Work Text:
“When will this heat break?” Nie Huaisang whined as he wiped his forehead as he gazed out the window at the courtyard. It’d been almost a month without rain in Qinghe. He could have sworn that it was the hottest summer he’d ever experienced in his life and the humidity was worse. At night they’d have thunder and lightning storms but no rain. He groaned when the door to his office opened. Nie Huaisang turned around to find Nie Zong Hui standing there. A sheepish expression on his face.
“Do not tell me…”
“Yes, young master Nie.” Nie Zong Hui responded with a nod. A small stack of letters in his hands, and to Nie Huaisang’s last bit of patience they were from Yanbin. The old mule had a stack ready for him when he’d come in after breakfast with his husband.
“That bas…” Nie Huaisang started but stopped with the unimpressed look on Nie Zong Hui’s face. “Fine, but I’m stopping at dinner time. I won’t work late tonight. I’ve been working too late this past week.”
“I’ll leave them on your desk.” Nie Zong Hui responded.
“A-Yao’s.” Nie Huaisang mumbled as Nie Zong Hui shook his head with a smile as he dropped the letters onto Nie Huaisang’s desk. Then he lifted up the completed papers that needed to be delivered to their proper disciples and elders.
“I will go ahead and deliver these.” Nie Zong Hui said as Nie Huaisang waved him off with a wave of his hand.
Nie Huaisang sighed and went back to his desk. It’d be better if he just finished the small stack. As much as he’d love to just let the old bag stew it would just make matters worse if he did that. Besides, he didn’t want to ruin his evening with his husband thinking about what could be in the stack. So, he sat down untying the small bundle and got to work. He hoped that Mo Xuanyu was doing alright.
Back in their rooms, Mo Xuanyu let out a small sigh. It’d been too hot to take his horse out and so he’d opted to stay inside. He’d had experience with this kind of heat but it’d been different. Yunmeng had heat waves and the humidity was different. There were also lakes that one could go swimming in to stave off the heat. Which gave him an idea as he looked at the bare courtyard through the open doors in their main room. Nie Huaisang had talked about them redesigning it. While wishing for some rain or at least a cool breeze, Mo Xuanyu wondered if they could put a pool there? He’d talk about it more with Nie Huaisang when he returned from his work. And what better way to start the conversation by showing him some of the ideas. Now, he wasn’t as good of an artist as his husband but he do his best. His husband was always encouraging him to do as he’d liked and offered his own supplies to Mo Xuanyu to use. So he went to Nie Huaisang’s study and grabbed some paper and some charcoal.
It was nearing dinner time when Nie Huaisang heard the first crack of lightning. He jumped and was so glad that no one else had been in here with him. He’d sighed and rubbed his temples. Between the heat and Elder Yanbin’s last letter, Nie Huaisang was getting the worst kind of headache. One that could only be cured with some wine and his beautiful husband’s company. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes while he continued to rub. The pounding in his ears was making it worse. He was just about to get back to work when he realized that the sound wasn’t his ears. It was coming from the roof. He blinked and looked out the window. It was raining so hard that it was almost white out.
“Did you hear that?” Nie Zong Hui asked, poking his head inside. His eyes blinking and knowing that loud sounds like that would sometimes startle Nie Huaisang.
“It’s raining.” Nie Huaisang answered gleefully. He grabbed a clean piece of parchment and responded back to Elder Yanbin’s letter quickly and with his first instinct response. It’d probably be sent back tomorrow with some complaints but he didn’t care. He wanted to get back to Mo Xuanyu. “And I am going to enjoy it with my husband. I’m done for the day.”
“Alright, I’ll make sure to get them taken care of.” Nie Zong Hui responded, striding over to the desk and taking the replies to the letters that’d been sent earlier. “Enjoy your evening.”
“I think I will.” Nie Huaisang replied as he stood up quickly despite the pain. Then he set off to get back to his rooms. He couldn’t help but love the sight of it as he watched the rain fall while he walked.
In the main room of their quarters still, Mo Xuanyu had been working on his sixth design for their courtyard when the lightning cracked the sky open. He could tell it was going to actually rain this time by the smell in the air before it even happened. A huge grin slid across his face the moment the rain fell. He’d been hot and sweaty but the air was cooling now that the rain had come. So, he stopped drawing and got up. He’d only been clad in his trousers due to the heat and being in their rooms all day.
Mo Xuanyu walked to the edge of the porch reaching his palms out. The heavy rain beat against them but it felt good against his hot hands. He let out a small breath then stepped out into the courtyard letting the heavy shower come down on him.
Nie Huaisang entered his shared quarters with his husband expecting him to be in the main room like he always was reading. But what he found when he entered was drawings sprawled across the low table. They were rough sketching of what their courtyard could be. A warmth blossomed in his chest at the sight, and it had nothing to do with the heat. It had everything to do with the fact that Mo Xuanyu was showing that he felt like this was his space. He’d taken the supplies without asking.
He reached down taking one of the sketches to see it better. It really caught his eye and reminded him of the private docks at Lotus Pier. That’d probably been Mo Xuanyu’s inspiration since he recalled that at one time the man had been stationed there. He was just about to call out for his husband when he realized the doors to the courtyard were open and someone was standing there. Nie Huaisang paused. No, not someone. It was Mo Xuanyu. He was standing there with his back turned to him and those toned arms stretched out with his head up towards the heavens.
The man was beautiful and the sight would be forever burned into his mind. His fingers itching to paint the memory. He would, oh he would later, but now he wanted to enjoy it. His eyes tracing over his husband. The all too familiar wave of want flowed through his veins.
Nie Huaisang’s breath caught and he let out a sound that must have been loud enough for Mo Xuanyu to hear because the man lowered his head and arms to look over his shoulder at him. His ash colored eyes were mesmerizing as the rivellets of water slid down his face. The long raven hair that was normally kept in a high ponytail was lowered from the water weighing it down.
“Join me?” Mo Xuanyu asked, feeling brave at seeing the want in Nie Huaisang’s eyes, extending his hand towards him. His heart beat fast as he watched Nie Huaisang set the paper down and walk to the porch. There Nie Huaisang stripped down to his thin inner robe and trousers then reached out to take Mo Xuanyu’s hand. Mo Xuanyu brought his hand to his lips then slowly guided his husband out into the rain.
Mo Xuanyu stilled, his lips parting as he watched Nie Huaisang lift his head up to the heaven’s like he had just moments ago. He swallowed feeling the curling heat in his gut when Nie Huaisang opened his eyes and turned them to look at him. Mo Xuanyu couldn’t help but feel lucky that this was a sight just for him. That he’d married someone so handsome and good.
“What?” Nie Huaisang asked when he saw Mo Xuanyu’s lips part but no words came out. Instead of answering with words for fear he’d lose his courage. Mo Xuanyu stepped into the man’s space where their chests brushed, bringing his other hand to cup Nie Huaisang’s cheek. His thumb gently stroking his cheek. He looked into Nie Huaisang’s questioning eyes before leaning in to capture his lips in the gentlest of kisses.