Hei Xiazi
It was stupid on his part to be on his current predicament, but then again he could not help himself. It was because of the kiss that he had not been careful enough to look where he had end up sitting to rest. The kiss was as unexpected to Xiazi as much as it had been to Xiao Hua, but he could not resist the temptation when the opportunity had presented itself so wonderfully.
He knew Xiao Hua was reluctant and not serious about his advances on him before, but now that they had kissed, he was glad to find out that Xiao Hua at least was not disgusted by it. Alright, his Master Hua was not exactly thrilled either, but for a kiss, he would had expected far worse than just a small push that would not move him at all.
Knowing his strength, if Xiao Hua wanted to push him away for real he would had no problem to do so, but he only slightly protested then he sat to rest and in his happy amusement he did the same, thus not really giving his resting place a glance. Only when he sat he knew he had just manage to sit over a trap that at the top of the place will not mean anything trivial, but a big disaster.
He had looked at Xiao Hua close to him, but seen him so tired and in need of the rest, he keep quiet and stay still, patiently waiting for the other man he care so much about, wake up on his own. Hours later he did and by then, he felt so stiff that it was hard to take it any longer. However, to his relief, it took Xiao Hua just less than a minute to know there was something wrong with both, the place and with him.
"This is not her real Palace. Aside from the endless traps there is nothing in here that pointed this place as her main one." Xiao Hua told him.
"Right... we were tricked, like sparrows caught into a basket." He said looking up at him.
"Indeed. We should get out now and try to find clues about the main Palace. If San Xing came this way too, then we must not be too stray from the real path. Come." Xiao Hua said as he extended his hand to him, but when he didn't reach for it, Xiao Hua frowned.
"What's wrong with you? Why you look so stiff? There is no need for that, just don't kiss me again out of nowhere." Xiao Hua said, obviously dismissing their short kiss and Xiazi smiled.
"Then, if I ask for it, will you agree?" Xiazi couldn't help himself but tease.
"No. Don't even joke about that." Xiao Hua said seriously, yet deep inside he was hoping Xiazi will never ask him... there was always the risk, that depending of the circumstances he may agree.
"Then what about as a parting kiss. I'm not joking here." Xiazi said and Xiao Hua frowned deeper. He notice the slight sweat on Xiazi's forehead and his entire body language was far from be relaxed to tell a joke. He also notice that he was sit in the exact same position before he feel asleep and once again his heart skipped a beat in that fear that could truly undo him.
"What happen? Can you move?" Xiao Hua asked now concerned.
"Not really... I'm sitting on something that may be our end. It's mostly a trap that could destroy the whole place." Xiazi confessed and Xiao Hua tuned away angrily.
"Hei Yanjing, you really are something else... why didn't you told me before?" Xiao Hua asked as he turned back to look at him.
"You were tired, I could tell with just one look and I thought you were still angry with me about the kiss..." Xiazi protested and Xiao Hua sighed.
"I was not angry from the start, you are an idiot. Here, take my hand..." He offer it again.
"This could end real badly for us, why don't you go ahead first?"
"Like hell will I leave you behind... come on, don't make a fool of yourself. The faster we leave this place the better."
"And about that parting kiss? No? This could be my end." Xiazi pouted.
"I tell you what, if we manage to survive this hellish place, I will kiss you myself as a replacement for the dinner you refused a while ago, you will not need to ask me." Xiao Hua said so suddenly that it even he was surprised he had said it out load. Xiazi smiled.
"Okay, deal... are you ready?" Xiazi asked a bit unsure.
"Of course... give me your hand Xiazi. Now." Xiao Hua demanded and this time Xiazi comply and after an exchange of looks, Xiao Hua pulled Xiazi up with all his strength, making him stumble with his own body by the motion. Their faced were now once again inches from the other and as their stared, Xiazi slightly moved his head down on an irresistible impulse to kiss Xiao Hua once more.
The man actually didn't move to avoid it and their hands were still clasped tightly into one another, but before their lips could touch, something wet hit Xiazi's cheek and the enchantment was broken, making them both snap back to reality.
"What is it?" Xiao Hua asked as Xiazi cleaned it from his face and smell it.
"Oil?" Xiazi asked and they looked up to the ceiling, from where drops of oil begin to fall.
"It looks like fire will be used next." Xiao Hua said as he took his backpack from the floor.
"There is no turning back from there..." Xiaxi pointed at the collapsed stairs he has survived just a few hours ago.
"There is still a way back that disgusting thing. Let's go." Xiao Hua said and they went behind the snake throne as more oil dripped to the floor and they rush it, but find it was also a dead end.
"Damn it! I should had known it will be a dead end!" Xiao Hua yelled as he looked deep down.
"The Queen Mother truly is ruthless. A huge explosion coming into one end and another a free fall into the abyss..." Xiazi said as he looked down too.
"This really doesn't look good for us." Xiao Hua whisper.
"Not really, let's jump." Xiazi offer.
"Are you crazy? Do you know how deep that cliff is?" Xiao Hua asked in disbelief.
"Do you prefer to be roasted? There is not much time, jump with me!" Xiazi demanded and after Xiao Hua looked both ways without seen another way out, he steeled his mind. If he was about to die he rather die from broken bones than burned to death. However... there was just one unfinished business left, for just in case they really didn't make it. He didn't like to owe others anything after all.
So, he grabbed Xiazi's jacket and pull him close, to give the other man the kiss that he had offer, seen that it was unlikely they will come out alive. Xiazi try to deepen the desperate kiss, but there was really no time to fully enjoy it, giving the dare circumstances.
"Jump!" Xiao Hua yelled and they jumped together, just a few seconds before a big explosion blasted the top with fire and into the darkness of the abyss below.
Zhang Qiling
As night came, they make camp on a clearing in which they could had a better view of what could come at them. Wu Xie had placed Ning's body on her sleeping bag and they eat something in silence, or at least most of them did. Wu Xie was not really in the mood to eat, but then again it was not like Qiling was going to allow Wu Xie to depress for the rest of their journey, so the others went to sleep early to give them some space.
Qiling sat by Wu Xie's and offer him dry food. Wu Xie look at him with sad eyes, which pain his heart, but Qiling was determine to keep Wu Xie as his best.
"It's okay, Xiaoge, I not hungry." He barely said.
"Wu Xie... please." Qiling insisted, giving him one of those pleading stares that he know worked on the younger man. Wu Xie looked back at him and after a sight, he comply, taking what was offer and started to eat it.
"I'm sorry, Xiaoge... I know I have been out of it for a while now... it's just... this took me by surprise." Wu Xie said softly between bites.
"I know. I understand." Qiling simply said as he looked at him, not knowing what else to say. At some point, Wu Xie smiled at him.
"There is no need to look so worry. I'm fine, just a little shaken. She had survive so much more before, it's surprising she ended like this, in a hellish place, bitten by a snake when we survive corps eating bugs before coming down here. It's make me wonder what could happen next... or more so, worry of what I could do to you." Wu Xie confessed.
"What do you mean?" Qiling asked.
"I'm always putting myself into trouble and so far I have been lucky you had been there to save me... but Ah Ning's luck run out, next it could be me or Pangzi or Pan Zi and I will hate for you to be hurt trying to keep us alive. I really need to pull myself together and be stronger and stop been your burden..."
"You are not a burden, Wu Xie. Never were, never will." Qiling said honestly and Wu Xie smiled again.
"That's sweet Xiaoge, but I am indeed a burden to you. I can't really deny that I am troublesome, but I will try to be less of a burden from here on." Wu Xie said.
"Wu Xie..."
"It's fine Xiaoge, I just want to be reliable to you for once."
"You are. I will always trust you my life without a doubt." Qiling confessed and Wu Xie came closer to give him a soft kiss.
"You shouldn't trust me blindly, I can make mistakes too..."
"Even so..."
"Ah Xiaoge... really, how can I not love you?" Wu Xie whisper, gently kissing him again, but Pangzi cleared his throat at that moment. Provably wanting for them not to be too much lovey-dovey. Wu Xie sighed.
"Just so you know. If our places ever turn, I will take care of you with my life too..." On his sleeping bag, Pangzi smirked instead of laughing, because there was no way the Wu Xie could ever be the reliable one on that relationship. Xiaoge was definitely going to permanently take care of Wu Xie until he got tired of him, which could take long years or maybe never, judging by the infatuation on both sides.
"Then I will count on you... now get some rest." Xiaoge said and moved away to open Wu Xie's sleeping bag and after he have him inside, he placed his next to it. Wu Xie turned to hug him and after such hard day, he let himself be lullaby by Xiaoge's racing heart.
He was sad to lose Ah Ning there, but he was glad that at least Xiaoge was still with him... if he ever lose him... that will be the end of him as he was now. What would be left behind will be only a shade of his true self, he was sure of it, so he pressed his fragile body into Xiaoge's strong one and wished they never come to cross such hardships.
Yes, Xiaoge's past was still a mystery they needed to resolve, but they were one step closer to find some clues, the rest they will also look for it bit by bit for as long as it was necessary and thinking on a shared future he finally fell asleep.
Having Wu Xie sound asleep on his arms, Zhang Qiling was on his own heaven. He didn't knew what their future could bring them, but as he had said before, staying with Wu Xie was not a burden, it was now a necessity, it was his only connection with that world and unless he was truly forced to part with him by his unknown past, there was no other force on earth that could keep Wu Xie from him, nor to take him away. Of that much, he was sure off.
AN: Ah Xiaoge, such hard times will await you both in the future, but you will stay together at the end. That much I will make sure. Lol. Thanks for reading and sorry for the wait.