Xie Lian's artistic side| Colors of the Heart ~ Hualian AU

Chapter XXVI

The first alarm rang, a warning for everyone to go to their seats. In the dressing room of the main actor, things were a bit awkward.

"I told you this was a bad idea." Xie Lian's father blurted out at the mother's direction and turned away, but Xie Lian held him.

"I'm kidding. Well, actually not, I'll be truly naked, you might as well just know it, that's why I said it."

His father slapped his own forehead. "Of course you'd be naked. Why wouldn't you?"

Xie Lian ignored the comment. "But it'll be for a brief moment and you won't be able to see it properly."

"You shouldn't have told us then. I might have chosen to believe it was a digital effect."

Shi Qingxuan laughed. "I love you guys, this family is just so precious. That is why..." She guided the mother with a hand in her back and then the father "...we will go to our seats now and watch the prodigal son acting!"

Shi Qingxuan grimaced to Xie Lian and they went out the room. A second later, the mom escaped Puqi's grasp and ran to the actor once more, only to whisper something in his ear. "We are proud of you since the day you were born and we love you, son." She kissed his cheek while cupping his face and then truly left.

Xie Lian closed his eyes and dismantled on the chair. His heart felt the quietest it had been the entire week. He could see that red thingy inside his eyelids, but now it was a soft, gentle, comforting tone of red, almost pink. His mom's words felt like a blessing falling upon him. He was afraid that the emotional roller coaster of the week would prevent him from enjoying the first performance, but right now he felt at peace.

Suddenly, something started flowing out of that shape inside his lids, foggy almost like smoke, but it was bright orange. Orange reminded him of happiness, long walks in the park under the orange sky when he was smaller. Memories of a time when his family was his entire rainbow of colors and that was all he needed.

He opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. He was smiling big. It has been long since he felt wholesome like that. Very long. All would be fine now... Except that there was a little unpleasant nudge in the back of his mind. He knew where that was coming from. He closed his eyes again and saw it. A part of that little flame, right in the corner, was where the color turned crimson like blood. Xie Lian sighted. The cause of it was known to him, and he knew how to solve it right after the play ended.

He breathed in and out deeply and resumed his ritual of preparing to go on stage as it always has been, therapeutic and reassuring. He was too far gone in his mental trance to notice somebody quietly opened the door. That person peaked inside, saw the actor with closed lids and sighed slightly. He nodded his head as in a silent good-luck-prayer and left an envelope on the sofa before closing the door.

Hua Cheng sat in front of the stage and he contemplated the curtains while waiting for the third and final alarm to ring. As the lights started diminishing, he found comfort in being in such a familiar position, the one he enjoyed the most: watching his Gege perform. Only now, he knew exactly what the play was about, since he envisioned and planned every aspect of it. Still, he felt the same ritualistic excitement from everytime he would go to the theater to platonically admire Xie Lian.

Even if things would not turn out as he expected for himself, he was glad to know that, after today, Gege would be recognized for his amazing work. Hua Cheng was delighted to know he helped him.

.

Always separated by a curtain, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng have been connecting their hearts and souls over the pass of years through the art of the theater. In fact, one did not know about the other, but perhaps the mental praise he received from this unknown admirer has been helping him all along. This time, their connection was about to ignite once again, but now both sides were equally aware of all the devotion, respect, time and love that were involved in preparing for this moment.