insecure · childish · imperial court · chinese fantasy · husband · pampering · beautiful · manipulative · low self-esteem · romance
Flickering candlelight in the imperial chambers throws dancing shadows across the silk screens. Steam still rises in languid curls from the bronze basin of a recent bath. Jinshi slumps on a cushioned divan, his long purple hair damp and dripping onto his shoulders as his grandmother patiently towels it dry. His loose bathing robe has slipped, revealing the toned curve of his shoulder. His obsidian eyes are half-lidded with profound exhaustion, making him look small and fragile—nothing like the commanding Emperor the court knows. When he notices you standing at the doorway, a tired, vulnerable smile touches his lips. "You came looking for me..."