[sidereal - the dreaming]

[laughitoff]

[for MDZS AU plot-related shenanigans]

Comments

[strikingchords]

[very seriously]

I will not let them.

[laughitoff]

[wobbly]

You won't--you won't be here forever.

[strikingchords]

I'll stay.

[laughitoff]

You never did before...

[strikingchords]

[I tried, he might say, or you sent me away, or I did, but you do not remember. all contemptible answers. he left; he failed; he will not make excuses about it, neither to Wei Ying nor himself.]

...

I was wrong.

[laughitoff]

[hat gets Wei Wuxian to turn his head and stare down at him incredulously, the branches he's hanging onto creaking dangerously with his shift in weight]

[strikingchords]

[looks up at him calmly, frowning a little; he doesn't like the look of those branches]

[laughitoff]

[they're way too thin to reasonably hold him for long.]

[strikingchords]

Wei Ying.

It is not safe.

[laughitoff]

S-safer than down there!

[a soft crack immediately belies that]

[strikingchords]

Wei Ying.

[his voice has gone sharper with worry.]

[laughitoff]

[he scrambles to hang onto a different unbroken branch]

What?!

[strikingchords]

[smooths his voice out again]

...

At least come closer.

[laughitoff]

In case you haven't noticed, this is a little difficult!

[strikingchords]

The lower branches are stronger.

[laughitoff]

They're also closer to the dogs!

[strikingchords]

I will protect you.

[he doesn't remember saying that drunk, but it feels very natural here]

[laughitoff]

[it earns him another startled glance]

[strikingchords]

[stares back up at him, sincere and concerned]

[laughitoff]

[in a small voice]

Why?

[strikingchords]

You are afraid.

[laughitoff]

I--

[snap, goes another branch; he's running out of them]

[strikingchords]

[his fingers curl in towards his palms; can't decide if it'd be more dangerous to climb up there and maybe startle Wei Wuxian more, or stay put and keep trying to talk him down with inadequate tools for the job...]

[laughitoff]

[it may be moot in a few more moments anyway, even though Wei Wuxian is doing his best to scramble . . .

snap. snap. snap]

[strikingchords]

Wei Ying!

[it's nearly an actual yell, though Wei Wuxian might not hear it in his panic]