Work Text:
“Wait for me!” Lu Guang cried out, his hand reaching towards Cheng Xiaoshi who was slowly flying up into the sky. “I want to save you!”
“I’m sorry, Lu Guang” he replied, “This isn’t something we can stop.”
A sincere, but sad smile painted Cheng Xiaoshi’s lips as he looked down at Lu Guang, who was crying, desperately reaching out for him, never getting closer.
“Don’t leave! I can’t let you leave, please stay!” immense panic could be heard in Lu Guang’s voice, which trembled. He tried to fly towards Cheng Xiaoshi, but his wings were broken. They could barely lift him off the ground. “I don’t know what I will do without you!” he sobbed loudly.
Cheng Xiaoshi plucked a feather from his left wing and sent it towards Lu Guang. “No worries,” he said “I’ll be with you.”
Lu Guang grabbed the feather - which turned white - gently as if it was Cheng Xiaoshi himself, then looked up at him. As expected, Cheng Xiaoshi was still smiling sweetly at him. It made Lu Guang’s face distort with pain. His tears kept flowing like a river.
“Don’t cry, Lu Guang. Didn’t I just tell you I’ll be with you?” he pointed at the white feather, which was now glowing in Lu Guang’s hand. “Now, please, smile for me!”
Lu Guang could barely see from the tears, so he wiped his face, but it did not help. However, he still managed to force his lips into a smile. There was something about Cheng Xiaoshi’s tender and soothing voice that calmed Lu Guang down even as it broke him.
“Cheng Xiaoshi” he said, barely more than a whisper.
“Lu Guang” he replied, “thank you for all these beautiful memories.”
Lu Guang choked.
“Cheng Xiaoshi!” he saw Cheng Xiaoshi slowly turn around and fly into the clouds. “Xiaoshi!” he yelled, but to no avail. His angel left him.
Uncontrollable sobs ripped his throat.
“I love you, I love you, I love you…” he kept repeating it while hugging the single feather to his chest. “I love you so much!” he wept with never-ending tears.
-------------
Qiao Ling watched Lu Guang cry silently, hugging a group photo of the three of them to his chest and murmuring something incomprehensible. She wiped his tears, trying to stop her own from flowing. Cheng Xiaoshi’s death left her heartbroken in such a way she could have never prepared for, so she understood him.
Her stomach grumbled so she went to the kitchen and prepared a quick breakfast. Just when she was about to head upstairs again to wake Lu Guang up, the sound of Lu Guang opening the bedroom door reached her ears.
“Good morning, Lu Guang” she greeted him, with a faint smile. As much as she missed Cheng XIaoshi, she was very grateful that at least Lu Guang was still around. His presence eased her pain slightly. “Come, I made some breakfast” she gestured towards the table, then sat down on one of the chairs.
Lu Guang for a moment stayed silent, his grief showing on his face.
“Thank you, Qiao Ling-jie” he finally said and sat down as well. They smiled at each other before eating, both comforted by the other’s company. The mutual grief of the loss brought them closer.