prompts / continuations.

[fennu]

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[lanclan]

[ Corruption is spreading quickly, apparently.

The kiss has him melting against the pillows, idly tracing arabesques all over Jiang Cheng's naked back and hips. ]

Nothing will dissuade him from seeing you, like a fox scenting an egg he will come for you.

[ You're doomed, babe. ]

The nights, however, may be ours.

[fennu]

[ A week of a-Huan’s attention on him in the nights, stealing more of his virtue before he must return to Yunmeng and his duties. He doesn’t think it’s unfair to find a certain glee in the notion, thrilled at being wanted.

Still, he nods his head. ]

I can manage him enough during the days. I’m here for study, after all, not as a family visit. He will have to understand all my hours are not his to take.

[ His eyes are glued to Xichen’s face, to his reactions. ]

Many of those hours have been previously claimed by my a-Huan.

[lanclan]

[ My a-Huan. He smiles widely, playing with a forelock that frames Jiang Cheng's face. ]

If I were cruel I would dare you to phrase it like that in front of him. [ Xichen taps him on the nose. ] But I won't.

[fennu]

There are some things he doesn’t need to know.

[ He tilts his head gently, leaning into the touch, expression warm. He’s so happy that his mind could develop into a storm, wondering when this will all go wrong. ]

Those words are only for your ears.

[lanclan]

I shan't embarrass you.

[ He has no wish to make a scene, similarly to how his brother conducts himself in a relationship. The Lan men are more than capable of being subtle, they invented the notion. ]

[fennu]

I know that. I don’t think you’d be able to if you tried.

[ If anyone is going to be embarrassing it is going to be Wei Wuxian. ]

I trust you.

[lanclan]

[ Patting the curve of Jiang Cheng's ass with an absent, light palm is really the best way to start the day. Xichen is addicted to the warmth of his skin and the curve and shallows of that body, nestling in. ]

I could be a deviant, unworthy of such trust.

[ Even as he plants kisses in Jiang Cheng's hair. ]

[fennu]

What do you mean could be, huh? Look where your hand is.

[ Not that he’s unhappy about it, given the way he hasn’t shoved it away or moved away himself. Instead, he turns into the kisses, eyes closing softly. ]

[lanclan]

[ Those kisses are disturbed by the laugh that bubbles up into soft hair, charmed and happy. He hasn't felt so light in weeks, if not months, but Jiang Cheng has a way of making Xichen want to be as carefree as a cloud. ]

It's not wrong to reach for beauty.

[ Or squeeze it, oops. ]

[fennu]

I’m sure there’s some kind of rule about it.

[ Huffing a laugh, he shifts, leaning into the touch with a pleased little hum, nuzzling into him and tilting for another kiss. ]

I can’t scold you for it.

[lanclan]

In my own house? Definitely not.

[ He would let Jiang Cheng rant at him anywhere, really. Tangled under the sheets, he rolls on top of his bedmate to get a better view after indulging more kisses, brushing Wanyin's stray hair back. ]

Have you truly never experienced any of this with someone else?

[fennu]

[ Lifting his head up, he gazes at Xichen. He’s so handsome, and Jiang Cheng isn’t sure of what it means between them. He cannot hope for more than this, and he accepts whatever he can get. ]

No? I was too busy during the war and since then I have been rebuilding Lotus Pier. I anticipated eventually just needing a wife, not… I didn’t think about it.

[lanclan]

Never with ... other men, though?

[ A wife is one thing. There are other bonds and he wonders why Jiang Cheng has been all alone. ]

[fennu]

No.

[ It’s a difficult thing to talk about, to confess, but - ]

I do not trust lightly, a-Huan.

[lanclan]

I should have been more like you.

[ He wanted to trust and believe in the good of everyone, even if it was chipped or imperfect. The sad cant of his smile admits his foolishness, now forever part of him for past errors in judgement. ]

[fennu]

I don’t think that’s true.

[ He shakes his head absently, shifting a little closer. His expression is… set. ]

Your trust is a wonderful gift. You cannot be blamed for it being misused.

[lanclan]

I can a little, at least.

[ He takes most of the responsibility, even if he knows A-Yao was expertly manipulating him. It still felt real at the time.

He turns his thoughts to back to Jiang Cheng, gathering him in close for a cuddle. If Xichen wraps his arms around him, no one can spoil the moment (that's what he tells himself). ]

You're very cute, a-Cheng. I like that you speak your mind and how you can't hide so much as a blush from me.

[fennu]

[ He can let the matter drop for now - he’s not going to push it if Xichen doesn’t want to discuss it, and it’ll spoil the quiet intimacy they’ve made together. It feels as though if he steps out of the room it’ll be gone forever. ]

That’s the kind of thing that caused problems before.

[ People didn’t often like his brash temper and his sharpness, so it’s a little nice to be wanted for it. ]

It’s new to me. This.

[lanclan]

Please, always speak your mind to me, even if you think I won't like it. I would prefer to know if something upsets or troubles you.

[ Promised with soft kisses that trail down Jiang Cheng's neck, seeing if he's still sensitive. ]

[fennu]

[ Oh, he is, skin prickling as he huffs a little noise, flushed. He turns to look at Xichen fondly. ]

That is an easy promise to make. I’ve never been good at holding my tongue.

[lanclan]

I can hold it for you, if needs be.

[ Just like this, with a kiss to steal Jiang Cheng's breath and taste him deeply. Xichen's smile melts into it, smoothing a hand along a bare waist. ]

[fennu]

[ Oh, how flirtatious. Jiang Cheng shifts and pushes into the kiss, his hand lifting to curl in Xichen’s hair, still mindful of the ribbon, mindful of going too far. ]

You can hold anything you like.

[lanclan]

I intend to ...

[ He only remembers the ribbon when it finally gives up holding on by a thread and falls over one of his eyes, making him huff a laugh. Xichen removes the pin from his guan and sets his headpiece aside on the bed, tugging off his ribbon to place that out of reach as well; no need to make things even more complicated if an accidental touch goes too far.

His hair tumbles free, Jiang Cheng's for the playing with. ]

That's better.

[fennu]

Ah…

[ Jiang Cheng watches as the ribbon is moved away, suddenly less afraid of what could happen if he reaches too far. Lifting his hand, he strokes through Xichen’s hair properly, feeling the softness of it without restraint. It makes him smile. ]

You look handsome with your hair down.

[lanclan]

It's for you to see, no one else.

[ His eyes close as fingers comb through his hair, a contented noise stirring in his chest. ]

We should get up, make ourselves visible about the place. At least for a few hours ... [ But he doesn't want to move and simply ends up indulging in another kiss, nosing his way across Jiang Cheng's cheek. ] Right?