#I’m sure Lan Zhan was the cutest baby

[illuminchim]

The Lan Brothers as babies! 💎✨

[antebunny]

family dinner

Modern AU Jin siblings vs. Jin Guangshan (crossposted on Ao3):

Jin Zixuan leans against the side of his yellow Audi and checks his Rolex Daytona watch. Behind his car are the massive white gates of the Jin mansion, a massive complex with no less than four houses, two gardens, one lotus pond, a garage for the rest of his car collection, and a private movie theater in the basement. Normally, he would open the gates and let himself through, but tonight, Jin Zixuan has no intention of going down the lonely, two-lane road to the main house alone.  

The time is 7:18. He has only twelve minutes left, and no one is here. Jin Zixuan shifts nervously in his Stuart Hughes suit (Diamond Edition) and represses the urge to check his watch again. Instead of checking it, he worries until his heart is thump-thumping in his chest and all he can feel is the bitter cold air on his bare fingers. 

He’s twenty-seven years old, with a two year old son, and he’s still nervous about the coming dinner. He would be less nervous if his mother was coming, but she hasn’t been back to the Jin family home since she divorced his father almost a decade ago–long enough to see Jin Zixuan through high school–and he was not about to ask. Instead, he’d asked the rest of his family.

He’s musing on the meaning of family and obligation when the first car pulls up. It’s a white Rolls-Royce, and it carries a single passenger: Jin Zixuan’s younger brother, Jin Guangyao. His half-brother wears a crisp dark cream-colored Brioni suit, and he adjusts the small osmanthus flower tucked into the pocket when he straightens. 

“No one else is here yet?” Jin Guangyao questions, like he can’t see it with his own eyes.

“Not yet,” Jin Zixuan says shortly.

His brother continues smiling despite his terse tone. Jin Guangyao has never been anything but friendly to Jin Zixuan since he came into his life several years ago, which is why Jin Zixuan is half-terrified of him. The other half of him wants to intervene everytime his father so much as looks in Jin Guangyao’s direction, and half of the time he does, so needless to say, they have a rather complicated relationship. 

“I’m sure they’ll be here,” Jin Guangyao offers, still smiling sweetly.

Jin Zixuan isn’t so sure. Realistically, there’s no reason for all of them to come just to support him. The only reason Jin Zixuan is going, beyond the convention of his father’s annual dinners, is because Jin Zixuan is in fact aware of his skills in life. As of the moment, Jin Zixuan is the sole inheritor of his father’s fortune. Despite the number of half-siblings that Jin Zixuan apparently has, or perhaps because of it, he is confident that he will always be the sole inheritor. That is, unless Jin Guangshan decides to withhold the inheritance to remind Jin Zixuan that he is the only way Jin Zixuan can provide for his family. So Jin Zixuan needs the inheritance, no matter what A-Li says.

Which is why he’s standing here, on his twenty-seventh birthday, trying not to look too nervous as his brother calmly locks his car door. 

“Thank you for coming, A-Yao,” Jin Zixuan finally says, forced but sincere. 

Realistically Jin Guangyao knows that he can expect better treatment from his half-brother than he can with Jin Guangshan as the CEO of Jin Industries, but naively Jin Zixuan still hopes that Jin Guangyao has some room for frivolous things like brotherly affection and genuine kindness. 

Jin Guangyao puts his keys in his pocket and walks around his car to the gate. He’s not a moment too soon: a silver car rolls in after Jin Guangyao’s Rolls-Royce, and parks just a little too close for comfort. 

The first out of the silver car is Qin Su, from the driver’s seat. The gold trim and white hem of her floor-length evening gown trails over the edge of the car as she exits, and as she stands up Jin Zixuan realizes that she really went all-out. She’s dressed in white and gold, complete with a pink peony flower, and her hair and face indicates that she spent at least two hours getting ready. From the way she walks up to him in her white high-heels, Jin Zixuan knows that she knows that she’s stunning. If she wasn’t his daughter, Jin Guangshan would probably make a comment about it. He might anyway. 

“The new style suits you, A-Su,” Jin Guangyao says politely.

“Thank you,” Qin Su says, her pretty eyes flashing. “It’s what my mother wore.”

She doesn’t specify when, but Jin Zixuan winces anyway. “I didn’t think you would come,” he says helplessly. 

“And miss a chance to ruin your father’s evening?” Qin Su retorts, and smiles beatifically. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

The last sibling emerges from the copilot seat. “It’s your birthday celebration, isn’t it?” Mo Xuanyu points out. 

He’s wearing ripped jeans, a tank top, and heavy black eyeliner and eyeshadow. Jin Zixuan wisely does not comment. Mo Xuanyu pulls on a black puffer jacket as he speaks, which makes him the only one with adequate protection from the chilly February temperature. He’s also the youngest here; Qin Su picked him up from his university on the way here. 

“Technically,” Jin Zixuan says instead. 

Mo Xuanyu shrugs and jams his hands into his pockets. “Then what are we waiting for?”

Jin Zixuan checks his Rolex again, and the golden watch hands proclaim the time to be 7:24. “We’re still waiting on a few more people who said they’d show up.”

 “Who?” Mo Xuanyu asks curiously, and it’s at that moment that a flaming red and black sports car comes roaring down the road, and Mo Xuanyu’s face lights up. 

The door is kicked open, and Jin Zixuan’s brother-in-law flings himself out. Wei Wuxian emerges in a black Armani suit, now the tallest person in their smallest gathering, and grins. 

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Mo Xuanyu squeaks, and Jin Zixuan holds back a wince. His youngest brother has the most embarrassing idol crush on Wei Wuxian, which is only embarrassing because–

“Mn.” Out of nowhere, Jin Zixuan’s brother-in-law (-in-law?) places himself in front of Wei Wuxian, straightening his white suit coat like it’s even a millimeter out of place. He glares Mo Xuanyu down, and Jin Zixuan goes from feeling embarrassed for his brother to feeling sorry for him. 

“You brought him?” Jin Zixuan complains to Wei Wuxian before he can stop himself.

“Where I go, Lan Zhan goes,” Wei Wuxian retorts. They’re already holding hands. Jin Zixuan hates this. 

Wei Wuxian’s husband levels his icy glare on Jin Zixuan, and suddenly Jin Zixuan is imagining that glare leveled at his father when Jin Guangshan inevitably tries to get world-renown bioengineer Wei Wuxian to work for Jin Industries again. Perhaps bringing him along isn’t such a bad idea after all. 

“It’s lovely to see you,” Qin Su offers, and the glare is gone, just like that. 

“But not as lovely as you are tonight,” Wei Wuxian says smoothly, and the glare is back.

Jin Zixuan pinches the bridge of his nose with two fingers and sighs. He’s so busy sighing that he almost misses the arrival of the last car, a violently purple Jaguar that for once is not racing around at nearly illegal speeds. 

“You’re late,” Jin Zixuan snaps, when the driver’s door opens. 

“I was helping my sister get ready, asshole,” Jiang Cheng snaps right back, slamming his door closed. He straightens the cuffs of his dark purple suit before opening the copilot door for said sister. 

Jiang Yanli ducks gracefully out of the car, and Jin Zixuan’s heart immediately goes gooey in his chest. He’s afraid that his face does, as well, because Wei Wuxian makes a disgusted face at him. 

She wears a layered dress of lavender and rose pink, and the skirts skim over the ground as she steps out of the car. In her arms, she carries a precious little bundle that Jin Zixuan loves with all his heart, and now he knows that his face has gone all gooey with emotions because his wife smiles at him, which really doesn’t help with the emotions. 

Jin Zixuan holds out his arms, and Jiang Yanli places their tiny baby bun in his arms. 

“I’ve finally got him sleeping,” Jiang Yanli says in a hushed voice, and for a moment there’s silence as everyone welcomes the newest, sleepiest, cutest little dumpling to their growing party. 

Jin Ling’s little face is puckered up even in his sleep like he’s thinking hard. Jin Zixuan’s small, sweet bao of a son is dressed in a matching pair of a white jacket and snowpants, complete with a white yarn hat that’s the size of his entire head. 

“It’s good to see you, A-Li,” Qin Su says finally, once the moment of silence has passed.

Jiang Yanli smiles. “You too, A-Su,” she says. “We should get the group back together one of these days.”

Jin Zixuan isn’t sure whether he’s terrified or pleased. Jiang Yanli’s friends from college are a force of nature, and given that they’ve gone on to become a rising neurosurgeon, an environmental scientist, an urban planner, and in Jiang Yanli’s case, a child psychiatrist, they’d be even more a force of nature now. 

“I wanna hold him,” Wei Wuxian says in a stage whisper.

Jin Zixuan directs his best glare at him, holds his sweet little dumpling closer, and prays that his wife won’t cave to Wei Wuxian’s puppy dog eyes. 

“I believe it’s time,” Jin Guangyao intervenes smoothly, swooping in before a fight can break out. 

Jin Zixuan shoots him a grateful look, even though he’s mostly sure that Jin Guangyao didn’t intervene just so that he wouldn’t have to turn his darling baby son over to his brother-in-law. 

“It is 7:30,” Qin Su agrees.

Mo Xuanyu cracks his fingers, grins wickedly, and then puts on a pair of black shades, just to match his black puffer jacket. “Let’s go ruin Dad’s night.”

“Can we not get him to call the cops on us?” Jin Zixuan asks, one step short of begging. 

“My dad is on speed dial in case anyone needs a ride,” Qin Su says, tucking her phone into her purse. 

Of course. The CEO of Qin Industries on speed dial. Though Jin Zixuan supposes that that move is fair, considering that Qin Cangye knows his daughter is going to Jin Guangshan’s house. 

“I think we have enough cars,” Jin Guangyao says.

“But let’s not burn the house down?” Jin Zixuan pleads. It’s true that he asked all of them to come, but please come, I don’t want to be alone with A-Li is not the same as please, I want to pay for damages. 

“No promises.” Wei Wuxian smirks. 

“Nothing that can be proven,” Jiang Cheng adds. Jin Zixuan belatedly remembers that he’d invited them because he knew they would defend A-Li if his father even looked at her funny. Which he might. God, Jin Zixuan hated his family.

“What else is family for?” Wei Wuxian retorts. 

Oh no. Jin Zixuan’s heart is going all gooey again, and this time it isn’t from the adorable sleepy bun in his arms. He furiously tries to force down a blush that heats his cheeks in the cold winter air. 

Jiang Yanli notices, because of course she does, and she steps closer to pat his arm. “He won’t burn the house down,” she says reassuringly. 

Jin Zixuan is privately still dubious, but he doesn’t argue. He turns to the grand white gates. Jin Guangyao stands on his left and half a head shorter, and Jiang Yanli stands to his right. His two other siblings and three in-laws gather behind him. 

Then, with his family dressed to the nines and ready for war, Jin Zixuan unlocks the white gates and sets forth to ruin his dad’s night. 

[trilliastra]

the adventures of detective wei wuxian and his husband

[Established relationship. POV outsider for the most part.]

-

1.

Jiang Cheng will never get used to seeing Lan Wangji in distress. Instead of his usual stoic expression, the man looks almost in pain himself, holding Wei Wuxian's hand tightly.

“He's an idiot.” Jiang Cheng comments, trying to hide his own worry. “He ran into the building like he's the fucking Superman.” And he saved a kid, Jiang Cheng thinks.

Lan Wangji barely looks up, already used to Jiang Cheng's own way of coping with Wei Wuxian's dangerous lifestyle. They've had many fights before as Lan Wangji often misunderstood brotherly banter with insulting.

Jiang Cheng doesn't know exactly what happened, but one day they met for dinner and Lan Wangji stopped glaring at him every time he nagged at Wei Wuxian, so he guesses they are fine now. Well, as fine as they can ever be.

“Hmn.” The other man assents, he brushes a hand over Wei Wuxian's cheek softly. “I'll lock him in the basement.” He says.

Jiang Cheng lets out a snort, surprised at Lan Wangji's attempt at a joke. “He'd find a way out.”

“Hmn.” They share a look of understanding. This is who Wei Wuxian is: impulsive, selfless, good.

“He's gonna be fine.” Jiang Cheng whispers, reaching out to take Wei Wuxian's other hand.

“Yes.” Lan Wangji takes a deep breath, rests his head against Wei Wuxian's chest. Jiang Cheng pretends not to see the tears. “He will.”

–

2.

Yang Hao rolls his eyes as Wei Wuxian laughs loudly. It should take more than just a quick brain and guts to become a detective.

It's ten past two, he hasn't slept in two days and his stomach is starting to hurt. Things would move much faster if only Wei Wuxian could get to the fucking point.

“And that's how we found they run an underground casino.” He keeps rambling, all exaggerated gestures and a lot of confidence. Yang Hao sighs – some people are so damn lucky to just stumble upon the right person at the right time.

To his left Li Qin is sighing dreamily, as Wei Wuxian keeps talking about how he is this close to solving the case if only he could have another day or two. He will get those days, Yang Hao is sure, because their boss loves him.

Thirty minutes later – or maybe two hours, he lost track of time by the time Wei Wuxian started on his brilliant plan to catch their guy – they are finally free to eat their lunch and Yang Hao all but runs away from the conference room before Wei Wuxian can catch up with him. The guy is adamant they must become friends, Yang Hao has no idea how Wei Wuxian hasn't noticed that he'd rather strangle himself before that happens.

He almost made it to his desk before his name is being called by that annoyingly happy voice. “Yang Hao!” He tries not to groan. “I forgot my lunch, do you want to go to granny’s restaurant at the corner together?” Wei Wuxian smiles, placing his hand on Yang Hao's shoulder.

“I have a date.” He lies, desperate to get the fuck away from him.

“Oh.” Wei Wuxian's smile falters for a moment, but he's soon back to his cheerful self. “That's great, man!” He pulls his hand back before shaking it in front of Yang Hao's face, the wedding ring shining in the light. “I wish I could say the same.” Wei Wuxian sighs, almost sad.

Yang Hao turns around to hide his grimace. Wei Wuxian talks, a lot, it's no secret that he's married, and happily so. It's sickening how much he talks about his partner. Yang Hao has never met her in person, but he imagines a saint of a woman to put up with all – that.

Or maybe she's just as bad as him. Yang Hao shudders.

“That's too bad.” He answers when he realizes Wei Wuxian is waiting for him to say something. “Next time, then?” He asks, just to be polite.

Wei Wuxian's smile grows and he is about to reply when Li Qin call his name. “Senior Wei! There's someone here to see you.” She gestures at a man dressed in a suit, long hair tied up. He's vaguely familiar and Yang Hao frowns, hoping this isn't related to their case. He can't put up with Wei Wuxian for another hour, especially without food.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian calls, surprised. He all but runs towards the man and when they are close enough he leans in and – kisses him. What.

“You forgot your lunch.” He can hear the other man say, holding Wei Wuxian's waist. “We are going out.” He states and Wei Wuxian all but melts against him.

Yang Hao blinks, trying to process all the information. So Wei Wuxian's partner isn't a woman. And he is a Lan. As in the Lan Clan. As in Lan Wangji, the cold, intimidating, lawyer.

“Oh, Lan Zhan.” He looks up, still confused, as Wei Wuxian praises his husband. “You're too good to me.” His voice is so saccharine, Yang Hao wants to jump off the window, but Lan Wangji only smiles, albeit shyly, and takes Wei Wuxian's hand, pulling him towards the door.

“Aren't they the cutest?” Li Qin asks, happily.

Yang Hao groans and vows to apply for a transfer as soon as he can.

–

3.

“I'll call you later, mom.” Mei Xiang stops just outside the building, puts her phone back in her purse and reaches out for the compact mirror. She checks her lipstick again and takes a deep, nervous breath. I can do it, she tells herself.

She's been preparing for this since before she got into university. She is smart, qualified, and bold, just the perfect combination for a great lawyer. She can do it.

The Lan Clan is a legend and being employed at Cloud Recesses is a dream come true. She doesn't have an office and for now she's just another assistant, but Mei Xiang knows it's just a matter of time. She's ready to work her way up. Sleepless nights? She got that covered in university. Food? Cereal bars and dried fruits are her best friends.

Mei Xiang introduces herself to her colleagues with a smile and proceeds to get acquainted with her small desk in the corner of the large room. They are all working on some big case already and her direct supervisor says they will assign her a task as soon as Lan Xichen arrives.

Her desk is close to Lan Wangji's office, she notices. The open door allows her to watch him working, scribbling furiously as he checks one book or the other, occasionally he looks up to discuss something with Luo Qingyang, one of the senior lawyers. Mei Xiang sighs, that is one handsome man.

She can see the shining ring on his left hand and shakes her head. She participated in many lectures given by either Lan Wangji or his brother, and she's always admired the way he carried himself, his unwavering belief on doing what's right.

Mei Xiang smiles sweetly when he looks up and notices her watching him. She isn't one to defend adultery, but she knows how these things work for the traditional families – marriage of convenience is still common and she doubts Lan Wangji would ever go against his family on this matter.

Mei Xiang runs a hand through her hair, watching Lan Wangji look through his books. Her parents met through work, love can happen anytime, anywhere. If it happens it happens, she thinks, delighted, when he looks up again.

“Hello, Senior Wei.” Mei Xiang hears Luo Qingyang say as she leaves Lan Wangji's office. A man dressed in casual jeans and combat boots reaches out for her hand with a smile.

“Mianmian, you look absolutely dashing. How is your baby?” He asks, enthusiastic.

Mei Xiang frowns. She doesn't recognize him, and she thought she knew everyone who worked at Cloud Recesses – she made a very thorough research.

She watches as Luo Qingyang shows him something on her phone, probably a picture of her baby, and the man coos, always smiling, as he grabs his own phone and hands it to her.

“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji calls, coming out of his office.

“Lan Zhan!” The man practically yells, which makes Mei Xiang startle, no one in the room looks up and she wonders if this is such an usual occurrence that they just don’t care anymore. “I was showing her that video of Sizhui playing with the rabbits!” He turns to Luo Qingyang. “Isn't he the cutest?”

“Yes,” she laughs, “after my little Mianmian.” She adds, making the other man laugh.

“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji stresses, holding out his hand.

“I'm coming, I'm coming.” The man laughs, waving goodbye at Luo Qingyang and taking Lan Wangji's hand as they walk together into the office. “I missed you, too.” She hears him say, leaning in to kiss Lan Wangji passionately before the doors are even fully closed.

“Damn,” she whispers, impressed.

Half an hour later, Lan Wangji's husband comes out of his office looking properly debauched, with the biggest smile she's ever seen. That doesn't look like a marriage out of convenience, so definitely, nothing is going to happen. Oh well, she thinks before straightening up her back and getting ready to conquer the world, his loss.

–

4.

After thirty years, she still loves the Monday morning rush. Since her daughter took over the kitchen, she started to love it even more.

Mei Hui loves talking to them and listening to their stories, serving good food that makes them forget about their problems for a few minutes. Over the years, she's had many regular customers, and one of her favorites is Wei Wuxian.

He's a whirlwind, loud and dangerous, but smart and genuinely kind. She's granny to him and her heart fills with joy every time he walks through the door.

He loves her lotus root soup – she long stopped taking offense when he says his sister's is better, she understands the power of love that makes any food taste like heaven – especially when a case has gone wrong. Mei Hui has spent many nights by his side as he eats the soup and cries.

Pork ribs are reserved for the amazing days – his words, not hers. Almost eight years ago, he ordered it for the first time, his grin so wide it took her breath away. It was also the first time she heard Lan Wangji's name.

Oh, those boys. She likes to think her late husband used to look at her like Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji look at each other.

She was invited to their wedding but couldn't make it due to an appendicitis – her health isn't what it used to be fifteen years ago – but Wei Wuxian showed her the pictures the next week, patting her back gently as she sniffed, deeply touched by his consideration.

But her favorite customer of all has to be the little boy. Lan Sizhui, Lan Yuan, oh, how she adores him. Mei Hui looks at the flowers and smiles as she reads the card again. It’s impossible not to love him.

Happy birthday, granny, it says, and she has to sit down to try and contain her glee. “Dad helped me write it.” Lan Sizhui had explained, earlier this morning, as he hugged her leg. Wei Wuxian was laughing, holding Lan Wangji's hand as they waited for their son. She asked if the boy wasn't going to be late for school and Wei Wuxian laughed, amused, as Lan Wangji frowned for a moment, but answered that it was fine, it was for a good cause. Oh, those boys.

Mei Hui loves Monday mornings, even more when she gets to see her favorite boys smiling, and so – so happy. As they should be.

–

5.

He is bleeding. Fuck, Lan Wangji is bleeding.

Su She watches Lan Xichen hold his suit jacket over his brother's wound and tries not to panic. This wasn't part of the plan, that – Xue Yang wasn't even supposed to have a gun! And that good-for-nothing just left in the middle of the chaos without looking back.

Xue Yang was supposed to take the papers while Su She distracted Lan Wangji, no one would get hurt, much less shot. Not that Lan Wangji didn't deserve it, the arrogant bastard, but Su She doesn't want to go to jail when he's this close to getting rich. Lan Wangji better live to watch Su She ruin everything that he owns.

“Wangji.” He hears Lan Xichen yell, shaking his brother to keep him awake. He hears someone saying help is coming and someone else says they called Lan Wangji’s husband.

Su She almost rolls his eyes as the other employees start running around like headless chickens, crying and praying for Lan Wangji's recover. Half of them hate the man just as much as Su She and the other half just want him to live so they can continue to make googly eyes at him. Pathetic.

“Lan Zhan!”

Great, this time Su She does roll his eyes as Wei Wuxian yells desperately, kneeling in front of his husband and taking his hand.

“Lan Zhan, please don't leave me.” He cries.

They are so ridiculous, flaunting their superior love story in front of everyone's faces. Every time they are around each other, it's like watching a fucking drama – nothing is ever going to be more staged than this. Well, he thinks, perhaps Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli's wedding, but Su She couldn't care less about them.

“Never –” Lan Wangji coughs just as the paramedics arrive. It takes Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng – and when did that other fucker get here – to separate Wei Wuxian from his husband.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian's screams get more and more desperate and Su She decides it's time to leave. Any more of this disgusting shit and he's going to throw up.

–

He should've known Xue Yang was going to open his giant mouth eventually. The guy has always been a coward.

“ – you have the right to remain silent,” Wei Wuxian recites as two police officers drag Su She towards the car.

“He should've died.” He says, looking into the other man's eyes. When Wei Wuxian attacks him Su She only laughs.

–

+ 1

“It's snowing!” They get woken up by Lan Yuan jumping on their bed, laughing and screaming in delight. Lan Wangji smiles as he hears Wei Wuxian groan and burrow himself further under the covers. “Dad! Papa!”

“Yes.” Lan Wangji answers, sitting up and pulling Lan Yuan onto his lap. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

“Yes!” He quickly answers, eyes shining with glee. “And I dressed myself, see?” He opens his arms and kicks his legs in the air. He's wearing mismatched socks, Lan Wangji notices, smiling.

“So you did.” He praises, running a hand through the boy's hair. “We can play in the snow after breakfast.”

“Noooo.” Wei Wuxian whines. He got home late last night, again. “It's Saturday, we should stay in bed all day.”

Lan Yuan ignores him, turning to Lan Wangji again. “Can we make cookies too?”

“Sure.” He answers easily, dropping Lan Yuan on Wei Wuxian's back. His husband groans and their son laughs when he gets pulled into a hug.

“And hot chocolate?” Lan Yuan asks.

“One or the other.” Lan Wangji replies, heading to the bathroom.

“Cookies!” He hears his son reply in between laughter.

“Chocolate chip!” Wei Wuxian laughs with him.

By the time he comes out of the bathroom both Wei Wuxian and Lan Yuan are asleep again, holding each other and snoring softly. Lan Wangji shakes his head, amused, and walks back to the bed. He throws an arm over them and smiles, they can stay in bed longer, it's Saturday after all.

[besanii]

if your still writing tonight, Double Happiness please? I need fluff if im to survive shattered mirrors ;-;;; thank you for saving my soul with your fics

Wei Wuxian leans against the trunk of the peach tree, his legs stretched out along the length of a low-hanging branch, and tips his head back to swallow a mouthful of wine. He sighs gustily afterwards, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and grins down at the approaching Xiao Xingchen.

“You can’t hide here forever you know,” Xiao Xingchen tells him. “Shijie will eventually find her way here.”

Wei Wuxian makes a face. 

“I’ll take whatever time I can get,” he says. “You don’t know how hard it’s been these past few weeks, Shishu. Just…constantly, everyday, ‘when’s the wedding?’, ‘how long have you been together?’, ‘when are you having children?’—I don’t even have the right parts for that, Shishu!”

Xiao Xingchen chuckles and shakes his head.

“If you’re really worried about that, there is a fish tribe living in the West Ocean that has cultivated a special skill for that purpose,” he says. “I’m sure if you asked very nicely, Zichen would be willing to introduce you. Their leader owes him a life debt.”

Wei Wuxian groans and slumps further along the tree branch, one hand over his face. Who wants to think about children? He’s too young to have children! There’s still so much he wants to see—not to mention, if he wants to ascend to High God before Lan Wangji, he wouldn’t have the time for children! 

An image of a tiny, baby version of Lan Wangji appears in his mind. Would he be born in human form, or hatched from an egg? The Qing Qiu Fox Tribe are always born as foxes, and only took human form around their first birthday, when they were old enough to have a semblance of control over their powers. He’d been the cutest kit in the history of their tribe. He’s sure Lan Wangji would have been the cutest baby dragon.

Would their child be a dragon or a fox? He’s not sure they can be both. Jin Ling, disappointingly, turned out to be a peacock like his father, but at least he’s cute and lovable and not at all like his father in personality. In any case, his and Lan Wangji’s future babies would be even cuter.

Wait.

“I’m not physically equipped to lay eggs!” he yells, sitting bolt upright.

“You won’t need to,” a familiar voice says. “We are born in human form.”

He must be drunk. Or having some sort of weird fever dream, because there’s no way Lan Wangji could have managed to find him here. He’d been careful about sneaking out! He hadn’t even told anyone! How does Lan Wangji keep finding him?

“Are you stalking me or something?” he mumbles, cheeks flushed with either embarrassment, or wine, or both. “I’m supposed to be good at hiding.”

“You are,” Lan Wangji assures him with a smile. “I’m just better at seeking.”

Wei Wuxian pouts and takes another swig from the jug.

“Are you here to drag me back to the Nine Heavens, Lan Zhan?” he asks. “Where’s Shishu?”

Lan Wangji shakes his head. “I’m here to keep you company. Xiao Xingchen-shangshen said to let you know he will be in his house if you need him.”

At this, Wei Wuxian perks up. He swings his legs over the branch and faces Lan Wangji, a wide smile spreading over his face.

“So I don’t have to go back?” he presses, just to confirm. Lan Wangji shakes his head again. He whoops, punching the air in his excitement. “Freedom!”

The motion disrupts his already precarious perch and he goes toppling forward off the branch, arms and legs flailing the in the air. Lan Wangji is there in one lightning-fast step, wrapping an arm firmly around his waist to hold him upright, their bodies pressed together from chest to knee as their feet touch down gently on the grass. The wine jug lays forgotten by their feet.

Wei Wuxian’s heart is beating too fast, he can hear it in his ears. It must be the shock of the fall, he thinks faintly. Or tries to, but it’s hard to think when he’s pressed up this close to Lan Wangji, with barely a breath of space between them. He can see the flecks of gold in Lan Wangji’s eyes, the way they darken slowly as they stare at each other, and feels himself falling.

“Wei Ying…” His eyes fall down to Lan Wangji’s lips, mesmerised by the way it shapes his name. “Wei Ying.”

It must be the wine. He must have taken the wrong wine from the storage room, otherwise he wouldn’t be feeling this lightheaded, this hot, after only three jugs. He feels the arms around him tighten, pulling him even closer, and he follows it blindly, closing his eyes and pressing their lips together.

Lan Wangji gasps against his lips and presses in closer, threading his fingers through Wei Wuxian’s hair and angling their heads for better access. He moans at the first, hesitant brush of Lan Wangji’s tongue against his lips, and parts them for him. He feels, rather than hears, Lan Wangji’s responding moan, low and deep in his chest; it’s a heady feeling, knowing he has this effect on Lan Wangji.

They eventually break apart for air, but Lan Wangji is loathe to let him go too far, the hand in his hair holding him firm as they pant against each other’s mouths.

Lan Zhan is really beautiful like this, Wei Wuxian thinks hazily. He traces the light flush across those perfect cheekbones with his fingers. And only I will ever get to see him like this.

Except, he won’t. Because they’re not engaged, not getting married, not even together. Not really. This is all for show.

The thought crashes over him like an ice-cold wave, chasing away the lust-fuelled haze that had settled over his mind like a thick blanket. He gasps and pulls away more forcefully, struggling against Lan Wangji’s grip.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks, startled. “Wei Ying, what’s wrong?”

“I-I need to go,” Wei Wuxian says in a panic. He feels it bubbling up from his chest, into his throat, and gasps again. “Lan Zhan, we shouldn’t—we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Lan Wangji relents. As soon as his grip loosens enough, Wei Wuxian reverts back to his original form in a puff of smoke, and disappears through the trees.

// buy me a ko-fi //

Previous parts here

[trensu]

Episode 7: The One where At Last LWJ Sees the Light

We’re still in the cave of wonders, guys, and lan yi is doing plot exposition so we’re gonna skip that

Once Lan Yi is done laying down Plot, we have this cute exchange

Lwj: elder, as your descendent i pinky promise to complete this Super Important Mission 

Wwx: oh, same, me too!

Lwj: this is a LAN FAMILY MATTER and none of your business

Wwx: YOU CAN’T STOP ME FROM HELPING

Wwx: and besides, since my grandmaster was besties with your ancestor that means that it’s practically my family matter too, so there

YOU’RE ALSO MARRIED NOW GUYS, REMEMBER, SO IT’S A FAMILY MATTER EITHER WAY

And now, drumroll please…

Our beautiful boys tumble out of the cave of wonders (while still tied together!!) and crash land onto the ground, with wwx oh so conveniently sprawled on top of lwj

THAT’S RIGHT GUYS

IT’S THAT TROPE AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL

Lol lwj’s stunned face here

Wwx: I DIDN’T MEAN TO FALL ON YOU…! Oh hi jiang cheng

yep, jc’s here to ruin the moment (i love you jc, but you have horrible timing)

Wwx is so happy to see his brother, he greets him immediately and completely forgets about the fact that he and lwj are in a…compromising position

It’s adorable, really

Lwj: *glares with every ounce of Repressed Gay Rage in his body* GET UP RIGHT NOW.

Wwx: oh, right sure *totally unruffled bc he is shameless*

At this point we cut to the next scene which is still in the same place and with the same characters but now lwj has his ribbon back on his forehead

Ngl i’m kinda bummed we didn’t see him untie their wrists

It would’ve been hilarious since jc and wen qing wouldve been watching it all happen lol

like, i’m just picturing wq and jc being awkwardly silent as lwj unravels his ribbon from wwx’s wrist. wwx’s eyes would ofc be glued on lwj and he’d be babbling some inane thing or another

but we didn’t get that. oh well.

Oh, and here we find out that lwj and wwx were in that cave for one day and one night

Now that lwj is all put together again, we see wwx, jc, and wq have a conversation that i think counts as a wangxian moment

Jc and wq both start throwing questions at our boys about where they’ve been and what they were doing and all that

Lwj looks very uncomfortable about all the questions.

Lans don’t lie (supposedly; lwj is such a stickler at this point in his life he def doesn’t lie)

So wwx swoops in to ~rescue~ him!!

He answers all the questions by lying thru his teeth: oh yeah, we got lost and trapped and swam for hours and hours in an underground, waterlogged maze that definitely exists before we finally found a way out!! I almost froze to death (he says with a whine bc that’s just how he is lol)

Once he finishes answering all those questions he turns to share THE CUTEST LITTLE SECRET SMILE WITH LWJ. SO ADORABLE GUYS, HOW IS HE REAL

Lwj sees it and HAS TO LOOK AWAY

I CAN’T EVEN BLAME HIM BC IF WWX SMILED AT ME LIKE THAT (WITH HIS CUTE LITTLE BEAUTY MARK IN FULL VIEW!!) I WOULD’VE DIED.

JUST DROPPED TO THE GROUND DEAD.

IT’S TOO MUCH, IT’S TOO MUCH

Now we cut to a Plot Heavy Scene, featuring our boys and lxc and lqr, that is not relevant to this post at all EXCEPT I HAVE TO SAY OH GOD, LWJ LOOKS SO BABY-FACED HERE?? HOW?? HIS LITTLE FACE LOOKS ALL ROUNDED AND SOFT AND HIS LIPS ARE ALL POUTY. HE’S BEBY. I JUST WANT TO WRAP HIM UP IN BLANKETS AND GIVE HIM HOT CHOCOLATE

More plot discussion happens and whatever they’re talking about makes wwx bump shoulders with lwj and call him “my confidant” AKA MY SOULMATE AHHHHHHH

OH WAIT, do you know what else is important about this scene?

It shows how much taller wwx is than lwj!!! And I LOVE IT.

Lwj’s shoulders are a good two inches lower than wwx’s

WHY ISN’T THERE MORE FIC/ART SHOWING THIS??

I MEAN, THE STOIC SOLEMN CHARACTER IS SMOL AND THE SUNSHINEY CHARACTER IS GIANT. IT’S SUCH GREAT COMBINATION!!!

I think ppl in the cultivation world probs don’t realize how short lwj is bc he gives off such an intimidating aura i’m so jealous; i need to get myself an intimidating aura

Blah blah more plot, wwx promises not to tell anybody anything about the plot blah blah

Right after that, they bump into nhs who’s like, hey you guys were gone all night did anything weird happen?? (this is the guy who sneaks porn into this place on the regular, i’m pretty sure we all know what he means by “weird”)

Wwx: oooh, yeah, this super weird thing happened, let me tell you all about it

Lwj: *whips around to stare at wwx likE OMG SRSLY YOU JUST SAID YOU’D KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT*

Wwx: *proceeds to tell nhs a spooky lie about meeting a demon snake*

Nhs: *flees in terror bc he thinks snakes are scary for some reason* (they’re not, snakes are def cute critters)

Lwj: *exasperatedly rolls his eyes at wwx’s frankly amazing story-telling skills*

AND HERE WE GET TO SEE THE FIRST TIME LWJ STARES LONGINGLY AT WWX. LWJ, THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR MAIN HOBBY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Wwx runs after his brother and slings a playful arm around his shoulders and walks away without a second glance to lwj

Lwj stares soulfully at him, def noticing that wwx didn’t spare him a second look (poor bb lwj)

After a moment of Soulful Staring, his lips part as he lowers his gaze to the ground and decisively turns and walks off

INTERNALLY HE’S LIKE OFC WWX WOULDN’T WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH ME SINCE I’M ALL STOIC AND REPRESSED BUT THAT’S FINE, IDC, I DIDN’T WANT TO HANG OUT WITH HIM ANYWAY

POOR LWJ!! DOESN’T THIS MAKE YOUR HEART TWINGE???

Even more plot stuff happens

But they make it worth the wait because now we get to…

THE LANTERN SCENE (PART 1)

YES, YOU HEARD RIGHT.

WWX: lwj, we should set off a lantern and make a wish together since we’ve been thru so much together now

LWJ: *pulls a batman* I work alone 

WWXX: habits change!! Besides, i made this lantern specially for you~! *shows drawing of magic cave bunny on the lantern*

HERE WE GO GUYS, OMG, IT’S HAPPENING

Lwj looks at the lantern and, just, his face, ahhh, LWJ’S ENTIRE FACE GOES SOFT AND WE SEE HIM SMILE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SERIES

FIRST!!

TIME!!

EVER!!!

AND IT ONLY TOOK 7 EPISODES!!

I’M DYING I’M D Y I N G

HIS LIPS PART AND THE SMILE JUST GENTLY BLOOMS ON HIS FACE, ILLUMINATING IT SOFTLY LIKE A FUCKING SUNRISE OR SMTH

FUCK IT’S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL IT’S MAKING ME POETIC

GAHHH

NO WONDER HE NEVER SMILES

THAT SMILE COULD KILL PEOPLE IN THE BEST WAY

Ofc wwx has to ruin the moment by giggling at him and saying “hey you’re smiling!!”

Okay, guys, you know and I know that wwx is giggling from joy. Like yay!! I made lan zhan smile!! I did a Good Thing!!!

He is genuinely tickled pink about making his soulmate happy!

But remember, LWJ is the King of Repressed Gays here. So, you know, the laughter in his ears sounds mocking. Because he’s a dumb boy who can’t Emotion well yet.

LWJ reacts to the giggles by immediately grabbing his sword which startles wwx into stumbling back into the group behind him and the mood is effectively ruined

But just for a little bit!!

Then ~THEIR SONG~ starts playing in the background AND THEY SEND OFF THEIR LANTERN TOGETHER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT GENERALLY ONLY ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED COUPLES DO 

as is shown by how everyone’s trying to get jyl and jzx (aka our token heteros) to send off a lantern together

The pair of them, need i remind you, are currently betrothed (even tho that dumb peacock doesn’t deserve her)

so yeah, that’s totally not gay at all

WWX makes his wish: “I wish to always stand with justice and live without regrets”

THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE MOMENT. 

THIS IS WHEN LWJ FALLS IN LOVE, I SWEAR

LWJ is watching wwx as he’s making that wish (more of an oath, really), and as soon as he hears those words, his eyes widen the way they do when someone gets hit with a life-altering realization. He’s completely thunderstruck 

IT’S NOT SUBTLE GUYS

YOU CAN PRACTICALLY SEE CUPID’S ARROW STICKING OUT OF HIS CHEST (OR WHATEVER ANCIENT FANTASY CHINA EQUIVALENT THERE IS)

THAT’S IT. HE’S A GONER. THERE’S NO ONE ELSE FOR HIM NOW. NO ONE BUT WWX.

For real tho, after this moment, we really don’t see lwj be angry towards wwx like he has been. Annoyed and exasperated at him, sure, but never angry in a petty mean way like before.

It’s beautiful

The next wangxian moment isn’t nearly as intense but it happens shortly after the lantern scene

Wwx goes to beat the shit out of jzx for saying he doesn’t want to marry jyl (because jzx is a moron and definitely deserves a beat down for this insult)

Wwx and jzx are surrounded by a group of loud, flailing people

And lwj just dives right into that throng of people to get to wwx (contrast this to a scene in a later episode where he actively avoids going anywhere near a much calmer, collected group of people bc ew people)

Lwj: *grabs at wwx* stop, wei ying

Wwx: DON’T STOP ME, LAN ZHAN, IM GONNA KILL THIS GUY DEAD IS2G

Next wangxian scene takes place the following morning

Lwj is walking along minding his own business and sees wwx kneeling as punishment for the fight before

He approaches him and calls out to him.

THIS IS IMPORTANT

This is the first time we see him willingly initiate interaction with wwx. Every other time, wwx was the one to approach him first and start to pester him for attention.

BUT LOL JOKE’S ON HIM. THE FIRST TIME HE DARES TO APPROACH WWX FIRST AND HE IMMEDIATELY REGRETS IT

‘Oh hey lan zhan’ wwx responds to LWJ. ‘look at all these little ants i found on the ground!!’

‘OMG WWX YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE KNEELING TO REFLECT ON YOUR MISDEEDS NOT TO PLAY WITH ANTS. SO UNTEACHABLE’ *walks off in a huff*

Wwx is left pouting and saying ‘but the ants are so cute.’

I’M SORRY WHAT??

WHAT DID YOU SAY WWX?? ANTS ARE CUTE??

ANTS ARE NOT CUTE. 

YOU, WWX, YOU ARE CUTE. ANTS ARE NOT. 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.

(i just really hate insects, guys, i would not get near them even if wwx was the one holding them)

(okay, maybe if wwx was holding them, i’d try to get near them, but idk how successful i’d be)

Blah blah more plot stuff happens, blah jin “can’t keep it in my pants* guangshan exists now blah blah 

Alright so now we have the jiang clan saying their goodbyes to the lan clan since i guess Ancient Fantasy China summer school is over maybe??? Idk, point is they gotta leave. 

As they leave, wwx starts to whisper at lwj “lan zhan, lan zhan, about that Plot Device…”

But gets tugged away by his fam, HOWEVER he manages to hear lxc telling lwj to be careful in that foreboding Important Plot Things Are Afoot sort of way

And wwx makes the effort to go back to talk to lwj but jc grabs him and yanks him out by the arm

Jc: are you crazy?? That guy hates you!! He must be happy you’re leaving

Wwx: LIES AND SLANDER, everyone here LOVES me

Idk about everyone, but lwj definitely loves him and jc knows nothing

now it’s THE RETURN OF WINGMAN LXC

The lan bros are watching the yunmeng sibs leave

Lxc: gosh, it’s gonna be quiet here without him, huh? (HIM, HE SAYS, NOT ‘THEM,’ HIM! BC HE TOTALLY KNOWS WHO LWJ IS ACTUALLY WATCHING)

Lwj: *looks down to the floor and refuses to answer*

Lxc: soooo…r u gonna tell him about your Super Important Mission?

Lwj: no. *walks away*

Jeez, he walks off on his big brother a lot, doesn’t he?? Rude. didn’t your parents teach you any manners? Oh wait that was an awful joke and i’m a terrible person, SORRY LWJ

AHHHHHHHHHHH WWX WITH THE BUNNIES!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Wwx: *holding a bunny* Bunny, are you gonna be happy hiding here??

Wwx: *pretending to be the bunny* Happy!! 

GUYS THIS SCENE IS JUST TOO CUTE FOR WORDS. 

I REWOUND AND WATCHED IT LIKE, 3 TIMES BECAUSE THE CUTENESS WAS JUST UGH I COULDN’T RESIST. 

HIS VOICE GOES ALL HIGH PITCHED THE WAY IT DOES WHEN YOU MAKE VOICES FOR YOUR PETS!! IT’S ADORABLE AHHHHH I DIE, I DIE

Wwx: maybe i should take you back to lotus pier with me…?

Wwx: hmm, no, i can’t do that. What if lan zhan gets lonely and comes here looking for you? He won’t be able to find you!!

This is literally what wwx said. Like, that was the deciding factor for not taking the bunny home. 

Lan zhan might get lonely. HOW SWEET IS HE. WWX, THE SWEETEST BOY, WHO’S SO IN LOVE AND DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT YET

Then as he’s bonding with the bunny he gets the epiphany that OMG LWJ IS GOING ON THAT SUPER IMPORTANT MISSION ALONE, WITHOUT HIM

And that’s the end of that episode. 

but we got to see the EXACT MOMENT LWJ falls in love for real. And it’s BEAUTIFUL. Not to mention the we were gifted the accidentally-falling-on-top-of-each-other trope. 

and we got bunnies! did i mention the bunnies and wwx being adorable together? because that happened.

Ah, this is the show that just gives and gives *wipes away tears* what did we do to deserve it?

Return to Masterpost

[vespertineflora]

WWX for the ask meme? 😮

yes!!!!!! thank you xoxo How I feel about this character: i love wwx, he’s such a charming and annoying fucking dumbass. my novel experience was needing to pause every few minutes to shout “I CAN’T FUCKING STAND YOU,” because he had just done something so obnoxious or stupid or hilarious that i needed to stop and process and lmao about it--but that is a phrase exclusively aimed at people i love very much. he’s so goddamn endearing, and he’s so hilarious in how DENSE he is about his own feelings (even if that ultimately breaks down to his crushing insecurities about whether or not he’s worthy of being loved), and then he’s such a fucking gremlin that i’m constantly cackling about all the dumb shit he does and says.  All the people I ship romantically with this character: again, boring answer: Lan Wangji. so, no multi-shipping here xD My non-romantic OTP for this character: i would have LOVED to see more wwx & nhs times. they’re both such little gremlins and they make for cute friends. wwx and jiang yanli have the cutest relationship that makes me go: 🥺 bc wwx deserves to be babie sometimes. and also wen ning!!!!! burial mounds friends!!!!!!!! My unpopular opinion about this character: whether or not it’s “popular” i’m not sure, but i will say one fandom thing that peeves me is the fixation on him getting spanked. like....... Y’ALL. this boy literally is like “yeah idc, i’m into bondage, i’m into cnc, lan zhan can do whatever he wants to me, my ONE HARD NO is SPANKING” and then some parts of the fandom took this and said “hurrhurr how about a bunch of fanart of wwx getting spanked” like.......... idk, do what u WANT i guess, it just bothers me. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: kinda morbid, but i wish we had a more concrete idea on HOW he died (novel canon). there’s plenty of plausible theories on what happened, but nothing CONCRETE and i want the DEETS. also, would have LOVED to see what happened in that cave with lwj at the end.

[yumichanhamano]

Three word ficlet challenge sent by wanlangjis on twitter :)

MDZS Modern AU, idk how to make it work so wwx was trying to DIY a patio at his house and the inspector is coming to check and make sure it’s up to standard but wwx is a disaster so it wasn’t complete :D Enjoy? XD

“The inspector is going to lose their shit when they see this,” Wen Qing groaned.

It started as a simple DIY project that lead to a random concrete slab sitting innocently behind their shared house and nothing else was finished for their supposed patio.

“It looks nice at least!” Wei Ying argued. It was incomplete since Wei Ying had put it off due to emergencies. But the inspector was also scheduled to observe their process and approve of their construction. And yet all he has for show is the still drying concrete that would serve at the base of the patio.

“You should have just paid for a contractor and they would have taken care of this!” Wen Qing scolded. Wei Ying pouted at her while Wen Ning tried to defuse the situation.

“I’ll just be honest and say I was busy so this is all I got right now! It’s not easy being a freelancer and a dad,” Wei Ying defended. He rushed to finish his workload so he could start working on this project. Wen Ning offered to start working on it first, but Wen Qing would have his head if her littler brother was doing all the manual labour while Wei Ying holed himself in his room. And here they were with their barely finished patio.

The house was rather old and tattered, but it was something. They put a lot of work into making it child proof for A-Yuan, but they still wanted to do more so it felt more like home than a random shelter.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

“Shit,” Wei Ying cursed under his breath while Wen Ning went to greet who they all assumed to be the inspector.

“Ah, hello,” Wen Ning greeted.

“No one answered when I knocked.”

“We were in the backyard. Apologies for the confusion. Please, this way,” Wen Ning said and led the inspector into the backyard.

Before Wei Ying could try to run away from the inevitable, a voice interrupted his overly complicated plans to vault over the fence and into his neighbour’s backyard.

“Wei Ying?”

He turned and stared at the man for more than socially appropriate.

“L-Lan Zhan?”

“You two know each other?” Wen Qing asked, snapping Wei Ying out of his staring. He looked over at her and she looked too amused. He was going to be questioned like a criminal later.

“High school. We went to high school together,” Wei Ying said. For a moment, he was unsure if he should shake Lan Zhan’s hand, but the latter didn’t like touching others so he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Ah, you really haven’t changed much, Lan Zhan. Still prim and proper. So, what are you doing here? I mean, you’re here for the inspection, right? What am I saying? Well, uh, here it is! I didn’t really get to do much between work and taking care of my son, but here’s the base! Pretty good if I say so myself!”

Lan Zhan didn’t spare a chance at the drying concrete and stared at Wei Ying the whole time, making him talk faster than usual.

“A-Ning and I are going to go pick up A-Yuan,” Wen Qing said as she walked around the two of them, half dragging her brother on her way out. Wen Ning made a brief noise of protest but ultimately moved away.

Silence followed their exit. Wei Ying shifted from one foot to another while waiting for a response. He never dealt with silence well, so he opened his mouth to speak, but Lan Zhan beat him to it.

“Your son?”

“Yes!” Wei Ying immediately brightened and pulled out his phone, pulling up his gallery of photos. “He’s the cutest thing. I call him my little radish!” Wei Ying said with all the happiness of a proud father. He showed Lan Zhan the picture he took a few months ago when they went to the park. “He’s the cutest baby in the world! And I’m not saying that because he’s my baby.”

Lan Zhan hummed in quiet agreement and it’s all it took for Wei Ying to relax. They haven’t seen each other since they graduated. Lan Zhan didn’t have social media so it was hard to keep in contact with him.

They had each other’s phone number but Wei Ying thought Lan Zhan didn’t want anything to do with him so he stopped his “text spam” as Jiang Cheng called it, and let the man be at peace for once. Since Lan Zhan never reached out, Wei Ying just concluded that they were nothing more than mere acquaintances that happened to go to high school together.

“Your wife?” Lan Zhan’s deep voice pulled Wei Ying out of his thoughts and he looked dazedly at the sharp jawline before the words registered.

Wei Ying sputtered, “My what???”

“Your wife,” Lan Zhan said, a small crease between his brow formed. “The women from earlier I presume.”

Wei Ying laughed. He laughed so hard that he fell to the ground, uncaring of the grass stains as his stomach cramped at his boisterous laughter.

Lan Zhan hovered above him, unsure of what he did or what to do as Wei Ying cried from laughing so hard.

“Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying giggled at the lost expression on his face. “I- That was the best joke.”

“I wasn’t-”

“Wen Qing is not my wife,” Wei Ying said and took Lan Zhan’s offered hand to stand on his feet again. “God, she would castrate me even before considering marriage. Besides, she’s too busy saving lives to even care about romance. You caught her on her off day while she scolded me about this.” Wei Ying gestured to his project.

“Then your son…”

“Adopted,” Wei Ying grinned. “I still love him lots and lots! He’s their cousin and I helped babysit, but his parents are gone and none of his relatives could keep him long term so he’s mine now!”

“I see,” Lan Zhan said. If Wei Ying didn’t know if he was seeing things, but Lan Zhan’s posture seemed to have relaxed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be here to do your job, Mr. Inspector?” Wei Ying asked. He couldn’t help but tease the man who used to be uninterested in anything Wei Ying did. Now that he had his attention, he was going to milk it for all it’s worth.

“There is not much for me to inspect,” Lan Zhan deadpanned and sent Wei Ying into another round of laughter.

“Ah, I tried my best. Can you like, come back another time when I have finished? I swear I will work on it now! I had to finish up my other project for a client since I promised I would be done before their deadline, but then they pushed it forward. I already lost so many nights of sleep for this and then Wen Qing was busy at work so it was mostly Wen Ning and I taking care of A-Yuan, and let me tell you about toddlers! They’re so fussy and-”

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said calmly and Wei Ying immediately stopped talking. “I will reschedule. Is there something else I can help with?”

“No. No, thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said in a breath of relief. He wasn’t sure why he was so worked up or rambling about his life problems. But Lan Zhan’s calming presence and soothing voice was effective in calming his nerves.

Lan Zhan pulled out what Wei Ying presumed to be his business card, then pulled out a pen and wrote something on the back.

“If you need anything, call or text me. I will respond when I can.”

Wei Ying held the card and held back a laugh at the boring black and white card. It was so like Lan Zhan to have a boring looking business card. “And on the back?”

“My personal number.” Lan Zhan was looking away when Wei Ying’s head snapped up.

“Ah, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan. If you’re so nice to me, I’ll never want to let you go.” Wei Ying couldn’t help but tease.

“Then don’t.”

Wei Ying sucked in his breath at the quiet admission, something stirring in his chest. He moved on, thinking that Lan Zhan hated him, only putting up with him because he was being relentless. But here Lan Zhan was, welcoming him back into his life.

“I’m still annoying.”

“Mm.”

“And I talk a lot.”

“Mm.”

“I talk when I eat!”

“Wei Ying.”

“I forget sometimes. Wen Qing said it was gross when I talk with my mouth full and now A-Yuan is bullying me too.”

“Mm.” Wei Ying noticed a slight smile.

“I’m not the same person I was 3 years ago.”

“Neither am I.”

“You still want to be my friend?” Wei Ying asked.

“En,” Lan Zhan said, smiling softly, “and more if Wei Ying lets me.”

Wei Ying’s brain short-circuited and he let out of a sound that resembled a squeak. He could play it off cool if it was anyone else. But never in front of Lan Zhan. He was one of the few people that saw other sides of him.

“Do you want to meet A-Yuan?” Wei Ying asked as he moved towards the gate. They couldn’t enter through the backdoor because of the still drying concrete so they had to go around to the front of the house. “They should be home soon, if not already. He’s a little shy at first, but he’s a friendly kid.”

“I would love to.”

[butterflydm]

The Untamed Rewatch (ep 1)

 Series Overview | Index | Next Episode

Oh, yes, I was very correct about this all hitting me a lot harder after I’d seen the whole show. I am also watching it on viki.com this time and the subtitled translations are already a lot better than the ones on the tencent youtube channel. They flow much more naturally as lines of dialogue (there’s a new set of translated videos popping up, too, that I might check out on my… third viewing… that will probably happen after this one… I really like this story y’all).

Things that stood out to me on this viewing (note: I am going to be spoiling the rest of the story as well when talking about things, including the twists):

Okay, so in the drama, when Wei WuXian is brought back to life, it seems like he definitely does look like himself again from the start —he specifically questions Mo XuanYu’s cousin to see if the Mo family would recognize him and learns that they haven’t seen him without mask or heavy makeup since he left home for a while at thirteen. What I infer from the conversations is that their looks were similar enough that when Mo XuanYu called Wei WuXian’s spirit into his body and the magic reshaped it, his general shape didn’t change enough to be noticeable, plus the family didn’t really look at him much in any case. And Wei WuXian worries that the “Lans of Gusu” might know enough about how he looks to recognize him, even if they aren’t “him”. I mean, obviously the doylist/meta reason is that they hired Xiao Zhan for a reason and they’re gonna have him play the part, but yeah, thinking about it is interesting.

Wei WuXian playing wangxian on the piece of grass: fucked me up so much more now. This show does such an excellent job with this entire romance. The whole way they set up Wei WuXian both wanting and not wanting to see Lan WangJi again is a lovely representation of their push-pull dynamic in the drama as a whole.

Which brings me to how much I love that song. The wangxian love theme is absolutely beautiful, enough that even when they play it like ten times in one of the later episodes, I’m still like “aaaah, so pretty! <3”. The first time we hear it is when Wei Ying has the flashback to Lan Zhan in his Gusu robes when he’s talking to Lan SiZhui and it’s so subtle there but it starts building up the mood of their romance, piece by piece. And WWX is so overcome by the memory that he literally sinks down and sits on his heels.

I also really love Lan Zhan’s theme song, as well. Lan Zhan’s introduction is… a lot. I love that we don’t see his face until it’s WWX seeing his face again, too. And he’s just this floating ethereal being and WWX stares for a long while, transfixed… and then makes fun of the way he’s dressed, with a fond smile. There’s such a good job there of putting in a sense of familiarity and history with how Wei Ying reacts to seeing Lan Zhan again.

The set-up of the sixteen years ago, seeing that moment, and then when we come back to it 30+ episodes later as we see both that there was so much we didn’t know but also that the show didn’t at all ‘cheat’ about the emotions of the scene — the backstory information we get complicates the picture of that day that we start with but doesn’t undermine it.

Wei WuXian also comes back in a much better emotional place? Given the way resentful energy is presented in the drama as a corrupting force, I wonder if part of that is attributable to getting a ‘new start’ in Mo XuanYu’s body — his own original body had been put through so much physical trauma in addition to the emotional trauma. The removal of his golden core. Being thrown down into the burial mounds. Then years of resentful energy being held inside his body and built up over time. Even just getting a chance to wipe that out and start again in a body that hasn’t been through that trauma might be helpful. This fey, trickster Wei WuXian is reminiscent of how we meet him in the flashback.

Though, in the drama (as I understand it, his death happens differently in the novel), another element might be that we did see him reach a moment of peace right before he died — he saved Lan Zhan’s life. He was already able to break out of the stranglehold of his grief and pain long enough to do that before he died, so his mind already started the healing process (but then he died, so it was short-circuited — sort of? Wei Ying does make it clear he was aware of being dead and he even knows how long he’s been dead without anyone telling him). I’m not sure how much of that applies to the novel’s version of WWX, but that’s what I got out of the drama’s version.

I really love Wei Ying’s casual displays of power. Snapping his fingers to freeze Mo XuanYu’s cousin in place… it just comes so naturally to him. He just has this very spontaneous-feel to when he uses magic (is it still called cultivation in this context?) that makes it just part of who he is and it’s very charming.

We see the hints of Nie HuaiSang’s hand behind everything — he paid the storyteller to talk about the YiLing Patriarch for three solid days, probably to influence the timing of Mo XuanYu’s ritual. He makes sure he stays there to see the initial results through — which he does again in the final act of the story. I have much genuine love for Nie HuaiSang tbh. He gets his revenge thoroughly but doesn’t go incredibly overboard the way most of the revenge-based characters do in the series (though he is ruthless about it). He knows his own strengths and weaknesses — he’s not a fighter, but he knows where he can find one. He doesn’t have overweening ambition beyond what he can handle. If his big brother had never been murdered, I get the sense he would have happily stayed a decorative baby brother all his life.

The Lan juniors are the cutest lil beans in creation. I love the contrast between them, because we see that Lan SiZhui is much more polite and formal than Lan JingYi, but he’s also incredibly compassionate and his heart is very much present on his face at all times. He’s respectful but openly kind. The moments when his memory is getting tickled by the way Wei Ying is behaving is also… it means so much after having seeing the drama all the way through once. And I love Lan JingYi for many reasons, but also because I think his (tbh kind of straight-up bratty) attitude implies that the Cloud Recesses have calmed the fuck down a bit about their strictness in the past decade-plus. And he finds Wei Ying’s dramatics amusing for the most part, which is cute.

Lan SiZhui recognizing wangxian — I suspect he’s remembering Wei Ying playing it rather than it being a post-death memory of LWJ playing it, since Lan JingYi doesn’t remember it at all. And because if Lan WangJi played it for anyone after Wei Ying died, then I’m not sure he would have been so certain from the start that the person playing it had to be Wei Ying. Meanwhile, Wei Ying isn’t aware of the full emotional importance of the song to Lan Zhan, and he seems to play it a couple of times as a soothing action (self-soothing here, and then to calm down Wen Ning’s corpse in episode 2)? Likely because it reminds him of being cared for by someone (in this case, of course, Lan Zhan). Wei Ying keeps precious hold of things like this and is very sentimental from what we see, and it makes sense that he associates this song with affection in the same way that he associates lotus root and sparerib soup with affection.

I am… honestly not at all surprised that people (even apart from the Lans) are using all the cool shit that Wei WuXian created even while most of the cultivation world still condemns him. That was the way they behaved when he was alive, too. They wanted his cool shit but judged him for making it.

Wei WuXian standing up for Lan SiZhui and the rest of the juniors when Madame Mo is yelling at them: he’s such a natural defender, tbh (which, of course, ends up being a big part of why he and Jiang Cheng end up at odds because WWX doesn’t limit his caretaking nature to his family but extends it to literally anyone who needs it no matter the cost). He’s nurturing in a careless/teasing way at times but he’s also very protective. And that impulse to jump in to help other people is such a big moral thing that he shares with Lan Zhan.

Okay, so, thoughts on grief as presented in the drama: Lan WangJi is well-known and beloved by the young Lan disciples. His reputation is back to being spotless, because it’s been over a decade since he did anything wrong. so, I don’t think he was publicly still grieving, though I will note that the Lan junior disciples seem relatively open to the idea that the YiLing Patriarch was probably not the worst person ever and it wouldn’t suck if he really weren’t dead after all, kind of reminiscent of MianMian’s daughter talking about how the YiLing Patriarch only goes after bad people (Lan JingYi honestly sounds hilariously excited about the idea that the YiLing Patriarch might still be alive, tbh - what have you been telling these children, Lan Zhan? lol).

So while I don’t get the impression LWJ spent most of those years openly pining, I’m sure the subject of WWX has come up, as he’s still a popular monster-in-the-night for a lot of people, and LWJ probably did defend his memory, in his own quiet but solid way. But I also get the impression overall that LWJ put his deep grief for Wei Ying in the same box as his deep grief over his mother, and he did his duty.

Then, he realizes Wei Ying might be alive and everything changes. I love that they both instinctively think of each other by their given names, too. Even when Wei Ying isn’t sure whether or not he wants to see Lan Zhan, that’s still how he thinks of him first — as Lan Zhan. And Lan Zhan just stares at the sword while it’s giving off those black smoke trails, transfixed, and when he first wonders if Wei Ying is alive and there, it’s just... Peak Romance, y’all. Peak Romance.

It does crack me up that the second Wei Ying gets the chance, he dresses himself in his own colors of black & red and doesn’t stick with Mo XuanYu’s colors. The only effort he puts into his ‘undercover’ disguise is the mask. He deserves a “I don’t think you even tried at all” star tbh.

Series Overview | Index | Next Episode

[thesilversun]

It doesn’t fit anymore :(

So this was going to be part of part 9 of Futures Written on Shifting Sand, but it doesnt fit :(

It’s too specific so I can work it into a different fic either. It’s pretty rough as it’s not part of the fic. But here is 700 or so words of the Yunmeng sibling generally being supportive and silly at the same time. Because I like it even if I can’t use it in Futures Written on Shifting Sand.

WWX takes LWJ to the kitchens to get some food.

JYL is there making breakfast, but she doesn’t turn to great them. She tells WWX it will be ready soon, she’ll bring it to him. It’s so wrong, WWX “Shijie?” He put a hand on her shoulder. “What’s happened?”

“Father is back from LanLing,” her voice is so soft that Wei WuXian could barely hear her over the bubble of the pots. “They did not listen, did not believe that...that we might be next. Mother is furious. Don’t give her reason to be angry with you today, A-Xian, please.” A tear drops and hisses on the hot stove top.

“Shijie.” Not making her turn round he hugs her. “It will be alright. We’ll be ready, whatever happens. We won't be taken by surprise. It will be them running away if they come here, Madam Yu will scare them all the way to the NIghtless City.”

Lan WangJi touches his shoulder, a brief almost hesitant contact, then he leaves. WWX trusts that he hasn't gone far, just that he wants to let them have space.

“I won’t ever be able to marry Jin ZiYuan now. Not after this,” she said sadly. “I know it is foolish, that we aren’t betrothed anymore, that I shouldn't be thinking of myself at a time like this, but I’d hoped. I’d still hoped.”

A good marriage was important, but for all the Jin sects wealth, Wei WuXian had never seen Jin ZiYuan as a good match. The man was an arrogant peacock, strutting and flaunting his wealth. Even if he had helped Jiang Cheng with those who had swum to safety from the Xuanwu cave it would take a great deal more effort on his part for him ever to become anything like good enough for his Shijie.

The problem was that out to the sect leaders families for the five great clans there really wasn't much of a choice. The two sons of Wen RouHan were out for obvious reasons, and now it seemed that the Jin heir was also out. Which left only left Lan and Nie clans. Lan XiChen was missing and the idea of Lan Zhan marrying filled Wei WuXian with...well he wasn’t sure what the feeling was, but he ruled him out immediately. Both Nie brothers were of marriageable age, even if HuaiSang was only just so.

He can’t imagine the towering figure of Nie MingJue bowing to their ancestors, Jiang YanLi would look so tiny next to him. No, HuaiSang was, after Jin ZiYuan, probably the next best match, even if he was a little younger than her. They would certainly have the very cutest children.

“A-Xian, what are you thinking?” she asked,

Jiang Cheng arrived, face fixed in a scowl. “Yes, what are you thinking?”

Wei WuXian blinked, “Shijie and Nie HuaiSang would have such cute babies.”

Jiang YanLi smiled at them both. “I’m not sure I’m what young second master Nie would prefer in a partner.”

WWX looked confused, while Jiang Cheng scowl turned vaguely horrified.

“I have seen the kind of books he lends you, A-Xian. You are not very careful with them. So I think his type would be more like you or A-Cheng, I’m sure you both understand what I mean.”

WWX eyes go wide. “You think he’s...” He stopped. Maybe she was right, yet some of the things Huaisang had said made him think otherwise. “You know I think maybe he likes both.”

Jiang Cheng was red in the face. “How can you say such things? Either of you. It's…I’d be too ashamed to say it.”

Any embarrassment onWei WuXian’s part disappeared in favour of being able to tease Jiang Cheng. So he said, “Is Shidi jealous? Is that it? Did you want him to...”

“No! How can you be so shameless.”

It really was much too funny to see Jiang Cheng’s cheeks turning a spice paste red! So Wei WuXian persisted, thoroughly enjoying himself now. “You know maybe it was you he was looking at over his fan all those times in class. You...ow. Why did you hit me?”

“It wasn't hard, stop whining. All I did was slap your hand,” Jiang Cheng grumbled. “Imagine what ChiFeng-Zun would do to you if he heard you talk such nonsense of his little brother?

[grandmasterofwangxiancultivation]

MDZS ch.94

okay, i’ve been dreaming about this part and now i just need to know what happens so bad i’m ditching my studying schedule (and relax for a bit, uni is making me going totally insane) to read this, better be worth it-

Lan WangJi gladly accepted his exaggerated praise. He opened Wei WuXian’s sleeves and  poured all of the stolen jujubes inside, saying, “For you. All for you.”

AND IT IS, FLUFF ALL OVER THE BEGINNING, BLESS I WANNA CRY

i think lwj doesn’t like wwx thanking him. he snaps every time he does that. uuuuuugh my heart-

lunatic lwj is the best things in the whole universe

He took out a jujube, wiped it on the cloth at his chest, and bit half of it away, thinking that  if Lan Zhan wanted to play, he should just play with him, “What do you want to do next?” He held himself back from saying, ‘Whose house do you want to destroy next?’

(i’m excited, what’s next on the drunken lwj’s list of adventures?)

Lan WangJi frowned slightly, correcting him, “We.”

fewljwiorgi HE CORRECTED HIM. WE, NOT ME, ALONE. ISN’T THIS A LOVE CONFESSION ALREADY COME ONE WEI YIIIIIIIING

EDIT:

The two arrived at a wall. Lan WangJi looked left and right. After making sure that nobody was around, he unsheathed Bichen from his waist. With a few swings, glaring blue light flashed by, leaving behind a row of tall characters.

Wei WuXian went forth and looked. There were seven words—‘Lan WangJi of Gusu has been here’.

(HOW IS IT THAT LWJ DOES EXACTLY WHAT I’D NEVER EXPECT FROM HIM I’M DOOMED THIS IS WHY THEY ARE SO PERFECT FOR EACH SEE? S E E ?)

Lan WangJi nodded and handed Bichen to him.

Wei WuXian, “?”

Lan WangJi handed Bichen to him again. Wei WuXian took it. As he saw how there was still much empty space after the words ‘Lan WangJi’, he understood.

Lan WangJi was waiting for him to write his name up there as well!

....

i’m done

i am done.

this is too perfect, and perfection SCARES ME. if this is giving me so much joy i could actually die from it, what’s gonna happen next? WHAT.

Lan WangJi seemed quite satisfied, finally taking Bichen back. After a moment of thought, he reached out again. This time, it wasn’t to write, but rather to draw. A few glares of the sword zipped across, and the small portrait of two kissing figures appeared on the wall. The precision of the lines and the obscenity of the content was enough to make Wei WuXian slap his own forehead.

(I KEEP HAVING ABSOLUTELY NO WORDS I DON’T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN HOW MUCH FUN I’M HAVING RN IS THIS EVEN LWJ I LOVE HIM

he is trying to woo wwx by doing what he did when he was young and guys my heart has totally melted)

EDIT 2:

Suddenly, a series of wild barks exploded. Wei WuXian seemed as if firecrackers had just bursted beside his ears. He immediately screamed, unconsciously jumping onto Lan WangJi’s body, “Lan Zhan, help me!!!”

(bAbY- *he always have an excuse to wrap himself all over lwj, what a coincidence-)

Lan WangJi gained a complete victory. He finally patted Wei WuXian a few more times and leaped off the wall with him.

The dog’s barks were never heard again, even after they walked for a long while. Wei WuXian was finally able to tear himself off Lan WangJi’s body. His eyes were glazed and his legs shivered. Lan WangJi patted his shoulder, gazing at him with dedication, as though asking if he was fine or not. Wei WuXian still hadn’t recovered from the shock. Now that he could finally catch his breath a bit, he praised, “HanGuang-Jun, you’re so brave!”

(this was-

like, the cutest thing ever. i love how lwj protects him from everything, even things that are not really life treatening. that dedication you see, wwx, THAT’S LOVE, SO LOVE HIM TOO OKAY LOVE HIM LOTSSSSSS-)

Hearing this, Lan WangJi seemed to smile.

The ripple of movement faded at once. Pausing in astonishment, Wei WuXian thought he saw wrong.

(LWJ SMILING IS DANGEROUS, SUCH A DANGEROUS THING, WEAR SUNGLASSES, OMG IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL-

what’s wwx gonna do the moment lwj will smile completely at him?

omg we’re all gonna die in bliss)

EDIT 3:

IS THERE ANYTHING THIS NOVEL WON’T GIVE ME?

Wei WuXian swept them off of him as he laughed, “You’re so dirty!”

Lan WangJi, “Wash my face for me.”

(BOSSY. WE LIKE IT.)

Wei WuXian couldn’t help but tugged his forehead ribbon, “You’ve even learned to order me around!”

The first time he was drunk, Wei WuXian washed his face for him, and Lan WangJi seemed as if he liked it a lot. Of course, this time, he asked for it on his own. Wei WuXian wanted to do it for him in the first place, but now that he was already like this, simply washing his face wouldn’t be enough at all. And so, he asked, “How about I just help you bathe instead?”

A BATH.

A  B A T H.

THIS CAN ONLY MEAN THAT THIRD TIME DRUNK LWJ SCENE IS GETTING INTO HOT AND WET TERRITORY. BATHTUB SCENE.

Finally the words i wanna hear.

MY BODY IS READY.

Hearing this, Lan WangJi widened his eyes slightly. Wei WuXian examined his expression carefully, “Do you want it?

Lan WangJi immediately nodded, “Yes.”

lwj is so eager, CUTE

EDIT 4:

He himself went downstairs, boiled water, and carried them up one bucket at a time, filling the entire tub. He tried the temperature of the water. Just as he turned around, wanting to tell Lan WangJi to take off his clothes, he saw that Lan WangJi had already stripped on his own.

(WeIwUxIaN.exe has stopped working)

When he ran into Lan WangJi taking a bath, he didn’t have any other ideas either, and during both those two times, more than half of Lan WangJi’s body was buried underwater. And so, suddenly seeing such an uncovered HanGuang-Jun… It was needless to say that Wei WuXian received quite a big shock.

(ARE YOU MAKING A DICK ALLUSION, WEI WUXIAN?)

At the moment, he didn’t even know whether he should follow his heart and look as much as he wanted or find something with which to cover up Lan WangJi and pretend to be a decent person.

(I AM AN INCOHERENT MESS RN-)

His scalp tingled. He couldn’t help but to walk backwards, but as he walked back, Lan WangJi continued to walk forward. Wei WuXian had already backed away to a corner of the wall. He couldn’t hide at all, and could only braven up as he watched Lan WangJi approach him expressionlessly. The distinct Adam’s Apple, fair-colored skin, and smooth, aesthetic muscles flashed before his eyes so clearly that he didn’t even dare look at them straight, eyes averting slightly. He swallowed unconsciously, somehow feeling a bit parched.

Wei WuXian was almost in a state of despair. He clenched his teeth, pretending like everything was fine, “I’m only pouring the bathwater for you. Okay. You can do the rest now.” As he spoke, he was just about to move away when Lan WangJi suddenly reached out and tore his sash belt into half.

(OKAY I’LL STOP BREATHING RIGHT HERE AT THIS PART BECAUSE MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS SKY HIGH AND IF I GO FURTHER WITH THE READING I THINK I’LL FAINT OR REALLY, LEGITIMATELY DIE AND MY MOUTH IS WATERING AND WHAT THE HELL THIS IS TOO PERFECT

who the hell am i kidding i’m going on, nosebleed or not-)

EDIT 5: I’LL CHOKE WITH MY OWN SALIVA

LWJ DOESN’T WANT TO BATHE WITHOUT WWX AND THAT’S THE SEXIEST, CUTEST THING EVER

And so, he dragged Lan WangJi towards the tub, “Fine, I’ll help you bathe. Come here.” He thought, My loss, my loss. Fine, I’ll just scrub him a couple of times. I won’t do anything else at all.*

*yeah well we all know that’s not gonna happen

also, wwx trying to convince himself he won’t do anything else besides wiping him a bit i’m like >______________>

(esr commenting wwx’s intentions represents all of us)

EDIT 6:

Lan WangJi was finally hauled by him. He sunk into the water again. Wei WuXian also rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the tub.

(i’ll explode, i’ll totally go BOOM POW in a sec when wwx’s hands will be all over lwj omg omg omg omg omg omg OMG-)

Since Lan WangJi had been staring at Wei WuXian without a single blink, Wei WuXian was worried the water might drip into his eyes and make him feel uncomfortable, “Close your eyes.”

(this is how i would explain what love is to me)

Lan WangJi didn’t listen to him. His eyes were still glued to Wei WuXian as if he was scared that if he blinked once, Wei WuXian might have run away. Wei WuXian reached out to shut his eyes, and he buried the lower half of his face into the water, letting out a series of bubbles. Wei WuXian laughed as he lightly pinched his cheek, “Er-Gege, how old are you?”

(omg omg I’M SOBBING SO HARD IT’S MAKING ME SO EMOTIONAL HELP cute cute so cute)

EDIT 7: okay, about lwj’s scars... i think he did that to himself (or made it so that it feels like he was punishing himself, you get me, right)? i mean, wwx describes them as coming from ferocious whipping, so even if lwj deserved to be punished, i can’t think of lqr and lxc being so angry at him to that point (it feels like adding cruelty to the punishment). so, either what lwj did was really bad or... well, he punished himself (whipping himself or having someone do it to him, so to be extremely strict). my heart is crying.

EDIT 8:

Wei WuXian got him drunk and spent almost half the night mulling over the matter, but he still didn’t get any answers. It wasn’t that he forgot. He’d always held in the back of his mind that he gave wine to Lan WangJi just to ask him, “HanGuang-Jun, just what do you think of me?” But every time it was close, he’d find some reason to blur things over, like not being so eager and asking after he played with him for long enough, like not being so casual and asking after they sat down properly… But even with all these excuses, the real reason that he dragged it until now was probably that he feared.

He was scared that he’d hear an answer different from what he hoped for.

omg now my heart is breaking again, i can feel my stomach twisting, he is scared. if only he knew, if only... pls lwj, tell him. tell him how much you longed for him and need him and embrace wwx’s hope to be loved by you, i swear i won’t ever need anything else in my life

[fallcolorspringrapid]

alright rest of the final episode screencaps go! 

these are nearly all from the dad scene, for crying-related reasons

lan zhan is so cute when he’s hesitantly trying to confess his love tell wei ying about a-yuan. and i love that dizi twirling, it looks so effortless

wei ying’s face! poor baby still can’t catch a break

can’t remember what happens in the dialogue here, but wei ying’s face is again sending me, as is the whole tableau. sizhui all earnest, lan zhan snapped back into hanguang-jun mode, wen ning being the cutest little zombie, wei ying leaning on pinguo, and pinguo looking so done with these idiots

ah wei baby, don’t cry! 

this is the cutest family reunion. i can’t handle this much cute. this is where i started to cry a little

what he means is “we somehow seem to have adopted a child together and i think it’s wonderful of us”

then wei ying gets into strict dad mode...

...and lan zhan looks like he’s thinking “this better not awaken anything in me”

whoops, too late

he’s honest to god flirting here

and just experiencing so much happiness he’s overflowing with it

but then oh god oh no

responsibilities

i bet at this point lwj already knows that his brother will step down and the clan leader’s burden will fall on him. and if he’s not there to carry it, if he’s not there to make sure the cultivation world doesn’t fall into chaos with the new power vacuum, can he really say he’s fulfilled his promise to stand on the side of justice? not going with wei ying will bring regrets. going with him would bring even more

this is where i started to cry a lot

before being overcome by tears, i managed to snatch one last pic, from the scene where they talk with clan leader nie

i’m honestly losing my mind over this pic

this is his excellency the chief cultivator looking at the former public enemy no 1 and...they’re in public?? and there’s just so much tender yearning on his face and he doesn’t even try to hide it?? he’s so soft! he’s so much in love! and he’s already missing wei ying more than he can bear

after this i just cried and cried. wei ying’s poetic goodbye lives rent-free in my head, as does lan zhan’s charmingly defiant “way ahead of you”

i love this ending. it’s complex. it’s bittersweet. it leaves so many possibilities.

my post-canon headcanon goes: lan zhan leads his clan at cloud recesses and wei ying travels the world, and they meet up every now and again, and it’s not an easy way to live, but there is still much happiness