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“So, Zha-er, when are you going to ask for Bing-er’s hand in marriage?” Lady Yin asked during a rare dinner where Ao Bing wasn't around, off to give his father a visit somewhere in the ocean.
Nezha shot the soup he had drunk out through his nose.
After his coughing fit where his mother helped to pat him on the back, he cried, “Mum, what are you talking about?!”
“What else could I mean?” She snorted. “Your father and I aren't getting any younger, it'll be nice to see you get married in this lifetime.”
“No, I m-meant! Me and Ao Bing aren't like that!”
His parents looked at each other and broke into laughter.
“Hahaha! Aren't like that? Everyday ‘Bing Bing’ here, ‘Bing Bing' there, joint together at the hip, do you think that we're blind?” Lady Yin scoffed.
“I–” He sputtered.
“Zha-er, we already know that you've been sneaking off to his room late at night,” His father added dryly.
Nezha felt his cheeks flushed from being caught.
But it's not like they did anything suspicious! He just sleeps better nestled among Ao Bing's dragon form, was that a crime?
“T-That’s because his room is colder, that's all!” He defended hotly.
His parents both raised a skeptical brow.
“Is that so? Then why are you two always holding hands?” Lady Yin questioned.
“In case you didn't notice, we were using the Chaos Pearl ability to fight a war against the heavens!” He gritted out.
“You two were holding hands on the streets just last week,” His father pointed out.
“That’s because the streets are too crowded, it's easy to lose each other!” He insisted.
His mother sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Zha-er, you don't have to hide from us. Bing-er is a good child, we'll definitely approve of your relationship.”
Nezha grabbed his hair in frustration.
“What are you talking about?! There's no relationship for you to even approve of!” He yelled.
His parents were taken aback by his declaration.
“Then.. what are you waiting for?” Lady Yin prompted with a slap on his back. “Such a good boy like Bing-er is hard to come by! Don't wait till he gets stolen away to regret it!”
“You guys are talking nonsense, I'm out of here!” Nezha abruptly stood up and left the table, not before scooping a bunch of dishes into his rice bowl and bringing it along with him with a, “hmph!”.
Back in his room, Nezha ate his rice with the vengefulness of a hungry ghost.
His parents must be crazy, thinking about him and Ao Bing like that!
Sure, they spend every waking hour together, and Ao Bing is pretty much the only friend he needs, but that doesn't mean anything!
It's not like they do anything couple-y apart from always being in close physical contact! Nezha's just a very tactile person, exclusive only to Ao Bing because they were both once part of the Chaos Pearl. Nothing else!
It's just.. whenever he's in contact with the other man, he feels his soul settling down, and all that's wrong in the world is right again. Ao Bing both completes him and calms him down, which is why he always holds Nezha's hand in a crowd to prevent him from impatiently burning a path through the others.
In turn, Nezha reaches for Ao Bing when the other man feels distant and detached from reality, like his head is in the clouds. He yanks him back down to earth to experience life in the present instead, from kicking shuttlecock to tasting tanghulu.
“The weight of clearing your clan’s name is not yours alone to bear, dummy!” Nezha would have to remind him and Ao Bing will give him a grateful hug, which is nice.
A nice thing friends do with each other all the time, he's pretty sure.
Anyway, it doesn't matter. Nezha and Ao Bing have been stuck to each other ever since the battle with Wuliang Tianzun three years ago, and it's not like there'll be anyone coming in to whisk his best friend away.
What was there to worry about?
***
Nezha could sense the moment a familiar aura was around the area. He flew towards the front gate of his house on his flaming wheels.
“Bing Bing, you're back!!!” He threw his arms around Ao Bing as if he hadn't seen the other man in years instead of a few days.
“What did you bring back this time?” He pulled back to ask, eyeing the large basket Ao Bing was carrying, “Is it more fruits from the sea? The previous ones were a little fishy, but this young master is willing to give it another shot.”
“Wait– Nezha–!” He stuck his hand inside and pulled out something before the other could turn away.
“What’s this?” Nezha's curiosity was piqued at the scroll in his hands. It unrolled to reveal a brush-painted portrait of a dragon, making his face scrunch up in confusion. “Who's this? Is it another family member I don't know about?”
Ao Bing rubbed the back of his neck. “This.. is one of the marriage candidates my father provided for my choosing..”
“What?! Marriage candidate???” Nezha sqwuarked. “Has the old man gotten dementia and forgotten that we are like, 6 years old??”
Ao Bing snatched the scroll, rolled it back up and used it to bop Nezha's head lightly. “You are the one who had forgotten that we fought in a celestial war for 15 days. That's 15 years in the human realm, so now we're both of marriage age.”
So that's why his mother had suddenly asked him that question..
“Hah??? Even so–! Doesn't that logic sound ridiculous to you?” Nezha retorted with flailing arms.
Ao Bing shrugged. “We had never aged normally the way humans do. Do you see any other 6 year olds looking like us?”
They both looked up and down at each others' fully grown bodies.
It's been three years and one celestial war since they first met.
Ao Bing's much taller now, although not as much as Nezha(if you include his wild hair). There's more meat on his shoulders and arms, skin no longer unscarred but still as fair. His jawline is a little more defined from the loss of baby fat, making him look more like his father. Yet his eyes still held the same gentleness as they did when his best friend had given him the conch shell.
He had heard whispers by ladies on the street describing Ao Bing to be an “elegant and handsome scholar”. Clearly, they have never seen his fierce expression during battles, and that's when Nezha thinks he looks the best – fearlessly by his side and ready to take on the world together.
He might even say that Ao Bing was the second most attractive man he has seen, ranking right behind himself.
“So what? Being an adult doesn't mean you have to get married! We are at the height of our youths, we should be out there exploring the world and kicking asses!” Nezha argued passionately, “I know plenty of unmarried adults like– like my brothers! And Shifu!”
Ao Bing hummed. “..That's true.”
“Then here, let me help you burn the portraits, and you can say it caught fire during a fight,” He offered magnanimously.
“No, don't!” Ao Bing hid the basket behind himself. “Others took time and effort to paint these, at least let me have a look before I return them.”
Nezha paused.
“Don’t tell me you are actually considering settling down?” He asked petulantly.
“I’ll only consider it with the right person..” Ao Bing replied in a small voice.
Nezha’s scowl deepened. For some reason, something didn't sit right with him.
“Fine, then let this young master help you decide!” He said, activating his armillary sash to sneakily take out the scrolls from Ao Bing's basket and unravel them all onto the ground.
He started pointing at each of the dragon portraits to criticise, “Snout too long, grin too wide, missing eyebrows, teeth too sharp, teeth not sharp enough, scale colour looks like puke, reminds me too much of your aunt.”
He shook his head with a sad sigh and patted his friend's back in consolation.
“Looks like this is not a good batch, Bing Bing, better luck next time.”
Ao Bing looked bemused.
“Thanks,” He replied flatly.
“You're welcome!” He flashed him a sharp grin.
“Now, let's forget about all these,” With a wave of his sash, the scrolls were all stored back into the basket, “how about kicking some shuttlecock?”
“Oh, alright,” Ao Bing agreed easily, which was why he deserves the best, Nezha thinks.
***
That night, Nezha couldn't sleep.
He was nestled in his favourite spot – on the soft bed with Ao Bing’s dragon form curled around him.
They have always been sharing a bed ever since Ao Bing had followed him to challenge the heavens. Initially, it was out of convenience as Chentang Pass was kind of annihilated, then afterwards out of comfort because his best friend made such a good pillow.
Whether you tossed left or right, there was always a squishy torso to hug. His scales might be hard, but they are actually very flexible and smooth, its cool temperature offsetting Nezha's heated body.
So usually, he can drop dead within seconds in this position, but this time, his mind kept replaying their earlier conversation.
If Ao Bing found someone he likes and married them, will that mean that he won't sleep together with Nezha anymore?
A strong wave of loss washed over him while his heart ached.
Nezha frowned, annoyed at himself for being so upset over a hypothetical situation. Wasn't he just being selfish if he didn't want Ao Bing to find his happiness just because he likes to use him as a cooling pillow?
At the very most, he could just customise a long pillow and ask Ao Bing to blow some cold air on it before he sleeps every night.
There! A win-win solution for all.
Sometimes Nezha is really astounded by his own genius.
Satisfied, he snuggled close and drifted off.
...It did not work.
The pillow was lumpy in all the wrong ways, and the coolness provided by a bewildered Ao Bing lasted a mere few minutes.
Thus Nezha's back to feeling like the world's shittiest friend again.
So he does what he always did when he feels upset – he discusses it with his only confidant.
“Bing Bing, am I a bad friend?” He asked the next day when he had his head in his friend's lap while said man was stringing a necklace full of pearls he had brought back from the sea.
“If you were a bad friend, why would I have chosen to follow you 3 years ago?” Ao Bing refuted simply, used to Nezha's random bouts of insecurity.
“But if you didn't follow me, you could meet many other people and have many other dragon friends,” He muttered petulantly.
And maybe even find a spouse.
“That's not true. We meet plenty of people on our adventures now too, I just prefer your company to the rest.”
Nezha felt his heart overflow with the sweetness of honey and he rubbed his nose with a chuckle.
“You are right, I do make good company! Of all the people we have met, I feel like I always have the best ideas!” He agreed before squinting at him skeptically, “Wait, are you just saying that to make me happy?”
Ao Bing countered with a raised brow, “Why would I want to make you happy if you aren't a good friend?”
Nezha nodded sagely.
“That’s a good point, that's a good point.. Bing Bing, you are so smart, maybe that's why we get each other.”
All in all, he concluded that he was honouring Ao Bing with his presence, and it'll take a very very awesome person to beat his company, which feels almost impossible, so he doesn't have to think too much about that.
Meanwhile, Nezha will just have to soak in all the physical contact with Ao Bing while he can, just in case.
With a relieved mind, Nezha dozed off quickly to make up for the previous night of unrest.
He woke up to a pearl necklace around his neck with a seashell in the middle and thought of how he could ever doubt their friendship in the first place.
***
Because Nezha was so dedicated to being such a good friend, he had decided to help Ao Bing search for the perfect marriage partner.
“So, Bing Bing, what type of person do you like?” He asked around the spoon in his mouth.
The sun was at its full might unhindered by clouds, its rays beating down their backs. It's almost impossible to get anything done in such a hot weather, so why not sit down and enjoy a refreshing bowl of cold dessert?
It was one of Nezha's big-brained ideas to use Ao Bing's ice abilities to make shaved ice, then douse it in osmanthus sugar syrup. In fact, that was how their family managed to earn some cash to get by, through selling these during the scorching summer heat.
He had actually gotten the idea from when he was younger and had accidentally dropped his maltose lollipop into the snow. Determined to not let it go to waste, he picked it back up and ate the snow-covered candy. The cold crunchiness of the ice actually made it taste pretty good.
But this was a story he'll be taking to his grave.
In the present, Ao Bing covered his mouth with his sleeve to cough delicately.
Nezha never understood that action. A cough is a cough, what's there to be ashamed of?
“Ah.. why do you suddenly ask this?”
“Because I'm such a good friend, I will help keep a lookout for a good person for you to marry!”
“Is that so..”
“No need to thank me, that's what good friends are for!” Nezha gave a malevolent wave of his hand. “So just tell me what your type is!”
“Type? This, uh well.. I admire people who are strong, brave and kind." Ao Bing averted his gaze as his voice became meek. "Someone who doesn't submit to whatever fate they were given..”
“Haha, isn't that me? Although it makes sense for me to be the benchmark.. Strong and kind? I only know of my parents…” Nezha suddenly narrowed his eyes at him in warning. “But you aren't allowed to marry my mother, she's a taken woman.”
“I have no interest in your mother,” Ao Bing reassured dryly.
“Good. Otherwise, it'll be awkward..”
“You are eating too much,” Ao Bing huffed and confiscated his spoon, “all this ice is freezing your brain’s ability to think properly.”
“Hey! I'm just helping you think of your choices!” Nezha dragged the bowl over and directly chomped into it like an angry beaver.
He chewed in thought.
“Maybe we need to find someone else who is also a reincarnation of a magical artifact…”
Ao Bing sighed, taking out a handkerchief to wipe at Nezha's messy mouth.
A sudden thought flashed through his mind: Ao Bing will make a good husband.
He blinked. Then shook his head.
Of course Ao Bing would make a good husband! The problem now was to find him an equally good spouse.
“Then.. how do you know if you will want to marry someone, Bing Bing?” He asked instead.
Ao Bing blinked.
“I guess you would always want to be close to them, spend time with them, and want them to be happy.”
Nezha raised a brow.
“Isn’t that the case for all the people you are close to?”
“I suppose the difference is that you'll want to..” Ao Bing ducked his head and averted his eyes. “k-kiss them. And you don't like it if they kiss other people.”
“Kiss?” Nezha's gaze dropped to the other's lips and suddenly felt a little thirsty.
He frowned to himself and drank up the melted remnants of ice in his bowl.
“Then.. how would you know if you want to kiss someone if you haven't kissed anyone before?”
“One day, it'll just hit you,” Ao Bing replied before quickly standing up to bring the empty bowl to the kitchen.
Nezha was left alone at the table to scratch his head over his best friend’s words.
***
Nezha didn't know that it'll hit him so soon.
Ever since the battle with Wuliang Tianzun, after giving a proper burial to the dead with what they could, they've been on the road, travelling the world while recruiting people for their fight against the immortals.
They already had the support of the released underwater convicts, who were enjoying paradise inside the magic painting scroll while training everyday with their Taiyi Shifu.
They also had the support of the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan that Ao Bing could summon with a blow of a conch shell.
Everyday, Nezha's parents sold shaved osmanthus ice on the road to raise funds for their daily living, with ice provided by Ao Bing while the two boys approached a list of potential alliances provided by their Shifu.
3 years later, the reincarnation of the Spirit Pearl and Demon Orb led the troops to a 15 days celestial war against the immortals, and turned out victorious. Their voices were heard, rights were given, and justice was served.
They returned back to land and Nezha's parents decided to settle down in a peaceful town to expand their business. Nezha and Ao Bing decided to continue exploring the world, occasionally returning to visit.
And so it was during one of their adventures where they had heard townsfolk whisper about the disappearance of several people by the river.
When they went to check it out, they saw a lady struggling in the depths of the running river and crying for help.
Ao Bing froze the river with a touch of his ice mace, and the lady was rescued within seconds.
The lady was shocked, but recovered quickly.
Her clothes were a little translucent from being wet, so Ao Bing rushed to offer her his outer wear.
Nezha investigated the surrounding area, poking around the river with his flaming spear.
He turned back to see Ao Bing covering the lady while she lowered her head and blushed.
Something unsettling stirred inside his chest.
“What are you doing in the river when the current is so strong?” He returned to demand.
Ao Bing gave him a questioning look at the aggressive tone.
“I.. I just saw something shiny in the river, then the next thing I know, I'm in the water,” The lady explained tearily.
The two boys exchanged looks.
Sounds like a magical artifact at work.
Ao Bing raised his mace, and the river water raised up to form a wall. Amongst the floating rocks and fishes, they all spotted a gold ring adorned in rainbow jewels.
Nezha summoned his red armillary sash to grab it out of the water and bring it towards him for a closer look.
“Wait, Nezha–!” Ao Bing intercepted the hand that was reaching out for it, grabbing the ring on his own.
He then immediately fell unconscious into Nezha's arms.
“Ao Bing!” The boy cried as he tried to shake his best friend awake but to no avail. "Hey, wake up!"
He could still feel the other's steady breathing and pulse, like he was just in a deep sleep.
“Oh dear, w-what shall we do?” The lady fretted from beside them.
He shot an angry glare at her.
“I'm bringing him to my Shifu, you stay away from this river!” He instructed before flying off on his flaming wheels with Ao Bing cradled in his arms.
The lady dusted her palms with a smirk.
***
This time, Nezha was careful to not touch the suspicious ring barehanded and only used the armillary sash to show it to Taiyi.
“Shifu, wake up! Ao Bing touched this ring and fell unconscious!” He rushed to report.
“H-Huh?” Taiyi sat up from his afternoon nap inside the magic painting scroll, blinking at the ring groggily.
“Think, Shifu, think!” The impatient boy urged.
“Ah! I know this.. it's the Wishing Ring!” Taiyi finally recalled. “Where did you get it from?”
“When people were said to be disappearing near a river, we went for a look and saw a lady drowning. After we had saved her, she said that she was compelled to go into the water after seeing something shiny. So we fished this out and I was about to hold it when Ao Bing stopped me and he fainted after touching it. He won't wake up no matter how hard I try!” Nezha explained all in one breath.
He grabbed his master and frantically shook him. “It's my fault he's like this, Shifu you have to save him!”
Taiyi has a feeling of déjà vu.
He raised his arms in surrender. “Alright, stop shaking me, I will, I will!”
Nezha paused.
“How?”
“This Wishing Ring is one of the devious magical artefacts that has caused much chaos amongst the mortal world. It's been said that the person who wears the ring will have his wishes granted but in fact, they will only be put in an unending dream where their wishes come true.”
“Huh, what kind of stupid ring is this??!! I should just destroy it right now!” Nezha fumed.
“No, don't!” Taiyi held up his hand to stop him. “Otherwise, Ao Bing will be trapped in the dream forever!”
“Urgh!” Nezha cursed. “Then how can we wake Ao Bing up?”
“There is no physical way we can wake Ao Bing up, the only way he can break the spell is if he voluntarily rejects the content of his dreams.”
“What if he doesn't know that it's a dream? Will he never wake up?” He interrogated.
“The longer he stays inside, the harder it is for him to tell reality from illusions,” Taiyi replied gravely and Nezha paled.
“But don't worry, dear disciple! I have this potion that allows you to enter his dream. But you only have 10 minutes to convince him to get out.”
His Shifu fished out an elixir bottle from his pants and handed it over.
Nezha gave his master a nod, and chugged the entire bottle in one gulp.
“You only need one sip!”
Nezha gave the other man a death stare before flopping lifelessly onto the ground.
Taiyi shook his head with a sigh.
This kid never learns..
He scratched his chin in thought.
“Strange, wasn't the Wishing Ring banished to the depths of the ocean some time ago..”
***
Nezha opened his eyes to red.
He was in a finely decorated hall of some sort covered in festive red motifs. He assumed it's the rebuilt Donghai Dragon Palace.
There was a crowd seated in rows, and right at the front was Ao Bing, holding hands with a veiled lady(???).
They were both dressed in grand red robes, and Nezha abruptly realised that this was a wedding.
Ao Bing’s wish was to get married?
The person in question looked a little dazed at the lady across from him.
The solemniser standing in between them announced, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Ao Bing hesitantly reached for her veil and Nezha felt his stomach drop to his shoes.
Before he could think why, he objected with a loud shout of, “BING BING, NO!”.
The groom dropped his hand and turned towards him in confusion.
“N-Nezha?”
Nezha rushed towards him and grabbed him by the shoulders.
“Bing Bing, you are trapped in a dream, this isn't real! We saved a lady and you snatched the Wishing Ring to protect me, remember?”
He blinked.
“Huh? A dream? But why..?”
“I know you've always wanted to get married.. but, but you shouldn't do it with this fake, faceless person!” Nezha let go of him to gesture towards the silent bride in derision.
“Bing Bing, wake up and come back to reality with me!” He pleaded and felt his heart clench at the possibility of Ao Bing insisting on staying in his dream world.
“You..” It suddenly hit him like a sack of bricks, why Ao Bing made him feel all sorts of funny emotions. What the other man meant to him and the only one who deserves to kiss him was.. Nezha himself!
“You are the most important person in my life and I.. I like you so much so please.. don't marry her, marry me instead!!!” He proposed earnestly.
Ao Bing’s cheeks flushed pink as his mouth opened into a cute ‘o’.
“Nezha y-you—”
“Ao Bing!” A familiar voice abruptly rang from the entrance and everyone turned towards it.
The man who shouted it looked exactly like Nezha, except that he was panting with his clothes torn everywhere. The only pristine and unscathed part was the seashell pearl necklace hanging around his neck.
Ao Bing’s gaze roamed over the almost indecent outfit and blushed harder.
Nezha scowled violently.
What the hell was going on??!?!
Nezha’s doppelganger ran towards Ao Bing, ignoring his existence and proclaimed heroically, “Ao Bing, I've survived 50 of your father's strikes so that he would let me in. I simply can't sit back and watch you get married to someone else!”
He cradled Ao Bing's face and tilted his chin up towards him with his hand.
“My Spirit Pearl, I realised that I've been in love with you this whole time. Come with me and let's get married,” He professed charmingly into Ao Bing's starry eyes.
"Hah?!?!!" Nezha huffed in disbelief.
He was so mad he could feel the smoke coming out of his ears like a whistling kettle.
“Damn you! How dare this imposter try to steal this young master's bride from under his nose!!!” He barked.
He tried to grab the back of the other man's collar but his hand clawed through thin air instead.
The doppelganger was actually part of the dream, he realised belatedly.
Hold on, was Ao Bing's wish actually for Nezha to steal him away from his wedding instead???
The two leaned started to lean towards each other and Nezha felt his heart race.
What if Ao Bing gets stuck here with fake Nezha forever???
“BING BING, NO!!!” He roared desperately.
Ao Bing put a palm on the imposter’s cheeks to stop him at the last moment with an apologetic grin.
“Sorry, my Zha-er is waiting for me.”
The man in his hand started to disintegrate while the rest of the hall rumbled and fell apart at their feet.
Ao Bing reached out for Nezha, who immediately took his hand as they shared a smile of relief.
The world faded to black.
***
1 week ago..
“So, Bing-er, when are you getting married to that Demon Orb?” King Ao Guang had asked over dinner during Ao Bing's latest visit.
Rightfully, the fish slice slid out of Ao Bing's chopsticks onto the table.
“W-What?”
“Hasn’t he accepted your courting gift? I see you have been gathering materials for it for quite awhile.”
“Umm…” He ducked his head with pink cheeks. “It's still in the works..”
“You're of marriage age now. Father can't help you fend off the matchmakers for too long.”
“Yes, Father,” He cupped his hands gratefully, “Thank you for your efforts.”
Ao Guang hummed.
“Tell me, son, does that rascal not want to marry you?”
“No! No.. I'm pretty sure he does,” Ao Bing hedged with a fond smile. “He's just.. a little slow.”
“Hmph.” His father crossed his arms. “If he can't realise the blessing in front of him, perhaps the Wishing Ring can lend a helping hand.”
Ao Bing's eyes widened.
“Father, no! That's too dangerous, what if he never wants to wake up from his dream?”
“Then he's weak and don't deserve to marry you,” Ao Guang answered flatly.
“Father!”
“Just think about it,” His father advised and waved his hands at a nearby pile of scrolls. “At least take some of the wedding candidate portraits with you this time, let that Nezha know that his place by your side is not guaranteed.”
Ao Bing nodded obediently.
“Yes, Father…”
***
Now..
“Are you guys awake? Did it work?” Taiyi's voice was the first thing Nezha heard when he regained consciousness.
He groaned and then suddenly sat up straight. “Bing Bing!”
He looked beside him to find Ao Bing’s eyes fluttering open.
“Nezha?”
Nezha immediately tackled him into a hug and they both shared a giggle.
“It's good to see that you guys are fine. What exactly was Ao Bing dreaming so deeply about?” Taiyi asked in curiosity.
They exchanged bashful glances before Nezha threw his Shifu an annoyed look.
“Why are you asking so many questions? How is that any of your business! Isn't it a good thing for us just to be back?”
His Shifu was taken aback by the sudden defensive response.
“Aiya, look at this disciple of mine!” Taiyi tutted and bemoaned, “When Ao Bing was unconscious, he was begging at my feet to save you, and now, he turned around to say that I'm too nosy!”
“You–!”
Ao Bing placated Nezha with a hand on his forearm before standing up and cupping his hands towards his Shishu with a bow.
“This one sincerely thanks Taiyi Shishu for saving my life. I will always be indebted to you.”
Taiyi stroked his moustache, appeased.
“It’s a small matter, small matter,” He waved it off and scolded Nezha, “Look at Ao Bing being so respectful, you should learn more from him! With an attitude like yours, how are you going to find someone to marry?”
Nezha rubbed his nose with a smug scoff.
“Hah, you don't have to worry about that, Shifu."
He stood up beside Ao Bing and threaded his fingers through his, holding their intertwined hands up proudly.
"I've already found someone who wants to marry me!”
***
Later that night when they are snuggled together in their human forms this time..
“Bing Bing, are you sure you want to marry me? I know that I'm not conventionally handsome, have a bad temper and cause trouble everywhere I go,” Nezha whispered his insecurities into the darkness in between them. “You are so kind and good-looking, you can definitely find someone better.”
Ao Bing flicked his forehead lightly.
Nezha scrunched his nose with a pout.
“How shall I find? Find someone who suffered discrimination because I've stolen their Spirit Pearl and yet still considers me their only friend. Where do I find someone who is ready to fight the heavens with me and save my entire clan even though they indirectly caused the fall of Chentang Pass?”
“We are all just victims in the immortals’ sick system, you know that,” Nezha mumbled.
“I didn't, but now I know, because you made me believe that I was more than a pawn in the game of fates.” Ao Bing gave him a kiss on the forehead, making his birthmark tingle.
“Zha-er, to me, you are the bravest, sweetest and the best man I've had the honour of knowing. Of course I would like to marry you.”
Nezha swallowed and abruptly turned his body away from him to wipe at his eyes.
“Are there eyes in your sand again?” Ao Bing's voice was tinged with amusement.
“Shut up,” Nezha sniffled with no heat.
He felt a pair of cool arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and the other's breath tickling the back of his neck.
“Sorry, Nezha, I haven't been entirely honest with you. For dragons, nesting together and giving gifts are part of the courtship ritual for marriage..” Ao Bing confessed softly.
“What?!” Nezha flipped around in his arms to demand, “So.. so you've been courting me this whole time?!”
He thought of Ao Bing wrapping around him possessively at night, the exotic trinkets he had brought from his sea visits that he would only share with Nezha, and finally the intricate pearl necklace he had made for him.
Nezha felt his heart fluttered warmly.
He then recalled when he had asked Ao Bing about his type and felt like banging his head on the nearest wall.
“Why didn't you tell me?” He whined.
Ao Bing gave a sheepish grin.
“I was afraid.. you weren't interested. Especially when you keep finding other parties for me to marry.”
“I was just– just trying to make up for the selfish feelings of wanting you for myself!” Nezha defended himself.
Ao Bing leaned forward to rub their noses together with an affectionate chuckle.
“You're so silly.”
At this proximity, Nezha felt his pulse quicken as blood rushed to his ears. He puffed his red cheeks, about to combust from all the emotions he was feeling.
“Since you want to marry this silly man, what does that make you?” He retorted lowly.
Ao Bing gave an indulgent smile.
“Your silly husban– mmph!” He was intercepted by a pair of soft lips and there was no more bedtime conversation that night..
*** BONUS BEHIND THE SCENES***
“I say, when is your son going to propose to mine?” Ao Guang asked boredly into the conch shell.
On the other end of the line, Lady Yin reported into a matching shell, “Bad news. We found out today that the kids aren't even dating yet!”
The Dragon King's brows climbed.
“What?”
“Yeah, can you believe them? Acting like that even when they aren't a couple yet!” She exclaimed. “But don't worry, we definitely introduced that idea into Nezha's head.”
“Hmph. That son of yours really needs to speed up his thought processes,” Ao Guang harrumphed.
General Li pulled the conch shell over to his mouth. “With all due respect, future in-law, your son can also be the one proposing to ours instead.”
Ao Guang snorted and inspected his nails casually.
“Sure, if Nezha wants to move into the Donghai Dragon Palace and take over the dragon clan,” he drawled.
There was a beat of silence.
“.. Nevermind, we're working on it,” General Li muttered.
“Actually, I have an idea,” The King suggested as he flicked open a clam shell that hid a ring within, “but it might be a little risky..”