To Be Together

Precious

Mo Ran quietly walks towards the Red Lotus pavilion with a pack of osmonthis cakes he made himself. He easily sneaks past the nonexistent barrier making his way to the front door. He raises his hand to knock but stops himself. With the lights off he's sure Wanning is sleeping.

Mo Ran takes a breath. He wants to walk in but respect and cherish. Respect and cherish. Should he just leave the cakes? Would Wanning get up? He wouldn't even hear it.

So Mo Ran opens the door. He walks in, closing the door behind himself softly. He looks around taking in the darkness. He lights the candle he brought with him. He looks around finding how quiet it is, it's unnerving how lonely he feels. Far from everyone. Only the sound of nature accompanying Wanning. No snoring, no muttering, no external sounds. There's no one else around to make noise.

Is Wanning not lonely? He has to be, anyone living alone would be. Wanning is kind, and someone as kind as him must want company.

He sneaks his way to Wanning room. He slides the door open to see if Wanning is in fact sleeping. He spots a lump on the bed, that must be Wanning. The question is: is Wanning asleep?

Mo Ran quietly makes his way in, sliding the door behind him. The candle lighting the clutter that is his room. But it's not the worse he's seen. Must have been auntie. He steps around books and tools towards Wanning bed. And of course he finds Wanning curl in a ball, hair in a braid, face scrunch in pain. Mo Ran lets out a breath, happy to see him though he wish the circumstances were better. Mo Ran sets the candle aside, letting the faint glow light Wanning beautiful face. He sets down the cakes by Wanning head. He moves the blanket to cover Wanning, not wanting him to be cold.

Mo Ran pauses as Wanning curls more into a ball. Staring as Wanning nose twitch slightly. Phoenix eyes flutter open. "Madam Wang?" He calls, eyes half open and dazed.

"I brought cakes, want one?" Mo Ran asks softly. Wanning face scrunches cutely in confusion. Wanning leans on his elbow, looking at Mo Ran blinking. Once his eyes clear he sees it is in fact not madam Wang but Mo Ran sitting in front of him. With wide eyes Wanning gets to his hands, leaning his whole weight on his hands. Mo Ran continue to watch him, the edge of his lips curl in a smirk.

"What-?" The question dies in Wanning throat. He takes a look around his room. It's dark. And madam Wang has done a good job so far keeping people from coming here, not like there were a lot of people wanting to be here in the first place. If he's here this late that means one thing. "Is something wrong?" Wanning asks moving to get dressed. He bites his tongue as a sharp pain erupts from his lower half.

"Nothing wrong." Mo Ran says having heard the pain groan cut short. He reaches forward stopping Wanning from moving. His eyebrows do furrow. Why does Wanning keep asking if something wrong? As if anyone only bothers him because... he can see it. But is it true? "Why would something be wrong?" Mo Ran asks, genuinely. Looking at Wanning who is looking at him.

"Then why are you here?" Wanning asks, titling his head. That's as much an answer as any. Mo Ran looks down at where he's holding Wanning thin, delicate hands. Does Wanning really think he came here because he needed something? Does he really think Mo Ran didn't come here to talk? When has he ever? When has anyone ever came to talk to Wanning? Auntie never did until recently. Uncle of course checks in on him but does he just chat? It doesn't help Wanning most likely shooing him away most of the time. Even Xue Meng doesn't come to chat with his precious shizun. As much as he sings Wanning praise he still can't gather enough courage to spent some leisure with their teacher. Then there's Shi Mei, who is exactly the same as his dufus cousin. Shi Mei says he feels sorry for Wanning always being alone but not once has he gone to talk to Wanning to ease that loneliness.

That's something he's grown to loath in Shi Mei. He's on Wanning side but doesn't really seem like it. "Can't I come to see my shizun?" Mo Ran wonders, eyes still on their joined hands. Wanning hands look small in his own. The white skin almost translucent. Mo Ran turns Wanning hands around looking at his palm, only to frown. His once smooth hands scabed and scarred now. Mo Ran slides the pads of his fingers down Wanning own slim fingers feeling the extent of damage. These hands crawled up 3799 steps for him.

"Why?" Wanning questions in a whispers, so low Mo Ran would have missed it but this area is so silent he can hear everything so clearly. Wanning slips his hand out of Mo Ran hold, hiding them behind his back. Mo Ran can see the flush on the others face, but his eyes look down as if ashamed of those scars.

"I want to see my shizun, who saved me." Mo Ran blurts. Wanning gives him a glare.

"I didn't save you to get anything in return. Go if you feel obligated to be here." Wanning tells him sternly.

"Then why did you save me?" Mo Ran asks, he's here and they are talking. He'll deal with Wanning outburst later. Wanning looks at him almost offended, for a second.

"What shizun would let their disciple die?" He asks rhetorical. The question pierces Mo Ran heart. And he thought the worst of this man, of this kind hearted almost childish man. He hurt him. Took his innocence. Killed him.

"Thank you. For saving me." Mo Ran says, serious as he stare straight into Wanning eyes.

"I told you-"

"I know. Shizun. I know. I still want to thank you." Mo Ran can only watch as Wanning eyes widen, stunned by how sincere he is being. He never thanked Wanning for anything. That 'thank you' is long overdue. After a long pause Wanning turn his head away frowning with a dark blush. Mo Ran grins, heart fluttering in his chest with warmth. Mo Ran is starting to learn just how deep his love for Wanning is. "I also want to talk to you. We don't spend time together." Mo Ran says getting up from the floor, he sits down at the edge of the bed looking at Wanning who is looking at him dumbfounded.

"W-what's there to talk about?" Wanning asks moving to get off the bed.

"Well how are you feeling? Where are you going?" Mo Ran asks hand shooting to take hold of Wanning thin wrist. Wanning turns to look at his disciple, who look at him with those purple puppy eyes of his.

Wanning looks away, flushing. "I wa-want to heat up... t-the-this sack." Wanning hold up a small rectangular thin sack, on one side there is a handle sewn to it, where he is holding it from.

"I can do that." Mo Ran stands up taking the sack.

"What? But-"

"Don't worry, you should relax. Here," Mo Ran forces Wanning back on the bed, grabbing the cake and shoving them in Wanning hand. "Here these are for you." he says then rushes off to the kitchen to heat up the sack. A sack filled with rice.

When Mo Ran re-enters the room he spots Wanning staring at the empty cloth on his hands, looking at his empty hands with sad eyes. Mo Ran smiles stepping closer. Wanning looks at him.  "Thank you... for the... they were good." Wanning says flushing, embarrassed by how fast he ate them. He hands Mo Ran the cloth back. They switch, the cloth for the heated sack.

Curiously Mo Ran watches Wanning. Not sure what the sack of warm rice is for but Wanning wanted it heated so he heated it. Wanning lays back down setting the sack on his lower stomach. He lets out a sigh of relief. Looking like a pleased cat. "Better?" He asks figuring what it's for now.

"Mm." Wanning agrees. Mo Ran sits at the edge of the bed.

Mo Ran talks softly as he tells Wanning a bit about his journey. He watches the way Wanning listen, slowly falling asleep. Lulled by the stories, of Mo Ran voice.

With Wanning asleep Mo Ran watches. His face smooth out. Mo Ran moves a strand of hair out of Wanning face, deciding to stay a bit longer.

Wanning is to precious.