Work Text:
"Okay okay, come here! Let me open de camera–"
"I'm gonna be late to school," the kid pouted, his small hands grabbing onto his baba's shirt as he always did when he was starting to get impatient. He shuffled in his place like he was trying to hold down the urge to run around the house.
Today was a special day for him! Of course he was excited. He definitely couldn't be late.
Lan Wangji patted his back softly, as he always did when he wanted to calm him down.
"Don't worry, A-Yuan! We'll be fine. Just let me take the picture of your first day of school." Wei Wuxian beamed. “Ahh, you look so cute!”
It was A-Yuan's first day of kindergarten. It was an event!
"Okay, now smile!" Wei Wuxian said as he opened the front camera and snapped quick selfies of him, his husband, and A-Yuan, their beloved son who was beginning a new stage in his life.
"They grow up so fast," Wei Wuxian sniffed, smiling nostalgically at A-Yuan who was starting to fidget in his place. "Lan Zhan, it feels like it was yesterday when we had this whole room filled with baby toys!"
"Mn." Lan Wangji smiled, looking down at A-Yuan with sweet eyes.
"I'm not a baby anymore." The boy crossed his arms. "I'm big now."
"Yes, you are." Lan Wangji patted his head. "Now go, or you'll be late. Grown kids cannot be late."
"Yeah! C'mon baba." He grabbed Wei Wuxian's hand to direct him to the door.
"Hey! Aren't you forgetting something?" Wei Wuxian said, pointing with his thumb at Lan Wangji, who was looking at him confused.
"Oh!" A-Yuan ran towards Lan Wangji and hugged him with his little arms almost managing to wrap around Lan Wangji's legs. "I luv you."
"Love you too, good luck." He replied with a small smile Wei Wuxian would never grow tired of seeing.
"And what about me?" He said, pouting at Lan Wangji.
"Does Wei Ying really need a goodbye kiss?"
"From my husband, of course I do!"
Standing at the door, A-Yuan shouted. "Baba hurry!"
"I'm coming!" He said, and Lan Wangji kissed his cheek before sending them both out the door.
The two stepped out and Wei Wuxian took a moment to look at his son.
Wei Wuxian had brushed A-Yuan's hair in the morning while Lan Wangji made breakfast. He was proud of the good job he had done with the little ponytail A-Yuan was wearing; some baby hairs had managed to escape his hands, though. He had dressed him up with the school uniform while A-Yuan drank his morning milk and watched his favorite cartoons, Wei Wuxian beaming at how cute his son looked. He even told –or more like begged– A-Yuan to pose with his uniform and snapped some pics to show Lan Wangji.
And to brag with their friends, of course!
He smiled at his son, who was carrying his little lunch box with one hand and grabbing the edge of his shirt with the other. He looked so tiny, so fragile, like a little bird who had recently discovered he had wings.
And now he was going to drop him at kindergarten for the first time.
The first time he would be out of the house for so long.
The first time he would... be without them for so long.
Wei Wuxian wasn't nervous.
Right?
Lan Wangji had told Wei Wuxian that if he wanted, he could cancel the meeting he had in the morning to drive A-Yuan to school. But Wei Wuxian had insisted that no, it was okay, that he would make sure A-Yuan made it to school on time and that there was no need for him to worry. Wei Wuxian had a day off so he would drop A-Yuan at school himself.
But now, thinking about how many hours A-Yuan would be away from him was making him dizzy. What if he didn't understand the classroom rules? No, Lan Wangji had taught him to respect his teachers. What if someone tries to take his food away? Wei Wuxian would speak with their parents. What if he can't find the bathroom? Wei Wuxian would ask the teacher and make sure A-Yuan knows. And if he drops his food? And what if he gets dirty? And if he's too shy? And if–
Okay.
Maybe Wei Wuxian was nervous.
They got to the car and Wei Wuxian helped A-Yuan with his things, put him the seatbelt on with a click and walked to the driver's seat; still pondering on whether it was too late to homeschool A-Yuan.
He should've told Lan Wangji to come with him! He was about to cry now!
Wei Wuxian’s thoughts were invading him all at once as he drove to A-Yuan’s school, repeating to himself words of encouragement to not break down. He could not cry right now, that would only make A-Yuan nervous.
"We're here!" Wei Wuxian announced when they parked, looking through the mirror and seeing the kid's little eyes looking around, nervously. He smiled with love.
"Are you nervous?" He said, turning to look at his son.
"Mn." The boy said, pursing his lips.
Wei Wuxian chuckled. He really does act like Lan Zhan. Like father like son!
Wei Wuxian got out of the car and opened his son's door.
But A-Yuan didn't seem to want to get out of the car, judging by the way his hands turned into little fists around the seatbelt.
Wei Wuxian frowned. "Is there anything wrong?"
"I'm... I'm scared to go alone." The boy looked down at his shoes.
"Hmmm." Wei Wuxian looked up with one hand holding his chin, thinking, then said:
"Hey, want me to tell you something?"
A-Yuan looked up with curious eyes and nodded.
"Do you know how I met your baba?"
A-Yuan's eyes sparkled and his little hands relaxed. "Mmm no, how?"
"We were friends at school when we were young." Wei Wuxian said with a sweet feeling in his chest.
A-Yuan smiled shyly. "Will I... will I be able to find someone like baba at school?"
Wei Wuxian smiled again, his heart melting with how sweet this little boy was. "Of course! You'll have many friends, many people who'll care a lot about you."
"Really?"
"Yeah! I had tons of friends, I'm sure my little radish will have millions of friends!” He pondered for a second. “You know, I used to be a very well-behaved boy at school!" Wei Wuxian ruffled his hair. A-Yuan laughed.
"Baba doesn't say the same. He said that when you were a teenager–"
"EH!" Wei Wuxian put a hand over his chest, acting like A-Yuan had just shot an arrow to his heart. "It pains me, little radish, that you won't believe me! Lan Zhan was just too focused on school! Not that you don't have to focus on school–" He laughed nervously. "Anyway!"
A-Yuan just giggled again.
Wei Wuxian kissed his small forehead and smiled. "Are you ready to go?"
"Mn." The boy said, still a little hesitant, but finally letting go of the seatbelt.
Father and son walked from the car towards the entrance of the school, Wei Wuxian looking down at A-Yuan to make sure he was feeling okay. So far everything seemed to be just fine; in all honestly, it was Wei Wuxian's mind the one racing at a million miles per hour. He was starting to feel the nervousness kick in again, but he made sure A-Yuan didn't notice it.
He had to be strong! For him!
They entered the doors of the school and walked towards where A-Yuan's classroom was. There were already a lot of children with their parents inside.
Wei Wuxian looked around and nostalgia took over his heart.
Ah, little A-Yuan, he grew up so fast. I remember when Lan Zhan and I were talking about adopting a child. I'm sure he'll be okay, I'm just worrying too much, I'm being overprotective! He will be fine–
Wei Wuxian looked down at A-Yuan again and his heart dropped like concrete.
The little boy's face was red, stained with tears. He just looked away for a second!
"A-Yuan! What's wrong?"
And just like that, A-Yuan began crying.
"I–I donwanna go... can you stay baba?" The boy said, grabbing onto his shirt.
Wei Wuxian knelt to hug his son, anxious. "Everything will be okay... your baba and I will be waiting for you at home!"
"P-please s-stay..." He said, sniffing.
Well if you ask with those eyes... Wei Wuxian thought.
"Oh... I–I can't do that... it's school, baba already went to school."
But the truth was, Wei Wuxian was seriously considering going in with him.
A-Yuan started crying again.
What to do? What to do?
"I don't wanna go!" The boy clenched his hands into little fists and looked down, sobbing and stomping his feet.
"Come on, A-Yuan, you have to go to class..." Wei Wuxian said standing up, arguing to himself that he could not go in. He had to resist!
"No! I won't go! I won't!" A-Yuan hugged Wei Wuxian's leg and clung to him tightly, just like he always used to do when he wanted –or didn't want– something.
Wei Wuxian looked down at him and was holding in his own tears when he noticed the teacher standing at the door.
"You can go in with him for some minutes if you'd like," the teacher said, smiling with sympathy.
Wei Wuxian sighed.
He had to resist! He had made it this far!
"Are you sure?" He said.
"Of course, we want the kids to feel safe and comfortable here."
Wei Wuxian doubted, not because he didn't want to go in, but because he knew A-Yuan had to begin doing things without them, like going to school. It was the normal thing to do. But if it were for him, he'd assist with his son to class every single day!
But again, A-Yuan was crying so much Wei Wuxian felt horrible leaving just like that! He would be worried all day and A-Yuan would be feeling down all morning. So, of course , there was only one option left.
"Okay, A-Yuan, baba will be with you for only ten minutes, okay?"
The boy's eyes lit up and his sobs quieted a little.
"O–okay..." The boy said, grabbing his hand and entering the classroom.
Wei Wuxian wiped A-Yuan's tears away, helping him with his backpack and choosing one of the tables to sit at.
"Baba is here. Why don't you go make some friends to play with?" He said, smiling. A-Yuan wiped his face and looked around until he saw a kid playing with construction blocks. Wei Wuxian nodded and he walked towards him.
"Hi," the kid said when he saw A-Yuan approaching him. "D’you wanna play with me?"
A-Yuan smiled at him with bright eyes. "Yeah!"
"I'm Lan Jingyi." The kid introduced himself.
"I'm Lan Yuan!"
"Ohh, do you think we're related?" The kid beamed.
"I dunno, I can ask my baba about it!" A-Yuan said, putting a hand on his chin like he was thinking about a serious matter.
"Cool. Come here, let's build a spaceship!"
A-Yuan giggled and sat down next to his new friend, completely forgetting about his worries for school.
Completely forgetting his baba sitting down at the table.
And that's how Wei Wuxian ended up sitting on a blue chair too small for him, surrounded by 6-year-olds, with his son completely ignoring him.
It was A-Yuan’s first day of school, after all!
Parenting was hard, right?
"After that, I sat there for a couple of minutes. I said goodbye to A-Yuan and you know what he did? Nothing! He just waved and said 'okay baba bye-bye!'" Wei Wuxian said, crossing his free arm over his chest and pouting, resting against the kitchen counter.
He had finally gotten home, feeling utterly defeated by the way his own son ignored him after asking him to stay. After all the effort he had put on not giving in!
On the other end of the line, he heard what he thought was a giggle.
"Lan Zhan, are you laughing at me?"
Lan Wangji smiled softly. "A-Yuan will be okay. Wei Ying, do not worry. He learned from you, after all."
Wei Wuxian blushed.
"And from you, too."
"Mn."
Being a parent wasn't easy. Both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian knew that. But, everything was easier when they were together.
"I love you." Wei Wuxian suddenly said.
"Hm? Why is that for?"
"I just wanted to say that to my lovely husband." He said, with a teasing voice.
He heard Lan Wangji chuckle lightly on the line again.
"Lan Zhan, do you remember when we were kids? I used to tease you so much but you'll never bat an eye or pay any attention. I thought you hated me, you know?"
Lan Wangji definitely recalled their childhood and teenage years. "I didn't. I was..." Lan Wangji stopped.
"You were...?" Wei Wuxian encouraged him to continue.
"Nevermind."
"Lan Zhan!"
"Okay, okay." Lan Wangji paused before saying softly:
"I was actually in love with you back then."
Wei Wuxian giggled and felt like a teenage boy again.
"Oh, is that so?" Lan Wangji could hear Wei Wuxian's smirk on the other end.
"Mn. Who would've thought I would end up married, raising up a son with my childhood crush?" Lan Wangji's voice was soft and careful, like he still couldn't believe it.
"Lan Zhan, I have loved you ever since back then too." Wei Wuxian smiled.
"Wei Ying, I'm so happy A-Yuan has someone like you to look up to."
Wei Wuxian felt his heart melt at that comment.
He felt as tears started forming in his eyes, and suddenly he was sobbing.
"Wei Ying, is there anything wrong?"
"No, no I... I just–" he wiped his face with his hand, "Lan Zhan, you are pretty quiet, but when you speak you surely know how to touch my heart."
Lan Wangji laughed again. "I have to go. I'll buy something sweet for dinner."
"A-Yuan's favorite?"
"A-Yuan's favorite." Lan Wangji smiled.
"Goodbye, Lan Zhan"
"Goodbye Wei Ying, thank you for taking A-Yuan to his first day of school."
Parenting was indeed hard. But, the rewards that came with it were worth it.
A-Yuan's smile when he got home, the way his little arms encircled both Lan Wangji and him, was worth it all.