Paranoia

It took another three days for the poison to clear from Lai Yiteng fully. Although his arm still ached, he was finally able to walk around without feeling a heavy exhaustion.

Xian Wu, who had been giving him dosages of antidote and treatments, had a handle on some types of toxins. But that was also a matter that made him all the more suspicious and dangerous.

Who would trust someone who knew how to deal with poisons? They couldn't be trusted at all! Knowing about poisons just meant that said person also dealt with and used poisons, obviously.

Or so Lai Yiteng thought as he quietly ate food that Xian Wu gave him.

Was he going to be poisoned this time, or the next?

How painful would it be? He hoped that Xian Wu would kill him in a quick manner, not letting him writhe miserably on the floor for too long.

Ah, but these thoughts were all just part of Lai Yiteng's everyday paranoia.

…

Early in the morning on the third day, when the grass had dew and the bamboo leave shown from dawn's touch, Lai Yiteng quietly packed up his belongings. In the end he had not been poisoned—yet. His veiled hat was carefully refastened with a white ribbon beneath his chin.

He stared at the bloody and ruined dress that he planned to abandon on the table.

Although he despised wearing women's make up and clothing, finding it baggy and superfluous in nature, he did what was convenient in order to escape under Lushang Sect's watch. But who knew if this idiot Xian Wu had blown his cover from those rogue assassins. To say, if one of them recognized his martial arts style and then realized his identity…

Perhaps even if he did buy a new dress, it would not save him any trouble now.

He did not know why Xian Wu had assassins after him, nor did Lai Yiteng intend to ask. That was because if Lai Yiteng asked Xian Wu, then Xian Wu would naturally ask him as well what happened the past years, and Lai Yiteng did not want to speak of those times.

It was as though they'd flown back to the past dynamic of the caretaker and the saved.

Short and simple conversation, Lai Yiteng slept curled in the very corner of the bed against the wall and Xian Wu on the floor, one frowned and the other laughed; their roles from back then had completely reversed. Lai Yiteng wouldn't dare to trust him any more than he had these past days.

Xian Wu had, of course, been watching Lai Yiteng pack up the whole time. He wore dark brown robes with hair braided and tied with a red string, and he was still grinning leisurely.

"So you're going without even a word? You aren't completely recovered, and it will still take a bit of time to regain your strength. Not to mention that your body wasn't exactly in the best of shape to begin with…but still, you're going? Not going to consult with me?"

Lai Yiteng shrugged. "No. Why should I?"

"That's cold...didn't I say I'd come to repay the debt of saving my life?"

"You've removed the poison and healed me. Consider it even. You can go anytime now."

Xian Wu cocked an eyebrow and frowned. "How is that repayment when I was the one who attracted the assassins to begin with?"

Yes, that was exactly why Lai Yiteng wanted Xian Wu -the whirlwind of trouble- out of his life. Lai Yiteng slowly put his belongings over his shoulder. He gave him a razor cold glare.

"I was doing well in travels until that night, so why offer 'help' when you'll end up making my situation worse? Let's part ways as strangers, the same as back then."

"Nah, from now it won't be like that, I swear. Sure, they came after me that one night, but while you were resting I've contacted some of my, er…close friends, and it definitely won't happen again. This seems like a very pivotal time in your life, so isn't this when I should be helping the most? You don't have to be stubborn."

"Fuck off!" Lai Yiteng's aggravation went up another notch. "It's none of your business. Besides, I know nothing of your identity."

"I'm Xian Wu of course!"

"..."

"And I've come to repay my debt. We've been over this at least seven times now."

"..."

At first Lai Yiteng been willing to believe that Xian Wu really did appear in front of him only to repay an old debt, but now that the older man would not quietly part ways from him, he became exaggeratedly suspicious. There must be some other kind of ulterior motive behind those actions. Xian Wu hadn't even explained his ties to Graceful Dragon Sect, either, where he must have a high standing. Why was he slipping around the issue?

Lai Yiteng darkly said, "Keep spouting your lies."

Xian Wu blinked. But he really wasn't lying...about anything?! Sure he was withholding information but...really.

It was important to note that Lai Yiteng's level of mistrust went beyond rationality. Xian Wu had seen him vigilantly watching crows outside the window the other day, as though he believed they were trained to deliver messages to some unknown foe.

In the meantime Lai Yiteng finally lost his patience.

His hand clutched into a fist as he snapped, "Do I look unintelligent to you?! You happen to find me when I've gone into hiding, then get rid of the assassins tailing you just like that. Is everything easy for you? As if I'll believe you're a nobody!"

Lai Yiteng stomped towards the door to leave, but Xian Wu nimbly took a step to block him. His broad shoulders cast a shadow in the hut, one that cascaded over him with a presence of superiority. Suddenly all the nerves in Lai Yiteng were flaring up and stifling his breath. He despised how he towered in the doorway, as though flaunting the power that he had over him.

He unconsciously gripped his sword hilt in preparation to strike. If Xian Wu turned against him he had no chance of winning, but he would not give in so easily.

"Are the eyes on your face for show? Can't you see I'm trying to leave?!"

Xian Wu smiled, and said bluntly, "Uh, I think you're misunderstanding something. I just want to talk a little more."

Lai Yiteng's pupils contracted as he thought of stabbing him with his knife. If Xian Wu made a single move, a single twitch of the finger, he would strike.

"Move."

"Come on, you're so tense for no reason!" Xian Wu chuckled flatly, densely unaware of the other's murderous intentions. "Don't look so pissed, let's just get along, yeah?"

A sharp knife flew out, cutting the air with a silver gleam, and was soon pressed against the chest of Xian Wu, above his heart. His first layer of clothing had a single cut through it, a threat at how fast the knife could work through matter, and the lips of Lai Yiteng were drawn taunt with resolve.

Xian Wu paused a moment but made no movement to resist. Naturally of a Master of his skill could avoid Lai Yiteng's attack easily enough, but he purposefully chose not to. He did however, take on a slightly more serious expression as if finally realizing the broodiness of Lai Yiteng's mood. Sigh, teenagers these days; They rile up at the slightest things.

"Even if you don't trust me, I haven't done anything to you when I had the chance. Doesn't that tell you anything?" And now Xian Wu even took on an aggrieved tone. "...I even let myself be tied up in your rope and at your mercy, and you still aren't trusting even a bit? Alas, what more can I do!"

Lai Yiteng gave an angered 'tch' and lowered his gaze.

He hated that what Xian Wu said made sense, because his brain was still telling him to keep on guard. It was not as much that he distrusted Xian Wu, but that his fear overwhelmed any meager semblances of trust that he had. But yes, for now at least, it appeared that Xian Wu was not hostile. Picking a fight when he was still not fully recovered would be foolish, too.

Lai Yiteng grit his teeth and tucked his knife away.

After another few heartbeats of silence, Xian Wu reached his hand over and slowly lifted the veil to peek in at Lai Yiteng's expression. He caught a glance of two pupils sharp and aggressive with wariness before his hand was slapped away and the veil floated back into place.

Xian Wu said, "You've really changed. You used to be sort of bratty, but livelier and more talkative."

"So what if I have? It's been years," Lai Yiteng said harshly. "I was a child then, now I'm an adult. Hurry up, what is it you wanted to ask?"

Barely an adult, to be precise, just reaching those final years of adolescence.

But Xian Wu had a better understanding of Lai Yiteng's short fuse after being held at knife-point. Oh, and being put in bondage once, too. He didn't really want to rile the kid up too much and so got straight to the point.

"Weren't you well received at Master An He's Lotus Sect? What happened that you ended up at Lushang Sect?"

Lai Yiteng had been hearing crows cawing outside and it really put him on edge. He was becoming increasingly impatient to set out. Now Xian Wu was asking exactly the things he didn't want to discuss.

But fine. Very well, as long as it could get this Xian Wu to piss off!

Wordlessly, Lai Yiteng lifted a pale hand to his neck and tugged open his snow white collar. Xian Wu was mildly confused to see him undressing, but Lai Yiteng quickly finished wrenching open the inner folds of his clothes.

His chest down to his upper abdomen was exposed, and on the lower left side was a deep, uneven scar of pale skin. A number of other shallow scars and splotches marred his skin, yet by far this past injury had been the worst.

One would assume upon seeing Lai Yiteng's face that all of his body would be equally fairy-like, glowing like white jade, and yet oh how far from the truth that was.

Lai Yiteng was so aggravated upon recalling it his nails dug into the flesh around his scar. He only escaped Lushang Sect not so long ago, all of his hatred was fresh in his mind. He did not think it would fade away no matter how much time passed.

"Well received? What a joke! Shouldn't you have already seen it after treating my wounds? This is how well Lotus Sect cared for me...I was betrayed, and there's nothing more to say about it."

He neatly fixed his clothing, shoved Xian Wu aside, and stepped out the door.