crimson veil of the moon

pretense-IV

(XIE LIAN'S POV)

it's the end of the week, which means the dance competition is today. 16 years of existing yet these 7 days were the most special to me. I was the happiest, i wasn't trapped by myself every single day i shared my tears and laughs with him. I am still the same Xie Lian i was but one thing is different, this Xie Lian looks forward to the future. 

"LIAN!!! Are you ready???" 
"Maybe." but as long as i'm with him maybe it will all work out. 

To our shock there was going to be a huge crowd coming over all the students and teacher but all of us weren't scared or nervous we were excited. 

Our team was divided into 3 pairs, the first ones to go out would be Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji followed by He Xuan and Shi QingXuan and last ones would be me and Hua Cheng. 

All of us have practiced to the best of our abilities we pulled all nighters, shared laughs. I had never experienced something like this ever, being a friend group and genuinely enjoy being a part of it. 

But a part of me deep inside knew this was going to end very soon and i would return back to my own reality. 

"Good Evening everyone, it is a pleasure to have everyone here for the annual dance competition we wish the very best for all our hardworking participants." 

(THIRD PERSON POV) 

"GUYS IT'S STARTING I'M FREAKING OUT!!" Wei Wuxian shouted. 

"Freak out in silence dumbass." Hua Cheng replied. 

"Fuck you Hua Cheng, go hangout with your boyfriend." 

"that's what i will do after this ridiculous competition gets over." 

"Anyways Hua Cheng how did you even convince Xie Lian to date you? That man is not someone who would date on a whim." 

"well technically we aren't dating by the rule book, i asked him out but he laid out a certain condition." 

"what condition and why didn't Xie Lian tell me about it?" 

"because you both aren't friends and the condition was that we would date for 7 days if i make him like me by the end of the week which happens to be today we would date for real but if he doesn't then i would leave him alone." Hua Cheng replied nonchalantly. 

"WHAT?!! What sort of bullshit is that? So guys are in a contract? what fucking weirdos both of you and what if he rejects you Hah? What will you do then?" 

"he won't reject me." Hua Cheng's voice exuded confidence. 

"over confidence." 

Soon the competition began the other classes were quite professional but six of them knew they had to win, they won't let their hard work go in vain. 

"Okay guys it is time." Shi QingXuan called out. 

"We have to win no matter what." 

"We will." Xie Lian replied. 

As soon as their names were announced the audience almost went feral, correction the girls went feral, as soon as they saw Hua Cheng, He Xuan and Lan Wangji they began hooting like maniacs. But the three of them had their eyes on their lovers. 

The first pair went up and enchanted the audience with their contemporary dance performance accompanied by a soulful piano ballad, the judges almost shed tears, their white outfits only complimented their wind like movements, the other four were left in awe of the elegance portrayed by Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. 

"their movements are like that of a dancing swan." 

Soon the first set of the performance would end with the audience's tears, it was indeed the ballad of two beautiful lovers. But this wasn't the end soon the audience would be ecstatic due to the rawness of the performance by He Xuan and Shi QingXuan they decided to step out of their comfort zones and performed a striking street dance. 

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian despite witnessing their performance prior their jaws were wide open, they hadn't ever seen He Xuan and Shi QingXuan perform like that. The entire audience went crazy to the semi-solos they performed on that stage. They set the bar high. 

But Xie Lian could only think about their performance, he would be lying if he didn't say that he was nervous he had never performed in front of so many people, if it meant many people it means many more who would judge him and his mistakes but his nervousness was visible to Hua Cheng.

"Lian look at me." and so he did. 

"I am here with you, everything will be alright, i am right beside you." Hua Cheng slowly embraced his lover and Xie Lian didn't complain he felt comfort in Hua Cheng's arms. 

"thank you."

"Let's go." 

And they slowly walked to the stage, both of them were dressed in crimson shirts which were loosely  tucked into matching pants, their loosely tied locks were complimenting their sculpted faces. The audience and the judges were most intrigued by their wardrobe choices. And in that moment both of them exchanged gazes and smiled one last time before they would immerse themselves into each other's movements. 

(lyrics)

I cannot breathe without you being right by my side, I'll die

So can you please come over closer?

The song starts playing, Hua Cheng is the first one to get the spotlight ,his powerful movements get the attention of the judges, he was the embodiment of a powerful dancer. 

No matter how hard I try to escape, there's no answer

Until I fall asleep in the sun, even deeper

But Xie Lian wasn't to be mistaken as a weak dancer, he now gathered the attention from each attendee his soft yet divine movements, anyone could have mistaken him for someone else he wasn't that kid in class who didn't express himself, he was here now shamelessly expressing his emotions. 

Now, tell me you hate me
"I can't handle you anymore"
But I know, you and me
There's no other way
No matter how hard I try to run away, set the mic up
Until the moon falls asleep, even deeper
I really wanna know, yeah
I've already lost control. 

The audience went dead silent when both Hua Cheng and Xie Lian started performing together even a single sound would be a fatality. 

Hua Cheng's movements were ghostly devised and Xie Lian's godly. The sun and the moon blessed their divinity. They both were a heavenly ruin. 

Make you feel my love,On a dark night

Make you feel my love, 

You know I can't leave you alone.

And there it was the performance they named "act: no devotion", Hua Cheng and Xie Lian in that moment could gaze only at each other. 

(Xie Lian's POV) 

I know now, why my heart beats when i gaze at him, why my heart aches when i see him hurt, why my hearts feel warmth when I'm in his arms, why i'm able to do the impossible while being confined by own limitations, it's because it's him. It's because I love him and in that moment there was nothing i longed for more than him, to embrace him, to kiss him, to tell him. But i held back because  i wanted to tell him in a special way but that special moment would never arrive.