Chapter Text
Battle noises alert Shen Qingqiu that something is wrong.
Beside him, Liu Qingge stiffens. He can also feel that sparkling adrenaline that floats in the air, that contagious tension. Shen Qingqiu's fingers search for Liu Qingge's. His presence is comforting. After a month of seeking reassurance and protection in the body of the other, a tiny touch is enough to control the fear.
Outside, they hear footsteps echoing and Shen Qingqiu's heart beats just as hard. He doesn’t understand what is happening. They are in the original world of PIDW, where battles, betrayals, and ambushes are common. Although there is nothing and no one more powerful than the protagonist, Shen Qingqiu wishes for Luo Binghe to be defeated. And at the same time, a tiny splinter inside him is terrified if that happens.
When the door to their room (their prison) shatters, Liu Qingge stands in front of Shen Qingqiu to protect him. Shen Qingqiu closes his eyes and buries his face into Liu Qingge's chest. He trembles. He is terrified to discover what has happened in the hallway and whose figure is entering the room. Even so, he raises his head and tries to look over Liu Qingge's shoulder.
He quickly recognizes that familiar figure, who has walked through his dreams and nightmares in the last month.
Shen Qingqiu feels nauseous and frustrated AND PANIC THAT SQUEEZE HIS THROAT AND LEAVES HIM WITHOUT AIR…
He gasps when Luo Binghe's eyes look at him wet with tears and desolation on his face.
It’s him.
It’s his Luo Binghe, the one who loves him, the one who will never hurt him, the one who will try to protect him.
“Shizun,” he splutters hoarsely. He has Xi Mo in his hand. A web of cracks runs along the edge of the sword. “Finally I found you.”
Shen Qingqiu runs towards Luo Binghe still clutching Liu Qingge with one hand. And he doesn't let him go while he tries to hug his partner. Luo Binghe wraps an arm around his body. He feels tiny and fragile, broken into a thousand pieces.
And guilty.
Shen Qingqiu is crying. Luo Binghe's fingers slide down his cheek to wipe his tears away.
“Where is he?” Demands Liu Qingge. His hand grips Shen Qingqiu's tight as if he is terrified of losing him.
“Outside. I've distracted him to find you first.”
Liu Qingge growls. Although Shen Qingqiu cannot see him, still with his face hidden in Luo Binghe's chest, he feels his discomfort and tension, that murderous rage that boils in his veins. However, Liu Qingge has learned to hide his emotions. Pain and hurt have chilled his character and that is why he manages to talk to Luo Binghe despite his discomfort.
Shen Qingqiu can understand him.
He also trembles in horror at the brush of those arms around his body.
Luo Binghe turns and extends two swords from his waist: Cheng Luan and Xiu Ya. Shen Qingqiu's fingers tremble when he holds Xiu Ya's hilt as he remembers how both of them lost their weapons. Liu Qingge is firmer when he retrieves his sword and quickly pulls his sleeve aside to show Luo Binghe the bracelet that imprisons his wrist.
It is red. Like the immortal connecting cables, like blood, like the clothes they both wear and the sheets in that room.
Shen Qingqiu hates the color red.
“Can you take this away from us?” Liu Qingge asks. There is anger and impatience hidden in his voice, in the way he grips Cheng Luan's hilt tightly or how his body tenses. Shen Qingqiu knows that with the cage broken and no chains, Liu Qingge will run off to confront the other Luo Binghe.
Luo Binghe frowns upon seeing their bracelets. Fortunately, both Demon Lords are essentially the same.
Too equal.
Chillingly the same.
Although they have the same face and the same scarlet mark on their foreheads, although they possess the same powers and obsessions, one Luo Binghe chained them with bracelets that control their qi, the other frees them.
“I am going to kill him,” Luo Binghe whispers the words in a promise. His eyes sparkle and search for Liu Qingge's before turning away from Shen Qingqiu.
They run, swords untied, as Shen Qingqiu follows them.
Anxiety carve in his chest. Shen Qingqiu moves swingingly. Despite being locked up in Luo Binghe Castle for a month, most of the place is unfamiliar to him. And now it's destroyed. That should be comforting to him.
But he's only getting more and more nervous, afraid of making a mistake. He watches the backs of the other two without daring to blink in case they disappear from his sight.
Shen Qingqiu never wants to be alone again.
The other Luo Binghe intercepts them and the two of them pounce on him. Shen Qingqiu's legs freeze and he no longer knows what is stopping him, fear or doubt, or maybe that part of him that still sees the other Luo Binghe as his disciple despite all the damage he has done to him.
Demon blood boils in his veins and reduces his arms and legs to rag limbs.
Unlike the first encounter, this time Liu Qingge staggers and nearly falls to the ground.
Unlike the first encounter, this time his Luo Binghe controls the poison they have in their blood.
Even so, Shen Qingqiu falls. He covers his face with his hands, Xiu Ya left on the broken ground. He doesn’t dare to look at what is happening. Still, growls, pained groans, and blows of steel come to him.
It lasts an eternity.
Until there is only silence.
He hears footsteps. Rough and steady, the rhythmic sound that some nights walked the hall to the room. And he trembles again, eyes covered by his hands. Someone kneels in front of him. Shen Qingqiu feels his breath catch from him, a shadow engulfing him whole. He slaps the hand that tries to caress him. And he looks wide-eyed at Luo Binghe who tries to hug him. Red eyes, dark curly hair. Sorrow gaze.
“It’s me, shizun,” he says with infinite weariness. “ He will never hurt you again.”
Shen Qingqiu cries. Relief. Culpability. Something inside his chest has broken and it hurts so much that he leans forward.
And he keeps his eyes closed when Luo Binghe carries him in his arms because he doesn’t dare to see the corpse of the other (pale face, empty eyes, broken body of someone who looks so much like his disciple).
“Let's go back home,” says someone.
Shen Qingqiu hears their footsteps and the sound of Xin Mo cutting off reality.
Then, he feels the fresh and familiar air of Cang Qiong Sect.
For once, Shen Qingqiu doesn't care about what others will think. He allows Luo Binghe to carry him like a doll. And he's still with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep or unconscious despite the cumulus of voices coming through. Some voices are known. There are worried voices and happy ones. Questions fly, but neither he, Luo Binghe nor Liu Qingge answer.
“Shizun needs to rest,” Luo Binghe says finally, silencing some of the gibberish. “Give him space. And also Liu-shishu,” he adds to the surprise of both.
Luo Binghe walks steadily as the voices disappear, although not all. Shen Qingqiu recognizes Yue Qingyuan's, calm but insistent, and some of his disciples. They are not afraid of Luo Binghe (but they should).
“Is shizun fine?” Asks Ning Yingying.
Luo Binghe doesn't answer because maybe he doesn't know. He only has suspicions and an exhausted body in his arms.
“Shizun needs to rest,” he repeats. “I'll take him to the bamboo house.”
The bamboo house.
Shen Qingqiu tenses and his fingers dig into Luo Binghe's flesh.
The bamboo house. The door ajar. The choppy light coming through the window. The bed. The immortal binding cables. Cheng Luan lying in a corner.
“No,” Liu Qingge interferes with a hoarse voice. His presence is so silent that Shen Qingqiu was convinced that he would be away from them. He wouldn't blame him for that decision. “Let’s go to Bai Zhan Peak.”
Luo Binghe doesn't protest.
It's strange coming home after a month locked in a red room.
The first thing Liu Qingge does upon reaching Bai Zhan Peak is to enter his house and tear off his clothes to throw them on the ground. He rips the cloth with his nails, not caring about walking around naked while he prepares a bath. His disciples are smart and will not come to bother them despite their anxious looks to get his master back.
Inside there are only three of them.
Liu Qingge tries to calm down. The blood staining his skin reminds him of the other Luo Binghe's corpse and his satisfaction at finally killing him. Although it was Luo Binghe who stabbed him in the heart, Liu Qingge shattered him with his sword. In pieces. He turned him into a bloody mess of meat.
But anger and frustration continue in his flesh, and there is another monster in his house holding Shen Qingqiu in his arms. Liu Qingge wants to yell at him to go away. He wants to kill him too. But he breathes until he feigns a fake calm.
“The bath is ready,” he murmurs without looking at the other two. He has always hated that dark love between Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe, but now it is even worse. It is incredibly painful to see a Luo Binghe treating a damaged Shen Qingqiu with affection.
Luo Binghe reluctantly lets go of Shen Qingqiu, who smiles in appreciation at Liu Qingge before closing the door that separates the bathroom. Turning around, Liu Qingge notices Luo Binghe's gaze on him. And his guts twist. It’s him. It’s not him. It’s him. It’s not him.
He has gotten used to being naked in front of Shen Qingqiu, but Luo Binghe makes him feel just as uncomfortable as with the other. So he looks for one of his ancient robes to cover himself.
“I'm going to take him,” Luo Binghe breaks the silence. His voice sounds different from what Liu Qingge remembers. Less arrogant, as furious as his. “Away from the bamboo house.”
He clenches his fists before facing Luo Binghe without hitting him.
“Do you think that's a good idea?” Liu Qingge makes an effort not to insult him. “Take him to your demon palace? Don’t be selfish! Shen Qingqiu needs his disciples and his martial brothers. He needs to be surrounded by people who love him.”
He doesn't expect Luo Binghe to understand. What's more, he wishes for Luo Binghe to act selfish and thus have an excuse to fight him. But to his surprise, the demon bows his head and nods.
“I will do anything to help shizun,” he promises.
There is an awkward silence between them. They were rivals and now ... they are joined by a complicated debt. Liu Qingge feels gratitude and hatred towards Luo Binghe. He sighs. Hopefully, he won't see him again for the next few days.
He turns his back on him and begins to order the chaos of his house, with weapons thrown everywhere. When Luo Binghe speaks again, he thinks he has misheard.
“Are you alright?”
Liu Qingge looks at him in confusion. Luo Binghe has crossed his arms and keeps his gaze downcast.
“What?” He mutters.
“I’m not an idiot. Now you have my blood, you were locked up with shizun, and you also wear the same clothes and the qi regulator.” He swallows hard as if the words are stuck in his throat. “He hurt you too, am I right?”
Liu Qingge's breathing has quickened. Annoyed, he tries to ignore Luo Binghe.
“Is not your business.”
“Are you alright?” He insists.
No.
But he doesn’t want the pity of his worst enemy.