Work Text:
Part 1: The Watchers
There is nothing special about the day Wei Wuxian leaves the Jiang Sect.
He does so quietly and without much fanfare. Beloved as he is, his shidis are sad to see him go, but they understand and accept his reasons, and so they only stop him to offer well wishes and good luck for the road. Jiang Yanli stands among them, she piles him with snacks and gives him a tight hug. Given her position, it is unlikely that they’ll be able to keep in contact from now on, so this is a goodbye that hurts a little more than most, but the knowledge that this is the best choice carries him forward.
Jiang Wanyin does not make an appearance, he isn’t missed.
Just two weeks later a disciple of the Jiang sect meets him.
At first, there’s nothing amiss with this encounter. Wei Wuxian is still in Yunmeng Jiang territory after all, Jiang disciples are to be expected, he has had other such run ins already and they have been welcomed. He soon realizes that something is wrong however. Li Haoran is a disciple that he knows quite well despite being a couple years younger, and it’s easy for him to tell that the boy is nervous about something and unsure of how to say it.
A bit of friendly teasing from his senior quickly puts him at ease, falling into the familiar routine they had back at Lotus Pier, and before long he discovered what it was: their meeting had not been accidental, he was there to deliver a letter from Jiang-gongzi.
This did not surprise Wei Wuxian as much as it should have. His relationship with Jiang Wanyin was full of this same push and pull, navigating it was a requirement to manage his bursts of anger. While Wei Wuxian was unenthusiastic about being a part of that still, he treated Li Haoran to dinner all the same.
He sent him back with a short reply, wishing for them to remain civil even in the end.
Unsurprisingly, more messages came.
Wei Wuxian stopped replying after the third, sending the disciples back with his verbal answers alone. There were only so many ways one could write “I have no plans of coming back” and “I am sure this is not a mistake” after all.
He had made it into the outskirts of Qinghe when Jiang Wanyin showed up, angry as ever.
This too was unsurprising, as was the fight that ensued.
Still, Wei Wuxian fought on the defense, unwilling to cause grave harm to the man in front of him if only as a courtesy to his father and all that he’d done for him.
As usual, he came out the winner, and as he left his former shidi panting on the ground, he hoped this could be the end of it.
It was sad that this was what they had become to each other, when theirs could have been a love story.
Jiang Fengmian had introduced the two of them shortly after bringing Wei Wuxian to lotus pier, and after a rocky beginning they spent the next year as close friends. Following his presentation as an omega and Jiang Wanyin’s as an alpha things started to change, though not immediately. Sect Leader Jiang had approached him with the betrothal idea first, wishing to hear his opinion as he had no one to speak for him, and soon after the engagement had been set.
A betrothal to his son stopped all rumors that Wei Wuxian was Jiang Fengmian’s illegitimate child, and brought him into the family officially, with a level of acceptance he would not have been able to have as a ward given Madam Yu’s opinions on that arrangement, still honoring the two good friends he had in his parents and also looking after his son’s future. Surprisingly, his wife had not been too displeased with that development and for the next few years he had been able to live a good life. Not perfect or without conflict, but good nonetheless.
Then Wei Wuxian punched Jin Zixuan during one of his visits to Jiang Yanli.
That day had changed something for Jiang Fengmian, though he was never informed of what exactly that was, only that his betrothal was dissolved alongside Jiang Yanli’s. He had explained that they weren’t being forbidden to marry should they wish to do so, and that this action was not meant as a punishment, all that he wished to offer them was a choice.
At the time Wei Wuxian had reassured Jiang Wanyin that he’d stay by his side regardless, but a few years later he found himself glad for his former leader’s decision when the two had a falling out that led him to cut ties with the Jiang Sect.
Many people speculated on what it was that led him to leave, but in truth, it wasn’t any one thing that ended their relationship, but a million small disagreements that Wei Wuxian felt he could not compromise on. They had simply grown apart, two people too different in their beliefs for him to be comfortable with giving his heart.
The moment he realized that he left, quietly and without a fight, he simply left to look for a life elsewhere. He moved on, while Jiang Wanyin chose to hold onto the promises they made in the past.
Life was peaceful for a time.
Wei Wuxian traveled to new places, made new friends, partook in all kinds of night hunts, and even found a new family along the way.
Despite their positions in the Wen Sect, Wen Qing and Wen Ning had been kind enough to take him in after an injury, a favor in memory of a meeting all those years ago during a discussion conference, and their friendship blossomed quickly. He left their home with the promise of a safe place to return to, and gained a family when he did.
Then there was Lan Wangji.
Though they had never met before his travels, this was someone Wei Wuxian had heard much about. Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji, Hanguang-jun, one of the Twin Jades of Gusu, famed for being wherever the chaos was, beloved by the common folk for always offering his aid regardless of the level of threat a prey posed or its potential for glory.
Perhaps predictably they met during a night hunt. Then on another one, and another one and another one.
It turned out that as two wanderers in search of trouble their paths crossed often, something Wei Wuxian was happier for with every one of those encounters.
It was then that it began. The watching.
Wherever he went, Wei Wuxian could feel eyes following him, keeping up with his every step. He would lose them only to be found again shortly after. A passing annoyance at first, checking in on him periodically, and growing more and more insistent ever since the announcement of his upcoming marriage to Lan Wangji.
His followers were all cultivators in Jiang colors. They thought they were being subtle, but as the one who had trained half of them, he found them easy to see.
Curious to see what they would do, Wei Wuxian stood still under their scrutiny, pretending to be unaware. For all that he was more than confident that he could fight them should the situation escalate, he'd rather not initiate anything himself if it wasn’t necessary. But they never did more than watch him, so eventually Wei Wuxian caught them and sent them back. And again, then again, then again.
Whenever he had company he would wait until he was alone to address them. It was his last courtesy to the sect that raised him.
Not to say that nobody else had noticed. His fiancé definitely had, though he hadn’t interfered yet at his request. There would be no salvaging this if the Lans got involved, to harass Hanguang-jun’s betrothed in such a way would ask for serious action after all, and he wished to spare them of that if he could, aware that this was Jiang Wanyin’s fault alone.
Even so, the constant stress of having his guard up in the lookout for his pursuers had left Wei Wuxian with little patience for his former peers. At this point he felt no remorse for the clear anger in his voice when he yelled. “You can come out, you know. I know you're there."
As usual he was met with silence. Sighing, he threw a pebble in the direction of his current follower. "Come on, or do you need a push like the last one?"
At that, a familiar purple clad young man came into his view. "Sorry, da-shixiong," he looked down, ashamed of being found in such a position.
"We've been over this, haven't we? I'm not your da-shixiong anymore."
His former shidi wilted, shoulders closing in with regret at the sharpness in his tone. Seeing that made him feel some sympathy for the boy, this wasn’t Lin Yuxuan’s fault after all, he was simply following orders from his sect heir. For Wei Wuxian that had never been an excuse, but he knew not everyone could handle Jiang Wanyin and Madam Yu’s punishments, or had the option to leave as he did.
The more he thought about the position they had all been forced in, the more tired he felt. “Could you tell Jiang Wanyin to back off in my place one more time?"
Lin Yuxuan nodded with a wince, clearly not excited at the prospect of bringing such news back to his temperamental sect heir. All too aware of how things worked in the Jiang household, Wei Wuxian added in a gentler tone: "You could try reporting in front of Jiang-zongzhu or Jiang-guniang, it might help soften the blow a bit."
A soft “Alright” was his only answer before they parted ways.
There was nothing else to be said between them. What could there be after so many meetings just like these? They used to deliver messages, or try to convince him he was making a mistake, even threats, but by this point they had more than learned there was no use. When this was over, these interactions were something he knew neither he or his former shidis would miss.
Thankfully the wait wouldn’t be much longer. Jiang Wanyin knew this kind of behavior wouldn’t be tolerated after his marriage, it was likely the whole reason why he was so desperate.
He just had to hold on until then.
Part 2: The Lovers
His first impression of Lan Wangji was that he was beautiful. Standing tall and elegant, zither on his back and sword in hand, with his fair skin, light eyes and refined features, the man looked ethereal. His scent was an attack to Wei Wuxian’s senses, the cold sandalwood tempered with something sweet that made it intoxicating.
His second impression had been that he looked far too serious! His expression was aloof and stern, cold as snow, that combined with his white Lan sect uniform made it look as though he was mourning.
They met during a night hunt in which Lan Wangji showed up as an unexpected backup mid fight. He could have handled it alone, but the help did make things easier, as there’d been a lot to deal with at once, and the two of them worked well together, the unspoken sort of ease between people who knew their craft well. So Wei Wuxian thanked him and tried to make conversation as the two went back to town.
Lan Wangji was polite, keeping a respectful distance, and clearly unprepared to the full force of Wei Wuxian’s charm. It was fun for him to encounter an alpha so quiet in the face of an omega offering friendship, when so often he would be seen as making some sort of proposition. In contrast, he seemed almost shy.
The two of them went separate ways soon after, but Wei Wuxian’s interest was caught.
The next time they meet, Wei Wuxian is still in the process of asking around town for information. It’s obvious what another cultivator might be doing there, so he reaches out happily. “Hanguang-jun! You’re here about those water ghouls too?”
Lan Wangji stops diligently, letting him catch up to his pace, but “Mn,” is all the reply he offers.
“Then we should team up again! I used to deal with them a lot around Yunmeng, you know? I’m sure if it’s the two of us working together we can get this done quickly.”
He thought about it for a second, then nodded his agreement. Wei Wuxian wondered if he always spoke so little, but continued on. “I’ve asked around and it seems like this is a problem that came here from somewhere else, there was this storm…”
Like the first time, they fought side by side as if they had been doing so for years already. Still, Lan Wangji refused his invitation to spend more time together, keeping a respectful distance.
Things went much the same for their next encounters, and they gradually got closer. With every conversation they shared, every fight won together, and all those moments in between where they learned how to exist with each other, the ice that had seemed such a fixed part of Lan Wangji slowly melted away.
Wei Wuxian felt a funny sense of pride to see it happen. Theirs was a friendship he had worked more for than most he’s had before, yet Lan Wangji had matched him every step along the way.
“You have to try this, Hanguang-jun!” he said, leading him by the sleeve. “I can’t believe you’ve never even tried to have spicy food!”
Though he was getting better at telling what Lan Wangji’s expressions meant, it was hard to tell what he was thinking of the array of red dishes in front of them. With one last look to Wei Wuxian’s excited face, he started eating. His expression remained the same.
“What do you think?” He leaned in, excited to know.
Instead of satisfying his curiosity, Lan Wangji quoted: “No talking while eating.”
“Aw come on! At least tell me if you like it!”
“… I like it.”
“Yes!” Wei Wuxian cheered, “I knew you’d be a man of good taste.”
The first time he gets to see Lan Wangji drunk quickly becomes one of his treasured memories.
He had been surprised when he passed out after one drink, but more surprising still was the way he woke up shortly after and latched onto Wei Wuxian just after he had laid him in bed.
“H-Hanguang-jun?”
Lan Wangji had held onto his middle after he had gotten up, hiding his face into his stomach. It was unexpectedly bold of him, especially considering he tended to keep himself at a certain distance most of the time, letting most contact be initiated by Wei Wuxian.
“Don’t leave.”
His arms tightened around him, making Wei Wuxian tense. It was a bit nerve-wracking even for someone as open as him to have an alpha so close in such a way. Lan Wangji had him secure in his arms, and while he was sure that he could escape should he want to, he’d rather not have to deal with fighting an angry drunk alpha at all.
However it was soon clear that Lan Wangji didn’t want anything more than a hug. The realization made Wei Wuxian laugh. “Aiya, are you a clingy drunk, is that it?” He teased, resting his hands on his shoulders.
“I’m not leaving you, so could you let me go?”
With some coaxing, he freed himself and continued on his intended task of getting his friend ready for bed. Lan Wangji stayed obediently silent as he took out Lan Wangji’s boots and tossed them beside the bed, then went over to get a basin of hot water and a towel to wash his face, lastly, he got him some water to drink. “This will make you feel better in the morning, so be a good boy and drink it for me alright?”
Lan Wangji did with a ‘mnn’, amusing Wei Wuxian even more with how honest he was while drunk, and also how willing he was to go along with what he said.
Seeing as he would keep being calm so long as Wei Wuxian stayed in sight, he sat leaning on the bed so that they could talk until he fell asleep, so that he could go to his own room. “Are you going to answer all my questions, Lan Zhan?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm let’s see, you’re always so proper, have you ever broken any rules?”
“… Yes.”
“Oh? What did you do?”
Silence.
“Aw come on! You can’t tell me that even the great Hanguang-jun has his rebel moments and not elaborate!”
They talked for a long time, and he felt so safe and comfortable there under the cover of the night, simply chatting with Lan Wangji, that without realizing Wei Wuxian fell asleep right where he was.
In the morning, he awoke alone in bed, enveloped by the cold and sweet scent of Lan Wangji.
The realization that he had fallen in love happened slowly, then all at once.
Something about Lan Wangji had fascinated him from the start, so he had offered his friendship looking to get to know him better, and somewhere along the way, in between trying to get a reaction from the stoic man, quiet conversations and many outings together, he had given his heart away.
Wei Wuxian wasn’t the type to feel scared about most things, but admitting these feelings to himself made him nervous in ways he wasn’t expecting.
Considering the way his last relationship ended, he was reluctant to tie himself to someone else again. The circumstances were different, this wasn’t a decision he was making as a child in innocent hope, and Lan Wangji had been there for him time and time again, who treated him well and whose presence made him feel safe, yet he hesitated all the same.
These feelings felt new, a kind of affection he had never truly given to someone before, and he was not only afraid to hurt their friendship but also of the possibility that Lan Wangji, for all that he treated him with a level of care to him that Wei Wuxian had not seen him give to anyone else, would not feel the same way.
However even with all the terrifying ways this made him vulnerable, Wei Wuxian knew he would give this a try. He was not the sort of person to linger in his fears, especially when there was something he wanted to achieve. He yearned for more with Lan Wangji, to share a life with him, there was nothing else to do but try.
In the end, he ended up the one being confessed to.
Trapped together in a cave, sick, hungry and in pain, his head laid on Lan Wangji’s lap, with him running his hands softly through his hair.
It had been an accident that left them locked in. The Xuanwu had moved in such a way during the fight that the entrance had collapsed. Their injuries were not too bad, at 20 years old, both of them had cores strong enough to deal with the worst of it, though not enough to heal completely, leaving them stuck waiting for help to come.
Lan Wangji had been singing to him then. Wei Wuxian had asked him to talk at first, and he had for a while, but talking had never been Lan Wangji’s strong suit, so they had moved on to singing.
“It sounds nice, what’s it called?”
“Wangxian.”
One word, a simple reply, it had surprised a laugh out of Wei Wuxian, full of unexpected joy.
The week after that is spent healing in Cloud Recesses.
They had talked about their feelings then. It was the first thing Wei Wuxian did after waking up in the healing pavilion to Lan Wangji still at his side, watching over him, expression full of worry and care.
“I think you're really great, I like you a lot, I… I love you, I want to be with you, to share my life with you, to night hunt with you forever and wake up to you everyday.”
"I, I..." Lan Wangji stuttered at first, stunned in surprise. Wei Wuxian reached over to hold his hand, a silent offer of support. The gesture seemed to help him ground himself, as he took a deep breath and his voice was firmer when he spoke again: “I love you, I think I have for a long time, I want…. Want you… Want to share my life with you.”
His joy was so that he forgot about his injuries for a moment, jumping eagerly into Lan Wangji’s waiting arms.
Later, they would need to talk about this in better detail. Wei Wuxian would explain to him then what happened to his past betrothal, of all the ways in which it had fallen apart. Just as he’d hoped, Lan Wangji would support him, not only understanding but also happy to stand by Wei Wuxian’s choices.
But that would be later, for the moment all they had needed was to exist in the embrace of the person they loved, basking in the knowledge that there was nowhere else they would rather be.
Having been invited to stay for however long he needed to heal, Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to spend as much time with Lan Wangji as he could.
They would have to part again eventually, to do things properly once they announced their wish to marry, but for now he could have this closeness, to spend this time figuring out their relationship on their own terms.
During those days he got familiar with what would be his future home, too. At his request, Lan Wangji showed him all his favorite places in his home. There were a lot of afternoons exploring the library and walks through the calmest parts of Cloud Recesses.
Due to the Lan Sect’s policy of keeping their disciples separated by status, and having already presented as an omega by the time lectures came around, he had not been invited, thus making this his first visit to the home of the Gusu Lan sect. He took it all in earnestly, eager to know the home of his love.
It was not a perfect place, the Lan could be as boring and stuffy as he’d thought, but for all their flaws, there were positives too, and with Lan Wangji by his side, he found himself seeing a future there.
When the time to leave came, he was truly sad to walk away.
This was the point where he started to be followed.
Wei Wuxian looked around warily, but all he could see were common people going about their lives, showing him nothing but passing interest, just as he'd expected.
At this point he had gotten used to the persistent feeling of eyes on him. He stood still under their scrutiny, pretending to be unaware. For all that he was more than confident that he could fight them should the situation escalate, he'd rather not initiate anything himself.
"Wei Ying?"
Having been distracted keeping watch of his surroundings, he was genuinely startled by Lan Wangji coming from behind him. "Lan Zhan!"
Even in his surprise, Wei Wuxian smiled, letting himself fall forward into his fiancé's waiting arms. "You startled me!"
Lan Wangji smiled in that way he reserved just for him. "I apologize."
"You'll make it up to me, er-gege?"
"Mn."
There under his warmth all his tension was easily forgotten. I’ll deal with them later, Lan Zhan is more important.
"Good." He kissed him. "I have just the thing in mind! You see, there’s a restaurant I really wanted to try today..."
It was only after they separated that Wei Wuxian noticed the two junior Lan disciples that had come as their chaperones for the day, laughing at the way both of them were looking away, cheeks red. "And how are you two today?"
"We're doing well, Wei-qianbei."
"Yeah? Did you do well on your tests?"
He caught up with the two as they walked through the market together, Lan Wangji a silent and steady presence at his side, keeping a hand on his waist while Wei Wuxian led them through the crowd, stopping to show him all the things that caught his eye.
Though he had money of his own, his betrothed loved to indulge him, and he loved this particular game where he could play the spoiled omega to his alpha, able to get anything he wanted out of him with a pout.
"Aren't these cute, Lan Zhan?"
He held up a pair of toy rabbits, one black and one white, much like the ones he'd given his beloved all that time ago in an attempt to tease him. "We should get them! It's a cute little decoration isn't it? And we can save it for when we have a little one."
"Mn."
Their morning passed like this, exploring the market and chatting.
Wei Wuxian thought it was a little funny to have these chaperoned dates. Even though it was improper considering their status, they'd met often alone for night hunts before their courtship began, not on purpose but simply because their paths tended to cross often with him being a rogue cultivator and Lan Wangji traveling as much as he did.
That had been a scandal on its own, that they had a friendly relationship after he left his sect. There had been many rumors, one more ridiculous than the other, he loved sharing them with Lan Wangji and seeing the faces he made.
Now that they were formally courting with the intention to marry their dates had to be chaperoned. If it wasn't such a funny situation they might have eloped already, but as it was, they were both content to wait a bit for Wen Qing and Lan Xichen to talk out the details of their marriage. Besides, the juniors were friendly, and always such fun to tease, to the point where half of their dates might have turned into unofficial classes.
Lan Wangji didn't seem to mind sharing Wei Wuxian's attention with them when it happened, taking on a teaching role as well. It was sweet, he was looking forward to sharing these sort of duties with him when he took an official place in the sect.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he tugged on Lan Wangji’s arm, "We should go to that restaurant now, er-gege, they seem to have good spicy food, I think you'll like it!"
Their next meeting was in the safety of Cloud Recesses.
There, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian sat in the grass in a secluded spot having a picnic, the bunnies he had gifted his fiancé playing by their side and Little Apple eating some grass not so far away. Wen Ning was not far, sat to have his lunch with a Lan disciple who has also been assigned to accompany them for the day.
Though they were not being very strict chaperones, considering how close the two of them were being allowed to sit, Wei Wuxian with his legs in his Lan Wangji’s lap, the two of them occasionally feeding each other bits of their food. “I’m surprised this food is nice, did you go into town to buy it just for me?”
He shook his head, an answer that excited Wei Wuxian, this could mean good things for his life in Cloud Recesses. “Does that mean the cooks here know how to make something other than your bland food?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
This made him frown. “Lan Zhaaan, what do you mean? Where did this come from then?”
Lan Wangji simply looked at him, eyes warm and amused, the way he did when he knew something would make Wei Wuxian happy. A suspicion starts to form in his mind. “Did you make this for me, er-gege?”
“Mn.”
His ears were red, but his smile was proud, and he was still looking at Wei Wuxian oh so softly. “Aiya, Lan Zhan, you’re too sweet to me, how am I supposed to handle it?” Answering his own question, he leaned in for a kiss. They’re both smiling when their lips meet, and it’s easy to get lost in that feeling. He feels so much joy from moments like this, the little things that show how much they are in love.
Then there’s a loud cough, a reminder that they are not alone and not allowed to get caught up in each other quite yet, so they break away. Wei Wuxian had laughed about the chaperones at first, but with every day that passed, it was harder and harder to let go and keep waiting for the wedding day.
Reluctantly, he distanced himself from Lan Wangji, though he didn’t let him go far, keeping a hand firmly in place in Wei Wuxian’s waist while they resumed their meal.
Soon. Soon the wait would end.
Part 3: The Brothers
“I thought pets were forbidden in Cloud Recesses,” Wen Ning asked.
Happily kicking his feet from his place atop the newly named Little Apple, Wei Wuxian grinned, “Well, Lan Zhan kept the bunnies I gave him as a gift, I heard there’s more now even! I don’t see why it would be different for me as his husband.”
That got him a look that clearly asked why he even wanted to keep the donkey that had given them so much trouble in the first place, but then shrugged it off. That was one thing he loved about him, Wen Ning could always be counted on to be accepting and willing to go with his antics.
Recently, the two of them had taken to traveling together for two purposes: throwing off his stalkers and annoying Lan Qiren.
As cultivator, Wei Wuxian was free of a lot of the judgment there’d usually be attached to an omega traveling alone as he was, though ever since the wedding had been arranged there had been talk from some of those on the most conservative of cultivation society about how many rules he was breaking and the general surprise that someone like him would be the one to marry the esteemed Hanguang-jun.
Lan Qiren in particular was not happy with this development and had done his best to find whatever faults he could in Wei Wuxian. In response to this he had taken to creative interpretations of the proper norms.
Though Wen Ning and Wen Qing had became his siblings at heart, with their branch of the family having taken him in wholeheartedly, they were neither blood related or sworn into brotherhood in any way - yet - so it definitely drove the old man mad to have Wen Qing speaking on his behalf and Wen Ning as his travel companion.
"Lan-er-gongzi indulges you a lot, doesn’t he?” he teased, but his voice was happy.
Stealing a word from his fiancé, Wei Wuxian replied: “Mn!”
They made their way through towards town slowly, letting Little Apple set the pace, so it was already getting dark when they arrived at the inn. To Wen Ning’s grief, Wei Wuxian was the one to order food and wine for them while he took the donkey to the stable. His resigned look at all the spice made Wei Wuxian laugh, as did the way he diligently sat to eat anyway.
“Xian-ge, about those people earlier…”
“So you noticed them.”
Wen Ning’s grimace was all the answer needed.
“Look, they're from the Jiang sect, alright? We can just ignore them, they’ll have to stop once I'm married.”
“I guess,” he agreed, though his voice betrayed how uncomfortable he was about leaving that behavior stand.
“Besides, we can handle them! There’s nothing to worry about,” he reassured. “Let’s not talk about such depressing things, huh? Tell me how things are at home? Has Wen-popo gotten better from that cold? Has your cousin picked a name for the baby yet?”
Like a good little brother, Wen Ning lets it go, “Popo is doing okay now, she’s happy to be able to walk around again. She almost drove A-Jie mad trying to do her usual things while recovering, as for the name…”
Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian’s relationship was an odd one.
He was a friend that entered his life at a conflicting moment. For years, the closest thing he’d had to a sibling was Jiang Yanli, with the Jiang as his promised family. When he made the decision to leave the sect, he thought this was it. Unless he chose to marry and start a family himself, he would be alone.
Then Wen Ning and Wen Qing entered his life to make that notion completely fall apart.
The Wen siblings welcomed him as a friend based on a single meeting, and as part of the family not long after. This too happened gradually, across days where he would stay simply to spend time in their companionship and days where he needed to take them up in their offer of safe haven.
Wen Qing had become a person he could depend on, someone who would give help and comfort and scold him all at once, whom he admired and knew he could count on to look after him. Wen Ning was someone he could trust to be there, be it on night hunts, to play games or to simply listen, he was a calming presence and great friend. They were the little brother and older sister he adored with all his heart.
Thus it was no wonder he was unhappy to stay silent in the face of Wei Wuxian’s troubles.
“May I walk with you Lan-er-gongzi?”
Lan Wangji nodded, though he was visibly confused at Wen Ning’s presence.
Despite being on good terms, the two of them never spoke much with each other directly, both not the type of people who needed conversation to enjoy the other's presence, and used to relying on Wei Wuxian to stir conversations between them as he was usually the one who brought them together.
Briefly, Wen Ning considered the best way to approach his question, then decide to be blunt. “Have you noticed the people after Xian-ge?”
As expected, Lan Wangji tensed up in recognition. “I have.”
“... Did he talk to you about them?”
“Only not to worry.”
He sounded as displeased about it as Wen Ning felt.
Typically he had no problem leaving his brother to his decisions, even the questionable ones, but this time he felt too worried not to do something, anything. Sharing his worries might not do much, but it was better than being silent.
“They were sent by Jiang-gongzi,” he confessed, “I understand why Xian-ge doesn't want our clans involved and I know he can handle himself, but… I'm still afraid that they’ll do something."
"I understand," Lan Wangji agreed. The two of them walked in silence for a couple of moments before he spoke again, "We should respect Wei Ying's wishes…”
“But?”
“It may be wise to plan for that possibility.”
Wen Ning had come to him expecting that Lan Wangji would help, still, hearing the confirmation that he would, he felt relieved. While the two of them would not interfere, respecting Wei Wuxian's wishes, they would like to stay prepared in case the worst happened.
Unfortunately, things do come to a head.
The clearer Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s happiness becomes, the more desperate Jiang Wanyin got, so when he made his move, it did not come as a surprise.
At first, Wei Wuxian was not worried about being caught alone. He and Jiang Wanyin have fought many times before and he’s confident that even with the assistance of the Jiang disciples hidden around them, he would still be the one to come out victorious.
But then he brought out the dogs and Wei Wuxian froze.
There were three of them being held by separate Jiang disciples closing in on him from different points, trapping him in place. No matter how much he tried, the terror dogs had instilled on him during his homeless years as a child was one that him would not go away. A weakness he mistakenly hadn’t thought Jiang Wanyin resentful enough to exploit.
“Not so arrogant now, are you?” he snarled. “The great Wei Wuxian, didn’t enjoy the rogue cultivator life all that much now did you? Had to go whore yourself out to Lan Wangji.”
“Don’t speak of things you don’t understand!”
“I do understand,” Jiang Wanyin laughed, low and cruel. “You’re just a spoiled little omega bitch who couldn’t handle an alpha who put you in your place so you have to find yourself a fool instead.”
He punctuated his words with a Zidian strike and, unable to dodge in fear that his movement would startle the dogs, Wei Wuxian was hit in the leg, falling to the floor.
The circumstances looked dire, Jiang Wanyin started moving in his direction and for a moment he felt as though he would not be able to escape it, until suddenly an arrow hit him in the shoulder, evoking a surprised scream and making him drop his sword.
Then a slender, crystalline blade came to a stop in front of Wei Wuxian, followed soon after by the imposing figure of Lan Wangji, radiating fury with every step he took. Despite not much in the situation having changed, Wei Wuxian relaxed slightly, overcome with a feeling of safety the moment his fiancé arrived.
The Jiang disciples surrounding them backed away slightly, rightfully intimidated, making an opening for a second person to come in and grab him from behind, half carrying Wei Wuxian away from the fight.
In his relief, he did not pay much attention to where he was being taken until he was being lowered to sit in a patch of grass not far from where Little Apple stood.
“Did you get hurt, Xian-ge?”
Like this, with anger and protectiveness shining through his voice and medicinal supplies in hand, Wen Ning resembled his sister greatly. Wei Wuxian absently made a note to himself to tell her later, Wen Qing would be proud.
“My leg.”
Under his brother’s careful ministrations, Wei Wuxian calmed down enough to pull himself back together. Though the conflict he had been trying to avoid had come to pass, he couldn’t find it in himself to feel bad about it.
He gave Jiang Wanyin plenty of opportunity to give up and choose a better path, whatever consequences this altercation brought to him and the Jiang Sect would be of his own making,
The fight was a brutal one.
Even outnumbered, Lan Wangji fought holding himself back. To cause harm to another was something he did not consider lightly, and so this was why Jiang Wanyin was allowed to walk out of that fight with his life. Though his injuries were grave enough to convey that this would be his last warning.
Part 4: The End
Usually the wedding of a sect heir would have been a grand affair, but with the tensions surrounding their union Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s wedding was kept simple and private, a celebration for them and their families alone.
They were thankful for it in a way. Though the reason behind the decision was unpleasant, both of them were happy with the change, preferring to spend the day free of sect politics and in the company of their loved ones.
Once again, the peace did not last.
In a chance meeting during a night hunt, Jiang Wanyin attacked Wen Ning, who took his life in self defense. Though the sects had conflicting opinions on the Jiang heir, the event was widely regarded as a tragedy of his own making.
While Wei Wuxian mourned for the childhood friend he once cherished, he did not blame his brother for the outcome, especially when in many ways that boy was someone he had already grieved for long ago when confronted with the man he had become.
Life moves on.
As do Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. Filled with hope, excitement and love, they start a life in Cloud Recesses, relishing in the intimacy they were now allowed and making the Jingshi into a home.
This is the fourth family he has joined, and like those times before he slowly finds a place for himself in it. He does so with this new community as well, making friends, teaching both alongside his husband and without. It was far from what he envisioned for himself as a child, back when he was first contemplating marriage, and he was fine with that.
He had changed a lot since then, and he was glad for it.
Sat with his head resting on his arms, Wei Wuxian was tempted to sneak in another nap while Lan Wangji was fetching breakfast. If there was one aspect of this new routine he had yet to adjust to, it was how early in the morning the days in the Lan sect began.
Though even in this his husband has been awfully indulgent, letting him sleep in and taking the time to bathe him when he’s too tired in the morning. That Lan Zhan, everyone thinks he’s strict, but he’s such a softie.
He dozes off for just a moment and the next time he opens his eyes Lan Wangji is back with him, arranging the food at the table. He looks lovely like this, not yet completely ready for the day, glowing gently in the sunlight.
“Awake?”
“Mmn.”
Unable to resist, he crawled in his husband’s lap, hiding his face on his neck. Though being bonded to one another had made Lan Wangji’s scent even more intoxicating than before, it was soothing too, something he associated with safety and love.
“You are quiet today,” Lan Wangji pointed out. He knew he was frowning without even looking, in that way he did when he was fussing.
“I’m fine, just sleepy.” He grinned. “You tired me out yesterday, er-gege, take responsibility!”
From his position, he could feel his husband’s chest shake as he huffs in amusement and his own smile grows with it. “What should I do?”
“Hmm feed me?”
“Mn.”
Pressing a thank you kiss to his lips, he wonders briefly how his body can contain so much emotion.
He is so so happy.