[pfsb] happy halloween!

[acrookedpath]

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.)

Comments

[acrookedpath]

In no time, Wei Wuxian has an entire armful of books -- recipes from unheard-of planets, a few magical cookbooks, a couple of musical scores balanced precariously on top. They settle at a table to dig through their bounty; Wei Wuxian scribbles down as many notes as he can, writing every title his shijie finds interesting, resisting the urge (mostly successfully) to hop back to his feet every time a new idea crosses his mind.

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.

[lotus_sister]

Hanguang-jun seems content enough to peruse one of the musical scores and listen to her and A-Xian talk. She peers at him from time to time, trying to make sure he's not bored, and is glad to find he's apparently not.

"Stop," she protests, at last, laughing. "A-Xian, we've found enough for me to make something new every day for a year!"

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian is laughing, too. "All right, all right," he relents, closing the last book they've opened. "We will not make the rats too angry by stealing the entire kitchen for so long!"

[lightamidchaos]

"I will defend you," he says, matter-of-factly. Lan Wangji turns a page in the score before he looks up. "Is there more you wish to explore here in the library?"

[acrookedpath]

"Not unless there is another section shijie wants to visit," says Wei Wuxian, tossing a questioning look his sister's way. "Shijie?"

(His cheeks have pinked, slightly, at Lan Zhan's matter-of-fact statement.)

[lotus_sister]

"I'm not sure. Where else would you like me to see?" She looks back and forth between them.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian hums, considering, as he cocks his head to one side. "You have seen the magic and cooking sections, a little bit of the music -- ah, there are some about plants and animals that are as varied as the universes, others about navigating through the stars, or unknown gods and heavens... but that is only if you want to spend the entire evening in the library," he finishes with a laugh. "Outside of it there is still the House of Arch to be explored, or the garage -- Lan Zhan, what else?"

Knowing his memory, not to mention the sheer size of the inn, he must be forgetting something.

[lightamidchaos]

"You have seen the stables, and met the rabbit prince," he observes. "The ocean inlet? The flower glass-house? The room of strange devices that let one pretend to fly?"

[acrookedpath]

"The flower glass-house!" Wei Wuxian smacks his forehead. "How could I forget? Shijie, you will love that -- ah, but..."

He droops a little.

"El-ahrairah did warn we should stay inside past moonrise."

[lotus_sister]

A flicker of surprise flashes in Hanguang-jun’s eyes, but she nods. “Next time,” she says, firmly.

[acrookedpath]

"Yes," he agrees, perking up. "We will show you the inlet then as well!"

His smile softens.

"Perhaps the lotuses will even have blossomed by then." He looks to Lan Zhan. "Lan Zhan was able to bring seeds from Lotus Pier, some months ago. We planted them together."

[lightamidchaos]

The top curve of his ears flushes the faintest pink as Jiang Yanli stares at him in surprise and clear delight. "A-Xian, that's marvelous!"

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian beams. Catching sight of Lan Zhan's blush, he smothers a laugh and reaches to snag his hand.

"Isn't it?" he says. "I cannot wait for spring to see how tall they grow. We found a shallow curve in the lake that should be perfect for them."

[lotus_sister]

"I'm so pleased to hear it," she says, smiling. "How lovely they'll look!"

[acrookedpath]

"I will make sure you can see them in person, shijie."

He squeezes Lan Zhan's hand.

"Even if that means I pluck one at its full height and save it for your next visit."

[lightamidchaos]

He squeezes back, and wills his ears to stop showing his blush as Jiang Yanli teases, “You’d better. But I intend to be here again before that.”

Lan Wangji certainly hopes so. There must be a way to ensure it.

[acrookedpath]

"Good."

His eyes have gone suspiciously bright under the lights of the library, but quickly enough, Wei Wuxian blinks the encroaching tears away.

"I don't know if you would be interested in the flying machines," he goes on, thoughtful. "They're... very odd. Even for this place! Aiyo, if only the moon would set faster so we could go back outside."

[lotus_sister]

“Is there danger?” Hanguang-jun asks. She looks at A-Xian. “Maybe not directly?” she hazards.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian scrunches up his nose, ambivalent. "It is hard to say," he agrees. "We were able to speak to El-ahrairah briefly, with the help of a translation talisman, and he said it was not wise for shijie and I to be outdoors while he met with the Black Rabbit of Inlé. Did the rabbit-wangye ever tell you of the Black Rabbit?"

[lightamidchaos]

“Not as you did,” Lan Wangji manages, struggling with his instant impulse to lock the door to the inn and keep Wei Ying and his sister safe.

He will not. He will never do anything to deny Wei Ying even the slightest scrap of free choice.

“If you wish me to check and see if they still remain, I can.”

[acrookedpath]

Their time together has made Lan Zhan so easy to read. A tiny scratch of a crease forms between Wei Wuxian's eyebrows; gently, he gives Lan Zhan's hand another squeeze, steadying this time. I am here.

"Perhaps," he says, glancing to Jiang Yanli, then back to Lan Zhan. "If you are willing."

[lightamidchaos]

“I am willing,” he says immediately, quiet and certain, while Jiang Yanli looks on.

“If you wish.”

[acrookedpath]

"All right." A small smile. "Then let's go downstairs and see."

Pocketing his notes as best he can (there are a lot of notes), he gets up from the table to lead the way.

[lotus_sister]

Jiang Yanli looks back and forth between them with a faint frown, but forbears to say anything. Instead, she helps collect A-Xian's notes until everything is gathered, then accompanies them back down to the common room.

Hanguang-jun stops them by the lake door. "I would ask you to wait there." He tips his head slightly toward a table some distance away, and meets A-Xian's look with a steady gaze.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian nods. "All right," he murmurs -- and briefly, he lays a hand on Lan Zhan's cheek. "We will be fine, Lan Zhan."