[pfsb] sword forms by the lake

[lightamidchaos]

It is late afternoon by the time he makes his way outside.

Lan Wangji is well aware that Wei Ying would probably very much prefer him to be resting again at present, and in truth he likely should be, especially given what had just come to pass in the library not long before.

But. But. It has been three days, and he needs to know how much strength he can regain, how quickly, before he returns to Cold Pond Cave and faces his brother, tomorrow.

(He is fairly certain Shufu did not intend the injuries to be quite as severe this time, either. Fairly certain.)

Bichen flashes into his hand, gleaming along the blade with a faint, icy blue-white shine. Lan Wangji draws a deep breath, and begins to move through each of the Lan sword forms in a slow motion routine, his concentration absolute.

Comments

[herald_ingress]

"Perfect."

She only needs one full viewing before she's on her feet before him, answering strike to strike as the Lan sword forms flow together in quicker and quicker practice. Ingress is a fast learner, but she's still, of course, a learner.

"Wait, show me that counterstrike again?" she asks, stepping out of fighting stance. "There's a fiddly bit in the middle I didn't catch."

[lightamidchaos]

He does so, smooth and deliberate.

"You are very skilled."

His breathing is a little more rapid than usual, but otherwise he is showing no undue strain.

"Is that why you chose to act as Harrow's cavalier?"

[herald_ingress]

She repeats his actions back to him, mastering the segment that had evaded her, and only then does she process what he's asked her.

"I'm sorry, what?"

[lightamidchaos]

"To defend her," he clarifies. "The other night. When she needed it."

He moves into the next in the sequence of movements.

"It is good, that you were there, when she needed help."

[herald_ingress]

"Oh, you mean when I took her to London Below?"

What did Harrow share with Lan Wangji about the necropolis?

Ingress shrugs, which is a tricky to manage when you're sword fighting, but, bless her, she can pull it off.

"I'd protect and aid anyone for whom I was responsible, especially in my home world. It can easily be a deadly place."

She steps out of her stance again, concerned. "She's okay, isn't she? She's terribly stubborn about showing weakness but once I got her back to her room and she seemed on the mend enough to be left alone."

[lightamidchaos]

He lowers Bichen, and nods to her.

"She is all right."

Confused perhaps, but that is not anything he feels he can say.

[herald_ingress]

She cocks her head, because there's an underlying something here not being said.

"I didn't act as her cavalier," she repeats. "I acted as Ingress."

She pauses a moment before she continues. "I met her cavalier, though. She's a great fighter."

[lightamidchaos]

"I am glad to hear that," he says.

"I have not yet met her, since I have only just returned."

[herald_ingress]

Ingress is so far behind and it's only been a few days. It's sad, really.

"I took Wei Wuxian on a similar excursion, but with fewer skeletons and a lot more alcohol. I know he was eager to meet with you once we got back; I hope I didn't delay him too long."

[lightamidchaos]

"And photographs," he notes. "Or so I hear?"

He shakes his head.

"You did not delay him at all, Ingress. I was ... unavoidably detained, for some days."

There is something unnaturally flat about his tone as he finishes speaking.

[herald_ingress]

"Oh. Oh, no. Well, I'm glad you're back now."

What happened???? Ugh, it's hard when you don't live here and can't show up all the time, every day. Where is Wei Wuxian and when will she get the hot goss????

She brightens at the mention of the pictures, though. "And yes, there is a great deal of photographic evidence. We were rather ridiculous. I haven't seen him since to hand them over, but I hope to soon."

[lightamidchaos]

"Thank you. I am also glad."

There is no mistaking it - clear interest sparks as she confirms the existence of the pictures.

"I would be happy to take them to him. I will see him this evening."

The tips of his ears flush very lightly pink.

[herald_ingress]

"That would work."

Wait, there's nothing scandalous, is there? They're hanging on each other, drunk and silly, in some of the pictures from the last club, but it's clearly in a "we're so drunk we literally need to prop ourselves up" manner, so surely it'll fine.

She takes a stack of the photos out and sorts through them quickly, reserving the ones where her dress is hiking up higher than would be appropriate for anywhere but a club.

"I was going to have him pick which ones he wanted, but I'll just pick the ones I want, and he can have the rest."

She hands over the stack. "Here."

[lightamidchaos]

"Thank--"

That is as far as he gets before he glances down at the papers he is holding and is abruptly struck speechless.

A miniature Wei Ying is waving at him from the tiny paper square, laughing and beaming and wearing clothes that fit him much more closely than his robes--

His ears go from pink to bright red as he stares, unable to look away.

[herald_ingress]

Um. Did she make a mistake blithely handing those over? Is Lan Wangji breathing? She can't tell. His ears are definitely redder than they should be.

Wei Wuxian looks so adorable in that particular picture. If he hasn't told Lan Wangji that he loves him, this response is a good sign for her friend. But if he did, then this is still a positive reaction. Right?

"He's great. A great friend. We had a lot of fun as friends out on the town."

Did she mention the just friends part?

[lightamidchaos]

"Mn."

He sounds a little strangled. Carefully, he starts to flip through the pictures, stopping on one with the two of them together, arms slung around each other's shoulders, swaying back and forth as they hold each other up, giggling at some joke between the two of them.

(Ingress's dress is very tight, he notices, in an absent way.)

... they look happy. They look joyful. Lan Wangji waits for the familiar acid twist of jealousy, and is surprised to find it absent, before he understands.

He has no need to be jealous. Not any more.

He glances up at Ingress.

"I am glad," he says. "That you had fun."

He doesn't even notice how gently he has placed his thumb on the miniature Wei Ying's hand, as if to hold it.

[herald_ingress]

Inside the romantically inclined part of her brain, a high pitched squeal of "oh my goooood, this is so sweeeeet" echoes. But she doesn't know for certain what did or didn't happen, and it doesn't seem right to ask. This is a private matter involving a person who strikes her as a extremely reserved and private.

So she'll just smile a little louder over here and hope things are wonderful.

"Me, too. And I haven't forgotten my offer to escort you to Valdemar. I exchanged a couple of letters with Vanyel to find out when he's next back in Haven, and Savil, his aunt, can host us easily enough once I know a time frame."

She won't be playing ANY kind of matchmaking games, of course, but she is still very interested in Vanyel learning from Lan Wangji, and vice versa.

[lightamidchaos]

"I would appreciate that."

He takes out his qiankun bag and carefully stores the pictures inside.

"It is kind of you to offer, and I am very much looking forward to it."

[herald_ingress]

“Oh, that’s great! It’s been really enjoyable escorting friends to different worlds.”

[lightamidchaos]

"I am sorry I cannot offer the same," he says, quietly.

"At least not yet. In time, perhaps."

[herald_ingress]

“Has the war begun again?”

She thought he’d said the war in his home world was over, but she knows that peace can be fragile.

(Tom knows that Wei Wuxian’s magical abilities were denounced on his world before his death, and Ingress knows Wei Wuxian is in love with Lan Wangji, but they haven’t chatted or compared notes. Ingress has been too busy explaining giant squids, Valdemar, and heavenly horse companions to Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian and she have shared a lot of laughs together between being lovelorn and/or drunk. But she doesn’t know the story behind Wei Wuxian’s death or the consequences of Lan Wangji’s actions.

So assuming more war is the most reasonable leap she can make to explain why she wouldn’t be able to visit.)

[lightamidchaos]

"No. But my seclusion has not yet ended."

He realizes that he has not mentioned this to her before, and he can conclude from the fact that she had not yet given Wei Ying the pictures that she has not seen him since Lan Wangji was discovered, which means it is very likely that Wei Ying has not explained it to her, either.

"I am ... not free, at present. In my world."

[herald_ingress]

This is all huge and surprising news to Ingress. Her eyes are wide with concern.

“Do you need help? I can- if you need rescue, I’ll be there.”

Because she’s fairly certain that after all she’s told her Companion about this bright and shining person, Megwyn would be all for storming whatever prison he’s being detained in.

[lightamidchaos]

"It is all right," he says, with perhaps-surprising gentleness. "I am all right, Ingress. And there are only three weeks left. Less, even."

"I will explain, if you wish."

[herald_ingress]

“If you wish to. I just- I’m surprised. And concerned, obviously.”

Everyone keeps saying they’re all right. She’s not buying it.