Aaron/Huaisang

[creeksidealtarboy]

It's nightfall by the time Aaron finally sees this "Impure Realm" that they took him to. He's hungry. He's filthy. He's thirsty. And there's nothing around him that's familiar. He has cigarettes in the pocket of his jeans and nothing else of his own. No note. No information.

Only the vaguely unsettling feeling that he's been deposited somewhere...wrong.

These people look like Huaisang. The robes, the way they move...it's familiar enough that, before they could unsheath their swords, he's throwing his hands out, asking for Nie Huaisang to their complete bafflement. But they loaded him up and took him. Goddamn.

Hopefully they sent someone ahead.

Comments

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Hell yeah," he grins, sitting forward. "What is it?"

[threedontknows]

“Rice wine. It’s great. Really dry and strong.”

He grins in return and raises his arm up to call over the innkeeper for a bottle of liquor and two cups.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron automatically goes quiet when someone else walks past, but when the drinks are set down, he grins.

"Just one. You get me drunk and you'll have to carry me to wherever we're staying."

[threedontknows]

“What, you can’t walk those stairs just behind us?”

Huaisang grins and pours generously into both cups.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Can, but won't," he laughs, picking up his cup and giving it a quick sip of a taste.

[threedontknows]

“I’ll carry you, don’t worry,” he grins, downing his little cup of wine. “After I have my fill of liquor and food anyway.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"With those skinny fucning arms?" he laughs. "No way."

But he does finally drink, making a face at it. It's dry, but not terrible.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang just smiles. Skinny arms he may have, but he also has a golden core.

“I can make it up a few stairs. I’m ordering us some buns-” He turns around and holds up the hand still holding his fan.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron smirks. "Good. They all different kinds, right? The sweet ones and the others. Reminds me of the dumplings my grandmama used to make us."

[threedontknows]

"You'll like the red bean paste one."

He orders an assortment, some with the braised oxtail, some with pork, some with lotus root and some with red bean paste. All of them are light and fluffy and perfect.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron tries a few, but more importantly he has a few more drinks. He does decide that he does like the red bean paste, but pretends like he doesn't so Huaisang doesn't know that he's right.

" - so the wedding was ruined because of Alex, but no one actually found out it was him. He didn't get to do weddings anymore after that, though."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang likes this little night together. They flirt, they laugh, they share stories. He's shaking his head in amusement as he throws back the remains of his final cup.

"Doing just funerals must have been dreary as all hell. Plus no tips."

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Exactly. Which means that I had to pay for his lunches every week!" he laughs, sitting back a little. "Shit, man...I think I'm tapped out."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang nods towards the stairwell behind them, pulling a few pieces of silver from his sleeve to pay for their food and drink. "Come on, I'll show you the room."

Because of course Nie Huaisang has a favor room at the inn.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron stands up, gesturing for him to lead the way. His head is spinning, he's been staring at Huaisang's stupid fucking face all day and that goddamn fan....

He is desperate for some privacy.

[threedontknows]

Naturally Huaisang takes his time ascending the stairs, pausing to fan himself or chatter about some inane thing they saw at the market together. Eventually he leads them to their room for the night - a decent-sized space on the corner of the building - opening the door with a hum.

[creeksidealtarboy]

He's going to fucking kill this man.

But he doesn't. He just rolls his eyes as they ascend the stairs and, when they walk in, he grabs his arm to pull him into a kiss.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang lets out a startled little yelp as he’s drawn into Aaron, pretending to swoon a little as he meets the kiss. He does, in fact, melt into him though, very slowly replacing the coy act with a very sincere press back into the kiss.

[creeksidealtarboy]

He draws him close, but this kiss is not the same as their ones before. This is determined. Desperate, almost. He slides a hand behind his neck. "You are such a bitch," he murmurs. "All goddamn day."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang can immediately sense the difference, the sudden shift. In the back of his mind he wonders why, but also presses back against him, mouth finding Aaron’s jaw.

“But baobei, I’ve been nothing to sweet with you,” he says with a shameless purr. “Didn’t you like being shown off around Qinghe?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron tilts his chin up slightly, arm wrapped around him. "Sure, sure. But I just wanted you back here."

[threedontknows]

“You wanted me all to yourself, is that it? Too many eyes on me, and it made you jealous?”

Huaisang smiles, kittenish in the way he grasps the front of Aaron’s robe.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Nah. I like seeing you be the big fucking boss," he says. "But I wanted to do this." He kisses him again, but pulls away, a hand on the front of Huaisang's robes, giving the tie a gentle, questioning tug.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang’s gaze doesn’t leave Aaron’s face. He smiles and nods ever-so-slightly, permitting him to continue. “You should see me sitting on the throne.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Good, he doesn't have to fucking say it. Instead, he unties the robe, letting the ties fall, dragging his hips closer to him.

"Yeah? Guess I will eventually. You and your braids and this robe and that goddamn fucking fan."

He finds the trousers underneath and slides his thumb under the top hem, leaning in to kiss him as he does so.