Time Reversal

5. The End of Everything, Part 3

Jiang Wanyin had stopped shivering. Is that a bad sign? Or a good one? "I hate him," the Jiang heir was almost spitting in his rage. "What was he thinking? How could he just leave me like that? He should be here, watching over me. Finding a way to avenge me!"

He kept his eyes on the stunted trees outside their cell. He wasn't sure exactly how to write what had happened this time. He had figured out how to keep Wei Ying alive through the Indoctrination Session opening ceremony. When Wen Chao demanded swords, he would hand Bichen over without a fuss and only one person would get hurt. But then, after the cave entrance at Muxi Shan had been found, Wei Ying had been pushed off the cliff and broke his neck.

Stupidly, he had sent the journal back to the evening before the Indoctrination Session began. And unfortunately... Jin Zixun had thrown a fit this time even before he had the opportunity to hand over Bichen. The Jin idiot had stabbed the Wen cultivator trying to collect the swords which had led to a fight where the entire Jin contingent had been brutally killed. Jiang Wanyin tried to fight with the Jin. Huadan Shou had stepped in, slamming his palm against the Jiang heir's chest. As the Jiang heir had fallen in the shock of suddenly losing his jindan, Wei Ying had caught his shidi, dropping Suibian in the process. From a crouching position, Wei Ying had somehow found the strength to hold his friend in his left arm, draw Sandu with his right, and cut Huadan Shou right in half! He'd died for his efforts; at least six Wen cultivators had successfully landed killing blows. In the process, Jiang Wanyin's right arm had been cut off. Coreless, he'd nearly bled out before the fight ended and one of the surviving cultivators had been permitted to use spiritual energy to close the wound as best as was possible.

And now they were in a cell, their fates yet to be announced. The Jiang heir would most likely succumb to his wounds before dawn. Maybe even before dusk if the lack of shivering was a good indication of how close he was to death.

Jiang Wanyin was still ranting about Wei Ying. Variations on 'how dare his father's servant's son be a better cultivator?' filled the air. Jiang Wanyin started learning to meditate, started his education, started learning how to use a sword and bow at least four years before Wei Wuxian. How could Wei Wuxian ever become better at all of them? Shouldn't he stay four years behind? It wasn't fair that his father trusted Wei Wuxian more. It wasn't fair that his father treated Wei Wuxian better! Wasn't he the heir? Shouldn't he be the best?

And then the ranting toned down. "Lan Wangji... when you leave here. Build him a memorial for me?"

"I thought you hated him."

"I hate that he left before me. I hate that I'll never be able to catch up to him in this life. I hate that he was always sacrificing himself for me. Do you know how many times Muqin punished him when I was the one who was wrong?

"Build him a temple. One of those pagoda style ones. Seventeen stories high? He turned seventeen this past fall. Build him the greatest mausoleum the world has ever seen. And... when you have his altar built.... Write down on the tablets that we were xiongdi, not shidi and shige."

"You are not blood brothers. Your parents will be upset."

"Fuck my parents. Wei Wuxian was my brother in every way that matters."

He was thoroughly confused. "You just said you hated him. Now you're brothers?"

"I hate Wei Wuxian," was said without inflection or malice. "I hate him for leaving me behind to die alone in this cell. He promised to stay by my side forever.

"Build him a beautiful temple. Please? When you get out of here and kill all the Wen dogs, get our swords back and place them side by side at his altar. Sandu and Suibian together as Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying should have been together." He started laughing through his tears. "He was my brother.... I'm allowed to hate my brother for leaving me behind. He swore to stay by my side forever."

Jiang Wanyin never spoke again.

He crawled over the stone floor to shut the younger man's eyes, and then slumped, trying to figure out how to write this.

Wei Ying should know he has family.

Family is more than just the people you share blood bonds with. Family is more than just those you wed.

Family can be those you choose. And who choose you. He looked at the Jiang heir and thought back to every interaction he'd observed between him and Wei Ying. Wei Ying had demonstrated love and affection for his shidi while Jiang Wanyin had demonstrated aggravation and jealousy for his shixiong. And he thought of his own way of being with Lan Xichen. There is no singular way to be a family. No right way to be brothers.

He pulled the journal and writing instruments out from his skirt hem and began writing.