Work Text:
Eventually, Shen Qingqiu could no longer ignore the fact that he was engaged. This time, impressively, came a mere week before his wedding.
“Bro, you just realised?” Shang Qinghua wheezed out.
“Airplane-bro, this is not funny!” Shen Qingqiu groaned. “I’m Engaged. What am I supposed to do!”
“But it is,” Shang Qinghua argued. “Local man realises that he’s engaged barely one week before his wedding, stay tuned for more.”
Shen Qingqiu lets out a dramatic sigh, faceplanting into the nearest pillow.n “Look, I just,” He stutters, trying to find the right words. “I guess… I didn’t expect to make it this far, ok?” He curls into his pillow, desperately trying to pretend he hadn’t said anything.
Shang Qinghua sobers. “What do you mean?”
Shen Qingqiu buries himself further in his pillow. “I mean that I wasn’t exactly expected to make it past thirty, alright? And nobody would want to tie themselves to some ill shut-in who’s bound to die in a decade.”
Shang Qinghua struggled for a bit, trying to figure out how to respond. “Damn bro… that sucks,” He scooted towards his friend. “Mind if I hug you?” Shen Qingqiu shrugged and made a noncommittal grunt. Shang Qinghua took this as a ‘yes’ and moved to flop on top of the other man.
“Hey, this isn’t a hug, this is assault!” Shen Qingqiu squawked, barely able to move under the crushing weight. “No, bro, this is love!”
“This is assault!”
Several hours later, the two peak lords emerged from their impromptu meeting room ruffled and dishevelled, looking like they had each lost a battle with a housecat.
“... Thanks, bro.” Shen Qingqiu muttered.
“Hm?”
“Nothing! Nothing at all, you hack author,” Shen Qingqiu exclaimed, face bright red.
As they went their separate ways, Shen Qingqiu began to think more about the cause of his internal crisis: his wedding.
Now that I think about it, one of the main reasons I was able to avoid thinking about this wedding—mywedding—is that Binghe has been taking care of pretty much all the planning. The most work I’ve had to put in was with my robe fittings…
Shen Qingqiu began to feel somewhat guilty for the enormous load that he had mercilessly dumped on his husband in favour of staying in his finite bubble of denial.
This was kinda an asshole move for me to pull… but how do I apologise? If I try to just say it, he’ll cry and say that it wasn’t my fault, even though it most definitely was.
For a while, Shen Qingqiu simply wandered around his garden, pondering the issue at hand.
“Shizun?” A voice called out. “Has Shizun been in his garden alone the entire day? This disciple had thought that Shizun had been meeting with Shang-shishu.”
“Hm? Oh, Binghe! No, this Qingqiu had met with Airplane– Shang-shidi for a few sichen, and only recently came to the garden to think.” Shen Qingqiu turned to see his beloved soon-to-be husband gazing at him adorably. The evening glow cast by the sun seemed to make him glow and made his red flame huadian look as if it were truly burning.
Aha! I think I’ve got it; I just need to check something first…
Shen QIngqiu was pulled from his thoughts as he was asked another question.
“What was Shizun thinking about?” Luo Binghe slightly tilted his head as he asked the question, resembling a puppy.
“So cute,” Shen QIngqiu muttered. Louder, he responded. “This Qingqiuwas thinking of a surprise for Binghe.”
“A surprise? Shizun has a surprise for this disciple? There is no need–”
“There is no need, but this– this husband simply wishes to do it.” Shen Qingqiu responded, stumbling over the new address.
“Shi– Husband!” Binghe wailed, reaching out to Shen Qingqiu and pulling him into a snug hug. “This husband is very happy and is excited for his surprise!”
“Ah, silly husband, whatever is this Qingqiu to do with him?” Shen Qingqiu patted Luo Binghe’s head, smiling gently.
(Later that night, in bed, Luo Binghe could be heard softly whispering, “Husband! This husband!”, unable to contain his happiness.)
When the day of their wedding came, both Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu were both in a state of simultaneous anxiety and elation.
Luo Binghe stood before his husband, so happy that he could barely stay still, and watched as his husband’s veil lifted to reveal his beloved’s face underneath. However, he felt as though the air had been punched from him as the veil lifted past Shen Qingqiu’s eyes to reveal the red flame huadian, delicately painted on his forehead.
“Husband…” Luo Binghe whispered in awe, eyes filling with tears.
“Ah, does Binghe not like it? This husband merely thought that it might be nice to–” Shen Qingqiu was abruptly silenced by his husband’s lips crashing into his own, kissing him so desperately yet tenderly that he felt breathless.
“This Binghe loves it,” He assures his husband.
“That’s good,” Shen Qingqiu smiled shyly. “This husband had thought that Binghe might like it, seeing as the spell ended up being ruled out. It is merely painted on; however, whenever we will be away from the sect for a while, this Qingqiu will repaint it for Binghe.”
“Shi– husband does not have to if he does not wish to do so,” Luo Binghe began before being cut off by his husband.
“This husband… does not mind.” Shen Qingqiu insists, eyes shifting to the side as his ears grow pink.