Burning Hearts

Wu Xie had worked hard all night long carving the sword he was going to gift Xiaoge, hoping that he will not only feel pleased to have a sword on his hand once more, but to have a safe keep from someone he cared for, to make him remember he was not alone in this world. After all, it had been his fault that Xiaoge had lost his Black Golden sword in that hellish serpent den that was called Tamuto.

It had been a chaotic time for all of them ever since they left the Heavenly Queen Mother Palace, starting with Xiaoge's loss of memories, then searching for the elusive answers that only bring them more troubles and more questions to add the already overwhelming list of them, to end up more or less forced to join forces with the Huo family head.

Xiaoge had said he didn't trust her, but then again they could do nothing else but to agree, if they wanted to go to the Zhang family's Old Pavilion and even let her separate them in two teams for the sake of the success of their mission. He wasn't exactly thrilled with leaving Xiaoge side, even if Pang Zi was going to be there to keep an eye on him. He felt restless nevertheless, feeling that something big was about to happen, as nothing seems to go as planned.

He stare at the sword on his hands, the carving was not exactly beautiful, but it contains a meaning he was sure Xiaoge will understand without the words. He had left his unspoken feeling engraved in the sword, it was a mean to keep Xiaoge safe at the same time to make himself present, even if not physically.

"Seriously, you lovebirds just should talk things out, instead of going around in circles doing overly caring things for the other or deeply staring at each other so shamelessly each time a feeling arise strongly enough. You both are so obvious, you don't fool anyone else but yourselves." Pang Zi said to Wu Xie, which only sighed as he keep working on the sword.

"That's nonsense," Wu Xie whisper, as he carved more little holes on the surface of the sword.

"Yep, right... keep up the denial, but remember that tomorrow we will part ways and who knows what could happen then." Pang Zi insisted.

"Hey, don't go jinxing us now. Go to sleep and let me finish this. I will give this to Xiaoge as soon as it done, then go to bed myself." Pang Zi smirked, seen the chance to tease his friend a little farther.

"I see that's quite bold coming from you, to spend the night with Xiaoge, huh?" At that, Wu Xie took the tool box and sent it flying in Pang Zi's direction. Fatty of, course, dodge the package easily while he laughed.

"Alright, I will let it go... but seriously, things will be different this time. We are not going to face this as we had always done. If anything does happen we will not be there for you and you will not be there for us either, so grab your chance while you still have it... mark my words." Pang Zi said just before he turned to leave Wu Xie on his own.

What Pang Zi had said, was actually an echo of his own worries. There was really a chance that things could go terribly bad this time, as they will be at the mercy of people not even Xiage trusted. Yes, he trusted Xie Yu Chen and even Huo Xiu Xiu, but Huo Jin Xi was still an unknown factor, a member of the Mystic Nine they could not mess up with and she was ruthless. What happen in the restaurant was just a proof she was merciless when she wished and that way she had kneel in front of Xiaoge, only meant she had many secrets hidden involving the Zhang family they don't know off.

"Been with each other will not end well. Sooner or later it will lead to both of your demises..." Panma's words, then echoes inside his mind like a curse.

Wu Xie let go of the almost finished work in his hand and stared at the night sky with a bigger uncertainty on his heart. Too many things had been out of their hands, apparently controlled by an external force that seems to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The "IT" factor was frightening present everywhere they go and their current predicament was even more prone to go wrong than anything they had done so far.

"Wu Xie..." Then, Xiaoge voice bring him back to reality and once again, they simply stared at each other for a long while. At the end, Wu Xie decided to swallow his worries in order to keep Xiaoge for worrying as well.

"Ah, you came just in time... this... this is for you. I carved in some designs, but I don't know... here..." Wu Xie offer the sword he had worked so hard on for most of the night and Xiaoge moved silently to grab it.

He look at it from the hilt to the end of the blade as if in trance. The carving was rough, but only meant Wu Xie had worked hard on it, to pass on his message. You are not alone.

"You like it?" Zhang Qiling hear Wu Xie whisper at his side and he swing the sword a few time to reconnect himself his sword skills.

"Yes." He whisper, feeling the blade as an extension of his hand and just to show him his sincerity, he pretty much danced for Wu Xie on the opera stage, moving his light body along with his new sword in a dance that was both strange and familiar to him at the same time. It felt good to have a sword back and as he dances, he could feel Wu Xie stare at his every step.

After all the events they had face, they had grown more closer to each other, to a point he let Wu Xie do with him as he pleased, from crashing him against a car, to undress him in such embarrassing manner along with Pang Zi. Yet, deep down he was the happiest, because their familiarity was taking away his loneliness bit by bit. Now Wu Xie gift him with a sword that will have his mark no matter where he ended going and a remaining of him, even when the time to lose his memory comes again.

When he finish his dance, he looked at Wu Xie, who was smiling so purely, it make his heart skip a beat. He had that kind of reaction quite a lot lately. At times, when Wu Xie was too close to him, even his tattoo will start to show up on his chest below his shirt and jacked. That he loved the man, he had no doubts now, but as he was a wanderer for most of his life, he dare not to confess himself to the young man.

He was sure Wu Xie feels the same to some degree, but he was also keeping their relationship platonic, only showing a deeper meaning occasionally. However, as they stared at each other, he saw the shadow of uncertainty showing of those dark eyes of his.

"What's wrong?" Qiling asked out of impulse.

"I just wondering whatever what Panma said will come true or not. I certainly can't seems to stay away from you from long, huh? But us, ending been each other death's..." Zhan Qiling moved the fasted yet, to place himself in front of Wu Xie. His face was now quite serious as he looked at him closer than he had been before, just inches from his face.

"That will not happen." Zhang Qiling whisper. "I will always protect you." He added as he stared at Wu Xie once more.

"I'm not really doubting it... our fate seems to be strong and we had been close enough to die so many times already... I just hope you won't end up get tired of me for saving me so much..." He joked.

"You are my only connection to this world." Zhan Qiling said, making Wu Xie's heart race even faster.

"Then let's make a promise now. Not matter what happen in the future, we will always find each other again." Wu Xie offer with a smile that melted his heart.

"I promise." Xiaoge said.

"I promise too, so don't go despairing on me for too long." Wu Xie said innocently, although Qiling knew that once inside the Bronze Gate, he will leave Wu Xie on his own for ten whole years, which only make his heart ache.

"Wu Xie..." He was going to tell him he could not promise to be away for years, but right at that time, when he unconsciously let his inner fear show in his eyes, Wu Xie extended his hand to touch his face.

"I am the stubborn kind of guy... I will find you no matter how long it will take me..." Wu Xie confessed so wholeheartedly that the only thing he could do was to close the small distance between them and actually kiss him.

He intended just to give him a feathery kiss, to show him how much he meant to him, but Wu Xie take the chance to put his arms around his neck and actually make him kiss him deeper. Soon, right below a night sky full of shining stars, he finally let his feelings for Wu Xie expose in full and as he placed his arms around Wu Wie's waist to pull him closer to give in to him farther in a more passionate kiss, he fail to feel the presence of two shadows watching them kiss in the distance.

"I just knew it was going to happen tonight..." Pang Zi whisper.

"No kidding, it was kind of overdo now." Xie Yu Chen said back.

"Ah, yes... and now what about honoring that bet of ours. I want a very expensive dinner." Xie Yu Chen smiled.

"Alright, you choose the place when we come back from our mission, I will pay for a full course to all three of you." Pang Zi was in heaven.

"Deal, now let them kiss in private for a bit longer." Pang Zi said as he turned to leave.

"No one will come this way, I assure you." Xie said, also leaving, giving orders to his people to not come near the opera stage, nor close to the resting rooms until morning.

AN: Thanks for reading, I hope some likes this. Take care. 🤗💖