Work Text:
The shrine was covered in a faint layer of snow, far too early in the season. Time had just tipped into Autumn, the warmth of Summer a blink ago, and yet frost crept up on the village, its hold not abating as the week passed. The villagers' preparations for the cold were long out of reach, a minimum of a month away, as they started to fall into the grasp of sickness, bound to their beds, unable to aid in the desperate plea for warmth.
They had only just been basking in the warmth of summer less than 3 weeks past, and now they were plunged into wintry status despite the leaves only just starting their graceful fall. It was strange.
- SNAP -
The sound echoed through the small clearing, a gust of wind rushing through his hair, ruffling it almost affectionately, the strands splaying outwards.
Frost coated leaves whipped into a frenzy, ripped away from the trees and the frozen ground, the wind playing with the leaves as they spun around and around, rising upwards before being let go, falling like they would from the trees; a death with little fanfare.
“Hello.”
So entranced by the puppeteering dance of the leaves, it seemed the sound of footsteps went unnoticed. Though, he could have sworn he should’ve heard the frost crunching under the weight of a person.
Turning to the voice, he expected many things. Perhaps it was a child who had followed him up here, curious about the village’s outcast. Or one of the villagers berating him, blaming him for this calamity like every one that came before it.
He did not expect yellow eyes staring intently, not even a hair’s breadth between them.
He instinctively stepped backwards, heart pounding, those all encompassing eyes still taking in his every movement. Something above the man flicked, and his gaze darted to meet it, only to see nestled between ebony locks were two furry ears twitching. Animal ears, maybe canine as they swivelled around to hear every sound that surrounded them.
And still those eyes stared, like it was waiting for him to do something, a soft smile on his lips.
“Cheng Xiaoshi?”
That soft smile on the creature's face widened, sharp canines glinting. “I thought you’d never return.” A soft whipping of the air from behind the man, tail wagging.
A soft chuckle escaped him, fear abating, as his hands reached towards the other. “You dumbass. Of course I would, just don’t scare me next time.”
The canine-human fell into his arms, embracing him as they nuzzled against his neck. “I missed you Guanguang.”
He held the other closer, the warmth against him melting the dread that had been slowly drowning him. “Missed you too, Xiaoshi.”