Work Text:
Xie Lian liked to think of himself as the master of self-control.
After 800 years of following a cultivation method that forbade worldly pleasures, there was basically nothing that could shake his resolute notion. It had never wavered during his short mortal life, nor after his multiple ascensions and descensions. And Xie Lian was confident of being able to avoid temptations and abide by his vow of chastity with no issue for centuries to come.
(There had been that one time of not quite lapse in the Land of the Tender when he was young but he was tricked back then so it didn’t have to count. Not at all.)
Never did he ever expect his resolve to crumble weeks after meeting a certain Supreme Ghost King, the ruler of Ghost City, Charmer Extraordinaire with not only devilishly good looks but also exceled at everything he did and above all, had been nothing but kind to Xie Lian.
They were working alongside on the field of one of Puqi Village’s farmers. Hua Cheng was in Xiao Hua’s younger form, which wouldn’t be a problem except for his bare chest.
Ghosts didn’t breathe or perspire. But since it would raise alarms if a young man didn’t pant or even break a sweat working heavy labor on a hot summer day, Hua Cheng had turned on his body’s ability to breathe and thermoregulate. This was how Xie Lian found his eyes kept wandering to his handsome friend’s broad shoulders, toned chest and strong arms sweating and practically glowing under sunlight, the stubble and weeds he was supposed to pluck from the field long forgotten.
Heat crept up his face when Xie Lian caught himself staring. Mentally chastising himself, he quickly turned around to hide his rattled state and steered his train of thoughts back to the task at hand. Yet, it was getting harder to focus as time went by, the blazing sun above only served to intensify his high body temperature. Even with his back to Hua Cheng, Xie Lian could still feel the other’s presence behind him a few feet away, his brain wilfully provided the vivid image of Xiao Hua’s half-naked, fit figure.
Xie Lian groaned, frustrated at his mind and the growing light-headedness.
“…Gege, are you alright?” Came Hua Cheng’s voice, his face suddenly appeared right in front of Xie Lian. “You’ve been working for a couple of hours non-stop. Shall we take a break?”
Xie Lian looked up to find Hua Cheng’s concerned face and half-naked torso way too close for comfort. More blood rushed up to his head under the attentive stare, prompting Xie Lian to shoot up from the spot, but his legs were numb from crouching down for too long and chose to give out.
“Gege!” Hua Cheng grabbed his elbows just in time, saving him from kissing the mud and steadying his stance.
“San Lang, I—I’m sorry—” Their eyes met again, faces so close now Xie Lian could feel hot breath leaving Hua Cheng’s lips tickling his nose.
“San Lang should be the one apologizing. San Lang should have paid more attention and noticed gege isn’t feeling well sooner.”
Xie Lian could only shake his head, making the whirling sensation worse. He couldn’t take his eyes off Hua Cheng though – not when his handsome face was in such proximity, glistening with a thin sheen of sweat that seemed to make his facial features even more exquisite.
Xie Lian sighed dreamily, resigned to the fact that his brain had been thoroughly fried by the scorching sun.
“Gege, your nose.”
“Huh? What about my nose?”
“It’s bleeding!”
“Oh.” Came his stupid reply. The next thing he knew Hua Cheng was dabbing at the blood with his robe sleeve tied around his waist, his face now wearing a worried expression merely a hair breath away. Xie Lian’s brain reeled more.
“I-I’m fine, San Lang!” He somehow managed to form a coherent sentence. He should be proud of himself. “Must be the, the heat! Makes all the blood rush up ahahaha…” Ducking his head sideways to avoid Hua Cheng’s intense scrutiny, he hastily wiped away the warm liquid from under his nose with his own sleeve, only to grimace as he noticed how both his and Hua Cheng’s robes were stained with blood and sweat. It would definitely be a pain to wash off. Well, he could worry about that later when he didn’t feel like digging a hole and burying himself in it in embarrassment.
That wasn’t the end of it, because suddenly strong arms scooped him up in a princess carry in one smooth movement.
“S-San Lang! What’re you doing???”
“Bringing gege back inside. It’s better if gege gets out of the sun and rests under a roof.”
“I’m not that unwell, really, I can walk on my own. San Lang shouldn’t trouble himself!”
“It’s no trouble at all. Getting to hold gege like this is my pleasure.”
The arms under him shifted into a protective hold, bringing his face and side pressed against Hua Cheng’s bare chest. Xie Lian could feel heat radiating off his body through thin fabric. Could hear his steady heartbeat. Needless to say, the proximity did nothing to alleviate his ailment, more blood gushing out under his nose even under the pressure of his palm.
“B-But I’m covered in sweat and grime and blood. San Lang will get dirty carrying me around. Please just let me down?”
Hua Cheng chuckled, the rumble of sound from his chest vibrating against Xie Lian’s side made his heart skip a beat. “Nothing about gege is dirty. If gege’s really concerned, San Lang can go wash up once gege is safe inside.” Without his consent, Xie Lian’s brain conjured up the image of Hua Cheng washing up in the river under the sun. Water dripping freely from his shoulders down his arms, from his torso to his pelvis…
“Oh no, gege looks even redder now. Is the dizziness getting worse?”
Xie Lian couldn’t trust his voice at this point, so he hid his face behind both hands and shook his head frantically and let himself be cradled docilely. Hua Cheng must have taken it as a sign of distress though, immediately tightening his grip around him.
“Don’t worry. We’ll reach the house in no time, and San Lang will take good care of gege.”
Feeling the flexing of firm muscles against his body, Xie Lian’s brain went overdrive that added to the dizzy spell. Thankfully it didn’t take long for them to reach Puqi Temple. Ever a caring gentleman, Hua Cheng gently lowered him to lie down on the straw mat they shared before dashing out with a bucket to fetch water from the stream. Like an incapacitated fool, Xie Lian watched with a dazed expression as his friend sat down next to him, carefully cleaned his face with a dampened cloth, rinsed it in the bucket of water and placed it on his forehead before fanning him with a bamboo fan. Xie Lian didn’t know when his nosebleed had halted.
“Would gege like to drink some water too?”
The question startled Xie Lian’s into a more alert state, trying to sit up on the mat. Hua Cheng put aside the fan and helped him.
“Eh, um, yes, please,” he stuttered. To which the other handed him a cup with a warm smile. Xie Lian drank it gratefully. The water did amazing things to both his body and mind, and he found himself finally cooling down and relaxing, capable of thinking straight again.
“Is gege feeling better? Does he need anything else?”
“Much better, thank you San Lang. You’ve already done so much for this gege.”
“There’s no need to thank me, I’m just glad gege is okay.” The smile Hua Cheng gave him was full of fondness. Xie Lian relished in the warm stare, before his eyes unconsciously dropped to his friend’s still very much bare chest.
Seeming to notice where his attention had strayed to, Hua Cheng’s smile took a playful edge. “Plus, San Lang is partly at fault in gege’s affliction. It’s only acceptable that San Lang takes responsibility taking care of him.”
“Huh? Why is it San Lang’s fault?”
“Gege’s face heats up whenever his gaze falls on this one. Am I mistaken?”
Caught red-handed, a rosy flush once again blossomed across his cheeks up to the tips of his ears, “I-I don’t know what you're talking about!”
“Gege doesn’t have to be embarrassed,” Hua Cheng crooned with a teasing lilt in his voice. “San Lang knows gege’s worried about San Lang’s corporeal body being exposed to prying eyes and attracting unwanted attention. I'm deeply touched gege cares so much about my well-being. But since we’re alone now, there is no need for gege to worry for me anymore.”
“San Lang ah…”
“Yes, gege?”
“I…you…” He sighed. “I-it’s nothing.”
Hua Cheng angled his head. “Would it be better if San Lang puts his cloth back on?”
“No, it’ not—”
“No? So Gege wants San Lang to stay bare chest in front of him?” His eyes twinkled with mischief, amusement evident in his tone.
“N-no, no no no, I’m not—that’s not what—” Xie Lian squeaked. “What I mean to say is, it’s not my place to tell San Lang what to do! It’s his freedom to take his robes off anytime anywhere. He can even go walking around completely naked if he so desires—” Oh heavens help him. What was he even rambling about!? He was sure his face was as red as a tomato at this point, his stomach squirming with nervous energy. He had an urge to have Ruoye gag his mouth lest more nonsense tumbled out of his mouth.
The burst of laughter Hua Cheng let out was hearty and insouciant, startling Xie Lian. “Gege, gege calm down please. Forgive this one for teasing you. You just look too adorable for San Lang to resist!”
“San Lang ah…! I—you—sometimes you’re just too much!”
His mild scolding didn’t deter him; if anything, Hua Cheng’s cackle grew louder. Watching him, Xie Lian found his raging heartbeat gradually slowing down, his previous fluster and awkwardness overtaken by silly giggling along with his friend.
When their peals of laughter died down at last, Hua Cheng spoke up in a more serene tone, “I hope it’s in a good way.”
“…It is.”
“In that case, would you allow San Lang to stay the night again? This one would like to prepare dinner to make up for teasing gege so mercilessly.”
“No.”
“…No?”
“It should be me who cooks. San Lang has taken such good care of me it’s the least I can do to repay him. And of course he’s always welcome to stay for as long as he wants.”
“Aww, gege spoils me. San Lang is truly the luckiest ghost in the world.” The smile he received was warmer and brighter than the sunshine, and if Xie Lian didn’t know better, he’d say full of endearment.
Under Hua Cheng’s earnest stare, the fluttering in Xie Lian’s belly resurfaced and intensified. It was a strange giddy feeling, even scary at times, but it was also wonderful and made him feel alive. It was a feeling he wanted to hold onto even if it would never be reciprocated.
“This gege is the lucky one.”