World 3.24

"You're not going to vanish, right?"

Ru Xian froze the moment he saw Wuwu's corrupted arm, it was fading away slowly...

Wuwu lowered his head, he was hiding his face to lessen the tension in the atmosphere. Clenching his jaw to resist the flowing sensation he was feeling. 

Ru Xian pushed his shoulders "Wuwu!!! Tell me! You're not going to vanish, right?!" he exclaimed

"X-Xian…" his voice cracked 

Another heftiness filled the air between them, both of them were resisting the emotions flowing through their bodies. Both of them felt something they didn't want to feel. Their lips were sealed but it seemed like their hearts understood each other's heartbeat. 

"X-Xian...I'm alright" Wuwu took and held Ru Xian's palms "Don't worry about me, I will be fine" then he pulled the male towards his chest

Ru Xian wrapped his arms around Wuwu's waist, squeezing his back "P-Promise m-me" he uttered

Ru Xian shouldn't be doing this, as the Crown Prince, he should be tough and hostile. But he couldn't help but melt in front of Wuwu. He can't deny the fact that only Wuwu can calm him down.

Wuwu caressed the top of his head going down to his nape, then he gave the other male a peck on his forehead "Don't worry, I'm here...with you" he said with assuring voice

AUTHOR: Such a liar!

{What again?! }

AUTHOR: You will advance to the fourth world anyways..

{Wait a minute! This is too early for a dramatic scene}

AUTHOR: And who's the excited one here?

{Hey! I'm just comforting him!}

Wuwu smiled and then he tapped Ru Xian's back three times.

"Come on! Cheer up! Is not that I'm going to die!"

Ru Xian lifted up his head straight to Wuwu's chin and then he smiled a little "I'm sorry" he uttered

Wuwu pushed the Prince and then his hand went to Ru Xian's wrist, he let his fingers intertwined with the male. "Let's go and have some fun!"

The two ran freely to nowhere, Ru Xian's eyes were only looking down, fixated on their two hands connected to each other.

"Here we are!"

The Prince unconsciously bumped Wuwu's back the moment they stopped. Then his eyes went up, scanning the surroundings. 

Ru Xian described the place inside his mind. They're under the blooming plum tree. The soft petals falling from the branches was giving a romantic scene, the green grasses under his toe swaying with the afternoon breeze. 

Then his eyes accidentally meet the sun above the horizon, the dandelion sunset reflects through his eyes, his pupils dilated in delight. 

"Is it beautiful?" Wuwu slumped on the grasses, leaning his back on the branch of the tree, the aroma coming from the scented flowers were subtly sweet. 

Ru Xian sat down, but Wuwu pulled him towards his chest. It caused the Prince to stumble a little but Wuwu managed to catch him in time. 

Wuwu caressed his hair, letting his fingers play the shiny threads of it "I don't know if you will like it, but they said that sunsets can calm your mind" then he grinned

Ru Xian blushed his heart out so he was frozen for a second, then he looked up once again into the dandelion sky. "I-It's b-beautiful…" he mumbled

Wuwu suddenly hugged the Prince from behind, although Ru Xian jolted in surprise, he still liked the way Wuwu did some sweet things to him. Admitting that it was not good to his heart because he feels like his soul will fly away in an instant.

"Xiao…"

"Hum?" Wuwu just nodded down his head to show that he was giving attention

Ru Xian lowered his head down, fidgeting his fingers "Xiao..I-I..lo--"

"Look!!! The sun!!!" Wuwu exclaimed in excitement

Ru Xian paused his thoughts, sealing his words away. As he looked again into the sky, he saw how the sun slowly turned from dandelion to eternal dark brown until it met the horizon. The sunset was like filling his mind with majestic dreams. If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up anymore. Even if this will become his beautiful nightmare. 

He only wanted to stay by Wuwu's side...again.

Ru Xian took the initiative to stood up, as he shake off the dust from his hem "Let's go, the sun already went down" he ordered

Wuwu sprang happily, pulling the Prince's wrist for the second time "Who said we're going back?" a mischievous smile stretches his face "Follow me!"

The two once again traced the grassy pathway, the crickets were already noisy as the sky claimed the night. They were like two Prince's running away from reality, only living in their own world. 

The night was deep.

As they were going through the forest, a sudden pain crawled up to Wuwu's arms up to his shoulders, it caused him to whine secretly.

"Is there anything wrong?" Ru Xian who was behind him asked

Wuwu fixed the emotion drawn in his face, he made a big smile "I'm fine" he replied

Suddenly, the quiet sky roared in rage, a lighting across the darkness. Then little beads of water started to fall, the roofs of the leaves dance in spray. The surrounding was filled with the murmuring sound of the rain.

The two dashed quickly, finding a warm shelter for their cold bodies. They traced the slippery pathway until they saw an old tower house.

Wuwu needed to kick the door just to open it. The two headed inside, a smell from an old building invaded their nostril, the place was dark. It was made with hard bricks, the paint was already fading away, the wood-made window was creaking in rust hinge.

"Let's open this one" Wuwu pushed the window open, then he saw a scattered lamp and matches from the little light coming outside.

As he lit it up, he saw Ru Xian shivering in the cold, they both sat in the middle part with the only lamp as their only light.

"The rain sucks! I wanted to show you something other than the stars tonight!" Wuwu shrugged his shoulders down in dismay

Ru Xian frowned "W-What it is t-then?" he managed to asked even if he was so cold

Wuwu looked at him "The fireflies under the big tree near the lake!" he replied

"You can just showed it to me next time" Ru Xian snorted

{I wanted too, but I'm afraid there will be no next time for the both of us}

AUTHOR: You're dramatizing the scene so much

Wuwu then started to untie his ribbon as he took off his wet robe, leaving only his under clothes.

Ru Xian was startled from what he saw "W-What are you doing?!" he exclaimed

Wuwu smirked "I'm taking off my clothes, we need to dry it...come on, take your clothes off" he replied, shaking the drops of water from his robe and then he squeezed it. 

The two spend the night inside the old watch tower, waiting for the heavy rain to stop.  As they were fixing their wet clothes, Wuwu collapsed accidentally. 

Ru Xian dashed for rescue "Wuwu! What happened?!" he exclaimed as his eyes turned worried

Wuwu twitched his lips, resisting the tightening on his chest "I-Im fine, I j-just need s-some rest" he replied

Ru Xian helped him to lean on the wall, putting the lamp in front of them. Silent invade their senses.

"Wuwu, Can I see your arm again?" 

Wuwu was hesitant at first, but Ru Xian was fast enough to pin his other arm. The Prince caressed down the clothing covering his skin. 

He was again struck into his stance, his eyes shaking with his eyelids. "Y-Your arm" he mumbled languidly 

He let his fingers traced the corrupted arm of Wuwu, he gritted his teeth "Wuwu, You a-are s-slowly d-d-disappearing.." his voice were shaking and broken

Group of tears form beside his eyes, waiting to fall down. 

"Just take the bid back!! I don't need it!!!" Ru Xian turned into a hysterical one in an instant "Wuwu! I don't need it!! Take it back!!"  he was now seeing the man's figure as a blurry one, he was so hurt that he wanted to scream his heart out

"Wuwu Please!!"

"Just take it back!! I don't need it!!" 

"I need you more than that bid!!!"

"Wuwu please!!"

"I don't want it if I am going to lose you again!!"

Wuwu grabbed him, enveloping the Prince into his embrace. He couldn't comprehend his feelings anymore. His heart wanted to scream in agony, he was still trying even though it would hurt him.

"Ru Xian..Calm down"

With all of his gentle voice, he managed to tame the Prince struggling inside his embrace. A painful sobbing sound was only heard between them.

Ru Xian clenched his fist "W-Wuwu don't leave me again...please" his voice cracked out in so much resisting

Wuwu patted his back "You must be tired, let's rest here" he said in a gentle voice

Of course Wuwu was sad, Ru Xian was hurt for the second time around, but he needed to resist his feelings to show that nothing bad will happen to him in the end. He thought of humming a lullaby to Ru Xian to calm his heart, he can feel the tension just by letting their chest touch. 

He let the Prince lay on his lap while playing with his hair. Ru Xian calmed down after a few minutes until he was finally snoring soundly.

Wuwu wiped the left tears on Ru Xian's eyes

"I'm sorry…but this is not my world"