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Silence wrapped the outskirts of the city as the night grew darker. People tire and fall asleep, peacefully in the dead of night. With only the gusting of wind and crickets chirping heard.
Ling Chen, too, was asleep. Soundly slumbering as he dreamt of his enemy’s demise. Nestled in his blanket, and tightly embracing a pillow. Without a care in the world, a luxury from the time he was Panlos where he had to sleep with one eye open. Undisturbed and unbothered, sleeping tightly. On the soft covers, under the soft blankets, with soft pillows. A type of ease foreign to the guy back when he was the top villain, the only villain brave, or stupid, enough to challenge the greatest hero, Ye zi mu.
But nights like this are too good to be true. There was a reason why he couldn’t have a peaceful night like this back then. Maybe he shouldn’t have let his guard down, even if he was back in the past.
“Ling Chen…” A voice called out to him, a sound coming from really close. “...how could you?”
Ling Chen woke up slowly, but careful not to open his eyes, from a voice calling his name. A voice too familiar to mistake, but so close. From above him, whispering and… crying?
Tears fell down to his face as he slowly opened his eyes to a face that’s unmistakable to him, Ye Zi Mu. Sorrowful, with tears streaming down his face, eyes lightly glowing red, and caging Ling Chen in place with his arms as Ling Chen laid on his bed in a confused state.
“Ye Zi Mu, How did you get in here?” He asked the crying figure, turning to face him and sitting up. He observed the room for a brief moment trying to discern the situation, and finding his window open wide and the other man’s eyes glowing a faint red before returning to having his pupils visible and teary eyes. ‘So he unlocked his powers and went here, huh.’ he thought.
“Don’t answer that. Instead, what are you doing here?” he proposed another question and scratched the back of his head, only to be met with silence and little whimpers from Ye Zi Mu.
A minute passed by slowly before Ye Zi Mu asked his own question. “Why?”
“Why what?” irritation apparent on Ling Chen’s face, his brows frowning.
“Why did you betray me? What did I do? Why do you hate me?” a string of questions from Ye Zi Mu struck Ling Chen.
“What are you talking about?” Ling Chen asked the other. ‘He couldn’t have come back too would he?’ he thought.
Ye zi mu stared at him with half-lidded eyes, trying to calm his own breathing while tears still fell down from his eyes, “Why did you do that? Why are you Panlos?”
The last question made Ling Chen pause for a moment. ‘What? So he came back too. It wouldn’t be impossible given my situation, but how did he know that i did too?’ he thought as he silently looked at Ye Zi Mu’s face with a confused look to throw him off.
“Ah… im sorry, you probably don’t know what I'm talking about.” Ye Zi Mu continued, wiping away the tears off his eyes.
‘So he didn’t know, he just went here to vent out his anger after coming back.’ Ling Chen sighed in his mind, and continued. “You’re confusing me.” playing with Ye Zi Mu and convincing him his ignorance on the matter.
“No… you’re still not Panlos, you’re still the Ling Chen I know.” muttered Ye Zi Mu.
“Yes, yes, I'm not Panlos, I'm still Ling Chen.” Ling Chen said as he held Ye Zi Mu’s face in his hands and stroked his hair, like he’s trying to calm down a dog. ‘Yes, he’s still as gullible and stupid as ever.’
He looked at Ye Zi Mu intently, looking and relishing at the mess in front of him, somewhat proud of himself for having to look at his nemesis in this state. Ling Chen ran his finger up Ye Zi Mu’s throat and took hold of his chin, guiding his face up to face his.
‘You never knew me.’ he chuckled lightly at the thought, observing the person wrapped around his fingers. He gazed at Ye Zi Mu very keenly, casually turning the head lightly, glancing at different angles. ‘Like always, he looks kinda handso-’
“Ling Chen, can i hold you for a bit?” his thought was cut short by the sudden unbelievable question.
“What? What did yo-”
Without even hearing Ling Chen’s response, Ye Zi Mu embraced him. Wrapping his arms around his chest and burying his face on his shoulders, holding him tightly. ‘Still not taking a no for an answer, just like he was when we were kids before coming back in time. But-’
Ling Chen looked at the other, who was now proceeding to rub his face on his neck, strongly gripping the back of his shirt, and having no signs of letting go.
‘Did his mind degrade back to a younger state because he’s inhabiting a younger body?’ Ling Chen thought while enfolding his own arms around Ye Zi Mu’s head gently cradling him and lightly swaying left to right, confused as to why he was doing it unconsciously and even more so as to why it was working. Ye Zi Mu slowly calmed down and his breathing became more relaxed, his tight grip on Ling Chen’s shirt also loosening but still not letting go.
Ling Chen was dumbfounded by the situation he’s currently in and by Ye Zi Mu’s sudden change. ‘But it didn’t happen to me though.’
“Hey, Ling Chen.” Ye zi mu called out while still nestle on Ling Chen’s neck
“What is it this time?” answered Ling Chen, with irritation apparent in his tone.
“Can I sleep here for tonight?”
‘Did he really turn back into a kid?’ Ling Chen thought.
He tried to push Ye Zi Mu away but he still insisted on things going his way and lifted Ling Chen up a little, proceeding to position them comfortably to bed.
“What are you doing?” Ling Chen complained, trying to get out of the tight embrace but failing to do so as the other slid lower to nuzzle on his chest.
“Good night, Ling Chen.” Ye Zi Mu muttered, sounding muffled as his face was buried in Ling Chen’s shirt
“Urgh.” he didn’t have much say on the matter so Ling Chen just let it be, managing to squirm his arm under Ye Zi mu’s face. ‘What the hell is happening.’
Ye Zi Mu, right before dozing off, muttered under his lips. “I like you Ling Chen, even back in the future.” He drifted off to sleep, finding comfort in the warmth the other emanated.
A few minutes passed by while Ling Chen stared at his enemy’s sleeping face.
“I know, you idiot.”
He finally felt tired again and slept. Somehow, Ling Chen dozed off while being held by the other man. Again, peacefully sleeping through the cold and quiet night, just now with someone by his side. There was a reason why he couldn’t have a peaceful night like this back then, but maybe it’s okay to let his guard down this time.
-x-
In the middle of the night, close to dawn, Ye Zi Mu woke up.
He loosened his embrace on Ling Chen and tried to sit up, only to stop as he felt an arm lightly embracing his hips and another one acting as his pillow and lightly clutching at his hair.
Ye Zi Mu chuckled lightly and maneuvered Ling Chen’s arms, slowly as to not wake him up. He moved to the side of the bed and knelt, taking Ling Chen’s hand and placing it on his face.
“I still really like you, even if you tried to kill me.” he quietly whispered to the sleeping boy in front of him. “Even now in the past, before it all happened, I liked you since we were kids.” He planted kisses on Ling Chen’s palm and rubbed his face on it, reveling in the touch he longed for throughout the years.
“Hahh…” he sighed and smiled to himself, looking at Ling Chen. “I feel my consciousness already slipping. I don’t have enough time, I need to get back home so young me won’t think weird thoughts.” he looked at his own hands, his visions getting blurry. Dejected, he got up and made his way to the window, only to make his way back to the other who’s sleeping tightly. Before leaving, he brushed Ling Chen's hair to the side gently. "I'm sorry for saying my last goodbye like this but..." he left a small peck on his crush's cheek, "I'll leave it to younger me to chase you and take your heart for me. Goodbye Ling Chen."
He flew off to the window and went back home, moving carefully to not alert his dad, and laying to bed.
“You bastard. Saying that and leaving me here in the past alone. I'll kill you.” Ling Chen shifted his position and covered his eyes with his arms.