《 Sometime in the Future 》
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 全职高手 | The King's Avatar (Cartoon), 全职高手 - 蝴蝶蓝 | Quánzhí Gāoshǒu - Húdié Lán
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Wú Xuěfēng/Yè Xiū
Characters: Yè Xiū, Wú Xuěfēng, Sū Mùchéng, Táo Xuān, Liú Hào, Fāng Ruì, Qiū Fēi, Sūn Xiáng, Zhōu Zékǎi, Chén Guǒ
Additional Tags: Nostalgia, Angst, Feels, Songfic, past relationship, Moving On, Novel Spoilers, spoilers for s10 finals and after, Probably ooc, I tried to keep it in character, dunno how i succeeded, rated m because of one scene, implicit sex, Oneshot, Betaed, Unreliable Narrator, POV Alternating
Series: Part 6 of 2018 QZGS Rarepair Collection
Summary:
Some time in the future we can share our stories
When we won't care about all of our mistakes
Our failures, and our glories
But until that day comes along I'll keep on moving on
I'll keep on moving on
【Moving On — Kodaline】
Notes:
Prompt Fill for QZGS Rarepair Week 2018:
Day 6: Apocalypse | Reincarnation | Nostalgia
Thank you, eringeosphere for editing this monster oneshot (^^;;)
Six days of nonstop writing later...and my day 6 rarepair fic is finally done; enjoy~
Featured Song: 【Moving On — Kodaline】
《 Sometime in the Future 》
"So, this is it." Ye Xiu blew out a smoke ring, the cigarette in his hand slipping downward a bit due to his relaxed grip.
"Yes, it is," Wu Xuefeng echoed. His things were already packed and shipped to his next destination, overseas. All that was left were the goodbyes.
"Carefree?"
That word caused Wu Xuefeng to close his eyes, a look of calm settling on his face. "Carefree. I'll leave the rest to you."
In a rare moment of honesty and straightforwardness, Ye Xiu admitted, "You're more important than you think."
"But I'm not what you need," Wu Xuefeng countered softly, his smile gaining a forlorn tinge. "You have Little Mucheng by your side now."
"Dancing Rain," Ye Xiu breathed out. Ashes steadily fell to the ground from his cigarette, but he didn't bring it up to his lips again, allowing it to die out. "Things will be different. She's not you."
"She's her own person." Wu Xuefeng nodded. "I'm still the best support there is." For now, was left unsaid.
"You always will be." Dropping the cigarette to the floor, he crushed it beneath his heel, pushing off of the wall and turning to face Wu Xuefeng for the first time since the other had walked out of the back entrance.
Wu Xuefeng looked at him with sad eyes, but there was no turning back from this. They had both made their decisions.
A moment of silence later, Ye Xiu sighed but extended his hand out. "I wish you the best, Xuefeng."
"May your pursuit of Glory never end," Wu Xuefeng teased, though he just as solemnly grasped the other's hand. The sudden warmth within his reminded him of other times, but he let go quickly after just a single shake. He glanced at his watch; it was nearing time for him to leave. With one last glance at Ye Xiu, he turned, intending to take the alleyway toward the main street.
"There's no 'see you on stage' for us, is there," Ye Xiu suddenly called out.
Wu Xuefeng turned his head back around. Ye Xiu seemed small standing there, his lofty figure in Glory reduced to reality. Hair mussed from the wind, face flushed red from the heat, Wu Xuefeng's fingers twitched, remembering things he would need to bury deep down.
"No, there isn't. This is the end of my feast."
"You didn't have to retire." Ye Xiu's voice gained a bit of desperation, a bit of reprimand, a bit of reproach.
"I didn't have to, but I did. Ye Xiu, Ah Xiu," Wu Xuefeng said with finality, "Glory was never supposed to be my future."
"But it could've been."
"It could've, but it isn't."
I met you on the corner of the street
I smiled before I even heard you speak
"Our legend has just begun," Tao Xuan declared, a bright smile on his face. He clapped Su Mucheng on the shoulder. "Everyone, may I introduce Su Mucheng, our new Launcher and the user behind Dancing Rain."
"Hello, everyone. It's nice to meet you," she politely greeted, her eyes searching and finding Ye Xiu leaning against the wall in the corner.
"Although Wu Xuefeng is no longer with us, Qi Breaker remains and will pass into good hands." Tao Xuan nodded toward Guo Yang, who raised a hand in acknowledgement. "Look at how far we have come, a dynasty, a dynasty!"
Cheers resounded throughout the conference room, but Ye Xiu simply clapped, his eyes hooded beneath his bangs.
Su Mucheng saw it all, the way his shoulders were slumped, the way his skin was even paler than normal, the way his eyes weren't shining like they used to.
He looked so lonely standing there. There was an empty spot next to him, but no one took it. She began making her way over, but she took the other side, leaving the right empty. "Ye Qiu," she called out softly.
"Mucheng. Congrats," he said. "You deserve this."
Being on the main roster for her debut, being the new support to One Autumn Leaf.
"Thanks. Are you...are you okay?" Her voice dropped lower, tentative in its query.
"No." Ye Xiu didn't cut corners, not with her. "If I ever will be, that I am even more unsure of."
"You can always keep in contact over QQ," she suggested, though she knew it was futile.
Ye Xiu shook his head slowly. "We've parted ways. Clinging on to what little remains...that will just hurt us further in the long run. We can only look to the future and keep moving forward."
"Right." Su Mucheng turned back to the room at large and saw Tao Xuan winding down from his speech. "Things will be a bit smoother now, with me here. I can take over for Brother Feng. Brother Tao won't bother you so much with the sponsorships."
"Yea, there is that." Ye Xiu closed his eyes, head tilted back to rest against the wall. "Carefree, huh?"
"Carefree," she repeated softly. "He hated this business stuff, you know. It was never his thing." He always did it for you.
"Mn." Ye Xiu didn't say anything else, his breathing slowing down, making it seem as if he was about to fall asleep.
Su Mucheng knew better though. She knew from the way his brows were slightly creased, from the way his fingers were curled in even though his arms remained lax at his side, from the way his chest rose and fell too deep to be a true resting state—
Brother Feng, did you ever realize how much you mean to him?
She didn't know. She pulled out her phone and flicked through the contacts, her finger pausing over one name. She could...but she shouldn't. Deleting it would be easier, so would blocking it. Yet… Perhaps it was foolish of her, but she still held a tiny spark of hope within her heart, hope that things would fix themselves, that this wasn't the end. She glanced at Ye Xiu, who was still struggling to hold back the tumultuous emotions waging war to break free.
Biting her lip, she held down on the contact address, bringing up a new screen. Changing the name to something nondescript, she decided to let it slip from her memory. Although she saw Wu Xuefeng as a brother, Ye Xiu would always be the one to hold her loyalty.
I can accept we're growing older but I guess that's just the way it has to be
"Captain Ye?" Liu Hao stepped forward to shake Ye Xiu's hand. Ye Xiu glanced up to look at the newcomer, his eyes carefully emotionless.
"Ah, you're the new vice captain?" Ye Xiu shook the hand offered and then dropped it immediately, returning his hand to his pocket. "Come, we have things to talk about."
"Right, right." Liu Hao trailed behind his idol, his thoughts whirling. God Ye Qiu seemed more terse than he expected. Was this because Excellent Era just barely lost to Tyranny last season?
"Spellblade, from what I heard?"
"Y–yes, I'll be taking over Li Xiaoyan's Total Darkness," Liu Hao promptly answered.
"Hmm…" Ye Xiu sat down at his computer and gestured for Liu Hao to take the one next to him, the one typically designated for the vice captain. "How about a training match? To get to know each other."
"Sure." Liu Hao retrieved from his pocket the account card he had been given earlier that day, when he officially signed on to Excellent Era.
The duel ended in less than a minute.
"Not bad."
Not bad? Liu Hao stared at his monitor in shock.
"I look forward to working with you, Liu Hao."
Liu Hao couldn't hear an ounce of sincerity within Ye Qiu's voice. He recalled how last season, even though Wu Xuefeng had retired, no Vice Captain had been appointed. "Captain Ye," Liu Hao called out, stopping the other in his tracks. "Any pointers?"
"You're doing as well as I expected, from when I looked over your profile with Tao Xuan." Ye Xiu left it at that and took his leave, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets to hide the minute tremble.
"As well as expected?" The words sounded hollow to Liu Hao. Everything about this whole encounter seemed off.
God Ye Qiu...was not what he expected.
He looked around the training room he had been brought to, and there, carefully contained within glass cabinets, were the three championship trophies Excellent Era had to their name. He stood up from his seat and walked over, wanting a closer look. Placed beside each trophy was a plaque of sorts, the signatures of the team for that season scrawled all over. Right in the center was God Ye Qiu's signature, and right beneath it was another name he was very familiar with—Wu Xuefeng. A bit farther down was the name of the senior he was replacing, Li Xiaoyan, and if he glanced at the other signatures, he was certain he would recognize them as well.
"I'm not the vice captain he wants," Liu Hao realized when he saw the empty spot beside the third trophy. It was waiting for a fourth, yet last year, Excellent Era failed to deliver. He remembered watching from the audience seats, seeing the beautiful avatar of Dancing Rain fire wave after wave of artillery to support One Autumn Leaf as the Battle God rushed into battle. Compared to the previous years, however, even he felt disappointed in Excellent Era's performance.
The synergy was there...but it wasn't the same.
"Liu Hao, a moment of your time?" He turned to face the doorway. Boss Tao Xuan had arrived sometime ago, though he did not know when.
"Yes, boss?"
"There are some duties you, as vice captain, are going to need to undertake, as Ye Qiu...is uncooperative. You'll be working closely with Little Mucheng here." He waved his hand, and Su Mucheng stepped forward, her chin tucked a bit in, making she seem a bit smaller than she already was.
So young, so talented, Liu Hao thought.
"Duties?"
Su Mucheng glanced at Tao Xuan, but the older man was not willing to speak further. Inwardly taking in a deep breath, she stepped further into the room and began to explain to Liu Hao how Excellent Era ran things, as their ace, the core of their team, was reluctant to show his face to the public.
By the end of her explanation, Liu Hao's head was reeling from the information overload. This...this was what the three-time consecutive championship team had to deal with, every year? They were the dynasty-setting team, Excellent Era. How come they faced so many troubles? Shouldn't sponsors be stumbling over themselves to pour funds into the team?
He opened his mouth to voice these very thoughts, but he then paused. He thought back to his encounter with Ye Qiu just now, and it was as if all his questions were answered. Oh.
Su Mucheng smiled politely. She knew what he just realized, but nothing could be done. Liu Hao glanced back at the exit on the other side, the one Ye Qiu had left through. It felt as if the wind had been taken from his sails.
God Ye...was not what he expected, not at all.
I wondered how you still remembered me
I heard you settled down and that you married happily
Knocks sounded at the door, but Ye Xiu simply continued sitting there at his desk, his fingers dancing across the keys in a flurry. "Come in."
"Ye Qiu," Su Mucheng called out. "It's already past seven; are you not going to eat?"
Ye Xiu shook his head.
"Alright." She was worried, but she honestly had no clue on how to proceed. The news had hit Ye Xiu like a hurricane. Neither of them had been expecting it. She had held on to some hope that everything would be okay, but...she already deleted the contact from her phone the moment she saw the announcement. "I'll...I'll leave the food right beside you, okay? Eat it when you...when you feel like it."
"Thanks." Ye Xiu didn't even glance her way when she left it beside the still full glass of water.
Su Mucheng sighed but closed the door behind her, the room falling into silence after her departure.
Ye Xiu's fingers stopped moving, a single click minimizing the simulation window again. He was tired, bone tired, but all he had left was Glory.
May your pursuit of Glory never end.
Ye Xiu wanted to laugh. Years later, and you still haunt me.
On the screen was a newspaper article, one from Hangzhou eSports Tribune. Not a very reputable paper, but...they did do the legwork, even if their topics were more gossip than analysis. His eyes inadvertently swept over the leading headline again, and it was difficult to suppress the instinctive wince upon reading it for the thousandth time.
「 Former Excellent Era Vice Captain, Wu Xuefeng, marries Heiress to Song Pharmaceuticals! 」
They had ended things, neither one of them expecting a long distance relationship to work. Ye Xiu had too much to deal with in regards to Excellent Era, whereas Wu Xuefeng was continuing the family tradition of going into medicine. Neurosurgery, was it?
He remembered when this first came up, Wu Xuefeng admitting that part of the reason behind his retirement was his family. His very traditional family, one steeped in years of medical practice; his older brothers had gone into medicine, both of them. His younger sister was studying to be a psychiatrist. Him? He had gone astray and fell in love with Glory instead, had gone and fell in love with Ye Xiu.
Ye Xiu remembered playing with Wu Xuefeng's hands. Soft, calluses only on the fingertips, well taken care of, those hands were still big enough to engulf his within them.
At present, he laid out his own hands on the table, eyeing them. He remembered how Wu Xuefeng had described them, delicate but strong. He flexed his hands, curling them into fists, clenching until his knuckles bled white.
He stared at them for a moment before relaxing instantly, his hands carelessly falling back down to rest on the table.
Do you still remember me, remember us, Xuefeng? How do you remember me? The young teen, reaching for the summit? The young man, warming your bed? The young leader, always looking back in your direction? The young man, that was never in your future plans?
His eyes trailed over that damnable headline again.
It seems like you have moved on while I remain stuck in the past, stuck in the time when you were still beside me.
His hand moved subconsciously, dragging the mouse pointer until it rested over the exit button. Click. The article vanished, just like Wu Xuefeng would now have to.
Do you still love me? Did you ever love me? Or was I just a passing fancy… You left...so carefree.
Oh, do you remember when I told you that I'd love you to the bottom of the sea?
Yeah I know, I know it's over but I guess that's just the way it has to be
It was as if a new wind had swept over Ye Qiu, the papers would claim.
Frightening.
Nightmarish.
Unbelievable.
But not unforgettable, Ye Xiu thought, tearing his gaze away from the newsreel playing on the television. He returned back to his match, easily winning the arena duel, and then accepting the next one that came up. The room was still the same as when Wu Xuefeng had helped him furnish it. There were still traces of his former vice captain everywhere, and though he could tear it all down, could erase the other from his life, the other man had essentially been his shadow for years. It was not the same without him.
Su Mucheng was too bright, Dancing Rain too vivid, to fill in the same role as Wu Xuefeng and Qi Breaker had. She would never be able to replace Wu Xuefeng. No one would.
Yet, Wu Xuefeng had never believed him. Not once, always insisting that his skills were only meant to be support, were always limited, never enough without Ye Xiu taking the leading role. Sometimes, Ye Xiu wanted to wring the other's neck, because Ye Qiu's legend would not have existed without Wu Xuefeng there raising him up high.
Season four could have been Excellent Era's again, if Qi Breaker's true owner had been there.
Many things would have played out differently, if Wu Xuefeng was there.
His hands automatically went to the ever present cigarette box in his pocket, tapping it out against the table in order to pull another stick out. In his head, he could hear Wu Xuefeng's reprimanding voice echo, but he tuned it out as easily, just as he had learned to these past three years.
Their romance had been nothing much in the grand scheme of things. Comfort, warmth, reliance, support; it was an extension of their partnership, of their bond. For when the stress and burdens became too much, for when the nights drew out too long, for when the days would drag till their limbs shook from exertion, for when they just needed someone there. And so, they took comfort in each other, their bodies curling together beneath a light quilt, seeking warmth from one another rather than from cotton fabric. Hands, treasured and cherished, would tentatively explore, neither knowing much, neither expecting much.
Simply being, simply being together, to be precise.
But now, he was left adrift, his hands often too cold, trembling without his permission. His bed, too empty, too big—too used to another within its covers. His room, too silent, too suffocating—missing that one thing that made it home.
It's over, but I still love you more than I love Glory—as impossible as that sounds. Don't you remember? Me, whispering it in the dark, my head tucked into your chest. You hadn't dared believe my words, but I proved it to you, didn't I? Didn't I?
Tears pooled within Ye Xiu's eyes, everything too close to the surface for him to remain as unaffected as he had repeatedly forced himself to appear. Still, with an iron will, he squashed it all back down soon enough.
Nothing could have prepared him for today. Stopping dead in his tracks, Ye Xiu stared at the person he saw standing right outside of Excellent Era. He had only planned on walking down the block to grab some street food, but… He felt his stomach drop, any appetite he might have had, vanishing into thin air. "Wu Xuefeng?" The words left his lips before he could stop himself.
The person turned, more than a profile now visible. The same jawline, the same set to the eyes, the same curve to the lips; tanner skin, shorter hair, taller, broader, different yet the same.
"Ye Qiu," Wu Xuefeng greeted, a smile on his face.
Oh. Ye Qiu, now, was it. Ye Xiu smiled tightly, looking more like a grimace. Wu Xuefeng saw, and dropped his smile as well.
"How have you been?" Wu Xuefeng asked, still polite, still courteous, still Wu Xuefeng.
"Well. You?" Ye Xiu casually tossed back, his hands carefully sliding deeper into his thick coat. It was only just past noon, but the snowy weather had sent most of Hangzhou's residents into their warm homes. Not many were out braving the winds.
A soft red scarf wrapped around Wu Xuefeng's neck, now visible after Wu Xuefeng turned to face Ye Xiu. Ye Xiu's heart dropped, recognizing it. So you kept it after all. Probably, for practicality's sake?
His hands fisted together within his coat, the gloves, the gifted gloves, encasing his hands burning hot.
"Life overseas...is different." Wu Xuefeng paused, contemplating on what else to say.
"Married life?" Ye Xiu probed, voice steady despite every part of his body screaming in protest.
"You heard?" The surprise within Wu Xuefeng's voice sent another stab into his heart. Did Wu Xuefeng expect him to just simply forget?
"Yea, you made quite a headline even after retirement. Always one for the dramatics, aren't you." Your retirement, for one; revealing it live, during the finals—quite a power move.
"Are you sure you're not talking about yourself?" Wu Xuefeng deflected.
Ye Xiu's eyes flashed, a smirk forming on his lips. "Pot, kettle."
"Heh." Wu Xuefeng shrugged, no longer refuting. "It's different," he answered, going back to the original question.
"Different?"
"Indeed."
Neither of them spoke further. A flurry of snow continued to descend down upon Hangzhou, gradually painting the entire city white.
"Let's go somewhere else," Wu Xuefeng suggested, hesitation lacing his voice. "A drink? Or are you still a lightweight."
"How about the beef noodle shop, down the block?" Ye Xiu offered instead. That had been where he was intending to go, before he had run into Wu Xuefeng out of the blue.
That was also the same beef noodle shop they would visit together in the past, hidden in the corner as they shared a far too large bowl.
Wu Xuefeng seemed to remember such moments as well, if the awkward cough to the side was any indication.
Good, a vindictive part of Ye Xiu murmured. Ye Xiu instantly silenced it. He had moved on; he was supposed to move on. He would appear the part even if it killed him.
Wu Xuefeng deserved better than a fading god, a disappearing star.
He was smart, to leave in a blaze of glory, rather than like Ye Xiu—each season taking more energy and effort in exchange for nothing.
At times, he had wondered if Glory still meant the same to him as it did that first season on stage.
At times, he realized: no, it didn't.
At times, he declared: yes, it did.
Because, whenever he played, he would sometimes, in the corner of his eye, in the shadows of his own avatar, see Qi Breaker following faithfully.
But it was only an illusion; Guo Yang would never do something like that. Dancing Rain was not meant for the shadows. In the end, it was only One Autumn Leaf on the screen, only One Autumn Leaf rushing forward, charging into battle.
"It's still open?" Wu Xuefeng's question pulled him from his reverie.
"Yeah, some things don't change." Ye Xiu began walking again, expecting Wu Xuefeng to follow. He did, one step behind like always.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Wu Xuefeng nod in acknowledgement of his words, but also in acknowledgement that some things do change.
They ordered separate bowls this time and were seated at a different table as well.
Neither one of them finished their bowl.
Sometime in the future maybe we can get together
Maybe share a drink and talk awhile
"Maybe I will take you up on that drink," Ye Xiu mused as they left the shop, their steps heavier than before. The snow had lightened up, though the sky had darkened further.
"You dare? Will I have to carry you back home?" Wu Xuefeng laughed, the words coming out easily to where he only realized what he had just said mid-laugh, his voice abruptly cutting short once he did.
"What's there to be worried about? I have you here," Ye Xiu wryly said, a smile touching the corner of his mouth. He selectively ignored the laughter just now. "It's not like it would be any different compared to before." Other than the fact that they were no longer together.
"Is Blue Pavilion still open?" Wu Xuefeng considered, remembering the bar he and the old Excellent Era teammates would frequent.
"Closed down last year; the owners moved out to Suzhou."
"Oh," Wu Xuefeng said softly. "I thought the old lady would have never moved."
"Me neither, but her granddaughter gave birth to triplets, so she wanted to be around to help out."
"Makes sense." They fell silent, their feet taking them down the streets of Hangzhou without a destination in mind.
"There's this place I've heard about, from the rest of the team." Heard about, because he was never invited to come along, not anymore. The team was falling apart, and some days, it felt like he was falling apart.
"Any good?" Wu Xuefeng turned to look at Ye Xiu, who also glanced over at that moment. Their gazes met, locking in, before disconnecting, the link shattering.
"Probably. I would have heard more complaints about the selection instead of complaints about the poor music." Ye Xiu led Wu Xuefeng down the street and then through a winding side alley, eventually reaching a quiet corner where jazz music streamed out of.
"They don't like jazz? It's not half bad," Wu Xuefeng commented.
"No, they don't." Ye Xiu stepped to the side to allow Wu Xuefeng to enter, reaching for the door to pull it open—only for his hand to bump into Wu Xuefeng's, as he had also been reaching out to open the door for Ye Xiu.
"Ah." Wu Xuefeng took note of the gloves, seeming to recognize them.
Ye Xiu seized the opportunity and grasped the door handle, jerking it open with more force than necessary. "After you."
"Thank you." Wu Xuefeng nodded and stepped inside, immediately unraveling his scarf when the warmer air blasted him in the face. Even though the temperature was not particularly high, it was definitely cozier in the bar than it was outside.
Ye Xiu entered in after Wu Xuefeng, his gaze growing a bit hazy as he stared at Wu Xuefeng's back. Overlapping the scene before him was a scene from another time, one he had unwillingly engraved deep into the recesses of his mind, one where Wu Xuefeng's back simply keep getting farther and farther away. The illusion broke when Wu Xuefeng turned around to ask Ye Xiu for his choice, to which Ye Xiu shrugged, leaving it up to Wu Xuefeng. He took a seat at the counter, sensing more than seeing Wu Xuefeng take the seat next to him.
What was he doing, sitting here? Ye Xiu didn't know, but he also couldn't bring himself to escape, like he easily could have back when the offer was made.
And reminisce about the days when we were still together
Maybe somewhere further down the line
The drink was smooth going down, no bite or fire. Ye Xiu knocked it back easily without even wincing, despite knowing that he would be dead under in just a few. He eyed the bottom of the glass, wishing it did have a kick to it. Dry, bitter, a hint of citrus...kind of lemony, now that he thought about it. Some drops still remained in the glass, a pale red compared to the vividness it originally was all concentrated together.
"Thoughts?" Wu Xuefeng inquired, nursing a half-full glass of some burgundy-black liquor. Next to him, a plate of chocolates was provided by the bar.
"What drink is this? It's more...fruity than I expected; I'm not some damsel, Xue–feng," he involuntarily paused midway through Wu Xuefeng's name, hesitating on whether he could be so familiar. His eyes widened in shock shortly after, his ears finally registering his own voice. No slurring; this was extremely strange. Even a single shot of weak wine would send him into unconsciousness.
Amused, Wu Xuefeng fished out the cherry Ye Xiu had left untouched in his glass and offered it, his fingers carefully bringing it up to Ye Xiu's mouth. "It's called the 'Keep Sober Cocktail,' a virgin Shirley Temple in other words." Some of the cocktail dripped down his fingers, but he paid it no mind. Pressing the cherry against Ye Xiu's lips, Wu Xuefeng basically forced the younger man to accept the fruit, leaving only the stem behind in his fingers. "No alcohol for your delicate body, just some grenadine, tonic water, and lemon syrup. It's all the rage back in the United Kingdom when I was there; something fruity and smooth, giving you the draw of alcohol without the side effects."
Ye Xiu swallowed the cherry, discovering that the pit had been removed beforehand. "Oh."
He hadn't expected Wu Xuefeng to be so considerate.
"I'm not going to lug your drunk ass back to Excellent Era in this weather, Ye Xiu."
"What, have you been slacking on those gym days of yours?" Ye Xiu tossed back, hand sneaking over and grabbing a chocolate from Wu Xuefeng's plate. He popped it into his mouth and instantly tasted a bitter darkness, which melted away to reveal a slightly salted cashew.
"I can probably lift you with one arm," Wu Xuefeng retorted, his gaze sweeping over Ye Xiu's thin frame. "Have you lost weight? Your cheeks aren't as squishy as they used to be."
"Hey." Annoyance dripped from Ye Xiu's voice, his eyes narrowing when he saw Wu Xuefeng reach out with a hand to prod his face. He eyed that hand carefully, and when it came too close for comfort, he smacked it away—or tried to. Wu Xuefeng gripped his hand, and then the other hand coming up to free it. Tightening his hold on both of Ye Xiu's hands with his right, he used his left hand to poke Ye Xiu's puffed up cheeks, the other pouting at the treatment.
"Xueeeefengggggg," Ye Xiu whined. "Let go."
Wu Xuefeng examined Ye Xiu for a moment, finally spotting that sparkle return to the other's eye. He couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto his face when he finally let go. "Alright. Bartender, can I get a wet napkin. I need to wash my hands."
Ye Xiu, playing along, pouted. "I do wash regularly, you know."
"A quick swipe is not enough. Staying away from Glory for more than five minutes will not kill you," Wu Xuefeng joked, though he knew Ye Xiu was not that bad at maintaining his health—just some old jokes between old friends.
They both burst into laughter, hands coming up to try and fail at stifling their amusement. Whenever one began to wind down, a single glance at the other person would send them back into giggling.
"Never change, Ye Xiu," Wu Xuefeng said, as he drained the rest of his glass. He popped in a handful of the chocolate-covered cashews as well, barely holding back from moaning as the port wine swirled in his mouth alongside the bitter darkness of the chocolate and nuts.
Ye Xiu watched him, his amusement drying out suddenly. He opened his mouth to speak, but what came out was not what he intended. "How's the wife?"
And I will meet you there
"Well." It felt awkward talking about this with his ex-lover, Wu Xuefeng inwardly admitted. Ye Xiu seemed to be taking it far too well for his comfort, but—Ye Xiu had always been a calm person. Nothing really fazed him, and if it did, he didn't let it show.
Ye Xiu's mask was truly something to be feared, always showing what was needed and nothing more.
For some reason, after all these years, he thought he would still be able to see through it, be able to see the true person hidden behind the divine aura.
He was wrong.
Ye Xiu kept that small smile on his face, his eyes warm, soft, gentle. It was the same look Ye Xiu had earlier, when they were joking around, but there was an edge to it, the eyes crinkled a bit too much, that set alarms ringing within Wu Xuefeng's head.
"I'm glad you're happy." Ye Xiu turned toward the bar, shifting his gaze away from Wu Xuefeng, and ordered a second glass of the drink Wu Xuefeng had ordered for him. He itched to drown himself in alcohol, but that made him too vulnerable. He wasn't that far gone yet. His throat felt parched, the tang of lemon still sitting on his tongue despite stealing a chocolate from Wu Xuefeng. He considered snatching another one, but then decided against. Earlier, he had been in a far different mood compared to now. The chink of glass against countertop drew his attention away from meandering paths.
When the bartender set another glass of that cocktail in front of him, he absentmindedly noted that the shade was somewhat similar to Excellent Era's red. What a coincidence. He downed it easily, sliding it back toward the bartender after. Only then did he turn back to face Wu Xuefeng, who had silently been observing him all the while. The piercing gaze was hard to ignore, after all.
"Xuefeng?"
"Nothing." Wu Xuefeng paused for a moment, contemplating on what to say. "I was worried when I left, actually. Whether you could cope with captaining a team on your lonesome, whether Tao Xuan would increase pressure on you and Mucheng…" Whether you would move on as you should.
"I thought I told you to leave carefree and allow me to handle the rest?" Ye Xiu tapped his fingers against the counter, his blood feeling a bit sluggish. He really wanted a cigarette right now, but it would only show weakness. Besides, he had seen a no smoking sign on the way in.
"You did."
"You were important to the team, Xuefeng, but you aren't the pillar."
No, that has always been you, Ye Xiu. Wu Xuefeng signaled to the bartender for another glass of port wine, his mind growing a bit hazy. Port wine with chocolate was a rather lethal combination, a perfect night cap, in fact. Still, a bit of iron will cleared the effects well enough. He looked at Ye Xiu in the corner of his eyes; the younger man was resting his chin in the palm of his left hand, eyes half-lidded as he listened to the jazz chords floating around.
"Still, you made a life for yourself. Neurosurgeon, right?" Ye Xiu said, breaking the silence.
"Yes; you remembered?"
Why wouldn't I. Ye Xiu nodded, eyes still looking away, this time focused on a still-life painting of a lake.
"How about you? I've been keeping up with Excellent Era's progress, though being overseas makes it a tad difficult."
"Well." Not as well as he liked; it was a struggle, more like. Tao Xuan and Liu Hao's patience were wearing thin. His refusal to do any sponsorships or even show his face was too uncooperative, but these were arguments he had been hearing for years. He wasn't going to change his mind any time soon.
If he didn't submit when Wu Xuefeng asked all those years ago, why would he submit now?
Sometime in the future we can share our stories
Wu Xuefeng raised a brow, having seen the articles and match recordings. Seeing Ye Xiu fail to elaborate, he chose to kept silent.
"Is Mucheng doing all right?"
"Of course." Short answers, yet even those required effort to deliver calm and smoothly. Ye Xiu let his eyes fall fully closed, the jazz music making it seem as if Wu Xuefeng's voice was far more distant than it truly was.
"Her Dancing Rain is exceptional," Wu Xuefeng complimented. "You taught her well."
"She lives up to his legacy," Ye Xiu melancholically revealed. Wu Xuefeng fell silent at this, having expected Ye Xiu to skirt around the topic a bit more. Apparently not.
"Number One Launcher." Wu Xuefeng bit a chocolate-covered cashew in half, his teeth grinding the nut until it was just crumbs. The chocolate was creamy, warmed up while being in the cozy atmosphere rather than the chilled refrigerator it was probably kept in. "She's following my steps right now," Wu Xuefeng commented. She is your shadow, just like I was.
"She'll surpass him in her own way, one day." Ye Xiu blithely ignored the unspoken implication of Wu Xuefeng's words. Reminiscing like this...was both cathartic and painful, reopening old wounds he honestly would have preferred to leave as they previously were—scarred yet scabbed over.
"Of course," Wu Xuefeng echoed. He expected nothing less, remembering vividly the fire within her eyes when she first showed him and Tao Xuan her skills. One day, she was going to take the world by storm; not now, not like the paltry flames she harnessed from Ye Xiu's own burning sun, but one day, when she broke off and became her own star.
He looked forward to that day while at the same time, not.
Because, such a day would only happen if Ye Xiu were to leave the stage—a future that Wu Xuefeng truthfully couldn't imagine.
Ye Xiu may not have started out loving Glory, but Glory loved him right from the very start. From what he heard, after the first couple weeks, it had been Su Muqiu pulling Ye Xiu away from the game instead of vice-versa. He couldn't help but smile at this recollection, and when Ye Xiu, hearing too little from Wu Xuefeng, turned to see what was up, Wu Xuefeng shared the memory.
That drew a bright laugh from Ye Xiu, because yes, that was all true. At one point, he couldn't have cared less about Glory. He had been the one to walk Su Mucheng home back when it first launched, while Su Muqiu had stayed behind at the internet cafe to play. He had been the one to take breaks and grab food. At one point, that all changed, and he wasn't exactly sure when.
That day, when he first met Han Wenqing, when they first clashed as One Autumn Leaf and Desert Dust? Or… Ye Xiu stealthily snuck a glance at Wu Xuefeng, was it when he first met Qi Breaker outside that dungeon, a glowing shield of green protecting him from the scavengers lurking around?
The wine loosened Wu Xuefeng's tongue a bit more, while Ye Xiu's own exhaustion, paired with the dry, citrus cocktail he was drinking, had him exposing more than he would have wished, if he had truly been 'sober.' Soon, it was tale after tale, story after story. Laughter, tears, it all came pouring out. Yet, neither of them touched the atomic bomb that was their past relationship.
When we won't care about all of our mistakes
Our failures, and our glories
Golden Generation—one of them brought up; but if Ye Xiu was asked about this the next day, he would not be able to recall who. Ye Xiu would remember that he was on his seventh cocktail by then, Wu Xuefeng nursing a fourth glass of port wine.
Wu Xuefeng kept up far more closely than Ye Xiu expected, which also meant he kept close watch as to how Ye Xiu had fared after he retired, but Ye Xiu put that out of mind for the moment.
"Zhang Xinjie, you say?"
"Yeah, he mentioned, once, that he regretted the chance of not being able to have a chance at breaking the bond between One Autumn Leaf and Qi Breaker." Ye Xiu raised his glass in a toast, Wu Xuefeng nonchalantly raising his own to meet it.
"No one ever did."
"Mn, an untouched record."
"A pity that there was no Best Partners achievement while I was still playing," Wu Xuefeng mused, swirling the wine at the bottom of his glass. "You and Mucheng, though, have quite the record going. Only Sun Zheping and Zhang Jiale had you beat."
"Before Sun Zheping had his time cut short," Ye Xiu said, sighing. "They could have gone far, the two of them. Dual-core…"
"Some things are, perhaps, not meant to be, not at this time." Wu Xuefeng set his glass back down, leaning his weight onto the countertop. By now, dusk had set, but neither of them had any obligations to meet nor any desire to leave. "If a Dual-core had existed at the start…"
"The Alliance would have been stunted more than it already was, when we set our dynasty," Ye Xiu finished, the words coming easy for this familiar conversation.
"Yes," Wu Xuefeng agreed. "Chairman Jin must have hated you for simply existing, all his grandiose plans, stopped by one stubborn player."
"Heh," Ye Xiu drained the rest of the cocktail and set the glass down, holding up a flat palm to stop the bartender from making another. That was enough for him tonight. "Can you believe that he sent me a card when he retired? Wishing me the best of luck, and then a postscript to make his 'cute junior Feng' suffer from the curse of paperwork?"
Wu Xuefeng nearly choked on his wine, the liquor dripping down his chin as he spluttered. Grabbing a few napkins to wipe his face and then the countertop, he glared at Ye Xiu, who watched on in amusement. "You did that on purpose."
"Yes, I did."
"Tch, the same as always." Despite the harsh language, the words came out breathy, light, filled with amusement and laughter.
Ye Xiu threw in an out-of-character wink, causing Wu Xuefeng to bend over laughing.
"Please, don't do that again. God, my sides are killing me. I'm not as young as I used to be, you know." The moment the words left Wu Xuefeng's mouth, he regretted it.
Ye Xiu froze the instant he fully processed Wu Xuefeng's words, mind flashing back to that morning—and then further back, to the night before. A bitter look crossed his face, his lips downturning a bit.
Wu Xuefeng saw, but he didn't do anything, his mind recalling that time as well.
But until that day comes along I'll keep on moving on
Soft lips brushed against his, gently prying them open. A tongue slipped inside, exploring, making sure nothing was left untouched. All his nerves were lit up, his eyes long closed, his hands clinging tightly to broad shoulders. His gasps and moans were stolen before even a hint of his voice could leave his mouth. His legs spread farther apart, making it easier for him to be pressed down further into the bed. Last night, the stage had been the team's, a dynasty founded. This night, it was just theirs, belonging only to the two of them.
Yet, instead of pushing forward, the other backed off.
Ye Xiu blinked dazedly at Wu Xuefeng, eyes taking a while to refocus.
"Ah Feng?" The diminutive slipped out of him, his voice breathy and soft.
Wu Xuefeng looked as if he was about to finally lift a burden from his shoulders, but then it was like realization set in, causing them to slump down heavily.
"Nothing. I'll tell you, after."
Ye Xiu furrowed his brows, his chest heaving as he took the time to recenter himself. "A–ah–fter?" The moment he spoke up, Wu Xuefeng bent down to begin laying waste to Ye Xiu's chest, treating it like a battlefield and every moment not engraving himself onto Ye Xiu's body, a waste of time.
"Trust me, Ah Xiu," Wu Xuefeng breathed into his skin before mouthing a spot just above where Ye Xiu's heart was, toying with it till a splash of bright red was present on an expanse of white.
"W–why wouldn't I—I—I— trust you," Ye Xiu struggled to get out, hands moving upward to nestle into Wu Xuefeng's hair instead. He tried to bring the older man in closer, wanting more warmth, more heat, more connection—simply more.
Wu Xuefeng simply sucked harder, causing Ye Xiu to toss his head back, a litany of curses escaping his mouth.
"Fuck, Ah Feng, stop avoiding the topic," Ye Xiu cursed, his ability to prevent himself from thrusting up diminishing greatly.
Backing off slightly, till just the tip was in his mouth, Wu Xuefeng looked up—a vision, a feast for Ye Xiu's eyes. Dark eyes sparkled mischievously, a brow raised in question. After that, Ye Xiu blacked out for a moment, white dancing across his vision as pleasure rocked him to the core.
He remembered a tongue dipping into his slit, teeth scraping against his head, humming, swallowing; he remembered too much and too little, and it all slipped from his mind like sand.
He zoned back in to the sight of Wu Xuefeng licking his lips, looking like the cat that got the canary and cream. Those lips curled into a smirk, the only warning Ye Xiu got.
The familiar stretch, fingers probing, scissoring, spreading—slippery and warm—and then the burn that lit his nerves on fire, lightning-strike fire. It coursed through his body, raging with the intensity of a dragon. At one point, he thought he could hear himself begging for Wu Xuefeng to slow down, to give him time to adjust, but that didn't happen.
If anything else, it spurred Wu Xuefeng on further, each strike deeper, harder, making it feel as if he was being turned inside out. White bathed his vision more than once, each time pulling him thinner and thinner until he was but a taut string waiting to snap.
His hips ached, his thighs quivering. Back flat against the bed, he simply left himself open for Wu Xuefeng, too tired to take part. "Ah–h–h Feng," he moaned out, feeling the other grind firmly against that spot within him.
"—ry."
"What?" Ye Xiu tried to look up, confusion filling his face, but the next thrust had him reeling, head just barely missing the headboard when it jerked back. "Ah!"
"Ah Xiu—" Wu Xuefeng groaned out, finally spent.
Warmth splashed against his walls, filling him up steadily to the brim and then some. Ye Xiu shivered, the sensation still unsettling no matter how many times they had done it previously.
"So," he panted out, "what did you want to talk about?"
"I'm not as young as I used to be, you know," Wu Xuefeng began, shifting to lay down beside Ye Xiu.
Ye Xiu, in protest, weakly wrapped his legs around Wu Xuefeng's waist, pulling his lover in deeper. "Stay," he murmured quietly, wanting to feel this connection, this bond, for a little while longer. He then paused, his brain slowly working through Wu Xuefeng's words. "What does your age have to do with anything?"
"I'm retiring."
"..."
Ye Xiu stare blankly up at his lover. "I know. You told me this already."
"I'm going overseas."
"Yes. And?"
"Let's break up."
"..."
I'll keep on moving on
"It's getting late," Ye Xiu said, breaking the silence. He carefully blinked back tears, looking away just in case. He didn't want Wu Xuefeng to see them.
"Oh, it is. I should be getting back to my hotel," Wu Xuefeng said, voice quiet. He turned to the bartender to settle the tab, waving Ye Xiu off when the other reached for his wallet to pay for his share. "My treat, Ye Xiu."
Ye Xiu didn't fight and simply nodded, returning his hand to the countertop. Looking down at his hands, he flexed his left, feeling the absence even more clearly all of a sudden. He inwardly sighed and took the time to reconstruct all the walls that fell; what was he thinking, acting as if nothing had changed when everything had changed?
"How long are you staying in Hangzhou?" Ye Xiu asked, slipping off his bar stool. He stood to the side and waited for Wu Xuefeng to finish signing the receipt.
Wu Xuefeng, not looking up, replied, "Tonight's my last night. My flight leaves tomorrow."
"Oh. No time to meet Mucheng, then?" Ye Xiu casually asked, hands tucked into his pockets.
Wu Xuefeng slid the receipt back to the bartender and pocketed his own copy. Turning to Ye Xiu, scarf in hand, he said, "I can see her when I walk you back."
Ye Xiu nodded in understanding and turned to exit the bar, Wu Xuefeng on his heels. The two left in silence. Outside, it had stopped snowing, the clouds dispersing enough to reveal a starless sky. The moon was hidden from view, and even if it was visible, it would only be a sliver of light. An old melody drifted into his ears as he stared up at the sky, the soft, high notes causing his heart to ache. He glanced beside him, at Wu Xuefeng. The older man was pulling out his phone; the song, The Moon Represents My Heart, came from the sleek device.
Ye Xiu caught a glimpse of the screen and politely looked away.
「 Wife 」, it had read.
Instead, he walked a fair distance away, enough to not be able to overhear his former vice captain's conversation. Pulling out and lighting a cigarette, he took a deep draw, allowing the nicotine to seep into his bloodstream. Soon after, he could feel it doing its work, adrenaline coursing through him—enough to distract from the unwanted feelings that had arisen.
Already, he could feel the urge to light another cigarette, even if he had not yet finished his current one. Taking long draws and exhales, he forced himself to calm down, to relax. He heard footsteps approach. A side glance revealed that it was simply Wu Xuefeng coming over, phone out of sight. He stabbed his cigarette into the wall behind him and let the stub fall to the snow-covered ground, dampening it instantly.
"You done?" Ye Xiu asked, voice steady and indifferent.
"Yeah, she was just checking up with me before she headed to work." Wu Xuefeng glanced at the discarded cigarette stub but made no comment. It was no longer his place to, regardless.
"What does she do?" Ye Xiu asked, his gaze not once shifting toward Wu Xuefeng.
"She's the director of one of Song Pharmaceutical's branch offices in New York," Wu Xuefeng elaborated.
"Ah, sounds tiresome."
Wu Xuefeng smiled helplessly, but didn't continue the vein of conversation.
The walk back to Excellent Era was unnaturally quiet.
Ye Xiu knew he should move on, but...he had always held some hope, until tonight.
He knew he needed to move on, but who knew moving on was so hard?
He woke up to light streaming in through the window. Eyes momentarily blinded, the last vestiges of his dream faded away. All that he was able to retain was a single scene—of teary eyes staring up at him, a look of betrayal and heartbreak clouding the familiar amber irises. Wu Xuefeng sighed, raising a hand to cover his eyes. Turning away from the inconveniently placed window, he pressed his face into the cushy hotel pillow, his stomach turning. He had never wanted to see such a look, let alone be the reason for it.
But, some things had to be done.
He would have only held Ye Xiu back, preventing him from reaching true glory.
A series of beeps alerted him to the fact that he had woken up before his alarm. Blindly reaching out for his phone, he slid his thumb across the screen, shutting it off. Sleepy eyes took in the lock screen wallpaper, a photo from his wedding day—taken during the first tea ceremony, to be precise. A press of this thumb against the home button, however, unlocked his phone, showing a drastically different scene.
They were laughing, the trophy held aloft between the two. The quality was certainly not up to par compared to the other one, but the way the lighting played across their features, the shadows enhancing the brilliance of that youthful face… Wu Xuefeng smiled sadly. This was taken the night they won their third—and he supposed, final—championship.
The night before he ended it all.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice hoarse from just waking up. "I'm so sorry." He had seen that look again, for a split moment, last night. He should have never come back to Hangzhou. He should have just passed on the conference and had some colleague go in his stead.
He never meant to tear old wounds open, to inadvertently rub salt into them.
Did Ye Xiu move on?
Wu Xuefeng didn't know; he thought his former captain had. It sure seemed like it, but that haunting gaze made him question everything.
The younger man had appeared so controlled the entire time they had caught up. It was as if nothing changed between them. The banter, the familiarity, the mutual understanding...it felt as if he had never left all those years ago, never once looking back or reaching out to keep in contact.
He had cut all connections, unwilling to make it hurt more than it was already going to. His time had come to an end, his prodigal ways vanishing after just one call.
"Feng'er, it is time to come home. Your father and I have found you a marriage match."
He wasn't even given a choice; he had never even met his wife until the week of their impending marriage, the same week he had returned home to a place he thought he would never see again after going professional.
But, at heart, he would always be a loyal, obedient son. Even if he wanted to—even if he would love Ye Xiu until the day the sun exploded and took the earth with—he still could not.
Between duty and love, duty had won out.
And, he regretted it with every passing day.
Not ending things the moment he got the call, was it an act of cowardice, foresight, or selfishness?
He should have told Ye Xiu, should have let the other down more gently, but his parents had scheduled a flight for him the second morning after the last finals match. They had only given him a day to say goodbye, and he had screwed it up, massively.
He had known for months, sitting on the issue. He should have talked with Ye Xiu about it. They could have tried to find another way, but he never brought it up, not until it was too late for anything but goodbyes.
Ye Xiu had seen him off that morning, eyes cold and words piercing. So unlike before, unlike the warmth and love he was so used to.
But, the only one he had to blame was himself.
It's funny why but it still bothers me
I know it's been so long but I did not expect to see oh how beautiful you are
He tossed his phone further down his bed, a long mastered technique considering that his phone did not bounce off and hit the floor, and pulled the covers back up his bare chest, opting to go back to sleep. It eluded him, however, the past day refusing to leave his mind. Exhaustion had tugged him into dreaming of the Duke of Zhou easily but not restfully. Tossing and turning, he begrudgingly went to pull the blinds closed, having forgotten to last night. The chill of the morning breeze only increased his desire to return to the warm sheets, except the classic love song, The Moon Represents My Heart, began playing at that exact moment.
Right, his wife would have gotten off work and returned home just around this time. She was clingy in a way Ye Xiu wasn't—or, rather, more overt about it. He still had an unreasonably large amount of concealer and scarves from when they were together.
He still had a lot of things from when they were together, carefully boxed and stored away like the treasures they were.
After last night, though, he wasn't in much of a mood to talk to her. Ye Xiu's disregard toward him after he had answered her call, the way Ye Xiu had frozen the moment he realized who the ringtone was for—because Ye Xiu was too keen to not realize—it caused Wu Xuefeng's temples to ache.
Why was everything so difficult? Why couldn't things go back to when he was simply a professional gamer instead of a neurosurgeon? It was difficult to even find time to play games, let alone log in to Glory.
It sometimes felt as if his wife was conspiring with his parents to keep him away; every moment he didn't spend at the hospital was spent with her.
And he went along with it, because that was what a dutiful, faithful husband would do.
He hated himself for it, for conceding, for breaking both of their hearts in the process.
The music kept playing, his wife still waiting for him to pick up.
Another choice, another decision that was not really one. Inwardly grumbling, he sat up and reached down to retrieve his phone, answering the call.
"Husband?" he heard.
"Welcome home, dear." The words tasted like ash in his mouth, like it always did.
"And good morning to you! How was your sleep? Rest well?" Her voice was far too cheery for a morning like this, but deep breathes and long exhales brought him to a forced calm.
"Well enough. Hangzhou has changed a lot since I've last been here." Empty words; Hangzhou was the same. It was Ye Xiu who had changed yet not, still the same young man he remembered meeting seven years ago but more bitter, more jaded. It was all his fault.
"Ah, I've never been to Hangzhou. Maybe we should go there on our next vacation? Mn, we should! You need to show me around all the places you enjoyed, back when you lived there."
"It's nothing much, far from the grandeur you're used to in Beijing," he replied. "You have that huge collaboration coming up, too, don't you? We're not going to be able to go on vacation any time soon."
"Right, right, how silly of me~! What would I do without you, husband darling?"
With someone else who might actually be able to fall for you, instead of my mockery of a 'love,' Wu Xuefeng bitterly thought. Still, he kept the act going. "Why don't you tell me?"
"Hihihi~ don't be like that, Feng'er! I'm going to go make dinner now; I'll call you before I head to bed. Have a nice day! I miss you."
"Miss...you, too, dear." He hung up quickly, a headache eagerly making itself known. Tossing his phone back down, he rubbed his temples, wishing that he had taken a different path back then.
Ye Xiu had done it, had cut ties with his family so thoroughly that none of them had bothered searching for him after so long.
Why couldn't he? Why was it that the moment whispers about his age getting too old for the professional eSports scene began cropping up, his parents reached out to him, knowing he would give in to their demands with just a bit of persistence?
Wu Xuefeng glanced at the full mirror attached to the closet and sighed again. All he saw was a pitiful man, done with life, regretting everything.
I guess that all that time apart has done you well
Perhaps he was cursed to always be plagued by thoughts of what could have been, the stark reminders of his past visible everywhere now.
On the flight back, the most prominent magazines and newspapers were all covering season seven of the Glory Professional Alliance. On the television screens both on the airplane and in the airports, channels were tuned in to Glory, regardless of whether it was local or international. Wu Xuefeng loved Glory, but not to the point where he would be pleased seeing it everywhere. Not after he tainted its memory with his actions.
Glory always led to Ye Xiu, and he had shattered the priceless gift that was Ye Xiu's heart.
Nothing Wu Xuefeng did would be able to make up for that night, for that moment, for all the years since.
When his flight landed in New York, the first thing he did was unlock his phone and simply stare at the picture. He remembered talks, long ago, about the future.
This was all before his family had contacted him again.
Back then, it was just the two of them, curled up together in bed, musing about life after Glory, about their life together. New York had been one of the places they had wanted to go, or maybe California—either city would have been good.
Those talks had barely skirted the topic of legalized gay marriage, but he knew both of them had been thinking of it.
Now, he was here, alone—or, not really alone considering this was where his wife had planted their family of two. No luck with children yet, of which he was glad. He didn't mind children, but he didn't want something tying him to her more than there already was. If a child actually came from their union…
No, that would truly mean there was no hope.
Wu Xuefeng smiled bitterly at this thought, at this realization.
I've never truly given up, have I? I still love you, even after all these years. Seeing you move on so well, it hurt.
I'm still waiting for the day I can walk back into your arms, for the day when you forgive me and accept me back.
Wu Xuefeng closed his eyes, fighting back the tears, because he was never one to delude himself.
God, I'm such an asshole, for expecting you to take me back. Move on, Ye Xiu. You can do better than this old man.
Move on, be happy. Win another championship—prove to the world that Glory is yours.
He had seen some snippets of Ye Xiu's playing, even though he tried to keep away—rather poorly, in truth. It was more ruthless, more refined, more diverse—simply more. Wu Xuefeng knew he wouldn't be able to keep up with the Ye Xiu currently on stage like he did in the past.
He was good at Glory, professional level as well, but he wasn't good like Ye Xiu was, wasn't as passionate, wasn't as devoted even though he gave it his all—because in the end, he still caved, still retired too early when he could have kept going if he truly desired to. Would he have been able to keep up with Ye Xiu's climb, though?
Ye Xiu was always a step higher, a step further.
If Wu Xuefeng was a lesser man, he would have taken comfort in seeing Ye Xiu so affected when reminders of their past and when his wife had been brought up.
Except, despite all his failings, he wasn't one; and so, those moments hurt him just as much they hurt Ye Xiu, if not more so, because there would be no pain if he had just been a bit stronger.
But hey I wish you all the best and maybe someday we might even meet again
He took a taxi back. The driver tried to make some small talk, but Wu Xuefeng paid him no mind, preferring the silence in order to stew in his thoughts.
Ye Xiu was nearing his height now, just a handful of centimeters shorter. Ye Xiu also looked more tired, more drained.
Wu Xuefeng frowned, wondering what Su Mucheng was doing, allowing him to work himself to the bone so much. But, he wasn't one to talk, wasn't someone with the right to comment—not anymore, never again.
He just...wanted Ye Xiu to be happy. Was that so much to ask for?
Maybe it is, Wu Xuefeng thought. He had probably used up all his favor long ago, to even be able to meet Ye Xiu. He wouldn't have gone professional if he hadn't. Glory had been fun at first, but he wasn't into it the way Su Muqiu and Ye Xiu were. Those two had shown him a whole new world, had dragged him along until he was in too deep to leave.
He didn't regret it happening. They were the ones to give him a reason to escape the traditions binding him in place. His whole life had been dictated by his family's wishes; his choice to take Qi Breaker to the professional level had been the first, and last, time he strayed.
It shouldn't have been the last.
Glancing outside, he saw that the taxi was rolling to a stop in front of his apartment complex. Paying the fee, he retrieved his luggage and took the elevator up.
He was supposed to go home tomorrow, but—seeing Ye Xiu changed things.
He couldn't stay in Hangzhou another day, or he would have done things he would have regretted.
Setting his luggage down, he pulled out his key to unlock the door, only to frown when he noticed it was left unlocked. His wife should still be at work; it was just after three in the afternoon, though it felt like the next day for him after that near sixteen hour flight. Pushing the door open, he blinked at the sight before him, seeing far more of a mess than he was used to or expected. Nothing was stolen, at least. It was then that the noise reached his ears. Frowning, for why would music be playing at this time, he walked toward its direction. As he got closer, he realized it was not music. Each step he took down the hallway and toward the master bedroom, the more wooden his face became. He paused outside the door, well aware of what was going on inside. The sight that awaited him within the room was one he could have done without seeing, but it was also necessary to catch them in the act. Pulling out his phone, he began recording, even as numbness set in. Once they were done, he saw fit to interrupt the couple.
"Song Lanying," he stated, voice blank, eyes angled to avoid seeing more. He talked over her voice and that of her paramour's, going straight to the point. "I suggest you prepare a lawyer. I demand a divorce."
With that, he turned and left, collecting the few things he wanted from the apartment before heading to a nearby hotel.
Despite how much he hated this entire situation, he had still remained faithful, still done his duty. She couldn't say the same. Everything simply felt raw, exposed. The moment he checked in to a hotel room, he called his parents, laying out his terms clearly.
He had done his duty, but he was not standing the injustice of wearing a green hat. His parents, ever traditionalists, immediately agreed and called the family lawyer on another line. In a little under a year, everything was settled. He was a free man, newly divorced.
When he finally found the time to check up on things back in China, it was December again. He thought not much could surprise him, but hearing about 'Ye Qiu's retirement' proved that assumption to be false.
What happened, Ye Xiu? Is this...because of me? Did I throw you off your game? Give you that great of a mental shock that you would rather leave than fall?
I…
He tried contacting Su Mucheng, only to realize she had blocked him. A message sent to Ye Xiu on QQ was left unread.
Did he go back home? Back to Beijing?
Wu Xuefeng cradled his head in his hands, the stress from the past several years finally overflowing. Tears dripped down his face. He no longer bothered to hold them back. What was the point? Ye Xiu was truly out of his reach, now—disappearing like that.
I wish you the best then, Ye Xiu. Wherever you go, whatever you do from now on, live your life without regrets. Maybe someday, we'll meet again.
He threw himself into the tenth server, into raising Lord Grim into the nightmare he knew it was going to become. An old legend, brought to life—a terror to those who had never experienced the beginning of Glory, before it became obsolete...until now, of course. He remembered switching constantly between accounts, playing every class possible and then experimenting for the perfect unspecialized build. He remembered sparring, getting used to the different PvP styles—against Qi Master, against Sharpshooter, against Striker, against Warlock, against Magician, against Exorcist...memories, swirling in his head. Old friends, most gone now, only legacies left in their wake. Of the original, only one remained.
See you on stage.
Taking a deep breath, he forced down the exhaustion and kept going, the early day quests flashing past. Weeks flew by, each day a grind toward the next level. He truly didn't appreciate his companions from back then till now, the lack of support grating on his nerves. What he wouldn't do for someone else to manage the guild, for someone else to keep him on a regular eating and sleeping schedule, for someone else to help him direct and farm.
Happy was a grassroots team, just like Excellent Era. But, instead of friends stumbling along toward the path together, each one of equal status, he was now the leader, the sole guiding light. It was tiring, wearing him thin. Each 'new' challenge a reminder of the past, the crippling fear that he might be too harsh, too blunt, too abrasive—these were not professionals like he was used to. He knew where he went wrong with Excellent Era; having a repeat might very well break him.
"Hey, hey! You couldn't hang on for a few minutes longer?" A shove nearly sent him sprawling onto the floor, waking him up more than the shout did.
He blinked, suddenly realizing he had dozed off after the Christmas event. God, when was the last time he pulled a stunt like that? Groaning, he rubbed his eyes. It had been years, and back during his prime, too.
"What?" Ye Xiu murmured, "Isn't it over?" He was so tired. Couldn't he just go to sleep? Just leave him there on the table; he would get the same rest sleeping on that wooden surface like he would the cot. There wasn't much difference.
"You haven't picked up the presents yet!" a soft, lilting voice said. Tang Rou? he vaguely recognized, if only because of the aristocratic tone and manner of speech.
"You guys go ahead!" He tried his best to keep the bone-deep exhaustion out of his voice, but he wasn't sure he succeeded. Turning away from the two young women, his vision already doubling, he tried to go back to sleep.
A rough grab at his arm and then a harsh yank caused him to blink rapidly, the dim cafe lighting burning his eyes from its brightness.
"Get up. Go back to your room and sleep."
Boss? Oh, he really couldn't argue now, not if he wanted to actually sleep instead of getting a lecture.
"Okay, okay, okay. I'm going." He got to his feet, his body swaying slightly. His knees nearly buckled, unused to the exercise after sitting down for so long. His limbs ached, as if he was still in the midst of puberty and growing pains, but he knew he was stuck with this height. He would never reach the stature of his father; his teenage years had not been the best for growth and development, after all. Still, it was as if he could sense his bones compressing, too brittle, too weak. Stumbling step by step, he somehow managed to climb the stairs to the residential level. Using the wall as support, he made his way to the storage closet he now called home.
The moment his body hit the bed, all he knew was darkness.
Yeah, sometime in the future maybe we can get together
Maybe share a drink and talk awhile
Ye Xiu didn't even know what prompted him into opening QQ and scrolling through his contact list. It wasn't like he had a reason to, as the only one from the professional circles that he would keep in contact with was Su Mucheng, and he could talk to her by simply walking across the street. Even when he reconnected with Huang Shaotian, it had been through the other's smurf account Flowing Tree rather than through the messenger program. The first time he had opened QQ again had been when he got into contact with Concealed Light, and he had closed it shortly after a brief conversation with Su Mucheng. He scrolled past dozens upon dozens of unread messages, not one of them piquing his interest. When he nearly reached the bottom of his contact list, he saw a name he never expected to see a message from again.
Wu Xuefeng: Is everything okay?
He stared blankly at the message, sent the very day his retirement had been announced. That one message pierced through all the barriers he had built, shredding them like paper. For a moment, his mind was blissfully blank; the next, it took everything he had to close QQ and log out of Glory. With careful, deliberate steps, he told Chen Guo that he wanted the night off, apologizing for the last minute notice.
She opened her mouth to argue, saying that there shouldn't be any reason for him to flake off, but then it seemed as if she had caught sight of his face. He wasn't sure what expression he was wearing, but she backed off and simply nodded.
"I'll go make you a cup of tea and some congee," she offered.
"No thanks, I'll probably go catch up on sleep," he politely refused. Gripping the rail harder than needed, he slowly made his way up. He didn't fall asleep immediately, though. He stared up at the ceiling, his breathing light though quick. His eyes burned but refused to tear up, as if he had used up his tears long ago. His heart ached fiercely, longing to reply, to start up their friendship again.
Having someone else in his corner other than Su Mucheng would significantly lighten the burden on his shoulders, but…
Ye Xiu knew he was stubborn, knew he had a pride that made him—to put it lightly—uncompromising.
Is everything okay? No,Xuefeng, everything is not okay.
Blinking tiredly, he debated fighting the urge to fall asleep. When he woke up, it wasn't like anything would have changed.
He would still be estranged from Wu Xuefeng, kicked out of Excellent Era, practically alone and striving for something that he already won thrice if only to prove a point.
He could play Glory for ten more years and never tire of it, but he was already tired of everything else that came attached to Glory. The interpersonal struggles and conflicts, the memories—failures and glories alike, the mystery and secrets...he knew this last attempt would be his last.
He was burning himself out, like a shooting star on the verge of exploding. One last bright flare to show the world its brilliance before disappearing forever…
Perhaps then, the sky would be brighter, filled with never before seen stars. His own legacy, considering he would never be able to pass down One Autumn Leaf like he had intended.
And reminisce about the days when we were still together
Maybe someday further down the line
He had honestly dreaded seeing One Autumn Leaf across the battlefield. It was startling, unsettling, but he had to push past this. In the end, it all came down to Glory. Seeing Qiu Fei's growth warmed his heart and chilled it at the same time, because even though he now knew of Qiu Fei's dream to bring Combat Form up onto the same stage and level as One Autumn Leaf, this was the child—no, young man—he had been grooming to be his successor.
This was the one who inherited his ideals, their ideals.
Shadow Strategy—how long had it been since this was in play? Did Tao Xuan and Liu Hao plan this, in another bid to throw him off his game?
The original creators of that tactic...had been him and Wu Xuefeng, after all. Tao Xuan knew of their relationship, why wouldn't he? He had known Tao Xuan even before he met Wu Xuefeng, had called Tao Xuan brother once.
It was like him, to pull such a stunt. Not many stunts were too big, too outrageous, too shameless when Glory was so close in reach. Wasn't he the one to coin such a frame of mind?
Ye Xiu smiled bitterly. The anger from before, about Su Mucheng's treatment and catch-22 situation, had cooled to a dying ember. This entire journey was riddled with bittersweet memories.
The dramatics, too, were eerily familiar, just like how Wu Xuefeng had chosen to announce his retirement in the middle of their playoff finals match against Team Hundred Blossoms. At least Su Mucheng had the decency to wait till the match was over rather than revealing it during their match banter.
He began speeding up his hands, his fingers flying across the keys. A grenade, hidden within the three Anti-Tank Missiles, rolled across the floor, exploding. Combat Form was taken out, the key to the shadow strategy. Without him, the ace couldn't move unhindered.
That had been what Sun Zheping and Zhang Jiale realized all those years ago, but their Blood and Blossoms were no match for the bond he and Wu Xuefeng had.
The bond between Sun Xiang and Qiu Fei had even less of a chance of being a match to what he and Wu Xuefeng once had.
All that was left was Sun Xiang as One Autumn Leaf, he as Lord Grim, and An Wenyi as Little Cold Hands. Truth to tell, pulling off a victory would have been a miracle. Even with a cleric on his side, in a 2v1 situation, Lord Grim didn't have the damage output needed to quickly end the fight.
However, the battlefield was not limited to just the game.
His eyes grew cold, his smile gone. With deliberate keystrokes, he typed into the public chat, "Didn't I tell you before, Glory was never meant to be played alone. Now, Sun Xiang… what do you say?" Holy Heal engulfed Lord Grim, bringing up his health just enough to survive the fall damage after blocking Dragon Breaks the Ranks with Guard.
The words, "Yes… Glory... was never meant to be played alone…," popped up onto his screen.
Still too green, Ye Xiu thought, still not smiling. If he had tried, Sun Xiang could have taken out Little Cold Hands in a burst of strikes, leaving just Lord Grim left and the match extending into over time. Excellent Era could have trampled on his ambition to return to the stage, but Sun Xiang was, despite his skills, still a rookie.
He had much to learn.
Ye Xiu pulled off his headset and leaned back into his chair, still staring at the battlefield. No sound entered the booth, but he could hear the walls shake from the applause and cheers.
What was there to really cheer about?
Happy moved on, winning the Challenger's League and becoming its champion…
But, Lord Grim looked lonely standing there on the bloodied field, no Qi Master in sight.
And I will meet you there
『 Today at 01:23 』
Fang Rui【V】: The weather has changed. 『sigh』
「 87952 Reposts」 「 86542 Comments」 「 97824 Likes」
[...]
Thieving Nights: Fang Rui, what's wrong?
Fang Rui【V】: My love has been exhausted. / Thieving Nights Fang Rui, what's wrong?
[...]
『 Today at 06:54 』
Ye Xiu : You don't have a future there. Why don't you pack up and come to Happy? / Fang Rui : The weather has changed. 『sigh』
「 64216 Reposts」 「 59874 Comments」 「 78535 Likes」
Li Xuan【V】: Holy crap, who on earth is this? Let me take a look!
Chu Yunxiu【V】: Old Ye knows how to use Weibo? How long have you been learning? This is actually Mucheng, right? Mucheng, I see you!
Dai Yanqi【V】: The great Ye Xiu has given his Weibo virginity that he's been protecting for all these years to Fang Rui. True love needs no explanation.
[...]
For the past year and a half, he had been following the Chinese Glory professional scene with fervid diligence. Seeing Ye Xiu return in such an explosion had left him stunned for a split second before he had burst into laughter because of course Ye Xiu would never give up. What had he been thinking when the retirement announcement had been aired?
He hadn't been thinking.
If it concerned Ye Xiu, it was as if his brain refused to function, going off of base instincts.
He was never like this before, was he? Was this because he had been separated from Ye Xiu for so long, that his mind automatically assumed the worst?
Wu Xuefeng didn't know. He massaged his temples, a headache making itself known at the moment. He was in London now, having left the United States of America behind after his divorce. Things were rocky, especially concerning the colleagues at his work—who didn't seem to care about professionalism if it was about a workplace romance.
Just because he was newly single didn't mean he needed to be comforted.
He didn't want to be comforted, not by any of the men or women approaching him after his shift.
He only wanted one person to be by his side, but that was nothing more than a pipe dream now.
Look at him, reduced to following Ye Xiu via social media and news articles. Their bond was one-way now, tenuous and fragile as it stretched across thousands of miles of ocean and land.
If he showed up back in China, back in Hangzhou, how would Ye Xiu react?
Would his divorce also be knowledge the other had gained? Wu Xuefeng didn't think so, since his family would be too embarrassed to air out the full details of why he had demanded a divorce. It was a stain on the family's honor, to have one of their sons wear a green hat.
Honestly, what did they expect, arranging a marriage without any basis of a relationship?
Wu Xuefeng closed Weibo, not even bothering to comment. He already knew how this would play out. He remembered Fang Rui, vaguely. A Qi Master in the first Challenger's League, notable for his dirty playing style and wretched tactics. Excellent Era had been scouting for his replacement then, since he had told Tao Xuan and management earlier that year. They eventually settled on recruiting Guo Yang; Fang Rui had gone on to join Blue Rain's training camp, only to later switch to Wind Howl to play Brawler—and then to professionally debut as a Thief in season four.
Fang Rui was going to return to his roots, Wu Xuefeng suspected. Ye Xiu could be very persuasive when he wanted to, and Fang Rui had first intended to go professional as a Qi Master.
Your first class will always hold a special place in your heart.
Wu Xuefeng sighed. So, you found a worthy replacement for me at last, Ah Xiu?
Sometime in the future we can share our stories
He woke up from a night of drinking to a confirmation email announcing the purchase of a three-day ticket to see the 8th Glory All-Star Weekend. Wu Xuefeng stared at his phone screen, wondering how drunk he had gotten last night. A glance at the kitchen revealed that he had drained an entire bottle of baijiu by himself. Well, that explained the pounding headache and dry taste in his mouth. The tenth season was already underway, and he wasn't sure exactly what had pushed him to drinking. Was it a combination of issues? Seeing Ye Xiu so exhausted in the interviews and match recordings, Wu Xuefeng eventually decided, was perhaps the final push.
One of his greatest regrets was being unable to support Ye Xiu in all his endeavors.
Still, now that he had already paid for the ticket in advance, it would be a waste to not attend. A glance outside at the dreary sky and then one at the clock on his phone revealed it to be just half past one in the afternoon. He didn't have a shift at all today, so there was nothing stopping him from falling back to sleep, with the hangover hopefully gone when he woke up. So, he did just that.
The first thing he did after waking up was to shower, but the scent of baijiu clung to his skin despite his efforts.
The second thing he did was to clean up the mess his lonesome drinking binge had led to, cleaning up spilled liquor and the like.
The third thing he did was check up on Team Happy's progress, only to realize nothing would change after a single weekday night.
The fourth thing he did was consider whether he really was up to attending the 8th Glory All-Star Weekend. It was in Qingdao this year, hosted by Team Tyranny. At the very least, he would be far from anyone's mind, making it highly unlikely he would be recognized. After all, he had been told often times that he was a very ordinary-looking man, which had made him wonder what Ye Xiu saw in him. If his former lover had just taken better care of himself, he would have truly been a lady killer; even with his rounded cheeks and stubble, he was still rather attractive.
Wu Xuefeng smiled slightly, a small twist to his lips. But that was what had caught his attention in the first place; Ye Xiu was an amazingly non-judgemental person. All the then-young captain cared about was skill and effort; nothing else mattered to him.
Even now, he could see that Ye Xiu was, at his core, still the same. Still relentless, still stubborn, still uncompromising; nothing about him had changed.
Wu Xuefeng felt like it was him who had changed instead. He was not the same person who retired from Team Excellent Era all those years ago. Years of bitterness and regret had taken its toll. Still, Wu Xuefeng thought with a sigh, one last chance to see him in person...am I truly willing to give this up?
The answer was: no, he wasn't.
When we won't care about all of our mistakes
Our failures, and our glories
It felt like ages ago since he last stepped into Qingdao, for the semi-finals against Team Tyranny. Walking into the stadium, the first thing that hit him was the sheer energy the audience was radiating, the anticipation palpable. Wu Xuefeng took a deep breath, not quite basking in the atmosphere but at least appreciating it. How long had it been since he had gone to a live match, let alone All-Star Weekend? Not since his retirement. He had never managed to work up enough courage to do so; it figured that only liquid courage could force him to return to see the stage.
His seat was quite decent, especially since he bought it somewhat last minute. The holographic projection stage was new; he remembered when it was just giant television screens and rows of cubicles on opposite ends of the stage. Technology had gone far in the past couple of years.
Was All-Star Weekend always such a production? The dancing lights, the sparkles, the extravagance—no wonder Ye Xiu looked so tired after the All-Star rankings were released. If that first All-Star Weekend was bad enough, what would one after a miraculous return to retirement be like?
At some point, the exhaustion began settling in; he really shouldn't have decided to fly in the day before and leave no room to recuperate from jet lag, but he wanted to spend as little time in China as possible.
The further away he was from Ye Xiu, the less it viscerally hurt. Simply being in the same stadium but apart caused his heart to ache. The first day was packed full of rookie challenges, and seeing Ye Xiu be called up repeatedly by all the rookies, one after another, drew a bemused smile from him.
「 GG 」
Wu Xuefeng blinked. Did Ye Xiu just…? Of course he did. He barely stifled the laugh that bubbled up in his chest. Still the same, but even more unrestrained. You're no longer willing to dance to their tune like you've done so before.
Wu Xuefeng remembered the concessions Ye Xiu had hashed out with Chairman Jin Chengyi, Chairman Feng Xianjun's predecessor. Ye Xiu had still been unwilling to show his face publicly, but his participation was all but guaranteed for the All-Star Weekend events. Wu Xuefeng winced remembering how high the fines were for skipping out on the interviews and press conferences, but Ye Xiu hadn't budged on that. His privacy was of the utmost importance, more so than any slight increase in fame or popularity.
Glory didn't require either—just hard work and skill.
Wu Xuefeng felt slight pity for the rookie Ye Xiu had brushed off, and then even more so for the next two he crushed in a 1v2 situation. Not much pity, however, because it really was a poor showing on the event organizer's part to try and put Ye Xiu through the wringer of seven rookie challenge matches again. With a sardonic twist to his lips, Wu Xuefeng got up from his seat, leaving the stadium now that the first day of events were over.
Seeing Ye Xiu in his element was great, wonderful, riveting, enthralling—any number of descriptors would fit. Seeing him with his team and acting so close to them...not so much.
But until that day comes along
This time, he couldn't resist. The new format to the playoffs was...understandable but also disconcerting. He had returned to China half a year after his last visit, two tickets burning in his pocket—one for the match in Hangzhou, one for the match in Shanghai.
The first match was a loss, which meant…Team Happy was going to bring the finals into a third match. Ye Xiu was not the type to reach so far and then stumble. He would fight till the bitter end.
The second match, a 11-5 victory, proved Wu Xuefeng's assumption to be right. That very night, he bought himself a ticket to the final, deciding match. Seeing One Autumn Leaf fight against its original owner, eerily looking similar to Ye Xiu compared to Lord Grim's features that mirrored Su Muqiu...it sent chills down his spine.
Boundless Sea was the first to fall. That brought a spiteful smirk to Wu Xuefeng's face; the last to join, the first to fall. So, you didn't actually replace me, if he can fall so easily.
One after another, players fell. He watched, on the edge of his seat, as Dancing Rain—Su Mucheng—failed to bring Empty Waves down to zero health, the 11%HP falling to only 0.7%, mocking everyone who had expected the Heat-Seeking Missiles to blast the Spellblade into oblivion.
Ye Xiu was left in a 1v3 situation, against Empty Waves, Cloud Piercer, and One Autumn Leaf.
Subconsciously biting his lower lip, Wu Xuefeng watched, heart not sinking like the others in the crowd. They might expect this to be the end of Team Happy, but Wu Xuefeng knew better.
Ye Xiu was a miracle in of himself. Nothing was truly impossible if he put his mind to it.
Dancing Rain was, after all, always meant to be Ye Xiu's protector; sacrificing the Launcher for the betterment of the plan...was something Ye Xiu was fully willing to do now that Su Mucheng had proved her resolve and come into herself.
A shuriken shaved off the rest of Empty Wave's health, leaving Lord Grim to face a dual-core pair mirroring what he and Su Muqiu could have been.
Wu Xuefeng finally felt the surge of regret coursing through the Team Happy fans affect him as well; it reminded him of when it was Qi Breaker and One Autumn Leaf against all of Team Hundred Blossoms, against the Blood and Blossoms duo, Dazzling Hundred Blossoms and Blossoming Chaos. Yet now, Ye Xiu fought alone on stage.
Wei Chen had returned from retirement as well, was even on Team Happy and around his age to boot.
Why did he get a second chance, and not Wu Xuefeng?
Because he's not a coward like you, his inner voice taunted, and Wu Xuefeng couldn't formulate a reply.
If he had reached out to Ye Xiu since the other's forced retirement, what could have happened? Would he have been able to last till the end, Qi Breaker and Lord Grim against One Autumn Leaf and Cloud Piercer? Would he even be able to keep up, with these aged hands of his? He was far from his prime, and unlike Wei Chen, he had not kept up with gaming, had not even really touched Glory since his marriage or even after his divorce. Too many regrets haunted him in that game, and upon learning of Ye Xiu's return to the summit of glory, he had simply watched from afar, unable to bring himself to return to the battlefield.
This was just another regret to haunt him in his dreams and waking moments.
Until that day comes along
Glory was never meant to be played alone.
He had full faith in Su Mucheng wiping out enough of Empty Wave's health for him to finish him off afterward. Now, it was all up to him. Sweat beaded his forehead, but his drive, his passion, never wavered. His teammates believed in him, had sacrificed themselves one by one so they could reach this point.
Ye Xiu had no intention of letting them down.
Powerful Knee Strike! Aerial Twist!
Cloud Piercer dodged, using a Shock Wave to go airborne and shoot down at Lord Grim from above, but he manipulated Lord Grim to follow suit, wrapping the Unspecialized's legs around the Sharpshooter's neck.
What followed suit was half-instinct, half-thinking. His hands sped up, pushing his limits. Not as fast as when he played Flight of the Bumblebee, but far more complicated, his hands aborting keystrokes and skills as if it was going out of style.
Now was the time to fully bring out the strength of an Unspecialized account. Each cancelled skill led up with another from his repertoire of over a hundred. Unpredictable, unstoppable...unsurpassable.
Falling Flower Palm, Anti-Tank Missiles, Gatling Gun.
Non-stop motion, a bombardment of attacks from every angle. He could not afford to let One Autumn Leaf support Cloud Piercer. The faster he got rid of Cloud Piercer, the closer Glory would be.
Falling Flower Palm!
The moment the skill came off cooldown, he used it again.
Cloud Piercer was already engulfed in the explosion of the three Anti-Tank Missiles and being barraged by bullets from the Gatling Gun. Combined with the blow away effect of the second Falling Flower Palm, Cloud Piercer had no way of recovering.
The constantly spinning camera would leave Zhou Zekai unable to adjust and counterattack.
That spelt the end of Cloud Piercer, leaving him with just...One Autumn Leaf.
3.5 seconds ago, he was in a 1v3 situation.
3 seconds ago, a 1v2 situation.
Now, just one more to go.
To his bemusement, One Autumn Leaf had not moved at all during that brief period, so his final strike toward Cloud Piercer sent the Sharpshooter's corpse toward the Battle Mage.
One Autumn Leaf dodged, but that was not an issue.
Dragon Tooth, Double Stab, Moonlight Slash, Full Moonlight Slash, Star Fall!
Lord Grim slammed Myriad Manifestations Umbrella into One Autumn Leaf's breastplate like a meteor crashing into earth. In a flash of white light, his first account dispersed.
Glory!
Wings spread across the monitor, the gear flickering into reality. Blades flashed across the screen, the dream he had always been pursuing in reach.
In just 6.5 seconds, he had finally grasped Glory once again, the long, bitter climb back up all worth it because of this moment.
Around him, cheers resounded, shaking the stadium. Team Happy, after all, had just unseated the two-time consecutive defending Champions, Team Samsara. It was akin to what happened when Team Tyranny had defeated Team Excellent Era back in season four...but now, he was on the other side of the battle.
Once again, he created a miracle.
Xuefeng, are you out there watching me? Ye Xiu thought briefly, his eyes glancing upward, as if they could see through the roof to view the limitless sky above. He came back to himself a moment later, though. Shaking his head, he looked down at his hands, flexing them carefully. They ached, incredibly. He had taken a breather for most of the season for a reason; he had never taken especially good care of his body, and the impact showed.
764 APM...was truly his limit now.
Until that day comes along
He accepted the championship ring, his fingers numb. Another one to the collection, a fourth to his name. His team gathered around him, holding the cup aloft before it dropped again from his grasp. His hands no longer had any strength to them, and won't for a while. Discreetly twisting his wrists to bring back some blood flow, he smiled anyway, for they had made it.
Starting from that snowy night where everything collapsed around him, to now...he was truly grateful, truly fortunate to meet all these wonderful people around him. He gazed out into the crowd, the lights of the stage blinding.
For a moment, however, he thought he saw someone familiar, their gazes meeting for a split second.
It was all in his imagination, though. It must be; why would Wu Xuefeng be here of all places? He had moved on; Ye Xiu was starting to move on, too.
Four days later, Chen Guo and Su Mucheng announced his retirement for him in Team Happy's post-championship press conference.
"I plan to go home," he told them.
"We'll welcome you back at any time," Chen Guo replied. She didn't stop him even if she wanted him to stay. He nodded, accepting the open invitation despite not intending to use it.
Home...how long had it been since he had left? Twelve years now and counting.
He left as quietly as he entered, leaving the professional scene again—this time, for good.
Unremarkable at first, a young eighteen-year-old captain of a grassroots team. Unfathomable to the very end, a four-time champion edging on toward the ripe old age of thirty.
The flight home was nothing extraordinary, his features still too unexceptional to leave a lasting impact. Sunglasses and a baseball hat were enough to shield him from any Glory fans that may have been lurking about. That summer, he finally let himself unwind, spending the time reconciling with his parents and twin. For years, they had been separated, barriers of not just distance keeping them apart. For once, he was willing to take the step to mend the chasm that had formed.
One regret had been erased; it was time to start on the others.
Perhaps, by the time his relationship with his family was mended, he would have enough strength to gain closure. Perhaps, by that time, he would have enough strength to face his greatest regret.
Regaining Glory...was well within his means.
Seeking out Wu Xuefeng...was something he had not been able to do ever since their abrupt end.
How could he have known that less than a month into his retirement, his father would send him packing once again, though at least he was still in Beijing—for now.
"Team Leader?" Ye Xiu mused. "And I truly had meant to retire this time, too." Shaking his head in amusement, he made his way to the Team China Glory meeting, his hands tucked into the pockets of his mint-condition national team jacket.
When he pushed the door open, it seemed like he had just interrupted the big revelation.
"Hello," he said. "I'm back."
I'll keep on moving on
Wu Xuefeng stared at the documents within his hand for a moment before closing his eyes. This was a long time in coming.
Just a few hours ago, Team Happy had won the championship, creating a miracle.
Just a few hours ago, he had seen Ye Xiu smile so happily before the trophy cup slipped from his fingers. As a doctor, he knew, at that exact moment, how far Ye Xiu had pushed himself.
Just a few hours ago, he made his decision.
The next morning, he submitted his resignation, ending his career as a neurosurgeon. He never wanted this life for himself. He flew back and packed away his things, emptying his single apartment in London, before returning to China. He couldn't bring himself to go to Hangzhou, and Beijing was out of the question as well, since his family and his former wife's family both resided there. He found himself in Tianjin, jobless but now free.
The day he arrived in the city was the same day Team Happy held their press conference.
"Home?" Wu Xuefeng thought aloud as he watched the retirement be announced on television. A soft, sad smile crossed his face. "You deserve the rest, Ye Xiu." In his mind, he whispered, Welcome home, even if he would never be the other's home again. He then turned off the television, not in the mood to watch the rest of the conference.
His sole reason for following Team Happy's progress so closely...was always Ye Xiu. Su Mucheng was someone dear to him, but Ye Xiu...his captain, forever his captain, forever his love, would always surpass that young woman in importance. Pushing himself up from his bed, he wandered over to the window, eyeing the city below.
"Tianjin, my new home now." This city was Team 301 Degrees' domain, but he had no plans to make contact with them. Glory was his past, while his future was but a cloudy sky. He would have to clear his own path to the stars above. "Perhaps...translation work?" Wu Xuefeng furrowed his brows in thought. In order to supplement his medical career, he had taken several language courses on the side. It had been a great boon for international medical conferences, making it far easier to understand the speeches and exhibits. He didn't put much stock in the translation services offered during the events, as oftentimes, things would be misinterpreted quite drastically.
He sent another glance outside, at the bustling streets full of pedestrians below.
Wu Xuefeng shook his head, discarding that idea. "I'll take this time to find myself again. Who I am now, is not who I want to be."
His phone rang then, pulling his gaze away from the window and toward the bedside table. Innocently vibrating against the tabletop, his phone flashed with a number he recognized. Grimacing, he made his way over.
"Father?" he said into the phone, resignation filling his voice. Another reason why he had chosen Tianjin, he silently admitted to himself, was because he knew there was a high possibility that he would be called home to Beijing the moment his family caught wind of his actions. That was why he had simply booked a hotel room instead of signing a lease to an apartment.
Despite everything, family was family.
His father began a long speech about doing one's duty to both the family and the country, throughout which Wu Xuefeng nodded obediently. This was something he had been lectured repeatedly on before, so it was nothing new. The next point his father brought up, however, stunned Wu Xuefeng for several full seconds.
"What?" Wu Xuefeng straightened up, eyes wide.
"The chairman of that game you used to play, Glory, called. They were wondering if you would be willing to act as a general practice doctor for the national team, and a substitute translator if necessary."
"Father, how did you…?" Wu Xuefeng trailed off. He had just decided minutes ago to not pursue translation after quitting his job at the hospital, because he knew he was not ready for the transition.
"You have always loved languages, Feng'er. The fact that you chose medicine as a career instead of linguistics surprised us. The fact that you married that witch Song without complaint...was also a shock."
Wu Xuefeng didn't know what to say, so he remained silent, simply listening to his father's explanation.
"Did you think we wanted you to be unhappy?"
"Father…"
"Take this chance and discover yourself. You have the family's full backing, Feng'er, in whatever you decide to do."
I'll keep on moving on
He was glad they met in an empty hallway rather than the conference room. "Ye Xiu," he breathed out, surprised yet not.
"Wu Xuefeng," the other greeted, voice nonchalant yet piercing.
"Retirement not for you still?" Wu Xuefeng jested, trying to keep things light.
"Rest, more like. My old man finally approved of Glory, since it's already reached the international level." Ye Xiu left it at that, not bothering to explain fully like he had done so with the national team.
He didn't need to, as Wu Xuefeng understood the rest easily. Ye Xiu's family circumstances was not something he was unaware of.
"Similar to me, then," he lightly said, offering up the unasked for information. When he received a raised brow, he opened his mouth to elaborate, only to suddenly remember where they were. "Perhaps...we should move to somewhere else?"
Ye Xiu stilled for a moment, realizing as well that they were standing in the middle of an open hallway. "Let's."
They found for themselves an empty room that seemed to serve as an extra storage room. Awkward silence befell the two, neither knowing what to say now that the pleasantries were out of the way.
Wu Xuefeng was the one to break the silence, but not with the words he was intending to say. "I divorced her."
"..." Ye Xiu stared at him silently, waiting for him to continue. This was not new knowledge to the leader of the national team, as Wu Xuefeng had tellingly not been wearing his wedding band.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to marry her, but my…"
"Your family made the arrangement," Ye Xiu finished for him. Still, nothing new. All of this was easily gleamed from the local Beijing newspapers.
"She cheated on me," Wu Xuefeng revealed, this information surprising Ye Xiu slightly. "I didn't really care, wasn't really angry at her infidelity. I was...angry at my marriage to her, keeping me from you."
"Is that supposed to mean something to me," Ye Xiu finally said after moments of silence. The younger man's arms remained by his side, hands unclenched though tense.
"I...congratulations on the fourth championship." Shifting the direction of the conversation, Wu Xuefeng found himself looking away, his arm reaching up to rub the back of his head in awkwardness.
"Thank you," Ye Xiu said, before pausing. "Should I say congratulations on the divorce?"
"Kind of two and a half years late, but thank you," Wu Xuefeng replied, smiling. His gaze was drawn back to Ye Xiu, who was about equal height now, just three centimeters shorter to be precise. "You've done well for yourself."
"Is that all you wanted to talk about, Xuefeng?" Ye Xiu asked, his eyes revealing his exhaustion. "Are we going to keep beating around the bush?"
"No, it's not. Are you with anyone?" There, he said it.
"Why does that matter to you? You've moved on," Ye Xiu blankly said, his voice adopting a slightly defensive tone.
"I haven't. I never did."
"I have."
Wu Xuefeng didn't want to believe it to be true. He kept gazing at Ye Xiu, searching the other's eyes for the truth.
"You haven't," he breathed in relief.
Ye Xiu frowned, frustrated at himself but also somewhat relieved that Wu Xuefeng still knew him so well. "I haven't," he admitted. "But, a reason doesn't mean justification."
Ye Xiu hadn't forgiven Wu Xuefeng for the break-up. He previously had no reason to, still had no reason to.
"Let me make it up to you," Wu Xuefeng offered. "Let me prove to you that I love you to the bottom of the sea, that I will always love you."
"I have a team to lead. Romance would simply be a distraction."
"After, then; I can wait."
Ye Xiu blinked up at him, a look of consideration in his eyes, a look of longing drifting into view within a sea of amber. "Can you?"
"I can."
I'll keep on moving on
"Show me."
"I will."
Forever, if I need to.
Notes:
*Ah and 'er are prefixes/suffixes attached to first names/shortened first names; using it shows increased familiarity and a closer relationship. It's highly rude/impolite to use any without prior permission or a close relationship
*The Moon Represents My Heart is a classic Chinese love song made famous by Teresa Tang. It's based on the concept of the moon always being present despite not being visible. 'Regardless of how much of my heart you can see, I will always love you,' is what you're supposed to take away from the song.
*Duke of Zhou = Chinese God of Dreams
In Chinese legends, if an important thing is going to happen to someone, the Duke of Zhou will let the person know through dreams: hence the Chinese expression "Dreaming of Zhou Gong".
*Wearing a green hat = to be cheated on
Select lines/scenes taken from The King's Avatar and Top Glory, specifically for the Tenth Server Christmas Event, Challenger League Finals, Fang Rui's transfer, and the Season 10 Finals
Crossposted on AO3 under MTKiseki