Chapter Text
Yes, I may meet a million pretty girls that know my name
But don't you worry, 'cause you have my heart
It ain't easy to keep on moving city to city
Just get up and go
The show must go on so I need you to be strong
I'm never, never (never as far away as it may seem)
Soon we'll be together
We'll pick up right where we left off
- Big Time Rush, Worldwide
Stelle looked at him with uncertainty, showing all her doubts, all her scars, all her confusion, begging him for an answer. Why can't he tell her, the reason for his decision? Why can't he trust her? Why can't he just let her in on his problems? Why is he not telling anything? So many questions left unanswered and she could only ask them through her citrine eyes. She was not good at voicing her thoughts nor expressing her emotions when it comes to him, but he should understand. Shouldn't he?
Jing Yuan looked at her with the most sincere look that he could give her. With his golden eyes, answering all her questions. It's not that he didn't want to answer them. It's not that he didn't trust her but it was forbidden for him to tell her anything. That was part of the agreement. If he ever let out a single detail about this agreement, it would be off and his only chance at freedom will cease to exist. Through his eyes, the general was silently telling her 'It'll be alright. Everything will be alright. With this, you'll be okay, we'll be okay'. Trying to reassure her with his softest and most sincere smile that he would only give to her and no one else, holding onto her gaze.
Yes, he had smiled many times in his long life time towards the people he had known. But this one he had given to her, it was rare.
She scrunched her forehead, trying to argue, trying to say that he should just tell her what's going on. Those eyes, that smile, made her believe that 'It'll be alright. Everything will be alright. With this, you'll be okay, we'll be okay'. She tried her best to curse under her breath as low as she could. How did he do it? With just a smile and a gentle look in his eyes, he could convince her without even saying a word. She knew they had to be careful even though they were at a public place where they could hardly be overheard. Even though she was sad and her tears were starting to well up in her eyes, she decided that tears weren't the best way to say goodbye. She decided to put the sadness behind her, putting up a returned smile to him. Besides, she had always been good at hiding her emotions and put on a pretend face to anyone else. Squeezing the hand that was holding hers a bit hard, as if she was saying 'Okay, I know you can't tell me but I know I can trust you.' Thanking him for his assurance, confidence, sincerity, trust, loyalty, and most of all... love.
He returned the gesture with a smile that could make all the employees in the Seat of Divine Foresight stop in their tracks in which some of them did, including Yanqing, Welt, Dan Heng and March who are just standing there witnessing the pair with their very own eyes. Glad that she understood the situation. Feeling so blessed that she would trust him to make this selfish request. He couldn't hold back anymore. He didn't care who might see, whether it'd be Yukong or most especially, Fu Xuan, who would possibly scold him to doing such an "inappropriate act" in front of everyone else. He had his own plans, after all, he is Jing Yuan, one of the seven Arbiter-Generals of the Xianzhou Alliance's Cloud Knights, and one of the Six Charioteers of the Xianzhou Luofu. He leaned in closer, never letting go of her gaze. Taking his time to close the distance, while telling her with his eyes how much he deeply cared for her, reassuring her that he will wait for her, he had this all figured out. He leaned in closer to her but stopped just inches before closing a gap between their lips. He was waiting for her to get rid of the distance that would show him that he fully supported his decision.
Stelle couldn't break the gaze of those beautiful golden orbs no matter how embarrassed or scared she was by looking into them. They were answering and questioning her at the same time. She had an inner debate with herself of what she should do, on how should answer him. After a while now, she had found her answer, no matter how much or how long the debate was, it will only come to one conclusion. She leaned in to return gesture. Slowly, never breaking the contact of her eyes with his, answering his questions at the same time.
When their lips met, both of them could feel the passion, the need, the answer to the questions that they asked each other for, that genuine love. He poured all his feelings into the kiss and so did she. They kiss like there was no tomorrow because for them, there won't be. She was leaving him to continue traveling into the stars as a trailblazer, this was her path, her destiny. And he had to stay, because he had a duty to fulfill as a General of the Xianzhou Luofu. No matter how much he deeply wanted to retire and desired freedom, he still had to take responsibility as a leader for his people. For his sake, for her sake, and for the future.
They were both breathless when they broke off from their last kiss they will be sharing for a while now. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her tight never wanting to let go of her. She snaked her arms around his torso and embraced him equally as tightly as he did. He whispered in her ear, making sure none of the people around would hear, the words that he needed to say, was all that she need to know.
"I love you, Stelle. I will be waiting for you... right here, no matter what."
Stelle nodded at his statement. Scared that if she responded, the tears that she had been holding back will spill out.
"We'll be together again."
She just smiled at him as Jing Yuan kissed her forehead for one last time before she let go of his arms and turned around, putting on her blank expression to mask her real one and joined along with the rest of her companions and exited towards the door of the office while the general watched her till she disappeared from his divine sight.
Once aboard in the astral express, Stelle could see the Exalting Sanctum, the highest point upon the ship. The Seat of Divine Foresight was shown from the distance in front of her as she placed her hand to window, gazing it with longing.
'Until we meet again, Jing Yuan. I will come back for you, no matter what...'