ægrimonia: sorrow, anxiety, melancholy, grief, mental distress, anguish
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CW: death, blood, graphic description. (definition above should probably be taken as a warning as well)
Notes :
Hope this doesn't ruin your Monday. Told you it gets angstier before it gets better, but we'll get there.
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The moment Wangji steps on the roof, Lan Qiren freezes.
Even with the mess around them, his eyes haven't moved from the Yiling Patriarch all this time. Beware of every move. He notices the moment Wei Wuxian stops playing the damned instrument, only to see familiar whites robes standing less than 10 *chi from the man. Lan Qiren, too bewildered with the sight of a nephew who should be resting, misses the resentment behind him and falls badly on his ankle when hit. He recovers quickly, wielding his sword with ease after decades of practice. Maybe it's because of those same decades that putting weight on his foot hurts more than it should.
He still tries to make his way to Lan Wangji. Shouting at him from this distance would be pointless.
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Lan Xichen would never regret being too busy helping people. This time, however, just as he intercepts an attack meant for a Jin cultivator, his uncle jostles into him, limping.
"Shufu, what-"
"Xichen. Wangji! He is here!"
For once, his uncle looks desperate and Lan Xichen is confused. Why would Wangji be here when he-
Lan Xichen's eyes widen instantly both in shock and understanding. Trust his brother to go not only where the chaos is, but more precisely wherever Wei Wuxian is.
He looks around, searching; his uncle deflecting any attacks coming their way despite whatever injury his leg acquired.
He spots him a great distance from them, too far away, defending a cultivator from a fierce corpse. When he swings Bichen, his hair flies to the side and Lan Xichen sees red.
"Wangji." He says even if he's far beyond his brother's hearing distance.
Lan Xichen spares his uncle no further glance as he tries to move his way around the bloodshed. He gets intercepted many times, sidestepping as much as he can while not losing sight of his brother.
He detects the moment Lan Wangji changes course to Young Madam Jin, whom Lan Xichen has noticed just now. Wangji's movements are fast but sloppy. He raises Bichen too slow to block the opponent's blade.
No.
"WANGJI!" He screams but there's no reaction from his brother.
Lan Xichen's own incredulity at the scene makes him stop momentarily. It's only a second but for Lan Xichen this is the moment he'll regret forever.
He doesn't miss a thing as he continues running. His legs burning like they haven't since he fled from Cloud Recesses during the war. He watches helplessly from Lan Wangji's inability to wield Bichen anymore to the resentful energy surrounding him and lowering him gently to the ground.
No!
"Wangji!" His voice is hoarse now, having yelled several times, but can't help doing it again.
His brother ...
He's close enough now to hear both Jiangs calls' for help. He watches Wei Wuxian touching his brother, maneuvering him to a sitting position. He can't discern what they are saying. Suddenly all he sees are lines, shoulder impacting against a rock as a fierce corpse crashes into him. He can't see Wangji.
...
No matter how fast Lan Xichen disposes of the corpse and turns back, there's already a cultivator behind the Yiling Laozu. Lan Xichen's tears spill before Lan Wangji even pushes Wei Wuxian out of the way.
His brother, his didi ...
" WANGJI !"
Everything kind of blurs together after that. He doesn't even see the cultivator's head exploding, his eyes never leaving Wangji. His knees hitting the ground covered in blood.
No, not his brother
Not Wangji
There's no fear in him being this close to the Yiling Patriarch. His mind only occupied with carefully holding Lan Wangji without jostling his injuries, sending spiritual energy right away, trying to heal him, trying to stop the bleeding, not letting Wangji die-
A sob escapes him, his tears making a blurred image of his brother. He hugs him close, feeling his brother's pulse with one hand.
He isn't healing ...
"Two. Dizi"
His brother gives him the tiniest of smiles, trying to reassure him to the end. On someone else's face, it wouldn't even count as one.
His breathing stops.
Not his brother
Not Wangji
Not his brother
Not Wangji
Not his brother
Not Wangji
He's crying like a baby, rocking his little brother's lifeless body back and forth, just like he used to after their mother died.
Lan Qiren finds him like this, repeatedly calling someone who wouldn't answer.
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* = 尺 = 3 chǐ = 1 meter
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Notes:
A
little bit of Lan Qiren and Xichen's perspective... Don't worry, you'll get another one this same week. I know it was short.
I wrote this chapter and my laptop deleted it. I was so mad and rewrote it while trying to do justice to a sibling's loss.
I have a little sister. I can't imagine the pain of losing her.
YOU ARE READING
Absentia||Wangxian||MDZS
FanfictionOne-shots of what could have happened if Lan Wangji had died instead of Jiang Yanli. Wei Wuxian's thirteen years of solving misunderstandings. 13 years later, a young Mo Xuanyu wakes up to a kick on his face. At least it didn't harm his golden eyes...
