Work Text:
Kill me...
Bound and helpless, with splatters of his beloved brother's blood dotting his face, Shi Qingxuan wanted nothing more than for Ming- No, He Xuan - to mercifully end him too. And why wouldn't he? After all, who could bear to see someone benefit off your golden fate?
Surely, He Xuan would notice Shi Qingxuan writhing in the grasps of those madmen and decide to kill him off as well to achieve his long-awaited revenge, wouldn't he?
But He Xuan seemed to have something completely different in mind when Shi Qingxuan caught a glimpse of his tall, pale form approaching him through the crowd of madmen currently groping and tugging at him.
With a flick of his hand, He Xuan dismissed every single presence in that chamber besides Shi Qingxuan's and his own. When He Xuan knelt down to his level where he was bound to the wall, Shi Qingxuan couldn't help but find himself yanked back to the times he saw this mysterious, powerful ghost king as his best friend while He Xuan had disguised himself as the Earth Master.
He thought back to every time they'd have meals together, or gone on heavenly missions - with Shi Qingxuan chattering along the way and He Xuan listening with half an ear.
'He really was just... using me to get revenge on ge, wasn't he?'
The thought made an unconscious tear slip down Shi Qingxuan's cheek. He'd already exhausted himself so much by screaming, crying and thrashing around that he didn't have the energy to lift his head and look up at his captor until He Xuan hooked a finger beneath his chin to force eye contact.
The touch seemed impossibly gentle compared to the absolutely horrifying turn of events earlier, and Shi Qingxuan didn't know whether to allow himself to relax or wail some more. In the end, he chose to simply glance up at the ghost king with wide, terrified eyes.
"Ming- He-xiong, I-"
He was immediately silenced by a cool finger on his trembling lips. Leaning in close enough for Shi Qingxuan to finally be able to see the conflict in the ghost's expression, he spoke,
"You- I can't... I can't kill you."
Those whispered words briefly snapped Shi Qingxuan out of his grief and fear-stricken trance and risk a longer glance at He Xuan.
Huh...? But why couldn't he...?
Shi Qingxuan felt his entire body tense against the restraints still binding him to the wall as He Xuan's icy hand enveloped his warm cheek with surprising tenderness.
"More than anything, I can't stand watching innocents suffer."
Innocent? But hadn't he profited off of He Xuan's fate for centuries?
"But...but He-xiong, my brother and I... we wronged you!", Shi Qingxuan blurted out in his confusion and panic, choking on a sob before continuing, "Since you've already... to my brother, I- I want to... I want to die too! Please...", he begged, not trusting in the words that just came out of his mouth.
Did he really want to die? Wasn't it much better to cling to life? But...
"No."
That one word - firm and absolute - made Shi Qingxuan's frenzied mind go blank.
"N-No...? Why not? You... you've gotten this close to me for so long for your... revenge, why are you-"
He was cut off by an enraged He Xuan, who tightened his ice-cold grip on Shi Qingxuan's chin, making him wince at the pressure.
"You do not get to decide that."
The sternness in his voice made Shi Qingxuan's mouth clamp shut and swallow back his question. He didn't dare to say to say a word after that, until he noticed his wrists finally being uncuffed from the wall.
Once the cuffs were off, Shi Qingxuan's body slumped forward and he slowly rubbed his reddened wrists. He stared up at He Xuan with shock and confusion written all over his face and with his mouth slightly agape.
"Y-You just- Mmph!"
The moment those icy lips pressed against Shi Qingxuan's warm and full ones, he instinctively wound his arms around the ghost king's pale neck. Confused and flustered, Shi Qingxuan tugged lightly on the taller man's long raven hair questioningly; which only made He Xuan kiss him deeper and become bolder in his actions - a bite to his lips here, a hand tracing his spine there...
Needless to say, it was torture for Shi Qingxuan until the ghost king finally pulled back just enough to let him catch his breath before diving back in again.
This time, He Xuan showed none of his earlier restraint and descended upon the god beneath him hungrily, making the latter involuntarily cling to him. He Xuan's hands were just as relentless as his mouth; roaming every inch of the god's form - from the dip of his waist, to the curves of his hips.
Gagged by He Xuan's cool lips, all Shi Qingxuan could utter were muffled sounds of confusion, and reluctant moans of pleasure which were swallowed eagerly by the ghost king.
Pulling back, He Xuan's cold breath came out in shallow pants, finally allowing Shi Qingxuan to speak, "That was...", he trailed off, not knowing what to say in such a situation. He Xuan ran his thumb over the god's cheek, bringing his face close to Shi Qingxuan's ear.
"Why? Would you rather I send you to your brother?"
The mention of Shi Wudu made Shi Qingxuan's heart sink as the reminder of his dear brother's death sunk in once more. However, he really had no tears left to cry at that point, so he just sat there numbly, not trusting himself to open his mouth and talk.
When the ghost king too remained silent, Shi Qingxuan forced himself to speak up, "Y-You're confusing me...", he mumbled, afraid of being too loud. "...what do you want from me?"
At that desperate and broken question, He Xuan unconsciously felt his dead heart ache bad enough to make him rub at his chest. No matter how much he despised what Shi Wudu had done to him, he could never bring himself to harm a single hair on the Water Master's younger brother - who had after all, innocently claimed He Xuan as his best friend, which had filled a void he never cared enough to acknowledge within himself.
How could he ever hurt this pure being?
"Don't question me. I'll do as I please with you.", He Xuan asserted, trying to force his voice to remain cool and not tremble.
His tone made Shi Qingxuan shrink back slightly, but not out of purely fear. A moment of silence later, he managed to breathe out, "He-xiong, I... I really don't know what to do..."
His words caught on a gasp as He Xuan connected their foreheads together with their noses brushing against each other.
"Just...just stay and let me take care of you."