Requested by: me lol.

Female reader ( she / her )

Warnings: umm slight banter but fluffy?? Cry your eyes out at the end.

Please forgive me for I am delulu

Enjoy the story :D

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow on the forest path ahead. The rustling of leaves and the distant calls of owls and other creatures were the only sounds that filled the air. The forest, typically alive with the hustle of the day, now felt like a peaceful haven under the stars.

Li Xiahui walked along the trail, her steps quiet, as she didn't want to break the silence in the air.  Her pure white hanfu fluttered in the cool breeze.

The night felt heavier than usual, weighed down by her thoughts and the quiet solitude that came with her deep reflections. Her mind lingered on the events of the day.
She had been alone all her life...her parents had died at a young age, leaving her to fend for herself out in this cold, dark world.
She had found a bit of hope after joining the Demon hunting bureau, though she still had been plagued by her past at times like this...and going into the forest had always been a way for her to figure things out.

Suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts, was a rustling sound ahead. Her instinct was quick, her hand subtly reaching for the hilt of the dagger strapped to her side, but she stopped when she saw him.

Zhao Yuanzhou.

He stood a few feet away, leaning against a tree, his dark eyes glinting faintly in the moonlight.

Tonight, there was something different about him...he looked....distant, sad, in a way. As if his mind was racing with thoughts that plagued his mind.

"I didn't expect to find you here," Xiahui said, her voice a gentle intrusion into the quiet of the night. Her words seemed to stir him from his thoughts, and his gaze softened as it landed on her.

"Nor I you,"

Yuanzhou replied, his voice hinting at amusement. He never moved from his spot near the tree.

"You've wandered far tonight."

Xiahui smiled faintly, her fingers absently brushing against the bark of a nearby tree.

"Just needed a break. You know how it goes..."

His gaze lingered on her, and there was a rare moment of understanding between them.
Two souls who carried more weight than they were willing to show.

Yuanzhou's lips twitched, and for a brief second, his eyes softened.

"I understand. The weight of some things... are not easily put aside."

For a moment, neither of them spoke, their gazes locked on the sky above them.
The stars twinkled, and the moon seemed to fade in and out behind the lofty clouds.

After a moment, Xiahui spoke, her confidence growing with each breath.

"I might have come out here to clear my mind, but what about you?"

He let out a quiet chuckle, his eyes not leaving hers.

"What makes you think I don't have the same reasons? I have problems too, you know."

And there it was, that smirk that always seemed to turn her legs to mush.

He held her gaze for a moment, almost as if he was searching for something...though he clearly seen her cheeks turn a few shades darker.

"I didn't mean that." Xiahui cleared her throat, looking away now.

He looked off to the sky as well.

"I know. I was just teasing you. You look cute when you're flustered, and I couldn't help myself."

The heat in her cheeks rose, and she shot him a glance.

Yuanzhou chuckled once more, before silence filled the space between them for a few moments.

"I made that weird, didn't I?"

Xiahui couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"Yeah, sort of. But I've come to not mind weird so much...."

His lips tugged at a smile. A genuine smile. There was nothing behind it, no teasing or motive.
It was just a plain old smile.
And for a moment, the two of them felt as if all their worries had fluttered away with the breeze...replaced by the warmth of each other's presence as the moonlight illuminated their faces.

Though the wind began to pick up...carrying a chill that seeped through the fabric of Xiahui's hanfu.

She shivered, bringing her hands to rub her arms up and down.

"It's cold." She muttered absentmindedly.

Yuanzhou's gaze flickered toward her, a flash of something genius tempting his mind.

Without hesitation, he removed the thick fur cloak that draped over his shoulders.

Xiahui didn't realize until she felt the weight and warmth around her body.

With a grin, he looked down at her, pride swelling in his chest.

"Are you warm now?"

His words were simple, yet alongside his easy smile, it sent Xiahui into a frenzy.

A smile crept up onto her face as she pulled the fabric of the cloak tighter around her figure.

"I think you're trying to get out of telling me why you came out here."

He laughed with a small roll of his eyes, though he didn't speak for a moment.

The wind howled loudly now, eerily almost, filling the quiet air.

"I suppose....." he began,  a sigh escaping his lips. "...I don't know why I came out here....perhaps to find some solitude for a little while. Though, now that you're here, it seems like whatever was bothering me doesn't matter anymore. Your presence is more of a comfort to me than you know."

Xiahui met his gaze, and something inside her shifted. There was a strange comfort in the way he spoke, the seriousness of his words. He wasn't just making this up....She could tell.

Yuanzhou studied her closely, his expression unreadable for a long moment until he leaned forward an inch, causing Xiahui's heartbeat to quicken.

With a deep breath, he began speaking again....his voice low and filled with an emotion she had rarely heard from him.

"...why do you think....I feel this way?"

She gulped, pulse quickening under his gaze. Her mouth became dry, her throat struggling to form words, though all that she could managed was a few stuttered "I,"s.

Yet again, his lips curled into a grin.

He leaned forward and placed a quick, soft kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment before pulling away to see her cherry red complexion.

"Like I said, cute when you're flustered." He teased, reaching up to pat her head a few times.

Her brow furrowed slightly, corners of her lips curving upward.
She quickly shifted to elbow the male in his side, earning an over-dramatic reaction.

"Ah, you killed me....is that what you've been trying to achieve this whole time??"  He whined and threw his arm around the female's shoulder, feigning injury. 

She only rolled her eyes, smiling as she looked back to the sky.

"And get rid of my only entertainment in this bleak world? Please, I'm not that petty."

The two chuckled, filling the air between them with a certain type of warmth.
Warmth that neither of them had experienced in a long time.

Warmth that wouldn't last much longer.