The Dark's Light

drying

Once they were inside the Cloud Recesses, and among friends, at no risk for danger, Lan Wangji's overprotective nature reared its head much more clearly than Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren had seen before, or even expected given their location. It was quite odd, given the fact that Lan Wangji did not have to worry of them being attacked or kidnapped whilst within the Cloud Recesses. Though it was obvious that being in the Cloud Recesses did both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan much good, even if it had only been bit a few seconds, Lan Zhan was much more cautious, and wary. Neither Lan Xichen, nor the great Lan Qiren could make sense of this. They were in the Cloud Recesses. Nobody within would dare attack either Lan Zhan alone, or even Wei Ying, or either of them while they were together for that matter, it made no sense that Lan Wangji would be so much more protective and wary than he had been outside.

Yet he was. His dark eyes were darting about watching everyone and everything around him, a small frown on his lips when they ran into people finally, after having ascended the staircase and reached the main ground. He even grabbed Wei Wuxian, who had been hopping a few steps in front of Lan Zhan, by his waist and gently pulled him into his side. Wei Ying simply went with it, a small smile on his lips as Lan Zhan made such a daring move. 

It was...interesting to see. Sure, Lan Xichen had seen Wei Ying get flustered before, and even Lan Zhan, though Wei Ying was much easier to notice when he was flustered. It became quite obvious after all. Not to mention it had happened far more often than any would dare admit when the youth had gone through the teachings of Lan Qiren. Every single time was because of Lan Zhan, though Lan Xiche never really doubted that was by coincidence. As such, it was even more interesting to watch and see how things played out between the two. It was also curious to see the opposite. How Wei Ying seemed to have such a drastic effect on his baby brother. 

Drastic he did, there was little doubt about it. Lan Zhan had gotten into more trouble during Wei Ying's time spent at the Cloud recesses than he had the previous 17 years of his life. To see such things was unexpected, and yet half of the time Lan Zhan had not shown actual regret that he had broken the rules. Sometimes, yes, but a majority of the time the regret normally there was absent. Sure, Lan Zhan had showed guilt for having broken the rules of the Gusulan clan, but not actual regret.

If Lan Xichen was honest, it was also nice to see his brother loosen up at least a little bit during Wei Ying's stay as well. If it was only for a little bit of time. The other had always been so terribly secluded, especially after their mother's death, and so introverted it hurt Lann Xichen to see, and so when he had caught the sight of Wei Ying, the other seemed to somehow manage to pull such delicious reactions, some which were so obvious, which Lan Xichen had never seen from his brother before. It was such an amazing sight to see, and Lan Xichen never tired of it. Not to mention it was the perfect opportunity to tease his younger brother as well. Opportunity to tease Lan Zhan was rare.

Call him cruel, but he found it nice to see Lan Wangji act human every once in a while. Not that he was untouchable by mere humans, but, sometimes, Lan Zhan held everything so deep within himself it was impossible to see him as anything but an ethereal being unconcerned with the matters of mere mortals. Not to mention, he was normally so difficult to read, and even now, he was still so hard to get a good reading on. Wei Ying pulled at strings none had managed to get to.

Lan Qiren almost wept when he saw Lan Zhan pull Wei Ying to his pelvis, and latch onto the youth, wrapping his arm just above the hip bones, fingers curling around the side of his pelvis and digging themselves into the younger's flesh by his hips. It was so...possessive...such a bold action for anyone, especially coming from his dear Lan Wangji...

Yet it was also more then that, and Lan Qiren was not stupid enough now to not see it. Not with the amount of achingly exhausting reflection that he had done during their time getting to the Cloud Recesses, and the actions of Wei Ying, and Lan Zhan, and the both of them. He knew for a fact that if he had not prepared himself by reflecting on what he had remembered of the two's interactions and the current interactions that they had given during their journey he would have been more than just shocked. He would have probably have fainted in horror at such a bold move. A move, which was so obvious in its intent. 

It was also a claim, a very clear, very obvious one to anyone who had eyes to see. A claim which was done in the middle of the Cloud Recesses, with tons of disciples and members of the sect looking on them. Lan Zhan would have never dared to do such a thing before, so Lan Qiren was then forced to think of the fact that perhaps Wei Ying's disappearance had done more than just have an affect on Wei Ying himself. It had clearly changed his dearest nephew as well.

 Given the smaller smile which Wei Ying gave the feeling of Lan Zhan's fingers tightening on his hips and arm flexing to keep him at his side forcibly when he moved to greet some of the disciples, he was fully aware of it too, despite his reputation of sometimes being a bit oblivious, and he was most certainly not in the least upset.