Fan Fiction |
by chrysanthemum
Xiao You watched Ximen swallow the pill she handed to him. He couldn't help but make a face as the bitter taste of the tablet stuck to his throat. Xiao You just had to smile inwardly at the sight. He looked like a little boy who got to taste a bitter medicine for the first time.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Just a bad case of headache. It'll go away." Ximen shrugged.
Seeing Ximen's pale face and exhausted form still sent her pangs of guilt despite being forgiven before now.
*He looks like he's coming down with something,* Xiao You observed. And if he does get sick she knew it would be all her fault.
She supposed that she should stick around for a little while, just to make sure that Ximen was going to be perfectly fine. After all, she was the one liable for all of this. Xiao You reached over to get the glass of water from him. Their skins accidentally touched. Her forehead wrinkled in alarm.
"You're hot." She commented.
"Why, thank you." Ximen playfully replied, getting on his feet so he can start changing out of his robe and into actual clothes. He was beginning to get cold.
Xiao You rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant." She walked up to him and placed her palm against his forehead.
"You're feverish. No wonder you're delusional." She waggishly remarked.
"I'm fine, Xiao You." Ximen insisted, removing her hand from his head.
"No, you're not. I'll go get something to check your temperature with. Lie down and rest." Xiao You immediately turned around that she didn't see Ximen's qualmish expression as he watched her walk off. It's really just a little headache. It's really no big deal to him, and he didn't want it to be one to anyone else.
"Xiao You... you don't... wait!" He tried to stop her but to no avail. Xiao You was already out the door.
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Ximen lay under the covers pondering the whole situation at present despite the sharp, piercing pain in his head. Was Xiao You for real this time? Ximen couldn't help but find her sudden manifestation of concern for him somewhat strange. And he'd grown to learn from experience that weird occurrences usually have underlying hazards. Well, at least as far as Xiao You was involved, that is. He had already forgiven her but the trust was something that needed a little more work.
Ximen heard the door open, pulling him out of his thoughts. He began to push his body that seemed to be getting heavier by the minute, up in sitting position when he saw Xiao You walk back in with a medicine kit in hand.
"No, stay down." Xiao You instructed, which Ximen obediently followed. His sight seemed to spin at the mere effort to lift himself an inch off the mattress anyway. Xiao You sat on the edge of the bed, set the kit on her lap and started to open it.
"What's that for?" Ximen asked.
"I contacted your doctor. I didn't ask him to come all the way here since it's already quite late. Besides, the way to this place is most probably congested because of the chain of accidents near here. So he gave me instructions instead." Xiao You explained as she went through the contents of the box.
"Instructions for what? I told you I'm fine."
Xiao You sighed, her shoulders drooping in frustration at Ximen's stubbornness.
"Listen, instead of getting into an argument, why don't we let the thermometer decide on this matter for us, okay?" Xiao You pointed the glass apparatus towards Ximen's mouth. "Say aahh."
Ximen's head drew back on impulse, his hand blocking the thing away. "What am I, five?" He crossly complained.
"Right, you're not. So stop acting like you are. Come on. Aahh."
Ximen's face contorted in repulsion as he skeptically stared down at the little glass tube, his lips still shut.
"Ximen." Xiao You's tone was imperative.
The look of disgust eventually morphed into despair as Ximen finally, but not so enthusiastically, gave in. "Aahh."
Xiao You smiled in triumph, sticking the thermometer into his mouth. "Good boy."
Ximen rolled his eyes at her in annoyance.
"Don't pull it out unless I say so, got that? I'll be right back." Xiao You got off the bed and strode past the door, leaving Ximen with no other choice but to do as she said.
He lay still and tried to stay that way. Three minutes passed, but it felt much longer to Ximen. He could almost hear the clock ticking in his ears. Five minutes. Xiao You was still nowhere in sight. Eight minutes. Ximen placed his hands on his stomach and began to tap his fingers against the soft fabric of the comforter.
What was taking her so long?
Ten minutes. Ximen could wait no longer. He pulled the glass tube out of his mouth, completely disregarding Xiao You's instruction earlier. Just when he was about to take a look at it, he heard the door swing open.
"Hey!" Xiao You exclaimed, obviously displeased. "I told you not to remove that unless I say so, didn't I?" She briskly walked to his bedside and took the thermometer from him.
"You were taking too long." Ximen reasoned impatiently.
"Pardon me, Young Master Ximen, but I had to go check on your dinner." Xiao You sarcastically said.
"What dinner? I'm not hungry."
"Doctor Lau prescribed something that isn't advisable to be taken with an empty stomach. And knowing you, you probably haven't had a spoonfull of anything for supper. So I asked your chef to whip up something for you to eat."
"But I don't want to eat. And how many times do I have to tell you that I'm fine? I'm just a little dizzy but I'll be okay tomorrow." Ximen insisted, his voice now growing faint. Xiao You would've responded in contention if only she hadn't been too taken aback by the temperature level she read on the thermometer.
Ximen did have fever.
"Not good." She muttered to herself, her forehead lined with worry.
Seeing her alarmed expression, Ximen pushed his body up in sitting position. He grabbed Xiao You's left hand and gently pulled her down, making her sit on the bed. He calmly looked at her troubled face.
"I'll be fine." He asserted, hoping to pacify her somehow.
Xiao You wished she could believe him so she wouldn't be so worried and guilty. But Ximen's excessively warm hand on hers only discouraged her even more. Ximen didn't fail to notice the intensifying anxiety in her eyes despite his assurance, and it had a strangely heavy effect on him.
"Look, I know you love me but there's really no need to worry." He playfully jested with a mock serious expression.
Xiao You's distressed mien was finally broken as her eyes incredulously narrowed at him, forehead wrinkling in astonishment. Ximen couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.
"It's amazing how you can still have that kind of humor at almost thirty-eight degrees Celsius." Xiao You remarked with a shake of her head.
"You're being too serious. I understand that you must be feeling culpable for this, but there's really no need to stress over it so much. I don't have to take anything. I'll be all right." Ximen said.
"You're right. I do feel responsible for what's happening. It's my fault that you're sick now. The least I can do is to make sure that you get well fast." Xiao You responded with conviction.
Ximen let out a sigh. He really didn't want to bother Xiao You just because of a stupid little fever. And he didn't really like seeing her so agitated. If she stayed that way, SHE might get sick.
"I'll offer you a deal." Ximen began after giving it a moment of thought.
"What deal?"
Ximen's expression turned austere. "I'll eat dinner just as you wish, in return for something you have to do for me." He spoke, the businessman in him taking charge.
"Which is?" She felt a little edgy all of a sudden. What does Ximen want from her now?
Ximen leaned forward a bit, causing Xiao You to slightly move back on impulse. She couldn't help but instantly feel ridiculous afterwards. Why the hell was she so tense around a sick man?
Ximen didn't fail to notice Xiao You's reaction to his movement. That was weird. Wasn't this the same woman who said that she was 'immune' to him? Nevertheless, Ximen decided to ignore the whole thing despite his obvious curiosity.
"You'll have to stop worrying about this. You'll go back to your room and get yourself some sleep." Ximen stated it as if it were a command and not simply an option being offered.
Xiao You looked down pensively at the white bed sheet.
*You'll have to stop worrying about this.* She repeated in her mind.
Ximen seemed to be pretty convinced that her only concern was the appeasement of her conscience and not exactly his health. But was that really the case? She couldn't help but ask herself. If it were, then it wouldn't be so hard to keep her end of the deal. What seemed to trouble her more though was the possibility that Ximen might not keep his word. If he didn't touch his food, he wouldn't be able to take his medication, and his fever would get worse. The thought alone seriously bothered her.
"You promise to eat that dinner?" Xiao You asked, just for reassurance.
"Yes." Ximen replied in all sincerity. "Deal?" He extended his hand to her.
"And you won't cheat?"
Ximen dropped his outstretched hand and looked intently at her, determined to eliminate any doubts she might have on his honesty. "I had the chance to cheat you on something substantial once but I passed up. Why would I cheat you on something as trivial as this?"
Xiao You realized Ximen's point. Okay, so perhaps he really can keep his end of the deal. But what about her? Can she actually not worry?
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Ximen called out.
"I brought you your dinner, Master Ximen." Came the response.
Ximen looked at Xiao You. "Do I let it in or not? It's your call."
Xiao You heaved a sigh of defeat. "All right. Deal."
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Xiao You could barely sleep a wink. She tossed and turned in bed all night, the uncertainty of Ximen's health keeping her eyes open the whole time. She found out that Ximen indeed finished his dinner after she went to the kitchen earlier and asked. Still, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something awfully wrong.
Knowing that there was no way she could force herself to fall asleep at this state, she sat up and turned on the lamp. She read from the clock on the table that it was 2:45 A.M., which meant that she'd been lying awake in bed for two whole useless hours.
Xiao You got out of bed and decided to go to Ximen's room to check on him. She knew they had a deal but this was the only way she knew to get rid of her disquiet. Besides, it was a part of the agreement as well that she should get herself some sleep. She couldn't accomplish that half anyway, so what's the point of getting the other half done?
Xiao You was silent as a mouse as she pushed the door open. The darkness that swathed the room welcomed her. Her eyes glided over to the direction of the bed.
Ximen was lying on his side, back facing the door. He looked quite normal in the dark but something inside Xiao You told her to look closer. She opened the door wider to let the light from the outside illuminate a larger portion of the room. The bed was now better lit and Xiao You could clearly see his form under the thick, white comforter.
Her breath got caught in her throat.
Ximen's body was shaking.
Xiao You ran to his side and knelt beside the bed. Only then did she see his ashen face. His eyes were shut and his breathing was heavy.
"Ximen?" She tried calling his name but he didn't seem to hear her. She felt his forehead. He was burning up.
Xiao You could swear her heart stopped for a second. She frantically looked around, hoping to find anything that could at least give her a clue on what to do. Her attention was caught by a familiar packet on the bedside table. She switched on the lamp and there, indeed, was the untouched medicine that she left earlier, which she specifically instructed Ximen to take right after he had dinner.
Vexation shot into her veins and for a moment there, she actually wanted to beat Ximen up. But her better sense dictated that she ignore Ximen's negligence for now and start doing something quick. Xiao You got on her feet and ran to the kitchen to get a glass of water. In long strides, she returned to Ximen's side and set the glass on the table.
"Ximen, come on, wake up." She began to gently shake him. When she saw his eyelids lift weakly, she took the tablet out of the packet and picked up the glass of water from the table.
"Ximen, I need you to sit up." Xiao You said. Ximen's eyes closed again, his face grimacing as if in pain. Xiao You was nearly on the verge of tears. She didn't know what to do.
"Ximen, please, I need you to drink these." She pleaded.
Ximen's breaths gradually reduced to light pants and his eyes half-opened once more. Xiao You's tensed nerves slightly relaxed. At least he was finally responding a little. She helped him lift his head so he could take the medication. Then he lay back down, his body still shuddering.
Ximen could feel nothing but the chill that ran through his body. He could hear nothing but his own breathing and rapid heartbeat. That was until his ears caught someone else's voice calling his name, albeit lacking in clarity. For a while there, the words couldn't seem to register in his brain. It was like his senses took a vacation and left him all numb.
The mere act of keeping his eyes even half-open and slightly lifting his torso for his medicine sent a shot of pain in his head and drained all the energy in his body. He could still hear voices talking to him but he could no longer make out the words, except for the one time he heard the voice ask him if he was cold. Ximen couldn't make himself respond even if he wanted to. The painful discomfort and the extreme cold seemed to have deprived him of voluntary movement.
Then he felt a very light weight added on his body - like another quilt was laid over him. Despite that, nothing changed. The temperature he felt was still cold as ice.
Ximen could slowly feel his consciousness desert him. The last thing he felt was a comforting warmth on his skin... like somebody lay beside him and wrapped an arm around his shivering body.
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