Chapter Text
It's been six months since they got married, and today is (or supposedly should be) the day they're going to celebrate it. Xie slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying on the enormous bed in the Paradise Mansion, covered in red sheets so soft and thin they felt like plush against his skin. He was dressed only in a white nightgown that left his chest and neck glistening. It was still early morning, and only the starlight streamed through the window, and he felt bathed in it. It was so comforting knowing that it was his husband who had tucked him in and covered him up to sleep that he couldn't help but smile slightly. He sighed and turned over in bed only to see that he was... alone.
In the last few days, waking up like this wasn't exactly new, as all sorts of problems had arisen for Hua Cheng to solve. After all, he was still the Ghost King that the city admired so much; he couldn't avoid having to make his presence felt to remain in control. As easy as it seemed, since the people of the city were overly devoted to their master, he still had some duties such as maintaining order, and this usually required his presence to expel (or kill) people who were trying to steal his position, people who came to cause problems in his establishments and thought they were above the rules, people who asked him to visit a certain place to try a certain food, a certain outfit, or something else, since having the boss's approval made their business boom, spirits refusing to pay tribute, new ghosts causing massacres, and all that sort of thing... And Xie wasn't exempt from his own problems, after all, after the fall of Jun Wu, the celestial capital still needed help to rebuild, and lately many officials had appeared suffering from a crisis of human faith – after all, Jun Wu was the most powerful God, he had countless devotees, and these devotees were lost without receiving an answer from their god. Protective seals were breaking in various locations around the world, and the celestial officials still seemed unsure how to handle things properly, leaving everything in the hands of Ling Wen, who always came to him for help. Still, why did it seem that over time they were spending less and less time alone with each other?
Xie Lian tried to think of any reasons that would get his husband out of bed in the middle of the night and found none. A pang in his heart at the coldness of the empty space of the bed. Could it be something urgent? Was he in danger? Had Yin Yu come to call his master for help with something he couldn't solve himself? BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT...? Another sigh, and he decided to get out of bed. After all, he wouldn't feel sleepy or be able to fall back asleep without knowing where his husband was, so what could he do? His steps were heavy, tired from so much, his thoughts flying between Hua Cheng and the Celestial Capital. A candle was lit and he walked across the room toward the mirror, seeing his disheveled image, his long brown hair looking tangled and purple bags under his eyes appearing from the few nights of sleep, and yet, he hadn't lost his beauty. On the dressing table, a small white wildflower now appeared illuminated by the candlelight. His fingers touched the petals delicately, almost afraid it would shatter in his hands. So Hua Cheng at least left a gift before leaving, which meant it wasn't something dangerous, and that made him relax a little.
Dragging himself to the bathroom, he filled the bathtub with hot water (one of Hua Cheng's requests to his mansion staff was that there always be hot water for a bath in their room) and removed his robes, folding them on a countertop before submerging his entire body in the water. Memories of San Lang's scent, his touch, his kisses now filled Xie Lian's mind, leaving no room for anything else. He missed him so much. It felt like a bell rang inside his head when he suddenly remembered that today was their six-month wedding anniversary, and he had never felt so complete, so happy. He had everything that mattered most, but he still wanted more... More of his husband, to be closer, to be more present. He wanted to know every piece, every tiny detail. San Lang was so loving in his actions, always demonstrating with such fervor how much Xie meant to him. His hands were never far away for long when they were together, their lips were never apart for so long, always protected and loved. And he wanted more...
It seemed like a long time had passed underwater, and he turned his head above water to breathe some air. The scent of incense filled the entire room, and although pleasant, something was still missing. Would this be another day they would spend apart? Would San Lang even remember a date like this? Would their obligations prevent them from being together for longer? A cold wind entering through the window and touching his now-wet hair made his body shiver. He leaned against the edge of the bathtub and closed his eyes, appearing ethereal; the godlike appearance truly suited him, his defined shoulders and the lines of his collarbone on display. His neck no longer bore any marks from Hua Cheng's kisses, for in recent days, when they finally saw each other, they were so tired that Xie would quickly fall asleep, unable to quell even 10% of the longing that burned within his heart.