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It was well into the night when Hua Cheng and Xie Lian finally decided to go to bed. They’d spent most of the evening lounging on one of the many divans scattered in the various rooms of Paradise Manor, discussing news from the three realms and findings they’d come across in their readings.
Evenings spent like this were amongst Xie Lian’s favorites. No matter how much time passed, he found he could never get bored of Hua Cheng’s company, and never felt the need to change anything in their routine.
Growing up, and even in his eight centuries of old life, he had heard many men and women alike talk about how their spouse annoyed them, and generally how they didn’t like spending too much time with them. At the time, he’d thought that maybe he couldn’t understand, since he had never been in such a situation, although he always quietly thought to himself that if the relationship came to such extremes it was perhaps better to end it, or at least find ways to remedy the issues.
However, now that he had Hua Cheng, he thought that he could understand even less such comments. He could never in a million years imagine himself saying the same things about him.
Of course, he could understand being annoyed, tired, or even angry. Although he and Hua Cheng rarely disagreed or fought about anything, there were, of course, times when one of them would be in a sour mood for this and that reason, and as a result, feelings would get mixed up. But these feelings passed and resolved as they talked through them.
This was perhaps why their relationship worked so well. Hua Cheng never shied away from confrontation, and if an issue appeared between them, it was often resolved easily. Although Xie Lian had been somewhat shy in the beginning, and hesitant to bring up whatever concerns he had, seeing how effective a simple talk could be taught him to be honest.
This was perhaps luck. He couldn’t deny that he and Hua Cheng shared a bond deeper than what most people would experience in a lifetime. A bond that ran centuries deep, a tie of fate, devotion, and hard work.
Xie Lian, splayed lazily on the divan, looked at his husband sitting in the candle light. Even now, he found him incredibly attractive. Even now, he found him incredibly intelligent. Smart. Well spoken. Good company. Gentle. Kind. Perfect.
Hua Cheng caught his gaze and smiled. “What are you looking at?”
“You,” Xie Lian smiled back, amused.
Hua Cheng shuffled closer, pushing Xie Lian onto his back and gazing down at him. “And what are you thinking about, looking at me like that?”
Xie Lian brought up a hand to caress his hair and face softly, taking his time to reply. “How lucky I am to have you.”
Hua Cheng didn’t respond, only holding Xie Lian’s gaze with an intense look in his eye.
Xie Lian was the first to turn away, cut off by a yawn. “I’m tired,” he said. “Carry me up to bed?” he asked, raising his arms as Hua Cheng moved.
“His Highness need not ask,” Hua Cheng replied as he lifted him under his back and knees to hold him against his chest. “I already planned to whisk you away.”
Xie Lian laughed, kicking his feet lightly in excitement. “Is that so?”
“En.” Hua Cheng walked out the door of the room they were in and into the complex labyrinth of hallways that made up Paradise Manor. “I am a weak man, and seeing gege look so cute and beautiful in front of me, I can’t help but want to take you away for myself.”
They were already the only ones in that room, but it didn’t matter.
“Mh. I think San Lang is pretty strong,” Xie Lian replied quietly. He pressed a fleeting kiss to the base of Hua Cheng’s neck, making him squirm as he walked. “And handsome. I would whisk you away too.”
Butterflies opened the door to their chambers for them and Hua Cheng strode to the bed where he lay Xie Lian down and quickly joined him. As soon as they parted, they were touching again, falling into an eager kiss full of smiles. Clothes were discarded as they slipped between the sheets, huddling close and hugging each other tightly, content with the simple contact of skin on skin. They whispered good nights and sweet words to each other for a while before falling asleep like that, entangled and warm under the covers.