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It was the afternoon. The sun was creating a beautiful painting on all the shapes and colors in the sky. Hua Cheng would say a considerable amount of times that the sunset would never compare to the beauty of Xie Lian. He did it on purpose to just see the blushing color on his beloved’s face. But he always wanted to be sincere and honest with his Gege and he always was.
Sometimes Xie Lian wouldn’t see Hua Cheng due to his own problems in the Upper Court or Hua Cheng had a major (and it would be something that he personally had to handle since he never wanted to leave Xie Lian) and today was one of those days. Xie Lian never minded those days- actually he very did since he didn’t see his husband- but he always acted like he didn’t mind them.
Xie Lian made his way back to Puqi Shrine and he slammed his hands onto the countertop, almost shattering the things that laid there. He was always able to get his emotions and feelings under control since Hua Cheng came back. Burying those feelings was becoming easy and almost natural to him. But this very day he couldn't do it.
Xie Lian was used to the insults and whispers that people would talk to him about. He was not known as the Prince-ss that he used to be. Now he was known as the Scrap God, the Banished, and not even commoners or mortals knew him anymore. He ignored it for the time being but today it was worse.
It’s like his ears were sensitive and picked up all the little noises that people would lower their voices for. He doesn’t even know why the insults got to him. He was used to him. He had to be. Maybe he really was too pathetic to not even drown out the words that were exactly what he was.
Hot tears were streaming down his face as he gritted his teeth.
Pathetic
Useless!
Not a boy!
His thoughts were getting louder as he collapsed onto the floor. He covered his mouth to prevent anything coming out. He hasn’t felt this way since Hua Cheng left. He wanted to see his husband again. Hua Cheng was his only sense of comfort. But he didn’t want to burden Hua Cheng with his own problems when he knows that his lover already has his own things going on.
There it is again. The burden of telling anyone. Hua Cheng would constantly reassure him that it was okay to tell him anything. That he was his husband and he’s never going to leave him and that he was never going to judge, hurt, or do what those people do and have done to him.
Xie Lian looked at the bunny tied red string on his finger. They made it official that it was going to be their wedding ring. Xie Lian didn’t want something special but of course Hua Cheng pushed on it to get him a proper ring. Xie Lian shook his head as he showed him the necklace around his neck, telling Hua Cheng that he already has it. Plus with the red string tied around their fingers, knowing that it would never get tangled on anything and it would permanently stay there, warmed both of their hearts.
The male sniffed on the floor, now knowing how much dust that he’s picking off the floor. He eventually got up with puffy red eyes, dusting off his white robes. He sighed and took a deep breath, while looking outside. Surely Hua Cheng wouldn’t mind if Xie Lian surprised him at Paradise Manor. Hua Cheng loves when Xie Lian comes to Ghost City and visits him. He just didn’t want Xie Lian to associate with the people there. Xie Lian lazily walked over to the other side of the shack to get his bamboo hat. He looked at it and felt the new and improved stitches, made by Hua Cheng himself.
Almost everything in Puqi Shrine was made or hand-crafted by Hua Cheng. He wanted his Gege to have the best of everything. Xie Lian placed the hat on his head as he sniffed up the last of his tears. He did not want to cry in front of his San Lang.
As he approached Ghost City, there were many ghosts roaming around and greeting him as well. He was super well known around the area. It was no surprise since he was the only one that saw Hua Cheng’s nice side and he was his husband as well.
Xie Lian made his way through the bustling streets of the city. People would make way for him, offer him food or jewelry. Xie Lian, being the sweetheart that he is, would politely decline and offer hi’s to people that would wave at him. He never saw a problem with a little hello to the people, Hua Cheng would say otherwise.
He finally started to see the red building. His nerves were starting to peak and he started to shake a little. He was excited but also very nervous. His husband knew him inside out so it would be very difficult to hide what just happened a few moments ago.
Xie Lian took a deep breath and started to walk up the stairs. He opened the door slowly, in the past his San Lang said that he was always welcomed in Paradise Manor so he didn’t feel any shame. He looked around the place to see that even Yin Yu wasn’t here. He took a couple of steps into the entrance and looked around, curious why not a soul was in sight.
Then before he knew it, two arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him off the ground. He yelped and laughed as he saw the red sleeves and pale skin, belonging to his husband. He chuckled and giggled as did his husband, while Hua Cheng twirled him around the room. When he finally set Xie Lian down, the male giggled a little as he faced his husband.
“What a grand entrance, San Lang.” His arms trailed around his husband’s neck, making him go on his tippy toes. Hua Cheng smiled softly as his arms wrapped around Xie Lian’s waist, pulling each other into a much needed hug.
Xie Lian always loved the scent of flowers when he hugged Hua Cheng. It reminded him as a child when he ran around in the fields of flowers and feeling free. Hua Cheng loved the scent of bamboo on his lover. It made him feel calm and at home.
They both stayed like this for a few moments- if they wanted to they could stay like that for hours on end. But unfortunately, they broke away.
Xie Lian shined a bright smile while Hua Cheng furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
“Is there something wrong, San Lang?” He asked. Xie Lian somewhat panicked at how quickly his lover noticed something was wrong.
“Have you been crying, Gege?” Hua Cheng’s hand lifted up from the other’s waist and was now pressed up against his husband’s cheek. Xie Lian took a deep breath as his arms loosened and his eyes started to sting. Hua Cheng tenderly stroked the puffy and slightly swollen side of his face, worrying that something happened to his Gege.
“Oh! It’s nothing, San Lang.” Hua Cheng knew that Xie Lian hated talking about his feelings. Xie Lian even admitted that he thought that he was burdening Hua Cheng by even speaking to him about the things that were bugging him. Hua Cheng loved Xie Lian with his life and whole heart so seeing his husband like this hurt him.
“It’s not nothing if Gege is crying about it. I want him to be as happy as possible but this one won’t know what’s going on if Gege doesn’t tell me.” Hua Cheng’s stomach filled with anger, who made his Gege cry? He was thinking it was those idiots in the Heavenly Realm. How could they say such horrible things to Gege?
The older stayed silent as he felt his eyes fill with tears.
“I…” He couldn’t even get a word out, too afraid of his voice pathetically cracking in front of Hua Cheng. He was facing away from Hua Cheng, his head lowered as he tried so desperately to blink the tears away.
Hua Cheng’s eyes softened, he curled his finger under the other’s chin to tilt his head up. Then saw the single tear that fall from Xie Lian’s cheek. Seeing that there were many more to come.
“I-I’m..sorry.” Xie Lian gripped Hua Cheng’s outer robe and pulled himself into his beloved’s arms who happily accepted him. Hua Cheng’s dead heart ached at the fact that his lover was crying in his arms. His goal was to make Xie Lian as happy as a person can be.
“Don’t be sorry.” Hua Cheng whispered, only enough for the two of them to hear. Xie Lian sobbed and wailed into Hua Cheng’s robe and Hua Cheng couldn’t care less. He was told as a child that crying was a way to realize all the pent up stress that someone had. So if Xie Lian’s stress was going to be even a little bit less then Xie Lian could cry all he wants.
“Cry Gege, this one will be right here with you.” This only made Xie Lian cry even harder. Knowing that Hua Cheng had to see him so pathetic and weak when he wanted to be strong for his husband, sent a pang of guilt through his heart. Even the way how Hua Cheng is treating him right now is too nice. He feels his hand stroking his hair softly, the way that he holds with just the right amount of gentleness, the way that he does anything, it makes him mad even. No one has ever cared for him this much! Shouldn’t Hua Cheng be even a little pissed? Mad? Nothing!
He didn’t even know that they were now in Hua Cheng’s bedroom until he opened his eyes. His knees were weak, his throat was dry, and his eyes didn’t have any tears left to cry. His hands were weakly clipped onto Hua Cheng’s robe still. His hands trembled just like the rest of his body.
His husband gently stopped stroking his hair, “Does Gege want to lay down?”
Xie Lian was silent for a moment. Hua Cheng rubbed circles on the older’s back, not wanting to mess anything up. Then slowly Xie Lian nodded, Hua Cheng let out a sigh of relief that Xie Lian was willing to answer.
Hua Cheng carefully kneeled down and slowly put his arm around the back of Xie Lian’s legs, gently picking him up.
“San Lang! I’m too heavy!” Xie Lian yelped. Hua Cheng chuckled at his husband.
“Gege is as light as a feather.” Hua Cheng walked slowly over to the bed as his husband was now starting to flush. He set Xie Lian down on the bed softly, making sure that Xie Lian was comfortable now. The last thing that Hua Cheng needed was to make his beloved uncomfortable.
Hua Cheng was about to go fetch some new robes for the both of them. But that was until Xie Lian grabbed Hua Cheng’s wrist and didn’t want to let go. Xie Lian didn’t want Hua Cheng to disappear again.
“Don’t go.” He whispered. Hua Cheng’s heart ached as he pulled Xie Lian in for another hug. This time there was just silence between the two. Hua Cheng had no idea what was going on, he tried to piece some things together but with the blank spaces from Xie Lian, he didn’t have much to go off of. The only thing he did was wait until Xie Lian was fairly comfortable with explaining what was bothering him. Hua Cheng would wait another 800 years if it meant that Xie Lian would even open up to him in the slightest.
The couple was now at the foot of the bed. Xie Lian was curled up in Hua Cheng’s embrace, taking in his floral scent and now gently their fingers were laced together. Hua Cheng’s hands were slim and longer than Xie Lian’s calloused ones but for some reason it was a perfect fit for the both of them.
“Is Gege willing to tell me what happened?” Xie Lian swallowed, starting to feel nervous again.
“The Officials ... .well many of them started to make a lot of comments about me. I’m used to it by now and I have been for a while. But I don’t know why today it all came crashing down on me.” Xie Lian’s voice started to crack at the end. He started to feel his eyes brimming with tears. He didn’t want to cry again.
“It’s not even just that. It’s all the stares. The shame, it’s too much. It has always been too much, San Lang.” Xie Lian felt the tears start to overflow and dribble down his cheeks in thin streams. Hua Cheng pulled Xie Lian even closer as he cried and cried. Hua Cheng felt an even more angry pool in the pit of his stomach. How dare they..
“I’m just being really pathetic, aren’t I?” Hua Cheng- out of nowhere- brought Xie Lian’s face almost a little too roughly- to face him.
“I never want to hear those words come out of Gege’s mouth ever. I don’t care what those stupid Officials say about you. They shouldn’t even be Officials if they’re going to be saying such horrendous things about my Gege. They’re morons and worthless lowlifes. Gege is amazing, handsome, and anything that words couldn’t even begin to describe.”
Xie Lian was very stunned at the words that flowed out of Hua Cheng’s mouth, like a badass comeback. Hua Cheng always knew the right thing to say to him to either get him flustered, happy, and now comforted. He knew that his husband was going to be behind his back at all times. Hua Cheng would always support him no matter what and he appreciated it so much.
“Don’t ever listen to them, Gege. I can challenge even more gods. Gege just needs to give this one the word.” Xie Lian smiled once again at the heartfelt words that his husband would give him everyday. Today just felt even more special. Xie Lian giggled even into Hua Cheng’s chest with his hands holding the silk fabric between his fingers.
“Thank you, San Lang.” He mumbled, feeling the wave of sleepiness start to hit him finally. After all that crying and cuddling, his body started to react to the call for sleep.
“Anything for my Gege.” Hua Cheng squeezed Xie Lian’s slim but strong body, “I love you.” Hua Cheng mumbled as they both started to lay down onto the massive bed.
“I love you too.”
The pair woke up in each other’s embrace. Loose but lovingly. Ghost City didn't really have sunlight so they woke up to a red haze that scattered in different directions throughout the room. Xie Lian stirred awake to find that Hua Cheng wasn’t in bed with him. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up on the bed. He knew that his hair looked like a mess and so did his robes.
When he looked down to see his white robes, they were now strangely replaced with crimson red ones. He flushed as he started to realize that they belonged to his husband. As much as he wanted to wear his husband’s robes, he couldn’t help but feel extremely shameless in the red ones. Whenever after they made love, he would put on Hua Cheng’s robes because it made him feel all fuzzy inside. And every other time that he wore the crimson robes, it made his heart overflow with the loving feeling.
Then the door slowly opened, revealing a shirtless Hua Cheng. Xie Lian flushed a little, burying his hands into the sleeves of the robe that he was wearing. But made space between his fingers to soak in the sight.
Hua Cheng was carrying two cups of tea for both of them. The two were steaming smoke, seeing that they were just barely poured into the cups.
“Morning, Gege.” Hua Cheng softly said. Xie Lian lowered his hands and smiled for his husband.
Xie Lian quickly took the cup of tea that Hua Cheng was offering to him. Smelling the bittersweet smell of tea that filled his nostrils. Hua Cheng sat right beside Xie Lian, taking his arm and wrapping it around the shoulders of the other, bringing him closer than he already was. Xie Lian flushed to his ears as he covered his smile. He would even see the flush in Hua Cheng’s cheeks as well.
“Good Morning to you too, San Lang.” Xie Lian saw that Hua Cheng set his tea to a little stand next to the bed and he quickly copied his action.
Hua Cheng tilted Xie Lian’s face up to meet him and kissed his lips softly. The kiss was chaste and filled with love. The first kiss since yesterday. Xie Lian brought his hands to cup Hua Cheng’s face and bring him closer to deepen the kiss. When they separated, they chuckled at each other.
Xie Lian got up to straddle Hua Cheng’s lap with a flushed face. He wrapped his arms around the younger and nuzzled his forehead into the crook of his husband’s neck. Hua Cheng flushed a little and was a tiny bit hesitant when he placed his hands on Xie Lian’s hips. Xie Lian wasn’t the one to take charge or be more dominant than Hua Cheng so moments like these caught Hua Cheng off guard.
“Thank you for yesterday San Lang. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Xie Lian whispered into the shell of Hua Cheng’s ear.
“Gege doesn’t need to thank this one. San Lang will always be here for you.”
With that Hua Cheng grabbed Xie Lian’s hips and pushed him across the bed. Xie Lian was confused and Hua Cheng chuckled. They kissed and giggled throughout the entire morning, leaving the tea to grow cold and their day passed with lots of love.