A Means to an End (WangXian)

Warning

It didn't get better.

Wei Wuxian still thrashed and screamed in his sleep. The resentful energy sometimes swirls around him.

Lan Wangji was lucky enough to convince him to stay in the Jingshi with him. Wei Wuxian wanted to refuse, knowing that his nightmares were becoming a pain for Lan Wangji, but the Lan somehow managed to convince him otherwise. A separate bed was brought in because Wei Wuxian only promised to stay if Lan Wangji had his bed back.

Every night, Lan Wangji would play a soothing melody to Wei Wuxian, and every night, Wei Wuxian would fall asleep peacefully. However, he would wake up again nearly four hours later, screaming in terror. Petrified by the nightmares he would have. Some were about the dogs, coming to rip him apart and gnaw at his bones. Others about the burial mounds, about his family and shijie. Even Lan Wangji was in his nightmares.

When he woke up, Lan Wangji would sit up with him and calm him down. He would give him some soothing herbal tea before playing for him again. The music helped. Both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji acknowledged that, but it wasn't enough.

Sometimes, Lan Wangji would stay up for a good part of the night, continuing to play for him, and it worked like a charm, but when Wei Wuxian found out, he was beside himself in worry and guilt. Lan Wangji promised he would not pull an all nighter again, though part of him was tempted to break his word every single night.

Wei Wuxian would be mad at him if he did though. So Lan Wangji kept his word.

But now it left him back at square one. Where should he go from here? How can he support Wei Wuxian? He is beginning to wonder if the resentful energy inside him played a larger role to these nightmares and that's why they had gotten significantly worse.

Wen Qing. Perhaps she was reliable enough to help them figure this out. To help with the nightmares and with the new presence of resentful energy.

After two solid nights of no sleeping for either of the young disciples. Lan Wangji finally felt that he needed to seek out advice from Wen Qing on what to do next. How could he help Wei Wuxian in a different way? What can help him sleep better, and what can help resolve this resentful energy inside of him?

These were questions Lan Wangji was desperate to answer. So, later that morning, after breakfast, and after people had gone to complete their normal routines, he went to the infirmary where he hoped to find Wen Qing.

This is where she spent most of her time when she was not in class or completing other tasks.

Wei Wuxian was spending more time in the cold springs. So, it was the perfect time to seek her out and ask for her wisdom.

Lan Wangji found her exactly where he thought he would. Wen Ning was with her. The two were crushing herbs together, focused and consumed by work.

"Wen Qing," Lan Wangji called. The siblings stopped what they were doing and turned to the Lan.

"Young Second Master," she says. "Is there something I could help you with?"

Lan Wangji pursed his lips. "Wei Ying," he starts.

Wen Qing frowns, her expression darkens. "It's gotten worse, hasn't it?"

He nods.

"Since coming back from the night hunt, he has refused any help from me. He won't allow me to treat him," she explained to him.

Wen Ning nodded beside her and looked saddened. "He hasn't spoken much with us at all," Wen Ning adds, affected by this notion.

Lan Wangji did not continue. Wei Wuxian has been sticking to his side the entire time. He hasn't dared to leave. To make matters worse, anytime there's a loud noise or someone shouting, even if it's not at him, Wei Wuxian begins to panic. He closes himself off, and he leaves the scene in a hurry. Even Lan Qiren has noticed this off-putting behavior and has offered him the next few days off from lessons.