our journey to happiness (a one-shot collection)

In your arms, I'm safe

Hii I'm back again with yet another one shot hahaha!! Unfortunately, this is far from my best/favourite work...but I still hope it'll be an enjoyable read :))

Synopsis: an alternative take on zzs's rescue from Prince Jin.

~

Zhou zishu felt numb. His senses were already deteriorating, including his sense of pain, which made the torture that duan pengju tried to inflict on him less severe, but not completely painless. The moment the doors to his cell closed was the moment he let himself really feel the situation he was in. The pain he blocked out and pretended that he couldn't feel just now came rushing in immediately.

Zishu bit his already bloody lips to silence himself, not wanting anyone to hear him in agony.

He closed his eyes to meditate the time away.

Sooner than he expected, the doors bursted open.

He expected to see Duan Pengju with another one of his new torture devices to try on him but ended up seeing a flash of red.

The guards surrounding him toppled simultaneously without even making a sound.

Zishu knew the new visitor's identity immediately. His lips tilted into a small smile as he heard wen kexing approach him.

'laowen.', zishu called out weakly, his voice ragged and dry from the lack of water.

Zishu couldn't see kexing's face because of how dark the cell was, but the latter made no sound of acknowledgement.

The chains wrapped around him were cut promptly and he fell forward without any control of his body.

Kexing caught him before he hit the ground, they were so close that zishu could finally hear his rapid breathing.

He expected kexing to make a snarky remark on how weak he had become or comment on his injuries but kexing made no sound.

'Laowen...talk to me.', zishu requested as he tried to raise his arm to feel his soulmate's face.

He felt drops of water on his soulmate's cheeks and frowned.

'I'll kill them.', kexing said, his voice full of poison.

'I'll kill all of them. I'll make sure they die painful deaths and wish that they were never born.', kexing continued mumbling.

Zishu felt kexing tremble with rage as he held him.

'laowen, shh it's okay.', zishu said as he wiped away his soulmate's stray tears.

'I'll break each and every one of their bones slowly and let them feel and see their own blood trickling out of them.'

'laowen. Stop it.', zishu snapped. Kexing momentarily stopped his monologue, breath hitching.

'Take me home.', zishu whispered faintly.

He felt himself being carried bridal style, but he could care less, grateful that his soulmate had come to rescue him. Zishu slowly closed his eyes, letting himself rest, feeling safe and comforted by the presence of kexing.

---
When zishu opened his eyes again, he was laying down on a bed that was foreign.

He blinked a few times before looking around.

His eyes immediately found the person he wanted to see most.

Kexing, dressed in white, was sitting next to his bed, hand supporting his head, eyes closed.

Zishu stared for a while without making a sound, distracted by his soulmate's obvious beauty when kexing's eyes flew open suddenly.

'Axu, you are awake!', kexing immediately hopped up, grabbing a cup of water and helping to bring zishu up to a sitting position.

'how are you feeling? Does the injuries still hurt? I can go get more herbs if they hurt... It's not fully recovered yet but I..'

'I'm fine. Really.', zishu said gently, cutting into kexing's rant.

Zishu grabbed kexing's hand as he asked, 'how long have I been unconscious?'

'it's been... a few days.', kexing replied, eyes not meeting zishu's.

'what's wrong?', zishu asked worriedly.

'nothing... I was just afraid that you wouldn't wake up. I know this fear is silly but I just...', kexing said, face showing slight panic.

Zishu tilted kexing's face gently to face his and kissed him.

Kexing returned the kiss with equal tenderness, like zishu was a porcelain that could break anytime, a tear escaping his eyes.

Upon seperating, kexing said, 'Axu, I killed them all. I wish you could have seen it but don't worry, I made it as painful as possible for everyone who was involved.'

Zishu smiled, not knowing how to express his jumbled emotions in words.

He decided not to express it in words then, engulfing kexing in a hug.

Zishu felt like he didn't deserve kexing, he is the best thing god ever bestowed to him and zishu never done anything good enough to deserve such treatment and unconditional love.

He summed up his thought in three words and said them clearly and out loud to his one and only, 'I love you.'

You are at the end!!! ~ thanks for reading:D!! I'm working on a story about zzs and wkx's immortal lives (though it's taking foreverrr) so do look forward to that!!!

Likes and comments are appreciated!!