[ He studies the tiny nest, then coaxes the air around it to warm just a little, not enough to overwhelm the little lives within. But enough to be comfortable.
Seeing Jin Mi's cheeks pink makes him grin a little, though he ducks his head slightly before taking a breath and sobering. His gaze lifts back to her. ]
It means I want to marry you.
[ He knows she doesn't know their future yet. But it doesn't mean they can't just...marry here. ]
[The mother bird lets out a tiny sigh and her eyes close. She is warm and the eggs are warm. Jin Mi beams and slips down from her perch without shaking the nest. That, of course, leaves her watching Phoenix. Her Phoenix as she has gotten accustomed to calling him... In her head, at least.
Marriage meant nothing to her before Jikan. She hadn't understood it. But after spending so much time with him, their teasing softening into something else altogether, she is much closer to seeing the full picture.
Marriage is... The pain in her chest sharpens and she chokes, blood tinging her lips as...
The amulet reveals itself. She coughs the ball out onto the grass and gasps for breath. Yes... Yes! She struggles to say the word, voice hoarse:] Yes!
[ His heart aches as he watches her pain increase. Instinctively he moves, arms reaching out to curl protectively and supportively around her. He knows what chokes her heart, freezes her emotions.
But she fights it. For him.
Xufeng's breath escapes in a laugh of joy at her answer after the amulet is finally, blessedly coughed out and he lifts her up to spin her around. Yes they've already married in his past. But he'll happily, joyfully, marry her over and over again. In every lifetime. Every reality. Every incarnation.
Impulsively he leans in to claim a warm kiss, ignoring lingering blood on her lips. ]
[Even with the amulet, he is...everything...to her. She had been drawn to him as a burnt bird and then as the glorious heavenly prince! To her, he has always been just...Phoenix. Maybe she is too naive or stupid to realize his power, but that turned out to be a good thing. It allowed him to be himself and her to be herself. Living with him just feels like something they should have always done.
His happiness has become hers and if some scary monster tried to hurt him, she knows where she would be. Right between him and the monster. He is part of her and the amulet can't change that. The cracks in it are obvious - she has been fighting it for awhile.
With the pain already fading, she laughs at the spinning and hugs him tight when they kiss. The rush of warmth - of rightness - makes her giddy and her wings beat happily against the air.]
I love you. I love you, Phoenix! [That's what this feeling is, surely!]
[ She is his life. His heart. His everything. The world is hollow and lifeless, cold and dark without her with him. He'd lived without her, waited for her.
He won't tell her the pain in his heart over those years. How she is now, here, is how she should be. Happy and innocent. Able to love.
Xufeng's smile can't be contained or dimmed as he claims another kiss before laughing as well. He holds her close, precious and warm as he presses their heads together. His much larger wings wrap around them, protective and warm.
[If she ever learns of his pain, of what Runyu endured too, she will feel awful. She never intended to hurt either of them. Everything became so confused and her heart was just learning to love and to hurt.
She can do better here. Resting against him, dizzy from his kisses, she laughs - mostly at her own expense. For so long, she thought she wanted spiritual power from him, but now she sees that was an excuse.]
The pain is gone! [She bounces on the balls of her feet and kisses the side of his face in her joy.] Look at all the cracks in it...
[Nudging the amulet with her foot, she tuts.]
I don't know why you were inside of me, but I won't miss you.
[ She won't learn about it from him, or from Runyu in all likeliness. They both care too much about her and are fiercely protective of her. They've just learned a few things about how to go about that better.
Xufeng grins at her laughter and leans into her kisses before tugging her right back against him as she confirms her heart doesn't hurt anymore just because of him. ]
You've been fighting it for a long time, Mi'er. Now you're free to feel what you feel.
[ He steals another playful little kiss, just for the joy of it before resting his cheek against her hair. ]
[To be free of that burden is a blessing. The brothers have been kind to her, allowing her to be her silly self. As far as she knows, they will always be part of her life - as will her father and aunt. Why shouldn't she be happy?
Snuggling against him and petting his strong wings is her favorite place to be. She grins up at him.]
I feel like I want to live with Phoenix always.
[Even if their elements don't pair well. So? She can melt for him; it's fine.]
We're brothers. Sometimes even we argue. It will be alright. And of course I will give his Dream Beast something cute to wear. Do you want to help me pick it out?
[ Yes, yes she does. He hugs her close again simply because he loves holding her. ]
I can just be myself with you. That's a very special thing. You make me smile simply by being yourself. Having your love? Is the sun shining bright and warm.
[ ...But he laughs, too and grins at her. ]
Of course I was teasing you. I didn't understand just how little you really understood. I wanted to help you grow and learn. My method was just...not as kind as I could have made it.
[Her arms are around him too. Holding him has become a habit whenever she sees him. Like this, she can see his face and read his every expression.]
I knew nothing about Heaven when we met. I dunked you into the foot bath! I thought I was using you most of the time, but imagining going anywhere without you made me feel funny.
[Like part of her was empty.]
I wanted your attention. I didn't even care who I upset! When you teased me, I was happy. But when you thought I was playing dumb to...to flirt?...I wasn't. I really didn't know I was a girl.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 03:28 am (UTC)Seeing Jin Mi's cheeks pink makes him grin a little, though he ducks his head slightly before taking a breath and sobering. His gaze lifts back to her. ]
It means I want to marry you.
[ He knows she doesn't know their future yet. But it doesn't mean they can't just...marry here. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 03:36 am (UTC)Marriage meant nothing to her before Jikan. She hadn't understood it. But after spending so much time with him, their teasing softening into something else altogether, she is much closer to seeing the full picture.
Marriage is... The pain in her chest sharpens and she chokes, blood tinging her lips as...
The amulet reveals itself. She coughs the ball out onto the grass and gasps for breath. Yes... Yes! She struggles to say the word, voice hoarse:] Yes!
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 03:42 am (UTC)But she fights it. For him.
Xufeng's breath escapes in a laugh of joy at her answer after the amulet is finally, blessedly coughed out and he lifts her up to spin her around. Yes they've already married in his past. But he'll happily, joyfully, marry her over and over again. In every lifetime. Every reality. Every incarnation.
Impulsively he leans in to claim a warm kiss, ignoring lingering blood on her lips. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 03:53 am (UTC)His happiness has become hers and if some scary monster tried to hurt him, she knows where she would be. Right between him and the monster. He is part of her and the amulet can't change that. The cracks in it are obvious - she has been fighting it for awhile.
With the pain already fading, she laughs at the spinning and hugs him tight when they kiss. The rush of warmth - of rightness - makes her giddy and her wings beat happily against the air.]
I love you. I love you, Phoenix! [That's what this feeling is, surely!]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:07 am (UTC)He won't tell her the pain in his heart over those years. How she is now, here, is how she should be. Happy and innocent. Able to love.
Xufeng's smile can't be contained or dimmed as he claims another kiss before laughing as well. He holds her close, precious and warm as he presses their heads together. His much larger wings wrap around them, protective and warm.
He basks in her love. ]
I love you too, Jinmi. Never doubt that.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:27 am (UTC)She can do better here. Resting against him, dizzy from his kisses, she laughs - mostly at her own expense. For so long, she thought she wanted spiritual power from him, but now she sees that was an excuse.]
The pain is gone! [She bounces on the balls of her feet and kisses the side of his face in her joy.] Look at all the cracks in it...
[Nudging the amulet with her foot, she tuts.]
I don't know why you were inside of me, but I won't miss you.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:33 am (UTC)Xufeng grins at her laughter and leans into her kisses before tugging her right back against him as she confirms her heart doesn't hurt anymore just because of him. ]
You've been fighting it for a long time, Mi'er. Now you're free to feel what you feel.
[ He steals another playful little kiss, just for the joy of it before resting his cheek against her hair. ]
When do you want to get married?
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:39 am (UTC)Snuggling against him and petting his strong wings is her favorite place to be. She grins up at him.]
I feel like I want to live with Phoenix always.
[Even if their elements don't pair well. So? She can melt for him; it's fine.]
How much time do we need? Is tomorrow too soon?
[He has an impatient bride, okay.]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:42 am (UTC)Xufeng chuckles down at her, heart overflowing with his joy. Her answer only makes him grin before he presses a kiss to her forehead. ]
We need to give Runyu a little time to get ready...if...he is willing to come, and if he will bless our union. I will ask how much time he needs.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:45 am (UTC)Did you have a fight with your brother? That isn't nice. You should give his Dream Beast something cute to wear to cheer him up!
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:47 am (UTC)We're brothers. Sometimes even we argue. It will be alright. And of course I will give his Dream Beast something cute to wear. Do you want to help me pick it out?
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:50 am (UTC)Maybe a little sweater to keep him warm? [Ugly Christmas sweater for the Dream Beast, let's go!]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 04:53 am (UTC)I've never seen him wear anything, but that just means we should change that now.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:08 am (UTC)[This has nothing to do with her wanting to hug the Dream Beast and put him in something fuzzy.]
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:16 am (UTC)We won't let him suffer.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:20 am (UTC)Are you cold?
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:23 am (UTC)How can I be cold when you love me?
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:30 am (UTC)Does that make sense for a Phoenix? [And then she thinks about it.] Are Phoenixes cold when no one loves them?
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:42 am (UTC)Your love is...life, Jinmi. To me. To your Phoenix.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:49 am (UTC)Your love makes me feel warm. I wasn't happy in the Water Mirror, but I had fun as your Pageboy.
[She giggles at the memories.]
And the more I was around you, the more I didn't want you to leave me.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 05:52 am (UTC)But then he teases her lightly, eyes far too bright to be at all serious. ]
Is that the only reason you wanted me around? Because you had fun?
[ Only to laugh softly and tighten his arms gently around her. ]
How could I leave you? I can't. And I don't want to.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 06:02 am (UTC)When I had fun, you would smile. [So, in a way, yes? But also no because... Because! Putting her feelings into words will take more time.]
I was only a grape fairy when we met. I thought you were making fun of me.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 06:08 am (UTC)I can just be myself with you. That's a very special thing. You make me smile simply by being yourself. Having your love? Is the sun shining bright and warm.
[ ...But he laughs, too and grins at her. ]
Of course I was teasing you. I didn't understand just how little you really understood. I wanted to help you grow and learn. My method was just...not as kind as I could have made it.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-16 06:27 am (UTC)I knew nothing about Heaven when we met. I dunked you into the foot bath! I thought I was using you most of the time, but imagining going anywhere without you made me feel funny.
[Like part of her was empty.]
I wanted your attention. I didn't even care who I upset! When you teased me, I was happy. But when you thought I was playing dumb to...to flirt?...I wasn't. I really didn't know I was a girl.