Stealing

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/43643251.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021)
Relationship: Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu
Character: Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu
Additional Tags: Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates,
Insecurity, Fluff, Wen Kexing Needs a Hug, Soulmate is the one you'd
willingly sacrifice something for, Secret Shanren 2022
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-12-16 Words: 1008

Stealing
by Cloud Flower (Anja_chan)

Summary

“I love you. You know me. No one knows me as well as you do. That’s not favour I’d
extend to just anyone. That’s not something just anyone would be able to honour as well as
you have.” The quietness of his tone imparts something implied to the words. Something
sacred.

“...come on, A’Xu. What am I supposed to say after that? You one upped me.”

In a world where an act of sacrifice reveals a blooming soul mark on your beloved's skin,
Wen Kexing's hair might be white, but their skin is still unmarred. Zhou Zishu never
worries.

Notes

This is a gift for u/Relative_Carpenter18, for the r/wordofhonor Secret Shanren 2022 event.
I hope you enjoy!

See the end of the work for more notes

“Okay, what is it?” Zhou Zishu finally says, nudged awake. He’s been feeling his husband toss and
turn for the better part of an hour, just at the edge of his consciousness. Or at least that’s what his
sleep laden mind eagerly provides. He can’t exactly tell.
“You’re not sleeping, A’Xu?” Wen Kexing keeps his voice light and airy.

Not a great sign.

“I was. Not anymore. What’s wrong?” Zhou Zishu turns around, wrapping his body over his
husband’s still squirming extremities, flush against his side.

Silence. He can count his heartbeats against his chest.

“A’Xu?” his Lao Wen calls after a while, and the way his voice stays small makes something
clench in his chest.

“Mm?” he hums, shifting to hold him better.

“What if we’re not soulmates after all?”

Zhou Zishu almost sits up.

“You’re still on about that?” He’s wide awake now, that’s for sure.

“I’m not on about it, it’s just… it’s a possibility. You can’t deny that,” Wen Kexing offers almost
petulantly. He’s been glum about it ever since he woke up after his ill conceived sacrifice to find
out no name blossomed on either of their wrists.

“It’s not.” He threads his fingers with his, rubs soothing circles with his thumb into the back of his
palm. Overthinking, stubborn mule.

“I know you’re trying to make me feel better-”

He doesn’t even let him try. “I’m not. We’re still waiting for it,” he says, sure as they come.

“A’Xu, that’s really touching, but-”

“You almost died trying to save me, I know. I am acutely aware.” That almost makes his husband
flinch. “What if we’re not out of sacrifices, yet, though?”

“...I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“Well, you should check now. I am sacrificing my peace and quiet for you.”

“I hate you.”

“I wish. I’d be sleeping better.”

Wen Kexing snorts.

“We’re immortal, Lao Wen. Maybe that ups the stakes of what kind of sacrifice is considered soul
mark worthy. Maybe you’ll decide on something even stupider.” He doesn’t even let him protest.
“Maybe I’ll decide on something extremely justified, because of course it’s different when I do it.”
Wen Kexing lets out a sound of protest, but Zhou Zhishu leans over to muffle it with his lips.
Easily, he coaxes him around, so that Wen Kexing is nestled firmly against his chest.

“What I mean to say is, I don’t need a soul mark to know you’re my soulmate,” he says,
nonchalant.

“Oh, yeah? The great Lord Zhou isn’t fazed by such earthly things?” His Lao Wen is placated
enough to kiss his jaw, and all is alright with the world. All’s just starting to come into fuzzy focus.

“Precisely. I know you’re my soulmate,” he says with conviction, eyes already half lidded. He’s
sleepy, but he wants to make sure this is not going to ruminate.

“You do?”

“I wouldn’t let just anyone keep me up, would I?” A sunny smile spreads on his face, and Wen
Kexing mock bristles.

“Zhou Zishu!”

He laughs. He sees his husband’s eyes brighten, if only just a tad, through his mock bristling.
Beautiful, but that won’t do. He plants a careful kiss on his forehead.

“I love you. You know me. No one knows me as well as you do. That’s not favour I’d extend to
just anyone. That’s not something just anyone would be able to honour as well as you have.” The
quietness of his tone imparts something implied to the words. Something sacred.

“...come on, A’Xu. What am I supposed to say after that? You one upped me.”

“I had to resort to drastic measures. I can’t have my soulmate think he’s not mine, that’s
unacceptable.”

Wen Kexing smiles at him, and he steals a brief kiss, brief in the way new things haven’t broken in
yet. Timid. Because this is new, and exciting. Well, the kissing, not anything else. Certainly not the
want. If you ask Zhou Zishu, the want hadn’t almost always been there, simmering under the
surface, but when it presented itself, it permeated everything. He settles a hand on his husband’s
hip, caressing the dip he finds there. His Lao Wen closes his eyes, and hums. This is new enough
that his ever teasing nature hasn’t reached it, yet. He just enjoys it.

“Maybe you’re right, A’Xu.”

“I know I’m right, Lao Wen.”

“A’Xu,” he giggles, settling his head against Zhou Zishu’s chest. Right on his heart.

“Lao Wen?” he echoes, smiling.

“A’Xu,” he continues, just to say it.

“Lao Wen. We have all eternity to call each other, you want to start already?” he teases, letting his
hand settle in the small of his husband’s back.

“Well, I like when you call my name. Especially sometimes. ” Wen Kexing’s teasing is undercut by
something more, something barely noticeable but ever present. Want.

It always leaves Zhou Zishu just a little breathless, struggling to believe his fortune.

“You little fox spirit, you.” He almost believes it.

“You think I’m a fox spirit? I’d say you’re a fox spirit, A’Xu, with your changing face, and the
way you descended out of nowhere to steal this poor man’s heart.” Wen Kexing brings a gentle
touch up to Zhou Zishu’s jaw, a mere flutter of fingertips, and Zhou Zishu can already feel his
breath hitch.
 “Oh you poor, poor, Wen Kexing.” Something heavy simmers below the surface, and Wen Kexing
seizes him in a feverish tangle of limbs, a clumsy kiss. Someday, the kisses will become languid,
lazy, but not anytime soon. Not when it still feels like they’re on borrowed time, not when Wen
Kexing draws his palm over his husband’s scars, and Zhou Zishu takes in the image of his
husband’s pristine white hair. The days of quiet, settled affection are far ahead. The days of soul
marks, reassurance, settling into comfortable silences. This is a time for fervour, for insistence, for
the line of careful flirting to finally be crossed, be left behind. This is a time for drastic measures.

This is a time for stealing.

End Notes

This is my first time writing wenzhou, I hope I did them justice. Merry Christmas!

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