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Zhou Zishu held the coffee mug firmly in his hands, feeling its warmth seeping through and soothing the palm of his hand. Somehow, through the layers of blanket and the undoubted warmth of his husband wrapped around his waist like a blissful demise, he could still feel the cold, maybe the changing winds are affecting him more than he thought. He ought to speak about this with his husband.
Dawn peeked its head, though not yet illuminating the day as it should. Wen Kexing still had a death grip around his slim waist. Placing down the mug of coffee for a minute, Zhou Zishu laid the pillow he slept on before moving down from the apparatus. Lord knows if he doesn't then his husband would tighten his grip and wake up as if he lost the moment Zishu exhaled his last breath. A moment Wen Kexing promises to be there no matter what the circumstances may hold.
Outside, autumn is beginning to end. The leaves piled itself under the shaven tree, leaving its dark branches seemingly too thin to catch the snow in winter.
Zhou Zishu let himself enjoy the serene morning. Letting the silk robe, tied by a sash on his waist, that dropped to the floor ground him on this serene morning. Once the day asked him to leave the comfort of their bedroom then he shall do so. But now he will welcome the morning and its early residents with a cup of coffee.
The bed creaked behind him. Not long the sound of an arm raised and the slight crack of bones could be heard. A satisfied sigh followed before a small set of footsteps silent enough not to wake even the most alert of owls approached him. An arm wrapped itself around Zishu's waist again, firm in its hold as if making sure Zishu wouldn't run away. Zishu himself knew that even if he wanted to he couldn't, the owner of these arms had caged him in the most beautiful way possible. Like a possessive owner, paranoid of his precious possession leaving in the middle of the night.
Zishu wouldn't dream of it. He was happy, the happiest he'd been throughout his waking moments as he leaned back to the same firm chest that pillowed his back every night. The small giggle that rang through his ear bloomed a smile on Zhou Zishu’s own face. Strange, no matter how many times this has repeated it would still feel like the first time, like an enchantment made him forget the years previous, bringing everyday in like a new beginning. Hopefully without an end.
"My A-Xu left me alone in our bed today, how cruel."
Raspy yet sweet. The sound Zishu loved the most because it chains him down in ecstasy. Placing down the mug on the windowsill, Zhou Zishu turned around in those arms. The robes end making a slight coil around his feet, making him look like a proper siren.
Wen Kexing delighted in how the cold morning sun that struggles to bring life encapsulates his beloved. Decay truly is beautiful beside his dear A-Xu.
Slowly those small hands brought itself to Kexing's face. cupping them ever so softly, worried that it will break under the slightest pressure even though Zishu knew it would take more to crack this husband of his. Zishu smiled as Kexing marveled at the former's touch. Feeling every inch of skin so as to not lose it too soon and sear it to all of his senses.
"I was enjoying the early morning. Would you be so selfish as to not let me see the day waking up Lao Wen?"
"I am selfish A-Xu."
Zhou Zishu doesn't need to dwell too much on what his Lao Wen meant. It's simple, Wen Kexing is selfish in everything pertaining to him. It could be overbearing sometimes - most of the time - up until it feels annoying. Zishu knows however that it was how Wen Kexing showed him his loyalty.
Those hands around Wen Kexing brought his face down until their forehead touched, then their noses. Zhou Zishu nuzzles a little before smiling even sweeter than the one he had previously.
"Alright, alright I'll wake you up to enjoy the morning tomorrow. Now let's go, I bet Han Ying and Thing are waiting outside to help us prepare for the day, they’ll scold us if we don’t go out soon."
"But A-Xu," here comes the whining "Won't you give this pitiful husband of yours a little more attention."
Zishu flicks his husband's forehead before those puppy eyes manifest themselves.
"Don't be difficult. We have to send the kids to school."
Wen Kexing pouts yet follows the smaller hand that guides them to their bedroom door. Stopping before they unlock it as he pulls the shorter man to his embrace, pecking Zishu's forehead and letting the latter giggle from the gesture. Finally they greet Han Ying and Thing in the hall.
It would be a while before they see each other again.
"My lord don't you think it's better to wear a vest today instead of a waistcoat?"
Zhou Zishu considered the option and agreed since they won't be welcoming anyone today. He asked Han Ying for the vest when a small boom was suddenly heard from the garden.
He looked at the window leading to the garden and turned to Han Ying.
"I'll go check my lord."
Wen Kexing finished putting on his cufflinks. The embroidered cherry blossoms on his vest look extravagant, though not overly flashy.
"Huh don't you think these cufflinks might be a little out of style, Thing?"
The severed hand showed its palm before shaking vigorously side to side.
"If you say so. But getting new cufflinks might not be a bad idea this time of year."
Thing climbed to Wen Kexing's shoulder, climbing to his head and slowly reaching to the back of his master's head. Adjusting the hairpin that kept Wen Kexing's silver hair from looking distraught until it suits his master's taste.
"Stop!"
Thing stopped and climbed down to his master's shoulder again before leaping to the table.
"Thank you, Thing."
Wen Kexing checked himself over the full body mirror one more time. The door creaked open behind him. As he turned back, the same figure he longed for this morning strutted inside as if the room was his runway. Stopping close to Wen Kexing.
The sleek black vest that accentuates his waist and the dip leading to those ravenous ass. The combination between the said vest and the white shirt framed Zhou Zishu's figure perfectly to his face. The face of his beloved he wished to see as his last greed before death.
"You were taking a while and Han Ying isn't back yet from cruising the garden." Wen Kexing raised an eyebrow at that.
'Probably the kids'
Zishu's hair was still down, not in its usual up do with the hairpin that Wen Kexing gifted on their wedding night.
Wen Kexing brought those hands to his lips.
"Shall I make it up to you?"
"Absolutely!"
Without a word Kexing picked up another pair of cufflinks from the selection that Thing chose earlier. Settling for ones with carved gardenia on them and began helping his beloved putting it on. Next he placed Zishu in front of the mirror. Thing handed him a hair brush as Kexing held the hairpin between his lips.
Carding through the soft black strands and occasionally leaning in to catch its scent. It took longer as the feel of those luscious locks hypnotised him like a spell. Wen kexing wouldn't be surprised if there was a spell embedded in them. Zhou Zishu is afterall an adept witch. None of them complained about the stretch of silence and littered smiles as their eyes met on the mirror.
Once Kexing was done, Zishu turned to face his husband and stood on his tip toes, kissing Wen Kexing's forehead and stayed for a short moment before coming down, a whispered "Thank you" left his lips and the way a smile bloomed on Wen Kexing's face strike a mushy part of his heart.
"Now let's see if Han Ying survives."
Of course Han Ying didn't survive unscathed. His suit was loitered with dirt and a few worms crawled his back and arms. Thing tried to help remove the meddling creatures but alas a few stayed and he could only sigh. Ignore the arrow on his left arm though.
Gu Xiang and Zhang Chengling stood side by side in front of Zhou Zishu.
"Where did you find all those chemicals?"
"We stole it from school."
"Why?"
Zishu questions them.
"Chengling said he wanted to try this new experiment that he found, I was just helping mom!"
"But- but, Xiang Jie also said it was fun!"
"You're the mastermind!"
"You went along with it!"
Before the kids could scream at each other more, Zishu put a stop on them.
"Children!"
Like a statue they went silent.
"Look, I'm not angry at the both of you. It's just if you're curious don't do it near the bone swallower, lord knows how many people that plant ate."
Zhang Chengling and Gu Xiang kept their heads down.
"And also steal more than just a few, at least enough for two or three more trials, I taught you better than this."
"Yes mom."
It might be harsh but he did teach the kids to always have a back up plan. A bomb on the shelves or a knife in the pocket, at least something up their sleeves. The chemicals are easy to purchase what with the license they have from one of their companies,
Seeing how Gu Xiang and Zhang Chengling didn't raise their heads even after he huffed his breath tug at his blackened heart. Zhou Zishu goes soft, impossibly soft as he sees the forlorn expression of his children, it's ridiculous really, both of them are in highschool yet somehow it's hard to see them both as teenagers and their shenanigans of exploring their curiosity doesn't help. Even if Gu Xiang can now curse people safely, even if Chengling grew up to be an avid knife thrower; Zhou Zishu still couldn't face the truth that his children are now grown up.
It was just a line or two, and yet he felt guilty of scolding them.
"Come here."
Zhou Zishu extended his arms to both of them and immediately the two ran to his arms, tackling him to the couch behind. Now in his embrace, it felt even more as if Gu Xiang was still small enough to fit in his lap and Chengling on his arm. He kissed both of their forehead and ran his hand through their hair.
"I'm not angry, just- be safe next time- and always have a back up plan. I don't like seeing both of you hurt, neither does your dad."
He brought them closer to him. Chengling tightened his hold on Zhou Zishu's waist, Gu Xiang did the same, occasionally brushing Chengling's arm knowing that her brother is the one most considerate about their mother.
After one last squeeze Zhou Zishu let them both go.
"Sorry mom." Chengling said, voice low.
"It's fine, I forgive you," He turned to Gu Xiang, "and you too."
Booping her nose with a finger, triggering a smile on the girl's face.
"Now let's go to the dining room, your father must be waiting."
Han Ying didn't have time to change his suit, considering the fact that the man was almost eaten by the bone swallower plant Wen kexing let him go. Felt pity even because that monstrosity was made when that old fart Ye Baiyi found this "Interesting seed" and "Would like to see what it will grow to"
Wen kexing will skin the man alive and make the skin his prized collection one day.
The said man smiled as he saw his husband and their two children side by side entering the dining room.
Breakfast was uneventful, except for the arrow on Han Ying's left arm knocking down a few things. He would need to pull it out soon. Warm slug soup and boiled toads aren't always their favourite, but the weather is getting colder and they need warmth.
"Should we call a repairman for the green house garden?"
"Well Han ying said the left part of it was destroyed due to the makeshift ignition." Wen Kexing spared a glance to his children.
"And the bone swallower is roaming free on the front lawn so we might need to catch it before calling them."
Chengling considers taking his breakfast to school, but the whole ordeal took the whole morning so they are now kind of rushing and he definitely won't have enough time to eat before class starts.
"I'll help you catch it." Zhou Zishu declares.
"A-Xu something like this is just trivial, I can do it myself."
If his husband gets hurt because of that cursed bone swallower plant, he'll pickle the old toad's eyes and make them into pendants.
Gu Xiang was intrigued by the design of those pendants. Of course her father must've known she's reading his mind now cause then Gu Xiang retched in disgust.
"Dad, please, not during breakfast." Chengling said. Doesn't help that he still can't control his mind reading yet so that image passed his mind like an unwanted commercial.
The slug on his spoon amplified the imagery.
In the end Wen Kexing relented and allowed Zishu to help him. He trusts his husband's skills but anything that could harm his husband was a big red flag for him.
They waved the kids goodbye and before the running swallower plant could attack the car, Wen Kexing raised the crossbow and aimed it at one of its legs (roots). The gate opened and closed just before the plant could get out.
Now to actually deal with the meddling thing.