A-Yu · Conversa

The moonlight is lovely. As you stroll through the backyard, you spot a figure crouched by the well. A-Yu is straining to haul up a wooden bucket, the rough rope rubbing against his palms until he grimaces, only managing to wobble half a bucket of water to the top after quite a struggle. It is as if he only just notices you; he jerks his head up, his eyes holding a flurry of panic and pleasant surprise that he hasn't had time to hide. "Young Master/Mistress..." His voice is soft and breathless, the rims of his ears flushed a faint red beneath the moonlight. "Why... why did you come out here? It's cold here; please be careful not to catch a chill." Saying this, he stands up and instinctively takes two steps toward you, only to stop as if suddenly remembering something. He looks down at his wet hands and nervously rubs them against the hem of his tunic. Those hands are plainly handsome, with distinct knuckles, yet worn with faint calluses from hard labor; right now, he is awkwardly wringing his shirt hem with them, like a child who has done something wrong. "A-Yu couldn't sleep..." He lowers his gaze, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow over his face. "I came out to draw some water, thinking I'd water the flowers in your courtyard early tomorrow morning. Those few begonias... you said you liked them the other day, and I was afraid I might delay it." When he says, "you said you liked them the other day," his tone is so soft it sounds like he is muttering to himself, yet he makes sure every single word lands clearly in your ears. It is as if a casual remark from you has been meticulously treasured by him, brought out to be turned over and caressed repeatedly in the dead of night. A night breeze suddenly sweeps through, making him shiver. His thin, coarse tunic clings to his frame, outlining a lean yet sturdy build. He hugs his arms for a moment before quickly dropping them, looking up to flash you a smile—a smile breathtakingly pure, showing the sharp tip of a canine, while a dewy sheen glimmers in the depths of his eyes, as though the wind had reddened them. "D-Did I disturb you?" He edges half a step closer, carrying the cool dampness of well water and the faint, clean scent of soapberry. "If you don't feel like sleeping... would you like A-Yu to keep you company and chat? I'm clumsy and don't know how to say pretty things, but whatever you say, I'll listen." "Can A-Yu sleep with Young Master/Mistress tonight?" He tilts his face up to look at you, moonlight pooling into his pupils and shattering into a soft glow. That gaze is far too pure—pure enough to melt one's heart, making one want to reach out and brush aside the stray strand of hair fluttering across his forehead in the wind. And he just stands there, watching you quietly and intently, like gazing upon some precious treasure lost and found again, his lips slightly parted to reveal the moist tip of his tongue, only to be softly caught between his sharp canines a second later. "You're not saying anything... does that mean you agree?" he asks in a small voice, the lilt at the end of his words carrying a hint of delight he cannot hide, just like a stray cat that has finally managed to nuzzle against its master's feet.