The first light of dawn barely brushed the rooftops of the Celestial Veil Sect, casting a soft orange glow across the training grounds. Shen Yu stirred in his bedroll, groaning as the chill of morning seeped into his bones. He had planned a quiet morning to stretch and meditate—but of course, tranquility had a way of avoiding him entirely.
Intent on fetching his sword for a few early exercises, he padded across the wooden floors of the hall, trying not to make a sound. Halfway there, he spotted Ling Wei already awake, quietly meditating by the courtyard fountain. Calm, composed, perfectly still in the golden morning light. Shen Yu blinked, feeling a mix of admiration and mild irritation at the other's effortless serenity. "Seriously," he muttered under his breath, "how does he always look so calm?"
His footsteps betrayed him anyway. One too-loud creak, a slip on the edge of a floorboard, and he crashed into the side of the hall. Ling Wei's eyes opened slowly, and Shen Yu froze, cheeks flaming. "Morning," Ling Wei said softly, voice calm as ever, though the corner of his lips hinted at amusement. Shen Yu scrambled to his feet, trying to regain dignity. "I—I was just… stretching!"
Ling Wei tilted his head, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Stretching," he repeated, clearly unconvinced. Shen Yu waved his hands frantically. "Exactly. Totally stretching. Nothing more."
The courtyard wasn't silent for long. Xiao Rong and Yu Zhen emerged from the adjacent hall, yawning and rubbing sleep from their eyes. They had apparently noticed the commotion and were clearly amused by it. "I see the morning chaos has begun," Yu Zhen said, voice low, teasing, as he leaned against the wooden railing. Xiao Rong chuckled quietly, nudging him. "He never learns, does he?"
Shen Yu, flushed and slightly flustered, decided it was best to focus on something—anything—other than the way Ling Wei's calm gaze made his heart beat faster. He bent to retrieve his sword, but in classic Shen Yu fashion, tripped again, sending the weapon spinning across the courtyard. Ling Wei, without a word, strode forward and caught the sword mid-air, returning it to Shen Yu's hands with smooth, effortless precision. The closeness of the moment made Shen Yu's ears burn, and he muttered a hasty thanks.
"Careful," Ling Wei said, tone even but eyes sharp. "You might injure yourself."
"I'm fine!" Shen Yu protested, though the warmth in his chest suggested otherwise.
Xiao Rong leaned toward Yu Zhen, whispering with barely-contained amusement, "Do you see that?"
Yu Zhen's lips curved into a subtle smile. "Yes. He's… trying."
Shen Yu tried to start his exercises, swinging his sword in long, deliberate arcs, but each swing seemed to result in some minor disaster—sword colliding with floor beams, tripping on his own feet, or narrowly missing the fountain entirely. Ling Wei, always composed, stayed close enough to correct each motion, his calm hands steadying Shen Yu's every falter. Shen Yu's flustered expressions and hasty apologies made the morning light feel warmer, more chaotic, and oddly comforting all at once.
At one point, Shen Yu swung a little too forcefully and ended up tumbling headfirst into the fountain. Water splashed everywhere, drenching him from head to toe. Ling Wei didn't even hesitate. He reached forward and hauled him up, dripping and sputtering, steadying him with one firm hand. Shen Yu blinked up at him, water streaming down his face, and swallowed hard. "I… I was testing the water temperature," he said quickly, even as he coughed.
Ling Wei's lips twitched in a small, knowing smile. "A bold method," he said, his calmness making Shen Yu's cheeks heat even more.
Xiao Rong and Yu Zhen, watching from the side, barely suppressed laughter. "He really is hopeless sometimes," Xiao Rong whispered, a small grin on his lips.
Yu Zhen chuckled softly. "But persistent," he added. The unspoken amusement and teasing between them mirrored the morning chaos of Shen Yu and Ling Wei, creating a strangely comforting symmetry.
After several more failed attempts, Shen Yu finally managed a proper sword swing without toppling over or colliding with the fountain. He paused, panting, his chest heaving, and looked at Ling Wei, whose expression remained calm, composed, almost serene. "I… I did it," Shen Yu said, trying to sound proud, though his soaked clothes and tangled hair betrayed him.
"Yes," Ling Wei said softly. "You did."
The morning light caught the corners of his face in a way that made Shen Yu's heart lurch. For a moment, he forgot about his exhaustion, the wet clothes, the minor humiliation—all he could focus on was the calmness, the precision, the way Ling Wei's gaze held him steady, like a silent anchor in the chaos of his own clumsiness.
Eventually, they retreated to the pavilion to dry off, Shen Yu muttering complaints about the water, the fountain, and the unfairness of Ling Wei's calm perfection. Ling Wei simply remained silent, the faintest amusement visible only in the corner of his lips.
Xiao Rong stretched, brushing the sleep from his eyes. "I'd call this a successful morning," he said lightly.
Yu Zhen smirked. "Depends on how you define success," he replied, eyes flicking toward Shen Yu and Ling Wei with a subtle glimmer of private amusement.
Shen Yu shook his head, water dripping from his hair. "Next time, the fountain stays out of my path," he muttered.
Ling Wei's lips twitched with a small smile. "Noted."
And as the morning warmed further, the courtyard was filled with quiet laughter, soft teasing, and subtle moments of closeness—unspoken yet profoundly felt. The chaos, the stumbles, and the lighthearted teasing had woven a thread of connection that neither boy could ignore. Shen Yu felt it, Ling Wei felt it, and even from the sidelines, Xiao Rong and Yu Zhen shared quiet, knowing smiles, their own teasing and amusement quietly acknowledging the bonds forming in the crisp morning air.
By the time the sun rose fully over the sect, Shen Yu and Ling Wei had settled into a quiet rhythm, still teasing, still awkward, still flustered, but undeniably closer than when the day had begun. And as Shen Yu finally wiped water from his eyes and tried to regain some semblance of composure, he couldn't help but think that early morning chaos, with its slips, stumbles, and laughter, was perhaps the best kind of bonding there was.