WangXian Untamed

Chapter 28 - Resentful Energy

Lan WangJi looked in horror at the altered visage of his husband. 

This was the face of his nightmares, the one that haunted him for sixteen endless, lonely years. The face in his mind as he struggled to survive his 33 lashes of the Discipline Whip. The face that he carried in his heart during the endless playing of Inquiry.

A face pale beyond belief. Back then, ruby lips had been stained with blood that crested beyond his mouth and marred his chin, obscuring the telltale tiny mole below the bottom lip. The smile Lan WangJi so loved on this new face was once again twisted into a threatening parody that spoke only of vengeance. And the eyes. The red-irised eyes, glowing with otherworldly power, the resentful energy lighting them from within with all the pain and brilliance of sharply honed want. Lan WangJi had not seen that expression since the events at Nightless City. He would never forget the scarlet glowing from his beloved's eyes as he was lost to the overwhelming power of his Yin Iron Amulet.

This was not the beloved face of his Wei Ying, nor even the public face of Wei WuXian. Once again Lan WangJi beheld the face of the YiLing Laozu.

Wei WuXian turned toward his husband and recoiled from the pain and shock in Lan WangJi's eyes.

"Husband? What is it? What's wrong?" He blinked and the scarlet was gone, as if it never appeared, and the threatening grin fell away to an expression of concern. Once more he wore the softened features of Mo XuanYu, as his husband looked at him in concern.

"Wei Ying. You were... your eyes..." Lan WangJi struggled to pull himself together and explain. "Was YiLing Laozu. Not my Wei Ying."

"What?" Wei WuXian looked as baffled as he felt. "What do you mean, Lan Zhan?"

"Your eyes... red. The last time I saw you smile like that there was blood on your face at Nightless City."

Wei WuXian's eyes widened in surprise.

Lan WangJi wasn't through yet, however.

"You looked exactly as you did when I lost you." A painful breath and Lan WangJi finished in a whisper, "When you fell."

Lan WangJi sat motionless, possessed by his memories and unable to make peace between what he knew and what he had just seen. One hand moved to his chest, where his heart pounded as if trying to break free.

Wei WuXian flicked his hands and dispelled the accumulated resentful energy as if it were nothing. The casual display of great control did nothing to reassure Lan WangJi, who stared into his eyes as if in shock. Wei WuXian's hands reached for those of Lan WangJi and held them tightly in his grip.

"It's not then, Lan Zhan. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." The fear in Lan WangJi's eyes was doing terrible things to Wei WuXian's heart and he wanted only to reassure his husband. He gripped his hands tighter. "I'm still here. It's really me. I'm just your Wei Ying."

The two men sat, hands locked, as Lan WangJi's heart gradually slowed, and his breathing became regular once more.

"I think we may have found something important," said Wei WuXian softly. "Did you see it come from where I did?"

"Chest. Drawer. Top right," replied Lan WangJi.

"Alright, then, we know where to look. Let's look together, yeah?"

Wei WuXian slowly pulled forth the top right drawer from the small chest. Careful not to touch anything, he tipped the contents out upon the table. A small grooming comb fell free.

Probably what the vain old goat uses for his beard, thought Wei WuXian. What Rule number is the one for vanity?

Along with the tiny comb came a small, folded paper envelope. There were no markings on the paper, nor any pattern. It was quite light, and the contents could not be seen.