Chapter 3: The Devil Plays a Sonata

Stiffly, Sun Xiang takes out his account card and inserts it into the reader. A metal gear, framed by a blazing fiery background, revolves on the screen around a six-pointed star, after which a pair of swords flash and herald the unfurling of wings, first of light and then of blades. Glory, the screen reads. Soon, the Berserker 【Cross Knife】 appears on his monitor. The avatar's features are mostly modeled off of Sun Xiang's appearance, and its equipment boasts the highest specs Conquering Clouds can offer. Instinctively, Sun Xiang glances at the monitor to his right, painfully aware of the jealousy pricking at his heart.

Compared to the Battle God【One Autumn Leaf】, his primary account is laughable.

Sun Xiang's gaze slides away from the famed avatar and over to its owner, upon which he notices that Ye Qiu's gaze directed at him. Hyperaware, Sun Xiang is certain that Ye Qiu saw him steal a glance at 【One Autumn Leaf】, but much to Sun Xiang's surprise, the Excellent Era team captain has yet to comment on it.

Ye Qiu suddenly speaks up, interrupting Sun Xiang's inner monologue. His voice—crisp, almost militant—rises and falls at a cadence that only serves to enhance his clear enunciation, causing Sun Xiang to freeze because of how authoritative it is. He...does not need to know this about himself.

"Today, we'll start with running through dungeons; check QQ for team arrangements and locations. Unlike before, this will be a more comprehensive training. All runs will be recorded for post-review and assessed by Captain Nan Junyang and myself for teamwork, amongst other elements. From this, we will develop training programs to capitalize on your individual strengths and rectify your individual weaknesses. We'll start the dungeon runs in half an hour, so I suggest you warm up appropriately before then."

With that, Ye Qiu places on his headset and enters a world mirroring that of 《Glory》.

Meanwhile, the room falls completely silent. Excellent Era has never seen their captain be so vocal before, whereas Conquering Clouds has been struck speechless by the natural charisma and commanding aura radiating from Ye Qiu.

Luckily, Ye Qiu seems to avoid work not involving 《Glory》, Tao Xuan thinks as he observes from the front of the room. If he ever goes into politics or the military, who knows how far he'll go; the influence he'll wield...

Tao Xuan begins to mentally rearrange his plans for Excellent Era's future.

Despite his notable skill in tactics and operation, Ye Qiu is a bad investment for Excellent Era from an economical perspective. Since leading Team Excellent Era to the title of Alliance champions for three years in a row alongside Wu Xuefeng, Ye Qiu's role in the team has changed. Now, vice captain Liu Hao has more authority than the figurehead of a captain.

Liu Hao's plans, Tao Xuan muses. Will they still work? The team is currently considering Sun Xiang, last season's Best Rookie, as Ye Qiu's successor. Tao Xuan, like Ye Qiu, noticed the look Sun Xiang casted at 【One Autumn Leaf】. Maybe if they used 【One Autumn Leaf】as an incentive, Sun Xiang would be willing to transfer to Excellent Era?

Out loud, Tao Xuan announces, "Well, you all heard Ye Qiu. The computers have been set to record the game window, so the captains and vice captains can review your performances and draft their analyses."

Immediately, Excellent Era's pro players straighten up and turn to their monitors, suppressing their curiosity and bafflement at their captain's new behavior.

The pro players of Conquering Clouds, too, snap back to the present. Although still in awe of Ye Qiu's presence, they have no reason to suspect Ye Qiu's behavior is peculiar.

Seated facing them but a row behind, Yue Ziqin, however, ignores Tao Xuan's words, narrowed eyes still fixated on the Battle God and his own blond teammate. Throughout the past year, Yue Ziqin has never seen Sun Xiang act so flustered. No...this can't be?

'Yea, just an off day,' Sun Xiang had said. 'Don't sweat about it. I got a reply from a chick I've been chasing just now, so that's why I'm rain checking you guys.'

A chick, Yue Ziqin scoffs. Little Sun couldn't have been farther from the truth. Something dark within him wants to expose this upstart junior of his. After all, Sun Xiang has not made a lot of friends with his personality; even Yue Ziqin's offer earlier to join them for food has precisely been extended because Yue Ziqin knew it would have been rejected anyway.

He just hasn't expected Sun Xiang to be gay, of all things. It was unexpected, but a welcome revelation nonetheless...because that meant his advances wouldn't be harshly rebuked. That lean, slender body, combined with a loud, attention-seeking personality that just begs to be shut down and suppressed, Yue Ziqin thought, his mind spiralling in all sorts of indecent directions.

He's so easily flustered, Yue Ziqin observes, eyes drinking in his Little Sun's continuously flushed face. It's not like the so-called Battle God Ye Qiu is much of a looker. Even Little Sun admitted that.

After opening QQ, Yue Ziqin discovers, to his delight, that he is on the same team as Sun Xiang. With a few clicks, he logs into the game. Light surrounds his Blade Master character, 【Moonlight Cleaver】, as Yue Ziqin finds himself spawning by the rocky outcrop within the training map Conquering Clouds and Excellent Era's R&D departments had created for their partnership.

Trying to clear his mind of extraneous thoughts, Yue Ziqin launches into the game, focused on fighting his way to the meeting point.

This entire time, Sun Xiang has been feeling as if an invisible thread had him hooked to the ceiling, hyperconscious of the presence sitting beside him. The other man isn't even doing anything, but it's precisely this lack of action that makes the dirty blond nervous. What if he isn't prepared when Ye Qiu does strike?

Sun Xiang's entire reputation would go down in flames. It would be less salvageable than his dream of ever obtaining 【One Autumn Leaf】 in this lifetime.

Well, Sun Xiang corrects himself, further out of reach than me ever being as good as 【One Autumn Leaf】 with its current owner. He, like many others, had been inspired to start playing 《Glory》 due to the Battle God's masterful display of skills. Even if he currently plays a Berserker, he would have done anything to be able to use the most famous Battle Mage account—that is, before today at least.

I should never mention this to him, Sun Xiang realizes with dawning horror. He'll actually take me up on it, and who knows what he'll make me do in exchange for even a minute of playtime.

As Sun Xiang controls 【Cross Knife】 toward his assigned dungeon on autopilot, his mind decides to rebel, conjuring up various images he definitely should not be thinking of in public. Unfortunately for Sun Xiang, these visualizations only serve to darken the blush on his cheeks and make his movements more awkward. His mouse slides off the mousepad when he snaps out of his daydream.

Hearing the odd noise, Ye Qiu glances over at him. Then, at the exact same moment Sun Xiang steals another glance at the man himself. Their eyes meet, and Sun Xiang is lost once more in that endless expanse of amber.

"...ang Xiang," Ye Qiu calls out, amused, but the dazed look in Sun Xiang's eyes remains. With a knowing smile, Ye Qiu leans in and taps Sun Xiang's cheek with his index finger. "Little Xiang Xiang, now is not the time to daydream about me."

That, if nothing else, pulls Sun Xiang from his reverie. How did he know?! Sun Xiang's cheeks begin to glow even more, pointedly turning back to his screen and acting as if nothing happened.

So adorable. Ye Qiu's lips tilt upward.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sun Xiang spies Ye Qiu's shamelessly undiscriminating smile directed his way and flushes even more. Can...can he just stop? We-we're in the middle of a training session!

Sun Xiang forces himself to focus on his screen, not...not the man next to him—no, definitely not the man next to him. It was just in time too, as Sun Xiang nearly entered a high mob-rate zone, which would have caused him to exceed the allotted time for warm-up. His fingers rapidly fly across the keys to circle around that zone and target a smaller mob instead. A few keystrokes and maneuvers later, Sun Xiang finishes that mob and moves on to the next, becoming lost in the grind.

Unbeknownst to him, two gazes, amber and hazel, laser in on his movements. Something within both of them flare up at the sight of the dirty blond so focused on the game. But while Ye Qiu's movements don't falter, steadily re-assimilating back into the game, Yue Ziqin suddenly finds his character being abused by a mob of common monsters. He isn't used to being distracted—well not distracted to this extent—and slips during his own grinding. Gritting his teeth, he forcefully tears his gaze away from Sun Xiang and does his best to rectify the situation. Minutes pass, and not only is he unable to whittle down the monsters, more of them spawn to gang up on him. Left with no other option, he asks in the team chat if anyone can come over to help him.

He expects his teammates to respond first; the smooth voice casually asking for his coordinates is absolutely unexpected.

Instinctively, he rattles off his coordinates, only then realizing that the Battle God himself is coming over to lend a hand. That damnable voice—now, he completely understands why Sun Xiang still hasn't stopped blushing—confirms his coordinates, and soon the iconic battle mage in his distinctive gold-outlined black armor descends onto his location.

Yue Ziqin eyes Excellent Era's captain, his gaze full of both begrudging admiration and festering dislike. The man looks average, if anything, with messy dark hair and a face lined with exhaustion. He doesn't take care of himself, Yue Ziqin absently notes. Bags appear beneath a set of breathtaking amber eyes, Yue Ziqin admits in his mind. He can somewhat understand the draw of such a man, but there are so many better options—most notably, himself.

"Little Yue, was it?"

Yue Ziqin blinks, looking at his screen again. Despite not having pressed a single key since the Battle God came to his rescue, his once monster-infested surroundings were suddenly cleared. "Yes, Senior. Thank you for the help."

"Mn, it was no trouble," Ye Qiu says, glancing at the time on the corner of his screen. "Still ten minutes left, just enough time. Let me show you a few tricks."

Upon hearing the clatter of a headset against the desk, Yue Ziqin looks over at Ye Qiu. "What? There's truly no need, Senior. It's better for you to go back to warming up yourself," Yue Ziqin protests. I don't want your help of all things! Not when I plan to steal Little Sun from right under your nose!

"Nonsense, I'm already done warming up." The laugh in Ye Qiu's voice is unmistakable. "Here, move back a little." Ye Qiu doesn't give Yue Ziqin any time to refuse and pulls over an open chair. Amber eyes slide to the side and examine Yue Ziqin for any signs of protest before he takes control of the keyboard.

After confirming Yue Ziqin's keyboard commands, Ye Qiu's long, slender fingers dance across the keyboard while his pale lips explain the strategy and technique behind each move. Yue Ziqin can't decide which should hold his attention: the monitor where each keystroke is brought to life or those fingers which cast the enchantment. Before he knows it, the other man is done showcasing the combination and gestures for him to repeat it.

Yue Ziqin only gets through half the moveset before fumbling and forgetting what goes next. Embarrassed, he looks away from the one beside him, unwilling to see the disappointed, mocking smile. Yet Ye Qiu's voice was only filled with encouragement, not commenting on Yue Ziqin's mistake

"Here, let me show you again, but more slowly. You being able to follow that much is an achievement, Little Yue."

Warmth brushes against his hand, drawing Yue Ziqin's gaze. Those captivating fingers resettle his own onto the keys and repeated the moves step-by-step, only slower.

"There we go; now just practice that in your free time, and you'll have it down in no time." Ye Qiu smiles gently, standing up.

"T-thank you, Senior Ye," Yue Ziqin manages to get out, still stunned.

"Mn, no worries. You're fairly close to the dungeon we're running, so hurry over," Ye Qiu reminds him before slipping into his original seat. Yue Ziqin stares after him for a moment before ducking behind his screen, ears slightly red at the tips.

Sun Xiang glances between his team's guild leader and Ye Qiu, visibly frowning. "Why did you go over there and help him?" The words carelessly fall from his mouth, and Sun Xiang is thankful his mic isn't on.

Ye Qiu raises a brow, his familiar, teasing face returning. "What's the matter, Xiang Xiang? Jealousy doesn't suit you."

Sun Xiang splutters. "J-jealous?! In your dreams!" Despite his words, however, Sun Xiang turns his head away from the older man's face.

With an amused sigh, Ye Qiu slips on his headset but flips the mic off. He leans over, close enough that Sun Xiang can feel his breath, and glides his hand across Sun Xiang's hand before settling completely over it. "Don't worry, Xiang Xiang. You're the only one for me; you're the sunshine that illuminates my life and makes it worth living."

Sun Xiang's blue eyes are caught by that soft amber gaze. He, too, leans forward and stares into them for a moment before nodding slowly.

"I'm here." Yue Ziqin's voice breaks through his headset, causing Sun Xiang to tear his gaze away and back at the screen.

"S-so am I."

"Same."

Two more voices ring out next, signaling the arrival of their entire team. Sun Xiang takes in a deep breath and reorients himself.

"Does anyone have any questions about the strategy? Or are we ready to start?" Ye Qiu's voice is bored and calm—as if he did not confess his love to Sun Xiang just moments earlier.

"Ready." The four of them respond, to which Ye Qiu nods, leading that charge into the dungeon.

By that point, Sun Xiang had already fallen into the devil's rhythm of the game. One should not take the world of the fae lightly.

Notes:

Thank you, Cel, for betaing! Thanks to veriquity and shaf as well, who were able to find time in their busy lives to do a partial beta before I handed the work off to Cel~

I guess this will be a late birthday gift to Ye Xiu. I did have a XiuSan fic in the works, but real life happened. qwq

Thankfully, my younger sister recovered well and is home now from the hospital, so hopefully I'll get back into the groove of things soon.

I also deleted the April Fools Chapter, so...yea

This story is staying sfw (to a point, nsfw references are still rampant because it's Ye Xiu), any nsfw stuff will be in a side story.

Cross-posted under MTKiseki at AO3

Beta'd by Celare at AO3

Partially Beta'd by Vqt and Sharyxe150 at AO3

Gifted to Sorataxd (skysongxd) at AO3

Part 1 of the Take Another Look At Me series