WangXian - I am always with you

8: Cure

"I found it!" Jin Ling shouted in excitement.

"Aw, no fair!" Lan Jingyi complained, Lan Sizhui coming up behind him. Jin Ling pointed proudly to the small, vibrant flower at his feet. The petals shimmered with a pale gold that stood out against the dark green backdrop. It looked so very delicate and pure, certainly not something that was powerful enough to nullify such an ancient poison. Lan Sizhui crouched down next to it. Jin Ling followed suit. He really wanted to touch it, but was afraid that he would contaminate it somehow.

"Is Wei Qianbei coming?" Jin Ling asked. Lan Jingyi nodded.

"Hanguang Jun is just helping him now."

Over the past few days, Wei Wuxian's condition had deteriorated, and though he pretended otherwise, it was a struggle for him just to stand. Soon enough, Jin Ling spotted the black nd white pair making their way up.

"Up here!" Lan Jingyi shouted unnecessarily.

"And you say I'm annoying," Jin Ling muttered, surprised when Lan Sizhui chuckled a little.

"Wow, look Lan Zhan, it's so pretty!" Wei Wuxian said, dropping to the ground next to it. Jin Ling saw Lan Sizhui put out a steadying hand on his back. Lan Wangji looked at the golden flora, examining it.

"So... what now?" Lan Jingyi asked. Great question, Jin Ling thought sarcastically.

"I eat it," Wei Wuxian said, sounding way too gleeful.

"Um, what if it's poison?" Lan Jingyi pointed out. Jin Ling held back a snort.

"Stating the obvious now, are we?" Jin Ling said.

"Young mistress, that was just cruel," Lan Jingyi retorted. Lan Sizhui stood up and grabbed the other two.

"Fathers, we'll wait over there," Lan Sizhui said before dragging them off.

"Agh, Sizhui!" Jin Ling complained.

"Let's just give them time, ok?" Lan Sizhui said. He cast a look back at them. "This is their last hope for a cure."

Lan Wangji watched in trepidation as his husband gently picked the flower up.

"Wei Ying," he tried to say. Wei Wuxian looked up at him, those gorgeous silver eyes filled with so much love Lan Wangji wouldn't breathe.

"Lan Zhan, I promised I'd stay. I'm not going to break that promise," Wei Wuxian said. He stood up and kissed Lan Wangji, who kissed back with equal passion, the kiss a fiery blending of tongues and teeth. Wei Wuxian pulled away all too soon: Lan Zhan didn't want to let go. But he stood back, despite everything in him aching to help the man in front of him.

Wei Wuxian smiled at Lan Wangji, then put the flower in his mouth. He wasn't sure what he expected it to taste like, so he was rather delighted when it melted in his tongue, tasting like warm honey. A tingling sensation spread from his mouth to every inch of his body. He could even feel Mo Xuanyu's core soaking up this amazing spiritual energy. Then it faded, quickly and surely. Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji, then rolled up his sleeve. The wound was gone, not a trace of the poison left.

"Lan Zhan! It worked!" He said happily. Consequently, he was enveloped in a back breaking hug, which he returned happily.

"Sect Leader Lan! Sect Leader Jiang! May I ask what the purpose of this visit is?"

Jiang Cheng was feeling mighty annoyed. Lan Xichen refused to tell him where he'd seen that formation before, and it was pissing him off. And now this stupid Jin disciple had the audacity to stop them!

"Sect Leader Jiang is often here, is he not?" Lan Xichen said politely. "He just wanted to collect something. I, on the other hand, am waiting for Sect Leader Jin to return. I have an urgent matter to discuss with him."

The disciple seemed to accept this, and finally allowed them entry.

"You are way too nice," Jiang Cheng muttered once they were out of hearing range.

"I take that as a compliment, Wanyin," Lan Xichen murmured back.

They made their way to Jin Guangyao's old chambers, and opened the secret door. Stepping back inside, Jiang Cheng had fierce flashbacks of when Wei Wuxian's resurrection was revealed to the world, right here in this very room. Lan Xichen laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"I know. This room doesn't hold good memories for me either."

Lan Xichen immediately went about searching, pulling old tomes off the shelves and generally creating a small mess. Jiang Cheng crossed his arms.

"Aren't you supposed to be famously neat?"

"We don't really have time for that, Wanyin," Lan Xichen said.

"Would you tell me why we're here? You do know that the Jin Clan's secret room has been moved since Jin Guangyao's death?" Jiang Cheng asked, skepticism scribbled all over his voice.

"Yes."

"Then you'll know the tomes you're looking for are probably there."

"No."

"Could you be any more vague?!" Jiang Cheng shouted. Lan Xichen turned around.

"Sorry, Wanyin. But I found it," Lan Xichen said with a half smile. Jiang Cheng groaned.

"Tell me what the hell this has to do with that disciple!?"

Lan Xichen flipped open the book to the middle, unfolding a diagram of a summoning circle. It was indeed the same one.

"How did you know?"

"A - Yao once showed me an idea like that summoning circle, however, I thought he never perfected it. Turns out I was wrong yet again," Lan Xichen said with a sad smile. Jiang Cheng had the weird urge to hug the Sect Leader. Then something else caught his eye.

"Xichen-," he began, but couldn't say anything before the circle lit up and the room disappeared.