( there is a sigh in xie lian's voice carried off by the rain, but maybe it does not matter as he lowers himself to the ground, hands reaching out gently to frame hua cheng's face, guiding him to meet his gaze if he is not wholly opposed. though not all of his carefully held walls come down, it is as if xie lian has made a door or a window in himself, and the flow of his qi seeks to invite in whatever magic hua cheng wishes to grace him with, a soothing warmth of a light in the dark that spells safety and something almost secret. meanwhile, xie lian's hands never leave hua cheng's face, just holding him, as if to say: i do not reject you, i am not disappointed, you are the furthest from unworthy.
in truth, it breaks his heart, a feeling he nearly thought he had become sort of dissociated from over centuries.
for xie lian's empathy has been cut open a hundred times, but it has grown back without anything to show for it on his physical body or his magic; as if nothing bad has ever happened to him. the only "proof" is of his shame and exile: shackles banding neck and ankle that xie lian fails to recognize for what they truly are, tied to jun wu as he is. but with hua cheng connection is not a thing of shame. the only matter of ambivalence is that xie lian neither knows how to handle that he lost control — even if hua cheng calls it an exchange, he cannot quite see it that way; he is older, he can sense it, than his familiar, and he has no excuse after the multitudes of situations and years; he should not have succumbed. still. he does not want to disregard hua cheng's genuine perspective either, which brings them here: soaked through to the bone.
except even without magic, xie lian has something left between his qi and ruoye. he lets his qi nudge against hua cheng's magic, as if xie lian is now the cat rubbing between hua cheng's ankles or seeking to nap on his chest and purr in the cadence of a heartbeat. )
San Lang. I was never displeased with you. It was with myself that I was discouraged. But that too was my oversight. I should have just talked with you.
( the smile is self-deprecating, but xie lian gets to his feet again, this time reaching to grasp one of hua cheng's hands with his own. )
Please, we can go back together. I need — no, I want to dry you off before you get sick.
( despite his looks, xie lian's grip is firm, their fingers interlaced.
what xie lian cannot do about the weather, he tries to make up in other ways. if hua cheng allows him, he will find himself flooded with xie lian's qi even more than before, like being warmed from the inside, out. it might even make him feel physically lighter during their walk home (if hua cheng agrees to it, that is.) and if, at some point, xie lian can tell hua cheng won't pull away, his grip will soften just so he can turn his hand enough that his thumb can rub soothingly along hua cheng's knuckles, attempting to reassure him in any conceivable way that he can. they are both drenched and earth muddied, and need baths, but all xie lian is focused on right now is getting them home at all. their foraged things lay forgotten in the grass, but they can be found again anew on a sunnier day. )
[ Xie Lian will be able to feel a wave of near-panic, when he apologizes, Hua Cheng's eyes growing wide. What for...? His hands instinctively reach out to try and stop the other from kneeling, but the older's too determined and his familiar finds him soon at eye level, touching him, letting him in. That familiar path of their connection is becoming a little sharper, closer to how it used to be when Hua Cheng first got his powers back. There's a string of magic, as thin as the one around his finger, that naturally flows into that breach Xie Lian has made for him.
He shivers but it's not the cold, nor the chill that comes with being wet. Rather it's the relief, bordering pleasure of the other's qi rubbing against him, of those hands that hold his face. Hua Cheng relaxes into them, eyelashes fluttering, his cold fingers going to rub at Xie Lian's knuckles.
He gasps softly, his face giving away his surprise when Xie Lian tells him he wasn't displeased with him. The relief that floods him is near solid, like a hug that envelops Xie Lian in return and squeezes him, an echo of thanks reverberating through their bond. ] Did... did gege dislike our closeness so much, that you felt guilty for it? Does something good need a culprit? [ He cannot help wondering, voice soft, giving their entwined fingers a squeeze.
He looks obedient as he gets up, red clothes stained green and muddy, long hair looking like black silk threads, the sheen of water on them. The confession of the other's wish, his want, gives him a shiver. He yearns to fulfill the other's wants and needs, and so he nods, allowing it even if he doesn't like the notion of being looked after, when it should be him giving it all to his master --no, his equal; his other half.
That much qi filling him nearly takes his breath away. It's like being touched all over his skin, Hua Cheng's breathing growing quicker. ] Gege doesn't need to waste so much power on me... [ He glances at him almost pleadingly, for he realizes how much of it is being poured into him. In return, Hua Cheng finally reaches into his magic, thick and warm, like sunlight being cast on Xie Lian, the kiss of warm summer wind in his hair, the whisper of spring in his bones. Hua Cheng merely locked his magic away because he was scared his owner and that qi that had welcomed it didn't want it anymore, but it's still there, aplenty. He won't use it for himself, but he certainly will for Xie Lian. ]
I will have the herbs gathered. [ He promises, for his magic can go and take care of it, as soon as they step past the threshold of home. ] I will prepare a hot bath, gege needs to warm up. [ He offers softly, like he doesn't. His bond betrays him though, the craving for closeness translating into the picture of them sharing the tub, even if on opposite sides, poured right into the other's mind. ]
( for a moment, xie lian does not answer. ah is that how it must seem. it makes sense, and he feels all the guiltier for the miscommunication. indeed, he is quiet so long that in the end he answers only the other statement for the time being, finding it more important as he reaches out to stroke along hua cheng's magic the way he would run his fingers along a cat's side or back. )
It's not a waste at all. ( he does not bother telling hua cheng he needn't. he knows it would be a disservice to him to deny him of that act, and now that hua cheng is permitting both xie lian and himself awareness of his magic again, less fearful of having done wrong or not enough, xie lian can at least tell he doesn't lack for it. in fact, he thinks he has not met a single individual with as much magic as hua cheng seems to contain. it makes xie lian shiver with warmth, a heady feeling.
when he wonders how long it took him to cultivate, unexpectedly that thought's path strikes him in his heart like a physical loneliness augmented by unknown years, so visceral it seems to be his own but it's displaced in time and setting. it makes him stumble, but they are already inside his home so it's easy for him to reach out a hand to steady himself against the table.
for half a second there are even ripple sentiments coming from that darkness and it almost reminds xie lian of a time he would rather not think of — his fingers scraped raw and bleeding as he wondered if anyone could come to him in that dark, quiet place; so he doesn't.
instead, he lets his trembling fingers curl in his long, soaked sleeve, smiling at hua cheng as he says, )
San Lang needs to warm up as well.
( the image of them bathing together returns, this time given from xie lian's side, but it is expanded upon: both of them on the same side of the tub, small as it is anyway, xie lian behind hua cheng as he gently brushes his hair free of any tangles, a probable prelude to washing it.
around xie lian's neck, the bandages he usually uses to conceal the shackle there have come messy and unspooled, hanging in sad clinging fashion to his collarbones and stuck further down to the damp of his robe as all wet fabric is wont to do. ruoye has detached itself, soothed by the reconnection of master and familiar but still a little anxious, hovering next to xie lian with what can only be read as worry. )
[ The contrast between the comforting warmth of Xie Lian's qi and the sudden sting of a wandering thought punches the breath out of Hua Cheng's lungs. He acts instinctively, in a moment, reaching for his own magic to simply fill the distance next to the other in half a beat, one hand curled around his wrist gently and one arm wound around his waist, sustaining him and preventing him from falling. He can feel the echo of that thought, can tell it regarded cultivation, but he cannot understand whose: his own? his master's? His own comes from such deep, unrelenting suffering, from torture of years peaking in a demonic tool, that he hopes his master never peeks into it, even if Hua Cheng doesn't actively try to hide it. ]
Is gege okay? [ He asks softly, realizing how close he is only when his breath makes the other's locks sway. He can't let go now, since he's supporting him, but he feels conscious, still unsure whether such closeness is allowed. His doubt is quieted by the image that spreads in his mind, enlarging like a drop of ink on wet paper, until it fills the whole of it and Hua Cheng loves it.
He smiles sheepishly, letting go of the other slowly now that he's sure he'll stand. His other half wants to bathe with him, wants to be close, wants to care for him: the heat that expands in his still heart will surely bleed over Xie Lian's as well, together with thick feeling of contentment.
Hua Cheng crouches down on the floor, gentle fingers, warm because of the other's qi, touching his ankles and holding them while his opposite hand removes his shoes. It's a gesture that brings with it a flash of their shared affection, the way he kissed his feet. Then Hua Cheng stands up and reaches for the older's neck, unwrapping the bandage that's already come off almost completely, revealing his shackle, his necklace and also the vaguest hint of his past love bite. His breath stutters and he forces himself to look away, crumpling the wet, used bandages in his hand. ]
I'll go prepare a bath. It'll take just a moment. [ He promises. It's indeed barely minutes once his voice comes from the bathroom, beckoning the other. With his powers it's easy to fill the tub and heat up the water, soaps and sundries gathered tidily next to it.
Once Xie Lian steps inside he'll find Hua Cheng looking more improper than usual, more human. The room has gotten quite warm because of the steam and there's color in his cheeks, his robes open on his pale chiseled chest, his hair completely loose without any pin, his bottoms undone to show his underpants underneath. Such heat nearly makes him dizzy, red lips parted on a breath and eyes heavy-lidded until they raise and find his master. Only then they'll smile as he gets up from kneeling next to the tub, checking the temperature. ]
Can I help gege with undressing? Or should I stand behind the screen you made for Xiao Hua while you do? [ He wonders, deep voice low and unwittingly sultry, while long fingers graze along the front most half of his robe, playing with the hem. He's suddenly standing so very close, it would take just a moment to kiss. He thinks about it, mismatched eyes lingering on the other's pink perfect mouth, forgetting for a moment how his thoughts travel swiftly to the older. ]
( "san lang doesn't need to help" dies on xie lian's tongue. enough time alive has helped xie lian to learn and observe in different ways at different paces, all of which culminate from one root point: wanting to do the right thing. what is the right thing with his san lang? not "doesn't need to help", which would perhaps make him feel unwanted or unnecessary, neither of which is true. rather...
xie lian's pink mouth purses thoughtfully for a moment before breaking into a soft smile. )
If San Lang doesn't mind, I would appreciate the help.
( his ears are pinker, rather near red, and his eyes cast down, the flush in his cheeks also a rivaling brightness, but the smile remains as he works at his outermost robe, surprised himself to find his own hands a little shaky. he blinks. what would be the reason? he's not shivering. it is plenty warm in this room, after all. the red string that connects them pulls on xie lian's end like an uptic in a heartbeat, his mind gently overlaid with images of hua cheng close and for a moment all of his senses are both in the present and the night of hua cheng's worship. his head spins. but it isn't unpleasant.
it is a little like stepping and sinking into very hot water, yet the body likes, even needs it, and adjusts, faster than expected. if it seems as though xie lian has spaced out, it is because he has, but he also almost automatically tries to remove his own clothing at the same time hua cheng assists. the result is that their hands brush more than once or twice, and it's like a thrum of heat even warmer than that surrounding them each time.
again, xie lian's heart stumbles. and it's always been interesting to him, whether alone in the dark or blessed in the light of xiao hua's soft warmth, the curious simultaneous truth of overwhelming love making one feel both weak and strong, unparalleled in each.
unconsciously, he turns his head and they are close enough that he can lean against hua cheng's shoulder. he breathes him in as if making certain he's actually there, and through their link though no magic avails from xie lian's side, it might feel like a small sun flooding the other's senses: trust, love.
the invitation to be close, the demonstration of you are always wanted.
even if it makes xie lian himself blush pink to red, it is still true; and, what's more important: he does not want hua cheng to have to question it. even if there are things to work out, the bottom line is unchanging: you are welcome here.
[ Hua Cheng doesn't expect the older to agree, not really, and he's ready for the rejection, enough that he thinks it won't sting, so when permission is actually gifted to him, he goes completely still, mismatched eyes betraying surprise. It's lucky his master isn't looking right at him, but downwards, because it's such a childish expression he feels ashamed of it just a beat after. He only nods, the movements traveling to the tips of his long hair and he draws closer, nervous anticipation twisting in his stomach.
Xie Lian is so beautiful it takes his breath away, especially when he blushes; it's something Hua Cheng noticed all too clearly on the night of his worship, the way that pink hue makes Xie Lian look even more breathtaking, adding almost a delicate quality to his invincible master.
He doesn't know exactly where to start and it's his clumsiness, he believes, that leads to their hands touching, since he can't read the other's movements and what he means to take off himself. Hua Cheng laughs softly, the noise deep and as warm as the steam that's filling the room.
When the older turns and finds him so close, their gazes meet and Hua Cheng gifts him a most adoring smile, before he finds himself short of breath at the flood of love through their link. Is it really all for him...? It is just like those hands were pulling him closer, inviting him to fill the distance, embracing him and threading through his locks. Not close enough; they should be closer, their bond seems to say and Hua Cheng is almost dizzy with happiness. After the torture that was staying away from his prince during these long, cold days, now he can feel the heat of his sunshine on himself again.
Hua Cheng's hand wraps around the other's nape, rubbing into pale skin as it moves to the side and his thumb slips under his chin, to tilt his head up. He kisses his forehead, devoted, and then his temple and between his brows. He kisses below his eyes and his eyelashes, before he exhales a shivering sigh, so deep it comes from his very soul. ]
I missed you... [ He dares confessing on those pink lips, bracketed by red cheeks. They've always been together, but Xie Lian would surely know what he refers to; the near physical pain of gravitating around him and yet further than usual, fighting the irresistible pull to the point of straining.
He leans their foreheads together and smiles at him again, with his eyes too, rubbing his nose along the other's bridge. And yet, he dares not taking that last step and kissing him, like the bleeding wound of perceived rejection hasn't yet closed.
Hands resume their work until white outer layers are pooled on the floor and only the thin inner one remains, the outline of Xie Lian's bottoms showing through the fabric. Hua Cheng sheds all his upper layers as well and he loosens the strings of his pants, enough that they balance haphazardly on his sharp hip bones. It would just take a touch...
That's when he takes Xie Lian's hands and kisses his palms, before putting them on his chest. His silky black hair frames his ghastly pale skin, reaching even below the curve of his behind. ]
I am your San Lang. Your Xiao Hua. Yours. [ Please, he begs through their bond, please claim me. He yearns to be touched, to be felt, after the pain and coldness of distance. Maybe even undressed. Maybe even kissed. ]
( as it is dizzying for hua cheng so too is it dizzying for xie lian, overwhelms him and despite his intrinsic strength, feels weakness in his knees and a stutter in his breath. hua cheng is too generous, but xie lian is not a slow learner; too not accept what he wishes to give equates to rejection or perceived as such. so even though he feels his heart first stop then race as his hands are placed on hua cheng's chest, he does not remove them. instead, hyper aware of both hua cheng's audible tone as well as the sensations through their link, he slides his palms and tapered fingers up along either side of his neck, and then up to his face, cradling him as though he is precious; because he is. )
And I am yours. San Lang. Xiao Hua. ( going up on the fronts of his feet, xie lian dares press a kiss to the corner of hua cheng's mouth where he speaks like a secret and a confession and a promise all at once, ) Hua Cheng. ( for although 'san lang' is his preferred way of called, "true" names have power. it has always been so. they also have meaning. invisible, the red string binding them together may seem to tighten, give even the no-longer living a phantom feeling of breath stolen and a heart beating too fast. perhaps it is the echo of xie lian's own, seeking home inside hua cheng's chest not so different than the ring resting safely against xie lian's own. still almost on his toes, xie lian lowers his face to press it against the side of hua cheng's neck, the blink of his eyes dragging his lashes against his skin damp from the bath's steam. the hands on his face have lowered only so he can loop his arms around his middle instead, which draws their bodies flush.
to have hurt hua cheng, however inadvertently, thinking he was doing the right thing, is still a grave error on his part in his own eyes. to ensure hua cheng feels his love is fully mutual, that he is more than enough for xie lian, the twice shackled fallen will do all he can.
even for one with all luck dispelled, bereft of magic, hua cheng makes him feel quite fortunate. the perhaps too gentle kiss just below his ear is almost contradicted by the deluge of affection that floods their bond, as if xie lian were an unending well of love, and in this moment it is completely given. )
[ Hua Cheng's breath stutters, eyes heavy as he nuzzles into those warm hands much like his cat counterpart, greedy for every warm touch, as if he wanted to make up for all the softness he missed for days in just the matter of a minute. His long fingers are curled around the other's forearms, pale snakes that don't mean to let go ever again, matching Ruoye when the other isn't around.
There's a noise that leaves his parted red lips when Xie Lian echoes his words, for he didn't expect it --it is obvious that he belongs to his master, but for his master to be his...? His fingertips spasm, pressing deeper into smooth flesh and, where Hua Cheng feels the echo of a quick heartbeat and shortness of breath that aren't his own, Xie Lian will receive a sudden tightness of chest, as if his heart was being squeezed, too full of adoration to contain it all. ]
Gege... [ He calls, breathless, at that little kiss, but he finds a noise too akin a husky moan tumbling out of his mouth when his real name is called. He can feel the pleasure of it reverberating through his very bones, making him dizzy to the point he has to close his eyes for a long moment. He's desperately in love, and his body moves on its own, trembling when Xie Lian takes the initiative to hold him and snuggle so close, filling the gap that had been so wide and so cold these long, endless days.
His arms wind around his shoulders, a large hand cradling the back of his head to keep him in place against his neck, keep him warm and safe. He buries his nose in his hair, breathes him in because it's the only oxygen he needs. ] Dianxia...
[ He presses a soft peck to the parting of his locks, but like the one to his ear, it's just the tip of the well; there's an infinite depth of fondness below, poured into his beloved. He could hold him like that forever, melt into him.
He decides to step back only once he feels that Xie Lian's skin is growing increasingly colder; after all the rain they soaked, the contact with Hua Cheng isn't bound to help, for the ghost doesn't carry much warmth.
Just a step between them and the familiar takes his pants off without feigning any modesty. ] I'll step in first and you can fit against me. It's bound to be more comfortable like that. [ He offers cheekily, not waiting for a reply before making it into the small tub and sitting down. Long legs part and he invites the other in like it's the simplest thing in the world. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
( there is a sigh in xie lian's voice carried off by the rain, but maybe it does not matter as he lowers himself to the ground, hands reaching out gently to frame hua cheng's face, guiding him to meet his gaze if he is not wholly opposed. though not all of his carefully held walls come down, it is as if xie lian has made a door or a window in himself, and the flow of his qi seeks to invite in whatever magic hua cheng wishes to grace him with, a soothing warmth of a light in the dark that spells safety and something almost secret. meanwhile, xie lian's hands never leave hua cheng's face, just holding him, as if to say: i do not reject you, i am not disappointed, you are the furthest from unworthy.
in truth, it breaks his heart, a feeling he nearly thought he had become sort of dissociated from over centuries.
for xie lian's empathy has been cut open a hundred times, but it has grown back without anything to show for it on his physical body or his magic; as if nothing bad has ever happened to him. the only "proof" is of his shame and exile: shackles banding neck and ankle that xie lian fails to recognize for what they truly are, tied to jun wu as he is. but with hua cheng connection is not a thing of shame. the only matter of ambivalence is that xie lian neither knows how to handle that he lost control — even if hua cheng calls it an exchange, he cannot quite see it that way; he is older, he can sense it, than his familiar, and he has no excuse after the multitudes of situations and years; he should not have succumbed. still. he does not want to disregard hua cheng's genuine perspective either, which brings them here: soaked through to the bone.
except even without magic, xie lian has something left between his qi and ruoye. he lets his qi nudge against hua cheng's magic, as if xie lian is now the cat rubbing between hua cheng's ankles or seeking to nap on his chest and purr in the cadence of a heartbeat. )
San Lang. I was never displeased with you. It was with myself that I was discouraged. But that too was my oversight. I should have just talked with you.
( the smile is self-deprecating, but xie lian gets to his feet again, this time reaching to grasp one of hua cheng's hands with his own. )
Please, we can go back together. I need — no, I want to dry you off before you get sick.
( despite his looks, xie lian's grip is firm, their fingers interlaced.
what xie lian cannot do about the weather, he tries to make up in other ways. if hua cheng allows him, he will find himself flooded with xie lian's qi even more than before, like being warmed from the inside, out. it might even make him feel physically lighter during their walk home (if hua cheng agrees to it, that is.) and if, at some point, xie lian can tell hua cheng won't pull away, his grip will soften just so he can turn his hand enough that his thumb can rub soothingly along hua cheng's knuckles, attempting to reassure him in any conceivable way that he can. they are both drenched and earth muddied, and need baths, but all xie lian is focused on right now is getting them home at all. their foraged things lay forgotten in the grass, but they can be found again anew on a sunnier day. )
no subject
He shivers but it's not the cold, nor the chill that comes with being wet. Rather it's the relief, bordering pleasure of the other's qi rubbing against him, of those hands that hold his face. Hua Cheng relaxes into them, eyelashes fluttering, his cold fingers going to rub at Xie Lian's knuckles.
He gasps softly, his face giving away his surprise when Xie Lian tells him he wasn't displeased with him. The relief that floods him is near solid, like a hug that envelops Xie Lian in return and squeezes him, an echo of thanks reverberating through their bond. ] Did... did gege dislike our closeness so much, that you felt guilty for it? Does something good need a culprit? [ He cannot help wondering, voice soft, giving their entwined fingers a squeeze.
He looks obedient as he gets up, red clothes stained green and muddy, long hair looking like black silk threads, the sheen of water on them. The confession of the other's wish, his want, gives him a shiver. He yearns to fulfill the other's wants and needs, and so he nods, allowing it even if he doesn't like the notion of being looked after, when it should be him giving it all to his master --no, his equal; his other half.
That much qi filling him nearly takes his breath away. It's like being touched all over his skin, Hua Cheng's breathing growing quicker. ] Gege doesn't need to waste so much power on me... [ He glances at him almost pleadingly, for he realizes how much of it is being poured into him. In return, Hua Cheng finally reaches into his magic, thick and warm, like sunlight being cast on Xie Lian, the kiss of warm summer wind in his hair, the whisper of spring in his bones. Hua Cheng merely locked his magic away because he was scared his owner and that qi that had welcomed it didn't want it anymore, but it's still there, aplenty. He won't use it for himself, but he certainly will for Xie Lian. ]
I will have the herbs gathered. [ He promises, for his magic can go and take care of it, as soon as they step past the threshold of home. ] I will prepare a hot bath, gege needs to warm up. [ He offers softly, like he doesn't. His bond betrays him though, the craving for closeness translating into the picture of them sharing the tub, even if on opposite sides, poured right into the other's mind. ]
no subject
It's not a waste at all. ( he does not bother telling hua cheng he needn't. he knows it would be a disservice to him to deny him of that act, and now that hua cheng is permitting both xie lian and himself awareness of his magic again, less fearful of having done wrong or not enough, xie lian can at least tell he doesn't lack for it. in fact, he thinks he has not met a single individual with as much magic as hua cheng seems to contain. it makes xie lian shiver with warmth, a heady feeling.
when he wonders how long it took him to cultivate, unexpectedly that thought's path strikes him in his heart like a physical loneliness augmented by unknown years, so visceral it seems to be his own but it's displaced in time and setting. it makes him stumble, but they are already inside his home so it's easy for him to reach out a hand to steady himself against the table.
for half a second there are even ripple sentiments coming from that darkness and it almost reminds xie lian of a time he would rather not think of — his fingers scraped raw and bleeding as he wondered if anyone could come to him in that dark, quiet place; so he doesn't.
instead, he lets his trembling fingers curl in his long, soaked sleeve, smiling at hua cheng as he says, )
San Lang needs to warm up as well.
( the image of them bathing together returns, this time given from xie lian's side, but it is expanded upon: both of them on the same side of the tub, small as it is anyway, xie lian behind hua cheng as he gently brushes his hair free of any tangles, a probable prelude to washing it.
around xie lian's neck, the bandages he usually uses to conceal the shackle there have come messy and unspooled, hanging in sad clinging fashion to his collarbones and stuck further down to the damp of his robe as all wet fabric is wont to do. ruoye has detached itself, soothed by the reconnection of master and familiar but still a little anxious, hovering next to xie lian with what can only be read as worry. )
no subject
Is gege okay? [ He asks softly, realizing how close he is only when his breath makes the other's locks sway. He can't let go now, since he's supporting him, but he feels conscious, still unsure whether such closeness is allowed. His doubt is quieted by the image that spreads in his mind, enlarging like a drop of ink on wet paper, until it fills the whole of it and Hua Cheng loves it.
He smiles sheepishly, letting go of the other slowly now that he's sure he'll stand. His other half wants to bathe with him, wants to be close, wants to care for him: the heat that expands in his still heart will surely bleed over Xie Lian's as well, together with thick feeling of contentment.
Hua Cheng crouches down on the floor, gentle fingers, warm because of the other's qi, touching his ankles and holding them while his opposite hand removes his shoes. It's a gesture that brings with it a flash of their shared affection, the way he kissed his feet. Then Hua Cheng stands up and reaches for the older's neck, unwrapping the bandage that's already come off almost completely, revealing his shackle, his necklace and also the vaguest hint of his past love bite. His breath stutters and he forces himself to look away, crumpling the wet, used bandages in his hand. ]
I'll go prepare a bath. It'll take just a moment. [ He promises. It's indeed barely minutes once his voice comes from the bathroom, beckoning the other. With his powers it's easy to fill the tub and heat up the water, soaps and sundries gathered tidily next to it.
Once Xie Lian steps inside he'll find Hua Cheng looking more improper than usual, more human. The room has gotten quite warm because of the steam and there's color in his cheeks, his robes open on his pale chiseled chest, his hair completely loose without any pin, his bottoms undone to show his underpants underneath. Such heat nearly makes him dizzy, red lips parted on a breath and eyes heavy-lidded until they raise and find his master. Only then they'll smile as he gets up from kneeling next to the tub, checking the temperature. ]
Can I help gege with undressing? Or should I stand behind the screen you made for Xiao Hua while you do? [ He wonders, deep voice low and unwittingly sultry, while long fingers graze along the front most half of his robe, playing with the hem. He's suddenly standing so very close, it would take just a moment to kiss. He thinks about it, mismatched eyes lingering on the other's pink perfect mouth, forgetting for a moment how his thoughts travel swiftly to the older. ]
no subject
xie lian's pink mouth purses thoughtfully for a moment before breaking into a soft smile. )
If San Lang doesn't mind, I would appreciate the help.
( his ears are pinker, rather near red, and his eyes cast down, the flush in his cheeks also a rivaling brightness, but the smile remains as he works at his outermost robe, surprised himself to find his own hands a little shaky. he blinks. what would be the reason? he's not shivering. it is plenty warm in this room, after all. the red string that connects them pulls on xie lian's end like an uptic in a heartbeat, his mind gently overlaid with images of hua cheng close and for a moment all of his senses are both in the present and the night of hua cheng's worship. his head spins. but it isn't unpleasant.
it is a little like stepping and sinking into very hot water, yet the body likes, even needs it, and adjusts, faster than expected. if it seems as though xie lian has spaced out, it is because he has, but he also almost automatically tries to remove his own clothing at the same time hua cheng assists. the result is that their hands brush more than once or twice, and it's like a thrum of heat even warmer than that surrounding them each time.
again, xie lian's heart stumbles. and it's always been interesting to him, whether alone in the dark or blessed in the light of xiao hua's soft warmth, the curious simultaneous truth of overwhelming love making one feel both weak and strong, unparalleled in each.
unconsciously, he turns his head and they are close enough that he can lean against hua cheng's shoulder. he breathes him in as if making certain he's actually there, and through their link though no magic avails from xie lian's side, it might feel like a small sun flooding the other's senses: trust, love.
the invitation to be close, the demonstration of you are always wanted.
even if it makes xie lian himself blush pink to red, it is still true; and, what's more important: he does not want hua cheng to have to question it. even if there are things to work out, the bottom line is unchanging: you are welcome here.
with me. )
no subject
Xie Lian is so beautiful it takes his breath away, especially when he blushes; it's something Hua Cheng noticed all too clearly on the night of his worship, the way that pink hue makes Xie Lian look even more breathtaking, adding almost a delicate quality to his invincible master.
He doesn't know exactly where to start and it's his clumsiness, he believes, that leads to their hands touching, since he can't read the other's movements and what he means to take off himself. Hua Cheng laughs softly, the noise deep and as warm as the steam that's filling the room.
When the older turns and finds him so close, their gazes meet and Hua Cheng gifts him a most adoring smile, before he finds himself short of breath at the flood of love through their link. Is it really all for him...? It is just like those hands were pulling him closer, inviting him to fill the distance, embracing him and threading through his locks. Not close enough; they should be closer, their bond seems to say and Hua Cheng is almost dizzy with happiness. After the torture that was staying away from his prince during these long, cold days, now he can feel the heat of his sunshine on himself again.
Hua Cheng's hand wraps around the other's nape, rubbing into pale skin as it moves to the side and his thumb slips under his chin, to tilt his head up. He kisses his forehead, devoted, and then his temple and between his brows. He kisses below his eyes and his eyelashes, before he exhales a shivering sigh, so deep it comes from his very soul. ]
I missed you... [ He dares confessing on those pink lips, bracketed by red cheeks. They've always been together, but Xie Lian would surely know what he refers to; the near physical pain of gravitating around him and yet further than usual, fighting the irresistible pull to the point of straining.
He leans their foreheads together and smiles at him again, with his eyes too, rubbing his nose along the other's bridge. And yet, he dares not taking that last step and kissing him, like the bleeding wound of perceived rejection hasn't yet closed.
Hands resume their work until white outer layers are pooled on the floor and only the thin inner one remains, the outline of Xie Lian's bottoms showing through the fabric. Hua Cheng sheds all his upper layers as well and he loosens the strings of his pants, enough that they balance haphazardly on his sharp hip bones. It would just take a touch...
That's when he takes Xie Lian's hands and kisses his palms, before putting them on his chest. His silky black hair frames his ghastly pale skin, reaching even below the curve of his behind. ]
I am your San Lang. Your Xiao Hua. Yours. [ Please, he begs through their bond, please claim me. He yearns to be touched, to be felt, after the pain and coldness of distance. Maybe even undressed. Maybe even kissed. ]
no subject
And I am yours. San Lang. Xiao Hua. ( going up on the fronts of his feet, xie lian dares press a kiss to the corner of hua cheng's mouth where he speaks like a secret and a confession and a promise all at once, ) Hua Cheng. ( for although 'san lang' is his preferred way of called, "true" names have power. it has always been so. they also have meaning. invisible, the red string binding them together may seem to tighten, give even the no-longer living a phantom feeling of breath stolen and a heart beating too fast. perhaps it is the echo of xie lian's own, seeking home inside hua cheng's chest not so different than the ring resting safely against xie lian's own. still almost on his toes, xie lian lowers his face to press it against the side of hua cheng's neck, the blink of his eyes dragging his lashes against his skin damp from the bath's steam. the hands on his face have lowered only so he can loop his arms around his middle instead, which draws their bodies flush.
to have hurt hua cheng, however inadvertently, thinking he was doing the right thing, is still a grave error on his part in his own eyes. to ensure hua cheng feels his love is fully mutual, that he is more than enough for xie lian, the twice shackled fallen will do all he can.
even for one with all luck dispelled, bereft of magic, hua cheng makes him feel quite fortunate. the perhaps too gentle kiss just below his ear is almost contradicted by the deluge of affection that floods their bond, as if xie lian were an unending well of love, and in this moment it is completely given. )
no subject
There's a noise that leaves his parted red lips when Xie Lian echoes his words, for he didn't expect it --it is obvious that he belongs to his master, but for his master to be his...? His fingertips spasm, pressing deeper into smooth flesh and, where Hua Cheng feels the echo of a quick heartbeat and shortness of breath that aren't his own, Xie Lian will receive a sudden tightness of chest, as if his heart was being squeezed, too full of adoration to contain it all. ]
Gege... [ He calls, breathless, at that little kiss, but he finds a noise too akin a husky moan tumbling out of his mouth when his real name is called. He can feel the pleasure of it reverberating through his very bones, making him dizzy to the point he has to close his eyes for a long moment. He's desperately in love, and his body moves on its own, trembling when Xie Lian takes the initiative to hold him and snuggle so close, filling the gap that had been so wide and so cold these long, endless days.
His arms wind around his shoulders, a large hand cradling the back of his head to keep him in place against his neck, keep him warm and safe. He buries his nose in his hair, breathes him in because it's the only oxygen he needs. ] Dianxia...
[ He presses a soft peck to the parting of his locks, but like the one to his ear, it's just the tip of the well; there's an infinite depth of fondness below, poured into his beloved. He could hold him like that forever, melt into him.
He decides to step back only once he feels that Xie Lian's skin is growing increasingly colder; after all the rain they soaked, the contact with Hua Cheng isn't bound to help, for the ghost doesn't carry much warmth.
Just a step between them and the familiar takes his pants off without feigning any modesty. ] I'll step in first and you can fit against me. It's bound to be more comfortable like that. [ He offers cheekily, not waiting for a reply before making it into the small tub and sitting down. Long legs part and he invites the other in like it's the simplest thing in the world. ]