Work Text:
The gate creaks open while Dong’er and Sui Zhou are yawning over breakfast. Dong’er leaps up and runs to meet Cheng’er halfway across the courtyard. He looks exhausted.
“Is she—?” Dong’er asks eagerly, and Cheng’er nods.
“Finally!” he bursts out, rolling his eyes, but Sui Zhou can see his grin from here.
“Do you need breakfast?” Sui Zhou calls out to him. Cheng’er has been shooting up like bamboo for the past six months, and eating enough to account for it. Sui Zhou doubts anyone in the Pei household has had the wherewithal to feed him in the last twenty-four hours.
Cheng’er nods easily, loping over to the dining room; he’ll be as tall as his jiujiu by the time he finishes growing, Sui Zhou thinks.
Dong’er hurries to the kitchen for another bowl, then loads it up with food. Cheng’er starts wolfing it down before it’s barely touched the bowl.
“Is it a boy or a girl?” Dong’er asks, unable to contain her excitement.
“Girl,” Cheng’er says shortly, through a mouth full of mantou.
Dong’er makes a high-pitched sound of excitement. “You have a little sister!” she turns to Sui Zhou, her grin blinding. “Sui-dage! I have a cousin!”
Cheng’er makes a grumbling noise. Sui Zhou can’t help his own smile, even as he clasps Cheng’er’s shoulder in commiseration. “Dong’er, you already have a cousin.”
“I know, but… A girl cousin!”
Cheng’er rolls his eyes again, but he’s smiling around his chewing.
“Cheng’er, can we come and visit?” Dong’er asks urgently.
He nods, swallowing his mouthful, speaking before he fills it again. “That’s why I’m here.”
Dong’er gets up and dances around the table—something Sui Zhou hasn’t seen her do for years. It’s surprisingly delightful to see the familiar movements in her nearly-adult body.
“I’m going to get ready!” she says once she’s finished her circuit, and rushes off.
Sui Zhou stands, gathering her empty plate together with his. “Eat as much as you like,” he tells Cheng’er. “We’ll leave when you’re finished.”
He changes into some of his best clothes. When the messenger had arrived the night before, Tang Fan had rushed out in his house robes, so Sui Zhou retrieves his favourite outer robes from the wardrobe to take with them.
He meets Dong’er and Cheng’er in the front courtyard, Cheng’er still wiping the crumbs from his mouth, and they head out towards Pei Huai and Tang Yu’s house.
The streets seem strangely ordinary for the momentousness of the occasion, everyone going about their daily business as usual, as though Sui Zhou’s family hasn’t just grown again. Dong’er can barely keep still, though, light on her feet and chattering away, sometimes at Sui Zhou, but mostly at Cheng’er, who finally seems to be showing some excitement now that his energy has been replenished with food.
They both run ahead when they reach the house, bursting through the gate and inside. Sui Zhou moves at a more sedate pace, feeling strangely trepidatious all of a sudden. It had been difficult enough adjusting to Dong’er becoming part of his life, and she was a grown child, walking and talking and independent. How is he supposed to interact with a baby?
Pei Huai steps out into the courtyard, roused by the sound of Cheng’er and Dong’er passing through, no doubt. He has dark circles under his eyes, but his expression is one of calm happiness.
“Congratulations,” Sui Zhou says, bowing semi-formally.
“Guangchuan,” he says, seeming a bit dazed. “Have you seen her? She’s so tiny.”
Sui Zhou blinks, a smile twitching at his mouth. “Not yet. Is this the first baby you’ve ever seen, Pei-daifu?” He can’t help but prod a little.
Pei Huai shakes his head, waving off the teasing. “Of course not. But this is the first one that’s mine.” He’s grinning, now, swaying in towards Sui Zhou. He knocks their shoulders together. “There’s nothing like it.”
Sui Zhou smiles. Traditional fatherhood is something he’ll never know. But perhaps one day… If Dong’er ever gets married, there might be grandchildren.
“Come on,” Pei Huai says, placing a hand on his back to hurry him along. “I will introduce you.”
They walk through the courtyard, towards the sound of excited chattering. Sui Zhou feels a brief moment of discomfort at the thought of invading Tang Yu’s bedroom, but Pei Huai leads him straight through the door and inside. He shouldn’t have been worried. Tang Yu is propped up in bed like an Empress, neatly tucked in, surrounded by cushions and blankets. A tiny bundle is held in her arms, though Sui Zhou can only catch glimpses of it as Dong’er leans over.
Tang Yu looks up as he enters. She looks wearier than Pei Huai, but just as happy, and she smiles at him. His eyes go to Tang Fan next, where he’s sitting at the foot of the bed, staring at his sister. Sui Zhou goes to his side, and Tang Fan looks up, then stands.
“Did you see her?” Tang Fan asks him in a whisper, his tone reverent. “My niece?”
Sui Zhou nods, smiling. Tang Fan’s hand seeks his out, gives it a squeeze. “She is going to be so spoilt, Guangchuan. So spoilt.”
Sui Zhou watches as Dong’er fusses over the baby, as Pei Huai fusses over Tang Yu, and as Tang Fan tries to impart his expert advice on how to deal with a sister to a bemused Cheng’er. Eventually, Pei Huai claps his hands and declares, “Aiyo, that’s enough. It’s time for rest.”
“Dong’er.” Sui Zhou catches her attention. “Why don’t you go and make your Tang-jiejie some pear and snow fungus soup?” She’d bought the ingredients only the day before, and Sui Zhou had made sure to bring them with him this morning.
She gasps in excitement, nodding, then grabs the basket from him in one hand and Cheng’er’s wrist in the other, dragging him towards the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Pei Huai says, relieved. “I’m going to prepare another replenishing decoction.” He bows down to kiss Tang Yu’s forehead, and then the baby’s head, before sending a glance Tang Fan’s way—Tang Fan nods reassuringly, and Pei Huai leaves as well.
With just the three of them left, Tang Yu gives a sigh of relief. “Runqing,” she says. “Here. Will you take her so I can sleep?”
“Of course, Jie.”
Sui Zhou watches, breath held, as she holds out the tiny bundle. Tang Fan crouches slightly to take it in his arms, as though it’s easy. Then he looks back at Sui Zhou and tilts his head towards the next chamber of the room.
Sui Zhou follows him through. “Close the curtains?” Tang Fan asks as he moves to sit on the divan on the far side of the room, and Sui Zhou follows the instruction before turning back.
Tang Fan is holding the baby in the crook of just one arm, as though he’s not at risk of dropping her. He pats the spot next to him. “Sit down, Guangchuan. And stop looking like I’m holding a bolang!”
Sui Zhou frowns, then sits. Tang Fan angles his body to direct the baby towards him, so he’s looking into her sleeping face.
Oh.
She’s so tiny. Her nose, her mouth. Her chin. How is she so small? How did she—
Tang Fan laughs softly, the sound mirroring the unbearable lightness in Sui Zhou’s chest. “Isn’t she perfect?” he says softly.
Sui Zhou nods.
“You should hold her.”
Sui Zhou shakes his head.
“Guangchuan, you need to get used to it, if you’re going to be her jiujiu.”
Sui Zhou blinks, his heart thudding against his breastbone. Jiujiu? Cheng’er had come to call him dage; jiujiu was reserved for Tang Fan.
“Come on, come here.” Tang Fan is using his free hand to pull at Sui Zhou’s hands, to arrange them how he wants them, and then he’s holding out the baby and Sui Zhou’s protest is strangled in his throat—
“Just make sure you keep her head supported,” Tang Fan is saying, putting his hand holding the baby’s head into Sui Zhou’s palm, then taking his hand away. Her head is smaller than Sui Zhou’s hand. “And the other one can go here.” He settles the baby’s backside in Sui Zhou’s other hand.
Then Tang Fan withdraws and Sui Zhou is holding the baby.
He’s terrified.
He’s smitten.
“She’s not a piece of evidence, Guangchuan,” Tang Fan says, amusement rich in his muted tone. “Hold her closer. And relax a little.”
He forces himself to lower his shoulders. Brings his hands in closer to his chest. “Here,” Tang Fan says, moving to kneel in front of him, and he rearranges Sui Zhou’s arms a little so the baby is resting in the crook of his elbow, his hand still cradling her head.
They’re silent for a long moment. Just staring. Her little body is warm, her thick hair downy against Sui Zhou’s palm. His heart feels like it’s going to burst, and he can hardly breathe. He daren’t move.
Tang Fan is still kneeling, his hands on Sui Zhou’s knees as he fixes adoring eyes on his niece. She makes a small noise, smacks her lips, and turns her head in towards Sui Zhou’s chest.
Tang Fan chuckles softly. “Look,” he says quietly. “She thinks you’re her niang.”
Sui Zhou huffs, feeling strangely embarrassed. Tang Fan lifts his hands, tugs gently at the swaddling to free her arms. She’s perfectly fat, flesh like little rolls of dough, and Tang Fan carefully lifts up one of her hands with his finger. Once again, Sui Zhou is struck painfully with just how small it is. Tiny crescent nails. Miniature fingers, miniature knuckles. Tang Fan’s thumb looks enormous as he strokes the back of her hand fondly.
Tang Fan leans in to press a kiss to her cheek. He peeks up at Sui Zhou, and whatever he sees in Sui Zhou’s face makes his expression turn soft, his eyes fond.
The embarrassment rises again. Tang Fan reaches up to cup Sui Zhou’s face, presses a brief kiss to his cheek as well.
“I can tell already,” Tang Fan says with smug certainty. “You’re going to be her favourite.”
“She hasn’t even opened her eyes yet,” Sui Zhou says quietly, aware of how it rumbles in his chest as the baby sighs and tilts her head again.
“It doesn’t matter.” Tang Fan strokes her round little cheek with the back of his finger. “Sui-jiujiu will spoil you with the tastiest of foods, and the most expensive gifts,” he croons to her.
Sui Zhou inhales, but can’t find a response. Tang Fan isn’t wrong.
Tang Fan waggles her little hand, still resting on his finger, and ducks down to smack his lips against it, making exaggerated eating noises.
“Aiya, Guangchuan,” he groans, leaning back again. “I just want to eat her.”
Sui Zhou risks freeing one of his hands to tuck the swaddling sheets back around her protectively. Tang Fan looks up at him, pouting.
“I don’t know why Tang Yu trusts you with her,” Sui Zhou says drily.
Tang Fan laughs softly. He rises off his knees again, drops again on the bed next to Sui Zhou. He presses all up against Sui Zhou’s side, draping an arm around his shoulders to get closer, and tucks his head against the front of Sui Zhou’s shoulder, staring down at the baby.
He sighs. “Do you ever want children of your own, Guangchuan?” He says softly, after a prolonged silence that Sui Zhou had assumed was pleasant up until now.
He considers how to answer, aware that each moment he delays answering will be tallied off in Tang Fan’s over-analytical mind.
He dips his head down to press a kiss to the top of Tang Fan’s head. “I have everything I need already,” he says quietly.
Tang Fan hums, pleased, and reaches up to touch the baby’s face again, his fingertip lightly stroking the dimple in her tiny chin.