Chapter Text
It was the sound of Zizhen’s annoying giggling that he does when he sees Sizhui doing something that he called adorable that woke Jin Ling. And how he regretted it. Because the first thing that he felt was the hot pain coming from his right shoulder down to his hand and the sharp pain to his left hip. He finally opened his eyes when he tried to move his left leg and nothing happened.
Jin Ling blinked several times trying to get his vision to focus but all he could muster was a hazy view. He breathed in sharply as another wave of pain was sent down his arm. “Z...zhen.” Jin Ling mumbled trying to get his mouth to work. His mouth felt dry while his tongue felt like it weighed a ton. A rather unpleasant buzzing in his brain was going on. But he was able to realize what this was...he’d been drugged. He tried to think about what happened before he’d passed out.
The only thing he could remember was that he was standing in the clearing with Jingyi. They were bickering of course because why not when they needed to be paying attention to the monster they were after. Jingyi was about to say something snarky when suddenly a loud roar came from behind them. He’d pulled out Suihua and strike first but then the monster’s tentacles shot out discarding him into a tree. Jingyi’s yell was loud but he couldn’t make it out.
“Zii..zhen.” Jin Ling tried again as he realized a familiar dark navy blob somewhere off past his bed. His eyes trailed down to where his left leg was propped up. That’s when he realized he was in a white inner robe and his right arm was bandaged up tightly against his chest.
Zizhen, who’d been sitting off to the side at the low table with Sizhui, turned his head upon hearing the tail end of his last name. He blinked then realized that Jin Ling was awake. “He’s finally awake!” Zizhen exclaimed, smiling bright as he got up from the table to go to his friend’s side. He leaned into Jin Ling’s vision. “You scared the shit out of us man.”
Jin Ling grunted at the sudden sight of a very blurry Zizhen in front of him. His brow furrowed because he could have sworn that the blue blob was Zizhen at the foot of the bed. “What is the blue blurd?” Jin Ling slurred, frowning more that his words didn’t quite make sense.
Zizhen bit his lip and turned in the direction of Jingyi, who was currently standing at the foot of the bed. He had on a dark blue stone dyed chiffon throw on over his robes today. “I’m guessing you’re the blue blurd?”
“And you should not be moving,” Jingyi rolled his eyes and stirred the cup of tea in his hands. It was a medicinal brew and had a heavy herb smell. With a single pointed look, he got Zizhen to move back and sat on the edge of the bed.
Reaching out, he helped Jin Ling lift his head. “You’re in the Cloud Recesses,” he informed him and held the drink to his lips. “Drink this down, all of it if you can. You’re still recovering from severe blood loss.”
“No, eat the rude.” Jin Ling slurred turning away the moment that he’d smelt the tea. It wasn’t just any old brew. It was one that Wei Wuxian had come up with. He’d smelt the man making it the last time his jiujiu was badly injured in Lotus Pier and he was there. It was an awful smell and he didn’t want it anywhere near his mouth. He didn’t care that it worked.
“You’re gonna need to drink that, A-Ling.” Zizhen responded, “And he’s not being rude. He’s helping you. Plus you’ve already drank some of it.”
“I’m not rude, I’m mad,” Jingyi warned, and it was true. He hadn’t stopped feeling desperately angry since the moment Jin Ling was dropped into the medical wing, half dead and unresponsive. He hadn’t stopped feeling helpless fear either, but the anger was more productive and he leaned heavily into it now. “You’ve kept me up for two days straight and I’m not about to lose to you now. So you are going to drink this willingly or I’m going to make you. What’s it going to be, Jin Rulan?”
Jin Ling sent him a seething glare. “Fine, eat-kin your leg.” Jin Ling sassed, then reluctantly opened his mouth. He didn’t want to drink anymore but he didn’t want to have Jingyi force feed him. He was already in a lot of pain. Jin Ling knew that Jingyi would just put the paralyzing spell that Wei Wuxian taught him to force feed him.
Zizhen snorted, looking back over his shoulder at Jin Ling’s broken leg. “Uh, buddy, you already have one. No need to have Jingyi break the other because you wanna be a dick.”
“Cursing is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses,” Jingyi shot at him before Sizhui could, giving him an unimpressed look. “I know you’re worried, but don’t let the seniors overhear you or it’ll be handstands for you instead of making gooey eyes.”
He looked back at Jin Ling while Zizhen made an alarmed series of noises and leaned in close, gently cupping Jin Ling’s face to pull down his eyelid with his thumb. “How’s the vision?” he asked, watching those amber eyes carefully to see how well they focused.
“I’m sorry. You just won’t like what that meant if the tea wasn’t messing with him.” Zizhen apologized before moving back to where Sizhui was.
“Get out the rain.” Jin Ling answered blinking out of reflex but also slightly twitching as the hot pain in his arm was spreading towards his hand.
“It’s not raining, it’s snowing,” Jingyi said with a small, tight smile. He noticed the painful twitch and looked down at his wound, gently soothing it with a flow of qi. “Better?”
“He’s not talking about the weather. He’s talking about your eyes. He says your eyes are the color of a rainy day.” Zizhen informed him with a snicker, “He wants you to move your face back.”
Jin Ling felt the coolness of Jingyi’s qi chasing the heat away. Jin Ling huffed like he’d been running and gave Jingyi a head nod as the pain faded. His face blushing from Zizhen revealing his secret. He’d only ever told his mother and Zizhen that. Jin Chan was right. Secrets were better kept with one person you trust the most.
“You rude turn-kin.” Jin Ling bit out.
“Ah, ah, ah! You heard what Jingyi said.” Zizhen teased his friend.
Jingyi sighed and sat back as asked, holding up two fingers instead. “Nod or shake your head. Can you see my hand clearly?”
Jin Ling tried to focus, he really did. But he couldn’t. Jingyi’s normally slender fingers were just a blob. He shook his head. But he knew that it wouldn’t get better the longer he was on the medicine without proper food. “Ribs eat me.” He responded.
“Oh buddy, they aren’t going to have that here.” Zizhen frowned.
Jingyi looked up at him as he took Jin Ling’s wrist and sent more soothing qi into the man. “What did he want?” he asked tiredly.
“Pork rib soup.” Zizhen answered, folding his arms over. “The closest you all might have is banmian but I don’t know if you’d have everything.”
Jin Ling made a whining sound as the cooling sensation of Jingyi’s qi moved through his bruised right arm. His eyes felt heavy again as the medicine that Jingyi had been feeding him was starting to take effect.
“I do,” Jingyi said softly and gently settled Jin Ling’s arm down again. “I asked Lady Jiang for her recipe and I always keep what is needed on hand just in case,” he admitted before leaning in to cradle Jin Ling’s temple against his palm, his thumb stretching to press between his brows where his red marking was little more than a smear with one more soothing hum of qi. “Sleep some more for me, Rulan, and I’ll make you pork rib soup. Deal?”
“Eat my mind.” Jin Ling responded, his eyes fluttering shut icy chill made the buzzing go away. It was like heaven as his mind finally started to rest and not think about the pain in his limbs. He let out a little groan from his throat before falling back asleep.
“Oh, heavens.” Zizhen swooned from where he was watching them. His own hand intertwined with Sizhui’s.
Jingyi rolled his eyes, but still smiled at them, too tired to blush the way he would have normally. He’d been in love with Jin Ling for years and his other two best friends had gotten wise. Usually it was a blessing, but sometimes their gentle teasing only served to remind him of what he was missing and tonight he was too strung out to stop the ache it caused.
“You can go sleep now,” he said, rubbing his brow in exhaustion. “He’ll be out ‘til morning, considering the dosage.”
“We did that last night. How about you do that.” Sizhui suggested. He wasn’t blind. He knew the reason why his best friend had shooed away the other healing disciples to take care of Jin Ling. Sizhui gently let go of Zizhen’s hand and stood up. He walked over to Jingyi and put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “The rest will help. Soon you won’t be able to use your core to help him heal.”
Jingyi shivered at that touch and slowly turned his gaze to Sizhui’s gentle eyes. “I…” he started, throat working around a thick lump. He ducked his head and took Jin Ling’s hand, afraid even now that he wouldn’t feel the warmth there, or a pulse. “I almost lost him… I don't think i can…”
Sizhui wasn’t going to make him say it. He could feel the pain coming off of him. Sizhui glanced down at Jin Ling and understood what Jingyi wasn’t saying. He didn’t know what he’d do if he was in Jingyi’s place with Zizhen laying on the bed, wounded so bad he nearly died.
“We’ll go grab the cot and fresh robes. But you have to sleep. If Lan Qiren finds out, he will make you go to your jingshi and he’ll have the others come back.” Sizhui stated, lightly squeezing his shoulder.
Jingyi sighed at that, but nodded. “Could you… bring that tea?” he asked, knowing Sizhui would know what he meant. It was a tea specially made by Lan Qiren himself to soothe nerves and promote deep, dreamless sleep. If there ever was a night to be without dreaming, it was this one. “Please?”
“Of course.” Sizhui answered with a soft fond smile. He gestured for Zizhen to follow him. Sizhui patted his shoulder lightly before walking out of the room. Sizhui and Zizhen left the room quietly. It was a few moments before Zizhen returned with the cot. It took a little longer but Sizhui returned with a tray of tea. The sheets for the cot where cover his arm folded perfectly to keep from dragging the floor.
“Come over here and drink this while it is hot and I’ll make your cot up.” Sizhui instructed.
Jingyi did as instructed and sipped the tea, nursing it as he kept his dark rimmed eyes on Jin Ling. He knew the man would wake up, but only yesterday that certainty had been halved. It felt like climbing a mountain, only breathing once reaching the top. He felt his blinking slow considerably as he sank into the tea’s effects.
“Thank you, A-Yuan,” Jingyi said, using Sizhui’s childhood name the way he only did when he felt his most vulnerable and most grateful.
“You’re welcome, A-Yi.” Sizhui responded, using the same endearment. His gaze was soft as he finished the cot. He glanced at Zizhen nodding for him to leave. ZIzhen gave Jingyi a respectful nod before stepping outside. “Let me have those outer robes and I will wash them.” The new robes, that’d been hidden under the blankets, were neatly folded on the stool by the bed.
Jingyi nodded and pulled off the robes, handing them to Sizhui. He’d dress in the morning, gods willing, and not a moment before. He couldn’t take any more nightmares. He felt like he’d downright shatter if he didn’t get a full night’s rest. “Thanks. Get some sleep.”
“You’re welcome.” Sizhui replied, taking the clothes. “Get some rest. I’ll come back in the morning with breakfast.”
Jingyi nodded again to show he’d heard, then sighed as he was left alone. He took a moment to gently touch Jin Ling’s wrist one more time, taking comfort in the pulse still beating there strong. He leaned down to kiss his forehead, but stopped himself halfway and shook his head, moving to the cot to sleep.