Chapter Text
Feng Xin wasn't sure what he was expecting when he went to Mu Qing's palace to check in on him like Xie Lian asked (totally not because he himself worried), but seeing a child, wide eyed and blinking at Feng Xin from where he sat on Mu Qing's large bed, was not what he expected to see. The child appeared to be around eight years old, and the clothes he wore were now too big for him.
"Who are you?" The child asked. Feng Xin wondered what the hell he should do. He settled on introducing himself first, and go from there. "My name is Feng Xin. Who are you?" He asked. He already knew who this was. It was obvious. But he wanted to make sure. The child seemed to think for a moment, and Feng Xin resisted the urge to snort at that. Even as a child, he still thinks too much.
"Mu Qing..." The child said, confirming Feng Xin's theory. Mu Qing looked around the room. "Is this where you live?" He asked, seeing the clothes he was wearing. His eyes shone with curiosity and he touched the fabric of the clothes he was wearing.
"Uh, no, but a...friend of mine, lives here. He's away though." Feng Xin told him. It felt weird saying that. He sighed and contacted Xie Lian through the communication array. "Your highness, are you there?" Feng Xin asked. "Yes, i'm here! Did you check on Mu Qing? Is he alright?" Xie Lian asked, voice concerned. "Yeah, but, we have a little problem." Feng Xin said.
Feng Xin couldn't help but laugh at the play on words, not intending it in the first place. "Why are you laughing?" Mu Qing asked. Feng Xin shook his head. "Just thought of something funny." He said. For a moment, it didn't look like Mu Qing believed him, but he just nodded a little bit, trusting Feng Xin's words for now. Weird, Mu Qing doesn't usually trust him. He focused on the communication array again.
"Problem? What problem?" Xie Lian asked. He sounded more concerned this time. "Mu Qing's a child. Literally. I think he's eight years old?" Feng Xin said, then looked at Mu Qing. "How old are you?" He asked. Mu Qing tilted his head curiously, looking unexpectedly cute. "Eight." He answered honestly. Feng Xin nodded and spoke in the array once more. "Yeah, he's eight." He told Xie Lian.
"Oh no, Mu Qing must have been cursed last night on our mission! Bring him to the Puqi shrine, I'll be sure to have clothes in his size!" Xie Lian said. Feng Xin remembered the mission. The ghost they were chasing had been a child, but a surprisingly strong one. The ghost seemed to be hateful to everyone, not trusting a single person. Well, aside from the ghost's mother.
The story was sad, really. The child died due to an illness, and had been bullied relentlessly when he was alive. The only person he trusted had been his mother. Before they could take care of the ghost, the ghost had threw a curse at Mu Qing. Xie Lian had asked many times if he was alright, but Mu Qing insisted he was fine. Well, it wasn't a total lie, Feng Xin supposed. He's not hurt. He's just a child now.
"Alright. We'll be there soon." Feng Xin said, then left the communication array. He walked over to Mu Qing, who gave him a wary look. "I have a friend who will have clothes in your size. If you'd like, I could take you to him." Feng Xin said, trying to sound less intimidating. Apparently it worked, because Mu Qing relaxed, looking a little more trusting. He nodded a little, and held his arms up.
Feng Xin almost choked on air at the gestured. He wanted to be picked up? By Feng Xin of all people?! He sighed and picked him up, carrying him out the room and making sure the too big sleeping robes covered Mu Qing enough. "What's it like to have friends?" Mu Qing asked, as Feng Xin left the palace of Xuan Zhen.
This had Feng Xin stop in his tracks. Did Mu Qing really ask him that? He looked at him, a look of shock on his face. "You don't have friends?" He asked. Feng Xin knew that Mu Qing used to live in the slums in Xianle as a child, so surely he had at least SOME friends, right? Although, thinking back, during his servant days, Mu Qing didn't have friends. He was always looked down on because of his status.
Mu Qing shook his head, looking down a little. "No. I want some, but I don't know how to make friends." He admitted quietly. Feng Xin felt a pang in his chest when hearing that. He was instantly reminded of Mu Qing's confession to Xie Lian on Mount Tonglu, when he confessed to wanting to be his friend. "It's...nice. You feel less alone." He answered.
Mu Qing nodded, still not looking up. "No one really wants to be my friend." He said, sounding rather sad. Feng Xin's grip on Mu Qing tightened a little. "I do." He said before he could really stop himself. Mu Qing finally looked up at him with wide eyes, clearly shocked. "Really?" He asked. Feng Xin looked at him and nodded, before he once again made his way to the mortal realm.
Mu Qing smiled at his nonverbal answer, and Feng Xin found himself wanting to make sure that smile stayed on the child's face. Once they arrived in the mortal realm, and made their way to the Puqi shrine, Feng Xin knocked on the door while still carrying Mu Qing.
When the door opened, Xie Lian had some clothes that would fit Mu Qing, and his eyes widened seeing his friends. Feng Xin hadn't been joking, Mu Qing really was a child. Although Xie Lian won't say as much out loud, he mentally admitted that he was an adorable child. "Come in." He said, smiling as he let Feng Xin inside. "I have some clothes that will fit him." He told Feng Xin.
Feng Xin walked inside and set Mu Qing down while Xie Lian closed the door behind them. "Thank you, your highness." He said, smiling. He heard a small gasp, and both him and Xie Lian looked to see Mu Qing's eyes were wide with shock.
"What's wrong?" Xie Lian asked, a look of concern on his face. Mu Qing was quiet while Feng Xin changed him into the clothes that were more his size. "Feng Xin didn't tell me he was friends with a prince!" Mu Qing blurted out once Feng Xin was done changing him. His eyes sparkled with amazement and curiosity. It was quite adorable, and it took everything in Xie Lian not to scoop him up and hug him.
Instead, Xie Lian simply smiled and laughed, getting on his knees in front of him. "Well, i'm not exactly a prince anymore." He said. Mu Qing pouted, and shook his head. "Yeah you are. You look like one." He said. Both Xie Lian and Feng Xin knew it'd be pointless to argue.
Xie Lian smiled at him, and held out his hand. "My name is Xie Lian." He introduced himself. Mu Qing seemed hesitant at first, but soon shook his hand. "M-Mu Qing..." He stuttered, clearly nervous. Feng Xin smiled as he watched, he didn't expect Mu Qing to be such a happy child. He wondered what changed him in the past. "Where's Crimson Rain?" Feng Xin asked.
Xie Lian looked up at Feng Xin. "He's in Ghost City right now, but he should be back later." He told him. Feng Xin was relieved Hua Cheng wasn't here. Mu Qing seemed confused, but didn't say anything.
For the rest of the afternoon, Feng Xin and Mu Qing stayed to keep Xie Lian company. Mu Qing stuttered as he asked if he could braid Xie Lian's hair, to which he agreed with a smile. Now, Xie Lian sat on the floor, while little Mu Qing braid his hair. Feng Xin watched, surprised by how well Mu Qing was doing.
"Where did you learn to braid people's hair?" He couldn't help but ask, as Mu Qing finished off the braid. When he was given the okay, Xie Lian looked at the braid with a smile. "Mommy taught me." He said, missing the way both Feng Xin and Xie Lian went stiff at those words. "I braid her hair sometimes while she sews clothes." He answered honestly. It was clear he held so much love for his mother.
All of the sudden, Mu Qing looked sad. "Where's mommy?" He asked, looking at Feng Xin and Xie Lian. Feng Xin and Xie Lian looked at each other, trying to figure out what they could say.
They couldn't tell him that his mother had been dead for 800 years. Mu Qing would be confused, and would lose trust in both of them. So, they did the only thing they could think of. "She had to leave for a while. But don't worry, we'll take care of you until she comes back." Xie Lian said, gently patting Mu Qing's head. Not the truth, but technically not a lie ether.
Although in a way, Mu Qing's mother is gone, she would never come back. Mu Qing nodded a little, believing his words. Feng Xin clenched his fists tightly, hating that they had to lie to him, but he knew it was the only thing they could do. As a child, Mu Qing is far more vulnerable, mentally and physically. His heart would break if he learned of his mother's death.
Wanting to lighten the mood, Xie Lian smiled at Mu Qing. "Do you want to braid Feng Xin's hair next?" He asked, causing Feng Xin's eyes to widen, and Mu Qing's eyes to light up. "Mhm!" He hummed, nodding.
Feng Xin resigned himself to his fate, and sat on the floor while Mu Qing did his hair. He pushed the feeling of embarrassment aside so Mu Qing could enjoy himself and be happy. It was after Mu Qing was done with Feng Xin's hair, that the door opened, and a voice called out from the doorway. "Gege, i'm home!" The voice said.
Feng Xin's mood was instantly ruined because of that Crimson Rain Sought Bastard.