Jingting was looking down at his lap, worried about Baihua's body. He immediately started patting down his chest and sides to feel if he hadn't accidentally torn out the stitches. But Baihua's hand was hurriedly brushing him off, while its owner tried to get away from the involuntary hug he was thrown into.
"I'm worried about you; don't get out of bed yet for the next few days. I hope it didn't happen, but you might have been exposed to toxins. It happens no matter how much I try. There is always the chance." Steadied, Baihua had hurriedly waved his hands before his flushed face.
"No, I feel good. It's not what you think. I just have problems sleeping, not knowing how my family is doing." His hoarse voice had gained a hint of something that was hard to grasp for Jingting, but it spread a warm feeling in his belly. No, he was glad his patient felt okay. That was it.
"That's why you asked me to sleep with you?" he asked, and his patient vehemently shook his head in agreement. Jingting chuckled because his mind was a bit flustered from the invitation he got before, not knowing how to answer. Now he was really glad it only meant to heal this general emotionally.
"I may make you a stronger sleeping concoction. But I'm not sure I should do it… it might have some… side effects you wouldn't want." Baihua raised one of his eyebrows, and it made him actually look dashing. Jingting wanted to slap himself. What was he thinking? Maybe it was time to go into town to get help? Once he remembered the faces of the prostitutes and the illnesses they had, well, the idea had left his mind immediately. It was because once Baihua fell down in his lap, he brushed against the tool for child making, and it was something of a natural response. There was nothing else to it.
"I don't want more medicine. It's too bitter to even drink this one." Baihua grimaced, trying to forget the drink he almost threw back up because it was of indescribable taste.
"I'll ask Xihua whether there are any letters for you. But I won't let you contact your family more unless you are away from here. I have too many people here whose lives depend on this sanctuary. Don't make me regret saving you," Jingting's voice trailed off as he started to feel a bit down. He yawned and blinked a few times. It was still only afternoon, but he was tired. So tired of everything.
"Do you want to sleep with me?" The pleading was so painful, Jingting only sighed and yelled for Binbin once more.
"Can you get me a mat, quilts, and a pillow? I will nap here…" Binbin wanted to say something, but once he saw the gaze Jingting looked at him with, he just closed his mouth and went to do what he was asked. That person who saved his and numerous other lives was not to trifle with.
"I will be on the floor, so go to the bed," he said once the mat was set up. Baihua nodded and lay down on the bed, while Jingting lay on the mat. Given Baihua's condition, he was still the one who should be more comfortable.
They lay like this for a while, and Jingting's eyes started to flutter. The soft light of the candles, the smell of medicinal incense that Jingting ground before for good sleep, all that helped them both.
"Can I hold your hand? I need to know there is someone here…" It was only a soft whisper, but Jingting heard it loud and clear, and he also saw the shy hand peeking over the bed at an awkward angle.
Jingting hesitated. For long enough that Baihua had almost retracted his hand. But before it happened completely, Jingting tangled his pinkie with Baihua's.
"And now, sleep. Good sleep is needed for your body to get better." But it was hard for both of them to sleep. The hands were at a weird angle, and Jingting's was raised high enough that his blood couldn't flow anymore.
"What about getting up here? There is nothing wrong with that, and it would be better." Again, the silence that followed Baihua's statement was Jingting contemplating the choice he had. Tired of thinking and everything else, he got up, took his quilt, pillow, and waited for Baihua to move aside, so he could lie on the border of the bed. Close to the edge so he could get up whenever he wanted and needed.
They lay with their backs to each other, or at least Jingting hoped so and thought so. Yet, Baihua, or Liu Sheng as he was called for real, was looking at the elegant back of his doctor. He took one of the black locks of hair that was close to him. Sheng did it so carefully not to wake his Doctor up, and actually locked it around his index finger. He closed his eyes, and the soft feeling on his finger and the steady breathing of the person next to him lulled him to sleep.
A few incense sticks later, a soft knock sounded in the room, waking Jingting up. He didn't want to open his eyes, but once he heard the door opening and quick steps closing in, he opened his eyes.
It was Binbin, who knelt close to him, and when he saw his open eyes, he whispered:
"There is an emergency. A villager was caught in search for a general, and one of the Northeners stabbed him because he didn't want to tell him where he was." Jingting was up immediately, but once he sat down, he felt tucking on the back of his hair.
He turned around and saw his patient having a lock of his hair tied around his finger.
"Give me a pair of scissors," he said to Binbin, whose eyes just widened.
"Wouldn't it be better to wake him up?" he asked, but still walked to the table, got the scissors, and reached Jingting with them.
"He should sleep and better that it's without medicine. He needs sleep more than I need hair." Binbin was watching his master as he cut his hair for a sleeping patient. He didn't say out loud how it looked. What was it looking like when he did it… what were the unsaid things going hand in hand with the act.
"Don't comment on it and let's go, there is no time," he said and ran out of the room, with Binbin behind him.
What he didn't know was that his patient was already alive. His instincts made him wake up when someone walked in. Baihua sat up once he heard the door closing and looked at his hand. He was holding the lock of dark hair. It looked like night, dark with stars of light reflecting the blueish tint. He smiled and tied Peien's hair into a knot. He put it underneath his armor, where he had his personal pouch. The hint of a smile that brightened his normally stern face would actually make his brother run for his life. It was the smile of a hunter running after his prey. The problem was that this hunter had never hunted prey like this before.