Work Text:
They’ve made it a habit to sit for tea once a week.
Well.
It was more like Shen Qingqiu decided to visit Shang Qinghua at his peak for tea, while the man himself worked on what seemed to be endless paperwork. Every week, more paperwork, more tea, more gossiping with Shen Qingqiu about the other peak lords, his on-going encyclopedia of beasts and creatures, as well as any miscellaneous news.
Sometimes there was Shen Qingqiu complaining about his writing, before somewhat (he didn’t really know if it counted when the other man simply glared at him from across the table) begging to get another chapter of his newest work. He felt both satisfied and vindictive, as he prolonged giving Shen Qingqiu anything. But mostly terror as he has the need to satisfy the well known Peerless Cucumber to an abnormal degree.
He stared up at his bed canopy sometimes, just thinking of ideas to incorporate to this beastly work; (he wondered if his plot could get better if the man would stop terrorising him in his own home. Please give him more time Cucumber-bro!! He’s getting writer’s block just from your stare!!! Have mercy on this poor writer!!).
Cucumber-bro was a delight at best of times. A beast at worst.
Take for example today: Shen Qingqiu brought his favorite sweets as an apology (he assumes, but he doesn’t want to be the ass that makes the mistake of presuming the inner workings of Shen Qingqiu) for yelling at him their last tea session; once again, they got into PIDW “discussion” that was mostly Cucumber yelling and yelling, in that scathing way of his, that was yelling but not actually raising his voice, and never allowing him to explain his view of the story.
It eventually got to the point where Shang Qinghua just got up and walked out of the room, leaving Shen Qingqiu standing, alone, out of breath, like an idiot in another man’s home. He had apologized when he found Shang Qinghua, but that tea session had been cut short for obvious reasons.
He had actually been surprised when he found the man on the other side of his door; he didn’t think he’d see Cucumber-bro so soon, to be honest.
But with a smile, he opened the door for his passionate friend, and swept back to allow him through the door. Shen Qingqiu gave him a grin, as he stepped inside, and presented a simple box to him, full of egg tarts. With a happy squeal, Shang Qinghua had taken the box and shoved them both into their seats in his room.
That’s where they’d been for the past two hours, talking about the sweets they’ve missed the most from their original world. Cucumber-bro had bemoaned his loss of Skittles; he had grieved his Funyuns:
“A circular chip! With a hole in the middle? The world will never know a better chip, goddamnit, and you can quote me on that.” The world-renowned Peerless Cucumber lifted a sculpted eyebrow at him, and rolled his eyes.
He nibbled on an egg tart and stated flatly, with a smirk: “Yeah, I’ll be sure to tell everyone we know that the An Ding Peak Lord has finally stated his opinion on chips. I’m sure I’ll have to fight off every peak lord to protect the sanctity of your opinion on onion shaped chips.” He shoved the last bit of the tart into his mouth. “Chips aren’t even sweets, bro.”
Ignoring the offended look Shang Qinghua threw at him, he made himself more comfortable in his seat.
“You know what I’ve always wanted to taste though? Those sugar things in that frog Disney movie.”
Shang Qinghua shoved an entire tart into his mouth as he thought what Shen Qingqiu said. Frog Disney movie?
“You mean that movie with like the girl turning into a frog, because she kissed a random talking frog? With that sick graveyard scene?” He was pretty sure that was the right movie, though he couldn’t really remember much else from the movie.
It had been awhile since he’d seen any Disney movie, to be fair. Shen Qingqiu had a wistful look on his face; he lifted his tea cup, but didn’t drink from it.
“Yeah, that one. I don’t remember the name of it, but it looked so soft and sugary, I really wanted to try them.”
Shang Qinghua grinned at him, “I didn’t really care for their treats, but I definitely wanted to join their parties. They had that big parade, and their ball, right?” At Cucumber-bro’s nod, he wiped his mouth with a napkin, laid his hands in his lap, and tried not to laugh. “I’ve always wanted Disney’s balls, y’know.”
The look that Cucumber-bro gave him almost made him cry; he snorted into his palm, and desperately tried to hold in his belly laugh. His bro rolled his eyes at him, but he noticed that smile hiding in his tea cup!! Don’t think he didn’t!!
“Anyways..” Shen Qingqiu drawled out, amused, “I have to agree with you, for once.” At Shang Qinghua’s delighted giggle, he leaned over and smacked him lightly on his shoulder with his fan. “Get your mind out of the gutter! I meant the dancing.”
“The dancing was actually my favorite part of these Disney movies.” Shang Qinghua noted, amused, leaning into the palm on his cheek. “It was a disappointment when I found out no one ever takes you to a ball. The dance clubs never came close to what I actually wanted.”
It was a real pity when he had moved out of his parents house, ready to find friends and love, only to find himself alone and lonely. He had gone to a dance club alone once; it had been loud, deafening, and he couldn’t turn around without accidentally crushing someone’s foot or bumping into another’s back. He felt so overwhelmed, felt like a grain of sand in a wave of people. He remembers stumbling out of the doors, and hit with a wave of cold air.
He remembers walking alone at eleven at night, sober, watching groups of friends laugh into the night; remembers walking into an empty apartment, with only his chipped laptop and mattress and empty ramen packets to greet him. He had changed into an old ratty t-shirt and sweats before crashing on the mattress on the floor. He had never felt more pathetic in his life.
“Were the dance clubs not good for dancing?” Shen Qingqiu asked, obvious in his curiosity. “I’ve never been to one in my original life.”
“It wasn’t that it wasn’t good for dancing. It’s just… wasn’t what I wanted, I guess. It was a lot of getting squished and getting drunk enough to make out with random people on the dance floor.” He shrugged. “I didn’t find the appeal of it; I guess it would have been better with friends, but I went alone, so I just got depressed.”
“Oh.” Shen Qingqiu opened the fan in his hand, and looked at it thoughtfully. “I guess that makes sense.”
“What about you, bro? Ever wanted to get swept off your feet and onto the dancefloor?” Shang Qinghua teased.
“Shut up.” Cucumber-bro snapped his fan shut, then snapping it open again to fan himself. Shang Qinghua smiled. “I couldn’t really go anywhere back in my original life, so I didn’t really think about it. I was… too tired, I guess, and never really left my house.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been… I was pretty sick. For most of my life, it feels. I used to stay in the hospital for weeks at a time when I was a kid, and they would play almost every single Disney movie they had. My favorite was Cinderella. I made the nurses play the movie so much, they taped down the repeat button on the DVD player.”
Finding out his friend’s past life was always a surprise; they rarely spoke about themselves in a way that mattered, so this conversation was already pretty intimate.
Shang Qinghua stored away every little detail his friend gave him into his memory. He didn’t want to forget a single thing.
“I memorized every single song from most of the old Disney movies. Whenever I had any energy, I danced along to Cinderella and Prince Charming.”
Shang Qinghua felt so soft. Thinking about a little boy, stuck in a hospital room, sweetly singing along to the movie, he felt almost sad for never being able to meet his friend in their original world.
“I always wanted to slow dance with someone.” Shang Qinghua murmured.
The sun was lowering in the sky, and orange rays of sunlight passed through his window into the room. He closed his eyes, and basked in the warm heat. The room was turning a warm color, the air felt pleasant. The tea was lukewarm, but he didn’t mind it.
“I never had anyone to dance with.”
“Neither did I.”
Shen Qingqiu sat in front of him. His hair was tied up neatly, and glowed with the sunlight. Shang Qinghua gazed sleepily at him; he looked so comfortable, sitting here, with him, telling each other thoughts only they could understand.
They understood each other.
He never had that before. He wondered if his friend felt the same.
Shen Qingqiu considered him as well. They looked, carefully and without reserve, at each other.
Then Shen Qingqiu stood up, carefully placing his fan on the table. Shang Qinghua watched, as Shen Qingqiu walked around the table toward him. He leaned down, and carefully pulled his hand out of his lap, pulling him up from his seat.
Shang Qinghua pushed up from the cushion, and rose to his feet. Blood rushed into his legs, and he felt dizzy. He stood in front of Shen Qingqiu, feeling calm.
“If we’ve never had anyone to dance with…” Shen Qingqiu said quietly, “then will you dance with me?”
Shang Qinghua smiled.
“We don’t have any music, though.”
He watched, as Shen Qingqiu’s eyes turned into crescents, and laughed faintly.
He began to hum.
Shang Qinghua blinked in surprise, as Shen Qingqiu led him away from the table and to a more open area.
Shen Qingqiu continued to hum, as he guided Shang Qinghua’s arm to rest on his shoulder, and placed his own hand on his shoulder blade behind him. He gently cradled his other hand with his own, holding it shoulder height.
Shang Qinghua allowed himself to be guided to the hums of Shen Qingqiu. He stared down at their feet as they swayed together; they took a step to the left, together again, then another step, then together.
He looked up at the same time as Shen Qingqiu; he was probably staring down at their feet too.
“I thought you never danced before..” he whispered.
“I haven’t. I just watched a lot of Disney movies.” Shen Qingqiu whispered back, before giving another soft smile.
Shen Qingqiu started to hum louder, and with another surprised blink, Shang Qinghua realized that he vaguely recognized the song. As they danced, he threw a questioning glance toward his dancing partner.
Another smile, and then:
“So this is love…” He hummed, “So this is.. love..”
With a quick intake of breath, Shang Qinghua’s face heated up. He finally recognized the tune, though he should have known from the start. Shen Qingqiu did say his favorite movie was Cinderella.
Another step, another sway, another hum. Shen Qingqiu guided him around the room, as they moved with more confidence with every step.
“So this is what makes life divine…”
Shen Qingqiu’s voice was really nice. His voice was low, and his humming felt like it could reach into his chest, and vibrate along with his heart. Shang Qinghua couldn’t help but relax into his arms.
“I’m all aglow..” Another hum. “And now I know..”
Shen Qingqiu dropped his hand from his shoulder blade, and with a movement of his hand, Shang Qinghua laughed in delight as he twirled in place, before falling back into Shen Qingqiu’s arms. He laughed again at the proud look on his shixiong’s face, before reaching up and replacing his arm onto his shoulder.
“And now I know..” Shang Qinghua clumsily sang along. He grinned at Shen Qingqiu’s huff of amusement, before starting to dance again.
“The key to all heaven is mine..” They moved in a circle together, across the room, and Shang Qinghua couldn’t stop staring at his partner’s eyes. They were so clear, and kind. “My heart has wings, and I can fly..”
Shen Qingqiu moved his hand down from his shoulder blade, and onto his waist.
Shang Qinghua’s face heated up again, and he was sure he was as red as a tomato. He couldn’t help but gasp as Shen Qingqiu grabbed his waist more firmly. He blinked at him in confusion, and noticed that his dance partner was looking a little pink around his ears. Nice to know he wasn’t the only one affected by this…embrace.
“I’ll touch…” he sang.
His other hand led Shang Qinghua’s hand onto his shoulder, before dropping onto his waist on the other side. He then carefully pushed forward, his knee falling behind Shang Qinghua; taking the hint, Shang Qinghua leaned back, and supported himself on one foot, as the other slid into the air slightly. Shen Qingqiu dipped him with care.
“...every star in the sky..”
Shen Qingqiu was so close, Shang Qinghua could feel his breath mingling with his own. His body felt so light.
“So this is the miracle..”
Shen Qingqiu lifted him back up slowly, but didn’t remove his hands from his waist. Shang Qinghua didn’t mind.
“...that I’ve been dreaming of…”
They swayed together, chests touching. The sunlight was turning everything gold around them. The tea on the table twinkled with the sun, and the incense in the corner had long died out.
Shen Qingqiu’s voice rose at the last note, before finally humming the last line of the song.
“So this is love.”
The note rang throughout the room, as they finally stood in place. Shang Qinghua didn’t know his shixiong could sing so well, though, distantly, he remembered he had a part playing in that. He discarded the thought immediately.
He noted that his friend didn’t distance himself away from him. He also noted that Shen Qingqiu didn’t remove his hands from his waist. If anything, he held him tighter.
He wondered what was happening, as he admired Shen Qingqiu’s smile and his nose and his eyes, as well as his striking dark hair. He wondered, and marveled at the taller man before him.
“What are you thinking about?” Shen Qingqiu asked him, equally staring at him with something like affection. He didn’t know if he was imagining it.
“I’m thinking my shixiong is good at dancing.” He murmured. “And that my shixiong is very handsome.”
He didn’t know if his face would ever turn back to its original color, because he felt himself blush once again.
Shen Qingqiu looked coy, though his smile gave his obvious happiness away.
“What are you thinking?” he parroted back to him, embarrassed. Why does he have to be the only one with a blush? Shen Qingqiu was the one who was holding his waist!
“I’m thinking my shidi is a very good dancer,” he laughed, “and that my shidi is very handsome.”
With a snort, Shang Qinghua lightly punched the shoulder under his hand. He gave him a wry look, before shakily taking a breath. He lifted his hands from Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders, and very softly, traced them up his neck and cupped his cheeks.
To his amazement, his friend’s face heated up immediately, and his cheeks turned red. Despite being taller than him, he dropped his eyes, and looked up from under his eyelashes. He gave him a small smile.
Shang Qinghua felt so safe within his friend’s arms.
It gave him courage, which he can only blame on Shen Qingqiu.
Gently, he pulled down.
Steadily, he stood on his toes.
Deliberately, he pushed up, and moved his face close to Shen Qingqiu’s.
Shen Qingqiu allowed himself to be pulled forward, as he watched Shang Qinghua with wide eyes. Shang Qinghua watched him swallow, but didn’t move away. He stood still, with bated breath, as Shang Qinghua moved as close as he dared, a finger length away.
They stayed that way, for a moment.
“This is quite close just to look, don’t you think?” Shen Qingqiu murmured, and Shang Qinghua couldn’t help but laugh softly.
He leaned all the way forward, and brushed his lips with Shen Qingqiu.
His eyes slipped closed for a moment, as their lips merely touched softly.
Shen Qingqiu’s lips were very soft. Plush and tasting like tea and egg tarts, Shang Qinghua pushed forward just a little bit, to turn the kiss from brushing to a caress. Their lips moved carefully, sliding lightly against each other.
Shang Qinghua pulled away, just enough to be able to see Shen Qingqiu in focus, as he sucked in a large breath.
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes fluttered open, as he stared down at him. He noted that the blush on Shen Qingqiu’s face had failed to disappear, and his eyes were wide and glittering; seeing the great Qing Jing Peak Lord so flustered made him feel a sense of accomplishment. He had turned this lord into a flustered mess, yes, but he wants more kisses, wants to be held tight as they sway.
With a whine, he leans forward again, refusing to have another delicate kiss. The second kiss is firm, and they move together, clumsily trying to find a rhythm between them. Shang Qinghua moves his hands from Shen Qingqiu’s cheeks into his hair, lightly scratching his skull. The motion makes Shen Qingqiu make a sound against his lips, like an aborted gasp; encouraged, he does it again, and gently bites Shen Qingqiu’s bottom lip, dragging it slightly.
Shen Qingqiu is openly panting into his mouth, his hands at Shang Qinghua’s waist flexing into the flesh. Shang Qinghua groans just a little bit, before opening his mouth as well, giving a little kitten lick to the bitten lip.
Shen Qingqiu pushes forward this time, and without hesitation, presses into Shang Qinghua’s mouth with his tongue. Enthusiastic, Shang Qinghua reciprocates the action, pushing, pushing, trying to swallow every little noise Shen Qingqiu gives.
Shang Qinghua doesn’t even realize they’re walking until his back hits a wall. Shen Qingqiu crowds against him, and he has a moment to think about being a little bird in a nest, because that’s what was happening, he was nestling into the hold of the Qing Jing Peak Lord, grabbing the lapels of his robes to drag him down to a more reachable height.
Kisses are traded back and forth, and tongues tease each other, as the two peak lords enfold into each other.
It isn’t until the sun has set, that the orange sun rays turn into pinks, and purples, and then grey, that they part from each other. Shang Qinghua is breathing hard, his legs cramping from trying to make himself taller. Shen Qingqiu is in a similar state; one hand still on his waist, the other on his cheek. His eyes are still closed, lips a harsh red, and his cheeks a rosy pink.
Shang Qinghua had never felt more lucky.
Shen Qingqiu had never looked more beautiful, in this ruffled state.
“So..” Shang Qinghua muttered. He reached up again, and gave another kiss to puffy lips.
“Hmm?”
“Can I have another dance?”
Shen Qingqiu opened his eyes, and clear grey eyes bored into his. Shang Qinghua gave his biggest shit-eating grin he had.
Shen Qingqiu gave a disbelieving laugh, before leaning back to properly hold him in a dance position again.
Shang Qinghua laughed brightly, leaning up to brush Shen Qingqiu’s hair out of his face; it had completely been ruined, pulled out of its head piece, and flying in different directions. Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes, before giving a great big twirl away from the wall, his hands lifting Shang Qinghua off the floor, Shang Qinghua shrieking in laughter. Shen Qingqiu smiled widely, before opening his mouth again.
“I know you, I walked with you, once upon a dream…”