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Archery lessons had continued apace over the next week or so and Wei Wuxian was...mostly satisfied with the results thus far. Some had more natural talent, though of course none of them yet had a patch on his own skills – but then, they had not been firing arrows their entire lives.
Lan Jingyi had made surprisingly good progress despite how easily he became distracted but, in Wei Wuxian's humble opinion – which was not in any way biased at all – A-Yuan was his best student by miles. Even having started lessons after the others, he'd soon out-paced nearly all of them.
It seemed that, just like his father, he was good at everything.
This particular day, Wei Wuxian had finally convinced Wen Ning to join in. His friend had largely tried to stay invisible since his arrival, always blending in to the background – though most of the disciples wouldn't have it, fascinated and often seeking him out. Honestly, Wei Wuxian thought he was likely overwhelmed by all the attention, so for once he had heroically restrained himself and hadn't been pushing too much.
Until now.
“Come watch with me, Wen Ning,” he encouraged, “today they're going to try shooting the kites, just so they can all see how useless they are!”
A-Yuan frowned down at them, up on the small hill they'd chosen, where he was helping some of the others to launch the kites they'd made (an earlier activity they'd also taken part in where Lan Jingyi had somehow narrowly avoided getting a splinter in his eye).
“Master Wei,” A-Yuan called down, “is taking part in this activity, knowing we're going to fail, really going to help us?”
“Oh, indeed!” Wei Wuxian yelled back. “Sometimes a man needs to attempt something, even knowing it will end in failure!” Pleased with his wisdom, he tapped Chenqing against his shoulder. “Builds character.”
A-Yuan seemed dubious, initially, but then nodded. “I understand. Thank you, Master Wei. You may be among the best teachers we've ever had.” Wei Wuxian nodded smugly at the praise before hearing A-Yuan add quietly, “Also the worst.”
His eyes narrowed as he brought a hand up to his ear. “What was that?”
“I said I'd like to go first,” A-Yuan called back.
Wei Wuxian continued squinting up at him, until he turned to Wen Ning who was still standing next to him. “He just lied to me, didn't he?”
Wen Ning looked torn between telling the truth and not wanting to insult either one of them. “Master Wei, I'm sure I remember reading that members of the Lan Clan are not allowed to lie.”
“Well you'd think so, yes,” Wei Wuxian agreed, twirling Chenqing around his fingers, “but Lan Zhan lies all the time,” he announced, clearly remembering the two or three times it'd ever happened. “The Honourable Hanguang Jun,” he mocked, pouting before gesturing towards the hill. “And clearly his son has inherited his father's skill for deception.”
“Perhaps...not?” Wen Ning suggested, gaining Wei Wuxian's interest. “After all, Master Wei, you lied for a long time about the sacrifice you made for your brother. Maybe this is something A-Yuan learned from you, instead.”
That...actually made a lot more sense. And deception truly could be a very useful skill when wanting to protect yourself, or others. Though, of course, he would never openly teach such a thing – especially since he and Lan Zhan were so honest with each other now and he wouldn't change that for anything – for a moment he felt almost violently proud of A-Yuan's underhandedness.
I did that, he thought. Me!
Clearly it needed rewarding. “Very well!” he finally called back up. “You can go first, A-Yuan!”
Feeling very pleased with himself indeed, Wei Wuxian rocked on the balls of his feet and felt very good about life in general.
It didn't last long.
“Master Wei,” a voice suddenly called from behind him, “you have visitors.”
Eyes widening in surprise, he turned to ask who it was – when he saw exactly who it was, standing some twenty feet away. They hadn't followed the usual protocol, instead having brought themselves straight to him. But then, considering who they were, that wasn't really a surprise.
Wei Wuxian couldn't tell who they were glaring at more – himself, or Wen Ning.
“Wen Ning,” he said quietly, touching him gently on the arm, “you stay here.”
“Yes, Master,” he all but whispered, lowering his head as he quietly shuffled away.
Clearing his throat, Wei Wuxian tucked Chenqing through his belt and started crossing the distance between them. “Thank you,” he said absently to the disciple who'd brought them in, but his gaze never left his brother's face.
He could hardly believe they were there, that they'd willingly travelled the distance between Yunmeng and Gusu for him. Neither one of them looked happy about it – of course – but they'd come just the same.
Forcing a smile onto his face, he bowed to both of them. “Clan Leader Jiang,” he greeted, “Clan Leader Jin. Thank you for travelling all this way.”
They bowed in return which was – something. Though either one of them had yet to speak a word.
A fact that soon changed when Jin Ling yelled and waved to the disciples still up on the hill. “Sizhui!” he bellowed. “Jingyi!” He set off after them, immediately, clearly intent on seeing his friends whether his uncle wanted him to or not.
“You-” Jiang Cheng began, reaching out, but Jin Ling was already long gone, jogging towards the hill.
Wei Wuxian forced himself not to smile – then didn't have to force anything when another matter crossed his mind. “Did, uh, he bring-”
“The dog isn't here,” Jiang Cheng muttered, much to Wei Wuxian's relief. He put a hand to his chest just at the thought of having to face that thing.
Gaze returning to the group of people behind them, Jiang Cheng continued, “Though I see yours is.”
Anger flashed through Wei Wuxian at the insult – his brother had always been able to make his anger flare faster than anyone else. “His name is Wen Ning,” he ground out, “and he was as much a victim as anyone else.”
Jiang Cheng had been there, after all, when the truth about Su She's involvement had been revealed. He knew as well as anyone that Wen Ning had not been in control of his own actions.
Rather than say that or apologise, however, Jiang Cheng elected to act as if he hadn't said anything at all. “This place hasn't changed much,” he observed instead, pointedly looking around.
Forcing himself to take the olive branch for what it was – knowing he was unlikely to get a better one – Wei Wuxian tried his best to let his anger pass over him and fake some pleasantness. He'd certainly done it enough times in front of those idiots at Koi Tower. “So,” he began again with too much energy, deciding to try starting this over from the beginning, “you came.”
“Obviously I came,” Jiang Cheng replied, giving up his fake perusal of Cloud Recesses. “You are seeing me before you, are you not?”
He almost wished he wasn't, right now. “It's just I hadn't heard back from you after sending the letter-”
“Hard for me to respond formally when you provide no actual date,” Jiang Cheng told him, which was not without merit.
“That's only because I was waiting on-” Wei Wuxian paused, taking a moment to calm himself once more. “I am just surprised that you came at all,” he tried again.
“Yes,” Jiang Cheng sniffed, looking away. “Well. Inter-sect marriages should always be recognised. And Jin Ling wanted to come,” he offered as well, as if he'd had no say in the matter whatsoever.
Wei Wuxian was dumbfounded as he stared at his brother, trying to take those words in, but knew better than to point out that, technically, at the moment he wasn't a member of any clan. “You should pay your respects to the old man,” he suggested instead. “Do you want me to take-?”
“I remember the way,” Jiang Cheng announced proudly, brushing past him, and proved his point by immediately walking in the right direction.
Letting out a long breath – truly, these next few days were going to test all his willpower – Wei Wuxian set his shoulders and followed after him.
Having managed to wrangle Jin Ling into submission on the way – there'd been a few threats, though to Wei Wuxian they'd seemed less than usual – the three of them soon stood in front of Lan Qiren, who spoke to them from behind his table.
“Clan Leader Jiang, Clan Leader Jin,” he returned their greeting, bowing. “Please know that you will be our honoured guests during your stay here. Though, please have some patience with us while we prepare your lodgings appropriately. Had we been aware that you were coming in advance, well...” his words trailed off as he looked over the three of them. “Let's just say there is no doubt that you all come from the same family.”
All three of them glared back, aware there was some kind of insult.
Gratefully escaping the building a short time later, Jin Ling ran ahead of them. “Honoured guests, my foot,” he complained, kicking a small rock across the courtyard – which promptly hit a birdbath, spooking the birds into flying away, subsequently spooking Jin Ling in to running away lest he get into trouble.
Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng shared a looked. Wei Wuxian thought it was about Jin Ling at first, but then Jiang Cheng said,
“That's the family you want to marry in to?”
This smile was genuine, though knowing. “The heart wants what it wants,” he shrugged. “Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen more than make up for their uncle's...” entire attitude, rudeness, strict adherence to ridiculous rules, old-fashioned values, “eccentricities. And besides,” he grinned, knocking his brother's shoulder with his own, “Lan Qiren also has to put up with me.”
“Huh,” Jiang Cheng snorted. “You're right. He does have the worse end of the deal.”
“You-” Wei Wuxian began, shoving him – when both of them froze, realising what had just happened.
They stared at each other in silence until Jiang Cheng cleared his throat. “I should make sure Jin Ling is behaving himself,” he said, and promptly vanished.
Not literally, of course, but as Wei Wuxian watched him leave with sad eyes, the speed at which he moved after his nephew was almost as effective.
*
A few hours – and some terrible archery – later, Wei Wuxian was hard at work in the jingshi, trying desperately to cultivate some kind of opinion about fashion. The area had never been his strong point – the only opinions he ever had about fashion were that Lan Zhan looked good in absolutely everything.
Now that Jiang Cheng was here, however, this little task he'd perhaps been putting off needed to move full steam ahead before his brother changed his mind. He honestly wouldn't put it past him.
It was red, of course, and the material was excellent quality, of course, but...that was honestly all he felt about the matter. He knew, really, in his heart that Lan Zhan wouldn't care what he wore. But he was only planning on getting married once, so had decided he should probably look his best if this was to be the happiest memory of his life.
“I don't know,” he said hopelessly to the robemaker, both of them studying the robes hanging before them, “some beads?”
He was perhaps saved from this dilemma when Jiang Cheng barged in without warning. “Wei Wuxian,” he began intently, obviously having something on his mind, “I need to speak to-” He was brought up short when he saw just what they were working on, the intention and energy leaving him immediately. It wasn't long before he gave Wei Wuxian a look that he was incredibly familiar with. A look that he'd seen many times over the previous decades.
A look that said he was an idiot.
Jiang Cheng shook his head. “You're really working on that with the doors open?”
“Lan Zhan has been told not to enter for the time being,” he shrugged. “Unlike the two of us, he's a man who knows how to follow the rules.”
“That's a matter of opinion,” Jiang Cheng muttered.
Wei Wuxian magnanimously let that comment pass, because it was extremely true. “What do you think?” he asked, gesturing to his marriage robes perhaps a little desperately. He doubted Jiang Cheng knew much of fashion either – unless he'd changed more than he'd ever realised over the past sixteen years – but at this point he was willing to listen to anyone.
“Does it matter?” he asked bluntly.
Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. “I'd get married in a red sack if I could, and while I know Lan Zhan wouldn't care I also don't want to embarrass his family. I really need another opinion, Jiang Cheng and...” he smirked, setting the challenge, “...why else come to Cloud Recesses at all if not to make fun of me?”
It worked. “You're you,” Jiang Cheng told him, “I'm certain you've embarrassed his family somehow already. But...fine,” he shrugged, “put it on.”
Wei Wuxian valiantly resisted the urge to complain at the slight – mostly because he was confused. “Huh?”
“I cannot give a full opinion until you are wearing it,” his brother explained as if talking to a particularly annoying brand of idiot, “so put it on.”
So he did, which took some doing, even with the robemaker's help. It was not Wei Wuxian's first time wearing it, but as the robes were still very much a work in progress, there were pins everywhere and, once he finally got the thing on, it was almost impossible to move at all without injuring himself.
The irony being that it was only after he was fully dressed, that he realised this had probably been Jiang Cheng's cunning plan all along.
A theory proven right a few moments later when Jiang Cheng smiled – a small, not particularly nice smile – and slowly started circling him. “So,” he began, “Lan Zhan.”
“Lan Zhan,” he nodded. This circling thing Jiang Cheng was doing was particularly frustrating because Wei Wuxian's head could only follow him so far and he was currently unable to turn around at all. “Lan Bo,” he hissed to the robemaker, currently looking very confused a few feet away from them, “if my brother kills me please tell Hanguang Jun to name all the bunnies after me.”
For once in his life, Jiang Cheng actually ignored his foolishness and simply continued talking. “You were right, in your letter. I was surprised at first – but then I thought about it for,” he pretended to think about it, “approximately three seconds and realised I was not. You always were obsessed with him – even when we were teenagers.”
“Hey!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed – then immediately had to reduce his outrage when raising his arm caused multiple tiny stab wounds.
“Do not move,” Lan Bo hissed, sneaking in close to carefully lower the arm back down.
Wei Wuxian made a face as the pins scraped his skin again, but was not about to abandon his point. “We were both obsessed with each other,” he argued, entirely justified. “He was always crazy about me.” He just...hadn't known it at the time.
“Adjust here,” Jiang Cheng told Lan Bo, pointing to an area somewhere on Wei Wuxian's back. Lan Bo hurried to do as he was told, even as Jiang Cheng continued circling, continued speaking. “Admittedly, news of your impending marriage put all his actions since your return in a new light. As well as those three months we searched for you together. Before then I'd always thought he was simply tolerating you, but when you vanished with no sign...that was the first time I realised he genuinely cared for you.”
This was an area he needed to be careful around, Wei Wuxian knew instinctively. So much had happened to both of them just before that time and the last thing he wanted to do was bring up the golden core transfer. That would always be a sensitive subject for his brother.
So he did what he'd always done best – played the fool (and, of course, abuse this to display his genuine interest). “It was?” he asked dramatically. “What did he do? What did he say? Did he talk about me?”
Rolling his eyes, Jiang Cheng paused next to him, tapping a hand against his upper arms. “Subtle bands of gold here,” he said, then focused back on Wei Wuxian. “I am not your opportunity to find out if your boyfriend ever wrote you love notes or sonnets.”
“He already wrote me a song, actually,” he pointed out sulkily, “not that you'll ever hear it.”
“Of course he did,” he said in disgust, shaking his head as he resumed his circling. Wei Wuxian was starting to feel distinctly dizzy. “And you really think you can find your happiness here of all places?” Jiang Cheng demanded, “when you used to complain about every rule?”
Honestly, Cloud Recesses was much more liveable now that both Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen didn't seem to care about the rules at all.
Truthfully, that wasn't really the case – that just cared about the rules that actually mattered. A decision Wei Wuxian absolutely agreed with.
“We haven't really decided where we'll live yet anyway,” he said honestly. They'd discussed it, of course, and had some specific plans for after marriage that they hoped would come to fruition eventually, but... “All we know is...we love each other and have to marry.”
That really seemed to surprise Jiang Cheng, who stopped his walking once again. “With no set plan for the future?”
Wei Wuxian shrugged. “No.”
“That doesn't seem very Lan-like,” Jiang Cheng observed after a few moments and Wei Wuxian was about to point out that Lan Zhan was much more than he first appeared when his brother spoke to Lan Bo again. “A tassel, here,” he instructed, indicating the front of the marriage robes. “Red and gold. Stamped with the Jiang Clan crest.”
All the breath punched out of Wei Wuxian's body.
He stared at his brother – who was decidedly not looking back at him – trying to understand. “Jiang Cheng,” he began, voice thick, when there was a knock on the door frame.
“Wei Ying?”
The mood turned instantly, Wei Wuxian's eyes opening in panic as he frantically started pulling off his robes even as Lan Bo frantically tried to stop him. “Lan Zhan!” he yelled, gaining a new gouge across one of his arms, as Lan Bo and even Jiang Cheng – with some obvious eye rolling – tried to get him out of his clothes without completely destroying them. “Do not come in here! You were told!”
“I will not,” Lan Zhan's calm voice assured him just as Wei Wuxian finally stumbled free, diving for his usual outer robes, throwing them on as he hurried to the door, giving up on fastening them correctly and simply pulling them around his body.
Lan Zhan, probably somewhat aware of what was happening, was still talking. “I was just released from my meeting and was told your brother had arrived, so I came to see-” He stopped, blinking at the state Wei Wuxian was in – barely dressed, flushed, hair askew and covered in tiny scratches. His face relaxed, the corners of his eyes showing his amusement. “I came to see if all was well.”
“You were told,” Wei Wuxian repeated, perhaps still feeling a little manic.
“Technically,” he pointed out, “I have not set foot in the jingshi.”
Wei Wuxian was about to let him have it when Jiang Cheng stepped into view next to him. “Don't tell me you've actually done all this, too,” he said disbelievingly, gesturing to Wei Wuxian's...everything.
“Indeed I have,” Lan Zhan disputed. “Shizui helped me finalise the details. Though,” he took in the few visible scratches Wei Wuxian was now sporting, “there was considerably less bloodshed.”
“My brother has been helping me,” Wei Wuxian told him eagerly, well aware that there was no love lost between them and trying to mend a few fences.
Lan Zhan said nothing, which certainly wasn't helping.
Surprisingly enough, it was Jiang Cheng out of the two of them who finally remembered his manners – though he ruined the moment immediately afterwards. “Second Young Master Lan,” he greeted formally, even bowing. And then he said, “Finally out of mourning robes, I see.”
Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, knowing his brother had hit upon the one area that would hurt Lan Zhan the most.
Lan Zhan appeared unaffected, at least, and did not return the greeting. “Yes,” he said instead, “and you are finally acting as the brother you always should have been.”
The conversation was lost after that. There were a few glares, some more passive aggressive posturing – mostly from Jiang Cheng – and then his brother stomped dramatically out of the room.
Sighing, facing Lan Zhan once more, Wei Wuxian judgementally placed his hands on his hips – then stopped immediately when his robe fluttered open and he had to pull it tight across his body again. “Lan Zhan,” he hissed, “nothing you did there helped the conversation in any way, shape or form.”
In response, Lan Zhan simply lifted his eyebrows.
*
Wei Wuxian tried to speak to his brother again over the next few days, but he was plainly going out of his way to avoid him. Lan Zhan still didn't seem to regret his actions either, though he had apologised for causing Wei Wuxian any undue stress.
But stress he had indeed, and he was currently venting it on the kites flying above Cloud Recesses.
“Excellent shot, Master Wei,” Wen Ning congratulated as this latest arrow hit its target with ease. The group of disciples also watching clapped politely, with a few notable exceptions.
Pleased with himself, he shrugged, before turning to hold the bow out to his friend.
Surprised, Wen Ning stared at him with wide eyes. “Me?”
“Was this not how we met?” Wei Wuxian asked with a smile. “I remember that you had good strength but needed to work on your form.”
“Yes, yes,” Wen Ning grinned, “that was the case.”
Finally taking the proffered weapon, Wen Ning's smile began to falter as he looked down at it. “It's been a long time since I last used a bow, Master Wei. I fear my skill with it will not be what it once was.”
“Well,” Wei Wuxian assured him, throwing an arm over his shoulder, “is there any reason you cannot be a student, too?” Throwing a sly look towards the disciples, he added loudly, “Certainly, you will fare much better than Lan Jingyi.”
An outraged noise came from within the group, but he spied A-Yuan grabbing Lan Jingyi's arm to contain him.
“That shouldn't be hard,” Jin Ling's voice said confidently, drawing their attention as he approached from the bottom of the hill.
“Jin Ling,” Wei Wuxian welcomed, surprised and – almost – pleased. He was never sure what kind of reception to expect from his nephew, for understandable reasons, though he longed for some kind of relationship. Best to play to his ego, he thought. “I remember my nephew being particularly skilled in archery. Perhaps you'd like to show everyone how it's done?” He gestured to the kites billowing in the sky.
In response, Jin Ling simply stared at Wen Ning.
Wen Ning, who had already begun trying to slink away, moved a little faster – though not too quickly, obviously not wanting to spook anyone.
“You,” Jin Ling ordered, making Wen Ning freeze. “I will need that bow.” Still remaining frozen for a few seconds, Wen Ning eventually managed to un-stick himself, holding the bow out to Jin Ling, his head down. “And I will need someone to pass me arrows.”
With all his words said, Jin Ling picked up one arrow from the container nearby, knocked it into the bow and took aim.
Slowly lifting his head, Wen Ning cautiously peered at Wei Wuxian.
Nodding towards Jin Ling with meaningful eyes – yes, he means you – Wei Wuxian got to watch in satisfaction as Wen Ning hurried the few steps over to Jin Ling and silently began handing him arrows.
It wasn't much, but it was – a start. Truly, he suspected Jin Ling secretly had more emotional maturity than either of his uncles.
As expected, Jin Ling had an excellent archery technique, his shots nearly always hitting their mark.
“You are a much better archer than your uncle,” he observed.
Letting another arrow fly, then holding out a hand for a new one, he snorted. “Are you talking about yourself? Or Uncle Cheng?”
“Jiang Cheng,” he shrugged, “obviously.” He was playing, but, there was some truth to it.
That actually made Jin Ling smile a little – a rare sight.
A few more shots were fired until, eventually, Wei Wuxian felt compelled to speak again. Perhaps, somehow, Jin Ling could help the current situation. It was worth a try, in any case. “Your uncle is avoiding me – angry at me.”
“My uncle is angry at everyone,” Jin Ling scoffed, letting another shot fly. Wen Ning held out another arrow but, instead of reaching for it, Jin Ling turned to face Wei Wuxian. “I wanted to bring Fairy,” he said suddenly, like it was important when mostly it appeared random. “I wanted to bring Fairy but he said I couldn't. And when I asked why...” he stared at Wei Wuxian, “he said it was too much trouble, like he always does when he wants me not to do something.” Turning away and finally taking the arrow, he aimed his next shot. “But I knew he was lying,” he finished, just before letting his arrow fly straight and true, right into the paper dove's heart.
Understanding what Jin Ling was trying to tell him – appreciating what Jin Ling was trying to tell him – Wei Wuxian turned away to think over his words, try to plan what avenue to try next.
And saw Jiang Cheng watching them in the distance, before turning and walking away.
*
That evening, Wei Wuxian decided this matter could proceed as it had no longer. He refused to go into this marriage with his brother and his husband at each other's throats. Lan Zhan really needed to stop being quite so unreasonable – and he told him as much.
“I understand that you and Jiang Cheng do not like each other,” he continued, “and I don't need you to like each other. What I need is for you both to stop acting like children. And...I am surprised, Lan Zhan,” he said honestly, “that you can keep your temper around so many others but not around my brother.”
Staring back at him, it was clear from Lan Zhan's eyes and the firm set of his mouth that this had stirred great emotion in him. “I am not a perfect man, Wei Ying,” he said, much to Wei Wuxian's surprise.
“I know that,” he promised quietly, confused.
Lan Zhan continued, staring straight ahead. “I feel anger even when I should not, and sometimes when it is justified. And I have spent the last sixteen years hating your brother with every fibre of my being.”
His voice was shaking at the last and Wei Wuxian finally realised the mess he'd put himself in the middle of. “Lan Zhan...”
“The few occasions we saw each other after your death, I would refuse to speak with him. He did not deserve it. He does not deserve it. And I can never forgive him for what he did.”
He remembered it well, despite the agony the events at Nightless City brought him. Lan Zhan trying to save him, tears in his eyes while taking Wei Wuxian's weight with his injured arm. His desperate, exhausted plea for Jiang Cheng not to strike.
And though, in the end, Jiang Cheng hadn't struck him directly, Wei Wuxian had died anyway.
Hating the anger and pain he could see on Lan Zhan's face, that he could hear in his voice, Wei Wuxian could only pull him into a hug. Lan Zhan's arms did not hug him back but, right then, he knew not to take it as a slight. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” he whispered into Lan Zhan's neck. “I'm sorry for your pain, I'm sorry I didn't think, you know me Lan Zhan, I never think before I do anything...”
There was a huff of acknowledgement at that, at least, and Lan Zhan's arms began to slowly inch around him. Relieved, Wei Wuxian closed his eyes and tried again.
“My love,” he said quietly, “you told me not long ago that there is nothing left to mourn. If that's the case, maybe it's time to let this go, too?”
There was still no verbal response, so he kept going.
“Look,” he sniffed, “I came to terms with your uncle. Your uncle, Lan Zhan. You cannot let me be the reasonable one in this relationship – it will only end in disaster.”
“Ridiculous,” Lan Zhan muttered wetly, which only made Wei Wuxian smile.
They held each other in that way for a good long time, until Wei Wuxian finally felt it was time to pull back. He didn't go far, gently holding Lan Zhan's forearms, and asked the question. “If you hate him so much, why did you insist I invite him?”
Lan Zhan sighed, regarding him with red-rimmed eyes. “Because even if I would rather never speak to him again...you do.”
A wave of fondness washed over him. “It will make it much harder for me to re-build a relationship with him if you two can't stand the sight of each other.”
“I know,” Lan Zhan agreed, sounding petulant.
“Do you think you could...try?” Wei Wuxian encouraged.
He seemed genuinely unsure, sighing again. “Sixteen years is a long time to hate someone, Wei Ying.”
“I know,” he agreed.
“I honestly don't know if I can, but...” Lan Zhan nodded. “I will try.” He held Wei Wuxian's gaze. “For you.”
Smiling faintly, Wei Wuxian reached up a hand to fuss with Lan Zhan's hair. “Thank you, Future Husband.”
Closing his eyes, Lan Zhan leant in against him.
It wasn't the best promise Wei Wuxian could've hoped for – that Lan Zhan would endure his brother because he was a good man or because it was the right thing to do. Or perhaps because he was Hanguang Jun, Light Bearer, a Twin Jade of Lan, who was supposed to be representative of all that was good and noble.
No, like anyone else, Lan Zhan was just a man, and he'd made the promise entirely out of love alone.
That was more than enough.