[♪♫♬]

[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]

[POINTS AT

HIMSELF]

Me! Explain!

[laughitoff]

[laughing — with your old face, no less]

I don’t know! I really do have a bad memory, don’t I!

[weiyingdown]

[why does he get my face and I don't get my face!!]

I do. I can't get mad at me for that. Where's Lan Zhan? I can ask him instead.

[laughitoff]

[so you can tell yourselves apart, properly]

What are you talking about? Lan Zhan's right here, and over there, and everywhere.

[weiyingdown]

I know that. I've seen enough already to get the idea, more or less. But I want a Lan Zhan that I can talk to. The air isn't going to just respond when I ask a question, is it?

[laughitoff]

Hahahaha! Can you imagine if it did? The noise would never end!

[weiyingdown]

This is Lan Zhan we're talking about here! If the air could talk, would we even know it? He'd keep quiet until someone asked him to speak.

[laughitoff]

Well, why not try it, oh illustrious me?

[weiyingdown]

[calling up into the sky, fluttering his lashes coyly for *~*~*special effect*~*~*]

Lan Zhan! Oh Lan Zhan~ Won't you answer me? Can you tell me why I'm inside of you? There's even two of me here. Was one not enough to satisfy you?

[aren't you glad you let him in here]

[one_note]

[a familiar, slow exhale comes from where the other Wei Ying was]

...shameless.

[weiyingdown]

[spinning to face him with what is indeed a shameless grin]

My methods are unorthodox but effective. What else did you expect?

[one_note]

[...just...shakes his head once]

Mistake.

[weiyingdown]

[hopping over to throw an arm around him]

It wasn't a mistake! It was just getting fun. Bring the other me back, didn't you want there to be two of me?

[one_note]

Doubly ridiculous.

[weiyingdown]

You must not hate that ridiculousness if I was here in the first place.

[one_note]

[JUST, SHUTS UP AT THAT, A FLUSH CREEPING UP TO HIS EARS]

[weiyingdown]

[his face is literally right there, he can practically feel the heat radiating off of his ears. it just makes him laugh]

I already know you don't hate me. But I have to admit that I was surprised to find myself up here! Isn't this the nice area?

[one_note]

...

...

...

...

...

Happiness.

[weiyingdown]

Ah-hah! Because I'm so naturally cheerful all the time?

[try harder, wei wuxian]

[one_note]

I want you to be happy.

[weiyingdown]

[his throat is caught with an emotion he doesn't want to name; he leans heavier against Lan Wangji even as he turns away to hide his face]

...I don't remember ever doing something to earn such high regard with you. Why would you care about my happiness?

[one_note]

[he's very solid and holding very still, letting Wei Wuxian steady himself.]

You belong here.

[weiyingdown]

[a sharp laugh bubbles out of him]

I don't think you know what you're saying, Lan Zhan. I belong in your heart, in the place where your happiness resides? Now you're just being silly.

[one_note]

No.

[sounds pretty implacable about that, actually]

[weiyingdown]

It's silly. You're the silliest, Lan Zhan.

[shifting so that his forehead is resting on Lan Wangji's shoulder, his voice getting smaller]

...I don't understand.