He holds the little vial to his chest, smiling, more misty-eyed than he'd care to admit, as Ingress vanishes into the painting. It's a long moment before he can rouse himself to move; long enough that a couple of rabbits begin to eye him in concern, as if to ask, You coming inside or staying out there, buddy?
He's fine. He needed this so much more than he realized, and not just because of Lan Zhan, either.
-- Lan Zhan! Oh, no. It's so late, and -- he uncurls his hand to look down at the potion. No, he shouldn't take it yet, he decides. He's nowhere near sober still, but at least he can walk a (mostly) straight line after sticking to water at the last bar. Let that be his courage tonight.
So he stumbles upstairs, wandering to the room marked with 魏无羡 instead of any number. The warding talisman easily gives way beneath his touch.
He shoves the door open and calls, "Lan Zhan!"
There's no answer right away. No surprise, if he's asleep. Wei Wuxian sets his flute on the instrument stand and pulls off the black hoodie to toss it at the privacy screen. It falls far short as he goes on, "Lan Zhan, I'm back. I'm sorry it's so late. I went drinking with Ingress -- it's all right, she gave me a potion to take later so I won't be sick."
He unwinds the ribbon from his hair.
"There's something I want to tell you. It's really important. I'm so sorry if I worried you, I didn't mean it. Can we talk?"
Silence. Gradually, his hands slow to a stop where they work at his hair; the smile fades from his face.
The bed is empty. The washroom door stands open, dark; just as empty. When he shuffles over to the privacy screen to peek behind it, there's nobody there.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2020-10-05 11:25 pm (UTC)He's fine. He needed this so much more than he realized, and not just because of Lan Zhan, either.
-- Lan Zhan! Oh, no. It's so late, and -- he uncurls his hand to look down at the potion. No, he shouldn't take it yet, he decides. He's nowhere near sober still, but at least he can walk a (mostly) straight line after sticking to water at the last bar. Let that be his courage tonight.
So he stumbles upstairs, wandering to the room marked with 魏无羡 instead of any number. The warding talisman easily gives way beneath his touch.
He shoves the door open and calls, "Lan Zhan!"
There's no answer right away. No surprise, if he's asleep. Wei Wuxian sets his flute on the instrument stand and pulls off the black hoodie to toss it at the privacy screen. It falls far short as he goes on, "Lan Zhan, I'm back. I'm sorry it's so late. I went drinking with Ingress -- it's all right, she gave me a potion to take later so I won't be sick."
He unwinds the ribbon from his hair.
"There's something I want to tell you. It's really important. I'm so sorry if I worried you, I didn't mean it. Can we talk?"
Silence. Gradually, his hands slow to a stop where they work at his hair; the smile fades from his face.
The bed is empty. The washroom door stands open, dark; just as empty. When he shuffles over to the privacy screen to peek behind it, there's nobody there.
"...Lan Zhan?" he asks the quiet.