Work Text:
Huang Shaotian crept through Blue Rain, well-aware that he was supposed to be asleep long ago. Fortunately, everyone else seemed to have followed the rules and he didn’t bump into anyone on his way back from the kitchen.
As he passed Yu Wenzhou’s room, he couldn’t help but notice that light was spilling out from inside, door slightly open and he frowned. Despite their rocky start, he’d grown to like the other player, they could even be called friends by now. With this in mind, Huang Shaotian pushed the door open, slipping into the room and he blinked in surprise at the sight.
Yu Wenzhou, cool, calm, collected Yu Wenzhou was pacing, fingers fisted in his hair as he muttered under his breath, drilling himself on Glory tactics as he went, eyebrows drawn together in a frown. He didn’t seem to notice Huang Shaotian, too caught up in his thoughts, occasionally flitting to his desk, scanning through one of his notebooks before the pacing started up again.
There was an old Glory match playing on the computer, Blue Rain vs Tiny Herb and Yu Wenzhou’s gaze occasionally flicked to the screen, mumbling his analysis as he went still pacing. When Huang Shaotian tapped him on the shoulder Yu Wenzhou startled, whipping around, eyes wide with surprise.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Were his first words and Huang Shaotian huffed at the hypocrisy, eyeing his captain, judgement clear in his eyes.
“Captain, if you aren’t asleep in your bed how can you lecture me about my sleep? I only went down to the kitchen to get a quick snack, I was asleep and then I woke up, you look like you haven’t gone to bed yet, look at your bed, still made, still perfectly smooth, that means you’ve been up later than I was, you should go to bed as well and then I can.” Yu Wenzhou shook his head, reaching for his mug, the smell of coffee reaching Huang Shaotian.
“Not yet, we have a match next week, our first match, I have to prepare, for tomorrow, for our training, so we can work on our weaknesses before then, I have to be ready-“ Yu Wenzhou didn’t seem to notice when his mug was tugged out of his hands, placed back on the desk as he paced and Huang Shaotian hummed in thought, remembering how distracted Yu Wenzhou had seemed recently, yawning behind one hand.
“Have you been sleeping?” His captain’s forehead furrowed at the question, a wave of his hand dismissing it as unimportant, attention on the screen.
“I have, a little-“ he cut himself off by pointing at the screen, “see- see there! We couldn’t handle Vaccaria’s aerial attacks effectively, meaning we were vulnerable to physical attacks-“ Huang Shaotian took advantage of Yu Wenzhou’s distraction in order to switch off the lights, the computer before towing him to the bed and wrapping his arms around him, effectively trapping him there.
“Go to sleep Wenzhou.” This seemed to shake Yu Wenzhou out of his trance and he attempted to twist out of his grip, glaring at his vice-captain though the effect was blunted by a yawn interrupting him and he subsided under Huang Shaotian’s knowing look. “You already have a plan for training tomorrow, I helped design it. Now you should rest and give your best to the team in the morning instead of being exhausted and cranky.” Yu Wenzhou relaxed into the embrace, shifting to press his face into Huang Shaotian’s shoulder, seemingly seeking comfort.
“There’s so much to do though,” he mumbled against Huang Shaotian’s skin but his eyes were already slipping shut, body forcing him to rest. Huang Shaotian’s lips curved up into a fond smile, pressing a kiss to Yu Wenzhou’s forehead, keeping him cradled in his arms, even as he fell asleep.
Huang Shaotian wasn’t sure how it happened, but somehow, it became a routine. In the lead up to a match, Yu Wenzhou would start to push himself to the limit, trying to prepare for everything and Huang Shaotian would slip into his room and pry him away from his desk. Somehow, the lure of curling up in his vice-captain’s arms had Yu Wenzhou reluctantly leaving his work in favour of drifting off, Huang Shaotian’s arms wrapped around him.
It was also routine for Yu Wenzhou to press his face into the crook of Huang Shaotian’s neck, breath warm against his skin. When he asked about it, the back of Yu Wenzhou’s neck flushed and he tucked his head more securely into his vice-captain’s neck, words muffled.
“It feels safe.” Yu Wenzhou’s voice was soft, made softer by the face he refused to pull his face out of Huang Shaotian’s neck. “It’s comforting, it helps me stay calm.” Huang Shaotian thought back to the way Yu Wenzhou would pace, heart only seeming to slow when he was pressed up against him, arms wrapped around him and his lips curved up into a soft smile, hidden from Yu Wenzhou.
“I like it too.” The confession was quiet, the unspoken I like you hanging in the air and Huang Shaotian could feel Yu Wenzhou’s smile against his skin. “Go to sleep now, everything else can wait-“
Huang Shaotian was cut off by Yu Wenzhou’s capturing his in a gentle kiss, each movement slow and reverent. When they broke apart, Yu Wenzhou leant his forehead against Huang Shaotian’s, one hand cupping his cheek, eyes bright with affection.
“Thank you for this. For taking care of me.” Huang Shaotian’s smile was almost blinding in his joy as he tugged Yu Wenzhou into another lingering kiss, time seemingly stretching out, letting them bask in the moment for a little longer.
“I’ll always take care of you.” The words feel raw, as if there was too much emotion behind them, Huang Shaotian wondered if he’d said too much, offered too much of his heart up, but Yu Wenzhou tangled their legs together, pressing his face into his neck once more.
“Goodnight Shaotian.” He pressed a kiss to his captain’s forehead, heart overflowing with warmth as he let his eyes slip shut.
“Night Wenzhou.”
After that, it was easier to lure Yu Wenzhou away from his work, tug him away from staring at endless documents, vision blurry after spending hours pouring over tactics. Before, Huang Shaotian would distract him with chatter, carefully easing pens out of his hands, hiding coffee in increasingly ridiculous places, he had a multitude of tactics to convince his captain to sleep.
Now however, now he’d drape himself over his captain’s back, arms slung over his shoulders as he pressed gentle kisses against the long line of Yu Wenzhou’s neck. His captain would then twist in his chair, head tilting up, eyes fluttering closed as Huang Shaotian captured his lips in a lingering kiss, one hand cupping his chin.
It was a familiar dance, one they both could do, as easy as breathing. Huang Shaotian would then rest his head on Yu Wenzhou’s shoulder, breath warm against the shell of his ear.
“Come and sleep captain,” he would murmur and Yu Wenzhou would follow without protest, leaving his endless notes in favour of curling up in his boyfriend’s arms, head tucked in his favourite place, content to drift off, Huang Shaotian whispering endearments into his ear.
“I love you so much.” The words were always muffled, Yu Wenzhou’s mouth pressed against Huang Shaotian’s skin but he always heard them and he always replied.
“I love you so much, now sleep.” And Yu Wenzhou’s eyes would slip shut and they’d fall asleep, wrapped up in one another.