Honor and Cultivation (WoH×MDZS)

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Kexing woke up with a headache.

It vanished the second he realized where he was- or rather who was next to him. The first question's answer was normal- he was in his room, lying on the bed as he would expect after sleeping at night. Something had clearly happened though, with an incense burner shattered against the wall and the fact he wasn't in his nightclothes.

And Zhou Zishu was lying right next to him in bed, looking really bored.

"You're up, are you?" he renarked. "Let go of me then, half the morning'll be gone at this rate."

Kexing realized he was hugging Zishu's arm tightly.

He scrambled off the bed, nearly collapsing onto the floor. He didn't even dare look at Zishu as he stammered, "I'm- I'm sorry, A-Xu!! You... I... I didn't do anything to you last night right?!"

"What goes on in your mind?" Zishu retorted. "All you did yesterday was hug me and insist on holding my arm while you slept. Nothing indecent."

"...really?"

"Why would I lie to you, get up!!"

Relieved, Kexing got to his feet and muttered, "Thank god."

Zishu chuckled and remarked, "You really didn't need to be so scared. You've gotten drunk in front of me before, and I've taken care of you."

Kexing shrugged, staring at the ground and mumbled, "But this is the first... usually you leave after you tuck me in, you never..."

"You were being way too clingy last night, nothing I could do about it," Zishu replied. He smiled. "Relax. You're... not a bad drunk at all."

"Then... did I say anything stupid?"

That seemed to change things. Zishu's easy and teasing smile dropped, and his face turned serious and... sad?

Just as Kexing was thinking he needed to prompt Zishu into speaking again, Zishu pulled Kexing into a hug.

This wasn't the first hug Zishu had given him, but it was the first in which Kexing had no clue where it'd come from. Zishu's hugs were usually so warm and comforting, like a moment of warmth in an endless rain, but... the unknown factor in this one was tainting its comfort...

"A... A-Xu?" Kexing stammered.

"I won't leave you, Lao Wen," Zishu promised. "I won't leave you because I'm sick, nor will I leave you because of what people say- I can tell if you're good or evil for myself. You're my shidi, so I'll always protect you."

...this wasn't normal.

He knew Zishu cared for him- much more than Kexing felt like he should- but Zishu was more the "expresses affection through gestures and comfort" type. Specifically if they weren't in a life-or-death scenario and neither had been through some big emotional upheaval, Zishu wouldn't be this direct. And this seemed so... tender. Serious. Like when Zishu had promised he'd help Kexing avenge his parents in a proper way- but that was after he'd coughed up blood and fainted, he was totally fine now-

He tried to laugh, but it came out shaky- nervous. "What?" he managed. "A-Xu, what did I say last night?"

Zishu didn't reply. He let Kexing go and suggested, "Let's go check on Young Master Wei. The wine here's pretty strong- 3 jars were enough to get 1 of you wasted and the other hungover. Luckily you decided to be my guinea pigs, or I'd be the one too drunk to speak properly."

"Hold on-"

"Come on, Lao Wen!"

"But- hold on!" Kexing spluttered, calling after Zishu. "If I didn't do or say anything what was that fo-"