Work Text:
Long hours passed, in which Jinshi spent dealing with responsibilities that never seemed to end, handling them as efficiently as he could while trying to suppress a growing urge inside him to not be in this place at all, but somewhere else entirely, with only one person.
Jinshi sighed, placing his hand on the side of his face with his elbow resting on the desk, and closing his eyes, he let his mind drift away. The first thing he thought of was his wife, Maomao, wondering throughout his long hours of absence: Had she eaten her meals on time, or had she ignored them in favor of spending her time tending to her greenhouse with its various plants and herbs, and to her medical laboratory with all its medicines and herbal concoctions of her own making?
The furrow between his brows smoothed out, the tense muscles around his mouth and jaw relaxed, and the corners of his lips curved upward involuntarily.
For the first time that day since leaving their home, Jinshi managed to take a deep, relieving breath—without that unbearable suffocation rushing back—strengthening his resolve to finish what remained before him until he could return... to her.
Which did not take much longer. Finally, after midnight, his work for the day was completely finished. Every step that carried him toward their bedchamber felt faster and lighter; as all that occupied Jinshi’s mind was the nearing bliss of laying eyes on Maomao, whether she was awake or asleep—though he wished to find her sleeping, hoping she had not stayed up waiting for him as she usually did.
Jinshi did not want to eat a light snack to quiet his hunger, nor did he even want to change his clothes; he wished only to remove his shoes, lie down immediately beside his wife, gaze at her face and her cute, sometimes strange sleeping posture, and wrap himself around her warm body. And if she were to move in her sleep, wrap her legs and arms around him, and bury her face into his chest, he would be happier than he had been in a long time...
And he did indeed find her sleeping, but not as he had hoped. She was not lying comfortably in bed, but was asleep on the couch, bringing a furrow back between his brows as a frustrated sigh escaped him.
Jinshi approached on his tiptoes, careful not to make a sound that might disturb her. The room’s lighting was dim, with one of the lamps resting on the table beside the couch. Maomao was lying down with her knees pulled up, a light blanket covering her body, the book she had been reading resting on her lap, her head leaning on her right shoulder, her face turned toward the couch, giving her back to the other side.
Jinshi shook his head; here she was again, enduring despite the late hour and insisting on waiting for him until exhaustion finally claimed her! Sleeping on that hard couch could not have been comfortable at all...
He hesitated between gathering her into his arms to place her in bed, or settling for leaving her as she was so as not to interrupt her restful sleep.
Nevertheless, by the time he finished changing out of his formal robes into nightwear, the fatigue and exertion he had endured took their toll. Smiling, Jinshi scratched his head; perhaps a little replenishment from his wife wouldn't hurt...
Carefully, Jinshi climbed onto the edge of the couch and extended one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back to straighten her body fully. Avoiding moving her roughly, he rested her on her side.
Maomao was so light in his arms; it was clear just how much she needed to pay attention to her diet! He would try to take time off to personally see that she was fed...
In the remaining space, Jinshi lay down behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist neither too tightly nor too loosely, pulling her slowly toward his chest.
Maomao stirred slightly, humming something inaudible, so Jinshi stopped moving altogether and waited; shifting closer to him, she pressed her back against his chest.
The entire space was filled with her warmth, which seeped into him, relaxing his shoulders and completely melting away the tension in his back muscles. Jinshi settled into place and reached out to pull the blanket back over them both.
He buried his face in her cascading hair and inhaled deeply, met by her scent that he knew by heart—a blend between the softness of camellia oil and the fragrance of wild lavender that she had spent her day harvesting and drying... This was her scent, one that resembled her alone, and no one else.
Feeling a light heaviness weigh upon his eyelids, Jinshi took a deep breath, a relaxed smile carving its way onto his lips as he pressed a soft kiss onto her hair.
—
Jinshi woke up to something that, had he always woken up to every morning, would have energized and delighted him for the rest of the day...
Maomao had changed her position to face him directly, her palm resting on his chest. She did not move afterward, spending her time simply gazing at his features. Before long, she reached out her hand to touch his face; lightly, she let her fingertips trace the side of his face, moving over his cheek and down to his jawline and chin.
His heart began to race; Jinshi tried at least to control his eyelids so they wouldn't flutter, and to suppress the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth. It seemed he failed, as Maomao cleared her throat and quickly pulled her hand away, whispering, “So you're back...”
He opened his eyes slowly, and under the soft lighting, he could distinguish her features; beneath her eyelids, dark circles had formed, mirroring his own—though his were far darker. He answered, “Yes, I'm finally back.”
A crease formed between her brows, and a slight frown appeared on her face, “Why didn't you wake me? Falling asleep here couldn't have been comfortable for you!”
The smile on Jinshi's face gradually faded, “Why are you thinking about my comfort instead of taking better care of yourself? You should have gone to sleep early in bed instead of waiting for me...” He didn't want to turn it into an argument, so he added while cupping her cheek with his hand, "Maomao, I'm sorry for being late again and making you wait in vain...”
Maomao shook her head, placing her hand over his, then moved it as if to pull his hand away, but changed her mind and pressed down on it instead. “There's no need to apologize to me; this is your duty, and I know it isn't something you chose. I knew very well what I placed myself into, and I have accepted it completely...”
She continued with confusion, turning his hand away and looking anywhere but his eyes, “Besides, who said I stayed up waiting for you? It just so happened that the book was so interesting I didn't want to cut my reading short!”
A low laugh escaped him as he replied in amusement, “Ah, yes, and that was the case nearly every time I returned late! Then why was the first thing you thought of upon waking my discomfort in sleeping here?” He added, the corners of his lips curving upward, “You even kept touching my face with your fingertips, instead of considering your own state, for instance, and scolding me for leaving you to sleep like this..”
Maomao huffed, raising her hand to pinch his cheek, “Why do you become so annoying at a time like this instead of letting us go to sleep!” She looked away, her voice faltering at the end, “Of course anyone would think... about the condition of someone who was out all day and didn't return until late at night!”
Slowly, Jinshi brought his face closer to hers and delicately rested his forehead against hers, whispering as the corners of his eyes softened, “Just look me in the eyes and answer me honestly...”
Surprised by his reaction, Maomao drew a quick breath and finally met his eyes; she seemed to be searching for something in them, and for a long while, neither of them spoke—until she broke the silence with a soft whisper, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks, “It's just that... I can't fall asleep faster and easier unless I have this...” Maomao placed her hands on his chest, hoping the gesture would convey the meaning of her words.
Even so, having waited so long and desperately wishing to hear her say it after many past arguments regarding this matter, subtle hints and veiled gestures were no longer enough for him, and Jinshi couldn't stop himself from being greedy...
He said in a low, trembling voice he couldn't control, “What do you mean? What is it... that you need for that?”
It became unmistakably clear that his wife understood the reason behind his repeated questions; a small, tender smile parted her lips, the look in her eyes softened, as she pulled her forehead away from his.
Maomao raised her face toward his forehead, placing her lips against it and planting a kiss that lingered for a few seconds before pulling away, “I mean this presence... your being here...”
The flush on her cheeks grew even more enchanting, driving an overwhelming desire to feel it directly; something he did without hesitation. Closing his eyes, Jinshi brought his lips close to her cheek, letting them rest against it for seconds to feel its warmth before pressing them there.
Suddenly, Maomao pulled her face away from him, clearing her throat, "Jinshi, that's enough... we shouldn't stay up any longer than we already have!"
He chuckled and nodded, only for his wife to catch him off guard, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, closing her eyes as she sighed and rested her head against his chest. In return, he encircled her tightly in his arms.
Jinshi took a deep breath, his voice coming out hoarse as he spoke, “My Maomao, thank you...”
From where she lay, Maomao pulled her face slightly away from his chest and inquired in dazed confusion, “For what?”
“For everything... for always being with me, for never leaving me..” Feeling a lump forming in his throat, Jinshi sealed his words by pressing a gentle kiss beneath her eyelid.
The corners of her lips relaxed as she buried her head back into the folds of his robes, murmuring in a sleep-laden tone, “All of this... I will never give it up...”