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“Is Gege ready?” Hua Cheng stood next to the doorway, dice in hand. His eye shone brightly with excitement.
Xie Lian laughed as he stepped forward and took Hua Cheng’s offered hand. “I’m ready. I can’t wait to find out what San Lang’s been hiding from me.” He pressed a quick kiss to Hua Cheng’s cheek.
For the past several days, Hua Cheng had been running around with a smile and a secret, promising Xie Lian that he would reveal everything soon. Xie Lian had been burning with curiosity but had, outwardly, patiently waited until Hua Cheng was ready to reveal whatever it was he’d been planning.
Hua Cheng grinned, pressed a quick kiss to Xie Lian’s cheek, and tossed his dice in the air. The two stepped through into a forest. Hua Cheng stepped behind Xie Lian. “Does Gege trust me?”
Xie Lian glanced back, “of course I do.” Hua Cheng’s hands wrapped around Xie Lian’s face, covering his eyes so he couldn’t see anything.
“We don’t have far to walk, just follow my lead.” Hua Cheng gently guided him through the trees, his quiet voice warning him where to step. Xie Lian listened for any hints about what they were doing, or were they were. All he could hear was a soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet. He could smell the trees, hear a few animals still moving around, but nothing that stood out to him. “Here we go.” Hua Cheng moved him a few more feet before taking his hands away and stepping back.
In front of him were cushions laid out on the ground with blankets next to them. Next to them was a tray with tea and mantou. The mantou were beautiful things, pulled into the shapes of flowers and butterflies with dates on top. In the distance, the sun started to set, casting everything in a golden glow.
Xie Lian turned to Hua Cheng and threw his arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. “What’s all this for?”
Hua Cheng hugged him tighter. “Do I need a reason to spoil my husband?” Xie Lian could feel his smile against the side of his hair. Hua Cheng pressed a kiss to his temple before gently pulling Xie Lian forward so they could rest on the cushions. Once sat, Hua Cheng held his arm up and Xie Lian happily curled up underneath it. Hua Cheng picked up one of the mantou and split it in half and gave it to Xie Lian.
“Don’t worry about anything getting cold, I placed spells on it so it would stay warm.”
“Mmm, my San Lang is so clever,” Xie Lian said as he bit into the mantou.
“Ah, it was nothing.”
The two chatted as they ate and drank, enjoying each others company. Although Hua Cheng didn’t give off warmth like a living being would, Xie Lian always felt warmed in his presence.
Night continued to fall, the sky growing darker and darker and stars started to come out. The two lay back on the cushions and turned their heads to the sky, pointing out different constellations and sharing different stories they’d heard about them. Hua Cheng’s low, deep voice, filled Xie Lian with a reassuring peace, knowing that he would always have someone who loved him so much and always remain by his side.
Xie Lian curled up closer to Hua Cheng, using his chest as a pillow. “Thank you, San Lang.”
Hua Cheng wrapped his arm tighter around Xie Lian. “It is my pleasure, Dianxia.”
He continued to watch the night sky when a bright like shot across the stars. “Oh! Quick, make a wish!”
Hua Cheng pressed a kiss to Xie Lian’s hair. “What could I have to wish for? I have everything I ever could’ve wanted, everything I never thought I would get.”
Xie Lian turned, “San Lang,” he whispered. He cupped Hua Cheng’s cheek and pressed his lips to his husbands. The kiss was slow and unhurried. A kiss that they would share a thousand more times over a thousand more years together in each others arms.
After a few minutes, Hua Cheng pulled back. “As much as I would like to continue, I don’t think Gege wants to miss this.” He nodded back towards the night sky. Xie Lian turned once more.
“Oh!” More and more shooting stars filled the sky, beautiful, dazzling, flashes. The two continued to watch, each pointing out more and more stars. They continued to talk and cuddle and watch the sky as night crept on.
Sunlight filled the clearing once more and found an old scrap collector god, fast asleep and curled up in the arms of a ghost king, the softest smile on his face as he watched his god rest.