To the Moon and Back

18. Xie Lian, staying on Earth

"Cheers!", Xie Lian, Feng Xin and Mu Qing clinked their beer glasses, then had a long sip. They were – surprisingly – in a bar, in Wenchang City, outside the base.

"So, Xie Lian, we were so shocked when we heard that after you were discharged you went travelling!", Mu Qing said, "You were looking for Hua Cheng then. What happened?"

Should he start from the beginning, meeting San Lang on the Moon, their cat and mouse play and his confession? Or being back on Earth, searching for him till finding him at the beach under an orange sky, saying I love you to the Moon and – no, that'd be so soppy, he thought with a small smile.

He probably blushed too, because Feng Xin added, "We're not asking about that, you know".

"What's wrong, sex is good for your cardiovascular system", Mu Qing said, "It lowers your blood pressure, reducing risks of heart disease, stroke, hypertension. Strengthens your immune system – "

"Do you actually say that to your dates?", Feng Xin interrupted, "Because it's quite off-putting".

Mu Qing's face gave away he probably did that, yes, so Feng Xin and Xie Lian burst out laughing.

Xie Lian couldn't help thinking of when he told Hua Cheng he was a bit slow with sex. Not only Hua Cheng was cool about it, but also told him he didn't have to explain anything. Xie Lian had experience, but he always thought sex overrated, not being much into it.

But then, with Hua Cheng they did it for the first time by his own initiative, on that very same night they met at the beach – he had never felt like that before, that urgency.

When Hua Cheng took him to that house he rented, showed him around, then went off to have a shower, Xie Lian couldn't stop thinking of joining him, his face burning, realising how desperate he was, how he wanted Hua Cheng so badly.

Hua Cheng left the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist, like he did many times before, but now Xie Lian couldn't resist, and going behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist, feeling his hot skin, his face on his neck wet from dripping hair. Xie Lian just felt like licking it.

Hua Cheng knew what Xie Lian wanted from that skin-to-skin contact, from his breathing, and when he turned around for that dirty kiss – through that towel, Xie Lian felt his hard cock against his.

Stop thinking of that, he told himself, getting back to reality, and nervously sipped his beer.

"We stayed there for three months", he said, replying to Mu Qing's question, "Going fishing, doing barbecues with the other guys, having cold beers at the beach. Then he had to report back to Jiuquan, and I had to come over".

Feng Xin and Mu Qing were his closest friends since forever, and still couldn't imagine Xie Lian doing any of these things. But during these last months, Hua Cheng was always making sure he didn't feel too overwhelmed, and Xie Lian saw himself slowly blending in.

Xie Lian smiled and added, "You have to live a little you know".

His thoughts went back to that night, of Hua Cheng lifting him, carrying him to bed. "Gege", he said, pulling Xie Lian's t-shirt up slowly with a teasing smile, "You're heavy". His fluttering of lashes, his smile. Xie Lian couldn't stop looking at his muscular body over his, couldn't take his hands off him.

When he started giving Hua Cheng's fingers long and suggestive sucking, all Xie Lian could think of was I want you to go all the way. Fuck me San Lang. Hua Cheng had said we can stop anytime you want, but Xie Lian never thought of stopping. It didn't hurt at all, it just felt good.

The way Hua Cheng got him so into it, teasing him with his kissing, touching, his dirty talk –

Stop stop stop stop, he thought in desperation, breaking into a sweat. He sipped his beer again.

Feng Xin nodded and said, "You're in love, we get it – but why you're relocating to Jinquan?"

Xie Lian shrugged, "We always talked about how bad the trainings for station managers are, so maybe as an instructor I can do something about it?", then he added, "I could be an instructor at Wenchang too, San Lang offered to relocate here instead... but then, it'll be good for me to go somewhere different..."

Both his friends nodded: Wenchang Base was all Xie Lian ever knew of Earth – at least before meeting Hua Cheng – and they were amazed at how he was stepping out of his comfort zone, how brave he was. Going to the Moon was nothing comparing to facing his own issues.

Because of Hua Cheng, he changed his mind about thinking he was alright by himself, not feeling lonely, not needing human contact... He put that front of detached and unapproachable, but Hua Cheng challenged that, making an effort of getting to know him, getting close to him, and at the same time respecting his boundaries.

He kept thinking of that first time, how he went for it, going crazy – he had always thought it wasn't his thing, but changed his mind about it too: after sharing so much with Hua Cheng, all he could do was crave an intimacy he himself didn't know he wanted or needed.

Mu Qing then asked, "No Moon anymore then?"

Xie Lian smiled, "Not for now. Didn't you guys always complain I stayed there too long?"

Mu Qing patted him on the shoulder, smiling, "We did, and we're happy you're staying".

"Only", Feng Xin added, "Jiuquan is so far!"

Mu Qing smacked him on the back of the head, saying, "Shut up, it's closer than the Moon isn't it?"

Xie Lian pffted a laugh. He'd give Earth a go, now he had that one person who could make him stay. 

Just Hualian fluff, on the Moon! Was it cute enough?

Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to vote!