angryhearts | The return

The return

WHO: novel!Lan Wangji and you! ota to everyone

WHAT: Lan Wangji returned home for a canon update. He disappeared Friday to Sunday, returns Sunday afternoon (July 5th). The first prompt, he has no memory of the place. The second prompt, he remembers everything and he's drunk. The third is a wildcard after everything else.

WHEN: Sunday afternoon to Tuesday, July 5 to 7

WHERE: All over the hotel

NOTES: Emotions, depression, more to be added

I. Casino lobby, Sunday afternoon, July 5th
He had a strange dream. A man wearing a white suit and a white rabbit mask. He followed him to the mirror and upon entering it, there was darkness and then he woke up in a padded box, in a strange hotel.

What is this place? The natives call it Wonderland. Some of the staff recognized him and said, Welcome back, Wangji, it's been a while. How have you been? But he doesn't remember them or being here at all, and becomes annoyed at their friendly greeting when they didn't give him the answers as to why he is here. He frowned, this place took him here.

"..." Translation, where is Wei Ying? Where is everyone?

He wandered all over the usual places in frantic search.

II. Bar, Monday, July 6th
The memories of his previous stay came slamming back into him. Of course, Wei Wuxian is nowhere to be found.

Morose, dealing with the reality that he left Wei Wuxian back home with the others, and remember where he last left him in this place, the weight of his guilt becomes a heavy one. Wei Ying is gone.

While he doesn't drink, he can be found in a bar. The glass of his drink on the table is already empty, having drunk it down.

"..." Translation, Wei Ying.

III. Wildcard - July 7th and afterward
[Start your own starter basing on the scenarios above!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Once his eyes are 'closed,' he's ready to follow Lan Zhan's movements, keep track of which way he leaves the bar, at least. But what he doesn't expect, is the way he leans in, breath warm and lightly scented with alcohol, to all but tell him where he's going. He lets out a muffled laugh as he hears Lan Zhan's footsteps hurry away. Honestly, why didn't Lan Wangji drink more often?

He was still grinning as he continues his count, pulling his hands down the moment Lan Zhan is out of sight, if only so he can start to follow, making sure he's actually heading for the library, and it's not some silly misdirection.

"29... 30!" he calls out, hurrying after.

There is no misdirection. Lan Wangji in his heart's desire, has wanted Wei Wuxian to chase after him, to find him, and it's in the library with it's shelves of books is where he wanted to hide.

Lan Wangji slows down when he arrived in the library, or rather it's the biggest room in the hotel with it's collection of books. The room is lined with bookcases overflowing with books from one end to the other. There are tables with strewn about blank loose leafs, boxes of water colors, crayons, makrers, mediums for art, and passing them by, Lan Wangji takes a handful of blank pages and a box of color pencils and crayons.

Through the shelves, Lan Wangji goes deeper and deeper until he finds a empty, lonely corner with the sofas nest between the shelves. He sat there comfortably, waiting for Wei Wuxian to find him.

At this point, he isn't hiding. Now he's waiting. As he's waiting, he's drawing and sketching a picture.

He catches a flicker of white as he leaves the bar, but he lets Lan Wangji lead, following just close enough to make it fun.

"Lan Zhan!" he calls, "ready or not, you will be caught!"

His steps are light as he hurries along, eyes flicking about, searching for that familiar silhouette.

"Lan Zhaaaan!" his voice is a bit more hushed as he enters the library, but there's still laughter in his words. He walks slowly around the shelves, fingers trailing over tomes of all sizes.

"Where are you hiding?" he teases.

Lan Wangji was drawing a quick sketch of his house and the surrounding forest, with white and black rabbits that live with him in his home.

He waited until he heard his voice from afar. He waited a little longer until he sees Wei Ying passing by from further down the aisle. That was when he put his sketch down.

Then he got up, silently walk on the other side of the aisle opposite of him...

Only to turn around at the further end of the shelves and see the backside of him. He silently walks right up behind him...already planned for a playful sneak attack.

Then reached out to catch his hand to squeeze him briefly before letting go.

"I'm behind you, Wei Ying."

There was a smattering of papers and things, a trail he'd been following, watching from afar. The library itself was silent, except for his occasional calling out to Lan Wangji. So it was no surprise that he hardly noticed the quiet footsteps his prey managed, even while drunk.

So when he feels a hand wrap around his, and a voice from behind, no matter how familiar, he lets out a startled yelp and nearly jumps out of his skin.

"Lan Zhan!" he says, between breathy laughter, "that's not how the game works!"

With a quiet nod, not letting go of his hand. "I don't want to keep Wei Ying waiting. And anyway, you found me already. So please follow me."

Now that Wei Ying is here in the library, he tugs him gently toward to the back of the room where he was sitting and left his sketchbook and colored pencils.

"I want to give Wei Ying another picture."

"Alright, I found you," he grins a little, shaking his head. As long as Lan Zhan was having fun, the rules of the game hardly mattered. He follows along, unsure where he's being led, at least until he sees the little nest of papers and colored pencils.

"Oh, you want to draw? Why don't we do one together?" he suggested with a smile.

Leading Wei Ying to the back, he took a seat. There's another chair for Wei Ying to sit across from him over the table.

"All right together. I was drawing a picture of my home, the jingshi, and I was drawing a white rabbit and a black rabbit. That was us back home."

Picking the colored pencils, he managed the energy to draw and continue where he left off. While he is still lethargic from the alcohol he just drinks, he has some little clarity now that this Wei Ying is near. His presence is a comfort in the absence of the other one.

"What are you going to draw, Wei Ying?"

He takes the seat, looking over the drawing as Lan Zhan starts to work on it again. Wei Wuxian picks up one of the pencils, twirling it between his fingers.

"Oh, I see, that's you and that's me, right?" he nods, "mm, well then I think I should give the black one a nice jar of Emperor's Smile, and what should I give the little white one? A guqin maybe? A ribbon to wear on his forehead? Maybe both."

He leans forward enough to start sketching a little pot next to the black bunny. Oh, and a red ribbon would look nice around one of his floppy ears, he thought.

Lan Zhan was drawing in the details of the trees and flowers that surround his house. The picture and design of his Jingshi is very different than that of his soul twin. He drew the magnolia trees, the orchid flowers, and the cherry blossoms over the hills in Cloud Recess.

"Mn. Emperor smiles and guqin." He murmured under his drunken trance. "Ribbon around the forehead." He smiles when he adds in the details of the red ribbon.

But then he frowns, his expression is a blank. "No, this is the Wei Ying is the one I grew up with. Not you..." He said softly, trailing off because he doesn't want to hurt him. "But if it were you, then yes, it should be you. The black rabbit with the red ribbon."

"Good choice," he nods and starts scribbling in the details, switching between different colors, reds, light blues, and black, decorating Lan Zhan's carefully rendered drawing with his own details.

He has to bite his tongue when he realizes his mistake. Hearing Lan Zhan say 'us' just felt natural, part of their playing along. But it was a reminder that he didn't belong here. This wasn't his Lan Zhan, wasn't his place. But Lan Zhan is the one hurting now, missing the one closest to him.

"Oh, right!" he adds some extra cheer to his voice. "What else should I add for him? Maybe some lotus pods to nibble at later?"

He draws in the details in an effort to distract himself from his own pain and loneliness, which is an old wound, old grief. He was worried more for Wei Wuxian than he isn't comparable to his own, but deep down, he knows, that while the both of them are similar, like soultwins, he also knows that the both of them are different.

Quietly, "You may add lotus pods. Just like yourself, he loves to eat lotus seeds, either out of it or as candy."

Eventually, the picture is being drawn out and taken shape. Even though Lan Zhan is in pain, this is a picture that he and Wei Ying draw together to fill in the colors, the details, that to Lan Zhan, the picture itself holds special energy, like putting in their heart and soul into the picture.

As the picture is almost finished and it looks like a portrait, rich in details and color, while he is hurting and missing him. Lan Wangji felt the care and warmth that this one has for him.

So turning to him with gratitude, "Wei Wuxian, thank you. You may not realize it, but you saved me."

"Mm, right, of course he does. I think they're best when they're freshly picked, but candy is alright too," he nods, scribbling in a couple pods and their long stalks beside the rabbit. They probably preferred other sorts of greens, but for a Wei Wuxian bunny, it was just right.

He takes his time with the details, letting Lan Zhan fill in most of them, and only helping to color. The picture turns out surprisingly well for one of the participants being drunk, he thinks. What he doesn't expect though, is the heartfelt gratitude. He pats Lan Zhan's hand gently.

"No silly, that's you. You're always saving the day," he smiles, "but I'm here whenever you need me, okay?"

Seeing the picture, it comforts him. This is a picture that they made together. It's cute and Wei Ying helps complete it.

The moment their hand touches, almost like a quick reflex, he holds his hands, finger locking, and lacing, seeking his warmth. Looking into his eyes. He sees a very warm human, whom he holds special and dear in his heart. Of course, it's Wei Ying.

He wanted to smile back, but he couldn't. "Whenever I need you, really? Do you promise?"

"Oh-" he laughs a little when Lan Zhan takes his hand so suddenly, but he doesn't try to pull away, instead squeezing his hand lightly in return. His actions when drunk like this are so childish, it's hard not to want to indulge him.

Harder still to look away when he asks so sincerely. It's the alcohol talking, Wei Wuxian has to remind himself. And without his soul-twin here, Lan Zhan must truly be missing him. Maybe he's not quite the same person, but he'll do what he can to bring comfort.

"Of course, I promise," Lan Zhan was his friend, no matter what form he took.

He is quite right, he is missing him with a such a deep sadness that is unknown to many with his brother as the exception.

"Thank you..." Voice soft from the pain, but with gratitude. He gently squeezed his hand, not wanting to let go, but reluctantly and eventually he did. It's not just the warmth of his hands that lingers, but the warmth of his thoughts.

Even drunk, he is quite aware the other Wei Wuxian isn't the same person at all. Looking at the picture, "I think it's finished, Wei Ying. So I'm going to take this picture back to my room."

He's not used to being thanked so sincerely, and it still leaves him flustered, no matter how many nice things Lan Zhan says. He lets their fingers part, and isn't quite sure what to do with his hands without anything to fiddle with, but smiles all the same.

"A masterpiece, for certain," he nods, "why don't I walk with you?"

The last time he'd seen Lan Zhan drunk he'd had to drag him to bed half a dozen times before it finally stuck. The last thing he ought to let his friend do is try to wander back to his room alone.

With a nod, "You can walk with me later, but I'm not ready to leave yet. It's too early and I wanted to stay."

And furthermore, he wanted him to stay with him also, at least for a little while longer. If anything, going back to his room means spending the night alone which he will do so. Reluctantly.

Besides, he's holding onto Wei Ying's word. He still needs him here for a little while longer. "Let's draw another picture. Can we do so together...?"

"Oh, now it's Hanguang Jun telling me he wants to stay up late, how the tables have turned," he smiles, but stays in his seat.

"Guess I've no choice but to stay and watch over this delinquent," he reaches for a fresh piece of paper, then sets to shepherding a handful of pencils back from where they'd scattered.

"What shall we draw this time? A portrait maybe? I can draw Lan Zhan, and he can draw me, hm?" there were a dozen other things he wanted to ask, like what did A-Yuan look like now, or how had the Cloud Recesses changed, but Lan Zhan seemed to be doing a bit better, and it was best not to drag the mood by reminding him of all the things that were lost right now.

"Or is there something else you'd rather draw?"

"Yes, I want to stay up late. It's allowed. I will stay up because I want you to. Just for a while longer if you're willing. Don't think about rules for now."

His first night sleeping alone will be hard. Back home, it was easy. It was familiar territory. In Wonderland, it's different. He's back here again, he returned. Twice. If he returned back here, then that means there is unfinished business he must attend to eventually.

For now, a little longer being in Wei Ying's company to take the pain and his mind off and find a distraction.

"I'll draw anything Wei Ying asked me too. I show you my home, so I could draw portraits of us and also people you know back in my home, then I can show you what they look like."

"I guess we're both allowed to break as many rules as we want here, hm?" he gives a short laugh, pushing paper across the table toward Lan Wangji. When would he get another chance to play with a drunk Lan Zhan, after all?

"Oh? You can draw things you like too Lan Zhan," he teases good-naturedly, tapping his pencil on the paper.

"But I can't refuse such a tempting offer. Hmm... why don't you draw me your students then. I met them briefly, at Mo manor, but I want to know what they look like in your world, okay?"

Drunkenly, speech slightly slurred as the alcohol is really kicking into his system. "Mn. As many rules..." He said, in a dreamy tone, dazed and tipsy from the alcohol.

Looking at the paper, he picks up the color pencils and start drawing the juniors, and then write their names. Albeit might be sloppy but recognizable as he draws and doodles.

The juniors definitely look different. Probably cuter. "That's one Sizhui. It's A-Yuan. This one is Jing Yi, his best friend. And this one is Jin Ling. Sizhui is the cute one, he's my son and yours as well."

He then draws in rabbits around them. "The rabbits like to play with them. I will bury them in a pile because they're children."

He has to bite the inside of his cheek to stifle laughter as Lan Zhan slurs. It's so childish and cute, he can't help reaching out a hand to pat his head gently as he starts to draw.

It's hard to say how different the juniors look from the ones he'd met, since he'd only seen them the one time. But the caricatures are adorable, and Wei Wuxian ends up propping his head in his hands as Lan Zhan tells him about each one.

"You're right, A-Yuan is definitely the cutest," he nods along, shifting so he can sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Lan Zhan.

"How about the rabbits, did you name them too?"

Lan Wangji is happy when he pats him on the head. "I named a few, the black one with the red ribbon is...Wei Ying...no, I mean his name is Daiyun. The while rabbit is Ten Miles."

Lan Wangji then proceeds to speak in drunken whispers and mumbles afterward, and his sketchings and doodles become scribbles. He swayed side to side.

Once the drawing is done, he settled his color pencil down and then curls up on Wei Ying's lap like a ball, and in his mind, he pretend to be a rabbit. Would Wei Ying pat him again?

"I want to stay here with Wei Ying and Wei Ying to stay with me. Can Wei Ying do that again?"

He nods at the names, smiling in turn and trying to commit each to memory. Lan Zhan is much better at naming pets, he thinks, far better than Jiang Cheng. It's fun to watch the drawings devolve into wobbly doodles and illegible scribbles. He hopes he can keep the papers, even if they're silly, he likes this side of Lan Zhan too.

As Lan Zhan lays his head into Wei Wuxian's lap, he can't help but laugh, soft and pleased. He had promised, after all, to be here when Lan Zhan needed him. And even if this wasn't his Lan Zhan, it was impossible not to feel attached, to enjoy his presence in every little moment like this.

"We can stay. As long as you want, I promised," he pats Lan Zhan's head again gently, then lets his fingers start to comb through his silky hair, repeating the motion as if Lan Zhan really were a giant bunny, just waiting to be petted.

"Like that?" he asks with a smile.

The return

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