Work Text:
When Yue Qingyuan woke up in the middle of the night, he wasn’t quite sure what had disturbed his sleep. All he knew was the uneasy feeling settling in his gut, as If something bad was about to happen. Sitting up in his bed, he looked around in the darkness of the rented room but he found nothing amiss. Still, the bad feeling persisted and Yue Qingyuan knew better than to ignore his instincts. So, he got up, dressing hastily and slipped out into the dark corridor.
He had no reason to hide his presence, and yet, Yue Qingyuan moved quietly through the empty hallways. He didn’t care for disturbing the other guests, but that wasn’t the real reason he was so careful. Just when he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spotted a familiar figure slipping out through the front door. Trading stealth for speed, Yue Qingyuan easily caught up, catching Shen Qingqiu just outside of the inn. “Wait,” he called out, even as his hand already closed around Shen Qingqiu’s arm, stopping him from going any farther.
The confusion quickly bled off of Shen Qingqiu’s faced only to be replaced by a familiar sneer as he recognized his captor. Abruptly, he yanked his arm free, taking a step back as he did.
For a moment, Yue Qingyuan fought the impulse to tighten his grip, keeping Shen Qingqiu close until he remembered what was appropriate. He let go with a rueful smile. “What are you up so late?” He had the sinking feeling that he knew, where Shen Qingqiu was heading. They had passed a brothel on the way to the inn, and Yue Qingyuan wasn’t unaware of his Shidi’s less scholarly habits. Still, he pushed on. “Couldn’t you sleep?”
The fleeting shock on Shen Qingqiu’s face, the tell-tale twitch of something haunted, it revealed far more than Shen Qingqiu’s words ever did. Under the pale moonlight, he looked exhausted, faint dark circles under his eyes. He looked so lost. “It’s none of your business,” Shen Qingqiu finally replied, his voice bitter. “Don’t bother.”
Closing the distance between them, Yue Qingyuan stepped closer to Shen Qingqiu, giving him a placating smile. “Come back inside. If you were to be seen –“
As soon as the words had left his mouth, Yue Qingyuan became aware of the mistake he just made. It was clearly the wrong thing to say. Fury flashed through Shen Qingqiu’s eyes as he raised his chin in defiance. “What would happen? Would I bring shame to Cang Qiong Mountain?” he sneered, drawing himself up to full height. Now, he was the one stepping closer to Yue Qingyuan, threatening him with presence alone. “Or is it you that’s ashamed of me?”
His words stung, sharp barbs digging into Yue Qingyuan’s skin but he was used to it. His Xiao Jiu had every right to be angry at him. “Don’t be like this,” he said, brushing the question off with practiced easy. “Come back inside.”
Gently, he wound an arm around Shen Qingqiu’s thin waist, placing a placating hand on his lower back to guide him back inside. When Shen Qingqiu didn’t pull away right away, it felt like a victory.
“Please,” Yue Qingyuan added, as an afterthought. It was telling that Shen Qingqiu didn’t push him away, even more, that he swayed, leaning more against Yue Qingyuan when he carefully pushed Shen Qingqiu back towards the inn.
It was as if all the fight had been drained from Shen Qingqiu the very moment Yue Qingyuan’s hand had come to rest on him. It dawned on Yue Qingyuan just how exhausted Shen Qingqiu must be. They have been on the road for over a week now. Had Shen Qingqiu not gotten enough sleep?
Not for the first time Yue Qingyuan felt like he wasn’t getting the full picture, like he was missing something important. But that hardly mattered now. As he led Shen Qingqiu back inside, his weight rested heavy against Yue Qingyuan’s side, his warmth bleeding through the fabric. There was no doubt that Shen Qingqiu was dreadfully tired.
As he helped Shen Qingqiu up the stairs, Shen Qingqiu suddenly lifted his head, staring at him with tired eyes. “You’re pathetic,” Shen Qingqiu mumbled under his breath, an edge of desperation in his voice. It didn’t sound like he was really talking about anyone other than himself. It made Yue Qingyuan’s heart ache.
“I am,” he agreed anyway, giving Shen Qingqiu what he wanted to hear. Not for the first time Yue Qingyuan wished he could steal him away, wrapping him up and keeping him away from anything that could ever hurt him.
He knew very well that Shen Qingqiu would never allow as much. But, for tonight there was at least something he can do for his Xiao Jiu. Guiding Shen Qingqiu back to his room, he helped him settle onto the bed. Shen Qingqiu was unusually quiet, letting Yue Qingyuan do as he pleased. It was as if all of his exhaustion suddenly caught up with him, leaving him pliant in Yue Qingyuan’s hands.
Stretched out on the bed, Shen Qingqiu looked incredibly young and so vulnerable that Yue Qingyuan couldn’t help but remember the dirty child he once was. Mindlessly, he reached out, brushing Shen Qingqiu’s hair out of his face, his touch lingering. When Yue Qingyuan realized what he’s doing, he froze, already preparing for the harsh scolding he was about to get. But Shen Qingqiu only nuzzled into his touch, clearly half-asleep already and Yue Qingyuan’s sentimental heart melted in his chest. His face almost hurt with how wide his smile is.
He continued petting Shen Qingqiu’s silky hair until he was sure his Xiao Jiu was finally asleep. It was hard to leave, but in the end, Yue Qingyuan knew he shouldn’t linger. But when he moved, a sudden grip on his robes made him stop. Consciously or not, Shen Qingqiu clearly didn’t want him to leave and Yue Qingyuan had always been unable to deny him anything. With a small smile tucked into the corners of his mouth, he resigned himself to face Shen Qingqiu’s fury in the morning as he settled onto the small bed next to Shen Qingqiu.
For one night, everything is how it should be.