Chapter Text
It was when they gathered after the Pheonix Mountain Hunt, the moment Wei Ying entered the Hall, that all hell broke lose.
There was a flash of light, a white so blindingly white it feels like they had all blacked out. But within one blink and the next, there were a lot of people in a place that was not and could not be identified as a part of the Jinlin Tower.
Wei Ying was immediately distracted, eyes narrowing as he prepared for some sort of a threat or ambush. His eyes darting to identify the people with him.
The Major Sect Leaders were there, along with Lan Zhan, shijie, Nie Huaisang, Jin Zixuan, Jin Zixun, Madam Jin who was staying close to shijie and…
“A-Ning!” Wen Qing screamed, running towards a farther end of the hall where Wen Ning was laying, a Spirit Attracting Flag stuck through his stomach, his blood pooling around him.
Wei Ying threw out all other thoughts, rushing towards the two siblings.
Wen Qing immediately put her hand on Wen Ning's wrist, Wei Ying collapsed somewhere behind her, staring wide eyed at the Spirit Attracting Flag piercing through Wen Ning's stomach.
“Q-Qing-jie,” Wen Ning managed to get out, before fainting immediately after.
“I'm here, A-Ning. Jiejie is here,” she assured him. She turned her eyes towards him, crying and trembling, “I don't have any supplies.”
“Allow me,” Lan Zhan was suddenly on Wen Ning's other side, opening his qiankun pouch and taking out bandages and some herbs. His golden eyes looked Wen Ning over, and his lips pressed into a white line.
“Should I take the flag out?” He asked Wen Qing, and Wei Ying's fingers twitched, realizing he had not done anything. But-
“I can't use demonic cultivation,” Wei Ying breathed out. Wen Qing took a startled breath.
“Oh no, oh no,” she spoke under her breath, her hands crushed the herbs. “I can't use spiritual energy, we need to get out of here, now!”
Wei Ying stood up, eyes darting over to the group of people standing together. Some had attempted to come over but Lan Xichen- upon seeing his brother's face- seemed to have asked the Sect Leaders about where they were, leading to a loud discussion.
“Most of us were together but,” he looked at Wen Qing and Wen Ning worriedly, “I don't think we should leave. Can you save him without spiritual energy?” he asked Wen Qing.
“I don't know,” she said, voice breaking as she placed coagulating herbs around the pole. “I need more herbs. It pierced through him.”
“Jiang Yanli and my brother might carry some,” Lan Zhan offered up again, his eyes flickering with some unnamed emotion. He followed Wen Qing's instruction to lift Wen Ning and Wen Qing cut the robes on his back as well before stuffing the edges of the wound with herbs.
“Wen Qing,” Wei Ying said, breathing out calmly with difficulty, “if we leave this place, we might not be together. If he drops back to where he came from without your help…”
Wen Qing stifled a sob, but her hands were almost steady when she opened another packet of herbs and Lan Zhan identified it. Wen Qing nodded and put it in her own mouth, chewing it before spitting it out in Wen Ning's.
“I'll get more,” Wei Ying said, looking away.
He ran towards the gathered Sect Leaders.
“Wei Wuxian,” Jin Zixun sneered, “how did you get us here!? What other evil sorcery are you going to do? Are you planning to put the Sect Leaders under your influence by calling us out here like this?”
“I'm just as confused as you are,” Wei Ying said, eyes flashing dangerously, “but right now there's something more urgent that I need to deal with. The person who is dying has saved my life before, I owe him a great deal. Please give me any medicines or herbs that you may carry with you,” he bowed to them.
“Here, A-Xian,” Jiang Yanli walked past Madam Jin to give her qiankun pouch to him. “I always pack some for emergencies.”
“Thank you, shijie,” he said, giving her a wobbly smile.
“Wei Wuxian,” Jin Zixuan stepped forward. He frowned, but as someone who has been on a battlefield, he knew the importance of injuries. “Should he not be treated outside? We just discovered that spiritual energy can't be used.”
“If that's all you have to say, there's someone dying there we need to save,” Wei Ying stated, turning to leave rather rudely.
“Wei-gongzi,” Lan Xichen stopped him. “Please take this.”
Lan Xichen offered a simple pouch to him, neatly folded and labelled packets of herbs placed inside, before retreating to stand beside Nie Mingjue, who was hovering over his brother, who had appeared suddenly.
“Thank you, Lan-zongzhu,” he bowed to the man. Xichen nodded back.
“Wait!” Jin Zixuan called out to him before he could leave. Wei Ying looked at him with an irritated scowl. “Here,” he said, offering a pouch of his own.
Wei Ying blinked a few times, mouth opening in surprise, before he flattened it. He bowed and spoke sincerely this time. “Many thanks, Jin-gongzi.”
He took the three pouches and rushed back to Wen Qing. She had managed to control her tears by the time he arrived. Wen Ning was already bare chested and Wei Ying felt hatred burn inside him when he saw a Jin brand right below where the staff had gone through.
With trembling arms, he placed the three pouches in reach of Wen Qing. Taking out the herbs and bandages in his shijie's qiankun pouch himself.
“We need to cut this pole,” Wen Qing said under her breath. “It might accidentally rip his wounds open. It's too large and we can't remove it from inside Wen Ning.”
“I can do it,” Lan Zhan offered up. He was the one holding both Wen Ning and the pole steady as Wen Qing packed the back with powder and bandaged his chest.
Wei Ying gave him a confused look.
“How? You can't use your sword right now,” Wei Ying said, surprised. Lan Zhan frowned back, a small furrow between his brows. It was almost cute how offended he looked.
“Please,” Wen Qing cut them off, looking at Lan Zhan. “Please do it,” she requested, more on the verge of begging than asking politely.
“I will need brother's help,” Lan Zhan said after a moment. He turned to look at Wei Ying. “Could you request his presence?”
Wei Ying nodded back, turned back to the segregated group. Jin Zixun was already gone somehow.
“Lan-zongzhu,” he breathed out, as they turned to face him with frowns.
“The numbers changed. It says there is one one left now,” Jin Zixuan said. The frowns became heavier when they looked at him.
“What is it, Wei-gongzi?” Lan Xichen said, his expression looking more concerned than anything.
“We need your help with something,” Wei Ying said. “Lan Zhan asked for you.”
“I can help, A-Xian,” Jiang Yanli said, stepping forward before Madam Jin and Jiang Cheng pulled her back. She frowned at the two, obviously irritated at their continuous interruption.
“Ah, it's better if you don't, shijie. You should stay beside Jiang Cheng and Madam Jin right now,” Wei Ying said.
“Listen to him, Yanli,” Madam Jin coaxed. “It is safer to stay here.”
“Don't try to go anywhere, A-jie. We don't know how dangerous this place is,” Jiang Cheng warned. His fingers twitched over Zidian but it didn't spark at all. He was twitchy because they couldn't use spiritual energy.
“Wei-gongzi,” Lan Xichen called back his attention, and the two walked back towards Wen Ning, Wen Qing and Lan Zhan. He paused, eyes widening when he realized who was there.
Wen Qing and Lan Zhan looked up at him at the same time.
“Brother, please hold the other end,” Lan Zhan said the moment he saw him. Lan Xichen frowned, but he followed the instructions without a comment.
When he was certain his brother had managed to get a good hold of the pole, Lan Zhan left it to slide his hand down the pole, a short distance away from where it clearly pierced through Wen Ning. Then he clenched his hand, gripping the metal pole so tightly it warped under his overbearing strength.
Wei Ying gaped at the show of sheer strength, untouched by spiritual energy. Something hot unfurling in his stomach at the sight. Lan Zhan let go, sliding his hand closer to Wen Ning's stomach to grip one side of the warped metal. When Lan Zhan looked up at his brother, Lan Xichen wordlessly started turning the pole. The part which had been squeezed thin, twisted and turned while the pole inside Wen Ning didn't move at all.
Huh, he could see why Lan Zhan needed his brother, Wei Ying thought a little faintly.
Lan Xichen gently wiggled the pole, turning it this and that side, flexing it a little before tugging it free from the rest of it. He slammed the sharp end to the floor and it flattened out with a loud bang into something that was a little less dangerous looking.
Wei Ying was gaping at this dual show of strength, face hot for reasons he couldn't state.
Lan Xichen looked at the Spirit Attracting Flag and Wei Ying joined him, finally having the presence of mind to look it over.
“Is it drawn by your hands?” Lan Xichen asked.
“No,” Wei Ying answered, spreading it wide to look at the bloody lines properly. “The lines are placed wrong. While whoever did this knew a thing or two about talismans, they only had second hand knowledge of what I did and attempted, poorly, to imitate it.”
“The Jin Sect is going too far!" his voice dangerously low, his teeth almost grinding with his disgust. He clenched the flag in his hands, as he looked toward Wen Ning.
“The Jin Sect?” Lan Xichen asked confused, “What makes you think the Jin Sect are experimenting with demonic cultivation?” Wei Ying let out a dry laugh in response.
“The Jin brand is on Wen Ning's stomach! He was caught by the Jins and used as bait during their night hunt. He has a weak cultivation, so they did to him what the Wens had done to us during the Indoctrination Camp! Who else but the Jin Sect?” He asked.
Lan Xichen frowned.
“I don't believe something like this could have gone unnoticed,” he denied evenly. “The Jin Sect was supposed to capture the Wen cultivators, however, it would be to only find out their involvement in the war and punish them to labor if they had indeed fought in it.”
“Wen Ning didn't fight. Both Wen Ning and Wen Qing helped me and Jiang Cheng after Lotus Pier was destroyed. Wen Ning brought back Jiang-zongzhu and Madam Yu's bodies and Wen Qing treated Jiang Cheng when he was injured. They risked themselves greatly to hide us from Wen Chao in Yiling. I could even say that if they had not helped us, the chances of us winning this war would have been very low,” Wei Ying told him with a hint of threat.
But no matter how arrogant his words sounded, for the first time, Lan Xichen couldn't help feel that he was begging for his help. Wei Ying was practically debasing himself for the two Wens and Lan Xichen could not ignore that.
“Brother,” Lan Zhan said and Lan Xichen sighed heavily, hearing the silent 'I believe him' in it.
“All right. We found a way out, but we can't be sure since it only allowed one person to leave instead of us all, and they don't seem to be allowed back. However it keeps asking that two more people join and the number went down to one when Wei-gongzi came. I believe that following the instructions might provide us with a clue. And when we leave, I will accompany you to wherever Wen Ning might be,” Lan Xichen promised, glancing at his relieved looking brother.
“Thank you,” Lan Zhan said, bowing his head in gratitude.
“Don't thank me. The Jin Sect is still the Sect with the largest number of cultivators alive, with an equal amount of influence. If there are too many Wen cultivators there,” he frowned grimly, “even I cannot promise anything then.”
“It is enough,” Wen Qing said, bowing so low her head almost touched the ground. “Please, the civilians are the ones I want to save. We have always known that cultivators like me and A-Ning might die even if we did not participate in the war. But my family is made up of healers and civilians. They might also be taken, so I beg you, Lan-zongzhu.”
“Please rise, Wen Qing,” Lan Xichen said with an note of discomfort. “I will do what I can. Take care of your brother while we attempt to find a way out.”
Wen Qing rose nodding at the Sect Leader. Her eyes caught Wei Ying's and lingered there, 'find out anyway' it said, 'even if he doesn't help, please find out where A-Ning is.'
Wei Ying nodded firmly.
The three of them walked towards the rest of the group and received odd looks from the people there.
“Did something happen?” Wei Ying asked.
“When Lan-zongzhu left, the numbers did not increase to three, but remained as two. They have just turned to zero,” his shijie answered.
“It just wants the two of you then?” Jiang Cheng sneered. “Lan-er-gongzi, do you know something about this?”
“I do not,” Lan Zhan said firmly.
“Perhaps, it's a trap for them and we were just caught as collateral,” Jin Zixuan said, brows furrowing in thought.
“But it took so many people from different places. I was in Qinghe and it picked me up from there!” Nie Huaisang protested, peaking out from behind his brother's large body.
Wei Ying stepped forward, looking at the wall which said ‘0 viewers absent’.
There was a button on a side, where they had gathered around, saying 'leave’.
“Leave to where?” Wei Ying asked.
“Jin Zixun chose?” came from beside him, Lan Zhan was looking at the number of people gathered around them.
“He stumbled and pressed it, and it was only then that the words appeared, and he disappeared,” Lan Xichen explained.
“It seems unlikely that they would ask someone to leave first before activating, so it must be that we didn't fulfil the first condition,” Wei Ying pointed towards the words written on the wall, “and the words appeared only after it was accidentally used, to warn us about the function of the button. How polite.”
“While it does not seem harmful at a glance,” Lan Xichen responded, “we cannot tell if it will be harmful with extended exposure.”
“I agree,” Jin Zixuan stepped forward. His eyes glanced back towards his mother and shijie. “It would be best to find a method to leave quickly. We cannot even confirm the passage of time outside.”
“I believe I may be of some help with that,” Wen Wing said.
“Wen Qing!” Jiang Cheng spoke, surprise lining his voice.
“Wen?” growled out Nie Mingjue, his hand instantly grasped for Baxia, but the moment he tried to draw it out, he collapsed.
“Da-ge!” Nie Huaisang yelled, attempted to catch his brother as he fell. Lan Xichen caught him on the other side, slowing his fall.
Wen Qing took a step forward instinctively, before stepping back, arms clasped together to stop herself from offering help.
“I believe it is because he attempted to use his sword when we are at a state where we cannot use spiritual energy,” Wen Qing said calmingly. “He will be fine.”
She carefully placed Lan Xichen between her and Nie Mingjue before turning to the Jins with a colder look, though she did not say anything.
“When I was treating A-Ning, I found out that while he entered this area with a large amount of blood lost, he has since been bleeding very little. It seems we are stuck in a place where time is affected,” she explained.
“Natural phenomenon,” Lan Zhan stated.
“I was thinking the same thing. It could be a natural phenomenon as well. Something that influential…I don't think even an immortal could do it. Perhaps a God,” Wei Ying considered before shaking his head. “It seems to be quite futile to link it to the two of us alone. On what basis would the two of even be chosen? It would make more sense for it to be a natural phenomenon of some sort. If there was a selection, why were all of us brought here instead of just Lan Zhan and I? And after being brought here, why was Jin Zixun allowed to leave?"
"Could we be brought here by accident?" Nie Huaisang asked, a frown on his once carefree space as he looked at his struggling brother.
"There were at least some of us brought here intentionally- Lan Zhan and I for certain, then Wen Ning and you. Aside from us four, we can test it out to see who exactly was selected to be brought in and who was brought in accidentally," Wei Wuxian theorized. "However, the fact that Jin Zixun was allowed to leave without fulfilling any sort of purpose must mean that he was brought here accidentally."
“Does that mean if we chose to 'leave' we will end up in our own time or in a different space or time?” Lan Xichen asked, concerned.
“Zixun…” Jin Zixuan said with a worried look. Wei Ying shrugged.
“Both are a possibility. However, it has been quite non-threatening till now. It's purpose might be more benign that we might expect for the power it has shown. I believe it is more likely that we will return to exactly where and when we came from if we allow it to play out as it...wishes."
The moment Wei Ying said 'play’ the words on the wall changed.
At the same time, a voice- deep, familiar and laced with overwhelming sorrow and helplessness echoes in their heads.
Is this all we were ever meant to be?
“Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying said, confused. Most of the others turned to look at Lan Zhan as well.
“It is not me,” Lan Zhan replied back.
The screen changed.
The moment it darkened though, both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying collapsed on their knees. An overwhelming feeling of disorientation followed by an odd presence, a feeling of fullness but in their minds.
A few people rushed to their sides before-
“Oh lord,” Madam Jin gasped, and everyone aside from the collapsed two looked up.
After the fall of Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian gives up his golden core to save his brother. Far away, his soulmate spends two days screaming, feeling every second of it.
In which the road to hell is paved with Wei Ying's good intentions, and Lan Wangji has to find their way back out again.
Jiang Cheng choked.
“What.”
“Wei Wuxian,” Wen Qing said, her insistent voice made Wei Ying raise his head up, only for his eyes to widen in utter shock at the words on the screen. He turned his head so quickly, he almost snapped something.
Not too far from him, Jiang Cheng had collapsed on his knees, shijie right beside him with a stunned expression. As if sensing the gaze, Jiang Cheng turned his head to look at Wei Ying. His face turned so pale that he looked like a ghost. Any other time, Wei Ying would have been the first to tease him.
Now, he looked away before he could see the denial turn into horror as he saw the reality in Wei Ying's eyes.
Lan Zhan was still on his knees, unlike Wei Ying who already felt a little better, if still slightly discomforted.
“Lan Zhan?” He called out, trying to avoid the way everyone was staring at him with wide eyed disbelief.
“I-” Lan Zhan started, his voice cracked. Immediately, Lan Xichen was there, holding his arm in a gesture of reassurance he had never seen before. “What-what is this. What is this.”
Lan Zhan's eyes were glassy, the slightest shiver ran down his spine.
“What's wrong? What happened, Wangji?” Lan Xichen asked, gently. Wei Ying stayed quiet. He had never seen Lan Zhan like this before, had never seen Lan Xichen acting like his brother was glass, about to shatter with a single hit.
“There's something inside me,” Lan Zhan's golden eyes were wide with a deep bone horror. “What is this.”
“It says soulmate,” Nie Huaisang interrupted the quiet that was filled with their own shock and horror, “maybe you're feeling each other?”
Wei Ying shook his head immediately. He couldn't feel any of the horror he thought Lan Zhan was feeling. He could barely feel anything, actually. The brief sensation of fullness had passed leaving behind only a phantom sensation.
“Myself,” Lan Zhan said, his eyes shut so tight, he almost looked like a child trying to hide from the monsters of the night under the blanket.
Lan Xichen froze, understanding almost as soon as his brother said it. In sync, he and Wei Ying turned to look in horror at the words still printed onto the screen.
“Wen Qing!” he screamed, “Anesthetics! We have anesthetics right?”
Wen Qing ran to Wen Ning's side.
“Stop, stop. Please stop,” Wei Ying whispered under his breath. To his eternal gratitude, the flowy screen froze and he heaved a sigh of relief.
“Why-why was he screaming for two days?” Lan Xichen asked, his arms already around his brother like he could hide him away, his eyes, filled with equal amounts of terror and horror, turned towards Wei Ying.
“That-” Wei Ying croaked, unable to find a way to form the words.
Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan- his mind repeated incoherently in a loop. He wanted to laugh hysterically. Well, he certainly had made the wrong judgement thinking it wasn't about to cause them harm.
“It took two days to cut his golden core out,” Wen Qing said (thankfully?). She set out a set of pouches beside Lan Xichen and he uncurled from Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan had a hand on his dantian, confused, and the moment his brother let go, he looked up at the screen.
The moment he registered the words, he turned to look at Wei Ying, eyes wild.
“Wei Ying,” he said, the emotions in his voice was so complex he couldn't even sparse it out. He opened his mouth fruitlessly after saying his name, before closing it shut.
“I'm sorry,” Wen Qing said, her hands clasped on her knees. “I don't have enough anesthetics for two days.”
Wei Ying made a low sound, almost a whimper. Lan Zhan reached out towards him, and Wei Ying flinched. He set his hands down, still looking through Wei Ying with his searing golden eyes.
“I'm sorry,” Wei Ying said, bowing his head. He was trembling from head to toe.
“A-Xian,” came his sister's soft voice, but he was grateful that no one came to touch him right then. He would probably collapse crying if she had.
“Lan Zhan,” he said, and cut it off immediately. He wouldn't ever curse Lan Zhan to feel that sort of pain. Ever.
But how could he help? How could he stop Lan Zhan from feeling this pain?
He got up, turned towards the 'leave’ button.
“Let me see if I can leave this place,” he choked out. “I'll send a signal, or something, if I can.”
“A-Xian wait!” Shijie called, but what really stopped him was the strong grip on his wrist stopping him from walking away.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said, and the warmth sent heat right down his spine. Wei Ying heaved a deep breath, and tried to choke down a sob. “Wei Ying,” he repeated.
“Why are you calling my name. You're going to get hurt. You're going to feel an unbelievable amount of pain because of me,” Wei Ying said, his head low. Lan Zhan swallowed, gently pulling him to turn around.
“Wei Ying,” he said his name again, soft, begging. Wei Ying looked up at Lan Zhan, eyes streaked red from the force of trying not to cry.
“Lan Zhan,” he said, his words half a sob, “I'm so sorry.”
Lan Zhan only gripped his wrist tighter. He pulled him away from the wall, before sitting back down beside Lan Xichen and Wen Qing, his jaw clenched tight, even as he held Wei Ying's wrist.
“What should I take?” He asked Wen Qing. Wen Qing winced.
“I would recommend putting you completely under, but at the same time, we don't know if it will count as 'not watching’. Instead, you should keep these herbs under your tongue…and maybe hold something in your mouth, a stiff cloth or item to prevent yourself from biting your own tongue off,” Wen Qing said.
Lan Xichen took a deep shaky breath, his hand going to his qiankun pouch.
“Will my robes do? It is inscribed with protective arrays,” He asked Wen Qing, his voice straining. Wen Qing nodded.
“I'll have to tear it,” Wen Qing added, and Xichen gave her such an incredulous look that she didn't say anything else. She took his offered robe, tearing and twisting it before offering it to Lan Wangji. Xichen slowly tied it behind his brother's head, mouth filled white fabric.
“Is the medicine working?” Wen Qing asked Lan Zhan, and he nodded.
“I highly recommend not holding anything,” she said a little pointedly at the way Lan Zhan was holding Wei Ying's wrist, and he dropped it like hot coal. “Perhaps the pole would help?” She asked. Jin Zixuan fetched it and offered it to them, slightly pale and very quiet.
Lan Zhan held it firmly.
“Maybe we should put him under anyway?” Wei Ying asked.
“Wei Ying,” Wen Qing scolded, “we don't know how long it will take, or if the medication will go to waste. We don't know anything about how this works. We can knock him out, but that doesn't mean he won't feel pain. He will still feel it.”
Wei Ying nodded quietly, feeling very nauseous.
Jiang Cheng knew and was being very very quiet, shijie was beside him, and Lan Zhan was going to live through the pain he had suffered. God. If there is any merciful god here…
As if an evil God had heard his prayer instead, the screen started playing automatically. Everyone stayed deadly silent watching the words fade away slowly.
It takes Lan Wangji far, far too long to realise what his soulmate has done.
His bond with Wei Ying has always been something he finds uncomfortable, in the way it strips his privacy and makes every wall, every boundary he puts up look like smokescreens instead of the shields he needs them to be, to hide safely behind, where he may not be known.
Lan Wangji has made it his business to shut it away from himself as much as possible, to avoid hurting himself on the sharp spikes and sudden freefalls of Wei Ying’s emotions. He cannot avoid the pain of the frequent physical punishments that Wei Ying brings down on himself, unruly as he is, uncaring of how Lan Wangji must share in his beatings even if at a distance removed.
Wei Ying silently watched, each of Lan Zhan's thoughts like shards through his skin. He had never felt like he was being reckless, he had always found himself quite reasonable, but, dealing with the consequences did not always fall onto him.
Perhaps that was something he had never truly considered.
He had firmly believed that Lotus Pier would be attacked no matter what had happened in the Indoctrination Camp. He had been ready to give up his left arm in recompense for his actions. But he could never have guessed that giving up his core would result in Lan Zhan bearing the weight of that pain alongside him.
In hindsight of that, Lan Zhan's thoughts cut painfully deep.
It's just that Wei Ying never stops. Never stops, never thinks, never considers. Simply sets his eyes on an undefined point in the horizon and cartwheels towards it, leaving Lan Wangji choking on the dust of his tumultuous, wild excesses. It’s always been too much for a boy who has spent his entire life locked up on a quiet, peaceful mountain. Who has trained himself to be inoffensive and immaculate, so that he may never bring harm or censure on himself, knowing that his soulmate would have to endure it with him.
Wei Ying already hated the other version of himself. Already despised everything he was going to put both their Lan Zhans through. Even though it was only an alternate version of him, one who thought exactly like him, and was brought up like him. He already hated him.
Even with this wonderful thing known as a soulmate binding him forever to Lan Zhan, this version of him had hurt him. He didn't know what else he could have done at a state like that, worried about his brother's life because his core was gone, but he wished there was something else he could have done.
He should have found another way to cut it off before the pain could reach his soulmate. Why did he not think far enough? Truly, that version of him…he could only be hateful.
Maybe Wei Ying just doesn’t care. Lan Wangji has never asked him, and doesn’t plan to.
He’s scared of the answer.
He is happier, not knowing.
Wei Ying's gasp caught in his throat. The words were so personal. He glanced at Lan Zhan and even with his mouth enclosed with the white Lan cloth, he looked uncomfortable.
Once upon a time, on a high, moonlit wall, Lan Wangji met his match, and his heart has never been able to accept it.
Later, his brother tells him, that must be why he has survived with his sanity intact. He was spared the worst of the pain.
If Lan Wangji were a better soulmate, he would think, how much worse has it been for Wei Ying?
All Lan Wangji can think is, if Wei Ying were a better soulmate, he would not have done this to me.
Wei Ying swallowed tightly.
Really, how hateful.
He falls to his knees when the knife goes into his belly.
There were choked surprised noises from the back. Both Lan Xichen and Lan Zhan held absolutely frozen still as it started.
Wei Ying froze because he could feel it too. He could feel it again.
There was the sharp cut of Wen Qing's knife, but he was under anesthetics then, it dulled that part a little. Then there was a short break when Wen Qing told him 'no, this won't work unless you're awake’ and so he had to stay awake.
“Wen- Wen Qing,” he gasped out before the rest of it started.
Butter-slick-slide-slice and it’s gone, and there are fingers, fingers in his belly, in his body, pulling his flesh apart at the seams, fingers on his organs, filthy little sharp little fingertips nudging and poking and prodding at the most precious, delicate, sacred part of him, there are someone’s hands in there, someone’s hands digging into his life, putting their dirty sticky self all over it how how how could how dare how dare who’s ripping his life away, who has his soul, filthy little hands all over the most secret, inviolate thing he possesses, and they’re tearing, ripping slicing cutting stealing robbing ripping screaming wailing crying raping killing maiming taking taking taking it gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s go-
Mercifully, someone knocks him out.
It was seconds after Lan Zhan was knocked out on the screen, that Wei Ying realized the pain stopped as well. He was laying on the floor, arms curled around his belly, screaming himself hoarse.
There was Lan Xichen holding him down, his mouth stuffed with what seemed like half his outer robe, hastily shoved in his mouth to prevent any self harm that would be difficult to heal.
He opened his gritty teary eyes to see Lan Zhan- pale, sweaty, pained- looking down at him, the robe that had been tied over his mouth was gone.
He realized then, 'oh, they took it out so he could stop the torture’.
He almost wanted to giggle deliriously. Torture, when he was suffering the same thing onto someone else. When Lan Zhan had experienced the same thing he had.
When Xichen let go, Wei Ying realized that there were three more people aside from those two holding onto him. Shijie was crying, stroking his hair. There was an arm on his leg that could only be Jiang Cheng. Lan Zhan was holding his hand and Wen Qing was trying to shake him awake.
“I think we can put them both under and hope the viewing will continue even if neither of the two are watching, as long as they remain physically close to the screen,” Wen Qing said.
Her face was pallid, but she fed him a concoction that was almost familiar. He stayed awake long enough to see Wen Qing feed the same to Lan Zhan.
“Play,” Lan Zhan managed faintly before Wei Ying passed out into a familiar sleep.