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“It’s too big, Zichen! It’s too big for me to swallow!” A distressed voice wailed.
“It’s not too big. You’ll be fine. Just open your mouth,” another voice calmly reassured.
“What if it gets stuck?? What if I choke?” The first voice cried.
A sigh.
“Just drink some water afterwards.”
“B-but Zichen! I don’t want to. It doesn’t even taste good.”
“It’s not supposed to. But you’ll feel better after.”
A pout.
“How would you know?”
Song Lan refrained from sighing again.
“I’ll go and get you some candy later if you’ll just take the medicine, Xingchen,” the older man pleaded.
That caught Xiao Xingchen’s attention. He glared at the round ball of medication* Song Lan was holding, then huffed and took it. Admittedly, it was fairly large, about the size of a large marble.
“Why can’t they make it smaller?” The younger man wondered.
Song Lan picked up a cup of water as Xingchen inspected the medicine.
“That would just make this process longer. Just hold your breath and take it, it’s really not that bad.”
Xiao Xingchen closed his eyes and shoved the medicine into his mouth, grimacing as he quickly chewed then swallowed.
“Oh, it tastes awful. What did they put in there?”
Song Lan held out the cup in his hand and watched as Xiao Xingchen gulped it down to chase away the taste.
“Herbs. It’ll help lower your fever and stop your head from hurting.”
Xiao Xingchen sighed then huddled down under his covers. The younger cultivator had come down with a cold so the two companions had settled into a local inn until Xingchen recovered. To be honest, Song Lan wasn’t even sure Xiao Xingchen could get ill. At least not something so common as a cold. But apparently even students of immortals had their weaknesses.
“Baoshan Sanren’s medication never tasted so awful,” Xiao Xingchen grumbled.
Song Lan chuckled and tucked away the rest of the medicine for later.
“Just be happy you only have to take this once a day.”
“Once a day??” Xiao Xingchen exclaimed, “You mean I need to take it tomorrow, too?”
The older man raised his eyebrows and gave his companion a surprised look.
“Yes. Of course. You need to take it until your cold is gone.”
Xingchen’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock.
“I...I have to...th-that medicine...everyday???”
Song Lan gave him a sympathizing look.
“Sorry, Xingchen, but I’m afraid so.”
“No. I refuse,” the younger man said as he ducked his head under the covers and hid.
A few seconds of silence passed before the younger man peeked out once more. His face was flushed from the fever, hair disheveled, and sleeping garments in disarray. Looking at him now he looked more like a sick child throwing a tantrum than an esteemed cultivator who fought off spirits and evil.
“Z-zichen…,” he said weakly, “I don’t feel so well…”
Song Lan sat down on the side of the bed and carefully placed the back of his hand on Xiao Xingchen’s forehead. Indeed, the younger man was burning up.
“Here, lie down properly. I’ll go and get you some extra blankets. Once the medicine kicks in you’ll feel better. Try and get some sleep if you can,” Song Lan comforted as he helped his companion straighten out the covers and tucked him in.
Xiao Xingchen sniffled and pulled the blanket up to his chin, feeling miserable. He almost never got ill. Since he started training in the mountains his spiritual energy had kept him strong and healthy. If only he hadn’t gone splashing in the river the other day, lured by the sight of some children having fun. Song Lan had warned him but he had waved his companion off, thinking there was no harm. Unfortunately, by the time he had gotten out of the water, it was getting late in the day and the evening breeze was chilly. After sleeping through the night he had woken up the next morning head heavy and throat sore. Song Lan recognized the signs of a cold and insisted (for once) that they postpone their travels and get Xiao Xingchen to a doctor, who quickly confirmed their fears.
“This is the worst,” he muttered to himself, “I don’t like this feeling at all.”
Xiao Xingchen sighed in the quiet of the room since Song Lan had left to get him more blankets. Everything felt...wrong. If he moved too quickly his head felt dizzy, his throat hurt when he swallowed, he couldn’t quite breathe properly, he was tired but the discomfort kept him from actually sleeping, and he had no energy to do anything.
The room’s door opened as Song Lan returned, carrying a large duvet under one arm and a bowl of something in his hand.
“Zichen...I think I’m dying,” Xiao Xingchen whimpered.
“Are you sure? Should I go and make funeral arrangements, then?” Song Lan asked in reply as he set the duvet down at the foot of the bed and adjusted his hold on the bowl.
“Wha..no! You have to save me, Zichen! And you owe me candy for taking the medicine.”
Song Lan smiled, thinking to himself that Xiao Xingchen really was a bit like a disgruntled cat like this. Usually he was so mature, forgoing personal comfort for the sake of others. Right now, though, he was adorably needy, and Song Lan couldn’t help feeling quite lucky to be the one to witness this side of his friend.
“Yes, yes, I know. Candy. You know, sweets aren't good for you when you’re sick.”
Xiao Xingchen huffed, “Don’t care. Candy.”
The older cultivator sat down beside the younger man and held out the bowl he had been holding.
“Here, have some of this instead. I got it from the kitchen. Snow Ear and Lotus Seed Soup**, it’s good for replenishing your body’s nutrients.”
“Oh!” Xiao Xingchen exclaimed, pushing himself up to sit on the bed.
Song Lan helped him adjust his pillow so he could lean back on it as the younger man took the bowl, blowing over the top to help the contents cool down.
“I love snow ear, it’s so good,” Xinchen said quietly as he carefully tried a spoonful to test the temperature.
“I asked the chef to add in some extra sugar and goji berries for you,” the older man said as he watched Xiao Xingchen drink his soup.
“Hm..it’s really fragrant. And the lotus seeds aren’t bitter at all,” the younger man smiled as he took another mouthful.
The two men fell silent as Xiao Xingchen drank the soup, Song Lan quietly waiting by his side. Despite his earlier teasing, the older man did feel bad that Xingchen wasn’t feeling well. His friend’s usual cheerful disposition took a hit as he couldn’t enjoy himself like usual and Song Lan knew this would be particularly frustrating for Xingchen. He reached back and spread out the extra duvet he had brought wanting to keep his friend as warm as possible.
“Here, Zichen, try some,” the younger cultivator offered as he held out a spoonful of his soup.
Song Lan leaned down and opened his mouth, taking the offering.
“Good, right?” Xingchen asked as Song Lan swallowed.
“It’s...kind of sweet,” the older man observed.
Normally Song Lan rarely indulged in sweets, usually only after much coaxing by Xiao Xingchen. The Snow Ear Soup wasn’t actually that sweet compared to some of the things Xingchen gave him, but the sugary soup coated his mouth overpowering everything else.
“I know,” Xiao Xingchen laughed, “That’s the point.”
Song Lan shook his head fondly as the younger man offered him another spoonful.
“I think you better drink it, there’s more downstairs I can go and get.”
Xiao Xingchen hummed happily, finishing his soup. He set the bowl aside and brushed his fingers through his long, ebony hair. With his hair loose and completely unadorned the silky strands fell gently around Xingchen’s shoulders. He pulled it all over one side and absently started braiding it, deft fingers moving swiftly with ease.
“I’m sorry, Zichen. This has certainly slowed our travels,” Xiao Xingchen apologised.
“It’s not a big problem. We’re not on any particular schedule, anyway,” Song Lan replied.
The older man reached out, holding his palm up, “Here, give me your wrist.”
Xingchen gently placed his wrist in his friend’s hand, smiling softly as the older man brushed his fingers over the pulse point, holding steady. A few seconds passed quietly.
“Hm. Your pulse is still slightly elevated. Do you feel any better compared to earlier?” Song Lan asked.
“Um...a bit. My head doesn’t hurt so much anymore. And my throat feels better thanks to the Snow Ear Soup.”
The older man nodded, “That’s good. Take a nap, I’ll have the kitchen cook something light for dinner so your throat won’t get irritated.”
He paused and glanced towards the corner where his and Xiao Xingchen’s travel duffels were located.
“And stay away from your candy stash, Xingchen,” the older man warned, “Eat them after you get better.”
The younger man pouted and rolled his eyes at his friend.
“Fine. You’re such a mother hen, Zichen.”
He ducked back under the covers before Song Lan could respond, laughing softly to himself. He heard Song Lan mutter something to himself before moving away from the bed, walking over to the table where he sat down and picked up a book. Xiao Xingchen sighed quietly, observing his friend from the safety of his blanket. He admired Song Lan’s profile, pale skin against dark robes, defined eyebrows framing calm and deep eyes, his mouth set in a relaxed line, softening his usual stern expression. Song Lan was always so righteous and knowledgeable about the mortal world, nothing seemed to phase him. A steady pillar that Xiao Xingchen trusted and leaned upon when the complexities of this world left him confused and bewildered. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be without his friend at his side.
“Xingchen,” Song Lan’s voice called out even though his eyes remained on the pages of his book, “Close your eyes. Go to sleep.”
The younger man covered his mouth and laughed gently to himself. Of course Song Lan would know that he was being watched.
“Fine. Good night, Zichen. You’ll be here when I wake up, yes?”
The older man glanced over and met his gaze.
“Of course.”
---END---
*Traditional Chinese medication sometimes looked like this. You can't really swallow it like pills, it's too large. It's soft so you chew it (and no, it doesn't taste good x__X):
**Snow Ear and Lotus Seed Soup/银耳蓮子汤 (one of my favourite dishes. You can drink it hot or cold.):
This is what snow ear actually looks like. It's a fungus, brittle when dry and you boil it for the soup. It's also called silver ear in English:
