If I asked it would you take me away? (Hualian tgcf)

《2》

Xie Lian was dragged back up, rather unceremoniously, to heaven and into Ling Wen's palace. Once there he was practically shoved into the communication array without a word spoken to him.

This would be fine, normal even if not for the fact he was still very much wearing the bright red wedding robes, and had his face caked in makeup.

Curse his luck.

Will anyone recognise him? Most likely. He, like it's been said before, has very bad luck. And if an opportunity to embarrass him came along he knows many gods would jump on it.

"Mu Qing did you have to drag me straight here? Couldn't I have changed first?" The god whispers tiredly. It had been far to long of a day.

Fu Yao turns around a frown plastered on his face. "What?! Oh. Right." He says, almost apologetically, but it was too late there were already gods arriving and Xie Lian stuck out immediately. Because who in heaven would wear red firstly, everyone seemed to hate the colour for some unknown reason. And secondly, who would wear a wedding robe to a meeting about a ghost bride? No one. Yet here he was center of attention for all the gods to gawk at.

"Also, you are still in your persona." Xie Lian coughs trying to be discreet. Fu Yao blinks. Once... twice...three times. Then slowly the boy looks down. "You knew?!" He yells snapping his head up angrily. 'He's taking this well.' Xie Lian sighs.

The room grows quiet at the outburst, some trying to listen in others simply observing. Mu Qing sees the grown interest and grabs the boys wrist harshly. Then growling at the other gods and definitely cursing Xie Lian out, he drags the god away. Xie Lian is happy for it, anything to get out of there, and let's himself be lead away.

Once out of sight he changes back into his normal attire, smoothing the fabric and adjusting his collar. Then pulling out a cloth and wipping his face clean. His hair falls back to its normal half up do and he finally relaxes. 'Finally,' he thinks. 'I'm happy in my rags once more.' He lets out a sigh yet again. It's been such a long day. Old men need a nap sometimes.

Mu Qing transforms back into his normal form quickly too and Xie Lian looks away from his glare sheepishly. "Hello general." He greets with a slight bow. 'Don't make eye contact Xie Lian.'

"Hello general my ass, you knew this whole time?" 'What do I do?' He thinks. 'Don't make eye contact!' He mind yells back in response.

Xie Lian nods slowly, because what else can he do? There's no point in lying. Mu Qing would be able to tell if he did. Of course he knew it was the god in persona form. It wasn't that hard to tell if you knew what to look for. And Xie Lian through years of friendship. Centuries of ex-friendship knew exactly what to look for.

"You and Feng Xin didn't hide your personalities well enough for me not to notice. However, I thank you for accompanying me, even if my husband left because of you."

Mu Qing scoffs, rolling his eyes again. "Stop it with the husband thing. It's not funny." He says. Then giving the smaller god a once over disappears and takes his place in the array next to Feng Xin and the wind master. "No, I didn't find it amusing either." Xie Lian shrugs staring at where the god once stood. "But he'll be back, I'm sure of it."

The white silk, Ruoye, tightens comfortingly around his arm. 'It's okay.' It seems to say. 'He's a good man, he will make you happy.' Xie Lian walks in again glancing over the gods. 'A good man...' he repeats in his mind. "I sure as hell hope so.'

Mu Qing and Feng Xin were already there and glaring. What a pair they looked. "Your highness! You changed so soon? I thought we were going to have a wedding." The bubbly voice of the wind master calls. "Ah yes, apologies, you missed the wedding, but I'll be happy to tell you all about it." He laughs. It's sweet and none teasing. It's refreshing honestly.

"Aw no fair your highness. Is your groom handsome?" They asks. Xie Lian smiles nodding. 'From what I saw at least.' He chuckles. He could have married a centuries old, gray man, but something tells him he didn't. Especially going off that voice and build. It was definitely a young presenting ghost. Whether they're old or not was another point. The young god looks like they want to say more but, Ling Wen coughs and the voices quiet down.

"Now that we're all here. Let's go over the briefing. We are letting The Pei's deal with this issue of capture and letting them suppress the ghost however, I was informed you, your highness wandered off half way through." All eyes are on him again. Xie Lian nods holding back a sigh. Again no point in lying or hiding. "Your highness if you would, please tell us of what you did." She says.

Xie Lian shuffles holding out a scroll he pulled from somewhere in his bottomless sleeve. "Of course. I have the detailed report here." He says handing it over. "But to summarise, we went up the mountain, we're attacked by wolves and corpses, so I asked the two deputies to leave and take the innocents to safety." He says.

"Did you take care of the remaining threats?" A voice asks. "I did." Xie Lian nods. "And did you return the brides?" Another questions. Xie Lian opens his mouth to answer when someone beat him to it. "He did, that's why he wondered off, he went to deliver the brides down the mountain." Mu Qing says flatly. "Or so my deputy said."

Xie Lian went to object when the voice speaks again. "I bet his husband helped him." Mu Qing teases. Xie Lian sighs. Well again he's not going to lie. "My husband did nothing but take me on a nice walk, then you came along and he burst!" Xie Lian huffs in a rare show of annoyance.

"We we're about to go home as well." He pouts. "Your husband burst?!" The bubbly voice from before asked. "Shi Qingxuan lower your voice." The water master scolds. "Sorry brother." Shi Qingxuan says softer.

Xie Lian nods laughing. "Yes, don't worry he's not dead. He just likes butterflies, they're rather cute." Xie Lian smiles remembering them. 'He can't die either.' He thinks but keeps that to himself. "Butterflies?" Ling Wen mutters standing beside him.

Murmurs start to fill the room while Xie Lian thinks happily of the cute silver creatures. As he does he feels his wrist twitch. "It's okay." Xie Lian says patting the silk. It has had a long day of bloodshed no wonder it's still worked up.

"We'll see him again Ruoye." Xie Lian coos. "He is my husband." Then from out of the sleeves emerged a single silver butterfly. Xie Lian blinks at it. Was that there before? Has that been there the whole time? Xie Lian quickly snaps out of it.

"Aww." The god beams. "You're here!" He calls. "I missed you. Come rest." He says offering a finger. To his sleeve. The butterfly hops on happily fluttering its wings.

He coos at the creature not noticing the silence that grows around him. "Aw you're so beautiful, where's your master? Is he missing me?" He snickers. "I'll be finished soon, then I'll find him and return you." The butterfly doesn't like that and flaps it's wings landing on Xie Lian's nose.

The god laughs happily. "Ah that tickles. Hay I'm supposed to be in a meeting. I'll play with you later." He scolds. He tries to bat the creature away but it's too stubborn. He sighs finally tuning back into the room and noticed all eyes on him.

Xie Lian blinks. "Umm." He looks to Ling Wen who's eyes are comically wide compared to her normal calm demeanour. "What's going on?" He asks. The civil god just stares. "Is it the butterfly?" He asks crossing his eyes to glance at it. "It won't hurt you, it's just my husband's, he must have left it accidentally."

"..."

Then the silence cracks.

Xie Lian has to cover his ears as the screams start. "What's going on?!" Xie Lian yells over the shouts. "Your highness! That's that's-" Shi Qingxuan yells horrified. Xie Lian frowns. "What? It's what? This is my husband's butterfly. He burst into a thousand of them earlier."

He thinks he sees Mu Qing gape. Feng Xin seems to have fainted. Shi Qingxuan looks terrified.

"Ling Wen please silence them all and tell me!" He calls begging.