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[ Slender fingers brush against his waist—they catch the young exorcist off guard while he’s busy indulging in a little olfactory. Surprised and suddenly exhaling on a choked laugh, Chongyun twists on the bed and looks up at his friend; soft blue hair falls across his forehead, mussed, as catslit pupils gaze up from beneath light lashes. He doesn’t sit up, instead choosing to rumple the bedding beneath him as he squirms. It’s fine, he’s the one who made the bed before anyway.

A warm smile curls on the exorcist’s lips on the tail end of that short laugh, body slightly curled in to protect his side from more tickle assaults. ]

Haha… what’re you doing?

[ It’s not a question. No, it sounds too affectionate; a gentle chiding that isn’t chiding at all. ]

[ The first successful peels of laughter drawn out of his friend only serve to further motivate him to continue to seek those joyful sounds. Words, contrast tone and smile. Xingqiu continues to tickle Chongyun's side, but with the boy curling in on the defensive it only means he has to reach to brush fingers along the opposite side.

That's why he leans over Chongyun, that's the only reason.

Yet, he goes a little further than needed but how else would he keep his friend from escaping. At the point he straddles Chongyun's tights maybe he should be rethinking his choices, but he doesn't. It's just for fun, only to hear more of that laughter. His hands are busy at work bringing forth more of those sounds. ]

Me? Oh, nothing. But I am winning.

[ The assault continues after Chongyun’s meager attempt at evading is soundly thwarted. Fingers dance along his sides, ticking his ribs; the exorcist puffs and laughs, cheeks and ears taking on a tint of pink. His hair gets messier as he rolls, fluffing up at odd angles. The normally neat Chongyun is disheveled.

He doesn’t even know when Xingqiu managed to straddled him—but he’s left blinking up at his friend, caught between two long legs, the other boy’s weight pinning him to the mattress. Looking up at him like this, Chongyun can’t not notice how pretty Xingqiu looks when his hair falls across his face like that.

The exorcist exhales on another wheezy laugh, sides hurting from giggles knocking against his ribs. He continues to gaze up at his friend with the back of his head resting against the bed. ]

Yes, you win, you win. I’ve been defeated. I don’t think I can take any more.

[ Words of defeat are to no avail, there is no mercy for Chongyun. Mussed hair, red face, peels of laughter through the air; it's the type of fun that's been lost with childhood, now in the vestige of adolescence hell provides temporary respite from responsibility. Xingqiu found time now. Time to think. Perhaps here is the last grand adventure?

When they return to Liyue (because they will), what would await them. Chongyun will continue to follow the path of an exorcist, a roaming cloud, and he — truly showed great disservice to his older brother. What a selfish desire.

His hands slowly, only lightly brushing at cloth before he attempts to smooth out Chongyun's garment. ]

You can't? You're at my mercy now. I could always...

[ Lightly he taps Chongyun's side, a threat, the boy is trapped under him. ]

[ Hah. As if he would give up so easily. Playing possum for a second, Chongyun waits as the other boy taps at his side with that lingering threat … and then surges without warning, a viper strike of an attack as he throws his weight and slides his hands around Xingqiu’s waist.

Rolling them over, the exorcist swaps their positions with a lift of a knee and bodily tumble. It’s only when he’s lording over Xingqiu now, face still red and hair still mussed, that he lets slip a boyish smile. Triumphant and happy both; not many see this side of him unless he’s girls gone wild.

Capturing his friend between his knees, Chongyun puffs out another little laugh. ]

Now you’re at my mercy.

[ He hasn’t yet noticed that his hands are still curled around the other boy, pressed between back and mattress in a way that keeps them in a semi-embrace. ]

[ As swiftly as he gained the upper hand, he soon finds positions are reversed. Though he puts up a fight and attempts to resist, Chongyun's strength along with gravity see him off his throne. Well aware Chongyun's hands linger at his waist, Xingqiu can't help a coquettish little smile. Basking in the warmth of attention, though he knows his friend is wholly unaware of the sentiments he has for him.

Perhaps it isn't fair, maybe he isn't playing nice but he is allowed to live a little isn't he?

It's just for fun. Yet what he does is entirely unnecessary, a brush of fingers runs along Chongyun's forearm to his wrist. At the end of travel, Xingqiu doesn't pull his hand back but loosely holds on to his friend. The smile remains, kittenish as ever. He turns his head ever slightly to the side letting loose strands of hair fall across his cheek. ]

Oh, am I?

Whatever will I do?

[ Again, it's unnecessary but ever slowly he bends a knee, a brush of thigh against thigh. ]

[ Xingqiu's touch is warm.

He's warm. Chongyun's more acutely aware of this now that he has the other boy pinned beneath him. It isn't out of concern for his condition that he lingers on this thought; it's something softer, that makes his chest ache in a way he doesn't quite understand. The connotations of tangling up together like this are also slowly beginning to dawn on him. Even so, Chongyun doesn't remove his hands from Xingqiu's waist.

As that touch wanders, the exorcist's mouth dries up. His throat is tight when he swallows, and he suddenly feels at a loss for words. He's the one on top ... so why does it still feel like Xingqiu is the one in control? ]

Uh, um... you... [ thigh tickles thigh. Chongyun's face flushes, and he glances aside. ] ... beg for freedom?

No. I don't think I will.

[ It's a swift reply delivered in a firm tone, confidence ever his companion facilitates the ease through which he navigates the predicament they're in. Though he may be physically restrained by Chongyun's weight and grip he continues to hold the reins. A tight grip that he won't easily relinquish. Amusement dances across expression delighted as he witnesses a flicker of awareness in familiar eyes.

Slowly he withdraws his hand, brushing away the hair across his face before he lays his palms against the coolness of the sheets underneath him. While his pose reflects chaste modesty, his face says something different. He's on the verge of laughter without the help of hands tickling his skin. ]

I'll be staying right where I am, and you'll be staying where you are too.

[ If what he had before was an inkling, Xingqiu stretching out beneath him like that against the sheets is like a brick to the face. A brick that still feels far too dangerous to acknowledge, but it's pretty hard to not at least feel the bruise afterwards.

Heat surges through Chongyun again. It prickles across his skin, nerves on edge with wanting to touch. With it, restlessness stirs, and the young exorcist swallows again. Sandpaper. It's all sandpaper. And hot. Which is exactly why Chongyun flops over on the bed, completely and utterly defeated. ]

You're unfair.

[ Sighed into a pillow, since his face is now pressed into it for protection. Truly ... Chongyun is the loser. ]

Am not. You're just sore I won.

[ Complete and total victory hasn't been achieved; this is a single battle won on the terrain that is his bed. The sight beheld as defeat settles its burden upon his friend is amusing enough that finally, he can't help a soft laugh. It's humor rather than malice, light-hearted sentiment as opposed to pride. There is no denying he is having fun and yet that comforting weight is gone.

He sits up, leaning ever slightly over Chongyun to peer down at the other teen. Face obscured leaves Xingqiu with nothing more than a guess to the expression worn by his friend. Before he actually makes contact with Chongyun's shoulder, Xingqiu withdraws his hand ultimately deciding against pestering the other boy further. ]

Next time, perhaps then, no I am sure you will come up with some tactic to defeat me.

[ He settles himself back down on the mattress his gaze firmly fixed up towards the ceiling. ] For now, I deserve a prize. Wish me good night, Chongyun.

[ Finally Chongyun turns his head to peek over at his friend. He's calmed down a bit, face mostly rid of the pink of embarrassment, but that image of his friend is going to be one that sticks in his mind for a while.

As for coming up with a tactic to defeat Xingqiu...? The exorcist is much less sure than his friend. Even if there existed a way to best this boy, Chongyun isn't even sure if he'd use it. ]

A win is a win. [ expression softening, he does as his friend asks. ] Good night, Xingqiu.

[ Of course ... he'd have said it regardless. ]

[ A deep breath isn't what causes the ache that settles within his chest, words alone convey the image of Chongyun's gentle expression. Though it is tempting to turn his head to catch another glimpse of the other boy, Xingqiu does not; nor does he give in to the appeal of holding his friend's hand once more as they did that time they walked together through the rosy glow of that cherry tree grove.

What he opts to do instead is to settle in for the night. Eyes flutter shut, the brush of lashes against his cheeks before he exhales some words only for Chongyun to hear. ]

Good night, dear Chongyun.

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