Another Chance

Chapter 5- Trees

"Xiao Xingchen!" A voice called out, it was Xue Yang. The man turned at the voice and stoped walking, he walked towards the man with a gentle smile.
"Yes? Do you need something?" Xingchen asked.
"I just wanted to come with you," Xue Yang said, Xingchen was still very unaware who Xue Yang was.
"Oh, but I'm just going on a walk," Xingchen said surprised.
"I want to come though, can I?" Xue Yang said walking up to Xingchen.
"Sure," Xingchen said before walking alongside Xue Yang into the woods and grass. They walked for a while before sitting down under a big tree and next to a patch if flowers.
"Xiao Xingchen, do you mind me asking a question?" Xue Yang asked carefully, he brought out a dagger from his sleeve.
"Of course not, go ahead," Xingchen replied oblivious of the danger he was in.
"How did you loose your eyes?"
Xingchen's breath hitched at the question and took a while to answer, "I...I gave them to a close friend, his name is Song Lan. He lost his eyes and I gave mine to him," he said his voice a bit shaky.
Xue Yang lifted the dagger and placed it close to Xingchen's throat, "Really? Why did you give them to him?"
"Because he needed to see, he always loved being a cultivator and loved the sights of the world. And he was my best friend, I couldn't help but give him mine," Xingchen said blood now falling from his eyes.
"What do you mean was?" Xue Yang asked lowering the dagger. This is getting interesting, he thought.
"He," Xingchen swallowed harshly, "he told me that we must never meet again, and I haven't seen him since."
Xue Yang smirked, "Xiao Xingchen-"
"Please, just call me Xingchen," the man said.
"Alright, Xingchen did you ever try to search for him?" Xue Yang asked curiously.
     "No, I knew that when he said something he meant it," Xingchen replied, he leaned his head back on the tree and felt the gentle breeze on his face. "Do you like being outside?" He suddenly asked.
     "A bit yeah, I like practicing outside and feeling the sun and wind," Xue Yang responded leaning on the tree.
   "Really, you have you ever heard stories of trees?" Xingchen asked, "They say that trees have spirits like other plants and animals, they cover you from heavy rain and from the bright sun."
   "I never knew that," Xue Yang said closing his eyes. He felt calm and relaxed, the sound of Xingchen's voice was very gentle and soft.
     "They also talk to each other, every time the wind blows and the leaves fall, they communicate. Tree rings are also important, each ring represents a year the tree has been alive, and it could be years and years," Xingchen continued, "I think trees are very special, they help everyone in a different way."
     Xue Yang hummed, "Mhmm, what about other plants?"
      "Other plants can be used as herbs or food, they can help heal wounds and illnesses. But they also have spirits and each time the plant withers down, the spirit leaves and passes into a different place," Xingchen said, "also, is there a name I can call you by?"
    Not thinking Xue Yang responded drowsily, "Just call me a-Yang."
    "A-Yang," Xingchen responded, "alright then, thank you for coming with me on this walk a-Yang."
    "No problem," Xue Yang said before letting his conscience slip. Xingchen turned to the man and smiled when he heard the soft reply, he must be asleep.
    Xingchen took of his outer robe and placed it around the man softly, he then laid back and soon also fell asleep.

    Xue Yang's eyes fluttered open and he looked around surprised, he saw Xingchen laying down a few feet away from him. He got a bit closer and looked at him, is he...asleep?
    He listened to man's breathing and confirmed it, wait, he's actually not that bad looking...wait no! He mentally slapped himself for thinking such things and looked around. He saw his dagger nearby and grabbed it, he looked at the dagger then at Xingchen. He raised the dagger and struck down, but stopped barely an inch over Xingchen's chest.
    Xingchen had began to stir, "Zichen," he said softly and began thrashing around. He's having a nightmare, Xue Yang thought.
    "Xingchen," he said and brought the dagger back to him. He hid it in his sleeve and shook Xingchen softly, "Xingchen!"
     The sleeping man began to cry blood, "Zichen...no! Come back!" He said a bit louder, "Zichen!" Xingchen sat up with a gasp and felt someone's hand on his shoulder.
    "Xingchen, are you alright," Xue Yang asked cautiously. Instead of answering Xingchen threw his arms around Xue Yang and hid his face in the crook of his neck. Xue Yang froze in shock, he didn't know how to respond so he began to stroke Xingchen's back.
    "He-he left," Xingchen said sobbing, "he left me, after all I did for him," he cried into Xue Yang's shoulder and pulled himself closer to the man in black.
    "Shh it's alright," Xue Yang said regaining his senses, "you don't need him. It's a good thing he left, besides you're doing perfectly fine on your own. You even took care of me and little blind," he rubbed Xingchen's back soothingly.
     Soon Xingchen's cries turned into small hiccups and sniffles. He rested his head on Xue Yang's shoulder and smelled something sweet, "A-Yang, why do you smell sweet?"
"I do?" Xue Yang asked and sniffed his arm.
"Yes, you smell like candy," Xingchen said smiling softly.
"Never knew I was sweet," Xue Yang said causing Xingchen to burst out laughing. "Why are you laughing?"
"I'm sorry hahahahaha it just made so hahahahaha much sense," Xingchen laughed.
Xue Yang smiled fondly at the man and scoffed, he couldn't believe that he was being laughed at. Never in my life has anyone dared to touch me this way and then laughed at something I said, Xiao Xingchen you really are something.
"Sorry," Xingchen said calming down, he cleared his throat then continued, "sorry, that was a bit rude."
"No it's fine," Xue Yang said without thinking, "you have a pretty laugh."
"Oh um," Xingchen's face turned red and he hid his face in the crook of Xue Yang's neck, "thank you."
Xue Yang laughed, "You're acting like a shy teenager," he said which caused Xingchen to turn an even darker red.
"Stop it," Xingchen said his voice muffled.
"Fine, fine I'll stop," Xue Yang said laughing, he then began to silently braid Xingchen's hair with great delicacy. After the small braid was finished he went on to another strand of hair and made another one.
Xingchen felt the man braid his hair and just let it happen, he liked the feeling of having someone hug him and play with his hair. He soon drifted off into sleep, his head on Xue Yang's shoulder, arms around the man's neck.