Title: carry me safe to shore
Fandom: Guardian
Words: 1,500
Contents: AU, spoilers for pretty much the whole series

Note: In the same universe as spoilers don't do as they're told; takes place immediately after the events of the first chapter. Also for the Seven square on my bingo card (the seventh wave).

Summary: Shen Wei takes Kunlun's advice.


“Shall we?” Chief Zhao waves further into the SID offices as murmurs break out among the rest of his team.

Shen Wei has no reason to object, and Hei Pao Shi has no reason to stare longingly where the wormhole closed behind that other Zhao Yunlan -- no matter how brightly he’d laughed, or the way his eyes had found Shen Wei’s unerringly beneath the mask --

Long practice allows him to appear unaffected as he strides through the sun-strewn corridors, but inside his mind is racing.

He'd been prepared to lie to Zhao Yunlan. He would keep his secrets, the way Kunlun had, in order to protect the timeline. He had no other choice. Fu You and Ma Gui had been adamant about the possibility of destruction; total annihilation was the phrase they had used more than once. Shen Wei had no way to know what actions of his might lead there, and the only example he had… was Kunlun. A man who had lied to him -- often regretfully, sometimes blatantly, but the more Shen Wei learns of Zhao Yunlan, the more clear it becomes that the extent of those lies was broader than he could ever have imagined.

And then to have Kunlun himself appear before them -- Shen Wei has no doubt that the Zhao Yunlan that dropped from the wormhole had been Kunlun -- to give him permission to tell the truth... no, to urge him to tell the truth...

It is the relief of a terrible burden, and Shen Wei feels light-headed with that mercy. He doesn't have to guess at how to prevent the disaster that Fu You and Ma Gui feared. He has at least the broadest outline of what he can safely tell, and it is more than he ever thought possible.

When they reach his office, Chief Zhao holds the door and gestures Shen Wei inside, then closes it firmly behind them. He plucks a lollipop from his desk drawer and places it in his mouth before he speaks.

"Well!" he says around it. "That was more excitement than I was expecting when I invited you, Hei Lao-ge. My apologies for the interruption."

"No apologies are needed, Chief Zhao." Shen Wei lets the weight of the robes settle on his shoulders to remind him of his dignity. He can calm his heart; he can stand still. The man in front of him is not (yet) Kunlun, and has not (yet) earned his trust. "We both learned much today that we need to know."

"Indeed." Zhao Yunlan grins broadly at him and leans a hip against his desk. "I get a haircut! And xiao-Guo makes it to permanent status here. That surprised me more than the other, really. He must be more determined than he looks."

It's the kind of nonsense Zhao Yunlan uses to keep people off-balance. Shen Wei doesn't bother to acknowledge it. "I will do what I can to locate this Zhu Jiu before he can cause more disturbance."

"Eh." Zhao Yunlan plays with the lollipop stick for a moment, eyes narrowing. "Your help is always appreciated, Lord Black Robe, but you should let us do the hunting this time. We can find his network and see who they’re working for -- but surely they would all run and hide if they knew that Your Lordship were looking for them."

Shen Wei lets the pause stretch out. In another Guardian, he would assume they were reminding him that his aid was unwelcome in Haixing. He doesn't know Chief Zhao well enough to know if this is his version of such territorial behavior, an honest plan, or both. But he inclines his head, willing to concede the point, and lets the sweep of the hood turn the gesture into a reminder of his own.

"Good! Then we're in agreement." Zhao Yunlan takes the lollipop from his mouth to gesture at Shen Wei with it. "I believe we have a lot of common ground between us, Hei Lao-ge."

Then he pauses, and Shen Wei braces himself internally --

"But I am curious," Zhao Yunlan says, tilting his head closer. He has more respect for the Envoy's personal space than for a professor's, but the effect is barely diminished. "Why would your death destroy the timeline?"

Shen Wei doesn't let himself stutter. "I'm not certain. But I have been tasked with returning the Hallows to Dixing. If I fail, perhaps they are misused."

"Ah, yes!" Zhao Yunlan nods and shakes the lollipop at him before sucking it back into his mouth. "Many people will die."

Zhao Yunlan is dancing around some of the more obvious clues his future-self had dropped -- calling Shen Wei 'Professor,' referring to his brother. Chief Zhao won't ask, not directly, not this time. But he is declaring his refusal to leave it alone.

It’s… fair. Zhao Yunlan may not have 10,000 year-old warnings burned into his mind, but his future self was very clear that these responsibilities belong to him. Kunlun could never have resisted such a charge; it’s apparent that Chief Zhao is similarly determined.

Shen Wei takes a deep breath. It's time to decide: lie, and be a liar throughout their dealings… or tell what portion of the truth he can’t bear to hide.

He doesn't know what it will mean for this Zhao Yunlan who -- to all reports -- hates Dixingren. Hei Pao Shi is not this man's friend, and Shen Wei may never be able to cross that divide if he reveals himself now.

But Kunlun told him not to hide, and Shen Wei will place his trust in that.

"We are both responsible for the peace, and for preventing those deaths.” Shen Wei tells him, instead of answering the query more directly. “If we work together on this, we will surely succeed."

Zhao Yunlan swallows around the lollipop and raises an eyebrow. "I wouldn't want to keep you from your other duties."

"You would not." Shen Wei tilts his head so that the shadow of the hood fails to fall across his face. It is as close as the Envoy can come to declaring his sincerity. "But preventing the destruction of the timeline is of the utmost importance."

“I can't have the Lord Envoy questioning witnesses and intimidating my team every day. I'd have to double their pay, and they barely earn their bonuses as it is." Zhao Yunlan studies him seriously, face failing to keep up with the breezy tone of his comment.

Shen Wei’s heart pounds, but he ignores it as best he can. "I can propose an alternative."

"Yes?" Zhao Yunlan settles himself a little more against the desk -- bracing himself, and Shen Wei wishes he could do the same.

Shen Wei takes off his mask. The cool air of the SID office brushes across his cheeks. He hasn’t felt this naked without the mask since… since Kunlun.

Chief Zhao stands frozen in place, his face as empty as an uninhabited home. This is what shock looks like on Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei thinks, and files the reaction away to contemplate later.

Chief Zhao covers it quickly with a laugh, and begins shaking a finger at him, but is obviously buying time to think before he responds.

Shen Wei replaces the mask, his pulse leaping again. Did he misunderstand? Will this cause the damage he feared?

"You!" Zhao Yunlan laughs hard enough to give himself trouble breathing, and it takes him a few gasping attempts to make coherent words. "How did you end up so close to the Dial and have no idea?"

Shen Wei frowns, confused. He is not at all sure what path Zhao Yunlan’s quicksilver thoughts are taking to get to that question. "If I had the power to detect the Hallows so easily, I would not still be seeking them."

"True." Chief Zhao smothers the last few chuckles and chews thoughtfully on the lollipop stick. "I can't possibly hire Professor Shen out of the blue. We just met! It would raise so many questions, and make xiao-Guo feel inadequate, poor kid. But I can see if he'd be willing to consult with us, from time to time."

The robes should hide most of Shen Wei’s relief, but he doesn’t imagine Chief Zhao doesn’t see it. "I would be pleased if you extended the offer."

Zhao Yunlan grins at him. "You know that I will have to treat him... quite informally, Hei Lao-ge. For the sake of discretion."

Shen Wei wants to laugh at Zhao Yunlan’s broad tone, but he keeps his own voice cool. “I’m sure if you offend him, he will make his opinions known.”

“Ah. Of course.” Zhao Yunlan steps away then, as if granting the Envoy back his personal space. “So what can you tell me about the Hallows?”

Shen Wei doesn’t assume that formality will last, but he accepts the change of topic gratefully.

He has done everything he can do, for the moment. Everything that Kunlun has asked of him. Whatever the future holds, he thinks, staring at the sunlight streaming through the window instead of this Zhao Yunlan’s eyes -- whatever the future holds, Shen Wei knows he does not have to face it alone.