Chapter Text
He Xuan
Nobody told He Xuan of Shi Qingxuan’s death.
They didn’t need to. He had known about the man’s declining health for years, silently monitoring it from a safe distance. He didn’t help, he never made an attempt to make him better. Because he knew Shi Qingxuan wouldn’t have wanted him to. And really, what reason did Ship Sinking Black Water have to help out the man who stole his fate? If anything, he should have relished the thought of the former Wind Master’s demise.
At least that’s what he told himself as he pointedly ignored the ache in his chest.
It was better this way. What happened between them couldn’t be fixed. He Xuan got his revenge, and Shi Qingxuan accepted it.
Nobody told he Xuan of Shi Qingxuan’s death, because he felt it. Like a piece of thread pulled taut, before it finally snapped. His last tether to the living world, gone.
He Xuan didn’t know what he had expected to feel when his form began to fade, but he certainly thought it’d be something more than the quiet resignation that settled over his mind. It was a calm, almost numb acknowledgement. His purpose was gone, so there was no more reason for him to exist.
As his consciousness slipped away like sand through his fingers, he thought of Shi Qingxuan, and he wondered if, perhaps, if given a second chance, he would have done something different.
He closed his eyes, and the ghost king known as Ship Sinking Black Water ended.
***
Light filtered through his eyelids, chasing the heavy fog of slumber from his mind. He Xuan blearily opened his eyes.
Gradually the room came into focus, and He Xuan understood something was off.
Heaven had long since learned of the real Earth Master’s fate, so why the hell did He Xuan wake up in his palace? He Xuan stared at the elaborately painted wall for a long time, trying to comprehend the situation.
For one, he wasn’t dead. Did he reincarnate somehow? That seemed highly implausible. He was also certain reincarnation didn’t come with a splitting headache. He looked down at his hands. Was this a dream? When was the last time he’d dreamt? Better yet, when had his dreams been anything other than nightmares? His body felt solid enough. He slid out of bed, revelling at the feeling of his feet against the floor.
Muscle memory led him towards a wardrobe and a vanity. He stared into the mirror. Ming Yi’s face looked back at him. This had to be a dream. He lifted a hand to his face, fingers grazing against his cheek. What the hell was happening?
He shifted his consciousness into his clones. After a few short chats with other heavenly officials, he deduced that the ‘Earth Master’ had just been rescued from Crimson Rain’s lair. Had he gone back in time? He thought back on his final moments. He had wondered about a second chance. Did something listen and put him here?
The thought left him reeling.
He got dressed and tied his hair back into the Earth Master’s signature ponytail. He briefly eyed the old shovel in the corner of the room, but decided against bringing it. He’d never mastered the spiritual device anyway.
Heaven was the same as he remembered. Awfully bright, and alive with the chatter of heavenly officials of various ranks going about their day. He Xuan was soon reminded why he didn’t like being here. If it wasn’t for his debt to Hua Cheng he’d have holed himself up in his mansion a long time ago.
Of course, there was there was also his revenge… He didn’t want to think about that right now.
Today, Heaven was even more crowded than usual, as preparations were being made for the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet. He Xuan already felt tired from the mere thought of it. Too many people, being forced to participate in humiliating games. At the very least there would be food. Free food he could eat to his heart’s content. Other heavenly official’s would shoot him judging looks, but they never said anything while he was in the presence of--
His breath hitched when he saw him. The Wind Master, in all his divine, beautiful glory. He Xuan stood frozen as he beheld Shi Qingxuan. A torrent of emotions swept through him. Awe. Longing. Guilt. Happiness. Relief.
Oh. He'd forgotten how strongly he’d felt about Shi Qingxuan. It overwhelmed him, and he could only stare in awe.
The Wind Master met his gaze, his bright blue eyes widened and a smile broke onto his face.
"Ming-Xiong! There you are!"
He bounded over, pulling him into a hug without hesitation.
He Xuan's heart almost exploded in his chest as a pair of arms engulfed him. Shi Qingxuan was everywhere. His arms around his neck, his laugh in his ear, the slight pressure of his body against his own, his perfume. He Xuan lifted his trembling hands to hold him, digging his fingers into the fabric to feel the warmth of the body beneath it. He wanted to pull him closer, needed proof in his hands that the man before him was real.
Shi Qingxuan was real. Shi Qingxuan was alive. Shi Qingxuan was still a god, warm and solid, breathing and smiling. He Xuan drew a shuddering breath.
Shi Qingxuan suddenly let go, creating some distance between them, worry lining his face.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t hurt you, did I?"
Dazed, He Xuan shook his head.
"M'fine," he said gruffly.
"Are you sure? You were chained up for a very long time down there. It's okay to take some more time off."
Qingxuan looked at him with such concern. It made He Xuan ache. If only he knew how he’d tortured him before.
"I'm fine," He Xuan muttered.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from him, as if Shi Qingxuan would disappear if he looked away for even a second. Shi Qingxuan was even more radiant than he remembered. Why did he ever drag him into his revenge?
“Nonsense. Let’s get you back to bed. You need to conserve your energy for the banquet. I know how draining socialising is for you.”
Before he could protest, Shi Qingxuan was already headed towards his palace, leaving him no choice but to follow. He Xuan reluctantly stripped out of his outer robes and crawled back in bed at Shi Qingxuan’s orders.
“Stay put. I’ll fetch you something to eat, okay?” he said with a wink.
He Xuan sank into the sheets with a sigh. He remembered this. Shi Qingxuan forcibly nursing him back to health. At least now he actually felt fatigued. Hi false imprisonment hadn’t left him with any real injuries, but he had no way to tell Qingxuan as much. He’d done everything short of actually spoon-feeding him.
He Xuan remembered the way his gaze had softened as he took the bowl of broth from his hands, remembered the way their fingers touched, and how they lingered a beat longer than they needed to. Perhaps he had only imagined it, coloured in innocuous interactions in a most uncharitable way. Shi Qingxuan was kind to everyone. His fondness towards Ming Yi could have extended to anyone else, had they given the Wind Master the time of day.
Still, he didn’t dislike the company. He hadn’t noticed how much he enjoyed spending time with Shi Qingxuan until he’d sat alone in his manor, staring daggers into Shi Wudu’s severed head.
He Xuan closed his eyes. He wouldn’t dismiss these moments a second time.
Maybe that made him a hypocrite, but it had been so long. Was it so wrong to cherish the time they had left together before fate separated them once more?
Shi Qingxuan entered again, carrying a tray filled with light foods and tea.
“I know you have an insatiable appetite, but I figured you should go slow, especially since you’re definitely going to gorge yourself at the banquet,” he giggled.
His voice was like music to He Xuan’s ears.
He took in the sight of the man before him. It felt like old times.
“I missed you,” he said softly, and he really meant it.
Shi Qingxuan paused, eyes wide.
He Xuan froze, already regretting his words. He opened his mouth, ready to take the words back, when Shi Qingxuan snapped out of his stupor and smiled.
“Ming-xionggg” he cooed. “You do care about me!”
He Xuan subtly exhaled in relief.
“Don’t you worry,” Shi Qingxuan said. “I’ll always come to your rescue, no matter what.”
“Who said I needed rescuing?” He Xuan huffed, lifting a bowl of soup to his mouth.
“Right, because you clearly had everything under control while chained to the wall of a dungeon,” Shi Qingxuan teased.
“At least I had peace and quiet there,” He Xuan replied.
Shi Qingxuan cried out dramatically. “So mean!”
He Xuan couldn’t help the smile forming at the corner of his lips. “I prefer the food here, though.”
“Of course you do,” Shi Qingxuan said. His hand lifted off the sheets.
In the past, Shi Qingxuan had used his thumbs to wipe a bit of food from the corner of Ming Yi’s mouth. He Xuan’s insides tingled at the memory.
To his surprise Shi Qingxuan hesitated, and withdrew his hand before it reached his face.
“You have a little something,” he muttered, “Right there.” He pointed to his own face.
He Xuan wiped at his mouth with his own hand. Maybe he’d remembered it wrong. He wasn’t sure why he felt disappointed.