[closed post -- training]

[onthewillowsthere]

The day after Evil Twin Magnus leaves, Galahad shows up for his training with Lan Wangji exactly as he always does (although later in the day, because Lan Wangji asked him to wait until afternoon to meet) -- if Lan Wangji were going solely on his appearance, he'd see absolutely nothing out of order. He throws himself into the sword forms with his usual focus. But he's gripping the hilt of his sword too tightly, and his movements are tense; he's never graceful, but today he's almost clumsy, and each failure or misstep only seems to pull him tighter, like an overwound watch.

Comments

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji knows Galahad, and Galahad's body, in the way that only a teacher can, in the way that a teacher has to. He knows the way he holds himself when he is tiring; he knows how far he can push Galahad past that first wave of weariness, how to make it satisfying and how to call a stop when it is only stubbornness for stubbornness' sake.

"Stop," he says, barely an incense time into this afternoon's practice.