Chapter 1: Wish For a Meeting
Chapter Text
“Mom, mom, I just saw someone in the water!” Jin Ling races over to his mother, small hands fisting in her skirt. “But when I called out, they swam away.
“And I saw this reeeally big fish tail as they dove under the water.” Jin Ling pulls his arms as far apart as he can reach on either side to demonstrate the size for his mother.
“Oh?" Jiang Yanli smiles and bends down to run her fingers through Jin Ling's wind swept hair. He just turned five in the autumn season and has been telling her every little thing he discovered recently. Though this is a bit more exciting than the puppy he got to pet this morning. “It was probably one of the merfolk, Ling'er. They’ve been rumored to live in Lotus Pier.”
“Mer…folk?” Jin Ling frowns and turns back to look out over the blooming lotuses swaying in the breeze. ”Are they monsters?”
“Not entirely." Jiang Yanli laughs, rubbing Jin Ling's brow to smooth out his worried furrow. She looks over the lake filled with lotus blossoms, her gaze wistful before turning back to her son. “They are more human-like than monsters, with a conscience and capacity for love.
“Some people even say that spotting them is a sign of good fortune as they rarely reveal themselves.” Jiang Yanli crouches down to meet her son’s eye as she warns, “Try not to get too close, though, lest one of them mean you harm. But don't hurt them without provocation either. They're just living their own lives, same as you.”
“Mm." Jin Ling smiles and nods along to his mother's words. He takes her hand, walking by her side as she leads him away from the pier. Spotting his uncle up ahead, he drops her hand and runs up to Jiang Cheng, grabbing his legs. He chatters about the mer spotting as Jiang Cheng pats his head and Jiang Yanli laughs watching them.
Jin Ling sniffles, frowning as he sits at the end of a wooden pier, kicking his legs. One of the few—and last—memories he has with his mother happened on this pier. She passed away during a conflict a few months later. Still, Jin Ling finds comfort coming down to the lake to watch the sun set over the budding lotuses filling the large expanse of water.
He is also pretending his few tears are just from thinking about his mother and not from the fight he had with Jiang Cheng. ‘Jiujiu didn't have to be so mean about it. I know he was angry about what they said too.’
At nearly 18, he is really too old to be getting upset like this. But he traveled all this way to Lotus Pier since there is nowhere for him to find comfort in Lanling. Everyone there is always staring at him, waiting for him to either pass or fail a test he doesn't know is being administered. ‘It's not like I was expecting jiujiu to do anything. I just wanted to take a break here, is all.’
Unable to stand the pressure in Lanling, Jin Ling had decided to visit Jiang Cheng in Yunmeng. His mother's side of the family has governance over a small trading town along the nation's largest lotus lake as a gift from the emperor a few dynasties back. And when Jin Ling needs a place to relax from the pressures of his upcoming inheritance of the Jin family fortune, he likes to spend time in Lotus Pier.
Except this time, only a few hours after his arrival, he got into an argument with Jiang Cheng and stormed out. He made it as far as the end of the main pier before his vision blurred with unshed tears. Still he found his way to another, smaller pier so he wouldn't run into anyone who might call out to him; he wants to be alone right now. Rubbing at his eyes, Jin Ling kicks his legs again as he remembers how his uncle berated him almost as soon as he arrived in Yunmeng.
Jin Ling's visit had been preceded by a letter from one of his family's oldest business partners. Jin Ling isn't privy to the contents of the letter, but based on the way Jiang Cheng waved it around and scolded him, it must have been about his attitude. Again. “You're 17 already, Jin Ling! You can't talk back like that to business partners anymore!”
Jiang Cheng pulls back his hand from poking Jin Ling in the chest to cross his arms. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. Still, his foot taps on the ground as his brow drags low over his eyes. “It's hard enough convincing them you’re capable of handling your family's fortune. And you are, I’ve seen your papers and calculation practices. If only you would stop doing such stupid shit.”
“It's not my fault!” Though a bit frightened of his uncle when he gets angry, Jin Ling still yells back. His voice quiets as he mutters, “You didn't hear what they said about mom…”
“...What could they have said about Yanli?”
Jin Ling scowls as he recounts the awful way they talked about Jiang Yanli, the worst being, “This is what happens when you let a woman raise a son for business. He becomes soft.”
All because he refused to agree that they should go after a customer who faulted on a payment when his mother got sick. It was one payment! Because the woman needed costly medicine. The man had come in person to express his shame and apologize, and had promised to pay back the missed payment. But those old asshole business partners had sneered and degraded him once he left. And when they asked Jin Ling for his opinion on the matter and he expressed leniency, the men were angry.
Jiang Cheng's jaw twitched when Jin Ling told him about their words. ‘As if Yanli wasn't raised in a prominent family and received my same education. Just because she was too nice to run a business herself, she was a great asset to Jin Zixuan. I'll have to visit sometime to tell those assholes off.’ Still, he berated Jin Ling, “Regardless, you can't run away here every time so I can clean up your messes!”
Watching Jin Ling's lip wobble as his eyes reddened at the corners, Jiang Cheng sighed and shook his head. Shooing his nephew away with a wave of his hand, Jiang Cheng's voice was harsh but not mean as he said, “Now get out of here so I don't have to look at you anymore.”
Eyes clear of his childish tears, Jin Ling does his usual scan of the lake. Anytime he sits on the pier, he hopes to catch sight of the merfolk again. Even all these years later, and despite the warning from his little uncle.
When Jin Ling had brought up wanting to meet the merfolk as a young boy, Jin Guangyao had sat him down and warned him, “Stay away from those creatures, Jin Ling. They'll drown you at the bottom of the lake and eat you.”
He had initially been frightened by his uncle’s words. But when he remembered the way his mother smiled and her gentle voice telling him that they were living creatures the same as him, Jin Ling decided his uncle was being paranoid. Besides, the mer from that day seemed friendly. They had simply waved to him before slipping back under the water.
So he used to chatter to Jiang Cheng about it, his uncle smiling faintly before patting him on the head. But then, not long after his mother passed, Jiang Cheng refused to discuss the merfolk anymore. Every time Jin Ling tried to bring it up, his uncle would get this dark look in his eye and snap, “Nothing good comes from chasing fairytales.”
Nevertheless, Jin Ling has been trying to catch a glimpse of a merfolk again ever since. But all he has spotted out of the corner of his eye is what looks like a large glittery fish, except no fish in Lotus Pier get that big.
Watching the sun sinking in the sky, Jin Ling sighs and rises to head back for the evening meal. He stops at the sudden sounds of struggling and splashing. Whirling around, he looks out over the water. Between a dense cluster of lotus blossoms he spots a flash of blue like sunlight glinting off a jewel.
Hurrying off the small pier, Jin Ling runs around the edge of the lake, peeking glances through the leaves and growing buds of the lotuses covering the top of the water. He follows the sounds of distress while being careful not to slip into the water. Coming to an area with a sparse gathering of plants, Jin Ling finds the source of the noise.
He is momentarily stunned by the beauty of the handsome boy looking up at him with wide eyes through the weave of a large net. There is something about the way his eyes shine that is a bit unnatural and alluring. He stills, stopping at the edge of the water, when he spots the long silver fish tail thrashing behind the boy.
Jin Ling is pulled out of his shock by a voice entreating, “Help…”
“H-Hold still." Jin Ling slips off his shoes and unsheaths Suihua as he steps into the pond. The sword is a special relic of his family, a gift from a long gone emperor when his family fought in the army. He shudders as the mud squishes between his toes; he does not like to get dirty. But that doesn't matter right now while some...one is in trouble.
The boy flinches when Jin Ling grabs the netting and fits his sword between one of the gaps. But he is careful to keep the blade far away from the merman's tail. He makes quick work of the net, it is only a simple fisher's rope, and pulls the tattered remains away to drop them into the water.
As soon as the rope slips down from his head, the merman pushes off the bottom of the pond, spinning around to slip between a cluster of lotus flowers. His tail shimmers in the sunlight as it briefly rises up to propel him away.
“W-Wait!” Jin Ling splashes further into the water, stopping when it laps above his knees and the merman's tail disappears under the surface. “Don't go…yet…”
Disappointment fills Jin Ling's heart as he drops his hand with a sigh. Just as he makes to turn around, a soft splash sounds and the merman peeks up from water, his eyes shining with the light reflecting off the lake's surface. He tilts his head, blinking at Jin Ling.
Exhaling as hope surges through his blood, Jin Ling stammers out, “C-Can I at least get your name? I'm Jin Ling.”
Rising out of the water, the merman's tail splashes, sending ripples around them. He cups his hands at his chest and bows his head before looking up with a smile. His voice is rich and melodious as he says, “This one is Sizhui.”
“I…If you wouldn't mind…” Jin Ling pauses to wet his lips, his pulse racing as he tries to keep his gaze on the merman's face. “Do you think we could meet–”
“Jin Ling!” Almost jumping out of his skin, Jin Ling whirls around at the shout. He glances over his shoulder and gets a brief glimpse of shining scales sinking under the water with barely a ripple.
“Here you are!" Before Jin Ling can say anything, Jiang Cheng grabs his arm and pulls him back to the shallows to drag him into a hug. He squeezes hard enough that Jin Ling feels his ribs creak.
Pushing on Jiang Cheng's chest, Jin Ling manages enough room to breathe as his uncle admonishes him, “Someone said they saw you on the pier but when I went to grab you you were nowhere to be found!”
“I-I'm sorry, jiujiu." Jin Ling hangs his head, acting contrite as he breathes out in relief. He looks back up, meeting his uncle's eye as he tells a close enough truth. “I was about to come back, but thought I saw something in the water. It was just a few kids from the nearby village playing with a net, though.”
“Mm. Well, get out of the water. You'll need to change before the meal–your robes are covered in mud." Jiang Cheng scrutinizes his nephew as Jin Ling glances down at himself. His usually pristine robes are streaked with mud and his trousers are soaked.
‘It's not like him to get dirty in this way.’ Jiang Cheng watches Jin Ling’s lips twist in distaste and shakes his head. ‘But he was upset before so he probably wasn’t thinking when he entered the lake. So long as he's uninjured he has plenty of clothes to wear.’
The next day, Jin Ling hurries out to the pier after breakfast. He wasn't able to finish his request to meet again, but he could swear he spotted the merman a ways into the lake surface just enough to nod at him before Jiang Cheng led him away yesterday.
His gaze sweeps over the less populated shores of the pond until he spots the merman again, smiling and waving to him. Getting close, Jin Ling is dazzled by the way Sizhui’s silver tail shimmers blue under the sunlight. He walks to the edge of the small pier and sits down, his legs crossed in front of him as he watches the merman approach.
He meets eyes that glimmer like stars reflected in midnight waters. Jin Ling's heart skips, his stomach settling weird at the smile offered to him. Trying to distract himself from the feeling, he glances lower, his gaze following the long, inky strands of hair pooling around the merman and clinging to his bare torso as he rises from the water.
Jin Ling cranes his neck to look down as the merman settles with his arms crossed on the wood beside him. The end of his tail lifts out of the water behind him, gently disturbing the water's surface as the merman sways a little with the motion of the waves, reminding Jin Ling of a willow tree. Plus the way his hair trails everywhere, hanging off his slim arms, is like the leafy branches rustling in the water with the breeze.
Looking over the merman, Jin Ling thinks about how he would appear delicate if not for the way his muscles shift as he adjusts with the current to stay in place at the edge of the dock. He is interested in where the man and fish parts of him merge as there is no clear line where the shimmering scales of his tail meet his jade pale skin…
“Hello. You wanted to meet again, yes?" Pulled from his wandering thoughts by that melodic voice, Jin Ling raises his head. Feeling his face heat, he stumbles over his words, “What? I… Y-Yes, I-I did.”
The merman's smile widens, but not in a mocking way. The way his eyes wrinkle makes him look friendly. “Your name is Jin Ling?”
“Mm." Jin Ling nods, a small smile tipping the corners of his lips. “And you said your name is S-Sizhui… What about your family name?”
Sizhui shakes his head, laughing, “Merfolk don't have those. There's no need for them. The entire community is like a family.”
“Oh. How many merfolk live in the lake?" Jin Ling glances over the lotus buds just starting to bloom as they sway in the light breeze. It couldn't be too many if almost no one claims to have seen them.
Sizhui's brow scrunches as he considers, mentally counting off the mer he interacts with daily. “A few dozen…? Some mer travel a lot so it's hard to be sure of the exact number.”
“Ah…” That many? How do they stay so well hidden?
Sizhui tilts his head, watching Jin Ling chew on his bottom lip. “Is something wrong?”
“Ah, no, no, nothing's wrong." Who cares how many merfolk live at Lotus Pier? As long as they aren't attacking people, there is no reason to alarm anyone by telling his uncle. Jin Ling doubts Jiang Cheng would believe him anyway.
They make plans to meet again the next day. But Jin Ling finds himself running late because Jiang Cheng had a discussion with him about his return to Lanling. He has to leave tomorrow, and even though he wants to be irritated about his uncle ordering him around at this age, Jin Ling also has to admit Jiang Cheng is right. No matter what his elders and business partners think of him, he is still going to inherit the family business. He needs to be present to make sure those conniving old men don't undermine him.
Jin Ling stops just before the pier to take a moment to compose himself. He straightens his collar and glances around to be sure he's alone before calling out, “Sizhui?”
A relieved smile tips his lips as the merman's head pops up, just his eyes and nose visible. Yesterday, Jin Ling had to hurry back to Lotus Pier after he lost track of time and Jiang Cheng sent servants looking for him again. He barely had time to set up today's meeting before Sizhui had to duck back into the water to avoid being seen.
Sizhui rises higher out of the water, hands braced on the pier as Jin Ling approaches. Trying his best not to peer at the merman's bare torso as it makes his stomach flip in weird ways, Jin Ling trains his gaze between Sizhui's brow, just above the glittering pools of his eyes.
Sizhui cocks his head as Jin Ling sits down, just avoiding his gaze. He is curious about the shining object dangling from Jin Ling's belt that made a pleasant noise right before he stepped onto the pier. He reaches for the bell, hoping to hear the noise again.
Jin Ling flinches back, almost pushing onto his feet as his fingers curl around the bell. It is the last gift he ever received from his parents, presented to him by Jiang Cheng when he came of age. He was told it's an important family heirloom, enchanted to warn him of danger. And it is only meant to be shared with his eventual destined person.
Sizhui snatches his hand back, placing the fist against his open palm and bowing his head. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”
“That’s not–! I-I’m not scared. It's just…” Jin Ling stares at Sizhui, feeling his heart flutter. He ducks his head, glancing down at the bell embossed with a nine-petaled lotus. “It's a gift. From my parents. It's special to me.”
“Oh." Sizhui smiles, brushing his fingers through his bangs. “Well, I’ll still be more careful from now on.”
Sitting back on the edge of the pier, Jin Ling reaches out and cautiously takes Sizhui’s hand. He saw them yesterday and is curious about the webbing between the merman's fingers. He glances at Sizhui, making sure it's all right. The merman smiles and settles with his chin resting on his other hand propped on the pier, the end of his tail curling over the lake's surface. Jin Ling is momentarily distracted by the glittering droplets falling into the water where Sizhui's back is peeking out, his damp skin almost shining like his tail.
Ears going red, Jin Ling drops his head, focusing on Sizhui's hands as he runs his fingers over the webbing. He starts at the spot between the merman's pointer and middle fingers, slowly trailing his fingertips along the smooth skin.
After a while, Sizhui fidgets, curling his fingers around Jin Ling's hand. His voice is soft as he says, “Jin Ling, that tickles.”
“Oh? Ah… Mm, sorry." Jin Ling drops Sizhui's hand like he has been bitten. “I-I was just… Is the webbing used to help you move through the water, like a fish’s fins?”
“Mm, it eases the burden on my tail when I need to be quiet.” Sizhui drops his hands onto the top of the pier. He tilts his head to the side, watching Jin Ling as the young man nods and fiddles with the bell at his waist. Focusing on his handsome features, Sizhui finds his curiosity piqued by the spot of red between Jin Ling's brow. He has never seen anything like it on any of the other land dwellers here.
Jin Ling looks up when Sizhui moves. He jolts as the merman reaches for him, but holds himself steady, hands pressed to the pier in case he needs to jump up. Except Sizhui's expression is curious, and his movement is careful.
Sizhui rises higher on one arm, reaching up to brush his fingertip over the cinnabar dot between Jin Ling’s brows. He makes no other move as he asks, “What's this for?”
“It's just decorative." Letting out a soft breath of relief, Jin Ling shrugs. He applies the cinnabar every morning because it reminds him of his parents. He only has vague memories of his father but has seen a few painted portraits and remembers how excited he used to be waiting for his mother every morning to apply the small dot of cinnabar between his brows. She would always say, “There, even more handsome than your father," with a wink as she stroked his cheek afterward.
Swallowing down the lump forming in his throat, Jin Ling adds, “It's supposed to be a mark of beauty or something like that.”
Sizhui considers Jin Ling for a moment before smiling wide enough to curve into the corners of his eyes. “Hm, very handsome.”
Heart pounding as he feels a flush heat his neck and ears. Jin Ling only manages a strangled, “Mm.”
After meeting Sizhui, Jin Ling visits Lotus Pier more, trying to spend as much time as he can talking with the merman. They share stories about their different lives–how Jin Ling spends most of his time learning business etiquette and has a good head for mathematics, while Sizhui has few responsibilities amongst his people, but he likes crafting and fiddling with things. One time he weaves a flower crown for Jin Ling out of lotus blossoms, presenting it to him by rising out of the water with his tail to place it on Jin Ling’s head.
Jiang Cheng assumes Jin Ling is stressed in Lanling so he just lets him be. It's not long until he reaches adulthood and all the trouble that will entail. And his nephew is not preceded by any more scathing letters, not after Jiang Cheng traveled to Lanling with Jin Ling after his visit. Besides, Jin Ling is a smart young man who was forced to grow up too early, a lot like himself. Jiang Cheng has no problem indulging his nephew on occasion.
Jin Ling rises early every morning and rushes through breakfast to wait at the edge of the lake in a place where no one else ventures within Lotus Pier's territory. It's a private pier that is a little rundown, so no boats dock there and younger children are warned to stay off of it in case it is unstable.
Most of what Jin Ling has read about the merfolk claims that they are dangerous, but he is convinced Sizhui means him no harm. Every time Sizhui appears, Jin Ling listens for the sound of the bell at his waist to ring out but it doesn't even vibrate. It is a special charm offered to the members of the Jiang family that is enchanted with the magic to sense danger and hostility. You shared it with your destined person as a way of showing your trust that they would never bring you harm.
Aside from that time Sizhui tried to touch the bell, he has never made any sort of aggressive move–and reaching for the bell is a stretch. He never grabs for Jin Ling's arms or legs to try to drag him into the water. And he always has a gentle smile curving his lips.
The first few times they met, Jin Ling would look away as Sizhui rose from the water, but now he just focuses on the merman's handsome face. Still, it took some getting used to seeing him bare chested; though his heart still pounds when his gaze slips despite them being of similar build.
Glancing over the lake to hide the flush he feels warming his face, Jin Ling spots a few boats with fishermen some ways out. Thinking about it, there are almost always people in the water or fishing or gathering lotus pods, but… “If there are so many of them living here, how come no one talks about the merfolk beyond rumors?”
“The waters here are a lot deeper than people realize. Usually they only swim around the edge of the lake. They never venture into the deeper spots outside of their boats.”
“Mm, that's because most kids are warned that dangers lurk in the depths of the lake.” Jin Ling nods his head, but his brow furrows the next instant. ‘Jiujiu said he and Wei Wuxian used to swim in the deeper water, though. But he's never mentioned merfolk to me except those few times with mom before he refused to talk about them anymore…’
Sizhui laughs, the sound bright and just a bit like the ringing of a bell. “Maybe in other waters. But here we live peacefully with the land dwellers. And keep other monsters away.”
“Ah, mm…” Jin Ling flushes, glancing away. His gaze falls on Sizhui's hands resting on his tail. “What're those gestures you're always making with your hands?”
“Hm? Oh!" Sizhui smiles and raises his hands to gesture as he says, “It's sign language. Mer use it in populated areas so we don't scare humans when speaking underwater.”
“Ah… Can you teach me?”
“Of course!" Jin Ling flushes as Sizhui's smile seems to brighten in competition with the sun.
After that day, every meeting during Jin Ling's visits, they make time for signing lessons. Despite fumbling the first week, Jin Ling picks up the gestures with relative ease. More and more often, the two of them communicate through signing, especially after one afternoon when someone almost spots Sizhui because he was following the sound of voices.
With the lotus petals beginning to unfurl from their buds in earnest, the summer season is more than halfway over. After all this time, Jin Ling allows Sizhui to play with the bell when they meet. There's really no harm in it. Sizhui is the first…person that Jin Ling has felt that kind of… That he has ever… Well, it's really no big deal for Sizhui to handle it anyway. It does not ring in his presence so Jin Ling knows he is safe with the merman.
With the wind ruffling through his hair, Jin Ling watches Sizhui turning the bell over in his hand, lithe fingers tracing over the nine petaled lotus design embossed onto the surface. It will start to look weird if he stays out here in the winter. Though the lake does not freeze over, the surface is devoid of all vegetation and there would be nothing to conceal Sizhui's tail from passersby. Maybe… If he can…
“D-Did you ever consider coming up here?” Sizhui looks up at Jin Ling's sudden question. He smiles with his head tilted, fingers closing around the bell. “You know…! Out of the water? Onto land…”
“Oh!” Sizhui glances over Jin Ling's shoulder, his brow furrowing as he gazes toward Lotus Pier. “I've never really thought about it…”
Watching Jin Ling's face fall, Sizhui takes his hand, passing back the bell. He squeezes to get Jin Ling to look at him. “But if Jin Ling is inviting me, I could always consider the possibility. I just have to ask A-Die about it first.”
“Mm." Jin Ling’s smile is tentative as his heart flutters like butterfly wings, excitement coursing through his blood. He returns the squeeze, reluctant to let go as the light from the setting sun paints across the pools of Sizhui's eyes, making the silvery flecks glimmer like stars.
Chapter 2: The Promise of a Kiss
Chapter Text
After his first encounter with Jin Ling, Sizhui returned to the underwater village of his community with haste. He rushed back home to his guardians, Wangji and Wei Wuxian, excited to tell them about the surface and the boy he met. At first they had been worried about him being spotted until he mentioned Jin Ling's name. A funny look crossed Wei Wuxian's face, but he assured them he left without being seen by anyone else and both mermen agreed that he could go back, so long as he took extra precautions not to be seen.
Then Wangji proceeded to follow him for the first several days until he was confident that Sizhui was being safe. Though he had been concerned initially, Wei Wuxian found he enjoyed Sizhui's tales of chatting with Jin Ling. It has been a long time since he ventured to the surface to catch a glimpse of the young man or Jiang Cheng.
After his latest conversation with Jin Ling, Sizhui is eager to speak with his guardians about the possibility of traveling on land. He rushes to find Wei Wuxian and Wangji, telling them about his most recent trip to the lake's surface before asking about Jin Ling's idea. “You talk about the surface a lot, Baba. Is there any way for me to go up there? Onto land?”
Sizhui has been told the story for most of his life, how Wei Wuxian came from the surface. How he fell in love with Wangji and managed the change from human to mer. It is one of the reasons he even has a family name, though few mer use it–usually it is only Wangji who addresses him in such a way.
Wei Wuxian shares a look with Wangji. “I…I do know a way. But, Sizhui, why do you want to leave the lake?”
“Well, Jin Ling invited me…” Sizhui trails off, his excitement dimming at Wei Wuxian's fearful expression. He also knows how Wei Wuxian becoming one of the merfolk caused issues with his family on the surface. Though he is unclear of what the exact problem was, or who Wei Wuxian’s human family are. “Is it not possible…? Or am I not allowed?”
“...You can.” Wei Wuxian looks at Wangji, trying to gauge his partner's reaction. “Is it all right? He’s just going to visit Lotus Pier with Jin Ling.”
Wangji frowns but still nods his head when he takes in Sizhui's pleading eyes–he has always had trouble saying “No," to his family. And he feels a special affection for Sizhui’s similar curiosity about the land dwellers. “Be sure to stay with Jin Ling the entire time.”
“Yes, I will!" Sizhui beams, holding out his hand in a fist while bending his thumb twice.
“I know a spell that'll give you 3 days at a time. But it can only be done during the new moon.” Wei Wuxian looks Sizhui in the eye to be sure he is paying attention. “And the special condition under the influence of the spell is that you're not allowed to speak. If you do, your tail will grow back. And you know how dangerous that is away from enough water.”
Wei Wuxian waits for Sizhui to acknowledge the conditions and risks before finishing, “All you have to do to return is step into the lake at the end of the third day. No other water should affect you, so you can bathe while you're on land.
“All right, go get something to eat now. I know you missed lunch while seeing Jin Ling.” Wei Wuxian matches Sizhui's smile as he waves the young mer away. “The new moon isn’t for a while yet and I'll need a bit of time to collect ingredients for the spell.”
With Sizhui out of sight, Wei Wuxian turns to Wangji and has to laugh at his expression. He rubs at the furrow between Wangji's brow, telling him, “Don't look so upset. My Shijie’s son is a good kid. He hasn’t done anything to hurt Sizhui yet, right?”
“What about the others? They might harm him if they find out.”
Wei Wuxian laughs again and tickles Wangji under his chin. “I'm sure Jin Ling will take care of him. He already rescued Sizhui once, right?”
When Wangji just continues to frown, Wei Wuxian sighs and wraps his arms around the other mer's waist. With his chin on Wangji's chest, he grins, murmuring, “You can follow him to shore if you're that worried, but you won't be able to go on land with him. Neither of us can anymore."
“Nn. We'll wait for him on the third day."
A week later, Jin Ling waits at the edge of the lake, close to the rundown pier. As they went their separate ways yesterday, Sizhui had asked to meet him here in the evening. He is confused as to why they couldn't meet in the day like usual, but also had no reason to refuse so he snuck out after dinner.
He steps forward when Sizhui starts rising from the water. His call dies on his lips and he pauses when he notices something…off about Sizhui's movements.
Glancing down, past the long obsidian strands of hair draped over a fit physique and slim waist, Jin Ling catches a glance at pale legs where there would usually be a flash of blue. His mind is struggling to catch up to what he is seeing as Sizhui totters forward on unsteady legs. Focused as he is on the merman he spots the exact moment Sizhui trips over his unfamiliar feet.
Jin Ling jolts forward, splashing into the shallows to catch him. He flushes, heat rushing through his blood at the solid body pressing against him. Pushing Sizhui upright with careful hands against his shoulders, Jin Ling's gaze wanders down Sizhui's chest, just getting to the place where his tail would normally meet his waist before he jerks his head back up.
Jin Ling spins around, slipping off his outer robe. He hands it off behind him, his voice loud in the relative quiet of the evening, “P-Put this on. Please!”
Normally Jin Ling is fussy about his clothes and appearance, but the robe got soaked when Sizhui fell against him anyway. It's better off covering the young man up until he can find a proper set of robes for Sizhui to wear. He jumps, water splashing around them when cool fingers brush his hand.
“S-So, um, h-how…? How long can you stay up here?” Jin Ling listens to the rustling of fabric, a hand pressed below his collar over his pounding heart, trying to keep it from bursting out of his chest. When Sizhui doesn’t respond, Jin Ling glances over his shoulder. “Sizhui?”
After one last tug on the unfamiliar clothing, Sizhui looks up and points to his throat, shaking his head.
Turning around, Jin Ling frowns, looking over Sizhui with his outer robe tied clumsily around him. ‘He doesn’t look injured… Oh!’ “You’re not allowed to speak?”
Sizhui nods his head, his smile twisting apologetically. He also holds up 3 fingers and signs “day” in answer to Jin Ling's question.
Jin Ling considers the other boy for a moment, then nods as well. “That's fine. We can just use sign language while you're here. I need to practice more.”
Sizhui's expression lights up as his smile grows. He reaches forward to grasp Jin Ling's hand, nebulous eyes twinkling in the fading sunlight. There is so much he wants to ask Jin Ling about, but with the limitations of the three days and only being able to sign, he isn’t sure where he wants to start.
Feeling his face heat, Jin Ling glances away and tugs on Sizhui's hand. “For now, let's get you dressed properly, so you won't stand out as much.”
Sizhui takes a step forward to follow Jin Ling while still holding his hand and almost falls. He flails and grabs Jin Ling's arm, stumbling into him.
Jin Ling’s pulse races as Sizhui presses against him again. He takes a deep breath and turns to wrap an arm around Sizhui's waist. Hoping the other boy can't hear his heart beating against his ribs, he says, “Just for a bit, until you get used to walking.”
Sizhui smiles, nodding his head before looking at his feet as he takes a tentative step forward. By the time they make it to the entrance of Lotus Pier, Sizhui is steady enough on his feet to walk alone. Though he does keep a hand on Jin Ling's arm so they don’t get separated in the sparse crowd. He has never seen so many humans together in one place before.
Jin Ling is grateful for the low light of the evening before the lanterns are lit so it's not as obvious he is only wearing an inner robe and Sizhui doesn’t have shoes. If he ran into someone who worked for Jiang Cheng, they would report his strange dress to his uncle.
After changing clothes–Jin Ling pulled out a spare set of robes he rarely wears for Sizhui and found another set similar to what he had been wearing before for himself–the boys wander around Lotus Pier. Even this late in the night, with the sun already set, there are food stalls and shopkeepers peddling wares, along with various musical entertainments going on in the different tea houses.
Sizhui’s eyes shine as his gaze sweeps over all the colors and different smells fill his nose. He was too focused on not tripping before, he didn't have much time to look around. Though he is excited, Sizhui also remembers his guardians' warnings and remains cautious of all the people. He sticks close to Jin Ling’s side, one hand holding his sleeve at all times.
Jin Ling glances down when warmth envelopes his hand, Sizhui tugging him forward excitedly. A soft chuckle escapes his lips curved into a smile as Sizhui drags him over to a stall selling jewelry. The merman is fascinated by the shimmering gems and Jin Ling finds himself enraptured by the way the different colored jewels shine in Sizhui's eyes.
Before it gets too late, Jin Ling sneaks Sizhui into his personal residence. There is an extra room with a bed that Jin Ling never uses, but the servants keep clean, that he has Sizhui sleep in. “You can sleep here while you're on land. If you need anything, I'll just be on the other side of the door.”
Sizhui smiles, nodding his head, before falling back on the bed. He is surprised by how soft it is considering it looked like it was made from wood. But when he sat down something cushiony gave way beneath him while also keeping him off the floor. Tucking his knees to his chest, Sizhui rolls onto his side and reaches down to feel his bare feet. He didn't have much time before but he wants to explore this strange new body of his.
Jin Ling pauses in the doorway watching Sizhui. A soft smile tips the corners of his lips as the merman reaches for his feet, lithe fingers going over every bit of skin. But when Sizhui's hands run higher, exposing his jade smooth thighs, Jin Ling spins around and heads into his own room. It is a long time after laying down for bed before his heart rate calms enough for him to fall asleep.
After three days, the boys part as Sizhui has to return to his family in the lake and Jin Ling has business to attend to in Lanling. But they promise to meet up again during the next new moon.
Back in the lake with his legs returned to a glimmering fish tail, Sizhui swims to the mer community with Wangji and tells Wei Wuxian all about his time in Lotus Pier. His excitement shines in his eyes as he gestures with his hands. Wei Wuxian smiles the entire time, nodding along and throwing in a response here and there. But behind Sizhui's back, Wangji’s brow is furrowed in concern.
“It's great that you enjoyed yourself, Sizhui. I’m glad you and Jin Ling can be good friends.” Wei Wuxian shares a look with Wangji over Sizhui's head. ‘I have a weird feeling about how much he seems to like Jin Ling. Hopefully they can remain as friends…’
“D-Do you think…” Sizhui hesitates, dropping his gaze as he runs a hand over his bangs. “Would I be able to return? Jin Ling said I could visit again.”
Now Wei Wuxian frowns. His tail swishes through the water, betraying his own concern. Sizhui’s expression falls, his shoulders curving forward. He didn't mean to upset Wei Wuxian with his request. His voice is soft as he asks, “Is it not possible to go back?”
“...I can use the spell as many times as necessary. It’s fine if he visits again, mm, Wangji?" Wei Wuxian tries to smile as he watches Wangji's gaze darken. “Jin Ling did invite him…”
When Sizhui looks over his shoulder at Wangji, the merman’s expression smooths out, except for the slightest wrinkle to his brow. “...If you promise to return, you may visit Jin Ling on land again.”
Jin Ling returns to Lotus Pier on the first day of the next new moon. He greets his uncle in the afternoon and whiles away the day studying sign language and double-checking the books for this month’s expenses in his family’s business. He might only be a junior partner still, but if Jin Ling wants to be taken seriously by the business partners, he has to prove to them he knows how everything operates.
After letting Sizhui borrow some of his clothes the last time, he buys a few sets of robes specially for merman. One has a blue gradient with wave patterns embroidered along the hem. And another set has silver and pink lotuses decorating the sleeves and collar. But all in a light blue that reminds Jin Ling of the color Sizhui's tail shimmers in the sunlight. It also pairs well with his eyes that are lighter than most people's with glittering flecks that shine like stars when he smiles.
This time when he greets Sizhui emerging from the water on unsteady legs, Jin Ling is prepared with a set of clothes for him to dress in at the water's edge. Once Sizhui is dressed, Jin Ling leads him into Lotus Pier by the hand once more. Though the merman is much steadier on his unfamiliar feet this time, he still sticks close to Jin Ling’s side to avoid other people.
They wander the night market for an incense time to eat before sneaking into Jin Ling’s residence. There, they practice signing until Jin Ling yawns. His face tinges pink as Sizhui smiles and signs, “It’s late, we should sleep. We can always practice when I’m mer, too.”
On the morning of the third day, the two head out early to wander and avoid the prying eyes of Jiang Cheng’s servants. Though they are all nice people, Jin Ling would rather his uncle not learn that he has been hiding a strange boy in his room. He isn’t sure how he would explain the situation.
Ahead of them is a young boy walking his dog. Sizhui smiles, tugging on Jin Ling’s sleeve and pointing at the dog, signing, “What is that?”
Jin Ling returns the smile, about to respond when he looks over and just spots a street vendor dumping hot water out the window beside Sizhui. His heart clenches and his body moves on its own.
“Sizhui!" Jin Ling lunges forward to grab Sizhui's arm, dragging him against his chest as he stumbles backward. A sharp cry escapes his lips when his back thuds against a wall, the sound cutting off in surprise when his head smacks against the rough stone as well.
He covers Sizhui’s mouth when he opens it like he might call out to him. Sizhui transforming back into mer right here will be a bigger problem than any minor injuries. Shaking his head, Jin Ling releases a raspy breath, “I'm fine. Are you all right?”
Sizhui grabs Jin Ling’s hand, pulling it down. He reaches around to brush gentle fingers at the back of Jin Ling’s head. His brow furrows when Jin Ling winces. Stepping back, Sizhui signs, “Let's return so you can rest.”
Returning to Jin Ling's residence, the two of them lie on his bed, side by side. Sizhui hums as Jin Ling plays with his fingers. Jin Ling finds it weird that they don't have the webbing when he doesn't have his tail. He peeks over at the merman, a comfortable warmth settling in his chest at Sizhui’s peaceful expression and soft, lilting humming.
Aside from a few strange looks because Sizhui wears his hair loose and he is exceedingly handsome, no one has questioned his sudden appearance in Lotus Pier. Of course, it helps that a lot of people travel this time of year. ‘If Sizhui never returned to the lake, he would fit right in here…’ Jin Ling stills, his thoughts trailing off by the way his heart just skipped. ‘He couldn't ask that of the merman, could he?’
Sizhui rises onto an arm over Jin Ling when the other boy stills. He tilts his head, loose hair falling over his shoulder drawing Jin Ling’s gaze. He smiles, and tries to slip his other hand free. But the hold around it tightens as umber eyes blink up at him.
Jin Ling reaches up to tuck the long obsidian strands of hair behind Sizhui’s ear, “It gets in the way like this, yeah? Don't you want to tie it–”
“Jin Ling, why are you still in your b…ed?" Jiang Cheng steps into Jin Ling's room without knocking. He stops when he spots the two young men on the bed and registers the intimate way Jin Ling is touching the stranger. And the way this other boy had been looking at his nephew…
Jin Ling sits up, his face almost as deep red as the cinnabar between his brow. His dropped hand fists behind his back. ‘When did jiujiu return?!’ Behind him, he senses Sizhui rise and his hand unclenches at the feel of gentle fingers brushing over it.
“Who the fuck are you?" Jiang Cheng strides over, his shock turning to rage at the way the boy he has never seen before peeks around Jin Ling's shoulder.
“Wait, jiujiu…” Jin Ling jumps off his bed trying to grasp his uncle's sleeves. But Jiang Cheng grabs his upper arm instead and shoves Jin Ling behind his back. Then he grabs Sizhui's collar, yanking him off the bed.
“What are you planning to do to my nephew?" Jiang Cheng’s fists tighten in the collar of soft blue robes, stepping into Sizhui’s face. The boy frantically shakes his head, pulling at the wrists holding him. But he is worried about hurting a human and does not put his full strength into it, plus Jiang Cheng is strong.
“Jiujiu, stop! Sizhui hasn't done anything wrong!" Jin Ling grabs at Jiang Cheng’s arm, trying to refocus his attention. ‘Wh-Why is he so angry? What will happen if he finds out that Sizhui is one of the merfolk?’
Without looking away from the strange boy’s oddly shining eyes, Jiang Cheng scoffs, “There is some stranger in my residence and you have the gall–”
“He-He's my friend! I'm sorry I didn't tell you!" Jin Ling flinches when Jiang Cheng whirls on him. But his uncle also loosens his hold on Sizhui's borrowed robes and the young man drops onto the bed.
“Friend? Just your friend?” Jiang Cheng glances between Jin Ling and the stranger. The boy does look to be around Jin Ling's age. ‘A friend? And his elders had been so sure he was spending all his time here because he'd found a girl he liked.’
“Ah, mm," Jin Ling resists looking at Sizhui as his uncle’s gaze swings back to him. His ears tinge red, but he maintains a controlled expression as he nods, “I swear, w-we're friends.
“H-His family recently moved to Lotus Pier during the holiday…” Jin Ling peeks back at Sizhui, who nods his head and smiles at Jiang Cheng.
“And what's your name?" Jiang Cheng crosses his arms, staring Sizhui down.
Sizhui looks to Jin Ling, his eyes wide as a hand touches beneath his throat. “His name is Si– Or…” Jin Ling hesitates, looking over Sizhui. ‘What should I do for a family name?’ He glances lower at the robes he bought specially for Sizhui because they reminded him of the blue shine of the merman's tail. “L-Lan. Lan Sizhui.”
“Why didn’t he tell me himself?" Jiang Cheng scowls, turning to Jin Ling.
“He can't speak! W-We um, write notes and he taught me to sign…”
“Is that why you've been working so diligently on your calligraphy?”
“Mm, that's right!" Jin Ling has been writing detailed notes after all his meetings with Sizhui to help remember the different signs he learns and practice them when alone. He just keeps them piled up on his desk so he is not surprised Jiang Cheng has seen them.
Jiang Cheng raises a brow. ‘I’ve never known Jin Ling to get along with others his age like this… Could this boy be the one who made that flower crown? Jin Ling was so happy when he returned that one time, he had forgotten he was even wearing the thing.’
Sighing, the tension in Jiang Cheng’s shoulders eases. A friend he can handle easier than some secret lover. “Still, what are you doing cooped up inside? You spend most of your days outside. Have you gotten sick of watching the lotuses bloom?”
“Nn. It was just hot today. We were going back out in the evening when S-Lan Sizhui needs to head home.”
Jiang Cheng stares at Jin Ling for a moment longer. There is something off about his story, something he is hiding. But Jiang Cheng has to admit it would be good if Jin Ling had some friends. And, looking over to the other boy who smiles at his attention, he has to admit this Lan Sizhui seems nice enough. If Jin Ling has even let him into his room, he must trust him. After nodding his head, Jiang Cheng turns around and heads out of the room.
He pauses just past the door and looks back, his brow furrowing at the way Lan Sizhui has grabbed Jin Ling's sleeve, and adds, “I still think it might be better if you leave your room. There are plenty of other indoor places for you to be.”
Once Jiang Cheng leaves, Jin Ling slumps onto his bed with a sigh. Sizhui tugs on Jin Ling's sleeve, signing when he has his attention, “I'm your friend?”
“Of-Of course! That's why I…” Jin Ling flushes, his confession failing before it can escape his mouth at the gentle expression on Sizhui's face. “Well, we meet up and spend a lot of time together. Plus you're visiting my, or well, uncle's house. Friends do those kinds of things." ‘I think. I’ve never really had a friend before.’
Glancing out the window, Jin Ling stands up and helps Sizhui to his feet. His face warms when Sizhui squeezes his hand, his usual smile curving his lips. ‘Jiujiu will just come back angrier if we stay in here.’ “Let's go sit by the lake and practice. Jiujiu won't be able to find us at the pier.”
In the late evening, standing at the water's edge, Jin Ling grabs Sizhui's hand before he steps into the lake. He glances down, fidgeting with the bell at his waist before meeting Sizhui's eye to ask, “Do you have to go back?”
Sizhui smiles and slips his hand free to sign, “The new moon is ending. But I'll be back next month. I promise.”
“You know, you…if you wanted…” Jin Ling drops his head, blushing. He plays with Sizhui’s fingers before lifting his head again, exclaiming, “You could stay up here! W-With me… Or, I mean, I could take care of…helping you live up here.”
Sizhui stares at Jin Ling, head tilted. ‘I…Could I stay here?’ He does enjoy the few days he gets to spend with Jin Ling during his visits. Lotus Pier on land is a fascinating place filled with ever changing sights and smells. And it would be a lot easier if they could talk with each other like when he is mer. ‘But my family…’ Sizhui glances over his shoulder toward the middle of the lake. ‘Could I leave them like that?’
Sizhui's heart thuds in his chest when Jin Ling looks back up, the flush blooming down his face painting him just like the lotuses around them. ‘Love…’
Back in the water, Sizhui rushes to find Wangji and Wei Wuxian. In his haste he does not notice Wei Wuxian in front of him until he collides with the other merman. “Ahaha, Sizhui, what's your hur–”
“Baba!" Sizhui looks up, his cheeks flushed. His tail thrashes through the water, making it hard to remain still as he stammers out, “I…Jin Ling, he… I'm not sure… But I had this feeling…”
“Sizhui, calm down. What about Jin Ling?" Wei Wuxian holds Sizhui steady with hands at his elbows as the young mer grips his arms in turn. He looks over his shoulder, smiling as Wangji's lips tip up at the corners.
Taking a deep breath, Sizhui meets Wei Wuxian's eyes as he murmurs, “Baba, A-die, I think… I think I love him."
Wei Wuxian pales, his hands tightening around Sizhui’s elbows. Mer have strong emotional attachments. When they find their fated one they would do anything for them. Even die. And being separated from them is akin to torture. It's why Wangji's brother is cultivating in seclusion–he is trying to separate from his feelings. Though Wei Wuxian thinks he should just give in and leave the lake if he loves that overbearing stick in the mud so much.
“I…” Wei Wuxian glances at Wangji, his heart clenching at the way he frowns. But when Wangji meets his eye, the merman nods and turns to Sizhui, saying, “We'll have to consult with Baoshan Sanren then.”
The next day, the three travel outside the lake to a secluded pond connected by a secret waterway. In the depths of the pond is a cave, deceptively large on the inside. There resides the water witch, Baoshan Sanren.
She assesses Sizhui from several angles then turns to Wangji and Wei Wuxian, asking, “Are you here to bargain with me again?”
“Again?" Sizhui turns to his guardians, his heart beating weird at Wangji’s serious expression as he nods, Wei Wuxian looking solemn beside him.
“You do know Wei Wuxian isn't originally one of the mer, correct?" Sizhui hesitates, then nods while turning back to Baoshan Sanren. Though it is only in this moment that he realizes he never wondered how Wei Wuxian made the transition. “Well, there are ways to change your bearing. But you seem awfully sure for a mer as young as you. I take it you've been to the surface?”
“Mm, Baba has been helping me transform temporarily. But I want to live up there. F-Forever…” Sizhui blushes, dropping his head. “With Jin Ling…”
The witch eyes Wei Wuxian and he is unable to look her way. ‘I knew I should have never let him into my storeroom. He’s been reading my spell books.’ She shakes her head and addresses Sizhui, “You have someone you love on land? And they love you in return?”
“Mm, we have been spending a lot of time together. He even saved me when I was a mer!" Sizhui’s smile is warm, his affection clear for all to see. “But he asked me recently if I wanted to live up there, with him. Or not exactly with him…”
Sighing, the water witch tuts, though she does not appear angry. “That foolish boy has been cheating. Unlike those partial potions he has been feeding you, my spell is permanent.”
“Really?" Sizhui smiles, his eyes glittering in the low light of the cave. ‘I could live with Jin Ling? Always?’
“It is a simple enough spell. All you'll need to remain on land for the rest of your life is someone to love you. But it has to be true and unconditional.”
Wei Wuxian shares a look with Wangji before glancing at Lan Sizhui. “Are you sure, Sizhui? Does he really love you enough?”
“Mm, I'm sure.” Sizhui's gaze is set, his smile never faltering. ‘At least I love him enough to believe and try.’
“Now listen closely before you decide.” Baoshan Sanren’s tone is serious as she raises a finger, though a small smile tips her lips. ‘How am I not surprised, what with the two who raised him?’ “Some of the rules are the same as before. You will not be allowed to speak until your transformation is complete and you'll only have three days.
“But, this elixir will have to be taken during the full moon, when magic is most powerful. You will have three days to receive a kiss from him, and he must initiate the kiss, or else, as the sun sets on the third day, you'll turn into a lotus blossom and wither away.
“Now, are you certain you still want to do this, boy?”
“Yes!" Sizhui's nod is resolute, not a bit of doubt in his expression. His heart floods with affection when he thinks about how excited he is every time Jin Ling touches him, holding his hands, brushing the hair from his face. And the way the young man smiles, small and secret, like a treasure revealed just to him… What else could this feeling be but love?
Except, when he glances at Wei Wuxian and Wangji, he hesitates and asks, “What happens if he rejects me and I have to leave?”
“You may still return to the mer in the lake, but without the kiss you will die whether you are in the water or on land. Why do you think the lotus bloom so plentifully in the lake?” Baoshan Sanren stares at the young mer and asks again, “Are you sure you want to do this? Once you drink the elixir, there will be no turning back.”
“You trust in Jin Ling's feelings?” Wei Wuxian floats over to grab Sizhui's hands. He smiles when the young mer squeezes his hand and nods again. “If you love him, Sizhui, I am sure there is nothing to worry about.”
Turning back to Baoshan Sanren when Wei Wuxian releases his hands, Sizhui asks her, “What do I have to give you in exchange?”
“Ahaha, I did say bargain, but giving up everything you have ever known is difficult enough. I need nothing from you but a bit of blood for the elixir.” Baoshan Sanren holds out a hand and Sizhui offers up his arm for her to make a small cut with a stone blade. She squeezes his hand so he looks up at her. “Besides, you know the terms. Should you fail to receive true love's kiss, your punishment will be payment enough.”
As Sizhui follows Baoshan Sanren over to a stone outcropping covered in jars and plants, Wei Wuxian looks over to Wangji, and floats closer to ask him, “Are you sure you can let him go? I know how much you care for him.”
“Mm. He will be happier with his love than trapped here with us now that he has these feelings.” Wangji's expression is gentle as he reaches over to pull Wei Wuxian into an embrace. He spares his husband a quick glance before turning back to watch Sizhui and Baoshan Sanren as the witch starts mixing the elixir.
Wei Wuxian hums in assent as he leans into the embrace. A long time has passed since they first met. While they were still growing up, Wangji had always been curious about Wei Wuxian, as him and Jiang Cheng were the only people who dared swim in the deep waters of the lake. But caution was also too deeply ingrained in him to approach.
Until one day, Wei Wuxian arrived in the late evening by himself, holding a secret bundle in his arms. He had been returning home from a visit to Lanling as an escort for Jiang Yanli when he heard a commotion by a large river. There he witnessed the hunting of merfolk. And when he intervened he was only able to rescue one young mer, pulling him from the river running red with the slaughter of his people.
He met Wangji while introducing the young mer to the lake at Lotus Pier. And after, he would visit regularly to check up on Sizhui. Then he visited mostly to see Wangji (though also to play with little Sizhui). And when Jiang Cheng's life was threatened, he made a deal with Wangji and Baoshan Sanren to protect him in exchange for giving up his life on land.
Of course, Wei Wuxian considers this all ancient history as this point. He has lived with the mer for over 15 years and honestly prefers living in the lake. But if his son is ready to move on with his life and risk everything for love, who is he to intervene?
He follows Wangji's line of sight as Baoshan Sanren finishes her potion.
Offering the small stoppered bottle to Sizhui, Baoshan Sanren cautions, “Be careful not to drink it until you are close to the surface as the change will be immediate.”
Happening to spot Jin Ling at Lotus Pier the day before the full moon, Sizhui is quick to wave him over and share the news that he'll be able to come on land tomorrow.
Jin Ling smiles, his heart racing before he remembers, “What about the new moon? I thought you could only come up then.”
“Nn, it's a new spell." Sizhui watches Jin Ling's brow furrow and, worrying that he is troubled by the news, asks, “Do…Were you not planning to be here that long?”
“It's fine if I stay a few more days. So, when do you want to meet?”
The next morning, not long after the sun has risen, Sizhui hugs Wei Wuxian and Wangji goodbye. He smiles as Wei Wuxian pats him on the back and murmurs instructions in his ear. Close to the surface of the lake, he glances back at his guardians one last time before unstopping the glass vial and drinking the elixir.
As warned by Baoshan Sanren, the change is immediate and he hurries out of the lake to find Jin Ling waiting for him as promised. He breathes a sigh of relief and hurries out of the water to dress in case someone passes by. Jin Ling says it is strange for people to be undressed in public on land.
After dressing in soft blue robes embroidered along the hem with golden peonies, Sizhui taps Jin Ling on the shoulder. When the other boy turns to him, Sizhui offers him a double lotus. His smile is like the sun peeking between clouds as he signs, “For you.”
Jin Ling flushes and accepts the flower from Sizhui. He drops his head and runs a careful finger over the soft petals. ‘Where did he find this?’ Jin Ling peeks at Sizhui through his bangs, heat creeping under his collar at the merman's tender expression. ‘Does he know what it means?’
Feeling strangely nervous, Sizhui takes Jin Ling's hand and squeezes it as he meets his eye. Sizhui is sure Jin Ling feels the same as him, but he doesn’t know how to initiate a kiss between them. ‘Baba said I need to look at him a lot and lean in.’
Before he can do that, Jin Ling smiles and tugs on his hand to lead Sizhui away from the lake. “There's a special market going on right now. People have brought wares from all over. Did you want to see?”
Sizhui smiles, nodding as he squeezes Jin Ling's hand. He has 3 days. There is no need to rush the kiss when he can just enjoy this time with Jin Ling first.
In the evening, they relax together at the water's edge, sitting on their usual pier. Comfortable while resting under the sunlight covering the pier, Sizhui lays down and dozes off. He has been trying his best to meet Jin Ling's eye as often as possible today and stick close to him. But now that they are alone, he realizes how tired he is from staying up half the night searching for the double lotus.
Shifting to get a better look at Sizhui as his breathing evens out in sleep, Jin Ling reaches out to brush his fingers down a soft cheek. He considers the way Sizhui has been looking at him, something expectant in his gaze. It has been making Jin Ling's pulse race. And earlier today, just meeting Sizhui in the morning instead of at night, Jin Ling felt a strange finality to the gesture of being offered the double lotus.Then there is the way Sizhui keeps glancing at him instead of looking around at everything else. Under the usual excitement he feels being in the merman's presence is a pulse of anxiety.
But when Sizhui sighs and nuzzles his hand, the desire for more sweeps through Jin Ling. He bends over Sizhui, heart pounding in his ears. His breathing stills when his meet soft lips. Increasing the pressure a bit, a shiver runs down his spine at the give of those silky lips.
Jin Ling jumps back when Sizhui’s lips part in a breath, his own catching in his throat. His body tenses up as he watches Sizhui, not even daring to breathe. The other young man's eyelashes flutter but he doesn't wake up.
An incense time later, Sizhui sits up, rubbing his eyes. Jin Ling is beside him, anxiously turning the bell in his hand, face scarlet like the setting sun. He glances over at the sound of movement but is quick to look away.
Sizhui smiles and reaches over to take Jin Ling's hand. He is surprised when Jin Ling jolts, dropping the bell. ‘Jin Ling’s treasure!’ Sizhui lunges forward, leaning over Jin Ling’s lap and just managing to catch it.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Sizhui looks up from where he is still leaning across Jin Ling’s lap to sign with his free hand, “Are you okay?”
“Ah, mm, yeah." Jin Ling finally meets Sizhui's eye. His heart beats against his ribs when he realizes how close they are. He can count the silver flecks in Sizhui's eyes like picking out wishing stars.
When Sizhui smiles and reaches up to tuck loose hair behind his ear, Jin Ling feels himself leaning closer. His heartbeat is so loud in his ears he almost misses the rustling of plants behind them. But Sizhui glances over his shoulder and suddenly rises into a seated position, dropping his head as his cheeks tinge pink.
Looking behind him, Jin Ling rolls his eyes at the appearance of one of the servants. The girl bows her head, saying, “Apologies for interrupting, Jin-gongzi. Jiang-langjun has sent this one to find you for the evening meal.”
“Mm, I'll be right there." Once the girl bows again and takes her leave, Jin Ling stands up and offers Sizhui a hand. The merman places the bell in his hand before rising on his own. ‘Oh! I forgot I dropped it… ‘
Retying the bell to his waist sash, Jin Ling manages to meet Sizhui's eyes as he says, “Well, we have to return for now, but how about we borrow a boat tomorrow to go out on the lake?”
The next day, Sizhui sits on their pier, waiting for Jin Ling. The young man was called away by his uncle right before they were about to head out, but Jin Ling sent Sizhui ahead, assuring him, “It won't take long. He just wants to know how long I’m planning to stay, I'm sure.”
An incense time later, Jin Ling wipes away his stray tears as he approaches the pier. He had been crying out of frustration because he got into an argument with Jiang Cheng. The Jin family set up a marriage meeting for Jin Ling behind his back and sent a letter demanding that he return to Lanling immediately. But he is refusing; it is only day 2 of Sizhui's visit on land, he can't leave early. Besides, he also has no desire to marry some random girl he has never met.
He had hoped Jiang Cheng would back him up, but his uncle told him, “You’d better not be upset because you've been hiding some secret lover. I'll be coming with you, so at least meet the girl before you refuse.”
Feeling betrayed, he had rushed from the room and hurried to the pier where Sizhui was waiting for him. When he spots Sizhui rising to greet him, his heart lifts at the gentle expression on his face. He fidgets with the silent bell at his waist, trying not to rub his eyes anymore.
Taking in Jin Ling's red-rimmed eyes, Sizhui grabs his hand and smiles. He squeezes the hand in his before signing, “Tell me what's wrong?”
Heart thudding against his ribs, Jin Ling drags Sizhui forward, his other hand reaching up to cup his cheek. Right before their lips touch, raucous laughter sounds behind them and Jin Ling shoves him away.
After a beat, Jin Ling looks up, tears gathering in his wide eyes as his face pales and color rises in his cheeks at the same time. “I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…”
Sizhui’s hands shake as he signs, “You don't… Do you not like me?”
“N-No, that's not…!” Jin Ling tries to grab Sizhui's hands, but when he glances over his shoulder to make sure no one is watching, he misses. Sizhui slips back, brow wrinkled, eyes curved in pain. “S-Sizhui, wai–”
Jin Ling jolts when someone calls out, “Jin Ling! Is this where you've been hiding? Your uncle…”
Jin Ling ignores the servant as Sizhui takes another step back, shaking his head as tears run down his flushed cheeks. He spins around and jumps off the pier, slipping in the mud as he disappears between the trailing branches of a willow tree. Before he can follow, Jin Ling's sleeve is grabbed as the servant says, “Jin Ling? Your uncle–”
“Who fucking cares about jiujiu right now?! Let go, I have to grab Sizhui before he's gone!” Throwing off the servant's hand, Jin Ling spins on his heel and rushes after Sizhui.
His heart aching like it has been pierced, Sizhui stumbles through thick plants and squelching mud. He just manages to recognize the willow tree through his tears before he would have collided with the trunk.
If it's the end of his life either way, Sizhui wants to leave surrounded by his family. The ones who love him. But when he plunges into the shallows of the lake, nothing changes. His knees shake as he gasps for breath, but his tail doesn't return.
Opening his mouth, Sizhui yells through his tear choked throat, “Baba!”
Wei Wuxian peeks over the lake's surface, his grin dropping from his face at Sizhui's distraught expression. He rushes over without even checking to be sure no one is around.
Sizhui drops to his knees at the edge of the water, his hands curling in the mud as he cries, “Baba, I can't turn back!”
Hauling himself into the shallows where his tail is only partially submerged, Wei Wuxian takes Sizhui's trembling hands, squeezing them in reassurance. “It's all right, Sizhui. I thought you wanted to live up there?”
“I-I did! But I was wrong! Jin Ling… He doesn't–” Sizhui drops his head, bangs shadowing his eyes. “I don't think he loves me…”
“What?!" ‘How could he not?’ Wei Wuxian frowns, his brow furrowing.
“He…He refused to kiss me…” Sizhui’s voice comes out small, his shoulders slumping as tears drip from his chin into the water. “He pushed me away…”
“Then why aren't you changing back in the water?” ‘He shouldn't have been able to speak or enter the lake lest his tail return.’
Sizhui takes a hiccuping breath, blinking the tears from his eyes to look down at his hands under the rippling water. He lifts them out of the lake, watching the water run down his fingers and pool in his palms, “I don't–”
“Sizhui! Where are you?!" Sizhui whirls around, his eyes wide. He hears several sets of feet and someone calling, “Jin-gongzi!”
Coiling his tail beneath him, Wei Wuxian rises out of the water. He pulls something out of the pouch at his hip and feeds Sizhui a special pill before dragging him into the water.
Dropping to the ground at the water's edge where he just saw a flash like something shimmering, Jin Ling pants, a sob choking him. His voice is barely a whisper as he cries, “Sizhui, I-I'm sorry. I love you. Please…”
“I know that old witch said there was no going back, but maybe she has a secret dark spell to keep you alive.” With Wangji's help, Wei Wuxian forces Sizhui away from the surface where they could just make out Jin Ling's silhouette at the water's edge.
They rush him back to Baoshan Sanren’s cave. Before Wei Wuxian can even announce them, she rushes out, screeching, “What is he doing back under the water?!”
“He was crying, saying that Jin Ling doesn't love him. I couldn't leave him there!”
Baoshan Sanren stills. She stares hard at Wei Wuxian. “...You used a dark spell to transform him back?”
“W-Well, he was stuck up there, unable to return…” Wei Wuxian rubs the back of his neck, his skin prickling under the witch’s piercing gaze. “And it’s only temporary–half a day at most…”
“You are stripping years from your life keeping him here!” Wangji whips around, releasing Sizhui to grab Wei Wuxian's hand.
Tutting, Baoshan Sanren turns to Sizhui, her expression softening as she pokes his forehead and tells him, “You can return, child. You've been marked by true love's kiss.”
“What?!” Wei Wuxian pulls out of Wangji’s hands to grip Sizhui’s shoulders. “I thought you said Jin Ling pushed you away?”
“He…He did." ‘Just now. But…’ Sizhui raises a hand to his lips. At the touch he recalls the sensation of breath over his lips, accompanied by the slightest pressure. “B-But, I think… he k-kissed me…” ‘When?’
“How did you not know?”
“I don't… Maybe it was wh-when I was asleep before…” Sizhui dips his head, trying to hide behind his long hair as he feels his face heat up. If Jin Ling kissed him, he wishes he had been awake for it; he has been anticipating his first kiss since Baoshan Sanren set the terms for his permanent transformation.
Wei Wuxian raises a brow, secretly impressed by the gall of his little nephew. He meets Wangji's eye and shakes his head, a smile tipping his lips. Gripping Sizhui's shoulders, he smiles at the deep flush coloring his face all the way down to his collar. “In that case, you need to go back. If Jin Ling loves you and you want to live on land we'll take you back. The effects of the pill I gave you should wear off by the morning.”
Before they leave, Sizhui tries to thank Baoshan Sanren but she just waves him off, offering him soft parting words, “I hope you enjoy this new life you've chosen.”
Returning to the lake, Wei Wuxian gives Sizhui a robe to wear. “Qiren gave me an earful about sending you up without clothes when we told him just now. And we ruined the clothes you had on before.”
Sizhui laughs, accepting the garment from Wei Wuxian. He is surprised that it doesn't seem wet even though they are deep in the lake. “That's all right, Jin Ling bought some robes for me.”
“Oh, he did?" Wei Wuxian smiles, a twinkle of amusement in his eye as he pulls Sizhui into an embrace. He looks at Wangji over Sizhui's head, his eyes reddening at the corners. “He's well prepared to care for you, then.
“Make sure you look after him as well.” Wei Wuxian's arms tighten around Sizhui, his voice soft by his ear.
“Baba, you have to let me go. I can’t stay here anymore." Sizhui pulls out of Wei Wuxian's hold, squeezing his hand with a smile. He hugs Wangji, finally acknowledging the slight ache of separation he feels having to leave his family behind when his more subdued guardian strokes his hair. But he made this decision of his own accord, and he wants to spend the rest of his life with his beloved.
Pacing the bank of the lake where Sizhui disappeared the next morning, Jin Ling spins around at the sound of rustling and splashing. His heart almost stops beating as Sizhui’s head and shoulder break the surface of the lake, calling out, “Jin Ling!”
Forgetting even to remove his boots, Jin Ling rushes forward, wading into the water. Sizhui rises to meet him and slips in the mud in his haste. He throws his arms around Jin Ling, laughing as strong arms wrap around his waist. Still, his momentum sends them crashing to the ground, water splashing up around them. But neither notice as Sizhui presses forward to cover Jin Ling's lips with a kiss.
Jin Ling pulls back, his wide-eyed gaze taking in Sizhui's handsome face, dark eyes soft and glittering with affection. He wants to be sure this is real before pressing back in to return the kiss. Through his pounding heart, Jin Ling can just make out the rustling of lotus blossoms in his ears as his hands trail up Sizhui’s back, bringing him even closer. Responding to Jin Ling's fervor, Sizhui tilts his head, his hands sliding higher over Jin Ling’s chest, trembling at his neck as it bobs with a swallow beneath his fingertips.
They separate with reluctance to gulp down desperate, panting breaths. Smiling, Sizhui leans in to knock his forehead to Jin Ling's, murmuring, “I love you, too.”
Chapter 3: After True Love's Kiss
Summary:
What happens after true love's kiss? Happily ever after, of course!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I'm sorry for pushing you away before." Jin Ling lifts his head and wraps an arm around Sizhui’s waist as he reaches higher to tuck long, obsidian strands of hair behind his ear. “I…I was upset because I’d received a marriage proposal.”
Sizhui frowns, hands curling in Jin Ling's robes. Considering the way Jin Ling kissed him just now, Sizhui tries not to despair as his stomach drops.
“But I– With jiujiu's help, I turned it down.” Jin Ling smiles and takes one of Sizhui's hands. Entwining their fingers, he holds Lan Sizhui’s hand to his chest. “I told him there was already someone who held my heart.”
“Mm.” Jin Ling’s heart skips as he meets Sizhui’s eye. They are darker now, less like pools of water, but still shining, like the stars reflected on the lake on a cloudless night.
After punching Jiang Cheng when he tried to force him away from the lake, Jin Ling confessed everything to his uncle–with the exception of Sizhui being one of the merfolk. But he admitted that he and Sizhui were in a relationship (at least, he intended for it and was sure his feelings were reciprocated). And so he had no intention to marry some random girl he'd never met before.
Rubbing his jaw as he watched Jin Ling cry, Jiang Cheng had only sighed after the story and said, “All right. Then the first thing to do is turn down the proposal. After that, we'll help you find Lan Sizhui to explain the situation.”
But it turns out, there is no need to explain anything. Because Sizhui loves him too.
Except…
“Are… Are you…” Jin Ling rises to his feet, pulling Sizhui up after him, the other boy stumbling against his chest. He glances down at Sizhui's legs, a flush and rush of heat suffusing his body upon seeing how sheer the wet robes are clinging to his body. Sizhui shifts and Jin Ling clenches his fist at his hip when he realizes how he can feel the other young man pressed against him even through their layers of robes. “Your tail…”
“I made a deal with Baosan Sanren to become human permanently and live up here.” Sizhui squeezes Jin Ling's hand, his nebulous gaze twinkling as his smile curves with affection. “With you.”
“But, how…?”
This time Sizhui hesitates, pink rising in his face like the way the setting sun paints the clouds after a storm. “Oh, um, well, Jin Ling… D-Did you kiss me? That evening, on the pier?”
Jin Ling jolts, the red in his face deepening as he murmurs a strangled, “Mm.”
Sizhui laughs and brushes his fingers down Jin Ling's temple to cup his cheek and brush his thumb over soft lips. “I drank an elixir to transform into a human and leave the lake. The condition for the change to remain permanent was t-true love’s kiss.”
Jin Ling's lip trembles under Sizhui's thumb. Feeling heat gather behind his eyes, he pulls Sizhui in close and buries his head in his neck. Right after, the warmth of his tears soak chilled skin. “I love you. Please don't leave like that again.”
“Nn." Sizhui returns the embrace, resting his cheek on Jin Ling’s head. His voice is soft and sincere as he murmurs, “Never."
The moment is interrupted by Sizhui shivering. As a mer he never noticed the cold, but humans can't handle getting wet the same. And the soaked single robe barely covering him is just holding the cold against his skin.
“Let's get inside and change. A single robe isn't appropriate to wear." Jin Ling pulls away, wiping away the moisture on his face. He glances down, his whole body heating up despite the chill as he takes in the visible curves of Sizhui's body through the sheer robe.
Slipping through the mud to step back onto solid ground, he leads Sizhui out of the lake. Despite his own clothes being soaked, Jin Ling shrugs off his top layer like the first time Sizhui came on land, and helps him dress. “Especially a white one soaked through.”
This leaves Jin Ling in only his white inner robe, but at least he is wearing trousers. And his inner robe is thicker than the gauzy fabric of Sizhui’s robe. Still, they need to avoid the crowds of Lotus Pier.
Closing the door behind them, Jin Ling is grateful that his residence is separate from the others. He will have to let Jiang Cheng know that he found Sizhui, but he also wants to enjoy some time alone with the other boy first. And they both need to change into clean clothes.
Striding to his bed, Jin Ling pulls off the first blanket he can reach to cover Sizhui. He drapes the blanket over Sizhui’s head and ruffles his hair a bit, reminding him, “Make sure to dry your hair, too.”
“Mm, thank you, Jin Ling.” Sizhui smiles and reaches up to cover one of Jin Ling’s hands. Despite their confession and kiss, he still feels a bit shaken by the way he was pushed away before and takes every opportunity to take Jin Ling’s hand in his. He wants to be sure Jin Ling isn’t going to slip away from him again.
Once Sizhui raises both hands to grasp the blanket, Jin Ling turns away and is quick to remove his wet clothes and boots. Watching Jin Ling, Sizhui follows suit, dropping his garments to the floor in a heap. Without thinking, Jin Ling almost slips off his trousers as well, except he would prefer to have a change of clothes ready before stripping.
Shivering, he turns around to grab a change of clothes and stills. His pulse races, heartbeat pounding in his ears as he watches Sizhui wring water from his hair. Aside from when they met at the water’s edge, Jin Ling did his best not to be around Sizhui whenever he was naked. But now… He glances down, his gaze running along a toned stomach and following the lines of his hips. His head pops back up as Sizhui wraps the blanket around himself before his gaze can wander lower.
He ducks his head at Sizhui’s ardent gaze. This is the first time Sizhui has seen so much of Jin Ling’s fair skin. Stepping over to him, he reaches out, tracing his fingertips down the soft skin of Jin Ling’s neck to his collar. A sharp inhale presses against his fingers as they run down a strong chest.
Unable to take anymore of the scalding touch, Jin Ling grasps Sizhui's wrist. At the soft sigh from Sizhui, he jolts, tugging him closer as he exclaims, “W-Wait, Sizhui–!”
Meeting Jin Ling's eye, Sizhui slips his wrist from the young man's slackened hold to pull the blanket tighter around his shoulders. His mouth dips into a frown as he says, “I'm sorry about the robes you bought for me.”
“Huh?” Jin Ling’s pulse is pounding so loud in his ears, he is not sure if he heard Sizhui correctly. He blinks, bewildered by the random topic. “Your robes?”
“Mm.” Sizhui drops his gaze, wringing his hands in the blanket covering him. “The one with the lotuses was ruined when Baba pulled me back into the lake.”
“O-Oh…” Feeling his excitement cool at Sizhui’s contrite expression, Jin Ling takes a deep breath before reaching out to grasp his hand over the blanket. “It’s fine, I can always buy you another set. We can go shopping tomorrow and you can pick out your own clothes this time.
“For now, all your other outfits are still in your room if you want to get dressed.” Realizing the state of undress he is still in, Jin Ling lets go of Sizhui and whirls away to rummage through his wardrobe. He keeps his back turned until he hears the door to the separate room slide shut. Releasing his held breath in a long sigh, Jin Ling finishes undressing and retrieves a clean set of robes.
He pulls on the dry robes and dresses with haste, doing his best to ignore the lingering excitement in his lower body. While drying his hair, the door between the rooms slides open and Sizhui returns to his room. Jin Ling drops the towel to the floor with his wet robes and takes back the blanket Sizhui holds out to him.
Seeing Sizhui standing there, dressed and smiling at him when just this morning he had thought he would never see him again, makes something stir in Jin Ling's chest. Dropping the blanket to the floor as well, he holds out a hand to Sizhui. The reality of this moment is confirmed when a warm palm slides into his, the soft scent of lotuses and sunshine tickling his senses.
Sitting on his bed, Jin Ling draws Sizhui in and helps him climb onto his lap. He is not sure who moves in first, but their lips meet in a kiss before Sizhui has even settled over his legs. Winding one arm winds around the other young man’s waist Jin Ling draws their chests flush and presses in from below.
The remaining chill finally dissipates as his body heats with desire when Sizhui rubs against him, twisting his head to deepen the kiss. Hands clench at his shoulders, a moan leaking into his mouth as his tongue brushes along Sizhui’s bottom lip.
They pull back at the same time to suck down fervent breaths. Watching long strands of hair fall over Sizhui’s shoulder, partially obscuring his beautiful face, Jin Ling lifts a hand to tuck the hair behind his ear. As Sizhui smiles and leans into his touch, he is reminded of that time from Sizhui’s visit when he asked about tying back…
“Oh!” Jin Ling slides Sizhui off his lap and scooches further up the bed to rummage through a bag set on the stool beside his bed. Sizhui rises onto his knees to look over Jin Ling's shoulder. He jumps when Jin Ling whirls around and takes his hand. Settling onto his knees, Jin Ling offers Lan Sizhui a small wooden box.
Brow furrowing even as a smile tips the corners of his lips, Sizhui slides back the lid. Confusion is clear for a moment before his eyes shine in the low light. Sizhui’s smile curves higher as he pulls out a jade hairpin carved with a double lotus, the petals stained pink.
“I-I got it for you… I was going to give it to you when I asked you to stay with me…” Jin Ling ducks his head to hide from Sizhui's sparkling gaze and cover the flush rising in cheeks. He had scoured the market for a hairpin to gift Sizhui and when he found this one, he knew it would be the perfect way to symbolize their love. As long as Sizhui accepted the trinket.
Running a nervous hand through his damp hair, Jin Ling peeks through his bangs, adding, “It's so you can put your hair up and fit in better while you live here.”
Sizhui turns the gift over in his hands a few times and glances at Jin Ling. Smiling, he hands the hairpin over to him and requests, “Help me?”
“Mm, I can try…” Standing up, Jin Ling tucks the hairpin into his collar and combs his fingers through Sizhui's hair. There is a slight trembling in his hands as he gathers the long, dusky strands into a ponytail. He ties it off with a light blue ribbon that he secures in place with the hairpin.
The ponytail is a bit lopsided, but Sizhui's long, inky hair is off his neck. Seeing the young man's nape for the first time, Jin Ling can't resist placing a soft kiss on the fair skin right above his collar, murmuring, “You like it?”
“Of course! It’s beautiful, Jin Ling!” Sizhui spins around and drags Jin Ling back onto the bed. His delighted laughter cuts off when Jin Ling covers his lips with a kiss, resuming their earlier activity. A soft moan passes between them as Jin Ling shifts, his knee fitting under Sizhui's leg. Their bodies press together without any space between them, Sizhui's heart racing to match the speed of his own frantic heartbeat.
Jin Ling trails his hands down Sizhui's sides and grabs his waist to pull him closer. He pays no mind to the way Sizhui rubs against him with the motion as a tongue flits across his bottom lip. He opens his mouth and shifts forward to fit his tongue past Sizhui's lips. Their tongues twist and tangle, warm breath passing between them until Jin Ling cannot take it anymore. He pulls back with a gasp, his chest heaving as his gaze focuses on Sizhui's own panting face beneath him.
Heart welling with affection at the way Sizhui smiles, Jin Ling drops his head to his shoulder, expelling a contented breath. His sigh morphs into a yawn, tickling the exposed skin at Sizhui's neck.
Sizhui smiles as Jin Ling sits up, rubbing his eye. “Are you tired, Jin Ling?”
“Mm, just a little." Jin Ling shakes his head in an attempt to ward off his tiredness. He hasn't slept since Sizhui disappeared into the lake. But he is worried that if he goes to sleep, when he wakes up, it'll all have been a dream. And he will find himself back at the lake's edge, crying for Sizhui.
“Mm, here." Sizhui slides out from under Jin Ling and props him against the pillows. Making sure the young man is comfortable, he crawls forward to settle between his legs. He leans his back against Jin Ling's chest then pulls his arms around his waist. This is something merfolk do for a quick rest when they are away from the village; they wrap their arms around another mer to keep from sinking to the bottom of the lake. “You can rest like this and not have to worry about my leaving, since you'll be able to hold onto me.”
“Mm." Jin Ling pulls Sizhui in closer and reaches out with one hand to thread their fingers. He relaxes against the pillows as the other man's warmth seeps into their embrace. Even though they are sitting like this so he can rest, Jin Ling tries to resist sleep to enjoy this time together.
Sizhui hums a merfolk lullaby while Jin Ling plays with his fingers. Before long, the young man's head drops to his shoulder. The hold around his waist loosens, but Jin Ling's arm still rests across his stomach. Feeling sleep coming for him as well, Sizhui rests his cheek on top of Jin Ling’s head and closes his eyes.
“Jin Ling!" The door slams against the wall as Jiang Cheng bursts into the room, startling Sizhui. “Is this where you’ve…been…”
On the verge of sleep, Jin Ling jolts awake, raising his head as his arms squeeze around Sizhui's waist. His heart beats against his chest so hard he almost thinks it might burst from his chest.
Avoiding Jiang Cheng’s eye, Jin Ling's gaze shifts over his shoulder to see the sun setting through the open doorway. ‘Fuck! I meant to find jiujiu once we were dressed!’
Jin Ling slides off his bed, almost tripping in his haste. Before Jiang Cheng can help steady him, arms wrap around his waist from behind, drawing him back to the bed. Sizhui stands up as well, keeping his hold around Jin Ling.
A funny look crosses Jiang Cheng's face before he schools his expression into a frown. “I see you've found Lan Sizhui.”
“Ah, yeah…” Jin Ling glances over his shoulder, catching Sizhui's eye as he smiles. Looking back to his uncle's frown, his gaze trained on Sizhui's arms around his waist, Jin Ling realizes he is still leaning into the young man's embrace. He pushes down Sizhui's arms and takes a small step forward. His heart skips when Sizhui grabs his hand, but does not pull away.
“I'm sorry, jiujiu, we fell into the lake and had to change our clothes. I was going to come find you, it just… Haaahn.” Jin Ling's words are interrupted by a yawn.
Jiang Cheng sighs, shaking his head. ‘Of course he's tired. The stress and lack of sleep must have gotten to him once he found Lan Sizhui.’ “For now, try to get some rest. I'll have a servant prepare–”
“No!" Jin Ling jumps forward, shaking his head. “We don't– Sizhui can just stay here.”
Jin Ling glances at his bed, then back to his uncle's severe expression and amends, “Or, in my spare room. He…Well, a few times he stayed late and, so, the bed's already prepared.”
Jiang Cheng's furrowed brows draw closer, shadowing his gaze. ‘I'll have to talk with him about his behavior later.’ He glances at Sizhui standing behind Jin Ling and holding his hand with a small smile tipping the corners of his lips. In all honesty, Jiang Cheng can't understand how he continued to believe the young men were just friends until Jin Ling's confession.
Since it will be easier to just let the current arrangement continue, Jiang Cheng sighs, saying, “Fine. Lan Sizhui will stay with you while you are here. Since you're tired, we'll finish this conversation tomorrow.”
Jin Ling nods his head, his relief and excitement clear as he squeezes Sizhui's hand. Once Jiang Cheng leaves, he turns to Sizhui standing silently behind him. Jiang Cheng is always barging into his room and yelling whenever he and Sizhui are sharing his bed. It feels as though his uncle has a sense for these things. “Are you all right? Jiujiu isn’t usually so scary, I promise.”
“Nn, it’s not that I was scared.” Sizhui smiles and steps closer to brush aside Jin Ling’s bangs and run his thumb under the smeared dot of cinnabar. “I wasn't sure if I should say anything in front of your uncle… You told him I was unable to speak before.”
“Mm, we'll have to make something up.” Jin Ling nods his head, thinking, ‘It'll be too hard to maintain that lie for the rest of our lives together.’
“Like your uncle said, that can wait until tomorrow.” Tugging on the hand in his, Sizhui climbs back onto the bed, pulling Jin Ling after him. Though it feels as if they just got dressed, Jin Ling tugs off his top layer and sets the folded garment on the chair next to his bed. After Sizhui does the same, they kneel on the bed, facing each other.
Suddenly feeling awkward, Jin Ling is unsure where to put his hands or how to invite Sizhui to sleep beside him. But when he yawns again, Sizhui lays down, and pulls Jin Ling into his arms. He curls up against Jin Ling's side, resting his head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat.
He blinks his eyes, the comfort of their embrace warming his chest and making him tired. His voice is a soft murmur as he tightens his hold around Jin Ling’s waist, “I’ll love you forever.”
“Mm." Jin Ling winds his arms around Sizhui. Glancing down, he pulls out the double lotus hairpin and runs his fingers through the loose hair cascading over the edge of the bed. His heart starts pounding again when Sizhui twists neck to look up at him with a smile that is tender and unreserved like a blossoming lotus. He leans in to press a soft kiss to full lips. “I promise to love the same in return.”
Notes:
I ended making major changes to the final chapter. But don't worry, I plan to add some spicy extras in a bonus fic. Eventually. I might even write a little XicCheng, too... 🫶
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