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by kitiycat2266

wanted to used text to speech. ignore this

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Rating:

Explicit

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Relationship:

Luò Bīnghé/Shěn Yuán Shěn Qīngqiū

Characters:

Luò BīnghéShěn Yuán Shěn QīngqiūShàng QīnghuáLiǔ QīnggēYuè QīngyuánNíng YīngyīngQīng Jìng Peak Disciples

Additional Tags:

Time TravelCrackLet's drag Shen Yuan out of the closetMy First Work in This FandomPost Shen Yuan RevealShen Yuan's Internal Potty MouthTime Travel Fix-ItCharacter StudyCrack Treated SeriouslyBinghe causes problems but he means well enoughNo beta we die like SQQEmotional Hurt/ComfortFirst TimeAnal SexOral SexRimmingKink DiscoveryUndernegotiated KinkLight BDSMlike so light it's more like vibes you knowjust a little bloodRated e for chapter 6Tradução em português disponívelTranslation in Portuguese availableSpanish Translation Available

Language:

English

Series:

Part 1 of the I Just Wanna Be Yours series Next Work

Collections:

Rain Recs, SVSSS/MDZS/TGCF, System, SVSSS Fanfics I LOVE, International Fanworks Day 2022 - Classic Fic Recs, Characters Explores Fandom, favorite bingqiu fics

Stats:

Published:2021-03-14Completed:2021-05-16Words:58610Chapters:7/7Comments:656Kudos:3812Bookmarks:822Hits:58091

Can't we just skip to the end?

chaoticgoodlawyer

Summary:

When it was all said and done, Shen Qingqiu comforted himself that the end of the plot meant that, surely, all major events were out of the way. They were firmly in HEA territory and he could relax a little. Right? Right.

A year and a half into his marriage to the protagonist, he cursed himself for a fool when he woke next to a Luo Binghe from ten years in the past.

Meanwhile, a recently transmigrated Shen Yuan struggled to retain what little face he had when confronted with an overgrown, disturbingly gorgeous demon lord claiming to be his husband. Which is impossible, because he's straight, the most hetero heterosexual to exist. System? A little help here??

Notes:

This idea hit me out of nowhere and I'm not sorry. No thoughts, head empty. They may be OOC but I'm just here for a good time, folks. Only friskiness happens between a 26/7 year old Binghe and Shen Yuan. Probably going to be around 3/4 chapters. I'm mostly here for adult Binghe lovingly causing problems on purpose for a young, stupider version of his husband.

Edit: Now with translation to Portuguese!

Also now in Spanish with the translation done by mocheng!! Thanks, bestie!!

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu stirred irritably, his internal clock telling him it was far too early for his husband to have breakfast ready, and thus far too early for him to bother being awake. He groaned lightly then was mildly surprised to hear sounds of clumsy scrambling from Luo Binghe.

In the year and change after their marriage (the public one, not those first bows they had taken in their quarters immediately following Luo Binghe's proposal that Shen Qingqiu actually preferred to think of as the start of their union), Luo Binghe had always taken the greatest care to move quietly in the mornings. Admittedly, it took some effort to get Shen Qingqiu out of bed when he had no official reason to be, but he refused to take any fault in that habit. Their evening… intimacies kept him active through half the night. While far more pleasurable and less taxing after they had gotten sufficient practice for the protagonist skill halo to kick in, Shen Qingqiu still claimed the earliest morning hours as his own to lounge. For his part, Luo Binghe happily took the opportunity to spoil his Shizun husband when he was least likely to complain about it.

So the sharp intake of breath and gangly fumbling would have been alarming if Shen Qingqiu was even mildly more awake. But he wasn't and his qi recognized that it was Luo Binghe beside him, so he didn't bother hiding himself as he sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and yawning inelegantly. "Binghe? What is it?"

"S-Shizun?!"

"It's husband, not—" Shen Qingqiu cut himself off, freezing as more than the damnably familiar address registered in his head. Like the genuinely shocked tone. And the higher pitch.

Feeling like he was in a horror movie, Shen Qingqiu lowered his hand and slowly looked at the figure framed by the sheer red curtains of his marital bed. It was undoubtedly Luo Binghe, but the presence of Qing Jing standard issue inner robes, shorter stature, and shell-shocked expression clued him in on the fact that this was not his Luo Binghe.

Or maybe he was. Shen Qingqiu scrutinized him closely, noting he was older and healthier than when he first transmigrated to this world and that his eyes lacked the underlying cunning that was present in Luo Bingge. That, and he was looking at him with a familiar, almost awed devotion that he highly doubted the Original Goods would ever inspire in a charge. No, this was his disciple, just not the current version of him.

Then Shen Qingqiu clocked that this white lotus was very much not looking at his face.

"Turn around!" Shen Qingqiu snapped, flushing as he brought up the sheets to cover his bare torso like an affronted maiden. It was far too late to hide the numerous marks his loving and possessive husband had left behind. Shen Qingqiu never bothered to heal them as long as they would be hidden by his clothes, so there were obviously fading marks that were far too telling of their habits to someone he was not married to. Not yet, at least, and not for some years if he's reading the other's age correctly.

The young Luo Binghe hadn't moved, eyes dazed as he looked at Shen Qingqiu's thoroughly love-bitten neck. Increasingly embarrassed, Shen Qingqiu grabbed one of the soft pillows that littered the bed and threw it lightly in his disciple's face. "Turn around now, Binghe! Or do you not listen to this master anymore?"

Luo Binghe squeaked and almost took flight in his haste to turn away. "Yes, Shizun! This lowly disciple apologizes for his failure to respond and his disrespectful gaze. Asking Shizun to punish this one however Shizun deems necessary!"

Shen Qingqiu's blush flared at the words. Having been on the receiving end of one too many honest and heated diatribes from his husband about the early fantasies of his discipleship, he was painfully aware what this Luo Binghe is likely hoping for.

He wanted to chastise him for the impropriety of it all, but could he really do so in good conscious? If a teenage Shen Yuan had woken up next to the nude and obviously well-loved object of his fantasies at Luo Binghe's age, being called husband, would he had behaved any differently?

Didn't make it less mortifying.

"Stop. Just… stop. Give this master a moment."

Shen Qingqiu took a deep, steadying breath and stood to get dressed. The wardrobe was thankfully on his side of the bed, so he didn't have to worry about attempting to preserve his modesty further. He would take what he could get because the more he thought about the situation, the worse it seemed.

Where was his husband? How old was this Binghe? Would this mess with his own timeline? Would this mess with an alternative timeline, and alternative version of a Shen Yuan who hadn't yet pushed his disciple into the Abyss? Where was his Luo Binghe? How could they set it to rights? He didn't think Xin Mo cut across both space and time. What caused this? Would the System penalize him for all but spoiling the ending for this version of Binghe? Where the fuck is my husband?

System? Shen Qingqiu asked, internal voice much calmer than the rising panic in his head around the implications of this young, definitely-not OP demon lord version of Luo Binghe being here while his husband was somewhere unknown. System, explain what is happening here.

[Thank you for contacting the System! As part of your VIP status, we hope you enjoy this Special Event, "Back to the Future!" This Event was triggered by high Protagonist satisfaction levels with the current, ongoing mission "Marital Bliss!" Please keep working hard to unlock new content and achievements!]

Shen Qingqiu didn't start shouting aloud, but that was only through sheer iron will and practice. What do you mean, special event? Where is my husband!? Is he safe? Can this Luo Binghe be hurt here? What happens if other people find out he's here?! Is it a problem he knows that, you know, we get married eventually?

[Thank you for contacting the System! As part of the "Back to the Future" Event, the current Protagonist has swapped places with a previous version of himself for 24 hours, creating an alternate timeline at the end of this Event for the corresponding previous version of Host! Participants will then decide how to use the knowledge this event has given them! Please keep working hard to–]

Can this Luo Binghe be hurt here? Shen Qingqiu asked again. Both versions of Luo Binghe had the protagonist halo to ensure that they emerged from any hardship, but he had a lot more faith in his husband to keep himself safe in a time he already lived through than in his disciple to navigate a world where he was a demonic emperor. The kid had yet to unlock his demonic heritage, let alone forcibly ascend the throne.

[Thank you for contacting the System! Participants will carry the effects of this Event even after it is over, including any memories or physical changes. Please keep–]

Disgusted, Shen Qingqiu force-closed the interface. Worse than useless. Why would he even bother—

"S-Shizun?" Luo Binghe's tentative voice had him pausing in his hurried movements to become decent. "Begging Shizun's pardon. This disciple is foolish and ignorant of what is happening. Where are we?"

Right. Right. Okay, he could do this. If he wasn't supposed to tell him anything, the fucking System wouldn't have put him here. Hell, maybe things will be better for the other him if Shen Qingqiu cleared up a few things now. But first…

"This master will explain what he can," he said gently. He secured the last layer for him to feel comfortable and pulled out one of his husband's outer robes. He turned and approached the boy, formalities dropping easily in this space. "I'm sure this is very confusing for you. Here, put this on. It's technically yours, anyway."

Luo Binghe looked at him in dazed astonishment as he took the black, far too large robes with great interest. Hmm, perhaps he should have just given him one of his…

"Does that mean that Shizun is technically this one's husband as well?" Rather than the sly flirt it would have been if the older Luo Binghe was in front of him, the boy was clearly in awed disbelief at the sentence, eyes sparkling with hope.

Shen Qingqiu sighed and snapped his fan open to hide his flush. "This one is the husband of the man he bowed to and no other. Binghe is far too young for—how old is the Binghe before this master now?"

With the too large robe swamping him and fluffy hair mussed from sleep, he looked more like a defenseless puppy than usual. His expression was open and obliging as he said, "This disciple is 16, Shizun."

Sixteen. A little more than a year before The Immortal Alliance Conference, then. Shen Qingqiu often did his best to forget the stress of those months leading up to him betraying the young boy who deserved it the least. Then the numbing agony of the years that followed torn equally between despair, loss, and terror only to be broken up by literal death.

There had been so much Shen Qingqiu didn't know, couldn't have known back then when he made the choice to push Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss. How could he have guessed the toll his choices would take on him and everyone around him? It's not like he had anyone he could confide in, not even aware that Airplane-bro was—

Airplane-bro.

An idea was forming quickly in his mind as Shen Qingqiu stared at the unblackened protagonist, still yet to be hurt by so many of Shen Qingqiu's actions and misunderstandings. It had taken a lot (far too much) pain for him to get his happily ever after, but he did get there in the end. Maybe he could make the road a little easier for another version of himself and his husband.

"To answer your question, we are in the palace of the current sovereign of the demon realm, who just so happens to be my husband."

Luo Binghe physically staggered at the words. "Wh-what? I mean, begging Shizun's pardon but—"

"None of that now," Shen Qingqiu steadied him with a soft hand, mind racing through all the possibilities. "We don't have time to delay. Binghe should take a moment to collect himself while this master briefly sees to official matters for his husband. Once that is taken care of, we will track down your Shang-shishu and see if we can ensure Binghe is prepared for the next ten years." Hopefully with many changes.

"Shizun!"

"Binghe should stay here as this master's husband's staff may not react well to the change in appearance." For all that Luo Bingge had qi deviations with interesting results with some regularity, the better cultivation base Shen Yuan provided him and the lack of Xin Mo eliminated such occurrences. He turned away and sat down to put his hair up, only to pause as he caught the besieged look on his disciple's face in the bronze mirror.

It occurred to him that he was assuming quite a bit about what Luo Binghe would want from this experience. No matter how much he felt he knew the boy and the man he could become, it wasn't actually his choice.

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and said, "Of course, Binghe need not do anything. It has been many years since this one was worthy of calling him his disciple. Binghe may not want to know of his future or may choose to stay away from this master—"

"No!" Luo Binghe interrupted, clamoring to come to Shen Qingqiu's side, horrified at the implication. "This disciple's greatest wish is to be by Shizun's side always, with no greater honor possible than being able to call his master his spouse. If there is anything Shizun can share with this lowly one will help him win his regard when this one returns to his own time, this disciple is eager to learn."

Shen Qingqiu couldn't stop a small smile from gracing his lips as he regarded Luo Binghe's determined face. Goodness, but he had missed this small bun. "Alright, Binghe. This master understands."

He reached for a comb, only to be stopped by too solicitous hands. "Please, Shizun, allow this one to assist with your hair."

He thought about protesting but decided against it because a.) it was a task his husband usually helped him with anyway and he was out of practice dealing with it himself, b.) it would be far from the first time even this white lotus had helped him with such a task, though he hadn't realized the intimacy of it until after the Immortal Alliance Conference, and c.) he really hated handling his nearly knee-length hair on his own.

It probably wouldn't do to encourage the teenager on his affections, but they were already at this point. He had seen him wake up naked beside him. He knew they were married in the future. What was a little personal grooming after that? "If Binghe does not mind."

"Thanking Shizun for the privilege," Luo Binghe answered softly.

As he worked quietly, lost in his task, Shen Qingqiu was mentally going over everything they had to touch on in the short time frame. He knew he would be making trouble for the other version of himself, that the young protagonist likely wouldn't be able to hide the impact of this visit in how he treated his teacher.

Then again, he was 110% sure his husband was wrecking his own brand of havoc on a younger version of himself. He looked again at the boy focused on his hair and internally winced. Yes, Shen Qingqiu had no doubt he was getting the more peaceful end of this experience. Hopefully the foreknowledge Luo Binghe would walk away with would be enough to make up for whatever his husband was doing to a younger Shen Qingqiu's peaceful existence.

Chapter 2

Notes:

The System is more active here since it hasn't gone officially into hibernation yet. This causes Shen Yuan stress.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Luo Binghe knew something was wrong the moment he woke up alone in the bedroom from his time as a disciple. The old bed was too small for his size, yet it was alarmingly empty for the lack of the husband he knew he had fallen asleep beside only hours before.

It was more than just the lack of his sweet A-Yuan that gave Luo Binghe pause. He wouldn't claim to have an eidetic memory, but it was good enough to recognize that this room was untouched by the remodeling that they had completed after that alternate version of himself cut into their dimension with Xin Mo. His Qing Jing disciple robes were exactly where they should be, Zheng Yang in the same place he kept when he slept as a teenager rather than the shared stand with Xiu Ya he was more accustomed to seeing.

It didn't take him long to figure out he was in his past. After his husband had revealed his origins and gave him leave to call him his true birth name, he had taken to letting a few anachronisms from his world slip through. One stuck Luo Binghe as particularly appropriate for this moment: this might as well happen.

He wasn't concerned for his safety, knowing he could likely take anyone from this time in a fight even without Xin Mo, save perhaps the Sect Leader himself. He severely doubted a disciple-aged him was any danger whatsoever to his husband if they had only switched places. In fact, he probably had given his young self the gift of seeing just who awaited him a few years down the line. Luo Binghe waited to be jealous, though only found amusement at the thought. He knew himself and knew his husband; A-Yuan would likely think of the younger version of him as a child to his young self's frustration. His young self would rather cut off his own hand than touch his Shizun without express and repeated permission, unlike that other version of him who—

Luo Binghe sighed and pushed the thought of that insolent mongrel away. While he was worried for his husband's safety without him there, his Shizun was highly capable, even more so than he had been prior to their marriage with Without-A-Cure gone and months of dual cultivation.

So, faced with an unexpected situation, Luo Binghe decided to seek out the one person who kept him steady: Shen Qingqiu. He wanted to interact with the man he'd once thought such a lofty immortal as an equal, as a lover. That and he wanted to test his own nostalgia for this time. Though his body took bore no physical sign of what he had experienced in the years since he pushed Luo Binghe into the Abyss, his husband had changed. He grew more weary but also more settled. Hindsight was a revealing thing and Shen Yuan seemed more mature in Luo Binghe's time than when he first became Shen Qingqiu.

Many things made sense once his husband revealed he had not always been Shen Qingqiu and he was mentally only a little more than five years Luo Binghe's senior.

…Was he older than his husband in this time?

He was.

Oh, this was going to be so much fun.

"Shizun!"

Shen Qingqiu stirred, confused at Luo Binghe's summons so early in the day. He had classes to teach, yes, and Luo Binghe usually had the unenviable task of waking him up, but something was off. When was the last time his disciple had entered his room to wake him rather than waiting at the door? Had he ever done so?

There was a shift of his mattress. Was Luo Binghe actually sitting on his bed?

He was trying to maintain the Original Goods' veneer of elegance as much as possible even with the horrid OOC settings unlocked, so Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and tried to sound aware at the very least. "Binghe? What's wrong?"

He blinked his eyes open as Luo Binghe said, "Shizun, something's not right."

Shen Qingqiu froze, his brain fully shutting down the minute he took in a much larger, unclothed version of Luo Binghe, changed but clearly his disciple. That was. That sure was a lot of skin on display. He sure um. He sure was comfortable sitting in his bed without clothes.

Oh, God, was Luo Binghe touching him!? It was just a hand on his forehead, like he was checking his temperature, but that felt really—

"Husband, are you well? Do we need to go to Mu-shishu?"

Husband.

Husband.

.

.

.

Husband!

Nope, Shen Qingqiu thought before rather unhelpfully passing out, danger of an adult protagonist who for some reason wasn't looking to remove his limbs notwithstanding. There was an adult Heavenly Demon on his Peak, and Shen Qingqiu couldn't get past his lack of attire.

Typical.

A-Yuan! Luo Binghe cried mentally as he watched his not-quite-yet-always husband faint from shock. So dramatic! Utterly adorable!

His husband's face was so thin! All he did was sit down, barely touch him, and call him husband, and the man passed out! He loved this delicate man to pieces!!

Luo Binghe's eyes actually watered as he fought the urge to snuggle with the man. Alas, he could not! Luo Binghe was afraid that Shen Qingqiu waking up to his embrace would actually cause the young man to deviate, so he needed to find some clothes. After that he would tend to his husband's breakfast. If he was not alert by then, he would have to fetch Mu Qingfang to ensure that Shen Qingqiu was actually all right.

But there were obvious lingering concerns. Most notably, should he let people know he was here? And if he did, what would he tell them?

On one hand, doing anything to reveal his demon heritage now would be… difficult. He wasn't sure exactly what age his contemporary self was, but he doubted it was—

He could just find the date.

A quick check of Shen Qingqiu's files showed that his Shizun was likely expecting him to be 16 years old rather than 27.

Hm.

Getting his 16 year old self kicked out for being a demon would be bad. For all that the Abyss had complicated their relationship (to say the least), Shen Qingqiu had been correct that Cang Qiong Sect was not exactly a welcoming place for demons, especially not Heavenly Demons.

On the other hand, though.

On the other hand, he could flaunt that Shen Qingqiu was very much not available. He could show Yue Qingyuan and especially Liu Qingge that the Qing Jing Peak Lord was spoken for and that their attempts at courting would fail even if given several more years to succeed. It would give him a chance to fluster his adorable A-Yuan in the process, maybe even get him to realize his inclinations much earlier than before.

Luo Binghe did not miss his wide-blown eyes or fascination with his nudity when he had woken him earlier.

Now that he was thinking on it, however… why stop at just that?

Shen Qingqiu was convinced that the Abyss was unavoidable. Luo Binghe knew more than anyone just how formative the experience was, so he wasn't able to refute that assertion with complete confidence. That said, did he really have to be pushed down with no warning or extra provisions?

Could he prevent or at least stop Shen Qingqiu thinking he would ever prefer to see him maimed and tortured rather than safe and in his arms? Could he prevent his husband's self-destruction and the unthinkable pain he went through to bring him back? Could he end his husband's loneliness and connect him to his baffling but best friend earlier?

Tianlang-Jun was still imprisoned, and Zhuzhi-Lang was still alive. Could Luo Binghe save the only family he had left from the machinations of the Huan Hua Palace Master now that he knew the truth of the circumstances around his birth?

He didn't know how much time he had left in this place. He didn't know how even the smallest change could impact this future. But he had to try, right?

The possibilities staggered him and he ached for his husband then, the man he had suffered so much for and with, yet who remained by his side. Luo Binghe longed for his sharp mind and dry humor. He would know what to do, what strings to best pull.

That said, Luo Binghe was far from helpless. He was the best student Shen Qingqiu, Chief Strategist of the Cang Qiong Sect, had ever trained. He would plan carefully and make do.

But first, his eyes cut over to the still unconscious man, he could have some fun.

The first order of business was clothes.

Cloaking his demonic presence completely, Luo Binghe easily snuck into the storerooms where they kept spare robes. As expected, he didn't find robes made to his size as he was physically larger than any disciple Qing Jing had likely seen in generations. He pulled together what he could, choosing not to go with the standard disciple fare. He had made the decision to flaunt his presence, so he picked up some black underrobes used for stealth missions and one white over robe. He completed his outfit by sneaking back into the bamboo house to borrow one of his husband's signature bamboo-patterned robes. It didn't close all the way, but Luo Binghe didn't need it to.

The ensemble marked him as decidedly other but also very much Shen Qingqiu's. It also left a fair bit of his chest on display and the tightness of the robes emphasized wide shoulders and strong arms in a way that routinely distracted his husband (much to his embarrassment).

Ready for the day, Luo Binghe decided to check on Shen Qingqiu once more before completely changing his life. He came to sit on the side of the bed and took his hand. "A-Yuan? Won't you wake up for your husband?"

There was no response, just even breathing.

Luo Binghe sighed. It wasn't like he wanted to give Shen Qingqiu a chance to talk him out of his plans, but it would have been nice to see the man awake. On impulse, he started carefully transferring qi to him as he bent down to brush a light kiss against his brow. He ended up frowning, appalled at the state of his meridians. He knew that Without-A-Cure took it's toll but this is what Mu Qingfang called managing!? He had spent enough time fixing the spiritual veins in Shen Qingqiu's body to know the extent of the problem, but he thought that the damage was due to time, not that it was so bad this early on!

…Maybe he could convince Shen Qingqiu to share his bed, if only to be free of the poison. At the very least, it could provide him a convenient excuse for if Shen Qingqiu found himself thinking about it later.

Shen Qingqiu began to wake and Luo Binghe stopped the qi transfer. He would leave the man to sleep, just a little more, as he prepared breakfast.

If there was one thing that would induce Shen Qingqiu to be more agreeable, it was Luo Binghe's cooking.

It was easy for the entertainment to begin.

On the way to the kitchens, Luo Binghe spotted a young Ming Fan, ostensibly doing early Head Disciple duties while he still had them. He would make an excellent catalyst. "Ming Fan," he called, tone brusque.

The boy, so much smaller than him like this that Luo Binghe marveled at how he had ever had the power to make his life miserable, did a hard double take at Luo Binghe. Does he recognize me?

There was no answer for a long moment as the boy scrutinized him before smoothing his face out into something resembling polite. "How can this head disciple assist you, sir?"

Luo Binghe raised an eyebrow. "My husband fainted this morning. Appraise Mu Qingfang of his condition and have him send someone for his monthly treatment early." He didn't remember how much of Shen Qingqiu's Without-A-Cure treatments were secret, so he figured that was vague enough.

Ming Fan looked like he swallowed something sour. "And who exactly is your husband for Qing Jing's head disciple to run such an errand?"

Luo Binghe smiled and he knew it was vicious. "Do you not recognize these robes? Your master will be so disappointed his head disciple is woefully unobservant." He let that sit for a beat as Ming Fan paled. "My husband is Shen Qingqiu if you need it said directly. Now, will you fetch Peak Lord Mu or is he not important enough for you to inquire about his health?"

"B-but Shizun isn't married!" Ming Fan said, looking more than a little unwell himself. "He never mentioned anyone and the only people he spends time with are other Peak Lords and that beast!"

"Oh?" Luo Binghe prompted, hand going to Zheng Yang, more to clue this idiot in to who he was than anything else. He was older, not a different person entirely after all. "A beast you say."

It took another second, but if Ming Fan was pale before he was nearly ghostly now. "Y-you! How did you–"

"Enough," Luo Binghe said dismissively. "I must prepare Shizun's breakfast, Ming-shidi. Perhaps you should go notify Mu-shishu now of Shizun's condition."

Whistling pleasantly, Luo Binghe left a sputtering Ming Fan behind to whip up a quick meal of some of his husband's favorites, estimating he had maybe two ke before more than one Peak Lord descended on Qing Jing.

He was looking forward to this.

The familiar smell of Luo Binghe's cooking coaxed Shen Qingqiu awake slowly. The image of a nude, fully grown Luo Binghe abruptly got him all the way there.

Shen Qingqiu sat up in bed quickly, eyes frantic as he scanned his bedroom for any adult demon lords in the vicinity. Seeing himself alone, he slumped back in relaxation, shaking his head at his imagination.

Really, Shen Yuan, he thought to himself, of course it could only be a dream. A strange result of his cute disciple and Airplane's descriptions an adult protagonist. No man would look like that in reality, let alone be that attractive to me! Hahaha close call! I wonder what Binghe cooked today…

Writing off his lingering concerns, Shen Qingqiu quickly dressed for the day, though frowned when he noticed that one of his favorite robes was missing. Must be in the laundry, he mused before rushing through his routine. He felt inexplicably hungry and wanted to have some of the protagonist's famous cooking first thing. Truly, he was so spoiled!

"Binghe?" he called out. He felt kind of bad for asking but it was a weird morning and he felt like indulging a little. "Would you mind helping this master put up his hair for the day?"

Small sounds of Luo Binghe's movement paused as if in surprise before he heard him approach his bedroom door. He turned to sit at his small vanity, expecting the usual rush of his small bun to reassure him he would be happy to help and how are you this morning, Shizun?

That was not what he got.

His bedroom door slid open quietly and a man responded, "Of course, A-Yuan."

Shen Qingqiu froze before turning around slowly. To his shock, a gorgeous man was striding across his bedroom towards him. For all that he was larger in every sense, it was unmistakably a version of his white lotus disciple.

Everything, everything in him that responded to logic was telling him to fucking run, but Luo Binghe's own words stopped him. "What did you call me?" he asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

Luo Binghe smiled gently at him before bending to kiss his forehead, then his cheek. "A-Yuan," he repeated, and Shen Qingqiu barely heard him over the roaring in his ears. "My husband."

Luo Binghe kissed his cheek again, then again, closer to his mouth each time. His intent was obvious but Shen Qingqiu's brain was a blue screen at the moment, mouth agape as Luo Binghe's lips finally touched his own, sending a jolt through him.

That felt… that felt–

Luo Binghe kissed him again and Shen Yuan found his eyes sliding shut on instinct, the gentle coaxing lulling him into compliance that felt so astonishingly good that he was returning the pressure, was making a low sound in his throat, was lifting his hands to the sharp jaw of… of…

He was kissing the protagonist.

Oh, what the fuck.

Before he could gather himself to pull away (because holy shit, what the fuck, what the fuck was he doing!), a loud noise made him jerk back abruptly with a gasp.

Luo Binghe seemed unconcerned with the commotion, eyes not leaving his face and fingers lightly stroking his cheek with such care that it made Shen Qingqiu almost want to believe the wild assertion that they were married. "So beautiful."

"How–" are you here was what he intended to say when his bedroom door was knocked off its hinges. He turned and saw Liu Qingge standing in the threshold, breaths heavy and eyes flicking between him and Luo Binghe.

He then realized what this looked like.

Shameless, he was so shameless! Shen Qingqiu groped at his dressing table blindly for a fan. To his surprise, Luo Binghe placed one gently in his hand. He shot him a grateful look in response only to immediately regret it.

Binghe! Why do you look so smug!

Oh, what the fuck.

"Liu-shishu," Luo Binghe all but purred at his martial uncle. "Interesting that you're here first. My money was on the Sect Leader."

What?

"Get away from him," Liu Qingge demanded, drawing Cheng Luan to Shen Qingqiu's great alarm.

If there was one thing that could snap Shen Qingqiu back into a situation, it was a threat to the inner sanctum he had created in this insane world. "No, no! I don't know what you think you're doing, Liu-shidi, but you will not be fighting in my home!"

"I am removing an intruder."

All formalities forgotten, Shen Qingqiu snapped. "It's my bedroom! You would think I would know better who is an intruder here than you!"

Both Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge blushed at his words. Even Luo Binge looked at him in pleased surprise before somehow radiating even more smugness towards the other Peak Lord.

He couldn't take this anymore. He was at his limit. "Both of you! Get out! I need to think and I want to eat my breakfast in peace."

"…"

"What's that look?" Shen Qingqiu demanded.

"…You were going to eat that?"

Luo Binghe winced.

"What. Did you do. To my food."

Liu Qingge looked at him like he had a few screws loose. "You really would have eaten food from this man?"

"It's Binghe! I eat his food every day!"

"Did you miss the fact that he's clearly not your teenage disciple or did he enchant you to forget?"

Luo Binghe scoffed. "First, you're underestimating Shizun's ability if you think he could be bespelled so easily. Second, I don't need magic to distract my husband when a touch would do."

"…"

Shen Qingqiu kicked them both out with all the dignity he could muster, which wasn't much after Luo Binghe's pronouncement. He was doing his best to pretend nothing was said because otherwise he felt his face would melt off, but that didn't stop even Shen Qingqiu's elegant body from going beet red. The shamelessness really was too much!!

Once his house was otherwise empty, Shen Qingqiu at his table (sans breakfast, damn you, Liu-shidi!) and buried his face in his hands. System? What the hell is happening?

[Thank you for contacting the System! Host is participating in the Special Event, "Back to the Future," triggered by an alternate version of Host for his success in the mission "Marital Bliss!" Please enjoy your limited time with the alternate version of the Protagonist while you can!]

…

ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT I'M ACTUALLY MARRIED TO LUO BINGHE?!?

[Yes, the Host that triggered this Event has been married to the Protagonist for one year, five months, and eighteen days, and remains the Protagonist's only intended spouse.]

O-oooh my god. Oh, My God! What the fuck, what the fuck. But I don't like men!

[This System would like to convey the human emotion, "doubt."]

…

[This System assures the Host that Host very much likes the Protagonist in particular and men in general.]

Well, yes, but not like THAT!

[…initializing playback of this morning for Host as "Exhibit A."]

To his horror, the image of a nude Luo Binghe that he preferred to think that he dreamed up began moving in front of him, calling for his Shizun. Wait, what was that on his back? Scratch marks…?

Why are you showing me this!?

[…Host please stop looking at the Protagonist and take note of your physical reaction to him.]

Shen Qingqiu was struck by the consuming need to put his hair up for the day. I don't know, I suddenly cannot see.

[Host…]

I was just surprised! Anyone would be with a naked stranger in their room!

[Host, you recognized who the Protagonist was immediately.]

…

[Initializing playback of last week's sparring session with Liu Qingge as "Exhibit B."]

Hey, now! No need for that! That was completely platonic! Shen Qingqiu mentally screeched at the System, trying to ignore the two figures fighting rather closer than he remembered.

[…Would Host like to see Exhibits C through BX for further evidence of his being sexually and romantically attracted to men?]

…Forget Luo Binghe! The System is trying to kill him!

He couldn't deal with this! He really couldn't take it!

Repress, repress, repress!

…Anyway, back to the issue at hand.

Where is my teenage disciple? Is he safe?

[The Protagonists switched physical and temporal locations with each other. The younger Protagonist is currently with the alternate version of Host in transit to Qing Jing Peak.]

Is he okay? His little white lotus was so innocent…

[Young Protagonist is incredibly happy now that he is past the initial shock of waking up beside Host.]

…

But Luo Binghe was a Stallion Protagonist! He was straight! Why would he be happy to be married to this old man?!

[Host, the Protagonist kissed you not ten minutes ago…]

Not his problem right that second. Repress!

What is this Event's objective? If he could focus on the concrete, maybe he could ignore… everything else.

[This Event is not a Mission and thus has no objective, though hidden points and achievements are available to Host throughout. This Event will end in approximately 21 hours, at which point the Protagonists will be transported back to their original timelines with their memories of this Event intact.]

Wait, so you're telling me that this event is CANON?!

[This Event has connected the servers of both versions of Host, and, for the duration of this Event, the PLOT is considered "COMPLETE." This Event has created an alternate timeline for Host to follow once the PLOT resumes. While Protagonist must eventually enter the Endless Abyss in order to become a demon lord, all other parts of the story have begun to deviate due to knowledge the alternate Host is imparting to current Host's Protagonist and the impact of alternate Protagonist's actions now.]

Did that mean… could he avoid betraying his Binghe? Could he keep his disciple safe?

Shen Qingqiu was brought out of his reverie by a call of, "Xiao-Jiu!"

Instantly, his mood soured. Xiao-Jiu, Xiao-Jiu. Who's Xiao-Jiu?

His eyes cut to a surprisingly frazzled Sect Leader standing in his doorway. At least his hair wasn't completely loose now. "Zhangmen-shixiong. How can this shidi assist this Sect Leader," he asked coldly.

Yue Qingyuan did not seem reassured, but he did gather himself. "Qingqiu-shidi, this shixiong heard news of an intruder on Qing Jing and came to find his shidi's door asunder. This shixiong is concerned for his shidi's health and safety."

The somewhat irrational irritation slid off Shen Qingqiu as he considered his words. He looked at him carefully over his fan and said, "The state of my home is the fault of Liu-shidi. There has been an… unexpected incident, but Zhangmen-shixiong has been misinformed. There is no intruder on Qing Jing Peak as far as this shidi is aware."

Internally, Shen Qingqiu marveled at how composed he sounded when he was still reeling. A thousand blessings on the training the OOC lock gave him!

Yue Qingyuan frowned at him. "If there is no intruder, then who is Liu-shidi fighting?"

Shen Qingqiu's eyes widened. "They're fighting?"

On one hand, his internal fanboy desperately wanted to see Luo Binghe, Stallion Protagonist, fight Liu Qingge, Bai Zhan War God, as he never got to see in the novel due to his shidi's untimely demise at the hands of the Original Goods.

On the other hand, what in the world was happening?!

Oh well. At least they were outside and not wrecking the bamboo house.

He rather did want to watch them fight, however. Their martial ability alone…

[Host…]

For science! Not because he wanted to, like, watch them or anything. As a fellow cultivator, he truly just wanted to study their forms.

[…Host, this System wishes to convey that human emotion again.]

Annoyed, Shen Qingqiu force-closed the interface. He was not accepting further commentary now that he had confirmation that his little disciple was safe and that this wasn't a punishment.

Thankfully ignorant to his internal musings, Yue Qingyuan nodded, his frown deepening for some reason. "Yes, they were fighting when I arrived moments ago. The other man was… surprisingly well matched to Liu-shidi. Qingqiu-shidi, who is that man?"

There was a tense silence as Shen Qingqiu thought through what he could possibly say to that. Yue Qingyuan seemed increasingly upset as he went unanswered.

Stalling for time, Shen Qingqiu stood and said, "I will explain what I can once I assess that those two are not destroying anything." He tried to move past him but Yue Qingyuan gripped his arm surprisingly tight, halting his movement. The look on his face felt cold enough to burn. "Does Zhangmen-shixiong have a reason for holding this shidi so forcibly?"

Shen Qingqiu wasn't even sure the other man registered his words. "Xiao-Jiu, is it true that man is claiming to be your husband?"

…There was that name again. The Original Goods must have had an intense hatred of that name because, even not knowing the context, his body literally recoiled every time he heard it. It probably didn't help that Luo Binghe clearly knew him, knew him enough to call him A-Yuan in a way he never expected to hear again. He didn't need the reminder that his Sect Leader looked at him and actually wanted to see someone else.

Shen Qingqiu yanked his arm away, only to be held firm and inadvertently pull the Sect Leader closer. Oh, he was genuinely angry now. "What does it matter to Zhangmen-shixiong if he is?"

For some reason, Yue Qingyuan looked a mix of enraged and heartbroken. "Xiao-Jiu–"

"My name is not Xiao-Jiu, Sect Leader!" he snarled. "Stop calling me that and unhand me this instant."

When Yue Qingyuan hesitated, Shen Qingqiu snapped his fan shut and said, in the most vicious tone his body could manage, "Let. Me. Go."

The hand on his arm loosened and Shen Qingqiu stormed away, bad mood hastening his steps as he ignored the sound of Yue Qingyuan catching up then walking beside him. At least he was a respectable distance away from him now.

Shen Qingqiu's ire carried him to the practice field where a number of his disciples were gathered to watch what was shaping up to be a show match, apparently. From a distance, Shen Qingqiu heard a deep but not wholly unfamiliar laugh. The sound of Luo Binghe's enjoyment eased some of his irritation.

They arrived at the practice field shortly and Shen Qingqiu was surprised to find Luo Binghe seemingly relaxed while his bellicose shidi seemed a bit worse for wear. "What are you two doing?" Shen Qingqiu asked, voice carrying in the open space.

Luo Binghe looked at him instantly, face brightening in a grin that more than anything convinced him that this man and his disciple were one and the same. "Shizun! This one was just sparring with Liu-shishu to pass the time. Would you like this one to prepare Shizun's breakfast again?"

At the formal address, a cacophony of whispers broke out behind Shen Qingqiu, which he did his best to promptly ignore. Liu Qingge for his part looked offended. "Sparring? Is that what you think this was?!"

Luo Binghe ignored him in favor of waiting for Shen Qingqiu's response attentively. His gaze reminded him favorably of a puppy. Really, all he needed were the fluffy ears and wagging tail that matched his sinfully soft hair. Is he even blackened at all…? "No need. This master has decided to forgo the first meal today due to the interruption."

"Very well," Luo Binghe looked back to Liu Qingge. The picture of courtesy, he said, "Liu-shishu looks a little tired. Would Liu-shishu like to take a break?"

"You little–" Liu Qingge snarled as he started to attack Luo Binghe again and Shen Qingqiu had to bring up his fan to hide a smile.

"Xi– Qingqiu-shidi is married to a disciple?" Yue Qingyuan asked, tone soft but judgment clear.

Shen Qingqiu frowned at him. "Not in this time. And while I may not know the exact circumstances that led to our union, I know I would never be in a relationship with an active disciple."

"How would Qingqiu-shidi not know?"

Shen Qingqiu was close to scowling. Surely, it was obvious to people who Binghe was, right? Over the sounds of swords clashing, he said, "Does Zhangmen-shixiong not recognize him?"

Yue Qingyuan was scowling. "Obviously not."

Liu Qingge grunted, turning Shen Qingqiu's attention back to the fight. It was almost comical how Luo Binghe was batting one of the strongest human cultivators in recent memory around casually. "Binghe, don't hurt him."

"As my husband wishes," he replied easily, a quick smile his direction flustering Shen Qingqiu a little.

"What." Yue Qingyuan stated flatly, various exclamations echoed the sentiment as Liu Qingge tripped away from the yet-unrevealed demon lord.

Luo Binghe smirked darkly at Liu Qingge (no, that did not cause a thrill through Shen Qingqiu!) and took the opportunity to bound his way to Shen Qingqiu's side. He went to put a hand on his waist but Shen Qingqiu lightly slapped at him with his fan. "Stop it. I highly doubt you're allowed such public displays, Binghe."

"But Shizun…" he whined, eyes wide and… and were they actually watering? Binghe, are you not a demonic emperor? Where's your shame?!

"What is this? How old are you to be acting this way?" Shen Qingqiu demanded, face hiding now behind his fan because that look was super effective! He had to have some immunity to it in the future, so he did his best to resist now.

Luo Binghe stepped close enough that he could feel his body heat, but Shen Qingqiu didn't move away.

"This husband is 27." Luo Binghe turned intent eyes first to Yue Qingyuan and then to Liu Qingge. "This husband was lucky to have Shizun accept his courtship first when he was 25 years old. We bowed to each other publicly only a little over a year ago."

"Xiao-Jiu," Yue Qingyuan began, and Shen Qingqiu was gratified that Luo Binghe looked just as pissed off by the address as he felt. "Isn't your direct disciple still a teenager? How can you believe him?"

"I believe my husband has asked you multiple times not to address him as such, Yue Qingyuan," Luo Binghe said and okay, Shen Qingqiu could admit that was a little hot. "And I'm from the future, obviously."

He… really was unfairly handsome, wasn't he?

…Maybe it wouldn't be so bad being married to him.

[20 self-awareness points!]

[10 coolness points!]

[10 beauty points!]

Unread Notifications

[-15 coolness points for fainting!]

[Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! Important things need to be said three times! 150 B-points for experiencing your first kiss!]

[30 B-points for Protagonist satisfaction!]

[15 beauty points!]

…I hate you.

[Host… ;-;]

Notes:

SY: You can't catch me, gay thoughts!

LBH: But I can.

System: Congratulations, Congratulations, Congratulations! Important things must be said three times!!! _

Thank you for all the comments! I'm floored that this is so well received. I think I got to everyone...

Next up: we return to a small bun and his Shizun.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Notes:

This turned into a bit of a character study and I'm, again, not sorry. Only other thing I'll say about this chapter is the knowledge changes a person. Warnings for talking about a possible abusive relationship, extremely negative self-image, and basically anything that applies to canon.

Anticipating this story being seven chapters, 3 chapters each for each time period then an epilogue, because of my inability to write a short story apparently.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Smuggling Luo Binghe out of his husband's palace was easier said than done, but Shen Qingqiu thought he'd managed it. They had left relatively early in the morning before many more nocturnally inclined demons were awake. Shen Qingqiu only took the time to reschedule imperial meetings, sign off on any particularly urgent paperwork, and send a mildly threatening message to Shang Qinghua to meet him on Qing Jing Peak that afternoon or else.

Shen Qingqiu liked to think he was emotionally mature enough to acknowledge the importance of his friendship with Shang Qinghua. That said, it didn't make his fellow transmigrator less fun to bully in order to get him to respond promptly. He was relatively sure that if he was any nicer to him Shang Qinghua would check him for injury, but if he was any crueler he would be afraid that the Original Goods had repossessed his body.

It was a delicate balance.

But dealing with this world's creator was a problem for later in the day. Shen Qingqiu had a much harder task immediately before him.

Namely, how much did he tell young Luo Binghe what happened in his timeline?

Shen Qingqiu was the first person to own up to his own fuck ups. He was committed to telling him about the Endless Abyss and how his husband got there. He was less sure about well… everything else. He knew from experience that his husband was more bothered by Shen Qingqiu's pain than his own, especially if it was experienced for Luo Binghe.

Case in point: his self-destruction. See also: Maigu Ridge.

Still, about 90% of the problems in his relationship with Luo Binghe could have been solved if they had been at liberty (and had the awareness) to sit down to have an honest and open conversation about what they thought was happening and how they felt about each other. The layers of preconceptions and straight-up unspoken lies between them led to Shen Qingqiu's death more than once in a way that left more of a lasting impression on Luo Binghe than his own psyche. He wanted to help this Luo Binghe and another version of himself avoid his pain, or at least give them room to make different mistakes.

For that, he was happy to say he knew where to start.

Once they had settled quietly into the bamboo house (only a couple of disciples had seen him and called out greetings, though none of Luo Binghe's cohort, which would have made things awkward to explain), Luo Binghe immediately marveled at the changes to the house post-Bingge's "visit" and set about making tea.

They settled easily, finishing a conversation they had had in transit about the state of Luo Binghe's studies and his most recent night hunts. In a natural lull in conversation, Shen Qingqiu felt he had stalled enough.

"Binghe, I'm about to give you a lot of information, more than you have likely ever received at once, and I need you to remember all of it. I realize this not the most ideal way to teach you. I will give you a verbal exam of sorts on what you will learn today before supper and if you do well I will give you a reward of your choosing. Anything you wish to know or do this evening, I will do my best to see it done today, with a few caveats.

"First, I refuse outright to do anything sexual with you. You are sixteen and I am much older than that. I am your teacher and have too much power over you to make a physical relationship between us okay. There is a good reason that master-disciple relationships are taboo and, as you will hear shortly, my husband and I only became involved well after he left the Sect."

"He did what!?"

"I'll get there. Second, if you ask a question that I can't or won't answer, I will tell you why and give you leave to ask another question. Finally, my time limit is very strict. I have reason to think that you will return to your timeline by morning and want to be sure to fulfill any request of yours while you are actually with me. Any questions?"

Luo Binghe's brow furrowed, his lips moving into a small pout that sometimes happened when he unselfconsciously concentrated on something. "This disciple accepts your terms, Shizun, but is confused and asks for clarification on a point."

"Yes?"

Luo Binghe's cheeks began to turn pink and Shen Qingqiu felt he made a misstep somewhere. "Could Shizun please explain the issue in a master-disciple relationship when the disciple is the one actively pursuing the teacher?" Seeing the balk that Shen Qingqiu couldn't quite hide, he rushed to say, "This disciple is not attempting to persuade Shizun to do other than he said and would never want to make Shizun feel pressured in any way! But if this one is truly to return to his time in the morning and continue with his plan to follow in his alternate's footsteps and marry his Shizun, this one feels it is important to understand this point."

The boy's cheeks had passed pink and were now a shade of tomato red that, even appalled, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but find adorable. If only this cute bun's words weren't so disturbing.

Shen Qingqiu sighed and hid his lower face behind his fan. "Your question has two parts: what is wrong with disciple driven master-disciple relationships generally, and why would it be wrong for you to pursue one with the younger version of me when you, and likely he, know that you get married in a version of the future, correct?"

At Luo Binghe's nod, he continued, "I'll answer the first part now, but the second will only make sense in context and will likely become clear after you know just how I came to be married to an alternate version of you."

At that point, you may well decide I'm not worth the hassle, Shen Qingqiu thought. I certainly never thought I was.

"Often, there is a large age difference between a master and a disciple. It is not that young people are any less people for their age, but the difference in experience often creates a situation that it is easier for the more experienced person to manipulate, even when initiated by the younger party. This is particularly a problem when the younger person cannot yet be considered an adult."

Shen Qingqiu raised a had to forestall the mild offense on Luo Binghe's face. "For reasons I will discuss later, the age I consider an adult is 18, though I don't really start thinking of people as full-adults until they are at least 20 years old. This is a direct product of my upbringing and teaching for so many years."

He could bring up neuroplasticity and the fact that younger people literally have worse impulse control, but he would rather not open the can of worms that was neuroscience in an ancient fantasy setting.

"Beyond the age hurdle, the disciple initiating a relationship does not eliminate the power dynamic between the two. A teacher has power over the disciple's training, advancement, and ultimate success, creating an imbalance of authority between the two, especially when related to something as delicate and personal as golden core development. The inherent difference in positions of power here are similar to why a servant-lord relationship is just as tenuous. If one half of the relationship has the power to destroy the other's life or livelihood on a whim due to the nature of their positions in society, the relationship can never be truly equal.

"Personally–again, due to how I was raised–I don't believe that relationships that are unequal can be truly healthy. Does my husband have more power than me? Yes. Is he stronger than me physically and martially? Also yes. But that's on a personal level. A demon emperor married to a Peak Lord is not an equal relationship on paper, but I love, trust, and respect my husband as he loves, trusts, and respects me, so that has never been an issue… while we were together at least.

"Do you feel you understand now?" Shen Qingqiu finished, taking the moment to have a long sip of tea. Perhaps they needed a fresh pot; he had a feeling he was going to be talking a lot.

"Yes, Shizun. Thank you, Shizun," he said, no longer overwhelmingly embarrassed but clearly intrigued, like he was absorbing the words in a way that would stick. Good.

"Okay. Let me get a another pot of tea then–"

"Allow me, Shizun," Luo Binghe jumped up like his statement was an order.

"No, Binghe, you don't have to do that. You're a guest."

To Shen Qingqiu's utter bafflement, Luo Binghe looked at him like he had physically struck him. Hells, he probably would have looked less hurt if he had hit him. With wide, watery eyes, all the more affecting because Shen Qingqiu knew he hadn't quite learned the emotional manipulation that his husband had mastered, he said, "Shizun doesn't want this one's tea?"

Oh, fuck. He forgot how tea might be a touchy subject for the boy, especially considering how young he was. "I would love your tea, Binghe, you always make it better than me and I appreciate your efforts. But I don't want you to tax yourself; I never do," he soothed.

"Shizun called this one a guest. Does Shizun not consider the bamboo house this one's home?" Black eyes overflowed and Shen Qingqiu was on the edge of panic. Abandonment issues, he reminded himself. This kid has all kinds of untreated abandonment issues that you only worsened when you pushed a different version of him into the Abyss.

Gods, but all of us could use therapy. If only they had group rates here. Or psychology.

Shen Qingqiu motioned him closer and Luo Binghe scrambled to drop to his knees beside him. He almost went to kowtow but Shen Qingqiu stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Look at me." When Luo Binghe finally met his gaze, he reached up to begin lightly patting his head in a way that always soothed him. "Of course the bamboo house is your home. Qing Jing Peak is your home and will always be as long as I am Peak Lord. But I meant that this is not your time, that this is likely the only time that we are going to see these versions of each other. I know today is going to be hard on you and I hate causing you pain. You are not my servant, Binghe, no matter what you say. You need not serve me, but I won't stop you if means a lot to you."

"But, Shizun," he started, voice thankfully no longer distraught but still not steady, "it could never be a burden to serve, only a privilege. It is this one's drink that quenches Shizun's thirst and this one's food Shizun asks to eat, even when this disciple knows Shizun does not need to.

"Not only that but… serving Shizun marks this one as special, allows this one to stay close by his side. Shizun relies on this disciple as he relies on no one else. How could this Luo Binghe not want to serve his Shizun?"

Not for the first time, Shen Qingqiu wondered if Luo Binghe would ever tire of saying the word "Shizun."

He pushed the thought away because sarcasm would get him nowhere and the boy was kinda baring his soul, here. What could he even say to that?

Shen Qingqiu decided on patting his head one last time and saying gently, "Would Binghe please make a fresh pot of tea for us to share?"

Luo Binghe's smile could have lit a city block. "Yes, Shizun!"

It didn't take long for the tea to be prepared but those scant minutes gave Shen Qingqiu time to process. While he and his Luo Binghe had certainly had exchanges that boiled down to Shen Qingqiu telling his husband not to do something for him and Luo Binghe pouting until he let it happen, he had never known why the man was so fixated on serving him.

Did his husband not feel close to him? Was he defaulting to servile behavior because Shen Qingqiu was denying him affection otherwise?

Luo Binghe was an affectionate person, so much so that Shen Qingqiu had trained him to rein it in during the early days of their relationship in order to not walk around with a permanently red face. That, and every physical touch initiated by Luo Binghe felt charged enough to Shen Qingqiu to be a form of foreplay when he really had other things to do with his time.

But maybe that was a personal problem. It wasn't like Shen Qingqiu had grown up with a lot of physical affection in either life. Maybe Luo Binghe just wanted to touch to feel close, not for it to lead to anything. Maybe Shen Qingqiu had given his husband reason to fear their lack of intimacy outside of the bedroom to make him insistent on acting like a personal attendant rather than a co-equal spouse at times.

Maybe Shen Qingqiu was a bad husband.

Okay, that was going too far. He wasn't necessarily a bad spouse, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to talk to Luo Binghe soon about this… or maybe he could just start reaching out on his own?

No, he had all but broken his husband of reaching out for physical affection during the day. He had to actively welcome it or nothing would change.

Ugh, he hated emotional maturity sometimes.

"Shizun?"

Shen Qingqiu blinked back into focus finding the teenaged Luo Binghe looking at him expectantly, freshly poured cup of tea in front of him. He picked it up and took a careful sip.

"Perfect as always, Binghe. Thank you."

Luo Binghe beamed and Shen Qingqiu could swear that a tail wagging would not look out of place on him. "This one is pleased it is to Shizun's liking!"

Shen Qingqiu sighed fondly. "Really, Binghe, there is no need to be so formal, especially for this conversation. I want you to be comfortable."

Luo Binghe seemed to hesitate then he said, "This one… I will try, Shizun."

Shen Qingqiu smiled encouragingly at him before taking a deep breath. "Good. As I mentioned, today is going to be a long day with a lot of information, but I want to first start off with a question and then a story.

"Binghe, how old do you think I am?"

Luo Binghe looked surprised. "Shizun took over Qing Jing Peak less than a decade before I joined as a disciple. I am not certain how many years in the future I am…"

"About 11 years, give or take a few months."

Luo Binghe looked outright floored. "This one becomes the demonic sovereign and marries Shizun in the next 11 years!?"

"Focus, Binghe. My age?"

"Sorry, Shizun. This… I would estimate that Shizun is in his late 50s?"

If Shen Qingqiu would have been drinking something, he would have spit it out.

He had no idea how old his body for all that it remained unaging, but the thought of being near 60 was too much for him. Binghe! My concerns over age difference would be a lot more relevant if that was the case!!

"Is this disciple underestimating Shizun's age? This one means no—"

"Binghe, stop. I'm not offended," Shen Qingqiu gathered himself enough to say. "I am also younger than you think."

Luo Binghe frowned. "But the youngest Qing Jing Peak Lord in recorded history was 33 when she took the mantle, so Shizun must have been older than that…"

"I'm 27, though my husband would likely say I am 32."

"…this disciple is confused."

"The teacher you have in your own time is probably 21."

"…this disciple is lost."

"Well I was dead for five years and I refuse to–"

"Shizun died?!"

"…Admittedly not the best way I could have broken that news." Luo Binghe seemed torn between fainting and sobbing. "It's okay, I got better!"

"How did Shizun die?!"

Which time? he almost asked but luckily his filter caught that.

"Here's where the story comes in. I would ask that you hold your questions until the end. Alright?"

Luo Binghe was trembling slightly so Shen Qingqiu reached over to pat his head like he was a nervous animal. "Okay?"

"Yes, Shizun. This disciple understands, Shizun," he said woodenly.

Shen Qingqiu sighed again and let it go. He pulled back, sat up straight, and began.

"Once upon a time, in another world, a sickly young man died enraged at the tragic fate of a demon lord who had suffered and so made other people suffer in turn."

It took an hour to just get through the events of everything. It would have taken less time, but Shen Qingqiu made sure to insert the backstories of some parts of the plot he didn't find out until much later thanks to interrogation sessions with Shang Qinghua.

Explaining the past years all at once made it sound more tragic than it felt at the time in the midst of terror, grief, and adrenaline. They were useful tangents to go on when Luo Binghe looked like he was going to start crying.

By the time he finished with his wedding ceremony in an attempt to end on a high note, Luo Binghe looked as overwrought as Shen Qingqiu felt. "I," he began but had to clear his throat. They had run out of tea partway through and Luo Binghe hadn't noticed. Shen Qingqiu would have brought his attention to it if he thought the activity would have distracted the boy from whatever thought made him look like that. "I know that was a lot. Do you want to take a break? Do you have anything you want to know?"

"This one… does not know what to say," Luo Binghe started slowly, looking at the table. He sounded awful and Shen Qingqiu's heart seized at the sound. "This… I would like to go prepare Shizun's lunch if Shizun would answer a question first."

"Of course, anything."

"I could not help but notice that Shizun spoke callously of his pain but seemed to choose his words carefully when talking about what Luo Binghe had done to him." A feeling of foreboding rose in Shen Qingqiu as Luo Binghe looked up and met his gaze, more direct than he had ever seen it from such a young version of him. "What did Luo Binghe do to Shizun at Maigu Ridge?"

Yikes.

Of everything, Maigu Ridge was the one thing he actively glossed over. It was bad enough that Shen Qingqiu shied away from thinking about it, let alone talking about it with anyone afterwards. He didn't blame Luo Binghe for his actions in that moment and he still didn't, though he knew his husband blamed himself enough for both of them.

Shen Qingqiu knew it sounded bad on paper: his current husband nearly destroyed the world for want to being Shen Qingqiu's most important person and was only stopped by sex that actually killed his partner. The fact that he didn't stay dead didn't mean he hadn't died.

He had to try and pad this a little. "I won't tell you the details because they will only hurt both of us, but… driven insane by Xin Mo, he mortally wounded me and I died. Again, I would like to point out I recovered."

Luo Binghe stared at him, heartbreak plain on his face. "I killed you."

"You didn't do anything and I never blamed him. I knew the possible consequences of my actions and I made the choice to be there for him while I could. I've never regretted that."

Luo Binghe was quiet for a long while and Shen Qingqiu nearly asked if he was okay when he said eventually, "I won't do it."

Shen Qingqiu raised a brow in surprise. "Won't do what?"

"I won't use Xin Mo."

"What? But you need it to get out of the Abyss and conquer the demon realm?"

"What does that matter to me if it drives me to kill the one person I want to be strong enough to protect?!" Oh, he was angry. He had never seen anger like this on Luo Binghe so young. "I won't be another person who hurts you, Shizun!"

Shen Qingqiu blinked at him, nonplused. "I haven't been hurt by anyone in your time."

"Begging Shizun's pardon, but I disagree. You spent your first life hurt by fate, riddled with disease you couldn't control, then had to come here and pretend to be someone else in secret for years. You still have to interact with that… that thing that forced you to push the other me into the Endless Abyss. Then there was the Skinner and—"

"Wait, Binghe, I wasn't forced to push you into the Abyss. I," Shen Qingqiu looked down at his hands. "I am ashamed, but it was my choice to do it."

"Shizun taught me that a choice made on threat of death was not a choice at all." Shen Qingqiu stared at him. "If Shizun can still marry and not blame the man who killed him due to a sword driving him mad, they why can he not see that pushing that same man into the Abyss was not his choice?"

…This wasn't the point of the conversation.

He looked away from his disciple. "That's not–"

Shen Qingqiu cut himself off when Luo Binghe stood and suddenly came around to kneel right beside him at a speed that would have been impossible for a non-cultivator. With wide, imploring eyes, Luo Binghe asked, "Has Shizun blamed himself for everything his disciple has done since he emerged from the Endless Abyss?"

Baffled, Shen Qingqiu said hastily, "No, no, that would be ridiculous. Binghe is his own person and makes his own choices."

"Then…" Binghe started, eyes intense and concerning. "…has Shizun blamed himself for every bad thing his disciple, now husband, has done to him since the Endless Abyss?"

…yikes, yikes, yikes.

"No! At least, not anymore. Listen, people make mistakes and learn from them. My biggest mistake with my husband was not listening to what he said, only what I expected to hear. Circumstances led me to raise a boy I cared deeply for but believed would grow up to dismember and torture me for spite. I was so concerned with–Binghe?"

Luo Binghe was staring at him like he grown a second, horrifying head. He replayed the last 10 seconds then blanched as well. "Ah. I didn't mean to tell you that."

"I torture you?!"

"No! Binghe, listen to me," he reached out and took hands too large for the body they were currently on, unscarred yet so familiar. "My husband has never tortured me. No version of you I had a hand in teaching has ever tortured me. Remember that demon lord who chose to make people suffer? That version of Luo Binghe tortured and killed a teacher who shared my name and face, but was a different person. I've met him, twice now, and he is nothing like you."

He lightly brushed away the tears that had started to flow down the boy's face. "We are who we choose to be. Some people are lucky enough to be born with good choices easily available to them. Many have to fight for their right to chose their path in life. I know Binghe is at heart a kind, loyal boy who loves fiercely and without restraint. Where Shen Jiu crushed what goodness he could to try to ease his own pain, I have always sought to protect that core of you where possible. My Binghe would never hurt me on purpose, right?"

Luo Binghe nodded quickly and wiped at his eyes. Shen Qingqiu continued, "For all that my husband and I have been through, I love him more than I thought was possible and am grateful everyday I woke up as Shen Qingqiu. Having Binghe in my life has made it immeasurably better. Stressful and dramatic at times, yes, but so worth it. Do you understand?"

Luo Binghe nodded again.

"…Would you like a hug?"

Luo Binghe's eyes widened and he nodded faster. Shen Qingqiu opened his arms and was nearly tackled in the boy's tight embrace.

"So sticky," he said, fond before impulsively pressing a light kiss to his hair. So fluffy, too.

"Shizun?"

"Hm?"

"…May I know your name?"

Shen Qingqiu smiled and it felt stupid. "My name is Shen Yuan."

If he snuggled the boy closer after that, no one was around to call him on it.

Luo Binghe was having a bit of a rough time.

The day had started off amazingly, with him waking up beside his Shizun! In the future! Where they were married and happily so!

His Shizun was so beautiful…

Focus, kid, Meng Mo snipped at him from the back of his head. I've seen more than enough of your teacher's skin today.

Then don't look, Luo Binghe grumbled back as he washed the rice for lunch. …What do you think about what he said?

Which part? He covered a lot.

Key points, I guess.

He felt Meng Mo come closer to the forefront of his mind and he had a mental image of the ancient demon superimposed on the food he was preparing. This happened often when the demon anticipated talking for an extended period of time. …It's wild, but I actually believe he is from a different world. The inside of his head was strange when you were both in the dream realm, a lot of it I couldn't access. It also explains the complete shift in behavior.

I even believe most of what he told you is the truth, or at least the truth from his perspective. That guilt over pushing another you into the Endless Abyss was real. Your Shizun dotes on you and I doubt that this version behaved any differently… makes how he said he reacted afterwards fit.

That said, I know you're infatuated with the guy, but he's pretty oblivious. He wants me to believe he had no idea you wanted to bump uglies with him since you knew what your dick was for?

Don't be crude, Luo Binghe snapped, cheeks brightening. Shizun is brilliant.

Sure he's smart but that doesn't mean he isn't dumb, too. He mourned you for three years, self-destructed for you, then was surprised when he realized he was into you? Something's not adding up here.

He said he thought I only liked girls.

…Have you even looked at a girl after he started being nice to you?

…no.

You see? Oblivious.

Luo Binghe ceded the point.

Anyway, Meng Mo continued, tone a little triumphant for winning the argument. I doubt your Shizun will have the same issue what with your older self there with him.

Luo Binghe froze. What do you mean?

Meng Mo laughed unkindly. He's a demon, kid, and likely territorial as all hell. You really think any version of you could resist him? You think he's not doing his best to flaunt the fact he's married to Peak Lord Shen? You think those marks on your Shizun's body just showed up out of nowhere?

What!? Luo Binghe mentally shouted. He wouldn't touch him!

Curious that you think that.

It would be a betrayal to his husband!

They're the same person. Say what you will about his methods but your Shizun is wrapped around his husband's finger. You really think he would mind if he messed around with another version of himself?

…But Shizun said I wasn't his husband.

He also just explained to you that he doesn't see you as an adult. I'll give him this, whether or not he actually didn't realize he was into you, the man is principled when it comes to relationships. Strange that his age threshold is so high, though.

I wish he was little less principled.

Trust me, no, you don't.

…You're right. His Shizun's goodness was one of the reasons he loved him. While frustrating for now, would he really want to be with someone who sought to take advantage of him rather than loving him for who he was? Admittedly, Luo Binghe actively wanted Shen Qingqiu cross all sorts of boundaries with him, but he couldn't love the man less for wanting them to be equals. I do still wish we could do something to be closer than master and disciple now.

You're not paying attention. That man has never treated you as just a disciple. And you're not thinking outside the box. He said he wouldn't sleep with you; there's a lot that doesn't cover. Most of which you get away with now as it is.

At the mental incredulous look, the image of Meng Mo rolled his eyes. Remember that obliviousness? How many times have you "tripped" over your own feet or have had the same stances corrected by hand without him picking up on your actual motive? Which is embarrassing to everyone involved, by the way. Hells, kid, he's married and still let you do his hair. Stop thinking about what you can't do with him and figure out what you can.

Luo Binghe went silent in thought and at length Meng Mo, seemingly satisfied by being listened to (and maybe by association causing Shen Qingqiu some grief), melted away as a presence he was aware of his his mind. It would be great to get another hug from him…

He sighed out loud at the memory of the comforting embrace before shaking himself to tend the food more closely. Yes, maybe he could be closer to the man of his dreams during this visit.

It would just take a little effort.

Shen Qingqiu was pleased to see that Luo Binghe looked more comfortable with himself and the situation after taking the time to prepare them lunch. He had just turned his world upside down and the boy seemed normal after such a short period of time. Sure, he was a little distracted and lost in thought, but that was to be expected.

Trying to give him more time, Shen Qingqiu let lunch pass quietly. He had set up a short, informal lesson for going through key details and helping him devise a plan for changing his future/Shen Qingqiu's past. He had even taken the opportunity to ask the System some pointed questions while Luo Binghe was cooking to make it easier.

Luo Binghe seemed to take to the exercise well, excited enough to lean into Shen Qingqiu's space and work on his own notes of their plan by his side rather than across from him. He smiled brightly every time Shen Qingqiu patted his shoulder or head when he committed something to memory or had a clever idea for their plan.

It was so relieving to see him happy after that morning that Shen Qingqiu found himself all but mindlessly petting his hair like he sometimes did when his husband worked next to him or napped in his lap when a knock sounded at the door. It startled him out of the movement and he hastily removed his hand, resisting young Luo Binghe's wounded puppy look.

"Enter," he called, shifting away from the boy because they had somehow migrated close enough to almost touch since they started working. And while he strongly suspected their guest wouldn't care even if he noticed, it discomforted Shen Qingqiu how easily he had fallen into the pattern of not recognizing any difference between his personal space and Luo Binghe's as long as he was the one initiating the touching.

"Cucumber-bro! We have to stop meet–" Shang Qinghua, dressed in his usual mix of An Ding Peak Lord and demon king spouse robes, came to a halt as he spied Luo Binghe sitting next to him. Shen Qingqiu was surprised to find the glare on his face nearly identical to the one that usually graced his husband's at any interruption of their private time.

"My Lord," he bowed in greeting to him, to Luo Binghe's obvious shock. "Did you experience a qi deviation? I thought you had effectively ended that possibility, bro, especially one so bad as to de-age him physically."

"It's not a qi deviation, Shang-shidi," Shen Qingqiu said and the other man pouted at being addressed so formally, as he often did. "This Luo Binghe is sixteen years old and from a different timeline. A timeline my husband is likely messing with."

Shang Qinghua blinked hard a couple of times before saying in English, "Run that by me again. Because I explicitly only wrote one time-travel method in my notes and it was more of a Groundhog Day, limited-use only fix-it than something that would create alternate timelines."

Ignoring Luo Binghe's growing bewilderment, Shen Qingqiu answered in kind. "Apparently my husband is very happy and the System decided to create a Special Event to celebrate it."

Shang Qinghua whistled lowly, eyes flicking between him and the boy beside him. "That's rough, buddy."

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. "Thanks," he deadpanned. "I take comfort in the fact that this version of Binghe is much more agreeable than my husband."

A hiss of sympathy escaped. "R.I.P. young you's ass."

"Hey!" Shen Qingqiu exclaimed, hands coming up as if to block Luo Binghe's ears. "Watch your tongue!"

He raised his hands in apology. "Sorry! Surprised you don't seem more worried, though."

"Worried about what? It's not like much from that time could hurt him."

"…Bro, I meant the fact that he might try to sleep with a younger version of you."

"Oh, that." Shen Qingqiu waved his closed fan dismissively before snapping it open. "I fully expect him to try and for my young self to give in."

Shang Qinghua was looking at him in astonishment while Luo Binge looked devastated, "Shizun!"

He raised an eyebrow at them both. "What is it?"

"This Luo Binghe would never betray his husband like that!"

"Yeah, you seem real casual about this when I know you would have been upset a year ago if your husband even looked at one of his previ– erm. Possible spouses too long."

Luo Binghe narrowed his eyes at Shang Qinghua who, completely lacking a poker face, began to sweat.

Time for a distraction.

"You're both over-reacting. Binghe, it's not a betrayal when he has express permission to… have relations with another version of myself." Shen Qingqiu brought the fan up to help hide his blush because he would really prefer not to have this conversation with them! It was hard enough having it with his husband!

"…Afraid to ask but when did you have a chance to talk about this?" Shang Qinghua asked while Luo Binghe just gaped.

"…I'm one of his Hall Passes."

"Ah."

"Pardon? Asking Shizun to explain." Luo Binghe asked.

"It's a concept from a foreign land, Binghe. You know from your studies that many flora and fauna of the world produce toxins that require the victim to use dual cultivation to survive. I was… concerned that my husband would be so faithful to me that he would rather be injured or killed than take the only medical treatment available. So we talked about it, and in the course of that conversation I made it clear he had leave to dual cultivate with a version of me no matter the situation as long as they both went in with the understanding that he is mine and would return to me."

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and fanned his face lightly. "That said, I could hardly expect him to be there and not attempt to cure my previous Without-A-Cure poisoning."

Luo Binghe shook himself out of the mild daze he had fallen into for some reason. "Shizun knows the cure?!"

Shen Qingqiu winced before saying gently, "I've always known the cure, Binghe, from even before I was poisoned. I learned it in my first life."

"Why didn't Shizun say anything?" Luo Binghe asked, tears coming to his eyes and cheeks flushing. "Why did my master hurt so long if he knew the cure? Why did he not tell the other Peak Lords? The Sect Leader and Liu-shishu would not have kept him from receiving it, no matter the cost."

Shen Qingqiu frowned, lowing his fan a little. "What do those two have to do with anything?"

Shang Qinghua began to choke on nothing.

Frown deeper, he demanded, "What?"

"Oh, Cucumber-bro, never change. But your disciple is right up to a point. The would have done anything for you… except for maybe get you the cure."

Luo Binghe's head swung around. "Shang-shishu knows as well?"

"Y-you could say that."

"What is it?"

"…Dual cultivation with a Heavenly Demon," Shen Qingqiu admitted, admiring the wood grain of the table.

"…with me, you mean," Luo Binghe said sadly.

"Or you father or cousin," Shang Qinghua offered.

It earned him a glare. "With me."

Shang Qinghua nervously laughed. "Right, of course. So, um, bro, if you don't need me I think I'll just..."

"Sit down, Airplane-bro."

"Alright, okay, whatever you need. Um, what did you need?"

Shen Qingqiu snapped his fan shut and set it on the table. "You are going to tell Luo Binghe everything he needs to know about traveling through the Endless Abyss."

"That could take all day."

"You have three hours."

"Bro! That's impossible!" Shen Qingqiu took out a bag of freshly prepared melon seeds he had stored in is sleeves for similar occasions. "That's very difficult! But I'll do what I can for my best friend in the whole wide world."

"There we go. Binghe, listen to your Shang-shishu since he's the foremost human expert on the Abyss. Also, please don't move too quickly; he startles easily," he finished with a sly smile on his face.

"Hurtful!" Shang Qinghua exclaimed with a smile before stuffing his face with the melon seeds. He moved them to one cheek, making it bulge like hamster as he asked, "Where are you going?"

He raised his brows. "I'm going to go check on my Peak. This is the first time this month I've been back and I feel a surprise inspection of skills is just the thing my disciples need." He looked at Luo Binghe, ignoring the feeling his bereft expression caused. "I trust Binghe will be alright."

"Of course, Shizun. This disciple won't let you down." He pursed his lips at the formality, then let it go.

'I know you won't," he said before leaving to do his job.

"Okay, so where should we begin…?"

"Shang-shishu." Luo Binghe said slowly, smiling with bright but empty eyes at his martial uncle who immediately froze like a prey animal. "This Luo Binghe could not help but notice that Shang-shishu and Shizun are very informal and share an intimate relationship."

"Hahaha, no! We're friends! Best friends! Since we're both um. Not from here? That helps! But nothing intimate intimate like physically or anything! Besides, we're both very happily married! Him to well, you, and me to my king."

"Ah but my Shizun isn't married to me, yet. You can help me with that."

"Um, I really don't think I can! We should, uh, focus on the Abyss? Maybe?"

"We'll get there, I would hate to disappoint Shizun, but surely you can tell me just a little about him?"

Luo Binghe's smile widened to show more teeth.

And they did talk about the Abyss. Eventually.

Notes:

Thank you to everyone who commented! I'm really sad right now and seeing them come through really picked me up over the past week! I will try to respond to each one but I might not be able to. But they were seen and loved 3

LBH: Shizun, happy one year!

SQQ, noted millennial and internet troll: … I'm 27.

LBH: ???

We're back to adult Bingpup causing problems next time.

Okay quick question: should I up the rating and make the second to last chapter explicit or just let it ride at a mature level? Let me know!

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Notes:

Folks seemed to like the character study pieces last time, which is good because there's more here. Same warnings as before, especially for Maigu Ridge. Because wtf even is Chapter 80. For real, I didn't intend for it to get this emotionally involved.

On a lighter note, join me as Shen Yuan joins Luo Binghe for a ride on that thirst train.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Liu Qingge marched over to where Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe, and Yue Qingyuan stood, looking worse for wear. "That's not possible."

"And yet," Luo Binghe replied, hand gesturing to himself flippantly before coming up casually to hang over Shen Qingqiu's shoulder. Too smooth!

He glared at him and bopped him softly on the head with his fan. It only made Luo Binghe shoot him an adoring look and pull him closer. Binghe! Shen Qingqiu cried in his heart. Don't display your M tendencies like this! Allow this old man some face!

"Why are you so sticky?" he hissed at him quietly. "This isn't dignified."

"But, Shizun," he pouted and why was that so adorable?!

Hiding his face again behind his fan, he continued "And why are you calling me Shizun, huh? If I'm really your husband, stop that."

Luo Binghe seemed to gasp in delight and Shen Qingqiu suddenly found his feet off the ground, body fully embraced in a hug he didn't have time to prevent. "It really is A- husband!" Luo Binghe caught himself when Shen Qingqiu shot him a sharp look at the near mention of his name. "My husband from my time keeps asking me that, too! But Shizun is always Shizun and I'll always respect and love him for that."

Don't you see that's part of the problem with calling me that?!

Yue Qingyuan seemed to snort derisively behind Shen Qingqiu and he watched the joy on Luo Binghe's face fall away to something much darker. Ah, Shen Qingqiu thought. There's the demon lord.

"Something to say, Sect Leader," Luo Binghe set Shen Qingqiu back on his feet and gave him room to turn around, but kept his arms wrapped around his waist. He gathered his courage and peaked over the edge of his fan at those assembled. His students seemed a mix of deliriously excited and highly offended. Yue Qingyuan looked ready to tear Shen Qingqiu out of his arms while Liu Qingge was strangely contemplative, eyes narrowed and focused on Luo Binghe's face. Not good.

"What is the difference between when he asks both of us not to call him something, exactly?"

"Well, for one, he loves me." Oh, shit! Shen Qingqiu thought as Yue Qingyuan physically staggered a step backwards. Shots fired… wait, why was that effective? "For another, he still answers to Shizun, it just embarrasses him a little that I used to be his disciple. He despises what you call him."

The Sect Leader had that look torn between anger and despair again. He had to get this under control.

"That's enough," Shen Qingqiu stated commandingly. He valiantly ignored his burning cheeks and closed his fan with a snap. His eyes cut to the easiest targets. "It seems my disciples have already mastered all the concepts expected of them this week and have time to idle around. Perhaps it would be best if I moved up their examination by a few days…"

With a growing air of panic, they almost all scattered. He tried not to feel too pleased about that. The two disciples that seemed to linger were Ning Yingying, who was surprisingly giving Luo Binghe a happy and proud look, and Ming Fan. Which reminded him…

"Ming Fan," Shen Qingqiu called out and the boy came back, some reluctance in his steps before bowing. "Cancel classes for the next two days to make them study periods. The exam is going to be moved up three days, but split into two. The first day will be on theoretical content and the second day will be a practical examination. Disciples are encouraged to form study groups and support each other in preparation. I will be available tomorrow afternoon for questions that groups cannot figure out themselves. Dismissed."

"Yes, Shizun." He shot an unearned(?) venomous glance at Luo Binghe before running off, presumably to relay Shen Qingqiu's news.

Liu Qingge clearly wasn't done poking at the situation. "If you came from the future, why do none of the clothes you're wearing fit you?"

Shen Qingqiu had been actively not thinking about the clothes Luo Binghe wore. He was not thinking about the amount of bare skin he'd touched accidentally or how his wide shoulders were made him feel small. He did not acknowledge that seeing him the robe that was obviously his at a glance made him feel anything.

Goodness, but the weather is nice today, he thought, examining the bamboo grove and not the three people he was standing with.

"I woke up here as I went to sleep: without clothes. I made do."

Absolutely perfect temperature, Shen Qingqiu thought rather desperately. Oh, what a pretty bird. A sparrow, perhaps?

"Oh, and let me guess," Liu Qingge derided. It sounded like he was scowling, not the Shen Qingqiu would know because he was not looking at him. "You just happened to wake up beside Shen Qingqiu like that?"

"No. I woke up in my bedroom from when I was a disciple, which was odd because my husband and I remodeled the house not too long ago. No, if anyone woke up beside him, it was the younger version of me."

There was a moment of silence that felt stunned, and Shen Qingqiu felt the need to raise his now open fan. Maybe if he pretended long enough, he wouldn't be there anymore?

"Don't married couples maintain separate bedrooms?"

"We don't. Are you really asking about my nightly relations with my husband? And I thought I was shameless. Of course, if you'd really want to–"

He couldn't pretend anymore. "Binghe! Stop! Talking!"

"I asked and my husband said no."

Why is my husband such a fucking troll? Shen Qingqiu cried internally. Though this actually makes me believe we're married if he's picked up some of my less savory characteristics.

Someone cleared his throat and Shen Qingqiu chanced a glance back to his fellow Peak Lords. Both were red in the face and some degree of scandalized. It was Liu Qingge who seemed to recover first, saying accusingly, "Why are you so strong?"

"I don't understand the question," Luo Binghe said smoothly, and Shen Qingqiu tensed. Shit, but Luo Binghe probably shouldn't have been able to beat Liu Qingge with such ease at 27 if he was human.

"You should be decades behind me in cultivation. Why can you beat me?" Liu Qingge eyes were narrowed on him, jumping between Luo Binghe's face and where his arms were solidly wrapped around Shen Qingqiu.

"Two reasons. First, I'm a prodigy. It may not be apparent yet but let's just say I hit my stride at 18. Second, I have had a lot of experience fighting an older version of you. After matches with him daily for years, it was easy to beat you."

Liu Qingge startled. "Why would I bother fighting you for so long?"

"Why, indeed." Luo Binghe's arms tightened around Shen Qingqiu and he felt him press a kiss to his hair. Not subtle. "But I'm not going to tell you that. In fact, the only one I'll be telling anything about the future is Shizun."

It was Yue Qingyuan who frowned now. "And why not?"

"Because I don't trust you. Shizun will tell you anything he thinks you need to know." Both Liu Qingge and Yue Qingyuan opened their mouths to speak but Luo Binghe rushed ahead. "Were either of you sent by Mu Qingfang to treat Shizun's poisoning or am I going to have to treat it myself?"

That got to him. "Binghe, why would you send for treatment? I'm fine."

Luo Binghe pulled away far enough for Shen Qingqiu to read the look of displeasure on his face. "I had worked to help fix your spiritual veins before and I had thought the damage was due to time. This is fine for you?"

Shen Qingqiu pursed his lips. "I'm managing alright."

The truth was Shen Qingqiu didn't know if he was managing fine. It wasn't like he'd had knowledge of what to do with fully working spiritual veins for long before he lost the use of a lot of his power. Honestly, he was still ecstatic to be able to do things he wasn't before in his first life. He was looking at lifelong treatment, but he was still expecting a long, active life.

That was more than he had ever gotten the first time around. He'd died before his 20th birthday, after all. It was only luck that made it food poisoning rather than a random blood clot.

"You know," Luo Binghe started, a glint in his eyes that put Shen Qingqiu on edge, "I think you'd manage a lot better if you were cured, husband."

Oh, shit. Oh, fuck.

"What cure?"

Shen Qingqiu startled at the sudden addition of a fifth voice to their little meeting. Mu Qingfang was still sheathing his sword as he came around Luo Binghe only to stop and stare at him.

This was fine.

"Mu-shidi," Shen Qingqiu inclined his head politely, like he wasn't hugged remarkably close against an overgrown man dressed in his colors. "What brings Mu-shidi to Qing Jing Peak this morning?"

Mu Qingfang shot him a look that all but shouted, are you seriously not going to acknowledge what I see in front of me. Still, he bowed and said, "Shen-shixiong. This one heard of shixiong fainting this morning and was concerned it was an evolution of symptoms which required this one's personal attention. Greetings to your… companion."

Luo Binghe nuzzled his head. Shen Qingqiu felt his eyebrow twitch, but he still didn't move away. "Mu-shishu. This Luo Binghe is pleased to know his husband is so well cared for in this time."

Could Shen Qingqiu go back to sleep maybe? Was it too late to start the day over? He hastened to say, "He's from the future, it's all very complicated. This shixiong is sure Mu-shidi understands."

Mu Qingfang's expression became so blandly neutral that Shen Qingqiu knew he was strongly questioning his sanity. "Of course," he demurred.

"Well, I don't," Liu Qingge cut in, visibly frustrated. "Cure for what? Because it can't be for Shen Qingqiu's poisoning. Mu Qingfang would have found it by now."

It was only through a show of pure will that Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat rather than laughed nervously. "Binghe, could you back off a bit?" he asked quietly.

"Whatever you ask," he said obediently. He physically let him go and took maybe a half a step back. He looked at him innocently.

Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes at him. "Kindly stop talking, then." He turned to his martial brothers. "Liu-shidi is right, of course; Mu-shidi is the foremost expert on healing. If this one could have been healed by now, Mu-shidi would have found anyway to do so, conventional or otherwise."

He gave Mu Qingfang a proper bow, not fighting as the other man rushed to keep him from going too low. He smiled very slightly as he rose. "This one thanks his shidi for the concern, though it is misplaced. The arrival of this Luo Binghe this morning startled me at a poor moment as this one was expecting to see a still teenage disciple. It was shock, nothing more, and this one feels perfectly well now."

Please forget about the cure!

"Shixiong need not thank this shidi for his professional concern. This one would like to return to Liu Qingge's question regarding the possibility of a cure for Without-A-Cure, however." He looked at Luo Binghe suspiciously. "Luo-shizhi? Were you talking about a cure for the poison that ails your Shizun."

He looked at Shen Qingqiu as if for permission to speak. He sighed and gave up. "Go ahead."

Hopefully, he wouldn't do anything stupid like out himself as a Heavenly Demon. Or say anything embarrassing like how it required dual cultivation.

"Of course," he shrugged like that was a reasonable thing to say, inching closer to Shen Qingqiu's side. "My husband has no other affliction that requires a cure."

"…and Luo-shizhi know this cure," Mu Qingfang was looking at him with a complicated expression on his face. Shen Qingqiu didn't know if the man was fighting to yell at him to spill it or wanted to kill him for finding out before him.

"Obviously. In my time my husband has been free of the poison for almost two years."

Shen Qingqiu deliberately hid his lower face with his fan and moved a little in front of Luo Binghe. The look on Mu Qingfang's face was nearing hostile.

The man's voice was strident as he asked through clinched teeth. "And where did Luo-shizhi learn this cure?"

"I spent some time in the demon realm before our marriage and found it there." Liu Qingge, Yue Qingyuan, and Mu Qingfang were all staring at him in blatant disbelief. "It was just a matter of finding the right people to talk to."

"Demons," Liu Qingge said. "Not people."

Shen Qingqiu scowled at him. "Many demons are sentient enough to be considered people, Liu-shidi. Just because someone isn't human doesn't mean that they're not a person."

Luo Binghe stepped to his side and put his arm around his waist again. "If you had spent more time talking to the demons you were hunting rather than just blindly killing them, maybe you–"

"Binghe! You know that's not fair!" Shen Qingqiu interrupted because a.) it really wasn't fair to put that guilt on him, b.) he didn't want them to find out the cure before his disciple was safely away from the Sect, and c.) it just wasn't in Liu Qingge's nature to kill later and ask questions first. The man really was smart, but sometimes his way of approaching a situation was straightforward to the point of simple.

Now the Peak Lords were staring at him in blatant disbelief. Wary of another round of possession tests, Shen Qingqiu soldiered on. "I'm sure Binghe was predictably resourceful and lucky to be able to find the cure for his husband in the future."

"…So?" Mu Qingfang prompted.

"Yes?" Luo Binghe responded.

"What's the cure!?"

"Oh. I'm not telling you."

"What."

"Mu-shidi!" Shen Qingqiu jumped in, concerned now for the healer's health. He had yet to see a cultivator look that upset outside of a qi deviation. "Binghe has already explained to Liu-shidi and Zhangmen-shixiong that he would only share knowledge about the future with this shixiong. Binghe has not explained the cure to this shixiong. If it is pertinent for Mu-shidi to know, this one will share at the right time."

"How would it not be pertinent for me to know!?"

"This shixiong cannot say with confidence and is only being cautious. This one is aware of how knowledge of the future can have unintended consequences for the present and wishes to limit its effects to better plan for what is to come."

More stares from all around, it seemed.

Luo Binghe hugged him closer and said, "Well, as it seems no one is going to help him, I'll do it."

Shen Qingqiu grasped the hint with both hands. "Thank you all for coming out of concern for this one but, as you can see, I am well and in no danger. Please take care as you return to your Peaks."

They both turned to go but Yue Qingyuan stopped them with, "Wait. Qingqiu-shidi never answered this shixiong's question."

Shen Qingqiu regarded him steadily over his fan. "Which question was it?" There were so many.

"How can you trust him?" Yue Qingyuan asked and it was almost a plea. "How can you not be questioning everything he says?"

Shen Qingqiu sighed and thought about how to put this politely. "He told me something I shared that was extremely personal to me."

Yue Qingyuan frowned and then said, "It could have come from another source. It wouldn't have had to been from you."

Okay, impolite then.

Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes and said pointedly, "It's something I would only tell someone I loved more than life itself, that no one else could know about me. So, yes, I trust he is my husband. Any further questions? No? Then, good day."

No one stopped them this time.

Shen Qingqiu breathed a sigh of relief as he and Luo Binghe entered the bamboo house and were finally left alone. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he had entirely processed the fact that the Protagonist seemed to adore rather than despise him. Considering the alternative, he really was doing his best not to complain. And everything felt more manageable with only an unexposed Luo Binghe on his plate.

He'll just… revisit the issue of curing his poisoning if (when) it came up later.

"Husband," Luo Binghe started quietly, taking his hand gently but otherwise respecting his personal space. It… didn't feel bad. "Would you mind if I put up a privacy barrier around the house? There is much I want only you to hear, and I don't trust my martial uncles to stray far while they're still unsure about me."

Right. Luo Binghe wasn't just Binghe, he was the embodiment of years of knowledge of Shen Qingqiu's own possible future, of his path if this System-generated event never had happened. He probably knew things about Shen Qingqiu that he didn't know about himself… though that wouldn't exactly be surprising considering the whole, you know, marriage situation.

Now that he had had some time to adjust, he wasn't opposed to being with someone like Luo Binghe even though he was objectively in an entirely different, should-be-utterly-unobtainable league than Shen Yuan, even with the body swap. He had never had a problem with people liking people of the same gender, though he had personally been relatively uninterested, which defaulted to heterosexual for him. He'd just thought that it would click when it was meant to or something like that.

At the end of the day, he cared for Luo Binghe, even as a disciple, more than he had ever cared for anyone outside of his family. There was certainly no sexual interest in him as he was in Shen Qingqiu's current time–he was cute but also fucking sixteen–but there was no one he could say he was closer to as Shen Qingqiu. Liu Qingge was a friend, but Shen Qingqiu never let his guard down around him the same way he had surely done so around Luo Binghe in his own home. The other peak lords were colleagues at best, if tentatively cordial. Yue Qingyuan after that morning was beginning to fall into his own issue category. But with this adult Luo Binghe, who still looked at him like he hung the stars but with a weight he could feel in his gut…

Well. Sue him, but he saw the appeal. It wasn't like his attentions thus far had been anything but pleasant.

And he hadn't been lying about only ever telling his name to someone he loved enough to risk the life-ending wrath of the System.

He'd try. Trying couldn't hurt, right?

So, in response to Luo Binghe's request, Shen Qingqiu nodded and lightly squeezed the hand holding his. Even that small gesture had Luo Binghe grinning, his expression so bright that Shen Qingqiu needed to look away.

It only took a moment for the sounds of the outdoors to be muffled, the atmosphere between them feeling more intimate immediately. "A-Yuan," he started and just hearing his name stirred something unidentifiable in him. "Do you know what's happening? How long I'll be here?"

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and looked down. "Not much. I know you switched places with my young disciple and that it only lasts a day. Beyond the fact that you can quite obviously change things, that's about it."

He looked up and Luo Binghe was frowning into the middle difference, cute pout of concentration on his face. "I had hoped for longer. There's too much to go over and do. Not to mention…"

Luo Binghe's focus snapped to Shen Qingqiu. "I know this," he stepped closer and brought up Shen Qingqiu's hand to kiss the back of it, "was a shock to you. I wasn't joking when I mentioned curing your poisoning, but I thought there would be more time for you to get used to us being like this.

"There are many reasons you having full access to your spiritual power could only be a benefit and prevent some things that occurred later. I'm not going to pretend I don't want to take you to bed. I love you, you're beautiful, and there is little more I enjoy than giving you pleasure. There are things I would need to tell you and supplies I would need to buy beforehand but, A-Yuan, is there a chance you would allow me to make love to you tonight?"

Luo Binghe was holding the hand he usually wielded his fan with so Shen Qingqiu was left hiding his gaping mouth behind his other sleeve.

So earnest! He couldn't take it!

"This master. Needs. A moment." He eventually choked out the words because he could only stare at the other man with wide eyes for so long. Luo Binghe's face fell and, without thought, he blurted, "But I. Am not saying no, Binghe."

WHY DID I SAY THAT???

Luo Binghe looked at him in awe but seemed to sober. "Not no isn't good enough, Shizun. I need a yes." At Shen Qingqiu's somewhat frantic look, he soothed, "I don't need it now, only if you decide to give it. How any version of me feels about you was never contingent on whether you allowed me into your bed or body."

Shen Qingqiu was mentally, wordlessly, screaming.

"That's. Good. To know," he squeaked. Luo Binghe smiled at him before kissing him gently on the forehead. It was surprisingly calming.

"Come. I have a lot to tell you and we need to start planning," Luo Binghe said, leading him by the hand from the foyer towards their sitting area. "Would you be okay with me holding you?"

Now you ask. Shen Qingqiu blinked at him, hopefully beginning to recover. "Why?"

Luo Binghe looked at him, confused. "I need a reason?"

"…I guess not," Shen Qingqiu said. He must do this a lot with future me.

"I can give you some if you want to know. It's grounding? It feels like everything is right with the world when you're in my arms. Being with you makes me happy and I like being close to you."

"Oh." It felt like a silly question now. What reason did a happily married, deeply in love couple need to give each other casual affection? Well, he promised himself he would try. That said, all this emotional honesty was going to kill him. "Yes, you can."

Luo Binghe smiled at him again in thanks and he didn't regret his decision.

…For all of thirty seconds, at the end of which Luo Binghe sat down at the table cross-legged and opened his arms with an expectant look up at Shen Qingqiu. "In your lap. You want me to sit. In your lap."

Luo Binghe nodded, but his look took on a begging quality that again made him think of a puppy. He knew he couldn't say no to that face, not now. That said, he would need to build up a resistance for when his own Binghe somehow picked up that trick. Hell, if the small bun learned it from the future, he could say goodbye to denying the teenager anything (outside of things inherently dangerous to him) now.

Shen Qingqiu sighed and reached up to remove the very pointy hair stick that would surely bother the other man if he was in his lap. "How are you still so sticky at the age, huh?"

The joy in the other man's eyes at the statement was just a little addicting. "I would only ever act like this with A-Yuan."

"I'm getting that." Shen Qingqiu, with the most dignity he could spare, lowered himself to his knees first then moved to Luo Binghe's lap. The other man's arms came up to cuddle him close and he was… surprisingly comfortable? This version of the man was so much physically bigger that it was like being cuddled by a living blanket, not unlike how his bed felt in the moments after waking before he forced himself out of it's warm embrace. It was very nice and could he have this always, please?

Shen Yuan was a bit of a comfort slut. What could he say?

"Okay?" he asked, looking up to Luo Binghe's face. He was all but glowing with happiness at such a simple gesture. Apparently little things went a long way for the man. He wondered what would happen if…

When Luo Binghe nodded enthusiastically, Shen Qingqiu gave into the impulse to kiss him lightly on the cheek. To his surprise, Luo Binghe, who in another life would have been a cold Stallion Protagonist with over 3000 peerless beauties in his harem, gasped dramatically and then turned his face into Shen Qingqiu's neck with a squeal.

"Binghe, what–"

"My husband is the cutest! The most adorable! I'm so happy, can't take it!"

Shen Qingqiu sighed but was fighting a smile. There were certainly worse spouses to have. He brought up a hand and lightly began petting the fluffy curls on his head. "Do you do this a lot?"

"No… only about once a week, now."

He couldn't help laughing. "How can you get away with acting like this? Are you even a demon lord in your time?"

Luo Binghe froze, tensing everywhere in a way that made Shen Qingqiu decidedly less comfortable. "…I did mention I'm only like this with you."

Determined to get back to where they had been, Shen Qingqiu kept petting him. "The barrier would block your demonic qi, right?" Luo Binghe nodded, face still in his neck so it was more felt than seen. "Could you show me? What you look like, I mean. I don't want you to hide from me."

"If A-Yuan wants."

"I do."

There was a shiver of qi that left Shen Qingqiu suddenly aware of the bone deep knowledge that the man holding him was very much a demon and a powerful one at that. Luo Binghe moved back so Shen Qingqiu could get a look at him. Red eyes matched the bright flame sigil on his forehead. His features may have been a tad bit sharper, ears the tiniest pointier, but it was still obviously still his Binghe.

Just…

"How did you get hotter?" Shen Qingqiu lamented.

Luo Binghe frowned and that's when Shen Qingqiu realized with mortification he had said that out loud. "Is A-Yuan too warm?"

When he spoke, it became clear he had adorable little fangs in addition to his regular teeth. Also, that his voice was deeper.

With a slight groan, Shen Qingqiu turned to hide his burning face into Luo Binghe's shoulder. "That's not what I meant. I feel fine."

"…does A-Yuan not like how I look now?"

Not like how you look? Binghe! Do you own a mirror?!

"This master. I find Binghe… very attractive like this." Shen Qingqiu felt sharp points very gently scritch at his scalp before combing through his hair. "You have claws?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

…

I may be a monsterfucker and I'm going to have to accept that about myself. I have never been so attracted to someone in my entire life.

"Could I. Try something?"

"Sure."

Shen Qingqiu slowly raised his head and straightened from the comfortable slouch he had fallen into when he sat down. Like this, they were eye to eye, nose to nose, and God but he was– "Gorgeous."

He had enough time to see the widening of Luo Binghe's eyes before closing his and kissing him for the first time on the lips. He had never initiated a kiss before and had extremely limited experience with them overall, but he'd wanted show just how not a problem Luo Binghe's demonic features were.

That and he was experimenting with his comfort levels, testing the waters. If he wasn't okay with kissing him now, he surely wouldn't be okay with having papapa with him later.

To his surprise, Luo Binghe growled, actually growled into the kiss in a way that made something in his chest quiver. Luo Binghe kissed him back, hands gentle but firm on his head and back, taking up space like they were comfortable on him. Then he nipped at his lips lightly and just the thought of those teeth on him had him gasping and shivering.

Luo Binghe licked into his mouth in a way that surprised him, causing him to jerk back and break the kiss. A look of remorse was on the demon's face. "Sorry, I–"

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. "Just startled. Let me try again." He kissed him and, when he felt the other's tongue lick at the seam of his mouth, he let Luo Binghe in, tentatively meeting the appendage with his own.

More shocking than the fact that this was happening at all was how good it felt. There was no logical reason for the wet slide of their mouths to feel so amazing, but that didn't stop the tingling of his spine or the fire in his belly. He moaned without meaning to, a sound he had never imagined making, and found himself wrapping his arms around Luo Binghe's neck to hold him close.

The longer this went on, the foggier Shen Qingqiu's brain got. Eventually, one of Luo Binghe's hands (Gosh, he has big hands) squeezed his thigh. He whimpered and even that humiliating sound failed to register as Luo Binghe began kissing down the side of his face to his neck. "A-Yuan," he said between kisses.

"Huh?"

"Can I move you?"

"Yeah."

He pulled away from him, which embarrassingly prompted Shen Qingqiu to make a distressed sound. Luo Binghe didn't bother responding as he put his hands on Shen Qingqiu's hips, bodily lifted him up, and maneuvered him so that he now had a knee on either side of the other's hips. He was able to look down at him from the new angle momentarily before Luo Binghe pulled him back down. "Better?" he asked lowly against his mouth.

Shen Qingqiu had no thoughts. His head was absolutely empty. Which was his only excuse for what escaped his mouth next.

"Fuck me."

Shen Qingqiu gasped in horror at himself, both hands coming up to cover his mouth. Luo Binghe gaped at him, nonplussed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't–"

He was interrupted by Luo Binghe bursting into laughter. He threw his head back and roared with it, mouth open wide enough to flash fangs and eyes watering.

"Binghe! Stop laughing, it's not funny," Shen Qingqiu grumbled while trying not to smile himself at the man's obvious enjoyment of the moment.

"I-I'm sorry, Shizun, but it really is," Binghe managed, eventually falling backwards. The new position really just highlighted how compromising this would look from the outside. Shen Qingqiu huffed and threw a leg over the man to try and gather what little dignity he had left.

The shift in weight caught Luo Binghe's attention and the other man stopped laughing long enough to sit up and try to pull him back onto his lap. "It was so cute! Don't pout, Shizun!"

"You're telling me not to pout?!" The man had the gall to look like he had no clue what he was talking about. "And why are you calling me Shizun in a moment like this?!"

A dangerous look came over Luo Binghe's face and Shen Qingqiu experienced the rushing sensation of regret. "Well, when I was a disciple I used to think about–"

Oh, YIKES!! He didn't need to know!!!

Shen Qingqiu threw both of his hands over Luo Binghe's mouth. "Stop! Holy– if I sit in your lap, will you forget I ever asked that question and stop answering it?"

Luo Binghe's eyes were clearly laughing at him as the man nodded.

Shen Qingqiu carefully moved back to his starting position in Luo Binghe's embrace then lowered his hands. "Okay. Good. Didn't you have things you wanted to tell me? About the next ten years or something?"

The other man's smile dimmed. He kissed him playfully one last time before cuddling him close again. "Yes. And not all of it was pleasant. If you have a questions ,or want me to leave at any point, please tell me."

Shen Qingqiu put a hand to Luo Binghe's (very nice) chest and looked at him with concern. "Binghe?"

"Most of it is bad. I probably should let you go for this, actually," Luo Binghe wasn't looking at him and, unlike the other times he had seemed upset, his gaze seemed utterly desolate.

"I don't understand." They were married, a happy result that Shen Qingqiu never would have guessed or believed if he wasn't sitting on living proof and the System hadn't independently confirmed it. How could the story of how they got there be that bad?

"Unfortunately, Shizun will. You already know my beginning, so maybe I should start in the middle.

"One day, the week before the Immortal Alliance Conference, my Shizun asked me if I would endure anything to become the strongest person alive. I said yes."

The ending notwithstanding, their story was not a happy one.

It was from Luo Binghe's perspective and, wow, the other version of him really managed to hit every one of his issue areas, didn't he? Insecurity and low self-esteem over being not being worthy of love, a metric fuckton of abandonment and trust issues…

But Shen Qingqiu thought he knew himself enough to read between the lines of what Luo Binghe had experienced and what another version of himself–a version of himself who thought that his disciple hated him and was destined to turn him into a human stick, a version that was sick with grief and guilt over having to push his beloved disciple into the Endless Abyss–was thinking. His foreknowledge of the plot was what nearly ruined them in the end, despite the fact he had changed so much of it already just by taking over Shen Qingqiu's body. But would that have occurred to him if he had mourned Luo Binghe for years and was startled by his early return? What was three years of changing what he could and something like happiness compared the three years of loss and sickening anticipation of his own torture and death?

And then there was his self-destruction. In front of Luo Binghe. Explicitly stated for Luo Binghe.

Shen Qingqiu didn't blame the other man for crying about it; it honestly sounded traumatic as fuck, even if Binghe wasn't in love with him. As he hugged and comforted him while he sobbed at the memory, Shen Qingqiu rather pointedly asked the System some questions about the incident and was not surprised that it was the result of a System mandate.

He had some rather unrepeatable words for the System, especially when it mentioned that it punished the other him in a way for the impact of the actions it forced him to take!

Shen Qingqiu also swore to never put his Binghe through the pain of watching him die like this if he could help it. The System rushed to assure him that the requirement that the character of Shen Qingqiu dying at the hands of the character Luo Binghe was eliminated when this Special Event started and that the only requirement remained Luo Binghe going into the Abyss.

Shen Qingqiu would have interrogated that requirement more if Luo Binghe had not pulled himself together to talk about conquering the demon realm in order to get enough power to resurrect him. All that effort, just to save him. For five years. Only to lose his body after meeting someone who called himself Peerless Cucumber who looked suspiciously like Shen Qingqiu's family.

Like Shen Yuan.

Yeah, Shen Qingqiu was doing a lot of studying the floor when that was brought up.

Much of what happened with him between the loss of his OG transmigration body and what Shen Qingqiu heavily suspected was the end of the plot with the avoidance of realm convergence was told from secondhand accounts because Luo Binghe either wasn't with him or was literally out of his mind for it. That said, Shen Qingqiu could all but see the guilt and blame Luo Binghe carried for killing him at Maigu Ridge and had a flash of clarity that nothing he said or did would get rid of that.

He still had to try, though.

"Binghe, you have to know it was Xin Mo–"

"Shizun, please," he interrupted, tone weary. "I can't have this discussion again. You had already died once because of Xin Mo; that you did so again can only ever be my fault."

"Binghe… husband, look at me, please." Luo Binghe looked at him. "You don't live in a vacuum; other people and things always impacted and helped cause his deaths. Your father, for example, no matter how wrongly he's been imprisoned and hurt, was why the situation was created at Maigu Ridge in the first place. You didn't start that and another version of me chose to stay with you to help finish it. Tell me: has the man you married ever even hinted at regretting his choice?"

Luo Binghe shook his head. "I didn't think he would. It took him a while to get there, but he loved you enough to die for you twice. That's not a bad thing."

Tears came to the other man's eyes again. "I only ever wanted him to live and allow me to be beside him."

"We don't get to choose how other people feel about us. Do you think he or I ever wanted you to hate us enough to turn us into human sticks? No! But we both thought that we couldn't change it. As you have seen, thinking something doesn't make it true, especially when it comes to other people's experiences and feelings."

Luo Binghe's gaze suddenly intensified. "A-Yuan, you must know that no version of me who was your disciple would ever want to see you hurt, let alone be the one to do it. If you ever meet one that does, he is not me, but from a different dimension. He is also an asshole."

"Binghe! …Wait, you've met him?" Oh, Shen Qingqiu didn't like the idea of the original Luo Binghe coming through for a visit. He didn't like that one bit. "You know what? Not a problem for now. It seems like we have enough to deal with and prevent. But, yes, I understand now that my disciple wouldn't want to hurt me.

"Now, after we stopped the merging of the realms, did anything significant happen?"

"…Shizun let me court him and we got married?"

"I mean, that's important, but I was thinking anything else we need to work to prevent."

"Oh. Not that I can think of."

"Then let's get to work."

By midmorning, about an hour before they would normally eat lunch, they had strategized the beginnings of an intervention plan. Shen Qingqiu had been in the middle of drawing a flow chart to help keep events and likely consequences straight, his non-dominant hand absently holding Luo Binghe's, when he was suddenly hugged tighter than usual. He had grown used to the man's constant comfort and presence since they had begun working, but this was strange. It seemed like he was shaking. "Binghe?"

"Sorry, Shizun," he said, voice muffled as he had buried his head against his shoulder.

Shen Qingqiu sighed silently and set his brush down. "What's wrong?"

"I'm overwhelmed. I love how comfortable you are just sitting with me and I'll miss it when I return to my time."

Shen Qingqiu froze. "Do you not… do this? All the time? I assumed you did."

"No. I stopped early in our marriage because he didn't like it. But you do. Do you… do you think he…?"

"Hm?" Shen Qingqiu brought up his free hand to pat his head encouragingly.

"Does A-Yuan think my husband never wants me to touch him outside of bed because of how I've hurt him?" Luo Binghe asked quietly, voice small in a way he hadn't yet heard. It broke his heart.

"Oh, Binghe."

"He's never said that, but he doesn't talk a lot about himself unless I push him to. Do you think. Do you think he's afraid of me? Is that why he doesn't want me to touch him?" His voice was thick with tears and his arms tightened around Shen Qingqiu's waist, pulling them closer together.

"No, he's not afraid of you. I would never be comfortable going to bed with someone I would be genuinely afraid would hurt me."

"But I have hurt him! And he never tried to stop me. I had no defensive wounds after Maigu Ridge! He just let me– and now he doesn't want me to…"

Luo Binghe was sobbing again, and it was worse than before. Earlier, it was rehashing an old but familiar pain. This? This was jagged, like each breath traveled over broken glass that clogged his throat.

Shen Qingqiu was way out of his depth. This sounded like prime reason for them to seek professional mental health support, which he doubted existed in this fucked up world. He couldn't say why the other him had asked Luo Binghe not to touch him outside of bed. He could only guess and that felt like overstepping since he wasn't the one that Luo Binghe had hurt.

He kept patting and making soothing sounds at Luo Binghe while he cried his heart out as he started grasping for straws. System, help!

[How can the System assist Host?]

Tell me what I can do to help him!

[Would Host like to purchase an "Emotional Intelligence" booster pack for 30 B-points?]

What the fuck? What would that do?

[It would give you hints how to proceed by giving you limited insight into alternate Host's psyche.]

Good enough. Yes, confirm purchase.

[Thank you for your purchase! This System would like to suggest that Host speak only from his experience but help lead Protagonist to a less depressing mindset. Host has unread notifications. Would Host like to view them now?]

No, I'm obviously busy! He closed the interface and opened his mouth, hoping that the pack would keep him from putting his foot in his mouth. "Binghe," he started slowly. "I noticed that you said he only asked you not to touch him. Is it all the time? Does he not touch you?"

Luo Binghe began to calm down at the question but still sounded wrecked as he said, "No, I can sometimes hug Shizun. And he touches me a lot."

"And how does he touch you?"

"He pats my head or pets my hair or leans against my side. He lets me take naps in his lap sometimes."

He was sounding better already. Hell, this just might work. "Does he ever seem afraid of you like that?"

"No, he actually looks… happy? He smiles a lot more when he thinks I'm not watching him when he does this, and his face gets soft."

[Host, this System would like to provide a hint in the key word, "control."]

Oh.

[This System would like to further state that alternate Host does not feel in control when he and the Protagonist are intimate.]

Oh.

"Binghe, I have an idea. Do you want to hear it?" He nodded, breathing almost back to normal. "Hear me out, okay? I have been Shen Qingqiu for a little over two years now. I slip up when I feel the most comfortable and some days it hurts to pretend to be Shen Qingqiu, even as a nicer version of him. It feels like clothes made to be itchy and a size too small.

"But it has gotten easier over time and if you pretend to be something long enough, it can start to become true. Now it feels like I'm Shen Yuan, but also Shen Qingqiu. I bet that, after so many years, I'll be Shen Qingqiu first and anything else second. Part of being Shen Qingqiu is to feel and look in control, to act like I'm invulnerable to the point that I am.

"Even after such a short time with you, I can honestly say that you do not make me feel in control of anything. You make me feel things I never imagined. You're chaos, in a stressful but good way. And I would bet a good sum of money that him asking you to stop initiating touch outside of bed was because it gives him more room to control himself enough to be who he's molded himself to be.

"Does that make sense? Does that sound more plausible to you than your loving husband being secretly afraid of you?"

Luo Binghe nodded again. "I'm sorry."

Shen Qingqiu frowned. "Why are you sorry?" Luo Binghe didn't answer, and he sighed before requesting, "Let me look at you?"

Luo Binghe loosened the tight hold he had on his waist and Shen Qingqiu did his best to shuffle around without moving too far away from the man. Luo Binghe had stopped sporting his fully demonic form when they started working, defaulting to his natural hybrid look of having redwood eyes, mostly normal teeth, and a red but not glowing sigil on his forehead. Now his eyes were wet and rimmed red, his cheeks and nose were ruddy, and his lips were flushed from crying.

He was almost disgustingly pretty for just having been sobbing like his world had ended.

Shen Qingqiu kissed his demonic mark, the tip of his nose, and then his lips, very lightly. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He started gently mopping up the tear tracks on his face with his sleeves. "You and the other me have been through a lot and the thought that the man you love might fear you is a very upsetting one. Considering everything, it's understandable why you may have jumped to that conclusion. For today, you are my husband; that means I get to take care of you, right?"

Luo Binghe's eyes widened, and they started leaking tears again. Mildly exasperated, he smiled slightly. "Now why are you crying?"

Luo Binghe hugged him closer, bending down to bury his face in his chest. "I love you, A-Yuan."

"And that's something to cry over?" He nodded and Shen Qingqiu just shook his head with a smile. Tone fond, all he could do was pat his hair and say, "What am I going to do with you?"

They eventually got back to charting a path for Shen Qingqiu's future. If Luo Binghe was holding him closer, if Shen Qingqiu was turning his head to offer more quick kisses than before, neither of them said a word about it.

Luo Binghe loathed leaving young Shen Qingqiu alone for even a moment after his minor emotional breakdown, but they had a schedule to keep and there was an errand he needed to run before he made them lunch. While not technically necessary, it was a task that Luo Binghe felt he owed the kind man he had been around for less than a day like this but if anything happened to him he'd kill everyone in this Sect then himself.

A-Yuan was so, so kind, no matter his age or circumstance. It hurt his heart to think that he would leave and go back to his marriage but this Shen Qingqiu would be left without someone to confide in. Sure, his young self would always be willing to lend a listening ear, would probably pay for the privilege, but that didn't mean Shen Qingqiu would reach out to him. It would probably take him a while to mentally cross the teacher/student divide he kept in his mind even when his young self became what Shen Qingqiu would consider an adult.

So Shen Qingqiu needed a friend.

And Luo Binghe knew just who to kidnap to make sure he got one.

He was lucky enough that he was told the An Ding Peak Lord was in residence that day and could be found in his office by a passing disciple when he landed. Little had changed on the Peak in the intervening decade, and he doubted that Shang Qinghua had any reason to suspect he was there, let alone what it meant.

This all meant that Luo Binghe got to have some more fun messing with people.

He walked into the office that was dangerously cluttered and bowed like he would have if he was actually a disciple. "This Luo Binghe greets Shang-shishu."

He rose before he was supposed to and saw the other man unselfconsciously gaping at him in horror. It took every bit of his self-control not to start laughing. "Shizun sent this disciple to fetch Shang-shishu for an urgent meeting. If Shang-shishu could please accompany this one…"

The Peak Lord stared at him in confusion, fear, and indecision. "You're a bit… different from how I expected."

"Shang-shishu was expecting this one?" Luo Binghe said with glee only to sigh as Shang Qinghua's face shifted to alarm. He didn't know if the man had any fail-safes that would teleport him directly to Mobei-Jun's palace and he didn't have time track him down if he did. "Ah, you're no fun. I'm not going to hurt you. For one, you're my husband's best friend. For another, you're married to my right-hand man."

Shang Qinghua look bewildered. "What?"

"I'm from the future. Now, are you going to come with me to Qing Jing Peak or do I need to embarrass you and drag you out?"

"Bold of you to assume I have dignity." Luo Binghe gave him an unimpressed look. "Can we back up here? You have a husband? I have a husband?"

"I'll tell you if you come with me now. I'm only here for a short time and I have other things to do so…"

Shang Qinghua jumped up and scrambled to his side. "I'm coming, I'm coming… my Lord?"

Luo Binghe began walking and Shang Qinghua hurried to keep stride. "Luo-shizhi works for now. I would rather not draw attention to what exactly I am."

"Okay, fair enough. So, um, about those marriages?"

Luo Binghe looked at him then smirked as he drew Zheng Yang. "Isn't it obvious by what I said?"

He stepped on, grabbed Shang Qinghua, and, ignoring his yelp, took off at a speed back to Qing Jing.

It took a moment for Shang Qinghua to adjust to his circumstances but once he did, he was back to asking questions. "The thing is, my king doesn't like me? Like even at all?"

He thought about it then Luo Binghe mentally shrugged. He was changing so much; what was one more thing. "He's already started courting you, you're just ignoring the signs."

"What signs?"

"He hunts for you."

"Because I'm too weak to do it myself and he wants me to know he can kill me easily if I betray him."

"What? Shang Qinghua, that is one of the most convoluted explanations I have ever heard for showing he can provide for you. You know. The first part of demonic courtship?"

"But he used to hit me? A lot?"

"Can protect you better in a fight than you can yourself. And if he wanted to really hurt you, he would have."

The man sounded increasingly distressed. "He glares at me constantly? He keeps giving me more work to manage his household like a servant?"

"He doesn't bother looking at people who are beneath him. And that's just his face. He trusts you enough to run his household and is training you to do so as his spouse."

"But why me?" The smaller man sounded like he was about to cry, which Luo Binghe really didn't sign up for. That said, he wanted to at least try being nice to the man, considering he needed there to be no reason for his and Shen Qingqiu's relationship to get off to a rocky start.

"I personally don't see the appeal, but I asked him out of curiosity once. He said that, of everyone else, you were the only one he trusted never to leave his side. And for some reason he finds you attractive."

Shang Qinghua was silent for a while and, right before they landed on Qing Jing Peak, Luo Binghe said, "It took years and several near-death experiences for you two to finally talk and wed. Maybe in this timeline it won't take you so long."

The man made a considering noise then seemed to shake himself. "Wait. You're married to Shen Qingqiu?!"

Luo Binghe lit up. "I know! I'm so lucky."

Luo Binghe heard Shang Qinghua whisper to himself in that language that Shen Qingqiu called "English" and mentally settled in for some more entertainment.

They landed and Luo Binghe walked up immediately to open the door to the bamboo house. "Shizun?"

Shen Qingqiu looked up with a smile. How was he so pretty?! "Binghe, you're back. Now will you tell me where you…" Luo Binghe discarded his shoes and stepped in, watching as his husband's face fell back to neutral when he watched Shang Qinghua follow him meekly into the house. "Shang-shidi. What a surprise."

"S-Shen-shixiong. Um. Hello. Uh, Luo-shizhi said Shen-shixiong wanted to speak to me urgently?"

"Did he now?" Shen Qingqiu opened his fan and covered his face enough just to let his sharp eyes look over the artwork. At Luo Binghe's nod, he said smoothly, "Well, don't just stand there. Have a seat, Shang-shidi."

"Th-thanks, Shen-shixiong." Shang Qinghua finally removed his shoes and came to settle nervously across from Shen Qingqiu at the table. He seemed to be quaking under Shen Qingqiu's steady gaze, though not for the same reasons Luo Binghe would. "May this shidi ask what this is about?"

Shen Qingqiu was silent for a moment longer before he looked at Luo Binghe. "I assume this is not about the fact he's spying for Mobei-Jun, correct?"

Shang Qinghua blurted, "You know about that?" at the same time Luo Binghe smiled and said, "Husband is so smart."

Shen Qingqiu gave Shang Qinghua a withering look. "Obviously." To Luo Binghe, he said, "Then why is he here? We aren't planning to stop what happens at the Immortal Alliance Conference."

Shang Qinghua gasped and Luo Binghe grinned. "He's here because I wanted to introduce him to you properly. You see, in my time I see quite a lot of Shang Qinghua, not because he's married to Mobei-Jun, but because he is my husband's friend."

Shen Qingqiu blinked at him. "I'm friends. With him."

"Hey!" Shang Qinghua said. At Shen Qingqiu's raised eyebrow, the man shrugged and said, "You know what? Fair."

The words were the strange cadence that Shen Qingqiu only ever fell into when he was at his most comfortable and they made Shen Qingqiu narrow his eyes at the man. Trying not to have his husband's quick mind figure out his surprise before he could reveal it, Luo Binghe said, "Yes, very good friends. In fact, I have often heard my husband refer to him as 'Airplane-bro.'"

"Airplane?" Shen Qingqiu asked, bewildered.

Shang Qinghua gasped and stood. "You! You're another transmigrator!"

"Airplane," Shen Qingqiu stated, realization breaking over his face.

"No wonder things are so messed up!"

Shen Qingqiu snapped his fan shut, his face a gorgeous mask of rage. "Airplane!"

"…You don't seem happy to see me."

Shen Qingqiu stood slowly, and Luo Binghe subtly moved to both block the exit and ensure he had a good view. "You. You hack author! You think I would be happy?!"

Then Shen Qingqiu proceeded to yell at Shang Qinghua in that strange language, fan breaking in his fist at some point, which just served to anger him further. Luo Binghe watched, enraptured, as his kind husband proceeded to give what looked like the harshest of dressing-downs to his future friend. His husband was so handsome…

Unfortunately, Shang Qinghua interrupted Shen Qingqiu's incredibly sexy tirade with, "Peerless Cucumber?" When Shen Qingqiu just glared at him, the strange man grinned. "I knew I recognized those points in that tone!"

Perfect. "Now that you are acquainted, I need to go prepare lunch. Husband, any requests?"

Shen Qingqiu shook himself and sighed, elegant and not looking at all like he had been yelling at someone a moment before. "Whatever Binghe makes this master will appreciate."

"Will Shang-shishu be staying for lunch?"

"I don't–"

"Yes, he will." To Shang Qinghua, "You don't deserve his cooking but you can help us plan and we'll be away from the Peak this afternoon."

"Aw, bro!"

"Don't call me that, we're not close."

"Of course, we are! Hey, tell me…"

Luo Binghe left them to it.

And over lunch as they fell into a pattern of bickering that was new to them but achingly familiar to Luo Binghe, he considered his mission accomplished.

With Shang Qinghua's unexpected but surprisingly insightful help assured, Shen Qingqiu left with Luo Binghe to run the one errand they figured couldn't wait until after Luo Binghe had returned to his own time.

They were both aware of their dwindling hours together, so they both stood on Zheng Yang as they relied on Luo Binghe's OP reserves of spiritual energy to let them travel as fast as was possible in this world barring a transportation talisman. They were high enough and traveling fast enough that Luo Binghe didn't bother hiding his demonic nature and the increased body heat made the ride a hell of a lot more comfortable for Shen Qingqiu.

Even traveling as fast as they were, it took them about an hour and a half to reach Bailu Forest at full speed. In an effort to save his voice, Shen Qingqiu cast a silent communication spell between them so they could keep talking about their plan. They did end up hashing through some minor details, but there was only so much they could anticipate with Luo Binghe's limited knowledge of the future and the fact that they were deliberately deviating from the events he knew well.

Mostly they ended up telling each other stories from their lives. Luo Binghe proved an intelligent and thoughtful conversation partner, a great listener and incorrigible flirt. Shen Qingqiu had definitely had less pleasant sword trips in his time.

By the time they reached Bailu Forest, it was midafternoon and Shen Qingqiu was about ready for a nap. "Binghe," he started, fighting a yawn. "If I slept on you on the way back, would you get mad?"

"Of course not," he said in his head, squeezing him tight for a moment. "I would happily carry A-Yuan anywhere he wanted to go."

"Okay, good, because if I'm going to be fully alert tonight, I think I need some rest."

"Oh?" At Luo Binghe's sly tone, Shen Qingqiu realized what he just said. "And why would A-Yuan need to stay awake?"

"Y-you know why." Shen Qingqiu blushed and was happy that they had the perfect excuse not to look at each other in that moment.

"I need you to say it, husband."

Luo Binghe's hands on his waist started drifting towards his hips and Shen Qingqiu mentally screeched, "Hey, now! None of that! We're flying!"

"And now we need to land." Luo Binghe lowered them into a nearby small clearing, cloaking his demonic qi as they landed. It took him no time to turn and back Shen Qingqiu into a tree, looming over him as he said aloud, "We're not flying anymore."

"I can see that." Shen Qingqiu's heart was racing in his chest at their position. He distracted himself with ending the communication spell, but it was only for a second.

"Did you mean it?" Luo Binghe asked, close enough now to have a foot planted between his, their breaths mingling.

"Yes," Shen Qingqiu whispered leaning up for their lips brushed each other with his words. "My answer is yes. But–"

Luo Binghe kissed him, and it was different, so different from how they had kissed before. Those had been explorations, expressions of fondness and affection. This kiss was pure intent. It was predatory instinct, triumph, and determination. It spoke of conquest and hunger and fuck, but it made Shen Qingqiu all too willing to be devoured.

He was pretty sure he made a Noise and Luo Binghe abruptly pulled away bodily, leaving Shen Qingqiu's arms raised awkwardly as he felt bereft. "What?"

"Sorry, but if you made a sound like that again I would have done something extremely inappropriate. A-Yuan is too tempting," he said from at least a meter away.

It took an embarrassing moment for Shen Qingqiu to remember they were in a forest where anyone could stumble upon them. That realization didn't stop his body from betraying him and reacting to the unfiltered desire that lingered in Luo Binghe's gaze.

He cleared his throat and tried his best to look at everything but Luo Binghe. "Right. The sooner we finish here the sooner we can go home." Shen Qingqiu took out a map of the Forest from his sleeves, spelled to show him their exact position in relation to grotto they needed. "It doesn't look like we're too far. Anything you sense that could cause us delays?"

Luo Binghe closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. Then he, for lack of a better word, flexed his qi and Shen Qingqiu felt something faint and intangible dissolve. "There was a maze array, but it won't bother us now."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him. "Did you just brute force destroy an array?"

"Yeah."

"Binghe, whoever put it there is going to come to investigate! We don't even know who put it there!"

"I think maybe Huan Hua Palace; it felt like their sloppy work. This isn't even supposed to be their territory so I technically performed a public service."

"We don't want to draw attention to Zhuzhi-Lang."

"He'll be fine. Besides, if Huan Hua is going to investigate, they're start with where the energy signature went off. All the more reason to move quickly."

…

Shen Qingqiu gave up. With a cultivator's speed, they ran quickly to where Shang Qinghua indicated the Sun Moon Dew Flower grew. When they were close, Shen Qingqiu began to sense a faint demonic presence, well-hidden enough that unless someone was at his skill level and deliberately looking for it, he never would have felt it.

Hopefully, that was who they were looking for.

In no time they were standing in a compact, naturally walled off space filled with spiritual water and a calm atmosphere. Only an exceedingly small part of the place received direct sunlight and that was where the beautiful Sun Moon Dew Flower grew.

But they weren't here for that.

He looked at Luo Binghe. "Well?"

He looked away and started speaking in a normal tone. "Zhuzhi-Lang. Neither of us are here to hurt you or further torment Tianlang-Jun. We want to talk about possibly freeing him. My name is Luo Binghe and I am the son of Su Xiyan and Tianlang-Jun. My mother is dead and has been almost since my birth. She died of poisoning from the Huan Hua Palace Master. I know my father was falsely imprisoned because of his relationship with her and want to help organize his escape.

"The man with me is my husband, Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu of the Cang Qiong Sect, who is fully supportive of my plan. He is going to put up a spiritual barrier so I can stop cloaking my demonic qi and prove to you who I am. It is not intended to trap you and can be easily moved through if you desire to leave."

There was a quiet shifting in the grass from the shadows and Shen Qingqiu threw up the strongest qi dampening barriers he knew to still allow movement in and out of the space. It was taxing with his already wrecked spiritual veins, but he figured he could last long enough for Luo Binghe to prove who he was.

He felt Luo Binghe drop his shielding, his qi signature unquestionably that of a Heavenly Demon and the bright red mark on his forehead detailing his lineage. There was silence for a long moment then… something slithered out from the shadows.

Both he and Luo Binghe turned to look and holy shit but he was happy that he was so used to maintaining a blank face. Zhuzhi-Lang was extremely pale and had the physicality of a snake but with the bloated features of a humanoid being and scattered patches of dull green, pealing scales in various places. His eyes, a yellow so dark it was nearly gold, were unnervingly unblinking with their vertical pupils. The result, especially in watching him move, was grotesque in a way that made his teeth ache. But still, he was a person, a fully sentient being, and Shen Qingqiu had standards, dammit.

"This Peak Lord greets the honorable Zhuzhi-Lang," he said with a polite bow to him before dropping all other language formalities due to time. "It is an honor to be able to meet a member of my husband's family, even if for a short while."

Luo Binghe didn't bother pretending to be formal. "Hello, cousin. It's surprisingly nice to see you again."

It was hard to read Zhuzhi-Lang's emotions like this, but the way he reared back made Shen Qingqiu think he was understandably confused.

"Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of time to spare today," Shen Qingqiu said diplomatically. "We mostly wanted to make contact while Binghe had the ability to prove to you he was with his demonic sigil. The Binghe from my time–who I am not married to, by the way, because he's sixteen and my disciple–has yet to awaken his demon blood."

"I'm Luo Binghe from about 11 years in the future. I assure you it took some convincing when I was 25 to even get my husband to accept my courtship, so nothing untoward is going on there before you start fretting. Unfortunately."

Shen Qingqiu shot him a dirty look. "He's a child."

"You're one of the few people in this world who thinks sixteen is still a child, husband."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm the one making the decision here and– my apologies, Zhuzhi-Lang. I only learned today that I end up marrying my still teenage disciple in a version of the future and it has me rather defensive."

Zhuzhi-Lang bobbed in a way that Shen Qingqiu translated as, "Understandable."

"You are still going to marry him, though. In this future," Luo Binghe said, staring at him like he just said something extremely disturbing and ignoring the person they had traveled for hours to see.

"Binghe, neither of us can say what will happen. Can we focus here?" He looked back at Zhizhi-Lang and smiled apologetically. "Zhuzhi-Lang, in the future my husband comes from, you are dead, and Tianlang-Jun remains imprisoned after the body you ended up growing for him using the Sun Moon Dew Flower fell apart. You see, the flower's properties rely on pure spiritual energy, so when used to host the body of a Heavenly Demon, it fell apart relatively quickly. I want to work with you and a trusted colleague of mine to come up with another solution and avoid your death. Don't worry; he's apparently married to a demon noble in the future, too, and he doesn't have any prejudice against demons.

"Would you be willing to work with us?"

Zhuzhi-Lang swayed side to side. "You're uncertain?" He seemed to nod. "And you can't talk… oh! Would you be okay with me using a mind-to-mind communication spell on you?"

"Shizun!"

Shen Qingqiu startled and looked at Luo Binghe's oddly distraught expression. "What? I just used it with you."

"That's a very intimate spell! You don't even know him!"

"And?" His expression didn't improve. "Look, I don't know how much time we have. Do you have a better idea?"

"I'll do it. I'm a demon, too, and should have more defenses if he tries anything."

"Oh." Oops. He really had forgotten that they couldn't trust him. "Okay. Zhuzhi-Lang, is that acceptable?"

The other demon nodded. "Thank you. Binghe, make it quick; I'm not sure how much longer I can hold the qi barrier."

Luo Binghe smirked. "Think how much more you'll be able to do once your poisoning is cured."

Shen Qingqiu blushed and smacked him lightly on the head with his fan. "Stop that! Why are you like this?! Never mind! Just do the spell."

Luo Binghe turned and looked at Zhuzhi-Lang. They were silent for a couple of minutes, long enough for sweat to start to bead on Shen Qingqiu's temples from spiritual strain. He fanned himself faster, but that mostly just made him shiver.

At length he said, "Binghe, you should cloak yourself. I can't keep going without chance of injury."

Immediately, Luo Binghe stopped leaking is power signature all over the place. An outsider would be able to tell that a powerful demon had been there but not that he still was. Shen Qingqiu dropped the barrier and breathed a sigh of relief. The barrier itself wasn't a problem, just that the area he had to make sure it stayed active spanned the entire grotto.

It occurred to him then that the sudden sign of a high-level demon appearing in the area could draw attention of any nearby cultivators faster than anticipated.

"We need to go soon in case the barrier drop brings any of Huan Hua Palace here. Zhuzhi-Lang, I know you've remained undetected for so long, but you may want to hide yourself especially for the next few days. Someone," he said archly with a pointed glance at Luo Binghe, "decided to destroy their maze array completely."

Luo Binghe nodded at his cousin then looked seriously at Shen Qingqiu. "He doesn't believe us completely with the time travel piece but is willing to if he meets a younger version of me. I also explained briefly what happened so Su Xiyan. My husband ended up killing the Palace Master in my time after I tortured him, but he thinks my father should have the chance."

We did what now? Binghe! What the fuck! "…That sounds reasonable and fair considering everything he's been through because of him. Zhuzhi-Lang, would us returning in 10 days or so work for you? Would you like to meet here or somewhere else?"

Luo Binghe said, "He asks why so long from now."

Shen Qingqiu kept his gaze on the other demon. "Well, I don't know how long Huan Hua Palace is going to be on alert in the area. I don't know what fallout I'll have to deal with in my Sect from my husband's visit and my disciple's subsequent reappearance. I still have classes to teach. I already did one impromptu change in my lesson plans for the week and need to do further planning to ensure my disciples don't fall behind where I want them to be. Finally, I don't know my fellow Peak Lord's schedule. I figured that 10 days should be enough for him to arrange some time away."

"He says that you seem to have thought a lot about this."

Shen Qingqiu frowned at him. "Of course I have. Whether or not I end up marrying the Luo Binghe of this time is immaterial to the fact that I want him to have family outside of the Sect. While I would happily keep him on as a disciple, he won't be able to hide his demonic nature forever and I can't keep him safe if the entire Sect turned against him. I don't like it, but he will have to leave to learn about his abilities. If he learns from his family rather than on his own, all the better.

"But more than that," Shen Qingqiu said, voice softening and subconsciously crouching to come down to Zhuzhi-Lang's level, "you and your uncle have suffered for years because of the sick whims of a man who played on prejudice to turn the entire cultivation world against you. That was an injustice neither of you deserved. I can never undo the harm you have experienced, but I would see you free of it if I could."

"Shizun," Luo Binghe… whined? "Why do you do this?"

Shen Qingqiu looked away from a Zhuzhi-Lang who seemed stunned and up to Luo Binghe. The man was pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Do what? I was just talking to him."

"Never mind," Luo Binghe said with a sigh. "He said 10 days from now here would be fine. He's not concerned with detection."

Shen Qingqiu stood and looked at Zhuzhi-Lang with concern. "Are you sure? I mean no offense, but you are rather… eye-catching."

He nodded and, with a painful looking grimace, transformed almost instantly into a long but slim snake with bright green scales. The eyes remained the same, though without eyelids as was customary for a snake. He curled up into a small coil, swayed a little, and flicked his tongue as if to ask, "Better?"

While Shen Qingqiu had no particular fondness for reptiles, he couldn't help but gasp and exclaim, "My goodness, you're adorable! Oh no, that was so inappropriate. My apologies, Zhuzhi-Lang. Um, yes, I do believe it will be harder to spot you now. Please do take care in the meantime." Shen Qingqiu reached out only to snatch his hand back.

"Husband," Luo Binghe said, voice strained as he physically pulled him back from Zhuzhi-Lang. "Did you almost try to pet the venomous snake demon that we just met?"

"…maybe." Shen Qingqiu sighed and bowed again to the other demon. "My apologies again. I forgot myself and– oh!" The demon had slithered closer to them and stopped to raise himself about half his body length in front of Shen Qingqiu, leaving his head about halfway up Shen Qingqiu's thigh. "You wouldn't mind?"

Zhuzhi-Lang shook his head and stretched so he was a little closer to Shen Qingqiu. Very gently, Shen Qingqiu pet along the scales on top of his head. They were surprisingly smooth. "My apologies if this is uncomfortable; I've never touched a snake before."

"Okay, that's enough." Luo Binghe bodily picked up Shen Qingqiu and, ignoring his shout of indignation, said, "My husband, a younger me, and Peak Lord Shang will return in about 10 days. I hope you stay alive in this timeline."

"Binghe! Don't be–" Luo Binghe was already striding out of the grotto with him in a princess carry and Shen Qingqiu had to hastily say, "Nice to meet you, Zhuzhi-Lang! Binghe, put me down!"

"I thought you wanted me to carry you on the way back, Shizun."

"While I was asleep!" They had exited the grotto at a speed and were now striding through the forest itself. "You know what? Fine. It's your arms that are going to get tired."

"My arms could never get tired carrying the man I love."

"Sap," Shen Qingqiu grumbled with a bop of the fan to Luo Binghe's head. "Why were you so rude to him, huh?"

"Why is husband insistent that he may not marry me in the timeline?"

"That doesn't answer my question." Luo Binghe pouted at him. "Wait. Are you jealous?! Of your cousin?"

"He doesn't always look like that, Shizun. Once he's well and on two legs again, he's relatively handsome."

Shen Qingqiu was scowling. "What does that have to do with me?"

"A-Yuan, you had to have seen how he was looking at you."

"…like he was listening to what I was saying?"

"Never mind. I will never understand how you don't see how easy you are to love."

"Huh? What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!"

Luo Binghe stopped moving abruptly, tilted his head, then asked, "Do you want to interact with Huan Hua Palace disciples?"

"I would prefer not to."

"Hold on tight, then."

Luo Binghe cast a spell over both of them then ran to the nearest clearing. Shen Qingqiu had to close his eyes to avoid sudden motion sickness, having never been carried so quickly in such rough terrain before. That said, Luo Binghe had them hurtling through the sky on Zheng Yang in little time.

Shen Qingqiu initiated the communication spell. "Can we go back to our conversation? You're jealous and don't like the fact that I won't say for certain that I'll marry the younger you… you're afraid that someone else is going to court me first?"

"Not afraid, more like absolutely sure of it, A-Yuan," Luo Binghe said sadly. "I was so excited and proud to claim you as my husband publicly that I didn't think of how your other suitors would react after I was gone. You won't let the other me court you for years, right? Not until after he gets out of the Abyss?"

"…Yes, that sounds right. I would never consider him a viable romantic option until he was at least 18 and no longer my direct disciple."

"Before now they probably never considered me a threat to their advances but now young me will be the threat. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to move him out of the bamboo house after this."

"What? Okay, first of all, who are these people? Second, no one is removing Binghe from his home. The only person who would have the authority to supersede my word on that is Zhangmen-shixiong and he wouldn't dare."

"…Shizun, I think you'll find that he would."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him. "He's not courting me. And if he ever was courting Shen Jiu, he sure as hell went about it the wrong way."

Luo Binghe looked down at him, startled at the curse. "That's a strong reaction."

"Yeah, well, Shang-shidi told me Shen Jiu's backstory while you were making lunch. Let's just say I'm less of a fan of Yue Qingyuan now than I was this morning." Shen Qingqiu sighed. "In any case, he wouldn't be courting me, he'd always be looking for Shen Jiu, who I'll never be. So that's one down. Who else do you think is courting me?"

"Mu Qingfang."

"My doctor? No. Just… no. Anyone else?"

"…Liu Qingge."

"Liu-shidi?" Shen Qingqiu was shocked. "Liu-shidi would never like me."

"You see? I knew he would be the biggest issue. Because it's not about you not liking him, it's him not liking you! And he very much does!"

"But I don't like him! I didn't even know I could like men until today, Binghe!"

"But now you know, Shizun." Luo Binghe said, eyes fixed on him long enough that it made Shen Qingqiu nervous. It's not like there was a road he should be watching, but the instinct was hard to ignore. "What will you do about it?"

"Luo Binghe, you are acting like I'm going to accept his marriage proposal tomorrow, which I am not. No one is courting me until they tell me plainly to my face that they are. And even then, it's not like I'm going to jump into bed with them just because I'm doing that with you. Even with the time limit we're under, both Binghes are different to me and you know it."

Luo Binghe was still staring at him. "If the me of this time was 20 years old, would you accept his proposal tomorrow?"

The day before, Shen Qingqiu would have laughed the question off. But that was before he got to know this version of his disciple, older, a little broken, but still Binghe. It made him uncomfortable as fuck, but his answer was crystal clear.

"…yes, I would. But Binghe is not 20, he's 16. I don't want him to feel pressured to not explore his options. He may meet someone else or lose interest. I don't want him to feel tied down."

"A-Yuan, I love you more than anything and that was the most nonsensical thing I have ever heard you say. My Shizun pushed me into the Endless Abyss then self-destructed in front of me. If all that then five years of death didn't stop how I felt and he is me, then I can honestly say he will never love you less than he does today. And he does love you."

"I don't know what you want me to say. Me saying I'll wait patiently until I consider him an adult to have a relationship with him makes me feel like a creep. I would never be unaware of the fact I intended to date one of my students once he was old enough which is wrong."

"Would you be unaware of it even if you don't say it?" Luo Binghe pushed. "Or do you just want plausible deniability? And if you do, are you willing to hurt him to get it?"

"I never would want to hurt him," Shen Qingqiu said, throat tightening even though he never voiced his words.

Luo Binghe visibly sighed. "Shizun, how do you think the younger version of myself is going to feel if he comes back from a future where you are our husband, where everyone on Qing Jing knows he marries you in the future, and you refuse to acknowledge that fact? Or you act like you're doing everything in your power to avoid marrying us?"

Neither of them needed to say it; Luo Binghe, his little white lotus of a bun, would be devastated, would feel unwanted and abandoned. And Shen Qingqiu would rather cut off his own arm than deliberately cause the boy that pain.

Watching Shen Qingqiu's face closely, Luo Binghe said, "I can't ask you to avoid other people, but I do ask that you don't push him away. Don't let them separate you. Don't remove yourself from the picture then try to call that his choice.

"I know it makes you uncomfortable, that you feel on some level our relationship is wrong. But, Shizun, we make each other so happy. Our relationship is one of those things that doesn't fit neatly into right or wrong. That's just something you're going to have to live with or choose to hurt both him and yourself."

Shen Qingqiu was silent for a long moment and Luo Binghe seemed to let the topic drop. The man raised him up enough to kiss his forehead before he focused fully on flying.

What was more important to him: his morals from another world or his happiness?

That was a toss-up. Shen Qingqiu didn't think he was a particularly good person (he took too much joy in tearing apart bad writing to the authors for that), but the student-teacher thing crossed some kind of line for him.

Then again, it wasn't like Luo Binghe would be his student for much longer. In fact, he had already been his student longer than he would be in the future, if he counted the end as the upcoming Immortal Alliance Conference. Maybe Luo Binghe was wrong and his young self would grow out of the feelings he had for him. He was trying to ensure he had a family, a social support structure in the demon realm rather than no other person to rely on. Maybe that would be enough for him to forget about Shen Qingqiu.

Did Shen Qingqiu even want that to happen?

(The pain in his heart told him no, it was the last thing he wanted, but he pushed that away.)

Maybe he was asking the wrong question.

What was more important to him: his morals from another world or Luo Binghe's happiness?

It wasn't even a competition.

Shen Qingqiu didn't know how long he had been thinking, but he sent a soft message to his husband for the day. "If he is still interested in me when he comes out of the Abyss, I swear to accept Luo Binghe's courtship in good faith."

"Even if you're already being courted?"

Shen Qingqiu highly doubted that would be the case, but he affirmed, "Especially then."

Tension drained out of Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu realized the man just got a lot easier to cuddle against. "Thank you, A-Yuan. You won't regret it."

"I know," Shen Qingqiu said. He felt settled in his decision and was eager to talk of other things, the possibility of napping long forgotten. "I don't think I'm going to sleep now, Binghe. You can put me down."

"But I don't want to. Besides, moving you now is more dangerous than not."

Shen Qingqiu mentally shrugged as he snuggled closer. "Your choice. Now, where do we need to stop? You mentioned needing to pick up something on the way back."

"We need to get medical unguent."

"For what? We're not injured."

"…It's lubrication. To ease the way tonight?"

"Oh," Shen Qingqiu flushed. "I, um. Already have. Oil. At home."

"That's not good enough. We need proper lube to make sure no one is hurt and because it makes it feel better."

Shen Qingqiu only had the vaguest idea of what two men did in bed together. "It feels good?"

"Oh, A-Yuan," Luo Binghe said, dark tone of his mental voice matching the smirk on his lips. "I have so much to show you."

Notes:

Listen. I want y'all to know that I planned cuddles, not sloppy make outs, for this chapter. Also, it's a good thing folks seem okay with me upping the rating for these two because I've started mentally writing that chapter and they have no chill. I'll up it when I post the relevant chapter.

SQH: Hey, so why is my protagonist bent?

SQQ: You think I know? I now look more like a pervert the Original Goods!

SQH: Bro, SJ wasn't a pervert, he just hated men for like, super valid reasons. Look at all this tragic backstory…

Meanwhile…

LBH, crying: Shizun, please stop collecting harem members.

SQQ, petting ZZL, admiring a fan LQG got him while drinking tea from a set YQY got him with a book MQF gave him on demonic plants: What?

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Notes:

I will die on the hill that SY is demisexual, says the ace spec person.

This just in: Shen Qingqiu loves his husband. More at 11.

I guess slight warning for teacher-disciple relationship? Nothing sexual happens between them, but they cuddle and interact in a way that's romantic.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It was early evening when Shen Qingqiu returned to his home after some friendly terrorizing of his students and checking in on his head disciple Ning Yingying. Given another decade he thought she would make an excellent Peak Lord, freeing him to retire to the demon realm and play Empress.

Unfortunately for him, "retirement" was more of a job change.

He braced himself for the chance that Shang Qinghua had to return to his actual duties and was pleasantly surprised to find him drilling Luo Binghe on plant properties of the Endless Abyss. Luo Binghe was answering everything with speed and accuracy that impressed him. The boy's entire face lit up when he saw him at the doorway. "Shizun!"

Shang Qinghua barely turned as he tilted his head back to look at him. "Your disciples still standing?"

"Most of them. It seems like Binghe was doing well?" Shen Qingqiu walked over to his side and put a hand to his head in an absent-minded pet. Adoration was a light word to describe how he was looked at.

"Yeah, he should be good to go. I'd be surprised if he didn't make it out of the Abyss in record time." Shang Qinghua seemed to hesitate and Shen Qingqiu's eyes sharpened in interest. In English, he asked, "Can we talk for a minute? Bro to bro?"

Shen Qingqiu raised a brow at Shang Qinghua but mentally shrugged and said, "Binghe, were you planning on making us dinner?"

The bun nodded. "Yes, Shizun. Was there anything in particular you wanted to eat?"

"No, whatever is easiest for you. I'll like whatever you make. Could you go get started? That way we can do your examination over dinner."

"If Shizun would like." Shen Qingqiu pat his head again in thanks and the boy went off with a wide smile on his face. He helplessly beamed after him, noting the lack of pouting that often accompanied his husband being sent away. Binghe is such a good boy.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked Shang Qinghua as he sat at his table.

Shang Qinghua leaned forward and said, with a nervous glance over his shoulder, "You have got to find a way to warn young you about him. I'm pretty sure I just threw him under the bus."

"Airplane-bro, what are you talking about? You were supposed to be telling him about the Abyss."

"Yeah, well, I did that, too, but not before I sold you out. It's not my fault my protagonist is so intimidating!"

"One, I'm sure it is, in fact, your fault. Two, Binghe like this isn't intimidating? Binghe is baby."

Shang Qinghua looked at him like he had completely lost his mind. "That boy is not baby. If he was when he got here, he sure isn't now."

Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes at him. "Explain."

"First, tell me what you told him before I got here."

"Pretty much everything that happened in my timeline that was relevant to him."

Shang Qinghua sighed and rubbed at his face. "Okay. You know Luo Binghe well. You told a sixteen-year-old him that not only does his pipe-dream of being with you come true, but that he's the most powerful person alive. And that another version of you is likely being romanced by an adult version of himself that he's going to have to compete against, along with the rest of your little harem!"

"Woah, what competition? And I don't have a harem! Binghe is more than enough to deal with."

"Not the point right now, bro. He thinks he has competition. What do you think he does next?"

Shen Qingqiu frowned. "I don't know. Figure out how to get an edge on the others?"

"And how would he do that?"

"For the record, I want to say that this is ridiculous."

"Noted, but…"

"…but in a normal competition, he would find out the other's weaknesses. If it was for… wooing me?" Shen Qingqiu shuddered at the wording. "Well, he would find out what I liked best, what would endear me to him. Which would be ridiculous; I've always liked Binghe."

"Not like he likes you, though."

"Obviously not. He was a child."

"Hate to break it to you, but sixteen-year-olds do not think like children."

"Of course not, but they don't have sex on the brain all the time, either."

"I did."

"That sounds like a you problem, Airplane, because I didn't."

"That's different."

"How?"

"You were homeschooled."

"Yeah, because I was sick. Died at 19, remember?"

"I meant that you weren't around a lot of people your age."

"I didn't grow up in the dark ages. I had the best internet money could buy."

"You also read my porn novel for the plot and demons."

"Those were the interesting parts."

"I can assure you, you were in the small minority of people who didn't like the sex. My gay ass wouldn't have kept writing it if it didn't sell well."

"I feel like we're off topic."

"Not really, because the topic is that you don't get how most teenage brains on hormones work. Add in the fact he's part demon and you get a disciple that is obsessed with making you his in every way possible, as soon as possible."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him. "What exactly did you say?"

Shang Qinghua told him.

Shen Qingqiu looked at him in horror. "How do you know that about me?"

"Remember that time we got drunk–"

"No."

"Well, it just confirmed what I had already seen. Do you know how long it took for Luo Binghe to understand that, unlike half the men you meet I'm not actually interested in you? He made a big show of making you pliable as putty in his hands the first couple of times I came around, even with you telling him to stop touching you. Either that, or like you had just been fucked within an inch of your life and were barely holding it together."

Shen Qingqiu actively blocked that part of the early days of their marriage from his mind. In fact, he wasn't even remembering it now. From behind his fan he said, "I don't recall."

Shang Qinghua buried his face in his hands. "You're such an unreliable narrator."

"Excuse you, I am the most reliable narrator of my own life."

"Yet, you still don't know why Liu Qingge fought the protagonist for your lifeless body every day."

Shen Qingqiu frowned. "It was for Sect pride and he's my friend."

"Every day, though, bro?"

"He loves to fight and Binghe is one of the few who can reliably beat him." Shang Qinghua was looking at him like he was the dumbest motherfucker on the planet, which was an interesting reversal. "Something about owing his life to me, no?"

"Gods, no, that's not why. Never mind; that ship has sailed unless your husband gets okay with a lot of things, very quickly." Shang Qinghua shook himself and Shen Qingqiu thought about pushing before letting it go. There were just some things about Shang Qinghua's mind that he would prefer the bliss of ignorance on and whatever he considered about Liu Qingge seemed to be on that list. "The point is that young you has a big storm coming. What he thinks is still his untouched little white sheep is really a still growing wolf that's not quite completely big and bad yet."

"I think you're overreacting, but I'll talk to Binghe."

Shang Qinghua threw up his hands. "I give up. I tried."

The man looked defeated enough that Shen Qingqiu felt a twinge of guilt. "…Thank you. For coming here today and helping."

"Yeah, yeah. Anything for my bro." Shang Qinghua waved his hand dismissively but did brighten a bit at the thanks.

"Do you… want a hug?"

"And risk baby protagonist seeing you touch me? I'll pass. I may be out of his reach but young me isn't."

Fair enough. "Want more melon seeds?"

"…you have to ask?"

Shang Qinghua left shortly afterwards using a talisman that dripped with his husband's frozen qi. Luo Binghe was still in the kitchens and Shen Qingqiu used the time to reflect.

Well, not really. He didn't see the problem with Luo Binghe knowing how to make a younger version of himself relax. He honestly could have used some help in the lead up to the Immortal Alliance Conference. Besides, it wasn't like a young version of him would give him the opportunity or leave to touch him the way his husband did… before he put a stop to that kind of thing outside of bed.

The very thing he was going to have to talk to his husband about after this little adventure was over.

But that wasn't his immediate concern.

With Shang Qinghua's warning waved away, Shen Qingqiu considered how he was going to test Binghe on his knowledge of future/past events and what the small bun would ask as his reward. Shen Qingqiu had no doubt in his mind that he would perform well on the impromptu exam and the boon was little more than an excuse to spoil him while he could. Sure, his Luo Binghe was spoilt rotten in a way that irritated and endeared him, but he could spoil this disciple with no consequences to himself!

Not that Binghe being spoilt was a bad thing, really. The half demon deserved good things and if he could get them from his husband, all the better. He liked seeing his husband happy; sue him.

Realizing he was mooning over a man he was already married to, Shen Qingqiu shook himself and set his mind to doing some paperwork as he waited for dinner to be ready.

Shen Qingqiu had settled on quizzing him on the sequence of events in his timeline and the finer aspects of their plan to change his future. Luo Binghe answered his every inquiry with detail and near perfect recall.

"You did very well, Binghe, not that I expected anything less," Shen Qingqiu praised and watched the boy bask in it with amusement. "Well, I am a man of my word. Have you thought about what you would like to request of me?"

"Yes." Luo Binghe began to blush and Shen Qinqiu's eyes sharpened. "Would Shizun… would Yuan-ge teach me how to kiss?"

Luo Binghe held his gaze, clearly serious. Shen Qingqiu had a lot of emotions at once.

He was adorable! And the Yuan-ge? He just wanted to cuddle him so hard, squeeze him like a living plushy.

There was no way he was making out with this kid.

Luo Binghe desperately needed to be taught how to kiss. In fact, he had a rather glaring spot in his education that needed to be addressed sooner rather than later. His young self would thank him.

(Not that it was likely that they would both be virgins in that timeline, but Shen Qingqiu wasn't thinking about that.)

It was a little unfair to Luo Binghe that the older version of himself got to have, ahem, fun with his Shizun when he wasn't having the same chance.

It was super unfair that Shen Qingqiu wasn't getting the same chance to mess with people the way he was sure his husband was.

Maybe Shang Qinghua was right about this Luo Binghe being a threat to a younger Shen Qingqiu's sanity. He felt the need to test it.

If Binghe can hold my gaze for 30 seconds after making that request, I'll worry about him being bold enough to take advantage of my younger self.

Shen Qingqiu held his gaze steadily. The boy fidgeted and looked away with a blush about 15 seconds in.

Still a white lotus I see. My husband would have held my gaze with a smile, and I would have had to look away from the shamelessness of it all.

He's really not expecting me to kiss him, is he? What is he planning to ask me if I say no?

Shen Qingqiu made a decision. There was no reason his husband should get to have all the fun.

"Now that you ask, I realize that you're missing out on a large body of knowledge you need to know. I'll teach you."

Luo Binghe looked at him like he'd given him the best gift imaginable. "Yuan-ge will?"

It was only with the strongest will that he kept himself from cooing at the boy. So cute! "Indeed. But first, we have to clean up from–" Luo Binghe had gathered the dishes and all but run from the house. "–dinner." Shen Qingqiu ended to an empty room.

He pressed his closed fan to his mouth to hold back his giggle from this small bit of mischief. He needed to avoid laughing in the poor boy's face. That, and he focused on making his face as thick as he could stand to not pass out from sheer embarrassment from what was to come.

Luo Binghe returned shortly, sleeves slightly damp from his haste to do the washing up, but he was otherwise presentable. He came around to Shen Qingqiu's side of the table and kneeled much closer than before, facing him. "I'm eager to learn, Shizun."

I bet you are. Shen Qingqiu raised an eyebrow. "You don't look it. Binghe's not taking notes?"

The boy looked nonplussed at the question. "Er, Yuan-ge. This one thought Shizun would provide more… practical instruction."

Both brows were raised at that. "Binghe is questioning how this master chooses to teach, now?"

"No, this one wouldn't dare!" Paling in mortification, Luo Binghe started to scramble to his feet.

Shen Qingqiu couldn't quite contain his chuckle only to feel immediate guilt by how sad the boy looked. "Oh,Binghe, sit down. This master is teasing you since you had the face to ask in the first place. I know you mean well, but you also must know that I am not going to sit here and kiss you freely."

"Oh," Luo Binghe looked down, dejected and embarrassed. Shen Qingqiu sighed and, on impulse, leaned forward, raised his face, and kissed him on his forehead, right where his demonic sigil would appear.

"I will tell you how to kiss, however. My husband certainly could have used the knowledge. I'll also give you some basic understanding of how intimacy works between men to… avoid injury." Luo Binghe seemed heartened by the affection and was back to looking at him like he put the stars in the sky himself. "Okay?"

"Yes, Yuan-ge. Thank you."

Shen Qingqiu smiled at him, wide and soft, and the boy was stunned by it. "I find how you say my name endearing and would like you to continue calling me as such. But, word of advice: your Shizun may find it harder to see you as an adult with it.

"My husband calls me A-Yuan."

Following what had to be the most awkward sex education talk in history (because try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Luo Binghe was exclusively considering applying what he taught to another version of Shen Qingqiu himself), Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe began to prepare for sleep.

After bathing, Shen Qingqiu went to dress for bed only to find that his husband had somehow systematically gotten rid of any inner robes that he could wear in front of anyone but him. On the (now rare) occasions when he wore clothing to bed, he didn't care if it was translucent or even transparent. Who was going to see him, exactly?

Well, the answer remained Luo Binghe, only this one was about five years too young in Shen Qingqiu's estimation. He was left with either three layers of inner robes, which felt ridiculous, or an inner and outer robe combination to completely conserve his modesty. The thought entered his mind that he could wear two inner robes and give the teenager a show, but he batted it away like an annoying fly. He had teased the boy enough and he didn't want him getting any bright ideas.

Because they were sharing a bed.

Shen Qingqiu knew it wasn't the most appropriate decision but stood by it. For one, the side room no longer had a bed that Binghe could sleep in and like hell he was sleeping on the floor. For another, he wanted to know as soon as possible when his husband had returned to the proper time (to him). Finally, he couldn't regret the joy and astonishment that had entered Luo Binghe's face when he had offered to share the bed.

He had been sure to make his boundaries around touch clear, however. He was happy to cuddle the boy, but he didn't want him getting fresh just because they had a conversation that boiled down to maybe don't try to immediately choke him with your tongue (you have to work up to that) and for the love of everything, USE LUBE.

You know, the basics.

As he finally pulled on the three softest inner robes he owned (he just wanted to be comfortable, dammit), Shen Qingqiu set about tending to his hair for the evening. As he worked to comb out the mass, he considered his day and the plan they had come up with. He hoped that it was enough for Binghe and a younger version of himself to chart their own way forward to a happier future. He had no idea what his husband had done, but didn't anticipate there being any major conflicts between their two plans (because obviously Luo Binghe would have done anything to ensure that no version of Shen Yuan died for him if he had a say in it).

Honestly, most of Shen Qingqiu's planning around his husband's thoughts on the past had been focused on preempting what his husband would do to protect him. If there was such a thing as loving someone too much, Luo Binghe was guilty of it. Then again, Shen Qingqiu wouldn't change a thing about his OG problematic fave. His exceedingly lovely, utterly devoted demon crybaby of a spouse.

He missed him.

"Yuan-ge?" Shen Qingqiu paused in his brushing to look over his shoulder to Luo Binghe. He was dressed in the inner robe he arrived in, hair already tied back for bed. There was some color on his cheeks, but that could have been from the bath. "Are you feeling alright?"

He blinked at him. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Excuse me for saying, but Yuan-ge looked sad."

Shen Qingqiu smiled and knew it didn't reach his eyes. "I miss my husband."

Luo Binghe swallowed hard and took a step back. "This one apologizes that he is here in his place."

"Binghe, no." Shen Qingqiu stood and strode over to him, brush forgotten as he pulled the boy into a hug. It was only tentatively returned and Shen Qingqiu stroked his back soothingly. "You are not to blame for anything and I am so happy I had the opportunity to see you again like this. And for you to know most of what I could tell you, most especially the fact that this Shen Yuan could never hate Luo Binghe. The fact that I miss my husband does not mean I won't miss you when you're gone."

Luo Binghe tightened the hug. "I'll miss Yuan-ge, too."

Even thought I won't put out for you? He thought but didn't say. Instead, he asked softly, "Would Binghe like to help this Shen Yuan with his hair?"

He nodded.

While Luo Binghe did his hair, Shen Qingqiu regarded softly him in the bronze mirror. If any gods exist in this world, I pray this one has a happier story than we did. May he have all I wished I could have given my Binghe, but wasn't able to.

"What is Yuan-ge thinking about?"

"Binghe."

"Yes?"

Shen Qingqiu shook his head and smiled. "I'm thinking about Binghe, of course."

"Oh," Luo Binghe blushed and focused very hard on loosely braiding Shen Qingqiu's hair. His smile widened into a grin, his chest warm with fondness.

Luo Binghe shyly finished his hair and together they shuffled over to bed. Shen Qingqiu didn't hesitate but Luo Binghe just stood at the side of the bed for a long moment, staring at him with almost a scared expression.

Right before Shen Qingqiu asked him what was wrong, he pulled back the covers and climbed in. "Yuan-ge talked much about what we was not willing to do, but this one is unsure about what is allowed. May I… touch Yuan-ge? Within his boundaries?"

Oh. "You may. I was hoping you wouldn't mind."

"I would never mind," Luo Binghe said, just a little too honest. But, Shen Qingqiu mused, what had he to hide? "I… don't know if I'll ever have the chance to touch Shen Yuan in the future."

Shen Qingqiu went up on an elbow and frowned at him, confused. "But you're marrying him, Binghe."

"I don't know that."

Shen Qingqiu opened his mouth only to close it. He couldn't imagine a world where he sees an adult Luo Binghe who was interested in him, who loved him as Binghe did, and not falling in love in return. He couldn't imagine being loved by his husband, even for a short period of time, and not wanting that always.

But he wasn't that Shen Yuan. Shen Qingqiu had had to come to terms with the fact that he married his disciple. He was painfully aware that the seeds of his love for Luo Binghe were created well before he transmigrated and were planted while Binghe was a disciple. Okay, maybe they had started to secretly sprout by the time he had pushed him into the Abyss, but nothing he could have been aware of, let alone live with himself to act on.

Where was the other Shen Yuan on that scale? How would he react to the knowledge that he married Luo Binghe?

Shen Qingqiu didn't know.

He sighed and waved a hand to extinguish the candles. In the dark, he sought out Luo Binghe, cuddling him close and resting his head on his chest, not unlike how he slept with his husband. The teenager sought out his hand and he held it. "I don't know either," he said quietly, "but I do know this: Shen Yuan loves Luo Binghe."

Luo Binghe gasped and his arms came around Shen Qingqiu. He was shaking slightly and Shen Qingqiu patted his arm. "That love changes form over time, but the core of it only grows with care. It took me a long time to find the words to say that to my Binghe, but I thought you should know. Even at our lowest point, even when I feared him, I loved him and wanted him to be happy."

Shen Qingqiu heard distinctive sniffling and knew the boy was crying. "Luo Binghe loves Shen Yuan, too."

"I know." He snuggled closer and held him as the boy worked through whatever he was feeling.

At length, he quieted. Shen Qingqiu was on the edge of sleep and wasn't ready to say goodbye. Instead, he turned his head and kissed his clothed chest, right over his heart where he would hopefully never be scarred. "Good night, Binghe."

"Good night, Yuan-ge."

Darkness swept over him and he knew no more.

Notes:

So, the reason it took me so long to update is that my brain only wanted to write the sequels to this. Yes, sequels.

Here's what I'm going to do: this story is going to be a jumping off point for a chose your own adventure. First one will be pure Bingqiu, second will be Bingqiu (endgame) and Liushen (with more angst), and the third is Bingliushen. (Edit: these are separate stories, not continuations that happen in roughly the same timeframe. They're AUs of this AU, I guess. Wanted to clarify!) If my brain still won't leave me alone, I may just do a straight up harem path, too. I know no peace. Everything will be rated E because why lie to myself. Look out for what you think Shang Qinghua told little Binghe about winning over his Shizun. ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡)

Next time: Luo Binghe solving a problem for Shen Yuan, but make it spicy.

Comments and kudos are validation. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Notes:

Haha, this chapter is more hurt/comfort than even I initially planned. Oops?

Younger Shen Yuan is into different things than post-canon Shen Yuan. This causes Luo Binghe stress.

Warnings for this chapter: discussions of pedophilia and minor emotional breakdown. Sex things are in the story tags but wanted to double up here on the slight blood warning. It triggers Luo Binghe and brings up several of his insecurities, though Shen Yuan reassures him quickly. Take care of yourselves, lovelies. (P.S. if there's something you want me to tag, let me know!)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

In Shen Qingqiu's opinion, the less said about their trip to the, um, supply store, the better.

The first occurrence of note to him outside of their regularly scheduled flying to Qing Jing Peak happened as they were landing back on the Peak in the late afternoon. He wanted to check in on his students and ensure that no one had gotten stupid and decided that self-study meant "pick fights with Bai Zhan while Shizun is away."

Apparently alerted to his return by some means, Ming Fan was running toward him and Luo Binghe, waving rather frantically to get his attention. "Any guesses what happened while we were gone?" he mused to Luo Binghe silently.

The man mentally chuckled and nuzzled his head. Shen Qingqiu silently thanked his past self for insisting that Luo Binghe not carry him all the way back home. Ming Fan already had an expression like he strongly disapproved of what he was seeing but was too polite to say anything to Shen Qingqiu's face; he didn't want to imagine it if he had ridden in being princess carried by Luo Binghe. "Nothing important enough to keep your attention for long. We have plans."

"Binghe!" He shot him a dirty look over his shoulder, but all that won him was a smirk and a cute wiggle of eyebrows. "I do have a job to do."

Luo Binghe made a big show of pouting at him. "But Shizun!"

Still defenseless to the look, Shen Qingqiu looked away. "Just put me down. If you want to be helpful, go draw a bath."

Luo Binghe leaned closer and purred against his ear, "Anything you say, A-Yuan."

Shen Qingqiu ended the communication spell as they landed and made a show of opening his fan with a flourish to hide his shiver. "Go away, you menace."

He went with a wink and Shen Qingqiu was not blushing. "Ming Fan," he acknowledged. "Report."

"Shizun," he started with a bow, eyes focused on the ground. "There were no incidents on the Peak today as everyone was studying. A couple of near misses but nothing your disciples couldn't handle."

Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes. "Explain."

"Well, we disciples were minding our own business," okay, here we go, Shen Qingqiu thought, "practicing for the exam, when some Bai Zhan disciples started messing with us."

No incidents on the Peak, he had said. Shen Qingqiu sighed. "Does anyone need medical attention?" he asked, an equal mix of weary and concerned.

"No one on our side," Ming Fan grumbled and Shen Qingqiu raised his brows at him, not that he saw.

"You are this master's head disciple; speak up."

Ming Fan snapped to attention. "Yes, Shizun."

"…No one needing first aid on Qing Jing's side is odd," Shen Qingqiu noted. "What made today different?"

Ming Fan's face reddened and he was looking over Shen Qingqiu's shoulder, clearly avoiding his eyes. "Bai Zhan disciples were making… unsavory comments about Shizun that Qing Jing could not let stand."

Aw shit. "Let this master guess," Shen Qingqiu said dryly. "It pertained to this Shen Qingqiu's relationship with Luo Binghe."

"…Not just him, Shizun, but all Qing Jing disciples."

Shen Qingqiu stared at him. "…Repeat that."

"This disciple begs Shizun to allow this one not to let such vile words leave his mouth again."

"This master sees." So. The entire Sect thought he was a pedophile. Great, just brilliant.

He couldn't deal with this at the moment.

He cleared his throat and said, "While this master appreciate his disciples presumably defending his honor–"

"Of course, Shizun!" Ming Fan interjected. "We could never let such an accusation pass unaddressed!"

These children… Shen Qingqiu lowered his fan a little and let Ming Fan see the slight if sad smile on his face. "While this master appreciates it, defending his honor against a baseless lie is not worth any of his disciples being hurt."

A thought entered his mind and he paled, suddenly nauseous. "Of course, if any Qing Jing disciple feared such attentions from this master, he would understand if they–"

A gasp from the side startled him and suddenly he was beset upon by at least a dozen of his disciples, led by Ning Yingying. He didn't know if he was disappointed in them for eavesdropping or proud that they had managed to cloak themselves so well that he didn't immediately notice them.

"Shizun, no!" Ning Yingying cried. "You've been so kind recently, but you never have made any one of us feel unsafe like that!"

There were frantic, almost tearful nods all around and Shen Qingqiu was left wide-eyed at the display. Ming Fan pouted under his breath, "I told you I could handle it."

"We know you've treated A-Luo differently since your qi deviation, but even he said that he couldn't get Shizun to agree to be courted by him until he was much older!" Ning Yingying continued without even a glance to Ming Fan. She came forward and was almost clinging to his sleeve as she said, rather dramatically, "Our A-Luo adores Shizun and we've never seen Shizun happier than when he is with A-Luo. We support your love, Shizun!"

Wait a second. Wait a goddamn second.

"Disciple Ning, collect yourself," he said sharply, though he pulled away gently from the girl. "This master doesn't know what Disciple Ning is implying, but he is not going to… to court your shidi of this time. He is this master's direct disciple and sixteen. It would be an abuse that this master could never condone in others, let alone perpetrate himself. Has this master made himself clear?"

Ning Yingying nodded, as did several other disciples, but they had a starry look in their eyes that Shen Qingqiu didn't like. "Yes, Shizun. This one understands perfectly."

Oh, he didn't trust that at all.

Problem for another day, he decided. "Ming Fan," the boy went to attention again. "You didn't want to tell this master about the run in with Bai Zhan; what did Ming Fan want to say?"

"Oh!" The boy bowed. "Apologies, Shizun. Sect Leader Yue, Peak Lord Liu, and Peak Lord Shang came to Qing Jing in search of Shizun. The Sect Leader and Peak Lord Shang both left missives. Peak Lord Liu said he would return this evening."

He narrowed his eyes. "The messages?"

"On Shizun's desk."

"Good. Thank you for the warning… and the support, I suppose" He looked around at the faces staring at him and mentally sighed. Here went all of his dignity. "You all are excused from all but essential duties this evening. That said, do not cause any issues you cannot solve yourselves. Stay away from the bamboo house. This master is not to be disturbed today for anything barring an emergency. If that emergency is due to some childish folly of your own making, this master will be extremely cross."

Did he just all but announce he and his husband were about to papapa? Yes. Was it better than disciples overhearing them papapa-ing? Absolutely.

"Yes, Shizun," his disciples chorused. He thickened his face and looked each one of them in the eyes.

See, look! I'm not ashamed! Nothing to be ashamed of here!!

"Dismissed."

They scattered. Shen Qingqiu forced himself to walk sedately to the bamboo house. This is fine. It's FINE.

Shen Qingqiu made it home and all but collapsed against the closed door. He buried his face in his hands and was back to wordless mental screaming.

"Shizun?"

"Don't call me that. Not right now," he said quietly. It wasn't Luo Binghe's fault. The only way this could have been prevented was if he had stayed completely hidden and it wasn't in his nature to do so.

This wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault; it just was, and he got the short end of the stick.

Suddenly, he felt like he understood Shen Jiu just a little more. Why fight accusations? People will believe what they want, and you can't prove a negative.

It wasn't fair, but that was life.

"A-Yuan? What's wrong?" Luo Binghe was much closer now and Shen Qingqiu looked up at him from where he was half folded in on himself. His expression must have been worse than he thought because Luo Binghe's went from concerned to alarmed. "Husband, please. Let me help you."

Shen Qingqiu took a half step forward and fell into Luo Binghe's arms. The man scooped him up and cuddled him close. "Let me take care of you," he asked before pressing a kiss to Shen Qingqiu's hair.

Shen Yuan had always hated how people fussed over him. First as a sick child, unable to do what his peers could easily, then as a frail teenager, torn between rage at the world and rage at himself, and finally as a young adult just trying to enjoy what little life he had left without being reminded every 5 minutes he was dying. For all that transmigrating had been difficult, it had given him the opportunity to care for someone, a lot of someones if you counted his disciples and friends. It gave him the ability to do for himself and protect others. His life now, to a certain extent, demanded the strength that had been forever out of his reach in his first life. He had to be self-sufficient, or he wouldn't be Shen Qingqiu.

But, right that second, he didn't want to be invulnerable. Right then, he wanted to be allowed to fall and be caught.

Right now, he just wanted to be Shen Yuan.

"Would you?" He looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I would like nothing more," Luo Binghe said, resting his forehead against his.

Shen Qingqiu reached up and cupped his cheek. He leaned forward and said against his lips, "Please."

Luo Binghe lightly returned his kiss and pulled away gently. "As you wish."

Shen Qingqiu rested his head against Luo Binghe's shoulder and closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. He didn't want to think anymore and let himself drift a little as Luo Binghe moved them around.

A few moments and an eternity of nothing later, Luo Binghe asked in a low, soothing voice, "Still want to bathe?"

Shen Qingqiu tensed briefly, only to let it go almost immediately with a feeling of fuck it. He was too tired to make a stink about his modesty with this man when he already agreed to sleep with him, and it was nothing he hadn't seen before.

He nodded silently against his shoulder, though the movement turned to more of a cuddle without him trying. The arms around him held him closer in response.

The air in bathing chamber was humid and warm. Shen Qingqiu felt more detached from proceedings, aware enough to protest the loss of warmth and comfort when Luo Binghe set him on a bench but that was about it. He was half present as he watched distantly as Luo Binghe began removing his clothes slowly.

The attention and care he showed in every action managed to touch him. The fourth time the other man paused to make sure he wasn't protesting the removal of some item or cloth, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help reaching out to pat his hair. "I'm okay," he said, and it was barely a whisper.

Luo Binghe frowned worriedly, but did nothing else. It belatedly occurred to Shen Qingqiu he was being more of a hinderance to proceedings, and he began pulling at the ties of the next layer.

In little time, he was bare before him, skin vast and hair loose, feeling the most vulnerable he had ever been as Shen Qingqiu. He shyly looked up to Luo Binghe and found his eyes dark with interest but still concerned. The man leaned down to kiss his forehead and scooped him into his arms once more. "A-Yuan is always beautiful," he said.

Shen Qingqiu blushed and brought up a hand to tug at his robes. "Binghe should join me."

"I will, though A-Yuan should get in the water."

Luo Binghe gently set him into the hot water, the temperature a shock that he slowly relaxed into. He heard sounds of rustling cloth behind him as Luo Binghe undressed. Shen Qingqiu moved forward to duck his head under the water to both wet his hair and as a distraction.

It was the first time he would be naked with someone else.

He felt something like panic begin to rise. "Binghe."

"Hm?"

"I. I don't know if. I don't know how to…" He inhaled sharply as Luo Binghe climbed in behind him. The tub was big enough for two people, but only just. His legs came to either side of Shen Qingqiu's hips, muscles hard even in repose.

"We don't have to do anything. Right now, I only want to take care of you. You're my husband and it will always be my privilege to do so."

Strong hands wrapped around his waist and slowly pulled him back until they were flush against each other. The sudden level of skin contact was a different kind of shock, but not an unpleasant one.

Just as Shen Qingqiu began to relax, feeling wonderfully surrounded as Luo Binghe hugged him, he felt something twitch against his back.

Something big.

He tensed again. Voice strained he said, "Binghe, tell me that's not what I think it is."

Luo Binghe just chuckled lightly and leaned forward to kiss is temple chastely. "My husband is naked and wet in front of me. Of course, I am aroused by him. Just ignore it; that's what I'm doing."

"Ignore–! That's not what I–!" There was no way. There was absolutely no way he was that…

Unable to stand the dissonance between what he was feeling and what he thought was possible, Shen Qingqiu did his best to turn around and look at Luo Binghe.

Which um.

May have been its own mistake.

Dark hair had been somehow tamed and pinned up and away from the water. It meant there was nothing to distract from the too handsome to be real features, the long lines of his neck, and hard but inviting lines of his chest and arms. Water droplets clung to him in a way that fascinated Shen Qingqiu, even as the scar on his chest gave him pause.

"Oh." Shen Qingqiu found himself staring at him helplessly, wide-eyed and astonished.

…I might be a little gay.

"A-Yuan likes what he sees," Luo Binghe said with a smirk, twisting but in no way diminishing his beauty.

"I…" his eyes continued on a downward path and oh, my God! "Oh, no. Oh, no no no."

He pulled away from him slowly, horrified at what the size of Luo Binghe's (otherwise aesthetically pleasing? He didn't know how to describe it but it wasn't off-putting) heavenly pillar meant for his ass. "Husband–"

"Don't husband me! There's no way that fits!" Luo Binghe's eyes sparkled, amused. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing. And I assure you," Luo Binghe leaned forward suddenly, stopping close enough to share breath, "we fit very well together."

…Alrighty then.

"Well, Binghe will just have to show me later." He pushed him away gently and the man went, leaning back against the end of the tub prettily. If I ever needed a camera… "We are going to wash. You stay over there."

"But A-Yuan," Luo Binghe whined with a pout. "You said you were going to let me take care of you. Please let me do that?"

Oh, right. He had been upset. At least he could say that Luo Binghe was a good distraction. He wasn't even nervous anymore… to a point. "I can wash myself."

"Let me wash your hair for you when you're done? Please." Shen Qingqiu blinked at him, the possibility having occurred to him before on how nice it would be to have help a time or twenty.

It was an offer he couldn't refuse.

Ten minutes later found him plastered against Luo Binghe, all modesty forgotten, as the other man washed his hair. He was giving him a scalp massage that made him feel utterly boneless. Even without clothes, the man was just so comfy to lay on that Shen Qingqiu found himself drifting off again, but this time in a good way.

He startled when Luo Binghe said lowly, "Lean back, A-Yuan. We need to rinse this out."

Shen Qingqiu just hummed in acknowledgement. Eyes closed, leaned back, knowing that Luo Binghe would support him. He felt Binghe's pillar twitch in interest against his backside, but he had made his peace with it at the moment. Luo Binghe said he was ignoring it and Shen Qingqiu felt he understood what he meant before since he was in a similar situation now but was much more focused on Luo Binghe's hands.

Besides, it had to just be an automatic reaction like he said. Sure, Shen Qingqiu was enjoying the moment but what could Luo Binghe get out of this chore? Nothing.

Bodies were weird things.

When Luo Binghe finished making sure his hair was free of soap, he settled Shen Qingqiu back against his shoulder and started working in what passed for conditioner here into his hair. It was a step that Shen Qingqiu often found himself skipping when he felt particularly tired. That Luo Binghe automatically started had him nuzzling against him lazily and saying, "Binghe's so good to me."

"A-Yuan deserves good things."

He didn't mean to, but he ended up murmuring, "Do I?"

"…What does A-Yuan mean?"

Luo Binghe's hands had stopped their soothing movements, which just wasn't on. "Don't stop," Shen Qingqiu said (in what some other people may have called a whine). "And don't mind it. It was nothing."

The man sighed and said, "I'll keep tending your hair if you keep talking." Luo Binghe turned and kissed what parts of him he could reach. "What's bothering you, my love?"

Shen Qingqiu was quiet for a long moment, during which Luo Binghe just kept pressing sweet kisses to his shoulder, temple, and cheek. Eventually he hugged the man tighter against him and said, "I'm going to mess up. I'm acting like I'm a god and I'm going to end up screwing up and hurting my Binghe even more than you were hurt."

"Oh, A-Yuan…" One arm returned his embrace while his other hand traced hard but calming circles against his head.

"We missed something, Binghe," Shen Qingqiu said, trying to ignore how difficult it was to talk. "We missed something that should have been an obvious consequence of what's already happened. People already dislike Shen Qingqiu and are more than willing to believe the worst about me. Most of the world is not Binghe or even Qing Jing Peak; they won't give me the benefit of the doubt. What am I going to do when I make a bigger mistake and can't fix it?"

"Husband, husband, listen to me." Luo Binghe tried to pull him back so they could see each other, but Shen Qingqiu shamelessly clung to him, hiding the tears that he was fighting to keep in his eyes. He was once again hit with the enormity of the path that lay before him. It had been hard enough to keep himself a secret; now he had to do it in the open, when everyone knew he was hiding something. He would be scrutinized by everyone in the sect, for more than one reason.

Before now, his life had been relatively carefree: teach his disciples, don't abuse children, be nice to Luo Binghe, and don't be too OOC about it. But now?

Now he had to change the course of history.

"A-Yuan, you can't tear yourself up about this; you'll drive yourself insane. If things go wrong, that's okay. Work with your Binghe, with Shang Qinghua, with whoever you can trust to fix it. Just because things don't go the way you initially plan doesn't mean you can't get to where you want to be in the end.

"A-Yuan doesn't have all the information, but he does have more than anyone else alive about what happened in two different… versions of my future. I love my Shizun, more than anything, and I could say that, if he made a mistake, it was assuming he knew everything and acting like he couldn't change things. So, don't do that."

Luo Binghe lightly jostled him at the end, making him smile. "I'll try."

"Husband trying is better than most other people doing."

"…Binghe, that makes no sense."

"I disagree. Lean back." Shen Qingqiu did. "After we get out, I can continue tending to husband's hair and then we can cuddle before I go make dinner?"

That sounded perfect. "You're spoiling me."

"A-Yuan deserves it and it pleases me to see him be treated as he should."

Luo Binghe raised him out of the water and seamlessly stood with him in his arms. Now with his arms and legs wrapped around him, Shen Qingqiu's face flushed with the difference in feeling between this and the princess carry. "And how's that?"

"Like my Empress."

Luo Binghe left Shen Qingqiu resting in bed to go make dinner. The man had insisted he was fine now, but Luo Binghe didn't entirely believe it.

He was furious.

How dare they make him doubt himself? He thought as he tended Shen Qingqiu's favorite comfort meal: congee. After all he's done, even now, to save them all? After everything he would go through, would sacrifice?

"A-Luo?" A high, familiar voice called out to him and he paused his work. Ning Yingying came to his side, smile on her lips but worry in her eyes.

"Shijie."

Her smile widened. "I'm pretty sure I'm your shimei, now."

Luo Binghe shook his head and dried his hands on the nearest towel. "You're always my shijie, Yingying."

He opened his arms, and she threw herself into a hug that helped soothe the seething rage inside him.

"I'm so happy for you, A-Luo," she said. "I know no one would love Shizun more than you."

Luo Binghe sighed as he pulled away. "Shijie, you can't know that."

"But I can! And I do! Shizun's happy with you in the future, isn't he?"

Luo Binghe couldn't help but smile. "Yes, he is."

"Well, that's better than I've ever seen him. The closest he gets to happy now is when he's with you, but even then you can tell that something's missing. Your love makes him happy!"

It was a childish point of view, but there was truth in it. Besides, he knows the woman this girl grew to be. Her optimism would become one of the traits that made her; that and her willingness to fight to see the best future come true. She was a perfect successor to Shen Qingqiu's tenure checkered with abuse, tragedy, and heartbreak. "Thank you, Yingying."

"Now," she sobered and ah, there was the future Peak Lord. "Why are you here making Shizun's dinner angrily?"

"…does shijie know why Shizun was upset? What did Ming Fan say to him, exactly?"

She sighed and stepped away from him. "He told him about our fight with Bai Zhan today. Shizun doesn't know the details but, a couple of them heavily implied that Shizun was, well, a monster who preyed on his disciples. They said that they were glad that they weren't chosen for Qing Jing because at least they were safe from him."

She smiled and it was cold. "So, we beat them up."

Okay, so he didn't have to go commit murder right that second. Good to know. Would have made things more difficult than they already were for Shen Qingqiu and his younger self. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me! We were happy to stand up for Shizun. People don't see it, but he really cares about us, you know?" She giggled. "Well, of course you do. Knocking some sense into Bai Zhan every now and then is the least we can do."

Luo Binghe smiled with her. "If only that worked on their Peak Lord."

Ning Yingying gaped at him. "Still, in your time? He hasn't given up?"

Finally! Someone who understood! "Shijie, you don't even know the–"

"Yingying-shijie? Shijie?" A young disciple from this year's pick whose name was escaping Luo Binghe at the moment skid to a stop in front of Ning Yingying. She seemed startled by Luo Binghe being there and greeted him with a rushed, "Shixiong!"

"Tang-shimei, what is it?"

"Shijie told this shimei to warn her if Liu-shishu came back. This shimei thinks she has spotted him! He's heading towards the bamboo house!"

Ning Yingying put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You did well, shimei." She looked at Luo Binghe. "If shijie watches the food, A-Luo will handle this?"

"Gladly." He hesitated and then gave a formal bow to Ning Yingying. "This shidi thanks shijie, for everything."

She smiled at him and it felt warm. "Anything for my shidi. Go save our Shizun."

Luo Binghe nodded and left. As he ran to the bamboo house, he thought about maybe setting up a time to have tea with Ning Yingying in his time. His shijie still cared and he owed her so much from the early days.

Then he remembered that another version of him had married her and had to shudder in revulsion. She felt far too close to his family for that to be okay.

He needed to hug Shen Yuan out of sheer gratitude for his existence soon.

Luo Binghe rushed ahead and caught Liu Qingge just as he was about to climb the stairs to the door. "Stop. My husband is resting and not to be disturbed," he said, tone welcoming no argument.

Liu Qingge turned and looked at him with suspicion. "Why would he be resting? It's nearly dinner."

"He's aware of the time," Luo Binghe narrowed his eyes at him. "But while you're here, I think we need to have a little talk."

Liu Qingge frowned at him and moved closer, thankfully away from the house. "About what? Maybe where you took him this afternoon?"

"No," and he lowered his tone, "about the fact that your disciples are out of control and beyond disrespectful to my husband."

The man looked nonplussed. "My disciples? They're nothing but polite to Shen Qingqiu."

"I bet they are in front of you. It's not like it's a secret from anyone but my husband how you feel about him." Liu Qingge's face reddened. "It's a different story when you're not around. If my husband is to be upset, I rather it not be because of what your brainless charges are saying about him."

That gave him pause. There was a lot, a lot that Luo Binghe didn't like about Liu Qingge, but he couldn't fault the man for genuinely caring about Shen Qingqiu. "What did they say?"

"What's the worst thing you can think of them saying when faced with the knowledge that he's married to me? Because that's what they said, implying he wasn't safe for children to be around."

Liu Qingge paled. "That's. That's not right."

"It's not." Luo Binghe walked forward until he was almost snarling in his face. "My husband has done more, has sacrificed more for this sect that you can ever know. I have watched him die for you worthless, ungrateful lot and have done the impossible to get him back. You want to know what we did today? We prevented a plague that would have killed hundreds of civilians at least.

"My husband is better than this Sect deserves and I would kill–"

"Binghe." Luo Binghe took a big breath and stepped back. Shen Qingqiu was standing in the open doorway, significantly underdressed in only an inner and outer robe, hair only just tied back enough to be respectable sans guan, but he wasn't about to complain considering how he'd left him. He seemed settled but was frowning at them. "That's enough."

He held out a hand and Luo Binghe came to his side. At the first touch, Shen Qingqiu cast the communication spell subtly and said silently, "I was afraid you were going to let your demonic qi leak. I'm not worth that."

"A-Yuan," he thought back at him, bringing his hand up for a kiss, "you are worth everything."

"Charmer." He turned to Liu Qingge who had approached them both and said aloud, "Was there something Liu-shidi needed?"

"…I was concerned for your safety. When I heard that you left with him," Liu Qingge said, cheeks a little red though the cause could have been a number of things, not the least of which the smile that was lingering on Shen Qingqiu's mouth or how much softer he looked while casually dressed.

Shen Qingqiu raised a brow. "Thanking shidi for his concern, but there is no place safer for this master than by Luo Binghe's side. Is there something else or…"

"Yes," Liu Qingge said, standing straighter. "In fact, there is. Could we speak privately?"

"…If shidi would like." Shen Qingqiu thought at Luo Binghe, "What did you talk about?"

Luo Binghe thought back, "You didn't hear?"

"No, I just heard voices and saw your expression then felt the need to intervene." Aloud he said, "Binghe, were you still making dinner?"

"I'll go," he said with barely a pout only to lean over and kiss Shen Qingqiu chastely. Silently, he sent, "Keep the spell going; that way if you need an out from the conversation just mentally shout and I'll play the jealous husband."

"Play?" he asked back with a shake of the head. Luo Binghe just smiled at him, shot a glare at Liu Qingge, and went on his way. He had a dinner to make, and he trusted his husband to reach out if he needed him.

And if Liu Qingge stepped over a line, well. He had a lot of practice pushing him back over it.

Forcibly.

Shen Qingqiu looked at the other Peak Lord and, ignoring the strange expression on his face, said, "Come in, shidi. This one apologizes for his manner of dress and mess of his home; this one was not expecting to entertain today. Tea?"

He walked back in and sat the table. Liu Qingge followed him in, seeming somewhat subdued. "No, thanks. I won't be here long."

"All right. How can this shixiong help?"

Liu Qingge stared at him for a minute. Shen Qingqiu busied himself with pouring his own cup of tea since the man didn't seem interested. At length, he said, "You're really not going to say anything."

"About what, shidi?"

"Just, can you drop the shidi and shixiong and all the flowery formalities for a moment? I want us to have a real, straight-forward conversation."

The man seemed flustered by his own outburst, but Shen Qingqiu only shifted to look steadily at him over his teacup. "Okay. I'm not going to say anything about what, exactly?"

"What my disciples said to yours."

Shen Qingqiu paled and put his cup down with a click. It wasn't the most elegant gesture, but it was either put it down loudly or drop it. "Right. That." He was looking at the table. "I had assumed that they were just sharing the Sect's opinion of me. That you shared it. And so we would have nothing to talk about."

"No!" Shen Qingqiu startled at the exclamation. The man was scowling. "I don't share their opinion. I don't know what's changed since we first met, but you're too kind and honorable to do as they said. I will beat them myself for sullying your honor."

"Liu Qingge," he said and it was odd, saying his name. Not bad, just odd. "They're children and children are cruel; you can't just beat them for acting as such."

"They are not children and that's not the kind of accusation you make unless you are absolutely certain of the charge. The fact that they made you think I–" He sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I know you well enough, I think. There's a lot of things not quite right with your supposed husband showing up out of nowhere, but I believe him when he says that you didn't court until he was 25 and out of the Sect."

"Oh. Thank you," he said softly. "It means a lot to me that you don't think me capable of hurting children like that."

He snorted derisively. "It's messed up that you feel the need to thank me for not thinking you a monster, but you're welcome I suppose."

Shen Qingqiu couldn't help smiling a little at him. "As you say."

Liu Qingge's cheeks reddened, and he looked away. Gruffly, he said, "I'm sorry. That they upset you and made you think I thought so poorly of you."

"Apology accepted, my friend… if it's not too bold of me to say so."

"It's not," he replied softly before looking away and clearing his throat. "About that."

"Yes?"

"Let me help you."

"…With what?"

"Changing things!" Liu Qingge said like it was obvious. "Look, your… Luo Binghe said that what you did today helped prevent a plague?"

Shen Qingqiu was honestly more concerned with preventing the attempted realm merger and making sure his disciple had living family members, but he supposed preventing the Jinlan City plague was also a consequence of those actions. "…among other things."

"That's incredible, Shen Qingqiu. And you never would have said anything, would you?"

Shen Qingqiu huffed. "Of course not. No one thanks you for preventing something no one saw coming. It's enough that it likely won't happen." That, and I'm partially the reason it happened in the first place.

"How many other things are you preventing that you're planning on never talking about?" Shen Qingqiu looked away. "That's too much for you to take on yourself. You need help; it's too important."

"I could do it!" He insisted. "And I have help! Shang-shidi had some surprising insight."

"Shang Qinghua. You're taking Shang Qinghua's help over mine." He sounded offended and, based on common knowledge of Shang Qinghua, it was a fair reaction. It didn't make sense without the knowledge that they were both transmigrators with ties to demons.

Shen Qingqiu sighed. "Liu Qingge, it's not what you think. I know you're reliable and that I could trust you to have my back."

"But?"

"But Shang Qinghua's specialty is logistics. He doesn't ask questions when I need him to do something." Shen Qingqiu hesitated but finally said, "And he's not prejudiced against demons."

Liu Qingge jerked back in surprise and Shen Qingqiu held his gaze steadily. "You don't like demons and I need to work with some of them. There are things, many things that could happen in the next ten years that would completely destroy life as we know it. Ignorance and violence in my husband's time nearly led to the–never mind." Shen Qingqiu sighed. "You know another reason I won't talk about things I hope to prevent? It's too early to tell if I succeeded. If I try to prevent something that everyone knows about and I fail, then it was my fault and people can make me the scapegoat for it, despite my intentions. Do you understand the position I'm in? Why I can't tell you, or anyone, anything that's not an immediate concern to them?"

Liu Qingge held his gaze for a moment before saying, apropos of nothing, "He said you died."

"He told you that?" Goddammit, Binghe. Now this man is never going to stop hovering. "Well, obviously I got better since we're married."

"Are you working to prevent that, or did you see yourself as an acceptable casualty?"

"I don't have a death wish, if that's what you're asking."

"It's not. I'm asking if you're taking steps to protect yourself as you bend over backwards to protect everyone else." Shen Qingqiu didn't have a good answer for that. "Did you forget the fact that you're poisoned? Are you expecting Shang Qinghua to protect you if you have a flare up?"

That irked him, his tone a little too reminiscent of another life. He did have a point and it wasn't like Shen Qingqiu was about to tell him the poison wasn't going to be a problem soon. "…how about this: there are somethings I need to handle on my own and you will respect my word when I say that I need you to stay out of a matter. Otherwise, I will rely on you when I… go do world changing things. Are you satisfied with that? And," Shen Qingqiu raised a hand to forestall him, "you should know that the other option of you not trusting me when I say to leave things alone will result in me not telling you anything. Clear?"

He pursed his lips. "Acceptable."

"Good." Shen Qingqiu smiled. "Now, was there anything else? If not, Binghe will return soon and I would like to enjoy my evening with my husband while he's here."

Liu Qingge frowned in concertation. "He's leaving soon?"

Shen Qingqiu nodded. "I think he's only here for today and my disciple will be in his place come morning."

"Oh. I'm sorry." At Shen Qingqiu's confusion, he said, "You seem to really care about him."

"Of course, I do; he's Binghe. Different, yes, entirely so and I certainly act differently with him, but he's still the same boy who lives with me now. I'm not losing him. That, and the man with me was never mine and never could be mine. He belongs with another Shen Qingqiu."

"And the Luo Binghe of now?" Liu Qingge pressed. "Do you think he belongs with you?"

Shen Qingqiu looked away and stood. "Binghe will belong wherever he chooses. The future is always uncertain. If that's all–"

"Do you need treatment for your poison?"

"Binghe treated it this morning," Shen Qingqiu lied, figuring that the more time between the cure and his next "treatment" session, the better. Mentally, he called for the man in question. "Binghe? Are you almost done?"

"Need about five minutes, A-Yuan," Luo Binghe responded instantly. "I can come now with some excuse."

Liu Qingge said, "Can I check? He had said that his Shen Qingqiu had been cured for years; he may not have done it right."

To Luo Binghe, he said, "That would be appreciated." To Liu Qingge, he replied, "He did it correctly. Believe me, he's an expert on my meridians."

Liu Qingge stood. "No, he's an expert on his husband's meridians, which are at least a decade removed from yours."

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. "He is my husband while he is here, Liu Qingge. We acknowledge each other as such."

"…Right." Liu Qingge's eyes narrowed in thought and Shen Qingqiu thought an increasingly frantic Binghe at his husband for a day. "Did he tell you about the supposed cure for your poison?"

"…I'm aware of the cure," he said. "That's one of those things you're going to have to accept me not telling you about."

"And how does that–"

"Husband!" Luo Binghe seemed to burst into the house, but Shen Qingqiu saw how closely he was observing them. The man displayed his usual thick face and picked him up into a hug, going so far as to twirl him around.

"Binghe! Put me down!" Mentally, he said, "Thank you! Put me down, though; I'm not as shameless as you."

From their positions, Shen Qingqiu was lifted up high enough that he felt far too close to the ceiling and he was looking down at Luo Binghe. The man pouted but his eyes had a teasing quality. Oh no. "You think that's shameless?" Luo Binghe silently asked. "I'll put you down."

Luo Binghe let him slide slowly down the front of his body, causing Shen Qingqiu to let out an audible gasp as his hands lingered rather pointedly on his behind. He couldn't describe how, but it felt infinitely more… sexual than even their naked bath and cuddling earlier.

"Sh-shameless," he said aloud. He wanted to do something in reprimand like flick his forehead, but he was so shaken by the overtly sexual gesture that he ended up just hiding his face behind his sleeve. He looked away from dark eyes that were now regarding him with fascination and raw want. Oh, dear.

Were they skipping dinner and going straight to dessert because oh, my.

"Disrespectful!" Liu Qingge snapped, and Shen Qingqiu startled because, much to his chagrin, he had kinda forgotten he was there.

"Liu-shishu, you're still here? I think you shouldn't be."

Shen Qingqiu looked at him and thought, "Are you trying to seduce me or drive him away?"

Luo Binghe grinned down at him and it was a hungry look. "Yes," he sent.

Shen Qingqiu glanced away and used the gesture to end the communication spell, feeling the situation could escalate if Luo Binghe could get away with just saying anything to him at the moment. He cleared his throat and was looking somewhere over Liu Qingge's shoulder as he said, "If Liu-shidi has other business, he can leave a message with my head disciple. This master must ask that he leaves and comes back another day."

"…Fine." Liu Qingge said and turned to leave. Shen Qingqiu chanced a look back at Luo Binghe and his expression made him bite his lip.

"Weren't you making food," he murmured, relaxing into Luo Binghe's embrace. "If our kitchen catches fire because you decided to play around, I will be upset."

"Don't worry; I turned off the fire in there before I left."

"It's Qingge, by the way."

"Huh?" Shen Qingqiu startled inelegantly, not expecting Liu Qingge to still be there, let alone speak to him. He looked again and he was standing in the threshold, pointedly focused on the outdoors.

"It's not Liu-shidi; use my name."

"Oh, my apologies," Shen Qingqiu said absently. Didn't realize it mattered to you. "Goodnight, Liu Qingge."

"Shen Qingqiu." More gruffly, Liu Qingge added, "Luo Binghe."

"Goodbye, Liu-shishu," Luo Binghe said in a sing song voice and Shen Qingqiu did flick him for that. "Ow, husband!"

"Don't be rude."

"Husband likes me when I'm rude," Luo Binghe said lowly in his ear as his hands moved to squeeze his hips.

Shen Qingqiu made a sound that he would prefer not to describe, but it wasn't something he wanted his work friend to hear. Liu Qingge thankfully was already out the door and moving away from the house, but it would be too convenient a moment for cultivator hearing to fail the other man.

He would have to sit across from that man at Peak Lord meetings.

Shen Qingqiu's face flared and he covered it with both hands, groaning, "Binghe, I have to work with him! How am I going to meet his eyes now?"

"A-Yuan will find a way."

Great. Something else to look forward to.

It was time.

Shen Qingqiu couldn't stop thinking about it, the last item on their "fix this timeline" agenda for the day.

Papapa.

Sex had been something other people did that wasn't something in Shen Qingqiu's grasp, so it didn't matter that it wasn't exactly on his radar. Now it was the only thing there, in bright red letters covered in glitter.

Luo Binghe had only left to clean up from their light meal and would return any second. Shen Qingqiu found himself with nothing to do and felt the nervous panic from earlier in the bath come back.

He didn't know what to do here! He was about to… about to…

System, help!

[How can this System assist Host?]

Give me something to pay attention to! That's not this!

[Would Host like to view his unread notifications?]

Yeah, sure.

To his surprise, Shen Qingqiu was greeted with damn near a wall of text detailing the number of points he received throughout the day. A special event indeed! A few more of these and he may actually be able to get the 10,000 points necessary to not push his disciple into literal hell.

Out of morbid curiosity, he checked his point count.

It was nearly 6,000! And if he got points for his first kiss and (he double checked) first make out session, then surely his next… activity would reward him as well, right?

Excited, he thought, System, it would cost 10,000 points if I didn't push Binghe into the Abyss, correct?

[Due to the nature of this Special Event and how it has changed this System's requirements for Host, the penalty for failing to get Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss is automatic account termination rather than B-points.]

Shen Qingqiu stared at the notification blankly, absently sitting on his bed.

None of their plans made sense if Luo Binghe didn't go into the Endless Abyss. They had time to prepare for it, he was allowed to help him now.

So why did learning there was no way to avoid it hurt so much?

Numbly, he went back to scrolling through his unread notifications only for one particular achievement to shock him out of his stupor.

[New Optional Hidden Route Unlocked: Scholarly Harem Master! Keep working hard to unlock new achievements and information!]

What the fuck?

System, what the hell does the Harem Master route mean? How did I possibly unlock it!? Isn't Binghe the one with the harem?

Though, now that he considered it, he would need to have words with Luo Binghe for leaving that out of the conversation if it was the case.

[Host unlocked the Optional Route: Scholarly Harem Master whilst speaking with Zhuzhi-Lang, after which the Alternate Protagonist protested Host's behavior. Both Protagonists are only romantically and sexually interested in Host at the moment. There are many individuals who are similarly situated who would, under the right circumstances, agree to join Host's harem.]

.

.

.

Nope!

He wasn't dealing with this right now, closing the interface and muting all notifications again. He was supposed to be papapa-ing with the protagonist. Binghe! How long does it take to wash dishes?! Save your husband!

Unfortunately, Luo Binghe wasn't back yet. Still! Necessity was the mother of invention!

He could… set the mood? Wasn't that a thing? The sun was going to set soon enough and they would need some light, right? Right.

Shen Qingqiu busied himself with lighting some beeswax candles, the light, sweet scent helping ease him alone. Then, figuring that he needed to be naked anyway and it was less awkward if he did it himself, Shen Qingqiu took off the bare two layers he had on, neatly folding and putting them away.

Shen Qingqiu's hair was long enough that, loose, he could almost pretend he was wearing something. He had just released his hair as he heard Luo Binghe enter the house and close the door behind him.

Nerves flooded Shen Qingqiu once more. Maybe he should put his hair back up? It could maybe get in the way if it was all over the place. Would Luo Binghe care?

He ran out of time to worry about it. Luo Binghe opened his bedroom door only to pause as they both stared at each other with wide eyes.

The other man recovered first, stepping into the room with his eyes fixed on Shen Qingqiu's body. "Husband is eager."

Shen Qingqiu opened his mouth only to find speech elusive. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I didn't know what to do. I still don't, but I thought undressing would be okay."

"More than," Luo Binghe approached him and gently cradled his face. "This Luo Binghe can't think of a more welcoming sight to be greeted with.

"A-Yuan," he said, his tone suddenly serious as he stroked Shen Qingqiu's cheek reverently. "May I make love to you?"

"Yes," Shen Qingqiu nodded, the air seemingly heavier between them. "Yes, please."

He said his last words against the other man's lips, and they kissed. Shen Qingqiu was startled by how chaste it was to start, by how the man held him so carefully and took only by giving. It was only when he opened his mouth to gasp that Luo Binghe deepened the kiss, pulling them closer together and Shen Qingqiu melted into it.

This wasn't hard. This was the easiest thing in the world with Binghe.

They kissed there, standing until Shen Qingqiu actually felt his knees get weak and sagged a bit against the other man. Luo Binghe responded by putting his hands on Shen Qingqiu's thighs. He took the hint and hopped up to wrap around him. He liked the new angle of the kiss, though he had to turn away to breathe when a thrill shot through his body as hands squeezed his ass possessively.

Luo Binghe wasn't deterred and just kissed down the side of his face. It was as he nipped at the line of Shen Qingqiu's jaw that he rather belatedly noticed they were moving. Without really tracking how, Shen Qingqiu found himself on his back on his bed, head turning to ensure that his lover had access to him.

He clung to him with arms and legs, surprised to find the weight of his body against his pleasurable in and of itself. Then all thought fled as Luo Binghe kissed along his neck, bit and sucked at the skin in a way that would surely leave a mark but Shen Qingqiu was far beyond caring if he did. He found himself holding his head in place wanting him to stay and suck harder, harder as pleasure arced down his spine and made his hips grind against still clothed flesh.

He could feel that Luo Binghe was enjoying this, could feel the intimidating length confided by clothing but ever so insistent.

He wanted nothing else between them.

"Off," Shen Qingqiu managed, hands rather clumsily pushing first at fabric then tugging at a belt.

"Alright," Luo Binghe murmured before nipping sharply at his neck. The resulting shiver kept him from physically stopping him from moving away.

While no doubt the more efficient move, the distance between them as Luo Binghe quickly pulled at the ties in his robes left Shen Qingqiu feeling exposed. Luo Binghe still stood between his splayed legs at the edge of the bed, leaving him suddenly hyper aware of how they must have looked, one clothed the other not.

Of how he must have looked, body flushed and hungry for another's touch for the first time.

Ah! How embarrassing!

In some attempt to preserve his dignity, Shen Qingqiu attempted to at least bring his thighs together under the pretext of moving further onto the bed. He had barely shifted from his spot before Luo Binghe, now as bare as him, grabbed his hips. Leaning over him, he said against his lips, "Oh no, A-Yuan. I have you right where I want you."

Luo Binghe kissed him again and thankfully all thought fled his mind. Well, all thought of shame anyway.

Because it occurred to him then that the teeth under his tongue weren't as pointy as they could be.

"B-Binghe," he panted into his mouth. "I want you."

Luo Binghe made a gratifyingly desperate sound before he put more of his weight on Shen Qingqiu, the sudden skin to skin contact making him gasp. "You have me."

"No, I meant…" Words weren't working at the moment. With some frustration, Shen Qingqiu wordlessly put up a strong but not taxing privacy barrier around the bamboo house to block qi, sound, anything from leaving. "Want you. You're not all human. I want all of Binghe."

To his utter surprise, Luo Binghe began tearing up. "A-Yuan!" he cried as he hugged him, face (as now felt customary) buried into his neck.

Shen Qingqiu sighed fondly and was helpless but to hug him back. "Why is Binghe crying?"

"Shizun really accepts me," he said. "I was worried for so long that Shizun would hate me for being a demon, but he doesn't, even now."

"Why am I suddenly Shizun again when we're like this?" Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but complain, only to think better of it. "Don't answer that. And I could never hate Binghe."

"Husband is so good to me," Luo Binghe said lowly against his neck before the sudden press of demonic qi against him caused Shen Qingqiu to shiver and cling to him. "I should be good to him, now."

Shen Qingqiu didn't think not hating him qualified as treating him well, but he quickly found himself without the wherewithal to state as much. Luo Binghe's hands began to move with purpose, caressing places that he didn't know could be pleasurable as his mouth began a devastating trip down his body.

Shen Qingqiu had never been in the habit of touching himself. On the rare occasions that he did, it was more a perfunctory release of energy and tension, a means to an end rather than the end itself. So the utter sensitivity of his body and his complete surprise over it was normal, he told himself. Because what other reason would his back arch and his voice escape him at the barest touch of his nipples? Why else would a squeeze of his thigh cause his muscles there to tense then relax as if in welcome?

He decided he needed to stop thinking and Luo Binghe was doing his best to help with that.

By the time that Luo Binghe had finished teasing his nipples and sucking marks into his torso to actually kneel on the floor between his legs, Shen Qingqiu felt beyond undone. He knew his own pillar had been leaking steadily, that he likely looked a mess, and that they hadn't even really begun! His hole, which was somehow expected to take the other man's fifth limb, was completely untouched! If he didn't get a move on Shen Qingqiu was going to finish before–

Luo Binghe grasped his pillar in one hand and licked the length of it with a deliberate flick of the tongue just under the head.

Shen Qingqiu sat up in surprise and gasped. Hand coming to Luo Binghe's hair, he stammered. "B-Binghe, I'm too, I'm too close. I'll–"

Luo Binghe's dark eyes held his gaze as he took all of him into his mouth and swallowed around him.

He came instantly, shout escaping his mouth that devolved to sobs of Luo Binghe's name as the man sucked him through it. Both hands had come to tug at Luo Binghe's hair, but the man just kept his eyes on him and moaned.

It was too much.

With one last shudder and spurt of release, Shen Qingqiu collapsed back short of breath. Luo Binghe pulled off of him and Shen Qingqiu had half a mind to scold him, but his brain was too busy reeling from the most intense orgasm of his life.

Luo Binghe hummed contentedly as he rested his head on one of Shen Qingqiu's thighs. "A-Yuan is so pretty when he comes."

He turned his head and bit at his inner thigh.

Shen Qingqiu jerked and propped himself up on his elbows, hoping that eye contact would help him convince Luo Binghe to give him a break. He gasped, "Too much."

"Not enough," he growled before sucking on the same spot, strong hands holding him in place when he would have moved away. "I want to see it again."

Shen Qingqiu's eyes widened and he was about to protest that wasn't possible when his pillar twitched at Luo Binghe's actions, still soft but apparently interested. He tried anyway. "Everything's new to me, Binghe, and I'll get overwhelmed. Have mercy on this old man."

Luo Binghe's eyes focused on him before going fully red. Shen Qingqiu felt another thrill go through him as well as a sense of vertigo (This powerful man was happily on his knees for him! What even was his life?). He absently checked the barrier he put up as his demonic husband said, "Husband is forgetting that I know how young he is and that I'm older than him. Tell me, A-Yuan: do I look merciful?"

Shen Qingqiu shook his head and swallowed hard at the arousal that rushed through him.

Luo Binghe smiled and clawed hands gently but firmly pushed his legs apart and up, forcing Shen Qingqiu flat on his back. "My mercy is reserved for you alone everywhere but here, my love."

If Shen Qingqiu felt exposed before, now he felt downright vulnerable. Their positions left him on display and wanton in a way he had never been before. When he had mentally walked himself through what preparation for their love making would be like, he hadn't prepared for this. Also, Luo Binghe still had claws, admittedly sexy but not exactly something he would want somewhere so delicate. So, if he wasn't going to finger him open, what was happening here? "Binghe, what are you–"

A wet swipe traversed his most private area, from his tailbone to his sack, and stole his words, brain essentially displaying an error message.

What.

Luo Binghe didn't give him time to reboot, mouth descending to kiss and lick his entrance. While his mind struggled to come back online, his body had no such worry, a ragged cry escaping his mouth and his hands seeking the other man. Limited as he was, Shen Qingqiu found himself with one hand again holding on to Luo Binghe's hair and the other resting atop one of Luo Binghe's. The man shifted to thread their fingers together in a surprisingly sweet gesture, completely at odds with the lewd actions of his mouth.

It was only as Luo Binghe's tongue breached him to lick inside that Shen Qingqiu's brain decided to function once more. He had been making eager noises and movements for several minutes at that point, so any protest that he wasn't enjoying this act would be laughable at best. He needed another tactic. "B-Binghe, sto–ah!" Okay, he would ignore that moan, that was fine. "It's dirty."

Luo Binghe snorted a laugh and just licked deeper into him. Shen Qingqiu bucked against him, essentially riding his face and holy shit can he even breathe down there? "S-sorry…"

Luo Binghe moaned and went at him with more gusto, claws of the hand still firmly wrapped around his thigh beginning to prick at his skin in a way that really should have been more alarming.

Instead, he moaned and his leg pressed back against the sharp points. He gasped at the rush that he felt as two barely broke his skin, though Luo Binghe immediately pulled back his hand and actually removed his head from between his legs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Shizun, I didn't mean to–"

"Huh?" Shen Qingqiu had to blink hard to clear his head from the fuzz that was filling it to try to understand what was wrong. Luo Binghe started crying again and Shen Qingqiu took the hand that had threaded itself through his hair to wipe at the man's cheek. "What's wrong?"

"I hurt Shizun again," Luo Binghe said, voice wet and Shen Qingqiu was lost.

"What are you talking about? I'm embarrassed about it but if you couldn't tell I was having a very good time," he looked rather pointedly at his now hard pillar, completely recovered and wanting.

Luo Binghe blinked at him, confused. "But I made husband bleed?"

He held up the offending claws and Shen Qingqiu understood. "Oh. I um. That's okay. I actually." He blushed but held the man's eyes, trying to reassure him. "I like it. And look, I'm not hurt."

Shen Qingqiu used a small amount of spiritual power and wiped away the beads of blood on this thigh to show smooth, unbroken skin.

"A-Yuan likes it," Luo Binghe was staring at him with a strange look on his face. "A-Yuan doesn't think this Binghe's a monster?"

Shen Qingqiu looked at him nonplussed. "Binghe's not a monster. I like that you're bigger and stronger than me. I like your eyes, your fangs, your claws, your heat. I love the energy I feel from you, that you feel like you can be like that with me." Shen Qingqiu took the hand Luo Binghe still hand between them. Slowly, deliberately, he licked the claws that had broken his skin, that he had let break his skin. "If Binghe is a monster, then he is one I want."

Luo Binghe kept staring at him, this time with astonishment and adoration on his face. Shen Qingqiu didn't think he had done anything to deserve that, so he threw caution to the wind and pulled the other man on top of him, shifting until they were both fully on the bed. "Enough stalling. Get me ready to take you, Binghe."

Luo Binghe leaned over to pick up the jar of medical unguent from the floor as he said, "Not stalling, foreplay. Isn't A-Yuan more relaxed now?"

"…Yes. I'm also impatient."

The demonic qi in the room dropped from alarming (to someone who wasn't Shen Qingqiu) to manageable and fingers rather than claws dipped into the liquid. "Impatient is good."

Before Shen Qingqiu could dispute that, Luo Binghe settled back between his thighs and kissed him. He thought about protesting then didn't see the point in it, choosing to give back as good as he got. He felt Luo Binghe's pillar twitch against his leg and gasped at the first touch of his hand to his entrance. "Cold," he managed to complain.

"I know," he said apologetically against his lips. "Relax for me."

Shen Qingqiu let out a long breath, consciously forcing any tension away from his hips, and Luo Binghe pressed in. The finger, because it had to be just one, felt like an intrusion inside him in a way that was odd, but it didn't hurt. In fact, Shen Qingqiu was surprised how easily his finger fit into his body with barely any pressure. "See," Luo Binghe said, continuously pressing kissing to his mouth, cheeks, and jaw. "Husband is ready to take this much of me already."

"Feels weird."

"Wait a little." Luo Binghe kissed him on the mouth again and stayed there as his finger began moving in and out of him, rubbing against his walls with each pass. It made Shen Qingqiu squirm though he stilled at the increased pressure of another finger entering him. He consciously relaxed again, not fighting as best he could. For his efforts, Luo Binghe lightly said, "A-Yuan is doing so well."

He blushed at the praise, though it felt unearned. "But I'm not doing anything," he said breathlessly.

Luo Binghe brushed something inside him that made his nails dig into his back and forced a startled shout from this throat. What the fuck was that? Shen Qingqiu asked himself.

Luo Binghe grinned at his confused look. "You're doing plenty."

Shen Qingqiu didn't get a chance to question that as Luo Binghe hit that point within him over and over again, fingers scissoring to open him further but never staying from that magic spot for long. It got to the point that Shen Qingqiu was getting annoyed at his own damn self and slapped a hand over his mouth in an attempt to silence his caterwauling.

"Oh, no, husband." Luo Binghe nipped at his hand. When it didn't move, he stopped working him open long enough to adjust so that his free hand was holding his wrist beside his head. "I would hear your pleasure."

"I sound ridiculous," he whimpered.

"No." Luo Binghe leaned down to whisper in his ear. He carefully slid a third finger into him as he said lowly. "A-Yuan sounds like he is enjoying himself, like he is happy to have me inside him and will be happier when he is stuffed full of my cock. He sounds like temptation made flesh, more appealing than any incubi I have ever encountered. He sounds like I could come from listening to his pleasure alone, from how it feels like he was made for this, made to receive this pleasure from me, and if I think about that too long I will come before I even make it inside his tight, perfect body."

Luo Binghe spread his fingers wide inside and Shen Qingqiu couldn't take it anymore. "Stop! Stop!" he cried. Before he could even parse the stricken look on Luo Binghe's face, he said, "I'll come. I'm too close, Binghe!"

Luo Binghe dropped his forehead to Shen Qingqiu's shoulder and whined wordlessly, hips rolling a path of devastation against his leg. "Too tempting by half," he mumbled senselessly.

Shen Qingqiu didn't have a response to that except to use his free hand to grab Luo Binghe by the hair and gently drag him up to kiss him again. They kissed for a long, languid moment, both coming down from the edge.

At length, Luo Binghe pulled away and asked, "Okay?" At Shen Qingqiu's nod, he continued, "Is A-Yuan going to be good and not muffle his sounds if I release him?"

Shen Qingqiu smirked a little. "For now. Binghe may have to hold this Shen Yuan down when he enters him properly, however."

Luo Binghe stared at him. "A-Yuan is playing with fire."

Oh, am I? He thought, mischief rising and wanting to push. He knew Luo Binghe would rather die than hurt him, so why not? Besides, when was the last time he got to troll someone? "Oh, how silly of me. Binghe will obviously want to use his hands for other things. This Shen Yuan is sure there is Immortal Binding Cable somewhere that–"

Luo Binghe silenced him with a bruising kiss that Shen Qingqiu moaned into. His hand left his body and a thrill of anticipation shot down his spine, causing him to move his hips futilely against nothing. Finally.

Shen Qingqiu surged against Luo Binghe's kiss with growing excitement only to whine as he felt his hand once more at his entrance. "Binghe…"

"Almost, husband." Three fingers pushed into him once, twice more before a fourth was added. The stretch made him shout and jolt in his hold. Shen Qingqiu was speechless, wanting to ask if this was really necessary but well. He remembered what that heavenly pillar felt like against his back, could still feel it against his leg. It was annoying, but if Luo Binghe was holding himself back for it Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but appreciate the extra care.

There was a limit, however.

It took little time for Shen Qingqiu to adjust, soon moving with the hand pumping into him. He was aware of the stretch, but it wasn't painful and he was out of patience. "Enough, Binghe. Get in me, now."

"Yes, Shizun."

Shen Qingqiu was relieved enough that he didn't protest the use of the word, but it was a near thing. Really, Binghe, this was not the time!!

He watched as Luo Binghe slicked himself up before kneeling purposefully between Shen Qingqiu's spread thighs. He had a good look at the man's pillar again and had a moment of incredulity of his position because what? Because that cannot be made to go into a human body? Because what am I doing?

"Okay?" Luo Binghe asked and Shen Qingqiu realized his face must have been something similar to the five stages of grief. Well, it was time to land on acceptance because he wasn't so much doing as being done and by a beautiful man who loved him and wanted to cure him of poisoning, no less.

"Yes," he said, doing his best to spread his thighs wider. "Come on."

Luo Binghe began pressing in and Shen Qingqiu was suddenly reminded of those breathing exercises they made people in labor do on TV because holy shit!

I am relaxing. I am relaxed! He told himself, eyes closed in concentration as he just focused on breathing and not tensing. I'm relaxed and ohmygod he's so fucking big I'm splitting in–I'm RELAXED.

Luo Binghe had paused in his forward movement and was back to kissing whatever part of Shen Qingqiu was closest. He was bent over him and there was enough of his dick still left outside that he was kissing Shen Qingqiu's chest and neck. He was mumbling something that sounded like compliments and little praises, but Shen Qingqiu wasn't big on language processing at the moment.

It took a minute or so, but Shen Qingqiu actually relaxed enough to unfurrow his brow and pet along Luo Binghe's back. The man was probably anxious as hell. "I'm okay. Was just a shock, that's all. It doesn't hurt."

"Is A-Yuan sure?" Luo Binghe asked, tears leaking from worried eyes, but his dick was still hard inside him.

"Yes. Binghe can give me more."

He gave him more. Shen Qingqiu didn't ask him to stop, even when Luo Binghe checked to see if he was still okay. It didn't hurt, but it was pressure in a way he had never felt before that was nearly painful. It was overwhelming to feel his insides be rearranged to make room for the man on top of him, reaching so far that Luo Binghe felt deep enough to choke him by the time their hips were flush together. It was new and so intimate it was nearly frightening. How the hell did people do this kind of thing with strangers?

"Does." Shen Qingqiu swallowed roughly and tried again. Voice a rasp, he asked, "Does Binghe feel good?"

Luo Binghe was panting into his neck, winded in a way he wasn't even after kicking Liu Qingge's ass earlier that day. "Yes," he said with a bite at his pulse. "A-Yuan is so soft and warm inside. So perfect. Does A-Yuan?"

"…I don't know," he said honestly. "It doesn't hurt but. It's strange. Overwhelming."

Luo Binghe hummed in understanding then moved so he could meet his gaze. His eyes were dark and focused. "Can I move? Can I make you feel good?"

"Yes."

He started to move, though not in the way Shen Qingqiu expected. He didn't move in and out of him, but rather rolled his hips against him, creating waves of sensation that left him gasping in shock, then in pleasure.

Eventually, it wasn't enough, and he gasped for more.

Shen Qingqiu shouted the first time Luo Binghe truly thrust into him.

The first time one of those thrusts hit that spot inside him, he screamed.

There was too much for him to keep track of after that.

The sound of their coupling was a symphony of obscenities: the wet squelching of the lube, the distinctive papapa of their bodies. Luo Binghe's grunts and praise and, when he had breath for it, filth. Shen Qingqiu's own cries and screams and, by the end, shameless begging.

The physicality of it was something Shen Qingqiu could never have imagined even if he had bothered reading the smut in stories. Nothing could have encompassed the space Luo Binghe made for himself inside him, the feeling of sharing his breath when they tried to kiss each other but failed, or the aching thrill of being held captive and safe while getting fucked within an inch of his sanity. Or even the rush when he realized he stumbled upon something Luo Binghe liked, or the triumph when he gave Luo Binghe so much pleasure that he began losing control, or the adrenaline of feeling like he was running for a cliff he planned on flinging himself off of.

Shen Qingqiu cried from pleasure so good that it hurt and begged Luo Binghe not to stop.

Shen Qingqiu's vocabulary had been reduced to Luo Binghe's name by the time he finally came with barely a touch to his own pillar. His scream was silent, voice stolen as he almost struggled against the intensity of it. He choked on his next inhale and the following exhale was a sob.

Luo Binghe kept fucking him through it, voice chanting variations of his name. When he finally came down, he did his best to focus on his partner, hands slipping his hold to cradle his face lovingly. "Can I?" Luo Binghe gasped. "Can I?"

Huh? Shen Qingqiu thought before realizing the silly man was waiting on permission to come. "Yes. Come inside me, husband."

With a low cry, Luo Binghe released, the warm, wet rush of it flooding him. It was immediately followed by a wave of cleansing, blinding pleasure through his entire meridian system. It made him scream.

…Did he just come again?

When he was aware of things outside of his head again, Luo Binghe was no longer inside him. Instead, he was cuddled against his side and kissing his face gently. "A-Yuan? A-Yuan, are you okay?"

"Uh huh." He absently pat the other man's head out of habit. "What was that?"

Luo Binghe grinned. "The cure, husband, plus a little spiritual energy. How do you feel?"

Shen Qingqiu frowned in concentration but… "Great. I feel great!" He called a little spiritual energy to his hands and nearly jumped out of his skin when it leaped to respond to him, the small light he meant to conjure burningly bright. What would have taken a concrete thought of command now would only take a mere intention. He dismissed it with less than that, turning with a grin to Luo Binghe. "Binghe, did you see?"

Luo Binghe was already looking at him, soft expression on his face. "Yes, I saw."

Shen Qingqiu was giddy enough to laugh. In fact, he did start laughing as he tackled the other man into a full body hug. "I feel so light! I didn't even realize how much the poison was weighing me down." He looked up and kissed him full on the mouth. "Thank you, Binghe."

"It was quite literally my pleasure, A-Yuan." Luo Binghe kissed him again and it escalated to something with intent much sooner than Shen Qingqiu expected. Beneath him, he felt Luo Binghe's heavenly pillar began to fill once more.

Well, when was the next time he would have an opportunity like this?

Shen Qingqiu broke the kiss and sat up fully, straddling Luo Binghe's torso in a position reminiscent of that morning. "I seem to have gotten a second wind." He smirked and flicked his hair over to one side of his body. Lightly digging his nails into Luo Binghe's chest and watching the other man's eyes darken, he said, "Why don't you show me what Binghe likes?"

The night was a very, very long one.

Shen Qingqiu was sure Luo Binghe was asleep, the rise and fall of his chest steady and slow. They were both exhausted from the rounds of papapa and clean up (which included using spiritual energy to heal any marks left behind and dressing on Shen Qingqiu's end). He wanted to be asleep, should have been asleep, but something was keeping him awake. It felt like desperation and loss.

It felt like goodbye to the first person who he had allowed to see him, as Shen Yuan, since he had transmigrated.

Shen Qingqiu was painfully familiar with enjoying what you could while it lasted because virtually nothing was forever, and he was used to working on a short time frame. But this loss was hard because–

"I think I love you," he whispered, the words breathed into existence but barely audible.

There was no reaction from Luo Binghe, the man was truly asleep. Shen Qingqiu didn't know if his relief or disappointment was stronger.

Shen Qingqiu resisted the urge to cuddle closer to him and just tried to relax into the warmth of him while he had it. He savored the luxury of being against someone he cared for, knowing it was a feeling he wouldn't have again for years, if at all.

He didn't know how his Binghe would react to everything. He didn't know if his disciple would end up still wanting him. But if he did, if he loved him even a fraction as much as the Luo Binghe beside him loved him, no matter what timeline…

Shen Qingqiu would never take him for granted and do his best to love him back as he deserved. Because being loved like this and losing it?

He could only brace himself for the ache and know it wouldn't be enough.

It was on that thought that he finally drifted into dreams, unfelt tears escaping his eyes.

Notes:

LBH: Is he bothering you, king?

SQQ: …I don't know if teaching you memes is a good idea, but yes, he is.

LBH: Say no more. *Pulls out Zheng Yang*

SQQ: Binghe, no! Not in the house!

LQG: ???

It's been a while since I wrote smut, so hopefully it's okay. Sorry to end here on a sadder note, but not really because that was always the plan. Reminder this is a fix-it arc and SQQ and LBH have HEAs of their own! I was sick for a while there and my brain only wanted to give me sequel information rather than sex, which is why this took forever. Alas! Only an epilogue left for this one! I might put off posting until the first chapter of the Bingqiu exclusive sequel is done...

Comments and kudos are love!

Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Notes:

Shen Yuan is a nice person, but he's about to start stabbing people.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SHORT *sobs*

Constantly astonished by how much love this fic got. Was going to wait to post until the first part of the sequel was done, but then I hit 1k kudos. As thanks for the support, here's the end of this story!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Shen Qingqiu woke up with the familiar warmth of a large body pressed against his. He snuggled into his husband, savoring through the fog of sleep the rare luxury of waking up first. He heard the sounds of normal birds greeting the day or whatever it was birds did and knew he was on Qing Jing Peak.

Wildlife sounded a bit more… wild in the demon realm. That and most demonic beasts were unwilling to approach the palace with the wards Luo Binghe maintained.

Though, weren't they supposed to be there now? He could have sworn…

The day before came rushing back to him and Shen Qingqiu sat up abruptly, adrenaline swamping his system as he looked over his husband. Despite being a light sleeper, Luo Binghe barely stirred at the jostling, mumbling something that sounded like husband before stilling again.

What the hell?

"Binghe! Binghe, are you okay?"

"Hm?" Luo Binghe blinked his eyes open lazily. He smiled in that adoring way of his once he registered Shen Qingqiu. "Good morning, husband. Would Shizun like breakfast now?"

…he was kinda hungry, but that wasn't his biggest concern at the moment. "Breakfast can wait. Is Binghe well? I was worried yesterday."

Luo Binghe found his hand and lifted it to his lips. "This Binghe is fine and happy to be back in his own time. Binghe missed his Shizun."

"Did you now?" Shen Qingqiu said archly. "I would have thought you were too busy having fun with another me."

"Shizun!" Luo Binghe protested, tears springing to his eyes. "I love A-Yuan in any form, and he was no different. You're my Shizun; of course I miss you when we're not together.

"Does Shizun think he is so replaceable to me? Does he think I don't love him more than anything?"

Shen Qingqiu sighed and moved to pat his head. "Apologies, Binghe. I am not used to anyone sharing your attention and it bothered me more than I thought. I know you love me. You're not usually so tired in the morning and I figured that you likely took the time to cure him of poisoning."

"…Yes," Luo Binghe said with some hesitation, sitting up now, too. "Husband is my Hall Pass, as you say."

"I never expected you to get to use that one," Shen Qingqiu grumbled with a pout. "You don't… prefer him to me, right?"

"No! I could never desire anyone above you!" Luo Binghe seemed insulted enough that Shen Qingqiu had no choice but to believe him.

But something still itched at his brain, an instinct stirred that he couldn't ignore. He was not the last person to give his husband pleasure and that was fundamentally a crime to him. Luo Binghe was his, dammit.

"Oh?" Shen Qingqiu leaned forward and used a hand to push Luo Binghe down. He crawled until he was straddling him, face hovering over his own. "Do want me still? Are you mine?"

The man beneath him whimpered and Shen Qingqiu smirked, thrilled at his response to so little. "Yes, please, yes."

Shen Qingqiu put a hand to the back of Luo Binghe's hair and made a fist of it, causing his husband to expose his entire neck to him with a gasp, his hands resting beside him like a good boy. Shen Qingqiu leaned closer and stared into his dark eyes as he demanded softly against his lips, "Prove it."

It was quite some time before they left the bed.

Shen Qingqiu was not awake. The light making its way past his closed eyelids was too weak for it to be a concern and his body was physically exhausted enough to make resistance to sleep futile.

If only his pillow would stop moving.

He groaned low in his throat in protest, arm tightening around the body beside and partially under him. He was seeking warmth and comfort more than anything, but something about the situation bothered him.

…The body beside him.

Oh, it was just Binghe.

"Sleep, Binghe," Shen Qingqiu grumbled, tucking himself closer to him and nuzzling his… shoulder? Chest?

Had Luo Binghe worn clothes to sleep?

With a strange hesitance, arms slowly came around to embrace him. Was he smaller?

"Shizun…"

"Not Shizun," he whined. He irritably turned his face into Luo Binghe's chest, fighting being awake because he was tired, okay? And he'd earned his rest after–

"A-Yuan?"

The name was a question and Shen Qingqiu froze because that was not the voice he was expecting to hear. Or, rather, it was exactly the voice he should have known would answer.

Shen Qingqiu finally opened his eyes and found himself wrapped around not his husband but his disciple.

Oh, shit.

Well, he was awake now.

"Binghe… knows my name?" That so wasn't the point! Shen Qingqiu blushed and made to pull away from the boy. Looking away, he started, "That's not– this master apologizes, Binghe. He took liberties that were not his to take."

"No!" Luo Binghe surged forward to hug him. Taken off guard, Shen Qingqiu fell backwards and landed with a grunt. Luo Binghe propped himself up on his hands so that he was over Shen Qingqiu as he said, "This Binghe wants A-Yuan to take every liberty with him. This Binghe has learned much in the past day and has never been more sure of his desire to court and marry A-Yuan."

Shen Qingqiu could only stare at him with wide eyes, not quite aware enough to process this. "Oh."

The boy wasn't done. He straightened to kneel beside him and said seriously, "This Binghe understands A-Yuan's aversion to his advances now due to his age and position. Shizun's older self-explained that very clearly to this one and this Binghe would never want to make A-Yuan uncomfortable. But he could never pretend not to admire and esteem A-Yuan above all others, nor that the highest honor this Binghe can conceive of is becoming his husband.

"Is this…" Luo Binghe seemed to steady himself and he took a deep breath. "Is this Binghe wrong to hope that A-Yuan could share his regard in the future?"

That was… rather a lot for Shen Qingqiu to take in first thing in the morning. Still, his heart softened at the boy's earnestness and he was grateful he had an answer prepared. He sat up so they were of an equal height and smiled.

"Binghe is not wrong to hope at all." The smile he got in return melted him and he couldn't help reaching up to pat his head. "We have much to speak of, but Binghe should know a couple of things. First, no one else can hear you call me by my name. That's just for us and if they know I am not Shen Jiu, that could cause a lot of problems. Understood?"

Luo Binghe nodded, and Shen Qingqiu continued petting his hair. The boy endearingly leaned into the touch. "Second, I made a promise to the older Binghe yesterday that I intend to keep with you. I vow that, when Binghe emerges from the Abyss, if he is still interested in courting this Shen Yuan, then I will accept his courtship in good faith, no matter my relationship to other people or circumstance."

Luo Binghe gasped then he lunged to hug him again. Shen Qingqiu braced for it this time and managed to hug him back. "Thank you. Thank you, A-Yuan."

Shen Qingqiu heard a now familiar sniffling and sighed. "Why is Binghe crying? I would have thought he would be happy."

"This disciple is! This Binghe was afraid for so long to tell Shizun that he was a demon, was afraid that he would hate him. The fact that Shizun will consider this one for his husband in the future with full knowledge of this one's family brings tears of joy to this one's eyes."

Ridiculous boy, he thought, immeasurably fond. Though I do understand why Liu Qingge asked to drop the formalities; in casual conversations, it really was awkward. "Well, if Binghe is to cry, I would always prefer it be from joy rather than despair. And, considering we're… like this…"

In their inner robes. In his bed.

They really shouldn't be like this, holy shit.

Shen Qingqiu cleared his throat and gently. "We can continue speaking once we dress for the day. We have much to cover."

The boy paled then flushed before scrambling to leave. "Of course, Shizun! This one apologizes."

"Bing–" The boy had fled the room before he tell him there was no need to apologize. "Never mind then."

Despite the early hour and some lingering… aches, Shen Qingqiu was in a good mood as he dressed. His body was buzzing but relaxed and the loneliness he feared experiencing now that he was without a husband again, absent.

As he sat at his dressing table to wrestle with his hair, Shen Qingqiu was startled by a knock at his bedroom door. "A-Yuan?"

"Yes, Binghe? You can come in." His door open and revealed his disciple, ready for the day with a hopeful look on his face. "What is it?"

"May this Binghe help A-Yuan with his hair?"

It was the first time Luo Binghe took the initiative to actively seek out the task, but it wasn't as if he would ever turn down help. "If Binghe would like."

The boy smiled like he had given him a gift and strode over to him. "Thanking A-Yuan for the privilege."

Perfect, now they could continue their conversation. "As I was going to say before, Binghe need not speak so formally with me in private. To hear how you say my name surrounded by formalities is odd."

Perhaps it was inappropriate to allow him to be so casual with him in the first place, but Shen Qingqiu didn't have the heart to stop him. He liked hearing his name and being reminded he was his own person, knowing that someone else valued him for that. Plus, Shen Qingqiu was going to put the boy through so much with the Abyss that allowing this relatively small impropriety seemed reasonable.

Speaking of which…

"This… I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask." Luo Binghe went to pick up a comb. Shen Qingqiu turned so he was facing him and grabbed his hand. "First, before anything else, I must to apologize to you, Binghe."

The boy was surprised. "A-Yuan has nothing to apologize for."

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. "I am interested to hear how my other self explained things to you, but I want you to know that it would never be my choice to hurt you. Never. But I." He looked down at his lap. "If Binghe fails to go into the Endless Abyss in a year's time, I will die. I would avoid it if I could but–"

"No." Luo Binghe kneeled in front of him and Shen Qingqiu looked up to see the Protagonist's Look of Determination on his face. "A-Yuan must not die, especially for the sake of this Binghe."

"I'm not planning to," he soothed.

"Neither did Yuan-ge." The boy froze, cheeks heating, and Shen Qingqiu couldn't help grinning.

"You called him Yuan-ge? Binghe, that is adorable!" Shen Qingqiu said. "Ah, it's so nice to say that out loud without seeming odd. Binghe often does cute things and I could never say!"

"A-Yuan!" Luo Binghe's face was fully red at this point, expression mortified before he hid behind his hands. It was all Shen Qingqiu could do not to laugh.

He may have loved adult Binghe, but he was so, so happy to have this white lotus back with him.

He pet the boy on the head, causing him to look up at him. "I'm glad to have my Binghe back. I missed him yesterday."

Luo Binghe looked at him like he had done something amazing. "I missed A-Yuan, too."

Luo Binghe was very happy.

He had once more woken beside Shen Qingqiu, no Shen Yuan, and this time it was the Shen Yuan of his time! And while he was actively Not Thinking about why his other self was sleeping with his Shizun, he was thrilled to have the man wrapped around him when he woke up.

No really. All of him was thrilled. Which made getting out of bed imperative.

But Shen Yuan–he couldn't think of the man as Shen Qingqiu when they were alone like this and Luo Binghe could tell just how much softer he was now that he wasn't pretending to be Shen Jiu–thankfully hadn't noticed. And had said that he agreed to court and (possibly) marry him in the future!

And then later! He called him!! His Binghe!!!

This was the best day of his life.

Sure, he was a little embarrassed by the fact that he thought he was oh so cute. And, now that that they were beginning to go over what each of them learned about the future over breakfast, the task before them seemed daunting. But anytime he started to feel discouraged or overwhelmed, he just needed to remember waking up next to a naked Yuan-ge the day before, being called husband, or having a half-asleep A-Yuan tell him by name to go back to sleep while cuddling closer in bed, or hearing his A-Yuan calling him his Binghe, and then everything felt alright.

Something was bound to come and ruin it.

They were talking over a light breakfast, Luo Binghe going through the narrative and back stories that Yuan-ge had given him, when a strange look came over Shen Yuan's face. He held up a hand to stop Luo Binghe and said, "Someone's at the barrier and not going away. We may need to pause a moment, Binghe."

"Of course, A-Yuan." Like Luo Binghe would say no to spending more time alone with him in the future.

"Remember, don't use my name if you even doubt that it's not just us, alright? I'm still your Shizun and," he winced, "it would be bad for reasons not related to my transmigration status if others heard you speak to me so casually."

"Understood, Shizun." He didn't really, but no need to bring attention to it now. He got the important part: A-Yuan felt he could only be A-Yuan with him. He would rather die than betray that trust. "Should this disciple open the door?"

Shen Yuan frowned then sighed. "Might as well. Thank you."

Sounds from the outside returned as Shen Yuan dropped the barrier around the bamboo house and Luo Binghe watched some… personality leave his face. No, maybe not personality. Ease?

His Shizun sat there looking poised and elegant, the picture of scholarly beauty, and Luo Binghe hated it, just a little. While he rejoiced that Shen Yuan felt he could relax around him, he despaired that the man he loved needed to hide himself from the rest of the world.

Maybe there was one good side to that: if Shen Qingqiu was any friendlier to Liu Qingge, the man would never leave.

Bothered, Luo Binghe opened the door to the house to find the Sect Leader with his hand raised to knock. The other man seemed surprised and none to happy to see him. "This Luo Binghe greets the Sect Leader. Does Sect Leader Yue have a message to deliver to Shizun?"

"…Luo Binghe. I delivered a message to your Shizun yesterday and need to speak to him about it. Let me through."

Luo Binghe felt his hackles rise. Before he could respond he heard Shen Yuan sigh behind him. "It's okay, Binghe. You can let him in."

"Yes, Shizun," he said, if only to make it clear which of them he was obeying. He moved aside and watched as Yue Qingyuan entered. When he turned back to his Shizun, he mentally switched back to acknowledging him as Shen Qingqiu. His face was as cold as Luo Binghe had ever seen it, far too reminiscent of when he called Shen Jiu his master.

Something had happened between them to make his teacher no longer like Yue Qingyuan.

Interesting.

Shen Qingqiu rose and bowed slightly. "This shidi greets this shixiong. How may this shidi assist the Sect Leader so early in the morning?"

Luo Binghe blinked at the borderline rude wording. Oh, shit, Shen Qingqiu was more than unfriendly to Yue Qingyuan; he was annoyed, too. What had he missed?

"…Qingqiu-shidi," Yue Qingyuan greeted gruffly and Luo Binghe marked the absence of the diminutive name that he often used for Shen Qingqiu. "With your disciple answering the door, I assume his older counterpart is gone."

"Yes. This master is grateful his disciple returned safely to this time."

"Is this your answer to my message, then?"

Shen Qingqiu stilled for a moment before saying calmly. "This master must apologize for being too busy to read Sect Leader's missive yesterday. What were its contents?"

Yue Qingyuan didn't answer. After a long moment, Shen Qingqiu blanched and said, "Binghe, on my desk there should be two missives. Bring them to me?"

"Yes, Shizun."

Luo Binghe walked quickly to the other room and heard Shen Qingqiu ask in a low voice, "What has Zhangman-shixiong done?"

"Nothing that shouldn't have been done long ago. Why did Qingqiu-shidi have a privacy barrier up when I arrived?"

"We were speaking of things that should not be overheard."

"So, he did go to the future. The one where you are married."

"What does that have–" Luo Binghe re-entered the room to see Shen Qingqiu's eyes narrowed at Yue Qingyuan, both of them still standing and the air between them nearly hostile. He presented the scrolls to Shen Qingqiu, one of them with a blue ribbon and the other carrying the Sect's official seal. "Thank you, Binghe."

"This disciple is happy to assist."

Yue Qingyuan gave him a near scathing glance and Luo Binghe put the pieces together.

He was jealous. Yue Qingyuan, Leader of the great Cang Qiong Sect, was jealous of him, a mere disciple.

Luo Binghe needed to talk to someone who could fill him in because what had happened? Not because he didn't know why the other man was jealous (that was rather obvious), but he rather wanted whatever details he could get on what his older self had done to provoke him, partially for the entertainment value but mostly because he was the one who had to live with the fallout.

Then again, maybe Luo Binghe had the answers already, written on a scroll he had found hidden with his disciple robes.

Oblivious, Shen Qingqiu put the message with the ribbon in his sleeve and unrolled the one from Yue Qingyuan. Luo Binghe watched carefully as the man paled further, mouth pinched and eyes narrowed as he read on silently. When he got to the bottom, his hands tightened in what seemed to be an involuntary manner, crinkling the paper loudly.

When he was finished, Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes and seemed to be taking deep breaths, obviously upset in a way Luo Binghe hadn't seen from him before. He took a tentative step forward. "Shizun?"

Shen Qingqiu's eyes snapped to him, gaze sharp enough that Luo Binghe couldn't help flinching. That made the other man frown sadly and his voice was a gentle apology as he said, "Binghe, could you please go and find some of your martial siblings to explain the changes to the examination schedule? I need to speak to the Sect Leader in private."

"Yes, Shizun. Please allow this disciple a moment to grab some study materials from his room."

Shen Qingqiu's expression softened minutely, but it was enough to put Luo Binghe at ease. "Of course, grab what you need."

"Thanking Shizun." Luo Binghe hurried away and grabbed some materials that may have been useful from his room, but was mostly concerned with the mysterious scroll. He had a feeling it was from his older self.

He could find out about the exam later. Whatever advice the other him had to impart that was important enough to put it in a place only Luo Binghe would see was urgent enough to inspect the moment he was truly alone.

Luo Binghe returned back to the main room to find Shen Qingqiu glaring at Yue Qingyuan, mouth pinched and hand damn near crushing his fan. He was uneasy about leaving them together like this, but he could do nothing but obey the order to leave. He bowed low to Shen Qingqiu and Shen Qingqiu alone. "Shizun. Sect Leader."

Luo Binghe left the house, closing the door behind him. Rather than starting down the path to where the rest of the disciples resided, he turned towards the narrow footpath through the bamboo grove. He walked for a good fifteen minutes before he came across a nearly hidden path towards a small clearing he often escaped to when he wanted solitude. It was early enough that some dew lingered on the grass but a boulder to the side was dry.

He perched himself on it and took out the scroll. Familiar, if more practiced, handwriting greeted him.

Luo Binghe,

Read this alone, memorize its contents, then burn it. This is for your eyes only.

If you're reading this, then we have returned to our own times and I have no doubt my husband has told you what information he thought was useful in helping you have an easier path than we did. I did the same for the A-Yuan of this time, though I'm sure what my husband and I think is important differs slightly.

There are things that I never have told my husband and refuse to tell A-Yuan about my past that you must know. They weren't in the Abyss with me and, while they love us both, neither of them could save us from that fate.

I am cooking A-Yuan dinner now and have limited time. Before you read this all, know I want you to avoid the mistakes I made. I envy the certainty you will have of Shizun's love for you as I spent many years thinking he despised me above all others, but losing him is a pain I would never wish upon my worst enemy, let alone another version of myself. There is a way to bring him back using the Holy Mausoleum, but it is better if you avoid needing it altogether.

In addition to things about the Abyss, I have included a brief list of people to watch out for and why, a few pieces of advice for being in a relationship with Shizun, and some observations from our experiences today. It's not that I don't think A-Yuan wouldn't tell you things, only that he is not the most understanding when it comes to how people react to him.

That said, everything below is offered freely. I've come to understand today just how different my husband and your A-Yuan are for all that they are the same person. Time and hurt reshaped my husband, so take my advice about him with some caution.

What followed was a long list of information that would take him days to memorize, but he knew it was important. He blanched and felt nauseous while reading about the Endless Abyss and what his counterpart had endured, even in this shorthand. He found himself laughing and sighing at times at Luo Binghe's writing about their shared love.

When he got to his account of the day before, a lot more things about what he witnessed with Yue Qingyuan made sense and he could guess what had made Shen Qingqiu so angry. He couldn't help but groan at the news that Shen Qingqiu had possibly picked up another suitor in the form of his own cousin and then fret at the revelation that he had been made aware of everyone's interest in him. The one thing Luo Binghe had been able to rely on was his obliviousness! Now what was he going to do!?

The writing had changed quality, becoming more rushed after that as his older self quickly explained how and why Shen Qingqiu had been upset the night before. He shared the man's outrage over the incident and mentally prepared himself for a year of defending Shen Qingqiu's honor against rumors he was at the center of. He only mentioned his run in with Liu Qingge before quickly finishing the letter.

Last major thoughts as A-Yuan must be wondering where I am:

Stop pretending to be incompetent when training with Shizun. It made him worry that we were clumsy and going to get ourselves killed in the Abyss. If you want physical affection, it often works to just ask if you're alone.

Do not destroy Xin Mo. If your timeline is like mine, at some point when you're 25/26, the Luo Binghe who tortured and killed Shen Qingqiu will come to your timeline. Fighting him without it is doable, but it was too close. He is going to try to take Shizun; don't let him.

"What the fuck." Luo Binghe said quietly at the last line. Shen Qingqiu would have had a fit if he had heard it, but Luo Binghe felt it was warranted. How could a venomous beast in the Abyss warrant a detailed description but not an incident that almost lost him Shen Qingqiu to a man who had managed to successfully kill him!?

Xin Mo can be managed; just remember what you value over power.

Hope this helps! Please don't hate me for curing A-Yuan of his poison!

Lord Luo Binghe

Bastard, Luo Binghe thought at the last line. I was doing fine until you reminded me.

Luo Binghe sighed and did his best to push the thought out of his mind. He had a job to do.

Meng Mo, he called mentally.

What is it, kid?

Did you read this with me?

The demon came to the forefront of his mind's eye, seemingly curious. No. What is it?

A letter from my older self. It has some information about the demon realm that I don't understand, as well as some gossip that I figure is more meaningful to you rather than me at the moment. Could you help me memorize it? I need to burn it as soon as possible.

Meng Mo raised his eyebrows and mimed getting a closer look. Finally, you show interest in things that actually matter. Let's get started.

Shen Qingqiu waited about 5 seconds after he stopped being able to hear Luo Binghe's footsteps before he said, voice low, "This Shen Qingqiu does not even know where to begin."

Yue Qingyuan sighed like Shen Qingqiu was the one out of line here. "Shidi, it's past time. He never should have been here in the first place."

"Which Sect Leader could have protested at any point in the past year and a half. But, no, this Qingqiu receives an order for Luo Binghe's removal to the dorms yesterday of all days? Does Yue Qingyuan realize just how insulting this is?" Shen Qingqiu was shaking in rage because how dare he?

How dare he!?

"There is no insult in fixing a mistake."

"A mistake. A mistake! Enlighten this lowly one, Sect Leader, but how was ensuring Luo Binghe was properly housed when it was clear that he was being bullied out of a bed before my qi deviation a mistake?

"Actually, let's talk about my behavior before my qi deviation. If there was ever a time for Sect Leader to intervene, it was then, when this Qingqiu was abusing his disciple for reasons that escape him now. How was beating him and sabotaging his learning acceptable while him living here and living well is not? Because Sect Leader had to have known, even if I can personally no longer recall."

Yue Qingyuan closed his eyes and looked away from him, silent. "I am expecting an answer, Yue Qingyuan!"

"Xiao-Jiu had–"

"That is not my name!" Shen Qingqiu shouted and a sudden rush of spiritual energy responding to his emotions dizzied him. He stumbled backwards and Yue Qingyuan was suddenly at his side, doing his best to hold him steady. "Get off of me," he snapped, jerking away with a hand raised towards the wall to catch himself if needed.

Yue Qingyuan seemed particularly pathetic as he slowly lowered his helping hand. "Qingqiu-shidi had experienced many hardships growing up. He may not remember but it caused him to lose his temper more often than not. A bit like this, actually."

Shen Qingqiu didn't like the contemplative look on the man's face. "Believe me, Sect Leader, this is me holding onto my temper. I rather think you won't like me when I'm truly angry."

Calm down, some rational corner of his brain reminded him. He closed his eyes and breathed. I need to calm down. I'll have enough issues without having the Sect Leader end his weirdly preferential treatment of me. I can't afford to have my freedom limited with everything I need to do. It's not worth it.

Good points, self, but also fuck this guy.

When Shen Qingqiu opened his eyes Yue Qingyuan was looking at him like his very existence hurt him. He wasn't calm, exactly, but he was in control. "Answer me this, Sect Leader. Why is it no longer fine for Luo Binghe to live here? If it was truly inappropriate, it never should have been allowed in the first place. If you think he is suddenly a danger to me, I will have to laugh. If you think I am suddenly a danger to him, well," Shen Qingqiu sneered, "I would be incredibly insulted and would have to ask you to leave my Peak immediately. So, what is the reason? Why are you kicking Luo Binghe out of his home? And why did you get several of our martial siblings to sign off on this farce as well?"

That was the detail that had nearly sent him over the edge when he had seen it. Most of his fellow Peak Lords probably didn't particularly care about what they were signing off on, though he was pleased to see neither Liu Qingge nor (surprisingly) Shang Qinghua's name on the list. But the fact that Yue Qingyuan had taken such a step in such a short time frame was extremely telling.

If the others were aware of what they were signing, well. He would have to go back to the idea that Liu Qingge was in the minority and the rest of the Sect really thought he was a pedophile. The thought hurt more than he expected.

Yue Qingyuan sighed again. "Does Qingqiu-shidi think that the news of him marrying his disciple won't spread? That the rumor would not be twisted in the telling? It was never appropriate, but Luo Binghe living with Qingqiu-shidi was relatively harmless. Now allowing him to stay with shidi damages the Sect's reputation."

"So now I'm a liability to the Sect. For something I haven't even done."

He frowned, but his eyes were sad. "That's not what I said, Xi- Qingqiu-shidi."

"That's what I heard. Because does Sect Leader really think that moving Luo Binghe out of my home will not cause rumors?"

"Better than the alternative."

Shen Qingqiu was a bit calmer with an explanation, but he couldn't not fight this. He owed it to both himself and to Binghe to fight this. "Tell this shidi: has Sect Leader always cared about rumors spoken when related to this person? Has Sect Leader always let them sway him so easily?"

"Of course not," Yue Qingyuan said. Bullshit, Shen Qingqiu thought. "This shixiong has always sought to protect both the Sect and Qingqiu."

Even when you shouldn't have, he thought, the casual address bothering him but it was better than Xiao-Jiu.

After a moment of silence, Yue Qingyuan continued. "Why is Qingqiu-shidi so opposed to this?"

Shen Qingqiu held his gaze, but it was difficult. "Binghe helps this one with things around the house. This master has come to rely on his disciple for assistance."

He's the only one that knows me. He's been there for me, kept me company when I didn't even know I needed it. He makes me feel like I'm here for a reason, not just some cruel twist of fate.

"Is that all he does? Help?" Yue Qingyuan asked quietly, like his answer would be shameful and, oh look, there was his temper again.

"What else would he be doing? He is sixteen."

"Qingqiu-shidi says that like it makes him a child. Sixteen is not so young."

"Get out," Shen Qingqiu demanded. "I cannot believe– Binghe said explicitly yesterday that I didn't even let him court me until he was twenty-five years old and yet you would say such a thing?!"

Yue Qingyuan said blandly, "Things change with knowledge. Qingqiu-shidi let that man touch him casually in a way this one had never imagined yesterday. And they disappeared together for long periods of time, both on and off the Peak."

If Shen Qingqiu didn't have a role to play, his jaw would have been on the floor. "Are you kidding me? You're conflating what I would do with a twenty-seven-year-old adult with what I would do with a teenage disciple under my care? And how do you even know about– are you spying on me?"

Yue Qingyuan froze, like he finally realized he'd said something he shouldn't have. "Not on Qingqiu-shidi, no. But there was a strange man claiming impossible things alone with the Sect's second-ranked Peak Lord. It would have been irresponsible to leave him unmonitored."

Bull. Shit! Shen Yuan would have paid good money to retcon cursing being part of Shen Qingqiu's character. Alas, he was left only with cutting statements. "So the second-ranked Peak Lord is not enough? Do everyone's guests get this treatment? Because what Binghe claimed wasn't impossible to believe if anyone looked at him, clearly just a grown version of my disciple.

"Or was it not the time travel that struck Yue Qingyuan as impossible?" Shen Qingqiu asked lowly, vicious in his preciseness. Yue Qingyuan flinched. "You know, my husband said something to me yesterday. My husband told me that Sect Leader would try to take my disciple away, would try to separate us. I told him that Sect Leader wouldn't dare, that he would have no motive. But my husband thought differently."

"He's not Qingqiu's husband," Yue Qingyuan finally snapped.

"And why not?" Shen Qingqiu shot back. "We called each other such. He bowed to a man named Shen Qingqiu. He knew things about me only my spouse could know. He was extremely familiar with my–"

Yue Qingyuan was suddenly in his face, crowding him against the wall. "He is not your husband."

"The Luo Binghe of now isn't. But the Luo Binghe who was here yesterday was, as far as I am concerned. And my husband said that you would take away my disciple because you were jealous, because you wanted to be my husband instead. Do you know what I said in response?"

Yue Qingyuan was still in his space, was still crowding against him. If the adult Luo Binghe had been in his place, he perhaps would have felt more amorous. Now? All he felt was violence. "What did Qingqiu say?"

"I said that there was no possible way you were interested in courting me. If Yue Qingyuan had any interest in this one, it would only be his Xiao-Jiu and not Shen Qingqiu. Sect Leader would only be courting a ghost because Xiao-Jiu doesn't exist anymore."

Yue Qingyuan blanched and stumbled away from him. Shen Qingqiu steeled his spine and said with cold eyes, "I don't remember who I was before the qi deviation, but I won't make his mistakes. Having horrible things happen to you does not excuse being a horrible person. Maybe I didn't have the tools I needed to be better, maybe the past held me so tight that I couldn't move forward. But in forgetting, maybe I'm finally able to move on and live in the present. I want to live in the present. I don't know what Yue Qingyuan wants from me, but I do know I refuse to go back.

"I'm ready to leave the past behind. The question is: are you?"

The other man seemed stricken and moved further away from him until he was across the room. He shook his head numbly. "Shen Qingqiu's capacity for cruelty remains untouched by memory loss."

"Is it cruelty, or just a truth that you didn't want to acknowledge?" Shen Qingqiu opened his fan and raised it to his face, cursing himself internally. He had said far more than he had meant to, and it was time to end this before he said more damning things. "This shidi must ask Zhangmen-shixiong to kindly leave his Peak."

Yue Qingyuan didn't move, only stared at him searchingly. "This shixiong did not want this conversation to end as such."

"This one fails to comprehend what Zhangmen-shixiong expected when sending such an order but what's done is done. Leave. The Sect Leader is no longer welcome on Qing Jing Peak for anything other than official business than cannot be otherwise handled by missive."

Yue Qingyuan opened his mouth again but closed it when Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes at him. "Very well." The man started walking towards the door and Shen Qingqiu watched him, moving only his eyes to track him like a predator.

Yue Qingyuan opened the door and paused. Then he said, "Peak Lord Shen must have Luo Binghe in a regular dormitory no later than one day after his upcoming examination."

So generous, Shen Qingqiu thought sarcastically. Out loud, he merely said, "This shidi will see Zhangmen-shixiong at the next Peak Lord meeting."

The Sect Leader finally left him alone and Shen Qingqiu was set adrift for a moment, numbly sitting back at the table where the remnants of breakfast still waited to be cleared. The totality of the argument began to hit him in waves.

The System was blinking in the corner of his vision with a notification.

[Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Important things must be said three times! 250 B-points for confronting Yue Qingyuan about the past! Optional Quest: I've Got 79 Problems – 30% Complete!]

What the fuck?

He closed the interface, the total number of B-points he had accumulated mocking now that the 10,000-point threshold meant nothing to him.

Shen Qingqiu did a quick check with his qi to make sure no one was within earshot of the bamboo house. Then the put his head in his hands and let out one earned and heartfelt, "Fuck."

Luo Binghe was having a great morning.

He had never known his husband to be particularly jealous. Possessive, perhaps to a minor extent, but jealous? Not to his memory.

Turns out that was likely because Luo Binghe never gave him a reason to be.

To be sure, the last thing he wanted to do was upset Shen Qingqiu and he was sad that his husband doubted, even for a moment, that he was the center of Luo Binghe's existence. That said, he couldn't pretend that having his husband dominate him as he rarely does first thing in the morning didn't leave him with some pep in his step.

Plus, it looked like he actually was welcoming Luo Binghe's pampering!

Not once did Shen Qingqiu turn down his offers to help him bathe or dress following their morning intimacy. He simply relied on Luo Binghe with a smile and soft eyes in a way that made his chest warm.

His mood did not go unnoticed, though it wasn't like he was trying to hide it.

Over breakfast (that he had made and Shen Qingqiu was happily devouring), his husband asked, "What is Binghe smiling about?"

"Shizun was so good to this husband today, he cannot help but be happy."

The man blushed cutely and hid behind his fan. "This master didn't do anything special."

"But this morning in bed Shizun told me to–"

"Shameless!" Shen Qingqiu interrupted, face blooming with color and eyes glaring to cover his embarrassment. "Speak no more of it."

Luo Binghe grinned, hopelessly in love with the thin-faced man across from him. "But then he let me help him dress and take care of him and now we're eating!" He sighed, "If every morning started as such, this Binghe could never complain."

Something about what he said made Shen Qingqiu freeze, eyes guarded in a way that made heart sink. "Binghe really likes it when this master… when I don't protest his help?" Luo Binghe nodded. "Binghe knows that my love for him does not depend on what he does for me, correct? That he could never cook me another meal and I would still love him as I do right now?"

Luo Binghe knew this deep down, but hearing it made his eyes water at the emotion that filled him. His most special person loved him! After so much, his Shen Yuan loved him! It was his greatest wish realized. How could he not be moved?

"A-Yuan!" In a flash he was around to the other side of the table and reaching out to the other man, only to stop a cun away from touching him. He was in his time again and his husband didn't like it when he touched him. The thought hurt, but he knew the other man loved him. It was enough. It was enough. He settled beside him, kneeling with his hands firmly on his thighs, and dared to lean his forehead against the other man's shoulder. "This foolish husband knows he is loved."

Shen Qingqiu sighed and put down his fan. He brought a hand up to first pat his hair then cup his face. "You can touch me, Binghe." Luo Binghe looked up at him in surprise and was further shocked when he saw the determined but bashful expression on his face. "It… occurred to me yesterday that Binghe may not feel as close to me as he wished and that was why he was so insistent with serving me. I don't dislike physical affection between us. I only insisted on maintaining separation for… my own reasons."

Luo Binghe stared at him wide eyed as he processed what this meant. Then, tears once more falling from his eyes, he said quietly, "So, A-Yuan is not afraid of this husband?"

Shen Qingqiu startled and said, expression bewildered, "What? Of course not! Why would you say that?"

"…Yesterday." Luo Binghe started then paused because Shen Qingqiu had already made it clear he wasn't happy about him being close to another person, even if it was a version of himself.

Shen Qingqiu sighed and leaned forward to give him a short kiss. "Contrary to my reaction this morning, I'm not going to be upset with you for doing what I told you I was okay with, Binghe. I only needed the reminder that you are mine. Go on and tell me."

Luo Binghe stared at him but only saw calm expectancy and a hint of concern. He ventured, "Yesterday, Shen Yuan was permissive in allowing this Binghe to hold him as we worked and seemed to enjoy it. He had assumed that husband and I did so habitually. His reaction made this one fear that husband did not enjoy this one's attentions outside of our marital bed due to how this one has harmed him in the past."

Shen Qingqiu's expression crumbled into one of pain and Luo Binghe rushed to say, "Shen Yuan did his best to convince this one that wasn't the case! He was sure that husband did not reject this one's touch out of fear and helped calm me down. But, now that husband has lifted his restriction, this Binghe could not help but ask."

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes and sighed, expression one of regret. "Binghe, this husband can only apologize. If I thought that you would think my… reluctance to accept your touch outside of our bedroom meant I was afraid of you, I would have explained myself no matter how embarrassing my reasons."

A thought occurred and Luo Binghe frowned. "Husband knows there is no obligation to–"

"Of course. Have I not refused often enough to make that obvious?" Shen Qingqiu snapped then seemed surprised at himself. His cheeks heated and he said, "Sorry. Binghe knows discussing our… marital relations is difficult for me, but I shouldn't talk to you like that."

Luo Binghe raised his eyebrows. "This Binghe was only saying that A-Yuan need not tell this one his reasons. This husband always wants to know more about him, but it is enough to know he does not fear this one's touch."

His brain caught on something his husband had said and his gaze turned knowing. "Marital relations? While this Binghe cannot deny his hunger for A-Yuan, bedding him is not constantly his first priority. As I told Shen Yuan, touching my husband at any time could only be a comfort and privilege to me. Why did husband think otherwise?"

Shen Qingqiu looked away from him, face flaring scarlet. "Ah. Well. Binghe knows I am unused to being touched still, was even more so when we first wed. My reluctance stemmed from my own… shameful thoughts than any fear that my husband would harm me."

Luo Binghe stared at him. "A-Yuan is saying he had thought about–"

"Yes, now stop talking!" Shen Yuan was leaning away from him now and hiding his entire face behind his fan, the confession too much for him apparently.

Adorable.

Luo Binghe took the opportunity to quickly adjust himself and pull a startled A-Yuan into his lap. The man let out a cute yelp and tapped his head with his fan, but made no move or sound to be released. Luo Binghe simply nuzzled the man's shoulder and hummed as he hugged him close.

He hadn't lied to Shen Qingqiu the day before when he described why he liked holding his husband. A feeling of peace swept over him, some primal instinct in him soothed because his husband was safe, and beside him, and his.

If Luo Binghe could purr, he would have started doing so at that moment.

Instead, encouraged by Shen Yuan's reaction to him the day before, Luo Binghe loosed some control he kept on himself in these moments and let his demonic qi leak freely, spiritually scenting his husband as best he could with his essence. The effect on someone as powerful as a peak lord was negligible and likely only discernable to perceptive demons, but he still enjoyed leaving his mark behind on Shen Qingqiu.

His husband.

"Love you, A-Yuan."

Shen Qingqiu was stiff in his hold for a moment, but it took little time for him to melt into the embrace. He sighed and hugged him back. Pressing a kiss to his head, he said quietly, "And I you, Binghe."

Yes, Luo Binghe was having a very good morning indeed.

It took longer than Shen Qingqiu liked to collect himself after Yue Qingyuan left, thoughts vibrating intangibly and incomprehensible for the longest. At a certain point, he remembered that Shang Qinghua had sent him something that was sure to be less upsetting than the conversation he just had.

Unfortunately, even a glance at unrolled parchment signaled a different kind of headache was incoming, the words an abominable mix of simplified characters, pinyin, English, and emojis. There were even poorly rendered drawings here than there. The only compliment he could pay to the script was that it was legible, if overly casual.

[Cylinder] Bro!

Hope you and my son are having fun going to talk to a [picture of a squiggly line]! He really is sweet, very loyal. I would know! Can't wait to meet him again at the expected time! [Star]

Anyway, you know my [crown emoji?]? Well, I kinda have to tell him that we're friends now.

"We're not friends," Shen Qingqiu grumbled.

We're TOTALLY friends! See, I even knew to put that in there.

Now, before you go all [picture with… someone holding a knife?] on me, hear me out.

Shen Qingqiu stared at the picture willing it to make sense. Then he gave up.

System?

[How can this System assist Host?]

Can you translate this for me into simple Chinese?

[…Host, is this really…]

For 20 B-points? He had the damn things to burn, now. Might as well make easy mode something closer to beginner's mode.

[…Payment excepted. Translating. Thank you for using the System! Please see the results below.]

Cucumber Bro!

Hope you and my son are having fun going to talk to a cute little snake! He really is sweet, very loyal. I would know! Can't wait to meet him again at the expected time! Excited!

Anyway, you know my king? Well I kind of have to tell him that we're friends now.

We're totally friends! See, I even knew to put that in there.

Now before you go all "Shang Qinghua, if not for the laws of this land, I would slaughter you" on me, hear me out.

My king isn't 100% secure in his position right now and my son said that he showed up in person at the IAC in his time, right? Well, we're already sort of definitely committing treason for planning to break my son's actual dad out of jail. What's doing one more treason on top of it? That, and he would know not to actually try to kill you during that one thing. And I'm like… physically incapable of keeping a secret besides the whole transmigration thing from him? Haven't told him yet just thought we should maybe not set me up for failure and summary execution for betraying a demon lord who I may or may not be marrying in the future?

Wow, that was bizarre to write.

Let me know when you're free to talk soon! Also, heads up but YQY stopped by just now asking me to sign some bullshit order to get your disciple out of your house. Also somehow knew that I had been by to see you? Not to put too fine a point on it but, um, he's really territorial of Shen Jiu? Mostly out of a sincere desire to protect him but not entirely.

Yeah.

Anyway, write me back!

Airplane

What an idiot, Shen Qingqiu thought with some begrudging amusement and perhaps fondness.

At least he was a helpful one.

Shen Qingqiu felt less annoyed at the poorly concealed but highly effective code used here considering the letter plainly states that they're planning to commit treason against the cultivation world. That said, there had to be a better way.

System? Is there a way Shang Qinghua and I can send instant messages to each other through our respective Systems?

[Yes. B.D.S.M. comes with S.O.S. 5.7. Would Host like to upgrade for 2000 B-points?]

Shen Qingqiu almost spit blood. 2000? And BDSM??? What does that have to do with anything?

[B.D.S.M. stands for Basic Direct System Messenger and is standard with System Operating System 5.7. Host is currently operating on S.O.S. 2.4. User 1.0, whom Host would like to communicate with, is operating on S.O.S. 3.2. Host upgrading would automatically upgrade User 1.0's System as well.]

Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes at the screen only he could see, finding the explanation suspect but he didn't have enough information to argue otherwise. He had the points to spare thanks to the truly… depraved things he and the elder Luo Binghe had been up to the night before, but spending that many points in one go still hurt.

How long would it take to update?

[Host's S.O.S. would take about 3 days to update. For User 1.0, it would take about 2.5 days to update.]

Shen Qingqiu sighed and thought to his System, Hold on that. I need to contact Shang Qinghua before making his System go offline out of nowhere.

[Host can complete purchase at any time. User 1.0 can also contribute accumulated points if Host is still concerned about the price.]

Shen Qingqiu rolled up the scroll and then flexed his newly invigorated qi. The scroll caught fire and Shen Qingqui watched it burn before sighing again. He needed to be better acquainted with his new/old power levels if he didn't want to lose control again like he nearly did in front of the sect leader.

Another thing for his to do list. Wonderful.

The thought sent his mind down the path of all the steps that it would take to get Luo Binghe into the dormitories. On paper, it was probably straight forward. Shen Qingqiu would tell the dorm masters to prepare for the move, Luo Binghe would pack and then a small group of students would assist in moving is possession over.

But he knew it was so much more.

How am I going to possibly tell Binghe?

The last thing he wanted to do was fail his white sheep of a disciple. Yet, it felt like he had already done so.

Luo Binghe kept the scroll from his future self well hidden as he walked through more populated areas of Qing Jing Peak around lunch time. He had asked the first person he'd encountered about the exam change, which was mildly alarming, but he honestly had larger concerns at the moment.

Namely, that Shen Qingqiu had been looking for him earlier in the day, but was currently off-Peak.

Luo Binghe ruminated on what that possibly meant as he set about getting Shen Qingqiu's lunch in order. As long as he was within the bounds of the sect, his Shizun made sure to come back for a meal if he could. Even if he was unable to make it at the usual time, Shen Qingqiu always seemed to feel better after having one of his meals.

Luo Binghe greeted some of his martial siblings who were similarly working in the kitchen, noting their stares but working to be unbothered by them as he got to work. He had anticipated things being odd, especially once he knew the extent to which his older self paraded his relationship to their Shizun in front of the entire Peak, so he figured he needed to get used to it fast.

He was studiously pretending he didn't see people coming by simply to stare at him then leave and that he was deaf to the furious whispers that he could almost catch above the hissing of the oil. This went on from some time, tension steadily building in Luo Binghe's shoulders until someone finally broke the tensions.

"A-Luo's back!"

Luo Binghe turned his head to see Ning Yingying walking into the room and towards him with a wide smile on her face. "Good morning, Shijie. Yes, this Binghe has returned."

She giggled and hugged him warmly. "You know, I spoke to you last night in this very spot, too? I guess some things like your favorite place to cook don't change!"

He added the next ingredient while looking at her with wide eyes. "Yingying talked to him?"

"Uh huh. Not for long because Liu-shishu arrived and he had to go save Shizun and he was distracted when he came back, but some. A-Luo still has a lot of growing to do. He was much taller than even Shizun!"

"Of course he was." Luo Binghe had to clinch his jaw at that. He had known that the older him was so much physically larger than he was now–those black robes were practically falling off him yesterday morning–but he didn't like thinking about how much smaller he would seem to Shen Qingqiu in comparison.

He didn't like feeling smaller than the other him, like there was suddenly a shadow he had no chance of recreating. Shen Qingqiu wasn't treating him that way, but Luo Binghe was suddenly hyperaware that everyone else might. That everyone he might interact with on the Peak might be mentally looking to interact with a different version of him.

"And he was so bold, touching Shizun all the time. But you know what I noticed?"

Luo Binghe was staring into the sizzling wok, turning over the vegetables and meat as he tried to not let his eyes water with envy. "What's that, shijie?"

"The way Shizun looks at A-Luo no matter his age doesn't change much," Ning Yingying said lowly, likely not to be overheard by the others who were clearly watching them in the background. "Yingying knew that Shizun cared greatly for A-Luo after his qi deviation. His expression softens around A-Luo the most and A-Luo makes him smile the easiest. But yesterday Yingying recognized that look was love."

Luo Binghe stared at her, eyes wide and wet. His shijie hugged him again and said into his ear. "So Yingying hopes that A-Luo is not comparing himself to the A-Luo who was here yesterday, because Shizun only loved him because he loves you. Yingying supports your love and so do many others of Qing Jing Peak."

Luo Binghe finally had the wherewithal to hug her back, tears now those of gratitude. "Thank you, Yingying."

She pulled away and pat him on the head, warmth filling Luo Binghe in a way that reminded him of his mother's cooking. "Why is my shidi cyring? Don't worry; shijie's going to help. Let me tell you everything that's happened."

Maybe, Luo Binghe thought, he could have more family that a cousin and a father.

Maybe he could have a sister, too.

Shen Qingqiu returned from his conversation with Shang Qinghua a little later than expected to find his lunch on his table, kept warm with a talisman written in a familiar hand. He felt some of the stress leave his body as he tucked into the simple yet delicious fare, but there was no sign of the person who had made it.

It was no matter. Shen Qingqiu would have to go to the classrooms soon to take questions from his students in preparation for the exam. There would be little time for he and Luo Binghe to actually talk about more recent developments.

They should probably have more privacy than a common classroom before Shen Qingqiu broke the news about Luo Binghe's eviction from his home.

Soon, students began trickling in to see him. It wasn't constant and he was able to make some headway on updating his lesson plans in between assisting his disciples. Shen Qingqiu had been surprised to find how much he enjoyed teaching once he got the basics of what he was supposed to do down. His disciples all seemed to respond well to him, though it probably helped that Shen Yuan's approach to teaching was closer to how do I make the material accessible rather than Shen Jiu's more figure it out or don't method.

He never got the sense that his body's previous owner was particularly well suited to the profession of teaching. That instinct had yet to be disputed after all the revelations he had been given about the man in the past 24 hours.

Around midafternoon, Shen Qingqiu was puzzling over training that could happen the day he, Luo Binghe, and Shang Qinghua were away to visit Zhuzhi-Lang when he heard, "Shizun?"

He looked up and saw Luo Binghe lingering at the door, tray in hand and eyes wide as if he were hesitant to disturb him. Shen Qingqiu felt his face soften and said, "Binghe, come in, come in."

The boy hurried in, careful not to spill what Shen Qingqiu could now clearly see was tea and some baozi, likely filled with something sweet. Such a good bun, Shen Qingqiu couldn't help thinking.

"This disciple thought that Shizun may be thirsty and took the liberty to prepare some light refreshment."

"Thank you, Binghe. This master appreciates Binghe's thoughtfulness, though hopes his disciple did not trouble himself too much."

"It is never any trouble to serve Shizun."

The exchange was a familiar song and dance between them and, without realizing it, Shen Qingqiu began to smile. "And how are this master's disciple's studies going? This master wonders if Binghe has any concerns about the upcoming examination?"

Luo Binghe focused on pouring the tea, obviously avoiding Shen Qingqiu's eyes. "This one is moving slowly and has yet to sufficiently review the material to voice any concerns, Shizun."

Shen Qingqiu frowned. "That is a concern, Binghe. Where are your materials? We can work through them–"

"What are you doing?"

Shen Qingqiu's gaze jerked to the door where Liu Qingge stood in the frame. "Liu Qingge? I wasn't expecting to see you today. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm holding availability for my disciples to ask me questions about the upcoming exam. What are you doing here?"

He walked into the room, eyes flicking between him and Luo Binghe. "I was coming to check on you after our conversation yesterday." He nodded at Luo Binghe who bowed (somewhat warily) in response. "Good that you're back unharmed."

"Thanking Liu-shishu for this concern. Shizun, should this disciple bring additional refreshments?"

"No need, Binghe. Liu Qingge isn't staying long now, not when my attention will be divided for the rest of the afternoon. You're dismissed, though we will finish this conversation about your studies later."

He bowed first to Shen Qingqiu then more shallowly to Liu Qingge. "Thanking Shizun. Liu-shishu."

Luo Binghe left him alone with another Peak Lord for the second time that day, though Shen Qingqiu had reason to hope that it would go better than his little tete-a-tete with Yue Qingyuan. "Apologies, Liu Qingge, but you really did come at a bad time. When I tell my disciples that I'm reserving time for them, I try to stick to my word."

"…That's kind of you."

Is it? Shen Qingqiu thought. It's literally my job to teach them, but I guess there aren't exactly staff evaluations, are there? "I suppose. Thank you for your concern, Liu Qingge, but you could have just sent a message rather than coming all the way to Qing Jing. I am perfectly fine."

"I prefer seeing for myself." Liu Qingge stopped before him, staring down at him in a way that made Shen Qingqiu rather uncomfortably aware of the fact he was sitting. He worked to maintain his blank, if somewhat open face. "Your disciple has returned. From the future?"

"…Yes. It was as I suspected and my disciple simply took my husband's place for the day."

"And how's that been?" At Shen Qingqiu's frown, he sighed and sat on the stool Shen Qingqiu had set up before him for disciples. "Him, knowing about that future."

"Oh." Yikes! Shen Qingqiu had no idea how to answer that question. "Binghe seems unchanged. Hard to tell as I have yet to really talk to him about it. Our conversation this morning was interrupted."

That reminded him of something and Shen Qingqiu frowned. "Did Liu Qingge know that the Sect Leader was planning on removing my disciple from my home when he came to visit yesterday?"

Liu Qingge frowned back at him. "He actually went through with that? He had mentioned something to me when we had left Qing Jing Peak yesterday morning, but I told him it was a bad idea. We haven't talked since."

Oh, Shen Qingqiu thought, somewhat relieved. "Yes, I received an order from him with signatures of most other Peak Lords supporting Luo Binghe's removal from my home yesterday before you arrived. I didn't know if…" Shen Qingqiu trailed off and cleared his throat, the idea that the too straight-forward Peak Lord hiding something like that from him too silly now to say out loud.

"…You called me your friend, yesterday. And you're continuing to speak casually to me today," Liu Qingge said, somehow gentle. "I would not have hidden this from you, Shen Qingqiu. I don't know why but doting on that disciple of yours makes you happy in an innocent way. Separating the two of you is something that I could only support if I seriously thought either you or he posed a danger to the other. I know you have no such intentions and anyone who looks at the boy would know he would rather lose a limb than hurt you."

"…But I don't dote on Binghe? I give him more chores than anyone else." Okay, maybe he also gave him more head pats than anyone else and maybe a hug here and there, but Luo Binghe did so much! Between his studies and his chores and generally helping Shen Qingqiu, did the boy not earn a small reward?

Liu Qingge had a conflicted expression before shaking his head. "…Anyway, I also wanted to ask you about securing the cure for your Without-A-Cure. I know you were distracted yesterday with… everything but getting you back in fighting shape and ending your affliction should be one of your top priorities. It would also make your insistence on doing things without adequate back up safer and… what's that look?"

Shen Qingqiu couldn't stop himself from blanching. Fuck, but between the return of his white lotus disciple and his fury at Yue Qingyuan, he had forgotten about the fact he was supposed to be poisoned. And that his colleagues would be expecting him to begin "searching" for the cure.

He hadn't had time to think of a believable lie yet. It was a miracle Yue Qingyuan didn't question the availability of his spiritual energy enough to be moved by his emotions that morning. And Shen Qingqiu could maintain a blank poker face well enough, but he couldn't pretend that he was still poisoned, not without some serious practice in control.

Shen Qingqiu did a frantic internal check of his meridians, relieved to see them unaffected by any demonic qi. It wasn't a guarantee considering who he had dual cultivated with for much of the previous night.

"Shen Qingqiu. What are you hiding?"

Liu Qingge was not dumb. Things would have been so much easier if he were. That, and they were trying to be friends. Liu Qingge was the type to highly regard honesty; could he lie to him now?

Out of other viable options, Shen Qingqiu tried the truth. He picked up his fan and hid his lower face behind it, eyes averted from the other man. "I'm already cured."

"What? How is that possible? Have you been to Mu Qingfang?"

Shen Qingqiu took a long sip of tea, stalling as his mind frantically worked on how much he could get away with hiding. "No. Luo Binghe cured me."

Liu Qingge stood in front of him and Shen Qingqiu peaked at him before glancing away. "For gods' sake, why not? Your poisoning doesn't just affect you, but the entire Sect, Shen Qingqiu. And why would you try to hide this?! Does anyone else know?"

"…Binghe knows. My older self told him. And I don't know how to explain it."

"Just say it in plain words! It's not that hard. Unless… what was the cure?"

Shen Qingqiu allowed himself a wince and let his cheeks heat. The only piece of information about this that had to remain absolutely hidden was the fact that Luo Binghe was a Heavenly Demon.

He had a plan. He didn't like it, hated it really, but he didn't see another way out.

"I would… rather not say."

"Say it anyway."

Shen Qingqiu blushed honestly and glanced towards the door as to make sure none of his disciples were there. Quietly he mumbled, "Dual cultivation."

"Be serious. If the answer was that simple, Mu Qingfang would have suggested it long ago."

Shen Qingqiu managed to glare at him. "I am being serious," he hissed. "Do you think I would say such a shameless thing if it wasn't true? See for yourself if you refuse to believe me."

She Qingqiu dramatically offered his wrist only to have to take it back to undo his arm guard, flustered. Liu Qingge said, "Mu Qingfang would know how to check that the poison was out of your system, not me. Let's go."

"What?" Liu Qingge seemed to be coming around the writing desk in front of him to his side, so Shen Qingqiu jumped to his feet. "Absolutely not. My disciples–"

"Can wait. Your health is more important."

"I'm fine!" Shen Qingqiu took a step away from him then froze. Shen Jiu never would have run from him. Shit.

"With your penchant for putting everyone before yourself, excuse me for not believing you. I don't get why you haven't been to see him already."

"I needed time to collect myself. Much has happened in the past day and I'm not enthusiastic about the idea of speaking of something entirely private with someone I work with."

"This isn't just about you, Shen Qingqiu. You trusted him, great. But how are the rest of us supposed to believe that your cure was so close at hand and no one had discovered it, but your supposed spouse did at a young age? How can the Sect trust that our second-in-command is well and carries no ill effects without having our Sect doctor visit?"

You could just believe me, he thought, but he hadn't earned that yet. The entire conversation felt off to him, far too intimate yet painfully professional.

Shen Qingqiu held his ground, Liu Qingge hovering just on the edge of his personal space as if he would bodily drag him to see their doctor if Shen Qingqiu wouldn't go of his own volition. Logic wasn't going to win him this; all he had left was emotion and Liu Qingge's all too apparent concern.

He sighed and let his shoulders drop a little. "Liu Qingge, I do not ask for much, but I will ask that you at least give me a couple of days to process all that has happened before subjecting me to Mu Qingfang's no doubt invasive questioning. Please. I am tired and that is the last thing I want right now."

The determined expression on Liu Qingge's face shuddered into realization and worry. "Did he hurt you?" he asked lowly.

Shen Qingqiu blinked at him, nonplussed. "What? No. You said it yourself; the last thing Luo Binghe would want is to hurt me. That doesn't change with age."

"Right," Liu Qingge said gruffly, dark look flashing across his face and disappearing before Shen Qingqiu could begin to parse it.

"Shizun, this–" Both Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge turned to see one of Shen Qingqiu's newer disciples at the door, a young girl who had impressed Shen Qingqiu with her determination and thinking during the selection with a family name of Ye. "Ah, this disciple apologizes, Shizun, shishu. This lowly one can come back at a different time."

"Disciple Ye–" but the girl was already gone, fled to the rest of the Peak that would likely know of the incident by the end of the day. Children, Shen Qingqiu thought with exasperation and fondness.

He sighed. "Liu Qingge will give this shixiong the grace of a few days before reporting him to our martial siblings?"

Liu Qingge groaned but stepped away from him, scowl on his face. "You act like it's a punishment. I just want–going to the doctor after being poisoned so long and to ensure that you're actually cured is a good idea, in addition to letting the other Peak Lords know you're well. But yes, I'll give you two days. If you haven't gone before the Peak Lord Meeting in five, I will announce it then."

And have to say out loud in front of everyone a grown version of his disciple cured him with papapa? No, Thank You! "Agreed. Now, thanks for your concern, but now I have to go track down my disciple and ensure that everyone knows I'm still available for questions."

"Stay. I'll just catch someone and tell them on the way out. Shen Qingqiu."

"Liu Qingge."

The man started walking towards the door then paused. Half in the corridor, he said, "I'm glad you're alright."

He left before Shen Qingqiu could respond.

Shen Qingqiu didn't have time to puzzle over their interaction for long before he was beset upon by questioning disciples, his only comfort the tea and snacks in front of him.

The day proceeded as Luo Binghe would consider normal, which was odd. It felt like so much had changed, like he had changed with the knowledge of things to come, but Qing Jing Peak hadn't changed with him. Sure, there were suddenly a lot of people staring at him, but after his talk with Ning Yingying and seeing his Shizun in the afternoon, he felt much surer in himself. He studied, did his chores, and made Shen Qingqiu dinner, which was all part of his routine regularly.

There were more differences, of course. At dinner, with tasks for the day largely done and neither of them expecting anyone, Shen Qingqiu began to relax his armor and transformed back into Shen Yuan before Luo Binghe's eyes, his smiles easier and expression more relaxed. They spoke of different things, too, of the near and far future, of the present and his upcoming introduction to a member of his birth family. When Shen Yuan insisted they look over Luo Binghe's studies, Luo Binghe sat closer to him than he would have dared two days prior.

Luo Binghe called him A-Yuan and watched his eyes light up subtly every time.

The only dampner on the evening was the fact that Shen Yuan was obviously struggling with something, opening his mouth only to close it without saying something, smile disappearing into a concerned and sad frown when he though Luo Binghe wasn't looking.

Shen Yuan still hadn't found the words by the time Luo Binghe had wiggled his way into helping him prepare his hair for sleep at the end of the night. The man was fidgeting and shooting Luo Binghe concerned glances in the mirror. He finally took pity on his Shizun and said quietly, "A-Yuan seems to have something on his mind. This Binghe is happy to listen to anything he would like to say."

Shen Yuan froze and started to turn. Luo Binghe dropped his hair and watched as Shen Yuan faced him. It made something stir in him to see the man he loved look up at him from that angle, so Luo Binghe took a knee before him. Shen Yuan sighed, "Binghe need not kneel before me."

I would kneel for you anytime, Luo Binghe thought but didn't dare say. "This Binghe is not bothered and is eager to hear what Shizun has to say."

When Shen Yuan stayed silent another moment, Luo Binghe said, "Does it have to do with A-Yuan's talk with Sect Leader Yue this morning?"

"…Yes." Shen Yuan was frowning, his eyes sad in a way that Luo Binghe hated and he said, "Binghe, I'm sorry. I tried to stop this, but I failed."

Luo Binghe had a good idea what was happening, so he said soothingly, "A-Yuan need not apologize; if the Sect Leader said something must happen, then there is nothing he could have done. This Binghe hopes his Shizun does not blame himself for something that was not his decision."

"…You have to move, Binghe. I have until after the exam to have you living in one of the dormitories."

Luo Binghe felt his expression close down and mouth tighten. Just because he was expecting it didn't mean that it didn't hurt to hear, but it gave him an opportunity. "Will this Binghe be banned from the bamboo house?"

"No! Of course not!"

"May this Binghe still cook for A-Yuan and maintain the bamboo house?"

"I-I mean, I wouldn't say no."

"Could this Binghe still have the privilege of assisting A-Yuan with his hair?"

Shen Yuan was frowning again, but in clear bewilderment rather than the sadness that Luo Binghe had chased away. "…I don't know why he would, but if Binghe wants to help I would not deny him?"

Luo Binghe smiled. "If I can stay by your side, then nothing to too wrong with the world, A-Yuan.

Shen Yuan blinked at him and, to Luo Binghe's delight, a blush crept over his cheeks. "S-Silly boy, what are you even talking about?" He mumbled under his breath, turning away from Luo Binghe back towards the vanity.

Luo Binghe grinned but quickly hid it away as he stood behind him and began tending to his hair again.

Was he happy about moving out? No, not particularly. Did he love the fact that the most powerful man he had ever met feared Luo Binghe's presence in Shen Yuan's life? Very much so.

Was he going to make Yue Qingyuan regret making him move out? Absolutely.

His A-Yuan was so sweet, so willing to overlook signs of the obvious.

It would take some time, but Luo Binghe had an idea to use their separation to his advantage.

Shen Qingqiu, Shen Yuan would be his husband one day. He would make sure of it.

Shen Qingqiu was awake.

He did not want to be.

The loneliness that had been kept at bay by his work and the people in his life had roared back in the quiet of the night and of his empty bed.

This was fine. He had slept for years without another person beside him, holding him. He had known this would happen, that he wouldn't have anyone with him for a while, if ever again.

It was fine.

It was fine.

It was fine.

Shen Qingqiu hugged a soft pillow close to his chest, repeating the words to himself until they lost all meaning, until they became background noise.

Until he fell asleep and dreamed that he wasn't alone anymore.

Shen Qingqiu was asleep. He swore he was.

"Husband?"

Shen Qingqiu groaned, "Not again, Binghe. I'm asleep." He didn't quite regret giving Luo Binghe the reason why he asked for his touches to be so limited since the ignorance ended up hurting him, but he had been fighting horny thoughts almost all day when he had been trying to work. He just wanted to rest at this point.

Luo Binghe held him close and Shen Qingqiu couldn't help nuzzling into his chest, basking in the moment though he would deny it if Luo Binghe said anything. "Husband is awake. I know A-Yuan is tired, but I was thinking… Do you think they'll be okay?"

"Hm? Oh, you mean our younger selves?" Luo Binghe hummed in affirmation. "I think so. We did what we could, and Binghe loves his Shizun."

"Of course, he does," Luo Binghe said, lifting his head to press a kiss to Shen Qingqiu's hair. "Just as A-Yuan loves his disciple. He doesn't realize it yet, but I know what your love looks like. I changed some things, but hopefully nothing major."

Shen Qingqiu heaved himself up to look at his husband. He was frowning into the middle distance, lost in thought and concern. "They'll figure it out. We did."

Luo Binghe blinked and focused on his face with a soft smile that never failed to melt Shen Qingqiu's heart. "Yes, we did."

Shen Qingqiu lightly kissed his lips before returning back to snuggle into the man he had happily bound himself to for life. "Goodnight, Binghe."

"Goodnight, A-Yuan."

When Shen Qingqiu eventually fell asleep, he slept with the certainty of two things: that the sun would rise tomorrow and that Luo Binghe would still love him.

Notes:

Long note today. Sorry for the delay. I read 2ha and… bruh. Also was sick. We now have a series title! Woot!

Saying this again because some of y'all don't get it: the sequels are not sequential. They are alternate timelines of this AU. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE EXISTANCE OF ONE, YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I'm giving a few folks my customer service smile, but like you're walking in 5 minutes to closing and decide yell at me when I tell you that we are no longer serving milkshakes.

Anyway.

First sequel is titled "Don't You Know (That I'm Yours)" and it's purely Bingqiu. I have a busy couple of weeks ahead with work, so I'm going to aim to have the first part of this posted by June 1st.

The endgame Bingqiu with Liushen angst is "They Just Remind Me (I'm Without You)" second. This one hurts, but Bingqiu still has a happy ending.

Third (yes, I changed the order, my brain wants the angst first, okay) sequel is titled tentative "Darling, Feel Better Love" and it's the Bingliushen.

…leaning more and more towards doing another version because… listen. I just love ZZL, or at least the version of him that's been shaping up in my head. Snakey boy deserves more love. Maybe a oneshot.

I now have a writing blog on tumblr! Come say hi if you want? Probably going to start posting snippets there for this series and my other WIPs. Posted part of this there earlier, too.

TLDR: Thank you for reading! Leave a comment and/or kudos if you feel like it! They're always appreciated.

Series this work belongs to:

Part 1 of the I Just Wanna Be Yours series Next Work

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