![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
[#181] The Freedom in Words (Guardian 2018 Web Series)
Guo Changcheng was up in the library of the SID, as he often was, and he was in trouble.
A book he had picked up was in his hands, which wasn’t all that unusual, but what was unusual was the fact that he couldn’t seem to let it go, or put it down.
It was a plain book, with an aged cover, and the lettering was faded into the leather. Honestly, Guo Changcheng couldn’t tell what the title of the book was, which was why he had picked it up and opened it to the title page.
The title page proved to be blank until Changcheng spoke, “You really don’t have a name?”, and the book trembled, which was the point Guo Changcheng knew he was in trouble.
Inky characters appeared on the page as if written by an invisible hand and Guo Changcheng couldn’t stop his gasp.
Lying leads to unhappiness.
Owlishly, Guo Changcheng blinked down at the book. “O-okay?”
Worse the lie when it is to yourself.
Hastily, Guo Changcheng tried to drop the book, but when he did it wouldn’t let go of it his fingers. “What?!”
More words appeared.
Truth is the only way forward.
“What? What truth?” Gasped Guo Changcheng as he tried to shake the book from his hands, but the book stubbornly stayed where it was.
The hidden truth.
Guo Changcheng was about to ask a question when a shadow dipped around a corner of one of the tall bookcases. “Who the hell are you talking to?” Asked Chu-ge.
Startled, Guo Changcheng turned in place and found Chu Shuzhi nearby. He was dressed as he normally would be; black coat, black shirt, black pants, black boots. All very Chu-ge like. All very normal, but what wasn’t normal was how the book continued to cling stubbornly to Changcheng’s hands. “Chu-ge! The book! The book is talking to me?”
“What?” Chu-ge asked, disbelief make his voice sound cross even as he stepped closer, dark eyes dropping to said book. “What do you mean?”
“Look at the page!” Guo Changcheng exclaimed.
Chu-ge dropped his gaze to the book, but after a silent minute, Chu Shuzhi muttered. “I don’t see anything.” He reached for the book then which immediately caused Guo Changcheng to lurch away.
“No wait don’t touch it!”
Chu-ge paused mid-reach. “Why the hell not?”
“I can’t let go of it.” Guo Changcheng admitted, using his body to shield the book from Chu-ge’s reach.
Guo Changcheng’s admission didn’t seem to particularly soothe Chu-ge, as he stepped closer. “What do you mean you can’t let go of it?”
“I just can’t. I think it wants me to do something first.”
Chu-ge growled. “What does it want?”
“I -” Guo Changcheng began, voice hesitant as he considered the book again. “I think I have to admit things, before it’ll let me go. I just don’t know what sort of things.” He looked back to Chu-ge and found him glowering.
“Admit something then and see if it lets you go.” Chu-ge snapped.
“Oh, uh, right.” Guo Changcheng started rather intelligently. “Okay. Let me try something.” Carefully he turned fully back around to face Chu-ge, although still very mindful of not letting the book touch Chu Shuzhi. “Um.” He chewed on the inside of his lip as he considered what he could admit. Something innocuous. Safe. “Autumn is my very favorite season.”
Truth.
Guo Changcheng gasped, and when Chu-ge shifted he added. “It said truth!” But still, his hands wouldn’t let go of the book. “Dang it, I’m still stuck though.”
While Chu-ge didn’t say anything yet, Changcheng could feel the tension bleeding off him, and so Guo Changcheng hastily said. “Maybe it needs more than one?”
“Yellow is my favorite color.”
Truth.
“I like stories that have happy endings the best.”
Truth.
“I like singing happy songs.”
Truth.
“Sometimes I wish I could play the piano.”
Truth.
“I wish I could turn into a black cat like the Deputy Chief.”
Truth.
The book continued to stay clutched in his hands and before he could admit another truth, Chu-ge interrupted him. “Does it say anything else?”
“No, just truth.” Guo Changcheng said more to the book than Chu-ge, up until he gasped. “Wait, when I first picked it up it had said other things.” Changcheng only realized his mistake after he said those damning words.
“Which was?” Chu-ge asked impatiently, his nearest hand opening and closing, as if he wanted to reach out and grab something.
“I-I don’t know if I remember.” Guo Changcheng began.
Lie.
Seeing his lie pointed out so succinctly by the book, Guo Changcheng couldn’t help but blurt out. “I mean I do, I do. It said the worst lies are to yourself and lying brings unhappiness.”
Changcheng’s answer caused Chu-ge to shift his weight from one foot to another. “Admit something that make you unhappy then and if that doesn’t work, I’m calling Hei Pao Shi.”
Guo Changcheng opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it. “But, but – “
“Changcheng!” Snapped Chu-ge.
“Okay! Okay! Do you promise not to be upset?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, just remember you gave your word.”
The growl that came from Chu-ge was fearsome, but he didn’t say anything more and Changcheng knew it was up to him now.
He thought through what he could say, but he already knew what the book was possibly wanting. With a sharp inhale, Changcheng closed his eyes. “I like you, Chu-ge.”
The book dropped from Guo Changcheng’s hands and landed upon the ground with a thunk. Hands now grabbed his wrists which caused Changcheng to open his eyes.
Chu-ge was even closer now, his hold tight, “What?”
“I like you.” Whispered Changcheng. “Remember you promised not to get upset.”
Now it was Chu Shuzhi’s turn for silence and when he still didn’t say anything, Changcheng asked. “Chu-ge?”
Still there weren’t any words, but there was something better, Chu-ge bent his head and kissed him, which Changcheng supposed, answered the question in its own way.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Yay!
Re: Yay!
no subject
no subject