Heal These Battle Scars | MxM

Chapter Twenty - Acceptance & Lurking Eyes

Xiao Fang had thought of Wang Yi an awful lot.

That night when Yi ran out the door, Xiao Fang hadn't seen the man since. But after all those days, the taste of Yi's tongue — frosting sugar and pumpkin cake and rice wine — still lingered in his mouth. The touch of Yi's rough fingers pulling him in close still stung around his waist, and the sight of fiery desire in Yi's eyes still ate at his memories.

Although it bothered him greatly knowing Yi had been avoiding him, he clung to no bitterness.

Xiao Fang was no stranger to all the denial — and confusion and frustration he experienced many years ago when he realized he favored a strong touch of a man instead of a gentle touch of a woman. Neither was he a stranger to the questions that followed. Undoubtedly, Yi must have been going through the same thing — the same questions Xiao Fang had only himself to answer, as a frightened little boy during his teenage years. And though he made those decisions by himself — to accept himself as he was, it was no easy task. It would not be an easy task for Yi either. So whatever the outcome may be, he would respect Yi's final decision.

Even if he did not want to, he had to — he just had to.

++++++++++

As March was approaching, the wind traveled down from the mountains at a frightful pace, making the pine trees outside dance all day despite the scorching sun, and though the military base could withstand much harsher weather, the window sills were weak things, rattling all days and all nights, making sleep difficult for the soldiers. The yellow dandelions came out, too, blossoming near the fence. In the forest. By the dirt track. They were everywhere as far as the eye could see, adding colors upon colors to the already colorful land. It was a truly wondering feeling to have witnessed it all in person instead of ogling at it in an art gallery. Or books, paintings, or postcards.

Truly wonderful indeed.

In quick strides, Xiao Fang's long legs wander across the right-wing barracks.

He had been searching for the Yi all morning. It seemed, despite all the days he had given Yi time to think things through — to accept or deny the sort of man he truly was, Yi was not done avoiding him.

Now, Xiao Fang'S bits of patience was as thin as a thread. So he figured ‌they needed to talk because his heart could no longer take yI's avoidance.

While speckles of dust swirled in the air, burning his eyes shut one too many times, it did not stir his movements, as his shoulders were straight as a rod, disregarding all the curious gaze from passing soldiers, probably wondering what he might've been up to.

After the escape stunt, he pulled some weeks back, it was a wonder none of the communist soldiers protested when yI allowed him to roam about the base freely during the day. If yI had not kissed him that night, Xiao Fang, too, would have been wondering why yI would allow such a thing.

Wasn't Yi afraid he would try to run away again? Scale the fence or walk out of the front gate unnoticed? Perhaps Yi put too much trust in him?

Whatever triggered Yi to let his guard down, it was certainly a foolish decision coming from a wise young man like Yi.

Then again, Xiao Fang did not see the need to complain.

Though he still spent his nights locked up in the prison cell, the soldiers gave him plenty of food. Morning, midday, and night; he ate until his stomach doubled, and he showered more often and had his hair trimmed down. Plus, he no longer had to suffer another day working in the field, scraping the ground in the damn heat.

Yi had given him, a prisoner, more freedom than he deserved at this point.

Eventually, Xiao Fang's head snapped left when he heard a gunshot ring through the base, followed by another, then another. It sounded too on point to be of any concern, so he figured the noise must've been coming from the shooting range a stone throw down his left.