Chapter Text
The first time Xichen saw it, he had to do a double take.
His sworn brother, his closest friend, throwing soft, sultry looks towards a sect heir Xichen had barely even known.
Whenever Xichen envisioned Da-ge flirting, because as shameless as it was he had such thoughts - out of curiosity, of course, it was straightforward, it was blunt, and kind of... raw, stripped of any courtesy.
Not whatever this was. Soft, teasing, seductive.
The flickering touch on the man’s arm, almost unnoticeable, burned Xichen alive despite it not being his arm that was being caressed so intimately.
A sultry, meaningful look, similar to one exchanged between two lovers reminiscing a secret known only to them. That look, so ill-suited to appear on Da-ge’s face, was something Xichen couldn’t read.
And in no world was it possible for Xichen to not be able to read his sworn brother, his Da-ge, so it didn't sit right with him.
The second time it happened, Xichen was not prepared either.
However, this time, he took a closer look. The receiver of Da-ge’s attention was a horse boy. A big man, able to rival Mingjue’s height and width of his shoulders.
They were preparing for a hunt – the ones attending the conference held in Lanling Jin, that is – his sworn brother claiming he must make sure his horse – a beautiful, black stallion – is properly taken care of.
And yet, the horse stood in its stall, happily munching on the provided food, while the horse boy approached Mingjue and placed his hand on the man’s waist like it was his right.
It wasn’t, Xichen’s mind screamed when he watched one of those cursed hands hiking up Mingjue’s flank and tangling into thick, ebony locks, while the other stayed tightly clamped over Da-ge’s waist. Thin waist that would fit his hands perfectly.
Those two fell into a comfortable rhythm, making it clear that it wasn't the first time it happened.
Of course he was aware that Da-ge’s libido was high - they fought together at war. But something wasn’t right. There was never any softness in his sworn brother’s thirsts - only pure, bodily need that had to be satiated.
Whatever this was, was something entirely different and no one else should witness it. No one, except him.
The third time it happened was also the time something inside Xichen snapped.
It was late evening when he arrived at Unclean Realm, the flight dragging out mercilessly because of his impatient heart - eager to see his sworn brother.
However, upon arriving, all of his giddiness had been replaced by something darker when striding through the corridors to meet Da-ge, Xichen encountered him in a very compromising situation with one of his disciples.
In one of the shadowy corners Mingjue had his hand pressed in front of him to the wall, his back arched, granting the man standing behind him the view of his tanned buttcheeks, parted enough to see the dark furl swallowing a thick cock pistoning in and out of him without abandon.
His robes were disheveled, adding debauchery to the scene.
And the noises leaving his swollen lips…
Xichen found himself stirring in the confines of his pants. And yet, the arousal coiling in his belly quickly got overshadowed by a surge of anger filling his chest.
It should be him, putting the expression of pure ecstasy on Da-ge’s face. It should be him leaving marks on his hips. Finally, it should be his name falling out of Da-ge’s reddened lips, and his cock filling his tight channel.
The tight control he prided himself on must have slipped, cracked by the irrational wave of anger.
Da-ge wasn’t his. And yet, Xichen couldn’t imagine a world where Da-ge belonged to someone else.
Mingjue picked up on his presence first. It was obvious by the tension of his muscles and eyes following the source of heavy aura coming off of him.
“Fuck,” the man was still obliviously snapping his hips in a chase after pleasure.
Xichen’s eyes met Mingjue’s, the latter’s green ones going wide in surprise. Soon, however, something else, something much more pleasant for Xichen flooded them.
The hands propping Da-ge on the wall withdrew as he straightened his back, ruining the angle for the man who, much to Xichen’s annoyance, still hadn’t noticed how the atmosphere had changed.
“That’s enough.” The commanding voice bloomed in the darkened corridor, finally snapping the man to awareness. “Go.”
Not even once Mingjue’s eyes strayed from Xichen’s face. Not when the man slid out of Da-ge’s tight heat, not when the man made a haste to leave.
Possessiveness spread through Xichen’s chest when they stared at each other, now alone in an empty corridor.
Yes. That’s how it should be.
Mingjue turned to face him, carelessly fastening his robes. Seeing how the smooth skin on his pecs glistened in the dim light of candles, Xichen couldn’t refuse himself a quick look. He had breached many rules tonight, what is one more?
His breath caught in his chest when his eyes took in the fullness of Da-ge’s pecs. How his hands itched to cup them with his palms, to tease hardened peaks. But he refrained, gaze rising to meet Mingjue’s eyes.
“Weren’t you supposed to arrive tomorrow?” Mingjue asked like nothing happened. Like his cock wasn't tenting the robes and his cheeks weren’t touched by the slightest tinge of rouge. Finally, like Xichen’s gaze wasn’t heavy on Da-ge’s body.
By that time Xichen wasn’t even hiding ogling the expanses of naked skin peeking from underneath the robes. “I was.” A snort reached his ears, but he paid it no mind, too busy with the task at hand.
“Sometimes you and Wangji are too alike.”
“I am sure there are way more interesting matters to discuss than our family resemblance.”
“Such as?”
The shift was unmistakable. Da-ge’s voice had a tilt of teasing, catching Xichen’s attention.
So Da-ge wanted him to elaborate? Gladly.
Instead of answering him right away, Xichen took step after step, backing Mingjue towards the wall until he had him pressed flatly to the surface with their chests touching.
Da-ge’s heart was beating wildly, matching the rhythm of his own. Interesting.
“Such as why would you ever get close to nameless heirs, horse boys and disciples, instead of coming to me?” His hand naturally found its way to Da-ge’s waist. It was so narrow compared to the width of his shoulders. Xichen loved it.
Leaning in, he brushed his lips over the shell of Da-ge’s ear, enjoying the shudder that wrecked his body. “They can never give you what I can,” he whispered, dragging his teeth down the curve of his ear until it reached the soft part. “They can never satisfy you the way I can.”
Spurred by Mingjue’s reaction, Xichen moved onto his jaw, leaving small, wet kisses on his way down. “They can never have you in a way I can.” With those final words, he bit on the neck right under his lips, presented so sweetly for his taking.
“Fuck, Xichen!” Da-ge’s needy gasp sounded like the most beautiful music to his ear.
“Yes, Da-ge?” He continued to tempt.
“Please.”
There it was. The hint of sweet desperation. The tremble in Mingjue’s body calling out for him.
“Are you always this sweet?” His lips were hovering right above Da-ge’s, their breaths mingling sinfully, but neither of them took the last step, choosing to prolong the anticipation.
“Never.”
“Not even for the horse boy?” He couldn’t help but ask, his voice darkening at the reminder of the scene he had witnessed a few weeks ago.
Clearly enjoying seeing Xichen’s reaction, Mingjue’s voice was layered with amusement when he asked, wrapping his arms around his neck and brushing their lips together. “Jealous?”
“You have no idea.”
Not able to wait any more, Xichen slid his hands down, reaching the back of Mingjue’s thighs and hoisting him up in the air. The arms wrapped around his neck squeezed tighter in surprise.
“And you are going to make sure I never feel like this again. You are mine.” The last part came out like a growl, but Xichen wasn’t ashamed to bare this side to his sworn brother.
“Don’t I have any say in it?”
“We both saw where the free will took you. Let me make this simpler for you. The only thing you have to worry about is whether your ability to walk will be intact after taking me.”
The anticipation buzzed around them as Xichen carried the overly smug man Xichen wasn’t going to let go, now that he finally had him where he wanted.