westwhere | say you're good, say you're fine

He's not here, [ he agrees softly, brows knitting as he glances down at his thumb against the dark blots against that slender throat. ] If you ask it of me, I'll break them again. But.. [ he hesitates, eye lifting to meet his husband's again. ] I don't want to leave you alone that long again. [ it was one thing at home, once things were resolved and his highness was safe.. but here? nothing is guaranteed here. there are powers here possibly beyond both of them.

it's a dilemma, truthfully. with his husband's power returned to him, he'd certainly be safer and more capable of protecting himself on his own, but there are things that a ghost is simply more well-equipped to deal with than a god. and even beyond that.. even beyond that, xie lian doesn't much like it when hua cheng displays how dismissive of his own existence he is.

he curls his own arms around the other man, holding him as closely as he's being held, fingers curling in the scarlet robe still draped over his husband's shoulders. ] There are other creatures here that might have had a hand in fettering you. These.. dead lords.. [ 'dead lords' indeed. ]

No.

[As soon as Hua Cheng mentions breaking them again, the answer fuses, firm and definitive. No, they're not doing this again. Yes, it would be more practical if he could access all of his power, but...]

I live with them for hundreds of years. I can function with them just fine. Besides, now that you're here, you can give me a boost if I need more power. There aren't many people powerful enough here for me to borrow any, but I still managed anyway. I've done it before.

[And, truth be told, that might be why he also hasn't looked too deeply into how or why the shackles reappeared.]

There are two cultivators who have been looking into them to see if they can do something, but of course, they can't find a solution rapidly, given the source of this. That's fine. I was here without you long enough. I don't want you to disappear as soon as you got here, even if I'd rather you hadn't been dragged here.

[Around Xie Lian's neck, there is the shackle, but also the chain with the crystal ring, nestled safely against his chest. One of the reasons he wasn't worried while alone here was that he had the ring, and thus he knew Hua Cheng was alright.]

I don't know if those undead might have done that. But they do have strange powers. Most of them are on par with you for power at the very least, I would say, and some more powerful. And we've had our memories tampered with a few times, so it's possible one of them could have known about this and tried it, but if they did, I don't know which one and how.

... Has anyone explained in more details what is going on here?

[ he can't help but smile at the firm refusal, a part of him forever just a little flustered that his husband so obviously missed him. if they live for thousands of years together, he's not certain he'll ever not be surprised and grateful every time he's reminded of how much xie lian loves him. ]

As his highness wishes, [ he reassures him, pressing his lips to the other man's brow. it's both reassuring and concerning to think that there are cultivators looking into breaking the shackles. of course others should want to help xie lian. but hua cheng doesn't like not knowing who they are or what they've been attempting. ]

I've been told a bit about these creatures. [ the human by the water's edge had mentioned them. ] I know that they might have some influence on me. [ as a dead man himself. but it's like he'd said to that young man, isn't it? whatever influence they have or don't have on him, he'll not make any of it easy on them. if he's done nothing else over the course of his life and death, he's fought. he's fought to live, fought to protect the man he loved, fought his nature, his despair, his pain. at times, he'd known nothing else. so if anyone thinks hua cheng is a soft target, well.. they'll swiftly find otherwise.

he winds fingers absently in the damp hair at xie lian's nape, fingers dragging gently through the long strands, a considering hum in his throat. ] I've also done a bit of research of my own. [ because of course he had. ] But I'd rather hear what you want me to know.

... It's going to take a long time. I arrived here more than two years ago.

[And true, he'd sort of forgotten that Hua Cheng being dead meant he might be unduly influenced, something he himself had no worries about. Xie Lian is going to have to be careful about that. He can be just as protective of Hua Cheng as Hua Cheng is of him.

He gives a small sigh, and tugs on Hua Cheng's underrobe.]

Are you going to keep your clothes on in the bath? There's no one else here...

[Already, he's removing the red robes from his own shoulders, and preparing to do the same with the white robe he has underneath. He understand the needs for modesty's sake but wet fabric is not very comfortable.]

Two years. [ he's angry, of course. how could he be anything else? but anger isn't really going to serve either of them here, so instead he moves his hands to help his highness with his robes, fingers lingering anywhere they brush bare skin-- teasing a bit, admittedly. ]

Gege's so eager to get me naked, [ he croons, kissing him again, brief and playful. ] Have you missed your husband that much? [ he knows he has. two years apart.. it's so much longer, even, than they'd been apart after hua cheng had disappeared.

he can't deny his god anything, of course, much less something so pleasant as this. so his hands slide away from the other man's skin, instead reaching to begin removing his clothing. once he's completely bare, cool white skin not even flushed in the steamy air, he reaches behind his head to twist his hair up into a knot, producing a hair stick from seemingly thin air to slide it through the messy strands. after a moment of hesitation, he even unlaces the eyepatch and sets it aside, leaving his empty eyelid behind. he doesn't mind his husband seeing it, of course, and he's relying on lan xichen to be certain no one else walks in on them. ]

Of course I missed you, silly. I always miss you when you're not with me.

[He's good at rationalizing it when there is no way to solve the situation, but now that Hua Cheng is here, he can let himself feel how much he missed him for the past years.

... Also he's not going to deny wanting to see his husband naked, because, well who wouldn't, and that is very natural, and anyway, he's blushing again.

But still firmly catching Hua Cheng's hand to lead the way to the bath, and holding on even as he slips down into the water.]

The undead... We have to be careful about how they might influence you. You're powerful enough it might be a struggle for most of them to even try, but they'll probably still try.

[ he breathes a familiar laugh at the sight of his husband's blush, fingers curling with the other man's as his hand is caught. he squeezes once, reassuring, letting himself be lead into the bath and lowering himself into the hot water alongside his highness.

he frees his hand a moment later, though, instead reaching with both arms to curl them around xie lian again, closing the already minimal amount of space between them. as he does so, he slides one of his legs between the other man's to tangle them together more fully, grateful all over again that his husband remembers him. he had been prepared to keep his distance, of course-- he'd done so for centuries, after all. but after creating a life together at home, the thought of no longer having that had stung more than he likes to admit.

he knows he doesn't really deserve xie lian or his love, considering what he is and what he's done to survive, but ultimately, he's too selfish to want to give this up. ]

I'll be alright, [ he reassures him, easy and unconcerned. his fingers wander ticklishly up his husband's side, tracing the gentle slope of muscle under soft skin, familiar smile crooked on his mouth. ] And even if I'm not, gege will look after me. And if I become dangerous to you.. [ he trails off, fingers trailing up xie lian's chest to hook one in the chain around his neck and the pretty ring it's laced through. ] .. you know how to stop me.

[Xie Lian is more than happy to press as much naked skin against his husband's, and it takes all but a few seconds for him to completely relax. He's always been safe and loved in this embrace.

He does squirm a little under inquisitive fingers, but in private like this, he welcomes any touches, leans into them.

But as usual, any suggestion that might mean Hua Cheng's disappearance is met with firm rejection.]

No. It won't come to that. I won't let it come to that.

They're powerful, but they're not invincible. We've killed some of them already. If any of them try to take control of you...

[Well, some of Xie Lian's friends here have been treated to his show of strength, even limited by the shackles, but if that were to happen, they might see him go absolutely feral.]

It won't come to that. I don't want to hear you say that again.

Edited 2023-06-09 16:48 (UTC)

[ hua cheng takes his service to his husband, his god, quite seriously, of course, but there's no denying that he finds it extremely attractive when xie lian gets a bit possessive, a bit protective, himself. truthfully, he's the only one who's ever tried to protect hua cheng from anything, and it can be a little overwhelming, too.

still, though he believes absolutely in his husband, and he's fairly confident in his own abilities, he will destroy his own ashes before he hurts xie lian. he can do, is happy to do, whatever his husband likes: everything but that.

hands gentle against the other man's sides, he leans in to kiss him again, tender and apologetic for the upsetting words. ] Then I'll rely on you, gege, to keep me out of their hands.

[The gentle kiss is met with a slightly more aggressive one from Xie Lian, nipping at Hua Cheng's lips and tongue.

Really, there aren't many people capable of getting under his skin, but Hua Cheng certainly can.]

The man who started this... I don't know yet if he's alive, or dead, or something in between. But he was once just a mortal man, who lose someone dear to him. And we both know the kind of despair this can drive someone to.

As for these...

[He trails his own fingers across the cursed shackle on his neck.]

They don't feel any different than what they felt like before, and the effect appears to be exactly the same, so I'm quite used to that. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are looking into them. I don't know if they can do anything, but...

[What mortal can undo what the most powerful ghost made, after all? And yet, Xie Lian doesn't want to discount the attempt. He knows better than to underestimate human tenacity.]

They don't bother me much. And now that you're here, it'll be easier to borrow power if needed. There wasn't really anyone around who could give me near enough. So you see, we'll be fine.

Edited 2023-06-11 19:48 (UTC)

[ he goes a little weak at the nipping, aggressive kiss, but does his best not to make it too apparent. instead, he hums a noise to show he's listening, pressing a kiss to his husband's neck, then to his shoulder, nosing at the wet skin as he considers the information given, committing those names to memory. ]

You'll introduce us? [ he expects so. and even if he doesn't, well, hua cheng will keep tabs on them his own way.

he lifts xie lian onto his lap, looping his arms around his waist and resting his cheek on his shoulder, fingers curling against his belly. ] .. I don't like anyone trying to.. limit you. But yes, we'll be fine. You can take as much from me as you need.

Of course!

Lan Wangji is Lan Xichen's younger brother, and Wei Wuxian is... well I would say he's Lan Wangji's husband, and they probably both would say it's complicated. They're definitely soulmates.

[Xie Lian makes a small surprised sound as he's manhandled onto Hua Cheng's lap, which turns into a soft giggle and petting Hua Cheng's damp hair.]

Thank you.

...Now let me look at you. I haven't seen you in so long.

[He's going to cup Hua Cheng's face, so he can scrutinize him for a bit. Surely his husband will allow him to.]

say you're good, say you're fine

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