Solstice Souls

War of Words

Lan Zhan POV

Cloud Recesses was comfortingly quiet after classes, and normally this would be pleasing to the second Jade, and yet he felt restless.

Ever since last night, he could still feel the soft lips, the taste unique and tender, coupled with the electricity humming through his veins, and Lan Zhan knew he was smitten. His dancer was one in a million, a single bright star, dancing just for him, and Lan Zhan felt as if he could burn down cities for just another kiss. It made him happy.

Figuratively of course, because rule #521 prohibited unnecessary violence. But the sentiment was there.

Lan Xichen was waiting for him outside the Jingshi, and Lan Zhan was brought out of his reverie with a sudden shake. All at once he remembered that they were to travel to Lotus Cove now, and possibly spend the night there. He suppressed all feelings of unease and reluctance that they were going at all, and tried to smile, though that was the last emotion he wanted to convey.

There was no fooling his brother.

Lan Xichen knew him better than anyone else, could tell how he was feeling from the slightest twitch on his face, and he realised that to think he could mask his true emotion was just a pipedream.

"Are you ready?" His brother asked.

Just three words.

He could not say for sure that they were harmless, because that was one thing he was not certain of at all, and if he had a choice, he would say they were the calm before the storm, the striking of a match before the bursting of flames, the jostling nerves of soldiers right before the call to attack on a battlefield.

Lan Xichen was on a mission tonight, and Lan Zhan would do well to exercise caution.

So he answered in his expected way.

"Mn."

He went inside and collected his toiletries and a change of clothes, storing it inside his Qiankun pouch and slipping it inside his sleeve.

"Ready."

Lan Zhan couldn't tell why XiChen was feeling the way he was. Perhaps it was a residual annoyance from the fact that his fight on the Gusu field was not a true victory, and maybe he was disappointed that Lan Zhan had met his match in Suibian. Or it could be because of their compromising positions when XiChen had come to collect him on the morning of the actual fight. But he had a gut feeling it was none of these.

They walked to Uncle Qiren's quarters in silence and that was by itself a warning sign to Lan Zhan that something was truly wrong with his brother.

"Is Xiongzhang alright?" He asked cautiously.

Xichen's face cleared as soon as he asked that, but his smile did not quite reach his eyes.

"I am fine. I'm just thinking of the reasons we are to visit Lotus Cove right now. It is something of an emergency."

They had reached the residence of their Uncle now, and it was too late to actually talk about it, even though XiChen looked as if he was not done speaking his mind. At least his words had calmed Lan Zhan's mind.

They knocked on the door and entered, bowing in greeting.

"We should leave now." The elder man ordered, walking slightly in front of them.

"If Xiongzhang is troubled..." Lan Zhan could not elaborate because of his younger status, but he wanted to reach out and reassure his brother that he was there for him. And the best thing was, if he left it hanging, he knew that his brother would understand.