WangXian Untamed

Chapter 21 - A New Idea

Very quickly the days took on a new order. Lan WangJi would rise at 5:00 AM, meditate, then awaken Wei WuXian about 7:00 AM. After breakfast together, with Wei WuXian careful to be fully clad, they would part to their separate duties.

Lan WangJi spent the day teaching the disciples, conducting sword training, and directing their meditation and cultivation efforts. Wei WuXian dove with enthusiasm into the records now flooding into the Library. He was fascinated by the all the histories and notes. Some scrolls were beautifully illustrated stories of legends. Some letters were in elegant formal script while others bore calligraphy only distantly related to what was expected and taught by the Lan Clan. His own notes were scribbles and scrawls, liberally decorated with diagrams and doodles, frequently bearing ink splotches dashed on the page in a bout of enthusiasm and unremarked at the time. The master record expanded in size and was soon worth calling a book in and of itself.

Wang Xiu was good company as well as good for Wei WuXian. He would notice that Wei WuXian would be lost in the chase after some bit of tantalizing information and remind him that it was time to eat or offer tea when no break had been had for some hours. They worked companionably and slowly they found a rhythm to their work.

Wang Xiu was the manager, keeping to the big picture, organizing and maintaining the master record, attending to physical requirements such as meals and supplies such as brushes and more parchment. Wei WuXian was the inspired sprite, dancing from record to record, drawing up comparisons that revealed further information, slipping his agile mind into the increasingly ancient and dusty records, always looking for more – more information, more facts, more avenues to investigate.

After a day spent in separate pursuits, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi would meet for the evening meal at the Dining Hall. Lan WangJi always went to the Library Pavilion to collect Wei WuXian. He enjoyed seeing him lost in his work, often chewing the end of his brush as he pondered something just read. It was a happy moment each day, seeing him so absorbed, his improper posture not improved since his days as a student. The evening meal was less of an ordeal as the whisperers had been noted by Lan XiChen and each one approached. It was very difficult for them to look their Sect Leader in the eye and explain their remarks. Remarkably few tried. All of them chose to cease. As the negative undercurrents were slowly silenced, mealtime was less tense. With Lan WangJi's provision of chili sauce Wei WuXian even managed to tolerate, if not enjoy, the meal. After all, he was able to eat the evening meal with his husband every day. How many dead and resurrected souls could claim that privilege?

After the evening meal would come a quick catch up with Lan XiChen in the Hanshi. Wei WuXian enjoyed these meetings. It was nice to be greeted and referred to informally as "WuXian" by someone. He noted the pressure taking its toll on Lan XiChen and resolved anew daily to work harder and find something to help Lan QiRen and relieve Lan XiChen.

Afterward, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi would make their way home to the Jingshi. Lan WangJi would play the guqin, clearing the air and their minds for the tasks they faced. Wei WuXian would work on some idea that had occurred that day, or tinker with his talismans, determined to find a design that would ensure permanent soundproofing of the Jingshi. He thought he'd worked it out one time, but it was effective for only a small area and Lan WangJi proved that very evening that soundproofing of the entire Jingshi was clearly required. Every night Wei WuXian curled into Lan WangJi and they slept entwined, like the lovers they were.

What was that?, wondered Lan WangJi. He was not accustomed to waking in the night, but his senses jangled, sensing a wrongness somewhere. He waited quietly for the disturbance to repeat.

"Uhnnn...whaaa...who..." Beside him, Wei WuXian was talking in his sleep.

Lan WangJi turned his face to his husband. Wei WuXian's hair was clinging to a sweaty forehead, his eyes moving restlessly behind his lids.