hello! Jeez, just standing there like a damn idiot. Is there a brain up there I wonder or are you just some wandering drunk. You fit the bill.” The silver haired male places a hand to his hip, waiting for an excuse of some sort to come from Feng Xin.
“I’m Feng Xin.” Was all Feng Xin to truly blabber out in the moment, had his search really come to an end? The vow once made now fulfilled?
“Wha- I suppose you would start with something so basic. If you really need to know, I’m Mu Qing. Are you just going to stand there with that bottle or will you bother to offer me some?”
For once, Feng Xin seems to smile, moving himself over towards Mu Qing. Holding up the bottle towards the other male. “Sorry not sorry.”
“You’re so full of yourself.” Mu Qing then sits himself down on the blanket already set out, patting a spot next to him. “For some reason... I found myself coming here today. As if I’m waiting for something to take me home.”
Feng Xin seems to listen a moment before sitting himself down next to Mu Qing. “Maybe that’s true.” He soon opens up this bottle of alcohol for them both to drink together.
“What are we going to toast to?” Mu Qing watches as the bottle almost fizzes over the top.
“Let’s toast to the end of summer. And for finally coming home.”
“That’s stupid.”
“It’s a damn toast.”
“Whatever.”
Feng Xin hated summer, but now? Maybe, just maybe... He would start to love it again.
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