Charge
Jiang Yibai almost ran across most of the playground.
The wind whistled past his ears, lifting the slightly curled black hair from his forehead. All he could see was the old banyan tree drawing ever closer, and the small figure huddled quietly beneath it. The surrounding noise, the cheers, the clatter of sneakers scraping against the ground, all blurred into a distant background, faded and distorted.
He took big steps with a hint of eagerness, and a strange, hot emotion was beating in his chest, urging him to go faster and get back to that person.
When they were still a few steps away from the banyan tree, Lin Xiyan seemed to hear hurried footsteps and subconsciously raised his head to look over. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches and leaves, falling on his upturned face. His amber eyes were a little dazed, like a deer accidentally startled in the woods.
Jiang Yibai's heart felt like it was gently bumped by that look, softening and swelling. Far from slowing down, as he neared her, as if draining all his strength, or simply wanting to cheat, he lunged without warning at Lin Xiyan, who was sitting at the tree root.
“Hmm!”
Lin Xiyan had no time to react, only letting out a short, muffled groan before he was slammed into a firm, sweaty embrace. The impact caused him to stagger backward, his back pressed against the rough tree trunk.
Jiang Yibai practically fell into his arms. His head naturally buried in the crook of Lin Xiyan's shoulder, the top of her furry hair rubbing against his jaw and neck, bringing a subtle and unfamiliar itch. Her warm breath unreservedly sprayed on the sensitive skin on the side of Lin Xiyan's neck, burning him so much that he shuddered violently, and all the blood in his body seemed to rush to the touched area.
"I'm so tired..." Jiang Yibai's voice came out muffled from his shoulder, drawn out, sticky with coquettishness and complaints, "Playing ball is so boring... It's more comfortable here."
As he spoke, he rubbed his head against his neck, like a large dog that had run around outside and came back for comfort, without any of his usual cold and aloof look.
Lin Xiyan was completely frozen.
Jiang Yibai's scent enveloped her. The scent of sweat, the scent of sun, and a clean, slightly overbearing aura that belonged only to Jiang Yibai. Through the thin fabric of his gym clothes, she could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest and the warmth that filtered through, much higher than her own, alarmingly hot.
His hands hung helplessly in the air, not knowing where to put them. His heartbeat was so fast it felt like it was about to burst out of his throat, and his eardrums were filled with the roar of his own blood rushing through them. His cheeks, ears, neck, everywhere Jiang Yibai touched, were ablaze with fire.
He...how could he...
"Why... are you back?" Lin Xiyan heard his own voice, which was very dry and trembling.
"I came back when I wanted to." Jiang Yibai answered confidently, rubbing his head again, his hair brushing against Lin Xiyan's skin, causing a small shudder. "It's too noisy over there, it's better here." He paused, lowering his voice, almost humming, "...You're more fun than the ball."
Those last few words were like the tip of a feather scratching the softest part of her heart. Lin Xiyan's breathing hitched, and her fingers, suspended in mid-air, curled up unconsciously.
Jiang Yibai seemed to notice his stiffness and helplessness, but instead of letting go, he adjusted his posture even more and nestled deeper into Lin Xiyan's arms, his chin resting on his collarbone, his whole body almost hanging on him.
"Let me rest for a moment..." His voice was lazy, a little hoarse from exercise, and his breath brushed Lin Xiyan's ear. "I ran too fast just now and I feel dizzy."
This excuse was laughably lame, but when he said it in such a spoiled and playful tone, it was actually impossible to refute it.
Lin Xiyan didn't dare move. He could feel the weight of Jiang Yibai's body, warm and real. His furry head rested on his shoulder, its soft hair tickling the back of his neck, and a strange, sour, tingling sensation rose in his heart.
After the initial period of extreme stiffness and panic, some deeper instinct, which he himself was not even aware of, seemed to slowly awaken.
His hand, which had been suspended for a long time, finally and very slowly, tentatively, gently rested on Jiang Yibai's back. Through the slightly sweat-soaked fabric, he could feel the outline of the firm muscles and the warm body temperature underneath.
Jiang Yibai's body seemed to pause very slightly, and then he leaned on him more relaxedly, even letting out an almost inaudible sigh of satisfaction.
This subtle reaction is like a silent encouragement.
Lin Xiyan's fingers trembled slightly, and after a moment's hesitation, he very, very gently patted the broad back twice. His movements were awkward and clumsy, as if he were soothing a large, but unexpectedly clingy animal.
"Are you... very tired?" he asked in a low voice, his voice still a little tense, but steadier than before.
"Hmm..." Jiang Yibai hummed, moving his head in the crook of his shoulder to find a more comfortable position, "Tired. I need Xiyan to comfort me to feel better."
He said this as a matter of course, even with a hint of rogueness. His purple eyes flashed with triumph and joy at an angle that Lin Xiyan couldn't see.
Lin Xiyan's heart was once again scalded by the word "Xiyan" and the straightforward request. He pursed his lips, but his hand didn't stop patting her. Although it was still unfamiliar, it was more cautious and gentle.
He didn't know how to "coax" him, so he could only rely on his intuition and gently pat Jiang Yibai's back, one by one, just like the vague memory of his mother doing when he couldn't sleep as a child.
Sunlight filtered through the banyan tree's branches, dappling the two of them. The clamor of the distant playground seemed blocked by an invisible barrier, leaving only this tiny patch of shade. It was so quiet that one could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind and the blending, gradually calming sound of their breathing.
Jiang Yibai closed his eyes, feeling the awkward yet gentle pat on his back, feeling the gradually relaxing body of the person in his arms, feeling the rhythm of their heartbeats gradually converge. An unprecedented sense of satisfaction and security enveloped him like warm water.
My wife is so easy to coax, he thought. It's so comfortable to hold her. Soft, sweet, and fragrant.
He couldn't help but rub it again, his nose brushing against the smooth skin on Lin Xiyan's neck, greedily absorbing the faint fragrance of soapberry, mixed with a hint of sunshine.
Lin Xiyan shrank back as he nudged her, but she didn't shy away. His caressing hand paused for a moment, then continued to fall. A strange sense of calm, accompanied by the afterglow of a pounding heartbeat, slowly flowed through her body.
Being held so tightly, being relied upon, being needed... this feeling was strange yet addictive. It was as if he was no longer that superfluous, unwanted existence, but had become another person's place of comfort.
He lowered his head, his chin almost touching the top of Jiang Yibai's soft hair. The sunlight dyed the hair a light brown, making it look fluffy.
"Are you still... dizzy?" he asked softly, his voice almost blending into the wind.
"Better now." Jiang Yibai said in a muffled voice, but his arms tightened a little, as if he was afraid that he would run away, "Hold me for a while longer."
Lin Xiyan stopped talking and just let him hold her, his hands moving gently. His fingertips occasionally brushed against the taut shoulder blades beneath the fabric, and he could feel the power contained therein.
Time seemed to be stretched at this moment, becoming slow and sticky.
I don’t know how long it was before the bell for the end of get out of class rang sharply, breaking the silence.
Lin Xiyan's body trembled slightly, as if she had been awakened from a warm dream. Her patting hands stopped.
Jiang Yibai snorted in dissatisfaction, buried his head deeper in his shoulder, and held his arms tighter, pretending not to move: "Five more minutes..."
Lin Xiyan looked at the crowd that began to move in the distance and bewilderedly whispered, "...get out of class is about to end."
"No matter." Jiang Yibai's voice was muffled and nasal, like a child who refused to get up.
Lin Xiyan looked at him acting like a scoundrel, and the panic in his heart strangely calmed down. He even smiled faintly, not even realizing it. He hesitated for a moment, and then placed his hand on Jiang Yibai's back, gently rubbing his spine with his fingers.
Like tickling.
"It's time... to go back," he said, with a hint of indulgence in his voice that he himself didn't even realize.
Jiang Yibai finally raised his head reluctantly, his purple eyes filled with a hint of annoyance at being interrupted and a lingering laziness. He stared at Lin Xiyan's face, which was so close to him, into his pair of amber eyes, still a little watery, and suddenly grinned, a little mischievously.
"Then wait for me after school," he announced, his tone as natural as if he was saying what a nice day it was. "Let's go together."
After saying that, he slowly let go of his hand, stood up from Lin Xiyan's arms, and moved his numb limbs.
His arms suddenly felt empty, and a cool breeze rushed in. Lin Xiyan actually felt a little lost. He looked at Jiang Yibai standing in the sun, nodded, and said softly, "...Okay."
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