Wild Creatures

Chapter 14

Even he isn't sure why there's a burning need to go and see where he had been left for dead. That much is true; whoever did this to him still thinks he's dead. And if that had happened...at the time, there were only two people who would have cared.

His brother and uncle would have been devastated.

What if it wasn't him who was attacked that night?

What if it was anybody else, with a loving family...with children?

What if it had been Wei Ying?

His gaze immediately finds Wei Ying, as a scorching fear grips Lan Zhan. For a second, he cannot breathe.

He pulls Wei Ying into his arms, a bone crushing hug just to feel his heartbeat, to know he is alive. Lan Zhan needs this more than anything else right now.

Wei Ying isn't sure what's going on.

He knows Lan Zhan is going through something...in the passing seconds, he's seen fascination followed by sadness and swiftly accompanied by rage. But this?

This is fear.

It feels heavy, surrounding them as they reassure each other that they're both alive...one more than the other.

Was it a quirk of Fate that they met in such dire circumstances?

Lan Zhan goes through all the variables in his head, all the possible outcomes of every single decision he made leading up to the attack, and then, every decision Wei Ying would have to have made that night too. If he had gotten on the bus at that late hour...Lan Zhan might not have made it.

And they would have missed their chance.

"Talk to me." Wei Ying whispers, when it looks like Lan Zhan isn't going to let him go anytime soon.

"Promise me something." Lan Zhan says. He's glad his voice comes out sounding stronger than he feels.

This surprises Wei Ying. But his response is immediate.

"Anything."

"Don't walk this path alone."

"What? Is that what you're afraid of?" The laugh dies on his lips when he sees how serious Lan Zhan is about this.

His beautiful golden eyes are sparking with agitation, fear making them appear even brighter.

Lan Zhan is terrified about this.

"Please. If not for me, then do it for A-Yuan. Please." He repeats himself, not even blinking once.

His gaze is so intense, it makes Wei Ying shiver involuntarily.

He finds himself nodding slowly.

"But...Lan Zhan, how will that work? You...what if..." Wei Ying can't bring himself to say the words.

Coupled with that, the slow realisation dawns that it could so easily have been him in Lan Zhan’s place.

What then? What would have happened to A-Yuan then?

Thoughts crowd his mind as image after image bombards the screen in his head and suddenly, he is terrified as well.

Not for himself, but for his son.

He's vaguely aware of gentle fingers wiping at his face tenderly.

"Lan Zhan..." He breathes out, overwhelmed by the direction of his thoughts.

"You are safe." Lan Zhan promises him, his voice returning to a much more soothing tone. "I am here."

"But for how long?" Wei Ying asks.