Chapter Text
Sitting not quite alone at a not quite meeting, Shen Qingqiu finds himself watching the others around him socialize. It’d been too long of a day for him to feel like talking to people, thankfully everyone left him alone to sit at his table and drink his tea. Well, everyone but Yue Qingyuan, but he was being mercifully quiet for the most part. Quiet enough for Shen Qingqiu to forget he was there every once in a while. The scholar would lean to look at something and almost bump into his shixiong. Reach over to wave at someone and bump into his shixiong. Look over and be surprised his shixiong is there. Really, how does he just disappear from his conscious like that?
So, of course he forgets again. He already set his fan down somewhere , he’d stared off at a wall while someone was talking to him, and almost tripped over his own robes, perhaps he should have skipped this meeting. It really wasn’t his day. He fishes around in his sleeve and pulls out a small folded white packet full of medicine. Taking it is routine by now - thankfully, since the taste when it’s not mixed into his tea is absolutely disgusting - so he barely registers the action of unfolding the packet and swallowing down the medicine with a gulp of tea. Disgusting .
“Ah, how is shidi feeling?” Zhangmen-shixiong’s voice startles him and almost makes him choke. Really shixiong???? Shen Qingqiu pats at his chest as he attempts to clear his airway, only slightly startled by his shixiong’s hand patting his back. “Apologies…”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m feeling fine.” he shakes his head, ignoring his brother’s keen gaze; “I simply don’t want to forget.”
“En. Shidi has gotten quite forgetful lately. Is he tired perhaps?” his elder asks with a questioning smile. Thinking back to all the paperwork, Binghe’s shenanigans , and disciples needing his attention, he can’t help but sigh. You don’t know the half of it, shixiong….
“Quite.” he responds simply in turn.
“Because you sleep all morning.” Liu Qingge’s voice approaches them from behind, sporting its usual irritated tone. Why is he still here?
“Ah, hello, shidi. Do you need some-” he pauses when the other man holds out his fan; “Thank you.”
“At this rate we might as well strap the things to you.” the warlord huffs. The image is undeniably hilarious, so he allows himself a single amused smile before he hides himself away behind his fan again.
“Sit with us, shidi? People have been avoiding this table.” he offers.
“I’m leaving.” Well, that answers that then. The crisp steps of Liu-shidi’s boots ring out as he leaves the hall, other people murmuring as he shoves through their way.
“Charming.” Shen Qingqiu says as he returns his attention to his tea.