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

[threedontknows]

"I brought one of the robes we had made for you in Qinghe." He leans against his touch briefly and then pulls away to get himself washed, oiled, and dressed for the banquet. He has to look the part, after all.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron watches him for a while, but he eventually gets up and goes through his own routine that he's established over the past few days. Brush his hair, wash his face, style his hair with the water, get dressed.

He picks out the dark blue robe and cinches it tightly.

"Look alright?"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang is sitting at his mirror with a brush in hand. He pauses to look over his shoulder, smiling with half-painted lips at the sight of Aaron in those dashing robes.

"You look Nie."

He turns back to finish adding the paint to his lips and cheeks and eyelids.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron laughs, a little caught off guard and more than a little pleased.

"Yeah? Good." He walks over and puts his hands on his shoulders.

[threedontknows]

"Good," he repeats, taking the black kohl and drawing along his eyelids. "The cut of those robes are flattering. Looking at you reminds me that I have really good taste."

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron just rolls his eyes. "You do, Your Excellency. Very good taste." He squeezes his shoulders gently, massaging them out while he finishes his face.

[threedontknows]

When he's finished with his makeup he sets the brush down and glances at Aaron through the mirror. "You should probably stop touching me like that, or I'll have you take me to bed again."

He bats his eyes again.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"I won't do it," he answers innocently. "You'll simply be uncomfortable for the entirety of the banquet."

[threedontknows]

"That's cruel of you. You're supposed to love me."

He pouts as he gathers his hair, now meticulously braided, into his metal guan.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"That is how I show my love," he laughs. "By reminding you that you're the most powerful person in the world...and I still make you squirm."

[threedontknows]

“I let you make me squirm,” he argues with a grin. “I have some self control, after all. I just don’t want to act like it.”

He flashes him a bit of a devilish grin. “Not when you’re so delicious-looking.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"You're gonna get yourself all hot and bothered with talk like that," he snorts.

[threedontknows]

“Maybe that’s what I want,” he says, plucking his fan from the top of his vanity and tapping Aaron in the chest. “Are you ready? We’ll be announced soon.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"I'm ready," he assures him, stepping back and fixing his hair. "After you, Excellency."

[threedontknows]

His smile becomes a little more serene, a little more befitting someone in his station. He extends his hand up and waits for Aaron to give it to him before walking - floating really - on towards the banquet hall.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron reaches out and offers his hand to him, ready to walk with him out to the banquet hall. And there, he's quiet and attentive, trying to understand it.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang holds Aaron's hand slightly elevated, as though he was walking his consort. His Nie Fu Ren. His future husband. As they walk into the banquet hall he holds his head up high as row after row bows to them both, only letting go of Aaron's hand once they're seated at the high table next to Lan Wangji and his own husband.

The Lan Clan doesn't drink, doesn't eat meat, but it's a good banquet all the same. The music is lovely and calming, and Huaisang makes quite a few toasts with the simple tea to their hosts and fellow cultivators and anyone else within eye sight.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron's keen eye is alert to everything going on inside. He knows what to do now, knows what's expected, and he smiles demurely at anyone who happens to look his way. His attention is on Huaisang, as it should be, though it's also on everyone else.

The tea is warm, the banquet is intimate, despite the size, and Aaron finds himself exhausted at the end of it.

[threedontknows]

The Lan are far too polite to do anything but quietly return Aaron’s smile, but the Jiang and the Jin are less tolerant. Huaisang can see it in their eyes, how they have to work to hide their judgement at a foreigner holding one of the most influential positions in the cultivator world. Huaisang almost dares them to make a scene - try him.

He knows they won’t.

At the end of the night he rises and bows to the room of cultivators. He’s retiring for the night with his husband-to-be.

“Let’s take the long way.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron can see it, too, and that makes him all the more daring with his smile. All the more warm and gentle and demure.

He is quite confident beside Nie Huaisang, nodding to the suggestion. "Of course," he mutters.

[threedontknows]

He takes Aaron's hand once more and walks with him past the other cultivators, letting them nod their heads in his direction as they take their leave. Once outside and down the outer path towards a few of the quieter garden in Cloud Recesses (though really, they were all quiet because of the Lan's 3,000 rules), Huaisang pulls Aaron in for a sharp kiss.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron gasps a little at the kiss, but when he pulls away, it's with a laugh. "What are you doing?" he demands.

[threedontknows]

He grabs Aaron's robes again and presses another kiss to his lips. "Kissing my intended!"

[creeksidealtarboy]

"You're breaking the rules," he mutters, pulling him close again to mutter against his lips. "I'm sure there's a rule about this somewhere."

[threedontknows]

"They're silly rules," Huaisang grumbles, kissing him again and again. "I've taken my share of beating for breaking them. They can't do a thing to me now."