A Blade and an Arrow

Perfectly Imperfect Winter

"Qing'er, wouldn't it be great if we could have a house in the mortal realm?"

"Hm? I suppose, what's with the sudden question?"

"Just... I've been thinking, while we're still gods now, there will be a time we are no longer part of the upper court. Isn't best if we... I don't know, be used in not having to depend on our godliness?"

Mu Qing looks up at the latter sitting on one of the divans, eyeing him skeptically before he sighs, putting down the scroll he had been reading. "You pick the location then, love. We'll have it built or let's even build it ourselves."

The archer, pleased as though he was a child given a gift, nods with a smile. Clasping his hands in thought, he beams. "How about that place near the stream? The one where flowers would bloom in the summer and glow beautifully in winter." He stands, with the marvelous idea in mind, he starts creating visions of the house in his mind.

"It's secluded too..." Mu Qing agrees, unable to help himself from smiling at the sudden happiness his beloved emits. "We'll start tomorrow-"

"Why wait?" Feng Xin interjects with a grin, "We can start now!"

"Love, there's a blizzard-"

"We're gods, baobei. We can just put up a barrier." The silverette wasn't given the option to say more, as the archer had quickly began to draw a short distancing array on the door. Mu Qing helplessly stands, following the eager god toward the place they had ought to build a simplistic house.

A stark comparison to both their palaces up in the heavens. A home fit for two people, a couple destined to love. A warm, welcoming place to come home to once the world has become overwhelming once more.

Mu Qing could understand the eagerness of his husband well.

⟐

Mu Qing had always hated snow. Soft but cold. Freezing for the skin, gives frostbites and gives people sickness.

He had always hated snow. Too cold, it leaves him shaking in his clothes back when he was a servant. Robes too thin, not even his sewing could help himself keep warm. He had watched his mother cough and sneeze, their little house unable to give themselves some sort of warmth.

Then he was forced to watch as the nobles wore thick clothes. Thick coats, despite always inside the warm palace. Despite not having to go outside to do labor, they still wore the thickest, and finest clothes the kingdom had to offer.

He had always loathed winter. Always the harshest weather that prevented him from further doing anything else to earn more money. The season forcing him to freeze to his death, unless the running he did from one corner to another helped. Otherwise, he was obliged to stand in a corner, awaiting for orders from the crown prince.

Now though, watching as his child of a husband run and build numerous kinds of snow mans, and creating snow balls to hit said snow mans. Laughing carelessly, and almost forgetting about the house they were meant to create together.

Feng Xin had given him the warmth he had craved so much in his juvenile days. Had given him the care he never dared to venture about. Had given him every love the world has to offer. Feng Xin was the sunshine in his moon-lit life. A golden shine, and appearing as the god he is.

Mu Qing smiles, perhaps winter wasn't so bad after all.

━━༻••༺━━

"Not bad." Mu Qing comments, the cold hasn't ended, but their house has been finished. A one story house, with two rooms, despite knowing that only one was going to be occupied. A living room, a wider kitchen, and perhaps, two bathrooms as well. A small porch on the front, and a backdoor for the back yard.