incenseburning | Another Chance

The entire situation was precarious.

It was not as if the relationship between the Yunmeng Jiang sect and Gusu Lan was fraught, but as far as Lan Wangji had been able to discern, there were political considerations nonetheless. He himself was hardly involved in this aspect of inter-sect relations - for he did not care for negotiations and the delicate balancing of interests and egos his brother so excelled at - but one had to be blind not to see that Yunmeng Jiang would want for closer ties.

The arrangement itself was relatively simple but Wei Ying's impending presence was not. As head disciple, it was merely expected that he would serve alone as an envoy to the various sects when Jiang Wanyin was otherwise occupied. However, due to Wei Ying's enduring belief that Lan Wangji intended to do something about the cultivation methods he had chosen, he had previously vehemently refused to come to Gusu, and it had approached the point where Lan Wangji believed it to be a futile endeavor.

He would neither give up or give in, however. In no way did he shun Wei Ying - it was the precise opposite, in fact, which drove him to distraction on a level that only but so much secluded meditation could alleviate, and after his catastrophic lapse of self-control at the Phoenix Mountain hunt weeks prior, he had acknowledged that his feelings had grown roots, stretching down into the deepest parts of him, and were there to stay.

He had reached a point of acceptance, and thus the tumult within him subsided somewhat, but upon hearing of Wei Ying's impending arrival, much of this crumbled to dust.

To Lan Wangji, this was another chance, and perhaps his final one, to convince Wei Ying to consider his health, to consider the dark path he was walking down and the fact that it could only lead to ruin for him. Though uncharacteristic for a sect leader, his brother had gone to collect Wei Ying himself, should he agree to accompany him (and oh, his brother knew, for he had told him in so many words and he was deeply grateful for his gracious, unwavering support in this), and so Lan Wangji waited for news or otherwise. His thoughts whirled so he had tried to read, but he found himself sitting with the book open in front of him, staring blankly at nothing and with his head elsewhere within an incense stick's worth of time.

There was no commotion or otherwise to announce Wei Ying's arrival, which part of Lan Wangji had anticipated. The man was different, now. But he had sensed it, the ever-present, almost cloying presence of resentful energy unmistakable even from a distance. It draped over Wei Ying like a shroud, these days, and at Lan Wangji's level of cultivation, it was impossible to ignore.

It was Lan Wangji's duty to see him about the Cloud Recesses. So he drew one, two calming breaths, and forced his emotions to steady before going to meet Wei Ying at the entrance. He allowed the walk through the bright afternoon sunlight to soothe him, and attempted to internalize the tranquility. It was only mildly successful, and the moment he saw Wei Ying approaching him on the stone path, he was suddenly filled with such a deep sense of yearning that it nearly stopped his breath.

It was one of a handful of times, perhaps, that he was deeply grateful that his emotions rarely showed on his face. "Wei Ying," he greeted with a customary bow, and met his stormy grey eyes as he straightened. "Welcome."

Uncle wouldn't formally be receiving Wei Ying's presence until after dinner. Lan Wangji reminded himself of this. He had time.