Pitched Normal

Part 21

Nie Huaisang did not like simply not knowing answers. He did not like being left in the dark. He really especially did not like having conclusive answers to the questions that he did have. He had been in the Cloud Recesses for a while, had been studying here for a long time, and never, not once, had anyone dared to even talk to Lan Wangji in anything other than the utmost polite and using the most polite honorifics known the to the sect. They most certainly did not go jumping into the Lan Heir's space and dragging him around by the wrist. Well, nobody except Wei Ying of course. The teenager had spent their entire trip dragging the second Jade around to stall after stall after stall, pulling him as though he were a puppy on a leash and showing Lan Zhan everything. Every once in a while he would suddenly jump and pull all of them into some smaller corner of the town, and Nie Huaisang knew that it was because Lan Zhan was getting overwhelmed and needed a few moments, but what he did not know is how it was that Wei Ying knew that Lan Zhan needed those few moments in order to calm down and storm on a bit more. There was so many things that was just confusing within the two. 

Either way the point was that they survived. Somewhat. They had...and by they Nie Huaisang mostly meant Wei Ying...managed to convince everyone to get some dinner before heading back up to the Cloud Recesses. Surprisingly, unlike what he had expected, Wei Ying did not try and drag Lan Zhan into conversation. He would say that it was just because of the rules, but then he also noticed that Jiang Cheng, though he did not say anything, was horribly confused at the matter, and he knew that was not really the case. That did not mean that Wei Ying did not speak to Lan Zhan. Of course he did, naturally, and instead of talking to him and Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning he spent practically the entire dinner talking at Lan Zhan, who merely nodded or hummed, but did not say anything. Nie Huaisang, at this point, was aware that who could truly understand these two? They were...something more than just acquaintances. Perhaps they had known each other in their past life, because they seemed to know each other overly well, and they had become acquainted so fast. Typically, he would not put such value in such things, but it was really the only thing that he could think of. 

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan had spoken softly, and if Nie Huaisang had not been paying very, very close (not stalkery close of course, he did not go that far...usually) attention he would not have heard it, and it was clear that Jiang Cheng, who had spent the time attempting to get to know Wen Ning, despite his obvious reluctance (it was better than nothing in his mind), considering it was obvious that Huaisang was busy spying on Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, and Wei Ying was too occupied with Lan Zhan, and Lan Zhan was...Lan Zhan. 

Huaisang, however, gained quite a bit more interested, his pretend to be focusing mostly on his food completely dropped at this news that Wei WuXian was not the only one who used Lan Wangji's birth name but that Lan Wangji, the great bachelor of their generation, the powerhouse of light, the Second Jade, used Wei WuXian's birth name as well. He was openly staring at this point but honestly he could not bring himself to really care about propriety, far too invested and interested at this point. 

"Hmm?" Wei Ying stared at Lan Zhan, surprise coating his face as he did so, his eyes gentle and his body slightly tense. 

"It is time to leave." Lan Zhan stated simply. Wei Ying slumped slightly, pouting, and staring up at Lan Zhan through his lashes. 

"But Lan Zhaaaan,." He whined. "Why can't we stay just a little longer? Please!" Lan Zhan shook his head once. 

"No, Wei Ying, that is enough. We are leaving. Now." Lan Zhan said with a simply shake of his head as he began standing. Nie Huaisang could not stop his jaw from dropping as he saw Wei Ying not contest the second Jade further and simply stand as Lan Zhan paid for their food, for all of them, and he and Wei Ying walked straight outside the diner, Wei Ying chatting once more with the Jade stone. 

Nie Huaisang could not even bring himself to follow him. He was far too shocked to even comprehend what it was that had just happened. He had known Wei Ying for a few weeks now, and he knew full well that the young boy was not one that just...stopped when he was told to stop. He full on argued with Lan Qiren without thought or remorse, and this same person, who got himself punishments on the first day of school, followed Lan Zhan with only minimal contending. Hardly counted either, as he basically just asked permission from the second jade and then merely abided by his choice the moment Lan Zhan remained firm. 

There was definitely something more going on. He knew that Lan Zhan was clearly worried for Wei Ying, but perhaps it was not just Lan Zhan that was being changed by Wei Ying. That was mostly what Huaisang had been noticing, because, well, his behavior was notably different, but whatever it was that had been happening between the two during those punishments, clearly it was bringing the two far closer together than what they had been before. Wei Ying was also being changed by being around Lan Zhan. He had never once seen Wei Ying listen to someone without questioning it, not even his brother. So...It was rather shocking to see him act in such a way with Lan Zhan. 

Something was up. He would need to talk with Lan XiChen. He knew that the other was going to have more information than he did. While he dreaded actually trying to speak with the other, once again, he hated not having all the information possible. He shook his head, staring at where the two had walked off. 

"Hey, were is Wei WuXian?" Huaisang heard and shook his head. 

"He and Lan Wangji left." Jiang Cheng stared at Huaisang, not quite comprehending. 

"Left?" He hissed, his eyes glinting in something similar to anger. 

"Yeah, left."