Archive of Our Own ^beta

Birds chirped in the light of a dawning sun, the air crisp with dew and promise. Settling his jacket into place, Lie Yan grabbed the pocket book he had taken to carrying and a stub of a pencil.

Then, after tying off his shoes, he took the new towels he had requested and secured them with some twine around his lower legs.

Now they wouldn’t get wet.

He couldn’t handle it when they were wet, it was too much like -

Lie Yan shook his head, rattling the thoughts and memories from it with a deep breath, and he set out into the new day. A day which promised to be just like yesterday. And yesterday’s yesterday. And that yesterday too.

It was why, as much as it had grated him at the time, Lie Yan now found a small amount of peace in the mundanity. The predictability.

Sure, it got boring at times but -

He shook his head again, focusing instead on the sound of his footsteps on the hard, dry road leading him into town.

With the sun just having said its last goodbyes to the horizon, Lie Yan entered the town, the market already bustling with stalls and shops and patrons. He strolled through, eyes immediately scanning everyone and everything, brain cataloging as he went.

He couldn’t stop the habit if he tried.

And of course he wouldn’t try, he was due to go back to the agency soon.

Wasn’t he?

He frowned, eyes falling to his own footsteps as he drew into his thoughts. Which is why he failed to notice the person also not paying mind to their surroundings coming right for him, carrying a basket of goods.

The next Lie Yan knew, he collided with something warm and shorter than him, though if the brief press of their bodies as they fell was anything to tell by, just as strong. Next his elbow made its acquaintance with the dirt road, followed by a hand, and thankfully not his head.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” The other person scrambled from where they had fallen, shuffling over to Lie Yan on their knees, grabbing his arm and pulling him up to sitting.

The quick motion caused the world to swim, Lie Yan swaying where he sat, legs sprawled in front of him. He blinked, and into clarity swam the most handsome man he had ever seen. A small gasp from Lie Yan caused the man to frown and lift a hand to run it over Lie Yan’s hair, fingers gently probing around the back of his head.

“Did you hit your head?”

Lie Yan shook it. “No, no. I’m quite alright.”

“I am so sorry, I was distracted and ran straight into you.”

Another shake of his head. “I was equally distracted, and equally at fault. Please accept my apology as well.”

They quickly stood, dusting what dirt they could off of themselves and Lie Yan patting his pockets to check for his book and pencil. The man sorted through the contents of the basket, brow furrowed in concentration.

‘ Cute.’

Lie Yan blinked. Where had that thought come from?

“Please, let me make this up to you.” The man was saying, basket secure in his grasp once more and sunshine beaming from his face. “I own the hotpot restaurant just down the road. Come by anytime for a meal, on me.”

“Oh, I couldn’t -”

“Of course you can.”

Lie Yan’s mouth closed with a snap, and he gave a small nod. He received another beaming smile in return.

“Perfect, now please excuse me.” he bowed, and vanished into the crowd.

Lie Yan stared after him. ‘ What just happened?’

The day turned into night which dawned into another day and then another and another.

And Lie Yan stayed at his cottage. If he dared to leave at all, his steps turned away from the town, to the broader countryside.

Of course, he told himself he wasn’t avoiding any particular person. That would be preposterous. And unnecessary. He was, after all, one of the top ranking field agents for his organization. He had no need to.

After nearly a week of this litany, he almost believed it.

Almost.

With another three days he potentially could have fully convinced himself so.

If fate had not decided to intervene.

So it was that for the second time in just under a week, Lie Yan found himself sprawled on the ground, head having met dirt this time, blinking up at the same man who made him fall before.

“It’s you!” The man beamed down at him, eyes disappearing into crescents with the size of his smile. “Oh, I’ve been hoping to see you again.”

Lie Yan accepted the offered hand to help him sit and appreciated the steadying grip on his shoulder as the world spun.

The man frowned, fingers grazing across the back of Lie Yan’s neck. Lie Yan chose to ignore the shudder which ran through him at the contact, focusing instead on what the man was saying.

“You hit your head this time.”

“I’m fine.”

“You aren’t.”

“I am.” He moved to push himself to his feet, a wave of dizziness sending the world into chaos once more. The hand gripping his shoulder tightened.

“You aren’t. See? You’ve hit your head.” The man held up fingers kissed with fresh, warm red.

And that was all it took.

In the next breath, Lie Yan was soaked simultaneously in the hottest and coldest forms of liquid he could imagine, hands hovering, trembling, and useless above the fresh body of his -

Something landing on his back and beginning to run in circles on it pulled Lie Yan back. He blinked rapidly, lifting his head slightly to meet the concerned eyes of the man.

“You should come back with me so we can get your head looked at and some food in you.”

Lie Yan shook his head, ignoring the nausea that induced and pushing words from his mouth instead. “No, no, that is - unnecessary, - I assure you.”

Lie Yan bit his lip in order to keep in the barking laugh at the utterly unimpressed look he was leveled with.

“This is twice I have knocked you over, and you are now injured. If I do not get you seen to, then what kind of face will I have from this point on?” The man pouted, and something inside Lie Yan eased and thawed a bit.

“Alright.”

Carefully and together they got Lie Yan to his feet, an arm around the man’s shoulders and the other holding the basket the man had been carrying.

Lunch had long passed by the time they arrived at the hot pot restaurant.

Lie Yan settled at a table near the kitchen, out of the way, and allowed his eyes to close and rest as the man rushed off for the doctor.

What seemed like mere moments later Lie Yan’s shoulder was being gently shaken. He blinked his eyes open to meet the sweet brown ones of the man. Eyes which immediately relaxed their worry and crinkled.

“This is Po-yisheng, he’s gonna check your head while I get you something to eat.”

“Nothing too spicy.” Po-yisheng instructed. Ming Xia nodded, patting Lie Yan’s shoulder, and disappeared into the kitchen.

“Thank you for your time, Po-yisheng.” Lie Yan tried to stand to bow properly, but the doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into the seat before he could.

“Of course, of course. Head injuries aren’t to be trifled with. It is the back of your head?”

“It is.”

Lie Yan sat still, barely able to hide the wincing as the doctor stood behind, pressing fingers into his scalp and humming.

“It doesn’t appear to be too serious,” Po-yisheng announced after looking at Lie Yan’s eyes. “A small cut along with a bump, and head wounds bleed so much, it’s no wonder Xiao Xia was so concerned. Rest, and if you get nauseous or dizzy, send for me.”

“Thank you, yisheng.”

“Oh, that’s great, thank you, yisheng.”

A bowl of noodles, meat, and a lot of oil was set in front of Lie Yan. He glanced up to see the man…Xia? the doctor had said, shaking hands and showing the doctor out. He came back to sit in the chair next to Lie Yan, motioning at the food.

“Eat up, eat up. It’ll settle your head.”

The aroma, strong as it was to Lie Yan’s nose, was enticing. A hint of spiciness lying behind more earthy aromas. Lie Yan picked up the pair of chopsticks which had been set next to him and gathered some noodles.

‘ Oh. ’ His mouth was met with the interesting blend of spices and so much oil, he wondered if he’d be able to taste anything else after.

“How do you like it?” the man practically vibrated in his seat, eyes having not left Lie Yan the whole time.

Lie Yan swallowed his mouthful, dabbing at his lips with his napkin and nodded, enjoying the warmth spreading through him. “It’s quite good, thank you.”

Another beaming smile, one so big as to turn the eyes into crescents. “Excellent. Then you must come often, maybe if we see each other regularly fate will stop making us run into each other.”

‘ How absurd,’ Lie Yan thought even as he chuckled around another mouthful. Swallowing and wiping his mouth, Lie Yan turned to face this Xia, and bowed in his seat. “Thank you for your hospitality and understanding about our encounters. I’m Lie Yan.”

Another beaming smile, this one accompanied by a nose scronch. “I’m Ming Xia.” He returned the bow.

‘ Ming Xia. How cute.’

Lie Yan let out a groan as he stretched, fresh from waking, and rubbed his eyes. Sunlight already filled his room, and dread pierced his heart.

‘ I’m late.’

He hurried to dress and in his haste, left his pocketbook and pencil.

Without running, Lie Yan with long, quick strides rushed into town, to Ming Xia’s hot pot restaurant, and with a slight ease of his heart, sat at what had become his normal table after just two weekly visits.

“There you are.” Ming Xia appeared next to him, food already ready. He set it all before Lie Yan, taking any chance he could to brush his fingers across Lie Yan’s arm or shoulder. “I was starting to get worried.”

Lie Yan hummed, keeping his gaze down. “I’m sorry to cause you to do so.”

Ming Xia sat, leaning forward to study Lie Yan. “Are you alright?”

“Of course.” Lie Yan fumbled the chopsticks as he picked them up, one dropping to the ground. He quickly bent to grab it, narrowly missing Ming Xia’s head as he did the same. They shared a small laugh, Ming Xia taking the other chopstick from Lie Yan and vanishing to get him a new pair.

“Excuse me?” A young girl stood in the doorway, eyes red and cheeks wet. Lie Yan watched as one of the servers talked with her before walking back to the kitchens. Ming Xia hurried out, giving Lie Yan a quick smile as he gave him new chopsticks, then went over to the little girl, crouching in front of her to talk. Lie Yan watched as Ming Xia nodded and took the girl’s hand, leading her over to his table.

“Lie-xiansheng, could you watch her for a few minutes while we finish the order for her family?”

Lie Yan stared at Ming Xia, eyes wide, but nodded in spite of the nervous sweat which broke out.

The smile he received was worth it, nerves instantly calming from the light and warmth. “Perfect, thank you. It’ll only be a short time.”

The little girl stared up at Lie Yan, who stared back. He was unsure of what she saw when after a few drawn out seconds she smiled, giggled, and waved.

Something in him eased, though, and he returned the smile, vaguely noting the undyed clothes she wore from head to foot.

“Hello ge! I’m Li Ming.”

Lie Yan chuckled, returning her small bow. “Hello Li-mei. I’m Lie Yan.”

She giggled again, before she started rambling about the sorts of things that only small children can ramble about. Lie Yan sipped at his tea, nerves slowly creeping back as he really studied her.

“Li-mei. here you go, the food is all ready. Ju-jie will help you home, alright.” Ming Xia appeared, crouching next to Li Ming. The girl nodded, threw her arms around his neck in a hug, and followed one of the servers out of the restaurant.

Ming Xia took her seat, facing Lie Yan after they were gone. His expression quickly clouded with worry. “Lie-xiansheng?”

Lie Yan set the tea cup on the table, flinching at how sharply the ceramic rang out in the buzzing air of the restaurant. He stared at the pooling liquid which had splashed out as it raced across the table top. “She was getting food for a funeral?”

“She was.”

Lie Yan’s throat restricted, breathes becoming harsh as he fought the sudden constricting weight around his lungs. He could vaguely hear Ming Xia call him again, but Lie Yan couldn’t look at him. If he looked at him, he’d see him just like he saw his partner on his last assignment, soaked in the bright red of life seeping out of him and being washed away by the cold cruelty of the world, no matter how Lie Yan tried to stop it.

A weight on his shoulder, and Lie Yan gasped, the breath he inhaled sounding like that first breath of a drowning man. Blinking rapidly, he managed to glance up at Ming Xia, eyes burning.

“Lie Yan?”

Lie Yan shook his head, chair falling back as he stood and ran.

Eyes already clouded with hot tears, Lie Yan failed to notice when the rain began, drop after drop, mixing and clearing the salty water already on his cheeks. A small part of his mind thought that Ming Xia was following him, shouting, but it failed to get itself noticed over the memories.

The chasm which he had been pushed into then reopened now, and as he stumbled on the dirt road quickly turning to mud, Lie Yan fell again.

He coughed as mud entered his mouth, curling into a tight ball,hands over ears and eyes squeezed shut. ‘ No, no, no, no, no.’

When hands suddenly grabbed him, Lie Yan gasped, threw a punch out haphazardly and tried to get to his feet. Whoever had grabbed him anticipated this, however, and Lie Yan found himself restrained against a warm muscled chest wrapped in tight, but comforting arms.

“Lie Yan. Wherever your mind is, you are not there. You are safe. I have you.” 

He pushed against the arms, strained against the grip. “No, no!”

“Lie Yan!”

Lie Yan woke, shivering, but comfortable in his bed. Blearily peeling an eye open, his gaze focused on the fire burning merrily across the room. Muffled voices filtered through the door, taking too much effort to distinguish. 

Instead, he indulged his mind for once, drifting in a way he hadn’t since arriving in the small town.

“Lie-xiansheng, you and Huang-xiansheng are to go undercover.”

Lie Yan accepted the paper with both hands, scanning down it carefully but quickly, memorizing the contents before throwing it into the fire. “Understood, sir.”

“Good. You have two months, be sparing in what you record, and remember. No contact unless it is dire.”

Lie Yan nodded before bowing and leaving.

He had stopped on the way home that afternoon to restock on small notebooks and inks, purchasing some candies as well with a small smile to himself.

Letting the door to the small house thud behind him, a smile instantly grew on Lie Yan’s lips as Huang Li shouted for him. Following the shout, Lie Yan found himself in the kitchen.

“A-Yan.” They exchanged a brief kiss, Huang Li keeping his flour-covered hands away from Lie Yan. “Have you received the new assignment yet?”

“I have, and I’ve already started getting us supplies.” He set the bag of candies on the counter, luxuriating in the laugh it induced.

“Yes, very important supplies, I see.”

“But not the most important.”

Huang Li’s eyes took on a mischievous glint. “No?”

“Mn. Those supplies I’ll show you later.”

The soft click of the door handle pulled Lie Yan back to his body. He blinked and glanced over to see Ming Xia poking his head into the room.

“You’ve woken. Good.”

He entered, closing the door softly before walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed, hand lingering close to where Lie Yan’s rested.

“How are you feeling?”

Lie Yan stared, suddenly finding a lump in his throat as he stared up at this man who encompassed the sun and moon and stars in one form. Who had not just insisted on caring for him after bumping into each other once again, but now sat with concern painted across his face.

“Why are you here?” Lie Yan croaked, trying to clear his throat and accepting the glass of water passed to him.

Ming Xia traced a finger over the blanket close to Lie Yan’s hand. “You don’t have to explain anything you don’t wish to, Lie-xiansheng. Take your time to recover, you were well soaked through by the time I got you here. Po-yisheng has already sent over a prescription.” Ming Xia hesitated, eyes flickering to Lie Yan’s before sliding back down to the space between their hands which was both too large and too small and too much for Lie Yan to handle properly at that moment.

“Ming-xiansheng, why are you here?” Lie Yan’s heart pounded in his ears, nerves which he had  thought had been ripped from him that cold night reigniting and shortening his breath.

Ming Xia opened his mouth, audibly pulling in a breath before shaking his head and offering a smile instead. “Rest, Lie-xiansheng.”

A week later Lie Yan paced in front of the flower shop, cursing himself.

Were they too much?

Were they not enough?

Why was he even considering this, it’s not like he was interested in the vibrant sunbeam of a person that was Ming Xia.

Or was he?

With a final huff and a small stomp of his foot, Lie Yan turned his back on the store and began to walk down the street, intending to avoid the hot pot restaurant and instead find a nice spot in a field in which to relax and sketch in his notebook.

Unfortunately for those plans, but fortunately for Lie Yan, the beaming sunshine of a person appeared from within the flower shop, calling his name.

“Lie-xiansheng!”

Lie Yan stopped, turning to face Ming Xia who hurried over to him. “Ming-xiansheng.”

“You’re feeling recovered then?”

“I am, thank you. And thank you for arranging with Po-yisheng for the medicine, if you let me know the cost I’ll -”

Ming Xia shook his head, hand briefly settling on Lie Yan’s arm to halt his words. “No need, no need. That’s what we do here, take care of each other.”

“I see.”

“Where are you off to?”

“Oh, I was just -” Lie Yan paused, unsure of what to say.

Ming Xia smiled. “Do you have plans, Lie-xiansheng?”

“Just to go relax in a field and write.”

Ming Xia nodded. “Is this the sort of writing journey one would take by themselves?”

And normally, the answer would be yes. It had always been yes. In fact, only ever one person before had made it a no, and that had ended…well. It had ended.

All these thoughts swirled through Lie Yan’s head, but ultimately could not silence the bubble of truth which drifted up from Lie Yan’s heart. 

“No, actually. It’s the sort of journey which begs for a companion.”

“No doubt a peerless beauty.”

“No doubt.”

“And,” Ming Xia made a show of looking around at the surrounding crowd busy in their own days, “do you have such a companion?”

“I will, Ming-xiansheng, if you agree to accompany me.”

That is how Lie Yan found himself in the middle of a field, coat on the ground, notebook and pencil on top of it abandoned, and himself on his feet with Ming Xia in his arms as the other had insisted on attempting to teach him how to dance.

“I’m not particularly skilled yet, so you’ll have to forgive me. My former fiancee had briefly instructed me and we never quite found the time to keep practicing.”

“Former fiancée?”

Ming Xia hummed, focused completely on their feet as he attempted to lead them in a box step without stepping on Lie Yan.

“I see.” Lie Yan could barely remember to move his feet as he stared at Ming Xia. Feeling pressure from Ming Xia’s right hand, Lie Yan attempted to step his left foot back, only for it to catch on the uneven ground and trip him.

He stumbled and fell onto his back, Ming Xia falling on top of him, laughing before they even hit. 

“Lie-xiansheng. What is it with you and the ground that we always end up here?”

Loud laughter poured from Lie Yan as he covered his face with his hands. “Clearly we are tempting fate.”

“Mmm. Have you hit your head again?”

“If I say yes, do I get more of your delicious food?”

Ming Xia grinned, ducking his head. “All you have to do for that is ask. Come on.” He helped Lie Yan to his feet, grabbed their items and Lie Yan’s wrist, and took off running, pulling Lie Yan behind him.

Surprised laughter left Lie Yan nearly as breathless as the warmth of the hand engulfing his wrist. He quickly found his feet, but remained just a step behind Ming Xia until they got to the edge of town. Lie Yan straightened with curiosity as Ming Xia led them away from his restaurant and to an area of the town Lie Yan had not yet ventured.

Small houses surrounded by walled courtyards lined the street, the laughing shrieks of children filling the air as they ran and played. A few waved at Ming Xia as they walked by, and Lie Yan noted that Ming Xia was quick to return every smile and wave until he pushed open a gate and let Lie Yan inside, shutting it behind them.

“You must know everyone in this town.”

Ming Xia laughed, head thrown back and shook his head. “I don’t, although it does sometimes feel that way. Kindness should be repaid with kindness. A smile and a wave are small things to do, but they can mean the world to someone. Especially a child.” He waved for Lie Yan to follow him as he walked over to the kitchen area, slipping an apron over his changshan and  throwing a grin over his shoulder. He quickly set to chopping some vegetables, water soon boiling beside him.

In no time, Lie Yan flushed when his stomach rumbled as Ming Xia set the last container of food in the basket.

“Just in time, let’s go.”

Lie Yan’s lungs were squeezed from the warmth and joy shining from Ming Xia’s eyes. Unthinking, he grabbed onto the offered hand, allowing Ming Xia to guide him once more.

“Ming-xiansheng, you have done more than enough today already. I insist,” Lie Yan tugged at the blanket currently held by both of them, each tug corresponding with every sentence spoken, “that you allow me to help and spread the blanket.”

Ming Xia tightened his grip. “I am the one showing you around today, Lie-xiansheng. Surely it is my responsibility to handle every preparation.”

“It is just a blanket.”

“It is.”

The glare each held at the other broke as Lie Yan snorted, Ming Xia following quickly. 

Lie Yan’s blood quickened at the way their laughter fell together, how perfect it sounded.

“Alright, alright. If it will make you happy, Lie-xiansheng, you may spread out the blanket.”

“Thank you.” And with far more formality and precision than was strictly necessary, Lie Yan wafted the blanket and gently guided it down to cover the ground. He tugged at the sides, getting them as straight as he could before he offered his hand to Ming Xia. “It’s ready now.”

Shining delight warmed him from Ming Xia’s smile as, completely unnecessarily, Ming Xia took the hand and stepped onto the blanket, not letting go until he was settled onto his knees and setting the basket in front of him to pull out the food.

“This is so much, Ming-xiansheng. You didn’t need to bother yourself with so much trouble.”

“Can I tell you something, Lie-xiansheng?”

Lie Yan’s mouth went dry as he nodded, stillness taking over his body.

Ming Xia leaned forward so he could whisper, “It’s not trouble when it’s for people you care about.”

Lie Yan had just reached the edge of town when shouts stopped him cold. His blood chilled and eyes widened as he took in the words filling the air.

“Fire! There’s a fire at Xiao Xia’s hot pot restaurant!”

In an instant, Lie Yan’s heart stopped as his lungs deflated and the shouting around him was drowned out with only one word.

‘No.’

He stumbled as someone bumped into him, nodding distractedly as they apologized. It was enough, however, to get him moving again, and before he had even drawn in a new complete breath, he ran.

He dodged around everyone in his path, leaning on muscle memory as his brain played every worst case scenario it could conjure. Ming Xia trapped. Ming Xia in the fire. Ming Xia lost. Ming Xia permanently injured. Ming Xia in any state other than his bubbly, delighted, joyful self.

Lie Yan rounded the last corner to the street with the hot pot restaurant. Seeing the flames and the smoke, Lie Yan gasped, transported to another time and place.

The door clicked shut behind Huang Li when he returned from his latest mission. He had been gone for four months, far too long for Lie Yan’s liking, but also, he knew, too soon for his partner to return.

“Li-er?” Lie Yan looked up from the book he was reading, instantly tossing it to the side and standing when he saw how Huang Li cradled a bandaged hand close to his stomach. “Li-er! What happened?”

Huang Li smiled, shrugging out of his coat and relinquishing it to Lie Yan with a small chuckle. “I’m fine, A-Yan. Just a small accident with some fire.”

“Is this accident why you are home early from your assignment?”

“So what if it is. Just means I get to see you sooner than expected.” With his good hand, Huang Li pulled Lie Yan into a kiss.

Lie Yan huffed as they parted, glaring in spite of his smile. “I still want to see that hand.”

“Alright, alright. The bandage needs changing anyway.”

In the bathroom Lie Yan made Huang Li sit as he gathered the supplies to clean the wound and re-bandage it. Gingerly, Huang Li began to unroll the cloth around his hand, wincing and hissing as it caught on the weeping wounds underneath.

“Li-er! You need to soak it when the bandage is stuck like that.” Lie Yan grabbed Huang Li’s hand, pulling it away from the bandaged one and arranging a bowl on Huang Li’s lap for him to put his injured hand in with warm water. 

As the broken blisters released their grasp on the bandage, Lie Yan pulled it back carefully. He glanced up at Huang Li from where he kneeled in front of him, pausing at the soft smile gracing the other man’s face. “What?”

Huang Li shook his head. “It’s nice to be home and loved.”

Lie Yan fell into his body as a piercing scream cut the air. The small fire brigade had arrived, and the fire hissed and flared as the first spray of water hit it. 

Desperately, Lie Yan scanned the crowd. Soot smudged those who had been inside, families, friends, and neighbors huddled around them.

One face was still missing.

“Ming Xia?” Lie Yan shouted, moving forward, using his height to scan over everyone. “Ming Xia?”

A fireman stopped his path forward with a hand on his chest. “Sir, we will get him. Don’t worry.”

“He’s still in there?” Lie Yan stared at the man wide-eyed as he nodded. 

“We just need to get the fire under control more before we can go in -”

Lie Yan shoved the man to the side and ran. To the side of the hose someone had set up a bucket with rags in it, so he paused long enough to grab one, securing it around his nose and mouth as he plunged into the inferno.

“Ming Xia!” Lie Yan fought to keep his eyes open in the smoke, frantically searching for anything in the flames which could be a person. “Ming Xia!”

The flames to his left ravaging a large portion of the dining area roared, reaching out for him but failing to get close and retreating instead. As they dwindled, lowering themselves to almost tame looking flames, Lie Yan caught sight of a person on the ground wearing the very tan apron that Ming Xia favored.

The rag around Lie Xia’s face was already drying, the scratchiness of the cloth making itself known and wisps of smoke working their way past and into Lie Yan’s lungs. He coughed and threw an elbow over his nose and mouth, crouching as he rushed past and over hungry flames to reach the person.

Gently settling a hand on an arm, Lie Yan rolled the person over, gasping at the blood running down Ming Xia’s head. Ming Xia groaned, frowning, but otherwise did not move.

“Ming Xia! Ming Xia, wake up!”

Lie Yan swore when a thunderous crack sounded from close by. He picked Ming Xia up in a princess carry, holding him close, and stood, scanning the room for a way out. He took three steps back the way he had came when the crack repeated, followed by the groaning of wood giving way and falling. A beam from the ceiling fell, trailing fire into the sky behind it and blocked their path to safety. Coughing, Lie Yan turned in a circle, hoping that he could find any path in the blaze. 

All he saw was flames crawling closer and closer to him and the man in his arms. 

Lie Yan realized, stomach sinking, that they had no choice. He had to choose a direction and run. Making sure he held Ming Xia securely, he looked again at the beam which had fallen and determined it too large for him to safely jump over while carrying someone.

That decision made, he turned to where he expected the back alley to be, and ran.

Lie Yan stumbled into the cold stone of the neighboring building when he finally managed to break free of the restaurant, having had to go far too near the source of the fire than he had hoped. He leaned, Ming Xia still cradled against him, for a brief moment before he forced himself upright, and began to follow it, coughing, panting, and wheezing with every step. He struggled to hear anything past his own blood rushing like the ocean waves through his ears, wanting any confirmation that Ming Xia lived, but not daring to take a moment to look down.

That would be time wasted.

He reached the end of the alley, feet catching on the road and he fell to his knees.

“Here! Over here, they’re here!” someone close by shouted.

Tremors ran through Lie Yan as a flood of people rushed to them. Hands pulled at the rag around his face, others patted him and Ming Xia down, searching for anything broken before the doctors arrived.

“Lie-xiansheng, Ming-xiansheng is fine now, you can let him go.” Several people tried to coax him.

Lie Yan shook his head, a sob fighting to escape against the already lack of air in his lungs as he curled protectively over Ming Xia, fingers unconsciously digging into the other man before he passed out.

Lie Yan groans. ‘ I have got to stop doing this,’ he thinks, lifting a hand to cover his eyes from the sunlight streaming into the too-white room. Attempting to pull in a deep breath set him to coughing, his throat raw and feeling just as on fire as the restaurant had been.

Fire.

Restaurant.

Lie Yan gasped, wincing at the pain, and sat upright, already searching the room before his eyes fully adjusted.

“Oh, calm down there, Lie-xiansheng.” Po-yisheng walked over, setting a hand on Lie Yan’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright. You and Xiao Xia will be fine.”

“Where -” he coughed,accepting the help to sip from a glass of water before trying again. “Where is he?”

“He has his own room, we didn’t want to disturb you while changing his bandages along with yours.”

It was then Lie Yan realized that he had one hand wrapped, the skin underneath feeling warm, and a few more bandages across his arms and back.

“Your burns are mild, you’ll heal up in no time.”

“And Ming Xia?”

Po-yisheng chuckled. “His are a bit more severe, but he’ll be fine as well.”

The tension holding Lie Yan upright finally melted, Po-yisheng barely managing to catch him to support him as he collapsed back on the bed, eyes hot with tears.

Po-yisheng patted his shoulder. “Get some broth in you, and if you don’t immediately sleep, you can go see him.”

With the aid of a nurse, Lie Yan managed to finish all of the food brought, and fought the warm weariness settling into his bones.

“I want to see Ming Xia,” he mumbled as his eyes fell shut, snores following soon after.

The room shone with golden light when he next opened his eyes. He rubbed at them, wincing as his tender hand had pressure put on it. Po-yisheng entered to find him glaring at it and chuckled. 

“I was just coming to see if you had woken again before I left for the day. Let’s get you in the wheelchair, Lie-xiansheng,and you can go see Xiao Xia.”

Lie Yan’s heartbeat raced and he nodded his head, keeping any complaints and grumblings about the help behind his teeth as he accepted the blanket draped over his lap and Po-yisheng grabbing the handles of the chair to push.

Lie Yan grew nauseous as they drew closer to Ming Xia’s room, his heart crawling up his throat.

He couldn’t hold back the small gasp which escaped when he saw Ming Xia lying pale on a bed, head and hands bandaged.

Po-yisheng set him up right next to the bed, close enough that he could reach out with his unbandaged hand if he so desired. “I’ll have one of the nurses come get you in a while, if you feel tired and want to return to your room before then, just ring the bell on the table.”

Lie Yan nodded, eyes never wavering from Ming Xia. He didn’t move until the door had clicked shut behind the doctor, and when it did, he immediately leaned forward, hand finding a gentle hold on Ming Xia’s arm as a sob escaped him.

“You aren’t allowed to leave,” he whispered, vision blurred while he stared unblinking at the unconscious man. “You're not. You have to stay here. Please, Ming Xia. I can’t handle this again.”

Ming Xia let out a small sigh, head turning towards Lie Yan, who held his breath. It escaped in more ragged sobs when Ming Xia’s eyes did not open.

“Po-yisheng says you’ll be fine but please, Ming Xia.”

No longer able to stand the space between them,Lie Yan carefully stood from the wheelchair, folding in on himself until he could fit on the bed with Ming Xia, unbandaged hand settling on Ming Xia’s chest close to where he lay his head.

‘ Just a few minutes. Then I’ll go back to my room.’

Gentle fingers carding through his hair pulled Lie Yan from a painless sleep, and into a reality of discomfort. He winced as pain flared in his wounds, the hand working his hair pausing and making him whimper as it pulled away. A low, cheerful if weak laugh, followed.

Lie Yan froze, suddenly remembering where he fell asleep, and opened his eyes to see a white hospital room, yes. But not his room.

Ming Xia’s.

“You woke up.”

Lie Yan lifted his head enough to comfortably turn it to stare into Ming Xia’s dark brown eyes. The smile on Ming Xia’s face pulled a responding one from his own. 

“I should be saying that to you,” Lie Yan croaked. “I woke up yesterday.”

Ming Xia hummed. “So how is it, Lie-xiansheng,that we ended up in the same hospital, with the same bandages, in the same bed?”

Warmth flared on Lie Yan’s cheeks, spreading quickly to his ears which caused Ming Xia to smile warmly and drag a finger down one, pulling a shiver from Lie Yan. “Your restaurant caught on fire.”

Ming Xia frowned, his lower lip pushing out as he did so. “Mmm, that’s right. There was some sort of commotion in the kitchens, and before I could get back to check on what had happened, smoke was pouring out of them. Did, did everyone make it out?”

“I don’t know. You nearly didn’t. I ran in to rescue you, I -”

“You what?”

Lie Yan stuttered, staring wide-eyed at Ming Xia. “I ran in to get you. You were trapped, A-Xia, I had to do something!”

Ming Xia gasped, and time stood still as Lie Yan realized what had slipped past his lips.

“I - I - I’m sorry, Ming-xiansheng, I shouldn’t have overstepped, I -” Lie Yan, as quickly as he could, turned to stand and flee the room. Wouldn’t be a graceful exit, his bandaged hand, which throbbed, would interfere with the wheelchair quite a bit, but he had already made a fool of himself, so what, he figured, was a little more shame?

He had just slung his legs over the bed, hissing as the motion pulled at bandages along his back, and froze when a gentle hand settled over his.

“Can you say it again?”

Lie Yan closed his eyes, hunching his shoulders. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. It was presumptuous of me and -”

“No, Yan-er. Please.”

Lie Yan’s breath hitched, heart lightening as he turned to face Ming Xia who stared at him with wide, hopeful, watery eyes. 

“I want to hear you say it again.”

“A-Xia.”

Ming Xia beamed, motioning for Lie Yan to lean over.

He couldn’t refuse. He slid up the bed so he sat closer to Ming Xia’s face, turning his cheek into the hand which cupped it and pressed it even closer with his good hand. He sighed when the hand slid to the back of his neck, gently pulling him down.

He sighed even more, wrapping his arms around Ming Xia’s neck and waist, when their lips connected in a soft, tentative, joyful kiss.

A few weeks later found Lie Yan pacing Ming Xia’s front room as he waited for the latter to arrive. He stopped by Ming Xia’s bedroom door once more, triple-checking that everything the doctor had recommended for Ming Xia’s continued healing was present. He then triple-checked the kitchen, enduring the knowing laughter of the neighbors who had determined to help as well, and was chased out just as Ming Xia was wheeled through the door by Po-yisheng.

“Yisheng! I didn’t expect that you would be the one to bring him home, I certainly could have done so myself.”

Po-yisheng laughed as Ming Xia scoffed.

“How would you have pushed me all the way here, let alone help me in and out of an automobile? Your back is still healing,Yan’er.”

Lie Yan huffed, sticking his lower lip out in a pout. “And if I decide I can help, I can and I will.”

“You won’t.” Ming Xia slowly pushed himself from the wheelchair, taking a handful of tentative steps to reach Lie Yan and hold onto his arm. “Because you will not risk your healing on my behalf.”

Lie Yan wrapped an arm around Ming Xia’s waist to help him stand before he turned his attention back to the doctor. “Po-yisheng, thank you.”

Po-yisheng bowed. “Of course, of course. You both are healing well, just don’t push yourselves and get fresh air. Don’t worry about a thing otherwise. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must return.”

“Of course.”

Ming Xia leaned onto Lie Yan’s chest, sighing with contentment as he did so.

“Are you alright? Are you tired?”

“Yan’er, just let me enjoy being out of the hospital and with my beloved.”

Lie Yan snapped his mouth shut, holding Ming Xia tighter, and rested his cheek on top of Ming Xia’s head. “Welcome home.”

“Has your stay been good? You’ve been eating and accepting the help?”

Lie Yan huffed. “As if you don’t know since I’ve seen you everyday since I left the hospital.”

Ming Xia chuckled. “I worry.”

“You don’t need to.”

“Don’t I?” Ming Xia leaned back slightly, studying Lie Yan’s face. “You have nightmares, Yan’er.”

Dread sank Lie Yan’s heart. He strove to ignore it, forcing a smile. “Of course I’m fine, A-Xia. Now come on. You’ve been standing long enough.”

Slowly they moved to the front room, Ming Xia pulling in a deep breath before attempting to sit, only the smallest of grunts leaving him as he settled.

Lie Yan ran his fingers down Ming Xia’s cheek. “Do you need anything, A-Xia?”

Ming Xia shook his head. “I’m fine, Yan’er. I promise.”

“Alright,” Lie Yan forced himself to accept the words as the truth Ming Xia felt they were. “I guess then I should pack my things to return to my cottage.”

Ming Xia frowned. “Are you healed enough for that yet?”

Lie Yan grimaced. “I’ll be fine. It’s not proper for me to stay, anyway. There’s really no choice.”

Ming Xia rolled his eyes. “Of course you can stay, Yan’er. I have several rooms that I’m sure can be easily cleaned and sorted for you to live in as long as you want.”

“You need rest.”

“And how much rest,” Ming Xia took Lie Yan’s hand in his, pressing a kiss to the top of it, “do you think I’ll get if I’m worried about you all alone in that cottage?”

Lie Yan just stared, mind fighting with heart until Ming Xia stared up at him from under his eyelashes.

“Stay, Yan’er. I want you to.”

Lie Yan shut the door after the last of their help had left. The kitchen was spotless, their things all sorted, and each had a hot bath prepared and waiting for them at the insistence of the grannies. It took a lot of effort on Lie Yan’s part to convince them that he was well enough now to help Ming Xia alone, but finally, thankfully, they had been reassured.

Ming Xia dozed on the sofa and grumbled when Lie Yan shook his shoulder.

“Come on, A-Xia. It’s time to bathe and lotion your wounds. You finally have the bandages off, we need to make sure the skin heals well now.”

Without opening his eyes or giving any other indication he had heard Lie Yan, Ming Xia puckered his lips, eyes firmly shut.

Lie Yan huffed. “A-Xia. Come on.”

Ming Xia huffed, but otherwise, did not move.

Lie Yan rolled his eyes, then sat on the sofa in front of Ming Xia. “It seems as though something is keeping A-Xia trapped in the clutches of sleep. I wonder what the solution to this could possibly be.” 

He leaned over, lips a hair's width distance from Ming Xia’s cheek. 

“If only he could tell me.”

Lie Yan had barely brushed his lips to Ming Xia’s cheek when the other man turned, capturing Lie Yan’s lips with his own, and licking along them until Lie Yan opened them with a moan.

Pulling back, Ming Xia grinned. “Now we can go bathe.”

“You’re a demon, you know that?”

Ming Xia’s delighted, bell-like laughter filled the air as he accepted Lie Yan’s help to sit, then stand and carefully make their way through the house.

“Are you going to help me, Yan’er?” Ming Xia teased, eyes dancing as they finally entered his bathroom, tub full with steaming water.

“If you need it I can.”

“Then why,” Ming Xia sat in the chair which had been moved in for him, taking a moment to catch his breath before starting to unbutton his changshan, starting at the collar, while Lie Yan untied his shoes, “don’t you bathe with me, Yan’er?”

“There’s not room in the tub for the both of us, A-Xia.”

Ming Xia scoffed. “Of course there is.”

Lie Yan peeled down one sock, then the other, folding them together and setting to the side. He let a hand drift back down to Ming Xia’s ankle, hovering just above it as he thought.

“I don’t -”

Ming Xia’s hand gentle on his face stopped him, drawing his attention upwards. “Only if you want, Yan’er. Not a moment before.”

‘ What do I want?’ Lie Yan pondered as he helped Ming Xia stand so they could slide off the changshan and remove his pants and sink into the warm water of the tub. He passed Ming Xia the soap, taking the shampoo himself after wetting Ming Xia’s hair, and set to washing it, lost in his thoughts as Ming Xia’s humming filled the air around them.

The next day found Ming Xia and Lie Yan in the small garden, sipping their tea and enjoying the sunlight. Ever since the fire, a coldness had latched onto Lie Yan’s bones. He shivered, shaking his head with a smile as Ming Xia shot him a questioning look. 

“How much longer will you be staying in our small town, Yan’er?”

Lie Yan frowned at his tea. “I honestly don’t know. I half expected to be called back by now.” His frown intensified, teeth catching his lower lip as he thought.

Ming Xia leaned over, drawing his thumb across Lie Yan’s chin to encourage him to let it go. “Will you stay until they do?”

“Yes.”

“Do they know about the fire?”

Lie Yan flinched. He was sure they did; he, however, was not the one who wrote to them.

Ming Xia laughed. “But they probably know anyway, right?”

Lie Yan nodded. Ming Xia hummed, sitting back, tilting his head upwards to the sunlight and smiling.

They sat, Lie Yan spinning his tea cup in his hands, tapping at it with nerves.

“There isn’t much better than this.”

Lie Yan startled, glancing at Ming Xia who still sat with eyes closed and head upturned. “What?”

“This.” Ming Xia blinked his eyes open, turning their sparkling joy to Lie Yan. “Sitting here in the warm sunlight, alive, and with someone whom I care about deeply.”

Heat flared on Lie Yan’s cheeks. “Oh.”

“Don’t you think, Yan’er?”

“I - I suppose. I honestly can’t remember the last time I took the time to appreciate a moment like this. Not even with -” He cut himself off, mouth slamming shut, heart sinking. 

“Mmm. In my opinion it’s these small moments which make everything else worth it. Which makes life worth it.” Ming Xia held his hand out, palm up, in an offering which made butterflies erupt in Lie Yan’s stomach.

Lie Yan thought of their first few meetings, their picnic, the dance lesson. Even the time spent the night before as he helped Ming Xia bathe, and the weight which had hindered him since that fateful stormy night dissolved.

Hand shaking, he reached back out, slotting their fingers together and pulling Ming Xia’s hand to his heart. “I agree.”

That afternoon as Ming Xia napped, Lie Yan sat on the sofa, staring at his open pocket watch, at the picture he kept within it of him and Huang Li. They both stood, backs straight, faces serious, with just enough space between them for it to be decent. They had taken it just before moving in together. 

Roommates.

To save on expenses,they had explained. Because really.

Why should two spies each have their own apartments when they would hardly spend the majority of their time there anyway? 

Lie Yan sighed, snapping the pocket watch closed and rubbing his forehead.

“Yan’er?”

Lie Yan looked up to see Ming Xia standing in the hall, blanket wrapped around his shoulders, rubbing at one eye, still half-asleep. Lie Yan huffed, smiling, as Ming Xia padded quietly across to him.

“A-Xia. You’re supposed to be napping.”

Ming Xia sat on the sofa, pressed up against Lie Yan’s side, making his heart skip a few beats. “‘S too lonely.”

“It would be better for you to sleep in a bed.”

Ming Xia, eyes closed, scrunched his face in displeasure. “Too lonely, Yan’er.”

Lie Yan wrapped his arms around Ming Xia, resting his cheek on Ming Xia’s head. “I’m told I’m a restless sleeper. Not the best bed-sharing partner.”

“I don’t care. Wait.” Ming Xia blinked, readjusting so he had his legs across Lie Yan’s lap and rested sideways on his chest, able to look up at him easier now. “Who told you this?”

Ice flooded through Lie Yan before warming.

Ming Xia, he reasoned, should know.

“My former partner.”

Ming Xia hummed, resting a hand on Lie Yan’s chest right over his heart.

Lie Yan drew on that offered comfort. “You know I was sent here to recover.”

“I do.”

“That I witnessed my partner die after a botched job.”

Ming Xia hummed.

“He wasn’t just my partner for that job. He was my life partner. My - my lover.” Lie Yan twisted his fingers in the fabric of Ming Xia’s shirt, focusing intently on the movement and feel of it as he waited for a reaction, nauseous. 

Ming Xia pulled in a sharp breath. “Oh, Yan’er.”

Lie Yan nodded. And then, something in him caved, words spilling out in a giant rush. “We met on a job, you know. Had no idea that we worked for the same organization and tried to get information out of each other. It uh,” his lips quirked with the memory, the teasing which had plagued the both of them for weeks after, “it didn’t really go as planned on either of our parts.”

Ming Xia laughed, the chiming joy giving Lie Yan courage to glance up at his face. 

“It didn’t take long after that for us to start sleeping together. Even less time to move in together. I mean, doing what we do…did…you just don’t know.”

Ming Xia hummed, nodding. The fingers on Lie Yan’s chest traced lazy patterns across it as he spoke next, “I understand that. There’s always that question mark of will you survive the day,especially when things are wrong or a case is big. I had the same when I worked at the police department, although I’m sure it was worse for you two. How…” 

Lie Yan smoothed Ming Xia’s shirt out, moving his hand to brush some stray hair from Ming Xia’s face. “How?”

“How long were you two together?”

“About four years.”

Ming Xia nodded.

They sat for a while, allowing silence broken occasionally by a bird chirping or someone passing on the street to break it.

“Did anyone know?”

Lie Yan wiped at his eyes, clearing the silent tears. “A few people. Ones we both trusted.”

“And when they sent you here to recover?”

Lie Yan sighed. “I had been caught in a rather…dangerous…act and it was agreed that leave from work was not enough, I needed to be away from the city.”

“So they sent you by yourself?”

Lie Yan shook his head. “You already know they’ve got eyes on me. Those eyes also watch out for me.”

Ming Xia hummed, setting his head onto Lie Yan’s shoulder and cuddling into him. “What was his name?”

“What?”

“Your partner. What was his name?”

‘Oh.’ “Huang Li.”

“Huang-xiansheng must have been a smart, caring man.”

“Why do you say that?”

Ming Xia looked up at Lie Yan, gently placing a hand on a cheek and brushing his thumb across the mole under Lie Yan’s right eye. “Because he chose you.”

“Yan’er, I have too much energy, let’s go bike riding tomorrow!” 

Lie Yan peered over at Ming Xia who smiled at him innocently.

Almost too innocently.

“You are supposed to be undressing for your bath.”

“I am.”

Lie Yan raised an eyebrow. “I do not see any more exposed skin than normal.”

“Oh, well if that’s what you want.” Ming Xia smirked, quickly undoing the buttons of his shirt and allowing it to fall off his shoulders.

Lie Yan sighed. “Why bike riding?”

“Don’t you enjoy it?”

“I do. So?”

“So we have both been stuck in this house for too long and we need to get out and start using our bodies.” 

A smile pulled at Lie Yan’s lips, a twitch which did not go unnoticed by Ming Xia.

“Alright, A-Xia. Tomorrow we can find some bicycles and go on a short ride.”

“I know just where we should go, you’ll love it, Yan’er, out of the way, secluded, and peaceful!” Ming Xia jumped to his feet in excitement, throwing his arms around Lie Yan when he rushed over to help him balance.

Lie Yan laughed. “Alright, alright. For now.” He nodded to the full, steaming bath. “Go.”

Ming Xia rolled two bikes out to the front of the house the next morning, smile crinkling his eyes and showing nearly all his teeth as he vibrated with excitement. To the back of his he secured the basket containing their lunch.

Lie Yan came out, frowning slightly at the basket but not saying anything. 

“Are you ready, Yan’er?”

Lie Yan nodded. “Let’s go, A-Xia.”

They climbed on the bikes, setting off together at a leisurely pace to start as they warmed up through the town. Once out from the buildings, on the dirt road of the countryside, Ming Xia threw a mischievous look to Lie Yan.

“What?”

“Race you!”

And before Lie Yan could finish processing the words, Ming Xia stood on the pedals and took off, trilling laughter following him. 

“Fuck!” Lie Yan hunched over the bars, pedaling faster to make up the lost time. 

For a while they pushed themselves, breathing hard, relishing the wind through their hair and trading off who led the other. 

Soon though they both tired and settled back to a slower pace, Ming Xia guiding them off the road at a turn off near the start of some woods. He dug in the picnic basket, handing Lie Yan a canteen, and staring as some spilled drops of the water raced down his throat.

“Are you feeling alright, A-Xia?” Lie Yan brushed his fingers over Ming Xia’s forehead, dragging them down one cheek and peering deeply into his eyes.

Ming Xia flushed, but nodded. “Never better, Yan’er.”

He quickly set the canteen back in the basket, securing everything properly again and grabbing his bike, Lie Yan following him.

Lie Yan knew he shouldn’t be staring, he should focus more on the trail, make sure that he wasn’t about to hit any fallen branches or tree roots, or catch his tire on any rocks or pits.

No matter how hard he tried though, Lie Yan could not move his gaze from the muscled, sumptuous, moving ass in front of him. With every pump of Ming Xia’s long legs moving under his changshan, powered by his thick thighs, Lie Yan’s mouth grew drier and drier.

He failed to notice when they had stopped, unconsciously following whatever Ming Xia did. So when Ming Xia spoke, Lie Yan startled, face immediately flooding with heat. 

Ming Xia tilted his head, smirking, basket on his arm, free hand held out. “Come on, just a little farther up this hill.”

Lie Yan slid his fingers into Ming Xia’s, grinning as he was instantly pulled along the path, eyes still focused on the round ass before him. A sudden wave of want flooded through him, the last of his reservations falling after the bike ride from the town, his heart fit to burst with a sudden wave of emotions.

With an air of achievement and finality, Ming Xia pulled Lie Yan to the top of the hill, canyon walls surrounding them, a small, clear lake in front of them.

“We’re here. What do you think, Yan’er?”

Lie Yan didn’t bother to look around them, keeping his eyes firmly on Ming Xia’s face, glistening with joy and sweat. “Beautiful.”

Ming Xia turned to him, the flush of hiking deepening as he realized Lie Yan was talking about him. “You haven’t even looked, Yan’er.”

“I haven’t.” Lie Yan stepped closer to Ming Xia, until there was barely room for the smallest breeze, and tilted Ming Xia’s chin up gently. “Nothing can compare with you.”

With that, he brushed their lips together once, twice, teasing and testing, before slotting them more firmly with a groan, immediately pulling Ming Xia’s lower lip into his mouth to suck and nibble. Ming Xia gasped, basket dropping and hands grabbing onto Lie Yan’s waist. 

Lie Yan released Ming Xia’s lip with a pop, dragging it between his teeth as he pulled away. They stood panting, both dazed, and stared at each other.

“Fuck, Yan’er.”

Lie Yan caught Ming Xia’s mouth with his again, sliding a hand down his long back to grab the ass which had seemed to taunt him the entire day, squeezing it.

Lie Yan pulled back again to attempt to convey all of his desires with one word. “A-Xia.”

Ming Xia nipped at Lie Yan’s throat. “Do you trust me, Yan’er?”

Lie Yan whined, nodding.

“Perfect.”

Slowly Ming Xia teased his teeth lips down Lie Yan’s long neck, pausing to suck wherever he pleased as he unbuttoned the buttons of Lie Yan’s shirt, and on his own changshan, sliding everything off, tossing them somewhere near the basket. Unable to help himself, he latched on to one of Lie Yan’s brown nipples, sucking on it as a hand splayed out across his hard, defined abs. Lie Yan bit his lip as he groaned, hands settling into Ming Xia’s hair, hips stuttering to search for friction.

Scratching his nails across Lie Yan’s torso, Ming Xia undid the button of his trousers, pulling them away from his body to avoid brushing Lie Yan’s already hard and straining cock with his fingers.

“A-Xia, please.”

Ming Xia licked over the bud in his mouth once more before pulling back. “Kick off your shoes.”

They both followed the instruction quickly, not minding as one of the four rolled over the edge of the hill.

Lie Yan, impatient, grabbed Ming Xia’s hips, pulling him in to grind their clothed lengths together. 

“Off, off.” Ming Xia panted, grabbing the band of Lie Yan’s pants and underwear in one go to tug them down as Lie Yan fumbled the button on Ming Xia’s pants. It finally popped as Ming Xia knelt, his ass straining the material and it giving now that there was space to give. He grabbed them as he stood, sliding them off and quickly doing away with both their socks.

He kissed and nipped his way up Lie Yan’s toned legs, avoiding the already leaking cock to bite each ab before standing fully. He grabbed Lie Yan’s hand, sucking two fingers into his mouth with a smirk at the moan he received, and carefully stepped backward, leading Lie Yan into the water.

The lake was cold, the two of them barely paying it any mind as they fell into each other, water swirling around them, lips once again caught together as hands grabbed and explored as they swam and bobbed further and further into the lake. Ming Xia pulled Lie Yan deeper, over to a sunlit boulder. 

“Turn around, Yan’er. Lean on it.”

He did, enjoying the contrast of the sun-warmed stone to the cool liquid around them.

Ming Xia pressed against Lie Yan’s back, tracking his open mouth across the broad shoulders, hands once again on waist. “Yan’er. Can I?” He punctuated his question with a small thrust, just enough to slot his cock against Lie Yan’s ass.

“Fuck, yes. A-Xia, whatever you want.”

Ming Xia huffed a laugh, setting a jar Lie Yan had failed to notice on the rock next to him, already opened. “Lean over for me, Yan’er. Ass out of the water.”

Fingers which Lie Yan could only assume were covered in oil circled his hole the instant it  was no longer under the water’s surface. He gasped, tensing briefly before a kiss to just behind his ear and the trail of nails across his lower stomach relaxed him. A finger slid inside, slow, cautious. 

Weird.

“Easy, Yan’er. Breathe.” 

He followed Ming Xia’s guiding breath, deep in, cock brushing Ming Xia’s free hand, and then back out, relaxing as much as he could and moaning as the finger slid in further.

“Perfect. You’re so perfect.”

As the finger began to slide in and out, Ming Xia finally grabbed Lie Yan’s cock, an action which drove Lie Yan further onto the finger in him.

“Good, Yan’er. Take what you want.”

After a few pumps of the hand, Lie Yan set his head on his forearms, stretching his back out and pushing his ass closer to Ming Xia. “More.”

Ming Xia chuckled, guiding a second finger in, barely allowing any time for Lie Yan to adjust before pumping his fingers, searching.

Lie Yan’s eyes flew open, back arching when Ming Xia found the bundle of nerves he was searching for, pleasure sparking to every corner of his body. “Fuck!”

His voice rang through the canyon, causing him to flinch and Ming Xia to laugh. 

“Please, A-Xia.”

“What do you need, Yan’er?”

Another brush of fingers against his prostate, and Lie Yan reached back to dig his fingers into Ming Xia’s hip, pulling him forward as Lie Yan pushed his hips back.

“You, A-Xia. Please, bao. I want you in me.”

“Fuck, Yan’er.” Ming Xia quickly pulled his fingers from Lie Yan, who whimpered at the sudden emptiness, ass slipping back  into the water as he searched for  Ming Xia’s cock to fill him. Patting his hip, Ming Xia lined himself up with Lie Yan’s hole and slowly began to push in.

In one slow, smooth motion he filled Lie Yan completely, stopping when completely seated for them to catch their breath. He wrapped his arms tightly around Lie Yan, pressing his chest against Lie Yan’s back as the other man trembled. 

“Yan’er, are you alright?”

Lie Yan nodded, scrambling to hold one of Ming Xia’s hands and squeezing it.

Resting his forehead between Lie Yan’s shoulder blades, Ming Xia pulled back, slow, then snapped his hips forward. Skin and water slapped, ripples moving quickly away from them across the surface of the lake, dissipating just to be replaced as Ming Xia moved faster, and harder.

“A-Xia, A-Xia.” Lie Yan panted, hand not holding Ming Xia’s moving to his cock.

Ming Xia grabbed hold of it, guiding it so they both grabbed his red, hot cock together, guiding their hands in movement with his hips, ignoring his building pleasure to make Lie Yan fall apart first.

With a gasp, Lie Yan froze for the briefest of moments before his orgasm shuddered through him, vision whitening as wave upon wave of pleasure crashed through every atom of his being, tightening around Ming Xia’s cock, releasing just above the water over his stomach and the stone now warmed by his body.

Ming Xia focused on fucking him through before he finally let himself go, coming with a cry as he buried his cock deep in Lie Yan, filling him.

The water slowly stilled, once strong and defined ripples softening to the barely there waves of a light breeze or two people breathing deeply.

Ming Xia, finally trusting himself to move, kissed Lie Yan’s shoulder as he slowly pulled out, rubbing Lie Yan’s arm when he whined at the loss. 

Holding onto Lie Yan’s waist, Ming Xia hoisted himself onto the rock, helping Lie Yan climb up after him and lay down, legs entwined, Lie Yan’s head on Ming Xia’s chest.

“A-Xia?” Lie Yan muttered, eyes barely open.

Ming Xia chuckled, tracing the back of a finger down Lie Yan’s cheek. “Rest, Yan’er. We have all day. We’re safe here.”

He waited for Lie Yan’s breath to even out, smiling when Lie Yan finally settled into sleep. Resting an arm behind his head, Ming Xia soon followed.

Late that afternoon, after re-clothing and eating, Ming Xia and Lie Yan made their way back to the town, Lie Yan furiously blushing every time Ming Xia fell behind him on their bikes, letting out a loud whistle every time he did.

By the time they reached Ming Xia’s house, he was certain his face would never return to its normal color. They set their bikes to the side, quickly lacing their fingers together as they made their way in, heads bowed together, sharing bubbling laughter and joy for a day well spent, and well loved.

“Lie-xiansheng. Ming-xiansheng. You’ve returned.”

They nodded to Ju Bi who hovered in their doorway, worrying a letter in her hands.

“Umm, I’m sorry to bother you two, but,” she hesitantly held it out, “this came for Lie-xiansheng. The gentleman who brought it said it was urgent.”

Lie Yan accepted the letter, and vaguely heard Ming Xia bid Ju Bi farewell before the world froze. 

. . .

. . -

. . . .

. . -

. .

Distantly he felt Ming Xia’s hands on his arms guiding him inside and urging him to sit. He sank, eyes not once blinking, mind not even whirling.

‘ Return.’

He knew if he were to open the envelope there would be brief details of his new assignment. 

Brief details of his old life.

His, he supposed, current life.

‘ After all,’ he thought to himself as his hands began to shake and vision blurred, ‘ this was only ever a leave.’

“Yan’er? Yan’er, bao. Hey.”

Warmth. Gentleness.

A sob escaped as when Lie Yan buried his cheek into Ming Xia’s hand, not an ounce of fight to be found in him when he was pulled in to rest against Ming Xia’s chest.

Ming Xia held Lie Yan, stroking his back and rocking him.

“A-Xia,” he croaked.

Ming Xia pressed a kiss to Lie Yan’s hair, humming and not once stopping the soft side to side movement.

“I have to return.”

“I know.”

“I…” Lie Yan hesitated, fingers crumpling the paper. “I need to look to see when.”

“You do.”

“A-Xia, I -”

“It’s okay, bao. Why don’t you open the letter, look at what it says. I’ll go get dinner sorted, and after we can have a warm bath and just be for awhile, no matter what it says.”

Lie Yan’s heart swelled even as it cracked. He nodded, lifting his head to capture Ming Xia’s next kiss, managing a small smile and huff of laughter when an extra kiss was placed on the tip of his nose before Ming Xia stood and left.

Fingers traced over the dots and dashes, and with a deep sigh, Lie Yan flipped the envelope, slitting it open and pulling out the paper inside.

By the time Ming Xia returned, carrying two overflowing bowls of noodles from down the street, Lie Yan had calmed. He accepted his bowl, not bothering to raise an eyebrow at eating in the front room as opposed to the dining room.

“Yan’er?”

Lie Yan kept his gaze down, not wanting to see the worry and love he knew would be swimming in Ming Xia’s eyes. “I have to leave tomorrow. They want me back and on the next assignment next week.”

Ming Xia nodded, allowing silence to fall once more.

“A-Xia, I…” Lie Yan frowned at his bowl, chasing the last bit of noodles with his chopsticks as he struggled with what he wanted to say. 

Ming Xia set his hand on the table, palm up, wiggling the fingers until Lie Yan grinned and accepted it. “We don’t have to talk about it, Yan’er. It can wait.”

“But I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“Yes. And that’s tomorrow.”

Lie Yan glanced up at him, confusion across his face. 

Ming Xia stuck his tongue out. “Do you want to know what I care about right now, in this moment?”

“What?”

“Finishing our dinner. And then getting the last of the cold out of our bones in the bath. Together, Yan’er, there are no excuses why we cannot both sit in that tub.” Ming Xia finished with a glare.

Lie Yan huffed, which turned into a full laugh as he nodded. “Alright, alright. We can sit in the tub together. You’re right, A-Xia.”

Ming Xia squeezed Lie Yan’s hand, refusing to let go of it as they finished. Leaving the bowls on the table, they meandered upstairs, Lie Yan once again drawing the bath, water slightly less hot and slightly less full than he had been making it the previous nights for Ming Xia. When it was just right, he hummed, turning to find Ming Xia staring at him with the softest of expressions.

“Come here, A-Xia.” 

Ming Xia stood, slotting himself into Lie Yan’s space as he was drawn into a simple dance, not much more than swaying from side to side.

Lie Yan splayed out a hand on Ming Xia’s lower back, pulling him in close while he stole a kiss with a sigh, relaxing more as his clothes began to loosen and be pushed off him. As his shirt was encouraged off his arms, he brought his hands back up to start working on disrobing Ming Xia, never allowing more space between them than was necessary for their tasks.

Once they stood bare, Lie Yan supported Ming Xia as he slipped into the water with a sigh, leaning forward for Lie Yan to slide in behind him. 

Whatever worry and stress still set Lie Yan on edge instantly melted when Ming Xia’s back rested against his chest, one arm pulled over Ming Xia’s shoulder, the other around his waist, hands held and Ming Xia finally resting his head back on Lie Yan’s shoulder.

Exactly where it belonged, and should always be.

“Yan’er.”

“A-Xia?”

Ming Xia smiled, turning his head to nose along Lie Yan’s neck, sending a shiver through him. “I can come back with you.”

“What?” Lie Yan straightened, staring down at the man in his arms.

Ming Xia pouted until Lie Yan resettled, instantly snuggling back into Lie Yan’s chest until he was once again comfortable. “I’m serious. I used to live in Shanghai. It won’t be an adjustment.”

“But, A-Xia, you… you can’t give up everything here for me.”

Ming Xia placed a light kiss on Lie Yan’s neck. “I can though. The hot pot restaurant burned, if you recall.”

Lie Yan flinched, but had to concede the point.

“And while I have built up a good community here with several friends, there are ways to keep in touch with everyone. And I’d rather spend my time with my heart than without him.”

“You don’t want to rebuild and reopen the restaurant? What about the house, A-Xia? And didn’t you move out here to get away from the memories of your ex-fiancee? What if being back in Shanghai brings all that up again?”

Ming Xia chuckled, leaving another kiss with a small bite before he sat up, water sloshing as he turned to straddle Lie Yan’s lap. “If I really want to, I can open a restaurant in Shanghai. If not, I can find something else to do. And yes, I did move to get away from the memories, but that ended over a year ago now and besides,” Ming Xia leaned in to brush his lips across each of Lie Yan’s eyelids. “If those memories resurface, and if they hurt, that’s okay. I will have my love with me, even when he is on missions, and that is all I need.”

Lie Yan brushed a hand across Ming Xia’s cheek, shaking his head. “How are you real?”

Ming Xia threw his head back in a laugh, Adam’s apple bobbing. Lie Yan breathed deep, attempting to pull in the pure delight and affection filling the air around them before settling his hand on the back of Ming Xia’s neck and pulling him in to swallow the laughter with a kiss.

The next morning dawned with a chill in the air, the first hints of fall in the air. Lie Yan couldn’t be bothered to care about the changing season, not with one hand holding a warm bun and the other grasped tightly with Ming Xia’s as they took their time walking down the dirt road to the cottage Lie Yan had stayed at for several weeks.

“Cow,” Ming Xia said, pointing with a finger and mumbling around a mouth full of food.

Lie Yan laughed, bumping his hip against Ming Xia’s with the next step. “Do you always say that when you pass a cow?”

Ming Xia nodded. “It’s the law.”

A barking laugh. “Oh, is it? I must have missed that one.”

“That’s okay. The fine for it is easily paid.”

“Mmm, I see. And what, Ming-xiansheng, would the fine be?”

Ming Xia stopped walking, turning Lie Yan with their shared hands until they stood front to front. He smiled, and before Lie Yan could finish blinking, he popped up onto his tiptoes to quickly peck a kiss to Lie Yan’s lips. 

“That.”

Lie Yan shook his head, capturing a kiss of his own before they resumed walking.

“They’re sending a car for you, correct?”

“They are.”

Ming Xia nodded. “Good, you’ll be more comfortable that way.”

“And when you sell the house and finish up the paperwork for the restaurant, tell me and I will send a car for you as well.” Lie Yan said with a tug to Ming Xia’s hand.

Ming Xia rolled his eyes but beamed. “Alright, alright.”

“Good.”

They both finished their buns right as the cottage came into sight. Lie Yan let them in, and without any hesitance they both set to work dusting and packing what Lie Yan had brought.

“You packed really light,” Ming Xia commented a mere hour later as he set one suitcase by the door, Lie Yan setting the companion next to it.

“I didn’t think I’d be here for so long. And it's a habit, you know. If you get made on a mission you don’t want to have a lot to either scramble together or risk leaving behind.”

Ming Xia nodded, wrapping his arms around Lie Yan’s waist and setting his head on his shoulder.

Lie Yan held him close, and they stayed like that until the beep of a car sounded from outside. Lie Yan squeezed Ming Xia, nose buried in his hair and breathing him in deep.

“It won’t be long, Yan’er.”

Lie Yan nodded. “It won’t. Take care of yourself, A-Xia. Rest when you need to.”

Ming Xia snorted, pulling back from their embrace to steal a lingering kiss. “Only if you rest when you need to.”

They each grabbed a suitcase, walked out of the cottage, and in a mere eleven breaths, Lie Yan was in the car and leaving, Ming Xia, and his heart vanishing on the horizon behind him.

In two days he was back in Shanghai.

In four he was back on assignment.

A simple one, one which Lie Yan could have done in his sleep, if he was honest. 

“Just to get you back into it, Lie-xiansheng. Get your feet wet again. That’s all.”

Lie Yan had nodded at the explanation, and immediately went to work ingratiating himself into the cafe where he was to collect information during a high profile meeting of some foreign dignitaries in a week’s time.

The week passed by.

The information was gathered.

And like that, the mission was over.

Returning to his apartment that night, Lie Yan’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Yan’er!”

A smile instantly blossomed on Lie Yan. “A-Xia. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Yan’er.” Ming Xia’s voice was light with laughter, soothing Lie Yan’s nerves as he allowed it to wash over him. “I’ve almost squared away everything for the restaurant, and a few of the neighbors have said they are willing to help with the house.”

“That’s great.”

“Mmm. It is. That means that as soon as I sign the last of the paperwork I can join you.”

Lie Yan’s heart stuttered, warmth flooding through him. “Good. I miss you, A-Xia.”

“I miss you too, bao.”

“How long do you think it will be?”

Ming Xia hummed. “The fire department are still sorting a few things before they officially close their end on the restaurant. Even still, the fire chief was giving me assurances today that it shouldn’t be more than a week.”

“A week?”

“A week, Yan’er.”

“Which means…”

Ming Xia laughed as Lie Yan let his sentence trail off, nerves keeping him from voicing his hope.

“Which means I can be in Shanghai and in your arms again in nine days.”

“Nine days?”

“Nine days, Yan’er.”

“Lie-xiansheng, we have your next assignment.”

Lie Yan blinked. “Already?”

His boss nodded, grimacing. “It is of the utmost importance, and needs the utmost care to handle it.”

“Of course.” Lie Yan accepted a file labeled the Nirvana Operation, flipping through it while his boss debriefed him.

“Three agents were killed last week in action on an information-gathering mission. Someone leaked the intel about the mission, and whoever they are absconded with the files.”

Lie Yan frowned.

“There are, naturally, other agents working on this. Your job is to identify the source of the leak and find the missing files. Listed you have the four places we think you are most likely to find the clues you need. You start tonight, Lie-xiansheng.”

“Tonight?” Lie Yan’s heart sank.

“Tonight. Dismissed.”

Lie Yan bowed, stifling a sigh as he left the office. Ming Xia was due to arrive tomorrow. Lie Yan had hoped, had planned, on being home to greet him.

Quickly gathering a few items from his desk, Lie Yan hurried to his apartment to leave a note for Ming Xia before heading out on his job.

Lie Yan exited the taxi four blocks away from his destination. He circled around the clump of buildings before walking leisurely down the road to a radio station. He entered, wide-eyed and curious, putting on an air of eager curiosity.

“Can we help you?” a young woman behind the front desk asked. “Do you have an appointment with someone?”

Lie Yan shook his head, keeping his eyes wide as he nervously smiled. “I was actually just hoping to get some advice? I’d really love to learn more about radios and how it’s decided what gets broadcasted.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you looking for a job?”

Lie Yan gasped, trying to get his eyes to shine in the way that Ming Xia’s would when he felt he was being presented the world. “Is there one available?”

She hummed, shuffling some papers on the desk and nodded. “We do have one, if you are interested, you can follow me.”

She led him down the hallway, past one occupied broadcast room, host inside actively talking at that moment, past some empty rooms until they reached a small office at the end of the hall. She motioned him in. “Sit, I will go inform Zhao-laoban that you are here and interested. It might be a while before he arrives though; he’s a very busy man.”

“Of course, of course.” Lie Yan nodded, hair flopping in his eagerness. “I don’t mind waiting.”

The woman hummed and left, closing the door behind her. 

The small office was dim, lit only by a few lamps on the desk and on a table in the corner. Lie Yan counted to sixty, and when no footsteps approached or sounded anywhere in the hallway, he stood and began to shuffle through the papers scattered everywhere.

He frowned as he scanned letters requesting airtime for various businesses and musicians, orders from politicians, requests from listeners. Nothing which seemed relevant to his mission.

Until, shifting one folder of flyers for a new film releasing in the cinemas, he caught sight of a handkerchief that had nine small squares cut from it. 

“This has to be a key.”

With new vigor, he searched again, grabbing anything he thought could be useful and holding the handkerchief to it.

No matches. Standing, he saw the wall of various leads and news stories, a red string connecting several pins across the board. 

Nowhere there for the handkerchief as well.

Lie Yan paused, closed his eyes and pulled in a centering breath. What could he expect to find here, he asked himself, opening his eyes to study the handkerchief once again.

‘ What would have nine characters?’

Allowing his eyes to wander, not intentionally looking for any specific thing while keeping an ear on the hallway, Lie Yan sucked in a breath as he spotted an envelope.

‘ An address.’

On a hunch Lie Yan lifted the envelope, opening it to pull out the paper inside. The holes in the handkerchief matched perfectly with the grid layout.

He scrambled for his pocket book and pencil, quickly writing down the characters exposed in the squares.

Footsteps began to grow louder. 

With efficient movements, Lie Yan refolded the paper, slipping it in the envelope and placing it back just how it had been, stashing the handkerchief and his supplies in his pocket and sitting just as the door handle turned.

Three hours later the address led him to a restaurant across the city. Outside he spotted other agents from his specific agency, taking care not to give any indication of recognizing them, and they, him. 

Slipping inside he made his way to a table in the back corner, sitting with his back to the wall in such a manner he could view the entire area. 

A waitress came by, dropping a crumpled piece of parchment as she took his order. Waiting for her to leave, he grabbed it, flattening it out on the table.

*the files are here

you follow through*

He crumpled the note again, stashing it in his pocket, thanking the waitress for the tea when she delivered it. He leisurely poured himself a cup,sipping at it as he waited.

Just as he finished the pot about twenty minutes later, a young man tripped by him, dropping the pile of books and papers he had been carrying in his arms.

“Oh, let me help you.” Lie Yan quickly crouched to help gather everything, slipping a folder marked with the emblem of a phoenix into his coat before handing a stack of books to the man, helping him to stand. After waving him on his way, Lie Yan paid for the tea and casually strode out of the cafe.

He wandered through the streets and alleys for a while, taking random turns and doubling back to be sure to lose anyone who may have been following him until he reached a small park, busy enough it would be risky for anyone to try to go after him, but not so busy as to be a risk for him to look over what he had just acquired. 

Flipping open the folder in the shade of a tree, Lie Yan frowned. All that was in it was the photo of a young child, a girl around seven or eight years of age. He flipped the photo over and was just able to read the light scrawling across the back of it.

*she is the objective. protect her and escort her to safe location at…*

Two addresses were listed, one he recognized as a safe house for their organization.

‘ The other must be where she is hiding.’

Slipping the photo into a pocket, he tossed the folder into the small pond and strolled away, sun starting to blazed orange behind him as it drew nearer the horizon.

He hailed a rickshaw, giving the address of the theater just up the street from the address he had received, and settled in as the man took off, running at a steady pace.

‘ Ming Xia should already be at an inn for the night. Hopefully he is traveling well. If I’m already this close to getting the girl, perhaps I can beat him home.’

Lie Yan allowed his mind to wander to the next day. To being present when Ming Xia swung open the door. To the perpetually warm and loving hug Lie Yan now found himself craving every second they weren’t touching. To the meal he would prepare to strengthen Ming Xia after a long journey, and leading him to their bed after.

Past that, Lie Yan allowed his thoughts to wander again to the picture of the girl in his pocket.

‘ Would Ming Xia want children?’

Lie Yan’s heart swelled as he imagined Ming Xia with a child hanging off each arm, his laughter as he chased them around a small yard to a small house in the countryside, but close enough to the city they could be sent to the best schools. 

A small smile lifted Lie Yan’s lips, his eyes softening as he stared at the hands in his lap. He didn’t know how plausible it would be, two men caring for children without raising concerns or suspicion. He realized, though, that he didn’t care, and already yearned for this future.

The rickshaw slowed and stopped. He waited as it was carefully lowered, handing the man more coins than was necessary and strode off in the opposite direction from where the girl should be, just a handful of blocks away.

His mind still drifted, filled with thoughts of children’s laughter and Ming Xia’s comforting warmth as he turned into an alley.

The atmosphere changed, sending goose bumps up his arms.

Lie Yan lifted his gaze, lowering his center of gravity as he paced forward, still only processing part of what he was seeing.

Which is how, distracted as he was, he failed to hear the faint scuffle of footsteps behind him. Failed to notice the change in the air as a bag was swung, landing over his head and hastily secured while his knees were kicked out and something struck his temple, making everything vanish into unconsciousness. 

Frigid water soaking him from head to foot in a sudden wave woke him, Lie Yan instantly gasping for air and attempting to stretch, only to find his arms and wrists bound with rough rope behind his back and connected to a chair. His legs as well, he noted, were secured to the chair, although not together.

A bag still covered his head, only the meagerest rays of light making their way through miniscule holes to give him any indication that the sun was up.

Voices mumbled around him, feet scuffled, and it seemed that for the moment, now that he was awake, he was again unimportant.

He didn’t know how long it was when heavy footsteps approached, stopping right in front of him and a heavy hand landing on his shoulder, squeezing it with nails digging in, Lie Yan noticing for the first time that his coat was gone and all he wore was his thin undershirt. 

“Where is the girl?” a voice growled.

Lie Yan didn’t react.

“Where are the Nirvana files?” Nails dug further into him.

Lie Yan still did not react.

The person growled, straightening and yanking the bag off Lie Yan’s head. The person, a large, gruff man in a high-end business suit, frowning severely under his mustache, backhanded Lie Yan.

He had telegraphed the strike, however, allowing Lie Yan to relax his jaw and neck, absorbing most of the hit with minimal damage.

The man frowned more, nodding to someone behind Lie Yan.

Next thing he knew, a rope looped over two hands was around his neck, pressure being exerted and lungs burning for air.

By the count of five, Lie Yan was attempting to pull back.

By the count of eight, his lungs burned with fire.

By the count of ten they cooled as air flooded back in, interrupted by heavy coughing.

The man in front of him spit on Lie Yan’s face, backhanding him again and this time, leaving a cut across his cheek with a thick ring on a finger.

Without another word, he left, as did the man behind Lie Yan, who was left to breathe and attempt to calm his racing heart, wondering just what was going on.

Three days had passed. Lie Yan was confident about that. The warehouse he was in had giant windows lining the roof which had not been boarded up.

Two days ago Ming Xia should have arrived at their apartment.

It was that thought, as Lie Yan spit out another mouthful of blood, that he focused on. 

The man he had fallen in love with, both slowly and instantaneously, was waiting for him. 

Another punch landed, teeth clacked together, narrowly missing an already bitten and abused tongue. 

“Where is she and the files?”

Lie Yan huffed, smirking up at the person towering over him. “I’ve already said. I don’t know. You grabbed me before I found her or the files.”

The gang member growled. He pulled a gun from the holster at his waist, checking the chamber before pointing it at Lie Yan, finger on trigger. 

“That’s enough.” 

A man that Lie Yan had determined to be the head of this operation strolled over. He sniffed at Lie Yan, motioning for the man who had been beating him to leave.

“The girl and the files are gone. Out of the city. The confirmation just came through.”

“Good.” Lie Yan snarled, leaning back as comfortably as he could in the chair he had first woken up tied to.

“You say that, but what this means, Agent, is that we no longer have any need for you.”

“Yes.”

The man raised an eyebrow. 

“Get on with it then.”

Before any further comment could be made, shouts from the front of the building rang out, followed quickly by the heavy popping noise of gunfire. Lie Yan and the man both looked to the commotion.

Lie Yan’s heart stopped.

Streaming in through the doors to the warehouse were not just the Shanghai police force, but the Shanghai police force being led by his other half.

Ming Xia.

The gangsters quickly returned fire, the shoot-out coming steadily closer across the vast space. A gasp escaped Lie Yan as he watched Ming Xia stumble back from a bullet to an arm. His blood rushed south when Ming Xia snarled and quickly focused his fire on the man who had hit him, then sprinted over to Lie Yan.

“Yan’er!” Ming Xia fell to his knees, gun dropping to the ground beside them as he instantly started to fight with the ropes around Lie Yan.

“A-Xia! Why are you here?”

Ming Xia threw him a quick smirk before focusing again on a rope around his chest. “I arrive to a note about a mission and less than ten minutes later get a knock on the door from your agency. Of course I’m here. I wasn’t about to let you just vanish.”

“A-Xia, you shouldn’t be here!”

“Of course I should.” Slack grew in the rope, and with a grin, tongue between teeth, Ming Xia clawed at it to unravel it, Lie Yan breathing a proper deep breath for the first time in three days.

“It’s dangerous.”

“You’re here.”

“This is my job!”

Ming Xia rolled his eyes before pecking a quick kiss to Lie Yan’s lips. “And I used to be a cop. Now come on.”

Ming Xia helped Lie Yan to his feet, brushing off the remaining ropes. Keeping a hand on his waist, Ming Xia turned to look for his gun.

It was gone.

And so was the man Lie Yan knew must have been in charge.

“Fuck.” Lie Yan swore, holding a hand to his sore ribs, resting heavily on Ming Xia.

“It’s fine. We just have to move a little faster than I had hoped.”

“A-Xia, he was the one in charge. He can come after you with that gun, frame you with it, he -”

Ming Xia gently squeezed Lie Yan’s waist. “Yan’er. Listen. That is all very true, but that is not important right now. Right now all that matters is getting you out of here safely. Understand?”

Lie Yan took in the loving determination painted over Ming Xia’s face, shining through it, and nodded. “I understand, bao. Let’s go.”

Ming Xia nodded, and they began to shuffle to the closest wall. 

Lie Yan’s hand on Ming Xia’s shoulder slipped, fingers hitting the bullet wound and causing Ming Xia to hiss. 

Lie Yan stumbled, and the next moment fire blossomed on his leg and he shouted, falling to the ground in Ming Xia’s embrace.

“Yan’er, are you alright?”

Lie Yan nodded, already focusing on compartmentalizing the pain and hearing Ming Xia’s voice over the gunfire.

Ming Xia gave him a few minutes before pulling Lie Yan back to his feet, forcing him to move faster this time as they drew closer and closer to the doors. When a bullet hit Ming Xia’s shoulder under Lie Yan, he grunted, eyes focused on the doors and kept them moving. 

“A-Xia,” Lie Yan gasped, eyes widening at the feeling of warmth liquid spreading underneath him, “let go of me, you’re hurt, you’ll make it worse.”

Ming Xia scoffed under his breath, tightening his grip around Lie Yan and kept moving. Just as Ming Xia reached to open the doors, Lie Yan let out a short gasping wheeze, eyes growing wide. 

“Fuck!”

Ming Xia threw them outside, quickly ducking to the side behind a tower of crates, swearing at the blossoming liquid over Lie Yan’s back.

“Yan’er, listen to me. You have to focus on me and keep your eyes open, alright?”

Lie Yan nodded, tremors already setting in. He accepted the new position Ming Xia set them in, draped over his back.

“We don’t have far to go, bao. We are almost safe, I promise.”

“I trust you, A-Xia. Let’s go. I want to go home with you.”

“We will, Yan’er. We have a whole future to plan and live.”

“Together.”

Ming Xia gave a firm nod and, with a deep breath, began to run, LieYan struggling to keep his feet moving as well and to not slow Ming Xia down.

“There, Yan’er! See the barricade?”

“Yes.”

“We are almost there!”

Just fifty paces ahead of them was a barricade of police vehicles surrounding the warehouse. Those who had been told to stay behind to not let anyone escape began to run out to meet them.

To help them.

Lie Yan weakly squeezed Ming Xia, a small laugh and relief flooding through him.

Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

Tires squealed.

An engine revved. 

Ming Xia had to start dodging gunfire as a car roared towards them.

‘ No.’

Time slowed, Lie Yan certain he could see each individual bullet passing them by as he struggled to help them move faster, to get his feet more firmly beneath him, ignoring the ooze of blood down his back. 

He had just managed to grab Ming Xia’s wrist, standing next to him instead of draped over the back of him, when they were hit.

Lie Yan was thrown onto the hood of the car, legs tangled with Ming Xia’s, who fell to the ground, instantly vanishing with a shout beneath the car.

“A-Xia!” Lie Yan gasped as he fell, catching the barest glimpse of an unmoving Ming Xia in the split second before his head met the ground and everything blacked out.

Faint shouting teased him back. Peeling an eye open, he winced at the sun, holding back a sob at the pain racing through him. Gritting his teeth, he turned his head, eyes falling on Ming Xia.

“A-Xia.” he gasped. 

Ming Xia managed to lift his head, turning it so his cheek rested on the ground and he could look at Lie Yan. He gave a weak smile, eyes still sparkling, and held a hand out.

“Yan’er.”

Lie Yan forced himself to roll to his stomach, ignoring it as it heaved, and pulled himself over to Ming Xia, collapsing as soon as their hands touched.

Ming Xia’s eyes turned to crescents with the strength of his smile before they slowly closed.

“A-Xia? A-Xia!” Lie Yan gasped, grabbing frantically at Ming Xia’s hand. 

The world swam, the sunlight growing dimmer, sounds more distant.

With one last breath, Lie Yan gasped, “A-Xia. I promise.”

100 YEARS LATER

Tears burned his eyes as Gong Jun fought to hold them back, focusing on the crowded hall full of cheering fans.

Their little show that could, did.

His life, and that of his Zhang-laoshi’s, was forever changed.

“And Junjun, I want to say.” 

Gong Jun looked at Zhang Zhehan, grounding himself in the hand on his arm, squeezing slightly as time distorted and slowed, a heaviness settling over him and that knowing sense of deep recognition which transcends lifetimes settling on him like a cloak.

“I hope you will always be able to maintain your integrity and who you are. In the future, no matter what difficulties you meet. If you need anything from gege, I will always be here for you.”

Briefly meeting Zhang Zhehan’s eyes before being pulled into a hug, Gong Jun swore he saw a flash of recognition, the feeling of finally being home with a long lost loved one settling in his bones. Gong Jun counted to five before trying to pull away, quickly giving in and settling his chin more firmly over Zhang Zhehan’s left shoulder when the other man didn’t let go.

As he pulled back, a wave of dizziness washed over him, faint words echoing through his mind.

“A-Xia, I promise.”