Open: July things

[alittlespicy]

WHO: Lan WangJi, featured guests, and open
WHERE: Around Chroma and possibly the woods
WHEN: Throughout July
WHAT: Quests, research, various and sundry.
WARNINGS: Possible references to tragic backstories? Will update if more warnings are needed.

Starters within; will match format. Also, if you have a different idea, tag in, or poke me at kikibug13

Comments

[alittlespicy]

Wangji's fingers strummed once over the strings. And there was, this time, mostly concern, almost worry in it - far more intense than his face would ever express.

"Grief, loss, melancholy. They are inevitable. Their beauty... cuts through those closest." That day, at to the library. When Wei Ying had pointed out that Wangji would have died, and then his death would have weighed down on him even worse, on top of everyone else. "Even those who seek them try to spare their close ones from them.

"But everyone... everyone is someone's close one. Even when we do not see it."

[noholdsbard]

Tristan could only assume that that worry was directed at Wei Wuxian. And why wouldn’t he? The man had quite the penchant for constantly hiding his innermost feelings, open as he was with his emotions otherwise.

He thought of Iseult’s death at his hands, and then shuddered.

“Yes…there is no escaping it. Tragedy will always be a part of life, and even in death it must linger. Such is the fate of men since the dawn of time.”

[alittlespicy]

Both. Wangji was definitely worried for Wei Ying, always, it's what one got for losing him. But he was worried for Archer, too.

His fingers started moving over the strings again. This time, the song was soothing. He almost wished his brother were here, with his xiao. Elder brother always could reach hearts better than Wangji could.

"Part of life. Not all of life." He couldn't claim with certainty what came after death. All he had was book learning, night hunts, and what Wei Ying had allowed him to touch - both before Wei Ying's own death and since coming here to Chroma. But this... this he was certain of.

Inevitable as suffering was. Permeating as pain was.

Those were never all there was.

[noholdsbard]

“Yes…life.” That music, he knew, could only be meant for him. And by now Tristan was used to people trying to snap him out of his gloom. He wouldn’t dare make things worse by trying to explain why he was that way. It always led to more grief.

“Life must go on, in spite of everything. Even this world seems to realize as much.”

[alittlespicy]

Snap him out? Wangji knew that nobody could have snapped him out of his grief. Even being here, knowing that Wei Ying was alive, it had taken months before he was mostly free of it, and he doubted the awareness of living in a world without him would ever leave him.

So, no, he was not trying to snap him out. Ease a little, perhaps, for a soul in constant pain would twist, eventually, and he did not want that for anyone. Least of all someone that Wei Ying cared about.

That Wangji... had begun to care about, even if that mattered a little less.

He let the music flow between them for a little bit, before saying quietly, "sometimes, those whose burdens are lighter can share the weight of those whose are not." Not a question. Not a request. Certainly not pressure.

But an offer all the same.

[noholdsbard]

“That is kind of you.” And he certainly had no objections to that soothing melody. But for the moment, his melancholy was more abstracted, now geared toward that poor young man of Blue rather than his own personal troubles.

“I may yet take you up on your kindness, but for now…I came here to remember.” Even though he’d tried to brush the topic off earlier on—“That poor young man…”

[alittlespicy]

"Mn." He could accept that. Not in the least because Archer looked tired, and pushing someone who was already dealing with too much was likely to hurt more than mend.

"The poor person he loved, too. Was amenable, but lost everything." The beloved man, the chance for happiness... eventually, the whole town.

[noholdsbard]

“It only took one person’s love to ruin everything…” It was a little hard not to think of his own wretched past. But he shook his head, trying to clear himself of such bleak thoughts.

And failing miserably.

“No, I have burdened you enough. I only wish…but my songs would hardly be of any comfort to you.”

[alittlespicy]

"Not burdened."

Wangji's eyes were lowered, but the words were certain.

"You do not have to share songs you do not wish to share."

Because that part, it was important, too.

[noholdsbard]

He managed to crack a bleak smile—it’s not much, but well…

“That is fine. My songs are meant to be shared. I only seek to comfort and to soothe—and to remember, for the inconsolable.” Like for many of this town’s former inhabitants.

“But I thank you all the same.” There might’ve been a hint of amusement there. To be given permission to clam up was a new thing, when you were more used to getting yelled at or ordered to shut up in your lifetime.