Heal These Battle Scars | MxM

Chapter Twenty-Six - Let Us Mend Open Wounds (Part 01)

Months passed, and the seasons changed. The colors in the land faded, and the leaves died out, leaving behind empty tree frames. The birds disappeared, too, because winter had arrived; ice-cold crystals, storm blizzards, and all. The seasons had changed... And so did Wang Yi.

Ever since that night in Shang Yu, Yi was not been the same. He talked less, and he stopped drawing. In the middle of the night — every night, he would wake up caked in sweat, and his face covered in tears from his nightmares. His eyes seemed lifeless, and he walked with his shoulders slumped over. He stopped smiling, too.

Xiao Fang's heart ached to see his lover so empty of life. And though Yi kept him close, suffocating Xiao Fang in his dorm room from morning till night with silence, he refused to mention what happened in Shang Yu.

Over thirty-six soldiers from the Red Army died in Shang Yu. An incompetent man, and a failure of a leader; Yi called himself after that incident. Xiao Fang liked to fool himself into believing Yi's sudden change in behavior might have gotten something to do with the deaths of those soldiers because Yi had failed his men and walked them into a death trap. However, deep in Xiao Fang's heart, he could tell it was something else... Something more was eating his lover from the inside out, draining him of life.

It seemed like; Yi did not want to be himself anymore.

Perhaps, he had died that night... Or a part of him at least.

"I don't know what's going on... I'm not sure if you're aware... But the Commander hasn't been eating lately," Wen Han said, looking Xiao Fang in the eyes. They were standing in front of Yi's dorm room in the late afternoon. Wen Han had called him over; the soldier seemed worried, and helpless — agitated when Xiao Fang arrived a good minute ago. "You're his friend... The Commander considers you a brother. And... You're the only one he talks to these days," Wen Han went on, staring at the bowl of fish broth, and potatoes in his hands. "He won't come to the door... If you can give him this — and see to it ‌he eats... I... I would be grateful."

The longer Xiao Fang stared at the bowl in Wen Han's hand, the more he felt... Empty. How could he have missed this? His lover was not eating — he had been starving himself, so how could Xiao Fang not realize this earlier?!

Pathetic; Xiao Fang would have slapped himself silly if Wen Han wasn't around.

Instead, he swallowed the lump in his throat and plastered a smile before collecting the piping-hot bowl from Wen Han's hands. "I'll get it to him," he said, hating how his voice cracked. "Thank you."

"Take care of him," Wen Han muttered before walking off.

Take care of him; Xiao Fang gritted his teeth. He was such a foolish man. How could he not realize his lover was slowly killing himself? And he foolishly believed he was taking care of him.

The minute Wen Han went out of sight, Xiao Fang slapped himself. The first time was not hard enough. Neither was the second time. The third time stung a little. The fourth time left an imprint on his cheek that faded quickly. It was not enough — was not painful enough. He wanted to inflict more. However, feeling his palm burning from the broth, he straightened his shoulders before fishing out the spare keys to Yi's room.

The minute Xiao Fang opened the door and closed it shut behind him, he almost choked.

The room was a mess, and the air was stale. Cobwebs took over the ceilings, and dust caked the floors. No one had cleaned the window in ages, either. Now, mold took over the glass panel, blocking the sight of the mountains Xiao Fang loved. Unread files were scattered on top of the desk, and unwashed clothes covered the chairs, too.