Chapter Text
Mu Qing had a problem. It started innocently enough, about 800 or so years ago, when Feng Xin ascended to heaven shortly after him. Mu Qing immediately noticed how handsome Feng Xin had become. His choice of clothing did not do much to disguise his muscular form. As Mu Qing approached, he realized that Feng Xin’s tanned skin had been kissed by the sun, freckles dotted across the expanse of that which was visible. Has he gotten taller? Mu Qing wondered internally. When they locked eyes, Feng Xin shot him a smug grin, irises twinkling in the bright sunlight, making Mu Qing’s heart skip a beat. So Mu Qing did the only logical thing! He punched him.
Of course, Feng Xin had elected to erect his palace directly next to Mu Qing’s. It was difficult for Mu Qing to escape his strange thoughts about his friend-turned-rival. Especially when every time he peered through the windows overlooking the grounds of the Palace of Nan Yang, he could see Feng Xin — who was usually shirtless and soaked in sweat — muscles rippling as he let loose another arrow. The sight always left Mu Qing blushing and feeling embarrassingly warm. Naturally, he kept his thoughts to himself, turning away from his windows to busy himself with anything else.
Over the years, Mu Qing and Feng Xin had been in many fights, but today was different. Mu Qing had woken up this morning incredibly agitated for seemingly no reason at all, and with a weird feeling in his stomach to top it off. It had only gotten worse when he’d spotted the familiar sight of Feng Xin, training in a state of undress unbecoming of a martial god, through his window. At the end of his rope after 800 years, and some change, of this nonsense, Mu Qing quickly dressed himself and stormed over to the Palace of Nan Yang’s grounds.
Things were different after the events that transpired at Mount Tonglu. Feng Xin had made it clear that Mu Qing was welcome to pay his palace a visit whenever he wanted. They were still neighbors after the rebuilding of Heaven, and after all, they were on better terms now! That’s why, when Feng Xin spotted Mu Qing storming across his palace grounds, he did not anticipate the harsh words that Mu Qing spat from his mouth.
“You know, General, you really could stand to cover up a little more! You’ve been out here every morning, gallivanting around exposed , for the past eight centuries! What kind of deputies are you employing if they cannot advise you on simple matters such as this?” Mu Qing shouted. Despite his proud stance and composed demeanor, his face began to redden.
Feng Xin scowled at Mu Qing, completely oblivious to the flush slowly covering the other man’s face. Old habits die hard, and Feng Xin mockingly retorted, “You’ve been watching me like some kind of voyeur for eight centuries and just now you’re bringing this up? If it bothered you that much, you should have said something sooner! Or were you just waiting until we were f-f-friends again so you could knock me down a peg?”
Mu Qing was used to Feng Xin being annoying and a little crass, but when Feng Xin mocked him for his genuine emotions, Mu Qing felt the relief of familiar rage wash over him. Fuming, threw his first punch to Feng Xin’s right flank. Feng Xin quickly discarded Fengshen, delivering a few quick strikes in response. They exchanged blows until the both of them were panting, with Mu Qing’s usually pristine robes and hair now unkempt. Seizing the opportunity for victory, Feng Xin rushed forward, knocking Mu Qing’s legs out from under him with a sweep of his calf to the back of the other man’s knees. Mu Qing yelped in a rather undignified manner as he slammed down into the grass. Feng Xin quickly followed, clambering down on top of the other man to deliver the final blow. He grabbed Mu Qing unceremoniously by the ponytail, as he had done so many other times, and reeled back his fist in preparation to reintroduce it to the side of Mu Qing’s head, when something unexpected happened. Mu Qing let out a strange and low groan, almost like a whine. Feng Xin quickly released his grip on Mu Qing’s hair in shock, and began to stand up, allowing the other man to scramble backward rather pathetically across the grass.
Mu Qing pulled himself into a standing position as quickly as he could muster, and accidentally locked eyes with a bewildered Feng Xin. Sensing that he was about to be questioned by the other, Mu Qing swiftly turned on his heel and bolted back to his palace.
Feng Xin yelled after him, shaking his fist in the air, “What the fuck was that about Mu Qing?! Was all this really about me being too undignified and exposed? Would you please enlighten me to whatever the fuck is going on with you today?”
Mu Qing flushed harder, picking up the pace. Making sure Feng Xin wasn’t following him, Mu Qing turned his head to peer over his shoulder, only to see Feng Xin standing in the exact same spot as before, and with the same stupid look on his face no less! Mu Qing finally reached his palace doors after what felt like an eternity. Slipping inside to continue on with his day as normal, he made his way up the stairs to his office, where he would ignore the events of the morning by drowning himself in paperwork.
The rest of his day passed with little excitement. When Mu Qing realized it had become dark outside, he completed his overview of the current document and decided to turn in for the night. Gods don’t need sleep, but after the day he had, Mu Qing was feeling particularly tired. As he rubbed various oils through his scalp, he remembered the events of that morning and felt his face grow warm. Curiously, he gave his hair an experimental tug, and… nothing? Strange that it only seemed to make him gasp when Feng Xin did it. Wiping his hands on a cloth, Mu Qing climbed into his bed. Enveloped in his luxurious silk bedding, he quickly fell asleep, and into a dream.
Mu Qing was back on the grounds of the Palace of Nan Yang, sprawled before Feng Xin on the plush grass. In a similar fashion to the day's events, Feng Xin reached forward to grab a fistful of his ponytail. Rather than concealing it as a groan, Mu Qing let out an unabashed moan. Feng Xin’s face reddened, but rather than quickly standing up, he gripped harder and pulled, causing Mu Qing to let out a choked noise as he tried to escape his friend’s grip.
Feng Xin did not relent easily; he smirked teasingly, taunting, “Oh? Did General Xuan Zhen have a different reason for visiting me this morning?”
Mu Qing, flushing hard, could only whine in response. Taking this as an answer, Feng Xin shuffled above Mu Qing, nudging his muscled thigh between the other man’s legs as he moved his outer robes out of the way to get a better look. Mu Qing was keening even from this small amount of pressure.
“Seems I was correct?” Feng Xin questioned, pressing his thigh a little harder into the warmth settled between Mu Qing’s thighs, causing the man to thrash and grind against him desperately. “Fuck, you’re soaked. I can feel it through your pants, General.”
Feng Xin pulled at the ties on layer after layer of Mu Qing’s robes, causing them to fall open and expose his already hardened nipples to the chilly morning air. Feng Xin tweaked one of the nubs between his thumb and forefinger, making Mu Qing grind down harder against his thigh. Feng Xin pried his eyes from the space where his thigh rested between Mu Qing’s trembling legs to look at his face. Unsurprisingly, he looked completely debauched. Mu Qing’s hair stuck out in several places, his normal hair ornament slightly askew. More notably, his pupils were blown wide, staring desperately at Feng Xin. This seemed to snap the other man back to reality.
“Again… was there something you wanted, General Xuan Zhen? I don’t believe you’ve answered me properly yet.” Feng Xin whispered into the other man’s ear, “You’d best answer me quickly. My deputies are scheduled to arrive soon, and we’re out here in the open. Would you want just anyone to see you like this, or is it all for me?”
Mu Qing, unsure of what to do with his hands, was now fruitfully grabbing fistfuls of grass. He managed to gasp out, “Kiss me!”
Feng Xin did not hesitate. He moved his hand from where it plucked at Mu Qing’s nipple to cup the man’s jaw. He smiled warmly down at Mu Qing, “Of course, Qing-er. All you had to do was ask.” With that, he closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together.