In Darkness

"Husband" (A Fleeting Glimpse Pt.3)

"Will you promise to give me back my wine?"

"I will return it to you, unharmed, as soon as it's an acceptable time to drink it," Mo Yuan states once again. Moving quickly, he catches her before she can whine out another complaint and pins her back down against the bed, "However, first I need you to listen."

Bai Qian is about to plead again and pull out her ultimate trump card when Mo Yuan's grip changes, becoming gentler as he keeps her wrists together with one hand before moving to stroke her cheek with the other in a manner that has her all-but melting into him.

"Bai Qian..." Mo Yuan begins softly, ignoring the startled look on her face that follows after she assumed that they'd both be playing ignorant around one another, "It's time for you to stop hiding from the world."

Mo Yuan is watching her patiently as she makes a pitiful attempt of getting her hands out of his stern grip.

No. Not yet.

She's left with no other choice but to face him while her hands remained restrained, "That person doesn't exist anymore, High God Mo Yuan."

Mo Yuan's grip tenses around her wrists. His features give nothing away, and rather than allow the comment to bite as she'd intended, he gently takes one of her hands with his remaining and presses a tender kiss to her fingers, "I am your husband, Xiao Qizi, there's no need for honorifics between us."

"You..!"

"I will not allow anyone to harm you," Like during your ascension trial, he almost interjects before adding softly, "nor will I allow anyone to take you from my side or make you feel inadequate. I'm not ignorant of Hao De's reach. Should the worst ever come to pass and I am unable to keep you out of harm's way, my disciples will protect you and bring you to safety."

He leaves another assassination attempt implied, yet there's not an ounce of blame in his voice. When she doesn't speak, his grip softens around her hands, "It's time to stop hiding, Xiao Qizi."

Bai Qian looks up at him when he smooths a stray lock of hair away from her face, and at once Mo Yuan catches himself in a near-stunned silence. The vulnerability that he catches there is so crippling that (for the second time in the span of a day) he nearly drags her back to the safety of his den with no intention of letting her leave. He'd only seen anything close to it when she'd woken up in the Nine Heavens, confused and disoriented to the point of collapsing on the floor and summoning thick fogs and a barrier to protect herself.

However, he cannot allow such vulnerability to keep her from moving forward; she may be terrified, but that shouldn't stop her.

"A-Yuan..." Bai Qian quickly looks away from him, not catching the surprised expression settling over his features as she speaks, "As far as the realms are to be concerned, I'm long dead."

Mo Yuan sits up and pulls her onto his lap in one fluid movement, "And as far as I am concerned, you are sitting right before me."

After she doesn't answer, he presses a tender kiss to her forehead, choosing to ignore the gentle blush that grows there, "Bai Qian, living in the shadows for too long can very easily warp one's mind. I only wish to see you thrive."

"When I get justice for my people, I'm decamping to a nunnery in the mortal realm." Bai Qian whispers flatly, avoiding his eyes and choosing to run her finger against one of the metal embellishments on his overcoat even as his grip tightens around her, "I've hurt too many people..."