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“What are you doing?” Hua Cheng’s voice was colored with amusement.
Yin Yu whirled around, surprised. The silver vambrace he’d been trying to put on slipped off his arm and fell to the ground with a loud clatter. Wincing, he slowly looked up to meet Hua Cheng’s gaze.
Strangely, he didn’t seem angry at having found his most trusted subordinate rooting around in his closet. In fact, he seemed rather pleased, his single red eye shining in the light of his expansive closet.
Yin Yu cleared his throat, trying to stand straight. A valiant effort, given the fact that the robes he was wearing were too large for him, and were slipping at the shoulders. His face was about as red as the clothes he’d taken.
“I’m doing… work.” A pathetic excuse, even to him. He tried to look like it was the truth.
“Oh, really? Sorry, I must’ve forgotten that I told you to break into my room and steal my clothes. That’s my fault.”
Embarrassed, but still determined, Yin Yu tried to maintain eye contact. “I was… cleaning?”
“Ah! And I suppose putting the clothes on must help with that, then,” Hua Cheng said. His voice was still light and teasing.
Yin Yu didn’t reply. Hua Cheng grinned.
“How long have you been doing this, Yin Yu?”
“Not too long.”
“No, no. Tell me.”
“...” Yin Yu cleared his throat again. “Just… a few months.”
“I know.”
“Then… why did you ask?” Bold of him to question his chengzhu, but he was genuinely curious. Yin Yu realized a second too late that he was out of line, clamping a hand over his mouth swiftly.
Hua Cheng only gave a small smirk, stooping to pick up the vambrace before tossing it over. Yin Yu caught it with ease, turning it over in his hand to study the patterns carved onto the metal. Anything to avoid looking at Hua Cheng again.
“I asked because you’re cute when you’re nervous. And I’m the only one who gets to see you like that,” he told Yin Yu easily, walking closer, close enough for Yin Yu to smell the faint scent of sigan wood and bad decisions. The Gambler’s Den.
He kept his body perfectly still, like a nervous rabbit waiting patiently for the fox to deliver the final, fatal blow.
“Tell me, dearest Waning Moon Officer, what exactly is it that possessed you to do this?” Hua Cheng asked, his voice low, leaning to talk right beside Yin Yu’s ear. He shivered and Hua Cheng’s face split into another smile.
Yin Yu didn’t reply once again and Hua Cheng made a face. “You’re no fun.”
“Why does my lord want to know?” Yin Yu questioned evenly.
“I just wanted you to admit that you like me,” Hua Cheng said casually. Yin Yu felt his face burning up, reaching a hand up to pull his mask over his face.
Hua Cheng caught his wrist gently. He plucked the vambrace from Yin Yu’s hand and slipped it onto his arm, closing the clasp with a light, clean click.
“Keep your mask off when you’re alone with me, if you don’t mind,” Hua Cheng said, turning to leave. He paused mid-step and turned back to look at Yin Yu.
“I have a proposal for you.”
Yin Yu didn’t trust himself, and only bowed slightly.
“I’ll let you keep those clothes…” Hua Cheng smiled to himself.
“If you give me some of your own.”
—☾⭒.˚𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔—
The ghost was focusing on delivering his report, but it was something of a difficult task.
After all, there was so much more to be thinking about.
Like the way that the Lord of Ghost City was currently lounging on his seat, wearing something that looked suspiciously like the Waning Moon Officer’s cloak, looking comfortable and at ease. One hand fiddled at the silver crescent moon clasp and the other flicked the moon tassel at his belt.
Or the way that the Waning Moon Officer himself seemed to be wearing the Chengzhu’s clothes. His face was covered with his ghost mask, as usual, but the ghost could’ve sworn that he was blushing.
He must’ve paused for too long, because Hua Cheng looked up, expression bored. “Are you done? What are you staring at?”
The ghost forced his eyes away from the Officer and refocused on Hua Cheng, trying not to let his eyes drift towards the tassel again. “A-apologies, my lord! One last thing… a few of the Green Ghost’s subordinates attempted to sneak into the city again. We’ve dispatched them, but they seem to be planning something.”
Hua Cheng waved a hand. “Nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure.”
The ghost nodded and bowed. Hua Cheng gestured for him to rise.
“Before I dismiss you… I wanted to ask.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“What do you think of my new outfit?”
The Waning Moon Officer stiffened visibly, and his head snapped towards Hua Cheng. The Ghost King ignored him, waiting for a response.
“It’s… very nice. It suits you,” the ghost said awkwardly. Hua Cheng nodded solemnly.
“You’re right. Though I think my clothes suit Yin Yu better than Yin Yu’s clothes suit me. That’ll be all, you're dismissed.”
When the ghost hurried out of the room, he could hear Hua Cheng’s low laugh.