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“Good night, Little Hua!”
The elderly villagers called after Hua Cheng, who was wearing his younger disguise rather than his true ghostly form. He gave a short wave in return as he left the fields. It was almost harvesting season and because the villagers were so welcoming for his beloved god, he volunteered to help them with the preparations.
Though it wasn’t difficult work by any means, he wanted to return to his husband’s side for the night as soon as possible.
The sun was casting the village in fiery shades of orange and gold as he strolled the paths toward their home, the inhabitants saying hello and waving when he passed. He still hadn’t grown used to not being regarded with disgust or fear and while he probably wouldn’t tell them aloud, Hua Cheng cared for the people living in Puqi village as much as he cared for his own subjects in the Ghost City.
He was walking up to the shrine when a beautiful, melodious voice met his ears.
He recognized the voice easily, of course, but this moment was the first time that he had ever heard his husband singing , the sound filtering from the windows and gliding on an invisible breeze. It wrapped around Hua Cheng’s heart, encasing it like the red string around his finger and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. He made sure to be silent as he opened the door, slipping inside with feline grace.
Xie Lian was in the kitchen, cooking their evening meal as he danced with refined steps and sang his lovely song. Hua Cheng recognized it as one that was popular a few centuries ago among buskers but they never sang it was perfectly as Xie Lian did. The fact that it was a love song, telling a tale of two lovers deeply and eternally in love, made Hua Cheng smile with utter adoration as he watched his beloved sing and dance in the comfort of their home.
He remembered when Xie Lian told him about his past spent busking for coin. How his beloved danced in the morning and night, rain and snow, and often felt the cold soaking into his rough white robes all the way to his very bones but being unable to stop or he would not be able to eat. His limbs moving habitually through the same routine while his mind drifted off to a warmer place and his body grew numb. Hua Cheng had held him tightly as he remembered such unpleasant memories, wishing with all that he had that he had been there for Xie Lian all those centuries ago.
Now, there was such life in Xie Lian’s dance that it would entrance anyone whose eyes were blessed enough to see it.
With an elegant spin, Xie Lian finally caught sight of him and his smile was as radiant as the sun. “San Lang!” he called, excitedly setting down his spoon and rushing forward to take Hua Cheng’s hands in his. “Dance with me!”
Who was he to deny his beloved prince?
He was pulled easily towards the center of the kitchen, his husband’s makeshift stage, and with Xie Lian’s hands in his, they danced. In his younger form, Hua Cheng was barely taller than his husband and as he was unused to moving like this in this shorter form, he stumbled on the third step.
His face felt warm at the mistake but Xie Lian said nothing of it, simply continuing their dance as he sang his song of love. Hua Cheng let himself be twirled around, eyes fixed on this image of Xie Lian in a profound state of awe.
With the slight flush to his cheeks and the way his eyes were closed, his feet taking practiced steps and arms in perfect pose, it was easy to imagine Xie Lian as a heavenly prince with petals of flowers swirling in the air around him.
Between one spin and another twirl, Hua Cheng shifted back to his true form and felt his heart stutter at the brilliant smile that Xie Lian gave him as he felt the change in his partner.
The song came to an end with an echoing note, their dance slowly to a stop not long after. Xie Lian’s breathing was heavy with exertion, slumping forward to press his forehead to Hua Cheng’s chest.
“Gege?” Hua Cheng called, a little worried at the sudden weight of his husband going limp against him. He tried to pull away but strong hands clutched at the robes around his waist and refused to let go. Xie Lian lifted his head to look up at Hua Cheng and the sight made his heart burst.
“San Lang!” Xie Lian’s cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, his eyes glittering with light and such overwhelming love, as he grinned up at him. “I’m happy,” he said, in a voice that was as bright as his laugh. “I’m so incredibly happy, San Lang!”
How could Hua Cheng resist kissing his beloved when he looked at him with such bliss?
Xie Lian melted into the kiss, pulling away only to breath and press more sweet kisses to Hua Cheng’s cheeks. Then, his eyes went wide as a strange smell started to fill the kitchen.
“The soup!” he gasped, rushing back to the furiously bubbling pot and trying to salvage their dinner as Hua Cheng recovered from the raging blush that bled onto his face at the adorableness of his beloved. Once he did, he was at Xie Lian’s side immediately to help cook another meal to make up for the unsalvageable burnt soup.
Never again would Xie Lian dance alone and never again would his voice fall upon deaf ears.
For now into eternity, Hua Cheng would be there to dance with his beloved Xie Lian and listen to the sweet songs he sang with a heart full of infinite love.