Your dreams

Chapter 10

"Second Young Master Lan, what are you doing here?" asked Wei Wuxian with such a cold gaze that it could have rivalled one of Lan Wangji's own displeased looks. For a reason unknown to him, the Yunmeng Jiang sect disciple was anxious and angry at the same time.

There were two instincts fighting inside of Lan Wangji's heart as well, albeit different ones.

He wanted to step back, shocked to his core at the transformation that Wei Wuxian had just gone through. No one should be able to change their emotions this quickly. Moreover, Lan Wangji was not really used to someone treating him like this. Sure, he was not all that well liked even by his fellow martial brothers and sisters, but no one had ever treated him with contempt.

On the other hand, he was also tempted to step closer and do some more soothing for Wei Wuxian. Neither this urge could not be explained so easily. It was just that Lan Wangji had seen the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple looking so vulnerable and broken before and his whole being edged to help and provide the little comfort he could. His heart was going out for the other and he did not have time to closely examine what it could mean. He simply did not like Wei Wuxian looking hurt in any way.

He had no idea what to say. Should he try to explain he was here because he was worried about the other? Should he admit that he had not been able to properly meditate earlier because he had been almost out of his mind attempting to figure Wei Wuxian out? Should he give in to his sudden urge, grab the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple's shoulder and shake this bizarre and uncomfortable behaviour from his head? He liked Wei Wuxian's smile, not this cold glare and even colder words. Even though it was making him confused why he would think so, especially because he had been silently berating the other for such behaviour only hours prior.

Instead, he said the only thing which seemed neutral enough: "We are in the infirmary."

Well, he should congratulate himself, he could not be anymore imprecise. Of course, anyone could see that they were in the infirmary. It was not even what Wei Wuxian had asked. "We fell." Lan Wangji added unhelpfully, not knowing what else he should say.

This seemed to have gotten Wei Wuxian's attention, in a completely different way than Lan Wangji could have predicted. The Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple immediately tensed and looked at him with eyes full of concern: "Are you alright, Lan..." He caught himself, coughed slightly and then schooled his expression into something less anxious and worried. "Second Young Master Lan," Wei Wuxian finished his inquiry.

Lan Wangji could not be sure if the other had wanted to call him by his courtesy name or by his birth name earlier when he had stopped. Both were possible and given their current relationship, inappropriate. However, Lan Wangji had a feeling that the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple had just been about to address him as 'Lan Zhan'. The same way he had done when he had been calling out while distressed after his nightmare.

Something tugged at the strings of Lan Wangji's heart. Hearing the official title from Wei Wuxian's lips felt strange. It had seemed way more natural hearing him say 'Lan Zhan', even if only when he had been out of himself. Lan Wangji imagined that this was how he was calling him in his dreams that he had been a witness to. It was clear that in Wei Wuxian's eyes – and perhaps in the future if it truly turned out that those visions were the other's memories of future, no matter how unlikely that was – Lan Wangji was something more than the head disciplinarian of the Gusu Lan Sect. According to the feelings he got from those visions, they must have been friends, if not something even closer.

Still, it was not as if Lan Wangji could just ask something like 'Wei Wuxian, what have you just been dreaming about?' It would have been great if he could, it would help him to understand his current situation in a single instant. There was just one problem. Well, two in fact. First, his education would not let him be this blunt and personal, especially with someone he had just met, and second, Wei Wuxian would not reply to such a direct question anyway.

After careful consideration, Lan Wangji decided to let the matter go for the moment. Wei Wuxian was still not looking good and seeing the black circles under his eyes hurt Lan Wangji's very soul. He needed rest, everything else could wait, at least for now.

As such, there was only one thing that Lan Wangji could say with clear conscience: "Healers said you need sleep. Punishment can wait till tomorrow."

To his surprise, Wei Wuxian laughed, half humourlessly and half mockingly: "Figures."

Lan Wangji could not tell if the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple was referring to the fact that he was so sleep deprived that he would fall unconscious in the middle of the day and being brought to the infirmary or to the mention of his awaiting punishment. Perhaps both.

His previous anxiousness and evident care for Lan Wangji's well-being were suddenly nowhere to be found. He was back to his cold demeanour. This abrupt change, not the first in such a short time span, was making Lan Wangji's worries spike. There was no way he could leave the other alone in this state. Something was definitely very wrong; the only thing was that he could not quite figure out what exactly and it was stuck in his mind like a wooden splinter that could not be removed by non-invasive methods.

When Lan Wangji continued standing next to his bed, hoping that perhaps Wei Wuxian would say something more, the other only sighed and rubbed the root of his nose. The gesture was betraying fatigue. Or perhaps a budding headache; Lan Wangji had seen Lan Qiren sometimes try to sooth discomfort away like this. He considered going to call the healers back, he was not sure if sleep was everything that the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple needed to get better.

Then, Wei Wuxian laid back into the bed and drew the covers almost over his head while turning his back to Lan Wangji. It was a clear sign that he did not want to continue the conversation and did not want to be disturbed. Lan Wangji took one long look at his unhealthy complexion before he turned around with a sigh of his own.

Deep in his heart, a single thought which he barely understood was urging him to look back and wish Wei Wuxian good night. To gently and lovingly whisper 'Sleep well, Wei Ying' and give him a kiss on his forehead where a Gusu Lan sect forehead ribbon would usually be. As if they were truly something more than just acquaintances of a single day. He did not want to leave the other's side.

Lan Wangji shook his head. There was clearly something wrong with him as well. He better get back to his meditation and hope that he had not hit his head as hard as it now seemed.