eastbound inbox.

[lanclan]

inbox for the mirror pendant of 'Average Sighren'.

“Please leave your message and I will attend it as soon as possible.”

Comments

[lanclan]

What is it then?

[wifedup]

Ah, because he knows? About me? He's known most of the time, actually.

( Which is a startling revelation and has Wen Kexing ready to flee Ephes at any given moment. Not because he wants to escape Zhou Zishu, mind. He's just having trouble rearranging everything he thought. )

Do you want a drink? I want a drink.

[lanclan]

Ah, how startling for you. Yes, I'll come over and have a drink with you, poor a-Xing.

[wifedup]

I'm at the Jug, come up to the office.

[lanclan]

[ Over he goes! Today in darker blues, giving a nod to the men and women who greet him on his way up to see Wen Kexing in "the office". He knocks but lets himself in, craning around the door. ]

Is there a heap of a former man in here?

[wifedup]

I get so drunk I can't walk once and you're acting like it happens all the time.

( He's pulled a chair around to his side of the desk, a bottle of wine and two cups in front of him. The paperwork he'd been frowning at gets placed on the desk and he pats the chair in welcome. )

Also, I'm unfortunately sober. Come and rectify that with me.

[lanclan]

It was wonderfully dramatic, you must admit.

[ He sits down in the chair, reaching into his sleeve as he does. A bag of nuts is dropped in Wen Kexing's lap. ]

On a scale of one to ten, how did your meeting go?

[wifedup]

Good?

( He sounds like he's asking Lan Xichen, which is silly. But Wen Kexing feels a little out of sorts, unsure of himself. He takes the nuts, tosses the little bag in the palm of his hand to feel the weight, expression thoughtful. )

No, it was good. I'm happy. It's just - ah, I have more to fret about now. You know I'm good at that.

( He opens the wine, fills Lan Xichen's cup first, then his own. )

He's from further along than I am. I think by some months.

[lanclan]

Oh? [ Time discrepancies are so awful. His expression melts into a concerned frown as he watches his best friend stewing. ] And did the extra time lend any ... depth to the relationship you were hoping to work towards?

[ Siiip. ]

[wifedup]

( He makes a noise, knocks the wine back. )

Ah, no? I don't think so anyway. There was a mood. ( And he'd asked, Zhou Zishu had called him his zhiji. He thinks he could be thankful for that. ) He was very drunk. Maybe he'd thought he'd be alone? He was just there, in the tavern. I found him completely by chance.

[lanclan]

Perhaps you should ask him again when he's sober.

[ His heart aches for Wen Kexing's, sympathy pains. ]

[wifedup]

Maybe.

( Thoughtful, turning his cup in between his fingers. )

There are things I need to deal with first. I had pinned my hopes on Ye Baiyi, remember? But he isn't here, and Ah-Xu doesn't have the time. I need to find a healer, and fast. My ... feelings can wait.

[lanclan]

How sick is he?

[wifedup]

He's dying.

( His gaze turns vacant as he refills his cup. )

Before we had time, maybe a year, but he seemed - I don't know. I could be worrying prematurely. Either way he's in pain and if I can find a way to stop that I will. I know Mistress Wen is a physician. Could she be called upon, do you think?

[lanclan]

Mistress Wen is very good.

[ His hand lays on Wen Kexing's arm to offer the support of human contact. ]

A-Xing. Have you considered that even if we heal him here, it may not affect his situation back home?

[wifedup]

If we heal him here, he lives here.

( The desperation finally creeps in, cracking through his words. )

I'll return back to the same time if we get to leave, so I still hold out hope for Ye Baiyi. But who knows how long he'll be here for? It's been months for me, what if he doesn't have that?

[lanclan]

Alright. Alright, I know. I just don't want you to obsess over this and find him gone one day, as my friend Hua Cheng was without warning. We will find a way to help him, together.

[wifedup]

He better not go anywhere. Not without me, at least.

( Darkly, like now Wen Kexing has Zhou Zishu back he'll make it everyone else's problem. He pours another cup, hands steadier than he feels.

And then, a sigh. )

I should have been asking around before now. I just didn't want to hope he might turn up. Wishing for things gets you into trouble, you know.

[lanclan]

We'll figure something out, there are always possibilities. The important thing is that he accepts you. [ Because Wen Kexing has been agonising over it. ] And may come to return your feelings in the future.

[ Gentle verbal prodding! ]

[wifedup]

He accepts me.

( And then, slightly more disbelieving. ) He actually does. I can't believe he's just - 'oh, I knew, I've always known' -, and that's that? Am I really that bad at lying? I lie all the time! Nobody's ever called me out on it before.

( Possibly no one has dared to.

And then, more quietly. ) I don't have to pretend anymore. It feels so strange, like I've taken a step just a shade off, or I've forgotten something. I keep waiting for the other boot to drop.

[lanclan]

A-Xing's lies are harmless, mostly. Why call on them when they are surely there for a reason? That's probably what his reasoning was in the past.

[ It's not as if Xichen believed him to be an innocent, if somewhat spicy, young man with no past behind that sharp wit. ]

[wifedup]

Harmless, ha!

( He shakes his head, almost amused. )

Maybe the two of you are just soft-hearted.

[lanclan]

Perhaps we both took the time to get to know you.

[ Patting him on the knee, he swipes his cup up and takes a long sip. ]

Where is he now? You should be spending your time with him, not panicking over what-ifs with me.

[wifedup]

We're not joined at the hip!

( Actually, if it were up to Wen Kexing they would be. )

And I, unfortunately, have to work. This is a business meeting. ( He angles his cup Lan Xichen's way. ) The ladies always work harder if they've seen your charming face.

[lanclan]

Very true, I'm sure. If this is a business meeting, I'd like to set up a meeting between myself and Zhou Zishu.