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At the foot of Hanguang-jun’s rabbit hill was a small, but comfortable stable. When it was first built by the sheepish young Gusu Lan disciples for Wei Wuxian’s donkey, it was said that Lan Qiren burst a blood vessel from the sheer audacity. The recipients of his anger were, of course, those rebellious young disciples and Wei Wuxian himself who was innocently passing by at an unfortunate time.
Lan Qiren roared, arms gesturing furiously, “Two rabbits! Only two! Then a hill of rabbits! Now a donkey?! What is next, a HILL of donkeys???”
He relented in the end, let the donkey stay because he was unable to stand the disciples’ pitiful faces and Wei Wuxian’s obnoxious begging. Maybe he was getting too old, he thought glumly. A few tears should not have mattered to Lan Qiren. He surely wanted to strangle Wei Wuxian most days.
“BUT NO MORE ANIMALS,” he howled in sheer rage.
It was exactly the same thing he said when Lan Wangji won him over with two rabbits years and years ago.
Of course, Wei Wuxian had no interest in raising more animals. Animals did not like him. Didn’t matter if they walked, swam, slithered, or flew…but that was fine, he didn’t care much for them either, unless they were good for eating. He barely even tolerated Lil’ Apple, who was the most spoiled and demanding creature he knew. Such a disobedient animal! Only ever listening to Hanguang-jun and making Wei Wuxian lose face.
Despite his vehemence on the subject, one could still find Wei Wuxian cheerfully carry a basket of fresh apples almost every day.
And so years passed by like this. Sometimes dragging Lil’ Apple out on night-hunting trips across the country with Lan Wangji. Sometimes to carry young Gusu juniors around on the grouchy creature.
These days, Wei Wuxian preferred to stay home and teach, content in his place and enjoying the days pass with lingering peace that he had so rarely felt in his first life. With a cup of tea in his hands, he sat on the rabbit hill pavilion and watched three tiny juniors dutifully take care of the animals, which had now become part of the Gusu Lan responsibilities. The sun felt warm on his face. Closing his eyes, he hummed a light tune and thought of new compositions to make.
The loud braying sound of a donkey throwing a temper tantrum interrupted his thoughts and with an exasperated sigh, he opened his eyes and was immediately met with the sight of the juniors crying in frustration as Lil’ Apple snapped up the grooming brush with his teeth and made for the hill.
“Senior Wei! Senior Wei!” the juniors said loudly, only just barely managing to not break another rule. “Help!”
“For heaven’s sake,” Wei Wuxian said. “What is it now, you stubborn creature?! Did one of them pull too hard, hmm? Was the grass too dry to eat? …Wait, why are you running here? Lil’ Apple, you stop now!”
The braying donkey did not stop, instead kept heading straight to Wei Wuxian who stood in alarm. But to everyone’s surprise, Lil’ Apple didn’t try to bowl him over or bite him – instead, he slowed to stop in front of him and dropped the brush.
Wei Wuxian gave a long blink and daintily covered his grinning mouth with one hand. “Oh my… did you perhaps…”
The juniors gave up on walking elegantly up the hill after the donkey and huffed and puffed to the pavilion. “He wants you to groom him, instead?” one of them, a rather sweet lad, asked bitterly. He tried to arrange his clothes to look less ruffled, the other two copying his actions.
Wei Wuxian picked up the brush, and thoughtfully turned it to the grey coat in front of him. Lil’ Apple’s ears twitched, but besides a contemptuous glance, did not move and was obedient.
“My, my, my,” he said cheerfully. “I suppose he does! Ah, what a surprise! Should I blush?” Although he was outwardly joking, Wei Wuxian truly did feel both pleased and baffled in turn. Lil’ Apple had never willingly run to him before. This, for some reason, made his heart warm.
All three little Lans pouted and tugged on Wei Wuxian’s sleeve, which amused him, so he cooed and pinched their cheeks with his free hand. They were good children. Despite their polite whining, he sent them off to take care of the rabbits instead, which they happily did as it meant they would be able to hold and cuddle them under the guise of chores.
Now then. He turned his attention back to the quiet donkey in front of him and patted his flank lightly. “Lil’ Apple, I have never seen you so likeable before. What has gotten into you?” Unfortunately, Wei Wuxian was not able to speak donkey and so couldn’t translate the loud hurmph that Lil’ Apple made.
But he made sure to pay special attention to his coat and combed lightly through the mane, resuming his soft humming. Slowly, Lil’ Apple’s eyes closed, keeping extra still for the gentle hands on him.
A beam of sunlight illuminated the grey fur. Something glittered in that dark and coarse mane. Wei Wuxian paused and stared. A new feeling came over him. A realization.
Inevitability.
---
What is time to a cultivator? When years can pass like a single blink, do they spare a thought to the mortals who war with time, leaving wrinkles and spots like battle scars?
What is time to an animal? Already so fleeting, do they spare a thought to the end and wonder about what other purpose their lives were for?
What is an animal’s life to a cultivator? How could you compare? When the sands of time continue to flow, so too must the natural order of all things.
---
Wei Wuxian pressed his forehead to Lil’ Apple’s neck and breathed. The donkey was quite stinky. Definitely needed a bath, this one.
“It has been twenty five years since you and I have met,” he said. He pressed his lips together and didn’t speak further.
---
These days, Lil’ Apple had taken to following Wei Wuxian whenever he could. He was not docile by any means and made quite a ruckus when he followed Wei Wuxian out to places he should not be in, such as the teaching courtyards.
“Out, out,” Lan Sizhui laughed. He had grown into a respectable cultivator in his own right, being able to teach younger disciples and lead his own night-hunts. Lil’ Apple bellowed and grumbled until Wei Wuxian emerged from one of the classrooms.
“Oh forget it,” said Wei Wuxian irritably. He stomped to the pair and took over. “Someone else shall have to be substitute in for today's lessons, I suppose. Come along now, Lil’ Apple, you are breaking too many rules here.”
“He seems to have taken a liking to you,” Lan Sizhui observed. “How curious, when he would run at the sight of you previously. No offense, Senior.”
“None taken. Oh look, he is being loveable now, isn’t he?”
Indeed, Lil’ Apple quieted immediately and was pressing into Wei Wuxian’s side insistently.
Wei Wuxian also continued to miss family dinners, making Lan Qiren glare every time they passed each other in the hallway. “The things I do for you,” he muttered to Lil’ Apple. How to cool Uncle’s ire? It was surely impossible!
The new behavior continued, which considerably vexed Lan Wangji, especially at night. Looking into the other’s eyes, he caressed Wei Wuxian’s face and lowered his lashes with special intent. Wei Wuxian, himself, smiled seductively and trailed a finger down Lan Wangji’s chest and up again to where he curled it under his partner’s chin.
Their activities were interrupted by loud braying. Wei Wuxian’s eyes twitched. Lan Wangji’s lips pursed.
“Wei Ying…” he warned. His eyes flashed in an exciting manner, causing Wei Wuxian’s heart to thump.
“I…”
“HEE-HAW.”
“I…I’m sorry! Hanguang-jun, another time!”
“Wei Ying!”
Despite complaining and his loud exasperation, Wei Wuxian never failed in taking care of Lil’ Apple whenever he demanded. At all hours of the day, he could be seen stroking his coat, or grooming his mane. This night was no different as Wei Wuxian pulled himself out from under Lan Wangji to quickly get dressed and led the donkey out to the stable.
After a moment of frustrated silence, Lan Wangji did the same and followed Wei Wuxian outside.
Wei Wuxian was sitting a few feet away from the stable with Lil’ Apple lying in front of him. His back was towards Lan Wangji, and his unbound hair seemed to trail down his back and onto the grass like a river of ink.
“What are you thinking?” Wei Wuxian asked, not even looking up from where he was petting Lil’ Apple’s fur.
“…I am thinking my husband is being seduced by his pet donkey,” Lan Wangji said with a hint of bitterness.
Wei Wuxian laughed oddly, which struck a chord in Lan Wangji’s heart. He frowned, drew closer to the man and sat next to him. Wei Wuxian still didn’t look up.
“It’s a good night, yes?”
“En. The sky is clear. The stars are beautiful.” Lan Wangji looked at the donkey. His fur glittered. Ah. I see.
“Lil’ Apple’s fur has gone quite white, hasn’t it?”
“Mmm. It looks like stars.”
“Hahaha! It does, doesn’t it!”
Lan Wangji reached over and gently turned Wei Wuxian’s face toward him. “Do not hide from me.” He brushed away his tears. “I apologize. I hadn’t realized.”
Wei Wuxian tried to pull away, but Lan Wangji’s grasp became firm. Suddenly, he felt angry. “Don’t look at me,” he snapped.
“Wei Ying.”
“Be silent. I know I am being ridiculous. I am crying over a donkey.”
“No,” Lan Wangji sighed. He pulled lightly, allowing for his partner’s head to rest on his shoulder while one hand rested on the back of his head. “Don't feel ashamed. Wei Ying – he is your friend.”
There was silence. Lan Wangji’s shoulder was slightly wet. “Yes. Yes, he is,” Wei Wuxian finally said when he could control his breathing. “Accompanying me from the moment I woke up in this new life and all throughout our adventures. It was fun, wasn’t it?”
“En.”
“The most stubborn, disobedient, spoiled, and selfish creature I have ever known.”
“En.”
“Yet… I think I really am quite sad. Yes, I am. Because this selfish creature is mine.”
“En.”
Wei Wuxian pulled away, so he could look up at Lan Wangji who cupped his face tenderly. “Lil’ Apple surely knows, otherwise he would not be so obedient in order to be pampered. Why else act so cute and loveable now that it's almost time?” he complained pettily, but then pressed his lips together tightly to prevent a sob.
“One surely wishes to spend time with their beloved person before they pass.”
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened and he quickly glanced to the quietly sleeping Lil’ Apple in his lap. His expression softened. “Stupid donkey,” he grumbled quietly.
“Rabbits,” Lan Wangji said.
“Huh?”
He stroked a stubborn curl down on Wei Wuxian’s head. “The first two. Do you remember?”
“Ah.”
Lan Wangji nodded. “After they passed, I shut myself away for half a month. They were Wei Ying’s gifts. They were Wei Ying’s memento. Everything burned in the fire, but for those rabbits.”
“Lan Zhan…”
“After Wei Ying died, I spent a lot of time with them. When I was sad, I held them. When A-Yuan was sad, I piled them onto him to cheer him up.”
Wei Wuxian looked slightly stunned and Lan Wangji continued, “They were my friends. So, I grieved.”
Wei Wuxian trembled slightly. “I see, I see,” he whispered. In his lap, Lil’ Apple started to stir. He opened weary eyes, made soft noises until Wei Wuxian started petting him again. Wei Wuxian sang softly, a Gusu lullaby.
Lil’ Apple sighed a long and heavy sigh. The grass was soft in this spot. His most loved person was with him. He was content.
---
The next morning, they held a small ceremony. They buried him under an apple tree. A little sore and bleary-eyed from sitting all night, Wei Wuxian managed to talk all the things he wanted to say and recounted many stories.
Afterwards, tiny Gusu Lan disciples tugged on his robes and clung to him, so Wei Wuxian patted each of their little heads and his sleeve became a handkerchief for their adorable faces. They were so cute, Wei Wuxian wanted to bite their plump cheeks!
Even more afterwards, he sat on the rabbit hill pavilion, thoughtfully staring out in the distance. It was good. He was good. All was good.
“Hmph, done moping?”
Wei Wuxian blinked, and turned his head. Lan Qiren had managed to come up beside him without him noticing. His arms were crossed, and he looked impatient.
“Old man! Good to see you. What did you think of the funeral?”
“Tch. Holding a ceremony for an animal – ridiculous!”
Ah. Wei Wuxian’s smile dimmed. Lan Qiren groaned. He reached out and tugged at his ear sharply, causing a loud yelp.
“Ow! What – what are you doing?!!”
“Up!” Lan Qiren roared. He tugged harder and Wei Wuxian stood up,
“I’m up! I’m up! What have I done?!”
It was hard to keep up with the older man’s pace all the way down to the foot of the hill and by the time Lan Qiren let him free, his ear was incredibly sore. He threw a teary glance to him, feeling rather hurt and bewildered. He could not recall what he had done to earn the man’s ire this time.
Lan Qiren groaned again and rubbed his temples. “Just…look.” He gestured out.
At the foot of Hanguang-jun’s rabbit hill was a small, but comfortable stable. Built for a donkey.
Wei Wuxian blinked slowly. “Yeees?” he questioned. He frowned. “If you really want, I shall have it removed, though it’s more up to Lan Zhan, you know.”
“In…side,” Lan Qiren gritted out.
When this stable was first built by the sheepish young Gusu Lan disciples for Wei Wuxian’s donkey, it was said that Lan Qiren burst a blood vessel from the sheer audacity.
“Senior Lan, you must really use your words,” Wei Wuxian scolded as politely as he could. “I have been told I am quite dense, and you Lan men are never really that great at talking anyways–“
“Go!” Lan Qiren kicked his back, causing him to stumble forward with an outraged yelp. Wei Wuxian just barely managed to keep himself from crashing face-first into the stable door.
“Why do you keep–“
Wei Wuxian stopped. He pressed his ear toward the door. His mouth slowly dropped open.
With eyes just as wide, he slowly turned his head.
Lan Qiren was not looking at him and was hiding his face in one hand. “Open the door,” he said, voice muffled. More like a plea, really. His ears were bright red.
He opened the door. And there – sleepily curled on a pile of hay and whining softly – was a small baby donkey.