He feels like he can't breathe. Zichen's touch, the gentle brush of his lips against his forehead. It's like a dream...he's sure he had similar dreams back in Yi City, dreams that he would wake from and discover that the tear sliding down his cheek was his own.

One does now, but it's not alone. Xingchen touches his fingertips to the other man's face, shaking his head as he brushes it away. And then, his own at the sound of Xue Yang's voice behind him.

His breath doesn't return at his words. Xue Yang is offering to give up his blade again, to leave himself defenseless. And Song Lan might ask him to do it, with little care for the danger it leaves him in.