Work Text:
Under the shade of a gently swaying tree within Bishui Plain, Xingqiu’s sword gleamed in the dappled sunlight as he gracefully practiced his blade techniques.
Chongyun sat nearby, watching his friend’s fluid motions with a mixture of admiration and concern. He loved seeing how passionate Xingqiu was when it came to the Guhua Clan's arts, but this was not what the writer was supposed to be doing with his time.
“Xingqiu,” Chongyun’s voice pulled Xingqiu out of his concentration. “Don’t you think it’s time to start practicing your calligraphy? You know, the thing we’re out here for to begin with. You’re going to end up running out of time again.”
“Nonsense, my dear Chongyun. The sun is still high in the sky, we have plenty of time.” Xingqiu gave one more practiced flick of his sword, preparing to summon some hydro before Chongyun’s voice interrupted him again.
“Xingqiu, you asked me to accompany you to make sure you don’t waste time again. What good is it if you’re just going to ignore me?”
“Oh, silly. I could never ignore you,” Xingqiu chuckled before sheathing his sword. “But you’re right. I should listen to you, so I’ll stop for now.”
“Thank you.” Chongyun watched as Xingqiu took a seat on the soft grass beside him.
“Could you pass me that book, please?” Xingqiu pointed to the stack of books that sat on the other side of Chongyun and smiled gratefully when he passed the book requested to him. “Thank you.”
“That doesn’t look like your notebook.”
“It’s not, this is the new novel I started reading last night. A wholesome yet courageous tale of love and chivalry.”
“Xingqiu!” Chongyun scolded, his mouth gaped. “What did we just say?”
“But this tale is simply too enticing to put down! Just one chapter?”
“You always say that, then it leads to another chapter and then another, and then you’re reading something else! You can read it when you’ve finished practicing.”
“Oh, alright,” Xingqiu pouted, but was still looking at the pages. Chongyun waited patiently for him to give the book back, his hand held outright to take it. After a minute had passed and the book had still not been handed back, Chongyun snapped.
“Stop reading!”
“Just one more paragraph,” Xingqiu lowered his head closer to the book in his urgency, as if that would make him read any quicker. Chongyun pouted in exasperation and reached out to take the book himself.
However, Xingqiu was faster and held the novel up out of his reach, laughing at the sudden act as Chongyun scrambled and chased after the offending book.
“Come on, Xingqiu!”
Xingqiu kept laughing as he held the novel up, amused by Chongyun’s endearing determination but also unaware of the opening he had given Chongyun. The exorcist narrowed his eyes and lunged forward, his fingers pinching onto Xingqiu’s ribs and tickled mercilessly.
The squeal that left Xingqiu’s lips was undoubtedly the most hilarious sound Chongyun has ever heard come from him and laughed along with him as he squirmed around.
“Nohoho! Noho tickling! Thahat’s nohohot fahair!”
Xingqiu lowered his arm to protect his ribs but kept the book close to his body, his arms wrapped tightly around it, which only encouraged the exorcist to continue his relentless tickle attack.
“Stahahap! I give, I gihihihve!”
“Not until you give up the book!”
“Nohohoho!”
Chongyun’s fingers travelled from his ribs and sides down across to Xingqiu’s belly, sending him into a fit of hysterical giggles. One arm broke away from the book to try and defend against the merciless tickles against his tummy, which gave Chongyun an opening to have a hold on the book.
“Ah ha! Now, let go.”
“Nehehever!”
Xingqiu’s head shook left and right as he giggled with mirth, but Chongyun still couldn’t get him to release the novel. Time for his secret weapon.
There was one spot that Chongyun knew was Xingqiu’s worst and that happened to be the start of his knees, right where the thigh ends. He brought his fingers down and began to squeeze with vigor.
“NAHAHAHA!” Xingqiu wailed his arms flying down to Chongyun’s wrists to try and stop him. “NAHAHAT THEHEHERE! YOHOHOU WIN!”
Mission accomplished. Chongyun stopped his tickles and grabbed the novel away from Xingqiu, who laid down in the grass gasping for breath from his giggles.
“So … cruel … to me, Chongyun.”
“I’m not cruel to you,” the exorcist pouted. “I told you to so many times to put the book down.”
“But using my weakness like that against me,” Xingqiu threw himself against Chongyun, so that he had to hold them both up. “I thought you were my dearest friend.”
“I am!” Chongyun almost began to panic, worried that he may have genuinely upset his friend. “I had to use extreme measures because you weren’t listening to me!”
Xingqiu laughed, ending his façade and used a hand to cup his friend’s face. “Worry not, my dear Chongyun, I simply jest. I’ll start my practicing now, if you’re still willing to help me?”
Chongyun smiled. “Of course.”