Wei Wuxian was out cold, and his body was extremely chilled.

  Mo Xuanyu was worried.

Jiang Cheng barked orders at him, after being led to Wei Wuxians old room, apparently, and laying the man on the bed. 

 Jiang Chengs called for a healer, well ...more like snapped. The healer came quite quickly, giving Wei Wuxian a check over, and frowning before the grown faded to shock.

 "Well, what is it?!" Jiang Cheng growled

 Xuanyu watched the man in purple robes cautiously, wary.

"His core...He - he doesn't -" The healer stammered. 

 Uh oh. He didn't think. Wei Wuxian wouldn't want Jiang Cheng to know...But he couldn't think of an excuse quick enough.

  This man is so angry and full of hate he knew was directed at Wei Wuxian, and yet...even so why does Mo Xuanyu feel as though even with that hate, he equally cares about Wei Wuxian too.

  The man only seems to know how to show and cling to his anger more the any other emotion.

Because he is afraid.

He is desperate.

It's all he knows.

 The voices in side Mo Xuanyu whisper. He shakes them away. 

  "Oi! Hey! Get on with it!" Jiang Cheng snapped at the healer.

"He doesn't have his golden core. It's gone."

Jiang Cheng just stared. "What..? But - that's that's - "  He couldn't finish what he was about to say.

Jiang Cheng's face paled.

 Mo Xuanyu blinked at the man, then frowned looking down at the other who was unconcisous. 

Jiang Cheng turned to Mo Xuanyu. "You even knew? Does anyone else.." He trailed off, expression tight. Mo Xuanyu watched him clench and unclench his fists.

  He heaved a sigh, rubbing his face.

 "Yeah, a little while after I brought him back. You, Lan Wangji, and I, are the only ones who know. You - You weren't..."

You weren't supposed to know.

Jiang Chengs had clenched at the unspoken words. Mo Xuanyu didn't say, but he knew anyway. 

 Mo Xuanyu's chest hurt still, though not as painful as before. Wei Wuxian must feel worse and tired to the bone. 

 Jiang Cheng muttered muttered something under his breath. 

"How is this even possible? Wei Wuxian - he was -" Jiang Cheng fumbled angrily.

He was torn apart and eaten by his own corpses, right?

That's what you want to say, but you can't find the words? 

Is that because of guilt?

Hate towards him?

Or, rather, self-loathing instead?

  Mo Xuanyu thought all these things but didn't utter them out loud. 

  He really shouldn't tell Sect Leader Jiang anything, it's not like he had to, and he told Wei Wuxian he wouldn't. But if he didn't...Mo Xuanyu couldn't bear the thought of not saying anything and not being able to do anything to help him.

He didn't like feeling-

Useless. 

And with their bond, and even without it, Mo Xuanyu cases about Wei Wuxian.

Although, telling Jiang Cheng might not help matters.

And technically, he already told Lan Wangji.

 He turned to Jiang Cheng and opened his mouth.

He might regret it but his gut was telling him otherwise.

 He told Jiang Cheng everything.

 

                              ♢♢♤♢♢

Jiang Chengs expression darkened, little by little. 

His voice came out on a low rumble. "It was you? You, who brought him back?" 

  Mo Xuanyu hesitated a fraction of a second, and then he nodded. 

"Yeah.. I wanted him to get revenge for me." He whispered, feeling guilty and ashamed. Wei Wuxian, as he was getting to know him still - Mo Xuanyu knew he didn't deserve anything like that. 

  There was a long moment of furious silence. 

The two stared at each other on opposite sides of Wei Wuxians bed. The man lying down coughed, body jerking and skin pale, too pale to where there was an illusion that he was translucent, seeing through his body because he was deathly pale. 

 Then he blinked bleary, tired grey eyes; searching. "A-Yu?" 

Mo Xuanyu gingerly sat beside him the bed.

"I'm right here. How are you feeling?" Mo Xuanyu gripped his hand tightly.

 Wei Wuxian smiled.

"I'm fine. This will pass." 

Funny, Mo Xuanyu didn't believe him.

From the looks of it, neither did Jiang Cheng.

But neither said anything, watching Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian made a move to get up.

"Hey! Don't get up! Your in no position to go anywhere!" Mo Xuanyu snapped, on edge with worry. 

 Wei Wuxian stilled, shocked, then he chuckled. "Such a mother hen, eh, A-Yu?" He teased in a light tone.

  Mo Xuanyu became flustered but didn't back down, pushing the stubborn idiot of a man back onto the bed, sitting by his side again with a huff.

Jiang Cheng watched the two interact silently, anger twisting in his gut. There were so many thing he wanted to say, wanted to shout, to scream.

 But no, Jiang Cheng swallowed all the words on the tip of his tongue, down his throat and into his gut as he stalked out the room.

Wei Wuxian turned to watch him go, staring long after even Jiang Cheng'ss shadow was gone.

 

A bitter smile was splayed across his lips.

 

 Wei Wuxian layed back, resting and chatting with Mo Xuanyu, who seemed antsy. 

 "A-Yu, you don't have to confine yourself to my side in this room. No one will harm you here, no matter Jiang Cheng's attitude. I'm sure someone could show you around. Go on." He ushered a pouting Mo Xuanyu out of the room, shooing with a wave of his hands. 

Wei Wuxian was alone.

He inhaled and exhaled, sighing.

He looked around his room, taking it all in.

And it was quite the shock.

He assumed that Jiang Cheng would have destroyed this room by now, or at least had thrown everything out.

But no. 

Everything was exactly the same as he remembered it so long ago. 

A lifetime ago.

Wei Wuxian queezed his eyes shut as they stung with tears, biting his trembling, quivering lips to keep from sobbing.

It was no use.

The tears still slipped free from behind his closed eyelids, falling slowly as the sobs built in his throat, in a knot so painful he couldn't hold it in anymore.

He caved, sobs wrenching forth from his throat which he tried to muffle.

And he lay there, in the quiet comfort of his room.

He let tears fall.