Wei Wuxian (
acrookedpath) wrote2021-10-19 12:33 pm
[pfsb] happy halloween!
It's that time of year again.
The inn is bustling. All manner of strange outfits have been donned (some more willingly than others). Lanterns flicker ominously in the corners, pumpkins stand sentry at either end of the bar, and every order comes complete with a handful of wrapped candies.
And -- if you're Wei Wuxian -- Madam Bar has also gifted you with an enormous array of tiny cakes, each one with a little candle stuck in its center. His second birthday at the inn has arrived, and he could not be more pleased.
(He's also wearing a red T-shirt that reads, simply, I'M THE CHAOS. Just like last year, he has set his mild confusion aside in favor of delight at the bounty Madam Bar has given him.)
The inn is bustling. All manner of strange outfits have been donned (some more willingly than others). Lanterns flicker ominously in the corners, pumpkins stand sentry at either end of the bar, and every order comes complete with a handful of wrapped candies.
And -- if you're Wei Wuxian -- Madam Bar has also gifted you with an enormous array of tiny cakes, each one with a little candle stuck in its center. His second birthday at the inn has arrived, and he could not be more pleased.
(He's also wearing a red T-shirt that reads, simply, I'M THE CHAOS. Just like last year, he has set his mild confusion aside in favor of delight at the bounty Madam Bar has given him.)

no subject
The ape huffs agreement and waves a hand at the library beyond.
no subject
"Thank you," says Wei Wuxian again, offering another quick bow before he grins at both his companions. "Here, the magic section is down this way -- "
And he takes off toward one of the aisles.
no subject
"He seems very happy," she murmurs. "I trust you are as well?"
"Yes." His voice is deep and sure, and Jiang Yanli smiles.
no subject
This is the perfect evening, he thinks.
"Here we are!" He brushes his hand over the spines of a few books, the aisle beyond stretching to uncountable lengths. "There seem to be new ones every time I visit."
He plucks out a battered paperback titled Kitchen Witch Recipes, intrigued, and tilts it toward Jiang Yanli and Lan Zhan so they can tke a look.
no subject
She looks more than politely interested, he notices. Perhaps it is not just soup that she would prefer to make, or at least oversee in the household. Given how fondly Wei Ying has spoken of the care she puts into such things, he can certainly understand it.
"You might as well call it cooking with cultivation," she laughs, and brushes light fingers over the page. "I might do better with this than other forms!"
no subject
Because Jiang Yanli will visit again. If he lets himself think otherwise -- if he jumps so far ahead that all he can see is the night's ending, and his shijie vanishing once more --
No. He will enjoy what he has, while he has it.
no subject
no subject
no subject
"I wanted A-Xian to always be able to have some when he wants," she says, and their eyes meet as perfect understanding passes between them.
"Mn," he agrees.
no subject
(What a marvel, to be here again with the two people who love him deepest. Who will always take care of him, however they can.)
"Perhaps they'll be able to make a version with no meat, Lan Zhan, so you can taste it too," he says brightly. "It will not be entirely the same, but you should be able to enjoy shijie's food alongside me."
no subject
“I will think of a way,” she promises, and smiles at them both. “For next time.”
no subject
He ducks further into the stacks.
no subject
"Jin shao-fu'ren, would you wish to sit while we bring things for you to examine, or to explore the shelves?"
She smiles at him. "That is very thoughtful. Please, rest assured, I'm happy to come with you both."
no subject
"I am too excited for my own good, eh?" he says. "It is only because I'm so glad to have both of you here."
no subject
"I'm glad, too," she says, simply.
no subject
"Still, I will go slower so both of you can keep up," he laughs. "Let me see... ah! Here we are already! Sometimes I wonder if the library is like the inn itself, changing its dimensions all the time."
Because sure enough, the magic books have segued into row after row of cookbooks, their spines shimmering as the inn's translation spell weaves over the hundreds of languages on display.
no subject
This time is a gift. He will protect it for them, as much as he can.
no subject
They could spend the whole evening here and barely scrape the surface of the library's offerings. Next time, he silently repeats to himself, even as he laughs and chatters excitedly over everything they've found. Next time.
no subject
"Stop," she protests, at last, laughing. "A-Xian, we've found enough for me to make something new every day for a year!"
no subject
no subject
no subject
(His cheeks have pinked, slightly, at Lan Zhan's matter-of-fact statement.)
no subject
no subject
Knowing his memory, not to mention the sheer size of the inn, he must be forgetting something.
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...