[That's a fair point, and Lan Wangji inclines his head a little to acknowledge it, even though that mostly means he's resting his cheek against Wei Wuxian's head.]
I can ask Haku to join them. With an escort. [Naturally. Haku was raised very differently from the Yiling kids, and he could likely help protect them--but he is also still a child himself, and Lan Wangji can't help but worry that the state of the city is only going to get worse before it gets better. It would be a worry and a relief all at once, much like it is for Wei Wuxian.
He doesn't sigh, but he tightens his hold on Wei Wuxian, securing both of them just a little more.]
[He hums a little, considering the possibility and guessing that it's being suggested for similar reasons that Baren had suggested sending Okuni along. Extra protection for all parties involved.]
That might be for the best.
[Quietly. The safer this group is, the better - an extra trained kid that's already friends with a few of his and another escort could do the group some good.
He shifts a little in Lan Wangji's hold at the question though, moving so he can look up at as much of his face as possible while he talks without sacrificing too much of this comforting hold.]
—Done by the same person who's behind the coffee shop murders, I would say. What do you think?
[He'll do that when he returns to the Mori household, then; it's something to ask of Haku in person, not over the telephone.
Lan Wangji moves naturally with him, as if accommodating Wei Wuxian's presence in his space is something he was made to do, no timidness or shyness involved. Probably, it shouldn't be as easy as it is--but then, they've revolved around each other for so long. He's done pretending he doesn't want Wei Wuxian as close to him as possible, always.]
Shinobu thought so as well. [He probably mentioned briefly that they went to look into things, but little beyond that, since he's been busy MAKING SURE WEI WUXIAN'S KENTUCKY-FRIED LUNGS DON'T CRUMBLE TO ASH BECAUSE HE WON'T SIT DOWN. Well, no time like the present.] She believes it is a Xian Le, or former, who is working to take down the family.
He doesn't seem surprised by that, though. He'd kept quiet partially because his attention has been pulled in so many directions since that day and partially out of respect for Shinobu. Neutral as they are, Lan Wangji is still the right hand of the "opposing" family - but he supposes the times for keeping information cut off have long since ended.]
Mm. She mentioned that she's heard a little about him, but her leads were cut off. [McMurdered... After a beat:] We're going to look for him. Rather - we're going to see if we can find anyone who might still have some information.
But it's perfectly fair logic. Even now, he's a little surprised she chose to share that information with him--but he remembers how she reacted when he came to her with a baby in his arms. Even before that, she'd trusted him enough to share, not only a report of what happened with Okuni, but her own frustrations and struggles with helplessness. In turn, he has trusted her with the lives of their most vulnerable.
They no longer have the luxury of caution. The actions of the kidnappers, and the traitor especially, have affected the entire town--it could just have easily been their people caught in the fire, and Lan Wangji has never been the type to wish misfortune on others purely because of family ties anyway.]
A man with long hair. [Which means... virtually nothing, given the size of their town. He's been trying to think, in the few moments he's been able to spare, but he is, somewhat ironically, too close to Chuuya to know as much about the Xian Le as he'd like. Lan Wangji's only ever cared to know if movements were being made against the Mori in particular--anything else was not his concern.
He lets his hand drop from Wei Wuxian's hair, then, though he keeps his arms wrapped around him. He's not exactly happy to hear it, but he trusts Wei Wuxian, and if Shinobu agreed to it even knowing the state of him, well... who is he to argue with a doctor? (Though, privately, he thinks her frustration and fear have more to do with this judgment call than anything else, but it's not like he can blame her.)]
How can I help? [Mostly, he's been trying to check in on his own people, but it doesn't feel like enough. His own words (to Shinobu, no less), are coming back to bite him now.]
[His hum is soft and neutral. He leans back a little as Lan Wangji shifts his arms, leans back enough that he can look at his face properly. "How can I help", he asks, and Wei Wuxian honestly doesn't have an answer to give. His eyes dart across Lan Wangji's face like he's trying to find a good reply hiding there. He could never get tired of looking at him, anyway.
A second later and his hands lift and move, move to cup Lan Wangji's face. His thumbs caress his cheeks, fingers gently fanning out over his ears, into his hair.]
—Just be here when I get back.
[From their excursion and whatever it may bring. Not even he can predict where things will go from this point, and the only reason the uncertainty doesn't knock him off balance is because he has Lan Wangji to hold onto.]
Hearing your opinion would be good, too. If we find a good lead, what do you think we should do? If it comes from a dangerous person, who should we bring them to? What if we find the traitor himself?
[Automatically, he leans into the touch, though he resists the urge to close his eyes. Instead, he savors the contact for a minute before he leans forward, resting his lips ever-so gently on Wei Wuxian's forehead. It's a barely-there touch, hardly enough to be called a kiss, but it's another sort of gesture he never would've permitted himself to make before. He's been trying not to let himself get too distracted by all these newfound wonders, but he can't help lingering, just for a moment. When he does pull back, he meets Wei Wuxian's gaze steadily, even if his ears are faintly pink from his own boldness.]
Always. [It's an easy promise to make, and he will do so over and over again, any time he has to.
It's--a much more difficult question than it once might've been, though. Loyalty would dictate that he suggest taking him to Chuuya, and it's telling that that isn't his immediate response. But he knows his boss, his friend, extremely well. Chuuya is a man who loves fiercely and wholeheartedly; he will do anything for his people, and he will do it with unwavering conviction. It's an admirable quality, but his passion is--not something he's willing to place Wei Wuxian in range of, for one thing. Especially not if Shinobu's there, too, and he isn't there to intervene.]
I believe the traitor may be connected to the kidnappings. [He can't say it with any real certainty, since he lacks the proof, but it's where his priorities are right now. He hasn't quite recovered from letting an entire truck of Mori children slip from his fingers--it's not a secret that that's where his attention's been.] Any information should be extracted by any means necessary.
[LET SHINOBU TORTURE.
After that, though...
Technically, this person is the Xian Le's to handle. But, again, their actions affected the city at large--wouldn't it be fair to bring them out into the open? At the same time, he has no sympathy for any of these people, and he has little faith in the general public to decide on a fate fitting for them.]
Would Xie Lian be capable of carrying out justice? [Could he kill someone dear to him, if he had to?]
[The smile he offers back is impossibly tender, even if he can't fully keep out the melancholy that's been steeping his bones lately. How did I get so lucky? He's asked himself that so many times, and he asks it again as his fingers gently trace over the shell of Lan Wangji's ears. Leaning forward, he peppers a few feather-soft kisses from cheek to cheek across the bridge of his nose.]
My good, good Lan Zhan. You really know exactly what to say to set my heart at ease.
[He really is too lucky. Too, too lucky, even with all of the misfortune around them.
He seems to be considering the last question, though. Turns the thought over in his head, careful in his examination. Eventually:]
—Okuni told me a few weeks ago that she's decided to have faith in Xie Lian. Faith that he'll do what needs to be done, whatever that might be. [And he understands the concerns Lan Wangji has, because he's had those same concerns before, too. Xie Lian's kindness is boundless in ways, and it's a strength but it's also a weakness. How can you trust someone to dole out appropriate punishment when their heart still bleeds for the kidnappers who have done so much damage? It's hard - it's hard. But he's seen the stony determination in Xie Lian himself, seen the rigid set of his jaw and the steel in his spine as he promised to do whatever it took, and so:]
[Lan Wangji does close his eyes, then, obligingly, but only for as long as he must. When he opens them again, his gaze is equally warm and tender, and it takes everything he has not to lean forward again and stay there, to do anything in his power to ease Wei Wuxian's mind until his thoughts are cleared of everything but the knowledge that he's loved.
Instead, Lan Wangji lifts a hand to rest at the base of Wei Wuxian's neck, keeping him close with a gentle weight.]
Then I trust your judgment. [I trust you. Words he doesn't need to say, because he does his best to prove it as much as he can.
If Wei Wuxian believes Xie Lian can do what must be done, then Lan Wangji will believe in him. Chuuya would be unhappy, of course, but... well. It's not like his loyalty to Wei Wuxian is anything like a surprise.]
[He really doesn't need to say them in this case, since Wei Wuxian understands perfectly well what he means. It tugs at his heart; he can't help but wonder over and over how, how did he get so very lucky? He turns his hand so he can stroke the side of Lan Wangji's face with his knuckles, soft and careful.]
I'm glad.
[Glad to have Lan Wangji's trust, glad to have the support that comes with it. He hopes their collective faith in Xie Lian will be enough to see them through.
After that, he lapses into silence for a second, expression devoid of whatever considerations may be running through his head. It's a tangled mess of what-ifs right now; he'd rather focus on nicer things, if only for a moment.]
—Ah, that reminds me. I had something else for you - I forgot to give it to you with everything that happened. Do you want it now or later?
[Cursed fuckin question to ask while he's sitting on Lan Wangji's lap.]
[The people who are devoted to Xie Lian, from what he's seen, are truly devoted. That kind of loyalty doesn't come from nowhere--it is not inherent in most people. It means that he's earned it, somehow, and if he wanted to, he could utilize that to form a formidable base of power. It's why Lan Wangji hasn't argued with Chuuya's concerns about exactly that, even if Xie Lian doesn't look like the type. (They never look like the type.)
Those are thoughts for another time, though. If Wei Wuxian wants to change the subject, he'll indulge him--EVEN WITH THIS CURSED FUCKIN QUESTION GOD.
After letting a plethora of vastly inappropriate responses pass unsaid--] Whichever you'd like.
[Which is probably "now" because Wei Wuxian has no patience, but that's fine. He's curious!!]
[He sure wouldn't argue that Xie Lian inspires loyalty and devotion for a reason. It may not be enough to draw in everyone, but his opinion of the people swayed this far for money are on the ground anyway, and it's not like he cares much about what they think of the family head one way or another.
But yeah wow it is now HOW DID HE GUESS. Wei Wuxian leans forward again, this time to place one kiss below each of his eyes. He holds Lan Wangji's face with a stupid amount of tenderness, which is reflected in his stupid expression even beyond the exhaustion. When will the bell crash through his roof and kill him.]
I'll give part of it to you now, in that case, but you have to promise me you won't look yet since the rest isn't done. Will you promise, Lan Zhan?
Which is what I personally would do, but unfortunately Lan Wangji just stares back at him in the nonverbal equivalent of "I love you more" "no I love you more" "no I love YOU more". AWFUL.]
[honestly same i wish i could reach through the screen and throttle this stupid asshole BUT UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT. So instead he just gets to keep making eyes at Lan Wangji. Disgostin.]
Good, good. Then-- [With RELUCTANCE, he pulls back a little. Just enough that he can reach into his shirt pocket and fish out a folded scrap of paper with a little heart scrawled on the outside in lazy loops. THEY'RE BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. He reaches for one of Lan Wangji's hands, pressing the paper into it gently.]
You can open it when I tell you to - later, alright? Until then, keep it with you.
[Still can't believe Wei Wuxian's giving him a note that says "butts" on it and nothing else
But Lan Wangji will take it gently, holding it as if it's something fragile and priceless. It takes a little maneuvering, but obediently he tucks it into his jacket pocket, though he looks a little curious.]
[That's fair enough. Lan Wangji can understand the sentiment, especially considering how private of a person he usually is. It's not like he ever tells Wei Wuxian "no" anyway, but still, he seems satisfied with that logic.]
Then I will wait until you are ready. [No matter how long that takes.]
[Being absolutely disgostin and a huge sap to boot, he leans forward after that so he can curl up more comfortably against Lan Wangji, butt-note successfully delivered. Hell yeah.]
Thank you, Lan Zhan. Have I told you yet today how good you are to me? You're too good.
But with that accomplished, Lan Wangji is free to let his hands settle back on Wei Wuxian's waist, keeping him steady. If this is the only way he can offer stability and support as the town, quite literally, burns around them, then he will do it without fail, until they have something as close to peace as they're ever going to get. (Then he will do it some more, because Wei Wuxian deserves no less than everything.)
He breathes out a soft laugh, a small, fond smile on his lips.]
Ridiculous. [He is no such thing. If anything, Wei Wuxian is the one who is too good, and Lan Wangji has his hands full simply trying to emulate him. But he can forgive Wei Wuxian for his total misunderstanding of the situation; he's never seen the value in himself that's so clear to Lan Wangji.]
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I can ask Haku to join them. With an escort. [Naturally. Haku was raised very differently from the Yiling kids, and he could likely help protect them--but he is also still a child himself, and Lan Wangji can't help but worry that the state of the city is only going to get worse before it gets better. It would be a worry and a relief all at once, much like it is for Wei Wuxian.
He doesn't sigh, but he tightens his hold on Wei Wuxian, securing both of them just a little more.]
What are your thoughts on the fire?
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That might be for the best.
[Quietly. The safer this group is, the better - an extra trained kid that's already friends with a few of his and another escort could do the group some good.
He shifts a little in Lan Wangji's hold at the question though, moving so he can look up at as much of his face as possible while he talks without sacrificing too much of this comforting hold.]
—Done by the same person who's behind the coffee shop murders, I would say. What do you think?
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Lan Wangji moves naturally with him, as if accommodating Wei Wuxian's presence in his space is something he was made to do, no timidness or shyness involved. Probably, it shouldn't be as easy as it is--but then, they've revolved around each other for so long. He's done pretending he doesn't want Wei Wuxian as close to him as possible, always.]
Shinobu thought so as well. [He probably mentioned briefly that they went to look into things, but little beyond that, since he's been busy MAKING SURE WEI WUXIAN'S KENTUCKY-FRIED LUNGS DON'T CRUMBLE TO ASH BECAUSE HE WON'T SIT DOWN. Well, no time like the present.] She believes it is a Xian Le, or former, who is working to take down the family.
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He doesn't seem surprised by that, though. He'd kept quiet partially because his attention has been pulled in so many directions since that day and partially out of respect for Shinobu. Neutral as they are, Lan Wangji is still the right hand of the "opposing" family - but he supposes the times for keeping information cut off have long since ended.]
Mm. She mentioned that she's heard a little about him, but her leads were cut off. [McMurdered... After a beat:] We're going to look for him. Rather - we're going to see if we can find anyone who might still have some information.
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But it's perfectly fair logic. Even now, he's a little surprised she chose to share that information with him--but he remembers how she reacted when he came to her with a baby in his arms. Even before that, she'd trusted him enough to share, not only a report of what happened with Okuni, but her own frustrations and struggles with helplessness. In turn, he has trusted her with the lives of their most vulnerable.
They no longer have the luxury of caution. The actions of the kidnappers, and the traitor especially, have affected the entire town--it could just have easily been their people caught in the fire, and Lan Wangji has never been the type to wish misfortune on others purely because of family ties anyway.]
A man with long hair. [Which means... virtually nothing, given the size of their town. He's been trying to think, in the few moments he's been able to spare, but he is, somewhat ironically, too close to Chuuya to know as much about the Xian Le as he'd like. Lan Wangji's only ever cared to know if movements were being made against the Mori in particular--anything else was not his concern.
He lets his hand drop from Wei Wuxian's hair, then, though he keeps his arms wrapped around him. He's not exactly happy to hear it, but he trusts Wei Wuxian, and if Shinobu agreed to it even knowing the state of him, well... who is he to argue with a doctor? (Though, privately, he thinks her frustration and fear have more to do with this judgment call than anything else, but it's not like he can blame her.)]
How can I help? [Mostly, he's been trying to check in on his own people, but it doesn't feel like enough. His own words (to Shinobu, no less), are coming back to bite him now.]
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[His hum is soft and neutral. He leans back a little as Lan Wangji shifts his arms, leans back enough that he can look at his face properly. "How can I help", he asks, and Wei Wuxian honestly doesn't have an answer to give. His eyes dart across Lan Wangji's face like he's trying to find a good reply hiding there. He could never get tired of looking at him, anyway.
A second later and his hands lift and move, move to cup Lan Wangji's face. His thumbs caress his cheeks, fingers gently fanning out over his ears, into his hair.]
—Just be here when I get back.
[From their excursion and whatever it may bring. Not even he can predict where things will go from this point, and the only reason the uncertainty doesn't knock him off balance is because he has Lan Wangji to hold onto.]
Hearing your opinion would be good, too. If we find a good lead, what do you think we should do? If it comes from a dangerous person, who should we bring them to? What if we find the traitor himself?
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Always. [It's an easy promise to make, and he will do so over and over again, any time he has to.
It's--a much more difficult question than it once might've been, though. Loyalty would dictate that he suggest taking him to Chuuya, and it's telling that that isn't his immediate response. But he knows his boss, his friend, extremely well. Chuuya is a man who loves fiercely and wholeheartedly; he will do anything for his people, and he will do it with unwavering conviction. It's an admirable quality, but his passion is--not something he's willing to place Wei Wuxian in range of, for one thing. Especially not if Shinobu's there, too, and he isn't there to intervene.]
I believe the traitor may be connected to the kidnappings. [He can't say it with any real certainty, since he lacks the proof, but it's where his priorities are right now. He hasn't quite recovered from letting an entire truck of Mori children slip from his fingers--it's not a secret that that's where his attention's been.] Any information should be extracted by any means necessary.
[LET SHINOBU TORTURE.
After that, though...
Technically, this person is the Xian Le's to handle. But, again, their actions affected the city at large--wouldn't it be fair to bring them out into the open? At the same time, he has no sympathy for any of these people, and he has little faith in the general public to decide on a fate fitting for them.]
Would Xie Lian be capable of carrying out justice? [Could he kill someone dear to him, if he had to?]
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My good, good Lan Zhan. You really know exactly what to say to set my heart at ease.
[He really is too lucky. Too, too lucky, even with all of the misfortune around them.
He seems to be considering the last question, though. Turns the thought over in his head, careful in his examination. Eventually:]
—Okuni told me a few weeks ago that she's decided to have faith in Xie Lian. Faith that he'll do what needs to be done, whatever that might be. [And he understands the concerns Lan Wangji has, because he's had those same concerns before, too. Xie Lian's kindness is boundless in ways, and it's a strength but it's also a weakness. How can you trust someone to dole out appropriate punishment when their heart still bleeds for the kidnappers who have done so much damage? It's hard - it's hard. But he's seen the stony determination in Xie Lian himself, seen the rigid set of his jaw and the steel in his spine as he promised to do whatever it took, and so:]
I'm going to have faith, too.
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Instead, Lan Wangji lifts a hand to rest at the base of Wei Wuxian's neck, keeping him close with a gentle weight.]
Then I trust your judgment. [I trust you. Words he doesn't need to say, because he does his best to prove it as much as he can.
If Wei Wuxian believes Xie Lian can do what must be done, then Lan Wangji will believe in him. Chuuya would be unhappy, of course, but... well. It's not like his loyalty to Wei Wuxian is anything like a surprise.]
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I'm glad.
[Glad to have Lan Wangji's trust, glad to have the support that comes with it. He hopes their collective faith in Xie Lian will be enough to see them through.
After that, he lapses into silence for a second, expression devoid of whatever considerations may be running through his head. It's a tangled mess of what-ifs right now; he'd rather focus on nicer things, if only for a moment.]
—Ah, that reminds me. I had something else for you - I forgot to give it to you with everything that happened. Do you want it now or later?
[Cursed fuckin question to ask while he's sitting on Lan Wangji's lap.]
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Those are thoughts for another time, though. If Wei Wuxian wants to change the subject, he'll indulge him--EVEN WITH THIS CURSED FUCKIN QUESTION GOD.
After letting a plethora of vastly inappropriate responses pass unsaid--] Whichever you'd like.
[Which is probably "now" because Wei Wuxian has no patience, but that's fine. He's curious!!]
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But yeah wow it is now HOW DID HE GUESS. Wei Wuxian leans forward again, this time to place one kiss below each of his eyes. He holds Lan Wangji's face with a stupid amount of tenderness, which is reflected in his stupid expression even beyond the exhaustion. When will the bell crash through his roof and kill him.]
I'll give part of it to you now, in that case, but you have to promise me you won't look yet since the rest isn't done. Will you promise, Lan Zhan?
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Which is what I personally would do, but unfortunately Lan Wangji just stares back at him in the nonverbal equivalent of "I love you more" "no I love you more" "no I love YOU more". AWFUL.]
Mm. I promise.
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Good, good. Then-- [With RELUCTANCE, he pulls back a little. Just enough that he can reach into his shirt pocket and fish out a folded scrap of paper with a little heart scrawled on the outside in lazy loops. THEY'RE BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. He reaches for one of Lan Wangji's hands, pressing the paper into it gently.]
You can open it when I tell you to - later, alright? Until then, keep it with you.
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But Lan Wangji will take it gently, holding it as if it's something fragile and priceless. It takes a little maneuvering, but obediently he tucks it into his jacket pocket, though he looks a little curious.]
Why?
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I don't want anyone else coming across it and reading it! It's just for you.
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Then I will wait until you are ready. [No matter how long that takes.]
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Thank you, Lan Zhan. Have I told you yet today how good you are to me? You're too good.
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But with that accomplished, Lan Wangji is free to let his hands settle back on Wei Wuxian's waist, keeping him steady. If this is the only way he can offer stability and support as the town, quite literally, burns around them, then he will do it without fail, until they have something as close to peace as they're ever going to get. (Then he will do it some more, because Wei Wuxian deserves no less than everything.)
He breathes out a soft laugh, a small, fond smile on his lips.]
Ridiculous. [He is no such thing. If anything, Wei Wuxian is the one who is too good, and Lan Wangji has his hands full simply trying to emulate him. But he can forgive Wei Wuxian for his total misunderstanding of the situation; he's never seen the value in himself that's so clear to Lan Wangji.]