Work Text:
Summer on Qing Jing Peak could be brutal. The peak itself wasn’t a wasteland by any means, but there was only so much shade that the bamboo stalks could provide the disciples. The only reprieve was on the outskirts of the peak where a stream passed, and there was more lush greenery to block out the sun.
Fortunately for you, your primary duty on the peak was to care for the grand library. While others were made to haul wood, water, and other supplies around the peak, you walked the shaded aisles of the library and put away scrolls and books in their respective organized places. A job perfect for someone as methodical and gentle as yourself.
Today was especially sunny, but there was the lightest of breezes, which helped soothe the suffocating heat from the sun. You had gone ahead and opened most of the windows to the library to welcome that soft breeze. With dinner approaching, the library had steadily been cleared of everyone but you. Gently humming, you picked up some of the last remaining books left on the tables by other disciples and inspected them before heading up the stairs to the second floor to put them away. Just as you finished tucking away the last book, you heard someone call out your name.
Looking over the railing, you noticed a familiar fluffy-haired disciple lurking at the entrance of the library.
“A-Luo!” You called out cheerfully.
Apart from Ning Yingying, you were the only other disciple who was friends with the infamous Luo Binghe who Shizun seemed to hate. The three of you were close and often sought each other out to train, study, or simply hang out. As far as you knew, Ning Yingying had her quqin lessons, and Binghe– once more– had an excessive amount of chores to tackle for the day. From the looks of it, Binghe managed to get all his tasks done, if he was able to spare time to find you before dinner.
Looking up from where your voice reverberated, Binghe’s face lit up. He waved before limping forward, the smallest of grimaces diminishing his bright smile to a weak one. Immediately, your own smile vanished, and a foreboding worry settled in your chest.
“You can wait down there, I’m coming down anyways.” You said as you began rushing down the stairs. As soon as you were a few steps away from him, you worriedly asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes! No need to worry about this disciple, shijie. I came to see if you wanted to walk with me to get dinner.”
You let out a sigh and slightly roll your eyes. “Don’t call me that. You know I don’t like formalities.” You complained with a slight scrunch of your nose to emphasize your distaste for the gendered term of address.
At least having some tact, Binghe looked away bashfully and quietly apologized. “But you’re my senior… it feels rude not to address you as such. I just wish there was a genderless way to do so, which is why I alternate it instead. But I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, (Y/N).”
“I know you didn’t, which is why I forgive you but please try to not do it from now on. The only exception is around Shizun, I don’t want to give him a reason to be upset with you.” You relented. “Now– what is wrong? Don’t think I would let your limp go unaddressed.” You said with a stern look.
Binghe’s lips formed a line as he silently closed his eyes. Honestly, he might as well have had parchment stuck to his forehead reading “Guilty.”
“Binghe.” You warned, crossing your arms and scrutinizing him for any visible injuries. No scratches, visible bruising, or torn clothing. Just flushed and slightly sweaty, with the slightest bit of dirt stains on the knees of his pants. Bringing your gaze back up, you met his. Almost immediately, he looked away once more.
You stared at him intently in absolute silence.
After turning his gaze towards you a couple of times and noticing how you would refuse to look away or back down from the topic, his shoulders slumped, and he gave you a wry smile.
“Really, it’s okay. If anything, this was a light punishment in comparison to the others.”
It didn’t need to be explicitly said who he was referring to.
You frowned and gently reached out to hold his chin and turn his face to the sides to double-check for any marks. “I really wish Shizun didn’t treat you this way. I know he’s capable of kindness; he shows it to Yingying and me. Why can’t that also just extend to you?” You said morosely. As you checked his face, you noticed that the earlier flush you had noted never seemed to have gone away. If anything, it was now looking worse. “What happened?” You asked, letting him go.
“Ning Yingying wanted to try sparing together–”
“Wasn’t she suppose to be having her quqin lessons?” You interrupted.
“I guess she got bored and managed to convince the hallmaster to let her out early? I don’t know. I tried telling her I shouldn’t. I wasn’t even halfway done with my chores. But she insisted and said she would help me afterwards.” You lightheartedly rolled your eyes; typical Yingying, you thought to yourself. “Shizun noticed us and got mad at me for slacking off. Shijije tried telling him that she was the one who pulled me away from my chores, but Shizun dismissed her. He then told me to kneel in the training grounds until the shadow of the bamboo stalks reached me.”
“In the training grounds?!” You exclaimed incredulously. The training grounds were notoriously brutal in the summer. All trees and bamboo were cleared to create ample flat terrain, leaving absolutely no shade until the sun began to set and the shadows of the bamboo stalks crawled across the scorching dirt below.
You place the back of your hand gently on his cheek, and sure enough, he was burning up. The flushed skin wasn’t because of embarrassment; it was a sunburn. A bad one at that. You pull your hand away, realizing the contact would only sting.
“Sit.” You ordered, pointing at one of the benches nearby. “Now.” You emphasized it to leave no room for argument.
Binghe obeyed and sat down. You settled next to him and pulled out one of your qiankun bags. You had long since learned to provide basic first aid from some Qian Cao disciples and now carried a bag specifically for cases like this. You pulled out some clean cloth and untied your hulu1 from your side to dampen the cloth with some clean water.
Watching this, Binghe went to halt you, but you glared at him, and he promptly– though reluctantly– shut his mouth.
“Hold still.”
As gently as you could, you began to clean and dampen Binghe’s exposed skin. A shiver coursed through his body as you tilted his head up and also wiped down his neck. As you pulled away, you inspected him. He was less flushed than before, but it was difficult to tell whether it was because of the sunburn or if Binghe was just being shy.
“Stop being flustered, I can’t tell if I’m helping or not.” You snapped with no malice, knowing damn well that it was out of his control.
He whined. “I can’t help it! You’re touching me…”
“So what?! I’m trying to take care of you, I kind of need to touch you for that.” You retorted, tapping a finger on his red forehead where the worst of the sunburn was. There was the slightest bit of schadenfreude at the wince the tap elicited.
As you turned to find some aloe salve you knew you had in your qiankun bag, you just barely caught the softest of murmurs from Binghe. “I wish you would touch me outside of that as well.”
Your heart did a small flip, and you tried your best to hide how your brain froze for a moment upon hearing him. Suddenly, the library felt much warmer than before.
With a new cloth, you carefully applied a layer of salve to the worst of the sunburn.
“It feels slimy and gross.” Binghe complained.
“Too bad. Unless you want your skin to peel tomorrow, deal with it.” You said with a sniffle.
As you began cleaning up and putting things away, Binghe gently grabbed the edge of your sleeve to halt your movement. “Thank you.” He said in a mellifluous tone. The softness of his words was momentarily overwhelming and had you hesitating to look at him. You could already feel what his eyes were saying with unspoken words.
You cleared your throat and gave a short nod before abruptly turning to him and reaching out to pat his fluffy curls. “No need, A-Luo. So long as I am able to, I will always take care of you.” You boldly declared.
The confidence fizzled out shortly thereafter, and you quickly stood up to retie your hulu to your waist. It wasn’t until that moment, when you pulled away, that Binghe let go of your sleeve. A short, awkward silence followed as you finished getting ready, and you finally looked at him. The intensity of his gaze seemed to have cooled down, and he was now flashing his typical charming smile.
“Let’s go get dinner?” You prompted.
“En.” He replied, standing up to follow.
Together you exited the library. The threshold to the library was wide enough for both of you to walk side to side, but just narrow enough to have your hand brush against his. Stepping out, Binghe went to apologize, but you quickly silenced him by grabbing his hand and lacing your fingers together. Without a glance or a word, you began to pull him along towards the dining hall with a shy smile.