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Chu Wanning knows something is off the minute he wakes up.
That is, he wakes up and Mo Ran is still in bed with him. He wakes up unmolested and indeed completely untouched. Mo Ran grumbles something beside him and shivers a little. Watching him, Chu Wanning can't ignore the way his cheeks and forehead seem darker than usual. He leans close, careful not to jostle him as he presses his forehead to Mo Ran's.
He pulls back, frowning at Mo Ran as he tucks the blanket closer around his shoulders, then turns to slide out of bed as sneakily as he can. Mo Ran remains non-the-wiser.
The sun is high in the sky, mid morning, when Taxian-Jun finally wakes up. He is woken up by a horrible hammering in his skull. It feels like rocks enhanced by some evil spirits are knocking up against his brain directly. A low groan leaves him before he even opens his eyes. He lists pitifully in bed for a moment before furrowing his brows. How can he be sick? He's Taxian-Jun, he's leveled mountains and cities alike. How can a measly disease even touch him?
"I told you not to go build an enclosure for your stupid garden in the middle of a snow-storm," Chu Wanning says from somewhere beside him. He may be neglecting to add that Mo Ran went to do this in his stead, and that that was the only reason he'd gone at all, so that Chu Wanning wouldn't go out in the cold. A hand rests on Taxian-Jun's shoulder. "There's food you made yesterday. I've reheated it. Sit up."
Taxian-Jun counts to ten, concentrates on inner balance, and tries to fight off the queasy feeling in his chest as he pulls himself to an upright sitting position. The world when he opens his eyes is a blur, spinning lazily in one direction. How could that Mo-Zongshi be so careless? Look at the state of this body! Another groan leaves him before he can stop himself, but the next moment he forces his back straight. He finds Chu Wanning seated by the bed with their little table from the living room next to him. He squints at the man's severe expression.
"This Venerable One is-" He's about to say he's fine, but the words don't make it out of his mouth. Instead he starts coughing violently. Chu Wanning reaches over and rests a warm hand on his shoulder, lightly giving him spiritual energy to help him stabilize.
"Here, tea," Chu Wanning says once Mo Ran's coughing fit subsides, handing him a cup of tea. "Drink slowly, it's still hot. It will help the sore throat."
Taxian-Jun watches the cup distrustfully but takes it. His Wanning can probably not be trusted to cook decently, but at least he knows how to make tea. He takes a sip. It's a chamomile and honey brew, sweet and warm, soothing as it slides down his throat. The cup is empty after just a few sips, and he hands it back. "Wanning needn't worry. This Venerable One is fine." There is no way he's going to admit to being sick on his one day with Chu Wanning.
"What nonsense you speak." Chu Wanning shakes his head, smiling faintly in exasperation. He's so beautiful Taxian-Jun's heart squeezes in his chest. "You have a fever, you've been shaking this whole time."
Chu Wanning gets out of the chair after he sets the cup aside. He arranges the pillows on the bed against the headboard and urges Mo Ran to slide back and lean against them. Satisfied, he pulls the blanket higher to cover Mo Ran better. It's utterly humiliating!
Seething, Taxian-Jun tries to protest this babying. He goes to fling the blanket off himself, but a single tap of Chu Wanning's fingertips on a meridian in his wrist saps his meagre power right out. "Wanning!"
"Mo Ran," Chu Wanning says in his most reasonable tone. "Let this teacher return a favor, hmm?"
Taxian-Jun doesn't want a favor returned. He wants his health! He wants to tackle Chu Wanning to their bedroom floor and ravish him. Just thinking of the amount of movement that would call for is making him mighty dizzy, though. He slumps back with a fierce scowl on his face. Chu Wanning's smile - faint as it is - turns gentle.
It's rare to see Mo Ran quite this petulant and pouty, but he can't deny how cute his lover can be when he's under the weather.
"Here, your soup should help," Chu Wanning tells him, picking up a bowl from the tray and holding it in his palm, injecting a bit of spiritual energy into it to bring up the temperature a bit again. He brings a spoonful to Mo Ran's lips and waits as Mo Ran stares at the food with disdain. Eventually, though, Mo Ran relents. He parts his lips to be fed, though he looks away from Chu Wanning the whole time. What a silly boy.
With the soup consumed, Chu Wanning puts the back of his hand against Taxian-Jun's forehead. It's a gentle contact, and Chu Wanning's hand is cool against his pounding headache. He lets out a sigh of relief at the contact, but Chu Wanning tsks from beside the bed and takes his hand away.
"No…" Taxian-Jun orders, definitely not whining. "That felt good. Wanning's hand helps…"
"Lie back down, I'll bring something to help with the fever," Chu Wanning urges. Once Mo Ran has lain down, Chu Wanning leans over to press his lips to Mo Ran's forehead, pressing a bit of healing directly against his skin before heading out of the room to brew a medicinal drink to help lower the fever and prepare a small water basin and washcloth.
Taxian-Jun's sense of time is shot. He doesn't know what time it is or if he's been conscious the whole time. When Chu Wanning comes back at last, he makes him drink a bitter drink and then hands him a small candy. Taxian-Jun thinks to protest - he's not like Wanning, he doesn't need to be coddled like this…
But he opens his mouth for the candy obediently, savoring the slide of Chu Wanning's fingers against his lips. How often does Chu Wanning fuss over him like that? Being cared for by the person one loves is truly a rare and treasured event.
Chu Wanning caresses his shoulders and the sides of his neck, helping the ache Taxian-Jun hadn't even realized he had there. Once he's laid down flat on his back, he's met with instant relief as Chu Wanning rests a wet washcloth on his forehead. It isn't cold, but it's colder than his own temperature, and that finally helps take away some of the ache in his head.
"Chu Wanning…" Taxian-Jun whines, eyes closed. He'd really wished he could spend the day doing something more interesting than having Chu Wanning fuss over him like this, even though being cared for like this makes his chest feel all funny. Chu Wanning takes his hand.
"I'm here," Chu Wanning says, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "What is it?"
"This Venerable One's day is wasted…" Mo Ran sighs out, lips turned down in displeasure. The corners of his eyes are a little damp. Chu Wanning sighs and squeezes his hand a little.
"Focus on getting better. Next time, we will make up for today," Chu Wanning says.
"Promise?"
"I promise," Chu Wanning says, and then, after putting everything away, he climbs into bed beside Mo Ran and hugs him. "I'll be here."