The Dark's Light

Lan Zhan

Wei Ying, Lan Zhan, Lan Xichen, and Lan Qiren were all sleeping. They had stopped about 3/4th of the way to the Cloud Recesses, deciding that sleeping now would be better than attempting to get to the Cloud Recesses before 5 PM, which was not only unlikely, but almost impossible. As such, they had stopped in a nearby town, rented four rooms, one for each of them, and after dinner they all slept soundly. Though Wei Ying was loathe to stop, and did not really have much of an appetite, he knew that it was for the best to pretend that he was fine. Go up to his room and try to get some decent sleep. He knew that it would come, hopefully, given that Lan Zhan was nearby. 

Or not. It was not exactly unusual for Wei Ying to have nightmares, it happened often enough even before he was taken by the Wen Clan and had been tortured, and thrown to the burial mounds. Now, the nightmares were only worse. His torture had changed him, the burial mounds had also changed him. As much as Wei Ying worked to convince his sister and brother that this was not the case, he could not lie to himself and he knew that Lan Zhan had noticed something was off with him. He was not that delusional to attempt to prove to himself that nothing had changed, because, things had changed. Everything had changed. He was different, the people around him had also changed. His view of them had been altered as well as their view of him. Not only was it not difficult to see, it was almost impossible to ignore. 

Needless to say, the scream of pure, unadulterated agony which ripped itself from Wei Ying's throat amidst the throes of sleep was one of these things which had changed. Whilst before his nightmares had always been fairly bad, Wei Ying was always able to keep them contained. He rarely had called out in torment during his nightmares, but the things which he had gone through at the hands of the Wen Clan had changed many things, that being merely one of them. 

Moments later, Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren, and Lan Wangji had rushed from their rooms around the inn, to race into his upon having heard his screams. Anxiousness resting upon their features, Xichen moved to tell the Inn Owner not to send anyone near the rooms upstairs, knowing this could take a bit of time to help settle Wei WuXian down, and that they would need silence for such an endeavor. Also knowing it would cause curiosity among the villagers and the others within the inn, but with his orders, and as one of the Jade Twins, Lan XiChen knew that he would be obeyed without question, his reputation preceding himself.

Amongst returning to Wei Ying's room, XiChen saw Lord Qiren attempting to wake him, but all that did was make the situation worse. The moment that his Uncle had grabbed Wei WuXian in an attempt to wake him, the other had furiously lashed out, almost striking his Uncle. Lan Xichen rushed forward and pulled his uncle away from Wei Ying knowing that his uncle would not do so himself. His uncle looked absolutely furious for multiple reasons and Lan XiChen hesitated to even count them, but before XiChen could say anything to ease his Uncle's anger, Wei Ying had curled in on himself, whispering something over and over and over againa.

"Lan Zhan," 

The tortured whisper left Wei Ying's chapped lips forcefully, and hit the hearts of all in the room. The way that he had said it. So, so utterly vulnerable, the words shaking, timid, and fearful. They could barely comprehend what was going on. Yet, Lan Zhan, despite not really knowing what was happening, not fully comprehending the situation, had rushed over to the other's side, softly caressing his cheeks and jawline. Another agonized 'lan zhan' left the younger's lips, and Lan Zhan hummed softly. A song leaving his lips, one which neither Xichen nor Lord Qiren remembered. Not only could they not remember having ever taught Lan Wangji this song, they could not even grasp a time which they had heard it before. The melody escaping their minds. Yet, Wei Ying seemed to be infinitely familiar with it.

Lan Zhan moved, sitting besides Wei Ying's bed, on the floor comfortably, stroking the others face softly, humming an unknown melody. Wei Ying sighed, leaning into Lan Zhan's touch, eyelids fluttering, still closed. The 'lan zhan' which he uttered softly now was not a pained whisper, but one of relief, contentment, and filled with such deep emotion Lord Qiren and Lan Xichen felt uncomfortable having heard it spoken softly between these two. Wei Ying soon reached out to grab Lan Zhan's arm, in response Lan Zhan stopped touching him hand floating above the other's face, watching idly as Wei Ying curled both his arms around Lan Zhan's one, fingers gripping the fabric of his sleeve. Not a moment later Lan Zhan smiled lightly, lips twitching upward, eyes soft, and began once more calmly stroking his cheeks and temples, once more humming that unfamiliar tune.

Upon seeing that Lan Zhan seemed perfectly happy to spend the rest of the night in the room with Wei Ying, Lord Qiren and Lan Xichen closed the door, quietly so as not to disturb the two, and breathed out shakily. Neither could understand what had happened. The tune in which Lan Zhan was humming seemed as though Wei Ying was not only familiar with it, but that he recognized Lan Zhan immediately when he had begun humming it. Which left the only conclusion that the two had been together when Lan Zhan first composed it, or that a special circumstance had happened to the both of them, in which this song was played. It had such a deep, emotional, and profound effect on both boys. Not only that, neither of them were used to hearing such emotional responses from Wei Ying. Taunting, teasing, messing around, yes, but the tone he had used in that room, not so much. Even further surprising was the disregard Lan Zhan held for the other two in the room, going to comfort Wei Ying the moment his name had been spoken. No hesitation whatsoever in his stride as he had done so. The smile on his lips, and the soft emotion in his eyes telling far more than anything else.

The two would not interfere. They would not dare. Sure, it was...unconventional, but at the same time the emotion was obvious. Neither would feel right about interfering.