Plurk paste

The sapling of a dream germinated like a bean sprout; a thin green trunk with a couple of shy leaves. It dared not to bask in the sun, but sometimes some rays would make it feel alive.
It was one late summer afternoon in the Cloud Recesses, and he was passing the time under the refreshing shade of a magnolia tree with his legs crossed and his arms behind his head. Near him there was an open hallway that the disciples used to move between the main buildings. At that hour of the day the place was almost desert, as people were either preparing for supper or had left for night hunts. The fact he could relax alone without doing anything —technically he was meditating and cultivating qi, but for his standards that was doing nothing— was a testament of his comfort in his new home.
Too bad his hearing was better than average, and he could hear the whispers from other people. All those rules about not gossiping, and yet!
"That's him, the Yiling Patriarch! And Hanguang-Jun isn't with him. Perfect timing!"
"Oh no, don't tell me you're that desperate."
"Well, what else do you want me to do!?"
"If you're going to talk to him, do it now. It's getting late."
"Don't encourage him! Master will make us do handstands for a year if he finds out."
"I'd prefer the handstands to failing!"
"No, don't you— damn, there he goes."
Wei Wuxian heard steps towards him. He opened one eye when he felt a person in front of him. Indeed, an unknown young man in white robes stood there in a formal greeting. He was older than Sizhui.
"S-Senior Wei."
Ballsy. Talking to him when there was that stupid rule. He was very curious about where this was going.
"Mnn," he acknowledged him, mimicking Lan Zhan. He was spending too much time with him, and some mannerisms were rubbing off him.
"Sir, you see, for Spiritual Instruments and Tools we have to do a final practical project. And my group," he looked behind his own shoulder, where the other two friends stared awkwardly, "decided to make a compass of evil."
"...And your seniors allow it? That's demonic cultivation."
"Um, yes? We've been making our own attraction flags since we were 15."
"I'm aware. So what, you boys want me to make one for you? Because I have to say no; you're not gonna learn and your teacher can tell."
"Nonono! Of course not!" The lad put his palms in front of him. "We've worked on it already ourselves. We have, like, technical problems. Our compass doesn't work! The deadline is tomorrow and we don't know how to fix it, so I thought... Senior Wei must surely know what we did wrong."
"Wouldn't it be more rule-abiding to ask the teacher who set the assignment?"
"I mean yeah, but he's been on a delicate case outside for a week now."
"Your shixiong is right, you're really desperate if you're asking me," Wei Wuxian grinned. The boy blushed.
A minute passed without them saying anything. Wei Wuxian had decided he would tease him as much as he could. How could he resist!
"So um, will you take a look at it, please?" the youth bowed.
"Maybe," Wei Wuxian declared with a serious face. "What will I get for that?"
"Uuuuuh... we heard Senior likes alcohol. We could sneak some?"
"I can get wine whenever I want." His smile turned feral, macabre. "For this, I want a pint of fresh human blood for my demonic experiments."
He saw the color draining from the three faces.
"Deal," the boy finally said with a solemn expression. "I can give you some of mine."
His hand moved to grasp his sword's hilt. Alarmed, Wei Wuxian stood up in time to stop him before he unsheathed.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Unable to contain, he chuckled for a solid moment. "Hahaha, sorry. Heavens, I was kidding!! Put that hand down, kid! I don't want anything for the favor, okay? And I definitely have no use for human blood, I don't do that sort of stuff... anymore."
The group stared while Wei Wuxian dried the tears from his eyes and sighed.
"Man, the Lan disciples these days sure have balls of steel. Okay, show me your compass and I'll take a look."
The main boy and one of his friends grinned at him. A compass was retrieved from a pouch and was given to Wei Wuxian.