[♪♫♬]

[one_note]

[after Yi City and the second time Wei Wuxian gets Lan Wangji drunk, it takes about a day for them to reach the Garden of Annual blossoms. this curious incident takes place in the space of that day.

outside of appeasing the corpse pieces they've been collecting each night, it's not uncommon for Lan Wangji to take the time to practice on the guqin. he doesn't play entire songs, since he's not trying to interact with any spirits at the moment, but safely broken-up sections of Inquiry and Empathy (was Empathy always a musical technique? it is in this timeline, shut up) and the other songs he uses for battle hum through the walls of the rest stop they've paused at on the road.

it's partway through a passage of Empathy that there's a notable shriek of strings, and then silence; when Wei Wuxian goes to check, he'll find Lan Wangji half-collapsed over the instrument, his breathing harsh and a strange fluctuation of energy around him.

a qi deviation...? oh no.]

Comments

[weiyingdown]

[he doesn't recognize the qi deviation for what it is, at first. after all, whose ever heard of the great Hanguang-Jun experiencing a qi deviation, of all things? but seeing him slumped over his instrument is still enough to stir something uncomfortable and agitated inside of his chest.

he reaches over and gives Lan Wangji's shoulder a light shake, and his worry spikes significantly once he reaches to check his pulse and realizes how completely out of whack his qi is.]

Lan Wangji? Lan Zhan!

[one_note]

[there's no response, but for the slow rasp of Lan Wangji's breathing through his gritted teeth.

when Wei Wuxian touches him there's a strange shimmer in the air, though, and an accompanying drawn-out hum, like those last coherent notes of Empathy are trying to take a physical form]

[weiyingdown]

[right about now would be an awesome time to have a way to channel some energy to Lan Wangji

but he can't, at least not enough to make a difference here, so he pushes that thought out of his mind and focuses on what he can do. he pulls the guqin away to lie Lan Wangji on his back instead of being slumped over.]

This really isn't like you, Lan Zhan, you should stop messing around. That's what I'm here for, after all.

[there's a little worry in his voice. but he's good at hiding it.

the kids are still around, somewhere; for the barest moment he considers calling them to help when the melody catches his ear. he whistles out the final notes of Empathy and taps on his makeshift flute, pulled onto that train of thought. should he try playing it...? would that help?]

[one_note]

[Lan Wangji's eyes are tightly shut, a slight furrow between his brows; he's dead weight.

at the whistle, his qi stutters and that weird shimmer brightens in response. seems like Wei Wuxian's on the right track...? or some track, anyway]

[weiyingdown]

[PLAYING EMPATHY FOR SOMEONE GOING THROUGH A QI DEVIATION SEEMS, FRANKLY, LIKE A TERRIBLE IDEA!

but his brain doesn't even have time to think it through before he lifts his bamboo flute to his lips and starts to play. the first few notes are shaky before it evens out, and he keeps both eyes on Lan Wangji the entire time to see if it has any effect]

[one_note]

[LUCKILY HE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE MEMORIES OF SOMEONE HAVING A QI DEVIATION, that would be super bad for both of them!

instead, his labored breathing seems to ease a bit, and the energy in the air fluctuates, condenses, resonates with the notes coming from the bamboo flute, taking further shape.

it forms...a door...? it's wispy and hazy, like it's been formed from brushstrokes of mist in the air]

[weiyingdown]

[the door startles him so much that he stops playing and pulls his eyes off of Lan Wangji to stare at it. doors have never happened before?????

after stealing another look at Lan Wangji to make sure he's not doing worse, he reaches forward to see if he can. touch the door.]

[one_note]

[yeah this seems like some bullshit???

nevertheless, the door is cool under his fingers, more solid than it looks. Lan Wangji's breathing seems to be stable now, and while his qi is still off it's not worsening.]

[weiyingdown]

[he can't help but keep stealing glances between Lan Wangji and the door--not so much uncertain as he is simply unwilling to leave Lan Wangji to his own devices in this state. once he's satisfied that his state isn't fluctuating, he gives the door a push to see if it'll open.]

[one_note]

[it swings open soundlessly under his hand.



that's...a familiar view, isn't it?]

[weiyingdown]

[the sense of urgency he was feeling just a few seconds ago dissipates into mild confusion]

My dear Hanguang-Jun, I didn't know that you could travel with Empathy like this?

[he steps all the way inside, feeling rather convinced that they've just somehow activated a very bizarre transportation talisman]

[one_note]

[the door vanishes behind him :|]

[weiyingdown]

[weiyingdown]

I CAN'T BELIEVE I LEFT LAN ZHAN BY HIMSELF LIKE THAT!

[makes a beeline for the door of the Jingshi. m-maybe it'll go back???]

[one_note]

[outside the door is white mist, and a narrow white road leading away. he can barely see the latter.]

[weiyingdown]

[he's two seconds away from running out the door before he stops himself]

--Wait, I'll need a talisman to even get off of the mountain like this.

[and, while there is mist this high up, it looks...off? this entire situation feels off? so he decides to get his bearings first. he turns back around to dig around the Jingshi for a talisman, and see if the room looks any different from how he remembers it...]

[one_note]

[he is in the main room of the Jingshi. the windows and the door to the bedroom are closed. there are only a couple of things notably out of place in this room.

first, there's an uncharacteristic alcohol reek coming from the floorboard where the Emperor's Smile is hidden. weren't all the remaining jars tightly sealed?

second, where the books and scrolls are kept, several of them seem to be disarranged and shelved out of order.]

[weiyingdown]

[the sense of urgency has somewhat dissipated. there's no way that Lan Wangji would leave his things out of order, and he knows all of those jars were sealed! now his curiosity's gotten the better of him.

he goes for the alcohol first, because of course he does. might as well have a drink while he thinks!!]

[one_note]

[two of the jars are opened already, and still half-full. a cup has sunk to the bottom of one of the open jars; how messy!

the rest are still shut.

hm -- was there always a dirt floor under those?]

[weiyingdown]

[who's been drinking my alcohol?!]

Was Lan Zhan really drinking these after all? It didn't seem like he was lying when he said he wasn't...

[grabbing the open jar with the cup in it and just. drinking straight from the jar to get to the cup]

[one_note]

[with the first gulp, a memory, sharp in his mind and his mouth with newness:

--everything is warm and hazy, almost enough to overlay your irritation. There's a firm touch on your hands, moving them away from your ears. You allow it.

“Alright. He’s gone. You can’t hear or see him anymore," Wei Wuxian says.

You look at him, because it's very hard to look at anything else when he's in the same room. He looks back at you and grins. It's no longer jarring on his changed face.

“Lan Zhan, you’re still gonna answer whatever I ask? Do whatever I tell you to?”

You trust him. Mine, you think, without second guessing like you usually do -- the haze smooths the edges of the thought. “Mnn.”

His grin widens. “Take off your forehead ribbon.”

It's for him, so that's fine. A fine request. You reach up slowly--]

[weiyingdown]

[jerking backwards, startled and almost choking on the liquor in his mouth. it takes him a few good seconds of spluttered coughing before he can breathe again]

What the...

[he frowns at the jar, contemplative. and then he takes another gulp to see if it happens again]

[one_note]

[oh my god.

--the ribbon's on Wei Ying's palm, and while that's good, while that's somewhere it belongs, you're not quite pleased with the image.

“So there really isn’t anything so special about it, is there? And I thought that it’s hiding some sort of a gigantic secret. Back then, though, why were you so mad when I took it off?”

You're not mad now, but it should look right. You reach down and wrap it around his wrists, drawing the first knot tight.

“What are you doing?? Wei Ying sounds startled, but lets you continue, without trying to take his hands back.

Hm. You don't feel like letting him get away again, to walk into forests and meet with the one you dislike. You retie the knot, tighter this time, and add another, and start on a third.

It's good now; indefinably satisfying.]

[weiyingdown]

Che.

[he puts the jar back where it was before. not because he isn't curious--he is, and this is kind of fun--but it isn't doing anything to help him get out of here]

Tying me up can't possible be that fun. I should teach him how to have some real fun sometime.

[getting up, he goes to inspect the messy books and scrolls]

[one_note]

[there's a faint, brief undertone of blood to the alcohol scent, but it fades as he moves away from that spot.

the scrolls are just HELLA DISORGANIZED, it seems? everything seems to be there but some are out of order and some have been shoved in upside down or sideways. there's also a faint rustling coming from behind some of them, in the corner of the shelf.]