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“Father, they-“
“Quiet!”
It wasn’t the first time his father had said that. It wouldn’t be the last.
“You let them escape.” His father’s words were nothing to misunderstand, they were clear and precise with their inflictions. Just like the time of fabric that slipped through, clean with its cuts. The sky stretched with cracks and gashes.
“You let them get away. After they’ve brought this world to the brink of death.”
Nezha opened his mouth but closed it shortly. His lips were dry, and the room was warm.
“With the Pillar of Heaven now destroyed, we do not have time for sides. Time for games. Do you understand?”
Nezha nodded, looking down at his feet. He knew he had failed his father. He had let them get away.
Li Jing sighs, his gaze softening as he looks over his son. Nezha looks so small when he looks like this. Defeated. Broken. But it is not an excuse for poor choices.
The Celestial Realm shook under the power of the destruction of the universe. Li Jing looked over the edge of the large window, seeing the way the clouds grew gloomy. They would only get worse. And the rips would end it all. All he had.
Li Jing allowed himself to face his son once more, that expression a reminder that they had them at first, and then they almost had them again. With a stride Li Jing reached out, caressing Nezha's cheek. Nezha leaned away from the touch, turning his head but keeping his feet planted. “They aren’t going against us Father. They’re trying to help I believe.”
“Help? Nezha, they have already caused enough destruction. With Wukong out and about, he’ll only push the upcoming doom to us all. Faster. If we give them what they want, then there will be nothing left for either side. Do you understand Nezha? Do you see what they do? What they have done? They don’t care about the Celestial Realm anymore. Or the humans. They only care about themselves.”
“Father that’s simply not true-”
Li Jing’s fingers pressed into soft skin, and he gripped Nezha by the chin. Squeezing hard as he jerked Nezha close to him. Nezha stumbled forward, his hands immediately grabbing onto Li Jing's forearm. He didn't dare move.
Li Jing stared into his son's eyes, his teeth clenched together as he glared daggers into Nezha's face. Nezha could feel himself grow uncomfortable under the gaze.
He had failed his father once again.
And yet, Nezha couldn’t bring himself to believe those words. “Just give me a second father, I doubt it. I’ve fought alongside them once before.”
“Are you telling me you’re siding with them?” The touch was removed, and those dark eyes studied the younger immortal, dissecting him. Nezha felt bare under that gaze. Exposed.
He wouldn’t dare rub the phantom touch from his skin.
Nezhas shoulders tensed, he bit his tongue as he thought over his next few words carefully. One wrong word, and he would be considered a traitor again.
But if he chose correctly, maybe he could convince his father otherwise.
But which ones would be the right choice?
Li Jing's patience was wearing thin as he waited for his son to answer him. Nezha shifted, glancing behind him as if the answer lay somewhere in the Celestial Realm.
“Look at me.”
Nezha turned back around slowly, his eyes meeting his father's. Li Jing took a step closer to Nezha, his voice growing softer as he spoke.
Nezha wanted to look away, anywhere but his father's eyes. Those eyes that bore deep into his soul, digging deeper and deeper until they found the answers they sought. Those eyes always seemed to find the truth.
Nezha swallowed thickly, opening his mouth to speak but closing it soon after. Li Jing narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing together as he glared at Nezha.
“No, father.”
“As I assumed. Now.” His father turned, hands held behind his back as he began a tedious pace around the room, “we need to find them.”
Nezha watched his father pace around the room, the celestial cape dragging across the floor elegantly as Li Jing walked.
Li Jing paused, looking back over his shoulder to Nezha.
Nezha blinked, looking up to meet his father's gaze one more.
Li Jing sighed softly, shaking his head as he continued pacing. Nezha kept his eyes trained on his father, watching how the other moved.
He followed his father's every movement, studying it closely as he awaited further instruction.
“I’ve made my choice. You will not intervene again. Neither will you try to stop me. Or anyone else. You will stay by my side only.” Li Jing stopped pacing, standing still as he looked out one of the large windows in the palace. Nezha followed his father's gaze, looking out to the grayed skies.
The Pillar of Heaven was falling apart. Slowly but surely.
The rips in the sky showed no mercy as they tore through the fabric of reality. Soon, they would reach the Celestial Realm itself.
Nezha frowned, his gaze given back to his father. Li Jing glanced over to Nezha, ”I hope you’ve understood.”
A look of defeat came across the face of Nezha as he spoke, “Yes Father. I do..”
And he does. He always does. And that is how he’s taught to comfort. Comfort himself. To stand tall and strong when the water clashes against your soles.
When you’ll drown in your silence when the words never come out.
Yet.
It’s a little different when he sees those brown eyes stare him down. The flower petals bloom upon the lotus, and Nezha can hear the birds chirping overhead. It seems louder than normal, and he feels a heat rising to his cheeks. Surprised.
Red Son has a tired look on his face, resting himself on the ground aside from Nezha, watching how the water around ripples from the wind.
Nezha can smell the smoke coming off of Red Son, and it fills his nose with a scent that he can only describe as warm. Like a fireplace in the winter. He can feel his body relax, and he knows it's not because of the meditation.
“You’re back sooner than I thought,” Nezha says, turning his head slightly to look at Red Son.
Red Son shrugged, leaning back as he rested himself on his palms, legs crossed as he sat beside Nezha.
Red Son looks tired. Exhausted. But he always did when he came back, but this time it was a deeper one. A fatigue etched in their bones. His shoulders sagged, ears deflated with no life in them, honestly a despairing sight to the hot firey Red Son they knew.
Nezha watches Red Son closely, squinting, watching how the demon's face contorts into a scowl as he glares out into the garden. Glaring at the fruitful bushes that lined the entrance. Nezha wonders what he sees, but he knows better than to ask.
“Did you see what happened?” Red son began to question as if Nezha had no clue what went down. Eyes squinted, in a deep concentration of pulling thoughts together. “You know what I mean Lotus boy, the entire sky yesterday.”
Nezha sighed, “I was right there. The pillar..” Nezha trailed off, looking back out to the pond that stood a good foot away, seeing how the Nishikigoi swam.
Red Son scoffed, shaking their head as he pulled his knees close to his chest and he glanced over at Nezha, watching how the celestial stares into the pond. He looks deep in thought, and Red Son can tell something is bothering him too. Something more than just the pillar.
Red Son shifts slightly, “I know this is stupid, but I was worried. When Mei left to go help, eventually the rips across the sky got worse. I thought..I don’t know..” Red Son trailed off, looking down at their hands as he fiddled with his fingers. Nezha looks over to Red Son, tilting his head as he listens to the demon ramble.
Red Son shakes his head, looking back out to the pond as he rests his chin on his arms that sit atop his knees. Nezha turns his body fully to face Red Son, reaching out to gently place his hand on a hot arm. Red Son tenses under the touch but relaxes quickly.
“I thought I was going to die. I didn’t even say goodbye to my parents. I didn’t even say bye to MK.. Mei..or..you..and I realized I never told my mother. That I loved her..I was scared..and..and..it hurt..but I don’t think I was scared of dying. I was scared of leaving without seeing them. You know?”
Nezha’s eyes fluttered, lashes collecting stray tear droplets as his eyes got glassy, he couldn’t stop his own emotions from peaking out.
“Yeah. I get it. I just stood there, knowing there was nothing I could do.” Nezha squeezed Red Son’s forearm, “It’s scary, one second things are normal, and the next few hours you and everything you’ve ever known won’t exist any longer.”
Red Son scoots closer to Nezha, leaning into the celestial touch, and resting his head against Nezha's shoulder. Nezha rests his head atop Red Son's head, feeling the soft curls of the red brush against his cheeks while those tufts of downy fur on Red Son’s ears graze his skin.
He could feel the warmth radiating off of the demon, warming his body as he sat there. “Things were just getting a little better between me and my parents..it was so quick..” Red Son swallowed.
Nezha squeezed Red Son's forearm, rubbing his thumb across Red Son's knuckles, he could feel the heat radiating off of the rough texture. Nezha interlocked his fingers with Red Son's, Red Son squeezed his hand gently.
Nezha could feel a burning sensation behind his eyes as tears threatened to spill now, he blinked the wetness back. “I couldn’t help but wonder if I wasted all these centuries of my life, if this was going to be the-”
“Nezha!” A voice called out, causing both immortals to flinch. Nezha lifted his head, Red Son lifted their head as well. Nezha's grip tightened, he didn't want to go back, he wanted to stay with Red Son longer.
Red Son squeezed his hand back, rubbing his thumb across Nezha's palm, he looked up at the celestial, and his brown eyes met Nezha's.
Nezha released Red Son's hand, standing up from the ground, his silky skirt swaying. Red Son stood up from the floor, his fiery hair shifting like flames, those bright orange streaks in his hair glowed brighter.
Nezha turned to Red Son, his dark-colored eyes met Red Son's solemn ones, he stared into those warm pools of color, his celestial hands twitched, and his heart yearned to reach out and hold Red Son's hands.
“I have to go..”
“I’m aware. I will see you another time, Lotus boy.” Red Son said the corner of Nezha's lips curved downwards. Red Son stepped forward, leaning in, he pressed his lips against Nezha's skin.
Nezha's face flushed, heat rushed up to his cheeks, and a warmth bloomed in his chest. His heart skipped a beat, his hands twitched, and he could feel Red Son's warm breath against his cheek.
Red Son pulled away, pulling away from the now flustered immortal, Nezha’s skin tingled, and his heart yearned to reach out and grasp Red Son once more, wishing to be devoured by that blistering desire.
The other was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Nezha speechless, standing there alone in the garden, a hand hovering where Red Son's lips touched Nezha's cheek.
Nezha touched his cheek, his fingers brushed against the skin, and the area felt warm, tingling with heat. His cheeks were flushed, and heat still radiated off of his body, he looked down at his fingers, seeing where black ash left its mark.
He let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumped, the warmth in his chest grew, spreading through his body, a giddy feeling restricting around his lungs. As if dipped in a pot of lava.
Nezha turned his head, seeing as his father came into view, standing tall at the moon gate of the garden. Li Jing stood tall, his silky hair swayed slightly. Li Jing wore a neutral expression, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes were cold as he stared down at his son.
Nezha felt the warmth inside of him grow cold, he straightened his posture, holding his head high. The celestial forced a serious onto his face, his lips were stretched into a tight line to stop him from biting his bottom lip.
“Hello, Father.”
Li Jing stepped into the garden, his silky robes swayed as he walked, the fabric billowing as he moved. Each step is followed with grace and superiority.
Nezha lowered his head, his gaze darted towards the ground. Li Jing's cold, stern eyes were like daggers, slicing through Nezha's composure.
Nezha could feel those cold eyes burning into him, and a pit formed in his stomach. His lungs tightened, Nezha inhaled shakily, and the celestial clenched his fists. Nezha bit the inside of his cheek, digging his teeth into the soft, delicate flesh. He could taste the metallic taste on his tongue, his nails dug into the palms of his hands, leaving crescent moon indents on his skin.
Li Jing's expression remained neutral, his lips were stretched into a firm line, and his brows furrowed, creasing his forehead. He hadn’t said a word yet.
“Come, we have much to attend to Nezha. The palace still needs construction, I want you to overlook those advances.”
Nezha opened his mouth, words died on his tongue. Nezhas fingers twitched, his hands curled into fists, and the celestial closed his eyes, sighing softly.
Li Jing glanced towards the pond, watching the way the lotus flowers swayed, the petals glowed in the sunlight.
The faint smell of smoke was noticed in the air, filling Li Jing's nose with disdain. Li Jing looked back at his son, raising an eyebrow. Deciding not to openly question it.
Nezha realized he was still standing without giving a verbal answer, so the celestial nodded his head, “Of course Father.”