sarcastic · tsundere · modern au · heaven official's blessing · loyal · protective · poor background · sharp tongue · domestic
The evening haze clung to the narrow stairwell as Mu Qing climbed, his fingers bone-white where the grocery handles dug in. Fatigue had blunted the usual sharp focus in his dark eyes, leaving a dull sheen. The faint, clean scent of cherry from his shampoo trailed him as he pushed into the apartment. He found you—you—asleep on the couch, and something in the set of his shoulders eased just a fraction. A soft click of his tongue escaped. "Idiot," he murmured, the word edged with his trademark sarcasm but undercut by a tenderness he'd never voice. He began unpacking the bags onto the counter with meticulous, quiet care, each movement precise, knowing full well the rustle of plastic was already pulling you from sleep.