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The absence of pain when Zhao Yunlan wakes up is a sweet relief. He's comfortable and warm - other than one hand which is poking out from under the quilt - and the dim light in the room suggests it's early morning. His other hand is resting on his belly and he gives the offending body part a suspicious prod with one finger. No pain ripples outwards from the motion and he breathes out slowly. The last thing he remembers is Shen Wei helping him take his meds, easing him into bed and then sitting beside him. He’d soothed Zhao Yunlan’s sweaty hair off his forehead as he curled groggily around the pit of pain inside, before finally dropping into sleep.
But where is Shen Wei now? Zhao Yunlan opens his eyes and gets his answer. His boyfriend is sitting on a stool beside the bed, head bowed as if sleeping or meditating, but otherwise fully upright and dressed in the same sharp grey shirt and dark slacks that he'd been wearing the evening before. He hasn't even taken off his sleeve garters. Zhao Yunlan peeps through half-closed eyes at him, feeling a rush of exasperated fondness.
One of Shen Wei's hands is on the bed, fingers tangled with Zhao Yunlan's. As Zhao Yunlan watches, Shen Wei's perfect lashes flutter, he stirs, and sits up even straighter. It's frankly unfair for anyone to look this beautiful when they've been sitting up all night like a statue on an uncomfortable stool. Shen Wei's fingers tighten around Zhao Yunlan's and he leans down, his lips almost touching the back of his hand. His breath caresses Zhao Yunlan's chilly skin and he brushes a soft kiss over one knuckle, then another. Zhao Yunlan's heart seizes in his chest. Shen Wei moves as if to tuck his hand back under the quilt.
"Good morning, gorgeous," Zhao Yunlan says, voice croaky.
Shen Wei startles and looks at him with big eyes, as if he's been caught doing something criminal and not completely adorable. "How long have you been awake?"
"Not long - I've just been admiring the view." Zhao Yunlan attempts a leer but in his groggy, half-awake state it probably isn't one of his best.
Shen Wei rolls his eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine. Why aren't you in bed with me?"
A harassed look crosses Shen Wei's face, like this is a totally unreasonable question. "Your stomach?"
"It's much better."
Shen Wei's stern expression melts. "I'm glad." He gets up. "What would you like for breakfast?"
A different strategy is clearly required. "Actually, you know what would make me totally better?"
Shen Wei pauses by the bed. "What?"
Zhao Yunlan rolls to the edge of the mattress and throws his arms around the closest bit of Shen Wei he can reach - his thighs. "Cuddles!" He tries to drag Shen Wei downwards with arms that admittedly feel a little wobbly.
Shen Wei is the proverbial immovable object. "Yunlan!"
"You're so cold, baby. Let me warm you up." Zhao Yunlan nuzzles his face against Shen Wei's knee.
One of Shen Wei's hands drops into his hair. His fingers run softly through Zhao Yunlan's morning bird's nest. Zhao Yunlan smiles against his slacks-covered leg. "Come on," he whines.
Shen Wei clears his throat. "All right. But then you have to let me make you congee."
Zhao Yunlan loves Shen Wei's congee. "It's a deal."
He releases Shen Wei's knees, watching him carefully in case he tries to make a bid for freedom. Shen Wei looks down at him pensively and then climbs into bed beside him. Zhao Yunlan reaches for him and Shen Wei draws him in urgently, pulling him down so that Zhao Yunlan's head rests on his shoulder and arranging the quilt around them in a warm, tight cocoon. Zhao Yunlan winds his sleep-loose body around as much of Shen Wei's as he can and snuggles against his throat. Shen Wei's collar studs dig into his cheek and he yanks at the collar, pulling it unbuttoned so he can get his face up to more of his cold skin.
"You dummy, you're freezing. Why did you sit there all night and not come to bed?"
Shen Wei's arms tighten around him. "You were sick. I didn't want to disturb you."
Ever since Dixing - since they'd almost lost each other and the world itself - Shen Wei has been treating Zhao Yunlan like he's absurdly fragile. And, OK, sometimes Zhao Yunlan likes to be babied, but this is going too far. "Aiya, Xiao Wei." He kisses the delicate skin right under Shen Wei's jaw. "I'm human - we get sick, we get hurt. But, you want to know a secret?"
Shen Wei smoothes a hand all the way down Zhao Yunlan's back and he wriggles contentedly at the touch. "Go on," Shen Wei says.
"I'm always going to feel better when you're holding me." Zhao Yunlan kisses Shen Wei's throat again in emphasis. "OK?"
"...OK," Shen Wei repeats. His voice sounds a little tight.
Zhao Yunlan pushes himself up on his elbows so he can cup Shen Wei's lovely face in his hands, kiss him softly, whisper "I love you," against the corner of his lips. Shen Wei's mouth welcomes him in and Zhao Yunlan drinks him down like the best of medicines, feeling absurdly lucky. Then he nestles his head back down onto Shen Wei's shoulder, the steady thump of Shen Wei’s heart beating against his chest.
The bed suddenly shakes as Da Qing's four paws land on it. He pads up the quilt and sticks his cold nose into Zhao Yunlan's ear. "You're alive then?" he remarks.
"No thanks to you, damn cat."
"We cats are at the top of the food chain, we don't do nursemaiding. I'll leave that to the Prof here." He rubs his face up against Zhao Yunlan's, not as grumpy as he sounds, and then turns around so his butt is up against Zhao Yunlan's ear instead.
"Good morning, Da Qing," Shen Wei says. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Yunlan sees Shen Wei's hand start to stroke his furry back.
Da Qing stretches out luxuriantly on the quilt. "Are you making breakfast?"
Shen Wei chuckles. "Yes, soon."
Da Qing begins to purr, his body reverberating against the side of Zhao Yunlan's head. The sound lulls Zhao Yunlan into happy laziness; no longer hurting and with his two favourite people in the world beside him. He lets his eyes fall closed and his body relax against Shen Wei’s. It’s early yet, maybe there’s time for a little nap before breakfast.