Dà jiā hǎo (hello everyone)! Since the last chapter was so short, I'm doing a double chapter update. So enjoy!
-Chapter Seventeen-
Sighing in content, Xiè Lián smiled softly as he played with Huā Chéng's hair that had been left down from his hair ribbon. They were laying together on the couch with the darker haired teen laying on him; his ear resting above Xiè Lián's heart. Huā Chéng gave a gentle squeeze as he also sighed in bliss. They'd spent quite a lot of their free time laying like this.
"Sān Láng?"
"Hm?"
"Do you think we could go to Guǐ Shì again tonight?" It had been a month now since they'd gone and Huā Chéng had finally told Xiè Lián everything.
The darker haired boy raised his head to look at him with those golden hazel eyes. "I suppose we could." He gave a pause. "But this time, we're only going for a couple of hours. No need to have a repeat of the last time." And this time he'd make sure to keep track of time much better.
"Alright. I can agree to that."
Smiling softly, Huā Chéng laid his head back down to listen to the steady beating of Xiè Lián's heart as the younger teen went back to gently playing with his hair. It relaxed him so much that he drifted off to sleep. Xiè Lián noticed this and smiled before closing his eyes and dozed off himself.
Feeling his senses come to, Huā Chéng opened his eyes just as Xiè Lián sighed. He lifted his head and smiled softly as brown eyes opened and looked at him. A soft blush came to his cheeks as he also gave him a smile. The darker haired teen moved up enough to give him a kiss on his lips.
Suddenly, there was a gasp and thud of something dropping to the floor. Huā Chéng pulled back from Xiè Lián and turned his head to see the younger teen's mother standing there with wide eyes staring at them. Shit. How had he not noticed her standing there?
"What the hell are you doing!?" she yelled as the surprise faded from her face and was replaced by an upset look. "Get off of my son!"
Huā Chéng quickly backed off and stood as the younger teen sat up. She came towards him, glaring, with anger flashing in her eyes.
"Get out of my house! Get out! Now!"
"But Mom!" Xiè Lián stood up as his mother came forward and managed to grab hold of Huā Chéng's arm. His eyes widened at this as she practically dragged him towards the door.
"Get out, vile demon!" She opened the door and shoved him out before grabbing his shoes and practically threw them at him. "Don't ever let me catch you near my son again!" She slammed the door with finality, leaving the stunned teen standing there.
"Mom!" Xiè Lián finally said, raising his voice at her.
"You're never to see him again!" she said, turning towards him, giving a glare.
"But I love him!"
She blinked, taken aback by his words before narrowing her eyes on him. "Go to your room! Now!"
Tears threatened his eyes from being upset. "I hate you!"
Turning, Xiè Lián ran down the hall to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. He went over to his bed and flopped down, burying his face into one of his pillows while hugging the other in his arms and started crying. Anger ran through him at his mother's actions. This was why he didn't want her to know about him and Huā Chéng. This was what he was afraid of.
Suddenly, the soft flutter of wings caught his attention as he turned his head from the pillow. A silver butterfly came fluttering over as he sat up. It landed on his cheek where tears had dampened them.
"Gēgē, are you alright?" Huā Chéng's voice echoed from the butterfly.
"No I'm not." He gave a soft hiccup as the butterfly went over to his other cheek and gave him a kiss on his tears before fluttering to his finger. "Mom threw you out and told me never to see you again!"
"We can still see each other at school."
"I wouldn't be surprised if she made me transfer to another school." He gave a sniffle as his gaze drifted over to the red and black fan with the silver butterflies on it from Guǐ Shì that he'd hung up on the wall to display.
Getting up, he walked over, raising his other hand to touch it. His lip gave a quiver as his gaze turned to look at his room and everything in it.
"Or become a ghost like you."
Thoughts he'd been mulling over the past month ran through his head. If he ran away now, he could stay with Huā Chéng forever. Wasn't that what the fortune teller had said? That they'd be blessed with everlasting fortune?
"As soon as the gate closes, a human can't survive in the Ghost Realm. Within a few hours, their body begins to die and it's pretty painful. Once they die, that's it. However, some also come back as ghosts too, albeit they'd start out being just Fierce level."
Closing his eyes, he thought about his choices. Leaving Nán Fēng and Fú Yáo behind would be the most painful since they were his best friends. But right now, he was angry and bitter at his mother's actions.
"Gēgē?"
"Sān Láng, I want to go to Guǐ Shì. And this time, I'm not coming back."
The butterfly gave a few slow flaps of its wings. "Are you sure? There's no guarantee of becoming a ghost if you're not resolute in the resolve of your feelings."
"Believe me, I'm feeling very resolute right now."
"You'll never be able to return. Fú Yáo, Nán Fēng…."
"I'll miss them but I've made up my mind. Please come get me."
"Alright. I'll be there in several minutes."
Floating up into the air, the butterfly hovered for a moment then flew for the window. Xiè Lián gave another sniffle as it disappeared before going over and opened his closet. Pulling out the white robes that Huā Chéng had let him borrow from their first run to Guǐ Shì, he changed into them, leaving his other clothes on his bed. He wouldn't need them anymore.
Going over to his closet again, he rummaged for a spare bag he had. He pulled it out before going over to his desk and set it in the chair. Grabbing his sketchbook and pencils, he stuck those in the bottom. Taking the fan and the book he'd gotten the first time in Guǐ Shì, he put those in as well. He grabbed a couple of other favourite books then grabbed his red box that contained his precious items, including Huā Chéng's ring of ashes. Then he grabbed his photo album he also had with various other pictures from over the years inside it. A soft gush of air swirled into the room as he went to grab his red umbrella.
Turning around, Huā Chéng stood there inside the room in his usual red outfit as Sān Láng. Xiè Lián ran over and hugged him tight. The darker haired boy held onto him for a few minutes before pulling back, only to see fresh tears in those chocolate eyes.
"I'm here Gēgē. I'll never leave you." He looked towards the bag on the chair. "Have you finished getting what you want?"
"Y-yeah." He gave another sniffle as he looked at his desk then towards the shut door. "I just…"
"Write her a goodbye." Brown eyes looked at him with a blink.
"Okay."
Going over, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pen before writing a quick note down. He left it on his desk before Huā Chéng picked up the umbrella and bag then went over to the window. Xiè Lián took a step back from his desk and went to the darker haired teen. Both slid out the window with the younger teen taking a last look at his room before sliding his window down.
Turning to Huā Chéng, he held his left hand out where the red string continued to show on his finger. The red clad teen held out his right with his matching red string tied on his finger. Then lacing them together, they turned and headed across the field to the woods. They paused briefly at the red ribbon tree where Xiè Lián gave a small smile before they continued into the forest. It didn't take long before they reached the cave.
Going inside, they both went to the ledge from before and sat down. Xiè Lián took his bag and opened it before taking out the red trinket box. Opening it, he pulled out the diamond ring of ashes after setting the hair pin aside. He held it in one hand while looking at the picture of him, his mother, and his father that sat inside.
"I guess, we'll just have to wait until midnight huh?" he spoke up after a moment and looked to the red clad teen beside him. "I wonder if she'll realise I'm gone soon." He looked back at the picture with a sigh thinking back to the note he'd written.
Mom,
I'm sorry but I love Sān Láng. Nothing will ever change that. You can't keep me from him. We'll run away together where no one will ever find us.
Xiè Lián
Picking up the items inside, he set the picture of him and his parents and him, Fú Yáo, and Nán Fēng down first. He gave a soft smile at the flower he'd kept and set it down then looked at the two pictures of when he and Huā Chéng as Xiǎo Huā were together.
Setting those down, he looked at the two newest pictures that he'd gotten with Huā Chéng in the past month. Both of them had Xiè Lián dressed in his Tàizǐ Diànxià robes at Huā Chéng's house with the added hair extensions. But one picture had Huā Chéng in his usual red outfit he wore as Sān Láng and the other had him looking as he did as a Ghost King. He'd insisted on getting one with both versions of him. It was his way of saying he accepted Huā Chéng for all of who he was.
"Are you having second thoughts?" Huā Chéng asked, watching the younger teen's face as he looked at the pictures. Brown eyes turned to look up at him.
"Xiè Lián!"
Looking towards the entrance, the younger teen's eyes widened at the sound of his mother's voice calling him. He turned to Huā Chéng.
"Is there any way to open the portal before midnight? If she finds us…." He trailed off knowing his mother would make sure to drag him back home. But he didn't want Huā Chéng to do anything to her either to try to stop her from taking him away.
"There is but…" He paused and pulled what looked to be a piece of candy from a pocket and held it out to him. "Eat this first."
"What is it?" He took it and furrowed his brows.
"It'll delay the effects of dying for a short bit." The dark haired teen slid off the ledge as he took the trinket box from Xiè Lián's lap. The other teen set the ring back inside with everything else and Huā Chéng set it back inside his bag. "Because of forcing the portal open, once inside, the body will begin to die as soon as it's shut. You'll be in a lot of pain and won't be able to go anywhere unless I carry you."
Looking at the candy, Xiè Lián popped it in his mouth and chewed it while making a face. It tasted bitter. With a swallow, he slid off the ledge, grabbed his bag and umbrella, and followed Huā Chéng outside again. His mother's voice was coming nearer.
Bringing his hand up, Huā Chéng pulled a small knife from the inside of his sleeve with magic. He made a small slice into the pad of his left thumb before returning the knife to his sleeve. Crimson bubbled up and he brought his thumb up to the writing on the rock saying Ghost Gate.
Speaking in an ancient dialect while pressing his thumb to the rock, the glowing white letters started to appear going up and around the entrance like that night going to Guǐ Shì. He pulled his hand back, wiping the blood away from his thumb as the crimson smeared on the rock started to soak in. The words where it was began to glow as the last batch of characters finished showing. A moment later, the glowing of the portal shimmered, opening the way to Guǐ Shì.
"Whoa. Can any ghost do that?" Xiè Lián asked in amazement.
"No. Only a Supreme can open it to let humans through. It takes a bit of spiritual energy to force it open. Plus, one needs to know the right spell to activate it."
"Xiè Lián!"
Turning at the sound of his mother's voice again, seemingly just around the thicker patch of trees, Xiè Lián bit his lip a little as Huā Chéng took his hand. Huā Chéng walked forward so he was just inside the portal while the younger teen still remained just outside it.
"Xiè Lián!" His mother came into sight of the cave, eyes widening as she saw the two in front of her. The red clad teen's eyes were gleaming red instead of their usual golden hazel colour. "Xiè Lián!"
Looking at his mother, he could see the tears that started to well up in her eyes as she ran forward calling his name again. He could feel Huā Chéng's hand gently squeeze his. It was his silent way of asking if he was coming.
"Duìbùqǐ…." he spoke up quietly; his hand relaxed in the other teen's hand. He closed his eyes, hearing his mother call his name.
Huā Chéng gave a blink wondering if he was having a change of heart. But he supposed if he was, he wouldn't stop him either. As he said, everything he did was to Xiè Lián's wishes.
Opening his eyes, he gave Huā Chéng's hand a squeeze before turning away from his mother, still running for him. "But I love Sān Láng. I want to be with him forever."
Stepping into the portal, he walked forward as the glowing entrance shimmered and closed; the echoing sound of his mother calling his name and crying as she fell to her knees just before the entrance of the cave. They stood there on the other side, Huā Chéng turning his now golden hazel gaze towards the other teen beside him.
"Gēgē?" His voice was soft as brown eyes turned to look towards him.
"I made my decision," Xiè Lián replied, giving the other teen's hand a squeeze. "There's no going back now. All I want is to be with you."
Blinking, Huā Chéng gave a small smile as he brought Xiè Lián's hand up to kiss the back of his knuckles over the red string on his finger. There was no turning back just as he'd said.
"Come on. We better get to my place before the effects of the medicine I gave you wear off."
Nodding, the two of them headed hand in hand down the small hill to the edge of town. Several others milling about gave them looks as they headed straight for Paradise Manor. Despite Huā Chéng still keeping his other form, he made sure to exude his aura to let others know not to mess with him right now. His eyes gleamed red again as they walked down the street. Others stepped back to stay out of their way.
Getting to the entrance of Paradise Manor, Xiè Lián looked at it reaching up into the crimson tinted sky. It was taller up close than he expected, much like Qiāndēng Miào rose up into the sky. He gave a blink before looking over to Huā Chéng as the feeling of his hand turned cold to his touch. An obsidian eye looked at him as he'd returned to his normal Ghost King form with his eye patch on.
Heading for the door, Huā Chéng opened it to the figure of a tall man inside wearing a mask over his face that held a woeful smile on it, similar to the one Huā Chéng had worn to the Ghost Festival. He had black robes on and there was a black looking tattoo circling around his wrist.
"My Lord, you've returned," the man spoke up as he put his right hand over his heart and gave a small bow. He gave a glance towards Xiè Lián.
"Make sure no one disturbs us for a while," Huā Chéng spoke up in a commanding voice.
"Yes sir." The other man gave a nod as he shut the door behind them.
"Who was that?" Xiè Lián asked, glancing over his shoulder while they continued on down a corridor.
"Yǐn Yù," Huā Chéng replied.
"Is he like an assistant or something?"
"Something like that, yes. He serves me faithfully so if there's ever anything you need and I'm not around, he'll listen to your requests."
Walking through more corridors, Huā Chéng finally stopped before a set of two large doors. Only then did he let go of Xiè Lián's hand and pushed both doors open. The younger teen's eyes widened in surprise at the room before him where a large, four post bed sat to one side with sheer, crimson coloured curtains hanging down around it. They were pulled back and tied open. There was a lounging couch on the other side of the room with a reading table. Several bookshelves full of scrolls and old books lined the wall behind the couch.
"Is this….?" Xiè Lián asked curiously as they stepped inside.
"My room, yes." He gave a smile as he looked towards the younger teen. "It'll be ours from now on."
Feeling his cheeks flush, Xiè Lián felt a little overwhelmed as he looked at the large room. Never had he imagined having a large room like this or living in basically an old fashioned castle. He looked at Huā Chéng and smiled.
Suddenly, a sharp pain throbbed in his chest and head at the same time. He put his hand up, clenching the front of his robes over his heart while he put a hand to his head after dropping the umbrella. His chest felt tight and it became hard to breathe.
"Gēgē?" Huā Chéng quickly turned and put a hand to his shoulder.
"I can't...breathe," Xiè Lián gasped. It was becoming hard to stand as his legs felt weakened.
"It's because your human body is dying," Huā Chéng said softly as he put an arm around the younger teen's waist and helped him over towards the bed.
Taking the bag off his back, Huā Chéng set it to the side with the umbrella. He helped Xiè Lián lay down on the bed as the younger teen gasped and struggled to breathe. The panicked look on the younger teen's face made him worry as he put a hand to his cheek.
"S-Sān L-Láng," Xiè Lián gasped. "It hurts…"
"Shh. It's okay," Huā Chéng said softly, trying to mask his own panicked worry. "I'm not leaving you. I'll stay by your side." He placed his other hand against Xiè Lián's chest over his heart as it beat rapidly from the panic.
Watching as the younger teen's breathing continued to be raspy for twenty minutes or so, Xiè Lián's grip on his wrists started to let up. His breathing started to get softer but in shorter gasped breaths. His eyes started to feel heavy.
"S-Sān Láng….I...I'm so….tired…."
Huā Chéng knew what was happening. The dying process was almost complete. Xiè Lián only had a little time left before his human body would die. He brought his head down and placed his forehead against the younger teen's, keeping his left hand over his heart as its beating grew softer. He took his right hand and threaded his fingers through the other's left one, giving it a soft squeeze.
"It's okay, Gēgē," he spoke softly, forcing himself to remain calm. The words were similar to what Xiè Lián had said when he'd died in his arms in that one former life. "Just relax. But remember what I told you about becoming a ghost. Remember your resolve. Don't let go of that."
"S-Sān Láng…." His voice was barely a whisper.
"Wǒ ài nǐ, Gēgē." I love you.
Hearing his breathing becoming softer, Huā Chéng listened as it became so soft just before he took a sharp breath in and went silent. The beating of his heart in his chest gave a few more soft throbs before going still. The brown orbs looking up at him through heavy eyelids dulled as life left them and closed slowly.
Biting his lower lip, he sat back a little, while keeping his hand to Xiè Lián's chest and the other intertwined with the teen's left hand. That same feeling of loss hit him just like with every other life Xiè Lián had died in. It rendered his own chest with a slight pain of his death. If his heart was beating, it would ache. But all he could do was to sit there waiting and searching the other's face as his skin paled more than it already was. The warmth slowly left him as Huā Chéng continued to sit, watching for any sign that he was coming back as a ghost.
Each minute passing seemed like hours as he waited. He didn't dare move from his spot as he continued to stare at the younger teen's body. While he'd come across a few unlucky humans that had managed to get caught after the sun rose at their Ghost Gate they crossed through, he'd never stuck around long enough to find out if they came back as a ghost and what actually happened. Now he sort of wished he had stayed because not knowing made him anxious.
Leaning down again, he placed his forehead against the lighter haired teen's and closed his eyes. He'd stay with him until he knew he was coming back. There was no way he would leave his side until then. Especially since it wasn't like he'd have a beating heart and need to breathe like humans needed to.
Time slid by as he continued to wait, unmoving from his spot. He didn't know how much time had passed before he felt that sense tingling on the edge of his mind. His eyes opened as he pulled back away from him, searching his pale face for anything signalling he was returned again as a ghost.
"Gēgē?" he asked softly but there was no answer. He furrowed his brow slightly as that feeling grew stronger. "Gēgē?"
Suddenly, Xiè Lián's hand squeezed his hand a little just as he took in a sharp breath. Huā Chéng gave a blink then smiled softly as the younger teen's eyes fluttered slightly and opened halfway. They were dazed and unfocused.
"Gēgē?" His eyes slid over to look in his direction, still unfocused and dazed. Huā Chéng moved his hand from his chest to his cheek. The other's eyes moved all around as if trying to focus on something for a moment before his eyes closed again and he went still. "Gēgē?"
Slowly opening his eyes again, Xiè Lián's gaze half focused as he looked to the dark eye watching him. A small smile tugged his lips upwards. Though he still looked very much out of it.
"Sān Láng….?" His voice was barely a whisper.
"Gēgē." Huā Chéng gave a smile as he leaned down and kissed him softly. That feeling of him being 'alive' so to speak hummed through his being strongly. It had worked after all. "You look tired. Get some more rest."
"Okay…."
Watching him close his eyes, Huā Chéng felt a thrill of happiness flood through his being. He gave a smile as he ran his thumb gently over the younger teen's cheek. Leaning down, he gave him another soft kiss on his forehead.
As he sat back up, he looked over and noticed a container having appeared on the bedside table. He gave a blink at it then smiled softly. It was an urn that obviously contained his bone ashes in it. His human body was now dead and replaced with his new form laying there before him.
'Get some sleep, Gēgē,' he thought with a soft smile. It was obvious Xiè Lián was still in the process of the transition. Definitely something that he hadn't had the pleasure to go through himself. But he would make sure his beloved was comfortable the entire time.
Looking up as a silver butterfly came floating over from the balcony area, it told him that the moon was nearly at the peak for the portal to open again. He looked back down to the sleeping teen then over to the bag sitting on the floor beside the bedside table. Knowing the picture of Xiè Lián and his parents lying inside his trinket box got his thoughts to recall how his mother had fallen to her knees crying as they had gone through the portal. Or how all Xiè Lián wanted was his mother to show how much she loved him instead of getting angry at him all the time.
Sighing, he stood after giving his sleeping beloved another kiss then turned for the door. Opening it, he called for Yǐn Yù.
"Make sure no one enters until I return," he spoke as he shut the door behind him.
"Yes, my lord." The other man gave a small bow.
Heading for the entrance of the manor, Huā Chéng knew just where he was going.
Well, that's the chapter. Yep. Xiè Lián's worst fears of his mother finding out happened. And of course, him taking off with his beloved and becoming a ghost. Huā Chéng is just happy to know Xiè Lián is going to be with him forever. But where is he going now? You'll just have to wait and find out. *smiles*
Anyways, thanks again for reading! I'll update soon!