Light and Shadow

Chapter 6 - Forewarned

Xun Yu assured him that it was, and he rested his head against the man's chest. He listened to the rhythmic sound of his breathing, feeling as though this moment was nothing more than a dream, or a scenario conjured up by his exhausted mind; however, feeling the man's arm draped over his waist assured him that he was not imagining things. Being close to the man provided him with feelings of warmth, both physically and emotionally, and the two soon fell into a comfortable sleep.

Several hours passed by, and the morning sun began to break over the horizon. Birds cried a loud outside, signaling the arrival of dawn. Xiahou Dun rushed down the hall and into his cousin's room only to find that he and Xun Yu were still asleep.

"Mengde! Xun Yu! Wake up quickly please!" Xiahou Dun said urgently as he attempted to wake the sleeping forms of Cao Cao and Xun Yu. "Xun Yu, your meeting with Cheng Yu is set to begin in less than an hour, and Master Cao Pi is currently on his way here."

Xun Yu immediately sat up in bed upon hearing Xiahou Dun's words and looked next to him to see that Cao Cao was still trying to sleep.

"Five more minutes." The man mumbled as he covered his face with a pillow.

Xiahou Dun sighed out of frustration. He wished that it was easier to wake the man up in the mornings, especially on a morning like this, when Cao Pi was quickly approaching. Xun Yu got out of the bed and thanked Xiahou Dun for his efforts before taking off the shirt that the man let him borrow and returning it to him. He then walked over to the other side of the bed and grabbed the pillow, removing it from Cao Cao's face and holding it in his hands.

"Mengde," Xun Yu said sternly. "Please get up."

Cao Cao sighed and sat up begrudgingly, and Xun Yu returned the pillow to its rightful place on the bed. Cao Cao wished that he could have laid there with Xun Yu longer, since he found it enjoyable and didn't know if, or when, they would be able to spend time like that together again. It surprised him when Xun Yu gave him a quick hug before leaving to get ready for his meeting with Cheng Yu. Cao Cao sat there, feeling both stunned and happy.

As he walked down the hall away from Cao Cao's room, he and Cao Pi, who was also in a hurry, collided into one another. The two stumbled back, and Xun Yu immediately apologized to the man, who appeared to be in a rather cordial mood. He raised an eyebrow in question upon noticing Xun Yu's somewhat messy hair, but he said nothing about it and apologized and the two went their separate ways without further incident. Once Xun Yu exited the palace, he jogged back to his home to prepare for Cheng Yu's arrival. He rushed inside the house and washed his face and changed into a clean set of dark grey hanfu; however, he did not have the time to fix his long-disheveled hair as his guest arrived and knocked loudly on the front door.

Xun Yu hoped that his messy hair wasn't too noticeable as he quickly pulled it back in a ponytail using a black ribbon and rushed to answer the door. He opened the door and politely greeted his guest, inviting him inside. The man gave him a curious glance over and stepped into the house, looking around subtly as he removed his shoes. The two walked over to the table in the living area and Cheng Yu seated himself as Xun Yu went into the kitchen to prepare tea for his guest.

A few minutes later, he returned to Cheng Yu and bowed as he handed the older man the cup of tea. The man had white hair that was tied up in a bun, thin eyebrows, and a dark black paofu with a white underlayer. He thanked Xun Yu for the tea and took a sip as Xun Yu sat down across from him. He examined the man's appearance, noticing that he was somewhat out of order from his usual well-kempt self. Although he does appear to be somewhat disorganized today, I have to admit that he is aging quite well. His skin appears to be vibrant and clear, he has prominent cheek bones and collar bones, and he has small, adorable hands. What am I thinking? Why am I thinking this? Am I becoming somewhat weird in my old age?