MY SOUL IN HIS VISION [2HA]

you are not him.

Taxian-jun stares above at the canopy as he lays shocked still in the bed of silken sheets inside the Red Lotus Pavilion, he feels his bitter undead heart pound against his ribs like wild wraith butterflies— feasting on his bones and nipping his skin. The emperor feels as though he had been submerged into some twisted dream, mocking him of realities he could never be granted even if the world was at the palm of his hands.

The body that would go frozen at Taxian-jun's faintest touch even in his deep slumber, unconsciously curling in on himself as though his thin skin was a thick shell that could protect him from this dog of an emperor, turns. That slim pale wrist, stained with raw red marks reaches out in his sleep, his cold elegant face that usually holds a guarded expression contorts in confusion, the tension between his eyebrows only leaves once his cold slender hands grasps at Taxian-jun's sleeping robe, burrowing himself to his side as if expecting to be pulled closer, to be embraced.

Chu Wanning lets out a soft sigh of relief, "Mo Ran."

When Taxian-jun makes no move to hold nor budge under the clutching hand of his concubine, Chu Wanning shows further signs of restlessness. He emits a small confused noise, the sound travels to Taxian-juns ears.

He has never heard of his Shizun be so openly vulnerable, even when asleep.

He would know, he has gone all his way to break down every wall and defense his Wanning has— and he knows best that his concubine would rather bleed first than show even a glimpse of weakness.

He does not notice when Chu Wanning's eyes flutter open but he feels the sudden rapid pulse of the wrists that lays on top on him, hears the sudden hitch of breath that stops for a few moments before it settles down to slow controlled puffs of air.

Chu Wanning lays still for a few seconds, taking in his new surrounding that he only remembers from faraway memories, before he sleepily raises his upper body, props his elbow on the bed while his other hand remains in contact with the emperor, his warm palm spreading against Taxian-jun's chest just above where his heart flutters pathetically.

Taxian-jun cannot will himself to move even when Chu Wanning's long midnight hair falls over his love bitten shoulder where his— his gold embroidered black inner robe slips, the strands tickle the side of his hair.

He does not know what he's so scared for so he forces himself to meet the phoenix eyes of Chu Wanning who—

Who looks at him with something akin to wonder, nostalgia and was that... amusement?

He's taken aback when he sees the miniscule movement of his concubine's lips lift, those long slender and calloused hands of a musician leaving goosebumps across his skin as it trails to caress his jaw.

"What a dream..." Chu Wanning mutters to himself, taking in the sight of his Taxian-jun back in their past life. His Mo Ran really looked the part back then, huh? He had the regalness that he carried even to their current life time... that was when he was not overbearing. Taxian-jun or Mo-Zongshi, both were meant for greatness from their valor.

He brushes his thumb across Mo Ran's cold cheek, the sensation felt too real against his fingertips. Chu Wanning frowns but leans down to press his lip against Taxian-jun's forehead, right where he touched just seconds away from his death.

They were never granted this sort of sweet peace in their past life.

If he was awake, he doubts he could even be this bold towards his husband but this is something he had always wanted to do when he lies eyes open wide in the arms of a sleeping Taxian-jun as Chu Fei, long after he found out about Mo Ran's curse.