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“I hate everything about this,” Jiang Cheng mutters.
“I’m not thrilled myself, Wanyin, but —a-choo!”
“You sneezed on my face, Lan Wangji. Right on my fucking face!”
“Deepest apologies,” Lan Zhan says. He searches his pockets for a tissue but finds nothing. He gives up, grimaces, and wipes his face with his sleeve.
“The cave’s entrance is totally blocked,” Jin Zixuan says, saving Lan Zhan from another dose of Jiang Cheng’s acerbic commentary. “My pack is likely on the other side. Wangji’s, too.”
“Awesome.” Jiang Cheng pops open the buckle on his own bag’s chest strap. “My full pack is in the Jeep,” he says, “but I have a few emergency supplies in here.” He squats down and sets his bag on the cavern floor. “I’ve got a few warming talismans, a flashlight, extra batteries, dried fruit and jerky, oooh, that space blanket Jingyi gave me for my birthday last year! He’ll be thrilled.” He looks over at Lan Zhan and Zixuan. Zixuan looks fine, a bit dirty and shaken, but Lan Zhan is shaking hard. He had been knocked into the subterranean pool they were investigating when the explosion that blocked their exit rocked the cavern. “You’re gonna have to get out of those wet clothes, Wangji.”
“I do not have anything dry to wear.”
“Well, you can’t stay in those. You’ll get pneumonia and die.”
“I w-w-w-will be f-f-fine,” Lan Zhan stutters. His lips are already turning purple.
“A-Cheng’s right,” Zixuan says. He unzips his coat. “Here, I’ll give you the fleece lining to this, and you can wrap your lower half in the blanket. Then we’ll sit on either side of you and use the talismans to help keep you warm until help arrives.”
“We’ll what?” Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng say in disbelieving unison.
“Sit together for warmth,” Zixuan says easily.
“No fucking way—“
“I do not need you—“
“That wasn’t a suggestion.” Zixuan fixes a stern glare on his brothers-in-law, and Jiang Cheng is taken aback for a moment.
Right. He is a proper sect leader. Jiang Cheng heaves a sigh. “How long do you think it’ll be before someone finds us?”
Zixuan’s sunny smile returns. “Oh, not too long!” he says. “There’s a tracking talisman on my bag. A-Li had it made for me after that incident with you and Huaisang and the fierce corpse. If I don’t feed it a little of my qi every hour, it sets off an alarm on a matching talisman that she wears on a necklace. She can put a trace on my talisman and get our location. I mean, I left her detailed notes about our search plans, so she’ll already know where generally we’re supposed to be. What do you think about these rocks?” He holds up two fist-sized rocks.
Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan exchange looks. “They are very nice,” Lan Zhan says. Jiang Cheng wonders if he hit his head when he tumbled into the lake. Or if Zixuan hit his head. Or if he hit his own head and is hallucinating this whole ordeal.
“For the warming talismans, I mean.”
Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan stare at him, and Zixuan grins. “Mingjue-ge taught me a neat trick the last time we were in Qinghe for a discussion conference.” He sets the rocks down and finishes taking the lining out of his coat. “Get your wet clothes off, Wangji.”
“What about your talismans, now?” Jiang Cheng asks as he tries to get a handle on their situation.
“The one from A-Li or the one from Mingjue-ge?”
“Jiang Yanli first, then Nie Mingjue,” Lan Zhan says as he peels off his wet coat and lays it out on the floor of the cavern. He sits and tries to unlace his hiking boots, but his hands are shaking too hard, so Jiang Cheng bats his hands away and unties the boots.
“Like I said, A-Li got the idea after the whole warehouse incident,” Zixuan explains as he gathers more rocks. “This is actually our first time testing them out. If they work, she’s going to order a set for all of us. They’re different from those tracking charms Huaisang put on all our phones because they require us to check in. No check in, alarm. I’m sure it will work.” He sets his rock collection down by Wangji and takes the space blanket from Jiang Cheng’s pack.
“The rock thing is really cool.” He holds the blanket out as Jiang Cheng helps Lan Zhan to his feet, creating a little privacy curtain so Lan Zhan can strip off his trousers. “The talismans themselves don’t do much, but if you put them on a nice stone, they infuse them with heat and turn them into little heaters. Sort of like those gel packs hand and foot warmers you can get at camping supply stores, but the talismans are easier to carry around, and they’re much more environmentally friendly than those gel packs. Here, wrap this around your waist, Wangji.”
Lan Zhan accepts the blanket and awkwardly makes a sort of sarong. Once he’s got it secure, he allows Jiang Cheng to help him into the fleece jacket.
“That’s pretty cool,” Jiang Cheng admits. “How long do they last?”
“About six hours,” Zixuan says. He ushers Lan Zhan over to a natural alcove, close enough to the entrance that they’ll be visible when help arrives. It’s got just enough space for the three of them to sit up together, supported by the cavern wall. He clears a few broken rocks from the floor. “Sit down in the center. I’ll warm up some rocks to put around your feet, and then A-Cheng and I will snuggle in on either side of you.”
“We will not—“
“I do not need—“
“Sit down, Lan Wangji.” Zixuan is still smiling but the steel in his sect leader voice silences their complaints. “A-Cheng, here, warm up a few more rocks with this.” He hands Jiang Cheng a few talismans. “You just need to feed them a bit of qi to activate them, then put them on the stones you want to heat up. We can put them in our coat pockets and put a few more in our laps.”
“Yes, sir,” Jiang Cheng mutters, mutinous out of habit only. It is really quite cold in the cavern. Jiang Cheng and Zixuan warm up a few more rocks and settle in on either side of Lan Zhan. Zixuan immediately puts an arm around Lan Zhan’s shoulders and pulls him close.
“You, too, A-Cheng,” he says, his tone bright once again. “While I’m certain A-Li would protect me from Wuxian and Huaisang, should the worst befall either of you, it would be rather unpleasant.”
Jiang Cheng stifles a groan and puts his arm around Lan Zhan’s waist. It is better sitting together like this. The talisman-warmed stones give off a steady, comforting heat, and Lan Zhan’s shoulder is marginally more comfortable than the rock wall behind them.
“I hate this so much.”
“It’s not ideal,” Zixuan agrees, “but we’re unharmed, that’s the main thing.”
Impossibly, Jiang Cheng manages to get some sleep, because the next thing he knows, there is sunlight in his eyes, and his husband’s fond voice reaches his ears.
“And they had to huddle together for warmth! Next thing you know, they’ll end up in some motel, and there will only be one bed! A-Cheng, if you’re going to leave me for one of these gentlemen, do me the favor of not being such a cliche.”
“Huaisang?” Jiang Cheng blinks in the light. A strong hand grips his and pulls him to his feet. Then, a smaller, trembling hand is in his, and a too-thin arm is around his waist. “What are you doing here?” Jiang Cheng asks as he pulls Huaisang into his arms. “You’re still recovering.”
“I missed my husband,” Huaisang says.
His tone is light, but Jiang Cheng reads the fear under it. He kisses Huaisang, hoping to reassure him.
“I gave him permission.” Wen Qing and Nie Mingjue stand a few feet away. Wen Qing is checking Lan Zhan over as Wei Ying hovers anxiously beside him. “Although he did promise to stay in the van until we got you out.”
“Let’s go back to the van,” Jiang Cheng says, kissing Huaisang’s cheek. “Would you drive the Jeep for me, Mingjue-ge?”
“Yeah, sure,” he says, waving them on. “We’ll be leaving as soon as Wangji’s been given the all clear.”
Huaisang takes Jiang Cheng’s hand and leads him away. They pass Zixuan, who’s chatting animatedly on his phone. He pauses when he sees them.
“A-Li says you’re coming straight over to our house. She’s got soup, A-Ling has your room prepared, and he and A-Yuan are in charge of dessert.”
Jiang Cheng sighs. It’s no use fighting, but Jiejie’s soup will be good for Huaisang, too. “Sounds good. We’ll meet you in the van.”
Jiang Cheng and Huaisang claim the seats farthest in the back. Huaisang insists that Jiang Cheng adjust the seats until they are flat. He’s brought pillows and the duvet from their bed.
“A-Sang, I’m dirty and stinky!”
“We’ll get these cleaned,” Huaisang says, tugging Jiang Cheng’s hand until Jiang Cheng gives up and follows Huaisang into the van. “We’ve got a long drive home, and I want to hold onto you.” He flutters his eyelashes at Jiang Cheng. “Besides, I’m supposed to be resting. You don’t want Wen Qing to get mad, do you?”
“You’re terrible,” Jiang Cheng says with immeasurable fondness. He stretches out as best he can and opens his arms for Huaisang, who cuddles up immediately. Jiang Cheng kisses him. “Well, I can say that you’re a lot more comfortable than Wangji.”
Huaisang huffs and pokes Jiang Cheng gently in the side. “When I’m fully recovered, you’re going to pay for that.”
Jiang Cheng kisses him on the cheek and nose and forehead, only pecking Huaisang’s lips when he starts to whine. “I look forward to settling the debt.”