Mo Ran stands dumbfounded at the sight of Wanning walking off with the ghost. As if they weren't attacking him a second ago.
He knows he missed a lot. Wanning of course learned and understood how to take care of the ghosts. Wanning investigated like always, then learned the truth.
His heart is still racing seeing the ghost claw like finger aimed right at Wanning. He thought... for a second... Wanning almost... again...
He's fine now, and walking but still!
Rushing forward Mo Ran chases after Wanning and the four ghosts. His heart still beating against his rib cage. He runs as fast as he can. He catches up in time for the ghost to take on their original forms. A mother and her three kids. All look young. They were. Two kids and an infant. The mother hugs Wanning, a talisman hanging onto her forehead, the same for the other three. Wanning hugs her back. Mo Ran can see the subtle hits of sadness on his face. The way Wanning eyes are soft, his lips slightly turn down. Behind the children hug Wanning. A group hug.
A second after all four slowly disappear. Like reverse snow. Rising into the night sky, the moon shining bright. It's almost beautiful.
Mo Ran takes a breath, loudly. Wanning turns to look at him. With the moon high in the sky Mo Ran can see the water in the others eyes but it doesn't fall.
Wanning.
Wanning.
Chu Wanning.
How could he hate someone as beautiful and kind as him. He loves Wanning. From the little twitch of his nose when he doesn't like something, the way his eyes narrow and his lips pout why he's not understanding something. The small smiles Wanning does when he's focused on something he likes. He loves it all. He loves Chu Wanning.
Mo Ran eyes go down to his neck. There's a bit of discoloration. His white robes no longer white. Blood. Mo Ran rushes forward, blood boiling. "Wanning!" He shouts stomping forward. Roughly he grabs Wanning arm, tilting his head so he can see clearly. He will not have Wanning hurt again. Not for him. Not because Wanning was protecting him. How many times must this happen? How many times will Wanning jump to get hurt for him? When will Mo Ran be strong enough to not need Wanning to sacrifice himself?
"Are you crazy!" Mo Ran shouts. he grabs hold of Wanning wrist and tugs him towards town. Stomping angrily but fast. Wanning stumbles a couple times, stunned by the rage in Mo Ran face.
"Wait! Mo Ran!" Wanning shouts, wanting him to stop. He digs his heels trying to stop the other man but he continues on. Not bothered in the slightest. He tries yanking his wrist from the strong hands holding him but to no avail. "Mo Weiyu!" Wanning shouts. This catches his attention finally. Mo Ran pauses, slowly he looks over his shoulder. Eyes guilty. Wanning lets out a huff. "The other cultivators. I left them." Wanning says.
Silently, Mo Ran nods, letting his wrist go. Wanning didn't mind it being held but now's not the time for that. Plus he wouldn't have said his desires out loud anyways. Wanning turns, going back to Zedong Xun. Mo Ran following behind him like a dog, a quiet one.
They find her redoing one of the men's bandages. Hearing the rustling of leaves she turns spotting Wanning and Mo Ran. She gives them a smile. "Is she...?" Zedong Xun wonders, looking expectantly at Wanning.
Wanning nods, "it's taken care of peacefully."
"Thank you. We can take them to the small clinic." She says pointing to the men. Wanning lifts one while Mo Ran picks two up and holds them like a sack of rice rather than injured humans. The walk back is silent but calm.
At the clinic Zedong Xun gets them a room. She leads them to a small inn they can rest for the night. She bows thanking them again. The door is shut behind Mo Ran and Wanning. With a soft click they are alone once again.
The silence lasts for a second.
"Why did you do that?" Mo Ran asks, eyebrows furrowed, hands clenched into fists.
Wanning looks at him confused. "Do what?" Mo Ran snaps his neck towards Wanning, who can only stare at the man, slightly worried for his neck.
"You..." Mo Ran growls, the sound doing things to Wanning. "Why would you jump in front of danger!" He shouts.
"She wouldn't hurt me." Wanning says with confidence. Mo Ran narrows his eyes.
"You are hurt!" He yells eyes baring into his neck.
"Huh?" Wanning blinks. He touches his neck, looking down at his hand to find red on his fingers. An "oh" leaves Wanning lips. He looks at Mo Ran, hand holding the wound closed. "It's not bad." Wanning tells him trying to minimize it. It truly isn't bad.
"Why don't you take care of yourself? I don't want you protecting me! I want you to protect yourself better!" Mo Ran exclaims once again holding onto Wanning by his arms. Wanning just stares with wide eyes as Mo Ran brings him closer.
"Why?" Wanning asks completely clueless. Mo Ran frowns. He's always done this. It's always been like this.
"Because I care about you and don't want you to get hurt." He says, more calm headed now.
"You do?" Wanning asks stunned by that. Since when? "Why? I thought you didn't care. No one does besides Zhengyong." Wanning wonders looking down. Mo Ran eyebrows furrow in sorrow. Does he really believe that?
Mo Ran brings him into a hug, holding his small frame into his own. Wanning is so small. Even his wrist is thin, Mo Ran thinks he can break it like a twig. If he wasn't careful he could have, especially in anger. Luckily Wanning didn't seem to notice or care. "I do care because I love you." He confesses. Doesn't realize he said it out loud until he feels Wanning go stiff.
Before Mo Ran can do anything Wanning pushes him away. Honey eyes looking at violet. "No." Wanning says. Mo Ran sputters, arms up from the hug. "You love Shi Mei." Wanning says softly, eyebrows furrow, not in anger but confusion.
"It was just a crush. The one I love is you." Mo Ran says shaking his head. Wanning shakes his head back, taking steps back. Away from him. Mo Ran following him. Hands up and in view to not scare the other.
"But Shi Mei is perfect. And I'm just... I'm me." Wanning voice quivers.
"Shi Mei is not perfect. You have your faults but so do I and I love you anyway."
Wanning shakes his head. "No." His back pressing against the wall. At the end. "I... gave up on you." Mo Ran perks at that. "I'm old and ugly. Y-you hate me. You want me to stay out of your life. S-so I try." Mo Ran blood freezes over. He... what?
"Where'd you hear that?" Mo Ran asks, voice cold, standing right in front of him. Eyes drawn in a frown.
"I... I hear you talk." Wanning turns hiding his face.
"Have you heard everything?" Mo Ran asks sullenly. He hopes, prays, they answer is no. His breath catches in his throat seeing Wanning nod just barely. "Wanning." He calls his name, voice wavering. He reaches forward. But Wanning squishies himself against the wall. Seeing him so obviously try to escape his hold hurt Mo Ran. "I'm sorry." Mo Ran says softly, he leans forward, forehead resting against the wall, hands curled into a fist against the wall. Now caging Wanning within his arms. "I don't mean that any more. It was all a misunderstanding. I didn't know... I know now that I love you more than a disciple should their shizun. How deep down you are kind, to us all. How you've protected me so many times." Mo Ran opens his eyes, feeling unshed tears stick to his eye lashes. "You were the one to get be from the bottom of Juichin lake."
"You... know?" Wanning voices, eyes wide.
"I do. There are so many things I've misunderstood about you. And now that I know I love everything about you." Mo Ran says looking at Wanning with a smile, can see the small blush on Wanning cheeks. "What about you? Do you still...?" Mo Ran asks hopeful.
"I..."