Thread by @gusubunnie

Day 30: #xiantober :dark!xian

“Wei Ying!” Lan Zhan yells, erupting from a violent nightmare.

A pair of arms drape themselves around him, “shh, hey. It’s okay, I’m right here.”

Lan Zhan anxiously grips Wei Ying’s shoulders. A trembling breath exhales from his lips before

steading.

Wei Ying gently caresses his cheeks, “See, everything’s alright.” his lips curl into a benevolent smile—assuring Lan Zhan.

The latter nods, completely relaxing to his touch.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Lan Zhan ponders for a bit, reclaiming his scattered

thoughts. In the end he decides against it.

Wei Ying gives him a comforting squeeze and the two retire back to bed.

As night hauls over, Wei Ying is the first to fall asleep. Lan Zhan lays awake with his thoughts—specifically his dream.

The strange thing about it

was it felt so real, like a distant memory. The emotions were so palpable that Lan Zhan had become torn between reality and nightmare.

—

Wei Ying had gone out for the day, leaving Lan Zhan alone at home.

He can’t recall when or why but for the longest, he’s always been

the one to stay behind. Although, he does not mind. There are lots of chores to complete while Wei Ying was away.

In the middle of tending their garden, Lan Zhan hears soft foot steps approach him from behind.

It’s much to early for Wei Ying to return.

He snaps his head around only to find himself staring at a pair of very familiar amber eyes.

“Who—“

“Wangji!” the man yells, pressing forward.

Lan Zhan backs up instinctively, “stay away from me!”

The fear in his tone halts the man in his tracks. His pupils quiver

as he stares at Lan Zhan. “Don’t you know who I am?”

Lan Zhan replies with a blank look.

The stranger’s eyes boil with tears, “It’s me, Lan Huan.” his hands press against his chest. “I’m your brother.”

Brother

“Wangji please,” Lan Huan’s voice cracks.

Lan Zhan shakes his

head, “You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.” The older desperately pleads. “It’s that witch. He’s the one who’s lying to you.”

“Wei Ying would never hurt me.” his words come out defensively yet his heart faltered upon saying them.

“Wangji, please… come back with me to Gusu.”

Gusu, it sounds so familiar… like a dream.

“I’m not leaving Wei Ying.”

Lan Huan’s expression broke like shattered glass. He rushes towards Lan Zhan and takes him by the hand.

The latter tries to pry free but the older objects, pressing a jade token into his palm.

“You know what this is, Wangji.” Lan Huan persist, “come home to us.”

—

Lan Zhan sits at the dinner table that night, waiting for Wei Ying. His fingers grace over the jade token, replaying this morning’s events.

Lan Huan left abruptly—as if he had run out of time.

He becomes lost in his thoughts that he misses the sound of Wei Ying entering.

“Lan Zhan,” the voice draws him back to reality. “I’m home.”

“Ah,” he huffs, “Welcome back.”

In a mere moment of hesitation, Lan Zhan decides to tuck the jade token inside his robes.

They are in the middle of dinner when he finally decides to speak.

“Wei Ying, this morning a… traveler had stopped by.”

“Oh?” Although his face is indifferent, there’s a subtle pitch to his tone which Lan Zhan notices. “What did the traveler want?”

“He appeared to have

been lost and was in need of directions.”

“Directions to where?”

“…Gusu.”

“I see,” says Wei Ying. “Always so kind of you Lan Zhan—helping others even when you do not know their intentions.”

Lan Zhan does not answer to that. Instead, he takes a sip of tea to occupy his

mouth.

“You know Lan Zhan, you should be careful.” Wei Ying waves his chopsticks around as he talks, “people can be very dangerous. They’ll say anything to get you to believe them.”

Leaning in, he asks. “You know I’ll never hurt you.”

“I know,” replies Lan Zhan.

“Hmm,” Wei Ying hums. “Then why are you still holding onto that jade token?”

Lan Zhan feels his blood run cold. The hair on his neck stand on edge as Wei Ying nears.

He sits frozen as the latter works his hands into his robes and withdraws the jade token.

Eyeing it, an amused smile spreads across his lips. “Truly beautiful, isn’t it? Almost as if… it came from a dream.”

The bite of his final words prick like poison, completely numbing him. His eyelids fall heavy and his ears start to thrum.

“Go to sleep,” he hears Wei Ying

whisper. “This nightmare will come to pass when you awake.”

—

“Wei Ying!” Lan Zhan awakens from a nightmare, breaking in cold sweat.

“Shh,” he hears a voice say. It’s a gentle purr against his ears, bringing nothing but delight. Warm arms drape around him and Wei Ying comes

into sight.

“Everything is okay. I’m right here, Lan Zhan.”

🎃//END//🎃

I suck at writing dark!xian 😭 i apologize and will most likely write something else to make it up 🙇‍♀️