He blinks, his expression softening a fraction, because he... wasn't expecting that. Not that he expected Lan Xichen would be glad to see him harmed; no, he has seen his sworn brother step between him and Nie Mingjue's blade time and time again.
It's the direct acknowledgement of a dark truth. And hearing it mirrored back towards him strangles the remaining irrational hope he'd still held out, for their Da-ge to love him again. Jin Guangyao exhales softly and closes his eyes, shocked by the depth of his own furious despair. He's known this himself for years; what difference does it really make, hearing Lan Xichen agree with him, out loud?
(It makes all the difference in the world. He just cannot unpack all the reasons why.)
He forces a smile and says, "As am I." When he opens his eyes again, there's a bit of wetness at his lash line, but he stubbornly ignores it, clears his throat and reaches for his composure. "Well, now Er-ge knows what I remember. What is the last thing Er-ge remembers?" Time to deflect and redirect so he can pull himself together.
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It's the direct acknowledgement of a dark truth. And hearing it mirrored back towards him strangles the remaining irrational hope he'd still held out, for their Da-ge to love him again. Jin Guangyao exhales softly and closes his eyes, shocked by the depth of his own furious despair. He's known this himself for years; what difference does it really make, hearing Lan Xichen agree with him, out loud?
(It makes all the difference in the world. He just cannot unpack all the reasons why.)
He forces a smile and says, "As am I." When he opens his eyes again, there's a bit of wetness at his lash line, but he stubbornly ignores it, clears his throat and reaches for his composure. "Well, now Er-ge knows what I remember. What is the last thing Er-ge remembers?" Time to deflect and redirect so he can pull himself together.