"The Little Things"

Now we wait

Shen Wei woke up before dawn. He felt a steady breath on his cheek. There was something holding him down. He turned his head and saw Zhao Yunlan's face up close. Zhao's left hand and leg were wrapped around the professor. The man stiffened. He tried to move away slowly, but the sudden motion made Zhao's hold tighten.

"No..." the sleeping man murmured and brought his head even closer. Shen Wei turned his face upwards and felt the touch of the other man's nose on his cheek. He let out a frustrated breath and suddenly had a cold feeling in his gut. Somebody was looking. He lifted his head and saw two large cat eyes staring back at him. Da Qing stretched, sat down and started licking his paw lazily. Shen Wei's head fell down to the pillow.

"Zhao Yunlan," he muttered under his breath.

"You need to be louder than that," advised the cat. Here, let me try." He meowed loudly.

"Shut it, you Dead Cat," groaned Zhao. He slowly opened his eyes, and for a moment, he couldn't comprehend what he was looking at. Shen Wei turned his face to him, and their noses touched.

"Do you think you could let go of me?" he asked coldly.

Zhao's brain finally connected all the dots informing him of the placement of his arms and legs. He jumped away and fell to the ground. Shen Wei propped himself on one elbow and looked down at him. Zhao massaged his back and looked up, a grin appearing on his pace.

"Did you sleep well, Brother Black?"

"You both were asleep for more than ten hours," chimed in Da Qing. "I'd call that rested."

"Shut up, you Fat Cat!" Zhao stood up and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at Shen Wei. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm fine. I keep telling you that you don't need to worry."

"Yeah, well, You know me. Not the one to listen."

Shen Wei sat on the bed. "I'm going home now. But later I must return to that school. Don't interrupt me," he added quickly, seeing Zhao's sullen face. "There must be a portal between the two planes. I may be able to close it before more beasts come out."

"You are definitely not going alone!"

"You are definitely not coming with me."

"And why the hell not?"

Shen Wei looked at him steadily. "Because you would be a distraction, I cannot allow myself to have. I will take Chu Shuzhi with me. He is a strong fighter. We will be fine together." He stood up and turned to the black cat. "Da Qing, please keep your master busy at work today. Don't let him go near that place before I return."

"Will do," answered the animal.

"Hey, do not give orders to my deputy!" Zhao rose to his feet. Shen Wei moved closer to him, and there was a cold rage in his eyes.

"Let me just remind you that had I not sensed that you were in imminent danger and appeared in the last possible moment, you would have been dead." He said.

"Wait," Da Qing stopped licking his paw and looked at Zhao suspiciously. "Weren't you supposed to bring Professor Shen With you to that place? Don't tell me you went alone?!"

Zhao swore.

"This is, exactly, what I want to know too." Shen Wei grabbed Zhao by the arm. "I felt your presence at the university, yet I didn't see you. Why?"

Zhao freed himself from the powerful grip and looked away. "You were busy..."

"No, I wasn't. My lectures were over."

"But you had that extra... extra stuff to do."

Shen Wei frowned, then the realisation hit him. "You overheard my conversation with the Chancellor."

"I never even consider that I was causing you trouble. Your job is important-"

"And your life isn't? Zhao Yunlan, when will you understand how precious your life is?" 'to me' remained unspoken.

"I, I don't want you to sacrifice things for me."

"Don't worry. I'm not."

Da Qing was sitting in the armchair, staring at his master, who busied himself with paperwork.

"You can stop that," said Zhao, irritated. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

"I'm not doing anything." Said Da Qing and scratched his ear. Then he straightened. "They're back."

Zhao bolted from the office and rushed to the main area of SID. Shen Wei and Chu Shuzhi walked into the building. Zhao inspected them thoroughly. Nothing seemed wrong.

"Well?" he asked.

"There was no trace of any passage between the planes. Whatever it was, it got sealed back again after we had left," informed Shen Wei.

"Then what took you so long?"

"We waited for the authorities to come and collect the body of that policeman," explained Old Chu.

"I do not understand his actions," added Shen Wei in a worried voice. "Why did he close the entrance?"

"Maybe you killed the quota for the week. I mean, you slew at least twenty yesterday."

"Forty-two. You were unconscious for the first part." The professor said calmly, fixing his glasses.

"See? Perhaps he's run out of new ones!"

"I don't believe it would be that easy."

"So now we wait?" asked Zhao, and after receiving a nod, he sighed. "That is totally not my style."