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I Didn’t Know…
Wei Ying almost choking and then spitting out a large amount of blood alarmed Wangji. So far, Wei Ying had managed to stay on his feet during their escape from Koi Tower, but now his companion had reached his limits.
Wangji fought down his rising panic. It wouldn’t do to give in to despair when the man he loved was bleeding from an stomach wound inflicted on him by his very own nephew, Jin Ling. Looking about, he tried to think of a way to get Wei Ying out of the rain, which was pouring down and chilling them to the bone. In his current state, there was no way Wei Ying could continue on foot, but accepting they were stuck wasn’t an option either.
“Wangji!”
Hearing his name that unexpectedly made him turn around. There was only one person who would call his name with such urgency. “Brother,” he whispered, with more relief than he wanted Xichen to know. The truth was that he hadn’t considered the possibility of his brother coming to their aid. Xichen hadn’t supported him earlier either, so why would he now? His brother had remained at Guangyao’s side instead.
Xichen stopped the horses and dismounted, cursing the fact that the rain was growing worse. He knelt next to his younger brother and quickly checked on Wei Wuxian, who was still alive and hanging on. That the two of them had covered such a large distance amazed him. He knew his brother best and Wangji would head for Gusu, even when believing they might not be welcome there. But the Cloud Recesses would always welcome him, he would make sure his brother remembered that.
“We need to take him home, Wangji. His wound should be looked after and he needs rest. I brought an additional horse. Let’s get him home as quickly as we can.” The expression in his brother’s eyes hurt, because it told him that Wangji hadn’t been sure they would be allowed into Cloud Recesses. “You’re home is with me, brother, and so is Wei Wuxian’s. Let’s take him home, shall we?”
“Thank you, brother,” Wangji said, speaking from the heart. He loved his brother dearly, but Wei Ying was his life. The mere thought of losing him again scared him to death, as he had lost his love before.
Xichen quickly nodded and then averted his gaze, unable to deal with the rising tears in his brother’s eyes. Had he ever seen Wangji cry before? The rain might mask the fact just how emotional Wangji was, but Xichen was fairly certain those were tears gliding down his brother’s face alongside with the raindrops. Wei Ying meant the world to his younger brother; he’d long realized that. “Let’s do this.”
Working together they managed to place the injured, and currently unconscious, man onto the horse. Wangji mounted as well, settling down behind his charge and holding Wei Ying close so he couldn’t fall. “We need to keep the pace low,” Wangji told his brother. “We don’t want to aggravate the wound.” Riding on horseback was both a blessing and a curse. They could easier cover the distance this way, but it might also worsen the bleeding.
Xichen agreed. At least the two of them were no longer on foot, he consoled himself. He steered his horse next to theirs and studied his brother’s expression. Wangji looked determined and Xichen hoped no one would try to stop them, because his younger brother wouldn’t show any mercy. All Wangji wanted was to know Wei Wuxian safe and cared for and he would kill anyone who stopped him from accomplishing that.
Wangji in turn stared straight ahead in spite of feeling his brother’s eyes upon him. “Do you disapprove?” he asked after several minutes had passed by. He tightened his hold on Wei Ying and guided his lolling head against a shoulder, offering the injured man support.
Xichen knew what Wangji was inquiring about. “Of you standing by Wei Wuxian and not allowing him to push you away? I saw what happened, what he did.” Xichen had watched them descend the stairs and hadn’t been surprised when Wei Wuxian had shoved Wangji aside. It had been obvious Wei Wuxian had wanted to offer his younger brother a way out.
Xichen was ashamed to admit he’d hoped Wangji would take it, especially when Jin Guangyao mentioned Wei Wuxian not merely tricking Jin Ling, but Wangji as well. Where Wei Wuxian had accepted Jin Guangyao’s offer to let Wangji off the hook, his younger brother had refused to give in.
Hearing Wangji denying being tricked and then moving to stand next to Wei Wuxian had caused his heart to momentarily stop beating. He’d closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them again, he would find everything had merely been a bad dream. But then reality had set in and the two of them had started fighting. It was easy to tell that Wei Wuxian was out of practice, no longer wielding Suibian with the ease with which he used to.
Seeing Su She attack Wei Wuxian from behind had angered him. What kind of cultivator attacked from the back? Luckily Wangji had been there to save Wei Wuxian.
And then matters had gotten even worse. Jin Ling, urged on by Jin Guangyao, had stabbed Wei Wuxian, who hadn’t defended himself and accepted his punishment. It was his younger brother who had pushed Jin Ling aside, drawing the blade from the wound and supporting the injured man, while he himself had remained at Jin Guangyao’s side, choosing not to get involved - yet.
Although he knew Wei Wuxian was being played and needed help, he’d decided not to draw any attention to his own person, wanting Jin Guangyao to believe his deception had been successful. At that time it had seemed the best move to make strategically, but he shouldn’t have deserted his younger brother like that. It was the very reason why he’d set off to find them and offer his help. Did Wangji blame him for waiting so long?
Wangji was unaware of the thoughts that troubled his older brother. He had no interest in putting blame on anyone except for Jin Guangyao. The only thing that mattered was taking care of the man he loved. Raising his head, he glared at the heavens, willing the rain to stop pouring down on them. They were drenched and Wei Ying shivered violently in front of him, which made him tighten his hold. The rain and cold only worsened his condition.
It would take them at least three more hours to reach Cloud Recesses, which was too long as far as he was concerned. He could have maneuvered his sword instead, but what if he’d lost control, causing them to plummet to the earth? He simply couldn’t take that risk. “You have to endure, do you hear me? Don’t you dare give up, Wei Ying. I’ll see you through this.”
Hearing his brother’s desperate plea, Xichen became even more determined to make sure Wei Wuxian survived.
//
The next three hours were the hardest in Wangji’s life. The fact that Wei Ying was wounded and that he couldn’t do anything to help was driving him mad. All he could do was to make sure Wei Ying didn’t tumble from the horse, and so he held on tight, softly humming the song he’d composed for the man he loved. Occasionally he had to stop and readjust his hold because Wei Ying was beginning to slip away from him. After Wei Ying was once more secure, he’d tell the horse to tread lightly.
Xichen wished he could do more, but until they reached Cloud Recesses his hands were bound. It was still raining heavily and stopping to allow Wei Wuxian to rest would only worsen matters. That stomach wound needed cleaning and bandaging and only then could the young man start to recover.
//
They reached Cloud Recesses shortly after sunset. There was no one to welcome them and they quickly made their way to the jingshi where Wangji intended to care for his love.
“Slowly,” Xichen admonished his brother, who lowered an unconscious Wei Wuxian carefully into his waiting arms. “We don’t want to worsen the wound.” Wei Wuxian appeared to have lost a considerable amount of blood, judging by the way Wangji’s white robes were soaked in it.
It vexed Wangji that he couldn’t carry Wei Ying himself, but he had to dismount first and then quickly preceded into the jingshi, readying the bed and collecting the supplies they needed in order to take care of the wound. He slipped out of his drenched outer robes, but didn’t bother to change into dry ones. Taking care of Wei Ying came first.
Xichen carried the injured man into the jingshi and gently placed him on the floor. Their charge was soaked to the skin and they needed to get him dry first before they put him in the bed. “Do you want me to assist you?” he asked his younger brother, who was eager to attend to Wei Wuxian’s wound and already undressing the injured man. He wouldn’t hold it against Wangji if he preferred to do this on his own.
“It would be best if you helped,” Wangji admitted reluctantly. Although he did want some privacy, his older brother was an accomplished healer and he would be mad to decline the help.
Xichen nodded and helped Wangji undress the unconscious man, vexed at the many, now drenched, layers of clothing he wore. It took them several minutes of carefully maneuvering Wei Wuxian to get him naked. The stomach wound looked angry and bled excessively. Since Wei Wuxian had also thrown up blood, he reckoned there was internal bleeding to deal with as well.
Wangji quickly dried Wei Ying’s skin and covered his lower body with a warm blanket before concentrating on giving him healing energy, trusting his brother to take of the stomach wound.
Xichen took his time cleaning the affected area which he then covered with medicinal herbs that encouraged healing. In order to bandage the wound he needed Wangji’s help. While he helped Wei Wuxian sit up, Wangji supported the unconscious man. Together, they managed to dress the wound and made sure the bandages were in place. If they rushed this, the injury might not heal well. “Wangji, we need clean clothes.”
Wangji checked on the dressings one more time and was relieved to find the bleeding had stopped. Hopefully infection wouldn’t set in, but it might happen since they’d been out in the rain for too long. He quickly collected black pants and a white tunic. With his brother’s help, he put them on the sleeping man. Seeing Wei Ying in his innermost clothes caused Wangji to swallow convulsively as his emotions were getting the better of him. He wanted nothing more than to take care of him for the rest of his life.
“Thank you, brother,” he said, after they’d moved Wei Ying to the bed. While covering the sleeping man, Wangji turned and made eye contact. “Thank you for letting me bring him here.” His right hand rested on Wei Ying’s lower abdomen, near the wound, but not putting any pressure on it. He had to make sure it wasn’t bleeding.
“How could I possibly deny you, Wangji? You love him. Of course Wei Wuxian is welcome here.” He had long realized how deep his brother’s love ran and he would never betray Wangji’s trust in him. The fact that Wangji had wrapped his forehead ribbon around Wei Wuxian’s wrist in the pond that day had merely confirmed that this was the one where his younger brother was concerned.
Wangji lowered his gaze, feeling oddly embarrassed at hearing his brother actually speak those words. Xichen always tried to reassure him that having these feelings was normal, but he himself still struggled with the attraction. Each time Wei Ying smiled at him, the earth beneath his feet shook and he was afraid he’d never find his footing again. Wei Ying had completely upended his life. His older brother told him that was a good thing, however Wangji wasn’t sure he agreed. The last time he’d felt this way was when they had lost their mother.
“I’ll check on him in the morning. Try to rest, Wangji.” Xichen briefly squeezed his younger brother’s shoulder. “He’ll recover and in a few days, he’ll be at your side again. Have faith.” Xichen knew it was a lot to ask of a boy who’d lost his mother and never truly recovered from that loss. Seeing Wei Wuxian like that had to remind Wangji that he’d lost his love before. Losing him again might drive his younger brother over the edge. When he left, his heart was heavy, but at the same time filled with hope.
//
Wei Ying was peacefully asleep, safely tucked away in bed, which meant he could afford a moment to change into clean clothes. Wangji collected Wei Ying’s wet robes and then stared at the blood that stained his own white ones; Wei Ying’s blood. They had hurt him!
Fighting down the anger that threatened to immobilize him, Wangji removed his wet clothes and slipped into clean ones. After lighting several candles and putting incense in the burner, he returned to Wei Ying’s side. Taking hold of the sleeping man’s hand felt like trespassing, but he did it anyway, as the physical contact grounded him.
It didn’t take long for him to doze off, although he’d fully intended to keep watch. His dreams that night were uneasy and filled with nightmares, showing him how they’d run down the stairs, but this time Jin Ling pierced Wei Ying’s heart instead, instantly killing the man he loved. And Wei Ying died –again.
Wangji woke up with a scream on his lips, which he managed to swallow before voicing it. It wouldn’t do to wake Wei Ying like that. Sleep was out of the question for now, as he had no intention of revisiting that particular nightmare. So he busied himself making tea and drinking it while closely watching Wei Ying, whose sleep thankfully remained peaceful. This time, he managed to stay awake and keep watch.
//
The next morning, Wangji checked the wound and was relieved to find no blood on the dressings. Next he brought over a bowl filled with tepid water and tenderly cleaned Wei Ying’s face. Looking at the man, sleeping so peacefully, he realized he wanted this. He really wanted Wei Ying as his cultivation partner. And they were married already, he just lacked the courage to tell him. Checking on the wound on Wei Ying’s arm, he frowned.
The spell Mo Xuanyu had used caused four deep cuts on Wei Ying’s arm. Three of them had healed, but one was still open and bleeding slightly. He cleaned it and realized it wouldn’t heal until Wei Ying had carried out Mo Xuanyu’s revenge.
Wangji would never forget the excitement he’d felt when he’d been called to Mo Manor to deal with the sword ghost. The moment he’d sensed the Stygian Tiger Seal’s influence on the blade he’d dared to hope. A hope which he’d locked away after searching for so many long years. In the end, despair had set in and he’d almost abandoned all hope. But then a figure had moved through the night and his heart had told him it was Wei Ying.
However, why didn’t want Wei Ying to be found? Why was the other man running from him? Although their parting had been tumultuous, Wei Ying had to know that he would stand by his side. Seeing Wei Ying falling down the cliff would haunt him forever. He’d secured a hold on the desperate man and he’d been about to haul him back up when Jiang Wanyin had appeared.
Wei Ying’s expression had told that the other man expected Jiang Wanyin to end his life, but then the sword had struck the rock instead. Wei Ying’s eyes had filled with terror once more, seeing it had loosened the rock Wangji was standing on. Wei Ying had let go, choosing to fall to his death so he wouldn’t pull him with him. During one terrible moment he’d considered jumping after the man he loved, but he knew, deep in his heart, that Wei Ying didn’t want that. After all, Wei Ying had let go in order to save him.
That didn’t mean he’d forgiven himself for his failure. He never would. His regret would always remain with him, knowing how bitterly he’d let Wei Ying down. And then Wei Ying had returned to him. He’d known for sure the moment he’d heard the song he’d composed, played by a figure clad in black, hiding behind a mask, with a flute at his lips. Realization had been instant; Wei Ying had returned to him.
Jiang Wanyin had wanted to take Wei Ying, who’d fainted, with him, but Wangji had stepped in front of the fallen figure. This time, he wouldn’t fail him and keep him safe. Jiang Wanyin had raged, but then he’d collected Jin Ling and marched away, telling him he was welcome to look after the charlatan.
No charlatan, Wangji had reminded himself, but Wei Ying. After gathering the unconscious man in his arms he’d maneuvered his sword to take them home, to Cloud Recesses. Had it been up to him, Wei Ying would have never left his jingshi again as he needed to know him safe.
Xichen watched his brother for quite some time, unwilling to intrude when Wangji was lost in thought. His younger brother’s right hand rested above Wei Wuxian’s heart, which had once carried a Wen brand. Xichen sighed troubled, remembering when he’d found out that Wangji had branded himself in a similar way.
At that time he’d been worried for his brother’s mental state, but Wangji had simply carried on, fulfilling his duties. He did blame himself for being so strict in the past. Instead of the love the child had needed, Wangji had been pressured into being the perfect disciple.
“How does he fare this morning?” Xichen said, judging it wise to announce his arrival. He’d brought food with him, along with more medicinal herbs to aid Wei Wuxian’s recovery. Before he left, he would make sure his brother had eaten.
“I sense a mild fever on him, but he’s resting. His sleep was undisturbed,” Wangji informed his older brother before rising from the floor to make way for Xichen.
Xichen removed the blanket and parted the shirt to examine the wound. After loosening the bandages, he carefully probed the injury. Thankfully his patient remained asleep during the proceedings. “There’s no sign of infection,” he observed, which was nothing short of a miracle, considering how long they’d walked in the pouring rain before he’d found them. “The fever is to be expected. At this point it’s hardly anything to worry about, but I’ll prepare a herbal tea to lower his temperature.”
Xichen once more took his time replacing the medicinal herbs pressing against the wound before reapplying the bandages. After closing the shirt and covering his charge with the blanket, he looked at his younger brother. Wangji hovered close, more nervous than he wanted him to know, but Xichen easily identified the telltale signs. “He’ll be fine, Wangji,” he reassured and briefly squeezed his brother’s arm.
Wangji nodded. His brother’s words reassured him, but the fever continued to worry him. “I’ll prepare hot water for the tea.” Glad he had something to do, he disappeared into the kitchen area, trusting his brother to look after their patient.
Xichen sighed deeply before smiling at his sleeping charge. “You’d better make a full recovery, Wei Wuxian.”
When his brother bought the hot water, he busied himself preparing the tea and then helped Wangji feed their patient the medicinal concoction. “It should bring down his fever before nightfall,” he told his brother, who gave him a disgruntled look. “Medicine takes time to work,” he gently reminded him.
Wangji still didn’t like it. “Thank you for caring for him.” Xichen hadn’t let him down; his brother had pulled through and was supporting him even though knowing Lan Qiren wouldn’t approve of any of this.
“You’re my brother, Wangji. Don’t you know that I love you and want you to be happy?” Since Wangji averted his gaze and looked ill at ease, he decided not to push it, but he did want his brother to know one more thing.
“You should tell him, Wangji. Maybe he never realized what wrapping your forehead ribbon around his wrist meant. Perhaps he thinks you merely did that in order to protect him.” It would be easy to pretend the event had never happened, but he couldn’t. According to Lan Clan rules Wangji and Wei Wuxian were married, had been married for many years. “Don’t you think you’ve made him wait long enough?”
Wangji cringed slightly. “He copied our rules many times,” he recalled, having supervised Wei Ying’s punishment back then. “How can he not know?”
Shaking his head, Xichen smiled kindly. “He was in danger and you saved his life. You never voiced your intention to marry him. Knowing Wei Wuxian the way I do, it never crossed his mind that you’d want him. You did pretend to hate him, remember?”
“Not hate. He was merely annoying.” A small smile surfaced on his features. “He was relentlessly harassing me back then.”
“He wanted you to notice him,” Xichen explained patiently. “You ignored him and he liked you, so he began to pester you.” Sometimes his younger brother was stubborn and this was one of those times. “Talk to him. Tell him,” he advised as he collected his supplies. “I’ll bring you dinner in the evening. Hopefully he’s awake by then.”
“Thank you, brother,” Wangji said before sitting down on the floor next to the bed so he could watch over Wei Ying.
Xichen shook his head slightly, wondering if his brother would ever work up the courage to tell Wei Wuxian –he did hope so. He left them like that: their patient sound asleep in bed and Wangji guarding him.
//
Sunlight, warm and welcoming, spread across his face and made him close his eyes again, which he’d begun to carefully open. The light was too bright and he needed a moment to get used to it. The first thing he noticed was that he was safe. He was in a bed, resting comfortably. His body felt heavy and he was glad he was lying down, as he wasn’t sure his legs would carry him. Birds singing their songs welcomed the morning and he listened for a while, savoring the fact that he was safe.
But he couldn’t postpone finding out where he was indefinitely. The last thing he remembered was coughing up blood and Lan Zhan giving him a startled look. He must have lost consciousness after that because there was a big black hole where his memories were supposed to be. It had rained, he remembered that and he’d been soaked. Yet Lan Zhan had remained at his side, supporting him and taking him into safety.
Lan Zhan –merely thinking of the other man made him smile. The fool hadn’t taken his chance to get out with his reputation intact. When Jin Guangyao had implied Lan Zhan had been fooled, he’d been more than willing to take the way out offered to him. He would have surrendered himself if it had meant keeping the other man safe.
He shifted slightly, trying to get into a more comfortable position and realized the stomach wound had mostly healed, as it didn’t trouble him that much. But he did feel tired and a soft gasp escaped him as he tried to sit up. Maybe he’d overestimated himself after all? The rustle of moving fabric and someone getting to his feet told him he wasn’t alone and it made him tense, but he relaxed when Lan Zhan walked toward him.
During his meditation he’d anchored himself to Wei Ying’s breathing. The moment it changed and a pained gasp echoed through the room he opened his eyes. Wei Ying was awake and moving about. He disliked the later and quickly moved to offer his help. “Wei Ying,” he whispered, incredibly relieved the other man was awake and apparently alert, as Wei Ying greeted him with a weak smile. “Let me,” he offered at once, helping him sit upright.
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispered, smiling warmly at the realization that his companion had taken care of him while he’d been healing. “How did we end up here? The last thing I remember is rain pouring down and coughing up blood.” Wei Ying licked his lips, suddenly feeling nervous because Lan Zhan remained close to him, seated on the side of the bed. When had Lan Zhan taken hold of his hand and was now cradling it within his? It was nice, no, it was even more than that - it felt right.
“I’ll tell you,” Wangji promised, but first he wanted to check if the wound hadn’t started bleeding again since Wei Ying had moved about. Xichen had assured him the injury was healing, but he was determined to be careful. “Your stomach wound?”
“It’s fine,” Wei Ying quickly dismissed his worries. “I’m fine.” Still, Lan Zhan moved closer and pushed the fabric out of his way so he could check on the bandages. It felt oddly intimate and he couldn’t help growing flustered. He tried telling himself not to read too much into the gesture. Lan Zhan was merely checking his wound!
Seeing the bandages weren’t tainted with fresh blood, Wangji allowed himself to relax slightly. He covered Wei Ying up, but then reached for the arm sporting the deep cut. Uncovering it as well, he briefly stared at it before making eye contact with a fidgety Wei Ying.
Wei Ying pulled his arm out of Lan Zhan’s hold and tucked it against his stomach. He covered it with his hand, as if hiding it made it go away.
“It’s due to the sacrifice summons Mo Xuanyu used. That curse still affects you,” Wangji summarized. If Wei Ying failed to carry out Mo Xuanyu’s revenge the wound wouldn’t heal and the spell would eventually destroy him. It only made him more determined to protect Wei Ying.
Wei Ying knew it was time for a distraction. Lan Zhan acted strangely and the look directed at him caused him to feel lightheaded. He had no idea what was going on, but it would be best to steer their conversation back to Jin Guangyao. “Do you think –“
“No,” Wangji said determinedly, slightly shaking his head. “We’re not yet done discussing your injuries.” Xichen was right; he mused. He should tell Wei Ying, who had already died once without knowing how much he was loved. A few days ago, he’d come close to losing Wei Ying again and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing him without the other man knowing how much he loved him.
“Lan Zhan, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” Searching his surroundings in an attempt to evade Lan Zhan’s piercing gaze, he realized where he was. “You took me to the Cloud Recesses? This is your jingshi?” He’d been here before and recognized the place. “What if your brother finds out I’m here?”
Wangji remained calm and focused. Before the day ended, he promised himself Wei Ying would know how much he loved him. “Xichen helped me bring you home. We cared for you these last few days. He’s eager for you to make this your home.” He’d countered that diversion and was once more preparing to confess his feelings to Wei Ying.
“That’s very kind of him. I shall thank him properly later. Now, can I get up?” Lan Zhan’s odd gaze made him anxious. The other man was hiding something from him, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out what that was!
“Not yet,” Wangji decreed, locking Wei Ying in place by gently resting his hands on the other man’s shoulders. “I want you to listen to me first.”
Wei Ying grinned. “Don’t worry, Lan Zhan! I’m not eager to die again! I had no idea Jin Ling was going to stab me. The next time I’ll be more careful. No reason to panic.” He had to admit that it was rather cute how worried Lan Zhan was about him. “I promise.”
Wangji could no longer contain himself and blurted out, “Don’t make me a widower again, Wei Ying!”
Wei Ying blinked, quite stunned. “Widower?” What was Lan Zhan talking about?
“When you let go all those years ago and fell down that cliff you made me one,” Wangji repeated, although he could tell that Wei Ying had no idea what was going on. “I’ve waited for you for so long and now that you’re back I’m going to do my duty as your husband to keep you safe!”
“Husband?” Wei Ying stuttered, wondering what had gotten into Lan Zhan. “You’re acting like we’re married!” He would have noticed something like that! Lan Zhan had never even mentioned liking him in that way! “Are you having a fever? Didn’t you get any sleep? Maybe you’re exhausted –“ He didn’t manage the rest of his sentence because his lips were suddenly otherwise engaged, namely in a kiss. A fierce and very passionate kiss, which made him move closer. Before he knew it, he was kissing Lan Zhan back, with a despair and frenzy he’d never realized he carried inside him. At the same moment, his stomach wound acted up since he was moving about, making him groan in pain.
Wangji immediately released Wei Ying’s lips and quickly checked the bandages. This was his fault. Wei Ying ought to be resting, instead he was at the receiving end of the emotional turmoil he’d unwilling released. “You’re in pain!”
“Calm down, Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying searched the other man’s expression and realized how stupid he’d been. He resisted the urge to slap himself, knowing Lan Zhan wouldn’t allow it. How blind had he been? “You love me,” he whispered smugly.
“What gave me away? Kissing you?” Wangji wasn’t satisfied yet and carefully probed the wound with his fingertips. Since the injury hadn’t started to bleed again, he reckoned Wei Ying was in discomfort because he’d moved around, not because the wound itself was acting up. “You need to be more careful.”
“Tell me, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispered seductively, “how long have you been in love with me?” And why hadn’t Lan Zhan told him? Lan Zhan being in love with him had never crossed his mind. Yes, they were friends, soul mates even, but Lan Zhan had never hinted he’d like them to be lovers too. And to be honest, he’d always thought Lan Zhan was way out of his league. He would never have dared claiming him in that way. “When did it start?”
Wangji snorted indignantly. “Can’t you tell? Are you really that blind?” Wei Ying’s confused expression told him the other man might indeed have had no clue about the attraction. “I fell in love with you when I saw you smuggling Emperor’s Smile into Cloud recesses. Your smile… The way you looked at me… I was defenseless. After that incident I wanted to see you smile as often as possible.”
“And you never told me!” Wei Ying playfully swatted Lan Zhan’s chest, ignoring the painful twitch emanating from his wound. “But that doesn’t explain why you think you’re my husband. We never got married! I’d most certainly remember that.”
“But we did get married,” Wangji explained, slowly losing his patience. For some time, he’d thought Wei Ying merely pretended being ignorant, but he was beginning to realize the other man really hadn’t known. “In that pond, when I wrapped my forehead ribbon around our wrists. After that, according to Lan Clan regulations we were married. I’ve been your husband ever since.” Wei Ying’s expression showed disbelief and even shock. “You never realized what happened that day? I let you touch my headband after that! I didn’t even object when you took it in that cave to set my leg!”
“Oh.” Wei Ying hadn’t realized any of that. “Honestly, it never crossed my mind! I merely needed it to mend your leg. I never realized that…” And suddenly he remembered; only parents or significant others could touch it. He’d even chuckled back then when Lan Zhan had mentioned a wife could touch it. Imagining Lan Zhan married to a woman had been impossible and now he -finally- understood why. “I truly never realized…” he started, but then lost track of what he’d wanted to say.
“It’s mostly my fault,” Wangji admitted as he claimed his husband’s hand and intertwined their fingers. “I was convinced you knew, but chose not to act on it.”
“I really didn’t know.” Wei Ying watched their joined hands and remembered that day in the pond like it had happened yesterday. “I merely thought you wanted to keep me safe. It never, and I mean never, crossed my mind you wanted me as your husband.”
Growing shy now that the truth was out, Wangji cautiously made eye contact. “Do you want that? Being married to me? Do you want me as your husband?”
“Of course I do!” Wei Ying didn’t need to think about it. He’d always greatly cared about Lan Zhan and realized now, that feeling had long deepened into love. “It’s my greatest desire to be married to you.” He’d never thought he would end up married one day – who would want him? And married to Lan Zhan? It was hard to process that this was happening. “Are you sure you want me, Lan Zhan?” he asked, realizing only too well how much trouble he was. “All clans want me dead.”
Wangji hated seeing the sadness in his husband’s eyes and reminded himself it was up to him to make Wei Ying happy. “I’ll make sure you survive. No one will ever hurt you again.” Jin Ling had caught him by surprise and he was still angry with himself for not stopping the youngster. “You have my sword and my heart. They’re both yours for eternity.”
“I didn’t know you were a romantic, Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying raised his hand and caressed the other man’s face. His husband! Lan Zhan was his husband. “I promise not to make you a widower again.” Damn, now the excessive mourning Lan Zhan had gone through made sense. “I promise to be careful and to let you do the fighting.” Although he wasn’t up to another emotional revelation, he knew he needed to tell Lan Zhan about his missing golden core. But not now. Right now, he wanted to bask in Lan Zhan’s love for him.
“You’d better,” Wangji warned him before shifting closer and wrapping his arms around Wei Ying. Guiding him closer, he claimed those lips again, which were already slightly bruised. No matter the dangers they would face while taking down Jin Guangyao, he would make sure Wei Ying remained unharmed!
The end