Work Text:
It started with a sneeze.
A light sneeze that Wei Wuxian didn’t notice until it happened again as well as another two times.
He burrowed deeper into the bed and focused on falling back asleep, assuming that it was just one of those random bouts of sneezes. The ones that everyone got when dust tickled their noses or allergies flared up. His flared up worry dimmed for a moment and just as sleep began to pull him back under, the sneezes came again.
Delicate sneezes that happened in succession before they ended with a faint groan and Wei Wuxian immediately knew that these were not the sneezes of an allergy. He shuffled around before pulling himself from sleep’s arms and sat up to observe the sneezing culprit.
Lan Wangji was stood in front of the wide mirrors they had in their room and was working on tying his tie into its usual perfect knot. It was a task that took him a few seconds at most before he was done and effortlessly pulling his suit jacket over his shoulders. But today was different as his fingers moved slowly with the material, taking longer than usual to tug the tie through the loop before pulling at it.
It looked weak from where Wei Wuxian could see and he waited for another moment to pass before climbing out of bed. He made his way over to Lan Wangji before placing a hand on his shoulder and turning him around. It was then that he truly saw the reality of what had hit Lan Wangji this morning.
The usual sharpness in his eyes wasn’t there and the golden tone of them had lost their dim. There were bags beneath them that signified tiredness and instantly told Wei Wuxian that Lan Wangji didn’t manage to catch a wink of sleep last night. His cheeks were flushed a soft pink and felt very warm when Wei Wuxian lifted up his hands to cup them gently. A sheen of sweat laid upon his forehead and his lips were parted to take in the air that a stuffy nose could not provide.
Lan Wangji was sick.
Terribly sick.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Wei Wuxian asked with his hands still cupping Lan Wangji’s cheeks, thumbs caressing the warm apples of them. “Did you really think you could sneak out and go to work in this state?”
“You’re a deep sleeper.” Lan Wangji responded and he was still quick with his words despite the obvious slur to them. He leaned into his touch though and his eyes fluttered closed as his body swayed itself closer to Wei Wuxian.
Goodness, he was tired and in need of sleep.
Wei Wuxian chuckled and started to make work of loosening Lan Wangji’s perfectly knotted tie. Even in the throes of a fever, the man still knew how to do everything to his utmost best which was practically perfection.
He was nearly done when one of Lan Wangji’s hands curled around his wrist and Wei Wuxian looked up at him with a questioning glance.
“I can’t,” Lan Wangji tried to protest but he didn’t make the effort to move the hand away. “I need to work.” His other hand made the attempt to tightening his loosening tie and Wei Wuxian sighed before fondly rolling his eyes. He gently pushed the hand away and continued to remove the tie with the one hand that wasn’t caught in Lan Wangji’s grip. “Wei Ying.”
“I hear you, I hear you,” Wei Wuxian replied despite continuing his quest to undress Lan Wangji from his work clothes. Unbuttoning his shirt one-handed was a bit of a task though he succeeded after a minute’s battle with it. His hand then came to rest upon Lan Wangji’s stomach and his brows furrowed worriedly, taking in the high heat that emitted from there.
“You need to rest, Lan Zhan,” he said and his words were final as he took back his other hand from Lan Wangji to help him take off his shirt. “I’m going to call into your office and tell them that you’re going to be taking the next three days off.” He raised a brow at the weak sound of protest that Lan Wangji made and shook his head in slight amusement. “I mean it. You’re going to stay home and I’m going to take care of you.”
Lan Wangji parted his lips to speak but immediately covered it with the back of his hand as he sneezed. The first one happened followed by the second one and Wei Wuxian tenderly rubbed at his shoulder as his body shook with them. Wei Wuxian waited until they had eased before slowly leading Wei Wuxian to their bed and sitting him on the edge of it. He kneeled down in front of him and went to unbuckle his belt as his lips curled into a sultry smile.
“If only the circumstances were different.” Wei Wuxian said with a sadness that was only partially feigned. That did earn him a brief laugh and he counted that as a win as his fingers unbuttoned the pants before zipping them.
“Shameless.” Lan Wangji replied fondly and Wei Wuxian laughed, his heart happily singing.
It looked like Lan Wangji had conceded to staying at home as he allowed Wei Wuxian to help him back into his pyjamas and even nestled into the soft cotton of their bed sheets. A bunny headband had been used to push stray strands of hair away from his face and he seemed a little more relaxed than he did thirty minutes ago. He looked so warm and cosy in his blue matching pyjamas with a white outline as the duvet was hooked beneath his arms while he rested them on top.
He was the epitome of comfort right now and Wei Wuxian would be lying if he said his heart didn’t melt at the sight.
“Okay, I’m going to place a few phone calls and then make you something to eat,” Wei Wuxian explained, already heading towards their bedroom door. “Jiejie always made congee whenever Jiang Cheng and I were ill and it worked like a charm.”
That definitely brought back memories of him laying in bed with a high fever and a rose that wouldn’t stop running. His colds were usually something he brought upon himself as he had been warned not to play in the rain or swim if the weather was too cold. But he had been a kid who never followed the rules and preferred to do what he wanted now before dealing with the consequences later. He never did learn from his mistakes though but took comfort in the loving arms of Jiang Yanli who made him delicious congee with chicken and extra ginger. It always did the trick and Wei Wuxian wondered if he could call her to ask for the exact recipe as he only remembered bits of it.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji hummed, his eyes already closed as his head tilted to the side and it didn’t take long before his breathing deepened. He was already asleep and Wei Wuxian smiled softly, looking at him for a moment more before closing the bedroom door on his way out.
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“Lan Wangji is ill?” Jiang Yanli asked, already worried after Wei Wuxian had told her about the morning’s events. He had placed her on loud speaker before setting his phone on the island and sitting down on one of the stools. “How ill is he?”
“Remember when I used to go swimming in minus degree weather?” Wei Wuxian questioned and chuckled at the exasperated sigh that came from the speaker. “He’s not at that level but close to it.” He rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he swung a little on the rotating stool. “I think he has been overworking himself as the law firm had been more demanding lately.” His eyes softened in their own concern as he remembered the nights where Lan Wangji would be doing paperwork into the early hours of the morning. “He’s incredibly good at his job so I’m afraid they take advantage of him a lot.”
Jiang Yanli hummed in understanding and he listened to the sounds of her doing something in the background. “Have you talked to him about it?” She inquired and Wei Wuxian took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “I’m taking that as a no…?”
“Not entirely?” He replied but couldn’t help but question himself. “We’ve talked about it in some regard but he always told me that everything was okay.” He moved back until he was able to situate his chin on top of his folded arms. “Though everything is clearly not okay and I want to help but how can I?”
“It can be hard sometimes,” Jiang Yanli admitted and shushed softly when a tiny cry of a baby perked up. “The people we love don’t want us to see them struggling so they don’t end up worrying us.” She gave another soft shush as another small cry tried to come through but was stopped in an instant. Wei Wuxian smiled as he pictured her gently rocking a fussy Jin Ling in her arms. “But what we have to do is let them know that we are there for them and that they can always come to us in their time of need,” she explained and Wei Wuxian found himself nodding. “Being there is what’s important.”
“That’s true,” he responded and thought back to all the times where Lan Wangji had been struggling, whether it be physical or emotional. Pushing him to talk never fully revealed what was on his mind and Wei Wuxian had learned that Lan Wangji preferred to sort matters out himself until he absolutely couldn’t. He was a person who often had things under control and losing that control scared him because it held the key organisation that helped keep his life together. One only knew how he came to love Wei Wuxian who did love having some formation in his life but also enjoyed going with the flow and seeing where it took him. “I just wish I could help.” He mumbled into the sleeve of his sweater but Jiang Yanli heard him loud and clear.
“I know, A-Xian,” she replied, understanding as always. “But you do help him even if you don’t see it.” Her voice then sounded brighter and it was easy to tell that she was smiling. “So I know you called for an exact reason. What is it?”
Ah, that was true!
“I was wondering if you could walk me through making your incredible chicken congee,” Wei Wuxian said, now smiling as well. “It really used to help when we got ill and I remember the basic stuff like ingredients but from there, I am so lost.”
Laughter came through the speaker and it was light and warm and Wei Wuxian was reminded of how much he missed his jiejie so much. He’d have to make plans to visit her eventually, when work wasn’t too hectic and he had the time to spare.
“Okay, I’ll help you,” she said warmly. “So what you first need to do is measure out your rice.”
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Cooking congee hadn’t been as difficult as Wei Wuxian feared and it helped that his jiejie had been with him through every stop. Their conversation turned to the mundane when the rice porridge had been left to cook on a low heat and there was a sense of calm that pushed itself out into the apartment.
He heard the bedroom door open once and hurried over to see if Lan Wangji was okay after excusing himself. He was greeted by the sight of a tired Lan Wangji warily making his way towards the bathroom as his body wavered slightly. Wei Wuxian quickly moved forward to take one of Lan Wangji’s arms and together they walked into the bathroom at a slow pace.
“How are you, Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian asked the moment Lan Wangji exited the bathroom five minutes later. He hadn’t had the chance to properly look at him since the mid-morning and it was verging on early afternoon. His attention had been fully on the congee and making it well enough to give to Lan Wangji that he had forgotten to check up on him between the hours. He lifted up a hand and gently placed it upon Lan Wangji’s forehead, his mouth curving into a frown when he noticed the heat emitting from beneath the film of sweat.
“Thirsty.” Lan Wangji murmured through parted lips, still sounding so congested that it was almost impossible for him to breath. His chest slightly heaved with his efforts and his eyes had glazed over which created the impression that he had no idea where he was. Wei Wuxian was intent on getting him back into bed and blocked his path when Lan Wangji started to shuffle towards the kitchen.
“No, no, no,” Wei Wuxian said with a shake of his head and a soft press of his hands against Lan Wangji’s chest. “I’ll go and get you some water, okay? You need to go back into bed so your fever doesn’t get worse.”
“I’m fine.” Lan Wangji tried but disproved his point by taking out a handkerchief in his pyjama pant pockets and sneezing into it.
Multiple times.
“Of course you are,” Wei Wuxian joked as he slowly turned Lan Wangji back in the direction of their bedroom. “Go back to bed and lie down, okay? I’ll be there with your water in a second and guess what? The congee is almost ready!”
“That’s good.”
“Right? It will help kick that fever and cold right out of your system!”
“...Is it spicy?”
“Just a little bit. It wouldn’t be my cooking if it didn’t hold a bit of spice.”
Lan Wangji didn’t say anything, choosing to look indifferent and utterly adorable with that bunny headband still perched on his head.
Wei Wuxian chuckled before pressing a kiss against Lan Wangji’s shoulder as his arms wrapped around his waist. His chin hooked over said shoulder and he smiled when he felt Lan Wangji relax into him. They stayed this way for a brief moment before Lan Wangji decided he had indulged enough and removed himself from the embrace. That earned a sound of confusion from Wei Wuxian who made to reach for him again as he always enjoyed being able to touch and be near Lan Wangji in whatever way possible. But then Lan Wangji managed to turn to his side and the faintest smile shaped his mouth.
“You’ll get sick.” He said and the words were simple and clean like they always were. Despite the reluctance that they both had in being apart, Wei Wuxian understood and gave a sigh before he directed Lan Wangji back to their room with two small waves of his hands. He watched until Lan Wangji made it to the door and waited until he heard the sounds of sheets rustling before heading back to the task at hand.
There were now two reasons to why Lan Wangji needed to get better, the first one being that he wanted Lan Wangji to feel good and healthy again.
While the other was a little selfish as it was him wanting to cuddle with his husband again without both of them fearing he’d also get sick. The thought of not being able to properly hold Lan Wangji caused him to pout but the sooner he feed Lan Wangji the congee and took good care of him, the quicker he’d recover.
“Is everything alright?” Jiang Yanli asked concernedly, still on the line and waiting like the absolute angel she was. “Is Lan Wangji okay?”
“He will be,” he replied, rather confident as he went over to check on the congee and saw that it was almost ready. He gave it a quick stir before lifting a tiny bit up in the spoon and bringing it towards his mouth. A brief noise of surprise left him the moment it hit his tongue and it really was like he was taken back to those days where Jiang Yanli would look after him during those tough days. He smiled as he placed the spoon down and revelled in the familiar and delicious taste. “Jiejie?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s perfect.”
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“I have congee for you!” Wei Wuxian announced as he opened the slightly ajar door to the bedroom with his hip. His hands were occupied with carrying a wooden tray that held the congee along with some chopped up fruit and a glass of water. “This is the best congee in the world as it will make you feel better in no time.”
Lan Wangji’s eyes had fluttered open and trained themselves on Wei Wuxian who walked towards the bed. He was still laying down with his head resting against his pillow and the duvet tucked under his arms. His cheeks were still flushed and his nose still stuffy judging by the occasional sniffles that Lan Wangji gave but all of that would go away soon because congee always solved everything.
And he had made some pretty good congee so it was sure to help.
The tray was placed on Lan Wangji’s lap after he had managed to sit himself up and rest his back against the headboard. He paused for a moment to gather his bearings and nodded reassuringly at Wei Wuxian when he asked if he was alright. His attention then turned to the congee in front of him which had been served in his favourite blue bowl with clouds drawn all over it. Steam rose high from the bowl and flooded the room with the lovely scent of something quite delicious.
“It smells good.” Lan Wangji complimented and Wei Wuxian smiled happily despite being more worried about the taste. It was the important aspect after all and while Wei Wuxian enjoyed it when he tried it, it didn’t necessarily mean that Lan Wangji would.
What if he overcooked the rice into complete mush?
What if he over-seasoned or under-seasoned?
And while it was not something he usually thought because it was his preference, what if he needed too much spice?
Growing up in Yunmeng had taught him to withstand even the spiciest of foods and Wei Wuxian had always loved eating a lot of spice. But he was aware that Lan Wangji had a milder palate and while he often withstood the fiery spreads that Wei Wuxian indulged in, that was when he was well and didn’t feel like the entire world had dropped on him. Wei Wuxian didn’t know if the spice would help or make Lan Wangji feel even worse and it didn’t take long for him to enter a bit of a panic.
It was too late though as Lan Wangji had already brought a spoonful for the congee to his mouth and Wei Wuxian waited with bated breath as Lan Wangji swallowed it down.
There was a pause.
A pause that wasn’t so long in reality but it felt like an eternity.
Nothing came from Lan Wangji as he looked down at the congee with slowly blinking eyes. He then settled the spoon back in the bowl and regarded Wei Wuxian with a look that he couldn’t exactly place. Then Lan Wangji nodded his approval and spooned some more congee into his mouth with a pleased hum.
“It’s good.”
The nerves that had bunched themselves up in the centre of Wei Wuxian’s chest dissipated at those words and his mouth curved into a wide grin.
“Really?” He asked excitedly and his entire body warmed as Lan Wangji nodded again, eating another spoonful of the rice porridge.
“Really good,” he answered around a sniffle and turned his attention to Wei Wuxian with a soft smile. “I like it.”
Pride fluttered within Wei Wuxian’s chest as he grinned wider. “I thought that you would. Yanli-jiejie helped me with the recipe as this is what she used to cook for us whenever Jiang Cheng and I got sick,” he said while reaching out to brush the baby hairs that escaped the headband from Lan Wangji’s forehead. “So this nasty cold should leave you alone soon and hopefully your fever will break before late tonight.”
“Mn,” Lan Wangji hummed, his head slightly leaning into Wei Wuxian’s touch before he busied himself with eating the porridge once more. “Thank you, Wei Ying.”
“No need to thank me,” he replied softly, his hand moving from Lan Wangji’s forehead to curve around his cheek. “Just rest and get better.”
Lan Wangji nodded with that faint but fond smile of his and Wei Wuxian knew that he was going to be okay.
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The rest of the day proceeded as normal as Wei Wuxian worked on a sketch for a piece he had been commissioned for while checking in on Lan Wangji from time to time. Another bowl of congee had been given to him when mid-afternoon came about and he allowed himself the treat of sitting near him as he ate, the two of them chatting about whatever they could think of. But aside from that, he had taken residence at their small dining table and kept his distance from the bedroom in order to let Lan Wangji get his rest.
It was hard having to stay away from him as they barely had time where they could spend the whole day together. Both of their jobs were high demanding as Lan Wangji worked at the firm until late and Wei Wuxian was up until six in the morning finishing off work for clients and meeting company deadlines.
Their schedules did not align, unfortunately, and whatever free time they did have was spent sleeping or lounging around the house. Wei Wuxian couldn’t even remember the last time they went together and it was those simple things he had come to miss. It seemed like the universe was taunting them by placing them both at home today but having one of them utterly sick while the other still needed to do their work. It was definitely frustrating but Wei Wuxian would take any time with Lan Wangji than none at all.
He finished off a sketch and looked it over before deeming it was now the right time to fetch his tablet. He made a quick stop in the kitchen to fetch Lan Wangji some water and walked down the hall towards their room that rested at the end of it. The door was still ajar and Wei Wuxian peeked through the gap to see if Lan Wangji was asleep. A Lan Wangji sized lump had formed under the duvet which meant he was not only still asleep but he had burrowed deep to be fully encased in warmth. It was one of the few times that this had happened as Lan Wangji usually slept ramrod straight with his hands clasped together upon his chest.
This being his default sleeping position if Wei Wuxian wasn’t in bed with him.
It was endearing to see Lan Wangji like this as he was truly was like the adorable rabbits he loved so much. Burrowing deep into their holes to avoid the harsh cold of the winter and keep themselves nice and warm. Wei Wuxian thought he couldn’t love this man any more than he did now but he was clearly mistaken.
His tablet was on his bedside table due to late night drawings and he quietly made his way into the room to avoid disturbing Lan Wangji. He had made it to his side of the bed without making much noise and was about to reach for his tablet when a small sneeze disrupted him from his mission. Wei Wuxian paused with his arm reached out, turning to look at the Lan Wangji sized lump once again before immediately feeling overwhelmed with this certain urge. His tablet had been abandoned and Wei Wuxian took off the sweater he had been wearing all the day before peeling back the duvet to find Lan Wangji peacefully asleep. The bunny headband was still secured on his head and his cheeks were still flushed and he was covered in sweat but Wei Wuxian couldn’t bring himself to care.
Let him get sick.
All he wanted to do was cuddle his sick husband back to health.
The bed was wonderfully warm when he got in and the duvet made it even better as it laid over his body. He released a soft sound of contentment before beginning his mission, shuffling his way towards Lan Wangji until they were close enough for Wei Wuxian to wrap his arms around him. It was here that Lan Wangji began to wake, sleep still in his eyes as he peered up at Wei Wuxian who had curled himself around him.
“Wei Ying.” He managed to say, his voice rough and hoarse from sleep.
“Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian replied.
“What are you doing?” he questioned and tried to pull himself back but Wei Wuxian wouldn’t let him, holding on tight. “You’ll get sick.” He made another attempt to free himself for Wei Wuxian’s sake but that wasn’t happening. “Wei Ying.”
“I don’t care.” Wei Wuxian pouted. “I haven’t been able to truly spend time with you today because of this stupid cold and it’s not fair.” He held Lan Wangji closer. “I miss being able to cuddle you and kiss you and simply be close to you. Why should a cold prevent me from doing that?” Wei Wuxian then pulled back enough to look down at Lan Wangji who looked back at him. Sleep threatened to close those golden eyes but Lan Wangji held firm and if one looked closely enough, they would be able to see the relief mixed with joy that danced within them.
He wanted this just as much as Wei Wuxian wanted this.
“Don’t push me away, okay?” Wei Wuxian said softly as his arms tightened around Lan Wangji who began to relax into his embrace. “Let us go through everything together even when things aren’t the best. We’re a team, okay?”
Those words weren’t only for now but for their future as they were a team and whatever they need to get through, they could together. Whether it be a company demanding that Wei Wuxian lower his commission fees or Lan Wangji’s firm asking for too much out of him—
They could tackle all of that with the other by their side.
It seemed to sink in as Lan Wangji released a quiet “ mn ,” and buried his face into the crook of Wei Wuxian’s neck with his arms coiling themselves around his waist. Wei Wuxian giggled into Lan Wangji’s hair as he felt a kiss or two being placed against his pulse and those lips shaped three words that still made his heart race and skip a beat. He pressed two kisses of his own upon Lan Wangji’s head and held on tight.
“I love you too.”
Lan Wangji’s smile was prominent against the curve of his jaw.