awashlogs | Open: April things

Mn.

[ All right. WangJi did guess correctly the nature of the problem, just not the... scale of it.

Bichen goes back into the sheath, and WangJi walks towards the pup.

Unlike dogs, this one is not used to being commanded by humans... however, this is Lan WangJi, and the commands he gives are very difficult to resist. Particularly when he adds a bit of spiritual energy to make the commands difficult to misinterpret. ]

Down.

[ The pup is still excited, wagging its tail, but it does lower itself to the ground, yipping a little. Which quiets after a long, long look from the pale eyes. ]

Go!

[ He has heard about the wolves, and knows they are a problem it he forest, but he still would rather not hurt the young pup.

... however, this just makes it bounce back up and start trying to paw at the white robes. WangJi blinks and glances up at Wei Ying. ]

[ He goes boneless with relief when the wolf pup stops jumping at the tree. ]

Ahh! Lan Zhaaaaaan......

[ But that relief gives way to terror once more, when the pup starts bouncing again, this time at Lan Wangji. ]

Wait! No! Leave him alone! AAAAAAAA! Stop, stop, stop, stooooop!

[ His fingers clutch at the flute in his sash. He knows the pup poses no threat to Lan Wangji, and also that the wolf pup possesses little malevolent energy, so it won't be amenable to his control. Not only that, but his panic is so great, and his hands trembling so much that there's no chance he could even play his flute.

So, in the end, all he can do is keep howling: ]

Go away, go away, go away, gooo awaaaay!

[ WangJi is just about to glare the puppy down properly when Wei Ying starts calling to it to leave him and his incipient glare softens as he properly looks up. ]

I... I am well, Wei Ying. You do not need to worry. Give me a moment.

[ His lips nearly curl up a fraction of a cun, before he focuses on letting Wei Ying come down from his perch, instead.

Soon enough, the puppy has vanished into the underbush, tail between its hind legs, but unharmed. WangJi waits a few more moments to make sure it's not going to try to change its mind as soon as he's not immediately a threat, before looking up again, moving close to the tree. ]

You can come down, now.

[ His eyes meet Lan Wangji's; it's almost enough to quell his terror. But still he stays where he is, gripping the tree branch white-knuckled, until he's given the all-clear.

He makes his way down branch by branch, hand over trembling hand, until... ]

Aaaaah!

[ ...his grip slips when he's almost at the bottom, and he falls the remaining few feet. ]

[ WangJi doesn't even hesitate. The moment Wei Ying slips, he steps closer, reaching out his arms so he can break Wei Ying's fall safely.

And yes, he frowns slightly, since his back may be much better, but it has not yet fully healed, but his arms are steady and strong and gentle, no weakness.

... and then he stills, eyes ever so slightly wider. Since he has no idea what to do now. Should he let him down on his feet? Should he carry him away?

????? ]

Wei... Ying.

....

Are you all right?

[ When he's caught, his arms wrap around Lan Wangji's shoulders instinctually. Falling would have been fine, he's fallen loads of times before... but being caught like this is so much nicer. His heart, which had been beating out of his chest with panic, begins to slow down; his ragged breathing smooths out.

After a while, he realizes Lan Wangji has asked him a question. His eyelids flutter and he looks up. ]

....hmm?

[ .....and then it dawns on him. ]

Aaah! Your back! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

[ He jerks his arms away from the man's back. His wounds have probably opened up again, aaah! ]

You, you, you! You should have let me fall! It wasn't far! It wasn't far, I would have been fine! I've fallen out of more trees than you could count! Put me down, don't force yourself!

[ All right, the arms settling on his shoulders from a height are not easy to just brush off still.

But...

They are Wei Ying's arms around his shoulders, and Wei Ying's face is so soft and... hopeful? That for a long, long moment he actually doesn't feel the pain.

Then Wei Ying starts to move away and, for a brief instant, WangJi's arms tighten to hold him near, before he remembers himself. ]

It is not too bad. The pain is much less now.

[ He's not trying to conceal agony, either. Which is probably easy to discern, once attention is focused. The difference between the slight frown now and the entire reaction the first day when he showed up here is rather drastic.

Still, oh so carefully he sets down Wei Ying on his feet. ]

I had heard that there are wolves in the woods.

[ So when he heard these cries, he had to come. ]

[ He feels that squeeze when he pulls away, but doesn't know what to make of it. Probably just... some kind of reflex. And then he's set down so very gently, as if he were something fragile or precious, and he can't help but think of how his "dearest wife," had unceremoniously dropped him on the floor. What a contrast! And yet, if he'd had to predict in advance, who would drop him, and who'd set him gently down, he'd have guessed wrong.

His eyes flick up to Lan Wangji's face. He had reacted strongly the first day they'd encountered one another, in this place, to a mere back slap. This time, he'd fallen onto the man, and he hardly reacted. Could those discipline whip wounds really have healed this quickly? Or... ]

You! You really did it! You went to see Maiden Maya! Hahahaha! You went on your own, I didn't even have to force you! I'm glad!

[ He grins, astonished and happy... ]

[ ...and then his mind naturally turns to mischief. Hadn't Lan Wangji said it was okay to tease? That's called digging one's own grave, he'd said so at the time. He steps in and throws his arms—gently—around Lan Wangji's waist and lower back, pulling him close. ]

So this is okay?

[ He knows it isn't, of course, but hopefully for different reasons than pain. ]

... you...

[ This is not teasing. This is stabbing him in the heart. WangJi had taken a breath to explain, but then Wei Ying is pressed against him again.

Of his own volition.

And asking him, him, if it's all right.

WangJi's heart feels like it's beating hard enough to try and burst out of his chest to wrap itself around the man in front of him, and his fingers twitch, then clench into fists and relax again. ]

I...

[ ... he sighs, and lets his arms rise awkwardly and wrap carefully, lightly, around Wei Ying's shoulders. And he barely breathes, not suspecting - knowing that Wei Ying will bounce off and away in but a few heartbeats. ]

En.

[ ... ]

[ Lan Wangji is... is trying to one-up him. Yes, that's what's going on. Probably he recalls the way the other used to tease him when they were boys, and is refusing to be such an easy mark this time around. Even returning the embrace, how daring. But that sigh, those exclamations—ha, even his heartbeat is betraying him. He's furious. Hahaha! He'll start shouting scram in a minute.... ]

It is? Good, good! I'm glad! How about this?

[ He begins moving his hands up and down Lan Wangji's back, as if examining him, but it's more like a caress. ]

Ah!

[ It's. Complicated. The healing is not entirely done, so the direct pressure can definitely be felt, but it's... it's pleasure, as well, somehow, one that twists in him but he cannot fully deny it. He has no right to it.

But... he's not asking for it (is he?) and Wei Ying is giving it of his own will, and WangJi's head hangs a little lower as he can't trust his voice, so he only whispers, ]

Wei Ying?

[ His body is frozen in place, and quivering ever so slightly. Then he pushes, or tries to push, his feelings down. Down and away, swallow his heart... ]

There is no pain.

[ Ache, maybe? Not the right word. But not the kind of pain that even the caress would have gotten mere weeks ago. ]

[ The sound of his own name, being whispered in his ear... it sets off a frisson of pleasure, from the top of his head to the bottom of his spine. He laughs softly, little huffs of delight. His fingers curl, pulling the man closer. He suddenly has a wild idea that involves pushing Lan Zhan against this tree he'd just climbed... ]

Lan Zhan... I know what this means...

[ His arms drop and he steps back, out of the embrace. ]

You're not completely healed, otherwise you wouldn't let me do as I like.

[ He crosses his arms and regards Lan Wangji with a scolding expression. ]

You have to keep going to see Maiden Maya until you are, no excuses!

[ There's something about the man before him that's broken. That someone so proud would just accept all of his indecent liberties, without fighting back at all: it's wrong. Whether it's the strain of the pain, or just being here in this unfamiliar place, far from home, he doesn't know. But, as much as he always liked to tease this man, it was because he could always get a reaction. This feels, right now, more like bullying on his part. ]

[ And... here it is. WangJi lets him go, his face falling a little, his arms down by his sides properly even as he closes fingers around his palms as though to keep the warmth of the touch to himself a little longer.

His eyes squeeze shut in resignation, before they look up at the other man again, calm, almost placid if not for the fire banked deep inside. ]

Correct conclusion, extremely incorrect reasoning.

[ Calm, steady tone. No uncertainty. He would still let him do as he likes if he was completely healed already, though. And perhaps it is bullying, because it does hurt and upset, but its absence hurts and upsets more, so... ]

I do go to Maiden Maia daily. I do not know how to repay her for what she does. [ Deep breath. Changing the topic, perhaps, or simply not knowing what else to say about it unless Wei Ying asks. ] Do you know of anything that she may need?

A-aaaa?

[ What does that mean? "Extremely incorrect reasoning." So, being incompletely healed has nothing to do with letting somebody take liberties with his body? But if not that, then what? Unless that's his new form of punishing himself, or something. Letting himself be humiliated. That is... that would be just like him, to do something like that.

Lan Zhan can't hide his fury however: fingers clenched into fists, eyes tightly shut, the fire in his eyes.... ]

Girls like flowers and jewelry, or anything sweet. Maiden Maya... she'll like anything you do for her, really. Pfff! You could write her a song, she'll like that very much, hahaha!

[ He winks. If Lan Zhan and Maiden Maya are spending every day together... how could any girl be insensible to his beauty? If he wrote a song for her, she'd fall completely. ]

[ Not 'somebody'! Just Wei Ying. Only and always. The exception that always was.

Wangji blinks at Wei Ying now, though, opens his mouth to explain that she should get something she needs, rather than frivolities, since she responded so firmly to WangJi's need, but the last thing Wei Ying mentions, lightly and with a laugh, makes him lower his eyes once again, his lips growing a little pale. ]

I...

If I write songs for one person, it will be, as it has been, for one person only. And that person is, [ the pale eyes return to the object of his affection, but then look down again, ] not Maiden Maia.

[ If Wei Ying would not bring up his confession, what right does WangJi have to? ]

[ His lips part, as he stares at the man in wonder. Hanguang-Jun... has somebody he likes? Someone he's been writing songs for? What a surprise! He puts his hands together and cries: ]

Why, how unexpectedly romantic~! Hanguang-Jun, I had no idea!

[ That this frosty person could pine for somebody back home, to the extent that he'd write songs for that person, and that person alone... ah, he never would have guessed it. Part of him wants to point out, "That's not true, it isn't just one person, you wrote a song for me, too." But he has the idea that counts as bullying, so he holds his tongue. ]

Well... everybody likes good food, as it's hard to find things here with any actual taste. Ah—can you cook?

[ This young master... of course he can't. ]

Edited 2019-04-20 23:57 (UTC)

[ And he is looking at Wei Ying again, soft and sad both. He parts his lips to say something, to remind, to plead (again), but there aren't words, just his gaze.

And a soft sigh, before he nods, trying to compose himself once more. ]

Mn. Can cook.

[ He doesn't know how to repair his robes, laundry is a challenge, but cooking he can do, and edible. ]

Would not put as much taste for others as you like.

[ WangJi can eat it, when he has to. But he knows it's beyond what most people willingly eat. ]

Not like what you disliked at the Cloud Recesses, however, either.

[ Something about Lan Zhan's gaze goes right through him. This brokenness that he's been sensing all along... is the man heartsick? He reminds himself once more: he himself is, dragons aside, happy to be here. It's a privilege to be able to leave his infamous past behind. But others aren't the same. Homesickness, loneliness, heartache, and pain: these things are what Lan Wangji has been enduring.

Lan Wangji had said he regretted not being a better friend. But doesn't that go both ways? ]

You can? Why haven't you cooked for meeeeee?

[ He puts on a pout; it lasts for about a second, before it gives way to a broad smile. ]

Hahaha! If you can cook, that's great! If you need help with anything else, let me know! I've been working on a bunch of little magical tools to make things easier for people day-to-day, you can test them out if you want!

[ The whine. Even if he knows, well, knows that Wei Ying probablydoesn't mean it, it leaves WangJi slightly wide-eyed, almost reaching out to try and soothe.

Then he lowers his head, but not his eyes. That smile... Ah, that smile. ]

It... There has been no opportunity. I could not, when we first met, there was nothing to cook... at another time, and after that...

[ I would have cooked for you if you had returned to Gusu with me. No. Wrong words, cruel words, too late. ]

I can bring you some food, if you tell me where.

[ Wei Ying comes over to WangJi's house, but his and Saber's relationship is still tense, so inviting him for meals is probably not the greatest idea, either.

His expression eases, a little. Thinking of the bunny construct, of... the past, with Wei Ying's myriad ideas, the half-finished things strewn around the cave at Yiling... Many things. ]

I... do not have the kind of thinking of potential ways to make life easier as you, but if I can help, I will. And other than worry about what these 'fairy tales' here will bring, this is a strange but... Not bad place.

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