The Light's Dark

20

Wei Ying clenched his fingers into Lan Wangji's robes, twisting the fabric slightly. Not noticeable enough that XiongZhang would notice, something that Wangji was quite grateful for, but he knew that his brother probably noticed either way, yet the effort was noted, and appreciated. He knew that Wei Ying was nervous, but he was also quite happy that the other was willing to turn to him for a sense of comfort, something that he doubted he would have done earlier. It showed just how much closer that they had gotten. A hallmark that Wangji was quite happy about. They had talked, and experienced so much together. He was grateful that Wei Ying was willing to come to him for a semblance of comfort and safety. It merely showed that Wangji was doing something properly, helping the other. He was joyful for it. He quite enjoyed Wei Ying's proximity as well, happy that the other tucked himself closer to his side. Wangji would savour this, considering he was not entirely sure how long that it would happen. He would take what he could get at the moment, and hope that it was good enough that Wei Ying would continue to turn to him should things go up in the air and fly around out of control.

"What does XiongZhang wish to ask?" Wangji asked softly, not wanting to startle Wei Ying too much. Wei Ying did not seem to register what was being said, merely clinging to Lan Wangji further. He allowed it, knowing that the other found XiChen a bit unnerving, though he was not entirely certain as to why, there did not seem to be a good reason for it. Wangji himself particularly loved XiChen. His brother was quite the character at the best of times. Furthermore, he was the one that helped him, aided him, and stood for him during his younger years in the Cloud Recesses. Not that Wei Ying did not, but Wangji got the feeling that though he did not dislike XiChen, he did not really know what to do with the elder.

"I wanted to ask about that...masked figure, that Wei Ying had mentioned that he had seen when he was with the Wens." Wangji's brother said confidently. Wangji felt Wei Ying's nails dig into his skin through the fabric of his robes. He did not wince, not wanting Wei Ying to spiral down fearing that he had harmed him. It was a simple pain that Wangji was more than able of ignoring, and ignore he did, instead turning to Wei Ying slightly and pulling his hands away from his arms and wrapping his fingers gently around his wrists.

"Wei Ying does not have to answer if he does not want to, or does not feel that he is able to." Lan Wangji stated softly, serving a rather harsh look towards his brother, who had the decency to seem sad, but otherwise stood steadfast.

"I don't know much about him." Wei Ying said with a stiff shrug. "Young, covered in resentment." That part had been more than obvious in the end to Wei Ying. But it was not affecting him negatively, in a way, he seemed to be more alive with the resentment, and it was not as though it was resentful energy, persay, it was more...resentment, but not the energy of it. It was hard to explain, hence why he had not bothered with it. "I'm not really sure I can give you more descriptive factors. He was not any cultivator that I had seen before, definitely not one in any sect robes, just black and silver, not belonging to a sect. Too Young to really develop a core of much. Strong in his own right though, so be careful since you are determined to go after him." Wangji gave Wei Ying a smile, gald that he had entertained his brother, if nothing more.

"Thank you, for your information, Wei WuXian, it will be most helpful come later." XiChen said in reply. Wei Ying did not know what to do with that. When the elder left, Wei Ying turned confused eyes onto Wangji.

"I know," He said without having to have Wei Ying state it. It was not the first time that XiChen had attempted to pry more information from Wei Ying, and it was unlikely to be the last either. He wished that he could say that it was not something to worry about, but it really was. This was about the third time that this had happened, and Wangji knew that Wei Ying was getting nervous, he did not know why it was, but he could guess. It was not good for Wei Ying to be questioned like this, and he would dispute it the next time they tried to do such things.

"Lan Zhan, do you...do you think that they are really going to try and find the person?" Wangji nodded. Whilst his brother's motives in directly questioning Wei Ying so much irked him greatly, he did understand why it was that the other was doing it for. He could not fault him for that.

"Yes, they want to help Wei Ying." Wei Ying huffed.

"It is not as though it was just this mysterious black figure." He huffed upset. The black figure was not the only reason that Wei Ying had been tormented, and yet it would seem that it was the only one they focused on. Granted Wen Chao had been more than taken care of, the Jiangs were away from him, for now, and despite everything he was living the best he possibly could, but he did not know what their obsession with this random person was. It was kind of annoying, in many ways.

"Second Master Lan!" The knock came at the door, leaving Wangji to stand stiffly, annoyed, and pry the door open, his signature cold look on his face causing the disciple to cower slightly. "Th-This is f-for Young Master Wei." They stated in a rather timid voice. Wangji narrowed his eyes at the man, pulling the paper from his fingers and closing the door behind him after dismissing him with a slight tilt of his head and striding back towards Wei Ying.

"This is for Wei Ying." Lan Wangji said softly, handing the letter to the other and watching as he tore it open curiously. "Who is it from."

"That...that peacock, Jin ZiXuan. He asked to see if it were possible for us to meet him in CaiYi as he wishes to speak with me." In truth the letter just mentioned Wei Ying leaving, but Wei Ying did not want to leave without Lan Wangji, and he knew that otherwise, Lan Wangji would not let him leave, more than likely.

"Does Wei Ying want to go?"

"I mean, not really, but it is a rare occasion for the Peacock to message me of all people. May as well try and figure out what it is that he wants."