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writingwhimsey · 2 months

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Married to The Enemy- Shingen Ch. 51

This one got a little long

Chapter 51

Shingen was waiting in line with Ava and her friends at the movie theater concessions. His arm wrapped around Ava’s waist, holding her close as they waited their turn. It was at this moment, the fun evening was interrupted by a voice Shingen had only heard one other time before.

“Oh my gosh! Can’t believe I’m running into you guys here! It must be a movie date night for everyone!”

Shingen could feel Ava tense up next to him. He didn’t like how this woman made Ava react. Especially when they had been having a perfectly lovely time before she arrived. His hand was resting on her hip and he gave her hip a gentle squeeze, reassuring her that he was right beside her.

Ava seemed to relax a little and leaned into him. She took a deep breath before she was turning her head. Shoko was also looking back, both of them with tight smiles. “Akemi.” They greeted.

Akemi smiled at them and Shingen could tell it was a cruel smile. She was holding hands with a man Shingen had never met before. He was as tall as Shingen and more leanly muscled with reddish hair and blue eyes.

“Ava, Shoko, you guys remember Hikaru…oh who am I kidding, of course you do, Ava. You did date him for three years before he realized there were greener pastures elsewhere.” Akemi said.

So this man…a former lover. Shingen thought, doing his best to keep a frown from forming on his face.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Shoko muttered under her breath.

Hikaru was looking at Ava…clearly with regret in his eyes. “You’re looking well, Ava.”

“I suppose she does look well. As well as someone like her can.” Akemi said. “I mean, if she had the money for better skincare and makeup she could really be a beauty.”

Shingen really hated the way this woman was ripping into Ava. He also didn’t like the way this other man was looking at her.

“I actually think she looks really great.” Hikaru said.

“So, you guys are dating again?” Shoko asked Hikaru and Akemi.

“Uh, yeah I gue…” Hikaru began.

Akemi was wrapping both of her arms around one of his and clinging to him. “Oh, yes. I gave him a call after the beach party. We were always just so suited for each other you know? Both from prominent families and all that.”

Ava gave them a smile. “You two do look good together.” She said.

“Oh, I’m glad you see it, Ava.” Akemi said. “So, no hard feelings about me stealing him from you?”

“Really I should thank you.” Ava replied. “If you two hadn’t ended up together, I wouldn’t have met my wonderful Shingen.” She was leaning more into Shingen then.

Shingen smiled as he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her cheek. “Yes, thank you for letting this treasure get away so that I could find her.” Shingen added. He would support his wife no matter what. Also, he was grateful. From the way it sounded, this other guy had hurt Ava…he didn’t like that. But if he hadn’t, Ava wouldn’t be with Shingen now.

“I don’t see what more you could have wanted when you had Ava, but I’m grateful that she’s mine now.” Shingen added, wanting to make sure that this guy knew there was no chance Ava would ever be his again.

Ava smiled and hugged Shingen tighter.

“Hey, it’s our turn.” Kenji said.

Ava was then waving at Akemi and Hikaru. “Well, it was good to see you guys. Glad things are working out for you. Hope you guys have a great time.” She said.

“I know we definitely will.” Shoko said. “All of our seats are in the back of the theater. Which means we’re not watching the movie and pretending we’re teenagers again.” She was then giving Ava a wink.

Ava giggled. “Hmm, that is a good plan.” She agreed.

Shingen wasn’t sure, but it seemed there was a hidden meaning to this. He would have to ask Ava about it later.

“See ya guys.” Shoko said.

The two couples were then heading to place their orders. The savory scent that filled the air was stronger by the counter. Shingen kept his arm around Ava as they looked at all the food. It seemed it was a silent agreement between the four of them not to pay any attention to Akemi and Hikaru.

“A large bag of popcorn with extra butter. And we’ll take some of these, these, and these. And a large drink to wash it all down.” Ava ordered for them.

“And we’ll take the same.” Shoko said for her and Kenji.

“I can’t believe you guys are eating all of that.” Akemi said, clearly not done aggravating Ava and Shoko just yet. “I guess once you’re married, you really don’t care about your figure. I would have to be in the gym for twenty-four hours straight to work off that much food.”

“Akemi…” Hikaru said.

Ava waved dismissively. “It’s fine. I have plenty of ways to work off all of this food. I have a home gym.” She said.

“Yeah, named Shingen.” Shoko said with a giggle. “And I only know that because I also have a home gym, but he’s named Kenji.”

“There is a reason we have two boys.” Kenji agreed.

Shingen was grinning at Ava. “Oh? I am your workout plan?” He asked, tracing her chin with his fingertips.

Ava giggled. “Can you think of a better one?”

“No and I am very happy to be so.” He replied, leaning in to give her a light peck on the lips. He adored his wife and being affectionate with her. And he was happy to reassure her that she was his one and only love.

Akemi was fuming. But she couldn’t find anything to say.

The two couples got their food and walked away, heading towards the room their movie would be in. This would be the first time Shingen would be seeing a movie in this theater. He was excited to experience this with Ava.

Shingen followed Ava into the large room. It was currently dimly lit and there were dark curtains on the walls and red chairs throughout. They were what Shingen had learned were called recliners. Ava had explained that this was a more luxury type of theater experience as the recliners were very comfortable. But they didn’t always have such comfy chairs.

All of the chairs were facing towards one wall at the front of the room, which had a large screen playing what Ava had told him were previews for other movies. “Our seats are this way.” Shoko said, leading them all up some stairs and to the back row of chairs, going back to the middle section of the row.

Shingen was pleased to see that the chairs were paired up. So he and Ava got to sit fairly close together, though there was still an armrest between them. There was a bit of space between their chairs and the chairs Shoko and Kenji were sitting in.

Once they sat down, Shingen leaned over to Ava and whispered to her. “What was it that Shoko meant about pretending to be teenagers in the back of the theater?” He asked.

Ava gave him a playful grin. “Well, when the movie starts, they turn off the lights so that you can better see the screen and not really much else.” She explained. “And sitting in the back no one notices. It’s a favorite date of teens who want to spend the movie paying more attention to their date rather than the movie and getting up to some…mischievous things in the dark.”

Shingen lifted a brow as he gave Ava a seductive grin. “Is that so? Then I’d be happy to play the part of a love sick teenage boy.”

Ava giggled. “Well, if we’re gonna do that then you have to wait for them to turn off the lights.” She replied. “And you have to do the classic fake yawn and stretch, putting your arm around my shoulders. It’s usually how teenage boys make the first move in these situations.”

“I see.” Shingen replied. “These dating customs of your time are quite fascinating.”

Ava giggled. She was then holding up the large bucket of popcorn. “You have to try some. No movie experience is complete without the delicious, salty, buttery popcorn.”

“Why, thank you my angel.” Shingen replied, reaching a hand in and plucking a piece from the bucket and popping it in his mouth. “It is good….though I definitely prefer something a bit sweeter.” He was then leaning in a placing a kiss on Ava’s cheek. “Much better.”

Ava’s cheeks reddened. “Am I still your favorite sweet?” She asked. It seemed that the incident with Akemi and her old lover was all forgotten. Shingen was happy she could just focus on their date and enjoy their time together.

“Always my favorite, my angel.” Shingen replied.

“But I do have some others here I think you will like.” She was then holding up a box of what he had come to recognize as candy. She opened the box and pulled out a few of the treats. They were colorful. “These are called M&M’s. They’re one of my favorites.” She was then holding one of the colorful candies up to his lips.

Shingen smiled as he parted his lips and allowed her to slip the treat inside. It was sweet, but he was pleasantly surprised when he bit into the candy. The colorful part was only a shell! Inside was chocolate, that VERY delicious sweet Ava had introduced him to earlier. It had quickly become a favorite.

“Good, right?” Ava asked.

Shingen nodded. “Very. We’re going to have to bring some of these back home with us.”

Ava giggled and nodded. “I think I agree.”

The lights were soon turning off and the movie was starting. Shingen watched the movie for a little while. He did want to see what this was. Seeing the visuals on such a large screen…it was really quite something. But of course, he couldn’t help but to let his mind wander to his beautiful wife next to him. Nor could he not think about what she had said about the dating customs.

Shingen wore a grin as he pretended to yawn and stretch until his arm was around Av’s shoulders. He could hear her quiet laughter as she snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. It was very much like when they watched movies together at the apartment. Just with a larger screen…and they were in a public place.

He turned his head to kiss the top of Ava’s head. Then her forehead. Her cheek. Until she finally turned her head so that he could kiss her lips. That one kiss turned into several playful kisses. Ava’s hands came to rest on Shingen’s chest as their kisses continued. Shingen happily indulged in Ava’s kisses, but made a conscious effort to hold himself back as they were still in public, even if it was in the dark. The more serious stuff could wait until they got back to the apartment.

Back in the Sengoku…

Yukimura was returning to his room late that night after a very long and stressful day. “How does Lord Shingen do this all the time?” He muttered.

“Rough day?”

Yukimura looked up at the sound of Saki’s voice. She was already in her night clothes, her long auburn hair down. She was lying on top of the futon on her stomach with her upper half propped up and her legs bent at the knee, holding her feet up in the air.

As soon as he saw her there, all of his troubles seemed to melt away. “It wasn’t so bad.” He answered. “What are you doing already in bed?” He asked.

“Just relaxing while I waited for you.” Saki answered, a smile on her face. “You should go take your evening bath and then come back here and relax with me.”

“A bath does sound nice.” Yukimura replied. “Though…it would be better if you were with me.”

Saki giggled. “I don’t think there would be anything relaxing about it then.” She teased.

“I don’t know…” Yukimura replied, walking over to the futon and kneeling down before gently pushing Saki over onto her back. He then hovered over her. “I do find myself much less stressed after making love to you.”

“Hmmm…that is a good point. You do always seem more relaxed.” She agreed. “But you had better go get your bath first. I don’t want your stink getting all over me.”

Yukimura frowned at her teasing. “I do not stink…and I would think you’d like smelling like me. Isn’t that why you started using the same soap as me? Or why you like to steal my haori sometimes?”

Saki’s cheeks reddened. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, Yukimura.”

Yukimura playfully pinched her cheeks. “You’re so cute.” He told her, leaning down to press his lips to hers.

It didn’t take long for the kiss to escalate. Clothes were soon coming off and passionate sighs and moans soon filled the silence of the room.

Afterwards the pair laid together, Yukimura holding Saki close. Saki was smiling up at him. “I’m glad to see that frown gone and your smile back.” She said, her fingers dancing over his cheek and rubbing that spot between his brows. “I thought you were going to end up with a permanent furrow right here.”

“Would you love me any less?” Yukimura asked.

Saki smiled. “Of course, not. I’d just have to start calling you my grumpy old man.”

“Hey…”

Saki silenced him with a kiss. “My CUTE grumpy old man.” She said with a teasing smile.

“I’ll show you cute.” Yukimura replied and then began to tickle her.

Saki laughed, but fought back, going to tickle Yukimura’s sides. The couple was soon falling into a giggling, laughing, breathless mess.

Slowly they calmed down and were getting back to cuddling. “I didn’t even ask…how was your day?” Yukimura asked, feeling like a dope. As soon as he got in there all he could think about was getting in bed with Saki. He hadn’t even stopped to find out if she’d had a stressful day.

“Pretty normal really.” She answered with a shrug. “Oh, I got a letter from my parents today.”

“Oh? Are they doing well?”

Saki nodded. “Yup. Really well in fact. They’re actually planning a visit.”

“Really?” Yukimura asked, surprised. “I guess they miss you, huh?”

Saki shrugged. “I suppose. But they really want to come because they want to meet you.”

Yukimura blinked. “Why would they wanna meet me?”

“I don’t know…maybe because I told them about my handsome lover.” Saki answered.

“Wait…you told them I was your lover?”

“Are you not? I mean we did just get finished making love…which we have started doing just about every night. I’ve moved into your room with you…”

“That’s not what I meant.” Yukimura replied. “I meant…they aren’t gonna think…”

“Think what? Think you’re bad for stealing their daughter’s virtue or something?” Saki asked. “Which, just so you know you didn’t.”

“Saki, that’s not what I meant…but I mean…”

“All they’re gonna want to do is see that I’m happy and see that you’re a good guy.” Saki assured him. “And trust me, they’re gonna love you just like I do.”

Yukimura smiled. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because you may be a dummy, but you’re my dummy and you make me happy.” She answered. “And you’re a good man, Yukimura. That’s all that will matter to them.”

“You really think I’m a good man?”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be in your arms right now.” Saki answered.

Yukimura hugged Saki closer. “I love you, you know.”

“I know.” Saki replied. “I love you, too.”

Taglist: @limonzu @zulablaise @oda-princess @kisara-16 @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @lucyw260 @selenacosmic

@bjorkshire-pudding @eventinelysplayground

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astrowaffles · 3 months

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Jump, then Fall

for @fengqingaction's gotcha for gaza | cowboy!fengxin x cityboy!mu qing prompt by @makkisucks

“Your car’s not really built for these roads,” Feng Xin observed helpfully.

“Thanks, Einstein,” Mu Qing huffed, and gripped the wheel tighter. “Now tell whoever owns this fucking horror movie set-up.”

“That’d be me,” said Feng Xin tightly. “If by ‘horror movie set-up’ you mean my ranch.”

After being sent to the countryside by his boss for being 'too stressy', Mu Qing must grapple with life's greatest problems: dirt, manual labour, and Feng Xin. But when a certain rancher starts to become the centre of Mu Qing's world, can he survive the worst problem of all - falling in love?

OR: cowboy!feng xin, cityboy!mu qing, and the Struggle™️ of a lifetime

---------

It was hot.

Not that the city wasn’t hot, but driving through endless rolling fields in a shitty car with broken AC made the heat feel even heavier; Mu Qing regretted not tying his hair up more neatly as his ponytail stuck uncomfortably to his back. Not for the first or last time, he missed his nice cold office.

“Am I even going the right way?” he mumbled, checking the sat nav again. There’d been no turn-offs or signposts for an hour and it was beginning to feel like he was entering Area 51, or possibly the edge of the world. Another few miles and he was certain he would meet the horsemen of the apocalypse, sweating in their armour in the crushing humidity.

The sat nav said he was heading towards civilisation; the crunching and juddering of his wheels told him he was entering The Land That Time Forgot, where roads weren’t even built for driving on anymore. Mu Qing swerved violently to avoid a pothole and sighed. When he met whoever owned this dump, he’d be having words.

“In five miles, turn right,” came the sat nav’s halting voice.

“Five miles?!” Mu Qing barely resisted smacking his head off the steering wheel. “What if I die out here?!”

It really did seem like a good place to die, especially if it was a murder. Silent fields, the odd cow staring at you mournfully, no-one to hear you scream. He’d maybe passed one house in the past two hours, and its inhabitants had looked extremely surprised to see him. There was clearly no coming or going around here.

After another few painful, slow miles white knuckling the steering wheel and praying his wheels didn’t pop, Mu Qing finally entered the promised land: he passed through an archway and into the ranch he would be spending the next 3 months at.

“Looks promising,” he said sarcastically, eyeing the stack of abandoned tires in the corner of a field. There were a lot more cows now, and they all stared curiously as he drove past. He resisted the urge to speed up, feeling unnecessarily awkward. “But where’s the house?”

The winding roads were beginning to get oppressive and he was beginning to feel like he’d genuinely pass away before he reached any kind of human contact. Luckily, he didn’t actually have to go looking for the house: a battered, slightly rusty 4x4 was waiting for him around the next corner, although judging from its driver’s reaction, it wasn’t on purpose.

“Who’re you?” the man asked gruffly, harsh accent echoing between the cars.

Taken aback, Mu Qing stumbled a little over his introduction. “I’m here for this?” he added, practically throwing the flyer through the window.

4x4 Man read it, then snorted. “You? Help out here?” A pause while he thought about it. “You?” he repeated, eyeing Mu Qing and evidently finding him lacking. “Might as well just turn around now.”

“Ah- I’m here on recommendation,” Mu Qing tried, even though he really, really did want to just turn around now. He’d been told to do this, so this he would do. “Hua Cheng sent me?”

“Let him through, Jake,” another voice called from behind the car, accent softer and pleasant to Mu Qing’s ears. “He’s sent by His Highness.”

Sent by who now?

The owner of the second voice came around from the back, allowing Mu Qing to match the honeyed accent to the face. “I’ll take him back; you take the truck.”

For a minute, as Mu Qing eyed this new development, he thought that maybe – just maybe – everything was going to be alright. The man was tall, possibly even taller than Mu Qing, although not by a lot. His shoulders were broad and his skin was tanned, and the little fangs that showed when he flashed a reassuring grin towards his coworker did something terrible to Mu Qing’s heart. He’d even started to make Mu Qing reconsider his opinions on man buns, as his soft brown hair was swept into a topknot that’s just this side of sexy.

“I’m Feng Xin,” the eye-candy said in his beautiful voice, and all Mu Qing could see was muscles barely encased in a check shirt and jeans stretched tight over powerful thighs, and-

“What, not even gonna introduce yourself?” Feng Xin snarked, and all of Mu Qing’s dreams shattered.

He was a total dick. Of course he was a total dick, what hot man isn’t? And he had a man bun, which should have been the first red flag. Mu Qing was stupid to even think about a summer romance when he’s here on a farm in the middle of nowhere and there’s flies and dirt and probably manual labour at some point.

“Mu Qing,” Mu Qing snapped. “Thanks for inviting yourself into my car.”

It was true: Feng Xin was magically sat on the passenger seat, door closed, window rolled down further than Mu Qing would dare to push it in case the mechanism broke. He grinned disarmingly.

“Just be glad it isn’t Jake.” Feng Xin motioned for Mu Qing to drive forwards. “He’ll let us past, so just keep followin’ the road.”

Mu Qing really didn’t want to follow his instructions, but there was no alternative if he wanted to get anywhere in this godforsaken place, so he started his car forwards and tried not to wince at the grating sounds of his poor car struggling against the terrible road.

“Your car’s not really built for these roads,” Feng Xin observed helpfully.

“Thanks, Einstein,” Mu Qing huffed, and gripped the wheel tighter. “Now tell whoever owns this fucking horror movie set-up.”

“That’d be me,” said Feng Xin tightly. “If by ‘horror movie set-up’ you mean my ranch.”

Ordinarily, Mu Qing would feel bad for being so rude in front of the owner. His mother had raised him to be a polite, grateful boy, thank you so much, the kind who held doors open and bowed to his elders. But in this situation, with his past-repair car fighting for its life on these past-repair roads, and an irritatingly hot man in the passenger seat with an infuriating smirk on his face, he found he’d quickly lost any empathy for Feng Xin.

“I do,” Mu Qing affirmed. “And if you had any sense at all, you’d-“

“Look,” Feng Xin interrupted, “I ain’t doin’ this for you. I’m doin’ it for the guy who sent you, so keep your mouth shut and we’ll get along fine.” He sat back in his seat, smirk gone and replaced by a furrowed brow and stormy eyes.

So much for Southern hospitality. That beautiful voice was starting to grate a little on Mu Qing’s nerves.

Still, he knew when he wasn’t wanted. He completed the rest of the drive in total silence, broken only by Feng Xin’s brusque directions.

By the time they finally pulled up to the house, Mu Qing was genuinely ready to strangle the man he’d been crushing on just a little earlier. As soon as they were parked, Feng Xin was out of the car like it had burned him, then down on the ground to greet the dogs rushing out to him. Mu Qing gingerly stepped out the other side and looked up at the traditional, if massive, house he’d soon call home.

“I’ll find someone to show you around,” Feng Xin said from the floor. Mu Qing sniffed to show he’d heard him and went round to collect his luggage from the trunk, trying his best to appear aloof now they weren’t in close quarters.

In typical Mu Qing fashion, he’d drastically overpacked, including (in a state of completely unfounded, and uncharacteristic, optimism) a hairdryer, which now lay sadly in the corner. After finally seeing the place, Mu Qing wasn’t even confident they had electricity, never mind enough to support a major beauty appliance. Better to leave it in the car, he thought, slamming the trunk closed.

This still left him with two embarrassingly huge suitcases, one shiny rose gold and one a sensible black. Feng Xin eyed the rose gold, judgement clear.

“Are you normally girly or did you just suffer a sudden attack when you bought that?” he asked. Then he looked up at Mu Qing’s hair. “…Never mind.”

“Long hair is not girly,” said Mu Qing hotly. “Only morons who’ve never gone outside think that.”

Feng Xin stared at him. “Are you stupid?”

“Not at all, though I suppose you would know.”

“Yes, I would. I’ve met a lot of idiots in my time.”

“Birds of a feather…”

“It’s not the long hair, alright?! I have long hair myself!”

“Well at least you’re self-aware,” Mu Qing sighed in mock relief. “I was worried for a minute.”

Feng Xin made a sound that was alarmingly like a growl. “I meant the highlights.”

“That’s not girly, that’s fashion,” said Mu Qing imperiously, refusing to feel self-conscious about the silver strands that framed his face. “Not that you’d know anything about that.”

Feng Xin scoffed. “If that’s fashion, I’m glad to know nothin’ about it.” He stood, brushing enthusiastic dogs from his lap. “Can you even lift those yourself?” he added, gesturing to the suitcases.

“Why, offering to help?” Mu Qing snarked, lifting the cases with ease.

Feng Xin hummed in a way that was almost approving. “You’re strong.”

“And girly, apparently,” Mu Qing sniffed.

“I won’t take back what I said. I’m sure you’re complex enough to be two things at once, or is that too difficult for you?” Feng Xin taunted, spinning on his heel. “C’mon then, let’s find your guide.”

He led them around the side of the big house; Mu Qing gave up on showing off and started wheeling his cases instead of carrying them, anticipating a long walk. The yard was kept neatly, but as they swerved to the side and towards a different building – a barn, Mu Qing thought – the piles of junk became more common. Tires, sheets of metal, old sacks… ranches truly were the land of the savages, unable to even dispose of their feed packaging properly.

“Here he is,” announced Feng Xin as they drew closer to a smaller building on the other side of the barn. “With the horses, as usual.”

Later, Mu Qing would wonder if his guide spent so much time with horses because there weren’t any people who liked him.

“This is Pei Ming,” Feng Xin introduced, and his evil grin really should have been the first warning sign. “Pei Ming, this is Mu Qing. He’s with us for the summer.”

“Oh, the new hand!” Pei Ming beamed, accent thick. He gave the horse he was grooming a slightly aggressive pat. “Hi there! Is Feng Xin bein’ nice to ya?”

“No,” said Mu Qing.

“Yes,” said Feng Xin.

Pei Ming chuckled. “I see how this is goin’ to go.”

“Oh, do you,” Feng Xin monotoned, and took the brush Pei Ming offered him. “Just show him around, don’t kill him, and tell him he’s got to be up at 5 tomorrow.”

“FIVE?!” Mu Qing shrieked before he could stop himself. He coughed. “I mean. Yeah. I’m normal about that.”

“Don’t worry, ya get used to it,” Pei Ming assured him. “The first day’s the hardest.”

“That’s what they said in Holes,” Mu Qing muttered. “And then it changed to the second day. Then the third day. Then the fourth day. Then the-“

Feng Xin sighed loudly. “Does God hate me?”

“Nah, this is a blessin’,” said Pei Ming, and winked at Mu Qing. “Not often ya get sent a pretty boy for free.”

“Don’t make it weird,” Feng Xin admonished, and started pushing Pei Ming towards the door. “Now get outta here before he starts callin’ the police for your harassment.”

Mu Qing obediently followed Pei Ming out, leaving Feng Xin to pet and coo at the horses. They weren’t far outside the door when Pei Ming turned on him.

“Sooo…” Pei Ming began, slowing his pace to walk by Mu Qing. “What do ya think of him?”

“Of who?” Mu Qing knew perfectly well who.

“Feng Xin! Isn’t he the cutest?”

“You his mother or something?” Mu Qing asked. “Going to bring out his baby photos?”

“Y’know what, I might,” Pei Ming mused. “But that’s not what I meant.”

Mu Qing stared very hard. Pei Ming didn’t share many features with Feng Xin – in fact, they didn’t share any at all – so they probably weren’t siblings or cousins. Pei Ming was tall, beautiful, and clearly an incorrigible flirt, looking slightly out-of-place on a ranch. He was far from Feng Xin’s practical, rustic kind of good looks. Dating, then? But if so, why had Pei Ming winked at Mu Qing?

“Stop playin’ siblin’s-or-datin’,” Pei Ming sighed. “We’re not related and we’re not datin’.”

“How did you know?” Mu Qing asked, surprised.

“Experience,” said Pei Ming, darkly.

Mu Qing thought he’d better change the subject, and quickly pointed to the main house. “Does Feng Xin own this place?”

“Yup. Owns everythin’ ya can see from here, too,” Pei Ming explained.

“So how did you get involved?”

“I’ve got a small place not far from here and help out sometimes.”

“Oh, so you were born here and everything?”

“Uh-huh. Could ya not tell by my accent?” Pei Ming laughed.

Mu Qing laughed along, a little awkwardly. “Well, Feng Xin doesn’t have much of one. Just misses off the ‘g’ in words or whatever…”

“Then have him pronounce ‘rural’,” Pei Ming advised. “That’s the true test.”

“Rrrl,” Mu Qing mimicked. “Like that?”

“Like that,” Pei Ming nodded. “Alright, let’s get ya set up in here,” he added, opening the door to the big house. “Yer room’s on the first floor, ya can’t get lost.”

“He could’ve brought me here himself,” Mu Qing grumbled, following Pei Ming down the hallway. “It would have saved me carrying these halfway across the world.”

“Oh, c’mon, it’s not that far,” Pei Ming laughed. “He prob’ly knew I’d want to see ya.” Another wink, this time couple with what was clearly meant to be a winning smile.

“Yikes,” said Mu Qing, and went into his room.

Mu Qing was dragged out of bed the next morning by a bell rung obnoxiously next to his ear.

“It’s half five,” Feng Xin announced loudly over the bell, which he hadn’t stopped ringing. “You missed breakfast.”

Mu Qing didn’t want any breakfast. “Shut up and leave me alone.”

“No can do,” said Feng Xin, and ripped the covers off Mu Qing’s poor, sleepy body.

Mu Qing shivered and sat up, doing his best to level Feng Xin with a glare but probably only half-managing it. He picked some sleep out of his eye, pushed his hair out of his face, and swung his legs over the side of the bed - and if they ‘accidentally’ hit Feng Xin on the way, well, who’s to know?

“Be down in five or I’m sendin’ in Pei Ming,” Feng Xin warned, and left.

Ah, blessed silence. Mu Qing dug around in the drawers he’d only just managed to hurriedly organise yesterday, struggling to haul out clothes that looked remotely suitable for whatever it was he was about to do. The final result was horrific blue-on-blue violence that made Mu Qing want to throw up a little, but he hated being late. Not more than he hated being a fashion disaster, but enough that he gave up on looking good, used the last of what was fast becoming 10 minutes on his skincare, and practically ran from the room.

Not actually ran. Just close enough.

Mu Qing’s power walk outside brought him almost straight into Feng Xin, who was standing by the door and looking irritated. “I said five, not fifteen.”

“Beauty takes time,” said Mu Qing, looking him up and down. “Not that you would know that.” He hoped the rancher wouldn’t hear the slight catch in his voice when his eyes traced the outline of Feng Xin’s shoulders.

Feng Xin raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Whatever. I don’t have time for this. We gotta feed the cows.” He stalked off; Mu Qing hurried to follow, hoping he wasn’t actually going to be murdered in this remote place.

“Where’s Pei Ming?” he asked, doing his best to keep up with Feng Xin’s quick strides.

“At his own place. Probably feedin’ his cows, like we should be doin’.”

“So the Pei Ming threat…?”

“I was tryin’ to get you to hurry up a little. I had no idea you’d developed a crush and would actually take longer. Never met anyone who wanted me to send him in before.”

Mu Qing fake gagged. “Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.”

“Don’t say that in front of Pei Ming,” Feng Xin smirked. “You’re lettin’ yourself in for a lot of information about his ‘ten foot pole’.”

“Eww!” Mu Qing nearly tripped over himself, distracted by several disturbing images battling it out in his brain. “Why would you say that to me?!”

“Alright, Drama Queen.” Feng Xin rolled his eyes. “Get in and I’ll show you the cows.”

They’d walked across to the barn, which turned out to be little more than a roof over the ranch’s vehicles. Feng Xin was climbing into the cabin of a tractor which had some kind of weird contraption attached to the back, complete with some kind of spout on the side.

“What’s that space age thing?” Mu Qing asked, procrastinating trying to haul himself so high up.

“It’s a feeder,” said Feng Xin.

Mu Qing made a show of inspecting the feeder, even though he had literally no idea what it was supposed to do. Did the animals just jump on and dig for food or what?

With a heavy sigh, Feng Xin held a hand out the tractor door. “I’ll help you up, if you really can’t manage it.”

“I probably could,” Mu Qing argued, but allowed Feng Xin to grab his wrist just the same. “I don’t want to get my clothes dirty.”

“You’re in the wrong place for that,” Feng Xin reminded him, and pulled Mu Qing up. “Still, there’s an art to gettin’ in tractors. You’ll learn it eventually.”

“I’d rather die,” said Mu Qing, and crossed his arms.

Feng Xin didn’t say anything after that.

It turned out the feeder was kind of a genius invention. All it did was throw feed out from its spout and let the cows come running to it, but it prevented Mu Qing from having to lift any feed bags or go near any cows. Why the cows needed feeding at 6am when they had perfectly good grass under their feet, he’d never know – and he certainly couldn’t ask Feng Xin, who hadn’t said a word the whole way there. It was beginning to make Mu Qing feel bad, which was ridiculous, because it hadn’t been Mu Qing who’d gone into a stranger’s room at half five in the morning with a bell.

Either way, the drive back to the house was awkward; Feng Xin didn’t offer to help Mu Qing out of the tractor, even though it seemed extremely perilous from where Mu Qing was sitting.

“Hey!” he called, trying to stop Feng Xin from leaving before he’d managed to get out the vehicle. In the end, he simply jumped, praying for his knees. “Hey, Feng Xin! Wait!”

To his credit, Feng Xin did wait, watching Mu Qing disapprovingly. “What?”

“Listen, I don’t know why you’re mad at me or whatever-“

“Mad? I’m not mad.”

Mu Qing stared at him. “You are so mad. You wouldn’t speak to me!”

“You didn’t speak to me either,” Feng Xin argued, and turned around. “If that’s all you’ve got to say, let’s just go.”

“That’s not-“

“Listen,” said Feng Xin, tone serious. “I don’t care why you’re here. I don’t even care that His Highness sent you.”

“I don’t know who that-“

“I’m talkin’,” Feng Xin asserted. Mu Qing closed his mouth. “This ranch is my job. This ranch is my life, even. It was my parent’s, I grew up here, it matters to me. If you’re gonna help out here, you’re gonna have to deal with stuff you don’t like. You’re gonna have to get in and out of tractors, you’re gonna have to lift stuff, you’re gonna have to get dirty. You don’t like it, you leave. Got that?”

“I don’t see how-“

“Got that?”

Mu Qing huffed. “Yeah. Whatever.”

Feng Xin nodded. “Good. You tolerate me, I’ll tolerate you, we’ll get along great.”

Mu Qing didn’t like the sound of being tolerated, but it was probably better than being ignored, especially if it was Feng Xin who would have to teach him. He dearly missed his clean office, where he could sit down and smell nice. Oh, and could sleep in til eight. Oh, and didn’t have Feng Xin in his ear-

“Are you comin’ or are you smitten with the tractor now?!” Feng Xin called. In few seconds Mu Qing had been in his mental office, Feng Xin had somehow made it almost to the stable on the other side of the barn. “If you’re gonna help out, you need a horse!”

Ah. “Do I have to?!” Mu Qing yelled back.

“Yes!”

“I can’t ride a horse! I don’t know how!”

“For fuck’s sake, come over here and look at ‘em!”

Frustrated, Mu Qing jogged over. “I told you, I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

“You won’t be alone,” Feng Xin assured him. “Pei Ming can ride with you.”

Mu Qing’s face must have said it all, because Feng Xin snorted and asked, “What, don’t you like him?”

“He’s perfectly nice,” said Mu Qing diplomatically, “He just keeps winking at me.”

“Oh, he does that to everyone, don’t mind it,” Feng Xin shrugged. “Except me. He tried it once and got a black eye for it.”

“I wish I’d thought of that,” Mu Qing muttered.

“Yeah, like you could do anythin’,” Feng Xin taunted. “You’d miss, for one thing.”

“Who’d miss what?” a familiar Southern accent asked. Mu Qing jumped and spun around.

“Oh, it’s you,” he said, spotting Pei Ming’s graceful (if irritating) figure.

“No need to sound so disappointed,” Pei Ming sighed. “We ready to go, then?”

“I was just breakin’ the news to Drama Queen over here,” Feng Xin told him. “Teach him to saddle Princess, will you? I’m gonna get Dick ready.”

It was testament to how ridiculous Feng Xin’s last statement was that no-one objected to the nickname. Before he could stop himself, Mu Qing burst into laughter; as quickly as it came, he stuffed it back inside his mouth and covered it with his hands.

“Sorry,” he said, when he’d swallowed enough air to be able to speak. “Why did you name your horse Dick?” He was assuming it was a horse. For all he knew, Feng Xin genuinely meant his dick, and Mu Qing couldn’t rightly say which was worse.

“Ooh, let me tell this one!” Pei Ming enthused. “Actually, there ain’t much to tell. He had Princess, and he wanted the next one to have a manly name. I said there ain’t nothin’ manlier than a dick, and here we are.”

“His full name’s Richard,” said Feng Xin, in a manner which could be considered ‘superior’ if not for the hellfire-level blush high on his cheeks. “Just call him that, if you have to call him at all.”

“Richard.” Mu Qing nodded, choking back another bout of laughter. “I’ll remember that.”

“I bet ya will,” Pei Ming laughed, and unhooked a saddle from the wall. “Now let me show ya how it’s done.”

Half an hour, ten sex jokes, and one almost-slap from Mu Qing later, Pei Ming managed to both saddle Princess and teach Mu Qing the process. Any more ‘riding’ innuendos, and Mu Qing might actually have given him a black eye; however, he reasoned, he ought to find out which eye Feng Xin had blacked first in order to make them match, and so he held off.

“Now, up ya go,” Pei Ming encouraged, gesturing for Mu Qing to swing himself up.

Well, Mu Qing didn’t lack any muscle power, so this didn’t seem too hard: he put his foot in the stirrup and pushed, swinging his other leg over the saddle. He’d done quite well, he thought.

That was until he slid right off the other side.

Pei Ming bust into uncontrolled, slightly hysterical laughter at the sight; Mu Qing, currently a heap on the floor on the other side of Princess, didn’t bother to reign in his facial expression – pure, intense, sour rage.

“This is fucking ridiculous,” he announced, grateful to be on the stable floor instead of a field. He brushed the straw off himself but didn’t stand up. “I’m not doing this shit anymore.”

“Not even for me??” Pei Ming wheedled unconvincingly.

“Fuck off,” said Mu Qing.

“Get up,” Feng Xin hollered from the other side of the stable. He’d clearly foreseen this, settled in for a long wait and calmly grooming Dick (sorry, Richard). His volume startled the horse a little, so Feng Xin couldn’t heckle Mu Qing further. Instead he went back to grooming and cooing, but his eyes meaningfully flicked between Princess and Mu Qing, who was still sprawled out on the concrete.

“Aw, don’t worry, it happens to us all,” Pei Ming comforted him, but finished the sentence with a little giggle that ruined the sentiment. “Try again, sweetheart.”

“Do not call me that,” Mu Qing admonished. In the corner of his eye he could see Feng Xin mouthing ‘black his eye’, but ignored him.

“Alright, Drama Queen,” Pei Ming amended, which wasn’t any better. “What? Can only Feng Xin call ya that~?”

“No-one can call me that,” said Mu Qing. Feng Xin booed.

“I’ll call you what I like!” he said, then immediately apologised to Di- Richard.

Mu Qing scowled. “Fine. Maybe I shouldn’t be using my right leg.” He put his left foot in the stirrup, and hoisted himself up and over, although he somehow ended up backwards.

“It’s alright, just spin round,” said Pei Ming gently, clearly finding this genuinely hilarious.

Mu Qing’s scowl deepened, but he spun obediently. Pei Ming swung himself up behind and grabbed the reins. “Ready, sugarplum?”

“I will murder you,” Mu Qing threatened. Pei Ming chortled.

“Oh, are we ready?” asked Feng Xin, surprised. “I was expectin’ another hour.”

“I’m not that idiotic,” Mu Qing objected.

Feng Xin raised an eyebrow. “You’re pretty idiotic. Let me get my saddle.”

Quickly, Feng Xin repeated all the steps Pei Ming had shown Mu Qing – although much faster, and minus the euphemisms. Once he was seated properly, he clicked and let Richard walk forward, overtaking Princess and leading the way out. Pei Ming followed suit. Mu Qing just tried not to fall out the saddle as it moved beneath him.

“I’m takin’ time out my day to show you the fields,” Feng Xin explained, once they were out on the track. “Appreciate it.”

Mu Qing pointedly elbowed Pei Ming. “I don’t.”

“Ow!” Pei Ming complained. “What have I done?!”

“That was harsh,” Feng Xin agreed. “He’s helpin’ out, be nice.”

“Feng Xin, say ‘rural’ for me,” said Mu Qing wickedly.

Feng Xin sped up, forcing Princess to quicken her pace in order to stay close. Mu Qing was too busy being jogged around by various moving limbs (some of which were Princess’, some of which were Pei Ming’s) to hear Feng Xin’s name-calling. He could guess some of the words, however, and yelled them back with great enthusiasm.

The tour mainly consisted of waving awkwardly at herds of cattle while Feng Xin called the older ones by name, and the younger ones by various affectionate swear words. “They’re too young to be named,” he explained, hanging halfway off of his horse to pat one of the calves. “Half of ‘em will be sold, come fall. Still, they’re sweeties.”

Mu Qing could hear Pei Ming’s tutting behind him. “What a soft touch,” he teased.

“Every cow needs its love,” Feng Xin defended, and straightened himself back up. “Let’s move on.”

The grand attraction came closer to the end, as the horses looped back around and were approaching the back of the house.

“This is Nebuchadnezzar,” said Feng Xin, and gestured to the biggest bull Mu Qing had ever seen.

Put politely, Nebuchadnezzar was built like a brick wall; he looked like he could smash through any fence Feng Xin saw fit to contain him in, though he clearly hadn’t attempted the barbed wire of his current enclosure (yet).

“Isn’t he terrifyin’?” asked Pei Ming proudly. “He’s mine,” he added, sensing Mu Qing’s confusion. “He was on loan for matin’ season and I couldn’t face bringin’ him back…”

“He’s served us well,” Feng Xin agreed. “But take him back soon. I need the field for the horses.”

“No,” said Pei Ming.

“If Nebuchadnezzar isn’t gone by August, he’s hamburgers,” said Feng Xin, and trotted off.

“So, how’s it going?” Xie Lian asked. Something clattered behind him on the other side of the phone. “Don’t mind that, San Lang’s making dinner.”

“Umm.. are you sure I’m meant to tell you?” asked Mu Qing nervously. He liked his boss’s husband, he really did, but he was supposed to be updating Hua Cheng right now.

“Just tell him,” Hua Cheng commanded from somewhere else in their kitchen. His voice sounded a little far away and echo-y.

“Well, we fed the animals, then they taught me how to saddle a horse,” Mu Qing listed off. “Uh. I met Nebuchadnezzar?”

“Pei Ming’s bull?!” Xie Lian laughed. „On loan again? It’s not the season..”

“I didn’t know you knew Pei Ming,” Mu Qing said, puzzled.

Silence.

“Why do you think we sent you out there?” Hua Cheng interrupted, irritated.

“Because I’m too stressy and of no use to the company in this incarnation?” Mu Qing said – repeating what Hua Cheng had told him, verbatim, last week, before handing him a flyer and packing him off.

“Yes,” said Hua Cheng. “But why there?”

“Because it had a flyer…?”

“I grew up there!” Xie Lian interjected before Hua Cheng started trying to murder Mu Qing over the phone. “My parents and Feng Xin’s parents were wonderful friends. Say hi to him for me!”

“I never would’ve guessed you were a ranch kid,” said Mu Qing. “And ew. You knew what he was like and you still sent me here?”

“He’s lovely,” said Xie Lian, at the same time Hua Cheng began threatening Mu Qing to stop arguing with his husband before he loses his job completely. “Stop it, San Lang. I want us to get along.”

Mu Qing sighed heavily. “Well, it’s my dinner time, so if you wouldn’t mind letting me go…”

“I would prefer it, actually,” Hua Cheng assured him, and hung up to the sounds of Xie Lian’s half-hearted protests.

What strange men.

Mu Qing genuinely enjoyed Xie Lian’s company, but did find it a little weird that he was of such interest to such a high-flying person. They had nice conversations sometimes; Xie Lian occasionally called them friends. Mu Qing wouldn’t go so far.

“Finished ya conversation?” Pei Ming asked, popping his head around Mu Qing’s door.

“It was a report,” Mu Qing said adamantly. “And yes.”

“Good, ‘cos I don’t think Feng Xin’ll wait much longer for ya.”

“Oh, dinner already?” Mu Qing checked the time. “Hm. Guess so.”

“YES, DINNER ALREADY!” Feng Xin yelled through the wall – or several walls, if he was in the dining room at the end of the hall. “MOVE IT!”

“Supersonic hearin’,” Pei Ming said knowingly, and left. Mu Qing followed suit, tapping his ear to try to stop it ringing.

“You have the voice of a foghorn,” Mu Qing told Feng Xin when they got within speaking range.

Feng Xin rolled his eyes. “And you have the time management of… somethin’ that doesn’t manage time well.”

Pei Ming snorted. “Good one. That’ll get him to like ya.”

“I don’t want him to like me,” Feng Xin argued.

Mu Qing nodded fervently. “I don’t like him.”

“Perfect,” said Feng Xin. “Now eat.”

Mu Qing hadn’t eaten all day, so he was happy to follow Feng Xin’s order. He happily filled up his plate and started on it, leaving Pei Ming to attempt conversation. Since Feng Xin didn’t seem all that interested in talking either, Pei Ming soon resorted to a monologue on his favourite chicken, Bertha, who was apparently worryingly low on egg production this month. Mu Qing did his best to hum along – he needed at least one ally in this place, and it wasn’t going to be Feng Xin – but Pei Ming really didn’t need the encouragement, going on and on about the new brand of feed he was trying out to combat the issue and how many other chickens he thought would follow the same pattern.

“Shut the fuck up,” said Feng Xin when he finally stopped eating.

“Mu Qing wants to hear it!” Pei Ming defended. “Don’t ya?” he added, turning to Mu Qing.

“Yes,” Mu Qing lied. “You shut the fuck up, Feng Xin.”

Feng Xin shrugged. “If you wanna condemn yourself to Pei Ming hell, don’t let me stop you.” He got up, cleared away his plate, and stretched. “I’m not wakin’ you up tomorrow, so set an alarm or somethin’.”

“What are we doing tomorrow?” Mu Qing asked, hoping ‘manual labour’ wasn’t the answer.

“Manual labour,” said Feng Xin.

The look on Mu Qing’s face must have been priceless. Pei Ming, that traitor, started chortling in a rather alarming fashion. Feng Xin – who, it turned out, would laugh at almost anything – was practically on the floor.

“I – I knew you’d.. react .. like that..” he wheezed. A deep breath. “I’m kiddin’,” he added. Another deep breath, broken by a small giggle. “We’re brandin’ the calves.”

“That’s not any better,” Mu Qing huffed, irritated. “That’s, like, animal abuse.”

“Oh, no,” said Pei Ming. “Not at all! Just keeps ‘em with us and keeps ‘em safe.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Feng Xin clarified.

“How do you know? Tried it on yourself?”

When Mu Qing asked that, he hadn’t actually expected an answer either way. After all, admitting Feng Xin hadn’t tried it would mean Mu Qing won; admitting he had tried it would mean he was an idiot.

It turned out, Feng Xin was an idiot. “Yes,” he said. “It’s faded now though.”

“…And it didn’t hurt?”

“I mean, it wasn’t pleasant,” he admitted. “But it wasn’t excruciatin’ or anythin’. Just cold.”

“’Excruciating’. That’s a big word for a little boy,” said Mu Qing, and went to bed.

Soil stains up his shins, grass stains up his thighs, hair halfway across his face, Mu Qing had never felt so ridiculous in his entire life.

“Just encourage her into the gate,” Feng Xin called.

“I’m trying!” Mu Qing complained, trying not the scare the one calf that still hadn’t joined its friends in the pen. Wasn’t it bad enough he had dirt on him? Did Feng Xin really have to put him in charge of this tiny, rebellious cow?

Feng Xin laughed. “She’ll come when she’s ready, just stand in her way so she won’t run.”

“Fucking dirt,” Mu Qing replied, and stood obediently in front of the calf.

“Now walk forwards,” Feng Xin advised. Mu Qing did so, eyeing the small grass clumps and trying not to trip over them. The calf was backing slowly away, towards the pen.

Feng Xin let go of the gate he was holding in order to come around the calf’s side, making gentle clucking noises so as not to surprise her. “C’mon, girl,” he encouraged, gently chivvying it along. “Get the gate,” he added to Mu Qing. “I’ve got her now.”

Mu Qing eyed the pen, ground churned up by hooves and looking extremely muddy. “Do I have to?”

“Yes.”

Mu Qing sighed and practically waded through the mud. It was summer. It hadn’t rained in ages. Where the fuck was the mud coming from? And why had it settled on Mu Qing specifically? Did Earth hate him?

“There she goes,” called Feng Xin, satisfied. Mu Qing allowed the calf to scramble into the pen before he closed the gate with a clang. He looked down at his once-clean boots.

“Fucking dirt.”

“I love the dirt,” said Feng Xin. “Strengthens the immune system.”

“You don’t have any on you!” Mu Qing pointed out.

Feng Xin lifted a boot pointedly. “Voila.”

Mu Qing gestured to his own jeans pointedly. “Voila. I win.”

Feng Xin sniffed. “I can’t help it if you can’t function without concrete.”

“Who wants mud over concrete?!”

“I wouldn’t expect a city boy like you to understand.” Feng Xin dusted himself off and looked at the pen full of calves. “Now the fun begins.”

The fun, it turned out, involved wrangling small, slippery, bony calves into a contraption that held them still while they were stamped with the freezing brand. Mu Qing had politely declined to do the actual branding by yelling “FUCK NO!” when offered the metal stick, and so had been relegated to opening and closing gates at the right times. The rude man Mu Qing had met on his first day, Jake, was tasked with actually manoeuvring the animals. Mu Qing wasn’t very confident that Jake was doing a good job; unlike Feng Xin, who seemed to consider his animals to be his children – or at least something very important, like his pets – Jake was happy to grab, pull, and tumble. It got it done faster and neither the calves nor Feng Xin complained, so Mu Qing made no effort to object.

Each calf got a pat, cuddle, and kiss from Feng Xin, as well as being poked violently with Feng Xin’s name and a number. If Mu Qing had still felt at all attracted to Feng Xin (which he DIDN’T, he hated the man!!) he might possibly, maybe have felt a teeny bit jealous. But that would be silly, so he didn’t.

“All done,” Feng Xin told the last calf; Mu Qing opened the gate for it, letting it free to frolic again.

“Time to wash up,” said Jake, who Mu Qing was ignoring. Mu Qing didn’t hold many grudges – mainly because he didn’t know many people – but the grudges he had, he stuck by.

“Jake’s right,” Feng Xin agreed. “Time to go back to the house, Drama Queen.”

“I hated that,” said Mu Qing. He silently counted to three before swinging himself up onto Princess. Without Pei Ming, he just had to trust to the horse to know the way back to the house, because he had no idea how to steer.

Luckily, Princess just followed Dick/Richard, with Jake following behind on a horse he had yet to introduce to Mu Qing. Mu Qing didn’t know if he was supposed to be offended or not.

By the time they reached the big house again, Mu Qing’s pants had hardened, making it much more difficult to move. Feng Xin watched him slide awkwardly off Princess and said, “Better dunk those before you wash ‘em.”

“What?”

Feng Xin pointed to the barrel on the side of the house. “Fill it with water, dunk your pants.”

“Oh. Thanks, I guess?”

“You’re welcome. I guess.”

Jake put his hand out like he was feeling for rain. “Just wait for the storm.”

“What storm?” Mu Qing asked.

“The thunderstorm that’s comin’ soon.”

Feng Xin was nodding along. “It does feel heavy, doesn’t it? Better put the cows away.”

“Storm? Heavy? Cows?” Mu Qing looked between the other men. “Do cows melt in the rain or something?”

“They’re scared of thunder,” Feng Xin said like it was obvious. He rolled his eyes. “C’mon, we at least need to change.”

In the end it didn’t storm that night, or the night after. Mu Qing took it upon himself to doubt everything Jake said after that, which didn’t please Feng Xin but greatly amused Pei Ming, when he took it upon himself to drop in.

In the meantime, Mu Qing stopped falling off Princess and – most important of all – stopped getting lost on the way to the bathroom. As he followed Feng Xin around the ranch like a lost duckling, he managed to learn how to get into tractors (but still needed rescuing every 5th attempt on average) and the best place to scritch a cow (Marge the Milk Machine was very grateful for this). The only thing that didn’t get better was the irritant named Feng Xin: there was still never-ending sarcasm, constant name-calling, and it was more common than not for Mu Qing to wake up to the sound of a frying pan being hit with a spoon. It was perfectly reasonable to be a ‘drama queen’ about being woken prison-style, Mu Qing thought, but if he ever mentioned this out loud Feng Xin would take one look at Mu Qing’s highlights and mutter “city boys.”

And, of course, one thing would never change. He still hated dirt.

“Fucking dirt,” Mu Qing complained, picking up his feet as high at they would go. The mud was long gone after weeks without rain, but that just made the soil dustier in a way that clung to his clothes and made his hair look beige instead of black.

“I still think you’re bein’ ridiculous about it.” Feng Xin’s brown hair and skin were thriving, of course.

“You would think that.” Mu Qing gingerly patted a cow’s side, allowing Feng Xin to sneak past and give her a salt lick. “If you come home looking like a troll, it’s not different to how you looked when you left.”

“If anyone’s a troll, it’s you,” Feng Xin argued. “Next cow.”

“But I’m having fun with this one!”

“Next cow.”

“Ugh. I don’t know why I’m still here.”

“Drama Queen,” said Feng Xin, and rolled his eyes. “Be grateful I let you pet the ladies at all.”

“Ewwww, don’t say it like that, it makes me sound creepy!”

To be fair to him, Feng Xin paused to think about it. “Hm. I see your point. Would you like to give them the salt instead?”

“No.” Mu Qing shuddered. “Just don’t call them ‘ladies’.”

“What? It’s not like they’re humans! Lord knows if they were I wouldn’t be near ‘em.”

“Why not?” Mu Qing gasped. “Are you a misogynist?!”

“What?! No!! Women just make me…uncomfortable.”

“Ohhhh. So you’re gay.”

“NO!”

“Woah.” Mu Qing put his hands up in surrender. “What’s wrong with being gay? I’m gay.”

“You are?! I mean- there’s nothin’ wrong with it, I’m just not.”

Mu Qing raised an eyebrow. “Sureeeee.”

Feng Xin sighed. “You got me. I’m bi.”

Mu Qing nodded in satisfaction. “Thanks for not hate criming me. I guess.”

“You’re welcome. I guess.”

“So tell me why you-“

“NEXT COW.”

Mu Qing resigned himself to never knowing the answer, and moved on to the next cow.

When Pei Ming arrived later that day, his first words were “Looks like a storm’s comin’.”

“Did you get that from Jake?” Mu Qing asked. “You can’t trust anything he says.”

“Yes you can,” said Feng Xin.

“No you can’t.”

“Yes you can.”

“No you can’t.”

“Yes you can.”

“No you-“

“I GOT IT from the weather forecast,” Pei Ming interrupted. “Plus we clearly need some rain around here.”

“No we don’t,” said Mu Qing, just to be annoying. “Rain means mud.”

“Rain makes the grass grow,” the other two chorused.

Pei Ming grinned. “It’s from a book we loved as kids.”

“Explains a lot,” said Mu Qing. “You even had books about farming.”

“It’s not a farm, it’s a ranch,” Feng Xin objected. “And educational books make the world go round.”

“Sure, sure,” Mu Qing shrugged. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

The storm still didn’t come, even as Feng Xin grew antsy about when to take the cows inside and Pei Ming spent more and more time at his own ranch to prepare.

“The longer it takes, the bigger the storm,” Feng Xin had explained, while tying down some of the flimsier barn doors. “And we don’t know when it’s comin’.”

He’d thrown Mu Qing the other end of the rope; Mu Qing fumbled the catch, making Feng Xin snort.

“Let’s hope you’re gone before it comes,” he’d said. “You’re probably more scared of weather than the girls are.”

“Stop calling them that,” Mu Qing had told him, but secretly agreed. He wasn’t scared of storms, but he was scared of hurricanes – and that’s what this was shaping up to be.

Mu Qing’s daily reports back to the city had devolved into frantic worrying about the storm, which Xie Lian patiently listened to and rationalised. Jake’s endless prattling about the damage last year’s winds had done to the roof of the main house weren’t helping; Feng Xin helpfully pointed out the hurricane shelter behind the building and shrugged when asked if there was any food in there.

Mu Qing took to moving three cans of food out there every time he had a meal.

The end of the month brought some spitting rain and dark clouds that soon cleared up; Feng Xin inspected the blue sky after lunch, puzzled, and said, “Was that the storm?”

It seemed to be the general opinion that that was, in fact, the entire storm; news channels didn’t seem worried about it and Jake’s bones appeared to have settled down from the dreadful state they had been in under threat of rain. Feng Xin peeled the ropes off the doors, embarrassed, and visited Marge the Milk Machine to apologise for his presumptuous locking up of the herds. The cows from fields further away, he kept inside their barns in case of a sudden thunder attack, but the herd closest to the house – complete with the calves Mu Qing had helped brand – was allowed to run free again.

All in all, it had been rather anticlimactic, which made very good fodder for making fun of Feng Xin. Pei Ming teased him about being a ‘mother hen’ despite the fact that he had done worse – Pei Ming had moved his chickens into his own house for safekeeping. Mu Qing kept suitably quiet about his canned food stash and instead mimicked Feng Xin’s panicked renovations to his dogs’ kennels to make them ‘hurricane proof’.

“Well,” Feng Xin defended, “If I wasn’t prepared, it would’ve happened.”

“True,” Pei Ming agreed. “The moment ya relax, that’s when it arrives.”

Mu Qing scoffed. “That’s not true.”

“You’re a city boy, you wouldn’t know,” Feng Xin told him. “But the moment our backs are turned, it would’ve arrived.”

“If you say so,” Mu Qing shrugged. “I’m going to bed.”

“Night,” Pei Ming called. Feng Xin didn’t say anything; he never did. It was part of his tough guy persona, probably.

For the first time in his life, Mu Qing actually went to sleep when he lay down. Usually, it would take another hour of lying there and wishing he was asleep, but the month’s work was catching up to him, or something – he practically passed out as soon as he hit the pillow.

As if the universe was demanding payback for this triumph, he was woken at 2am by a loud crack outside the window.

At first, Mu Qing was certain it was Feng Xin deciding to wake him up earlier then usual to go bathe in mud. Then he actually looked outside in time for a bright flash of light to blind him.

Was that … lightning?

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck-“ He scrambled to get his clothes on, spurred on by the rumbles of thunder that he could barely count to ten between. “The cows, the cows, the cows-“

He couldn’t hear anything from upstairs, where Feng Xin either was or wasn’t; it was where his bedroom was, anyway, but Mu Qing didn’t have time to check. Jamming his feet into his boots, he ran out and towards the stables.

Dick was still there, which either meant Feng Xin didn’t know about the storm or had chosen not to take the horse out in it. Mu Qing didn’t have a choice; he couldn’t manage the cows on his own, so he saddled Princess and soothed her as best he could.

“It’s going to be alright,” he told her. “We just need to get the cows away.”

Princess whinnied softly.

“You’re right,” said Mu Qing. “Let’s go.”

The air and ground was slippy from the rain, potholes full of water that Princess did her best to veer around. Mu Qing’s shirt was already soaked, each new raindrop feeling like ice. The one field that was still full of cows had been churned up by panicked hooves, the cows covered in mud and mooing constantly. One younger calf had jumped the fence into another field in its panic, and its mom was yelling for it.

First things first: reunite the cows. Mu Qing knew the mothers wouldn’t leave until they knew where their babies were, and he needed everyone in the barn as soon as possible before they really broke ranks and stampeded – or worse still, were hit by lightning.

He awkwardly dismounted, sliding right into a puddle, and climbed the gate stiffly. Feng Xin could’ve jumped the gate in half the time, he knew, but he had to push on. The calf appeared to be the same on who had given him trouble a few weeks before, not wanting to go into the pen to be branded. Mu Qing didn’t blame her, but he was getting really irritated with her rebellious attitude. Could she not just stay where she was supposed to be for one more minute?

This field wasn’t churned up, but it was still slippery and muddy. Mu Qing’s foot sank halfway into a particularly bad patch before he wrenched it out again, careful to step quickly and lightly. It reminded him of the old days, dodging puddles in the streets as he ran home from work to his mom, hugging their groceries as tight as he could. He hopped over a particularly savage-looking dip, then crouched low to the ground like he’d seen Feng Xin do so many times before. His boots were already sinking again, and another lightning flash scared a loud ‘MOO!’ from the cows on the other side of the fence.

As fast as he could, he launched himself forward and grabbed the calf by the legs, bundling it into his arms and lifting it over the fence. She struggled violently, making Mu Qing drop her too early; she landed ungracefully in the mud next to her mom, but stood up immediately.

“Nice one!” a voice called through the pouring rain. Mu Qing couldn’t properly see, but the warm Southern accent told him Feng Xin had finally arrived.

“Took you long enough!” Mu Qing yelled back, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over him.

Feng Xin laughed, just loud enough for Mu Qing to catch it as he dragged himself back over the gate and re-mounted Princess. “Sorry! Talk about it when the cows are in!”

While the calf’s mom had significantly calmed after the reunion, all the other cows were getting worse. Feng Xin and Dick struggled to get around behind the herd in order to push them forwards; Mu Qing was no help, unable to guide Princess or do anything except hold open the gate and wince as the rain hit him, driven on by the wind which was picking up force every minute. His hair, which he hadn’t had time to put up, whipped at his cheeks and across his eyes.

Eventually the cows were out on the road, being driven up to the barn closest to the house. Several times Mu Qing thought one would charge him and run in the opposite direction: if that happened, he resolved to get out of the way and not risk Princess’ legs on it. Princess seemed to agree with him, skittishly stamping her hooves and trying not to get to close to the anxious cattle.

By the time they reached the barn, Mu Qing could barely hold himself upright as his bone-deep tiredness began to set in again, coupled with his sodden clothes and hair. Once Feng Xin had locked the barn door and they’d taken the horses back to the stables, he turned to Mu Qing and said, “Thanks for doin’ that.”

A closer look revealed Feng Xin was still in his pyjamas. Mu Qing hauled his wet hair away from his eyes and replied, a little breathlessly, “Of course. They’re your cows.”

Feng Xin looked surprised. “I didn’t think you liked them.”

“I don’t,” Mu Qing insisted. “But you do.”

Before he’d said that, he hadn’t realised why he’d been so worried about those cows. They were animals, after all, built for outside weather and able to survive a little storm. But in the end, his memories of Feng Xin’s care – the pats, the cooing, the gentle administering of medicine, the names, everything – had swayed him. He didn’t like the ranch. He didn’t like the animals. He didn’t like the people who worked here.

He had to look after these cows. For Feng Xin.

Feng Xin smiled. “Okay,” he said simply. “Thank you.”

He was halfway up the stairs back to his bedroom before he turned back and asked, “Can we talk?”

“Um.. sure?” Mu Qing hesitated. „Where?”

“The kitchen will do.” Feng Xin allowed Mu Qing to lead the way, flicking on the lights as he went.

“Huh,” Feng Xin pondered. “At least we still have electricity.”

“Mhm,” said Mu Qing. Feng Xin’s slightly ominous request was making him antsy.

“Coffee?” Feng Xin offered, reaching into the cupboards.

“No thank you.” Mu Qing still hoped to get back to sleep after this.

“Just me then.”

Feng Xin pottered around the kitchen for a while, letting the water heat and digging out cookies which he offered to Mu Qing, who declined. Feng Xin shrugged and went back to washing dishes left by Pei Ming.

“Can we just get to the point?” Mu Qing demanded, finally allowing the tension to snap.

Feng Xin sighed. “I was tryin’ to procrastinate,” he complained, but sat down opposite Mu Qing. “I just wanted to have a quick chat-“

“Enough with the corporate talk,” Mu Qing interrupted. “God knows I get enough of that already. What did you want to say?”

“I’m sorry,” Feng Xin blurted. “That’s – that’s what I want to say. I misjudged you.”

For the first time in his life, Mu Qing was speechless. “I don’t know what to say,” he admitted.

“You don’t have to say anythin’,” Feng Xin assured him. “I just wanted to say … that I really do appreciate what you did for the girls. And- maybe we can get along from now on…?”

Mu Qing stared at him. “Have I died? Is this heaven?” He gasped. “Or is it hell?!”

Feng Xin laughed. “I take it allll back,” he joked. “You’re still a massive Drama Queen.”

The next morning, Mu Qing was woken at 8am by Pei Ming’s screeching in the kitchen. He could faintly hear Feng Xin responding, meaning no-one had left the house yet and Mu Qing wasn’t in trouble.

“Good mornin’,” Feng Xin greeted.

Slightly taken aback, Mu Qing returned the greeting. Were they friends now Mu Qing had risked his health for Feng Xin’s herd? Was that what it took?

“Oh, are we friends now?” asked Pei Ming.

Thank god for Pei Ming and his lack of tact. Feng Xin rolled his eyes but didn’t dispute it; Mu Qing shrugged non-committally and started eating his breakfast. Still, friends. He liked the sound of that.

“Y’all’re hopeless,” Pei Ming sighed. “I’m goin’ back to my place to check on the chickens.”

“How are we hopeless?” Mu Qing asked, watching Pei Ming leave.

“Dunno,” said Feng Xin. “Let’s just feed the cows.”

In the end, after a quick trip around each of the barns and a hurried power-washing of last night’s mud off Mu Qing’s rescued herd, Feng Xin decided today was the day he needed to get supplies from the nearest town.

“It’s a good chance to check on the ranch after the storm,” he added, and Mu Qing agreed to come along rather than be left alone in the wilderness.

The road had gotten worse during the storm; some of the potholes Mu Qing had struggled to avoid on his way there were now expanding across the road, cracking the tarmac alarmingly.

“It’s the heavy machinery,” said Feng Xin. “They crack the road, and now it’s soft from the rain.”

Mu Qing was enjoying actually being able to talk to Feng Xin. If he was truly honest with himself, he’d never let go of his little (purely aesthetic!!) crush, so he was perfectly happy to accept Feng Xin’s personality 180. Still, it was definitely weird and more than a little awkward. What was he supposed to say?

“This is really awkward,” Feng Xin sighed, and turned on the radio. “Do you like Taylor Swift?”

“Really?” Mu Qing restrained himself in the name of not distracting the driver, but he desperately wanted to shake Feng Xin. “Of all the singers you could’ve chosen?”

“Oh, I bet you listen to some underground indie hippy shit that no-one else likes,” Feng Xin guessed, turning Taylor up louder.

“They’re not hippy, I guess they’re a little bit unknown-“

“We’ll stick with my choice,” Feng Xin decided.

The rest of the ride passed in silence, but not the awkward or tense kind like it had been when they’d driven up to the ranch a month ago, Mu Qing gripping the wheel and Feng Xin’s ever-scrunched eyebrows furrowing deeper by the second. This time around, Feng Xin drove – and with an easy, casual air that, despite him being an objectively bad driver, made Mu Qing feel much happier about being thrown around by the terrible road.

The nearest store was in a small town a few hours away, so empty and sad it felt like a ghost town – or would have, if not for the kids racing their bikes along the road, screaming and clapping and looking completely surprised there was a car trying to come through. Some of them recognised Feng Xin, waving aggressively and signalling for him to honk to them. He did so, grin wide; they cheered and let the car pass through.

“Feng Xin! Feng Xin!” one boy called out. Feng Xin stopped and rolled down the window, ignoring Mu Qing’s muttering about stopping in the middle of the street.

“What?”

“Are ya comin’ to the dance tonight?!” the boy asked excitedly. This stirred up muttering among the other children, trying to guess what the answer would be – most seemed to think it would be a no.

“What do you think?” Feng Xin asked, turning to Mu Qing.

“Huh- me?! Don’t ask me, I don’t know anyone here!”

“You know me!”

“….I know one person! Who’s really annoying!”

“Hey!” Feng Xin pouted. “Just for that, we’re goin’.”

“What?”

Feng Xin turned back to the boy. “I’ll be there, and I’m bringin’ my friend, okay?”

The boy’s face lit up. “You are?! Okay!”

“We are not,” said Mu Qing under his breath. Feng Xin pinched him, and they drove on.

Groceries, dog food, and one plastic cup shaped like a strawberry later, both Feng Xin and Mu Qing found themselves back at the main house, staring at their wardrobes in disbelief.

“I HAVE NOTHING TO WEARRRR!” Mu Qing wailed from his room. “This is all your fucking fault, Feng Xin! Why would you sign me up for this dance thing!”

“IT’S JUST A PARTY, CHILL OUT!” Feng Xin screamed back from upstairs.

“COULD YOU TWO STOP YELLIN’?!” Pei Ming yelled from the kitchen. “At least talk in the same ROOM!”

Mu Qing stomped upstairs. “What are you wearing?” he snapped as soon as he opened Feng Xin’s door.

“Suit,” said Feng Xin simply. He was already wearing it and did a twirl for emphasis.

“That went out of fashion ten years ago,” Mu Qing told him.

“Well, what’re you wearin’?”

“I told you, I don’t really have anything.”

Feng Xin rolled his eyes. “That’s what people say when they have too much to wear. Lemme see your clothes.”

Mu Qing let him breeze past and back down the stairs to inspect his wardrobe, following at a much slower pace.

“Found anything?” he enquired when he caught up.

“A lot,” said Feng Xin. He’d pulled several items from the wardrobe and flung them rather carelessly onto the bed; a waistcoat, black jeans, and what looked like Mu Qing’s entire collection of shirts. “I’m sure we can find somethin’.”

“You’ve destroyed my room,” said Mu Qing.

“Eh, we can put it back,” Feng Xin shrugged.

“You can put it back. Right now.”

Feng Xin sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Now get dressed before Pei Ming gets involved.”

“I HEARD THAT!” Pei Ming called.

“WHATEVER!” Feng Xin called back.

“I’VE BEEN DRESSED FOR AGES NOW!” Pei Ming told them.

“WHATEVER!” Mu Qing replied.

Pei Ming sipped pointedly and loudly from the strawberry cup. Mu Qing knew which cup it was because he finished slurping and announced, “GUESS WHO’S THE FIRST ONE TO USE YER NEW CUP!”

“WHATEVER!” the other two chorused, although Feng Xin looked rather disgruntled about it.

“If you want me to get dressed, then leave,” said Mu Qing, practically pushing Feng Xin out the door. “Oh! And get my hairdryer!” he added, tossing his car keys in Feng Xin’s general direction. “It’s not going to cause a tripped fuse, is it?”

He slammed the door shut without waiting for the answer.

In the end everyone got dressed in something resembling a suit – Feng Xin’s worn out and a horrific blue, Mu Qing’s missing a jacket, Pei Ming’s decorated with so much jewellery it jingled when he walked – and tumbled into Pei Ming’s car (easily the most acceptable-looking out of everyone’s). Pei Ming was a good driver, but unexpectedly slow, and he liked to wave at everyone he saw.

“Does he know all these people?” Mu Qing asked Feng Xin. They were both squished into the backseat, since Pei Ming hadn’t deemed to move the empty cat carrier from the passenger seat.

“No,” said Feng Xin. “He just likes to feel wanted.”

“That’s kind of sad.”

“Yeah, but hilarious.”

“But hilarious,” Mu Qing agreed, hand out in front to stop himself being catapulted into the driver’s chair when Pei Ming finally parked.

“Not hilarious,” Pei Ming argued.

“I thought it was pretty funny,” Mu Qing shrugged.

“That’s only because Feng Xin thought it was funny,” said Pei Ming.

“And what do you mean by that?!” Mu Qing demanded.

“Nothing~”

Mu Qing opened his mouth to begin the interrogation, but Feng Xin grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the hall before he could string his first question together.

The town hall was small but aggressively decorated with festoons of paper streamers, balloons, and confetti that already littered the dancefloor and got under people’s feet. One girl stamped on the balloon that had tried to trip her up, using her high heel to pop it. Her partner didn’t look surprised, but guided her away with a resigned expression on his face, as if settling in for a long night of similar events.

“This is horrifically tacky,” Mu Qing noted. “There isn’t even a colour scheme.”

“Shush,” said Feng Xin, which was probably a much milder version of what he actually wanted to say. “They did their best.”

“He meant ‘shut the fuck up and dance’,” Pei Ming provided helpfully. “I’m goin’ to follow his advice,” he added, and made a beeline for the aggressive girl from before.

“Yikes,” Mu Qing said. “I don’t think he’ll have much luck with her.”

“You’d be surprised,” said Feng Xin. “Women really like him, until they find out how annoyin’ he is. If it’s just a one night thing, he could get six numbers or more…”

“Wish that was you?” Mu Qing teased.

“No,” Feng Xin answered, expression serious. “No, I really don’t. One is enough.”

“Who’s number is that, then?” Mu Qing asked curiously.

“None of your business,” said Feng Xin brusquely. “Let’s get some food.”

The food was undeniably bad but just about what Mu Qing expected, so he obediently ate his tiny sandwiches and watched Feng Xin bop his head to the music. Everyone on the dancefloor seemed to be following some kind of routine that Mu Qing didn’t know, but Feng Xin’s feet were moving in time, even turning a little when the dancers turned.

A girl came to ask Feng Xin to dance; looking slightly like a deer in the headlights, he turned her down as gently as he could. She eyed Mu Qing for a minute, but apparently gave him up as a lost cause and went away. Mu Qing saw Pei Ming laugh across the room.

‘Ya look gay!’ Pei Ming mouthed.

Mu Qing replied with an enthusiastic thumbs up, which Feng Xin saw.

“Stop talkin’ to him across the room,” Feng Xin said. “D’you wanna dance?”

“I don’t know the steps,” Mu Qing admitted.

“Neither. C’mon, let’s try.”

Feng Xin, just as Mu Qing suspected, was a massive liar. As soon as they stepped out, Feng Xin started tapping his heels and spinning along with everyone else, only he was holding Mu Qing’s hand so they both spun together. Mu Qing wasn’t uncoordinated by any means, but he was confused; he gave up on hitting the heel-toe at the right time and concentrated on not tangling his arms with Feng Xin’s. The aggressive girl practically waltzed past, guided by Pei Ming (or was she guiding him? Hard to tell). Feng Xin unceremoniously yanked Mu Qing in closer to let them through and didn’t bother putting the space back between them; the next spin brought them face to face.

Mu Qing could feel the heat rise through his face. They were close enough that Mu Qing couldn’t really see Feng Xin’s horrific suit anymore and had to focus on his face instead. This was not a good choice – Feng Xin’s eyes were sparkling, enjoying the dance, and they hadn’t broken contact with Mu Qing’s yet. Mu Qing tried not to breathe too hard, losing wind because of the energetic dance.

The next spin pushed them back to side-by-side, then a repetitive step made them swing from shoulders touching to chests bumping. Every touch of their chests made Mu Qing blush harder; Feng Xin’s muscles were practically rock hard.

Oh, fuck, Mu Qing thought miserably. I’ve totally got a crush on him.

Feng Xin leaned closer. “Tired?” he asked, right next to Mu Qing’s ear.

Mu Qing almost jumped out of his skin. “No,” he lied.

“You are,” Feng Xin laughed. “It’s alright. Muscles you’re not used to usin’ and all that. Come with me.”

Carefully, without letting go of Mu Qing’s hand, Feng Xin side-stepped several couples and off the dancefloor, winding through tables and narrowly avoiding knocking the last of the mini sandwiches. Mu Qing struggled a little to untangle their fingers, but Feng Xin just held on tighter, and Mu Qing – not all that anxious to let go (in fact he was definitely enjoying this) – gave up and let himself be pulled.

It was kind of cold outside, colder than you would think the South in June should be. Mu Qing, at least, was surprised. Feng Xin rolled his eyes at Mu Qing’s tiny shiver.

“It’s not cold,” he said.

“It is!”

“Drama Queen.”

“You haven’t called me that for a while,” Mu Qing observed.

“Awww, did you miss it?”

“No. Never say it again.”

“Drama Queen.”

“I’m serious!!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Feng Xin let a small second pass by, and then – “Drama Queen.”

“I will stab you.”

Feng Xin huffed a laugh and shrugged off his suit jacket. “Here.”

“Ew, I don’t want that!”

“Ever heard of Southern hospitality? Take it.”

Mu Qing hesitated.

“Take it, or I’ll cry,” Feng Xin insisted.

“Who’s the Drama Queen now?” Mu Qing snarked, but took the jacket. It was warm with Feng Xin’s body heat and did nothing to help the swelling of his heart.

Feng Xin, meanwhile, looked out across the carpark. The night air seemed to chill him, too – Mu Qing could see the hairs standing up on his exposed neck and hands – but he made no real indication of being bothered by it.

For a moment, Mu Qing let himself believe it was because Feng Xin wanted to appear strong in Mu Qing’s eyes. Then he shook his head and let the delusion shatter, instead focusing on Feng Xin’s slightly wistful expression.

“Are you okay?” Mu Qing asked, uncharacteristically gentle. Perhaps it was the silent night or the warm jacket. It certainly wasn’t the emotions bubbling up his throat.

“Very,” Feng Xin assured him, uncharacteristically quiet.

Mu Qing raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound it.”

“I am,” Feng Xin repeated, sounding less sure of himself. “I am.”

They stood in silence for another minute, Mu Qing completely unsure where to go from there. Did he ask what the matter was? Comfort him? Offer to be his wingman and get that number he’d mentioned earlier?

“I had a girlfriend once,” Feng Xin blurted.

Mu Qing looked at him in surprise. “What?”

“I know! I’m scared of women! But I did. We didn’t work out, but…”

“But?”

“Well. It gets lonely sometimes. The ranch is pretty isolated. I used to joke I’d marry the next person who came up here,” Feng Xin chuckled, though it was quiet and a little sad. “It was Pei Ming,” he clarified. “Pei Ming came next and I punched him.”

Mu Qing couldn’t help laughing a little. “So, not so lonely that Pei Ming looked good?”

“Not that lonely,” Feng Xin agreed. “Well, then His Highness moved away and-“

“I have to ask,” Mu Qing interrupted. “Sorry to stop the heart-to-heart but … who’s His Highness? Some royal who came to stay?”

Feng Xin stared at him. “You don’t know?”

“No! Tell me!”

“It’s, uhh. It’s Xie Lian..?”

“He’s a royal?”

“No!” Feng Xin laughed properly this time. “It’s just a silly nickname. His parents were rich and we always said it was like he was a prince and I was his bodyguard. Just a childhood nickname.”

Mu Qing sighed. “Should’ve known. You can’t resist the nicknames.”

“You know me too well,” Feng Xin shrugged, smiling.

“So – where were you going with this..?” Mu Qing tried, awkwardly hoping to get Feng Xin’s life story back on track.

Feng Xin grinned. “Eh, whatever. I won’t bore you with all that. Point was, I’m not too great at this.”

“Great at what?” Mu Qing asked nervously.

Feng Xin took a deep breath, then fished his phone out of his trouser pocket. “Can I have your number?”

If a tumbleweed had chosen to appear at that moment, it would have had truly perfect timing. Mu Qing stared, shocked, at Feng Xin’s phone, then flicked his gaze up to Feng Xin’s face. Feng Xin nodded encouragingly, pushing the phone a little closer.

“You-you mean..?” Mu Qing stuttered, embarrassed at his own reaction.

Feng Xin simply held the phone even closer, open on a new contact.

Mu Qing cracked up. “That’s so stupid!!” he laughed. “You’re so fucking stupid! I didn’t need five minutes of explanation for that, you moron, you stupid, stupid man, you idiot, you-“

“Shut up,” said Feng Xin, and kissed him.

“Aha! He’s so predictable,” said Xie Lian fondly, scrolling Mu Qing’s Instagram. He paused on the snapshot of Mu Qing’s hand intertwined with someone else’s, someone tanned and broad to contrast Mu Qing’s pale elegance.

Hua Cheng smiled and stroked Xie Lian’s hair. “Of course, love, you always know best in the end.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that…” Xie Lian sheepishly closed the app. “I just thought they’d look good together. Without your help sending him there, it would have all been for nothing.”

Hua Cheng chuckled gently. “All’s well that ends well. Now let’s hope he stays with that prick and doesn’t come back.”

“San Lang!” Xie Lian scolded. “We’ll welcome both of them back, if necessary!”

Hua Cheng hesitated; Xie Lian fixed him with a level gaze.

“Of course,” Hua Cheng sighed. “Whatever you want, gege.”

A03 | Exclusives | Tip Me | Commissions | Palestine

#astro speaks wonders #tgcf #fengqing #feng xin #mu qing #xie lian #hua cheng

14 notes · View notes

unablethethird · 1 month

Note

once again

Same with you skip the weird ones

1: Name Robert [rob]

2: Age 14

3: 3 Fears 1- Friends dying/getting hurt 2-Going back to the last place i lived 3-Not being able to help/be there

4: 3 things I love 1-My frens 2-Laptop 3-headphones

7: My best friend You and yaya [irl]

8: Sexual orientation AroAce [fictoromantic/fictosexual, and kinda orchidromantic]

10: How tall am I 166cm [for now]

11: What do I miss

cant think of anything rn

12: What time were I born 4am

13: Favorite color red, orange, purple, black

15: Favorite quote "Light a man a fire and he'll be warm for the night, light a man *on* fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life"

16: Favorite place Arcade

17: Favorite food Imjaderah [rice+yoghurt+beans]

18: Do I use sarcasm sometimes, not rlly tho

19: What am I listening to right now

20: First thing I notice in new person Not sure, maybe symptoms???? but not on purpose

21: Shoe size No idea

22: Eye color dark brown [almost black]

23: Hair color black

24: Favorite style of clothing 1920s men atire

25: Ever done a prank call? Not that i can remember

27: Meaning behind my URL I mean this is the 3rd acc

28: Favorite movie THE LORAX!!!!

29: Favorite song right now it's

30: Favorite band FamilyJules? LemonDemon? Will wood? Chonny jash?

31: How I feel right now My body's scared but im chilling

32: Someone I love You /p

33: My current relationship status AroAce, platonically married

34: My relationship with my parents lol

35: Favorite holiday Eid al adha, free money

36: Tattoos and piercing i have Ear

37: Tattoos and piercing i want Sleeve tattoo when i transition

38: The reason I joined Tumblr Needed to continue a fic/comic that was on tumblr

39: Do I and my last ex hate each other? idk

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts? thank you fren /gen

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? my dad? maybe when i was really young

42: When did I last hold hands? My little sister, i didnt want her to get run over when crossing the road

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? As long as i have, if u give me an hour i'll take an hour, if you give me 30 seconds i'll take 30 seconds

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days? Nope, i get gender dysphoria from shaving my legs/arms

45: Where am I right now? Bed

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? LOUD

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad? Mum, not dad

49: Am I excited for anything? Turning 18 and going uni and being a human person with a human life

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? Im an oversharer

51: How often do I wear a fake smile? Im autistic so not in a deppressed way

52: When was the last time I hugged someone? Cant remember

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not? H [irl]

55: What is something I disliked about today? My sister stealing money from my mum, i was this close to having smoke outta my ears, she should know better

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? God, im going to beat the shit out of him

57: What do I think about most? Cringe memories i guess?

58: What’s my strangest talent? I can bird whistle

59: Do I have any strange phobias? Touch might be strange?

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? Behind fs

61: What was the last lie I told? "I don't know who they were talking about" [i didn't want to hurt her feelings]

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? voice, video is a nightmare

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Yea because either i've seen them or im delusional [im delusional]. aliens are a given, even a bacteria could be one

64: Do I believe in magic? Kinda? idrk, maybe

65: Do I believe in luck? yea

66: What’s the weather like right now? cloudy n cold

67: What was the last book I’ve read? DnD rulebook

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline? LVORE IT LOIF LVOE LOVE IT

69: Do I have any nicknames? I get called by my last name a lot

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had? not sure

71: Do I spend money or save it? Save

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue? Unfortunatly no

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me? My sisters deoderant

74: Favorite animal?

FOXES!!!!!!

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM? calming myself down

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is? I dont think he has one, idk im not religious

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? Corny/cringe as hell but Honeypie by JAWNY

78: How can you win my heart? havent thought about it

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

I TOLD YOU MY FOOT WAS KILLING ME

80: What is my favorite word? supercalifragilisticexpialadocious

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr Moots

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? your god is the right one [chaos]

83: Do I have any relatives in jail? Not currently, but my dad and some uncles were

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power? Time manipulation

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on? i dont think questions are scary

86: What is my current desktop picture? basic

90: Failed a class? classes

94: Had job? I have one now, dont always get paid though

95: Left the house without my wallet? Dont have a wallet

96: Bullied someone on the internet? no

98: Played on a sports team?

Unless school sport team counts

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan? no

104: Been overweight? No

105: Been underweight? yea

106: Been to a wedding? ye

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight? Duh

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight? maybe i dont remember

109: Been outside my home country? Technically im from iran, and i live in australia, so, yeah

110: Gotten my heart broken? i guess

111: Been to a professional sports game? no

112: Broken a bone? no

113: Cut myself? yeah Im stopping though

114: Been to prom? we dont have that

115: Been in airplane?

Yeah

116: Fly by helicopter? no

117: What concerts have I been to? none

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex? kinda

119: Learned another language? I know arabic and english

120: Wore make up? Forced to when i was younger but not anymore

123: Dyed my hair? Part of it purple, but its gone now

124: Voted in a presidential election? Cant vote, eitherway all of em suck

125: Rode in an ambulance? Yep

126: Had a surgery? not sure, memory bad

127: Met someone famous? Not that i know of

128: Stalked someone on a social network? mutuals tumblrs

129: Peed outside? Yea

130: Been fishing? nope

131: Helped with charity? yep

132: Been rejected by a crush? nope

133: Broken a mirror? Yep

134: What do I want for birthday? Wouldn't ever happen because it's expensive as fuck but a pump it up machine

i usually get a slice of cake tho

#ask #zermizomilk #FRIEND!!!#ask game #HOLY SHIT YOUR RIGHT THAT WAS A LOT LOL

6 notes · View notes

leegemma · 1 year

Note

Glad you’re writing for kpop! :) Could you possibly mix in some 7, 50, and 51 for SKZ Lee!LeeKnow and Ler!Bangchan? 🩷

Hi! Thank you for your request anon, I absolutely adore lee!Know AND ler!Chan, so this was super fun to write.

Keep sending in requests, I'm doing my best to finish them all quickly ♡♡

Anyways, enjoy :)

7 - "Say it!"

50 - “i have no weaknesses.”

51 - “i’m not going to be taken down by something as childish as tickling.”

-------------------------------------

Stray kids were doing an interview, they were currently playing a game where they each had to individually answer a question as fast as they could. Things were going well and the members were doing a pretty awaome job. That was until the interviewer asked lee know his question..

"Okay, fast! Lee know, what is your biggest weakness?"

Minho hummed while lost in thought, only one thing came to mind, and he was not about to expose himself like that... so instead he said, "I have no weaknesses."

As soon as he finished his sentence he felt a poke on his left side. He flinched rather harshly and turned to look at his only hyung completely understanding what the currently smirking older meant with that poke.

Now, Chan could have made a scene right there and then, we all know he loves his boys so much and would have loved to have this fun moment with his eldest son captured with STAY watching as well.

but but decided no to completely humiliate and break the kitten's "tough guy" image that day.

Instead, he waited until the whole team went home and until the others left to eat together without the remaining two.

Lee know was watching a movie when Chan knocked on his bedroom door. "Yes?" He called, looking at the doorway and watching chan walk in and suspiciously sit down on lee know's bed next to him. "You lied today." Chan raised one eyebrow waiting for the younger's response. "what? What are you talking about?" Lee know blushed. He did in fact know exactly what Chan meant.

"You said you don't have a weakness?"

"Yeah, so? I don't." Lee know tried to slowly sink into himself more and more, knowing what was about to come.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about..."

"Stop. This is stupid!"

Say it!" Chan jumped on him and put his hands under his knees so he can't escape.

"Here is how this is gonna go, I'm going to tickle you. Wether you like it or not, whenever you feel like you can admit it you can just go ahead and say so and ill stop. Got it?"

"I'm not going to be taken down by something as childish as tickling" Lee know huffed.

Chan chuckled. "Oh yeah?"

He slowly started wiggling his finger on both the boy's ears, traveling down to his neck and watching the other struggling to not laugh.

"I- s-stophp!" Lee know shut his eyes and squirmed as best as he could.

"What's the matter, Lee know? I thought you are not going to be taken down by 'something as childish as tickling', eh?" Chan was smirking, suddenly changing his tactic and going full in on Minho's stomach.

"WHAHAIT- NOHOHO! HYUHUHNG!" Lee know was not prepared, which is why as soon as the evil fingers touched him, he knew he was gone.

"Awww you really are like a cat, love getting your tummy tickled right?~" Chan was giggling along with Lee know, switching between spots faster and faster.

"OKAHAHAY OKAHAHAY! I AHADMIT IHIHT!" Lee know tried shaking his head aggressively when chan stuck one of his hands in the crock of it while his other one was squeezing the heck out of Lee know's thigh.

"Admit what? I can't understand Lee know~" Teased Chan, but still slowed down just to even give the boy a chance.

"MYHY WEHEAKNESS IHIS TICKLING!"

And just like that, the torture stopped.

"You- you almost killed me!" Lee know exclaimed dramatically while still to catch his breath.

"Oh yeah, sure..." Chan rolled his eyes, a fond smile playing on his lips.

The boys laid there in silent for a while, just smiling at each other, until Lee know sat up, putting one hand on his chin, as if he's thinking hard about something. "Hyung, you know what I just remembered? I wasn't the only one who lied in my interview, what about when they asked what makes you laugh the hardest?"

Chan looked at the boy in horror, getting up from his bed and running out of his room.

Lee know shook his head with a smirk. "How the tables turned..."

#tickle fics #skz tickle #skz tickle fic #stray kids #lee!minho #Lee!know #ler!chan #ler!bangchan

51 notes · View notes

daydream-the-demon · 1 month

Note

1: Name

2: Age

3: 3 Fears

4: 3 things I love

5: 4 turns on

6: 4 turns off

7: My best friend

8: Sexual orientation

9: My best first date

10: How tall am I

11: What do I miss

12: What time were I born

13: Favorite color

14: Do I have a crush

15: Favorite quote

16: Favorite place

17: Favorite food

18: Do I use sarcasm

19: What am I listening to right now

20: First thing I notice in new person

21: Shoe size

22: Eye color

23: Hair color

24: Favorite style of clothing

25: Ever done a prank call?

27: Meaning behind my URL

28: Favorite movie

29: Favorite song

30: Favorite band

31: How I feel right now

32: Someone I love

33: My current relationship status

34: My relationship with my parents

35: Favorite holiday

36: Tattoos and piercing i have

37: Tattoos and piercing i want

38: The reason I joined Tumblr

39: Do I and my last ex hate each other?

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted?

42: When did I last hold hands?

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

45: Where am I right now?

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

49: Am I excited for anything?

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

51: How often do I wear a fake smile?

52: When was the last time I hugged someone?

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

55: What is something I disliked about today?

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

57: What do I think about most?

58: What’s my strangest talent?

59: Do I have any strange phobias?

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

61: What was the last lie I told?

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

64: Do I believe in magic?

65: Do I believe in luck?

66: What’s the weather like right now?

67: What was the last book I’ve read?

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

69: Do I have any nicknames?

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

71: Do I spend money or save it?

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue?

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me?

74: Favorite animal?

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

78: How can you win my heart?

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

80: What is my favorite word?

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

83: Do I have any relatives in jail?

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

86: What is my current desktop picture?

87: Had sex?

88: Bought condoms?

89: Gotten pregnant?

90: Failed a class?

91: Kissed a boy?

92: Kissed a girl?

93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain?

94: Had job?

95: Left the house without my wallet?

96: Bullied someone on the internet?

97: Had sex in public?

98: Played on a sports team?

99: Smoked weed?

100: Did drugs?

101: Smoked cigarettes?

102: Drank alcohol?

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

104: Been overweight?

105: Been underweight?

106: Been to a wedding?

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

109: Been outside my home country?

110: Gotten my heart broken?

111: Been to a professional sports game?

112: Broken a bone?

113: Cut myself?

114: Been to prom?

115: Been in airplane?

116: Fly by helicopter?

117: What concerts have I been to?

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

119: Learned another language?

120: Wore make up?

121: Lost my virginity before I was 18?

122: Had oral sex?

123: Dyed my hair?

124: Voted in a presidential election?

125: Rode in an ambulance?

126: Had a surgery?

127: Met someone famous?

128: Stalked someone on a social network?

129: Peed outside?

130: Been fishing?

131: Helped with charity?

132: Been rejected by a crush?

133: Broken a mirror?

134: What do I want for birthday?

skip the weird ones/ones your uncomfortable w

All of them under cut:

1: Name

I just realized what I wanted to be called. I'm Alexander Cifra Hyde now!

2: Age

13!

3: 3 Fears

Death, nothing being real, [insert existential thought].

4: 3 things I love

My friends, fandoms, Tape Five.

5: 4 turns on

Uhh. I read fanfiction so here are fanfiction ones: Cannibalism, MC being insane, power dynamics, older characters.

6: 4 turns off

Also fanfiction: Can't think of anything except AWKWARD MOMENTS THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO CRINGE AT.

7: My best friend

@author-of-the-year

8: Sexual orientation

Repulsed Aromantic Asexual, but also Aegofictoromantic Aegofictosexual.

9: My best first date

Never had one and never will. Being single is a liberty if you think of it as one.

10: How tall am I

155 centimeters or about 5'1".

11: What do I miss

I miss a lot of things. Mostly miss the time I was actually happy.

12: What time were I born

Two days ago! August 12th is my birthday!

13: Favorite color

Black (all-timer), Gold, Blood-Red... That is my favorites.

14: Do I have a crush

Nah. Well friend crushes? A couple.

15: Favorite quote

"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." It helped me not feel like a failure. I like this quote. I think about it quite a bit.

16: Favorite place

My home I guess. Old Town Cottonwood is also amazing.

17: Favorite food

I made my own recipe: Rice, fried grated carrots, eggs, cilantro, and

18: Do I use sarcasm

Sometimes? I mean I don't really use it but on certain occasions I will. Sarcasm seems rude to me in certain context, or I'll use it as joking if I just did something and then go "What? I didn't do that. Yep, totally didn't."

19: What am I listening to right now

I am in love with the song Forever Young by Tape Five.

20: First thing I notice in new person

Usually their voice and manner of speaking and how they look. Though I'm not quick to judge a book by its cover.

21: Shoe size

6'5 women's and extra wide I'm sure.

22: Eye color

I HAVE GREY EYES!

23: Hair color

My natural hair color is dirty blonde, and due to how my hair works, it keeps getting darker. (When I was younger I had completely bright blonde hair, now it's dirty-blonde, and then it will be dark brown like my dad.) I have it dyed red though!

24: Favorite style of clothing

SUITS! SUITS. Victorian Era or 1920s style? I can't have enough of it. I wear a tuxedo every day!

25: Ever done a prank call?

I barely even do calls on my own. And no. It's just not- No.

27: Meaning behind my URL

Well, I am Daydream. I'm Daydream because I am a Maladaptive Daydreamer and I create things from my daydreams! I'm a demon. I'm a demonic entity. I have liked too many demons in my time and ever since I was 7 I would draw pentagrams for no reason. I am just demonic.

28: Favorite movie

I HAVE ONE AT THE TIP OF MY TONGUE- AAAAA- WAIT. I just recently watched "Don't Look Up"! THAT'S THE MOVIE! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

29: Favorite song

Forever Young by Tape Five is my current obsession and favorite song.

30: Favorite band

Tape Five if you couldn't tell.

31: How I feel right now

I'm happy, I just got the Book of Bill and I am thrilled. I also love answering questions!

32: Someone I love

@author-of-the-year and all my friends. I don't think I could live without them... (Literally-)

33: My current relationship status

Single? Taken? Honestly weird-ass shiz. I do have a "boyfriend" but he's not really my boyfriend but yeah. I just say I'm taken so I don't have to explain what being AroAce is.

34: My relationship with my parents

I don't talk to them. They're transphobic and it's hard to live with that. I plan to move out and go no contact. They give me things I want and I'm living an okay life, but in constant anxiety.

35: Favorite holiday

Christmas!!! You get to scam your loved ones out of objects you want!!!

36: Tattoos and piercing i have

None.

37: Tattoos and piercing i want

I want to get an orbital earring on both ears! I also want a tattoo sometime. Something small but meaningful or something. I'd draw on my body anyways.

38: The reason I joined Tumblr

When I learned Bill Cipher was a Tumblr sexyman, I just HAD to go to Tumblr. My first post is of Billtober and of a drawing of Bill Cipher.

39: Do I and my last ex hate each other?

Not related. Single and always was.

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

Yeah!!! From my very sweet discord server.

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted?

I never kissed anyone before. Except like on the knuckles, but I don't text her.

42: When did I last hold hands?

With my mom probably. I don't like physical contact at all.

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

I usually wake up at 6 AM or 6:10 AM and finish getting ready at 6:40 AM. Putting an entire suit on and then getting everything I need for the day AND breakfast in about 30-40 minutes? That's right!

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

I don't shave. Makes me feel manly also I don't ever want to feel razor burn AGAIN. Legs are also useless to shave since I always wear dress pants anyways and my hair is light.

45: Where am I right now?

In my chair in my room in my house in my state in my country.

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

Probably myself in this hypothetical scenario. I don't usually have anyone to rely on. If my online friends were with me though, they would take care of me.

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

My mom says it's too loud but I think it's reasonable.

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

I live with my mom and step-dad, my biological dad is in Russia.

49: Am I excited for anything?

Reading the Book of Bill, and whatnot. Drawing.

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

Opposite sex? No probably not. Opposite gender? Yes.

51: How often do I wear a fake smile?

That, my child, is called autistic masking!!! I do it all the time!

52: When was the last time I hugged someone?

My mom because she asked, like a couple months ago.

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

Never kissed anybody. Also I'm not a jealous bitch. If it was in the context of cheating? Their problem, not mine.

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

There is always a reason I trust someone. Real trust doesn't come easy with me.

55: What is something I disliked about today?

School.

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

ALL MY ONLINE FRIENDS!

57: What do I think about most?

Art, and fandoms, and songs.

58: What’s my strangest talent?

Hm... I can put a leg around my head. I have hyperflexibility (but I'm not as flexible now).

59: Do I have any strange phobias?

Small dogs. They just creep my out. I don't like small dogs. Also some thoughts relating to existential crises some people would consider weird.

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Not sure what this means. Oh! I am a model, of course I have to be on camera! I'm a youtuber and a star!

61: What was the last lie I told?

"I'm not trans."

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

VIDEO CHATTING!

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

Ghosts? Not really. Seems untrue. But aliens? SURE AS HELL! They exist! In all the parallel universes and all the free open space in this universe we have with thousands of stars with thousands of inhabitable planets... Yes! It's proven they exist! Though none have reached Earth (as far as we know) and that we haven't reached any other lifeform... YET!

64: Do I believe in magic?

Depends on what type of magic. Though usually, I would say no. I don't believe in magic.

65: Do I believe in luck?

Well, statistically there is a concept of luck where odds are outbeat by other odds. Not like as a magical thing though, though I do have "lucky" objects I keep.

66: What’s the weather like right now?

Sunny, warm, and dry.

67: What was the last book I’ve read?

THE BOOK OF BILL!

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

Ew no. I don't like strong smells (even freshly cut grass and lavander piss me off).

69: Do I have any nicknames?

Daydream is my nickname, also Alex.

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

Broken wrist probably.

71: Do I spend money or save it?

Usually I save it and then I have a period where I'd spend it all. I'm pretty responsible with money.

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue?

No.

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me?

I have a pool floatie, an axolotl toy, my plants are pink, I have an old pink toy.

74: Favorite animal?

MOTHS! I also like axolotls a lot!

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

Staying up late looking at BillFord on Tumblr-

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

Oh huh. I don't think he has one. It's just Satan.

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

Almost any Tape Five song I have an obsession with at the moment.

78: How can you win my heart?

Just be a good person to me, and CHAOS and WEIRDNESS!

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

I want my friends' words written on it. I want to be known that I was truly loved.

80: What is my favorite word?

Cannibalism, murder, evil... These are some of the words included in my vocal stims.

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

I can't really chose. I guess donniipao, calp0sa, author-of-the-year, timedoutradio, and every blog is great as long as there's content and they're a good person!

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

"I am god." I have to assert my dominance somehow!

83: Do I have any relatives in jail?

No. Not that I know of.

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

TO DAYDREAM ANYTHING UP. That's my official superpower. I can daydream up anything and everything I want.

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

Oof this is a hard one. Depends on who is asking and what the question is. I have a lot of secrets to hide.

86: What is my current desktop picture?

Bill Cipher because he is my Ford's babygirl.

87-93 were deleted.

94: Had job?

I plan to have one! I want to be an art commissioner soon.

95: Left the house without my wallet?

Many times.

96: Bullied someone on the internet?

Yeah. I used to leave hate comments.

97 was deleted.

98: Played on a sports team?

99: Smoked weed?

No.

100: Did drugs?

I'm a good boy, no.

101: Smoked cigarettes?

I tried once.

102: Drank alcohol?

I tried beer before, not that good.

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

I'm mostly a vegetarian in my diet, though on rare occasions I'll eat fish or meat.

104: Been overweight?

No.

105: Been underweight?

No.

106: Been to a wedding?

Yes! It was one of my favorite days. I was really young, I remember distinctly putting a bunch of stick-on googly eyes on my face because I am silly like that.

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

Bitch what kind of question is that? I'm chronically online. I also draw a lot on my PC and I can get sucked into it.

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

Like a couple times.

109: Been outside my home country?

I currently live in the USA and I'm from Russia, so yes.

110: Gotten my heart broken?

My friends have said to me things I am very deeply sad about.

111: Been to a professional sports game?

Nope.

112: Broken a bone?

I once broke my wrist because I fell backwards from sitting on the windowsill onto the floor.

113: Cut myself?

I have SHed before, so it's a specialty!

114: Been to prom?

No.

115: Been in airplane?

Aeroplanes are so cool! I've been in a couple, going from Russia to the US, and going to my step-sister's wedding.

116: Fly by helicopter?

Nope. Though I live near an aeroport!

117: What concerts have I been to?

I've been to an AJR Phoenix concert once! It was so cool.

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

I'm gay. Yes- Okay but seriously I'm aroace though I radiate gay energy so yeah no-?

119: Learned another language?

I learned English, and I'm currently trying to learn Italian.

120: Wore make up?

I'm slay! Of course I did! Though I don't do it often.

121-122 were deleted.

123: Dyed my hair?

My hair is dyed red currently, and previously I dyed it black.

124: Voted in a presidential election?

I'm not old enough to do that yet.

125: Rode in an ambulance?

No, I don't think so. If I have, I was really young.

126: Had a surgery?

No.

127: Met someone famous?

Sadly no. But my tumblr mutuals have a lotta followers!

128: Stalked someone on a social network?

I stalk some people, especially tumblr mutuals I want to be friends with but am awkward with.

129: Peed outside?

Yeah.

130: Been fishing?

I want to do it sometime.

131: Helped with charity?

No.

132: Been rejected by a crush?

I never confessed so- Never even tried because being loveless is amazing.

133: Broken a mirror?

Yep.

134: What do I want for birthday?

Well, I already got everything I want- Lol. I got my Book of Bill and I am ecstatic! I want a debt card though so I can finally start online commissions!

3 notes · View notes

zermizomilk · 1 month

Note

Skip the weird ones, i realized 134 questions was going to be hard to sort 1: Name

2: Age

3: 3 Fears

4: 3 things I love

7: My best friend

8: Sexual orientation

9: My best first date

10: How tall am I

11: What do I miss

12: What time were I born

13: Favorite color

14: Do I have a crush

15: Favorite quote

16: Favorite place

17: Favorite food

18: Do I use sarcasm

19: What am I listening to right now

20: First thing I notice in new person

21: Shoe size

22: Eye color

23: Hair color

24: Favorite style of clothing

25: Ever done a prank call?

27: Meaning behind my URL

28: Favorite movie

29: Favorite song

30: Favorite band

31: How I feel right now

32: Someone I love

34: My relationship with my parents

35: Favorite holiday

36: Tattoos and piercing i have

37: Tattoos and piercing i want

38: The reason I joined Tumblr

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

42: When did I last hold hands?

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

45: Where am I right now?

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

49: Am I excited for anything?

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

51: How often do I wear a fake smile?

52: When was the last time I hugged someone?

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

55: What is something I disliked about today?

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

57: What do I think about most?

58: What’s my strangest talent?

59: Do I have any strange phobias?

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

61: What was the last lie I told?

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

64: Do I believe in magic?

65: Do I believe in luck?

66: What’s the weather like right now?

67: What was the last book I’ve read?

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

69: Do I have any nicknames?

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

71: Do I spend money or save it?

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue?

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me?

74: Favorite animal?

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

78: How can you win my heart?

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

80: What is my favorite word?

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

83: Do I have any relatives in jail?

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

86: What is my current desktop picture?

90: Failed a class?

93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain?

94: Had job?

95: Left the house without my wallet?

96: Bullied someone on the internet?

98: Played on a sports team?

99: Smoked weed?

100: Did drugs?

101: Smoked cigarettes?

102: Drank alcohol?

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

104: Been overweight?

105: Been underweight?

106: Been to a wedding?

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

109: Been outside my home country?

110: Gotten my heart broken?

111: Been to a professional sports game?

112: Broken a bone?

113: Cut myself?

114: Been to prom?

115: Been in airplane?

116: Fly by helicopter?

117: What concerts have I been to?

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

119: Learned another language?

120: Wore make up?

123: Dyed my hair?

124: Voted in a presidential election?

125: Rode in an ambulance?

126: Had a surgery?

127: Met someone famous?

128: Stalked someone on a social network?

129: Peed outside?

130: Been fishing?

131: Helped with charity?

132: Been rejected by a crush?

133: Broken a mirror?

134: What do I want for birthday?

2. 14

3. uhh spiders, socialising??, idk what a third would be

4. animals, drawing, friends/p?

7. You Unable!

8. aro maybe ace activity figuring shit out

9. No

10. 180 cm

11. not being tired constantly

12. November

13. green, purple a nice maroon also

14. nope

15. rip and tear until it is done

16. i guess a forest

17. eggs

18. not well

19. i had some random video playing

20. the way they act with other people any differences like that

21. uhh 46- 48 Europe idk anything about shoes

22. blue ish

23. dark brown

24. idk

25. nah

27. zermizo is a made up word i made specifically for a username as for milk i don't remember the origin for that

28. no favourite

29. bad feeling

30. tally hall i guess

31. uneasy for some reason

32. stares in aromantic

34.

35. Christmas

36. i wish

37. ear piercing

38. deltarune

40. yes :]

42. good question

43. like 20 minutes and most of that is spent waking up

44. technically yes technically no, does burning it off count?

45. in bed

46. idk but id feel bad for making them do that

47. loud in my headphones

48. unfortunately

49. not particularly

50. does no gender or sometimes the same gender count?

51. not often school hasn't started yet

52. idk

53.

54. i wouldn't say so

55. the sun

56. idk you

57. alot of anger

58. idk

59. maybe not?

60. behind

61. won't happen again

62. talking on the phone i don't have the pressure of someones eyes

63. if ghosts were real they'd be fucking with us a whole lot more , aliens i like to go the idea that they are staying quiet because something else is out there and we're being loud making noises sending drawings of ourselves making ourselves a target, while they hide

64. not until i see it

65. if lucks a thing that explains alot

66. melt your skin off sunny

67. feather thief

68. nope

69. Mike and Zerm

70. idk

71. save mostly

72. no

73. a shirt

74. bird

75. eating

76. im not religious but i don't think he has one there's satan and then there's Lucifer

77. bendy and the ink musical

78. it's rotten ain't a prize

79.

80. defenestration

81. idk

82. start counting down to zero

83. no

84. idk flight

85. are you okay

86. default windows background

90. no

93. no

94. technically yes

95. no

96. nope

98. nah

99. nope

100. no

101. no

102. no

103. no

104. no

105. yes

106. yes

107. yes

108. no

109. no

110. no

111. nope

112. no

113. ...

114. no

115. no

116. nope

117. none

118. no

119. yes

120. no

123. no

124. no

125. nope

126. no

127. nope

128. no

129. yea

130. no

131. yes

132. can't get rejected if you don't have one

133. no

134.

#iamunable #GOD THESE JUST KEEP GETTING LONGER

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predoom · 2 months

Text

ohoneohone

Friday, November 11th, 2005 12:35 pm i won't tell a soul if you dont want me to. hearts between our knees sticking to summer sheets. Saturday, November 5th, 2005 4:59 pm keep me fast the way he runs his mouth its a wonder that i havent caught a flight home just for a second alone the way he runs my mouth makes me hate you just as much as him thank god i spend most of the daylight dreaming in wine colored beads the sun never caught me right when i was little i splash water on my face in sinks in green rooms like pinching yourself or trying to wash the miles off down a dark hotel hallway the finger prints in pink and blue like skin and veins i try to jump from the doorway to the bed so i dont leave footprints so i dont disturb the carpet like sand you want shyer eyes you want bigger "im sorry"s and regrets for things that i.Yo.u. did you want survivors in the wreckage you want flashlights in the cave you want second chances for second chances i loved everything about you that hurts your scars, your flaws, your not so subtle attempts at wit and irony that always fell a bit short and felt forced your insincerity, your imitation that you passed off as exploration your morning smile 3 year stand (off) her breathing is shallow she shakes whenever i get near- i guess its an occupational hazard its okay we dont have to talk. youre just a body. heaven sent and percoset. even though we're fading fast.... im sorry "pretty"- you were just a canary in a coal mine. Tuesday, November 1st, 2005 7:57 pm there are many things that i would like to say to you but i don't know how im not even too sure what goes on, especially in my own head. one second its one way and the next its another. i have a funny way of showing i care. but i do. i have to say it- halloween wasn't the same this year with out you. i i had the best time ever in southern california. but it wasn't really halloween with out you. and new years won't either. my calls go out today but they'renot picked up. i get what i get. i got some friends who are wearing their egos on their sleeves. its ok. i'll play dumb. you are a shadow of who you once were. "can we start agains" ive had my share. for the past month my mood has been however our phone calls ended. it felt like i was dying inside when i hung up the phone on you. but i have to make a point. you can only act like dirt for so long before you become it. but theres nobody like me and you. i feel like veins and ligatures when you aren't around. and breathing in isnt the same when you're not breathing out. percoset revolutionary. "look mom, no breathing". fucking fading. fucked up, but not cool fucked up. maybe we rip the map in half and someday we meet up in the middle. by accident or just because. everything and everyone ends up faced down on the floor in the end.

you are my wonderwall. Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 6:51 pm my mom said 'make sure you go to sleep smiling tonight baby cause you'll wake up feeling better" i just re-read everything you wrote over the past two months.

i miss my friends.

there is life after this. i promise myself. Tuesday, October 25th, 2005 10:51 pm everything they say about us is true im watching scary movies like every afternoon. i got some new slipper and pants. i look ridiculous. dreamboat. the inside of my head is always changing. even right this second. when i go back over all the details it makes me so glad im not in that town anymore. all of a sudden we're always in the crosshairs. it kinda feels normal now. we used to goof around about killing ourselves off. but sometimes it wasn't a joke. i can't sleep when the bus isn't moving. went to the fender offices today, they are gonna make me some basses. pretty exciting. the only thing ive ever learned is that its pretty easy to say "i love you" its alot harder to mean it. my friends are dropping like flies. everyone looks good when they are the one with their fingers on the keyboards. history is written by the conquerer. we're headlining an amphitheater tommorrow. thats retarded. fistfightking. makeoutqueen. past midnights. get amazed.

Current Music: 2sweet Sunday, October 23rd, 2005 9:42 am you see that kid... its not me, its you. blow out the candles on caring. encounters yesterday: went to paul walls jewelry shop. pretty insane. then when we played jared leto came over and watched. radio shows are wack. encounters today: the gold medal gymnast from the 2004 olympics is coming to hang out with me. pretty insane. why would you ever want to meet a boy like me. i am boring. you make it easier to make the decisions that i do. i turned off the switch that cares. i watch lots of movies and take lots of naps. cause i am a baby. i am gonna be in the academy video for black mamba. i can't tell you how excited that makes me. Wednesday, October 19th, 2005 11:48 pm ill be on time for that, i cant think of a line that rhymes with that blue looks better than jealousy. im awake but not up. you know what i mean. blew the speakers out like a candle. drowned out my sorrows in a wet dream. i miss you but only in flashing moments. new stuff over at buzznet. people been asking about the prices. honestly we charge what it costs us to make. alot of the stuff lately has been cut and sew or requires hand stitching which is expensive. so we try to keep the stuff really limited, so that it stays special. the bags sold out in a day. we won't be making anymore of that particular bag. but we will be making more limited bags and other items. Tuesday, October 18th, 2005 4:48 pm i, peter lewis kingston wentz, solemnly swear... im trying to figure it out. my head moves way faster than my mouth. i went to a party at chris from nsnyc's house for a party. it was about as good/bad as you would think. except dirty was there. so factor that one in. always up or down, never down and out.

the new nightmare of you record is fantastic. it makes me think of winters at home. love it or leave me. Sunday, October 16th, 2005 12:45 pm baby, im just bad news i don't know if it feels real been watching halloween movies lately to get me in the mood taking lots of naps its easier this way she wont ever love you the way she loves me youre not pretty enough and you dont make her heart beat been hiding messages in morse code and anagrams banging my wrist against the edge of the keyboard until it turns black and blue we're all settling all the time panic! at the disco makes me want to start this all over again coversations with you make me want it to never have begun at all nick plan and william beckett are on the list in one form or another always if you dont have your friends than you dont got shit and my friends are gold halloween is gonna be the best this year i think ive never been in california on halloween- it once was, but it hasnt been for a really long time spent most of the morning on the phone with my mommy cause she can always slow my breathing down you can get used to anything after a while even this, pete pretty boys for secret girls later skater Wednesday, October 12th, 2005 12:02 pm ill make you shake so hard you might not make it through the night new york city is fucking insane. get me. bruisa. fall makes me remember and want love.

okay okay cause i should:

1. you say crazy shit in your sleep, like about us living in old milwaukee. 2. right this second "wonderwall" sometimes star wars. 3. i dunno cherry coke flavored. 4. sugar tail, freckles in your eyes, basement windows, braces 5. new years on the windowsill. 6. uh kind of in a weird way the retriever head on the beagle body. just the nicest dog ever. 7. that one bane lyric, im pretty sure its a question. but mostly lately- what happened to my best friend?

nick york city. the clan party last night was rightious. im kinda going other places. feeling it. quit sleeping on it cause im the life. from the back of my legs to the back of my neck- im so glad there are people out there who won't let me fall off the face of the planet.

young.

panic at the disco at the knitting factory in new york tonight- 5pm. Tuesday, October 11th, 2005 12:57 am you remind me of this one movie. it makes me smile. but not with my mouth and way too many teeth. but with my eyes. trouble loves me. but you do way more. im dreaming on highway lines and phone hang-ups. just happy to be me. for one second.

i got a sweet vest and some teddy bear shoes. im good for cuddling. youre gonna have to trust me on that one.

#ohoneohone #itiswhatitwas #content and formatting unchanged from original #pw #blogs #archive

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folliesandfolderols · 7 months

Text

Writing prompts days 51-55

From this prompt list. If you’ve read this far, I’m not sure you need any explanation, but the short version is I hadn’t written any fiction since 2019, I set a goal to write at least 150 words/day in 2024, and this list was my way to restart. Also I abruptly decided on day 2 I would write an entire Tim/Damian story connecting all the prompts, because I am Good at Judging My Limits. /sarcasm Anyway, I finished the rough draft a while ago and am now unlocking the old entries as I edit.

Read from the beginning here, or on ao3 here

Days 49-50 here

***

16. You drive me so insane, you don’t even know.”

39. "Tell me how you like/want/need it.”

46. “Wanna feel you against me.” (slightly modified for characterization purposes)

48. “Clothes on or clothes off?”

93. “Gonna make sure you don’t forget about tonight.”

110. "Do whatever you want with me."

118. “S-Stop leaving marks on my neck. I have a presentation first thing in the morning.” “Then I get to leave marks anywhere below the neck?”

***

Tim was busy over the next couple of days, because the surveillance he’d planted at Waters’s house proved to be a gold mine of information. He and Galloway were high up on the food chain with their respective creditors’ organizations. Waters had ties to the Irish mob, and Galloway was in deep with the Russians. Both had a history of leaving bills unpaid, so it was no surprise that some of the debts they’d incurred would leave them owing more than money. What was more surprising, in a way that didn’t leave Tim with much shock at all, was the fact that they didn’t seem to mind being at the beck and call of criminals as long as they got the benefits of the trafficking as well. And they did reap plenty of benefits: building permits issued with almost no wait, real estate deals that made no sense on paper, weapons collections that would have made a warlord proud, and of course a never-ending supply of humans to exploit and use as capital.

Tim watched the video footage of Waters fucking a model-beautiful woman on his desk in his study, and all he could see was the deadness in Luz’s eyes.

Damian texted him while he was on patrol three days after the Closet Incident (it had earned a title and upper-case letters, after being looped in Tim’s brain on repeat like a favorite movie). Tim, in the middle of watching over an underpass that had seen a few houseless people murdered during the past month, pulled out the phone and nearly dropped it onto the road below when he read the sender’s name.

Do you have anything new to report?

Tim snorted, imagining what Damian would do if he replied with his first impulse, which was “yes, your dick is now living rent-free in my thoughts at all times.” Instead: have u been watching the surveillance footage?? good stuff, disgusting stuff lots of info

I have not. Is there a reason why you refuse to use upper-case letters? I've wondered.

Tim grinned. Maybe it was a League-trained thing.

convenience

I suppose, but at some point you've done more to keep things lowercase than you would have if you'd just let autocorrect do what it likes.

jason's told me the same thing more than once

Be that as it may your point stands. We should consider next steps if you feel we have actionable intel.

do u and jason want to come over to my place again? it might be the best use of our time right now to coordinate our plans in person rather than via video call

Perhaps. My WE schedule is demanding at the moment. I'll see if we can align times.

ok lmk

Tim put away his phone and concentrated on proving to himself through measured breathing that he was completely unaffected by the prospect of having Damian in his space again. It didn't matter. He'd had random hookups before with weird choices. The fact that he couldn't get Damian's voice, low and intimate, saying let me feel it, out of his head meant nothing. Neither did the forever pain in his chest and stomach. That was just how he lived now.

Well, at least Jason would be there. That would keep him from doing anything stupid. Probably.

Given the fact that they'd fully gotten each other off with Jason on the other end of a precariously deactivated comm, maybe not. Fuck. He was already starting to get hard just thinking about it.

An Audi parked a few hundred feet away from the encampment beneath the bridge and five men got out, voices loud and abrasive in a way that screamed "drunk frat boys" even if he couldn't have seen the Greek symbols on the bumper sticker. They ran toward an old man huddled in a cardboard box against the slanted concrete, and Tim leaped down to join them, grateful for the distraction.

***

Damian texted Tim and Jason together the next day while Tim was at work: I will be available this afternoon after 5:30. Will your schedules permit a meeting at 6?

Yeah, I can make that, Jason replied.

Tim swallowed and typed, i'll meet u both at my place then

Capitalization, Damian replied, at the same time Jason's message came through: Punctuation, dammit!

i am free as the wind and so is my text style u plebes just dont understand my aesthetique

Both of them left the conversation simultaneously, and Tim smiled in triumph. He wasn't sure what was so fun about making those two mad, but whatever it was definitely sparked joy.

Tim had contracted for R&D at WE for a couple of years now, ever since he'd finally gotten his degree, but it was mainly a front for funneling the research and products with the greatest potential for Bat-exploitation to the right places. He typically spent at least half his time on the clock doing casework, and the other half doing the same work that took most of the other people in his department twice as long. He almost never saw Damian, who tended to stay firmly in the finance department. Out of idle curiosity, he checked Damian's calendar on WEdrive. His entire day was packed with meetings from the moment he got in until he left, for the rest of the week. He didn't even have a lunch break today. Bruce was such a fucking slacker. Of course, Damian had probably demanded extra responsibilities as the "blood heir" or whatever.

Tim opened his meal delivery app and put in an order for dinner. He didn't feel like cooking, i.e. pouring cereal, tonight.

Once he got home, he changed out of his suit into sweats and sat on the couch to wait, flipping through the video feeds in Waters' house. The devices he'd planted in the escorts' bags hadn't been much help as neither woman had done anything but take their purses back to where they lived. Luz’s conversations at home were boring mundanities, and Katerina’s device had been mysteriously deactivated, but at least he had their addresses now. And possibly those of clients if they attended anything else that required a fancy clutch.

Damian showed up first, this time, still in his work clothes. Tim immediately suffered an overpowering urge to unbutton his custom Italian suit and lick his neck, which was horrifying enough to kick his best acting instincts into gear. He decided to aim for nothing of note has happened between us, ever, and gave Damian a friendly smile as he closed the door. "Hey. How's it going?"

Damian rolled his eyes and kicked off his shoes. "Spare me the useless civilities, Drake. 'It' was a grinding bore today, filled with incompetent idiots who insisted on projecting their own lack of efficacy onto me, and then had the gall to be shocked when I proved to be far out of their league in both intellect and influence."

"So, everyday WE business meetings, then. Somebody's hangry."

Damian scowled, but before he could reply the door speaker buzzed. Tim glanced at the camera and saw the delivery guy holding up the restaurant bag. He pressed the speaker button. "Leave it at the door, thanks."

He ran downstairs while Damian was still grumbling about him daring to order food for himself, and by the time he returned Jason had come in by some entrance that Tim was going to have to eliminate in the near future.

He started putting containers on the table. "I got enough food for all of us if you guys are hungry. Plates are in the cabinet on the right of the fridge and forks are in the island drawer."

"Fuck yeah I'm hungry, I just got up." Jason ambled to the kitchen and got the plates and utensils while Damian looked down his nose at the containers.

"I suppose all the dishes contain meat." He couldn't entirely hide his interest as Tim popped lids open, leaning over to inspect contents.

"I mean, a couple do, but a lot are vegetarian." Tim pointed as he listed them. "Potato pakoras, haleem, fruit chaat, samosas, aaloo gobi, aaloo qeema, paneer tikka masala, vegetable biryani, and of course the raita."

Damian flushed the faintest bit. Jason set the plates down on the table. "Where'd you get this? I didn't know there was a Pakistani restaurant in town."

"Al Noor," Damian and Tim said simultaneously. Damian flushed a darker red and continued, avoiding Tim's eyes, "It is actually one of my favorites. It reminds me of home, a little."

Jason picked up one of the chapli kebabs and bit into it without waiting to put anything else on his plate. "Oh hell yes," he moaned around the mouthful. "Timmers, you got enough to feed the whole fam and the pets too, what's up with that?"

"I got enough to feed two normal appetites plus you," Tim retorted, putting a little bannu pulao on his plate. He wasn’t really hungry yet—on night job days he usually didn’t eat for the first time until noon, and his last meal was after his patrol.

"Fuck you, I've got muscle mass you can only dream of." Jason got some of everything and sat down at the table. “By the way, who gave you that bite on your neck? Conner doesn't usually leave marks so I'm guessing someone new. C’mon, your secret's safe with me and Damian.”

Tim reached for the bruise before he could stop himself. “None of your business.”

"Todd, your table manners are as abominable as your self-restraint," Damian interpolated, sneering at Jason's perfectly respectable use of knife and fork. After a long pause in which he visibly almost said about five different things and changed his mind each time, he added, "Thank you, Drake, for getting the food," still not looking directly at Tim.

Tim spun around to hide his burning face. His first thought was a nonsensical oh shit, Damian knows, to which he could only ask his brain, knows what, dumbass? He hustled to open the fridge and grab three bottles of water, as if he always turned that fast so he could run retrieve fluids. "No problem," he called from behind the door.

When he set the bottles on the table, Jason was looking from him to Damian and back again. Tim didn't like the assessing expression on his face, and he especially didn't like that Jason was allowing him to see it. This was the worst part of being surrounded by people who'd been trained by Bruce "The World Only Makes Sense If You Force It To" Wayne. You couldn't have a private emotion, ever, without someone feeling the overpowering need to track it down to its source.

Damian spoke before Tim could spill a container on Jason's lap and distract him. "Have you heard from Arsenal lately?"

That diversion successfully embarked Jason on a tangent for about fifteen minutes. Tim knew better than to glance at Damian to share a relieved look while Jason ranted about Roy's selfless tendencies and how they endangered his life. Still, a glow flared to life in his chest when he watched, out of the corner of his eye, Damian sitting next to him and eating food Tim had bought for him. Some of the constant pain receded in its warmth.

Once they were done eating, they each brought out their laptops and compared notes on the footage. Damian hadn't had a chance to view most of it, so Jason and Tim gave him the highlights. He had managed to dig further into the Galloway's and Waters's financials, so he gave them a list of the probable beneficiaries of the inconsistencies between income and expenditure.

Jason sighed as he scrolled through the names and companies. "Looks like I'm heading to Tulsa and Corpus Christi. Love it when I get to have fun with not one, but two mafias."

"I can go instead," Tim offered, looking through the same document as he twisted the top off his bottle.

"Nah, it's okay. I can't be in Gotham too many weeks in a row or I'll kill Bruce, and you know how he feels about murder. Fucker'll haunt my ass just so he can lecture me every time I pull a gun on some piece of shit dealer."

Tim, mid-drink, had a sudden vision of ectoplasmic Bruce floating from Jason's butt like an asshole-obsessed Casper and nearly choked when he started laughing involuntarily.

Jason stared, aghast, as he sprayed water all over their computers. "Holy shit, Tim, it wasn't that funny!"

Damian, ever helpful, smacked Tim's back a few times hard enough to leave bruises, expression bored. "Clearly he pictured Father literally selecting your buttocks as his postmortem residence, Todd. His brain's operations are incomprehensibly juvenile, but if you choose the most ridiculous option you can often divine what he was thinking."

"Sorry," Tim gasped, jumping up to get a seldom-used kitchen towel off its hanger. Some days his mind really had it out for him. He couldn't help it that when he was stressed it decided to interpret every idiom as a visual. "Sorry!"

Jason narrowed his eyes as he watched Tim carefully dab at their keyboards. WE laptops were all water resistant, but there was no sense in being foolhardy. "You've been off all evening. Something going on I need to know about?"

Tim ran through various possible responses in the time it took him to hand some paper towels to Damian to dry the floor. He decided to play it casual. "No, nothing. I just have my attention split in too many directions right now between this, work, and patrol. But this case is my real priority at the moment so don't worry. I wanna put all these guys away for life."

Jason nodded, but Tim had a feeling he wasn't satisfied with the explanation.

They made a few more plans for the immediate future of the investigation, and then Jason packed up to leave. Tim walked him to the door.

"How'd you get in, by the way?"

Jason smirked. "Bet you'd love to know."

Tim gave him an unimpressed look. "I'd love to know why you're such a pain in my ass, too, but I guess I'm not getting any of the answers I want tonight."

Jason leaned in close enough that Damian wouldn't be able to read his lips. Tim stiffened, wary. Jason said, sotto voce, "Timmers, I'm starting to think that's not the kind of pain in your ass you want. Don't think I missed the fact that the baby bat is hanging back until I've left you two alone again. Used to be, he couldn't wait to get away from you."

Tim stared, eyes wide with dismay, and couldn't say a thing.

Jason straightened, wicked grin firmly in place, and caroled, "Byeeeeee!" before slamming the door in Tim's face.

"What did he say?" Damian wanted to know, because of course it would've been too much to ask of the universe for him not to have noticed.

Tim was too discombobulated to say anything other than the truth. "He knows something's going on with us. I don't think he knows what, yet."

"Well, that makes two," Damian said.

Tim leaned his back against the door and looked at him, sitting cross-legged on the couch as if he couldn't be more at ease. "I don't know, either, so it's three."

Damian smiled, perfunctory and cutting. "Did you think I meant myself? I don't waste time speculating about inconsequentialities."

Tim surveyed him for another second in silence, then snorted with genuine amusement. "Oh, you are so completely full of shit right now. You think I'm going to believe that after what happened in Waters's closet?"

Damian shrugged and checked his phone with conspicuous boredom. "I barely remember 'what happened', personally. Perhaps I had too much to drink at the after party. If you've got a clearer recollection it must be because it mattered to you in a way it didn't to me."

A sudden blaze of fury burned away Tim's lightheartedness. He stalked to the couch, ripped the phone out of Damian's hand, and threw it to the loveseat opposite.

Damian didn't balk, but he did snap, "What the hell do you think you're—" His words cut off with a sharp inhale as Tim straddled him and yanked his head back by his hair.

"It's either kiss you or punch you at the moment, and frankly this hurts my knuckles a lot less," Tim hissed. “Maybe if you try really hard you can make it matter enough for both of us to remember this time.” He kissed him with a vicious edge of teeth.

Damian went stiff and unresponsive beneath him. For one awful moment, Tim thought he had read the situation entirely wrong, and horror slid down his spine like an ice floe. He jerked away, ready to babble apologies and then die in a corner of shame somewhere.

Before he could go anywhere, Damian's hands shot out and grabbed his upper arms. "Don't you dare." He pulled Tim back into his lap.

Rage faded in the relief of not having hurt him. Tim sat again, unresisting, hands braced against his chest. "Do you want—"

"Do whatever you want with me." Damian wrapped his arms around Tim and drew him close against his own shoulder, in the process conveniently hiding his expression from Tim's view.

Tim decided to let him get away with it and pressed his face to Damian's jaw. His fingers found their tentative way to play with the ends of his hair. He was still shaken, enough so that he felt the need to be explicit. "Tell me how you want it. Please. Clothes on or clothes off?"

Damian tugged on his t-shirt. "I want to feel you against me."

Tim let him pull the shirt over his head. He started working on the knot in Damian's tie while Damian untied the drawstrings of his pants. "You're wearing too many things." He couldn't seem to catch his breath.

Damian pulled Tim’s sweats down to his thighs. "Unfortunately, I can't dress for work with the sole priority of being instantly accessible to your touch."

Tim’s brain turned to white noise for a second, blindsided by the wave of sheer possessive yes that crashed through him at the notion. He freed the tie from Damian's collar with unsteady hands and stood up to kick off his pants entirely, along with his underwear. Damian sprawled below him, looking like a perfume ad with his disheveled hair, rumpled unbuttoned shirt, and clear bulge in his tailored pants. Not to mention the sulky mouth.

"Christ. You drive me so insane, you don’t even know." He gripped the top of Damian's shirt and used it to throw Damian down on his back on the couch, a maneuver that wouldn't have worked if Damian hadn't cooperated. Straddling his hips again, he hurriedly ripped the buttons out of their holes, exposing Damian's chest to his perusal. “Gonna make sure you don’t forget about tonight.”

Damian grabbed his hips and ground Tim's ass down, against his own erection. "What a promise. How do you intend to deliver?"

Tim ducked to suck on his neck with enough force to bruise. "I've got a few ideas and zero champagne, so we're already halfway there." Something about having Damian's skin between his teeth was unbearably satisfying.

Damian moved restlessly beneath him, hands clutching and releasing over and over again. “S-Stop leaving marks on my neck. I have a presentation first thing in the morning.”

Tim smiled into his collarbone. “Then I get to leave marks anywhere below the neck?”

Damian pulled his own head back so their gazes could meet. "Yes."

day 56 here

#damitim #tim and damian and 150 prompts #like i know what you want #folliefic #nsft

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