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“There you go,general,a simmering hot pot with extra spice,-no coriander”.
The boiling pot was placed where Jiaoqiu hoped was in front of the where the general was seated,it would be rather rude to have her reach for it herself.
The savory steam flowed through the dim night breeze,tainting the fresh air with the spicy scent of boiled meat.
Feixiao had claimed she sat on the left end of the table,specifically on the edges so that he can find his way to her easily.
But unlike her,Moze didn’t enlighten him with where his own seat was,so Jiaoqiu placed it somewhere in the middle,he could hear the spy grab the food shortly after.
“Hmmm,your cooking remains as savory as ever,Jiaoqiu,an absolute delight to both body and mind!”Feixiao announced,the glee in her tone contagious,the satisfied clinking of her wooden chopsticks audible through the gazebo they dined in.
“You flatter me,general”,Jiaoqiu said with a smile that reached his sleep-deprived eyes,finding his own seat somewhere close to her and Moze.
“Thank you,Jiaoqiu”,the spy,who usually kept to himself thanked him,when he would usually communicate with gestures instead of words,but given Jiaoqiu’s new found condition,he recently begun to talk more to the blind fox to make him know that he is there,and to inform him of how he feels through his tone.
However,Jiaoqiu argues that Moze’s tone would indicate as much feeling as his expression would,basically nothing,the spy’s voice was just as dead pan as his face.
Showing no hints of any emotion,but that was always the case anyway,so at least that doesn’t change between them.
Although it can be awkward for them sometimes,Jiaoqiu seemes to really appreciate it,deeply.
He hummed,pleased that both of his companions still find his food just as pleasant as they always did,as long as he can cook and heal efficiently,Jiaoqiu is happy.
Even if this means that he himself can no longer enjoy food the way he used to.
The Tumbledust poison he drank had not only affected his vision,dooming him to blindness forever,but almost all of his senses were greatly impacted as well.
Thankfully his hearing was mostly normal,his tastebuds and intestines however,were not as lucky.
His stomach was burning from the inside,scorched and still scorching on a daily bases,if he began his morning without painkillers.
he can no longer enjoy spicy food anymore,which ironically was the only tase Jiaoqiu favored,claiming that if the food didn’t burn your tongue and fry your throat ,it would be rendered‘boring’.
Saying that spicy food kills people was a famous cliche Jiaoqiu now unfortunately gets to experience,his abdomen can barely digest anything but simple bland vegetable soups,which is what he considers to be the most boring dish in existence.
And to top it all off,they all contained Coriander,the worst vegetable known to man.
Suddenly the price he paid for Hoolay’s death didn’t seem so small anymore,but Jiaoqiu believes he should be thankful he survived to begin with.
He never expected to make it out of the borisin prison alive,being gifted a new chance to live was a blessing,he should not ponder on what he lost for too long,but rather on what he gained.
A new chance.
To suffer even further.
His heart sank
“So”,the general’s voice cut the bloody voices in his head,he turned his attention to her.
“It’s been a while since we came back from the Xianzhou Luofu”,Feixiao said,her smile can be heard,”it’s been a rough journey,even back on the Yaoqing we were only met with more bed confinement and formal meetings,we had no time to celebrate our victory now,did we?”,she lifted a glass in salute.
Jiaoqiu smiled,her cheerfulness was contagious,he could hear her gulping down what he hoped wasn’t wine,the general can tolerate liquor just as much as he can see.
“Indeed,and i finally was discharged out of the infirmary, after what felt like forever,i can now go back to my original responsibilities”Jiaoqiu began,”which is continuing to contain and try to heal your condition by cooking for you,general”,his voice was low.
“ I appreciate your work,Jiaoqiu,no one in the entire Xianzhou alliance would be capable of replacing you as my healer”,Feixiao stated,making Jiaoqiu grin slightly,glad to see his patient light up after all the tension they suffered these past few weeks.
the watery soup in his mouth tasted bland,he might as well be drinking plain water that sat under the sun for too long, very unlike the usual spicy dishes he would indulge himself into,to say that he just craved flavor would be an understatement.
But he knew better than to mess with his own body,the strong smell of the hot pot alone made his stomach burn in pain.
The thick spicy meat scent that he once admired was now flowing into his throat,burning enough to trigger his weak gut,Jiaoqiu doesn’t want to imagine what it would feel like to actually eat it,it might as well kill him.
But if having a sip of the fiery goodness doesn’t kill him,then eating bland bitter water soup for the rest if his life will,perhaps when all of his injuries heal properly,when he will be left with the permanent side effects,his favorite foods will become his guilty pleasure.
Here goes another symptom to hide away from the general,Jiaoqiu can only hope she no longer sees herself responsible for his blindness.
“Hey cook,another portion please,make it extra spicy”,Feixiao beamed,her laughter loud and triumphant,Jiaoqiu knows this crackle of hers way too well,”you’re getting sober,general,I suggest you drop the liquor”,he advised,standing from his seat towards the indoor kitchen,specifically to the boiling pot on the stove.
He learned to navigate his way through sound,but the burning scent of the boiling broth was enough to lead him,the odor reaching him despite him weakened sense of smell.
Jiaoqiu stood before the pot,picturing it boiling in his mind,the vegetables and meat moving around the boily bubbles in the thick red broth.
He grabbed a nearby pot and filled it with food,his hand found the chili oil jar easily,with every drop he poured into the food his heart broke a little.
He will never feel the torturous yet satisfying tang of chili again,the smell cut his breath so short,Jiaoqiu didn’t bother to mix it properly,wishing to scurry away from the suffocating spicy mist that filled his lungs,his eyes tearing.
But just as Jiaoqiu moved the curtains to leave,he heard a sizzling sound,one that he absolutely hated,because it meant that one of the food pots was burning,the broth has evaporated,he better turn off the stove before it grows into a fire.
He walked back inside,already missing the sheer moment of fresh air he got on the doorstep,his hand reached towards the water,but it wasn’t where he remembered he had put it.
This gazebo they were in was different from the one they usually go to,the previous one destroyed by a drunk Feixiao who mistook the place for training gear-don’t ask why-,so the kitchen was slightly different,which he would usually never care about,but since he was blind,the locations of literally everything was unknown to him.
And it’s not like he could smell the scent if steel pots anyway,even if he hadn’t had a weakened sense of smell,but it was the spices that he could never locate.
Jiaoqiu sucked in a breath and regretted immediately,the growing strong smell burned his throat all the way to his stomach,making him dangerously nauseous,his lungs were one breath away from breaking into a serious of coughs he barely managed to suppress.
The doctor’s advised him not to hold back or hide any symptoms,but oh,he could hear Feixiao’s happy chuckles from behind,the mere thought of interrupting the long awaited content atmosphere due to his whining after everyone went through hell made him sick.
One hand went to his stomach,the burning getting worse,the stupid bland soup in his scorched stomach threatening to come out,Jiaoqiu slumped the bowl a little too hard on the counter and tried to fight his way to he exit further away from the hellish mist.
He couldn’t breathe,he couldn’t .
Breathe.
…
“Ahahaha,yes I remember,i used madam Yukong’s bow to shoot the borisin all the way from Stargazer Navilia to Aurum alley,it was a piece of cake”,said the too-proud general as she recounts the story of how she demolished hundreds of monsters in one go from miles away to Moze,who swallowed the urge to roll his eyes as he smiles.
“The Trailblazer was one finger away from getting fried by your arrow,general, fortunately she can be rather cunning,if you excuse her sassy behavior on occasions”.
Feixiao giggled at her spy’s words,her mind went to the Trailblazer,Stelle,who must be looking for treasures on the trashcans in the skysplitter,thinking of the youngsters always made her beam.
“At least she can be pretty entertaining i would say,unlike you”,Feixiao claimed,crossing her arms,Moze gave her a look,”very blunt as always,general,just as much as true”,he responded,to that,Feixiao hummed in agreement,delighted that he agreed to her roasting him.
It was relieving to see how no matter how the loses they endure,her crew can always bounce back,stronger.
Speaking of crew,where the hell is her meal?.
Feixiao slumped one hand on the table,lifting herself up,her steps were clumsy,at least she was sober and not completely drunk,because if she was,the entire gazebo wouldn’t be sitting on the hill right now but rather somewhere…higher.
Feixiao laughed at her own thoughts,remembering when she absolutely demolished general Jing Yuan’s gazebo back on the Luofu.
She came in uninvited,drank his wine,mistook him for a mara struck,attacked him,destroyed the gazebo,refused to elaborate and passed out.
Thankfully,Jing Yuan did not take it to heart,looking back,it was pretty rude of her as a general,but for some reason,Feixiao cannot find it in herself to regret it,her drunk hiccups merging with her laughter.
Her high heels clinking on the marble as she stumbles around like a drunkard,but not quite enough,she would need a couple more sips.
She turned to Moze,her eyes went to the bottle on his hand,the spy noticed immediately,giving her an unimpressed look,”you finished the amount of wine Jiaoqiu recommended you,general,i am afraid you can’t have mine”,his tone flat.
“Now,can’t i?”Feixiao sounded so amused,she raised and eyebrow,accepting the challenge,”it would be no fun for you to simply hand it to me anyway,but don’t worry,i will make you do so,willingly”her last word loud in excitement.
“Then make me”Moze stood up,his blade already on his hand,Feixiao’s smile widened,suddenly steady on her feet,just as if she wasn’t tumbling around a moment ago,her giant claymore summoned on her hand,”then i will gladly make you”.
With a faint shadow,Moze disappeared from the opposite side of the table,only to spawn back right in front of her,he leaned forward,with his blades on hold,ready to attack,Feixiao swung her claymore around,fixing her footwork all while twirling her weapon that was almost as tall at her around,her sober giggles only served to sharpen Moze’s concentration,he knew what was coming.
But just before Feixiao was ready to strike,a loud crash came from the kitchen,both her and Moze halted,suddenly,the world wasn’t dancing around the general’s vision anymore,whatever effect the wine had on her was quelled,her stern general mode activated.
A strong,burning smell of fire filled the air.
Her head shot towards the kitchen,”JIAOQIU”,she shouted,already running,Moze behind her.
When she reached the sight,thick vapor spread around the entire place coming from the hot pot that was a dark cloud,most of the water evaporated,leaving the vegetables sizzling dry as they burnt into a black mesh,the smoke that escaped it was suffocating.
And Jiaoqiu’s lungs were not fully healed yet.
Iron pots and cooking gear were scattered all over the ground,their shelf broken,and below on the ground lay Jiaoqiu,unable to breathe.
He was unable to breathe.
He hit himself with the shelf.
Feixiao felt a knot in her throat grow with every realization.
“JIAOQIU”the general waisted no time,with one swift move,she lifted her healer on her shoulder,running outside onto the open air,Feixiao hoped she wasn’t too harsh when she frighteningly layed him on the grass.
The fox was panting,his face pale,his huffs were audible,beads of sweat fell from his forehead,the smoke must have cut oxygen from him,even Feixiao herself began to cough from the fumes.
“Hang on”,she instructed,even if Jiaoiu couldn’t hear,her high heels barely touching ground from her speed,reaching to a water pot on her way out the now burning kitchen.
She poured the entire thing in the stove,the flames distinguishing,but not quite,Feixiao removed her own white jacket and threw it on the hot mess,blocking air away from the fire,and her efforts proved to be successful.
The strong sizzling noise along with the smoke chocked her,Feixiao covered her nose with a hand,the other swiping away the curtain out on the kitchen entrance,fumes spreading across the gazebo.
The fire was gone,but the smoke was suffocating,and to make matters worse,the air tonight was still,no current to swipe away the dark clouds faster.
She coughed,making her way back to Jiaoqiu,no matter how badly her eyes burn from the smoke,the general has to stay as resilient as ever,for the sake of her companions.
She found him awake,she could tell,but his eyes were closed,he layed on his back,tears streaming down his face from the smoke,he was obviously trying to catch his breath,his weak lungs must still be blocked by the gas.
His pale face twisted in struggle.
“JIAOQIU,IM HERE”,she kneeled on his side,lifting him up slightly by the shoulders,he tried to speak through the gasps,”general…i can’t…breathe”,followed by a strong cough,he was hyperventilating,”i know i know,hold on”,Feixiao assured him,her tone held pure hurry and some panic that she suppressed,Moze was no where to be seen.
That brat,for him to disappear at times like this was unlike him,he better be looking for help or else Feixiao will pour wine down his nose.
The general looked back to where the smoke was still present in the kitchen,she leaned back,and with one strong move,a burst of air summoned in her palm.
With a superhero pose,Feixiao threw the wind energy with all her might towards the kitchen,the violent gust sliced through air,taking away not only the smoke,but the upper half of the gazebo flew along with it,or maybe more,she didn’t care.
At least the smoke is gone,now she can focus on Jiaoqiu,she turned to him again,but this time,Moze got to him first,he held a breather on the healer’s mouth,his other arm holding Jiaoqiu-who was trembling-steady.
Feixiao knelt low,holding Jiaoqiu’s head,the pink fox had passed out,but his lungs seem to be working again thanks to Moze finding a breather from who knows where.
They sat there,waiting for the healer to wake up.
Jiaoqiu’s eyes were flickering slightly,but the general had no idea whether he was conscious or not,his chest began to rise and fall at a normal rate,”Jiaoqiu…?”she called.
No answer.
After a few more breathes,the healer coughed again,then shifted his face away from the breather mask and pushed himself up,both Moze and Feixiao moved to hold him steady in a seating position,”am i awake….?”he whispered,his voice raspy,his two companions relaxed,a relieved sigh escaped the general’s lips.
“What happened to you?”she asked,trying to sound as gentle as she could.
“The hot pot broth boiled away,leaving whatever was left burning”,Jiaoqiu began,pausing mid sentence to catch his breath,”I attempted to distinguish the stove before a fire began…but perhaps my body isn’t as capable as it used to be”,his last words turned into a wheeze,the fox broke into a series of coughs.
Moze placed the breather mask on Jiaoqiu again,she could hear him sigh,”im sorry,general,i didn’t realize that it was burning sooner,my senses aren’t the sharpest they can be,i wasn’t sleeping so well lately”,the healer admitted,his breathing audible through the mask.
Feixiao sighed,her heated braking a little,”oh Jiaoqiu,don’t worry about it,really,what matters is that you are ok”,she squeezed his hand in reassurance,to let him know that she is smiling,even if he can’t see it.
“But you had to destroy the entire place to save me..”,guilt grew along with dread in his exhaustion lungs,Jiaoqiu’s face falling.
“Uh..,it was a matter of time before the gazebo got destroyed anyway…the general was half drunk by then”Moze explained,looking towards what remained of the building,”we were about o spar”
“Heyy”,the general defended,her tone full of accuse,”I wasn’t fully drunk,but now that you mention it,Jiaoqiu was lucky you and i didn’t fight while he was still inside,i can only imagine….”.
Her voice fell,picturing what would happened if she threw Moze full force towards the small building with her beloved,clueless,injured,blind healer inside,the thought alone made her tremble.
“Okay that’s enough,stop arguing you two”,Jiaoqiu interrupted,removing the breather from his face,before Moze can force him back to it,the healer stood up,looking much,much better than before.
“I still managed to pour you another serving of dinner,general,although im afraid it has long ran cold”,Jiaoqiu said,smiling,despite the exhaustion visibly on his features due to what Feixiao just learned was due to lack of sleep,he looked mostly recovered from the incident.
“Thank you,Jiaoqiu,but i prefer we make our way to see a medic for you,i want to double check your oxygen levels,and perhaps discuss the matter of lacking sleep”.Feixiao announced,no longer having much of an appetite after the scare she was given.
Moze turned to her,”there is no place to sit here anymore,you destroyed it all anyway”,his dead pan expression was not helping,the general didn’t know wether he was joking or not,offended,she turned to where the gazebo lay,in an attempt to prove him wrong.
“Oh no!,i made sure to only strike the kitchen,look there-“,when she turned,the entire building was in ruins,anyone inside would have been crushed to bits”or..perhaps,never mind,let’s venture to the medical house for the millionth time this week alone”,she linked her arm with Jiaoqiu’s to support him,her high-spirited demeanor taking over again.
“That’s not something to be proud of,general”,the smile on his lips widened,”if anything,we visit more often than the trainee verdant knights who are reckless and unwitty”,to that,Feixiao laughed,he couldn’t also hear Moze humming somewhere around him.
The cool breeze swung his hair around,Jiaoqiu no longer minds his bangs getting into his eyes,he no longer uses them anymore.
“Oh,so now the wind decided to arrive,it could have saved us the gazebo”,Feixiao exclaimed,sounding unimpressed by the moody weather today.
Relieve flooded through him,glad that despite his let down,this night wasn’t entirely ruined because of him,and he profoundly hopes this will help him get some sleep tonight.
And maybe even dare to wish that his nightmare about Hooly would be replaced by a sweet dream,or at least not dream at all,both will suffice to give his body proper rest.
Either way,he knows he will rest properly with the painkillers the medic will give him.
Without Hoolay in sight,he hoped.