NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

Kyle, Kay and Xing Han were clearing up after dinner. At first, Rheia wouldn't let them, but Kyle insisted.

"It's the least we can do, Mother," Kyle said, "After all, we didn't help at all in the cooking."

"Let them be, Rheia," Master Shifu had said, "Let this be their chores from now on. We cook, they clear up. It's only fair."

Rheia finally relented, patting Kyle's cheeks as she let them be.

Between the three of them, the work didn't take long. Wiping his hands on the dishtowel meant for exactly that, Kyle said, "You guys head on home first. I've still got to see Big Bro Nic."

Xing Han gave a slight pout but didn't say anything.

"Okay," Xing Han said as he walked out the kitchen with Kay, "I'll be waiting for you then."

"Please don't, Xing Han," Kyle said, "I don't know how long it'll be. It's best you go to sleep first."

"No," Xing Han said stubbornly, "I'll wait."

Kyle sighed.

Xing Han has this quirk.

He is unable to sleep alone in a new place. It's okay once he is used to the place, but if it is a hotel, for example, he would need to share the room. Sleep with someone. Not necessary on the same bed, of course. He just can't sleep alone.

They had just moved in, thus, the whole place made Xing Han uncomfortable. It would take him at least a month to acclimatize himself to the place and be able to sleep by himself.

It was something Xing Han couldn't quite explain. On the empty bed, it's ... scary.

Xing Han's lower lip quivered a bit, as he thought of the big, empty room.

When he lay down on the bed, and there was no one there, it felt like he was in an empty abyss. All alone. Like, he was the only person in the entire world. He would be filled with such intense fear and feeling of desolation that his heart would beat so rapidly.

Just like it would if one was watching a horror movie, or on a roller coaster. It didn't make sense at all, but he couldn't help feeling it. No matter what he did, nothing calmed him down.

"How about I stay with you until you fall asleep?" Kay asked.

"NO!" Xing Han said in horror, "You're a girl! You can't stay in a single guy's room! Even if it's me!!"

Though Xing Han was pure, and he had absolutely no thoughts of the lurid kind, it was ingrained into his deepest bone that 'girls and guys' cannot be alone in a room together. The girl's reputation can take a dive and he would not jeapordize Kay like that.

Kyle rolled his eyes internally.

There were still some things Xing Han was really traditional about, and this was one of it. Nothing would be able to change his mind. He wouldn't even try anyway. It's just how Xing Han is.

All the while, Nitocris was leaning against his bedroom door, listening to all of this.

His little puppy can't sleep alone? Interesting.

Then his eyes narrowed.

"Are you telling me that you guys sleep together?" Nitocris asked, his voice having a slight edge to it.

"Yes," Kyle replied, "We share a room."

"Same bed?" Nitocris drawled, his voice lazy but there was a dangerous glint in his eye that flashed by too quickly to be noticed.

"Of course not," Kyle said innocently, "He's like an octopus in bed. Can't sleep with him at all."

"So you have shared a bed before," Nitocris said, picking up on that sentence, his fingers digging into his palm unnoticed, "So you're telling me Xing Han can't sleep by himself?"

Xing Han turned to glare at Nitocris, and he puffed up his chest, "So?!"

"Didn't think you're still such a baby," Nitocris replied, while lowering his eyes downwards, his lashes hiding his eyes darkened a bit.

"Yes, I'm a baby! SO WHAT?!" Xing Han shouted, unabashed.

Nitocris grinned, completely captivated by the straightforwardness of Xing Han.

Not only was his little puppy so pure, so honest. He didn't hide anything at all. You can see how he felt from his facial expressions, and his mouth was never full of honeyed words or false praises. He said whatever was on his mind.

It was so refreshing.

Nitocris always had to be on high alert whenever he listened to people talk, or when he read reports. He had to be able to 'read between the lines' or determine whether someone was lying or not. He had to constantly check if the people around him would betray him at any time.

He was always on edge, and could never trust anyone fully.

People rarely said what they think.

But Xing Han?

"Then sleep in my room first, while I talk with Kyle," Nitocris said, going into his room, not waiting for an answer.

Xing Han stood there, his mouth wide open.

"Did he ... did he just say I can stay as well?" Xing Han asked Kyle, grabbing his arm and shaking it. He couldn't believe it. After making fun of him like that, he .. he .. he said he could sleep in the room?

"Yeah, he did," Kyle answered, surprised.

Kyle figured that if Big Bro Nic said Xing Han could stay, it meant that they weren't going to discuss Black Dragon matters. Despite that, Kyle knew that they would be discussing confidential matters, so he was very happy that Nitocris trusted Xing Han enough to let him in.

"Coming?" Kyle asked.

Xing Han rushed forward to stand next to Kyle. You didn't need to ask him twice! Not only can he hang around, he will make sure that the Thing won't take advantage of his BFF! Not too much work!

Kyle knocked on Nitocris's bedroom door. Upon hearing 'Enter', he opened the door.

Xing Han stood outside, his eyes wide open as he looked inside Nitocris's room for the very first time.