[♪♫♬]

[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]

I didn't expect it to be so violent.

[he takes one of Lan Wangji's hands without really thinking about it, holding it like he intends to transfer spiritual energy to him to help him heal...and then he remembers that's not a thing that he can do. after a heartbeat he starts to dig around in his own sleeves for a healing salve instead]

That's what all the noise is, then?

[one_note]

Mm.

[...shakes his head, putting an arresting hand on Wei Wuxian's wrist]

...you should return upstairs.

[weiyingdown]

[shaking his head and giving the hand that's on his wrist a reassuring pat]

I came here to fix it, not avoid it.

[one_note]

...unwise. It will devour you.

[weiyingdown]

If it tries to then I can just run away. But I won't know anything until I actually try, will I?

[one_note]

Wei Ying.

[weiyingdown]

[pulling Lan Wangji's hand off of his wrist]

I'm not leaving until I take care of it, so you can save your arguments for someone who will actually listen to them.

[one_note]

Wei Ying...!

[reaches for him again]

[weiyingdown]

[lets him, but only because he took that space of time to pull out the healing salve from his sleeve finally. when Lan Wangji grabs onto him again he just uses the opportunity to open the little jar and apply some of Lan Wangji's arm where he can see bruising]

You're not being very persuasive, Lan Zhan.

[one_note]

Do not.

[weiyingdown]

Hmm. Since you asked so nicely, I won't.

[he does not sound sincere at all. he does, however, keep applying the salve to Lan Wangji's arms until it's all gone; it wasn't a big bottle]

[one_note]

[he allows it, though he's trembling very slightly.]

[weiyingdown]

[he tugs experimentally at one of the ribbons tied around himself to see if it'll come off. he has no bandages to cover said salve, this is the only thing he's got]

What were you doing fighting something without your sword anyways?

[one_note]

[it won't loosen...but after a moment, Lan Wangji reaches up to tug it instead, and it slides off with no trouble]

...

Fighting myself.

[weiyingdown]

[ties it around his arm, and then gestures for Lan Wangji to pull another one off]

Yourself? --Ah, does this qi deviation look like you?

[one_note]

[there's a depth of confusion in his eyes as he tugs that one off too: why would it not look like him? everything here is Lan Wangji]

Mm.

[weiyingdown]

[ties that ribbon on his OTHER arm! and gestures for Lan Wangji to take off another one.]

Then there's no problem! I can beat you in a fight.

[one_note]

[words heavy with warning, as he patiently unties that one as well]

It will not fight you.

[weiyingdown]

It won't?

[hold that thought. ties that ribbon around Lan Wangji's forehead]

Won't that make it easier?

[one_note]

[blinks slowly down at him, that warm confusion still lighting his eyes, and allows it]

...

[repeats himself]

It will try to devour you.

[weiyingdown]

[takes off the too-big outer robe he's wearing and puts that on Lan Wangji too. it's a little dirty. that also makes it obvious just how many ribbons are still tied around him.]

It can try. I don't intend to let it succeed.

[one_note]

[he is now more or less dressed properly...some of the heavy feeling in the air is fading, around him]

...

[weiyingdown]

[offers him Bichen, too]

How about this. I'll only go take a peek. If it looks like too much for me, I'll retreat.

[one_note]

[sheathes Bichen]

...Mm.

[weiyingdown]

[He Is Not Going To Do That]

Then it's settled. You just wait here, and I'll go take a look.

But first, you should take all of these ribbons off of me.