"Xiu, is everything ready?"

The boy named Xiu counts the scrolls and books on the table for one last time. After making sure that everything is there, he nods and begins placing them in his bag.

"They probably won't realise that everything is gone until tomorrow. Though I must say, stealing is really unbecoming of a Purger," Xiu says, guilt twisting in his chest. He rubs the last scroll with his finger, feeling a prickle at his thumb as he touches it. It's like the scroll is alive, scraping at his palm, trying to show its disgust for him. "Aren't Purgers like us supposed to serve mankind?"

"Are you really still that naive, after all we've been through?"

Xiu lowers his gaze, quietly putting the last scroll in his bag. "No. I believe in you, Han."

"Yeah. And I'm the one who made the call to steal these, so if there's anyone to be blamed, it's me."

Xiu looks at Han, who is still combing his hair by the mirror. He makes his way to his side, and bends over to look in the reflection. The two boys in the mirror share onyx black hair, skirting around the perimeter of their foreheads and spilling down in the front of both of their ears. To the untrained eye their features would appear identical to one another. But to Xiu, it's the intensity of their brown eyes that gives their identities away. That, and the fact that Han's hair has a slightly more noticeable tint of brown. It's like they're twins. Except they're not blood-related.

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"Xiu, what are you doing?" Han says, annoyance flashing in his eyes.

"You've been combing your hair for a while now, so I'm wondering what's on your mind."

Han smirks. "Obviously, how beautiful you look today."

"Vain and coquettish as always." Xiu sighs, hiding the flutter in his heart. "Well, don't take too long. We have a lot to do today."

"Yeah."

As Han continues to brush his hair, Xiu steps away from him, but keeps his attention focused in his partner's eyes. He just can't believe that Han would be all right with the current situation at all.

"You're hesitating again, aren't you?" Han must have noticed Xiu's gaze. Not that he was hiding it to begin with.

Xiu nods. "I know it is Father's will, but I still can't help but feel that this is really wrong." He narrows his eyes, clenching his fists in anger. "How could Father order us to kill one of our brethren, Purgers of the Palace?"

"Our job isn't to question His will; we're supposed to obey him." Despite his strong words, there is hesitation in Han's eyes. "Besides, if we are to fail in our mission, it'd be our turn to be killed by him."

Resentment bubbles within Xiu again. Lately, nothing has been normal for them. Xiu would've preferred if the days of simply hunting and killing Seekers would continue; all this talk about hunting down a fellow Purger is not something he has been emotionally prepared for. After all, Song, Shu, Long and Zhou are boys that they grew up with. Rivalry is one thing; prey is a completely different classification, one that he'd prefer to not associate them with. And of course, aside from the emotional perspective, hunting a Purger down is much more dangerous than hunting Seekers.

Han gets up from his chair and makes his way to his partner. Xiu is so engrossed in the turmoil of emotions that Han's sudden embrace startles him, and he gasps.

"Don't worry," Han whispers, stroking the back of Xiu's hair. "Just trust in me."

With Han's warmth blanketing him, Xiu gently nods. Closing his eyes, Xiu gently buries his face in his partner's shoulder.