Work Text:
Luo Binghe shrank back from the ice cold look, the low whine pulled up from his throat. He easily gave in to the instinct to crouch, tail tucked between his legs.
It had seemed like such a fool proof plan! Sure, his Shizun didn’t have any pets but he had always seemed to soften when there was a cat or a dog around, even petting the horses with a faint smile when he thought no one was looking. Binghe wasn’t looking for a permanent place in the bamboo house! Even if he had briefly dreamed of it being a possibility. Really, he would have been perfectly content with just a few head pats, maybe be able to lay down next to the man while he read, even maybe… maybe lay his head on Shizun’s thigh…
It had been something of a daydream since he discovered he had the ability to fully transform. He had even perfected the form until it was as small as he could accomplish, though that was still perhaps knee height, and the form didn’t show a single hint of his demonic self. He wasn’t sure if he could actually make it past the wards on Cang Qiong mountain but fortune had truly shown on him. He had been able to run across Shizun elsewhere!
It was probably some outing. His sources of information had told him of the peak lord’s constant travels ever since his disappearance. There hadn’t been any indication of the urgency he usually applied to missions. Instead, after a casual walk through the marketplace his sweet Shizun had detoured out of the city and to a lovely grove of lush grass. Not to meditate. Luo Binghe would have happily sat back and watched, leaving his powerful Shizun to his cultivation. Instead, he had settled down and after a while of reading appropriately scholarly material… he had withdrawn a far different novel. Binghe had nearly been beside himself with joy. Shizun wouldn’t openly touch one of his personal novels unless he was sure no one would be bothering him and if he knew he’d have hours before he needed to do anything else. Binghe had thought it was the perfect opportunity!
Instead, the moment he had padded out into the clearing, ears forward and tail wagging… his Shizun had startled standing with a hand brushing off his sword and alarm then confusion flashing across his face. Now, his arms were crossed as he scowled down. Maybe if Binghe rolled over?
“This master knows it’s you, Luo Binghe.”
He whined again, sticking belly to the grass. How did he know! Binghe had managed to fool even Sha Hualing! That…. had been a bit embarrassing as he had to pretend to be a normal dog and thus unable to prevent her adamant attempts to flip him over and rub her face on his belly. Similarly he had passed unknown among the Huan Hua disciples. Gongyi Xiao had even made it a point to try and feed him and the Old Palace Master had huffed and when no one was looking patted him on the head.
“Not going to change back?” His head tilted, eyes narrowed.
Binghe whined again, and gave in to the urge to roll over. Shen Qingqiu’s eyebrows rose. “Huh…”
With no other acknowledgement beyond staring, Binghe rolled back over. Keeping as low to the ground as he could, he crawled forward. He still had no idea how Shen Qingqiu knew but maybe… maybe he’d think Binghe was cursed or something? Maybe this form was more tolerable since he hadn’t drawn Xin Ya… he wasn’t staring through Binghe with that cold and distant look. He didn’t seem disgusted though… maybe annoyed.
“Knock that off.” Immediately Binghe stopped, whining. Shen Qingqiu sighed, rubbing his temple. “I know you can change back, just as surely as I know it’s you. Though… why that version?” His head tilted, eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t Luo Binghe be… bigger?” His hand came out, showing roughly the right size for his full non demonic dog form.
Did… did Shizun want him to take his larger form? He whined long and high.
Shen Qingqiu just fixed him with a glare. “Just because you’re in that form doesn’t mean puppy eyes automatically work. Change back .”
He whined one last time, before he reached for the magic that had always been his, even if before his seal broke it was limited to maybe a tail or ears. The change flowed through him like warm water as he sat back on his haunches. “How?”
Shen Qingqiu scowled at him. “Why was Binghe in that form?”
He didn’t dare rise yet, sending pleading eyes up at the man. He hadn’t been rejected yet. That was a good thing right? “Shizun likes small dogs.”
“This master generally likes any dog.”
He… might not have accomplished a completely human form by the whine that left his throat. “This disciple’s smaller form is… cuter. He thought Shizun would like it better.”
“And why would that matter to Binghe? Did he think if he was small enough, fluffy enough, cute enough, he’d be able to waltz right to this master’s side?”
“Shizun was reading. He’s let stray animals lay in his lap while he’s reading before. This disciple thought maybe he… could… that Shizun wouldn’t realize…”
The man turned a brilliant shade of red. “In… in my…” His hand came up, half covering his face. It didn’t stop Binghe from just hearing the mumbled words. “So that really is it?”
He risked shifting forward. “Would… would Shizun still consider it? This Binghe can be good. He can act just like any other dog… he could use his bigger form if Shizun wants him to…”
“What form Binghe is in isn’t really the issue.”
“Please Shizun! This disciple is good! He isn’t… he won’t… he has control!”
Shen Qingqiu wavered, staring at him. After a long moment he sighed. “Binghe, how do you see this master?”
He paused, staring at the man. That wasn’t a question he had ever thought he’d be asked by Shen Qingqiu. Others sure but then the answer was upfront and obvious. To admit it to his Shizun’s face though? Would it bother Shen Qingqiu too much? Would he reject Binghe’s feelings? “Shizun is important to this Binghe. He’s intelligent, strong, wise, kind…”
Shen Qingqiu gave him a bit of a look. “Kind?”
Binghe nodded readily. “Once this Binghe passed Shizun’s test he was so kind… so thoughtful… did everything he could for this Binghe. This disciple knows he was wrong but… but he just has to repass Shizun’s test right? Shizun always lets his disciples retake tests they’ve failed once they learn properly. He just has to pass. Just like before and then Shizun will let this disciple be by his side.”
The blood drained from Shen Qingqiu’s face. “Oh Binghe that’s not…” He swayed, jaw working for a moment before he sucked in a breath and seemed to settle. “There’s no test. Binghe didn’t fail. He didn’t do anything wrong.” What? There was too much information there. What did Shizun mean there was no test? If there was no test how could he earn Shizun’s forgiveness? How could he return to even a fraction of what he had before? It couldn’t be lost to him surely… Shizun said he didn’t fail but why would he be cast away if he hadn’t done something wrong.
“This disciple lied to Shizun. He let his seal be broken. It’s okay now though! This disciple knows how to hide his true form! He’d even be fine staying in his dog form. He can do that so Shizun doesn’t have to worry.”
The look was… almost fragile and complicated. “Binghe shouldn’t live like that. Binghe isn’t mad at this master?”
Well… he might have been a little mad. He had definitely taken out a lot of things in fits of rage down in the Endless Abyss and all of his advisors knew better than to bring up anything about Cang Qiong or Shen Qingqiu. “This Binghe just wants to be by Shizun’s side.”
The man gave him another complicated look, before gesturing slightly. “Come here.”
Binghe wasn’t going to give him the chance to think it through or change his mind. Immediately he flung himself into the slightly exposed shoulder, felt an arm wrap around him. The other settled in his hair. “Binghe doesn’t need to hide himself from this master. He can come to him in any form.” Binghe sucked in a breath, only to have Shen Qingqiu hum. “Hm, though if Binghe could warn this master if it’s a large or dangerous form.”
He was absolutely not going to point out that all of his forms were dangerous. “Yes, Shizun.” Shen Qingqiu nodded, pulling back far too quickly from the hug. His cheeks were red however, his gaze elsewhere. “Shizun?” Was he blushing? From the hug?
Binghe felt the giddiness starting to rise up, shifting closer as his gaze dropped slightly. Was it possible that some of his even more far fetched fantasies were correct?
“Hellhound.” Shen Qingqiu blurted out, Binghe staring at him. After a moment he coughed. “Can… that is… this master had heard that Heavenly Demons also had a hellhound or a grim form… If… If Binghe is willing…”
His sweet Shizun wanted to see his most terrifying canine form? He drew in a breath, and stepped back. “Please be ready Shizun. It is quite large.”
The man nodded, watching him with that little bit of anticipation Binghe had thought was only reserved for the novels he wouldn’t admit to reading. Firmly tucking away that thought, Binghe drew in a breath.
***
Shen Qingqiu shifted, just enough to turn the page before he laid back, hand once again finding its place in the thick hide. Who knew that a hellhound would make such a nice backrest, the curl of Binghe’s body encompassing him in a steady sort of heat, only furthered by the hot breath over his knees and the tail laid across his lap and curled slightly around his waist.
He didn’t think Binghe was asleep. At least not more than a light doze. He was perfectly willing to lay still however for as long as Shen Qingqiu was content to lay back on him. Next time he would probably have Binghe just lay his humanoid head in his lap, but for now it had been more than worth it to see the expression on Shang Qinghua’s face when he appeared for their mushroom update. The shitty writer who had felt like torturing his sweet Binghe had gone completely pale at the deep red eye that half opened to watch him while Shen Qingqiu turned another page.
“Bro…that’s…”
“Mn.”
“Bro how…”
Shen Qingqiu raised his shoulder in a slight shrug. “Apparently we’re the most precious person to the other.”
Binghe’s ears flicked back to him, before the massive head rose. He just ignored the considering gaze. Shang Qinghua sputtered. “Bro… and you’re okay with that? I thought you hated being thrown into wife…” His jaw snapped shut when Binghe’s entire attention was suddenly on him.
Shen Qingqiu hummed low in his throat. He thought he did a pretty good job of imitating some of the fan art he had seen of wives draping themselves across the massive form. It had always seemed like an intimidating pose to him and once he got over feeling a bit silly, yeah, yeah it was still powerful. Shang Qinghua just sputtered further. “I could get used to it.”
After a moment the smaller man rubbed his hands down his face. “Fine, fine. I’m thrilled you finally embraced being gay bro. Now… I’m just going to leave before I have to eat more dog food. I’d suggest not taking a full hellhound into Cang Qiong, that might be stretching Yue Qingyuan’s enabling a bit far.” Mumbling something about precious characters, the man mounted his sword and did exactly as promised.
Not that Shen Qingqiu got the chance to get back into his book. He at least caught himself as his living couch suddenly disappeared. He sighed, closing the novel and looking at a very starstruck Luo Binghe. “Did Shizun mean that?”
“Was this master wrong?”
“No! Shizun is this Binghe’s most precious person. He just… he never expected… that Shizun might feel the same.” Luo Binghe leaned forward, the smile threatening to crack his face. “Would Shizun really consider being this Binghe’s wif-”
“Too far!” He tapped Binghe’s chest with the spine of the book. “This master is a man.”
“Husband.”
He let out a put upon sigh, studiously ignoring both Luo Binghe and the heat of his own face. “Lay back down so this master can go back to reading. He was just reaching a good part.” He didn’t comment when Binghe sprawled across his lap, just setting his hand in the hair that was just as fluffy in any form and pretending to know nothing about the arms circling his waist or the smile pressed to his stomach.