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guqin-and-flute · 3 years

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Lan Xichen Episode 42 ✨Face Journeys✨

karetahana said: Listen. i am here literally asking for the analysis if you feel like doing 🤩

OH, WELL IF YOU INSIST *turns with a lovingly embossed binder full of Xichen pictures* This is sincerely self indulgent and long as absolute fuck, just a warning. Bold is a direct quote from the show (Youtube/Netflix)

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OKAY. Episode 42. We start at 30:20, Lan Wangji is sitting next to Wei Wuxian who is convalescing on Lan Wangji’s bed back at the Cloud Recesses after having been stabbed (bummer) during a disaster of a recon mission that landed not only him and Wangji in hot water with everyone (double bummer), but Xichen as well for demanding entry to Jin Guangyao’s secret room (triple bummer). Wuxian is worried about being back in the Cloud Recesses-- “What if your brother finds out?” Enter Xichen, rocking up to the conversation with a fucking joke; “I found out already.” Letting him sweat a little, but as he sounds pretty calm, it’s mostly a ‘it’s hilarious that you think that I wouldn’t know about this, dude.’ (Bro, how are you so chill? How are you so good?)

They get up and bow as he strolls in. Wuxian apologizes for existing here, in his mountain and stuff. Xichen shakes his head with amused fondness;

and hits them both with this smile that reaches his eyes and says ‘Nah, son, that was me. You can live here while they search for you ‘cause I’m nice and I like you.’

Genuine, comforting, and warm. ‘Glad to have you here, Wuxian.’

WWX and LWJ exchange a look--probably WWX asking for confirmation, LWJ giving it. Then, with zero further ado, WWX jumps right in with “Where’s Chifeng-zun’s body?”

Surprise. Looks like they’re jumping right into it (and I don’t know if Xichen notes this, but I certainly do--with no ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry about that, kinda awkward for everyone’ or pre-emptive offered explanation as to what the fuck went down yesterday at JinLinTai.)

That pain has resurfaced recently and is not easily hidden away. This topic is upsetting.

He turns his back, walks away as he tells them that the body is safe and with Huaisang. He’s not sure he can control what’s going on on his face when it comes to what happened to Da-ge. His eyes move around a lot as he says this--he’s still thinking.

WWX: What was Jin Guangyao’s reaction?

LWJ: [slightly bitter] Flawless

At this, Xichen turns back, face under control. (Liebing is in between them, now. Subconsciously defensive?)

He looks between both of them as he speaks and these smiles don’t quite reach his eyes like the first ones. His chin dips down in firmness, his eyebrows are raised in what I personally would interpret as ‘leading expectance.’ The point of this visit is incoming.

LWJ knows that tone, even if WWX doesn’t.

Looking at WWX, he’s smiling, but still doesn’t quite meet his eyes. There’s something more than just fondness there. “Now that Wei-gongzi is awake...” [pause]

Looks to Wangji. Abruptly, there is more to his expression--less masking, more intent in his eyes. This is serious and he is being earnest. ‘Don’t you think you owe me something of an explanation for how nothing you both said was proven after I publicly threw my lot in with you without question and demanded Jin Guangyao open his secret room? And then his wife died inexplicably? And then you fought your way out? And I told you to bring WWX back on good faith because we both care about him and I know what he means to you?’ (Have I mentioned yet how chill Xichen is? And how great?)

LWJ: [slightest of head bows, no expression change] Brother.

Now, I don’t quite know what this is supposed to mean, but Xichen sure does and his reaction makes me think it’s some sort of younger brother sass that he’s used to.

Fond exasperation and some warmth back in his expression. A sigh and an affectionately despairing ‘what am I going to do with you?’ But he’s still waiting.

LWJ: Brother. Jin Guangyao does indeed have Chifeng-zun’s head.

This is not an explanation or proof. It’s a doubling down of what they have said before with no further information.

Immediate disbelief--’This again.’ He covers it quickly, mask back up, but there is a tightly held patience in his smile that does not bode well for LWJ or WWX. The pleasantry starts to leave even if the smile remains.

LWJ: He saw it with his own eyes

And oh holy shit. That fake, tight smile drops away, and there is something almost cold in his eyes for a moment, here. We have hit the heart of it. His eyes flick over to WWX and a low, troubling cello note plays in the background. Deep displeasure at this answer. (This is one of those times when I remember that Xichen is, in fact, quite a dangerous monster hunter.)

WWX knows how this sounds and does not meet his gaze. He, at least, shows he’s aware of what Xichen is getting at.

Xichen stares a moment more, looks back at Wangji and very visibly swallows back anger as his jaw flexes.

When he blinks, the smile is back. He holds a lot of tension in the corners of his mouth as he forces it. There is anger in them there hills. He is frustrated. Wangji is deliberately not seeing things from his perspective, as he has repeatedly tried to do for him and Wuxian. Xichen is trying very hard to be reasonable and calm about this.

LXC: You believe in Wei-gongzi? LWJ: I do. LXC: [in the manner of a teacher leading you to an answer] What about Jin Guangyao? LWJ: Not credible.

[Slightly jarring cut to Xichen from farther away, (and blurry as hell?) clearly a different take, but whatever] He sighs and comes closer and--YAY--fond exasperation is back. ‘You are being deliberately obtuse, bro.’

LXC: Then how do you judge who is credible or not? [Pause] LWJ: [silence] LXC: You trust Wei-gongzi and I trust Jin Guangyao. [Expectant pause]

He’s being patient again. ‘You know, like 16 years ago? When no one trusted Wei Wuxian or looked for all the facts? And just relied on hearsay? Do you see what I’m getting at? Is this familiar at all, Wangji? There are parallels that you should be able to empathize with.’

Silence from Wangji as he stares into the middle distance around the area of Xichen’s shoulders.

Xichen elaborates further into this silence, saying something along the lines of; ‘neither of us saw the head, we’re going on trust--both of us. You do not have solid evidence beyond hearsay whereas I am working off of years of personal experience as evidence from my perspective. You do understand that I’m going to need more than this, right? I have not seen Wei Wuxian in 16 years and the last time I did he was trying to murder us all.’ (Well. Okay, maybe not in so many words, but that’s the gist.) During the majority of this speech, the camera slowly pans past Xichen speaking, zooming in on Wangji’s face.

He is deliberately closed off. He is not responding to Xichen verbally and his nonverbal signals are basically, ‘I disagree. I disagree. I disagree.’ Then, we get this little batch of juicy facial expressions along with a speech.

So much is here. Frustration, fear, pleading, asking to be understood. He is intense and earnest. ‘You’re not trying to understand my position. Please.’ He ends with this face.

Waiting. He is losing his composure. This is a Lan fight, now; he is no longer really considering the fact that there is anyone else seeing him or hearing him other than Wangji. There is a beat of silence. Wuxian looks at Wangji. The camera cuts to Wangji and nothing has changed in his face at all during this pronouncement and he is still not looking at him. Xichen tries again.

There is less mobility in his eyebrows, and the corners of his mouth are tight again. He is disbelieving. ‘So your reason is allowed to be because Wei Ying said so but mine isn’t allowed to be I’ve watched this happen before to you and I refuse to be party to another mob before I have all the facts? You’re not even going to try to understand when I’ve done all I can to try to understand you?’ He ends with this face, for a few moments, clearly hurt.

Wangji remains silent, but he looks down and away with his eyes. Wuxian breaks in, says, “Lan-zongzhu,” almost reprimanding, obviously tense. And it’s clear that Xichen had forgotten that he was there because here’s the face journey that started this whole post.

He looks to Wuxian instinctively without masking, reminded of his presence. It takes him a second but he blinks and and realizes what he’s done.

Goes inside. Has whatever dialogue with himself that he has whenever he dares to have an undiplomatic and entirely “selfish” emotion. Takes in a breath. Makes himself presentable with a smile. And reassures Wuxian that he still plans on being impartial and will not reveal where Wei Wuxian is. Wuxian bows and thanks him for this.

Xichen almost says something--or maybe he’s thinking--but all he does is sigh. He looks vaguely regretful and is clearly reeling himself back in. He does not reply and he does not look at Wangji. Wangji is staring past him. (The boys are fightiiiiing.)

In this opening, Wei Wuxian steps closer and insists, very seriously, that Mingjue’s head really was in Jin Guangyao’s posession. And Xichen does this.

He steels his jaw, takes a breath, and smiles. ‘Sure kid. What I say clearly doesn’t matter. Because we’re here again.’ Now, he talks with Wei Wuxian and he is measured and patient and perfectly pleasant. Sometimes, his face grows serious when he listens.

But when he speaks--either right before or during--he smiles this smile.

He ends all of his sentences with this smile.

Even when Wuxian suggests that it might have been the music being played that drove Mingjue to qi deviation, he blinks, sighs, and says;

It is all nearly the exact same expression. It is perfectly acceptable, completely polite. But it is not familiar or warm and it does not reach his eyes. It is defensive, covering up whatever other emotional reaction he might have to Wei Wuxian’s words. Any vulnerability is gone. He is not offering it to Wei Wuxian. He is no longer asking to be understood. He simply repeats, in different ways, ‘You do not have hard facts. You have not brought me proof. I’m sorry, but you have not convinced me.’

Xichen does not look at Wangji through this entire conversation and Wangji says nothing. Wuxian offers to show Xichen proof--the thing he’s been asking for this whole time--and his reaction is to nod.

And smile the same exact smile.

#my stuff #my edit #meta #lxc meta #THE END #Shamelessly and unapologetically adoring of Lan Xichen goodnight #I love a good expression analyzing because I'm a nerd 🥰#I think that's what hurt Xichen most--Wangji just stonewalling him when he opened up and /asked/ for something #Listen. Lan Xichen is unbelievably cool about this whole thing. UNBELIEVABLY.#He knowingly houses the people that are actively looking for proof that one of the closest people to him has done horrible things #While also saying 'I have not seen evidence that convinces me'. He is the friend you want on your side if someone badmouths you.#He could severely damage his reputation by just HAVING WUXIAN AROUND and yet he's like 'sure I'll fund your private investigation'#'AGAINST MY BOYFRIEND'#While saying 'Show me the facts and I will make an informed decision.'#Why anyone thinks that this is him being stupid is beyond me #ANYWAY. THAT WAS FUN AND LONG WINDED. THANK YOU KARETAHANA FOR THE ENABLING #If you interact with this post please for the love of GOD don't call him a himbo. That's all I ask. I'm so tired.#I'm pinning until sometime tomorrow so I don't have to reblog because tumblr won't let me tag the requester 🤗

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