The crew follow their captain's lead and for once he's actually behaving himself - as soon as the wounded are being looked after he's downright docile, not wanting to cause any more trouble for his crew.
"We are now on our way to be executed," Wen Qing observes pointedly as soon as they're closer to one another again. Wuxian gives her a cocky smile "Don't worry, I'll figure something out." he says easily, earning a glare from her. Unfortunately, she glares at him a lot, so it's lost its effectiveness when she doesn't have any weapons to back it up right now.
There is one thing he wants to take care of, though, so before they're herded off their own ship and into the navy ship's brig, he does make just a little bit of a nuisance of himself, just to attract attention.
"I need to speak to your captain," he tells one of the officers cheerfully.
Luckily, for Wei Wuxian, the people that worked for the navy captain took his nuisance with a grain of sand. They'd dealt with far worse than Captain Wei. If they hadn't, then their captain had.
The officer doesn't even say a word to Captain Wei, merely turns and expects him to follow. If he wanted to talk to their navy captain then he'd move and follow him. When they do get to the captain, however, he's overseeing a few things.
Which means that golden eyes look towards the pirate captain. The navy captain wasn't one to show emotion, so the pirate wasn't bound to get it. "Something I can help you with, Captain Wei?"
Captain Wei scrambles to his feet and follows the officer, finally getting his first proper look at the navy captain who's taken their ship. There's something familiar about him, as though they've...
They have met before.
"Lan Zhan," he grins impishly. He knows antagonising one of the most well-known pirate hunters on the seven seas isn't his best plan ever, but he just can't help himself around the other man.
Captain Wei was very briefly in the navy himself, once upon a time, he worked alongside the man standing in front of him for a grand total of six months before his dishonourable discharge and he made it his mission that entire time to pester the hell out of him. He was just so much fun to wind up.
He clears his throat, remembering why he's here, and tries to look more serious.
"I needed to ask you what you intend on doing with my ship."
No one calls him by his given name. Not even his own brother did that. So, he stares at the man before him. That impish grin, those grey eyes, and the way that the other held himself. He should not be surprised that the other was there. That he was the pirate they'd taken into custody. Why couldn't it have been someone else again?
"Wei Ying."
The officer that had shown up with Captain Wei seems a bit uneasy at the fact their navy captain knew the other man. He's sure that the officer is tempted to say something, but runs off when he's dismissed instead. This man before him had done more than wind him up.
"It will be taken to the ship yard and reimaged to the specifications I see fit." He was not one to destroy a ship if he did not have to. They could be retailored or rebuild to specifications of someone else. Or used as mere storage.
Oh but he has missed the way the other man says his name. He honestly has no idea what it is about it, but he could listen to it all day.
"The one and only," he agrees cheekily.
His expression turns a little serious, though, as he listens to Lan Zhan's intentions for his ship. He considers his options for a moment before making a decision - it would take too long to get it to the shipyard, the safest thing would be to tell him the truth. Another Captain might have had him debating it for longer, but despite everything he knows he can trust Lan Zhan to be almost frustratingly righteous.
"Aaah, my beautiful ship," he laments playfully, but the seriousness is back in a moment "In the back left corner of the hold, behind the water barrels, there's three knots in the wall. Press the central one, before you take the ship anywhere. There's a concealed compartment there. What's inside is... precious. Possibly the most precious thing onboard."
That cheeky expression had not changed, in the least bit. Not that he had expected it to. He's still not overly thrilled that the pirate they ran into was Wei Ying. This was a man who had done nothing but agitate him from day one. The only one who had ever gotten the half smiles or real emotions out of him. Then he'd been discharged from the navy and things had gone sideways, he never saw him again. Nor did he expect to.
Seriousness does not bode well. The one thing that he'd learned when it came to the man before him was that there was not a serious bone in his body. Something that used to annoy him. Used to grate on his nerves. He gives a soft hum and leaves Captain Wei with his men before slipping down to the compartment indicated.
When it is opened, he is not expecting to find a child there. Most precious. Most precious, indeed. He needed to get the child back to his own ship. After all, the little one couldn't stay trapped the way that he was in the compartment. It might, however, take him a minute to realize that this was a little one he has not seen in a very long time.
Wei Wuxian almost breathes a sigh of relief when it's Lan Zhan himself that goes to investigate the compartment - he's the only one among all of these navy men that he actually trusts with what - or rather, who - is inside.
When the compartment floods with light, the small figure inside blinks up dazedly, a sword that's really more of a dagger clutched in his tiny hand. It takes him a second to realise what exactly he's looking at, though it's very quickly obvious that it isn't Captain Wei or any of his crew who have opened the little door, and he was under strict instructions to stab and run if that's the case.
(Wei Ying might have forgotten about those instructions until after Lan Zhan has left, so he'd been left saying a silent apology to Lan Zhan's soon-to-be-injured shins and hoping he didn't get too mad)
Lan Zhan's shins are safe from stabbing, though, because as Yuan's vision adjusts and he looks up at the tall man in front of him, there's a spark of recognition in his mind. He drops his little sword and instead latches on to the navy man's leg.
It wasn't that Lan Zhan didn't trust his men, he did. That wasn't, however, to say that he would allow them to check Captain Wei's ship. Not with how he'd described things. Most precious, indeed.
He's honestly expecting to have that little dagger shoved at him. Lan Zhan wouldn't deny a little one trying to protect themselves. However, that never comes. Instead, he's got a little one clutching to him like his little life depended on it. Something that broke his heart, especially with how young the little one was.
The child is picked up and held on his hip when it hits him. This child was older now and the last time he'd seen him... it had been before Wei Ying had gone to ground and disappeared. Once he does return back to where Captain Wei is, Yuan on his hip and he sees the look from his men.
"Yuan will stay in the captain's quarters with me." If any of his men had a problem with that, Bichen would find their throat. He really didn't want to hurt his men. He would not put the little one down in the brig with the others.
Those golden eyes look towards grey and he shakes his head," You had to go and complicate things, Wei Ying."
Yuan doesn't seem distressed at all, he also doesn't seem inclined to talk right now - even when he sees Captain Wei. He simply stays quiet, blinking owlishly at the captain with chubby fingers curled into the back of Lan Zhan's coat and his other hand in his mouth.
Wei Ying wonders if the boy told Lan Zhan his name, or if he remembered it.
"Fingers out your mouth," he scolds the child softly. Yuan does so, turning to bury his face into Lan Zhan's shoulder instead, like he can escape being told off. Wei Ying just smiles fondly at him before shifting his attention to the man holding him.
"You really think I'd have come out here without my son? You know I'd never leave him behind, Lan Zhan..."
One should remember that Lan Zhan has an exceptional memory. So, the little one did not have to tell him his name. Much less after the whole bit of clinging to him like his life depended on it. It wasn't what he'd expected, but that was neither here nor there.
He, himself, knows that his men were not too thrilled and he did not care. If any harm came to any of them, there would be problems. He shakes his head at the question, as well as the statement.
"I did not know what became of you or Yuan. So, how would I know what Wei Ying would have come out here with or with out."
Wei Wuxian looks away at that, not wanting Lan Zhan to see the regret in his eyes. He clears his throat, not responding to the comment but instead changing the subject.
"Whatever happens to me or my crew, please, Lan Zhan," he finally turns his face back to meet the other man's gaze, serious and pleading "promise me you'll protect A-Yuan? He's just a child..."
In an ideal world, Wei Wuxian and his crew are going to narrowly escape the noose and sail away leaving the navy far behind, he knows he's making his plans that much harder by letting Lan Zhan take Yuan to his quarters - by practically asking him to - but his first priority has to be Yuan's safety, and he knows that's the safest place for him.
"You know that I will not let anything happen to him."
No matter what happened to anyone else the little one, Yuan, would stay safe. Children were not exactly a weak point for Lan Wangji, but this one was. Something that Wei Wuxian knew. Even if the others did manage to get away, he would keep Yuan safe and raise him.
He does not want to. Does not want to send them to the brig, but there are things that needed to be done. Even Captain Wei knew that. Yuan, however, would stay with him in his cabin. Safe and sound. This was going to be harder than he imagined.
"I know." Wuxian says simply - that's entirely why he's letting this happen.
"A-Yuan, you be good for Lan Zhan, you hear?" he tells the little boy firmly. Yuan lifts his head from Lan Zhan's shoulder with a frown.
"Baba...?" he finally speaks "Are you going away?"
"I won't be very far, A-Yuan, I'll still be on the ship, but you have to stay in the captain's quarters with Lan Zhan while we travel. Be good and do as you're told and I'll see you soon, okay?"
As long as no one got too close to them, they would be fine. He knows, for a fact, that some of his men were not happy. If he were in their postion he might not be either. Finding out that their Navy Captain knew the Pirate Captain.
"Lets get you fed, Yuan. I'm sure you're hungry."
If anyone was going to do anything, he needed to get the little one in his quarters before it did happen.
Wei Wuxian's expression shuts down, watching as Yuan nods eagerly - honestly this kid, offer him some food and he'll switch allegiance in a second. He trusts Lan Zhan, he knows Yuan is safe with him, but he has to keep his expression blank so none of Lan Zhan's men see how much it breaks his heart to see his son being separated from him - he has a reputation to uphold after all, he's already shown them enough weakness.
He lets himself be led down to the brig with the others, already trying to plan their escape.
Lan Wangji had a bad feeling about all of this. However, he didn't have time to analyze those feelings at the moment. Not when he had to get Yuan into the captain's quarters, which he does. The little boy being sat down and food offered. He isn't sure the last time that they'd actively eaten. However, he also wasn't going to let Yuan over eat either.
Once everything was set, he gets them back out at sea. Even making sure that the pirate ship was tethered. Especially seeing as he had plans to take it back with them.
He would, unfortunately, have to keep an eye on his crew as well. Especially when he had a feeling things were going to go sideways. Maybe not right away, but they were going to.
Yuan was mildly distressed at being separated from Wei Wuxian and clung to Lan Wangji for reassurance, though he was soon calmed with food and settled well enough in Lan Wangji's quarters to eat.
He liked to eat.
Wei Wuxian caught a few of those looks from Lan Zhan's crew as well, he thinks perhaps it's best if they get out of there sooner rather than later, and with their own ship being towed behind the navy one, he just needs to get them out of the brig, grab Yuan, get back over and separate the ships without anybody stopping him... easy, right?
He can't do anything until nightfall, anyway, when most of the crew have gone to sleep and they only have to deal with the watch.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
2021-09-12 11:47 (UTC)The crew follow their captain's lead and for once he's actually behaving himself - as soon as the wounded are being looked after he's downright docile, not wanting to cause any more trouble for his crew.
"We are now on our way to be executed," Wen Qing observes pointedly as soon as they're closer to one another again. Wuxian gives her a cocky smile "Don't worry, I'll figure something out." he says easily, earning a glare from her. Unfortunately, she glares at him a lot, so it's lost its effectiveness when she doesn't have any weapons to back it up right now.
There is one thing he wants to take care of, though, so before they're herded off their own ship and into the navy ship's brig, he does make just a little bit of a nuisance of himself, just to attract attention.
"I need to speak to your captain," he tells one of the officers cheerfully.
no subject
2021-09-14 09:12 (UTC)The officer doesn't even say a word to Captain Wei, merely turns and expects him to follow. If he wanted to talk to their navy captain then he'd move and follow him. When they do get to the captain, however, he's overseeing a few things.
Which means that golden eyes look towards the pirate captain. The navy captain wasn't one to show emotion, so the pirate wasn't bound to get it. "Something I can help you with, Captain Wei?"
no subject
2021-09-14 09:40 (UTC)Captain Wei scrambles to his feet and follows the officer, finally getting his first proper look at the navy captain who's taken their ship. There's something familiar about him, as though they've...
They have met before.
"Lan Zhan," he grins impishly. He knows antagonising one of the most well-known pirate hunters on the seven seas isn't his best plan ever, but he just can't help himself around the other man.
Captain Wei was very briefly in the navy himself, once upon a time, he worked alongside the man standing in front of him for a grand total of six months before his dishonourable discharge and he made it his mission that entire time to pester the hell out of him. He was just so much fun to wind up.
He clears his throat, remembering why he's here, and tries to look more serious.
"I needed to ask you what you intend on doing with my ship."
no subject
2021-09-14 10:03 (UTC)"Wei Ying."
The officer that had shown up with Captain Wei seems a bit uneasy at the fact their navy captain knew the other man. He's sure that the officer is tempted to say something, but runs off when he's dismissed instead. This man before him had done more than wind him up.
"It will be taken to the ship yard and reimaged to the specifications I see fit." He was not one to destroy a ship if he did not have to. They could be retailored or rebuild to specifications of someone else. Or used as mere storage.
no subject
2021-09-16 14:35 (UTC)"The one and only," he agrees cheekily.
His expression turns a little serious, though, as he listens to Lan Zhan's intentions for his ship. He considers his options for a moment before making a decision - it would take too long to get it to the shipyard, the safest thing would be to tell him the truth. Another Captain might have had him debating it for longer, but despite everything he knows he can trust Lan Zhan to be almost frustratingly righteous.
"Aaah, my beautiful ship," he laments playfully, but the seriousness is back in a moment "In the back left corner of the hold, behind the water barrels, there's three knots in the wall. Press the central one, before you take the ship anywhere. There's a concealed compartment there. What's inside is... precious. Possibly the most precious thing onboard."
no subject
2021-09-16 22:20 (UTC)Seriousness does not bode well. The one thing that he'd learned when it came to the man before him was that there was not a serious bone in his body. Something that used to annoy him. Used to grate on his nerves. He gives a soft hum and leaves Captain Wei with his men before slipping down to the compartment indicated.
When it is opened, he is not expecting to find a child there. Most precious. Most precious, indeed. He needed to get the child back to his own ship. After all, the little one couldn't stay trapped the way that he was in the compartment. It might, however, take him a minute to realize that this was a little one he has not seen in a very long time.
no subject
2021-09-16 22:28 (UTC)Wei Wuxian almost breathes a sigh of relief when it's Lan Zhan himself that goes to investigate the compartment - he's the only one among all of these navy men that he actually trusts with what - or rather, who - is inside.
When the compartment floods with light, the small figure inside blinks up dazedly, a sword that's really more of a dagger clutched in his tiny hand. It takes him a second to realise what exactly he's looking at, though it's very quickly obvious that it isn't Captain Wei or any of his crew who have opened the little door, and he was under strict instructions to stab and run if that's the case.
(Wei Ying might have forgotten about those instructions until after Lan Zhan has left, so he'd been left saying a silent apology to Lan Zhan's soon-to-be-injured shins and hoping he didn't get too mad)
Lan Zhan's shins are safe from stabbing, though, because as Yuan's vision adjusts and he looks up at the tall man in front of him, there's a spark of recognition in his mind. He drops his little sword and instead latches on to the navy man's leg.
no subject
2021-09-16 22:53 (UTC)He's honestly expecting to have that little dagger shoved at him. Lan Zhan wouldn't deny a little one trying to protect themselves. However, that never comes. Instead, he's got a little one clutching to him like his little life depended on it. Something that broke his heart, especially with how young the little one was.
The child is picked up and held on his hip when it hits him. This child was older now and the last time he'd seen him... it had been before Wei Ying had gone to ground and disappeared. Once he does return back to where Captain Wei is, Yuan on his hip and he sees the look from his men.
"Yuan will stay in the captain's quarters with me." If any of his men had a problem with that, Bichen would find their throat. He really didn't want to hurt his men. He would not put the little one down in the brig with the others.
Those golden eyes look towards grey and he shakes his head," You had to go and complicate things, Wei Ying."
no subject
2021-09-16 23:11 (UTC)Yuan doesn't seem distressed at all, he also doesn't seem inclined to talk right now - even when he sees Captain Wei. He simply stays quiet, blinking owlishly at the captain with chubby fingers curled into the back of Lan Zhan's coat and his other hand in his mouth.
Wei Ying wonders if the boy told Lan Zhan his name, or if he remembered it.
"Fingers out your mouth," he scolds the child softly. Yuan does so, turning to bury his face into Lan Zhan's shoulder instead, like he can escape being told off. Wei Ying just smiles fondly at him before shifting his attention to the man holding him.
"You really think I'd have come out here without my son? You know I'd never leave him behind, Lan Zhan..."
no subject
2021-09-16 23:33 (UTC)He, himself, knows that his men were not too thrilled and he did not care. If any harm came to any of them, there would be problems. He shakes his head at the question, as well as the statement.
"I did not know what became of you or Yuan. So, how would I know what Wei Ying would have come out here with or with out."
no subject
2021-09-16 23:43 (UTC)Wei Wuxian looks away at that, not wanting Lan Zhan to see the regret in his eyes. He clears his throat, not responding to the comment but instead changing the subject.
"Whatever happens to me or my crew, please, Lan Zhan," he finally turns his face back to meet the other man's gaze, serious and pleading "promise me you'll protect A-Yuan? He's just a child..."
In an ideal world, Wei Wuxian and his crew are going to narrowly escape the noose and sail away leaving the navy far behind, he knows he's making his plans that much harder by letting Lan Zhan take Yuan to his quarters - by practically asking him to - but his first priority has to be Yuan's safety, and he knows that's the safest place for him.
no subject
2021-09-17 00:00 (UTC)No matter what happened to anyone else the little one, Yuan, would stay safe. Children were not exactly a weak point for Lan Wangji, but this one was. Something that Wei Wuxian knew. Even if the others did manage to get away, he would keep Yuan safe and raise him.
He does not want to. Does not want to send them to the brig, but there are things that needed to be done. Even Captain Wei knew that. Yuan, however, would stay with him in his cabin. Safe and sound. This was going to be harder than he imagined.
no subject
2021-09-17 01:22 (UTC)"I know." Wuxian says simply - that's entirely why he's letting this happen.
"A-Yuan, you be good for Lan Zhan, you hear?" he tells the little boy firmly. Yuan lifts his head from Lan Zhan's shoulder with a frown.
"Baba...?" he finally speaks "Are you going away?"
"I won't be very far, A-Yuan, I'll still be on the ship, but you have to stay in the captain's quarters with Lan Zhan while we travel. Be good and do as you're told and I'll see you soon, okay?"
Yuan nods.
no subject
2021-09-17 01:48 (UTC)As long as no one got too close to them, they would be fine. He knows, for a fact, that some of his men were not happy. If he were in their postion he might not be either. Finding out that their Navy Captain knew the Pirate Captain.
"Lets get you fed, Yuan. I'm sure you're hungry."
If anyone was going to do anything, he needed to get the little one in his quarters before it did happen.
no subject
2021-09-17 12:44 (UTC)Wei Wuxian's expression shuts down, watching as Yuan nods eagerly - honestly this kid, offer him some food and he'll switch allegiance in a second. He trusts Lan Zhan, he knows Yuan is safe with him, but he has to keep his expression blank so none of Lan Zhan's men see how much it breaks his heart to see his son being separated from him - he has a reputation to uphold after all, he's already shown them enough weakness.
He lets himself be led down to the brig with the others, already trying to plan their escape.
no subject
2021-09-17 21:36 (UTC)Once everything was set, he gets them back out at sea. Even making sure that the pirate ship was tethered. Especially seeing as he had plans to take it back with them.
He would, unfortunately, have to keep an eye on his crew as well. Especially when he had a feeling things were going to go sideways. Maybe not right away, but they were going to.
no subject
2021-09-19 22:59 (UTC)Yuan was mildly distressed at being separated from Wei Wuxian and clung to Lan Wangji for reassurance, though he was soon calmed with food and settled well enough in Lan Wangji's quarters to eat.
He liked to eat.
Wei Wuxian caught a few of those looks from Lan Zhan's crew as well, he thinks perhaps it's best if they get out of there sooner rather than later, and with their own ship being towed behind the navy one, he just needs to get them out of the brig, grab Yuan, get back over and separate the ships without anybody stopping him... easy, right?
He can't do anything until nightfall, anyway, when most of the crew have gone to sleep and they only have to deal with the watch.