My arm still wrapped around her neck as I squeezed tightly. My body released my seed deep inside her.
Softening up my grip I heard Katara's panting body as mine did the same.
"Just admit you stole it... and I could stop tomorrow," I whispered in he...
There was no wind. No sunlight. The moon goddess had abandoned the sky.
Yet, with the sudden rustle of a tree, a strange puff of air swept around me. The forest seemed alive—breathing, whispering—its energy woven with something otherworldly. Supernatural forces moved between the shadows, bending the stillness into motion.
Then, everything went dark.
In that black void, my hand brushed against something soft. Silk—cool and smooth—slipped through my fingers. I grasped it gently, and as I did, the silk deepened in color, shifting from blue to the shade of midnight hair.
The strands gathered before me, taking form. Skin rich as bronze light emerged from the darkness. Then eyes—brilliant, ocean blue—opened and found mine. Her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
My fingers trembled as they grazed her cheek, warm and impossibly real. "Katara?" I breathed, the word escaping me in a single, fragile gasp.
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She didn't speak—only stared.
My hands cupped her jawline, trembling as tears welled in my eyes. "Am I dead?" I asked, my voice a cracked whisper in the emptiness.
A low, soft chuckle escaped her lips, and her gaze drifted toward the strange amber ground below us. Before I could speak again, the world shifted. I blinked—and we were sitting on a small field of grass.
But this place wasn't natural. The island floated in nothingness—no ocean below, no sky above, no wind to breathe. Yet somehow, I'd never felt so at peace.
I looked down at myself. My robes were ornate, regal—what I wore in the palace. Beside me sat Katara, dressed in a flowing white Hanfu, her long dark hair neatly combed and pinned.
My heart ached with warmth I hadn't felt in months. She leaned into me, her shoulder brushing mine, and the soft scent of water lilies surrounded us. I closed my eyes for a moment, memorizing it. That scent—it was her.
We sat there in silence for what felt like eternity as the world slowly transformed. Bamboo began to rise behind us, and a calm lake shimmered into existence around the small island. The reflection of its surface danced faintly against her white sleeves.
"Is this where you leave me?" I asked quietly, already feeling her spirit begin to drift from mine. My throat tightened. "Don't go... not yet."
Katara lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her blue eyes were tender, filled with warmth and something like forgiveness. Her lips curved into a soft smile that made my heart pound painfully in my chest.
My hand moved before I could think, reaching to the back of her neck, drawing her closer. We fell gently back into a field of fire lilies, their crimson petals glowing softly in the dim light around us.
