Flowers apart

13

(A/N: Did I talk about a slow update? Uh...well...*cough* Enjoy the fast update :D)

"You only eat almond tofu?" Star pointed out during the last meal of the day. Star knew why he was only eating such a small portion of food, but he just wanted to mess with Xiao.

"Uh..." Xiao looked down at his almond tofu and poked at it. "Yes?"

Star laughed and Xiao just stared at him, not really knowing what was so funny. "I was just messing with you," Star said between giggles. "I already know why. You are Adeptus Xiao, aren't you-"

Xiao's hand immediately shot out with reflex, closing over Star's mouth before everyone who was eating at the inn's restaurant could hear. "Don't say that out loud," Xiao hissed while Star struggled under his grip.

"Mhm!" Star's voice came in muffles. Suddenly, a streak of warmth slid across his palm, and Xiao jerked his hand back in surprise, effectively releasing Star. The boy in front of him giggled again, his laughs louder than what he heard a few minutes ago.

Xiao turned a little red at the idea of Star licking him, and he quickly wiped his palm against his pants. "Don't do that again."

"Then don't do that again," Star stuck a tongue out. "Why don't you want me to say that out loud? Do people really not know your identity?"

Xiao looked away. "I don't know, but I like to keep a low profile. And how do you know? I never told you anything."

"I'm from the future, remember?" Star slurped up the noodles in one go. "I have history knowledge," he winked. "Although, they never really talk much about the experiences of adepti. Hey, tell me, how is it like to live for thousands of years?"

"Boring and depressing," Xiao said, finishing up his almond tofu. "Immorality sounds amazing at first glance, but it's the worst thing of being an immortal. People come and go in my life, so I usually like to keep to myself unless it's another immortal that I get attached to..." He heard his voice breaking. Even immortals die someday. Like Venti. There is no definite in his life anymore, except for one.

He was going to live out the rest of his never-ending life without him.

How he can take the pain for the next few thousands years if the pain hasn't gone away even for a bit in three months?

The dull ache near his heart seemed to flare up immediately, and the petals that had been calm since yesterday were starting to stir. Xiao raised and hand to his chest and clutched the cloth there with a small bit of his skin, twisting it hoping that this pain would overpower the stir inside and prevent him from throwing up in a public place.

Star immediately knew what was going on and without another word, threw his chopsticks into the bowl and dragged Xiao by the arm to the balcony, out of sight of all the curious gazes that they have attracted with the start of Xiao's hacking.

"Xiao, Xiao-" They barely made it to the open space as Xiao's blood splattered onto his hand and to the floor, and luckily it was only one petal that forced itself out. Xiao grimaced at the sight, and quickly wiped his bloody mouth against his sleeve

"I got you to remember something horrible, huh?" Star sighed, his voice small and apologetic. "Sorry."

"It's...fine," Xiao waved it away, crushing the petal in his hand as he straightened his back, and walked over to the edge of the balcony, resting his arms and looking out into the distance. Star joined him.

"Can I...see the petals?" Star gestured at the crushed flower in his fist, and Xiao slowly unfurled his fingers and stretched his palm out to him, gesturing for him to take it. Star delicately picked it up, examining it in the weak lighting from the moon.