TaecMeToHell

Kuai Liang grumbled as he looked at the small and broken sculpture in his hands; he had made it himself, trying for hours on end to no avail, trying to get every single scale and every single knock and notch just right.

It wasn't going right in the slightest, and he hated the thought of giving you something that didn't perfectly explain just how he felt; how his heart fluttered and swelled when he saw you smile.

How his lips tugged into a grin every time you waved at him as you passed him by on the grounds. He wanted it to show just how much he loved you; how he thought of you constantly whenever you weren't around, how he missed the feeling of warm sheets next to him when you got up in the mornings.

He needed to show you just how much he adored you; he knew he was far from the best of partners, but he was trying. Kuai Liang had an entire clan to lead, people to train - although you had taken up the maintenance side of the buildings and gardens after moving in, as it kept you busy.

He never thought he had time for love. Romance was never something afforded to the Grandmaster.

Yet Kuai Liang still stumbled on you, he had found the one person who was able to crush the icy walls he hid himself behind; romance and love were hard to come by, but you had changed everything. Kuai Liang knew that he could never be a perfect significant other, but he did genuinely love you, and he wanted to show you.

He knew that he could not write, and he could not draw, but his talent with ice was far beyond compare; with deft and sure fingers, he could conjour the ice easily and attempt to shape it as best as he could.

A great red dragon carved from thick blue ice. Four thick legs adorned with sharp claws; two large and expansive wings made of dense scales. Sharp spines along its neck and back, and a triangular tipped tail and tongue.

A powerful, extraordinary beast that Kuai Liang could not help but compare you to; a powerful, intelligent, brave beast. Yet stunning and brilliant to gaze upon.

He hummed as he worked on it yet again, slowly starting to lose his temper with what he was doing despite his overwhelming patience; when he felt a hand upon his shoulder, he almost flinched, very nearly dropping the sculpture in his hands as he let out a hitched breath.

"Oh," he breathed out, looking up with a smile. "It's only you."

You nodded as you sat down beside him, your hand gently coming to sit on his shoulder as you tilted your head to the side, looking at what was in his hands. You hummed under your breath, nodding curtly. "What's this?"

Kuai Liang shrugged, feeling completely hopeless as his shoulders slumped and he frowned. "I wanted to make you something, but I can't get it right."

"May I?" You asked softly, and when he handed it to you, you couldn’t help but to grin. Tears prickling at the corners of your eyes as your lip quivered, breath caught in your throat for a second. "It's beautiful..."

"I know..." he shook his head. "Look, my love, it's not much but... I need you to know I love you to the point of creation and I... I am truly sorry for not being there for you as often as I should."

You shook your head, gently raking your fingers over the great spines along the back and neck as you laughed softly, sniffling. "Oh, Kuai Liang, for a smart guy you're really stupid, aren't you?"

He furrowed his brows tightly, scratching at his scruffy jaw. "Beg pardon?"

"It's gorgeous," you started, "look at the detailing on the wings, and and the scale pattern is a perfect ratio, I mean, you even got the stomach scales down perfectly! You say it's not much, but it's more than anyone has ever done for me before. It's gorgeous."

All tension and hopelessness and anxiety dropped from Kuai Liang as he let out a long and drawn out breath, his shoulders slumping as he looked at you so fondly, nearly laughing. "You really like it?"

"I adore it," you told him. "Thank you. You didn't have to, but-"

"I wanted to," he corrected with a shake of his head. "And I... I will happily make more, if you like it."

"Would you?"

He nodded. "I would make a thousand for you... a thousand little dragons, all for you."

"I wouldn't ask you to," you whispered. "I wouldn't want you to feel used."

Kuai Liang shook his head, gently pressing his forehead against your temple for a moment before giving it a soft kiss. "I would want to, though. Romance is... it's new to me, you know that. I want to do everything I can to show you just how much I love you, at all times. I know you do it for me, I've seen the red camellia flowers you plant in the gardens."

"You really noticed?" You asked, almost flustered that he ever would.

With a nod, he laughed softly. "They're my favourite, of course I noticed them... planted right next to the yellow daffodils."

You shrugged, gently nudging him. "I couldn't resist, but... I'm glad you noticed."

"I love you," he told you seriously, waiting for you to gently put down the little dragon before he tugged you close, holding your face in his gentle but calloused hands. "I really do love you."

"I know," you murmured, taking his face in your hands and trying not to laugh at how his scruff tickled your palms. "I love you, too... if you have some time free... do you wanna go listen to Cherry Pie by Warrant?"

"I love that album."

"I know," you grinned. "That's why I'm suggesting it."