#ah I miss you gege T-T

[zhansww]

X玖少年团肖战DAYTOY: 闪现！| Flash!

[hulijingemperor2]

~~~~~~~~♡♡♡♡♡♡~~~~~♡♡♡♡~~~

Yao: *in his office*

Rusong: *points to a file* what's this?

Yao: an immigration bill, to grant fellow fox spirit with adequate places to stay.

Already stamped.

Rusong: ohh.

Su she: hardworking Huangdi. Here's some rice cake, to give you some energy.

Yao: aw thank you darling.

Mo xuanyu: Aw sweet that Song'er is learning again.

Xue yang: finally. This kid keeps snooping around in my knife collection.

Yao: what?! Song'er. *laughing*

Rusong: I find his daggers are cool. And I can fit them in my pocket.

A-Die, you can't only be the one to hide a weapon.

Yao: haha, you have a point.

But don't get hurt, ok. Be careful.

Rusong: sure A-Die!

Su she: Huangdi, let me organize your papers.

From more important to less.

Yao: marvelous. Just like how you do.

Su she: should I play the guqin after, so that you can relax.

Yao: sure.

Xue yang: diva.

A-Qing: *skipping in* xue yang! Jiggy! Rich gege!

Yao: oh hi A-Qing.

A-Qing: oh my. Look at paperwork!!

Xue yang: maybe you should go help!

A-Qing: hell no!

Xue yang: you have to learn how to work, A-qing.

A-Qing: rich gege! Help!

Xue yang: Dianxia can't save you.

Rusong: *laughing*

Mo xuanyu: xue yang, stop teasing her.

A-Qing, you don't need to lift a finger.

Xue yang: don't go easy on her! It's a tough world out there.

Do you think that you get the leeway because you're in love with Rusong.

Rusong: *almost faints*

Yao: *chokes on his rice cakes*

A-Qing: *face turns red* XUE YANG!!! I'm not in love with Rusong!! Who told you that!

Xue yang I'll kill you!!

Xue yang: you can't kill me!

A-Qing: do you want me to dispose of your candy?!

Xue yang: A-Qing. Who thought you those secret tricks of tackling your opponent.

A-Qing: you!

Xue yang: oh right.

Good girl.

Xue yang: *rolls eyes*

Fuying: *enters* Huangdi.

Yao: tell me.

Fuying: just reminding you that you and Dianxia have to go to Dongying. To check on your districts and Kitsune citizens, and the Guanyin temple.

Yao: ah right, thank you so much for reminding me. *smile*

Team d: *whispering to each other*

Xue yang: Jiggy has a hella sharp memory. Why does his attendant have to remind him.

Mo xuanyu: yea, I know right.

Su she: I love how Huangdi thanks him. Huangdi is so perfect.

Mo xuanyu: I agree.

Yao: Rusong and I will prepare for the trip.

Fuying: yes Huangdi.

Yao: team dimple, do you guys want to come.

Xue yang: nah, I rather stay here and cause chaos! Hehehehehe.

Su she: I would love to! But you two should go to meet your people.

You look stunning as always.

Mo xuanyu: I want to cause chaos with xue yang!! And dream about you.

Yao: oh my! Well ok then, team d.

Rusong: A-qing. Do you want to join us?

A-Qing: ahhh Dongying is so far! Anyways I'll stay here with xue yang. Plus, these rude Kitsunes might assume that I'm your girlfriend.

Rusong: alright.

Xue yang: is that what you want! Hehehehe. Little simp.

A-Qing: shut up.

And, I don't want anyone to spread rumors about rich gege.

Look how cute he is.

Yao: awww.

Yao: Song'er, you can invite someone. To do some hunting with.

Rusong: oh cool! Then I'll ask Ling gege to come.

Yao: perfect.

Su she: that's a cute idea.

Mo xuanyu: Yao gege, we will miss you.

Su she: yea Huangdi.

Yao: aw. I'll miss you guys too.

Xue yang; I promise we won't do anything to Xichen.

Mo xuanyu: if we do, it would he harmless.

Su she: why?

I mean, rest assured, A-Yao. Xichen is safe with us.

Yao: lol. Please, don't trouble Xichen.

Xue yang: right Jiggy! That's why we'll harass him.

*hugs* jiggybuns, I'll miss your scent. *kisses delicately*

A-Qing: what a simp.

Yao: I'll be back darling.

Su she: *blushing*

Mo xuanyu: *hugs* Yao gege.

Yao: *smiles*

Mo xuanyu: you have the cutest little dimples.

Xue yang: Jiggy. Can you leave your illusion Jiggies here to party with us?

Yao: ohh, you want to party?! Well I don't see why not.

I'll give you four Yaos each.

Mo xuanyu: awwwww. Thank you so much Yao gege! You're so fun.

So who's the fourth one going to?

Yao: to Xichen.

Trio: *growling* Lan lips!

Xue yang: anyways, let's forget about Lipsy.

Can one of the Jiggies wear Wen robes? The super tight one?

Su she and mo xuanyu: *wiping up their nosebleed*

Yao: sure.

And my illusions are more savage, so look out for that.

Xue yang: bring it on!

Su she: they can step on me if they want.

Mo xuanyu: ah how hot!

A-Qing: xue yang and team D are so weird, lol.

Rusong: I, I love their randomness.

~~

Next Day....

Yao and Rusong: *stepping out, wearing outfits with Dongying patterns.

Su she: wow!

Mo xuanyu: aww, Yao gege! You look stunning!

Yao: *opens fan* thank you darling

Su she: always gorgeous.

And you look handsome too, Song'er.

Rusong: thanks uncle Su.

Xue yang: I know you look hella hot, but why do you have to adapt to their style?

Yao: To show some appreciation, of course.

Su she: you're an icon.

Yao: *smiles*

Yao: *adjusts Rusong's clothes* my darling must be neat.

Rusong: mn

Yao: handsome Dianxia.

Do you have your fan?

Rusong: yes A-Die. Noble gentlemen should always have a fan.

Yao: awww, you remembered.

A-Qing: rich gege.

Rusong: oh hey A-Qing.

A-Qing: *hugs* I'll miss you so much!

Rusong: *strokes through her hair* I will miss you too. But I will be back after a couple of days.

A-Qing: ok rich gege!

I got to go lock my room, before xue yang puts a fierce corpse on my bed.

Rusong: *laughing* oh no.

Did he really do that?!

A-Qing: no. But I feel he might.

Rusong: *smile* I hope he doesn't.

A-Qing: same.

Anyways. Have fun, rich gege.

Rusong: thanks.

Oh. A-Die would bring back gifts for team D and Shizun. Maybe I can bring something for you.

A-Qing: *blushing* that's not necessary. But you sure can, since you're filthy rich.

Rusong: ok sure. Take care, Xiao Qing.

Jinling: *entering* Xiao shushu! I'm here.

Yao: A-ling! *hugs* My sweetheart.

Rusong: Ling gege.

Jinling: Rusong hey! Looking neat.

I'm excited to come on the trip..

Rusong: same. I haven't been to Dongying in a while.

Jinling: ohh.

I remembered going with you one time.

Does Xiao shushu still have an archery field? And a hunting ground?

Yao: of course I do. In the backyard.

Suddenly someone was seen peeping through the window.

Jingyi: Huangdi......Huangdi......Rusong!

Rusong: lol, is that Jingyi?!

Jinling: did he sneak into my caravan?

Yao: ahaha, *signals him to come in*

Jingyi: Huangdi.

Yao: oh my. I thought it was an assassin.

*joking*

Pleasant surprise Jingyi.

Jingyi: can I hide out in your mansion? I don't want to be punished again.

Jinling: what did you do this time?!

Jingyi: I didn't do my homework, also I accidentally set Master Qiren's guan on fire.

Team Dimple: *laughing in the corner*

Rusong: omg what?!! How?!

Jinling: what a disaster!

Su she: did he smell like barbecue?

Jingyi: not really. He smelt like burnt vegetables.

Mo xuanyu: oh my goodness.

Yao: *pats head* Jingyi. You should be careful next time.

Jingyi: Huangdi, I got to escape punishment. Can I hide in your palace?

Yao: I have a better option.

What if you come along with us to Dongying.

Jingyi: WOW!!! Of course!! But I didn't bring any clothes with me.

Yao: darling, I'm a filthy rich cool uncle. I'll buy you clothes when we get there. And don't worry, they will be in accordance to the Lan aesthetics.

Jingyi: Huangdi you're awesome!!

I think you should rule the world.

Yao: *laughing* you flatter me.

Anyways, speaking of packing. A-ling, A-Song, you packed your things right?

Rusong: yup. Also i have clothes over at our mansion in Dongying.

Jinling: yea Xiao shushu. I have them here.

*peacock attendants holding them in boxes*

Yao: lovely. Now let's go.

Goodbye my team dimple. I love you a lot.

Team Dimple: we'll miss you too, Jiggybun.

*taking turns to kiss his hand*

Xue yang: have a safe trip. And bring back some candy.

Yao: of course, and thank you.

Su she: be safe, Huangdi.

Mo xuanyu: see you soon, our glamorous A-Yao.

Yao: see you soon. *blows kisses*

Team Dimple: *almost fainting*

~~

A-Yao, Jinling and Rusong boarded their caravan, whereas three more caravans followed~ with their personal guards and luggage.

Thereafter, along the way, they teleported with the use of a teleportation talisman.

Dongying 📍

They arrived at one of the most beautiful cities of Dongying, which held A-Yao's Guanyin temple.

To be continued......

[curiosity-killed]

hello! what are your top five (or more) hualian fics? I can't just keep rereading your fics so I desperately need some recs! c:

adsjhlk anonnn ;A; ah okay so some of my faves pulled from my top tier of bookmarks (which is wildly subjective and depends upon the day and mood but oh well. here we are):

(under cut bc this got real long)

you'll know, you'll fall by mme_anxious

Rating: E

Summary:

“We talked about it,” Xie Lian says, hearing the frustration in his voice. “I want to go to the next step.” “It's okay if you don't—” Hua Cheng started. “I do! God, I want it so much. I don't want you thinking that I don't. I—I think about it all the time, San Lang.” Hua Cheng looks pleased, the tops of his cheekbones flushing to match his red shirt, and his thumb strokes the back of Xie Lian's hand. “What do you think about, gege?” -- Xie Lian seeks a lesson in desire. And another. And another.

My notes (apologies for this one it’s drawn straight from my bookmark notes lmao):

INTIMACY IS WORTH THE VULNERABILITY! TRUST IS REAL! LOVE EXISTS! HOLY SHIT!!!

i might be tearing up a little bit bc of the abundance of love and care apparent both between hualian and in the writing of this fic. it's. A Lot.

Animal and Real by etymologyplayground (but also all of EP’s hualian fics because they’re the fics I most reread ^^’)

Rating: T

Summary:

Ling Wen and Shi Qing Xuan establish the communication array, and then Ling Wen leaps into the well and disappears. Shi Qing Xuan walks over and sits in front of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. "So," she says. "Dianxia. Crimson Rain Seeks Flower. Fancy meeting you here."

--

Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger. I fell off.

Alternate summary: "Xie Lian's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" Slowly Animorphs Into "Xie Lian And Hua Cheng Have A Nice Day, Actually"

My notes:

I like...don’t...actually....have words for this LMAO but basically I love, love, love Xie Lian getting to be hurt and hurting and Hua Cheng finding different ways to comfort and help him and actually talking about things (like Xie Lian accidentally hurting Hua Cheng’s feelings and them actually TALKING ABOUT IT) and just hnnnn yeah. this is like my go-to fic haha but I heartily rec all of etymologyplayground’s fics for tgcf (also many mdzs/cql fics but i am apparently behind in reading those orz)

le renard apprivoisé by hilarions

Rating: G

Summary:

If you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others, and hearing it will call me like music out of my burrow. You will understand that the things that are yours are unique in all the world. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.

My notes:

Ah gosh. Hua Cheng equating himself with a starving, injured wild thing that doesn’t deserve care or compassion, Xie Lian telling him he loves him the fox anyway, the nature of dessert and love hnnn it’s a good time

Panopticon by @pengiesama​

Rating: M

Summary:

Jun Wu has built a very splendid home for Xie Lian, with gifts and friends and wondrous sights just for him. He will be very happy there.

Xie Lian won't take this house arrest lying down.

(Inspired by the book/movie Coraline, by Neil Gaiman.)

My notes:

Just an absolutely delectable balance of suspense and mild horror and love and aaahhh sometimes I forget that parts of this aren’t canon bc this is basically accepted as my canon of Jun Wu. Also “I was taller than that” will never not be my favorite thing

Tame to Fortune's Blows + Something Foreknown by crowdedcafe

Rating: M and T, respectively

Summaries:

For eight hundred years, Ruoye is Xie Lian’s only companion. It tries its best to ease some of his hardships, to lessen the misery he feels. But Ruoye is only a length of silk, and sometimes its love simply isn’t enough in the face of Xie Lian’s suffering.

Or, Ruoye loves Xie Lian when others don’t know how.

(TFB)

E-ming is born with a hole in his heart and an emptiness in his soul. Through centuries of hearing stories about Hua Cheng's beloved, E-ming grows to love the man he was born missing.

(SF)

My notes:

Just really lovely character studies essentially of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng through the lens of their weapons. personally I think they’re best read together but they are each standalone, canon-compliant fics 

ALSO:

Innocence Died Screaming, Honey Ask Me I Should Know by @eponinemylove​

Rating: T

Summary:

Hua Cheng puts a finger to his temple thoughtfully. He asks, "Who wants to tell me what the deal is with all these damn petals?"

The communication array goes completely silent, a feat almost in itself. Hua Cheng muses silently that gods can, apparently, shut the fuck up—they just choose not to. How convenient.

It takes a moment before Ling Wen manages to speak up. "Your Highness," she says carefully, "what did you say just now?"

"These white petals? There's got to be a hundred of them. The man just—oh yeah, there was a man—exploded into them. What's up with that?"

There's a long stretch of silence where it feels like all of Heaven is holding its breath.

Finally, Ling Wen responds. Her voice is clipped as she asks, "What do you know about the Four Calamities? Specifically, White Flower Mourns Massacre?"

Alternatively: the one where Hua Cheng is a martial god, Xie Lian is a calamity, and nobody is at all what they seem.

My notes:

AAAAAAHHHHH. GOD. THIS FIC. it would be embarrassing to admit how many times I’ve reread it (also I don’t know. late night decisions are not meant to be recorded in the ledger of memory) but it’s so fucking good. The characterization, the threads pulled from canon along with the deviations and alterations and the suSPENSE i am McLosing It. pls god someone come yell abt this fic with me i love it sm

I have such low Fic Reading Energy but. this babe. i see an update email and start vibrating like a gd electron.

Some other authors I trust with my heart and soul: @xihe-jun, merthurlin, atomicmuffin, uhhh I’m definitely missing people orz

[no-other-words]

Just a Bit Closer

Synopsis: Xie Lian suggests taking a relaxing dip in the pond. Hua Cheng slightly freaks out. Rated T | 3400w | canon-divergent, fluff, domestic, slight angst [ Read on AO3 ]

Never again will he be so bold. His Highness follows a path of virtue. His Highness is to be untouched. His Highness—

“San Lang?”

Hua Cheng snaps his head up. Xie Lian’s attention is fully on him, his face half-curious half-amused. He hasn’t been aware that his hands were rolled into fists until now.

“It’s only a bath.”

His Highness is requesting him to bathe with him.

Hua Cheng gulps. He may be a ghost king, but he is not equipped to face this challenge.

---

Hua Cheng has endured much throughout his life.

As a child, love was an alien concept and no friend of his when endless beatings and hate had accompanied him. He’s worn battle scars that no young man’s body should ever had to receive. Wars had been waged against godly figures from the depths of Mount Tonglu to the skies of the Heavenly Court. His soul has died again and again for the anguish that had ceaselessly pierced his one person—yet it is also his soul that lives again and again and refuses to fade.

Hua Cheng is a Devastation, a ghost king, one of the Four Calamities, if not the strongest. His very name demands unwavering respect and brings even the strongest of martial gods to their trembling knees. He’s been through a lot but not one of his past challenges can come close to this.

In just a thin layer of white robe, Xie Lian stands in the middle of the pond. He’s pouring another bucket load of water over his head, completely unaware of the silver allure cast upon him by the soft of the moonlight. His under-robe does nothing to hide the rosy peaks of his hardened nipples, peeking from underneath.

It goads Hua Cheng for a little contact, a little taste.

Long locks of wet hair stick to his skin, drawing out the slender curves down his neck and bony ridges of his collarbones. A few stray strands wound up over Xie Lian’s lips and it reminds Hua Cheng of their kiss in the lake. Their first and most likely the only kiss. The one he bravely stole in the heat of the moment when all he’d meant to do is give Xie Lian a little help.

Necessary on Xie Lian’s part, completely out of line on Hua Cheng’s. He’d let his worst part get to him at the expense of His Highness’ comfort. It’s obvious from Xie Lian’s reaction—a boundary had been crossed that left the martial god catatonic to the point where he had to lie to get away from the situation. The only redeeming hope had been from within Qiandeng Temple, where Xie Lian had thankfully taken to its charm.

His eyebrows pinch and he looks away.

Never again will he be so bold. His Highness follows a path of virtue. His Highness is to be untouched. His Highness—

“San Lang?”

Hua Cheng snaps his head up. Xie Lian’s attention is fully on him, his face half-curious half-amused. He hasn’t been aware that his hands were rolled into fists until now.

“It’s only a bath.”

His Highness is requesting him to bathe with him.

Xie Lian moves to the bank. The closer he gets, the lower the water level around his body becomes and reveals a shapely waist perfect for grabbing onto. Once again, that good-for-nothing under-robe does the opposite of what it’s meant to do and only serves to feed Hua Cheng’s tainted, invasive mind. The translucent material, wet to the core, plasters nicely against Xie Lian’s skin, emitting a pale pink hue.

Hua Cheng gulps.

He may be a ghost king, but he is not equipped to face this challenge.

It had started with a simple question.

“Do ghost kings not take baths?”

Hua Cheng paused mid-sweep and looked back at Xie Lian curiously. They’d been fixing up Puqi Shrine and cleaning the grounds, after leaving it unattended for several days when they went off to catch a runaway fetus spirit. Things were winding down for the day, with Lang Ying washing dishes after a not-so-successful meal and Guzi put to sleep.

“N-not that I mean anything by it! I was just thinking, how we ran around all over the land recently and we just spent a whole day cleaning the shrine, and I haven’t seen you gone washing since.” Xie Lian stopped to reflect. “I suppose there aren’t suitable places around here to properly do so.”

Hua Cheng pulled a small smile and continued to sweep away the last of leaves into a corner. “Gege needn’t worry to justify his questions. Any curious thoughts arise, this San Lang will gladly answer. I don’t know about the other ones and I don’t care to, but this one does well to remember to be clean. It would be an offence not to.”

He faltered and quickly added, “Does gege think this San Lang is filthy? I will—”

“Ah no! Like you said, it was just a curious thought” Xie Lian says. His eyes then sparkled, caught bright under the gleam of moonlight. “How about we take a dip in the pond nearby? It’s a nice little spot I found not so long ago, with a waterfall. The night is still early. I’m sure it’ll help expel the last of the adrenaline from our recent voyage.”

Which is how Crimson Rain Sought Flower has found himself in this current predicament.

Much to Hua Cheng’s dismay, it doesn’t really expel much. If anything, it invites more adrenaline and that is not what he needs right now. To be so close, in the intimate space of such private practices—Hua Cheng calls upon the 800 years of learned patience and discipline.

Xie Lian is still waiting for him. “Something the matter? I promise, this time there are no demon babies in the water.”

“…I’m dirty.”

“That’s the point, San Lang.”

That unassuming smile graces his face, as ethereal under the night sky as the time when Hua Cheng pulled him out of the lake in rescue.

How can he say no to his god?

He feels an excited trembling at his side and Hua Cheng looks down to see E’Ming wiggling to get out. A soft chuckle runs through the air.

“See? Even E’Ming wants a wash.”

Hua Cheng slaps his weapon in annoyance. “Ignore it, gege. This thing just wants to play.”

As if Hua Cheng had said a magic word, the silk band around Xie Lian’s wrist slithers itself free and gently glides towards him. Without warning, Ruoye grabs him by the waist and tugs him into the pond. Hua Cheng surfaces just in time to hear Xie Lian laugh. It’s music in the making and he hopes to hear more of it for the rest of his time.

“Looks like Ruoye wants to play too,” Xie Lian teases.

E’Ming responds by unsheathing itself and splashing water towards the white ribbon. The two sentient weapons go at it nearby, chasing frantically at each other in an almost comic-like scene. It comes to a quick pause when E’Ming casts a rather large wave of water right in Xie Lian’s direction and Hua Cheng blocks the attack with his arm.

The demon lord shoots his weapon a cold killing look. Xie Lian meanwhile tugs on an assailing Ruoye and reminds all three of them, “gentle”.

Reprimanded, E’Ming and Ruoye calm down and go off to find other ways to play. Xie Lian then turns his attention back to Hua Cheng. “San Lang, will you hand me your robe? It’s gotten dirtied from all the chores today. I’ll wash it together with mine.”

If Hua Cheng still had a beating heart, it’d be skipping out from his chest. But he doesn’t and it’s a momentary reminder of the many boundaries he mustn’t cross over. He stands unmoving, a good distance from Xie Lian.

“Is Your Highness suggesting that he wishes to see this San Lang strip? That is quite a bold request.”

“Your outer robes, San Lang! No teasing, please.”

“This one wouldn’t dare.”

Nevertheless, Hua Cheng takes pride in observing the red flush on Xie Lian’s cheeks. Rosy and heated, it’s a gorgeous contrast to his pale white skin. He often wonders what other things can make Xie Lian blush like that. A simple touch on his neck, a nip at his ear, perhaps a kiss on his—

He stops. Stop stop stop. His Highness would not appreciate these inappropriate thoughts.

His Highness, who is currently scrubbing his clothes, as if it’s not a baseless and undeserving task for a martial god to do. He does it so earnestly, as he does with everything else. Xie Lian’s eyebrows scrunch with concentration, the tip of his tongue peeking out from habit. Hua Cheng quietly watches, peeking under his arms as he lathers soap into his hair. This is a treasured moment not to be missed.

“It’s not the grand bathhouse I’m sure San Lang has in his manor, but I find this spot to be very relaxing,” Xie Lian says in a soft tone. “Hidden astray from the main road, not a lot of villagers know of its location. Nature is untouched here and it helps me ground myself.”

“My bathhouse is nothing compared to this. If gege wishes, I can build a fence around the area. Prevent outsiders from trespassing.”

“San Lang,” Xie Lian chortles, “if people pass by, they pass by. If they don’t, they don’t. This place isn’t mine. None of it is, even Puqi Shrine. I’m merely borrowing the land from which the earth has gifted me.”

Hua Cheng sneaks a loving smile. He’s always admired this side of him.

After one final dunk in the water, Xie Lian wrings both their now-cleaned robes dry and drapes them over a low-hanging branch. He gives the red robe a long look, contemplation washing over.

“San Lang, if I may brazenly ask…”

Hua Cheng halts his scrubbing to give the man his full attention.

“Earlier when you said…it would be an offence…to whom would it be an offence?”

It takes several words out before Xie Lian flutters his gaze up to Hua Cheng, already bashful from making such an inquiry. But once Hua Cheng catches his eyes, he does all he can to hold them. He wills them not to look away, yearning to convey all the feelings locked inside. The fires, the bliss, the ten thousand words he’s thought up to say in the past eight hundred years. All the little tingles of emotions bottled up and will continue to be so for he has a beloved and that beloved cannot know.

Hua Cheng tilts his head slightly forward and softens his gaze. “Someone very important.”

A short moment of silence pass before Xie Lian hums in understanding. He grabs hold of the wooden bucket, floating forgotten nearby, and returns to his own washing.

“San Lang is a very earnest person.”

Only for his one god.

“Gege is not going to question further?”

“Whatever San Lang is willing to tell me, I will listen with gratitude. I trust you have your reasons.”

Hua Cheng purses his lips, not knowing what to do with this level of trust. So he dunks his head underwater and scrubs harshly at his hair. He’s determined to get all the dirt out. All that filth that sticks to him like a parasite, refusing to leave this place that Xie Lian considers his haven.

Get out. Get out get out get out. His Highness, in all his lack of self-preservation, has invited a Devastation for a private bath and all he wants to do is touch and feel and be close, so so close with him. Patience is his forte – it’s something he’s nurtured in the past centuries but there are moments of weakness. Moments like this when he cannot contain himself and wish he can kiss gege again.

Be a thief and steal another piece of bliss.

Hua Cheng lifts his head out, a thick curtain of black hair fall around his face. He’s done now, all necessary washing complete. He should get out of the pond and wait by the sidelines.

A warm hand places on his shoulder. Hua Cheng startles at Xie Lian’s sudden closeness.

“San Lang, that is not how you wash your hair,” Xie Lian chides, a slight pout to his displeased face. “You must treat it gently else you can get knots like that. Here, let me.”

Xie Lian pulls him towards the small waterfall in the corner, leading a winding path so they stay on a shallow path. Hua Cheng lets himself be turned around and a second later, feels gentle combing down his hair. He lowers himself to a kneeling position so Xie Lian doesn’t have to tip toe.

Somewhere in the depths of his chest, a ghost heart beats.

Here, under the lull of the waterfall and vigil of the moon, a god washes his follower’s hair. The consistent rhythm of Xie Lian’s fingers massaging soap on top of his scalp and combing through his hair length brings a soothing pleasure. It is here that Hua Cheng braves to think that once again, Xie Lian is okay with his touch.

“My mother used to brush my hair while I bathed.”

Somehow, Hua Cheng can imagine an overindulged young prince melting under his Empress Mother’s loving attention, just as he’s so lucky to be experiencing the same.

“Am I currently as well-behaved as gege was back then?”

Xie Lian answers with a light chuckle, “very. In fact, I was more of a troublemaker. I’d often want to go swimming and try to wiggle out of her grasps. Mother was always too lenient.”

“With good reason, I’m sure. Gege was a beloved son—” Hua Cheng stops, not wanting to bring up unsavoury memories, and quickly corrects himself. “And must have been very adorable in his mother’s eyes.”

His hair is tugged playfully. “Cheeky San Lang.”

Fingers run along his hairline, gently pulling back to catch every strand. When the same hand moves down to his ears and brushes against the outer skin, Hua Cheng shivers in delight. It feels like something forbidden, one he gladly welcomes. No one has ever come this close in contact and Hua Cheng resolves from here on out that only Xie Lian will have the privilege.

Washing turns to a pleasant session of grooming. Hua Cheng’s sure his hair is more than clean but he stays quiet in favour of Xie Lian’s touch. His eyes drift to a lazy close, the peace creeping up on him so sneakily that he almost misses Xie Lian’s murmurs.

“I don’t…I rarely reminisce on old memories, especially ones involving my parents. They were from so long ago.”

An image of the Xianle Empress flashes in Hua Cheng’s mind. She’d been looking worryingly over him, from that time when he’d been rescued from Xie Lian’s bastard cousin.

“Then San Lang is very happy that gege is sharing a piece of his memory with him.”

He’s rewarded with a final stroke of his hair before he’s pulled towards the waterfall.

“Come, rinse. Stand under here, the water is not that heavy.”

Hua Cheng dutifully complies, happy under Xie Lian’s full attention and care. When the waterfall hits him, he tips his head slightly back and feels the suds slide down his hair. He hums in pleasure.

“Gege is right, this is very relaxing.”

Hearing no response, Hua Cheng opens his eyes. Xie Lian is wearing a dazed look, his eyes round and staring at him almost in a trancelike state. Lips slightly parted, as if in shock after discovering something unexpected.

“Your Highness?”

That seems to shake Xie Lian out of his stupor. He swiftly looks away, a nervous smile slapped on to hide the quiver in his voice.

“Ah—sorry. You’re done. Clean now…I’ll leave you. Give you priva—ah!”

Xie Lian slips on a rock in an attempt to quickly turn away. Instincts take over and Hua Cheng moves to catch him by the waist, his arm holding firm.

“S-San Lang…”

Only when Hua Cheng registers that Xie Lian is safe and away from immediate harm that he notices their close proximity. Senses become hyperaware towards the man in his embrace—the heat emitting from Xie Lian’s stuttered breathes, the pounding of his very alive heart, the skin…

Oh the warm hot skin that sends tingles through every cell currently in contact with Hua Cheng. Only a mere thin material stands between them and it’s oddly erotic to feel the cold wetness. Hua Cheng flexes his arm and watches in satisfaction the way Xie Lian jumps. His muscles feel both hard and soft under his hold and Hua Cheng would like nothing but to memorize the ridges and curves.

“San Lang, I’m—I’m cold.”

This time, he’s barely whispering.

Hua Cheng takes mercy and slowly unwraps his arm around Xie Lian and steadies the man. “Gege, be careful.”

He receives no response but he doesn’t need to. That bright red blush on his face is enough to lift the heavy weight off his chest and unchain the shackles that has settled over ever since the time when Xie Lian scrambled away their kiss. Perhaps this is different.

Hua Cheng finishes rinsing himself under the waterfall, glancing over at Xie Lian from time to time making sure he’s alright. The god seems to be back to a normal state, no longer moving in jerky ways. They’re alright. It’s going to be okay.

He can stay by His Highness’ side for just a bit longer.

When time comes for them to wrap up, Hua Cheng grabs both of their outer robes from the branch. It’s still rather damp but better than having no covering on. Which…would be quite a problem because Xie Lian’s slowly getting out of the water, not even at all mindful of the obscene display he’s putting on.

Hua Cheng blames that under-robe once again. It molds perfectly to Xie Lian’s wet skin and paints a pretty pink picture of his naked body underneath. Hua Cheng accidentally catches sight of a rather perfectly-round bottom before looking away. Thick clouds roll over the moon, dampening any source of light. At least there is some protection to Xie Lian’s virtue by the night’s shadows.

But imagination doesn’t discriminate, not to a ghost king’s mind and definitely not to a cursed weapon with a cursed eye.

E’Ming jumps at the sight of Xie Lian, joyous to see its master’s beloved come up to the shore and even more so to see him…in that state. It does a shuddering whirl before launching itself at the man.

Hua Cheng makes a displeased sound and is about to snap his fingers when Ruoye whips around E’Ming and covers its red eye. The two weapons wrestle a short while before the scimitar gives and compliantly calms.

Hua Cheng huffs. Damn thing will have a beating later as punishment for even thinking of peeking.

Their walk back to Puqi Shrine is short but sweet. Now without the bright moon, there isn’t much light for Xie Lian to see. Luckily, Hua Cheng’s silver butterflies illuminate their path and the two take to an extra slow pace.

“They’re so lovely,” Xie Lian comments with a soft smile, a warm husk to his tone. He lifts a finger that a bold butterfly has landed on and watches its wings open and close. “I’ve seen them in action, but they’re so gentle and beautiful and—and…enchanting!”

Hua Cheng gives a teasing voice. “Gege, stop. San Lang can only take so many compliments in a day.”

“The butterflies, San Lang.”

“Oh? I guess I am none of these words that gege commends on.”

Xie Lian pauses and turns his attention on him. “That’s not what I mean! I said—well…San Lang is also gentle. And lovely.”

The smile on the ghost king’s face is ever-growing.

“Anyways! That was quite refreshing, right? I can already feel my muscles relax.”

He, too, can feel Xie Lian’s muscles. Hua Cheng’s fingers wiggle on impulse and he quickly brings his hands behind his back.

“Gege’s suggestions are always the best. I am at my cleanest state.”

Xie Lian laughs and the butterflies flutter to the musical cadence. One floats near Hua Cheng and he reaches to gently play with it. His hand grazes Hua Cheng’s shoulder and the latter promptly looks at Xie Lian, searching for any signs of discomfort.

None. Xie Lian is unaffected.

The butterflies grow more daring by the second and surround the god in an illuminating circle. He in turn gives every butterfly a chance of contact with his hands and hums in delight.

Hua Cheng relishes in the sight before him.

Perhaps it’s okay to be this close. Perhaps even in a way Hua Cheng hasn’t dared to think of before. And someday…maybe someday he can show His Highness just how close he desires to be.

---

a/n: somewhere between these paragraphs, dianxia drops the soap. cue shower-sex scene.

[suzunofuu]

Let’s consider Lan Wangji learning to love touch thanks to Ah Yuan... We know he has never been comfortable with physical contact, but with time Ah Yuan starts to bring it out on him until it becomes another part of himself.

Like, the moment he took the child to gusu he kept him between his arms, with the excuse that the boy was scared, and lonely, and hurt, and so feverish he could die so he needed comfort... and yes, he had to go through his own punishment and heal his own wounds, but after much begging and pleading (and ater Lan Xichen insisted on his behalf), they allowed Ah Yuan to be, at least, in the same room as rich-gege, sometimes even within Lan Zhan’s arm reach, so he’d hold little Ah Yuan’s hand as he slept the pain on his back away.

And then, when he was secluded and hidden away to reflect on what he had done, Ah Yuan was kept secret with him. As he gained his mobility again and stopped feeling sick and disoriented 100% of the time, Lan Zhan recuperated some of his discipline, and forgot how to bring/ask for comfort. Therefore, he made a promise to start to learn how to do it.

In the beginning, when Ah Yuan cried and cried because he had hurt himself or because he missed his family, Lan Zhan would watch him silently, or sit next to him, rubbing his back as soothingly as he could. Ah Yuan would drop himself across his lap, or curl onto it, crying earnestly onto his chest. From then on, Lan Zhan would scoop him into his arms if the boy every cried. His hand learnt by itself to cup the back of the boy’s head, and that it’d bring a sense of protection to the little kid.

He made a promise to never let Ah Yuan feel unprotected again. No matter at what cost.

One time, Ah Yuan got a tiny cut on one of his fingers and came running to him, teary eyed and suffocated, holding the finger up as if it was burning.

“You have to heal it!” Ah Yuan pleaded, but Lan Wangji could only blink at him, without understanding. “You have to kiss it better!”

And Lan Wangji has never been able to deny this little boy anything, not since he rescued him from a premature death. He brought his little hand close to him and left a feather touch of his lips on the wound, even if the touch didn’t feel all that natural to him. Ah Yuan smiled, satisfied, and left to keep playing whichever game he had made up.

That time, Lan Wangji learnt that kisses had some sort of magic in them, and that they could heal.

Of course, Lan Zhan has to take care of the boy’s hygiene. They bathe in the river together, and Lan Wangji rediscovers, from a completely different point of view, what parents have to do for their kids, and at which times they have to function in their kid’s behalf. He comes to accept that intimacy and to sustract the uneasiness it’d bring into his chest if it were anyone else. Bodies are natural, in the end. There’s nothing gross or shameful in them. Maybe that’s the hardest part for him to learn.

Ah Yuan grows a bit, and his hair with him. That’s how Lan Zhan finds himself combing Ah Yuan’s knots off his mane, shushing the boy after an unintentionaly sharp tug, and smiling softly when the boy hums pleasedly.

It becomes a part of their routine, after that, to sit with the sunset’s light before them, combing Ah Yuan’s hair straight and listening to the sound of chirping birds and the trickling of the river nearby. At some point, Ah Yuan requests to do the same to rich-gege’s hair, so Lan Zhan lets his hair loose and closes his eyes, allowing the little boy to stand at his back and brush his already brushed hair until it’s as even as the surface of their dining table.

Some mornings, Ah Yuan would find seating space on Lan Zhan’s lap while he plays inquiry, and Lan Wangji would move Ah Yuan’s little fingers on the strings to ask Wei Ying’s spirit the same questions he’s been asking for months, to which they receive no answer. Every time, Ah Yuan would giggle and try to play by himself, or watch mesmerized as Lan Zhan did it himself. The wounds in Lan Zhan’s chest wouldn’t bleed so deliberately with Ah Yuan near him, listening without understanding to all he has to say.

When they were finally allowed to reunite with the rest of the sect, Lan Zhan had grown an habit of holding Ah Yuan’s hand as they walked up and down the mountains, or to help him up the stairs. He walked up to the main gates of cloud recess with Wen Yuan holding his hand. Before they stepped in, he told the little boy:

“From now on, your name will be Lan Yuan. Understood?”

Lan Yuan took his thumb out of his mouth and nodded. Lan Qiren frowned when he spotted father and son, hand in hand, walking into their sect, into their home, breaking a few hundred unwritten rules (and others that were written too, but Lan Wangji had paid debt for all those already).

By becoming a Lan, Lan Wangji had to give the boy his forehead ribbon, which’s meaning and symbolism he explained superficially, for Ah Yuan wasn’t old enough to fully understand. Still, he tied the headband around his head, carefully, telling him he couldn’t take it off from now on, and that only he and his family could touch it. Lan Yuan nodded, understanding. Lan Zhan’s fingertips touched the boy’s cheek momentarily, offering him a smile.

Those gestures and touches started to come natural to him with time, but with time Lan Yuan grew, and as he aged he was told he couldn’t t act like a little kid anymore, that there’s things he could and couldn’t do, love he could require and comfort he had to bring to himself. However, when he’s eight, he starts to get nightmares, and although he doesn’t want to ask Lan Wangji for help or wake him up in the middle of the night for some silly reason, he still curls at the edge of Lan Wangji’s bed (he sleeps in the jingshi with him until he’s around fourteen, when he joins in the other disciples’ dormitories) and leaves before the man wakes up, hiding back in his own bed.

It’s like this how Lan Zhan finds him one night: sitting by the bed with his head buried between his arms, a hand curled on his bedsheets. He draws him off the floor and into the bed with him. Lan Yuan is so sleepy that he doesn’t have the energy to excuse himself, or to complain that he’s a big boy and doesn’t need to, and nuzzles close to Lan Wangji’s warm body instead, sighing happily as the man embraces him with an arm.

Lan Wangji discovers there’s no specific age to stop needing your loved ones, or to ask for their love. He also learns that if he holds Lan Yuan really close, nothing bad can happen to him. Not in any existing way.

By the time Lan Yuan becomes Lan Sizhui, most of the gestures Lan Wangji learnt to be able to love him right have been left forgotten in their past. However, he can still encourage the now teenager with a squeeze on the shoulder, or by pressing a light hand at the bottom of his back.

He learns that there’s no need for touches to show affection, because there’s a thousand different ways to let Ah Yuan know he cares about him. He brings him gifts from his trips, leaving them by Ah Yuan’s table in the dormitories, the way he always dreamt he’d do to Wei Ying, at some point or another. While they eat, he puts more and more food in Ah Yuan’s bowl so he grows stronger, so he’s never sick or feeble again. Whenever Ah Yuan asks for a lesson of inquiry or to accompany him to feed their rabbits, Lan Wangji Mns, even if the boy is supposed to be somehere else. Sometimes, he’d ask for Lan Sizhui’s presence and he’d walk them to watch the sunset together, for no other reason than to enjoy each other’s company.

And it all pays off, really.

It pays off because Lan Sizhui trusts Hanguang-Jun with everything he has. When he needs help, he asks for it. When he doesn’t know the answer to a problem, he goes and learns from Lan Wangji’s wisdom. When he feels conflicted, he knows that Lan Wangji will listen to him, and help to all of his extent.

It pays off because Ah Yuan doesn’t cry anymore. Not in the way he did when he pleaded for his uncle, his aunt, the family that wasn’t going to be back. It pays off because he has the sweetest, purest of smiles, because there’s something soft and tender on his expression that has been crafted on him with pure, unadulterated love.

It pays off in Lan Wangji’s heart, too. And when he finds Wei Ying again, it’s already easy for him to give him gifts, to grab his hand, to brush the hair off his face, to smile his way, to say yes, yes, I trust you, I love you, I’m never leaving you. And he thinks that, maybe, if he had learnt how to love long before, Wei Ying would have never died.

Maybe he would have been able to save Wei Ying like he had saved Ah Yuan, and like Ah Yuan had saved him.

[demonitized-cultivation]

AU where MXY is summoning WWX and? something goes batshit? he ends up blacking out and he finally wakes up and who the fuck is this pers-OH MY GOD IT'S THE YILING LAOZU I FUCKED UP I FUCKED UP. WWX has /no/ idea why he's alive but hes here? and apparently he has to kill some bitches because if he doesnt both MXY and WWX gonna die. WWX automatically adopts him and they awkwardly try to disguise WWX while MXY is trying to understand what's happening but it's better than dealing with the Mo's.

OH I LOVE THIS

“Hmm, I’m gonna keep you” “w-what?” “Nothing, dont worry about it. I’m gonna need a way to disguise myself, any suggestions?”

To make things easy we’ll say mxy has a mask like in the untamed. It’s not much but it’s better than nothing.

Then mxy’s cousin busts in wwx just knows he’s one of the cuts on mxy’s arms. He humiliates him in front of his servant(s) then promptly knocks them out. “How many cuts?” “The same, Yiling Laozu.” “Oh no, no, that won’t do. Call me wei ying.” “I-I couldn’t possibly-“ “well then call me whatever you like, but not yiling laozu.” ”w-wei yi... teacher Wei!” ”...we’ll work on it”

wwx figures he's gonna have to kill them all not just humiliate them to get rid of the cuts. The Lan disciples visiting are going to make that difficult though. He and mxy are hiding in the crowd until mxy’s stinky cousin comes back and wwx is suddenly pulled forward, recognized as mxy by the mask. Things continue basically as regular (with mxy being mortified in the crown. ‘How could he say I’d do things to my own cousin!?; ‘Why is he bothering the lan disciples, does this man have no shame!?’)

Shortly after Lwj shows up he’s snapped out of his daze by wwx suddenly appearing next to him and they make a run for it.

They head back to mxy’s ‘home’ which confuses him at first “why have we come here teacher wei?” “So you can grab what you own and we can leave, now hurry” “oh... I-I dont really own anything worth bringing along. Sorry to make you waste your time like this teacher wei!” “No need to apologize, don’t bow! And I told you stop calling me teacher wei! What am I like that old man now? Huh? What is that a donkey?” “Ah yes, but he’s quite temperamental, I wouldn’t get close if I were you.” “Nonsense! I’m gonna call you little apple”

They head to dafan mountain, but not without difficulty. And some good ole road trip conversation. “this donkey is terrible!! Ayia, I miss traveling on my sword” “I saw your sword in Jin sect’s valt. I was even allowed to try and unsheathe it but it remained sealed of course” “sealed?”; “we don’t have any money how do you expect to get food?” “My dear boy I have been training to get free things all my life.”; “aren’t you disgusted by me?” “Disgusted about what?” “I’m a cut-sleeve...” “I see no reason to be disgusted at love. No matter what kind.” “...”

They arrive at dafan mountain and quickly run into jin ling who recognizes mxy, and who mxy recognizes in turn. “Young master Jin” ‘ah, so this is my nephew :)’ “so it’s you. What are you doing here still? Get off of my sight, damn cut-sleeve.” ‘oh so THIS is my nephew :T’

Wwx doesn’t comment about JL’s mother but they still fight “what an adittude! Is this any way a sect heir should act?” “... who the fuck are you?” And their fight still attracts jiang cheng, and lan zhan.

JC and JL leave and this time it’s wwx who is recognized as mxy “Master Mo we meet again, who is this?” “Ah this is my younger brother! You see I wasn’t telling the full truth before. I was also defending him when I knocked out my cousin. I’ve decided we’ve had enough of that place. We left while there was comotion so no one would try and stop us.” “I see, well it’s nice to meet you second master mo” “Ah yes you as well. Uh te- ahem g-gege we should let them get back to their night hunt, let’s go.”

But they run into them again and Wwx is forced to summon Wen Ning in order to defeat the goddess statute to protect his nephew and newly acquired little brother. And is then required to calm him down using a melody he can barely recall. Mxy is just as shocked as everyone else at the ghost general’s appearance. But he payed more attention to how wwx is able to control him even with such a bad flute. Truly amazing.

He also sees his and lwjs stare off and he’s not sure if it looks aggressive or longing?? It has to be the first right?? There’s no way-

His musings are disrupted by jc storming in and whipping out zidian. Wwx makes a break for it towards mxy and gets them both whipped. He immediately whispers and apology for getting them not whipped on purpose and checks where mxy was hit to make sure he isn’t too hurt. As the others discuss how this proves their innocence, a lan junior (coughjingyicough) opens his big mouth about how ‘master mo couldn’t be wei ying because-‘ which Jin ling chips in and interrupts because “Master mo? That’s not mo xuanyu, the other one is!” “No that is his brother!” “Mo xuanyu hasn’t got any brothers!”

There’s a moment of quiet as everyone looks at the two. Wwx finds himself being very greatful that with one wearing a mask they seem similar. He glares down Jin ling “Of course you wouldn’t know about me, I don’t share a father with mo xuanyu.” Then he turns to the lan disciples with a regretful smile “My cousin mistook us for each other constantly. I didn’t see the point in correcting him anymore. I should’ve clarified to you earlier today, I apologize.”

Everyone finds this explanation passable. It’s not like Jin ling knew enough about mo xuanyu’s past to disprove this anyways, and now that all the mo family have passed no one will be able to disprove it. Jiang cheng still of course is angered by the fact that they’re demonic cultivators. But then Lwj says he’s taking them back to cloud recess and who can dare argue with lwj.

Oof, I’ll stop there for now I think. I’m thinking maybe wwx leaves mxy in cloud recess while he goes out with lwj to piece back together nmj’s corpse.

[spaceskam]

no one deserves to be forgotten

Summary: Growing up, Lan Sizhui is very interested in learning about the Yiling Patriarch.

ao3

The first time he hears his name is in hushed whispers.

“What do you plan to say to everyone? To Grandmaster?” A man in blue said as A-Yuan woke up, “I-I don’t mean to scold you, Wangji, but you brought a child here without explanation and have been hiding him in the Jingshi. How long have you been hiding him and having servants lie to me about it?”

A-die stayed still and silent. The man in blue shook his head and turned to look at A-Yuan. He met his eyes before taking a step closer to a-die and spoke quieter. A-Yuan’s eyes fell closed again. He was still tired.

“Are you set on this? Raising a child when so much is still happening? This soon after... You are set to be punished for what you did in Yiling, Wangji, even I can’t prevent that,” he said, pausing for a moment. A-die didn’t say anything. “At least tell me where he came from so I can help you.”

“Unimportant.”

“This is important. I don’t understand why you would bring a child here when things are still so fragile. I usually understand why you do things, but I can’t right now. The only reason I can even imagine is if...” There was a long pause. A scary pause. A-Yuan pulled his knees closer to his chest. “Wangji, does this child belong to Wei Wuxian?”

A-die didn’t say a word.

“Do I tell Grandmaster that you simply found him and took him in out of the goodness of your heart?”

“Bastard,” A-die said, “Legitimized.” A few more silent seconds and A-Yuan opened his eyes again. The man in blue looked tired as he nodded his head.

“He’ll be angry.”

“Mn.”

“Goodnight, Wangji,” the man in blue said softly, “Take care of yourself, please. And I’ll see you at your punishment in the morning.”

He made it a little ways to the door before a-die said, “Huan-gege.” 

The way the man in blue turned to look at him made it seem like it wasn’t the right name. His eyes were wide and his lips were parted. A-die didn’t say more.

“He’ll be in good care when it can’t be yours,” the man in blue said, watching him with a scared face. A-die nodded and didn’t move again until the man in blue was gone. 

A-Yuan watched him write on his hand and throw something at the door before he came closer. He sat on the bed and looked at him for a moment, pulling the blanket up to his chin and then putting the back of his hand on A-Yuan’s forehead. 

“Blue gege?” he asked. A-die smiled and touched his cheek.

“A-Yuan will call him Zewu-Jun,” he said, his hand returning to his lap.

“Where is a-die going?” A-Yuan asked, tears already coming to his eyes. He was still sick, a-die said so himself, and he didn’t want to be with Blue gege. He wanted his a-die.

“Nowhere far,” A-die promised, “And I will be back. I will always be back.”

A-Yuan wiggled his arms out of the blanket and reached out to him, grabbing for him. A-die smiled again and laid down beside him and wrapped him up against his chest. It was safe there. He didn’t want him to go away.

But he did go away.

 Zewu-Jun was nice and patient, but A-Yuan learned very quickly not to cry too loudly for a-die, especially when Grandmaster was around. Zewu-Jun gave him his own part of the Hanshi, but he didn’t like sleeping alone. It was cold and scary and he heard too many things when it got too quiet. But he could cry for a-die there and no one would ask him to be a big boy and grow up. They never called him a-die, either, it was always Lan Wangji and Hanguang-Jun and it took him too long to figure out who they meant. 

Instead of staying with Zewu-Jun as often as he’d stayed with a-die, he spent most of his time with other children and the servants in the sect. They knew more than him about too many things and they didn’t understand where he came from and he didn’t know either. He was taught rules and, after a year, he was taught even more about the cultivation world and more about what it meant to be a Lan disciple. But he learned more than he was taught. 

Lan Yuan was a very good listener.

“They say Hanguang-Jun had an affair with a prostitute when he visited the QingheNie Sect before they burning of the Cloud Recesses,” a few servants would whisper, thinking he wasn’t listening, “Then after his great fight with the Yiling Patriarch at the Bloodbath of Nightless City, he decided to bring the child somewhere he could watch him.”

“Ah, I heard it was an affair with another cultivator and she died during the Bloodbath which is why he brought him back,” other servants would say in response.

“Whatever it was, it seems awfully fitting of him to disappear after bringing him here.”

And A-Yuan would smile at them and cuddle close and listen more. It was easy. He was a sweet boy, they’d say, as they spoke of his a-die in words he wasn’t quite sure he liked. He’d absorb every word, even the ones he didn’t know yet.

“Zewu-Jun,” A-Yuan said carefully as they walked to the Hanshi for a meal. He glanced at the Jingshi when they passed it. He hadn’t been allowed to go inside since Hanguang-Jun had disappeared. “Can A-Yuan see a-die?”

“Hm?” Zewu-Jun said, looking down at him. A-Yuan flashed that smile that always worked and leaned against his leg, cuddling close. Zewu-Jun smiled.

“Hanguang-Jun?” he said. The words didn’t fit right, too big for his mouth and too many things to say properly, but Zewu-Jun seemed to understand.

“Did Hanguang-Jun say where he was going?” Zewu-Jun asked. A-Yuan shook his head no. “You might have to wait until he comes home then.”

Tears pricked his eyes again, but he managed to make them go away. He had gotten very good at that. It was better than scolding. A-die didn’t scold him. He missed him.

“Tell me, A-Yuan,” Zewu-Jun said as they sat down. He didn’t start their meal yet. “What do you remember from before you came to the Cloud Recesses?”

A-Yuan watched him and didn’t have words to give him. Should he know things outside of the Cloud Recesses? 

“Well, what’s the first thing you can remember?” Zewu-Jun said instead. A-Yuan thought really hard.

“A-die,” he said. Zewu-Jun stared at him for a moment and nodded before he started their meal.

A few days later, Zewu-Jun didn’t send him off with the servants. He took his hand and started leading him somewhere and A-Yuan was on his best behavior. He kept his eyes to himself and his ears to everyone else. No one said anything about Hanguang-Jun with Zewu-Jun so close.

They walked through trees and the grass. It was so high, A-Yuan had to watch his feet so he wouldn’t fall. Still, he almost fell anyway when he accidentally ran into Zewu-Jun when he stopped.

“A-Yuan is sorry,” he said, looking up at him with the big eyes he always used to get out of trouble. Zewu-Jun just smiled.

“It’s alright. Look,” Zewu-Jun said, gesturing over. A-Yuan looked and, sitting in the grass around the bunnies, was Hanguang-Jun.

Running was bad, he knew it, but he ran anyway. He was engulfed in all the gray robes Hanguang-Jun wore as he hugged him and he was hugged back. He wanted to cry. He did cry.

“Be careful, Wangji,” Zewu-Jun said. Hanguang-Jun cradled A-Yuan’s head to his chest instead of answering.

“Hanguang-Jun,” A-Yuan said into his shoulder, holding him tight.

“Mn,” he hummed, “Hanguang-Jun?”

“A-die,” A-Yuan corrected, still crying and still clinging. Hanguang-Jun breathed a laugh and leaned his head against his.

They stayed there for a while and A-Yuan clung to him the whole time. He didn’t want him to go away again. Everyone else made him have to be so careful and scared. With Hanguang-Jun, there was nothing to be scared of.

He carried A-Yuan all the way back to the Jingshi despite Zewu-Jun telling him he needed to be careful, that he still needed rest. He locked the door with a talisman like A-Yuan hadn’t seen anyone else do since he left. Still, A-Yuan looked around and smiled as he put him down. He missed it there.

“A-die is staying?” he asked. A-die nodded again and A-Yuan smiled even wider, clinging to his leg in a hug. 

That night, he finally didn’t have to sleep by himself.

It was better after that.

He still was expected to spend time with the other children and the servants and so much of his time was spent with Zewu-Jun, but he got to see Hanguang-Jun. People seemed to know that. Even though Hanguang-Jun wasn’t there and never went outside, they seemed to be more scared to say things around Lan Yuan. It didn’t mean he didn’t hear them anyway.

“I can’t believe Lan Wangji is actually raising him,” they whispered. They were a few feet away and Lan Yuan was playing with Jingyi, but he listened anyway. “And while he’s in seclusion.”

“Maybe he wants to be better than his father,” another said.

“Maybe he feels guilty for not killing the Yiling Patriarch sooner,” a third scoffed, “And he’s just raising another warrior to be more aware of evil.”

“Maybe.”

When he got home, A-Yuan didn’t have to stay silent like he had when he was with Zewu-Jun. He watched him still, though. He was unsure of what question he wanted to ask. When he settled on the right one, it was important he said it the right way. Everyone else said the words like they were bad.

“What is Yiling Patriarch?” he asked. The words didn’t feel right, but Hanguang-Jun froze with his eyes on the floor so maybe he understood anyway. He stayed like that until A-Yuan felt bad and cuddled up to his leg, giving that smile that made everyone forgive him.

“Who did you hear that from?”

“Everyone,” he said honestly. He overheard servants say it, he’d overheard Grandmaster say it, and he’d even heard one of the kids he played with say it. But he didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. 

A-die said nothing for a little while and A-Yuan was sure he wasn’t going to say anything. Until he did.

“Rest. Tomorrow we travel to Caiyi.”

When they traveled to Caiyi (without the approval of Zewu-Jun), A-Yuan started to understand why they needed to go to the city for him to explain what the Yiling Patriarch was. People were on the street and saying his name, selling talismans under his title, telling stories with ugly and scary pictures of him. There weren't too many people, but it was enough. They also told great stories of Hanguang-Jun’s epic rivalry with him and how he destroyed him alongside Sandu Shengshou. A-die said nothing no matter how much A-Yuan looked at him for an explanation.

Eventually, they got a room at the inn and they got their food sent to the room. A-Yuan quickly began to eat. 

“The Yiling Patriarch is called Wei Wuxian,” A-die said. A-Yuan froze with his spoon in his mouth. There was no talking during meals, but today apparently they could because a-die nodded at him to continue eating. He did so slowly just in case. “The stories that are told about him… The people telling them can never understand. He made mistakes. He is not a bad man.”

“Where is he now?” A-Yuan asked. He’d heard a few people say he was dead, but they still spoke of him by warning his return.

“He’s lost,” A-die said slowly, going to start his own meal. A-Yuan nodded. 

They didn’t speak much more about him after that on purpose.

Hanguang-Jun started to show his face around the Cloud Recesses again and began teaching the juniors. Lan Yuan started having classes where they taught about the history of the cultivation world, he found himself more interested in the very recent past than anything else. He wanted to hear everything about the war, about the Sunshot Campaign, about who Wei Wuxian, the great Yiling Patriarch, was. They never really gave him the answers he wanted.

So he asked the only person he trusted on the topic.

“A-die, Grandmaster said the Yiling Patriarch was one of the most promising cultivators of his generation and he just chose to do bad with it, is that true?”

“His thoughts were simply new and people fear what they can’t understand.”

“A-die, they said you both killed the Tortoise of Slaughter together, but you were rivals. How can you fight well with someone you dislike?”

“He is not my rival.”

“A-die, they said he murdered tons of LanlingJin cultivators and tons of Wen civilians, but that doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Wei Wuxian destroyed his reputation to take care of those Wen civilians. I cannot speak on the actual events of that night.”

“Hanguang-Jun, did he really create the Ghost General to be a weapon?”

“He saved someone he cared for. He cared very much.”

“Hanguang-Jun, did Young Master Wei really murder the heir to the LanlingJin sect?”

“I cannot speak on the actual event.”

“Hanguang-Jun, at the Bloodbath of Nightless City, did Young Master Wei really slaughter thousands of cultivators, including his sister?”

“That night is difficult for everyone.”

The more questions Lan Yuan asked, regardless of how explanatory the answer was, he began to put together a picture of Wei Wuxian. A man of questionable decisions, but one who wasn’t shy about his opinions. A man who wasn’t necessarily all good, but he wasn’t evil. A man who was intelligent and an inventor. A man who deserved a little bit of compassion just like everyone else.

“Hanguang-Jun, do you think there’s any way it could’ve gone different for Wei Wuxian?” he asked one day. Hanguang-Jun held his head high, his gaze somewhere else.

“The GusuLan sect rules are a guideline. That doesn’t mean they’re always right. Trust yourself first,” Hanguang-Jun said. Lan Yuan filled in the rest of the sentence for him to get his answer. That, maybe if someone broke the right rules, Wei Wuxian could’ve been saved.

Lan Yuan thought about that a lot. The GusuLan sect rules were strict and they were very clear. You shouldn’t pass judgment and you should simply help those in need, but you should stick to what you know is right above all else. Most people didn’t fare too well with any of those, but Lan Yuan strived for it. If he did nothing worthwhile in his life, he would be that.

When he got his forehead ribbon, he was old enough to be aware of the way Grandmaster Lan felt about him. It wasn’t that he disproved of him outright or blamed him for his parentage, but it was a never ending wariness in his gaze like he was just waiting for him to show his true self. It gave him all the more reason to be himself honestly.

“...and for self-regulation. A staple of not only how you represent yourself, but your people,” Grandmaster announced calmly, his eyes locked on Lan Sizhui despite despite the fact that there were three other boys getting their ribbons as well.

Hanguang-Jun carefully tied it around his head with skill, not even accidentally pulling a single strand of hair as he secured it. He moved to the front to straighten it and gave an approving nod. Lan Sizhui smiled. When he stepped away, though, he was faced with Grandmaster’s wary gaze. He smiled wider and bowed low.

It didn’t take away the concern.

“It’s silly to think you were so small once,” Zewu-Jun said as they walked out of the lanshi. Lan Sizhui stood between him and Hanguang-Jun, but he chose to keep his chin up and his eyes forward so he didn’t mess up his forehead ribbon. Zewu-Jun must’ve noticed because he laughed. “When is he moving out of the Jingshi and into the dormitory?”

That got Lan Suzhui to break his forward stare and he looked up to Hanguang-Jun with furrowed eyebrows. He didn’t really want to move out of the Jingshi. He liked the safety that came with sleeping beside his father, something he very distinctly remembered lacking for too much time when he was little. Something he felt even now when Hanguang-Jun went on night hunts.

“He’s still young,” Hanguang-Jun said simply. 

“You were in a dormitory at his age. He’s nearly 12, he begins actual training soon.”

Hanguang-Jun said nothing as he dropped his left hand. Lan Sizhui didn’t need any further instruction as he grabbed his hand and they started to head towards the Jingshi. He spared a look over his shoulder to Zewu-Jun to make sure he wasn’t upset. But he was smiling in that very, very specific way that Lan Sizhui only saw a few times. He knew it was okay.

They got back to the Jingshi and Lan Sizhui didn’t say anything about it as he watched Hanguang-Jun sit behind his guqin. Lan Sizhui was slowly but surely learning to play on his own and he could play simple, little things. He sat near him and watched.

He started to pluck a little melody, something that felt almost unfinished, instead of adding onto the topic of Lan Sizhui moving out of the Jingshi. He knew he would have to eventually, but didn’t he have at least a couple more years? Hanguang-Jun sure thought so.

Lan Sizhui closed his eyes and focused on the music, breathing in time with it as he internalized it. It was a song he’d heard a few times over the years, but Hanguang-Jun had never so deliberately played it in front of him before. He typically played it when he was alone and Lan Sizhui would hear it when he came back from classes. As he listened to it now, he hadn’t expected to get an answer to Zewu-Jun’s inquiry, but he did anyway. It seemed to be written into the song.

People weren’t meant to sleep alone.

“That isn’t him.”

“What are you talking about, of course it’s him, that’s what it says.”

Lan Sizhui smiled at Lan Jingyi and then bowed to the artist selling portraits of the Yiling Patriarch. Then he grabbed Jingyi and tugged him to follow Hanguang-Jun a little closer. He’d brought them to Caiyi for a sort of pre-night hunt before they were officially classified as juniors. 

“Wei Wuxian was the same age as Hanguang-Jun, he is young. He probably won’t like people thinking he’s old,” Lan Sizhui said softly. Jingyi looked at him weirdly.

“Who cares what he likes?”

“It’s wrong to lie,” Lan Sizhui said. Lan Jingyi rolled his eyes as they caught up to Hanguang-Jun. 

They followed him closely and Lan Sizhui’s eyes lingered back to the portraits. Of all his years hearing his name, he’d never actually known what Wei Wuxian looked like. He looked back to Hanguang-Jun and wondered if he knew. He wondered if he’d tell him.

“Hanguang-Jun,” he called, stepping up beside him, “Do you know any of the talismans that Wei Wuxian created?” 

Hanguang-Jun breathed out, his shoulders setting a little more and he looked down at him with that very distinctly fond look. Lan Sizhui hadn’t noticed that he was the only one who received that until recently. In return, he offered that smile that everyone loved. Hanguang-Jun rested his hand on his shoulder.

“I know a few,” he said.

He led the way with Sihzui and Jingyi hot on his trail all the way to the inn they planned to stay in for the night. There was a ghost that showed its face after a traveler had died unexpectedly in his room at the beginning of the night. It was a simple, small task that needed to be handled to save the innkeeper from going out of business. It was the perfect hunt to take children on.

And yet, even with a ghost lurking, Sihzui could sense a new, almost excited air around Hanguang-Jun. Jingyi could too, it seemed, and he fed off it.

“Is it cool? I know he came up with some cool evil things, but you knew him when he came up with cool normal things, didn’t you? Are you going to show us one of those?” Lan Jingyi asked, nearly running to keep up with Hanguang-Jun’s wider strides.

“Mn,” he said.

It wasn’t long before they were in the room Hanguang-Jun rented out and then, all too quickly, he crafted a talisman and there was a direct string from his wrist to Sizhui’s. He straightened up with startled eyes, looking up to him. Hanguang-Jun was smiling.

“Whoa!” Lan Jingyi said, “What’s it called?”

“Bonding,” he said, his voice carrying something Lan Sizhui couldn’t quite place, “Or Binding.”

Lan Sizhui tugged on it and Hanguang-Jun’s arm followed it, the tie never extending. It was impressive. He walked a bit closer and studied it.

“What was used for? To keep thieves from running?” he asked, looking up to Hanguang-Jun, “This is so clever. Did he ever expand upon it?” His smile turned a bit sad before it disappeared entirely.

“No,” he said.

He didn’t say much more as they fought the ghost that night.

Lan Sizhui very quickly rose to the top of his class after that. It wasn’t a secret, but he didn’t wear it with any pride. That felt wrong. Instead, he spent his time assisting those who struggled. Even when the juniors from other sects came to visit, Lan Sizhui spent most of his time teaching them. Slowly and unintentionally, he saw Grandmaster Lan grow to respect him. He tried not to take pride in that either, but it felt nice.

Other sect leaders came to visit during the months that they housed the other juniors, including Nie Hauisang, the infamous Head Shaker. The other juniors seemed to think little of him, but Lan Sizhui found him charming. He watched the way Zewu-Jun handled him as if he was still a child instead of a sect leader and almost instantly wanted to hear the man speak.

So, as he always did, he listened.

It took a long while, until the sun had already gone to sleep and most of the people in the Cloud Recesses were retiring for the night. Lan Sizhui and Yan Zijing, a QingheNie disciple, however, were on patrol. It was pure convenience that they ran into Nie Hauisang.

“Sect Leader Nie,” Lan Sizhui said, bowing deep for him, “What are you doing up?”

“Ah, reminiscing,” he said quietly, his fan open and his face bowed just a bit as if he wasn’t their superior, “I studied here. I, I never learned much, no, it wasn’t for me, I, I don’t know enough for all that.”

Lan Sizhui smiled at him kindly, “You were here with Hanguang-Jun, weren’t you?”

“Yes, yes, it was very, very different back then. With… everything,” he said, looking around before settling on Sizhui again, “You’re Hanguang-Jun’s ward, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Sect Leader Nie.”

“Mm,” he said, looking over him, “You don’t look like him.”

“Oh.”

“But I’m sure you’re just as loyal,” Nie Hauisang said, lowering his face just a little. Lan Sizhui didn’t know how to respond to that, so he simply nodded. Nie Hauisang looked to Yan Zijing for a moment then back to Lan Sizhui again before he said goodnight.

The conversation captured his interest nonetheless and he found himself lingering outside the room Nie Hauisang was staying in the next morning. It was probably inappropriate and he would scold himself for it later if he didn’t get in actual trouble with Hanguang-Jun for harassing their guests, but he’d never been able to stop himself from asking questions even when he shouldn’t. It was selfish of him, really. Maybe Grandmaster was right to question him…

“This disciple is so sorry to bother you, Sect Leader Nie,” Lan Sizhui said after he knocked and Nie Hauisang answered, bowing lower than he had the night before, “But there was a question I needed to ask you.”

“Oh, I’m sure I’m the wrong person, I, I don’t have answers, I don’t know anything, I just don’t know,” he said, giving a breathy laugh. 

“You knew my father when he was young.” Lan Sizhui flashed that smile he always used and it worked as well as it always did when Nie Hauisang relaxed his shoulders a little. He nodded. “I was wondering if perhaps you remembered Wei Wuxian? He is so interesting to me.”

Nie Hauisang’s awkward laughter returned, “Maybe you shouldn’t say that.”

“I usually don’t,” Lan Sizhui admitted, “But you seemed like a friendly face to ask.”

It didn’t take much persuasion until he was invited in and Nie Hauisang told him a few more than slightly disjointed stories. He told the middle before he told the beginning and the ending was always sprinkled throughout and most of the details weren’t what he asked for, choosing to stumble onto tangents and fumble around his words instead of making sense. He made it through the second tale before he was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose. Hanguang-Jun was a man of few words, but the words he said were meaningful. Nie Hauisang seemed to speak so much to get away with not saying anything at all.

“Right, yes, but weren’t he and Hanguan-Jun rivals? Why would they travel to Qinghe together?” Lan Sizhui asked. It was the only part of the stories he could grasp that he both understood and had never heard before. Well, he knew they weren’t rivals, but no one needed to know that he knew that fact. Nie Hauisang tilted his head and smiled.

“And just why would they not? They are men of poetry, that’s the only thing I know.”

Lan Sizhui didn’t have much time to ask as he realized he had to get to class, so he’d excused himself and bowed and thanked Nie Hauisang for the company. He just bowed back, the structure all too similar to a junior bowing to Grandmaster, and did not say he enjoyed his company, nor did he say he would like to do it again. It was a funny little thing.

Hanguang-Jun sat at the front of the class and Lan Sizhui found himself thinking too hard about what he meant by poetry.

Poetry seemed to be too simplistic of a word to describe Hanguang-Jun, especially when he seemed to instantly attach himself to Young Master Mo Xuanyu. Lan Sizhui had never seen him act that way before. It was confusing. 

However, the more time he spent around him and them, it slowly started to make sense. Listening to him speaking and having him as their teacher felt all too familiar. He spoke with such confidence and he was always correct. It reminded him of being with Hanguang-Jun. There was nothing to fear with them.

Lan Sizhui would have the moment ingrained into his mind when he first discovered who Mo Xuanyu really was. The way his stomach dropped and he felt overwhelmed and ill at the fact that this man who made him feel so safe, who his father put on such a high regard, was the deviant Yiling Patriarch himself. 

It didn’t take long, though, to readjust his mindset. This was a man who had captivated his mind for his entire life. The fact that he hadn’t known it was him to begin with was mindless.

However, when he saw his bare face again with the knowledge that it was Wei Wuxian, he still felt he couldn’t breathe. And when he saw his wide smile, the one Lan Sizhui had been giving people his entire life, he couldn’t breathe. But it didn’t break his loyalty during the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds. If anything, it strengthened it. This was the man he’d been trying so hard to learn about, to know without reason, and here he was.

And the more he thought and spoke and learned and…

“A-die!”

Lan Sizhui gasped as he gathered his surroundings. The last thing he’d remembered was being with Wen Ning at Nightless City, but now he was on the floor of the Jingshi. Hanguang-Jun was on the floor knelt unceremoniously beside him, a hand on his arm and a hand on his cheek. Concern was etched onto his brow despite the fact that he’d clearly been woken up.

“A-Yuan,” A-die said, his thumb rubbing over his cheek as Lan Sizhui caught his breath.

“A-die,” he said back. He didn’t care if he sounded or acted like a child as he scooted closer. A-die pulled him into a hug and held him like he did when he was small. He pressed his face into the white robe and let him console him.

The longer he stayed there and caught his breath, the more he could make sense of his panic. And it was just a bad dream brought upon by too many memories that weren’t his, locking him inside his mind for far too long. Maybe it was silly of him to try to learn more about his true ancestors by welcoming ghosts to tell him. It’d been too much and Wen Ning had apparently needed to haul him back to the Cloud Recesses.

“Are you alright?” a second voice asked once Lan Sizhui had steadied himself. He still stayed laid against Hanguang-Jun, discarding pride and self-control in favor of his father’s comfort, but he managed to turn his head while still keeping it against his shoulder.

Wei Wuxian was crouched beside them in all black in a similar turned down state. A second quick look around made it clear that Wei Wuxian had made himself at home in the Jingshi. Even the bed was messier than Hanguang-Jun ever would’ve let it get on his own. Although his cheeks flushed a bit red, he could appreciate that his a-die no longer had to sleep alone.

“I’m alright,” Lan Sizhui insisted, eyes downcast so he didn’t make the situation more shameful, “I’m sorry.”

“Nonsense, you’re sorry for what? Needing someone? Ha, you know what I always say, never apologize for needing someone,” Wei Wuxian said boldly. Hanguang-Jun huffed a laugh due to how distinctly untrue that was, but Lan Sizhui appreciated the sentiment. “Are you really alright, though? Wen Ning said you got too lost.”

“I-I didn’t get lost‒”

“Ay, then what would you call it? It’s called getting lost, don’t be embarrassed of words, they exist for a reason, you got lost,” Wei Wuxian said, his tone almost a little scolding. Sizhui couldn’t see his a-die’s face, but he felt him stroke his hair and his face in a way he hadn’t since Grandmaster had unintentionally made him cry nearly a decade prior. And Wei Wuxian smiled that smile. “Ah, Lan Zhan, you’re such a good dad. So strong, so protective.”

“Mn.”

“I didn’t get lost,” Sizhui said again if only to save himself, “It was just too much at once. I got overwhelmed, that’s all. I’ll be better next time.”

“Yes, you will, and I’ll show you how to do better,” Wei Wuxian said, scrunching up his nose and reaching out to pinch his cheek. He didn’t even try to lean away from it.

“Tomorrow,” Hanguang-Jun said.

“Obviously tomorrow, why would I mean tonight?” Wei Wuxian said, but then there was a pause and he gave a guilty smile, “Okay, if he’d wanted to, I probably would’ve said tonight, but you have to forgive me, Lan Zhan! I missed so many years! Boring, boring years.”

“You weren’t conscious.”

“Semantics,” he said. Lan Sizhui smiled a little and Wei Wuxian lit up in response. “Ah, there we are, he’s better now. Or, if you’re not, I can find Chenqing for you to chew on, that always made you feel better when you were little.”

“He is tired,” Hanguang-Jun said. Wei Wuxian turned his smile on him.

“He’s a grown boy, Lan Zhan, he can say if he’s tired himself.”

“I’m tired,” Lan Sizhui said. Wei Wuxian breathed a dramatic sigh and pushed himself to his feet.

“I leave you alone with him for a few years and you turn into him, so unfair,” he said, but the smile was evident, “Fine, fine, I’ll be respectful, you can go to sleep.”

“I’ll go to‒” Lan Sizhui started to stay as they helped him to his feet, but Wei Wuxian shook his head.

“You’ll stay here,” Hanguang-Jun said.

“In case you get lost again,” Wei Wuxian filled in. He was too tired and too thankful to argue, so he nodded.

Lan Sizhui rubbed his eye and started to take off his shoes. Without any warning, Wei Wuxian reached to take off his forehead ribbon. His instinct was to tell him no, but he realized that it was alright. Especially when Hanguang-Jun didn’t say anything to him about it, simply guided him down the pillow and made sure his head didn’t hit too hard as if that would throw him right back into his bad dreams.

“Ah, I had a dream about this once, only A-Yuan was much smaller in that dream,” Wei Wuxian said as he stood beside the bed, his hands on his hips. He watched them with a smile as they settled into bed, A-Yuan on the edge and a-die leaving enough space for him by the wall. “My Hanguang-Jun, so sweet.”

“Come,” Hanguang-Jun requested.

“Later, later, I’m not tired. I have books to read, things to think, people to remember and forget, probably a prophecy or two if I let it. I’ll be asleep when you wake up, don’t worry,” he said. Wei Wuxian then gave them both loud, exaggerated forehead kisses and threw the blanket over them. It felt almost teasing, but he was too tired to laugh.

He walked out of the bedchamber section of the Jingshi, instead heading to the otherside entirely where he created a small talisman to give him light that would let him read but not disturb the two of them. Lan Sizhui could see him sprawl out on the floor with a book in hand. He looked over to his a-die. He was the most at ease he’d ever seen him.

As he drifted back to sleep, Lan Sizhui considered that maybe, through all of his time thinking of Wei Wuxian as a way of extending compassion to a dead man, it didn’t hold a candle to way to the extents Hanguang-Jun had cherished him in his mind.

He could only hope he could do them both justice with this second chance.

[gusu-emilu]

Cantatio: Chapter Nine

Ship: Lan Zhan / Wei Ying (POV Lan Zhan)

Summary: Lan Zhan gets caught up in a sparring showdown.

Cloud Recesses Academy AU, Rated T - read on AO3

After scurrying away and hiding behind the lantern arrangement once more, Wei Wuxian peeked out to look at Lan Zhan, then tilted his head and batted his eyelashes. He voice was like a low flute melody twirling around Lan Wangji.

“Lan Er-Gege,” he said, dragging out each syllable. “You’re going to scare little Xianxian.” He lifted the jars of liquor with another clink. “Why not savor a cup of Emperor’s Smile with him instead? Hm?”

< Ch. 8 | Ch. 10 > | chapter list

There was only one thing to do. Lan Wangji and Wen Qing hurtled down the stairs to flee the corpse and the haunted guqin. Lan Wangji skipped three steps at a time, while Wen Qing pitter-pattered on each individual step, somehow managing to keep up. The guqin raged behind them.

They did not stop until they reached a lofty door at the bottom of the stairs that swung open to a courtyard. The slammed the door closed.

The guqin could no longer be heard.

Lan Wangji heaved in the fresh spring-water air of the Cloud Recesses. It embraced him, swelled inside him, and instantly quieted his mind. The familiar white, moonlit gravel shifted under his feet as if to welcome him. They were safe.

This courtyard was near the edge of the central Cloud Recesses, where roofs of pavilions formed a wall around the academy.

Lan Wangji looked behind him to see that the building they had been in was a tall watchtower guarded by two lion statues. It was the mingshi, a tower used for spirit-summoning. But Lan Wangji had never heard of housing corpses in the mingshi, nor a secret room at the top that contained a wailing guqin.

The two guardian lion statues outside the mingshi had snarling faces. Like pixiu, guardian lions came in pairs: one male, one female. These two had been joined in protection of the mingshi for countless years, frozen in their powerful stance, ready to ward off evil. Hopefully they could also contain whatever type of evil was possessed by the corpse and the guqin inside.

Wen Qing staggered over to a tree in the center of the courtyard and sank down along its trunk to sit. She panted from their race down the stairs. “What just happened to us?”

Lan Wangji did not have an explanation, so he did not reply.

Rule #49: Do not trespass.

With self-loathing, he mentally added another round of beatings that he would have to receive tomorrow as punishment for breaking more rules.

A silhouette flashed on top of one of the roofs.

Lan Wangji jerked his head toward the motion. It disappeared with a rustle.

He scrutinized the buildings of the courtyard, scouring every crack and corner for movement. The hairs on his skin prickled. Someone else was here.

Wen Qing rose to her feet, having also noticed the disturbance.

Bracing himself in a martial stance, Lan Wangji unsheathed Bichen. The sword absorbed the bright glow of the moon overhead and emitted its own hungry shine. He listened for any hint of sound.

On one of the terraced walkways that lined the buildings, a soft blue sphere flickered behind a lantern pole.

Lan Wangji leapt forward. In one fluid motion, he cornered the neck of the intruder beneath the fierce blade of Bichen.

It was Wei Wuxian.

“Ahaha! Lan Zhan! No need to be so hostile! I’m just on my way back to our dorm! No need to behead me!”

Lan Wangji slid Bichen back into its scabbard. “Why are you out past curfew?”

Wei Wuxian puffed his fluffy bangs out of his face and grinned. “Why are you?”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes darted through the crack between two of the lanterns and spotted Wen Qing under the tree. Then those sly irises grazed over Lan Wangji’s ruffled robes, all the way down to his feet.

“Ohhhhh. Hm, hm, hm. I know precisely what’s going on now, Lan Zhan, you big promiscuous radish. You’re having a moonlight stroll with your girlfriend. Well, I won’t disturb you two lovebirds! I’ll just be on my way now!” He raised his voice to direct the last two sentences toward Wen Qing, who shot back a disgusted glare.

“Untrue,” Lan Wangji said with a slight edge in his voice.

Wei Wuxian backed away down the walkway and raised his hands apologetically. “Really, really, I don’t mean to intrude! I’ll keep your secret safe, don’t worry,” he said with a wink.

Beneath his left hand, two egg-shaped turquoise jars hung from a string and clinked against each other.

Lan Wangji’s upper lip twitched. “Alcohol is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses.”

Wei Wuxian swung his hands behind his torso to hide the liquor. “Ah, really? I didn’t know.” His eyes crinkled into a rueful smile as he continued backing away. “Oh well, they’ve already come in with me, so I might as well enjoy them. I’ll see you later, Lan Zhan.”

As he turned to run away, Lan Wangji pounced in front of him and swung Bichen at the thread that bound the jars together. He missed by only a millimeter.

Wei Wuxian jumped back and cradled the flasks into the bend of his arm. “Hey! What gives! Isn’t it prohibited to fight without permission in the Cloud Recesses?” His eyes filled with mirth. “Mr. Head Disciple, don’t tell me you’re going to break one rule just to enforce another.”

Lan Wangji swiped at the string again.

“Hey! Stop it!”

After scurrying away and hiding behind the lantern arrangement once more, Wei Wuxian peeked out to look at Lan Zhan, then tilted his head and batted his eyelashes. He voice was like a low flute melody twirling around Lan Wangji.

“Lan Er-Gege,” he said, dragging out each syllable. “You’re going to scare little Xianxian.” He lifted the jars of liquor with another clink. “Why not savor a cup of Emperor’s Smile with him instead? Hm?”

Heat rose to Lan Wangji’s cheeks.

“Shameless.”

He dashed Bichen against Wei Wuxian, who checked it with his own white blade. Soon they were flying to-and-fro, leaping up and down and across from roofs of the Cloud Recesses, swords striking each other with metallic clangs that reverberated across the courtyard.

Although Lan Wangji’s precise, trained movements were executed with merciless force, something light bubbled in his abdomen. A hint of thrill. Pleasure, even.

Wei Wuxian was a match he had never met in a swordsman of his age. His technique was nothing like that of the Jiang Clan. It was wild, spontaneous, unorthodox, like a devil twirling its limbs in a cunning tango. Their blades were intertwined in a cosmic dance, more celestial than the stars that twinkled above their sparring figures.

It wasn’t the first time that Lan Wangji had to guess what his opponent would do next. But it was the first time in a while that sometimes, he guessed wrong.

They descended to the floor of the courtyard and struck at each other with flashes of their blades, even more vigorous than before.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian’s sword dropped. His arm slackened at his side, and he fell limp to the ground with a plop. The porcelain jars shattered, crimson liquor snaking through the gravel beneath them.

A needle stuck out of the side of his neck.

“I can’t believe the level of idiocy I have to put up with around here,” Wen Qing hissed as she marched over from the tree she had been sitting under, hands clasped behind her back. “And you’re called one of the Twin Jades? Are you really this incompetent? Why would you swordfight out in the open? You’re going to wake someone up with all the noise and get us caught for being out after curfew!”

Lan Wangji stared at her, then down at Wei Wuxian. The tan young man’s his mouth was lolled open, his body pressed into the ground like a deadweight.

“Forgive my carelessness.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wen Qing crouched down and plucked the thin silver needle out of Wei Wuxian’s flesh. He jolted up with a start, his eyes glassy.

“What? What just happened?” he said loudly.

“Shhh!” Wen Qing pressed a finger to her mouth. “I won the swordfight. That’s what happened. Let’s get out of here before someone finds us.”

Wei Wuxian looked very confused. “You won? What?”

“Never mind. Get up. We’re leaving.”

“Nooooo! My Emperor’s Smile!” Wei Wuxian wailed when he saw the red fluid puddled at his side.

“Be quiet!!”

He clamped a hand over his mouth, then slowly stood up, his back slouched. He let his hand fall and pouted.

“Lan Zhan, I worked so hard for that liquor,” he whined as they walked across the courtyard. “It was a reward for myself for being so focused on my studies, my only glimpse of joy in this soulless place. I even paid for it with Jiang Cheng’s own money. What am I to do with myself now? I think my entire life has lost its meaning.”

Just as Lan Zhan was about to shush him, they all skidded to a stop in front of the stone path leading to the dormitories. Two figures were walking up the trail toward them.

They scrambled behind a wall to hide. Wei Wuxian’s elbow jutted into Lan Wangji’s stomach, causing a sharp exhale of pain to escape from him. Could Wei Ying be any less careful?

They peered the around edge of the wall. One of the approaching figures wore artic blue robes, the other a grayish seaweed color. It was Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue.

“Are you really sure that’s where Young Master Jin went?” Lan Xichen said in his balmy voice, sounding slightly amused as always.

“Guangshan’s slimeball son has servants of his own,” Nie Mingjue said. “He has no business bothering a Lan Clan servant of the Cloud Recesses in the middle of the night.”

“Xichen-ge, Mingjue-xiong, I’m quite certain,” said a demure voice that did not match either of the senior disciples. “I overheard him discussing it with his cousin before our quad retired to sleep. He vowed to scold the servant woman for stepping out of line.”

Jin Guangyao appeared between Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue.

“It’s such a stupid fucking reason.”

“Mingjue,” Lan Xichen chided.

“I’m right, though! What blockhead gets free soup and a love letter from a young lady and then struts over to her house to insult her for daring to give it to him!” Nie Mingjue’s footsteps became a bit louder. “Every one of those Jins is a self-important ass. Every one. Almost as bad as the Wens. I regret letting them take you away from Qinghe, Meng Yao.”

“Jin Guangyao,” he corrected.

Nie Mingjue shook his head. “Your old name was better.”

They passed the wall that the three curfew-breakers hid behind. They clutched each other and sank deeper into the shadows. Lan Wangji scooched an inch away from Wen Qing and into the slender masculine figure of Wei Wuxian beside him. His breath sharpened as dark hair brushed his neck.

“I’m sure Young Master Jin is planning to thank the Lan servant, not scold her,” Lan Xichen said. “He might have only spoken such words as a matter of pretense under peer pressure.”

“Maybe. But Xichen-ge, he sounded rather convincing.”

“Doesn’t matter what he plans to say,” Nie Mingjue said. “When I find him, I’m chopping off the arm that he dared push away that bowl with. Fucking prick can’t even treat a lady properly. And I had to get woken up because of it.”

“Guangyao is sorry for waking you, Mingjue-xiong. I only wanted to see my young master returned to the dorm safely.”

Their voices faded into mumbles as they disappeared around a corner at the other end of the courtyard. Lan Wangji stayed motionless for several seconds to ensure they were gone.

And also because—

Wei Wuxian smelled like plum blossoms.

Disgusting.

He gave the young man a mild shove with his shoulder as he stepped out from behind the wall and away from that offensive scent.

“What was that all about?” Wen Qing scoffed as she followed.

Wei Wuxian was still crouched in the corner. His face was covered in a shadow that seemed to be created by his own aura and not by the darkness beneath the wall. He laughed, but the sound was chilling. Eerie.

“Soup from a Lan servant? Are you kidding me?” His eyes narrowed. “My shijie made that soup. My shijie made soup and a note to leave outside Jin Zixuan’s dorm as a gift, to try to make her future husband—oh, I don’t know—acknowledge her existence. I already knew that he didn’t accept it, but he actually thinks a Lan servant did it? Are you fucking kidding me?”

His fists shook as he rose to his feet and stepped into the bright moonlight of the courtyard. The shadow of his rage still covered his face.

Lan Wangji rested a hand on Wei Wuxian’s chest, trying to send calmness through his fingertips and into the trembling body beneath them. “Wei Ying.”

He pushed Lan Wangji’s arm away. Lan Wangji placed it right back.

“Wei Ying.”

The young man’s breath started to stabilize. His chest expanded and shrank under Lan Wangji’s palm in a raw, laggard pattern.

“Fine. Let’s just get back to the dorms. I’ll deal with the peacock later. I’ll make sure every he knows that not a single golden thread in his trashy robe lets him deserve Jiang Yanli.”

His anger simmered down as the three crept along the stone path to the dormitories. Wen Qing turned at the fork in the path and departed for the girls’ dorms. Her only words of goodbye were a sharp glare at Lan Wangji and the cryptic, “Tomorrow, we talk.”

Indeed, they would talk tomorrow. With the discovery of a secret room, a corpse, and a haunted guqin, it seemed that their list of mysteries was growing rapidly.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian walked across the moonlit grass to their dorm.

“You do not approve of your sister’s fiancé.” Lan Wangji said it like a statement, but really it was a question.

Wei Wuxian scoffed. “Do you?”

Truthfully, Lan Wangji had never thought about Jin Zixuan before with much more than indifference. But if his own sibling—if Lan Xichen—were in love with someone who spurned them, he would have had very strong feelings about it.

Except, Jiang Yanli's situation bothered him more than he expected.

“It is not my place to approve or disapprove,” Lan Wangji said.

“Of course it is,” Wei Wuxian said. “You’re my friend, so you can tell me what you think.”

Lan Wangji took a few moments for these words to sink in.

They really were friends? What did friends do together? Run into each other after dark, swordfight on rooftops, and share their thoughts with each other?

…Maybe that wasn’t so bad.

“Young Master Jin should work harder to be her best partner."

“And he’s doing the exact opposite,” Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji listened to the gentle sound of their footsteps, which had somehow fallen into sync with each other. After some thought, he said, “He may come to recognize her value.”

Wei Wuxian looked over. “You think so?” His gaze was questioning, but accepting, like he truly cared about Lan Wangji’s opinion even if he disagreed.

Lan Wangji nodded. “Perhaps if he learned of her true affection.”

“How could he not know? It’s so obvious.” Wei Wuxian sighed. “I just want Shijie to find someone who will be good to her. Maybe I shouldn’t be so resentful all the time. I don’t know.”

“It is not wrong to defend your family.”

Wei Wuxian only smiled, and did not have anything else to say after that, which felt unusual. At least his anger had been quelled, and some of the brightness returned to his face.

They arrived at their duplex.

An unnerving sight made Lan Wangji flinch.

There was a body sprawled across Wei Wuxian’s bed with a leg hanging over the side. It was in the same position as the person Lan Wangji had seen in the bed at the moment Wen Qing jumped in through the window. Lan Wangji had thought the sleeping man on the other side of the room was his roommate.

Now that Lan Wangji recalled the image again…could there have been two bodies in the bed?

And one of them was still here.

Wei Wuxian laughed nervously.

“Oh. Haha. I forgot about him.”

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, you can be a supportive sibling like Jiang Yanli by liking, reblogging, and visiting me on AO3! New chapters posted every Monday on AO3 and Tuesday on Tumblr.

Ch. 10 > | chapter list

[orthogonals]

亥时已到 | past nine pm

Rating: T Fandom:  魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭/ Mo dao zu shi - Moxiang Tongxiu Word count: 2,218 Pairing: Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji Summary:  “The past. Do you think… the story could have played to a different conclusion?”

A careful stoicism decorates Lan Wangji’s smooth features, but Wei Wuxian can spot the anguish lurking in the press of his lips, the pools of his eyes. He scoots further into Lan Wangji’s lap, cradling his face and placing soft kisses on his cheeks, his nose, his cupid's bow.

“Ah, my good Lan Zhan. I know what you’re really thinking. You’re asking if you could have done anything to change things.” Wei Wuxian angles Lan Wangji’s chin so that they stare eye-to-eye, noses centimeters apart and breaths intermingling in the cool night. --- OR: Wei Wuxian gets Suibian back. This leads to a much-needed conversation between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

[read on ao3]

It’s far past nine when Wei Wuxian creeps back into the Jingshi, footsteps carefully light despite the weariness that laps at the edges of his body. He expects Lan Zhan in bed— if not asleep, then in light meditation, his brows slightly tightened in Wei Wuxian’s absence.

Instead, as he slips indoors with the grace of a dancer, he’s greeted with the stringent lines of Lan Zhan’s unyielding profile. Clad in billowing white underrobes and cast in the asymmetrical glow of the moon, Lan Wangji appears almost like a deity knelt at the wooden table. A sword rests in his lap. At Wei Wuxian’s entrance, Lan Wangji tilts up his head, and his constricted expression softens.

“Wei Ying.”

“Aiya, Lan Zhan, I told you not to wait up!” Wei Wuxian admonishes even as he plops down at Lan Wangji’s side, slipping his cold fingers underneath the opening of Lan Wangji’s nightrobe.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji hums in response, setting aside the scabbard to wrap his arms around Wei Wuxian’s waist, drawing him closer against his body. “The night-hunt went well?”

“It was alright. The juniors managed to track and lure the monster without my help, but I had to— ah— lend a hand when it came to the final blow. Oh, and Sizhui performed admirably, as always.” Wei Wuxian lets a hint of pride tint his last words. He shifts comfortably into the warmth of Lan Wangji’s hold.

“I expect nothing less,” Lan Wangji intones.

A breeze carries the crisp scent of dewy grass into the Jingshi, and the two men, caught in each other’s embrace, sit in for a moment in comfortable silence. After a while of nuzzling against Lan Wangji’s chest, Wei Wuxian finally lifts his head.

“Jiang Cheng?” With a nod, Wei Wuxian acknowledges Suibian, which Lan Wangji had abandoned on the tabletop.

“Brought with one of the YunmengJiang guest disciples,” Lan Wangji confirms.

“I guess we couldn’t have expected a personal visit.” Wei Wuxian disentangles his arms from Lan Wangji’s clothes to pick up the sword, swiping a gentle thumb against the “随便” etched into the exterior of the sheath. He catches the gravity of Lan Wangji’s gaze and ducks his head.  

“Okay, okay.” With a fluid motion, Wei Wuxian draws the sword out and sends spiritual energy singing into the blade. Red light thrums and dances along its narrow, glinting edges, teasing at the power that simmers beneath. Lan Wangji watches the performance quietly, his posture still. He has not seen Wei Wuxian wield Suibian since his time as a student at the Cloud Recesses.

“Hm. Not bad, my old friend. Missed me, huh?” Wei Wuxian examines the sword contemplatively. The blade flips with a soft gust of air as he turns the hilt. “I can’t believe you can’t tell apart me and Jiang Cheng, really. Preposterous! I’m expecting you to fix your eyesight, you know. Now that I’ll have to start lugging your weight around again.” At Lan Wangji’s slight squeeze, Wei Wuxian sheaths Suibian and turns to face Lan Zhan with a grin.

“I suppose we’ll have to thank Jiang Cheng. If I break another GusuLan practice sword, your uncle might really kick me off the mountain!” Winking an eye, his expression turns mischievous. “Say, Hanguang-Jun, would you honor this one with a duel sometime? I’m much better now than when I was fifteen.”

Wei Wuxian spots a hint of red crawling up edges of Lan Wangji’s earlobes, and he continues with renewed delight. “Just give me, ah, five years, and see if we can draw again!”

Even now, his cultivation level is already much higher than it had been when he was eighteen, around the time when he had given up his core in his previous body. Though Mo Xuanyu’s originally frail physique hinted of long years of abuse and malnourishment, Wei Wuxian had found that dedicated medication, GusuLan training, dual cultivation, hearty meals, and an absolute wealth of past experience contributed to condense his newfound core rather quickly. He’s still taken aback sometimes, at the orb spinning behind his ribs, the light that surges at his fingertips. At the ease with which he can now tamp down the lingering effects of resentful energy, something which had consumed his old self like arsenic.

“No need,” Lan Wangji says, looking down at Wei Wuxian with a soft glow. “Your talent for acquiring new skills has always been remarkable. We will draw within two summers.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian moans, burrowing his face in the crook of Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “Don’t say things like that, I’m only joking. I’ve only got one foot on the sword path, you know. And I’m only good at learning things I’ve made up myself.”

Lan Wangji opens his mouth, perhaps to point out that the very ability to invent things speaks to Wei Ying’s acumen, but he’s distracted again by the sheer, painful familiarity of Suibian lying haphazardly next to Wei Wuxian. Instead, what comes out is: “Do you think things could have changed?”

“Hmm?” Wei Wuxian pulls back to look at Lan Wangji, reaching up to tug gently at a lock of his hair. Lan Wangji catches Wei Wuxian’s errant hand in his own.

“The past. Do you think… the story could have played to a different conclusion?”

A careful stoicism decorates Lan Wangji’s smooth features, but Wei Wuxian can spot the anguish lurking in the press of his lips, the pools of his eyes. He scoots further into Lan Wangji’s lap, cradling his face and placing soft kisses on his cheeks, his nose, his cupid's bow.

“Ah, my good Lan Zhan. I know what you’re really thinking. You’re asking if you could have done anything to change things.” Wei Wuxian angles Lan Wangji’s chin so that they stare eye-to-eye, noses centimeters apart and breaths intermingling in the cool night.

As a principle, Wei Wuxian tries to avoid analyzing his previous life too closely. To think is to dwell, and to dwell means to revisit a knife slice under his ribs; three months spent scavenging among corpses; the dust of the Stygian Tiger Seal scattered with his last breath of life. But Lan Zhan has to understand, so Wei Wuxian would tell him, just this once.

“There is nothing you could have done.” The words simmer in the space between them, low and clear. “A single-plank bridge only goes one way. I never expected to reach twenty-five.” Lan Wangji inhales like he’s been stabbed.

“Wei Ying.”

“Shh,” Wei Wuxian soothes, smoothing the twist in Lan Wangji’s brows with a brush of his thumb. “Listen. Even if Wen Chao didn’t find me that day, didn’t throw me into the Burial Mounds. Would I have survived the battlefield?”

Lan Wangji does not reply, but the answer shines in his gaze like an open wound. At the time, all the four main sects— LanlingJin, GusuLan, QingheNie, YunmengJiang— had known that a war against the QishanWen sect was inevitable. The massacre of Lotus Pier had catalyzed the Sunshot Campaign, but even if Wei Ying had not been rushed to battle, he and Jiang Cheng would have independently sought revenge against the Wens.

How could Wei Ying, without a core, hope to fight with a sword and live in a cultivation war? How could Wei Ying have refused? His missing core was a secret kept for the grave. And even devoid of spiritual powers, how could he want to refuse? Perhaps Cloud Recesses had burned, but Lan Wangji’s brother had survived. His uncle had survived. He survived, and Wei Ying had even nursed his broken leg back to health. Apart from Wei Ying, Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Yanli, every single member of the YunmengJiang sect had been slaughtered.

Wei Wuxian gives a harsh chuckle. “I suppose I should thank Wen Chao for dumping me in that godforsaken place. For leaving me no other options. He extended my life expectancy.”

“I would have protected you,” Lan Wangji says at last. “If you did not have a method of protecting yourself.”

“Lan Er-gege, you’re so good. Do you know that?” Wei Wuxian smiles softly at the man before him. He rewards Lan Wangji with another feather of a kiss, a press at the corner of his lips. “But I wouldn’t have let you get close. You would have found me out in a heartbeat.”

“I—”

Wei Wuxian stops Lan Wangji with a finger against his mouth.

“At the time, Jiang Cheng was just beginning to rebuild the YunmengJiang sect. And he was so young. We all were. I couldn’t take any risks.” He holds one of Lan Wangji’s hands to his face, caresses the soft palm and presses kisses against the slender fingertips. After a beat, he exhales.

“You understand, don’t you? Why I couldn’t come with you to Gusu.”

Lan Wangji seems to have lost the ability to speak. Though his expression has hardly changed during their conversation, a pot of emotions bubble and lurch in his chest, thick and messy.

Wei Wuxian thinks that they're almost at a limit for such a fraught discussion. Still, if he gets all the words out now, clears out all the cobwebs of misunderstanding, then maybe Lan Zhan will let go of the notion that he could've possibly saved Wei Wuxian from an unavoidable downfall.

“I am glad, Lan Zhan, that you did not take a more determined approach. Even then, I liked you a lot. But I would have pushed you away. I would have hurt you even more than I already did.” At this Wei Wuxian pauses, squeezing Lan Wangji’s hand. “I liked you too much to let you seek your death on my single-plank bridge.”

Lan Wangji remembers. Get out, Wei Wuxian had uttered, repeatedly and incessantly, a low growl at his throat. His skin ran hot with fever, and Lan Wangji had bit back tears, desperately transferring spiritual energy into Wei Wuxian. It barely seemed to help. Wei Wuxian was weak, skin and bones, dark circles smeared like ink beneath his eyes. But he had enough strength to demand one thing. Get out!

“The truth is, I didn’t get dealt the cards for a long, happy life. And I made my peace with it, I really did.”

What he does not say, but Lan Wangji hears, is that he had accepted the ticking clock of the end of his life the moment he— a boy not yet twenty— watched the last tendrils of spiritual energy leave his body. When the surging tides of his power stilled into dead water, and a piece of himself, carved out of flesh and blood, took root and blossomed inside Jiang Wanyin.

“Tch, Lan Zhan, I can hear what you’re thinking. Disrespecting sect leaders is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.”

“Mn. Not forbidden,” Lan Wangji grits out, face stony. For once, he resents his characteristic reticence. He holds a jar of jumbled thoughts and not a single word to express them.

Wei Wuxian knows what Lan Wangji must have looked like, when he first heard the truth about his core spill like blood from Wen Ning’s lips. He must have gazed at him the way he does now, with that mixture of shock, grief, and turmoil swimming in the amber of his irises.

He doubts that anyone, even Lan Zhan, will ever truly understand why he had made that initial decision, the one that kickstarted the tragic trajectory of the rest of his life. Because they didn’t hear the dying words of Madam Yu, slammed bone-deep into his chest: protect Jiang Cheng with your life. They didn’t watch Uncle Jiang openly chase his own demise, trusting Wei Wuxian with his only son.

They weren’t there to see the days of Jiang Cheng lying prone on Wen Qing’s bed, tatters of blood-stained purple hanging off his limp form, eyes blank and unseeing. Jiang Cheng, clad in the remnants of a sect with only three living members, a reminder of the revenge he couldn’t fulfill and the world he could no longer lead. Wei Wuxian would’ve given him anything then, to put the pride back in his stare and restore the anger that colored the lilt of his voice. He would’ve gladly given his life. What was a golden core? It was never even a question.

“I’ve made many mistakes in my past life, especially towards the end. But my core— that’s one decision I will never regret.” Wei Wuxian states firmly, nodding at Lan Wangji with intention. Lan Wangji replies with a barely perceptible sound.

“Wei Ying…” He trails off helplessly. What is left to say? Everything had happened more than ten years in the past. He cannot hope to alter the choices he had made, and neither can Wei Ying. Perhaps they would have always ended up here, Wei Ying in a foreign body and him in one marked by the scars born of his love. But if it ends with them together, no matter their shape or form, then Lan Wangji cannot bring himself to begrudge the path.

“Wei Ying, I love you.”

Wei Wuxian huffs a laugh into the folds of Lan Wangji’s robe. “I love you, Lan Zhan." He leaps to his feet, knees creaking, dragging Lan Wangji along by the ends of his sleeves. "Now come, let’s sleep. It’s past nine.”

[bettydice]

(Planning the Day) To Meet You

Wangxian, Modern AU, Slow Burn, E-Rated

[Read on AO3]

Chapter 8

Tuesday, Sixteenth Day with Wei Ying

Lan Wangji almost prepares lunch for three people again. But no. Today it will only be Wei Ying and him in the library. He’d gotten used to A-Yuan and their playground meetings so quickly, the time before almost seems like a distant memory. The last time they were alone in the library, Lan Wangji still thought Wei Ying was married.

So much has happened since then, in barely more than a week. Excitement curses through him, as he wonders what might happen during the following days. Yesterday, Wei Ying kissed him. He’d given him four kisses. Maybe a week from now, he’ll have collected even more. Lan Wangji smiles and pours coffee into the thermos for Wei Ying. He really hopes so.

Today, Wei Wuxian is wearing a normal T-Shirt again, no buttons in sight. Probably better that way.

“Lan Zhan, do you like my shirt?” Wei Ying straightens it, so Lan Wangji can take a better look, the style reminiscent of the kind of shirts Wen Ning seems to like. With some effort, he manages to decipher the spiky letters. Oh.

“Yiling… Laozu.”

“Yes! Your new favourite band, right?” Wei Ying grins as he sits down on his chair across from Lan Wangji.

“Mn. Everyone should listen to them at least once in their lives.” Lan Wangji barely suppresses a shudder.

“Ha!” Wei Ying cackles, as delighted as the first time Lan Wangji has made a humorous remark in his presence. ”Yes, let’s spread the suffering, good idea!”

They have no problem going back to the library rhythm they had before but… Lan Wangji can’t forget that Wei Ying kissed him yesterday. He knows he won’t get any more work done now. What if he focuses on a book and ends up missing the smiles Wei Ying has apparently been sending his way, according to the drawing?

He wonders whether Wei Ying also knows a Good Morning spell. But he doesn’t ask.

The morning passes quickly and quietly. Lan Wangji had sort of anticipated things would be different after last week, but except for how he can’t stop thinking about possible excuses for them to kiss again, nothing has changed.

At 11:30 a.m., they go outside for lunch and Wei Ying happily eats and drinks the things Lan Wangji has brought for him.

Wei Ying is blissfully taking apart a clementine, when he cocks his head and throws a thoughtful look Lan Wangji’s way.

“Lan Zhan, do you have a car?”

“No. Why?”

“Ah, nevermind! It was a silly idea anyway.”

“Do you need to go somewhere? I can borrow my brother’s car.”

“No need! Don’t trouble yourself! It’s really not important, haha.”

“Wei Ying.” By now he knows that Wei Ying wouldn’t have even mentioned it if it was really ‘nothing’ or something he didn’t care about. Lan Wangji tries to not overwhelm Wei Ying with how much he’s willing to do for him, but nudging him a little to tell him what it is he wants should be fine.

“Lan Zhan.”

Lan Wangji, about to bite into a carrot, puts it back into his lunch box and stares at Wei Ying, frowning. Since Wei Ying can decipher his frowns, he should know this one means Lan Wangji will keep staring until he tells him.

“You’re so stubborn. Fine.” Wei Ying huffs and pouts and finally relents. ”I was only asking, because there’s this forest playground A-Yuan really likes, but it’s hard to reach with public transportation. We sometimes go with Jiejie and Jin Ling and-”

“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji already decided to help before Wei Ying even asked anyway.

“-and A-Yuan seems a bit bored right now because daycare is still closed and it’s nice and cool on that playground because there’s lots of shadow from the trees, but Jiejie is on some kind of fancy beach vacation, so I was only thinking that it would be nice, but of course you don’t have to-”

“Yes. Wei Ying. When do you want to go? Tomorrow?”

“Ah, you would really do that, Lan Zhan? A-Yuan would be so happy, he always likes spending time with tall-gege.”

It puzzles him that Wei Ying seems so… nervous. Isn’t it abundantly clear Lan Wangji likes to spend time with them and that he’s very willing to do so? Why is he still surprised by that or unsure whether Lan Wangji really means it?

“I also like spending time with A-Yuan. And Wei Ying.” That should clear up any confusion on that matter.

“Ah, Lan Zhan, your flirting is getting out of control!” Wei Ying winks and laughs, and then holds a little monologue about why this particular playground is so great and what would be the best time to go there to escape the afternoon heat and does Lan Wangji like birds, because there are so many birds to see.

Lan Wangji feels a little frustrated. Wei Ying keeps calling it flirting whenever Lan Wangji states his honest feelings and he didn’t mind before, but... when Wei Ying frames it as flirting, the sincerity doesn’t seem to reach him. And Lan Wangji doesn’t know how to change that. He can’t tell whether Wei Ying does it on purpose or whether Lan Wangji is just not using the right words or the right tone or the right facial expression. Does Wei Ying not want his sincerity? Last night, his cheeks still burning from the kisses and the drawing held carefully in his hands, he’d been so sure they were both going in the same direction. And he doesn’t think he’s wrong about that.

He’ll just have to work harder to show Wei Ying that they’re walking the same path.

Lan Wangji I borrowed my brother’s car. Should I come pick you up at 3 p.m.?

Wei Ying Maybe 2:30. Since it’ll take us about 40 min to get there. Does that work for you?

Lan Wangji Yes. I’m looking forward to spending the day with you. What about a car seat for A-Yuan?

Wei Ying We have a seat, just no car! ;P It’ll be fun :)

Lan Wangji Last night I slept really well

Wei Ying Uhm… that’s nice!

Lan Wangji The Dream Spell worked

Wei Ying Aaah Lan Zhan Well, I’m glad! I must be a very good spellcaster ;)

Lan Wangji You are.

Wei Ying Here’s another one ❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Sweet dreams Lan Zhan

Lan Wangji Sweet dreams, Wei Ying.

Wednesday, Seventeenth Day with Wei Ying

Lan Wangji only arrives ten minutes early this time. However, he doesn’t bother waiting, before leaving his car and ringing the doorbell. It takes a little while before he hears a breathless “Lan Zhan?”

“Mn.”

“Is it already… Hey! A-Yuan, don’t go into Wen Ning’s room, what did I just-”

Wei Ying’s voice disappears, but Lan Wangji doesn’t hear the buzzing sound that tells him he can open the door. He waits about a minute, pressing against the door handle, just in case, before he rings the bell again.

“Shit, sorry! Come up!”

Lan Wangji climbs the stairs eagerly this time and Wei Wuxian awaits him in the door, looking dishevelled and out of breath again, but in a decidedly more exhausted way.

“Sorry, we still need a moment. Things have been a bit chaotic, well, I guess it’s been a normal day, but Wen Ning is not here today and A-Yuan is just very excited and I didn’t get much sleep and-”

“Can I come in?”

“Ah, yes, of course. Sorry, sorry.” Wei Ying steps back to let Lan Wangji in and then casually takes off his slippers, so Lan Wangji can put them on instead.

“Can I help?” Lan Wangji would really like to do something to take away some of Wei Ying’s stress. He’s never seen him this agitated before. Did something happen or is this really just normal daily chaos?

“Oh, thank you. Maybe your presence will already be enough.” Wei Ying turns around and then yells so suddenly, Lan Wangji winces. “A-Yuan! Lan Zhan is here! If you want to go to the forest playground with him, we need to put on sunscreen!”

Wei Ying disappears into the living room and Lan Wangji follows him, after taking off his shoes.

He finds Wei Ying sitting on the floor, a bottle of sunscreen in hand, looking exasperated, while A-Yuan runs around the coffee table. When he spots Lan Wangji, he runs up to him, targeting his legs again but Lan Wangji, determined to help out, takes him in his arms instead and then sits down next to Wei Ying, A-Yuan on his lap.

“Hello, A-Yuan.”

“Tall-gege! Forest now!”

“Yes. But I heard you still need to put on sunscreen.”

“Yes!” A-Yuan giggles and then holds his arms out to Wei Ying, suddenly the perfect picture of a well-behaved child.

“Unbelievable.” Wei Ying shakes his hand and then begins slathering lotion on A-Yuan’s arms, legs and his face. ”Lan Zhan, you’ll have to come by and help every day.”

“Alright.” He’d love that. Wei Ying only laughs about this. So far his plan to make Wei Ying understand how serious Lan Wangji is about all of this isn’t working out too well. But there’s still plenty of time to try.

“Tall-gege too!” A-Yuan proclaims, after he’s fully protected from the sun. He hops off Lan Wangji’s lap, goes over to Wei Ying, and tries to grab the sunscreen bottle.

“Haha, I’m sure Lan Zhan already put on sunscreen at home.”

“Could use more.” He holds his arms out towards Wei Ying, who stares at his arms as though he’s never seen them before. Lan Wangji clears his throat and pointedly looks at the sunscreen.

Wei Ying huffs a laugh and then bites his lip while focusing on Lan Wangji with glinting eyes. His smile isn’t quite dangerous levels of wicked yet, but it must only be a matter of time. Oh well. Lan Wangji can handle it.

Wei Wuxian gently applies sunscreen, making sure to keep up eye contact with Lan Wangji the entire time. Carefully, so as to not miss a spot. Spending a lot of time on his biceps, even though most of them are covered by the sleeves of his shirt.

“A-Yuan, does tall-gege need sunscreen on his face too?” The smile is at maximum wickedness now.

“Yes!”

Wei Ying puts a dollop of sunscreen on both of his cheeks, his forehead and the tip of his nose. Lan Wangji hopes he’s not flushing.

“Lan Zhan, close your eyes.” Wei Ying’s voice is low and smooth and he must indeed be a good spellcaster, because Lan Wangji obediently closes his eyes.

Wei Ying smoothes his fingers over Lan Wangji’s face until he’s spread all of the sunscreen and Lan Wangji keeps his eyes closed until the very end, enjoying the gentle touches, when Wei Ying pinches his nose and proclaims Lan Wangji is “all lotioned up”.

While Wei Ying runs around, collecting the things he wants to pack for their outing, Lan Wangji plays with A-Yuan. Or rather, he sits on the carpet next to A-Yuan, who is doing a 20-piece puzzle and refusing any help.

“Ah, dammit, I still need to pack some snacks, cut some apples… sorry, Lan Zhan, I need a few more minutes, but -”

“I brought food, Wei Ying. It should be enough.” In fact, it is probably too much, but Lan Wangji is glad about that now.

“You did? Of course you did. Ah, Lan Zhan, you really need to stop being so…” But Wei Wuxian shakes his head and disappears into the bathroom, before telling Lan Wangji what it is he needs to stop being. Is he preparing too much? Is it overbearing? Or is it an instance of Wei Ying going “Lan Zhan, you’re too cute, I can’t take it”? He hopes it was the latter.

During the drive, Wei Ying is much calmer and seems to have re-found his bearings a bit. Maybe making Lan Wangji all flustered during the sunscreen application helped him. If that’s the case, Lan Wangji would happily offer himself up for such purposes again.

Wei Ying is so calm, he teases Lan Wangji for not going even a single mile above the speed limit.

“Wei Ying. The speed limit exists for a reason. And I would never drive recklessly with A-Yuan in the car.”

“Ah, you’re right, of course, he’s precious cargo.”

“Yes. Very precious.” And then he adds, because Lan Wangji is a man on a mission today after all, “Wei Ying, too.”

He can’t quite see Wei Ying’s reaction, because he’s focused on the road, but at least he doesn’t try to play it off with a joke this time. Instead he’s silent for a few minutes, before turning around and making faces at A-Yuan. Progress, maybe.

The playground, situated at the beginning of the hilly forest not far from the city, is indeed as lovely as Wei Ying had described. The trees provide welcome shade and the air is much fresher. There’s even a little stream flowing next to it; Wei Ying barely manages to hold A-Yuan long enough to put on his waterproof trousers and little rainboots, before he runs towards it.

While A-Yuan jumps up and down in the stream, splashing water everywhere, Wei Ying stretches and takes a deep breath.

“Mhm, I love coming here! So nice.”

“Mn.”

“Thank you for driving us, Lan Zhan.”

“My pleasure.”

They spend the next while helping A-Yuan construct a little dam in the stream. Both A-Yuan and Wei Ying seem to mostly enjoy piling stones up without putting any kind of real planning or thought into it. Lan Wangji crouches down next to them and carefully looks at the dam.

“We need pebbles and maybe some mud or foliage to really close up all the holes.”

A-Yuan is too busy dragging a large stone towards the water to listen to him, but Wei Ying looks up at him with the same delighted expression he gets whenever he realises Lan Wangji has made a joke.

“Lan Zhan… have you built lots of dams when you were a little boy? Are you an expert?”

“No.” Not that he can remember, anyway. “But it’s common sense.”

Lan Wangji takes fistfuls of sand and pebbles from the bottom of the stream and begins filling up the spaces between the larger stones. He does this for quite a while, trying hard to get the best possible result, before he notices that Wei Ying isn’t helping at all. Instead, Wei Ying is simply sitting on a stone, bare feet dangling in the water, staring at Lan Wangji.

“Wei Ying?”

“Continue, Lan Zhan. Just enjoying the view!”

If he were Wei Ying, he’d smirk and make sure to flex his arms now. Maybe undo a button or two. But he’s Lan Wangji.

“Wei Ying can look at me as long as he wants,” he simply says and goes back to proofing the dam. Hardly any water gets through anymore. A bit more foliage and it should hold up nicely.

“A-Yuan, come here.” Once he’s content with the outcome, Lan Wangji waves A-Yuan over, who has been watching leaves swim down the stream like little boats for the past few minutes. “The dam is finished.”

He hopes A-Yuan approves of Lan Wangji’s work.

“A-Yuan, look at what tall-gege did! So impressive! Woooow!” Wei Ying splashes water in their direction with his feet and claps his hands. A few drops land on Lan Wangji’s right arm, but he ignores it.

“Woooow!” A-Yuan repeats and also claps. Lan Wangji nods once, almost to himself. A job well done. And then… A-Yuan jumps into the water and… and… destroys the dam. Simply tears it apart with his feet like a tiny, adorable Godzilla with chubby cheeks. Laughing wildly while watching the water flow, now unrestrained, over his dinosaur-patterned rain boots.

Lan Wangji lifts his devastated gaze from the sad ruins of his dam to look at Wei Ying. Wei Ying, of course, is also laughing, but when he notices Lan Wangji’s look, he presses his lips together in an effort to suppress his laughter. Then he stands up and carefully wades through the shallow water until he’s standing next to Lan Wangji. He puts his hands on his hips and looks down at the carnage.

“Congratulations, Lan Zhan. A-Yuan has now fully accepted you into his life.”

“... Huh?”

“My little radish loves destroying things the adults in his life have lovingly built for him. Sort of a rite of passage, really. You should be proud.”

“Mm…”

Lan Wangji feels slightly mollified, but is not wholly convinced this is something to be happy about. Wei Ying crouches down and puts his hand on Lan Wangji’s knee, either to help balance himself or to console Lan Wangji.

“Lan Zhan, are you upset?”

“No.” That’d be ridiculous.

“It really doesn’t mean he didn’t like it, don’t worry. Look here…” Wei Ying pulls out his phone and shows Lan Wangji a picture he’s just taken of Lan Wangji and A-Yuan. A-Yuan is handing him a very good stone he’s just found and they’re both smiling. A-Yuan does look pretty happy. “Look how cute you two are.”

Even though his dam still lies in ruins before him, Lan Wangji feels a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Ah, Lan Zhan, you’ve worked so hard, your hands are all dirty,” Wei Ying exclaims. Then he gently wraps his fingers around Lan Wangji’s wrist and drags his arm down, so he can wash Lan Wangji’s hand in the stream. He repeats the same thing with his other arm, until both his hands are free from mud and sand.

Lan Wangji happily lets him. Between this and the sunscreen, he now knows that he really likes when Wei Ying takes care of him. He also likes it when Wei Ying flirts with him at the same time, even if it flusters him, but this… Wei Ying reaching for him without a second thought… It means a lot to him and he can’t even fully put into words why. He only knows he always has the urge to take care of Wei Ying, to help him out and brighten his day in little ways. Now he knows he also likes to be on the receiving end.

Afterwards, they spend some time on the actual playground. A-Yuan explores the long slide and the swings and even the little climbing wall. The last part is very terrifying to witness - at least for Lan Wangji, Wei Ying seems unperturbed. To his relief, A-Yuan eventually settles on digging a deep hole into the sand.

“Lan Zhan, catch!” Wei Ying suddenly throws a pine cone at him. Lan Wangji catches it easily and then frowns, waiting for an explanation.

“And now you throw it back to me, and I throw it back to you, and so on, and so on…”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t bring a ball!”

As if that explained anything. Lan Wangji decides not to question it further and throws the pine cone back at Wei Ying.

They continue this for several minutes, while Wei Ying tells him all about the convoluted plot of a TV show he watched last night, staying up way too late. It’s enjoyable, despite the questionable science behind the zombies, though Lan Wangji still doesn’t see the need for the pine cone. At some point, Wei Wuxian’s troublesome smile appears; Lan Wangji thinks it’s really nice he always gets this warning, so he can prepare himself. This time, it’s sadly not followed by flirting. Instead, Wei Ying simply throws the pine cone a little harder. Lan Wangji, not to be outdone, replies in kind and even increases the throwing speed. It’s… silly, but as expected, Wei Ying is delighted that Lan Wangji indulges his silliness. Their game gradually grows in intensity, until the pine cone flies at alarming speed from one to the other.

Until…

“Hey, look! A squirrel!”

and

“Wei Ying!”

and

THUD!

and

“Ow.”

The pine cone hit Wei Ying’s face, hard. Lan Wangji has thrown a pine cone with concerning speed at Wei Ying’s face. For a moment, the world stops, while the blood drains from Lan Wangji’s face. What has he done?

Wei Ying groans and puts one hand over his left eye, obviously in pain.

“Wei Ying!”

Lan Wangji rushes over and tries to assess the damage through Wei Ying’s slightly spread fingers.

“Wei Ying! Are you alright?”

Lan Wangji lifts a shaking hand, but then realises he doesn’t know what to do with it. He doesn’t want to accidentally hurt Wei Ying even more.

Wei Ying lowers his hand again, looks up at Lan Wangji and smiles. His left eye is definitely more watery than the right and Lan Wangji is pretty sure there’s a reddened mark over his cheekbone where the pine cone must have hit him, but Wei Ying is still grinning at him.

“All good, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying tilts his head slightly to the right and is he really going to flirt with him now? Is he really using that smile? “Mhm, your throw packs quite the punch. Must be because of all those strong muscles.” And then he winks - though it must’ve hurt, because he flinches slightly after. Unbelievable.

Lan Wangji takes Wei Ying’s face in his hands after all, gently tilting his head from left to right and back, to check for scrapes or bruises. It’s hard to tell whether the red mark is there for real or just a manifestation of Lan Wangji’s panic.

“I’m so sorry. I… I hurt you.”

“Lan Zhaaaan, I’m fine! There isn’t even any blood!”

“It still hurt.”

Lan Wangji’s hands are still on Wei Ying’s face and Wei Ying’s is slightly tilted back, so he looks up at him. If Lan Wangji were to bend down a little, he could… Not the moment for these thoughts! But he can’t help it. He keeps staring at Wei Ying and strokes a thumb over Wei Ying’s uninjured cheekbone. Wei Ying smiles up at him and Lan Wangji can’t tell for sure whether this one means trouble for him.

“Mhm, maybe it does hurt a little.” And then Wei Ying quickly adds, “Will you kiss it better?”

Definitely trouble.

“... Would that help?”

It seems maybe Wei Ying had expected him to become all flustered again and to move away. He seems stunned by the fact that instead, Lan Wangji tightens his hold on Wei Ying’s face and that his gaze falls on Wei Ying’s lips. Wei Ying must not know how much time Lan Wangji spends thinking about kissing him.

“Uhm… I… yes? If you… I mean…” Wei Ying stutters eloquently.

“Would it help you feel better?” Lan Wangji’s face has moved closer to Wei Ying’s face without him noticing.

“Oh… yes.” Wei Ying sounds breathless, which is good to hear, because Lan Wangji’s lungs seem to have trouble finding air as well.

“A Get Well spell?”

From this close, Lan Wangji has the privilege of seeing the beautiful flush on Wei Ying’s face, and his dark, long lashes, and his slightly parted lips.

“Lan Zhan…” Wei Ying closes his eyes and tilts his head back a little further. Waiting…

Lan Wangji’s heart is surely this close to bursting, but so be it.

He presses a kiss to Wei Ying’s right cheekbone, next to his own thumb. Then another kiss to his left cheekbone, where the pine cone hit him. Wei Ying’s skin is soft and warm under his lips, and Lan Wangji thinks he could spend all of his day doing this.

“Feel better, Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji whispers, not daring to speak louder, lest it break the beauty of this moment.

Wei Ying’s eyelids flutter a few times, before he slowly opens his eyes. Then he hums under his breath, a sound of utter contentment, and puts his right hand over Lan Wangji’s.

Lan Wangji freezes. His brain has caught up with his actions and he can’t… he can’t do these things, when he’s thinking about them. He wants to collect and give more kisses, but is this the right moment? Does Wei Ying want that? A hug to bring the moment to a close? A-Yuan is also still around and -

“Mhm, thank you.” Wei Ying’s smile is warm and understanding. He squeezes Lan Wangji’s hand and then takes a step back. Lan Wangji lets go of Wei Ying’s face and straightens his back. “I feel much better now, Lan Zhan.”

Wei Ying’s smile deepens for a second as he looks at him and then he turns around and yells: “Who wants snacks?”

A-Yuan replies with lots of enthusiasm. Lan Wangji is grateful that for the next few minutes he can solely focus on unpacking the food he brought and eating it, without having to scrutinise his actions.

Despite all his flirting, Wei Ying never pushes Lan Wangji further than he wants to go, somehow always knows when to pull back and give him space. He can’t believe he got this lucky to find someone who understands the things Lan Wangji can’t express in words.

Now, if Wei Ying would only fully take to heart the things Lan Wangji does say… But he’ll return Wei Ying’s patience, it’s the least he can do.

Thankfully, the afternoon passes without any further pine cone related accidents and is only filled with lots of laughter from Wei Ying and A-Yuan.

Somehow, Lan Wangji gets invited to eat dinner with them. Somehow, Lan Wangji ends up cooking for them. Somehow, when A-Yuan is ready for sleep and his bedtime story, he takes Lan Wangji’s hand and makes him follow him. And somehow, the three of them (and Yuyu the radish) all end up in Wei Ying’s bed, A-Yuan in the middle. A-Yuan is still holding Lan Wangji’s hand and together they listen to Wei Ying recount the adventures Apple the donkey and Grrraw got up to in A-Yuan’s absence. Apparently, they broke out of some kind of space jail. Impressive.

It’s quiet except for the low murmur of Wei Ying’s voice. Lan Wangji feels warm and happy and he doesn’t want to miss any of these slow-moving moments, but if he were to fall asleep now, he’d have the happiest dreams. He can’t help but close his eyes, just for a second…

He wakes up to the feeling of Wei Ying’s knuckles softly stroking his cheek.

Lan Wangji blinks once, twice, and wonders whether this might be a dream. A-Yuan is gone and Wei Ying is sitting on the edge of the bed instead of lying down. And he’s wearing an expression Lan Wangji has never seen before. Almost… as if he wants to cry?

“Lan Zhan, wake up.”

Lan Wangji blinks again and the expression is gone. Wei Ying is still stroking his cheek.

“What time is it?”

“Don’t worry, you didn’t sleep long. It’s a few minutes past eight.”

Lan Wangji awkwardly sits up and pulls the blanket off of his legs. Wei Ying stops stroking his cheek but instead begins smoothing Lan Wangji’s hair that must look a mess. Lan Wangji really likes this, but is also slightly embarrassed he fell asleep so quickly.

“Lan Zhan, are you very tired? Do you want to sleep here? I can take the couch, Wen Qing is not coming home today.”

Sleeping in Wei Ying’s bed and seeing him first thing in the morning sounds wonderful, but… Lan Wangji has none of the things he needs for the night or the next day… He needs to go to the library early and really work on his paper, because…

“Wei Ying! What day is it?”

“Huh? Wednesday… I think?”

“Oh no! I… I forgot… My paper, I have to hand it in on Tuesday and… “

Lan Wangji quickly gets up and straightens his clothes, which might be a bit of a lost cause.

“I’m sorry. I should go home and make a schedule for the next few days, I have so much to do.”

“That’s okay, Lan Zhan, totally relatable! But it’ll be okay!” Wei Ying stands up too and gives Lan Wangji an encouraging pat on his arm. “A few marathon sessions at the library and one or two night shifts and it’ll be done, I’m sure. I can help, too! I could proofread for you or maybe bring lunch this time... “

“No. Thank you. I think it would be better if I did this at home, alone. Wei Ying is…” Lan Wangji has trouble remembering that other things in his life are important too, when Wei Ying is around.

“... distracting. Heh. Yeah, I know.” Wei Ying laughs and turns around before Lan Wangji can search his face for the disappointment he thought he heard. “Lan Zhan, come on! You should go home, sleep well and then get to work first thing in the morning.”

Lan Wangji follows Wei Ying through the flat, collects his things, puts on his shoes and then hesitates when it’s time to say goodbye. He doesn’t want to end this day like… this.

“Wei Ying. I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Wei Ying still seems a little off somehow. He’s looking at Lan Wangji’s face but not meeting his eyes.

“Not being able to see you.”

“Lan Zhan…” Wei Ying huffs a laugh and then cocks his head. “Only a few days. Hurry and finish your paper, and we’ll do something nice to celebrate once you’re done.”

“Yes, I would like that.”

Wei Ying gently turns him around and pushes him towards the door. Lan Wangji already has one foot in the hallway, when he turns around again.

“Did you forget something?”

“Mn.”

“What is it?”

“May I have…” Lan Wangji clears his throat and awkwardly points towards his face, hoping Wei Ying will understand.

“Huh? … Oh! Dream Spell?”

“... Mm.”

“Stop being so fucking cute.” Wei Ying laughs - finally, nothing about his mood feels weird or off anymore - grabs Lan Wangji’s face and delivers four sweet kisses. And then does it again, much quicker, cheeks, forehead, tip of his nose. “Since we won’t see each other for a while. Sweet dreams, Lan Zhan.”

“Sweet dreams, Wei Ying.”

“Now go, before I keep you here.”

And then Wei Ying waves, grins and closes the door.

Lan Wangji wouldn’t mind being kept here by Wei Ying, but he does need to write his paper. At least he has very strong motivation to finish it quickly.

Lan Wangji Thank you for the lovely afternoon.

Wei Ying That’s sweet but go to bed! Lan Zhan must rest, so he can work tomorrow!

Lan Wangji Yes. Can you send me the picture of A-Yuan and me? And my dam.

Wei Ying Ahahaha RIP dam! A short but beautiful existence!!! Gone but never forgotten! There you go

Lan Wangji Thank you. It’s a very nice picture.

Wei Ying Because you’re both cuties. Now go sleep.

Lan Wangji Good night.

Wei Ying ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[yueqingyuan]

I translated the 2ha audio drama Lantern Festival episode! The original audio can be found here:

https://m.missevan.com/sound/1671784

(Text below the cut)

The Husky and his White Cat Shizun Audio Drama Lantern Festival Special

Noon, Nanping Mountain, in the kitchen

Mo Ran opens the door and enters.

Mo Ran: Shizun, let me.

Chu Wanning: (unhappy) It’s not like I don’t know how to make yuanxiao. [T/N: Basically boiled mochi in soup, the Lantern Festival on the 15th of January is called the Yuanxiao Festival in Chinese.]

He rolls dough and makes yuanxiao.

Mo Ran: (gently, with a faint laugh) Of course Shizun knows how, Shizun knows everything.

Mo Ran: Shizun looks so good when he’s looking down, he looks so focused…

Chu Wanning: (displeased) What are you staring at me for!

Mo Ran: (comes back to attention) Ah… Wanning is good-looking.

Chu Wanning: (flustered and angry) You––

Mo Ran: I got lost looking at you.

Chu Wanning: (sighs helplessly) Hurry up, we have to go back to Sichuan after we eat the yuanxiao.

Mo Ran: Mm. Shizun, you have to roll the yuanxiao in flour before you can put them on the counter. And, your yuanxiao are a bit big.

Chu Wanning: (humphs) You’re managing so much. (pauses) Hurry up a bit, or we won’t get to Sisheng Peak before sundown.

Mo Ran: (laughs) I know. Shizun, don’t worry, we’re almost done.

He puts an arm around Chu Wanning’s shoulder and gently presses a kiss to his long hair.

Chu Wanning struggles free.

Chu Wanning: (flustered and angry) You! (sucks in a breath) Stop messing around!

Mo Ran: Shizun, don’t move, you got some flour on your hair.

Mo Ran reaches out, blows away the flour on Chu Wanning’s fringe, then kisses his forehead, putting his arms around him.

Mo Ran: (lightly) Shizun, we’re going back to Sichuan again.

Chu Wanning: When was the last time we went back to Sichuan?

Mo Ran: Did you forget? It was the new year of the millenium, we went to give Xue Meng the newly-forged Longcheng.

Chu Wanning: (sighs) It has indeed been a while, time passes so quickly.

Mo Ran: I don’t want to see Xue Meng at all. Do you know what he’s been calling me in his letters?

Chu Wanning: Mm?

Mo Ran: (gritting his teeth) Mo. Shi. Niang. [T/N: Shiniang is what you’re supposed to call your Shizun’s wife]

Chu Wanning: (laughs)

Mo Ran: (happy) Actually… if he’s going to call me Shiniang then he can call me Shiniang, whatever. If I can be with Shizun, I’ll be happy no matter what Xue Meng calls me. And, if he doesn’t call me this way, would Mengmeng have to call me Saozi? [T/N: Elder brother’s wife]

Chu Wanning: (annoyed) Mo Weiyu! What’s wrong with you?

Mo Ran: Ah… I misspoke.

He holds him tighter and nudges him a bit.

Mo Ran: Shizun, don’t be mad, okay?

Chu Wanning is silent for a while, then buries his face in his chest.

Chu Wanning: I’m not mad. (pauses) Just, a bit nervous.

Chu Wanning: I’m not afraid of what everyone thinks. The things between Mo Ran and I, I could confess to everyone under the heavens. But, I still don’t know how to face Xue Meng.

Mo Ran: (comforts him) Don’t be scared.

He pats Chu Wanning’s shoulder.

Mo Ran: (gently) No matter what, I’ll stay by your side. If Xue Meng makes you unhappy, I’ll beat him up for you.

Chu Wanning: (laughs)

Mo Ran: I think Mengmeng probably sent letters because he misses us.

Chu Wanning: Probably. It really has been a long time since we’ve seen him.

Chu Wanning: Before, every Lantern Festival would always be the liveliest time at Sisheng Peak.

Flashback. The Lantern Festival, Sisheng Peak, a lively time. Fireworks shoot through the air, firecrackers explode.

Disciple 1: (happily) Shidi, come watch the fireworks! (Wow! These fireworks are so beautiful!)

Disciple 2: Shimei, shimei, let’s go watch the fireworks over there!

Disciple 3: Wow, so beautiful!

Child: (laughing in joy) Let’s light some firecrackers!

Mo Ran runs over and hands Chu Wanning a branch of plum blossoms.

Young Mo Ran: (happily) Shizun! Look! Fresh plum blossoms! 

Chu Wanning: What are you giving me flowers for?

Young Mo Ran: (embarrassed) I… just…

Chu Wanning turns to leave, Mo Ran catches his sleeve.

Young Mo Ran: Shizun, don’t leave!

Chu Wanning: (slightly annoyed) Mo Weiyu!

Young Mo Ran: Pay attention to me… (pauses) Shizun! Look! Fireworks!

Fireworks burst in midair, the chime of the clock echoes through Sisheng Peak, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran stand in the wind together and admire the sight, welcoming a new day. The fireworks fade and the night gradually grows silent, Sisheng Peak’s disciples trickle away one by one.

Young Mo Ran: Shizun, these flowers froze, they don’t look good anymore. Shizun, you should toss them out, I’ll pick new ones for you tomorrow.

The flashback ends.

Chu Wanning: Ever since that day, Mo Ran would bring me a fresh flower every day, sometimes a plum blossom, sometimes a haitang. Day after day, year after year. Until *that* event happened… 

Mo Ran: Shizun, what is it?

Chu Wanning: (coughs awkwardly) Watch the pot, don’t let them burn.

Mo Ran: Shizun, don’t worry, I’m not you, how could I burn something while boiling… uh… they’re done!

He scoops out a bowl of yuanxiao, picks one up, and offers it.

Mo Ran: Shizun, here, open your mouth.

Chu Wanning: (flustered) I can do it myself.

Mo Ran puts the yuanxiao in Chu Wanning’s mouth, and he can only bite down and chew.

Mo Ran: Be careful, it’s hot!

Chu Wanning: (muffled) You––

Mo Ran: Shizun, do you like it?

Chu Wanning: (lightly) Mm.

Mo Ran: I’m so happy. Shizun, we’re finally going back again.

Chu Wanning: I am too. (pauses, then continues quietly) We’re finally going home.

Nanping Mountain, evening.

Mo Ran: Shizun, wait a moment, let me summon my sword.

The sword appears.

Mo Ran: Alright! Let’s go.

They jump onto the sword.

Chu Wanning: Let’s fly.

Mo Ran: Shizun, give me your hand.

Chu Wanning: What are you up to now?

Mo Ran: Your hands are so cold.

He pulls Chu Wanning into his arms and holds him tight.

Mo Ran: (gently) Shizun, you can hold on to me.

Chu Wanning: (annoyed) For what?!

Mo Ran: (comforting him) Shizun…

Chu Wanning: (retorting) I’m not! (fakes calm, sucks in a breath) I’m not afraid of heights!

Mo Ran: Of course. Shizun is not afraid of anything. (laughs) Shizun, close your eyes.

Chu Wanning: You––

Chu Wanning: (awkwardly changes the topic) You fly quite well.

Mo Ran: (embarrassed by the praise) Shizun taught me well.

Chu Wanning: Since when did I teach you how to fly?

Mo Ran: Uh… either way, flying is not that hard! (scratches his head) I remember the first time I flew on a sword, I went hundreds of meters up in the air.

Chu Wanning: That is quite good. Then… (suddenly thinks of something, starts again with a colder tone) Wait… Mo Weiyu. Didn’t you say that the first time you flew on a sword, you could only get a few feet off the ground?

Mo Ran: I… (obediently owns up to it) Shizun, I’m sorry.

Chu Wanning: Forget it… don’t trick me again in the future.

Mo Ran: (laughs) I know.

Sisheng Peak, evening.

Mo Ran: We’re finally here! The sun’s already gone down.

He holds Chu Wanning’s hand.

Mo Ran: Shizun, are you cold?

Chu Wanning: I’m alright. How long has it been since we’ve last seen Xue Meng?

Mo Ran: It’s been a while. The last time we saw him was when we helped him resolve the trouble with the Jieyou scroll, it’s been a couple of months. [T/N: ‘Jieyou’ means ‘to allay sorrow’, this may be a reference to one of the extras I haven’t read?]

Xue Meng: Shizun.

Chu Wanning: Long time no see.

Xue Meng bows respectfully to Chu Wanning, then turns towards Mo Ran.

Mo Ran: Long time no see, Mengmeng.

Xue Meng: You dog.

Mo Ran: (angry) Xue Mengmeng, piss off…

Xue Meng: Shizun, let’s go to the Red Lotus Pavilion.

Chu Wanning: Alright.

Xue Meng: Everything’s still like how it was before, nothing has changed.

They drink in the pavilion on the shore of the lotus pond, the sounds of pouring wine, clinking cups, and drinking. Xue Meng refills Chu Wanning’s cup, then picks up his own cup and takes a sip.

Xue Meng: Shizun, how have you two been?

Chu Wanning: Quite well. You?

Xue Meng: (laughs) Same as usual.

Mo Ran: Xue Mengmeng, are you drunk? Hey, how many fingers is this?

Xue Meng: (drunkenly) Three.

Mo Ran: Who am I?

Xue Meng: You’re a dog!

Mo Ran: Who’s this next to me?

Xue Meng: Immortal-gege.

Chu Wanning: Xue Meng really is drunk. This might be for the best.

Mo Ran: (laughs) Xue Meng is still like this?

Chu Wanning: Shi Mei is doing well. Xue Meng is doing well. Mo Ran and I are doing well too. Everyone is doing well.

After drinking another jug of wine, Xue Meng is really a bit drunk. He begins to sing that tune he hasn’t sung in such a long time.

Xue Meng:

Half my old friends are now ghosts, I can only meet them in today’s drunken state

Wine hidden under the osmanthus tree, we drink, faces creased, temples grey

Daylight shatters in a dream, everyone gone far away, leaving me behind, tears in my eyes

I’d give my remaining life if you could return after you leave

I visit an old friend under the bright moon, lantern light dying our faces red

Phoenix chick cries at the dawn of spring, in the midst of tranquil rivers and mountains

Don’t drink the hidden wine, return to meet with a brother

No need to live this life together, long from afar, lean on the east wind

Xue Meng: Shizun, Ge, do you want to say?

Mo Ran: (a bit reluctant to leave) No, I’ll go with Shizun to Wuchang Town. It’s late, you should rest.

Xue Meng rises and stumbles away. When he pushes open the door of the Red Lotus Pavilion, the old wood creaks.

Xue Meng: (voice hoarse) Shizun, Ge, I’ll always be here. Come back often.

The door closes, and his footsteps draw away. Only the faint sound of his singing can be heard, moving further and further, until it disappears into the dark night.

Xue Meng:

I visit an old friend under the bright moon, lantern light dying our faces red

Phoenix chick cries at the dawn of spring, in the midst of tranquil rivers and mountains

Don’t drink the hidden wine, return to meet with a brother

No need to live this life together, long from afar, lean on the east wind

Wuchang Town, the night of the Lantern Festival, people walking back and forth. 

Mo Ran and Chu Wanning walk down the street.

Chu Wanning: It’s so late, why are so many people still out?

Mo Ran: Shizun, you forgot, today is the Shangyuan Festival. There’s the Lantern Festival. [T/N: Shangyuan Festival, another name for the same holiday.]

Chu Wanning: Why have I never seen it before?

Mo Ran: When I was younger, I would always come out with Xue Meng and Shi Mei to see the Lantern Festival. I was always thinking, how could I get Shizun to come see it with me someday? But then… but then I forgot.

Chu Wanning pats his shoulder comfortingly.

Chu Wanning: Don’t worry about it.

Mo Ran: Shizun, then let’s go see the Lantern Festival together every year. I want to make up for all those regrets.

Chu Wanning: Okay. 

Mo Ran takes his hand.

Mo Ran: Not just the Lantern Festival, I have many many things I want to do together with Wanning. We will eat together every day, go to many places together, spend many many years in the future together. I was bad to you many times in the past, and I want to make up for every one of them now.

Chu Wanning: Okay. (pauses) I never blamed you.

Mo Ran: I know. Shizun is so good.

Mo Ran: (excited) Shizun, look! Fireworks!

Mo Ran: Shizun, happy Shangyuan Festival. I’m so happy I could come back to Sichuan with you. I want to watch the fireworks with you every year from now on.

Chu Wanning: We will.

Mo Ran: Wanning, I love you.

Taxian-Jun: It’s been another three days, did Wanning miss this Venerable One?

Chu Wanning: (laughs)

Taxian-Jun: (unhappy) It’s only been a few days, and you’ve come back to Sichuan with that Mo-zongshi?

Chu Wanning: (helpless) Why do you always have to compete with yourself?

Taxian-Jun: (humphs) Forget it. It’s the Shangyuan Festival, right?

Chu Wanning: Mm.

Taxian-Jun: Chu Wanning, actually, this Venerable One… missed you a little bit. Really just a little bit.

Chu Wanning: (laughs) Me too.

[ghost--houses]

Untamed Spring Fest 2020 Day 11: Delicate

Posting daily a month late because I’m a slow writer!

read this one on AO3

read all currently finished prompts on AO3

Delicate (Wen Ning, Burial Mounds, 800 words)

First, Wen Ning breaks a plate. Wei-gongzi laughs, and congratulates him on his strength. Jiejie sighs, but she doesn't seem mad. Wen Ning doesn't need to eat anyway, so they can lose one plate.

Then he breaks a cup bringing Granny a drink of water. And rips a bag of rice, spilling most of the contents in the dirt. Then one of Jiejie's flasks, another plate, and then almost collapses a hut leaning too hard on a support beam. By this point, Wei-gongzi has snuck away to avoid responsibility and Jiejie says, "Come with me, A-Ning, we're going to practice."

"But, Jiejie, what if I'm too strong now?" He asks, as she looks through the few mementos she has in their little home for something to practice with. "Maybe I shouldn't touch anything breakable."

"Everything's breakable." She says, settling on an old tea cup. "That would mean you could never play with A-Yuan again. Do you want that?"

Wen Ning shakes his head vigorously. "But maybe... to be safe..."

"You can learn." Jiejie hands him the cup. "Pretend it's the most delicate thing you've ever held, even if it seems sturdy."

They start like that, at square one, so he can get used to his strength. Pretend it's a piece of jade, carved so thin you can see through it. A dried flower. A baby bird. A-Yuan, at his first month celebration. He gets better over the days, but he starts to feel like he must treat everything around him like it’s made from fragile glass because if he relaxes even a little, he’ll bring it all crashing down.

One day, Jiejie is having him sort through some dried herbs, with the goal of making sure they crumble as little as possible as he does, when he hears Wei-gongzi calling for him outside. He looks up expectantly.

"Oh, right, you need to go to the market. Fine, go, we can finish later."

Wen Ning almost knocks the table over on his way out, but catches himself and forces himself to walk patiently out the door. He sees Wei-gongzi is playing with A-Yuan in the wheelbarrow. Wen Ning picks up the sack of turnips with one hand and walks over to join them.

"Well, when are we going to sell you, if not today?" Wei-gongzi asks. "Are you saying you're going to get bigger?"

"I'm gonna be big!!"

"How big?"

"Bigger than Xian-gege!!"

"Impossible. Wen Ning, what do you think, should we sell him today?"

Wen Ning never knows how to play these games, he liked it better when A-Yuan could just crawl on him or he could make faces to make him laugh. "Ah... Maybe we would miss him...?"

"Miss him? We can just grow more!"

"Xian-gege!!"

"Alright, fine." Wei-gongzi lifts A-Yuan out of the wheelbarrow and puts him on the ground. "You're safe... for now."

Wen Ning steps frantically out of his way as A-Yuan goes squealing back to Granny. He loads the turnips in his place, then Wei-gongzi hops on top and points ahead, saying, "Onward, Wen Ning!"

"Yes, Gongzi!"

Every step away from camp feels freer and freer. He can run as fast as he can, push as hard as he can and Wei-gongzi only urges him on stronger. Nothing is breakable and everything is safe.

He has to restrain himself in town, but it's not so bad. Turnips are easy and Wei-gongzi handles the money. He gets to run again when they go home, wheelbarrow full of supplies.

Back in the Burial Mounds, a few people come to greet them, mostly to pick up requested purchases. After that, they go to the little storeroom to put away the rest. Wei-gongzi has collected A-Yuan somewhere along the way, playing with him on the shelves. Wen Ning puts a sack of rice carefully on the floor.

"A-Yuan!" Wen Ning turns to see the boy has crawled along the shelves towards him, out of Wei-gongzi's reach, up on the highest level. His delighted grin starts to waver with his balance -- his foot slips and he is falling.

Wen Ning blinks and A-Yuan is in his arms, safe. He didn't have to pretend anything, he realizes. A-Yuan is already precious.

He puts A-Yuan down on the ground and looks up at Wei-gongzi, whose surprised face breaks into a laugh. Then A-Yuan laughs, because Wei-gongzi is laughing, and says, "I was up high!"

"Thank your uncle for catching you!" Wei-gongzi tells him.

"Thank you, Uncle! Catch me again!" And then he tries to climb up the shelves while Wei-gongzi pulls him back, trying to scold him through his laughter.

(The next week, Wen Ning is throwing A-Yuan into the air -- very high -- and catching him with confidence, and it is maybe the only time he's seen Wei-gongzi look jealous of anything.)

[curiosity-killed]

evidence of a lost past part 4

(chronologically WAY after parts 1, 2, or 3 BUT i wanted to write kissing so i wrote kissing)

cw: mentions of internalized acephobia and generally wonky feelings about sex. no actual on-screen sex, just a lot of making out

story tag

Xie Lian slides to his knees from the penche and drops his head to rest on Hua Cheng’s chest, groaning in laughter. All the rest of the piece is coming together, but this transition still feels sticky, clunky, like they’re missing a step. Burying his face in Hua Cheng’s t-shirt, he huffs out a laugh. They’ll figure it out. It’s right there, just out of reach. For once, not being able to do it perfectly doesn’t feel like a failure or calamity; with Hua Cheng’s little huff of laughter underneath him, it feels like they’re trying to chart a new path through undisturbed woods, hand in hand. He likes it, the challenge, the back and forth, the bright spark of epiphany when it comes together.

Groaning, he props himself up to grin at Hua Cheng.

“San Lang,” he says and then stops.

Until he looked up, he hadn’t realized how close they are. It’s not the first time they’ve been pressed chest-to-chest—between the choreography itself and slips in lifts or turns, they’ve been spinning within each other’s orbit for all of this—but Xie Lian looks up and realizes that he’s draped across Hua Cheng, arms bracketing his ribs, hips caged by his thighs. And Hua Cheng— Hua Cheng is looking at him so steadily, lips a little parted and cheeks dusted pink.

At the academy, they discouraged dating as a distraction. Students were supposed to be focused on their studies, on excelling in both school and auditions, not making out in the backseat of a teenager’s old sedan. Jun Wu had been blunter.

“You can tell,” he’d said once, amused and a little condescending.

He’d pointed out company members with careless ease, making Xie Lian flush with mortification. When he said Feng Xin had been experimenting, Xie Lian had been relieved to find out that Jun Wu’s insight wasn’t infallible—and then, they’d been back in their little shoebox apartment three blocks from the studio and it had come up and—

For months, Xie Lian had walked around the studios with a prickling over-awareness of his own skin, as if everyone could know every secret he hid from just one look.

But now, Hua Cheng is looking at him and there’s no judgment, no smug curl. He looks at Xie Lian like he sees him, all of him, and wants it, blood and blisters and all. Xie Lian hesitates, drawing his bottom lip under his teeth as he tries to wrestle his panting breath back under control. Hua Cheng’s gaze dips. He swallows.

“San Lang,” Xie Lian says, quiet, like a secret, “I—may I—“

“Yes.”

A burble of nervous laughter escapes Xie Lian, and his fingers tighten in Hua Cheng’s t-shirt.

“Ah you don’t even know what I was going to say,” he scolds. “I could’ve said anything—“

“Gege,” Hua Cheng interrupts firmly, “yes.”

“Oh.”

He holds back a moment longer, his breathing finally settling into a natural rhythm. Hua Cheng waits, hands flat against the marley and gaze trained on Xie Lian.  Biting his lip, Xie Lian takes a breath and leans in.

Hua Cheng always feels cool—his fingers are often ice-like and his silk and Dri-fit tops stay sleek and chilled even out in the summer smog.

He doesn’t now. His lips are soft and warm when Xie Lian meets them; the mint of his chapstick stings against Xie Lian’s lips. Pressed this close, Xie Lian can feel the rabbit beat of his heart, the heat radiating from his chest. Pulling back slightly, Xie Lian releases a shuddering exhale and blinks his eyes open to find Hua Cheng staring up at him, hunger in his eye.

“San Lang,” Xie Lian says.

“Gege,” he answers, gaze dropping back to Xie Lian’s lips before he drags it up again.

Xie Lian can’t help smiling, a sudden, heady rush cascading through him. It doesn’t feel like a distraction or disgrace. It feels like the most natural thing in the world to find how their bodies fit together in this dance, too.

“San Lang,” Xie Lian says, “say my name.”

Hua Cheng pauses a moment, watching Xie Lian with open hunger. His breathing has picked up again, and Xie Lian feels a smug sense of satisfaction. He did that. He did that with just one kiss.

“Xie Lian,” Hua Cheng says. “Xie Lian.”

He curls up as he says it, hands finally leaving the floor to grip Xie Lian’s waist. There’s no hesitation in this kiss, and Xie Lian closes his eyes on a sigh as Hua Cheng takes the lead. He chases Xie Lian’s sigh, tongue slipping against the seam of his lips, and Xie Lian opens to him. For once, Hua Cheng is greedy with him, his hands mapping out Xie Lian’s back and sliding up to comb into his hair. He kisses as if he’s drowning and Xie Lian is a breath of life, and Xie Lian can’t help but cling to him, awash in pleasure and delight.

They’re both panting when they separate, and they’re still pressed so close that their breath is shared in the slim space between them. Hua Cheng’s eye is half-lidded, his cheeks pink and lips slick, and Xie Lian gazes down at him with slack wonder. His hands are still tangled in Hua Cheng’s t-shirt, tight enough they’ve drawn the fabric up to bare a pale stripe of his belly. Releasing one, he reaches up to brush Hua Cheng’s hair from his face, and his hand slides down the curve of his cheek to cup his jaw.

He leans in, gently guides Hua Cheng toward him, and kisses slow and long and sweet. The hand in his hair tightens briefly, and Xie Lian hums low in pleasure before it releases, slipping away from his nape to smooth his hair back from his brow. He doesn’t bother opening his eyes; he trusts Hua Cheng’s hands to hold him steady.

The strained elastic in his hair slides out with Hua Cheng’s absent combing, spilling his hair around them like a curtain, and Xie Lian can’t help giggling at the way it tickles his neck. He pulls back just a little, just enough to tuck the front section behind his ear. Beneath him, a grin dawns across Hua Cheng’s face—bright as sunlight, slow and sweet as spring. He reaches up to run his fingers through the length, knuckle brushing the side of Xie Lian’s neck, and a shiver runs through Xie Lian at the touch.

“Xie Lian,” Hua Cheng murmurs, soft as prayer.

Smiling, Xie Lian shifts so that his forearms rest on the floor by Hua Cheng’s head and lowers himself to lay flat across Hua Cheng’s chest. The motion makes Hua Cheng’s breath hitch, and he grins even as he draws Hua Cheng’s hair back from his face and presses a kiss to his lips.

“San Lang,” he murmurs without pulling back. “San Lang, San Lang, I never knew kissing could be so nice.”

Hua Cheng laughs, his smile curling against Xie Lian’s featherlight kisses. His hands have returned to Xie Lian’s back and hips. Restless, they travel the breadth of his shoulders and knead the dip of his lower spine. Even now, they stay above his baggy t-shirt, rumpling the fabric and never slipping to the skin beneath.

“Only with gege,” Hua Cheng promises inanely, and Xie Lian laughs as he leans in to kiss the tip of Hua Cheng’s nose.

Reaching behind himself, he curls a hand around Hua Cheng’s wrist and guides his hand under the rucked up hem of his t-shirt. Hua Cheng stills, shifting back to look at Xie Lian searchingly.

“Gege?” he asks.

“I trust you,” Xie Lian answers, letting go.

Hua Cheng’s hand stays flat and still against his lower back for a moment, as if waiting for a trap to spring. Xie Lian exhales, lets his body go slack and heavy against his and kisses him soft and chaste. Finally, Hua Cheng seems to believe him, and his hand drags up the muscles of Xie Lian’s back in a long, light stroke. His fingertips are still cold, a startlingly contrast to Xie Lian’s overheated skin, and as they skate against Xie Lian’s back, a shiver chases after them.

Pressed together as they are, every little shift and brush sends heat pooling low in his belly, and for once, he can’t spare a thought to be embarrassed. He’s always thought this was something he couldn’t have—all of it, any of it. He didn’t mind, mostly, but a quiet, bitter part of him had been sure that this was yet another of his failings. When he thought of dating, it was always chased away by the spectre of looming confrontation, of his not being willing enough or experienced enough or being too shy altogether. He didn’t want to mislead someone, let them think he would want everything they did only to turn around and deny him.

But that shadow can’t endure Hua Cheng’s unyielding light. He knows, down to the core of himself, that if he pulled back—if he stood up and said that this was just an experiment and he never wanted any more—Hua Cheng would let him and wouldn’t leave him. He’d stay, and he’d never ask for it or suggest it or slip half a step beyond the boundary Xie Lian sets.

Xie Lian doesn’t deserve such care, but he presses into it and holds tight.

He loses track of time, tangled together on the floor. Hua Cheng’s legs have tightened around his hips, and his hands trace frostwork shapes against his skin, just enough to have Xie Lian’s whole body trembling with not-quite-enough. He presses down more firmly and swallows the low moan that escapes Hua Cheng’s lips.

The door creaks.

“Hua Cheng, the— Uh.”

Xie Lian freezes, eyes flying open. Under him, Hua Cheng goes suddenly stiff and still. His hands freeze where they’re spread across Xie Lian’s back, one trapped under his shirt and one just above the waistband of his sweats.

Behind them, Yin Yu clears his throat.

“My apologies,” he says. There’s the metallic squeak and quiet thud of the door swaying back into a body, like he’s turned away to give them some privacy. “The second company is all here.”

Mortification flushes Xie Lian’s entire face, and he retreats to hide in Hua Cheng’s chest. Hua Cheng’s hands slip out from under his shirt to draw him close in a protective kind of hug, like his arms can hide Xie Lian away when they’re blatantly making out in the middle of the studio floor.

“Go ahead and start warming them up,” Hua Cheng says after a moment. “I’ll be there shortly.”

There’s a small pause.

“Perhaps I should inform them you will just be joining us for rehearsal?”

“Yin Yu,” Hua Cheng snaps, tone a warning.

Based on the quiet laughter Xie Lian hears as the door swings shut, it’s not a very successful one. With his face still pressed to Hua Cheng’s chest, he tries to calm his heart and beat down the heat scalding his cheeks. Hua Cheng continues to hold him as around them, the quiet ticking of the studio comes back into his awareness. Beyond it, Xie Lian can hear distant chatter and laughter, the company as they prepare for class. The walls are thin enough here that they should have been able to hear the front doors opening and closing if they weren’t so distracted. His cheeks burn hotter.

“Gege?” Hua Cheng asks after a few moments.

“Hmrf,” Xie Lian mumbles into his shirt.

Hua Cheng waits. Dragging up his tattered dignity, Xie Lian finally pulls his face from Hua Cheng’s t-shirt, though he still can’t meet his eyes.

“Um,” he says. Swallows. “Ah San Lang, I’m sorry, that was—inappropriate.”

His stomach twists as he says it, shame finally catching up to him. He knows Hua Cheng likes him, cares about him. He doesn’t want to ruin what they have.

“Gege can be inappropriate with me,” Hua Cheng says. Xie Lian looks up, startled, to find a hint of a blush still lingering on Hua Cheng’s cheeks. “I liked it.”

“Oh,” Xie Lian says intelligently. His cheeks heat up again, but this time when he ducks his head, he can’t help smiling. “Um. I—me too. I mean, I liked it, too.”

A grin breaks across Hua Cheng’s face, and Xie Lian’s unease dissipates from the force of it. As the shame fades, he can’t help picturing Yin Yu, and he drops his forehead to Hua Cheng’s chest, laughing.

“Ah San Lang, poor Yin Yu,” he says.

“Serves him right,” Hua Cheng says sourly. “He could’ve checked the room first.”

Xie Lian snorts, his shoulders shaking with laughter. He can only imagine what they looked like, tangled together like two teenagers who were too desperate to get their hands on each other to wait for an appropriate space. He can feel Hua Cheng’s laugh escape him in a breath, and one hand sets to smoothing up and down Xie Lian’s back in long, easy strokes. He stays above the shirt this time, which is probably for the best.

“Ah, I should let you go teach,” Xie Lian says, even as he shifts to lay his head flat against Hua Cheng’s ribs.

His heart thuds steady and strong under his ear, and Xie Lian smiles at the reassuring drumbeat. Hua Cheng combs Xie Lian’s hair back, tucking it behind his ear.

“Mm,” he hums, noncommittal. “Yin Yu can deal with them.”

“San Lang,” Xie Lian scolds, laughing. He sits up to look Hua Cheng in the face. “If you don’t show up, his imagination will run wild.”

Hua Cheng’s eye narrows.

“He better not think of gege like that at all,” he says, low, and a funny sense of delight chases down Xie Lian’s veins at the possessive rumble in his voice.

Biting his lips, Xie Lian breathes out a laugh and finally scoots back to kneel instead of draping across Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng follows, sitting up with his arms folded over his knees. Xie Lian hesitates a moment, fidgeting with the edge of his shirt.

“I should let you go,” he says again, “but ah would you want to maybe come over tonight? I can cook dinner and we could just...hang out.”

He cringes as he says it, feeling like a middle schooler who’s never had a crush before. It doesn’t matter that he really hasn’t liked someone like this before. He’s twenty-five, he should be able to ask his—well, whatever Hua Cheng is to him—to come over without sounding so lame.

“How could I say no to gege’s cooking?” Hua Cheng replies with a smile that crinkles up by his eye.

Breathing out a laugh, Xie Lian reaches up to rub at the nape of his neck.

“Ah alright,” he says. “Yay.”

It escapes him weakly, but Hua Cheng’s grin grows. He looks so bright like this, so larger than life in his happiness.

“Yay,” he echoes. “It’s a date.”

The words send a nervy trill through Xie Lian, but he can’t help smiling back.

“It’s a date.”

[pengiesama]

The Care and Keeping of Your Sentient Saber (Fic, TGCF, HC/XL)

Title: The Care and Keeping of Your Sentient Saber Series: Heavenly Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu) Pairing: Hua Cheng/Xie Lian

Summary:

E-ming is a very tender and sensitive sword, and needs lots of love and attention that only one person is qualified to give.

Hua Cheng is a very tender and sensitive demon, and needs lots of love and attention that only one person is qualified to give.

Xie Lian is very qualified, and a very, very busy man.

Link: AO3

Check out my commission info here.

Read on Tumblr!

“So. I really am curious. What was it, precisely, that made you think it was a good idea to disrespect me? In my very own city, no less. It was quite the bold gambit, and as I’m sure you’ve realized, it didn’t pay off.”

The horned demon lolled around uselessly on the floor, howling pathetically, and making quite a mess -- really, Hua Cheng had only torn one arm off, and the floor was already slippery with blood. His heeled boots kept the bottom of his robes from dragging in the stuff as he casually strolled about the room, still speaking quite conversationally to his guest even as said guest continued to scream.

“I could have just left you upstairs, and let my employees take care of you,” Hua Cheng continued. “Dealing with rude guests is generally beneath me. But you’ve caught me at a bad time, I’m afraid. So here you are, and here I am. And I’m just dying to know a little more about you.”

“I ain’t mean any disrespect to the lord Chengzhu!” the demon desperately bellowed. “That waitress, she was askin’ for it, and if she’d just have come along quietly I wouldn’ta disturbed the lord’s game--”

“I work so hard to build a prosperous city, only to have scum like this slither in.” Hua Cheng sighed and clasped his fists together to murmur a brief prayer of repentance.

“Really? Even the lord Chengzhu is a dog of the heavens? Ain’t this the city of a thousand vices!?” the demon spat. “Where’s a demon gotta go to stop bein’ moralized at!?”

Hua Cheng was a very, very devout man, and did not like having his prayers interrupted. He let a slow, cruel smile twist his mouth as he turned to fully face his prisoner. He unsheathed his sword to end this tiresome interaction and -- and --

...

Let us try that again. He unsheathed his sword --

NO, E-ming’s voice snapped at him in his mind.

Hua Cheng grit his teeth. He unsheathed the obnoxious, whiny, clingy, useless, worthless piece of scrap metal that had the gall to call itself a sword --

NO. WILL NOT.

He did not like looking foolish in front of his captives. To ensure that word of this did not spread, Hua Cheng eschewed use of E-ming in favor of roundhouse kicking the demon’s head off. He snapped his fingers, and the black shadows disengaged from the walls; becoming a creeping, writhing wave of black caterpillars. They closed in to gorge themselves on the corpse’s flesh, and gnaw holes in the bones. Chrysalis season was fast approaching, and they did need their calcium, after all.

WANT GEGE., E-ming insisted.

Hua Cheng just about lost it then and there. To think that his sword had the unmitigated nerve to make demands on His Highness’ time!

“Oh, do you now?” Hua Cheng hissed. “And what makes you think gege wants to see you!? He has better things to do than to spend his time with a rusty, warped kitchen knife.”

HAVE NOT SEEN GEGE IN SO LONG. E-ming gave a long, drawn-out shiver, as if heaving a sigh born from a bottomless yearning. SO LONG!

Xie Lian had been in and out of Puji Shrine nearly every day lately; going back and forth to the nearby town to answer prayers, going back and forth to the heavens to gather holy herbs, blessed water, powdered qilin droppings -- or whatever other odd nonsense the humans were asking of him.

It was only right and proper that His Highness had worshippers again. And of course, with worshippers came prayers, and with prayers came requests, and with requests came a certain lack of availability. The quiet days spent at the shrine, just the two of them, were no more. And if all went as it should, they would be nevermore, never again. Xie Lian would be lifted up, beloved by all. This was as it should be. It was all as it should be.

MISS GEGE SO. MISS GEGE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL FACE. MISS GEGE’S SOFT SOFT HANDS. STRONG STRONG SOFT SOFT HANDS. MOST WONDERFUL. SEE GEGE NOW!

Hua Cheng grasped E-ming by the hilt and hoisted him up so they could hash this out face-to-face. He scowled, narrowing his eye at him. E-ming narrowed his eye right back.

“You’re not in a position to make demands,” Hua Cheng said, low.

IS. IS IN POSITION, E-ming replied. His eye curved upward, and he looked infuriatingly smug. IS IN POSITION AND WILL NOT EVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN COME OUT.

Hua Cheng yanked on him with all his strength; one hand on the sheath, one hand on the hilt. E-ming, true to his word, would not budge.

Hua Cheng knew that he only had himself to blame for how stubborn the little shit was. He knew that, if E-ming said he wouldn’t be unsheathed until he saw Xie Lian again, he was sure as hell not going back on that promise.

Cursing, Hua Cheng paced back and forth, his heels clicking against the stone floor. The caterpillars had finished cleaning up; the room was spotless as they wriggled their fat bodies back into the shadows. How was he supposed to keep his city under control like this!? Yes, he had an entire armory of weapons at his disposal, and yes, he had an army of carnivorous butterflies and to-be-butterflies. And yes, he could level mountains and split the earth in twain with but a snap of his fingers. But, much as he hated to admit it, E-ming was very much his thing. A cursed scimitar that drinks blood and can reopen any wound that it’s ever inflicted -- that was burned into the collective unconscious as the Crimson Rain Brand(™). If he could no longer wield him, then he was that much less powerful. He was that much more useless at protecting Xie Lian.

He, unfortunately, had precious few options left.

--

Xie Lian didn’t often get visitors at his palace in Heaven -- well, not like he was often there anyway -- so the knock on his door took him by surprise. He sighed and trudged wearily to answer. He’d been so exhausted lately, and was lonelier that he’d ever admit aloud...he’d spent centuries alone, so what was a few weeks without Hua Cheng coming to call? What was it? Well, he’d tell you. It was, in a word, unbearable --

He opened the door. Hua Cheng was standing there, and wordlessly presented him with E-ming in his two outstretched hands.

“Please touch it,” Hua Cheng said.

--

“Oh, you poor thing.” Xie Lian made comforting noises as he cradled E-ming on his lap, patting his hilt and sheath with long, indulgent strokes. “Was San Lang being mean to you again? Poor thing...”

GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE, E-ming replied, shaking so hard that the movement registered as a blur to the naked eye. GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE.

E-ming was Hua Cheng’s thing, in that he was literally born from Hua Cheng. But Hua Cheng could confidently say that he would not react so shamelessly if he was in E-ming’s position right now. Lounging on Xie Lian’s lap. Being stroked and fussed over. And furthermore, he did not sound like that when saying “gege.”

“You don’t need to waste any more of your time on him, your highness,” Hua Cheng said. He reached out; not quite brave enough to venture close enough to Xie Lian’s lap to grab E-ming directly. “We’ve already imposed on your hospitality enough.”

Xie Lian shook his head, and lifted E-ming up just enough to press his cheek to his hilt. E-ming’s eye rolled wildly, and his shaking was beginning to make his sheath slide off. Hua Cheng fumed. Here they were, rudely demanding that Xie Lian entertain them as guests, and now E-ming was stripping down like a common brothel whore.

GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE GEGE. SILKY SOFT CHEEK. PILLOWY SOFT LAP. PET ME PET ME PET ME PET ME, said E-ming, like the wanton skank that he was.

“You’re not imposing. And we’re not done catching up,” Xie Lian said. “I haven’t seen the two of you in so long, after all. Have you been taking care of yourself?”

Hua Cheng forced a smile. “Of course. Gege doesn’t need to trouble his mind about this San Lang’s health.”

Xie Lian’s smile took on an air of sadness, and Hua Cheng felt the familiar string of self-loathing pierce his heart.

“I know. I know that San Lang is strong, and can take care of himself. But…if it’s not too much trouble, perhaps you could...”

“I could,” Hua Cheng assured him. I could, I would. I’ll do anything for you, just name it.

Xie Lian smiled at his little joke (haha, a little joke, yes), and settled E-ming back onto his lap -- E-ming, now completely sheathless, his blade flashing in the waning sunlight.

“Perhaps you could come see me, from time to time, just so I know you’re well.”

Ah. Now that the request had a name to it, Hua Cheng could hardly refuse.

“Of course, gege.”

Xie Lian dipped his head, hiding his red cheeks behind the fall of his hair. Hua Cheng’s fingers twitched at the thought of reaching out, of tucking it behind his ear to see the color on his beautiful face.

He saw Xie Lian’s wide eyes staring at him, felt the warmth of his skin and the softness of his hair on his cold hands.

Ah. Hua Cheng wasn’t as in control of himself as he thought. He’d made that thought into action. Perhaps E-ming’s poor behavior was contagious.

“...t-there’s a smudge!” Xie Lian suddenly announced, leaning in close to E-ming to inspect him, pulling away from Hua Cheng’s hand. “P-poor thing, you poor thing, E-ming, San Lang hasn’t been polishing you! Let me help--”

Xie Lian hiked up his robes on one arm, flashing the skin of his jade-white arm up to his elbow, and bunched it up in his hand. He breathed onto E-ming’s blade, a huff-puff of warm air, and polished out the smudge that he had spotted with his keen eye. E-ming’s eye went huge; the dark pupil dilating. He stopped shaking entirely, and lay completely still, as if dead.

“...E-ming?” Xie Lian waved his hand in front of his eye. “Are you alright?”

“He’ll be fine,” Hua Cheng assured.

Hua Cheng, for his part, was utterly out of his mind with jealousy. He would be hearing about this for months from E-ming. About how white and lovely gege’s arms were, about how gege’s sweet breath felt on his steel, about how gege polished him so skillfully. Hua Cheng wanted to march outside and dropkick the first heavenly official he saw. He glanced out the nearby window, and saw Mu Qing and Feng Xin choking each other out in the middle of the street. A two-for-one deal! Oh my, how convenient. Truly he was the luckiest man alive.

Before he could put this thought into action, he saw Xie Lian, inching close. In his hand he was wielding a handkerchief. He tapped it to his tongue to wet it (his cute pink tongue), and reached out to tap, tap it to Hua Cheng’s cheek.

“...just, ah, cleaning a smudge on you, too,” Xie Lian explained. “You and E-ming need to look out for each other. Keep each other smudge-free. You know?”

“...I don’t know if I can promise an entirely smudge-free existence,” Hua Cheng said. His cheek was tingling and still damp.

“Well…” Xie Lian gave him his hankie. “For now, you can keep that to help. I have a spare, but...bring it back to me the next time you visit, maybe?”

“Of course,” Hua Cheng said. “Of course.”

[sinfulcries2]

colors ; fan chengcheng

Hey thots, its your lesbian jesus back on tumblr. sO like ive decided to pick my lazy ass up and write some imagines, hope yall missed me :( this is totally not inspired by some real life shit  

chengcheng meets his inspiration, the girl in his dreams

Chengcheng was a painter. he loved to paint. his passion for painting came from his sister, Fan Bingbing, a famous painter who was known not only in china, but all around the world. the colors he mixed and the paintings he painted, were all in his mind. and all the future works he planned to paint were also planned out in his mind. the only problem that he was encountering is his lack of motivation and inspiration. looking at the flowers outside his window seemed dull, even though they stood out in many different colors. looking at the stars in the sky seemed boring, even though they formed different constellations with a meaning behind it. he didnt bother looking for inspiration nor motivation, so he stopped painting. the vibrant hues of yellows and reds have been forgotten, and same goes for the blues and oranges. all the colors he possibly could think of, were not a priority anymore.

chengcheng woke up at approximately 2:30 am on a saturday morning. beads of sweat covered his body and he woke up panting. 'another weird dream' he thought. chengcheng sighed and covered himself in his blankets. he recalled his dream awhile ago. a girl who was dancing in her own style, but she had something unique in her, she shined in all the different colors possible. her hair exploding in hues of bright yellows and browns, her skin glowing, her clothes of orange, and her eyes. her eyes of brown. chengcheng ruffled his hair in frustration, but came to a stop when he felt a rush of motivation and inspiration come through his body. he gasped and in shock. "this cant be true..." he whispers, images of that colorful girl comes through his head like a storm. he never felt that way in years, and it surprised him that all of it came back.

chengcheng couldnt take it anymore.

he stood up from his bed, opening his lamp before walking to the corner of his room where his easel and paints were located. he gulped nervously grabbing the paint brush and opening a jar of orange colored paint. he dipped his brush into the warm pigment and started dragging his brush in different directions across the canvas. with shaky hands, he continued to paint with different colors and strokes, until he continued to paint the mysterious girl in his dreams.

the girl who stood out in his dream, orange clothes, brown hair, glowing skin skin, brown eyes...

it was all perfect for chengcheng. he looked at his work proudly before leaning the canvas on the wall with care. he already noticed that the sun was slowly peaking, so he looked at the clock which read 5:15 a.m. he sighed again, and looked at his work with curiosity. he mumbled, "who exactly are you?"

y/n cursed, falling down on the floor after making a mistake learning a choreography she has been wanting to learn lately. she stood up lazily and walked over to the bench at the side of the room. she grabbed her water bottle and chugged half of the contents inside. she then wipes the dripping sweat on her forehead with her sweater. just then her best friend, Wenjun walked inside the room holding two sandwiches. one for himself and one for the latter. "dont overwork yourself y/n" the older says worriedly, seeing the bags under the poor girl’s eyes. he hands y/n the sandwich, to which she takes and eats immediately. wenjun chuckles and ruffles her air enthusiastically. "youre hard working, y/n, just dont overwork yourself okay?" he says looking at the younger with sincere. the latter nods in return, "thanks for the sandwich gege" she says with her mouth full, showing wenjun a gross smile. "dont talk while your mouth is full!" he says with disgust while y/n can only laugh at his statement.

"by the way, were going to the art store now, we need new log books" wenjun says while fixing his hair. "ohh alright ill just change" y/n says while the older just nods. after a few minutes, y/n comes back in a  orange sweater and some denim ripped jeans. "alright, sunshine, lets go!" wenjun chirped grabbing y/n hand and dragging her to the nearby art store.

"cheng! breakfast is ready!" bingbing, shouted from dowstairs. the boy groaned and tossed his phone to the side. he groggily walked down the stairs and made his way to the dining table, which had a variety of chinese food and fruits served. "looks like you didnt get some sleep" his mom says worriedly. "i had a weird dream" he says sighing. Bingbing looked at chengcheng curiously leaning her head on her arms. "what was it about di?" she asked. chengcheng ruffled his hair for the 3rd time already and ate his breakfast quietly. "a girl..." he mumbles. his sister rolled her eyes and looked at the latter. "what is it-" chengcheng cut her off by running towards the door and opening it. "bYE JIE IM GONNA BUY SOME PAINTS!" he said and slammed the door shut. bingbing sat there in amusement. "he found his inspiration i see..." she smiled happily. 

chengcheng arrived at the store quite quickly, as it was just a few blocks away from his home. he scrolled through the paint aisle carefully, looking for acrylic paints that would match his painting with the boy. he heard a pair of footsteps walking towards the direction of the store, and two people talking quite loudly. "ge! i also need to buy paints for zhengting-ge! he needs to give them as a gift to xukun-ge" the younger sounding voice explained. chengcheng's eyes widened in shock when he heard the name xukun being mentioned.

cai xukun is a fairly well known painter he was following on weibo. he is known for his abstract paintings, and has 10 million followers on weibo. chengcheng took a glimpse of the two people chatting to find Bi Wenjun, a singer/trainee he heard his bestfriend rave about some other day. and the gitl. the girl whom he found in his dreams. chengcheng's vision was filled with the familiar yellows and oranges he had seen in his dream. y/n on the other hand, looked at the good looking latter in front of him. he noticed the latters face and smiled brightly.

y/n made her way over to chengcheng with a bright smile on her face. "youre fan bingbing's sister, fan chengcheng right? the legendary painter who suddenly stopped painting" she said with a dazzle in her eyes. chengcheng was lost for words. someone called him a legendary painter for the first time. the latter's ears turned red and he grew flustered at the girl's compliment. "a-ah im not l-legendary, t-thats too high of a c-compliment" he says stuttering

The younger chuckles and shakes chengcheng's hand. "im y/n! im one of your admirers. i may not be a painter, but i am a future journalist!" she exclaims. The older slimes at y/n and says. "u-uh, ive been seeing you in my dreams lately and ive gotten into painting-". "ah ge, dont flatter me please" she blushes and hides his face in his hands. "im not kidding though! i painted you this morning!" he exclaims.

y/n could only bow at the legend infront of him. "ah ge, don't you think its fate?" she asks wiggling her eyebrows. chengcheng could only smile shyly. "HEY LOVE BIRDS! ITS TIME FOR Y/N TO GO!" wenjun shouted raising the new logbooks in his hand. "GE WE NEED TO BUY THE PAINTS!" y/n shouts back. wenjun walks over to the counter with paints and payed for them. "well i'll get going, hope to see you soon!" she says, a hint of sadness in her voice. y/n turned around and walked to wenjun who was impatiently holding the plastic bag. "WAIT!" chengcheng shouted, making her turn around.

"C-can i perhaps have your number?" chengcheng asked shyly. the latter grinned and walked over to chengcheng. "sure! bring out your phone ge" she smiled, while chengcheng handed his phone to the latter.

'i can paint you now, you are my inspiration, y/n' he thought, while a rush of colors flood into his mind, forming her with the most captivating smile he has ever seen.

[netzonexo-blog]

[NAVER/WEIBO] EXO CBX REUNITED WITH YIXING IN BEIJING

[NAVER] EXO ChenBaekXi, meets Lay in China… “It has been long”

[+2302, -71] I really missed EXO as a wholeㅠㅠ❣

[+2054, -66] Our baby squirrels and gentle sheep ㅠㅠㅠㅠ ahgugu my kids ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[+2026, -61] I'm tearing ㅠㅠㅠ ChenBaekXi and Xing-ie.. EXO I love you

[+1952, -50] It has been so long since they’ve met right ㅠㅠㅠ ah lovelies ㅠㅠ

[+1833, -52] This isn’t a dream right ㅜㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[+352, -7] How long has it really been since the same group members met ㅠㅠ I really hope you all spent a good time together ㅠㅠ♡ let’s quickly meet as 9 members, today ChenBaekXi have worked hard

[+316, -6] For real I really hoped and waited (for this) ㅠㅠㅠㅠ really like it ㅠㅠㅠㅠ let’s be together too next year

[+292, -5] ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[+270, -6] I'm tearing up ㅠㅠ EXO-M ㅠㅠ Xing-ie, it has been really long ㅠㅠ

[NAVER] EXO ChenBaekXi x Lay, finally met in China “It has been long” 

[+610, -7] Euang ㅜㅜㅜ I love EXO ㅜㅠ They were probably busy due to their schedules but the loyalty to meet during this timing ♡♡♡ I love you EXO FOREVER ♡

[+562, -7] It has been so long since i see a picture with Lay in it. It looks (like they’re having) fun

[+473, -5] It has been really long ㅠㅠㅠ take care of your body ㅠㅠ

[+473, -5] Finally ㅠㅠ

[+465, -5] Wah.. Together with Lay.. ㅜㅜ It’s so nice to see~~

[+61, -3] Finally (they’ve) met!!!!!! Finally!!!!!! ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[+57, -3] We miss you Yixing ah

[WEIBO] This is Beijing’s tanghulu (Chinese candied fruit) hahaha long time no see

Overall upvotes: +395 291

[+35128] Got to buy food for friends who came for a visit from afar. CEO Zhang fulfilling his duty as a hospitable host today (t/n: this was posted by Little Secretary)

[+23630] Ohohohohohohoho Gege-s finally you’ve met each other!

[+17526] Ahhhhhhhhh EXO ahhhhhhhhhh, i love you guys ahhhhhhhhhhh

[+13865] F*ck f*ck, my OT9 feels are exploding! T_T I’m bursting in tears

[+12979] Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh EXO that is forever

[+10790] I super duper miss you. Liu Hai Ge (t/n: Yixing’s new nickname, it literally means Fringe Ge) is super awesome

[+8396] Sweet sweet

[+7481] Wah wah wah, how long have i not seen you guys in a same frame

[+4131] Was it delicious, baby?

[+2956] Ahhhhhhh i’m dying from the cute

[+2712] Gege-s!!!!!!

[+2534] Ahhh, i knew it from the moment i read the news about CBX coming to Beijing that you guys would meet

[+2244] I’ve eyewitnessed the moment the EXO-Ls in my class went crazy

[+2214] The glorious era of OT9

[+2109] I was just about to leave my house when i saw your weibo post. My god, my OT9 feels are exploding T_T My house echoes of my cries T_T I’ve waited so long for this sweet moment T_T Thank you Gege-s

[+1919] Zhang Yixing is so cute ah!!!!

[+1989] Chen finally met up with his Lay Gege

[+1781] In EXO-L’s heart, you being together is more important than EXO being Hallyu’s representative. I was just happy and proud when i heard CBX came to China. But when i saw this picture, i started crying. I hope the 9 of you will continue on this journey together, we are one!

[+1629] Yixing ah, please persuade Da Ge and Jongdae to open weibo account! Also, please help the dumb dumb find his password

[+734] Miracles in December