To Love The Unloved Emperor

11. Drowning Out A Sleep-Deprived Water Dragon

Song: Worth It - Amber Mark

For three long and stormy weeks, Mei Xiu sat on the roof of Liaoyuan's hut.

Everyday Yue Ya would come outside and beg for her to get down, even going as far as trying to pull her down, but that only resulted in her sparing with the dazed immortal.

It was like Mei Xiu was in autopilot as her hands flew effortlessly through the rain to block the snake fairy's hands.

They'd twirl and flip through the air, breathing as the rain made their clothes heavy and stick to their skin.

Yue Ya would give her all each time, accepting every bruise and cut she received with desperation shining in her eyes.

The immortal was burying her feelings and Yue Ya refused to let the flame in her friend die out. 

Even if she smothered it until it was coughing out smoke and dying sparks, she'd gladly sacrifice herself to reignite it.

The snake fairy crawled up on the roof weakly, uncaring of her injuries as Liaoyuan looked up at them anxiously.

"Yue. Please come down."

"No!"

"You'll only get hurt."

"I don't care! She's my best friend." Her tears blended in with the raindrops racing down her cheeks as she pulled herself towards the stoic immortal staring off into the distance."

"Yue, please-"

The moment the fairy reached out to touch her friend she was knocked off the roof with one hard blow to the chest.

Liaoyuan stared in horror as the fairy fell, rushing forward to catch her as he leapt through the rainy air.

Warm fingers wrapped around the dazed fairy as she coughed up blood and weakly turned to see if her friend had broken out of her trance.

Mei Xiu was still staring off into the distance.

She didn't even look when the fairy fell from the roof.

She didn't show an ounce of remorse when she hit her- in fact, the hit was so fast that Yue Ya hadn't even registered she was hurt until she went tumbling backwards.

Sure it didn't kill her, but it still hurt.

She even spat up some blood.

Wasn't that a big enough reason to pull her best friend out of her trance?

"Yue. Please." Liaoyuan whispered as he gently cupped her cheek as he tried to shield her face from the rain. "Stop."

"Fox face, it you broke my heart and I dissociated from myself to this extent- I know Mei Xiu would do everything in her power to bring me back."

"..."

"When I was younger... when I was all alone and unwanted and unloved by the immortal world, Mei Xiu found me and gave me the companionship I yearned for."

"..."

"Haven' t you ever sacrificed yourself for someone you love dearly?" 

Liaoyuan was silent as the rain poured down on them, slowly moving his gaze up to the immortal sitting on top of his home.

Had ever loved someone enough to die for them?

Yes.

He took a fatal wound to the chest for his best friend, Xu Feng.

God had been merciful to grant him another chance at life, despite him being slightly disfigured, but that didn't lead him to live a life of sincere regret.