Temple of Truth

Chapter 99

"I'm horrible" Wu Xie said, sniffing slightly. "I'm sorry."

As much as he didn't want to say the first part, Qiling had requested of him to let him hear. And as gently as he took his hand, it would have been easy even for Wu Xie to pull back. But he didn't, he couldn't muster the heart to deny Qiling.

"No, you're not horrible." Qilings voice sounded very determined even when he obviously tried to speak gently.

'Lies' was Wu Xie's first thought, 'he lies to make me feel better'. But that wasn't possible, not with the mist, not with everything. With the poison as effective as it obviously was on all of them. How could Qiling manage to lie?

Imagining those strong yet gentle hands massaging circles on his wrist, another one gently stroking him. His head the side – tracing along his ear. He must be going crazy, Wu Xie thought, still not looking up to his friends.

It must be this place – with everything going on. Both Fatty and Qiling were patiently waiting for him to collect himself, so they could finally go on – get in to get out again.

Hallucination, memories of dreams – there was no one gently coaxing him to relax and let go of his train of thoughts. He should really collect himself so they could go on.

Finally looking up again, Wu Xie flinched not having expected for Qiling to still be as close as he was.

"You really turn out the world when you're like that don't you, Tianzhen." Fatty laughed. "Come on, get you're shit together and let's go, the faster we're out the less we have to deal with this."

Fatty held out a hand to pull him up to his feet. Fatty was right, Wu Xie gave him his hand expecting to be pulled up but nothing happened.

Fatty clicked his tounge. "The other one Tianzhen. Really how can you survive a tomb being that absent minded?" – "Don't answer that."

Wu Xie had already opened his mouth, closing it like a fish. Idiot, Fatty. He grumbled silently. What was wrong with this hand?

After looking he noticed, he had given Fatty the hand that was freshly bandaged.

"Now, if I take that hand pulling you up, I will rip that wound of you open again. That will hurt Tianzhen and Qiling won't forgive me." – for making his work of bandaging unnecessary, Wu Xie added. Because when that happened they would open it again to look if something worse happened – and then Wu Xie would need a new bandage.

"Sorry" he sighed, giving Fatty his other hand, promptly being pulled up.

Then he looked at Qiling again, who had taken several steps away from them in the meantime. To him it looked like Qiling had made some kind of safety distance between them.

"I'm sorry" Wu Xie turned to him, but didn't approach. The distance had been between them on purpose on Qilings part – he had already overstepped earlier; he didn't want to do it again physically this time.