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[wenyuan]

Who: Wen Sizhui and open to all with two closed starters
Where: All over the train
When: Day 20 - Merriment
What: Wen Sizhui about and interacting with people as he tries to get back into the swing of things.
Warnings: mentions of death and execution and murder (past).

Kitchens
There is a sense of calm when he goes through with the meal preparation of the month. The task is familiar enough that it makes him smile. Sometimes one needed the familiar motions of chopping, preparing, and cooking to help them feel centered again. He hears a clatter and looks up from where he's washing dishes with a warm smile.

"Oh! Were you looking for me?"


Quiet room
Sizhui takes a deep breath in then releases that same breath out, slow and steady as he settles into a meditation practice that Hanguang Jun had taught him since he was a young boy. His eyes slowly close. Another breath in, breath out.

The door slides open and Sizhui doesn't move from his place, instead remaining calm and smiling softly as his meditation is walked in on.


Spending time with brother
Sizhui makes his way through his brother's usual haunts to see if he could find Sizhui. There were quite a few things they needed to talk about. He pokes his head around the corner.

"Ah, didi?" he calls out. "Are you here?"


shovel talk with Dennis
Someone else he wanted to talk to was his friend Dennis. Well. His friend for now. Depending on how things go, he may gain another brother soon enough. Though he wonders if Dennis truly knows what it means to be invovled with a Lan. He only knows from the stories he's heard from Xian-ge and Hanguang Jun.

"Dennis?"

Comments

[wenyuan]

He takes a slow quiet breath in and quiet breath out. He nods. He knows of how the Lan feel about that sort of commitment. He presses his lips together as he listens to his brother speak about how he likes Dennis, how he struggles with understanding how things were from Dennis' world and from their own world. He reaches out and squeezes his brother's hand.

"They aren't," he admits, "from what he's told me. But I had told him that, in my world, Xian-gege and Hanguang Jun had been on many adventures together before they had married." Sizhui lets go of his hand and offers a kind smile. "Perhaps it is the same. Did they go searching after the Yin Iron shards in their youth together? Fight the water demon together?"

[deferences]

The Lan disciple is bracing for something bad after a breath like that, but as his brother nods, considers, then reaches to take hold of his hand, his posture slackens somewhat. He shouldn't be at all surprised Wen Sizhui and Dennis have already talked, yet he can't help sheepishly inclining his head at the revelation, feeling shy now that it's confirmed they were.

Regardless, he gingerly squeezes the other boy's hand, withdraws once he lets go and interlocks his hands across his lap, gaze still downcast. His turn to sigh, but then he nods, lifts his gaze, a half-smile upticking his lips. “They most certainly did. It is the same in your world then, hm?” Good... good, it's reassuring to know some things aren't so different between them. He brightens further, unable to help himself at the connotation, his voice softly teasing when he asks, “Do you think Dennis and I should fight a water demon together?”

[wenyuan]

He has a Very Serious Face and nods Very Seriously.

"You never know if someone is your fated person unless you fight a water demon together."

But his lips wriggle and Sizhui has to hide his laughter behind his sleeve. His entire body shakes with laughter and his other arm wraps around his middle as if to keep himself from exploding with laughter. Once his giggles die down, he smiles at his brother.

"A few more adventures, didi, and perhaps you both will realize if he truly is your fated persoon," he says gently.

[deferences]

“Ah, ah, I knew it! Seems like we will have to watch for any on the worlds we go to now.”

But as soon as Wen Sizhui laughs, the younger male grins outright too, his head shaking at the mock seriousness of his suggested idea and a quiet snort escaping that he attempts muffling into his fist anyway. How funny, yet also oddly comforting to consider when he remembers it was something that ultimately brought Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian closer together.

His own laughter is somewhat more manageable though no less genuine, given how he's still beaming even after they've gotten control over themselves, mirroring his gege.

He nods, “Sincerely, I do hope it is that simple in some sense, but I'm also hoping he doesn't feel like he has to make an immediate decision. I have no problem waiting while he figures out what he wants and simply being his friend until then.”

[wenyuan]

"And as long as he makes you happy," he reminds gently. "You needn't set aside your entire happiness and understanding what you want as well to make him happy."

He thinks back on his conversation.

"Didi, what do you imagine as life for yourself?" He has an idea: as most Lans simply wished to have their fated person and raise a family. Dashufu didn't follow this plan.

[deferences]

“He does!” Lan Sizhui's hoping he doesn't sound defensive despite his momentarily higher-pitched voice and regardless of the fact that he somewhat does feel it for Dennis's sake, though he softens shortly thereafter, hands curling into fists against his knees. “And I'm not trying to ignore my own happiness for his. Genuinely, I want to be his friend, I'm fine with that.”

Because he'd much rather be Dennis's friend than nothing at all.

For the most part, it's what Sizhui wants too. “The same thing other Lans want, I'm sure, but...” he trails off, contemplatively biting his cheek, faintly shrugging his shoulders. “I wouldn't be against something else if it's what my partner wanted?”

[wenyuan]

He hides his smile at how defensive that affirmation is. He mulls over what other Lans want. There's an expectation for all of them: eventually marry and have children. Yet Hanguang Jun and Xian-ge did not hold him to this. Something that Ning-shushu and Qing-shenshen agreed on. He puts a hand on his shoulder.

"You needn't worry about that. The future will come when it does. Have you and Dennis spoken about these feelings?"

[deferences]

That's fine, since then this means his gege can just disregard how his cheeks flare with embarrassment. Sizhui can't help it, this feels necessary, especially in cases where Dennis might not be around to defend himself. Everybody knows stories of the Yiling Laozu and Hanguang-jun, their adventures together, how they defied odds and overcame all obstacles that stood in their way no matter what. While there were lots of problems throughout so many years, they still maintained their relationship in the end with some modicum of peace across the land.

He snaps to attention at the hand on his shoulder, tilting his gaze toward it then back to his twin. Sure, the future will always come, but will it be what they want? “I have,” comes softly yet assuredly. “We both decided we're alright as friends after I assured him he needn't fret over it while his thoughts are... muddled.”

[wenyuan]

Oh he sees the rush of red and has to smother more of his smile to not embarrass him. He watches him carefully as he slowly responds. Sizhui nods slowly. From what he had spoken with Dennis about, this might be the right path to take for the both of them.

"It's a good opportunity to know each other better, isn't it?"

[deferences]

At least Wen Sizhui didn't call it out blatantly or else that would've proven far more embarrassing than just trying to ignore it; the latter means he can feign ignorance whereas the former means making up an excuse and he's not keen on lying about anything during this situation, even if it means to save face. However, were he aware Dennis and his brother had spoken and it was agreed upon mutually between himself and Dennis that they're fine as friends for now, it'd be a huge relief.

“Mmhmm,” he nods with confirmation, unable to help smiling faintly as well when he adds, “I'd say that's also a chance for us to have more adventures together too.”

[wenyuan]

Blatant call out is for another time. For now, he swings his arm around his brother's shouldrs.

"Then we will continue to seek out new adventures whenever we can. And I'll prepare a spring wedding for my dearest didi," he teases. He taps a finger to his chin. "Perhaps we can get some red silk at the next stop..."

[deferences]

A thousand blessings to his gege for being the absolute best about all this mess. Sizhui perks once the arm circles his shoulders, his lips quirking with mirth as the other boy starts teasing him again.

“Gege,” he whines emphatically, feigning anguish although there's no real despair behind his words. Gently, his elbow bumps into his brother's ribs then he hooks the same arm around him, returning the half-hug despite being so distressed. “Let's just handle the new adventures first, okay? Then we'll see what may come afterward.”