TIAN GUAN CI FU Fan fic stories

EVER AFTER

It felt so natural to leap into Hua Cheng's arms and wrap all four limbs around him. The familiar sound of soft laughter in his ear eased a year's worth of loneliness in an instant. It felt so natural to bury his face into that slender neck, cool against his hot skin, and lock his ankles together when Hua Cheng spun them around and around in the lantern light. It felt natural to breathe in the scent of him, reacquaint himself with the feel of sleek muscle lining a willowy figure, the tinkling of silver jewelry as he was carried inside. It felt natural to be too distracted with pressing kisses to every part of the Ghost King he could reach to notice that Ruoye and E-Ming released themselves from their master's bodies to stay outside and tend to the ox that had been left befuddled.

It felt natural, above all, to be laid down onto the bed and to pull the Ghost King down with him. Natural to gasp into the other's mouth at how good it felt to be pressed into the body on top of him. Xie Lian ran his hands over the other's slender back and welcomed the tongue in his mouth with his own.

Despite the god's best efforts, Hua Cheng pulled away after a moment, dropping a placating kiss on the tip of his nose while he brought his hands up to stroke Xie Lian's cheeks. "Why are you crying, Gege," he murmured, a faint but dazzling grin on his face and evident in his voice. "Did you miss me?"

Xie Lian blinked a few times, feeling the weight of tears on his eyelashes, and belatedly realized he had been sobbing for a while now. "Yes," his voice was raw and choked already. "I missed San Lang so much."

Hua Cheng beamed, fingers still gentling away each tear as it escaped. "But I kept my promise. Didn't you believe me?"

Xie Lian swallowed and nodded. "I always believed. But I was lonely without you... Promise me you won't ever leave again. Not without me..."

Letting out a breath, Hua Cheng closed his eye just as Xie Lian saw it begin to shimmer and leaned back down to press their foreheads together. "I promise."

Satisfied, Xie Lian sniffled and held his beloved close. It felt so right, so natural, to be here like this. A year ago he would have been flustered and embarrassed, laying in bed with his legs wrapped tight around another person, but now...

Before he could think any further, Hua Cheng was pulling back again, gently unwinding Xie Lian's legs and kneeling before him. As the god sat up to follow him, Hua Cheng took both his hands and pressed tender, lingering kisses to them, his worshipful posture reminding Xie Lian of the days he was nameless and wore a smiling mask. When he looked up to meet his god's eyes, his expression was so warm it made Xie Lian's breath catch.

"You've built such a beautiful home, Gege," he said, just as warmly, voice intimately quiet.

"Did you find it easily?" Xie Lian asked, matching his volume.

"I will always find you."

Deep in Xie Lian's heart, the very last thread of self-doubt snapped with decisive finality. Without breaking eye contact, he took back his hands and reached for the belt of his robes.

Hua Cheng's eye widened but similarly did not look away as the belt was removed and discarded beside the bed. His mouth opened slightly as Xie Lian slipped both his inner and outer robes off his shoulders, down his arms, and then they too joined the belt on the floor. When he reached for the ties of his pants, however, Hua Cheng sucked in a short breath and spoke up haltingly.

"Gege... Are you sure? Your vows..."

In answer, Xie Lian resolutely slid out of the last of his clothes and knelt there in the glow of the lanterns coming through the windows, hiding neither his blush nor his arousal, awash in the sensation of such vulnerability and such safety.