Work Text:
On a fine morning, shrubs and foliage rustle somewhere in the quiet outskirts of Ghost City where the mountains begin to rise. Although it’s nothing alarming, the sight of three men responsible for the echo of crunching twigs is a curious sight as they all make their way up a virgin path, away from the common route. Two of them occasionally look and call out to their companion in pure white robes in a curious way, as if wondering, Why the unusual direction? There’s no trace of worry on the third person's face, however, as he continues to lead them up a maze of trees and bushes that never seem to end.
“Your Highness…this…When you said you wanted to explore, I didn’t think you meant this,” Feng Xin huffed as he parted branches away from his face.
Xie Lian looks back and smiles. “I know what I saw on the map, Feng Xin. I’m pretty sure there’s something up the mountain. A beautiful sight, maybe some hidden cavern, or perhaps undiscovered treasures. I know for a fact there’s a waterfall somewhere.”
Stopping for a moment, Feng Xin sighs and eyes his surroundings. There’s nothing but green in abundance, and he wonders what kind of treasure or sight could be lying in a place that sits untouched in the middle of nowhere. He’s not the only one thinking the obvious.
“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Mu Qing stops beside his fellow martial god and crosses his arms, his line of vision directed at Xie Lian.
Sure enough, the crown prince halts in his step. Feng Xin groans as he rubs his face with a sigh.
“Ahaha.” Xie Lian doesn’t bother turning to them as he scratches his cheek while surveying their surroundings. “I’m pretty sure this is the way, though. According to the map San Lang showed me, there should be a clearing on this side of the mountain where we could stop to rest and eat.”
“On this side.” Mu Qing echoes behind him.
Xie Lian nods.
“Did you bother checking if it was in the East or West?” Mu Qing questions this time.
Xie Lian only blinks when he turns to look at his friend, who rolls his eyes when there is no reply.
“Hey, it’s not the first time he’s read a map, Mu Qing.” Feng Xin snaps beside him.
“My sentiments exactly,” the other retorts with another roll of his eyes that Xie Lian has gotten used to by now.
“You!” Feng Xin visibly bristles, and Xei Lian takes that as a cue to intervene.
Pah! Xie Lian brings his palms together in a sound clap that gains the attention of the other two. Both turn his way, their faces grim, but one snaps to attention, while the other narrows his eyes at him.
“Again, I know what I saw on the map,” Xie Lian starts. “But Mu Qing is right. We are lost, and I have no idea where we are. It’s my fault for not bringing San Lang’s scroll. I’m sorry. Now, don’t bite each other’s heads off, ok?”
For a moment, it seems like Feng Xin and Mu Qing are about to react, but seconds later, they sigh and shrug. Xei Lian, pleased, smiles before looking around again.
They are indeed in the middle of nowhere. There is no sign of a clearing, nor the sound of water that could indicate a nearby spring or waterfall, either. And although at least one of them brought a compass, it wouldn’t matter because they have no idea in which direction they’re supposed to head now. But that isn’t necessarily a problem, considering they’re all martial gods with powers and unique abilities.
“Wait here, I’ll search from above. Don’t go anywhere,” Mu Qing orders with a shake of his head before jumping up high to check their surroundings.
In the few minutes that it takes for Mu Qing to find the waterfall that they’ve been looking for, Feng Xin wonders where in the world he’s supposed to go anyway. “What a stupid thing to say,” he mumbles to himself more than anyone. It isn’t like they have anywhere to go for now. And who does Mu Qing think he is, ordering him and Xie Lian around? Stewing in his thoughts, he does not notice Xie Lian wandering to a nearby bush with several tiny fruits glistening with dew.
“Ooo, berries,” Xie Lian coos as he reaches out to pick not one, not two, but three luscious-looking berries. “Feng Xin, look!” He beams before slowly walking back to where the other stood.
“Hm?”
“Don’t they look delicious?”
The berries did look good, but Feng Xin could not remember what kind they were. He simply nodded, assumed Xie Lian had an idea, and didn’t bother asking when the crown prince popped all three into his mouth.
“So sweet!” Xie Lian chirps. “Here, try them,” he happily says as he walks back to the berry bush to pick more.
“Try what?”
Feng Xin turns at Mu Qing’s sudden question. “Berries,” he says before pointing to Xie Lian, who now apparently has a handful of the red fruits in his hand. “He found some.”
It takes only a second for Mu Qing’s eyes to widen in shock, and less than a second for him to rush towards Xie Lian before slapping the berries out of his hand. “What are you doing?!”
Both Xie Lian and Feng Xin freeze before looking at the fallen berries. And as if on cue, Feng Xin grabs Mu Qing’s arm and growls. “What the fuck did you do that for?!”
Instead of cowering, Mu Qing glares back and yanks his arm out of Feng Xin’s grip. “What do you mean? I’m stopping him from eating any of those, you idiot!”
“They’re just berries! What’s wrong with you?”
“Just berries…” Mu Qing’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets upon realizing that Feng Xin had no idea what kind of berries Xie Lian had found. Worse, seeing Xie Lian’s stupefied expression, it seems he had no clue either. “Don’t you remember what those are?” Mu Qing looked at both men.
“Ah, what exactly are they again?” Xie Lian didn’t seem bothered, though he was curious.
Mu Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Here was the crown prince, beloved of the heavens and unmatched in martial might, but seemingly innocent in this situation. Most of all, Mu Qing notices that he doesn’t seem troubled at all, seeing that he keeps looking at the shrub in front of them longingly. That alone makes Mu Qing shudder, the panic building inside of him until he could no longer take it.
The general doesn’t bother with honorifics at this point and says, “Xie Lian, they’re Boo Boo berries. The toxin messes with your head and makes you act – “
“Silly? Uh…Ahaha. Oh my. I think I remember now,” Xie Lian finishes for him.
Mu Qing’s panic subsides, though replaced by worry and exasperation. “Tell me you didn’t eat any.”
Silence.
Now the worry and exasperation are replaced by terror, a look most unusual on Mu Qing’s face.
“Just give him some medicine.”
If Mu Qing were a kettle right now, he’d be whistling directly at Feng Xin. “I brought medicine for indigestion and diarrhea, not intoxication. How was I supposed to know he’d bring us in the middle of nowhere, and not Ghost City market, where everything will make your stomach churn?”
Feng Xin rubs his nape in thought, his temper leveling while at it. “How long until it wears off?” he asks instead.
“The amount of toxin in one berry will last for two hours at least.”
This is when Feng Xin gapes. “Fuck. He ate three already. That’s six hours.”
Mu Qing’s expression turns complicated as his mind sifts through contingency measures in case of worst-case scenarios. Which, thinking about it, what’s the worst that could happen? In the middle of it all, his blood begins to boil at the thought that it could have been prevented had Feng Xin done something to stop it.
“It wouldn’t be six if you stopped him from eating one in the first place,” Mu Qing grits, making Feng Xin’s hackles rise.
“Hold on. You’re blaming me now?”
“You let him eat it!”
At this point, the two were bound to throw fists at each other. It isn't until they hear a soft voice beside them that they remember a matter much more pressing.
“I heel hunny huys.” Xie Lian’s speech is slurred, his eyes unfocused, and his fingers are busy tugging on his tongue like he’s trying to feel them. And is that frustration on his face? For some reason, he doesn’t look happy. It’s a look that his friends try to comprehend until he starts giggling for no reason at all.
Mu Qing and Feng Xin turn several shades of dread.
***
“Ok. Ok. You mean this? And them? What else?”
Xie Lian’s words are indecipherable as Mu Qing continues to ask him questions. Feng Xin could only wait beside them under the shade of a tree as the two continued to communicate in some foreign tongue. And speaking of tongues, he cringes every time he sees Xie Lian’s appendage, turned blue, from where he’s sat. Guilt washes over him when he remembers how he hadn’t stopped the prince from eating the toxic berries.
“He says his tongue is numb and that the lavender trees taste like peaches with tears.”
Feng Xin’s frown is extraordinarily confused as he stares at Mu Qing. “That interpretation doesn’t make any sense. How could you even understand him?”
Mu Qing, looking far more relaxed than he should be, stretches his arms above his head. “How many times do you think I’ve covered for His Highness when he accidentally mistook Boo Boo berries for cherries? You’d think someone like him would learn his lesson and remember that fruit.”
“Hey.”
Mu Qing visibly flinches slightly when Feng Xin shoots him a glare that says he’s being a little too rude this time around. Then he sighs, his demeanor softening a little when he realizes how he sounded. “I’m not wrong, though?” he mumbles after.
Feng Xin sighs heavily, as if carrying the weight of the world. To their surprise, they hear another audible sigh next to them, one that is followed by giggling and another exaggerated sigh in rapid succession.
Sigh. Giggle. Sigh. Giggle.
“What’s so funny?” Feng Xin’s question isn’t directed at anyone, but one can tell he’s clearly waiting for an answer. And to his surprise, Mu Qing starts to chuckle as well.
Feng Xin is incredulous. “Am I missing something here?”
Xie Lian continues to laugh before making a face that resembles Feng Xin’s scowl, all the while swaying to and fro with half-lidded eyes like a drunkard. Then he clutches his tummy, laughing louder.
“Pfft!”
Feng Xin turns to Mu Qing just in time to see him snort. He wracks his brain for something to say amidst the laughter around him, but comes up with nothing. Therefore, he gives up and throws his hands in the air, clearly resigning to his fate. “I give. Crimson’s going to kill us.”
“Only if he discovers what happened,” Mu Qing blurts with a grin.
“And what if he does?”
“Then, he’ll have our arms for it.”
Feng Xin blanches a tad bit.
Xie Lian, on the other hand, has apparently decided that his hair ribbon must come off. He starts to wrestle with the knot on his head.
“He’ll have our legs next,” Mu Qing continues as he approaches Xie Lian and tries to pry his fingers out of his hair.
Feng Xin feels like he’s been dunked in ice as he watches his companions competing for the white ribbon on the prince’s hair. When Xie Lian starts to dance around Mu Qing, while kicking off his boots one by one, Feng Xin envisions himself quickly being eviscerated by Hua Cheng’s wraith butterflies. “Your Highness, keep your boots on!” he yells, while picking up the discarded footwear. He chases the prince and is completely aghast when the other general lets go of the hair ribbon that Xie Lian is holding onto for dear life. “Mu Qing, you’re not helping!”
“You think?” Mu Qing chuckles, still watching Xie Lian flail his arms like waded seaweed. When Feng Xin pauses midstep and gives him a pointed look, he only shrugs.
They stare wordlessly at each other until they hear funny noises in the direction of Xie Lian.
“…”
It seems the man in question has found a new victim to torment in the form of his sentient silk band. Ruoye is thrashing in his tight fist and doesn’t seem too happy as Xie Lian makes one of its ends meet the tip of the other ribbon in his other hand. From where Mu Qing and Feng Xin are standing, it seems like Xie Lian is trying to make the two silk bands kiss. It’s a funny sight at the expense of Ruoye. The weapon looks aggrieved! No one speaks until Xie Lian releases the silk bands and begins to disrobe instead.
“Don’t!” Both generals jump into action before the Scrap Immortal completely loses whatever is left of his remaining dignity.
After several minutes of containing Xie Lian, Mu Qing ties the prince’s belt into a complicated knot that frustrates the former. And while Xie Lian is struggling to undo his belt to no avail, Feng Xin quickly replaces his boots one by one. The image causes Mu Qing to pause as memories of the three of them flash through his mind.
He remembers how they used to get into these kinds of situations back in Xianle, with Xie Lian running out barefoot and both him and Feng Xin not far behind, telling him to dress up like the Crown Prince that he is. For a moment, Mu Qing stares at Xie Lian, mentally comparing and contrasting the man to the regal figure he once served. Because Xie Lian is both a different and the same person Mu Qing remembers back in the day. And now they’re here, doing something similar to what they used to do way back then.
“Hua Cheng really will have our heads for this.” Feng Xin sighs again, pulling Mu Qing out of his reverie.
“His highness will speak on our behalf.” He moves behind Xie Lian to fix his hair.
“You make it sound so simple,” Feng Xin says.
“Isn’t it? What are friends for?”
Apart from the serene smile on Mu Qing’s face, his words stun Feng Xin to silence. It’s strange seeing him so calm and content while doing Xie Lian’s hair. Then, Feng Xin looks at Xie Lian, while the other man combs his tresses before twisting them into a half-bun. All the while, Xie Lian plays with the tassels of his belt like a child. He looks just like he did when he was a spoiled young prince once in his life.
“Done. Your Highness, please face me.” Mu Qing doesn’t wait for an answer and tries to spin Xie Lian to face him.
Xie Lian resists.
Feng Xin sighs for the umpteenth time and pats his shoulder, saying, “Your Highness, come and turn –“ He doesn’t finish when Xie Lian mimics him and pats his shoulder as seriously as he could muster. The frown on Xie Lian’s face is the splitting constipated image of Feng Xin’s.
“…”
Hardly a beat later, Feng Xin and Mu Qing inevitably crack and burst into laughter. Xie Lian joins them, of course.
The three of them soon fall to the ground, still clutching their tummies like they’re about to split open. With tears of mirth behind their eyes, the three lay on the grass, carefree and untroubled, just like they had been back in their youth.
***
As the wind blows and whistles through the trees, it brings with it the scent of soil that feels cool on the three martial gods’ backs. Several minutes have passed, but not one of them has bothered to peel themselves off the ground. Feng Xin closes his eyes, feeling comfortable in the presence of two people who were once constants in his life. He doesn’t see Mu Qing sit up to feel the breeze passing by and watch the leaves swirl in the air as he continues to entertain fragments of memories he’d never admit are unforgettable. Unbeknownst to them, they think of the man lying between them at the same time, and how fate has brought him back at a time they least expected. It’s surreal.
“Hey, Mu Qing.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s been a while, huh?”
Mu Qing doesn’t answer, but he smiles wistfully, his countenance sublime.
“The three of us hanging out like this,” Feng Xin continues. Even in Mu Qing’s silence, he knows the man agrees.
“I know where the waterfall is,” Mu Qing eventually says.
“We'd better get going then. Maybe a dip in the water will wake His Highness from his state.” Feng Xin rises to his feet.
“Are you sure you want him to sober up?”
“Heh.”
“Thought so.”
Feng Xin reaches out to pull Xie Lian up and makes sure to dust the back of his robes clean. When Xie Lian smiles and whips around to make a run for it, both generals catch him by the arms and lead him to the West of the mountain, where they find their destination. Xie Lian seems to have calmed down by the time they get to the waterfall, and he doesn’t hesitate to disrobe down to his trousers upon seeing the crystal clear water before them.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing take a moment to watch His Highness step into the water, chuckling at the same time when the half-naked martial god runs in and out of the pool, shivering several times before swimming further into the deeper side.
“You’d think he’d be used to the cold streams of Puqi Village by now.” Feng Xin comments.
Mu Qing grins. “I doubt Hua Cheng would let him freeze under his watch. He probably takes long, warm baths back in Ghost City every single day.”
“Well, at least he’s having a good time now.”
When Mu Qing doesn’t answer, Feng Xin turns his way, only to see him stripped down to his trousers and already ankle deep into the water.
“You talk too much.”
It doesn’t take long for Feng Xin to fumble with his own robes and join his friends.
The three forget time and everything else altogether and swim for quite a while, but it doesn’t take long for Xie Lian to get hungry. They soon light a fire for some warmth and have a picnic. Lucky for them, food is abundant, seeing that Hua Cheng had convinced Xie Lian to bring quite the amount prior to their departure. It’s common knowledge that every crumb is for Xie Lian alone. But when he shares the entire spread with them, they eat anyway, confident that nothing is poisoned.
“San Lang really is such a good cook.” Xie Lian later says with a burp after their meal, surprising the other two. Neither of them expected the sudden comeback, and they could only assume that the food had neutralized the toxin in his system. “Don’t look at me like that. I recover from poisons a little faster compared to everyone else because I’m already used to them. The toxin of the berries is nothing.”
“Oh yeah? You say it’s nothing, but your tongue is still blue.” The smirk on Mu Qing’s face proves a little too convincing when Xie Lian quickly pulls his tongue out to take a look.
“No, it’s not.” Xie Lian counters, feeling himself going cross-eyed from fixating on the tip of his tongue. He feels better already, so why should the toxin still be overwhelming his body?
“You sound funny too,” Feng Xin suddenly butts in.
Xie Lian stares at him for a moment before blurting, “No, I don’t.”
Feng Xin shrugs and finishes the last of the fried tofu in front of him.
“What are you two talking about? I feel fine now. ” Xie Lian insists while looking back and forth. Only when Feng Xin covers his face and shakes in laughter like Mu Qing does, does he realize that the two are having the time of their life teasing him.
Ah, all’s well that ends well, Xie Lian thinks to himself before chuckling alongside them.
***
The three make the most out of their afternoon as they hike further to the top of the mountain and watch dusk envelope the sky in shades of oranges and purples. Despite the slight mishap of the Boo Boo berries, their day has gone smoothly. Which is better than expected, given Xie Lian’s questionable luck. The other two silently wonder if the Supreme’s fortune has rubbed off on him. It sounds promising, and both of them wouldn’t have it any other way.
Up on a wide cliff, the three sit to watch the sun set. They look on in the quiet of the sundown as the sky dims to a beautiful, blue black. Stars soon appear one by one.
There’s really no need to talk. They have all the time in the world to say more, but right now, the company is enough. Looking up, Xie Lian looks for the brightest star in existence and smiles, knowing he’s found his own lucky star back home. He couldn’t be more content, feeling complete.
Contrary to popular belief, he hasn’t lost Xianle at all. Oh, not at all, Xie Lian muses. The spirit of his homeland lives on in the three most important people he holds dear. He may have lost them all once, but fate has gathered them all together again, and he couldn’t be more grateful. He hopes indeed that this will be a story for the ages.
“Feng Xin, Mu Qing, thank you for coming with me today.” Xie Lian beams at both of his friends with a brightness that could outshine the sun. It's a sight that the other two know will only get better with the passage of time.
They stay on the cliff for quite a while until it’s late enough to take Xie Lian home. With new memories to look back on and old ones kept deep within, the three venture back down the mountain, into Ghost City, and towards Paradise Manor, where Hua Cheng awaits his beloved.
***
Xie Lian quietly watches Feng Xin’s and Mu Qing’s retreating backs as the two swiftly return to the heavens. He feels Hua Cheng’s presence beside him as they disappear into the night. He smiles, knowing his husband has something to say, but waits until the Ghost King is ready to break the silence.
“There must be a good reason why gege took those two to the Boo Boo berry shrubs we found not too long ago, of all places,” Hua Cheng finally starts.
Xie Lian smiles knowingly without looking at him. “As if, San Lang doesn’t know why.”
Hua Cheng hums, his husband’s words confirming his suspicion.
Xie Lian doesn’t say it out loud, but he has always wanted to mend broken bridges. The Boo Boo berries were just an excuse to lighten the mood when things became strained between them all. He’d planned the trip for a long time, hoping deep down to rekindle their friendship by spending time with them. And by the looks of it, his efforts had paid off, seeing that both generals were looking forward to spending more time with him in the future. It’s more than what Xie Lian could have asked for.
“You should have been there, San Lang,” he says as he thinks back on everything that had happened on the mountain. “They were…” Xie Lian could hardly put into words how he felt.
Hua Cheng knows. Hua Cheng can see the joy filling his husband to the brim. Hua Cheng can feel it rolling off of Xie Lian in waves, and for a moment, he gazes at Xie Lian’s sweet smile.
But Hua Cheng wouldn’t be Hua Cheng if he didn’t worry about Xie Lian’s well-being. And as much as he’d wanted to let his god have his moment, the Ghost King still had some questions.
“I understand gege’s plans, but did you really have to be the one to eat the berries?” He almost whines.
His tone makes Xie Lian chuckle. “San Lang, unlike them, I’ve grown a thick face since my banishment. It doesn’t matter to me if I’d made a fool out of myself if it meant seeing them laugh their hearts out the way they did. Even at my expense, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I’d do it all over again just to have them back.”
Hua Cheng nods, but from where Xie Lian is standing, he still seems perturbed.
“Don’t worry about the toxin. It was nothing,” Xie Lian finally says. When Hua Cheng doesn’t look convinced, he adds, “Alright, I won’t do it again,” just to appease the man.
Only then does Hua Cheng embrace him from behind and breathe easy. “Lucky fools. Spending time with gege, while I was away on a boring manhunt.”
“Oh? San Lang is truly busy. But when will I meet the butterfly that helped my husband watch me and my friends all day?”
Hua Cheng grins and flicks his finger. A lone silver wraith butterfly appears from its tip and flutters towards Xie Lian’s nose.
“Thank you for your hard work,” Xie Lian whispers to it. The butterfly flutters its wings happily before flying away.
“What about me, gege? I watched over you all day.”
“When you were supposed to be working.” Xie Lian looks back slightly over his shoulder with a raised brow.
“Yin Yu got the job done.” The man from behind shrugs.
“I see. San Lang has so much time on his hands.” Xie Lian shakes his head, turns to the door of Paradise Manor, and beckons his husband with just a look. “Come then. Time for calligraphy practice.”
Horror reflects on Hua Cheng’s face, and Xie Lian spares a moment just to look at him when the man tries to beg off from impending torture. It isn’t until Xie Lian speaks again that Hua Cheng goes silent.
“Then desert,” Xie Lian mumbles with a blush. “Any desert you want, you can have.”
“…”
Xei Lian’s face is rosy all the way to his ears, but at least he has Hua Cheng’s attention now. Then he turns towards the door of their home and peers back over his shoulder to call out coyly. “Coming?” His husband doesn’t think twice and follows him, an obedient moth to a flame.
Within the night of Ghost City, all’s well that ends well indeed.