[♪♫♬]

[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]

Who do I remind you of? A student of yours?

[he was enough of a disaster during his time visiting the Cloud Recesses; he can hardly imagine a student like him being part of the Lan Sect.

But it's because the thought is so hilarious that he can't stop from smiling]

[one_note]

[Lan Xichen is still smiling at him benignly, a glitter of amusement in his expression now. he stands to go to a tea set in the corner and takes a moment, back to Wei Wuxian, to begin preparing it.]

Please, I insist -- let's have something to drink. Wangji so rarely gets visitors here.

[returns with the tea and passes Wei Wuxian a cup]

Hm, hm... I suppose one story would be fine, without names. It was all so very long ago. Yes, it was a student studying with the Lan Sect.

[weiyingdown]

[taking the tea cup with a nod and sipping at it]

If it was a long time ago then you both must have been much younger.

[one_note]

Of course, but it was after my time taking lessons with Uncle. I only caught glimpses now and then.

[chuckles into his teacup before sipping, indulgent]

This student did very well in his classes — his cultivation was excellent — but he was quite shy. Now, his mind, he would speak any day! But he was always a bit embarrassed to show his feelings... no matter how obvious they were.

[weiyingdown]

[he can't help but try to think of who this cultivator might be. had he met him before? it was hard to tell with only that description.]

Bottling things up like that couldn't have been good for him. It can lead to all sorts of misunderstandings.

[one_note]

Oh, yes, certainly. Though I never understood why no one around him-- well, that's neither here nor there.

[sips his tea! don't try too hard to figure it out, I'm being deliberately mysterious, his smile seems to say. wouldn't want to break the rules of the Lan Sect.]

In any case, another student came to study with Uncle who he became very curious about. But because he was shy, it was difficult for him to make friends with that person, no matter how much he wanted to learn more about them.

[weiyingdown]

[sipping his tea, too, and leaning closer to listen better. his elbows land on the table as he shakes his head]

Was it too hard to just say that he wanted to be friends?

[one_note]

[tut tuts with his tongue]

You shouldn't underestimate shyness! Even more than that, the more this young cultivator saw of the other student, the more he wondered if he might be in love. Love throws you even more into confusion than a little difficulty expressing yourself might. Surely you've experienced this, young master Wei?

[weiyingdown]

Me? Love?

[he splutters, not expecting the question, and does his best to make sure he doesn't spit out any tea.]

I...I definitely haven't!

[one_note]

No? That's a shame. It's a very powerful thing, love. You can live on even a memory of it for a long time, no matter how dark things get.

[TEASIP]

Where was I? Oh yes, the young cultivator. Well— I have my own views on what happened, of course. What I do know is that he grew more and more curious about the one he had feelings for. He would listen for their footstep in the halls, or pop up in strange places to overhear their chatter with their friends. He even followed them in secret and rescued them from savage beasts that had scared them, and the like. Any story he heard about them, he'd listen as if it was water to a man in a desert — that was what made me think of him, haha. He couldn't help wanting to understand them better no matter how embarrassed he became.

[weiyingdown]

[sipping at his tea as an excuse to avoid making eye contact with Lan Xichen. he doesn't want to have an awkward conversation about love in Lan Wangji's heart]

That sounds like more than just idle curiosity to me. I can't say that I have the same level of, ah, dedication.

[one_note]

Hmmm. I suppose not. This was a very dedicated young man, and true feelings for someone aren't often an idle thing.

[finishes his tea with a little sigh]

Now then, was that the sort of story you're interested in, young master Wei?

[weiyingdown]

Something like that. It was an interesting story, Zewu-jun, but there wasn't an ending to it.

[one_note]

[smiles faintly down into his remaining tea leaves, with an edge to it, then it smooths to something more normal again when he looks up at Wei Wuxian.

somehow this feels a little less friendly????? just a little. it is probably your imagination, as nothing has changed. Lan Xichen wears a slightly pained, gentle expression.]

Did you want to hear the end? It's not nearly so charming, I'm afraid.

[weiyingdown]

[he hesitates, an uncomfortable lump twisting in his stomach]

...No. I'd better not hear it, then. This is supposed to be a place for happiness; I'd feel bad if I messed that up just to hear the end of a story.

[one_note]

[frowns at the table thoughtfully]

I wonder. One story ending and another beginning can be a kind of happiness, don't you agree?

[weiyingdown]

[sipping at his tea to avoid answering for a moment]

It might depend on how the first story ended. Does this story lead into a new one?

[one_note]

[sets his teacup down on the table again carefully]

Ah, well. I hope it may, for that young student's sake.

[weiyingdown]

[smiling into his teacup]

He sounds like a good kid. I hope it works out for him. If you think he needs help asking someone how to be friends, then tell him to come to me. I'm excellent at making friends! When I'm not making enemies.

[one_note]

[laughing at him]

But young master Wei— weren't you the one who said you had no experience in love? Maybe you should be asking him for advice!

[weiyingdown]

[b-buries his nose into his teacup. it's empty. why is it empty? reluctant, he sets it down on the table]

The first step is friendship. If he can't even become friends, how can he expect to confess his feelings?

[one_note]

[his smile turns a little sad]

Ah, but that's the thing about love! Friends are friends and brothers are brothers, and no matter the relationship between them, you need two to say the word. Love can be one-sided. Sometimes you confess your feelings, and they simply aren't returned.

[weiyingdown]

[SHIFTS. UNCOMFORTABLY. this feels pointed and he doesn't like it.

picks up the teacup, remembers it's empty, and sets it back down.]

You sound pretty knowledgeable on the subject, yourself. I hope you were able to impart all of this wisdom onto that student too.

[one_note]

[laughs a little, hiding his mouth with his hand politely, his eyes crinkling above it]

The real me has spoken to Wangji about that worthy student, true enough! I hope if he's passed the message on, it's been cause for them to learn something.

[takes his hand away and smiles at him]

Do not worry about stories with sad endings too much here, young master Wei. Wangji has always been a man who's found happiness in what he loves.

[weiyingdown]

I used to think the only thing he loved was rules.

[leaning onto the table more]

But you're here, of course. Should I look for your uncle as well? What other things are around here?