Work Text:
Shen Yuan, the twin brother of Shen Jiu, was the Peak Lord of Ling You Peak. He had always been especially close to the Qing Jing Peak Lord, yet he had never once considered the man his twin despite their identical appearances. To him, Shen Qingqiu had simply been a close trusted companion.
That changed after a night hunt.
While tracking a rare spirit beast, Shen Yuan unknowingly inhaled the pollen of a strange flower. The moment its scent reached him, memories that should not have belonged to him flooded his mind.
A sworn brother named Yue Qi.
The Qiu household.
Years of abuse.
Wu Yanzi.
A qi deviation that had nearly killed the person he now knew was Shen Jiu.
The memories came all at once.
Shen Yuan collapsed to his knees, clutching his head as unbearable pain tore through his mind. He was completely unresponsive.
His head disciple immediately called off the night hunt and rushed him back to Qian Cao Peak. Even after a full day of rest, Shen Yuan never truly woke.
When he finally regained consciousness, he suffered a silent breakdown.
Despite everything, he returned to ling you Peak and continued teaching as though nothing had happened.
Only... he no longer spoke excitedly about demonic cultivation.
And he avoided Qing Jing Peak entirely.
Whenever he caught sight of Shen Qingqiu—or worse, the sect leader—he looked as though he wanted to either hide in the nearest corner or slap someone.
~
'Qi-ge...'
Shen Yuan sat rigidly beside Liu Qingge during the peak lord meeting, refusing to look toward either Shen Qingqiu or Yue Qingyuan.
Then Shen Qingqiu's familiar, cool voice broke the silence.
"This one has noticed that Beast Peak Lord has been rather... unwell. He has been avoiding everyone and.. seems to be hiding something."
Shen Yuan flinched.
"This one is hiding nothing. It is merely the nerves regarding the upcoming Immortal Alliance Conference."
Across the room, Shang Qinghua gave him a look that clearly said, 'I don't believe a single word you just said.'
"Hmm."
Shen Qingqiu lazily fanned himself.
"If that is so, then this peak lord would like to invite A-Yuan for tea on Qing Jing Peak after the meeting."
'What?! Is he doing this on purpose?!'
"...This one will gladly accept."
The meeting ended shortly afterward.
Shen Yuan silently followed Shen Qingqiu back to Qing Jing Peak on their swords.
His fingers fidgeted the entire journey.
Before recovering those memories, accompanying Shen Qingqiu had been the most natural thing in the world.
Now...
Now he knew they were truly brothers.
Twins.
And their shared past was soaked in blood and regret.
He had no idea how to face him anymore.
~
They sat across one another at a low tea table.
Shen Qingqiu was the first to speak, his tone still composed despite dropping much of his usual aloof facade.
"Is A-Yuan alright? You have been avoiding this peak lord for weeks. Has something happened? Have you heard some unfortunate rumors about me and got them in your head?"
"NO!"
The answer came far louder than intended.
Shen Yuan cleared his throat.
"No... no rumors about-"
He hesitated.
'What am I supposed to call him now?'
'A-Jiu?'
'Jiu-ge?'
"...Qingqiu."
Shen Qingqiu visibly flinched.
He slowly raised his fan, hiding the lower half of his face.
"Pray tell, why has A-Yuan suddenly become so... casual?"
Shen Yuan stared at him.
'Casual? You've been calling me A-Yuan for years!'
"You've called me A-Yuan for years. It's only fair that I get to call Qingqiu just as casually."
Behind the fan, the corner of Shen Qingqiu's lips twitched upward.
A knock interrupted them.
His mood immediately flattened.
"Enter."
The door slid open.
Yue Qingyuan stepped inside, carrying one box of paperwork and another wrapped neatly in cloth.
Shen qingqiu glared at him
"If Zhangmen-shixiong merely wished to deliver paperwork, he could have asked a disciple instead of coming personally—"
"Qi-ge..."
The nickname slipped from Shen Yuan's lips before he realized it.
Silence.
Both Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan froze.
"...A-Yuan?"
Shen Yuan nearly jumped.
"Ah—my apologies! I merely wanted to... test the nickname on my tongue. I didn't realize I'd said it aloud."
Shen Qingqiu quietly looked away.
Yue Qingyuan, however, seemed to brighten.
"This one has brought gifts from his recent mission."
He placed the boxes before the twins.
Shen Qingqiu opened his first.
Inside lay an intricately embroidered green ribbon.
Shen Yuan opened his own.
Nestled within the box was a carefully carved wooden rabbit.
His fingers tightened around the box.
His head slowly lowered.
His shoulders trembled.
A strange ache settled deep inside his chest.
How nostalgic...
Long ago, when they had still been children trapped within the Qiu household, he had carved a tiny wooden rabbit with his small hands for Shen Jiu's birthday.
It had been crude and uneven, but Shen Jiu had treasured it.
In return, Shen Jiu had secretly torn a strip of green from his own robes, washed it carefully in the river until it was clean, and tied it around Shen Yuan's hair.
Neither of them had anything worth giving.
So they had given each other the little they possessed.
And now...
Without knowing why...
Yue Qingyuan had unknowingly returned those same gifts to them.
Shen Yuan gently lifted the carved rabbit from its box.
His fingers traced the smooth wood with almost reverent care.
Before he realized it, his vision blurred with unshed tears.
Both men noticed immediately.
"...A-A-Yuan doesn't like the gift?"
Yue Qingyuan asked softly, worry evident in his voice.
"N-No!"
Shen Yuan hastily shook his head.
"I... I like it very much."
"Your expression says otherwise."
Shen Qingqiu replied quietly.
Shen Yuan let out a weak laugh.
"I just... felt a strange sense of nostalgia."
Shen Qingqiu visibly stiffened before lowering his gaze.
"...I see."
"Perhaps A-Yuan remembered something?"
Yue Qingyuan asked, unable to hide the hope in his voice.
Silence settled over the room.
Shen Qingqiu's expression darkened almost imperceptibly.
Unlike Yue Qingyuan, he did not seem hopeful.
He looked... apprehensive.
Shen Yuan lowered his head, still holding the tiny wooden rabbit.
'...How much longer am I supposed to keep lying to them?'
'Can I tell them?'
'Can't I?'
'They're the two people I trust most in this world...'
His grip on the rabbit tightened.
He drew in a slow, shaky breath.
"...Qi-ge."
Yue Qingyuan looked up.
"...Jiu-ge."
The room fell completely silent.
Shen Qingqiu's fan slipped from his hand, landing on the table with a soft clack.
Yue Qingyuan froze where he sat, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them even seemed to breathe.
Shen Yuan finally raised his head to meet their stunned gazes.
"...I remember."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I remember everything."