Chapter Text
So, these particular brutes truly have no honour—a shame honestly— they had shown such promise as well. “System, Xiu Ya” immediately the enraged bickering on how best to make the Bai Zhan disciples pay for abandoning Shen Jiu to the proverbial demonic wolves ceases as both spiritual entities turn their heads to him at the same time. “Oh my poor beloved A-Jiu!” His eye twitches as the system throws itself at him with no decorum sobbing loud enough for the entire Jianghu to hear, honestly the thing is worse than Shang Qinghua. “Tsk, stop that! you’re aggravating his wounds!” The sticky sobbing entity is ripped off of him quicker than it had leapt at him, with a sigh—and deliberate calming breath, Shen Jiu brushes down his torn robes. “I’ve grown rather bored these days—don’t give me that false look I know you both have as well— and the actions of these dishonourable brutes has just given me the perfect idea to remedy this.”
Both immediately straighten up from where they had been rolling around in the dirt, “do you remember world 392? Specifically the cave of wonders and the nymph found within?” Widened sparkling eyes look up at him “of course this system remembers! This system still holds all artifacts, tokens and boons gifted to us!” Xiu Ya’s lips quirk up as the spirit recalls that particular event, “how could this one ever forget? It’s not every life one is given free range of calling upon a heavenly cosmic entity not bound by time nor space.”
A hum as he sits upon the fallen stone pillar, “I find myself missing some of my former disciples these days—what say you both?” He can see the exact moment both entities understand just what plan he has in mind as they both leap to their feet—stumbling about, just like they did in their 15th incarnation when they’d been gifted their ability to appear in flesh. “Are you certain? This one is sure there are countless other ideas we could explore instead.” Xiu Ya, his sweet beloved companion is ever so quick to attempt to point away from any actions that might distress him, with a wry grin he waves off the tall spirits worry, “this one would not have mentioned such a thing without being certain, now System.” At the call of their title they straighten, “commune with our benefactor and tell them, I wish to enact plan 9-25b, oh and tell them,” mischief dances in his eyes as he pauses, “I wish for them to recreate the injuries incurred in life 275 –they’ll know which ones. Oh, and the anatomy from life 72, I believe the combination of events will be most entertaining.” Both System and spirit sword stare at him with wide eyes and jaws dropped so low, he is surprised they have not yet fallen from their skulls. The two unfairly tall entities look at him, then each other several times, before both faces break out in wide grins, it seems all three are in agreement.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
The sect is in complete and utter disarray, countless people run to and from Qiong Ding—so many in fact that from above they appear as an overflowing ant colony whose home has just been stepped on. In the centre storms a tall man dressed in swathes of bamboo green and white robes, his normally gentle but distant face is twisted into a snarl of what can only be described as thunderous rage with a molten lining of murderous intent—“I want the disciples who thought themselves above this sects teachings found and locked up within a quarter of a shichen!” “Yes Shen Shibo!” Immediately several groups of trusted Qiong Ding cultivators change paths and begin making their way towards the rainbow bridges. At the tall man’s side stalks a man of even greater height and stature, his own face is stone still, his usual soft and calm look nowhere in sight. “If Qingqiu is in anyway shape or form hurt I’ll flay those fools alive” “and I’ll bind them in place for you, even supply ever flowing ewers of salted fire water to douse the blood to see where you’ve yet to strike.” The two men reach the doors of a grand hall. All around them disciples scurry about carrying out orders, writing and sending missives, and formulating plans. With a deep breath—and not a hitch in stride, the man in green throws open the doors with a burst of qi before slamming them shut behind them. “I am leaving and there’s nothingyou can say or do to stop me.” Silence descends upon the hall as 10 Peak Lords and 11 head disciples all turn at the loud sound of the door slamming and just as loud declaration. The man in green stares at another man adorned in black and silver robes standing at the head of the battle map, he rises from his crouch and inclines his head “I never thought to keep you here in the first place Shen-Shidi.” Shen Anwei’s shoulders relax ever so slightly as he strides towards his side—“What have you discovered?” Here a man dressed in dark and unremarkable robes scoffs—even with a mask his disdain is plain to see “a conspiracy spanning almost every peak, disciples, and even hall masters, from Lin Shou all the way through to An Ding, Bai Zhan and even Wan Jian have been plotting against the head disciple from Qing Jing—Shen Qingqiu— presumably since the day he walked into Cang Qiong. There isn’t a single peak free from this outside of Qing Jing.” Enraged mutters break out among the 11 Peak Lords and disciples—to think that their students, their very own martial siblings, had been plotting something so despicable right beneath their noses, and would have gotten away with it were it not for a panicked Qing Jing student interrupting class when they had received an emergency missive from a friend visiting home stating they’d seen a group of Bai Zhan disciples drinking and laughing over finally getting rid of the “Qing Jing whore.”
“Anhu” the man with white and black hair crouching on the enchanted floor projecting a perfect topographical view of the missions region, tilts his head but doesn’t stop searching, with a quick move he slams a flag down—“here, Qingqiu wouldn’t stay in one spot, he’d move from where he was no doubt attacked and abandoned in case his assailants came back. Instead of making his way to the road then flying back here he’d move inward, past the ever flowing moon-sorrow falls.” Shen Anwei circles the map and points towards the east of the marker “he’d avoid the eastern border of the forest, specifically the town, Xianren Píngyuán, they probably have mercenaries guarding the border, and besides, the plains are far too open—he’d never expose himself needlessly.” Several bright red stones make their mark along the area pointed out. “The western side bleeds into areas riddled with abyssal rifts, which leaves us with…” a night pearl is placed “the unexplored northern region, I’ll pull any old maps that may have been forgotten to time in the Qing Jing library, see if there was anything in the area we might need to know.”
Shen Anwei breathes before locking eyes with Cheng Anshuo, “be sure to ready sedatives along with what you were planning on bringing,” here he hesitates before continuing while staring at Wu Anmin “I do not know what mindset he’ll be in when we find him.” Feng Anhu stands from his crouch before moving to stand beside his husband after collecting his disciple, “what I am about to say does not, and will not, leave this room—nor will it be discussed amongst one another until after he is found am I clear?” After acquiring the verbal confirmation from all in the room, Shen Anwei utters a sentence that sends the entire room collapsing into chaos.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Panic, pain, betrayal. Even after all these years he never truly belonged did he? Always unwanted, disgusting, filthy, unlovable Xiao Jiu. Try as he might to claw his way towards that brighter tomorrow, in the end he will always fail—after all, the light is no place for a rotten filthy slave to stand.
He has always been destined to fade away into the filth he was cast into upon his birth, he had been a fool for ever believing he could be something more when his fate and station had been carved deep within, past flesh, tissue, sinewy muscle, joints and ligaments, past his bones, veins, organs, and nerve endings all the way to his very soul. It remains a perpetual stain—a mark forever branded into his very essence.
His two noisy companions have fallen silent after helping him find a place suitable enough to hide, or rather, curl up and do what he should have done years ago—give up and fade away into the filth that made him. He wouldn’t die here, oh no, he’s too much spite for such a thing. Xiao Jiu had fought too hard to live to simply just lay down and die.
No, instead he will rest, recuperate—and when he is certain those fools haven’t tracked him for slaughter, he will rise once more and this time, disappear.
They want him far from Cang Qiong? Fine, he’ll leave. Had it been any other time he’d have marched towards the sect and reclaimed his place out of pure spite in plain view of all who had concocted this dreadful betrayal.
But well, he’s so very tired of fighting, tired of being spurned and scorned by some half-witted pebble brained fools who wouldn’t know their foot from their head if left alone. Why bother returning to a place filled with pain and resentment? Should he return for Yue Qi’s sake? The man had left him to the hatred, had all but personally thrown him to the wolves upon his arrival to the sect. Despite their bettered and once more close relationship these days, he knows in his heart Yue Qi will do as he has always done. No, it’s best to stay away.
A voice in the back of his mind whispers of soft spoken words, kind hands, dinners shared around a table of four, being taught to play music, to formulate strategies, to properly wield a blade and use his size to his advantage, that voice whispers of a home he has never before known. It urges him to return to a mountain covered in spiritual bamboo, a peak filled with disciples who do not scoff and turn away in disgust but wave and encourage him closer with honest eyes and kind words.
Where a house sits near a clearing with a room made up just for him in case he doesn’t wish to be alone that night, a room filled with soft blankets and an endless supply of soft pillows, items infinitely better than the rough stone floor and torn robes he now nests upon. A place defended by three powerful cultivators that would strike down the very heavens to keep him safe.
With a mournful croon Shen Jiu curls up as tight as he can in his nest made of rocks and rubble pressing painfully into his injuries, and wills his mind to at the very least doze.
Shen Jiu awakens uncertain of how long he’d spent dozing on the floor— more than slightly delirious from the headache and pain pulsing to the beat of his heart. Exhaustion weighs down his limbs leaving him dazed and confused—he should still be napping, why is he awake?
As if on cue, a slight scuffing sound echoes almost silently in the hallway outside of the room in the ruins he’d claimed. Instantly his head whips up—his eyes momentarily unseeing past the blood rushing from his head, through the pounding beat of his heart in his ears he makes out a squeaky exclamation of panic. When his eyes clear enough, he can make out the form of a man dressed in dull brown and orange travel robes. Instantly his lips peel back in a snarl as a sound that can only be described as animalistic rage tears from his throat.
A hand darts out from the left of the door and drags the man away—unfortunately the damage is done and he is now aware of their presence. His ears strain as he nervously pushes himself closer to the wall, whoever is out there is now hidden from his senses, cultivators then—had the Bai Zhan disciples called for back up when they couldn’t find him? His head swims from the blood loss as he desperately attempts to move. A sound at the door has him flinching and near silently hissing with every last one of his feathers fluffing up to make himself look bigger, a different man stands in the doorway—this one dressed in scuffed earth toned practical robes.
He crouches in the doorway slowly, his hands are presented before him palms up, something about him calls his attention—a silent thrum in the air like a gentle voice whispering promises of safety and warmth. The man opens his mouth and croons out a low soothing coo, the presence in the back of his mind from earlier conjures up images and phrases far too fast to parse, one appears above the rest, a mountain filled with spiritual and demonic beasts, Ling You peak.
The man continues to let out little trilling coos to soothe as he carefully shuffles out of the doorway, not far, just enough that he is no longer within the risk zone of where it might collapse. Ah, this foolish creature is no threat to him, probably just a wandering qilin looking for somewhere to rest before continuing their journey. Without his conscious effort Shen Jiu lowers his head back onto his arms, his eyes—now heavy— remain pinned to the familiar unfamiliar creature. His blinks grow longer until they are closed longer than open, between one blink and the next he dozes.
The sound of shifting rock has his heart pounding once more as his eyes fly open. The man has made it fully into the room, behind him stands others he cannot make out, a trick—he had fallen for a damned trap. Rearing back he forces himself to move his aching limbs, a hiss explodes from his throat as his crimson wings mantle and flare above him spraying his blood along the floor, his short tail feathers soon joining. The man swears and shuffles back never once taking his eyes off of him. The man continues to retreat until he is no longer within the room—whatever goodwill and peace he had managed to create has been unceremoniously shattered by his companions.
Nervously, Shen Jiu watches the doorway that same man dressed in the shades of the earth remains at—he had hissed at his companions and sent them away in a great show of upset. The qilin hasn’t attempted to draw near again, thankfully choosing to stand guard in the hall instead. He seems to be waiting for something, his head tilted slightly towards the right though his eyes never once stray from him. Shen Jiu doesn’t like it—the man’s aura proclaims safetywhile his actions scream deceit—a creature of contradictions. Without his conscious thought his eyes grow heavy and he dozes once more.
He couldn’t have been out for more then a few moments when a purposeful shuffle at the door draws his attention, slower than he’d like his eyes open and stare once more through the open door. His breath catches as he stares at the familiar tall and broad form dressed in black and silver robes—Qi-Ge, Qi-Ge came for him. At his left side stands the man dressed in earth—Duan Qingze his mind supplies. On his right—here his breath catches once more, a form slightly smaller then Qi-Ge —but much larger then Duan shidi— draped in white and grey blue martial robes, stands Liu Qingge.
Oh.
They all came for him, they, they found him. Tears burn his eyes as he lets his wings drop to the floor with a loud and painful thud, his tail feathers following suit and relaxing from their ruffled form. As if weighed down by an entire mountain, his left arm slowly raises from the ground and reaches out for his “Qi-Ge.” The man wastes no time and instantly sprints through the open door, painfully he drops to his knees and as if handling the most delicate of porcelain, cradles his hand in both of his own, “Xiao Jiu, I’m here, Qi-Ge is here.” His breaths slow as his head drops back to his right arm, his eyes slipping shut without his say so, as his body falls limp for the first time in what has to be days. As his consciousness slips from him he barely registers the panicked calls from Yue Qingyuan to stay awake and the quick steps of others entering the room.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
After days of desperate searching they’ve finally reached the place his little Qingqiu had escaped to.
A large and abandoned sprawling series of complex structures, structures that had been completely hidden by a vast series of even more complex array’s the likes of which he’d never before seen.
The ruins themselves are that of an ancient imperial palace, the buildings sprawling and large, grander than anything he’d ever seen. It had taken him revealing his true form to get them through the barriers, the arrays lighting up with relief and glee at the entrance of a fenghuang. Once through they’d been quick in splitting everyone into groups of no less than four, to better search the sprawling ruins without leaving themselves vulnerable.
Were this any other time he’d be thrilled at the chance to uncover the secrets of such an ancient and untouched place, but with his little Qingqiu somewhere in this sprawling palace injured and alone? He’s no time to properly appreciate and enjoy such a beautiful place.
The palace had been perfectly preserved with qi, his heart still quivers at the memory of the body of the dead Fenghuang they had found, for a moment he’d feared the worst, but closer examination revealed it to be an ancient death echo.
The ancient Empress still preserved in their last moments in this world through the qi in the air, a quick cleansing had allowed the last of the echo to finally fade into the ether, allowing the visage to be free at last.
Room after room they’d searched, his beloved Baihu even fully dropping his human form to try and scent out the location of their son. But still they came up empty handed.
Becoming desperate he’d allowed his wings to unfurl once more and his senses to stretch as far as they could in search of his dear A-Jiu. He shouldn’t be alone, should still be at home resting in his den under the watchful eyes of his parents! Instead he is injured or worse.
When that talisman had alighted they had been on the other end of the heart of the ancient imperial palace. He’d not wasted a single moment as he took to the sky, desperately he flew as fast as his large wings would carry him to the source of the location talisman.
He lands in a daze and can only pause for a single moment as he realizes where he is, his little Qingqiu has been found in the old Empresses personal home.
When he enters the halls he’s greeted with the sight of the remnants of the siege that had claimed the Empresses life, the walls are scorched from flame, the stone pillars missing large chunks from massive qi enforced strikes. As he walks through the halls he distantly makes note of the history this place bleeds, his wings shiver as he feels the grief and all consuming agony bleeding from the carved wood, jade and stone.
A loud bang and sickening snarl has him hurrying along.
Behind him his Baihu quickly hurries to catch up. Both of them are frozen in shock at the chaos that has become the Empresses old personal chambers, lying curled up and unconscious beside the ancient bed is Shen Qingqiu. His gorgeous red wings resting awkwardly on the ground his feathers twisted and torn, broken, his Jiu-er’s wings are broken.
Stretching his senses reveals the boy to be sleeping, not dead, he’s alive.
Liu Qingge has lost his mind, instincts taking over from the devastation bleeding from the building combining with the visage of his martial brother unconscious, the horrible combination mixing into one no doubt confusing and terrifying moment.
He distantly catches young Shang Qinghua as he’s thrown by Yue Qingyuan, the silver Loong having also fallen to the same frenzy as his shidi, narrowing his eyes he switches the order of events in his mind to Yue Qi falling first, which in turn triggered Liu Mingyu into his own spiral.
The young Pixiu is very ruffled, bruised, and bleeding, he was prepared for his cousins actions but seems he underestimated the overprotective frenzy of a loong.
He blinks up at him, his little tail swishing this way and that while his wings flutter and fluff up in his agitation and stress, ah it seems this place is also getting to the young qianyuan just as it has with his martial brothers.
“Oh thank the gods you’re here! They’ve completely lost it Rulan-Juju! After Shen-Shixiong passed out Yue-Shixiong went mad, snarling and growling at everyone and anything! Then Mingyu the dumbass dove in to help us calm him down only to falter at the first whiff of Shen-Shixiong’s blood and Yue-Shixiong’s panicked devastation.”
Feng Anhu calmly catches the thrown Qilin as Liu Qingge finally gets his hands on the smaller qianyuan, Duan Qingze, and finally punts him towards the door.
He groans as he pats his Shibo’s chest, “good luck Feng-Shibo, I’ve done all I can but I’m pretty sure this is a qianyuan mate panic.”
His eye twitches at the declaration, carefully he places the pixiu down as his golden wings flare as he glares down at his one mates darling stupid nephew and his other mates partially adopted child. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Feng Baihu setting the qilin down as he gets ready to wrangle his feral nephew.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
He opens his dazed eyes to the strangest sight he’s ever seen in all his years of life, Yue Qingyuan is dodging his golden loong Shizun’s determined attempts to pin him down while Liu Qingge is desperately rolling away from his own white tiger Shizun. With a confused and pained croon he holds the attention of the room as he tries to get up on his broken legs.
That split second of distraction is all his Shibo and Shishu needed to finally pin their feral disciples in place. Before he can actually get his broken legs beneath him he’s being swept up into his Shizun’s warm embrace.
The other is cradling him close as he bundles him up and into his determined arms, once secure in his grasp, Shen Anwei begins to quickly rub his cheek and neck all over his head as he croons and rumbles to him. Blinking in surprise he can only lay there limp as he’s hidden from view by his massive golden wings. ‘Huh, didn’t expect that one.’
It would seem, he may have —perhaps— miscalculated ever so slightly with his request.
No matter, at least he won’t be bored anymore.
Purring he nuzzles and burrows into his Shizun’s hold as the other quickly leaves the ruined room, and the snarling growls of two very distraught qianyuan’s being pinned beneath their betters, far behind.
Admittedly, when he made his request he’d meant to only alter his own form so drastically, but he must admit it’s nice not being so alone. It’s been quite some time since his last world with these parameters, but it’s rather nice. Peaceful, and best of all? The perfect playing field to keep his boredom at bay, ‘you can’t feel lonely and dead in your own skin if you’ve no time to stop and think about how easy to discard you are.’
He dozes secure and hidden in the golden wings cradling him in the scent of fire, rosewood and patchouli.
When he wakes he’s curled up in his Shizun’s lap with the man carefully tending to his wings with the qilin Wu Anmin helping as well. Craning his head he can only raise his brows at the sight of Cheng Anshuo and Mu Qingfang tending to Duan Qingze and Shang Qinghua’s battered forms, huh, wonder what happened there.
Seeing him awake his Shizun leans down to rub their cheeks together scenting him further and preventing any panic at having his wings groomed by anyone other than his parents, accepted pack or flock and mates at bay, his Shizun truly is so smart. Purring he allows his own scent glands to open and finally release some of his own scent, not enough to give away anything about how much agony he is in, but just enough to satisfy the other with the knowledge of his overall scent.
The large imperial courtyard falls utterly still as his scent of fire, bamboo, and hyacinth hesitantly fills the air. Blinking up at his Baba with exhausted eyes he meets the others wide startled gaze head on, confused Shen Jiu tilts his head to the right at the man’s positively shocked expression.
When he still doesn’t move Shen Jiu releases a crooning chirp of confusion, still the older fenghuang remains frozen, his unblinking wide startled eyes staring down at his broken form. Tears begin building hot and heavy in his own eyes as his instincts begin to perceive the silence as a rejection.
When the first of the tears slips down his cheek and his hesitant and hopeful scent turns sharp and bitter with the perceived rejection, the other seems to finally snap out of his shock, instantly he’s bundled closer as he’s once more thoroughly scented.
“My poor beloved Jiu-er, shhh, it’s alright. Baba was just surprised that our scents hold a family note, shhh, it’s alright my little fire. Baba has you.”
Shen Anwei sounds choked as he soothes his distraught kunze son. Trilling in pain Shen Jiu burrows into the others embrace crying all the harder as his adrenaline finally fades from his body leaving him with the full brunt of his request.
“Cheng-shidi a hand if you would.”
There’s a stream of qi through his right wrist as it’s claimed by the bai ze Qian Cao lord of healing.
“We’ll need to sedate him, it’s cruel to keep him awake with all of these injuries. His legs have been broken in three different places, over half of his bones are cracked and were broken but already healing with his qi, his wings are broken in 2 separate places the breaks are identical, the wounds were done on purpose. Had his core been any weaker he would have bled out from so many blood feathers being torn from his wings, he’s a long road to full recovery ahead of him but if he’s to make it to that point we need to sedate him now and treat some of this before we can return to Cang Qiong.”
He releases a mournful croon of pain as his wings are stretched, “shhh, it’s alright my child. Baba isn’t going anywhere, you’re safe now. But you need to go to sleep so Baba can start fixing your wings and other wounds. Shhh, just stay focused on Baba’s voice it’s alright my little fire. Don’t fight it, shhh…”
He whines as the drugs hit his system from the silver needle that was no doubt used to administer the drug.
The older fenghuang merely bundles him close and scents him, crooning and rumbling well after he finally falls away into blissful unconsciousness.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
This time when he awakes there is no sharp agony piercing through broken bones, no deep seated terror at being out in the open, no jagged rocks and torn fabric scraps creating a truly pathetic nest as a last ditch effort to self soothe.
Instead, he’s laid out on his stomach in a truly decadent and soft bed, each of his wounds have been carefully tended to, and encouraged to heal by the efforts of the best healers in this half of the Jianghu.
His wings flutter and stretch as his tail feathers ruffle with his awakened state. Crooning, Shen Jiu blinks open his sleep heavy gaze to find out just where he is.
He’s in his room in his Baba’s house on Qing Jing. Blinking, he cranes his neck to look around at what he’s laying on, oh. They’ve set up a burrow bed for him to nest in, and nest he has. The curtains are drawn down hiding his splayed form from sight, the bed itself is lower than the raised edges tricking his instincts into believing he’s actually burrowed below the ground.
How much time has he lost to the haze of familial bonding?
The curtain to his left is shifted, blinking up at the bright light he’s left looking up at the absolutely massive form of his die die, Feng Baihu, the great white tiger of Bai Zhan, and the biological uncle of three of his Shidi’s.
The man takes but a moment to assess the fact he’s conscious and lucid before he’s dropping to a crouch by the nest.
The massive man casually tucks his bulk in small as he sits near his dazed body.
“Good morning A-Jiu, it is good to see you up little spitfire, are you in any pain right now?”
His hands knead at the bedding below him as he carefully turns the question over in his mind, he tilts his head to the right in confusion.
“Hm, the medicine must still be in effect. It will wear off soon little kit, you should feel more in control then.”
The large qianyuan reaches his hand out and carefully cups his cheek, cooing he leans into the touch and reaches up to tug on his sleeve.
His die die chuckles as he shifts, “alright, alright, I understand A-Jiu. I’ll join you in your nest for a bit but after that we’ll need to get up and eat something other than medicinal bone broth.”
He chirps and trills his delight as the large qianyuan slips off his outer robe and boots before sliding into his nest
The large tiger rumbles and chuffs as his ears and tail appear. The massive qianyuan tucks his dazed form close to his chest as he rolls them further into the nest, delighted he aggressively nuzzles into the others chest as he tries and fails to contain his glee at being held.
“Easy little spit fire, your wounds have only just healed. We don’t want to strain your body so soon, you’ve been down for almost an entire week. This one isn’t going anywhere.”
The man rumbles as he rubs his scent all along his head, neck, chest, shoulders, back, everywhere the Qianyuan can reach, he’s scenting. Soon enough his entire body and nest is drenched in the soothing smell of eucalyptus, lotus and chamomile.
When he starts licking his rough feline tongue along his facial feathers he squirms with a giggling coo, “die die, stop!” The man laughs in joy as he holds him closer rumbling so hard his bones vibrate.
“Why would this die die stop cleaning his dirty kit hm? Is it not this one’s duty as a father to help his injured kit stay clean while he heals?”
He nudges his head below the others chin as his talons tear holes into the others’ robes.
Instantly the elder is making a sound of enlightenment as he’s carefully bundled up as tight as possible and half hidden beneath his grounding weight. “I see this little spitfire is overstimulated. Let’s just lay here and calm down for a while as the last of the drugs finally leave your system.”
He kneads at the large qianyuan’s robes as he bites down on the others shoulder, humming and purring as his wings flutter and twitch every so often.
That’s how his Baba finds them, his talons remain visibly hooked tightly in his die die’s now heavily torn up robes, while his die die laying half on top of him in an effort to help ground him from the medicines overstimulating effects as the last dregs leave his system.
“I see the blue sun lotus dust will be put down as a last resort for our Jiu-er’s future pain relief. How are you holding up A-Bai?”
The large man rumbles as he cranes his neck to stare at his mate, “he’s shredded my clothes and is currently grounding himself by biting me, but he hasn’t broken skin. Just simply self soothing through the come down.”
A hum as he crawls into the nest, “you seem rather happy about being used as a chew toy for a very overstimulated and dangerous red fenghuang.”
He trills his glee as his Baba brackets his free side applying a firm but gentle pressure against his back and fluttering wings. His hands tighten and his jaw clamps down so impossibly viciously, as he tries so hard to ride the wave of this awful medication wearing off.
The white tiger doesn’t even wince, just merely holds him tighter as his no doubt sharp talons prickle at his skin, and his jaw begins to bruise.
“He called me die die. Took one look and he decided that’s what I was to be called.”
His baba makes a sound of understanding as he begins carefully rubbing at his clenched hands, urging the shaking joints to release their tense and very painfully tight grasp.
“No wonder you’re glowing, it’s just like when Mingyu called you Juju as his first word.”
The man chuckles at the words, “it certainly feels the same. Where is Mingyu? Still pouting with Yongliang and Ling because he’s been barred from seeing A-Jiu?”
His hands finally unhook from their tight grasp and his Baba takes immediate advantage, instantly he’s hooking his fingers through his own and rhythmically squeezing them to simulate the kneading he’d just been doing.
“Hm, I believe so, but he also received a missive from your deadbeat sister. I caught him stalking towards the Bai Zhan training grounds to let off some steam. So, I set Yue-Shizhi loose on him along with A-Tian, hopefully they’ll put up enough of a challenge he won’t hurt himself in his desire for the hunt.”
His cheek is caressed as the massive qianyuan helps him unhook the painful clench of his jaw, not painful for the beast of a man but for him, the tension so strong his joints are creaking and aching.
“I’ll talk to him after A-Tian brings him here, remind the kit he always has a home in our den even though he thinks he’s all grown now and supposed to strike out on his own. Perhaps the knowledge of A-Jiu eating supper with us will cheer him up enough from whatever hell his birth mother has inflicted upon him.”
Crooning he falls utterly limp as his body finally releases the last of the tension from the god awful medication finally beginning to truly leave his system.
The others don’t stop their ministrations, if anything they double down when his body begins shaking and shivering.
“That medication is never, coming anywhere near him again. If anyone tries I’ll gut them myself.”
“And I’ll hold them down for you, shhh, oh our poor little spitfire.”
His breaths come quick and panicked as he tries to fight down the urge to throw up as his organs vibrate.
“Alright, up we get Jiu-er, shhh, help me get him to the edge, if he throws up in his nest we’ll have more than just this horrible come down to help him through.”
Yan Tian finds them like this, him curled up in his baba’s lap as his die die holds a large bowl below his chin as he gags and vomits nothing but stomach acid.
“I’ll let Cheng-Shidi and Wu-Shidi know to mark this one down as a never again.”
Weakly he sniffles and looks up as the golden loong crosses the room with a pitcher of water and a cup.
He whines out a pained, “A-die” as his mind comprehends the others presence.
“Oh A-Jiu, sweet hatchling. You are really coming down hard.”
He hands the filled water cup to his baba who helps him rinse his mouth out. Shaking and shivering he whines and releases a warbling keen of distress.
His baba hums as he strokes a hand up and down his chest in an effort to get his middle dantian to start smothering the after effects of the medication.
“Where’s Mingyu? I thought you were looking after him?”
A-die coughs as he very purposefully refills the water cup, “well. Young Yue Qi seemed well equipped to handle it. I decided it was best to give the two some…space.”
Die die chuffs in surprise and shock as his baba momentarily pauses his ministrations, as his gagging kicks up again the other begins infusing his own qi into his system to help the sluggish flow along.
“A-Tian, do not tell me you left the two alone so they could rut out the problem.”
“Well…I didn’t not, leave them alone when the biting turned a little more than just—hunting.”
Weakly he burrows into his baba’s neck as his body’s shivering finally begins to die down.
“You’ll both be making sure they don’t smell anything but clean if they want to be able to have dinner with us tonight. Now shoo, I’m going to help Jiu-er finish coming down then get changed and ready to eat.”
There’s a kiss pressed to his forehead, and his baba’s as his die die stands up and leaves with a pep in his prowling steps. A-die chuckles and leans down to rub their cheeks together leaving behind his scent of water in sunlight, sandalwood and grapefruit before he presses a kiss to his baba’s cheek and follows his other mate out to wrangle their head disciples into a semblance of propriety.
His baba huffs and shakes his head in amused exasperation before pressing his cheek against the top of his head. “What are we to do with these large fools Jiu-er? Alright, let’s relax in your nest and then we’ll get you changed out of these soaked robes.”
Cooing he simply burrows into his baba’s hold as he lays them down into his nest while helping him circulate his qi.
He’s left feeling so very exhausted as he wakes up from his latest doze. Groaning he nuzzles closer to his baba’s chest as his mind registers how truly drained the medicine has left him.
“Easy Jiu-er, it’ll take some time for you to get back to normal. Your system has been left severely yang deficient from the medication. After dinner your die die or a-die can help rebalance you by giving you some of theirs.”
He hums in acknowledgment of his baba’s statement, weakly he hooks his fingers into the others’ dressed down “house robes” as he calls them. Chirping he weakly rubs his cheek against his baba’s in an effort to scent himself.
Chuckling the older fenghuang bundles him closer so he can properly be scented.
Trilling he purrs, in contentment as his baba rubs their cheeks together spreading their scents of fire on the others person.
“Oh my beloved little fire, alright, let’s get you dressed and get something in you that’s not just medicinal bone broth and tea. Your Cheng-Shishu and maybe your Wu-Shishu, will probably be by after dinner to check on your injuries and to see how unbalanced the blue sun lotus dust has left you in person.”
He hums again as his baba pulls them both up into a sit in his nest. Still tucked into his chest he croons and coos as he stretches his stiff wings out, the feathers fluff up before settling back down as they fall limp once again.
They come across a problem when he tries to help him leave his nest, what should have been a simple move is anything but, as a panicked trilling squawk bursts forth from his throat and he’s left scrambling to desperately remain within his burrow he’s left shaking in baffled confusion. Blinking he turns wide confused eyes to his baba who stares down in shock and pure concern at his shaking form.
“Alright, nothing to worry about. This was to be expected that you’d be left unbalanced, especially with how you are still unwell, shhh. It’s alright, let’s get you changed in your nest and we’ll go from there.”
He nods as he lets the elder help him out of his modified sleeping robes and into his own set of “house robes”. Now in clean clothes —after a cleansing talisman used on himself of course— they try again, only this time he immediately breaks out into whimpering whines and cries as he throws himself as far from the exit as he can get.
Shen Anwei is immediately climbing back into his nest to bundle him close and soothing his ragged cries of fear.
“It’s ok, shhh, breathe Jiu-er, it’s alright, baba has you. Baba has you.”
When his cries finally stop he’s left tired and sniffling against his Baba’s chest like a child.
“We’ll just have something to eat in your nest. Shhh, it’s alright, I’m not going anywhere, I’ll have one of your other fathers bring something to us.”
With a mournful croon he hooks his mouth onto the others shoulder as he tries to will the upset deeply wrong feeling away.
There’s a hand rubbing his back and the smell of some light congee in the air dragging his attention back to the present.
“Do you need anything else A-Rulan?”
His baba makes a thoughtful sound before shaking his head, “no. Although it would be nice to get some advice from our Shidi’s, just be sure to make it clear, no one but us, are to breach this room until he calms enough to not drop. It was terrifyingly close just from the attempts to leave his nest, I don’t want to risk anything right now.”
A-die rumbles his concern and understanding as he kisses his head and scents his neck and back before leaving, the door shutting behind him silently.
His baba hums as he rubs his back carefully massaging where his wings connect to human flesh, “would Jiu-er like to try eating or would you rather take a nap first?”
He purrs when the other suggests a nap so, a nap it is.
Shen Jiu curls up, burrowed deep in his nest and wrapped around a blanket that smells of all three of his parents. Purring a distressed, wounded and reedy self soothing sound, Shen Jiu dozes off with his baba humming a tune he’s not heard in centuries.
“Damn it, now?! Tsk, I’ll be there in a moment let me just check on Jiu-er before we leave.”
There’s a hand gently smoothing the hair back from his face as his baba curls up with him and rests his forehead against his clammy one.
He sighs as he strokes his cheek, “Jiu-er, this baba will be heading out for an emergency meeting on Qiong Ding with the others, if you need me, for any reason at all, I’ve left you some emergency talismans right beside your meal held in a stasis talisman.”
He hums as he nods his confirmation at having heard the elder.
Shen Anwei sighs as he presses a long kiss to his forehead before peeling himself from the nest after layering the space with his scent of fire, rosewood and patchouli.
Shen Jiu is unconscious again before the door even opens.
He awakes gasping and heaving for breath not even a fraction of an incense stick later as agony burns through his body, the talismans, he needs to-
He returns to his body panting and shaking from adrenaline, blinking he blearily grabs the congee and tears the stasis talisman off of it and stuffs the whole bowl’s contents down his throat. He’s so ravenous he even licks the bowl to get every last drop before he’s setting it aside and chugging the entire jug of water left beside his nest.
Distantly he throws the blankets aside before quickly changing his sweat soaked robes once more and haphazardly braids his now stark white hair back. ‘Another curious oddity, how fascinating. He wonders how many other things have been secretly left for him to discover.’
Carefully, he scoops up his favourite scented blanket and leaves the house, his baba said there was an emergency meeting on Qiong Ding. He should definitely still be there. He doesn’t want to be alone right now, doesn’t think it’s a very good idea with the way he’s still shaking and vibrating out of his own skin.
Xiu Ya quickly appears at his side hovering above the ground, oh yes, flight would be a much better idea than walking all the way there in his current condition.
Once safely sitting sideways on the blade, Xiu Ya speeds off to Qiong Dings Peak Lord hall.
He carefully stands upon his own two feet as he glides through the barren halls at the late hour. Xiu Ya keeping pace at his side before disappearing in a bright light as he reaches the door, someone must sense his approach as the door opens just as he reaches it. Humming he simply ducks past without a second glance at them as he makes a beeline for his baba. Shen Anwei blinks in concern at his sudden appearance, he’s halfway to his feet when Shen Jiu plops down beside him curling into his side exhausted and shaking.
“Was I gone too long my Jiu-er? This baba is so sorry sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
After aggressively rubbing his cheek against the other Shen Jiu turns his tired eyes on the rest of the room, Cheng Anshuo and Wu Anmin both appear to be halfway out of their seats.
Another glance reveals Yue Qi and Liu Mingyu to also be rising from where they sit near their Shizun’s.
Before anyone can say anything else a shrill wailing cry pierces through the silent air, instantly his head is whipping over to his die die. The massive man is cradling a tiny baby to his chest as she wails loud and long. The tiny white tiger baby is hungry, how did he lose one already?!
Determined Shen Jiu is crooning and chirping to his baba to grab his attention.
“Hm? Oh is there something Jiu-er needs from this baba? Did you want this one to scent your blankets… no? Oh you have something to show me. Alright what does- wha…bu…huh…I don’t…since—when—wha…when did?! JIU-ER?!”
Amused beyond belief Shen Jiu calmly plops the bundles of blankets in his spluttering and shocked baba’s arms as he goes to collect the lost and hungry baby from his die die.
Before the large tiger can react beyond more than a shocked and baffled blink, he’s plucking the wailing tiny-large tiger babe from his hands and swiftly returning to his baba’s side.
He plops back down beside the still spluttering man as he brings his wings forward to hide the babe from view as he shifts his robes aside. With a wince he holds her steady against his breast as she latches on with a strong bite and finally gets something into her poor empty tummy, absentmindedly he strokes her tiny cheek to encourage her to keep drinking as her tiny newborn fists come up to knead at his chest. Now, how on earth did he lose one so quickly when he only just birthed them not even a quarter of an incense stick ago?!
Purring up a storm the room is frozen in shock around him.
Shen Anwei breaks the silence as he speaks through gritted teeth, he must be so excited about his grandchildren he simply just can’t hide it!
“Wow Jiu-er, what beautiful babies you have made, a loong, and a white tiger. Cheng Anshuo can you come over here please.”
The tiny-large tiger in his embrace unlatches with a bubbling mewl. Content, Shen Jiu fixes his robes and drops his wings back down behind him as his baba shows off his two unlost babies to the room.
Carefully he pulls her tiny form up to his shoulder as he firmly pats her back and encourages her to burp up any of the gas she had accidentally made when she was nursing.
Cheng-Shishu, the bai ze, kneels in front of him he’s saying something but he just can’t focus, he’s freezing cold. Shivering and vibrating out of his skin as his blown pupils latch onto the qianyuan.
After the ringing dies down he can pick up on the conversation happening. “-need you to pass your baby to your die die so she can rest with her siblings, can you do that for me Shen-Shizhi?”
Oh, that’s a good idea, with all of them in one place he’ll be less likely to lose one of them again! Cheng-Shibo is so smart!
His arms are too week to pass her over so his die die carefully takes her from his shaking form, as soon as she’s out of his arms he’s listing sideways. Instantly his A-die is catching him and holding him close. “His adrenaline is crashing, it was the only thing that was keeping him going. He’s lost too much blood and he’s dangerously low on Yang energy. Zhangmen-Shixiong, I’m going to need you to start giving him some of yours, place your hand on his chest- perfect. Slow and steady, be sure to circulate it through his meridians and veins. Mu Qingfang, I need you to start preparing some everlasting life tea while I grind up some blood replenishing pills.”
His chest feels warm as his A-die chases away the freezing cold that had begun to seep into his body, still shivering he weakly burrows into his A-die’s hold as he purrs, and purrs, and purrs.
“Shen-Shixiong?!”
“I’ve got him. Let’s sit down next to A-Jiu my A-Rulan. You’re shaking up a storm.”
“I am going to castrate your dumbass of a nephew, Liu Mingyu and Yue Qi! YOU HERE ME YOU CABBAGE THIEVES?!”
He’s falling asleep content in his A-die’s arms as the sounds of several Peak Lords restraining their enraged martial brother fill his ears like a beautiful song from so long ago. He did such a good job today.