![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[Well, okay, it's probably high time someone called him out on his loud and rowdy behavior in the bedroom, but he'd usually at least tried to set up silence talismans! Maybe not in his own home, granted, but even so!]
Shijie, I'm glad to know we have your blessing, but leave me a little face, won't you?? ｡ﾟ(｡ﾉωヽ｡)ﾟ｡
Aiya. Sound-proofing talismans, got it. I ought to just have one etched on the doors at this rate.
Shijie, I'm glad to know we have your blessing, but leave me a little face, won't you?? ｡ﾟ(｡ﾉωヽ｡)ﾟ｡
Aiya. Sound-proofing talismans, got it. I ought to just have one etched on the doors at this rate.
They had been... engaging in synchrony.
[ Very quickly, he adds: ]
Platonically.
But I imagine it escalated.
[ As things do. Wei Ying need not look outside the two of them for a concrete example of when innocent interactions sometimes lead to budding romances. ]
[ Very quickly, he adds: ]
Platonically.
But I imagine it escalated.
[ As things do. Wei Ying need not look outside the two of them for a concrete example of when innocent interactions sometimes lead to budding romances. ]
[It's rare for someone to take Wei Wuxian completely by surprise, but Lan Xichen's answer does. Jin Guangyao might have been a forgettable footnote in Wei Wuxian's life, but for Lan Xichen, he was a sword brother. He could well imagine the hurt it caused him.
He lets out a slow breath.]
Dabo...
I can't change what's happened. And I've no heart to make you speak on it if it pains you.
[There's a longer silence the second time. He's spent longer than he'd like thinking on this, and while he'd stormed home after first running into Jin Guangyao, much of it had cooled into some sort of logic.]
If he has no memory of it, I can't condemn a man who doesn't know his wrongdoing. The people around him already know of all the ill-conceived plans he might have been in the middle of, and if he recalls as much as you or others, it's not hard to imagine the sort of punishment he might have received.
I'm not so soft-hearted to throw out a word like forgiveness, but if it comes to second chances, I can hardly begrudge them when I've been given one.
[He huffs a short breath.]
He lets out a slow breath.]
Dabo...
I can't change what's happened. And I've no heart to make you speak on it if it pains you.
[There's a longer silence the second time. He's spent longer than he'd like thinking on this, and while he'd stormed home after first running into Jin Guangyao, much of it had cooled into some sort of logic.]
If he has no memory of it, I can't condemn a man who doesn't know his wrongdoing. The people around him already know of all the ill-conceived plans he might have been in the middle of, and if he recalls as much as you or others, it's not hard to imagine the sort of punishment he might have received.
I'm not so soft-hearted to throw out a word like forgiveness, but if it comes to second chances, I can hardly begrudge them when I've been given one.
[He huffs a short breath.]
( She's out here doing Sensibility's work, that's all we can say. )
A-Xian, your face is thick enough to withstand some gentle rubbing.
Ah, yes, that's not a bad idea, but be sure you're allowed to carve into the door first? They're loaning us these residences, they're not truly ours, A-Xian. I don't want you getting in trouble trying to be responsible.
A-Xian, your face is thick enough to withstand some gentle rubbing.
Ah, yes, that's not a bad idea, but be sure you're allowed to carve into the door first? They're loaning us these residences, they're not truly ours, A-Xian. I don't want you getting in trouble trying to be responsible.
Aah...
[Lan Xichen was the sort to look after others, but what chance meeting led them to start synching up? And since when had they had chemistry? In their school days, Wei Wuxian had been too busy playing aroundand flirting with Lan Zhan or keeping Jin Zixuan away from his sister to have really noticed. And an awful lot could happen in all the time he'd been gone. When he and Lan Zhan had the chance to get together, it'd been a sudden rush, strong and undeniable.]
It's fine, it's fine, as long as they're both happy.
[More than anything, it stings because it means he doesn't know his brother as well as he'd hoped. And because embarrassing or not, Jiang Cheng didn't think to tell him.]
After all the shit he gave me when he heard about our wedding. [He clicks his tongue, then pulls his phone from his pocket.]
What kind of brother would I be if I didn't give him some in return?
[Lan Xichen was the sort to look after others, but what chance meeting led them to start synching up? And since when had they had chemistry? In their school days, Wei Wuxian had been too busy playing around
It's fine, it's fine, as long as they're both happy.
[More than anything, it stings because it means he doesn't know his brother as well as he'd hoped. And because embarrassing or not, Jiang Cheng didn't think to tell him.]
After all the shit he gave me when he heard about our wedding. [He clicks his tongue, then pulls his phone from his pocket.]
What kind of brother would I be if I didn't give him some in return?
It's always easier to ask forgiveness than permission! I'm sure they'd love an original carving from the infamous Wei Wuxian~!
But just for you, Shijie, I'll run it by Lan Zhan first. ╮(︶▽︶)╭
But just for you, Shijie, I'll run it by Lan Zhan first. ╮(︶▽︶)╭
[ He won't stop Wei Ying from whatever he decides to do with regards to letting Jiang Cheng know that he knows. ]
I wonder what is taking him so long in informing Xiongzhang.
[ Perhaps he was not so serious as he had intended. Or maybe he'd decided not to after all, which was sad, and then Lan Wangji would have to devise new plans to get his brother back on the market post-haste.
On the other hand, there was another matter to discuss. ]
Wei Ying, I think we should have a tea ceremony. For just our family.
I wonder what is taking him so long in informing Xiongzhang.
[ Perhaps he was not so serious as he had intended. Or maybe he'd decided not to after all, which was sad, and then Lan Wangji would have to devise new plans to get his brother back on the market post-haste.
On the other hand, there was another matter to discuss. ]
Wei Ying, I think we should have a tea ceremony. For just our family.
Send him my love at the same time, A-Xian, but also: we're already here living on the kindness of strangers. Try not to press it too much? Besides, A-Xian, you're hardly infamous here, and I would like to think you're not set on working your way toward that. Famous, certainly, but we've had enough of infamy, I think.
[He drums his fingers on the table, thoughts miles ahead on Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen, and it isn't until Lan Zhan brings up a tea ceremony that he blinks back to the present.]
A tea ceremony, for...
[He repeats the words before they fully process and then he suddenly sits up straighter, eyes focusing on his husband.]
A- oh! You mean- Ah.
[Wei Wuxian scratches his head, somewhat embarrassed.]
Mm, I'm sure Shijie would appreciate that. And I don't know if you've managed to miss Jiang Cheng's very subtle irritation about not being invited in the first place. [He shakes his head.] As if we could've just summoned him over to the hotel back then.
[He pounces forward, taking Lan Zhan's hands, his smile bright and pleased.]
We should though, I mean, absolutely. It's a great idea!
A tea ceremony, for...
[He repeats the words before they fully process and then he suddenly sits up straighter, eyes focusing on his husband.]
A- oh! You mean- Ah.
[Wei Wuxian scratches his head, somewhat embarrassed.]
Mm, I'm sure Shijie would appreciate that. And I don't know if you've managed to miss Jiang Cheng's very subtle irritation about not being invited in the first place. [He shakes his head.] As if we could've just summoned him over to the hotel back then.
[He pounces forward, taking Lan Zhan's hands, his smile bright and pleased.]
We should though, I mean, absolutely. It's a great idea!
[ As Wei Ying moves closer to him, so is he drawn forward, pressing their foreheads together and soaking him in for a moment. ]
Sizhui also does not remember our nuptials.
[ And he remembers that all Wei Ying had really wanted for the wedding was family. Not a big party, not great music, no fireworks. Just food and family. And so, now that they have an abundance of both, why not renew their vows?
He quickly slips Wei Ying a kiss. ]
I did offer to marry you twice. Yet, we are not home.
I will marry you as many times as required.
Sizhui also does not remember our nuptials.
[ And he remembers that all Wei Ying had really wanted for the wedding was family. Not a big party, not great music, no fireworks. Just food and family. And so, now that they have an abundance of both, why not renew their vows?
He quickly slips Wei Ying a kiss. ]
I did offer to marry you twice. Yet, we are not home.
I will marry you as many times as required.
Shijie, of course I will be on my very best behavior! Promise!
[He lets out a breath, calmed somewhat by the press of their foreheads and Lan Zhan's touch.
The more he thought on it, the more it did make sense. Even if they didn't need it, necessarily, it would be a nice gesture. And it would mean a lot to have family in attendance. They had such a miracle on their hands, it would be foolish not to appreciate it and celebrate with their loved ones.
A smile breaks across his face as Lan Zhan kisses him.]
A~ah, then at least one more couldn't hurt. Let's make the most of what we've been given, hm?
[He kisses Lan Zhan in return, high on his cheekbone, before settling back in his seat, though his hand doesn't let go, and his thumb brushes slowly back and forth. The smile fades, if only a fraction; he's been trying to think of how to talk about this, when he'd never really wanted to talk to anyone about it, ever.]
Lan Zhan? Mm... speaking of Jiang Cheng, there's something else too. Ah- I mean, it's not anything that would change our plans, it's not even that big of a deal. You'll probably just shake your head and tell me it's foolishness, right?
The more he thought on it, the more it did make sense. Even if they didn't need it, necessarily, it would be a nice gesture. And it would mean a lot to have family in attendance. They had such a miracle on their hands, it would be foolish not to appreciate it and celebrate with their loved ones.
A smile breaks across his face as Lan Zhan kisses him.]
A~ah, then at least one more couldn't hurt. Let's make the most of what we've been given, hm?
[He kisses Lan Zhan in return, high on his cheekbone, before settling back in his seat, though his hand doesn't let go, and his thumb brushes slowly back and forth. The smile fades, if only a fraction; he's been trying to think of how to talk about this, when he'd never really wanted to talk to anyone about it, ever.]
Lan Zhan? Mm... speaking of Jiang Cheng, there's something else too. Ah- I mean, it's not anything that would change our plans, it's not even that big of a deal. You'll probably just shake your head and tell me it's foolishness, right?
[ This was a very cute moment up until Wei Ying starts to mention Jiang Cheng. He wonders what that's all about. It seems important, but irrelevant to their nuptials. What on earth would involve Jiang Cheng that would sway Lan Wangji's heart? ]
Tell me.
[ He rubs Wei Ying's hands, sitting closer, trying to make it known that no matter what, Wei Ying will have Lan Wangji's support. ]
Tell me.
[ He rubs Wei Ying's hands, sitting closer, trying to make it known that no matter what, Wei Ying will have Lan Wangji's support. ]
[Wei Wuxian was generally just as he appeared on the surface. He didn't like talking around things, and while he had his secrets, keeping them was only to spare others a bit of trouble or pain. Clearly, it hadn't helped much in this case, but he had a feeling Lan Zhan might be irritated if it came up in a conversation with someone else or took him by surprise, so...]
Mm, well, it's old news, hardly matters now anyway.
[Right, the best way was just to spit it all out at once, wasn't it? His eyes flick from Lan Zhan's to the floor once or twice before the words start to spill out, messy and rough.]
I was talking with Jiang Cheng, and- well, I was talking, he was yelling and grousing, but he was mad I didn't tell him how we- I mean, Wen Qing and Wen Ning really, how they fixed his core back when it was melted, not Baoshan Sanren.
Why does the how matter? Ah, but I told him it was no big deal and he got even more annoyed about it.
[Sigh.]
You can't just fix a melted core, but you can get a donor, and then it's just a matter of putting in the new one. And Jiang Cheng was the sect leader, not to mention my brother, so-I-just-gave-him-mine, besides- it's not like there were other options, and everything turned out fine anyway, so why get mad now? It's all in the past, right?
[His fingers are tense and fidgety, even in Lan Zhan's grasp, and his laugh is nervous and breathy.]
I mean, I don't think he'd bring it up, but since he found out about it, I thought I should tell you too, just in case, since I thought you should hear it from me. I guess? You can laugh, it's fine, it's fine, it's silly, right?
Mm, well, it's old news, hardly matters now anyway.
[Right, the best way was just to spit it all out at once, wasn't it? His eyes flick from Lan Zhan's to the floor once or twice before the words start to spill out, messy and rough.]
I was talking with Jiang Cheng, and- well, I was talking, he was yelling and grousing, but he was mad I didn't tell him how we- I mean, Wen Qing and Wen Ning really, how they fixed his core back when it was melted, not Baoshan Sanren.
Why does the how matter? Ah, but I told him it was no big deal and he got even more annoyed about it.
[Sigh.]
You can't just fix a melted core, but you can get a donor, and then it's just a matter of putting in the new one. And Jiang Cheng was the sect leader, not to mention my brother, so-I-just-gave-him-mine, besides- it's not like there were other options, and everything turned out fine anyway, so why get mad now? It's all in the past, right?
[His fingers are tense and fidgety, even in Lan Zhan's grasp, and his laugh is nervous and breathy.]
I mean, I don't think he'd bring it up, but since he found out about it, I thought I should tell you too, just in case, since I thought you should hear it from me. I guess? You can laugh, it's fine, it's fine, it's silly, right?
Edited 2021-03-29 01:12 (UTC)
[ He knows all this, but he'd made a promise to Wen Ning not to reveal that he'd been told already. He is a man of his word, so he looks surprised with wide eyes as he listens to this recount.
After awhile, he lets this information digest. Or, pretends to let it digest. Until finally, he says: ]
It is not silly.
It is... why you have stopped using your sword.
[ He lets this dawn on him a second time, reviewing all the other times that Wei Ying had let everyone know that he'd done this. ]
It is very dangerous. But you survived.
[ He squeezes Wei Ying's hand, and hopes he doesn't get too suspicious. ]
After awhile, he lets this information digest. Or, pretends to let it digest. Until finally, he says: ]
It is not silly.
It is... why you have stopped using your sword.
[ He lets this dawn on him a second time, reviewing all the other times that Wei Ying had let everyone know that he'd done this. ]
It is very dangerous. But you survived.
[ He squeezes Wei Ying's hand, and hopes he doesn't get too suspicious. ]
[Lan Zhan does seem surprised, but thankfully not upset, which was his biggest worry. It reinforces what he's been trying to tell himself; it's not a big deal, it was the best decision he could've made, even if the ones that followed might have been lacking. He lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.]
Ah. Yeah, that's why.
[He shakes his head though, not wanting Lan Zhan to dwell on the what ifs and maybes.]
But, dangerous? No, no, Wen Qing was very skilled, it was nothing, just a little inconvenient. And now I have this body anyway. It's not the same as where I was, cultivating, but it's got potential.
[He squeezes lightly in return, his eyes searching.]
Ah. Yeah, that's why.
[He shakes his head though, not wanting Lan Zhan to dwell on the what ifs and maybes.]
But, dangerous? No, no, Wen Qing was very skilled, it was nothing, just a little inconvenient. And now I have this body anyway. It's not the same as where I was, cultivating, but it's got potential.
[He squeezes lightly in return, his eyes searching.]
[ It doesn't take long for Lan Wangji to respond, because he'd been thinking about this for awhile now. ]
Let me help you cultivate.
[ Maybe with the two of them, they'll be able to figure something out. He doesn't want to live a life without Wei Ying, and he knows Wei Ying would gladly try and live a long time for him. ]
Let me help you cultivate.
[ Maybe with the two of them, they'll be able to figure something out. He doesn't want to live a life without Wei Ying, and he knows Wei Ying would gladly try and live a long time for him. ]
[Wei Wuxian had run through this script in his head a number of times; arguments, yelling matches, tears, or worse, silence, but he had to admit, he'd never seen Lan Zhan jumping to dual cultivation. He nearly chokes, thrown for a moment, brows raised.]
Lan Zhan, you're taking this awfully well.
Lan Zhan, you're taking this awfully well.
[That still seems several steps ahead, and Wei Wuxian is already feeling off-balanced, so he fixates on the offered idea instead, rubbing a finger across his nose.]
Lan Zhan, are you telling me you studied dual cultivation techniques?
[A smirk quirks at the corner of his lips.]
Lan Zhan, are you telling me you studied dual cultivation techniques?
[A smirk quirks at the corner of his lips.]
Well, I should hope so!
[Lan Zhan has definitely succeeded in riling him up enough to put the more serious stuff aside, at least for the moment.]
But there's probably a difference between just having a lot of sex and dual cultivating. It's not like I'm concentrating on the flow of qi through my meridians when you're- you know.
We'd have to be all... serious and logical about it.
[Lan Zhan has definitely succeeded in riling him up enough to put the more serious stuff aside, at least for the moment.]
But there's probably a difference between just having a lot of sex and dual cultivating. It's not like I'm concentrating on the flow of qi through my meridians when you're- you know.
We'd have to be all... serious and logical about it.
I am very capable of being serious and logical.
[ Is that a challenge? ]
I have heard neither of us are supposed to... finish. Though I do not know if it benefits both parties.
[ Since, from what he understands from a completely academic point of view, female cultivators with male partners would be much stronger than their male counterparts. ]
But if we do finish, we gain manna.
[ So, maybe the trick is, they can make like rabbits. Literally. ]
[ Is that a challenge? ]
I have heard neither of us are supposed to... finish. Though I do not know if it benefits both parties.
[ Since, from what he understands from a completely academic point of view, female cultivators with male partners would be much stronger than their male counterparts. ]
But if we do finish, we gain manna.
[ So, maybe the trick is, they can make like rabbits. Literally. ]
As you say, Wuxian, it’s already happened. It would not pain me to speak on it any more than it already does knowing that I cannot change it, either.
[ It is the truth - although technically, it isn’t that speaking about it wouldn’t cause him any pain, just that it wouldn’t cause him more pain than knowing its truth already does.
He’s quiet, waiting for Wuxian to gather his thoughts around this with no concern for how long it takes - and he’s equally quiet at what he says. His heart clenches, just for a moment. He’s long understood what his brother saw in Wuxian, but that does not mean that there aren’t moments like this, when he’s sharply reminded of just how good of a man Wei Wuxian is. ]
My brother could not have chosen better than you. I hope you know how proud I am to have you in my family. [ His voice is soft, almost contemplative - it’s not necessarily relevant to the conversation, he knows, but he doesn’t hesitate to say it. He might be able to tell Wangji that he approves of something or that he is proud of him with a glance or a specific tone of voice, but he is not yet there with Wuxian yet. ]
You and Jin Guangyao are both brilliant, and our world was not always prepared for that brilliance. Neither of you were ever treated as well as you deserved. Your talents made you a hero, during the Sunshot Campaign, and they were used against you when you were no longer useful. The same people who disdained him when he was still Meng Yao and his actions were honest, loved him when he became Jin Guangyao, no matter what he had to - [ He falters, briefly, and admits, ] - what he chose to do in order to keep that position. There is no black and white answer here, but... you are one of the people who was hurt the most by his actions, Wuxian, and I will defer to you in this matter.
[ It is the truth - although technically, it isn’t that speaking about it wouldn’t cause him any pain, just that it wouldn’t cause him more pain than knowing its truth already does.
He’s quiet, waiting for Wuxian to gather his thoughts around this with no concern for how long it takes - and he’s equally quiet at what he says. His heart clenches, just for a moment. He’s long understood what his brother saw in Wuxian, but that does not mean that there aren’t moments like this, when he’s sharply reminded of just how good of a man Wei Wuxian is. ]
My brother could not have chosen better than you. I hope you know how proud I am to have you in my family. [ His voice is soft, almost contemplative - it’s not necessarily relevant to the conversation, he knows, but he doesn’t hesitate to say it. He might be able to tell Wangji that he approves of something or that he is proud of him with a glance or a specific tone of voice, but he is not yet there with Wuxian yet. ]
You and Jin Guangyao are both brilliant, and our world was not always prepared for that brilliance. Neither of you were ever treated as well as you deserved. Your talents made you a hero, during the Sunshot Campaign, and they were used against you when you were no longer useful. The same people who disdained him when he was still Meng Yao and his actions were honest, loved him when he became Jin Guangyao, no matter what he had to - [ He falters, briefly, and admits, ] - what he chose to do in order to keep that position. There is no black and white answer here, but... you are one of the people who was hurt the most by his actions, Wuxian, and I will defer to you in this matter.
Neither of us gets to...
[He trails off, making a face, well and truly distracted.]
Is that even possible?
[Wei Wuxian can be bratty and impatient on the best of days. Having to not just wait, but not get off at all?]
I guess it depends on how compatible manna is with forming a golden core. Not that you need one to use the magic available here, but hm...
[The scientific side of him was extremely curious what that sort of power would be like, if pooled together with one's qi, but forming a core was difficult and often delicate work. It was probably better to stick to cultivation methods, though dual cultivation was a tried and documented method... even if it sounded like an awful lot of suffering.
He lets out a huff of breath, then lets his mouth quirk into a smile.]
We can try it, at least. Bet I can hold out longer than Lan Zhan.
[He trails off, making a face, well and truly distracted.]
Is that even possible?
[Wei Wuxian can be bratty and impatient on the best of days. Having to not just wait, but not get off at all?]
I guess it depends on how compatible manna is with forming a golden core. Not that you need one to use the magic available here, but hm...
[The scientific side of him was extremely curious what that sort of power would be like, if pooled together with one's qi, but forming a core was difficult and often delicate work. It was probably better to stick to cultivation methods, though dual cultivation was a tried and documented method... even if it sounded like an awful lot of suffering.
He lets out a huff of breath, then lets his mouth quirk into a smile.]
We can try it, at least. Bet I can hold out longer than Lan Zhan.
Page 15 of 20