[pfsb] it's so FLUFFY

[acrookedpath]

In Wei Wuxian's defense, it isn't as if he forgot one should never eat free food unless it came from Madam Bar or the waitrats. It's simply that after nearly a year where he has -- only on occasion, mind you! -- accepted food and drink from strangers with no ill effects, he may have let his guard slip. Just a little.

Besides, he was so absorbed in his work that for all he knew, a waitrat had deposited the little bowl of animal-shaped desserts on his table. It wouldn't have been the first time he failed to notice one of them trying to get his attention.

So when he absently picked up a cracker to nibble on it as he worked through a particularly thorny set of talisman calculations --

Well.

The little black rabbit that now sits on the table, a red ribbon looped around one ear, just wants it emphatically known that this was not his fault.

Comments

[acrookedpath]

That seems promising! And sure enough, within moments, a few familiar noses begin to peek out of the clearing's hidden burrows.

"Hello! We've returned," Wei Wuxian laughs. "Lan Zhan, this is Bearberry, Cloudfoot, and Saxifrage."

He fetches his ink, paper, and brush from the basket, the better to leave as much space as possible for the rabbits to feast. (And the better to start drawing them, in time!)

[lightamidchaos]

He does not know why Wei Ying is so insistent that he can be good at making friends. Lan Wangji can feel himself freezing up as he stares at the other rabbits, and they at him.

It's Cloudfoot who hops forward first - the one that Lan Wangji had noticed seemed quiet before, and who had curled up at his side. He stretches his neck out and sniffs at Lan Wangji, who returns the gesture.

The prince should appear soon, Rabscuttle observes. He's sniffing around here somewhere, trying to find a new track.

[acrookedpath]

Bearberry is the next to approach, pausing a few centimeters away from Lan Wangji with a quiet, Hello.

Saxifrage, upon spotting Wei Wuxian, bounds over to greet him. Wei Wuxian chuckles and lowers himself to his belly to put himself on eye level with the rabbits. "Hello, Saxifrage," he says, and bumps noses with the bold rabbit before rubbing a spot behind his ears. "I do not have a talisman to speak with you yet, but hopefully soon."

Their hellos done, Saxifrage glances over to Lan Wangji, ears upright and alert. You were cursed, too? he asks.

[lightamidchaos]

Hello. He flicks his ear in a friendly greeting and twitches his whiskers.

I was. I chose to accept it so that I could meet you, like this, as Wei Ying has already done.

[acrookedpath]

Saxifrage hops closer to Lan Wangji. It's nice to meet you, he says, as he stretches to sniff him. I liked talking to Wei Wuxian when he was a rabbit. Will you stay like this for a while, too?

[lightamidchaos]

For a day. The curse lasts a day and a night, he tells them. Rabscuttle twitches an ear in interest at that as he continues.

It is very nice to meet you too. I have known many rabbits, but never like this.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian did say you had a warren near your home! says Saxifrage. What are they like?

Bearberry hops closer to the basket of vegetables to investigate. Carefully, so as not to startle him, Wei Wuxian sits up and reaches for his ink and paper.

[lightamidchaos]

Gentle. Kind. Friendly, he tells them. Most have white fur, like mine. Many of them kept an ancestor of mine, Lan Yi, company in Cold Pond Cave for years. They were marked with ribbons as members of my sect so they could pass freely to the world outside. I have visited them since Lan Yi passed on.

[acrookedpath]

Cold Pond Cave? Cloudfoot shivers. That doesn't sound pleasant.

You wore a ribbon, too, when you were human, didn't you? asks Saxifrage. Is that how you're able to visit?

[lightamidchaos]

Lan Wangji nudges comfortingly against Cloudfoot’s side. It is icy, but peaceful, he tells them. It is within a mountain in Cloud Recesses, my home.

He twitches his nose at Saxifrage. It is some other magic that lets me visit, he explains. The ribbon I wear marks me as one of the inner disciples of Gusu Lan - as a member of my family, if that helps. Wei Ying is keeping it safe for me at present.

[acrookedpath]

Indeed, as Wei Wuxian sets out his ink and begins to draw, the silver and white of Lan Zhan's ribbon flashes in the dappled sunlight. He catches sight of Saxifrage studying him and grins. "I will show you when I've finished," he promises. "I think you will like it."

Saxifrage lets out a soft ah of understanding. I guess you'd have to find other ways to tell your family apart, he says. I've heard humans can't see or smell or hear very well.

[lightamidchaos]

Not as well as rabbits, he agrees. Rabscuttle snorts.

I should think not.

[acrookedpath]

A spray of green carrot top dangles from the basket. Bearberry fastens his teeth on it, tugs, and nearly topples backward when an entire (rather large!) carrot comes with it.

"Ah! Careful," says Wei Wuxian with a small laugh, cupping his hand to Bearberry's back to ensure he won't fall. Cloudfoot, after a companiable nudge to Lan Wangji's side, goes to sniff at the offerings in the basket.

Does food taste different, too? asks Saxifrage, as he, too, starts making his way toward the vegetables.

[lightamidchaos]

Some. There are more flavors in these foods as a rabbit.

Courteously, he waits for the others to have their choice before he chooses a stalk to nibble on.

[acrookedpath]

It is the perfect tableau. Quickly, Wei Wuxian moves to another page to ink in the basket with swift, clean lines, filled to the brim with food and surrounded on all sides with rabbits eating their fill.

"A-Yuan will love these," he whispers to Lan Zhan, reaching to stroke the top of his head. He accidentally leaves a tiny smudge of black ink behind.

[lightamidchaos]

He leans into the touch, heedless of the ink, and his eyes half-close as Wei Ying pets him - then snap open at the sound of a new voice.

More visitors? Rabscuttle, you didn’t tell me! El-ahrairah hops up to the rock ridge above the Warren and looks down at them all in mild, possibly-feigned dismay.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian follows Lan Zhan's gaze -- and in an instant, he's beaming anew.

"Wangye!" He sets his brush aside so he may circle his arms for a proper bow. "Hello again! Lan Zhan has transformed just as I did, and I could not let the day pass without bringing him to see all of you."

[lightamidchaos]

Hello, Lan Wangji offers, and the star-eared rabbit bolts over to sniff at him with bright-eyed interest.

So! This is what you look like in rabbit form! A very nice coat - white as a dandelion puff. Should we give you and your friend rabbit names if you are going to do this again, I wonder?

Lan Wangji blinks in clear surprise, and looks at the others a little uncertainly.

[acrookedpath]

A rabbit name would be easier to say, says Saxifrage thoughtfully, as he pulls another lettuce leaf out of the basket to nibble. Bearberry and Cloudfoot both make small noises of agreement.

[lightamidchaos]

If you so choose, we would be honored, he says, politely but with perfectly evident honesty, and El-ahrairah twitches ears and whiskers at once. The rabbit prince sniffs at him, then bounds over to sniff Wei Ying as well.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian offers an ink-stained hand for El-ahrairah to investigate. Tempting though it may be, he will not pat a prince of rabbits on the head, especially if it will smudge his fur!

"I thought to write down your warren's stories for my and Lan Zhan's son," he says. "And illustrate them to match. What do you think so far?"

Meanwhile, Saxifrage pauses mid-nibble, straightening up. (Conferring a name, after all, is a great responsibility.) Hm. Frostflower? Thornapple? Moonlight? Maybe something about snow...

[lightamidchaos]

Snowdrop? offers Cloudfoot. Those are white like his fur. I like Moonlight too, though. Wei Wuxian told us a story about a rabbit who lived in the moon.

Lan Wangji fluffs his fur out and settles into a small round ball of bunny, looking at them. He twitches his nose in agreement. Chang'e's rabbit, he confirms. The Jade Rabbit.

El-ahrairah ignores this all for the moment, carefully examining Wei Wuxian's hand and then the paper in front of him before he sits up on his hind legs and looks at it from a better angle.

[acrookedpath]

Moonlight is nice, Bearberry agrees.

Moonlight, then, says Saxifrage, whiskers twitching cheerily. Since you come from far away, from a place where rabbits can live in the moon.

Wei Wuxian tilts the paper so El-ahrairah can get a better look. "Don't worry, I will draw plenty of pictures of you as well, now that you are here," he says.

[lightamidchaos]

Interesting, El-ahrairah decides. He looks from the paper to the rabbits and back again, then hops over Wei Wuxian's lap and runs a circle around him before strolling over to the basket of vegetables.

I like Moonlight, he tells the others. Now we must name Wei Wuxian. Thoughts?

Lan Wangji - the Second Jade of Lan, Hanguang-jun, now also known as Moonlight - blinks slowly, looking interested.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian supposes that means El-ahrairah approves! He must make that translation talisman soon.

As he flips to another sheet of paper to begin drawing the prince, Saxifrage studies Wei Wuxian, head cocked in thought. Hawthorn? he suggests. Since he dresses in red and black.