Chapter Text
"You weren't the first page in my book, but since coming into it, I'd be damned if you weren't on every page, in every sentence, untill the last word"
~ ~
The little boy ate his apple silently, eyes flicking between the people walking to and fro on the street paying him no mind to the man lavishly dressed man in red besides him under the shade of the tree, his one visible eye closed as he layed back on the grass, enjoying the breeze and spects of sun that faltered through the leaves.
Or at least Wei Ying thinks he is, if he even can do that that is.
Wei Ying took another look at the people on the street before speaking, the apple falling to his lap in his small hands.
"Red Gege?"
The man didn't open his eyes but gave an alert hum.
"Why can't other people see you?"
"They can see me but only when I want them too."
"Then why can't they see you when you don't want them too?"
"Because I'm a ghost" the man answered simply as if it were the most normal and common conclusion one could come to but the boy only gave a slight frown. "But I can see you? All the time, Am I a ghost too?" The little boy asked, a little two calmly as if the prospect of being dead was but a mild inconvenience. This made the man chuckle softly, his dark eyes opening to gaze at the small boy.
"Nope our little a-ying is very much an a live person."
"Then why can only I see you?"
A single Dark eye looked at big curious silver ones with his own masked curiosity.
'I would like to know the answer to that question myself.' he thought but only smiled warmly at the young boy.
"Because our little A-ying is special."the man in red offered ruffling the boy's already messy hair, the little boy welcoming the strangely cool touch, giving a big toothy grin in response.
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It's been a few weeks since the man in red rescued Wei Ying from the vicious dogs that were about to wrip him to threads.
He remembers how they massacred his father, how they caught up to him dispite his mother's attempt to distract them and give him some leeway, catching up to him after quite a while probably after designating her to the same fate as his father.
But at that time he gotten lucky an ran into a town, the locals not particularly helping him just preventing the animals from getting into the town, the fact further proven as after they got rid of the wild dogs no one speared him a glance, a bleeding and battered 5 year old of no importance or concern to them or anyone else as he spent 4 more years alone likw that on the streets.
but atleast he was still saved right?
But not today, there was no one and he didn't even know what direction the closest town was. He remembers how he screamed and cried, déjavu thick in the air yet there was no one around and even if they did he's not very positive they would have came to help.
He was Curled up in the roots of a tree he couldn't climb, his small fingers bleeding from his earlier attempt at it, he still tried to get away yet they kept coming, barking hungrily and snapping at his frailed limbs. His throat was soar at this point but he still screamed for help, cried for his parents to help him even if he knew they were dead yards aways on the forest floor or what was left of them atleast.
But staring at the jaws of death his 7 year old brain had long conceited to death.
Tightly shutting his eyes he waited.
The growls, barks and sound of teeth got louder and louder along with some other sounds he was too scared to question at the moment, closer and the louder hungry for his flesh before,
before it suddenly stopped.
It was silent now, he could only hear his own sniffles and raging heart beat telling him he was actually still alive. His eyes refused to open though, afraid to see his very last on the tongue of one of those beast. But the silence went on, then a soft chime reached his ears.
The sound was light but kept getting softer, tinkling gently like small bells.
Willing himself to open his eyes he almost closed it at the sight of what was in front of him. The dogs that were about to take his life all layed splattered and motionless on the ground, body parts askew, blood and guts painting the forst floor and surrounding leaves, the sight was horrifying yes but not as much so as the one of his father it didn't shake him as much as it should he only remain wide eyed and silent because even with them dead, he couldn't be too sure, he was hesitant to move.
'were they all even dead and who or what what strong and this savage enough to take them out like this?
The answer came to him in the form of retreating bells.
Looking pass the Carnage of his almost murderers, he made out a retreating figure, a very tall most likely man, wearing bright red. A sword at his side.
He saved him.
He—
"Please, don't leave me—" the words left his before he could think, his earlier screaming making the simple sentence feel like he'd been gargling nails, throat screaming in lrotest for a rest but at the sight of the stranger halting, he tried again.
"Please, don't..."
The stranger turned around, and actually came back slowly towards him.
Even if he was the one that called after him, he couldn't help but still feel scared and wary. 'the man already saved him, was asking him to come back too much? But he really didn't want to be alone.'
He just didn't want to be alone.
The man knelt down in front of the wooden spiraled hole Wei Ying had tuck himself into. As intimidating as the man seemed he didn't look that scary, he was pale and beautiful and very, very tall even in his kneeling position.
He looked at Wei Ying who only shortly process how he only showed one onyx eye, the other cover an eye patch, he looked at Wei Ying as if he were curious?
"Can you see me?"
Wei Ying didn't understand why he would ask that but it was easy enough to answer so he nodded slowly. The man looked over him once more a short humm passing through his lips before he reached his hand out.
And Wei Ying to the man's and even to his own surprise bypassed the hand completely, and threw himself right into the man's chest and sobbed.
He sobbed so hard he didn't notice how the stranger tensed under him or how his suspiciously cold body didn't rise or fall with breath, how where he rested his head no heart beat could be found.
Hua Cheng watched the very much alive child, cry, watched his tiny bloodied hands still beating with blood curl white into the translucent threads of his robes.
'how could the child touch? Much less see him?"
He doubted the child knew either, so he kept quiet and let the child cry and he doesn't know what possessed him to do so but he held the child back, soon deciding to stand up heading he doesn't know where, what he initially came to this world for momentarily forgotten as he left the scene of mangled wolf corpes behind with a weeping child tucked into his chest and clinging onto clothes that were supposed to be untouchable.
-----—----------
The few weeks Wei Ying spent with his Ghost Gege in red is a time he promised himself he'd never forget.
Whether it were the happy times where his Gege would play with him, would braid his hair, tell stories and pick flowers and rome around or the sad but comforting ones where his Gege would leave him for a while ro go do something Wei Ying doesn't know about, but he'd leave him carefully and safely tucked and always brought him something yummy or cool but most of all he'd always come back. Or times when Wei Ying would feel sad or have a nightmare about what happened to his parents His red Gege would hug and comfort him. Would listen him. Care for him.
He was young, only 8 but couldn't help but love the mysterious man that clearly and purposely didn't tell him things about himself. He still trusted him despite that.
"Gege?"
"Mhmm" the man or rather boy? Or young man answered Wei Ying cheerily after handing him a stick of the fish he had just grilled for the both of them. Red Gege was in his, as he likes to call it "human form" a form other living people could see. Wei Ying never understood how he could do that and anytime Wei Ying tried to learn more about the older or how some of the many interesting powers he's sure normal "ghost" aren't capable of he'd just smile and say "just like our little Wei Ying this Gege is also special," and wink at him with his now two eyes giving nothing else away.
Wei Ying gave up trying for now simply happy tell the man about himself and to just have the man by his side or rather for him letting Wei Ying stay by his.
Which why he had to tell him,
"I love you."
He didn't say it back then, never did not that his 8 year old self minded he was simply happy to say it, a big toothy smile directed towards the older. Yet he didn't notice the breif silence or the stunned looked arcoss the older's face as it was quickly replace by a the older's normal smile and a head pat "your adorable you know that." The older said pulling him closer, Wei Ying more then happy to snuggle up to his Gege."
Wei Ying had been tidying the little shack he and his Red Gege had been staying in, some rough thugs hand been staying here from what he could remember but when Gege found him he said they couldn't keep staying out in the streets. Wei Ying doesn't know how he got the thugs to give up their spot and never come back but he was grateful. He liked it here.
His Gege had gone to get them some breakfast, normally he'd go with him but the older insisted he stay back in bed to get some more rest. The smaller boy had a hard time getting back to sleep after having another nightmare..or rather memory of his parents.
The older stayed up practically all night with him, holding him close, rubbing his back and whispering that it was all right, until his blury and stinging eyes could risk closing with out him seeing death.
He doesn't know what he would do without the man.
Wei Ying had just dressed in the new untatterd robes red Gege had just gotten him, red under robes and black outers, he poutes slightly wishing it be mostly red lile his Red Gege but the black was nice too he supposes.
When there were noises outside signaling that his Gege was here, he turned toward the door just intime to see the older enter.
He smiled. "Great your awake! I was gonna buy rice to make congee but the lady at the stand was making so i had her give us some." He said handing the boy a bowl, who grinned at the ready made congee.
He sat down to wait for the other only for his eyes to sparkle as he did so the older pulling out a jar with something red in it.
"Is that spicy chillie!?" The boy asks mouth already watering.
"Yup!" The older said opening the Jar ploppingg a good spoonful in the congee. Wei Ying didn't hesitate to dig in as the older motioned him to.
"Pank q guh guh" (thank you Gege) he said between bites, chubby cheeks stuffed with rice and glee.
"It's my pleasure he said simply watching Wei Ying eat, his smile not reaching his eyes like usual. This little action as well as the fact that he wasn't eating this time was not missed by the boy. Wei Ying put his bowl down and swallowed the portion of food in his mouth.
Wei Ying had a feeling the older didn't need to eat, he was a ghost after all but he always ate with Wei Ying, it felt better that way but today he didn't bother to touch his food, his face morphing into that conflicted way it does sometimes.
And normally the older would just dismiss it with a smile and things would be normal again, he didn't expect an answer and he didn't get one but this time,
"Wei Ying." He said his voice serious but tender.
Wei Ying tilted his head. "Yes Gege."
"We're going to part soon." He uttered eyes boring into his, probably gaging his reaction.
Wei Ying swollowed unblinkingly as he gazed up at the older, processing the words
"......What?.." Wei Ying prayed he hurt wrong.
"I said we're gonna have to part ways soon, our time together is..." Coming to an end.
Wei Ying looked down. "You're leaving me?" He could feel the tears pricking his eyes. It's been a little bit more then a year they spent together but Wei Ying began to not think of a life without the older, he thought he didn't have to suffer again, to wake up cold and shaking alone again.
There was shuffling and the older was next to him, cupping his face and wiping the already falling tears "I'm not leaving you, we're both leaving here, just not together."
"I don't understand."
He sighed, having trouble himself saying this. "My time in this world has been up for quite some time but I didn't simply want to leave you, I couldn't bring myself to.." for some reason..
"Then you can take me with you?, Wei Ying would be good I promised." He Sobbed said burrying his face in the older's chest.
"I know " the older said softly, rubbing his back "I know you would and I've thought about it, I did many times, I even considered it even last night but—"
"But?"
"But my world, would be dangerous for you, simply being around me in my world could be dangerous for you. you belong here. But most importantly I found people that are looking for you."
"Looking for me but...I don't have anyone left I—"
"Does the name Jiang right a bell to you?" Wei Ying was about to shake his head no when a faint memory crossed his mind, it wasn't clear but it lined up with the name Jiang, of a man an a woman he didn't remember the face of a little boy and a little girl, older then himself who was vwry nuce to him, he remembers "I...I think so." He sniffed.
"Good, The man said your parents were a friend of his family's and he's been looking for you ever since he found out about your parents."
"Really?" He asked little disbelievingly, not believing there was anyone left in this world that cared for him besides his Gege. 'Where were they those years he was alone?"
"Yes."
After Wei Ying calmed down and ate the rest of his breakfast they talked. He was just barely able to keep his tears in when the red cladded man informed him that he would be taking to the Jiangs tonight.
So with one last day with each other they spent it to the fullest, flying kites, playing in the river, playing with animals in old man Chong's yard, brading hair and other things, everything they liked to do together, everything they could think of.
In the evening when Wei Ying had tired himself out, he stuck himself to the older's side, head on his chest as they sat in the grass watching the sun set, the sky abstractly painting itself in the colours of a sunset.
Even with it's array of beautiful colours the sky soon became boring to Wei Ying as he switched his focus to the older man. He was in the form he used when they first met. His original form.
"Gege?"
"Mhmm."
"What's your world like?" He's subtly asked this many times but the older never let anything slip, maybe he would endulge Wei Ying just this once.
"It's..."
Oh my gosh he was really—
"It's honestly not that different from here on the surface, there's the good the bad, the people, the cultivators and so on but unlike here there's a lot more going on in the shadows, life doesn't simply end at death for some and righteous gods that reign over all are actually mostly corrupted pompas fools with too much yet not enough power since the lot of them as embarrassingly weak like who let you become a god and—"
Wei Ying stared. Maybe he dodged a bullet with the older not saying anything before because he didn't understand a thing what was being said. Weak Gods? Corruption?
Heavenly politics? Calamities? He hadn't a clue and it simply sounded like his Gege had a lot of opinions on Religion, he would have never guessed, but he still smiled and listened, happy to hear the man talk about himself even if not directly, as it would be the last time.
"— Though there are a few exceptions to heavenly officials."
"Like what?" Wei Ying tried to be engaged in the conversation "does Gege have a favorite god?"
"You make it sound like we're discussing favorite animals or colours." He smirked pinching Wei Ying's cheeks eliciting a giggle from the younger. "But yeah...I guess I do, they're the greatest."
"What's their name?"
They was a pause before a smile Wei Ying had never seen appeared on the older's lips just briefly as he uttered. "Xie Lian"
"Xie Lian.." he mumbled to him the name itself was very pretty. He was about to ask more about this Xie Lian when the older interrupted.
"We should go now."
The happy calm mood they had built quickly melted away, Wei Ying's smile going with it. He felt like crying again as the "we should go" didn't mean they were going to their little shack, their home. They weren't going back there ever.
But there was nothing he could do and he trusted his Gege.
Nodding hesitantly he turned an picked up the little sack of the few things he owned, all of them given to him by the man in red.
They stood up, Wei Ying reaching for the elders hands as they descended the small grassy slope and headed towards the edge of town where this Jiang person was supposedly waiting for them. For him
Wei Ying dragged his feet, walking purposely slow delaying their arrival to their destination but the older silently let him, going along with his painfully slow and small steps.
But despite this snail pace they were soon almost at the edge of town when Wei Ying stopped.
The older didn't say anything, waiting for Wei Ying to speak as he know he wanted too, the smaller keeping his eyes to the patch of grass below him.
"Gege."
"Yes?"
"What's your name?"
There was a contemplative silence before a knee replaced the grass and he looked up as the man in red knelt before him, wiping at the tears he didn't realize had began gathering at his eyes. "Hong Hong er."
"Hong... Honger?"
" though I do go by Hua Cheng now, which ever you prefer."
"Hong Honger is a cute name." Wei ying said with a small smile. "It is isn't it, but doesn't Hua Cheng Ge sound better?"
"You said which ever I prefer" wei ying pouted.
"A suggested" The older's smile was mischievous
Wei Ying giggled "how about Hua Gege? Then"
"Hua Gege it is then." He smiled right back at Wei Ying.
Wei Ying suddenly turned quiet "Hua Gege?"
"Yes Wei Ying."
The smaller has never cared nor noticed that the older has never returned his affectionate words but right now if he didn't he doesn't know if his small heart could take it.
"I love you, Hua Gege."
But then again his Gege never disappoints.
There's a beat long enough for a fresh tear to roll down Wei Ying's chubby cheeks before the older smiles in a way he's never smiled at him, his normal cold hand feeling warm on his cheeks.
"I love you too Wei Ying."
Burying himself in the older's neck Wei Ying let out a muffled sob as he rubbed his back and returned the hug. When Wei Ying could speak again his voice was soft, small arms holding on tight.
"Will I ever see you again?" He asked meekly and the ghost ran a soothing hand through his hair as he sighed.
"If our fates permits it, then we shall."