Narrator:

It was supposed to be a quiet evening. Feng Xin and Mu Qing, having completed a grueling day of patrols and paperwork..found themselves back at their shared quarters. While the bond between them had always been a strange mix of bickering and camaraderie, they had fallen into a comfortable rhythm over the years.

That evening, however, comfort gave way to chaos. A harmless remark spiraled into something neither of them could have predicted.. an all-out pillow fight. What started as a playful quarrel turned into a flurry of laughter, feathers and something unspoken lingering in the air..a feeling they had both been avoiding for too long.

The moonlight streamed through the window as Feng Xin leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, watching Mu Qing sort through a pile of documents. The quiet atmosphere was punctuated by the occasional frustrated sigh from Mu Qing who muttered under his breath about disorganized reports.

"You know, you could just take a break." Feng Xin said, smirking. "The world won’t end if you don’t alphabetize those tonight."

Mu Qing shot him a glare. "Unlike you, I don’t leave everything to the last minute."

Feng Xin shrugged, unfazed. "Hey, I’m efficient. You’re just uptight."

Mu Qing’s hand froze mid-sort, and his gaze snapped to Feng Xin. "Uptight? I’m not uptight."

"You totally are" Feng Xin replied, his grin widening. "You’ve got that stick so far up-"

Before he could finish, Mu Qing grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him. Feng Xin, caught off guard, took it square in the chest.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, grabbing the pillow and standing up. "Did you just throw a pillow at me?"

"You deserved it." Mu Qing said, his expression cool but his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Alright..that’s it" Feng Xin said, smirking as he hefted the pillow in his hands. "You’re asking for it."

Before Mu Qing could react, Feng Xin swung the pillow at him, hitting him square on the shoulder. Mu Qing stumbled back, momentarily stunned.

"You did not just do that." Mu Qing said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh..I definitely did." Feng Xin replied, already preparing for a counterattack.

Mu Qing grabbed another pillow, his usual composure slipping into something almost playful. "You’re going to regret that, bastard"

The next few moments were a blur of fluffed-up chaos. Mu Qing lunged, swinging his pillow with surprising precision while Feng Xin retaliated with wild, over-the-top swings that sent feathers flying into the air.

"Is this all you’ve got?" Mu Qing taunted, dodging one of Feng Xin’s attacks.

"Careful or I’ll aim for your head next!" Feng Xin shot back, laughing as he blocked Mu Qing’s next swing.

The room quickly descended into a flurry of white feathers, both of them too caught up in the moment to care about the mess they were making.

"Stop dodging!" Mu Qing huffed, trying to land a solid hit.

"Stop missing!" Feng Xin countered, grinning as he darted out of range.

Finally, with one well-timed swing, Mu Qing managed to knock Feng Xin off balance, sending him sprawling onto the bed. Triumphant, Mu Qing stood over him, pillow raised.

"Give up?" Mu Qing asked, his tone smug.

Feng Xin looked up at him, breathless but still smiling. "Never."

In a split second, Feng Xin grabbed Mu Qing’s wrist and pulled him down onto the bed, rolling them both into a tangle of pillows and laughter.

"C-cheater!!" Mu Qing exclaimed, struggling to free himself.

"Strategist" Feng Xin corrected, pinning him lightly. "Big difference."

For a moment...they froze, their laughter fading as they realized how close they were. Mu Qing’s chest rose and fell against Feng Xin’s, his cheeks slightly flushed from exertion..or maybe something else entirely.

Feng Xin’s smirk softened as he looked into Mu Qing’s eyes. "You’re surprisingly competitive, you know that?"

Mu Qing blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in Feng Xin’s tone. "You’re annoyingly persistent."

"Yeah, well..." Feng Xin hesitated, his voice quieter now. "I wouldn’t have it any other way."

Mu Qing’s breath hitched, his usual sharp retort failing him. Instead, he looked away, his face turning red. "You’re an idiot" he muttered.

Feng Xin chuckled, releasing Mu Qing and lying back against the pillows. "Maybe. But you put up with me anyway."

Mu Qing sat up, smoothing his ruffled hair and trying to regain his composure. "I only tolerate you because I don’t have a choice."

"Sure" Feng Xin said, his grin returning. "Keep telling yourself that."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, the room still a mess of feathers and pillows.

"You know.." Feng Xin said eventually, his tone more serious. "This was... fun." Mu Qing glanced at him, his expression softening. "It was ridiculous."

"Yeah..but you laughed" Feng Xin pointed out, giving him a sidelong glance. "I don’t see that often."

Mu Qing rolled his eyes but there was no denying the small smile tugging at his lips. "Don’t get used to it."

Feng Xin leaned back, his arms behind his head. "Too late."

As the moonlight bathed the room in silver, they sat there together, the unspoken tension between them now softened by a shared moment of laughter and closeness. Neither of them said it aloud but something had shifted..something that couldn’t be undone.
_

The next morning, the room was still a mess, feathers scattered everywhere. Mu Qing grumbled as he tried to clean it up..muttering about how Feng Xin never took responsibility for anything.

Feng Xin, sitting on the bed with his arms crossed..smirked as he watched Mu Qing work. "Hey, it’s your fault for starting the fight."

Mu Qing glared at him but didn’t argue. "Just... shut up and help me."

As they worked side by side to clean up the mess, there was a new warmth between them..a sense of ease that hadn’t been there before.