( he chuckles, because that's just one absurdity in their collective lives. )
Our group at the time was smaller and in hiding, with refuge granted in the lower levels of a local brothel. Nothing improper happened. We had no supplies at the time, and no funding. The ladies were very kind and well compensated by the Merchant while the more enterprising of us sought ways to procure funding to leave the citadel.
[ He wishes his brother would move out of the cave at the moment, especially with Hua Cheng's dominion spreading over the bathhouse apartment to (mostly) keep out other ghosts and provide a semi-peaceful residence, but he knows why Wangji won't. ]
Many people have come forward as his close friends, some are more credible than others.
[ Jiang Cheng has been helpfully weeding them out for Xichen. ]
I am relieved he always has Master Wei to count on.
He has quite a few! People have come to know him, and he to know others.
( it's silly, but he feels... proud? happy. getting to see that, and the circle of lan zhan's heart friends growing. )
There's no one else I'd rather stand with.
( even when he's suffering insecurities and poor decision makings and long silences. because the right edges are never the sum totals of either man, and they've both grown, adapted, changed. beneficially, and perhaps not. )
[ He has no idea whether Wangji has admitted his crush on Wei Wuxian, whether it needs to be pointed out (again, somewhat, with less alcohol this time), or whether Xichen is seeing things, but he resolves not to meddle there and out his brother if so. ]
You standing with him throughout the test of time and adversary is unsurprising to me, though it is good to hear from the source.
[ It doesn't take long to make his way there, stopping only to buy the boys some fresh fruit because he doesn't trust them to be eating enough and has the excuse of feeding the rabbits. At the cave entrance where he pauses while holding the basket of fruit, he clears his throat and peeks in. ]
( From further inside the surprisingly well lit cave interior, natural light slipping down through cracks and crannies in the stone overhead. It smells like fresh sawed wood as he sweeps forward, two well fed rabbits of white with black-brown spots dusting their heads and backs holding their ears back as he cradles both enthusiastically to his chest. There may, in fact, be some sawdust on his shoulders. Robes. His clothing. )
Here's the both of them! I've had them inside eating fresh sweet grasses, there's a great trade with the, ah, local gardens... ahahaha, anyway, come in, come in!
( The rabbits try to sink out of his hold. Then squirm. Next step will be kicks, because they want to be Mobile, Thank You. )
[ That ... all seems about en par for Wei Wuxian. Xichen slides the basket to an elbow with one of his voluminous sleeves (outer one purple, since he is still waiting for his own to be returned) and offers to take one of the rabbits off Wei Wuxian. ]
You shouldn't have! Really, they can only have so much. I can make tea if you like, there's still some of the real stuff here, like last time.
( He hands off one rabbit without protest: truly, these have endured him as a caretaker, loved Lan Zhan better, and he finds no fault with that. The robes earn an eyebrow lift. )
I see Jiang Cheng is assisting you.
( And he's sweeping away again, towards where greens are held in a low bowl, settling the rabbit down so it can make it's rocking progress towards where it'd been plucked from. It thumps a foot against the ground, sits back, and starts aggressively grooming it's front legs and face.
To the alcove where he and Lan Zhan generally sleep, the over half finished makings of a platform. For a bed? It seems likely, at the moment.
From where he scrubs his hands in a separate smaller, deeper bowl, he glances back to Zewu-jun. )
There's two seats against the back wall if you'd like. Otherwise there's seating cushions behind this right here.
( He gestures toward the side of the nearby not quite altar. )
Wanyin has my own coat, I am in no hurry to see it returned.
[ He has no idea why it is taking so long to get it back but he would rather never see it again than make a fuss, even if the purple one is a little short. Similarly, rather than a make a fuss over seeing one sleeping area in the cave, he makes his way to the seating cushions and settles there. ]
Thank you.
[ His new furry friend is not held tightly, given the entire crook of his arm to groom itself in. Xichen busies himself splitting an apple with his thumb, bringing a half up for the bunny to sniff at. ]
( He's good at a great number more things now, Wei Wixian assumes, than eighteen years ago, and back then? He'd also been good at more than he gave himself credit for. Or certain others acknowledged.
The ground bound rabbit makes slow progress towards Xichen, nose wiggling as it scents him out. One of them is getting attention? No, no. It should be them both!
Wei Wuxian busies himself with checking on the water already heated. )
I think he's investigating the near side of the forest for any shifts indicating things are coming out on the village side. You can reach him on his pendant, he'll write.
[ Nodding to the reference of Jiang Cheng's infamous Nude Swimming post, he straightens his lips into a softer smile and attends the new rabbit by waggling some apple under its nose. ]
The ... ? Ah, [ Xichen shakes his head, a huff of a laugh breaking free as he sweats at the thought of someone knowing he woke up on a married couple's floor, wrapped in their blankets, ] I don't live with Xie Lian and his husband, their home is close enough that Hua Cheng managed to extend his territory as a Ghost King over the apartment. That's all. He does have a room with us but is rarely there, of course.
He had good reach for the ghosts, almost concerns me when it comes to the death lords. Though with Xie Lian watching him, things should be manageable.
( He doesn't say okay. It's not a matter of power back home, just the vast gaps that exist here.
Also unsaid: so it's Xichen spared from haunting. That, after all, is something Lan Zhan would hold equally precious, his brother's rest, his sanctity of mind.
He claps his hands, a half remembered thought emerging as the rabbit climbs fully into Xichen's lap, tugging firmly at the offered apple to munch away at it. )
Ah-hah! One moment, I almost forgot —
( He whirls and heads further inside, not to where the ladies sleep when around, but near to another back alcove. )
Martial gods are impressive, aren't they? Even at reduced ability.
( Said from the back, shuffling through two bags to pick out a bundle tied with plant fiber string. He makes a sound of triumphant rediscovery, heading back out with a cloth bundle he offers to Xichen. A coin purse, simple and simply embroidered, on top. Possessing funds , one does share. )
Care of Lan Zhan, for family.
( Inside, a set of robes of decent quality, correctly sized - recently finished in hemming by a local fish wife seamstress. )
[ That answers that about Xie Lian! Martial, though? Interesting. Xichen is promptly distracted by the thoughtful care package that he opens to one side with bunnies cloistered in the crook of an arm. ]
Are you sure these are for me? You don't need them?
[ He is entirely surprised by the generous gift, grateful and humbled. ]
( A sort of abortive gesture that, without touching, implies he'd shove that opened bundle into Lan Xichen's lap to snuggle with the rabbits. One which is experimenting with the purple sleeve at his disposal. )
We can see you in better silks once we're seeing more trade through here or on the move toward the beacon after, should this one not take us all home.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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( a grumbled, normal answer. )
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( he chuckles, because that's just one absurdity in their collective lives. )
Our group at the time was smaller and in hiding, with refuge granted in the lower levels of a local brothel. Nothing improper happened. We had no supplies at the time, and no funding. The ladies were very kind and well compensated by the Merchant while the more enterprising of us sought ways to procure funding to leave the citadel.
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[ That all sounds ... on paper, above board. A brothel, though.
Yikes.]And Wangji was alright?
[ Being in the same building, let alone on a different floor, would make either of the brothers uneasy. ]
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( with an upbeat: )
He found it easier when we moved to the old, snowed in farmhouse beyond the citadel's limits.
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[ He wishes his brother would move out of the cave at the moment, especially with Hua Cheng's dominion spreading over the bathhouse apartment to (mostly) keep out other ghosts and provide a semi-peaceful residence, but he knows why Wangji won't. ]
Many people have come forward as his close friends, some are more credible than others.
[ Jiang Cheng has been helpfully weeding them out for Xichen. ]
I am relieved he always has Master Wei to count on.
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( it's silly, but he feels... proud? happy. getting to see that, and the circle of lan zhan's heart friends growing. )
There's no one else I'd rather stand with.
( even when he's suffering insecurities and poor decision makings and long silences. because the right edges are never the sum totals of either man, and they've both grown, adapted, changed. beneficially, and perhaps not. )
Have you spent time with the rabbits?
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You standing with him throughout the test of time and adversary is unsurprising to me, though it is good to hear from the source.
[ Also, what. Rabbits? ]
Those back home?
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Still, hold up. He grins, then laughs, delighted. )
No, no, these are black spotted little fellows we rescued months ago and have been tending since, do you want to meet them?
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[ More little members of the Lan clan. ]
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( don't ask him what they're called, he'll just say it's after foods they eat. )
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[ It doesn't take long to make his way there, stopping only to buy the boys some fresh fruit because he doesn't trust them to be eating enough and has the excuse of feeding the rabbits. At the cave entrance where he pauses while holding the basket of fruit, he clears his throat and peeks in. ]
Wei Wuxian?
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( From further inside the surprisingly well lit cave interior, natural light slipping down through cracks and crannies in the stone overhead. It smells like fresh sawed wood as he sweeps forward, two well fed rabbits of white with black-brown spots dusting their heads and backs holding their ears back as he cradles both enthusiastically to his chest. There may, in fact, be some sawdust on his shoulders. Robes. His clothing. )
Here's the both of them! I've had them inside eating fresh sweet grasses, there's a great trade with the, ah, local gardens... ahahaha, anyway, come in, come in!
( The rabbits try to sink out of his hold. Then squirm. Next step will be kicks, because they want to be Mobile, Thank You. )
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Here, let me help. I also brought fruit.
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( He hands off one rabbit without protest: truly, these have endured him as a caretaker, loved Lan Zhan better, and he finds no fault with that. The robes earn an eyebrow lift. )
I see Jiang Cheng is assisting you.
( And he's sweeping away again, towards where greens are held in a low bowl, settling the rabbit down so it can make it's rocking progress towards where it'd been plucked from. It thumps a foot against the ground, sits back, and starts aggressively grooming it's front legs and face.
To the alcove where he and Lan Zhan generally sleep, the over half finished makings of a platform. For a bed? It seems likely, at the moment.
From where he scrubs his hands in a separate smaller, deeper bowl, he glances back to Zewu-jun. )
There's two seats against the back wall if you'd like. Otherwise there's seating cushions behind this right here.
( He gestures toward the side of the nearby not quite altar. )
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[ He has no idea why it is taking so long to get it back but he would rather never see it again than make a fuss, even if the purple one is a little short. Similarly, rather than a make a fuss over seeing one sleeping area in the cave, he makes his way to the seating cushions and settles there. ]
Thank you.
[ His new furry friend is not held tightly, given the entire crook of his arm to groom itself in. Xichen busies himself splitting an apple with his thumb, bringing a half up for the bunny to sniff at. ]
Where is my brother, at current?
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( A pause. )
He's surprisingly good at that.
( He's good at a great number more things now, Wei Wixian assumes, than eighteen years ago, and back then? He'd also been good at more than he gave himself credit for. Or certain others acknowledged.
The ground bound rabbit makes slow progress towards Xichen, nose wiggling as it scents him out. One of them is getting attention? No, no. It should be them both!
Wei Wuxian busies himself with checking on the water already heated. )
I think he's investigating the near side of the forest for any shifts indicating things are coming out on the village side. You can reach him on his pendant, he'll write.
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[ To save Jiang Cheng from all the stares, more than anything.
Xichen makes a broader seat on his lap and coaxes the second rabbit over with promises of apple slices, fingers sticky with the juice. ]
I shan't bother him, it was you I wanted to spend some time with.
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( asked with quirked brows and a slanted grin. )
This has been the most like home, he had to feel like a fish in water at last.
( As far as modesty, look! It's been handled, and it's not like he's the one having Interesting posts up on pendant.
The statement about who he wanted to spend time with earns another momentary quirk of his eyebrows. )
I'm getting more charming every day, ah?
( The second rabbit puts one paw on Xichen's leg. )
How has it been living with the married couple over there?
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The ... ? Ah, [ Xichen shakes his head, a huff of a laugh breaking free as he sweats at the thought of someone knowing he woke up on a married couple's floor, wrapped in their blankets, ] I don't live with Xie Lian and his husband, their home is close enough that Hua Cheng managed to extend his territory as a Ghost King over the apartment. That's all. He does have a room with us but is rarely there, of course.
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He had good reach for the ghosts, almost concerns me when it comes to the death lords. Though with Xie Lian watching him, things should be manageable.
( He doesn't say okay. It's not a matter of power back home, just the vast gaps that exist here.
Also unsaid: so it's Xichen spared from haunting. That, after all, is something Lan Zhan would hold equally precious, his brother's rest, his sanctity of mind.
He claps his hands, a half remembered thought emerging as the rabbit climbs fully into Xichen's lap, tugging firmly at the offered apple to munch away at it. )
Ah-hah! One moment, I almost forgot —
( He whirls and heads further inside, not to where the ladies sleep when around, but near to another back alcove. )
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[ Knowing he's a god has since put that into perspective, although he isn't sure if that's public news or not and doesn't mention it, just in case.
... And there Wei Wuxian goes, spry as one of the bunnies leaping off to a different part of the cave. ]
Forgot?
[ Both rabbits are settled on Xichen's lap, huddled in the gentle curl of his sleeves with their snacks. ]
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( Said from the back, shuffling through two bags to pick out a bundle tied with plant fiber string. He makes a sound of triumphant rediscovery, heading back out with a cloth bundle he offers to Xichen. A coin purse, simple and simply embroidered, on top. Possessing funds , one does share. )
Care of Lan Zhan, for family.
( Inside, a set of robes of decent quality, correctly sized - recently finished in hemming by a local fish wife seamstress. )
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Are you sure these are for me? You don't need them?
[ He is entirely surprised by the generous gift, grateful and humbled. ]
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( A sort of abortive gesture that, without touching, implies he'd shove that opened bundle into Lan Xichen's lap to snuggle with the rabbits. One which is experimenting with the purple sleeve at his disposal. )
We can see you in better silks once we're seeing more trade through here or on the move toward the beacon after, should this one not take us all home.
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