Jinshi and Maomao Short Stories Collection

Please be safe

Summary:
Lying in his bed all alone in his dark chambers and unable to sleep, Jinshi was clinging to every shred of hope he still managed to find inside himself. Hope that his apothecary, who had been kidnapped, was alright and unharmed…
[Spoiler for those who only know the anime!
Manga: after Chapter 73
LN: Vol. 4]

Here comes my second fanfic for the request of Chae_Ah on ao3!

For the right atmosphere, I recommend listening to the following song:
Andrea Bocelli - Pero te extraño
Link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Og79cjbgnM&pp=ygUlYW5kcmVhIGJvY2VsbGkgcGVybyB0ZSBleHRyYW5vIGx5cmljcw%3D%3D
I wouldn't call it a songfic, though, 'cause I only remembered this song after having finished writing the story (but it fits perfectly!).

It was a completely quiet, moonless night with a sky so obscure as if a gigantic ink pot had spilled its entire content all over it. As if the whole world had plunged itself into eternal darkness.

And it actually had. The world HAD plunged itself into darkness.

Jinshi's world.

Barely moving at all, the young noble was currently lying on his side in his bed. His ribcage was moving in a regular rhythm, so that one might think that he was sound asleep, but no, he definitely wasn't. The slow blinking of his half-closed eyes belied that impression completely. His gaze was directed at an undefined spot in the dark.

Jinshi's upper body was uncovered down to his waist and shivering slightly despite the pleasantly warm temperature reigning in the room, however, he seemed to have no intention to grab the blanket that was hanging half from the bed and almost reaching the floor and cover himself with it. As though he couldn't perceive his own trembling. Or anything else in general apart from his indescribable worry and longing for Maomao that were haunting him day and night, devouring him from the inside.

All alone was he lying there in his spacious chambers and hugging a pillow. Wishing for it to be the apothecary instead.

The scrap of paper Maomao had left behind, was resting on a table in the room, right next to an almost completely burnt-down, yet extinguished candle. Not too long ago, Jinshi had been sitting there and holding the paper in both of his hands, staring at it in the light of said candle with such intensity as if he were waiting for it to start speaking any moment and tell him about Maomao's whereabouts.

It was their only, precious hint! They absolutely had to find that Shisui, as fast as possible, they had to...

Jinshi's fingers moved and buried themselves into the pillow, so deeply that his nails nearly tore its material open and created multiple holes. Just as deeply as they had dug into his palm earlier, after he had left the Jade Pavilion.

A quiet sob escaped his throat.

"Please be safe..." he muttered weakly into the silent night and pressed the pillow closer to his aching heart. But it brought him no relief, not even a bit.

His fear and concern for the apothecary were slowly starting to make him lose his mind. Ever since the day he had learned that Maomao hadn't returned to the Jade Pavilion, he had not been able to properly eat nor sleep, causing him to even lose some weight, earning himself dark circles around his eyes, and his long, silky hair, that was now slightly tousled and spread over the bed, had been robbed of some of its shine. But why the hell would he care about all that, if there was no Maomao to scold him for neglecting his health, anyway?

During every bite he ate, during every minute he slept, he could miss an important hint that could perhaps lead him to Maomao. And the mere idea was almost unbearable. 

Constantly and without ever stopping, his thoughts revolved around her alone. Around her and the efforts to find out where she was and what exactly had happened to her.

Jinshi's biggest and only wish was to find her and bring her back. Or at least to know that no one was harming her.