Modern Wangxian
They had come to a bus stop. The hiss of the breaks and the sharp clack of the doors opening snapped him out of his stupor. Wei WuXian shook his head, trying to get his thoughts to focus. What had he been drinking, anyway? He couldn't remember even going to a bar.
A few people got off the bus. A few more got on. It was crowded. Few seats were open. Listlessly, he watched a man board, thinking absolutely nothing of it until their eyes met suddenly. For a moment, both of them froze. Overtaken by the strangest sense of recognition, Wei WuXian shifted unobtrusively further from the vacant seat to his right. He felt a weak smile flicker to life briefly on his face. It was invitation enough for the man.
The closer he got, the more Wei WuXian was struck by how beautiful he was. Tall and graceful with a fair complexion and dark hair tied back in a severe ponytail, he was strikingly handsome. His rare golden eyes, in particular, were pale and clear, arresting in the way they seemed to stare right into Wei WuXian. There was something achingly familiar about him, but surely, he would have remembered meeting such a person.
He swallowed hard, and belatedly realized that he'd been staring. The smile he offered as the man sat down next to him was lopsided and apologetic.
"Hey. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you've just accepted a ride on the slowest bus in the city."
The man's blank expression—the only thing detracting from his looks—remained unchanged. "How long have you been here?" He had a nice voice, low and soft, pleasant to listen to.
Huffing a laugh, Wei Wuxian shrugged. "I lost track a long time ago. Ages. Not in a hurry, are you?"
"I have somewhere I need to be, but...I can afford a small delay."
"Might be quicker to walk."
The doors clattered shut. The brakes released. The bus pulled back out into the sluggish flow of traffic.
"Too late now," Wei Wuxian said.
He turned away, leaning against the window to watch the city roll slowly by. A bone-deep exhaustion dragged at him, and within minutes, he felt himself fading. He thought he heard someone murmur his name, but who would know him on this bus?
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When he came to, the bus was on the freeway. The windows were had drops of melted snow that shone with captured light. Outside, traffic was at a standstill. Dingy slush covered the roads, gradually accumulating as snow drifted down from the woolen sky, the flakes picked out in sharp contrast where they plunged into the light of streetlamps and headlights. Wei Wuxian laughed softly to see it. When he turned away from the window, he saw that the beautiful man from earlier was still sitting next to him, watching him with an expression that might, optimistically, be called inquisitive.
"The snow," Wei WuXian said, gesturing outside. "It looks like champagne bubbles, only going the wrong way." He laughed again, and rubbed his head. "Have you ever felt drunk, but been pretty sure you weren't drinking? Haha, no, never mind me. I'm just tired." He rubbed a hand over his face, wanting desperately to sleep.
"Where is your stop?"
"Hmm?"
"Your stop. You should not miss it."
"I.... Does it matter? At this rate, we'll never reach it. What about yours?"
The man only stared at him, radiating the sort of childish stubbornness that practically shouted 'I asked you first!' Wei WuXian couldn't help but laugh.
"Thanks for your concern. I'm Wei WuXian."
"...Lan WangJi."
"Lan WangJi...." Something about that name felt.... familiar to him.
