Temple of Truth

Chapter 38

Wu Xi only managed to suppress hitting Zhang because, at the moment – keeping him from cutting himself again, was more important.

Sometimes, he really wondered if Zhang had even stopped to think about what he was doing once.

Zhang still stared at his hand that was held by Wu Xi. Slowly the first drops of his blood were seeping through his fingers. Even though the original wound was probably already healing.

Wu Xi frowned slightly, with his hand bleeding like this, the original cut must have been really deep. Hurting himself like it was nothing special.

"Unnecessary." Wu Xi tould him again, this time also demanding his attention.

He wanted to do something about the bleeding as fast as possible but couldn't risk Zhang going on with his actions like that.

"It's not. It's for your safety." Zhang said, now looking back at him, not at their hands anymore. What ever he had been thinking about earlier, he was now fully paying attention to him.

"It is." Wu Xi replied immediately. "Vinegar would have had the same effect of keeping ants away and no one of us would have needed to get hurt." The last part was only a bit more than a pained murmur. In in the heat of the argument he forgot to pay fully attention to Zhangs reasoning, hearing only his disagreement.

"Fatty can you please give me the first aid kit, I need a bandage." Wu Xi asked briefly, before he switched his full attention back to Zhang, who almost whispered - "We don't know that."

"Because we haven't even tried."

"It would have been too late to keep us save."

Wu Xi and Zhang stared at each other.

And he could feel his own anger and frustration dim as he stared into Zhangs almost pleading eyes. He didn't understand, why he was looking at him like this but he could feel his decision to finally make a point crumble.

Why couldn't he resist when he was looking at him like this? Why did his heart need to get all mushy? How could he ever make Zhang treasure himself if he couldn't even resist him? It was infuriating, and yet at the moment he wished nothing more than to get rid of that look in his eyes.

"It is already too late, can't you see – you're already bleeding." Wu Xi whispered helplessly at him, letting his eyes fall to their clasped hands.

He was staring at the blood that was running through his fingers. He didn't need to clasp Zhangs hand anymore. Zhang hasn't even tried to move it since he had gripped it. Now Wu Xi was holding his hand like it was a precious treasure.

"Let me at least bandage you wound." Wu Xi asked.

Of course he wouldn't take no for an answer, but he was anxious to look up, and see Zhangs eyes looking at him like that again – he knew that he would grow weak and allow him to act as he pleased again.

So, Wu Xi didn't look up. He persisted in keeping his eyes down.

He couldn't hear Zhang protesting, so he decided to take it as a do as you please – I don't really care.