honestly it’s kind of upsetting how much of the autism experience is just being shamed out expressing yourself in any way that’s normal for you and learning to keep everything to yourself so you’re not shamed for being weird and then being shamed for being so quiet because it’s also weird to be quiet but if you tell this to anyone else they’ll say “why do you care so much what people think” and that’s when the ancient ape part of your brain gets ready to beat them to death
To be fully honest, the story of Lan Zhan recognizing Wei Wuxian because he was playing Wangxian is only sweet because of the love story.
You change literally any detail in that scenario, and that is actually a horror story, friend.
Lan Wangji wrote a song, and allowed one singular person to hear it. That person died 16 years ago. Now, while out on a hunt, Lan Wangji hears that song again.
You put me in Lan Zhan's place, and I am grabbing salt expeditiously. You get that ghost the hell out of here. No.
True, and that's and interesting point. Cause, Wei Wuxian/ Wen Ning fluff aside, the dead walking again has never really been a good thing. If he did immediately assume it was Wei Ying, what would his thought process have been immediately after?
Would he have wondered if he had been brought back as a fierce corpse somehow? I don't remember if they expounded on the idea of them being able to communicate with Wei Wuxian's spirit after his death in either the books or the show (that I recall, I might be forgetting, but either way they didn't), so would he think that someone had managed to summon the Yiling Patriarch back? Was he worried he would have to fight an undead/ controlled version of Wei Ying?
Cause yeah, the reason that Wen Ning was so powerful (I think) is because of the Yiling Patriarch, but people who have been studying demonic cultivation have had 13 years (16 in the show) to study Wei Wuxian's methods and writings. Lan Wangji has seen Wen Ning, a dead man, regain his faculties and behave as himself when not being commanded by someone. So would he think that was possible in this case?
We all want to see what Lan Wangji's reaction to hearing the music was, but I would also love to know what the immediate rush of thoughts were after. 👀
Anyone ever have that weird moment when a bit of whump you have watched over and over again suddenly hits different for no reason? A moment that didn't used to give whumperflies unexpectedly does?
We should squeeze in a little time for "realizing what I want to have happen in this scene/ story and working backwards to find justifications for everything."
I have found that my brain really appreciates whump involving the neck and/ or throat.
I think it is just the universal vulnerability for me. A character could be the strongest in existence, but the right cut or pressure to that small pinch point, and they are done.
The Untamed kinda honed this in for me. They do a few things with the neck/ throat, and I appreciate all of them.
To be fully honest, the story of Lan Zhan recognizing Wei Wuxian because he was playing Wangxian is only sweet because of the love story.
You change literally any detail in that scenario, and that is actually a horror story, friend.
Lan Wangji wrote a song, and allowed one singular person to hear it. That person died 16 years ago. Now, while out on a hunt, Lan Wangji hears that song again.
You put me in Lan Zhan's place, and I am grabbing salt expeditiously. You get that ghost the hell out of here. No.
if i could commission a video i would say put the untamed wei wuxian to everybody scream by florence and the machine with "great news!" at the end. i have more of these btw. i could write you a script.
For whump gifs, should I hide them under page breaks if they have spoilers in them, or is that not an issue for whump posts? When I click into links from whump lists, they don't typically have them hidden in any way if they have spoilers, I don't think.
What's the protocol for uploading a whump gif that might contain a bit of a spoiler? 😂
I just realized how many of my favorite media tropes are in The Untamed, and while it does seem that people very frequently fixated on it, I think this might be why my brain will not release it. (I am speaking specifically about the show, but I have also read the books)
1. A character that is immensely powerful, but physically vulnerable, requiring them to rely on those close to them for support.
2. A character whose appearance and bearing are in stark contrast to their role.
3. A character who has a great effect on the people around them simply because they are genuinely themselves, for better and for worse.
4. Plenty of whump, but not excessive. All of it fits neatly in the story.
5. A character who is deeply loyal to another out of some kind of love (platonic, romantic, familial) and protects them.
6. A romance that can (mostly) pass as platonic. I don't know how to explain this one exactly, but censorship created a very natural- looking relationship between them.
7. A character who is a genuine platonic soulmate. (I don't know if this is a trope, but I like this so much, and I am presently intoxicated)
I love this world so so much. The characters are complex and fascinating, and the show is so good.
This is absolutely a whump blog, I promise. But I am currently drowning in MDZS feelings, so apologies. Not that I am super active anyway, but like also I would like to eventually exist again outside of this story.
And also, Untamed has some fantastic whump, so there is also that.
My take on the Golden Core scene that is missing from both the show and the books.
Characters: Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning, Wen Qing, Lan Shizhui
Summary: Empathy exists on the edge of orthodoxy, but is incredibly dangerous. Still... Lan Wangji had asked, "Is it painful?"
SPOILERS FOR THE UNTAMED
Notes: I think we all wanted to see/ read the scene where the golden core is extracted. I think it was a pivotal point in the closeness and warmth we see between Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian. Also, I like writing whump and fluff. This story is written to take place in the show, but uses details from the books' descriptions and the one image that has been provided.
To describe it badly, a short story in which I get to write whump and fluff between Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan feels a lot of big emotions without the ability to do anything with them cause he is trapped in a dead guy's brain.
Hope you enjoy!
~~~~~
He might not have another chance.
Lan Wangji turned his head toward the far side of the room, spotting the still lump under the covers of the far bed. He listened, honing in on the soft sound of Wei Ying’s steady breaths. Finding him sufficiently asleep, Lan Wangji silently slipped out of the room and made his way downstairs.
Out on the street, the air was cool and refreshing. The logical part of him, the orthodox part of him, screamed that this was simply impossible. He could not be so foolish as to do something like this.
But then Lan Shizhui tapped him on the shoulder.
“Hanguan Jun,” he said quietly.
“Thank you for coming, Shizhui,” said Lan Wangji. “My apologies for the secrecy.”
Shizhui nodded, but his eyes were unsure. “I don't like keeping things from Wei- gongzi. But if you are willing to do this, it must be very important to you. I will help you.”
Lan Wangji nodded. “Mn.”
“Lan- er- gongzi, A- Yuan.”
Shizhui jumped at the timid voice that came abruptly from behind him.
Wen Ning approached from around the corner, looking even more meek than Shizhui knew him to be normally. He approached Lan Wangji like a child submitting themselves for punishment.
Lan Wangji nodded at him. Wen Ning paused for a long moment but took a breath and returned the nod.
The three moved to the alleyway between the inn and the shop beside it, and sat on the cushions that Lan Wangji had procured beforehand. Lan Wangji looked to Shizhui. “You said the bell worked last time?”
Shizhui nodded. “Wei- gongzi said that it was created to calm the mind. Jin Ling gave me one before we left Lanling.”
“Lan- er- gongzi…” said Wen Ning quietly. Lan Wangji said nothing, but looked at his downturned head. “Are you sure about this? This is very dangerous and… and unorthodox.”
“Orthodoxy has proven more flexible than we give it credit for,” said Lan Wangji. “Or at least it must become so. Orthodoxy would have seen you- and likely Wei Ying- reduced to ashes, Wen- gongzi.” He paused until Wen Ning met his eyes. “I need to see it,” he said firmly.
Wen Ning nodded and extended his hands. “You are sure you know what you are doing?”
Lan Wangji set his sword to the cushion beside it, pressing it beneath one of his legs. “I have read all the literature I could find on it, and found out what I could from Wei Ying without raising his supicions.” He looked at him steadily and placed his hands atop Wen Nong's. “I do.”
For some reason he didn't expect the descent into Wen Ning's mind to be so disorienting, but when his consciousness slammed into the Wen Ning of the past, the world spun around him.
It was chilly, and there was a light breeze across the Yiling mountains. The light was low; it was either evening or heavily overcast. With Wen Ning's eyes cast down at the sleeping form in front of him, he couldn't tell which.
He could feel Jiang Wangyin's shoulders leaning against his chest, and he adjusted him a little. It was a strange sensation, feeling the physicality of being present, but having your body be outside of your control. He felt a little like a puppet being pulled and moved to and fro. He wondered for a moment if that was how Wen Ning felt when listening to the high notes of Wei Ying's flute. He then wondered if the present day Wen Ning was aware of his thoughts.
He would try to think kindly just in case.
Wen Ning finally looked away from the sleeping Jiang Cheng and up toward Wen Qing, who was standing some distance away, speaking to Wei Wuxian as he emerged from behind a large rock.
They truly did everything they could to fool him, thought Lan Wangji.
He watched Wei Ying stare down at his sworn brother for a long moment. Lan Wangji felt his heart skip a beat. This was the last Wei Ying that existed before the remaining traces of the innocence and light of his youth was snuffed out. There was a part of him that was a little surprised that there was any left at this point at all; he watched his second set of parents die, and was blamed for it by all those around him. This was a Wei Ying who knew the price he was about to pay, and deemed it acceptable. But there was no possible way that he could have predicted how much the entire cultivation world would be shaken because of this decision.
He thought back to the confrontation in the rain outside the camp as Wei Ying fled with the remainder of the Wen Clan. He could look back at Wei Ying's decisions and see how great and devastating the consequences of this one decision caused… and still not fault him for it. How could he? Driven by desperation to help the person in his life who meant the most to him. Was it Wen Ning's heart or his own that ached as he looked up at a kind of love that had never, and would never, reach a limit.
Perhaps that was one of the things that truly set Wei Ying apart from other cultivators, even before his switch to “crafty tricks.” Wei Ying's love was as untamed as he was. There was not a line he would not cross for someone he loved. There was nothing he would withhold, nothing he would not do, to help those whom he called his own.
He briefly imagined himself being the subject of such a thing, but cut that thought off before he got too deep into it just in case Wen Ning could hear him.
With Wei Wuxian's help, they gently moved Jiang Cheng to the side where Wen Qing laid out a thin cushion.
For some reason, the first thing that set off the butterflies in his stomach was the sight of Wen Qing taking small needles and pressing them gently into the soft tissue directly in front of Jiang Cheng's ears.
Even though she said Jiang Cheng would not awaken, she was deafening him anyway. Wen Ning's thoughts informed him that it was just in case there was the smallest chance that he would recall hearing Wei Ying's screams.
Wen Ning approached Wei Wuxian and looked at his shoes.
He felt a hand rub his shoulder. “Thank you for doing this, Wen Ning,” said Wei Wuxian. Wen Ning shook his head but said nothing. As Wen Qing laid another thin cushion on the ground, he looked at her and smiled softly. “You too, Wen Qing.”
Wen Qing stood and fixed him with a stern look. “Thank me after if you still feel it necessary.” She looked down and Lan Wangji could see some of her anger bleed into a deep sadness. “No… don't thank me at all. Don't thank me.”
Wei Wuxian gave a slow bow anyway. When he straightened again, he cast a quick glance at Jiang Cheng. “I can't let him lose everything.” He met her eyes with a firm look of his own. “I made a promise; both to his mother and as his sworn brother.”
Wen Qing stood silent for a long moment before sighing and stepping aside to motion to the empty cushion. Wen Ning stared at Wei Wuxian for a long moment as he gave the barest hint of a smile to Wen Ning and sat down.
Lan Wangji was certain it was his own heart that lurched now. The way Wei Ying lowered himself onto the cushion made him think back to his time on his knees, feeling the whip come down again and again, sending shocks of agony through every muscle in his body until he could feel blood streaming down his sides and staining his crisp white waistband.
The way Wei Ying laid himself down felt painfully familiar.
Wen Qing and Wen Ning knelt on either side of him; Wen Ning by his head and Wen Qing at his side. She dug into her pocket and produced a small pouch. From it, she withdrew a long sturdy cloth, a small stick, and a pair of small tools that Wen Ning's thoughts identified as a calligraphy brush and a small knife.
Was it Lan Wangji or Wen Ning that gave a hard swallow?
Wen Qing handed the cloth and stick to Wen Ning. He sent an agonized look down at Wei Wuxian, but he just gave him a gentle smile and offered up his hands. Wen Ning's own hands were shaking as he wound the cloth around Wei Wuxian's wrists and tied them together. He stared at the stick for a moment before sighing and putting it in Wei Wuxian's open mouth.
Wen Qing parted Wei Wuxian's robes, laying bare his torso, and pressing a couple points near his ribs and belly before seeming to find a spot and pushing two fingers into it. Wei Wuxian jumped a little at the pressure but shook his head when she looked up at him. He looked at Wen Ning and nodded.
Wen Ning shifted upward a little and grabbed the cloth that bound his hands, leaning down and pressing Wei Wuxian's arms above his head and into the ground. Lan Wangji hadn't noticed before, but they had taken a crude piece of metal and staked it into the ground. It was around this piece of metal that Wen Ning tied the cloth that restrained Wei Ying's arms.
“I'm starting. Bite,” Wen Qing commanded.
Lan Wangji watched Wei Ying center himself, closing his eyes and taking several breaths as Wen Qing used the brush to scribble a few characters onto his stomach. She hesitated before taking a breath and making the incision.
Lan Wangji knew Wei Ying was not the sort to shy away from pain, but watching the knife part his flesh still made him expect some sort of noise from him. But Wei Ying merely ground his teeth against the stick in his mouth, kept his eyes closed, and breathed into his chest, keeping his belly as still as he could for her.
Wen Qing made another two small incisions on either end of the first, and carefully peeled back a small flap of skin, exposing the fibrous muscles that lay beneath. Lan Wangji had to admire her knife work; it didn't look like she even nicked the muscles. She placed an open palm against them, limiting the blood loss, held two fingers up, and closed her eyes to begin her work.
A gentle light shone from beneath her hand. Small particles of gold slipped out from beneath it and began to swirl around her raised hand. As they continued to gather, some would combine into larger bits, and others continued to orbit the larger parts like a myriad of stars.
If he hadn't been aware that she was currently pressing on an exposed bit of muscle and drawing out everything Wei Ying had worked for since childhood, Lan Wangji would describe it as beautiful.
Lan Wangji didn't feel time passing much from then on. He would look up and notice that the sky was darker or lighter than it was the last time he looked. The moon or sun was in a different position, and he realized that this must be how Wen Ning recalled it. Whether by design or as a reaction to the trauma, Wen Ning's perception of how time had passed was hazy.
Either way, Lan Wangji could tell that Wei Ying made it through the entire first night without making much noise other than small grunts and whimpers.
But as the sun rose, something seemed to crack.
Wen Qing adjusted her hand a little, twisting it and applying a bit more pressure. The light that escaped Wei Wuxian's body was more opaque now. It no longer looked like twinkling stars, but like long viscous strings of golden blood being drawn out.
And Wei Wuxian finally screamed.
It was muffled a little by the stick, and Lan Wangji could see his jaw trembling with the force he was applying. One of his legs kicked upward, but he forced his foot back to the earth. He threw his head back, pressing it to the ground, breathed deeply, and let out another strangled scream.
Lan Wangji felt the urge to look away as he watched Wei Ying’s face contort in agony, but Wen Ning's eyes were locked on him. He felt strangely grateful for it. However much it pained him to see Wei Ying enduring this, it felt disrespectful to close his eyes against it. Sweat was now rolling down his face and hairline in small streams.
Wen Ning placed a cloth over his forehead, dabbing at the sweat and bending down to speak quietly to him. “Wei- gongzi, I'm here,” he said simply. He placed his free hand over his clenched ones in the grips of the restraining cloth. Strangely, Wei Ying seemed somewhat comforted, and Lan Wangji could see a tiny bit of tension leave his brow.
As time passed, Wei Wuxian seemed to adjust to the pain a little, and his jaw trembled a little less. He opened his eyes and nodded at Wen Ning, who placed the rag down and pulled his waterskin from his belt. He took the stick and gently tipped a bit of water between his lips. Wei Wuxian drank carefully before dropping his head back down. Wen Ning poured a few drops into Wen Qing's mouth, then grabbed the stick again, but Wei Wuxian turned his head away.
“No…” he said quietly, punctuated by a small sob, “T- talk,” he managed.
Lan Wangji could feel Wen Ning's confusion. “You want to talk?” he asked hesitantly.
Wei Wuxian nodded quickly.
“What about?” Wen Ning was not really asking for a topic so much as expressing incredulity at such a request.
“Anything,” Wei Wuxian pleaded. “Food,” he choked after a moment. “Tell me about… about a dish from your home.”
Wen Ning nodded. However he needed to cope, Wen Ning would oblige. He proceeded to speak of some kind of meat dish that Lan Wangji was unfamiliar with.
As he finished, Wei Wuxian smiled. “Is it spicy?” he asked in a quick breath.
Wen Ning shook his head. “Not at all. Should it be?”
“I like spicy food,” announced Wei Wuxian with a smile that was pulled into a frown briefly as another wave of pain stole a breath. “I always did but…” He managed a smile again. “The food we ate at the Cloud Recesses… was so bland it made me need- agh!- extra spice in all of my food now.” Wen Ning smiled sadly but said nothing. Wei Wuxian's face turned wistful, even as his brow remained creased. “Though I would…” He gasped then continued. “I would give anything… to have some soup with Lan Zhan right now.”
“Hanguan Jun?” Wen Ning repeated.
Wei Wuxian's eyes turned soft. “I miss him,” he breathed with the barest of smiles.
Jan Wangji was certain that it was his own heart that pounded and his own lungs that had the air pulled from them. He realized something;
Wei Ying had been rendered incapable of being anything but honest. The pain had stripped away all propriety, any thought he had of hiding anything. He was suddenly struck by how intrusive this was. It wasn't as though he had been unaware of it, but it hit him hard now. He had been so desperate to understand, he never imagined that he might hear some of his innermost thoughts.
He desperately wanted to hear a certain thing, and felt ashamed for it. That was going too far, and he prayed silently that he would not hear it; whether positive or negative.
“Why do you miss him?” asked Wen Ning.
No. Don't ask him that, Lan Wangji pleaded silently.
There was a level of comfort that came over Wei Ying's face that made Lan Wangji's chest tighten.
“He makes… he makes me feel safe,” Wei Wuxian breathed.
Lan Wangji briefly wished he would hear that bell, but at the same time wished he would continue.
“Strong… and he always knows… what to do,” he said, his words broken by whimpers and grunts.
“You went through a lot together,” said Wen Ning.
Wei Wuxian nodded. “It's more than that, though,” he breathed.
Stop… thought Lan Wangji in spite of himself.
“I feel restless… when he's not there…” he winced and yelped as Wen Qing twisted her hand again. When he got his breathing back under control, he continued. “I haven't slept well since… we left the cave.” Wen Ning was silent, and Lan Wangji could feel him pondering the implications.
Wen Ning either could not hear his thoughts like he feared, or he was as trapped as he was, because his silent plea that Shizhui pull him out was met with silence.
Wei Wuxian's eyes rolled upward, but Wen Ning grabbed his shoulder and shook him, casting a frantic glance at where the long strings of golden energy were still collecting around Wen Qing's hand. “Wei- gongzi! You must stay awake!”
Wei Wuxian's eyes fluttered for a moment, clearly still conscious, but slowly beginning to vanish beneath the pain.
Wen Ning floundered. “Uhh, Hanguan Jun! Tell me more about Hanguan Jun!” he cried.
This seemed to force some alertness into Wei Wuxian and his eyes opened more fully. “About… Lan Zhan?” he breathed. Wen Ning nodded frantically. Wei Wuxian looked to the sky as the day waned. “I want to see him,” Wei Wuxian sobbed weakly.
Lan Wangji once again pleaded silently to be let out. He shouldn't be hearing this. But how could he have expected that Wei Ying had bared his innermost thoughts during the procedure? He didn't think he would be speaking at all. Though… knowing the notoriously chatty Wei Wuxian, perhaps he shouldn't have expected anything else.
“I want to see him,” Wei Wuxian whispered again. He looked up, and tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. “He would- AH!”
Wen Qing had moved her hand again, and had he not been presently listening to Wei Ying wail in pain, he might have been grateful for the interruption.
“I saw him smile once,” he breathed after he settled again, the corners of his lips curled in his own fond smile. “Looking at the rabbits I painted.”
“You painted rabbits for him?” said Wen Ning, his mind racing in its search for things to speak on.
Wei Wuxian nodded. “On the lanterns… when we were at the symposium in Gusu.” His eyes were soft as he looked at the darkening sky. “He won't admit it… but I think he likes them.”
Wen Ning floundered again. “What would you do if Hanguan Jun was here?”
Lan Wangji felt a sudden flash of something between anger and annoyance. He knew that it was not present day Wen Ning asking such a thing, but it almost felt like a targeted question; chosen only for the sake of exposing to Lan Wangji the things he shouldn't know.
“I would…” Wei Wuxian was sounding delirious. Wen Ning tapped his cheek gently and he became alert again. “If Lan Zhan were here…” he began again. Lan Wangji suddenly felt suffocated. “I would ask him… if I could rest on his lap… or if he could hold me.”
Lan Wangji was sure he could feel his own heart pounding, and briefly hoped it was a sign that he was being pulled out, but he still could not hear the bell.
He could feel Wen Ning's face flush as well. At this point, even the Wen Ning of the past could tell that these thoughts were not those that Wei Ying would normally voice.
“I would do other things too, I think,” said Wei Wuxian. In this situation, Wen Ning knew that although it was clear he needed to keep Wei Wuxian talking, the question of ‘what things’ that would logically follow such a statement was one he couldn't bring himself to ask. But Wei Wuxian continued anyway, because of course he did.
“Do you think…” Wei Wuxian paused to take a calming breath and whimper. “... that Lan Zhan would ever… kiss someone?”
Lan Wangji wanted to climb the walls of whatever hell he had been trapped in like a terrified cat. Stop stop stop stop!
Wen Ning paused for a long moment while Wei Wuxian stared blankly at the sky. “I don't… I don't know the answer to that,” he said finally.
“He doesn't seem like… like someone who has a type…” said Wei Wuxian with a small smirk. “He is just about rules and… and work… and writing… and… beautiful…” Lan Wangji could almost hear his thoughts shift suddenly. “His eyes are clear… and his voice is rich…” Wei Wuxian turned his head away from Wen Ning, and pressed the side of his face into one of his stretched arms, existing somewhere between bashfulness and pain. “He sang to me… in the cave… I want to hear him sing… just one more time.”
Lan Wangji's heart broke. He thinks he is dying.
He looked back to the sky, his eyes red and overflowing with tears. “Will I get to see him again?” His voice was strangled with emotion.
Wen Ning rubbed his arm and gripped his clenched hands in his own. “Yes, Wei- gongzi. I'm sure you will see him.”
Wei Wuxian nodded slowly. “Good… I want to… tell him something.”
Wen Ning ardently refused to voice the obvious following question, and Lan Wangji begrudgingly thanked him for finally not making the conversation worse.
Considering Wei Ying had very much not told him anything that would come out of this sort of situation, Lan Wangji wondered if he even remembered this.
“Have you seen how pretty he is?” asked Wei Wuxian.
Lan Wangji swore to himself. Wen Ning looked to Wen Qing's progress as though thinking the same way. The globe of golden light was bright and larger but the amount of golden viscera had still not decreased or slowed down. Considering night had fallen again, and recalling Wen Ning's words from the lake, he knew the procedure was almost complete, but it seemed Wei Ying still had plenty of time to say things he shouldn't.
“I… I have,” said Wen Ning hesitantly. This didn't bother Lan Wangji. He had been reliably informed that he was objectively beautiful. It wasn't something he had any strong feelings on; just something he was aware of as one of the “notoriously handsome” Twin Jades of Gusu.
“He might… hate me, though,” Wei Wuxian said sadly.
“I'm sure he doesn't,” said Wen Ning, dabbing at his forehead again. Lan Wangji silently thanked Wen Ning for his assurance.
Wei Wuxian shook his head. “I think he should,” he said quietly.
“Why would he hate you?” asked Wen Ning. While still very much in the territory of Wei Ying's intimate thoughts, Lan Wangji felt thankful for the slightly safer topic.
“I am… very annoying, aren't I?” said Wei Wuxian with a sad smile. Wen Ning fell silent, his mind trying to come up with an adequate assurance, but Wei Wuxian continued before he could. “To him,” he clarified. “When I see him… I can't help but-”
Wei Wuxian's words drowned in the scream that tore from his throat. His limbs locked straight and his entire form shuddered as Wen Qing twisted her hand again and released some of the pressure. Beneath her hand was a mess of blood, and Wen Ning could still see the fibrous muscle of his abdomen in the place she had split his flesh.
“This is the last part, Wei Wuxian,” said Wen Qing. Wen Ning dabbed at her forehead. “No more talking. Concentrate, this will be worse.”
Wei Wuxian closed his eyes and nodded, biting down on the stick that Wen Ning pushed between his teeth.
As Wen Qing drew her hand away, the golden particles continued to swirl out of his body, but now they were not only coming from his abdomen. From every part of his body, neat little lines made of thousands of tiny pinpricks of golden light streamed from inside him, as though each one of his arteries were releasing their magic.
Not too far from the truth, Lan Wangji supposed.
Wei Wuxian clenched his jaw harder and screamed around the stick. His time under Wen Qing's ministrations had stripped him of any ability to silently withstand the pain. Lan Wangji could see all of his remaining presence of mind and concentration being funneled into keeping his legs from kicking away the source of the pain. His arms yanked at the cloth and he wailed, turning his head and pressing his face into his arm again.
When his breath hitched in his chest hard enough to make his torso move, Wen Ning pressed his hands to his shoulders.
“Wei- gongzi! Focus! You're almost there!”
Wei Wuxian shook his head, his face wet with a mixture of tears and sweat. He wailed again, and pushed against his hands. He lifted one of his legs, but managed to keep his foot on the ground.
“Wei- gongzi, remember why you're doing this! Look!” Laying one forearm across his shoulders to hold him down, Wen Ning used his free hand to push Wei Wuxian's face toward where Jiang Cheng was laying. Wei Wuxian stared for a long moment, then slowly looked back to Wen Ning, his eyes hardened a little with his resolve.
But another wave of agony crashed over him, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Another sob broke around the stick. A small stream of golden particles began lifting from his forehead, and several began slipping out of his mouth around the stick. When his eyes opened again, they were wide, entirely without iris or pupil, and glowing with golden light. His breathing got heavier, and every instinct in Lan Wangji's body screamed with the need to get to him.
He survived this. Lan Wangji repeated it to himself like a mantra. He survived and he succeeded. He will not die here; calm down. His heart hammered against his ribcage, unheeding.
He felt gratitude bloom in his chest when Wen Ning crouched down and lay his chest against Wei Ying's shoulders, wrapping one arm around his chest, and gripping his bound hands with his other. He held him close.
“It's okay,” whispered Wen Ning quietly.
Wei Wuxian let the stick drop from between his teeth. “It hurts…” he sobbed. His voice was small, as though he had been reduced to a scared child. “... so much…”
“I know,” said Wen Ning, gripping his bound hands more firmly. “You're almost there.”
There followed a silence for a long while, broken only by sobs and whimpers.
“Wen Ning,” said Wei Wuxian deliriously.
“I'm here,” said Wen Ning redundantly, tightening his hold on him a little.
“Is Lan Zhan here yet?” he breathed.
Lan Wangji worried that his heart might have stopped in his real body. He suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, and he wondered if it was his own reaction to the question, or Wen Ning's panic when he realized that Wei Ying's cognition was beginning to fail him.
“He…” Wen Ning hesitated. “He'll be here,” he lied. Placate… that's all he could do.
“Tell him… tell him to hurry,” said Wei Wuxian.
“I will,” said Wen Ning. His own eyes filled with tears, and he squeezed them shut.
“Will you… stay with me… till he comes?” Wei Wuxian breathed.
Wen Ning nodded fiercely. “Of course.”
Wei Wuxian let out a sudden yelp and sob, but calmed again. “Can… you ask him to hold me and… hug me while I sleep?”
Wen Ning nodded again. “Of course.”
The golden light slowly abandoned his eyes and flowed out to join the beautiful rolling glob of his extracted golden core. When the last particles of golden light pulled free from him, Wen Qing sat back heavily.
At the release of the pain, Wei Wuxian went immediately limp. As Wen Ning pulled himself away from him and began checking on his sister, Lan Wangji marveled at the sight of the golden core.
It was beautiful.
There was no other way to describe it. It was pure liquid gold. The dark night only emphasized its magnificent light, casting everything in a beautiful haze. It moved and rolled like a living creature. Lan Wangji idly wondered if all golden cores looked this way, or was it only so beautiful because of Wei Ying's prodigious abilities?
Or perhaps it was so beautiful to him simply because it was Wei Ying's.
He watched Wen Qing rise to her feet and take slow steps toward the prone Jiang Cheng as though the core were a drink she was afraid of spilling.
Wen Ning kept an eye on her, but focused on Wei Wuxian's stomach. He pulled a small square of silk from his pocket, pulled the flap of skin Wen Qing had separated from the muscle back into place, and pressed the silk down against it. He reached into his pocket again and pulled out a small crumpled bit of paper with Wen Qing's neat characters on it. His hands were shaking as he lifted his hand away from the silk which was now saturated with blood and sealed loosely to Wei Wuxian's skin.
Staring at the bit of paper, Wen Ning painted the pair of characters from the paper onto the silk; “embrace.”
The ink glowed for a moment, then faded back to black, barely visible against the deep red of Wei Wuxian's blood. Despite exposing a bit of muscle, there was not much blood. Just enough to cover his belly and the edges of his robe in it.
Wen Ning stood to check on his sister, once he had released Wei Wuxian's wrists, and arranged him to sleep comfortably.
As Wen Ning knelt beside Jiang Cheng, offering what little help he could, Lan Wangji could faintly hear the sound of a bell in his ears. He looked once more at the sleeping Wei Ying, and felt his heart swell.
There would never be another moment when he wondered how he had possibly fallen so deeply in love with such a person.
He pulled a breath into his lungs as though he had been starved for air, but instantly began to measure his breathing. His hands dropped to rest on his knees and the bell quieted.
“Hanguan Jun?” whispered Shizhui. After hearing nothing but cries and screams of pain for what seemed like the full two nights and a day as Wen Ning had described, Lan Wangji had never been so grateful to hear his voice.
When he opened his eyes, he could see Wen Ning sitting still in front of him, hanging his head and wringing his hands.
“I…” he started. He looked up to meet Lan Wangji's eyes for a moment, but almost immediately looked away again. “I shouldn't have shown you. Wei- gongzi didn't want anyone to know, much less have me show someone. Especially you.”
Lan Wangji placed a placating hand on his shoulder. “My apologies, Wen- gongzi. Put all the blame on me. I demanded this of you.”
Wen Ning shook his head. “No, I also agreed to it.” He looked up and held his gaze this time. “I want someone else to understand.”
Lan Wangji nodded. “Mn. Thank you for doing this,” he said, standing and bowing. Wen Ning scrambled to his feet to mirror the action. Lan Wangji straightened and placed a hand on his shoulder again. “Wen- gongzi…” Wen Ning straightened quickly. “Thank you… for being there for him. You did well.” He could see a small measure of happiness fill his pitch black eyes.
Lan Wangji then turned to Shizhui and bowed as well. “Thank you for your assistance, Shizhui.”
Shizhui nodded with a weak smile. “What now?” he asked.
Lan Wangji looked up at the side of the inn. “I will tell Wei Ying what I did.” He looked back to his co- conspirators. “You needn't worry.”
With that, the three parted ways. Shizhui sought his bed while the Ghost General walked away to stay… wherever it was that he stayed while they were asleep. With a heavy breath to calm his suddenly pounding heart, Lan Wangji headed up to their room.
