He gives her a look, one that's partly conflicted, partly amused, and partly lost.
"I don't know what that'd look like," he says, an admission in and of itself. "As for making all the decisions, that... is at least not something I'm struggling with as I might have, months ago."
Confession again, of a different kind. Once I would not have felt I had the right to decide.
"Good." She's still of the opinion that Lan Wangji is the one unworthy of Wei Wuxian but she understands, somewhat. Wei Wuxian's never been one for halves. Either he was making the decisions or letting people decide things and going along, as much as he possibly could.
"And what do you mean, you don't...." She narrows her eyes at him over her tea before setting the cup back down. "You never thought about courting rituals? Or what it might look like? Jiang Wanyin at least knew to buy me a comb for a courting gift." And really, she'd thought that piece of advice came from Wei Wuxian.
He lifts his brow, cocking his head as he regards her, smile wry for the
moment.
"Once I was meant to be Jiang Cheng's support, his closest ally. Marriage
was not my consideration or concern."
They both know why, looking at his adopted brother. At the confidence
concerns, at the rivalry that once didn't bleed toxic. At one man running
from yoked affections, and another man desperate in his hope for them.
Then there was the example of his parents to nod toward too. He's been
aware of that since he was very, very small. Madam Yu made certain of that
much.
There's no denying that, and Wen Qing doesn't even know all of the details. Just that Jiang Cheng had expected Wei Wuxian to be there, and that Wei Wuxian would have done it. Stayed in Lotus Pier with him, his right-hand man, if everything hadn't happened.
It's impossible for Wen Qing to regret begging Wei Wuxian to help her brother or the time they had in the Burial Mounds, and part of her knows that everything had changed once they put Wei Wuxian's core in Jiang Cheng. Still, sometimes she wishes she could have sent him home, back to his siblings.
Not that she can say as much to him, not now, so it's easy to shrug off the thoughts and return to her tea. "In that case, make up your own courting customs. It's not like he, or you, can pay a bride price or send extravagant gifts to the family, so demand appropriate gifts. Give him something in return. Tell him you want an actual wedding, witnessed by the family you have here."
His lips twitch, less amused at her suggestions than his own imaginings of
the same. It's not bad advice. Knowingly how to use it, that's... going to
take consideration.
"Would you count among that number?" Asked casually, as if it doesn't
matter if she says no.
"Then that'll make three people I'd be honoured to have attend."
Soft, because his heart feels like tiny needles have driven into it, and it
aches, gaining another sister, already knowing he's lost her. Is fated to
not share her world, but love her while they share this one, and beyond.
He smiles back, heartened, and laughs with a wave of his hand, not to
dismiss her point, but because there are aspects of it which simply go
beyond what he wants, if he's considering wants. Lily's presence would be
welcome, of course, but it's enough of a ritual from their world, their
home, that he's not sure whose eyes he cares to have on it. Does
it matter? To some extent, to him, but that's neither here nor there.
His fool of a husband, and his own foolish self, have enough to slog
through to try and get to some point that isn't this tower, isn't this
landscape of other people's hubris, to try and find their footing... if it
can even happen before it's too late.
He brushes that thought aside as well, and shrugs instead.
"As soon as I know, I'll send along your invitation."
"It already took half a decade, I'm sure a little longer won't hurt." Except it's been much longer for him, she realizes. While Hanguang-jun doesn't look too much older than he had when she last saw him, there's an air of maturity to him, a gravitas that hints at his real age. Sizhui's a teenager, nearly as old as Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng had been when the war started.
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"I don't know what that'd look like," he says, an admission in and of itself. "As for making all the decisions, that... is at least not something I'm struggling with as I might have, months ago."
Confession again, of a different kind. Once I would not have felt I had the right to decide.
no subject
"And what do you mean, you don't...." She narrows her eyes at him over her tea before setting the cup back down. "You never thought about courting rituals? Or what it might look like? Jiang Wanyin at least knew to buy me a comb for a courting gift." And really, she'd thought that piece of advice came from Wei Wuxian.
no subject
He lifts his brow, cocking his head as he regards her, smile wry for the moment.
"Once I was meant to be Jiang Cheng's support, his closest ally. Marriage was not my consideration or concern."
They both know why, looking at his adopted brother. At the confidence concerns, at the rivalry that once didn't bleed toxic. At one man running from yoked affections, and another man desperate in his hope for them.
Then there was the example of his parents to nod toward too. He's been aware of that since he was very, very small. Madam Yu made certain of that much.
no subject
It's impossible for Wen Qing to regret begging Wei Wuxian to help her brother or the time they had in the Burial Mounds, and part of her knows that everything had changed once they put Wei Wuxian's core in Jiang Cheng. Still, sometimes she wishes she could have sent him home, back to his siblings.
Not that she can say as much to him, not now, so it's easy to shrug off the thoughts and return to her tea. "In that case, make up your own courting customs. It's not like he, or you, can pay a bride price or send extravagant gifts to the family, so demand appropriate gifts. Give him something in return. Tell him you want an actual wedding, witnessed by the family you have here."
no subject
His lips twitch, less amused at her suggestions than his own imaginings of the same. It's not bad advice. Knowingly how to use it, that's... going to take consideration.
"Would you count among that number?" Asked casually, as if it doesn't matter if she says no.
no subject
no subject
"Then that'll make three people I'd be honoured to have attend."
Soft, because his heart feels like tiny needles have driven into it, and it aches, gaining another sister, already knowing he's lost her. Is fated to not share her world, but love her while they share this one, and beyond.
no subject
"Though I know Miss Lilly would attend, and be honored, and others here." Wei Wuxian is a friendly person, even if he keeps people at a distance.
no subject
He smiles back, heartened, and laughs with a wave of his hand, not to dismiss her point, but because there are aspects of it which simply go beyond what he wants, if he's considering wants. Lily's presence would be welcome, of course, but it's enough of a ritual from their world, their home, that he's not sure whose eyes he cares to have on it. Does it matter? To some extent, to him, but that's neither here nor there.
His fool of a husband, and his own foolish self, have enough to slog through to try and get to some point that isn't this tower, isn't this landscape of other people's hubris, to try and find their footing... if it can even happen before it's too late.
He brushes that thought aside as well, and shrugs instead.
"As soon as I know, I'll send along your invitation."
no subject
"Make him pour tea for your brother."