Title: Happens To The Heart
Fandom: The Lost Tomb (set after the reboot with mentions of the previous shows)
Rating: Teen
Length: 1440
Summary: Wu Xie wanders off in a tomb. Xiaoge worries.


Wu Xie looked around the chamber he was in, illuminated only by the light of his torch. It was empty, which could be a good sign or just the opposite, though he wasn't inclined to be too optimistic, considering how the corridor that had led him here had collapsed behind him. There was only one door, on the other side of it. Wu Xie wasn't really convinced it would lead him anywhere near Xiaoge and Pangzi again, but it wasn't like he had much choice.

As soon as he took one step towards it, the door started to open slowly with a squeaking sound. Wu Xie reached for his knife when a hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled him to the side, strong and gentle in equal measures. He couldn't fight the pull, but it didn't hurt, either.

Xiaoge, then.

Xiaoge brought them through a door Wu Xie hadn't noticed before—a secret passage, possibly, or maybe his torch had just missed its outline—and Wu Xie relaxed into his touch as the door closed and Xiaoge's other hand circled his waist. Wu Xie couldn't break his grip if he tried, and he'd never felt safer.

"The other door—" Wu Xie started.

"Blood zombie," Xiaoge said. He kept holding Wu Xie for a few seconds longer, but he was still tense, obviously ready to fight at any moment. "Let's go."

"Can it get in?"

Xiaoge was already walking forward, one hand still closed around Wu Xie's wrist so that Wu Xie had no choice but to follow. "The door won't open from the other side."

Good enough for now, Wu Xie decided. He didn't protest as Xiaoge picked up speed. The corridor was long and winding, they passed several more doors that closed behind them, and Wu Xie relied more on his utter trust that Xiaoge wouldn't let him fall than on the light of his torch.

"I didn't realise I'd wandered that far off," Wu Xie mentioned several long minutes later.

Xiaoge actually turned back to give him an unimpressed stare.

Wu Xie smiled, letting his eyes widen in an innocent look that no one who knew him would be fooled by. Xiaoge sighed and kept walking. Wu Xie wiggled his wrist this way and that until Xiaoge loosened his hold on him slightly—enough for Wu Xie to slide his hand so that they were hand-holding instead and he could brush the top of Xiaoge's hand with his thumb.

Xiaoge squeezed his hand as if in reply.

They got back to where Pangzi was awaiting them, heating up some food over a small fire. He smiled at Xiaoge and glared at Wu Xie.

"What was it, Tianzhen? I'll just check out the nearby corridors, maybe there's something interesting, I swear I won't go too far—"

"There was writing on the walls!" Wu Xie tried to explain. "I was curious, okay! And then it collapsed, and—"

"Uh huh. Next time you want alone time with Xiaoge, just say so. Or better yet, wait until we're out of a tomb." Pangzi looked at Xiaoge. "He is fine, right?"

Xiaoge nodded as Wu Xie protested, "Not even I consider evading a blood zombie a romantic experience!"

Pangzi raised an eyebrow at him. "No? Wasn't that exactly what you did with Xiaoge in the first tomb you went to?"

Wu Xie looked to Xiaoge for help, but Xiaoge just looked mildly amused, the traitor. Of course, he also didn't actually remember their first adventure together, though he's heard the story enough times he couldn't be confused now.

"I hate you both," Wu Xie declared, only then Xiaoge had the audacity to laugh at him softly, as if he didn't know Wu Xie loved the rare moments when he laughed for real so much, and kissed him lightly. Wu Xie really couldn't help but beam at him. Moments later, Pangzi passed him a bowl filled with his favourite spicy tofu.

"You're still the worst," he grumbled, though he felt all warm on the inside.

"Yeah, we love you too."

They ate quickly, without talking—even with the fire, the tomb was chilly; better not to let the food get cold. Then they cleaned up and Xiaoge got up, unsheathed his sword, and turned back to the secret passage.

Wu Xie immediately reached for his knife. "What's wrong?"

Xiaoge looked at Wu Xie's knife. "You're safe here."

"So what do you need your sword for?"

"There's a blood zombie," Xiaoge said patiently.

"That can't get here! You said so yourself! We've been here for hours. We need rest. You're not going to go and fight it now!" Wu Xie's voice got increasingly higher in pitch, but really, what was Xiaoge thinking?

"Pangzi—"

"Agrees with Tianzhen!" Pangzi interrupted before Xiaoge could even say whatever it was he wanted to say. "Xiaoge! We've been over this! No running away to fight on your own!"

After a long moment, Xiaoge nodded. Wu Xie relaxed, but Xiaoge didn't put his sword away, instead he twisted it and raised his hand—

It was a good thing he still stood close to them. Wu Xie ran to him and grabbed him by his wrist in time.

"There's really no need for that either!" He fought to make his voice sound calm. It wasn't Xiaoge he was angry at, but all the people who'd convinced him all he was good for was his blood and his fighting skills. He might not remember it, but it still coloured so many of his actions, even after years of Wu Xie and Pangzi telling him he wasn't expendable.

"I can't believe Tianzhen is the voice of reason today," Pangzi grumbled. "Put down the sword, Xiaoge. We're not using your blood as a ward! Or for anything else, either!"

This wasn't even a dangerous tomb, by their standards. Xiaoge must've been really worried by Wu Xie disappearing on them earlier, if he was reacting like this now. Wu Xie should've been more careful.

"We're safe, Xiaoge." Wu Xie moved his hand to the nape of Xiaoge's neck. "If the zombie finds us, we'll deal with it. There's no need for this."

Xiaoge looked briefly surprised, and Wu Xie hated it, hated how ingrained it was into his muscle memory that no one could possibly care about his well-being, but then he nodded and finally, finally sheathed his sword again.

"Rest, Xiaoge," Pangzi said. "I'll take the first watch. We'll find the way out after we all get some sleep."

Xiaoge nodded again. Wu Xie let himself breathe easier.

Pangzi had already put their bedrolls close together, so Wu Xie waited only long enough for Xiaoge to take the sheath off his back before manhandling him into the middle one and lying next to him, one arm strewn across Xiaoge's chest. Xiaoge let him, his expression fond and the slightest bit vulnerable. Wu Xie pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and petted his hair with his free hand.

Pangzi lay down on Xiaoge's other side and put his leg over both of Xiaoge's. He'd probably get up soon, so as not to risk falling asleep when he promised to keep watch, but Wu Xie and Pangzi both strongly agreed that making sure Xiaoge felt safe and loved was the priority, especially if he was in a mood like today.

Wu Xie and Xiaoge shared a bedroom in their house, of course, but when they were on the road, it was always like this, all three of them together. Wu Xie didn't think any of them could actually fall asleep otherwise. They'd started sleeping like this after Tamutuo, first because Xiaoge was unconscious for all the way back from there and then because he appeared to be just so fragile in Banai. Xiaoge was so strong, physically speaking, but he was still a human being, one that needed affection even if he didn't quite realise it—or admit it—himself.

It'd been over thirteen years now. The ten years of separation that almost broke Wu Xie couldn't change his feelings about Xiaoge. And whatever Xiaoge had seen behind the gate—whatever the decade had done to him—Wu Xie knew he'd never know the answers, just as he knew that the truth was something horrible. And it wasn't like Pangzi didn't have his own burdens—including having the two of them for best friends. They all needed one another more than ever, now.

And they had each other. It was good. Wu Xie kept running his fingers through Xiaoge's hair slowly. Pangzi was humming a melody that they'd heard somewhere and Xiaoge had liked.

Gradually, Wu Xie felt Xiaoge relax between them.