Come Daybreak

Xue Yang (iv)

The meal that was brought to the monochromatic setting, for better or worse, fit quite well with the scene. The first dish was charred black, and it was unknown as to what was used to make it. There were mounds of salt sprinkled all over it in an obvious attempt to add flavor and appeal to it, while the second was what appeared to be soup. The broth was murky and dark gray in color, and it was still boiling so that bubbles were seen popping at the top and releasing visible steam into the air above. The last dish could be taken as a stir-fry dish, as there were pieces of meat that were evidently still raw on one side coated in thick black sauce that was unidentifiable unless eaten.

Fortunately for Ye Xia, his two judges were not particularly picky as they picked out whatever was in front of them and started eating as if they were eating a normal bowl of rice with side dishes and entrees.

Feng Xinya and Xue Yang ate in silence. Feng Xinya was seated at the head of the rectangular table and Xue Yang sat at the opposite end, while Ye Xia took it upon himself to sit to Feng Xinya's left.

To Feng Xinya, everything tasted the same to him aside from blood back in his original world. That didn't mean he enjoyed the taste of blood, though. In fact, he hated being a slave to it as much as he hated being that man's "servant."

Ye Xia let out an audible sigh of relief as he watched Feng Xinya leisurely eat his homemade dinner. He didn't seem to enjoy it, but he definitely didn't show that he hated it either. When he sat down to try his first meal for himself, he instantly paled and raised his eyes to look at the man who sat at the head of the table once again. His eyes watered and gleamed with a newfound resolve. Ye Xia found himself falling harder for the older man whose name he didn't even know because the man was kind enough to continue eating something so...disgusting.

Was it because I was the one who made it?

He felt very satisfied inside even though he couldn't even take another bite himself.

Before he could lose himself even further in his own thoughts, however, Xue Yang stood up from his seat.

"Thanks for the meal."

Then he slid his chair back under the table and left for his room to rest for the night without another glance back. His plate was empty, and he had finished whatever he took from the three dishes but Ye Xia felt that Xue Yang had obviously not eaten very much and left the table after only a few bites, which offended him because he felt that Xue Yang was telling him that he was a terrible cook!

In truth, Xue Yang's appetite was small due to his many years in captivity, and he couldn't change that so abruptly or he'd have an adverse reaction.

Feeling wronged, Ye Xia turned to Feng Xinya with an aggrieved expression, but was brushed off when Feng Xinya also put down his silverware and pushed his chair back. He got up and pushed the chair back under the table before walking upstairs to his room at the end of the hall.

Ye Xia pouted to himself before trying his best to finish the "food" in his plate. Then he debated on whether or not to clean the table and wash the dishes, as well as tidy up the kitchen that he had thrown into complete and utter chaos. In the end, he figured that as a filthily rich man, Feng Xinya should have some servants who would clean it all up by the time everyone woke up tomorrow, and he also swiftly ran up the stairs to catch some z's.

The lights eventually turned off on their own after more than fifteen minutes of inactivity.

***

Feng Xinya laid in his bed, his eyes were closed and the back of his hand was resting on his forehead.

Xiao, "What are you thinking about?"

"..."

"..."

Fine. I wasn't really curious anyway. Besides, I could just read your mind--

THWACK!     Σ (　 Д )ﻌﻌﻌﻌ⊙ ⊙

Feng Xinya mercilessly ripped Xiao off of his neck, snapping apart the thin silver chain, and brutally hurled him 30 feet across the massive master bedroom, embedding the small silver cross necklace firmly into the wall.

Xiao was frightened by the abrupt action, but he shat his figurative pants when he met with the dangerous and feral glare of his host from across the room. Tints of red were seeping through into his normally hazel eyes, which Xiao thought was supposed to be impossible since this world didn't have anything supernatural like in Feng Xinya's original world.

Xia was shocked silly until he summoned up the courage to swear in order to assuage the man who was currently oozing with killing intent, "...I promise I won't try to do that ever again."

He knew there was no hope of getting out of the wall tonight.

Feng Xinya wordlessly rose from the bed and stalked his way into the bathroom. Without taking off his clothes, he turned the faucets to the shower, not minding the cold temperature in the least. 

Memories were coursing through his mind at the speed of light; his thoughts that were constantly tampered with and regulated by him. He couldn't even dwell on thoughts of rebellion, escaping, or even dying--killing himself. No matter what he tried, he would always know what ran through his mind. He couldn't even dream of leaving, of gaining freedom, much less killing him, ripping his heart straight out from his chest and tearing it to shreds with his fangs that were bestowed by himself. Turbulent red waves were storming in his eyes as he tried to calm himself.