[ Five days. Five days of him haunting him, never leaving Jiang Cheng alone for any noteworthy length of time, barely letting him sleep or rest - and as his resolve weakens, the spirit that has been haunting him keeps growing stronger and more determined the closer it gets to its goal of breaking him.
At first, he had tried to ignore it. Then he had tried to hide it. By now, all he can do is try to hold on.
This morning, he stands outside their makeshift Lotus Pier boathouse, hoping against all better knowledge that the fresh, crisp autumn air will clear his head after yet another sleepless night. His face is tear-stained, his eyes red, breath still coming too fast though he has escaped the suffocating feeling of his room closing in with nobody but that cruel shade of Wei Wuxian to keep him company.
I will destroy you, Jiang Cheng, just like I destroyed her. The whisper spoken in Wei Wuxian’s familiar voice settles into his mind though he’s not even sure if it is spoken aloud and when he turns around, he can’t catch sight of the spirit. It rarely shows itself where others could see it, only when he is alone. Didn’t she look pretty when she died? Maybe I’ll do it myself this time. She is better off dead than burdened by you, you know? I’m doing her a favor, really. Poor Yanli, forever weighed down by an useless failure of a... ]
Shut up! Shut up, Wei Wuxian!
[ There was laughter, bright and merry and sweet, as if he had said something particularly funny. As if they were children at Lotus Pier again. Not the cackling laughter as when Wei Wuxian watched his parents be slaughtered, not the triumphant laughter when his hands had been soaked in Yanli’s blood for the first time, no, this isn’t even... ]
Just shut up!
[ His bellow is loud in the early morning’s quiet, startling a few ducks on the lake into indignant quacking. Jiang Cheng shoots the boathouse a worried look. He can’t have Yanli hear him, can’t have her come check on him… He can’t be near her now. Not with him always there…
But. His eyes fall on the other house in the distance, their closest neighbor. His house.
Suddenly, it is all clear in his mind and before he has even figured out what he wants to do, his feet are taking him there - or is it even him moving his legs? He doesn’t know and it doesn’t matter. ]
Wei Wuxian! [ His voice is a loud, commanding bark as he approaches the house, Zidian sparking at his finger ready for battle. ] Show yourself!
Morning of the 27th, cultivator frat house - closed to Wei Wuxian
At first, he had tried to ignore it. Then he had tried to hide it. By now, all he can do is try to hold on.
This morning, he stands outside their makeshift Lotus Pier boathouse, hoping against all better knowledge that the fresh, crisp autumn air will clear his head after yet another sleepless night. His face is tear-stained, his eyes red, breath still coming too fast though he has escaped the suffocating feeling of his room closing in with nobody but that cruel shade of Wei Wuxian to keep him company.
I will destroy you, Jiang Cheng, just like I destroyed her. The whisper spoken in Wei Wuxian’s familiar voice settles into his mind though he’s not even sure if it is spoken aloud and when he turns around, he can’t catch sight of the spirit. It rarely shows itself where others could see it, only when he is alone. Didn’t she look pretty when she died? Maybe I’ll do it myself this time. She is better off dead than burdened by you, you know? I’m doing her a favor, really. Poor Yanli, forever weighed down by an useless failure of a... ]
Shut up! Shut up, Wei Wuxian!
[ There was laughter, bright and merry and sweet, as if he had said something particularly funny. As if they were children at Lotus Pier again. Not the cackling laughter as when Wei Wuxian watched his parents be slaughtered, not the triumphant laughter when his hands had been soaked in Yanli’s blood for the first time, no, this isn’t even... ]
Just shut up!
[ His bellow is loud in the early morning’s quiet, startling a few ducks on the lake into indignant quacking. Jiang Cheng shoots the boathouse a worried look. He can’t have Yanli hear him, can’t have her come check on him… He can’t be near her now. Not with him always there…
But. His eyes fall on the other house in the distance, their closest neighbor. His house.
Suddenly, it is all clear in his mind and before he has even figured out what he wants to do, his feet are taking him there - or is it even him moving his legs? He doesn’t know and it doesn’t matter. ]
Wei Wuxian! [ His voice is a loud, commanding bark as he approaches the house, Zidian sparking at his finger ready for battle. ] Show yourself!