"Little girl! Are you okay?! What happened? Why are you so injured!? Where are you now?"
The flabbergasted voice of the old man only serves to increase the throbbing of her head as the young woman tightens the grip on the mirror.
Overwhelmed by the loud barrage of unnecessary questions the young lady closed her fatigued eyes with a deep breath. Willow brows furrow as two slender fingers pinch at the bridge of her nose.
"... …"
"I'm so sorry I could only contact you till now!" The deity complained in an annoyed tone of voice, "If it wasn't for some Shameless Flasher it wouldn't have taken me this long!"
The two words, 'shameless' and 'flasher' were pronounced with a harshness bordering on the edge of ferociousness. Anyone in the vicinity could hear the underline criticism said in those words.
As expected, a loud crashing came from somewhere behind the god of love with a clamorous shout of anger.
"What did you say you shitty-" The voice abruptly cut off in the middle of its sentence, seemingly blocked by someone or something.
Regarding this, The Old Man On The Moon presented an extremely pure look of innocence while expressing that the only thing he heard just now was the barking of a dog.
"Old Man…"
The calmness of Xin Yue's hoarse voice is akin to a breeze of air in mid-winter night. Flowing into the ears of those connected on the other side, her soft proclamation cut through the rowdiness of clamorment and silenced the eavesdropping guests. "Tonight I was almost violated by a group of men."
"... …"
The Deity of Love raised his head with a startled expression. Bewildered eyes stare back, unable to find the right words to reply.
Should he apologize for neglecting her or should he congratulate her for the fortunate escape from danger?
In the first place, is this something a simple apology can make up for?
Can one word of remorse remove the pain of the ordeals a person has gone through?
The answer is 'no'.
What can a lone word do to a bloody wound exposed because of you?
However…
It is still something that needs to be said not only for the selfish act of pacifying his guilt.
"I'm sorry…"
But also to smooth the redness around the wound caused by him.
The injury and scar would remain but with this apology the pain would alleviate a little.
Even if it is just a little…
"… …"
Peering over at the little girl from the other side the elderly man pinched his lips in distress.
The dispassion shown on the face of the young woman is so vastly different from the spirited person who once dared to smack him around…
One look was all he needed to vaguely guess the horrors she must've had to face.
As if able to understand his line of thought, Xin Yue opened her mouth once again with a light sigh, "I don't fully blame you for this incident."
The young lady raised her sights towards the overhanging stars. "But what happened today made me realize that I don't want to wait around for someone to come save me."
Clenched fingers dug into the palm of her trembling hand brought a sensation of pain and clarity to her thoughts. She moved her sights back down to the mirror, "I want to have the strength to protect myself from the dangers in this tower."
Clear black pupils collided with the gaze of the other person on the screen, the determination flowing out from those bright irises seemed to lit her whole being back to life.
Strength…
Influenced by the rush of emotions, the old man curved his lips unconsciously in reflection to the smile on her face.
"Then you must listen carefully..."
_____
The door to the chamber steadily opens with a gentle push as Xiao Fanyu enters before closing the door quietly behind him.
Deep pupils scanned the area of the room for signs of disturbance while steady steps made their way towards the bed.
Nothing much seems to have changed since the time he had left to procure medicine.
Setting the small bottle of ointment aside, the youth sat on the edge of the bed to stare at the slumbering visage of the young woman.
Threads of moonlight penetrated through the cracks of the window and shined onto the surface of her pale countenance.
'To think I would see you again like this…'
Such a weak state in comparison to the lively little creature he met in the forest.
A flash of unknown emotion swept past his phoenix eyes.
Her skin is cold to the touch…
Xiao Fanyu traces the outline of her contours with an index finger as he ponders with absent mindness. First the eyes then nose, cheeks, and lips…
While tracing those features, the youth remembered the brief conversation he had with his teammates downstairs.
"Who is she?!" Xiao Mei shrieked in a loud voice full of incredulity. This scream successfully drew the attention of other customers dining in the tavern. Many curious glances were thrown their way as a heavy sense of speculation floats in the air.
"Lower your voice!" Seven roared while smacking the palm of his hand onto the surface of the table. "Do you want to make an even bigger fool of yourself?!"
"... …" Biting onto the lower part of her lips, Xiao Mei asked again but in a more gentle tone, "Brother Xiao, who is that woman you brought with you? Is she someone you know?" The calmness of her voice cannot mask the frustration of furrowed brows.
"I don't really think it is any of your business." Zhitao answered casually on the side while taking a bite of his meal. "Either is it anyone of our's."
"En." Cipher added while pushing over a bottle of ointment. "I bought what you asked."
Unable to receive the support she was hoping for, Xiao Mei bit onto the inner flesh of her cheeks while trying to persuade in an even tone. "But look, we don't know who she is and what she is capable of. The tower is a dangerous enough place that we don't know where the next set of danger comes from. What if this woman is only pretending to be weak or is approaching us with some kind of hidden agenda?"
The group submerged in silence at the logic of her words. Unsure of what to decide on, everyone's sight then landed on the silent youth sitting without a word at the table, waiting for him to talk.
"... …"
Taking in their gazes with nonchalance the young man opened his mouth only to deliver one simple sentence, "I will take full responsibility."
And that was the end of the conversation.
Opening the bottle of medicine he'd obtained from Cipher, Xiao Fanyu began to dab the ointment slowly onto the large bruise on her cheek.
His long fingers swirl around that area in a rhythmic fashion over and over again as if mesmerized by the action. He witnessed as that ointment ran across the surface of soft skin to glaze over that malignant wound. Leaving a transparent gleam of faint herbal remedy that clung without slipping.
Along each mesmerizing rolling of continuous movements, the young man's head lowers in gradual distance to that sleeping visage. Thin lips inch closer and further until they were only a few centimeters apart before stopping with an abrupt halt.
Xiao Fanyu: "... …"
Sharp phoenix eyes collide into dark obsidian pupils blinking with tinges of scorn.
Raising both arms up as a sign of surrender. The youth let out a breath of relief when the fingers clutching at the strands on his head released their demonic claws.
"You're awake." Xiao Fanyu pulled back casually with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. As though the person trying to perform an extremely questionable action to a sleeping person wasn't him at all.
"... …" Sitting up from the bed, Xin Yue tilted her head at the man sitting from across. Long black strands of fine hair fell from the side of her shoulders to frame the outline of a pale chin. Large pupils laced with the brightness of twilight entwined with inquisitiveness narrowed his way.
The flashing of realization flickered like the momentary burst of fireworks as the young woman recalled the man in front of her.
Was this… not the pervert who molested her in the forest? It was not expected for the two of them to meet so quickly, especially right after she contributed a large portion to his hair loss.
Xin Yue: "… …"
Although she doesn't feel the joy in seeing this acquaintance, it is undeniable of the fact that he did save her.
Therefore, grasping onto one of his hands, the young lady turned it over so that the palm faces outwards.
"Thank you." Xin Yue wrote on the center of his hand.
The tickling sensation of short nails running across his palm brought an unnatural shiver trickling down the young man's spine. A trail of flames seems to leave an invisible mark on his skin over each area glide upon.
Curving his slender fingers over the lithe digits of her hand, Xiao Fanyu gazed into the depths of the young woman's eyes
Two pairs of irises stare at one another in silent collision, neither wishing to lose in this frontal engagement. Finally, after moments of oppressive silence, it was Xin Yue who was the first to look away.
"Your body is injured in many places." Xiao Fanyu said while retrieving the jar of ointment. "Will you let me help you?" His voice is careful with nary a shred of his usual coldness. Even the sharpness of his phoenix eyes seemed to droop to a more tender curve. "I won't do anything that you don't like."
Xin Yue: "... …"
Perhaps it was the suspension bridge effect or possibly the glow of the moonlight outside was too gentle in this quiet room. But looking at how gentle and warm the hand wrapped around her is, the young lady couldn't help nodding with a slight, "en."
_____
First the neck before coating both arms with a layer of ointment. The soft caress across her skin leaves a peculiar heat and itchiness mixed with the coolness of herbal salve.
Under the silver lighting of the moon a dangerous atmosphere brews contrary to the coldness of the wind blowing outside.
"Open your legs." The young man urged in a hoarse tone as fingers clenched tight on the small bottle of medication. Sight locked onto the deep bruises located within the area of the inner thighs.
Nodding with a docile expression, Xin Yue spread them apart bit by bit as the fabric to her white dress slid in accordance with those motions.
Using both hands to pull the edges of her clothes down in an attempt to cover the area in between, the young woman lowers her reddened eyes in embarrassment. With this action, strands of black hair shift to cling onto her neck as well as arms. Showing a devastating allure to the youth's already unsteady mind.
"… …"
Taking a deep breath Xiao Fanyu scooped another portion of cool balm with his index and middle finger. The transparent ointment clung onto his two fingers with a thickness that oozes downwards in slow motion. It expanded from the tips towards the knuckles, even wanting to reach the center of his hand,
Inching closer to the young woman whose head is lowered, slender digits reach forward to glide across the area at a tantalizing speed.
"Ngh!" Reacting to the sudden cold touch of medicinal balm skimming near sensitive skin, the young lady gave out a muffled gasp of surprise. The temperature of her twitching figure immediately rose to color her pale skin with a pink hue.
Somewhat startled by this innocent reaction the young man froze with a bewildered expression, claiming immediate defense on guiltless actions.
However, at this moment when the low volume of her panting breaths entered his ears, it was as though a seed in him sprouted. Watered by the heat of her faint gasps and wetness of the ointment running across her cold skin. The focus of this initial cause began to deviate into something more amorous.
Xiao Fanyu: "I can't see too clearly… open wider for me…"
Xin Yue: "… …"
Seeing her look of reluctance, the young man whispered in a tone as light as feathers, "I won't continue if you don't want me to." Expression hidden by the cast of shadows crawling in from outside, a sharp glint of predatory possessiveness flitted by like the disappearance of a shooting star.
Unnoticed, unfelted by either party pertaining to that particular gleam the youth moved his gaze closer. Away from the veil of the night and into the shine of radiance presented from the window facing outside. Profound deepness of a heated gaze focused onto the young woman, anticipating a reply.
"… …" Staring into those inquiring pupils awaiting permission, Xin Yue pondered for a few seconds before nodding in slow acceptance.
"I'll be careful…" The young man whispered with half closed eyes that began to emit a wicked aura.
Holding onto the ankle of her delicate feet, a sudden pull backward has the young lady slide nearer to him in surprise.
Resting her right leg over his broad shoulders, a slender hand glides smoothly from the ankle all the way down to the side of her thighs before stopping.
"I'm finished here.." The youth murmured.
Moving upwards, calloused hands shifted up towards her stomach while pushing away that sole piece of boundary keeping him from seeing her full view.
"I think you have a few wounds here…" The man's raspy voice rang close next to Xin Yue's ears. Bringing along a wave of warm electrical air that brushes amongst the borders of her sanity.
Lithe hands instantly move to place themselves onto the shoulders of the youth's with a hesitating push. A futile show of resistance to his sudden barrage of provocative actions.
But unbeknownst to her, this show of refusal only serves to ignite a fire in an already kindling heart. Chuckling in a low tone, profound eyes narrow with darkened undertones at the figure under him.
Sinking his head down to where her stomach is, the heat of his breath spreads across her skin as he bites onto the edge of her dress. Pulling it up with his teeth, abysmal pupils show a captivating gaze as thin lips pull into a wider grin with the cloth caught in between.
Hands with nary a time to rest, one settles on her hip while the other traces the curve of her waist upwards in sync with his mouth.
Short nails of his thumb briefly brushed past the budding red tip when it glided past her chest.
"Ngh?!" Unable to fully talk due to the reopened injury on her tongue. Restrained sounds similar to the cries of weaning kittens emit from the young lady's throat.
Uncapping the top of the bottle with one hand Xiao Fanyu poured the rest of the bottle onto the milky surface of the woman's chest. Almost translucent liquid ran down her chest and onto the covers of the bed. Leaving a glittering trail of silver on the skin flushed in a rosy red.
"Your chest here is really swollen." Saying so, the youth slathered a coat of salve on his hand and proceeded to rub at the two tips on her chest.
"Ngh….. haa… mn…. Ngh." Glittering tears gather at the corner of Xin Yue's reddened eyes as she bites onto the lower half of her lips. Lithe fingers grasp onto the sheets of the bed as if afraid of being carried away by these violent sensations.
Swirling the buds between his index and thumb the sense of those stiffening grapes brought about a thrilling flash of joy. Chuckling at the seductive look of those two sparkling gems, Xiao Fanyu gave them a quick flick before capturing one into his mouth.
"?!!... ngh!….!.... nmm!!" Arching her hips unconsciously from the sudden rush of a familiar yet strange sensation. Xin Yue clamped her legs shut while biting even harder down on her bottom lip. The taste of iron gradually flowed from the edges of those cherry lips.
Noticing her small actions, Xiao Fanyu released the twitching gems while glowering from between her chest. He licked a portion of medicinal paste from her stomach before proceeding to capture her tender lips. Sweeping the stream of blood away, an intermingling taste of saliva and iron swirls along the ambiguous sound of water.
"Open your mouth." The man breathed breathlessly, "I need to send some of the ointment towards your tongue."