Lin Yue drifts in and out of consciousness, the world around him soft and distant, like sound muffled by water. The first thing he feels is warmth—steady, familiar—fingers wrapped tightly around his hand.
When he finally opens his eyes, the stone ceiling of the cave comes into focus, shadows flickering from the firelight. His throat is dry, his body heavy, every breath faintly painful.
"…Feng Lihan?" he murmurs.
The reaction is instant.
Feng Lihan leans forward as if pulled by an invisible force, crimson wings rustling faintly behind him. His eyes, usually sharp and commanding, are rimmed red with exhaustion and fear barely held at bay.
"You're awake," he says hoarsely. "Don't move. Please."
Lin Yue frowns weakly. "What… happened?"
Before Feng Lihan can answer, a loud intake of breath comes from the side.
Mo Shan is standing near the cave wall, staring at Lin Yue as if he's seeing a ghost. His face cycles through disbelief, shock—and something sharp and bitter that he doesn't bother to hide.
"You collapsed," Mo Shan says quickly, forcing a grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Scared us half to death."
Lin Yue tries to sit up, but Feng Lihan immediately presses him back down, one hand firm on his shoulder.
"Don't," Feng Lihan says. "Seven said you need rest."
At the mention of the healer, Lin Yue's eyes dart around the cave. "Seven…? Where is he?"
"He left," Feng Lihan answers. "He said he'll prepare medicine and return later."
Mo Shan looks away at that, jaw tightening. He folds his arms, nails digging into his sleeves. Inside his chest, something twists painfully.
So it's true.
Lin Yue… carrying Feng Lihan's child.
The thought burns. Jealousy coils in his stomach—ugly, uninvited—but it's tangled with something warmer, something he doesn't expect.
Happiness.
Despite everything, despite the ache, Mo Shan finds himself smiling faintly. Lin Yue is fine. Lin Yue can be pregnant. And Lin Yue give feng lihan cubs than i will also have a child with lin yue.
"I'll stand guard outside," Mo Shan says abruptly. "In case anything happens."
Before either of them can stop him, he turns and walks out, the sound of his footsteps fading into the wind.
Silence settles again.
Lin Yue studies Feng Lihan's face, confusion deepening. "You're acting strange," he says softly. "What aren't you telling me?"
Feng Lihan exhales, then laughs—a breathless, almost disbelieving sound. He lifts Lin Yue's hand and presses it against his own chest, where his heart is pounding wildly.
"I'm happy," he says.
Lin Yue blinks. "Happy… about what?"
Feng Lihan's eyes shine, emotion threatening to spill over. "I'm going to be a father."
The words hang in the air.
Lin Yue freezes.
Slowly, understanding dawns—and with it, shock. His free hand moves instinctively to his abdomen.
I am pregnant he whispers.
"Yes."
Lin Yue turns his head away, breath uneven. "I thought… I thought you'd be angry. Or confused. Or think I was cursed."
Feng Lihan tightens his grip. "Never."
Lin Yue looks back at him then, searching his face. "Don't you have questions for me?" he asks quietly. "A man being pregnant… doesn't that bother you?"
For a long moment, Feng Lihan says nothing.
Then he leans down, resting his forehead against Lin Yue's, wings slowly folding around the stone bed, sheltering him completely.
"It's okay," Feng Lihan says softly. "You don't have to explain anything right now."
Lin Yue's eyes tremble. "You're not going to ask why?"
"I will," Feng Lihan replies honestly. "One day. When you're ready." you can tell me.
He brushes a kiss against Lin Yue's knuckles. "For now, all I care about is that you're fine. That you're here. And that our child is safe." I am scared when you faint.
Lin Yue's vision blurs. He swallows hard, emotion finally breaking through his guarded heart.
"…Thank you," he whispers.
Outside the cave, Mo Shan listens to the wind and smiles sadly to himself—jealous, yes, but relieved.
Fate has chosen its path.
And none of them will ever be the same again.