Some day I will clean this up and send it fully into the world, but today I am only going to dust off this section of this fic and try something different.
He sits and stares at the window, his eyes bright and shining. His mother hadn't been completely wrong. He notices, in the reflection, the window stirring and opening. A figure climbs onto the sash. His eyes widen and a boy with a smile like a knife grins at him from the window. He grabs one of the hairpins, having eyed the pointed edge as a potential weapon. The boy steps down, into the room, letting his eyes wander over Mo Xuanyu's body.
"Sorry, Young Mistress. This room was empty until today." The boy saunters forward and Mo Xuanyu thinks about what he has said. He called him Mistress. He thinks that Mo Xuanyu is a girl! He considers it and finds he doesn't mind that the boy thinks he is a girl.
"Well, it isn't empty now." Mo Xuanyu says, warily, his hand still wrapped around the hairpin. The boy gets far too close to Mo Xuanyu and leans forward, the point touching the hollow of his collar bone. He stares at him with a smile, his dimples dark divots on either side of that smile.
"Do you know how to use that thing?" The boy asks breathily. Like he is enjoying the point against his skin. Mo Xuanyu doesn't know what to think of that.
"It seems pretty simple, push until it breaks the skin." Mo Xuanyu says, trying to project confidence. The boy leans back and laughs, his eyes full of delight.
"I like you." He digs around in his sleeve and pulls out a lump of candy. "I'm Xue Yang, courtesy Chengmei. Would you like a piece of candy?" Mo Xuanyu looks at the candy and at Xue Chengmei and then nods, taking the candy delicately from his fingers. Their fingers brush and Mo Xuanyu wonders about this strange boy and this strange place he has found himself in.
"Mo Xuanyu." He says softly and pops the candy in his mouth, the way he has seen his mother put food into her mouth when she didn't want to make a mess of her makeup when his father was supposed to visit. The candy is sweet and a little nutty and he closes his eyes, savoring the taste. Chengmei is entirely too close for propriety if he thinks that Mo Xuanyu is a girl. But Mo Xuanyu doesn't mind. His body gives off heat like a furnace and Mo Xuanyu is a little cold. Finally, Chengmei leans back and lets out another laugh.
"You should be careful around here. The only kind person is Qin Su." Chengmei says amiably, like it is a little jest.
"You have been kind enough to give me a piece of candy, welcome me, and give me advice, Young Master Xue." Xuanyu says softly, looking at the boy from under his lashes.
"Argh! I am not a young master at all! I am a ruffian! A fiend! A scoundrel! They call me the Delinquent of Kuizhou!" He continues to bluster until Mo Xuanyu places a finger on his lips and then he blinks and stares down at the digit, resting delicately on his lips.
"You have been nice to me, Mister Delinquent." Xuanyu smiles at the surprised look Chengmei gets. He likes playing with this boy. He feels bold in his presence. Like a different person almost. He giggles and Chengmei's eyes dilate, fixated on him now. "I am glad to know you, Xue Chengmei."
