Self-indulgent thread of Xie Lian and Hong Hong Er

Okay so first a bit of context
—This is a self indulgent AU in which Hong Hong Er stayed at Mount Taican to train
—I have been told (correct me if I'm wrong) that kids in ancient China used to sleep with their main carers

Okay so, it's canon that Xie Lian
—Threw tantrums bcs his parents wouldn't let him sleep with them
—Thinks kids (specially liddol Hua Cheng) are very cute
It's also canon that nobody wanted Hong Hong Er to stay around them bcs bad luck and whatever

So Xie Lian, who doesn't care abt all that, decided that the kid would stay in his chambers and he would personally train him.

Nobody agrees but well, try disobeying the Crown Prince.

So Hong Hong Er moves to Dianxia's chambers and he's in AWE because there are SO MANY NICE

THINGS and he's living with Dianxia now!!!!!!

And he's in his best behavior around Dianxia but barely talks bcs he has no idea what to say he's in Appreciation Mood All The Time.

His first night there Dianxia brings him clean clothes his size but the drama starts when

he tells him he has to clean up because Hong Hong Er absolutely refuses to take off the bandages over his eye.

So Dianxia is showing him around the bathroom and he's listening to how the whole thing works (this bath is huge, he has never seen something like that)

but when Dianxia tells him he has to take off the bandages he gets very nervous and covers his head with his hands and starts begging for Dianxia to please not take them off, yelling that he won't take them off!

So Dianxia brings him back to the room, gives him a clean set of

Bandages and grabs a sword and says

"Let's make a deal. I'll stand on the bathroom door guarding it and I will absolutely not let anyone enter. But you have to clean up and change your bandages yourself. Can you do that for me?"

Hong Hong Er nods obediently and finally gives in

He's a bit insecure about it and sometimes asks

"Is anyone coming?"

And Dianxia who is actually sitting on the doorstep with the sword in hand replies "No one around!"

He knows nobody will actually go in if he says the word, but he is putting the act so Hong Hong Er feels

better about it.

Time passes and he finally hears the boy call from the other side of the door

"I'm done."

Xie Lian opens up and sees a liddol figure dressed in white pajamas with clean bandages perfectly covering his eye and looking down, a bit embarrassed.

He's so cute.

"How do you feel?" Dianxia asks, a radiante smile in his face.

That's a complicated question. He feels like he's wearing a cloud. He feels blessed to have Xie Lian crouched to look at him directly and being able to see his smile up close. He feels clean, and he just

discovered that most of his life he's felt dirty, in comparison. He feels painless, but he hadn't miss how much in pain he was all the time. He feels in a bubble.

He feels good.

"Very good. Thank you so much to Dianxia. I won't break or stain this, I promise." He says

as serious as he can get.

"You're more important than the clothes. I'd rather have you promise that you will try to stay out of trouble and not get hurt, okay? Clothes are replaceable."

This is probably the first time someone has told him so directly that he's more important

than any material good.

Hong Hong Er manages to nod, but he's essentially looking at Xie Lian in awe.

"Good boy." Xie Lian tells him, ruffling his hair.

He picks him up with one arm and takes his sword in the other, just like the first time they met.

Hong Hong Er holds

tight to his neck and watches as Xie Lian puts the sword back in place, next to more swords than Hong Hong Er is able to count.

Xie Lian notices how the kid has his mouth opened in awe, and chuckles.

"They're cool, right? I like these swords a lot. Tomorrow is your first day

of training! Maybe one day you could use a sword like this."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Well, the type of sword you'll use depends on a lot of things. For example..."

Hong Hong Er listens attentively to the conference Xie Lian is giving about posture, fight style, range, grip...

He understands most of it, but tries his hardest to understand the difficult parts. His questions just fuel Xie Lian, that keeps taking swords from the wall to show him moves, parts of the sword, or just tell him about them while he derails from the main topic.

At some point,

Xie Lian is in the middle of an explanation when he says

"Isn't that cool?"

And when he looks down to check on Hong Hong Er's reaction, the boy has fallen asleep in his arms.

Xie Lian chuckles and lays him down in his bed, hugging the small figure tight and falling asleep

himself.

Hong Hong Er has never slept better.

The mattress feels like a cloud, the pajamas feel silky on his skin, and Xie Lian's warmth around him give him a sense of safety and well-being he has never experienced before.

He's used to feel lack.

Lack of food, lack of sleep, lack of rest, lack of safety.

But now he feels it completely reversed.

Lack of hunger, lack of sleepiness, lack of pain, lack of fear.

It's so weird to feel that all the things that always accompany you are suddenly gone.

It's weird also because the replacement is none other than the Crown Prince.

When he wakes up, Xie Lian is still asleep, and he curls up in his arms, watching him sleep while holding his breath as to not wake him.

He's constantly in awe lately, but he can't help it.

He stays there, looking at him in adoration.

He eventually synchronizes his breathing rhythm with Xie Lian's, to be as undisruptive of his dreams as possible.

He doesn't move an inch, not even when Xie Lian seems to be waking up.

As still as Hong Hong Er is, his mind is going to a thousand miles per hour.

When did he fall asleep? Did he fell in the middle of Dianxia's lesson? The thought only was mortifying. He had tried so hard to stay awake...

Is this their routine now? Does he get to sleep

with Dianxia every day? And that old man had told him he had the worst luck in the world?

Hong Hong Er has never experienced so much joy together, he doesn't think he's going to be able to take it.

When Xie Lian flutters his eyes open, he sees a small face looking up to him

like he just hung up every star in the sky.

"Good morning, Hong Hong Er." he says, sleep still tainting his voice.

"Good morning, Dianxia." the kid answers, as polite and proper as he can pull of. "I'm sorry I fell asleep during the lesson. It won't happen again."

"Lesson, what lesson?" Xie Lian tries to think back, and he recalls that Hong Hong Er asleep in his arms while he showed him one of his swords. "Oh, that? Don't worry about that. You were tired, it was late, I should have put you to sleep. My bad."

Hong Hong Er is about to tell him that it could never be his fault!! That he could've stayed awake!! But Mu Qing knocks right that instant.

He wants to get in to get the prince ready for the day.

Their routine goes pretty much like this.

Hong Hong Er tries to address him with the utmost respect that he's capable of, Xie Lian treats him with casual familiarity, the rest of Mount Taican treats him like he has the plague, and Hong Hong Er treats the rest of Mount Taican

like he's about to bite them.

He's the unnecesary third fighter in Mu Qing and Feng Xin's bickers.

Every time they start to fight and Xie Lian looks uncomfortable, he jumps in to tell them to shut up.

Every time they yell at him back Xie Lian stops them.

"Guys! He's just a kid! You're distressing him by fighting so much, shouldn't you stop instead to pick a fight with him?"

"A kid? He's much feral than a lot of experienced soldiers!"

"Don't exaggerate. Stop right now."

Every time the fight starts precisely because of him, Xie Lian brushes it off.

"He stained his clothes so much and now it's my job to clean them!"

"He's just a kid, and fell down from half a mountain, you can't possibly be mad at him for that?"

"He wouldn't have been pushed if he didn't piss off every single person around him! He's never careful!"

"He's still learning, don't be too hard on him."

Every day, Hong Hong Er tries his best during training. Xie Lian is astonished by his stamina.

He's the only one who can keep up with him and Feng Xin.

He lacks skill, but he doesn't seem to be able to stay on the ground once knocked out. He gets up and starts all over again.

"He's a fast learner." Xie Lian says, completely in awe of him.

With time, Xie Lian starts addressing him more and more casually, and starts chiding Hong Hong Er for being too formal on him.

Like in everything else, Hong Hong Er appears to only listen to him.

"Can you eat like a normal person?" Mu Qing asks during dinner.

Hong Hong Er hisses at him, stuffing yet another mouthful of food in.

Xie Lian laughs, "How can he do that? Such intensity!"

"Don't humor him!" Feg Xin complains.

"I'm not! I'm not!" Xie Lian answers, still laughing. "Hong Hong Er," he calls him.

The boy puts down the sticks and looks at him, immediately closing his mouth.

"Go slow, okay? If you eat too fast you're going to hurt yourself. Like this:" Xie Lian says, grabbing an acceptable amount of food between his sticks. "Once you've put it in, put the sticks down.

Don't grab them again until you've chewed and swallowed, okay?"

Hong Hong Er nods slowly, imitating him.

Xie Lian smiles, and Feng Xin and Mu Qing look at each other, incredulous. This kid really doesn't care if it doesn't come from Xie Lian!

It was inevitable, that everyday after training and dinner, Xie Lian gave Hong Hong Er a full report on feedback on his performance.

"I told you you would be great using a sabre!"

He always seems excited about Hong Hong Er's progress, and the boy can't stop smiling with every

word Xie Lian dedicates to him.

"But, you need to redirect all your strength and energy, and know when to use it to strike. I know you have insane stamina, but you have to take advantage of it, and tiring yourself up is not it, even if the rest can't keep up with you."

"Here, I'll show you."

Xie Lian throws a sword at him, and he catches it flawlessly.

He lets Dianxia place himself behind him, and put his hand over his own, both holding the hilt.

He corrects his posture, his grip, even the position of his head.

"You have half of the vision range of any other soldier, so you have to maximize it." He tells him, and he listens.

Hong Hong Er listens to everything Xie Lian has to say to him. He never has to say it twice. He practices untiringly until he masters what Xie Lian is teaching.

He corrects his behavior immediately at Xie Lian's petition. He answers every question, fulfills every request.

Guoshi and Mu Qing are angry everyday when they find out that Hong Hong Er and Xie Lian have been sparring until late again, but they can't help themselves.

Xie Lian is so excited for his progress, he can't help but turn his reports and feedbacks into extra lessons.

"C'mon, spar with me, think fast!"

Hong Hong Er is so excited to have his attention, to get better to gain his praise. He's excited because Xie Lian is excited.

He's in awe every time Xie Lian beats him and throws his sword away. He can't help but admire everything he does. He swears he will get strong and better to give him back everything Xie Lian had given him. He would be strong enough to protect him while holding him, just like

Xie Lian was.

Defeat is sweet when Xie Lian is the one winning, because he can't help to adore a victorious Xie Lian. And he can't help to feel blessed every time Xie Lian offers his hand to him to help him up when he defeats him.

Hong Hong Er has decided to not waste any opportunity Xie Lian gives him, and he maximizes every lesson, every second around him, but it still doesn't feel enough.

He wants to give back to him everything he gives to him. But what to give to someone who has it all when you've

got nothing but your devotion for them?

Xie Lian wakes up like every other morning, with Hong Hong Er in his arms looking at him like the sun had waited to rise until he opened his eyes.

But this morning it's different.

It smells like... flowers?

It doesn't take long until Xie Lian notices a small flower in the sheets.

He sits on bed, taking Hong Hong Er with him, since he's already in his arms.

Then he feels how they fall from his hair.

He has not yet fully understood what just happened when he feels Hong Hong Er's

hands in his hair.

He's putting back the flowers that have fallen.

"Did you do this?"

"Mn." Hong Hong Er nods, putting a flower softly behind his ear.

They're everywhere.

They're embedded in small lovely brides in his hair, they're on the pillow, on the sheets, and it all smells like flowers.

Xie Lian lets a laugh of pure joy leave his throat.

"This is so beautiful! Thank you!"

Hong Hong Er blushes, and Xie Lian hugs him

tight.

Xie Lian can't see how wide the boy smiles from that. He's overjoyed to know that something he did, something he gave to him made him happy.

It was not much, but it was all he could give him.

And Xie Lian seemed happy.

He's surprised to feel Xie Lian's fingers place

a small flower between his bandages.

Xie Lian smiled when he saw the final product of his arrangement.

"They're for you." Hong Hong Er tells him.

"I love them." Xie Lian says, "But they also suit you! Is it okay if I lend that one to you?"

Hong Hong Er nodded. "Dianxia can do whatever he wants with them."

Xie Lian kept smiling, looking around him and noticing more and more pure white flowers blending with his pure white

sheets and pajamas.

"When did you get these many? I didn't see you picking them yesterday."

Hong Hong Er is about to answer when they hear the knock on the door.

It's Mu Qing.

They don't hear the end of it from Mu Qing.

"This is so cute and all but you know who's going to clean this mess up? Me!"

"C'mon Mu Qing don't get angry, he was just trying to do something nice."

Mu Qing's eyes roll so hard, for a moment, nor Dianxia nor Hong Hong Er can see

his pupil.

"Can't he give you a bouquet? Does he have to turn this into a mess of flowers and leaves? And your hair! You know how much I'm going to take in de-braiding all of that?"

"Then don't do it. I'll wear my hair like this today."

Hong Hong Er frowns at the mention of Mu Qing unmaking the braids he had been doing all night, with a faint light and with utmost care of not waking Xie Lian with them.

Mu Qing frowns at the mention of Xie Lian wearing his hear like that.

"Have you forgotten you're the Crown

Prince? You're expected to look the part. And I'm expected to make you look the part. They're not going to say anything to you but they're going to blame it all on me!"

"They won't. I'll make sure to let everyone know I disobeyed you."

Mu Qing massages his temples, knowing well it won't matter how reasonable it is to not blame him, they will anyway.

"Look, anyway it's gonna take you a lot of time and I would be late to training, so I'll just say I didn't let you do it to be on time, okay?"

"Whatever you decide, Your Highness." Mu Qing says, annoyed and defeated.

Once Hong Hong Er and him are all dressed up and out of the chambers, Xie Lian looks down to glance at the boy.

Hong Hong Er looks up to him, and for a second they're silent.

Xie Lian bursts into laughter first.

Hong Hong Er follows closely.

It's a guilty laugh. They know they're in the wrong, but they enjoy getting away with it.

They walk away from Xie Lian's chambers so Mu Qing doesn't hear them laugh and they stop under a maple tree.

"Did you see how he rolled his eyes? I seriously thought they were going to fall off." Xie Lian says, laughing.

Hong Hong Er just laughs louder at that.

"Oh, Gods, I shouldn't say that, he's actually right."

Xie Lian manages to stop, and Hong Hong Er holds his laughter too.

The second they look at each other again they're bursting in laughter once more, and they can't hold it in.

They laugh together until the laughter slowly dies in their throats.

Hong Hong Er has it easier to stop laughing, because when he sees Xie Lian holding his stomach

from laughter and letting out such a joyful clean sound, his mood easily shifts to adoration again, and suddenly he doesn't want to laugh, he just wants to look at him laugh.

"Anyway I liked how you did my hair, it would be such a shame if he undid it, don't you think?"

Xie Lian asks, playing around with one of the little braids, the laughter finally dying in his throat.

"I never wear my hear down like this, but I think it looks nice, doesn't it?"

"Dianxia looks nice with anything." Hong Hong Er says.

Xie Lian chuckles and gets up.

"Give yourself some credit. How did you braid my hair without waking me up? You're truly amazing."

Xie Lian helps Hong Hong Er up and hold his hand all the way to the Royal Holly Pavilion.

And Hong Hong Er smiles all the way, holding the little flower Dianxia had put in his

bandages.

He doesn't think Xie Lian realizes how much he looks up to him, but it doesn't matter.

Just being able to be around him like this already feels like a blessing from the heavens.

Before meeting him, he hadn't realized that being happy could be such a simple thing.