Sun rises in the east, flowers bloom in the spring and Luo Binghe deserves better. These are simple truths Shen Yuan lives by.
On Monday he wakes up at noon, reads newest PIDW chapter as he eats what can be called breakfast if one is being generous, and curses the author. After, he spends unadvisable hours playing gatcha games, boils water for ramen, and writes the most seething, derogatory comment highlighting every instance of his favorite character suffering unnecessary pain.
Shen Yuan knows the book is nearing its completion — even Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky cannot drag it out for much longer — and he has a crawling suspicion that Luo Binghe might not get what he deserves. And he deserves so much. He deserves everything.
Once in his bed, in the early hours of morning, Shen Yuan still can’t stop thinking about it. About him. He closes his eyes and for a moment, just for a short moment, he lets himself imagine.
He imagines sitting on the edge of Luo Binghe’s king sized bed, gently, quietly, as not to wake up the fearsome Emperor. He imagines Luo Binghe sleeping fretfully, his beautiful brow furrowed. Poor thing is unable to relax even in his sleep. So many things to do, so many monsters to fight.
Shen Yuan lets his hand reach for Luo Binghe’s soft curls. He can almost feel their softness as he runs his fingers through them.
“Ah, Binghe.” He whispers. “I know I keep saying this, but. You deserve so much more than this.”
Shen Yuan imagines that Luo Binghe stirs in his sleep, moving just a little bit closer to him.
If only… if only Shen Yuan could do something to make Luo Binghe’s life a little easier. Lighten his burdens just a tiny bit.
Wait. It’s his daydream, isn’t it? He can do whatever he likes- well, whatever he dares to do.
If Luo Binghe had one good friend, wouldn’t that friend protect him when possible? Shen Yuan would like to be that person.
He imagines leaving a small note on his pillow. A note describing the poisoning attempt being planned in his harem right now.
Luo Binghe of the latest chapter doesn’t know about it yet and Shen Yuan suspects it’s going to bring him a whole lot of trouble. Cautioning Binghe makes him feel sated.
As an afterthought he imagines placing a small chocolate bar on top of the note. Just because Binghe deserves something sweet.
He strokes Luo Binghe’s hair one more time and imagines the man sigh contentedly under his touch.
Then, feeling his fantasies turn into pure delusions, Shen Yuan makes himself stop and open his eyes.
The light of the morning sun shines through his curtained window. Shen Yuan sighs and tries to summon sleep, somehow.
*
*
*
*
Luo Binghe sits up with a start. His eyes fly open, burning red, and survey the room. It’s empty. Of course it’s empty, who would’ve dared-
And yet, he can swear, just a moment ago, he felt a soft touch and- no matter. He must’ve dreamed.
Just as he’s moving to lie back down, Luo Binghe notices something right there, on his pillow.
A thin, foiled package of something that smells faintly sweet, and underneath it, written on the thin, perfectly square, strangely white piece of paper, a note.
So someone was here.
Luo Binghe grabs the paper and reads unfamiliar handwriting, huffing at the letter’s contents. It’s as likely to be complete falsehood as it is likely to be the truth. He sniffs at the paper but can’t detect anything at all. As if no hands ever touched it.
Then, he grabs the second offering and unwraps the silvery foil to sniffs at what he guesses is an unusual, highly suspicious, treat. The smell is a little off. It’s not like anything he ever smelt before.
Without a second thought Luo Binghe drops both items into the nearest drawer and crawls out of his bed.
Maybe his guard saw something. He needs to find this mysterious benefactor and he needs to do it as soon as possible. No one enters his rooms uninvited and leaves unharmed.
