Taking a deep breath, FeiWan took the time to observe him.
CalRimRan’s color looked a lot better, he concluded, feeling inevitably proud of his own accomplishments, since it was all obviously thanks to him. And, even though he was meditating, again, his posture emanated an indescribable sense of power and strength. Now, this was more like it, he decided, a smile playing at his lips. This was a lot more like the CalRimRan he had come to know.
Unlike what had happened before, the moment he took a step in his direction, CalRimRan’s gray eyes snapped open, efficiently freezing FeiWan where he stood. With an almost sense of amazement, he watched as CalRimRan slowly turned his head to look at him, and then he couldn’t help smile, a strange sense of relief coursing through his entire body.
Lowering his gaze, CalRimRan stood up in a single, graceful movement. Taking both hands to his forehead, he bowed respectfully, his pristine white hair sliding over his bent shoulders in a cascade of pure light.
All the happiness FeiWan might have felt derived from his accomplishments was immediately gone, replaced by a fierce anger that not even him could understand.
“What are …”
“I’m extremely grateful for everything that the honorable El’Gin has done for me,” CalRimRan’s deep, smooth voice interrupted him, and FeiWan couldn’t help scowl at the sound of those cold, detached words. “And I beg that you may forgive me for my inexcusable rude behavior from before.”
FeiWan was on the move before he could even ponder his own actions. Closing the distance between them in wide, fast steps, he clenched his fist and, gritting his teeth, gather all the strength he could manage, to punch him straight in the forehead, where those annoying hands kept politely gathering.
As to be expected, CalRimRan was quick to defend himself, receiving his punch with the palm of his hand, quickly taking two silent steps back to keep a safe distance from him. Which was hardly enough to placate FeiWan’s irrational anger.
Grunting in frustration at how weak and slow his body still was, FeiWan quickly closed the distance between them and tried to land another punch. This time, however, CalRimRan simply stepped to one side. His next punch also failed its target, when CalRimRan tilted his head. FeiWan’s anger and frustration could only escalate. He wasn’t even fighting back! He should just set him on fire! But he feared that, in his current weakened state, he wouldn’t be able to control it as well as he should. And the memory of CalRimRan’s terribly burnt back kept pestering him, annoyingly weighing on his conscience.
He put so much strength in his next punch that he actually lost his balance, embarrassingly tripping forward when, once more, CalRimRan simply took a step back. A strong arm around his waist stopped him from falling, pulling him back into an upright position.
“Please stop.”
FeiWan glared back at him and pushed him back as hard as his tired arms would allow him. To his satisfaction, CalRimRan actually stumbled a couple of steps back. Even though he was gasping for air again, FeiWan still managed to stand his ground, his back straight, his head held high.
“If you ever dare to bow to me like that again, I will kill you!” he declared, the words out of his mouth sounding clear and firm, and, for once, CalRimRan’s eyes seemed to widen in surprise. “Do you understand?”
Clearly getting over his initial shock, CalRimRan quickly fell back into his usual, cold stance.
“Such command is hardly proper,” he argued, his voice sounding annoyingly indifferent and polite, but FeiWan simply kept glaring at him. “You are one of the honorable El’Gin. It is only natural that I should address you in such a respectful way.”
Respect!, FeiWan snorted inside his head and, before he could think about what he was doing, he’d already covered the space between and was fisting CalRimRan’s pristine white clothes. He really hated the fact that he was slightly taller than him!, FeiWan thought, pulling him down, making him at least bend his head so that he would be closer to his height.
“I will kill you!” he repeated, word after word. “I don’t care about your reasons or anyone else’s for that matter. You bow down to me like that again and I will kill you! Do you understand?”
Looking him straight in the eye, CalRimRan simply nodded.
His objective finally achieved, FeiWan released him with a tired sigh. His arms and legs still ached from carrying that absurdly heavy man! And forcing his tired body to move like that so soon after exhausting all his energy was more than tiring.
“You piss me off so much, sometimes!” he grunted, still feeling annoyed.
“I apologize.” FeiWan glared back at him again. “Am I not allowed to apologize either?”
For instants, anger flared up in his chest again. But then FeiWan was just too tired to act upon it. Instead, he simply let go of it, releasing a deep sigh.
That white-haired bastard!, he was doing it on purpose, he suddenly realized, glancing back at him again. He was purposely riling him up, taking advantage of FeiWan’s short temper to divert his attention from what really mattered.
Wanting to catch him off guard, FeiWan quickly reached out for CalRimRan’s wrist. But CalRimRan’s response was even faster, easily avoiding his touch and grabbing his arm instead.
FeiWan immediately hissed in pain, trying to pull his arm free, which only made it hurt even more. Not to mention that the instant he tried to get free from that iron grip, CalRimRan’s pale fingers instinctively tighten their grip.
Raising his arm, CalRimRan quickly pulled his sleeve back, making FeiWan feel as if he were nothing but a defenseless child, being dragged down the street by an overbearing parent. But then he couldn’t help staring at his own arm in complete disbelief. His skin was covered in very dark, very ugly black and blue bruises. How on earth had that happened?
Before he could stop him, CalRimRan had already grabbed his other arm, making him wince in pain again, and had pulled his other sleeve. The sad spectacle was exactly the same.
Wait!, FeiWan suddenly realized, looking up at him.
“Are these from sparring with you before?”
The gray eyes staring back at him grew immediately hard and cold.
Now, that was new, FeiWan considered, staring at his own darkened arm. Growing up, he had inevitably fought against many people stronger than him. He had learned from them and, of course, in the process, had taken more than a few beatings. He had had his fair share of bruises and cuts. Once he had even broken his left hand. But this … There wasn’t a speckle of skin left untarnished.
“Wait here.”
Before he could realize what was happening, CalRimRan had already released him and was disappearing through the door leading to the inner chambers.
FeiWan blinked. He had almost forgotten that he could do that. Move so fast that, no matter how hard he tried, his eyes just couldn’t keep up with him. It also told him that CalRimRan must truly be in a hurry, since he rarely moved like that. Back when they’d been young, FeiWan had always suspected that the Demon Clan didn’t like to publicly show just how different and stronger they were, when compared with other people.
Sighing, he looked back at his bruised arms. He guessed that that was the reason why, during his stay in their village, they had never allowed him to practice with the other youths of the Demon Clan. Now, looking at all those bruises, it was no wonder they hurt so much. He should probably dip them in cold water. That would certainly help. Also, there were those white, little flowers that, once brewed into a tea and added to his bathwater, could help reduce the darkened areas. He just had to find a way to have them delivered to the White Pavilion without raising too many questions.
“Sit.”
FeiWan jumped, turning on his heels, his heart slamming against his chest. When had he returned?, he wondered, still trying to calm down his quickened heartbeat. And then he noticed the small porcelain pot CalRimRan was holding.
“What’s that?”
“Medicine. Sit.”
FeiWan looked at the small pot again. So he had gone to fetch it.
Taking a deep breath, FeiWan obeyed, sitting on one of the pillows. Only then CalRimRan finally moved to sit by his side.
Without as much as asking for his permission, he reached out for his wrist and pulled his right arm, folding his sleeve all the way up to his elbow. Uncapping the small porcelain pot he started to slowly smear the white balm kept inside all over his arm.
At first, FeiWan had mentally prepared himself to withstand a few more minutes of that horrible pain. But, surprisingly enough, even though he could clearly feel CalRimRan’s warm fingers brushing against his skin, it didn’t hurt at all. It was probably the balm, FeiWan concluded, its menthol, herbal scent filling the room. And then it hit him! Warm! His hand felt warm again! And he couldn’t help smile, once again proud of himself.
Language:
[1] . CalRimRan: Literally cal (bright) + rim (cold) + ran (moon)
[2] . FeiWan: Literally fei (raging / furious) + wan (fire)
FeiWan definitely made a complete 180° turn in my mind, from petty psycho to petty psycho cutie pie ~