❛ Did someone hurt you? ❜ // from xie lian !

Perhaps some things had been better off left unspoken.

The air throughout Yi City had always felt lively before, even with how small it proved to be during his stay. Yet as the months dragged on, the taoist had not been completely oblivious to the growing, concerning silence that filled the streets. At first, he felt it may have simply been the citizens merely leaving to return at some time within the near future. The theory quickly being disproven when the numbers didn’t seem to increase once more once they had left.

The truth hits him much harder than he’d originally anticipated, and in a way he hadn’t seen coming.

His body stood cold and rigid back then, uncaring of how an ugly mix of tears and blood rolled down his cheeks as Xue Yang revealed the truth. The voices were suddenly difficult to drown out, ringing through his mind as clearly as the day that they’d called out to him in a prayer for mercy. If he had listened, if he hadn’t been so blind.. The priest nearly wants to hurl, the nauseating guilt and self - loathing already having settled in. As much as he didn’t want to believe any of what the criminal that was apparently living with him had said, it made too much logical sense for it to be a lie in their current circumstances.

It’s the truth involving Zichen that may as well have driven him mad.

The thoughts from then torment him even now, merely a week or so after the revelation. Xingchen doubts he will reunite with the one he caused so much suffering to, knowing his once-dear friend and cultivation partner would never wish to face someone as tainted and full of sin as himself. The priest still feels conflict over it all, yet forgiveness is far from a possible option at this point in time.

❛ Did someone hurt you? ❜

It’s a soft, soothing voice that calls to him, one he knows all too well after years of being blessed enough to hear. Yet he doesn’t move from his position, too hesitant that he’d simply just ruin another person as he had back then. Xingchen doubts he would still have his life if not for Xie Lian’s gentle guidance, and the amount of sincere care behind it all still makes the Taoist want to cry again. Xie Lian had always been like this, gentle and kind, yet protective when the situation had proved it necessary without seeming at all overwhelming. 

He doesn’t notice the tears that already begin to stain the pure white cloth around his eyes.

“       …       i would hardly deem myself a royal anymore ───          its been centuries since i’ve been likened to a prince,       much less someone of status.       please,       i would prefer if xiao xingchen did not refer to me so formally;        we are equals.       ”

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋      (     𝐫𝐞:  𝐱𝐢𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧.   ) :       for   @xiaoxiingchen.

“       please do not let this sway your opinion of me  ───      i am the same person i was a week ago,       your friend nonetheless.       i’ve long since ceased being a crown prince as well,       so there’s no need for you to refer to me in such a formal manner.       ”

❝ ... Somehow, Cursed seems accurate... ❞

Tagged By: Stolen

                                      || 𝙰𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝙱𝚢 𝙰𝚞𝚛𝚊 ||

Xiao Xingchen is also a disciple of Baoshan Sanren. He rose to fame twelve years ago, but his name is no longer heard. Anyone with intractable problems would turn to him and he would never reject, hence a great reputation.

But he would be nobody’s appendage. He wanted to build a sect that forsook the lineage with his friend, Song Lan.

|| @katamenokaze​ // Face Xiao Xingchen’s Judgement! (accepting!) ||

__________________

Fashion: ★★★★☆

Humor: ★★★☆☆

Morality: ★★★★★

Propensity toward criminal behavior: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

“Ren is the furthest one from a criminal that you could ever meet.”

Orderliness: ★★★☆☆

Physical Appearance: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Personality as a whole: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Tolerability: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

|| @xueyaang // Face Xiao Xingchen’s Judgement! (accepting!) ||

____________________

Fashion: ★★★☆☆

Humor: ★★☆☆☆

Morality: ★☆☆☆☆

Propensity toward criminal behavior: ★★★★★

Orderliness: ★★★☆☆

Physical appearance: ★★★★★

Personality as a whole: ★★☆☆☆

Tolerability: ★★★☆☆

|| Face Xiao Xingchen’s Judgement! (accepting!) ||

__________________________

Fashion: ★★★★☆

Humor: ★★☆☆☆

Morality: ★★★★★

Propensity toward criminal behavior: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Orderliness: ★★★★★

Physical appearance: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Personality as a whole: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Tolerability: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

|| Free Kisses (1/3) // @katamenokaze​ ||

________________

         ✵ — “ Hm...? ”

If the man had eyes, they would not have hesitated to take a look at the spirit that sat not too far from him. The day had consisted mainly of more hours on the road, with an occasional stop for some food, or assisting those in need when they’d stumbled upon them. Needless to say, the priest was exhausted by the end of it, but that didn’t deter from his usual, cheerful demeanor. 

It didn’t keep his mind from drifting into that darkness that his past memories contained, however.

He remembers all too well how his last friendship ended, and as little as he complained, it still left it’s mark on him. Was his friend well? Had he been faring better with Xingchen’s absence, compared to their companionship? Whatever it was, he’d hoped that his dear friend had been well since those darker, crueler times.

Had it been anyone else asking such a question, the priest doubted that he would have considered revealing what was truly on his mind. As open and selfless as he had been, some topics simply.. didn’t sit well enough for him to consider opening up about. Yet the man beside him had long since shown the trustworthy, much gentler side of him. One that never failed to soften him up enough to speak without feeling forced. Ichimokuren... 

Not once has he regretted accepting the deity’s company.

“ ... It is nothing that would bring a frown to one’s face, Ren. You need not worry over me. ” The smile returns to his face moments later, as he soon finds himself moving so that his body was laying closer to the deity’s. It was always hard to frown when in the Wind God’s presence, and a part of him hoped that his own would bring a similar effect to his friend, as well. Yet, his answer only causes a small giggle to pass his lips, the smile growing a little more as he thinks over his words. “ Such words would not convince you, however. Would they? ”

Xingchen usually isn’t so bold, but the emotions in him compelled him just enough to at least do this much.

“ Mm... I was simply thinking to myself... ” A hum passes his lips as a hand lifts itself to find the other’s head, holding only a little hesitation as they scanned for the spot they’d intended to land on. He’d long since grown accustomed to Ichimokuren’s features, yet it didn’t stop him from relearning it all, in the end. His voice pauses when it lands on the side of his head with the success of not startling the deity too much, the smile softening as he thought of how to word it all. “ Of how thankful I am to you, in this moment. You showed me so much kindness and generosity to me when you never had to, and did so while continuing to say that ‘kindness costs nothing’. ”

He can’t help but lean over for just a few moments, making sure that he does not chase off the one beside him in the process. Xingchen had never hoped to forge a friendship as strong as the one he had with Ren since he lost a certain, black-clad priest, and the thought of slipping up now terrified him more than what his expressions showed. “ You showed me companionship when I needed it the most. You gave me a light to follow when I thought I’d felt more lost than I had been my whole life. The warmth you emit is something I have grown to treasure greatly, Ren.. And I hope that one day, I can give you something just as special as you had given me. ” Xingchen does not hesitate once earnest words spill from pale lips, as he steels himself for what’s to come. Though it’s soft, so light that it may as well not have been there at all, Xingchen had managed to work up the courage to press his slightly-trembling lips to the center of Ren’s forehead and keep it there for a solid minute or so. He was never good with words, and felt embarrassed to show through actions, but it never took away from how sincere he was when he spoke, at the least.