[pfsb]

[acrookedpath]

The lantern is done. It's a momentous achievement; a culmination of all of Wei Wuxian's work since he first arrived at the inn...

And now it means he doesn't have a project to work on anymore. The agony!

He'll think of one soon enough. In the meantime, he's settled for sketching out an update to the Compass of Evil, whittling away at a block of wood Madam Bar provided him. If he has all the tools of a thousand worlds at his disposal, it should be no trouble at all to fine-tune the instrument.

Comments

[lightamidchaos]

"From what she has said, it is not a place to enter without becoming possessed." Every word is taut. "Do not do this."

[acrookedpath]

"That's why I would use a talisman to investigate!" He gestures to the one in Lan Zhan's hand. "If it is truly not safe to enter, then we will find another way, but -- "

[lightamidchaos]

"Will this talisman carry your consciousness, as your paper men do?" he demands.

[acrookedpath]

"No! That's why I will use it instead -- I could modify it, attach it to some creature we could release into the Black Lodge, a rat or a snake, maybe -- "

Frustration tinges the edges of his words.

[lightamidchaos]

The frustration slices him deeply, although he does his best not to let it show. He cannot give in, not on this. Can he?

"Wei Ying. I do not seek to stop you from doing what is needed. I only seek to protect you."

[acrookedpath]

"You -- "

He bites his tongue. Turns away, in a sudden jerk, to stare unseeing at the talisman wall.

You don't need to protect me.

[lightamidchaos]

It has been some time since he has seen Wei Ying react like that. Lan Wangji feels himself go pale to the lips.

"Wei Ying."

It is barely a whisper.

[acrookedpath]

It is like Lan Zhan took the hilt of Bichen and drove it into an old bruise -- a bruise Wei Wuxian thought had healed by now. His bitten tongue pulled the anger a few inches away; now Lan Zhan's words extinguish it as swiftly as a candle snuffed.

He closes his eyes. Hangs his head, defeated.

"I'm sorry." No louder. "I know..."

He trails off.

[lightamidchaos]

He shakes his head. "I am the one who is sorry," he manages. "I trust your judgment. I do. I apologize for questioning you."

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian flinches.

(Lan Zhan's voice sounds so fragile -- and his words sound so much like something he would say to Lan Qiren.)

"No." He scrubs the side of his hand across his eyes. "Lan Zhan, don't say that. I -- " A small, humorless laugh. "I am glad you trust me. But if you have questions, I want to answer them. I want to hear them."

[lightamidchaos]

He does not understand what about what he said made Wei Ying flinch. Lan Wangji feels utterly helpless.

"I have asked them," he whispers. "I have no more. About this talisman, at least."

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian swallows, finally meeting Lan Zhan's eye.

Quietly: "Do you others that aren't about the talisman?"

[lightamidchaos]

He shakes his head, sending the silken fall of his hair along his shoulders.

"When I do, I will ask," he promises.

[acrookedpath]

He nods. Tentatively, Wei Wuxian reaches out, brushes his fingertips along Lan Zhan's ribbon, and settles his hand on his cheek.

"You do not have to follow me blindly, Lan Zhan," he whispers. "I am not another rule carved on a wall."

[lightamidchaos]

He holds very, very still beneath Wei Ying's touch, as if afraid to startle a rabbit or a butterfly.

"It is not that," he whispers back. "I do not want Wei Ying to think I doubt him. Ever again."

[acrookedpath]

His heart cracks.

Wordlessly -- for what can he say to something like that? -- Wei Wuxian wraps his arms around Lan Zhan.

[lightamidchaos]

Without even an instant's hesitation, he draws him in and holds him tight. He is unaware of the slight shivers of relief that run through him, just for a moment.

[acrookedpath]

"I love you," he whispers against his hair. "I trust you. I know you only want to keep me safe."

[lightamidchaos]

"I do." Barely a breath, barely audible. "Wei Ying. I do - and I do, too."

[acrookedpath]

He nods. For a brief moment, he tightens his hold; then, gently, pulls away, keeping his fingers linked together at the small of Lan Zhan's back.

"I don't know what the anomaly will be like." A tiny smile quirks his mouth. "That's why we're going to Twin Peaks, eh? But surviving the Burial Mounds equipped me well, Lan Zhan. And if it truly is too dangerous for even my skill, I will not risk myself. I promise."

[lightamidchaos]

"That is all I could ask." Soft, but certain. It is also all that would be fair to ask, there is no question of that in his mind.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian nods again. His smile firms up; becomes sweeter.

Still gentle, but no longer timid, he leans in to kiss his husband.

[lightamidchaos]

He kisses Wei Ying back, allowing the full depth of his love and longing to come through in the kiss.

[acrookedpath]

He shivers, faintly. As one arm wraps more securely around Lan Zhan, the other hand rises to cup the back of his head.

It's a long, breathless moment before they drift apart, and when they do, Wei Wuxian's smile is radiant.

"All right," he murmurs. "What else do we need to bring?"

[lightamidchaos]

“I have everything I would usually bring on a night hunt,” Lan Wangji tells him. “Is that world such that we need anything else?”