Chapter Text
Lan Huan knows better. He knows that he should run back to his uncle, or to any of the many cultivators within the Cloud Recesses and report what he's found so that they may eliminate it quickly before it causes the harm it surely will.
But, as the black smoke wisps and molds into a solid figure, just a tad bit smaller than Lan Huan himself, the urge to run slowly vanishes.
The smoke solidifies into pale limbs, hair blowing in all directions, closed eyes slowly open and stare with a dull gaze.
Its features seem to be based off of Lan Huan's. The creature was smaller and it's eyes were a brilliant glowing gold, but it was eery how identical it was to the Lan.
And it was terrifying how it just looked at Lan Huan.
He knows better. He should have run to his uncle, even though the rules forbid running. He should yell for some other cultivator that resides within his community, regardless of the rule that forbids it.
But instead he stepped towards this creature that took on his appearance. Who sat on the ground, naked but not shivering in the cool air that forever dwindled along the mountain. With golden eyes that stared deep into Lan Huan's soul. And took his outer robe off and draped it over this unknown creature and decided at that moment that he would take it home.
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Taking it home was far easier than it should have been. He snuck the barely decent creature past the Lans that lived and moved about the Cloud Recesses. He was fortunate that lessons for the older cultivators were in session or surely he would have been caught.
As he opened the screen door with one hand, the other holding the icy cold hand that belonged to the creature, he froze and dread washed over him as he met the gaze of his uncle.
His uncle furrowed his brow and rose to stand.
"A-Huan, who-" his uncle stopped his words as he fully took in the sight of the creature. "Lan Huan, get away from that creature!"
His uncle's voice rose with authority and in one quick movement, his sword was unsheathed and pointing towards the creature.
"Uncle! Wait!" Lan Huan moved so he better hid the creature from the harm his uncle clearly wanted to cause.
"Lan Huan! Do you not realize what thi-... this... gak!" His uncle dropped his sword with a clang and clutched his throat. Blood began pooling out of his nose, ears, and eyes. With a painful cough, it spewled from his mouth.
"Uncle!" Lan Huan ran and grasped his uncle's robes and tried to help lower him into a kneeling position.
He quickly looked behind him and saw the creature. Its eyes had hardened and the glowing, brilliant gold had turned into a dark, burnt honey. It stared directly at Lan Huan's uncle, its gaze had become vicious and though its face didn't make any expressions, Lan Huan could see the rage and destruction.
"Stop! You're hurting him!" Lan Huan begged. His uncle coughed up some more blood.
"Please!" Lan Huan's eyes began to water and his heart hammered in his chest.
Dread filled him and his thoughts raced with fear and regret. He had caused this! His uncle was dying because of him!
The tears fell and he let out a choked cry.
Then suddenly his uncle's gasping and coughing of blood stopped and the man collapsed.
Lan Huan's first thought was that he was dead. That he had brought this creature to his home, despite knowing he shouldn't have, and that his uncle was dead because of it.
But with a clear gasp, his uncle breathed out and the blood that pooled out began to slowly creep back into the body and soon enough, all that proved this had happened was the stains the red had given the white of his uncle's robes.
Lan Huan still breathed heavily. He jumped when he felt cold hands touch his face and wipe away his tears.
The creatures eyes no longer glowed but they no longer were the murky honey color either. They were gold once more without the unnatural shine.
Lan Huan shook and flinched from the creatures touch.
The creature tilted its head and sat on the ground. It stared at uncle but the seething rage was gone. It now just looked.. lost.
"You... can't do that again." Lan Huan's voice was shaky. "Uncle just wanted to protect me."
The creature didn't speak and Lan Huan isn't even sure it understood him. But he was grateful it understood the fear and begging Lan Huan had displayed.
It put its hand in Lan Huan's and just sat there.
They both just sat there until Lan Huan could calm his racing heart and move his uncle into a more comfortable position.
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His uncle woke with no memory of the event that took place and memories of events that never happened.
Suddenly, the creature had wormed itself into his uncle's mind and placed itself within their household.
No longer was it 'the creature' but Lan Wangji.
And no one questioned it.
Lan Huan supposed it was easy to not question it. His own coming into place was instant. No one besides uncle had known of his existence until suddenly he had begun classes. His birth was unorthodox and almost unnatural. Both his parents were within their own seclusion and regardless of that, they still managed to conceive him. To everyone else, another sudden child wasn't strange.
And with the death of Lan Huan's mother, the second child coming to live with uncle even made sense.
Lan Huan shouldn't feel relieved by this.
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"Wangji," Lan Huan sat in front of the cre- his brother.
Wangji stared dully at Lan Huan. It opened its mouth but nothing came out.
Lan Huan sighed but smiled nonetheless. Wangji has been with him for a week and still not spoken a word.
Lan Huan was sure Wangji understood him. He hasn't done anything remotely unnatural since the uncle incident.
Wangji did have trouble doing average things, like eating, bathing, or dressing, but quickly learned by Lan Huan's teaching.
Daily, Lan Huan recites the Clan's rules and daily Lan Huan practices speech, writing, and reading.
If he didn't know any better, Wangji seems an average little boy.
"Its all right. We will try again tomorrow," Lan Huan assures Lan Wangji and goes to stand.
"Xiongzhang," a whisper startles Lan Huan.
Lan Huan stares at Wangji and a warm feeling bubbles in his chest.
"Yes! I'm your Xiongzhang!" Lan Huan quickly plops in front of Wangji excitedly, eager that Wangji finally has spoken.
"Monster," Wangji whispers again, this time, his voice more shy sounding than just quiet and unused.
"Wangji.." Lan Huan's excitement ebbed into sadness.
Wangji's eyes showing that he meant what he said and that what he spoke was a fact.
Lan Huan went to speak but before he could get any words out, Wangji stood from his seated position and left the room.
That night, Wangji slept soundly beside Lan Huan. He held his brothers hand in his.
Lan Huan knows he shouldn't have taken the creature home. He knows he should have told uncle or another member of the Lan Clan.
But when he saw the creature, molding itself to fit into a society that would quickly have killed it if it hadn't, he saw the same feelings in those liquid gold eyes.
He saw loneliness.