Waiting takes patience, something that Zhang Liao normally is not flawed at. This is an exception. Walking down the path, he can only dearly hope that he will soon hear the sound of hooves. What a relief it would be to be once more at his lord's side, traveling as he decided. Truly, he didn't know what he had till it was gone… No he mustn't think of such things. Lu Bu would return; he would never leave.
The sun swelters great heat upon the dusty road, making the backtracking rather horrid. Li has begun to sweat, a sure sign of the warmth. Though, Zhang Liao doesn't need to see this to know. Dismounting, he leads the mare with the reins. The pace will be slower, which he highly dislikes, but still he will be going towards the one person he dearly wants to be with, that, for now, will need to enough.
The silence that accompanies him is eerie and uncomfortable. "I suppose Lu Bu will not stop his chase until he has his way," Zhang Liao silently speaks to his horse to brush it away. "I wonder… do you suppose he feels the same?" Li simply remains silent. Shaking his head he says a little louder, "I remain neutral on this. We've been together for so long. Why does this happen now?" He blushes lightly. Not that he doesn't mind it. "I hope… I hope this feeling doesn't pass."
"What feeling?" Zhang Liao looks up in shock. He had been walking with his head down, allowing Li to lead him, but not seeing this is rather idiotic. "Lu Bu!" He exclaims despite himself. "You left, and I came to find you…" he begins to explain, but falters off as the warrior approaches.
"Very loyal of you, Zhang Liao," Lu Bu replies, "But not necessary. Don't you think?"
Shuffling his feet in discomfort the General considers the question with mixed feelings. Damn him! Is he doing this just to fluster me? He annoyingly thinks. "What feeling?" Lu Bu questions, seeming to ignore Liao's awkwardness.
"Freedom," he gestures around. "It's nice to travel." The response is quickly thought, and not very persuading, but Liao hopes it will at least bring his Lord off the subject.
Lu Bu moves so there faces are so intimidatingly close. "You're a horrid liar, Zhang Liao." Swallowing to hopefully down his tense emotions, he merely remains silent and unblinking. Lu Bu frowns lightly, but remains still as well.
There is only one way to know if Lu Bu wants him… play with him. "Did you complete your objective?" Liao questions bluntly, trying to prevent the oncoming blush that would surely ruin his game. "No…" Lu Bu murmurs, "He retreated to larger force."
"I'm surprised—"
"A much larger force." Zhang Liao doesn't attempt to suppress the chuckle that arises with Lu Bu's persistence.
"As you say, Lord Lu Bu." The Flying General's eyes portray slight annoyance, but Zhang Liao feels no fear. "Do you suppose they followed?"
"That swine will follow until he…." Lu Bu falter to finish. Zhang Liao frowns lightly, but his lightly paling face reveals that he knows what was to be said.
"Of course…." He murmurs.
Lu Bu sees the shamed, frustrated, and slightly worried expressions that etch themselves upon Liao's face easily. Guilt urges words to him. "He will die before he touches you," he assures. Slight shock, and a light blush enlighten Zhang Liao's face.
"I'm glad to know…" is all he is able to reply.
Lu Bu is being protective! Well… surely we are close enough to be considered good friends, Liao reasons. Why am I doing that? He questions himself hotly. Every time Lu Bu shows affection I merely treat it as though he is being a good friend!
"What are you thinking about now, Liao?" Lu Bu questions as he watches his counterpart's expressions. Jolted at the name usage, Liao suddenly doesn't know if he can reply with his normal calm clarity. Damn… this game is going harder then he suspected. Unless… he can barely subdue the mischievous smirk that threatens to cross his face as he conjures a response. "You, Lord Lu Bu," he replies innocently enough, "I dearly appreciate your protectiveness."
Zhang Liao watches with glee as Lu Bu's commonly expressionless face goes from near embarrassment to annoyance. Scratching the back of his neck, in an attempt to hide these damned emotions, Lu Bu replies somewhat uneasily, "I… I've grown found of you," with more confidence and agitation he adds, "Don't go doing anything else foolish. You've already wounded your shoulder and have that swine's attention." Looking down with unfiltered guilt, Zhang Liao mind is filled with the amazement of Lu Bu's first words, then the shame of his others.
He realizes that Lu Bu is using his anger and Liao's own faults to hide his feelings. Sometimes they are revealed, but it seems as thought the great General is most reluctant to admit or show them otherwise.
This annoys Zhang Liao a great deal. Surely Lu Bu would know that love is not silent. "Well, I suppose there's no use in wasting daylight," he states with much bluntness and slight irritation. "Shall we?" he gestures towards the way they originally started going in. For some reason, Zhang Liao's sudden touchiness seems quite humorous to Lu Bu. He simply remains unmoving while chuckling. Fuming at this reaction, Zhang Liao impatiently shuffles his foot in the dust. They are still close, and as Liao moves his foot, it bumps Lu Bu's.
Suddenly everything else seems so far away, as he feels Lu Bu's hand jerk forward to roughly grip his forearm. The other hand lifts his chin. Clusters of emotions explode from within the General, as he seems how close they are from one another. The scene by the campfire immediately jars into his mind. Will this be the same?
Perhaps it is this heat, but Lu Bu seems to be moving closer and closer. Liao's mind goes blank. He is only able to stare up into his lord's eyes, as though in a trance. Only one thing matters right now. He doesn't know what's about to happen but he faintly hopes it's the same as that night…
It is not the same. Lu Bu's lips crash into his with unsheltered roughness. The feeling however, is indefinable, and unlike any other. Pulling the laces of his posture together, Liao kisses back. His lips feel delicate against Lu Bu's coarseness. Perhaps the realization of the passion between them or the softness of Liao's response causes Lu Bu to ease the kiss into a gentler embrace.
The sensational touch of a tongue between his lips causes Zhang Liao to gasp. Pure passionate lust sparks as Lu Bu bluntly explores the General's mouth. Just the feeling is enough to allow Liao to completely succumb to being dominated.
It feels as though an amazing eternity of beloved passion erupts between them, before emptiness comes as Lu Bu pulls back. Closing his mouth slowly, Liao's eyes flutter open. His face is deeply reddened by a blush. He doesn't bother to try to usher the emotion away. If it is how he reacts, then perhaps it would be best if Lu Bu saw, saw what was between them so that he would not be ashamed to hide the same.
Looking to see if Lu Bu's expression might betray the same emotion that has followed Zhang Liao, slowly growing, the General finds a confused highly considering face. Frowning as well, Liao remains quiet, wanting Lu Bu to have the first words. The Flying General has no words. Whether what he means or perhaps wants to say remains sealed behind lightly pinched lips. Actions speak for him instead. Mounting Red Hare with great haste, Lu Bu spurs the stallion into a thundering gallop. Both disappear behind the façade of dust in their haste.
Zhang Liao stands stupefied. Emotions seem to crumble. It is as though he can feel the very form of his heart and soul smoldering into nothingness. For so long he had been with Lord Lu Bu, but when feelings hidden arose he is deserted… The great General simply leaves him. Leaves him to find his own way, a way that has been paved by Lu Bu for so long. A feeling so great, so inexpressible with shocking yet delightful amazement, turns into a feeling of desertion, of such loneliness. For so long has he had walking in the darkness, never knowing the truth. And now as he sees the light, what he has been moving toward leaves him…
Part of him wants to find Lord Lu Bu. The lord he served with the utmost loyalty. Part of him wants to leave, to find another lord perhaps. But mostly, he simply wants to hide. Simply disappear, as the one he had found he had an expression that is so hard to find with such pureness disappeared. Perhaps if he remains stationary on this dusty lonely trail to nowhere, the fates will decide for him… perhaps that would be best.
The sun's bright rays burn his eyes. His shoulder has begun to ache much like this chest. But only, his chest is... Empty.
Releasing Li's reins, Liao bends his head in shame. So gullibly he was in thinking Lu Bu felt the same. Tightly woven in his despair, Zhang Liao does not even heed the methodical thumping of Calvary.
What does it matter now? Surrender himself... Surrender his freedom... Surrender. The word is bitter, one that none should readily accept.
"Did he leave you?" questions a gruff filthy voice. "Worthless mutt, I knew he was no better then the worms he slaughtered." Closing his eyes lightly, Liao remains motionless to the feeling of Li being lead away and his hands being bound. Surrender...
"So willing you are..." The voice carries lust. Any who know the putrid man well enough would know. Zhang Liao does.
Strange... He notes subconsciously as he is lead by rope tied to Dong Zhou's horse. He had thought a love would arise between Lord Lu Bu and himself. Perhaps he had always been too expectant of good fate upon himself. A defeated sigh parts his lips. The lips Lu Bu's had once so passionately pressed themselves upon. The lips that he thought had made the love he felt grow stronger between them.
He trudges, heavy in soul and mind. He keeps his head lowered to avoid to gazes Dong Zhou gives him occasionally. He doesn't look up see where he is lead. What does it matter? Lord Lu Bu does not lead him there.
Why did Lu Bu have to do this? Why did the strong, smart, eager man do this? Give into love for a moment of passionate essence then flee as though hellions gave chase.
Lu Bu never flees, never surrenders in a battle. Some say love is comparable to a battlefield. Lu Bu must not believe this, or refuse to. Does the magnificent General fear love? Does he think it as weak?
The jerking on the rope tethered to his bound hands brings him from thought. "You're thinking of him again. Don't waste your time." Simply voiced by Dong Zhou, but not easily done by Zhang Liao. Despite his undeniable hatred from the swine, Liao knows he should heed the advice. There is no point in hoping to change what has come to pass. One must look to ground he must cover not what he has passed. Though, it is important not to forget all, there may be a lesson to learn.
"Yes Lord Dong Zhou," he monotonously replies.
"You shall address me as 'my lord'," Dong Zhou tartly voices. "Do not think I forgot your words from before." A mocking laughter bubbles in the swine. "Do you still serve him and no other?" Zhang Liao stubbornly remains silent, though humiliation, anger, and grief burn him. Dong Zhou does not notice nor would he care. The well-feed man chuckles at his own words, knowing they must have some effect on his new prisoner.
"Lu Bu… I thought you would never let him touch me..." Zhang Liao whispers as the hum of a bustling camp fills his ears. He mustn't shame himself with tears. He must be strong.
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