You melt my composure
———
The night was thick with humidity, and the air felt heavy as Shangqinghua wandered deeper into the garden.
The world was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves, and in the distance, the sound of a waterfall cascading over rocks.
It should have been peaceful, but Shangqinghua's thoughts were far from serene.
His mind was clouded with Mo Beijun's presence, the way he had looked at him, the quiet confidence in every word that had left his lips.
Shangqinghua didn't want to admit it—not to himself, not to anyone—but the pull he felt toward Mo Beijun was undeniable.
It was dangerous, a feeling he shouldn't entertain, yet here he was, alone in the dark, consumed by the memory of their last encounter.
A soft rustle interrupted his thoughts, and he froze.
From the shadows, a figure emerged—Mo Beijun, his silhouette a dark contrast against the moonlight, his presence both commanding and intoxicating.
"You've been thinking about me," Mo Beijun's voice was low, the words carrying a hidden smirk, as though he already knew the answer.
Shangqinghua's breath caught in his throat. He tried to maintain composure, to act as though he hadn't been torn apart by thoughts of Mo Beijun, but the heat pooling in his stomach betrayed him. He turned to face him, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Is that what you think?"
Mo Beijun took a slow step forward, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"I don't think, Shangqinghua. I know."
Before Shangqinghua could react, Mo Beijun reached out, his fingers brushing against the side of his neck with deliberate slowness.
Shangqinghua's breath hitched at the contact, his pulse racing as his body betrayed him, leaning into the touch despite his better judgment.
"I've been waiting for you to admit it,"
Mo Beijun murmured, his breath warm against Shangqinghua's ear.
"Waiting for you to stop pretending."
Shangqinghua swallowed hard, his heart hammering against his chest. He didn't know how to respond, didn't know how to explain the turmoil that had settled within him.
The truth was, he didn't want to pretend anymore, didn't want to fight the pull he felt toward Mo Beijun.
But there was something else, something darker that made him hesitate.
"You think you know everything about me," Shangqinghua said, his voice coming out softer than he intended.
Mo Beijun didn't pull away. Instead, his fingers moved to Shangqinghua's jaw, tilting his face upward, forcing their gazes to lock. His touch was gentle but firm, sending shivers of anticipation through Shangqinghua's body.
"I don't know everything," Mo Beijun said quietly,
"but I know this: you want me as much as I want you."
The words were a challenge, a truth Shangqinghua couldn't deny, even if he tried. His body ached for the closeness, the heat, the intensity.
He was so close to losing himself, to giving in to everything he had been trying so hard to keep at bay.
The silence stretched between them, thick with tension, neither of them willing to back down.
Mo Beijun leaned in, his lips brushing against Shangqinghua's ear. "I can feel it, you know. How badly you want this."
Shangqinghua closed his eyes, breath shallow. His hands clenched at his sides, torn between pulling Mo Beijun closer and pushing him away. He was caught, trapped in a web of desire that he couldn't untangle.
Mo Beijun's lips brushed against his neck, and Shangqinghua shivered. "You don't have to be afraid," Mo Beijun whispered. "Not with me."
The words were a promise, an invitation, and it was all too much. Shangqinghua didn't know how to stop it anymore, didn't want to. He had fought for so long, but in this moment, he couldn't hold back. His hands found Mo Beijun's chest, pushing him closer, their lips meeting in a desperate kiss.
The world seemed to melt away. There were no more barriers, no more doubts, only the heat of their bodies pressed together, the insistent press of Mo Beijun's lips, the way his hands seemed to claim every part of Shangqinghua.
Shangqinghua moaned softly against Mo Beijun's mouth, his hands fisting in his robes, pulling him closer, if that was even possible. There was nothing gentle about the kiss now—no more teasing or games. It was raw, a frantic need to touch, to feel, to surrender.
Shangqinghua couldn't remember the last time he had wanted anything this badly.
Mo Beijun's lips trailed down his neck, and Shangqinghua gasped, tilting his head back to give him better access.
The sensation of Mo Beijun's mouth against his skin sent sparks of fire coursing through him, and he couldn't suppress the moan that escaped him.
"You're so beautiful when you let go," Mo Beijun whispered, his hands roaming to Shangqinghua's waist, pulling him tighter, closer. "Don't hide from me, Shangqinghua. Let me in."
The invitation was like a spark to dry tinder, and Shangqinghua's resolve shattered. He gripped Mo Beijun's shoulders, pushing him against a stone pillar, their bodies pressed together in a frantic tangle. His lips found Mo Beijun's again, kissing him with a ferocity that mirrored the storm inside him.
He could feel his own control slipping away, piece by piece, as Mo Beijun's hands moved over him, pulling at his robes, fingers tracing the lines of his body.
Shangqinghua's body ached for more, his every nerve on fire as Mo Beijun's hands explored him with slow deliberation. Each touch seemed to brand him, marking him as Mo Beijun's.
"I don't want to be gentle with you," Mo Beijun murmured against his lips, voice thick with desire. "I want to take everything you'll give me."
Shangqinghua's breath caught in his throat, his hands gripping the fabric of Mo Beijun's robes, as though he was afraid he might lose him if he let go. "Then take it," he breathed, his voice a quiet invitation, one that he couldn't take back. The words had already left him, and with them, any hope of turning back.
Mo Beijun's lips were on his again, bruising and intense, as if he was trying to consume every inch of Shangqinghua.
He responded in kind, his body moving against Mo Beijun's, pressing him back against the pillar with an urgency he didn't even know he had.
In that moment, there was no more uncertainty, no more hesitation.
There was only the heat between them, the undeniable pull that neither could escape.
Shangqinghua gave in completely, letting Mo Beijun take what he wanted, knowing that it was already too late to turn back.