New Recruits (A WangXian ff) ✔

11

Wei Ying hit Lan Zhan's back repeatedly as the older picked him up and hauled him over his shoulder. He tried to escape, but his body was drained from the day and his attempts were futile. Instead of physical attempts- which failed from the stairs to them leaving the training room- he began verbal attempts.

"Lan Zhan! Lan Wangji! Second brother Lan! Instructor Lan! Instructor Wangji! Lan Zhan! Put me down!"

"No."

"What! Lan Zhan put me down right now!" Wei Ying ordered and began to hit Lan Zhan's back again.

Lan Zhan just glanced over his shoulder at Wei Ying's face with a raised brow, as if to question that Wei Ying thought he could give him orders. He said nothing in reply and continued walking.

"Where are we even going?" Wei Ying asked as he slumped his body on Lan Zhan's shoulder, idly drawing small shapes on the older's back as he regained some energy.

"Cantine."

"What! Let me go right now! Everyone will be there and they'll see you carrying me! Put me down! Lan Zhan! Lan Wangji!"

Wei Ying's cries picked up again as Lan Zhan walked through a double set of doors and into a short hallway, with windows at regular intervals to let in the evening light. They walked through another double door at the end and the sound of chatter and laughter and clanging greeted them. In the dining room, the remaining recruits were hanging around after dinner, relaxing after the stressful day they had. But the happy atmosphere was interrupted by loud shouts and the room fell silent.

"Lan Zhan! Put me down!" Wei Ying cried as Lan Zhan walked over to the table Jiang Cheng was at.

"Hm."

"Wha- whoa!" Wei Ying fell into the seat beside Jiang Cheng and looked around at all of the faces that were staring in their direction. He then looked at Lan Zhan who had turned around and began to exit the room.

"Lan Zhan!"

Lan Zhan ignored the boy's shouts, and instead picked up an apple from a small basket by the kitchen.

"Eat." was all he said before he walked out of the dining hall, leaving Wei Ying to deal with the awkwardness in the room.

"What're you all looking at?" he asked accusingly and everyone immediately turned around and resumed their conversations, but not without glancing back at him with humour or confusion from time to time. Nie Huaisang set down a plate of food in front of Wei Ying, who- begrudgingly- began to eat it due to the raging monster in his stomach.

"What was all that about?" Jiang Cheng asked as he looked at the closed doors and then back to his friend.

"Nothing."

"And this morning? You just stormed out and we haven't seen you all day."

"Nothing."

"Wei Ying!" Jiang Cheng shouted then lowered his voice. "Tell me what's going on."

He waited a few moments for a reply and whilst he did he studied his friend. The bottoms of his eyes were slightly red and he looked very pale. His body shuddered slightly every so often and his hair lost some of its styling.

"I will, just not now... It's been a long day." Wei Ying mumbled and gave his friend a pleading look.

"Fine."

The boys left him alone as he ate, then walked back to the dorm with him as they didn't want him to go running off again. They told him about what they did during the day but knew Wei Ying was only half listening to them, his mind trapped in his own thoughts.