Mo Dao Zu Shi: The Musical

Lost Warmth

Wei Ying walks around the halls of the makeshift pier with a complicated expression. There is much happening in his mind and he does not doubt that when they get out, so many things will be different. He ponders, for a moment, all that they've seen. All that he's learned.

He halts, glancing to a light lavender banner on the wall where the nine-petaled lotus motif sat perfectly in the center, the color a deeper shade. The massacre burns in his head as the image of Jiang Yanli dying bleeds. His eyesight blurs slightly with tears and a hand reaches to his robes, crumpling the fabric above his chest in an effort to restrain the pain.

His free hand extends forward, fingertips gently tracing the petals. His eyes soften, revealing the guilt hiding behind them. He whispers, "How could I..."

He misses the hesitant footsteps approaching him, focused entirely on the banner. He detracts his hand, dropping the other from his chest to his side. Wei Ying looks up, blinking furiously and inhaling deeply. He mutters, "No, no. It's not....its not going to happen,"

"...Wei Ying,"

He startles, gasping in shock and turning to see Lan Zhan watching him, eyebrows furrowed slightly. Wei Ying recognizes this as a concern, worry. The flash of the 33 lashes that scar the second Jade's back flicker and he pales, turning away and frantically pushing on an act, "Ah! Lan Zhan! You- You startled me,"

Lan Zhan watches him before carefully bringing himself closer. Wei Ying notices, from the corner of his eyes, but makes no move to back away, rooted in place and avoiding the gold. He looks down at his feet, swallowing away a lump. When he hears the white booted feet stop, he glances up with a bright smile, "How did you find me? Or was it you got-"

He stops, lips parting and eyes widening as Lan Zhan's hand is suddenly on his face, carefully wiping something. It is only then does Wei Ying realize a few pearls had slipped down his cheeks. He steps back in surprise, taking a hand and feeling the wet trail. His cheeks turn pink from the earlier gesture and his own shame, "Ah! I must've got some dust in earlier! I'm sorry! Sometimes I daze out so much and I won't even realize something is going on, like this! Tears, so annoying. I hate them. I was distracted and I didn't realize, I'm sorry-"

"Wei Ying, stop," Lan Zhan tells him.

Wei Ying halts and glances at him. They're awkward, he knows it. There's uncharted territory and feelings they are aware of but have not actually addressed. Wei Ying isn't sure he wants to take the risk of doing so. Lan Zhan looks like he wants to say something, but is withholding it. Wei Ying, against his better judgment, gives into his curiosity(the curiosity he is sure caused all of this), "What do you need?"

Lan Zhan stares at him for a moment, before saying, "Earlier, in the first song, when...when you and Jiang Wanyin were fighting during the siege-" he takes notice of the small wince and quick change of the silver window, "when he said he hated you...you didn't look very surprised,"

Wei Ying stares at him and then he smiles carefully, "Second Young Master Lan,"

The title makes Lan Zhan immediately frown and the suspicion doubles. Wei Ying steps forward and soon, they're only an arms-length apart. His eyes harden with a guarded aura though the smile remains a false softness, "If you watched your uncle take a sword meant for you, after you killed his spouse leaving his child without parents, and your brother now alone to rebuild a decimated sect and raise a child...on top of being a disgusting monster and hated by the entire world...Would you be surprised if Zewu Jun stabbed you and yelled those words?"

Lan Zhan blinked slowly and then answered with a firm tone, "I would not be surprised, but I would still be hurt. You didn't even blink, let alone have a reaction. You were thoroughly ready as if you had been waiting for a confirmation,"