For Wei Ying

[lan_wangji]

Filling the day is not the problem for Lan Wangji. His days have been filled, all his life, with every minute accounted for. One rose at precisely 5AM, had tea and a small meal, cleaned one's self and then began morning meditations. The rest of the day was filled with physical training, studies, and practical application. After the evening meal and bath, a meditation focusing on reflecting on one's progress and behavior was completed and notes made before falling asleep at precisely 9PM.

These things can, in some way or another, be done in this place as well. The course of studies are very different as are the practical application. They are...disappointing, largely. Every day reveals some new way he is weaker and duller and unable to provide to the world what he once could. He might have been cold and not particularly liked but he was unparalleled in skill. Here, well. Here he does not know quite who he is or ought to be. Wei Ying points out often, that not all of the 3000 rules he grew up under need apply so literally. But parsing through 3000 rules, some he holds very dear, and making such determinations feels impossible some days.

The days when he cannot make those decisions, he wanders without aim. This is definitely against the rules. He likes the market, early in the morning before the crowds have descended. At this time of day it is only himself and those out gathering supplies for the day's meals. He'd rarely gone to market in Caiyi Town, disliking the bustle and the stares and the comments he was clearly meant to overhear. But no one cares who he is, here. If anyone finds his silence off-putting they do not say so. He is looking over various trinkets, bits of leather and bone fashioned into jewelry when he sees an array of combs. He does not know where the impulse comes from, only that he has hazy memories of styling Wei Ying's hair (he really must never drink again). He takes it without another thought, horrified at the lack of payment system but determined to find a way to make it up to the merchant. It is a purchase born entirely out of impulse and affection rather than need, another rule broken.

A few quick strokes with a small knife have inlaid a small protection charm, likely useless in this place but he thinks Wei Ying will appreciate it. He has no idea how he will go about giving it to him but he wraps it up in a piece of cloth and heads over to Heimdall District, feeling light and not a little unsettled.

"Wei Ying," he sends through the bizarre bracelet contraption. "Am in Heimdall. May I come to the Haus?"

Comments

[yiling_laozu]

"Just how you like to meditate," Wei Wuxian answers, "And what an excellent swordsman you are, and how you don't like too much noise. Also what an excellent cultivator you are, though I'm not sure he quite understands our world. Lan Zhan," he says, turning to him, "It is very different from almost everyone else's here. Isn't that strange?"

[lan_wangji]

"Is strange," he immediately agrees, happy to turn the conversation away from what Wei Ying has been telling about him. They are kind things and not untrue but he thinks it makes him seem far better than he is.

He looks around for a place to sit, unsure what belongs to whom and finally settles himself carefully at the end of Wei Ying's bed, feeling wholly inappropriate.

"Some have no magic at all. Others have ships on wheels and ships that fly and things I cannot understand but insist it is not magic. Would be very lost without Wei Ying here."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian plops down next to him, thinking nothing of scandal when he feels the comforting warmth of Lan Wangji's side against his own. "Lan Wangji is fortunate indeed to have me here," he teases, "But flying ships! Surely only birds and cultivators fly..."

Ships have neither wings nor magic to lift them from the ground, and supposedly these need neither? "Lan Zhan," he says, "Perhaps our next study should be of these strange, flying ships. If we could make our own, that would be very fine."

[lan_wangji]

"No," Lan Zhan huffs, glaring at Wei Ying's thoughtful, delighted face. That is not a good expression.

"No, Wei Ying. No flying. This world does not seem to have them, only tales from people taken from other worlds," he warns, wishing he'd never brought up the subject. There are enough ways for Wei Ying to try and injure himself without searching out ones from other worlds.

[yiling_laozu]

"None here?" Wei Wuxian scowls. "Why would they regale us with such ideas and not provide them? And after we fought in their war!"

Of course, Wei Wuxian would have fought for the civilian populace regardless, but all the harder if there had been the promise of flying ships! "I miss flying," he huffs.

[lan_wangji]

"I know," Lan Zhan says, patting Wei Ying's arm with as much consolation as he can muster. He is exceedingly grateful that there are not any flying ships in this place for Wei Ying to find and if there are, that he does not know where to find them.

"Have a confession," he starts, brow furrowing as he tries to determine how guilty he actually feels. "Supposed to be doing devotions and learnings, today. But do not want to. So I did not. Want to do something enjoyable, instead."

He finishes off the confession with a deep, steadying breath, stopping his mind from tallying the sheer number of rules broken by the statement.

[yiling_laozu]

"Eyyy?" Wei Wuxian drawls under the staggering weight of this revelation. Lan Wangji, spurning the duties he's given himself, casting aside the burdens and expectations of being beyond reproach? And all in the name of something enjoyable?

"Lan Zhan wishes to have fun?" Wei Wuxian asks in wonder and delight. "Does he have ideas, because is not, Wei Wuxian can provide!"

[lan_wangji]

"Just for today," he clarifies, already feeling a little anxious and wondering if this was a bad idea. To give into such impulses is very unlike him but he could not help but think about Odin's words about trying to send them all home, someday.

He's had enough regret for one lifetime.

"Unsure about what to do. Not sure what I enjoy but I enjoy Wei Ying so starting there."

[yiling_laozu]

"I know what to do." Again claiming Lan Wangji's wrist, Wei Wuxian rises, stalking towards the door to open it and peer down the corridor. It's overzealous, perhaps, given that his actual destination is some distance yet, but he'd really rather not be followed.

"Lan Zhan," he says, pulling him into the narrow hallway, "I've heard whispers of some sort of treasure in the kitchens. Supposedly it's meant for special occasions, but we had none after the war. I believe it's time to liberate it."

[lan_wangji]

He frowns, looking around for a threat when he realizes what Wei Ying is proposing.

"Cannot steal," he hisses, still letting himself be pulled along. "You will get in trouble."

Stealing and being punished is not at all what Lan Zhan would count as enjoyable.

[yiling_laozu]

"Only if I am caught," Wei Wuxian whispers, darting down the corridor now that he's sure it's empty with Lan Wangji in tow. While this mischief is entirely for his own delight, it's not escaped him that Lan Wangji has likely never dabbled in such petty fun before. "The kitchens are this way. Let me know if you see anyone, I'll be sure to distract them so you can slip by."

[lan_wangji]

"No, morally wrong," he tries to correct, now wide eyed and a little panicked. He does not know the punishment for stealing in Heimdall District but he cannot imagine it is pleasant.

He shuffles along, following Wei Ying and looking entirely suspicious.

"Wei Ying how do you even know about this object?"

[yiling_laozu]

"Rumors," says Wei Wuxian, darting past another open doorway. "Did you know that the restaurant in Heimdallhaus is new? Before there was only the mess, and it wasn't very good, and the only other restaurant was in Njordhaus. Now people can come to either house to eat, isn't that nice? Still, I believe they're still holding something back. Why shouldn't we find it?"

[lan_wangji]

"But what if it actually belongs to another and they are disappointed we've taken it?" he worries, still trotting alongside Wei Ying. It does seem very wrong, against rules of Gusu Lan that he believes firmly in but in the face of all that is...Wei Ying's enthusiasm.

It is very, very hard to say no to an enthusiastic Wei Wuxian. It is very impossible.

"I could find something to leave behind in its place?"

[yiling_laozu]

That it could belong to a person and not the powers that rule this place hasn't occurred to Wei Wuxian, and he pauses, thumbing at his nose. "Lan Zhan," he says, turning to beam at him for his willingness to help. "Perhaps you're right and it would be cruel to take. But we could at least discover what it is. And perhaps..." Wei Wuxian pinches his fingers.

"A small taste."

[lan_wangji]

Lan Zhan fights a smile, wanting to still seem stern and a good influence to Wei Ying.

But again, it is very, very hard to say no to Wei Wuxian.

"A small taste," he agrees. "Lan Wangji will wait outside the kitchen, will keep watch. Wei Ying can find his treasure."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian's grin widens, and he all but runs the rest of the way to the kitchens. There's no one inside - for now - and he considers what little he knows. It's a rare treat. It isn't usually served. It's meant to be cold.

"Lan Zhan," he says, "I'm going to look in the cold boxes that hum. If someone is coming, sneeze!"

[lan_wangji]

"Can't force myself to sneeze!" he hisses as he takes up his position outside of the door. He looks entirely conspicuous, standing at attention in his white robes but he cannot imagine anything to fix that.

Such a description is bizarre and Lan Zhan can only imagine some sort of sweet or beverage, something he imagines Wei Ying enjoying either way.

He hears a voice down the hall and freezes, unable to tell which direction it will move.

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian tears into the metal boxes immediately, searching through cold shelves, pushing past bottles and preserved vegetables, lifting what must be someone's leftovers to discover nothing of note behind it. Undeterred, he moves his search to the even colder boxes where food is preserved in frost, all the while keeping his ears open to any sounds from Lan Wangji.

[lan_wangji]

He's barely breathing, entire body tensed as if he is preparing for a fight. He will, if needed. If they are caught and Wei Ying is punished, he will fight for him.

He's left Bichen, behind and is cursing himself for the mistake when the voice turns away and starts to fade.

"Hurry up!" he whispers, unable to imagine any treat worth such anxiety. He cannot imagine how Wei Ying has managed a lifetime of such behavior.

[yiling_laozu]

"Hǎo ba hǎo ba hǎo ba," Wei Wuxian shout whispers back, pushing aside another frozen parcel to find a little tub, and beneath it, an even larger one. It looks like nothing he's seen before - milk? - but it's quite solid, and on impulse, Wei Wuxian grabs it and rushes back to Lan Wangji.

"I've got some, I think," he says, darting back to grab a wooden spoon, "Let's go!"

[lan_wangji]

He is unsure what he was expecting but that does not look like a small taste of anything. That looks rather as if Wei Ying has stolen an entire treat but Lan Zhan is too worried about Wei Ying being caught to do anything other than grab onto his arm, ready to flee.

"Must leave Heimdall," he urges, feeling get farther away from the crime as soon as possible is the most urgent priority. "Go to my room. Is private."

[yiling_laozu]

"So far, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian protests as Lan Wangji takes his turn at dragging him across Heimdallhaus. His fingers itch with the desire to remove the covering off the little tub and examine his treasure, and he worries that the heat of his hand is already beginning to melt the frost. He tucks it into his robes, yelping when it burns cold against his skin.

"Lan Zhan," he says, stopping their movement suddenly to push Lan Wangji into a closet as they pass. He closes the door to surround them in total darkness, in which Wei Wuxian whispers, "Summon your lights."

[lan_wangji]

"What," he breathes, snapping his mouth shut when he founds himself standing in the dark with Wei Ying. He doesn't dare say anything, in case Wei Ying heard something he had not and summons only one orb, afraid more will draw attention.

It floats in between them, illuminating each other's faces, the treasure and not much more.

"Okay?"

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian nods happily and yanks the covering from the little tub, discarding it somewhere at their feet. "There was this and a much larger one," he assures Lan Wangji. "What do you think it is?"

Without waiting for answer, Wei Wuxian stabs at it with the wooden spoon, finding it solid, yet soft. "It smells only of snow. Lan Zhan, do you want to try it first?"