Gifts from the Heart
Jingyi diligently prunes the leaves and branches off the small tree he potted. He knows they'll think it's ridiculous, him giving a present when it's his birthday, but he figures it's the least he could do. Since they'd be coming to see him, but he won't be here anymore.
Jingyi's breaths rattle with each intake and spots dot his vision. He coughs more bell petals and spiny leaves, he can feel one piercing his throat. Everything hurts, each draw of breath makes his lungs ache. His limbs are heavy with exhaustion.
He sets his heart's bonsai out where they will see it when they come, because they will come this time, even if he doesn't get to see them.
Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling look up at each other after reading the letter sent from Wei Wuxian. While the content wasn't exactly all that worrying, just the fact that his oblivious father noticed anything at all worth worrying about was… more than concerning for the pair. He hasn't been known to be the most observant, nor was he very good at keeping in touch, too busy living in his own little world that consisted of only Hanguang-jun. He never noticed anything unless smacked over the head with it.
They don't bother to send a letter back announcing their early arrival. With a few hasty instructions, the letter is shoved back into the hands of the servant who brought it to them and the pair is hurrying off.
Within the hour they're mounted on their swords, flying as fast as their spiritual power can carry them, panic and strain written on their faces. How bad was it if even Wei Wuxian felt concerned enough to send them a letter?
If something was wrong with Lan Jingyi and they didn't make it in time…
How could they have left him like that for so long?
When they land at the foot of the mountain, tired and drained, the sun is already setting. Neither one cares for their state as they run the entire way up the stone steps into the cloud recesses. They both realize that they haven't been here in so long that they don't even know where Lan Jingyi is living now, he would be old enough to have moved out of the disciple dorms a while ago.
God, they were such bad friends.
When They finally get to Lan Jingyi's residence, courtesy of bad directions from Wei Wuxian, they find him sitting quietly against a small tree standing amidst a garden of white flowering shrubbery of all sizes. He doesn't stir when they call out to him. He looks like he fell asleep while playing the dizi that now rests in his lap. They move closer quietly, so as not to disturb him, with the intention of bringing him inside to lie down properly,but they both freeze in place when they come around to face him and Lan Sizhui gasps aloud. There is blood staining Lan Jingyi's lips, splatters dotting his white robes. A pool of it cooling in his lap. Needle-like leaves and small white bell flowers lay soaking in the coalesced blood. The same flowers as the tiny dried petals that still cling to his mouth.
Lan Jingyi's breathing is so shallow that it's barely noticeable and Lan Sizhui's hand shakes as he reaches for one of the small flowers. Please let it be one of them, he thinks, this is the friend of their heart and there is no time to look for the person if it is not them.
Please let it be one of them.
Hours pass by as the healers come and go, trying to bring him back to consciousness. Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling lie in the bed on either side of him. Their arms wrapped around Jingyi as they try to console themselves. How could they let this happen? Who was it? How could they not know? If only they had been more attentive, maybe they would know, maybe they could help him. Maybe he wouldn't be dying like this.
Lan Sizhui sits up and tries to dry his tears. They need to keep Lan Jingyi clean and comfortable until… until they can bring whoever this person is. They prop Lan Jingyi up with his back against Jin Ling so Lan Sizhui can try to clean his face and chest. Lan Sizhui begins to undress their friend so he can wipe his delicate skin down, but he freezes when the robes loosen enough so that Lan Sizhui is able to see Lan Jingyi's chest. There, just over his heart where Lan Jingyi's own soulmate mark should be, is… his mark? This is his and Jin Ling's mating mark. A single pink camellia. Lan Sizhui quickly pulls down the tops of his own robes. It's exactly the same.
"A-Ling!" Lan Sizhui cries frantically. "A-Ling, it's us," he chokes out, practically sobbing, "It's us."
It takes a minute for Jin Ling to understand what his mate is telling him. Lan Jingyi is… Lan Jingyi is theirs? He adjusts the now almost weightless man in his arms so he can see what Lan Sizhui sees. His eyes go wide with surprise and suddenly they are both hugging the smaller man in between them. They spend the entire night whispering desperate pleas into Lan Jingyi's ears.