A Means to an End (WangXian)

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Wei Wuxian was feeling anxious again.

Well, if he were being honest, the anxiousness never left, but sometimes it would come in waves. 

Right now was one of those waves.

He sat not far from his dorm room. Jiang Cheng still kept bothering him with questions about what happened at Biling lake, and he wasn't ready to answer. What was he supposed to say anyways? He doesn't like flying anymore because in the future he got thrown off a cliff and into the burial mounds where he spent months getting tortured?

That answer brought no confidence for Wei Wuxian whatsoever. 

He felt overwhelmed. He couldn't begin to process everything he has been through because no one else remembers what happened. Wei Wuxian found himself trapped almost on a separate plane of existence. One where he was entirely isolated and alone.

He hates feeling alone.

He never liked the idea of being alone. It never suited him. Bad things happened when he was alone. His parents dying, being attacked by dogs, Madam Yu's abuse, the burial mounds, Nightless City. Though some of those instances he wasn't necessarily alone, he certainly felt alone. 

Alone to suffer, alone to feel and bear the pain alone. That's all it came down to for Wei Wuxian.

Which is why when he saw Lan Wangji walking out of the Library Pavilion, he had the sudden ache to run to him.

"Lan Zhan!" he called.

The Lan paused and turned to look at Wei Wuxian. He noticed the purplish bruises underneath Wei Wuxian's eyes appeared darker than they had before.

They haven't spoken much since coming back from Caiyi. Not because either of them were avoiding each other. It's just Lan Wangji had been helping his brother and uncle deal with the waterborne abyss. He has spent many hours pondering what to do about the creature, and even more time worrying about Wei Wuxian. In other words, Lan Wangji was slightly behind in his studies now, and it did not sit well with him.

"What are you up to? Have you been in the library all day?" he asked, taking note of the books Lan Wangji was carrying.

Lan Wangji nodded. "Studying."

Wei Wuxian scrunched up his face. "You spent the whole day studying? Ah, Lan Zhan, you need to learn how to have more fun."

"Getting fresh air," he said simply.

Ah.

Wei Wuxian had figured it out. The Lan wanted to continue his work, but couldn't handle being indoors any longer.

Normally, this would cue Wei Wuxian to leave him alone and let him do his work, but he had no desire to do that. "Can I come?" he asked tentatively. 

Lan Wangji noticed the anxious expression and felt drawn to get rid of it. 

He nodded.

The two made their way through the Cloud Recesses. Eyes were on them and Wei Wuxian focused on ranting to Lan Wangji instead of the obvious presence of others.

Lan Wangji listened attentively and nodded his head at appropriate times.

They made it to the same clearing Lan Wangji had brought Wei Wuxian a couple weeks ago. "Bunnies!" Wei Wuxian cheered and darted for the two bunnies lounging in the grass.

The black rabbit made a loud noise in protest to Wei Wuxian's hyper proclamation. Wei Wuxian didn't mind as he sat beside them and started stroking the white one gently. "You've gotten bigger, haven't you?!" he teased.