This is Not My Obituary

Pico, The Best Of Friends

"I have one regret." Ren hummed quietly as his son fastened a few zip-ties around his arms and ankles. The younger hadn't found it in him to trust the man wouldn't follow him to his destination.
"Yeah? What's that?" Shuyang grumbled angrily. "Jia." Ren mumbled, hands gripping tight to one another in a pleading gesture, eyes glistening in the pale, yellow illumination that radiated from the single bulb hanging from the ivory painted ceiling. The small office room was cluttered with papers upon papers depicting the clan's historical semblance. Shuyang had racked through each and every document and lock box containing information on the subject and only found himself more confused by the context.

"Jia?" Shuyang grunted , hands on his knees as he grappled at the small knife clipped to the inside of his front pocket. "Jia." He affirmed, letting more than two decades of pent up anger and emotion finally flow.

"She was one of my assignments." He whispered.
"Assignment? Excuse me but that sound entirely inhumane." Shuyang retorted.
Ren nodded absently. Inhumane.

"I was the bull, Shuyang. I had no choice." He confessed quietly. "Just like my father and his father before him, and his before him." He looked back down at his clasped hands.
"And like you were supposed to be."

Shuyang nodded but began to feel the same rage build up as just a few minutes ago. "Well, looks like there's been a change of plans, hasn't there?" Shuyang tittered sarcastically.

"If you see Hanyu at some point... ZeYu too, tell them I said I'm sorry." Ren said with traces of human sentiment in his voice. Shuyang cocked a brow in confusion, but slowly nodded as he stood from his crouched position. "I'll do that."

He eyed his father once more and tried to shake any guilt that may have been left over from their harsh spat. With a brisk turn, he gathered as many of the files as he could and left the small office, closing the door and watching as his mother sat anxiously on the couch. She had been waiting there since her husband had began to verbally attack her for raising such a "pussy", a haunting slap to the cheek following the accusation. She had never been so terrified as when Shuyang pulled his father by the scalp into the office and slammed the door closed.

The younger hadn't been in a physical fight since high school, and the experience wasn't near as fun as the last. The one before had been over some football game, but this was over the respect of his mother.

"Yangyang." She expressed quietly, stepping close to her son and reaching out for him. He grabbed her gently and held her tight to his chest; remorse and distaste played hooky on his tongue. He couldn't figure out what to say to her, other than that he had to go.

She didn't want to let him go though. She wanted to keep her little boy close and forget about the world she had known. Shuyang looked so much like his father when he was that age, and she could only dream of that man treating her as kindly as her son did.

Their marriage wasn't all bad, at one point she really believed they loved each other. They had two children together and spent a handful of good times with one another, but she still would've changed her life if she could've. But, she was happy to have her kids, so she guessed it was worth it.

When she finally pulled away from her child she looked up at him, a bit verclempt over how the passage of time had treated him so kindly. "In one hour-" Shuyang held up his pocket knife and secured it in the small woman's hand. "Go in there and undo what I did. I love you momma." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and headed out the door.

"When are you coming back?" She called safety him. "Soon." He lied reluctantly as he turned to look back at her, a tight smile on his face. "Okay. Love you too."

::::::::

MingRui sat alone in the quiet bedroom as normal chats lived out in the rest of the house.
His knees we're held to his chest as he buried his face in them, steadying his breathing so he wouldn't lose control of it.

   Shuyang had been gone for 12 hours. Another 12 hours GouGou had to live without him. He felt cold in the guest room, but refused to cuddle up just in case Shuyang came back soon and could hold him.

  He sighed as he imploded with impatience. Where was he?

"Gou?" The door opened slowly as MingRui quickly turned to see exactly who he craved to see. The older scrambled off of the bed and met Shuyang halfway, throwing his arms around his shoulders and holding onto him like he never had before. The two stayed this way for what seemed like forever. The ravenette nuzzled into the junction of the younger's jaw and neck, feeling a rich of relief just from his presence.

"What took you so long?" Rui sniffed, tears of exhaustion finally falling like they should have hours ago. "I ran into my dad, but it's all good now." Shuyang held the older to his chest and relished in how wonderful it was to keep him close again. They didn't say much but they didn't have to. Everything they were feeling had been wrapped up in that one embrace and they were satisfied then.

  They were running away from everything while standing still in Hanyu's guest room. They didn't need an escape because they were each other's. It would all be fine now that they we're together again. Shuyang's hands stayed firm on MingRui's back, while Rui tangled his fingers in Shuyang's hair, only slightly missing the length it once was. He knew he had complained about it before but he never really meant it. He liked to play with it and pull at it when the moments were right. But, he didn't mind the shortened strands much.

Shuyang picked the older off of the ground and carried the man towards the mattress and laid him down ever so gently. He bent and pressed a palm to MingRui's forehead, moving the bangs from his face and leaving a sweet kiss to his forehead.

"I'll be right back-"

"Don't go!" Rui gripped Shuyang's shirt.

"I'm just going to get your things." Shuyang giggled as he left another kiss on the man's face.

MingRui slowly unhanded his boyfriend's shirt and nodded. "Be right back." Shuyang promised. Rui just nodded and waited patiently.

It wasn't long before Shuyang was back in the bedroom with a few bags and a small, stuffed puppy tucked under his arm.

The younger dropped the bags and crawled up onto the bed, holding the puppy out for Gou. The older smiled softly as he took the small companion and ran a thumb over its dingy fur. He had had this puppy since he was a child, and never quite grew out of its comfort. He was lucky Shuyang didn't mind his affection for the stuffed animal. "Pico." Rui sniffed as he looked over his oldest and most loyal friend. The trauma of childhood had always caught up to him and sometimes Pico was the only one who listened. When Rui heard his parents argue over their financial situation or when the kids at school started to pick on him cause he wasn't as tall as they were or didn't dress as nicely as they did, Pico would be there for the teenager to cry to. He remembered at one point trying to give up Pico, but he never could. He was too comforting of a friend. Rui held no hurt from childhood, having delt and forgiven the past for how it treated him. But, sometimes thoughts would pop up and his only coping skill was to find his little stuffed puppy and hug it for hours on end.

  When he began dating Shuyang, he tried not to bring Pico out in front of him. But, he was pleasantly surprised when Shuyang cooed over how cute he was with his puppy. The approval of his lover melted his heart and he was sure he was safe with him.

   Shuyang watched as his lover tried to keep whatever he was feeling at bay, crystal droplets rimming his eyes. The younger quickly snuggled to his side and brought the older in for a hug, Rui accepting it with no hesitation.

"Thank you." He sniffed. "Of course baby." Shuyang replied, landing a kiss on his head. "You just feel better, okay?" Shuyang whispered as Rui nodded against his chest. Pico sat between the two, being squeezed with how tight the younger was holding GouGou.