Backlash Part 1

Chapter 144: Mornings After Battle

Lan Wangji awoke slowly. There were quiet sounds filtering in from beyond the walls of the tent. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's tent was on the edge of the GusuLan sect's section of camp. It was distinctly quieter from the rest of camp, but that did not mean they could not hear noises from across camp. It was early enough that Lan Wangji did not hear too much noise coming from the other sects, but the quiet sounds of people and voices told Lan Wangji that most of the GusuLan sect was already going about their day.

Lan Wangji did not feel the least bit rested. His body felt heavy and his head throbbed uncomfortably. The dull throbbing sharpened when Lan Wangji opened his eyes. The light was uncomfortably bright, painting his vision a solid white alongside the stab of pain behind his eyes. There was a slight pressure as someone began to massage Lan Wangji's temples gently. A small stream of spiritual energy provided a comforting warmth that began to dull the pain.

"This is what you get for depleting your spiritual energy so badly. You don't drink, but apparently you like the feeling of having a hangover," Wei Wuxian griped quietly. The words and inflection sounded angry, but the soft deliberate volume was almost more soothing than Wei Wuxian's gentle touch.

"I have working legs. If you expended a lot of spiritual energy, we could just walk back to camp. You didn't need to drain yourself by flying us both back." Wei Wuxian continued to grumble softly. The admonishment was soft, filled with affection that wrapped around Lan Wangji like a warm blanket.

"Wei Ying was exhausted." Lan Wangji said quietly.

Lan Wangji could practically feel the pouty frown that graced Wei Wuxian's face. He cracked his eyes open slowly and found it impossible to suppress a small smile from forming on his lips. Wei Wuxian looked adorable. The childish pout softened the frown of displeasure. The pout was a small reveal that Wei Wuxian knew Lan Wangji was right, and did not want to say so. Lan Wangji adored that look on Wei Wuxian's face.

"Lan Zhan~" Wei Wuxian whined. "That is a terrible excuse. You know I made it through this entire war before. Without you carrying me back to camp after every battle, and without you prodding me to clean up." Lan Wangji noted with some satisfaction that Wei Wuxian did not even attempt to jokingly complain about how they cuddled each other to sleep every night.

"Wei Ying can survive much. Does not mean Wei Ying should have to." It takes no thought to string those words together. Lan Wangji has said them many times, in many variations. Wei Wuxian huffs in annoyance, a mild sound with no real displeasure behind it.

"I accept that how I survived the war last time was not exactly a good method." Wei Wuxian says, somewhat begrudgingly.

Lan Wangji distinctly remembers holding Wei Wuxian after one of his nightmares about the war. The war does not actually feature as prominently in Wei Wuxian's nightmares as one might think. Still, Lan Wangji endeavours to remember the details of every experience Wei Wuxian shares with him. Lan Wangji recalls holding Wei Wuxian in the early hours of the morning, still many hours away from dawn. He remembers Wei Wuxian describing what the war was like for him.

Wei Wuxian had lost everyone he might consider family except for Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli. Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian had told Wei Wuxian to protect Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli. It was the last thing they said to Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian lost his golden core. Had to feel it cut out of his body. Then he was thrown into the Burial Mounds.

Lan Wangji had gone to the Burial Mounds with Wei Wuxian during the start of the war. Lan Wangji had intellectually understood that the Burial Mounds were a place no one had ever survived. He understood it was filled with resentful energy, too powerful to be cleansed. Lan Wangji did not truly understand. Only when the two of them entered did Lan Wangji fully realize what it meant that Wei Wuxian had survived there.