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Lan Sizhui smiles at Little Apple as they come into sight of home. He’s been spending the last week with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, taking a break from sect politics and night hunts; it’s good to get away and he can see why the two people who raised him prefer it after everything they’ve gone through. It’s peaceful here, away from the rest of the world, where the biggest problem is keeping Wei Wuxian from cooking their meals.
There’s a town not too far away and Lan Sizhui had taken Little Apple down, mostly for the walk, and to get something different to eat. He’s brought back some snacks for them to munch on in between meals while they’re gardening, farming, or fishing. Wei Wuxian’s method of fishing is to go into the rivers and catch the fish with his bare hands. It’s fun but Lan Wangji’s method of silently sitting with a rod is a much more reliable way to catch enough for a meal.
The front door slams open and Lan Sizhui starts to run over, letting go of Little Apple’s reins, because the animal will not run with him.
“Senior Wei! What happened? Is it an-?”
“I’m not talking to that man,” Wei Wuxian announces. Lan Sizhui looks at him in confusion, the feeling only rising as Wei Wuxian shoves his boots on and takes off on his sword. “You deal with him. He’s your problem.”
“Senior Wei, wait,” Lan Sizhui tries but Wei Wuxian is on Suibian, flying off before Lan Sizhui can ask what’s going on. He sighs but goes inside and tries to ask Lan Wangji what happened. Unfortunately, he gets even less help on that front.
“Ridiculous,” Lan Wangji says. “Nonsense.”
And that’s all he says on the matter.
Lan Sizhui worries but if no one will tell him anything, then how can he be expected to solve the issue? He goes back to Little Apple who is sedately waiting at the gate, looking at him like he’s an idiot for worrying. But Lan Sizhiu doesn’t even know where Wei Wuxian went off to.
He tends to Little Apple first and then puts away the food, sitting down across from Lan Wangji, who is calmly reading a book. It takes Lan Sizhui a minute to realize that Lan Wangji is only pretending to read when he doesn’t turn the page and notices that his hands are gripping the book too tight.
“Hanguang-jun, what happened?” Lan Sizhui asks again.
“Wei Ying is being foolish,” Lan Wangji says and Lan Sizhui sighs. Lan Wangji shoots him a sharp look but subsides when he sees that Lan Sizhui is so visibly worried. “He will return.”
“We don’t even know where he went,” Lan Sizhui frets.
“We do,” Lan Wangji says. “He went to get drunk.”
Lan Sizhui blinks at Lan Wangji.
“O-oh. That does make sense.” He supposes it’s good that even in the midst of a fight, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have so much faith in one another, that Lan Wangji isn’t left completely in the dark.
Still, he doesn’t understand that, and he goes outside to practice his sword forms, guiltily glancing at the house when he starts a round of Wen style swordsmanship. Lan Wangji won’t punish him for practicing Wen or Lan styles, but he gets twitchy about Jiang style, even though Wei Wuxian insists it’s alright for him since he’s practically a Jiang and he helped raised A-Yuan. They all know that Lan Sizhui has picked it up from watching Jin Ling though, not Wei Wuxian, and it’s a source of contention between them all. They haven’t found an answer to satisfy them.
Lan Sizhui hears the sound of a sword flying through the air and wipes at his forehead as he sees Wei Wuxian return. Wei Wuxian gives him a look, as if asking why he’s here and not with Lan Wangji, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Senior Wei, you’re back,” Lan Sizhui says in relief. He catches sight of the six bottles Wei Wuxian is carrying and blanches a little. “Did you drink all of those?”
“Nope. I’m not drunk yet,” Wei Wuxian says. “Not good enough to fly by sword and drink yet. But I will get roaringly drunk right now. Join me, A-Yuan?”
“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lan Sizhui tries to say but Wei Wuxian has an arm around his shoulders and is steering him to the river bank.
“Drink,” Wei Wuxian says and Lan Sizhui doesn’t obey, but he doesn't protest when Wei Wuxian shoves a bottle into his hands. Wei Wuxian tears the top off from his and takes a long drink. “Hanguang-jun is an asshole.”
“Senior Wei,” Lan Sizhui says weakly.
“What? I’m married to him, I can say whatever I want about him, and he is a giant ass,” Wei Wuxian says, shouting that last part to the skies. Then he sighs and flops down, morosely drinking. Lan Sizhui decides to join him, and sits beside him, drinking alongside him. He’s finishing the second bottle when Wei Wuxian heaves another sigh. “Sorry, Sizhui. This wasn’t what you were expecting.”
“I don’t understand why you’re fighting,” Lan Sizhui says. “Everything was alright this morning?”
“Oh, we got into an argument while you were gone,” Wei Wuxian says.
“I figured that much. But about what?”
Wei Wuxian looks at him. He sets his bottle down and takes Chenqing out, raising it to his lips.
“Listen and let me know your opinion on this song,” Wei Wuxian says before he starts playing.
Lan Sizhui doesn’t know where Wei Wuxian is going with this but he can do this much. Wei Wuxian’s flute is a pleasant and familiar sound; Lan Sizhui thinks he could pick it out at this point. The song he plays is unfamiliar in tune but painfully familiar in how it makes his heart clench. He can already tell it’s going to be devoted to Lan Wangji. Because that love that they share, it flows out of each note, and Lan Sizhui sighs in longing, hoping that one day he’ll be able to share such a profound love for someone in the future.
“Good?” Wei Wuxian asks.
“Hm, very good,” Lan Sizhui says. The words are inadequate but they seem to be enough for Wei Wuxian, who beams at him.
“Let’s tell that butt Hanguang-jun that I’m right,” he says and Lan Sizhui blinks, thrown off by that.
He doesn’t have time to ask though, because Wei Wuxian is standing up and sprinting back towards the house. Lan Sizhui runs after him, unsure of what’s going on, but he recognizes when Wei Wuxian is going on the offensive.
“Sizhui agrees with me!” Wei Wuxian shouts as he barges into the house.
Lan Wangji gives him a cold look.
“Doubtful,” he says.
“He was about to cry. My song is perfect the way it is,” Wei Wuxian says.
“Hanguang-jun, I still don’t know what’s going on-” Lan Sizhui tries to explain but Wei Wuxian doesn’t let him get a word in, clearly on a rampage.
“You are in the wrong key for this piece! I’m telling you, you’re playing it too mournfully, it needs to be higher pitched and more springly,” Wei Wuxian says.
“That is not a word or descriptor,” Lan Wangji says primly.
“You’ve been arguing this whole time about a song?” Lan Sizhui cries.
Neither of them even look at Lan Sizhui.
“It is the centerpiece of this collection and must reflect that,” Lan Wangji says.
“Yeah and I’m the one who originated this piece. And I’m telling you, you damned Lan, you’re playing it like a funeral piece. Why the fuck is a love song sounding like it needs a hoard of mourners to accompany it? It should be beautiful and light, like how I normally feel when you smile at me,” Wei Wuxian says. Lan Sizhui blushes to hear that. Usually he hears soppy words from Wei Wuxian but it rings differently right now with anger in his voice but still deliriously in love with Hanguang-jun.
Lan Wangji also pauses. He frowns minutely as he looks down at his hands.
“Even now?” he asks softly.
“Especially now, you stubborn, stubborn man!” Wei Wuxian says, throwing his hands up in the air. “I love you! I love you so much I’m writing a book with you about musical duets because I can’t contain all that I feel for you in words!”
Lan Wangji’s voice hitches and some of the fight leaves Wei Wuxian. He coos at Lan Wangji and goes over to him, climbing into his lap and nuzzling into his neck.
“Why do you sound so sad when you play?” Wei Wuxian asks, cupping his face with one hand.
Lan Wangji shakes his head once and they wait. Wei Wuxian doesn’t seem surprised or dismayed; Lan Sizhui wants to leave because he doesn’t feel like he should be here, but he also can’t move, his feet glued to the floor. Also he’s very dizzy and he’ll probably fall if he tries to run away.
“I remember loving you. And mourning you. They are linked,” Lan Wangji explains.
“Yeah, I know,” Wei Wuxian says softly. “And I’m saying those days are over. I’m here now. We’re going to be so happy together, Lan Zhan. I want you...to think of our now, not our past, because it’s going to be so much better.”
Lan Wangji breathes deeply, reaching up to cover Wei Wuxian’s hand with his own.
Lan Sizhui coughs but neither of them pay attention to him, and he slinks his way out, leaving them alone for a few hours. The area around here is safe, thanks to the two cultivators who live here and regularly clean it out of any beasts or malignant spirits, so Lan Sizhui takes the time to explore without worries. The rabbits are happy to see him even though he doesn’t have any treats on him.
Lan Sizhui loops around the house every now and again. It isn’t until he hears the flute playing again that he deems it safe to return.
“I didn’t know you were composing a book,” Lan Sizhui says after he lets himself in.
“Yeah, Lan Zhan wants to write down the songs that we play most often with one another,” Wei Wuxian says as he lowers Chenqing. “Thanks for the privacy, by the way. We forgot.”
“I know,” Lan Sizhui says. He’s used to this. Lan Wangji returns with tea for him and Lan Sizhui takes it gratefully; he’s late for dinner but that’s not his fault.
“We saved your meal,” Lan Wangji says without judgement, and a little bit of embarrassment, for making Lan Sizhui wait for his dinner.
“Can I hear your song first?” Lan Sizhui asks.
“Sure, sure,” Wei Wuxian says, gesturing to Lan Wangji to get his guqin. “You deserve it after putting up with all that.”
“I would appreciate the chance to hear it properly,” Lan Sizhui says in a rush before Lan Wangji can do more than narrow his eyes at Wei Wuxian. He actually is hungry but he wants to hear the song this argument is about.
This time, with Lan Wangji’s guqin providing the harmonization, Lan Sizhui can hear the whole of the song. The sweet notes compliment each other and even if Lan Sizhui didn't know the history of this song, he would be able to feel the profound love it’s singing about. He doesn’t hide the way his eyes water at the sound of it though he does try to wipe them away discreetly.
“It’s beautiful,” he says.
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian beam at him. Lan Sizhui dries his eyes and lets the conversation drift to safer topics, like how the rabbits are doing and what new technique he’s working on cultivating. It’s always good to spend time with his family, even if they’re frustrating when they fight or Lan Sizhui has to eat dinner late because Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian can’t keep their hands off one another. Lan Sizhui truly appreciates them and all they’ve done for him; it isn’t perfect because Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are both too strong willed and argue like thunderstorms when they clash, but he’s glad they get to have their happy ending.