It was a gray morning and the rain fell thin and persistent. Entering the living room, Lu Shen looked at Zeyang's expression.
"Everything okay?" he asked, approaching.
The other nodded, but the smile he gave didn't reach his eyes.
"What's troubling you?"
The detective shook his head, then took a few steps, finally turning back toward him. "It was Lombardi: I have to go to the office because of what happened to us."
Lu Shen took a few steps toward him and smiled. "You still haven't told me what worries you."
But Zeyang himself couldn't explain why the idea of leaving that house made him feel uneasy.
"Nothing will change, if you don't want it to."
He raised his eyes on hearing the warm voice of the sorcerer so close, then his hand gently caressed his cheek and he felt warmth spread from that touch.
"What do you want?"
"This," Lu Shen replied, and brought his lips close enough to brush against his.
Zeyang felt his heart grow lighter and returned the kiss, slow and delicate.
"See you later?" he asked when their breaths were still mingling.
Lu Shen nodded.
---
Sitting in the back seat of the taxi, Zeyang watched the buildings unfold in a blur beneath the rain.
He was going back home to change his clothes. During those days he had been borrowing Lu Shen's. Even now he was wearing the sorcerer's clothes. He smiled at the thought of him and wondered what he might be doing.
Being with him during those days had felt so natural…
Natural and… beautiful.
He felt an inner peace he had never experienced before, together with a sense of fullness and warmth that made him feel good.
As if he had finally found a place he hadn't known he was looking for.
He ran the short stretch of road that separated him from the building entrance and went up to the apartment.
He knocked and, when his mother opened the door, he saw her face light up.
His small apartment was unrecognizable: everything was in order and a delicious smell of food lingered lightly in the air.
"Mmm! What did you make?"
His mother raised an eyebrow. "Your favorite dishes, which I imagine you haven't eaten since the last time I came to visit."
Zeyang laughed. "You know I'm not good at cooking."
His mother sighed. "How are you?"
"Good!"
"And Lu Shen?"
"Better."
"Can you stay a few minutes?"
"Of course," he answered with a gentle smile and sat down on the sofa.
His mother joined him carrying two cups of tea and handed him one.
"Your boss told me what happened…"
Zeyang set the cup down and took her hand in his, squeezing it to stop the slight tremor. "It's over. I'm fine."
She nodded with teary eyes, then smiled at him. "I'm glad you found someone who knows how to take care of you. You always think about others and neglect yourself… just like your father."
She brushed his cheek with the back of her hand, as she did when he was a child. "Now I can leave more at ease," she said, squeezing his hands and standing up.
"You're leaving?"
She nodded. "Just the time to book the flight."
Zeyang stood up. "Thank you, Mom."
"Go get ready, or you'll be late."
He nodded, then turned back and hugged her.
---
When Zeyang returned, he was warmly welcomed by his colleagues, happy to see him back so soon and in good shape, after leaving him in the hospital in such critical condition.
Lombardi came toward him, looking him up and down, then led him into his office. "I'm sorry to have called you in before your recovery was over, but it was urgent that I talk to you and I couldn't do it in front of Lu Shen, otherwise I would have come myself."
Zeyang frowned. "What does Lu Shen have to do with it?"
"After the spell was broken, the army intervened to restore order in the city. We're still under a semi-military regime. Everything related to the case has passed to them." He paused. "General Lu is in charge of everything. He asked to speak with you. For now I've kept him away, but you'll have to meet him when you return."
"I have nothing to hide."
"I know, but you involved his son in the investigation, and officially he doesn't appear anywhere."
"Get to the point, boss."
The werewolf leaned back in his chair and fixed his eyes on him. "I don't know what he wants, but I want you to be careful and not show him any weakness: he would know how to exploit every slip to his advantage."
"I think I've already figured out what kind of man he is."
"Good. If you want, I'll be present at the meeting."
"Thanks, boss. It won't be necessary."
"Then go back home. See you in a couple of days."
Zeyang nodded and left.
During the ride back, the detective kept thinking about how Lu Shen would react when he found out that his father was the one in charge of investigating what had happened.
He wasn't afraid of him, but he feared that he might hurt the sorcerer again.