WangXian Little Mermaid AU pt 6
After MianMian clarified that Lan Zhan's real name was "Lan Wangji" Wei Wuxian had seemed a bit sheepish about calling him Lan Zhan all the time.
The fifth time Wei Wuxian stuttered over "Lan Zh---ah, Lan Wangji---Sorry, god no wonder you hated me---I must have been so annoying, calling you that---Ah, but we're close now right?! It's okay right---"
Lan Zhan's patience ran out. He reached over and grabbed Wei Wuxian's hand, tracing into the palm, "Lan Zhan is okay."
His heart gave a traitorous flutter when Wei Wuxian beamed at him. He really was a fool after all. He told himself he regretted it, when Wei Wuxian spent all his freetime then on calling his name and bothering him again.
In the library, "Lan Zhan!"
On the ocean shore, "Lan Zhan---"
In the tea pavillon, "Lan Zhan~~"
In the guest quarters where Lan Zhan was staying, "Lan Zhan, why are you ignoring me? You're being so cruel, aiyah!"
Lan Zhan resolutely ignored him and stared out the paper window with a huff, when something caught his eye.
Small, white and fluffy. He immediately startled and peered out the window cautiously.
He'd heard many beasts wandered the land, and they could be dangerous. Something darted out of the bushes again. Lan Zhan stilled. It was chewing on the fabrics he was wearing (clothes, robes, apparently). Lan Zhan stared. (Fascinated.)
The creature gnawing on the hem of the lace outermost robe Nie Huaisang had insisted Lan Zhan start wearing was small. Tiny. Round. White. It was also very fluffy. Lan Zhan had reached out to touch its fur before he even realized it. It was very soft, though its nose gave a violent twitch at Lan Zhan's touch and it jumped back.
At this point Lan Zhan was half bent out the window in an attempt to follow it, eyes wide.
The beast was absurdly tiny. Its ears were long. Its eyes were dark. Its tail looked like a puff of cloud.
"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying's voice was strangled, "What are you doing---"
Lan Zhan slipped out the window and stumbled slightly on the grass to sit down and watch the thing watch him. It sniffed before deciding his robes were tasty enough to risk danger, and lept onto his lap.
Wei Ying popped his head out the window, alarmed, before spotting Lan Zhan gingerly holding the cotton ball. He burst into laughter, "Lan Zhan! Where did you find that rabbit?"
Rabbit. Lan Zhan frowned and mouthed the words to himself. Rabbit. It was, a rabbit. He cradled the rabbit closer to his chest, careful to not dislodge it from where it was chewing his sleeve. It was very light.
"Haha, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying had thrown himself on the ground beside him. "Are you hungry? I can ask the chefs to roast a nice fat rabbit for you later. I know you didn't like the skewered pork ribs, or the steak, or the turkey, or chicken, or the roast duck, but a good roasted rabbit is bound to be life changing---"
Lan Zhan had stopped hearing anything he'd said after "roast a nice fat rabbit." His soul had evaporated from his body (evaporation, Lady Jiang had explained to Lan Zhan after he heard Wei Wuxian use it in an expression, was when water left the earth for the heavens).
The rabbit was still in his arms. Unaware as to its impending death. Lan Zhan shook his head. Minutely. Then a little more vigorously, clutching the rabbit tighter, and turning away from Wei Wuxian in an attempt to shield it.
Lan Zhan gave him his iciest stare. Wei Wuxian threw his hands up in the air with a yelp, "No rabbits. No rabbit food. I'll open up the enclosure, free them all, rabbit rights, rabbit freedom."
Lan Zhan peered at him, heart lifting up. Wei Wuxian peeked right back, and flushed, "Well, we can't exactly go eating rabbits if you like them so much, right?"
Lan Zhan cuddled the rabbit, lips curving upward slightly, before giving a firm nod at Wei Ying.
Wei Ying wheezed strangely, curling over. Lan Zhan frowned and scooched closer before pausing and thinking better of it.
Getting closer to Wei Ying would require letting go of the rabbit. He would have to stay still and hope Wei Ying was not actively dying. The strange red color on his face and neck, as well as the continued strangled throaty noises Wei Ying was making, were not promising.
He reluctantly placed the rabbit on the ground to grab at Wei Ying's arm.
Wei Ying bolted up with a loud yelp, and Lan Zhan jerked back, surprised. "Rabbits! I'm going. Gotta free the rabbits." He ran out of the garden before Lan Zhan could even blink. Humans really were strange creatures.
