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It's a normal day like any other on the Loufu, the birds chirped the sun shined and diviner fu forced him to take one of his off days, Jing yuan to the diviner's surprise didn't have much protest when she insisted, truth is he was already planning on taking a off day since a few days ago, Yanqing was having a off day as well so Jing yuan followed suit and took a day off
It was a rare occasion to have them both off at the same time, it's not like their schedule always aligned especially not when it comes to days off, not even on holidays they're sure they'll both be off, truth is being the general and his retainer is complicating which is no surprise, but Jing yuan does miss the times where he and Yanqing could spend time outside of work or have their off days align not because one of then is injured or sick but just because.
Jing yuan stood in front of the kitchen counter preparing and cutting chicken and vegetables for a stir fry, Yanqing had asked if they could have chicken stir fry and Jing yuan and said yes but he will need a little help since he refuses to do the cooking after what happened last time tried to make stir fry alone, Yanqing agreed to help him but after he takes a shower.
Jing yuan continued to cut the carrots into small little cubs when he heard rapid footsteps from upstairs, he turns his head to the stairs and shook his head, it was probably just Yanqing, he thought before continuing to chop up the veggies while humming a tune, the rapid footsteps becomes louder and louder “General!” Yanqing called out from the top of the stairs as he took slow steps down “I need your help” Yanqing deadpanned “Yanqing? What-” Jing yuan asked turning to the boy
His words die mid question as he stares at the blond haired boy that now has lighter tips of hair and full white strands of hair that has light blueish ends, Jing yuan stares at the boy who scolds a worried and confused expression, “Yanqing?” The general says approaching the boy “what happened? “ He asked, staring at Yanqing
“I I don't know? I took my- my usual cold shower and when I went to dry my hair it was already like this” Yanqing said his breathing becoming rapid “Yanqing slow your breathing, we'll figure this out okay? “ Jing yuan assured him and pulling his kid into an embrace, Yanqing's skin was cold to the touch, but it's always been that way that's why he always like cold showers and sleeping with no blankets while the ac was on, Yanqing took deep breaths and his breathing slowly calmed and Jing yuan let him go “Okay so what happened? “ Jing yuan asked
“That's the thing, I don't know what happened “ Yanqing said, his head hung low and his hands fidgeting with the end of his shirt, Jing yuan sighs “well, it's your hair, so what do you want to do about this? “ Yanqing stops his fidgeting and looks up at him, "I think for now I wanna let it be to see if it'll turn different completely and if it does can we maybe dye it?” Yanqing asked rubbing the back of his neck, Jing yuan nods “if that is what you wish to do then of course we can” He says firmly
“Let's just order take out for now, we can have stir fry for dinner. How does that sound? “ Jing yuan asked, Yanqing gave him a nod before answering “I'll be okay with that” He said looking over his master's shoulder into the kitchen “what do you want?” Jing yuan asks “I'll have anything you pick general” Yanqing said going back upstairs before the general could protest, Jing yuan sighs and takes a seat in the living room, pulling out his phone to order them some take out.
°°°~~~°°°
Her skin was cold to the touch “master your cold” The boy says as he cleans the open wound, his master shook her head “no I am not cold, it is simply my temperature “ She says in a relaxed tone that could soothes others concerns of her temperature “ Master your skin is cold to the touch” The boy pushed “I know, it is simply a side effects of wielding ice, just how you are always warm “ his master says as he stitched her wound “I don't get it?” says the boy
“Well, our elements isn't just something we wield, it is part of us and it is in our blood, I wield ice and therefore my skin will always feel cold to others despite me feeling fine” She explains and the boy lets go of her hand “so we just have elements running through us? “ Jing yuan asked again “yes we do yuan” Jingliu nods standing up “come along I believe today is enough training, how about I treat us to dinner as a thanks for patching me up? “ She offers and Jing yuan nods
°°°~~~°°°
All ice users have cold skin, but it was never truly cold for them, the cold was their warmth, the ice that runs in their blood is what makes them so resistant to the heat of the sun or even fire, it's truly amazing. But, there was always limits and difference between all ice users, but Yanqing was similar to her, his skin was cold to the touch, Jing yuan had never truly acknowledge how cold Yanqing’s skin was until recently, it was that familiar cold feeling to his skin that made Jing yuan deny it
He didn't want to think that they were even similar in anyway, Yanqing was his own person, yes but Jing yuan cannot help but see his retainer's similarities to his own master, he tried so long to ignore it that it came striking back at him with white hair and light blue ends, he hated that he truly thought he could ignore it completely and it wouldn't blow up in his face
Jing yuan sighs as the door bell rang, he thanked the bird and placed the takeaway on the table and grabs him and yanqing a plate before taking a seat to wait for the boy.
The boy looks nothing like his former master and yet the uncanny resemblance sticks out more than what they don't have in common. Yanqing is his own person but they look so similar, he hates it. He loves the kid but he can't look past the similarities and he's hated himself for that. The boy did nothing wrong and yet he's being punished to look like her.
Lost in his thoughts, Jing yuan didn't even notice the boy in front of him who was sitting there waiting for him. He cleared his throat, nothing, he did it again, still nothing, the boy sighs and slumps back into his chair and just pulls his plate closer and picks up a fork he'd placed down on the table earlier and starts eating while the older man zones out.
He cleans up his plate, washes it and puts it on the drying rack along with his utensils before sitting down in front of the man again not daring to disrupt him.
Jing yuan sigh shaking his head, he looks in front him to see Yanqing resting his head with his arms crossed on the table, his plate nowhere to be found, Jing yuan looks over to the dripping faucet and the previously empty drying rack that now has a plate and utensils, Jing yuan sighs and picks up his own fork and eats his meal slowly. Yanqing didn't move one bit just resting his head on table
When the man finished he took his plate and utensils and washes them before placing them besides the plate and utensils that already lays on the rack, the faucet drips and Jing yuan looks over his shoulder to the boy that hasn't moved a inch at all, he walks over to him and noticed his balanced breathing and slumped shoulders, the boy had somehow fallen asleep on the table
Jing yuan chuckled shaking his head, old habits die hard he supposed, perhaps he's starting to influence Yanqing's place of sleep with his own questionable place of sleep, he shakes Yanqing's shoulder only for Yanqing to press his head further into his arms, Jing yuan contemplate what he could do and decided that picking him up is the only variable, Jing yuan brought his arms under Yanqing's legs and behind his neck
He scoops the boy into his arms bridal style, Yanqing only stirred when he was being picked up but stayed asleep nonetheless, Jing yuan carried the boy to the couch and adjust the pillow before placing him down, he would've taken Yanqing upstairs but he wasn't that strong and Yanqing is pretty heavy now
Jing yuan pulls off the blanket that covers the back rest of the couch and lays in over Yanqing, he takes a seat on the smaller couch beside Yanqing's head, he ruffled the boys hair and that seemed to only make his relax further, Jing yuan stares at his kid for a moment, before nodding to himself
Yanqing and Jingliu may have similarities and now may look alike, but Jingliu can never live up to Yanqing, not then and not now. Yanqing is his own person and personally someone better than Jingliu herself, Jing yuan had nothing to worry about, Yanqing is his son after all.