The moon hung low over the horizon, casting silver ripples across the still surface of the pond nestled behind the barracks. Few soldiers ever wandered there at night—it was too far from the main grounds, too overgrown and forgotten.
Shinomi had no reason to be there, either.
And yet… his feet had led him there.
He was returning from a late inspection, his cloak damp with dew, when the faintest splash of water reached his ears. He froze.
It wasn't the sound of fish.
It was deliberate. Rhythmic. Almost lazy.
Curious, Shinomi turned down the narrow path, parting low branches as he walked quietly toward the pond's edge.
What he saw stopped him cold.
There, half-submerged in moonlight and water, sat Ren—no, Aiden, as he now called himself.
His back was turned, bare to the night air, smooth as porcelain. Shoulder-length hair clung wetly to his skin in gentle waves, the ends drifting in the water. His eyes were closed, his lashes dark and heavy against his pale cheeks. For a moment, he looked asleep—like something carved from a dream.
The pond curved like a cradle around him. Water lapped gently at his collarbones, his lips parted slightly with a soft sigh, and one knee bent out of the water like a sculpture's edge. He looked peaceful. Vulnerable. Otherworldly.
Shinomi should have walked away.
Instead, he moved closer—quietly stepping onto the stone edge of the pond, crouching low behind the boy.
Water dripped steadily from Aiden's hair. His eyes were still closed, unaware of the gaze watching him from behind.
Until—he stirred.
The shift was subtle. His shoulders tensed. Then his head turned—slowly, deliberately.
Aiden's eyes opened.
Their gazes locked.
Neither moved for a heartbeat.
Then Shinomi, without a word, extended his hand.
Aiden looked down at the gloved hand held out before him. For a moment, he hesitated. Then… he raised his own dripping hand and placed it lightly into Shinomi's palm.
Shinomi removed the glove in one fluid motion and brought Aiden's wet fingers to his lips.
He kissed them—softly.
Then, slowly, his mouth opened, and his tongue traced the delicate lines of Aiden's knuckles. His lips closed around two fingers, drawing them into the warmth of his mouth. Aiden let out a sharp breath, startled—not from fear, but from the unexpected intimacy.
His cheeks flushed.
The pond rippled as Aiden shifted, stepping carefully toward the edge, the water pouring off his body in silver sheets. Moonlight traced every contour of his frame—slim waist, delicate shoulders, collarbone catching the light like marble.
Shinomi didn't move.
Aiden knelt down before him, barely breathing, his wet fingers still in Shinomi's mouth. Then—tentatively—he leaned forward.
Their lips met.
The kiss was slow, curious. A meeting of fire and water. Shinomi's hands came to rest lightly on Aiden's waist, still wet and slick under his touch. Their noses brushed, their breath mingling.
It was warm.
Too warm.
Aiden's heart thundered in his chest. The moment stretched—five seconds that felt like eternity. Shinomi's lips deepened the kiss, his hands sliding up Aiden's back—
And suddenly Aiden pulled away.
His breath caught. His eyes widened.
"I—" he gasped, stumbling back a step. Reality snapped back like a slap to the face. "What am I doing—?!"
He grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it tightly around his body, water still dripping from his hair and lips.
Shinomi stood slowly, silent, watching him with unreadable eyes.
"I-I have to go," Aiden mumbled, avoiding his gaze. His cheeks were flushed a deep pink now, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "I shouldn't have—"
Without finishing the sentence, he turned and bolted into the trees, bare feet slapping wet against the grass, the towel flaring behind him like a cloak.
Shinomi stood alone by the pond.
The water stilled. The heat lingered.
He touched his lips, still damp from the kiss, and let out a long, quiet breath.
What just happened hadn't been a trick. It hadn't been a scheme.
He came to me, Shinomi thought. And then he ran.
But that brief moment—those five seconds—had told Shinomi more than words ever could.
The boy was falling.
Whether he admitted it or not.
And Shinomi… was no longer sure if he wanted to resist.
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