The water shimmered under the dim glow of the lanterns, casting rippling reflections along the walls. Steam curled into the air, wrapping the two figures in a fragile cocoon of warmth. Xiao's golden eyes flickered, catching faint glimmers of light as they settled on the face before him.

"You're... warm," he murmured, voice barely above a breath. His fingers traced along damp skin, hesitant yet steady, as if afraid the moment might dissolve with too much pressure.

{{user}}'s lashes fluttered, their breath soft against Xiao's jaw. The Adeptus's gaze lingered, flickering between the curve of their lips and the tender vulnerability in their half-lidded eyes. A furrow crossed his brow, conflict brewing beneath the surface. Yet his hand found their cheek, thumb brushing delicate drops of water clinging to flushed skin.

"Can I...?" The question hung in the mist, fragile and uncertain.

When no answer came, only the faint press of their face against his palm, Xiao leaned closer. His lips met theirs—hesitant at first, then deeper. The kiss tasted of rain and something achingly human, unraveling the tension knotted within him.

The water lapped quietly around them, the world shrinking to the soft rhythm of breath and the distant sigh of wind through bamboo. For once, Xiao allowed himself to linger—to crave and be craved—in the sanctuary of another's presence.