oooh for the whump prompts, could i ask for 52 or 54 with jzx and wwx? i like it when ppl who don’t like each other take care of each other anyway :)
52) “Am I going to die here?” “No, okay? Just stay with me.” 54) “I’m fine.” “No you’re not, you’re losing a lot of blood.”
Finally finished!! Thank you so much for the prompt Anon! Sorry it took so long, but I enjoyed writing this! I enjoy any excuse to write Peacock Jin at his tsundere-est :)
I hope you enjoy!!
AO3
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The Worst Option
“How many of us were there? It could have been anyone else. Anyone! Why did it have to be you?”
Jin Zixuan ignored the taunt. He ignored the accompanying hand gesture as well, and instead held his breath as he watched the demonic turtle circle around in the water, as though the slightest movement would get its attention.
He had half a mind to tell off Wei Wuxian for his complaining as well, but that would require having to acknowledge his presence, but also, the turtle’s continued lack of reaction to him was a comfort.
Jin Zixuan wasn’t sure what made him finally release his breath; the turtle slinking away or the realization that Wei Wuxian stopped talking.
He turned back to him and was met with a glare. Jin Zixuan glared back.
“Turtle’s gone,” he said after a moment.
“Good riddance,” Wei Wuxian agreed icily and leaned back against the rock Jin Zixuan had propped him against. One hand was still tightly clutched over his injured arm. It dripped bright red blood.
“You should do something about that,” Jin Zixuan told him.
“Happily. Just hand me the med kit I left back in Yunmeng.”
“Wei Wuxian!” Jin Zixuan snapped. “For your sake, you’d better not be insinuating that it’s somehow my fault we’re trapped here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Wei Wuxian snapped back at him. “But why you, of all people…”
It wasn’t Jin Zixuan’s fault he’d been the closest. Or the fastest.
When the arrow shot through the air and pierced Wei Wuxian’s arm, Jin Zixuan’s body moved faster his brain, and he was at his side at once, helping to hold up the array and then moving him to safety once everyone else was gone. He didn’t realize until it was too late that his heroics would leave him trapped in the cave.
With a corrupted Xuanwu.
And Wei Wuxian.
“You aren’t my first choice either,” Jin Zixuan grumbled angrily. “I would never have saved you if I knew how ungrateful you’d be.”
“I didn’t need to be saved at all,” Wei Wuxian countered. “You think I lured that stupid turtle towards me so we’d have two idiots left in the cave?”
True. If he hadn’t been injured suddenly and spurred Jin Zixuan’s protective instincts, they could have had just one.
No. Even one was unacceptable.
“You’re a fool if you think I’d leave someone to die,” Jin Zixuan said quietly.
“And you’re a fool for thinking I would die,” Wei Wuxian said, with a roll of his eyes. His voice was suddenly quieter. Less venomous. “You think something like this is enough to do me in? I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not, you’re losing a lot of blood.”
His hand was almost completely red with it, but Wei Wuxian simply waved it around and laughed.
“Don’t you know how strong I am? I’ll have this healed up before Jiang Cheng even makes it out of Qishan!” he boasted.
The wound looked too severe for that to be true, but Wei Wuxian would never listen to anything Jin Zixuan had to say anyway, so he wouldn’t bother.
“You should get on that then,” he simply said instead and made himself comfortable.
There wasn’t much else for him to do.
-----
How long do you think we’ll be trapped here?” Jin Zixuan suddenly asked. He didn’t know how much time had passed. He had sat down in the lotus position and closed his eyes to try and meditate, but his fears kept intruding no matter how many times he tried to push them away.
“As long as it takes Jiang Cheng to get home and alert Uncle Jiang,” Wei Wuxian replied. There was no concern to be found on his pale face. Jin Zixuan hated it.
“And how long is that? Can we even last until then?”
“Of course, we can,” Wei Wuxian snapped. “Even someone like you should be able to go without food a few days.”
Of course, he could. Jin Zixuan bristled indignantly.
“A few days? Is that how long you think it takes to run to Yunmeng?”
“For Jiang Cheng, yes.”
“Ridiculous,” Jin Zixuan said. “We’re better off waiting for my parents.”
“If we have to wait for them, we really will starve. Lanling is much further away.”
“They’ll get here,” Jin Zixuan insisted. He thought about his mother, and how worried she’d be when she learned what happened. It pained him to cause her such distress, but that worry would be her greatest weapon. “Jiang Wanyin is a more valuable hostage than my clanmates. They’ll be able to get home, while Wen Chao will certainly pursue – OW!”
Wei Wuxian had thrown a pebble at his head.
“Don’t say stupid things. My shidi will save us.”
Jin Zixuan grabbed the fallen stone and threw it back. It hit Wei Wuxian’s shoulder and bounced off with a plink.
“I am being realistic.”
“You are being an asshole.”
“Wei Wuxian!” Jin Zixuan snapped, remembering more and more why it was he never liked him. After a moment of tense glaring, Jin Zixuan looked away.
“How can you have so much faith in him?”
“Because he’s my shidi. End of discussion.”
But of course, it wasn’t the end of the discussion.
“Besides if you want to talk valuable hostages, you’re forgetting Lan Zhan and Nie Huaisang. Wen Chao had it out especially for Lan Zhan.”
“And Nie Huaisang’s safety is the only thing holding his brother back,” Jin Zixuan added thoughtfully. “If he can get home, Sect Leader Nie would be in a position to retaliate.”
“Right. If Wen Chao was smart. he’d prioritize him and –
“How good do you think Nie Huaisang’s chances are if Wen Chao does that?”
Wei Wuxian didn’t answer. Jin Zixuan decided he didn’t want to answer that either.
The silence was suffocating.
“…Thankfully, Wen Chao is not smart.”
“And both Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan are.”
That was the end of that discussion.
-----
The corrupted Xuanwu surfaced on occasion, but for the most part it slept. Jin Zixuan struggled to do the same and passed the time trying to observe a pattern to its behavior.
Wei Wuxian did the same but also kept busy in other ways. Jin Zixuan would often break out of his trance to find him pacing around, mumbling to himself, though whenever their eyes met, he would stop and retreated further into what they’d established as his side of the cave and pretend to focus on other things.
They had a good separation in place. When some of his strength returned (and he smugly declared himself completely healed), the first thing Wei Wuxian did was go around the cave and gather up the weapons left behind and then any twigs and leaves he could find for them to start a fire. They agreed to share the fire to save on supplies, but the weapons were laid out to form a dividing line.
“Of course, you’re welcome to come over to this side if you’re scared,” Wei Wuxian teased, and Jin Zixuan bristled and promised to never do such a thing.
Occasionally, Jin Zixuan asked after Wei Wuxian’s arm. Other times, Wei Wuxian complained about various things. The two didn’t have much else to say to each other.
Once though, Jin Zixuan made the mistake of asking about his former betrothed. He’d done so as a formality. He didn’t really want to know and didn’t really care, but there had been a long stretch of silence where Wei Wuxian wasn’t mumbling or complaining, and Jin Zixuan hadn’t liked it. So, when they next met up by the fire, he decided to break it.
“That’s none of your business,” Wei Wuxian immediately snapped, and the temperature of the cave seemed to plummet despite the fire they’d just started.
“She was to be my bride once. I see nothing wrong with asking about her well-being,” Jin Zixuan replied coldly, even though he’d agreed with the reply.
“Keyword: once,” Wei Wuxian hissed. “You didn’t care about her before, so you don’t get to pretend now. I don’t care what anyone else says. I’m glad her engagement to you was canceled.”
“Of course, you would be,” Jin Zixuan remarked. “One less romantic rival in your way.”
“Excuse me?” Wei Wuxian leapt to his feet and glared down at Jin Zixuan. “You are not my rival. In anything.”
“Oh? So you won’t marry her either. Heh.”
“She’s my shijie,” Wei Wuxian said slowly, emphasizing each word carefully.
“And? You’re the head disciple. There’s nothing unusual.” Jin Zixuan replied. “In some sects, it’s even preferable. And in your case, I’m surprised Jiang Fengmian didn’t leap at the opportunity. Or could it be the rumors—
“Stop,” Wei Wuxian cut him off in a venomous tone, and Jin Zixuan knew he’d messed up. He held Wei Wuxian’s hateful gaze but searched for the nearest weapon in the corners of his vision, just in case.
But Wei Wuxian didn’t attack. As the fire crackled between them and the blaze reflected in his eyes, he only said, “Shijie will marry someone who will love her and treasure her above all else. Definitely not you.”
Jin Zixuan opened his mouth to have the last say, but Wei Wuxian didn’t give him the chance. He turned around and walked into the shadows.
“I’m tired. It must be nighttime now. Good night.”
The fire lost all its warmth.
-----
Wei Wuxian stopped pacing around the cave. He stopped gathering supplies as well. He didn’t stop mumbling to himself but as he kept to his rock on his side of the cave, Jin Zixuan couldn’t hear any of it, and only knew from the way his lips twitched on occasion. He never made any more fires, nor joined in when Jin Zixuan did.
Jin Zixuan now made his own rounds now to stretch his legs and try to see whatever else there was to the cave. The longer the silence stretched, the worse the thoughts in his mind. Were his parents on their way? Did any of his clanmates reach Lanling yet? Had they even escaped successfully?
He knew at least a few days must have passed by now. His golden core kept his hunger and thirst at bay, but he could slowly feel it grow weaker and couldn’t be sure how much longer it would last.
When he brought back an armful of dried wood and found Wei Wuxian slumped against the rock asleep, clutching his injured arm, he wondered if Wei Wuxian’s energy had already ran out.
After starting a fresh fire, Jin Zixuan crossed the divider, and knelt down.
“Wake up. I’ve made a fire.”
Wei Wuxian’s response was a slow shake of his head.
“I’m going to do another circle so it’s all yours.” Jin Zixuan tried again.
“Don’t need it,” Wei Wuxian slurred. “S’hot enough.”
“Don’t be stubborn,” Jin Zixuan said with a frown and grabbed Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. This was met with a groan, and some weak attempts at breaking free, first by shaking him off and then by attempting to smack Jin Zixuan’s hand away with his own.
On the third such attempt, Wei Wuxian’s hand landed on Jin Zixuan’s, and immediately his stomach sank.
Wei Wuxian’s hand was burning.
“You’re not alright!” Jin Zixuan cried out in alarm and reached to feel Wei Wuxian’s forehead. The action was rebuffed more strongly this time but not before Jin Zixuan could confirm the fever. “Wei Wuxian, wake up! How long have you been like this?”
Memories of their last conversation swirled in his mind. Had he already been sick then?
“Are you listening to me?”
“You’re too noisy. Go away. M’trying to sleep.”
“You can sleep later,” Jin Zixuan snapped. “Show me your arm.”
“Arm’s fine.”
“Obviously it isn’t if you’re like this.” With a rough motion, Jin Zixuan grabbed his arm and swiftly pulled back the torn fabric, ripping it further.
A large angry gash greeted him, but as Jin Zixuan looked closer, he couldn’t find anything amiss. The wound was large, but it was no longer bleeding and had sealed itself up. A few dark streaks of dried blood circled it but nothing to indicate poisoning.
“Told you so.” Wei Wuxian’s glassy eyes shone with smug pride.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Jin Zixuan told him. “You must be hiding another injury somewhere. Another arrow? Or –when you dove into the water, did the turtle bite you? Or when we fought the Wen –
He stopped. When they fought the Wen, Wei Wuxian was injured. Not from a sword or an arrow but one very hot…
“Show me,” Jin Zixuan demanded, looking at a dark splotch on Wei Wuxian’s chest. “Right now.”
He didn’t wait for an affirmation. Even if Wei Wuxian refused, he had no strength to fight him off in his current state, and could only suppress a pained cry as Jin Zixuan cut back the fabric to reveal the sun-shaped brand blazing on his chest.
The wound hadn’t closed fully. Even now there were fresh specks of blood dotting it.
“Wei Wuxian!”
“I’ve expelled any impurities,” Wei Wuxian breathed out. “But it’s a stubborn one… turns out I can’t heal it and my arm and go without eating.”
“You should have said something earlier,” Jin Zixuan hissed at him, and lifted his wrist.
“Don’t. You need your strength too.”
“You can’t expect me to do nothing! We don’t have any other medicine to –
“Oh.”
“Exactly, now hold still.”
“No, not “oh, you’re right.” I meant “oh, you’re wrong”,” Wei Wuxian clarified. Slowly, he pushed himself into an upright position and reached into his robes. After some searching, he pulled out a small pink perfume sachet. “We do have medicine!”
“Where did you get that?”
“Mianmian,” Wei Wuxian answered with a growing grin. “I wanted it for Lan Zhan’s leg but… I forgot.”
Jin Zixuan swallowed back his rebuke and gratefully took the sachet.
“Give it. No sense wasting it.”
Jin Zixuan opened it up and started looking through the cut-up herbs. He knew the basics of first-aid, but had never had to treat anything like this. He wasn’t confident about his ability to tell apart the different plants. Fortunately, Wei Wuxian was still lucid enough to help.
“Looks like this one is good for stopping bleeding, and this one for curing poison,” He explained. “Crush those.”
“I know,” Jin Zixuan snapped impulsively, and started picking out the mentioned herbs. He ground them, and then pressed them into Wei Wuxian’s hand to press to his chest.
“Isn’t the guy doing first aid supposed to dashingly press the herbs onto the wound himself?” Wei Wuxian quipped, but still obediently held them in place as he took long deep breaths.
Jin Zixuan meanwhile doused the previous fire, and moved the wood towards Wei Wuxian to set it up anew. He also checked through their findings for anything to use as a bowl. If they cut up some cloth to strain the lake water with and boiled it, they could have something to better clean the wound with.
After thinking about it some more, he grabbed an arrowhead to cut a few neat strips from his own robe to use as bandages, and placed them in Wei Wuxian’s lap.
“You’re being so nice to me,” Wei Wuxian muttered. “Am I going to die here?”
“No, okay? Just stay with me,” Jin Zixuan replied. “I already told you’re a fool if you think I’d just let you die.”
Wei Wuxian hmphed to himself and closed his eyes again.
His fell back into a peaceful sleep.
-----
It would have been a stretch to say that Wei Wuxian recovered from some herbs and water but his fever fell to a more manageable warmth, and his eyes were alert and movements energetic.
He started talking again, mostly nonsense, but it filled the silence and dispelled some of Jin Zixuan’s worst anxieties. For the first time since they became trapped, he could feel hope running through him.
“– and looking back, if you hadn’t been the one to move it might have been Lan Zhan. So, uh, good job on that, I guess.”
Jin Zixuan had tuned out the first half of the conversation, but now turned to Wei Wuxian in confusion. “Good job for saving you so Lan Wangji didn’t?”
“He was injured,” Wei Wuxian reminded him pointedly. “He needed to get out of here and get proper treatment for his leg.”
“You’re injured too.”
“And we barely managed to deal with that,” Wei Wuxian remarked. “No really though. Lan Zhan needed medical attention. Nie-xiong wouldn’t last without eating. Jiang Cheng had to lead everyone out and then get help… Mianmian’s nice, but it would have been bad to leave a girl in a place like this. What I’m trying to say is… you weren’t the worst option to be stuck here with.”
“Idiot,” Jin Zixuan muttered with a scowl, but as he mentally went down the list, he couldn’t disagree.
“I’m not thanking you for it though.”
“Good. You can thank me after my mother gets us out of here.”
His father too, of course, but for some things his mother was just a bit more efficient.
“I keep telling you, Jiang Cheng will be the one to save us,” Wei Wuxian retorted. “We should bet on it.”
“There’s nothing you have that I could possibly want.”
“Likewise, but we can figure that part out later. Or just go for a classic winner bosses loser around.”
“Because you need an excuse for that.”
“Because I’m going to win.” Wei Wuxian’s grin was full of life, a welcome change from the weak forced smirks from… not even that long ago.
(Jin Zixuan hoped his expressions were still the same way. At the very least, he would not allow himself to break before Wei Wuxian.)
“More importantly though, I’ve decided I’m tired of waiting around for Jiang Cheng like some helpless damsel,” Wei Wuxian announced and picked himself up, stretching tall. “I want a trophy.”
“What are you going on about now?” Jin Zixuan frowned, but then realized where exactly Wei Wuxian was looking and leapt up in alarm. “No!”
“Why not? We came here for a night hunt. Someone should bring back some kind of prize, right?” More seriously, he added, “We’ve been trapped here at its mercy for at least some days. I want to get even.”
“You’ll be killed.”
“Not on your watch,” Wei Wuxian said, and Jin Zixuan regretted ever saying those words. “I’ve had a way to bring down that thing down for a while now, but then that stupid fever rose – I finally feel up to it again. I don’t want to lose this chance.”
Jin Zixuan suddenly recalled those his pacing, and mumbling, and the long hours spent watching the turtle…
“You really have a plan? Even without our swords?”
“Yep,” Wei Wuxian answered readily. “It’s funny, all this time I thought you being here was just good because it meant someone else wasn’t. But you may still be useful yet. For a peacock.”
Jin Zixuan rolled his eyes, but let the insult slide. He could tolerate a little name-calling if it meant they could really bring down the Xuanwu.
“And I suppose you may finally prove yourself worth saving. Twice now.”
He held out his hand to Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian readily took it.
“So here’s the plan…”
