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Xie Lian stared up at the clouds overhead, squeezing his husband's hand. "That one looks like a mantou." He said, pointing to a satisfyingly round cloud.
"Is gege feeling hungry?" Hua Cheng smiled at him, amused.
"Not enough to get up." Xie Lian nudged his head a little closer to gently knock it against his husband's. "Is San Lang?"
"No, but if gege's only issue is getting up, this one could go get him something to eat."
"But then you'd have to leave." Xie Lian turned his head to meet his husband's eyes, finding Hua Cheng was already looking at him. It shouldn't have surprised him, he often caught his husband staring during such lazy days. Still, it always left him feeling fuzzy and awed at that reverent adoration so obvious and unguarded in his husband's expression.
"I wouldn't want gege to go hungry." His voice was soft, gentle and devoted.
Xie Lian teased his husband for being spoiled, but truly he was the spoiled one. Hua Cheng made him feel precious again. Not a fragile treasure, but a godly and priceless being. How could such a handsome and talented Supreme— a man who made gods quake, a man with skill and knowledge in seemingly all things— look at him and see not just a god, but the only god worth respecting? Xie Lian wasn't sure he'd ever understand.
"But if my San Lang leaves I'll be starved of his company." It was a shameless thing to say, but Xie Lian found himself more and more shameless with his husband as time went on, spouting the sort of lines Hua Cheng used to make him laugh. And it was a joke, in a way, but at the same time he knew now neither of them were truly joking about such things.
"I would never want to starve gege." Hua Cheng leaned in to kiss him, quick and chaste, but it still made Xie Lian's heart swell with love.
Xie Lian smiled at him and looked back up at the sky. "Oh, that cloud looks a bit like a fish."
Hua Cheng chuckled.
"It does, look!"
"Gege is correct as always, such a good eye for patterns."
"You aren't even looking," Xie Lian accused. He didn't have to glance over to know Hua Cheng was still looking only at him.
"This one apologizes, but his husband is just too radiant to look away."
Xie Lian felt his heart flutter. Really. His husband was too smooth with his words. Xie Lian turned to look at him again, stealing another kiss. "I've finally found another thing my San Lang is bad at."
"Oh?"
"Cloud watching."
Hua Cheng grinned. "Maybe gege should teach this San Lang how?"
"I've been trying for the past hour. San Lang is a troublesome student," he accused with all the fondness that swirled in his chest.
"This one thought gege liked a bit of trouble."
Xie Lian gave a non-committal hum, kissing his husband again. "San Lang is very creative. I want to see what he sees in the clouds."
Hua Cheng melted into him. "Alright." Finally, he turned his head up to look with Xie Lian, quietly watching the clouds pass.
A rather odd cloud flitted ahead, silvery and rippling, forming to look like Xie Lian.
He felt more than saw his husband turn his head to look at him again. "That cloud looks like gege."
"Those are wraith butterflies." Xie Lian smiled, watching the butterflies flutter overhead in formation.
"No, this one is quite sure that it's a cloud," Hua Cheng insisted innocently.
Xie Lian squeezed his hand. "San Lang isn't even looking at the sky anymore."
"Won't gege allow this one to enjoy his smile?"
Xie Lian closed his eyes, feeling the warm sun on his face and the gentle breeze across his skin. But most of all he felt the firm hand of his husband in his own and the loving gaze of his most devoted believer.
"I suppose I can give up on getting my San Lang to cloud watch."
“This husband hopes he hasn’t disappointed you too much?” It was said playfully, but there was the tiniest hint of worry there.
That wouldn’t do. His San Lang should never worry.
“As long as San Lang stays with me I could never be disappointed.”
Hua Cheng cuddled against him, curling up on Xie Lian’s side happily.
Pulling his husband in, Xie Lian felt his heart stutter as Hua Cheng nestled his head on Xie Lian’s chest. Still, he remained rather calm, stroking from the top of Hua Cheng’s head to the small of his back again and again the way he would a cat.
His husband let out a small noise of approval, one of his long legs moving to cross over Xie Lian as if trying to lock him even closer.
“San Lang can take a nap if he wishes,” Xie Lian offered, recognizing the cuddling habits as those Hua Cheng did when they were getting ready to sleep.
“Didn’t gege want company?”
“San Lang can keep me company even when he’s sleeping.”
“Isn’t that boring for gege?”
“How could I be bored knowing my husband is resting in my arms? I planned to cloud watch for awhile anyways.”
Hua Cheng yawned, evidently feeling safe enough to be sleepy in the afternoon sun. “Gege can wake me when he’s done.”
“En. Rest.” Xie Lian kept up the soothing strokes as his husband drifted off to sleep against him.
Xie Lian felt almost accomplished in an odd sort of way. He often took naps but it seemed Hua Cheng was less fond of sleep. Whether because he had less of a need for it or because of his desire to be strong and protective for his god, Xie Lian wasn’t sure. He suspected it was a bit of both. Still, while lazy afternoons were definitely a normal occurrence, he couldn’t help but think this one was the biggest success in awhile.
It didn’t matter if they weren’t doing the same activity. He had wanted to see what sorts of shapes and stories Hua Cheng saw in the clouds, but if Hua Cheng wasn’t in the mood then nothing could be done. The most important thing was that they were here together.
If their roles were reversed, Hua Cheng would have sang him that love song, all sweet tones and soothing crooning. Xie Lian didn’t know many good songs to sing someone to sleep though. He had been learning that one, but he only had the vaguest notion of what the words meant and he wasn’t sure his accent was up to par. Still, he found himself quietly murmuring that familiar tune.
Hua Cheng shifted his head up on Xie Lian’s chest to gaze at him.
“Am I singing it wrong?” Xie Lian fretted, tucking his chin against his chest to try to look at his husband. They were close so it was hard to see well, but he thought Hua Cheng was smiling, unabashed love in his gaze.
“Gege sings it beautifully.”
“I thought it could help San Lang fall asleep like it always does for me.”
“Gege is so thoughtful.” Hua Cheng kissed his chest and settled back down again.
So Xie Lian started up the song again. He might not know what all the words meant or be sure his pronunciation was correct, but he knew the tune well. It was the tune of his husband’s love. Of his husband’s happiness. It seemed fitting he should use it to express his own love and happiness as well.
He wasn’t sure when or if Hua Cheng truly fell asleep. He didn’t have breathing to listen to even out after all. But it didn’t matter if he really napped, just like it didn’t matter if he joined Xie Lian in cloud watching. As long as they were together there would be joy in the activity.