This is Halloween!

[we_bring_hell]

The Bar loves her holidays, but she is also capable of respecting religious strictures. That's why she put a lot of thought into finding a Halloween costume for Harrow that works with her face paint and general insistence on the monochromatic.

Harrow, for her part, is baffled by the white-pinstriped black suit and the oversized bow, but the gloves are very cool, and the buckled shoes suit as well. She has no idea what's going on but she can live with this.

The Bar seems even more unusually populated than usual, and there are a lot of gourds around. Hm.

Comments

[acrookedpath]

He braces his hands on either side of himself and watches Lan Zhan work, a new smile tugging at his mouth. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

With exaggerated care, he leans forward to plant a kiss on the emblem at the center of Lan Zhan's forehead.

[lightamidchaos]

His breath catches, but he does not stop what he is doing.

"Mark your words," he murmurs.

Once the last of Wei Ying's clothes are dealt with, he gently pulls the red ribbon from his hair, then helps him into the bath.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian grins. While it's too unfocused to be a truly wicked smile, he makes a decent attempt.

The water's comfortably warm when he slips in, and he sighs, keeping hold of Lan Zhan's hand to anchor him. He wriggles low enough to lean his head on the wide ledge; his loose hair spreads around him like ribbons of ink.

[lightamidchaos]

"I will wash your hair," he murmurs. "Relax."

He works up a lather with the shampoo, then begins massaging Wei Ying's scalp with strong fingers.

[acrookedpath]

He hums, low and long, and shivers despite the warmth of the water. For a moment, he almost seems to lose touch with the boundaries of his body, as if he has turned to water himself. He only exists in the places beneath the pads of Lan Zhan's fingers.

"You're so good at this," he murmurs.

[lightamidchaos]

He makes a low, noncommittal sound, and keeps going.

Eventually he gets the soap all the way through Wei Ying's hair, lathering thoroughly before he gathers the black strands in his hand and tugs, tipping his head back so that he can rinse without getting soap in his eyes.

[acrookedpath]

His hand tightens on the bathtub's rim, and his next sigh shakes fractionally. He closes his eyes as Lan Zhan rinses away the soap, even though it makes the tub pitch beneath him like a storm-tossed boat. When he sways, Lan Zhan is there to steady him.

Unconsciously, he starts to hum beneath his breath: a melody with no name, formed from his scattered thoughts like fog gathered in a valley.

[lightamidchaos]

He listens, heart full of joy, as he secures Wei Ying's damp hair in a loose twist and moves on to help with the rest of his bath.

First legs, then arms, then he coaxes him first to lean forward so that Lan Wangji can wash his back -- and then to lean back, so that he can wash the rest of his body, gently supporting him all the while.

[acrookedpath]

In the morning, he will feel faintly foolish that he was so inebriated he couldn't even bathe himself. Now, he is too at peace to care: Lan Zhan's touch is just another warm, gentle indulgence, and he sinks into it gladly without expecting more.

At one point, as Lan Zhan bends his head within reach, Wei Wuxian lifts a finger to trail it across his ribbon. Quietly gleeful, he says, "I can do that whenever I want now."

[lightamidchaos]

He huffs a soft breath of laughter, but agrees, readily.

"Yes. My heart is Wei Ying's to hold."

Finished with the bath, he coaxes him up to sit on the edge of the bathtub once more, wrapping him first in a towel to dry and then helping him into his clean clothes.

Lan Wangji drapes a clean towel over his shoulders and loosens his hair to fall freely, then pours camellia oil into his own hands and begins to run his fingers through Wei Ying's hair.

[acrookedpath]

He keeps a snug hold on the bathtub, feet planted firmly against the soft roll and pitch of the ground.

"Tomorrow," he starts to say, only to interrupt himself with a yawn. "Tomorrow. We'll get whatever you want for breakfast. The best tea. The best food. And dinner, too -- something good, anything you want. And while you're gone I'll do... things, with the talismans. Make something nice for you for all this. I promise."

[lightamidchaos]

"Wei Ying."

It is quiet, but firm. He does not stop smoothing the oil through the other man's hair, not until every drop has been absorbed.

"I like this. I like doing this, for you."

He starts combing Wei Ying's hair next, finding it much easier now than before.

[acrookedpath]

"But you're doing so much."

He starts to twist around to look at Lan Zhan over his shoulder, immediately regrets it when the room's gentle orbit lurches into something much less gentle, and just manages to steady himself in time.

"You're always doing so much. I don't deserve all of this just, just because I'm drunk."

[lightamidchaos]

“No,” he agrees. “Wei Ying deserves it because he is Wei Ying.”

He finishes combing his hair and rests his hand against Wei Ying’s cheek, just for a moment.

“I enjoy this. Truly. I do.”

[acrookedpath]

His eyes, already bright and glassy from the alcohol, grow suspiciously watery as he smiles.

"I want to do nice things for you, too."

[lightamidchaos]

Lan Wangji smiles back at him.

“I will enjoy that as well. As long as it is something you want.”

He stands, then, and coaxes Wei Ying to his feet, putting an arm around him.

“Come. Sleep.”

[acrookedpath]

"It is," he says, earnest, as he totters toward their bed with Lan Zhan's help. "I'll always want to. Don't worry. We'll do nice things for each other and it'll be... nice."

What'll also be nice: laying down to rest. That is an excellent idea. He's so sleepy from the Atlantean, plus the warm bath, and he can hardly walk anyway. Time to give in to the urge to go horizontal.

As soon as Lan Zhan guides him down to the mattress, he lists sideways until his head hits the pillow.

[lightamidchaos]

“Good night, Wei Ying.”

He pulls the coverlet over him, save for one hand. Lan Wangji removes his forehead ribbon and gently ties it around Wei Ying’s wrist, then kisses his cheek before going to clean up the bathing room and himself, both.

[acrookedpath]

"Good night, Lan Zhan," he mumbles, already drifting. "Love you."

The metal of the ribbon's emblem is still warm from Lan Zhan. Smiling, Wei Wuxian curls beneath the coverlet, letting his eyes fall closed.

For a first birthday in the afterlife, he thinks, this is not so bad at all.

He is asleep within moments.