Forgive Me
She stares at him.
He turns slowly. His hands reach out tentatively. He looks for land to stand on.
She opens her mouth to speak. The words catch in the back of her throat. The familiar sting of longing flutters along the edges of her eyes.
"Wǒ zài nǎlǐ?" he murmurs.
Where am I?
She smiles faintly. The soft aching of her heart echoes in her soul. The edges of her fingertips strain to touch him once more.
"Wǒ zài nǎlǐ?" he repeats. "Nǐ- … Líng'er? Shì nǐ ma?"
Where am I?... You- … Líng'er? Is that you?
She whispers. "Shì,"
Yes
He ventures over to her slowly. The disbelief in his eyes strengthens. A sense of wariness fills him with hope and dread in equal amounts.
She raises her hand. He does the same. The tips of her fingers brush against his.
He bursts into a smile. "Líng'er,"
She smiles in return. "Xiǎo Yáo,"
He tries to embrace her but an invisible wall bars his. Hopelessness and despair overcomes him. His pleading eyes beg for an answer.
"Duìbùqǐ," she whispers. "Wǒ ài nǐ."
I'm sorry… I love you.
Author's Note: I simply love Xian Jiàn. I always have. I always will. This is between Xiǎo Yáo and his deceased wife Líng'er. I saw some fanart on the Chinese Paladin fansite. The inspiration came as easily as that. I adore this couple. They are one of my most beloved couples from any fandom. I have many more stories that I want to share of these two.
Thank you for reading. I do hope that you have enjoyed this piece. I apologise if I have failed.