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"Is something on your mind, gege?" Hua Cheng's tone was kind as ever, but Xie Lian shook his head.
"Hm? Oh, nothing to worry about San Lang, sorry to be a bother…" There was most certainly something on his mind, and he was most certainly not going to share.
"Are you sure? Gege is never a bother," San Lang continued, his smile languid and calm. "You seem to be watching me work - is there a tear in my shirt?"
"Hmm, no, no your shirt is quite fine," Xie Lian assured him, turning back to where he was scrubbing laundry. "Just… Lost in thought. Considering the rest of the day's chores."
He was not considering the rest of the day's chores. He was trying very hard not to think about how much he wanted to hold San Lang right now. He wasn't sure what had come over him - he hadn't been gone on errands, things had been fairly quiet, and they still slept side by side every night. But he looked at San Lang today and his arms ached with their emptiness, his chest feeling cold without the press of his crimson robes and the heady smell of his warmth and the lingering smells of the Ghost City that followed him everywhere. Incense and wood, like he was a holy object himself.
"If gege is stressed, I can handle the rest of the chores so you can rest," San Lang offered. Just one word and he'd do it, Xie Lian knew, with gladness in his heart. But then he would be even further away, resting on an otherwise empty bed.
"No stress at all, San Lang," Xie Lain assured him, falling into silence for a long moment. He wanted to ask, but it seemed such an odd thing to just look at someone unprovoked and ask for a hug. How did one even approach such an awkward topic? He cleared his throat, fidgeting as he tried to come up with some plan. "Though… Perhaps San Lang would… Come, help me with this stain? I'm afraid I can't seem to get it out at all…"
San Lang raised his eyebrow but he abandoned the sheets he had been hanging up, walking over with his arms behind his back as he leaned close over Xie Lian's shoulder. Xie Lian for his part tried to hide his quiet inhale, drinking in the smell of their closeness.
"What stain, gege? It seems spotless to me," San Lang said, his voice beside Xie Lian's ear. He fumbled a little with the cloth, searching the white fabric for the base where he was more likely to have accumulated stains. His plan was thwarted as the cotton came up thoroughly clean of dust and grime.
"Oh, haha, silly me, I must have mistaken a shadow for a stain," he laughed, trying to be very subtle as he did not lean back to look up at San Lang and smile. Their shoulders were brushing, and it was making his arms ache for solace even more. "Thank you for your help still, San Lang."
For his part, San Lang tilted his head a little to get a better look at Xie Lian, playfulness in his smile. "Of course. If you're done with it, I will take it to hang then?" He leaned forward, bringing his arm around Xie Lian in order to take the cloth from his hands. He couldn't help it - Xie Lian gave a quiet sigh as he felt his head press against San Lang's chest.
San Lang froze at the sigh, his hands still over Xie Lian's. "Is gege all right?" There was a lack of concern in his tone, just a fond gentleness.
"Um, yes, of course San Lang. Just… you, feel, warm? And, smell nice?" Xie Lian bowed his head since he was unable to cover his face unless he moved away from San Lang, and he was not going to do that. "I… I like you being close…"
There was barely a pause before San Lang released the fabric, instead wrapping his warm, strong arms around Xie Lian, drawing him closer with a chuckle. "Gege… if you wanted a hug, you just had to say so."
Xie Lian turned instantly, diving into San Lang's embrace and giving a shaky sigh of relief as he soaked in the wave of comfort. "But how?!"