Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Come Back To Gusu With Me Part 6

Sunlight drifts through the open curtains, warming his eyelids, and Wei Ying stretches like a cat caught in a sunbeam before he wakes up. There's something in his hands, and he doesn't let go of it, coming back into his body gradually. With his free hand, he brushes his hair out of the way and blinks sleepily, but the sight of the letter clenched in his fist makes him squawk with delight. He pushes himself upright and is suddenly very much awake.

The presence of this letter is proof that last night really happened. And he's shocked at how much lighter he feels just because of his tears, letting them out felt therapeutic in a way he hasn't allowed himself to be. This is a surprise because he's spent a lot of time convincing others and himself that he knows what he's doing and that he's in control. But subduing his emotions and dumping them in a box marked ‘DO NOT OPEN’ doesn't seem to be working. He's cried twice in one sun cycle, and that is very much not like him at all.

Maybe the Lans are onto something with this healing lark.

He remembers his ShiJie telling him that after he passed out when Wen Ruohan tried to strangle him and was subsequently stabbed, Wei Ying only woke up after three days and she vehemently insisted it was because Lan Zhan came to play for him day and night. But if Lan Zhan hated him as Jiang Cheng kept saying, then why would he take time out of his day to play for Wei Ying? Is this another one of those examples XiChen-Ge keeps talking about? Obviously, the music helped him, and he's glad he's here. But a little voice inside his head reminds him of how happy he was when he found out that the chilli oil was Lan Zhan’s gift to him. Another item on a list marks each one of Lan Zhan’s actions of care. If Wei Ying was making one. Which he might be…

But also, how Lan Zhan treated him last night was like a whole reversal in his behaviour. Lan Zhan was actually nice to him, and for once, they didn't clash at all.

Wei Ying blushes and laughs to himself, kicking his feet with glee because Lan Zhan carried him. It made him feel like he mattered to Lan Zhan, the care that he showed him even after Wei Ying was a snotty mess in his arms…and then he had tucked Wei Ying inside the bedsheets and kissed his forehead! That had really happened!

So Wei Ying smooths out the now crumpled parchment to read it. He'll have to put it between two of the heaviest books he can find to flatten it better. Then, he begins to concentrate on what is written.

“Wei Ying, greetings.

Welcome to the Cloud Recesses.

Brother said it is possible you misunderstood my intention when I invited you to come back with me to Gusu before.

I do not want to punish Wei Ying.

I want Wei Ying to heal.

I want Wei Ying to feel peace.

I want to help Wei Ying with these things.

I like it when Wei Ying is here in the Cloud Recesses.

Lan Zhan.”

Okay, so it's a bit stilted, but Wei Ying can imagine what was going through Lan Zhan’s mind when he was writing this. Also, they cleared up that mistake about coming to Gusu; and Lan Zhan had written his letter before he came to see Wei Ying. That proves he's been thinking about it.

His stomach rumbles painfully, startling Wei Ying. How long has it been since he felt hungry? Yesterday, sure, but again, it had come out of the blue and surprised him enough to eat properly in the company of the Lans. But back home, in Lotus Pier, he had been put off by the smell of meat and seen enough corpses not to want to eat it. Maybe he needs a break from the sameness of that, go cold turkey (ironically), and cut out meat altogether for now until his palette returns to normal. The Cloud Recesses is a good place to do that, with them being vegetarians.