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Jiang Cheng's cat ears twitch as he lies down by the river. Today is a lazy day — fit for a cat hybrid — and he resolves to spend the whole day sleeping no matter what shenanigans his friends want to pull him into. His tail swishes to and fro, the sound of the water calming him down as he finds himself nearly drifting off to sleep.
Nearly, because out of a sudden there's a loud crash, sound of rustling and then a tree just falls down right in front of him prompting him to hiss and his ears perking up while his tail stands up in defense mode.
What happened?
He looks around. The air has become still, the forest goes eerily quiet for a moment before a groan breaks the silence. Jiang Cheng finds himself scowling as he goes to find the source of the noise.
"Who…?" He calls out.
"Ah…?"
A figure stands and the cat hybrid squints his eyes to look at him. There are horns adorning the figure's forehead, white ribbons, long flowing robes…
Jiang Cheng figures it is someone from the Gusu Lan clan: the dragon hybrids. But what are they doing here in the first place?
"Apologies… My name is Lan Xichen and uh… I accidentally crashed down here after trying to fly by myself… and…"
Jiang Cheng puts a hand up, shutting the dragon hybrid for a moment.
"You… crashed?" He looks at the poor fallen tree.
"Ah…" Lan Xichen scratches the back of his neck. "...Yes and oh don't worry I'll fix the tree!"
The dragon hybrid picks up the tree and wholeheartedly tries to plant the tree back up. Jiang Cheng nearly feels pity at how poor his attempt is. The cat hybrid simply observes before noticing that blood is seeping out of the dragon hybrid's arm.
"Stop, stop!" Jiang Cheng raises his voice, immediately making the dragon hybrid pauses in his track.
"You're injured."
"Oh…? Well, it's noth—"
"Sit down!"
Lan Xichen immediately lets go of the tree he's trying to replant and sits down obediently in front of the cute cat he meets. Jiang Cheng approaches Lan Xichen carefully; he's not sure whether he could trust the guy but he's also not the one who will just leave another person injured without being treated. Especially if the person is from Gusu. Clan relations and all!
'And he looks so lost.' Jiang Cheng muses. He gently reaches out a hand and holds Lan Xichen's arm, inspecting the injuries, not noticing the slight flush on the other's cheeks as he touches him.
"It's a small scratch." Lan Xichen finally says as a matter of factly, looking at the cat with a smile on his face.
"Still needs to be treated." Jiang Cheng murmurs. He looks at Lan Xichen. "Um… do you mind if I lick you?"
Lan Xichen feels if he could've choke on air without being seen as graceful as he is, he would've. Yet he resorts to blinking in what to be confusion and intrigue. "Pardon?"
Jiang Cheng huffs. "Well, I know we've just met but you know cat hybrids have healing tongues and it'll be way much easier to treat you with my tongue right now and—"
"Yes, lick me." Lan Xichen interrupts even though he knows well that it is against his own clan rules to interrupt people. But Jiang Cheng looks so adorable trying to explain why he is going to lick Lan Xichen's wound when truthfully while surprised, he doesn't mind if it's Jiang Cheng who licks him. Because as soon as their eyes met, Lan Xichen felt something warm budding in his chest.
'He can lick me anywhere!' An excited voice in his mind pipes up causing him to cough awkwardly.
Jiang Cheng looks at him, clearly worried. He knows that they didn't know each other before but somehow his instinct tells him he needs to take care of the dragon hybrid. And that this dragon hybrid is clearly an airhead to be falling out of the sky like this.
"Okay let me start now." Jiang Cheng begins to tend to Lan Xichen's wound, licking it gently after cleaning it. The wound began to close up and Lan Xichen could feel the tongue soothing his pain.
As he's done, Jiang Cheng pulls away, taking his own purple ribbon on his sash and wrapping it around Lan Xichen's wound. "There!'
His ears twitch, tail swishing as he's pleased with his handiwork. Lan Xichen finds it extremely adorable.
"What are you doing flying alone anyways?" Jiang Cheng asks.
"Ah well, my friends… Da-ge and A-yao want to see how far I can fly and…"
"Well you interrupted my nap." Jiang Cheng scowls.
"Apologies, I didn't know that my energy would deplete this much." Lan Xichen feels a tad guilty but somehow he is glad he accepts Da-ge's challenge now that he finds himself meeting this cute little cat hybrid.
"Don't do it again." Jiang Cheng shakes his head.
Just then they begin to hear voices calling Lan Xichen's name.
"That would be my friends…"
"You should go now."
Lan Xichen hums. "Will we ever meet again?"
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but feel a little elated at the thought of having a new friend, he still has his usual scowl, averting his eyes. "Sure, I take naps here sometimes. The river is calming."
Lan Xichen beams. They both bow to each other before the dragon hybrid takes his leave. Jiang Cheng watches as the figure disappears before stretching. He curls up beside the river, trying to take a nap but is unable to. Just then, he hears his sister calling out for him.
He sighs.
He'll take a nap later.
A week later, he sits by the river, ears twitching and tail wagging. He absorbs himself into his surroundings and watches the fishes swim in the river. He swats at them, frowning when they are able to escape his grasp. He was about to catch one fish when a rustling sound from the trees scared the fish off.
"Oh, did I startle you?"
It's Lan Xichen again. Jiang Cheng glares at him. "You startled the fish I was about to catch."
Lan Xichen smiles but at least he looks a bit apologetic. "I'm sorry."
"Well, do you need anything?" Jiang Cheng tilts his head, crossing his arms while eyeing the dragon hybrid. He sniffs. He smells something good.
"I brought a gift." Lan Xichen then takes out a big fish from his pack. Jiang Cheng's eyes sparkle, looking at the fish in excitement. He then regains his composure, clearing his throat.
"Um what for?"
"For helping me last time." The dragon hybrid answers. "I would've cooked it too but uh cooking is not my biggest strength."
"It's okay I can." Jiang Cheng steps forward and takes the fish away from Lan Xichen's hand. He then looks at the fish and the dragon hybrid. "Do you want to stay over here while I cook this and eat this together?"
Lan Xichen feels his heart swell at the invitation as he nods. "Of course but it’s supposed to be a gift for you…”
“It’s a gift that feels better to share and I want to share it with you.” Jiang Cheng proclaims rather boldly and Lan Xichen is unable to argue with that logic as he looks on in silence as the cat hybrid scuffles around to prepare the fish, grilling it on the fireplace he made himself.
“Do you want me to hand feed you?” Jiang Cheng tries to joke to break the ice or something.
To his surprise, Lan Xichen beams and simply answers: “Yes.”
‘Shameless!’ Jiang Cheng yells in his mind yet he’s the one who offered it in the first place.
Thus, he begins to feed Lan Xichen, conversing with the dragon hybrid about their families, hobbies and any topic that comes to mind. Jiang Cheng feels himself being more and more comfortable around the dragon hybrid’s presence while unbeknownst to him, the dragon hybrid feels the same.
“You know, do you want to take a nap together for a while?” Jiang Cheng proposes after they fill their stomach.
“Sure.” Lan Xichen agrees, finding himself lying down beside the cat hybrid looking at the sky. The surroundings go quiet, the sound of the river and leaves rustling invades their minds. Lan Xichen begins to hear Jiang Cheng softly snoring and he turns to look at him affectionately.
‘Cute.’
They part after Jiang Cheng awakens from his nap, promising to meet each other again.
Their next meetings become more and more frequent. Lan Xichen finds himself to be able to be at ease around Jiang Cheng and the cat hybrid finds himself being able to express himself more. They felt the pull between each other, yet they did not know how exactly to progress their relationship. Until one day, Lan Xichen finds Jiang Cheng curls up beside the river, tail down as he looks on to the river sadly.
“Is something the matter?” Lan Xichen sits beside Jiang Cheng.
The silence he receives is unbearable. Jiang Cheng looks down and it causes an ache in Lan Xichen’s heart.
“Jiang Cheng?”
The cat hybrid sighs. “My family wants to marry me off. So we can’t meet anymore.”
Lan Xichen feels like cold water has been slapped against his face at the revelation. “Why?” He finds himself asking rather urgently.
“My sister got married to her betrothed a while ago… and Mother thinks it is my time to do so.” Jiang Cheng murmurs. “Father agrees and since they’re getting old I suppose it also can improve…”
The family status.
Jiang Cheng didn’t continue.
Lan Xichen grips his robe. ‘But you’re supposed to be mine.’
He couldn’t help the possessive feeling rising in him. He kept his composure.
“A-Cheng.” He finds himself cupping Jiang Cheng’s cheek. “Look at me.”
“W-what…?” Jiang Cheng shuts his eyes as Lan Xichen kisses his forehead.
“I’ll fix this.”
Jiang Cheng blinks. He wants to ask how exactly? He wants to know but he finds himself slinking into the dragon hybrid’s embrace. His warmth soothes his body as his mind begins to clear up from his turmoil.
“Take a nap.” Lan Xichen murmurs and Jiang Cheng does so.
When he awakes, they part again. Jiang Cheng hesitates to leave yet Lan Xichen assures him that they will find each other again, that nothing can separate them.
And Jiang Cheng believes him.
It's been weeks since their last encounter. Jiang Cheng sits in the pavilion in his yard. Today is the day where he will meet his betrothed. Mother has been excited to welcome them and Father has been indulging in her every desire to make sure that everything is perfect. Sister has also come by, accompanying him for a while before ushering off to the cooks to make sure everything is okay in the kitchen. Jiang Cheng knows he should be happy. His parents are happy. His sister is happy.
He dreads meeting his betrothed. How can he when he knows he already loves someone else?
He thinks of Lan Xichen.
‘I’ll fix this.’
He doesn’t know exactly how Lan Xichen will fix this. He just prays that the dragon hybrid is well. That in time, they can just think of each other as a fleeting memory that they cherish.
“Greetings, A-Cheng.” The voice that haunts his dream greets him. Jiang Cheng’s ears perk up, eyes widening as he turns around to see him in the flesh, beaming down at him like an angel from the heavens. Lan Xichen is standing beside his mother, wearing a fancy long flowing robe and looking at him with adoration.
“Now, A-Cheng. Greet your betrothed back.” Mother chirped in.
Jiang Cheng stuttered. He bows clumsily, ending up tripping on his tail and as he falls, Lan Xichen catches him.
‘Nothing can separate us.’
And for once, Jiang Cheng is glad he chose to believe.
A dragon hybrid and a cat hybrid sit together by the river bank. The cat hybrid rests his head against the dragon hybrid’s shoulder, purring in content. The dragon hybrid chuckled, stroking the cat hybrid's hair and scratching his ears teasingly.
“Let’s take a cat nap, husband.”
And they take a well deserved nap before going back to their home.