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[Huaisang smiles at the first kiss, which then widens into a grin at the second kiss, toes wiggling with pleasure.

Happy in his friend's company, he just rests his head on his arms while he watches Qinghua work. He doesn't offer help, letting Qinghua figure it out on his own. Huaisang doesn't know any better, and Qinghua's problem-solving skills are just fine.

His fingernails seem to be dried now, the varnish feeling smooth and hard, so he lightly draws his fingers through Qinghua's bangs, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.] You're cute when you're focusing.

[ The work is slow going, between Shang Qinghua not using enough nail polish remover and him blotting instead of rubbing, but bit by bit he gets it off the toes in question.

He pauses when he feels the fingers run through his hair, but the compliment has him lifting his gaze suddenly. ]

I--ah--thank you.

[ There's an embarrassed but slightly awkward look on his face at that before he ducks his head again and goes back to get the last of the nail polish off, pink dusting his cheeks.

It feels particularly strange to accept compliments on his appearance. Since, after all, this isn't really how he looks... it was just a boringly attractive appearance that he imagined up for a cultivator side character in his novel.

He tries not to dwell on it, instead setting the nail polish remover aside. ]

There. I think that looks clean enough to try again. What do you think?

Mhm. [Huaisang beckons him in for another sweet kiss before they move on to the next task. Once the toes are painted again, he scoots forward very carefully, hooking his knees over Qinghua's lap with his toes to the side where they will be safe from bumping anything. Nestling as close against his friend's side as he can get, he presses a sweet kiss to the side of Qinghua's nose, watching him to see what he's comfortable with and whether he'll ask for more kisses.] Thank you.

[ That gets another slight blush, and he turns away slightly out of embarrassment. ]

You're welcome.

[ But the cuddling is nice, and the closeness is nice as well. Moonlacing really does make physical contact so much more enticing than it did back in his novel... or in the real world, for that matter. He wonders, yet again, if that's why he wants to...

In the end, does it matter? How much does it matter when touch and moonlacing can't be separated here? He wrote a whole novel where the point was one-sided loveless relationship after loveless relationship, where the only point was to sleep with every woman possible and enjoy their physical attributes. If it weren't for the chapters upon chapters full of harem politics and women fighting each other for the protagonist's attention, would they have even needed personalities at all? So he's no stranger to the idea of it, but now that he (finally! finally!!) has a chance at something, the thought that it would just be for physical gratification seems... somehow hollow.

Perhaps he understands a little better why Luo Binghe, when given the option, would pursue Shen Qingqiu to the exclusion of everyone else.

He turns and presses a kiss to Nie Huaisang's forehead. ]

[Qinghua seems to get lost in thought for a moment, looking almost melancholy, and Huaisang watches him with a slight furrow between his brows, worried that whatever is going through Qinghua's mind will result in rejection.

Smiling when his friend's attention returns and he gets a kiss to his forehead, he returns it with a kiss to Qinghua's throat. Resting one hand on Qinghua's chest and the other on his shoulder, still being careful of his fingernails even though he's pretty sure they're dry, he watches his friend with a shyly flirtatious smile.] You know, I haven't trimmed my nails since our last kiss...

[ Shang Qinghua's face immediately lights up bright red, both with the reminder and with his imagination instantly running wild on just what "nails that have been left to grow out" would mean. ]

I see.

[ His voice cracks very slightly.

He turns to stare at Nie Huaisang's face for a few seconds, then leans in for a kiss.

... And then at the last possible moment, suddenly pulls back a little. ]

Ah, are your toes--?

[ Not starting up a kissing session when the nail polish is still wet and having to fix it again!! ]

We'll give them a few more minutes. So don't flip me over or anything.

[Huaisang gives him a sweet peck but pulls back again immediately.] And in the meantime we can talk about what you might like to try today and how far you want to go. Do you just want more kissing or do you want to try some things beyond that?

[ ... Aaand now his face is even redder.

Shang Qinghua ducks his head and presses his hand to his face as if trying to hide himself for a moment, but then he gives a little shake of his head and lowers his hand again. He's no less red but he seems to have regained at least a bit of composure. ]

I'm not sure what sort of things you have in mind but I'd... ah... I think I'd prefer for us to keep our clothes on...

[ His tone turns into more of a mumble the further into the request he gets. ]

Qinghua.

[Huaisang's voice is gentle, but it's also a little bit teasing and a little bit scolding. He takes hold of that hand, clasping it between his own and studying his friend's face.]

I need... some better idea of whether you like us kissing. Whether you like kissing me specifically or if you just like kissing in general. Whether you'd prefer we were only friends. If you want there to be some potential for romance or sex between us or not.

[Normally Huaisang is very good at reading people and understanding what they want from him. Shang Qinghua throws all his normal certainty for a loop.]

I... don't know?

[ He can't quite meet Nie Huaisang's gaze. ]

I don't think I can answer you when you're the only person I've ever really kissed. [ Gu Yun doesn't count. ] This is all... very different from anything I've ever done before. And I've always thought of myself as straight, so I've never had to consider... any of this. I can tell you I feel something but I don't know what that something means. I've never even had a proper crush, so whether or not this is even that, I couldn't say...

[ ... Actually... admitting all of this, doesn't his life sound kind of pathetic? It's even more pathetic when you consider he's actually talking about two lives! ]

There's no hurry. [Huaisang thinks it's sweet, really. The honesty helps to reassure him. Even though Shang Qinghua might not know what he wants, he's trying, and he's considering things, and he's willing to question his sexuality for Huaisang, which is flattering.]

You don't have to have certainties about any of that. My best friend has been in love with this guy he likes for years and he's only just starting to get a clue that he might not be ... straight? [Huaisang's pretty sure he understands the local gender identity jargon which Qinghua has clearly picked up in his time here.] Straight.

[It's normal, is what he's saying.] As much as you can, tell me what you like and tell me what you want to do more of, or what you want to try, or even if you want more but you don't know what that means.

So, just for right now: kissing, cuddling, or do you want me to ease off a little and maybe even court you?

[ It's only when Nie Huaisang says "straight" in that questioning tone of voice that Shang Qinghua realizes that he let the word slip when he hadn't been meaning to. ... Don't worry about it! Don't think too hard! He's lived in this place for months; that's definitely why he knows it now! ]

Years... I see.

[ No, he didn't just think about a certain ice demon. Definitely not. ]

I like kissing. [ He's accepted at least that much. ] And cuddling is nice, too. But, anything else... [ He pauses for a moment, then sighs. ] I've spent so long thinking about women that thinking about men for similar things is still strange. [ Though he doesn't understand why that might be the case. ] I would suspect that I will want more eventually. Perhaps it's simply a question of getting used to the idea first. For now though, while I'm still getting used to it...

[ He gets a bit more red, then, ] Would you go on a date with me? That seems like a good place to start.

[ Given that they've already made out, they're probably a little beyond "starting", but that's not the point! ]

[A date does seem like a good place to start and Huaisang nods, pleased by the idea. In a way, they have had a coffee date, a movie date, and a hang-out, but intentionally going on a romantic excursion is different.] I'd like that. Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go?

[Huaisang can certainly come up with some ideas, but Qinghua has been here for longer and Huaisang's had more opportunities, so he feels like Qinghua should choose.

Even if they have decided on a date, however, Huaisang can't resist starting to toy with Qinghua's lapels, drawing one fingernail lightly along the skin just inside of his collar.]

[ He considers for a moment, thinking back on the hundreds of dates he wrote his protagonist going on. Quickly crossing out the ones that involved searching for rare plants, or fighting dangerous creatures, or where he simply seduced them from the outset. Remove a few more that aren't practical here, or require the protagonist's godly skills...

Aha. ]

Have you been through Greatmoon Groves yet? There is some very beautiful scenery there. It it's cold enough that it probably won't be very green yet, but there are still several places we can take a stroll through, if you are interested.

[ He gets through the entire thing before finally noticing the fingernail on his skin, and he suddenly shivers a little. It feels... strange... but kind of nice. ]

[Huaisang nods, lighting up at the suggestion.] I visited there when I first arrived. [He'd been so restless at first, wandering constantly because he couldn't stand the loneliness of his own apartment. Now that he has plenty of acquaintances and romantic interests, he almost always has someone to call on for company or sex when he needs it.]

The birds there are beautiful. [Huaisang had been deeply tempted to catch some of them, but he'd fortunately managed to understand that the creatures in the park were there for public enjoyment, sort of communal pets. He wanted very much to explore a bit outside of the city and to catch some wild birds, but as of yet he remained wary of the wilds. He'd learned enough of the dangers of the city itself that he wasn't sure he wanted to find out about the monsters and hazards that lurked outside.]

When would you like to go? I'm free tomorrow afternoon, if that suits you. I'm not dressed to go out now. [He still retains some modesty, at least when Cordis isn't ascendant.]

Tomorrow, hmm. I should be--ah, it's Cordis starting tomorrow, isn't it? Will that be alright?

[ He isn't entirely sure how adverse Nie Huaisang is to going out when affected by his moonblessing. ]

[Huaisang nods happily. He's always eager to go out during Cordis, and especially shameless in his need for contact and affection. He doesn't see any problem whatsoever for that when it comes to his date with Qinghua.] Tomorrow. Let's say 2pm. I'll meet you there.

Is the north entrance the most convenient for you?

[Huaisang nods, leaning up to give him a sweet kiss.] I'll find it.

What do 'dates' involve? I know it's a sort of casual courtship, but I'm not really sure of the differences.

[He blinks innocently, expecting the expert to explain. Qinghua really knows so much about the local culture! In some ways he's practically a native.]

[ Shang Qinghua spends a moment of sighing internally before he responds. ]

Well, I'm still a little unclear on some specifics myself [ that is a lie ] but from what I understand, it's an activity that is used to cultivate romantic feelings in a platonic setting.

[ He is well aware that people can have sex on dates, but let's pretend he doesn't know that! ]

So, I believe it's a single instance rather than an extended period. And, ah, without necessarily being intended towards marriage, perhaps? I'll admit that I might be incorrect about that part, but that is my impression.

[Until now, Huaisang has never once questioned the moments where Qinghua is remarkably comfortable among the modern trappings of this world. He himself has adjusted and accepted all this quite quickly, so it's easy to accept that Qinghua, who has been here longer, has normalized to this society. But the answer he gives strikes Huaisang as distinctly false. It's too defined, presented like he's a scholar studying the natives, and yet he seems to have lost knowledge from what he had a moment ago. Huaisang had suggested courtship and Qinghua had responded by saying a date, and Huaisang had accepted that as a completely natural reaction. But now that Qinghua is speaking of dating like it's an unfamiliar foreign practice, Huaisang is struck by the contradiction.

He'll analyze that later. For now, he covers by immediately doubling down on his own incompetence.]

I think I understand! [He nods, wide-eyed and enthusiastic, looking at Qinghua as his expert on the mysterious local customs.] I'm excited to learn more about the local courtship customs. I'm already engaged in a formal courtship with someone else, so I'm looking forward to 'dating' with you.

[Pouting a little bit, Huaisang looks shy.] Is it all right that I'm involved with other people? I don't know about dating, but I know that courtship is usually more exclusive.

Hm? Yes, that's fine. Having multiple partners is quite normal here, I've found. I assumed that's one of the points of the "date".

Though, ah, if you're in a formal courtship, have you already spoken to them about others? Please, do not allow me to intrude upon something I'm not welcome in.

I have. We agreed on it from the start. Though I am very serious about the courtship, we both prefer to be free to explore other entanglements. He is not jealous by nature, and neither am I.

I see. As long as you're both clear on that.

I'm not looking for formal courtship at this moment, so... I think that's fine with me.

[ He gives a soft, awkward chuckle. ]

But, ah, this is all new to me. So if I end up contradicting myself later, I apologize...

[Huaisang blushes and ducks his head, charmed by the suggestion that Qinghua might one day want a formal courtship with him. He's also not sure where he wants this relationship to go, but for the time being he enjoys Qinghua's company as a friend, and he's excited to extend that into dating.] If you do, I will be very flattered.

[In the meantime, he checks his toes to make sure they're dry, then shifts over to settle fully in Qinghua's lap, carefully side-saddle so that his toes are safe from being bumped. Then he takes a soft, gentle kiss, testing to see if Qinghua wants more.]

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