1 An Oriental Flame - A WanLing Fanfic

Winter darkness falls for an icy night as rain mimics the sound of the roaring flames of the fire pit that lit the narrowed walls filled with old damped items in light, spreading its warmth through his cold heart. His ears surrounded in noise as the listen to the crackling flames, grasping onto his blade as it glows it ever blue steel with auburn streeks filled a gradient on it against the fire.

The feel of his hand grazing across his blade as the stone rings eerie screeches of iron fills his focus, emptying his sense in the glistening blue steel, reflecting his eyes like a mirror as he stares down his defiant blade.

A bolt passes into shock to the sound of a creaking door as the adrenaline starts to flood his veins, everything slows in his head as the door slowly opens further, raising his sword towards a fading shadow leaking through the cracks.

"It's really you..." His mind numbs to the gentle sound of his name, lowering his hand as a coated figure slowly peaks into the gap.

"Wanwan..." His voice whispers to the sight of the familiar shadow as the auburn flames lit its face in the light.

"Hi..." She replies.

"Are you here to put me into a cell?" He utters as his empty gaze lingers.

"No... I just wanted to come and see you. When I heard there was an assassin at the Dragon Altar, I-"

"How did you find me through the rain?" He cuts her words short, staring at the stunning feline.

"I saw the smoke coming from the shack, so I thought to at least check it out and see if-"

"Close the door behind you, I rather not have you catch a cold." He speaks, glancing back at his sword as he starts grinding its edge against the flames, hearing the door lock as her steps drew closer.

His hand reaches over the pit as he grabs a furred coat, warm to his palm as he points it towards her.

"Put this on before anything, it'll keep you warm."

Speechless of his words, her body partakes his offer and hangs it around her, feeling the warm sensation he had promised.

"Hehe, thanks..." She chuckled as she softly replied.

Her heart fills in as she turns to the man sharpening his blade, caught in the realization of her old memory, to the sight of his pale winter hair running across his cyan attire. His body glides across where he sat, leaving an empty space to be seen, he gently placed his hand on it and turns to the ongoing looker.

"Here, sit right next to the fire." He spouts.

With no other thoughts, her legs drag her body across the cold floor as she starts to feel the roaring flames drawing near, soon filling in the empty space.

"Sorry that I don't have any snacks to give you." He pours out while his hands continue to strike his sword against the stone.

"It's fine, there's no need for-"

"I could go and fetch some tea by the forest, I'm sure there'll still be-"

"Ling!" Her words echo the room and she screams them out, making his head turn in reply.

"What happened? Why are you being so nice to me out of nowhere?" She questions, raising her voice towards him as he catches her staring.

Emptiness fills the room as the movement of his hand comes to a stop, staring to the ground as her words lingered his ears. Turning to the curious feline, he catches her wondering stare. Grasping his blade, he plunges it into the icy floor, covering it everlasting glow as his arms soon fall behind him, resting his body against them.

"After all the winters, I've come to realized that you're different from them." His voice utters in a soft tone as his eyes pierce her eyes.

"What do you mean, "different from them."?!" she questions as her tone raises.

"You're the only person I know who doesn't want to kill me or hunt me down to oblivion. I don't know, but it makes you unique in a way... Well, at least to me..."

His words echoed through her ears as her body grows lighter to his voice, mesmerized by his response as she catches his gaze locking with hers.

"Why do you care so much about me, Wanwan?..." He questions.

The sound of crackling flames consumes the room as silence falls on the two beings, waiting for one to answer back before the other, her hands fidgeting in the confines of her legs as his head turns towards the ceiling of the shack, not speaking a word as her sigh softly ricochet the walls.

"I don't know..., I guess I don't see you as a monster like what they say." She finally replies.

"Then what am I to you, if I'm not a monster?"

His senses tingle to a sensation on his leg, catching her hand pinching on his clothes as if they were made of silk, his reaction turns surprised as he catches a glimpse of a smile.

"Someone who's still missing a skirt."

A wide grin grew on her as his face turns to a look of discontent, reaching his hand over the room as his fingers grabbed on to a rough piece of fabric, seemingly smeared in the dust, hearing her voice filled with joy as he flung it towards her, landing on her as it slid down her sides.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Brushing off the sticking fabric as she yells.

"Oh, I bet there's a skirt here for you to wear." She bickers, returning the favour while showing a view of her fangs as she smiled at her comment.

"You're unbelievable..." Her heart stops for a moment, witnessing a glimpse of a smirk on his face as his words leave his lips. Falling into a trance-like under a starry night sky, her beliefs questions the reality she's currently in as hints of cherry red slowly appear on her face.

"Something wrong?"

"Hm, yes?" She mumbled.

"You looked like you just blanked out just now., are you alright?" He asks.

"Yeah, I was just-" Her words cut short by a warm sensation as his hand runs across her head. Her body frantically pulls back in response as the shade of cherry spread swiftly across her face, flustered to his touch.

"You better not have caught a cold..." His eyes lingered to the now coward feline as she tucked her knees closer to her chest, her hair dripping over her face like curtains of chestnut streaks. Her body felt warmer to the touch as he moved closer, squinting at the sight of him right next to her.

"Tell me what's wrong?..."

Her eyes slowly reveal to the light as she lifted her head from her cuddle, facing the fire as he sat close by.

"Why can't we be friends like we used to be, before the pain..." She softly whispers to the pale blue finch as she tightens the hold on her knees, tucking them closer as a discerned look grew on Ling.

"They'll never forgive me..."

"After all this time, I thought I deserved the title of Dragon after defeating him years ago, even when after he was chosen to carry it when he lost..."

"But our fight earlier, he was different than before. His hits had more strength behind them, his movements swifter than water, he bested me in every way... Then I realized that he lost all those years ago on purpose, he knew I wanted it badly and tried my earnest to earn it..." He wallows, his arms resting on his lap as the stench of reflection floods him with guilt.

"He still sees you as his friend, he always has, even when you disappeared all those years ago..." Her arm stretches over to his side as she pulls her body closer to him, pressing herself against his heat.

"I don't know if I should even be considered his friend..." His voice sighs, dropping his head in his own shame as his hand crosses over hers, feeling her soft skin grazing under his palm.

"Why not? you're the kindest bird I know, Ling." Her head rests on his shoulder as it slowly rubs against it, pulling herself even closer to him.

"Heh, maybe to you..." He chuckled.

The room fills with warm as their bodies share the same heat next to the slowly dimming flame, reaching his hand over her shoulder as he brings her closer to him, allowing her head to give way and become numb to the touch.

Her rosy cheeks continue to shine as his head relaxes on hers, giving her vision of her cherished memories, she falls for him more as a soft grin grew on her face once more.

"I missed being with you, Ling... I really do..." She utters under his head, gripping his hand as she feels his breaths gently pressed against her neck.

"I'm sorry for leaving you for all those years... Didn't meant to keep you wait for so long."

Roaring flames once again echoed through the walls as their bodies lingered close to their heat, resting to the sound of blissful rain and darkness, grasping tighter to her body as Ling catches her eyes giving into heaviness, shortly as his eyes follow in pursuit, leaning on her softly as she slips further into his arms.

"I missed you too, Baihu..."