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Hua Cheng could not understand the over whelming feeling he felt, feeling the need to protect. The need to adore, A feeling similar to that that he felt for his Diaxia and yet so very differant.
The curious grey eyes that stared up at him before sparking to silver in recondition was something Sang Lang doubted he could do without. Pudgy cheeks that stretched into a blinding grin so innocent and carefree as hands reached out with an excited cry of "Baba!"
Was something Sang Lang never even imagined was something he would ever experiance. He never thought of children till his highness brought up the question on if they would ever have any of their own.
San Lang personally did not care for them, he had Xia Lian and that is all he would ever need and yet... in this moment he felt content. Like the missing peice of a puzzle had arrived.
He and Xia Lian were tied together by fate, they were destined to never be apart. They knew this and yet this small child between them filled and unanswered void. Cementing their devotion to one another and bringing them closer together more than they ever dreamed possiable.
A-Ying. Their Wei Ying. Was with them now just like he was suppose to be. Just like how he always will be.
The ghost king felt a familar tug of his lips. As they curled into a smile reserved only for his Diaxia and now for 'their son.'
As he met the child half way and swooped him up smoothly, relishing in the sweet melody of laughter that chimed like bells in the wind.
Clasped tghtly In Wei Wuxians hands was a little toy butterfly. Made from paper and stuck on a stick.
Quite an amusing little toy if Sang Lang were to be honest. Recalling how the child was quite fond of his 'baba's' own butterflies.
"Baba! Baba!" The bundle of chaos cried excitedly, waving the butterfly close to hua Chengs face "look what father helped me make! Its like your butterflies right! Only bigger!" He Gloated proudly waving it in excitement. Rosey cheeks flushed from happiness as he awaited his Baba's praise.
And who was Sang Lang to deny his child such a simple pleasure? And so he hummed
"I see, you and father made it hm? It looks quite good" he claimed even though the paper butterfly very clearly was nearly falling apart. But the image of his gege and his son making this together was too sweet of a thought to tarnish. His heart swelling even just thinking of Xia Lian attempting the craft with a toddler balanced on his lap.
Yet he could not help but tease Wei Ying at least a small bit.
"But I still think my butterflies are better" he hummed taking long strides towards their home, (which for the moment was in Puqi shrine as Xie thought it would be best to wait till wei ying was comfortable with them before moving him to paradise manor)
Grinning fondly as Wei Ying attempted to shoot him his most offended glare. Cheeks puffed out in a pout .
Sang lang acted like he did not see. In favor of attempting to fix the toddlers messy hair. Despite being tied up it still managed to look like a birds nest after a mere few hours of playing. It seemed like nothing would ever be able to tame this wild little things hair, these little quirks of Wei-ying will never cease to amuse him.
"Nuh uh!" Wei Ying claimed "this one's better! Cause father made it with me! Father doesn't make butterflies with you" he huffed crossing his arms with a devious little smirk. San lang paused at that and looked to Wei Ying in supprise unable to surpress his low chuckle.
This child surely was observant, and fearless using The ghost kings very own weakness agaisnt him.
And to think only a few weeks ago this child was too frightend to even look Hua Cheng in the eye.
He suppressed a fond head shake, eye twinklig in mirth.
What a cheeky brat.
He couldnt find it in him to be upset at this however so insted huffed fondly and pinched the tip of wei yings nose.
Knowing that his husband would not be pleased if he scolded the small child for such a playful remark.
Making the wide eyed child yelp and cover his face rubbing where was pinched with clear distaste, but seeming satisfied in striking his baba to pause.
"You would be better off saving this attitude for your uncle hm?" He mused "making baba sad like this is forbidden " san lang claimed, faking a sulk, as he usually did with his husband to get some much appreciated attention, wei ying however seemed suspicious of this at first, squinting in question but when sang lang continued to sulk, the toddler almost seemed paniced. Little pony tail bouncing as his hands suddenly smacked sang langs cheeks with a feather like pat,
"No sad!" He cried out. "Dont be sad baba! A-ying made this butterfly for Baba! Sad is forbidden!"
He paniced, leaning in close and taking up Hua Chengs entire vision. Little hands warm with life as they squished Sang langs cold cheeks.
Warming the ghosts skin with unnatural ease.
"Please no sad! Father doesn't like when baba is sad!"
Hua Cheng hid his smile by continuing to sulk.
"Ah only father doesn't want me to be sad? How hurtful A-Ying" he sighed, head tilting back and looking at the sky.
Not missing how those wide silver eyes widened and his head shook quickly, the toddler always hated saying how he felt. And felt emmbarest admitting his honest feelings.
"NO! A-YING DOESNT LIKE WHEN BABA IS SAD! it makes A-Ying sad! So baba no!" He cried, Those sweet little eyes, rimmed red with unshed tears. And his pouty lip wobbled. A tell tale sign that things were going south.
But San Lang couldn't help his smug grin as he held Wei Ying close. Cradling him so easily in his arms like he was made to be there. The child in return wrapped his arms easily around the ghost kings neck, hugging into the crook of his neck with a sniffle, rubbing his face in the soft red fabric of his babas shoulder.
"What are you crying for A-Ying? Babas not sad anymore" he hummed "and if you keep crying Xian-gege will be so worried" he cooed before adding slyly "he might just smoother you in kisses again!" he claimed, fingers quickly wiggling and tickling Wei wuxians sides, making the smaller squeal in supprised delight. Tears long forgotten as he leaned back with a happy and loud giggle, eyes the shape of cresents as the unshed tears pricked his dark eyelashes.
"And im sure you would hate that" sang lang mused tone dripping with sarcasm. Well aware of the younglings taste for anything to do with attention.
Esspeically attention from Dianxia, who would fret and and coddle till the child fell asleep that night.
The little brat had Dianxia wrapped around his little finger, and though sang lang would never admit it, he was also wrapped around the same finger. Maybe even just a tad bit tighter than he would ever willingly admit.
The giggles faded out as small hands attempted to push away Hua Chengs prodding fingers, lips resting into a large boyish grin, expression full of mischievous intent and ineffable joy, a grin that surely would get this troublemaker both equally in and out of trouble in the future Hua Cheng was sure.
They had just stepped into the yard when Xie-Lian pushed open the shrine door, white robes glistening in the sunlight and looking every bit as beautiful if not more so than the day sang lang first devoted himself to the god.
Honey eyes glanced up squinting breifly in the sun before melting into something softer, forever smiling lips curling just a bit more as his arms reached out towards Wei-Ying almost out of habbit, but Hua Cheng was so distracted by the apperance of his beloved that he almost missed how thin arms reached out at such a speed that the toddler nearly threw himself off balance and almost out of his babas arms,
Hua Cheng swore if he had a beating heart it would of stopped the moment the child slipped, but luckily he just held on tighter insted, the small one seemingly not noticing the possiable danger as he continued to reach, hands making grabbing motions with an excited cry for his father.
A beautiful sound slipped from Xie Lians lips, a bumble of laughter as he caught his husband's second long paniced expression, but none the less swept by like a breeze and plucked wei-ying straight from Sang Langs arms, easing the child to rest on his hip.
The ghost king blinked out of his daze and pouted, leaning close to Dianxia and kissing the top of his head in greeting.
"How mean A-Ying abandoning your Baba the moment someone better arrives"
though his voice dropped low and purring to his lovers ear "though I cannot blame him~" earning a delightfully pink blush against warm skin and a playful smack to the arm, a scandalized hushed whisper of "San lang!"
Making the ghost king step back with hands raised in mock surrender, lips curled into a pleased and satisfied smile. He wished to continue to tease his love but of course Wei Ying felt the need to demand his fair share of Xie Lians attention.
Tugging on his fathers perfectly clean robes with little hands smeered in dry dirt. Not that Dianxia seemed to mind at all, too preoccupied with using his sleeve to wipe dirt from the small ones cheek, only further dirting the robes he wore. (The joys of parenthood one supposed) Wei-Ying waved the butterfly that was honestly about to fall off the stick almost violently, just narrowly missing Xie Lians face,
"Father! Father! I showed baba! I showed him the butterfly" he beamed sweet little dimples denting his cheeks, a fond and gentle gaze fell upon wei ying in that moment as a delicate hand attempted to brush down hair that always stuck out in defiance.
"Did you?" The god mused casting a glance to Hua Cheng who stood patiently beside him, arms folded as he leaned agaisnt one the pillars nearby, happily in the shade as he watched his beloved warmly, glowing in the light that his smiling husband and their child emitted.
There was a spark in Xie Lians eyes, a curious one but pleased none the less. It had been a long 6 months for the small family, between waiting for Wei Ying to warm up to them, and for Hua Cheng, who struggled at the beginning to attach himself to the Small child.
Hua Cheng could only shrug in response, attempting to ignore how his confident act dwindled to almost bashful or emmbarest with a single approving look from his lover.
He watched the two happily chat, with Wei Yings animated gestures and Xia Lian's expressive eyes that paid attention to the babbling toddler with fascination.
Before suddenly the god pushed forward bringing his lips to their sons cheek, blowing a raspberry against the soft skin and ducking down low till the child was nearly upside down, squealing in a mixture of fear and delight. Tiny hands gripping fiercely to the folds of Dianxia's clothes.
Screaming out with laughter and begging his father to stop. The sight was one Hua Cheng wished to burn into his memory, and for a second he wondered if it would be possiable to paint fast enough to capture this moment.
Despite the pleads for mercy, Xie Lian choose to show none of it, insted he would sweep wei Ying upright, allowing him to catch his breath for a few seconds before swinging him back down again and repeating the action that had the silver eyed child kicking his little legs from the ticklish attack.
Xie Lians lips danced upwards in a smile, his eyes shutting in a moment of parental bliss, only stopping when both their cheeks were flushed from the quick exercise, and wei yings eyes were tittering on the edge of gleeful tears.
Finally allowing their son a moment of rest before he raised wei ying up over his head much like a kite.
Still giggling like an on going song, the toddler finally stretched his arms outward, reaching towards the man clad in red.
Not an ounce of hesitance in him as he blindly trusted the man many feared.
"BABA! HELP!" He cried out to his savior, the simple tital causing a wave of adoration to wash over the ghost king.
To not be feared by something so small was indeed quite a strange experiance for him, but it left San Lang with a void filled, standing in the shade of Puqi Shrine, watching his two most important people play and laugh carefree and happy, left him with a rare moment peace.
This was domestic bliss, and to the ghost king who wandered for more than 800 years waiting to be welcomed home by his one and only love, it was the greatest joy he had ever felt.
Home, here with his Dianxia and their Wei Ying.
As long as they were safe he couldnt ask for anything more.
He would never let any harm come to eaither of them or so help the unfortunate souls who would witness him burning everything to the ground.
But he wasn't so attached that he wouldn't let Wei Ying suffer by his fathers hands for a moment longer, so he stayed put, smirking in the shade and ignoring the thin little fingers that wiggled out for help.
Humming as he played with a bead at the end of his braid.
"Help? But Wei-Ying I think this is perfect punishment for teasing Baba earlier. What was it you said? 'Father only makes butterflues with you?" He mused, enjoying their child's sudden baffled face of regret maybe a little bit to much.
Chuckling low into his hand as Xie Lian resumed his assault of tickles and kisses making the flustard babe cry out another yell of
"BABA!"