Work Text:
Lan Xichen never wants to move again.
He’s warm; sitting in a patch of sun in a clearing, his back resting against a tree, head tipped back to fully enjoy the sun on his skin. He’s content, too, with Jiang Cheng’s head in his lap; his hair free and open, hair ornament on the grass besides him, making him seem vulnerable in a way he rarely is in Lotus Pier and Lan Xichen can’t stop carding his fingers through the smooth waves.
Jiang Cheng isn’t complaining, is in fact moving his head into the contact and making disgruntled noises when Lan Xichen ceases his motions for even a second.
Not that he does that much; it’s a relaxing movement and Lan Xichen could spend days like this, just him and Jiang Cheng for once, no official Sect Leader business waiting for his husband, no chaotic juniors disturbing their peace, since they were off with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji on a night hunt. No chaotic in-laws, either, if Lan Xichen is honest.
It is peaceful and Lan Xichen wants to spend the rest of his days like this, content and happy and warm, his husband at his side. It’s everything he could have ever wished for.
“I actually have a gift for you,” Jiang Cheng suddenly mumbles, startling Lan Xichen who has thought his husband fell asleep long ago.
“There’s nothing more that you can give me,” Lan Xichen mumbles and briefly moves his hand to cup Jiang Cheng’s cheek in it. “You already gave me all of you, after all.”
“When will you ever stop being such a sap?” Jiang Cheng grumbles but he nuzzles into the hand, and Lan Xichen finds it hard to take it away even when Jiang Cheng makes an unhappy noise when Lan Xichen doesn’t resume his hair stroking immediately.
“You’re not getting it if you don’t continue,” Jiang Cheng mumbles under his breath and Lan Xichen leans down until he can press a kiss to his forehead.
“Good, keep it,” he mumbles against his skin, because he wasn’t lying.
Jiang Cheng has already given him everything Lan Xichen ever wanted. A home, a family, love, devotion. There’s nothing material Jiang Cheng can give to him that will make his life any better, Lan Xichen knows.
“I will keep it if you’re being like this,” Jiang Cheng threatens, one eye half open, but Lan Xichen simply shrugs.
He’s not being like anything; he’s merely happy and content with his husband close. If anyone would ask him what more he wanted in life, there wouldn’t be an answer. Jiang Cheng has given Lan Xichen everything that a life should entail.
“Do keep it, my heart,” Lan Xichen tells him as he starts to card his fingers through Jiang Cheng’s hair again, but instead of going back to his dozing, Jiang Cheng properly opens his eyes.
“You’re really not at all curious?” he wants to know and Lan Xichen shakes his head.
“I really am not,” he gives back and then he tilts his head in consideration. “I mean, I am wondering what you think could even be a worth gift after everything you already gave me, but I’m not dying to see it.”
“Wow, way to put pressure on me for all future gifts,” Jiang Cheng grumbles and Lan Xichen laughs.
“How about this,” he conspiringly says as he leans down, “you simply don’t give me any gifts anymore. I have your heart, your bell, your hand and your bed. Nothing else could ever come close,” Lan Xichen says and Jiang Cheng blushes a bright red.
“How can you just say things like that?” he wants to know as he covers his face with his hand. “How are you not embarrassed by that?”
“Because it’s the truth and it’s only you hearing it. There’s nothing I have to be embarrassed for in front of you, is there?” Lan Xichen asks, though he knows the answer.
They know everything of each other; Jiang Cheng has opened up about his family, his scars and his horrible feeling of not being enough, while Lan Xichen has laid bare every doubt he ever had about himself; as a sect leader and as a sworn brother, failing all the important people in his life.
They had opened up and been accepted in return. There is nothing left to be embarrassed by or even ashamed of.
They know each other.
“I love you,” Jiang Cheng says with a sigh and pulls Lan Xichen close with a hand to his neck, pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss, halfway rising out of Lan Xichen’s lap.
“Let me give it to you anyway,” Jiang Cheng mutters once they part and Lan Xichen sighs.
“If it makes you happy,” he whispers back and Jiang Cheng smiles at him.
He does that a lot in Lan Xichen’s presence, though still not often enough for Lan Xichen’s taste and he cherishes each and every single smile Jiang Cheng gives him. They all mean so much to him.
Jiang Cheng sits up, face serious all of a sudden, and Lan Xichen gives him his full attention. He can already tell that this means a lot to Jiang Cheng.
“Give me your hand,” Jiang Cheng says and holds out his own.
Lan Xichen slides his hand smoothly into his, not even hesitation for a second and Jiang Cheng links their fingers together before he looks back up at Lan Xichen.
“I don’t want you to freak out, okay?” he asks and Lan Xichen frowns at him.
“Why would I?”
“It’s a lot to take at first,” Jiang Cheng cryptically says, right before Zidian crackles to life on his wrist.
And then just as quickly transfers itself onto Lan Xichen’s wrist.
Lan Xichen can do nothing but stare at the bracelet on his wrist, and the ring on his finger, connected through two thin chains, and he blinks in confusion.
“What?” he asks and something in his emotions must have set it off, because it crackles to life on his wrist, responding to his emotions, obeying his will.
And now Lan Xichen gets what Jiang Cheng meant when he said it could be a lot. It’s a strange feeling, the electricity raising the hairs on his arm, but it doesn’t actually hurt. And while Lan Xichen has no previous experience with wielding a whip, he knows he could wield Zidian without problem, simply because it would allow him to.
It’s more of a mind thing, apparently.
“Jiang Cheng,” Lan Xichen breathes out and Jiang Cheng closes his hands around Lan Xichen’s, willing him to calm down so that Zidian goes back to its rest. It takes Lan Xichen a few moments to calm down enough for Zidian to go inert again.
“I want you to be able to use it if something should happen,” Jiang Cheng says and his voice is all choked up.
Lan Xichen can understand that all too well; there are tears forming in his own eyes.
“It’s your mother’s,” he whispers and Jiang Cheng gives him a watery smile.
“And her mother’s before that,” he agrees. “And then it was mine, and now I want you to have access to it, too.”
“It’s your mother’s,” Lan Xichen says again, because he feels like that bears repeating.
“And she shared it with my father, though he didn’t know it,” Jiang Cheng says with a nod and looks down at their intertwined hands, his fingers restlessly stroking over the ring. “I want you to know.”
‘I want you to know how much I love you,’ Jiang Cheng doesn’t say, but Lan Xichen hears it anyway.
“I do know,” Lan Xichen reassures him and leans their foreheads together. “How could I not know how much you love me when you show me every day?” he asks and Jiang Cheng chuckles, though it’s still horribly wet.
“I don’t always say it, I know that,” Jiang Cheng whispers back but Lan Xichen immediately shushes him with a kiss.
“But you show it to me every day; every time you smile at me, every time you touch me, every time you let me in, I feel it. There isn’t a second I spend in your company that I don’t know that you love me.”
“Xichen,” Jiang Cheng breathes out and Lan Xichen kisses the tears at the corners of his eyes away.
“I love you,” Lan Xichen tells him, peppers his face with kisses when he’s sure Jiang Cheng’s tears won’t fall and it makes Jiang Cheng laugh.
Just like Lan Xichen has planned.
“So, how do you like my gift, huh?” Jiang Cheng asks, and the teasing is back in his voice.
Lan Xichen likes that better than the choked up version.
“I like it as much as I like you,” Lan Xichen gives back and joins their hands together again.
It takes only a thought from him to send Zidian back to its rightful owner.
“Whenever you need it,” Jiang Cheng reminds him and Lan Xichen nods, though he knows he will only call on it in an absolute emergency.
“And here I thought there was nothing more you can give me,” Lan Xichen huffs out. “And then it turns out you have so much more to give. You continue to prove me wrong, my heart.”
“Well, I gave you my past now, so the only thing that’s left that I can give you is my future,” Jiang Cheng says, and Lan Xichen can’t help himself, he has to trace the slight flush on his cheeks with the tips of his fingers. “I hope that will suffice.”
“It will do more than that,” Lan Xichen reassures him and presses a lingering kiss to his husband’s cheek. “It will make me the happiest man alive.”
“Can’t be,” Jiang Cheng decisively says and pushes Lan Xichen back against the tree before he plops himself down in his lap again. “Cause it makes me the happiest in the world,” he mutters, just as Lan Xichen resumes his hair stroking.
“What a horrible fate, to have to compete for being the happiest,” Lan Xichen laments and Jiang Cheng opens one eye at him again.
“You can’t have that title. It’s mine,” Jiang Cheng tells him but Lan Xichen shakes his head.
“No, it’s mine,” Lan Xichen gives back.
“How about it’s a draw and we’re both simply the happiest?” Jiang Cheng wants to know and Lan Xichen pretends to think that over for a while, until Jiang Cheng slaps his thigh.
“Okay, alright, it’s a draw,” Lan Xichen agrees with a laugh and then leans his head back against the tree.
The sun is warm on his face, his husband is happy and pliant under his hands and Lan Xichen never wants to move again. It’s perfect.