xiayushi

[xiayushi]

陪我同游余生的日子; 就算走到了穷途末日 天涯咫尺, 在人生的白纸, 同愉快的写诗

It felt like they were sinking through the very earth itself. 

The same dream haunted Xiwen even as he stirred awake from his spacious bedroom, staring out at the first rays of dawn peeking through the curtains. He vastly preferred it than the flashbacks, really, because at the very least, it allowed him to see with clarity what was due to happen. 

He and Shishi were drowning. There was a cruel irony in that this seemed to be the only time Shishi featured so prominently in his dreams, but after the third night of startling awake the same way, Xiwen had woken up to Runze on his bed, lying across it like he was a French girl waiting to be drawn and with a mug in his free hand. 

“Good evening,” Runze began before he could get a word in, “Do you honestly think that I couldn’t hear you tossing and turning in the next room? The first night, I thought someone had popped in trying to assassinate you. You need to take your melatonin, Xiwen-shaoye. I am going to age several decades more for every day you don’t take your melatonin.” 

Xiwen ruffled his hair, sitting up and crossing his legs in front of him. “I don’t need it,” he replied bluntly, though he shielded his face with the stump of his left arm, “Maybe I just need to go for a run before bed, exhaust myself before I rest for the night. The work at Yunyang is too stable. It makes me anxious, and that’s the long and short of it. Thank you for the water, though.” 

Runze offered Xiwen the cup in silence, and Xiwen downed the mug of vodka before sputtering, pounding at his chest at the sudden burn that had sprouted from where his throat had touched the drink. 

“Ack- alcohol- I thought this was- Runze-ge, please-” he protested, all while Runze raised a hand in a flourish without changing his posture, “I don’t need alcohol! This probably would keep me up more than put me to sleep! It’s a miracle I haven’t fired you yet for your antics, ge.” 

“I’m too cute to be fired. You need me,” Runze’s retort was blunt and incisive, shuffling himself to mirror Xiwen’s current seated position before resting a hand on his lap, abruptly serious now, “If you need to see a therapist, let me know. I’m worried for you. So is Yuye-xiaojie, even if she doesn’t bring it up. She seems to also be having trouble sleeping too. Should you two sleep in the same room instead? It seemed that worked at the caravan.” 

“No!” yelped Xiwen, covering his face in mortification before shushing Runze with his stump, “We’re-we’re not doing that. Yuye-xiaojie can do as she pleases with her sleep. I’m not...we’re not sleeping like that. Dispel those thoughts.” 

Runze seemed frustrated, motioning towards the spacious room they were sitting in. “If it bothers you Yuye-xiaojie can sleep on the floor, you know,” he scoffed, motioning to the space next to him, “Who said anything about sharing a bed...unless?” 

He leant in towards his charge, waggling his brows. “What is going on inside your head at this very moment, Liu Shui-xiansheng? Immoral thoughts? Thoughts of Yuye-xiaojie disrobing?” he asked now, squinting suspiciously before pressing the back of his hand dramatically to his forehead, howling, “And you claim to not think of her as much as you should. Tsk, tsk. What a horndog, is what I think of the matter. How disappointing! I expected better!” 

At Runze’s bellyaching, Xiwen tackled him before pushing his lower arm into Runze’s throat, raising his right fist. “Don’t you dare,” he hissed, before Runze grabbed him by the collar to execute a perfectly-timed judo throw that sent him sprawling across the carpet, “--ack!” 

“Too slow, Xiwen-shaoye. As always,” Runze had become on alert once more, scoffing, “This is why I said you need more sleep.”