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Things had been going well, or, at least, as well as they could be going for a trio of people who'd been deeply scarred in more ways than one.
Sure, the whereabouts of some people were unknown, but an even more pressing matter had taken up Lu Guang's headspace:
It was the 13th. 8:00 AM. Nothing out of the ordinary, unless one were to take into consideration that this is the 13th of a September. A day Lu Guang shouldn't be in the timeline to experience, nor should anyone else in the building be, for that matter.
He should be holding back heart wrenching agony with his eyes awash in gold, not lying in bed while his partner was snoring a handful of feet below, or while his other close friend is fast asleep in a sleeping bag on the floor.
And his partner...shouldn't be breathing. But he is.
And the same went for his close friend. But she was fine.
They were only asleep, right? They hadn't been killed while he'd been distracted with his anxiety and barely-held-together composure over getting stabbed and almost losing Cheng Xiaoshi prematurely? He peeked over the edge of his bunk.
Cheng Xiaoshi was starfished on his bed and had also somehow managed to do a complete 180° in his sleep, so that his head was on the opposite end of his pillow.
Qiao Ling wasn't much better, practically falling out of her sleeping bag while the rest of her was on the cold floor. It didn't seem terribly comfortable.
He kind of wanted to take a picture to tease them with, if only out of habit, because it felt like such a normal day. His phone was out of reach, though, so he'd have to get up for it.
With a quiet sigh, he stretched a little awkwardly in the cramped space of the top bunk and descended the ladder. He could still feel the scar on his abdomen whenever he shifted around in a way that pulled on it, and he didn't know whether to grimace at the near-death experience or to feel relief that it was only just near.
He tip-toed out of the room, narrowly avoiding tripping over the sprawled out Qiao Ling, and clicked the bedroom door shut as slowly as possible before releasing all his tension. It would've been unfortunate to wake either of them up from well needed rest.
Now that his first mission -- escape the bedroom -- was completed, the next one began: Get breakfast without burning the kitchen down.
Now, Lu Guang wouldn't say he was god awful at cooking, he was just not as good as Cheng Xiaoshi. If there were enough simple things left in the fridge, which, to be honest, was unlikely, then he could manage on his own just fine. As long he avoided ever trying to re-attempt making anything overly complex...
'This is...' Did he not remind Cheng Xiaoshi to at the very least pick up bread on his grocery run? The fridge was in an extremely rare state of being properly stocked (at least by their standards), and yet its contents were lacking in one of the most basic items.
Ah, he could do something else basic then. There was some congee left over, he just needed to reheat it.
As he was grabbing everything he needed, a slow and heavy plodding could be heard approaching from upstairs. Judging by the gait, which suggested that the person was on the taller side, it was Cheng Xiaoshi.
"Good morning." He didn't bother glancing behind himself.
However, maybe he should've, as the sudden presence of a heavy warmth draped over his back was surprising enough to scare the life out of him had he been more awake. Instead, it just caused a slight jolt in his heart.
Cheng Xiaoshi's arms hung limply to his sides while his face was buried in the back of Lu Guang's shirt.
"Goofd nmornin'."
"...good morning."
"Eh? Ha, Lu Guang, did you hit your head?" Cheng Xiaoshi's muffled laughter shook his back.
Oh, he'd already greeted him, hadn't he? A faint warmth rose across the back of his neck out of embarrassment.
"Tch. Idiot. I'm preparing congee, want some?"
"Ooh. Nice. Sure, that'd be good." He wrapped his arms around his waist and gave him a quick squeeze before walking off to settle down on the couch.
"..."
He was absolutely and utterly doomed, wasn't he?
(This would inevitably be the result of spending time around Cheng Xiaoshi; he couldn't bring himself to mind it as much as he should, though)
Whatever, he had more time later to ponder the depths of his tumultuous relationship with time and his partner through it. If he didn't get a handle on things soon, the congee would be burnt.
☆✧
Warm light creeped in through the window and seeped into the furniture. Illuminated dust particles landed softly on shelves. He had time to clean them later, but he wasn't sure when. He wasn't used to not having everything meticulously planned out. But if there was one thing he wanted to be certain of, it was 'eventually'.
☆✧
"Xiaoshi, move your legs. You're hogging up all the space on the couch." Qiao Ling prodded at Cheng Xiaoshi's legs when he didn't bother listening to her.
As soon as Lu Guang came by and looked over at Cheng Xiaoshi expectantly, holding his food just out of reach, he conceded. "Ganging up on me is really too much..."
As much as he grumbled, his mood brightened up as soon as he grabbed his bowl and began eating.
The room fell into peace after, only interrupted by casual chatter and banter between the trio.
"There's this new noodle place I've been hearing about online, apparently they have really good food. We should totally go check it out for lunch later!"
"Oh yeah, anything to escape this place. Seriously, it's way too boring being pent up in here all the time."
"How much does it cost?"
☆✧
"I'm getting kinda sick of water..." Cheng Xiaoshi complained.
"It's good for you," Lu Guang replied simply.
"Ughh, why do you have to be so- so-"
"Right?"
"No-"
Qiao Ling cleared her throat. "I can treat you to some milk tea, if you're down for that? Consider it a treat for my favorite clients." She gave them a soft smile, because it went deeper than that.
"Aww, you spoil us." Cheng Xiaoshi leaned over and bumped their shoulders playfully. "Finally seeing our value?"
Her face flickered through a few emotions, like she'd considered just making it a joke, but had changed her mind in the last second. "...yeah, actually. Honestly, it's hard to imagine what I'd do without you guys."
"Oh. Thanks." Xiaoshi's face lit up with a grin as he pulled the two most important people in his life closer to him, in an awkward side-by-side group hug. "I love you guys so much."
Oh any other day, Lu Guang would've flushed red and squirmed out of his grasp. But today, and this instance, were his exceptions. He reciprocated the hug as best he could at the odd angle, arms reaching to hold him and Qiao Ling, and mumbled a quiet response, "Me too."
Heh, softie." Cheng Xiaoshi ruffled his hair before letting go. "Alright, now how about you keep your word and get us those drinks?"
Qiao Ling rolled her eyes. "Oh, the things I do for you. I'll get you the usual." She quickly picked up her wallet and headed to the door, yelling "Be right back!" before shutting it behind her.
"Ahh, peace and quiet." Cheng Xiaoshi sighed as he sunk back into the couch.
"Ironic coming from you." Lu Guang took a sip of his water.
Xiaoshi huffed, but he didn't take the bait. Unsurprisingly though, he leaned over to Lu Guang and moved to rest against him, clinging like a whiny dog. "I don't have the energy today for you to be mean to me like this." He yawned and shut his eyes. Was laying his head on a shoulder really that comfortable?
Lu Guang hummed and checked his watch; 'Yup, still late in the morning of the 13th.' It was really real.
His partner was leaning against him, all his warmth still present, never once fading. He couldn't help but touch back; a hand in his hair, a shoulder pressed up against him. He wanted to hold his hand, but that would be hard to explain in a way that wasn't embarrassing (as if touching his hair wasn't already way out of that territory).
"Lu Guang?"
"Yes?"
"Don't ever leave me."
"I promised I wouldn't."
"You said you couldn't promise forever at the time."
He shifted to look Lu Guang in the eyes.
"Has that changed yet?"
He found himself at a bit of a loss for words. His heart pounded and it only felt weirder when he realized he hadn't moved his hand yet. Slowly, he slid it down, and it caught on Cheng Xiaoshi's cheek.
He licked his lips nervously.
"I...I think..."
Cheng Xiaoshi watched him hopefully. God, he never wanted him to lose that hope. If telling the truth would mean keeping it, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. The timeline was finally on their side after all, even if he had to bend it into shape.
"Yes. I think it has."
Cheng Xiaoshi let out a sigh of relief as he looked at him like he was the only precious thing left in the world.
"You're smiling."
"...?" Ah, he really was. Lu Guang could feel it, his cheeks lifting to form a smile. "What about it?"
"Nothin'. Just really pretty~"
He could only keep smiling at that, but he could feel his face burning. It was an unfamiliar but nice feeling, actually.
"Lu Guang?" He called for his attention once more.
"Cheng Xiaoshi?" Lu Guang gave it to him.
They didn't exchange words this time. Cheng Xiaoshi gently pressed his lips to his in a nervous kiss, and that said everything he needed to know. Lu Guang's hand remained where it was on his cheek, even after they pulled apart, a small reminder of his new promise.
Suddenly Cheng Xiaoshi's face broke into an incredible smile, perhaps like nothing Lu Guang had ever seen on him before, and he held him close in a soul-crushing hug.
"I love you, so, so much. I've just gotta say it before I, like, spontaneously combust or something." He pulled back. "You love me too, right?"
"Idiot." Lu Guang brushed a few stray strands of hair off Cheng Xiaoshi's face, but his whole hair situation was always a lost cause. "Of course I love you."
Cheng Xiaoshi's giddy laughter was strong enough to shake the both of them. Being so close, Lu Guang could feel how jittery he'd been; it warmed him, to know he wasn't the only overthinker of the pair.
☆✧
Qiao Ling returned a short while later, complaining about this long line because of a sale the shop was doing.
As soon as she walked in though, she could sense something was off; a change in atmosphere. But if Lu Guang's hand not-so-discreetly intertwined with Cheng Xiaoshi's was anything to consider, then it probably wasn't a bad change.
"Thanks, favorite landlady.
"Thank you, Qiao Ling."
She just casually waved off their thanks and sat back down beside them.
☆✧
The three of them, how different they were, and yet always an inseparable constant in each other's lives.