[sidereal - the dreaming]

[laughitoff]

[for MDZS AU plot-related shenanigans]

Comments

[strikingchords]

...

[he gentles his voice a little, though there's no helping his blank face, as usual]

Do not be afraid.

[laughitoff]

I'm not--!

[he is]

[strikingchords]

[ignores that]

They will not come close.

[laughitoff]

[whines, not unlike a puppy himself]

[strikingchords]

[softer still]

Wei Ying.

[laughitoff]

They'll bite me. They'll come back and they'll run in and they'll bite me--!

[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]