Perishable as I (hualian tgcf)

11

"Your highness?" Pei Xiu calls sticking his head through the door to the room. "There's someone here to see you."

Xie Lian looks up from where he rests stroking He Xuan's hair. "Who is it?" He asks hesitantly. Pei Xiu looks... concerned. Xie Lian doesn't like that look. "Another god your highness." He says peering back. "Water tyrant's sibling Shi Qingxuan."

Xie Lian tilts his head. "Why is the wind master here?" Pei Xiu smiles sheepishly. Xie Lian is almost concerned to hear the answer.

"There's a rumour, dianxia, that the earth master is here."

Xie Lian frowns. "He is though." That's quite obvious from the He Xuan shaped lump in the bed.

Pei Xiu shakes his head. "It's the next day your highness. The rumours say he didn't leave... and he is still here with you."

Xie Lian laughs. Rumours these days are so silly. "Well no of course. I promised I'd be here when he wakes. I wouldn't make him go back to his own place. That's cruel he was in-"

"Your highness!" Pei Xiu chides. "That's not the problem. It's the rumours. They are saying that he bed you!" Pei Xiu yells eventually tired of his gentleness going over the others head.

The god pauses. "Oh." Xie Lian says. "Oh dear. Oh my no, not in the slightest. Is that why..." Pei Xiu nods.

Xie Lian sighs. "Why am I always the one getting bedded. Why can't I be the one to bed for once?" He complains. Pei Xiu groans. "Is that really all you have to say your highness? You'd never bed or be bedded by anyone, your cultivation prohibits such activities."

Xie Lian nods smiling. "It's true." No it's not. Pei Xiu knows that. Xie Lian knows that. Hua Cheng definitely knows that.

"But still my dignity is wounded. Is that all people see me as? Gossip. I've heard so many rumours of me and half of them are that I'm a bed warmer!" The god huffs. There's only one bed he'll warm. "I don't go around the gods offering service. Who do they think I am?!"

Pei Xiu looks exhausted. "Your highness please. The wind master is still outside."

Xie Lian flushes embarrassed. "Right. Alight. Send them in but tell them to be quiet. I don't want Ming Yi to wake up." The deputy nods leaving with a bow.

"Honestly I'm a god, don't they have any sense of shame."

'Gege why aren't you back yet! I missed you last night. It was so cold.' Hua Cheng complains over the private array. How ironic. "Talk about shameless." Xie Lian mutters. 'Sorry San Lang He Xuan fell ill and it was my fault so I'm looking over him.'

Hua Cheng scoffs and it makes Xie Lian snort. 'Just bring him here. He does have a room.'

Xie Lian nods to himself. 'I wanted to but he's a "god" and people would question where he goes. He's not like me. He stays in his palace a lot.'

'Yeah his palace, the place he was given when he ascended. God what a fraud.'

Xie Lian rolls his eyes. 'Tell me you wouldn't do the same you big baby. If it was for me you'd be the most shameless man.'

'I already ascended for gege before but you weren't there so I had to politely decline the offer.'

'Polite my ass.' Xie Lian curses.

'Oh your feeling feisty are you? That's because I wasn't able to drain that energy from you.'

Xie Lian holds back from telling him it was actually because all the gods call him is a bed warmer for different gods.

Something tells him that wouldn't go over well and heaven may loose a few more gods.

'I'll be back tonight. He Xuan can't sleep that long right?' Xie Lian asks. 'Gege he hibernates. He can sleep months even years on end.'