The Serpent and the Lotus Blooms

Gentle is the Breeze that Carries my Love

An evening to himself. What was he going to do with an evening to himself? Saalah sighed and picked at the blanket that Serinity had warned him not to pick at half a dozen times by now. The threads were starting to become bare, but what else was he supposed to do? Serinity and Lada had been called off to a meeting for the Demonic Court to discuss the ongoing trial, and Xiu Ying and Li Jun were busy dealing with the banquet, as it was their duty day. If this was the White Rose Tavern he could just go mushroom hunting with Kisho. He could practice the bow with Johnson. Or maybe cook with Lada. He really needed to learn to cook better. Hell, any number of Serinity's extensive extended family was always over at any given moment, and while he may not communicate much with ALL of them, at least they kept the place lively.

Here, though...JingShui Temple was a nice, quiet place. It was full of nice, quiet people and nice, quiet energy and nice, quiet...quiet...Saalah picked up his phone and scrolled mindlessly for the hundredth time in the past hour before putting it down again once he caught up with any updates. He fell back on the bed with a thump, staring at the ceiling as he let his mind wander. And wander...Bai Yusheng's face was what his mind seemed to be set on and he groaned, running his hands over his face. Why was it always them? Beautiful, ethereal, untouchable Bai Yusheng with their easy charm and elegance and tinkling laugh that set his heart to racing with the desire to make them laugh again. He brought a pillow to his face and groaned into it like a petulant child before tossing it back to the side.

He huffed, well, why not think of Bai Yusheng? It's not like anyone could read his thoughts with the heavy layer of spells Serinity had placed on him. And who could blame him, honestly? Bai Yusheng stood out to Saalah as one of the most generous and beautiful people he had met, and he had met a lot of people at the White Rose. Their skill with the sword was like watching a deadly dance, their body twisting and pivoting with all the expertise of a ballerina on stage and all the power of a war god. He could speak to them and listen to them speak for days and never tire of that effortless way they held his attention. He could almost hear that voice in his head now...

Knock, Knock. "Saalah?"

That time it was even clearer in his mind. The way their voice lilted around the syllables sending pleasant shivers down his spine. He wanted to hear it again.

Knock, Knock, Knock, "Saalah? Saalah, it's Bai Yusheng? Are you up?"

Huh, their voice sounded even more real that time.

Knock, Knock, Knock, "Saalah, Serinity asked if I would check up on you while she was away."

Oh gods! Saalah leapt out of bed, just managing to straighten out his t-shirt when he made it to the main door, opening it for the Immortal Master.

"Ah, Bai Shizun, I didn't hear you at first, forgive me for my rudeness," he went to bow and they caught his elbows before he could, laughing at his eagerness.

"That's quite alright, Saalah. I was just stopping by to check on you and see if you needed any company. The meeting is taking longer than Serinity thought so she sent me a text."

"Of course, I was just in the back bedroom and I guess I zoned out for a moment. Please, come in," he moved aside for them, and they stepped inside, removing their shoes and crossing the threshold onto the fine bamboo floors.

"I hope I wasn't intruding on your personal time," Bai Yusheng looked over at him, and he had to quickly avert his eyes lest he get caught staring.

"To be honest, Shizun, I was bored out of my mind and desperately needed the company. I'm not used to being somewhere so...so..."

"Dull? Boring?" They offered with that teasing smile of theirs, and he coughed in his hand.

"I was just going to say quiet." They laughed again, and he found himself relaxing and smiling as well.