[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

[acrookedpath]

"I will."

He hardly needs to move at all to kiss Lan Zhan again, fingers threading back into his hair.

Ciri's prophecy continues to nudge the back of his mind, like a pebble caught between his shoulder blades as he tries to sleep. But it is as Lan Zhan said: they have been warned, now. They can take the cares they need. If it is a truly serious threat -- and not, as Wei Wuxian still mostly believes, a twisting of words to make them more afraid than they should be -- then it will not be a surprise attack sprung in the night.

We will not be parted.

[lightamidchaos]

He kisses him back, then pulls him closer and tries to coax him to rest his head on Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“You must be tired.”

[acrookedpath]

"Not too much," he protests, lightly, even as he lets Lan Zhan guide his head onto his shoulder. "Anyway, you know I am glad to stay awake with you."

[lightamidchaos]

“I know.”

He kisses his hair.

“Sleep, Wei Ying. Let me hold you in my arms, while you do.”

[acrookedpath]

"Are you certain?"

He tips his head enough to look up at Lan Zhan.

"You'll be all right?"

[lightamidchaos]

“Yes,” he says, and leans down to kiss him again.

“You are here. You are safe. I will be all right.”

[acrookedpath]

"All right," he murmurs. "Then here, we should move this away..."

He pulls free of Lan Zhan just enough to gather the tea tray and shuttle it to the floor.

[lightamidchaos]

As soon as Wei Ying sets the tea aside and settles back on onto the bed, Lan Wangji gathers him into his arms. drawing him down to lie beside him, Wei Ying’s head on his shoulder.

“Sleep,” he murmurs. “My Wei Ying.”

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian huffs a small laugh as he curls up beside him, stretching an arm back over his chest. He tries to kick the coverlet back up the bed without letting go of Lan Zhan, gives up after a couple attempts, and reaches down to drag it over both of them.

"I will do my best." He presses another kiss to his chest, just above his heart. "My Lan Zhan. I hope if I mumble more about talismans in my sleep, you will write down what I say for the morning."

[lightamidchaos]

He makes a quiet noise of assent, and gently strokes Wei Ying's hair as the other man relaxes against him. Soon, he can tell from the shift in Wei Ying's breathing and the boneless way he sprawls that he has fallen back asleep.

He himself stays awake far longer, silently focusing on settling his mind and heart, pushing the nightmare back and away, banishing it from this room, this refuge, this place of joy.

Eventually, his eyes close, and he sleeps.

This time, there are no dreams to disturb them.