little mdzs dump

They used the same incense despite their different rooms. But in childhood, the wafting scent of sandalwood would linger in the walls as the candle burned between them. Their shared room was one of the main reasons why their scents matched for such a long time. Until, one day, Lan Zhan realized that his brother no longer smelled of the same incense.

If anyone were to ask, Lan Zhan would not be able to pinpoint when they no longer shared the same scent. 

Walking beside Lan Xichen on the path past the stairs to where the bunnies reside, his brother smelled of light jasmine and melancholy. His cheeks had sunken in deeply during his time of isolation. It had been a few months since he had returned and Lan Zhan didn’t want to overwhelm him. Despite his older brother’s insistence on helping, Lan Zhan for the better part only asked him to play with the bunnies. Lan Zhan spent most of his mornings walking his brother to the bunnies at the edge of the hill and spending a few minutes tending and feeding them before he left the little fluff balls in his brother’s care. 

Today was the same as any other, their light steps barely making much sound over the gravely dirt path that opened to the edge of the hill. 

The moment that the two Twin Jades stepped into the fields, the bunnies’ attention was quickly caught. They hopped closer to the fluttering white robes, nosing at the edges of their sleeves and shoes. At their anticipation, Lan Zhan kneeled down with his basket of food while his brother did the same. Even without food, some of the bunnies already began clamoring into Lan Xichen’s lap. 

Lan Zhan was surprised, but not at all displeased. Maybe he should give the small creatures more credit on how well they could read human emotions. Lan Zhan began feeding each of the bunnies their food. 

Those that had yet to be fed began circling around Lan Xichen, wondering if he had any treats. Lan Zhan tilted his head as he heard his brother next to him, huffed out the smallest of laughs. He saw how gentle Lan Xichen’s hand was on one of their heads. Watching his companion being patted, the bunny in Lan Zhan’s lap hopped away from an enticing piece of lettuce to join its friend in his older brother’s lap. The only sign of surprise was Lan Xichen’s widened eyes. He breathed out another laugh as the bunny nudged under his open hand.

“Ah, Wangji,” Lan Xichen says, as a third bunny made its way into his lap. Surprisingly it nuzzled into the crook of his stomach, just as it did when it was comfortable. Lan Zhan had only seen this happen once before and it was when A-Yuan was very small and played with the bunnies every day for an entire year.

“She likes you,” Lan Zhan explained. Lan Xichen smiled softly, placing a small hand under the bunny to get it in a more comfortable position. 

“I used your incense today, maybe they have mistaken me as you,” Lan Xichen admitted. He seemed unnecessarily guilty about that. 

“I think they like you no matter what you smell like,” Lan Zhan replies. 

His older brother looks up at him for the first time since they arrived, the smallest of smiles on his face.

It would take a long time for the smile to fully reach Lan Xichen’s eyes like it had used to. But Lan Zhan was willing to wait.