Title: Best Friends Forever
Fandom: Guardian (TV)
Rating: Teen
Length: 1487 words
Notes: Set in my post-canon Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan ‘verse. Outsider POV. One-sided Guo Changcheng/Chu Shuzhi.
Warnings: References to the canon showdown. Unrequited love. Bittersweet ending.
Summary: Now Hei Pao Shi was gone, of course none of them could stay the same.




1.

Changcheng runs down the Dixing street with the others. His head is still ringing and achy, an after-effect of Ye Zun’s control, but Ye Zun is gone now—and Professor Shen with him. A great sacrifice—but for great gain, Changcheng tells himself. He ‘d touched the Awl briefly, before they had to vacate the palace, and his power had shivered through him, letting him hear Professor Shen’s last will, all determination, love and care for Dixing and the world—and deepest of all, love for Chief Zhao. Professor Shen doesn’t regret his choice. He’s at peace. Changcheng has to find Chief Zhao and tell him.

The ground quakes again, and while Changcheng, Lin Jing and Chu-ge are working to keep their balance (or, in Changcheng’s case, stumbling into a wall), Deputy Da Qing exclaims, puts on a burst of speed and runs ahead.

“Come on,” shouts Chu-ge grimly, catching Changcheng’s arm.

They keep on, following Lin Jing’s directions. “It’s just around that corner down there.”

Before they get that far, the street lightens. It feels like a miracle. Something like blue sky appears overhead. Shadows form. All the ordinary buildings and seemingly random objects stacked in corners are revealed. This is Dixing! It’s wondrous—this is good, isn’t it? The ground steadies and the rumbling dies away. This must be good.

Chu-ge swears and speeds up. The three of them skid around the corner to find—Chief Zhao shaking the Deputy’s limp body, trying to pry his hands from the Lantern. They’re sprawled on the ground in a tangle. Chief Zhao’s back is to a wall, and he’s still covered in scrapes and gashes. Blood paints his lips. But he doesn’t wipe it away, too busy tearing at the Lantern, yelling furiously, “You idiot, get out of there. Do you know what you’ve done? It was supposed to be me!”

Chu-ge doesn’t falter like Changcheng and Lin Jing. No, he lets go of Changcheng’s arm, runs right up and drops to one knee at Chief Zhao’s side. “What happened?”

Chief Zhao shoves him away violently, spits, “Damn Cat lit the Lantern. He—I was going to—”

He bites back the rest of it as the Lantern pulls out of his and the Deputy’s joined grasp and floats into the air to meet the other Hallows. They swirl gently, radiating serenity, just like Professor Shen.

Chief Zhao goes while, watching it, then buries his face in the Deputy’s hair and doesn’t look again. Chu-ge crouches over him, shoulders heavy.



2.

Before that, Changcheng and Chu-ge used to get takeaways after work sometimes and eat them in the park, or go to a noodle house near the SID. Changcheng would explain things about growing up in Haixing, and once or twice, Chu-ge had talked about his brother, Chu Nianzhi. Changcheng had even been to Chu-ge’s barely furnished apartment a few times for movie nights.

Changcheng had loved those evenings, learning more about Chu-ge, making him laugh. Becoming friends and maybe, tentatively, something more. Changcheng had been starting to get the stupid idea that Chu-ge felt the same, but of course—of course it was just kindness. They were partners and friends, but there was never anything more to it than that.



3.

Afterwards, a terrible gloom lingered like smog over the SID. For a year or more, there were palpable absences where Wang Zheng and Sang Zan should be. Worse, a Dixingren called Zhang Shi had taken over Deputy Da Qing’s body, a distressing circumstance that made Chief Zhao swear bitterly whenever he saw him, so Deputy Zhang Shi spent most of his time alone in the library, either reading or sleeping in cat form. Nobody else went up there.

Chief Zhao holed up in his office, and sometimes there were loud crashing noises as he threw things at the wall. Other times, it was terribly quiet—that was worse.

Chu-ge looked after Chief Zhao. Changcheng understood—it was what Hei Pao Shi would have wanted. Of course Chu-ge had to make sure he was okay. Except that, before long, it became more than that, didn’t it? Chu-ge moved into Chief Zhao’s apartment to make sure he ate properly and didn’t drink himself to death. Changcheng had a feeling something was changing.

Of course it was. It had to be. Now Hei Pao Shi was gone, of course none of them could stay the same.



4.

More time passed. The grief settled like sediment in water, always there but no longer clouding everything.

Changcheng was walking along the river on his way to work one morning, feeling a little listless, when he saw Chu-ge sitting on a bench up ahead. Changcheng could tell immediately that he was waiting for him, and he had news. He looked unfamiliarly happy! Happier than he’d been in years—maybe ever.

Changcheng’s heart picked up, and he hurried over. “Chu-ge! What are you doing here?”

“What do you think, dumbass?” Chu-ge smirked, stretched his legs out and looked across the river at the trees. “Well, are you going to sit down?”

Changcheng swallowed, an old wistful longing rising up despite himself. He tried to ignore it, curled it into fists around the strap of his bag, and sat down. Something had definitely changed. He eyed Chu-ge carefully, then looked up at the trees, too. “Is—is Chief Zhao all right?”

For a moment, Chu-ge didn’t answer. Changcheng glanced sideways, saw the pink in his cheeks. Was he blushing? Chu-ge?!

Chu-ge cleared his throat. “There’s good news. Shen Wei and Da Qing came back last night.”

“What? But they di—” Changcheng’s heart flipped, gladness and caution all mixed up. He lowered his voice. “Are they zombies? No, there’s no such thing as zombies, is there? Are they energy beings?”

“They’re completely themselves. Da Qing found Shen Wei in the afterlife, and the Hallows brought them back, solid and real.” Chu-ge laughed.

Of course he was thrilled. Changcheng was happy, too—and a little confused. “Is—is Professor Shen—I mean.” He stopped and gathered his words. “If Professor Shen is back, then—Does that mean you don’t have to look after Chief Zhao anymore? Will you look for an apartment of your own, Chu-ge?”

For a long moment, Chu-ge didn’t answer. What was so difficult to say? Changcheng’s old hope started to travel from his clenched hands up towards his heart and his throat. Maybe Chu-ge had been waiting for this, this opportunity when Chief Zhao didn’t need him by his side anymore. Maybe this was it! That would explain the unprecedented blushing.

Finally Chu-ge stopped looking at the trees and turned to face him. “Changcheng.”

“Yes, Chu-ge?”

“Changcheng, you’re my best friend.” Chu-ge sounded serious and—and gentle. “I’m sorry. I should have told you that a long time ago. You’re my best friend, and I hope you’ll always be my best friend.”

Oh. The message couldn’t have been plainer. An internal slump of disappointment squashed everything else, but Changcheng struggled to hide it. “Of course I will be, Chu-ge.”

“So I’m going to tell you some other news.” Chu-ge ducked his head, uncharacteristically nervous-looking, then glanced up again. His gaze was clear, bright and sure. “Shen Wei is moving into Zhao Yunlan’s flat, of course, but I’m staying, too.”

Changcheng blinked. From what he’d heard, Chief Zhao’s flat only had one room. Only one bed. He didn’t know what kind of sleeping arrangement Chu-ge and Chief Zhao had had up till now, but surely it would be too crowded with three, not to mention Deputy Da Qing. Was Chu-ge going to sleep on the couch while Chief Zhao and Professor Shen—Changcheng’s mind baulked at finishing the thought. He blurted, “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable somewhere else? You could still visit them—”

“We’re all staying together,” said Chu-ge, as if that was an explanation.

As if he meant. All of them. Together. Hei Pao Shi?!

“All three of you!?” Changcheng squeaked, the words catching in his throat and making him splutter.

Chu-ge nodded. A smile was pulling at this mouth as if he couldn’t contain it, and there was a lightness all around him, but he still looked a little unsure how Changcheng would react to this bombshell. He wanted Changcheng to be happy for him.

And Changcheng—he couldn’t even feel hurt. Of course there was no way to compete with Chief Zhao and Professor Shen. Either one of them was a formidable rival, but together?! Impossible!

“Blessings on your relationship,” said Changcheng. “All three of you.”

Chu-ge’s uncertainty melted away. He laughed a little. After a moment, he nudged their shoulders together. “If it helps, I didn’t expect it either. I was sure they wouldn’t want me there.”

“Then how—no, maybe don’t tell me. But oh, Chu-ge—” Changcheng felt his eyes widen, as further implications hit home. “Are you going to tell Zhu Hong?”



END