Chapter Text
He could still smell the stink of smoke on his robes, through the grime. Even though he ached, for his brother and his uncle, for their library and their quiet home, even though he ached and his lips cracked with thirst and his leg throbbed with every heartbeat and every step, and the smell of smoke chased him like the Wens with their jeering cries had chased him, he pressed himself against the wall of the alley and held still and silent.
They wouldn’t kill him if they captured him. He knew that.
They would never kill such a valuable hostage as the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan sect.
Not when his older brother had already slipped their net.
If it came to that, he might prefer to kill himself first.
“You runnin’ from the dogs?”
There was a kid on the roof.
He was curled up next to the puffing chimney, soot staining the dimples in his cheeks. His clothes, dark enough not to show dirt easily, were a size too big and well-worn at the seams. From his rosy cheeks, he’d probably climbed up the roof to steal warmth from the chimney.
“Come on, I’ll help you up!” he whispered, sliding forward and offering his… foot?
Lan Wangji frowned.
“Come ooooooon,” the kid urged, “it’s too far to lean over!”
Lan Wangji supposed that was true.
Especially since the kid had wrapped his arms around the chimney to support his weight.
With a scowl, he pressed himself forward, jumped from his good leg, and grabbed onto the dirtiest ankle he’d ever had the displeasure of seeing.
With a grunt, the kid pulled himself backward, straining until Lan Wangji could reach the rooftop and pull himself up. He pressed forward, scrambling as a few shingles began to shift beneath him. The other boy grabbed his shoulder and pressed down.
“Wha--” abruptly, he was squished flat. The boy unlaced his dark overrobe and spread it over the two of them.
“Shh!” he whispered, squirming until he could pull the robe over both their heads. “They’re comin’!”
Lan Wangji’s eyes widened as the complete stranger tucked in closer and shoved his cold nose against his shoulder.
“What are you--” he hissed, before the kid’s grimy hand found its way over his mouth.
“Stay. Still.”
Lan Wangji froze as the whispered words puffed against the side of his neck. He held his breath. The other boy lay tense against his side, short breaths warming Lan Wangji’s trembling shoulders.
Heavy footsteps traced the entrance of the alley, accompanied by the huffing pants of an excited animal.
Lan Wangji could feel his heart hammering against his ribs. The other boy’s hand tightened across his mouth, even though he had no intention of talking.
The dog sniffed loudly and started whining. The footsteps paused.
Lan Wangji shut his eyes. His fists clenched.
He felt the other kid’s breath quicken, his ribs pressing sharply against Lan Wangji’s own.
The footsteps sounded again, growing distant. Heading out of the alleyway.
Lan Wangji lay still, even after they’d gone.
The other kid rolled over, pulling his robe back around his waist and tying it haphazardly. His shoulders started to shake.
Lan Wangji looked at him askance.
“Pffffff- ahahahAHAHA!” The kid curled up, resting one hand on his stomach while he used the other to smack at Lan Wangji’s shoulders. “Tha' was close!” he giggled.
Lan Wangji was starting to think he’d been saved by a madman.
“... Thank you.” He bowed as best he could while seated and prepared to make his way down.
“Wait wait wait!” The kid grabbed at his sleeve before he could shift away. “If you go down like that, you’re just gonna get caught, y’know!”
Lan Wangji looked down at himself and back at the kid, raising an eyebrow.
The kid propped himself up on his elbows and gave him a blatant once-over, obviously holding back laughter. “You’re wearin’ all white, genius. Even if ya scuff it up a bit and take off the girly ribbon--” Lan Wangji scowled reflexively-- “no one 'round here wears stuff that nice.”
Lan Wangji had to admit he had a point.
About the color, not the ribbon.
He cleared his throat.
“So?”
“Man, you’re a chatterbox!” The kid grinned and pushed to his feet, balancing easily on the sloped roof. Lan Wangji changed his estimate of the boy's age-- he wasn't as short as he'd seemed at first, nearly reaching Lan Wangji's chin. That dimpled face had no trace of baby fat. “So, I can help you get a change. An’ a place to sleep tonight, looks like ya need it.” He laughed, but his gaze was kind. “Promise I don’t snore. Whaddya say?”
Lan Wangji gazed at him steadily. The teen stared back, unflinching.
“Name?”
“Wei Ying!” The teen-- Wei Ying-- seemed to take that for acquiescence. He held out a hand to pull Lan Wangji.
It was just barely cleaner than his ankle had been.
Lan Wangji sighed but accepted the hand up. He scowled as his leg twinged again.
“Didja get hurt or something? Or is that just what your face does?” Wei Ying asked curiously. His eyes flicked from Lan Wangji's leg to his grimacing face. “Uh… guy? My man? Don’ look at me like that, it makes me think you’re wonderin’ if you should shove me off the roof.”
Lan Wangji rolled his eyes. “Lan Wang--” Not good, his courtesy name was well-known, even this far away from Gusu. “Lan Zhan.”
“What?” The teen had started to pick his way to a different corner of the roof, where a trellis of dead vines was leaning. Evidently, that was how he’d gotten up.
“My name. Lan Zhan.”
“Okay, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying had a way of chirping his sentences when he was happy, so Lan Zhan could almost see his cheeky grin without looking. “It's only a few minutes to my flop, you’re gonna love it.” He began to shimmy down the trellis, jumping to the ground halfway down.
Lan Zhan looked dubiously at the flimsy wooden structure, and sat at the edge of the roof instead.
“Ya gonna jump down?” Wei Ying held out his arms teasingly. “I’ll catch you, Lan Zhan!”
Lan Zhan sighed and twisted to grab at the rooftop with both hands, swinging down to hang straight. He let go and fell into a crouch, hissing as his left thigh pulsed and began to throb with pain.
“Aww…” Wei Ying dropped his hands and pouted, then moved forward to peer down at Lan Zhan’s red face. “You are hurt, aren’tcha? Want me to carry you? It’s not that far, Lan Zhan!”
Wei Ying had said his name more often in the past five minutes than his brother had said it in the past two years.
“Idiot,” Lan Zhan muttered.
Wei Ying grinned, before grabbing his arm to sling over his shoulders. “Fine, I’ll be your crutch, then! You can muss up your hair a bit. Actually--” he used his free hand to pull half of Lan Zhan’s hair over his face, causing the boy to sputter and glare at him. “There, now jus' make sure to stumble a bit when you walk and everyone will think I’m just helpin' ya get home from the tavern.”
He spoke like this was a common occurrence.
Lan Zhan didn’t really want to think about why this grinning, sunny-faced stranger would be proficient at carrying drunk people home.
With great forbearance, he allowed his hair to hang into his face, and leaned against Wei Ying’s bony shoulders.
“Now you just need to lose the ribbon! Makes ya look like one of those Gusu Goody-Goodies,” Wei Ying whispered, gleeful.
Lan Zhan pinched his shoulder sharply.
“No,” he muttered.
“Fine, no need ta shout,” Wei Ying muttered, a smile deepening his dimples. Lan Zhan tore his gaze away and focused on hobbling.
“One drunken trip home, comin' up!”
“Shut up.”
“Never! Ahahaha-- ow, ow, why?”
Lan Zhan let up on the pinched shoulder. “Shut. Up.”
He could already tell it would be a long walk to Wei Ying’s ‘flop.’