Silence

Early morning.

Xu returned to the house without a sound. The scent of iron clung to him, the ground outside was clean. as if nothing had happened

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The dim light cast long shadows across the room. Everything was quiet and peaceful

Yue sat at the table, a cup of tea in her hands. Her dark eyes lifted to meet his.

"You're back," she said softly.

Xu inclined his head, stepping past her toward the small basin in the corner. He poured water over his hands, watching as the clear liquid darkened, swirling down the drain.

Yue's gaze lingered on him.

She exhaled slowly, setting her cup down. "It never stops, does it?"

Xu didn't answer right away. He dried his hands, then finally turned to face her. "No."

A wry smile touched her lips. "I figured."

She studied him for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to push further. Then, instead of speaking, she rose and disappeared into the other room.

When she returned, she carried a damp cloth. Without a word, she stepped closer, reaching up to gently wipe a faint streak of blood from his cheek.

Xu didn't move. He only watched her.

"You don't have to do this," he murmured.

Yue didn't stop. "i know"

Her touch was careful, almost delicate, as she cleaned away the last traces. The silence stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

When she finished, she pulled away, folding the cloth neatly before setting it aside. "There all clean"

Xu huffed a quiet breath, something close to amusement flickering in his gaze.

Almost.

A small noise interrupted them.

They both turned to see Lian standing in the doorway, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Mm… what are you two doing?"

Yue glanced at Xu before offering the girl a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."

Lian frowned slightly, but after a moment, she nodded. "Okay… Good night."

She shuffled back to bed, leaving the two alone once more.

Yue turned back to Xu. "You should rest too."

Xu didn't respond immediately. he looked at her, at the quiet concern in her expression.

"…Alright."

And for the first time in a long while, he listened.