Shen stood frozen for a heartbeat, weighing duty against desire, propriety against promise.
His free hand hovered uncertainly as Rui's grip tightened around his wrist, her nightmare pulling her deeper into distress.
Then he remembered his words from earlier—his vow to stop hiding, to love her openly.
Shen carefully extracted his hand from Rui's grasp, earning a soft whimper of protest that made his chest ache.
"I'm not leaving," he whispered, though she couldn't hear him.
His fingers worked methodically at the clasps of his formal outer robe, the heavy fabric pooling silently on the floor.
The leather bracers followed, then his boots, each movement deliberate and quiet.
When only his simple undertunic and trousers remained, Shen approached the bed again.
He lifted the covers with infinite care, slipping beneath them to settle beside Rui.
The mattress dipped slightly under his weight, and immediately, as if drawn by some invisible force, Rui turned toward him.
