Stannis hadn't expected the kiss.
He had expected a glare, maybe a clipped "what do you want," or at best, a sigh and a reluctant nod. That was the Jian Rui he knew—sharp edges, cold silences, and a spine of steel from that handsome vixen.
But the moment their lips met, all of that shattered. Jian Rui kissed him like he was drowning and Stannis was the only breath left in the world. It was rough, sudden, and desperate. When they finally parted, Stannis was left blinking, breathless, his heart pounding like a war drum.
He stared, stunned, the bouquet of bioluminescent flowers forgotten on the floor. Jian Rui had kissed him. He had initiated the kiss.
Stannis had never seen him like this. Which meant… whatever happened in the palace had been that bad.
