#immortal spouses au

[sincerely-sofie]

you should do a reincarnation AU based on the Explorers of Spirit romhack

Hey guys remember this post?

[ura-niia]

Close your heart, the world is dark.

Fanart for @asg027 's Shepherd's Herd au!! Where lamb (Blaze being named) is the first spouse of death that accepted the golden skull necklace of immortality. Please take a read of her au it's so awesome and it's been plaguing my mind 👹

[rooksamoris]

💞 — 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒, 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄.

💞 — in which vil invites a vampire hunter to live in your castle as a guard. this hunter seems to enjoy pressing your buttons quite a bit.

💞 — vampire!vil schoenheit x vampire!reader x vampire hunter!rook hunt (implied poly)

💞 — warnings: SUGGESTIVE!! nothing crazy, but it is suggestive, hopefully in the gothic romantic sort of way. obvi, blood, mentions of gore. rook says "bon appetit" at some point. vil and reader are "married" but in the eternal partners thanks to immortality sort of way

💞 — 2.2k words. HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY @v-anrouge!!! when i was wondering what i should write, i remembered you were the one who gave me the thought of vampire hunter!rook which has completely haunted me since. i wish you a million more happy days <33 think imma do a whole au tagged as "𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄." bc wow i miss vampire stories

Vil could not have been serious about this.

You looked at him in disbelief as he sat at the luxurious table. He ignored your look of disbelief and continued to sip from his wine glass, the rid liquid sloshing to and fro. Any idiot would assume it was just wine or fruit cordial, but no, this was a bit too thick to be either. Your eyes then darted to the smiling blonde bowing at the both of you. That bastard hunter that you and your kind were constantly trying to get away from. He was grinning without a care as if he was not in the presence of one of the most feared vampires in all of the Twisted Wonderland. 

“You don’t look too pleased to see me, mon vampire,” he said, tilting his head to the side, smile ever present.

It took everything in you not to scrunch your nose, “What vampire would be pleased at the sight of a hunter?” you retorted, before looking back at Vil. You assumed he was bluffing when he told you he would employ a vampire hunter to keep watch over the castle. You knew why he did it—all that power came with enemies and artifacts that all manner of magical creatures wanted to steal for themselves. But come on, you hoped he would settle for a protective spell.

Vil finally sighed, “He won’t harm you, or me if he knows what’s best for him.”

“Oh, Roi du Poison, no need for worries. I could never dream of tarnishing such beauty,” he replied, standing straight again. Despite that smile of his, there was something sinister beneath it all. He was hiding something, that much was clear.

“Vil, darling, you can’t be serious—”

All the vampire did was stand and make his way over to you, standing behind your seat and placing one of his hands onto your shoulders, and then he used the other to cup your chin so that you were glancing over at him, “Stress ages the skin. Relax your brows,” he told you. Your immortality would keep you from aging just fine, yet he still insisted that you follow these human regiments with him.

After a moment, you sighed, letting your shoulders drop before sending a half-hearted glare at the hunter, “Fine,” 

“Good,” Vil moved away from you and to the blonde hunter, his hand quickly grasping his jaw, “And you,”

“Yes?” Rook asked, practically beaming over the fact that the poisonous vampire himself was touching him. He could barely keep himself from reaching out and embracing the vampire.

Before this, he had just been admiring you and your spouse. All of this was like something from one of his dreams. Here he was, in that gothic castle which he had only seen in paintings, with the famed vampires hiding in it. Rook could not wait till he was free to explore the place and uncover the magical secrets that were hidden there. Perhaps he would even get the chance to collect skeletons from the closets.

Your glares were exhilarating and Vil’s touch was just… arousing. This was the type of opportunity he would kill for. He probably did kill for it, no one could know when it came to him.

Vil’s lavender eyes traced over the hunter’s face, before narrowing in on his eyes, “You will be on your best behavior, yes?”

Rook nodded, placing a hand on his chest, “Of course, my queen.”

“Darling, quit your pouting already,” Vil said, glancing at you through the mirror as you tended to his hair. He never let anyone tend to his beauty process, but you. Who would not trust their eternal lover? He began to rub a serum into his skin, “I know you’re not happy, but you’re a vampire, not a toddler.”

You nearly tugged his hair at that, “You know how I feel about vampire hunters,” you told him, “And him? Of all the hunters to bring into our home, you have to bring the one with the most kills under his belt—if he tries anything, I’ll… I—”

“We’ll both feed off of him. Don’t worry,” he said, cutting you off as he turned around to face you. One of his hands reached for the brush and he set it at the vanity behind him while gazing up at you. His hands cupped your hips and forced you closer, “You worry too much. If he messes up, he’ll make for a great meal.”

His hands trailed up and down—hips, to thighs, hips, to waist—he had done this thousands of times before, “You’ve heard of his skill, his strength. A man with such endurance must have plenty of blood… all that running and fighting he does has to show in the health of his arteries. I’ll even let you use those fancy chalices you like,”

Oh, Sevens. He was so attractive when he went into his informative tangents.

A blush covered your cheeks and your hands reached to grab onto his shoulders so that you could balance yourself. Centuries later he still managed to make you blush like a rose. He claimed you were his spouse, but sometimes you felt more like a devout worshipper. His body was the shrine you bowed to, your love was the offerings you held out to him.

“I just ask that you play nice,” he said, his hand drifting from your hip, up to your cheek. A smirk came to his lips as he tugged your face towards him. He smirked when your eyes trailed over to his mouth, “You can do that, right?” 

All you could do was nod in response.

“Good,” And finally, he gave in and kissed you, teasingly dragging his fangs along your bottom lip. Vil knew how much you loved when he did that, he could feel it in the little shift you did as he held you close. He pulled away after a moment, just to let his hands dip down to the back of your legs and pull you into his lap, “Now, let me take care of you.”

Living in the castle with Rook was strange, but not completely horrible. He had so much to satisfy his curiosity, so most days you did not see him unless you were in places that he was monitoring. You caught him a few times in the secret tunnels beneath the castle, and the various hiding places that no one knew about.

He tried to get into your good graces with his… strange shows of affection. Last night, when he was walking you home from the opera, he told you how much he wished you would let your rage control so that you would sink your teeth into his pale freckled skin.

Strange, and yet your mind drifted back to the thought of it. Letting go of your control and pouncing onto the hunter, tearing the collar of his shirt, piercing that pretty skin of his. You forced the thoughts out of your mind when you began to imagine what his gasps and whimpers may have sounded like.

Vil seemed to be much more quick to let up when it came to Rook. He did not think the green-eyed hunter was a threat and just let him share his amorous and romantic poetry. At the dinner table, he would laud you and your Queen, comparing himself to the knights of yore, bound to protect and never to touch—and Vil did not interrupt him once. He looked pleased, instead, amused even.

Even more absurd was when Vil began letting Rook help him out with his clothes or his makeup. That had truly caught you off-guard, but you still did not seem to let up on your suspicions. He was just so unsettling sometimes, despite his sweet moments. You worried he would turn around and set a trap for you, or worse, for Vil. 

Vil could take care of himself, but you loved him too much to not worry.

“Ah, mon vampire!” 

You turned around when the hunter suddenly called out for you. Of course, he just happened to be in the gardens at the same time as you, “Rook,” you muttered, “Do you never sleep?”

He quickly took his spot at your side, his hand drifting to hover around the small of your back, “Now why would I tell a predator like you when I am most vulnerable?” he asked, this thumb sliding over your spine a bit. His green eyes looked a little more threatening for a moment, “That would make me a poor hunter, non?”

That look in his eyes made you shiver.

“I suppose you are right about that.” 

You were sure you could take him on in a fight, but you also wished Vil was out here too. Rook always seemed a little more behaved in the presence of Vil, since he was more of a threat than you were—or perhaps Rook just enjoyed toying with you more. When the two of you were alone, Rook seemed more like the bloodthirsty creature, except he thirsted for your ire. He was just begging to be your meal with the way he acted.

His touch grew firm, “Looking for an escape?” he asked, raising a brow, smiling at you. He looked quite pleased with himself.

“No,” you retorted, a little blush coloring your cheeks, “That’s what you should be doing.”

Rook laughed at that and his hand moved off your back and to your hand instead. Gently, he tugged you with him deeper into the gardens, “I would never want to escape from you. No matter how vicious you became,” he told you, affectionately.

You scoffed, “I don’t believe that for a minute,”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not. You’d run with your tail between your legs just as the other mortals do.”

He tugged you a bit harder once he came to a stop, forcing you to fall against him. The blonde nearly shivered as your hands met his chest to steady yourself, “Mon vampire,” he whispered, “You and I both know I would never run from those gorgeous fangs of yours,” he said as his free hand cupped your jaw.

The foolish hunter was guiding your face toward his pale neck. A soft growl came from the back of your throat, “Stupid hunter,” you muttered. That familiar bloodlust began to seep from your every pore.

“Go on,” he cooed, “bon appétit.”

You decided to give in—his blood just smelled too good. You brushed his blonde hair behind his ear before slipping a hand behind his neck to force him closer to you, causing him to place his hands on either side of your head, against one of the pillars in the gardens.

Fangs glittered beneath the night sky like swords on the battlefield, his neck was your enemy. All you wanted to do was suck him dry, and end that dull beating you could hear where his blood was rushing. Vil had told you athletic people carried more blood. He shivered as your tongue swiped against his neck.

“Ah—wetting my neck to make it easier? You are just so—”

Before he could finish with his teasing, you quickly and violently sunk your fangs into his neck, humming in satisfaction as his blood hit your tongue. His body tensed up for a moment and then he relaxed, leaning his body against you, pinning you to the pillar. He gasped a bit at your harsh sucking, but never once did his protest.

Instead, his fingers tenderly carded through your hair, “Mmm… Tu es merveilleux.”

You could not even bring yourself to pull away and reply to his compliments, instead opting to dig your fangs in even deeper. The blood began to drip down your chin, Vil would scold you for that, but you did not care. His blood was delicious.

“What have I told you about getting blood on your clothes when you’re feeding?”

Speak of the devil—erm, vampire.

Quickly, you pulled away from Rook’s neck and you were just about to wipe your face on your sleeve, until you felt Vil’s sharp glare and Rook’s hand grasp your arm in time. 

The hunter gave you a teasing smile, before turning his attention to Vil.

There was a frown on Vil’s face, “I can’t believe you managed to make such a mess in the five minutes that I have left you alone.”

“Merci, I do my best.”

“It wasn’t a compliment. Look what you have done to mein schätzelein,” he scolded, as he took out a handkerchief to wipe up your mouth for you. His attention was now on gently wiping away the blood that dripped down to your chin and onto your chest. He patted it down, careful not to rub too hard. A brief look of hunger flashed in his eyes as he wiped the blood. He nearly bent down to lick it off of you instead. “Such a mess... and I thought we promised we’d feed on him together? Greed is not a pretty look for you.”

The flush on your cheeks brightened, much to both of their amusement.

“Don’t scold them, Roi du Poison. It was my fault. I was teasing too much,” Rook interrupted before you could speak. One of his hands trailed down your back, while the other slipped around Vil’s waist, “But since you’re here now, you can have a taste as well.”

Vil rolled his eyes, “I am much better at controlling myself,”

That was a lie. His eyes kept drifting between the pierce marks on Rook’s neck and the little bit of blood stuck on the corner of your lips.

©rooksamoris 2024. do not steal or translate my work!

support me on ko-fi!

[sh1-n0bu]

✿ 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙮𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 ✿

𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙨𝙚��𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩!

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 1 — The daily life of you and your husband

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 2 — Daily life of the assassin husband

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 3 — Daily life of the sleepyhead house-spouse

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 4 — An ugly accident

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 5 — Cats out of the bag

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 6 — Settling back to normalcy

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 7 — Trying for a baby?!

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 — Middle school sweethearts

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 — My husband got turned into a what?!

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 — Oh no, the sleepyhead house-spouse is sent to another dimension?!

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 — The way of the househusband!

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚:

characters: blade x gn!reader

warnings: modern au! blade is his work codename, he’s referred to as yingxing at other times, reader is a house-spouse and completely gender neutral, fluff, angst, injury, mentions of blood, reverse comfort, comfort, hospital (yikes), character may be OOC at times (bc he’s not immortal and hasn’t gotten his thousands of years of pain and suffering), reader has narcolepsy. i am no medical student nor have any knowledge on the disease. everything described is all taken from the internet!!!

synopsis: in which your loving babygirl husband is an assassin in secret and your his sweetheart house-spouse! alongside other shenanigans!

side notes: the amazing fanart of blade above belongs to @/mochaqiaokeli from twt!! check them out!! and the cute divider belongs to @ohmarigold

[quitealotofsodapop]

okay so, I was curious for something that’s been on my mind for a while….so, in slow boiled au, Wukong kills Mac because he was protecting his egg…my question is, What would have happened if Macaque did kill the egg?

I feel really bad for asking but it has been in my head for months.

Odds are; a version of the Century Egg Au (perhaps even happening within it).

Wukong exits the mountain with an Egg. An Egg that has a pretty high chance to kill him no matter the immortalities he's accumulated over the centuries. He's excited but terrified all at once.

Then the infamous fight between him and Macaque occurs, but unlike the other Egg aus... Macaque's strike at Wukong's stomach was true, or the stress of losing his mate was just too much for Wukong's body to handle. Because Wukong can handle a hit a or too - he's damn near indestructible and the Egg has magic of it's own, but what the Egg cannot handle is the mental and emotional anguish of it's parent. Stone Monkeys who are successfully revived from their stasis *do* often lose their Eggs as a means of ensuring the parent's continued survival - even if it means losing the last trace of their lost spouse.

Now suddenly there's no more Egg.

Wukong's body reabsorbs all the Dao the egg stored over the course of those years. He even experiences symptoms similar to what happened to Zhu Bajie and Tripitaka when they took the Spring Water in the Kingdom of Women.

He now knows that both the Egg and his Mate are Gone.

Wukong falls into a depression that takes decades for him to recover from. His Pilgrim brothers having no easy way to comfort him. Guanyin weeps for her adoptive son/brother as he sobs into their arms. Even the Ten Kings feel the Monkey King's sorrow from a Realm away - out of pity, Ksitigarbha ensures that the Egg's soul is kept safe for a time until when they may rejoin their parent.

DBK and PIF are informed of what happened, the two overwhelmingly sympathetic from their own losses. The birth of Red Son was the first light in Wukong's life for a long time after his tragedy. But he still fantasies of what sort of person his cub may have turned out to be if they had made it.

Then around 500 years before the present day, Wukong finally decides once and for all to take the initiative and bring his child back into the world - even if it means his own passing.

DBK's reaction to learning of his younger brother's intentions is... volcanic to say the least.

Wukong, already despairing the loss of his first child, his mate, and his Pilgrim brothers, now becomes responsible for the imprisonment of his older brother and the separation of his family. The very same people who got him through the toughest point of his life!

Informing Nezha that he intends on a "extended meditation" on his island, Wukong makes the preparations.

He wraps himself in Macaque's scarf before he buries himself into the dirt of Water Curtain Cave, only Nezha, PIF, and his dear Stalwarts privy to his location.

And he sleeps.

Until the reincarnated form of his dearest brothers find him.

[fictionplumis]

Dreamling: Arranged Marriage AU

This idea won't leave me alone until I write it. A Dreamling arranged marriage AU where Night decides her children could stand to be a little closer to mortals lest they end up like their father and completely separated from them, so she decides one of them needs to take on a mortal consort--who would then become immortal, no she does not think this would eventually compromise the integrity of her idea. Ideally, all of them would have a mortal consort, but even she recognizes the problem with that. Destiny doesn't meddle in mortal affairs at all, Death is far too busy, Destruction has been pulling back from his duties and neglecting his realm (he's still there, for now, but they all know he's not really doing anything anymore, they just don't know how to bring it up to him), Desire is far too immature, making a mortal spend eternity with Despair would be cruel, and Delirium would drive her spouse insane.

So it's decided that Dream (this is about Sandman, not the YouTuber, if this post breaks containment PLEASE understand this is about the Sandman NOT the YouTuber) is the only suitable candidate, and the others will just have to experience mortals through their sibling-in-law. Night declares it, says she doesn't care how it's done as long as it's done, the end. 

(I'm sorry all you people that want Night and Time to be good supportive parents, but I read Overture, they fucking suck. Night will not show up to the wedding because she's already written off her children as selfish and ungrateful anyway, this is in part a way to punish them and to punish Dream, and Time finds this ridiculous but knows it will happen, has already happened, is happening, and he doesn't really care.)

Dream hates this. If he had his choice he would pluck the first mortal up, marry them, and promptly forget about them and go back to ruling his realm. That's why his siblings decide that he cannot, under any circumstances, be in charge of this.

Instead they decide on a friendly competition. They will each (all except for Destiny, who already knows the various different outcomes and has decided to observe but not participate) pick a candidate for Dream. The Endless don't really abide by silly things like linear time and whatnot, so it could literally be any mortal they nominate. They will each then devise a trial to test what they each believe to be an important quality necessary to marry Dream of the Endless and become Prince Consort of the Dreaming. All candidates will be put through the tests until there's one remaining. 

(I'm sorry, Calliope will not be in this because I can't think of a realistic way she would be eliminated and she's technically not mortal anyway.)

Death finds her candidate in a dingy tavern on Earth, circa 1389, when she overhears a drunken snippet of conversation. A man boldly claiming she's stupid and he's going to live forever. It's a jest, she knows. He doesn't actually believe he'll live forever, but there is the desire to within him and in thirty seconds he's proven himself a natural storyteller. It's a whim that she approaches him with an amused, "Did I hear that right, you intend to live forever?" 

The table goes silent. Hob's companions are smirking between him and the woman suggestively and Hob waves them off with a laugh. "Aye, that's right." 

"I believe you and I need to talk, then. Somewhere more private." 

There's some immature tutting from his mates, and Hob looks surprised and thrilled all at once, because she's very beautiful though why she's interested in him when her outfit implies she's chaste-- But hell if he's going to pass up the opportunity, so he goes with her, tries to make a move on her the second they're around the corner and she laughs in his face, easily bats him away, and goes, "You're cute, but not my type, Robert Gadling. No, I'm here to offer you a chance at immortality." 

He grows wary at first. Asks if she's the devil, but she just stares at him patiently until he realizes who she is and stumbles back in fear and surprise, only to be laughed at again. Kinder, this time. 

"I'm not here to take you, though..." She eyes the tankard in his hand with raised brows. "It is a shame you didn't lay off the ale sooner." He quickly sets the tankard down and steps away from it. 

The deal is this. He'll be part of a competition, though he won't know it or remember this conversation. Should he win, he'll be immortal. If he loses, he'll be returned to his life right before she approached him, to live out what few hours he has left, never remembering any of this. She leaves out how he'll become immortal, leaves out that he'll end up marrying her sullen little brother and becoming Prince Consort to his realm, but what are the changes he'll win anyway?

Dream is surprised to find that each of his siblings picks someone that does, on some level, appeal to him. He's a romantic at heart, it's hard not to fall a little bit in love with each other of them as he watches how this plays out.

The competition is this: 

Each candidate will live what they perceive to be four lifetimes in a dream. For the most part, they're just going to be jumping from important decision to important decision, with the blanks filled in for them through false memories to make it feel like it's been four lifetimes and not a few days at most. At the end of each lifetime, they'll be asked if they wish to continue living. That is Death's trial, because anyone marrying an Endless must be resilient enough to keep going. 

The first lifetime is Despair's test, in which the candidates discover that they won't age, they won't die, that their life may very well be unending. They lose their families, their friends, and realize that they always will. They don't know if there's any way to opt out or not, so for all they know, one day in the very distance future, they will be the only one left. Despair wants to make sure the idea of Endlessness is not a curse for Dream's spouse to bear, though she herself would thrive off that, personally.

Ironically, it's Despair's candidate, the queen of the first human civilization, that falls to this test. Nada lives the first lifetime without ever knowing true, passionate love. She's pushed into marrying someone who is a good ruler for her people, and when they pass, she marries someone else who is also a good ruler for her people, and she sees that there are those besides herself who have the judgement necessary to rule. She's proud of the city she's created, she's proud of her people, and the idea of eventually watching them die and come to an end as all things do, it kills her inside. It doesn't matter that it might be millennia from now. When a gentle voice asks one day if she wishes to continue living, she contemplates it, contemplates her current husband, closes her eyes, and says, "No. I think it's time for a new queen to rule my people." 

Hob, on the other hand, has spent his lifetime fighting, mostly, a bit of highway robbery when he couldn't find a war. Lots of brothels. He's eaten stuff he shouldn't have, gotten himself mortally injured more than a few times, bounced back from it, and now he's into this printing thing. No guilds to restrict it yet, it pays well, and he's been teaching himself how to read. He's sitting in an inn, drinking ale next to the hearth, no smoke in his eyes, and thinking about swindling the table next to him in a round of cards to pay for some more ale. When the same voices asks him if wishes to keep living, his eyes get bright and he answers, "Oh yes." The thought of what his immortality might mean never really crossed his mind. He lost people, sure, but he would have lost them anyway, and there's always more people to meet. This is amazing. 

The second lifetime is Desire's test. Desire, who actually cares on some level, in their own way, and knows that if their big brother marries an idiot, they'll have to put up with them, so they have to make sure Dream marries someone halfway decent. Someone who might keep him busy. Someone who desires things strongly, but is not so ruled by them that they'll give up their duty to chase distractions, nor will they give up if Dream doesn't desire them the way they wish--which is very likely. In Desire's test, each candidate is given people to love, fully and completely, with all their heart, and are forced to watch that thing die violently and terribly only to be asked right afterwards if they still wish to live. 

Delirium's candidate is Killala of the Glow, who finds out that the beautiful green star of her solar system, which is the cause of her power, is a conscious, living thing. And he loves her. He is everything she ever wanted. With him, her powers grow. She learns to use them better, to get stronger with them, to understand them and herself. It shouldn't have happened so soon, they should have had millennia together, but something happens and he has just enough time to warn her, to explain that he's dying and that she needs to be strong and use her powers to shield her world from him or his death will raze it all to the ground. She doesn't understand how this could happen, she can't concentrate through her grief, her planet is destroyed and as she's floating amongst the burning cold heat of her lover collapsing in on himself, she's asked if she still wishes to live and she says no. 

Hob meets Eleanor, who is charming and funny and matches him wit for wit. She doesn't ask about his past or how he acquired his money. He's never been in love before. He thought he would continue finding his companionship in brothels and had felt perfectly content with that, but now there's her, and he wants so very badly to marry her, to be her escape away from her traditionalist of a father who stifles her wit into silence. So he does. And he has a son, a beautiful baby boy that he promises the world to. Then there's the promise of another child, and he's thrilled. 

He's there in the room, holding Eleanor's hand, terrified when she goes into labor months earlier than planned. She's in so much pain. The baby isn't crying. The midwife is trying desperately to stop the bleeding. The blood is still warm on Hob's skin and clothing as he holds Eleanor's lifeless body and sobs. His son needs a mother. Needs a father but he knows, in that moment, that he will be a useless one to the boy like this. Robyn has his temper, he'll die too young and Hob will have failed him. 

When he's asked if he wishes to keep living, he thinks of how the blood is still warm on his skin, and how ashen Eleanor looks in his arms, and he brushes her hair back from her face and says, brokenly, "Someone has to remember her. She wouldn't... She wouldn't want me to give up, now would she?" 

Delirium knows better than any endless how pain and suffering can break a mind. Dream is the Lord of Nightmares as much as he is the Lord of Dreams. Or maybe she was just feeling particularly sadistic because she doesn't understand why she can't get married, she would love to get married, she could turn her spouse into bubbles and they would look so pretty floating around her realm, or maybe even glitter, or frogs! But no, she's not getting married, Dream is, and Dream is mean sometimes, so maybe she just decides to be mean to whoever he gets to married. It's hard to tell if even she knows her own motivation. 

But the candidates suffer for her trial, pushed to their breaking points and then past them. 

Destruction's candidate has never really known suffering before these trials. Or living, really. See, Destruction hadn't actually gone out to try to find someone for Dream, he had been busy trying to learn how to carve a piece of marble into a shape without reducing it to rubble. Once everyone else had found their candidate, he went to Desire and was like, "Hey, so..." 

Desire sighed, and rolled their eyes, and was like, "Fine, I'll help you. I'll construct a woman to be your candidate. If I don't win, maybe you will." 

Thus Alianora was created. She's strong, smart, and while she can handle loss, she was created to be a lover. To be loved. To be a partner. Under Delirium's trial, she is alone, she suffers alone, no one pays her any mind or they hurt her worse, and she withers. She grows morose, she grows desperate, she grows hysterical in her isolation. She loses her mind. She never does answer the question of whether or not she wishes to keep living. It's questionable if she can answer the question, if she even fully understands it. Unfortunately, there is no coming back from such a thing, even if they fix her mind and these trials became like just a dream to her. There's no place for her to go now that she's lost this trial, no home for her to go back to. She's the only true causality of this game and Dream, aching for her and bitter over Desire's causal indifference, makes a Dreamscape for Alianora to live in where she'll never be alone. It's the least he can do.

Hob goes a touch insane himself, but the cracks in his mind are strategic. Like crumple zones in a car, it's to survive what comes next. He's drowned as a witch. Over and over, rocks tied to his ankles, tossed into the water, and every time he surfaces they catch him and do it all over again. Again and again. Dirty pond water filling his lungs, his chest fit to burst, throat and nose raw from inhaling liquid, skin clammy and near rotten. He lets himself break so that when the moment for real escape presents itself, he's not so gone that he misses the opportunity or that he stupidly cocks it all up. 

He does escape, but he's lost everything in a world where value is determined by wealth. He sleeps on the street, mutters to himself, has arguments with made up people in an attempt to kept his mind sharp and to distract himself from the decades where he starves and starves but never dies, his stomach endlessly digesting itself and he throws up what little bit of scraps he can get his hands on, which just makes it worse. 

When he's asked if he still wishes to live, he tosses his head back and laughs, startling a couple people walking past him on the street, who walk a bit quicker, and he asks, "Are you crazy?" Dream is leaned in where they watch these dreams projected above the family meeting table, and if one paid attention they might see that his eyes were rimmed red, thinking that Delirium's trial would claim another. At least he could be fixed, and would soon after go to the Sunless Lands to live in peace. He deserved that. They all did. 

"Death is a mug's game! I have so much left to live for!" 

And now there are two left to face down Destruction's trial. 

Destruction may not have put effort into finding a suitable candidate, but he did devise a good trial. While his brother did need someone strong and resilient, they had to be what Dream lacked as well. They needed to be flexible. They needed to learn and grow from their mistakes. They needed to have compassion. All of these things to teach Dream the same, to encourage these things during the moments that Dream lacks them. His trial isn't about pushing the candidates into choosing Death, there's a very clear answer to his and if the candidate does not find it, they fail, whether they want to continue living or not. 

Desire's candidate has yet to break. She has no intention of dying. She's more than willing to let go of what she desires if it means furthering her ambitions. Suffering doesn't break her, it only pisses her off. Dream isn't sure what to think of this woman. He doesn't really like her on a personal level, she would be nothing but trouble actually, but there is a certain appeal to her. He would never have to worry about hurting her unintentionally, at least. But she's greedy and she doesn't care who she hurts to get her way. And when Destruction's test rewrites her memories to have it where her immortality is granted to her through the blood of other witches, of her sisters, killed by her and sacrificed to the Hecate, the Three-in-One, the One Who is Three, and that more will die by her hands to keep living, she feels a twinge of grief and guilt. 

So Thessaly simply decides to not think about it. She misses them, but it's just proof that she was stronger than them. Smarter than them. That she deserved to be here instead of dying out with them. And if she's able to continue making these sacrifices, if no one is able to stop her, then clearly it's just more proof she deserves this. 

She fails, and no amount of Desire calling bullshit on Destruction's verdict changes his mind. 

Hob, meanwhile, has rebuilt his life. His fortune. He's living well again, he's at no risk of starving, no need to fight in anymore wars because he has pockets of money all across the world he can run off to at the first sign of trouble. He has connections and a successful business. 

He's talking with someone about said business only to have them eye him judgmentally. He's told, "It is a poor thing to enslave another." 

He's a bit rankled at being called out on it. He shrugs, says that's just how it's done, because it is. It is. And at first it looks like he's going to fail too and this whole venture will have to be start all over, new candidates found, but as they watch him, the words aren't easily pushed from his mind. He dwells on them. He starts going through charters and logs. He gets restless sitting at home, surrounded by his newly regained wealth. He starts contacting his ships, digging into their practices that's never really taken the time to learn the specifics of before. A captain offers to let Hob sail a round with him so he could show off how safe the investment is, fearing that perhaps Hob is only questioning because he's afraid of potential repercussions.

He's shown how people are collected. Chained together. The conditions they're kept in on ship, the treatment the sailors give them. The captain explains that if they're pursued, it's easy enough to dump the cargo into the ocean, the chains ensure they all sink, no one is the wiser. 

They don't leave port until everyone is loaded off the ship, and Hob demands they go straight back to England. He contacts every ship in his business and puts a stop to it. Cuts every shipping tie he has and when captains tell him he'll never make another quid, he tells him them he doesn't care, it's not worth it. The guilt still eats at him. It's not enough to make him forget the imagined faces of all the lives he's destroyed, drowning the same way he had, again and again, or resigned to a fate worse than death in most cases. He drinks himself into a stupor most nights. 

He's drunk when he's asked if he still wishes to live. It's not the kind, understanding woman's voice that usually asks. It's a man's, soft and deep, curious, and Hob swirls his glass of brandy, contemplating whether he deserves to or not when he was responsible for the death of so many innocents. They weren't killed in a fight, they didn't have anything worth taking from them, it was just cruelty against helpless people. He swings back the rest of his drink and mutters, bitterly, "History has a way of erasing these things, doesn't it? It forgets what it doesn't want to remember. Someone needs to remember. Someone needs to remind people of this. It won't ever be enough to make up for what I've allowed, but this is something I must live with. To die now and let the world forget would make me a coward shirking responsibility for myself." 

Just like that, he's sober again and standing in a room that's a mix of the time periods he lived through in his dream. It's warm, inviting. There's a four poster bed, a large hearth with piles of comfortable pillows in front of it. An oak wardrobe simply carved but beautiful. Rugs over stone floors. There's a large balcony that lets in plenty of natural light, and it overlooks fantastical mountains in the distance, and a harbor filled with ships of every kind, and sea serpents lazily winding their way through them. Hob had never given much thought to what his perfect room would look like, but he knows he's standing in it. 

The dream he lived through feels like a dream, it's hazy and indistinct, disconnected from the emotions that he once felt were so real and consumed by. But he's not the same man he was when it started. He's retained the lessons learned about living, about compassion, he's more mature, he still remembers how to read. It's all still there, but the loss and grief and guilt are distant now, more like a story he read than a life he lived. 

And Death is there with him, dressed in black jeans and a tank top, smiling proudly at him. He suddenly remembers the competition and has a brief moment of panic, blurts out, "Oh god, I lost and drunk myself to death and this is heaven--" 

"No, you won, Hob!"

"What?"

"You won!" And then she has to explain that while yes, he technically will be immortal, it's only because he now has to marry her little brother. They move out to the balcony and she explains that they're in the Dreaming and what that means while Hob looks around in awe. "He's not bad, my brother," she assures. "He's a bit distant, mostly. A stickler for his rules. He's prideful and can have quite temper if you insult that. It's wise to remember that he rules dreams and nightmares here. But at worst, he'll probably go back to his work and forget you exist, and you'll have the whole of his realm to explore. Unfortunately, you can't back out now." 

"Oh, I wouldn't if I could," Hob assures quickly, waving the concern off. "Marrying a nightmare sure beats rotting to maggots in the ground. I'll take it. What's expected of me?" 

She tells him that he probably won't have any actual duties, and Prince Consort will more than likely just be a title. Theoretically, Hob could hold sway over the Dreaming nearly as much as Dream did, but that required getting close to Dream. "Consummating your marriage," she tactfully puts it. "Each time you got closer to my brother, each time he lets you closer and as his trust and care grows, you would find the Dreaming responding easier and easier to you. The Dreaming is an extension of him, after all. And it's better that way, because you're immortal but still human, and suddenly having awareness of this would be way too much to pile on your mind all at once. But I doubt you'll have to worry about it. My brother seems curious about you but he's stubborn and easily distracted."

The wedding happens that night. 

Hob hasn't met his betrothed yet. 

Death dresses him in a stunning white suit with gold accents. His cravat is the finest woven white silk, embroidered in gold. He has a halo of gold light. There's a bloody cape. It drapes like heavy velvet but it's light and sheer and glitters like stars. He's a nervous wreck and she laughs gently and assures him that he'll know what to do when the time comes. 

Everything that dreams attends the wedding. It shouldn't have been possible to fit so many people in a room, but they're there. It should have taken years for Hob to walk down the aisle to the staircase to the raised dais and the throne, but it was a short walk and the whole time Hob can do nothing but stare at the man standing in front of the throne who has his chin raised, his dark eyes a host of starlight. He does seem vaguely curious. And haughty. And prideful. And beautiful. He's dressed in a similar suit of black, his sheer cape swirling with galaxies and nebula, and there's a sword of obsidian glass in his hands, the point resting gently against the stone floor. 

Hob knows intuitively to kneel the second he ascends the last stair, but he can't quite manage to duck his head like he knows is proper because he can't look away from this creature. Thankfully it produces something startlingly close to amusement in his betrothed. 

"Robert Gadling," he murmurs, his voice soft but carrying, the same one that had last asked him if he wished to live. He holds out his hand, a ruby ring already on his finger. "Swear your fealty to me." And then lower, softer, just between the two of them, "Do not be nervous, the words will come." 

And they do. A bit breathless, but they come after Hob reaches for the hand and presses his lips to the ring, his eyes still on the entity soon to be his husband in what has to be the weird marriage ritual of all time. "I swear my undying fealty to you, Morpheus, Lord of the Dreaming, Ruler of the Nightmare Realms, Prince of Stories and Shaper of Form. I swear to reside at your side, to give my loyalty to you and this Realm first and foremost, and to never raise a hand or support any threat to the denizens here. I am yours, Dream of the Endless." The words tighten through his chest like a binding and good lord, there's the smallest little smile on the Lord's face and he doesn't have a halo but the way the light from the stained glass windows behind him shines, it looks like he does and it's beautiful. 

Dream takes back his hand. He raises his sword and taps both of Hob's shoulders. At the second one, Hob feels the weight of a ring on his own finger. "Arise, Prince Consort of the Dreaming." 

Most people leave after that, they wake up and go about their lives, knowing something changed but not sure what. Some stay, and there's some mingling, and a reception dinner, and Hob barely gets a second to say two words to his husband. He's introduced to family, to Titania and motherfucking Lucifer. A librarian gives him her congratulations, a scarecrow with a pumpkin heads does so with a bit more reluctance and wariness, a raven with a white breast chats with him. She explains that she retired not too long ago, and nods towards a larger raven currently trying to figure out how to get his head into a champagne glass, explaining that he's her replacement. Despite how stupid he looks, she assures Hob that he's a good raven. 

There's a murder at one point. A man is stabbed through the eye with a serving fork. Some blond man in sunglasses looks intrigued by the turn of events, but he's the only one that bothers to react. The murderer tells him not to fucking try it, and then drags the body off. His husband merely tells him that it's normal and fine and that's pretty much the most he says aside from introducing Hob to people and staring at him from the corner of his black eyes. It's a whirlwind night and Hob ends it champagne drunk and passed out alone in his bed in his private quarters, not realizing until morning that he doesn't even know how to find his way around, let alone where the fuck his husband's room is. 

But when he stares at the ruby on his ring in the morning, he knows that he won't stop trying to woo his husband until they are properly, happily married, because one glimpse and Hob Gadling or whatever his surname was now, was most definitely head over heels in love. And thus begins the long and arduous process of courting his husband, the most stubborn man in existence, who is terrified of falling of in love and potentially being too much and would just rather keep his distance thank you very much. He makes it hard for Hob, until Hob remembers Death explaining that the Dreaming was an extension of him. If getting closer to Dream makes him closer to the Dreaming, maybe getting closer to the Dreaming will make him closer to Dream? It's worth a shot.

At the very least, Dream definitely takes note of the way everyone in his realm seems to be so smitten with his Prince Consort all of the sudden.

And that's it, that's all I have. I'm yeeting this out there to get it out of my head and now that you have it, you're free to do whatever you want with it. Change it up, write it, draw it, whatever, I don't care, you can have it now, just tell me if you do something with it because I wanna see okay thanks byee.

[doverstar]

THERE WAS NO OTHER ENDING FOR ROSE and ya know what, I like to think the doctor thinks so too

I think he does too! I’m gonna talk about it, are you ready for me to talk about it? Are you ready for an essay-

I think the Doctor would agree that the ending Rose got—the one with Tentoo on Pete’s World—was the best possible fate for her. I’ll explain why, because I feel like it. First I’ll break down Rose’s most popular alternative-endings. Let’s start with Rose-stays-with-him-until-she-dies. That’s the one Rose decided on long before Canary Wharf. She planned on staying with the Time Lord until she physically couldn’t anymore. Forever.

First of all, that would be painful for the Doctor. He already said it. Watching Rose get shot, drowned, stabbed, sucked into a black hole, sacrificed for a remote planet’s civilization, poisoned, pulled into a void, atomized, eaten, possessed, run over, diseased, or ripped apart would be traumatic and terrible for the Doctor.

Watching Rose grow old and tired and then die would also be incredibly painful. He might try to prolong her life in alien ways, even in medical ways, but then she’s subjected to an unnatural, un-human existence until death claims her. Making a naturally-decaying body stick around and eke out another year, another hour, another century while he watches, exactly the same as ever. Yikes. Not fun for either of them. No thank you. He was against that ending with good reason.

Now, this ending where Rose stays with him until she dies? It is no less an emotional commitment to make than the one every married couple on Earth, every affectionate relationship on Earth, makes. Friends, family, spouses. You will lose them. You have to decide to love them knowing that.

The Doctor does love Rose, but he can’t tell her or admit it aloud because to do that would be facing a reality he’s not willing to face: he loves something he will inevitably lose. The old coward will not do it.

I believe that if Rose wanted to stay with him until she died, knowing she has a shorter lifespan but committing to holding his hand until she could not hold it anymore because he needs that and she can give it to him, and she knows he loves her back—100% yes girl, go for it. That is good and right and fine and she should be allowed to make that commitment. That’s love. That’s literal marriage vows. That’s unconditional, unwavering, and Rose is the first companion in 60 years of TARDIS passengers to love him like that. And he knows it. And it’s scary. But. Even in marriage, that is a commitment that has to be agreed upon by both parties. And the Doctor did not agree. The Doctor, selfish old man, is too afraid. He doesn’t want to watch Rose die, and he tried to explain that to her without confessing anything, and she heard him and tried to explain to him that she decided he would always have her if she had anything to say about it, not for her sake, but for his. (“Who’s gonna hold his hand now?” “I made my choice a long time ago and I’m never gonna leave you.” “Forever.”)

Now. That’s the first option for an alternate ending for Rose. She stays with him as a mortal and he has to watch her die, and they either dance around expressing their love in an unspoken, inexplicit way until he loses her and it’s agony, or they jump in with both feet and enjoy the time they have left, however many days Rose has before death, with the knowledge and understanding that he will outlive her, which is agony but with kissing. Still not 100% happy because one of them is, well, in agony. With a significantly long life stretched out ahead of him to spend as a widower. And it would fundamentally change the nature of a 60-year-old television show, but that’s another Ask for another time. Next is the Immortal!Rose AU, or the Bad Wolf AU. Personally, I don’t care for this AU (though I get the appeal and I do sometimes wish it could be that way). I used to think it was a good idea, and sometimes it's still sweet and I can see it, but the older I got, the more I disagreed with it. Because really, it doesn’t work. The AU’s idea—or its most popular explanation—is that Rose, by absorbing the Time Vortex and looking into the heart of the TARDIS in The Parting of the Ways, retained one slice of her godlike powers: she became immortal. Even after the Doctor kissed her and took the Vortex away to save her. The most-used version of this is that neither Rose nor the Doctor are aware that Rose was left with immortality until Tentoo ages and she doesn’t, or her family ages and she doesn’t.

The reason why I don’t think the Doctor would ultimately want this ending for Rose? The Doctor himself would not recommend immortality. He knows it’s ultimately a devastating existence. He himself has a ridiculously-long lifespan. Time Lords are supposed to only have a certain number of regenerations, but each regeneration, if left to age naturally, lives a long freaking time. (With the new Timeless Child nonsense, who knows, apparently the Doctor exclusively is immortal? I pretend I do not see it.) And then if they should die of old age, they regenerate and another chapter of life begins. So the Doctor knows what it’s like to essentially be immortal. And he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like watching his friends die around him. He doesn’t like knowing he will outlive the people and places he cares about. He hates it. “Immortality is everybody else dying.” “In the end you just get tired. Tired of the struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust.” That last line, the Lazarus speech, sounds familiar because it’s something similar, interestingly, to what Rose said when she was the Bad Wolf. “Everything comes to dust.” Immortality is not a blessing. Immortality is absolutely a curse, and the show treats it like a curse. It’s not just never dying. Immortality is being alone and being unnatural. It’s bad. It’s not a good thing. If you were a 100% perfect person with a 100% perfect memory, it might be doable, but it’s not an easy existence. It sounds awful actually. We saw it with Ashildr (terrible idea). She’s miserable. She never really stops being miserable. Think about this: the Doctor is (kind of) immortal. He never stays in one place for too long, and he is careful to bring along far more mortal traveling companions wherever he goes. The Doctor once told Amy that he brought her with him because he can’t “see it” anymore (meaning the universe and its value), but he brings Amy and others with him because they can see it. “And when you see it, I see it.” What is everyone always telling him? Don’t travel alone. Not because he’s lonely—even though he totally is. It’s because when he is alone, the Doctor becomes a hazard, not a help. He starts to feel like he can do whatever he wants. I mean, think about it. He starts to feel like his judgement is infallible, because he’s basically a god, isn’t he? But no one should have that much power. It takes a lot to kill him, he’s a genius, and he has a time-and-space machine. What can’t he do? After a long, long, long time of living and being alone, essentially in an echo chamber with himself, the Doctor would lose empathy and compassion and humility just like anyone else. Because he’s not perfect. But he brings friends along to remind him he can stop now. To remind him we don’t walk away. To remind him that the universe has life in it that is worth saving, and that there is such a thing as right and wrong, and that he is not God, and that there is no such thing as little people. 900 years of time and space and he’s never met anybody who wasn’t important before. He needs his friends to hold him to the mark.

So—the Doctor knows that being immortal basically means that in the end you’ll see everything come to dust. If you’re not careful, you won’t be you anymore. And nothing and no one else will be themselves to you, either. You will lose the people/places you care about, and you will be alone, and you will stop caring. And then not only will you be wretched, you’ll be dangerous. Someone who doesn’t care is dangerous. It’s Ted Bundy. It’s evil. But it’s okay, I hear you saying. If they had each other, he would always have someone to hold him to the mark! Well - yes and then no - Think about Rose. Rose Tyler is a young human woman with so much empathy and sympathy. She is “so human”, in the Doctor’s own words. She is imperfect, and selfish, and petty, and easily angry and easily jealous. She is also impossibly compassionate, even towards the most ruthless murderous species. She’s kind and generous and brave and has a strong sense of justice. She’s often very selfless and very loving. Especially toward the Doctor. She values doing the right thing. A lot of those traits are found in the Doctor’s other friends (he chooses them with great care). But Rose is different. The Doctor is in love with Rose. And Rose is a lot of ‘firsts’ for Doctor Who. She’s the first companion to inspire change in a Dalek. She’s the first companion to tell him she’s in love with him. (Jo loved him, Sarah Jane loved him, Grace loved him, yes I know there were others.) She’s the first companion to be a real, proper onscreen equal to the Doctor, and not in a She’s Basically the Doctor But A Girl way, like Clara Oswald tried to be. She is not his assistant, his carer, his associate, his sidekick, his adoptive daughter, adoptive little sister, biological granddaughter, or his partner. Not to be Emily Bronte, but these two characters have the same heart. Like recognized like and fell in love. Perfect complementation. That is also another Ask for another time –

RTD said that Rose “humans [the Doctor] and he Time Lords her”. He brings out the courage and confidence in her that makes her so exceptional as a human, things that turn her into a hero, things she already had in her that the Doctor pulled forward. In turn, she brings out the compassion and humility in him that makes him a hero instead of a villain, things he always had in him that she pulled forward, adding humanity which would otherwise be easy for him to cast off.

But she can’t human him if she isn’t human anymore.

The things that make Rose an exceptional mortal would no longer be exceptional if she were immortal. The good traits would be a duty to retain, and the bad traits would be a poison to keep at bay. Because Rose is on a different level when it comes to her relationship with the Doctor, she could, for a time, help hold him to the mark. They would be exactly as we saw them in the show—passing by, helping out, saving the day, loving one another, making one another better. And then after eons go by, they would be each other’s echo chamber. Rose is the Doctor’s equal? Given eternity to stagnate in, what was once a strength would quickly become a weakness. Rose is not perfect and the Doctor is not perfect. Rose would not always be able to “see it” anymore either, even with the Doctor there. Same goes for him. They might be together forever, but Rose would be watching her mother, father, brother, friends, and family all age and die. She would hate that. But it would be okay because she has the Doctor, right? I agree with that. They have one another. So they’re never alone. That’s good. But Rose would not be a Time Lord. She’d be an immortal human. Ashildr 2.0, finite memory in an infinite body. She’d become detached, unable to appreciate the universe, and she’d stop investing in mortal relationships because they all end eventually. All she’d have would be the Doctor—and that’s wonderful, but after a while it would stop being a special thing that they have one another. Don’t look at me like that; it would. Okay, no – no - even if the Bad Wolf powers allowed Rose to have an infinite memory to go with her infinite body, fine, let’s say they did, she and the Doctor would still end up with “a backyard” as Eleven called it.

And eventually they would both think that the two of them, together, have the best judgement in the universe and should be treated as gods, and they will stop caring (except about each other, which doesn’t sound good for all the little people who are not part of that relationship, can you say unhealthy?). Or else they will become enemies, the way the Master and the Doctor became enemies. Or they won’t be able to travel with one another indefinitely, the way Ashildr, the Rani, River, Clara, and Romana can’t travel with the Doctor indefinitely. Because it would become toxic for everyone. And they would be back to being miserable, wouldn’t they?

(And – again -  let me finish beating this tiny horse here: if you think Rose Tyler would heal fairly quickly - say, ten centuries in - and warm up to the reality that she has outlived other humans because she is really no longer human, we aren’t thinking of the same Rose Tyler.)

The Doctor would not wish the curse of the Time Lords on anybody, especially not the woman he loves. He would not agree that immortality is the happiest ending for Rose, or even for himself and Rose. There’s a very real chance that immortality would ruin Rose. He wouldn’t do that to her. He loves her.

And here we go, here’s my freaking point - The Doctor loves Rose. So he would give her what she wants, even if it means sacrificing what he wants. Putting her needs before his own. That’s love. She knows that; she was trying to do that for him the whole time!

But what does Rose want? Adventure in the great wide somewhere? No. Rose wants love. Rose wants the assurance of real, true love. Rose wants to love and be loved. And when she finds that, she is darn good at it, and she will do her best to keep it. AND THAT IS ANOTHER ASK FOR ANOTHER TIME, HOOOO BOY DON’T POKE ME- The Doctor cannot give Rose what she wants using himself, or even the thing that will make him happy too, for a time—because to outlive her would be absolutely terrible, and they both know it, and because he will not put her through the curse of immortality. (She doesn’t want to live forever anyway.)

But he can give her what she wants in the form of Tentoo. Are you kidding me? A 100% exact copy of the Doctor? The same face, same mannerisms, same hair? All the memories of loving her and longing for her in his head? And he only has one heart? He’ll grow old at the same time as Rose does? Plus, hi, he actually was born in mini wartime and needs the very influence Rose provided for his ninth self? Come on. What else was he going to do? Of course the Doctor and Tentoo gave her this chance. When Rose asks him “What was the last thing you said to me?” The Doctor could have said “I love you”. He was going to say it. It is canon that he was going to say that he loved her if the connection hadn’t been severed the first time. And for him to say it then, they both knew, would have been all Rose needed to hear. She would have gone with him and Donna and died. Or gone with him and Donna and become immortal somehow, hey I hear there are these random Mire repair kits kicking around out there in the universe, they make people immortal, funny we never saw them before now, I hate you Moffat- But he didn’t say it. He said “I said ‘Rose Tyler’.” And she gives him one more chance to say it. “How was that sentence gonna end?” “Does it need saying?” Well, no, it doesn’t. We’re not asking you to confirm it. She’s not asking you to confirm it. It never needed saying. You both knew it was love. We knew it was love. A hundred times over, it was love on display.

But she is asking him to make a choice—and he chooses to let her go because he loves her.

It’s not a question of love. They give each other a chance, both of them. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Rose had no choice. She asked both of those Doctors to tell her they loved her, and she chose the one that said it out loud, after learning her options. She learned one of them would grow old and was offering to spend forever with her if she wanted. She learned that one of them was genuinely choosing not to say he loved her on purpose.  She made an informed decision. (Yes, she ran after the TARDIS when it left. Wouldn’t you?) The Doctor would agree that Tentoo is the best ending for Rose. Tentoo would agree (because he is the Doctor, and bonus, he gets to have Rose Tyler). Because this, this ending where she gets Tentoo, which is our fancy term for differentiating between two versions of exactly the same man, don’t go there with me-

This ending where she gets Tentoo is genuinely what she always wanted. She didn’t want to live forever. She didn’t want a boring life, but she didn’t desperately want adventure over all else. She wanted love. That’s an adventure anyway. Love. And she loved the Doctor. And she got to have the Doctor, and not lose him, or watch him lose her. And the Doctor, our full Time Lord Doctor, had the assurance of knowing that he did the best he could do for the woman he loved.

(Plus, because yes please, in an official deleted scene which has been confirmed to be intended as canon, Tentoo and Rose have a chunk of TARDIS coral and are growing their own, so they get to see the universe too, so you can’t even complain that all is not as it should be in that sense.) It is sad, because the full Time Lord has to carry on without her (that’s how the story always goes for him, and it should be because without loving and losing, an immortal alien will not have the periodic wake-up call he needs to remember that there is value in people and in relationships and in caring), and it’s sad because Rose won’t see him again, and it’s sad because we won’t really see Rose again. But for her, it is the best ending. It is the kindest, fairest ending. And I think the Doctor would agree.

[another-lost-mc]

black & white

humans live in a world of black and white until they meet their soulmate.

pairing: solomon x gn!reader

sfw | soulmates au | angst with a happy ending

cw: jealousy, story spoilers for s3 + s4, events that take place in alternate/future timelines (including: violence, solomon and mc raising a child together, implied character injury/death)

Solomon lives in a world of black and white.

When he was a human king trying to satiate his lust for power, he expected one of his many spouses would turn out to be his soulmate and his world would burst with colour -  but it never happened. By the time his spouses reached triple-digit figures, he only felt resigned acceptance that he may never meet his soulmate.

He pretends not to be disappointed by that truth, but he is.

He collects demons and harnesses their strength, building his wealth and influence beyond measure, but none of his earthly and otherworldly gains are able to fully soothe the emptiness he feels. When he stumbles upon his own immortality, he has no expectation now that he’ll ever meet his soulmate - he considers it a punishment for the life he’s lived.

He creates a potion that simulates the illusion of colour, and a small rune on the inside of his wrist warns him when the potion’s effect is fading. There are times when he sees the colours blurring to nothing at the edge of his vision, the rune etched on his skin slowly disappearing.

Some mornings he wakes up, filled with unmeasurable loneliness when the world has returned to a landscape of grey. When he stumbles into his alchemy lab, he grasps the small vial of potion in his hand - and in a fit of frustration, he flings it against the wall. He does this more than he cares to admit, stupefied by the one obstacle he has yet to overcome, but he slumps into his chair and reforms the vial with a muttered incantation. Eventually he stops letting the potion’s effect fade at all, drinking it like clockwork to avoid waking up to the dull, grey reality that plagues his dreams.

The centuries pass by and he studies magical anomalies in the world, testing the limits of his own power and brilliance. Sometimes it’s easier to associate with demons and angels than other humans - their races aren’t impacted by the curse of soulmates, and they don’t pity him the way human witches or sorcerers sometimes do. The Devildom in particular is a rich, vibrant world he can lose himself in, indulging in his sins without shame and exploring his magic without limitations.

When he meets you during the Devildom exchange program, it feels like the first genuine human friendship he’s had in a very long time. You captivate him in ways he can’t articulate, but he watches the demons and angels around you slowly succumb to your charms and enthusiasm. He hates to admit that you’ve lured him in as easily as the others, but he decides he’s simply one of many and thinks nothing of it, shoving unrequited feelings for you deep down where he can pretend they don’t exist.

Sometimes his heart betrays him and he thinks about you - romantic thoughts, desperate thoughts - but he’s used to ignoring the pang of longing that makes his heart clench. The truth he tells himself is that you’re already lost to him, destined to find your perfect soulmate one day while he hopes he never has to witness it.

He tries to keep his distance from you but it’s a challenge, especially after you’ve become a fully-fledged sorcerer and you travel freely between the Devildom and human world at will. After so many lifetimes of doing things alone, he can’t resist the temptation to invite you along while he carries out his duties as the human world’s would-be guardian. More and more often these days, you seek him out, wanting his wisdom or expertise - or sometimes you just want his company - and he is too selfish to say no.

One morning Solomon wakes up and it seems like a typical day - it’s only later that afternoon he happens to glance at his wrist and sees that one of his runes is missing. The fact that the world is still colourful and vibrant as ever makes him panic even more than if he had woken up to a world of black and white. Now that he thinks about it, he can’t remember the last time he drank that potion.

Solomon makes a list of all the hypothetical scenarios that can explain what happened, but he keeps drawing the same conclusion: he met his soulmate and didn’t realize it. It’s difficult to pinpoint when he stopped drinking the potion and almost impossible to narrow down the list of potential soulmates he met before that time.

He knows Barbatos doesn’t use his powers freely at Diavolo’s request, but having a pact with him does come in handy for situations like this. Barbatos hesitates when Solomon nearly begs him to take him back into the past. Barbatos finally obliges, having been granted Diavolo’s permission just this once; Solomon’s not sure what Barbatos did to persuade him, but he knows better than to ask.

Barbatos leads Solomon to his private chambers and through a portal so that they can watch his life zoom by in reverse. Barbatos’s ability isn’t impacted by the effects of Solomon’s potion so identifying the moment his world shifts from greyscale to colour is his only clue. Solomon sees the day - nearly two weeks ago - when he last drank the potion, but the colour lingers as Barbatos searches long before that, months of time passing by without any signs of change.

At last the world seems to darken for a moment, and Barbatos pauses his spell when Solomon’s vision suddenly reverts to black and white. Solomon stares at the scene before him: having just introduced himself to you at RAD, you shake his hand while a glimmer of curiosity shines in both your eyes. Colour bleeds into the world when your hands touch.

Barbatos glances at Solomon who’s grown silent, apparently oblivious to the grin on his face and the tears falling from the corners of his eyes. Solomon chuckles, feeling close to bursting with the same happiness he only ever feels when he’s with you.

It suddenly makes sense: all those times when he felt drawn to you even though you seemed so ordinary; his suspicions that turned to fear when he realized your powers were wreaking havoc on the three realms, threatening to kill you both; your eager acceptance to become his apprentice, and his unmatched pride when you succeeded.

He doesn’t want to think about all those times he watched your other friends - demon and angel alike - crowd you for your attention, their unsuccessful bids to win your heart for their own, the way you accepted their casual touches and how much Solomon despised every moment of it—

Solomon turns to Barbatos who has conjured a portal to return them both to his room in the Demon Lord’s castle. “Why didn’t they say anything?” Solomon asks out loud, but mostly to himself. But then he remembers something you said a long time ago, one of the only times you spoke together about the human phenomenon of soulmates:

“I’ve always been able to see colour,  but I couldn’t figure out why. People thought it was strange, so it was easier to pretend I couldn't,” you said with a shrug. “Simeon thinks it’s because I’m an angel’s descendent since they don’t have soulmate colour blindness the way humans do. I hope when I meet my soulmate, they’ll be able to tell me.”

Solomon can’t help but ask Barbatos before he leaves, “Did you know?”

Barbatos meets his curious gaze with a guarded expression of his own; he thinks back to a time long ago when he debated entering a pact with Solomon. He wanted to judge the sorcerer first, and like so many times before, he used his power to glimpse into Solomon’s future, one that was murky with endless possibilities due to the nature of his immortality.

Among those possibilities were visions of a sorcerer burdened by grief:

Solomon walking away from your wedding, the celebration of your marriage to someone that’s not him, dropping the forced smile from his face when he turns his back and disappears like a shadow into the darkness Engaged in battle in defense of the three realms, Solomon catches fleeting glimpses of you weaving defensive spells to protect your allies, but you don’t notice the enemy assassin approaching you from behind until it’s too late– Solomon standing beside your grave, his eyes dull and his world grown desolate once more in your absence Solomon, who raises his glass in a fake toast, sipping his drink and smiling bitterly before the reaper in front of him cleaves the soul from his body at last—

Despite the memories that served as a warning to him, Barbatos also remembers the other possibilities with more clarity than any others, a sorcerer filled with happiness and purpose and love:

Solomon dancing with you, holding your hands in his own, both of you dressed in the finest wedding attire, and the demons and angels around you cheering Solomon feeding a baby some foul concoction he made himself, oblivious to your horrified expression when the baby giggles happily at the taste Solomon holding a toddler on his lap while he reads, explaining rudimentary summoning circles to the small child as he bounces them on his knee Solomon is standing by your side, both of you watching in disbelief as your child rides Cerberus around like an oversized horse; the demon brothers give chase and take pictures while Lucifer supervises with an amused twinkle in his eyes The child you and Solomon raised, grown up and a fully fledged sorcerer too, grinning when they introduce their own soulmate to their parents for the first time

“I know many things,” is the demon's cryptic response, and his dangerous smile warns Solomon not to pry any further. Their business concluded, Barbatos disappears back to his master's side, leaving Solomon to contemplate his next move in peace.

Solomon wastes no more time, pulling out his DDD as he walks out of the castle and he sends you a message: “Care to join me for dinner tonight?” Barely a minute passes before his DDD pings with your enthusiastic reply.

For the first time in a long time, Solomon lets himself feel hope.

read more: solomon masterlist | obey me! masterlist

[valiantstarlights]

[Bluebeard Dream AU] The Seventh Spouse

In which Dream is both Bluebeard and Evelyn Hugo.

...It's been a while, but you know how questionable I get with my AUs. 😂 That hasn't changed with time, un/fortunately.

For Dreamling Week 2024 Day 1: Hunt / Bodyswap / Indulgence / First Time

--

The Starlight Observer

June 7, [year redacted]

No one talks about how tedious it is to find a spouse. It is difficult enough to find someone willing to brave the treacherous sea known as marriage, but managing to convince one candidate after another to undertake the journey with you, even after they know about your previous failed marriages?

Truly, Lord Dream Endless (despite not being a Charmer like his sibling Desire) is a master at convincing nobles to tie a ball and chain around their ankles and throw themselves overboard, in the hopes that, by sinking down the watery depths, they will be the one who will finally anchor him.

Then again, Lord Dream has his eternal youth, his otherworldly good looks, and his and his family's accrued wealth going for him. It is more than what most in the ton have to offer potential matches, and so Lord Dream continues to sail the open waters unchallenged, collecting anchors while flying the red flag.

The immortal lord's latest target seems to be one Lord Robert Gadling, mutation unknown, who has recently arrived from India without much fanfare. Lord Robert has an air of charm and mystery about him, and this author personally saw how disarmingly charming he is to the debutantes of all species and sexes as they flocked to him like birds of prey upon fresh meat.

Unlike fresh meat, however, Lord Robert managed to captivate them all with his wit and his smiles, and the vultures instead became like dogs at the feet of their master.

Perhaps Lord Dream is just another noble Lord Robert has enthralled, or perhaps Lord Dream is looking for a challenge this season.

Whatever the case, this author only hopes that Lord Robert be warned that there is a wolf Shifter among the dogs at his feet, looking not to be the alpha of the pack, but to ravish the master himself.

--

Notes:

The name of the scandal sheet, The Starlight Observer, is both a play on my username, valiantstarlights, and a nod to The Star of Albion, which is the name of the newspaper in Neil Gaiman's short story, A Study in Emerald. ✨

The Lady Whistledown of this AU is a vampire Julie Andrews, a duchess (now dowager) who lost all her fucks when she got turned at age 27. (Julie Andrews was 27 years old when they filmed Mary Poppins.)

[mildy-vibing]

Alright I'm going to go off on a mild Itty bitty little head canon / AU of mine. Side note, grammar is not my strong suit.

Personally, I interpret the lamb as a very damaged being. They don't take it out on the world, instead they are very sympathetic and caring of their followers. The Lamb wants to make sure that each and every follower knows they are loved and not alone. The Lamb wishes to protect them and - even at the expense of their over dependence on them - keep them from the horrors of the world beyond the cult boundaries. They wish not to have anyone experience what they had experienced. Being the last of your kind (Toothless Experience) does damage to one's psyche.

Like, having to fight 4 bishops and a God just for the right to continue living hurts. The Lamb has struggled with plagues, hardship, and far too many wounds to count. Eventually they wish to know at least some peace in the form of death.

Oh yeah, you can't when you are death.

The Lamb also struggles with building deeper relationships. In the beginning years, they took up spouses. However, the knowledge that you will outlive them and everyone around you will always remain. When Narinder came around, for once, the lamb found a stable factor in their life. A hateful (secretly loving), immortal friend-turned-lifelong-partner.

Did the lamb hate the Bishops when they joined their cult? No. They still find the actions of the bishops deplorable. However, they understand these acts were done out of fear. Even though the bishops have hurt them in the past, the lamb would rather keep them on cult grounds than have them roaming the world.

Does the lamb enjoy being the God of death? They aren't exactly leaping for joy, but they accept it. What they do not like is what came with it. For decades, they were you know, lamb sized. When they ascended to God hood, their body grew to accommodate such power. And that means more than just becoming giant. It meant their senses heightened. All around them, they can feel life and the power that flows through the ecosystem. It greatly stresses them, often leading to overstimulation. Only Narinder is aware of the more vulnerable side of his husband. However, Lamb likes to keep their forms separate. They prefer their smaller, more agile form to their taller, imposing godly form. Better for the followers and all.

What does being the God of Death bring? A lot. Other deities, gods and divine beings still believe only Narinder as the God of Death. This is a point of mild frustration for the lamb. Would you be mad too if you fought your way to get a title you hardly wanted and nobody took you seriously. The only being that even has a speck of respect is ???. Even then, ??? treats them more like a child than a adult God.

The lamb hates the name 'Infant God'.

They often find themselves reminding people that they are indeed, 'God of Death' and not someone to be joked about. Yes, they are young by God standards, but still, they find such name degrading.

Narinder still finds it humorous at people believing he is still God of Death.

Anyways, end of my TedTalk. I'm open to questions, comments and stuff :]

'God form Lamb and Narinder'

AND HAND HOLDING.

[darkcrowprincess]

I so want to write a romance like Lukercy or Pernico... Fanfics aren't really my thing, but I'm often inspired to create my own stories. There is so much potential behind these dynamics. I'd love to know if you have any ideas to offer, because I don't really have a starting point, or even a concrete idea. Maybe there will be nods to Romeo & Juliet, who knows ? Your posts and reblogs on them finally made me see and understand the beauty of this love story. Most of my romances will certainly have nods to it now, like with the case of Beauty and the Beast.

@darklinaforever

Do I have ideas!!! I got tons. And if you want to take them off my hands I'd love that!

Percico:

I have this idea for a potion of Endymion fic. Where to save Percys life Nico gives Percy a potion that heals him but puts him in immortal sleep(look up the greek myth Selene and Endymion to understand). Now Nico has to find a cure for Percy. The catch is though Percy and Nico can meet in dreams/have shared dreams. The dreams are very addictive. Nico and Percy are both very tempted to stay in the dream world where nothing bad could hurt them and thry can be together(Nico thanks since its a shared dream its the obly reason why Percy has feelings for him). The dream world is something they both can share and create together.

A 2004 troy movie au where Percy and Nico are Helen and Paris. Percy is in an abusive arranged marriage(it doesn't have to be Annabeth, but if i were to write it thats how I'd see it) so Nico his secret lover hides him away on his sister Bianca's boat when their heading back to Troy. Now war is on the horizon because Percy's abusive spiteful spouse wont let him go. But Nico will fight for him(look up the plot for 2004 troy)

Romeo and Juliet style romance between Percy and Nico who are young gods. They are children of Poseidon and Hades and are forbidden from seeing each other.

Lukercy:

Luke and Percy runaway together(Canada or Alaska) sometime between canon and dont look back. They start a horse ranch together. Maybe someone from their past finds them.

This one is based on the tv show. But them aged up. Luke kidnaps Percy and takes him with him through the portal when Annabeth finds them.

Luke is resurrected during Heroes of Olympus and helps the seven. He has gold angel wings and mainly protects Percy. He and Percy fall in love.

Tv show again, Luke finds where Percy lives in New York before season 2. Luke keeps trying to convince Percy to join him. Also apologizes for hurting and lying to him. Percy also wants to convince Luke to leave Kronos. Adventure and romance in New York for a year before summer. Who will convince who?

Hope you like my ideas.

[eri-pl]

I would love to hear some of your orcish Maeglin headcanons! I think it's such a neat idea! (Thanks my friend who gave it to me!)

If I may ask, there's a few things in particular that I am super curious about! Does it affect his appearance at all? How does he first react when he learns? If his family learned of it, how would they respond? (Particularly Aredhel!)

Thank you for asking! People never asked me things before.

Long post below cut.

OK, so first, I think we have a different definition of hc. For you it seems to be a complex thing, like a mini-au (not necessasarily alternate). For me hc is just a fact I assume, or sometimes like to assume, or at least like to entertain at the moment.

So when I say "with this origin of orcs (link for people not knowing the context), I would probably hc Maeglin as semi-orc", I mean just this fact, not that I have an explosion of details in my brain. (I think semi-orc is a better name than part-orc when we're talking more about "orcs spontaneously reverting into elves through some generations" thing).

Anyway, I love to see how enthusiastic you are about things, and I like being asked, so let's make something up.

With appearance it depends on how you imagine orcs in general. I would say they are more animalistic and much less symmetrical than Elves, and get scars easily. Elves heal neatly (except in dractic circumstances, like Angband), because of the fea-hroa harmony.

Orcs have less of this harmony than humans, that's how they're made, by messing up their bodies and if the soul gives up, but instead of going away just accepts the situation and is like "well, that's bad, but it's fine I guess" we get an orc. Something like that. Something like in one text in Morgoth's Ring? Manwe talks about accepting evil and building upon it, as not necessarily evil in itself, but a source of problems (the context is of course Finwe's remarriage).

But we're talking an Elf here, so after some generations the bodies are born normal enough to be immortal. So it's more a Maedhros level of messed up than Orc level of messed up.

So how would he look?

Obviously, paler skin and bigger pupils, because this fits the physical traits. I would say, a less symmetric face. Not visible at first sight, still more symmetrical than average human, byt when he smiles, the smile goes a bit sideways. Maybe that's why he doesn't smile in front of others.

Also, in some depictions orcs have thicker, fur-like hair, so, especially if we imagine elven hair as very fine, Maeglin's would be more stiff.

(Also, no big flapping ears. Elven ears are human-sized, maybe a bit more sharp on the top but that's it. That is canon. IDK why but giving Tolkien Elves huge ears angers me more than it should. <3 and respect to everyone who draws the like this, but it gets on my nerves.)

I would assume he learned about his ancestry when being interrogated about the location of Gondolin, so it was ...difficult.

Disbelief, but Maeglin had always known that something was off about him, he'd always felt that his father is hiding something. (Mother too? I'm not sure if she knew.) Basically, it's the mix of emotional reactions which Luke has on Vader being his dad. But with more guilt mixed in, and shame. Maeglin very much feels like a toxic shame guy to me. He would do everything to keep it secret, especially from Idril. And to not be turned into a full orc (which I assume is impossible w/o consent, but the consent may be persuaded with long torture, so...)

Later, after returning to Gondolin, he would spiral into toxic shame, self-hatered, jealous of others who have a normal background and were not threatened like this, etc etc.

Family... well, Eol knew, obviously. It came from his side of family. His mother or father, I would assume, or (if we ignore the "kin of Thingol" note), Eol was of purely orkish ancestry, it just mosly reverted.

Eol... didn't assume orkish ancestry is something you should mention to your future spouse before marriage. He teased Maeglin, always suggested that there was something they shared that was unique and the Noldor would not accept it, but never told him anything concrete.

Aredhel...? she would be worried. Not in a "will my son turn evil?" way, more in a "will my son be healthy?" way and she would be like "now I see why he is like that". Imagine getting a mental health diagnosis for your child, and that's it (well, ok, orkish background has also physical components, not only mental, but I think in terms of how the parent feels it's close). Along with the "How do I treat him now? I should act normal, but also, he has special needs probably..." part.

She would generally be loving but a little lost. She would be angry at Eol for not telling her, but also very much wanting to show Maeglin that she doesn't love him less because he's like this.

She would probably tell the rest of the family, Aredhel doesn't seem to secretive to me. And she'd expect help. Turgon... I know a little of him, I guess he'd be fine with it? I mean, Maeglin is not an orc, just has some traits... And he's a good warrior...

Idril may, paradoxically, feel more comfortable with Maeglin after that (as long as he isn't flirting with her, because unrequited flirting is always uncomfortable). Now she knows what is off with him, she doesn't have to worry that much. She would overcompensate a bit, try to show him "I like you, the reason I don't romantically love you isn't because you have orkish ancestry, it's just because I don't", this would be a little awkward and Maeglin would read it as pity and probably hate it.

Celegorm would suggest banishing Maeglin, if not outright killing him. He spent a lot of time with Orome and is very strict about orcs. (Also, he is kind of a jerk). Curufin wouldn't care, Maeglin is good at crafts, and reasonable and polite, and this matters.

Of course, a lot depends on how and from whom they would learn. This is assuming Aredhel would be alive and she would tell them. I f they learned, let's say, from an anonymous letter, it would be a very different story (Turgon doesn't believe anonymous letters, Celegorm wants to find a way to check it, Curufin agrees it's worth checking, Celegorm is contemplating murdering Maeglin)

[phantomram-b00]

So I saw this post and I just wanna talk about it, specifically the last two,

The fact people think Crowley hates Aziraphale over the finale is kinda baffling and unserious to me. Like I’m not saying Crowley isn’t going to be mad at him, but hate is very much a strong word considering everything they’ve been through together. Because if that was the cast, shit Crowley could’ve hated him a long as time ago, even from a beginning since they’re suppose to be enemies, they drill it in Aziraphale and I don’t doubt hell drill it in Crowley’s head too about this but he doesn’t (and I highly doubt Aziraphale hated Crowley) or even during the holy water situation or any moment when they had a spat or disagreement. Did this finale gave him a wound, yes, (like I may be a Aziraphale kin but that shit hurt my feelings) am I saying Crowley is incapable of hate? No I’m sure he hates a lot of things (*cough cough*, metatron rn) but I don’t see him bringing himself to hate Aziraphale over this nor do I think he’ll try to, it be out of character for him to even try to. This is the same character that brought down London are mobile phone network and called that his sinful deed, so are we really expecting more out of that?

And no, Crowley not gonna become Duke of Hell to spite him, that’s also an out of character thing, just because he said no and Aziraphale said yes with his promotion, doesn’t mean he going to just waltz back to hell and tell Shax “hey I wanna be Duke of Hell role since my non-official spouse left me for his job”, he not petty like Aziraphale; he going to stay in earth since that’s his home. That’s his space, why else do you think we hardly see scene of him in hell, because he never considered hell home/his side (and let not kid ourself, who would if you have people like Furfur who most likely lick the walls and how claustrophobic that place is, so I feel Crowley). I’m not trying to bring back the job episode since everyone talk about it, (I love the episode as much as the next person) I do think that is a prime example of him saying he doesn’t even on hell’s side. So imma just bring up the other minisode where after the magic show, they celebrate it and also comment on how they both are in shades of grey in some way, Crowley being the darker grey whilst Aziraphale being the lighter shade (which I’m surprised no one talked about, someone probably did an I missed it but I’m just surprised no one is talking about that conversation but I digress.) so the whole “Duke of hell Crowley” is nonsense, could be a fun au for fanfic but on paper it doesn’t fit really.

Okay now to the whole “they’re going to be turn into mortals”, I was gonna make a post about this but I didn’t want to come off as someone who disagree with all the theories, but this one, I really can’t stand, (if you believe it, cool that’s valid.) and imma just talk about it. While sure, it can be they have no side anymore, but why would you want them to be separated again, especially since we don’t know where they’ll even go if they do die. But also, just because they love humanity doesn’t mean they want to be mortal, like I get the romantic implication of this theory/prediction, but I honestly don’t think turning them human is romantic nor is it a good thing, it feels more like a punishment all over again because they love each other. Look even if they do the whole reincarnation thing which fine, book of life did this. Well done, good writing all around, but it still another form of punishment because they going to be separated all the damn time. Like especially since they didn’t turn ineffable bureaucracy into humans (not to being the ship into it since I do love this ship.) so why would they make ineffable spouse/husband/wives into humans? Why should they be punish for simply loving each other? Why can’t they enjoy eternity loving each other as demon and angel, or just immortal beings since at the end of the day, they wouldn’t want a side, they are their own side.

Now look, I’m all for angst, I feel season 3 might have some with how season 2 ended, but sometimes, some angst idea like the one I just talk about or what the op posted just doesn’t make sense/out of character. And I just had to talk about it even thought I really am not suppose to be up. (I only am because I toke what felt like a century nap Crowley gets.) I know season 2 left us with mixed emotions, like I haven’t felt that way since Arcane. And you know, if you do believe in the Theory mention in the post or what I said, cool, that’s valid, don’t let me tell you otherwise. Just I don’t find myself agreeing with these, if you do tell me why, anyway, I just needed to say this, here another Crowley gif since I love this character and I do find myself in him. (Maybe not as much as I find myself in Aziraphale but close enough, I kin them both)

[helluvapurf]

HB Reimagined HCs: The Ars Goetia

Randomly had some thoughts back to my HB Reimagined AU atm, and since I already chatted a bit about Stolas earlier... who wants to hear some lore I had in mind for the Ars Goetia society itself?

*To clarify, as this is ofc an AU this is not meant to be a criticism against the canon HB's lore or however... just something I wanted to make for the fun of it 'cause well- I love demon birds lol*

-Many, many millennia ago... the Ars Goetia were descended from fallen angels, cast aside from the great war to serve loyally under Lucifer's will. Being renown for their beauty, grace and feathered forms even back when serving Heaven... overtime they formed into the (mostly) avian high-society folk you see today.

-The Ars Goetia, revered as they are overall, are actually split into their own personal hierarchies based on what powers/roles they serve to King Paimon. Some (aka: Stolas) are tasked with looking after celestial bodies, prophecies, and other forms of black magic... while others (aka: Andrealphus) use elemental spells to provide comfort to their fellow Goetias against the generally toxic Hell environment. On the "bottom" tiers of Goetia society, would be the typical noble-class who'd just socialize with one another, provide gossip/useful tidbits for their admired royalty (aka: Stella through her marriage to Stolas), and keep things "entertaining" to their own standards. It may not provide much "usefulness" in terms of gaining power/resources... but for how dangerous and unpredictable Hell can be, its helpful to at least keep a "peaceful comfort" type of vibe, anyway.

-Marriage within the Ars Goetia is a bit of a... "mixed" bag, primarily done for either political power gain, wealth improvement, and sometimes even for actual-love (though rare, its not impossible given how irl birds can form a "mate-for-life" type of bond). Arranged marriages can be formed from when a pair is either young (childhood-teen years) by their parents/other relatives, or between the couple themselves offering said proposal to eachother once they're matured adults. Other Goetias may have multiple spouses instead of staying strictly monogamous, have same-sex marriages, or even not marry at all (depending on the individual).

-The concept of "precautionary heirs" isn't really a thing since Goetias are among the classes of Hell demons who are widely-considered "immortal"... so with such long lifespans one would expect a Goetia couple to wait a bit in having children (unless they genuinely, truly desire to be parents right away), or just not have any at all if there's no risk in their lives. Stolas was among the older-aged Goetias who only recently decided on starting a family (due to the increase in Heaven's "exterminators" invading Hell); having the premonition in seeing himself "die" in a holy way down the line... hence Octavia being as young as she is rn (though Stella lowkey wanted a kid alot earlier in their marriage, Stolas just didn't have the time to bring up said topic due to his own responsibilities over the stars, herbology, etc.).

-When a Goetia child is conceived, they first start out life through... well, an egg lol. Often coming in a wide variety of spots, colors, patterns, etc... these arrivals would often be celebrated through "nest showers"; taking place with the parents' close companions giving their blessings/gifts to the little one. A common bonding activity at these events is through casting a magical light under the egg, the hue glowing the color of respective embyro's sex (ex. pink for a girl, blue for a boy, sometimes flickering the same/both colors twice if the egg is carrying twins). When it comes time for hatching to begin, typically the egg-laying parent would gather up all the comfiest of blankets/throws/other items to create a "nest" for the egg to incubate in... taking over a good few days until the first few cracks of the shell start to form.

-Upon hatching completely, a Goetia chick would typically be born without feathers (depending on the specific Goetia species), blind and constantly "chirping" for food. To any other Hell species these babies may not exactly be... well, the "cutest", but to their parents they're often praised as the pinnacle of beauty, and dolled up to show off wherever they go. After a few weeks/months as a hatchling, the chick will steadily open their eyes and "fluff up" in downy feathers... only increasing further in adoration by both loved ones and outsiders-alike.

-Goetias may not have "visible" wings on themselves like a typical (anthro) bird... but when they feel the mood to "fly" around high places in Hell, they can sometimes shift their arms into a pair of wings for help in gliding. Others like a waterfowl-based Goetia use their arm-wings for swimming underwater at swift, graceful movements.

-Among the usual love languages of kisses, cuddling, gift-giving, and so on... a common way for a Goetia to show love is through "preening" (aka, nibbling their beaks to clean through a patch of feathers). For Goetias this is often a soft, intimate gesture only preserved for the closest of bonds (a parent and child, lovers, best friends, etc.). On a non-Goetia, this gesture would feel... "awkward" to experience, since there's no feathers to actually preen through (so the skin would basically just be all scratched/nibbled on, really lol).

[wishing-stones]

I must inflict this very sad thought I just had on you…

Due to ren having nightmares magic/magic imprint/power of friendship anime bullshit, they have a lifespan that’s much longer than the regular humans (which is canon iirc), but it’s way longer than even the rest of the gang’s lifespans… until eventually it’s only them and nightmare left. Everyone else is dusted, and only the two remain, one a demigod and the other, his faithful partner, who’s been at his side for what feels like centuries, and all anyone remembers at this point is that you do not touch the negativity gods spouse, for fear of a life that’s worse than burning alive in the fiery pits of hell.

Meanwhile ren and nightmare have started to move on from seeing the last of their number die, and although that pain echoes around them, felt in the darkness of shadows many many universes away, they attempt to heal.

Ooof. This one gets emotional fast, so it gets a readmore

This would potentially be several hundred years in the future. They look after the descendants, and there's probably new recruits from new aus that get welcomed into the fold. It's kind of bittersweet, but they both know that this is their lot in the multiverse. As sad as it is to think of their original number being gone, there's still new friends to be made and new places to discover.

Dream is in a similar boat, but after Blue, it was just him and Ink because it felt wrong to try and pick someone else up, to have anyone stand where he once stood. (He and Ink both wear a blue star on their clothes somewhere very visible.)

Ink and Error are still around, arguably immortal themselves. Error is less grumpy over time and has a slightly better relationship with Ren and Nightmare. He doesn't have a lot of other connections and watching the multiverse change around him, even while he's trying to destroy it, is distressing. He has his own space in the castle that he occupies sometimes. Nightmare also commissioned a tapestry from him that hangs in the main hall of the original six. Newcomers get their own tapestries to place beside it when they are gone, so the walls begin to tell a story of how the Guardian of Negativity protects and supports those who are lost, who have nowhere else to turn, who need a hand up, who won't judge them for their past mistakes.

Nightmare doesn't think he'd be able to do it without Ren, but they stay Determined enough for the both of them.

[demoniqt]

Remarried Series Part 2: As the West Wind Blows

Note: You can find Part 1 here. I recommend reading that first for context. This Part revolves around the pairing SQQ (SJ) / LQG instead. There’s also warning of attempted non-con in later chapters. So bewarned!

Summary:

AU of the Remarried Empress series. SQQ never met TLJ. Instead, he leaves Yue Manor on his own and contemplates his future. In the meantime, Liu Qingge rushes to offer him a place to be recognised for his own achievements.

Liu Qingge looked up at the inn's nameboard, making sure that he had the correct location.

The cool night wind was making the lanterns that hung from the rafters swing like they were welcoming him. Answering the silent call, he entered the inn and was immediately approached by the keeper.

"My Lord, how can I help you? A room to stay or a room to dine?" asked the inn owner.

"I'm here to find someone," Liu Qingge told him. "Is there a Shen Qingqiu staying here at the moment?"

He already knew that this was where the former First Husband of Yue Qingyuan was staying but was gratified nonetheless when the inn owner nodded quickly.

"Master Shen is staying here," he said. "He's in the gardens right now. Would you like me to lead you there?"

"Yes," he answered, letting the man send a servant to inform the guest first.

"Master Shen is certainly a popular figure," the inn owner commented as they walked down the pathway towards the gardens. "He's only been staying here for the last three days and three nobles have already called on him."

Immediately alert, Liu Qingge asked, "What were their business with Shen Qingqiu?"

"Oh, I don't know," answered the inn owner, looking surprised at his line of question. "I just know that Master Shen has been hosting them in the gardens instead of the meeting rooms."

In a public place instead of a private room? Where anyone can just hear their conversations? Either Shen Qingqiu believed that he had nothing to hide or he did not trust his callers.

Liu Qingge took out a silver tael silently and the innkeeper immediately folded to his unspoken question.

"I heard from my servers that Lord Jin wants to take Master Shen as his First Consort, Lieutenant Colonel Gongyi wants to marry him as well though as his official spouse, while Chancellor Yun wants Master Shen to go to Qishan to negotiate with King Wen over the salt trade," the innkeeper informed him.

Liu Qingge contemplated the information that had been delivered. He knew that Lord Jin Guangshan was a philanderer who coveted beauties and he wasn't surprised at all that the flagrant pervert would target the newly divorced Shen Qingqiu.

Lieutenant Colonel Gongyi Xiao was a surprise though, considering the youth was younger than Shen Qingqiu by nearly a decade and was just gaining fame amongst the military circle. Liu Qingge didn't know what he thought he could gain from marrying a notorious divorcé, especially when it would not bode well for his reputation. The rumours amidst the noble circle often painted Shen Qingqiu as a cunning schemer and even Liu Qingge at one point had been convinced of it.

The information about Chancellor Yun though, was more worrying than the others. Shen Qingqiu would most likely take that offer, since becoming an ambassador of their court was a better choice than any spousal position. However, Liu Qingge also knew that King Wen Ruohan would likely try to keep Shen Qingqiu permanently in Qishan.  

"We're here, Lieutenant General Liu," the innkeeper said, gesturing to the pavilion built over the lotus pond.

Liu Qingge crossed the bridge, coming upon the beautiful garden pavilion without shifting his gaze from the person he came to meet.

"Lieutenant General Liu," Shen Qingqiu greeted him.

Under the glowing moonlight and the glittering stars, Shen Qingqiu, in his pale green robes, looked like an immortal deity that descended upon the lotus pond.

***

Liu Qingge first heard of Shen Qingqiu a few months after Lord Yue's marriage to the commoner.

"I heard he was a servant of Yue Manor and he climbed into the Lord's bed one night and seduced him," whispered a nobleman sitting near him.

Liu Qingge tried to ignore the conversations around him but the susurrus of voices continued abuzz.

"No. No. I heard he's a courtesan from the Red Light district that caught Lord Yue's eye," whispered another gossiper.

"Lord Yue doesn't go to the brothel. Don't be ridiculous," returned another voice. "That Shen Qingqiu is a commoner from the streets. Most likely he used his pretty face to service men in the alley ways."

There was crude laughter and Liu Qingge, disgusted by the talk, left the pavilion to go for a walk elsewhere.

However, the talk of Shen Qingqiu didn't end even months after that.

The next he heard of Yue Qingyuan's husband was when there was an alleged attack on another noble, Lord Jin Guangshan, who claimed that Shen Qingqiu had pushed him into the koi pond when he'd come upon him admiring the colours of the imported fish.

"I only greeted him and he glared at me and pushed me in!"

Apparently, according to rumours, Shen Qingqiu had looked down upon him with contempt and walked away, offering no help nor any explanation on why he had done it.

"Such crude behaviour! No wonder people call him a loathsome commoner!"

"Didn't he also threaten Lady Qin the other day for merely looking at Lord Yue?"

"What a jealous spouse! Poor Lord Yue, stuck with such a disgraceful husband!"

"Hmph, he also tricked Minister Li, didn't he? Made him admit to laundering the funds for the flood relief. Who knows whether its really true or not?"

"Yes, because of that, Lord Yue was bestowed the lands and properties of Minister Li, wasn't he?

"That Shen Qingqiu must have really benefited from that greatly."

What a despicable person, Liu Qingge thought to himself upon hearing the rumours circulating around.

Then he thought no more of the disreputable First Husband of Lord Yue Qingyuan.

Never once did he contemplate the truth beyond the rumours.

At least, not until his father pointed it out for him.

***

The borders keeping out the barbarians were kept in check by several key passes and fortresses which were guarded tightly by the armies of the four generals.

Unfortunately, one of the passes, Yonghu Pass, was attacked one night in an ambush and was summarily seized by the barbarians. It allowed them to cut off access to one of the larger strongholds, which meant that the defense line had been breached.

The Liu army, one of the largest in the empire, was immediately dispatched to wrestle back both the pass and the stronghold. As they travelled, Liu Qingge and his father discussed on the strategies that they could deploy and upon inspection of the map, his father fell silent. He stared at the map for a moment before he pointed at a particular cliff not too far from the fortress.

"This place, its the best place to launch an ambush," Liu Fangzhao said suddenly.

"What do you mean? This is too far from the Yonghu Pass' checkpoint," Liu Qingge commented, frowning at the map himself.

"Before we left the palace, I came across Master Shen Qingqiu, the husband of Lord Yue Qingyuan. He made a comment about how he visited Yonghu Pass once with his husband a few years ago. He mentioned the canyon leading to the pass being an easy ambush point," Liu Fangzhao explained. "I didn't understand what he meant at that time. But seeing the map now, it's clear that he meant cutting off the supply chain and reinforcements from that point will be pivotal to winning back Yonghu Pass."

"Shen Qingqiu," Liu Qingge repeated the name, remembering all the unsavory gossip about the official spouse of Yue Qingyuan. "Is what he said reliable?"

His father studied the map deeper, clearly remembering the terrain in his mind's eye. "Yes, yes. I believe what he said is true."

"Is he trustworthy though?" Liu Qingge questioned again.

Liu Fangzhao gave him a look, "Why would you think that he is untrustworthy?"

"The rumours...," Liu Qingge said hesitantly.

"Are more reliable?" Liu Fangzhao questioned him back. "Even if you do not trust the words of Shen Qingqiu, does the words of your old father reassure you instead?"

"I will gather the men," Liu Qingge said to his father before leaving to do so. He might not trust Shen Qingqiu's words but if his father had confidence in the strategy, he would not question it further.

"Yonghu Pass," his father muttered to himself as he continued to contemplate the map, "What else did he say? An underground river?"

It took two months before the barbarians attempted to break through their front in a bid to escape the stronghold, which was firmly surrounded by their soldiers.

By that point, the Liu army had cut off their supply chain and spiked their water source. The opposing army was starved, thirsty and sickly, with their provisions having run out for over three weeks. They fought like mad men, crazed from hunger and desperation.

They might not have used the most honorable tactics in Liu Qingge's eyes, but it was an easy battle for the Liu army that day.  

***

Liu Qingge finally met Shen Qingqiu for the first time when they returned to the capital to be rewarded for their successful recapture of Yonghu Pass and Tangxi Fortress.

If he had a choice, Liu Qingge would never have gone to the banquet since he didn't like social gatherings that required him to rub elbows with annoying, pompous nobles who had never seen the battlefields. But his father had given him a look when he said that it was compulsory for both of them to be present and Liu Qingge was forced to comply to his father's wishes.

"Master Shen," greeted Liu Fangzhao as they approached a lithe young man dressed in green silk robes embroidered with the pattern of golden bamboo leaves. When Shen Qingqiu turned to them, Liu Qingge could understand why despite all the unsavory gossip, he was still renown foremost as a beauty.  

Shen Qingqiu opened his fan to cover the lower half of his face while inspecting them with sharp jade eyes before recognition set in.  

"General Liu," he greeted Liu Fangzhao, then to Liu Qingge, "Lieutenant General Liu."

He was using the new title that Liu Qingge had just been appointed with, something that the other nobles hadn't even had the courtesy of using. They kept calling him by his old title, Colonel, and commenting on how his youth kept making them forget that they should call him Lieutenant General now. It was an obvious dig at his age and it was only because Liu Qingge did not care for his title that he didn't call them out on their disrespectful behaviour.

"Your comment on the terrain at Yonghu Pass helped us regain the stronghold," Liu Fangzhao said with a smile on his face.

But Shen Qingqiu's expression did not change, as if he was waiting for something else. Nor did he reply to the statement made by Liu Qingge's father.

Liu Fangzhao coughed after a moment of awkward silence, "That is to say, we were only successful thanks to your contribution, Master Shen."

"Oh," Shen Qingqiu said, blinking in surprise. "You're... welcome."

It occurred suddenly to Liu Qingge that maybe Shen Qingqiu wasn't used to being shown gratitude for his advices. Perhaps he had expected Liu Qingge's father to criticise him for commenting on issues beyond his scope of responsibilities. A husband of a lord had no business meddling in the matters of the army general, after all.

As Shen Qingqiu left, Liu Qingge stared after him, noting the way other nobles gave way to him, as if avoiding him like he was diseased.

For some reason, his figure painted a very lonely picture.

***

"Father?"

Liu Fangzhao didn't reply him, so intent on the scroll before him that he didn't even hear his son's call.

"Father?"

"Oh, hm? Qingge," Liu Fangzhao said, looking up from the scroll. "What is it?"

"What are you reading? You didn't even hear me come in," Liu Qingge said as he stepped closer to his father's table.

Liu Fangzhao lifted the scroll and turned it around for him to read the title.

"The Thirty-Two Foreign Formations," Liu Qingge read aloud. "What is this?"

"This is a study of the past military formations usually used by the invaders," his father said. "The formations has changed over time but the root of the arrays can be traced back to these designs. The author has studied the strengths and weaknesses of these formations, emphasising its usage depending on the terrain of the battlefield and the manpower available. It is a fascinating read."

"Indeed," Liu Qingge commented, pulled in by the writing. He briefly glanced at the name of the author and paused.

"Shen Qingqiu?" he read before looking up at his father. "The writer is Shen Qingqiu."

Liu Fangzhao nodded as he sipped his lukewarm tea and made a face.

"From my limited conversations with that child, I surmise that he is very gifted in war strategies and literature. It is a pity that his birthright is so lowly," Liu Fangzhao commented, but without the usual contempt that most nobles adopted. "It has hindered any acknowledgement of his brilliance and hard work in favour of his Lord husband's achievements."

In other words, whatever achievements that Shen Qingqiu had was accredited to Yue Qingyuan. But whatever faults he had was his alone. It hardly seem fair to Liu Qingge, but he didn't say that aloud. Likely, his father shared the same sentiment.

"If he wasn't married to Lord Yue and had taken the Imperial Exams, he could have become an official," Liu Qingge commented.

"Likely," his father agreed. "But without a wealthy patron, he wouldn't have risen very high and it would likely take a long time before he gained any post of significance. His marriage to Lord Yue guarantees a better life in the long run."

Does it though?

Shen Qingqiu hadn't seemed very happy the last few times Liu Qingge had laid eyes on him. His expression was usually cold and he rarely smiled, if he ever did so in Liu Qingge's presence. He was usually alone, even when sitting amongst fellow spouses, and only seemed to get along with foreign dignitaries who was unfamiliar with his reputation in court.

His husband, Lord Yue, was renown as a genial noble, said to be too soft and doting on his infamous spouse. It was said that he seldom punishes Shen Qingqiu for any infractions. Even when his husband pushed Lord Jin into the koi pond, Lord Yue had just apologised on his behalf and presented an ore mine to the other noble as compensation for his misdeed.

Whenever Liu Qingge saw them together, Shen Qingqiu would look at no one else and attended to his Lord husband diligently as a spouse should. In turn, Lord Yue never indicate that he was dissatisfied with his husband in anyway.

Or at least, that was what Liu Qingge had assumed.

***

The next time he met Shen Qingqiu was during the banquet celebrating the peace treaty with Qishan, which had been in turmoil with the empire for the past decade.

King Wen, who was the maternal uncle of Emperor Huang, had finally conceded to peacefully settle their differences and arrived at the palace as a guest of honour.

During the banquet, Shen Qingqiu had performed a solo dance with cherry blossoms scattered beneath his bare feet. It would have been unseemly but his simple, unadorned white silk robes lent him an air of purity and grace. The light green sash he wrapped around his elbows flowed like an undulating river as he twirled on the stage, kicking up petals that filled the hall with a floral scent.

Liu Qingge remembered sitting at the front table with his father, feeling the soft touch of the cherry blossom petals as it rained upon him.

For a moment, Shen Qingqiu looked like a heavenly fairy dancing upon a flower field.

It was much later after the banquet that Liu Qingge found out that, originally, it was supposed to be a joint performance with selected spouses of the nobles. However, the other spouses had singled Shen Qingqiu out, calling him pompous and unwilling to cooperate.

They'd forced him to perform alone in an attempt to humiliate him.

Only, he'd done so well that Emperor Huang had gifted him with a kingfisher hairpin.

Hearing how the other spouses had seethed with jealousy after that made Liu Qingge feel smug on behalf of Shen Qingqiu.

But the Emperor wasn't the only one that had been impressed with the performance.

Liu Qingge had caught sight of King Wen's expression during the performance. The King's face had been filled with rapture and fascination. And even after the performance, when Shen Qingqiu had joined Yue Qingyuan at his table to serve his Lord husband, King Wen had continuously shot covetous glances at Shen Qingqiu.

He was also pretty sure that wily Chancellor Yun knew that King Wen would snatch Shen Qingqiu up immediately if he so much as stepped foot into Qishan.

The court could then kick up a fuss for having their 'ambassador' abducted and demand compensation in the form of the salt trade agreement. And likely, the wealthy King would allow it if he got to keep his prize; Shen Qingqiu as his newest concubine.  

Which was why Liu Qingge couldn't afford to let Shen Qingqiu go to Qishan.

He knew that Shen Qingqiu would never return if he did.

***

"Yue Qingyuan divorced Shen Qingqiu!!?"

Liu Qingge couldn't believe his ears when Yang Yixuan reported it to him. His assistant nodded in confirmation.

"Master Shen left Yue Manor three days ago," the youth confirmed.

"Why? And where is he now?" Liu Qingge questioned, slamming down the documents he was reading.

"Uhm, I heard it's because Second Wife Qi is with child and Lord Yue wanted to legitimise his heir. Oh, I think Master Shen is in Jinyang Inn," his assistant answered. "At least, that was what Ning Yingying told me when I ran across her at the market. She was contemplating leaving Yue Manor too, to continue following Master Shen as his servant."

Without further thought, Liu Qingge left his table, ignoring Yang Yixuan's spluttering protestation. He grabbed his cloak on the way out, the autumn weather was getting too cold even for him.

How could Yue Qingyuan just divorce his husband and throw him out on his own when winter was just approaching? What was that man thinking? Did he not love Shen Qingqiu? Everyone in court had harped on and on about how doting he was towards his husband, even when he had taken on a second spouse. They had said that he practically spoiled Shen Qingqiu, allowing him to act as he pleased.

So how could he do this to his husband of ten years? Just to legitimise a child? When he could have just had Shen Qingqiu adopt the child to give him legitimacy?

Liu Qingge couldn't understand it.

The amount of humiliation that Shen Qingqiu had to go through because of that... he couldn't even imagine it.

Regardless, Liu Qingge was not an ungrateful person. Shen Qingqiu had helped his father and himself multiple times, even if the man never realised it.

He can't let the man go without a patron or protector. Shen Qingqiu was too well-known to be left alone. He was relatively sure that if Shen Qingqiu was left without protection, he would be abducted by unsavory men for objectionable purposes.

By hook or by crook, even if he had to resort to tactics that he didn't like, Liu Qingge had to convince Shen Qingqiu to return home with him.

*****

"I want you to come to the borderlands with us to take a role as our advisor."

To say that Shen Qingqiu was surprised by the offer was an understatement. Liu Qingge was the last person he'd expected to call on him after all, considering their previous interactions.

Shen Qingqiu looked down at the rippling water, feeling a pang of disappointment. He had honestly thought that the man was more honorable than this. Perhaps he had overestimated him. Or perhaps his disappointment with Yue Qingyuan had coloured his interactions with all men now.

Ever since he left Yue Manor, there had been various offers arriving in the form of letters and guests, all hoping to take advantage of his vulnerable state.

Lord Jin Guangshan, who had been the one to come onto him years ago and was subsequently pushed into the koi pond by him, had been the first to come sniffing after him the day after he left Yue Manor. The pompous oaf seriously thought that he was so desperate for protection that he would gladly accept his offer to become his concubine.

As if.

The man had been so shocked when he declined immediately and sent him off without a moment of hesitation. He'd even had the gall to threaten Shen Qingqiu when he left.

"You'd never be able to escape the capital! I'll make sure of it!" the stupid man had shouted as he stormed off.

Shen Qingqiu knew regardless of the threat that he wouldn't be able to leave the capital anyway. Not when Yue Qingyuan still continued to send men to monitor him as well as bombarding him with continuous letters of apology and gifts. That man had always been like that, see sawing between loving Shen Qingqiu and resenting him for being a reminder of their dark past.

It was so unfair. It wasn't as if Shen Qingqiu asked for any of this.

For all their sakes, it would be better for Shen Qingqiu to completely cut ties with Yue Qingyuan.

However, knowing his ex-husband, Yue Qingyuan would probably only last another week before attempting to force him back to Yue Manor in the guise of 'caring' for him. So he had a limited amount of time to make his decision, as the only way he could completely cut ties with his ex-husband was to remarry or to leave the capital with the support of an influential figure.

As such, he had been contemplating Chancellor Yun's offer to become an ambassador when he received a notification that Liu Qingge was requesting for a meeting with him.

"Why are you offering me this role?" Shen Qingqiu asked the lieutenant general.

"Your dissertation on the enemies' formations helped us win quite a few battles," Liu Qingge answered. "Your counsel at the borderlands would greatly assist us in our efforts to protect our country, and if possible, promote our advancement in widening our borders."

When Shen Qingqiu kept quiet, silently pouring tea for the lieutenant general, Liu Qingge continued, "My father spoke highly of you. He said that you would an asset to us if you should choose to follow us into the battlefield. In fact, he would be here himself if he could. As it is, he has already left for the west and I was planning to join him the day after tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow," Shen Qingqiu repeated and Liu Qingge nodded.

"Yes," Liu Qingge confirmed.

"Then that would leave me with very little time to think on this offer," Shen Qingqiu said and Liu Qingge quickly backtracked.

"Please take your time to contemplate my offer," the lieutenant general said hastily, who clearly had not thought things through. Did he think that Shen Qingqiu would give him an immediate answer without thinking on it?

"I was only planning to go the day after tomorrow. If Master Shen requires more time to think, I will gladly wait for your answer," Liu Qingge reassured him.

The change in attitude was certainly surprising and at the same time, gratifying. Shen Qingqiu would have thought that the man would be too arrogant to wait for an answer from a jilted commoner like him. It would be par for the course for some young noble like him after all.

But thinking on it, it was as if Liu Qingge didn't remember their first meeting and what he did...

Shen Qingqiu had just married Yue Qingyuan then and was still getting used to the changes in his life. He'd just transitioned from being a street rat to a noble by marriage, so he'd been a little unused to the priviledges afforded him in his new position.

He was wearing silk robes that day, soft and smooth to the touch and embroidered with his favourite bamboo leaves motives at the edges. It was a little plain for someone his station but Shen Qingqiu preferred simple elegance to ostentatious luxury. He was just making his first visit with Yue Qingyuan to the teahouse commonly visited by nobles.

When Yue Qingyuan had left him to admire the blooming peonies, he came across a group of the young nobles.  

Liu Qingge, who was still a Lieutenant Colonel then, had glanced at him once and dismissed him, like he was a mere servant. The other nobles had eyed him for a moment before telling him to sit down to make them a new pot of tea.

They called him a tea server, even though he was more well-dressed than one of those pretty maidens that served as a tea maker.

Humiliated, Shen Qingqiu had left the teahouse and later, Yue Qingyuan returned alone to gently reprimand him for not informing him of his departure before leaving.

Thinking back, Yue Qingyuan probably meant that Shen Qingqiu shouldn't have left without his permission, even if he didn't word it that way.

Ah, thinking of that man never stopped making his heart throb with pain. Fortunately for him, he had already cried out his eyes the night before in his inn room so there was no chances of him suddenly dissolving into tears in front of Liu Qingge.

Brushing away any further thought of his ex-husband, Shen Qingqiu returned to the conversation at hand.

"I will think on it and give you an answer by tomorrow night," Shen Qingqiu promised. "If you could, please send a contract detailing the description of my responsibilities as your advisor."

Liu Qingge nodded in agreement, "I came out in a rush so I have not prepared anything. For that, I apologise. I will draft out the contract and send it to you as soon as possible."

Huh, that was easier than Shen Qingqiu had expected.

It was as if Liu Qingge really wanted desperately for him to say yes.

***

Liu Qingge had never been an anxious person but he spent the next day feeling antsy, barely able to sit down at his office table for five minutes before feeling the need to stand up and pace.  

He'd finished the contract the night before and sent it early that morning at dawn, hoping to let Shen Qingqiu know how serious he was with his proposition.

"Master," Yang Yixuan called out, handing some letters to him.

Liu Qingge took it and look through them but none of them seemed important. The few personal letters from other nobles, marriage proposals to their daughters or such, were immediately thrown into the fire crackling merrily in the brazier. He never bothered replying them, which was par for the course for him, so the nobles knew not to expect any return letters from him.

Itching to do more, he picked up his sword and headed out into the training grounds.

The physical exercise did help ease his restless mind but as evening approached, he realised how much he stank of sweat and how unpresentable he looked. He made it a point to return home to clean up before he headed to the inn to call on Shen Qingqiu once more.

This time, the innkeeper did not approach him, being preoccupied with a few customers, so Liu Qingge headed towards the gardens on his own. He didn't need anyone to guide him as the moon was shining brightly that night, illuminating the pathways and giving everything a dreamy glow.

It didn't take long before he heard voices in the garden, one of which he recognised as Shen Qingqiu's. The other...

"The cloak you sewn, I've received it. It is beautiful."  

"I'm sure your new wife can do a better job than this," Shen Qingqiu replied in a cold and dismissive tone. "She is the perfect First Wife after all."

As Liu Qingge suspected, it was Yue Qingyuan who was at the garden with Shen Qingqiu. Liu Qingge stopped behind a pillar, watching suspiciously as Yue Qingyuan continued;

"Are you well? You look so pale."

"My health is no longer of your concern," Shen Qingqiu retorted, turning away and looking irritated at the presence of his ex-husband. If Liu Qingge hadn't seen the unshed tears Shen Qingqiu had in his eyes the night before, he too would have been fooled by his act.

"How can you say that? A-Jiu, I still love you. Just come home. You can continue staying in your courtyard. I've already asked the servants to clean and restock the Bamboo courtyard for you," Yue Qingyuan said gently.

"Oh? How generous of you. Previously, you were offering the back courtyard, the one for old, unwanted concubines? What's the change for? That's what I am, isn't it?"

"I've reflected on my words," Yue Qingyuan said in a regretful tone. "I know I was wrong to offer that place to you. I'll make it up to you."

"You always say that, but nothing will change. Well, except my status. Because now I'm not even an official spouse, am I?"

"A-Jiu, I'm sorr-" Yue Qingyuan implored, reaching out for Shen Qingqiu who flinched away.

"It is improper for you to touch me, Lord Yue. We are no longer married."

"I know I am in the wrong, but I swore I would care for you, so just come home," Yue Qingyuan said, almost begging.

"You also swore that you will love no one else, but we both know how that went," Shen Qingqiu answered spitefully.

Liu Qingge stood at the corner of the pathway, watching as Yue Qingyuan tried to take a hold of Shen Qingqiu's hand once more but was rebuffed quickly when latter retreated several steps back. He wasn't sure if he should show himself and run interference, considering this was a matter between the once-married couple.

"I know I'm in the wrong," Yue Qingyuan said beseechingly. "But A-Jiu, where will you go now? Are you really going to marry Lord Jin? You said that he is a philanderer, you pushed him into the pond when he made advances on you. You told me that, I believe you now. Don't marry him, he will not cherish you the way you deserve."

"Cherish me? Like you have?" Shen Qingqiu said with a derisive laugh. "Don't look down on me, Yue Qingyuan. A perverted philanderer is not the only choice I have."

"No, no, that's not what I meant," Yue Qingyuan said quickly.

"I don't care what you meant," Shen Qingqiu returned. His tone was cold and his expression mirrored his words. "You have already given me divorced papers. Our bond is broken and nothing you say can undo what you've done. We are now strangers."

"How can you say that!? We were married for ten years and we've known each other since we were children," Yue Qingyuan implored.

"You should be grateful we had ten years," Shen Qingqiu said mercilessly. "Isn't that what you told me? When you handed me those divorce papers."

Yue Qingyuan's face was full of regret and woe but Liu Qingge felt no sympathy for him, not even pity. The man had sowed his own seeds and should reap what he sowed. Casting aside his husband of ten years just to legitimize his child. All just to satisfy the Qi family.

What nonsense.

Liu Qingge stepped out from behind the pillar and approached the two of them.

"Master Shen, good evening," he called out, acting as if he hadn't eavesdropped on them.

As he expected, his presence effectively put a halt to the illusion of privacy to their surroundings and Yue Qingyuan seem to realise that they were in a public setting. He visibly struggled to regain his composure as Shen Qingqiu made to escape the proximity of his presence by walking towards Liu Qingge.

"Lieutenant General Liu," greeted Shen Qingqiu calmly and Liu Qingge returned the gesture, ignoring the noble behind him. "Good evening."

"Good evening, Young Master Liu," Yue Qingyuan greeted when he composed himself, attempting to assert himself between Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu.

It was such a smooth, practice move that Liu Qingge had never thought twice about it before when Yue Qingyuan used to do that during social gatherings. That was, until now.  

"I am no longer your husband, Lord Yue," Shen Qingqiu reminded. "You do not need to shield me anymore."

Yue Qingyuan faltered for a moment before replying, "I apologise. It is a force of habit."

Shen Qingqiu didn't bother to grace that with an answer, looking away dismissively. Seeing that, Liu Qingge decided to interfere once more.

"Master Shen, may I have a word with you?" Liu Qingge said. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Yue Qingyuan straighten in surprise and suspicion, but he ignored him.

"Yes," Shen Qingqiu said quickly. "Come, I will prepare tea and refreshments for you. Lord Yue, I believe you know how to show yourself out."

"A-Jiu-!"

Shen Qingqiu walked away and Liu Qingge followed after. When he turned for a quick glance at the lone figure of Yue Qingyuan, he saw the man looking forlorn and miserable, as if he had been the one that was jilted and not the other way round.

***

"I was about to send it to your office," Shen Qingqiu said, handing the scroll to him.

"My office?" Liu Qingge parroted, taking the contract and opening it.

"Yes, via a messenger," Shen Qingqiu answered and Liu Qingge's face coloured when he realised that he didn't have to make the journey all the way to the inn to get Shen Qingqiu's answer.

"Ah, I was impatient," Liu Qingge admitted sheepishly, "My apologies if I made you feel rushed."

"No apologies needed," Shen Qingqiu answered. "Your presence was timely."

Liu Qingge smiled at that and looked down at the contract. Much to his disappointment, it was still unsigned.

"Was the offer not enough? We can allocate more for your salary," Liu Qingge said. "I can work something out with my father over the budget."

"I have no qualms on the salary," Shen Qingqiu answered. "It is an appropriate figure for such a position."

"Then, what is the matter?" Liu Qingge asked.

"There are some things that I would like to include before I sign the contract, if possible," Shen Qingqiu said honestly. He took out a parchment and rewrote his additional terms.

Liu Qingge took the offered list and after reading it, answered immediately, no consultation with his father needed, "Yes, to all of this, including the house in the suburbs with a plot of land."

"Do you not need to contemplate my terms?" Shen Qingqiu asked, surprised at the hasty answer. "Or discuss with your general?"

"The Liu family has a branch in the suburbs of Gusu, owning plenty of properties and land there. I'm sure we can allocate a proper manor there for your use," Liu Qingge explained. Shen Qingqiu shook his head.

"No, not a manor. Just a house, enough for one master and a few servants, as well as a land I can live off from," Shen Qingqiu said. "Consider it my retirement incentive."

"Retirement? At this age?" Liu Qingge blurted out.

Shen Qingqiu gave him a dead stare and that was when Liu Qingge finally noticed the dark rings around his eyes, the sunken cheeks and pale lips. He looked sad and tired, fatigued as if he hadn't been sleeping at all. Seeing that, Liu Qingge felt a pang of sympathy for the newly divorced man.  

"I'll make sure all your requests are fulfilled," Liu Qingge promised, unrolling the contract to include the additional clauses before signing it on behalf of his father. Then he turned it around and let Shen Qingqiu look through it. Satisfied with what he had read through, Shen Qingqiu picked up the brush and signed his name on it too.

"I must admit," Liu Qingge said, rolling the scroll up. "I was worried that you would not be pleased with the idea of leaving the capital."

"I thought about it," Shen Qingqiu answered. "It would be the best if I took a post outside of the capital. Staying here... there are too many memories."

And a persistent ex-husband to boot, thought Liu Qingge uncharitably.

"It's best that I leave as soon as I can," Shen Qingqiu said, gesturing to his meager belongings. "As you can see, I have yet to unpack my things, so I will be able to leave with you tomorrow as per your schedule."

Oh, Liu Qingge realised. He gave himself that time limit to not inconvenience me.  

"Tomorrow," Liu Qingge said before swallowing the lump in his throat. "Tomorrow, I will come and fetch you."

Shen Qingqiu nodded and when Liu Qingge got up to leave, Shen Qingqiu followed after to send him out the door courteously.

However, Liu Qingge's departure from the inn was halted when he spied Yue Qingyuan still lurking in the gardens adjacent to Shen Qingqiu's chambers. Without further thought, he turned around and returned to the door he just left. He knocked on the door and waited for Shen Qingqiu to open the door.

"Master Shen, perhaps it would be more convenient if you were to return to Liu Manor with me and we can depart from there at the break of dawn tomorrow," Liu Qingge said and Shen Qingqiu blinked in confusion.

"Why?"

"Convenience," Liu Qingge repeated. But Shen Qingqiu was not convinced. He even changed his stance and tilted his head in defiance. Liu Qingge immediately relented.

"Lord Yue is waiting for you in the gardens," he admitted. "I fear that he might try to force his way into your room."

Shen Qingqiu raised a brow at him, "Are you... worried for me?"

Liu Qingge opened his mouth then closed it, not knowing how to answer that question. Then he settled by saying, "I know that it is none of my concern, but even I can tell that you do not want to speak to him."

"So then, how do you think I can avoid him if I leave with you? We still have to go past him when we leave," Shen Qingqiu pointed out.

"I'm sure there's a backdoor somewhere-"

"There is. But it requires me to leave through the garden gate," Shen Qingqiu said drily. He looked almost amused by Liu Qingge's floundering.

"Then, how do you-"

"I will let him wait there," Shen Qingqiu answered him. "Let him wait all night if he wants to. I am planning to retire and rest before our travels tomorrow anyway."

"Oh," said Liu Qingge awkwardly. "Good idea. Uhm. Well, good night then."

"Yes, good night. Young Master Liu," Shen Qingqiu said, a small smile on his lips as he closed his room door once again.

It occurred to Liu Qingge, as he stalked past the gardens blatantly ignoring Yue Qingyuan's lurking figure, that this was the first time Shen Qingqiu had ever smiled at him.

***

He should have stayed and gotten Shen Qingqiu out with him that night.

***

The next morning, when his platoon reached the inn, there was a contingent of servants waiting at the front door.

"Open up and call Shen Qingqiu out! Our master has waited long enough!" he heard one maid, probably the head servant, shouting and pounding at the front door. "Don't keep people waiting for you! You're not the First Husband anymore!"

Irritated at her rudeness, Liu Qingge gestured for his second-in-command and Liu Bo rode forward.

"What is this!?" Liu Bo asked the servant waiting at the gate. She jumped in surprise and turned around only to catch sight of all the soldiers. The sight of them intimidated her so much, she immediately lost her pompousness and bowed down.  

"Sir, we are from the Yue estate. Our Lord has instructed us to bring Shen- uhm- Master Shen home," the woman answered timidly.

"Master Shen is no longer connected to Yue estate, so stop your shouting," Liu Bo said with a strict tone. "You're disturbing the peace."

"But Lord Yue-"

"Master Shen is no longer the spouse of Lord Yue," Liu Bo repeated, looking down on her from his horse. His look was so ominous that she quailed below him. "He is now an advisor and strategist of Liu Army."

Just as he said this, the door to the inn opened and two servants carrying suitcases came out.

Then, Shen Qingqiu stepped out, dressed in pale green robes with a thick brocade cloak around his shoulder. His hair, once tied up in a high knot to denote his noble standing, was half bound in a low bun held by a single jade hairpin and a sprig of white wintersweet flowers.

Without preamble, Liu Qingge got down from his horse immediately and approached his new advisor.

"We've prepared a horse for you," Liu Qingge said, gesturing for said horse to be brought forward. It was a pure white horse that Liu Qingge himself had chosen for Shen Qingqiu.

Liu Qingge watched as Shen Qingqiu came forward to offer his hand to the horse before gently patting it on the head. He'd never seen the former First Husband look so gentle before and.... it was fascinating, the dichotomy between coldness and gentleness that this man displayed.

"Ning Yingying! Ming Fan! What are you doing here!?" the maid from Yue Manor asked in a hushed but surprised tone.

"Our contracts are still with Master Shen," Ning Yingying answered in a somewhat innocent tone. "We came to ask Master Shen to take us with him."

"How dare you! Without Lord Yue's permission!?"

"Our contracts are with Master Shen," Ming Fan repeated, firmer. Then he ignored the spluttering head maid to put the luggage away in one of the caravans at the back of the contingent.

"What about your grandmother, Ning Yingying!? She's sick! Are you just leaving her behind?" the head maid demanded. "How unfilial!"

Ning Yingying's genial smile dropped and she gave her a cold look, "My grandmother passed away three days ago. Master paid for all her funeral fees and I've already paid my respects. You would have known that have you shown even an ounce of care. But it's clear that the people at Yue manor only cares about themselves."

The head maid face coloured and she spluttered, as if just noticing the white flowers in Ning Yingying and Shen Qingqiu's hair and the white band on Ming Fan's forehead.

All the while, Shen Qingqiu graciously ignored her, like she was beneath his notice and Liu Qingge found himself admiring his poise.

Liu Qingge helped Shen Qingqiu up the horse, making sure that his cloak was settled properly around him and that he was comfortable. He made a mental note to gift his new advisor with a thicker cloak. The west borderland was cold at this time of the year, colder than the capital.

"We move out," Liu Qingge commanded his platoon once he was back on his horse.

The group of Yue servants were left behind, bewildered and frightened, as Liu Qingge led Shen Qingqiu and his soldiers away. For some reason, Liu Qingge felt somewhat smug as they left the street and ultimately, the capital.

There was no way anyone could get their claws on Shen Qingqiu now.

*****

"Are these all for Master Shen?" Liu Bo asked as more carts came into view.

"Yes," Ning Yingying answered, looking at the invoice the merchants had handed her when they delivered the carts. "Everything seems to be in order."

"We will inform you of the destination for the next shipment," she said to the head merchant, passing him a large pouch filled with silver taels.

"Thank you so much," said the head merchant, bowing humbly. "Please thank Master Shen for his business."

"If the quality of the merchandise is up to Master's standards, he will surely write a letter of confirmation for the next shipment," Ning Yingying said.

For some reason, to Liu Bo, even though her tone was chirpy and light, it sounded like a threat. As if she was saying, "You better deliver quality goods to my master or you can kiss any further business from us goodbye."

The merchants, who had delivered over 10 carts of supplies of some sort, bowed enthusiastically before leaving. Now, the unmanned carts had to be delegated to some soldiers in their platoon as their new responsibilities.

Liu Bo sighed, wondering what he can do now. He should report it to his older cousin, Liu Qingge, who was also his commanding officer. But knowing him, LIu Qingge would probably just wave the matter away and tell him to do what was needed.

What would one advisor/strategist need with 10 carts of supplies anyway!??

"We better get going, we are already late, aren't we?" Ming Fan asked once everything was settled and Liu Bo felt the vein at his temple throb.

Seriously, the nerve of these servants!

***

When they arrived at the garrison, instead of coming down from his horse like Liu Qingge, Shen Qingqiu first looked around the camp. He peripherally noted the high parapet that hosted several large drums, the large tents all around and the smell of sweat, horses and dryness in the air.

"Here."

Shen Qingqiu looked down and Liu Qingge was offering a hand up to him. He wanted to help Shen Qingqiu down from his horse.  

Did the man really think that he was a damsel in constant need of help? He did the same thing too back at the inn when Yue Qingyuan was lurking around waiting for him.

Normally, it would irritate Shen Qingqiu to be thought of as weak and someone to be underestimated. It was presumptuous of Liu Qingge to offer help even when not needed, especially because he was worried that his ex-husband would do him harm when Yue Qingyuan's reputation was a thousand times better than Shen Qingqiu. But it was also... kind, because he was worried for Shen Qingqiu, who was still hurting from being abandoned by his husband.  

Shen Qingqiu wasn't used to this kind of consideration, even from his hus..ex-husband. It certainly wasn't something he had associated with Liu Qingge when he first met him and something that the rumours around court had not mentioned at all.

All the gossips circulating about Liu Qingge emphasized on how the man was courageous, strong and talented in swordsmanship. Of course, there were negative rumours about the man too, like how he was socially inept when it came to the noble circle, often saying blunt truths without thinking of diplomacy and not bothering to answer social calls when he was invited to events.

After meeting him for just a few weeks, Shen Qingqiu understood why he had such a reputation.

Liu Qingge was a simpleton. A talented warrior, but a simpleton nonetheless. Someone with an abundance of physical talent who had no care for social cues. He said what he wanted, when he wanted, without any care of how it impacted others because it was the truth.

Shen Qingqiu smiled, a small tentative thing, and took the hand Liu Qingge offered him.

He'd spent a decade dallying daily in subterfuge and politicking, always having to look over his shoulder in fear of being backstabbed. After so long fighting for his right to stay in the upper echelon of society, somewhere he had only accessed by marrying Yue Qingyuan, this kind of blunt honesty...

...he doesn't hate it.

***

Despite Liu Qingge clearly having taken the liberty to recruit him without his father's permission, General Liu welcomed him without preamble or hesitation at all. Shen Qingqiu would have been surprised by it if he didn't get the impression that the son was exactly like the father, a battle-minded simpleton.

"I always wanted to pick your brain over the battle of Shu Pass and what strategy plan you would have come out with if General Wei hadn't brought down the bridge to stop the Xiongnu tribe from breaching the border," Liu Fangzhao said over a shared dinner.

"I thought that General Wei did the right thing, considering the circumstances," Shen Qingqiu replied. "There were hardly time to shore the defenses and if he didn't react quickly enough, it would have been too late to stop the breach."

"Indeed, indeed," agreed Liu Fangzhao. "If there were more time to plan, he would sure have come up with a better plan."

"Yes, the river at that time of the year would have been flowing quite intensely, collapsing the bridge brought the General enough time to use the fire formation," Shen Qingqiu said, picking at his rice with his chopstick. "It was a sound strategy."

Liu Fangzhao smiled at him before filling his bowl with some meat pieces, "You must eat. It's cold here. Mutton will warm you up."

Shen Qingqiu stared at his bowl, not knowing how to inform the General that he was unused to eating much meat, especially when it dripped of fat and spices.

"Uh, thank you," he said shyly, taking a bite of the mutton. It was juicy and smoky, filled to the brim with spicy marinade.  He coughed, the mutton too spicy for his palate.

"Are you alright?" Liu Qingge asked, passing a cup of tea to him. Shen Qingqiu drank the tea and nearly spit it back out. The silly man didn't seem to realise that the hot tea only served to burn his tongue even further.

He swallowed the tea anyway, not wanting to start a fight with his employer so early during their acquaintance. He couldn't afford to.

"Are the dishes not to your liking?" Liu Fangzhao asked, looking at the plates on the table. "We can have the chef prepare other dishes."

"It's... a little spicy," he admitted, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I'm used to blander dishes."

"Then we can-"

"Please don't," he stopped the general. "We are at a garrison, not the capital. We must not waste food. So do not cater to me."

Both father and son stared at him, making his cheeks colour even more. What was he saying to these seasoned men!? Of course they weren't going to waste food!

"The food will not go to waste," Liu Qingge promised, looking entirely too serious for the situation.

"It's your first day here, so I called for a spread," Liu Fangzhao explained. "We don't usually have such meat dishes here, unless there is a hunt the day before."

Shen Qingqiu nodded, not wanting to explain that his appetite had always been poor because of his childhood as a street rat and abused slave. He had time to recover from that when he was married to Yue Qingyuan but everything had spiraled once more when Qi Qingqi married into the Yue household. He'd suffered loss of appetite since then and the food 'shortage' did not help.  

Shen Qingqiu picked up his chopsticks and as amendment, pick up a piece of mutton for Liu Qingge and one for Liu Fangzhao.

"Thank you for welcoming me here," he said to them, genuine in his gratefulness.

It was the least he could do for the people who helped him escape the capital with his dignity intact, even if they weren't aware of it.

***

"So his ex-husband tried to drag him back?" Liu Fangzhao said when his son chronicled how he had come to acquire a new strategist after Shen Qingqiu left to retire for the night. .

"Yes, more than once," Liu Qingge said, pouring his father a cup of wine.

"What is that man thinking? Hasn't he humiliated his poor husband enough?" Liu Fangzhao said grumpily, sipping at his wine.

"Ex-husband," Liu Qingge corrected.

Liu Fangzhao ignored it, waving a hand. "It's bad enough that he divorced him merely to satisfy the Qi family. Now he wants to bring his husband back home as what- a concubine!?"

"Ex-husband," Liu Qingge repeated.

Liu Fangzhao peered at his son with a raised brow.

Liu QIngge's face coloured and he looked away, sipping at his own wine. He was going to blame his flaming cheeks on the alcohol if his father said anything.

"Well, it's not a loss for us," Liu Fangzhao commented, letting his son's momentary slip go without a fuss. For now.

"Just make sure that he adjusts well."

***

Shen Qingqiu watched as the men performed their morning drill, noting the differences between squadrons. He had yet to see them practice their formations and he was especially interested in their ability to adapt to different formations and their response time-

"Master Shen."

He looked over his shoulder to see Liu Qingge approach him with a folded cloak that was lined with what Shen Qingqiu could only assume was fox fur.

"It's getting cold," Liu Qingge explained, offering the thick fur cloak to him. "This will serve you better than that brocade cloak. It's made of fire fox fur."

It was true that the cloak that Yue Qingyuan gave him the year before was made for the weather in the capital, which was less cold, and was made for fashion rather than function. The winds here in the west was more intense and bitter than he was used to.  

"Thank you," Shen Qingqiu said, accepting the cloak. He felt a little touched by the gesture though he didn't show it.

He paused.

He often never showed his appreciation for people, even to his hus- ex-husband. Perhaps that was why people always called him cold and apathetic.

He touched the fur stitched to the collar of the cloak. It was soft and warm.

"Do you... still have more fur?" he asked tentatively, looking up at Liu Qingge.

***

"What are these?" Liu Qingge asked Liu Bo, gesturing to the sacks filling up the warehouse.

"These shipments belong to Master Shen," Liu Bo said. "I don't know what they are but his servants said to store them in a dry warehouse for provisions."

Liu Qingge leaned in to sniff at one of the bag and smelled... ginger?

"I'll go ask Master Shen. It is cluttering the warehouse," Liu Qingge said and Liu Bo nearly sighed in relief. He didn't want to be the one to bring it up to the cold-faced advisor. Shen Qingqiu might be a sight to look at, but he could be so expressionless sometimes that it was hard to know what he was thinking. Well, except when he was being sarcastic.

"I ordered them," Shen Qingqiu said when Liu Qingge asked him about it. "Before we left the capital, I had someone order these bags of dried condiments, powdered ginger and rice."

"Why?"

"During winter, chances of soldiers falling sick is high," Shen Qingqiu explained. "Mixing these and making ginger tea(1) will help boost their immune system. The storage for these is simple and it will last for months."

"Show me," Liu Qingge said to him and Shen Qingqiu nodded.

He had his servants open a few of the bags and mixed them in a large pot before pouring hot water into it. The scent that wafted across the camp made the soldiers falter during their practice, stomachs growling hungrily. Ming Fan and Ning Yingying had to recruit a few of the soldiers to help distribute bowls of the ginger tea mix out.

"This warms up my very soul," Liu Bo said, rubbing one hand on his belly with a satisfied sigh. The empty bowl he had been sipping from was still wafting steam.

Liu Qingge couldn't agree more. The ginger tea really did warm him up and the little pieces of dried meat, rice and spices in the concoction filled his belly in a comforting manner.

"Are you not having any?" he asked Shen Qingqiu, who was watching the soldiers happily consume the tea.

Shen Qingqiu shook his head, "I will have it once everyone has their fill. Now then, if that is all, I will take my leave."

Liu Qingge opened his mouth but found no excuse to stop the advisor, so he just watched as Shen Qingqiu returned to his tent.

He was jolted out of his reverie when Liu Bo elbowed him.

"I know he's pretty but don't stare too hard," his cousin joked and Liu Qingge blushed.

"Shut up!" Liu Qingge said snappishly, "If you're done, go do your drills!"

"I already finished them!" Liu Bo wailed.

"Do another ten times!"

"Mean! You're so mean! I'll tell Master Shen you're a bully!" Liu Bo stuck his tongue out and quickly dodged when Liu Qingge grabbed at him.

"You! I'll kill you!"

"Ack!"

***

Liu Qingge strolled through the garrison, keeping an eye out for any abnormalities. He might only be patrolling because he was unable to sleep but that didn't mean he was about to do a subpar job of it.

He came across Shen Qingqiu's tent and paused at the light flickering at the edges of his door.

"Has Master Shen retired yet?" he quietly asked the two guards standing at the door. The two soldiers exchanged looks before answering.

"Master Shen rarely sleeps," one of them said. "He's usually working till late night."

"Do you want us to call on him for you, Lieutenant General?" asked the other.

"No need," Liu Qingge said quickly. "I was just wondering."

"Oh, Lieutenant General?"

Liu Qingge turned around and saw Shen Qingqiu's maid, Ning Yingying, carrying a bowl of soup.  

"Are you here to see Master?" she asked sweetly.

"No, no," Liu Qingge said. "I don't want to bother Master Shen at this late hour."

"Oh, it won't be a bother. Master doesn't sleep much," she said. "That's why I made some hot soup for him."

"He doesn't sleep much?" Liu Qingge questioned as subtly as he could.

"Mn," she nodded, her face adopting a look of sadness. "Master, he doesn't sleep well... especially after..."

Was it because of... he didn't dare to ask. It really wasn't his business to ask about another's relationship, broken or otherwise.

"But keeping busy has helped," Ning Yingying assured him, smiling again to chase away her sorrow at seeing her master suffer because of that ungrateful Lord Yue and the annoying harpy he married.

"Still, he shouldn't work too hard," Liu Qingge said. "He has to take care of his health."

Ning Yingying nodded in agreement before a thought occurred to her and she looked up at the Lieutenant General with renewed eyes. Could it be...?

"Well, I shouldn't take up more of your time," Liu Qingge said, "Best to deliver the soup while it's warm."

"Ah, yes, of course!" she said. realising she's been standing in the cold for far too long. The soup would get cold soon.

She opened the flap to the tent and Liu Qingge caught a glimpse of Shen Qingqiu hunched over a piece of fur, sewing diligently by candlelight. Then he forced himself to turn away, reprimanding himself for his odd behaviour.

Before Ning Yingying stepped into her master's new abode, she turned around and watched as the handsome lieutenant general that saved her master left.

She hoped... well, she didn't want to raise her hopes too high, but...

Oh, she wished her master would open his heart once more.

This time to someone more worthy.

***

Since Shen Qingqiu arrived, the garrison hadn't yet been called to battle so he had time to become accustomed to their battle formations and to improve the pre-existing formations or create new ones.

Ming Fan and Ning Yingying were also able to spend time to integrate amongst the soldiers and the servants, garnering their trust and their intel. It was always essential to have an ear in every channel of communication.

Ming Fan, having learned cultivation from Shen Qingqiu since he was a pre-teen, was able to do drills alongside the soldiers. However, there was a marked difference between a servant of a noble and a soldier dedicated to fighting. The poor boy took months to become used to the grueling drills and to build up muscles to keep up with the others.

However, Shen Qingqiu was pleased to see that Ming Fan was slowly improving physically as well as mentally and emotionally. He made a lot more friends here than at Yue Manor, where most of the servants were older women who liked to criticise him.

As for Ning Yingying, Shen Qingqiu had initially been worried about bringing her to a garrison filled with men but she had taken it in stride and bloomed with the attention from the smitten soldiers.

To be honest, he hadn't wanted to offer her a position as his aide/servant but her grandmother had just passed away and she was all alone, so he had been worried for her well-being at Yue Manor. Furthermore, while he had been contemplating Liu Qingge's offer, she had come to the inn to beg Shen Qingqiu to take her along with him.

Knowing that she was alone like him, Shen Qingqiu just couldn't abandon her at the capital.

He was glad that he didn't though. Despite his worry, Ning Yingying was treated respectfully at the encampment. Shen Qingqiu attributed it to the Liu men's strict moral discipline and couldn't help but be impressed with their conduct. He'd already met too many hypocrites and sycophants, meeting Liu Qingge and his father, and even Liu Bo, was serious a breath of fresh air.

They always said what they mean, when they mean to, with absolutely no hidden motive or meaning. In turn, Shen Qingqiu found himself communicating in straightforward terms, without fear of being accused of having any unsavory intentions.

"I've been living in the capital for too long," he muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Liu Fangzhao asked him, looking up from his own scroll.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just speaking with myself," Shen Qingqiu answered. "My stay at the capital has made me a very suspicious and negative person. Even more so than when I was a street child."

Liu Fangzhao snorted, "Considering the court is made of mostly hyenas, I don't blame you. That's why none of us like to be there. Only the ladies of the Liu family can tolerate the politics in court. Even then, they prefer to remain neutral."

"Perhaps I should have adopted that mindset when I married-" he cut himself off, reprimanding himself for thinking of that ass-husband of his.

"If you did, then Yue Qingyuan wouldn't have gotten as far as he did," Liu Fangshao said, looking back down on his scroll.

Shen Qingqiu paused and blinked a few times before asking, "What do you mean?"

"What? You think I don't know how you blackmailed Chancellor Yun, upstaged the Princess Liye and her husband, and provoked Madam Jin, among other things, all to increase Yue Qingyuan's influence?" Liu Fangzhao said with one brow raised.

"Then... if you knew about those things... about how I was willing to do anything to help Yue Qingyuan climb the ranks, why did you hire me?" Shen Qingqiu asked, shocked.

"You did it to protect your family. As a family man myself, I find it admirable," Liu Fangzhao said. "Qingge and a few others might find it unsavory, but the truth is that sometimes, you need to be ruthless in order to get things done. Especially when it comes to protecting the ones you love."

Shen Qingqiu looked down, feeling... exposed. Even though he'd done what he did because he felt it necessary to protect his hus- ex-husband and himself, he'd always been told that everything he did was selfish, underhanded and manipulative. Never had he been told that it was... admirable.

But here was a man, who was widely lauded as being righteous and honorable, telling him that what he did to protect his family was...

He felt... understood.

"Thank you," he muttered softly and sincerely.

***

They received the news of the march two days before the Mongol army reached the border, so they had only enough time to dispatch two squadrons to reconvene with the soldier posted at the fortress before the army arrived.

Still, just hours within arrival, Shen Qingqiu was able to set up an array that was capable of capturing the flying creatures sent by the shaman from the opposing army.  

"How did you know that they were going to send those things?" Liu Qingge asked as they watched the deformed condor-like creatures struggle against the barrier array, falling like stones when archers started shooting them down.

"Liu Bo told me that the invaders would sometimes ride flying creatures cast by the shamans into battle," Shen Qingqiu answered him. "This pass is rocky and treacherous. If they wanted to make good time, they would rely on avian creatures."

"This is only the first wave," Liu Qingge noted, unsheathing his sword. "Your barrier will not last long enough."

"Yes, but it would buy us some time to set the second trap for the foot soldiers," Shen Qingqiu said.

"Then, I will go up front and lead the charge while you prepare," Liu Qingge said, trusting the advisor to do what was needed.

Shen Qingqiu stared after the Lieutenant General, surprised at not being questioned about his unspoken plans. If it was anyone else, he would be interrogated about his plans until he snapped.

The amount of trust Liu Qingge was putting on him...

Shen Qingqiu shook his head, reminding himself to focus on his task at hand. The second wave of soldiers should be arriving soon. In time to be ambushed from the sides of the embattlement.

And if they were lucky, they would be able to capture one of those annoying and evasive shamans.

***

"They escaped," Liu Bo reported.

Liu Qingge thinned his lips at that. The two shamans he had spotted standing at the back of the rival army had gotten away before he had even gotten close enough to get a good look at them.

Those shamans had been a thorn to their side for the longest time. Ever since they appeared beside the Mongol Khan's side, their progress in beating back the invaders had been continuously hindered. Their type of foreign magic was still a mystery to them and capturing one of them would greatly unveil many of their secrets.

He kicked the flying creature that had managed to get an attack in on him and was subsequently cut down by him. It flopped over, revealing a hideous countenance and Liu Qingge's lips curled in disgust. It had also, at one point, spouted fire at him. He pointed to the dead creature.

"Take this back," Liu Qingge instructed Liu Bo. "We'll see if we can garner anything from it."

"Yes, sir," his cousin said, picking up the large avian by the legs and dragging it away.

Liu Qingge spotted Shen Qingqiu not too far away, examining the corpses of the barbarians that had attempted to breach their defenses.

"Are you hurt?" was the first thing that came out of his mouth, though he had no idea why. Shen Qingqiu had stayed mostly at the back of the contingent, though he had fought alongside the others with his Xiu Ya sword. He wasn't defenseless, despite his slender appearance.

"I'm unharmed," Shen Qingqiu answered, before spotting something. "You, however, can't say the same."

"What do you- Oh," Liu Qingge noticed the deep scratch on his arm.

"You should have that looked at," Shen Qingqiu advised.

"The physicians will be too busy," Liu Qingge dismissed. "There are others more injured."

"Don't be stubborn," Shen Qingqiu said, grabbing his other arm. "That's your sword arm. You don't want it to be infected."

Liu Qingge thought of protesting but found no excuse to pull away as the advisor led him to the nearest medical room. As he suspected, the medics and physicians there were swamped with patients.

To his surprise though, instead of calling one of the medics, Shen Qignqiu let go of his hand and retrieved some medical supplies. Then he headed to a table, gesturing for Liu Qingge to sit down. Without explaining a single word, Shen Qingqiu ripped the sleeve of his shirt to expose the injury. He meticulously cleaned the wound, then started sewing the cut shut.

"I'm not good with healing techniques, so you will have to heal the common way," Shen Qingqiu said to him. "I'll make sure you don't scar too much. Though, I hear that the ladies find scars quite desirable these days."

Liu Qingge huffed at that, watching intently as Shen Qingqiu meticulously sew tiny stitches onto his torn flesh. Even the medics weren't so precise or meticulous.

"You are very good at this," Liu Qingge commented. By the time Shen Qingqiu was done, the line of thread on his skin would barely be visible and the resulting scars would probably be minimal.

"I'm used to embroidery," Shen Qingqiu answered dismissively, as if any of the wives of the nobles could do what he was doing so easily at the moment. Liu Qingge tried to imagine the spoilt daughter of the Qi family sewing an injury shut and not squealing over the blood and gore. He snorted in disbelief.

Shen Qingqiu frowned at him, obviously wondering why Liu Qingge was laughing at him.

"Just that, I don't think other wives or husband will compare embroidery to emergency stitches," Liu Qingge said.

Shen Qingqiu was silent for a while before he said, almost petulantly; "I know I'm odd, you don't have to rub it in."

"But odd is good," Liu Qingge answered, blinking. "Being unpredictable makes everything interesting."

Shen Qingqiu frowned at him before looking back down at his arm.

"So... odd is good," Liu Qingge repeated, voice trailing off.

Shen Qingqiu gave him a small shy smile though he didn't look back up.

But that was enough to make Liu Qingge's heart jump.

***

"I think there's something wrong with me," he admitted to his father upon returning to the garrison. Liu Fangzhao looked at him with something like pity and no small amount of annoyance.

"And why would you say that?" Liu Fangzhao asked his son.

"I- My heart- It jumps whenever I see Shen Qingqiu," Liu Qingge admitted, his face redder than a baboon's butt, in his father's opinion.

"Really...?" Liu Fangzhao asked mockingly. "What else? Does your heart race when you speak to him? Do you want to see him when he's not in front of you? Do you think of him often without prompting?"

Liu Qingge stared at him for a moment before asking, "How did you know all that?"

Liu Fangzhao returned his stare with a droll look.

"How did I end up with a stupid, clueless child like you?" Liu Fangzhao wondered aloud.

"Father!"

"You like him," Liu Fangzhao answered his unspoken question and Liu Qingge stared at him in disbelief.

"No," he denied, almost reflexively.

Liu Fangzhao didn't even grace him with an answer, smacking him right in the head for his thoughtless answer.

"Stupid boy. Why are you my son? Did all the brain cells go to Mingyan instead?"

"Father!"

Liu Fangzhao sighed, rubbing at his temples.

"Normally, I would advise against pursuing a divorcé," he said and Liu Qingge straightened up to frown at him. Before his son could say anything though, he lifted one hand.

"I'm not saying I won't support you if you choose to pursue him," Liu Fangzhao said. "But that child has been hurt enough. He will be guarded and dismissive of your interest in him. If that happens, whatever camaraderie you have right now will be affected."

Liu Qingge's hands tightened into fists.

"So I suggest you think very carefully on whether you want to pursue him," Liu Fangzhao said.

Liu Qingge thought for a while before nodding.

"...Yes, father."

*****

Liu Qingge didn't have time to mull over his conversation with his father because General Wei sent a message requesting reinforcement up north, so the garrison had to pack up and move.

As they travelled, Liu Qingge begin to notice Shen Qingqiu's constant presence no matter where he was, his awareness of him tingling at his senses even when the advisor said nothing and did nothing to attract his attention.

Shen Qingqiu kept to himself most of the time, examining the terrain that they passed and the weather above head. He would speak when spoken to but rarely initiated conversation. He liked to observe the soldiers and was especially fascinated when they spoke about the shamans and their brand of dark magic. Shen Qingqiu had been the first one to examine the creature that Liu Qingge brought back from the battle field and watched as they dissected it. There was nothing inside beyond blood, hair and melted organs but Shen Qingqiu seemed satisfied with what he learned anyway.

After watching him for months, Liu Qingge could understand why his father called Shen Qingqiu a true intellect, not just a scholar but someone who could think unconventionally and solve crises at the drop of a hat. By looking at the clouds, he could predict the weather to turn the tide of a battle to their favour. By learning about the flying creatures, he knew how to destroy them en-masse with just a single array. There seem to be very little that could confound Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge couldn't help but admire him for that.

In the beginning when he first arrived, the soldier were wary of him but with every victory they achieved, the soldiers begin to rally under his instructions without hesitation, trusting Shen Qingqiu to ensure their survival. It was heartening for Liu Qingge to witness it and it only affirmed Liu Qingge's resolution in bringing Shen Qingqiu here to the border.  

However, sometimes, when he thought that no one was watching, Shen Qingqiu would adopt a look of sadness and loss, a faraway gaze in his eyes as he stared at the full moon.

Seeing it made Liu Qingge angry, remembering what Yue Qingyuan had done to his ex-husband.

Rumour might have painted Shen Qingqiu as the one who was jealous and petty but Liu Qingge knew otherwise. That night, at the inn, Yue Qingyuan had been the one who was jealous. He had thought that Liu Qingge wanted to take Shen Qingqiu as his own husband, like all his other noble visitors. That was why he had been desperate to force Shen Qingqiu to return to the Yue Manor that night and the morning after, despite their divorced status.

Did Yue Qingyuan not understand that his actions reflected an abuse of his power and influence? Shen Qingqiu was no longer his husband, therefore, no longer under his authority to control. Just because he was a noble, it didn't mean he could just force Shen Qingqiu, who was effectively a commoner after the divorce, to return to the Yue Manor.

Liu Qingge couldn't imagine the amount of gossip generated after that fiasco. But it was the result of his brash actions, so Liu Qingge supposed Yue Qingyuan deserved the backlash of mockery that was bound to be circulating in the capital.

"Master Shen," Liu Qingge automatically offered his hand for the advisor and Shen Qingqiu's gloved hand slid into his. "We've arrived at the Wei army garrison."

"Thank you," Shen Qingqiu said after he slid down from his white mare. For a moment, while they were standing so close, Liu Qingge couldn't help but notice how the advisor was now less pale compared to when he first arrived with him to the border, which he attributed to exposure to the sun. Unfortunately, it seem as if the advisor had yet to gain weight, for he still felt light like a hollow-boned bird.

Shen Qingqiu let go of his hand and Liu Qingge found himself momentarily feeling the loss as his fingers curled into a fist.

"Master Shen!"

The both of them turned at the call.

Gongyi Xiao, one of General Wei's adjutant, was approaching them with a wide smile. Liu Qingge felt a spark of annoyance at the way his eyes was trained on Shen Qingqiu and the Vice General stepped forward.

"Lieutenant Colonel," Liu Qingge greeted and Gongyi Xiao saluted him as per protocol.

"Vice General Liu," greeted Gongyi Xiao his smile not faltering. "Thank you for coming."

"Mn," he replied, face impassive. He couldn't help but remember what the inn keeper had told him months ago when he'd approached Shen Qingqiu with the recruitment. Young as he was, Gongyi Xiao was also one of the suitors that had inappropriately approached a newly divorced man grieving his broken marriage.

As such, he was going to keep an eye on this Gongyi Xiao.

***

The intelligence they gathered indicated that the enemy encampment was actually split into two, one in plain sight and the other following the river. They were intending to attack simultaneously and the Wei army would have been overwhelmed if they hadn't discovered this information beforehand.

"Just like they have aerial sight by conjuring those flying creature, so do we. The spirit eagles reported the second army having reached the embankment," General Wei told them. "We need to strike as soon as we can. I was waiting for you to arrive so I can leave for the river first. Since your army has just arrived, you will need to rest and hold up the fort."

"That is sound. Our soldiers needs rest and the Mongol camp is watching the garrison," Shen Qingqiu agreed.

"Your vice general is still recovering from his injury, is he not?" Liu Fangzhao said to General Wei. "Take Qingge with you. He's itching to fight and would be of great help to you."

"I have Gongyi Xiao with me. But if you're sure you can hold the fort without your son-"

"Are you underestimating me!?" Liu Fangzhao demanded, looking offended. "I can still kick your ass in my old age, you know."

Liu Qingge made a face at his father's childish behaviour and from the corner of his eyes he could see Shen Qingqiu turning away while opening his fan to cover his face. Liu Qingge recognise it as a way for the advisor to hide his amusement.

Shen Qingqiu freely displayed his displeasure, disappointment and disgust on his face, much to the devastation of his soldiers whenever the advisor gave them such looks. It served to make them work harder to please their resident beauty. However, Shen Qingqiu also often hid positive emotions like enjoyment behind his fan and sleeves, as if it were a sign of weakness.  

It made Liu Qingge wonder what made Shen Qingqiu so guarded against freely showing his expressions.

***

The morning after they arrived at the Wei army garrison, Liu Qingge was given a fresh horse to set out with General Wei. But before Liu Qingge could get on his horse, Shen Qingqiu stopped him.

"I made something for you," the advisor said, turning to Ning Yingying who offered a scarf to him. It was a thick scarf made from the fur that Shen Qingqiu had acquired from the warehouse.

Liu Qingge didn't have the chance to take the scarf before Shen Qingqiu stepped forward to wrap it around his neck, tucking it neatly into his armour.

"Be careful," Shen Qingqiu said and Liu Qingge nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the long thin fingers still on his armor.

"Qingge."

Liu Qingge looked over to his father as Shen Qingqiu stepped back and left to speak with General Wei.

"That was sweet," Liu Fangzhao commented and Liu Qingge's cheeks burned terribly at the reminder that everyone had been watching. He did his best to ignore his father as he got up on his horse.

"Qingqiu is really good at making winter clothing," Liu Fangzhao praised and Liu Qingge found himself nodding along. Then, he blinked when the name registered.

"You-"

"Like this vest," Liu Fangzhao boasted, patting his chest proudly, indicating the new cotton-padded vest lined with fur. "Qingqiu gifted it to me this morning. Such meticulous sewing. Ah, I wonder when I can call Qingqiu my son-in-law."

Liu Qingge nearly fell from his horse at that. Shen Qingqiu had sewn a vest for his father!? And he only got a scarf?

Son-in-law!???

"FATHER!"

Liu Fangzhao laughed so hard that even the soldiers at the end of the line could hear him.

Seriously, he had never laughed so hard before in his life. When Shen Qingqiu gave him a look of confusion and concern, he only laughed harder and nearly pulled a stitch at his side.

For his part, Liu Qingge didn't stop blushing until he completely lost sight of the encampment.

***

It was only a split second.

Shen Qingqiu knew that the Mongol shamans were watching the garrison.

He knew that they were aware that the encampment was fully fortified.

So he had no reason to think that they would launch a sudden attack. It was dishonorable and from what he had seen, even the Khan and his generals operated in a code of honour. Of course, he had made the unfortunate assumption that the shamans, coming from the desert lands, would share the same kind of morality.

It was his error.

Shen Qingqiu came out of his tent at the sound of emergency horn, with just his sword and no armour. His hair was unbound due to the late hour and he was barely dressed but he couldn't be concerned with any of that.

The army at their doorstep was what mattered most.

"Qingqiu! Duck!"

Shen Qingqiu was barely able to dodge the first arrow before the second came at a harrowing speed. He managed to cut it down before he dispatched two enemy soldiers, cutting deeply into their flesh and feeling the spray of warm blood on his cheek.

Liu Fangzhao appeared at his side suddenly, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, General, I-"

The third arrow made it's way into the general's back with a meaty slice.

Shen Qingqiu had barely enough time to register what was happening before a cacophony of sounds erupted in his ears.

"General!"

"General Liu!"

"Uncle!"

***

When the news arrived, Liu Qingge and General Wei was just wrapping up their side of the battle.

Without waiting for the messenger to finish, the Lieutenant General jumped on his horse to rush back to the garrison.

"Wait! Qingge! Get a new horse!" General Wei called out. "Yours is too tired out from the battle."

Without a reply, Liu Qingge jumped on his sword instead. He might be running low on qi reserve, but it would be faster by flight. Before General Wei could protest further, he flew off at breakneck speed.

His father was in critical condition and he was unable to be with him. Liu Qingge had never felt more like a useless son than now.

When he finally returned to the garrison, he jumped down and headed straight to his father's tent. Mu Qingfang, the attending physician, was coincidentally just coming out when he reached the entrance.

"Vice General," the physician greeted. "You've returned."

"How's my father?" Liu Qingge asked in lieu of a greeting, though Mu Qingfang did not seem offended by his brusqueness.

"He's doing better now," Mu Qingfang said. "He was in a critical condition when they brought him in but I've managed to stabilise his condition for now. I was a little worried about him the first night but he pulled through."

Liu Qingge felt something in his chest uncoiled at that news and he sighed with relief.

"Vice General, perhaps you can speak with Master Shen," Mu Qingfang said, looking concerned.

"What is it?" Liu Qingge asked, his brows furrowing again.

"He's been sitting with your father for three days straight," Mu Qingfang told him. "He's been attending to his every need since General Liu was injured. He needs to rest."

"He's... been sitting with father all this time?" Liu Qingge repeated in disbelief.

"Yes, he was there when General Liu was injured. According to Master Shen, General Liu was protecting him," Mu Qingfang replied. "It may be guilt Master Shen is feeling but I doubt that General Liu blames him for anything."

He doesn't, Liu Qingge was sure of it. But Shen Qingqiu would surely not listen to him even if he said it out loud.

"I'll speak to him," he promised the healer. When he lifted the flap to his father's tent, he saw Shen Qingqiu sitting by his father's bedside.

Four days ago, when he left with the Wei army to counter the enemy's secondary troop, Shen Qingqiu had smiled at him before his left.

Now, there was nothing on his face except sadness and loss again.

***

The general's condition did not get any better.

Though he pulled through the first night and the subsequent nights, he was still too weak, pale and listless. It wasn't long before Mu Qingfang suspected that he was cursed.

"An arrow cursed by a shaman," Mu Qingfang told them. "We don't know much about their practise so unless we get our hands on one of them, it's hard to undo what have been done."

"Understood," Shen Qingqiu said just as Liu Qingge slammed his fist on the table, frustrated and helpless.

Liu Qingge covered his face with his hands and Shen Qingqiu reached out, then hesitated. Even though he too was worried, he didn't know what he could do about it. It wasn't his place to comfort Liu Qingge and furthermore, it was his fault that General Liu became hurt.

If the general hadn't come looking for him...

If Liu Qingge blamed it on him...

Shen Qingqiu's heart lurched in pain but he told himself that it was alright. He was used to being blamed for unfortunate happenings.

"It isn't your fault."

Shen Qingqiu straightened, snapping out of his self-admonishment.

"My father protected you because he wanted to," Liu Qingge said, looking at him with sharp eyes. Flustered, Shen Qingqiu looked away.

"... he shouldn't have..."

The words were spoken so softly that Liu Qingge almost couldn't catch.

"He wanted to," Liu Qingge insisted. "Because you are his."

Shen Qingqiu blinked at him, surprised. 'His?'

"He considers his soldiers, the garrison, as his family. Including you," Liu Qingge said. "My father always said that our responsibility as general is to protect our family, our loved ones, each other. Otherwise, we are nothing more than mindless killing beasts."  

"So don't blame yourself," Liu Qingge said, looking at him without a single ounce of hesitation. "I don't blame you and neither does my father."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him for a moment with clear eyes.

Then he nodded, keeping those words near to his heart.

***

Shen Qingqiu had assumed that the Mongol army and their shamans would operate with shared values.

He was wrong.

It was not a mistake he would ever make again.

If they were going to resort to unscrupulous tactics like this...

...then Shen Qingqiu would not hold back either.

***

"Vice General! Master Shen has disappeared!"

"What!?" Liu Qingge stood up from his chair as a soldier rushed into the medical tent. Meanwhile, his father continued to slumber despite the noise.

"We were standing guard as usual at the tent but Master Shen didn't come out of his tent this morning to watch the morning drills," the soldier explained. "We didn't think much of it until we realise that even his servants never came to deliver meals. They always do, even when Master Shen doesn't eat. So we went into the tent but Master Shen wasn't there!'

Liu Qingge's mind raced a mile a minute but he couldn't firmly grasp at any thought at all until the words finally sunk in.

"He left this behind," the soldier said, handing him a note.

Liu Qingge read it and frown at the simple words.

Wait for the cue.  

***

Infiltrating the enemy's camp was simultaneously easy and difficult.

It didn't take long for him to get his hands on a servant's robes. Despite his recent lack of practice in thievery, Shen Qingqiu was crafty enough to pull it off even in a heavily guarded camp.

He wandered around for a while, looking for the tent belonging to the shamans, though he was cautious not to capture anyone's attention. However, before he could mentally map out the whole encampment, he was called away.

"Here. Send this to Lord Tudan," said the servant who called him. He handed Shen Qingqiu a tray of fruits and a goblet of water.

"Yes, sir," Shen Qingqiu said, bowing a little in deference. Without a moment of hesitation, he walked towards the general's tent, following the other servants carrying trays of meat. Any dawdling might clue the enemy in on Shen Qingqiu's intentions.

At the entrance, a guard checked his food and patted him down to check for weapons, though he didn't need to. Shen Qingqiu had entered the camp without any weapons, including Xiu Ya.

Sitting on a daybed was the general of the Mongol army. The Khan's right hand man, Lord Tudan, was a large man with brownish red hair. He looked to be double the size of Liu Qingge and appeared to be quite brutish, though his bluish green eyes were sharp and intelligent. Shen Qingqiu suppose that if one were to survive and thrive in the harsh lands of the west amidst bloodthirsty warriors, one would have to be both cunning and robust.

"Your water, my lord," Shen Qingqiu said demurely, kneeling beside the bed to place the goblet and bowl of fruits at the side table.

"I don't want water. I hate water. Bring me wine," the man snapped.

Shen Qingqiu nodded and made to leave but the lord caught his wrist as he was retrieving the tray.

"You're new," Lord Tudan commented with a frown. "Did you come with the new caravan?"

He was testing Shen Qingqiu. Despite his bright eye colour, Shen Qingqiu had more features that revealed him to be a citizen of the empire and not from the west. Furthermore, Shen Qingqiu knew that the enemy's garrison did not receive any new shipment or caravans since they arrived at the borders.

"No, my Lord," he answered, still looking down. "I was... recruited from the last village."

The last village that they plundered, he meant. The Liu army received news that three small villages had been decimated by the Mongol army before they arrived, pillaging any supplies, kidnapping the majority of the villages as slaves and slaughtering those they deemed unnecessary.

"Hm," the general hummed, still looking intently at his face. "Odd that I haven't seen you before."

"I was placed in the kitchens until today," Shen Qingqiu answered as he glanced shyly once at the lord from under his lashes.

"Hm," the general hummed, before pulling him down on the day bed and into his arms, "You'll stay with me tonight."

That quickly? Shen Qingqiu wondered fleetingly. It didn't matter if the lord was suspicious of him or not. All he needed was a second of carelessness and he would succeed in his mission.

"You're so light," Lord Tudan reveled, lifting him up easily by his waist. "Like a bird, like one of those birds of paradise. Lovely and weightless."

Shen Qingqiu folded his legs beneath him so the general could settle him on his lap. The man caressed his sides with large hands, cupping his bottom and leaning in to nuzzle his neck.

"Does it displease you, my lord? That I'm so thin and light," Shen Qingqiu asked, voice soft and meek.

The man hummed, smelling his hair. "No, not displeased at all."

He demonstrated it by reaching for Shen Qingqiu's belt. The sash slid off easily and Tudan threw him down on the day bed. The red head grinned at Shen Qingqiu's surprised gasp.

"Wait," Shen Qingqiu said, before the general could do more than strip off his pants. He smiled as he trailed his bare foot over the general's lap and onto his swollen groin. "Let me please you, my lord?"

"Tease," Lord Tudan rumbled, catching a hold onto his foot and rubbing it against his groin.

Shen Qingqiu had to swallow his disgust before his expression gave anything away. He pressed his foot down, pushing against the thick rod beneath the pants. Tudan groaned, and before he could recover to do more unsavory things to his foot, Shen Qingqiu leaned forward to push Tudan's shoulders down onto the bed. He climbed onto the redhead's lap, sitting directly on his groin.

"Let me please you," Shen Qingqiu repeated, a plea in his tone as he grinded down.

"You minx," groaned the general, grabbing Shen Qingqiu's hips. He could feel the soft skin beneath the loose robes and that only served to increase his anticipation.

"Shhh," Shen Qingqiu whispered, taking his sash and with a coquettish smile, slowly tied the general's wrist overhead. It was loose and the general knew that he could easily break out of it if he so much as exerted a little force. It was ridiculous that such a farce could excite him so much. No other bed partners he'd taken would be so bold like this young man, despite his demure air.

Shen Qingqiu lifted himself up and grinded down, moaning breathlessly to entice his target further. He traced the man's neck, chest, abdomen and up his own. His hands went up as he threw his head back. His hair came tumbling down as he pulled his hairpin off.

But before he could bring the hairpin down onto the general's chest, the man grabbed a hold of his wrist.

"What a pretty assassin," Tudan said, a wry smile on his lips. "Pity you didn't let me finish in you first."

Before Shen Qingqiu could say anything, he felt the world tilt as the Mongol general turned their position around, pinning Shen Qingqiu on the bed.

"But I suppose I can still get what I want," Tudan said, ripping his robes open. Shen Qingqiu glared up at him as the redhaired man grinned at him unrepentantly.

"You really are a beast, aren't you," Shen Qingqiu said, still calm as he counted in his head. Any time now...

"And you are a real beauty," Tudan replied with a grin.

Said grin disappeared when the Mongol general finally realised something was wrong. His tongue went numb, he had momentary double vision and his fingers became sluggish as he slumped forward. The young man he thought was an assassin heaved him onto the bed with a strength belying his lithe stature.  

"Thank you for the compliment," Shen Qingqiu said, flicking his hair over his shoulder haughtily. "But beastly men are not my type."

The red-haired man glared at him with no effect as Shen Qingqiu straighten his robes and hair, binding his hair up with the decoy hairpin. He retrieved the small poisoned needle he'd pricked into the Mongol general's neck and slid it back into his sleeve.

"An eye for an eye," Shen Qingqiu said to the paralysed general, a smirk on his face. "Now, we'll have to negotiate for antidotes, don't we?"

*****

Shen Qingqiu hummed softly as he wrapped the garrote around the Mongol general's neck.

The end of the thin wire was attached to his own wrist, a safety rope so to speak or a leash to a dangerous mutt. The shamans and soldiers might kill him even without the antidote but the obvious threat to their general's life would stay their sword.

"I am not afraid of death," Tudan said, his voice rumbling under Shen Qingqiu's hands.

"Neither am I," Shen Qingqiu agreed easily. "But we both share the same fear, don't we?"

He leaned down to coyly whisper into the general's ear, "The fear of failure."

"Imagine what your Khan will say if you return a paralysed man? Such a disappointment you'd be," Shen Qingqiu mocked. "A great warrior general reduced to nothing but a vegetable. Such a waste."

"I didn't think that the imperial army would resort to hostage taking," Tudan said, his tone almost amused despite his dire situation. If Shen Qingqiu wasn't preserving his life to save General Liu's, then he wouldn't have hesitated at all to cut the man's throat.  

"Oh, honestly" Shen Qingqiu said, taking a seat on his lap comfortably like he was a doted concubine. At least this time, there are no pillars poking into his thigh. "You really didn't see this coming? After all, you were the ones who started this."

He smiled coquettishly. "So I'm the one who will end it."

Tudan looked at him for a moment before he grinned, "You really are fearless."

"I told you. I'm not afraid of death," Shen Qingqiu said with a shrug. "I walked into this camp knowing I might not leave it. But it's a gamble I'm willing to take to protect the people I care about."

"Now then, shall we begin?" Shen Qingqiu said, taking out his silk fan. "Call your shamans."

***

The shamans came along with two guards and none of them reacted to Shen Qingqiu's threat well.

One of the soldiers actually lifted his spear, as if he was about to impale Shen Qingqiu, who was still sitting atop Tudan's lap. If Shen Qingqiu just shifted a little, Tudan would be the one who would be impaled and considering the general's paralysis, it was a sure thing if the idiot did attack first without thinking.

Fortunately for everyone involved, the other soldier stopped the spear-wielding idiot.

"Stop! You will kill the General! Look at what is on his neck!" the soldier shouted, taking the spear away.

"Correct," Shen Qingqiu said with a satisfied smile. "Even if you managed to stab me, all I have to do if channel a small amount of qi into the wire and your great general's head will fall with my body."

"What do you want?" asked the soldier, who was clearly the second-in-command.

"Remove the curse," he replied, turning his gaze to the two shamans.

"We cannot," answered the shaman. "There is no reversing the curse."

"Is that so?" Shen Qingqiu said, opening his fan. "So then, your General can die with my General. I think that would be fair."

"Wait! No!" exclaimed the second-in-command.

"Do it," Tudan said suddenly. Shen Qingqiu could feel minor movements beneath him as the general attempted to move his limbs and surmised that Tudan would be regaining full functionality soon.

He needed to speed things up.

"We cannot do that," the shaman claimed, but Shen Qingqiu heard the short moment of hesitation and saw the twitching in the man's fingers.

Making a quick decision, he threw his fan.

It rotated in a wide arch, spinning around one of the soldiers and before the Mongols could react, the first shaman's throat split open, spilling blood across the floor.

"Then, I'll just kill the both of you," Shen Qingqiu said, retrieving his blood-splattered fan when it spun back to him.

"If you kill us both, you will never find the cure to his curse," the remaining shaman said quickly.

"From your stubbornness, I can garner that you won't tell me how to reverse the curse," Shen Qingqiu said, touching the bloody edge of his silk fan. It was one of his favourite fans, but it wasn't a loss at all, since it was gifted to him by Yue Qingyuan. "Either way my general will still die."

"So I will just make sure that the two of you will accompany him to his grave as tribute," Shen Qingqiu promised, his green eyes shining bright above his red-edged fan.

The shaman swallowed.

"So what will it be? Sure, instant death? Or a possibility of survival?"

There was another moment of hesitation that made Shen Qingqiu sighed with annoyance.

"Now you're just being a pain," he complained. "Very well. Since you want to make things difficult for me. Then I'll just return the headache to you."

Just as he said that, a loud boom outside the tent could be heard.

"FIRE! The armory is on fire!"

"Get water!"

"Oh, don't worry, it's just a little gift to keep your soldiers busy," Shen Qingqiu told Tudan and the other occupants of the tent. Then another two consecutive booms could be heard.

"The food carts are on fire too!" The screaming outside continued.

"FIRE!"

Shen Qingqiu tsked, "So noisy."

He turned back to the shaman, "Well? Should I just kill you?"

"If you kill me, the curse cannot be removed!" said the shaman in a desperate bid to control the situation.  

Shen Qingqiu watched him for a while before he said, "Lie."

The shaman reeled back in surprised, "How did you-?"

"For one thing, when I killed your little friend there, you said nothing of that sort," Shen Qingqiu explained. "If your deaths will not remove the curse and instead ensured its permanency, then you would have boasted about it after his death."

"That's what you Mongols like to do, am I right? My Lord?" Shen Qingqiu asked Tudan with a wry smile. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "And like I said, if my general is to die either way, then at least I'd have avenged him."

Shen Qingqiu waved the fan at the remaining shaman.

"So choose wisely, Shaman. For it might be the last thing you decide."

***

Mu Qingfang and all those keeping vigil at General Liu Fangzhao's side knew immediately the moment the curse ended when the ailing general's paleness and the stench of death emitting from him receded. His complexion became normal again in a matter of seconds and his laboured breath became deeper and calmer.

"Sir?" called Mu Qingfang and the general groaned. "Sir, please answer me."

The general mumbled something that Mu Qingfang and the others couldn't catch.

"What is it, old friend?" General Wei asked, leaning in.

"Voices," Liu Fangzhao moaned. "I heard voices."

"Who, sir?" asked Gongyi Xiao.

"My son's," the general groaned, opening his eyes. "And- Qingqiu? Where's Qingqiu?"

"Where's my advisor?"

***

"Before you go," Tudan said, staring at Shen Qingqiu as he lengthened the wire so that he could make his escape through the doorway. He'd made the soldier and the shaman leave before executing his plan. "What is your name?"

Shen Qingqiu didn't bother to answer him as he finally released his grip on the man's neck. Before the man could grab him, he slid out from his reach and those of the soldiers milling about near the tent. They nearly managed to block his route when a glowing white sword sliced right through between them.

Without missing a beat, Shen Qingqiu jumped on Xiu Ya and weaved across the encampment. He leaned down and grabbed the hand raised up towards him. Ning Yingying, dressed as a maid of the Mongol army, whooped as her master hoisted her up onto his sword behind her. She had been the one to smuggle the sword with her into the encampment, since the soldiers had a tendency to underestimate the female servants. She'd also been the one who planted the explosives and triggered them at the right time to provide distractions to the soldiers.  

"Stop him! He has the antidote!"

Shen Qingqiu took out a package and dispersed its content into the wind with a swing of his fan. The powder caused their skin to burn though there would be no physical damage. If it happened to get into their eyes, it would sting a thousand times over.

Outside the Mongol encampment, sitting on a tree and watching his master fly across the sky, Ming Fan shot a flare into the sky.

***

"That's the signal," Liu Qingge said, looking up at the sky.

He signaled to his soldiers, all dressed in black to travel in the cover in the dark of the night.  

"Let's move out!"

***

"How could you have let them escape!" the shaman shouted at the soldiers.

General Tudan, who was now lying on the daybed, wriggled his fingers and toes, feeling the numbness receding slowly. The paralytic drug has run its course so it was only the poison left that they needed to attend to.  

"General! The imperial army is marching towards us!" one of his soldier burst into the tent.

Tudan sat up in surprise, gritting his teeth when currents went through his limbs at the sudden movement. "What!? Now!? That little minx!"

"They're almost here!"

Tudan grabbed his sabre but collapsed onto the ground as dizziness overtook him. His legs had given out and his insides felt as if it was squirming within him.

"General!"

"My Lord!"

"It must the poison!"

Nearly hurling from the wave of vertigo, Tudan waved at his second-in-command, who turned around and exited the tent. Tudan leaned back on the daybed, anticipating a terrible loss for his army that night.

He laughed to himself, at wit's end.

This was not how he anticipated the night to go when he gave the shamans the order to curse the general.

What was it that the minx said? Turn about is fair play?

"Really," he muttered to himself, letting his head fall back. "I've lost."

***

Three days later, the recovering General Tudan received a missive from the Liu army.

'Drink plenty of water. The paralytic poison should be out of your system by now but the water might help with your halitosis.'

Tudan didn't know whether he should feel insulted or amused by the missive, so he settled with laughing aloud, much to the confusion of his warriors.

There was no bloody poison at all! That minx had used that as a ploy to blackmail him and his shamans! Unbelievable! The gall of that- that minx!

"Shen Qingqiu, huh," he said, taking a sip of water from his goblet. "The advisor of Liu army. How interesting."

He touched his lips, remembering the soft lips and the smell of sandalwood incense.

"I want to see him again."

***

It was afternoon by the time Shen Qingqiu returned to his tent. He was still dressed in the servant clothes he had pilfered from the Mongol camp and his hair was a mess from flying through the night.

The first thing he'd done upon arriving at the camp was to ensure that the curse on General Liu was removed. If it didn't, he would have marched back to the enemy's camp right there and then to kill the other shaman he'd so mercifully spared.

But when he'd arrived at the camp, the older man had berated him for running off without telling anyone of his plans.

"Qingge was the only one who seem to understand what you wrote," complained General Wei. "The moment he read the message you left behind, he immediately called upon his troops and departed in the dark."

"Hmph, of course," Liu Fangzhao boasted, sounding like himself once more. "The two of them have worked together for months. They know each other like the back of their hands."

Those words made Shen Qingqiu feel pleased and at the same time embarrassed, though he couldn't deny what General Liu said.

Liu Qingge had come in time to stop the enemy from pursuing him and Ning Yingying, as well as allow Ming Fan to make his escape. They had not reconvened as Shen Qingqiu headed straight back to the Wei garrison, trusting Liu Qingge to retreat or defeat Tudan's army. Given the condition of the Mongol general, Shen Qingqiu wouldn't be surprised if he sat out this outright attack on his camp. And without the renown general, the Mongol troop in question would be running helter-skelter like a chicken without a head.

With a smirk, Shen Qingqiu threw off the stolen robes and stepped into his tub, sighing as he sunk into the hot water. It was a luxury to have hot baths here in the garrison, but he figured that after that successful mission, he deserved it.

Feeling clean and sleepy after his bath, Shen Qingqiu dressed himself in his inner robes, the fatigue finally seeping into his bones. He hadn't slept well in days and was feeling as if he could drop off into slumber at any moment.

But before he could climb into his bed, the flap to his tent was thrown wide open.

"Shen Qingqiu!"

"Vice Gene-!"

Liu Qingge wrapped his arms around him, enveloping him in a tight embrace. The heat from the vice general made Shen Qingqiu keenly aware of the warmth emanating from the warrior. Liu Qingge always seem to burn hot, whether it was emotionally or physically.

Unbidden, Shen Qingqiu could also feel his cheeks heat up from the embrace, which felt far more intimate than him sitting on Tudan's lap while acting like a coy courtesan.

"I thought you'd never make it back," Liu Qingge admitted, his face buried in Shen Qingqiu's nape, tickling the fine hairs on the back of his neck. "I thought I would be too late."

"Vice- Liu Qingge," Shen Qingqiu whispered, face a bright red as his heart raced within his chest.

"You're so stubborn!" Liu Qingge complained in his ear, not hearing his embarrassed mumble. "Why didn't you tell me what you were planning! I could have helped you!'

"You would have tried to stop me!" Shen Qingqiu snapped back in return. However, Liu Qingge did not let go of him.

"Of course I would!" Liu Qingge shouted. "I wouldn't have let you endanger yourself like that!"

"Let me?" Shen Qingqiu repeated, pushing Liu Qingge's chest to break their embrace. "You don't own me! You don't tell me what to do!"

"Of course not! That's not what I meant and you know it!" Liu Qingge said back to him vehemently. "I just don't want you to endanger yourself just because you think no one cares for you! I care for you! My father cares for you too!"

"So what? That doesn't mean that I belong to you and need your permission to do anything," Shen Qingqiu said, bristling with anger. "You might be my commanding superior but-"

"I'm not saying this because I'm your commanding officer! I'm saying that I care for you!" Liu Qingge said, holding onto his shoulders. "Because I like you!"

Shen Qingqiu stared at him in disbelief, not believing his ears. Did Liu Qingge really just-?

"This-this is inappropriate," he settled with saying instead, unsure how to process his thoughts.

Liu Qingge's frowning face turned completely red when his eyes wandered downwards, finally registering that he'd caught Shen Qingqiu dressed in nothing but his sleeping robes, with his dark unbound hair cascading down his back...

The vice general turned away, swallowing hard. Even his ears had turn bright red and the sight of it made Shen Qingqiu wonder briefly how far the blush went.

"Ahem. I apologise for barging into your tent unannounced," Liu Qingge coughed out, before practically fleeing from Shen Qingqiu's tent.

Shen Qingqiu sighed, putting a hand over his eyes tiredly.

"Fuck this. I need sleep," he said, turning to his bed, determined to ignore this new problem in favor of rest.

***

Unfortunately, sleep evaded him.

Possibly because he was overly tired or... it might be because the words 'I like you!' kept circling in his mind over and over again until it culminated to Shen Qingqiu putting his covers over his face and screaming in frustration (and no small amount of embarrassment).

Why? Why did Liu Qingge tell him this? Why was he so earnest all the damn time!?

Why was he-?

Why was he always... so good to him?

Shen Qingqiu didn't deserve this. His regards. His respect. His kindness.

His love.

Shen Qingqiu knew full well what an undeserving person he was. Wicked. Cruel. Unpleasant.

Unlovable.

Everyone said so. Repeatedly.

Even the person who had known him all his life, who'd sworn to love him for all eternity couldn't love him for more than ten years.

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes, burying his face into the fur that Liu Qingge had asked Liu Bo to give him to warm his bed. Fur from the brown bear that Liu Qingge himself had hunted and skinned. He swallowed the lump in his throat and reassured himself that it wouldn't last.

It wouldn't take long before Liu Qingge fell out of love with him too.

He was sure of it.

****

Shen Qingqiu was avoiding him.

If someone were to ask his family, they would say that Liu Qingge not the most aware person when it came to romantic pursuits. And sure enough, it took him three days to realise that Shen Qingqiu was actively trying to avoid being alone in the same room with him.

This frustrated Liu Qingge so much that he started going out hunting whenever he couldn't find Shen Qingqiu.

"Can't find Master Shen again, huh?" Liu Bo asked with a sympathetic tone, prompting Liu Qingge to give him a glare. "Uh, maybe I should-"

Before Liu Bo could make a run at the first sign of his bad mood, Liu Qingge grabbed his shoulder and frog-marched his protesting cousin out of the camp.

"We're going hunting!"

"Again!? The warehouse is going to overload with meat and fur soon!"

"Shut up! Move!"

***

It was infuriating to be honest. To be treated like this. Though he tried not to show it, it wasn't always successful.

"Master Shen is really admirable," Gongyi Xiao said, smiling at the advisor during the banquet celebrating General Liu's recovery. "Ever since you came, we've managed to push General Tudan into a retreat."

"Yes, no matter what we do, that man is always fearlessly advancing," General Wei commented. "It's the first time I've ever seen the Khan's right hand man doing something like this."

"Yes, I'm so glad Master Shen didn't settle with just marrying someone," Liu Qingge couldn't help but say snidely. Beside him, Liu Fangzhao snorted tea out of his nose.

Shen Qingqiu turned to give Liu Qingge an odd look before the advisor reached out to pat the coughing Liu Fangzhao on the back.

Liu Qingge turned away, cheeks heating up from his lost of control. He'd never been so... rude before, not like this at any rate, but it's been days since his -ahem- confession about his feelings to Shen Qingqiu and they still haven't addressed it. It felt as if there was a tension between them that filled the air with a toxic miasma. It was making him feel suffocated and uneasy.

It was fine if his father or General Wei was with them, but as soon as they were alone, Shen Qingqiu would find reason to leave the room, leaving Liu Qingge to feel as if he was the only person feeling anxious about their relationship.

Relationship? What relationship?

As far as Shen Qingqiu was concerned, they had no relationship other than a work-related one. Perhaps the divorcé would prefer that but Liu Qingge wasn't one to deny his own heart, nor was he the type to silently pine after Shen Qingqiu.

Liu Qingge was always called abrasive and blunt so it really shouldn't surprise Shen Qingqiu that by the third week of his confession, the vice-general finally couldn't take it anymore. He tried several times to corner the advisor but he proved to be as slippery as an eel. It was no wonder the Mongol general didn't manage to catch Shen Qingqiu even when he had him so close at hand.

Finally, when Shen Qingqiu was returning to his tent one night, Liu Qingge confronted him by barging into his living quarters once more. It was extremely rude of him to do so twice but he opined that it was rude of Shen Qingqiu to keep avoiding him as well.

"If you want to reject me, then just do it. Don't avoid me," Liu Qingge said in lieu of an explanation on why he intruded on Shen Qingqiu's privacy.

"Liu Qingge! Why do you keep coming in without announcing yourself first? Or knocking? Ever heard of knocking? I'm sure your father has taught you that before. General Liu always knocks-"

"Don't change the subject," Liu Qingge interrupted firmly and Shen Qingqiu clammed his mouth shut at the look on the vice-general's face.

"Fine. I don't want to accept your feelings," Shen Qingqiu said decisively. "Crushes like this will fade away eventually. Why engage in it at all if it will lead to nothing but heartache and misery?"

"Heartache..." Liu Qingge stopped, understanding suddenly why Shen Qingqiu was so adamant on ignoring his confession.

"We have a good working relationship. One that is beneficial to both of us. Crossing the line will lead to nothing but trouble," Shen Qingqiu continued, looking away. "Already the air between us has changed."

"I don't regret it."

"What?" Shen Qingqiu involuntarily looked at him, confused.

"I don't regret confessing to you about my feelings," Liu Qingge repeated. "I like you. It's not going to change. I'm not a fickle person."

Shen Qingqiu glared at him, catching the hint of criticism towards his ex-husband.

"I've only ever liked three dishes that my mother cooks for me when I return to the capital. Only those three dishes. All my life. Even though I am not a picky eater," Liu Qingge said, apropos to nothing. "I've only ever favoured one type of weapon, though I've mastered the bow, the scimitar and the halberd. I've only ever like one shirt, worn till it's threadbare and even then, I refused to let my mother throw it away. I've also only ever-"

"What is your point!?" Shen Qingqiu asked, bewildered.

"My point is, even if it will take ten years, twenty years, I will still be firm with my decision," Liu Qingge announced. "I will only ever like you. Because all my life, I have never fallen for anyone, except you."

Shen Qingqiu, known in the capital for having a silver tongue, was completely speechless at the impassioned words. "If you don't believe me, I will prove it to you. Your contract with us is for five years, or until the empire has defeated the Mongols," Liu Qingge said. "Before your term ends, I will dedicate myself in showing you that every word I utter is completely true."

"And how are you going to do that?" Shen Qingqiu questioned.

"Let me court you," Liu Qingge said and before Shen Qingqiu could deny him, he continued. "Let me have the opportunity to prove myself to you. If by the end of your term, you are unsatisfied with me, then I will let you go as per our contract."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him in disbelief. Then he asked, "And if I say no to courtship?"

Liu Qingge looked down, his face falling.

"Then I will leave you be," he promised, already expecting the worse.

When the silence from Shen Qingqiu continued, Liu Qingge looked back up, hopeful.

"Things have already changed between us," Shen Qingqiu lamented. "Whether I say yes or no, things have already changed."

"Yes," Liu Qingge acknowledged. "The moment I started falling for you, I knew that nothing would be the same again."

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes, feeling the sadness overwhelm him again. If he said no, then Liu Qingge would suffer from his unrequited feelings and Shen Qingqiu would be left with an awkward working relationship with his superior. If he said yes, Shen Qingqiu would be obliged to humour Liu Qingge's attempts at courting his fractured heart. However, at least then Liu Qingge would not be distracted from the war because of his unrequited crush.

"Very well," Shen Qingqiu agreed. "I agree to your terms."

Liu Qingge's face lit up at his answer and he stepped forward. He said, "I promise to do my best to prove my worth."

"However," Shen Qingqiu continued, interrupting the vice-general's heartfelt words. "Once the term ends, I will be free to leave if I so choose to."

"Yes, of course," Liu Qingge said smiling widely. "And I will also personally see to it that all your terms are met. Whether our courtship is successful or not."

"Good," Shen Qingqiu said. "Then I will hold you to that promise, Vice-General Liu."

***

Just like that, Liu Qingge set out to be the most ridiculous (doting) suitor he'd ever seen. Regularly bringing him the choice meats, ensuring that Shen Qingqiu would always have sweet treats by insisting on the import of sugar to their fort or garrison, providing him with furs and silks on a seasonal basis and always setting his tent closest to him and his father for protection.

To make matters worse, Shen Qingqiu discovered that General Liu and Liu Bo was silently (and not so silently) backing (cheering) Liu Qingge on, doing their best to accommodate Liu Qingge's ridiculous demands.

It spiralled so much that at one point Liu Qingge wanted to learn how to make sweet bean pastry for him but ended up wasting a bag of flour because Liu Bo decided to instigate a food fight. The scene was almost comical, with the flour covered Liu Qingge and his second-in-charge sitting down on the ground while Shen Qingqiu scolded them for wasting military resources as General Liu watched on from the sideline with a barely suppressed smile.

And despite it all, Shen Qingqiu didn't have the heart to completely reject the vice-general.

The next day after the incident, the disheartened vice-general returned to his tent after a skirmish to find a plate of sweet bean pastry waiting for him. The silent offering was more than enough to encourage Liu Qingge to try again. Except this time, with less... enthusiasm.

Shen Qingqiu was the type to appreciate less ostentatious gestures of affection anyway. His thin skin wouldn't have it any other way.

So, after some (lengthy) discussion with his father, Liu Qingge set out to be the most attentive suitor he could be. Bringing an extra cloak for Shen Qingqiu when the weather was cold. Making sure that Shen Qingqiu had eaten and was getting enough sleep. He'd regularly ask Ning Yingying to ensure that her master retire early and even gave her pocket money to get whatever she needed to make soup and congee for Shen Qingqiu.

Ning Yingying made sure to report everything back to him and Shen Qingqiu could feel his face heat up every time she did.

That man can be so ridiculous! Shen Qingqiu was an adult! He can take care of himself.

Still, despite all his foolishness, never once did Liu Qingge overstep his boundary or forget that he was the vice-general when the situation called for it. On the battlefield, Liu Qingge never treated him any differently as he did before their courtship begin and Shen Qingqiu wouldn't want it any other way.

As the months passed and the seasons changed, Shen Qingqiu felt his heart slowly but surely thaw towards the eager and sincere gestures, and before long, the whole encampment knew that they were courting.

By the third year of Shen Qingqiu's term at the borders, everyone in the Liu encampment knew that where one of them would be, the other would be present too. And if one wasn't present, the other would surely know where he was.

"Master Shen," called out Liu Bo as he peeked into the advisor's office. "Do you know where my cousin is?"

"He's at the armoury," Shen Qingqiu answered without looking up from his paperwork.

"I already went there. He's not there," Liu Bo replied.

"Then try the second warehouse. He mentioned something about the year-end inventory," Shen Qingqiu said, still not looking up.

"Oh, okay. Thank you, brother-in-law," Liu Bo said before disappearing to find his older cousin.

It took Shen Qingqiu a minute before the title registered in his head.

What!?

***

For a while, everyone in the station wondered when the wedding would take place. Would the couple be tying their nuptials on the battleground? Would they wait for the five year term to end and return to the capital to have an official ceremony?

There was even a (somewhat) illegal betting pool on what would be the catalyst for the marriage to happen and when it would actually take place.

(In the soldiers' defense, there were very little entertainment to be had in the middle of no where. They had to get their kicks from somewhere and it was the first time they had ever seen their no-nonsense Vice-General Liu being so lovesick over someone. Just because they weren't allowed to tease him to his face about it didn't mean that they couldn't derive some entertainment out of it.)

Though he wouldn't admit it even at sword point, Liu Bo himself put a hefty amount in the pool for their wedding to be officialised at the end of their term, mostly because he suspected that Master Shen was too professional to cross their boundaries without fulfilling his contract first.

Sadly for Liu Bo and the majority of the betting pool, they were mistaken.

Probably because none of them expected General Tudan to be the catalyst of their union.

***

After being greatly humiliated by his defeat and the loss of one of the Mongol shamans, General Tudan was severely reprimanded by his Khan and it took a while for him to prove himself worthy to return to the battlefield. When he returned, the battles became fiercer than before, forcing Shen Qingqiu to resort to less than savory tactics.

Once, before the Mongol reinforcement army could reach the borders, Shen Qingqiu sent out a nest of succubi that he'd contracted to lure in the group of warriors. Liu Qingge might have thought to protest when he found out after the fact, but he'd resolutely held back his criticism when none of the survivors actually made it to the battlefront. Though he did not witness it, Liu Qingge was pretty sure that Tudan was hopping mad when he found out that his reinforcement was diverted by a bunch of sexual demons.

Whenever the Mongol general came up with a scheme to divert their army or split their forces, Shen Qingqiu would return the gesture tenfold, throwing the Mongol encampment into a disarray. It came to the point that the Liu army soldiers actually took great pleasure to seeing what their advisor and tactician would resort to in order to teach the Mongol army some humility.

Unfortunately, during a battle between the two armies, General Tudan took the opportunity to capture Shen Qingqiu when Liu Qingge and Liu Fangzhao was distracted by the flying creatures that ambushed them suddenly from behind the cliff shelf.

"Qingqiu!"

The twin shouts permeated the chaotic battlefield and Shen Qingqiu only had time to shout for Liu Qingge before he was taken away. The last thing he saw of his vice-general was the flying creature diving down with its claws extended towards Liu Qingge's back.

"Let go of me! Qingge!" Shen Qingqiu shouted, but the Mongol general fended off the other soldiers easily with his sabre while carrying Shen Qingqiu under his other arm, as if he was just a sack of rice that wasn't struggling as hard as the advisor was. Shen Qingqiu knew that Mongol people were amazing horsemen, but he had to admit that the ease in which Tudan was maneuvering his horse was ridiculous.  

When they returned to the Mongol encampment, Shen Qingqiu made sure to slap the Mongol general across the face for his kidnapping.

Judging from the way Tudan had taken care with capturing him, he wasn't about to kill Shen Qingqiu without cause. And a slap wasn't cause enough for the calculative Mongol general to fold into his more murderous tendencies.

But it did give Shen Qingqiu a little satisfaction though. Even when he was grabbed by the general's henchmen and had his wrists bound with an Immortal Binding Rope, which was probably provided by the (remaining) shaman.

"I know that you are upset that I've interrupted our little repartee on the battlefield," General Tudan said, not bothering to look offended by the slap that left his cheek reddened. Shen Qingqiu hadn't held back and the Mongol general would definitely feel offended if he did.

"But I am at the end of my patience. I want you by my side. If you marry me, I will ensure your safety," Tudan said, gesturing to a slave holding up a tray. On it was an elaborate robes befitting a mongol bride and matching accessories.

Shen Qingqiu glared at him, unmoved.

"So you'd choose death?" Tudan asked, looking unhappy with his reticence. "Very well, I will help you with that."

Another maid came to the forefront, bearing a goblet of wine.

"Poisoned wine," Tudan said. "Choose one of these by the time I return or I will choose for you."

Shen Qingqiu glared at his back venomously as he left the tent. Then he turned his glare to the two maids left behind, daring them to make a move towards him.

***

Liu Qingge had to be held down by his father and cousin as Mu Qingfang stitched his back.

The flying creatures that ambushed them had managed to claw his back open when Liu Qingge caught sight of Tudan capturing Shen Qingqiu. The distraction nearly killed him and after he'd decimated the unholy creatures in his rage, he had been adamant in storming the Mongol encampment even with his copiously bleeding injury.

"Stay still!" his father reprimanded him. "If you want to save Qingqiu, you have to let Healer Mu close your wound first or you'll bleed to death before you reach him."

"Xiu Ya..." Liu Qingge groaned as Mu Qingfang dug the needle into his back again. The injury was too deep to heal and would split open again if he were to attack the Mongol encampment without the security of the stitches.

"We found it," Liu Bo answered him, still holding his legs down. "You really should have taken the painkillers."

"No, will be too groggy," Liu Qingge said, braving through the pain. "Have to go save Qingqiu."

"Don't you worry about him," his father berated him, pushing down on his shoulders firmly. "Qingqiu is a hundred times smarter than you. He'll be fine."

"Qingqiu. Qingqiu," Liu Qingge whispered, out of his mind from pain and heartache.

"He's waiting for me."

***

"Have you decided?"

Shen Qingqiu didn't bother looking towards his direction, sitting on the bed like a statue.

"Shall I choose for you?" Tudan asked, taking off his riding gloves. Behind him, three other servants were preparing to hold down the general's future spouse to change him into the wedding ensemble.  

"Don't bother," Shen Qingqiu answered, turning to the maid with the goblet.

"You-! You'd rather chose death!?" Tudan's second-in-charge shouted in offense but the general raised a hand to halt him.

"Honourable, as always," Tudan said, looking wistful.

"Qingge," Shen Qingqiu whispered before tilting the wine into his mouth.

Rather than another heartache, better to end it all.

***

It wasn't long before the drug took effect and Shen Qingqiu realised what was happening.

Tudan had waited at the door of the tent, waving his men away and sitting opposite of him, as if waiting for him to die. But when the heat rose and his skin prickled at the way Tudan was staring at him, Shen Qingqiu knew immediately that he'd made a mistake.

He'd foolishly believed Tudan when he said that the wine was poisoned.

Rather than poisoned, it was actually drugged.

"You-! You!" Shen Qingqiu swayed, unable to get off the bed without falling to the ground.

"When I captured you today, I promised myself that I would make you mine no matter what," Tudan said, getting up from his chair. He untied his robe, revealing his chest. There was a large scarred over gash going diagonally across it. "My Khan was quite unhappy with me after you murdered one of my shaman. He gave me this."

"Then, kill me," Shen Qingqiu demanded, pushing away when the general came closer to him. He couldn't even walk properly by the time the general caught his waist, pulling him onto his lap as he settled onto the bed.

"Why would I kill someone who can single-handedly bring an entire army to heel?" Tudan asked, undoing Shen Qingqiu's hair gently and letting the glossy locks tumble down his back. "Once I marry you, I will bring you back to my Khan as a gift. Our very own advisor who is a cultivator that is of equal value to our shaman. More even, with your inside knowledge and quick wit, you can succeed where we couldn't for years. Infiltrate the borders into the very heart of the empire."

"Even if you find a way back to your empire, once it is known that you wed a Mongol General, you will never be trusted again," Tudan said, untying Shen Qingqiu belt. "You will be called a traitor. Better if you stay by my side and be my advisor instead."

"I'd rather die," Shen Qingqiu gritted out, feeling his focus float away momentarily as Tudan disrobed him, leaving him only in his underobes. Then the general grabbed the ceremonial garb that was left behind by the maids and wrapped it around his shoulders. Then, he tied the thick elaborate belt around Shen Qingqiu's waist to hold the robes shut.

"As much as I would like to sample you right now, we have to perform the ceremony tonight," Tudan said. "Then we can enjoy our first night as a married couple."

"You-" Shen Qingqiu lisped, held up by the general as his head lolled to the side. His eyes couldn't even focus on the asshole's face, how the Mongol idiot expected him to do the three bows with him was beyond Shen Qingqiu.

Unfortunately for Shen Qingqiu, he failed to account that this was not a normal wedding ceremony, rather a bride-snatching attempt. Tudan put him on a pure white horse, not his own mare but a large muscular beast rather akin to a monstrous beast than an actual horse. The rolling of the muscles beneath him actually made Shen Qingqiu feel nauseous and he had to close his eyes in order not to hurl.

"This is part of my wedding gift to you, Qingqiu," Tudan promised as he led him towards the ceremonial grounds prepared by the shaman. "This one is the king of the wild horses that roam our plains, tamed by the hand of yours truly. I will send an appropriate bride price to the Liu camp once we've consummated our first night."

"Shut-," Shen Qingqiu clammed his mouth shut as another wave of nausea swept through him. Then he gritted out, "Shut up."

Tudan laughed, "Still so fiesty. You know, I never stopped thinking about you since you left my bed. I can't even bed anyone else without thinking about you."

The general reached up and lifted a lock of Shen Qingqiu's hair. He kissed it and rubbed the silky strands on his cheek.

"I missed the smell of your hair, the touch of your smooth skin, your weight on my lap and the caress of your beautiful voice," the obsessed man said, smiling besottedly at Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu returned the smile with a snarl, attempting to swipe at the general only to fall into his arms. Tudan took the opportunity to carry his little bound bird the rest of the way to the ceremonial grounds. The shaman had already prepared the wedding wine for the couple and was ready to bind the two enemies together.

"Let go!" Shen Qingqiu was being held upright by two warriors while the shaman attempted to feed him the wedding wine. He struggled fiercely against them, seriously contemplating on vomiting on one of them before his foot connected with the shaman's privates.  

He took advantage of the small window of opportunity to run but General Tudan, the stubborn asshole that he was, grabbed him by his unbound hair and pressed him down on the floor to force the ceremonial wine down his throat. Shen Qingqiu instinctually swallowed, narrowly escaping drowning by wedding wine.

"SHEN QINGQIU!"

"MASTER!"

Following the shouts, several things happened at once.

Fireballs rained down onto the tents, which caught fire at once. In his haze, Shen Qingqiu recognise the skill as something Ming Fan had recently mastered after discovering his affinity with fire and air. Shen Qingqiu, whose affinity was with air and water, had set about teaching the boy how to manipulate air with fire talismans and Ming Fan had caught on after nearly lighting himself on fire, multiple times. He still had a burn on his arm that would scar badly after it healed.

At present, the west wind was blowing, whipping up the fires higher and brighter into the sky.

Shen Qingqiu could feel the heat nipping at his consciousness and it snapped him back from his drugged state. He realised belatedly then that Tudan was trying to pull him back to his tent, away from his rescuers.  

"Go," he gritted out, "TO. HELL!"

Shen Qingqiu swung his bound wrist with all his might towards Tudan's face. But with his cultivation bound, there was very little damage he could do to the larger man. Instead, it was his hands that throbbed with pain.

"Stop resisting!" Tudan said, gripping his shoulders tightly. "You're married to me!"

"You wish!" Shen Qingqiu returned. Even in his drugged state, he'd already noticed something, "YOU didn't consume the wedding wine. You spilled it all on me!"

"I don't need it," Tudan said to him. "You are the one that needed the aphrodisiac."

"Oh, but the ritual isn't complete if both didn't consume it, right?" Shen Qingqiu laughed. "Even in my condition, I heard what the stupid shaman said. Moron."

Before Tudan could say anything to that, a familiar shout sounded across the chaotic encampment.

"TUDAN! COME OUT!"

"Better answer that," Shen Qingqiu drawled. "Or he'll just call you a coward and he'd be right."

"TUDAN! YOU YELLOW-BELLIED COWARD!

Shen Qingqiu giggled and Tudan growled. He pushed Shen Qingqiu towards his second-in-charge.

"Keep him safe," Tudan said, taking out his sabre and heading out to confront Vice-General Liu.

'Oh, but who will keep him safe from me?' Shen Qingqiu thought to himself, slipping out a needle from the sleeve of his underrobe. Tudan had forgotten to remove his needle while dressing him and now that he was more sober, he'd have a small window of time before the aphrodisiac in the wedding wine kicked in.

***

Liu Qingge ignored the throbbing on his back. Mu Qingfang had patched him up as much as possible and healed most of his injuries as well, but the pain was still present as he had refused the painkillers.

He swung his sword and decapitated two of the Mongol warriors he was engaged in before shouting for Tudan again.

"YOU YELLOW-BELLIED COWARD! COME OUT!"

Then he turned around to intercept a familiar looking sabre. On the other side of their crossed blades was the face of that smug Mongol general that kept eyeing Shen Qingqiu whenever they were faced against each other on the battlefield.

"You're interrupting my wedding!" Tudan snarled and Liu Qingge sneered back at him.

"Good! Because Shen Qingqiu definitely deserves better than you!"

Amidst the burning chaos around them, the clashing of their blades actually caused sparks to fly, so fast were their strikes as they engaged in a furious battle to overcome each other.

"He's mine!" Tudan shouted, baring his teeth as he parried each strike from Liu Qingge, who didn't even bother to answer.

The vice-general suddenly ducked, moving into a maneuver that Shen Qingqiu had once resorted to when they were sparring. It was an... unconventional move, unorthodox but it was as effective as when Shen Qingqiu had used it, bringing Tudan down onto his knees as Liu Qingge sunk Cheng Luan into his side.

"Where is he!?" Liu Qingge demanded but Tudan glared at him, keeping mum. He didn't have time to waste on the man. Who knows what these barbarians have done to someone as refined as Shen Qingqiu. With a single swing of his sword, he decapitated the general, bringing an end to the fight.

"Qingqiu!" he shouted, running deeper into the camp. There was nothing but chaos as warriors ran amok, putting out the fires and engaging with the enemy. The vice-general was unhindered as he searched for his advisor, decapitating any Mongol warriors he came across with barely a pause.

It wasn't long before he stumbled across a dead body and the wedding ceremonial garb that matched what Tudan had been wearing before he killed him.

"Qingqiu! Answer me!" he shouted desperately, looking for traces of his missing advisor.

Then, he spotted it. Severed ropes and a bloodied dagger on the ground leading out of the encampment. The dagger matched the empty scabbard belonging to the dead body of the Mongol he'd found previously.

"Qingqiu!" he pulled out his sword, alighting on it and flying low so he could find Shen Qingqiu.

A low moan caught his attention and he quickly jumped down to search behind some large boulders. The glimmer of white between some prickly bushes caught his eyes immediately and he crawled in on all fours.

"Qingqiu!" he reached out but his hands were slapped away.

"No, no," Shen Qingqiu pushed him away weakly. "Qingge~!"

"It's me! It's me, Qingqiu!" Liu Qingge said, pulling off his outer robes to cover the delirious cultivator.

"No! Qingge, help me!" Shen Qingqiu turned away, trying to wedge himself between two rocks.

"Qingqiu!" Liu Qingge tried again, finally pulling the man into his arms and dragging him out from under the bush. In the darkness of the night, Shen Qingqiu couldn't clearly see him so he had to pull him out into the light. He braved through the scratches and the pitiful cries, his heart aching for Shen Qingqiu through it all.  

"Please, please, no," Shen Qingqiu sobbed in his arms and Liu Qingge held him tighter.

"We're going back to the camp, Qingqiu," Liu Qingge said. "Father is waiting for you."

"Father...?" Shen Qingqiu repeated in confusion.

"Yes, General Liu Fangzhao. My father," Liu Qingge confirmed, knowing how doting his father was towards Shen Qingqiu and how fond Shen Qingqiu was towards the general.

The advisor was an orphan, he remembered. He didn't have parents and so, had latched onto the first father-figure that was kind to him. Kind and respectful. It was why he'd infiltrated the Mongol camp with only two servants, to find the solution to the curse afflicted onto Liu Qingge's father, thus gaining the unwanted attention of an obsessed barbarian.

"It's me, Qingqiu," Liu Qingge said again, softer as he held Shen Qingqiu close to him.

"... is it really you...?" Shen Qingqiu asked, voice small and uncertain. "Liu Qingge...?"

"Yes," Liu Qingge answered, heart throbbing at the hurt and fear in Shen Qingqiu's voice.

"I'd rather it be you," Shen Qingqiu whispered, clutching at Liu Qingge's robes desperately. "You, than anyone else."

"Okay, I'll take you home," Liu Qingge promised. But Shen Qingqiu did something he did not expect.

He lifted his head and kissed Liu Qingge, with a desperation that was boiling over with passion and desire.

"Qingqiu?"

"Would rather," Shen Qingqiu moaned. "Would rather marry you."

"Are you sure?" Liu Qingge asked, feeling the heat emanating from Shen Qingqiu's flushed face. Had he been drugged?

"Yes, loyal, good, so very good, kind," Shen Qingqiu said, kissing him with every word. "Gentle. Too good. Too good for Qingqiu."

"No, not good enough for Qingqiu," Liu Qingge disagreed. "But I'll marry no one but you."

"Promise...?" Shen Qingqiu asked plaintively, tears clinging to his lashes.

"Yes," Liu Qingge said. "On my life. On Cheng Luan. On my soul."

Shen Qingqiu sobbed and Liu Qingge wrapped his outer robes on Shen Qingqiu's shoulder again, it having fallen when the other man kissed him.

"You have been drugged. I'll bring you back to Mu Qingfang," Liu Qingge said. "He'll have an antidote for you."

"No. Too late," Shen Qingqiu answered him, pulling his sleeves to halt him from pulling his sword out. "The aphrodisiac is burning my veins."

"Then..."

"If you want to marry me," Shen Qingqiu said, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Then help me now."

"I'll take responsibility," Liu Qingge promised, burying his face in the crook of Shen Qingqiu's neck and breathing in his scent. "Marry you. Immediately. When we get back."

"Yes, yes," Shen Qingqiu agreed, a smile on his face. Then he pulled at Liu Qingge's belt, undoing the tie efficiently despite his drugged state. He seemed to have gained more awareness now that he was sure that it was Liu Qingge with him and not a drug-induced hallucination as he had feared.

Assured that Shen Qingqiu knew what he was doing, Liu Qingge helped the advisor remove his clothes. In between, they shared passionate kisses as if to make up for all the months of slow courtship while denying their desire for each other.

"You smell so good," Liu Qingge groaned, sinking into the tight heat. "Feel so good."

Shen Qingqiu mewled, finally allowing his restrains to fall away. He writhed beneath Liu Qingge, his legs tightening around the warrior's waist. His nails scratched at Liu Qingge's healing back but the pain only served to ground Liu Qingge in the present. Instead of focusing only in his own pleasure, Liu Qingge snaked a hand down and gently rubbed his lover to completion as he continued to thrust in repeatedly.  

"Qingge," Shen Qingqiu whispered as he came, toes curling as he was brought to climax over and over again.

"Come," Liu Qingge said, feeling his own orgasm coming. "Come as many times as you need."

Shen Qingqiu threw his head back and tightened around him so much that Liu Qingge saw nothing but white as he came.

***

"It's late. Father will be worried," Liu Qingge said, looking up at the brightening sky. "We should head back."

Shen Qingqiu said nothing, picking himself up and straightening his robes as primly as he could. From behind, Liu Qingge could see his reddened ears and cheeks, finding his embarrassment oddly charming and cute.

Wordlessly, Liu Qingge picked up his discarded outer robes and draped it around Shen Qingqiu's shoulders again. His new lover did not protest, pulling the sleeves over his arms and pulling close the collars. The way he was acting made Liu Qingge lean in to steal a kiss from an indignant Shen Qingqiu.

"Liu Qingge!"

Liu Qingge grinned, feeling smug at Shen Qingqiu's pout.

"So uncouth," Shen Qingqiu complained, picking leaves and twigs out of his hair. "I can't believe I spent the night rolling around in the bushes like a common hormone-ridden teenager."

"I like it," Liu Qingge said honestly. He couldn't help smiling, now that Shen Qingqiu had agreed to marry him.

"What!? Are you sound of mind? What part of fucking on the hard ground, being poked by sharp rocks and branches in the butt, knees and your privates do you like!?" Shen Qingqiu asked him, looking as if he was sincerely questioning his sanity.  

Liu Qingge laughed as he carried his new bride up, feeling foolishly optimistic in this bright new day.

"I like it because it's with you," Liu Qingge said, completely truthful and unabashed by that fact. He took the time to admire the flush that crept up Shen Qingqiu's face before jumping up on Cheng Luan.

"Liu Qingge! You're a pervert!"

Liu Qingge couldn't help but laugh again as they flew towards their encampment, the sun rising in the horizon as smoke trailed up into the sky behind them.

Epilogue

It was the largest ceremony the Liu family had organised in quite a while. Madam Liu had left nothing unplanned and the banquet hall was bedecked from ceiling to floor to the very last pillar. Gentle and sweet Liu Mingyan had nearly made the chefs cry from her demands for the catering to be perfect. Even the Liu soldiers were roped in to help out with the preparations and security.

Liu Fangzhao was at the entrance to the hall, welcoming the guests as they trickled in. He was in a very good mood as he greeted old and new friends alike. There was nothing that could ruin his mood, even when the Yue family arrived. (To be honest, none of the Liu family members wanted to invite them, knowing how Yue Qingyuan abandoned their Qingqiu, but it couldn't be helped. They couldn't just blatantly ostracize the Lord and his family.)

"Old Liu!" called out his old friend. Liu Fangzhao gladly abandoned his spot beside his wife, neglecting to continue his conversation with Yue Qingyuan as General Wei approached the gate.  

"Congratulations!" General Wei said, patting his shoulder.

"Thank you for coming!" the former general returned happily, smiling so much that his eyes could barely be seen.

"Thank you for inviting me! Where are the main characters?" General Wei asked, looking around the hall.

"Oh, they will be here soon," Liu Fangzhao said, waving a hand.

"Hoho, I was so surprised to get your invitation when I returned to the capital," said the general. "This was rather quick to be honest."

"It's a natural progression of their relationship," Liu Fangzhao insisted. "After all, they've already tied the knot."

"True. True," General Wei agreed, rubbing a hand on his beard. "And with the borders being at peace now..."

"Right. Especially after Qingqiu brokered the peace treaty with the Khan," Liu Fangzhao boasted. "The Liu army haven't lost a single battle ever since my son-in-law joined us, it shouldn't surprise anyone that he was the lynchpin to stopping the Mongols from attempting to invade us."

"His Majesty wasn't particularly happy about sending the Fifth Princess to the west as a bride for the treaty, but the Mongol tribes did send several beauties in return for the ceasefire," General Wei said. "One of them is said to be a mix demon-human and another is a shaman as well."

"Regardless, Qingqiu and Qingge returned from the borders safely and that's what matters most to me," Liu Fangzhao said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I don't care for the expansion of the royal harem. My father always emphasized on the importance of fidelity towards his one and only spouse and it is the same for me and Qingge."

"Yes, yes, the Liu family is well known for not taking concubines and consorts," General Wei agreed.

"Not even a second wife or husband," Liu Fangzhao pointed out. "Qingge is also adamant about that. That's why His Majesty gifted Qingqiu the Treasure Fruit Flower after the treaty was signed."

"And then they immediately made use of it," General Wei said with a laugh. "It's been barely a year since they returned!"

"So what? They were planning to have children as soon as the peace treaty went through anyway!" Liu Fangzhao said haughtily. "They wanted to give my wife and I some grandchildren!'

"Oho, so, you're the reason!" laughed General Wei. "You old coot! I knew it! So you were concerned over your bloodline after all!"

"I'm retired. Of course I'll want a grandchild to spoil. Mingyan is still too young to give me one," Liu Fangzhao replied. "Besides, I was sure a child of Qingqiu and my son will be very talented, intelligent and beautiful. And I was right! Twice over, in fact!"

"Yes, yes," General Wei agreed with a wave of his hand. "If I hear anymore boasting from you about your son-in-law, my ears will fall off."

"You ass. Are you here to celebrate with me, or to complain about me!?" Liu Fangzhao said, grabbing his friend's sleeve when he attempted to run away.

"Father, stop hassling the guests. Did you leave Mother to greet the arrivals alone?"

The retired general and General Wei turned around at the same time to see Liu Qingge carrying a small cooing bundle.

"Is that your son!?" General Wei asked, hopping forward to get a good look at the child. Liu Fangzhao followed, always eager to see his grandson.

Bright green eyes filled with curiosity looked out from the red silk swaddle and the baby smiled toothily at them, making the two elders melt instantly.

"So cute!"

"Didn't I tell you!"

When Shen Qingqiu arrived with his daughter, his father-in-law was carrying his one-month-old son in his arms while his former colleague played with the child. Liu Qingge was no where to be seen, probably having gone to change after his son had burped on him after his feeding.

"Oiyo, so cute," cooed General Wei, shaking a rattle at the babbling boy.  "Oh, Master Shen! You're here!"

"Thank you for coming for the twins' one-month celebration," Shen Qingqiu said, adjusting his hold on his daughter to show the general his other child.

"One Dragon, One Phoenix. Such a good omen," praised the general. "Old Liu, you are so fortunate. First you bag Master Shen as your own in-law, now you get two grandchildren at the same time. I am so jealous. Maybe I should retire as well."

"You should! Then we can play wei qi and watch the children play," Liu Fangzhao laughed, patting his grandson on the back as the baby reached out to pull his beard. "Qingqiu! Sit down. You need the rest. There will be more guests coming."

Shen Qingqiu sat down obediently, contented to watch his father-in-law happily boast about his grandchildren. Ever since the general retired, he'd been roaming about the manor aimlessly, driving his wife insane. But the moment the twins were born, it seemed the happiest person in the house was Liu Fangzhao.

There wasn't a single moment that the former general wasn't hovering over the babies, cooing over them, playing with them and making sure that the servants' care of them was immaculate. And what touched Shen Qingqiu even more was that the former general didn't discriminate over either of the twins. He loved both his grandson and granddaughter equally. No one doted over them more than Liu Fangzhao, even his wife paled in comparison in that regard.

"I'm sorry, Qingqiu," Madam Liu once said to him as they watched the retired general play with the babies while cooing at them. Behind him was a pile of new toys that the elder had bought on a whim while perusing the market. "Your father is going to spoil them rotten."

"I don't mind," Shen Qingqiu had replied honestly. Having grown up never knowing familial love, he wanted only the very best for his children. Seeing them so loved, he couldn't bring himself to protest against a grandfather doting on his grandchildren.  

"Qingqiu."

Shen Qingqiu looked up at Liu Fangzhao, whose face had turned stony for some reason.

"Why don't you go look for Qingge. I'll look after Xiao Lung," Liu Fangzhao said, patting the baby boy gently on the back.

Shen Qingqiu blinked, curious at the sudden change in attitude. Then, he saw it.

Yue Qingyuan was standing close by, watching him with a longing gaze. Beside him was a sour-faced Qi Qingqi and behind her was a young girl... their daughter. She looked more like Qi Qingqi that Yue Qingyuan, perhaps with only a minor resemblance in the curve of his eyes and the tall bridge of his nose. She was staring at the ground, looking bored and resigned.

A hand rested onto his shoulder and Shen Qingqiu looked away.

"Qingqiu, go find your husband," his father-in-law said, obviously having seen the way Shen Qingqiu's former husband was looking at him.

"No need. I'm here," Liu Qingge said, appearing suddenly to take his baby son away from his father. Liu Fangzhao would normally protest against it but it seemed as if the elder was preparing himself to go into battle, squaring his shoulders before intercepting Lord Yue and his family.

Shen Qingqiu looked at his husband, ignoring the prickling stares from the Yue couple. Liu Qingge was dressed in a green ensemble just like him, instead of his usual white on black. Tied at his waist was a jade yaopei matching that of Shen Qingqiu's, as if he'd deliberately dressed to be a match to Shen Qingqiu's usual aesthetics. Knowing him though, Shen Qingqiu surmised that his sister had prepared the robes and accessories to advertise their relationship. Even the twins were sporting the same jade bracelets that had identical carvings to their yaopei, all of which were gifts from Madam Liu and Liu Mingyan.

"Are you alright?" Liu Qingge asked, very obviously concerned for him. Shen Qingqiu didn't know why he would be though. It wasn't as if he hadn't met the Yue couple before after his divorce from Yue Qingyuan. In fact, they had been there when Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu were awarded for their contribution to the peace treaty.

"You're very handsome," Shen Qingqiu said instead, reaching out a hand to touch the lapels of Liu Qingge's robes.

Liu Qingge's brows furrowed in confusion but his attention was diverted by a snuffling noise from Shen Qingqiu's arms.

"Xiao Feng, are you sleepy?" Liu Qingge asked his yawning daughter, touching her chubby cheek with gentle calloused fingers.

Shen Qingqiu patted his daughter gently, rocking her to sleep. His firstborn, Liu Qifeng, was a calm and easy to care for baby, while her younger brother, Liu Qilung, was an excitable and happy baby. Both of them were the apple of their grandparents' eyes and it pleased Shen Qingqiu to see how preciously his children were treated in the Liu family. It didn't matter to him if they don't shared his surname, as long as they were loved like they deserved.

Liu Qingge suddenly leaned in, kissing him on the forehead and Shen Qingqiu blinked at him in surprise.

"What?"

Liu Qingge's handsome face was fond and besotted as he stared at his beautiful husband, arms full of their equally beautiful daughter. In his own arms, his son blinked lethargically.

"It's naptime," Liu Qingge said instead of explaining.

"The guests have just arrived," Shen Qingqiu answered. "I'll put the twins in the cot and let the nanny keep an eye on them while we entertain them."

Liu Qingge hummed in agreement, letting the babies' nursemaid take Qilung from him. Shen Qingqiu left with the nanny, intent of letting their children have their evening nap. Liu Qingge watched his husband walk away before turning to the newcomer that had attempted to approach them when Shen Qingqiu was still with him.

"Lord Yue," Liu Qingge greeted.

"General Liu," Yue Qingyuan returned with a nod. He looked unhappy and his eyes kept swinging towards Shen Qingqiu's back, as if he was tempted to go to his ex-husband. However, Liu Qingge stood his ground, blocking Yue Qingyuan from approaching the front of the hall where the elevated seats and cot were.

"A- Qingqiu looks happy..." Yue Qingyuan trailed off.

"He is," Liu Qingge replied curtly, as if trying to remind Yue Qingyuan of propriety. "And I would like to request that you no longer call him by name."

"...Ah. My... apologies," Yue Qingyuan said, before he was diverted by the arrival of his wife and daughter.

"General Liu," Qi Qingqi greeted with a coy tilt to her lips. She was looking up at him through her lashes but Liu Qingge didn't even bother to look her way.

"Madam Yue, Young Mistress Yue," Liu Qingge greeted back with a nod before shifting his attention back to Yue Qingyuan.

"Thank you for coming to our twins' one-month celebration," he said with no inflection to his voice at all. "I hope you enjoy the banquet."

With that said, he signalled to Liu Bo, who had been watching with narrowed eyes from the sidelines. His cousin quickly made his way over to lead the Yue family to their seats, making an almost obvious gesture of leading them away from Shen Qingqiu, who was still preoccupied with the children.

Having dismissed his husband's (annoying, stalkerish) ex-spouse, Liu Qingge made his way to Shen Qingqiu, who was patting their son to sleep beside his slumbering sister. As he got closer, he could hear his husband singing softly to their cooing child.  

Seeing Shen Qingqiu this way, Liu Qingge couldn't help but think once more that Yue Qingyuan was a fool for neglecting and divorcing someone like him. Someone who loved the people he cared about silently but deeply, with all the potency of the sun, warm and encompassing.

As he stepped forward towards his spouse, Liu Qingge decided that none of that mattered now. Yue Qingyuan was a thing of the past now. No longer of importance.  

As long as Shen Qingqiu was happy with him, that was all that mattered.

End of As the West Wind Blows