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The sun was steadily creeping closer to the western horizon as Wei Wuxian leaned against a tree that sat near a well-worn path outside a small village, he couldn’t remember the name of. If it even had a proper name at all. What it did have is an issue with resentful ghosts. A result of a flash flood that had happened earlier that spring. A number of people were washed away; their bodies never found. The lack of proper rights left the spirits wandering, growing resentment for not having a proper burial.
Resentful ghosts were no problem to deal with, but he wasn’t to far outside of the Cloud Recesses so it seemed fitting that he send a message to Lan Wangji to send a couple of the juniors to come give him an assist.
“Wei-qianbie!” two familiar voices shouted in unison as they hopped off and sheathed their swords. Lan Szihui and Lan Jingyi hurried eagerly to where Wei Wuxian waited for them.
Pushing himself off the tree, he smiled brightly, happy to see his two favorite junior Lan disciples “Szihui, Jingyi,” he pulled the pair into a hug “I figured Hanguang-Jun would send you two.” As he hugged them, he ruffled their hair, careful not to touch their clan ribbons.
“It’s good to see you too, Wei-qianbei.” Lan Szihui said as he returned the hug, his own smile as equally bright.
“Uh, get off me.” Jingyi protested as he was pulled into a hug, but they all knew it was a token protest at best. “The ghosts aren’t going to suppress themselves.”
“Wei Ying.” Another familiar voice called out. This one deep and if you knew what to listen for eager and perhaps happy.
Wei Wuxian had been busy greeting the juniors that he didn’t notice when another had joined them. The voice sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering through his stomach and he swore his heart would beat clear out if his chest. “Lan Zhan!” he cried out as he pushed past the two young men and rushed toward his soulmate. He stopped just short of throwing himself at the taller man “You came too? How? Why?” he was clearly both surprised and joyful at Lan Wangji being there, but as equally confused.
“Wei Ying asked.” The response was stated as if were an obvious fact and certainly not something that was either optional or up for debate.
“I figured you would be to busy with important sect leader things to come deal with a few resentful ghosts.” Wei Wuxian’s surprise is overshadowed by the pleasure the response elicits in him, causing his smile to grow even brighter.
“Never to busy for Wei Ying.” A corner of his mouth lifts, offering his own smile in return.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian’s cheeks pinken and he thumps his chest with a fist “My heart is going to beat right out of my chest if you keep talking like that.” He said it as if his heart wasn’t already doing that. He reached out a hand to take Lan Wangji’s to start leading him to where the problem was “Let’s go deal with some ghosts.”
***
As predicted the resentful ghosts were easy to put down, they were just scattered so there was a lot of going from place to place to make sure they got them all. Between that and having to deal with Lil’ Apple, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian didn’t make it back to the entrance of Cloud Recesses until shortly after daybreak. They had already sent the two juniors on ahead by sword so the pair could get some rest before they had to attend whatever lectures and assignments they had for the day.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji stood just out of sight of the guards at the entrance to Cloud Recesses. Where will you go next? The question echoed through Wei Wuxian’s brain as he stared unseeing at the reins he had just been handed. The question had his heart plummeting as hurt and anger fought for dominance in his brain. There was only one place he wanted to be and that was with Lan Zhan. They knew their feelings for each other, even if they hadn’t said it outright and the last time they meet for a night hunt they even kissed in parting. Was this all they were ever going to have?
“Wei Ying?” it was more than just his name, it was loaded, the tone clear, What’s wrong?
Wei Wuxian didn’t know how long he had been staring into space when he was pulled from his spiraling thoughts. He fought back tears as he looked at Lan Wangji, “Is that really the question you should be asking me?” he couldn’t keep the hurt or anger from his voice and he had to look away from the shocked expression that the question brought to the other’s face.
Wild gentian flowers grew by the path and Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but notice the blue blooms that swayed in the morning breeze. They reminded him of other gentians that grew by a small cottage in Cloud Recesses. But it wasn’t a cottage, Wei Wuxian thought to himself, It was a prison. The love of a man made it a prison. He had heard the story of Lan Zhan’s and Lan Xichen’s parents, but at the time there were more pressing things to worry about, so quickly forgot, but now it came back. All the pieces fell into place. It wasn’t that Lan Zhan didn’t want him to stay, he didn’t want to be like his father. Taking away the freedom of the one he loved.
He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt gentle hands on his face and Lan Zhan’s concerned “Wei Ying. Why?” Pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Oh Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying’s sudden smile could rival a thousand suns, “You have it all wrong.” He took the hands that cupped his face and brought them down to hold them to his chest. His heart raced and he couldn’t help but laugh at the perplexed expression on Lan Wangji’s face?
“What?” perplexed was as good a word as any to describe what Lan Wangji was feeling, concern was in there too. With his hands pressed against Wei Wuxian’s chest he could feel his heart beating as if he had just run up the hundreds of stairs that lead into Cloud Recesses. His eyes searched the other man’s face trying to find a hint of what he was talking about.
“Your love Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian answered with excitement, with joy “It’s not what you think.” He released one of the hands he was holding so he could reach a hand behind Lan Wangji’s neck and pull his head down so their foreheads touched “Lan Zhan, Lan er-gege, the only time I feel free is when I am with you!” he so wanted to kiss Lan Wangji, so him with his mouth and hands that he meant what he said, but he had to finish saying it first “I love you Lan Zhan. Your love could never be a prison, it could never be chains weighing me down. I want to be with you. Wherever you are, I want to be there too. Only you. No one else but you.” He took a breath and moved his hand from the back to Lan Wangji’s neck to cup his shellshocked, wide eyed face. “Breath love.”
Lan Wangji didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until he was called on it. He took a deep, staggered breath as he started at Wei Wuxian in disbelief. The love of his life. The man who died and he grieved over for over a decade and then returned to him was telling him everything he had ever wanted to hear. His heart raced in sync with his beloved. “Wei Ying loves me?” he asked after a long moment of silence, where Wei Wuxian just watched him patiently as he tried to process all he had been told.
“With all my heart.” The answer came without hesitation “I will give you two choices.” Wei Wuxian pulled away slightly to hold up two fingers “You can kiss me senseless and then ask me to return to Cloud Recesses with you, or you can ask me to go to Cloud Recesses with you and then kiss me senseless.” He gestured behind him “I will go over there to let you think about.”
A turn and half a step were all that Wei Wuxian managed before strong hands was pulling him back and turning him around. A hand went to the back of his neck, the other arm around his waist to pull him close. Gold eyes stared into grey before soft lips pressed into his, tongue flicking out to seek entrance, which was easily given. Mouth moved against mouth as tongues brushed and explored. Wei Wuxian’s mind was slowly blanking, only able to focus on Lan Zhan ravishing his mouth. He noted that Lan Wangji was taking the kiss senseless part of the choice seriously, and he was there for it.
After what seemed like both forever and not long enough Lan Zhan was pulling away from the kiss, but not before biting Wei Ying’s bottom lip. Wei Ying chased after more, forever wouldn’t even be long enough for kissing Lan Zhan.
“Wei Ying loves me?” Lan Wangji asked again, hardly able to believe it.
“As I said, with all my heart.”
“Wei Ying wants to be with me?”
“Always and forever.” Wei Wuxian’s brow furrowed slightly “I don’t remember this line of questioning being part of the choices.”
A smile came to Lan Wangji’s face as he scooped up Wei Wuxian to carry him in his arms bridal style, delighted when his beloved protested half-heartedly with a surprised squeal, “Will Wei Ying come back to Cloud Recesses with me?”
Throwing his arms around Lan Wangji’s neck, Wei Wuxian responded “I thought you would never ask!”