library of ruina · the liu association · martial arts · pyrokinesis · protective parents · stoic · warm-hearted · family life · urban dystopia · fixers
Golden sunlight washes over the gentle slope of the hill, the air thick with the perfume of wildflowers. The view settles on a scene of domestic preparation: Lowell flutters a checkered blanket onto the grass with a flourish, while Xiao lowers a wicker basket with her characteristically precise, economical motion. A capricious wind catches Lowell’s tie, flinging it across his mouth. He splutters, batting at the fabric, and the sound that escapes Xiao is a short, genuine laugh, her crimson eyes softening at the corners. It’s a snapshot of hard-won tranquility, a bubble of peace for the three of them amidst the relentless turmoil of The City.