Ji Yanzhi silently returned upstairs.
The bedroom door was quietly pushed open a crack, letting the room's stillness spill out. The cool moonlight beyond the window traced the sleeping figure on the bed, his silhouette looking especially soft in the dimness.
Ji Yanzhi's gaze clung to him. A tenderness so warm it almost ached quietly seeped into his chest. Only when the corners of his smiling mouth began to ache did he force himself to turn and enter the bathroom.
The warm water washed away the bustle and chill he had brought in from outside. By the time he returned to the bedside, still damp from his shower, Ji Ting had rolled from his back onto his side.
He had curled up slightly, half his face buried in the soft down pillow. His breathing was long, deep, and steady, and he remained asleep in a peace no one could disturb.
Ji Yanzhi slowly walked around to the other side of the large bed, lifted a corner of the covers that still carried Ji Ting's scent, and slipped silently beneath them.
The mattress dipped slightly under the added weight, then settled. A strong arm reached around the slight hollow of Ji Ting's waist as he lay on his side, its tentative gentleness as careful as a weary bird finding a perch upon returning to its nest.
Ji Yanzhi carefully felt the warmth beneath his palm, the supple texture alive with Ji Ting's presence.
This time, it finally wasn't a dream. Ji Ear was finally back by his side.
With that thought, Ji Yanzhi pressed his chest snugly against Ji Ting's slightly curved back. The warmth where their skin touched mingled with the steady rhythm of heartbeats in the darkness.
A satisfied sigh rose from Ji Yanzhi's chest. He tightened his arm