Jinshi and Maomao Short Stories Collection

You are really here, Part 9 (2)

And here comes the next part!
I have considered writing the rest of this chapter in one go, but my energy levels are kinda low recently, so splitting it is easier for me. Hence, it will have three parts, after all. Sorry for that! :)

Oh, and here's the beautiful song that gave me the inspiration for that chapter!
The Tenors - Anchor Me

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T7NDTH2kbYM&pp=ygUUdGhlIHRlbm9ycyBhbmNob3IgbWU%3D

That whimper was promptly followed by another and then a third and also a fourth one. They were all quite soft, you could even say barely audible, but in Jinshi's ears, they were even louder than the thunder still raging outside through the night. And louder than the angrily blowing wind and the drumming of the rain against the window right next to the bed.

Shocked and almost paralyzed, Jinshi was watching Maomao's tears run down her face without any end in sight. He could feel some of them getting on his chest and the rest soaking the bedsheets the two of them were lying on. For a few moments, he was unable to move even one muscle, and his mind was totally blank.

Being confronted with the entirely unexpected sight of her tears, the young lord felt completely overwhelmed and helpless. He had not the tiniest clue what to do and sensed that he was slowly, but surely about to panic once more. Just like the previous evening.

"Maomao... Maomao! What's the matter?!"

Suddenly, he broke out of his paralysis and grabbed Maomao under her knees, intending to pick her up and rush to Suiren with her in his arms.

Never in his life had he found himself in a situation where he had to comfort someone who was crying, hence he felt pretty much lost now.

But then he suddenly stopped in his tracks and lowered his gaze.

Maomao's thin fingers were clenching his clothes. As if she unconsciously wanted to convey to him that she wanted him to stay where he was.

That she needed him.

Her face was twisted in distress. Jinshi widened his eyes and mouth.

Then he silently raised his right hand...

...and slapped himself across the face. Hard.

The slap resounded loud and clear through the dark room.

Jinshi's cheek was red and burning, but at least, he had managed to return to his senses. He was mad at himself.

"The hell am I actually doing?!" he ranted in his thoughts. "She needs my comfort! Mine! I've promised her just now to be there for her, so there's no way I rush to Suiren the second I see a problem arise! What kind of hypocrite would that make me, then?"

Filled with new-found determination, he pulled the crying apothecary even closer to his body and started to kiss her once more. And to whisper affectionate words into her ear, hoping that they would reach her.

"Are you having a bad dream right now? You poor thing... Shhh, don't be afraid, no one will do you any harm. I'm here and I'll protect you!"

She had comforted him so many times already with her mere presence and had been his supporting pillar, so now it was his turn to become hers.

Maomao's small, shivering hands were still desperately clutching his clothes. Jinshi placed his own, large and warm one on top of one of hers and caressed it lovingly with his thumb, like he had already done several times in the past.

However, this time not in order to seek comfort, but to give it.

But her grip remained firm.

In an attempt to suppress the feeling of anxiety that was about to emerge once more, Jinshi gulped heavily and took a few deep breaths. He had understood that he first needed to relax himself in order to be able to properly soothe Maomao. Because how was she supposed to calm down if she could hear his heart pounding like crazy right near her ear?