Chapter Text
“...marriage?” Wen Xu found himself parroting back to his father, blinking slowly to hide the rampant shock running through his body. He knew his words were close to questioning his father but - he never had expected - this was …
“Yes,” Wen Ruohan returns, a cold smile on his face. “A marriage between my heir, you, with Nie Mingjue, the Sect Leader of the Qinghe Nie, would do much to better our two sects … relationship.”
Wen Xu stared at his father blankly, before bowing stiffly and saying, “As you wish, father.”
Then he retreats to his room, mind spiraling dangerously - wondering at what his father is playing at -! Marrying him off to the Qinghe Nie - what was his true purpose? It wasn’t to ‘better relationships’ - his father didn’t care about bettering relationships, he cared only about having the Sects on a tight leash with his hand on the other end.
So what purpose did his father have?
Was this - was this to get rid of him? Had he finally lost his entertainment value for his father? His worth?
Why wouldn’t he just kill him -?
(he’d killed his mother after all - had tortured her to death just for wanting to take her child and run - had sent his team to their deaths and -)
Wen Xu gritted his teeth, hatred bubbling up inside of him and he snarled and lashed out at the wall of his bedroom - fist slamming into it with bruising force. He’d done everything his father wished - had murdered for him - had lost his people for him - had -
Bitter hatred clawed at his throat and he swallowed back the enraged scream that wanted to break out. ( control the beast inside, his mother’s voice whispers in the back of his mind) His father was dooming him to become nothing but a pariah under the Qinghe Nie - hated for his very name -
(and deep in his heart he weeps with the knowledge that he will be locked in a loveless marriage seeped in bitterness and hatred)
His father wants him out of the way for the favored son.
And he won’t stand for it - can’t stand for it - he will not let this be what his father wants.
(he can’t anymore - hatred burning in his gut and clogging his throat - a beast snarling against his chains with the knowledge that he can’t escape - and will be leaving his baby brother to his father’s whims - his entire being wants to rebel -)
If his father wants him to be a silent observer and noose around the Qinghe Nie - he refuses . Even with the knowledge that this Sect will despite him for his name alone, he is going to be the best damn husband to Nie Mingjue and make the Sect prosper .
(he isn’t a tool - not a toy to be discarded - he refuses to be such things again - he will not be led blindly by his father ever again -)
|
It grates at his nerves to be considered the bride of this arrangement - furious rage straining to be unleashed inside of him at this last jab at him by his father. Even if by tradition, his father’s actions should have made him the groom - yet he is to be the bride given away.
Wen Xu grits his teeth and bears the indignity of it - expression flat and cold and giving none of his turmoil away. Even though he has promised himself to defy everything his father wishes to come of this arrangement, it stings to be the bride - even with both being males and supposed to be on equal grounds.
(even if he knows that women can be just as strong as men and there is no shame for this - it grates that tradition has placed him in this submissive role that carves away at him)
Wen Xu has no idea what has been put in his dowry given to the Nie family - doesn’t even know if his father even deigned to have a dowry for him - and it is a struggle to contain the insult of the betrothal gift the Nie family had given him.
A gift of subpar quality that rankles at him - and spite leads him to choosing a high quality, useful , return gift. (it only makes him feel slightly better for the situation, even though he highly doubts the Nie family will feel any guilt for the subpar betrothal gift given)
And then it is the time of the actual wedding and Wen Xu hardens his heart.
The preparations are done with the bare minimum of lavishness that the Wen family can actually provide and - Wen Xu finds himself greatly surprised when instead of his servants helping him get ready for the ceremony itself, it is his younger brother, Wen Chao.
Regret bubbles inside of him as his younger brother goes through the motions - only fourteen and yet his father favors him more than his eldest - and Wen Xu hates his father for pitting them against each other. Hates that Wen Ruohan did nothing to curb the hatred that had bubbled inside of Wen Xu for his brother (except its not for him - not really - its for the way Wen Chao is allowed to get away with so much more that he could ever - and yet he still remembers the scared eight-years-old sobbing in a cupboard -)
And hates the fact that he has struck his brother in anger and done nothing to build a relationship with him. (couldn’t under his father’s malevolent eye and doubly so after the death of his team -) He wants to speak - perhaps ask where his own servants are but part of him doesn’t want to know what has become of his beloved servants -
So it is silent between them as he is prepared for his wedding - words lodging in his throat that he doesn’t know if he will ever be able to say. The only thing he can bring himself to do - (his brother is only fourteen and he is both relieved and hates that his brother has never felt the force of their father’s whip - but knows it isn’t actually any better than the rare punishment his brother does incur) - he raises his hand, gritting his teeth when his brother actually flinches, and settles it on top of his head.
The hair under his hand is soft and warm as he smooths his fingers over it gently, heart aching, and murmurs a quiet, “Thank you, A-Chao.”
Then he sweeps out of the room before his brother can react - doesn’t want to face a relationship that has never existed because of his own actions and his burning hatred for their father. Doesn’t want to know how his brother views him (not after what he did - he should have been kind - even if it was weakness - his brother had only been eight, damn it -!)
He is dressed in red and about to marry into a sect that despises his name.
And he can only remain coldly blank through the ceremony, his father looking smug but with cold, ruthless amusement sparkling in his eyes as if everything is going as planned.
And he burns .
He will not be a toy for Wen Ruohan’s amusement again.
He refuses.
|
Wen Xu is twenty-two and older than his now husband by a year. It doesn’t really bother him - not much point given cultivation and the possibility of cultivating to immortality - but it still stands that he is older than his husband.
And it makes his husband furious .
This whole situation makes his husband furious and - Wen Xu has to bite back a smile at the anger because Nie Mingjue has no issues in letting his disgruntlement be known. It makes Wen Xu both slightly jealous and slightly awed.
(the beast inside of him wants to rage against the man - wants to claw and bite until the man is shreds under his fingers - but his mother’s words continue to keep it locked away, even as its fury burns through his body -)
Nie Mingjue’s anger, however, is a slight roadblock in having to consummate their marriage. Something that Wen Ruohan had stated quite clearly must happen the night of the wedding.
“Husband,” Wen Xu starts, the title rolling off his tongue with a deliberate point, and he raises one sleeve to hide his twitching lips at the immediate furious glare the title earns him.
“ Do not call me that ,” Nie Mingjue hisses furiously, hands balled into fists and looking like he had every desire to grab his saber and run his new husband through.
Wen Xu gives him a dry look and raises one sharp eyebrow, “Oh? Then what should I call you if not by the title that connects us?” A stray thought of his husband looking like an angry cat passes through his mind and it is another struggle not to smile or snort.
He wonders how his husband will respond. Will he ask to be called his courtesy name, or will he give his birth name?
It is neither.
Nie Mingjue’s lips curl in a sneer and he spits out, “My title will be sufficient. ChiFeng-Zun.”
Wen Xu finds himself going very still, mind suspiciously blank, and then fury roars through him and he is suddenly right in Nie Mingjue’s face, snarling and eyes flashing with his righteous anger as he bites out, “You will continue to insult me with such things? Is it not enough for me to be the bride of this situation and be gifted such a subpar and insulting betrothal gift? Instead you wish to further insult me by requiring me to call you by a title ?”
Despite the fact that Nie Mingjue is taller and bigger then him, Wen Xu still grabs the front of his robes and drags him down, body tense and furious. “I refuse to be insulted even further, Nie Mingjue,” he hisses venomously. “You don’t wish to be called husband ? Fine, then I will call you Nie Mingjue but I will not call you ChiFeng-Zun, do you understand me?”
The other man’s face is twisted into his own furious snarl - but it did not hide the fact that Wen Xu knew he surprised him - and there’s an iron grip on his wrist and Wen Xu finds himself thrown on the bed in their now shared quarters and Nie Mingjue pinning him down.
(it should not send a thrill of heat down his spine but it does)
“ You - insulted?” Nie Mingjue snarls, grip and body pinning him to the bed and Wen Xu snarls right back, even if he fights the urge to arch up against the body he can feel. “It’s an insult having to marry you !”
“Oh, that’s rich!” Wen Xu snips back sharply, and hooks his leg around the other, bucks his hips, and, taking advantage of Nie Mingjue’s surprise, he flipped their positions, “You think I wanted to be married off like some sort of prize ? Married into a sect that despises my very name -?”
Anger is crackling through him - furious at the situation even with his decision to be the best damn husband he can be - it still rankles him that he even has to do so. Bucks at the fact that his father has shunted him off like an old toy to be forgotten and gotten rid of entirely. Left to rot.
He glares down at his new husband - who is looking both furious and confused and it’s actually a stupidly adorable expression and - Nie Mingjue is unfairly attractive, honestly. His features are strong yet elegant even with the scowl twisting his expression. His eyes sharp and piercing - hair sleek with the slightest curl that made Wen Xu want to dig his hands in deep and pull.
The anger bubbles furiously inside of him warring with the heat of attraction he feels - and having Nie Mingjue pinned under him leaves him feeling heady and so angry -
Wen Xu snarls and crashes their lips together - if the other man won’t start the final piece of this farce of a contract then he would . It’s not soft or loving - he kisses Nie Mingjue furiously, biting at his lips sharply and isn’t surprised when a hand grabs the back of his head and yanks him back. His neck strains with the force Nie Mingjue is using and he grins at him wildly, even as the other man snarls, “You -! What are you -!?”
“Consummating the marriage, husband ,” Wen Xu snarls right back, taunting the other man and relishes in the way the man is flushing high on his cheeks, obviously not unaffected. He’s unsurprised when Nie Mingjue sputters and flips their position again, but this time Wen Xu laughs - sharp and somewhat mocking. “So eager now, aren’t you?”
He spreads his thighs, laughing again when Nie Mingjue grunts in surprise as he’s suddenly actually pressing against his body. The Sect Leader snarls and snaps, “Stop it!”
“Stop what?” Wen Xu snorts, not even struggling against the grip his husband has on his hair still, and grins up at him sharply, all teeth. “Scared? Afraid you can’t perform?” he mocks, knowing he’s playing with fire goading the other cultivator but unable to resist when he made it so easy.
Except there’s something to the fury currently twisting Nie Mingjue’s face that makes him pause.
His grin fades a little and he stares at Nie Mingjue more closely, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. What was lurking under that rage? Red eyes searched the expression, eyeing the furrowed brow and clenched jaw, and then experimentally arched up against the other cultivator.
The reaction was immediate.
Wen Xu hissed as the hand in his hair abruptly tightened and pulled hard and Nie Mingjue’s body tensed and jerked away from him. “ Stop it, ” he snarls again and suddenly Wen Xu gets it.
“You … have no idea what to do,” he says blankly, blinking slowly as he tried to wrap his mind around the concept. He had planned on goading the other man into consummating the marriage and then figured it would never happen again. He had no doubts it still wouldn’t happen after this night but -
There’s a red flush to Nie Mingjue’s face despite the angry scowl and dark eyes and Wen Xu can’t help it. “Were you so concentrated on your saber you didn’t give time to your other ‘saber,’ Nie Mingjue?” he taunts, only laughing when it earns him another sharp pull to his hair (which does send heat fissuring down his spine with the sensation).
“Shut up -!” he snarls, looking furious and embarrassed and - he really does look like an affronted cat and Wen Xu has to stop himself from cooing, he might actually get run through if he does that.
“You really don’t know what to do,” Wen Xu laughs again, voice slightly breathless but there’s no mocking edge to it like his earlier words and he huffs. He twists and pokes and escapes from Nie Mingjue’s grasp, standing from the bed fluidly and scraping his own hand through his hair, loosening it from the design it had been put up in for the ceremony.
Then he began stripping from his garments, ignoring the affronted, strangled noise from behind him until he’s only in his innermost robe. (he has no desire to show his scars to Nie Mingjue and he refuses to do so willingly) He scans the room idly and hums when he finds the jar of oil prepared on the side table, picking it up and turning back to his husband, quirking an eyebrow at the wary and angry expression.
“What - you think I am going to simply take from you?” he sneers, unable to help the sharp spike of bitterness. He wouldn’t be surprised if Nie Mingjue did think he would simply take with little care - he was a Wen afterall. He kisses his teeth sharply, the noise loud in the sudden silence of their room, and snaps shortly, “I am not some uncouth brute, Nie Mingjue.”
His words do nothing to get rid of the wariness of his new partner and he rolls his eyes and tells him flatly, “I am not the one taking. I will play the (his nose scrunches up with distaste) bride role in this instance of contract fulfillment as I highly doubt you will wish for a repeat.”
Wen Xu honestly doubts his father didn’t plan for him to take this role and ‘suffer the disgrace of being the one taken’ - probably as a means for further humiliation.
It makes him seethe internally. As if he would consider such an act as humiliating. There was a hidden power in submission - but he rankled at the fact that he had to give that submission unwillingly.
When Nie Mingjue continues to only sit there on the bed, staring at him angrily, Wen Xu lets out another sharp tsk and steps forward - and with deft hands he began tugging at the ceremonial robes he was wearing. “If you aren’t going to do it, then I will,” he snaps shortly when the other man snarls and jerks away. That finally gets him into action and Nie Mingjue slaps his hands away and stands himself and begins stripping - all the way until he’s nude rather than just the inner robe like Wen Xu - and looks at him challengingly.
“Congratulations, you can undress yourself,” Wen Xu snips dryly, ignoring the way Nie Mingjue bristles, and trying to control himself, because - fuck, Nie Mingjue was attractive and all muscle. He wanted to bite into his skin - bite hard enough to leave his mark on those unfairly nice pectoral muscles. Well, at least his husband is attractive even if said husband hates his guts.
(its something he’s used to anyway)
“...now - what -?” Nie Mingjue spits out between clenched teeth, resigned to having to fulfill the contract of their marriage, and Wen Xu is surprised at the actual admittance of inexperience and asking what happens.
His seething anger eases a little bit and he sighs, pulling his hair over his shoulder and explains, “Sex between two men is obviously different from sex between a man and a woman. The receiving partner - in this instance, myself - needs to be prepared before anything happens and is done with liberal amounts of oil and generally fingers.” At the tense, uncomfortable look on his husband’s face he sighs again and says dryly, “And yes, the only hole that is available for this scenario is the ass.”
“...shameless,” Nie Mingjue mutters, face flushed and shoulders tensed.
A rough snort leaves Wen Xu and he says, “This whole thing is shameless, Nie Mingjue.” He moves over to the bed and climbs onto and then settles with his back against the wall, and settles the pot of oil next to him. He gives his husband a brief look and snorts again, “Since I doubt you wish to prepare me, I will do so. You might want to turn away if you don’t wish to see.”
Wen Xu is surprised when instead of doing just that, Nie Mingjue scowls and seems to straighten up further (which he has no need to do - he was tall enough, damnit -!) and march over to the bed and sit on the edge and stare at him stubbornly.
...did he intend to watch him?
Wen Xu blinked slowly and when he didn’t look away, realized that yes, he did in fact intend to watch him prepare himself. “...now who’s shameless?” he mutters around a short laugh.
But he ignores the affronted look and loosens his robe so that it falls open, opening the jar and dipping his fingers into the slick oil he closes his eyes and settles back more firmly. His thighs fall open and it is … easy to fall into the mindset of having a rare moment of alone time.
Wen Xu is not a stranger to sex. He’s had a few lovers before all this and he knows what he likes mostly and he is not ashamed to admit that he very much enjoys the feeling of something in his ass.
So its not a foreign feeling for him to slide slick fingers between his legs and circle at his puckered entrance.
It is, however, strange to hear the sharp inhalation near him and he can’t resist opening his eyes into slits and looking at his husband. The man’s attention is on his hand and its placement between his legs, cheeks flushed brightly and knuckles white where he has them fisted in his lap. Heat pools in his gut at the sight and he takes a steadying breath, circling his finger a few more times before starting to slide it inside.
The intrusion burns slightly and he hisses softly - but his cock twitches at the sensation and he inhales another breath, eyes fluttering closed again. He takes his time, lifting his hips and giving his single occupant audience a better view - which actually earns him another loud hitched breath that sends a shiver of desire down his spine.
It quickly grows heady having eyes on him - intense eyes no less.
Nie Mingjue has yet to take his eyes off of him as he works one slicked finger in and out of himself, building himself up for another one. His length has already swelled with arousal, throbbing against his stomach as he works himself open - and he sees Nie Mingjue is not unaffected either.
The eyes are burning on his body and it makes him hot, the tips of his ears burning under the intense focus Nie Mingjue is giving him. His breathing deepens and he begins working another finger inside of himself and - for a moment he forgets himself and a soft, wrecked noise escapes at the additional stretch and burn. It feels good and his hips jerk, toes curling in the sheets of this bed, head tipping back against the wall and throat bobbing slightly.
Lost in the sensation as he slowly pumps his fingers and scissors himself open, he nearly misses the soft noise from the man watching him.
His eyes flutter open again and - his gaze catches Nie Mingjue - who isn’t watching his hand like earlier but looking at his face. There’s a long moment where they simply look at each other before Wen Xu can feel himself get a little uncomfortable and taunts instead to shake it off, “Too shameless for you, Nie Mingjue?”
Again the man bristles like an affronted cat, but rather than snap something back or turn away - Wen Xu finds himself suddenly dragged from the wall and onto his back by the ankle. He lets out a low grunt of surprise, fingers slipping free except - he’s not empty for long before barely slicked fingers that aren’t his are slipping inside instead.
A surprised noise leaves his throat and his head tips back and his back arches before he can stop himself, lips parting slightly as his breath hitches. Nie Mingjue’s fingers are thicker than his own, not by much but enough to notice, and are rougher as well, more sword callouses. A breathless laugh escapes and he taunts, licking his lips, “So shameless, husband .”
Red eyes gleam up at Nie Mingjue, who snarls at the title and jabs his fingers in sharply, barking shortly, “I told you not to call me that!”
His back arches again at the sharp jab and a somewhat gutted noise left him before he could swallow it back, the heat simmering in his gut sparking into something hotter. “And I told you - I am not calling you ChiFeng-Zun!” he retorts, voice stupidly breathless but Nie Mingjue seems to be a very fast learner and is dragging his fingers roughly in and out of his hole, rubbing at the walls and crooking occasionally.
“Shut up!” Nie Mingjue growls, cheeks still red and brow furrowed in irritation, but Wen Xu could see the stiff cock between his legs and it makes him laugh. (but fuck - the cock is big - long and thick and he finds he can’t wait to feel that stretching him open and plowing into him - and he wants to see Nie Mingjue lose control -)
The laugh earns him another rough jab, but it doesn’t stop him from goading, “You call this a stretch? I can fit more than just your two fingers, husband . Come on - fuck me open for your cock - nngh -!” He finds himself abruptly cut off by a hand around his throat, Nie Mingjue snarling down at him with livid (but oh so heated) eyes.
“Shut. Up,” he enunciates sharply, fingers twisting and jabbing roughly inside of him while the ones around his throat tighten, cutting off most of his air supply. Wen Xu lets out a raspy laugh, but can’t help moaning when the grip tightens and a third finger is abruptly shoved inside as well.
He squirms but doesn’t try to make the man let go, only resting one hand on the wrist of the hand on his throat, but nothing else. He licks his lips as he pants for breath, eyes fluttering as Nie Mingjue looks at him with narrowed eyed curiosity and changes the angle of his fingers hitting that spot deep inside and - a choked keen leaves him, length twitching as precum pooled at the tip and smeared against his stomach and he shudders.
The fingers around his throat flex, loosening slightly and then experimentally squeezing again.
Wen Xu wants to hold back - doesn’t want to give in to the pleasure sparking through his body at the lack of air flow and stretch of three fingers - but another wrecked noise leaves him and he can practically feel the judgement in his partner’s gaze.
(he half expects Nie Mingjue to stop entirely and not fulfill this part of the marriage)
(he doesn’t stop)
Despite the judgement he can feel, Nie Mingjue doesn’t let go of his throat, instead pinning him down to the bed with his hold and building a rhythm of loosening his grip and then tightening again. Wen Xu can’t help the breathy moans leaving him, back arching and hips grinding shamelessly into the fingers and just knows he’s going to have bruises around his throat tomorrow.
He shivers and makes a low noise of irritation as his husband continues to use his fingers - wanting something else now - and he can tell despite the way Nie Mingjue had abruptly taken control, he was still slightly hesitant.
“Scared?” he garbles out when the hand is loose around his throat, staring up at him with mocking red eyes and a sharp grin.
The hand tightens roughly - harder than before but Nie Mingjue has positioned his hand so he won’t actually crush his wind pipe - and Wen Xu chokes, spots flashing over his vision and his hand grasps his wrist tightly (but he doesn’t tug him away because fuck it feels good - so good -), “Shut up ,” Nie Mingjue snaps, but his voice is slightly breathless, giving away how much he’s actually affected.
There’s a tugging sensation and the fingers leave his ass and he feels achingly empty, making him whimper despite himself, hips lifting up jerkily. But Nie Mingjue settles between his thighs, grip still tight around his throat, but other hand now gripping one hip bruisingly and pinning him even further against the bed and -
Nie Mingjue nudges his thighs open even wider and his hand leaves his hip briefly before Wen Xu feels the flat head of a cock pressing against his slick entrance. Despite the rough way he was currently handling him - Wen Xu wheezed out a somewhat surprised laugh when he notices that the cock is slick with more oil. Nie Mingjue snarls and -
Wen Xu’s mouth drops open, drool leaking out the corner, as he is entered with a sharp thrust - stretching and burning and fuck - so thick -! His back arches and he tries to buck his hips but the hand is back and pinning him down and he squirms uselessly, whining breathlessly. Nie Mingjue isn’t careful or patient, simply thrusts and suddenly all Wen Xu can feel is the length splitting him open and the hand around his throat.
He can’t remember if he’s actually had a partner that made him feel this good - and his partner was a virgin before this -!
It burns and hurts - pain lancing up his spine - but it melts in with the pleasure of being stuffed full and has him seeing stars. He struggles to breathe through the vice on his throat, whimpers and moans wheezing out of him as his eyes roll. His nails dig into the soft flesh of the underside of Nie Mingjue’s wrist, but his other hand grabs at his forearm, clinging to him as darkness edges around his vision.
Nie Mingjue is unmoving above him and Wen Xu forces himself to open his eyes - hazy though they are - and stares up at the expression on his husband’s face. Again he finds Nie Mingjue staring down at his face, expression intense and lips parted slightly as he breathes deeply and there’s something hot and hungry in his grey eyes that makes his heart pound wildly in his chest.
He licks his lips, startled at the way he can see those eyes follow the movement (and something quiet in the back of his mind wonders if this won’t just be a one time event), and then clenches down around the cock inside of him - moaning at the surge of pleasure and the low grunting moan from above him. The hand loosens slightly around his neck and he takes the opportunity to gasp out, “Aren’t you going to move, husband ?”
Wen Xu loves the way the face above him twists into an enraged snarl admittedly too much - as well as the way that hand tightens once more and the length inside of him is dragged out and then shoved right back in. Another wrecked noise leaves him at the sensation, back arching and hips straining against the hand holding them down tight.
The pace starts out sloppy, though rough, but again Nie Mingjue quickly finds a rhythm and soon Wen Xu finds himself being plowed into the mattress below - and loving every second of it. Precum is smearing all across his stomach, cock hot and twitching against his bare skin - and he can feel the hot slide of the length inside of him with every thrust, sending shivers up and down his spine and hoarse moans leaving his lips.
Soon, Wen Xu finds himself lost in a haze of pain and pleasure - vision threatening to darken completely occasionally, but every time Nie Mingjue seems to know and loosens his grip enough for him to inhale gulps of air choked around whimpers - and he can feel the build up of heat in his gut growing steadily with every deep, rough thrust of the thick girth inside of him.
His nails dig into the skin under his hands and a loud keen leaves him as he closes his eyes tight, tears leaking from his eyes, and his back arches up off the bed as he feels his climax nearing. It’s not conscious thought as he slips one hand down and wraps around his cock, stroking it rough and quick until he’s crying out and splattering seed all over his stomach and chest.
Nie Mingjue jerks at the sight, gaze heady before his pace quickens, urged on by the way the man tightens around his cock. He arches over the other man, fingers bruising on his skin as he grunts and his thrusts grow more sloppy - but its not long after Wen Xu that he’s spilling inside of him, seed hot and thick.
Wen Xu doesn’t remember when Nie Mingjue pushed his legs up and back, only knows when he’s letting them fall back down as the hand around his throat slowly releases. He pants heavily and bites back a whimper when Nie Mingjue pulls out with little grace or care, and the seed follows, leaking out of him lewdly. He shakily lifts himself up on his elbows, looking at his husband with lidded eyes and meets the man’s eyes briefly before Nie Mingjue turns away and redresses.
He tries to tell himself he’s not disappointed when his husband leaves him alone.
(he is.)