531: 9.1 Are You Real?

9.1 Are You Real?

4Arc 9: My Boyfriend is a Zombie, So What?

"If you want to eat, then eat me; be it my flesh, my brain or my soul. I won't allow you to desire anyone else!"

.

.

.

The deep water pressure still lingered on every inch of Lu Yizhou's body, pressing down on him so hard that he could not breathe. As soon as he opened his mouth to gasp, water surged in uncontrollably, seizing the air inside his lungs. The light in front of him dimmed as his eyes lost its sharp lustre. Even then, his grip on the person in his arms remained obstinate, unmovable as a mountain, until at some point, everything turned into bubbles and dissipated…

"...zhou!"

"...Yizhou!"

"Lu Yizhou!"

Lu Yizhou snapped his eyes open to see a pair of concerned golden eyes above him. He subconsciously opened his mouth and gasped sharply, greedily inhaling oxygen into his shriveling lungs. As a result, he choked on his breath and coughed. He coughed so hard it was like he was going to hack his inner organs out.

Zeke patted his back, angry yet amused at the same time. "What's up with you and your suicide tendency, huh? I swear, you're going to drive me crazy sooner or later."

It took Lu Yizhou a few seconds to realize that he was back into the rest station — the familiar interior of his house spanned in front of him — and not only that, his lover was awake faster than him. Judging from his damp hair, he had even taken the chance to have a shower and slipped on Lu Yizhou's oversized shirt over his slender body. Right now, he was bending over the bed as he helped Lu Yizhou to sit up.

Lu Yizhou stared at him in disbelief. "You…" Last time, his lover was so weak that he could not even open his eyes for long. But now… looking at the man in front of him, somehow Lu Yizhou got the impression that they were just ordinary boyfriends; that it was an ordinary Saturday night and Zeke decided to stay over because he had no work tomorrow…

The mere thought of it constricted Lu Yizhou's throat and the rims of his eyes reddened — half from the bout of coughing earlier and half from the domesticity of the sight in front of him. "Sweetheart, you are…" Lu Yizhou reached out to cup his face, his fingers trembling. His lips moved, unable to form the suitable words to put his meaning across. 

Zeke's lips curved beautifully, his golden eyes turning into crescents. "What do you think?"

Zeke's condition right now was a far cry compared to the fragile man he was last time, so frail that the slightest breeze would blow him away. Not only that, there was a sharpness to his gaze that was not there before, giving him a mysterious yet indolent air. If there was a sentence which could describe him now, it was like the previous blank canvas had been struck with bright vivid colours, making the person in front of him seem more genuine and real…

Lu Yizhou's gaze was transfixed on his face… until Zeke suddenly reached out to cover them with a cold palm. A wave of fresh fragrance wafted into Lu Yizhou's nose and something stirred in his heart when he recalled that it was the scent of his own body wash.

"Don't look at me like that," he grumbled lightly. "You're going to make it awkward, you know?"

Lu Yizhou grabbed onto the palm and brought it down, then continued staring.

Zeke: "..."

The man coughed lightly. He pulled his hand away in lieu of patting Lu Yizhou's shoulders. "Stay here. You have just woken up. I will bring you some water." Without waiting for him to react, Zeke turned around and sauntered to the pantry, flashing his luscious golden locks and a pair of pale, slender legs.

Lu Yizhou's humble abode was typical of a bachelor's home. Last time, he had casually chosen one furthest from the Empire and coincidentally, his attention was drawn to this single cabin that stood alone amid the wintry forest. 

He only had one single thought: to go as far away as possible from that place. As for what he was going to do after that… he did not know. He settled in this little house but did not care about the furnishing too much. Hence, everything was just as how the previous owner left it. 

There was nothing precious here. Perhaps, the most luxurious thing Lu Yizhou owned was the immaculate cat tree and comfy cat bed in the corner of the room. 

This simple house consisted of nothing aside from a single bed, a set of table and chair, bathroom and pantry. When Lu Yizhou escaped from the Empire, he took nothing with him but the clothes on his body, a weary heart and… a shivering little kitten who was dying on the roadside.

From Lu Yizhou's position, he could clearly see Zeke flitting back and forth across the desolate pantry, opening and closing the cabinets and grumbling when he found nothing within. He looked so at ease… as though he had lived here since forever. 

Seeing his lover moving so dexterously inside his house gave Lu Yizhou a funny feeling. He could not describe it; it's just that his nose was sour and the most tender part of his heart was aching sweetly. His throat bobbed and without him realizing, he had stood up, crossed the room in a few large strides and caged Zeke against the wooden counter, each of his arms propped on the edges. 

Lu Yizhou nosed along his lover's temple, inhaling his unique scent that interlaced with the familiar body wash. Then slowly, his head drooped until it was leaning on the crook of Zeke's neck. His warm breath caressed the other's skin, earning him a minute shudder. 

"Lu Yizhou, you…" Zeke bit his lips, his breath turning heavier. However, his tone was laced with mirth. "Are you acting clingy right now?"

Lu Yizhou only muttered out a faint 'mn', one of his arms slowly came to circle around Zeke's slender waist, pulling the man closer to him. 

"What's wrong with you?" He sounded helpless. Lu Yizhou felt Zeke's hand reaching out to caress the side of his face and his neck, seemingly trying to coax him. Instead of answering, Lu Yizhou relished on the gentle touches and held the man tighter to himself. Zeke turned his head to drop a peck on his forehead. "What's wrong hmm? Will you tell me?"

Even Lu Yizhou had no idea what was wrong with him. 

Imagine if someone's nerves had been strung taut for days, unable to relax even for a split second. In the end, they had even suffered excessive blood loss and drowned deep within the thunderous sea. Then when they woke up, they suddenly found themselves in Heaven. 

In this place, there was no one aside from him and Zeke. This was his sacred sanctuary; a place where they could let their guard down for there would not be anyone who would scheme against them left and right, even trying to harm them…

Lu Yizhou just… had difficulty believing that he did not merely conjure this up. His mind was floaty and his body was still surging in adrenaline, as if he could pounce and fight an army again if the situation called for it. His nerves were still tense and it was not until he had this person in his arms that he could relax infinitesimally, that he could convince himself that everything was real.

Lu Yizhou closed his eyes and exhaled lightly. "Sweetheart…"

"Hmm?"

"Are you real? I… am not dreaming, am I?" Lu Yizhou could feel Zeke freezing in his arms but the fact that he could not see his expression made it easier for Lu Yizhou to pour his heart out. "I am afraid… you will disappear if I let go. I am afraid this is only a dream. It's not, isn't it? You're really here with me… right?"

pqdm.com