Returning to his chambers, Xio processed one inescapable truth: Snake—or Wèi, as he had taken to calling him—was dangerous. Then again, Xio embraced it with a strange fondness, treating the creature not as a lethal, special-grade yōkai but like adopting an unusual, cute little pet.
"What will Wèi wear?!" Kirihito chirped, dancing along the way, his focus barely on the stone path. The white snake—the one Xio had given him—coiled gracefully around his neck. His hourglass hips swayed with deliberate, almost unnatural elegance as he moved, long black hair flying everywhere. Despite his perfect form, Kirihito would occasionally stumble, still adjusting to the constraints of his human body.
Xio watched him, thinking that if an innocent-looking sin were to exist, it would surely be Kirihito. He tracked the snake's darting movements—here, there, and everywhere—even though their destination lay straight ahead. After a thoughtful silence, Xio finally spoke: "Something formal, perhaps? So you don't look like a biting snake in town."
He instantly regretted the words. He'd accidentally reminded Kirihito that he should have bitten him, which the snake promptly processed with his usual, excited eagerness.
"Oh no… I shouldn't have phrased it like that," Xio cursed under his breath.
Kirihito's grin widened into a delighted crescent. "Ah, Wèi forgot to gift you something special this time~" And he lunged toward him.
Xio knew he had to get used to these sudden bites—yet, unconsciously, he remained on guard against Kirihito's mischievous threat. His eyes widened at the snake's speed; Kirihito was much faster than he looked. Xio suddenly realized the ground was slick with dampness.
"Wèi, stop—!" Before Xio could finish the warning, Kirihito's foot slid, and he fell over. Xio violently braced himself—the path was narrow, and beside it lay a small, village-style pond. In a chaotic sprawl, both of them tumbled into the murky water, rolling over each other like a pair of tangled balls.
"Ah! Wèi Yīlíng! I told you not to run like that!" Xio yelped as he splashed into the half-clear water. Kirihito landed squarely on top of him and, true to his word, didn't miss the chance to sink his fangs into Xio's neck.
Kirihito was already stained with the blood from his untold murder, and now, soaked in water, his clothes clung to him, revealing the stunning, sharp contours of his body. Xio didn't forget that the sharp fangs were still buried in his skin. All he could feel was the intense proximity of Kirihito's weight and form… He dared not move, not even accidentally, much less intentionally.
"Wèi won again!" Kirihito declared with a burst of gleeful pride—another small, physical victory. Every time Kirihito got this close, Xio consciously or unconsciously missed Yuzai. Yuzai had hunted him just like this once—so much so that sometimes, Xio blurred the present reality with that memory, a memory proven heartbreakingly true only hours ago.
"That was fun! But I'd better stand up quick—otherwise, insects will steal away the tasty food!" Kirihito said, his tone childish and hurried, as he scrambled away from Xio.
Xio let out a relieved, shaky sigh. He watched as Kirihito searched for the bag of dragon fruits Xio had given him earlier. Kirihito pulled it from the pond, nearly slipping again into the muddy, filthy water.
"Careful, you snake! don't shower in mud—not now!" Xio yelled, quickly reaching out and catching Kirihito before he fell completely.
But the mistakes of the whole world seemed to tilt their heads directly toward Xio—especially now.
His hand landed squarely over Kirihito's waist, settling firmly on the curve of his hip.
Both froze.
Xio didn't let go. Not yet. Not even when Kirihito stopped struggling.
Kirihito froze mid-grin—then his expression shifted sharply: Did he just…?!
A heat flared across his cheeks. His body shivered—not from the cold water, but from an unusual, unfamiliar feeling again. He knew better than to linger on these moments; they were like emotional deadlines for him. He snapped back to alertness, hissed sharply, and bit down on Xio's wrist.
Xio gasped, pulled back to his senses, and released Kirihito's waist.
"You've touched Wèi's hips again…" Kirihito hissed low, his voice laced with quiet annoyance and something deeper—an ember of silent, flustered embarrassment. "You're not a butterfly… you're an insect."
Xio swallowed hard, then edged closer—just a little—as if to offer an apology.
Kirihito took two swift steps back, his body tense as an alert animal ready to strike if needed.
"What word did I teach you today?" Xio asked softly, trying to calm the tension between them.
Kirihito tilted his head like a curious snake. "I'm sorry," he murmured—the very words he had just learned. His voice was less threatening now, the sharpness softened at the edges.
Xio smiled faintly. "You know what you're supposed to do when someone says that to you?"
Kirihito thought for a moment, then shook his head—no.
"You're to forgive them," Xio answered gently, before adding, "If you are merciful, then people around you will be merciful too."
Kirihito stayed silent, turning the words over in his mind. They sounded good… but he wasn't sure if he could ever be that merciful.
Inside Kirihito, a darker voice stirred: If mercy were that easy, then I wouldn't have been born…
When Kirihito didn't respond, Xio felt a flicker of awkwardness. He quickly filled the silence.
"So I'm just sorry for my mistake… Let's go change our robes. We'll head to town."
silence for some seconds before :
"Yeah, yeah, town! Wèi will go to town!" Kirihito said excitedly as the topic changed, seemingly unbothered by the previous confrontation.
He started walking toward the destination again, covered in mud, water, and blood. Xio sighed, relieved that Kirihito seemed to forget everything as quickly as letting out a breath… yet, this behavior also hinted at a complex mix of trust and trust issues.
Xio shivered in the cold while wet and murmured with trembling lips, "I'll become an ice bar if I stay out for a moment longer…"
"B-Butterfly Wèi… Wèi's lips and body shaking! Even backside!!" Kirihito said, his own teeth chattering audibly against each other.
Xio froze.
Then his cheeks burned at the way Kirihito had phrased it. What the hell does it mean that backside is shaking too?! It was both endearing and embarrassing, and Xio struggled not to laugh while simultaneously freezing.
"It's called cold, you snake. You've made us soaked, so now you're trembling by the cold wind," Xio said in a lightly annoyed yet fond tone. "Now move before our robes turn into frozen fish skin," he added, then warned, "And please, try not to make any new mess in town. The 'insects' there aren't used to behaviors like yours."
"OK~ Wèi Yīlíng understood! Wèi will still move on even if backside freezes!" Kirihito said, his energy surging to suppress the cold feeling.
"Stop spelling that word every time you speak… Can't you speak normally for one single day?!" Xio hissed in embarrassment.
"Hehe he~ Butterfly is shy…" Kirihito purred, his smile intoxicating.
"You're teasing me?!" Xio glared at him while walking, so distracted that he almost stumbled on a tree but held himself just in time.
"What is 'teasing' ?" Kirihito asked, tilting his head.
Xio huffed, knowing Kirihito didn't know that word either. He seemed to grasp emotions instinctively but couldn't name them.
"Nothing, nothing… just move," Xio exhaled, pushing the thought away.
When they finally arrived back at Xio's chamber, Kirihito was carelessly about to step inside the house. Xio stopped him. "No… not like that."
He then gently helped him clean his feet on a fabric before adding, "Get into the room without ruining everything by the mud, blood, and dirty water…"
Kirihito stuck out his tongue at Xio, mocking him playfully. Xio's eyes snapped onto him, wide. "What's this now?! You're a total trouble!"
"Why, you've took Wèi's heavy, beautiful hips on your shoulder by yourself?~ Wèi was enjoying outside…" Kirihito reasoned, somehow managing to leave no room for argument.
Xio paused. He didn't answer. He didn't have an answer.