History 3: Make Our Days Count

A NEW BEGINNING

In the wee hours of the morning, Yu Xi Gu was unable to sleep. With the help of the moonlight that filtered through the curtain, he looked down at his boyfriend, ear rested over his heart, arms circling his waist and their feet entangled together.

"Your heartbeat allows me to go to sleep" Hao Ting had responded when he had asked.

Yu Xi Gu looked adoringly at his boyfriend, his tousled brown hair, his face strong and defined with a prominent jaw curved gracefully. He caressed his cheek lightly and leaned down to press a kiss into his hair.

Xiang Hao Ting was the first person he had loved and the only person that he could love for the rest of his life.

Hao Ting eye lids drooping and leaden with sleep stirred awake and propped himself up planting a gentle kiss on his boyfriend's forehead, down one eyelid, his cheek and finally on his lip then groggily muttered, "Can't sleep?"

Yu Xi Gu, shook his head and willed back the tears, "I want to use the bathroom."

Hao Ting made a gesture to get off the bed and assist Yu Xi Gu, but his boyfriend shook his head afraid to say a word, because his trembling voice could betray him.

Yu Xi Gu moved over to the edge of the bed, let himself down gently and propped himself up with the cane that he now used as support as he walked to the bathroom.

The few minutes allowed him to steady his emotions and he whispered to Hao Ting who was watching his every move, "Go back to sleep, I will be just a minute."

Hao Ting had just opened his mouth to protest but Yu Xi Gu insisted, "Today is Sunday, the only day you manage to get something akin to decent sleep, I'll be right back, I promise."

There was a firmness and pleading to Yu Xi Gu's voice and so Hao Ting lay back down.

Hao Ting gently traced the warm sheets where his boyfriend lay a few minutes ago. He moved over and smelled the pillow which had a tinge of the lavender shampoo that they both shared and a little of Yu Xi Gu's unique scent. He repeated to himself silently, "He is here, right here" and that calmed his beating heart.

Yu Xi Gu took only a few minutes, in truth he didn't really have to empty his bowels to begin with. He walked back to bed and they both resumed their sleeping positions like practiced choreography.

In the darkness the cuddle felt like a little touch of home, warm, together and cozy.

Yu Xi Gu was both excited and nervous for tomorrow. He sighed deeply, it had been two years since the accident and a year since he had woken up from the coma. Hao Ting and their friends would start their third year while he was just getting into his first year.

A bittersweet smile crossed his lips as held onto Hao Ting even more tightly. They were now in the same university, same faculty.

There were many things that Hao Ting downplayed, the rent to their apartment, the hospital bill, how he managed to ensure that the university held onto his admission and scholarship.

His past self would have been very particular about the details but now all that mattered was that Hao Ting was right here with him.

His eyes watered again as he recalled the events of the past year, the accident...... he coughed up slightly to hold back the tears than once again threatened to pour out and nuzzled up to Hao Ting's embrace and tried to catch some minutes of sleep before the new day.

Yu Xi Gu woke up with the first ring of the alarm. As he made to get up he leaned down and was met with those beautiful sparkling brown eyes.

A kiss was planted on lips with a muffled "Good morning."