When Xiumin woke up, his arms were still around Luhan. He was breathing softly and his eyes were gently shut. Xiumin did not want to wake him, so he lay completely still and watched Luhan’s chest rise and fall as he breathed. As if Luhan sensed Xiumin’s eyes on him, he opened his and looked up at his Baozi. He began to thank Xiumin for staying with him but Xiumin simply put a finger to his lips to tell him that there was no need.

They got up, got dressed and decided to make pancakes for breakfast. As cooking was Luhan’s area of expertise, he made the mix and put some in a pan before attempting to teach Xiumin how to flip it. For once, Xiumin was not completely useless at something he was being taught and he had no difficulty flipping at all.

Having found his new skill, he insisted on flipping every pancake and Luhan could only watch patiently as Xiumin stuck his little tongue out in concentration, whipping the pan through the air. He didn’t drop a single one and finished up with a huge grin.

On their way down to the pine they used Luhan’s handmade slingshot to fire stones into the air. Luhan had a precise aim and often managed to hit the many targets Xiumin told him to hit.

‘That leaf over there!’ Xiumin yelled.

Luhan turned and pointed the slingshot at the faraway leaf, he closed one eye as he focused and exhaled as he released the shot. The stone split easily straight through the leaf.

‘Hit that branch!’ Xiumin yelled as he pointed to an overhead branch.

Luhan raised his arms to aim upwards and hit the branch.

‘Hit me!’ Xiumin yelled and ran further ahead up the path. He ran from side to side to make it more difficult and could not contain his laughter as he did so. Luhan followed Xiumin with the slingshot and hit him on his with the shot.

‘Ouch, that was my !’ Xiumin exclaimed as he laughed. Luhan giggled too as Xiumin clutched his behind.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting on a branch halfway up the pine with a pile of stones, they took turns to drop one into the stream below.

‘Luhan?’ Xiumin looked up at him after dropping his stone.

‘Mmm.’

‘You didn’t have any nightmares last night, did you? I was very worried that you would have them again.’

Luhan dropped his stone, watching it roll through the air before plunging into the water and disappearing. He looked up at Xiumin, ‘No Baozi. How could I?’

‘What do you mean?’ Xiumin asked, picking up another stone.

‘How could I have a nightmare when I was lying in your arms all night?’

Xiumin began to blush and smiled as he released his stone and watched it plop.

‘I’m serious Baozi, you make me feel safe – I could be a million miles away from our forest of dreams but if you were with me, I would still be home.’ Luhan’s eyes glinted with complete honesty and he looked down as if suddenly shy.

‘You really mean that?’ Xiumin’s voice was barely a whisper.

‘With all my heart.’

Xiumin took a polished crimson-red stone out of his pocket. It fitted perfectly in his palm and he turned it over a few times, its shiny surface glinting in the sunlight. He his thumb across the engraving on the flattest side.

‘I have been making this for you for a while now and I just finished it yesterday. I found this dark red stone in the stream and thought it was really pretty so I engraved it.’

He placed it carefully in Luhan’s hand. Luhan took the stone and looked at it curiously, studying the engraving. It read: 鹿 (deer)

‘Xiumin… this is beautiful,’ Luhan gently the stone and then held it close to his heart. He pulled Xiumin into a long hug and whispered, ‘Thank you Baozi.’

‘You are welcome little deer.’