Zeyang poured the tea into the cup and went to sit in the small armchair in the bedroom.
Lu Shen was resting under the covers. His face was serene, long lashes casting shadows over his cheeks in the soft light of the bedside lamp. He had been sleeping almost uninterruptedly for two days. At first Zeyang had been worried, then he had seen that the wizard's energy was slowly returning. So he prepared him a hot soup when he woke up and chatted with him until he drifted off again.
In the silence of the villa, far from everyone, Zeyang too was recovering, restoring calm within his own soul.
The thousand questions he still had had been set aside to focus on the present, on the person sleeping a few steps away from him. Now without defenses.
---
"Let me cook today," Shen said, wrapping his arms around him from behind to take the knife and the carrots he was slicing from his hand.
Zeyang had not heard him arrive. "Are you feeling better?" he asked with a smile.
The other nodded and the seeker noted that his magic was returning.
The wizard stood beside him chopping vegetables, then took the wok and began cooking them.
Feeling himself being watched, he turned. "What is it?" he asked with a smile.
"Nothing, it's nice to see that you're recovering."
"Thank you for taking care of me."
Zeyang smiled at him. "No more thank you and sorry, okay?"
The other nodded, turning back to dinner.
They ate and afterward made themselves comfortable on the sofa with a cup of hot tea in their hands. Outside it was raining and windy, while within the walls of the house the scent of the drink lingered along with a warm coziness.
Lu Shen did not remember ever having felt so at home as in that moment. Zeyang's presence felt natural, warm, perfect.
He watched him as he read a book and wished that nothing would ever change again.