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Chapter Text

It first seemed that the sixth annual All Stars weekend held at Samsara's stadium was going to proceed like all the others before it save for the advances in visual technologies.

Then the second day of the event occurred, and with it reality as most knew it would be distorted.



-- 01 --

The first player versus pro battle had just concluded with the challenger, a young woman by the name of Tang Rou, somehow managing to beat Samsara's Du Ming by the slightest margin.

It took a moment for the gathered audience to break into applause for the winner, the two offering their trembling hands to one another.

“Excellent match,” The male said, “I thought for sure I had it there for a moment.”

“It was a challenge,” Tang Rou responded after a moment, “Thank you.”

Their hands clasped, fingers closing about each other and steadying long enough to shake.

“Maybe I'll get a chance for a rematch in the future?”

“I don't…” She trailed off before her gaze steadied and she offered a smile, “Who knows what the future will bring.”

No other words were exchanged between the two as she pulled her hand free and moved to exit the stage, the day's announcer taking her place and offering a broad smile to the crowd.

“It's always nice to see such sportsmanship between opponents!” The older male turned to Du Ming, “She gave you quite a workout didn't she? You think you're still up for other challengers?”

The announcer’s tone was a joking one, but Du Ming could hear the hidden offer within the chosen words.  His fingers flexed at his side, no longer trembling and lacking pain.

“Bring them on!” He grinned, “My honour as a pro player is at stake here after all!”

“Ha, then let's get your next challenger up here ~”

Both their attention and the audience's eagerly turned to the viewing screen nearest them, excitement turning to confusion as static lines covered the surface, distorted numbers and letters flickering into view before disappearing.

“Er… It appears we might be suffering from some technical difficulties,” The announcer stated, “Just give us another moment or two and we should have this all sorted out.”



-- 02 --

Up in the various sections cordoned off for the headliner teams of the Glory Professional Alliance, most of the players didn't seem too concerned about the apparent glitches in the system. Instead they talked quietly among their fellow teammates about this or that, confident that everything would work itself out in the end - it wouldn't be the first time there was an unexpected hitch after all.

In Excellent Era's section, however, one of their key players felt a bit… Off.

“ Ah -Qiu,” Leaning over, light brown eyes studied the dark-haired male with concern, “What's wrong? You've been twitchy for the past few minutes.”

Ye Qiu stared at his boyfriend before shifting his gaze elsewhere, “It's nothing, Muqiu.” He amended at the other's disbelieving scoff,  “At least, nothing that matters.”

“If it worries you then it matters to me ,” Su Muqiu murmured in response, a hand rising to brush his fingers against a lightly tanned cheek, “I would think after all the years we've had together that you would know that.”

Around them, their fellow teammates stared at their Captain and Vice Captain's actions in resigned horror - did those two forget where they we re?  The sole female player in their midst, however, merely shook her head in bemusement.

“Muqiu…” Ye Qiu's cheeks turned slightly pink, though he made no move to pull away.  Instead he sighed, instead leaning into the elder male's touch, “It's unfounded, is all.”

“So something is wrong?”

“... It just feels like I'm waiting for something to happen, and I just don't know what .”

“Is it a good or bad something?” Su Muqiu's expression turned serious, memories of a night years earlier briefly flashing in his mind. Since then, never again had  he questioned his lover's brief and sudden moments of intuition such as he seemed to be having now.

“... I can't tell.” Ye Qiu admitted after a few seconds passed, “Whatever it is, if it happens, feels as though it will change things.”

Both men turned their attention back onto stage, their thoughts the same one:

Bad or good, as long as we face them together, it will be okay.



-- 03 --

The audience was getting restless the longer they were made to wait, discontent whispers beginning to rise up into more audible protests.

Just how long was it going to take for them to fix the problem?

Just how much longer were they all going to be made to wait?


Within Section C, Row 18 the two ladies in Seats 21 and 23 were holding a calm discussion with one another, content to ignore the growing dissention around them.

“Are you going to start playing Glory now, Little Tang?”

“Maybe.” Tang Rou responded with a slight shrug to a shoulder, eyes turning to the stage where Du Ming still stood with the announcer, “How difficult is it to go pro?”

“Ah - what? You want to become a professional player?”

“That's where the challenges lie, isn't it?”

Her companion's excitement seemed to wane a little, “Little Tang, there are challenges outside of the Alliance.”

“Yet I haven't found any, Guoguo.”

What could Chen Guo do what shrug helplessly, “Maybe they prefer to remain out of the Arena? A lot of the stronger players are probably  busy helping take down dungeons or Wild BOSSes…”

The main fighting teams of a Club weren't the sole professional players found within them, after all.

“Do you think I could become a professional player, Guoguo?”

“Little Tang -”

Chen Guo’s response was drowned out in the following screams as the entirety of the stadium was plunged into sudden darkness.



-- 04 --

Just as suddenly as it happened, the total blackout rescinded as though it never happened, the multiple screens all around all projecting a single line.

“Oh?” The announcer blinked as he took in the seemingly fixed displays before hurrying to call out the chosen audience member in hopes of bringing the entire event back on track, “Uh… looks like the next lucky person to go up against Du Ming is Section C, Row 18, Seat 19!”


Up in the specified section, Chen Guo and Tang Rou both blinked in confusion at the announcement.

“That’s strange, there is…” The former trailed off as she glanced to her right, another meeting her gaze, “No one?”

Wait, what .

The quite-obvious child seemed unconcerned by Chen Guo’s startlement, sliding off the seat, “That’s me, I’m Seat 19!”

Before Chen Guo could respond or even stop him, he had already moved past both her and Tang Rou, making his way down the stairs to the stage.


Both the announcer and Du Ming stared down at the chosen audience member standing before them.

The child was male with dark hair and bright golden eyes set within a face that, in some ways, seemed almost familiar . His skin was pale, though his cheeks were currently dusted a light pink in excitement.  He also appeared to be dressed in clothes representing one of the Alliance’s many Clubs, their colours a red and white with a logo that none recognised.

“Uh…” The announcer was at a loss - wasn’t there an age restriction on just who could participate in the player versus professional events?

“Hi!” The child chirped, “I’m very happy to be here.”

“Uh, we… we’re happy to have you here?  If you don’t mind us asking, how old are you?”

“Right now I’m five years old!” His face suddenly changed, serious eyes staring up at Du Ming, “I expect you to play with everything you’ve got.  Don’t go easy on me!”

“You…. you really want to fight me?” Du Ming paled, not knowing what to make of this situation.  Was this when he was going to go down as the big bad professional player that bullied a hapless, innocent child into tears?

“That’s why I was chosen, wasn’t it?” He straightened up, squaring his shoulders and offering a small hand up, “The audience has been kept waiting long enough.”

Du Ming stared at the other’s hand, at fingers that were long and slender and beautiful despite their owner’s age.  Still, he doubted they would be capable of handling an adult-sized keyboard and mouse long enough to even stand a chance against him.

Still, he found himself reaching down to reciprocate the shake, voice faint, “Good luck.”

“You’ll need it ~”



-- 05 --

“Are they really going to allow this?” Su Muqiu asked in disbelief, “For that matter, whoever is that child’s guardians, how could they allow this?  It’s ridiculous !  Don’t you agree, Ye Qiu? Ah -Qiu?”

His partner was staring silently at a well-worn photograph he’d pulled from his wallet, fingers trembling about its fraying edges.

“Impossible, it’s impossible,” Ye Qiu whispered, and Su Muqiu leaned over in order to see what got the other all worked up.

He blinked, own eyes widening slightly.

The photograph at first glance looked to be of Ye Qiu at a younger age, but the slight difference in hair style and eye colour told different.  What startled him, however, was the fact that the child featured within looked exactly like the one that had appeared on stage save for different clothing.

“ Ah -Qiu… who is this?”

Ye Qiu’s eyes were dark in remembered pain, “He is - was? - my younger brother, Ye Xiu.”

Chapter Text

The staff member stared helplessly at the closed door to the player booth the unknown child had gone into, the other giving him a firm, “Thank you, but I don't need your assistance ~”

He should of protested, but the statement had been accompanied with such a bright, blinding smile and…. Ah , what adult was so irresponsible as to allow such a cute little one run around unattended?



-- 06 --

Ye Xiu was excited as he scrambled up into the provided chair before frowning when he realised that with how it was set up, his arms were just long enough to allow him to barely brush the edge of the set-up table with his fingers.

“I’m not so sure this is going to work out as things are.”

He huffed softly before nodding his head in agreement to the soft-spoken words, the slightest pout in his expression before he brightened and bounced slightly within the chair.

“This means I’ll get to see you play?”

“Ah.”

“The question is, who?”

The child laughed, the sound light and airy, “Is that much of a question at all?



-- 07 --

Du Ming fidgeted where he sat, staring at the computer screen before him.

Time seemed to move by slowly, the seconds ticking by at a pace that seemed slower than needed, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak up or call out his opponent.

It was a kid, after all, and it was bad enough that it was already planned for him to fight him.

That in itself was another dilemma altogether - how should he go about it?  He was a professional, he had faith enough in his skills to believe he could regulate himself when it came to pacing and actual attacking - but then again, he had told him not to ‘go easy’ on him.

He was a man with a reputation to uphold and he wouldn’t cry at his current situation - although, truth be told, he really wanted to.

Just how unfair was his fate, to first be beaten by an unknown player and then to find himself in such a situation where bullying a kid seemed inevitable.

Said kid had been so cute, too, and the thought of tears falling down his face because of him...

Captain, please forgive me!

Please understand that whatever happened was far from what he desired and hopefully Samsara's reputation wouldn't suffer too much.



-- 08 --

The audience was growing anxious, murmurs beginning to circulate among them about whether or not this whole thing was a farce - why even waste time on a child? Just what could they do at their age?

It was all rather cruel.

Su Muqiu heard none of it, his attention fully on the male at his side.

“Ah-Qiu.”

“There is no way, is there?” Ye Qiu kept his gaze fixed on the weathered photograph, “It goes against the principles of reality itself - I was there, I… I held him as he…”

Ah-Xiu, your brother has never forgiven himself… If only I hadn't…

“Ye Qiu, should we take a break?” Running his thumb against the other's cheek brushed aside a falling tear, a frown on his lips as he leaned in closer, voice lowering, “There's no shame in crying, but I know that's the last thing you'd want to do in front of everyone else.”

“Mucheng can do well enough in keeping everyone in line if we stepped out for a few.” He glanced over at his sister, the other having been watching her elder pair of brothers with worry of her own, “Right?”

She nodded, “Of course I can, just leave it to me!”

“See, Ah-Qiu? Our team is left in capable hands, so let's -”

“No.” Ye Qiu shook his head, breathing in and exhaling a deep breath. He re-folded his brother's photograph, gently placing it back into his wallet, “I'll be fine. I was just… Not expecting this, but I will be fine.”

Keep lying to yourself, Ye Qiu… You haven't been truly fine since that night. No matter how much you denied it, losing him is something that has never stopped haunting you.



-- 09 --

“Okay!” The unknown child's voice rang out, free from any sign of possible nervousness or worry he might be feeling - if such terms were even found in his current vocabulary, unlike with his competitor who felt his stomach sink further.

How long would it take for that happiness to die, replaced by inevitable sadness and tears?

“You’re ready now?” Du Ming finally managed in response, attempting to ignore the slight tremor in his voice as he pressed, “Are you sure you wish to do this?”

“Are you scared? You shouldn’t be! Even if you lose, as long as you did your best then that’s all that matters!”

How could such words be spoken with such an innocent air?  The temptation to cough up blood was strong.

“I’m not scared…” He was terrified - that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach?  Increased tenfold it felt, and he wasn’t even entirely sure it was due to the upcoming defeat the kid was about to experience at his hands.

For that matter, why did he feel as though said defeat may or may not happen in the way he originally feared?

“A-alright, kid, if you’re ready I’ll let you choose the field.”

“Um….” There was a pause, a silence so quiet that Du Ming could only assume the mic had been muted - why? - before the calm and tranquil visage of the chosen field settled into view.

“Mirror Lake, huh?”

Moon Luring Frost appeared on his side, Du Ming shifted restlessly in his seat as he waited to see just what his opponent planned on using.  Did he even have a matching level character? Had they really been remiss in determining such a matter before now?

The silence that had fallen on the other’s end was doing nothing to ease his growing fears, a part of him almost missing the child’s voice despite the words he spoke.  Anything was better than this unsettling quiet.

“Having second thoughts, kid?”

In response, there was a flicker on the other end of the field as the holographic form of another avatar solidified into view.


It didn’t take a person experienced with the game of Glory to be able to tell that the unknown avatar standing opposite of Du Ming’s was hardly one to underestimate.

Those that were experienced with the game’s mechanics and inner workings were able to tell from the sight of its equipment alone that it could be on possible level with the accounts of some of the the professional league’s proclaimed Gods.

But how did a five-year-old manage to obtain a current max-leveled avatar whose equipment was all of silver-tier level, and how did such a character remain an unknown?



-- 10 --

“One Autumn Leaf, huh? It's almost as though it could be a couple's name to your own account.”

“If that's the case then the same could be said of it and yours, too,” Ye Qiu retorted in response to his boyfriend's comment, gaze fixed onto the tall and dark form of the Battle Mage on the field. 

It was almost disturbing the similarities between it and his own Herald of Autumn, the slightest aesthetic differences in style and colours setting the two same-classed avatars apart.

If he were to be honest with himself, he was finding a lot to be unsettled over, including but not limited to the child's age and appearance. Perhaps it was the part of him that never stopped grieving or the intuitive part of his mind that had been on-edge until said child's first appeared on stage, but…

Beside him, Su Muqiu's sudden hiss and sharp intake of breath caused him to withdraw from his thoughts, once more focusing on the stage and the reason for the other's reaction.

“What.” It wasn't so much a question as it was a dumb-founded exclamation, the Battle Mage a blur on the field as it attacked Du Ming's Blade Master without a moment's respite.

“What move is he even using? It seems Du Ming hasn't gotten even one chance since his initial attack to land a hit.” Su Muqiu's brow furrowed as he turned his attention onto the nearest viewing screen, the slight traces of displaced air and water the sole sign of One Autumn Leaf's existence as Moon Luring Frost was pummeled from what seemed like all sides.

Ye Qiu figured it out after watching for a moment, “He's taking advantage of Du Ming's blind spots - it's hard to counter-attack against what you can't even see coming, after all.”



-- 11 --

Moon Luring Frost's health was dropping at such a rapid pace and Du Ming was hard-pressed to think of how to get out of the situation he found himself in.  It seemed no matter where he tried to move, the Battle Mage was there to meet him, the most he saw of the other being a barely-there flicker in the corner of his eye.

That was only if he was lucky.

Where had his opponent learned to fight, and how could he fight as he was? The reaction time and hand speed needed was surely impossible - the Battle Mage's player was five years old!!

Both his hands were shaking, sweat on his brow as he finally managed to free himself in a surprising lull of action on the other's part.

Take this! He thought as he rushed at the currently stationary Battle Mage, only to find himself tossed back with a Falling Flower Palm followed with a Sky Strike that sent his avatar flying upwards.

“Thank you!” The young voice chirped, speaking up for the first time since One Autumn Leaf first appeared on the field, purple and blue energy surging its way up the length of other's spear and launching itself at the Blade Master hovering in the air.

“No good, no good, no good,” Du Ming chanted in response, stunned tears in his eyes as he managed to evade the Rising Dragon Soars the Sky, “Haaa…”

His relief and brief glimmer of hope for redemption was short-lived.

Complete and utter silence descended over the audience as ‘GLORY’ splashed into view, One Autumn Leaf declared the victor with over three-fourths of his health still remaining.

Within his player's booth, the headset was muted and set aside, the five-year-old within clapping his hands as he turned around in the lap he'd been sitting on, his eyes wide, “I want to be as good as you when I grow up, Xiu-ge!”

His companion chuckled as he withdrew the account card from the reader, “I'm sure that's inevitable.” Lips brushed against metallic silver, “Well fought, One Autumn Leaf.”

“Xiu-ge, why do you do that?”

“You'll understand one day, Little Xiu.” The elder of the pair pat the younger's head, the Battle Mage's account card tucked into his pocket, “Now let's get out of here and see if we can find your brother.”

Chapter Text

The buzz from the vibration of his phone drew Ye Qiu from his stunned silence of the match’s results, eyebrow furrowing at the alert of a new message from an unknown number.

Rarely did he give out his cell phone’s number, preferring to keep in contact with others through WeChat or QQ, so how did this person get a hold of it?  It could of been a case of an accidental mis-entered number but somehow he knew that wasn’t the case.

He could still ignore it but in the end his curiosity won, blank gaze staring at the text message contents before he turned the phone off and slipped it back into his pocket, rising abruptly from his seat.

“Ye Qiu?” Su Muqiu gave him a worried look at his sudden movement.

“I need to use the restroom,” Ye Qiu stated, making his way out without waiting for a response and before he could be stopped.



-- 12 --

Despite the clear contents of the message he’d received, Ye Qiu still didn’t quite know what he expected to find as he turned the corner leading towards one of the stadium’s side exits.

He especially wasn’t expecting to find the child responsible for the uproar left behind being held within the arms of an older male that looked as if he, himself, could be Ye Qiu's twin.

“You came.” The unknown male both looked and sounded relieved, “For a moment, I was worried your number was different from what I remembered.”

“How did you know it, anyways?” Ye Qiu responded before shaking his head, “No, don't bother telling me - what I want to know is why you asked me here.”

“You're a smart one, Ye Qiu, I’d think it obvious.” Eyes the same shade of gold as the child's looked at him in bemusement, “Your brother has been waiting to return to you for a very long time.”

“My brother?” Amber fell upon the sleeping child, “So he is ?”

“Yes.”

“it's been a decade, he would of been fifteen… yet he still looks as he did all those years ago.”

“Ah… without a body of his own at the time, there was no physical form to age.”

“Who are you ?”

“Me? I am also Ye Xiu.”

“...”

“More will be explained to you in time, but I can't remain here any longer.” Ye Xiu shifted the weight in his arms, offering the child to the other, “Take him.”

Ye Qiu found himself doing as requested, unable to help the smile that touched his lips as he gazed down onto the sleeping face. The moment he first held the child, a part of him just knew that everything was true -

This was Ye Xiu, his Ye Xiu.

He finally lifted his head after a few minutes, a question on his lips that remained unasked.

The other, that older male who also called himself Ye Xiu, he was nowhere to be seen.

-- 13 --

Ye Qiu couldn't return to Excellent Era's section, not with the precious burden he now carried in his arms. Instead, he retreated to the off-stage room reserved for their team, setting the still-sleeping child onto one of the provided couches.

“ Didi ,” He whispered, “My Little Leaf.”

His fingers brushed against pale skin, sweeping aside dark bangs and for the first time in far too long, Ye Qiu felt something within him settle. The ache that had been present throughout the years following the youngest Ye's supposed demise subsiding.

There were still questions he had, ones that he wanted to be answered but for now he would be content in the knowledge that his baby brother was, once more, here with him and this time?

This time he would make certain nothing and no one took him away again.



-- 14 --

[ Ah-Qiu ❤️ : Muqiu, something has come up and I returned to the hotel.

Ah-Qiu ❤️: Cover for me? ]

Schooling his expression into one of indifference, Excellent Era's Captain slid his phone back into his pocket.

His sister looked over, flicking her eyes towards the empty seat besides him, “Ye Qiu hasn't returned yet?”

At the question, the other members of their team looked to him in askance, and he grimaced before smiling, “The Vice Captain isn't feeling well so he retired for the night.”

“He did look a bit peakish  earlier, didn't he?” Someone murmured off to the side.

“Must of been something he ate?” Another added.

“You aren't going to go after him?” Su Mucheng stared at her brother, “The day's almost over, I'm sure it wouldn't be too big a deal.”

“... Ye Qiu's a grown man.” Su Muqiu replied after a moment of serious thought on doing as his sister suggested, “Besides, he wouldn't be happy if I left all you without any form of guidance.”

“Don't act as though you're our parent, Captain Su!”

“We're grown men as well -” At the sole female of their team's light cough, “- and women, of course.”

Su Muqiu rolled his eyes, “Quiet, all of you, decisions have already been made. Next person who speaks will get an additional three hours of training once we return to Hangzhou.”

Unsurprisingly, Excellent Era's section proved to be the quietest of all the teams’ for the remainder of the night.

“Captain Su Muqiu!”

Said male winced, waving the remainder of his team onwards as he changed direction to the reporter that had called him out.

“Hello,” He smiled, “What can I do for you?”

“A-ah, well, Captain Su!” The reporter, a young female, couldn't help but blush a little at the elder male's smile, “Where is the Vice Captain?”

“Vice Captain Ye was feeling a little under the weather, so he retired back to the hotel before all of us. But perhaps I could still provide an answer to whatever you were seeking him out to ask?”

Another warm smile, and a slightly darkening blush.

“Oh, I'm sure that I'm not the only one that wishes God Ye feels better - we're all looking forward to seeing his play on the stage tomorrow night. Oh, but, well. I was just curious.”

“Curious, about what?”

“That child who challenged Du Ming earlier, a lot of people think the resemblance between him and God Ye is rather uncanny. Are the two related in any way?”

Su Muqiu blinked, a part of him having suspected the question presented but unable to provide an answer.

“Well,” He began, “Truthfully, I don't know.” True, there was what Ye Qiu had told him earlier, and that picture his boyfriend kept, but , “If anyone were to know for sure, it would be Ye Qiu, but at the same time I doubt  it's something he'd want to have out there as public knowledge if true.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Whoever the child was, remember he is only five years old.”

-- 15 --

“You owe me, Ah -Qiu ~” Letting the door to their shared hotel room shut behind him, Su Muqiu sought out his wayward boyfriend, “Or at least give me an explanation as to why you just upped and left.”

He came to a halt as he entered through the doorway leading to the bed, staring at the young face peeking out from beneath its covers.

“Ye Qiu…” Brown eyes turned to the male sitting at the bed's side, “Please tell me you didn't kidnap a child.”

“I didn't kidnap a child.” Ye Qiu intoned, his eyes never leaving the bed.

“...” Su Muqiu slowly stepped closer, “Then why is he here ? I know you thought he looked like the brother you lost, but -”

“Muqiu, he is my brother. He is Ye Xiu.” Ye Qiu finally tore his gaze from the sleeping child, the amber hues resolute as they bore into the elder male's, “I have yet to get an actual explanation on how but there are some things one just knows .”

“...”

Su Muqiu sighed, shaking his head and taking a seat on the edge of the bed nearest Ye Qiu's chair.

“Well, then, how do you think he will take to having another older brother and an older sister?” There was a brief pause before he added, “At least we both know that he loves Glory.”