Archive of Our Own

“That’s one Jade Fruit Soup for Chongyun!” Xiangling beams, placing the bowl on the table with a thud. 

“And one Prosperous Peace for… Xingqiu.” Her smile turns into a frown that demands an explanation - when she doesn’t receive one, she sets it down in front of Xingqiu, who gives her a content smile but doesn’t acknowledge it any further. 

Chongyun squints his eyes at his best friend sitting right next to him on their regular stools at Wanmin Restaurant. They come here at least thrice a week, so the scene would appear fairly ordinary to any passer-by. And to anyone else, it might not look like Xingqiu is exercising any particularly odd behaviour; his posture is straight as always, his shoulders drawn back, his legs crossed at the ankles, small heels of his shoes locked with the footrest of the stool. His skin is as pale as ever, his eyebrows curving perfectly, his hair is smooth, his golden eyes are glistening with mischief. His lips are forming a smile - until he takes a spoonful of his meal and his brows crease into a scowl and he screws up his eyes in disgust. 

“Carrots?” is the only word he manages to utter after swallowing with obvious difficulty. Instead of confirming that yes, this meal does indeed contain carrots, which Chongyun knows because it is written down in the menu, he continues to frown at Xingqiu - because it wouldn’t be the first time he acknowledges carrots as an ingredient of the dish Xingqiu decided to order. Chongyun read the ingredients out loud to him just around ten minutes ago because he knows Xingqiu detests carrots - and Xingqiu, observing him with his head leaning on his hand, elbow propped up against the counter, nodded, hummed, as though he had heard Chongyun perfectly clear. Then, Chongyun asked him once again whether he really wanted to order this exact meal - because it does contain carrots, and hating carrots is a substantial part of Xingqiu’s personality - and Xingqiu nodded again! And so right now, Chongyun might not be confirming the ingredients of the dish Xingqiu willingly ordered, but Xingqiu sure confirmed Chongyun’s hypothesis:

As of late, Xingqiu has been acting rather strangely. 

So how did Chongyun reach this conclusion? Well, there have been a couple of incidents. For instance, last month, when they were out on a trip in the mountains. 

Xingqiu, in one of his reckless states where an overestimation of his martial art skills leads him to think nothing in the world could have an effect on him, had forgotten to drink the necessary amount of water to cope with Liyue’s warm weather, and was sitting in the shade of a cuihua tree with his back against the trunk. It’s ironic how often Xingqiu forgets to drink water even though hydro is his element. When they’re out on expeditions, Xingqiu has been even more prone to stumble into heat-related troubles than Chongyun lately, who, due to his congenital positivity, should be the one more susceptible to such situations. It’s worrying, and Chongyun can only hope Xingqiu takes better care of himself when he’s on his own and Chongyun isn’t around to help him. 

Anyhow, Xingqiu was sitting in the shade with his coat abandoned in a pile beside him, and Chongyun approached, dropped down heavily in the grass next to him and threw him a worried look. “You look sick,” he said, and Xingqiu raised his eyebrows at him. 

“Don’t you think that’s a bit rude?” he commented with his teasing tone despite the situation, which was normal because Xingqiu wouldn’t miss out on an opportunity to mock Chongyun over his dead body. Chongyun only sighed in response and then, to see whether Xingqiu’s sudden weakness was due to circulatory problems or whether he was seriously overheating, reached out and brushed his hair off his forehead and pressed his palm against his skin. He was warm under Chongyun’s hand, but no warmer than usual, he concluded - and that’s when he first noticed it; the way Xingqiu looked at him, with his lips slightly parted and his eyes visibly scanning Chongyun’s face, hastily from left to right. And his cheeks were tinted in a subtle shade of red all of a sudden, like he really was overheating. But Chongyun knew that wasn’t the case, and so he withdrew his hand, curling it into a fist as though to preserve the remaining warmth radiating off Xingqiu’s skin. 

It was an unusual reaction; a sudden mood swing that continued to taint their conversation even several minutes after its occurrence. It was strange: dilated pupils jumping from side to side, his face turning red - but well, Chongyun shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Although these behaviours did remind him of something he’d read in a book a while ago. He ought to revisit that chapter. This was, however, only a singular instance where signs of this sort were exhibited by Xingqiu, so there likely was no need to worry. Still, Chongyun would keep an eye out for now.

Another moment that increased his suspicions took place only a few days after the first incident. It was after the sun had set, and Chongyun was climbing over the low wall that frames the garden of Xingqiu’s family’s house. Although what he was doing wasn’t entirely legal, he had done it so often already that his heart wasn’t nearly beating as hard as it was the first time he snuck up to Xingqiu’s window at night. He had become extraordinarily good at making sure nobody was around to witness him practically committing trespassing - although, was it even really trespassing if the family’s second son himself had specifically asked him to? Of course Chongyun has always found this method doubtful, but Xingqiu keeps encouraging him to repeat it every time, and Chongyun can’t deny that Xingqiu is quite persuasive when he looks at him with those big, sparkly eyes of his, even when the matter he’s trying to sell to Chongyun objectively sounds completely terrible. 

So Chongyun landed in the grass - gracefully, mind you - and proceeded to sneak over to the window to Xingqiu’s room. 

The curtains weren’t drawn because Xingqiu knew he was going to use this way to sneak out, and the lamp wasn’t lit either as a precaution as to not alert his family, whose strict curfew is precisely the reason Chongyun is forced to undergo this ordeal every time Xingqiu is struck by the desire to visit the Heyu Tea House or Xinyue Kiosk, or even Yanshang Tea House (one time, that was, and Chongyun will never be sweet-talked into entering that hellscape of drunken gamblers and way too high upfront deposits again.) (And sometimes, Xingqiu simply wants to take a walk on the docks as the sun is setting, to sit on the wooden stars leading into the water and maybe dip his bare feet into the cold ocean. Those trips are peaceful - Chongyun can deal with them just fine.) 

That night, Chongyun looked through Xingqiu’s window, trying to make out shapes in the dark room. And, no, Chongyun doesn’t normally look through people’s windows at night. Or at day. He doesn’t trespass on their property either, just to clear that up. 

But looking through Xingqiu’s window, he spotted him in the corner next to his bed where Chongyun knows, although he couldn’t see it from this perspective, Xingqiu keeps his mirror. He caught a glimpse of Xingqiu’s face and saw his lips moving - like he was talking to himself? Or was there someone else in the room? Why would Xingqiu be talking to himself in the mirror? 

In the mirror , it echoed distantly in Chongyun's mind. First the day in the mountains, and now this. He had done some research after last time, and although he had promised himself not to cast any premature judgements, the pattern was unmissable. 

Startled by the scene, he knocked at the window; if this was what he thought it was, there was no way he could allow himself to slip up and give his suspicions away. Yes, if this was what he thought it was, he would have to be careful; plan his every move to execute this perfectly, just as he had always trained so hard to. 

Xingqiu, upon hearing the knock, spun around in an instant and hurried over to the window. As he pushed it open, Chongyun noticed the very same type of flushed cheeks he had displayed when he had been resting under that tree in the mountains. 

“You’re early,” Xingqiu remarked, hoisting himself up onto the window sill. Chongyun stepped aside to give him room, and after Xingqiu jumped out of the window, without losing his poise even for a second, he asked, 

“Did you need more time? Were you doing something important?” 

Xingqiu turned around to face him, looking as though Chongyun’s question had hit the nail on the head. “No?” he answered hurriedly, but it sounded more like a question, and his overall expression, an exaggerated frown, made it seem defensive. So he had been doing something important? And he won’t tell Chongyun about it? Very suspicious indeed. 

And then, a couple of weeks ago, Chongyun was walking around the harbour when he spotted Xingqiu standing in line at one of the stalls crowding the market square. It’s highly unusual seeing Xingqiu out and about by himself, because he usually either tells Chongyun about his plans, drags him along or is spontaneously introduced to them by another member of the Commerce Guild, usually his father, in which case it means he is busy with work. 

But none of the guild’s assistants could be seen anywhere, and so Chongyun’s first instinct was, naturally, to go over to Xingqiu and greet him - until he realised the name of the stall he was standing at. 

It was a talisman shop, the same one Chongyun had stopped at to look at a few weeks ago when he and Xingqiu had been walking across the harbour to Wanmin Restaurant. He had spotted a talisman he’d found particularly fascinating; if utilised correctly, it could aid him greatly the next time he’d exorcise a spirit of a specific sort. After taking a look at the prize, he had put it back in his spot though; he’d have to seriously save up to be able to afford it. Another indicator of how powerful it was. 

But no matter - why was Xingqiu standing at the talisman shop? Watching Xingqiu from where he was standing, seeming totally inconspicuous to anyone who didn’t know about the other patterns of behaviour Chongyun had been observing in his best friend, Chongyun’s heart was starting to beat faster. First, Xingqiu was flushing for no reason. His eyes were jumping. He was talking to himself in a mirror of all things, and now there he was, buying a talisman . The last time they’d visited the stall, Chongyun had told him all about the different spells and curses they could be used for - now he regretted being so explicit about it in his descriptions. 

And now they’re sitting at Wanmin Restaurant and Xingqiu accidentally ordered a meal containing carrots even though Chongyun warned him about it more than once? Did Xingqiu not hear him because he was distracted? Distracted by what , exactly? 

There was only one possible explanation for all of this: Xingqiu has, undoubtedly, been possessed by an evil spirit. 

It doesn’t make a lot of sense at first glance: after all, Chongyun’s excessive yang-energy has never done anything but drive ghosts away from him. So it seems unlikely that a demon would choose his best friend as a vessel, with how much time they spend together nearly every day. The demon in question must be really powerful in order to bear Chongyun’s constant presence. Taking all this into account, the signs are clear-cut. 

Chongyun’s suspicions were pretty much confirmed the moment he saw Xingqiu talking into the mirror: After all, mirrors are frequently used to communicate with entities roaming on different planes of existence. But after seeing Xingqiu at the talisman stall, likely buying a charm of some sort, he is sure that this demon is not only possessing his best friend, but also trying to harm Chongyun, carelessly using Xingqiu as a vessel for its malpractice and potentially hurting him in the process. It is highly probable that Xingqiu bought a dark talisman that day, led by the suasive words of the evil spirit, in order to put a curse on Chongyun. It’s a clever technique: possessing a close friend of the one the demon is actually targeting. Chongyun’s yang energy has served to fight demons all over Liyue; it’s only natural that sooner or later, one of them would come for him too. 

Needless to say, Chongyun would love to take action right away: he can only imagine how horrifying it must be for Xingqiu for an evil force to take control over him this way. But if this spirit is as powerful as he thinks it is, he is going to have to operate very carefully. It clearly knows what it is doing, purchasing talismans and then acting almost completely like Xingqiu, like it’s been studying his personality for years, so that nobody would notice his behaviour was off if they weren’t looking out for the signs. Well, Chongyun was looking. He was looking the demon right in the eyes. 

“Chongyun?” 

He quickly shakes himself to push the thoughts to the back of his mind. He can’t let himself be found out. He must act as normal as possible; who knows what the spirit would do to the both of them if it found out about Chongyun’s suspicion?

“Yes?” he asks confidently, normally, straightening his back. Xingqiu raises an eyebrow at him. 

“I asked whether you had a commission tomorrow.” 

Why would he ask about that? To add one more possible exorcism to the spirits long list of reasons to get revenge? 

“I don’t,” he says, because it’s true. Xingqiu’s face melts into a satisfied one. 

“Then we should meet up.” What, does the spirit want to start an attack on him tomorrow ? He didn’t expect it to act so quickly. Well, then he must adapt. 

“Alright,” he says so as not to appear suspicious. He can use that time to further observe Xingqiu’s behaviour so he can estimate the demon’s nature more accurately and come up with a perfect plan to exorcise it. 

“I will pick you up at your house, then,” Xingqiu concludes. Then he hops off his stool gracefully, running his hands over his coat to straighten it briefly. Chongyun follows his hand as it smoothes out the fabric. The demon even manages to replicate Xingqiu’s hand movement perfectly, from the loose wrist to his slightly stretched out fingers. 

Xingqiu firmly nods, before reaching out to Chongyun’s hand resting on his thigh to give it a short, barely noticeable squeeze. It doesn’t feel chilly at all, like when ghosts pass through the body. It’s actually quite pleasant, has his skin tingling with soft warmth. Whatever spirit is at work here, it must be extremely good at disguising its presence. 

Chongyun stares at Xingqiu as he walks down the street, one hand on his back as he uses the other one to pull a book out of his pocket. His coat sways softly in the calm breeze of the sea. 

He is pulled back into reality by Xiangling who flicks his forehead. Chongyun whips around to find her staring at him with an irritated expression. 

“Xingqiu paid,” Chongyun reassures her, gesturing to the coins he placed on the counter next to his plate. Xiangling makes a frustrated noise. 

“That’s not my point,” she deadpans, snatching the plate and Mora from the counter. “You two are insufferable,” she mumbles as she turns away. 

“What do you mean?” Chongyun yells after her. She only throws him a look over her shoulder. Once she comes back, she sits down on her side of the counter. 

“So, what are you doing for Lantern Rite?” she asks, smiling at him like she didn’t just cuss him out. 

Chongyun hums. “The usual. Helping people out, watching the fireworks,” he shrugs. “Maybe we’ll head to Qingce Village again. It depends on whether Hu Tao and Xingyan are planning on performing again, in which case we would likely stay in Liyue Harbor.” 

Xiangling raises her eyebrows at him. He frowns. “What?”

“Nothing! I just heard there’s a spot just outside Liyue that’s supposed to be a great location to watch the fireworks from.” 

“And?” 

She shrugs. “I don’t know!” She sounds as though she does know but simply doesn’t want to tell. “I mean, the most important thing is to watch the fireworks with someone who’s important to you.” 

She is talking in riddles today, and she’s not doing a good job disguising it. She normally tends to be rather straight-forward, so what is different here? Has she been possessed too?

“What are you getting at?” 

She sighs. “Xingqiu and you are very important to each other,” she says, not as a question but like it’s a universal truth written down in thousands of textbooks. Chongyun’s eyes flicker down to the counter. 

“I am aware,” he says and rubs his palms over his trousers. 

“You should go there, then,” she says. Chongyun considers. He and Xingqiu spend time together almost every day - yet the thought of watching the fireworks from a remote spot, just the two of them, makes him strangely nervous. 

It must be because of the evil spirit, he concludes. Who wouldn’t be nervous in a situation like that? And there’s the extra pressure when it comes to him, specifically, because he’s supposed to be able to deal with things of this sort. It’s his profession. 

And he can deal with it. He just needs a little bit more time. Surely he will manage to figure the spirit out until Lantern Rite. Surely he will manage to exorcise it before the festivities begin, and then there won’t be anything preventing him and Xingqiu from enjoying the fireworks together. And this already sounds like somewhat of a plan, doesn’t it? At least he has a deadline now. 

The next day, Chongyun is sitting on the floor in a corner at Wanwen Bookhouse, observing Xingqiu through narrowed eyes as he snatches one book after another off the shelves and pages through them. 

Once again the scene might appear perfectly normal to any uninvolved person, but to Chongyun it’s blatantly obvious that something is out of the ordinary. 

Xingqiu seemed not only distracted, but also unusually twitchy on the way here. Chongyun could feel him looking everytime he himself would avert his eyes; and Xingqiu would immediately turn his head as soon as Chongyun looked back at him. 

Now that they’re here, he occasionally catches Xingqiu glancing at him over his shoulder. He isn’t sure whether he’s doing to check if he’s still there or if he has a different motif. Either way, it causes a strange sensation in his chest. It’s hardly surprising he’d feel uneasy in a situation like this, but he tries his best to ignore it. He appreciates his natural instincts warning him from danger, but they are of little use right now. After all, the demon wouldn’t attack him in the middle of a book shop. 

Chongyun lets go of the thoughts clouding his mind when he hears Xingqiu’s shoes clicking on the wooden floor as he approaches with a stack of books in his arms. “Chongyun!” he says as though he only just spotted him, and it’s as charming as ever. On impulse, Chongyun smiles. Xingqiu lowers himself to the floor carefully so as not to knock over his books, then puts them aside and crosses his legs. “I wanted to ask your opinion on this novel.” He grabs the one on top of the stack and Chongyun only scans its cover briefly before looking at Xingqiu’s face. He can’t see his eyes properly as they’re focused on the novel, but from up close his cheeks seem unusually flushed. When their knees brush together, the hairs on Chongyun’s arms stand up and he has to will himself not to flinch - the demon is letting him know of its presence. And it must be of the manipulative type, because suddenly he feels an unmistakable urge to scoot closer to Xingqiu. It must be trying to lure him in so he won’t notice once it decides to attack. 

Chongyun obviously knows better than to give in to the urge, so he decides to answer Xingqiu’s question to distract himself instead. “The cover art is nice.”

Xingqiu hums. The sound vibrates in Chongyun’s chest in a way that pushes all air out of his lungs. “But do you think it matches the content of the story?” 

He shrugs. “I don’t know what the novel is about, so I can’t comment on that.”

Xingqiu’s face turns into a frown. “But I just read the summary out loud for you. Were you not paying attention?” 

Chongyun looks at him, lost for words. Did the evil spirit manage to distract him this much? That must be it; but he can’t exactly tell Xingqiu about that, so he just stares, trying to think of an excuse. Xingqiu’s frown melts into amusement and he raises his eyebrows. 

“Are you overheating?” Xingqiu asks, and before Chongyun can protest, he lifts his hand to Chongyun’s face and softly presses his knuckles into his flushed cheeks. They’re warm against his skin, warmer than he himself is, and he almost sighs when Xingqiu retracts them. Must be the demon , he thinks, distantly, but almost can’t hear his own thoughts over the ringing sound of Xingqiu's chuckle as he shakes his head. “Doesn’t seem like it. Have you eaten yet, then?” 

Unable to get words to leave his mouth, Chongyun can only shake his head. It makes Xingqiu laugh again. 

“Then I’ll pay for these and we’ll go to Wanmin.” With that, Xingqiu gets up and takes his stack of books. The one he wanted to discuss with Chongyun, he returns to its shelf. 

After their meal at Wanmin Restaurant, Xingqiu walks him to his house. He appears unnerved now, like when he picked Chongyun up this morning but ten times worse in severity, almost tripping over a stone and not saying anything except for a few rushed words about his father who is apparently planning a work dinner for next month. 

Chongyun watches him closely, the way he bites his upper lip and the creases on his forehead. He doesn’t ask what’s wrong because he already knows. He only thinks to himself that he should hurry up with the exorcism so Xingqiu can act normally again. The data he has gathered so far should be sufficient - he knows the demon has some sort of mind manipulation powers, and with the symptoms Xingqiu is displaying, he should be able to determine its precise nature. He will read up on the least dangerous way to exorcise it later, and then everything is going to be fine. 

“Chongyun?”

They have arrived at his doorstep. Chongyun forces a smile and waves his hand at Xingqiu. “Right. I’ll see you-” 

“Wait,” Xingqiu blurts, and Chongyun pauses. “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” 

Chongyun swallows at the seriousness of his tone. “Yes?” 

“Well,” Xingqiu takes a deep breath before looking Chongyun in the eyes. “I was wondering whether you wanted to spend Lantern Rite together. It’s next week… I mean, you know that. And I know a spot. So I wanted to ask you about it.” 

Chongyun blinks. He barely ever gets to witness Xingqiu tripping over his words like this; considering how well spoken he is, this is seriously concerning. And, besides, “We always spend Lantern Rite together.” Xingqiu knows this. 

On the other hand, the demon might not. 

“I know,” Xingqiu says with a vague gesture of the hand. “I simply thought, well, maybe this year it could just be the two of us. Because…” his voice is shaking a little bit, and Chongyun glances around them briefly. There are many people in the streets nearby - surely no evil spirit would deem this the right time to attack? “Because you’re really important to me,” Xingqiu manages. Didn’t Xiangling say something similar? He can’t remember very well. 

Xingqiu is looking at him expectantly and his face discloses that he’s somewhat nervous about what Chongyun might reply. It’s confusing; why would he fear his answer when they have always spent special occasions in each other’s company? The only explanation he manages to come up with is that maybe Xingqiu is still aware of the demon taking control of his body and is trying to fight it from the inside, and this is why he appears so beside himself.   

Maybe this is actually Xingqiu trying to tell him something: What if he knows what the demon’s plan is, and this is supposed to be a warning? Lantern Rite - does the demon want to attack him during the Lantern Rite festivities? What else could this mean? 

Chongyun can’t let himself slip up now. So he nods, firmly. “I would love to,” he says, adding a smile, and he hopes Xingqiu will pick up on the fact that he got the message. Lantern Rite is exactly one week away - thanks to Xingqiu, he now knows to come prepared. 

* * * 

On the fateful day, Chongyun wakes up with a layer of cold sweat perpetually covering his palms and a racing heart. It’s sunny outside and a festive spirit reigns over Liyue Harbor, but it doesn’t seem to reach him. He tries to shower the feeling away, but it won’t work either. 

At breakfast he barely eats, and his grandmother sends him a worried look. “Is something the matter?” she asks, and he quickly shakes his head. Obviously he can’t let anyone know about the demon possession; it would be too much of a risk, and he absolutely cannot take any risks, not when it comes to Xingqiu’s safety. But he can’t bring himself to force down his breakfast either, so he just sits in silence. 

“Tell me, what are your plans for today? Not work, I hope,” she says, referring to Chongyun’s parents who are out at the moment. Although one could say that the matter troubling him is work related, it doesn’t seem like an adequate description because, obviously, Xingqiu is far more important than any job he has ever received pay for - so he shakes his head. “Xingqiu and I are spending the day together. We want to watch the fireworks from a special spot he told me about.” 

His grandmother nods with a secretive smile and raised eyebrows - like she knows something? Did he accidentally reveal what this is actually about? There’s no way. 

“I see,” she says with a heavy undertone, the meaning of which Chongyun fails to decipher. “Trust me, there’s no need to be nervous. I’m sure it will go perfectly well.” She gets up from her chair and briefly places her hand on his shoulder as she walks past him to the kitchen. Although he isn’t sure what she thinks it is he’s nervous about, her words manage to comfort him a little bit. As Xingqiu is always so eager to reiterate; he is a skilled exorcist - there really is no need to panic. After all, he can’t let the demon know where his weaknesses lie - he’s going to have to conceal his worries for Xingqiu’s sake so he can save him. 

So Chongyun starts to get ready like he would for any normal Lantern Rite. He takes another shower, slicks his hair back, puts on some nice clothes and earrings. Then he packs the things he wouldn’t bring to a normal Lantern Rite - his bag with candles, matchsticks, talismans, his handbook on demonic possession, just to be sure. 

His grandmother stops him before he can leave the house, taking a thorough look at him. “Oh, you look so handsome,” she tells him with tears in her eyes and pats his back. “I’m sure you will have a nice evening.” 

“Thank you,” he says, glancing away uncomfortably. His grandma has always been the one to notice when he puts effort into the way he looks - although it makes him feel awkward and slightly out of place, he appreciates the sentiment. 

Stepping outside, Chongyun immediately finds himself in a crowd, light chatter all around, everyone wearing festive robes in bright colours. Glancing up, he spots decorations: strings of lanterns dangling over the streets between buildings, illuminating the whole city alongside all the other lights emanating from lanterns of all sizes as the sun is starting to set. Immediately, a sense of warmth and comfort settles in Chongyun’s chest and he pauses for a moment to take a deep breath, to inhale the salty air and the scent of fried fish coming from the market stalls on the docks.  

There’s music playing somewhere, likely from Southern Chihu Rock since that’s where the stage is supposed to have been set up, and Chongyun instinctively follows the sounds. He and Xingqiu didn’t agree on a specific meeting point, but he has a feeling where he might find him. 

The musical group on stage isn’t familiar to him, but he’s heard the tunes they’re playing before, and a considerable amount of people have gathered to watch them play and dance along, so Chongyun figures they must possess some degree of popularity. For a moment he just breathes, closing his eyes and basking in the familiar festive atmosphere, letting the laughter, chatter and music consume his hearing as the remaining sunrays tickle his skin. 

When he opens his eyes, he almost tumbles over his own feet. 

Xingqiu is descending the stairs to the dock area, and Chongyun can’t stop himself from scanning him all over. Fontainian, he thinks it is, although he doesn’t know much about foreign fashion customs; but the puffy sleeves and the ruffles remind him almost of the Hydro Archon herself. It’s a different shade of blue than the coat he usually wears and his white shorts are longer and sit high on his waist, making him look taller. He’s not wearing his high boots, but black shoes with golden heels over blue high socks that end under his knees. He spots Chongyun once he looks up from the book he’s carrying, smiling and accelerating his step. Chongyun doesn’t know why his heart is beating so fast all of a sudden, he really doesn’t. 

“Have you been waiting for a while?” Xingqiu asks instead of a greeting, and Chongyun thinks his brain has fully melted away. Xingqiu’s hair is tied back, just a small amount of it at the back of his head, the rest of it loosely hanging around his face like always, covering his forehead - when did Xingqiu’s hair grow long enough for him to be able to tie it back? It makes him look older, somehow, more grown up, but his smile tells him he’s the same person, still. 

Xingqiu stuffs the book into a pocket on the inside of his coat. Then he chuckles nervously. “Ah, yes,” he says, looking down at the clothes Chongyun can’t stop eyeing. “Father made me wear these. We had important Fontanian guests pay us a visit, and he said it would be the polite thing to do.” He shrugs his shoulders like the sight of him didn’t just fully stun Chongyun into silence. “I think it looks a bit strange, but the large inner pockets are very convenient for storing books.” 

“You,” Chongyun starts, but the words immediately die in his throat. The heels make Xingqiu taller than him, he realises, not much taller, but the difference is definitely noticeable. He clears his throat. “You look beautiful.” He’s so warm. He should have worn something lighter. Did he pack enough popsicles? Or did he forget to altogether? 

Xingqiu’s eyes widen and his face becomes just as red as Chongyun’s feels. He chuckles again, even more nervously. “I- Thank you. So do you.” Chongyun forces himself to take a deep breath. 

Xingqiu clears his throat. “Do you want to browse through the stalls for a bit? Xiangling told me about-” 

“Yes,” Chongyun replies hastily, desperate to brush off this moment of - what, exactly? He isn’t sure, but it doesn’t matter because Xingqiu seems to be in agreement with him, nodding, and so they head over to the stalls. 

Things return to how they normally are fairly quickly, and Chongyun is relieved. His heart is still beating faster than usual, which he attributes to the fact that he is, technically, on a mission - he can’t let himself get too comfortable anyway. He tries to subtly observe Xingqiu, but this proves difficult since Xingqiu somehow seems to be observing him an equal amount. 

Chongyun tries to tell himself he has everything under control. He wishes this were just a normal Lantern Rite where he could simply enjoy spending the day with Xingqiu, but it isn’t, and he can’t let the demon fool him into thinking that it is, no matter how much he wants to. He can’t let the demon win. He needs to save Xingqiu. 

Once it gets dark, he and Xingqiu leave the harbour to reach the spot Xingqiu was talking about. It’s some way up Mount Tianheng, but it’s not too far, so they arrive in no time. Xingqiu is talking about something concerning the guild while Chongyun is trying his utmost to listen to him while thinking about his plan and watching the way the end of Xingqiu’s coat is swaying in the slight wind. 

“This spot should do. As long as you don’t mind sitting in the grass, that is?” Xingqiu is smiling at him, and Chongyun is trying not to think about how mesmerising he looks like this, with only the moon and the lantern from the city casting light on him. These thoughts are highly unwelcome right now: he needs to stay focused. He can do this. 

So he glances around, briefly scanning the area. This should do, he thinks, so he nods at Xingqiu, who takes this as an indicator to lower himself into the grass. Chongyun does the same, and when Xingqiu scoots closer, he leans into him a little bit and tells himself it’s because of the cold, even though the cold doesn’t usually reach the harbour. 

“I’m glad you agreed to come here with me,” Xingqiu says, his voice so close to Chongyun’s ear with how he’s letting his head rest on Chongyun’s shoulder. It’s comfortable, really comfortable and warm, and Chongyun’s heart won’t stop hammering against his ribcage. 

“Of course,” he says, and Xingqiu reaches out for Chongyun’s hand that’s resting on his thigh and entwines their fingers, hesitantly. His wrist looks so small, delicate, tightly hugged by the blue fabric of his coat. Chongyun swallows. 

Xingqiu’s breathing sounds calm, regulated, and it’s almost soothing. It’s funny how another person can make you feel so comfortable and nervous at the same time. 

Chongyun smiles, huffing a laugh. 

“What?” 

He chuckles. “Don’t fall asleep,” he says, and Xingqiu hums. 

“I’m not falling asleep,” he protests, and Chongyun squeezes his hand. “Are you falling asleep?” 

“I’m not falling aslee-”

He’s interrupted by the sound of the first firework. And it calls him back into reality- he isn’t being focused at all! He needs to be watchful, but instead he’s letting Xingqiu - letting the evil spirit - sweet-talk him into relaxing, into letting his guard down so it can attack. He can’t continue acting like this; and although Xingqiu’s hand feels so warm and so right in his, he lets go of it. 

Xingqiu, who is watching the sky, doesn’t seem to pay it any mind. 

Chongyun wants to watch the fireworks, to seem normal, to act like nothing is wrong, but he can only look into Xingqiu’s golden eyes, at the colourful reflections of the fireworks in his face, the way he’s almost glowing, just observing the lights in the sky. He’s so beautiful - so beautiful, but Chongyun needs to stay focused. 

He looks at the fireworks. He thinks his hands might be shaking. He can feel Xingqiu next to him. Is all of this the doing of the demon? 

“Chongyun?” 

He turns around to find Xingqiu looking at him intently. “Yes?” 

His face is flushed. “There is something…” he takes a deep breath. “Something I wanted to tell you.” 

The fireworks are much quieter up here. In the city, it’s difficult to hold conversations while they’re going off, but up here, he can hear Xingqiu’s voice although it’s much quieter than usual, like he’s unsure whether he really wants to say anything at all. 

“What is it?” Chongyun asks, although he knows, he knows exactly what’s going on and he should really stay focused and finally get this over with instead of getting lost in Xingqiu’s eyes. 

“I… well.” He chuckles. “I feel like I’ve been behaving sort of strangely as of late. And I owe you an explanation.” 

Chongyun already knows. He just needs to get his equipment from his bag and exorcise the demon and all will be well - so why can’t he bring himself to move? Why does it feel like he’s glued to the floor, and why is it so hard to squeeze in breaths between looking at Xingqiu, looking at his hair and his eyes and his lips as he speaks? 

“The reason I’ve been distracted lately is that I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you that I…” he trails off, swallowing, his adam’s apple bobbing as he does so. “Chongyun, I really like you.” 

He’s so close and his breath is hot against Chongyun’s face. He needs to move. He has no idea what is happening - none of this makes any sense. None of it. The demon should be attacking him by now - it would be too easy to capture him like this, to access Chongyun with how careless he’s being - so why isn’t it attacking already? What is he missing? 

“I like you too,” he says, trying his best to hide his confusion - because obviously he likes Xingqiu, why else would he be friends with him? Then again, maybe this demon’s understanding of human relationships isn’t as good as he thought it might be. Maybe it doesn’t understand typical human behaviour, like for example what friends might be talking about during festivals like Lantern Rite, and that’s why it’s saying these things- 

Xingqiu’s face is still close and he’s smiling, not mischievously but earnestly, like when they take a bath in Luhua Pool or when they’re having lunch at Wangshu Inn or when he opens his window at night when Chongyun is picking him up so they can sneak out together - and then he is leaning even closer and, oh, 

now Chongyun knows what’s going on. 

It’s warm, Xingqiu’s touch, his hand on Chongyun’s waist and the way his lips are pressing against his, warm and comfortable and fulfilling, strangely, like Chongyun has his own personal firework show going off in his chest, goosebumps spreading over his arms and legs - it’s warm and it’s comforting and it’s a ploy . A rather classic one, one that serves as the plot of countless novels and films and one that Chongyun has only come across a few times in his studies: A demon trying to seduce the human it’s planning to attack. To get its victim to open up more, to be more susceptible, to make it easier for the demon to consume their soul. 

Chongyun knows what’s happening, and it’s so ineffably painful because Xingqiu is so warm and this feels so right. His touch is everything, Chongyun wants to feel it every day, every day of his life, and yet it’s not real because this is nothing more than a scheme that evil, horrible spirit is using to deceive him. He wants to reciprocate, he wants to stay, he wants to run his hand up Xingqiu’s arm and over his back but he can’t, for both of their sakes. So he pulls away, hastily scrambling to his feet, stumbling back, rubbing his hands together, and his chest feels terribly empty. He should do it right now, exorcise the spirit right now, but he’s looking at Xingqiu and Xingqiu is looking at him, concerned, confused, hurt, and Chongyun’s hands are shaking. He just can’t . 

“Chongyun?” Xingqiu asks, and fireworks are going off in the distance. Chongyun averts his eyes because it’s all a trick, a malicious, evil trick to hurt the both of them, and he can’t look at Xingqiu like this. His skin hurts with the desire to be touched but he can’t give into it. He’s given into his own wants enough today, and look where it got him. He had one, one job, and he let himself get carried away. If he’d been more focused, the demon might be gone by now. If he’d been more focused, none of this would have even happened in the first place. 

“Chongyun, are you okay?” Xingqiu is getting up now, too, trying to catch his eyes. “I’m sorry, did I misinterpret what you-” 

“No,” Chongyun says, “No, it’s just, I’ve got to go now.” He has to get away or he will let the spirit win and that cannot happen under any circumstances. So, gripping the strap of his bag so his hands will stop shaking, he turns around and hurries down to Liyue Harbor.

* * *

Chongyun did not get much sleep last night, but that’s irrelevant because he has a job to do. He failed to carry out said job yesterday, so he simply must do it this morning. Although the mere thought makes him sick to his stomach. 

He didn’t bother thinking of a way to trick Xingqiu into following him where he needs him - a shack just outside Liyue Harbor where he used to train his abilities. But he thinks he will manage. He just wants things to be normal again. And he doesn’t think he would be able to stand another night of tossing and turning in his bed, thinking about Xingqiu’s hand on his hip, his lips against his own, and yearning for his touch. It’s not real. It’s not real, he shouldn’t be scared of it. As soon as the demon is gone, these feelings will dissipate as well. 

So, with a horrible feeling in his chest, he walks over to Xingqiu’s house in the morning, and knocks. After a while, a servant opens the door. Chongyun doesn’t know her, but she seems to know him because she promises to let the “young master” know of his presence. Shortly after, Xingqiu shows up at the door. He doesn’t look well. At least they have that in common. 

“Chongyun,” Xingqiu says, his face going red, and he grips the doorknob so tightly his knuckles turn white. 

“You need to come with me,” Chongyun says, as firmly as he manages, which means not very firmly at all since his voice is shaking. 

“Is this about yesterday? I’m truly sorry in case I misunderstood the situation, I’d appreciate it if we could just forget the entire thing happened-” 

“I need you to come with me. Trust me.” Chongyun inhales deeply. “Please.”

Xingqiu blinks at him. Chongyun just wants this to be over. He wants, needs his skin to stop aching for Xingqiu to come close again. This isn’t real . 

Xingqiu lets go of the doorknob and steps outside, letting the door fall into its lock behind him. “Alright,” he says, hesitantly. 

Chongyun can’t decide whether he wants to look at Xingqiu or avoid his gaze. He’s fighting the urge to step closer to him, to let their arms brush against each other as they’re passing through the city, or maybe even weave their fingers together like Xingqiu did yesterday. For obvious reasons, that would be a bad idea. He needs to keep some distance between him and the evil spirit. He’s already let it get way too close.

“Chongyun,” Xingqiu asks when they arrive at the shack. “What is this?” 

Chongyun shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. I will explain it to you later.” 

Xingqiu frowns. “Can’t you explain it now?” 

It pains Chongyun to deny him anything, which likely forms the basis of their friendship. But this is important. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

Xingqiu’s frown seems to deepen by the second, which makes it difficult for Chongyun to operate. Once inside the shack, he starts setting up the site and takes out one of his talismans, bringing it to his chest. He can only hope this works out in their favour and the demon won’t lash out. He can’t imagine what he’d do with himself if something went wrong. 

He can’t think of this now. He has to stay positive. All will be well.  

“Xingqiu, could you sit down over there?” He points at the centre of the wooden floor. Xingqiu only mumbles a quiet “Alright,” but Chongyun is too busy taking out his equipment. 

Still avoiding looking at Xingqiu, he starts to place the candles he brought in a circle around him, his hands shaking. Even though he’s not looking, he can feel Xingqiu’s eyes on him. 

“Chongyun,” Xingqiu sounds almost annoyed now. “What is all of this supposed to be?” 

“I’m sorry,” Chongyun repeats. “I can’t explain it to you right now. I just need you to trust me. Can you stay where you are for a moment? I promise it won’t take long.” 

He lights the candles in the correct order. Xingqiu is scowling at him. Everything is set up now. Everything is set up perfectly: Chongyun doesn’t think he’s ever prepared anything with so much care. 

So he starts. Mumbles the according mantra under his breath, draws his hands through the air to summon the circle of light he needs for the exorcism to work, and he’s almost done, feeling the energy surge through his body -   

Nothing happens. The room is silent. The light in front of him fizzles away. Xingqiu is still scowling. “Chongyun,” he asks, like it’s an incredibly serious matter (which is true , so at least Xingqiu has realised that as well now,) “What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” 

Chongyun rubs his sweaty hands against his shirt. Did he fail? Did he miss something? All the candles are lit and he recited the mantra according to his book, so he doesn’t see what could’ve possibly gone wrong.

“Chongyun, seriously,” Chongyun startles as Xingqiu gets up from the floor, crossing his arms. “What is this? Is this a joke? Look, I’m so sorry about yesterday. I understand if you no longer want to be friends, but please talk to me!” 

The words pierce right through Chongyun’s heart. Of course he wants to continue being friends; he quite honestly can’t imagine a life without Xingqiu. “It’s not a joke,” he says, and then, “Please stay in the circle.”

“Only if you tell me what’s going on!” Xingqiu remonstratively steps out of the circle. Chongyun winces. Now he’s going to have to set this up all over again. “Xingqiu, I just need to perform this exorcism, then all will be well,” he blurts, and Xingqiu stares at him. Chongyun bites his own tongue. Now he has effectively ruined any chance of subtlety he had. He rubs his fingers over his temples. This entire thing is starting to give him a terrible headache.

On top of everything, Xingqiu just won’t step back into the circle. “There’s a demon possessing this house?” he asks, and Chongyun groans. No,” he says, “There’s a demon possessing you!”

Xingqiu’s eyebrows shoot up and he takes a step towards Chongyun. “Excuse me?” 

Chongyun wills himself to take a deep breath. And another one. He needs to calm down or all of his efforts will have been pointless. 

Although that’s likely already the case. If he had simply been more careful yesterday, he could have saved Xingqiu, but now it’s too late for them both. He squints his eyes closed because he knows the only thing he can do now is brace himself for the pain of having his soul consumed by a demon and the eternal punishment that will follow after- 

“Chongyun,” Xingqiu’s firm voice rips him back into reality. He’s standing right in front of him, holding both of Chongyun’s cold hands in his, and warmth surges through him. 

His eyes don’t look possessed at all. They look normal, soft and golden, locked with his own. “You need to breathe.” 

He tries. As good as Xingqiu has always been at riling him up, he’s even better at calming him down again. 

“I’m sorry,” he manages after a while, and Xingqiu squeezes his hands. 

“Chongyun,” he says sincerely and still a little confused, “I’m not possessed .”

Chongyun shakes his head. “But you’ve been acting strangely.” 

Xingqiu chuckles. “So have you.” 

“You told me yourself that you’ve been acting strangely.” 

“Yes,” Xingqiu laughs, “I already told you. It’s because I’m in love with you.” 

So he isn’t in danger , Chongyun thinks, relief washing over him and the knot in his chest loosening until he feels somewhat calm. Until he realises that, oh, 

Xingqiu is in love with him . 

“But,” Chongyun stammers, “I just- whenever we were spending time together, you got so flustered and distracted.” 

Xingqiu nods. “Because I’m in love with you.” 

“And that night I came to your window, you were talking to yourself in the mirror! I thought you were-” 

“You saw that?” Xingqiu sounds mildly horrified, his face flushing, and Chongyun is somewhat glad he isn’t the only embarrassed one anymore. 

“I was going to confess to you that night,” Xingqiu admits, his face turning a darker shade of red, “And I might have been practising in front of the mirror?” 

Chongyun huffs, images of Xingqiu flooding his brain, alone in his room, thinking about him . “Then why were you buying a talisman?” 

Xingqiu raises his eyebrows. “How do you even know about that? Are you watching me when I think you’re not around?” 

He groans, his neck burning with heat. “Archons, no. It was a coincidence!” 

His words make Xingqiu giggle. He has always taken pleasure in laughing at Chongyun’s suffering. “I was looking for a gift. Do you remember that talisman you showed me some time ago?” He runs his thumb over the back of Chongyun’s hand. “I meant to give it to you yesterday, but then you fled.” 

Right. “I’m sorry about that,” Chongyun says, avoiding Xingqiu’s eyes. “I thought, well…” 

“You thought what ?”

“I thought that the spirit possessing you was trying to seduce me and eat my soul,” Chongyun rushes, and finally fully comprehends how much of an idiot he really is. He feels so stupid it’s painful. 

Xingqiu gives him a very long look before bursting out laughing. Chongyun doubts he has ever experienced anything as mortifying as this conversation. “It happens!” he tries to justify his stupidity, but knowing Xingqiu, he is never going to get to live this down. “I’ve read books about it.” 

“You thought I kissed you because I was possessed by a demon,” Xingqiu manages between laughter. Chongyun shoves their intertwined hand against Xingqiu’s chest in an attempt to shove him. “This is embarrassing,” he mumbles, and Xingqiu snorts. 

“Yes, it is,” he laughs. Chongyun sighs. 

“Xingqiu, stop laughing at me,” he tries. “Xingqiu, please.” 

“Chongyun,” Xingqiu looks into his eyes. “You just attempted to perform an exorcism on me. I think I have a right to be laughing.” 

Chongyun groans. “Xingqiu. Please.” Finally, Xingqiu manages to compose himself. 

“You’re so red,” Xingqiu notes, like Chongyun needs a reminder. “Are you going to overheat?” 

“Maybe I will if you keep making fun of me.” 

“Is that how you’re planning on stopping me? Blackmail?”

Chongyun shrugs. “Perhaps.” He lets his gaze run over Xingqiu’s face, his perfect hair, his sparkling eyes, slightly teary from laughing so much, and his lips, looking exactly as soft as they felt yesterday. “Or I might…” he trails off, looking at Xingqiu for confirmation, receiving a small nod. That’s all it takes for him to build up the courage to bring their lips together. 

It’s slower and longer than yesterday, and Xingqiu disentangles one hand from Chongyun’s to bring it up to his neck, his fingertips dipping into Chongyun’s hair. Chongyun wraps his arms around Xingqiu’s waist, pulling him close like he’s been longing to. It’s warm all over and he never wants it to stop. 

When Xingqiu pulls away from him, he’s grinning stupidly, and Chongyun is quite sure he looks the same. 

“We should go somewhere together,” Xingqiu said, “To make up for yesterday.” 

“I’m sorry I ruined Lantern Rite,” Chongyun says. His breath hitches when Xingqiu runs his thumb over his cheek softly. 

“Don’t worry about it. There will be other occasions for you to swoon over my Fontanian attire.” 

Chongyun glares at him and blushes furiously. Xingqiu laughs. “Come on, I’m not oblivious,” he teases. “Unlike you, evidently.” 

“Shut up.”

“Being taller than you was fun.” 

“Shut up .”

Xingqiu smiles at him, raising his eyebrows. For once, Chongyun gets what he means, so he leans in to kiss him again. 

(A few days later, they go out for lunch together. When Xingqiu reaches over the table to hand him a small package, Chongyun has never been so glad to see a benevolent talisman. All is well.)