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The Noble Family of Jiang of Yunmeng
is hereby invited to
Cloud Recesses
for the celebration of
Prince Wangji’s
Seventeenth Birthday
wherein
there will be a Contest
in which
Whosoever can Provide Prince Wangji
with a Smile of True Happiness
shall
Earn his Hand in Marriage
Prince Wangji sighs as he gets ready to greet all the guests here to see him. Truthfully, he knows most of them are only here to try and wrangle their way into the Royal Family of Lan and not really to see him. The thought hurts less than it probably should. Wangji supposes he ought to feel something more than annoyance, but he doesn’t understand why they must go through this whole… rigamarole.
The idea of a contest for his hand was thought up by his elder brother. With mounting pressure for one of the two Princes of Lan to get married and with the status a Family could obtain marrying into the Royal Family, a contest of some sort really is the most fair way to go about it. The idea for this particular sort of contest was Wangji’s own idea.
A contest of strength or agility or art or poetry would do nothing to impress him, and just because someone is skilled at any of those things doesn’t mean they are a good person or someone worthy of him. And since there has to be a contest for his hand in marriage and since he is generally an unsmiling person, if there’s someone out there who can make him so happy he’ll smile, then surely that person deserves to marry him and have his love.
(Smiling, as an expression, holds no appeal for him. It seems like so much effort for something as ridiculous as wearing an expression other people find pleasing. He sees no point in it.)
There’s a knock on the door of his rooms, and Crown Prince Xichen enters, smiling warmly. Wangji frowns slightly. Smiling has always come so easily for Xichen. No one calls him cold and icy.
“It’s almost time for the guests to arrive,” Xichen says, “Are you almost ready?”
“Yes, I’m ready, Brother.”
Xichen smiles brighter and loops his arm through Wangji’s as they walk down to the Great Hall. All of the Noble Families have been invited, great and small, especially those with children Wangji’s age. He’s certain some of them have already been betrothed to one another and therefore will have no interest in him, but they’re sure to come anyway just to get a glimpse of the reclusive prince.
“You’ll be alright, Wangji,” Xichen assures him, “You won’t have to speak. Just stand by me, and you’ll be fine.”
Wangji just clenches his jaw. He just doesn’t want to be in such a crowd. He’s sure to be uninterested in any of the young nobles, sure to be overwhelmed by the crowd and the sounds, and sure to want nothing to do with the ridiculous ways people will be trying to get him to smile. He’s already thinking of myriad ways to avoid everyone.
The celebration will last one week, seven days, ending with a grand banquet and the lighting of paper lanterns- oh. He’d forgotten about the banquet. He’ll likely have to mingle with large groups and tell everyone his decision. He suppresses a shudder.
The Four Great Noble Families are ushered in first in order of arrival (so as not to give one more importance over another).
The Nie of Qinghe arrived first, dressed in their resplendent greens and golds. (Their head is one of Xichen’s oldest and closest friends, after all, and the two of them wished to spend time together.) Lord Nie Mingjue is certainly a nice enough person, but Wangji is sure he won’t be vying for his hand. He escorts his younger brother, Nie Huaisang, the boy’s face hidden behind an elegant fan. Wangji and Nie Huaisang are fairly well-acquainted thanks to their elder brothers’ friendship, and while Wangji likes the boy, he knows he has eyes for someone else. If he could spend the majority of his time with Huaisang, that would at least be safe.
Next are the Jin of Lanling, always eager to show off their wealth in their golden robes. Wangji knows for a fact that the only (acknowledged) son of Jin Guangshan is already betrothed to the daughter of Jiang Fengmian, but he also knows nothing would stop Lord Jin from breaking Jin Zixuan’s engagement if it meant getting into the Royal Family. There’s a cousin, as well, Jin Zixun, and if he’s the one who makes Wangji laugh, Wangji will throw himself off the highest parapet of the castle. He’ll just avoid the Jin for as long as possible.
Led by Lord Wen Xu (who is also around Xichen’s age), the Wen of Qishan arrive dressed in their usual blood red. He brings his younger brother, Wen Chao (who is already married), and two wards, Wen Qing and Wen Ning, siblings. The two wards seem nice enough, though Wen Qing looks as though she’d rather be anywhere else and Wen Ning appears to be several years Wangji’s junior.
Last are the Jiang of Yunmeng. Lord Jiang and Lady Yu lead their contingent with pride, the whole lot dressed in lavish purples and blues. Of their children, Jiang Yanli is betrothed to Jin Zixuan (and happily so), and Jiang Wanyin is already casting glances toward Wen Qing. Neither of them is likely to be interested in winning Wangji’s hand.
“...and this is our ward, Wei Wuxian, son of Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren, who were loyal to our house for many years before their untimely deaths.”
The boy smiles brightly despite the mention of sad times, which makes Wangji cock his head slightly. Who smiles through the mention of death? He wants to talk to the boy just to try and figure him out.
The smaller families are led in next, and Wangji listens and nods politely when he must, but he still finds himself drawn to Wei Wuxian from Yunmeng. He’s dressed closely enough to the other Jiang children, his robes the same sort of style, though rather than the deep violet of Jiang Wanyin or the soft lilac of Jiang Yanli, his are such a deep blue they’re almost black with a second layer of red peeking out from under the blue and a red ribbon tying up part of his hair. He keeps whispering to the Jiang children, making Yanli giggle and Wanyin scowl and shake his head. He’s hardly showing the same level of decorum as everyone else, but no one seems to expect anything else of him. Lady Yu only scolds him once, but it isn’t harsh, just a gentle slap of his shoulder as Xichen greets everyone.
How interesting...
By the third day, Wangji has hidden himself deep in the library to get away from everyone. He’d managed to spend most of yesterday with Huaisang, which was nice. Huaisang, while he can occasionally get exuberant when excited, is generally a calm and quiet person, and the two of them can easily talk about art and literature and things like that.
“I don’t envy you, Wangji,” he sighed eventually, fan fluttering over his face, “Well… maybe I do. Just a little bit. You know I like being the center of attention sometimes, so it might be nice if it were me everyone was tripping over themselves to marry.”
“Don’t you want to marry that physician’s apprentice? Liu Huaxiang?”
That earns Wangji a smirk and “Of course… and that means she would be trying extra hard to win my hand.”
“You’re certain she wants to marry you ?”
“Oh yes, very certain. We’ve discussed it at great length. Once she’s finished her apprenticeship, that’s when Brother will announce our engagement.”
“Lord Nie knows?”
“Of course- oh, stop being so formal, Wangji, you can call him Mingjue. Anyway, of course Brother knows. Why wouldn’t he?”
Wangji had shrugged and leaned in to watch Huaisang paint, enjoying the calming activity. Then of course, his uncle, King Lan Qiren found where he was hiding and demanded he talk to people other than Huaisang since the two of them already knew each other. So Wangji was forced to spend an awkward afternoon with Jin Zixuan (who is already happily betrothed to Jiang Yanli) and Jin Zixun (who could not make Wangji smile with true happiness unless he randomly dropped dead).
This morning had been tolerable, the time spent with Wen Qing. She’s polite and kind and quiet, her family all physicians, but she’s definitely uninterested in being married to Wangji. He made all manner of small talk with her until her little brother hurried over with Wei Wuxian, the younger boy grinning from ear to ear and half-shouting, “Sister! Sister, look! Young Master Wei has been helping me wi-wi-” and he seems to stumble over the words, though Wen Qing waits patiently, “with my archery! Look!”
He brandished a target with precise holes, all near dead center. Wei Wuxian smiled too, though softer than Wen Ning’s exuberance.
“You’ve done very well, A-Ning,” Wen Qing told him, patting his head, “Have you thanked Young Master Wei for helping you?”
“Oh yes, Sister! I’ve thanked him lots and lots!”
“He doesn’t have to thank me, Young Lady Wen,” Wei Wuxian replied, “I like archery, and I like teaching archery. It was a pleasure to help such a good student like Wen Ning.”
He reached out and patted the boy’s shoulder, and Wangji felt something warm in his chest. He hadn’t been all that impressed with Wei Wuxian’s behavior at the opening banquet, but this at least showed that he isn’t a total miscreant.
“Wei Wuxian, there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you after you-” Jiang Wanyin rounded a corner, his voice sharp, but he stopped when he saw Wangji, dropping into a polite bow and saying, “Oh, hello, Prince Wangji. I- I was just looking for my broth- for Wei Wuxian.”
He then seemed to realize Wen Qing was there, too, and his face got as red as her Wen robes. Wanyin stammered out something else before grabbing Wei Wuxian and pulling him away. Wen Ning started to pout at the loss of his new friend, so Wangji said, “Young Master Wen, I would like to see your archery target more closely.”
“Oh… ye-ye-yes! Of course, Your Highness!”
As polite as the two Wen siblings were, it was quite enough interaction for one day, and he suspects that as soon as he left them, Wen Qing went to go look for Jiang Wanyin. The library is at least quiet, no one thinking to look for him here. He’d seen Lord Yao’s spawn daughter eyeing him earlier, and if she’s anything like her father, Wangji wants nothing to do with her. Thankfully, the only one who knows the library as well as he does is Xichen, so no one will find him in his little hiding spot.
“Wangji?”
Except Xichen. Wangji’s eyes slip shut as he sighs.
“Wangji, how long have you been up here?”
“Not long, Brother. I spent the morning with Young Lady Wen.”
Xichen smiles at that, coming over to sit with him.
“Uncle sent me to find you. He’s worried you’re not taking this seriously.”
“I am taking it as seriously as necessary.”
Which is not at all, in his opinion. Xichen seems to recognize that, sighs himself, tells him, “We just want you to be happy, Wangji. You do know that, right?”
“I am happy not being married.”
“I am aware of that… but it won’t hurt to see if there is a person who makes you happy, too. If no one here does, then that’s fine. You know Uncle and I won’t force you to marry anyone.”
Wangji doesn’t reply to that, thinks it useless to reply to the obvious. Xichen pats his arm, tells him, “I’ll try to keep Uncle off your tail for a little while longer. Just try to talk with someone else before dinner.”
On the fifth day, Wangji’s blood pressure is rising fast. With the Four Great Noble Families having played all their cards to no success, the smaller families are stepping up, and they’re worse than the Great Families because getting into the Royal Family would greatly improve their own standing.
Wangji successfully made it through an entire half an hour with Young Lady Yao, finding her far less abhorrent than her father but still not very interesting, and earlier today spent a not altogether terrible hour with the First Young Master Ouyang, though again, he’s hardly interested (and First Young Master Ouyang really only has eyes for the Third Young Lady He from Tingshan so at least they’d had a pleasant conversation.)
Now though…
Young Master Su Minshan has been tailing after him for the better part of the day, ever since midday meal, and talking his ear off. He wants to know Wangji’s opinions on every little thing, from politics to art to music.
“I know Your Highness is a skilled guqin player,” Su Minshan says in a simpering voice that grates on Wangji’s nerves, “This loyal subject also loves to play the guqin. Perhaps Your Highness would do me the honor of playing with me?”
“Perhaps later,” Wangji says shortly.
He has no intention of dueting with someone like Su Minshan. Besides, he’s heard his guqin playing; it isn’t very good. It doesn’t put off Su Minshan, however, and he starts prattling on about something else that Wangji barely listens to.
He’s eternally grateful when he manages to get himself an out, cobbling together something about needing to speak with his brother on a matter Su Minshan reminded him of, which at least makes Su Minshan more willing to let him go, clearly hopeful Wangji will mention his name to the Crown Prince.
For a minute or so, Wangji is fully prepared to go straight to Xichen and tell him he wants to call this whole ridiculous thing off, politics be damned, but as he passes through the gardens, he hears something strange.
A flute.
Not a xiao like Xichen’s, with low soothing notes, but a dizi, its sound high and buzzing and cheerful. The music draws him deeper into the gardens. He’s never heard anyone play like this before. The music of Gusu is slow and calming, meant for meditation. This is something bright and joyous, something meant for dancing, for celebration. Wangji thinks hard, tries to place the tune. Somewhere further south perhaps? He’s been to visit all the Four Great Noble Families. He’s sure he’s heard this tune before.
Finally, after searching high and low, he discovers the source. The player is perched delicately in the crook of a plum tree, their dark robes surrounded by pink blossoms. Whoever it is must not have noticed Wangji approach, because they keep playing their lively tune. As he gets closer, though, the tune shifts into something else, something softer and sadder. It’s what finally pushes Wangji to speak.
“Young Master Wei?”
The dizi stops abruptly, Wei Wuxian’s face appearing through the blossoms.
“Prince Wangji!” he grins as Wangji comes to stand under the tree, “Uh, I mean, Your Highness. I thought you were talking with Young Master Su. You were when I last saw you, anyway.”
“I was talking with Young Master Su, but as you can see, I no longer am.”
“I imagine Your Highness is pretty happy about that.”
“I-... I am happy to have some peace from talking to people.”
“You’re talking to me. Am I not people? Your Highness wounds me!”
Wangji huffs, “Young Master Wei did not seek me out.”
“True… Did Your Highness Lan Wangji come to seek me out?”
He’s still grinning, and the sight fills Wangji with a peculiar warmth as he replies, “Not intentionally… I simply followed the sound of the music. Young Master Wei is a talented musician.”
His face flushes pink, the same color as the blossoms, his voice high, “Your Highness is too kind! I just- It’s something I do for fun!”
“Well, you do it very well. Will Young Master Wei come down and speak with me? I’m interested in hearing more about the tune you were playing.”
Wei Wuxian nods, hopping easily down from the crook of the tree.
“I was just playing a little tune from Yunmeng,” he smiles, “Did Your Highness like it? I could teach it to you, if you’d like- oh, but Your Highness doesn’t play a flute, do you? The song doesn’t sound quite the same played on a guqin.”
“Perhaps Young Master Wei will be able to play it again for me soon.”
“Perhaps… but surely Your Highness has many more people to talk to besides this lowly subject. I’m just a ward of the Jiang Family, after all.”
“I am a Prince of the Royal Family of Lan,” Wangji replies, “I will talk with whatever subjects I wish.”
Wei Wuxian’s smile softens, the dizi twirling deftly through his fingers. Wangji continues, “Besides, Young Master Jiang did not seem to think you ‘just a ward’, nor Young Lady Jiang. They seem to look upon you as a brother.”
“You know what I meant, Your Highness.”
“I did… but that does not make it true.”
Wei Wuxian’s cheeks are still flushed, and when he speaks this time, he changes the subject, “You disappear often, Your Highness. Usually I run into others looking for you. Everyone wonders where you hide.”
“If everyone knew where I was hiding, it wouldn’t be a very good spot to hide, would it?”
The laughter surprises Wangji, his steps faltering slightly, and Wei Wuxian says, “I’m sorry, Your Highness, I’m sorry… I just didn’t know you knew how to make a joke like that, is all. For someone who is so somber you’re going to marry the first person to make you smile, I just didn’t think-”
“Just because someone makes me smile doesn't mean I’ll marry them,” Wangji interrupts, “Uncle and Brother won’t force me to marry anyone.”
“Is there anyone you’ve met so far who you’d like to marry?”
“Not as yet… though there are still a few I haven’t spoken to for any great length… and there were some I didn’t need to speak with at great length. Jin Zixun, for instance, would never be a candidate.”
“You seemed to like Young Lady Wen Qing well enough.”
“And Young Lady Wen seems very fond of Young Master Jiang.”
“What if no one makes you smile, Your Highness?” Wei Wuxian asks.
Wangji is startled to hear a tinge of sadness in his voice, so startled he actually stops, Wei Wuxian stilling beside him. They’re standing in a ray of late afternoon sun, Wei Wuxian’s eyes all but glowing a deep amber in the light.
“Then… If no one makes me smile, then I will marry no one.”
“Which would you prefer, Your Highness Prince Wangji?”
Wei Wuxian’s voice is the softest he’s ever heard it, and something twists in his chest, tightening through the warmth.
“Truthfully… I don’t know.”
Because he doesn’t, not anymore, not now that he’s met Wei Wuxian. He still feels cautious, though. Wei Wuxian seems like a good man, but what if he’s putting on a front? He was polite to Wen Ning and Wen Qing, and the Jiang children genuinely like him, but what do others think of him?
“Does Young Master Wei come here every afternoon to play the dizi?” he queries.
“This was the first time.”
“If-... If Young Master Wei comes back tomorrow in the mid-afternoon… perhaps I could bring my guqin. It is more fun to play with others.”
“Young Master Wei would like that very much. I’ll see you at dinner, Your Highness.”
“Everyone I’ve spoken to has nothing but nice things to say about Young Master Wei,” Xichen says, “Well, everyone except Jin Zixun, but he rarely has nice things to say about anyone. Of course, I asked about a number of young nobles in addition to Wei Wuxian in order to keep them off the scent.”
“Thank you, Brother.”
“Do you-... Are you interested in Young Master Wei, Wangji?”
“I don’t know,” he answers honestly.
And he doesn’t know. Wei Wuxian makes him feel warm inside, comfortable, like he’s being hugged by someone he loves.
“Are you going to speak with him again?”
“Yes… I’m going to meet him this afternoon in the gardens. We’re going to play some music together.”
Xichen almost chokes on his tea, making an undignified spluttering noise.
“You’re-... You’re going to play mu- music with him?”
“Yes. I found him in the garden yesterday playing a dizi. He plays very well, and I thought perhaps it might be fun to play with someone new,” Wangji tells him, frowns, asks, “Are you jealous, Brother? That I would play with someone else?”
“No! No, I’m not jealous, Wangji. I’m pleased. I’m glad to see you’re getting along well with someone.”
“I get along well with Huaisang. I always have.”
“I mean, that you’re getting along well with someone other than Huaisang. It’s nearing mid-afternoon. You should get your guqin now if you wish to be on time,” Xichen tells him.
“Thank you, Brother.”
It’s easy enough to avoid the roving nobles trying to seek him out to get to his room and grab his guqin, and easier still to avoid them on the way to the garden. He’s spent so long hiding in the castle that it’s second nature to him.
He can already hear the flute when he first enters the garden, the tune the same lively one that drew him in yesterday, its source once again perched in the same plum tree.
“Young Master Wei,” Wangji calls, just like he did yesterday.
And just like yesterday, Wei Wuxian grins at him, bright as the sun, and hops out of the tree to meet him with a call of, “Your Highness!”
He hits the ground and stumbles, unlike yesterday, and Wangji finds himself darting forward. His hands catch Wei Wuxian under his arms, keeping him from hitting the ground, but it brings them close together… so close. Wei Wuxian’s eyes are big and brown, staring at him in surprise. There are light freckles dusting over his nose, and there’s a little mole just under his lips. Wangji feels his heart hammer in his chest. For a long moment, the two boys just blink at each other. Wangji’s ears feel hot.
A bird calls out above them, breaking the spell, and with a squeak, Wei Wuxian pulls away, his cheeks red.
“Apologies, Your Highness,” he mumbles, “How clumsy of me-”
“No need for apologies, Young Master Wei… Come, let us play.”
Wangji leads the other boy to a nice secluded spot, one surrounded by handsome plum trees, their blossoms a lovely mix of pink and white, a place he loves to come to play in private. It’s strange to bring someone else here. He’s never even brought Xichen here before.
Then, they just settle in and play. There’s a little bit of teaching each other a variety of local tunes, Yunmeng’s all jaunty and bright and Gusu’s more sedate and mellow, but then it morphs into one playing a tune and the other matching it, the two of them easily harmonizing. They play for hours, with little breaks here and there, and at one point, Wei Wuxian breaks off his tune with a little gasp.
“Your Highness, look!”
Wangji follows his eager gaze. A pure white rabbit hops lazily along, shortly followed by another and another until there’s a little gang of them nibbling on the grass. Wei Wuxian is suddenly more still than Wangji has seen him this whole week, apparently not wanting to scare them off.
“You like the rabbits?” Wangji asks.
“Mn! They’re so cute, Highness, just look at them! I bet they’re so soft!”
“Would Young Master Wei like to pet one?”
“Of course! But I don’t want to scare them. Rabbits scare so easily.”
Wangji hums softly, then gets to his feet. Wei Wuxian makes a choked off little sound that might be Wangji’s name, but Wangji ignores him, heading for the little herd of rabbits and scooping up one he knows is particularly docile.
“You know these rabbits, Highness?” Wei Wuxian asks in wonder.
“Mn… they live here in the gardens… always have. They were brought in by one of my ancestors, Lan Yi, and they’ve lived here ever since.”
He cradles the rabbit in his arms and steps close to Wei Wuxian, inviting him to touch. Wei Wuxian’s eyes are big again. He looks almost afraid to touch the rabbit, his hand reaching out but stopping short.
“You won’t hurt him,” Wangji says quietly, “Just be gentle.”
At those words, Wei Wuxian extends two of his fingers and carefully strokes over its head, down its ears, over its back.
“How did Your Highness get to be so friendly with these little bunnies?” Wei Wuxian asks, still enthralled by the tiny creature.
“They like the quiet and stillness, and so do I. I often come to the gardens to get away from the court when there’s too much noise, and when I come into the gardens, I am quiet and still. I think they like the sound of the guqin, too… Here, Young Master Wei, you should hold him.”
Wangji carefully shifts the rabbit over, Wei Wuxian taking it and cradling it like an expensive treasure. The smile that grows on his face is almost angelic, something pure and gentle. Wangji feels that delightful warmth in his chest again, almost feels himself smile (and wouldn’t that be something because then he could marry Wei Wuxian and play music with him and see his beautiful smile every day here in Gusu and-) but something stops him.
Wei Wuxian is all exuberance and joy and motion, far different from the way they live in Gusu where everyone is more sedate and calm. What if Wei Wuxian wouldn’t be happy living in Cloud Recesses with him? Everyone’s been so focused on Wangji falling for someone that no one told him he would worry if that person didn’t love him back. The lovely warmth is stripped from his chest even as he keeps looking at Wei Wuxian’s gentle grin, his expression full of wonder.
“Here, we should return him to his friends,” Wangji murmurs.
Once the little rabbit is returned to its herd, Wangji and Wei Wuxian go back to their spots in the circle of plum trees. They’re both silent for a long moment, just watching the pink blossoms sway in the breeze. Wangji thinks back to the opening banquet, to Wei Wuxian grinning brightly even as Lord Jiang mentions the deaths of his parents.
“Young Master Wei-”
“Your Highness-... Would Your Highness like to call me- never mind, it’s improper.”
Wei Wuxian’s cheeks are flushed again, pink as the plum blossoms surrounding them.
“Aren’t we friends now, Young Master Wei?”
“I’d like to think we are, Your Highness.”
“Then we should call each other as friends,” Wangji tells him boldly, and even more boldly, “You should call me Lan Zhan.”
There’s a pause, maybe a second, in which Wei Wuxian looks like one of the rabbits when startled, more color coming into his cheeks, but it’s gone as quickly as Wangji registers it. Wei Wuxian’s face splits into his brightest grin yet as he agrees, “I’ll call you Lan Zhan, then… and you should call me Wei Ying.”
“Wei Ying…”
The name feels right in his mouth, feels good and perfect, like it’s meant to roll off his tongue so easily.
“How does Wei Ying smile so easily all the time? Even at the opening banquet… I heard Lord Jiang say your parents died, but you still smiled the same all the way through.”
“My parents died a long time ago, when I was about-... oh, I was four, I think?” Wei Wuxian explains, “A series of accidents that were no one’s fault. I don’t even really remember them all that well, just some blurry memories and words. I do remember she told me, ‘Remember the things others do for you, not the things you do for others. Only when people don’t hold so much in their hearts would they finally feel free.’ So… I don’t know, I guess I’d just rather look ahead to happy times, or to look back on happy times I’ve had… And I like to make other people happy, too.”
The flush returns to the boy’s cheeks as he says quietly, “Lan Zhan… I’m glad I could make you happy, too.”
Wangji feels his eyes go wide, blinking at Wei Wuxian, who continues, “It- It seems like you’ve been happy sitting with me, anyway, even if you don’t smile. That’s okay. You don’t have to smile to show you’re happy. As long as the people who care about you can tell you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”
Now that’s a concept Wangji had never thought of before.
“Yes… Yes, Wei Ying, I’ve been happy.”
Wei Wuxian- Wei Ying- makes him very happy.
“Good… Would you like to play some more, Lan Zhan?”
Wangji replies, “Mn,” enjoying Wei Wuxian’s smile once more, their next bit of music suitably jaunty and bright. They play until the sun starts to go down.
And then they keep playing. Neither seems to think anything of missing dinner or darkness falling around them with soft lanterns magically lighting themselves around Cloud Recesses or the stars blinking into life above them. Nor do they notice Crown Prince Xichen coming to look for his little brother and grinning when he sees them sitting together and looking up at the stars, their instruments abandoned, a soft not-quite-smile on Wangji’s face as he gazes at Wei Wuxian.
Only when Wei Wuxian hears Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli calling for him do they decide it’s time to leave the plum trees, something twisting sharply in Wangji’s chest at the thought of parting, even if it’s just until tomorrow. Before they leave the privacy of the plum blossoms, however, Wei Wuxian blushes once more and takes Wangji’s hand in both of his own, his skin still warm despite the night air.
“Good night, Lan Zhan,” he says softly, and oh, how lovely Wangji’s name sounds coming from his lips, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Find me at the banquet. I look forward to seeing you there.”
“Okay… Okay, Lan Zhan.”
And then, oh then, he brings Wangji’s hand up and presses a chaste and gentle kiss to his skin, lips brushing over his knuckles. Wangji feels his ears burn and his breath catch, and as Wei Wuxian hurries off to meet his siblings, Wangji thinks that a lifetime with Wei Wuxian wouldn’t be so bad if only Wei Wuxian would be happy here.
He thinks back to his parents, his father a powerful king living in a sedate and somber land, his mother a vivacious and free-spirited woman. His mother withered away under Gusu’s rules and restrictions for a Queen, and the King followed shortly after, unable to live without the one he loved so much.
He didn’t want that to be his fate, to love someone so much he would destroy them, and he didn’t want Wei Wuxian to be destroyed, either.
I will ask tomorrow night, Wangji thinks as he falls asleep, I will ask him if he could live in Cloud Recesses forever.
The Noble Families have pulled out all the stops for one final chance at having their child join the Royal Family, all of them dressed in their best finery for the closing banquet. It’s not quite as rigid as the opening banquet, everyone milling about with those from other families, Great and Small alike. Wangji, in particular, is encouraged to wander and mingle after the main meal, servants bringing around small trays of little desserts. He mingles as much as is polite before making a beeline straight for the only person he really wants to talk to.
“Wei Ying.”
He’s gifted with one of those sunshine grins, the boy pushing through the crowd to get to him, both of them completely unaware of the way everyone is now looking at them after hearing Wangji call him so intimately, unaware of the looks and murmurs they get when Wei Wuxian says, “I was wondering when you’d get to me, Lan Zhan. I’ve been trying to get your attention for so long!”
“And I have been trying to get Wei Ying’s attention. May I speak with you? Private-”
“Everyone, it is almost time for the Lighting of the Lanterns! Come, there are blank lanterns in the courtyard and all the materials you’ll need! Please, to FeiPu Courtyard, everyone!”
“I’ll meet you there, Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian grins, Jiang Wanyin grabbing his arm to take him away, likely with a thousand questions on how the two of them are so familiar in such a short time. Wangji watches him go, only trailing after everyone when Xichen comes to get him.
FeiPu Courtyard is the largest and most beautiful courtyard in all of Cloud Recesses. Surrounded by bamboo and marble, it’s only partially covered, looking out over a gorgeous waterfall. Even here, the young nobles don’t stick strictly to their families, spreading out to make lanterns with friends and betrothed (or hopefully future betrothed). Wei Wuxian is with Jiang Wanyin, the two of them in a heated but good-natured argument of some kind. It ends when Wei Wuxian barks out a laugh and shoves Jiang Wanyin toward Wen Qing. Emboldened, Wangji goes to him.
“Ah, there you are, Lan Zhan! Sorry about that, but I had to make sure Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing make a lantern together! If only you could hear him pining away for her every night! Why, if they don’t make a lantern together, wouldn’t that be terrible, Lan Zhan?”
“Mn,” Wangji agrees, “Will you come make a lantern with me, Wei Ying?”
“Of course! I already have an idea for the design, so you just need to build it. Is that alright, Lan Zhan?” he asks.
“Certainly. Whatever Wei Ying wants.”
His words make Wei Wuxian’s cheeks turn pink again, but the boy’s smile doesn’t falter one bit. Once again, they ignore the looks and murmurs from the surrounding crowd, ignore the knowing smile from Xichen, the gentle gaze shared between Lord Jiang and Lady Yu as their ward wanders off with the prince.
Wangji busies himself with creating the lantern’s structure while Wei Wuxian focuses on his art, and once Wangji thinks enough time has passed and that everyone around them is sufficiently focused on their lanterns that they won’t be interrupted, he quietly asks, “Wei Ying… do you like Cloud Recesses?”
“Of course! It’s so pretty here, and so different from Lotus Pier.”
“I mean-... Do you think you could live here? If you had to?”
He shrugs, “I suppose I could. The rules are sometimes a bit much, and it’s so very quiet sometimes, but I think if I was living here with the right person, it would be just fine.”
“But would you be happy, Wei Ying?”
In his peripheral vision, he sees Wei Wuxian still and looks up, meeting his gaze. Wangji’s chest tightens, his anxiety ratcheting up. He desperately wants Wei Wuxian to say yes, yes he would be happy and yes he would stay, but only if Wei Wuxian wants to.
“If I was living here with the right person,” Wei Wuxian says slowly, quietly, his voice the lowest Wangji has heard him use, “then I would be the happiest person alive… and I hope I would make him just as happy, too.”
And oh, if only he knew just how happy Wangji would be if he stayed. Wangji’s words stick in his throat, his mind unsure of how to weave them together with any kind of elegance that would make Wei Wuxian understand just what he means to Wangji.
Wei Wuxian’s lips quirk up in a little smile, and he returns his attention to the lantern, taking only a few more strokes to finish his artwork.
“Here, Lan Zhan… my lantern is made specially for you, look…”
He turns the lantern to show Wangji what he painted: a handsome rabbit, sitting in the grass, looking so lively it seems as though it will leap off the paper any moment. Warmth bubbles up in Wangji’s chest. Wei Wuxian’s cheeks are still flushed pink as he shows it off, and his voice is very quiet as he says, “Lan Zhan… if you wanted me to stay in Cloud Recesses, I would be just as happy as those little rabbits.”
Wangji looks at the beautiful rabbit painted on the lantern, then looks at the beautiful boy holding it, and something happens that hasn’t happened since he was a child.
Prince Lan Wangji smiles.
And it’s not some tiny, unnoticeable thing. No, he smiles , his lips curling up fondly, rounding his cheeks, the joy he feels in his chest spilling out onto his face. Wei Wuxian blinks, and far louder than necessary:
“Lan Zhan! You’re smiling!”
“Of course I am,” he replies, “You’ve made me very happy, Wei Ying.”
Wei Wuxian grins back at him, a sweet, silly thing that makes his eyes and nose crinkle. There’s a flurry of sound around them, everyone shocked that Wei Wuxian, ward of Yunmeng Jiang, born the son of servants, is the one who has made the prince smile. (Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli certainly show no surprise, the two of them well aware that Wei Wuxian can make anyone smile… and they’d had to listen to him pining for an entire week.) Xichen looks almost as happy as Wangji and Wei Wuxian, and if Uncle looks unhappy, then that’s his problem.
Wangji is still smiling as they put their lantern together, still smiling as they launch it into the air, as they watch it rise high into the night joined by dozens of others, as he feels Wei Wuxian’s fingers twine with his, as he turns to look at the beautiful boy beside him.
He can’t wait for them to be the happiest people alive.