#FanPrompt for April 12th, word 'relief' #TGCF #HualianFanfic
Hua Cheng strolled down the walkway of Paradise Manor, to all appearances calm and facing forward. Out of the corner of his eye, the garden slowly passed in his peripheral vision, partially from his walk, and partially from the manor shifting to his desired destination. His Highness could not yet be seen, and Hua Cheng's jaw tensed the longer His Highness remained out of sight.
They had been reunited for years, now, yet to Hua Cheng, after an evening spent in the gambling hall, it felt like only moments, some remnant of 800 years of searching making his throat tighten.
Reaching the end of the walkway, Hua Cheng stopped and took a long, unnecessary breath. Perhaps Xie Lian had gone inside. Hua Cheng had only assumed he would find his Highness here because the manor had guided him here, but perhaps the manor had prioritized His Highness's desires, as it should. Perhaps Xie Lian still required some time alone.
Hua Cheng sighed and turned back to retreat up the walkway, only to pull up short. Peering out from around a post, His Highness was perched upon the walkway railing, beaming at Hua Cheng.
"San Lang!" called His Highness, leaning further over into the walkway. "You're back! I was looking for you."
All the tension in Hua Cheng's body released.
"Gege," he called back. As he made his way to Xie Lian's side, he marveled that the relief carried in his own voice was mirrored perfectly by his God.