Chapter Text
Upon leaving the house, the stares they gathered either way left Shen Yuan's skill crawling up his backside.
Why the hell are you all staring?! He wanted to yell at them for such discomforting gazes! Yeah, Yue QingYuan is attractive, but look at your own things! Don't you know how uncomfortable it is to be stared at when you haven't done anything?"
Shen Yuan beckons for Yue QingYuan to walk quicker. The paces in between his steps would've answered to a trip, but practicing grace and delicacy in PIDW had proven that Shen QingQiu couldn't trip on a rock if he tried.
"Shen-Shidi, is there a reason why we must walk so quickly?"
Neither of the two stops to talk. Shen Yuan answers as they semi-jog to the mall, or what of a jog that Shen Yuan could handle, though it is notable that each step he takes gets slower and slower. The fleeting feeling of the muscles in his body stiffening and slurring per step is almost too unfamiliar and too close to home at the same time.
He has spent too much time in Shen QingQiu's body.
"Ah, Senior Yue.." He decreases his speed in steps, fully stopping once he realizes that Yue QingYuan exceeded his own pace by 3 steps. When did he get ahead? From what Shen Yuan remembers, he was always 5 steps behind.
Why didn't they take a fucking car, again?
"This one apologizes if his answer seems ridiculous, but the people around us continue to gawk at you. I did not know if you were.. Welcoming the stares, or simply tolerating it."
Yue QingYuan's soft smile surges. Agh, such a smile.. That could be considered deadly, you know! Like Pokémon types, where Shen QingQiu is the dignity type and Yue QingYuan has a guilt type move! Super effective!!
"Thank you, Shen-Shidi for your concern over this former Peak Master. Though, I am more concerned for your rapid decrease in speed. Is something the matter?"
Of course, the ever so diligent Yue QingYuan could see right through him. He ponders between lying or telling the truth.. But he doesn't deserve to be lied to anymore, Shen Yuan tells himself, to at least revel once in honesty,
"Ah.. Truthfully, this body is.. Not good. As I awoke, it seems this one previously had many issues. I am not as elegant as I once was."
The curve in his Senior's smile is heartwrenching. Shen Yuan can see the belated movements of his hand, as if asking to physically assist Shen QingQiu in his movements. In any other world this would've been no problem, but such intimacies in public..
He would rather have stares of admiration directed at Yue QingYuan than glares of scrutiny directed to the both of them.
Disappointment makes its way to Yue QingYuan's face when Shen QingQiu denies his hand. He doesn't ask why. He chooses to never ask why, but Shen Yuan supposes he is thankful for that.
"Ah.. Senior Yue, I apologize for this one's foolishness. If it weren't for my bad luck, we could have taken a car. Instead we must walk."
Once again, Yue QingYuan looks ever the most confused. "Nonsense. You cannot control your fate."
"Thank you, Senior Yue."
"En.. Do not thank me for what is common sense."
..
Avoiding the awkward silence, Yue QingYuan gets the nerve to speak without hailing to the mood. "..Earlier, you spoke of.. Elec.. Electr.. Electicry, correct? Is that what you were referring to?"
Electicry. Shen Yuan doesn't have the energy to chuckle. "That, you could say is correct. My.. Medicinal caretakers told me that I must exercise in order to revitalize my muscles."
"I.. See. What does such a thing do?"
Shen Yuan begins to walk again. Yue QingYuan does not hesitate to follow in queue, walking almost directly parallel to himself with equalling steps.
Aiya, do not pity him! It makes the situation much worse!
He sighs, reaching for his fan to hide his discomfort.
Ah.
These habits! Shen Yuan, get it together, you do not own a fan! "Think of it as sword flight, but you are encased instead of being vulnerable to the winds."
Yue QingYuan points to a car driving by, "Is that what you were referencing?"
"Yes." and he cuts his answer off there, coming into vicinity of his local mall. He thanks his parents for at least venting a villa in walking distance to one, or otherwise he would have to constantly take public transport. "Ah- There is the mall, Senior Yue. Let us continue this talk for later."
Making it into the mall was easy enough.
Shopping around, however, was a far different story.
Yue QingYuan glanced at each and every thing that he didn't recognize. All from informal and suggestive clothing, to electronic stores, never quailing to give Shen Yuan a break.
It was as if he just wanted to bother him! But Shen Yuan knew better to assume - like, you know how people tell their foreign friends not to hesitate asking if they didn't know what something was?
Well, much to nobody's surprise, most of the time they don't actually mean it.
"Shen Jiu, could you please explain to me what this item is?"
"Shen Jiu, I have an inquiry-"
"Shen Jiu, there is this-"
"Shen Jiu-"
Shen Yuan speaks before Yue QingYuan can get another word out, "Ah, Senior Yue. There is something I must buy you. It has become... Somewhat of an essential, in this world."
Yue QingYuan nods, shutting his mouth and keeping whatever was in his throat caged. Thank God..
"This device allows you to contact me almost immediately, though in presumptions that I answer you." Shen Yuan begins, pulling his own phone out of his pocket. He makes a gesture for Yue QingYuan to come closer, turning his phone on when he notices that the other is watching with the utmost of attention.
"There are many appendages that come along with this item, although I believe you wont be using them all that much."
Shen Yuan believes he had spent too much time explaining what a phone was.
.
The duo had spent a good portion of their day stitched by the hip purchasing whatever Yue QingYuan showed even the slightest hint of allure towards.
Be it a clothing hanger or a cat t-shirt, an icecream roll or a bag of trail mix, it paved itself onto the counter and dented the mountain that was Shen Yuan's Masters Card.
They made their way through countless stores, mostly led by the almost childish wonders of Yue QingYuan - you couldn't blame the man, he was practically on a whole 'nother planet.
Well, he kind of was.. But wasn't? Is this the future, or a different universe in aspect? Agh, that's too much to think about now!
Hours pass.. And Shen Yuan can't feel his legs.
He wasn't supposed to be walking for more than 30 consecutive minutes. 4 hours in a row was overkill! It was embarrassing how many times he had to stop and lean on a wall, the solicitude of Senior Yue's gazes to clog his throat.
Really, this is just too much!
"Shen Jiu, are you alright? You've been fairly.. Weakly, lately." Yue QingYuan voices his concern, reaching over to check his meridians. His voice halts when stunned by his lack of cultivation, Shen Yuan watching the shock from his face fall from the realization.
Shen Yuan almost feels bad for the guy. For all of his life, he's been surrounded by cultivation - but here he is, helpless without the aid of his decades. It really was unfair.
Shen QingQiu makes an effort to strengthen himself for the sake of Senior Yue's sanity. "I assure you that I am and will be fine."
Yue QingYuan doesn't push any further.
-
The trip home was as smooth as the trip there.
If you were to extract the curiosity from the trip, you could say that their time at the mall was pleasant and smooth, disregarding all the moments wasted spent on objects of virtu, particularly more or less barely interesting.
Who the hell points to a t-shirt as if it were a piece of cloth Jesus Christ personally wiped his sweat with?
"Senior Yue, have we purchased everything you have found of attraction?" Shen Yuan asks, staring at the load of 5-6 bags that hung onto the muscles of Yue QingYuan's arms.
The man in question nods, with an expression of uncertainty painting the canvas of his face. "I apologize profusely, Shen Jiu. Had this been too exorbitant for you?"
Such a simple question, but with such an oddity of an answer.. His auto-immune disease pension had racked up quite a few RMB since the last 7 months of his coma, alongside the constant flow of his parent's money into his bank account.. It was of much dolor and trouble to hate his parents after all that they've provided, but it was difficult to have more than feelings of thankfulness when directed towards them.
He just didn't want to admit to using daddy's money.
To say, without much strain, "No, there is no need for you to worry yourself over something so trivial. May this one ask again, are you satisfied with the contents in your bags?"
Yue QingYuan nods, clutching harder at the strings of their shopping bags, and Shen Yuan is so close to groaning when he finds nostalgia leaking onto his face, "I must thank you. This.. Reminds me, greatly, of our past."
Aiya, how many times are you going to make the mood awkward?
"When we used to walk side by side.. And bought bells of grandeur to stick by the cloth that held our poor robes. Don't you recall?"
Yue QingYuan, please.
"Back then, when we used to-"
Shen Yuan intercepts before things get too personal, "Ah, Senior Yue. I have yet to introduce you to a special local novelty treat that I have enjoyed for quite a while now. Would you like to try it?"
Yue QingYuan displays him a glance of dejection, and guilt surges to a boil within his veins.
Has Senior Yue been really sensitive and intimate lately, or was it just him?
Please be understanding!! It's really damn hard to empathize with him when you're, like, an amnesiac listening to your lover who you've completely forgotten about but can't pull the heart to tell them that you've completely forgotten who they are!!
Yue QingYuan relays a small smile, crescents of his eyes forming to hide whatever disappointment would've shone.
You monster! You can't play these guilt trips on him, he'll feel pressured to rid of such expressions!
Shen Yuan sighs and takes a few swift area scans, making sure that no moving thing escapes his viewing. It takes all of his pride and dignity (also, the strength of his legs) to walk up and soothe Yue QingYuan's backside.
Unfortunately, his whole body stiffens, and Shen Yuan had never regretted acting before thinking this hard in his entire life (or lack thereof).
He retracts his hand and hides it behind his back, avoiding whatever looks the man would give him afterward. Don't look at him like.. Whatever you're looking like right now!! That's so awkward!!
"I hadn't.. Please excuse my reckless action, I did not know.. Senior Yue, I-"
Shen Yuan can feel warmth envelop the top of his head. He turns to gape at Yue QingYuan, whose smile is a little brighter than it is usually. "It is okay, Shen Jiu.. There is no need for your apologies, this one is.. Thankful for your concern."
Fuck, that's just not fair for his weak heart.
"..Ehn." Is all that he responds with.
This time, the silence that follows after, is void of tension.
quick sketch of what shen yuan looks like here. this is the reason why this chapter was delayed
and yes i am a shen yuan simp:
