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A towel was hung on a line connected from one end to another end as water droplets dripped from the cloth and to the ground ever so elegantly. The sound of water splashing and fabric being scrubbed against a rough surface from below the laundry. Hair tied back into a bun, eyes focused on the cleaning infront of him and skin like jade glistening from the beating sun overhead. Xie lian exhaled gently as he wiped the droplets of sweat from the side of his temple. He gazed down at the last piece of clothing that laid slightly crumpled in the bucket of water, due to his fair deal of being busy with the heavenly court he hadn't had the right amount of time to clean up the shrine, not that it looked bad but he would rather keep it from losing it's shine.
Standing up from a squat position he held the white material in hand and a clip in the other. The line just above him and within perfect reach, he tossed one-half of the cloth over the line till' it no longer needed to be held. One clip secured the corner of the white clothing to the line while the second clip repeated the same action. Laundry had been dealt with and the next thing to do on the list was sweep and dust off the shrine from the inside and outside then the last chore on the list would be to water the field and perhaps plant new foods if needed.
Xie lian hadn't felt stiff but definitely less loose then earlier. He stepped inside the shrine in search of the broom which rested in the left corner of the small temple, he extended his hand and gripped the middle of the broomstick retracting his arm and stepping back. He scanned on where he would start. Perhaps the middle of the room? The side? His eyes gazed around for the moment before he made a choice and began to sweep infront of the entry way. But what he didn't expect were two boots, which followed a fine maple-red clothed lad with a loose pony-tail and eyepatch that covered his right-eye. His appearance was incredibly attractive, that some often found it hard to believe, the man's skin white as snow. It was.. "San Lang! You're back." Xie lian chirped to which Hua cheng squinted a smile, it hadn't been long since the two last saw eachother. Thinking back, it could've been a good few days but that didn't matter, Hua cheng was back! "How have you been?" The God asked placing the broom by the table where his bamboo hat sat neatly. "This one has felt incredibly lonely these past few days when gege and I had to separate." A half-serious and half-teasing reply, Xie lian only sighed gently before walking forward and titling his head up just to look at the young looking man. "Well now that San lang is here he shouldn't feel lonely."
Hua cheng's smile softend, his eyes lowered and soon enough a hand slipped around xie lian's waist, causing the god to step forward a few steps until he was embraced by those strong yet gentle arms.
Xie lian immediately returned the action and wrapped his arms around the ghost till' his hands rested on the males back. "How has gege been? Did his highness miss San lang as well?" Hua cheng asked in a low yet alluring voice beside xie lian's ear which cause a sudden shiver to trail down his spine. "En, it's good to see San lang back" Xie lian replied with a soft voice, afraid anyone might hear. "How much did gege miss me ?" That tone.. Xie lian felt a sudden pair of lips run from the starting of his ear, lowered down to the side of his neck. The lips felt cool, no sense of warmth could be detected and yet a rush of heat scattered around xie lian's body. His face felt warm, the pleasure of those lips that began to leave light love-marks around his nape made his heart beat like crazy, almost enough to burst out his chest. "San lang.. " Xie lian hummed out, he really could stay like this all day.. in fact all night.. but he also needed to attend to his chores. The nails that slightly gripped hua cheng's back loosend, though his breathing was almost as if he was panting.. Xie lian cleared his throat. "San lang.. not now. Mabey tonight. It's been awhile since I've been able to visit this shrine and it needs a little touch-up." With this San lang ceased his action and rose his head from the God's neck.
"Is that why gege was holding a broom?" Reffering to earlier events, the god gently smiled and nodded in confirmation. "En, since San lang is here would he like to assist ?" Although it sounded more like a hidden offer than a question it got the point across. Hua cheng without a moment agreed, "What would gege like this one to do?" Xie lian thought for a moment.. he couldn't say sweep outside as there was only one broom. After a certain amount of silence a thought popped into his head, "How about watering the field?" Without a complaint Hua cheng began to make his way out the door and to the right location when he was stopped. "San lang! Here." Xie lian called-out holding the bamboo hat in hand, "it's hot out." He commented now applying the headwear atop the lad's head, tying the strings that rested below the chin. Soon after xie lian retracted his hands and gazed at his lover, his husband. Hua cheng paused for a moment before he stepped forward and cupped the god's face with the utmost care, planting a peck on his forehead and to the side of his cheek before he pulled away and walk toward the entryway. "Thank you Gege."
Xie lian stood, he stared at how his husband nonchalantly walked. His hands behind his back, his face ever so calm.. his posture.. before he could even get distracted xie lian snapped out of it and reached for the broom once again. His face still felt heated and his heart raced even faster at the fact he most likely had marks along his neck, visible...
It was awhile but soon enough everything on the list had been done. Laundry had been dealt with, the shrine was cleaned from the inside and the outside, Hua cheng had finished watering crops fairly fast but went as far as to plant new foods to which xie lian had never even told him to. The day was now coming to an end, the sky was a beautiful pigment, the mixture of orange, yellow, blue, and a hint of pink in the sky as clouds hovered above the land. Xie lian turned his focus to Hua cheng but immediately noticed the dirt that had been smeared across the ghost's face. "San lang come here for a second."
Hua cheng cocked a brow to the call but did as he was told. He stood infront of xie lian, confusion lingering but that quickly faded. A hand was extended and softly rested upon san lang's cheek. The hand was warm, it was soft, it was gentle. Those soft fingertips admitted such a comfortable yet loving touch. Hua cheng leaned his head into the god's palm, "What's Gege thinking about?" Those words were like an arrow because as soon as they were heard xie lian flushed, he cleared his throat and wiped the remaining dirt off the ghost's cheek.
"Gege?" San lang said out loud, intrigued by the reaction of the god. "You had dirt on your face. Thought I'd just wipe it off." Xie lian shared after a few moments of silence though... that wasn't his only motive. Hua cheng's lips curled into a smile, his footsteps light, and soon enough both of them' were inside the freshly cleaned shrine. "Gege did a great job." A voice murmured, Xie lian held his breath. Those lips again.. the cool lips that pecked against the surface of his nape, the cold tounge that wet the area of his skin. His heart could only beat faster and faster, his stomach did flips at how gentle his husband was being. "San lang.. mm." But before he could even get a word out other than his lovers name, his lips were enveloped. The once loose ponytail now laid cascade on each side of the man's red-maple clothed shoulders.
The two continued their passionate moment, soft smacking sounds echoed through the shrine as the outside grew darker and darker until stars showed up one by one, covering the whole sky as moonlight replaced the sunlight. Heavy inhales and exhales happend, the god's unclothed chest now going up and down repeatedly. His face flushed from his ears to his neck, the lingering words of such praise, thoughts, comments, .. flirtatious ideas rang along his head. Almost like a record player. With such words he covered his face to hide the difficult amount of red it caused his jade skin. Hua cheng stared with a gentle smile, then a light chuckle at how silly his god, his lover, his husband could be.
"How is gege feeling?" The room was silent, though those once heavy breaths slowed into normal ones.. then silence. It wasn't long until a reply was shared but it was very much so, flustered. "Alright.." was all the god could admit out in the state he was in, though hua cheng could really care less, he adored the way xie lian became flustered from just a few easy words or actions. Though it often resulted in stricter calligraphy rules. Eventually when xie lian was able to speak again the two laid against one another, Xie lians back against hua chengs chest, and the ghost's arm around the others body. "San lang." Xie lian suddenly spoke up, earning a hum in response. "I appreciate the help you gave, san lang did a good job with the field." Hua cheng's arm tightened slightly, "whatever his highness requests from san lang, this one has no second thoughts." Xie lian felt his lips tug upward, he found it both extremely funny yet extremely sincere.. "San lang will always be my most devoted believer and husband.. won't he?" Xie lian turned his head to gaze at hua cheng, he was right wasn't he ? After a moment of silence he was brung closer and his face rested in the crook of hua cheng's neck. His smell was almost unforgettable.. he smelled so nice. The pure air that surrounded xie lian felt, safe and clear..
"San langs only believer is your highness. Your only husband" Hua cheng repeated the same words, bringing xie lian closer against his chest to which the god inturn, accepted.