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Changheng sat on a cliff overlooking the peaceful valley of Xishan.
He was waiting to approach Xiao Lanhua until after Moon Chieftain Xunfeng departed. Instead of departing, however, Xunfeng happened to glance up and notice Changheng's presence.
Xunfeng frowned. He wasted no time launching himself off the ground and soaring through the air to stand over Changheng, crossing his arms.
"Are you following me?" Xunfeng demanded. "I thought we were supposed to be at peace."
They were definitely at peace. Yunzhong and Xunfeng had reached that agreement as their first move on the battlefield after the defeat of the evil god Taisui. Changheng had certainly had no objections.
"I'm not here for you," Changheng said, tilting his head back to stare at the prince. "I thought I should officially break up with the goddess. We were in the middle of a wedding when Taisui unleashed his power on the world, you know."
"I'm pretty sure she already considers the two of you to be broken up," Xunfeng said. "She's got what is left of xiongzun in a moon charm, and has no mind for anything else." There was a wry twist to his voice that was trying hard to be amused instead of grieved.
"Of course," Changheng agreed politely. "I just wanted to make it official."
They stared at each other in silence for a moment or two. Xunfeng did not say anything, or make a move to leave.
"There is something left of Dongfang Qingcang?" Changheng ventured tentatively.
Xunfeng nodded. "But she says it will take a miracle for him to come back."
Xunfeng looked awfully vulnerable and young in that moment. They were ancient enemies and had been at war for so long. But standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Xunfeng while battling Taisui had felt comfortable, like they'd fought alongside instead of against one another for these tens of thousands of years. Xunfeng now seemed like a real person, carrying burdens he was never meant to carry, a little brother mourning his deeply complicated older brother.
Changheng could relate to that.
"Do you believe in miracles?" Xunfeng added.
Changheng thought about it. Lately, so much had happened; whether any one thing was a miracle or a tragedy was frequently hard for him to determine.
"I believe in fate," he decided finally. "And that fate can work miracles."
"And you believe your almost-bride is fated to be with the Moon Supreme?" Xunfeng asked, his lip curling in slight disdain.
Changheng looked away from Xunfeng's face back to the eternally peaceful green valley. Eventually, he nodded, without saying anything.
"Don't you also believe our people will always be fated to be enemies?" Xunfeng pressed, his voice clipped and unhappy.
Changheng looked back up at him. His arms were still crossed over his chest. He almost looked like he was pouting.
"No," Changheng said with a smile. The smile didn't quite reach the place in his chest that was mourning his destroyed relationships—with Ronghao, with Yunzhong, or Danyin or Xiao Lanhua—but all the same, it felt nice to smile again. "I don't."
Xunfeng scoffed. "Strange words from the God of War."
"You hadn't heard?" Changheng asked with a tiny, humorless laugh. "Xiongjun stripped me of that position and my name and labeled me an immortal criminal. He later tried to pardon me, but I refused to lead our troops to attack Cangyan Sea unprovoked. He was quite displeased. Even though we fought Taisui together, I am not sure whether he now considers me to be Shuiyuntian's God of War or not."
Xunfeng stared at him a moment in something like disbelief. Then the expression melted into a small smile that reached his eyes and crinkled at the corners of his mouth.
"I had not heard. Fascinating. It must be very difficult indeed, to be the Shuiyuntian emperor's little brother."
Changheng squinted at Xunfeng. He could not tell whether that was supposed to be an insult to Yunzhong or an attempt to empathize. Changheng would never stand for anyone insulting his brother, but he was torn. He felt very receptive to any overtures of empathy.
Then Xunfeng blinked and the smile disappeared. He slowly sank to the ground until he was sitting on the grass next to Changheng. "It must be nice," he said wistfully. "To be freed of your responsibilities."
Changheng managed a smile that nonetheless felt quite sad. "Yes," was all he said. "It is nice in a way."
"I don't want to go back," Xunfeng said abruptly. His eyes left Changheng and scanned the valley in front of them. He stared at the pavilion where the figure of Xiao Lanhua was still standing. "I wish I could stay here."
"You've had enough of civil wars and infighting?" Changheng guessed.
"And trying to fill xiongzun's shoes," Xunfeng agreed, his voice even gloomier.
"I'll go back with you," Changheng offered suddenly.
Xunfeng swung his head around so fast that his hair whipped out behind him and then fell back against his back with an audible slap. He looked pale and shocked.
"To help you," Changheng said, although he hadn't thought that needed clarification. "There's no place for me in Shuiyuntian anymore. And there's really no need for a God of War now."
It wasn't like he had anything better to do with his life.
"Cangyan Sea doesn't need help from an immortal," Xunfeng said, his mouth thin and hard. "We've had quite enough of that, thank you."
"And there's no room for friends to visit?" Changheng asked, the small smile tugging at his lips again.
"Are we friends?" Xunfeng asked, disbelief etched in his face and his tone.
"I feel like we could be," Changheng offered, very honestly. "We seem to have a lot in common. I don't want to be at odds. And you're quite pleasant to look at," he added on impulse.
Xunfeng's expression froze. But he relaxed quickly enough, and a slight smirk appeared. "You are looking for a rebound romance, aren't you?" he accused.
"I don't know," Changheng said, again very honestly. "Maybe."
"I'm delighted the Prince of Cangyan Sea occurred to you as a candidate," Xunfeng said, his smirk growing. "I don't mind the way you look, either."
Xunfeng reached out with a finger and placed it underneath Changheng's chin. His finger was cool and the touch was only tentative. They stared at each other in silence as the moment stretched on.
"Do you want to kiss me?" Xunfeng demanded. "I won't make you any promises or offer you any commitments."
Changheng wasn't sure he wanted anything from Xunfeng beyond distraction in the moment and hope that something new could grow out of the ashes of his life. That being the case, there was certainly some appeal in kissing him. The lines of his face were beautiful and smooth and there was a delicate vulnerability underneath the smirk lighting up his eyes. Wispy strands of loose hair were falling in his eyes, and there was something about the sight that made Changheng's heart start to beat faster.
Changheng leaned forward and kissed him. Xunfeng's hand moved to cup his cheek as their lips met. His lips were warmer than his hand. He felt pliant and eager. A surge of unfounded and unjustified affection rose in Changheng's chest.
Xunfeng broke off the kiss first. He laughed lightly, looking and sounding more carefree than he had since Changheng first saw him arrive in this valley.
"Go break off your engagement," he said, with another laugh. "And then maybe I'll see you around in Silent Moon Palace, if you really want."
He bounced upright and onto his feet with a spring, then launched into the air. He did not look back, but Changheng watched him go with a smile and another surge of warmth.
He imagined it would feel very nice to be welcomed in Silent Moon Palace instead of sneaking in as an enemy this time.
500 years later
"Your hair tickles," Changheng complained, and tried to squirm out of Xunfeng's hold.
"It tickles?" Xunfeng asked, all faux-innocence and wide-eyes. He tilted his head slightly so that the ends of his hair trailed further across Changheng's bare chest, towards his ribs. He didn't move his hands where he was pinning Changheng to the bed by his arms.
"Yes!" Changheng said, and blew a huff of breath right into Xunfeng's face.
Xunfeng ducked his head, hiding his face behind his curtain of hair, and let out a burst of laughter. "Changheng, Changheng, it's not my hair, it's just you who is so ticklish about everything!"
At Changheng's offended snort, Xunfeng lowered his head and made his apologies by pressing kisses to Changheng's chest, finding his most sensitive spots and teasing with his tongue. Changheng gasped and squirmed in quite a different way than before. He was feeling pleasantly light-headed and perhaps ready to go another round.
"Kiss me," he murmured hazily.
Xunfeng lifted his head and found Changheng's lips. They kissed, slow and languorous, lazily and without haste. Changheng opened his mouth to taste Xunfeng better, moaning a bit as he did.
That was when they were abruptly and rudely interrupted by someone throwing a pillow at Xunfeng's back.
Xunfeng broke off the kiss and darted upright and whirled around, palms out and ready to strike. Changheng was only half a second behind him in reacting, the bed quilt falling away as he faced the intruders.
Xunfeng slowly lowered his hands to his sides.
"Xiongzun," he breathed, reverently, with awe. "Is this real? You're back?"
Unless Changheng was also seeing things, it was true. Dongfang Qingcang and Xiao Lanhua were standing there, arrayed in very fine clothing and crowns in Moon tribe style. Dongfang Qingcang was glaring daggers at Xunfeng while Xiao Lanhua was trying to hide her laughter behind a hand.
Xunfeng shifted, extending his hands and bowing his head and executing a formal salute flawlessly from his awkward position on the bed. "Welcome back, xiongzun."
"This is my bed," Dongfang Qingcang said menacingly, taking a half step forward. "I leave for a paltry few hundred years and this is what I come back to? You're using my bed to fool around with my sworn enemy!"
Changheng swallowed against a sudden dryness in his mouth. He could feel his face heating up. He yanked the quilt up to cover more of his torso, and offered Xiao Lanhua a tentative, awkward smile.
She returned it with her usually bright, sunny manner. It seemed she did not feel any awkwardness at all.
"Xiongzun," Xunfeng protested. "It's been my bed a lot longer than it's been yours. And you and Changheng are sworn brothers, not sworn enemies! But that's not the point!! I can't believe you're alive! How did you survive?"
Dongfang Qingcang did not uncross his arms and his thunderous expression did not lighten even a fraction. "Then I suppose I should be angry that my sworn brother would dare to take advantage of my little brother while I was gone!"
Changheng felt a very familiar mingled anger, irritation, fear, and hotheadedness start to boil in him at the sight of Dongfang Qingcang appearing in the world again only to be like this. He glared back at the man. "It's none of your business!" he snapped.
"All right, all right," Xiao Lanhua said quickly, inserting herself in between Dongfang Qingcang and the two of them on the bed. "This is a happy reunion! We're all back together now!"
She gently pushed Dongfang Qingcang away from the bed, and tucked herself into his chest. He was forced to unwrap his arms from where they'd been crossed over his chest, and embrace her instead. The transformation in his face was instant: his anger (whether feigned or not) was entirely gone, replaced with a softness as he gazed down at the top of her head.
Changheng surveyed them, together like this, and was only able to find immense relief in his heart. He was relieved that Xiao Lanhua was reunited with her love and that her love made her this happy. He was also relieved that he was relieved. It was a pleasant feeling, compared to his old tangle of anger and longing and jealousy.
"How did you get in without anyone warning me!" Xunfeng exclaimed. "You should have announced yourself and given us a chance to at least get dressed."
Dongfang Qingcang smirked. "I wanted to see what you were up to in my absence. Obviously."
"Well, there are no civil wars, and no one's trying to kill me that I know of," Xunfeng said. He was visibly relaxing after his first bout of indignation, and smiling at his brother like he really loved him and was indeed glad to see him. "Please tell me you're back to relieve me of having to be Acting Moon Supreme!"
"I suppose so," Dongfang Qingcang said, his voice cool. "It's good you didn't screw up the job this time."
"Xiongzun," Xunfeng said, the reverence in his voice back. "I'm really—I'm really happy to see you again."
"All right," Dongfang Qingcang said, although he still sounded slightly grumpy. Xiao Lanhua stepped on his foot, not so subtly, and he grimaced. "I'm happy to you see again too."
Dongfang Qingcang's eyes then fell on Changheng. Changheng raised an eyebrow. Dongfang Qingcang mirrored the action. They blinked at each other for what felt like ages. Finally, Changheng decided to be the bigger person. He cleared his throat. "Welcome back, Dongfang-xiong."
Dongfang Qingcang snorted.
"Come on, let's let them get dressed," Xiao Lanhua suggested gently, somehow pushing Dongfang Qingcang away and towards the door without looking like she was pushing at all. She deftly managed to give him no chance to object, and closed the door swiftly behind them.
Xunfeng and Changheng stared at each other. Xunfeng's cheeks were red, and Changheng was sure his were too.
"That wasn't quite how I imagined xiongzun's eventual glorious return," Xunfeng said.
Changheng laughed, a knot loosening in his chest as he did. He got up and found his clothing, and started running a comb through the tangles in his hair. "Now that he's back, what will you do?"
Xunfeng stared at him. He was chewing on his bottom lip, a nervous habit he mostly remembered to suppress. "I don't know. I'm glad he wants to take his job back. You know I never wanted it."
Changheng nodded. He knew that well. Xunfeng was a good ruler, and had good allies, and was not cruel or arbitrary. But he really did dislike politics and scheming.
"And you? What will you do?" Xunfeng returned.
"I usually go wander the mortal realm when I'm not in Cangyan Sea," Changheng said, a bit dreamily. "It's lively and ever changing and there is so much to do and learn. You could just... come with me next time."
Xunfeng stared at him with a guarded, wary look. "You would want that?"
"I would want that very much," Changheng replied calmly. He sat the comb down and gave Xunfeng his best smile. He tried not to feel nervous about it, but Xunfeng had told him a long time ago that he would never commit to a relationship. He felt like he could be overstepping just by asking this. He did not want to lose what affection Xunfeng was willing to give him.
But Xunfeng only said, "Oh," in a small soft voice. And then: "Oh. All right. That sounds fun."
Changheng couldn't help the grin spreading on his face. "It does, doesn't it? And we can always come back here and see your family whenever we want."
Xunfeng moved forward and dropped a kiss on Changheng's forehead. "As long as you never make me visit your family," he said with a laugh.
"I promise," Changheng said, still grinning. He stood up, and took Xunfeng's hands. "Come on! Let's go find all our friends and throw a huge party for your brother."
"Good idea," Xunfeng said, squeezing Changheng's hands affectionately.
And Changheng knew, without having to ask, that everything between them would be all right.