Live Again, Love Anew

Chapter 3- A Routine: Oh No! I'm Turning Into a Lan!

Summary

A little peek about what Xichen thinks about his new sibling. Wei Ying's day to day life and worries.

Beginning Note

A few time skips, but not many.

Lan Xichen

It's been a week since the day Lan Xichen got a new... brother? Friend? Martial sibling? Well, whatever the new child is in relation to him, he would say it's a welcome change.

He's learned a few things about A-Ying since he'd come to live in Cloud Recesses. For one, he's very... loud.

His words are loud (not loud enough to break rules, but it's a near thing), his personality is loud (Uncle is reserved, and A-Zhan is even more so, so that was a welcome surprise), and, this next fact quite surprised Lan Xichen, but even his actions are loud.

In short, A-Ying is the embodiment of the word loud, at least to Lan Xichen. Uncle has been grumbling about a 'demon child', but besides being a little enthusiastic, Lan Xichen can't see how A-Ying can possibly be compared to a demon. He's sweet, and sincere, and has only broken maybe two or three rules in his stay so far. Only minor ones, like running, or talking while eating, so Lan Xichen isn't too worried yet.

Another change he's noticed has been in A-Zhan. He's not sure whether it's a good or bad change yet, but it's a change nonetheless. A-Zhan seems to have matured... yet not. He's still the same at his core, that is, a polite, quiet, and smart child, but some things are different.

Where Lan Xichen used to be able to read his brother's small tells and expressions like an open book, now it's like the book has been translated to a foreign language. He knows that his brother's micro expressions and tiny movements mean something, he just can't figure out what. It's like his brother has become an entirely new person overnight.

He also isn't as dependent on Lan Xichen and Uncle anymore. That change hurt more than any of the others. One day he had his brother following diligently behind him, reading, practicing calligraphy, and eating together. The next, his brother had done all those things, followed the same routine he had been for months, but by himself. They both read, but at separate ends of the library. They both still did calligraphy practice, but A-Zhan has moved to doing his in the Jingshi. They still ate together, sitting at the same table, never talking, because that was against the rules, but it was like a wall was suddenly there where there hadn't been before.

He's not sure if Uncle noticed yet. Uncle has been Acting Sect Leader since Father entered seclusion, and barely sees them during the day, except for calligraphy, reading and meals. If the change in A-Zhan persists much longer, he might have to go to Uncle. He doesn't know if this is something that can be changed, or fixed, but at the very least Uncle should know, even if he can't do anything to help.

Change has happened in Cloud Recesses. As to whether it's good or bad; Lan Xichen doesn't know yet. The only thing he can do is observe and wait.

...

Wei Wuxian has fallen into somewhat of a normal routine since coming to live in Cloud Recesses. He wakes up at five every morning. But of course, it's only because Lan Zhan wakes up every morning at five, like he has been doing for his entire life, and subsequently wakes Wei Wuxian when he untangles their limbs from where they'd been cuddled together the night before.

(Lan Zhan! Cuddling! It makes Wei Wuxian want to squeal and pinch the other boy's cheeks. He has yet to give in to those urges, because he knows he'll probably spend the next few days sleeping on the floor, and away from his nightly cuddles, but his self control gets thinner and thinner every night.)