[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]

"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.

[lightamidchaos]

"My sect -- my xiansheng, our grand master, my uncle -- saw fit to punish me for my actions at and after the Second Battle of Nightless City," he explains.

He says it as though he expects the name to mean something to her.

"As part of that punishment, I have been in seclusion for almost three years."

[herald_ingress]

“But... what for? What on earth could you have done to warrant that from your own family?”

[lightamidchaos]

His eyes widen, very slightly. Wei Ying has not told her.

He understands, when he thinks about it, why Wei Ying might not mention him. But he cannot be certain, now, that Wei Ying has told her any of it, and if he has chosen to keep silent, Lan Wangji will not betray him.

"I... fought against them," he says, finally. "I believed they were wrong, in what they were trying to do. I failed. I was unable to stop them, but they felt it necessary that I be punished for the attempt."

[herald_ingress]

“That must be terribly hard. I’m so sorry. I know that you and Wei Wuxian are dear friends from the same world, but I don’t think I’ve asked after your histories.”

And with Wei Wuxian being dead, she wouldn’t have asked many questions anyway. Now she realizes that she may have been overly glib in her ignorance, and she’s feeling pretty terrible about it.

[lightamidchaos]

"Yes. Wei Ying is very dear to me," he says, simply.

"I do not regret my actions then. I only regret that I did not do more; that I was not successful. Wei Ying died at that battle for my failure."

[herald_ingress]

“Oh, Lan Wangji, no.”

This is simply awful. She had no idea.

“I didn’t ask - you tend to not ask how someone died when you’re one of the living people here. I suppose it just hasn’t come up. We’ve spent time together, but-“

She waves her hand in the general direction of his hidden storage bag with the photos. “- we’ve been focused on the cheerful present.”

Wei Wuxian is going to get SUCH a big hug the next time he sees Ingress.

[lightamidchaos]

"I am glad," he says, gently, and there is no mistaking his sincerity.

"He deserves happiness, deserves fun. Until the war, he was always bright and laughing, teasing others. I am glad, Ingress, very glad, that he has found that again with you."

[herald_ingress]

“That’s good, I’m happy to hear it. Don’t forget, though, that you deserve happiness and fun, too. You said you have three more weeks of punishment? And then you’ll be free to do as you please? We will have such a fine time in Haven, and Wei Wuxian could come with us, if he wanted.”

[lightamidchaos]

"A little less than three weeks, now. After which I will resume my duties as the Second Jade of Lan."

One would have to know him well or be looking very closely to see it, but there is a stubborn glint in his eye that indicates that his interpretation of what that duty might entail may differ significantly from what Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren think it should be.

"But travel will be common, in that. I would like very much to see your Haven, and meet the others you have mentioned. I hope that Wei Ying will, as well. I will ask him, or you can."

[herald_ingress]

“Oh, please do ask,” she says. “So he knows he’s more than welcome to come along. Megwyn - the heavenly horse who’s my companion - will be pleased to meet you both. She’s heard a lot about you.”