Chapter Text
Lan Zhan crossed the distance between them and sat down. Then, as if nothing significant had just happened, he produced a basket full of greens from somewhere, Wei Wuxian had no idea where he kept it hidden, and began feeding the rabbits, who quickly gathered around him in a fluffy, eager swarm.
Taking a few deep breaths to regain his balance, and not snap at the man, Wei Wuxian sat down as well, though farther away than usual. The rabbits noticed immediately. A few paused, their little noses twitching as they glanced between the two of them, trying to determine whether something was wrong. Even the rabbits could tell when they were upset with each other. Traitors.
So he waited. And waited. Then waited some more. Eventually, Wei Wuxian's patience wore thin. He opened his mouth, ready to start the conversation himself, only to stop when Lan Zhan began speaking in his usual calm, quiet voice.
“At some point during the fight at Nightless City, you lost consciousness and collapsed. I caught you and took you away while the remaining cultivators were still occupied with the resentful energy that kept some of the corpses fighting.” Lan Zhan's gaze remained fixed on the rabbits as he spoke. “I flew us away on Bichen to a cave so we could rest and regain our strength.”
Wei Wuxian snapped his mouth shut and listened. He did not remember the events Lan Zhan was recounting, and that worried him. It took Lan Zhan a few moments to gather his thoughts before continuing.
“I should have known then that you were not fully conscious. You kept mumbling incoherent words and phrases, calling for your parents, Wen Ning, and Wen Qing.” His voice was almost clinical, as though he were reading a night-hunt report. Wei Wuxian found it unsettling but this was likely the most words Lan Zhan had ever spoken at once.
“I tried to give you spiritual energy, but it made very little difference.”
Wei Wuxian closed his eyes. Of course it didn't matter. I didn't have a core at the time, he thought sadly
“Two days later, a group of Lan elders led by my brother and uncle found us. They demanded that I hand you over to them for punishment. I refused.” Oh. So that was what Lan Xichen had been talking about. “I fought them and injured them badly enough that they could not follow us. Then I took you to Yiling. It was not far from the cave where we had been hiding. After ensuring your safety, I returned to the Cloud Recesses to receive punishment.”
This time, Lan Zhan looked directly at him. “I broke many of the Lan Clan's rules. I committed treason against my clan and sect.” There was no hesitation, no tremor or inflections in his voice. That was not normal. Even if Lan Zhan had long since made peace with his decision, the punishment that followed should have left scars deeper than the ones on his back.
“That is why you were punished with thirty-three lashes of the discipline whip,” Wei Wuxian said quietly, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat at the thought. Lan Zhan nodded.
“The punishment for treason is death. However, because none of the wounded elders died from their injuries, I was given a lesser sentence.”
Lesser?!!!! The word echoed through Wei Wuxian's mind. That punishment could have killed him all the same. What kind of twisted reasoning was that? Anger surged inside him and he did his best to rein it in, but some of it slipped through as he hissed through gritted teeth.
“Was that their version of mercy?”
“I was the heir,” Lan Zhan replied evenly. “Had I recanted my actions and expressed repentance, the number would have been reduced.” He paused briefly. “I did not.” The confidence in those three words struck Wei Wuxian harder than anything else. Lan Zhan did not regret his decision. He had accepted the punishment rather than act like a hypocrite and deny what he believed was right. Wei Wuxian understood that perfectly, because he would have done the same. That understanding did nothing to soothe his anger.
“I was then forced into seclusion to reflect on my actions, restore my morals, and return to the righteous path.”
At those words, Wei Wuxian finally snapped.
“What a bunch of hypocrites!” Several rabbits startled and scattered at the sudden outburst. “I bet they were just bitter about being defeated by someone much younger than their experienced, self-important asses.” A slight frown appeared on Lan Zhan's face and Wei Wuxian immediately doubled down.
“I mean every word.”
The frown deepened, though Wei Wuxian thought he caught the faintest hint of amusement hiding behind it.
“Language,” Lan Zhan said which made Wei Wuxian scowl harder.
“It’s too late,” Wei Wuxian said, his voice tight as he fought to control the rising fury inside him. “I’m already angry… Yiling Patriarch type of angry.”
Lan Zhan shook his head slowly, the gesture almost fond in its exasperation. “Three months later, my brother came and told me of your death. That same night, I sneaked out and went to the Burial Mounds… to make sure.” His voice wavered, a rare crack slipping through his usual composure. He swallowed hard several times before continuing in a quiet, almost fragile whisper. “There was nothing left.” his gaze grew distant, lost in the memory. “I found A-Yuan hidden inside a hollow tree trunk… and I took him with me.”
“I will always be grateful for that, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said. While not completely calm, he felt far more settled than before. “One of the talismans I left beside him was almost a wish, that he would be found by someone with a good heart.” He smiled warmly at the stoic man before him. “I guess it worked.”
Lan Zhan lowered his gaze, looking almost embarrassed.
“No thanks are needed. It was the least I could do.”
Wei Wuxian wanted to tell him that if anyone else had found A-Yuan instead, the child might not have been killed outright, but his life would never have been as happy as it had become by Lan Zhan's side. The words never left his mouth, however, as Lan Zhan continued.
“He had a high fever and was ill for many days. Thanks to my brother's intervention, I was permitted to stay by his bedside. Later, I was allowed to share my seclusion quarters with him after I made it clear that if he was not permitted to stay, I would leave.”
At that, Wei Wuxian laughed.
“You did leave in the end,” he said between giggles.
“Mn.”
The simple nod only made Wei Wuxian laugh harder. For someone who had once seemed incapable of breaking a rule, Lan Zhan had eventually chosen to break quite a few of them. Somehow, that thought warmed Wei Wuxian's heart more than anything else, because the Lan Zhan who had stood beside him at Nightless City was the same Lan Zhan who had carried A-Yuan through the Cloud Recesses, the same Lan Zhan who had endured thirty-three lashes rather than deny what he believed was right, the same Lan Zhan who sat beside him now, feeding rabbits as though he had not casually admitted to treason moments earlier.
“The curse must have been quite a blow to the elders,” Wei Wuxian said. He felt no regret at the satisfaction the thought brought him. A small, dark part of him, the same part that had once allowed the Yiling Patriarch to commit acts he would rather not dwell on during the war, felt vindicated at the idea of those elders suffering beneath the consequences of their own actions. If a curse had forced them to confront their failures, even for a little while, Wei Wuxian found it difficult to summon much sympathy. Lan Zhan glanced at him, Wei Wuxian shrugged unapologetically.
“They injured you, punished you for doing the right thing, and then expected gratitude for sparing your life. I think I'm entitled to be a little pleased.”
The corner of Lan Zhan's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Wei Wuxian chose to count that as agreement.
“The curse affected most of the senior cultivators and many of the elders, including the thirty-three I injured. They lost their cultivation and were advised by the sect leader to retire into seclusion and reflect on their actions.” At that, Wei Wuxian's grin stretched far wider than necessary, revealing entirely too many teeth.
“Your brother can be quite vindictive when he wants to.”
“He did not agree with the punishment the elders chose, but he was forced by the rules to comply,” Lan Zhan said thoughtfully.
Ah, those damned rules again. The bitter thought crossed Wei Wuxian's mind before he could stop it.
“Did he do anything afterward?” he asked. “I mean, besides quietly ruining their lives. Please tell me he learned something from all of this.”
Lan Zhan nodded.
“Yes. Brother implemented several reforms. Some rules were removed, and the council of elders was dissolved. In its place, he created a council with representatives from the younger and senior disciples and some from outer ones as well.”
Wei Wuxian let out a low whistle, his eyes widening.
“Well, that's major for a Lan.”
“Mn.”
“No, Lan Zhan, you don't understand.” Wei Wuxian waved a hand dramatically. “A Lan changing one rule is notable. A Lan removing several rules is practically a natural disaster.”
The corner of Lan Zhan's mouth twitched again and Wei Wuxian pointed at him immediately.
“There! You agree with me.”
“I did not say that.”
“You didn't have to.”
Lan Zhan's silence only made Wei Wuxian look more smug. For the first time since the conversation had begun, the knot in his chest loosened slightly. Maybe some people had learned from the past after all.
But it still did not answer the question that had been troubling him from the very beginning. None of it explained why Lan Zhan had been willing to risk so much for him when, at the time, he had seemed to understand so little of Wei Wuxian's choices.
“Why, Lan Zhan?”
The other man looked at him with a slight frown. Wei Wuxian swallowed.
“Why risk so much for me?” he asked quietly. “Why break so many of your rules for me?”
Lan Zhan said nothing for a long while, as around them, the rabbits continued munching on their greens, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Then he spoke.
“Wei Ying does not remember.”
Wei Wuxian blinked.
“No. I don't.”
Lan Zhan looked genuinely unsettled, as though he were struggling to put something into words.
“Wei Ying was righteous,” he said quietly.
“That can't be all of it,” Wei Wuxian rushed to reply. “The Lan Sect has righteous people. Other sects have righteous people. You don't fight thirty-three elders and commit treason for every righteous person you meet.”
Lan Zhan fell silent once more, but Wei Wuxian waited. Eventually, Lan Zhan looked up from the rabbits gathered around him.
“When everyone else doubted Wei Ying, I struggled.” His hands tightened slightly around the basket. “With the anger, with the disagreements, with my failure to understand.” The words seemed difficult for him to say. “I struggled to understand Wei Ying's heart.”
Wei Wuxian suddenly found it difficult to breathe.
“Lan Zhan...”
“You were using demonic cultivation, yet you protected those no one else would protect,” Lan Zhan continued. “You chose what was right even when it cost you everything.” His golden eyes focused on Wei Wuxian's. “You were called a demon while doing what was right. I was called righteous while I hesitated, bound by rules.”
Wei Wuxian's throat tightened.
“Lan Zhan...”
“When faced with Wei Ying's death, I could not accept it.” The world seemed to narrow to those calm golden eyes. “I could not accept a world where Wei Ying did not exist.” Wei Wuxian stared at him, suddenly afraid of what might come next. The rabbits, the garden, everything else faded into the background as he waited, scarcely daring to breathe.
Then, with the same certainty he had used to describe fighting elders and accepting punishment, Lan Zhan spoke.
“Because I love Wei Ying.”
The trapped air burst from Wei Wuxian's lungs in a sharp hiss. The words felt incomprehensible, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. Years of misunderstandings began rearranging themselves into something painfully obvious.
And yet, somehow, it still made very little sense.
“Love... as a friend?” Wei Wuxian heard the words come out of his own mouth and immediately knew they were nonsense. Lan Zhan's expression did not change. Right. Not as a friend. Wei Wuxian felt his pulse leap. “Then... love like...” He gestured vaguely, suddenly incapable of using words. “You know. Love... love, fancy me, kind of love?”
Heat rushed up his neck. Lan Zhan continued looking at him with a steady intensity that made Wei Wuxian want to crawl into a hole and never emerge again and his heart gave a violent thud.
“You mean the romantic kind?” he squeaked.
Lan Zhan did not look away or deny it. Wei Wuxian made a strangled noise.
“Oh.” A pause. “...Oh.” Another pause. His entire face felt as though it were on fire. “Really?”
“At first, I was angry with Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said quietly. “At his dismissive attitude toward the rules and the values of the Lan Clan.” Wei Wuxian winced. “Then Wei Ying was sent home.” Lan Zhan's gaze lowered briefly. “And I found that I missed those dismissive comments.” Wei Wuxian stared. “I became confused,” Lan Zhan continued. “During the war, I worried for Wei Ying and angry at my inability to help. After the war, I convinced myself that Wei Ying did not return my feelings.” His voice remained calm, but there was pain beneath the words. “And then Wei Ying died.” The air seemed to leave Wei Wuxian's lungs. "I was left with only grief,” Lan Zhan said, “and regret for speaking of my feelings too late.”
Wei Wuxian frowned.
“When?” he asked. “When did you tell me?”
Lan Zhan looked at him.
“In the cave where we hid for two days.”
Wei Wuxian blinked.
“My confession did not reach Wei Ying then.” A brief pause. “I realized that during our first conversation after your return.” For several seconds, Wei Wuxian simply stared at him.
“You confessed to me?”
“Yes.”
“In the cave?”
“Yes.”
“The cave where I was delirious from resentment and grief, and barely aware of my own name?”
“Yes.”
Wei Wuxian covered his face with both hands.
“Lan Zhan, that was the worst possible time to confess to someone.”
“Mn.” Lan Zhan nodded. “I am sorry.”
Wei Wuxian simply shook his head, still hiding his face in his hands.
“No, Lan Zhan. We were both fools.”
Neither of them spoke for a while.
“We were caught in a web of politics, expectations, and power-hungry leaders. Both of us trying to find our place after a war that forced children to become adults far too quickly.” he said at last as he lowered his hands. They were trembling slightly.
He looked at the man before him and smiled, a small, sad smile. “Heavens above and hell below, we were foolish.” His voice softened. “I was foolish.” The confession felt strangely easy now. “I was so wrapped up in my own misery, so consumed by my own problems, that even if you had shouted it from the rooftops, I would have struggled to believe you.” His smile wavered. “Back then, the idea that someone like you could love someone like me would have seemed impossible.” Wei Wuxian held Lan Zhan's gaze. “So don't apologize for speaking too late.” He let out a quiet laugh. “I doubt I was ready to hear it any sooner.” Slowly, Wei Wuxian moved closer and cupped Lan Zhan’s face with both hands. “I still struggle with the idea that you love me,” he whispered, voice barely audible.
He leaned in and pressed a soft, tentative, gentle kiss to Lan Zhan’s lips, testing, as if he still couldn’t quite believe this was real. When he pulled back, he was met with burning golden eyes and before he could speak or even draw breath, Lan Zhan’s arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him forward in one smooth motion. Wei Wuxian found himself seated on Lan Zhan’s lap as the other deepened the kiss. All he could do was follow, stunned by this bold, hungry side of Lan Zhan he had never seen before. What began as a gentle peck quickly became something far more intense, a whirlwind of heat, longing, and emotion that swept away every coherent thought in his mind. When they finally parted for air, Wei Wuxian was breathless, staring wide-eyed at the man before him. The heath in those golden eyes had not dimmed. If anything, it had only grown fiercer.
Wei Wuxian’s heart raced wildly in his chest. He had never felt anything like this before, never felt so completely seen, so fiercely wanted, and so deeply cherished all at once and his mind just stopped questioning everything, simply let himself feel.
“Wow…!” Wei Wuxian whispered hoarsely, voice rough with disbelief. “That was… wow.”
He pulled Lan Zhan closer, tightening his arms around his neck and hiding his burning face in the warm curve of his shoulder. “Lan Zhan… I think I fancy you too,” he murmured against his skin. “You know… that kind of fancy.”
A pair of strong arms tightened around him immediately, pulling him even closer until he was pressed flush against a solid chest, almost squeezing the breath out of him. He didn’t mind at all. A wet, shaky laugh escaped him as tears slipped silently down his cheeks.
“We should have done this so much sooner…”
“Mn,” Lan Zhan hummed softly, pressing his face into the curve of Wei Wuxian’s neck.
“It’s strange how much of our past interactions make sense now,” Wei Wuxian whispered.
“Mn.”
“How much I missed… how much I mistook for antagonism.”
“Wei Ying did not know,” Lan Zhan murmured against his skin.
Wei Wuxian let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. “Wei Ying apparently knew very little back then.” He tightened his arms around Lan Zhan.
“I should have been clearer.”
As he settled more comfortably in Lan Zhan’s arms, a familiar feeling began to creep in, one he had sworn to fight: a quiet sense of inadequacy.
“Is Wei Ying okay?” Lan Zhan asked softly, his arms still securely wrapped around him.
“Yes,” Wei Wuxian answered, a little too quickly. “Just trying very hard not to ruin this moment with an inappropriate joke.”
“Wei Ying is forgiven in advance,” Lan Zhan said. His tone was serious, but there was the faintest trace of teasing underneath.
Wei Wuxian pulled back just enough to look at him, eyes sparkling with delight. “Lan Zhan!” he exclaimed, genuinely surprised. “You made a joke! I knew you had it in you.”
That was when it happened. The usual tension around Lan Zhan’s eyes melted away, replaced by a soft warmth that filled his golden gaze, his lips curved upward in a faint, breath-taking smile, one that completely transformed his entire face. Wei Wuxian lost his breath all over again.
“Wow…” he whispered, stunned. Lan Zhan’s smile is lethal, he thought, unable to tear his eyes away. “I love you, Lan Zhan,” he said, more convinced than ever, that smile crystallizing whatever doubts still lingered inside him. “So much,” he added breathlessly as the smile widened the tiniest bit, enough to turn the Yiling Patriarch into a drooling moron.
They stayed wrapped up in each other's arms, the rabbits forgotten and time completely ignored, until they were startled by a surprised squeak. When they both turned toward the source, they found a beet-red, wide-eyed Lan Jingyi, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
“Ah... I mean... Sizhui sent me to tell you...” He swallowed. “Dinner is ready.”
Then he turned around and ran away.
Wei Wuxian burst out laughing so hard he nearly started wheezing.
“Lan Zhan, my honour is in shambles right now. You will have to marry me,” he declared between breaths.
“Mn.” Lan Zhan nodded. “Will marry Wei Ying.”
He stopped laughing long enough to see that the man was serious.
“Really?”
“It is the honourable thing to do,” Lan Zhan said.
Wei Wuxian shook his head, amused. “Lan Zhan, you do not have to do it.”
“No. I do not have to,” he replied. “I want to.”
After a few thoughtful moments, he added, “Can two men marry?”
“Yes. The Lan Sect has had marriages between men.”
“Really?” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, surprised.
He had heard of male concubines and brothels with male prostitutes, but marriages... Of course, he had never paid much attention to such matters before. So what did he know?
“I did not know that,” he said.
“Mn. Not well known outside the sect.”
“That makes sense.” It was not exactly forbidden, but it was universally frowned upon.
“Will your brother agree?”
“Brother does not have a say in who I marry,” Lan Zhan said coldly.
Wei Wuxian only smiled. “You might have left the sect, Lan Zhan, but he is still your older brother and cares about you. He will at least have an opinion.”
“It will not dissuade me,” Lan Zhan replied. “He will have to come to terms with it.”
Wei Wuxian drew closer and wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan's neck as he said in a low voice, “I love this strong and decisive Lan Zhan. It’s making me very hot.”
Lan Zhan’s eyes were burning at this point.
“Will marry Wei Ying soon,” he said, his voice slightly strangled.
He snickered as he rose. “Let’s go before they decide to send someone else to fetch us and scandalize more innocent eyes.”
“Mn,” Lan Zhan nodded, still holding onto his hand as they headed toward the inner courtyard of the house.
Inside, they found Yuan and a still-flustered Lan Jingyi sitting opposite a confused Lan Xichen, most likely due to Jingyi’s reaction to their appearance.
“Brother,” said Lan Zhan with a nod, leading Wei Wuxian, still holding his hand, to sit beside him at the table.
A-Yuan seemed to understand something after a few moments of surprise, then smiled warmly at their joined hands, a slight blush warming his cheeks. Lan Xichen appeared to reach the same conclusion as well, as something in his posture relaxed and he gave a small nod in their direction.
I guess Lan Zhan will not find opposition in his brother, Wei Wuxian thought, as he and A-Yuan did their best to keep the meal lively despite the two quiet Lan and a still-flustered Lan Jingyi, who excused himself soon after the meal, and A-Yuan retired to his room, leaving him alone with the two Jades. Well… one Jade and a former Jade... . No! Two Jades! Lan Zhan would never stop being one of the Lan Jades. Wei Wuxian thought, feeling the silence press against his comfort, but chose to let the brothers start the conversation.
He did not have to wait long, because soon after they were alone, Lan Zhan said, “Brother, Wei Ying and I are engaged.”
Wei Wuxian spat out his tea, hiding his face in his hand.
“Lan Zhan...!” he groaned. This man had absolutely no social skills whatsoever.
“Congratulations, Wangji. I am very happy for you,” Lan Xichen said.
Wei Wuxian looked up surprised.
“Thank you, brother,” Lan Zhan replied.
“Have you decided on a wedding date?”
“Not yet. I was hoping brother would help with that.”
“I would be honoured.”
This is surreal, Wei Wuxian thought, looking from one brother to the other.
“I wonder if there is a matchmaker in Yiling,” mused Lan Xichen aloud.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan nodded.
“Good,” the other said in relief as he sipped his tea. “I will extend my stay to handle everything.”
“Thank you, brother,” Lan Zhan said with a slight bow.
“I presume you will not follow the Six Rites?”
“Not necessary,” said Lan Zhan, then turning to Wei Wuxian, added, “Does Wei Ying wish to respect them?”
Wei Wuxian just shook his head, still more or less detached from reality as he observed the interaction between the brothers. It was unique, to say the least.
“I will write to Uncle,” said Lan Xichen.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan nodded.
“Do you wish to hold the ceremony in the temple?”
This time Wei Wuxian snapped out of his trance and said, a little too loudly, “No.” When both Lan looked at him, he added, “I will not bow to myself in that temple. For me to do that, you would have to remove it,” he stated firmly, because, for heaven’s sake, the thought made him cringe.
They looked at him for a long moment before Lan Zhan said with a nod, “We will have to find another place.”
Wei Wuxian sighed dejected, because he was actually hoping they would remove the portrait, but Lan Zhan apparently did not agree.
“I guess we could do it up on the Burial Mounds... in the cave,” he added, looking from Lan Zhan to his brother again, waiting to see their reaction.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan nodded, then turned to his brother to explain. “Wen Ning built an ancestral home there for his family.”
“Ah,” mused Lan Xichen with a smile. “That is acceptable. Will Young Master Wei grant some of us passage up there to prepare the site?”
He nodded, a little spooked by the acceptance and the ease with which Lan Xichen took everything in, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The next day, a matchmaker arrived at the school. After a long meeting, during which Wei Wuxian mostly stood there slack-jawed, trying to understand the rapid chain of events that would somehow lead to his wedding to Lan Zhan, a date was finally set. Four weeks from now. Once the date was decided, chaperones were delegated. He still lived with Lan Zhan, but they were never alone. A-Yuan was usually there during the evenings, and he did not go to sleep until both Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan did. During the day, Lan Xichen, his shishu, Luo Qingyang, and even Song Zichen were present one way or another. It became both funny and annoying at the same time. The only silver lining was that, soon, he and Lan Zhan would be married.
On the eve of their wedding, he and Lan Zhan managed to steal a moment alone while everyone else was busy preparing for the next day. They found themselves in the back garden with the rabbits, sitting close together, enjoying the rare moment of peace while stealing chaste kisses and gentle touches. Lan Zhan was somehow adamant about waiting until their wedding night for more. Wei Wuxian did not mind much, because in truth, he was a little nervous about it himself.
“Why did Wei Ying choose to master resentment?” Lan Zhan asked softly.
Wei Wuxian tensed, the calm atmosphere completely shattered, as he tried to formulate a believable explanation. The question was fair. Since they had been reunited, he had somehow managed to avoid the subject every time it came up. Lan Zhan was not stupid and had undoubtedly noticed, but he had never pressed the issue. Even so, there came a point when even the most patient person could no longer wait. The truth was the best solution, but somewhere inside, Wei Wuxian still clung to that oath to never to speak of it to anyone. But this was not just anyone. This was his future husband and someone he trusted. With a deep sigh, and bracing himself for whatever judgment might come his way, he blurted out:
“Because I had no other choice.”
Lan Zhan looked at him, confused, waiting for him to continue. So Wei Wuxian gave him the truth.
“I gave my core to Jiang Cheng because his had been melted by Wen Zhuliu.”
Horrified golden eyes found his as Lan Zhan whispered brokenly, “Wei Ying...”
“It is something I do not regret, Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian's voice remained steady. “I made the decision for him without his knowledge, and Wen Qing performed the transfer. It was revolutionary and completely theoretical, but she did it.” He could not help the note of pride that slipped into his voice. “She did not want to do it, but I can be quite convincing.”
“Why...?” Lan Zhan breathed painfully.
“Because he was the sect leader, with a sect to rebuild, and he needed it more than me.”
Lan Zhan shook his head, as if trying to banish the notion, or the image, from his mind. But Wei Wuxian continued.
“It would have been just me being coreless for the rest of the war if not for Wen Chao, who threw me into the Burial Mounds after he captured me.” He paused briefly ignoring the gasp from Lan Zhan. “To escape that hell, I had to conquer the demons that ruled it.” A faint smile touched his lips, though there was little humour in it. “And I did.” The smile faded. “At a cost, of course.”
Arms squeezed him tightly against a strong chest, and he felt the violent trembling that rocked Lan Zhan's entire frame.
“Lan Zhan...” he whispered reassuringly. “Please calm down. I am alright. I am here. Please, Lan Zhan.”
He ran his hands across his back in soothing motions, but the trembling continued.
“He did not deserve Wei Ying's sacrifice,” Lan Zhan said hoarsely.
Wei Wuxian flinched at the coldness in his voice.
“Maybe,” he admitted, “but that is on him, not me. I do not regret my decision.”
“Wei Ying is too good for this world.”
Lan Zhan pulled back and looked at him. Tears slipping silently down his cheeks, and there was so much urgency in his voice as he said,
“Wei Ying must promise me never to do that ever again.”
Wei Wuxian smiled as reassuringly as he possibly could.
“I promise, Lan Zhan.”
Not that such an opportunity would ever arise, and giving someone a core as strong as his would probably kill them rather than save them.
He wiped the tears from Lan Zhan's face with gentle hands before softly asking,
“Give me your word that you will never share this with anyone, especially Jiang Cheng.”
A stony expression settled over Lan Zhan's features as he replied,
“As long as Wei Ying keeps his promise, I give my word.”
He shook his head slowly.
“Agreed, Lan Zhan,” he said, pulling the man into another tight hug.
“I am glad the curse took the core away. He was unworthy.” declared Lan Zhan unapologetically.
Wei Wuxian flinched at the reminder but said nothing. The curse had made his sacrifice seem somewhat pointless, but he was content knowing that Jiang Cheng had at least been able to rebuild the sect before that happened. It saddened him that things had come to this, but he could not ignore the irony. Jiang Cheng had disrespected his sister's sacrifice, and in the end, the curse had taken away what had been given to him through another sacrifice as well.
The ceremony was simple, witnessed by Lan Xichen, who held Lan Zhan's father's plaque, and Lan Jingyi's father, who held his mother's. His shishu held his father's plaque, while A-Yuan carried his mother's.
Song Zichen was there as well, alongside Luo Qingyang, whose husband remained at the school to prepare for their arrival.
He wanted to show the Wens that their gift had not been wasted and that he was going to live this second chance to the fullest. He cried when he saw the names glow faintly, offering their blessing, and he cried when he bowed to Lan Zhan and saw the wetness in his eyes.
In Yiling, they were greeted by the entire town celebrating their union. Every large courtyard at the school was filled with tables and people feasting and drinking in honour of their union. And he was happy.
Not only that, but he had made peace with Lan Xichen that morning when the man requested a few minutes alone with him.
“I want to ask for your forgiveness for my role in the events that led to your death, and to apologize for my uncouth words that day in the garden.”
“Zewu-jun, there is no need,” Wei Wuxian said, feeling a bit awkward.
But Lan Xichen shook his head and continued.
“I need to get this off my chest, especially since you are going to be my brother-in-law. I never hated you more than after your death because of the grief Wangji was going through.” He paused. “I hated you even more after the truth was revealed, because it showed how flawed we all were and how ignorant we had been in our self-assurance and unquestioned confidence.” His expression grew distant. “The truth was bitter, and I slowly began to realize that I had abandoned Wangji first when I listened to...” a slight grimace twisting his lips. “...the man I called a sworn brother and trusted unflinchingly.” Lan Xichen sighed. “There were signs that I ignored because I was constantly reassured by my uncle, my seniors, and the other sect leaders of your vileness.”
“I did not stop to think and question, as Wangji suggested, because everyone was in agreement.”
He looked at him, sadness lingering in his eyes.
“After the curse, so many things suddenly made sense that I felt truly foolish, yet I was still unable to accept that we had been the villains in this story. That day in the garden, when I realized that not only had you not acknowledged Wangji's feelings, but that you also felt no responsibility for his pain, I was enraged on his behalf.”
Lan Xichen lowered his gaze briefly.
“And I apologize for judging you once again without understanding.”
“You are an older brother worried about your younger brother's happiness. I understand, Zewu-jun, and I forgive you. So please forgive me as well for your brother's grief. Even if I did not know at the time that he cared, I understand now how blind I was and how much began to make sense after we finally clarified things.”
Lan Xichen smiled warmly at him.
“I believe my first impression of you in the Cloud Recesses was correct. I should have trusted my instincts more.”
He bowed deeply.
“I will strive to have more confidence in my own judgment and not ignore my intuition when it is screaming at me.”
That conversation had such a cathartic effect on Wei Wuxian that he felt like hugging the man, but abstained, only to be the one drawn into a brief embrace.
“I enjoy a hug from time to time, and I expect my brother-in-law to indulge me occasionally, since Wangji is not much of a hugger.”
Wei Wuxian did not have the heart to tell him that he was very wrong, because Lan Zhan was actually quite tactile. Maybe not so much in public, but in private...
“I will remember that, Big Brother Lan,” Wei Wuxian said with a cheeky grin.
It was met with a lopsided smile from the other man, revealing a playful side to the sect leader.
And sitting here, surrounded by people celebrating him and Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian let go of whatever burdens from the past still clung to him, ready to begin a new life beside the most amazing man he had ever met.