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The inn is quiet and small when Zhou Zishu drags Wen Kexing into it. The head Scorpion had paid for another weeks worth of rooms in the entire inn so it’s quiet as he picks a random room. They hadn’t said anything after leaving, the rooms still unoccupied. It would stay that way for another week in the small town and so it was a blessing for Zhou Zishu as he laid Wen Kexing onto a bed.
He blocks the acupoints again to help staunch the bleeding before slowly peeling the robes away. Wen Kexing is ghastly underneath the layers and it leaves Zhou Zishu shuddering as it goes onto his own clothes. He doesn’t think much of it though as he quickly goes through the motions of helping Wen Kexing. He takes one of the ruined under robes and balls it up, pressing it against the shoulder would. Wen Kexing lets out a small, involuntary gasp at the pressure but Zhou Zishu ignores it. It isn’t the time to be gentle as he starts to clean and dress it.
But after, when the more serious wounds are taken care of, Zhou Zishu takes the time to be gentle. He rubs bruise oil into Wen Kexing, cleaning and dabbing at the small cuts, and bandaging them tightly. It’s monotonous and Zhou Zishu takes his time to make sure it’s right.
It takes more time to start realigning his meridians. It’s slow and Zhou Zishu feels weak after he finishes but he does finish. Wen Kexing is still ghastly but his breathing is even and his face is more relaxed. It’s something good to come out of the last day and Zhou Zishu finds himself sighing in relief.
It takes two days for Wen Kexing to recover enough to wake up and Zhou Zishu takes the time to wash and change out of the blood-stiff clothes. It leaves him exhausted as he sits beside the bed, holding Wen Kexing’s left hand carefully in both of his own as he monitors the other’s vitals. He falls asleep sitting up for what could have been half the day or just a moment. He doesn’t feel rested, never will in the next few days.
But when Wen Kexing opens his eyes, Zhou Zishu is so, so relieved. His eyes are glassy still and he can’t move more than looking to one side, but Wen Kexing is awake and that’s all that matters.
“A-Xu,” he says. His voice is hoarse and cracks and it sends Zhou Zishu leaning forward to support him to drink a few small sips of water.
“Don’t talk too much. I finally got to see you without you running your mouth.” Zhou Zishu says. It’s a weak jab that doesn’t land but Wen Kexing still smiles gently, his eyes fluttering close.
“You would love what my mouth could do other than talk.”
Zhou Zishu rolls his eyes. “You talk a big game yet you can’t even move. Shut up and go back to sleep already.”
“Missed you.”
There’s a pause and Zhou Zishu pushes his hand into Wen kexing’s hair, stroking along his cheek. His eyes flutter back open, glassy but still clear of so much fondness that Zhou Zishu can feel giddy and breathless from that look alone.
“I missed you, too. Now go back to sleep. We can talk later.”
Wen Kexing nods slightly. He clumsily tries to move his hand and Zhou Zishu sighs fondly. He catches the hand in his again, pressing a kiss to the knuckles. It’s enough to sate him as he relaxes, gripping onto the hand in his.
The next time he wakes up, he’s more alert and able to move slightly more than before. There’s a stark nervousness about him that Zhou Zishu can’t pinpoint as to why.
It makes itself known the most when he props the other up.
“What are you fidgeting for, stop moving. You’ll reopen everything before you can circulate your internal force.” Zhou Zishu snaps.
Wen Kexing pauses, almost blanching. “You saw me without clothes.”
“Are you shy now?”
“I have…”
“What I have.” Zhou Zishu says. It has a forced nonchalance at the conversation. “I didn’t want to say anything until you were comfortable but-”
“A-Xu, you’re also?”
“Yes I also have parts women usually do.”
Wen Kexing’s smile is almost blinding as he clumsily tries to grab at Zhou Zishu. He rolls his eyes but sits just a little closer, leaning into the hand that grabs his wrist and smiling gently.
“In Window of Heaven-?”
“It was well hidden when I would mention to women I seduced that I would be blindfolding them.”
“Only women?”
Zhou Zishu smiles, coy as he shakes his head. “Prince Jin used me to his full advantage. I would be undercover as a woman sometimes to bring out gossip from wives and maids.”
“You’re so sly. Who knew you could be so deceitful!” Wen Kexing says, trying to shift.
“Stop moving so much. I’ll get you some water. You also need to eat.”
“Don’t think I could eat.”
“It’s just some broth. Try to see what you can handle. It will help you recover.”
Wen Kexing frowns but nods gently. He’s exhausted, barely keeping his eyes open now that he’s comforted. He barely manages to take half the bowl of broth before he pulls back. He manages some water but after that his stomach rolls.
“I would have never thought I’d see the day that you refuse to eat anything.” Zhou Zishu says sarcastically. It makes Wen kexing smile gently.
There’s more colour in his face now after eating and he looks content as he watches Zhou Zishu finish the rest of the broth in one mouthful before putting the dirty dishes by the door. Zhou Zishu raises an eyebrow when they make eye contact and that only makes Wen Kexing grin more.
“Can I help you, Lao-Wen?”
“I want a kiss.”
The bluntness makes Zhou Zishu’s face heat slightly but he scowls to hide it. “You’re so annoying. Can you not wait until you can move to be gross?”
Wen Kexing is still smiling, looking close to falling asleep again. “Would love to fall asleep with a beauty like you kissing me, can you blame me?”
Zhou Zishu comes over. He helps lay Wen Kexing down before he sits on the bed, rolling his eyes at the expectant look. There’s no bite behind anything he says as he sits, taking Wen Kexing’s good hand, kissing the knuckles without breaking eye contact. He kisses the palm, moving to the wrist then stopping to cradle the hand against his own cheek, smiling gently. The action leaves Wen Kexing flushed, his eyes blown wide.
“Did I finally manage to shut you up?”
“I could never explain how you make me feel with words alone.” Wen Kexing says weakly. He tugs gently on the hand still against Zhou Zishu’s face. “A-Xu, I want a proper kiss. Don’t tease me.”
“Will you go back to sleep if I do? You look exhausted.”
“Yes,” he says reverently. They’re so close that their lips brush when he says it and it leaves Zhou Zishu smiling again.
It’s chaste and nothing but a brush. Wen Kexing looks so satisfied and happy regardless, closing his eyes when they pull back and all but slumping into the bed again. Zhou Zishu doesn’t pull back yet, happy at the relaxed smile on Wen Kexing’s face.
The next time he’s awake is the next morning. Wen Kexing doesn’t stir through the night and wakes near noon the next day. It gives Zhou Zishu time to slip away and bury what needs to be on the mountain before the other wakes up. But Wen Kexing’s much more lively as he’s able to circle his internal force more easily. It leaves him tired but he doesn’t ache still as he is able to sit up and eat something more substantial than broth. He’s happy being able to sit at the table with Zhou Zishu, picking up the best cuts of meat to give him.
“Why are you giving me food, you’re the one about to fall over.” Zhou Zishu had gripped.
“You talk like you aren’t skin and bones. I can’t wait until those nails are out of you, I might finally be able to hold you without thinking you’re a carcass.”
Zhou Zishu pinches one of the still healing cuts and Wen Kexing yelps at the unexpected hit.
“Shut up,” Zhou Zishu says. “I know you just want a bed partner after almost three years.”
“That is certainly a perk if you would let me into your bed.”
The way Wen Kexing purrs sends a thrill up Zhou Zishu’s spine where it used to be a chill of disgust. He side eyes the other critically before huffing, rolling his eyes.
“You are not in the condition to be talking like that. Who knows, I could take advantage and kill you still.”
“You wouldn’t. Why wait until now?”
Zhou Zishu smiles, looking over the rim of his tea cup. “Indeed, why wait.”
There’s a quiet moment where Zhou Zishu slips some more vegetables into Wen Kexing’s bowl, quietly refilling his tea as well. They’re a picture of perfect domesticity as they eat in their room together as for once they don’t argue and bite insults. There’s a stark melancholy in between them as they stew and Zhou Zishu is in no way going to break it first. Seeing everything that happened on Mount Fengya, it left them both drained and exhausted in so many ways they can’t address yet.
The two of them sit together after the food is finished in front of the window, Wen Kexing insisting that he wants to be sitting up and won’t go back to bed. He looks ready to fall over but Zhou Zishu can’t find it in himself to argue. He just sighs with an eyeroll that has no bite anymore.
They’re quiet as Wen Kexing leans against him, his eyes closed. Zhou Zishu watches the town from their window, seeing the different merchants selling and children playing. Wen Kexing sips slowly through water but is quickly fading as he leans more and more against Zhou Zishu.
“You’re ridiculous.” Zhou Zishu says softly. He pulls gently on the hand closest to his, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles. “You’re going to fall asleep sitting up at this rate.”
“Can’t sleep next to A-Xu laying down.” Wen Kexing says. His voice is a whisper as almost his entire weight is slumped against Zhou Zishu.
“At least lay your head in my lap.”
“So forward.”
“Shut up.”
Wen Kexing slowly leans down, settling on his back and sinking into Zhou Zishu’s lap. It feels like moments before he’s asleep, breathing deeply and making quiet little sighs. Zhou Zishu smiles, bringing his hand through Wen Kexing’s still loose hair, pushing it out of his face where it laid. His outer robe is over the back of the chair the two are laying on and he drapes it over Wen Kexing to keep him from getting cold.
It’s quiet as he leans back too, looking with unabashed love at the relaxed face from Wen Kexing. He gives himself a moment before he slips away. He makes sure that there’s no stirring from Wen Kexing as he does, going to fetch water for a bath. It had been too long and he knew Wen Kexing would gripe about it when he woke next.