singlelogbridge | Inbox: Ximilia

[Absolutely fascinated now, he does as he's told. One day Itachi is going to tell him to do something and he's not going to do it and it'll be great, but not today. Amusement flickers across his eyes and he matches Itachi's seiza position before switching to crossed legs because what is this, punishment?]

Are you going to tell me what we're doing here now?

（ as wei wuxian takes up an agura position, there is a very faint — albeit amused — quirk to one eyebrow, barely discernable amidst the still waters of his mien.

but his meaning is clear: heathen. ）

I would like to use Tsukuyomi on you again. Will you permit me?

[He meets that expression with a clear one of his own, smiling.

Bite me.

And then blinks in surprise, his smile losing some of its humor. For a moment he doesn't answer, processing the question. Just as soon the moment passes and he nods. He knows Itachi regrets its use before, and he trusts his friend.]

Yes. [He could ask how or why, but in truth he doesn't need to. Whatever Itachi wants to do, he's sure he'll understand once he does it.]

（ he had anticipated — resistance, perhaps. something more than a few somber, reflective heartbeats. there's a faint ease of tension, evident only in the sharp line of his jaw, and then the sharingan spins to life, sharpening into the blades of its mangekyō form simply and seamlessly.

the room is locked, they will not be disturbed. and at any rate, this will not take more than a moment.

tsukuyomi.

its effect is instantaneous. they are no longer sitting amongst rolling hills, they are standing on side of a great mountain that looms far, far above them. yet clouds and mist give an indication of just how high they are, how far the fall — crows circle far below them, and one might feel breathless, weightless, leaning out over the sheer face of the cliff. the stars overhead are brilliant and glittering, holding court with the moon which gives them more than enough soft light by which to see.

buildings are hewn into the stone with all the hallowed deference of a temple. there is a weight to the age of it — the stone is gently rounded by the wind in defiance of a stonecutter's tools, and all vestiges of red ochre and cobalt and gold worn away except in the deepest of crevasses by the howling gales.

the stoneborn buildings are empty, and wind winds its way through the labyrinth of stone pillars and fallen tile, but there is none of the biting cold that is generally associated with such altitude, nor the breathless gasping. yet, somehow, everything of this place feels real, feels alive. itachi is standing on a walkway between two buildings, lined with ropes and rotting wood that pitches dangerously beneath his slight weight, but there is no danger. instead, only a sense of belonging, and immeasurable peace. ）

This temple does not have a name. （ it has not been forgotten. it simply never was. ） I was the first to have set foot here in nearly a thousand years.

（ it predates kaguya. the gift of chakra to humanity, the warring states that followed. it feels older than time, almost. ）

[It doesn't feel like an illusion.

Even the simulation room has its limits—ways he knows it would fail if put to the test—but this? Wei Wuxian turns slowly to take in the structure and views around him, and he sucks in a breath of fresh mountain air, closing his eyes to let it settle inside of him. This is something else entirely.

It is much better than an endless black void.

The style of architecture is reminiscent of temples he's visited in his own world, but with enough difference in detail to be distinct. He's also never been anywhere that was carved into a mountainside like this though he was aware those sorts of temples and villages existed. His steps are deliberately quiet as he wanders slowly after Itachi.

Even without Itachi's words, Wei Wuxian would have felt the temple's age and in more then just the wearing away of stone. It feels ancient, stone walls wise with the ages and ages of man that they've witnessed. There's a soft wondrous look on his face when he reaches his friend again, and he drags his eyes from the temple to turn them on Itachi.]

How did you find it?

（ his mouth tightens — the urge to say i looked is quite strong, but he refrains. instead — ）

I read old scrolls, written in cypher. It took me many years to uncover the existence of this place. But there was something I needed here, that could only be found by one with eyes like mine.

（ he shakes his head, faintly. ）

But that is not the point to my bringing you here. You asked me for something once, and I said no, then.

（ a dragon spills, all laziness and grace, as if poured from the very moon. it looks a little like itachi did, in that underwater world — but it is clearly not meant to be him. instead, it descends and hovers, weightless in the air, before wei wuxian on that narrow footpath. ）

I recognize that it is not quite the same. （ he could have made it so, but this is deliberate. he is sharing something, of himself, of his world, of his skill. ） I thought you may enjoy it nevertheless.

Edited (words hard when tired) 2022-10-28 02:59 (UTC)

[Amused curiosity quickly vanishes behind awe, and his eyes widen at the appearance of the dragon. With unhesitating steps, Wei Wuxian moves closer to it, lifting a hand in the air so that the creature can see it and then gently setting it on its snout in greeting. It isn't real, he knows that, but it's real here and he greets it with the solemn respect it deserves, lowering his eyes for a moment before bringing them back up.

When he turns back to Itachi, it's difficult to contain the spill of affection he feels rushing over him, and his smile is warm and grateful.]

You're unbelievable, you know that? [Incredulity and amusement war in his voice.]

This is. Wow. [He feels speechless and a lump of emotion forms in his throat that he quickly swallows down, smile shifting into a bright grin.]

Why? [No one has ever done something like this for him before, not that they could do something exactly like this, but still.]

（ why. there are so many reasons, each perhaps more poignant than the last. itachi does not speak for a moment, instead his attention lingers on the dragon. it is the deep black of obsidian, with red frills. both their colours, in a way. it turns its head towards him, and he mirrors wei wuxian — lifting a hand to stroke along the broad wedge of it. its scales are hot to touch — not uncomfortably, but the truth is he could not resist a creature born of flame. ）

You deserve the opportunity to experience something joyful. That is all.

（ the dragon twists, sinuous, and angles its body alongside the walkway, so that all wei wuxian needs to do is step off. ）

You won't fall.

（ his control, as he had said — is absolute. ）

[He has to look away then, blinking tears out of his eyes that spring up out of nowhere. It isn't as though he doesn't know his friends care for him, but knowing it is different from taking in the magnitude of a gift like this, and more than the gift itself, you deserve the opportunity to experience something joyful. More tears gather in his eyes and he blinks them away, laughing in sincere joy and stepping closer to his friend.]

Have I ever told you, I miss flying? [Without waiting for an answer, he tugs at Itachi's elbow, and moves towards the dragon.]

Come on. Let's do this.

（ his expression shutters, and despite that nudge he does not move. ）

My intention was not to join you.

[Undeterred, Wei Wuxian flashes him a smile, though he does drop his hand.]

What's the point of experiencing joy alone? Everything is better with friends. Will you come with me? Please?

（ he blinks, and looks out over the valley, shrouded in mist. distantly, other mountains stretch for the heavens, but none stand so tall as the one they are on.

at length — ）

Very well.

（ though it's said with all the enthusiasm of a man ascending the gallows. he gestures for wei wuxian to precede him, at the very least. ）

[Doing his best to contain his excitement, Wei Wuxian carefully climbs aboard the dragon, the creature's hide immediately warming him with its body heat as he finds a place to sit. Despite his attempt to keep his cool, he keeps shooting Itachi elated looks and then letting his gaze wander back to the mountains and temple around them. Itachi has said he won't fall, but he does instinctively seek out handholds to grip.

It's likely that effusive thanks will only irritate Itachi so he bites back the continued spill of thanks that wants to pour from his lips and instead begins chattering in anticipation.]

I still can't believe this is happening. And this is even better than underwater. Did I ever tell you that when I used to ride the sword, I could do all sorts of tricks and flips? I love being in the sky.

Unsurprising.

（ there is that sense about him, that kinship with the flight's freedom. itachi's mouth twitches downward at one corner, but he does step out aboard the dragon as well, sinking down into a seated position a reasonable distance away from wei wuxian with one leg drawn up so his foot can remain flat against it.

staying on its back is a matter of will more than chakra control in this place, but it is habit to ensure he has a foothold regardless. ）

Command it. It will listen to you.

[He tosses one more grin at Itachi over his shoulder, and then turns back to the dragon, leaning forward and holding on.]

Let's go. As fast as you can! [Almost as soon as the words have left his mouth, the dragon unfurls itself from where it'd been curled in the air, springing into motion with a graceful ease that belies the power behind the movement. It rises in a spiral at a near vertical angle, and Wei Wuxian whoops loudly when it abruptly switches direction, hurtling downwards through the clouds at a frightening pace.

The force of the wind brings tears to his eyes, and he holds on as laughter scarcely makes it past his lips.

If it was joy Itachi wished for his friend to experience, the evidence of it is more than written across every inch of his body and his heart flutters with it in a way it hasn't in years.]

（ mentally, he edits the sensations his own mind experiences. he has no especial dislike of heights, but the nausea of the loops and whorls the dragon performs in aerial acrobatics are not his favourite thing, and he curtails them. likewise, he does not appear affected by the wind — not a hair out of place, clothing oddly still in the wind.

instead, he spends the entirety of the time watching wei wuxian. his expression is — unusual, for him, gently soft and fond. that joy is contagious, and even though it does not crack the wall of his composure, he seems not to protest overmuch that it has at least eroded it a touch.

contentment is not something that comes to him easily, but its warmth suffuses him in the high, cold air of ancient mountains.

but he will not speak or interfere — letting wei wuxian decide how high, how fast, how far. he'll obligingly fill in the details he'd left at a soft distant blur should they approach any distant points, but he is otherwise only a silent passenger. ）

[It's better than riding the sword. So much better. In Itachi's Tsukuyomi, he doesn't have to worry about holding on with his spiritual energy the way he used to, and with his friend's assurance he knows he won't fall. It leaves him free to be even more reckless than he might have been and he urges the dragon on into various spins and loops, occasionally throwing a grin over his shoulder to check in on his friend.

He isn't surprised to find Itachi far less exuberant than him, but it's obvious that he's enjoying it on some level, and so he returns to guiding the dragon on and up, letting out the occasion "whoop" of delight.

At one point, Wei Wuxian leans forward and wraps his arms as far as he can around the dragon's body, closing his eyes and reveling in the warmth that seeps into his skin. The warm body beneath him contrasted with the cool breeze rushing over him reminds him of the way it felt to crawl out of a cool lake and sun himself on the docks of Lotus Pier.

He is utterly pleased and content, and smiling so hard it hurts.]

（ they continue in this fashion for some time. day gives way to twilight, to the jewelled night, and by the time wei wuxian indicates he is done, they are returned to the ancient temple. itachi uses shunshin to retreat, and is standing in the same place as when he left, as if he had not accompanied wei wuxian on the dragon at all.

the dragon gives the other man one final, affectionate nudge before it alights, disappearing into the dark mist. ）

Is there anything else you wish to do in this realm?

Anything else? [Wei Wuxian asks, incredulous, and soft laughter blooms from his throat, the blush of light windburn on his cheeks lending an even more boyish happiness to what is already overflowing from him. He shakes his head.]

No. There's nothing else I could ask for. [The warmth inside of him spills out into a bright smile and he reaches over to clasp Itachi on the shoulder—brief for his friend's sake, but affectionate all the same.]

If you tell me not to thank you for this, I'm going to shove you off one of these cliffs. And don't even start with your "as if you could," I'm very resourceful!

[His smile softens.] Thank you, Itachi.

[He'd needed this. Not the grand gesture or the adrenaline rush, even if those were wonderful too, but the reminder that there were people here who cared for him.]

（ he doesn't protest, exactly, but the only sound wei wuxian gets out of him is a contemplative 'hm'.

when he ends tsukuyomi, they are left sitting on the shabby hotel room floor, and he rises to wipe away the blood that always follows use of the mangekyō. if wei wuxian cares enough to chance a look at the clock on the wall, it will be as itachi told him prior — no time had passed at all. ）

[Looking to the clock is in fact the very first thing Wei Wuxian does, and he huffs in quiet amazement to see it's exactly as Itachi has described. The blood gets a glance as well, but he's too familiar with his own powers to say anything about it.

Instead he only grins softly at his friend and then rises from his seat. Despite the fact that it feels as if he's been sitting for ages, his muscles don't ache or feel tired at all.]

I haven't had that much fun in...in longer than I can remember. I'm going to go and grab some food now. Would you like to join me?

No.

（ he shakes his head faintly, but it's not exactly a dismissive no, at least. ）

But we will speak later.

Alright. I'll see you later, Itachi.

[And with one warm last smile, he's gone.]

Inbox: Ximilia

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timeline tweak activate: thread happened still on mission

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