Two Awkward Immortals Become Friends

Yao.

The Stranger comes into my life again. Knowing the gods, this is probably some cruel joke to get me to fall in love or something. Stupid gods. Come to think of it, this is definitely the gods trying to set me up, because The Stranger walks into something they definitely shouldn't have. Something which from experience I know is very pity inducing.

-

As I pull myself out of the water for what seems like the nth time, I have restrain myself from throwing up the water and breathing in the sweet air. My chest aches and I almost fall over. Ugh. Then Boss claps me on the back and I almost throw up my lungful of water again.

"Great job, Yao. We'll be having a celebration tonight, so until then, you'll get some free time. But remember, tonight, at 8 PM sharp! Don't be late!" Boss smiles and I nod mutely. You must realize, I can't speak with no air in my lungs. My chest does this weird tightening thing and again, I barely keep myself from coughing up the water.

"Ah, don't be so glum," Boss claps me on the back again, "but I understand why you're tired. Go get your rest." I nod again and move towards the main cabin; I shower and change, but even so, the trip back seems to take hours longer than before, and by the time we reach shore, I was ready to book it and throw all the water up at once, forget doing it slowly to avoid a sore throat. And book it I did.

As soon as we left the port, I wave Boss goodbye and I walk as fast as I towards the subway station. I board Line 3, the one that travels towards my residency. I get off 4 stops early because my body is really starting to protest having around 6 liters of a foreign liquid in it. Fortunately, I can think in pain and the stop is next to a ghostly forest. A heavy mist settles in and it starts drizzling. I stray off the trail and choose a nice spot next to a stream to empty my lungs in a violent fashion. I am most of the way done with my... lung emptying when The Stranger appears behind me with a little gasp.
I can almost hear Yuexin's voice again.

"Not dead yet, hm?"

I was thrown into the Huang river 3 times that day.

"Tie him up, boys."

They also bound me because they thought I was using some breathing technique which kept me from drowning. Jokes on them, every second of my drowning was real.

"Still not dead. Interesting. I'll come back next time. Toodles!"

I'm not sure how long I had laid there, but by the time I got up, the large crowd watching me get thrown in the river had dissipated. It wasn't the first time Yuexin showed up, and soon, I realized it wouldn't be the last. Even when Yuexin died, new people would show up to take her place.

I don't think The Stranger thinks I noticed my little... situation, so they start to back away, but I feel like I should apologize for traumatizing them.
"I would like to-" I am cut off by a mouthful of water, which I cough up behind me, "apologize that you had to see that." I resist another cough as The Stranger stutters and turns to walk away. I watch his back as he retreats into the ghostly white trees, waving moss, and mist.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh, which provokes another bout of coughing. I suppose I need to pay the Tian a visit again. I genuinely wish they would stop trying to get me to socialize, especially with people who... don't live as long as I do. Stupid socialization. Ugh.

-

yaos such a silly little blorbo

"stupid socialization. ugh"
-yao wang, at some point