What a strange breach that had been! Xue Yang is glad to be back to normal. Being a tiny shrew had been pretty inconvenient. Thanks to the breach though, he's completely forgotten about his birthday that was a couple of days ago, so he has no suspicions when he receives a message from Song Lan.
He smiles to himself and sends a response; I'm on my way!
Once he reaches their cabin he opens the door to greet his lover. "A-Lan!"
He figures Xue Yang has forgotten - and that's to be expected! Becoming a shrew (and an owl) had been a strange experience and yet Zichen had kept track of the dates. Birthdays are important and he isn't about to miss a single one.
Grinning at the message, he chuckles. He had hoped that would work!
"A-Yang." Zichen and the cats welcome Xue Yang - the latter pair wearing new jingling collars, "Happy birthday." he wraps his lover in his arms and kisses his cheek.
Xue Yang grins at his lover and immediately slips his arms around his neck, pressing close. He then blinks in surprise. "Happy...? Oh! Oh shit, I completely forgot!" He laughs and tugs Song Lan into a proper kiss. He's happy and a little touched that Song Lan remembered when even he forgot.
Zichen laughs at the surprise and lifts Xue Yang by his waist, carrying him to their table. He then returns the kiss, sucking on his lover's lips and teasing his tongue.
"You were an adorable shrew." he smiles slowly, "But I prefer you as a man."
Xue Yang gives a delighted little sound when he's lifted and immediately clings to his lover. "I prefer me as a man too! And you! Even if you were a very elegant owl." He chuckles and kisses Song Lan again.
"Mmm, they were very soft." Xue Yang glances over to the snake and grins. "Aw... she's so cute." The way her tongue flickers as she investigates is too precious.
He presses a kiss to Song Lan's nose. "I heard sweets~?"
"She's a good girl." Zichen praises, laughing lowly when the snake tucks herself under the bed. Meanwhile their little owl finch is playing with her new toy too, solving puzzles for treats with her feet and her beak.
"And flowers." he adds, guiding Xue Yang to the table and pulling out a chair for him.
Xue Yang grins, pleased, as he sits down at the table. "What a gentleman~." He loves to be spoiled and fussed over, so of course he is going to revel in it on his birthday!
The flowers are a pale blue intermixed with white. Zichen has them arranged in a vase - and, of course, beneath the vase, there are treats. Candied fruit. Chocolate.
Xue Yang chuckles warmly and kisses Song Lan's fingers. "You don't need wings for that. I love you too." He nuzzles into him and lets out a pleased little sigh.
"Mm true. Fuxue or Jiangzai could carry us." Zichen smiles helplessly and wraps Xue Yang in his arms, "I wish I could fly us away from the Barge. Maybe to the mountains or some place by a lake."
Xue Yang smiles and lightly nips at Song Lan's lips. "I believe in you. If anyone can help him, it's you." Xue Yang had seen himself as a bit of a lost cause, but Song Lan has helped him so much...
"You are putting a lot of faith in me." Zichen kisses Xue Yang just for that, his courage bolstered, "I just don't know how to convince him that murdering...and wanting to murder...isn't natural for humans."
"You might not be able to convince him of that," Xue Yang says, "It's not like I was motivated by suddenly realizing that killing is wrong." He gives a wry smile. "I'm sure he knows that too, but if he doesn't have anything else going for him, lectures about morality aren't gonna convince him."
"What should I do then?" Zichen is a little at a loss, "If he doesn't want to see morality, what could convince him? I want to be kind to him, but if I'm too kind, he might kill again." he pulls Xue Yang's hands against his chest.
"Something personal. He has things he likes other than murder, right?" He rests his head on Song Lan's shoulder as he runs his hands along his broad chest. "And he likes you. Didn't you say he had a pet too? I wanted to change because I got to experience what it's like to be happy and to have someone I don't want to lose." He smiles up at Song Lan, tender and warm. "He needs a reason to change."
"Sometimes he likes me and other times he acts like he hates me." Zichen isn't upset about that; he expects it to some degree, but it does make reading Collins difficult, "His little pet is a hunter. I think he respects him because of that instinct."
With Xue Yang looking up at him like that, he can't stay worried, however. Bending down, he kisses the younger man and hugs him close.
Xue Yang partakes of his birthday candies as he listens to Song Lan. When he's done, Xue Yang smiles a little. "He definitely likes you. I only talked to him that one time, and it was obvious. He'll just need time before he'll be able to admit it. To himself and to you." He can definitely relate to Collins in several ways, which feels a little strange.
He flushes a little at that and gives his love a tender kiss. "That's not always a good thing," he jokes as he rubs their noses together. "But you are too. Only in good ways."
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timeasmymeasure
<3
Date: 2024-07-22 01:31 pm (UTC)He smiles to himself and sends a response; I'm on my way!
Once he reaches their cabin he opens the door to greet his lover. "A-Lan!"
no subject
Date: 2024-07-22 01:41 pm (UTC)Grinning at the message, he chuckles. He had hoped that would work!
"A-Yang." Zichen and the cats welcome Xue Yang - the latter pair wearing new jingling collars, "Happy birthday." he wraps his lover in his arms and kisses his cheek.
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Date: 2024-07-22 01:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-22 01:48 pm (UTC)"You were an adorable shrew." he smiles slowly, "But I prefer you as a man."
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Date: 2024-07-22 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-22 01:56 pm (UTC)Said reptile has a new toy - a soft bed for her to curl up in - and she is busy investigating it with cute sniffs.
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Date: 2024-07-22 02:02 pm (UTC)He presses a kiss to Song Lan's nose. "I heard sweets~?"
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Date: 2024-07-22 02:08 pm (UTC)"And flowers." he adds, guiding Xue Yang to the table and pulling out a chair for him.
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Date: 2024-07-22 02:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-23 09:18 am (UTC)"I want to take care of my shrew." he teases.
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Date: 2024-07-23 09:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-23 09:28 am (UTC)"I did my best." he sits down too and offers Xue Yang a chocolate, "Someone needs to watch over you."
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Date: 2024-07-23 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 10:00 am (UTC)"I love you. Protecting you comes naturally." he then smirks, "I almost wish I could fly again."
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Date: 2024-07-24 10:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 10:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 10:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 10:55 am (UTC)"A-Yang, be patient with me. And him. He has a long road ahead."
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Date: 2024-07-24 10:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 11:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 11:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 03:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-28 01:19 am (UTC)With Xue Yang looking up at him like that, he can't stay worried, however. Bending down, he kisses the younger man and hugs him close.
"You are one of a kind."
no subject
Date: 2024-08-01 02:11 pm (UTC)He flushes a little at that and gives his love a tender kiss. "That's not always a good thing," he jokes as he rubs their noses together. "But you are too. Only in good ways."