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Mu Qing did his best to ignore the consistent stream of remarks about his form that was currently coming from Feng Xin. For fucks sake they were in the middle of fighting a swarm of ghosts, the criticizing could wait until later. Mu Qing swiftly dodged and beheaded another ghost. They were dealing with the spirits of resentful soldiers, they were no low level ghosts but not a high enough level to be difficult. The only real issue was how many there were.
It was as if and endless stream of ghosts flooded into the small clearing. Mu Qing had beheaded at least fifty himself and was sure Feng Xin had done about the same with his arrows. They just didn’t let up. Mu Qing finally made a displeased noise slightly turning from his opponents to half face Feng Xin.
“Could you shut up?!” He had went to glare at the other until he noticed Feng Xin running towards him, Mu Qing was sure he couldn’t hide the shock that plastered on his face.
“Get out of the way!” The other had yelled as he barreled into Mu Qing effectively shoving him into a nearby tree.
Mu Qing whipped around again only to watch as a sword pierced through Feng Xin’s chest. It was as if the world stopped for a moment, the only sounds Mu Qing registered were the beating of his heart and the rush of blood in his ears. In a swift movement he cut down the ghosts around him before falling to Feng Xin’s side.
“F-Feng Xin- don’t close your eyes! D-do you hear me?! I said don’t!” Feng Xin’s eyelids were slowly fluttering shut but he made the effort to stay looking at Mu Qing’s face.
“I’m sorry, I distracted you, it’s my fault.” Mu Qing pressed his hands firmly to the other’s chest panic rising within him.
“I said keep your eyes open Feng Xin!” He was unaware of the tears falling down his face as his poured spiritual energy into Feng Xin.
He watched Feng Xin’s eyes shut and panicked muttering Xie Lian’s array password. “Dianxia?! Dianxia help me!”
He begged into the array as his hands covered in Feng Xin’s blood, after a moment Xie Lian’s startled voice replied. “Mu Qing?! What’s happening?! Where are you?!”
“T-the village on the border of our territories- you have to hurry he’s not- he’s not breathing!” Mu Qing shook as he slowly lowered himself and breathed into Feng Xin’s mouth, releasing spiritual energy and trying to restart his heart.
The array had gone silent and he quietly begged Feng Xin to wake up. He continued like that managing to close the wound on his chest as he tried to desperately to get Feng Xin to breathe. After a few minutes Xie Lian ran to him and skidded to a halt as he kneeled next to him. Immediately Xie Lian grabbed Feng Xin’s wrist and poured spiritual energy into him.
Mu Qing was counting the time as it passed, he continued to breathe into Feng Xin’s mouth until Xie Lian gently pulled his shoulder. “His pulse- I feel it quick put your hand to his nose!”
Mu Qing nodded and did so feeling the slow even breaths that Feng Xin had started to take again. Mu Qing fell against Feng Xin’s chest still pouring spiritual energy into him as he let himself cry. He was vaguely aware of Xie Lian rubbing his back as he hiccuped against Feng Xin. He could feel himself running his energy dry and Xie Lian gently pry his hand from Feng Xin’s wrist.
“Mu Qing it’s ok- really you need to stop now.” Mu Qing could feel himself freezing, that wasn’t Xie Lian’s voice.
He could feel a much larger hand now on his own where Xie Lian’s was. “Please Qing-er you’re gonna hurt yourself.”
Mu Qing’s head whipped up staring straight into the golden eyes that were watching him. “What, why are you crying? I’m ok there’s no need for that.”
Feng Xin slowly sat up gently moving Mu Qing to sit as well, Xie Lian sat quietly next to them knowing he shouldn’t get between whatever was happening right now. “Y-you idiot! How could you do that?! Y-you should’ve let it hit me! It wouldn’t have hit my chest- I would’ve been fine!”
Feng Xin seemed put off by Mu Qing’s yelling but slowly shook his head. “No- I didn’t want it to hit you Qing-er.”
Mu Qing’s face was slowly turning red as the nickname was processed. “I- just don’t, do that again. Ok?” Mu Qing slowly wiped his eyes.
Feng Xin only shook his head and gently pulled Mu Qing in for a hug. “I can’t just not protect you, it’s like my job.”
Mu Qing didn’t answer and instead wiped his eyes embarrassed that he was still crying. Feng Xin rubbed his back unaware of the prince watching them from a few steps away until he cleared his throat.
“I’m glad you’re alright Feng Xin, I’ll um- take my leave.” He smiled patting Feng Xin’s shoulder before throwing two dice on the ground and disappearing through the array.
Mu Qing froze his hands still near his face. “H-he’s been here the whole time,”
Feng Xin couldn’t help but laugh a bit, “It’s fine his highness isn’t gonna tell anyone you were crying.”
He leaned back wiping the tears from Mu Qing’s face with his thumb. “It’s really ok Qing-er you can stop crying.”
Feng Xin smiled and Mu Qing wasn’t sure what possessed him but he mumbled out, “I just can’t loose you ok?”
Now it was Feng Xin’s turn to be shocked staring at Mu Qing with his eyes wide. Realizing what he had said Mu Qing covered his mouth before backing up. Feng Xin was faster and grabbed his arm.
“I don’t want to loose you either.” Mu Qing could hear the sincerity in Feng Xin’s voice, it made his heart pound in his chest. “I love you Qing-er.”
It was like the world was falling around Mu Qing, Feng Xin couldn’t love him, they’d been rivals for hundreds of years. Sure Mu Qing cried for him but his own feelings weren’t going to be reciprocated, he was ready for that. At least he told himself he was. Feng Xin leaned forward throwing a questioning glance towards Mu Qing as he got closer, as if to ask him if he was ok with it.
Mu Qing clearly was out of it as he pushed himself forward as well connecting their lips in a somewhat sloppy and awkward kiss. It took a few moments but Feng Xin pulled back leaving Mu Qing following him before he too pulled back. Had he done something wrong? Was that not what Feng Xin wanted? His thoughts were cut off and his lips were caught again by Feng Xin. This time lining up perfectly like this was what they were meant to do.
It felt like years but also it went to quick the next time they pulled apart needing air, Mu Qing could hear Feng Xin chuckle. “Wow, I really waited too long to do that. Why don’t we continue up in my palace.”
Mu Qing met Feng Xin’s eyes, he was sure his face was bright red. “Is that alright with you Qing-er?”
He nodded quickly as he pulled Feng Xin up, “Y-yes.”
Feng Xin pulled Mu Qing into his arms as he stood smashing their lips back together as he ascended with him both, I mean who really gives a fuck if they showed up in the middle of Grand Martial Avenue kissing?
(Pei Ming cared and had quite a bit to say on the matter until Mu Qing chased him off.)