[CLOSED] Drown your sorrows in music

[runicfeathers]

Who: Willow & Lan Xichen, Willow & Lan Sizhui
Where: Music Car, Standard car
When: Jelly 1, after platform departure
What: Music duets to ease sorrows of friends leaving, Willow comforting Sizhui
Warnings: none, but TBA if any



For Sizhui, Standard Car

Sometime after obtaining her bow and placing it in her room, distrustful of leaving it in the armoury, Willow finds herself wandering aimlessly in the halls without much thought to where she's going. Both Webmind and Nerdanel have left, affecting her more than she likes to admit.

But then she finds herself in the Standard Car, noticing one person in particular not seeming like himself, Sizhui, a boy she's come to care for in a familial way.

"Sizhui! Are you alright? Did someone you know depart as well?"

For Xichen, Music Car

If there's one thing Willow has found to ease her troubled mind after the troubles she's faced not only from home but on the train as well, it's been music, and to her relief there's been this music car to help in such things. As well as an instrument she's familiar with.

She's found exactly in that car, playing a tune that some of Lythrana's people had taught her, even if it makes her sad, it's still relaxing and calms most nerves. Although she doesn't realise she's not the only one there midway through, and stops with some embarrassment.

"Ah-- My apologies, I did not know I was not alone! Forgive me if I disturbed you!" She's a bit embarrassed, only usually playing while she's alone.

Comments

music car

[lanxichen]

Xichen has been meditating, his flute next to his side, and his eyes open at the sweet melody that floods his senses. He considers for a moment, then reaches for Liebing, though he also considers if the guqin might not be a better counterpoint.

At her alarm, he shakes his head.

"Please, continue. It is a very beautiful song." Soft voice, words perfectly polite.

[runicfeathers]

"Ah, th-thank you. It is one I learned from someone very dear to me, it is all I have left of her and her people." Her face flushes pink at his compliment and places the flute back to her lips before pausing with a thought, this piece was meant to be shared as a song of peace after all.

"If you would like, it is a simple one to learn if you would like to play along?" She had already written down the notes to follow for various instruments during her self-isolation the past couple weeks, and brought them along with her.

[lanxichen]

Xichen nods, expression softening a notch, though still sad.

"Please, continue. I will join shortly." He doesn't have centuries of experience with music, but he has almost four decades, melodies being his heritage and his cultivation both. And while one of the songs he taught, one he poured so much love and hope into, was twisted...

Music is easier to return to than sword work, after all.

For a little bit, the sounds of the xiao join her flute, before they variate, bringing a counterpoint that makes it somehow richer... and sadder.

[deferences]

Fortunately for Sizhui, he's halfway facing away from Willow currently, meaning that whenever she calls his name, he has a few moments to tuck the polaroid pictures of himself, Jin Ling and the two of them together into his pocket. He straightens his posture afterward, lifts the same hand to momentarily rest his hoodie sleeve against his face then he sighs.

“Yes, I...” he trails off for a moment, lowers the arm, turns to glance over his shoulder at her with his lips pinched. Lying is against the rules, the disciple reminds, and you're already partially there. “I'm okay, mostly. Someone I know did leave.”

Someone important, but he'll leave that unsaid right now.