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Lǐn is always chasing him around, pestering him to do things he wish with his roundabout way.
So when the situation is reversed, Shāng is left exasperated, like a fish out of water.
Here Shāng is, watching Lǐn flutter away, out of his grasp, in a clothing of another, with a face other than his.
"Don't leave-" The wandering swordsman rasps out, voice husky and uncertain. Wàn Jūn Pò is back in Xi You. Wū Yáo has gone into the depth of Void Junction, probably going into the demon realm for reason God knows what, and Bù Huàn feels a strange loneliness creeping on his bones.
The face-Yì Piāomiǎo face, turns to him, but not without a grin characteristically belonged to a certain white-haired, enigmatic man. Bù Huàn is left grasping into what he could, a piece of tattered brown colored fabric by the end of his person.
"You could stay."
Just for a while, Bù Huàn wants to add. Just a minute, and a spare glance is all Bù Huàn ask for now. But as always, the haughty Enigmatic Gale probably would have chosen to stop his way of swindling people rather than to outright give Shāng Bù Huàn what he wanted.
Lǐn tries his way out again. "I can't possibly bother the honorable Sir Shāng Bù Huàn and his just companion anymore, therefore, this humble wanderer shall-"
"Làng left." Bù Huàn cuts, deep and straight to the point. "He got-he went back into the cave entrance, right before the Earth collapsed."
It is the wandering swordsman way of saying I'm back on square one and I'm alone, again.
Perhaps the obnoxious bird man sensed the vulnerability, the fragility in Shāng voice, because that finally got him turns to face Shāng. Bù Huàn waste no time grabbing the opportunity to grab at a piece of Lǐn's intricate clothing-even in another disguise-, lest the man fly away again.
"I believe we should separate matter into the time and context, and now is the best time to pursue Huò Shì Míng Huáng-" Lǐn Xuě Yā line of sight flutter slightly to Shāng's hand below, the grasp on his fabric.
"And yet with Sir Làng going inside the Void Junction, there is only one place he could possibly went into."
"Huò Shì Míng Huáng and his horde of army can wait." Shāng hand already moves his hand from the hem of the robe to Lǐn's hand, and with a pulse of his energy, something Dān Fěi seemed to learned just few days ago, to undo the magic on Lǐn's appearance. And he is no longer Yì Piāomiǎo. He is back to the white-haired felon he remembered clearly ever since that auspicious day of them meeting together under the rain.
"Just come for a night rest." With me. "We can think- and talk about everything later." Shāng says, his tone final and without room for reproach.
"Well, if you insist, Sir Shāng."
---
The moon is a beautiful, waxing moon almost fully round. Shang catches Lǐn enjoying the scenery with a good jar of wine by the pavilion, and without missing a beat, his steps already took him where Lǐn is.
Lǐn Xuě Yā doesn't miss a beat as he exhaled a puff of smoke, and taunting Shāng Bù Huàn next.
"Come to appreciate the scenery too, Sir Shāng?"
Always with the 'Sir Shāng'. The taunting edge. A relaxed exhale and Shāng tried to even his breathing and not letting the other taunting to get under his ire.
"It is indeed beautiful." Shāng remarks back idly. As he followed Lǐn's line of view, he catches the moonlight ray reflected on his silver hair, creating a sublime glow. As if in a trance, Bù Huàn reaches out his hand, wanting to catch the light in between.
In that moment, however, Lǐn decide to jerked away from the lingering touch, because he was turning to face Shāng Bù Huàn who was by his side, "Did you lose my cute, beautiful, petite doll? I believe you could have just use the astonishingly pretty handwork to contact me instead rather than tire yourself following me around."
"You used to follow me around too." Shāng replies, deadspan. He retracts his hand back and found his way munching on a handful of dà zǎo from the assortment of snack by Lǐn's wine.
"As I recall you have a distaste for my way of doing things."
"Well, what's best than you use your own method against you?"
Silence falls over them. From the distance, an owl is hooting, it sound filling the midnight air. Lǐn takes another small sip from his cup and Shāng continues to ravage his side snack.
"I was thinking about Huò Shì Míng Huáng." It's that name again, and Shāng feels something within him snap. It's the name of the man who hurt Tin Mìng. The man who hurt Wū Yáo.
"That man is dangerous." Shāng says tiredly.
"That's why it's best that I do it alone. You had qualms about me pulling Juǎn Cán Yún into my scheme back there, even though my hand was clearly forced to do so, given our circumstances." Lǐn take a short pause to inhale a puff from his pipe, "I will try to not involve the Hù Yìn Shī anymore."
"It's not that ..." Shāng leave his sentence unfinished. He find himself unable to complete them. It's true that he lashed out over Lǐn by the Void Junction, but he admits that it was out of a habit from his usual banter with the thief. After parting with Juǎn Cán Yún and Dān Fěi, the whole ordeal with Zhào Jūn Lín finally taking a toll upon him. He iss tired and lost. And somehow, his mind and his body chose to seek out Lǐn Xuě Yā during these times.
Bù Huàn would never admit this out loud. So he opts for an evasion, "I am sorry. I did not meant to sound that ungrateful."
"Does that mean Sir Shāng is grateful?"
"Just shut up, man."
Another silence follows, and Shāng find himself wondering. What if they had met under different circumstances? What if he did not bring Sorcerous Sword Index everywhere along with him, and he simply a wandering swordsman, traveling from one country to another. Then he'd met Lǐn Xuě Yā. What would happen if he met Lǐn without his duty? Would it be easy to talk with Lǐn Xuě Yā, to enjoy moon watching and have idle conversations, one wanderer to another, as annoying as the latter character might be?
It is an idle daydream, and his duty would never escape him.
Frustrated with his own disordered heart and thought, Shāng ends up pouring wine into his own cup and chugging it.
"Then, may I guess that you are asking my opinion on how to get back to Void Junction?" An exhale and the air colors white once again.
The smoking man continues. "Well, my best bet is that Sir Làng went to Demon Realm. I do not possibly have any idea why he would entertain a notion to go into such dangerous place willingly, but I'm sure he has his reasons."
"I guessed as much."
"We just need a different entry point to the Demon Realm, you shall not worry, I'll look into it." Lǐn goes out of his way to stretch himself, a portion of his robe hanging loose from his collar. "I kinda lied to everyone. I still have a piece of Scrying Mirror still with me, not to do anything reckless, mind you. See, it proves useful now that Sir Làng is on demon realm now."
Hearing him chattering about magic like this, about his expertise, not in his usual slightly wicked and up to for trouble-way is kindaa nice. Shāng Bù Huàn finds himself listening to Lǐn Xuě Yā rambling.
Xuě Yā finishes his little impromptu magic presentation with his conclusion. "I'll let you know when it's ready. Unfortunately, I am not in possession of endless demonic energy to easily open a portal to hell, so we have to tweak the thing around."
Another pause, and Shāng Bù Huàn lets the silence fall over them again. He turns to see Lǐn Xuě Yā, to clearly see him for the first time in forever since the beginning of their awkward acquaintance. He is so dazzlingly and breathtakingly beautiful. Bù Huàn has known that Lǐn is mesmerizing, but somehow, seeing him up close is even more overwhelming. There is his beautiful, milky-white nape that always peeking under his impeccable ponytail, then his rosy lips which always ready to spill some nonsense, his pointed nose, and then the flutter of his long, black eyelashes. Given his way of living, Bù Huàn wonders just how many unfortunate soul were bewitched by this beautiful man before him.
And then the memory of how he met this man, and everything that went down ever since washes over him. The way he was being conned for stealing an umbrella over A Buddha by this man, the elaborate heist involving Tiān Xíng Jiàn that followed later, the way this man spread word and exaggerated version of him being a hero that defeated Miè Tiān Hái, how Xiē Yīngluò poison that rendered him useless and how this man is the one who'd made a cure for him, the fight against a Seven Blasphemous Death powered-Lóu Zhèn Jiè, and then actually went together into Void Junction to search for Lóu Zhèn Jiè corpse.
And then the whole farce and madness within Void Junction. Honestly, part of him realized that Juǎn Cán Yún survived the ordeal partially because of Lǐn's idea. As reckless as it was, it was hard for him to keep track of Juǎn Cán Yún the moment they got separated, and he has Lǐn Xuě Yā to thank for keeping him intact, lest he could not face Dān Fěi for the rest of his life anymore.
Bù Huàn is probably the jerk this time, for never saying thank you for what Lǐn did to help him, however twisted, convoluted, and roundabout his way were.
"Thank you, I guess." Shāng mutters, almost silently, after a considerable and definitely a stretching amount of time looking at Lǐn Xuě Yā face.
Lǐn's ruby eyes goes round, as he comedically turned half to see Shāng whilst holding his bak kwa half to his mouth. After a split second, he laughs, and it's splendid, a ringing sound Bù Huàn usually irks to hear but somehow it turned into melodic tune on this particular night.
"Sir Shāng, are you drunk already?" Lǐn doubles over as he hold his stomach, laughing.
"I'm not drunk." I barely touch my drink, you fool, Shang wanted to add. "I... I just simply realized that you did so much to me, even when we are basically strangers. And all I've been doing is acting grumpy like the old man I am to you."
"You don't have to thank me, Sir Shāng. Like I said you are inte-"
"Yeah I'm interesting. I know it I've heard it thousand times from you. I still want to say that I'm grateful for what you did to help me." A short pause, as Shāng inhales a deep breath before saying the next word, "I don't want to regret for never saying this."
"Hmm," In a split second, Lǐn's eyes glistens with a familiar mischief, and Shāng braces himself for the immediate impact of whatever Lǐn Xuě Yā is concocting right now as he sees Lǐn scooting closer to him. "Is there anything else Sir Shāng would like to say, lest this infamous Dàn Jiàn Tài Suì fear to regret anything else?"
"Well," Bù Huàn glances down, and found Lǐn's dainty fingers somehow find their way resting comfortably on his thigh. He does not making any attempt to remove them, though, and shameful as it is, he felt a culmination of very warm energy pooling around his lower area. "Do you, Lüè Fēng Qiè Chén?"
"Usually, I found myself having quite handful things to say," Lǐn blinks, and as Shāng observed earlier, his eyelashes seemed to also know how to flap and flutter gracefully like the rest of his body, a pair of butterfly wings dancing in air. "So for once perhaps I would like to do something, and not just say something."
With that, one of Lǐn's hand are wandering around Bù Huàn's cock, while the other rapidly progressing into the crook of Bù Huàn's neck. A light pull, and their lips meets. Shāng unabashedly accept his invitation, and twists his tongue greedily into the inside of Xuě Yā's mouth.
Shāng's hand finally relents, and he cups Lǐn's closer face into his. His skin is porcelain smooth-it's a wonder to Bù Huàn, when both of them spends so many time wandering and going to places, as to why Lǐn's skin could retain that smoothness like a sheltered noble lady would. It must be his magic, Shāng's mind uselessly supplies.
Lǐn parts first, and look up at him all misty eyed and flushed. His other hand sneakily slips inside on Shāng's robe, and he smoothly traces the other's length. Shāng felt the heat rising more and more within his body, each stroke from Lǐn's magical fingers sends a mystifying jolt all over his body.
"Do you want this?" Lǐn asks, with a smirk on his face and an expression not quite shyly when he has a whole Bù Huàn member on his hand.
It's so fucking damn hard to speak coherent when Lǐn had his cock in a tight grip, Bù Huàn wanted to curse. But still, he is doubtful that Lǐn also wants this.
"I... I do not want to impose myself on you further if-" Bù Huàn had to be sure, he had to make sure.
"It's simply too cold and windy here, Sir Shāng." Xuě Yā dainty fingers finds themselves on Bù Huàn stubble, and his touch sends over the hairs sends another kind of electric jolt all over Shāng's body.
He moves closer to whisper in Bù Huàn ears, purposefully grazing the other's man stubble with his own cheek in the process. "If you would have me, then let's move on to the better climate."
Shāng catches Lǐn's hand still roaming all over his face, and with a swift motion he jerks him standing upward only to sweep him off the ground. The wine and the assortment of dish are left in the cold, as Shāng opens the door ajar to enter the room and bring Lǐn to their inn shared bed.
Perhaps, from the moment Shāng found Lǐn in the marketplace earlier today, they both knew deep down this was happening, one way or another.
After Lǐn is perfectly situated in the warm bed, Shāng goes fully with the onslaught of kisses. From their immaculate, smooth neck, he find his way downward up to his abdomen while Lǐn's hand roams his robes, untying the sash and set fabric loose.
"Wow, Sir Shāng," Lǐn rasps as his hand mapped around Shāng Bù Huàn broad, tanned chest. "You really have, a really great body."
Shāng scoffs at Lǐn Xuě Yā helpful observation. "Well, it's the result of running from various military power does to you". He make himself useful by undressing the lithe man before him. The muscle beneath him tensed for a little bit, and he kiss and sucks the portion of Lǐn's belly to supply. Lǐn let out a surprised gasps at that, and the reaction pushes Shāng to went even further as he licked the other's bellybutton slowly.
The sight of The Enigmatic Gale being so flushed red and incoherent is more charming to the tired warrior than any of his magic trick could produce.
"Sir Shāng, you are teasing me." The shiver is unbearable as Lǐn procured a bottle of oil on his hand right away. Bù Huàn could not help but scoffs again, seeing the other man usually haughty temperament ceased into this pliant self.
"Oh? That's rich coming from someone who lives off his life running around conning people ." Shāng grabs the bottle from the other man hand, and ceremoniously wet his finger with the substance all while licking Lǐn's belly all over. He could swear it taste so sweet. Without further ado, he pushes one finger inside Lǐn.
"Nggh, you should have-" Lǐn whines, but Shāng rise and met him to kiss his complain away.
"Should what? So demanding."
Shāng Bù Huàn realizes he was being a chatterbox, an usual contrast to their usual dynamic. He go back down to mark Lǐns pelvis area with bites, and the gasps coming from the bird man is elastic, all while his sole finger is doing the hard work of exploring and loosening Lǐn Xuě Yā insides.
It's uncanny how in sync the both of them are. Bù Huàn did not dare to voice this out loud, lest he was attracting annoying commentary and barb from Lǐn Xuě Yā, but ever since their cooperative, last moment ruse against Lóu Zhèn Jiè, Shāng could feel it in his bones.
That Lǐn could read him so well, probably even better than people who had known him for years.
His careless and wandering thoughts leads Bù Huàn into sliding another finger into Xuě Yā unconsciously, eliciting a shocked moan from the latter.
"Bù Huàn!"
And with a single moan, all hell breaks loose. Shāng just want to pour his heart out right there and then.
"You are always coming around when you were not invited, yet when I do actually want to see you, you were so hard to find, like a needle in a haystack." Shāng grumbles, head droops and low in the crook of Lǐn's shoulder blade.
Lǐn's hands rises to smooth his hair, a gentle and reassuring caress.
"Do you really need me to sort this, phsysical needs of yours, Sir Shāng?"
Shāng snorts at the annoying, taunting honorific and the accusing implication. Well, it's good to see him still so chatty.
"This humble Guǐ Niǎo is glad to be of use. Let me," Lǐn entangles his hands from Shāng's hair to make use of those pretty long fingers, and marked his way around Bù Huàn upper body.
"If you say no, then I will not continue."
"No, it's not that, by all means please go on." Lǐn's hands are back to play with Shāng ashen-black locks, curling it and twisting it around.
"It's just that you could have always call me when you need me. You are a straightforward man about what you want with others, why not with me?" He pushes back a handful of strands to the back Shāng's ear.
The third finger comes, and Lǐn just winces a little now, probably easing up. Shāng look up to watches his face studiously, before sighing and frowning.
That's the problem.
He is a straightforward man. And yet, what does this conman from a neighboring country does have anything to do with his problem handling The Sword Index? What does he have to do with the danger of hordes of Divine Swarm army?
Lǐn Xuě Yā owes him nothing.
If, one day, Lǐn ever grew bored of him and ceasing from pursue him again, and Shāng would needed his help, what right does Shāng have to call upon him? To this man whom he already pushed away several times out of habit?
"You do not owe me anything." Shāng solemnly replies. Honest.
Lǐn's ruby red orbs grow searching "Oh? But I was under the impression that I am repaying you the favor for sealing Yāo Tú Lí. I do owe you, Sir Shāng."
"If we are speaking of debts, then I also owe you a great deal for curing me from Xiē Yīngluò poison. Or when you divert the enemy attention so I can get Làng the help he needed when he was stabbed. Or when you managed to take care of Juǎn Cán Yún right inside the enemy nest."
Xuě Yā pulles Bù Huàn closer to him, while cradling the back of his head softly, then whispers to him "Then it's alright."
The simple words somehow managed to sent a chilling shiver down Shāng Bù Huàn entire body. What is alright? When I have the blood of both my comrade and my enemy all over my hand, and will continue to do so. Shāng Bù Huàn want to ask.
Shāng inserts the fourth finger afterwards, and they work in silence. Lǐn seems to read his expression, and chose not to chase further upon the question hanging in the air between them. After what he deems enough preparation, he pulled out his finger, the force making Lǐn let out an obscene moan, to put his in.
Shāng hesitates.
Lǐn looks up to him from below, his brow furrowed and a little pout forms, which, Shāng does not want to admit out loud, is quite cute.
"Come on, Sir Shāng. Don't be shy, I am not a timid maiden."
At the jab, Shāng grunts and then hoist Lǐn up sitting. Now that he is no longer lying down, Shāng sets a quick pace for the both of them.
Xuě Yā smirks triumphantly, "Now this more like it."
"Slave driver."
"You are the one who promised me a good time, you really think a lukewarm thrust like that is enough for me?"
Shāng hardens his thrust, and Lǐn let out a surprised squeak. It's rare to see Lǐn so pliant, so timid for him, Shāng quietly savors every moment. Lǐn rides Shāng for a few minutes later, then after a while, Shāng spilled inside Lǐn, while the latter made a beautiful mess on his torso, and his thigh, and the bedsheet. Lǐn rolls back into the futon like a log, as he hazily watches Shāng from under.
"I am just afraid." Shāng admits after he manage to gather himself, a whispered confession.
Lǐn smiles serenely at that. He knows what Shāng is thinking. Shāng knows that Lǐn knows what he was thinking. Shāng rises to get a water from nearby basin and wash the sticky mess away from them. He lets out a grumble when Lǐn refused to move over like a spoiled child, forcing Shāng to get by around and move his body.
"C'mon now, I know this is nothing for you. Help me around."
"Aww, but I was enjoying having the revered Dàn Jiàn Tài Suì taking care of me." Lǐn shoots out a coy gaze, but in a split second, his eye softens and he gives Shāng a soft smile, "Just try to enjoy things as they go, Sir Shāng."
Lǐn serene smile turns into a smirk after that.
"Asshole."
---
Shāng went to sleep half-accepting the possibility that Lǐn could leave afterward.
So when he wakes up with a fully clothed-in a fresh robe-Lǐn Xuě Yā in the same pavilion last night, with a tray full of breakfast, Shāng felt his chest warm.
"I thought you had already left." Bù Huàn greets, a yawn plastered afterward. He stretches his old, sore body like a cat while making his way to Lǐn.
"Could use a little company while I do my correspondence." Lǐn whistles, and a small bird came flying to his arm. He rolles out the letter he had been writing into the bird's letter carrier, and set them flying after giving it a few soft pats. Shāng watches the scene that unfold before him quietly, not daring to disturb the peaceful morning.
"I had to get going before noon, I trust you shall be well, Sir Shāng."
Bù Huàn made so many promise. To keep The Sword Index out of people who'd misuse them. To try and keep Demon Realm at bay from human world. To find Làng. To make sure Dān Fěi and Juǎn Cán Yún can rebuild their home safely. To make sure Mù Tin Mìng sacrifice was not in vain.
None of it had anything to do with this enigmatic man before him, and yet.
"You can also do it, you know." Shāng speaks, hesitant.
"Do what?"
"Call me for help. Huò Shì Míng Huáng is a threat- and a force to be reckoned with."
Lǐn smiles, small but sincere, free from his usual smirk.
"I'll be careful, Sir Shāng."