Two Kinds
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 6,252
Pairing: Gan Ning + Lu Xun

Part One

Heavy, hurried footsteps padded across the wooden floor in the same drawn-out pattern: back and forth, back and forth. Gan Ning was pacing. He never paced. But his mind was racing, and he needed to do something—anything—to try and distract himself. So he moved his feet. If the room had been bigger, he might have widened the area of his mindless, idle pacing, but he was stuck in a small area outside the infirmary.

A slight hesitation. Gan Ning bit his lower lip. He could have sworn he heard a whimper… Was Lu Xun okay? Were the doctors hurting him? His foot twitched, eager to move and see if the younger officer was okay, but Gan Ning knew better. A frustrated, bothered sigh slipped through dry lips. He kept pacing.

Why did he care if Lu Xun was in pain, other than the fact they were both comrades fighting on the same side? That should be the extent of it, right? He shouldn't be worrying like some mother hen; it was terribly uncharacteristic of him. But it was his fault Lu Xun had been injured in the first place. If he hadn't been so irresponsible, if he'd just moved a little faster…

Gan Ning smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. Just stop it, he told himself. Stop thinking about it.

The battle had been going so well up until that point, when Gan Ning had 'that feeling' in the pit of his stomach. Up until then, everything had been routine: kill and move on. But Lu Xun was so small, and Gan Ning had developed this overprotective-tendency over him.

What was he thinking, taking on a whole base like that by himself? And a damn supply base, too! Gan Ning grumbled. Kid must've known the place would be crawling with enemy troops… Just what the hell was he thinking? Why'd he do it?

This time Gan Ning was positive he heard a pained whimper come from the other room. His pacing stopped immediately, ears perked. Another sharp cry followed, but it was brief. Gan Ning's hair stood on end. He leaned forward to move, but his feet remained rooted to the floor.

Lu Xun was in pain.

Something in the pirate's chest bristled. His mind blanked. Do something, he told himself. But his feet didn't move.

Another small whimper, a gasp, and silence. Gan Ning thought his eardrums would explode. The weight of the stillness pressed in on him, suffocating him. His fingers twitched. A single footstep. He hesitated. Gan Ning had finally managed to move, but now he was unsure. Despite the need to see if the kid was okay, the pirate was uneager to see him in his current state.

Gan Ning's hands flew to his knives at the sound of footsteps. He had one of the blades to the throat of the intruder before he had the chance to recognize who it was.

Lu Meng gave a low, tired chuckle. "Calm down, Gan Ning. It's just me."

The pirate almost blushed, quickly tucking his weapons away. "Right. Sorry, old man."

The elder officer bristled at the nickname, but decided to ignore it. "I've never seen you so jumpy before."

Gan Ning shrugged. He started pacing again.

"Something on your mind?"

"No."

Lu Meng's lips suggested a smirk. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Lu Xun, would it?"

Gan Ning's faltered in his rhythmical footsteps. "No."

The elder strategist took a seat in one of the few chairs, drawing a weary sigh from his lungs. "So tell me, Gan Ning, how did all of this happen, anyway? Everything was so chaotic earlier that we never had the chance to talk."

"That's because I don't want to talk about it," Gan Ning replied, voice gruff.

"Sit down," Lu Meng went on, patting the seat beside him. "You'll wear out the floor if you go on pacing like that. Come, tell me how all of this came about. There must be some good reason that Lu Xun sustained the injuries he did—and why you're as skittish as a cat in a thunderstorm."

Gan Ning's brown eyes narrowed. Another small, pained whimper came from the next room. He froze at once, feeling something strange ignite his chest. Lu Meng's chuckle tore his eyes away from the door, where they had automatically looked to at the sound. "That funny to you, old man?"

Lu Meng shook his head. A look of amusement and understanding etched into his handsome features. "Not by that, but by you, Gan Ning."

The pirate's heart started pumping faster. "What d'you mean by that?"

"I've never seen you act so strangely before. Moreover, I didn't think our young strategist meant so much to you."

"What the hell do you know," Gan Ning growled. He turned his back to his superior, feeling his face suddenly grow warm. "I just care because it's my fault."

"So tell me what happened, then."

He sighed. Lu Meng was a persistent old man. At least this was a way to change the subject…

Gan Ning had been assigned to take one of the northernmost bases and clear the area of any officers. It was his job to make sure things weren't slowed down by Shu officers such as Ma Chao or Zhao Yun. Despite the dismal, rainy weather, things had been going well at first. He helped take a few bases and even managed to make Ma Chao withdraw from the battlefield.

News of a surprise attack from Shu reached him, but Gan Ning figured Lu Xun could handle it—he was, after all, a genius. But that strange feeling—that bizarre, unfamiliar, stupid feeling—gripped the pirate's stomach. He'd developed this protectiveness for the kid since their last battle together, and that same protective need was clawing at him like an animal.

It's just my imagination, Gan Ning told himself. Lu Xun's fine. He doesn't need me hovering over him like some idiot mother or something. He tried to distract himself by focusing more on his fighting, but once the idea came into his head, it was near impossible to think about anything else. The feeling wouldn't shake; it grew like a parasite, twisting Gan Ning's insides until he was certain he would stab himself just to get rid of the feeling.

The pirate still had more to do before he could 'wander around', so to speak. Zhao Yun was still lurking around the battlefield, and there were plenty of bases for the taking yet. But that feeling wouldn't cease. Finally, Gan Ning gave up. He tossed his knives back into their holders and mounted his horse.

"Tell the others I'll be right back," he told a nearby lieutenant. "There's something I need to check first."

The damp soil came up easily underneath the powerful strides of the horse's hooves. Large, icy droplets pelted Gan Ning's face as he galloped across the vastness of Jing Province. He knew Lu Xun was on the opposite side of the battlefield—if anything was wrong, it was stupid of him to try and be the hero: he was just too far away. And if nothing was wrong, it would take Gan Ning twice as long to accomplish what he needed, having to ride all the way back. But those were trivialities in the pirate's mind. He wished his horse was faster. He cursed the battlefield for being so seemingly limitless. He felt like he was getting nowhere.

Gan Ning darted through several Wu-held bases, receiving questioning stares from his fellow officers, but giving no answers as he quickly rode through. Finally, he reached the incline that lead up to one of the Shu bases; Lu Xun would be—should be—close. Gan Ning leapt from his horse the moment it passed through the gates of the base. He spotted Lu Xun's own mount only several feet away.

The kid really is close, then, he decided.

The sickening feeling in Gan Ning's stomach intensified as he darted through the deserted base—and the fact it was empty didn't do much to calm his nerves. He could hear fighting—metal on metal—not too far off. Heels skidding on wet stones, Gan Ning came to a stop near the far end of the base.

Lu Xun and Zhao Yun were fighting just outside, encircled by both Wu and Shu soldiers. Gan Ning couldn't see who was winning, but from the cries and outburst, he figured it was Zhao Yun.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. In a few swift movements he had his knives out and parted the line of soldiers, storming into the center of the circle. "Lu Xun!"

The said officer danced out of the way of Zhao Yun's spear, chancing a brief look back. "Gan Ning? What are you doing over here?"

"Looks like you could use some help," the pirate said, glaring at the silver-armored Shu officer. "Need to take a breather?"

Lu Xun scoffed, twirling his sword gracefully between his slender fingers. "I don't need your assistance, Master Gan Ning. I have things under control."

A stupefied expression came over Gan Ning's face. "What?"

Zhao Yun spun his own weapon idly, looking over the two Wu officers. "Two-on-one? You do not play fairly, but I am more than willing to take you on. Come! I shall face you both."

"That won't be necessary," Lu Xun replied. "He's just about to leave."

"Lu Xun—" Gan Ning began, stumbling over his words. "You don't exactly—I don't—what the hell do you think you're doing? Let me help you, damn it!"

"You had instructions to be elsewhere," was the young strategist's curt reply. "I suggest you get back to them before you get in trouble."

Gan Ning nearly turned his knife on the boy. "You've got to be kidding me! I ride all the way out here to save your sorry ass, and you tell me to take a hike?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but your 'help' won't be needed here."

The pirate growled. Sure, he was well-aware that he'd called the kid a few names (rudeness was his automatic reaction whenever he felt nervous or embarrassed, and he often felt both whenever he was around Lu Xun), but Gan Ning didn't think the kid hated him this much. Of course he hated himself for treating Lu Xun so poorly, but Gan Ning didn't know how else to act around him. He hated how the kid made him feel uneasy and sound like a bumbling idiot. But this?

"Stop being such a little prick and let me help you!" Gan Ning demanded, taking a step forward.

Lu Xun quickly darted in front of him. "Go away!"

"Stop it!"

"Leave!"

"Damn it," the pirate growled. He was certain his face was noticeably rosier now. "Fine! Get yourself slaughtered—see if I give a damn! I'm out of here. Selfish little bastard…" Anger overtaking him, Gan Ning shoved his way out of the circle, not looking back once. Here he was, trying to be nice for once and going out of his way for someone, and this was how he was thanked for it?

Screw the kid, he thought bitterly. Why the hell do I care about him, anyway? Let him get cut up by Zhao Yun. Let him learn his stupid little lesson the hard way.

Gan Ning mounted his horse in frustrated swiftness, digging his heels into the animal's sides. He galloped out of the base, the icy rain only helping to sting his pride. His thoughts were a jumble of anger, confusion, and most of all, a kind of pain. It was embarrassing for Lu Xun to dismiss him like that, yes, but what hurt even more was the fact Lu Xun was so acidic and blunt in his words. Gan Ning had never seen the young strategist so emotional before; usually Lu Xun was the pinnacle of calm and composed. What had happened?

Halfway back to his original starting point, Gan Ning slowed his horse to a halt. Restlessness stirred within him. Guilt clawed at his stomach. Worry gnawed at his heart.

Damn it, he thought. Just what the hell is wrong with me?

He was still angry that Lu Xun had denied his help and turned him away so rudely, but that damned feeling of protectiveness found its way back into his chest. All attempts of denying it aside, Gan Ning was worried about the kid. The thought of the young strategist in danger or suffering made Gan Ning bristle. Despite all the years of telling himself to be a 'lone wolf' and keep moving, he couldn't turn his back on the kid.

Turning his horse back around, Gan Ning spurred him back the way they'd just come. May whatever gods there are strike me down, the pirate thought. This stupid kid's got some sort of hold on me.

The ride back the second time felt painstakingly longer than the first. Rain continued to pelt his exposed skin as he rode; the weather ever indifferent to the scene that played before it. Gan Ning thought the base would never come into view, and, once again, it was empty. He urged his horse through it, making his way back to where he last saw Lu Xun.

His stomach started doing somersaults when he saw the area to be empty, devoid of both Shu and Wu soldiers. Gan Ning forced himself to take this as a good sign.

If Lu Xun had been beaten, his body would be here, wouldn't it? That means Zhao Yun lost… So where is the brat?

Gan Ning brushed his soaked blond locks off his forehead as his eyes drank in the area.

A loud outcry from the other room shut Gan Ning up in an instant. His eyes flew to the door and he quickly rose to his feet, though frozen to the spot.

"Just calm down," Lu Meng said calmly. "You'd just get in the way if you went in there."

Gan Ning said nothing.

"That worried, huh?"

"Shut it."

Lu Meng frowned. "Insolent pirate…" He kicked the back of Gan Ning's knee, causing the other man to temporarily lose his balance. "Mind your tongue."

"Hey!" Gan Ning scowled in turn. "Some old man you are—taking a cheap shot like that."

"Sit back down and finish telling the story before I give you another cheap shot in a place you won't forget."

Seeing no signs of Lu Xun in the immediate area, Gan Ning rode his horse to the next base. It was cluttered with corpses—most of which were Shu soldiers—but other than that, empty. Gan Ning cursed under his breath. Just how far did this kid get, anyway?

Another quick survey of the base told him Lu Xun had lost a good number of his own troops. That meant the young officer was charging ahead with idiotically-low numbers—something extremely uncharacteristic of him to do. Gan Ning wondered just what he was trying to prove by all of this.

Urging his horse onward, Gan Ning headed for the next structure, which he knew to be the enemy's supply base. Any soldier with half a brain knew the place was filled to capacity with enemy troops.

That is, it seemed everyone but Lu Xun knew this and took it into account.

Gan Ning saw the other officer's horse waiting obediently outside the gates. It shifted nervously as the pirate dismounted his own steed, the sound of battle throbbing in his eardrums. The sickening, gut-wrenching feeling in Gan Ning's stomach nearly caused him to double over as he passed through the base's gates. This was it—he knew this was it. He would be face-to-face with Lu Xun's mutilated corpse within a matter of seconds.

What if he's dead? The pirate thought, his mind almost going numb with the idea. What if I'm too late? What will I do? God damn it, if I'm late—if he's dead—he can't be… Not yet.

His pace quickened into a run as he entered the base. A fresh wave of anxiousness and worry crashed over him as he saw the number of troops still occupying the base.

And right in the center of all the chaos was Lu Xun.

"Shit," Gan Ning hissed under his breath. But something kicked in; some strange instinct took over his body. He was on auto-pilot. With a foreign sense of rage and power, Gan Ning stormed through the thick mass of Shu soldiers, cutting down every last one that stood between him and his goal. His blood pulsed through his veins as he was showered in the blood of his enemy, animal instinct kicking in. It was kill or be killed, and Gan Ning would sooner be damned than be the one to die in a battle.

He cut himself a jagged path toward the center, sustaining a few insignificant wounds along the way. Gan Ning rushed toward Lu Xun, his back pressing up against the other's as they faced their sea of opponents.

"Looks like you need some help now," Gan Ning said between breaths. "Don't even try to tell me to beat it now, kid."

"Gan Ning," Lu Xun panted. "How did you know I was in trouble? How did you know I was here?"

"Gut feeling," the pirate replied. "Can you still fight?" He could feel the smaller officer trembling against him.

Lu Xun inhaled sharply. "I don't know—I don't' think so. Gan Ning, I think I'm dying."

That was something the pirate never expected to hear from the strategist's mouth. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Lu Xun was visibly shaking like a leaf; his small, petite body covered in dirt and blood—most of which the pirate assumed was his. Gan Ning felt something within him crack at the sorry state of his comrade: he looked like he would fall over at any second.

"You idiot," Gan Ning sighed. Clasping one of his knives between his teeth, he quickly scooped the smaller officer up and slung him over his shoulder. "Hold on," he said, "we're getting the hell out of here."

Lu Xun gave an incoherent response. Gan Ning took that as his cue to begin his attempt to escape. They were surrounded from every side; if he thought getting in alone was hard, it was going to be damn near impossible to get out with a weakened Lu Xun dangling over his shoulder. He didn't have many other options.

With headstrong idiocy only a pirate could have, Gan Ning charged at the wall of Shu soldiers. He swung his knife wildly at every enemy who approached him, occasionally managing to land a hit with the weapon held between his teeth. Gan Ning used his body as a shield, jumping into any attack that was intended for the small officer that clung helplessly to his shoulder. The pirate continued to fight his way through the surge, sustaining more injuries than he knew. It seemed hopeless—painfully, utterly hopeless.

Gan Ning didn't care if he lived or died; dying wasn't something he feared. What he was afraid of, whether he would admit it or not, was the thought of Lu Xun dying. The idea of Lu Xun being dead frightened the pirate more than anything. As long as he had a say in the matter, Lu Xun would live forever. It was that fear that drove him on.

Pirates were known to be stubborn.

Soldier after soldier, wound after wound, Gan Ning finally managed to break through the thick wall. Though the Shu soldiers had dealt several deep blows, Gan Ning ignored them and wasted no time in running over toward his horse. He mounted it with swiftness only adrenaline could give him at that point, his body otherwise drained.

"Wait, wait, wait," Lu Meng raised a hand to silence the other. "You mean to tell me you fought your way through a blockade of Shu soldiers with Lu Xun on your back?"

"Shoulder," Gan Ning corrected, obviously bothered by another interruption.

Lu Meng stroked his chin. "That seems highly unlikely… Why aren't you in the infirmary, then?"

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Not quite…"

Gan Ning gritted his teeth. "If you don't believe me, then fine. I've got better things to do."

"Now just hold on, Gan Ning," the elder officer said. "You've got to admit, it's a little hard to believe…"

"It just happened." He shrugged.

Cradling Lu Xun carefully against his chest, Gan Ning made his way back toward the Wu main camp. Numbed fingers grasped the reigns of the horse, directing the creature along the muddied paths.

"You still awake, kid?" Gan Ning asked, thankful his voice didn't give away his nervousness.

The smaller officer trembled, thick eyelashes fluttering open and closed. "Gan Ning," he said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

Gan Ning blinked. A deep, nauseating feeling sunk into his chest like a pair of fangs. "Oh no you don't—don't you dare start apologizing because you think you're going to die. You're not, so just shut up. You're not dying, you hear me?"

Lu Xun inhaled heavily. "I'm glad it was you."

"Stop it," the pirate said. His voice had lost the strength it possessed earlier. "Save your energy. Don't waste it on me, alright?"

He didn't dare try to understand it. Earlier Lu Xun had hated his guts and wanted nothing to do with him, and now the younger officer seemed almost happy to be in the pirate's company. Gan Ning didn't want to entertain the thought of as to why Lu Xun would have this sudden change of heart. He didn't want to be the one to see the strategist die.

Slender fingers reached up to Gan Ning's armor, tracing the thin golden pattern that was etched into it. Lu Xun was visibly shaking still; it was quite the challenge for him to lead his index finger along the small line of gold. The sight reminded Gan Ning of an infant. Lu Xun was so young…

There's no way in hell I'm letting him die, the pirate decided.

"I'm sorry," Lu Xun said again. A small, frail smile curled the corners of his lips.

"Stop apologizing. I don't want to hear it," Gan Ning ordered, but there was no power behind his voice. In all honesty, the kid's actions were scaring him. "Save your energy for later when you can kick the shit out of me. That'll make you feel better than all the damn apologies in the world."

Lu Xun's laugh was inward and pained. His hands flew to his ribs, and almost immediately Gan Ning felt guilty. After a moment, the strategist composed himself enough to speak again. "I was so rude to you before…but you still came back."

"Shit happens." Gan Ning moved one hand from the reigns to Lu Xun's shoulder, gently pressing the smaller officer closer to his chest. "You're freezing. I've got to get you out of this damn rain…"

"Gan Ning."

The pirate hummed in response.

"I want to go to sleep."

"Don't you dare," Gan Ning snapped. He shook Lu Xun's small frame only slightly, fearing he might injure his comrade further. "No sleeping. Stay awake, got it? A-w-a-k-e. If you fall asleep on me now, I'll throw you off this horse."

That earned an almost inaudible chuckle from Lu Xun. "You're so rude…"

Gan Ning sighed. "I don't mean to be."

To the pirate, it seemed as though they'd never reach the main camp. They passed through several Wu-held bases, but Gan Ning needed the medics in the main camp to take care of Lu Xun. He knew the younger officer's injuries were critical and needed treatment, fast. At long last, the Wu main camp came into view.

Everything flew by in a blur of commotion after that. Gan Ning rode into base, shouting for medics the moment he passed through the gates. Sun Quan came over and asked what had happened, but Gan Ning was in a sort of panicked frenzy; he wouldn't talk to anyone about anything other than taking care of Lu Xun. Several medics came and removed the said officer from the horse and carried him away. Gan Ning wanted to follow, but Sun Quan insisted he wait and have his own wounds checked out.

Lu Xun was gone. Gan Ning was stuck on the battlefield, but his body and mind were no longer in the fight. His thoughts orbited around Lu Xun—whether he was okay, if he'd ever be okay again, how much longer he had left, how soon he would recover—any thought and every thought regarding the young strategist crossed Gan Ning's mind. It finally got to the point where Gan Ning could no longer focus.

Lu Meng hummed thoughtfully, once again stroking his chin. "So, here we are now, then… And you say you left right after that, eh?"

Gan Ning nodded. "Yeah."

"Have you been in to see him yet?"

The pirate hesitated. "I—haven't been allowed to."

Lu Meng nodded as though he'd expected the answer. "I see."

A soft creak had Gan Ning on his feet and over to the door in a matter of seconds. The medic, startled by the swiftness, blinked before speaking.

"He'll be just fine."

Gan Ning let out a sigh he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Can he have visitors yet?" Lu Meng asked, knowing the question that was on the pirate's mind.

The medic looked at Gan Ning and hesitated. "Well…"

But Gan Ning was already through the door. He stopped near the foot of the bed, his eyes trailing over the frail-looking body that occupied it. Lu Xun was asleep. The placid look on his face brought a wave of relief over Gan Ning, but the sight of all the bloodied bandages had his stomach doing back-flips with guilt.

Slowly, Gan Ning made his way over to the side of the bed. He pulled up a chair and sat directly beside Lu Xun, resting his elbows on the mattress. "Damn, kid…" Gan Ning murmured, cupping his chin in his hand. "I should be the one lying in the bed. You're the brains here, after all."

"Don't wake him," the medic called softly from the doorway.

Gan Ning merely nodded. His eyes were focused on the small body lying before him. Dark orbs trailed over Lu Xun's face, noting the slight crook in his nose; the corner of Gan Ning's lips tugged upward ever so slightly. Lu Xun had long eyelashes.

No wonder everyone says he looks like a girl…

Tanned skin that was usually smooth had cuts and scrapes on it. Gan Ning grimaced as his eyes trailed over one on the young strategist's cheek. He hoped it wouldn't leave a scar…

A strange hopefulness fluttered through the pirate's chest as Lu Xun stirred, hoping he would wake up. But the small officer slept on. Gan Ning pressed his forehead into his palms.

Just what the hell is wrong with me? He wondered. Why do I keep getting that…feeling? I'm not… Nah. No way in hell. Pirates don't fall in love.

But as his eyes trailed over Lu Xun's features, Gan Ning felt that familiar glowing feeling blossom in his chest. It was stronger than before, and as Gan Ning's gaze fell upon the young strategist's lips, he felt the uncontrollable urge to kiss them. The lower lip was thicker than the top, which, to him, made them look strangely tempting…

What the hell am I thinking? Gan Ning slapped the side of his face in an attempt to wake himself up. Kiss Lu Xun? Damn it, what's wrong with me?

He pressed his forehead against the cool sheets near the edge of the bed, knowing that if he continued to look at Lu Xun, the urge to kiss him would only grow. Gan Ning folded his hands loosely on top of his head, brushing them over his thick blond locks. Back and forth, back and forth; the softness of his hair against his skin felt soothing.

Head heavy and body exhausted, the pirate slowly fell into the welcoming embrace of sleep.

Gan Ning woke up. He didn't know why, but he lifted his head from the sheets and looked around. The room was still dark, telling him it was still some hour late into the night. Silence pressed in from all sides. The only sounds were his own breathing and Lu Xun's. The smaller officer's chest rose and sunk to the soft rhythm. Unconsciously, Gan Ning reached out to touch his hand. His fingertips skimmed along the length of Lu Xun's smooth skin.

A small rustle. Lu Xun's hand twitched, slowly drawing away. Gan Ning sat up straight, his heart ready to pound right out of his chest. The even rhythm of Lu Xun's breathing faltered before increasing ever so slightly.

Finally, the small officer's thick eyelashes fluttered. Gan Ning watched the direction of his gaze as it gradually turned to him.

"Gan Ning?"

Lu Xun's voice was the sweetest thing the pirate had ever heard. The innocence and fragility of it made something inside him melt.

Gan Ning cleared his throat before replying, realizing it had gone dry. "Yeah?"

"You're here." Lu Xun rolled his head back to its former position, gazing thoughtfully up at the ceiling. He spoke as though he were still half-asleep. "I must be dreaming..."

"I—was worried about you," Gan Ning admitted. His attempt at maintaining his usual gruff voice seemed to fail, as the words came out too sincere and too weak for his own liking. He grimaced.

Lu Xun's lips curled into a smile, suggesting he might laugh, but no sound came out. After a moment, he spoke. "Why are you here?" The question was simple and innocently said.

Gan Ning made a face. "What, are you deaf? I just said I came because I was worried about you."

The smile on the smaller officer's lips curled into a modest grin. "Do you feel guilty?"

"What? I—" the pirate hesitated. He ran a hand through his locks to buy himself some time before he blurted out a string of words. "I guess. I mean, you were an idiot, too. But—ah, I don't know. Sure. I feel guilty."

"You shouldn't."

"Then why did you ask?"

"I'm sorry."

Gan Ning sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What are you talking about?"

"Xīngbà?"

The pirate was surprised to hear the kid use his style name. A faint warmth crossed over his tanned cheeks. "What's up?"

Lu Xun slowly righted himself, turning his torso so he faced his company. Gan Ning's eyes couldn't help but trail over the bandages wrapped around his upper-half. Guilt's fangs sunk right into his heart, forcing him to meet Lu Xun's gaze again.

"Does my face feel warm to you, Xīngbà?"

Gan Ning didn't think much of the question. He stood and placed one knee on the bed, leaning over toward Lu Xun. Hesitantly, Gan Ning brushed Lu Xun's bangs back and pressed the back of his hand to the smaller officer's forehead.

"A little," he said, not yet drawing his hand back, "but you should be fine."

Lu Xun's thick lashes gently fluttered. "I feel dizzy..."

Gan Ning inched forward. It was almost unfair the way Lu Xun was acting: the softness of his voice, the faint flush across his face, the way the torchlight danced across his features—and the fact he'd asked Gan Ning to lean in far enough to feel his face. The pirate couldn't draw back. That glowing feeling from earlier ignited his body and fogged his mind.

He'd been waiting for something like this, hadn't he? Whether he loved Lu Xun or not, he'd been waiting for a moment to make a move. Lust was something Gan Ning was accustomed to. Love, on the other hand, was completely foreign to him. The urge that possessed him now was unfamiliar, but strong.

"Then lay back down," he said, his voice now hardly more than a whisper. Gan Ning moved his hand to the nape of Lu Xun's neck, the other pressing down ever so gently on the younger officer's chest, slowly urging him back. Lu Xun complied, his eyelids momentarily fluttering shut. Gan Ning swallowed hard. He repositioned himself so his hands were on either side of Lu Xun's head, pressing into the pillow.

Lu Xun looked up at him with his deep brown orbs. It seemed as though he had his back slightly arched, but Gan Ning figured he was just imagining that. The pirate hovered his face over his companion's, the tips of their noses just brushing up against each other. He could feel the warmth of Lu Xun's breath washing over his lips. A spark jolted throughout his body.

Eyes closed, Gan Ning pressed his lips against Lu Xun's. He quickly drew back to go right in for another, but, to his surprise, Lu Xun beat him to it. The smaller officer eagerly drank from his lips. Gan Ning had to remind himself to be gentle, not wanting to cause the other any more pain then he was already in. Lu Xun reached up to clasp his slender fingers around Gan Ning's neck, lightly pulling him even closer.

Gan Ning gasped; he hadn't expected to run out of breath so quickly. Something about Lu Xun made him feel as though he'd just run miles on end. Slowly, he drew back. Lu Xun looked up at him with big, needy eyes—it reminded Gan Ning of a lost puppy. He chuckled softly.

"Bóyán," Gan Ning began, using Lu Xun's own style name.

The door to the room creaked open. A pair of footsteps entered, then froze. "Gan Ning? What are you doing to Lu Xun?"

The pirate was up and off the bed before Lu Meng could ask any more questions. He stared at his superior with a horrified expression, face burning with embarrassment. Lu Meng looked puzzled, glancing from Gan Ning to Lu Xun as he waited for an answer. But Gan Ning wasn't about to wait around for explanations. Gripped by a sudden anger, he stalked across the room and past Lu Meng.

"Just hold on there—" the elder strategist said, grabbing one of the pirate's arms.

Gan Ning jerked out of his grasp. "Buzz off, old man! I'm out of here."

"Gan Ning!" The voice was Lu Xun's this time. It caused the pirate to hesitate for a split second, but he stormed out of the room, nonetheless.

His heart pumped heavily, painfully in his chest. His head throbbed, blood coursing through it like a sudden surge. Gan Ning's feet mindlessly carried him to his room, his mind too jumbled to give it any real thought. He was too caught up on what had just happened.

He had kissed Lu Xun. Lu Xun had kissed him back. Lu Meng walked in—caught them. Gan Ning panicked.

Gan Ning had panicked and fled.

Fists clenched, the pirate shoved the door to his room open with his shoulder. He couldn't stay, not after that. Lu Meng wouldn't understand. Lu Xun didn't—couldn't—want him or anything to do with him.

It was just a mistake, Gan Ning forcefully told himself. He was delusional—light-headed from all the blood-loss. He didn't know what he was doing and I took advantage of him. He said it himself—he was dizzy. I forced him to kiss me. He didn't want to. That's it.

Trembling hands gathered mismatched articles of clothing and pieces of spare armor, carelessly tossing them all into a single sack. He didn't want to leave, but he didn't want to stay, either; things were too complicated now.

Gan Ning was a pirate. He had always been a pirate. It was what he knew—all he knew, really. How he ever thought he could be an officer was beyond him. Clearly he couldn't handle it—here he was, running from it now. He was stupid for believing otherwise from the start.

I don't take the orders—I give the orders. And I don't fall in love. Pirates don't fall in love...

He paused in his work.

Lu Xun.

He didn't want to leave Lu Xun. That protectiveness he'd developed for the younger officer—he couldn't just ignore it.

What other choices do I have, though? Once Lu Xun wakes up and Lu Meng tells him what happened, he'll probably want nothing to do with me...

His mind was made up. Gan Ning quickly finished packing and threw the sack over his shoulder. Not wanting to risk running into Lu Meng on his way out, Gan Ning decided to climb down from his window. The stones stuck out far enough every now and then to provide him with easy grips and footholds. Once he'd finished scaling the wall, the pirate slunk through the shadows of the courtyard and slipped through the gates.

Gan Ning never looked back—he didn't dare to.

He didn't want to see the castle and realize the mistake he was making.

A/N: Eh, that was kind of longer than expected. |: I'm sorry! Part two will be shorter than this, that much I'm sure. And it should be up soon, too. :3

I'm sorry if this seems lack-luster for my writing. :/ I wasn't really feeling it, and my writing is so rusty lately...

Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it!