♚ 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒

He  even  thought  of  contradict,  maybe  letting  out  yet  another  one  more  of  his  sharp  and  quick  remarks.  How  could  FengHong  be  so  sure?  He  shouldn’t  put  so  much  trust  in  anyone,  whoever  it  was,  so  easily  ━━━━━━━━━━━  for  his  own  good.  However,  the  anticipation  for  the  Phoenix’s  reaction  to  receiving  what  he  had  asked  so  much  for  seems  to  have  completely  occupied  the  Dragon’s  thoughts  at  that  moment.  The  silence  stretched  in  the  air,  allowing  Huan  Hei  to  hear  clearly  the  echo  of  his  heartbeat  accelerating,  pounding  inside  his  chest,  while  the  dark  irises  like  the  deepest  and  most  restless  ocean  rush  to  find  the  other’s,  searching  for  the  slightest  of  changes  in  his  expression.

A  mixture  of  relief  and  defeat  strikes  him  in  the  mere  seconds  to  come.  And  as  to  why  is  quite  difficult  for  him  to  grasp.  Seeing  that  FengHong  didn’t  make  as  much  of  a  fuss  as  he  thought  he  would  should  be  enough,  right?  But,  intimately,  it  also  felt  as  if  that  was  exactly  the  same  reason  why  his  stomach  seems  to  twist  and  his  breathing  gets  faster  and  faster  with  every  passing  second  that  FengHong  doesn’t  say  a  single  word.  The  Dragon  seems  to  choke  on  his  own  breath,  words  refuse  to  come  out,  while  he  tries  to  find  an  easy  way  out  of  the  uneasiness  of  that  moment.

Meek  words  at  last  put  an  end  to  that  uncomfortable  silence,  snapping  Huan  Hei  back  to  reality.  And  each  one  of  them,  each  little  pause  between  them,  cause  the  air  to  get  heavier,  making  every  breath  harder.  It  was  already  difficult  enough  to  arrange  thoughts  in  words  or  actions  with  the  unfold  of  events,  but  surely  his  mind  couldn’t  predict  what  would  happen  next:  within  seconds,  Dragons  finds  himself  caught  in  the  warmth  of  the  other’s  strong  arms.  Stunned  silent,  his  body  seems  to  melt  in  the  tenderness  of  that  embrace.  Its  doesn’t  seem  right  ━━━━━━━━━━━  but  why  does  it  feel  so  good?  Why  did  you  stop  obeying  now,  damn  body?  If  this  continues,  he  will  definitely  notice  that  you  started  shaking!

The  hug  wasn’t  exactly  reciprocated,  rather  passively  accepted  ( especially  when  still  processing  what  just  happened ).  But  after  a  few  seconds  of  astonishment,  his  mind  is  able  to  recompose  itself  enough  to  summon  some  strength  and  raises  one  arm,  the  true  wish  being  to  return  the  gesture,  to  show  he  isn’t  the  cold  creature  everyone  made  him  out  to  be,  but  the  only  answer  managed  is  to  tap  the  other  lightly  on  the  shoulder.    ❛❛ Good,  at  least  I  didn’t  waste  my  time. ❜❜    He  says  amidst  an  awkward  laugh  forced  out  his  lips.  Fortunately,  his  face  is  out  of  sight  of  the  other,  or  this  moment  could  be  even  more  disastrous.    ❛❛ Glad  you  liked  it,  you  can  do  whatever  you  want  with  it,  really  ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━  and  you  can  let  me  go  now. ❜❜

it hasn’t been that long since they were forced together, but that time had taught the phoenix so much about the dragon with the wicked reputation. the words that come out the dragon might be harsh and cold, but it’s language that veils the tenderness that’s within. the words are rather cute -- heihei feigning annoyance, as if fenghong’s embrace (verified comfortable and welcomed by the many who he has hugged) should be cut short. knowing that he’s only pretending, fenghong hugs even tighter, giving him an extra little squeeze for good measure to really convey how he really feels (there’s also temptation to squeeze that fine booty, but fenghong know that will be genuinely unwanted in this circumstance). 

“hmm, what should i do with this?” fenghong says, happily looking at the charm in his hands, twiddling it with his fingers. he lifts it up, admiring the little gift in the light, admiring the delicate work heihei had done with his hair, to really give the charm the power to protect. “i should test this charm out, shouldn’t i?” he says, turning to face the one who makes him happy to be with. “run right into the middle of the evil forest, see if this works against the creatures there!” he jokes. 

well, at least, everyone would hope he’s joking. 

“ah...”

his mood dims as he realizes how this gift, something that would’ve taken so much time to craft and enhance, surpasses anything he has gotten for heihei so far. sure, he has thrown all of the human goods he could find (in fact, more than this house can properly fit much to heihei’s irritation), but he has ever gave him something with this value? the rash side in him wants to run out now, make something with equivalent value to show heihei how much he does mean to him, but time with the calm dragon has taught him some restraint. 

“i’ll get you something nice like this one day,” fenghong promises, his mind already diving into a billion ideas of what he can do -- eventually one will live up to this tiny charm. “oh! maybe i can even cook tonight for us!” he suggests. 

Let’s  face  it,  at  that  point  it  was  pretty  clear  that  this  Phoenix  and  this  Dragon  didn’t  quite  share  the  same  views.  Whether  about  the  world,  about  people,  about  means  and  ends  …  They  were  almost  polar  opposites,  two  sides  of  one  coin.  And  even  if  the  Dragon  desperately  tried  to  deny,  deceive  himself  or  attribute  any  other  meaning  to  it,  it  was  also  a  fact  that  he  had  already  grown  fond  of  this  difference:  It  was  something  as  refreshing  as  it  was  irritating  at  times.    ❛❛ And  do  I  have  any  other  choice  but  to  come  to  your  rescue?  I  don’t  think  so. ❜❜    It’s  what  he  manages  to  articulate  while  trying  to  control  as  much  as  possible  any  inconvenient  reaction  from  his  very  own  body  so  as  not  to  show  more  than  necessary,  after  all  there  is  no  reason  to  do  so.  There  should  be  no  reason  for  it…  Then  why?  Why  had  he  ever  bothered  to  make  a  gift?  Why  does  his  chest  seem  to  compress  every  time  the  other  gets  close  enough?

❛❛ Why  there  wouldn’t  be? ❜❜    There’s  already  plenty  of  things  that  he’s  hiding  besides,  of  course,  the  small  object  in  his  hand.  After  all,  it’s  this  type  of  reasoning  that  usually  decides  whether  someone  like  him,  an  unwanted  creature  even  among  the  outcasts,  finds  or  not  the  final  death,  even  after  decades  of  wandering  in  this  hell  of  an  Earth.    ❛❛ You  don’t  even  know  my  true  intentions,  you  don’t  know  who  I  really  am. ❜❜    With  the  thoughts  piling  up  one  by  one  in  his  mind,  he  again  seems  to  shrink,  overwhelmed  by  the  weight  of  guilt  for  his  own  actions,  both  the  present  and  the  past.  However,  before  the  courage  could  be  entirely  drained  from  his  body,  he  could  quickly  perceive  the  Phoenix’s  gaze  landing  on  his  hand  that  had  clumsily  become  visible,  and,  with  nowhere  else  to  hide,  a  defeated  sigh  delivers  his  final  withdrawal.

❛❛ Is  this  what  you  wanted  to  see  so  badly?  It’s  no.  big.  deal,  really  ━━━━━━━━━  ! ❜❜    He  says,  amidst  soft  chuckles,  feigning  indifference,  even  though  his  hand  gripped  the  small  object  with  a  bit  more  strength  than  necessary.  He  rises  it  to  the  height  of  the  shoulder,  before  revealing  the  little  pendant  hanging  from  one  finger  just  waiting  for  the  other  to  reach,  hoping  he  doesn’t  notice  the  special  protection  spell  embedded  in  the  tiny  strands,  made  of  the  Dragon’s  own  hair.    ❛❛ You  make  such  a  fuss  over  nothing… ❜❜

fenghong sighs, his lips curled into a good natured smile. canting his head slightly, he looks on at the dragon, speaking absolute nonsense as if it was fact. “well now,” he begins, tone matter of fact, “i think by now i know more about your intentions.” a simple statement that is undoubtedly fact (in the phoenix’s mind). “i might not know it completely,” he admits, validating heihei’s argument, but with triumph, he continues to announce, “but i know that there’s nothing vile about them!” fenghong smiles, radiant as always, positive that the person in front of him (who makes his heart flutter in ways no one has before) means no harm to him and those around him. 

eyes open wider, excited to now see the item that has been hidden behind the other’s back. it has been a long conversation (not that he ever kept track of time when they talk -- he enjoys this time immensely), but he has finally gotten his way. like a child in a candy shop, he looks on excitedly as heihei’s elegant, graceful fingers unravel to reveal... a little pendant. his expression wavers slightly, but not because he did not like this gift, rather there’s a weight that appeared on his chest, something inexplicable like the emotions he has felt towards heihei for some time now. 

gently, he reaches for the pendant, picking it up in his hands, lifting it up against the light. to an observer, the simple pendant might seem meaningless, but the phoenix knows its anything but. woven carefully with hair, imbued with a spell of protection -- it’s a heartfelt gift most would reserve for the people they care about. their life is in the gift, and it’s being used to protect someone else. fenghong lets out a deep breath, voice calm, only so the choked emotions behind it will not rush out, “this isn’t nothing.” 

fingers close around the gift, and he holds it tight. “thank you, heihei,” he says, standing there looking at him, for the first time today not knowing what he should do next. but rash, not one to think for too long about his next action, he takes a step forward, arms opened wide so he can wrap them around heihei and pull him into a tender hug. 

“it’s going to be fine!” the phoenix insists with the classic smile on his face. dressed in his best (bright, lavish colors, a sign of his explosive personality the heavens are all too familiar with), not a hair out of place, he stands in front of heihei, looking over the modest outfit the other dons. simple colors define it, something that goes unnoticed in the skies. the difference between the two is stark, telling of the difference in personalities between them. 

yet, although inconspicuous, the outfit perfectly accentuates the dragon’s dolllike features -- if that’s even possible. pale skin, made of porcelain and ice, long, dark lashes seductively covering those peach blossom eyes -- how can someone look so perfect? and the nervousness on the dragon’s face, the little concern makes him even cuter.

his heart races as hard as it aches. the phoenix, once a stranger to rejection, now feels deeply. even though he smiles, his smile masks the pain that the person he wants, the person his body desires -- although he stands in front of him, is unattainable. time apart would heal that wound, maybe help him dull the desire, help him forget the feelings. but, they have a mission, the one that brought them together in the first place, and for that goal, they’re forced together some more, when the rejection is still raw. every touch he makes to tidy the other’s clothes, every accidental touch sends ripples through his body that both excites and pains. it all reminds him of that night, the feeling of their lips touching, him, stupidly, revealing the complex affection he has felt for a while -- and peaked at that moment he was saved from death’s grip.

“and...” fenghong says, when he’s done (thankfully and unfortunately), “with a spell, approved by the civil officials...” a flash of light blinds the eyes for a moment, and when vision returns, the mortal realm is replaced by grand, lavish buildings on top of hills and along the clouds. the natural beauty of the heavens is astounding (mortals who lay eyes would be stunned by the sight), but fenghong pays no mind. after all, he has been raised here, seeing this every day for millenniums. “here we are, heihei,” he says, turning to face the other (pain strikes again, but it’s quickly replaced with lingering affection eager to see how the other would feel about finally achieving a dream). 

Admiration,  irritation,  ( a  small  urge  to  murder )  perhaps  a  mix  of  them  all  currently  burns  within  him,  but  nothing  reaches  the  surface  on  those  icy  stern  features,  pale  as  if  craved  from  the  finest  white  jade.  Dragon  resigned  to  raise  brows,  letting  the  thin  line  remain  on  his  lips  enhanced  by  a  head  tilt  in  a  clear  but  discreet  afront.  Trying  to  extract  any  veiled  meanings  in  half  said  words  didn’t  seem  quite  the  wisest  ( or  useful )  option  in  this  fun  moment  of  apparent  peace,  although  perhaps  she  could  end  up  exposing  himself  more  than  actually  intended.

❛❛ You  could  start  paying  more  attention:  to  a  vendor’s  tone  of  voice,  their  enthusiasm  upon  gettin’  you  to  buy  what  they  got  ━━━━━━━━━━━  You’re  so  versed  with  technology,  try  searching  things…  Especially  things’  prices  first. ❜❜    What  is  noticeable  on  that  doll  face,  however,  is  a  subtle  curl  of  the  lips,  forming  a  subtle  half-smile  in  response  to  that  comment;  as  if  trying  to  restrain  a  burst  of  genuine  laughter,  which  remained  veiled  to  his  throat,  producing  a  somewhat  weird  sound.  If  anything,  he  just  doesn’t  intend  to  give  the  other  the  satisfaction  of  achieving  his  goal  of  teasing  him.    ❛❛ You  really  push  your  luck  sometimes,  what  if  I  uncover  something  that  could  bring  you  disgrace?  Ever  consider  that  or  are  you  really  that  thick-skinned? ❜❜    Timid  sigh  ends  the  sentence,  almost  as  if  he  intended  to  chuckle  instead.  Tension  on  his  muscles  seems  to  dissipate  finally,  and  the  hand  once  hidden  falls  to  the  side,  not  quite  revealing  the  small  object  just  yet.  He  is  just  summoning  the  last  bit  of  courage  left  to  say  what  it  is.

“hmmmm,” fenghong hums, tilting his head, taking into consideration the suggestions given by the one in front of him. these are tips to handling the hawkers that try to earn more than the fair share from their customers. the root of the issue is his lack of concern for money in this world. money (almost) literally grew on trees for him. the amount is inconsequential, since more always came in its place. but, he still nods, keeping the other’s suggestions in mind (though his mind always seems to forget certain things not long after he’s heard it). “i don’t think i would be able to know what to pay attention to when i’m actually there shopping -- i think you’d have to be there to guide me, heihei,” he says, a grin spreading on that youthful, carefree face. 

he laughs again at the thought of the other uncovering his secrets (there are none). with another smile, he says, “i’m considering it right now and i can only tell you this, heihei -- there’s nothing that i’ve been hiding from you.” his life, an open book with little to hide, no secret that he would not be willing to share. “try me. ask me anything and i’ll answer you.” 

A  subtle  puff  of  air  reaches  Huan  Hei’s  nostrils,  as  if  a  laugh  almost  dared  to  come  out  in  reaction  to  those  actions.  Perhaps  there  isn’t  much  harm  in  being  carefree  or  even  frivolous  at  times  after  all.  Things  he  had  never  afforded  to  be  before.    ❛❛ That  was  a  special  case  ━━━━━━  ! ❜❜    Expression  changes,  almost  instantly,  as  he  is  convinced  that  the  claim  to  come  is  a  matter  of  fact,  not  the  excuse  that  it  actually  is.    ❛❛ I  can’t  stand  it  when  people  take  advantage  of  others’  naivety  and  good  faith.  Don’t  get  used  to  it. ❜❜    Of  course,  he  still  has  to  maintain  his  pose  in  front  of  that  Celestial,  but  truth  is  that  this  habit  of  meddling  in  matters  that  didn’t  concern  him  was  more  frequent  than  he  would  like  to  admit.  Especially  with  that  dumb  bird  that  had  all  the  right  of  doubt.

And  any  vain  attempt  to  appear  naturally  indifferent  ends  up  being  blown  away  with  just  one  sentence.  Tension  strikes  the  Dragon’s  body  while  the  chocolate  in  his  hand  is  about  to  get  another  bite.  He  almost  chokes,  were  it  not  for  his  focus  on  the  subject.  What  did  the  other  just  imply?

❛❛ And  I  wonder,  for  someone  like  you,  what  kinda  thing  can’t  see  the  light  of  the  day? ❜❜    An  actual  response  is  delayed  for  no  proper  ( and  minimally  reasonable )  answer  to  FengHong’s  question  comes  to  his  mind.  What  could  he  do?  Confess  with  all  the  letters  that  he  did  that  small  cheap  thing  as  a  gift?  Comparing  to  the  chocolates  it  doesn’t look  as  important  at  all… 

a smirk plays on his face, amused by the reaction obtained. increasingly, with time together, the words the dragon say stop matching with his actions. fenghong has noticed this unwillingness from the other to admit to certain things, standing his ground with lies (that he might or might not believe). some might find it annoying, but fenghong finds it a bit endearing. he laughs and nods, not arguing against the other, letting him believe (for a little longer) that the moment in question is ‘special’ and not something he has repeatedly done. “alright, alright, heihei, i won’t get used to it. ah... but what if another vendor tries to swindle me of my hard-earned cash?” he ponders playfully, lower lips jutted out to garner pity, “what would i do then?”

“oh?” now there’s a question that requires some thought. he stands there, thinking about what would he be too ashamed of (to the point of hiding). nothing comes to mind -- nothing he thinks he has to hide from the other. “there’s nothing for me. i’ll gladly answer or show if you ask,” he replies.

❛❛ You  don’t  say… ❜❜    Eyebrows  knit  in  slight  confusion;  So  the  Heavens  were  really  as  restricted  as  they  say…  Is  he  really  going  to  be  accepted  there?    ❛❛ I  don’t  really  see  it  as  romantically  as  you. ❜❜    Doubt  aside…  He  doesn’t  seem  surprised  by  the  words  that  follow.  Or  rather,  somewhat  satisfied:  strange  would  be  if  it  was  different,  having  he  at  least  understood  the  spontaneity  of  that  Phoenix,  although  his  feelings  still  remained  unfathomable.  Letting  some  amusement  show  through  the  sharp  features  should  be  enough.  In  contrast,  his  hands  tremble  behind  his  back,  uncertainty  spreading  over  his  entire  being  like  fire  in  dry  forest;  Would  it  be  a  good  idea  after  all  to  deliver  that  pendant?  Or  should  he  wait  for  a  better  moment?

❛❛ They  are  what  ━━━━━━━━  ? ❜❜    Again,  confusion  strikes  him.  Perhaps  ears  heard  it  wrong,  or  perhaps  he  was  too  distracted  trying  not  to  laugh  at  the  impersonation.  Hesitation,  however,  delayed  his  hand  stretched  in  the  air  a  little  (  while  the  other  was  still  hiding  the  gift  )  before  finally  picking  up  a  one.  Looking  at  it  closely,  almost  absent-mindedly,  he  proceeded:    ❛❛ It’s  just  that  I’m  not  into  spending  too  much  on  things  that  I  don’t  find  necessary. ❜❜    A  bite  of  the  candy  didn’t  stop  him  from  continuing.   ❛❛ But  it’s  not  for  me  to  say  what  to  do  or  not  with  your  money  in  the  end,  right? ❜❜

“‘delectable’!” he repeats. the smile is obvious on his face and his tone. eagerly, he looks on at the other, waiting for a reaction (would he like the chocolate? would he hate it?). curiosity replaces the eagerness on his face when he receives nothing. no judgment, no confirmation -- absolutely nothing but acceptance from the dragon about how fenghong spends his money (it might as well grow on trees after he figured out how he could conjure up money). “hm...” he says, seeking some facial expression to sate the curiosity, but his energetic mind soon abandons that train of thought. 

“well! you can always still tell me if something is worth it or not,” he says. “remember when that hawker tried to rip me off and if not for you i would’ve bought a fake, useless charm?”

Warmth  shared,  bodies  pressing  lightly  the  cloth  against  the  skin,  is  enough  to  deliver  chills  to  the  spine  of  this  cold  as  ice  creature.  Yet,  here  lies  the  uncertainty  that  these  feelings  are  appropriate:  to  these  circumstances  ━━━━━━━━━━  and  towards  this  man.  Why  does  the  mind  think  it’s  so  wrong,  but  the  heart  doesn’t  seem  to  have  any  shadow  of  regret?  A  small  ruff  of  air  reaches  his  nostrils  before  reflexless  obsidian  irises  finally  focus  him  once  again. 

❛❛ I’m  not  sure  ━━━━━━━━━━  !  ❜❜    He  tries  to  form  the  reasoning  as  the  words  come  out  of  his  mouth.  There’s  plenty  of  things  to  be  said.  That  can  and  cannot  be  said.  And  that  may  never  be  said  at  all.  But  all  Huan  Hei  wants  is  to  keep  the  other  entertained,  just  to  be  able  to  tag  along.  And  how  lucky,  before  he  could  even  think  of  something  himself,  soon  FengHong  was  brave  enough  to  make  such  proposition.  A  date?  That’s  how  it  sounds  like.  But  he  refuses  to  see  as  such.  And  no  joke  about  it  should  slip  pass  his  lips.  

It’s  not  exactly  irritation  what  begins  to  grow  inside  the  Dragon;  In  all  honesty,  there  was  no  intention  of  being  sure  about  what  it  could  be,  and  perhaps  even  a  refusal  to  examine  it  more  closely;  Onerous  to  point  out  at  such  a  short  distance,  but  maybe  between  nervousness  and  happiness  with  a  tint  of  annoyance,  as  demonstrated  by  a  somewhat  accelerated  breathing,  so  dangerously  going  against  the  other’s  fair  skin  as  their  glances  meet.    ❛❛ I  see  no  problem  going  with  you━━━━━━━━  to  see  these  sets  you  speak  of. ❜❜    A  soft  sigh  is  his  attempt  to  buy  some  time  to  think,  and  maybe  rejoice  in  his  own  sweet  agony  for  a  little  longer.  Could  he  even  refuse  now?    ❛❛ How  did  you  find  it,  if  I  may  ask? ❜❜ 

it’s strange to find heihei’s behavior endearing. there’s some acrobatics happening in heihei’s mind -- blatant attempts to ask him out are interpreted differently by the enigmatic dragon. he stops himself from outright snickering, since heihei had promised to go out with him (so, technically still a victory!). 

“you know if you go see the sets, they will ask you to buy and eat the sets as well, right?” he says playfully. “and to clear the air of misunderstandings...” he begins, before elbowing heihei gently to emphasize his next statement, “it’s a date.”

eyes twinkling, having ‘tricked’ his way into a date, he sports a wide grin, entertained by the direction things have taken. a promise is a promise (he counts heihei’s reply as a promise). in his mind, he’s already planning the occasion, where he would bring him before and after the restaurant. “hmm?” he murmurs when heihei asks where he found this place. hadn’t he already answered? 

Dragon  found  himself  unable  to  organize  the  thoughts  fast  enough  to  retort  immediately  to  the  Phoenix’s  comments.  His  head  rubs  against  the  other’s  shoulder  again,  but  no  change  in  that  cold  expression  is  noticeable.  There’s  no  reason  to  give  him  the  pleasure  of  obtaining  any  clearer  reaction,  especially  with  that  clear  intention  to  taunt  him  with  these  seemingly  innocent  words.  The  apparent  condescendent  silence  stretched  in  the  air  for  an  unpleasing  while,  peach  blossom  eyes  so  very  fixed  on  his  listener,  as  if  waiting  for  the  next  blabbering,  maybe  most  unexpected  of  revelations,  maybe  something  that  could  appease  his  very  own  axiousness:  Don’t  stop  now,  FengHong…  Just  a  little  longer…  Just  a  little  more…  But  nothing  seems  to  come,  so  an  almost  unnoticeable  nod  remarks  the  discreet  confirmation  that  the  point  was  taken.

❛❛ Wow,  do  I  look  that  worn  out  ~  ?  How  unsightable… ❜❜    A  soft  playful  sigh,  not  strong  enough  to  blow  away  the  the  cozy  warmth  that  lingered  in  the  air  of  that  conversation  and  turn  it  into  another  unnecessary  conflict,  ends  his  statement  pronounced  in  a  serene  tone.  Judging  by  what  he  has  seen  so  far,  it’s  easy  to  deduce  that  FengHong’s  skin  was  thick  enough  to  be  unaffected  by  some  few  sharp  words…  Which  (  unfortunately,  perhaps  )  is  one  of   Huan  Hei’s  specialities.  Even  so,  this  feeling  of  longing  wouldn’t  go  away.  What  could  he  do?    ❛❛ I  will  ━━━━━━━━━━  Eventually. ❜❜    A  pause.  A  very  hesitant  one.    ❛❛ Talk  to  me  until  then. ❜❜

he laughs and it cheerily rings through the small room. with a careful hand, he reaches over to the dragon’s head, patting it gently, smoothing out the slightly ruffled hair. “you look perfect,” he tells him, reassuring the dragon of his looks. flawless porcelain skin, raven feather black hair, and features so sharp, the can cut you if you’re not careful -- the phoenix speaks the truth, not a coated lie to appease the other. the unwavering gaze and lack of flinches reveal his belief in that fact. “but i can tell you’re a bit tired,” he said, pointing to his head, as if it contains all the knowledge in the world (it does not, but it does know a lot about the person next to him). 

All  these  small  details  add  to  the  doubt;  Make  him  ponder  more  and  more  about  the  other  as  he  allowed  the  distance  between  the  two  to  shorten.  Even  with  the  uncertainty  of  to  what  extent  should  meddle,  where  would  be  the  border  of  letting  himself  get  too  involved  with  that  Phoenix  or  not  in  spite  of  his  very  own  hypocrisy.  And  here  lies  the  sincere  unsettledness  for  not  yet  quite  understanding  at  what  cost  that  creature,  a  noble  with  no  worries,  would  be  willing  to  choose  this  task,  helping  a  monster  in  this  Underworld,  whether  out  of  altruism,  boredom,  a  sense  of  duty  or  some  wicked  combination  of  them  all.  But  here,  it  only  ended  up  being  the  subject  of  a  debate  restricted  only  to  the  depths  of  his  thoughts  while  a  timid  chuckle  escaped  his  nostrils.

❛❛ Stop  it,  I  might  actually  believe  you  ~ ❜❜    And  after  a  moment  of  silence,  an  absent-minded  voice  responded,  as  if  still  somewhat  lost  in  thought,  but  surprisingly  willing  to  let  yet  another  atrocious  display  of  tenderness  pass  with  no  reprimand  as  he  remains  perfectly  static  where  he  was.  After  all, after  being  so  desensitized  to  any  kind  of  genuine  and  sincere  attitude,  those  small  attitudes  bringing  some  kind  of…  Hope to  the  Dragon’s  chest;  As  if  the  weight  of  all  those  mind  games,  lies  and  backstabbing  could  be  forgotten  even  for  a  fleeting  moment,  to  leave  place  to  his  own  genuine  innocence  that,  despite  still  being  carried  after  all  these  years,  had  to  be  locked  away  if  he  meant  to  survive  ━━━━━━━━━━  or  to  maintain  any  sanity  left.    ❛❛ But  words  mean  nothing,  you  know  ━━━━━━  ?  And  you  just  lost  one  good  opportunity  to  show  me  ~ ❜❜

"better late than never, right?” he asks, canting his head to catch a better angle of heihei, curiously looking for the permission those words seem to imply. fenghong is not one to hide his lust or desires, he still one to make sure that the other is willing before he takes any action. impulse usually controls him, but around heihei he tries his best to restrain himself, knowing wrong actions might scare away the dragon. 

their time together has taught him a few things about the other person, learning his likes and dislikes (piecing together this puzzle he finds fascinating). certain aspects of himself had to be toned down, which he did so gladly for the other’s comfort. fenghong holds him dearly to his heart, though their relationship still remains rather ambiguous. labels have not been defined yet, their actions done still with an air of hesitance. 

his laugh fills the room as he sets down the chocolates on the table (the weight of the candy actually making the wobbly table lean to one side). “well, there’s not many people there,” he says, taking out of the boxes of chocolates, opening it to reveal rows of intricately designed pieces. without hesitation he pops a piece into his mouth, savoring the complex flavors the boutique had placed into that tiny piece. “and plus, they were the scandal of the century! i admired it. against all odds, their romance prevailed even as the gods themselves fought against it. now, once a year, they get to make love~” he says, mouth filled with chocolate, but trying his best to not spit as he eats and talks. fenghong walks over to heihei, box of chocolates in hand, and offers it to the dragon. his hands are behind his back (is he hiding something), but fenghong doesn’t question it.

And  for  a  brief  second  that  seems  to  be  stretched  a  little  in  this  shared  moment,  the  Dragon  ends  up  being  removed  from  his  own  internal  thoughts  and  dilemmas.  Distracted,  slowly  sinking  in  the  other’s  motion.  The  touch  is  warm  and  gentle,  though  perhaps  somewhat  clumsy.  Perhaps  he  wasted  a  few  moments  closing  his  eyes  to  enjoy  it  to  the  fullest;  After  all,  when  was  the  last  time  he  had  felt  this  way?  In  the  end,  the  Dragon  finds  satisfaction,  in  spite  of  not  finding  a  more  comfortable  position  as  previously  claimed.  In  all  honesty,  how  could  Huan  Hei  even  have  the  courage  to  ask  for  anything  more  when  he  is  like  this   ━━━━━━━━━━ ?  And  anyway,  what  else  could  he  want?  Perhaps  the  answer  could  be  found  on  those  eyes  of  his  partner,  tender  as  they  were  enthusiastic,  always  eager  to  make  an  effort  for  him.

❛❛ You’re  really  not  good  at  this,  huh? ❜❜      Playful  come  the  words,  as  he  totally  doesn’t  mean  them;  FengHong  could  be  more  gentle  than  this  creature  rough  around  the  edges  could  be.  A  smile  ended  up  stretching  his  face,  as  he  was  amused  by  the  present  circumstances.    ❛❛ I  hope  your  hands  are  better  at  magic ━━━━━━ ❜❜

he cracks a smile, looking over at the person laying on his shoulder. the words are playfully spoken. a little laugh acknowledges the joke, and he keeps quiet the entire purpose of that clumsy attempt isn’t really to help heihei, per se, instead to take in the feel of heihei’s cool skin, feel him underneath his hands. he keeps quiet, nodding, agreeing, letting heihei believe what he wants, not insecure and feeling the need to defend himself. 

For  a  creature  not  too  found  of  ( unrequited )  intimacy,  this  Dragon  reacted  well.  In  fact,  the  simple  fact  that  he  took  the  initiative  in  spite  of  his  stupid  pride  and  lack  of  tact  was  already  a  prowess  in  itself.  Hopefully  the  Phoenix  won’t  keep  his  face  turned  towards  him  for  too,  otherwise  certainly  the  foolish  and  embarrassing  hint  of  a  smile  smile  on  his  face  would  be  very  evident  as  he  immersed  into  silly  thoughts  about  the  daily  lives  of  the  two  and  their  future  tasks  and  concerns.  Contrary  even  to  what  his  own  mind  cold  tell  him,  some  comfort  can  be  found  on  that  shoulder,  however…  Has  FengHong  always  smelled  this  good?  Since  when  is  his  shoulder  this  comfortable?  Since  when  did  Huan  Hei  actually  allow  himself  to  be  so  close  to  him  like  that?  And  why  all  this  doesn’t  seem  wrong  in  the  least?  Every  little  aspect  of  the  present  context  only  seems  to  corroborate  the  doubt  that  has  been  growing  within  his  heart,  although  the  pale  and  serene  face  may  indicate  the  exact  opposite;  An  indifference  that  definitely  wasn’t  felt,  but  would  be  the  easiest  way  out  for  this  present  dilemma.

❛❛ I  would…  If  you  could  just  stand  quiet  still  for  a  second. ❜❜    A  small,  timid  laugh  ends  his  speech,  while  the  head  seems  to  nestle  a  little,  as  if  looking  for  a  more  comfortable  position.

the phoenix is as master of many things -- staying quiet was not one of them. but he tries, pursing his lips tightly together (stretched into a wide smile on his lively face), keeping quiet for the sake of the other.

the temptation to break the silence grew as the dragon searched for a comfortable position.

‘you can lay on my lap!’

fenghong nearly suggests that and that mightn’t have ended well. instead he merely watches on, keeping himself quiet by admiring the other’s beauty. porcelain face sculpted by masters, hair dark as as the night sky.

“ah,” he finally breaks the silence with a quiet offer, “let me help.” 

the mortal world has brought him one of his newest joys -- the cellphone. the little device, small and compact, is filled with features that appeal to the heart and soul of the phoenix. the camera roll is already filled with pictures of himself (and others who are willing to take a picture) and every single social media app has been downloaded and accessed several times a day. now, sitting on the ground, shoulders slightly hunched, he taps on one of the apps, looking at the things other people post, taking inspiration for his own future post. a little hum fills the air, a melody he heard somewhere but forgotten the lyrics to already. 

distracted, he didn’t notice heihei nearby... until his head is already laying on his shoulder. he stops himself from jolting in surprise (in an effort to make himself comfortable for the other to lean on). trademark quips that ruin a mood more than they help one are restrained as he stares at heihei. the surprise subsides eventually, replaced by a smile, happy to look at the porcelain face besides him. he could feel every hot breath on his skin, goosebumps forming on his skin. 

Hard  to  believe  he  is  now  exchanging  that  ( unashamedly  fun )  sort  of  bickering  with  someone  who  could  potentially  decide  whether  his  dream  of  leaving  this  hell  of  realm  would  come  true  or  not.  However,  this  atmosphere  seems  so  warm,  friendly  and  inviting,  that  all  this  Dragon  is  able  to  do  is  simply  retort  each  sentence  with  his  sharpest  humor.  Something  perhaps  reserved  only  for  those  he  deemed  worthy  of  his  crudest  side.

❛❛ Is  that  so?  But  I’d  suggest  you  seeing  someone  else.❜❜    Now,  a  shadow  of  a  smile  begins  to  hover  over  the  pale  face,  still  carrying  the  same  boldness  observed  right  from  the  start  of  this  conversation.    ❛❛ —————  Like  a  therapist  or  something. ❜❜

the barest hint of a smile appearing on the stoic face gives him a feeling of triumph -- his antics have succeeded, the other giving him that rare sight, akin to the sight of a meteor falling on a clear night sky. 

One  brow  twitches  in  a  wicked  mix  of  disbelief  and  amusement.  By  the  Heavens,  this  Dragon  sees  himself  torn  between  actually  yielding  to  the  other’s  attempts  to  make  him  laugh  and  actually  slapping  him  for  such  boldness.  No  one  has  ever  insisted,  no  one  has  ever  gone  so  low  as  to  perform  this  shameful  comical  act  just  for  him  ————————————  For  mere  laughs.  Huan  Hei,  however,  is  more  impelled  to  win  whatever  challenge  he  thinks  FengHong’s  is  pulling;  maybe  finally  be  able  to  finally  get  him  speechless,  silencing  that  big  mouth  of  his.

❛❛ Do  I  look  like  some  kind  of  Technical  Assistance  for  Immortal  spirits  to  you? ❜❜    He  huffs,  eyes  narrowing,  unamused  (  or  at  least,  pretending  to  be  ).    ❛❛ Although  in  your  case,  I  think  taking  you  to  a  vet  would  be  more  suitable. ❜❜    They  should  know  how  to  take  care  of  birds  after  all.  Especially  this  big  one.

the conversation continues and fenghong is having fun. the other’s company, although sometimes quiet and stoic, grows on him, bringing smiles to his face. the boundaries and walls that were erected the first day has gradually eroded -- the wilder side repressed within him revealing itself more with every day, this conversation a culmination of that erosion.

Nonchalance  remains  stamped  on  the  sculpted  serene  face.  No  shadow  of  reaction  is  noticeable  in  those  eyes  that  carry  an  air  of  tender  gentleness,  silently  having  fun  with  this  whole  scene,  contrary  perhaps  to  what  is  usually  observed.  He  desperately  tries  to  contain  a  laugh,  after  all,  he  doesn’t  want  to  give  the  other  the  pleasure  of  eliciting  any  sort  of  reaction  from  himself.    ❛❛ Is  there  a  switch  to  turn  you  off? ❜❜    Brow  rises  for  emphasis,  head  tilting  in  confidence  and  defiance;  Of  course,  the  Dragon  not  willing  to  back  down  on  the  least.    ❛❛ Or  you  managed  to  get  yourself  broken  to  this  point? ❜❜

█  ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴜꜱ:  + 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

although the other’s features are as stoic as ever, those eyes and those lips (that threaten to curl) imply otherwise. fenghong lets out a laugh, happy that he could bring some laughs (or withheld laughs) to heihei.

expression face scrunches into another frown, pretending like he’s bothered. “broken... huh...?” he begins. his joy tugs it back into a grin. “guess i broke myself while falling for you.” 

the dragon might not look impressed and he might sound mad to most folks, but the phoenix knows that the fact the dragon doesn’t walk off into the other room, leaving him alone on the floor is a sign he’s actually amused and willing to entertain this. encouraged, there’s a twinkle on his eyes even as he frowns playfully. he adds, “ah... i can’t get myself together, last night it was a rough night of sleep and i was feeling a little off...”