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Jia Qiu disliked Lei Heng when he was drunk.
Many times when they went out drinking together, he had to control the other's alcohol intake. The outcome was always Lei Heng getting into trouble with someone while drunk, leading to them both having to flee to avoid further trouble. Why not fight? That's a good question.
Because they were secretly together.
It wasn't a date, Jia Qiu repeated many times, but only received a sneer from Lei Heng as he put a cigar to his mouth. They both knew what the other was thinking, they just didn't want to admit it.
The cold night wind sobered Lei Heng up a little; he was still drowsy from his drunkenness, puffing smoke from his half-empty cigar. Jia Qiu's hand remained in his as they crossed Backstreet, trying to find a way home before curfew.
They were chased through the streets. Lei Heng couldn't remember the last time he'd been chased, running with all his might to avoid a life-threatening situation, because he was always the one chasing after others. Lei Heng found it quite amusing to watch his target stumble, scramble to their feet, and turn around to see if he was still following. When they saw he was still behind them, their faces would turn pale. They would continue running until they shook him off, either begging him for mercy or giving up and surrendering their lives to him.
Lei Heng watched Jia Qiu's hair swaying in the wind, making him feel disoriented. The warmth of his hand was still there, their hands still clasped, yet the feeling of reality seemed a thousand miles apart. Lei Heng wondered if constantly inviting Jia Qiu out for drinks would change anything in their strange friendship.
Not exactly friends, he clearly wanted something more. Lei Heng wanted to see a different expression on Jia Qiu's face—perhaps blushing, frowning, or a smile? Because Jia Qiu's face was always the same, and even when he frowned, it didn't change much.
The alcohol made him feel dizzy; the cold night wind couldn't extinguish the fire burning inside him. The Capo's head was spinning, his brown eyes only reflecting the other person's back in front of him.
"Ya' know..."
Lei Heng began.
"...next time we should drink at your house."
"You're still thinking about next time?"
Jia Qiu replied, looking up at the sky as if assessing something. Lei Heng, though drunk, was sharper, and he pushed them both into a dilapidated house nearby. The house looked like it had been uninhabited for a long time; it was so dusty that Jia Qiu sneezed as they entered. While Lei Heng searched for wooden planks to prop up the windows, Jia Qiu searched for something to brush away the dust.
Neither of them spoke, silently going about their business. The atmosphere was rather strange; when two of them are together, it's often difficult to explain what's happening between them.
Lei Heng took the cigarette he had almost finished and threw it to the ground, then used the tip of his shoe to press it down before sitting down on a nearby chair. However, as soon as he sat down, the chair's leg broke due to rot, causing Lei Heng to fall to the ground along with the tattered cushion beneath him. Then came a long silence. Lei Heng could see Jia Qiu's shoulders tremble slightly, even though his face was looking down at the ground.
"Did ya' just laughing?"
Capo replied in a drunken voice as he stood up and brushed off his backside, a very funny situation, but that was only if he wasn't the one suffering.
Jia Qiu coughed lightly and looked back at him.
"Are you alright?"
"What do ya' want me to say? 'There's a piece of wood stuck in my backside and I hope ya' can pull it out for me' eh?"
Jia Qiu burst out laughing and had to cover his mouth. Lei Heng grumbled as he approached him.
"Is it that funny? Look at me struggling like this?"
"No, I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."
Lei Heng watched him try to suppress his laughter as he continued sweeping, his chuckle quite soft, but to a Capo out in the chaotic battlefield where the sounds of locating enemies were easily audible.
"You're still laughing at me? Do ya' find me that funny?"
Jia Qiu shook his head. Perhaps the alcohol was only now starting to take effect, his face flushed slightly, and his smile was quite gentle.
That was different.
It was truly different from the expressions Lei Heng had seen on Jia Qiu's face before.
The Capo stood watching for a while, admiring Jia Qiu's face with his eyes half-closed, the faint blush on his cheeks, and his thin lips slightly curved. Under the dim moonlight, the usually stern features of his face softened.
"Are you drunk?"
Lei Heng lowered his voice as he moved closer to Jia Qiu. The latter tilted his head slightly, his hand still tightly gripping the broom he'd somehow found. His face showed a thoughtful expression as he nodded, seemingly uncertainly.
"I think so."
The Capo observed him for a moment longer, then suddenly reached out and cupped Jia Qiu's cheek, pulling him closer.
The smell of expensive cigarettes mixed with red wine and the light cocktail Jia Qiu drank was a rather terrible combination.
Jia Qiu thought to himself, if there's a next time, he hopes Lei Heng will eat something sweet before kissing him.