The impending tears caught him off guard, and for a wild and alarmed moment, he thought it was a reaction to the harsh edge in his voice when he'd spoken—it wouldn't be the first almost-tears he'd inspired simply by telling someone what he thought. But then A-Yao was clinging to him and Mingjue's heart flipped over in his chest.
Ah. This was...
Mingjue curled down around around him, arm wrapping A-Yao's shoulders. He rested a hand on the back of A-Yao's head to keep him tight to Mingjue's chest in the best damn hug he could offer. He'd never done this with Meng Yao, wouldn't ever have taken advantage of someone that young and vulnerable, nor dreamed to. This A-Yao wasn't young like Meng Yao had been young, and the difference of years and cares and life-lived made him a pleasing weight in Mingjue's embrace. A little pulse of that protective fire in Mingjue's chest made him squeeze A-Yao a little more firmly.
"Hey," he said, stroking A-Yao's hair. What could he say when A-Yao's words were self-evident? "I've decided. You seem real. I'll accept it."
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Ah. This was...
Mingjue curled down around around him, arm wrapping A-Yao's shoulders. He rested a hand on the back of A-Yao's head to keep him tight to Mingjue's chest in the best damn hug he could offer. He'd never done this with Meng Yao, wouldn't ever have taken advantage of someone that young and vulnerable, nor dreamed to. This A-Yao wasn't young like Meng Yao had been young, and the difference of years and cares and life-lived made him a pleasing weight in Mingjue's embrace. A little pulse of that protective fire in Mingjue's chest made him squeeze A-Yao a little more firmly.
"Hey," he said, stroking A-Yao's hair. What could he say when A-Yao's words were self-evident? "I've decided. You seem real. I'll accept it."