False Awakening || WangXian & YiZhan FF

Awaken (END)

Streams of tears fell from Zhan's eyes as he slowly wakes up.

"Grandpa, you're awake," a young man, coming out to the garden, looking a lot like his beloved husband appears. He smiles as he made his way to Zhan and wiped his tears off with his thumb. "Why are you crying grandpa?" he asks softly, squatting down beside his inclined chair.

"Oh, my dear grandson," he mutters fondly, weak and almost a whisper. He reached for his grandson, arms weak as he cup the younger's cheeks.

"Hm? Did you have a nightmare?" The child asks, sweet as how he remembers Yibo would coo him.

He smiled weakly as he pulls him close, "Not quite. It's the opposite actually," he answers, sighing. He let go of his cheeks, then held his grandson's hands, clasping them together. "I had a wonderful adventure with your granddad in my dreams."

"'Want to tell me about it?" The younger asks, ready to listen to his grandpa's stories. Since he was a kid, his grandpa together with his granddad would always gather them-- him and his cousins-- and tells them stories about their lives when they were younger. It became a routine whenever they visit the family house and the day of visiting doesn't end without it.

But since Yibo had gone to the heavens two years ago, it stopped. Zhan never have opened his mouth. They visit him occasionally and even tried asking him to live with one of their children, he declined. He always tells them, he wanted to stay in THEIR house where their memories remain. And one of his grandsons, Xin, decided to take care of him.

Zhan smiles at his grandson, "hmm," he hums, "It was a long story, but we were in love," he smiles to himself. Heart warming at the thought of it.

"Granddad must have loved the adventures with you. He misses you, I guess," he answers, chuckling a little

"Yeah, he's probably making me dream all of them," he giggles.

"It's because he wants to remind you that he's always with you, grandpa. It's your wedding anniversary after all," He remarks, drawing comforting circles on his grandpa's hands.

Zhan smiles, "I think so," he agrees, then sighs as he stares at the younger for a second, "You look a lot like your granddad, my dear," he added, patting Xin's head followed with a weak chuckle, the obvious pain resonates between them. Then a tear fell once again, it's been two years yet the pain is still haunting him. Who wouldn't? They've been in love for seventy-five years and they're married for seventy years. The days they spent together were so long that he's not used to an empty bedside when he wakes up, an empty inclined chair when it's siesta time and an empty pair of his mug. Even after two years of him not being with him anymore, it still struck his heart broken.

"Hm, do I?" Xin asks, smiling at his grandpa. "By the way, stay here for a while. I'll go get your medicine. You need to drink them before the visitors arrive, okay?" he says, letting go of his hands as he stood from his squatting.

"Yeah... I love you, my dear Xin," he mumbles, mouth quivering, which made Xin smile down at him. "I know, grandpa," he answers. "And I love your mom, your aunties, your uncles, your cousins. I love everyone," Zhan finishes, wrinkled cheeks stretching into a wide smile, fondly and lovingly.

Xin is confused why his grandpa uttered those, but he smiled anyway. He knows how sentimental his grandpa is, he knows that his grandpa wanted to express how much he loved everyone. If Yibo is not vocal, Zhan is.

"I know, 'npa," he leaned down, cupping Zhan's cheeks and planting a soft peck on his grandpa's forehead, "I love you too. And everyone does, I'm sure of it. Granddad Bo, too." he chuckles, "Now stay there, I'll get your medicine, hm?" he says, letting go of him and went insides the house, leaving Zhan in the peaceful garden, birds singing, leaves rustling, and the comforting breeze of air hugging him to peace. In times like this, Yibo would stand behind him, hugging his waist as they dance with the soft touches of the wind, their song is the chirps of birds and leaves rustling creating a calming melody.

.

Xin didn't even spend five minutes preparing his medicine. Carrying a tray, medicine alongside a glass of water, he made his way out of the house to the garden where Zhan is.

"Grandpa," he calls out, striding his way to his side. "Here are your meds," he added.

.

"Time of death, 4: 48 pm"

Silence is in the house of Zhan and Yibo as the doctor declares. Their children together with their spouses and their grandchildren are all gathered in the couple's bedroom. Tears streaming from their eyes, sad and devastated but happy for this is the time Zhan is waiting for-- to meet his beloved.

"Mom must have miss dad so much..." Xian sobs, clenching her fist as she tries to hold her tears. His husband, rubbing his back for comfort.

"They must be celebrating their anniversary together right now," Sean Yi utters, smiling with his tears falling from his eyes.

"The last thing grandpa said, he loves us. I didn't know what he meant was he's leaving to meet with granddad," Xin cries, he's the closest to his grandpa since he's the one who took care of Zhan for two years after his granddad's death. Till now, he still can't believe that the person he was talking to an hour ago was now laid in the bed, the hands that once he felt warm from an hour ago feels cold, and the eyes that looks at him fondly were now closed and never going to open. It hurts but he's happy that his grandpa's wish to be with his granddad was finally fulfilled."He should have waited for us for a bit before leaving us," WeiLing complains, seated on the floor, head buried on her knees while her wife cradles her, and crying her heart out.

"They are having their adventures already, mom," Xin replies, holding out his hand to hold his grandpa's cold hands. "That's what he told me," he added, smiling with anguish in his eyes.

"They sure are," Mei, Sean Yi's daughter added.

"It's their anniversary after all," Yinxe chuckles, grieve is obvious between them. .The night of Zhan and Yibo's wedding anniversary was in sorrow, but at the same time, they're happy for the couple's reunion.

Wishing them to be joyful forever, together in each other's arms.

Fin.

------

A/N: And that's a wrap! I know I did not write the story well, it's the least actually. It's angst that's why I've been reluctant to write it, I'm not good with angst so it's so hard to think the scenes or whatsoever. But well, I've finished it. I do not wish to prolong this longer cause I'm hurting myself tbh. Anyways, I still hope you liked this story. 🥺

Personally, this story is the least that I like in my stories. First of all, I hate angst, I cry a lot when I'm reading one and can't get over it for a long period of time. Second, my vocabulary in this whole story was so limited, I'm stuck a lot! I've experienced writing block and it irks me. lol. Well, I still made it in the end. As for why did I write angst if I hate it, well, at first I thought I'll make it a good ending, but then, while plotting it, it doesn't make sense to me at some point. Then found myself turning it to angst, so yeah, that's how it went. HAHAHA

lol. by the way, I'll be writing the whole explanation of the story later. I know everyone's confused.

Anyways, thank you for reading and supporting! I hope to see you at my next story~ love lots! ❤