Aisha, "We're… alive."
Wang Xiao tilted his head, lips curving faintly.
"Told you I'd give you something nice if you behaved."
He set her down, gentle, careful, on the cracked jade.
Aisha's bare feet touched stone. She swayed, steadied herself with one small hand on his chest. Looked up at him, green eyes soft and overwhelmed.
Then, hesitant, trembling, she reached up, fingers curling lightly into his robe collar. Pulled him down just enough to meet his gaze.
"Next time…" she whispered, voice so soft it barely carried over the settling dust, "…just kill me instead... It'd be kinder."
Aisha didn't kiss him.
She simply stayed there, close enough that her warm, mild fragrant breath brushed his lips. Timid, trembling, but not pulling away. Her moist emerald eyes lifted to his, wide and glistening, pleading without words.
She had no idea what that look did to him.
