[ it took painfully long, for the elements to align and the moon eclipse to finally approach. hua cheng can't say he didn't appreciate his time as a cat; he's aware that he got close to xie lian more quickly than his human form would've allowed, not to mention he was indulged in ways he would've otherwise only imagined.
but he's glad he can finally feel his power creeping in, tingling pleasantly under his skin like electricity. this form means he'll be stronger, he'll manage to defend xie lian even better, until he's completely oblivious to the risks and threats around him because hua cheng has obliterated them. he will also be able to infuse more luck into him, whether he needs it or not.
hua cheng can't deny though, there are selfish reasons too. he wants xie lian to look at him, the real him. he wants to answer him when his name is called. he wants to touch him and hold him in his arms and... ah-- hua cheng can't help picturing all sorts of affection. it's taboo between master and servant bound by the kind of contract they share. and yet he's greedy, to the point that he sometimes influences xie lian's dreams until his blurry outline appears in them, cuddling the older to his chest and kissing the top of his head. he doubts xie lian remembers those dreams, because he never mentions them.
hua cheng stirs from his curled position on top of the covers and stretches deep, yawning as even his pointy ears press against the top of his head. he feels power expanding at every inch of the moon that's cast in shadow. the moment the pale surface is swallowed by darkness, hua cheng turns.
endlessly long, inky black hair pools on the blanket and slips down from the edge of the bed; fair, lean limbs stretch, long and strong legs, a chiseled abdomen and a wide back; his thin lips curl into a taunting smile, while mismatched eyes shine of their own light. hua cheng is naked and he tangles his legs in the topmost cover so his modesty will be hidden by it, without him getting into physical contact with his master.
languidly laying on his side, his gaze is enamoured, as he presses his elbow on the pillow and leans his face against the heel of his hand. the red string xie lian tied to his paw is still there, around his middle finger, and so is the collar around his neck. his free hand cards through xie lian's smooth hair as the moon frees itself from the cage of shadow, flooding the room in pale light. hua cheng is so excited that his power near crackles under his skin.
he feels a deep shiver when he accidentally grazes the other's ear and he doesn't know if it's the intensity of his attraction, or their bond shivering in pleasure at how they're connected even more deeply now. ]
( the first moon cycle met familiar and master with some trial and error: finding out how far (not very) they could be from each other at any given moment, learning as that distance increased as xie lian adjusted to their awakened bond and the fluxes of magic not his own. in this time, xie lian did manage to acquire clothes that actually fit hua cheng, simple robes in a red that suited him, the black edging a natural accent that fit with his hair. "ah it suits san lang so well!" xie lian had said, hands smoothing the fabric at his shoulders briefly before peering up at him, beaming. and then he'd felt his face flush and he'd looked away, making one last neatening adjustment before stepping back.
throughout it all, xie lian has continued his normal daily life: going around collecting discards from the local and also neighboring towns' people, everything from scrap paper (for spells or even recipes) to wood or too old fruit or vegetables. once or twice, especially at the time closer to hua cheng's awakening, the sick feeling was enormous and even though xie lian didn't show it outwardly, he was reminded each time that hua cheng knew anyway; that's how their bond works, after all.
in a new moon cycle, some of the growing pains of their bond have already smoothed out, and although they can be farther apart without discomfort or even pain, they are most often together. xie lian understands that hua cheng prefers it this way, given both his role and his feelings, and if xie lian lets himself be selfish he can admit it silently to himself: he prefers it too, even if he also does not want to trouble him.
aside from collecting others' trash or discards, xie lian has been slowly taking odd jobs. they sometimes pay in small amounts of money or food or other goods, and xie lian isn't picky. even with his magic sealed and his fortune dispelled, he is yet a magic user. it is a permanent aspect of his make, body and heart. ruoye helped before, and now hua cheng helps a great deal. where xie lian's qi is not enough, he finds himself even more grateful for these two.
but sometimes he thinks it would be better if he had taken a request alone.
today is one of those times.
the request had been to take care of what the local townspeople thought of as a haunting, and they weren't exactly wrong. ghosts, low level but still trouble especially for non magic users, but released in waves that were too specific to be random. for xie lian, having never met the rumored night touring green lantern, he does not even now realize he knows very well who this is. indeed he had not known of him at all until recently. but none of that really registers as xie lian's footfalls come to the briefest pause. the system of caverns used to be mined for some kind of ore and other resources. the walls glow incandescent in a way that might be beautiful if there weren't so much blood staining many surfaces.
at the center, where someone once sat or perhaps still sits sometimes, a statue sits with its wrists bound behind its back.
ascended magic users are as close as this world might come to something like gods, capable of more than ordinary mortals but not inhuman, still living, though in xie lian's case unable to die. a fact he does not actively think about unless pushed to it. but their magic is read as a kind of guiding pillar at its height. it is only natural when such a person is branded and banished, that the misfortune that fell on those who flocked to his image, would then blame him for that misfortune. once regarded as a "prince" among magic users, flower crowned, known for walking barefoot everywhere and people would say that flowers bloomed under his steps, a path paradise bound.
building statues to funnel their disappointment, their hate, their bad luck, anything of ill, into, was an act of desperation.
xie lian doesn't blame them.
but he doesn't want hua cheng to see it.
the second his eyes recognize the stone figure ahead, he grabs hua cheng's sleeve to forcibly swing him around. it's not subtle, and he's not trying to be. even now, as much as xie lian wants to redirect them, he doesn't invoke what he could with hua cheng: the obedience of a familiar to its master. he has no interest in such a thing when instead he could have hua cheng's trust and love given of his own accord. but the hand curled in hua cheng's sleeve trembles slightly as he tugs, smiling only about half as he peers up at him, trying to pull him at the same time. )
[ It's a few hours they've been walking on this field, gathering herbs to be turned into concoctions or dried. Hua Cheng stands far from Xie Lian, nearly the most distance he can keep without their bodies physically hurting. The discomfort is there, prickles at his soul like pins and needles, cries softly in the back of his mind, but the familiar pretends he can't feel it. It's better not to be too close, it's surely what Xie Lian prefers.
Nothing has technically changed ever since that day Hua Cheng lost control on his powers, the shock and misery of having to see a statue of misfortune breaking him despite his years. Yet, his bond with Xie Lian doesn't feel the same anymore. It's like walking on the same path you know, but suddenly the surroundings are blurry, and an unsettling quietness lingers all around. It's not like Xie Lian has been keeping him out, their connection lingers, and yet Hua Cheng cannot reach the same depth, like the other is keeping him at a safe distance.
His familiar cannot blame him, that day is a mixture of fractured memories and instinctive decisions, not necessarily right. He decided to worship Xie Lian and show him how pleasure felt like, given by someone who cares earnestly about him, someone who wants him free of constraints, unlike Jun Wu. But it was a one-sided decision. Xie Lian had never asked.
Maybe Xie Lian thought him out of place, or blasphemous. Maybe Xie Lian loves Jun Wu better than his familiar and would rather follow his teachings, with how long the sovereign has been around his master —he hasn't realized, after all, how many times he'd met Hua Cheng before, in a variety of different faces, and the younger doesn't mean to tell him. Hua Cheng knows that he should be thankful: Xie Lian in his graciousness has decided not to scold or punish him, simply keep him a little further. But he finds himself selfish and he hasn't been able to control the sadness that's infected his mood recently.
He has retreated into his mind, concerned about his every action and how it'll be read, growing if not timid, conscious, self-despisal flared up in return for what he perceives like rejection. He's quiet as his gaze goes through the grass and wild flowers, looking for medicinal ones, not even caring about the drizzle that's growing more insistent by the minute. He hasn't even resorted to magic and his long hair has grown shiny and damp, his red robes darker in a few spots.
His boots jingle at each careful step, until he stops and crouches by a white flower, shielding it with his large hand. It reminds him of a certain someone who's not far, gathering herbs in a basket. He smiles and caresses its petals with a finger, infusing it with magic to ensure its well-being, before he sighs and reaches to pluck closeby dandelions, rubbing wet soil from the roots. His fingers are plenty dirty and smeared with mud by the time he reaches Xie Lian. ]
Gege, I found dandelions for tea. Both flowers and roots. I'm sure you'll be able to trade it easily. [ He smiles sweetly as he places them in the basket, not giving any reaction even as their bond tingles with relief. His gaze sweeps over the thin chain around the other's graceful neck, carrying the ring that he had the older find the day after their shared affection. His master has never taken it off since, despite not knowing its meaning.
Hua Cheng looks down and away, not even catching Xie Lian's eyes despite yearning for it, scared what he'd find there. He asks, obedient and well-behaved: ] What else do you need?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
will be edited as i add other TLs
for additional rows
as discussed, witch/familiar au
but he's glad he can finally feel his power creeping in, tingling pleasantly under his skin like electricity. this form means he'll be stronger, he'll manage to defend xie lian even better, until he's completely oblivious to the risks and threats around him because hua cheng has obliterated them. he will also be able to infuse more luck into him, whether he needs it or not.
hua cheng can't deny though, there are selfish reasons too. he wants xie lian to look at him, the real him. he wants to answer him when his name is called. he wants to touch him and hold him in his arms and... ah-- hua cheng can't help picturing all sorts of affection. it's taboo between master and servant bound by the kind of contract they share. and yet he's greedy, to the point that he sometimes influences xie lian's dreams until his blurry outline appears in them, cuddling the older to his chest and kissing the top of his head. he doubts xie lian remembers those dreams, because he never mentions them.
hua cheng stirs from his curled position on top of the covers and stretches deep, yawning as even his pointy ears press against the top of his head. he feels power expanding at every inch of the moon that's cast in shadow. the moment the pale surface is swallowed by darkness, hua cheng turns.
endlessly long, inky black hair pools on the blanket and slips down from the edge of the bed; fair, lean limbs stretch, long and strong legs, a chiseled abdomen and a wide back; his thin lips curl into a taunting smile, while mismatched eyes shine of their own light. hua cheng is naked and he tangles his legs in the topmost cover so his modesty will be hidden by it, without him getting into physical contact with his master.
languidly laying on his side, his gaze is enamoured, as he presses his elbow on the pillow and leans his face against the heel of his hand. the red string xie lian tied to his paw is still there, around his middle finger, and so is the collar around his neck. his free hand cards through xie lian's smooth hair as the moon frees itself from the cage of shadow, flooding the room in pale light. hua cheng is so excited that his power near crackles under his skin.
he feels a deep shiver when he accidentally grazes the other's ear and he doesn't know if it's the intensity of his attraction, or their bond shivering in pleasure at how they're connected even more deeply now. ]
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( familiar verse | statue of misfortune )
throughout it all, xie lian has continued his normal daily life: going around collecting discards from the local and also neighboring towns' people, everything from scrap paper (for spells or even recipes) to wood or too old fruit or vegetables. once or twice, especially at the time closer to hua cheng's awakening, the sick feeling was enormous and even though xie lian didn't show it outwardly, he was reminded each time that hua cheng knew anyway; that's how their bond works, after all.
in a new moon cycle, some of the growing pains of their bond have already smoothed out, and although they can be farther apart without discomfort or even pain, they are most often together. xie lian understands that hua cheng prefers it this way, given both his role and his feelings, and if xie lian lets himself be selfish he can admit it silently to himself: he prefers it too, even if he also does not want to trouble him.
aside from collecting others' trash or discards, xie lian has been slowly taking odd jobs. they sometimes pay in small amounts of money or food or other goods, and xie lian isn't picky. even with his magic sealed and his fortune dispelled, he is yet a magic user. it is a permanent aspect of his make, body and heart. ruoye helped before, and now hua cheng helps a great deal. where xie lian's qi is not enough, he finds himself even more grateful for these two.
but sometimes he thinks it would be better if he had taken a request alone.
today is one of those times.
the request had been to take care of what the local townspeople thought of as a haunting, and they weren't exactly wrong. ghosts, low level but still trouble especially for non magic users, but released in waves that were too specific to be random. for xie lian, having never met the rumored night touring green lantern, he does not even now realize he knows very well who this is. indeed he had not known of him at all until recently. but none of that really registers as xie lian's footfalls come to the briefest pause. the system of caverns used to be mined for some kind of ore and other resources. the walls glow incandescent in a way that might be beautiful if there weren't so much blood staining many surfaces.
at the center, where someone once sat or perhaps still sits sometimes, a statue sits with its wrists bound behind its back.
ascended magic users are as close as this world might come to something like gods, capable of more than ordinary mortals but not inhuman, still living, though in xie lian's case unable to die. a fact he does not actively think about unless pushed to it. but their magic is read as a kind of guiding pillar at its height. it is only natural when such a person is branded and banished, that the misfortune that fell on those who flocked to his image, would then blame him for that misfortune. once regarded as a "prince" among magic users, flower crowned, known for walking barefoot everywhere and people would say that flowers bloomed under his steps, a path paradise bound.
building statues to funnel their disappointment, their hate, their bad luck, anything of ill, into, was an act of desperation.
xie lian doesn't blame them.
but he doesn't want hua cheng to see it.
the second his eyes recognize the stone figure ahead, he grabs hua cheng's sleeve to forcibly swing him around. it's not subtle, and he's not trying to be. even now, as much as xie lian wants to redirect them, he doesn't invoke what he could with hua cheng: the obedience of a familiar to its master. he has no interest in such a thing when instead he could have hua cheng's trust and love given of his own accord. but the hand curled in hua cheng's sleeve trembles slightly as he tugs, smiling only about half as he peers up at him, trying to pull him at the same time. )
Let's try another direction, San Lang.
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( familiar verse | gathering herbs )
Nothing has technically changed ever since that day Hua Cheng lost control on his powers, the shock and misery of having to see a statue of misfortune breaking him despite his years. Yet, his bond with Xie Lian doesn't feel the same anymore. It's like walking on the same path you know, but suddenly the surroundings are blurry, and an unsettling quietness lingers all around. It's not like Xie Lian has been keeping him out, their connection lingers, and yet Hua Cheng cannot reach the same depth, like the other is keeping him at a safe distance.
His familiar cannot blame him, that day is a mixture of fractured memories and instinctive decisions, not necessarily right. He decided to worship Xie Lian and show him how pleasure felt like, given by someone who cares earnestly about him, someone who wants him free of constraints, unlike Jun Wu. But it was a one-sided decision. Xie Lian had never asked.
Maybe Xie Lian thought him out of place, or blasphemous. Maybe Xie Lian loves Jun Wu better than his familiar and would rather follow his teachings, with how long the sovereign has been around his master —he hasn't realized, after all, how many times he'd met Hua Cheng before, in a variety of different faces, and the younger doesn't mean to tell him. Hua Cheng knows that he should be thankful: Xie Lian in his graciousness has decided not to scold or punish him, simply keep him a little further. But he finds himself selfish and he hasn't been able to control the sadness that's infected his mood recently.
He has retreated into his mind, concerned about his every action and how it'll be read, growing if not timid, conscious, self-despisal flared up in return for what he perceives like rejection. He's quiet as his gaze goes through the grass and wild flowers, looking for medicinal ones, not even caring about the drizzle that's growing more insistent by the minute. He hasn't even resorted to magic and his long hair has grown shiny and damp, his red robes darker in a few spots.
His boots jingle at each careful step, until he stops and crouches by a white flower, shielding it with his large hand. It reminds him of a certain someone who's not far, gathering herbs in a basket. He smiles and caresses its petals with a finger, infusing it with magic to ensure its well-being, before he sighs and reaches to pluck closeby dandelions, rubbing wet soil from the roots. His fingers are plenty dirty and smeared with mud by the time he reaches Xie Lian. ]
Gege, I found dandelions for tea. Both flowers and roots. I'm sure you'll be able to trade it easily. [ He smiles sweetly as he places them in the basket, not giving any reaction even as their bond tingles with relief. His gaze sweeps over the thin chain around the other's graceful neck, carrying the ring that he had the older find the day after their shared affection. His master has never taken it off since, despite not knowing its meaning.
Hua Cheng looks down and away, not even catching Xie Lian's eyes despite yearning for it, scared what he'd find there. He asks, obedient and well-behaved: ] What else do you need?
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