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It was just his luck. This always had to happen to Xie Lian!
They’d just moved into this house! Hua Cheng had searched for months for a house that the two of them would love. There were still boxes everywhere and this kitchen -- this god damned kitchen was amazing! For how bad Xie Lian was at anything he tried in that kitchen, Hua Cheng had still found him a beautiful big kitchen for any time he wanted to make soggy terrible cupcakes, awful runny pancakes, or tasteless charcoal black casserole.
And now, leaning over the big deep kitchen sink, Xie Lian considered his options.
About thirty seconds ago, Xie Lian had leaned over that sink, lining his little plants up on the kitchen window sill as he unpacked another box.
And that’s when it happened!
Hearing a metallic -- TINK! -- Xie Lian had looked down to see that solid diamond ring Hua Cheng had given him -- had PROPOSED TO XIE LIAN WITH -- as it hit the metal wall of the sink and bounced just perfectly to end up down the drain.
Grasping frantically around his neck, Xie Lian pulled the thin silver chain from around his collarbone off to discover -- it was broken. When he had broken it was a mystery but as he leaned over the sink, the ring had slipped from under Xie Lian’s shirt, off the broken chain and then -- and then down the kitchen sink drain.
Now what…?
Frantic, Xie Lian reached over to the light switch, flipping it--
GRRRAAAAWWWW!!
Letting out his own shocked cry, Xie Lian flipped the garbage disposal off as fast as he could.
Then he froze again.
What should he do?
What COULD he do?
Both hands on the edge of the sink, Xie Lian’s large doe eyes looked down the dark black hole he’d just lost the most precious thing to him in -- it might as well have been a black hole at that point!
“What do I do?” Xie Lian asked the small white cat lounging on the counter next to him.
Ruoye lifted his head but seemed to have no answers. Crystal-clear golden eyes watched Xie Lian for another minute but Eming hopped up there as well and the siblings were distracted by mutual grooming.
Grasping his phone, a white iPhone -- ANOTHER FUCKING GIFT FROM HUA CHENG -- Xie Lian googled as quickly as possible.
One hour later, Xie Lian had worked through the list of plumbers within an hour's drive and not a single one could make it before Hua Cheng would be home.
Xie Lian looked at the oven clock yet again -- it was nearly 5 pm already.
Hua Cheng said he would be home at 7 pm.
And to top it all off, Hua Cheng would be exhausted. Between closing on the house, planning the wedding, and now for the last several days, he’d worked nearly twelve hours a day -- today he would have been at the office damn near fourteen hours! Xie Lian’s soon-to-be husband was no doubt at the edge of his mental and physical limit.
And Xie Lian knew exactly how Hua Cheng would prefer to spend his Friday night, kicking off the weekend…
It involved lots of up close and personal contact with Xie Lian wearing nothing else but THAT RING!!
There was no way he wouldn’t notice it was gone!
And what if Hua Cheng tried to use the sink? How would Xie Lian explain frantically telling him that their brand new kitchen sink was off limits until further notice?
That thought -- just the thought of telling Hua Cheng, telling his dear, sweet, husband-to-be, that that ring, the ring Hua Cheng had a hand in forging himself, and had so sweetly given Xie Lian while on his knees through a rain of red flower petals -- was now down the drain -- that thought made Xie Lian swallow and spin around to slowly sink to the floor, back against the counters.
Just thinking about the hurt that would flash on Hua Cheng's face… Xie Lian couldn’t do that to him. He loved that ring more than anything in this house -- but he loved Hua Cheng the most and he could not bear the idea of hurting him like that!!
“Meow!” Eming’s loud, crisp meow over the kitchen counter at Xie Lian made him look up.
They both looked at each other.
“You--” Xie Lian said, pointing at the silver-striped, large cat. “You can not tell your father about any of this! Not a word!”
“Meaaaoww!” Eming gave a particularly loud response.
Xie Lian scrambled across the kitchen floor to another cardboard box to start ripping things out.
Hua Cheng’s toolbox was here -- somewhere! Xie Lian remembered packing it! Because it was usually in Hua Cheng's truck! But they needed the space to pack more boxes in so they put it in a box and moved it into the house! Xie Lain just had to find it…
- ✧ ✦ ✧ -
He’d never heard the truck. In their old townhouse, Xie Lian could always hear Hua Cheng’s truck pull up, but of course today, first of all days in their new house, Xie Lian hadn’t heard a thing, so crammed under the kitchen sink, every tool from Hua Cheng’s toolbox all scattered across the kitchen floor, his first alert his beloved was home was --
“...gege?”
Xie Lian jumped, bolting up and smacking his head on the top of the counter.
“Oh my god! Gege!” Hua Cheng shot down to his haunches next to Xie Lian, his hands held out as he looked over the mess Xie Lian had made.
“Everything’s fine! I’m fine!” Xie Lian called as he crawled out from under the sink.
Hua Cheng shook his head as he looked over everything. “What are you doing…?”
“Nothing,” Xie Lian hastily said. “It’s just -- it’s nothing, don't worry about this.”
Looking at his face -- Xie Lian knew his brush off of the subject had not worked even a little bit.
“Dinner is on the way!” Xie Lian distracted. “I already ordered it!” He pulled himself up to stand. “San Lang should come and relax! You’ve worked so much this last week.”
Hua Cheng wasn’t listening.
That was a bad sign.
Xie Lian could babble off nonsense for three hours and Hua Cheng would listen to him… So not listening now wasn’t great!
He stepped forward, grabbing Hua Cheng’s arm as he led him away from the kitchen, pulling him into the living room. “My dear sweet fiance, here, come to the couch, sit down.”
Hua Cheng did as Xie Lian said -- though his head was craned back to look at the kitchen.
“I have the TV all already set up, why doesn’t San Lang just sit down? Here -- you know that Knives Out movie we both liked, Netflix has a new one! San Lang will love it! It’s all about how awful tech bros are and San Lang hates tech bros so I’m certain he will enjoy this movie!” Xie Lian had the movie pulled up on the TV in half a second and was handing Hua Cheng the remote as he settled him on the couch.
“Why -- why is our kitchen--”
“Don’t worry about the kitchen!” Xie Lian cut in.
Hua Cheng finally looked back from the hallway, an eyebrow raised.
“It's just a bit of-- it’s nothing!” Xie Lian pulled a blanket from a nearby box, settling it over Hua Cheng. “Stay! There! Stay right there!”
Xie Lian scrambled away to the next room, finding his target, he scooped Eming up into his arms.
“Remember what we talked about.” He narrowed his eyes at the large long-haired cat. “Not a single peep to him about what’s under the sink.”
“Meaaow!”
“Good.” Xie Lian nodded and came back into the living room.
And damn it, Hua Cheng was still looking in the direction of the kitchen!
Adjusting the blanket over Hua Cheng’s lap, Xie Lian deposited Eming there.
Looking down at his lap, Hua Cheng’s brow furrowed again. They both knew -- Hua Cheng didn’t have to say anything, they both knew the cat wasn’t exactly who Hua Cheng was expecting to be in his lap on the first night in their new house….
With another raise of an eyebrow, Hua Cheng looked back up at Xie Lian.
“Get comfy, watch the movie.” Xie Lian instructed. “Dinner will be here soon!” He added as in long strides he was already headed back to the kitchen.
“...What is happening?” Hua Cheng’s deep voice could be heard from the living room.
And keeping his promise, Eming only answered. “Mrreeow!”
With renewed vigor, Xie Lian was crawling back under the sink, a tool he had no idea what was named in hand as he snatched up his phone, popping in some earphones this time to bring up that youtube video once again.
He just needed that ring! And he was close, he was very close! And then he could just brush this off as another one of his eccentricities and never speak of it ever again to Hua Cheng!
Fitting the wrench -- thingy -- back in with the screws, Xie Lian was more determined than ever as he went back to work!
“That’s not going to fit that bolt.”
Xie Lian bolted up again and -- SMACK!
“Ah gege!”
“I’m fine!” Xie Lian said again as he crawled back out from under the sink.
Hua Cheng still reached forward, steading Xie Lian as his eyes ran over the state of the kitchen.
“Why is San Lang back in here? I told you, go relax!” XIe Lian tried to shoo his beloved away.
“What is gege doing under the sink?”
“Oh this?” Xie Lian held out the wrench like it was just a trifle. “Don’t worry about it!”
Hua Cheng was at the very base layer of all the emotions flashing across his face, very worried about it.
“I’ve got this!” Xie Lian said as he went to tap the wrench against the pipes under the sink and -- well that final bolt did finally come loose!
As the pipe flung open, revealing the drain catch, it swung back, knocking into the intake valve. Water burst from the faucet and right through the drain which was no longer connected to anything --
“Ahhh!” XIe Lian let out as he scrambled forward.
Hua Cheng was already there though, in one fast snatch of his arm, turning the intake back. “You didn’t turn off the water to the house?”
They were both thoroughly soaked through as well as the rest of the kitchen floor.
Xie Lian could feel as his shoulders slumped. “I -- I didn't think I’d need to.” He murmured. Looking down at his phone, the youtube video he had up hadn’t mentioned it at all…
It was lightning fast that Hua Cheng pulled another wrench -- the correct size this time -- from the piles of tools as he unhooked the catch completely and pulled it free.
Pressing his lips into a very thin line, Xie Lian tried not to look completely horrified as Hua Cheng tipped the catch over and --
A small diamond earring came out.
Hua Cheng let out a chuckle. A bit dirty and grimy he still picked it up. “Gege’s?”
“Uhh,” Xie Lian glanced back under the sink.
It had to be still in the garbage disposal then… which meant Xie Lian was going to need to undo a lot more bolts to get to it…
Setting the earring on the counter, Hua Cheng was smiling as he pulled his now soaked button down shirt off. “I don’t remember giving you this.”
“Uhh,” Xie Lian’s eyes snapped back to the plumbing. “...they’re from before I met you.” he lied poorly.
Plan B! He just had to wait till Hua Cheng was asleep and Xie Lian could sneak back down here to rip the sink back open! He’d just need to hide it for a bit longer then! Maybe he could say he was cold or something and just keep his shirt on for a few more hours --
Hua Cheng offered his hand out to Xie Lian on the wet kitchen floor still.
Hesitant, Xie Lian took it, and stood next to his much taller San Lang as he tried not to look conspicuous as he peered over the edge of the kitchen sink.
“Come on, I can take your shirt too, gege.” Hua Cheng suddenly spoke as he leaned in to help XIe lIan out of his soaked shirt.
“NO!” Xie Lian snapped his head to look at Hua Cheng.
They both paused then. Standing about a foot apart, eyes wide as they both looked at each other.
“It’s fine!” Xie Lian tried to fix the situation. “I’m fine with keeping this shirt on. I actually -- you know I actually like this shirt quite a lot…” It was just a very unremarkable T-shirt.
But more importantly, the shocked look on Hua Cheng’s face hadn’t faded.
Oh no.
That look on his face -- Xie Lian had hurt him!
Internally, it was all screams for Xie Lian.
“I’m sorry,” Hua Cheng said as he finally blinked. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…” He looked down and away.
GOD DAMN IT.
“No! No!” Xie Lian rushed a step forward. “San Lang didn’t!” Struggling to come up with words, Xie Lian made up his mind a little too quickly.
Maybe he wouldn’t notice?
Maybe Xie Lian could just go up stairs straight away and grab another shirt?
Well, Xie Lian was already pulling his shirt up and off and pushing it into Hua Cheng’s hands. “I’m just a bit stressed, the move and everything… I love when San Lang takes my clothes off!” No, that last line was not said entirely too desperately!
Hua Cheng looked at the shirt and his eyes flicked up -- only to stop. Right below the hollow of Xie Lian’s throat, his gaze lingered.
It was the exact spot where something, kind of important, usually rest against his chest.
Xie Lian, internally, was still screaming. “It’s upstairs.”
“You don’t know what I was going to say.”
“I took it off to shower.”
“You never take it off to shower.”
“Today I did! It’s upstairs!”
“No, it’s not.” Hua Cheng looked at the sink then. Leaning over the edge of the sink, he peered down into the disposal. Nodding to himself , he made the statement: “It’s in the disposal.”
Xie Lian’s hands slammed at the edge of the sink so he could look over the edge down into the void again. And -- this time there was a sparkling little gleam as the light overhead refracted off of the ring.
That was the moment Xie Lian cracked -- it just -- why did Hua Cheng have to be so stupidly smart? Why did he have to figure it out so quickly and now what was Xie Lian supposed to say?
“San Lang,” He murmured pathetically as he heaved a sigh. “I’m so sorry! I love this ring so much! And I just -- I only leaned over! And it just -- I didn’t have a single hope to catch it and it…” As Xie Lian turned to look over --
Hua Cheng was smiling as he looked down at the disposal. He glanced at Xie LIan before dipping his hand in, only to make a scrunched face before saying. “It’s too deep in there.” He met Xie Lian’s eyes. “It’s alright, I’ll just have to take the disposal off and we can get it out from there.”
Xie Lian still frowned. “I’m sorry.” He murmured again.
The chuckle Hua Cheng let out was light as he reached forward, leaning in to press a kiss to Xie Lian’s head. A moment later Hua Cheng was still smiling as he had Xie Lian wrapped up in his arms and pressed to his chest.
“This isn’t a joke, San Lang!” Xie Lian proclaimed.
“No, but it is funny.” Hua Cheng chuckled.
And without another pause, Hua Cheng, still in his white undershirt and slacks released his beloved to crouch down under the sink. It took him no time at all to have the disposal pried off and the wires unhooked.
Tipping it over onto the counter, there amongst the small puddle of grime was the ring.
Snatching it up, Xie Lian made a point not to look up as Hua Cheng pulled the disposal off the counter, grabbing another tool as he ducked back down to replace it back under the sink.
By the time Xie Lian had the ring cleaned off, on a new chain and back around his neck, Hua Cheng had the kitchen sink back in functioning order and was laying out a couple of old towels to mop up the water across the floor.
“None of this ever happened.” Xie Lian pointed out, completely serious, as he stepped back into the kitchen.
When Hua Cheng looked up he was grinning. Leaning back against the counter he said nonchalant. “What happened?”
“Exactly.” Xie Lian said, though as he said it, finally a smile cracked on his own face as well.
Tossing the wrench in his hand over his shoulder, (still managing to get it into his tool box somehow?) Hua Cheng slunk a long step forward to Xie Lian again. “Gege, still needs a change of clothes.”
“Hmm?” Xie Lian looked down. “No, I just changed--oh.”
Xie Lian stopped as Hua Cheng slid in a bit closer, still smiling as he reached forward, flicking the ring on the chain. “This will stay, of course.”
A lazy gaze into one black and one red eye was all Xie Lian got before Hua Cheng tipped his head to hungrily nip at one of Xie Lain’s ears.
“Oh,” Xie Lian murmured as a blush dusted his cheeks. “Maybe we could change San Lang’s clothes too?”
A devilish smile was his only answer before Xie LIan found himself swept up into a pair of long arms.
Their bedroom was still all boxes, bed still in pieces, mattress on the floor, but wrapped in plenty of blankets and eachothers arms that pretty little ring was all Xie Lian wore for the rest of the weekend.