Work Text:
The morning sun washed through the window on top of the headboard, as you stare at the man sleeping in your arms. His white lengthy hair, smooth as silk and white, like papers that smells sweeter than roses blooming, almost like a ghost.
The ginkgo leaves fall outside the window as a sickly breeze would blow them to the faraway land of Xianzhou Luofu. And there, they would rot to become one with earth once their time came.
You watch as the man breathes, slowly stir and move around, deep in his slumber, yet you seem to be used to seeing this sight, from somewhere, sometime.
Instinctively, you let your finger brush the small tears that would pour down the corner of his eyes, as he frowned in his sleep.
“A-Xing, A-Xing.”
The small calls that came out of your lips quickly awoken the slumbering man. “...what’s wrong?” His fractured voice whispered, making you gently beam at the sight of him furrowing his brows as he adjust his eyes to the rays of light that scintillated into the room, reflecting its crowns to blind those who cast their vision on.
His hand quickly took its place to hold the fingers that caress his face as he promptly gave it a warm embrace.
You would come to explain that you had prepared a fine wine over the years, as soon as you heard that they would gather together today to celebrate their victory, you want to share the small proud creation of yours to the people that he trusted over the years, the ones he calls The High-Cloud Quintet.
You’ve grown quite familiar to them, like how siblings are.
Like Dan Feng who would often come over to your residence after dusk, and pour a liquor to share with both you and YingXing to talk about their day.
Jingliu and Baiheng who would share their thoughts on weaponries and assist you on trying out some catalyst. A basic lesson for self-defence as the two ladies had told.
Jing Yuan who you would watch from afar as he continuously swung the weighty glaive daily, as if it was weightless. The boy worked harder than most of his peers and you adore his hard working spirit. You’ve always seen him on the practice grounds whenever YingXing paid him a visit to consult on weaponries matters.
You wonder, how would they find the white wine you’ve made for all to share tasted?
But you will never see that sight,
as the world would warp, the darkness befall you, and you’d open your eyes once more.
Again, you find yourself in the same residence, the furnitures left unmoved for years, yet not plenty of dust sat on top of them.
But one thing was different.
This time, there was no man that you remember as YingXing snuggled in your arms, but laying there was the cold blanket, on an empty space where your heart gradually scrunched up, in pain, or pure melancholy.
The aches in your head would slowly but surely leave you an option aside from letting you stand on your feet. You would peek out the very same window above the headboard, where the very same yellow gingkos would pilled beneath the trees. Signalling the Autumn had arrived.
And there was a man, he sat on the bench under the shade of the afternoon radiant, he looked gloom, his hair, long dark blue with red streak, loosely swayed with the wind that grazes the skin with bites.
Similar to your own state, the man was bandaged up, almost on every patch of his skin, and his face was also plastered here and there.
The door to your space would click open as you watch the man under the tree, revealing a woman that smiled, softly, and so gracefully, taking steps to close the distance from you.
Kafka, you know her. Endlessly considerate, and kind.
“ Name , I’m glad you’re okay from the last mission.”
“What.. Do you mean?”
“Stabbed somewhere, luck’s on your side thankfully. Blade saw you before you fell into the void and stopped the bleeding.”
Blade?
Ah, Blade is a name, yes?
You turn to look at the man, but found your sight blocked, as the man, bandaged, yet he seems to be unaffected by the pain of his wound, as if it was healed and never existed.
He softly sighed as he leaned on the window and gave you a small smile, so small that from a far he looked emotionless, yet you knew better than anyone, that this man was anything but empty.
Blade, who you looked for, even after years since he went mad.
Blade, who you found, and care for even as a different identity.
Blade, who you kept company because you know he hated staying alone in the dark as the nightmares would consume him even though every single soul that knew of him, knew that the man hated people around him.
But you felt your action would not compare to the way Blade cared and loved you for centuries.
It probably… was never you who gave the most,
perhaps, it was Blade, would choose to abandon his past self, but still chase after your shadow, so he can protect you from evil.
Even though he died, he did anything but lose the feeling and wishes to meet you again in another life. Blade who knew what you enjoy, bad habits, and Blade who would always curl up in your arms again, just like in the past.
And you’re grateful, thankful for him.
“Perhaps, we are doomed from the start of this era. So, can I promise to meet, and accompany you again, in another less sadder life? And if I could, … I’ll find you again.”