Too Far Apart

26. The End

Lan Xichen had woken up with a mild throb in his head at late night and found Wanyin sleeping on the floor with his head on the bed, near his own head. For a moment, he was taken by surprise then he remembered the last thing, Wanyin looking at him as his insides burned with the alcohol he had consumed. If he could, he would curse himself for being impulsive but with Wanyin around, this seems to be a natural occurrence.

He held back a sigh and indulged himself in studying those sharp edges everywhere, from his brows to temple lines, to his nose, and the jaw. His favourite was the eyes that would look soft while he is sleeping but threw around lightening at every possible thing while awake. He had also come to see a new side to his beloved, the side that can be teased at the smallest thing and can tease back with fierce intensity. The bruise on his lip had taken two days to vanish. It had been a rise of calmness and teasings and more stolen kisses in each other's rooms. And despite the palpable tension post those kisses, neither of them had made a move but laid down talking into the night before either of them drifts to sleep.

He couldn't help but imagine life married to Wanyin, full of angry eyes, reproachful looks and small smiled, long peaceful walks. But something bugged him and Wanyin had seen it before he had. They were both sect leaders and had sect responsibilities. They could always try going back and forth between CLoud Recess and Lotus Pier but wouldn't Wanyin get fed up with it? He could easily see that happening in the future. Neither Wanyin nor himself are the kind of people to jump into the fire without a thought but that is what he has been doing for some time now, ever since Wanyin walked back into his life to hand-pick him up from the pit of despair.

His thoughts come to a halt as the man stirred. He held his breath, a few moments passed, then he got down and picked Wanyin to put him in bed when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Sect Leader Jiang." Lady Zhou called from the door and Lan Huan is caught in an awkward position with his hands stuck under Wanyin as he is on the bed while Wanyin snaps his eyes open. It takes Wanyin a moment to come to his surroundings and he didn't know why he had not retraced his hands back.

"Dinner is here. Can I come in?"

"No." Wanyin called out in a loud voice. He finally retracted his hands while Wanyin attended to the door, gave accusatory gratitude which Lan Huan did not particularly like but didn't comment on either.

When Wanyin returned to place the food on the table, he is still standing. Then he took the previous trays and handed them out. He realised that Wanyin did not allow anyone in the room, probably because of his drunken state or does he want to keep them a secret? Not knowing how to feel he just sat on the bed still looking at the man walking over to him now.

"She was only bringing in dinner." he didn't understand why Wanyin was reassuring him and didn't know how to reply. Most of all, he is too tongue-tied from not remembering what happened between drinking that strong flavour and getting to sleep in Wanyin's bed with Wanyin on the floor instead of being in bed.

"You must be parched," Wanyin added before pouring him some water from the bedside. He really was parched. He handed back the cup and Wanyin poured him more. This happened about two more times before he looked up to say, "I am full."

Wanyin was smiling at him. Not smiling, Wanyin was grinning at him and he was weary to ask why.

"What happened while I was drunk?" Now Wanyin wasn't grinning anymore. Worse, he was smirking, one side of his face stretched out to the extreme. Lan Huan felt like he had to be mentally prepared for what was to come next but Wanyin fell back into a light smile suddenly and walked back to the food.

"I will tell you sometime. For now, let's eat. You did not have lunch."

Lan Huan breathed in relief. Too soon. "Aiya. Almost forgot. So, you remember any of it?"