Prisoner of "Love"

Aemeath's breath caught for a moment. The rough collision gave way to a tingling tenderness, like an electric shock.

Lu Yan's lips were warm and soft, carrying a scent unique to him as they gradually melted away all her defenses and aggression.

"Open your mouth and breathe." Lu Yan pulled back just a fraction, his nose resting against hers as he coaxed her in a low voice.

The unfamiliar sensation had long since left Aemeath dizzy and her mind blank. Like an obedient cat, she could only follow his instructions, instinctively parting her lips.

At that very moment, Lu Yan kissed her again.

This time, he did not stop at a fleeting taste. He clumsily explored that uncharted territory.

On this quiet afternoon, in this little courtyard, two equally inexperienced souls shared an unforgettable kiss.

They knew nothing of sophisticated techniques, relying only on instinct as they sought each other's breath.

Their teeth occasionally knocked together, and their tentative touches of the tongue trembled with caution.

Lu Yan tightened the arm around Aemeath's waist, wishing he could draw her whole body into his own.

Aemeath had already gone limp as water. Her once-tense body relaxed completely, and she clung to Lu Yan's shoulders, gripping the fabric of his hoodie so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.

No one knew how much time had passed before that long, clumsy first kiss finally ended, when both of them felt as though the oxygen in their lungs was about to run out.

Their lips slowly parted, a suggestive silver strand stretching between them.

Neither of them pulled away. Their foreheads still pressed together, they panted for breath.

The afternoon sunlight spilled over them through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting their overlapping silhouettes into long shadows.

Aemeath's cheeks were as red as ripe tomatoes. Her fierce eyes were now veiled with a shimmering wetness, hazy and alluring.

Her lips were slightly swollen and red from the kissing, their corners parted as her chest rose and fell sharply.

Lu Yan looked at the girl in his arms, whom he had kissed nearly senseless, and felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His lips curved into a relieved smile.

He lifted the hand cradling the back of her head and gently wiped away the tearstains that had yet to dry at the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry..." Lu Yan's voice was still husky with lingering desire, but his tone was firmer than ever.

Aemeath's eyelashes fluttered as she looked at him, a little dazed.

"I'm sorry. Something like this... and I still made you take the initiative."

Lu Yan looked straight into her eyes. The insecurity, fear, and hesitation in his gaze had been completely swept away, replaced by an acceptance vast enough to bear everything.

"I was an idiot." Lu Yan gave a self-deprecating smile, his fingers gently caressing her cheek. "I knew perfectly well how afraid you were of saying goodbye, yet I still used that so-called reason and my unworthiness to torment you and make you cry."

He held Aemeath tightly in his arms, breathing in the familiar fragrance of her hair.

Lu Yan made the most solemn promise of his life. "Aemeath, listen carefully."

"I won't run away anymore, whether from you or from my own feelings."

Lu Yan tightened his arms, as though he wanted to engrave those words on both their souls. "Since you've chosen me, since you think even my mediocrity is an ability, then I'll willingly be your prisoner."

"From now on, no matter what happens or how possessive you become, I won't take another step back. No matter what, I won't ever let you shed another tear because of me."

Listening to Lu Yan's vow in her ear, Aemeath felt her heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally settle completely.

She knew she had won. Not only had she won his love, but also his trust in entrusting his soul to her completely.

Aemeath buried her face deep in the crook of Lu Yan's neck and greedily breathed in his scent.

"Hmph." She gave a soft, distinctly nasal huff. Though her voice was sweet and soft, her tone had regained its earlier confidence.

"Good. As long as you know."

Aemeath wrapped both arms tightly around Lu Yan's waist in return, rubbing her head against his chest like a cat marking its territory.

"I don't need you to go and save the world."

Aemeath raised her head, the familiar look already back in her eyes.

She stared straight at Lu Yan. "All you need to do now is stay by my side and never leave me again. You're just my A-Yan."

"Just A-Yan, who belongs to me alone."

"Mm." Lu Yan smiled and nodded, his eyes full of indulgence.

"Since you're my A-Yan alone, you have to obey me absolutely from now on." Aemeath immediately pressed her advantage. Straddling Lu Yan's lap, she looked down at him as her slender finger traced circles on his chest.

"No more feeling insecure for no reason, and no more thinking you're not good enough for me."

"Okay."

"Wherever you go and whoever you meet each day—and especially if any strange women talk to you-you have to report it to me immediately!" Once reassured, Aemeath began to unleash her possessive nature without restraint.

"Okay," Lu Yan agreed without hesitation.

"And another thing!" A suspicious blush crept back onto Aemeath's cheeks. She bit her lower lip, her voice suddenly growing quieter. "That... that kiss just now, you need to practice more from now on!"

"Honestly, you knocked against my lips so much they hurt. You're such an idiot..."

Lu Yan froze for a moment, then couldn't help laughing aloud.

The rumble in his chest traveled through to Aemeath, making her even more flustered and annoyed.

"What are you laughing at? Stop laughing!" Aemeath grew anxious and reached out to cover his mouth.

Lu Yan caught her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it lightly, looking at her with a deep gaze. "Okay, I'll be sure to practice."

"And I'll only practice with you."

The moment he said that, the little bit of composure Aemeath had just built up instantly crumbled.

She whimpered and buried her burning cheeks in Lu Yan's chest again, even her neck turning pink.

"A-Yan is a big idiot... a sly idiot..." Aemeath lightly pounded his chest.

The sunlight slowly moved across the solid wood floor, and the air in the living room was almost sweet enough to stretch into strands.

Lu Yan quietly held the girl in his arms, feeling her substantial weight and body heat.

His stomach still ached faintly, but that no longer mattered.

In this city, he was no longer an island.

He had found a place where he belonged.

And there, waiting for him, was this girl who had crossed dimensions to love him and would never let him run away.