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The past couple months have brought Gaming a joy he never thought possible. While his newly mended relationship with his father is a major source of happiness, the real highlight has been the time he has spent with his new partner, Xingqiu.
Waking up next to Xingqiu after spending the night, feeling Xingqiu's steady breaths against his neck as the boy snuggles up to his side? Heavenly. Resting his head in the other boy's lap while he reads, feeling Xingqiu’s hand idly combing through his hair? Priceless. Meeting up with Xingqiu right before he has to leave for a job, hand in hand as they take a stroll through the harbor? Gahhh, it's just too precious to put into words!
Parting is never easy, but the sweet kisses from Xingqiu make the separation a bit more bearable. No one else could ever hope to match the bliss Gaming feels when Xingqiu wraps his arms around his shoulders and kisses him slowly, as if time has stopped just for the two of them. Xingqiu has ruined him for all other kisses in this damn world.
Gaming shakes away his daydreams of Xingqiu's irresistible charm and continues cleaninh his room. Xingqiu is expected to arrive thirty minutes past noon. If Gaming keeps up a good pace, he should be able to clean his entire room in twenty minutes, leaving him with fifteen minutes to fix his hair, wash his face, prepare for Xingqiu to stay overnight, and get dressed.
Between both of their busy work schedules, having free time together is a rare luxury that they want to make the most out of. They don't plan on wasting this golden opportunity by staying cooped up indoors. Maybe they can find some quiet slice of nature to relax in, a place where Xingqiu could read undisturbed in peace and quiet just like he prefers.
Of course, if they do find themselves in such a situation Gaming knows that he'll inevitably be convinced to read a book to Xingqiu once again. So far, Xingqiu has won three times and Gaming hasn't won once... but he is determined not to fall victim to those pleading amber eyes or pouty lips ever again! He will remain strong and resist his lover's charms... or so he tells himself.
A loud crash rips his attention away from the jumbled thoughts swirling within his mind. He immediately whips his head towards the source of the disturbance. Lying on his bookshelf lies his mischievous suanni, peacefully napping as if unaware he'd just sent an entire row of his shelf tumbling to the floor.
"Man Chai!"
The perpetrator of this horrific crime wakes from his impromptu catnap with a snort. Man Chai quickly hops down from the shelf, just graceful and agile as his kind typically are, trotting right up to him and rubbing against his chest affectionately.
"Don't play innocent, you little monster!" Gaming scolds. He lifts the suanni with both hands and gives his little monster a stern glare. The suanni responds with a glare of his own, far less menacing but no less exaggerated than his.
Gaming sighs, turning to face the victim of his suanni's foul scheme. A wave of panic crashes into him as he catches sight of a wooden box and its former contents scattered on the ground. He immediately pushes Man Chai away, who huffs in annoyance, and scrambles to retrieve the scattered papers and put them back where they belong.
To his relief, not a single page has been damaged from the incident. He lets out a sigh. Such a silly thing, overreacting over pieces of paper… but these letters are so very precious to him. These letters are proof of Xingqiu's love for him, penned from his heart and delivered by hand…
And completely illegible.
It's somehow worse than chicken scratch, beyond a level of messiness even a toddler could manage. Closer to hieroglyphics than any form of writing that Gaming has bothered to read. Gaming adores all things about his boyfriend, and even he must admit that the boy's handwriting is best described as "shitty."
A smile tugs at his lips. The elegance of a deity paired with god awful handwriting. What an oxymoron.
…He definitely needs to stop spending so much time around Xingqiu. Soon he's going to be reciting flowery sonnets in his sleep!
"Is everything alright?"
Gaming's head snaps up at the sudden sound. His heart flutters in delight at the sight of Xingqiu standing in his doorway, dressed in loose teal silk robes with his hair let out of its usual pulled back style. It's longer than he remembers it being; how cute, his hair almost reaches down to his shoulders.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear, or however the saying goes.
"Xingqiu!" Gaming all but throws the papers he was holding, stumbling over himself in his rush to stand up. He crosses the room and pulls his boyfriend into his arms, lifting him off his feet.
"Oh-" Xingqiu gasps in surprise, but soon bursts into the most delightful laughter as Gaming spins him around. The sound is like music to Gaming's ears, a melody crafted just for him.
After a moment, Gaming gently sets Xingqiu back down, his arms still wrapped around his waist. There is not a force in Teyvat capable of drawing Gaming's eyes away from his boyfriend, the sight of which makes even the Tianquan's vast fortune seem worthless in comparison. Those bright eyes like twin pools of molten gold—
"Gaming," Xingqiu says softly, brushing his hand along Gaming's cheek. The touch brings Gaming out of his trance, and he can't quite mask the blush creeping across his cheeks. Xingqiu says nothing of it.
"It seems you missed me quite a bit."
"Duh."
His boyfriend rolls his eyes, but doesn't bother hiding the smile curving his lips. "It's only been two days or so, and you're acting as if I disappeared for years. How sweet."
"Feels like forever..." Gaming mumbles. "Least with Man Chai around I had someone to keep me company while you were gone," He glances over Xingqiu's shoulder, but there is no sign of the little ball of fur and trouble anywhere.
"Do I really mean so little to you that I can be replaced by an animal?"
Gaming's head snaps back to Xingqiu, eyes wide with panic. "What? No no, course not! I was just—"
Xingqiu flashes him a sly grin, like a wolf eyeing an especially tasty looking boar, as he gently cups his cheeks with both hands. Slow and cunning and hungry and oh no his face is moving closer-
Xingqiu's lips are on his and everything else fades away.
The kiss is nothing short of perfection. His brain turns to mush the second Xingqiu wraps his arms around Gaming's neck. Gaming struggles not to let himself sag like a pathetic, useless pile of goo right in the middle of his room. The kiss doesn't last nearly as long as he'd like. Gaming almost misses the mischievous glint in Xingqiu's eye.
"Ah," Xingqiu says, brushing a strand of hair away from Gaming's face with a warm smile. "Red really is your color."
Gaming sputters in response, feeling his cheeks heating up with every passing second. He can only stare in muted disbelief as the little brat actually dares to lick his lips.
"Quit teasing!"
It isn't fair. How is he supposed to compose himself when Xingqiu looks and acts and sounds and feels like this!? What cruel torture.
"I'm only joking!" Xingqiu laughs at the other's distress. He rests his head against Gaming's chest, batting his very long, very pretty eyelashes. "I like you and your pretty red face very, very much."
"Shut it."
"Hehe."
They hold each other in comfortable silence. Gaming idly strokes his hand up and down Xingqiu's back, a fond smile on his face. They're still two idiots that know nothing about love and its secrets. But if the future holds more days spent like this, more days where he can hold Xingqiu close, he couldn't possibly ask for anything more.
"So..." Xingqiu breaks their blissful silence. He steps back from their embrace, opting to hold his hands instead. "Pray tell, why are all of the letters I've sent scattered on the floor?"
Gaming blinks in surprise, gaze drifting between the boy in front of him and the mess behind him. His ears tint red as he realizes he never finished cleaning his room, or doing his hair, or washing his face, or getting dressed...
"Heh... um, sorry about that." Gaming scratches the back of his head nervously. Suddenly, a realization dawns on him. "Wait a sec... why are you here?"
Now it's Xingqiu's turn to be taken aback. He stares at Gaming as if he just told him the sky was fake.
"...You invited me over."
"But you weren't supposed to come around for another ten minutes."
The smile on Xingqiu's face fades, and Gaming immediately regrets his careless words the second he sees the change in his boyfriend's demeanor. Xingqiu's gaze drops to the floor, his shoulders slumping.
"My parents were giving me a hard time again... so I decided to leave early," He explains quietly, his voice tinged with something akin to frustration. He looks up once more, but the small smile on his lips looks nothing more than a painful mockery of the real thing. It's clear that he shares more struggles with his boyfriend than he would like.
Xingqiu removes his hands from Gaming's and walks towards the scattered letters. He drops down into a crouch, sifting through the pile of paper until the one he's looking for.
"So this is where you've kept them." Xingqiu hums, gently tracing his finger over a few chosen words.
Gaming crouches down next to Xingqiu, unsure of what to do. He watches his partner carefully lift each letter, making sure not a single hair is out of place on any page. So diligent. So meticulous. Gaming frowns. How does the traveler deal with other people's problems so efficiently?
...A distraction. That's probably what Xingqiu wants.
Swallowing his growing worry, Gaming takes the letter from Xingqiu's hand. Xingqiu watches curiously, quiet yet clearly intrigued, as Gaming holds the letter up to his eyes. He reads and rereads and rereads again a single sentence, each time squinting his eyes a little more.
"...Care?" Gaming struggles to get the word out, his tongue numbly dragging out each syllable. The chicken scratch offers no answer, only continuing to dance circles around his eyes.
"No. Um... Gaming?"
Xingqiu giggles at the other's woeful attempts. Gaming can't help the cheeky smile growing on his face, pride blossoming in his chest as he rejoices at having successfully drawn out a genuine smile from Xingqiu.
"Don't bother. I understand." Xingqiu grabs a different letter and scoots closer to his hopeless partner.
"That your handwriting is a crime against humanity?"
"Gaming! So rude!" Xingqiu shoves at Gaming's shoulder with a playful scowl. "That you're such an illiterate oaf."
"I can read!" Gaming says defensively, but the retort sounds half-hearted at best. Xingqiu is hiding a smile behind his hand, his shoulders trembling in barely contained laughter.
"I never expected you to read them in the first place," Xingqiu says finally, the faintest hint of color dusting his cheeks. "I'm just happy you keep them in such good condition."
He looks so fragile like this, soft and gentle in the low lighting. The hand holding the letter trembles. Xingqiu is as beautiful as he is ephemeral, just like a silk moth. He breaks so easily under pressure and obligations, despite how hard-headed he may be. He smiles so beautifully when he isn't putting up a front. How Gaming wishes he could bottle up the other's smile and stash it away, reserved for those darker days when Xingqiu is so deep in his own head so he can show him happiness is just around the corner.
...That's it!
Gaming grabs a couple of the bundled letters and throws them onto his bed. Then he reaches over and grabs Xingqiu, who gives a surprised yelp in return, and throws him onto his bed. Before Xingqiu has time to process what's happening, Gaming is pulling him into his lap, wrapping his arms securely around his waist.
"Read them to me?"
Xingqiu must have been happy while writing such heartfelt letters. Gaming can use these as cures for rainy days, right?
With that thought in mind Gaming snatches two letters from a nearby stack and hands them to Xingqiu with a look of utter seriousness and no, he's not doing this because he has no reading stamina and needs his boyfriend to do the job for him! It is absolutely not because he also wants to hear what his boyfriend has written about him!
Xingqiu watches with a curious little smile. Despite knowing exactly why Gaming is holding out the letters, Xingqiu relents to his boyfriend's wishes. He clears his throat, turns his attention towards the paper in his hands, and slowly begins to read.
It's odd to hear such a well-versed poet read his poetry. Perhaps odd isn't quite the right word - no, unique might be better. Gaming doesn't understand a lick of it, but Xingqiu's voice is simply mesmerizing...
Gaming quickly loses interest in Xingqiu's poetry after the third stanza, closing his eyes and instead focusing on the melodious tone of his boyfriend's voice, his heart and mind settling in a tranquil state. Ah, what a life, he thinks with a happy sigh.
"-ing. Gaming."
"Huh?"
"Are you even paying attention?"
Gaming groans, not bothering to mask his displeasure. Why can't his darling simply let him bask in his glory?
"Ahh. Of course not." Xingqiu brings his free hand up, covering the smirk growing on his face with his palm. The bastard doesn't bother to hide the amusement in his voice. "Typical. You never pay attention to me."
"I do!" Gaming blurts out in desperation, lifting his head so Xingqiu is no longer pressed up to his chest. "I was paying attention at first, I swear! But then your reading got all fancy and flowery, can't say I followed every word. You know I'm not much for all this..."
"Still! You clearly don't care enough to listen."
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry."
"I'll forgive you just this once," Xingqiu nods firmly as if he's made a decision of the greatest importance. He pulls three books out of thin air, his eyes sparkling in childlike excitement.
"If you make up for this transgression of yours by reading to me."
Gaming huffs, shaking his head in resignation. This was what Xingqiu wanted the entire time, wasn't it? Ah, he truly doesn't stand a chance against this man.
"Fine..."
"Excellent!"
Gaming carefully inspects the spines of his collection, plucking one from the lineup.
Gaming stares down at the title with a raised eyebrow. Legend of the Shattered Halberd Vol. 9— no, Vol. 6. This is the sixth one. So there's 5 more? Just how long does this series go on for? He glances at his lover, who has a completely serious expression on his face.
"Go on," Xingqiu plops down in between his legs once again, resting his head on Gaming's chest with an expectant look.
"...Alright," Gaming opens to the first page and clears his throat.
Immediately Gaming is bombarded by unfamiliar concepts and terminology that goes straight over his head. No, not only are these characters unrecognizable, but the vocabulary... the syntax... It's as if someone flipped the Liyuean alphabet upside-down and thought nothing of it.
Gaming takes another look to Xingqiu, hoping that the other has the mercy of God in his heart and will spare him the torture of whatever is within this book.
Xingqiu stares at him with an eager spark in his eye, his chin propped up in his palms. There's not a shred of the mercy Gaming was looking for.
"...Did I bring you into existence so that you might one day pierce me with a halberd?"
"Oh my daughter, the one in whom all my hopes are placed." Xingqiu corrects. "You missed a line.
"...Yes, yes, okay," With a disgruntled sigh, Gaming reads the passage. "Awakened at last, the God King… flies? No, wait."
His eyebrows scrunch in annoyance and confusion. He's staring directly at the word on the page, his tongue twisting as he struggles to understand its meaning. Floats, the word is floats, but why can't his mind figure out how to say it?!
"What's the word?" Xingqiu's fingers press softly into Gaming's chest, trailing idle circles across the bare skin.
"Kinda like flies, but… what clouds do, in the sky. Or bubbles."
"Is the sentence ‘Awakened at last, the God King floated in the heavens to the claps of thunder and the dancing of the wind, rejoicing at his return?'" Xingqiu offers, smiling innocently up at Gaming when the other remains silent.
"Xingqiu..." Gaming deadpans, slouching back against the bed frame. "Why are you having me read a book you've already read?"
"Does it matter if I have or not?" Xingqiu folds his hands neatly across Gaming's chest, staring at the wall with a faraway look. "I still want to be read to."
"Can't you just get your usual victim to do it instead? Reading out loud is more Chongyun's thing, isn't it?"
"Mm, true," Xingqiu hums noncommittally. "His vocal delivery would certainly be more engaging than yours."
"Hey—!"
"But I want my boyfriend to do it."
Gaming's protests die in his throat. His will fizzles out like a snuffed flame. Xingqiu has him wrapped around his little finger. How could he ever hope to refuse?
"...You play so dirty, you know that?"
"Perhaps," Xingqiu replies cheerfully. He wraps his arms tightly around Gaming's middle, burying his face in the crook of his neck as if he can't ever bear to part from him. "Now get to reading. The story isn't going to act itself out."
With one last sigh, Gaming resigns himself to his fate. Xingqiu four, Gaming zero - this round goes to the master manipulator.
"Thank you, by the way." Xingqiu whispers, pressing his lips ever so lightly against the mole on his neck. "I love you."
...he'll just have to take this loss.