Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian spent about ten minutes convincing A-Yuan that Aunt Qing was not really mad with him, she was just tired as they all were and that was why she scolded him when she caught him touching her things. And another five minutes at his side until he fell asleep.
He kissed the boy on the forehead, and walked silently to the part of the cave where Wen Qing was. She could be quite cold at times, but not usually with children.
"You made my son cry" Wei Wuxian said, sitting next to her.
"And I apologized. But he also shouldn't have touched my things without permission"
"If it was something like a medical instrument I would understand but from what he said it was just a stupid comb" he then noticed the small comb on top of a handkerchief next to her "So it was all because of this?"
He went to touch the comb, but she slapped his hand before he reached it. And picked up the comb herself.
"You are so mean, it hurt"
"Don't touch my things"
"But you usually share everything with us, what’s the big deal?"
"Precisely because of that. Can't I have one thing that is just mine ?"
She looked sad and tired, and suddenly Wei Wuxian felt guilty for trying to touch the comb. She held it in both hands, it was red as the color of the Wen clan, but it was also small and delicate, maybe he was wrong but he couldn't see her buying something like that for herself.
"Yes, you can... who gave it to you?"
She paused for a moment as if measuring her words.
"Just a boy who liked me"
"What about you? Did you like him?"
"No. Maybe. I don't know. I could have liked him if things were different. It doesn't matter now"
Wei Wuxian thought it mattered, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He knew what it was like to have your life ending up quite different than what you had hoped. Perhaps in some ways for her the comb was a little innocence that was lost, dreams of a sweeter life that never had a chance to be lived. If there was something he could touch that represented that part that he had lost of his life he probably also wouldn't want to see other people picking up so casually.
"I'm going to tell A-Yuan not to touch it again"
"Thank you"
"Good night"
"Good night"
And he went back to his part of the cave next to A-Yuan to sleep.
He was far away and it was dark so he couldn't be sure but from that angle it looked like Wen Qing had fallen asleep still holding the comb in her hands.