[texting post]

[laughitoff]

Wei Wuxian 魏无羡
22 / M / Hell

THE FEARSOME YILING PATRIARCH! DRIVING EVIL FROM YOUR DOOR WITH A GREATER EVIL! LOVES MILD FOOD, CUTE PUPPIES, LONG WALKS IN THE BURIAL MOUNDS AND KILLING ALL YOUR LOVED ONES!

<span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ScI5Hsw.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"><b style="color:#e75480;">YOUR NAME</b> got horribly cursed by Wei Wuxian!</span> CURSE

<lj-raw><span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/P3gZl1b.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"> <b style="color:#e75480;">YOUR NAME</b> declared Wei Wuxian a heretic! <blockquote style="border-left:5px solid #ddd;padding:0 0 0 10px;"> Message_content </blockquote></span></lj-raw> DENOUNCE

<span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/w2B4FYG.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"><b style="color:#e75480;">YOUR NAME</b> challenged Wei Wuxian to a duel!</span> FIGHT

CODE BY

Comments

[laughitoff]

[shrugs a little]

Perhaps my understanding is imperfect, then!

[strikingchords]

[he wonders if the actual difference is that the other Lan Wangji found out whatever it is that Wei Wuxian is hiding so frantically, already.]

Wei Ying.

[laughitoff]

I was only in his mind for a day, after all, you can't trust that I got every nuance. You know my memory is bad.

[strikingchords]

[waiting for that spate of nervous avoidant chatter to burn itself out; he's opened his eyes now, slightly wide]

Wei Ying.

[laughitoff]

And it was confusing anyway, so...

[Lan Wangji's heart is not the only one that betrays itself; the beat of Wei Wuxian's is racing again when his words peter out, loud and fast in his ears]

[strikingchords]

[also quiet for a long minute, gut finally he turns Wei Wuxian's face towards him with his hand on his cheek so he can catch his eyes properly; it's an unexpectedly firm gesture for as gentle as the movement is. his own heart is beating hard, in sympathetic fear.]

Wei Ying.

[laughitoff]

[his breath stutters; he falls silent again, under the weight of Lan Wangji's eyes]

[strikingchords]

...

[very, very serious, looking into them]

If I ask.

Will you answer?

[laughitoff]

[almost in a whisper -- and it's a testament to how much he's calmed down around Lan Wangji that he does not just bolt straight out the window, right now]

I don't know.

[strikingchords]

[his eyes widen slightly, stricken; not in hurt or distress at Wei Wuxian's response on his own behalf, just, still sympathy for the degree of feeling he's getting from Wei Wuxian about this.

in response he very deliberately and carefully but half unthinkingly repeats what has become his familiar fallback reaction for when either he or Wei Wuxian is overwhelmed and panicking and not sure what to do, which is:

- shift his hand around and very gently smush Wei Wuxian's face down onto his shoulder]

[laughitoff]

[oh god. his breath escapes him in a ragged sob, like Lan Wangji's ripped it out of him.]

[strikingchords]

[frees up his other arm to wrap it firmly around Wei Wuxian's waist, just holding him there, holding him close, for a minute; more concerned with that than immediately following up on the question]

[laughitoff]

[he just

stays there?

and panics and panics and panics and panics, a white-hot beacon of fear pressed against Lan Wangji's body

but he doesn't go...?]

[strikingchords]

[he shifts his grip for a moment, reminiscent of his hands on Wei Wuxian's wrists as he pinned them down; Lan Wangji's arm is very strong but he won't actually trap Wei Wuxian there if he tries to escape.

he can feel that fear under his skin like fire, baffling and distressing. in the end there's nothing he can do but react to it.]




What happened?

[his voice comes out low and level and serious, as always, but there's something almost plaintive behind the question somewhere. Lan Wangji is hurting for him and apprehensive and bewildered too, for all that he feels them without flinching.]

[laughitoff]

[rough, barely hearing himself over the blood roaring in his ears]

Haven't you figured it out yet?

[strikingchords]

[quiet]

Some.

But I am asking.

[laughitoff]

I...

[can he say it? his mouth works against Lan Wangji's shoulder, soundless]

[strikingchords]

[tightens his arms around him, tugging him tighter against himself internally, too; it's a sudden impulse when he feels the heart-in-his-throat familiarity of that inability to speak. from Wei Wuxian's side now instead of his own. squish the cat.]

[laughitoff]

[finally, completely airless:]

I can't tell you.

[strikingchords]

[quietly shifts to gather him even further in, closing his eyes again; presses his lips against Wei Wuxian's hair. his voice is even and quiet too, a little rough]

All right.

[there is a deep ache of empathy behind those words. it's not disappointment or anger or upset at Wei Wuxian, but something more like the gutpunch shock and then moment of acceptance when you find a mirror somewhere you did not expect to see yourself.]

[laughitoff]

[fuck

he is very quiet after that, but for his hitching breath; shaken all the way through.]

[strikingchords]

[his mouth lingers on Wei Wuxian's crown, on his forehead; wrapped around him internally and externally, waiting patiently for that peak of emotion to ease. so steady.]

[laughitoff]

[it takes a long time. he feels exhausted afterwards, and...puzzled that the world hasn't ended, honestly.]

[strikingchords]

[he knows past plausible deniability now that Lan Wangji knows something, if not details; Lan Wangji knows he knows, and Wei Wuxian knows that in turn. but here he is, being cuddled calmly, face still mushed into Lan Wangji's shoulder...

???????????????

he feels Lan Wangji's eyes on him again, without that ravenous intensity of searching for something. he's just looking to visually confirm that Wei Wuxian's relaxing some. also kind of tired, soft, familiar; concerned without unbearable worry, as someone who cared about him would reasonably be concerned.]

[laughitoff]

[he's relaxing mostly because it's impossible for his body to stay keyed up permanently, but regardless of reason, it is happening

thank you and I'm sorry, he thinks but does not say.]