Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

‘we should go to mcdonalds lol’

‘I want the travis scott burger’

‘Are they even open this late?’

‘Idk if thats a good idea /:’

‘come on we should do it’

‘I agree with him. Are you guys in or are you a bunch of pussies’

‘I guess’

‘My dad would probably kill me...’

‘No he wouldnt your dad is cool’

‘Okay but my dad would DEFINITELY kill me.’

‘ARE WE DOWN TO CLOWN OR WHAT?’

‘Yes.’

‘sure’

‘Okay, but not too late.’

‘sweet. im taking my uncle’s car. meet me at the gas station ill pick you up. bring money cause im not paying.’

Lan Sizhui sighed and closed his laptop before changing into jeans and a T-shirt, stuffing his wallet and phone into his pockets as he left his bedroom. He crept down the hall, holding his breath as he passed his dads’ room. Of course, nothing happened, and he unlocked the front door as quickly and quietly as he could.

Outside, the cool late spring air enveloped him. Closing the door with a soft click, he headed down the stairs and made for the gas station a few blocks away.

Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the gas station and stood in the parking lot. In his pocket, Lan Sizhui’s phone vibrated.

‘omw’

He sighed as he noticed another form enter the parking lot. It was Ouyang Zizhen. He had his earbuds in and was glancing around rather nevously. He spotted Lan Sizhui, and all the worry that had been written across his face just moments ago dissipated in an instant. He called Lan Shizhui’s name as he made his way across the parking lot.

“Hey!” He chirped as he took out one of his earbuds.

“Hey. Lan Jingyi just said he was on his way.”

Ouyang Zizhen nodded. “Yeah, I saw the text.”

The two chatted idly for a short while before Lan Jingyi appeared. As usual, he seemed to be irritated, shifting his weight between either foot as the three of them waited.

“Where’s Jin Ling? Ugh...” Lan Jingyi rubbed his temples, “I wonder if his uncle caught him sneaking out...” he muttered.

“I’m sure he didn’t. Besides, he lives pretty far away, remember?” Ouyang Zizhen reminded.

“I hope so. I don’t wanna spend my night standing around this creepy parking lot!” Lan Jingyi glanced around as if the three of were being watched by someone unseen.

“None of us want to do that,” Lan Sizhui consoled.

Fortunately, Jin Ling pulled into the parking lot only a few moments later, driving Jiang Cheng’s car like he knew what he was doing.

He came up beside his friends and rolled down the driver’s side window. “Are you three just gonna stand around all night, or are we going to McDonalds?”

The three boys smiled in unison and got into the car. Jin Ling drove to the closest 24-hour McDonalds, which was about thirty minutes away from the gas station, near the edge of town.

They got their food and parked at the edge of the mostly vacant lot, joking and laughing amongst themselves as they ate.

Once Jin Ling ate enough to be satisfied for the ride back, he figured he’d just let the others eat on the road. As much as he enjoyed hanging out with his friends, he enjoyed not being scolded a little more.

He sighed and pressed the key into the ignition, turning it. The engine turned over, but the car refused to move. He checked the brake once, twice, three times. The battery was running fine, so he knew that wasn’t it either.

Jin Ling’s eyes came to rest on the gas gauge.

Shit.

It was completely empty. So empty, in fact, that the little red button beside the gauge was blinking. He’d completely forgotten to get gas when they were at the fucking gas station, and he internally smacked his palm against his forehead for allowing himself to be such a dumbass.

By now, of course, the others had noticed that Jin Ling was trying to get the car to move, to no avail.

Lan Sizhui was the first one to speak up, as he was in the passenger seat beside Jin Ling.

“What’s going on?”

Jin Ling gritted his teeth. “There’s no gas. I can’t even pull out of the parking lot,” he admitted.

Lan Sizhui nodded. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay! What are we gonna do?!” Ouyang Zizhen asked, voice frantic.

Lan Sizhui thought for several moments before saying anything. “I’ll call my dad.”

“What?! No way, do you have a death wish?” Jin Ling huffed.

“My dad, Wei Wuxian. He won’t be mad, and he won’t tell my father.”

“But—“ Jin Ling was about to retort when Lan Sizhui cut him off.

“Oh, do you have any better ideas then?” He folded his arms across his chest.

Anger cast its shadow on Jin Ling’s face, but he remained silent. He didn’t have any better ideas, and quite frankly, Wei Wuxian was the only one of their parents who wouldn’t scold or lecture the four of them to death for sneaking out at night.

“Okay, okay. Lan Sizhui, call your dad.”

Lan Sizhui nodded and produced his phone. As he held it to his ear, it rang a few times before a staticky rustling sound came through the other end, followed by a hoarse, sleep-filled voice. “Ugh...A-Yuan?”

“Dad...hey.”

“What’s up? Why are you calling me so late? Did something happen?” Wei Wuxian’s tired voice was nonetheless lined with urgency.

Lan Sizhui let out a nervous laugh. “Well...my friends and I...we went out to get some food, and now we’re stranded.”

“Huh?”

“Jin Ling picked us up in his uncle's car, but...it ran out of gas, and now we’re stuck in the parking lot.”

Several awkward moments of tense silence passed before Wei Wuxian broke it with a laugh. “Are you serious?”

“Why would I not be? Just...please come pick us up. I’m really sorry, please—"

Wei Wuxian cut him off with a stifled yawn, “A-Yuan, it’s fine. Don’t worry. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Okay. Thanks dad. See you soon.” Lan Sizhui hung up and slipped his phone back in his pocket. He couldn't help but notice Jin Ling glaring daggers into him, as though his entire family had just been insulted.

“Why did you blame me?!”

Lan Sizhui leaned back a bit. “I didn’t blame you, Jin Ling. My dad would’ve found out either way.”

“You said I brought you all here!” He jabbed an accusatory finger towards Lan Sizhui.

“Dude, just shut up and eat your Travis Scott burger,” Lan Jingyi huffed.

“Oh, like you complaining is helping the situation at all!” Jin Ling huffed through a mouthful of burger.

Lan Sizhui interrupted them. “Don’t argue, come on. We just have to wait for my dad.”

“Did he say he’s coming?” Lan Jingyi took a hit of his juul and blew the smoke out the half-open window.

“Yeah.”

“Are you juuling?” Ouyang Zizhen questioned from the back seat.

“Yeah. Got a problem, loser?”

Ouyang Zizhen gave him a disapproving yet anxious glance. “I have asthma.”

“Oh.”

“Hey, quit fucking juuling in my uncle’s car. He’ll beat my ass if he smells it!” Jin Ling barked. “I already got in trouble that one time I took a single hit of A-Qing’s blunt.”

Lan Jingyi laughed. “That’s awful. Your uncle is way too strict. He loves to act as if he didn’t do anything bad when he was our age, but I’m sure he did.”

Jin Ling shrugged as he stuffed a handful of fries into his mouth. “I don’t know. It’s not like he’d ever tell me even if I did ask.”

Lan Sizhui nodded in agreement. “My dad has told me all kinds of stories. Your uncle was once a kid just like us, and he goofed off too.”

“Ha! I knew it. My uncle hasn’t always been so straight-laced after all,” Jin Ling beamed triumphantly, puffing out his chest.

Wei Wuxian pulled up beside Jiang Cheng’s car. He got out and rubbed at his tired eyes with balled fists. “Ugh...seriously, why does it have to be 3 AM?”

Lan Sizhui opened the door and reluctantly stepped out onto the pavement, a sheepish grin plastered on his face. “Sorry, dad...I know I acted out, and—”

Wei Wuxian placed his hand on Lan Sizhui’s head and ruffled his hair. “It’s alright, don’t worry.” His voice was hoarse and heavy with exhaustion, and his neck was covered in hickies. The sight made Lan Sizhui blush, and he averted his eyes.

“Alright, kiddos. Come on, out of the car,” Wei Wuxian said as he leaned in through the open door. Jin Ling sat in the driver’s seat, his yellow converse propped up on the steering wheel. Behind him, Lan Jingyi held an empty McDonald’s bag whilst he mindlessly tapped away at something on his phone. In the other seat, Ouyang Zizhen was still wearing his seatbelt, half-empty soda cup clutched in his right hand as he stared at Wei Wuxian as though he'd just seen a ghost.

“Don’t tell my dad,” he whispered.

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me~! I’m not a snitch. Besides, I did much worse things when I was your age.”

“Uh...I don’t think that’s exactly something you should be proud of?” Jin Ling scoffed.

Wei Wuxian simply shrugged. “I know. Anyways, come on. I’m serious, get out.”

Jin Ling groaned and got out of the car. Lan Jingyi did the same, followed by Ouyang Zizhen.

He cast a fleeting, regretful glance at the car.

“Keys,” Wei Wuxian turned to Jin Ling, who threw the keys at him.

Wei Wuxian closed the doors of Jiang Cheng’s car and locked them before getting into Lan Wangji’s car. “Get in,” he called out to the kids.

Lan Sizhui flopped into the passenger seat beside him, letting out a tired sigh. “What are we gonna do? By the time we drop everyone off, it’ll be morning already!”

Wei Wuxian watched the other three kids cram themselves into the back. He laughed and apologized, saying how he and his husband had never planned to carry so many people around in their car when they’d bought it.

“We aren’t dropping everyone off.” Wei Wuxian turned and glanced over the side of his seat. “Do you three wanna crash at our place for the night? Then again, I guess you don’t really have a choice, considering how it’s the dead of night right now...”

Ouyang Zizhen nodded. “You’re right.”

“Huh?! Kidnapping! That’s kidnapping! I’ll call the police!” Jin Ling yelled as he squirmed about in his seat.

“Kidnapping?! No way. I just don’t wanna leave you on your parents’ doorstep this late at night. Besides, I’m not driving around to drop everyone off. Just...stay at our place, you can leave tomorrow morning since tomorrow is Saturday.”

All of them were too tired to protest. Besides, they knew Wei Wuxian was right; it was much too late to go back home for the night, and all of the boys would much rather avoid the inevitable lectures that awaited them for as long as they could.

Wei Wuxian drove the four boys back to the apartment he shared with his husband. They entered and took off their shoes beside the door as Wei Wuxian put a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. He led the boys to Lan Sizhui’s bedroom and opened the door.

“Sorry, we don’t have a guest bedroom since we never really have people over. We do have some extra futons and blankets, though,” he said apologetically before heading to the hall closet and getting the things for their three guests.

When everyone had one, he stretched and yawned. “Alright, well, it’s really late, so I’m gonna head to bed. The bathroom is right over there,” he paused and pointed to a door a few feet down the hall, “feel free to do whatever you want, just don’t be too noisy. I could sleep through anything, but Lan Zhan is a pretty light sleeper. Besides, he’ll definitely give you an earful if you wake him up, and grumpy Lan Zhan is something none of us want to deal with.”

The four boys nodded in agreement, all of them looking exhausted.

“Alright. Goodnight!”

Wei Wuxian entered he and his husband’s shared bedroom and quietly shut the door. He took off his shirt and tossed it onto the floor before crawling in bed with his husband. He put his arm on Lan Wangji’s waist and kissed the back of his neck, breathing in the warm, lingering scent of his cologne.

“Mm...Wei Ying.”

“Huh? Sorry, did I wake you?”

Lan Wangji exhaled and turned to face his husband. “Yes.”

“Sorry, sorry...”

“Where did you go?” Lan Wangji asked as Wei Wuxian moved in to cuddle him.

“Mmm,” Wei Wuxian pressed his forehead to Lan Wangji’s chest, enjoying the gentle, rhythmic rising and falling of his chest as he breathed.

“I had to pick A-Yuan and his friends up,” Wei Wuxian laughed.

“Is that it?”

“Huh? I’m serious, Lan Zhan. They called me earlier, I can show you.” He reached for his phone, but Lan Wangji grabbed his arm.

“No phone in the bed.”

Wei Wuxian nodded, “alright.”

“Why was A-Yuan out?”

Wei Wuxian combed a hand through his hair. “He went out with his friends. It was Jin Ling’s idea, though. Apparently, they wanted to go get some food together, and thought it would be cool to go at 2 AM. Jin Ling took Jiang Cheng’s car, but it ran out of gas and they got stranded at McDonalds.”

Lan Wangji chuckled. “Hm. They remind me of someone I used to know...”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but smile, a bit embarrassed. “Me?”

Lan Wangji leaned in and pressed a kiss against his husband’s forehead. “No more talking. Let’s sleep.”

“Okay. I’m pretty tired,” he mumbled as he cuddled up beside Lan Wangji, clinging to him.

Of course, Lan Wangji had long since gotten used to his husband clinging to him like a stray puppy. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Lan Zhan.”

Chapter Text

“Ugh...” Lan Sizhui wiped at the sweat collecting on his forehead with the back of his hand.

Ouyang Zizhen gave him a gentle nudge with his elbow. “Lan Sizhui, the game is about to start!”

Like a strike of lightning, a loud voice shot across the field and made everyone’s ears ring. The four boys who had been standing together and chatting all turned to look at the metal outdoor bleachers, packed with cheering parents and bored-looking siblings. Towards the back, Wei Wuxian sat beside Lan Wangji and cheered loudly for his son.

“WOOOO, YEAH! A-YUAN! KICK THEIR ASS!” Wei Wuxian shouted, waving his arms about frantically. Lan Wangji held up two pennants with Lan Sizhui’s face printed on them. When he looked closer, he realized that his father was completely decked out in clothes and other accessories featuring Lan Sizhui’s embarrassing school picture. He wore a ribbon on his forehead that said ‘GO A-YUAN! DESTROY THEM!’, and a shirt with the text reading ‘I LOVE MY SON’.

It didn’t match his flat expression at all.

Lan Sizhui laughed nervously, and his friends looked at him, faces a mix of discomfort and embarrassment. “Ah...I didn’t know my dads were going to be like this...” he mumbled.

“A-YUAN!” Wei Wuxian called as he stood up and showed off his terrible shirt, waving a pair of blue light sticks about like he was at some kind of rave.

Heat spread into Lan Sizhui’s cheeks, “they’re calling me by my nickname, too...I’ll never live this down...” he said to himself. Glancing back at his friends, he could tell they were all trying very hard not to laugh.

He sighed and rubbed at his temples, now thoroughly embarrassed.

“I think it’s kind of cute...your dads really love you...” Ouyang Zizhen said in an obvious attempt to comfort him.

Lan Sizhui ran a hand through his hair. “It’s just a high school soccer tournament, but...my dads can’t help but treat it like the olympics.”

“They even have matching shirts,” Lan Jingyi said, torn between admiration and disgust.

Much to Lan Sizhui’s relief, the game started a few moments later, but the cool spring breeze carried the cheers of his dad down onto field.

As the game came to a close, Lan Sizhui thought about how much of a miracle it was that Wei Wuxian wasn’t asked to leave, given how much of a ruckus he’d made during the entire game. As Lan Sizhui watched the rest of his teammates disperse across the field and towards the exit, he stole a glance at his dads still seated on the metal bleachers. Wei Wuxian waved, and Lan Wangji nodded, pennants and light sticks in hand.

The heat of embarrassment crept even further down, moving into his ears as he left the field to stand beside the bleachers, wiping the sweat from his face using his shirt. Wei Wuxian made his way down the steps with Lan Wangji in tow.

“A-Yuan!” He called as he waved to his son. When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he reached out and pulled Lan Sizhui into a tight hug.

“Ugh, dad, I’m...stop, I’m so sweaty, you’re gonna start smelling bad!” He squirmed in his dad’s grip.

“I don’t care. I can take a shower,” Wei Wuxian laughed as he rested his chin atop Lan Sizhui’s head.

Lan Wangji came to his side. “You did well.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at his father’s stupid, ridiculous shirt and headband. “Thanks. You...really didn’t have to go this far, though.”

Wei Wuxian pulled away, frowning. “Huh?”

Lan Sizhui couldn’t tell if his dad was playing dumb or not, so with a quiet sigh, he explained. “You know...” he motioned to both of them.

“It’s 2020, Lan Sizhui. There’s nothing wrong with being an openly gay couple.” Wei Wuxian stopped hugging him and folded his arms across his chest.

“Not that! I—I’m not embarrassed by you or your relationship...it’s the way you two are dressed...it’s like you’re my fanclub or something,” he admitted.

Wei Wuxian’s smile returned. He laughed and clapped his son on the back before looking at his husband, “we are, right?”

Lan Wangji nodded.

Wei Wuxian turned back to him. “We’d be bad dads if we didn’t support you.”

“It’s only a high school soccer tournament, it doesn’t really matter,” Lan Sizhui laughed.

Lan Wangji cleared his throat. “We simply wanted you to know that you have our support.”

Lan Sizhui couldn’t keep from smiling. Even if his dads’ actions were embarrassing, he couldn’t deny that they weren’t full of love. Besides, he knew that neither of them had any sort of bad intentions. At the end of the day, they’d cheered the loudest out of everyone, and even called words of encouragement when he wasn’t playing as well as he ought to.

“Well then...I’m glad you’re my dads.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, I’m leaving in a few minutes,” Lan Sizhui poked his head into the kitchen, ducking beneath the fake spider webs crisscrossing the upper third of the doorway. His dads were seated at the table, having a light meal and laughing between themselves about something, probably the plastic skeleton which Wei Wuxian had put in their son’s chair.

“Eh?” Wei Wuxian looked up at him. “Are you not gonna eat?”

Lan Sizhui laughed nervously. “Is that okay? If you want, I’ll eat. I know father worked hard to cook.”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “If you don’t, I’ll save you some.”

“Thanks.”

Wei Wuxian raised his hand and put his chopsticks down. “Wait, wait.”

“Hm?”

Wei Wuxian pulled out his phone and stood up. “Let me take some pictures!”

Lan Sizhui opened his mouth to protest, but could only sigh. “Okay.”

Wei Wuxian smiled and moved a bit closer to Lan Sizhui, snapping some pictures with his phone. He directed his son to pose and took as many pictures of him as he could before his husband called to him.

“Wei Ying.”

“Hm?” Wei Wuxian glanced over his shoulder.

“The food will get cold. Let’s eat.”

“Okay, just a few more. Sorry, just...doesn’t A-Yuan look cute?”

Lan Wangji nodded, and Lan Sizhui blushed. “Dad, come on.”

Wei Wuxian took a few more pictures before returning to his chair. “Okay, you can go now! Remember not to take any unwrapped candy, and if you start to get scared, I’ll leave my phone on.”

Lan Sizhui smiled and nodded. “Alright. I’ll see you later tonight!”

He went down the hall and put on his shoes.

“Oh, one last thing!” Wei Wuxian called down the hallway. “Be home before twelve, okay? I know tomorrow is Sunday, but it’s dangerous to stay out too late.”

“I’ll be home before then!” Lan Sizhui reassured as he left the house and made his way down down the path that led through the immaculately-decorated yard. Wei Wuxian’s favorite holiday had been Halloween ever since he was a child, and now that he was married and had his own home, he could go all-out with the decorations.

To say that he did would be an understatement.

The small front lawn was covered in realistic-looking gravestones and fake zombified corpses in various states of decay poking out from the grass. Spider webs and huge, fake spiders covered the bushes and flowers that grew against the side of the house. Strings of red lights that looked like dripping blood hung down from the awnings of the roof, and another one of those plastic skeletons was seated in a chair on the deck beside a small table that held a bowl of candy.

Normally, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji would stay home and personally hand out candy to the children who came by, with Wei Wuxian opting to hide himself in the bushes whilst wearing a terrifying mask, only to jump out and scare any unsuspecting children who happened to wander up to their house.

This year was different, though, because a friend of theirs had invited them to a Halloween party for queer men. Of course, they’d agreed to go, and had even settled on wearing matching couple’s costumes.

Lan Sizhui exited the yard and walked down the street, past several other houses that were decorated for Halloween. Of course, none of them even came close to rivaling Wei Wuxian’s handiwork, and it filled Lan Sizhui with a strange sense of pride.

Sure enough, at the end of his street, his friends were waiting for him.

“Finally! Took you long enough,” Jin Ling called, placing a hand on his hip.

“I noticed you coming from halfway down the street,” Ouyang Zizhen laughed.

Lan Sizhui looked down at his Pikachu costume. “Is it cause I’m so yellow?”

“Yeah, but at least nobody will accidentally run into you,” Ouyang Zizhen replied.

“Can we go now? Come on, it’s dark already. Besides, all the best candy gets given out early in the night, so we should leave as soon as we can,” Lan Jingyi huffed.

“Okay. Let’s go!”

“Are you ready?” Wei Wuxian asked, pressing his body against his husband’s and sliding his hands around his waist.

Lan Wangji placed his free hand atop Wei Wuxian’s. “Almost.”

“Hurry uuuup,” Wei Wuxian whined.

“Wait.”

Wei Wuxian huffed and let go of his husband, looking himself over in the mirror. He brushed a stray strand of dark hair behind his ear and adjusted his headband, which had a glitter-covered halo attached to it

“Lan Zhan.”

“Hm?”

Wei Wuxian struck a pose and flashed a wide grin. “How do I look?”

Lan Wangji stopped what he was doing and looked over at Wei Wuxian. He was dressed in a white tunic with a gold belt and gold accessories. His exposed legs made him look extra cute, along with the fact that he was wearing his hair down, something he didn’t normally do.

He couldn’t help but smile. “Handsome.”

“Really? Lan Er-gege thinks I look handsome?” He laughed cloyingly.

“Mm.”

Wei Wuxian came up beside his husband and pressed a kiss against his cheek. “You don’t look half bad yourself. In fact, you look really sexy. Make sure you wear your ring,” he pouted a little as he leaned against the sink, propping himself up with his elbow.

“What reason do I have not to wear it?”

Wei Wuxian rested his head against Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “I just want everyone to know you aren’t available. You’re mine~!”

“Don’t worry,” Lan Wangji reassured. He would never find a guy he liked more than Wei Wuxian, so there was no need for concern. If any man tried to flirt with him, he’d tell them off. His expression alone was usually enough to keep other guys away anyways.

Once Lan Wangji was ready, the two left to head to the party. Driving on Halloween was more or less impossible, so they walked instead.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian groaned.

“Hm?” Lan Wangji looked over at him.

“My feet hurt. I shouldn’t have worn these sandals,” he said as he leaned against his husband.

“I’ll carry you,” Lan Wangji said.

Wei Wuxian perked up immediately. “Really? You aren’t just joking around?”

“Why would I be joking?”

Wei Wuxian just shrugged as they stopped walking. Lan Wangji lifted him up with ease and carried him bridal style, his pace not slowing even a bit. Wei Wuxian leaned against his husband’s chest and relaxed a bit.

Truth be told, his feet didn’t actually hurt.

“We should head down this way. I swear, every year, this street always has the best decorations out.” Ouyang Zizhen pointed across the street to a street diagonal to the one they were on now.

“You’re right. We’ll go there next, but let’s go this way first. All the rich people live down here, and last year, the guy at the end gave me a big-ass candy bar,” Lan Jingyi said.

The four of them agreed to continue down the street they were currently on, talking amongst themselves as they point out the more well-decorated houses lining the street. Every now and again, a moving decoration made one of them jump, and Jin Ling even screamed when a man in an off-white, dirty hockey mask stumbled towards them in an attempt to scare the boys. The rich man who lived at the end of the road gave out full-size candy bars just like last year, much to the group’s excitement.

“Welcome!” Jin Guangyao offered a warm smile as Lan Wangji, still holding Wei Wuxian, stepped through the door. He was wearing a ketchup costume, a cheerful, dimpled grin on his face.

“You’re fucking ketchup?” Wei Wuxian asked as Lan Wangji let him down, keeping a hand on his waist to steady him.

Jin Guangyao laughed. “Yes, I’m ketchup.”

Wei Wuxian sighed. “And Lan Xichen is mustard?”

He sounded tired, but Jin Guangyao ignored it. “Yes, he is.”

“Is anyone else here? Besides you two,” Wei Wuxian asked.

Jin Guangyao nodded and closed the door. He gestured for them to follow him, and they did, feeling extremely awkward tagging along behind him.

As soon as they entered the living room, he caught sight of Nie Huaisang standing beside the snack table and chugging a cup of coke like a prisoner on death row. He wore a black and white maid dress, with a fake cat tail, ears, and whiskers painted on his round cheeks.

Wei Wuxian grabbed Lan Wangji’s arm and walked over to their friend.

“Catboy?” Wei Wuxian asked, looking over Nie Huaisang’s odd costume.

“Catboy maid,” he corrected with a laugh. “You know...nya.”

“What is a ‘catboy’?” Lan Wangji questioned, his golden eyes narrowing.

Nie Huaisang put a hand on his hip. “How is he your husband and he doesn’t know what a catboy is?”

“Huh? What does him knowing what a catboy is have to do with me?” Wei Wuxian folded his arms across his chest and puffed out his cheeks.

“Never mind, it’s—Oh, Jiang Cheng!” Nie Huaisang’s eyes brightened as he extended his arm and waved to someone behind Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

“Eh?! Jiang Cheng is here?”

Wei Wuxian glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, Jiang Cheng was walking towards them, looking as irritated as ever.

It wasn’t like Jiang Cheng hated Wei Wuxian anymore, and their relationship had improved considerably since Wei Wuxian’s marriage to Lan Wangji, but...they were by no means amiable towards each other. Jiang Cheng regarded his brother with cold indifference, and Wei Wuxian returned it as warm neutrality.

Jiang Cheng stared at him for a few seconds before looking at Nie Huaisang.

“What the hell is that?”

Nie Huaisang smiled nervously. “This? My costume. Yours is good too, though. It really scared me!”

At that, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both turned to look. Jiang Cheng looked normal, save for his shirt—a plain white tee that had the word ‘HETEROSEXUALITY’ scrawled across the chest in thick, bold, black permanent marker.

Wei Wuxian laughed and glanced at his husband. “See? He does have a sense of humor.”

“Mhm.”

As soon as the words left his lips, the Halloween-themed playlist that had been serving as a low background noise up until that moment increased loudly and without warning.

Wei Wuxian’s eyes shot back to Lan Wangji. At first, he’d struggled to read the slight shifts in his husband’s facial expressions that indicated his mood, but he’d grown accustomed to the subtle changes after a while.

Now, though, it was plainly obvious that Lan Wangji was irritated. “Why did we come here?”

Wei Wuxian sighed. “I just wanted to do something fun and hang out with our friends. Besides, you know Halloween is my favorite.” He went to the table and poured himself a cup of punch, stealing a few sips before pressing the cup into Lan Wangji’s hand.

“Hold this. I can’t just not dance to Monster Mash.”

Lan Wangji looked down at the cup before taking a small sip and watching Wei Wuxian enter the living room. He started dancing like a white dad at a barbecue, and Nie Huaisang joined him despite the fact that he made Wei Wuxian look like a fish flopping around in comparison.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian called and smiled. “Look, remember when I learned this dance for Tiktok?” He then started doing some ridiculous dance that Lan Wangji didn’t know the name of, but he’d seen Wei Wuxian practicing and filming himself doing it more times than he could count.

“Yes. Good job.”

Wei Wuxian seemed to be having fun, his smile like the sun under the color-changing lights, so Lan Wangji let him. He looked ridiculous, dancing around in the middle of that living room in his cute angel costume, but his husband doing those kinds of embarrassing things no longer made Lan Wangji lose any face. Nobody dared say anything about it openly anyways, so he didn’t care.

Wei Wuxian switched between doing Tiktok and Kpop dances and eating snacks, sometimes both at the same time. At first, Lan Wangji was satisfied with watching Wei Wuxian dance around and enjoy himself, but the loud music and low, color-shifting lights started getting to him after a bit. He finished his drink and snuck outside, placing himself on the doorstep. Outside, he saw lots of kids walking around in costumes, and he couldn’t hold back a smile thinking of his own son.

A few moments later, the door opened. Lan Wangji had no reason to look over, he knew who it was.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian sat beside him, placing his hand atop his husband’s. “Is everything okay? I know it’s kind of loud in there...”

“Mhm.”

Wei Wuxian leaned his head against Lan Wangji’s shoulder, and Lan Wangji glanced down at him. “Do not touch me right now.”

His voice lacked any sense of malice or unkindness, yet it was edged with slight irritation. Wei Wuxian had been with Lan Wangji long enough to know what that meant, and to know that he was serious. Usually, he’d tease his husband or cling to him if he said something like that, at least until he got scolded, but given the situation inside, he knew Lan Wangji meant it.

“Okay, I won’t.” He moved away a bit, but still sat close to him.

Lan Wangji’s demeanor shifted when Wei Wuxian stopped touching him. He seemed a bit more comfortable, but still emitted an air of uneasiness.

“Do you want to go home? If you might have a meltdown, we should leave. Sensory overload is no joke.” Wei Wuxian really didn’t want to see Lan Wangji have a breakdown in public. Regardless of how supportive their friends were, there were some things that they would never understand. He knew Lan Wangji would hold himself together until he lost the physical capability to do so, and he didn’t want it to get to that point.

He knew some people thought it was because he was embarrassed with Lan Wangji, ashamed of the fact that he was disabled.

That wasn’t it at all. In fact, the situation was the reverse. He was angry with how people treated Lan Wangji when he wasn’t feeling well, embarrassed to see people acting stupid and pushing him too hard when he was already overwhelmed, treating him like some sort of child and acting like ‘autism’ was some sort of dirty word.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, or if you can’t right now,” Wei Wuxian said gently.

“Mhm.”

“My feet hurt. How long have we been walking?” Lan Jingyi groaned.

“Easy for you to say! We’ve been running around here and there, how do you think I’m feeling?!” Ouyang Zizhen leaned against a nearby fence covered in fake spider webs.

“It’s your own fault for insisting we come out all this way,” Jin Ling huffed.

Lan Sizhui sighed and looked over at his friends. “Come on, let’s not fight. Ouyang Zizhen, if you’re feeling tired, we can head back. We’ve been out for a while anyways, and I think we have enough candy between us to feed a small village.”

Ouyang Zizhen smiled and shook his head. “No, I’m alright. Let’s keep going for a little while longer. Besides, we haven’t gone to the best-decorated street yet.”

“That’s true. I want to take some pictures and look at all the decorations!”

Jin Ling adjusted his costume. “Alright then, what are we doing standing around?”

“Are you tired, Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian’s voice was soft yet full of love, “like I said...it’s okay if you want to go home. I won’t be mad.”

“I am tired.” Lan Wangji’s voice was wooden and slow, as if he were struggling to find the words in his already scrambled brain.

“Alright,” Wei Wuxian stood up and brushed off his white tunic, “let’s leave, then. If you can’t walk, I’ll carry you!”

Beside him, Lan Wangji sat for several more moments before getting up. Wei Wuxian rushed over to steady Lan Wangji, placing one hand on his waist and using the other to put his husband’s arm around his shoulder. The fake wings of Lan Wangji’s demon costume were rubbing uncomfortably against his own fake angel ones, but that was the least of his worries. As they descended the stairs, the door opened behind them.

“Are you two leaving already?” Nie Huaisang called down from the doorway, the music from inside leaking out through the open door.

Wei Wuxian looked over his shoulder and gave him a small wave. “Yeah, we’re going home. Lan Zhan is getting kind of tired, so I figured we’d go back so he can rest.”

Nie Huaisang just nodded. He knew better than to pry, and having been friends with Wei Wuxian for years, including the years he’d spent being pursued by Lan Wangji, he knew enough to piece things together. “Are you sure you don’t need a taxi or something?”

Wei Wuxian waved dismissively as he helped his husband down the stairs. “No, but thanks for the offer. You’re the best. Tell bro-in-law Xichen that I said hi.”

“Okay! Be safe!”

For some reason, they’d chosen to walk to the party, which Wei Wuxian was now deeply regretting. Still, their home was too close for a taxi to be worth it, so they continued walking in silence. Laughter and screams from trick-or-treating children and halloween-themed music filled the chilly fall night air, and Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but smile.

“How do you think A-Yuan and his friends are doing?” He asked.

Of course, Lan Wangji didn’t respond, so Wei Wuxian didn’t ask anything else. A few moments of peaceful silence passed before Lan Wangji’s fingers brushed against his arm, making him look over.

Since he could no longer speak, Lan Wangji switched to signing. “Can’t talk now. Too tired.”

Wei Wuxian’s cheeks creased with a smile. “It’s okay. You don’t have to. Do you need me to carry you?”

Lan Wangji shook his head, shuffling along soundlessly beside his husband. As they walked beneath the buzzing yellow streetlights surrounded by clouds of moths, Lan Wangji’s brow creased further and further, his expression darkening by the second.

“It’s the lights, isn’t it?” Wei Wuxian asked, arms folded behind him.

Lan Wangji pressed his fingers against his temple for several moments before nodding.

“The buzzing makes my head hurt.” His signs were sharp yet neat; and they reminded Wei Wuxian of his husband’s handwriting.

“We’re almost home. Can you make it?”

Lan Wangji shrugged.

Wei Wuxian chewed his lip as the gears in his mind turned. “Wait! I got it.”

He stopped and went behind his husband, picking him up easily. Lan Wangji’s golden eyes pierced into him.

“What are you doing?”

“We’ll cut through the forest!” Wei Wuxian’s eyes burned with a wild, mischievous flame. He took his phone out of Lan Wangji’s pocket and turned on the flashlight, holding it facing outwards against Lan Wangji’s body.

The walk through the forest was dark yet peaceful, far from the uncomfortable suburban buzzing of lights. The only sound was Wei Wuxian’s soft humming and the crunching of leaves underfoot. A small wave of relaxation came over Lan Wangji as he leaned against Wei Wuxian’s chest.

His husband smiled down at him, a tender look on his face. “Are you sleepy?”

Lan Wangji remained still and silent. He was, but he’d also likely get some energy back once they returned home.

“I want to take a bath,” he signed, which made Wei Wuxian laugh and almost drop his phone into the leaf litter below.

“Okay, when we get home. I’ll take one with you, since A-Yuan isn’t around.”

“No sex.”

Wei Wuxian tried not to let the disappointment in his heart show on his face. Still, it wasn’t too unreasonable. They did it almost every night anyways, and he didn’t want to risk pushing his husband to another breakdown, so all he said in response was a halfhearted ‘okay’.

They arrived at their home after walking through the forest for a while. It was late, around 10:30, so the scores of very young children who’d been out trick-or-treating had given way to older ones, mostly teenagers around their son’s age, and even a few college-aged looking adults laughing and swearing.

Wei Wuxian placed his husband down at their doorstep as he unlocked the door. They went inside and took off their shoes, Wei Wuxian leaning out of the open door and grabbing some candy from the bucket on the porch before closing the door behind them. By the time he stuffed the candy into a loose fold of his costume tunic, Lan Wangji was already going upstairs to take a bath. Wei Wuxian ran up after him and helped him draw the bath water. He fetched some towels and undressed, tossing his costume onto the floor. He sat on the side of the tub and waited for the water to become warm. Lan Wangji leaned against the cool, tiled side of the tub, one arm over the side and hand in the water, testing the temperature.

Once the tub was full and the water was just right, Lan Wangji took off his clothes and got into the bath. Wei Wuxian didn’t hesitate to get in with him, helping his husband wash his hair and body.

Pushing Lan Wangji’s long, straight black hair over his shoulder, Wei Wuxian pressed a chaste kiss to the warm, reddened skin of his husband’s neck. “How are you feeling, Lan Zhan?”

A few quiet moments passed before Lan Wangji removed his hands from the water to sign. “Better.”

Wei Wuxian gave a cheerful hum of approval as he washed the soap from his own body. “Should we get out? If we stay in too long, we’re gonna look like raisins,” he laughed.

Lan Wangji nodded.

“Okay, don’t get up. I’ll get you a towel.”

Wei Wuxian stood up and wrung the water out of his hair before he stepped out onto the bath mat and grabbed both the towels from the rack. He passed one to his husband and used the other to dry himself. When he finished, he tied it around his waist and reached down to help Lan Wangji out of the bathtub.

He got out and wiped his body down, taking note of Wei Wuxian’s curious glance roaming all over his body. The corner of his lip quirked up and his eyebrows raised as his eyes caressed Lan Wangji’s thighs. Wei Wuxian sighed and glanced away as his husband wrapped the towel around his waist.

“Should we go to bed?” He asked.

Lan Wangji shook his head. “Let’s do something else. Wait for A-Yuan.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Okay. How about we watch a movie?”

“Get dressed first,” Lan Wangji signed as he left. Wei Wuxian followed him into the bedroom, and they both changed into some warm, comfortable sleeping clothes.

Wei Wuxian sat down on the bed and texted Lan Sizhui as he waited for his husband to finish changing.

‘hey, r u ok?’

He waited a few anxious moments, but got no response. As he stared down into the blue light of his phone, Lan Wangji finished dressing. He leaned down and kissed his husband’s forehead.

“Why so concerned?”

“A-Yuan didn’t answer me,” Wei Wuxian sighed. “Then again, what kid eagerly answers their parent’s texts? He’s with his friends too...”

Lan Wangji gave a hum of agreement, the first small hint that his voice was returning. “It will be fine.”

Wei Wuxian smiled and reached up to kiss Lan Wangji, putting his arms around his neck.

“Should we go downstairs?” Lan Wangji signed.

“Yeah.”

He got up, and the two went downstairs to the couch in front of the TV. Wei Wuxian considered going to the fridge and pouring himself a glass of wine, but he knew that his husband always hated the smell, which was why he never drank. That, and the fact that he got drunk off a few sips. Instead, he just got some water to share with Lan Wangji. He brought it over and placed it on the coffee table, picking up the weighted blanket that was folded neatly atop the couch and draped it over Lan Wangji. He seemed pleased, tossing the other side of it over Wei Wuxian as he sat down. They held each other and picked out the scariest movie they could find on Netflix; Wei Wuxian held his husband a little tighter during the scary parts, clinging to him like a baby panda.

During a moment of silence, a thump came from the door, and Wei Wuxian jumped and yelped.

“Was that the movie?”

Lan Wangji shook his head.

Wei Wuxian breathed a sigh of relief as the door opened and the hall light came on.

“Hey!” Lan Sizhui’s warm voice greeted them. “Sorry I didn’t answer your text. I didn’t even realize you messaged me until I got back here. My phone was on silent...” he laughed nervously.

“It’s okay. Your father and I are going to head to bed after this, but if you stay up, just don’t make too much noise, yeah? Your father’s tired tonight.”

Lan Sizhui understood what that meant. He nodded and went upstairs and into his room. After having sorted through his massive bag of candy and picking out the ones he didn’t like, he changed into pajamas and got into bed, phone in hand.

Once the movie finished, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji turned off the TV and went upstairs together. They crawled into their bed and held each other, whilst Lan Wangji stimmed by playing with Wei Wuxian’s hair as both their eyes grew heavy with sleep.

“Mm...goodnight, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian mumbled.

“Goodnight.” Lan Wangji signed with a lock of Wei Wuxian’s black hair still between his fingers.

Chapter Text

“Come back to bed soon,” Lan Wangji’s voice was hoarse with sleepiness. His hand reluctantly slid off his husband’s bare waist, fingers brushing like sparks over flushed skin.

“I’ll be right back,” Wei Wuxian reassured. He slid out of bed and quietly left the bedroom, creeping down the darkened hallway. As he made his way towards the kitchen, he noticed a small sliver of light leaking out from beneath Lan Sizhui’s door.

Curious, he pressed his ear against the door and listened in. What on earth was his son doing up so late on a school night?

Wei Wuxian was about to open the door before he realized he was dressed in only an open bath robe. He closed the robe and tied it shut before opening the door, upon which he was greeted by the sight of his son hunched over his laptop. The entire room was lit up by the laptop’s blue screen, and Lan Sizhui was sniffling whilst surrounded by a pile of tissues.

He glanced over his shoulders, eyes half-lidded with the heaviness of sleep.

“Dad?”

“A-Yuan? Is everything okay? Why are you up so late on a school night?” He craned his neck to look down at the screen of his son’s laptop, and all his worries about cyberbullying dissipated.

“Are you watching...Naruto?”

Lan Sizhui dabbed at his eyes with an unused tissue. “Yeah. I just watched the scene with Itachi and Sasuke.”

Wei Wuxian frowned. “I’m so sorry,” he gave his son a pat on the back. “Believe me, when I was a kid, I cried so hard after I watched that scene that I got a migraine and had to stay home from school the next day.”

Lan Sizhui laughed at that.

“Move over. Let me watch,” Wei Wuxian said.

“Huh?” Lan Sizhui’s wide eyes were bloodshot and glazed with tears. “It’s a school night. Aren’t you going to be mad at me for staying up?”

He placed his hand on Lan Sizhui’s head and ruffled his hair. “No way. Besides, you’re a good kid. You don’t usually do stuff like this. It’s fine to live a little every once in a while.”

Lan Sizhui smiled. “Why are you up so late?”

“Oh, I was going to get some water. Can I drink some of yours?” He leaned back and grabbed the bottle from the desk.

“Sure.”

Wei Wuxian drank the entire bottle in one big sip. He sat beside his son, huddled around his laptop like friends around a campfire. Lan Sizhui leaned against his dad’s shoulder, his glazed eyes half-lidded with sleep.

“Tired?”

“Crying is exhausting,” Lan Sizhui mumbled, and Wei Wuxian responded with a laugh.

“You’re right...” he patted his son’s head and watched with a soft smile as his eyes fluttered closed. The boy looked so much like the little Wen Ning that Wei Wuxian had known all those years ago. Several moments passed of Lan Sizhui drifting between sleep and wakefulness, the quiet audio and low-quality video fading into blurry nonsense as sleep consumed him.

Wei Wuxian finished the episode before he realized his son was asleep on his shoulder. He couldn’t help but smile as he turned off the laptop and placed it on the desk. He moved Lan Sizhui off him and placed his head on the pillow, being sure to cover his body completely with the thick blanket he always used.

“Goodnight,” Wei Wuxian murmured as he pressed a small kiss against his son’s forehead. He left the room and went to the kitchen to get his water.

When he returned to the bedroom, Wei Wuxian found his husband asleep, the scarred skin of his back outlined by the silver moonlight that seeped into the room through the thin curtain.

A strange combination of both love and sadness swirled in his chest, working in tandem like fire and ice and clawing at his heart. He crawled into bed and clung to his husband.

Lan Wangji let out a soft groan as he turned to look at Wei Wuxian, long eyelashes fluttering with exhaustion. “What happened?”

“Hm?” Wei Wuxian pressed his lips against the reddened, marked-up skin of Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“You were gone for a considerable amount of time,” Lan Wangji said flatly.

Wei Wuxian combed his hand through his husband’s hair. “You wouldn’t believe it...A-Yuan was watching Naruto. I saw the light from his computer from under the door, so I went in to check it out. We watched together for a little while before he fell asleep,” he laughed lightly.

The corners of Lan Wangji’s rosy lips curved upwards. “Hm? Is that so?”

“I’m serious. He was crying because of the Itachi and Sasuke episode, so I had to comfort him.”

Lan Wangji turned to face his husband, their foreheads pressing together. “Wei Ying...”

“Yeah?”

“My Wei Ying is cute.”

Wei Wuxian’s cheeks flushed. “Eh? Come on, don’t get me worked up right now. Let’s go to sleep instead.”

Chapter Text

“Lan Zhan?”

Wei Wuxian turned to look at his husband, wrapped in a thick layer of blankets like a caterpillar in a cocoon. His hair was unkempt and messy, running across the white pillow like little rivers of ink.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian repeated softly. He moved over and craned his neck to get a better look at Lan Wangji’s face. His pale skin was covered in a thin, glossy layer of sweat, and his cheeks were flushed pink. Lan Wangji’s eyelids twitched, long eyelashes fluttering.

Concern coiled in Wei Wuxian’s stomach like a venomous snake. “What’s wrong? You’re usually awake by now...Are you sick?”

Lan Wangji muttered something inaudible and rolled onto his back. His deep brown eyes opened, heavy with exhaustion. “Wei Ying...”

Wei Wuxian put his hand on the blanket cocoon. “I’m here. What’s wrong?” He pressed his hand against Lan Wangji’s sweaty forehead for a few moments before giving a sagely nod, as if he suddenly became enlightened to everything going on with his husband.

Lan Wangji sighed, reddened lips parting. “It’s...”

“A fever? A cold? Is your stomach sick? Ah, maybe it was something you ate...?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “No.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing...I’m fine,” Lan Wangji murmured.

Wei Wuxian pouted. “Lan Zhan, come on! Please? I’ll give you a kiss if you tell me~!”

Lan Wangji sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. Even the gentle morning like that filtered in through the curtains made a dull, throbbing pain course through his head. “I seem to have forgotten to take my birth control pill yesterday.”

Wei Wuxian’s mouth fell open. “Uh...last night...”

“I’m aware, you don’t need to remind me.”

Wei Wuxian laughed sheepishly, “yeah, my back’s still sore. Anyways, is that why you feel bad?” He stretched and let out a yawn.

“It’s not that either...”

“Hm?” Wei Wuxian flopped down beside his husband, playing with a lock of his hair.

“I’m...” his deep brown eyes shifted up to the ceiling, “because I forgot to take my pill, my...mn, my menstrual cycle has unfortunately returned.”

“Oh...” Wei Wuxian’s curious eyes widened, “why didn’t you say something earlier, Lan Zhan? Stay there, I’ll get you some pain medicine!”

He slid off the bed and went to get some medicine and a glass of water for his husband. As he stood in the kitchen, he lamented his terrible inability to cook. Not wanting to trigger the smoke alarm like he had last time, he resigned himself to warming up some fried rice that Lan Wangji had cooked the previous night.

Wei Wuxian served his husband breakfast in bed, and the two of them ate together in peaceful silence. Lan Wangji’s hands trembled as he tried to swallow the pill, so Wei Wuxian placed his hands atop his husband’s and held the glass for him. Once he finished, Wei Wuxian leaned in and pressed a kiss against his wet lips.

“Lan Zhan...even like this, you look handsome,” Wei Wuxian laughed, sliding his arms around his husband’s neck.

No response. Lan Wangji’s distant, piercing gaze shifted down to Wei Wuxian, expression unreadable.

Wei Wuxian wrapped a lock of his husband’s hair around his finger. “Do you need anything else? Should I get you a cold towel?”

Lan Wangji shrugged off the thick layer of blankets and crawled out of bed on stiff legs, leaving behind a spot of blood on the sheets. Heat climbed into his ears as he glared down at the offending red stain, lips trembling.

Wei Wuxian frowned and moved to the side of the bed, taking Lan Wangji’s sweaty hand in his own. “Lan Zhan, it’s okay. It’s just a little blood, it’s easy to clean up. Don’t be embarrassed.”

Regardless of how comforting Wei Wuxian’s words were, dysphoria churned in his chest like a violent storm. “I...suppose I should help you change the sheets,” Lan Wangji sighed.

“No,” Wei Wuxian raised a hand, “go take care of yourself first. I’ll change them, don’t worry.”

Lan Wangji opened his mouth, but knew better than to protest. He went to the bathroom to clean up the bloody mess his body had cursed him with.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Wei Wuxian changed the sheets and made the bed. Through the wall, the gentle hissing of the shower floated into his ears. A few seconds passed where he considered going in and taking a shower with his husband, but he decided against it, especially since Lan Wangji sometimes showered in the dark on bad days.

After he finished his shower, Lan Wangji returned to the bedroom, dressed in a white T-shirt and black sweatpants. His dark, wet hair clung to his flushed skin, exhaustion weighing heavy on his eyelids.

“Eh? Lan Zhan, come over here.”

Too tired to ask why, he sat down on the bed next to his husband. Wei Wuxian sat up and took the towel from around Lan Wangji’s shoulders and placed it on top of his head, rubbing his hair all over. He hummed quietly to himself as he dried Lan Wangji’s wet hair.

“Wei Ying?”

“Hm? Oh, should I stop?”

“No,” Lan Wangji said, a bit too quickly for his own liking.

“Alright.” He removed the towel and combed through Lan Wangji’s hair with his hand. A few moments of silence passed before Wei Wuxian went back to drying his husband’s hair with the towel.

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat. “Did you want to ask me something? Your ears are red,” he teased.

“Mn. That song...where’d you learn it?”

Wei Wuxian grinned. “My mom taught it to me. Do you want me to sing it for you? You could’ve just asked,” he teased, sliding his arms around his husband’s shoulders and pressing a kiss against his forehead.

In the golden quiet of their bedroom, Wei Wuxian sang to his husband as he finished drying his hair, switching between singing and humming the parts that had long since faded from his memory.

Somehow, despite not having done anything, a wave of tiredness enveloped Lan Wangji’s body. His eyes fluttered closed as his husband worked the towel through his hair, his lovely singing voice moving to a quiet crescendo as he finished the song. He threw the towel over the back of a chair and ran through his husband’s long, straight black hair with his fingers.

“Lan Zhan? Are you awake?”

“Mn.”

“Wanna cuddle?”

A soft smile pulled at the corners of Lan Wangji’s lips. “Yes.”

Chapter Text

“A-Yuan,” Lan Wangji walked over to where his son was curled up on the couch, watching a cartoon with his stuffed toy bunny.

“Yes, diedie?” Lan Sizhui sat up a bit.

“I’m going out to the garden.”

Lan Sizhui’s eyes sparkled. He fumbled with the remote and turned off the TV, sliding off the couch and running over to his father. Faint traces of a smile pulled at the corners of Lan Wangji’s lips. He gave his son a pat on the head as the boy clung to his pant leg.

Lan Wangji slid the door open and stepped out into the scenic, lush green garden. Colorful flowers sprouted up from the ground lining the white cobblestone path, and the large in-ground koi pond bubbled softly with the gentle flow of water.

“Diedie, are we gonna pick some vegetables to eat tonight?” Lan Sizhui asked as the two entered the vegetable garden.

“Yes. I want you to help me select the best ones.”

“Okay!” Lan Sizhui ran into the garden and started looking around, brown eyes sparkling with wonder

Lan Wangji laughed softly as he followed his son.

“Diedie, look! The tomatoes are so red!” Lan Sizhui pointed to a section of the large tomato plant’s branches, weighed down with shiny red tomatoes.

Lan Wangji crouched down beside him. “Mhm. Those ones are ripe. Why don’t you pick a few for tomorrow’s meal?”

Lan Sizhui nodded eagerly and plucked a few of the shiny red tomatoes from the plant. He used his shirt as a makeshift basket, holding the end up and placing the tomatoes in the center.

“Are we going to pick radishes now?” Lan Sizhui asked.

“Mhm. Come, I’ll get a basket for the vegetables.” Lan Wangji entered the small, neat shed and got a basket for the vegetables. He lowered it down to his son, who took the tomatoes out of his shirt and placed them gingerly in the basket, after which he grabbed it with his tiny hands, fingers pressed against the tan bamboo strips that made up the basket.

“I want to carry it. Please, diedie?”

Lan Wangji nodded, and his son beamed brightly, his face like a little rosy-cheeked sun. He carried the basket proudly, holding it to his chest as the two went over to the side of the garden where all the root vegetables had been planted; potatoes, carrots, radishes, green onion, garlic, and a small pond that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had built together last year when Wei Wuxian’s heart was clouded by homesickness. The two of them took a small vacation to Yunmeng, bringing home the lotus seeds that had now grown into tall green pods, filled with countless more seeds.

“Can we pick the lotus root?” Lan Sizhui asked.

“It’s not ready yet. Let’s pick some radishes instead.” Lan Wangji knelt down beside the radish plants and studied them for a few seconds, pulling one up from the ground and brushing the dirt off it before placing it in the basket. He picked a few more, yellowish-white and almost the size of his forearm.

“What else, diedie?”

“Wei Ying is going to want peppers.”

Lan Sizhui’s face scrunched up, and he stuck out his little tongue.

A soft chuckle fell from Lan Wangji’s lips. “I agree. Still, let’s pick a few for him. Wei Ying will be home soon.”

After Lan Sizhui cautiously plucked a few small red peppers off the plant, the two went back inside.

The first thing that Lan Wangji did was make his son wash his hands in fear that he might touch his face after having touched the peppers. He held him up to the sink as he rubbed his hands together, singing the happy birthday song that Wei Wuxian had taught him to sing every time he washed his hands in order to make sure they were clean.

The door opened, and Wei Wuxian stepped inside with an armful of shopping bags. “Lan Zhan, I’m home~!” He called.

“Baba!” Lan Sizhui cheered as he ran out of the kitchen and down the hall, wrapping his arms around Wei Wuxian’s legs.

“Hey buddy,” Wei Wuxian laughed as he patted his son’s head. “Where’s your dad?”

“In the kitchen. He’s starting dinner.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and went into the kitchen. He placed the grocery bags onto the table and went over to his husband, sliding his arms around his waist with a smile. He kissed his husband’s ear, his heart skipping a few beats as the soft shadow of a smile passed over Lan Wangji’s face.

“Lan Zhan, what are you making?” Wei Wuxian looked down at the cutting board. He noticed the spicy red peppers and grinned.

“Ah, is it spicy? You know me so well!”

“Gusu specialty. Cabbage and radish soup. I’ll add some peppers for you.” Lan Wangji’s attention didn’t stray from the vegetables on the cutting board.

The corner of Wei Wuxian’s mouth twitched. “Cabbage and radish soup...? How come every dish from Gusu is like hospital food?” He muttered, resting his chin on Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

Lan Wangji ignored his comment. “Did you bring the rest of the ingredients?”

“Yeah. A-Yuan, help me put the rest of these away, yeah?” Wei Wuxian knelt down beside his son.

“Okay!”

The two put the groceries away as Lan Wangji prepared the rest of meal with a few of the things Wei Wuxian bought.

As he was preparing the broth, Lan Wangji paused and put a finger to his chin. “Ah...we forgot the green onion. A-Yuan, please go get me some.”

Lan Sizhui beamed and jumped up and down. “Baba, let’s go!”

Wei Wuxian laughed and ruffled his son’s messy fluff of black hair. “Alright, alright.”

Seeing those smiles made Lan Wangji remember why he’d fallen in love. For a few moments, it was like he was falling down that inevitable hole again, the love of his life and their son glowing golden in the kitchen light.

Wei Wuxian took his son’s hand, and the two went outside into the garden. Lan Sizhui laughed as he let go of his father’s hand and ran down the path towards the little root vegetables section. Little green lotus heads swayed gently in the breeze, and Wei Wuxian’s chest swelled with love. Memories danced in his mind of countless sweaty hours in the backyard, sun on his neck and dirt clinging to every part of his body.

He and Lan Wangji hadn’t laughed like that since they were kids.

A little body pressed against his leg. “Baba! Look! Are these good?” Lan Sizhui held up a little handful of fresh green onions.

“They’re perfect. Good job, A-Yuan. Come on, let’s not keep your dad waiting, okay?”

"Okay!"