Chapter Text
Cheers as the newlywed couple bowed to each other and completed their vows could be heard echoing through the space. Yue Qingyuan sat outside the venue and took a drink. That was it. His Xiao Jiu was married. And he hadn't even been able to see his happiness.
“Are they finished already?” Tianlang Jun stopped outside the venue with a dramatized pout. “They didn’t even think to invite me.” He cast a look down at the sect leader. “I take it they didn’t invite you either.”
Yue Qingyuan gave a polite smile to the demon emperor. "Ah, I was told I'm not welcome."
“You might have it worse than me,” Tianlang Jun took a seat beside him. “I helped bring that war god back from the dead and they didn’t think to send me an invitation!”
Yue Qingyuan took another swig from his wine. "I failed Xiao Jiu. He can never forgive me."
“Must be a shame seeing him marry someone else.” He grinned at the thought. “Or rather being unable to see him marry someone else.”
He nodded miserably. "I just want to see him happy." He held out the wine to the demon emperor.
Tianlang Jun took the wine from him and took a swig. “Does Yue Zhangmen need a hug?” He asked merrily.
Yue Qingyuan gave another one of his empty smiles. "I am fine." He was always fine. He didn't need anything but knowing Xiao Jiu was alive and happy.
Tianlang Jun promptly grabbed Yue Qingyuan and dragged him closer. He wrapped his arm around his waist to hold him still and placed the wine at his lips as if he was feeding a baby. “The great sect leader need not act so mighty,” he smiled right back at him.
Yue Qingyuan choked slightly on the wine. "Tianlang Jun!"
“Is there a problem?” He pulled the wine away so the man didn’t choke, but only tightened his grip. “Yue Zhangmen seems like he needs some comfort.”
"You are very kind to offer, but this is rather close for acquaintances," Yue Qingyuan told him.
“Surely the man who imprisoned me and then guaranteed my freedom after can be considered more than an acquaintance.” He grinned at him. “I’m providing comfort to a mourning man.”
"At a wedding?" Yue Qingyuan shook his head. "It would be inappropriate for me to..." He teared up slightly. "To be sad at their happiness."
“Aren’t you tired of holding back?” He asked smoothly. “They aren’t paying attention to you, you can let go.”
Yue Qingyuan shuddered. "I don't deserve it."
“So what? Be a little selfish.” He looped his other arm around Yue Qingyuan and hooked his chin over his shoulder.
Yue Qingyuan reached for the wine to drink more tears forming. Tianlang Jun happily passed him the wine. Seeing the powerful man completely at his mercy was a greater thrill than revenge.
Yue Qingyuan finally started to cry silently. Drinking the wine did not help as much as he wished it to. At least only Tianlang Jun was here. The demon emperor already thought the worst of him.
“There you go.” Tianlang Jun patted his head like the man was a whimpering child. The head pats only made him cry harder, if still utterly silent. “You’re so pathetic,” he purred affectionately. This is likely the only comfort the sect leader has ever received and it’s from his greatest enemy.
Yue Qingyuan nodded his miserable agreement. "That's alright, as long as I can do my work. Gotta make up for it all somehow."
“I think Yue Zhangmen deserves a break.” He whispered the words into his ear, a tempting devil on his shoulder. “The guilt must feel good if you stew it in so much. Why not make yourself even more miserable?”
The sect leader frowned. "What does Tianlang Jun mean?"
“Take a break. Leave the sect,” he suggested. “Of course prepare them for your departure, but you deserve to rest.” He gave him a smile. “I’m sure you’ll be tormenting yourself for resting, but it shouldn’t be any more torment than you already suffer through.”
He huffed a laugh. "That would be terribly irresponsible of me. Who would even manage things in my absence?" Who could he trust with such a burden? Shen Xue couldn't, and likely would spit on him for even trying to put such a thing on him. Shang Qinghua was gone. Mu Qingfang had too much on his plate. Qi Qingqi perhaps?
“Surely Yue Zhangmen can rely on his peak lords and head disciple. Are they that useless without your presence?”
"I believe in my martial siblings," Yue Qingyuan refuted tiredly.
“They should be fine without you for a short time.” He pat the sect leader’s head once more. “Take a break, travel with me.”
"With you?" That threw him even further off balance. Yue Qingyuan looked at the wine wondering if drinking more would make things make more or less sense.
“With me,” he agreed. He could have the Cang Qiong sect leader fund his trip! That would be delightful, having a wealthy man purchase everything for him.
"Why would you want to travel with the cultivator that helped seal you away?"
“Can I not wish for company outside of my nephew?”
"You certainly can," Yue Qingyuan said. He finished off the wine and frowned at the empty bottle. "I'm sure there's better company than myself."
“There may be,” he agreed. “But I want to travel with you.”
He looked back at the wedding venue. His Xiao Jiu had well and truly left him behind now. He couldn't give anything to him at all. He couldn't even enjoy his happiness. "If I can find the time for it," Yue Qingyuan finally agreed. Tianlang Jun was right, he would feel just as miserable in the sect as traveling with the demon emperor. Why not at least do something for someone who actually wanted something from him?
“You’re the sect leader,” he reminded him. “Make time for it. You have the authority to do so.”
Yue Qingyuan laughed. "Fine, fine." It didn't matter anyways.
Tianlang Jun smiled, satisfied. “Good.” He dug a claw into his finger and pricked it. Blood welled to the surface and he held it to Yue Qingyuan’s lips. “I’ll be able to sense when you leave the sect with this.”
Yue Qingyuan had not drunk enough to be foolish enough to drink the demon's blood. "No."
“As you wish. I’ll have to find you another way,” Tianlang Jun sighed and pulled his hand away. He reached into his sleeves and pulled out a coiled snake. “Fetch more wine for our new friend here,” he ordered. “He looks like he needs it.”
"For a heavenly demon you have a strange affinity for snakes."
“That would be my nephew’s fault.” They had their uses, like bringing them wine while he cuddles a cultivator. Yue Qingyuan nodded. Cheerful laughter drifted out of the venue behind them making him droop further into the demon's hold. The snake returned with a bottle of wine, the kind Tianlang Jun favored.
Tianlang Jun opened the wine and held it to Yue Qingyuan’s lips. “Here you are,” he purred. “Drink up.” Yue Qi shot the demon emperor a thankful look as he drank more. This was exactly what he needed Tianlang Jun threaded his fingers through the man’s hair as he fed him more wine. “You don’t have to think anymore,” he assured him. “I’ll watch over you.”
"That sounds nice." Yue Qi leaned into the soft touches. "But it's not deserved."
“It doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not. I’m allowing you to be selfish,” he replied pleasantly.
"Just for today," Yue Qi said drunkenly. "Because Xiao Jiu is getting married, and he should be happy."
“I want to see you indulge yourself.” It made the man so guilty, the sight fascinated him.
"Just for today," Yue Qi repeated as if that made it better. Drowning in guilt he drank more letting himself be held by his enemy.
Tianlang Jun smiled as he held the man close. “We should do this more often. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone finally give you attention?”
"This is nice," Yue Qi agreed.
“Do you want me to stop by your mountain? I promise to behave,” his playful tone suggested very little behaving.
The sect leader laughed. "As if I could stop you. Just leave the disciples alone."
“Mm. Of course.” He smiled at him. “And would you mind if I joined you whenever you leave the sect?”
"You can't follow me to cultivator conferences," Yue Qi pointed out reasonably.
“Of course not,” he agreed. “But for anything more casual. Surely the sect leader leaves his office sometimes.”
"Sometimes." Yue Qi squinted at Tianlang Jun. "Do you want me to give you tours or something?"
Tianlang Jun chuckled. “Perhaps. I just want to know when you’re available to entertain me.”
"Mm. For peace, I can do that." Yue Qi watered up again. "I gotta do what I can." He drank more wine.
“Mm. For peace, would you do something else for me?” He asked sweetly.
"What?" Yue Qi tried to focus on the man holding him. He was rather handsome for a demon, wasn't he? Nothing compared to Xiao Jiu, but no one did.
Tianlang Jun prickled his finger and brushed it against the sect leader’s lips. “Lick that,” he murmured the order. “Just so I can check on you.”
This seemed sensible. Yue Qi obediently licked at his finger. "Hm, you got cut." He frowned and let his own qi saturate to heal the tiny cut.
“Good boy.” Tianlang Jun pat his head. His blood parasites took ahold quickly and spread throughout the man’s system. He frowned at a sudden oddity. The sect leader didn’t have normal meridians. His flow of qi went somewhere else. “What’s wrong with your cultivation?”
"Ah, a reminder of my failure." Yue Qi nodded. "It wasn't enough to save Xiao Jiu though." He laughed bitterly. "It makes me powerful at least. That's good I can be used for that."
“Mind telling me what you’re tied to?” Something spiritual that the sect leader kept on him. He could make his guesses, but surely the man wouldn’t tie his life to his weapon of all things.
"My sword of course." Yue Qi shrugged. "Don't tell anyone."
So he is that stupid. “I’ll keep your secret,” he promised sweetly. As if he would let anyone else have this advantage over the sect leader.
"Good. No one needs to know about that mistake." Yue Qi gave a sigh. "You're not bad company."
“You’re a delight to be around too.” He might enjoy this sect leader more than he thought. He’s delightfully pathetic. Yue Qingyuan gave an empty smile and offered the wine to his drinking companion.
Tianlang Jun took a swig of the wine before passing it back to him. “You need it more than me.” Yue Qi nodded and drank more. At this point there was no way he was going to be able to stand up after drinking so much.
“I’ll take you back to your sect, don’t worry,” Tianlang Jun assured him as he drowned himself in wine. At this rate it wouldn’t be long before he passed out.
"Ah, can't get caught like this." Yue Qi shot up. "No one can see me in this state. Gotta- gotta move."
Tianlang Jun pulled him back down and took the sect leader in his arms. “I’ll make sure you go unnoticed.” It’s the least he can do after dragging so much out of him.
Yue Qi nodded and laid back bonelessly. "Do you think Xiao Jiu is really happy?"
“I do.” He picked up the limp man and carried him away from the venue. They should leave before they’re noticed. He summoned Zhuzhi lang to carry them back to Cang Qiong. Zhuzhi Lang flicked his tongue over the drunk sect leader. The man was close to passing out. The snake demon obediently lowered himself for his uncle to mount and headed towards the sect.
Tianlang Jun abandoned his nephew once they arrived at the sect. It was a complicated matter to bypass the wards, but he was soon able to slip though with the sect leader in his arms. He brought the man to his home on Qiong Ding and decided to stay with him of his own goodwill. He’s sure the sect leader will have no problem with him loitering on his peak- not after he spilled all his weaknesses while drunk.