COURTED BY THE BANDIT...

CHAPTER 21 - THE HEAVENS CRY

  They spent their days in a carefree manner. MinZhe abandoned his bandit duties and JiaoLong abandoned his quibbles questioning his sexuality. MinZhe rented a small wooden lodge just on the city outskirts, He spent most of his day looking for physicians to cure JiaoLong, otherwise he's be taking JiaoLong touring the city and neighbouring towns, and of course, when they're not doing any of those, they're busy tussling in the sheets, much to JiaoLong's dismay...

  However, MinZhe's search becomes more hectic as JiaoLong's body condition worsened, some days he felt too weak to even leave the bed, though Jiao\long blamed that on MinZhe's nightly activity. JiaoLong would constantly have coughing fits, bringing blood up more times than not. 

  MinZhe had found physicians, he even kidnapped a royal physician once, but their conclusions were always the same. 

  "This young man's body is deteriorating... I've run Qi through his boy meridians but found nothing wrong... I can't tell how much time this young man has left-" And before the physicians could finish talking by this part they'd already been kicked out. MinZhe grew more anxious as the days went by, seeing JiaoLong's state being so weak he even stopped making love to him for fear of causing more damage.

  Before long, 5 months and 29 days had gone past. JiaoLong, who had been counting down the days in his heart dreaded the coming day. Over the past month he had come to love A'Zhe more and more, to the point his heart ached when he went out. He no longer questioned his sexuality because he knew, he loved A'Zhe because he was A'Zhe, the cute, stubborn man. JiaoLong laid on his bed as he knew he was breathing his last breaths, watching the door, willing A'Zhe to come back before his time was up.

  And thankfully, before long MinZhe strode through the doors head cast down looking upset whilst droplets of water slid down his face. "A'Long... I've already seen all the physicians in this province, they're all useless, wait till the cherry tree blooms, I'll take you to the next city, you'll love the-" When he turned his head and saw JiaoLong's state he halted his speech. JiaoLong laid on the king sized bed, his hair fell like curtains to the floor and his snowy white robes scattered on the bed, he looked like a fallen angel in MinZhe's eyes. He rushed over to the pale faced JiaoLong and dropped to his knees, hands hovering around JiaoLong's face. "A...A'Long what's wrong, why do you look so weak !?" His eyes scanned up and down JiaoLong's body looking for signs of an external injury, but found none.

  JiaoLong looked up into his lover's eyes and inwardly sighed... how unfair it was for him to be moving on leaving A'Zhe in this world. "A'Zhe ah, I'm afraid my time has always been limited, it just so happens tonight is my last night... I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you sooner... so sorry." JiaoLong said, unable to bring his voice up higher than a whisper, fat droplets of tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, refusing to fall down.

  MinZhe shook his head, not wanting to believe it.

  "NO."

  "A'Zhe ah, you like saying no to me don't you... hehe."

  "NO!"

  "Hm... There's nothing you can do now A'Zhe... lay with me..."

  "I won't let you leave me again... It's not fair."

  "Don't worry A'Zhe, I'm not truly dying... I'm just moving... to a far, far away place."

  "Then I'll chase you, I'll find you... I won't stop till I do!"

  JiaoLong smiled at A'Zhe's declaration, "Ok... you do that." He found enough energy to lift his hand and grab onto a strand of A'Zhe's hair. He pulled on it, though weak, A'Zhe obliged by leaning forwards. JiaoLong puled until A'Zhe's face was above his and their lips touched. It was a tender sweet kiss as their mingled tears moistened their lips. A'Zhe brought his hands up and cradled JiaoLong's head as if it were more precious than the world it self. 

  JiaoLong sighed once more in sadness as he drew his last breath, remembering the sensation of A'Zhe's warm, moist lips on his for one last time. 

  When MinZhe felt JiaoLong's hand drop from his cheek, he choked on a sob whilst his lips were still on JiaoLong, tears streamed down fiercely as he hugged his head closer and cried, "I will find you A'Long, I promise, I will find you no matter how long it takes..."

  That night the heavens opened up and let down a torrential rain, the wind howled like a lost soul, shaking the walls of a small cabin on the outskirts of a city, where a man embraced his lover all night long, re[eating the same words over and over again...