[pfsb]

[acrookedpath]

Lan Zhan, he writes, I'm swimming in the lake! I love you -- Wei Ying. After a moment's thought, Wei Wuxian adds a smiley face to the bottom like Madam Bar so often does with her napkin notes.

It's unseasonably warm today, more early summer than late fall. The trees have dropped enough of their leaves that Wei Wuxian knows such days will depart for good soon enough. And frankly, if he stares at his latest iteration of the energy-revealing array much longer, his eyes will cross and stick that way. He needs to clear his head.

After leaving one copy of the note in their room and another with Madam Bar, he requests some swimming attire; she provides a black short-sleeved shirt much like the one he wore to London Above, the fabric smooth as silk but much stretchier, and loose red trousers that end just above his knees. A little revealing for a lake shared by many, perhaps, but they'll do.

He changes in the public washroom and walks to the shoreline. Stepping onto one of the larger rocks, he eyes the water with a smile.

Then he backs up, sprints forward to spring off the rock, and cannonballs into the lake with a loud whoop.

Comments

[lightamidchaos]

Oh, he recognizes that expression, and as he gets closer, he shakes his head at Wei Ying.

"Shameless."

He picks a dry rock to lay his robes on, then walks to the edge of the one where Wei Ying is perched and sits down beside him, dangling his feet in the water.

[acrookedpath]

"So I have been told," he says, cheerfully unrepentant, before kissing Lan Zhan's cheek -- and dripping cold water on him in the process. "How are you?"

[lightamidchaos]

Having more than halfway expected to be splashed, he does not flinch at a few droplets. Instead, he leans in to kiss Wei Ying a second time, quick and fond.

"I am well. And you? Other than wet?"

[acrookedpath]

"Well enough." He slings a damp arm around his shoulders, kicking his feet through the water. "I had thought the lake would be warmer, if it is so warm today. But it is still pleasant."

[lightamidchaos]

"Mn."

He leans lightly into his embrace.

"I am glad."

[acrookedpath]

"So am I. Imagine: such an enormous, beautiful lake, but you could never swim in it! It would be terrible, Lan Zhan. I would sit on the shore and pine for hours. Days. When it is warm enough to explore the deeper waters, maybe I will find more than shells and seaweed."

[lightamidchaos]

He glances over at him.

"Like what?"

[acrookedpath]

"Shipwrecks." He grins. "More friendly monsters like the squid. Old sculptures from worlds that have not touched the inn for centuries. Or maybe just a new type of fish! Did you know there are fish that glow because they live in such dark waters that it is the only way they can see?"

[lightamidchaos]

Wei Ying's imagination is vibrant and compelling. The faintest of smiles softens his face.

"I did not."

[acrookedpath]

"I saw it in one of the books in Tom-gongzi's library."

Idly, he hooks one ankle around Lan Zhan's, swinging their legs together.

"Why I was reading a book on fish, I cannot tell you. Maybe to see if I could fish for our dinner in the lake as well? But! Some glow to see, others to lure their prey -- there is even one that can dangle a tiny lantern before it, like this."

He arcs a finger out from his forehead.

Gleeful: "It was hideous."

[lightamidchaos]

"If it had been birds, I would think A-Tico gave it to you," he observes.

"How does a fish dangle a lantern?" He cannot quite visualize it.

[acrookedpath]

"He may yet." His grin softens to fondness. "Then you will hear both of us talking about birds for hours."

Especially the cute, flightless ones. Lan Zhan already got an earful about baby penguins some weeks ago.

"It grows it from its forehead like a butterfly's antenna. There is a tiny ball of light on one end, so fish will swim closer to see what it might be, and then -- " He snaps his fingers. "A meal for the lantern fish."

[lightamidchaos]

He slips an arm around Wei Ying's waist.

"Clever. I wonder what makes it glow."

[acrookedpath]

"Somehow it is able to do it on its own." He tips his head against Lan Zhan's. "Like a firefly, I think. Maybe I'll catch one and we'll find out for sure!"

[lightamidchaos]

"Maybe," he agrees.

"Are you cold?"

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian shrugs. "A little," he admits. "Not too terribly."

Maybe that means he should get back into the water. Hmmm. He wraps his ankle more snugly around Lan Zhan's.

[lightamidchaos]

"Mn."

He takes his arm from around Wei Ying and pulls down the fastener on his outer layer, starting to shrug out of it.

[acrookedpath]

Oh, no, is Lan Zhan going to be romantic and offer him his jacket? That puts a small damper on Wei Wuxian's plans. Oh, well. He can be patient!

...sometimes.

He cocks his head, curious, and only wiggles his eyebrows a little bit as Lan Zhan sheds his outer layer.

[lightamidchaos]

His underlayer is the same sort of black shirt that Wei Ying is wearing-- thin, but still enough to hide his scars.

He ignores Wei Ying's teasing expression, and puts the jacket around his shoulders.

[acrookedpath]

"Mm. Much better." He doesn't tug the jacket more securely around his shoulders, but he does snuggle against Lan Zhan. "Thank you, Lan Zhan."

He wraps his other arm around Lan Zhan's middle in a loose embrace.

[lightamidchaos]

"You are welcome."

He kisses Wei Ying's temple, then leans his head against his.

[acrookedpath]

Does he feel ever so slightly guilty over what he's about to do, considering how kind Lan Zhan is being? Perhaps.

Will that stop him? Absolutely not.

He wiggles his shoulders until the jacket falls behind them onto the rock. "Oh, no," he intones, "oh, no, Lan Zhan, I think we're slipping -- "

That's the only warning Lan Zhan gets before Wei Wuxian heaves both them into the lake, cackling until the moment they hit the water.

[lightamidchaos]

He thrashes his way to the surface, slinging his hair back from his face, and gives Wei Ying an utterly exasperated look as he treads water.

(It is cold, but not as cold as the springs he is used to, or the pond in Cold Pond Cave.)

"Wei Ying."

[acrookedpath]

He beams, all innocence.

"I love you," he says, in the singsong tone that means you can't make me sleep on the floor tonight, you still love me, too. He swims closer to peck Lan Zhan on the lips before paddling backward, just out of reach.

[lightamidchaos]

"Yes. And I love you."

With that, he dives forward and disappears under the water.