MDZS Collection

He's a Pirate - "You Would Kill Me?"

Author's Note: This story is unedited and will remain so unless needed for clarity. This is part one of about four or five parts, It's currently (in its unfinished state) over 14k words so thank you for your patience (each part is about 4k), and part two is scheduled to be published next week while I work on finishing it up.

Little side note: When MXTX was writing the series, Wanji's name got autocorrected to Wanjun, which is the female version of his name, and he is still affectionately sometimes referred to as Wanjun

 "Lan Zhan!" That ever-present voice called. Lan Wanji held back a long-suffering sigh and ignored the boy hopping toward him like a bunny on too much sugar.

"Eh? Lan Zhan?" The boy waved a hand in front of Lan Wanji's face.

"Wei Ying." He bit out through gritted teeth. No one else could get on his nerves like this rambunctious young sailor.

"Ahah! You remembered!" He clapped his hands together in excitement.

"Yo! Dickhead! Let's go!" Jiang Wanyin barked, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Ah, Bye, Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying waved as he scrambled to the door to his impatiently waiting brother.

"Bye, Wei Ying." Lan Wanji found himself mumbling under his breath as his eyes stayed glued to the doorway that swallowed that thorn in his side. It was strange. When the young sailor was around, his blood boiled and his heart hammered as if he was enraged or something. But when the boy was gone, Wanji found himself painfully aware of his absence and mourned the distance, almost consumed by his loneliness when it snuck up on him.

"Wei Ying!" The name fell from his lips as he sat up, surrounded by the dark and melody of waves lapping up against the wooden boards of the Wanjun. His brother had thought it funny and fitting that Wanji should captain the Wanjun. Perhaps it was his way of telling Wanji that Wei Wuxian was not forgotten. Lan Zhan only accepted because he knew Wei Ying would laugh. He reached over to the nightstand and clutched the red ribbon tightly in his hands. That ribbon never left his side, ever since he heard the news that Wei Ying's entire ship had been taken hostage by pirates, and Wei Ying had not made it out. With a heavy sigh, Wanji got ready for the day, knowing full well he would not sleep, not after that dream again. The dream was a memory from before he understood that the boy didn't make his blood boil, but sing. His heart hammered to the beat of that song, only for him. Only Wei Ying. Pulling out maps and charts, he got to work, charting course after course. No matter how far he had to search, no matter how long, he would find Wei Ying's killers and bring them to justice. Once the sun crept into his quarters, he made his way to the helm, once again pulling out different charts once he reached his destination. He nodded to the night Helmsman as the shift changed. As soon as the Helmsman saw the plotted courses, he froze.

"Sir, is this the route you plan to take?" He asked warily.

"Mn. Problem?" Lan Wanji replied, barely sparing a glance at the man.

"Sir, these paths go through haunted waters. The men won't like it one bit. You're inviting mutiny." Lan Wanji stared at the man, wondering if he was missing a joke.

"Men of His Excellency's navy are afraid of... what?" Lan Wanji couldn't help asking. Were they afraid of those drunken sailors' tales of sirens, mermaids, and giant sea monsters?

"The Black Hellion, sir." Lan Wanji's breath hitched.

"The Black Rebellion?" he whispered. The Helmsman squinted for a second as if debating whether the captain was mocking him.

"No, Sir. The Ghost Ship Hellion." Wanji could breathe again but it was heavy with disappointment. The Rebellion was Wei Ying's ship.

"The men do not fear serpents or sirens, but stories of Ghost Ships?" The sentence hung in the air, soaked in disbelief.