The Obscure

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WC:1017

"Hey Dad! We're gonna leave soon if you two don't stop canoodling." Lan Tian banged on the door.

"Wait downstairs." Lan Wangji replied.

Lan Tian, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian all watched as the juniors wished their goodbyes.

Jin Ling and Lan Tian moved off to the side to talk, "We're going to have to keep this under wraps for you're safety. Now that people might now about my new abilities it's not safe for us to be put as... partners. I can't drag you down with me."

"You wouldn't be dragging me down. I love..." Jin Ling started.

"I know... I love you too but you need to do what ever it takes to win everyone's trust and convince them you're not with me. You can even stab someone, just don't hit anything important." Lan Tian winked.

"I'll be there to protect you through the public then." Jin Ling smiled softly memorizing their face once again.

"Oh ya." Lan Tian looked into Jin Ling's eyes, "Okay,
you have to go now but promise me two things."

Jin Ling nodded, "Mhm."

"Don't die and try to stop fighting with your uncle, be more careful he does really care about you." Jin Ling's eyes grew wide as he processed Lan Tian's requests. "Honestly you've come a long way from being so against being queer ti now being queer yourself. It wasn't your fault though, it was the way you were raised."

Lan Tian stood on his toes and kissed Jin Ling on the forehead, "I...I..."

"You kick some evil creature ass." Lan Tian smiled before turning away to continue the journey with their father, Wei Wuxian and the other Lan Clan juniors.

"Where are we going next?" Lan Jingyi asked.

"We'll join Zewu-jun at the the Tan Prefecture, right?" Lan Tian loomed to Lan Wangji who nodded.

Lan Tian watched sceptically as Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian walked slightly out of ear shot of the group. Lan Tian wondered, what could they be talking about? Was it about himself?

When the group reached the Tan prefecture Lan Tian laughed as the juniors recited old stories about Wei Wuxian and a garden. He couldn't help think that, honestly, if the man was this carefree he would have died a long time before he did. It was funny though.

Lan Wangji and Lan Tian left to scout and set up arrays to avoid sneak attacks. "Lan Tian, where is your forehead ribbon."

"What do you mean it's right..." Lan Tian searched their head trying to find the small price of fabric. "Oh no."

"Mhm?" Lan Wangji glanced at Lan Tian knowing the answer but didn't outwardly say anything. He saw a small piece of the ribbon sticking out from Jin Ling's robes and figured that was the case.

"I... I must have lost it." Heat rose in Lan Tian's face as they tried to lie their way out of it. "I have another on my net just let me grab it."

A thing red ribbon emerged in Lan Tian's hand as he tied it on his forehead. It took effort for Alan Wangji to hide his smirk. That child was one of his only weaknesses, after raising them he had a huge soft spot for the kid.

"Uncle!" Lan Xichen greeted his brother and Lan Tian before they began speaking.

Lan Xichen nodded, "Sounds like its been a hectic couple of days."

The only think they didn't tell him was about Lan Tian's new abilities, he wouldn't understand. Or at least they thought he wouldn't.

The group turned hearing voices yelling in the direction of the others. A strum of a guqin echos through the air as the rest of the group come into view.

Lan Tian's father and uncle were both taken aback by the headless man running around but Lan Tian just smiled. It was a new opportunity to learn and test their abilities.

Just as Lan Tian was reaching for their flute they felt a hand on their arm and looked at the fear in their Dad's eyes. If Lan Xichen figured it out the whole group would be in trouble. Instead they reached slightly farther back to grab their sword.

Bichen and Ortus took turns attaching the figure. He was surprisingly agile and swift. Somehow he flipped his hand a grabbed the hilt of Bichen attempting to examine it before remembering he had no head.

Lan Tian watched as Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian began harmonizing their instruments slowly wearing down the body. It wasn't until Bichen was returned that Lan Xichen snapped out of his thoughts and began harmonizing with the two.

He began stumbling ti find the source but swayed then collapsed, falling into his individual body parts.

With the swords returned to their owners and the instruments put away, Lan Tian, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian walked up to the body parts. They each took out a few sealing pouches and trapped the parts.

"Go rest." Lan Wangji knew the juniors had a rough couple of days and needed it.

Lan Sizhui tugged the rest of the juniors out with him leaving Man Wangji, Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian and Lan Tian to examine their body parts.

"Wait let me examine the corpse." Lan Xichen began looking and piecing together the puzzle along with everyone else.

"It's Chifeng-su, right?" Wei Wuxian said lowering his voice.

"I... have no idea who that is." Feeling beaten and tired Lan Tian excused themselves and joined the juniors at the new campfire. "What's up guys."

"So you and Jin Ling, huh?" Lan Jingyi smirked.

Lan Tian's eyes grew wide as head swallowed their face. "I... No... where did you get that crazy idea?"

"The forehead band Jin Ling was wearing, the time you two spend together, I could go on." Lan Jingyi began listing off everything he could think of. "Hey!" Lan Sizhui elbowed the boy effectively shutting him up.

Lan Tian buried his face in his hands staring into them. How could they figure it out so easily. So much for keeping it a secret.

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