Blind to You

Ants

A/N: sorry for the wait, I've been sick! Anyways, here is the new chapter. :)

Jiang Cheng coughed, feeling a wetness in the back of his throat, and a throbbing pain in his chest. He still felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes. They were right in front of me.

"JieJie," he said hoarsely, voice clogged by tears and who knows what else. Jiang Cheng lifted his hand, trying to stretch his fingertips to touch the image of his family still imprinted in his mind.

Someone gently pushed his arm down. "JiuJiu..." A-Ling said softly, softer than he had ever spoken before. "She's not here."
"She was right there... They were all right there," Jiang Cheng croaked. "I saw them."

"Please stop..." Jin Ling squeezed his hand. "They don't get to have you. Not now."

Jiang Cheng took a breath, waiting for his tears to stop. "I'm sorry. I almost-" he trailed off.

"You're ok, JiuJiu. We caught him." Jin Ling was saying this as much for himself as for his uncle.
"Good job, A-Ling. I'm proud of you…" the words caught Jiang Cheng's throat, sending him into a coughing fit. Every cough hurt the wound on his chest, which was strangely rather frustrating.

Jiang Cheng was very tired of this whole situation. It was inconvenient and so… so much work. Not to mention embarrassing.

"Take it easy," A-Ling said, still uncharacteristically quiet. "You're sick."
Jiang Cheng waved his hand dismissively. "It'll take more than this to get rid of me."

"You should be careful." Jin Ling sounded exasperated.
"I know." He attempted to clear his throat.  "Are you ok? You're not hurt, are you?

"No, JiuJiu... I might have a bruise or two, but nothing serious."
If he could comfortably move, Jiang Cheng would have sat up. "How dare he bruise my nephew?"

"What did she look like?'
Jiang Cheng stilled. A-Ling meant his mom. JieJie. How was he to describe her? She was supposed to have a portrait painted after Jin Ling's birth, but it never happened.

"She had long hair, the same color as yours... Kind eyes, soft nose..." Jiang Cheng took another ragged breath. "Jiejie's face was the same shape as yours."

Jin Ling sniffed. "And my grandparents?"
Oh. He did not expect to be asked about them. "My father... He was tall, quiet, and giving. I've been told that I look more like my mother."

The silence indicated Jin Ling wanted him to continue. "She was hard on us... She was not the type of mother to tuck us in and kiss us goodnight. She hated my brother."

"Why?"
Jiang Cheng coughed, ignoring the waves of pain radiating through his chest. "Why do you want to know?

"You haven't told me any of this before."
"There's a reason, A-Ling," he sighed. "It's in the past now."
"You hated your brother, too! For the longest time, you hated him," Jin Ling said, almost accusatory. "You told me he was the reason she died!"

Jiang Cheng closed his sightless eyes. "I told you that because I blame myself."
The gentle sounds of the lake floated up to his ears, and he grew tired. "A-Ling... I'm sorry for teaching you hatred. I'm sorry you're stuck with me. I wish it had been me. Every day, I wish that."

Jin Ling was crying now, he could hear it. His nephew rested his forehead down and hugged Jiang Cheng's arm. "I wouldn't trade you for anyone, JiuJiu. Not anyone."

"Thank you, A-Ling..."

xxx

Lan Xichen touched his head to the floor. Above him, his uncle hummed in disapproval. "Do not bow."
"Uncle, please."