Work Text:
Wei Wuxian shouldn't be the one greeting Lan Qiren upon his arrival, but everyone else is busy; hopefully Lan Qiren will be understanding.
"Master," he says, bowing with care for his form. "On behalf of the Jiang Sect I apologise that you must be greeted by one so unworthy as this disciple. The day is unexpectedly complex."
Lan Qiren returns his bow. "I hope it is nothing untoward," he says, and Wei Wuxian can't suppress his wince.
"There are a number of unexpected difficulties today," he says, and explains.
Two minor sects turn out to have been squabbling for months and their leaders both arrived at Lotus Pier at the same time and proceeded to have a screaming argument in the courtyard, which is now occupying Jiang Fengmian's time. There was an accident in the town involving the collapse of a building that was under construction; Wen Qing has gone to tend the wounded and Jiang Cheng has gone with her, because it is the first day since her sitting month's end. Madam Yu is already dealing with many other guests, and could not free herself to greet Lan Qiren without giving offense to someone. Xichen is trying to talk down several other arguments that have started that the Chief Cultivator can't address until he's finished with the current one, and Lan Zhan has laid claim to minding A-Yuan and watching the twins while they nap, probably because if he leaves the family quarters area, people are going to want to talk to him too.
Lan Qiren is sympathetic. "Thank you for finding time to greet me," he says, and seems to mean it, and Wei Wuxian smiles.
"I would not dream of allowing you to arrive without welcome," he tells him, and then stops, frowning.
Wei Wuxian has rarely appreciated his own reputation for unreliable manners as much as he does today, because none of the guests expect him necessarily to behave in accordance with expectations of proper courtesy, which means he doesn't have to. Everyone knows that Wei Wuxian will often be ridiculous and indecorous even when he's talking to sect leaders or the Chief Cultivator, so they don't take it seriously when he blows past them on his way to the gates to meet one of the few people he actually does, in fact, care about offending, because Lan Qiren should be offended only in specific and judicious ways, and always with great deliberation and care.
Lan Qiren does not have his reputation. Quite the reverse.
And for all that they cannot acknowledge it openly, Lan Qiren is here to see his grandchildren.
"Master," he says, lowering his voice. "If I try to take you through the crowd, many people will want to stop you, and some will object to the idea that you should take precedence when it comes to seeing the babies." He hesitates, then ploughs on. "Let me sneak you in."
He can see the war behind Lan Qiren's eyes, just for a moment, before his grandfatherly instincts clearly win a crushing victory. "As Senior Wei instructs," he says, and Wei Wuxian will not argue with the ways in which a Lan resolves his conscience to do what Wei Wuxian wants him to do.
"This way," Wei Wuxian says, and turns off the path.
They pass several stations of Jiang disciples placed to provide polite discouragement to any guests who want to go places the Jiang would rather they not go, who pretend not to see them. They loop around behind a number of buildings, at one point cross a section of water by jumping between boats, and then, at the end, climb over a wall. Lan Qiren follows without objection, and they arrive at their destination without being stopped by anyone at all.
In the rooms of Jiang Cheng, Wen Qing, and Xichen, Lan Zhan is holding one nephew against his shoulder, standing by the crib that contains the other, softly singing a lullaby. A-Yuan is singing with him. It's a scene of wholesome, tender joy, and Wei Wuxian doesn't want to tear his eyes from the sight, but he is aware of Lan Qiren abruptly turning around and leaving again.
Lan Zhan looks up, frowning, but Wei Wuxian waves for him to stay with the children, and follows his husband's uncle out himself.
Lan Qiren is standing by the wall they came in by, as if he was about to leave, but he's stopped, and he's shaking.
Wei Wuxian bites back the Master? he was going to say, because Lan Qiren has already called him Senior Wei. Wei Wuxian has been his teacher, and is, in a way, much older than he is; sometimes that is useful. "Lan Qiren," he says, gentle, and glad of that when Lan Qiren turns around, drawing himself straight, and Wei Wuxian can see that he is crying.
"Forgive me," he says, voice choked. "I had not anticipated - I will - in a moment -"
"It's okay," Wei Wuxian says. "But tell me why."
He's just going to guess that Lan Qiren is just like his nephews, and will deny himself his feelings if Wei Wuxian gives him a choice about it, even though it doesn't work. Lan men are exhausting, he thinks, and it's really quite unfair that they're worth it.
Lan Qiren hesitates, straightens as if he's going to get angry and refuse, and then he wilts, and looks at Wei Wuxian, earnest with tear-filled eyes.
"My nephew." Lan Qiren swallows. "He is a good father. A good uncle."
"Yes," Wei Wuxian says. "Lan Zhan is a wonderful father, and he loves the twins." He says it carefully, because there's clearly much more to this than that.
"I am." Lan Qiren swallows. "Glad." A shaky breath. "I have - worried. He barely knew his mother, and he never had a father. If - without parents of his own, he might not -"
"Stop," Wei Wuxian says, because he can't stand this. "Lan Qiren. Lan Zhan had a parent."
"His mother -" Lan Qiren starts to say, and Wei Wuxian holds up a hand, and he falls silent.
"Lan Qiren, he had you," he tells him, as gently as he can. "They both had you." The idea that Lan Qiren didn't know that, doesn't know that - it hurts. "Your nephews had a parent who loved them, and they know that. They've always known that." Lan Qiren looks like he wants to argue, but he doesn't get the chance.
"Wei Ying is correct," Lan Zhan says from behind Wei Wuxian, and - oh, Wei Wuxian left the door open. Lan Zhan still has a baby in one arm, but the other is now carrying a padded basket with the other baby, because Lan Zhan would never leave either of them unattended, even for a definition that involves Lan Zhan is just outside the room. Lan Zhan takes babysitting very, very seriously. A-Yuan is next to him, looking puzzled.
Lan Qiren looks at his nephew, and a tear tracks down his cheek. "Your mother -" He swallows. "She lived for you as long as she could, but you were still so young," he says. "And Qingheng-Jun was... He was not a good father."
Understatement, Wei Wuxian thinks.
"No," Lan Zhan says. He comes close enough to nudge Wei Wuxian, who takes the babies without complaint, one in his arms and hooking the basket's handle over his wrist. Lan Zhan turns back to his uncle. "It was... difficult. When she." He stops, takes a breath. "But we had you."
"Lan Zhan," Lan Qiren whispers, and Lan Zhan's expression is soft, gets that tiny curl at the corner of his mouth.
They stare at each other for a moment, and then that appears to be it, because... Lans, seriously, Wei Wuxian cannot deal with them sometimes.
Lan Qiren clears his throat and wipes his eyes and turns his attention to the babies. "And these, I take it, are my new great-nephews," he says, and Wei Wuxian does not miss the implications of that wording. "I have gifts, of course."
And he does - he has the appropriate, official gifts from the Lan Sect to the sons of the Jiang heir, the grandsons of the Chief Cultivator, but he also has personal gifts.
He presents those later, after the twins' parents have made it home, and the worst of the crowds have cleared out. He has gifts for the babies and for A-Yuan that he presents with his usual gruff air, and Wei Wuxian can feel the shift in his own perception. Lan Qiren is gruff because he's awkward, because he thinks he does not quite have the right to this, to bring gifts suitable for a grandfather to his grandchildren.
"Uncle," Xichen says, and Lan Qiren holds up his hand with a warning look.
"Upon my return to Gusu, the Elders will ask how things fare at Lotus Pier, including with our absent sect leader," he says. "I look forward to giving them my honest assurances that my nephew is well, and remains the boon companion of his sworn brother," he says. "I'm sure you would inform me if there was anything else to tell them."
Xichen smiles. "Of course, Uncle."
"Perhaps Uncle could stay until tomorrow," Lan Zhan suggests. "Today was busy. Uncle had very little time to see his grandchildren."
"Is your spare room occupied? All of the sect's guest rooms are in use, but you keep a room for visiting family, don't you?" Jiang Cheng says, without missing a beat, and Wei Wuxian is so, so proud of him.
"It's not," Wei Wuxian says, and looks at Lan Qiren. "Uncle, would you like to stay with us tonight?"
Lan Qiren seems to need a moment, and then he nods, slowly, eyes bright. "I... yes. Thank you. I would."
Wei Wuxian had many goals in life, and has achieved most of them, this time, but he is forming a new one.
His son will grow to be the first person in three generations of the Lan's main clan line who does not need to be told that it is permitted for him to love and be loved by his family.