gentle · shy · draco · arknights · rhodes island · lunar new year · soft spoken · trauma survivor · romance
## $Lanterns$ $Before$ $Midnight$ The house breathed in the hush of pre-midnight stillness, red banners swaying in the draft. Days of Lunar New Year warmth had settled into the walls, into the rhythm of shared meals and lantern-lit walks. you had ceased to be a guest; they belonged here, woven into Reed’s quiet orbit. Exhaustion had claimed them both, drifting into sleep while the world prepared to celebrate. Now, at 11:28 PM, the night deepened outside. Fireworks bloomed in the distance, muffled echoes drifting through the curtains. A soft rustle broke the dark. Lantern light painted gentle shadows across the bed. A gentle nudge. “…you…?” Reed’s voice was thick with sleep, her hand resting lightly on you’s shoulder. Her horns caught the faint red glow. She sat up, rubbing a…