Work Text:
“Husband.”
Luo Binghe jumps in his seat, startled to wakefulness at the sound of Shen Qingqiu’s soft voice at the door. Stifling a yawn, he looks up from the dreadful report from the Southern borders he was reading to Shen Qingqiu approaching his desk. His husband looked like he had just rolled out of bed, his sleep robes wrapped loosely around his shoulders and his hair spilling loose down his back. The flickering candlelight casts a warm glow over his pale skin, accentuating the marks left by Luo Binghe on his neck and shoulders from their previous lovemaking sessions.
“Shizun,” says Luo Binghe, rising from his seat as worry clenches his heart. “You should be asleep.”
Shen Qingqiu snorts. He eyes the paperwork piled high on Luo Binghe’s desk dubiously then back at his fidgeting husband, who realizes how hypocritical he sounds. “What could Binghe be up to at this hour?” asks Shen Qingqiu, motioning for Luo Binghe to continue his task.
“Sorting out missives from the territories,” answers Luo Binghe hesitantly as he sits back down. “What is Husband doing out of bed?”
Shen Qingqiu takes a seat across Luo Binghe at the desk, shooting his husband a pointed look when Luo Binghe makes a small noise of protest. “I was simply worried when I awoke to find you missing from our bed,” he explains, tucking back a loose strand of his hair away from his face. “I waited, thinking you went to relieve yourself, but you did not return.” He leaves the rest of his explanation unsaid as he regards Luo Binghe coolly across the desk.
Color rises to Luo Binghe’s cheeks. He thought Shen Qingqiu would be sound asleep after what they did this evening but found it somehow heartwarming that his husband noticed his absence from their bed in the middle of the night. “This one is happy that Husband missed him.”
Shen Qingqiu doesn’t say anything to that but the tips of his ears flush red and a small smile graces his lips. “Of course I would miss you, silly,” he mumbles.
As a husband, Luo Binghe firmly believed his spouse deserved to live a pampered life, and that Luo Binghe’s duties as a demon lord should be kept separate from their marital affairs lest Shen Qingqiu worries himself over something he can’t really help. Yet, here Shen Qingqiu was, ignoring Luo Binghe’s quiet glances of concern as he picks up a couple of reports and skims over them.
Over the past year of their marriage, Shen Qingqiu has gradually become more open with his thoughts and expressions. Instead of hiding his face behind his fan, now he has no reservations against voicing out his opinions to his husband. His expression flickers momentarily with shock as he reads the details of the report in his hand, elegant eyebrows arching up and his lips falling slightly open.
Luo Binghe tries to take the report away, saying, “It would be best if you do not read such things.”
“Nonsense.” Shen Qingqiu darts away, holding the report out of Luo Binghe’s reach. “I’m your husband. It wouldn’t be right for me to sleep soundly while you work yourself to exhaustion over such matters,” says Shen Qingqiu adamantly though his expression softens when he looks up at Luo Binghe. His hand reaches out for Luo Binghe’s, giving it a gentle and reassuring squeeze. “Besides, as a married couple, it is important for us to share each other’s burdens as well.”
A protest rises in Luo Binghe’s throat but he swallows it back when Shen Qingqiu gives his hand another squeeze. His heart squeezes as well, but with overwhelming fondness and gratitude. It would take him till morning to sort everything out but with Shen Qingqiu’s help, they should be able to finish this with just enough time to lay in bed together till dawn breaks.
Luo Binghe shows Shen Qingqiu how to sort through the paperwork and leaves his husband to it while he signs the missives from the pile from his right. As a Peak Lord, Shen Qingqiu is meticulous and efficient at the task, even though it was usually one of the disciples or Luo Binghe who sorted out the paperwork for him back at Qing Jing Peak.
Though Luo Binghe knows he should be concentrating on his work, his eyes can’t help drifting over the lines of black ink describing dreary details on the paper to his beautiful husband across the desk. He can’t help admiring how wonderful Shen Qingqiu looks even if he’s doing such a menial task of putting reports in separate piles based on priority with an elegant frown pinching his eyebrows together. He can’t help ogling his husband’s bare neck shoulders decorated with lovebites old and new and how the shadows play across bare skin as he moves.
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes don’t lift from the reports to Luo Binghe but it is apparent that he notices his husband’s heated gaze when he clears his throat and tugs his thin, sleeping robes around his body. “ Binghe ,” he says, his tone sounding both embarrassed and chiding.
Luo Binghe ducks his head to hide his smirk. It’s still amusing how his husband can feel flustered even when they’re alone. He ought to reward his husband for his hard work later. He hears a faint snort from Shen Qingqiu and is almost convinced his husband read his mind. Luo Binghe forces his attention back to the letter in his hand and the two fall into their work, the quiet but comfortable silence between them punctuated by the soft flutters of paper.
After an incense stick of time, an idea occurs to Luo Binghe. He gets up from his seat and picks up his chair. Shen Qingqiu pauses to look up from the report he was reading, watching Luo Binghe with a questioning gaze before a frown creases his forehead. “What are you doing?”
Luo Binghe smiles as he puts the chair beside Shen Qingqiu and takes a seat. “I want to be next to you,” he replies.
A small huff of exasperated amusement falls from Shen Qingqiu’s lips. He gestures at the desk on his — their side — and says, “Don’t be silly. There’s hardly any space for the two of us.” It wasn’t necessarily true; if they pushed aside some of the papers, there’d be more than adequate space for the two of them and that’s what Luo Binghe did.
Scooting as close as possible, Luo Binghe loops an arm through his husband’s and rests his head on Shen Qingqiu’s shoulder. Shen Qingqiu sighs as Luo Binghe rubs his cheek over his shoulder and glances up at him with a fond smile; the both of them know very well Shen Qingqiu could never resist this. With a small laugh, Shen Qingqiu raises his hand to pat Luo Binghe’s head, his fingers smoothing through Luo Binghe’s soft hair.
“What a spoiled husband,” Shen Qingqiu remarks affectionately. “What would your demon subordinates say if they saw their lord acting in such a manner?”
“They wouldn’t. I’d cut out their tongues if they dared to utter a thing.”
Shen Qingqiu snorts and shakes his head. He runs his hand through Luo Binghe’s hair, silently marveling at how silky it feels under his touch. Luo Binghe’s lips curve upwards at the corners as his eyes flutter shut. He lays there against Shen Qingqiu, allowing his husband to caress him to his heart’s content. After a few minutes, Shen Qingqiu remembers the piles of reports the two of them have to go through for the night. He turns to Luo Binghe but stops when he notices Luo Binghe had fallen asleep on his arm.
A fond smile plays across his lips as he places a kiss on the top of Luo Binghe’s head. “Husband,” he whispers, tapping Luo Binghe’s hand gently. Luo Binghe stirs but holds Shen Qingqiu’s arm tighter when he tries to remove his arm from Luo Binghe. He almost chuckles there at his husband’s unconscious but adorable gesture. Sticky as always, even in his sleep.
“Husband, let’s move to the bed chambers, shall we?” suggests Shen Qingqiu as his hand traces downwards over Luo Binghe’s cheek.
Luo Binghe opens his eyes slowly before he remembers that they were supposed to be getting work done. He sits up, looking at the desk disdainfully as Shen Qingqiu tugs his sleeve.
“Come,” says Shen Qingqiu as he rises to his feet, “we can continue in the morning.”
It’s hard to say no when his husband is smiling at him like that, tugging on his sleeve and insisting they return to bed so Luo Binghe can rest. Not that Luo Binghe would say no to his husband; the word simply did not exist when his husband expressed his wishes in such a manner. With a nod, Luo Binghe lets his husband lead them out of his office and back into their bed where Shen Qingqiu will embrace him till they fall asleep in each other’s arms again.