Oh it was over. He knew it was before he ever hit the ground.

But he never hit the ground. Someone looped their arms under his and lowered him slowly.

A sharp, grinding pain racked his torso. It was like being stabbed over and over again. His side was hot with blood. He was losing a lot. So much. Too much.

White fluttered at the edge of his vision. A sudden pressure over his side pushed his agony to new levels.

"Xi-Xichen," Jiang Cheng stammered dazedly. "Xichen, stop. I can't breathe. I-"

He cut off when he realized it wasn't Xichen beside him.

"Lan Wangji?"

Lan Wangji gave a curt nod without looking at him. He was focused on his wound – the wound that Jiang Cheng hadn't dared to look at yet, even though he knew it was over anyway.

"Lan Whoever, get your hands off me," Jiang Cheng said, trying to sound angry but barely managing a hoarse whisper. "I can't breathe."

"You can," Lan Wangji said. "Lie still."

"Stop being a petulant brat, Jiang Cheng, and let him help you."

Wei Wuxian's upside down face came into view as he first untied the cloth over Jiang Cheng's nose and mouth and then untied his own. Jiang Cheng hadn't noticed him at all, seated by his head.

Wait… no. Was his head resting in his lap?

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth to tell Wei Wuxian to learn the meaning of personal space, but another wave of pain overtook him and he groaned instead, forgetting everything about Wei Wuxian's irksome presence.

But he wouldn't let him forget entirely.

As his vision slid out of focus and his chest rose and fell more rapidly, Wei Wuxian couldn't resist making himself more vexing.

"Hey, hey, going to sleep already?" he asked, lightly slapping Jiang Cheng's cheeks. "Come on! The day has just begun! Let's stay up all night, huh? I bet I can still outlast you. I never lost and I never will. You're no match! Come on!"

Jiang Cheng looked up at him, finding it hard to understand what he was saying over the rush of blood in his ears.

"I don't know how to stop hating you."

It had slipped out before any conscious thought. Jiang Cheng had spoken without malice or venom. His statement was just that: a statement. It wasn't intended to incriminate or belittle. It simply was.

And a part of him – a bigger part than he'd first realized – wished that it wasn't. He hadn't been ready to admit it until then. Until there was no more time left for honesty.

Wei Wuxian let out a weird strained laugh. "Then you really need to stay awake to spite me! Show me what you've got!"

He didn't understand. And Jiang Cheng didn't have the time left to explain. Not if he was going to say what needed to be said. And there were so many things he needed to say to so many people. Why had he ever let things get so out of hand?

God, Jin Ling. How could he ever make that right?

He was his own nephew's nightmare. And he had a good idea why that might be too. He had pieced it all together from the little bit that Xichen had told him.

There weren't enough words. There wasn't enough time.

"Why haven't you stopped the bleeding yet?!" Wei Wuxian snapped.

"His wound is too large," Lan Wangji answered. "Something about the blade prevents it, too. It was difficult to get you to stop bleeding before."

"Difficult, not impossible!"

"Heh heh… attempt the impossible," Jiang Cheng mumbled.

"What did you say?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"I don't know."

He was feeling very light. The pain in his abdomen was still there, but it wasn't as bad as it had been.

He tilted his head to the side and the entire world tipped with it. Yu Qingqi's pale face slid into focus.

"Can you… can you…?"

The thoughts were slipping away faster than he could form them on his lips.

Immediately, Yu Qingqi dropped down next to him. "What is it? I can't hear you."

He didn't answer her. He'd caught sight of Xichen lingering behind her, minimally recovered from his qi depletion and seeming unsure whether he should stay or go.

Why wouldn't he look at him?

"Sect Leader Jiang?"

Jiang Cheng was pulled back to Yu Qingqi.

"Was there something you were saying to me?" she asked.

"I… think so… I…"

"Huaisang!" Wei Wuxian bellowed. "Bring me that dagger!"

There was an unintelligible response in the distance. Jiang Cheng was starting to feel sick.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Wei Wuxian shouted.

"What?!" came the bewildered answer.

"RUN, YOU ASSHOLE!"

No response, but the footfalls quickened.

"YOU CALL THAT RUNNING?! I SWEAR, HUAISANG! I WILL HOLD YOU PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE! I SWEAR!"

As Huaisang appeared overhead, visibly winded, Jiang Cheng remembered what he was asking Yu Qingqi.

"Jin Ling," he said, nudging her arm weakly to get her attention. It was unnecessary, though, as she was still watching him. "He's in the palace. Would you… go…?"

"You want me to bring him to you?" Yu Qingqi asked.

Jiang Cheng nodded. Everything was spinning so fast.

"Of course."

She leapt up and sped away, presumably toward the Scorching Sun Palace. Jiang Cheng had no idea where anything was anymore.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji said, "you've lost a lot of blood already. That's not a good idea."

"Someone has to do it."

Cold metal pressed into Jiang Cheng's palm. He shivered.

An argument ensued, then. Both Xichen and Lan Wangji offered to do whatever it was that Wei Wuxian was going to.

Jiang Cheng couldn't understand very well what they were saying, so he didn't bother trying to listen.

His dimming gaze was drawn to Xichen. He looked ethereal, tranquil, and so very beautiful even as he argued with the others. How did he manage that? Jiang Cheng would have to ask him.

No. Jiang Cheng needed to tell him something… he needed to before… something.

"I'll do it," Luo Qingyang cut in. "I'm the only one here unharmed. Plus, he… ugh just give me the dagger, Wei Wuxian."

"Fine! We don't have time to keep fighting," Wei Wuxian said.

Someone moved Jiang Cheng's arm away from his body, but he didn't see who. He could barely keep his eyes open. His breaths came in short gasps.

"Hey, look at me," Wei Wuxian said softly. "Stay awake."

He tried, but his eyelids were so heavy. He couldn't possibly open them.

Unless…?

A warmth spread up his arm and over his chest. It wasn't so hard to fill his lungs with air anymore. Feeling returned to his toes and fingertips… and to the gaping wound in his middle.

Jiang Cheng gasped. "Stop it," he croaked. "Whatever you're doing, it hurts."

"She's saving your life, you ungrateful ass," Wei Wuxian snapped.

Looking down, he saw what he meant. Jiang Cheng's fingers were curled around a golden hilt bathed in crimson. Luo Qingyang gripped the blade at the other end, allowing her blood to be ripped from her and passed to him.

"Stop," Jiang Cheng groaned. "It feels like someone's stirring my insides. Stop."

"It shouldn't hurt for her to-" Wei Wuxian started to say.

"It's this," Lan Wangji interrupted, nodding his head toward the injury he was still trying unsuccessfully to fix. "He can feel it again. Just like you and I feel ours. I can't figure out how to make that sensation go away."

His mind was sluggish from blood loss, but when he realized he could let go of the dagger himself, Jiang Cheng didn't hesitate to do so.

The pleasant warmth of his arm disappeared. But the pain in his abdomen sadly did not.

"Damn it, Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian hissed, grabbing his hand and replacing it on the dagger hilt. "You're going to have to bear with it."

"Is the flow less than before?" Lan Wangji asked.

Indeed, the heat that transferred to him wasn't quite as warm. It didn't cover his entire chest nor did it return as much strength to his limbs.

Wei Wuxian looked around for a moment. He locked onto something and his face fell.

Jiang Cheng was too preoccupied with trying not to scream. He didn't bother looking at whatever it was.

As it turned out, he didn't have to.

"Wen Ning has stepped out of that array, hasn't he?" Wei Wuxian asked, pointing.

Lan Wangji and Xichen both turned to look. They nodded. Xichen seemed very worried.

"The daggers must feed off of Jin Guangyao's power," Wei Wuxian said. "Now that he's dead, they can only use whatever traces remain in the environment."

"We need to get him to a doctor now," Xichen said.

Jiang Cheng tensed. "No doctors."

"You're seeing a doctor, you idiot," Wei Wuxian replied sternly.

"No. No doctors."

"What? You'd rather die?!"

Wei Wuxian didn't understand. How could he?

So, Jiang Cheng appealed to the only person who could.

"No doctors," he whispered to Luo Qingyang.

She tried hard not to look at him. But when he took his hand off the hilt to grab the sleeve of her robe, she could ignore him no longer.

"You will see a doctor," she replied quietly, placing his fingers around the dagger once more, "but they will only treat that wound. They will search no further. I will make sure of it."

He wasn't entirely satisfied, but it was the best he was going to get. Luo Qingyang's face was set and determined. There would be no arguing with her.

"Okay," he wheezed.

"No, not okay!" Wei Wuxian cried, unwilling to be quiet any longer. "He has injuries all over! We all do! Who's going to fix the things Zewu-jun didn't quite finish? Who's going to-?"

Luo Qingyang shot a withering look in his direction. Jiang Cheng had never seen Wei Wuxian fall silent so quickly.

"I will oversee his treatment," she said firmly. "Any treatment he needs, I will be the one to approve it. Does anyone have any questions about that?"

"He's not going to agree to that," Wei Wuxian said. "He-"

"I agree to it," Jiang Cheng interrupted. "Luo Qingyang is in charge."

Wei Wuxian again fell silent, but this time he stayed that way. The decision was final.

It probably wouldn't matter anyway. Soon, they would have no means by which to replace the blood he was losing. No doctor would be able to put him back together fast enough.

They started debating whether to leave already or to instead send one person out to collect a doctor to help them before teleporting. They were worried he wouldn't weather the storm.

"Xichen," Jiang Cheng said.

Although he'd been in the midst of arguing with Wei Wuxian, Xichen heard his name despite how feebly it was spoken.

Just like Yu Qingqi, he immediately came to Jiang Cheng's side. The uncertainty that he'd seen before, when Xichen looked like he didn't know where he should stand, was gone. He even used his sleeve to wick away the sweat on Jiang Cheng's brow.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

"You didn't understand me before," Jiang Cheng said, speaking as quickly as he could. He didn't have much time. He was already feeling lightheaded again.

"What do you mean?"

"In the palace, when I said-"

"Shh, no it's okay," Xichen soothed. "You didn't mean it when you said you would think poorly of me for leaving you behind. I knew what you meant. You don't have to explain. Save your strength. We need to get you out of here."

Don't you fucking shush me, was what Jiang Cheng wanted to say. But there really wasn't time for that.

So instead, he simply said, "No, that's not it."

Xichen frowned. Jiang Cheng braced himself against the sensation of having a blade bore through his entire abdomen.

"What is it?" Xichen asked.

"I lied to you."

"I know that. It's okay. Please don't-"

"No, I lied before. Days ago. When you…"

Xichen's frown deepened. Did he really not understand? Was Jiang Cheng going to have to choke out the full truth before he could ask for what he wanted?

He gritted his teeth and spat it all out before another bout of pain could stop him. "I lied to you when I said I wasn't a cut sleeve."

"Oh… oh."

Barely, Jiang Cheng heard Wei Wuxian mutter something. The pressure on his wound let up a little, but he didn't dare look in Lan Wangji's direction. He didn't want to see his reaction.

"I… wanted… oh god, I'm so tired," Jiang Cheng mumbled. His head was spinning. The nausea was setting in again.

"I don't think the dagger is working anymore," Luo Qingyang said. "We need to do something."

"Oh, there's Jin Ling," Wei Wuxian announced. "Good. We'll be able to get out of here together. Jiang Cheng's just going to have to bear the storm. We can try to protect him."

He was running out of time. He was seriously running out of time.

Jiang Cheng snatched Xichen's sleeve. He had to make him understand.

"Jin Ling…" he wheezed, "I know why… I know about him and… your junior… whichever one. I need him… to know it's fine. I want you… to do what you… wanted to do… what I wanted you to do…"

Xichen furrowed his brow. "What? Jin Ling and my junior? You want me to… wait."

He paused and thought on it a bit longer. Then, his eyes widened.

"Forgive me if I've misinterpreted," Xichen said, "but are you asking me to kiss you in front of your nephew?"

His vision was tunneling. His breathing was shallow and rapid again. Jiang Cheng didn't know how much air he had left with which to speak, but he recalled how nauseous it had made him to nod his head earlier. So, he forced out a verbal answer.

"Yes."

Wei Wuxian laughed haltingly, almost like he was hiccuping. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the unpleasant shadow of embarrassment reared its head.

But how much did it matter anyway? In a few more minutes, he would no longer be there to suffer anyone's judgment.

Xichen chuckled a little and despite the cold that had begun to set in to his fingertips, Jiang Cheng felt warm. His laughter was so pleasant, nothing like the annoying noisiness of Wei Wuxian's.

"Okay," Xichen said softly.

A great weight lifted from his chest. Jiang Cheng was going to fix things with Jin Ling, albeit in an unconventional way, but it would do.

He'd done what he could with Wei Wuxian. That idiot wouldn't understand even if Jiang Cheng had all the time in the world to explain…

"Jiujiu?"

Jiang Cheng heard Jin Ling, but he couldn't see him.

"Jiang Cheng?" Xichen whispered. "Are you still awake?"

He opened his eyes slowly, not remembering having ever closed them.

Xichen was leaning over him slightly. If Jiang Cheng wasn't mistaken, he looked a little nervous.

Jin Ling was kneeling across from him, in shock.

"Do you still…?" Xichen started to ask before trailing off.

"Yes," Jiang Cheng breathed.

So, he did.

It was nothing like how he'd imagined their kiss at the inn would have gone if Jiang Cheng had been willing to admit the truth to himself.

It wasn't very passionate. If anything, Xichen was overly polite. His lips barely brushed Jiang Cheng's. There was only a moment of warmth before he started to pull away again, as if afraid that he would hurt him.

Jiang Cheng expended a huge amount of his remaining strength to reach up and press his hand to his cheek. Xichen startled at his touch, and at first, Jiang Cheng thought he was going to withdraw completely.

But he didn't. Jiang Cheng got what he wanted. Xichen leaned down and kissed him again.

If only he could hear Xichen's breath over his own. If only his senses weren't fading away one by one.

He began to realize that his last minute confessions weren't last minute at all. They were far too late.

As soon as Xichen pulled away from him, Wei Wuxian pressed his palm against Jiang Cheng's forehead.

"He's ice cold," Wei Wuxian said. "We need to go."

Through the hazy darkness, Jiang Cheng could see Jin Ling beside him, mouth open. He reached for him. There was one last thing he needed to do.

Jin Ling took his hand when he realized what it was that Jiang Cheng wanted. Just like Xichen, he jumped when they made contact with one another.

"I'll open a portal and carry him," Luo Qingyang announced.

"No," Jiang Cheng groaned as he pulled Zidian from his finger and placed it in Jin Ling's hand. "Don't… carry…"

"Well you're not walking very fast!" she snapped. "Would you rather I drag you?"

Jin Ling curled his fingers around the ring, gripping so tightly his knuckles burned white.

Then, just as forcefully, he grabbed Jiang Cheng's hand again and rammed Zidian back onto his finger.

"I'll open the portal," Jin Ling said hotly. He got to his feet and stalked away.

Did he know? Had Jiang Cheng made it clear to him? Would he still wonder even after he was gone whether or not his uncle would have approved of him?

Jiang Cheng was too late. On all of it. He was too late.

"Jin Ling!" Xichen called after him. "If you know exactly where Sizhui and Jingyi are, you can focus and open a gate a little further away from that, like outside the door."

"Why would I do that?" Jin Ling asked.

"So you don't hurt either of them with the storm gate."

"Got it."

Jiang Cheng's eyelids were sliding down again, heavy as blocks of granite. He pulled Zidian from his finger once more. But this time, he held it up to Wei Wuxian.

"You can give it to him yourself in a few decades," Wei Wuxian said, shaking his head. "I can't… I…"

Jiang Cheng had nothing left. He simply continued to hold the ring out for him until Wei Wuxian eventually took it.

"Okay," Wei Wuxian murmured. "Okay."

Jiang Cheng looked up at him, struggling to maintain consciousness as a loud crack sounded a little ways off.

"What do you remember?" Jiang Cheng asked him.

He kept his eyes open just long enough to see the anguished confusion on Wei Wuxian's face.

"You know I don't remember anything about anything," Wei Wuxian joked shakily. "You'll have to remind me. Jiang Cheng?"

He didn't answer. He couldn't. His chest was so heavy.

"Jiang Cheng, come on! Remind me! Look at me! Please?"

All he could do was listen.

His body was pulled upward then into an almost sitting position. A gentle pressure wound its way around his shoulders and torso, cocooning him as his breathing finally devolved into rattling wheezes.

Wei Wuxian's voice was a lot closer now, like he was speaking directly into his ear.

"I'll always remember," he whispered.

The safety of his cocoon was taken away and Jiang Cheng was jostled a little as someone slipped their arm behind his knees and wrapped their other arm around his shoulders. He knew they were preparing to carry him, but he had no strength to protest.

"Zewu-jun, are you sure?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"I'm fine," Xichen answered. His voice was now the one that was very close. "He didn't want Advisor Luo to carry him. He didn't want to be carried at all. But we have little choice now. I'll ask his forgiveness later."

Xichen was carrying him? He supposed that wasn't so bad.

Jiang Cheng had no way of telling him that, though, except to purposely lean his head against his shoulder.

At first, he thought Xichen hadn't noticed. But then, he was pulled a little closer and held a little tighter.

A tiny sound escaped him as he was lifted from the ground. The blood that had pooled along his side and under his back dripped from his soaked clothing, splashing the cobblestones that had fallen away from him.

"Hold on, Jiang Cheng," Xichen murmured.

And he wanted to. He didn't want any of what he'd said or done before to be the way he left this life. He wanted to stay with them.

He wanted Jin Ling to formally introduce him to whichever Lan junior he liked. He wanted Xichen to see Lotus Pier – really see it. Hell, he wanted Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to return to Lotus Pier too (admittedly Wei Wuxian more than Lan Wangji).

More than anything, he wanted to make things right because he knew he hadn't done so in those few moments he had left.

Clumsy explanations and half-spoken confessions… they deserved better than that. He would swallow his pride and eat every single one of the bitter words he'd said to them if only he could stay with them.

But he couldn't hear them anymore. They were all so far away.