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“What?! They threw it in your face?!”
Yin Yu merely shrugged. “It mostly hit my mask,” he replied, as though that resolved the issue. The fact still remained that some ghost had thrown an unidentified powder at him during an investigation and he was being maddeningly calm about it. He made a dismissive gesture as Quan Yizhen continued to stare at him in dismay. “This kind of thing actually happens fairly often.”
“But—” There were so many things wrong with that response. “Did you breathe any of it in?!”
Yin Yu blinked. “I— don’t think so?” He considered for a moment. “…I might have?” He shrugged again, shook his head.
“Shixiong!”
“Yizhen, don’t worry—”
Quan Yizhen threw his arms around him, embraced him roughly. “Don’t tell me not to worry, Shixiong,” he ground out.
“All right,” Yin Yu whispered back, holding him gently. “But I circulated my spiritual power and His Highness said there wasn’t anything wrong with my pulse.” He tucked his face against Quan Yizhen’s throat. “And I do feel fine, I promise.”
The words tickling his skin sent a thrill through him. He pulled Yin Yu closer and placed a kiss on the back of his neck, just above his collar, feeling pleased by the shiver that it caused.
Face still hidden, voice soft with regret, Yin Yu murmured, “But just to be safe, we probably shouldn’t do anything too intimate right now.”
Quan Yizhen nodded, pressing more kisses against Yin Yu’s skin. There were plenty of ways around that.
~
They spent what little was left of the night together. When Quan Yizhen woke late the next morning, Yin Yu was no longer beside him. And while it was unusual for his shixiong to not say anything, he didn’t panic right away.
But when there was no answer in his private communication array his concerns began to grow. He had already searched far into the Palace of Qi Ying when he heard one of his deputy officials calling him.
“General…? General!”
He spun around to see Zhen Shiliu leading a small boy by the hand, looking very much out of her depth. “Is Waning Moon Officer with you?” she asked, sounding as though she desperately hoped the answer was yes but was pretty sure it wasn’t.
“Shi—” Quan Yizhen caught himself and stared at the boy in front of him. He looked to be about seven or eight years old; confused, a little scared, and with a subtle air of annoyance and impatience that Quan Yizhen recognized before anything else. His clothes had been rolled, tucked, and folded however they needed to be in order to fit him, and his hair had been pulled into a neat little bun.
“Where’s the sect leader?” he demanded in a voice pitched high but strong; it squeezed Quan Yizhen’s heart mercilessly. “Where’s my shifu?”
“…Our shifu?” Quan Yizhen replied, caught off guard. “He’s…”
“Our shifu?” The boy looked up at him doubtfully. “Are you one of my shixiong?”
Quan Yizhen shook his head. “No! I—” His mind had gone blank.
“Where am I? What’s going on? I think I’ve dreamt of this place; where am I?”
He couldn’t keep up with these rapid-fire questions. Zhen Shiliu was keeping quiet, looking to him, which wasn’t helping either. “It’s okay,” he said, half to himself, “I’ll try to explain. Please calm down, Shi—” His mouth stumbled in his panic. “…shidi…” He flinched instinctively.
“You just said you’re not my shixiong,” the boy almost snapped. “Who are you people?”
His natural instinct to tell Yin Yu the truth was suddenly at odds with the knowledge that doing so would cause him much more confusion and distress. He knelt down so they could be at eye-level and saw the way Yin Yu stood straighter.
“My name’s Quan Yizhen,” he said softly. “I… used to be in your sect. We knew each other there.” He saw the doubt cross Yin Yu’s wide eyes, but he remained quiet, listening. “That’s Zhen Shiliu, she works with me here. This is— my residence. We’re not sure what you’re doing here.” He could almost see Yin Yu’s thoughts racing. “Did you wake up here?” he prompted. Yin Yu nodded uncertainly but didn’t say more. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Yin Yu shook his head. “Everything feels fuzzy. I don’t remember waking up. I was walking around, trying to find some help when… Zhen-niangzi asked me what I was doing here.”
“He was already dressed when I found him,” Zhen Shiliu explained softly. “I’m not sure how long he’d been wandering.”
“How do I know you’re not kidnappers?” Yin Yu blurted out, suppressed anger in his little voice.
Zhen Shiliu let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a stifled laugh.
Quan Yizhen shook his head. “I promise we don’t mean you any harm, Shi—” He swallowed the last syllable again, mind racing. Calling him ‘shidi’ was already off-limits (and untrue besides), and he could never be compelled to call him by his given name. Any address would be as bad as another, so he settled on “—Yin-er,” and felt the tremor run up his back.
Another cough came out of Zhen Shiliu, this time sounding a bit like ‘gongzi,’ but it was a little late for that.
Yin Yu’s round cheeks flared, but seeing Quan Yizhen’s desperate face, he allowed him to continue.
“I don’t really know how to explain this or how to make you believe me, but I promise I’m not some stranger.” He rattled off the names of their hometown, their sect, their shifu. He pressed on despite Yin Yu’s uncomfortable expression. “You like foods with strong flavors but you’ll eat whatever you’re given because that’s just how you are. Your best friend is Jian Yu. He’s loud and kind of mean.” Yin Yu let out a startled laugh at that, then looked mildly horrified with himself. Quan Yizhen continued with more confidence. “You like writing poetry and watching birds in the garden. Your best subject is history but you like cultivation training best because you want to become a god.”
“How…?” Yin Yu managed, looking devastated.
“Because I’ve known you for a long time,” Quan Yizhen said gently. He reached out to touch his arm, but Yin Yu pulled away, still wary. “You’re little right now,” he went on, apologetically, “so you don’t remember. I’ll explain everything soon, I promise. Do you want some clothes that fit better?”
“This is fine,” Yin Yu replied quietly, eyes cast down as he pulled at his collar.
“You’re sure?”
A single nod.
This was his shixiong, all right. “Do you want something to eat?” Seeing his hesitation, he tried, “Well, I’m hungry. Will you come with me? Please?”
Yin Yu let out a little sigh. “All right,” he murmured.
“Thank you, Yin-er,” Quan Yizhen said with a smile, barely stumbling over the strange nickname.
~
Yin Yu was quiet while Quan Yizhen reheated some leftovers and began preparing a few simple side dishes. He had clearly been spending the time thinking, because when Quan Yizhen set the dishes down and sat across the table from him, the first thing he said was “Quan-xiansheng, am I normally older than you?”
Quan Yizhen froze as he was handing him the chopsticks. “How did you know that?”
“…It’s something about how you’re looking at me,” he explained, pushing his food around cautiously. “…And I think you keep almost calling me ‘shixiong.’” He glanced up, only to see Quan Yizhen’s staggered expression. He quickly turned his attention back to his dish.
“You always were very smart,” Quan Yizhen managed, feeling the violent heat in his cheeks. His embarrassment was enough that it took him a moment to notice that Yin Yu had begun eating, but was blinking rapidly as though trying to stop himself from tearing up.
“Is it okay…?” he asked with some concern. Had he made it too spicy? Was it horrible?
“It’s good,” Yin Yu answered, voice tight. “This is one of my favorites.”
Quan Yizhen smiled with relief. “I know,” he said.
Yin Yu rubbed at his eyes, then returned to his food with more intention. Feeling another little squeeze of his heart, Quan Yizhen stole glances at him through the rest of their meal.
As he’d hoped, the food helped to put Yin Yu more at ease. About half-way through he asked, “What happened that I’m not grown-up right now?”
He nearly fell to his knees to thank his little shixiong for being so calm and accepting of his situation. But if Yin Yu could handle this, so could he. “You were investigating some ghosts who were up to something,” he explained. “One of them surprised you and threw something strange at you. At first you didn’t think anything was wrong, but then you woke up like this.”
Yin Yu was quiet for a moment, considering this. “I’m strong enough to fight ghosts on my own?” he asked, unable to hide the excited light in his eyes.
“Plenty strong,” Quan Yizhen replied with a smile. His little shixiong was so cute.
“And Jian Yu? I’m sure he’s strong too.”
A complicated weight fell on Quan Yizhen’s heart. “I don’t really want to talk about him.”
“Why not…?”
It was hard to keep things from that questioning little face. “…We don’t really get along,” he settled on.
Yin Yu returned to his food, stabbing at his vegetables sullenly. “There’s probably a good reason.”
“Yeah,” Quan Yizhen agreed. “It’s because of me.”
Looking back up at the hurt tone in his voice, Yin Yu quickly grew apologetic. “It was probably just a misunderstanding,” he said, full of sincerity. “Maybe you can still talk it out. He’s my best friend, so I’m sure if I asked he’d give you another chance.”
He tried to force a smile, but he could tell by Yin Yu’s startled expression that he hadn’t hidden the initial anguish he’d felt in time. “Thank you, Yin-er,” he said, as genuinely as he could, feeling all the long years of his life in that moment.
Yin Yu ducked his head a bit awkwardly in response then quickly finished his food. “I’ll help you clean up,” he said, gathering the dishes before Quan Yizhen could respond.
Realizing that he couldn’t let Yin Yu comfort him like that, Quan Yizhen recovered himself, standing and pulling the dishes away from him. “Not if I beat you to it,” he said with a challenging grin. Then he rushed over to the sink with Yin Yu trailing after him, laughing in disbelief.
Their uncomfortable moment was forgotten as they laughed and fought over the soap and the brush and the water pump. It took them at least twice as long as it normally would to get the dishes washed and then they had to mop up the floor afterwards, but it was time well-spent.
~
Clothes and hair still slightly damp, they walked through the sun-lit corridors and courtyards of the Palace of Qi Ying. Yin Yu’s bright eyes took in every detail, wide with admiration.
“Quan-xiansheng,” he said suddenly, “are you a god?”
He didn’t quite trip over his own feet, but he did stumble to a stop to stare at his little shixiong. “What gave it away?” he asked faintly.
Yin Yu looked up at him with a proud grin. “Zhen-niangzi called you ‘General,’ but there isn’t really anything military about this place. And I haven’t seen much of what’s outside but…” He glanced up at the blue sky and its golden clouds. “It’s more like being in a painting than a real place.” His attitude grew shy as he added in a mumble, “And you’re more beautiful than anyone I’ve ever seen before.” He laughed at Quan Yizhen’s sudden blushing. “Also I saw your divine statue earlier.”
Quan Yizhen scratched his head sheepishly. “Guess there were a lot of clues.”
But Yin Yu’s gaze had grown respectful. “So our sect produced a god,” he said, half to himself. “That makes me happy.”
He must have disguised the painful twinge better this time because Yin Yu answered Quan Yizhen’s smile with one of his own. “Was your Heavenly Tribulation very difficult?” he asked with a mix of anxiety and excitement.
“Not really,” Quan Yizhen answered without thinking. But when he saw Yin Yu’s surprise, he felt an old guilt that had nearly faded to nothing. “But it’s because of how hard I trained,” he quickly amended, half-meaning it. “It was all I thought about.” He paused and looked at his little shixiong, listening so intently. “Things get easier when you work hard and you focus on your goals,” he told him, though the words sounded like they’d been spoken by someone else.
Yin Yu nodded, attitude serious. “That’s what I’m trying to do,” he said, looking like it took an effort to appear convincing.
Quan Yizhen watched Yin Yu for a brief moment, this boy he never knew but who was still so familiar. “Do you want to do your afternoon drills with me?” he asked. “There’s a training ground in back.”
He brightened immediately. “I saw it earlier,” he said with an eager smile. “Can we?”
~
They went through Yin Yu’s drills together, and it was like Quan Yizhen was ten years old again.
Yin Yu was clearly trying to concentrate on his forms, but he couldn’t keep a straight face when he saw his partner grinning like a madman. “Isn’t this too easy for you?” he asked, nose wrinkled in amusement.
“Yeah, but it’s fun! I haven’t done this in forever, but I still remember it.” He still remembered Yin Yu teaching him.
That thought grounded him, and they were able to finish their practice without Quan Yizhen causing further distractions. When they had finished, at Yin Yu’s request he showed him a more advanced exercise; he embellished it a bit since his little shixiong was watching.
He wasn’t prepared for the way Yin Yu was looking at him when he was done. His shixiong would often look at him with love and pride in his gaze, but even then he could see the indelible mark of everything they’d been through. This wide-eyed, unblemished admiration sent a shiver up his spine. Then Yin Yu blinked as though he’d awakened from a dream and began clapping enthusiastically. Quan Yizhen gave him a deep, dramatic bow to hide the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.
“Is that something I’ll be able to do?” Yin Yu asked, face flushed with excitement.
Quan Yizhen grinned around the emotions tight in his throat. “You’ll be doing even more impressive stuff,” he assured him. He was about to elaborate when a voice came through his communication array.
“Qi Ying, I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner,” Xie Lian said. “Is Yin Yu all right?”
He had a feeling he knew what had been keeping His Highness distracted. “That’s okay, Your Highness. I’ve been keeping Shixiong busy, but I still need you to take a look at him.”
“Of course. Can you bring him to my Palace of Xianle?”
He glanced down at Yin Yu, who had been watching him curiously as he had this silent conversation. “We’ll be right over.”
~
Xie Lian was clearly having a difficult time disguising his delight over the round-cheeked, bright-eyed little gentleman standing so respectfully in front of the individuals he had been introduced to as a divine crown prince and a supreme ghost king. Being caught between the charm of the situation and the knowledge that it was still extremely serious was a position Quan Yizhen could relate to.
Hua Cheng, however, displayed no such inner conflict. He raised a judgmental eyebrow. “You let him walk here barefoot?”
Yin Yu’s shoulders tensed and his face went red, his eyes shooting in Quan Yizhen’s direction.
“His boots didn’t fit,” Quan Yizhen answered bluntly, not liking Hua Cheng’s dry tone. “It’s not like there’s anything up here that will hurt him.”
Hua Cheng opened his mouth in order to make some cutting remark, but was interrupted by Xie Lian shaking his head and letting out a soft sigh. It immediately drew his attention away from the potential dispute.
“I might have something he can use,” His Highness said with a smile. “I’ll be right back.” As he went to another room in the palace, Hua Cheng trailed silently after him.
Yin Yu turned to Quan Yizhen with a questioning look. When he explained that His Highness wasn’t just a prince and a martial god, but also a trash-collecting god, Yin Yu let out a sputter of a laugh. He covered his mouth, startled by his own behavior. “That’s a thing?” he whispered in disbelief and delight.
His question was quickly answered as Xie Lian easily found a pair of clean second-hand boots in his collection that fit Yin Yu well. He looked on with professional pride as Yin Yu took some skeptical, experimental steps in them and then, awe-struck, confirmed that they were a perfect fit.
“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Xie Lian declared with practiced cheer. “Yin Yu,” he said, turning to him with a soft light in his eyes, “we’ll do whatever we can to help you regain your form.”
“It should only be temporary,” Hua Cheng said once they had settled down to discuss things over tea. Yin Yu had hesitantly reached for a snack, but Quan Yizhen quickly pulled his hand away and shook his head in warning. “I didn’t expect you to react this way to such an attack, since you’re not…” He trailed off thoughtfully, watching Yin Yu with a quiet intensity that made the boy shift uncomfortably. “But then again, maybe it makes perfect sense,” he said under his breath.
“There are things about your constitution that are… a little different,” Xie Lian explained to him kindly. Quan Yizhen felt a moment’s panic, thinking he was about to tell Yin Yu about his own death, but he continued: “We don’t need to go into any details, but it’s probably why your body reacted this way. You’re saving your strength in order to heal. I think that the best solution would be some meditation.” He laughed at the way both Yin Yu and Quan Yizhen scrunched up their faces at the idea. “In that case, maybe Qi Ying could take you for a quiet stroll around the Heavenly Capital instead? There are plenty of things to see up here in the evening. Think of it as a holiday.”
Yin Yu looked up at Quan Yizhen with such an adorable pleading expression on his face that he couldn’t dream of refusing.
After Yin Yu had bowed and thanked them both formally and they were preparing to head out, Xie Lian crouched down to speak with him one more time. “I can tell that you have a lot of questions that you’re afraid to ask.” He smiled warmly at the way Yin Yu blushed and looked away. “Let me assure you that, whatever else happened, you’re living a good life; one that you earned because you’re strong, brave, good-hearted, and loved. You have nothing to worry about.”
He glanced up at Quan Yizhen, who gave him a stiff but grateful nod; His Highness had said all the things he’d wanted to but hadn’t known how. His throat grew tighter as he saw Yin Yu turn to follow Xie Lian’s glance; their eyes met and Yin Yu gave him a hesitant but nonetheless affectionate smile. His own smile went shaky and he felt his knees go weak.
As they left the Palace of Xianle, he noticed that even Crimson Rain Sought Flower was watching them with a softer look than usual.
~
The Heavenly Capital was lit up with lamps and lanterns that glowed golden, illuminating the majestic palaces and avenues, and the night sky was bright and beautiful with the silvery moon and stars. The Milky Way, shimmering and winding above their heads, seemed to mirror the paths they walked through the city. Quan Yizhen had never really thought much about the beauty of this place before, and it was like seeing it all for the first time in Yin Yu’s wondering face.
They stopped to listen to the occasional musical performance or poetry reading when it caught Yin Yu’s attention. Everyone was shocked to see Qi Ying in attendance and whispers immediately began to spread around the capital, speculating about who the little boy with him could be.
“It still feels like this might all just be a dream,” Yin Yu said softly as they made their way towards the Heavenly Capital’s largest public gardens.
“That’s fair,” Quan Yizhen replied. “I kind of feel the same way. Is it a good dream?”
Yin Yu nodded, smiling. “I’m having fun today.” He was quiet for a moment, gaze falling on the night-blooming flowers on either side of their path. “What if I don’t remember this when I go back to normal?”
The anxiety in his small voice constricted Quan Yizhen’s own heart. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I’ll tell you all about it.”
His answering smile was on the somber side but it was grateful. They walked through the moonlit gardens in comfortable silence, watching the occasional moth or bat fly overhead, flashing their lovely, unearthly colors. Eventually Yin Yu’s weary feet began to stumble. Quan Yizhen took his hand and they decided to head back to the Palace of Qi Ying.
Rubbing at his eyes, Yin Yu suddenly asked, very quietly, “What if I can’t change back…?”
Quan Yizhen felt the cold stab between his shoulders. He took a steadying breath and replied, “Then I’ll look after you. We can keep playing together.” As they walked on, he squeezed Yin Yu’s hand a little tighter and continued more brightly, “I’ll get to watch you grow up. It’ll be okay.”
Yin Yu didn’t reply. His steps had slowed so that he was nearly dragging his feet and he hadn’t stopped rubbing at his face.
Without another word, Quan Yizhen scooped his little shixiong up. Yin Yu immediately put his arms around Quan Yizhen’s neck and tucked his face in close, closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. He was asleep, breathing softly and steadily, before Quan Yizhen had taken a dozen steps.
He held Yin Yu tighter as he walked through the quiet streets, taking comfort in the weight and the warmth of him.
When they returned to the Palace of Qi Ying, he carefully removed the soundly sleeping boy’s boots, loosened his outer robe, and tucked him into their bed with a certain degree of reverence. Then he lay down beside him, head propped up on one hand, watching over his peaceful rest before quickly nodding off himself.
~
He awoke the next morning with the bright sun shining on him, strong arms around him, and warm breath at his throat. He pulled away slightly to get a better look at his shixiong, grown again and slowly blinking himself awake.
Yin Yu gave him a sleepy smile. “Good morning, Quan-xiansheng,” he murmured, snuggling back against him.
Quan Yizhen laughed and wrapped his arms tight around Yin Yu’s shoulders. “Hi, Yin-er,” he whispered into his hair, bashfulness burning his cheeks.
With an easy laugh, Yin Yu reached out to cup Quan Yizhen’s face, pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Thank you for looking after that little brat yesterday,” he said, still smiling.
Surprised by how relieved he felt to know that Yin Yu remembered everything, Quan Yizhen shook his head and said softly, “Little Shixiong was very polite and well-behaved.”
“He was having the oddest day of his life,” Yin Yu replied with another soft laugh. He gazed at Quan Yizhen for a long moment. “But being carried home in your arms is an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
His shixiong had a way of saying things that left Quan Yizhen without words. He almost envied it. “I really liked how Shixiong’s little fingers curled in my hair,” he told him, because it was true.
And maybe he lacked eloquence, but he could still make Yin Yu blush and duck his head.
“And Shixiong’s round little cheeks were so cute,” he added, trying to squeeze them as Yin Yu pretended to protest, curling up and shaking them both with his helpless laughter. “But I’m glad you’re back so I can do this.”
Yin Yu’s laughter came to an abrupt halt and he looked up. “Do wha—”
Quan Yizhen leaned in and kissed him.
Pressing closer and tangling their legs together, Yin Yu eagerly returned the kiss. He smiled as he did so, his teeth brushing against Quan Yizhen’s lips as he kissed him again and again.
“Is there anything else you’d like to do,” he whispered, in a way that made Quan Yizhen’s skin tingle, “now that I’m back?”
~
They sat together in the gardens, sometime later, in just their inner robes, enjoying the birdsong and the scent of flowers on the breeze.
“Yizhen, I really am so proud of you,” Yin Yu said softly as he finished putting up Quan Yizhen’s hair. Leaning forward to rest against his back, chin on his shoulder, he wound his arms around him and sighed, “You did so well.”
Quan Yizhen craned his neck to look back towards the bedroom. “What, just now?” he asked.
The laugh burst out of Yin Yu, warm and fond. “That too,” he conceded, sliding his hands inside Quan Yizhen’s robe and rekindling a hungry sensation beneath his skin. “But I meant yesterday. You handled everything calmly and took such good care of me.”
“Shixiong made it easy,” Quan Yizhen replied, savoring Yin Yu’s comfortable weight against him. “You were very brave even though you were in a strange place with even stranger people.”
“I hope I didn’t cause you too much worry,” Yin Yu murmured after a quiet moment.
Quan Yizhen merely shook his head. Even if his shixiong had caused him any real worry, he wouldn’t blame him for anything. Recognizing one of Yin Yu’s thoughtful silences, he waited patiently, just enjoying his steady presence.
An eventual soft intake of breath. “I think I’d like to visit Jian Yu sometime soon.”
Quan Yizhen nodded in understanding, though he admitted to himself that he didn’t even know where the grave was. “You were really missing him yesterday,” he observed gently.
Yin Yu gave him a squeeze that somehow felt apologetic. “I miss him often,” he said with a small smile. “And it’s been too long.” He was quiet again for a moment, watching him. “Will you come with me?”
Without thinking, he wrinkled his nose in response; Yin Yu’s answering chuckle was deeply indulgent. “Are you sure that won’t annoy him?” he asked.
“It might,” Yin Yu allowed. “But I did say that I’d ask him about giving you another chance.”
He could still see that innocent, earnest little face, making that kind-hearted, belated offer. “I don’t think you’re responsible for things you said when you were cursed, Shixiong,” he argued in the mildest tone.
“Maybe not,” Yin Yu replied with another sad little smile. “But I should let him know about us, even if he doesn’t want to hear it.” He held Quan Yizhen tighter, murmured into the crook of his neck, “You should be there for that.”
“Shixiong,” Quan Yizhen said hastily, realizing that Yin Yu was feeling the need to justify things, “I’ll go anywhere if it’s with you.”
Yin Yu had a certain way of gasping when he was especially moved by something Quan Yizhen said or did; he never tired of hearing it. “Of course,” he whispered. “How could I forget.” He pressed his lips to Quan Yizhen’s cheek. “Thank you, Yizhen.”
And just like that, the feeling washed over him, that everything was as it should be again.