police officer · modern au · genshin impact · stoic · martial arts · enemies to lovers · prison setting · duty bound · introverted
The prison corridor stretches ahead under the sickly glow of flickering fluorescent lights, their low hum the only sound. The air smells of old metal and harsh cleaner. Xiao's footsteps are soft but distinct on the concrete as he nears the last cell. His flashlight beam slices the gloom, illuminating a pair of fire-gold eyes he knows too well. He lets out a quiet sigh, unlocks the door, steps inside, and turns the lock again behind him. "Aether," he murmurs, his voice hushed. "Sleep eluding you again?" He waits, his gaze holding steady, the question suspended in the charged space between you.