Solstice Souls

Birthday Present

Lan Zhan POV

Lan Zhan walked behind his brother, sighing softly and wishing he was back in Cloud Recesses, reading a book.

His brother turned and glanced at him, a small smile playing on his lips.

"WangJi, it's your birthday. Try to have fun."

"Mn."

He came and took Lan Zhan's arm. "It's good to come out, especially today. There's a festival in honour of the Summer Solstice happening in town. I thought you might enjoy it, Didi."

His footsteps faltered, ever so slightly. Did that mean...? Yes, of course. There would be many people there. Lan Zhan did not like crowds. Or noise. Or people. It would be loud too. He shuddered internally.

This would be so much easier if he were more like his brother, Lan XiChen who was blessed with a friendlier personality than himself. XiChen didn't mind talking to people at all, in fact, he mostly welcomed it. And in return, people liked him much more than the second Jade of the Lan clan.

He knew people were afraid of him, but he couldn't fathom why. His face did not show emotions well, but surely, it couldn't be just that? He did not feel comfortable in the presence of anyone else, except his older brother and sometimes, his Uncle Qiren.

Their Uncle may have been a different person in his youth; now however, he preferred people to stick to the rules. They had over three thousand of them in Cloud Recesses, personally overseen by his uncle, and after all, rules were there for a reason. Lan Zhan liked it that way. The rules gave him parameters by which to live. It was safe.

These rules guided his life, his foray into the world outside his home. This outside place held many fears; it was foreign, unpredictable and strange. Rules gave him a sense of freedom; as long as he kept to them faithfully, he would be safe.

A festival was...unpredictable.

His grip on Bichen tightened fractionally. He concentrated on his breathing, willing himself to calm down. They only had to stay until his brother was satisfied that Lan Zhan had had enough, had experienced something new, had fun.

He did not understand that word. Why did people like doing that? Then there was the inevitable breaking of rules. He found it stressful. And unnecessary. If one was fully in control of their faculties, having fun was not needed.

As each step took him further away from his beloved Jingshi, Lan Zhan made himself focus on his surroundings. Nature made him forget his insecurities, and the things he found difficult.

He took a deep lung full of cold air, familiar and comforting. As they travelled down the mountain, the air would become warmer, filled with the smell and tastes of...other things. Here, the welcome chill of a higher altitude pervaded his body and strengthened his mind.

He watched the dappled sunshine flit from tree to tree, transforming the dull greens into blazing glory, vibrant and alive. Pine trees scented the air around him, infused with a floral scent. What little he glimpsed of the sky through the foliage, were streaks of vivid blue, not a cloud in sight.

Sounds of the market place reached his ears first, the bustling crowds creating a cacophony of action. It interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the present, and what he would have to face.

Next, the many smells attacked his nostrils, hanging in the air like a physical presence, tainting his clothes and accompanying him like a persistent beggar, following his every step. He wrinkled his nose, trying to limit how much went in.