The next morning, the room was filled with a soft, golden light that crept through the curtains. Luan Xie stirred, feeling the unfamiliar warmth of another body pressed against his. For a moment, he was disoriented, his mind trying to piece together where he was and how he had ended up there. But then the memories of the night before flooded back, and he realized he was still wrapped in He Shun's arms.
Luan Xie blinked, his heart skipping a beat as he became fully aware of the situation. He was lying close to He Shun, their bodies tangled together beneath the covers. He could feel the steady rise and fall of He Shun's chest against his back, the warmth of his breath against the nape of his neck.
For a moment, Luan Xie didn't move, didn't dare to. The sensation of being held like this was so foreign to him, yet it didn't feel unwelcome. In fact, it felt...comforting. He wasn't used to letting anyone this close, wasn't used to being touched with such tenderness. And yet, here he was, cocooned in He Shun's warmth, feeling something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time: safe.
He Shun shifted slightly in his sleep, his arm tightening around Luan Xie, pulling him closer. The movement caused Luan Xie's breath to hitch, his heart fluttering in his chest. It was such a simple, unconscious gesture, but it stirred something deep within him, something he wasn't sure he was ready to confront.
As the minutes ticked by, Luan Xie's gaze drifted to the hand resting against his chest. He hesitated for a moment before gently placing his own hand over it, his fingers lightly tracing the lines of He Shun's knuckles. The touch was tentative, almost hesitant, as if he was testing the waters, unsure of how far he could go.
But He Shun didn't pull away. Instead, he responded in kind, his fingers intertwining with Luan Xie's, his grip firm and reassuring. Luan Xie's heart skipped a beat at the contact, his breath catching in his throat. There was something so intimate about the gesture, something that made his chest ache with an emotion he couldn't quite name.
He Shun stirred again, this time waking fully. His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he simply lay there, his gaze unfocused as he took in the scene before him. Then his eyes landed on Luan Xie, and a soft, sleepy smile curved his lips.
"Morning," He Shun murmured, his voice still husky with sleep. His hand squeezed Luan Xie's gently, as if to reassure him that he was there, that this was real.
Luan Xie turned slightly, just enough to meet He Shun's gaze. "Morning," he replied, his voice barely more than a whisper. He felt exposed, vulnerable, but there was something in He Shun's eyes that made him feel like it was okay to be.
He Shun's free hand moved slowly, almost as if he was afraid of breaking the moment. His fingers brushed against Luan Xie's cheek, the touch feather-light. Luan Xie's breath hitched again, his eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment as he leaned into the touch, savoring the warmth of He Shun's hand against his skin.
"You're so tense," He Shun murmured, his thumb gently stroking Luan Xie's cheek. "You don't have to be."
Luan Xie opened his eyes, his gaze meeting He Shun's once more. There was a softness in He Shun's eyes, a warmth that made Luan Xie's heart stutter in his chest. It was a look that made him want to let go, to trust, even though every instinct in him screamed against it.
He Shun seemed to sense his hesitation because he leaned in slowly, giving Luan Xie plenty of time to pull away. But Luan Xie didn't move, didn't break the connection between them. Instead, he let He Shun close the distance, their foreheads nearly touching as they lay there, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.
"I'm here," He Shun whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "I'm not going anywhere."
Luan Xie's heart pounded in his chest, his pulse thrumming in his ears. He wasn't used to this, wasn't used to someone being so close, so gentle with him. But with He Shun, it felt...different. Less terrifying, more like something he could maybe, just maybe, allow himself to want.
He Shun's hand slid down from Luan Xie's cheek, tracing the line of his jaw before coming to rest on the back of his neck. His touch was gentle, but there was an unspoken intensity to it, a promise of something deeper, something more. Luan Xie felt his breath catch, his heart racing as He Shun leaned in even closer.
Their lips were just a breath apart, the anticipation crackling in the air between them. Luan Xie could feel the warmth of He Shun's breath against his lips, could see the desire flickering in He Shun's eyes. It would be so easy to close the distance, to give in to the moment, to let himself be vulnerable, just this once.
But Luan Xie hesitated, his heart warring with his head. He wasn't used to letting anyone in, wasn't used to being this close to someone, emotionally or physically. But as He Shun's hand tightened ever so slightly on the back of his neck, grounding him, Luan Xie found himself leaning into the touch, his resolve crumbling.
He Shun's eyes searched Luan Xie's, as if looking for permission, for any sign that this was okay. And when Luan Xie didn't pull away, didn't retreat behind his usual walls, He Shun closed the remaining distance between them, his lips brushing against Luan Xie's in the softest, most tentative of kisses.
It was a kiss that spoke of unspoken promises, of a connection neither of them had expected but both found themselves craving. It was gentle, almost achingly so, a kiss that was more about comfort and reassurance than anything else. But it was enough to make Luan Xie's heart swell, to make him feel like maybe, just maybe, he could let himself be loved.
When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads still pressed together, their breaths mingling in the small space between them, Luan Xie felt something shift inside him. It was a small, tentative thing, but it was there—a crack in the armor he had built around his heart.
He Shun smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he looked at Luan Xie with a tenderness that made Luan Xie's chest ache. "You don't have to be alone in this," He Shun whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "Not anymore."
Luan Xie didn't respond with words. Instead, he leaned into He Shun, letting himself be held, letting himself feel the warmth of He Shun's arms around him. And as they lay there, wrapped in each other's embrace, Luan Xie allowed himself to hope, just a little, that this was the beginning of something new, something that could maybe, just maybe, heal the wounds of his past.