Work Text:
Feng Xin was late.
That in itself wasn't a surprise. But the weird feeling in his gut told Mu Qing that something was wrong this time.
You see, he and Feng Xin have established a new routine after the Heavenly Capital has been rebuilt, consisting of sparring sessions every week where they could blow off steam instead of throwing each other into buildings randomly. They usually met up at the Xuan Zhen palace training grounds, so it was no surprise that Mu Qing always showed up first - as if he would ever arrive late anywhere. Feng Xin would arrive a few moments later with Mu Qing teasingly rolling his eyes at him for being late. Feng Xin would then shove him lightly in a friendly manner with a small smile on his face. If Feng Xin was running a little later than usual, he would always let Mu Qing know through their private communication array, so that Mu Qing didn't have to wait for him for a long time. Such was their weekly routine.
So when there still hasn't been any news of Feng Xin after an hour after they were supposed to meet up for another sparring session, Mu Qing was starting to get worried. The fact that the last time he saw Feng Xin was 3 days ago when the latter returned from his recent mission and since then he hasn't heard from him was not helping his nerves.
Mu Qing tried to get a hold of him through the communication array, but to no vain. With a heavy sigh and a shake of his head, Mu Qing left the training grounds and made his way over to the Palace of Nan Yang.
Once he was standing in front of the doors to Feng Xin´s palace, Mu Qing didn't even bother knocking to announce his arrival, instead letting himself in as if it was his palace. The passing by deputies greeted Mu Qing as he made his way to Feng Xin´s study, all of them already accustomed to seeing him in the palace more in the span of the last few years.
He arrived in front of Feng Xin´s study in a few moments, this time knocking before letting himself in. Mu Qing didn´t even utter a sentence before his eyes landed on Feng Xin hunched over with his forehead resting against the table in front of him. He didn't notice Mu Qing entering, making Mu Qing think that he just fell asleep while working, but the low groan that escaped his lips signalled otherwise.
In the blink of an eye, Mu Qing was kneeling beside him, shaking his shoulder softly.
“Feng Xin? Are you okay?”
Feng Xin jolted after hearing an unexpected voice, but he relaxed immediately once he realised who was speaking to him.
“Mu Qing? What are you doing here?” Feng Xin´s slightly hoarse voice sounded through the room and his bleary eyes met Mu Qing´s worried ones.
“Are you really asking what I am doing here? You didn't show up to our sparring session and didn't bother contacting me since you came back, so I had to come here to talk to you personally!” Mu Qing´s voice got a bit louder as his irritation slowly seeped in.
“Oh okay, I´m sorry, keep your voice down please.” Feng Xin hissed through gritted teeth, his voice low, almost a whisper. Mu Qing scoffed and rolled his eyes at that but kept his voice low when he spoke next.
“What the hell happened to you? You look like shit.”
“Uhg well thank you. My stomach has been killing me since I came back from the last mission but I don't really know why?”
At that, Mu Qing´s eyes landed on the hand that was tightly wrapped around Feng Xin´s stomach, not noticing it when he entered.
“It started only after you came back, right?”
Feng Xin nodded, agreeing with Mu Qing.
“Are you feeling nauseous?”
Another nod.
Mu Qing extended his hand, his fingers gently touching Feng Xin´s forehead. The touch so feather-like Feng Xin could barely feel it.
“Looks like you have a little bit of a fever as well. The symptoms are too mild for it to be a curse, so you probably just caught an ordinary stomach flu. But how did you manage that? You are literally a god. Did you eat anything bad when you were in the Mortal realm?” Mu Qing asked, trying to come up with ideas on how to deal with Feng Xin´s situation.
“I don't think so? I definitely didn't eat anything in the village and…” Feng Xin paused as realisation washed over him.
“And what Feng Xin?” asked Mu Qing impatiently.
“Well…the mission was very easy, just some minor resentful spirit, nothing serious. Since it didn't take as long as I thought it would, I decided to visit His Highness before I went back, because I was near Puqi village.”
Mu Qing´s thoughts finally caught up to where Feng Xin was going with all of this.
“Please don't tell me you ate Xie Lian´s cooking.” Mu Qing said with a dejected sigh, already expecting to hear the worst.
The silence was enough of an answer.
“Why the hell would you do that Feng Xin!? Do you have a death wish?” Mu Qing raised his voice, feeling his irritation slowly rising.
It was no secret that Xie Lian´s cooking was absolutely horrendous. The smell alone could wipe out whole armies. There was no one who could stomach his questionable creations and live. Well, except Hua Cheng but he wasn't technically alive, so he didn't count.
“Fuck, stop yelling. You know how he gets when Hua Cheng has to leave for a while and I, curse my luck, just had to come visit when he was away in Ghost City. I didn't want to make Xie Lian even sadder by refusing to eat his cooking.”
Why was Mu Qing even surprised? Of course Feng Xin would put Xie Lian´s happiness above his health, even if it meant possibly getting food poisoning. That's just who he is.
“You're an idiot.” sighed Mu Qing, yet again, while helping Feng Xin slowly get up.
“I have been called worse by you.” Feng Xin chuckled lightly, despite the pain.
Mu Qing put one of Feng Xin´s hands around his shoulders, while his own hand rested around Feng Xin´s waist.
“You probably deserved it. Now, let's get you to bed, General. I´m not dragging your ass anywhere if you pass out here.” said Mu Qing, looking at Feng Xin´s pale complexion.
They made their way to Feng Xin´s private chambers, Mu Qing supporting most of his weight. The passing by deputies looked at their General worriedly, but Mu Qing dismissed every one of them, letting them carry on with their work.
Thankfully, Feng Xin´s room wasn't far from the study and they soon arrived at their destination. Mu Qing slowly opened the mahogany doors leading to the room, while still supporting Feng Xin with his other hand. He was about to step inside the room, but stopped dead in his tracks.
Feng Xin´s room was a fucking mess.
There were pieces of armour laying in one corner, scrolls all over a small table by the bed, some of them even fell down on the floor, weapons laying all over the floor and even on Feng Xin´s bed. The rest of the space was covered with Feng Xin´s robes.
Mu Qing had to hold himself back from yelling at Feng Xin about the mess, taking a deep breath to calm down instead. He helped Feng Xin get to his bed, making sure he didn't step on anything laying on the floor, carefully laying him down on it.
“You should take off some of your robes to cool down a bit.” said Mu Qing as he felt Feng Xin´s still feverish forehead.
“Mn.” was all the answer he got, before he went to retrieve a bucket of cold water and a washcloth. He came back after a minute to a sight of Feng Xin already laying in the bed only in his inner robe. He slowly sat down next to Feng Xin, softly patting his face with the wet cloth in his hand. Feng Xin´s eyes were closed and he let out a soft sigh at the cold feeling on his face, his frown also disappearing. Mu Qing let himself admire Feng Xin´s relaxed face for a moment before getting up. He folded the wet cloth and left it on Feng Xin´s forehead to help him cool down.
“You just lay here and don´t go anywhere, I will be back in a while.” was all Mu Qing said before exiting Feng Xin´s bedchamber. He made his way to the palace´s kitchen, asking the first deputy he ran into for directions.
Mu Qing didn´t remember much from his childhood, most of those memories forgotten after almost a millenia, but he did remember his mother making congee for him when his stomach hurted. It was a cheap, easily made meal, one of the few they could afford, and easy on the stomach, making it the perfect meal for situations like this.
The memories of Mu Qing´s mother gently feeding him while the sound of her soft voice echoed through their small house flooded Mu Qing´s mind, making a small smile appear on his lips as he got to work. He worked swiftly, repeating what he learned from watching his mother cook and it wasn't long before the food was ready. The aroma of warm rice and ginger filled the palace as Mu Qing made his way back to Feng Xin´s private chamber. He opened the door, not bothering with knocking, and was greeted by the sight of Feng Xin slowly raising his head to look at him. Mu Qing softly closed the door and walked over to the bed, setting the tray he was holding on the side table, before helping Feng Xin sit up.
“Here, I brought you some medicine to help with the stomach ache and a congee to wash down the taste after.” said Mu Qing as he held out a small vial with the medicine.
Feng Xin carefully took it from him, their fingers lightly touching in the process. Mu Qing could feel warmth spreading across his cheeks so he quickly averted Feng Xin´s gaze, deciding to busy himself with tidying Feng Xin´s room a bit instead. He heard Feng Xin swallow down the medicine, followed by the sound of a spoon clinking against the bowl of congee.
A few quiet moments went by before Feng Xin spoke up again.
“Did you make this?”
There was a curious tilt to his voice, none of the accusatory tone Mu Qing got so used to over many centuries.
“I did. My mother used to make it for me when I was sick, so I learned it from her. It's nothing special.” answered Mu Qing after a while, still not meeting Feng Xin´s eyes, deciding that organising his brushes was far more interesting.
“It's good.” was all the answer he got from Feng Xin, before comfortable silence enveloped them again. Only after putting all of Feng Xin´s robes away, did Mu Qing break the silence.
“I should go back to my palace. The medicine should start taking effect in a while, so until then make sure to lay down. You can just contact me through the communication array if you need anything.” said Mu Qing, glancing at Feng Xin before taking the empty vial from him and making his way to the door.
“Hey Mu Qing!”
Mu Qing slowly turned around, facing Feng Xin sitting on the bed.
“I, well…thank you, you know for uhm…for cleaning the mess and taking care of me. I really appreciate it.” said Feng Xin slowly, his eyes darting around the room, until finally they landed on Mu Qing´s face.
Mu Qing stood stunned by the door for a moment, not expecting such words from Feng Xin, before quickly coming back to his senses. He rolled his eyes and snorted playfully at Feng Xin, hoping it would distract him from the blush appearing on his cheeks.
“You´re welcome, you dumbass.”
With that he turned back around and made his way out, letting the small smile spread on his lips that was only for him and his heart to see.