Chapter Text
Tang Fan is tipsy by the time they leave Tang Yu and Pei Huai’s to walk home—and Sui Zhou is sure he’s pretending to be drunker than he is, just so Sui Zhou loops an arm around his waist in support as they make their way through the dark streets. He leans into Sui Zhou heavily, his breath sweet from the wine, and it’s all Sui Zhou can do not to simply carry him back home, the memory of Tang Fan’s arms around his neck just as sweet.
By the time they get to the front gate of their home Tang Fan’s steps are genuinely heavy, though—he hadn’t been sleeping much, working late, though had stubbornly resisted Sui Zhou’s suggestions that they reschedule their family dinner to another day. It was Tang Yu’s wedding anniversary, Tang Fan had insisted, even though Sui Zhou is fairly certain that any day for the two weeks around it would also meet that description.
Tang Fan flops on his back onto the bed, not moving after Sui Zhou has deposited him there—not even moving to take his boots off while Sui Zhou moves about the room, lighting a few candles. He changes into his own sleeping clothes and washes his hands and face as Tang Fan’s breath deepens, and when Sui Zhou returns to the bed, Tang Fan is snoring, open-mouthed.
“Runqing,” Sui Zhou murmurs, gripping Tang Fan’s shin through his robes and shaking it gently.
Tang Fan makes a pitiful moan, eyelashes fluttering.
Sui Zhou huffs, fond and amused, and starts pulling Tang Fan’s boots off. He’s malleable, at least, and still just awake enough to help as Sui Zhou rolls him out of his robes. He can’t help but scrape a fingernail lightly against the sole of Tang Fan’s foot as he pulls his socks off last of all, and Tang Fan yelps in protest, curling his limbs up. He glares down at Sui Zhou with sleepy eyes.
“People who can’t undress themselves don’t get to complain,” Sui Zhou says in reply to the unspoken complaint. Tang Fan just opens his arms out, and Sui Zhou crawls into them, pulling the blankets up over them as he goes.
He leans behind himself to pinch the last candle out, then settles down against Tang Fan. He’s very warm, and the side of his throat is very soft against Sui Zhou’s lips and nose. Tang Fan’s fingers fiddle in Sui Zhou’s hair sleepily. Sui Zhou is asleep before they stop.