Aiden had forgotten that Li Mei was funny.
Or perhaps he had simply forgotten how to laugh.
It had been several days since he arrived at the Moon Temple.
Several days of strange rooms.
Strange rules.
Strange people.
A strange version of the man he loved.
And through all of it, Aiden hadn't smiled.
Not genuinely.
He had smirked at Ronan.
He had scoffed at Theron.
He had rolled his eyes at servants.
He had even laughed once when Ronan had looked completely horrified after Aiden casually suggested that he might steal a horse and leave the temple.
But none of it had been real.
Not the kind of smile that reached his eyes.
Not the kind that happened without thinking.
Li Mei noticed.
Of course they did.
Aiden was sitting beneath the same tree in the eastern garden when Li Mei approached.
They carried a small basket.
Aiden glanced up.
"What is that?"
"Food."
Aiden looked suspicious.
"Why?"
"Because I brought it."
"That doesn't explain anything."
Li Mei smiled.
"I thought you might be hungry."
"I ate breakfast."
"That was hours ago."
Aiden looked away.
"I'll survive."
"I know."
Li Mei sat beside him.
Aiden glanced over.
"You're not going to leave?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you look lonely."
Aiden's expression immediately hardened.
"I'm not."
Li Mei nodded.
"Of course."
Aiden narrowed his eyes.
"That sounded sarcastic."
"It was."
Aiden stared at them.
Li Mei opened the basket.
Inside were several small pastries.
Aiden recognized one immediately.
"Those are honey cakes."
"Yes."
"Where did you get them?"
"I made them."
Aiden looked at them.
Then at the basket.
Then back at Li Mei.
"You made these?"
"Yes."
"Are you trying to kill me?"
Li Mei gasped dramatically.
"How cruel."
Aiden blinked.
Li Mei picked up one of the cakes.
"I spent all morning making these."
"Then I'm definitely concerned."
"I followed the recipe."
"That makes it worse."
Li Mei stared at him.
Aiden stared back.
Then—
Li Mei started laughing.
Aiden tried not to.
He really did.
His lips twitched.
He looked away quickly.
Li Mei noticed.
They didn't say anything.
Instead, they picked up another honey cake and took a bite.
Their expression immediately changed.
They froze.
Aiden glanced over.
"What?"
Li Mei swallowed.
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
"No."
"You look like you're dying."
"I am perfectly fine."
Aiden stared.
Li Mei slowly put the cake down.
Aiden's ears twitched.
"You hate it."
"I don't hate it."
"You do."
"I simply think…"
Li Mei paused.
"…the recipe may have betrayed me."
Aiden's lips twitched again.
He covered his mouth.
Li Mei pointed at him.
"You're smiling."
"No, I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
Aiden lowered his hand.
His expression tried to become serious again.
It failed.
A tiny smile remained.
Li Mei looked delighted.
"There it is."
Aiden blinked.
"What?"
"That."
Li Mei pointed toward his face.
"That smile."
Aiden froze.
His fingers slowly touched his cheek.
He hadn't even noticed.
He was smiling.
Actually smiling.
Not because he was pretending everything was fine.
Not because he wanted someone to stop worrying about him.
Not because he was trying to hide the pain.
He was simply—
happy.
For one tiny moment.
The realization almost made the smile disappear.
Aiden looked down.
"I…"
His voice became quiet.
"I haven't done that since I came here."
Li Mei's expression softened.
"I know."
Aiden swallowed.
His chest hurt.
But this time, it wasn't the same kind of pain.
"Thank you."
Li Mei smiled.
"You're welcome."
Neither noticed the figure standing beneath the archway.
Theron had stopped there several moments ago.
He hadn't intended to.
He had been walking toward the garden after finishing a meeting with Ronan.
Then he heard laughter.
A sound he had never heard from Aiden.
Theron stopped.
He looked toward the garden.
And there he was.
Aiden.
Smiling.
Theron had seen Aiden angry.
He had seen him furious enough to slap a god.
He had seen him frightened.
He had seen him grieving.
He had seen him stubborn.
He had seen him challenge rules without hesitation.
He had seen his ears flatten when he was upset and his tail twitch whenever he became annoyed.
But he had never seen this.
Aiden's smile was small.
Almost shy.
His eyes had softened.
His entire face looked different.
Younger.
Warmer.
Almost peaceful.
Theron simply watched.
Something strange moved inside his chest.
He didn't understand it.
Why did seeing Aiden smile make him want to smile too?
Why did he suddenly want to know what else could make that expression appear?
Why did the thought of being the reason for it feel—
important?
Theron didn't know.
So he remained silent.
Li Mei finally noticed him.
Their eyes widened.
They quickly stood.
"Lord Theron."
Aiden turned.
The smile vanished instantly.
Theron felt something inside him sink.
Aiden's expression became guarded again.
"What are you doing here?"
Theron stepped into the garden.
"I heard laughter."
Aiden glanced at Li Mei.
Then back at him.
"And?"
Theron's eyes remained on Aiden.
"You were smiling."
Aiden's ears twitched.
"So?"
Theron stopped several feet away.
"I had never seen you do that."
Aiden looked away.
Neither had he.
Not since waking in this world.
Not since losing everything.
Theron studied him.
"Do you often smile?"
Aiden gave him a suspicious look.
"Not around you."
Li Mei made a small choking sound.
Theron raised an eyebrow.
Aiden almost smiled again.
Almost.
Theron noticed.
This time, he didn't look away.
"I would like to see it again."
Aiden stared at him.
"What?"
"Your smile."
Aiden's heart gave an uncomfortable little beat.
He didn't understand why.
Theron wasn't his Theron.
This wasn't the man who had kissed his forehead after nightmares.
This wasn't the man who had held his hand during labor.
This wasn't the man who had whispered that everything would be okay.
This was a god who was only beginning to learn what love was.
Aiden looked at him for a long moment.
Then he shook his head.
"You can't just ask for one."
Theron tilted his head.
"Why?"
"Because that's not how smiles work."
Theron seemed to genuinely consider that.
"Then how do they work?"
Aiden looked toward Li Mei.
Li Mei shrugged.
Aiden sighed.
"You just have to give someone a reason."
Theron's eyes remained on him.
"A reason?"
Aiden nodded.
"Yeah."
He stood.
The moonflowers moved gently behind him in the breeze.
"Make someone happy."
Theron said nothing.
Aiden walked past him.
But as he did, his lips curved slightly.
Just for a second.
Theron watched him leave.
And for the first time since Aiden had arrived at the temple—
the Moon God wanted something he couldn't simply command.
He wanted to know how to make Aiden smile again.