Legend of Fei

15. Do You Want To Catch A Firefly?

"Feng Feng." the young man introduced himself at Xie Yun's request, eyes never leaving A'Fei as she took the horses to the inn stable. 

The inn was remote and short-staffed, which left them to their own devices over the evening. Xie Yun ordered food for them and waited for A'Fei's return at the desk. He chatted up with the man that waited at the door but did not miss Feng Feng looking about himself anxiously. Xie Yun kept talking when the boy's eyes came to land on him.

"Missus should be back by now. Shouldn't we check on her?" Xie Yun looked over in the direction of the stables just when A'Fei turned the corner, sheathing her sabre.

"What happened?" the boy ran to her while Xie Yun asked, "Are you alright?"

A'Fei gave a passing look at young Master Feng and spoke to him, "Someone in the back was trying to steal horses."

"Aish. We just arrived and your are already swinging your saber," teasing her, he swung an arm around her shoulder, earning a peculiar look as they headed in. He didn't want to tell her that a young man had taken interest in her.

When Feng Feng settled at the table next to them, Xie Yun couldn't help laughing. Feng Feng had chosen a table right beside theirs and taken a seat that would be directly in front of A'Fei. But A'Fei paid him no mind, instead, she dumped her bowl of rice on the large plate and poked her chopsticks through the center of the mound. She did the same for his rice. He was busy peeling peanuts and feeding A'Fei as she did this. They had been together for long but living together this past year had taught them a few things about each other like eating habits.

After she was done mixing their food, she too began peeling and feeding him as he was feeding her but with narrowed eyes. Xie Yun smiled, a little happy at A-Fei's blatant ignorance but a glance at the boy unnerved him. Feng Feng had a steady look, the eyes looked older than his years, deep-set and silted flat at the corners giving him a sharp look.

As soon as they entered their room, Xie Yun sat A'Fei down to clean and tend to her scraps. He would have preferred to do that as soon as possible but he knew A'Fei wouldn't want him to be fussy. Her shoulders revealed wounds that were more than scraps as did her knees but her temples and cheek were easier to treat. He kissed her temple and began cleaning. Had theire not been wounds on her exposed shoulders and upper arms, he would be kissing the delicate curve of neck right now. He looked away. He cleaned her elbow scratches first, then her shoulder. As ever, he couldn't help placing a light kiss of reassurance at the base of her ear. A'Fei shivered as did he.

"Nothing is worth getting hurt over. Certainly not a few stooges," he pulled himself together before calling to his wife.

She gave him a small smile, "my skills have gotten rusty or the stooges are better trained."

"They are better trained." His quick response widened her eyes in question. A funny look made it all worth it. 

Silently, he dedicated to the task, keeping his desire at the unexpected exposure under check. He would have preferred her resting.

"Let me get you a bowl of water. I'll help you wash up." he hurried away but turned around to find A'Fei behind him.

"I am alright. I can do it." He pressed his lips together, caught his wife's shoulders, turned her around and sat her on the bed.

"No. I will help you."

"But I feel like moving around." and that is how he was left alone in the room while A'Fei went ahead.

They planned to go for a stroll around the inn in late hours. He closed the door, check the room with Jeishi and placed the small newly bought embroider purse on the bed. It took him some time to place it just so A'Fei would see it from anywhere in the room, mostly from the table, the door or the screen. He inspected his work for some time and finally left the room.