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There was a small lake just a few li from the coffin house. One would think that with all the bad feng shui around Yi City that this lake would be infested with water ghouls, demonised water life and other resentful stuff.
In fact, at day the lake was a crystal clear, sparkling blue, not infested by anything other than a few normal fish, frogs and dragonflies, the occasional reets, and it was surrounded by tall and thick trees, that in spring bloomed in a multitude of colours, with various birds chirping in the tress, insects humming in the reets and wild bees buzzing by.
Now, at night, the lake lay dark and serenely and desolate. No fish or frog or fallen leaf was rippling the water that reflected the bright full moon above. No cicades or other insects, no birds, nor even any gusts of wind could be heard. Everything was quiet. Peacefully so.
Xuē Yáng slowly walked towards the spot where A-Qing, Xiǎo Xīngchén and him used to sit down in summer and leave their robes before taking a swim in the lake. Well, more like him and A-Qing. Or really it was just him as A-Qing couldn't swim. But at least Little Blind would go as far into the water as she dared or could and from there she'd try to splash him with water or accidentally hit him with stones she threw into the lake to hear them splash. The Dàozhǎng, meanwhile, preferred to stay outside meditating, watching them with a beatific, happy smile on his face.
One time, Xuē Yáng had finally gotten him to go into the water...
“Dàozhǎng! Look! Come and see what I just found!”
Xiǎo Xīngchén perked up from where he was meditating, turning his head in his direction, smiling jovially at him: “Chéngměi, silly, you know I can't see...”
“I know!” he groaned, playfully annoyed, “But you can still touch and smell things, can't you?”
“I guess you're right on that account...” he budged, “What is it that you found?”
“It's a suprise! You have to come here first!” he laughed.
Xiǎo Xīngchén had gotten up then and walked towards him. Xuē Yáng had ignored A-Qing's suspicious, again all too aware, gaze on them, or rather, specifically him. He was solely focused on Xiǎo Xīngchén. He could hardly contain his snicker as he already imagined his plan and its outcome. When the Dàozhǎng stood in front of him, at the edge of the slope that led into a deeper part of the lake, the water nearly reaching Xuē Yáng's chest here, he stepped in front of Xīngchén, looking up at him innocently, despite knowing he couldn't even see it.
“Now, what is the suprise you wanted to show me?” Xiǎo Xīngchén asked again, he was so fucking pure and gullible, it was ridiculous.
“I can't reach up toward you when you're standing so tall, Dàozhǎng, you have to kneel or crouch down for a second!” Xuē Yáng told him innocently.
So the Dàozhǎng did. Getting on his knees in front of him and looking at him expectently.
“Can you lean a little closer still?” Xuē Yáng asked sweetly. Xīngchén frowned. Not so gullible after all it seemed. “Do you trust me Dàozhǎng?” – the question for all it was aimed to tease, was meant in earnest.
Xiǎo Xīngchén didn't answer. Instead he leaned forward and down toward him. Xuē Yáng grinned. This was too easy... He felt like a siren ensnaring a fishermen, ready to devour him... Xuē Yáng rose on his tiptoes to erase the remaining gap between them, bringing his lips down on the Dàozhǎng's, who let out a small, surprised “oh”. And then Xuē Yáng had already wrapped his arms around Xīngchén's neck and pulled him down and into the water. Keeping his lips locked onto Xīngchén's. The Dàozhǎng's arms, in his suprise, had come down onto Xuē Yáng's chest and were now gripping his shoulders tightly.
Yes, just like a siren... Dragging its prey down into the depths of the sea. Letting it drown. Seeing the awe on its face slowly turn to terror... Just like that he could snuff out Xiǎo Xīngchén's life...
Xuē Yáng's eyes snapped open. No. Why would he do that? This had not been his intention and was decidedly not his plan. He was here to suprise the Dàozhǎng, to make him let go of his boring rigidness, to get him wet, to have fun, to kiss him beneath the water... To see him look exactly like this: Floating above him, his ink-black hair, the white ribbons of his blindfold and the sleeves of his hanfu swirling around him. Just... beautiful. He was so goddamn beautiful... In that one almost eternal moment, that time had shortly stopped...
All too soon, Xuē Yáng pushed them both to the surface again, his own horrible imagination making him too queasy to stay submerged any longer. When they had risen back to the surface, they both gasped. Ending they're kiss to get air back into their lungs. Xuē Yáng's arms, meanwhile, had encircled the Dàozhǎng's waist, holding him close, not letting him go just yet, half lifting him in the water. Xīngchén still gripped Xuē Yáng's shoulder's tightly, he might even be bruising them, but Xuē Yáng couldn't care less.
“Chéngměi!” Xīngchén finally scolded him, his cute little nose screwed in anger.
Xuē Yáng chuckled as he imitated Xīngchén: “Dàozhǎng!” – and then he leaned forwad to nuzzle his nose – “Come one, wasn't this fun? Better than meditating all day long.”
Xiǎo Xīngchén huffed indignantly, but blushed and there was a small smile playing around the corners of his mouth. Thus, Xuē Yáng knew all was good and his Dàozhǎng wasn't really angry at him for this stunt. And he definitely had not picked up on Xuē Yáng's momentary lapse... Gosh how could he be so fucking trusting... Xuē Yáng could have killed him... What was wrong with Xiǎo Xīngchén... and what was wrong with him?
Their little moment and Xuē Yáng's dark musings were interrupted by A-Qing's concerned calls: “Dàozhǎng! Dàozhǎng! Where are you? What has this stupid rascal done now?”
Xuē Yáng rolled his eyes and sighed: “Little Blind... Always expecting the worst...” – he tsked in indignation, but his frantic heart was betraying his outer cool – “The Dàozhǎng is fine! He just slipped and fell into the water! Luckily, I rescued him!”
A-Qing scowled at them, or rather him, obviously not believing a word that he said: “You shameless liar! You dragged him into the water didn't you?”
“No, A-Qing,” to Xuē Yáng's surprise Xiǎo Xīngchén chimed in, a benevolent smile on his face, some of that cute blush still remaining on his cheeks, as he said, “I really was a bit uncautious and fell into the lake... But Chéngměi made sure I didn't drown...”
The expression of awe on Xuē Yáng's face when he saw Xiǎo Xīngchén basically lie to A-Qing quickly turned into a bemused grin as he realized how he had worded their short make-out beneath the water... And then his heart fluttered and the dark thoughts dissipated. Yes, he had made sure his Dàozhǎng didn't and would never drown or come to harm any other way, least of all by him... Xuē Yáng was not going to lose him. Ever.
But in the end he had...
The night sky was clear. The moon still reflected in the water below. But now small droplets hit the smooth surface of the lake, rippling the water, the moon's reflection shivering with the small waves. Seeming as if the same sobs were raking it like the body sitting hunched over at the water's edge..