Work Text:
Red.
Her nightmares were always painted in red. They either ended with fire consuming her whole being or with dark stormy nights with never ending pouring rain and an incredible sense of loss and grief. But the color red was always there.
The fire that burned her was red. The dirt filled and wet robes that clung to a cold stiff body were red as well. Red was the color of her robes, her family sect and also the color of her anger and pain at being associated with them.
But red was also her baby brother's robes that fit him so well, red was the color his cheeks when he got happy and excited, red was also the color of Jiang Cheng's cheeks when he had given his gift.
And her husband was much the same, whose color brought so many mixed feelings.
Red was the color of the fire that burned his home to the ground. Red was the color of the robes that killed his mother, father and Jiang disciples. Red was the color his brother robes and his ribbon. Red was the color of his sister wedding robes, she had looked beautiful in red. Red was also the color of his sister's blood staining his purple robes and his shaky hands. Red was the all encompassing anger he felt at his brother because he didn't how else to feel his pain. Red was the hair ribbon his nephew used because even though he was still hurt and angry, he had always loved his brother.
They didn't remember their past lives but the nightmares they had, the fear of certain things and their mutual complicated feelings for the color red had made them guess and talk about what it had been like while they laid in bed and pressed their bodies closer in search of each other's warmth and comfort. But rarely talked about what their past lives had been like, they didn't actually remember and it didn't matter because they had this life to look forward to.
Tonight the nightmare ended with a fire. It burned bright and hot, it felt real as the flames grew closer and licked her body. She woke up with a scream trapped on her throat and Jiang Cheng immediately woke up as well.
"A-Qing?" He asked softly, his voice rough with sleep and his eyes blinking too much still.
Wen Qing took several deep breaths and allowed her husband to touch and run his hand up and down her sweaty back. She reached for the water bottle on her nightstand and took a couple of gulps, she had learned that her throat would always go dry when she woke up like this and it was best to always have some water at hand.
"You're trembling." He spoke again feeling more awake, his eyes adjusting to the dark.
"What time is it?" She asked, her voice cracking a little.
"Early enough to sleep a couple more hours."
"Don't know if I'll be able to." She said as she laid back in bed.
Her husband opened his arms and she immediately settled in them. His body was warm against her cooling skin and it helped her relax into the embrace more.
"That's okay. We have the day off so you can always take a nap later." He pressed a kiss on her forehead.
"Mmn."
"Want to talk?"
"It's the same thing as always. It'll be okay."
He hummed in reply and the couple fell into a comfortable silence, Jiang Cheng's soft breathing and strong arms grounding her to the present. Not long after, Jiang Cheng's breathing turned into soft snores again and she smiled. They worked together in the restaurant they opened not long ago, Wen Qing knew her husband was tired from work (it was an exhausting but gratifying job, they both did what they loved) but he never failed to wake in the middle of the night and comfort her, just as she did for him.
Their nights weren't always pleasant as half screams and trembling limbs woke them often but it had gotten better with time and they always had each other to turn to.
As Wen Qing's body gradually got warm again and her thoughts drifted into more pleasant memories, her eyes started to grow heavy again. As she buried her face in her husband's neck and let his lotus essence fill her nostrils. With his smell filling her senses, his body covering hers as warmth radiated from him, his calm breathing and quiet snores on her ears, she thought to herself that maybe she could sleep a little more as her husband's presence overwhelmed her senses as if protecting her from harm.
She adjusted her position and let sleep claim her once again though this time her dreams were filled with purple t-shirts and yellow sundresses, callused hands holding each other and warm smiling lips covering soft laughing ones.