Chapter Text
The water is so calm on the surface you could see the ripples of a single drop. The story below the water was different, pulling Shi Qingxuan down below the black depths. And tonight again, he struggles against it. He grabs and kicks anything to rise above this ocean but he keeps sinking. He almost thinks that if he were dead then he would float.
“THAT’S PRECISELY WHY HE’S SO CONTEMPTIBLE! WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO KNOW NOTHING?!”
The water stirs a bit before another line echoes in his mind. This line, it makes him feel worthless.
“And what good is your apology?”
He stopped struggling. He didn’t know why but everytime he heard those words he felt like he had done something deserving of death. Maybe worse. He kept sinking, like letting the water consume him would repay someone, something, even if it was just a little bit. Though it was never enough.
A gasp, and a sweaty forehead. So today he dreamt of that moment again. It couldn’t be fragments of a terrace, a sky filled with palaces and pavilions or a huffing but compliant god who loved to eat. Tonight it had to be something connected to that black water. A shaky exhale escaped him before he turned and looked at the clock. It was 6.55am.
The curly haired youth didn’t want this nightmare to set the mood for the day. So, he smiled. Following the smile he hyped himself up and jumped out of bed. Hoping that he could stuff the nightmare down, it was just a nightmare anyway! It wasn’t real!
Then why does it feel so re-
He didn’t let himself finish the thought. Deep breath.
“Ge! GE! Wake up wake up it’s today!” A very bouncy youth almost sang as he knocked on the door to his brother's room. Without waiting for a reply he opened the door and stepped in. “It’s the last time you’ll get to experience my cooking for a while! Tell me what you want and I’ll whip it up.” He patted Shi Wudu’s head multiple times, afraid of directly tugging the blanket from under him.
A sigh escaped the blankets “I’m already awake.” his voice was clear and to the point. He definitely wasn’t lying. Shi Qingxuan continued to smile at him. A brief moment passes and it looks like Shi Wudu gives into something. “Well if you’re making something make me congee.”
“Eh? I’m leaving and you want me to make something as simple as congee?” He questions.
“Then get to it if it’s so simple!” The lying body snapped. Shi Qingxuan nodded quickly and hopped into the kitchen, not questioning his brother again.
Remembering the day today even his cutting of various toppings to lay on top of the congee was almost rhythmic. The nightmare was almost gone from his memory.
In a large room close to the kitchen, if you listened closely you could make out a defeated sigh followed by the shuffling of bed sheets.
Even in the morning this man dresses in a suit. It’s navy, with a white shirt underneath and silver cufflinks. Tilting his head Shi Qingxuan wonders if his ge ever gets tired of looking like a tyrant with taste.
On second thought…. Probably not.
It’s an hour and a half later and the congee is decorated with sliced chicken, chopped scallions and a soy marinated egg he made a few days prior. Throughout the entire cooking process it was hardly silent, at least some sort of hum or background noise. Shi Qingxuan, unlike his brother, doesn't like silence too much. He doesn't hate it, but mostly he prefers some sort of noise.
Shi Wudu tolerates the background noise most times.
The older one is already typing away at his computer, work really does consume the man. It takes Shi Qingxuan three whole ‘ge!’s’ to lift his head from the computer.
As soon as he sees that food is ready however, he finishes his last message and walks over to the table unhurriedly and sits down. While work takes the majority of his time, he always makes sure that him and Shi Qingxuan eat together at least four times a week. His work comes second to his brother, it has always been that way.
The chef eagerly looks for his reaction, puppy eyes as he always does. He’s kicking his feet back and forth under the table. Shi Wudu raises an eyebrow.
“You already know your cooking is good, why seek approval all the time?” He states, before taking another spoonful.
“Doesn’t hurt to be reminded that it’s great!” Shi Qingxuan heartily laughs. The older one simply shakes his head and goes to take an extra portion. Only a small one though.
Having finished the second portion he waits by the door of the penthouse.
“Get your bags. I’ll be waiting by the car”
“Ge, at least help me carry them!”
“Okay.” Then he proceeds to carry one bag. The lightest bag he could find. Shi Qingxuan whines on the way down. They’re all loaded into the car and the journey to the airport begins.
_________
“Make sure you call me at least twice a week.”
“I’ll call you as much as possible, ge!” Though he secretly wonders how his ge managed to settle for only twice a week. Maybe he’s getting less protective!
“You better” if others heard the cold tone he used, they’d think it was a threat. Shi Qingxuan however knew it was just him worrying over him. Maybe threatening him a tiny bit too.
A short time later and Shi Wudu had listed off at least another twenty things, not to hesitate to call him for money, not to eat airplane food because it was shitty, to get enough sleep, to have a multi plug outlet. Really the list was endless.
Shi Qingxuan retracts his earlier statement, waving his hand saying that he’ll do those things. They both know that some of them he won’t.
“Okay okay ge I have it I got it! I’m not a child, and the airplane is leaving!” So with a final tight hug he ran off.
A cold humph resounded in the air. The older one really did love his younger sibling. He would do pretty much anything to ensure his safety and prosperity, a lot would argue that he would do too much. If they knew…
Almost never did Shi Wudu show that he cared and even less show that he was proud of Shi Qingxuan, in a warm manner anyway. Shi Qingxuan wondered often if there was anything that could make him proud of him. Yet today that tyrant would allow himself to show a small gesture of what others would call warmth.
Today Shi Qingxuan would get on the plane from Beijing airport and land at Heathrow. Then, he would start university and would only come back for holidays. Shi Wudu shook his head silently.
“Qingxuan.”
“Hm?” Shi Qingxuan stops in his step.
Shi Wudu walked the distance his younger brother had run and patted Shi Qingxuan’s head. “Off you go.”
Shi Qingxuan smiled brighter than the heavens and laughed as he finally ran off again. Shi Wudu continued to look until he couldn’t see his younger brother. His face was stern, it always was but this time it was harder than usual.
“In this lifetime I will stay. I’ll make sure you live a happy life to the end.” He swore to himself. With a turn of his heel he marched off back to his office. He took the morning and afternoon off but he knows work would have piled up. If it was back then he would’ve made someone else take care of the minor stuff. Alas, he is no god now. The Water Tyrant no more, what remains is a mere mortal. So he has to do it himself.
_____
Finally! He was at his accommodation! He stretched out before the university flats and triumphantly walks in, an ever present smile etched on his face.
I’m sure my roommates will be great.
He arrived before anyone else, and got the keys and started to unpack, before he heard the door open and close again. It must be one of his roommates! He almost stumbles down the stairs to greet them before freezing mid step.
“Hi. I’m He Xuan.”
He’s taller than the vibrant youth, and his skin is quite a shade paler. His hair is sleek and reaches midway to his nape, and its black as obsidian. Curiously he has two long gold earrings.
A tide of black water rolls at the back of his mind.
Everything goes blank before he blurts out,
“I’m sorry.”