[sidereal - the dreaming]

[laughitoff]

[for MDZS AU plot-related shenanigans]

Comments

[strikingchords]

[wriggles his hand loose and starts to work on the lock on the other side





after a couple of tries he just infuses enough spiritual energy into his hand that he can crush it and pull it loose :| DOES THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES TILL HE CAN SIT UP]

[laughitoff]

[he's found one of the bigger red marbles to perch on while Lan Wangji does that]

[strikingchords]

[lights a fire talisman in his hand once he's free and finally looks around...

they're in a tunnel underground that heads east-west under the mountain surface. it's fairly even except for the spot they're in, which is a bigger, rougher circle in the middle of the tube. it could be to accomodate the chain-net trap, but it also looks a little like something crashed down here and made a hole.

that impression is reinforced by the heap of gold and red marbles that he was laying on top of. they're concentrated most in the middle of the circle, but they spray haphazardly out into the tunnel on either side, as if someone poured a giant bucket of them out in the center and watched as they bounced away across the floor.

picks one up curiously, now that he can see them properly...]

[laughitoff]

[it feels warm and curiously vital under his fingers, but also oddly faded]

[strikingchords]

[is there any difference between the red and gold?]

[laughitoff]

[the pulse in the red is stronger and the energy in it has a feverish feel.]

[strikingchords]

[...

he frowns and retrieves his guqin and the spirit-trapping pouch with the couple in it. his arm is already less painful, fortunately; without having to worry about Wei Wuxian in his head temporarily he's healing himself as fast as he can.

Are these yours as well? What are they?]

[laughitoff]

[no is the first answer. when they try to answer the second his guqin just

goes dead

like it still looks fine and it's working as it should but the notes just stop and his vision goes bad when he tries to sightread from the strings]

[strikingchords]

[...frowns deeper

Why can't you answer?]

[laughitoff]

[this is not your dream

this is not your nightmare]

[strikingchords]

[...goes very still...]

[laughitoff]

[the couple rests on the last string they landed on, quivering. Wei Wuxian has long since turned away to scan the tunnels]

[strikingchords]

[My thanks. Which way?

he'll put everything away again and stand up once they've answered, if they can.]

[laughitoff]

[our heads lie west]

[strikingchords]

[all right.

after finishing up with the couple he moves over to where Wei Wuxian is, and kneels down]

Wei Ying.

[...

extends a hand palm-up to him, a convenient stepping stone]

[laughitoff]

[looks at him for a very long time through that one expressionless paper eye, before stepping on]

[strikingchords]

[brings him up to eye level so they can look at each other better. gravely, after another pause to sort through his words]

I was unclear.

[laughitoff]

[folds his tiny paper arms and turns away again

no talk me im angy]

[strikingchords]

[i should not be thinking "no that's cute" in this situation but there it is, my taste is terrible. softens a little]

I will try once more, by your leave.

[laughitoff]

[. . .





peeks back over his own shoulder, just a little]

[strikingchords]

[looks at him, the flicker of amusement fallen away again but the invisible-from-the-outside warmth still present. it takes him a minute, finding and bringing the words very carefully to place between them, as if from a great distance]

I prefer to be here if you are.

[laughitoff]

[makes a tiny angry jabbing gesture at his head, his hurt arm, his ribs]

[strikingchords]

[...

rests a fingertip from his other hand on his paper head so-delicately for a moment to stop him gesturing]

Wei Ying.

[laughitoff]

[pokes his finger fussily instead]

[strikingchords]

[a touch dry, but the corners of his eyes are still unexpectedly soft. doesn't poke back, but leaves his finger there.]

...

...

Does one hundred steps laugh at fifty steps?