Those Three Months

Part 9

Lan Wangji observed Wei Wuxian very carefully during the next few days. He could tell that there might be more to it. Wei Wuxian kept denying to carry his sword around. He would say he didn't feel like carrying it or he forgot it in his room. Lan Wangji felt that there was something more to what Wei Wuxian was up to.

Wei Wuxian also did not touch anymore. Lan Wangji came to know very early on that Wei Wuxian pretty much craved physical interaction whether it was putting his arm around a person's shoulder or hugging them. Now Wei Wuxian would not let anyone touch him, other then his sworn siblings but even that was scarce. Lan Wangji wanted to know what was going on with him.

Everything he had wanted to do, wanting to sit down as ask him outright what happened, was put on hold. The Sunshot Campaign was taking a toll on everyone and Lan Wangji could tell that Wei Wuxian had something planned. He just didn't know what that was.

It was a couple days before everyone was to head out for their coordinated attack plans. There was a camp set up for everyone to be ready and in the same place as they were able to hold meetings if they needed to. Lan Wangji was in his tent with his brother having some tea and relaxing for a while when someone knocked on a post of his tent to enter.

Lan Xichen answered it for Wangji, "Wei Gongzi," he greeted.

"Ah, Zewu Jun, I am sorry I didn't know you and Lan Zhan were meeting," Wei Wuxian said, "I can come back later."

"Nonsense, come," Zewu Jun said as he stepped aside to let Wei Wuxian in.

"Are you both sure? I would hate to intrude," Wuxian told them.

"Not intruding," Wangji told him, "come sit."

Wei Wuxian blinked as he stared at the tea set on the table. He nodded and carefully knelt down at the table. "Okay," he said.

"I am guessing you came here for a reason?" Lan Xichen questioned.

Wei Wuxian nodded and looked at Lan Wangji, "we never met up after I declined your offer," Wuxian told him, "after this campaign is over, is that offer still available?"

"Mnn," Wangji nodded, "what about Lotus Pier?"

Wei Wuxian swallowed a drink of his tea before answering, "I sat down with my Shijie and told her about how I feel about returning there. I am not sure if I can, especially while the wounds are still fresh..."

"Is there something you are not telling me?" Wangji asked, "why not return?"

"All I can think about is seeing blood. Jiang Cheng and I snuck back shortly after the ambush and we saw everyone dead. Women, children, Madam Yu and Uncle Jiang...Jiang Cheng and I haven't brought it up since then but he blamed me for the all of their deaths. Saying if I didn't save you in the cave and angered Wen Chao they wouldn't have come...I can't get those words out of my head," Wei Wuxian felt himself breaking, "I'm sorry," he said whipping away his tears.

"Please do not apologize, Wei Gongzi," Lan Xichen said, "and I want you to know that you are not the reason for the ambush. They used you as an excuse when they already had plans to attack anyway. They ambushed Cloud Recesses and the Nie Sect too, they had not reason to do so other than greed and power."

Wei Wuxian nodded, "I know," he said, "but I told Shijie that I don't think I'd be ready to go back. She understood and would talk to Jiang Cheng for me."

Lan Xichen attempted to reach out and comfort Wei Wuxian only for Wuxian to lean back to avoid being touched, "ugh, I appreciate you trying to comfort me but you don't need to," he said.

Lan Xichen nodded, "what happened to you during those three months you were missing?" He asked.

Wei Wuxian was hesitant, "ugh, I think it's best if I don't tell anyone. It's too much to bare."