Work Text:
SEPTEMBER 12TH, 11:03PM
In the first timeline, he loses both of his friends in the span of one night.
Lu Guang is the only one to blame. He’d let himself lay lax for too long, he’d let himself hope and dream that he didn’t ever have to go back, and now he’d paid with the consequences.
The police had only left about an hour before, quartering off certain parts of the photo studio for later investigation. Most of the blood had been removed from the scene, the body having been taken to the morgue while Lu Guang was sat down for questioning.
(The bloody bracelet he’d found dropped off at their front door earlier that night had been the only answer he needed. He didn’t waste another second more, rushing into the photo studio, praying to the heavens and above that he was wrong.)
“Qiao Ling-jie has been missing since this morning.”
(He’d screamed and cried for what had felt like hours, not caring as the red continued to soak through the white of his clothes. Officer Xiao Li was the one who had to drag him away from the body of his best friend.)
“I found him in the room like that.”
And now, he’s upstairs in their bedroom, digging through their shelves frantically with his blood-stained hands when he finds the photo album, dust having collected over the cover from weeks of disuse. Fingers trembling, he gently flips it open, careful to not crease the folds of the pages. His eyes fall on the photos that are haphazardly tucked into the film covers, and he lets his irises flare an electric blue.
[SUNSET - 202X-01-13, 17:43:57] - SEPTEMBER 12TH, 11:11PM
Click.
Evening had set by the time Cheng Xiaoshi finished his work in the dark room. From a completely photographic point of view, the view in front of him was quite gorgeous. Sunlight filtered in through the glass-window roof, various hues of pinks and oranges dancing across the living room.
And in the center of it all was Lu Guang, curled up in the corner with a book in hand, basking in the warmth of the sun's glow. The natural lighting really did highlight all of the right angles for Lu Guang…
So after clicking a few photos [he has no clue how he hasn’t attracted Lu Guang’s attention yet], he shoves his phone back into his pocket and slinks towards his friend, plopping down right next to him.
Lu Guang scrunches his nose slightly before shifting his attention back to his book, uncaring as Cheng Xiaoshi proceeded to take up more and more of his personal space. His brief moment of respite is interrupted when he feels a finger repeatedly poke his cheek.
“Stop it,” he huffs out, swatting away the offending finger. “Let me read, idiot.”
“You've had your nose in that book all day,” Cheng Xiaoshi grumbles back, pulling his hand away. He was once again left to his own devices, boredom hanging over him like a heavy cloud. But soon enough he found himself staring at Lu Guang, unable to properly take his eyes away from the man (once again, he needed to emphasize the fact that the lighting really did do wonders for his features; perhaps he could try using him for a modeling shoot sometime else in the future).
What if he just…
He had fully expected Lu Guang to swat away his hand once more. Instead, he almost seemed to lean into the touch. Like a cat.
And with that, he continues to rub Lu Guang's nose, the repetitive motions lulling them into a comfortable lapse of silence between the two.
“Oh my God!”
The sudden yell causes them both to violently separate from each other, Cheng Xiaoshi falling harshly onto the floor while Lu Guang is sent sprawling across the couch. They both swivel their heads towards a mortified Qiao Ling, who looks about a second from spontaneously combusting on the spot.
The two immediately scramble upwards, bolting in opposite directions, trying to maintain as much distance as possible between each other.
“Keep it to the room, both of you!”
Everything was cold.
[COOKING - 202X-10-07, 10:12:38] - SEPTEMBER 12TH, 11:27PM
Click.
“I didn't know you liked making dumplings.”
Qiao Ling still doesn't understand how she managed to rope Lu Guang into preparing dinner with her, but she isn't one to question her blessings. So she puts him to work, the two artfully dancing across each other as they manhandle various pots and ingredients. What she finds is that Lu Guang particularly enjoyed preparing dumplings. Not just enjoyed-- he's skilled at preparing them.
“Yeye taught me before he passed away.” Well shit, she did not mean to open that can of worms.
The dumplings did wonders to stave off the emptiness of his household. They were a memory of simpler times, simpler lives.
She turns towards Lu Guang in concern, heart clenching at the dazed look in Lu Guang's eyes. “It's been a while since I've last made them.”
It's been a while since he's truly had a place he could call home.
“Well…” Qiao Ling takes a moment to place down the tongs she's using to stir the Lo Mein, shooting him a soft smile.
“New memories can never replace the old ones,” she says, ruffling his hair fondly. “Just don't become lost in the past.”
Lu Guang sets down the knife he was holding to chop vegetables, face pinched together in apprehension. “Do you… ever think we'll go separate ways, Qiao Ling-jie?” he asks hesitantly [the words now tasted like bile as he watched them spill out of his mouth].
“Don't ask foolish questions, Lu Guang.” she jokes, before sobering up at the heaviness of the question. “What matters is that we're family. That will never change no matter how far we are from each other.”
“So to answer your question? No, we never will.” She pauses to ruffle his hair once more before shooing him out of the kitchen with a towel. “Now stop worrying your little head and check if Cheng Xiaoshi has returned from the store.”
She treasures the rare smile she gets from Lu Guang in return.
[The photo studio breaks into pandemonium when Cheng Xiaoshi and Xu Shanshan burst in through the front door, yammering about string they had found for a discounted price. An exhausted Dong Yi tumbles in right after, barely able to hold himself upright as he stumbles towards the countertop to place their bag of snacks down. The rest of the evening is filled with laughter and chatter, bowls of noodles laid half-hazardly across the table, as they all attempted to make bracelets out of the string that was purchased.
When Qiao Ling receives the bracelet from a flustered Lu Guang later that night, she laughs, immediately wrapping the cord around her wrist while she pokes fun at her friend's shoddy braiding skills. She makes the silent promise to never remove the bracelet.]
He ties the bracelet around his wrist, uncaring of how the blood has now crusted around the once fine fibers of the thread. The distance between them couldn’t have felt any farther.
[TURTLE - 202X-04-26, 20:06:25] - SEPTEMBER 12TH, 11:36PM
Click.
Rain patters down heavily against the sidewalk, tiny clouds of mist shooting upwards as the droplets make contact with the ground. It’s a rather sleepy day for the city, the downpour creating a relatively cozy atmosphere for those spending their time indoors. Of course, there were the collect few stragglers outside enjoying the gentle fall of rain.
What was originally supposed to be a boba run had now become… whatever the hell they were doing right now. Which involved observing the unusually still turtle that lay flat against the concrete of the sidewalk. She snaps a quick photo of the creature, and pockets her phone inside of her jacket before it can get wet from the rain.
Getting onto his knees, Cheng Xiaoshi peers down closely at the unmoving creature below, not exactly sure what to make of it.
Maybe if he touched it, it would–
“Cheng Xiaoshi, you can’t just touch it! What if it’s still alive and you injure it?”
“I mean… it isn’t exactly moving.”
The two sat flabbergasted, lost about how to proceed as the rain abruptly shifted tempo, the sudden downpour causing the water to finally soak through their raincoats.
Within her peripheral, she manages to spot a stick and immediately grasps it. “We can use this instead.”
Just as she's about to try moving the turtle with the stick, both of their phones vibrate, distracting her from the task all together.
8:13 PM
Lu Guang: It’s late..
Lu Guang: And it's raining.
Cheng Xiaoshi: We’re all good promise!
Qiao Ling: On our way back rn!
Qiao Ling: [Picture of turtle]
Lu Guang: Where were both of you?
Cheng Xiaoshi: Aw were you worried about us Lu Guang o(≧▽≦)o
Lu Guang: What?
Qiao Ling: We took a slight detour and stopped by the park
Qiao Ling: Cheng Xiaoshi saw a turtle and just had to poke it ◔_◔
Cheng Xiaoshi: you were curious as well
Cheng Xiaoshi: such a hypocrite
Qiao Ling: I was being mature about it! You on the other hand nearly injured the poor thing!
Cheng Xiaoshi: did not -_-
Lu Guang: Sigh
Cheng Xiaoshi: ‘Sigh’
Cheng Xiaoshi: HAHA YOU REALLY ARE AN OLD MAN LU GUANG
Lu Guang: No.
Cheng Xiaoshi: y’know what
Cheng Xiaoshi: guang guang~~
Lu Guang: .
Cheng Xiaoshi: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Lu Guang: …
Qiao Ling: HAHAHAHAHA
Lu Guang: stop
Qiao Ling: GUang guanggg (◕ᴗ◕✿)
Qiao Ling: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Cheng Xiaoshi: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Cheng Xiaoshi: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Qiao Ling: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Lu Guang has left the chat
Cheng Xiaoshi: NOOO LU GUANG ASJSJSJSJJS
Qiao Ling: Lu Guang come back noo
Qiao Ling added Lu Guang to the chat.
Lu Guang: No.
Cheng Xiaoshi: :(
Qiao Ling: LMAO
Lu Guang: Just get back to the studio. Don’t get into trouble.
Cheng Xiaoshi: Yessir
Qiao Ling: Okay Guang Guang ('-'*ゞ
Lu Guang: …
Lu Guang: I’m waiting outside the studio with an umbrella.
“Cheng Xiaoshi, the turtle is gone.”
“But the turtle is still– eh!? How did it disappear so fast??”
Frowning, she pokes at the spot where the turtle had previously lay with their stick. “At least we know it's alive.”
Cheng Xiaoshi stands with a groan, stretching his limbs. He winces as he eyes the waterlogged and mud-covered plastic bag clutched in his hand. “This is… not good.”
Qiao Ling grimaces at the state of the bag and stands up as well, hoping that the boba was not a lost cause. “We should leave before Lu Guang worries more.” She pauses for a second, her face morphing into a sly smirk. “Race you back? Person who jumps in the least puddles wins.”
“Make it the person who jumps in the most puddles, and you've got a deal.”
“Deal!”
Water splatters across the sidewalk as they sprint back to the studio, barely keeping themselves upright as they stumble from laughter. The stairs to the studio are just in sight when they spot the biggest puddle they’ve come across so far.
“That’s my puddle, dammit!”
“Not if I jump in fir–”
A loud splash and a hiss causes the duo to freeze in the ankle deep water, and the two dare a glance towards a soaking wet Lu Guang holding an umbrella that has now been rendered useless.
The closest they could compare him to was an angry, wrangled cat. A very very angry, homicidal cat judging by the venomous aura surrounding him.
In a panicked craze, Qiao Ling yanks Lu Guang by one of his arms, attempting to drag him inside the studio. Cheng Xiaoshi hastens behind her, grabbing Lu Guang by the other arm, the two jabbering half-baked apologies.
[“We can't let you fall sick from the water, Lu Guang!”
“Don't worry! We'll be piling towel after towel onto you, Lu Guang!”
“Guys wait–”]
The traitors didn't even look guilty as they wrestled him into the living room, drenching the entire place in their chaos.
Please let this all be some nightmare.
[BEACH - 202X-12-31, 09:29:07] - SEPTEMBER 12TH, 11:49PM
Click.
Lu Guang continued to snap photographs of the waves, ignoring the growing cacophony of an argument that was occurring behind him. He turns a blind eye as Cheng Xiaoshi crashes into the wet sand beside him, silently snickering as Xiaoshi's complaints go ignored by Qiao Ling.
Leave it to the moron to read the weather forecast for the wrong location. After a long 7 hour drive to the shores, they had expected to be greeted by sunny skies and a gentle ocean breeze, temperate weather perfect for lazing around without the consequence of overheating. Instead, they were nipped by the biting cold immediately upon their arrival, rain pattering against the dark waves, settling as a heavy mist over the shore-side.
None of them were ready for a 7 hour long drive back to the photo studio only just minutes after reaching, so the only option was to make do with the weather. Hence the intense squabbling between the two of them.
In complete honesty, Lu Guang found no issue with the weather. He could stare at the sight for hours on end if he wanted to, and he would never get bored. Besides, watching his two friends shove each other into the sand was quite entertaining.
He's broken out of his reverie when Cheng Xiaoshi flops in front of him.
“Save me, Guang Guang,” he whines, clasping his hands together in prayer.
Lu Guang can only snort in response, bending down to extend his hand forward as Qiao Ling's figure rapidly approaches them.
“Get up idiot.”
The three spend the rest of the day chasing each other across the beach, laughter lost to the salty breeze. And if they all ended up sick shortly later? Well that was for them to know and no one to ever find out.
There’s a lone tear that slips down his face when he views the memory. It’s the second to last photograph in the album.
[BASKETBALL - 202X-09-13, 13:59:44] - SEPTEMBER 12TH, 12:00AM
Click.
To think that it all started with a game of basketball…
When Lu Guang glances at Cheng Xiaoshi’s earnest gaze for a second time, he realizes that he needed to go back to the beginning.
SEPTEMBER 13TH, 12:04AM
His hands are coated in red and the only thought in his head is a singular word playing over and over again in a feedback loop ( dead-dead-dead-dead-dead-dead ).
Lu Guang doesn't know any better. All he knows is that he has a power, and he can use it to change everything.
He ignores the little voice that is screaming in the back of his mind, screaming that Vein will likely have his head for this betrayal.
(--He can't bring himself to care much-- they were the ones who showed him freedom, the ones who opened the cage of what had been the sorry state of his life. He didn't want to go back, he didn't want to ever go back--)
So he takes a deep breath and lets go of any and all rationale. In a sense, time was malleable, bound to change by the spur.
He just wanted his best friends back.
[ DIVE - 202X-09-13, 00:05:00]
After Lu Guang dives back for the first time, he realizes that he has made the biggest mistake of his life.