A late WIP Weds because I'm crying my eyes out as I'm writing this so I need to inflict it upon others. From a NHS/JC/QinSu fic I'm writing of them months after they've successfully taken down JGY.
“Neither of you should be here,” Nie Huaisang muttered again. “You have sects to manage, just... leave me be.”
Jiang Cheng looked like he wanted to hit something, and Qin Su gave him credit for the restraint he exhibited by holding his hands at his sides. “Our sects can live without us for a few days,” she offered. “I think you need us more than they do right now.”
“Why are you so miserable,” Jiang Cheng ground out, “after everything we did? We won.”
Qin Su worried the words might make Nie Huaisang retreat, but they did the opposite. His eyes filled with anger and tears. “I thought we had... but I don't think I won after all.” The hand in hers began to tremble, but she refused to let go. “Parts of Da-ge's body are still out there and I'm never going to find them. His spirit is still torn apart, and he's never going to be reborn. And worst of all-” Nie Huaisang's voice broke with a sob that shook his entire body.
She wiped at his tears even as more fell. Jiang Cheng remained in place – he'd never been good at dealing with emotions, not his own and especially not others', but he never left their side. “What's worst of all, A-Sang?” she asked, knowing that whatever it was, it was something he needed to say aloud if he was to heal.
Nie Huaisang's eyes looked into hers as if begging for forgiveness. “Worst of all... I miss him.”
“Of course you miss Nie Mingjue,” Jiang Cheng said. “You'll always miss him-”
“No.” Qin Su didn't want to interrupt him, but Nie Huaisang's words had pierced into her soul. She knew he hadn't meant Nie Mingjue – she knew because in the darkest night, she felt the same way he did. “He means A-Yao.” She could feel Jiang Cheng still at her side in shock, but Nie Huaisang let out a sigh of relief. “I know because... sometimes I miss him too.”
“I know it's wrong,” Nie Huaisang began with a shaky breath. “After everything he did, after what we did, I have no right to miss him, but...”
“But we still loved him,” she finished. “And despite everything... I think he loved us too.”