zichen | IC CONTACT

Zichen listens to Xue Yang's steady breathing, soothed to sleep after a few minutes. Sleep isn't difficult to find when he is with his husband. This is where he is at peace. This is where he belongs.

In the morning, Lizhu comes into the room with Jiangzai on her back.

"Trip time!" she announces, grinning.

It's earlier than Xue Yang likes to wake up when their daemons enter the bedroom. They always leave early for these kind of trips, but that doesn't mean Xue Yang has to like it! Fortunately, all it takes is coffee, food and kisses from his husband to cure his bad morning mood.

"Ugh. Why are you so cheerful?" he grumbles at Lizhu and burrows into Zichen's arms, trying to hide from the early morning sun filtering in through the curtains.

"Trip time, trip time!" Lizhu nudges Xue Yang with her nose to be a gremlin, her fluffy tail wagging. Even with her playfulness, she is very gentle with Jiangzai. The kitty won't be jerked around.

Zichen makes an amused sound and starts kissing over Xue Yang's face.

"I'll get the coffee ready. Jiangzai, come snuggle with our A-Yang, hm?"

Jiangzai isn't much for early mornings either, but laying on Lizhu's soft, warm fur is nice.

"Ziiichen," Xue Yang whines, "I'm being terrorized." Though he's soon placated a little by the kisses and the promise of coffee.

"But I'm comfortable," Jiangzai says with a sigh.

"Then Lizhu, lay beside A-Yang and be good." Zichen orders. The wolf hops up onto the bed with ease and lays down beside Xue Yang, offering her warm fur. See? She's a good girl!

Zichen smiles at the trio and kisses the top of Jiangzai's head.

Xue Yang chuckles a little and moves close to the big wolf to gently pet through her fur. "Mmm, I guess you're not so bad," he teases.

Jiangzai lifts her head to affectionately rub her face against Zichen's jaw, lightly headbutting him.

Lizhu licks Xue Yang's cheek and snuggles close to him. She is an excellent provider of warmth in the wilderness too! Even the horse will cuddle up to her.

"I'm not bad at all." she announces.

Zichen rubs under Jiangzai's jaw and whispers to her affectionately.

"Good girl."

Then he heads to the kitchen and makes coffee and breakfast.

She really is! Xue Yang does love curling up with Lizhu when it's cold. He falls into a light slumber there, but when the smells of coffee and food start to come wafting through from the kitchen... well, he starts to wake back up.

Yawning, he slowly sits up and stretches.

Lizhu smiles when he stirs, lifting her head to watch him with piercing yellow eyes. She then kisses him again.

"It smells good, hm? You should go eat." she then glances back at Jiangzai, "Us too, Jiangzai. I'll carry you there."

Zichen hums and prepares the table, quite content with his duties. He loves his grumpy husband.

"Mm, I should," Xue Yang agrees with a chuckle. He affectionately rubs Lizhu's ears and then gives Jiangzai some petting action too before he finally gets out of bed. He puts on a pair of warm, fluffy socks and then pads into the kitchen.

He creeps up behind Zichen and slides his arms around his middle, head resting against his back. "Mmm, morning."

Lizhu gracefully jumps back onto the floor and follows, keeping Jiangzai safely tucked on her back. Zichen has put out food for them too - deer meat for Lizhu and fish for Jiangzai.

"Looks yummy!" she praises, glancing back at her sleepy kitty friend, "Time to wake up and eat. You can nap on my fur later."

Zichen blushes and rubs over Xue Yang's arms. "Your coffee is just the way you like it."

"My hero," Xue Yang murmurs with a playful smile. He moves around Zichen, kissing his cheek, before he pours himself a cup.

Jiangzai sighs again, but she reluctantly gets down from Lizhu's back. She rubs against the wolf's legs and then makes her way over to her food.

"I love my grump." Zichen chuckles and rubs over Xue Yang's back, "Did you sleep well?"

Lizhu watches Jiangzai softly, bending her head to nuzzle the sweet cat. Jiangzai has nothing to fear in the wild. She has a big wolf that will bare her teeth at anything that even threatens her cat.

"I love my husband, even when he makes me get up at 6 am." Xue Yang chuckles as he sips on his coffee. "Mm, I did. You?"

Jiangzai isn't worried! She has her protectors, after all.

"We have a lot of ground to cover." Zichen nuzzles his lips against Xue Yang's cheek, "I always sleep well with you."

Moving to the table, he sits and begins to eat. Lizhu does likewise, but she is quite gentle about it. She knows her inside manners.

Xue Yang joins Zichen at the table and digs into toast and scrambled eggs. "Mmn, I know. There's a lot of forest." He enjoys hiking through it though, especially with Zichen as company.

He smiles, cheeks warming a little. "I'd hope so after two years of marriage," he teases as he takes one of Zichen's hands and kisses it.

"You'll love it." Zichen promises; he has a beautiful trek planned for them. He loves taking Xue Yang to wide open places. He suspects that is one of the reasons his husband adores flying.

"Two wonderful years of marriage." he smiles and caresses Xue Yang's lips with his thumb, "I wear my ring wherever I go."

Xue Yang feels free in the air, like anything is possible. That's why he loves it so much. He enjoys all kinds of different aircrafts, but balloons and small airplanes are his favorites. They give him very different experiences. Flying a balloon is a calmer experience (with the exception of the annual balloon race, of course) that gives him time to really take in the world beneath him. Flying a small airplane is more of a thrill, where he can do tricks in the air and get that nice adrenaline rush.

That being said, he enjoys being on the ground too! Hiking is another activity that gives him a feeling of freedom.

He kisses Zichen's ring finger with a smile. "I know." He wears his all the time too, except for when he's flying a plane as he doesn't want to risk losing it.

Watching Xue Yang experience freedom is beautiful and Zichen doesn't have the heart to stand between him and the open air. So he supports him instead and holds his husband tightly when he lands back on the ground.

"I want you to wear it around your neck." for Xue Yang's next flight. Zichen pulls out a sturdy chain and holds it out to his love, "So I'm with you while you race."

Xue Yang's eyes brighten. "I will!" He smiles warmly and takes the chain and then leans over the table to kiss him. "Thank you," he murmurs. Zichen's support really does mean the world to him.

Zichen accepts the kiss with a content hum, gently squeezing Xue Yang's arm.

"I love you even if you are reckless." he is mostly teasing, however, sipping on some coffee with a smile.

Lizhu walks over to Xue Yang, licking her lips.

"You can have some of my fur too. For good luck!"

Xue Yang grins. "You better, because it's not gonna stop anytime soon!" If his grandpa can still fly a balloon in his 80s, Xue Yang is not gonna be stopped either!

He chuckles and rubs over Lizhu's fluffy ears. "Thank you, Lizhu."

"Oh I am aware." Zichen pretends to be put upon, but his eyes sparkle, "I look forward to loving my eighty year old husband as he flies and lands his plane."

Lizhu closes her eyes happily, tail wagging.

"You'll be great! I'll be watching."

Xue Yang grins between mouthfuls of eggs. "As you should, but maybe I'll stick to balloon flying when I'm that old." He laughs a little.

"I'll be watching too!" Jiangzai says as she waltzes up to the kitchen table and gets up on Lizhu's back.

"You might surprise yourself." Zichen taps Xue Yang's nose with his finger, smiling. Then he bites into a piece of toast and pulls out a map. He shows Xue Yang the route they will be taking.

Lizhu leans her head back to nuzzle Jiangzai. Zichen pauses and rubs over Jiangzai's fuzzy head.

"I can't think of better luck."

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