Work Text:
There was a new rumor circulating within the sect when Shen Qingqiu and Mu Qingfang returned from a medicinal herb gathering mission, and for the first time in months, this gossip was not about Shen's depression after losing a disciple at the last conference — losing Luo Binghe — or the recent leisure trip that Shen and Shang Qinghua had taken at the beginning of the previous month.
This new rumor was just as concerning as the first one and undoubtedly overshadowed the arguments of the latter.
Apparently, the Peak Lord Shang Qinghua was poisoned by a mysterious flower during a 'solitary stroll' he took last week, a stroll that Shen Qingqiu was certain involved a certain ice demon who constantly beckoned him to attend meetings that did not require the presence of the Peak Lord of An Ding.
The only cure for the poisoning was the papapa, so he chose Liu Qingge as accompaniment.
Liu, much like Mu Qingfang and Shen Qingqiu, was not at any of the 12 peaks at the time but on an unscheduled solo mission. However, Shang Qinghua insisted and sent messengers to track down where he was conducting his hunt. Yue Qingyuan reluctantly approved, having offered to go himself but being quickly waved off. Yue Qingyuan claimed that going out Liu Qingge pursuit would be more cumbersome and suggested calling Mu Qingfang to help instead of Qingge.
Shang Qinghua refused.
He argued that they were like brothers and he couldn't do... it with him. Mu Qingfang was sweet, kind, but purely a worried younger brother. Similarly, Yue Qingyuan eerily reminded him of an anxious older brother.
Yue Qingyuan agreed to the idea, surprised, and after thinking for minutes, he shivered. His expression turned serious, contemplative, and utterly disheartened.
And, with hesitation, he suggested Lord Qing Jing. Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu were close, they even took a trip together somewhere last month and didn't tell anyone where they went or what they did.
Shang Qinghua didn't argue about Shen Qingqiu; the rumors contradicted each other in this part, with some saying Qinghua laughed with horror and disdain, and others claiming he said it was impossible for Lord Qing Jing to agree. But all of them agreed that he repeated the name of Liu Qingge afterward.
Saying that, if it weren't for him, there would be no one else.
It was far away, almost in the forests of the Northern Realm. It took days to find him, and during that time, Shang Qinghua waited. He almost died.
If Liu Qingge hadn't been fast enough, if he hadn't broken one of the strongest protections of An Ding Peak, Shang Qinghua would probably be dead.
Dead.
Because he waited for his lover.
Instead of calling Qingqiu, who was in the neighboring town, where, in less than two hours, he could fly back for the Peak and help.
Help.
Shen Qingqiu shuddered at the thought of willingly engaging in intimacy with Airplane (Well, the apprehension was greater with the idea of him initiating contact; sleeping with Airplane itself wasn't the issue), but he would. If he had been called.
The rumor strongly suggests that Shang Qinghua and Liu Qingge were lovers. That Shang Qinghua saw everyone as his brothers, except for Liu Qingge, and hey, that couldn't possibly be true.
On the "vacation" trip they took together, where Shen Qingqiu wanted to explore some beautiful lands he remembered reading about in " Proud Immortal Demon's Way " and dragged Shang Qinghua along with the excuse that, as the author, he could guide him more easily.
And it truly showed. Airplane might not have a good memory due to the age at which he transmigrated to this world, but he was incredibly adept with paths. He read maps and remembered shortcuts with astonishing ease, impressing Shen Qingqiu, who used that as an excuse to pull his friend away from work.
Shang Qinghua was always stressed, buried behind stacks upon stacks of scrolls and documents that couldn't be delegated to his disciples.
Shen Qingqiu saw the opportunity to explore and bring the Lord of An Ding along, so he seized it. Knowing full well that Shen Qingqiu would go with or without permission, Yue Qingyuan agreed. It was good that his Xiao Jiu had a friend by his side.
Friends.
They were bros.
Not brothers.
Shang Qinghua didn't see him as a brother as he claimed to do with the other Peak lords, and Shen Qingqiu was sure of that.
There was no reason for him to have risked his life waiting for Qingge instead of calling Shen Qingqiu, who was in the neighboring town.
Once or twice during their "vacation" they kissed.
Rough, awkward kisses initiated by Shen Qingqiu, who in every time was too frustrated to think about what he was doing and he could only think how Shang Qinghua seemed smaller in his arms, comfortably nestled as he held onto his neck and was held around the waist.
It wasn't something brothers did.
It was something... between bros.
Of course, Shen Qingqiu had only kissed him the first time to prove a point. Even trapped within Airplane's mediocre xianxia romance, Shang Qinghua still attempted to write. They were stories based on the existing works in their shared original world, so Shen Yuan didn't mind reading them. But every now and then, at specific points, it got bad.
The "intimate moments" were no better than before, always too wet, too long, and overly messy, too much tongue, too much saliva; even a simple kiss was ridiculously badly narrated. It seemed like Shang Qinghua had never kissed anyone, as if he were completely inexperienced throughout his entire life.
Shang Qinghua didn't know how to kiss, and that's why his kissing scenes were dreadful — at least that was Shen Qingqiu's assumption. In reality, it was astonishing that Shang Qinghua kissed so well, was so skilled with his hands and his body, yet wrote such terrible, amateurish scenes.
Shen Qingqiu shook his head, trying to dispel those impure thoughts as he descended from his sword and sheathed it. He attempted to steady his breathing, running a hand through his hair to ensure it was tidy.
"Did you nearly die?" Shen Qingqiu asked, bursting into Lorde Shang Qinghua's open office door.
The said lord was seated in his usual tall chair behind his cluttered desk, a stack of papers and scrolls in front of him, hiding his small, pale figure and face. It was almost imperceptible, but dark, deep bags appeared under his eyes, and worse, love marks scattered across his neck, so indiscreet that even the high, yellow collar couldn't conceal them very well.
From the angle Shen Qingqiu was standing, it was easy to imagine that the lord of An Ding had been having fun in some brothel in the city below for the past few days, instead of spending the last few days locked in his own leisure house, alone, and the previous night in the company of Liu Qingge.
The God of War was the person summoned to heal Airplane's near-fatal poisoning.
If it hadn't been for him, Shang Qinghua would have been dead.
"Why did you call him? Why didn't you call this one?" Shen Qingqiu inquired.
"W-what?" Stammered Shang Qinghua, confused, his expression one of pure bewilderment, which only further irritated the other Lord.
"Why didn't you call this one?" he repeated, one eyebrow raised. Don't you trust me, Airplane? "Why Qingge? He was on the other side of the world, it took him 5 days to get here, and this one was right here. An hour's journey, Airplane, just an hour. That's how long it takes from there to here on a sword! You could have healed yourself much earlier if you had called me."
Why had Shang Qinghua been foolish enough to suffer for days, to almost die, and instead of summoning Shen Qingqiu, he had chosen to wait until it was almost too late?
Shen Qingqiu didn't even know they were friends.
He had never witnessed any dialogue between them and noticed that during the lord meetings, even though they sat facing each other weekly, they didn't exchange a single glance. Well, to be precise, Liu Qingge often fixed Shang Qinghua with an angry stare, but Shang Qinghua never displayed anything beyond fear and apprehension, sometimes trembling with discomfort and pretending not to notice. He never seemed interested in starting a conversation with Qingge and never mentioned his name during the tea nights they shared.
Shen Qingqiu allowed himself to gaze at Shang Qinghua, disturbed, a deep furrow forming on his forehead.
He didn't even bother to open the fan resting in his own sleeve, considering throwing it at the Lord of An Ding and heading back to his own peak.
It was starting to sound like a mistake to have come there.
He should be glad that his friend was alive. And not upset for not being called to help him.
On the other hand, if it had been him, Shen Qingqiu would have called Airplane. He never admitted it aloud, but the other peak lord would be his first choice without needing to think much about it.
Of all of them, he was closest to him, liked the others, of course, but it didn't seem right to call them. Yue Qingyuan liked Shen Jiu, not Shen Yuan. Mu Qingfang was nice, but he reminded him of his original parents, so it was too much for him. As for Liu Qingge, he was lovely, shy, and rough, but nothing more than a good friend.
The other peak lords didn't bother to talk to him, so they weren't even options.
It was offensive that Shen Qingqiu's first choice was Shang Qinghua, and he wasn't choice his.
That if it weren't for Liu Qingge, Yuan would have returned to the 12 peaks and discovered that his best friend was dead because he chose not to call him.
"It's not that, A-Yuan," Shang Qinghua said after a long moment of silence.
Qingqiu's throat itched to say something, anything. He should never have given his real name to Airplane if he had known he would use it in that tone.
Shang Qinghua sighed and rose from the table, approaching where Shen Qingqiu was standing. He had barged into the office but was not too far from the closed door. It would be very easy for Qingqiu to make an inelegant dash for his peak.
Stopping in front of Qingqiu, Shang Qinghua said, "It wouldn't have worked with you."
"Why?" Qingqiu's expression turned sour, and he crossed his arms. Of course, it would have worked; they were friends, weren't they? "Don't come at me with that 'seeing you as a brother' talk when your tongue was recently in my mouth, Airplane."
Shen Qingqiu's ears burned, possibly red, but he didn't give in, focusing on glaring at Airplane with the most indignant expression he could muster.
Fortunately, the OC function was on because Yuan was completely out of character at that moment. His chest trembled slightly, his breath almost faltering from the self-control he was exerting not to shout.
Airplane saw Liu Qingge as a bro, but didn't Shen Qingqiu?
Or worse, was Liu Qingge really Shang Qinghua's lover?
Were the rumors right for the first time?
Shen Qingqiu froze, his nose crinkling at the thought of any gossip being true.
Was it just a platonic feeling?
Was it mutual?
Rumors had it that, even after the 'treatment,' Liu Qingge had spent two whole days taking care of Shang Qinghua, not leaving his side for a single minute since their return.
Were they recent lovers?
No. It couldn't be.
Mu Qingfang and Shen Qingqiu's mission had only lasted two weeks.
On the night before they left, Shen Qingqiu had passed through An Ding to personally deliver a report, and during a tea meeting with his friend, they had talked a bit.
Airplane was openly talkative, often going off on tangents in conversations, and was not good at keeping secrets — it's surprising that he never revealed himself as a spy to anyone else.
It was practically impossible for Shang Qingqiu not to let slip at some point that he was romantically involved with Qingge.
It could just be physical, Shen Qingqiu's mind suggested, and his expression hardened as he looked at the Lord of An Ding trembling before him, a suspicious flush on the chubby cheeks.
If it were physical, Shang Qinghua wouldn't have shared the information.
However, Shen Qingqiu didn't want to imagine that.
He didn't want to imagine Liu Qingge kissing his friend the way he had kissed him, undressing him, touching his skin in such an intimate and profane manner that even Luo Binghe would envy.
Did Airplane learn to kiss from him? Shen Qingqiu wanted to ask, but what came out of his mouth was:
"Why wouldn't it work?"
"Because it just wouldn't."
"This isn't an answer, Airplane. Why wouldn't it work?"
Shen Qingqiu gripped the fan tightly in his right hand, feeling the Qi swirling within it.
Shang Qinghua always talked a lot.
Why was he so quiet now?
"Is he more of a friend to you than I am?" Shen Qingqiu asked, and the fan snapped open with a click, covering his face to hide the embarrassment of his words.
Typically, the papapa flowers didn't show favoritism towards participants, and the idea that being a lover was a requirement made Shen Qingqiu uneasy.
It was uncomfortable because, if that were the condition, it was distressing that Shang Qinghua hadn't even considered the possibility of calling Shen Qingqiu for help instead of Liu Qingge, especially after their last journey.
So, it was wiser to think that the condition was having a friendship bond with Airplane.
"What? No, of course not."
"Is he really your lover? Since when? Was this before us... or after?" Shen Qingqiu whispered softly, swallowing the lump in his throat and feeling slightly dizzy. He should have asked one of the disciples to bring him a cup of tea. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Man? Where did you even get that idea?"
"It's what they're saying around here, A-Hua, the entire peak is talking about it."
"And since when do you believe in rumors?"
"Most of them don't make sense, Airplane, but you can't deny that you... you know, with Liu Qingge. You didn't even bother to hide those marks on your neck. You could have at least gone to Qian Cao Peak; they have something to fix that," Shen Qingqiu huffed, indignant.
How dare Qinghua look at him with those confused, wide eyes when he's lying through his teeth?
"Only the disciples were around; I wouldn't let them see that, man."
"Now, letting me see isn't a problem?' Shen Qingqiu opened the fan with force, creating a loud noise that even startled him. He hadn't realized he was channeling Qi into the object until he noticed a strong gust of wind escaping, causing some papers from the higher stacks to flutter to the ground.
Fortunately, Shang Qinghua didn't turn around to see the minor mess.
Disturbed, he stared at Qingqiu, an expression of annoyance that was constantly hidden from everyone now surfacing.
'Why did this bother you so much, cucumber bro?' Qinghua asked, frustrated.
He pulled down his collar slightly, revealing even more of the red and purple marks on his neck, marks that could be mistaken for either bruises or love bites.
Shen Qingqiu waved the fan in front of his face.
"They might think someone choked you."
"Hanging marks look quite different, buddy, you know that."
Shang Qinghua raised an eyebrow, suggestively.
As if thinking about Liu Qingge with Shang Qinghua wasn't enough, now Shen Qingqiu was reminiscing about all the times Qinghua returned to the peak with finger marks on his neck.
The marks of aggression from that cursed ice demon who happened to be Airplane's 'type'."
Having a preference for rugged men should be Airplane's thing.
"You shouldn't flaunt those marks around. Rumors will only intensify," Qingqiu said, averting his gaze to a crimson vase tucked in the corner. That type of paint wasn't cheap and wasn't readily available to just anyone; he would bet his finest teas that it was a gift from Liu Qingge, after all, he was wealthy enough to afford it.
"Why do the rumors bother you so much?"
Shen Qingqiu remained silent, merely staring at the Lord of An Ding, who refused to back down and resumed his chatter.
"The ones before were about the two of us, and you didn't make a single comment about them. So why do these bother you so much? They're not even about you anymore."
"Who said they bother me?"
"You just returned from a two-week mission, and by the look on your face, it seems like you barely slept or ate. And the first thing you did was come here, to my office, to argue with me for calling Qingge instead of you, to help someone you always complain I must be terrible at."
"It was a foolish decision on your part."
"No. It wasn't."
"If he's not really your lover, you could have called me! It would have been so much better if it were with me," Shen Qingqiu retorted, pouting like a young child, not realizing how much his ears had darkened at that suggestion.
He was practically offering himself on a platter to his friend, laying himself bare. Deep down, he was secretly hoping he'd accept. Not that Shang Qinghua needed healing, of course, no ulterior motives in Qingqiu's suggestion. Just to save Shen Qingqiu's pride, naturally, for no other reasons.
Before him, Shang Qinghua let out a faint and entirely disbelieving laugh, taking a step forward and closing the gap between them for good.
Shang Qinghua's calloused hands seized the collar of Shen Qingqiu's attire, pulling him closer and melding their mouths in a swift motion.
Shen Qingqiu initially stiffened, surprised and irritated by the notion of Airplane attempting to distract him, but his paralysis didn't last long.
It was hard to stay angry with Qinghua's lips against his.
Kissing Shang Qinghua, it pains me to admit, was like coming home.
These were the moments that made Shen Yuan not feel sadness for dying and waking up in that world.
Qinghua's lips were cool, a bit chapped, and carried the salty taste of the seeds he often ate, but it was not a problem.
Particularly, it was becoming one of Qingqiu's favorite flavors.
Qinghua stepped back, trembling, his face a dark shade of red, his hands still clutching the fabric of Qingqiu's clothes.
"It couldn't have been you because I was poisoned by the Black Caladium Zantedeschia, which grows in the Northern Realm," he rushed to say.
Shen Qingqiu frowned, processing this new information.
It was a pity that the fan had fallen into his hand during the kiss, or he would be smacking Airplane's head right now for not disclosing it sooner.
"Caladium..." he repeated.
Where had he heard those words before?
His nose twitched slightly as his mind clicked, and he anxiously looked at the other Lord.
"Unrequited love... You..." Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath, absorbing the information. "You were the flower that poisoned Wife 243, causing her... to join the harem. They were both in love with the same person."
"Yeah."
"Oh," Shen Qingqiu exclaimed, his eyes briefly clouding over as he recalled the chapter.
It was one of the early ones, back in the early days of PIDW. Wife 243 had been completely in love with Luo Binghe, who had initially shown no interest in her. They had married for political reasons, to usurp the throne of a small human village on the outskirts of the Northern Kingdom, and after the consummation night, he had spent no more nights with her.
Wife 243 had been poisoned with the flower while being transported from the Northern Kingdom to the Jushang Palace. She had rushed to Luo Binghe, who, after the halfway papapa had failed, had handed her over to the most trusted wife in the palace, Ning Yingying.
She was devout and loyal, not one to steal a wife or try to get rid of her. It was one of the chapters that had the most comments, as it ended with all three in bed together, with very explicit and poorly written descriptions of the two women together.
Shen Yuan skimmed through, looking for Binghe's involvement, after all, he was the protagonist. The focus was supposed to have been on him and not a wife who never appeared again.
With the information in mind, Shen Qingqiu found himself trembling.
His eyes burned, and his throat felt dry.
Qinghua and Qingge liked the same person?
This...
Explains.
Shen Qingqiu had no reason to be involved in this case; there was no way he could help in this situation.
"Do you... like Binghe? Even when he emerges from the Abyss in three years, he'll still be too young for you both. He'll be just a little white lamb, and you're my age. I know it doesn't matter here, but it wouldn't be very appropriate," he said calmly, trying to ignore the pounding in his chest. The discomfort of the situation.
He didn't think he would accept.
It's fine if Liu Qingge likes Luo Binghe; he's the protagonist, after all, with his halo and charisma. Perhaps a little off because the only time they met, Binghe was 16, but who's keeping track of that?
If Binghe managed to win over Liu Qingge's sister, why not the brother too?
Who cares?
However...
Qinghua?
The author?
The person who witnessed Shen Qingqiu call Binghe his "white and pure little lamb" more times than anyone else? Actually, the only person who heard him refer to Binghe that way.
Qingqiu had seen him call Binghe "my protagonist son" so many times in response to his questions that he almost forgot they weren't really related, that he almost forgot the halo should work on Airplane too.
"That Airplane knows Binghe's fate and should be drawn to it, much like how Shen Qingqiu felt before entering that world and getting close to Qinghua."
Shang Qinghua's eyes narrowed almost into slits as he once again managed a faint, playful smile.
"You're unbelievable, bro," Qinghua said.
Shen Qingqiu could feel Shang Qinghua's hands trembling against his skin.
Hands that were still crumpling his clothing.
Hands that had recently pulled him into a kiss.
Ah.
Ah.
"You don't need to like Luo Binghe for the flower to work, then."
The air was thick with tension, the silence between them felt heavy, yet not uncomfortable. They were at this threshold, this moment where everything could change.
Shen Qingqiu could feel his heart beating fast, almost painfully against his ribs, all that he felt when he was near Shang Qinghua coming to the surface.
Damn. He wasn't just upset that his friend had called Liu Qingge and not him, was he?
"Ah, I... does Liu Qingge like me?" he asked quietly, confused.
Those words didn't make sense to him.
Liu Qingge couldn't possibly like the villainous scum, even with A-Yuan's soul in there. Years of feuding had ended just because Qingqiu saved him from a Qi deviation? It couldn't be.
Shen Qingqiu's eyes widened a bit as Shang Qinghua nodded in confirmation.
If Liu Qingge liked him, then…
Shang Qinghua blushed slightly, but his eyes didn't waver. It was as if, at that moment, the two of them were in their own world, oblivious to everything around them.
"Y-yep," Shang Qinghua replied honestly, his face even redder than before.
Without breaking eye contact, Shang Qinghua moved once more, pressing his lips against Shen Qingqiu's in a passionate kiss.
Shen Yuan wrapped his arms around Airplane's shoulders, hugging him tightly and pressing their bodies together firmly.
Perhaps they weren't friends in the way Shen Qingqiu had thought.
They exchanged just a few more kisses before Airplane pulled away, smiling.
"Does that answer your question?" he asked playfully.
"For now, yes," Shen Qingqiu replied, feeling his face warm. His eyes softened, but quickly turned to shoot daggers at his friend who was staring at him. There was something he wanted to ask, though he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer. "Airplane..."
"Yeah?"
“Was it your first time with Qingge?”
Shang Qinghua froze, his hands involuntarily releasing Qingqiu's robes as he almost took a step back. Almost, because Shen Qingqiu's grip on his shoulders tightened, keeping him firmly in place.
Shang Qinghua appeared visibly nervous and embarrassed. He stammered as he responded to Shen Qingqiu's unexpected question.
"Bro, what...?" he muttered, surprised, unable to maintain eye contact with Shen Qingqiu's face. Instead, his gaze drifted to the floor, where some of the papers that had fallen were scattered at his feet. He wondered how those papers had ended up there.
Shen Qingqiu feigned casualness, then turned his face to the side, pulling Shang Qinghua closer.
"Just curious," he said.
The silence between them lingered for a moment, and Shang Qinghua let out a deep sigh as he huddled into his bro's arms, his head resting against the green robes.
"Cucumber," he whispered, putting an end to that conversation, his body disappearing under the other lord's arms.
They seemed to have been made to fit together that way.
Shen Qingqiu made a conscious effort not to bring up the subject at that moment. However, later on, he planned to seek an answer, especially because Shang Qinghua seemed so troubled by the matter, as if he were hiding something.