Lan Quiren felt like a total and utter idiot. Lan Xichen on the other hand, not so much. Then again, his nephew had always suspected something was going on between the two boys before him. Something which Lan Qiren had not managed to grasp no matter how much he prided himself on the fact that he was an observant person. Now Lan Qiren, however, felt like a complete idiot. He had, upon their journey to the Cloud Recesses, reflected much upon Wei Ying's first time with them, and loathe as he was to admit it, he had to say it seemed glaringly obvious upon looking back as both Wei Ying's behaviors, and Lan Wangji's own behaviors as well.
For instance, Lan Wangji had never gotten as worked up over anyone as he did over Wei Wuxian. In class, outside of it. Within his own class, which he himself had been lecturing for years! In classes, how could he have been so utterly blind in his own classroom? The amount of times Wei Wuxian would watch Lan Zhan seemed now permanently etched within his mind. The small smiles which Lan Wangji would give when Wei Wuxian would do something especially stupid. Or the light glares which the other would watch Wei Ying with whenever he did something against the rules. The small giggles which he had heard from the back of the classroom, and yet could not possibly trace completely. He could not believe he was so blind! It made him feel as though he was nothing more than a common person, to have not seen the obvious within his own lecture hall.
Not to mention outside of the classes. Lan Wangji had never gotten into trouble so often before. Before he had thought perhaps it was because Wei Wuxian was corrupting his most promising and favorite disciple, in retaliation. He felt stupid to have ever considered such a notion now. Else he would have wondered WHY Lan Wangji always seemed to be around when Wei Wuxian would get into trouble. The other did not court troubled behaviors, and yet whenever Wei WuXian was in trouble, either Wangji would submit himself for punishment as well, or it was Wangji who was speaking of their behaviors of misconduct and rule breaking. He would have also taken time and wondered why Lan Wangji seemed so focused on Wei Wuxian. The other had sat in classes that were unnecessary. While Lan Qiren would have asked the other to do so after the first day given Wei Ying's behaviors, it was Lan Wangji who had made the initial suggestion. He had not even thought over it, considering the other had already broken several rules within the Cloud Recesses, and had been glad that his nephew was willing to watch over the troublemaker.
Perhaps, Lan Qiren would have also had simple sense when it came the Wei WuXian himself. He may have contemplated why it was that whenever Wei Wuxian did something against the rules of the Cloud Recesses it was Lan Wangji who reported him. He would have found it odd that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji always seemed to pair together for simple tasks and partner works, no matter what it was. The sheer amount of times which Wei Ying had been punished within the Cloud Recesses, and every time it was Lan Zhan who had reported him. The amount of partner projects that it was required for the guest disciples to do and never once had he paired with anyone other than Lan Zhan, and Lan Zhan had not bothered the deny the other. Yet Lan Qiren had not even bothered with any of these. Instead simply determined that Wei Wuxian was determined to get back at him for whatever reason, especially since he realized that Wei Ying had no reason to WANT to get back at him for anything. The other was not one to hold a grudge over small punishments.
If he had ever thought about it, it would have been more and more obvious to his moronic, and totally oblivious past self would have been when Lan Wangji almost always paired with Wei Ying when it came to scouting. The two were together in the same group over 80% of the time, and whenever Lan Zhan was not he would wait, idly, at the gate, stubbornly, until Wei Wuxian arrived. If it was reversed, Wei Ying would mess around, wander about, a nervous ball of energy until he got word that Lan Zhan had returned, in which case he would run, despite the fact that running was expressly forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, until he was standing at the gates, and would smile when Lan Zhan arrived. Bugging the elder mercilessly for the rest of the day, Wei Ying would follow Lan Wangji everywhere. Just the fact that Wei Ying and Lan Zhan followed each other around no matter where it was, Wei Ying acting little more than a lost puppy staring at his master should have been enough to beat it into Lan Qiren's head that there was something more than what he was seeing on the surface.
If nothing else, Lan Qiren should have figured it out when Lan Zhan head every search party for Wei Ying. After all, it was Lan Zhan who instantly knew that something was wrong, it was Lan Zhan who insisted upon beginning the search, and it was Lan Zhan who started the search before anyone else-even Wei Ying's family-knew something was wrong.
Yet, he had not noticed any of this. Thinking back on it now, he felt as though it was so hopelessly obvious he felt like smacking his past self upside the head. How could he have been so blind to not see what was so obviously there?
He gazed at the two, as they slowly walked forwards stride by side, reaching the Cloud Recesses gate. Wei Ying laughed at something Lan Wangji said, flustered, and gently shoved Lan Zhan to the side.
He was so stupid.
YOU ARE READING
The Dark's Light
FanfictionWei Wuxian was a mischievous person. Everyone knew it. Upon going into the Coud Recesses to attend the 3 month lecture, this was something Lan Zhan had learned well, especially since he himself was often the target. Still, Wei Wuxian was definitely...
