voidtreckerexpress | [Closed] discussions need to be had!

I'm pleased to hear that. [because honestly, he could use the company right now, regardless of what he continues telling himself. who better to talk to than his uncle, anyhow? lan xichen is sure to have some sort of advice, after all, even though he's from before everything awful happened.

actually, would that make things better? hmmm... probably not, given the other stressful things that fell into his lap— which sounds worse than it should, so probably best he's keeping quiet.

though he wastes no time scurrying closer, eyes alight with wonder once he sees what the man has drawn.] Oh, it's lovely! [and just as before, sizhui's instantly moving even closer, downturning his gaze momentarily to the brushes before sitting and lifting his attention again. his curiosity runs unrestrained most days, yet he resists asking for now, nodding instead toward the question being asked.] I do. I've experimented a lot with arts and crafts while aboard the train. [like, his new favorite thing is origami and testing his limits there, all while creating cute paper items he can either give away to his friends and family or pin up in his room.]

[it feels natural to offer the clipboard out to this young man, along with the pencil.

xichen does it before he thinks, brows knit together at the eagerness and urgent energy he feels shift in the air. he does not know this young man, not like he will one day, but it reminds him of the way the toddler he knows scrambles close and seeks touch when he's upset and not wishing to show it.

it surprises him that a handful of months after taking on the title of uncle, he knows so much.] What do you draw? [he asks, one brow raised.] I didn't realize they had supplies for us to draw with. I could only find the paper and pencil after I realized I was too late to purchase proper paints. [he glances at the brush set again, looking somewhat amused, before looking at his nephew again.]

[without hesitation, sizhui accepts the clipboard first then the pencil, wide-eyed and open-mouthed with awe initially. such an honor to have zewu-jun hand over his beautiful artwork like this!] Ah... are you sure? I wouldn't want to ruin your hard work, Zewu-jun.

[as he knows how to draw, but wouldn't say his technique could measure up; foliage, some animals, maybe other miscellaneous things here or there? so he wants to be sure!

touch may not be necessary for this situation, he's clearly not going to turn down any comfort lan xichen offers him though.] Scenery and inanimate objects, mostly. I can do some animals but haven't tried anything else. [yet, that is, even if he doesn't say it aloud just in case he doesn't actually try.] I wish they had more, to be honest, but these do in a pinch. [attention following his uncle's, sizhui smiles at the implication and nods, twisting the pencil between his fingers while waiting patiently.] That's okay, we can try next platform.

I am certain. [he offers, giving the younger man an encouraging nod.] And while I am sure your skills have improved since the days you spread paints all over my desk, even if that is not the case, we have more paper.

[teasing, soft. xichen pushes past the feeling of hesitation that follows, though the worry burrows to the surface and shows on his features.

it is lucky, that sizhui keeps talking. answering.] Which animals? [he asks, genuinely curious. maybe this is a hobby for him to look into, to pass the time. though he is considering exploring the more modern options available to them.] We can. The wait isn't much longer, I believe? I am still not used to the schedule.

[can't get much better than certain, right? that, alongside lan xichen's physical encouragement and his remark, sizhui can't help feeling emboldened, chuckling softly before commenting,] I assure you, my abilities have far improved since then, but that's reassuring to know, Uncle.

Thank you. [and he sets about adding small details; some recognizable foliage here, an overly large stone there, a walkway.

whenever his uncle inquires about the animals, he pauses, upturns his gaze and answers,] Rabbits are what I'm best at. [surprising absolutely no one!] But I can also draw deer, some birds, a dog, and... sort of a dragon? [maybe if he's lucky enough, one of these days jingyi will lounge around and let himself be drawn proper-like.]

[it's still strange, to hear sizhui call him uncle so confidently. as a child, he hasn't quite wrapped his mind around it yet. this new guardian is not the one person he knows, a father who he cannot see often due to the very man's medical condition.

xichen finds he doesn't mind it. he hopes he is at least has as good of an uncle as his own is, that he manages to give the child this young man once was a childhood until wangji is able to take the reigns.

he feels unprepared still but it is a role he can slip in to, take on when he does not understand what role he plays to others in this world other than someone looked at with pity for an inevitability he has not experienced yet.

he shakes his head slightly, trying to ground himself. he watches as sizhui draws.] You underplay your skill in this. [soft, amused and warm.] Perhaps Jingyi will pose for you if you need a model for the last? [a pause.] Are rabbits the best because you have the most practice? [a-yuan likes the rabbit patch after all, though they've only been a few times now.]

[odd as it is, little a-yuan grows accustomed to the change eventually, then even uses it with familial fondness at some point and never looked back from there. it's why he can call lan xichen it with such familiarity now; he's grown so used to saying it, he hardly thinks about how weird it'd sound in contrast for zewu-jun.

nobody's perfect at anything their first time, let's be fair. both jades fumbled and struggled, but still raised lan sizhui into an extraordinary boy nevertheless.

...it's just in this case, sizhui's technically already grown up; a teenager that can handle himself instead of a small child that's yet to face so many world-weary hardships. (some that he'll probably face twice since, thanks to the unfortunate fever, he'd forgotten things here and there.)]

Zewu-jun, please, [he huffs, thoroughly flustered by the compliment though less no less appreciative when he murmurs,] but thank you. [his hand turns, tilting the pencil slightly sideways, using it at an angle to add a bit of shading on one rabbit's ear. after perking toward the mention of jingyi,] No harm in asking him, at least? And yes, that is correct, as I spent quite a lot of time drawing the ones back home.

[in response to the huff, xichen lets out a soft chuckle before glancing u at the roof of the train car.

the scenery is nice but it is clear that it is not the real sunshine on their faces, that the train cannot given them everything. it's close enough, though, and for now it's giving him time with a nephew he will learn. he tilts his head back to sizhui, noticing that he's perked up a bit at the mention of the other junior.] No harm, I think. You two are very close, yes? Back home, I assume, and seemingly here as well?

[flustered as he is, hearing his uncle laugh feels nice; really warms the cockles and such.

while lan xichen's focused upward, he's all eyes on drawing, finishing his shading then moving on to darken some other lines here and there. eventually, the bunny he has drawn feels satisfactory enough that his gaze lifts, tilting toward the man at his side again once their focal point comes back around to jingyi.] Both, I'd say. There are clear differences between us and I'm sure the same goes for our worlds. [but he hasn't asked for any specific details, nor does he think it'd be the best idea when there's a chance some sensitive subject may come up at the wrong time.] Lan Jingyi is Lan Jingyi, no matter what. [just as it has been with the alternate universe zewu-jun, hanguang-jun, and wei-qianbei.]

[he glances back at the page, looking at what his nephew is drawing. the lines are dark, darker than they need to be in some points but the art itself is well put together.

he nods at the assessment, tilting his head slightly.] Is he so passionate when it comes to his friends in your --- in our world as well? When you know him?

[there are certainly other things he'd like to add to the artwork; foliage dotting the landscape, more animals, a small pond with perhaps lotuses or something, but his attention is wholly on filling xichen in about this dragonified version of the lan disciple they both know.

he does note the correction though mentions nothing of it, preferring to go with the idea they're from the same universe yet at different times.] Oh, yes, there's no difference there at all. Fighting for friendship with both fists up, that's how it always seems. [and one has to admire his tenacity when it comes to such things.]

[that earns a smile, a slight nod from the elder. he is glad, then, that sizhui has a friend like this in all the possible worlds. that he is not as isolated and along as he and his brother had been, though they'd had each other. though, eventually, xichen had mingjue and meng yao.

growing up alone is difficult.

he thinks of his own brother, injured back home.] Then I'm glad the two of you have each other and grow up together. [a pause.] Friendships like this are important.

[being alone was exactly one of the things he'd worried about when first arriving in cloud recesses; nobody shunned him in any straightforward manner, but he was an outsider, it'd been something mutually acknowledged and agreed upon by everyone. (despite this, children can oftentimes be quite cruel—) lan jingyi, however, didn't care about that and, against everything, had marched up to sizhui one day to immediately claim they were friends now.

it's something he'll always remember, no matter how many worlds away they are, and it seems like an exact action this lan jingyi would've done too— or something similar to it, perhaps?] Me too, [he agrees softly, easygoing.]

They are and I hope, whether we come from the same exact world or not, you have as equally important friendships too.

Back home, I certainly do, and there is no need to worry for me here.

[gentle, the smile turns to something assuring that normally works on his brother at least. he is not sure if it'll work on his nephew, if he will leave it be at that.] It seems Jingyi is such a good friend he is willing to fight for your honor, nephew.

Mmn. [he nods with affirmation, grinning outright at the following comment.] Of course not, Zewu-jun. I'm sure you're quite capable of making friends. [lan xichen is kind, friendly, intelligent and more than able to befriend people himself for these reasons, plus a whole handful of others—

but maybe now isn't the time to launch into that and get distracted when his honor has been brought up.

sizhui clears his throat, gazes back down at the drawing and momentarily shuts his eyes, sighing before reopening them so he can start sketching again.] Yes, he is, which I appreciate. [and it sounds like there's a ‘but’ coming on, though he hesitates, scribbling with more intent now.]

[Closed] discussions need to be had!

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