When Rose's Thorns Attack my Sides (But my Eyes Stay Trained on You) (Xingyun)

Ch. 20

The following morning when Chongyun woke up, he decided he should go pay his friend Xingqiu a visit.

That was, until, halfway to his residence, he remembered he wasn't there.

He sighs to himself and decides to go do some training to pass the time instead, picking up his claymore and heading out for the day.

He could only train for so long before needing to take a break for fear of overheating though, and while he was slipping off his gloves to get a little cooler, he was reminded of the little messages on his arm.

I miss you already!

I'll see you soon, my exorcist!

Keep Liyue safe from spirits while I'm gone!

The hand writing was smudgy and terrible and almost impossible to read for anyone else, but for Chongyun, he was able to decipher his handwriting easily.

It was almost like a secret code that only he knew how to read, and he smiles to himself while he traces over the notes and blushes red.

Over the course of the time he had to wait for Xingqiu, he noticed the handwriting quickly fading, and he retraced over it so he could still see them.

The notes were thoughtful and left him with that butterfly-like feeling, but he still couldn't stop thinking about who Xingqiu could possibly like.

Could it be someone he knew already? Or had he never even met this person before?

He wasn't sure and the thought of Xingqiu's liking someone like that continued to make him more and more bothered.

Was he...jealous of this other person? Oh course not! How could he be? Chongyun was his friend first and foremost, not his lover!

...but then why does he still feel this way?

Between overthinking the fact Xingqiu liked someone and wishing he were back already and missing his touch, it proved to be a dangerously emotional concoction that he tried to subdue during the time away.

But by the time the 2 week period was up and Xingqiu returned, Chongyun was brimming with powerful emotions and was struggling to contain them.

"Calm down Chongyun. Deep breaths, deep breaths...I'll see Xingqiu later when I'm feeling under control." He tells himself from the depths of his room.

The doorbell rings suddenly, and while he doesn't really want to see anyone right now, he doesn't want to be rude. He definitely knows who he hopes it isn't though.

By the time he opens the door and sees that oh so familiar and adorable face, he caves, and prays it doesn't show.

"I'm baaack!" Xingqiu grins big and holds his arms out.

He's given no reply and no return of affection, and his dimples slowly disappear while he cocks his head. "Uh...aren't you going to give me a hu-"

Chongyun throws himself at him, lifting Xingqiu off the ground and hugging him tightly. "I missed you so much."

"I can tell." Xingqiu says, patting his shoulder before Chongyun sets him back down. "Was it really that boring without me here?"

"Mmm." Chongyun's nods into his neck.

"You'll have to tell me aaall about the stuff you did while I was away. I didn't really do that much." Xingqiu laughs.

"I didn't either..."

"Oh? Were you so consumed with the thought of me that you couldn't do anything else?" He teases.

"H-huh? Of course not!" He says quickly.

"When he puts it that way, I guess I did miss him a lot. Way more than when my other friends are away...what's going on with me? Am I okay?"

"A-actually, y'know what? I think I'll have to hang out with you later Xingqiu...I think I caught something while you were away..." he says.

"Really? You seemed just fine earlier." Xingqiu quirks an eyebrow.

"I know, but I just started feeling off again. Anywaysitwasnicetoseeyouandyou'resupercutebye!"

He quickly shuts the door before running to his room and sinking down to the floor with his back to the wall.

His body temperature had increased immensely and he felt too hot to move, so he stayed put for a while and waited to cool down a bit.

"If I'm not sick, I don't know what else this is..." he sighs, laying on the floor.

His face harbored a deadly red blush and the very thought of Xingqiu and his cute little confused face right before he left only made it worse, so he tries to put the thought of him out of his mind entirely.

"If only it were that easy..."

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Written: June 12th, 2023

Finished/Published: July 28th, 2023

(Word Count: 767)