lonelydream | INBOX (for eastbound)

It isn't far from you, if you're staying in the same residence.

[ As Wen Kexing, that is. He doesn't want to assume but it would make sense for his friend to hang onto Zhou Zishu with teeth and claws. After sending the directions, the tea-room will eventually reveal itself as belonging to a pleasant tavern and be their most expensive one to rent, a by-way of showing respect to Xichen's guest (is this all pre-planned out of good manners? Maybe). ]

See you soon. Contact me if you need further assistance and I will come and find you.

My thanks to Master Lan. I shall be there momentarily.

[ Dressed in the usual affluent style he has reclaimed since entering this realm post-jungle, Xichen awaits Zhou Zishu in a pile of whites and blues with only his headband and silver guan from home in tow. If there is a dragon (or two) among the embroidery on his robes, they breathe clouds and not fire.

When his guest arrives, he rises smoothly from the table where the tea is already arranged to be served and bows politely, a small but warm smile in place. ]

Thank you for coming, the honour of making your acquaintance is mine. Please, sit.

[ Zhou Zishu, for his part, decided to don the blue robes he'd arrived in, the jade stick Lan Xichen no doubt recognizes the only ornament in his hair. He cups his fist in response, greeting the other man with a bow of his own and showing more respect than he has to anyone else since arriving. Courtly manners, nearly. ]

Master Lan honors this Zishu.

[ His first impression of Zhou Zishu is unnervingly pleasant, inexplicably seeing small echoes of himself in the man. He gestures for him to join Xichen at the table and pours him a cup of tea first with all the poise that represents his sect, an intrigued mild smile lingering as he glances him over. ]

A-Xing only spoke of you recently, but it seems it was good fortune that he did for you joined us shortly after. His tempting of fate remains unmatched.

[ A-Xing he says, and Zishu's surprise is only betrayed by a slight lifting of his brows as he settles into place, back straight. ]

Has he been doing much of that here? Tempting fate.

[ As for what he's been saying... Zishu doesn't really care to guess. He takes the tea with both hands, lifting the cup to toast his host before he sips from it. ]

[ He isn't sure he could hold off from lapsing into calling Wen Kexing a-Xing, so he doesn't bother, giving it a moment to sink in (Wangji will Not Like It(TM) when he discovers Xichen is refusing to hide his fondness for the man but frankly Wangji is not behaving as a decorous Jade either, so). ]

Arguing with the ghosts of these realms finally caught up with him. [ In a dramatic, explosive way that left Wen Kexing crying on Xichen's lap. ] At best they are parodies of themselves to be bargained with, at worst ...

Well. [ No need to go into that. Horrors need no real description, so he clears his throat slightly and moves on. ]

I was about to ask him to live with me once again before you arrived. Now I'm glad to hear he has you to rely on, given how highly he esteems you.

[ To put it politely. ]

[ The expression on his face shifts minutely into something more shuttered, more closed off, though the faint smile doesn't fade. ]

To live together? Master Lan is closer with him than I thought, though I was glad to hear he had a friend here to support him. Wen Kexing is far less a solitary creature than he likes to think himself.

You have me at a disadvantage, though, being familiar with this place, the people here, and Lao Wen's place in this world. This Zishu begs Master Lan's guidance and forgiveness for his ignorance. These ghosts--they are a common problem? I faced one myself when I arrived, though I don't seem to have seen any since.

He is my closest friend.

[ It was not a friendship he sought out but was rather bullied into, in the best way possible when he needed it the most.

Acquiescing with a nod, he shifts the topic as requested. ]

When I first arrived, I was tormented nearly every night by a creature who would be unspeakably cruel. The dead do walk here but it is the spirits who manifest the most evil: one of these encountered our mutual acquaintance. These kinds are rare but powerful. My golden core is not insubstantial and even I could not fend off mine, so I suspected the same kind of harassment had occurred when Wen Kexing reached out to me in distress. I sealed his room and stayed with him until he could sleep again.

This was some weeks ago, now.

[ He turns that over in his mind, and then exhales. ]

Lao Wen.

[ It's soft, though, quiet. Not really meant to be overheard. It's a little surprising that Wen Kexing would reach out, though, even to a close friend, and Zishu finds himself vaguely regretful that he wasn't here. He should have been the one to help, the way Wen Kexing soothed his own nightmares away. ]

Thank you. If there is anything Zishu can do as recompense...?

[ Ultimately, he can't bring himself to resent the man sitting before him. Better that Wen Kexing had someone to help, someone he could trust in, than to face his troubles alone. ]

[ Xichen's smile warms and he shakes his head at the kind offer. ]

I would protect him whether I knew he had someone to return to or not.

[ The hairstick Zhou Zishu wears tells Xichen all he needs to know about how Wen Kexing feels for his zhiji. He thinks back to the little stone house in the jungle, decorated in overflowing hanging baskets of white flowers that Xichen tended, two beds neatly set beside each other after he scolded Wen Kexing for living outside like a hermit, and the simple wooden hairstick he carved for himself as he began to care once again about his appearance as a result of the constant, cheerful company. He can still feel that hairstick in his sleeve, secreted away like a prized possession in case this realm shifts again and he does not have time to look elsewhere for it.

He is like a spare accessory, he supposes, and it doesn't feel like more than a bruise on his heart. Xichen is so happy that Wen Kexing is already loved. ]

As I said, he is my friend.

[ He shifts to the side and kneels up, bringing his hands together in front of him to bow deeply. This is not a greeting sort of bow, but one of deep respect and gratefulness. ]

It sounds as though Master Lan has done more for Wen Kexing than simple friendship could account for, taking care of him when this one could not.

[ Never mind that Wen Kexing is more often the one who takes care of Zhou Zishu. ]

I do not know how much of his past Lao Wen has shared with Master Lan, but it must be clear how precious few people he can truly call friend. Master Lan must be someone quite extraordinary, to be counted among them..

[ He does not raise a hand to wave away the genuine gratitude although he wants to, mildly embarrassed as if he has overstepped somehow (having felt that way since Wen Kexing cried over his sick zhiji). Instead he only nods deeply in response to accept it, swallowing his own insecurities to remain a gracious recipient (not everyone can get away with speaking their mind like Wangji) since he really does like Zhou Zishu the longer they talk and wants him to feel at ease. ]

In truth, he saved me, so I will owe him for as long as I live. It's merely that.

That is something we have in common. Before I met him, I had no desire to live. Now...

Well. Fate has its way of playing with us all.

Perhaps that is why he persisted with me.

[ There's a soft joke at his own expense in there somewhere, but Xichen is too tired of being sad to dwell on it beyond acknowledgment. He pours them more tea. ]

I'm glad he has you. I was worried you would not care for him or take advantage of his kindness, so I apologise for my concerns. I can see Zhou Zishu is in fact exactly the man a-Xing painted him to be.

What has he been saying about me? [ He shakes his head, lifting the cup for another sip. ] You shouldn't believe him. He says the most outrageous things, most of which are terribly untrue.

[ Zishu blinks slowly, looking down at the shimmer of his tea. He doesn't even realize that his tone has shifted into something softer, warmer when he continues speaking. ]

Lao Wen is-- He is overly complimentary, when it comes to me, especially because he finds my reactions entertaining. But he does not mean anything ill by it, and it makes him happy to tease.

I know.

[ His smile quirks. ]

He is extravagant and embellishes whatever he can to make the world a more colourful place, it is one of his more charming habits.

[ Xichen tilts his head at his own teacup thoughtfully. ]

He doesn't lie about his opinion of people, however, so I should have known to curb my concerns and take him at his word. There is a sweetness to him though, feral and rascally as he likes to appear, and I feared he was being taken advantage of.

[ That makes him smile, a small, soft thing that curves the corners of his thin lips. He should, perhaps, feel insulted--but Lan Xichen did not know him beyond what Wen Kexing has said, did not know what sort of man he is, still doesn't really, and was worried out of true concern for Wen Kexing. Zhou Zishu cannot begrudge him that. Zishu won't thank him again; that will get old quickly, but he's grateful all the same. ]

He is not always the best judge of people, but it is rarely because he trusts those he should not. What else can I do to assuage your uncertainties? If Master Lan has other questions, Zishu will answer what he can.

[ Within reason. ]

[ He did intend to ask something, to be far more forward than he has a right (Will you adore him? Will you keep him safe? Will you give him every reason to laugh?). Wen Kexing has been agonising over his love not being returned by this man, he has wailed about it and truly been miserable at the prospect ... but as Zhou Zishu sits before the Gusu sect leader, Xichen doesn't think Wen Kexing has much to worry about. ]

I would not presume, all seems to be in order. However, if there are questions you have, I am at your service.

[ Also within reason. ]

Then, if Master Lan will allow Zishu to be presumptuous... I would like to know more about your sect. I don't know how much Lao Wen has told you, but from what he's said, it seems as though we hail from similar, yet different worlds. I do not know of Gusu Lan, and it seems as though I should. And, more selfishly, I would like to know more about Master Lan, and the man that Lao Wen values so highly.

[ That's fair, given he waded into their life with his business. ]

My sect lives at the top of a mountain in Cloud Recesses to the far East, it is somewhat inaccessible during winter and we host other sect's heirs for lectures in the summer. We are descended from monks but despite what a-Xing may hint about our many rules, we are not monks ourselves.

[ Imagine Wen Kexing's joy, his amused expression says, when he learned of there being nearly 4000 rules to make fun of. Endless entertainment, yet Xichen has never taken it unkindly meant. ]

My brother is Lan Wangji, married to Wei Wuxian, and my nephew is Lan Sizhui. All of them are present in this realm.

Young Master Lan-- ah, Lan Wangji, that is. He and Lao Wen don't seem to get along particularly well.

[ He saw what happened in the responses to the notice Wen Kexing posted. His voice goes slightly wistful when he goes on, though: ]

My own sect was in the mountains--Four Seasons, for the ever-blooming flowers on our lands.

[ The flowers blossom in all four seasons, knowing everything in the world. He exhales slowly. Information for information. ]

I don't know whether congratulations are appropriate, that you have family here. It seems a difficult place for that.

Four Seasons sounds very beautiful.

[ Jinlintai was a little like that with flowers constantly in bloom, though they were simply gardened intensely and groomed for show like the rest of that place. He can no longer bear to go there. ]

Ah ... [ Xichen wondered how long the topic of his brother's beef with Wen Kexing could be avoided. ] I was a broken man before I came here, my brother saw that. He is very protective of me as a result, for which I cannot fault him.

[ It is currently the only thing he is not displeased with Wangji about, at the moment. ]

His husband is very similar in gaiety and cleverness to a-Xing, so it is not that he takes issue with him on a personal note. It is ... likely that I showed such favour that Wangji raised his standards so drastically. [ Here, he bows forward just to underline his regret. ] I apologise for his behaviour and beg lenience for his fraternal piety, which is meant in good faith to me.

I can't fault him for that--and I am glad it seems you are happier, now.

[ Wen Kexing does that for people. Zishu just has a hard time with people who so clearly have A Problem with Wen Kexing, nevermind that he himself was one of them. What a difference time makes, that Zishu went from finding Wen Kexing incredibly irritating to incredibly entertaining. Still irritating, but in an entertaining way. He can't imagine his life without Lao Wen at his side. ]

Thank you.

[ Xichen does not want anyone taking issue with Wangji, as much as he allows himself to be annoyed with his little brother sometimes. He hopes he will not have to choose sides because he will always have to choose Wangji, as his brother must know; it is already a strain between them, that Xichen will not give up Wen Kexing to please him. ]

I am better than I was.

[ He cannot say he is happy, not when people he cares for tend to slip through his fingers like grains of sand. Already, he misses the barrage of noise in his life that was Wen Kexing before Zhou Zishu arrived, but.

But Xichen is already trying to bow out with grace, without causing ripples. What else by way of lasting good can he do? ]

Sect Leader Jiang Wanyin of Yunmeng Jiang is also here, if he seems confrontational he is not. It is just his way. He is a good man and martial brother of Wei Wuxian.

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