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Hua Cheng doesn’t even realize what’s happening.
One second he’s leaning over the railing, peering at the crowd, trying to discern the chaotic jumble of faces apart, looking for him. The next, he’s free falling.
His heart lurches and his mind goes numb. He can’t even stop and think, his thoughts spiralling out of control as he watches the ground rushing up to meet him. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die.
He shuts his eyes tight in fear, anticipating the hard, cold ground.
Then he feels warmth wrap around his entire body.
His heart is beating erratically, a frantic drumming against his tiny ribcage, like a tiger clawing at it’s cage. He tries to stop, to think, to breathe. He’s gulping down air, unable to feed his hungry, heaving lungs.
“Hey, hey? It’s alright, I got you. ”
He blinks open his eyes, trying to get his bearings. A warm, smiling face looks down at him, a look of concern dancing across their features. The sun glows bright from behind his saviour, encapsulating their face in a vivid light. The arms hold onto him, strong and unwavering.
“I got you,” they repeat. “Don’t be scared.”
Hua Cheng tearfully looks into the eyes of the person who caught him. A boy, a couple years older than him, gazes at him reassuringly, his brown hair tucked behind his ears. Xie Lian. Of course it was Xie Lian of all people who had to catch him.
He looks him in the eyes, expression gentle, “Don’t worry, nothing will hurt you.”
Distantly he can feel the eyes of the crowd watching them. Parents and students are milling around the track, and he can hear some barely hushed whispers. (That kid just fell off the bleachers! Where are his parents?)
Don’t be scared. Don’t worry, nothing will hurt you.
A wave of familiarity crashes over him.
Had he…done this before?
Images flash through his mind. A parade. A sword. Falling. He was in someone’s arms. Xie Lian. Xie Lian. Xie Lian. It feels like waking up from a dream, not knowing what is real, a haze filling his mind. The air feels thick and confusing, like fighting through a fog.
He sees Xie Lian suddenly frown in confusion, his eyebrows furrowing. He continues to hold onto Hua Cheng tightly, but now, he can feel his strong arms trembling.
He looks disorientated, and stumbles on his words, “Have we… do I know you?”
They stare at each other, an incredible nostalgia for a time that he wasn’t sure was real.
“Hey, cousin! What are you doing? Your next race is starting!” A voice screeches over the buzz of the crowd, snapping them out of the daze.
“Sorry little guy, I’ve got to go. Maybe ask a nurse to check you over.”
He sets him down on the ground carefully, and Hua Cheng stays standing, though his legs tremble with adrenaline. His mouth is dry, and his voice is shaky and small.
“Th-thank you.”
Xie Lian smiles good-naturedly, fixing his number on his jersey, “Stay away from the railing next time okay? The bleachers are pretty high.”
Hua Cheng repeats, “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” He grins, and it’s like staring at the sun. “Just make sure to cheer me on, alright, Hua Cheng?”
Hua Cheng just nods numbly, and it’s only long after the track meet has ended and he’s walking home in the dark does he realize he had never told Xie Lian his name.