[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]

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.

[lightamidchaos]

He would like that, he says. The fruit is made into a delicacy, where we come from.

Does Wei Ying enjoy tanghulu? He is not certain, and decides that he must find out. He adds,

And you are right about the colors. He wears those more than any other.

El-ahrairah eyes him with keen interest, and says, Hawthorn it is, then.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian glances up, the better to study the slope of El-ahrairah's glittering ears, and is met with considering looks from all the rabbits assembled.

"What?" he asks, laughing. "Am I being gossiped about, now that I am unable to understand a word you say? I will have to spin a dozen new stories about what you might be discussing just to satisfy my curiosity!"

[lightamidchaos]

Lan Wangji sits up and plants his forefeet in order to give Wei Ying a quelling stare as he shakes his head so hard his ears flap.

Unfortunately for him, a quelling stare from the Second Jade has much less impact when that Jade is a fluffy rabbit.

[acrookedpath]

Oh, no.

"Lan Zhan!" His voice has pitched back to the near-squeak of before. "Ah, no, I know, gossip is forbidden."

He reaches to rub his ears. (With the non-ink-stained hand this time!)

[lightamidchaos]

Is it really? asks El-ahrairah. How curious!

You have got to teach me that trick, drawls Rabscuttle. He folded like a flower.

Lan Wangji twitches his whiskers in agreement at Rabscuttle, even as he leans a little into Wei Ying’s touch. Yes, he tells them. My sect has many rules. That is one of them.

[acrookedpath]

That's right! recalls Saxifrage. A large wall with hrair upon hrair rules carved in the stone.

He looks up at Wei Wuxian, who has not stopped his gentle stroking of Lan Zhan's fur.

He told the story of how you two met.

[lightamidchaos]

He did? He can only be grateful that evidently a rabbit’s ears don’t flush. I see.

[acrookedpath]

It was a good story. Reassuringly, Cloudfoot nudges Lan Zhan's side. I liked it.

[lightamidchaos]

I am glad. He shifts under Wei Ying’s hand enough to bury his nose in Cloudfoot’s shoulder for a moment or two. I had never met anyone like him before.

[acrookedpath]

And now you are -- zhiji, right? Saxifrage wrinkles his nose as he picks his way through the unfamiliar word.

[lightamidchaos]

Yes. He understands me truly, he confirms. He knows me as no other in the world - in all the worlds - and I know him the same way.

Rabscuttle cocks his head to the side and glances at El-ahrairah, who flicks a starlit ear at him.

So will the two of you transform forever, or stay human?

Lan Wangji blinks at him. The curse is not permanent. I have not heard that it could be made so.

[acrookedpath]

Oh, says Cloudfoot, sounding disappointed. But can you visit as a rabbit again sometime?

With one more scratch behind the ear, Wei Wuxian lifts his hand from Lan Zhan so he can continue drawing.

[lightamidchaos]

We will try, he says, as firmly as a rabbit can. I know Wei Ying... Hawthorn... wants to, as well.

[acrookedpath]

Good.

Satisfied, Cloudfoot leans against Lan Wangji and noses one of his ears. Bearberry -- not wishing to be left out -- scoots closer as well.