Imagination 12, on the train, dining car | OTA

[only_one_wei]

Wei Wuxian slumped down onto the bench and laid his head on the table. "This is a catastrophe," he declared, slightly muffled by his position. "I've recovered from the battle, gotten all cleaned up, and I am out of wine."

He gave a heartfelt sigh before turning his head. "How are you doing? You weren't injured, were you?"

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[light_of_willpower]

Trunks was on one of his runs back towards the kitchen, given his backpack was empty of snacks and bottles of water for the healers and others who needed it. He couldn't outright sprint through the cars, but he was at least quick walking at a good clip. Pausing when he'd noticed Wei with his head on the table though, and then he couldn't help it. He snorted at the other's complaint, in amusement. Sympathetic amusement, but amusement.

"I got out of things relatively unscathed. It's why I'm running around trying to help the healers and everyone else. I'm glad you're recovered, Wei."

[only_one_wei]

Wei Wuxian waved a limp hand. Even his fingers hurt after all the playing he'd done. Though, that might have been due to the 'lasers' that had been trying to slice through them. He wasn't exactly sure what a 'laser' was, but he knew he really didn't like them.

"Nothing about a week of sleep won't cure at this stage. Glad somebody got through this okay."

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks wouldn't say he was 'okay', considering the memories the attack had brought up. But he was physically fine and doing okay enough as far as he was concerned. Cassie helped--a lot, even if he didn't talk much.

"When's the last time you ate, and drank something besides wine?"

[only_one_wei]

"Wine was a lot longer ago than food!" Wei Wuxian protested.

"I ate....I think it was about an hour before the idiots showed up. Then after, Glorfindel shoved a couple of these pastry things with meat in them at me."

[light_of_willpower]

"I can't help you with the wine, but I do have some beer in my capsule fridge." Trunks commented, crossing his arms as he looked at Wei seriously. "But you have to have some water and some actual food besides pastries too. Got it?"

[only_one_wei]

"Oh, no, they were actually quite filling," he assured Trunks. "They were like meat pies, but with a top crust for easier eating. That weird bear meat tasted actually okay. Could have used more spice, but I've noticed a lot of you don't like it." He wasn't judging though. Why, his own husband had no tolerance for it either.

"What, exactly, is a beer, though?"

[lanxichen]

"Does the dining car not provide wine?"

He had not checked. For obvious reasons. But most places that provide food could also provide alcohol, could they not?

[only_one_wei]

"No, it doesn't!" Wei Wuxian said sadly. "You have to buy your own, from the shop. The only thing it supplies for free is water, tea, coffee, or milk. Very sad."

Although there was someone making his own. Wei Wuxian might ask him for lessons. It wasn't like there was a lot of things to occupy his time on the train.

[radishlobbyist]

"Out of wine?" Wen Qing echoes. "This is a bad day to run out."

She had been passing through to get some more strong tea but at the sight of Wei Wuxian slumped there, she slips onto the bench across from him, hands folded on the table, brows furrowed in concern.

"I'm alright. Are you feeling better now?"

[only_one_wei]

He looked up at her and frowned. "No," he said quietly.

"I felt...helpless out there, and I...let a sect member die." He pinched his lips together and reached out to just barely touch her hand. Losing one of his own was still an open wound, he'd discovered.

Then he sat up and shook himself, his usual grin coming out again. "But I'm good now, right? He'll be back, and you won't even have to heal him. Which reminds me, I had an odd thought while we were waiting for the train to come back."

"If I were to buy eyes from the train, do you think you could give daozhang his sight back?" And now she knows why he hasn't gone and bought wine...

[radishlobbyist]

He let a sect member die. Right. Wen Qing's own face tightens, her hands folded together, knuckles tight enough to go white.

"You didn't let anyone die," she says, her voice a little too curt maybe to count strictly as comforting, though it is certainly intended as such. But her own frustration is bubbling up at the thought, at the shock she had felt when she learned of it by overhearing an offhand mention. "I don't know what happened down there with you two but I know you."

He may not be the Wei Wuxian of her own world but there are some things she is convinced remain the same across universes. Such as knowing the kind of man he is. That he would immediately think of helping someone else after failing to save another only proves it.

It's an urge she feels herself sharing, so she lets herself think about it instead of immediately dismissing it... "An eye transplant is something Baoshan Sanren did, and I'm no Baoshan Sanren," she cautions, "but there are many healers and doctors here. Baoshan Sanren did it all by herself. I... Normally I would say I can't but we shouldn't dismiss a chance to do good without trying."

[only_one_wei]

"He did die heroically," Wei Wuxian said with a half smile and a half laugh. He didn't really feel cheerful though. "We were on opposite parts of the field though, so I couldn't do anything." He shook his head. "I need to be a better mentor."

"You did manage a successful golden core transplant," he reminded her, his smile turning more fond. "And as you kept reminding me, the odds were against that. Even if grandmother had done it. So I have absolute faith in you. And in your colleagues here on this train."

[radishlobbyist]

A heroic death, he would get some enjoyment out of such fame, Wen Qing thought to herself, though she couldn't quite bring herself to join in with the laughter, no matter how humorless it really was. There was just a wan smile flickering over her face.

"I did manage a golden core transplant, but that was a desperate situation and you were very persuasive." Now, the smile lingered, a little wistful as she thought back to that compound in Yiling, to arguing with Wei Wuxian in the library, though she wondered if it had happened in the same way for him. "You asked me if I wouldn't take the same risk for my brother. I couldn't refuse you then." She ran her fingers over the tabletop. "Daozhang is very kind, he deserves just as much regard. And I won't have to do it alone with just my brother this time, nor will I be as pressed for time... if he even agrees."

[achickenformylove]

WangJi happened to be passing by at that point with something that he had recently stored in his qiankun pouch. He paused in the doorway, hearing WuXian lamenting about his lack of wine. He stood there for a moment without a word, looking at his husband with his head on the table.

Then he walked over, taking out his qiankun pouch and removing... a bottle of wine, which he set down in front of WuXian.

"I am uninjured. I hope you are the same."

[only_one_wei]

Wangji surely could tell for himself, since he now had his husband wrapped around him like one of those pandas.

"Lan Zhan!!!!" He was so glad to see him that he even let the wine sit for the moment.

"I am now. Those healing potions are very good," he said happily, forgetting how that would sound. "I am so glad to see you!"

[achickenformylove]

If nothing else, WangJi was always wrapped around WuXian's finger. There was never any doubt about it. Why else would a man who couldn't drink order alcohol with his hard-earned points? To give to his partner, of course.

He started to move to sit but stopped hearing certain words. "Healing potions?"

[only_one_wei]

Priorities. His husband, THEN wine.

"Oh, look, wine!" Master of redirection, he was not, but he tries.

He managed to mostly let go in order to grab the bottle, but stayed attached. "Well, you know how it is, you're standing there, in the middle of battle, playing your flute, as you do...and there were these little robots with lasers that had zero taste in music. But I was fine. Lightning had Odin protecting me, and Curufin was there, it was fine."

[achickenformylove]

Yeah, that didn't work very well as misdirection, but he wasn't going to object, untangling himself enough to be able to sit beside WuXian but turned so that he was looking at him. He was studying his face carefully, looking for signs of injury.

"That is good. I know that they would take care of you. You need to be careful."

He reached over to put his hand over WuXian's.

"I want to protect you."

[unholyandbroken]

"Just smoking like crazy." as Jessie refills her cup before going back to luggage to smoke. She's cranky but in one piece.

[only_one_wei]

Wei Wuxian lifts his head for a moment to look at her. "On purpose? Not because you're on fire, right?" Sure someone would have noticed by now though, if she were.

[stardustofdawn]

Sitting across from his dear nephew, recognizing his voice. He isn't quite happy, in fact quite melancholy and tired, but adjusting from the exhaustion of the last mission.

"Ah, I don't drink. I can suggest coffee if you're tired?" At his question, "I'm all right. I'm not injured since I boarded on time with the others. I spend most of my time with the supplies and the pandas. What about you?"

[only_one_wei]

Wei Wuxian made a face. "I've tried it. I'd rather have tea, honestly."

He sat back and looked at his uncle. "He won't be gone long, you know," he offered softly.

"Mission? I...brought a flute to a robot fight. Not my brightest move, uncle. Though I did figure out a way to combine the Resentful Energy, my Golden Threads, and a protection talisman into a large web to hold the ground together. It wasn't entirely successful, but for a prototype I think it went well."

(Ooc: He is debating on telling him of the eye thing. You want to wait?)

[stardustofdawn]

"I preferred tea as well, but coffee does have that kick when I need it in the morning."

He sighs and relaxed. "I don't know. I can't help but to feel guilty somehow. I'm the last person he spoke with. I thought much and if he's going to come back, it will him give some peace to know that I had been waiting for him."

He listens, "You tried your best for everyone, but don't overexert yourself."

[ooc: It could wait! Once he has the news or is ready to give it, I do have an inbox open! Or it can be handwaved later on]

[only_one_wei]

"You? Need a kick to get going in the morning?" Wei Wuxian was deeply surprised. "I thought that was only me. At least here it isn't Jiang Cheng kicking me." He rubbed his thigh. "I really don't miss that."

He nodded at his uncle's admonition. "I...will try not to. But it is hard not to want to do your best for the people who mean a lot to you. But I don't have to tell you that."

"Please don't feel guilt. Instead, feel happy that he's heading in the right direction," Wei Wuxian advised. "He is actively trying to be a better person. He doesn't always succeed, but we are all works in progress, right?"

[stardustofdawn]

"Coffee helps me stay awake and alert. It has caffeine in it, unlike tea." He explains, amused at his nephew, he actually smiles at the thought at the mention of his sect brother and shidi.

"You mean a lot to me, my nephew. And your husband, Lan Wangji. The both of you helped me. I realized I'm..." He trails off, trying to find words to say. "I should have asked for help, but I was on my own. I thought I could handle it and I was helping others to make the world a better place. I know Xue Yang for a long time. He was horrible, but only because he was misguided and he doesn't know how to treat and care for people, much less himself, let alone love."

With a sigh, "That time, when it happened moments before I died. He was jealous of Song Lan, so I killed him by accident in my blindness and he let it happen. He lied to me because he finds amusement in torturing us through pain and hurt, but in reality, he was acting out his arrogance and deep fear. I realize this now."

Shaking his head, "It's still my fault. He doesn't blame me anymore, but in the past he did. But I can see he is trying now. He hasn't matured much because he still hated Song Lan, but that's...something I couldn't do or make up for because Song Lan is back home and I am dead there. Here, I am alive and...I'm trying to figure out what I could do for myself and everyone here, and set things right again."

A pause, a beat, realizing he's pouring out, "I'm hoping I'm not overloading you. My death is a painful one, to everyone, and I'm trying to heal from that."