INBOX (for eastbound)

[lonelydream]

Zhou Xu

missives | encounters

Comments

[lonelydream]

You get along perfectly well.

[ He thinks, anyway. Well enough that Beiyuan was willing to lie to him for Wen Kexing's plan. ]

[wifedup]

( A sniff, irritated. )

Future me sounds like an idiot.

[lonelydream]

...A bit of one, perhaps. If nothing else, when you go back, Lao Wen, remember that you can trust me.

[wifedup]

I do trust you.

( The exaggerated pouting frown slides away to something more gentle, concern bleary. )

Ah, I mess up, don't I? I always do, Ah-Xu. I get all - ( He flutters his fingers beside his temple and then knocks the lip of the wine bottle to his skull. ) - and I forget. But I don't want to do things wrong, I do try.

[lonelydream]

[ He frowns, hesitates--and that might be an answer in and of itself. But then he rallies, and sighs, knocking lightly on Wen Kexing's forehead with his knuckles. ]

I know.

You make some decisions without telling me. They weren't necessarily bad ones, but if you had let me know what you were planning, things could have gone very differently. None of the plans we make individually ever go quite as well as the ones we make together, Lao Wen.

[wifedup]

( He takes that hand, brings those knuckles to his lips where he presses a kiss to the notches there, either bold with drink or sweet with it, eyes soft. )

No more being secretive. ( He hums, thoughtful. While he knows it's a promise he probably won't be able to keep, he wants to mean it. ) The same for you though, Ah-Xu. You're as bad as I am, don't tell me you aren't!

[lonelydream]

[ It makes a smile tug at the corners of his lips, Zhou Zishu, as ever, weak to Wen Kexing's whims and affection--especially now. Especially now. ]

I know. I'll be better.

[wifedup]

We'll be all right.

( He uses their joined hands to lift Zhou Zishu's up to his face, rubbing his cheek against the soft skin. )

You worry too much.

( Says the fretter. )

[lonelydream]

[ Wen Kexing's cheek is warm, the skin flush and warm, and Zhou Zishu fights the urge to pinch it like a child's. ]

I worry a perfectly reasonable amount.

[wifedup]

Mhm.

( He probably does, is the thing. Zhou Zishu is by far the more serious of them, has been since the very first time they met in this new life of theirs. Gods, even as a child he had a solemnity that suited a man ten times his young age. He squints back up at him, trying to match the memory to the now, huffs out a laugh when that proves too much for his drunkenness. )

You'll get wrinkles. Not that it would matter to me, I'm sure you'll be just as handsome white haired and craggy.

[lonelydream]

You are ridiculous, and very drunk still.

[ But he's allowed, for a moment, to picture Wen Kexing like that. If they can grow old together. ]

[wifedup]

Ah-Xu, you know I'm sincere! You're the prettiest person I've ever seen no matter the level of alcohol in my system or not.

( He drops his hand over his eyes, not quite embarrassed by himself but more so because he's suddenly feeling almost ... shy. Or at the very least, overwhelmed by his own sincerity. )

I mean it, I really do.

[lonelydream]

[ He doesn't respond to that with anymore more than a huff, brushing his hand gently over Wen Kexing's hair. ]

Are you going to fall asleep?

[wifedup]

( A hum, it's nice to be petted. He thinks he might try to get Zhou Zishu to do it more often, a comfort he hadn't known enough of to miss but now craves with an envious hunger. When his hand falls away his eyes are half shut, sleepy and relaxed. )

I had plans, you know. How dare you be the most comfortable place to rest.

( He'd come to pester, after all. )

What if I did, mm? Would you stay?

[lonelydream]

Yes, of course.

[ As if that was a question that needed answering. Where else would he go? Why would he want to? Of course he'll stay. ]

[wifedup]

You're so nice to me.

( It isn't exactly new, there had been a shift in their dynamic at some point. Before coming here Wen Kexing had been too full of his own thoughts to notice it, but now? )

Keep doing it and I might get ideas.

[lonelydream]

[ His hand pauses ever so briefly before it continues what he had been doing. Wen Kexing's words were laden with innuendo, but he doesn't think Lao Wen is actually capable of doing anything more than just talking big. ]

[wifedup]

Would you fight me if I kissed you?

( A hum, the thought idle. The wine he's still holding on to gets tipped into his mouth and he uses the hem of his sleeve to wipe at it when he spills. He's only half looking at Zhou Zishu, eyes lidded and sleepy. )

Not right now, obviously. If I'm going to kiss you it has to be sober enough I can remember it. I'd be furious if I didn't. Especially if you hit me about it. I have to be level-headed enough to steal what I can. That was the plan, but then, the wine.

[lonelydream]

[ His hand pauses just briefly before he goes back to petting Wen Kexing's hair. ]

Ask me again when you're sober.

[ He says, as if he himself is ever truly sober anymore. ]

[wifedup]

Do you promise not to leave if I do? I can take the answer being no, Ah-Xu, but you have to tell me that you won't leave me behind.

( He doesn't think it would go badly, Zhou Zishu certainly has mellowed towards Wen Kexing's overt attention. Or, perhaps his advances have become less sharp the more he himself softened. Either way he thinks there's something. It might not all end in flames. )

[lonelydream]

[ His Lao Wen, so certain of the answer and asking anyway--no matter that he's wrong. Zhou Zishu's ears burn red, and he carefully turns his mind away from imagining what it might be like to kiss and be kissed by Wen Kexing. ]

I won't go anywhere.

[wifedup]

Okay.

( Easy, simple, grin breaking over his face in all it's silly glory. )

When I'm sober then.

[lonelydream]

[ He brushes his fingertips across t h e high curve of Wen Kexing's cheek, then, a wodsss promise made. ]

[wifedup]

I could sleep here. Don't let me.

( Drowzy, almost whiny. He tries to leaver himself up, wobbling, before he goes boneless again. )

You won't be comfortable, you should be comfortable.

( No matter the shape of his lush-like wife. )

Aiya, I drank too much.

[lonelydream]

I'm perfectly comfortable.

[ He'll just move Wen Kexing properly into position after he falls asleep. It certainly won't be the first time he's done so. ]

Rest, Lao Wen. You need it. It'll be fine. I'll be fine.