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“…Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji greeted through the tablet screen, with no small amount of concern.
“My lovely, sweet didi, how are you?” a slightly pixelated Lan Xichen exclaimed, with a wide smile and wider dark circles under his eyes.
Lan Wangji opened his mouth slightly to respond when a high-pitched bark was heard through the screen, and a worrying thump nearer his ears. He should had put on his earphones, Lan Wangji thought to himself.
He closed his eyes, in order not to glare at his brother and waited. Indeed, loud footsteps were heard from outside the room, before the door to his office opened, revealing a wildly panicked Wei Wuxian.
“Lan Zhan, please tell me I’m crazy, I thought I heard-”
“Oh, sweet Baobao, please settle down,” Lan Xichen sighed and sent a gentle smile somewhere below the screen.
Lan Wangji kept his eyes closed and exhaled slowly, which was interrupted by a bark as well.
Lan Wangji quickly got up from his seat and went to his extremely pale husband’s side to support him. Not many people could say that they had been victim to Wei Wuxian’s death glare, and while Lan Wangji hadn’t been the receiver of them other than a couple of notable times, he knew when to stand down to his husband.
“I accepted it when you brought a dozen bunnies home, Lan Zhan, but if you dared to bring a- a-”
“I did not,” Lan Wangji said. “Xiongzhang seems to be having a… guest.”
“Oh A-Xian you’re here as well, come, Baobao is off the screen!” Lan Xichen’s voice called from the tablet.
“Xichen-ge,” Wei Wuxian whined and sat on Lan Wangji’s lap to be able to watch the screen along with him. “You scared the living daylights out of me, I almost ruined dinner!”
Lan Wangji blinked at Wei Wuxian. It certainly wasn’t regular for Wei Wuxian to make dinner.
“Take out, my dear,” Wei Wuxian explained.
Well, that sounded more like it, Lan Wangji thought.
Lan Xichen watched them with an increasingly tighter smile, which brought Lan Wangji back to the matter at hand.
“I am doing well,” Lan Wangji said, responding to the previous question. “A-Yuan is doing well too,” he said, which brought Lan Xichen a more genuine smile to his face. He always had a soft spot for his nephew.
Wei Wuxian nodded. “We walked past a traditional music shop and the little guy kept pointing at the xiao in the display, wanting to get you one,” he said with a gentle smile, eyes scanning fondly at the family picture Lan Wangji keeps at his desk; a small frame keeping the three of them, at their happiest during the day they officially adopted A-Yuan, right next to their wedding photo.
“That boy,” Lan Xichen said fondly and sighed, expression becoming more vulnerable. It seemed as if he was petting his new dog, a small, wagging tail making an appearance.
“Xiongzhang, why did you get a dog?” Lan Wangji finally asked, without any judgment. He had an idea as to why already.
Lan Xichen bit his lip.
“The house is just so quiet after he left,” Lan Xichen said quietly, after a bit. “I called your siblings, A-Xian, and they seemed to agree that a pet would keep me some company, now that I need it.”
Lan Wangji watched as his husband’s eyes melted in understanding and love, humming his support gently.
Lan Wangji knew Wei Wuxian’s fear of dogs, and Lan Xichen did as well. He was always more open to more frivolous purchases than Lan Wangji- purchases for Wei Wuxian and his A-Yuan not counting- however, after breaking up with Jin Guangyao, he was more impulsive with them as well.
There was no doubt in his mind that Lan Xichen was going to be an incredible dog owner, and he might have thought of ways to keep the dog out of the way while Wei Wuxian was visiting, but his brother never mentioning anything to him or his uncle was indeed worrisome, given his latest impulsive purchases.
A food truck wasn’t exactly what he’d consider as his brother’s first choice in business endeavours, and a lotus pond miles away from his home wasn’t either, but he would always support his brother, even if he didn’t fully understand most of what he did with his money.
“Wasn’t old man Lan visiting you this weekend?" Wei Wuxian asked. “How did he take the monst- uh, I mean, the new… family member?”
Lan Wangji let out a little huff in amusement, followed by Lan Xichen’s gentle laugh. Thankfully when Baobao barked again, Wei Wuxian didn’t flinch a lot but held onto Lan Wangji’s hand tightly. Lan Wangji kissed his shoulder.
“Uncle is… being Uncle when it comes to pets! He has yet to properly bond with Baobao,” Lan Xichen sighed. “He’ll be staying a little more than the weekend, apparently.”
“Finally taking that break from the company, ge?” Wei Wuxian asked, smile gentling after Lan Xichen’s nod.
“Yes, a much-needed one. I need to feel…” Lan Xichen stopped, trying to look for his words carefully. At that moment, for Lan Wangji, it was like looking in the mirror. Something in his heart ached, seeing his brother so hesitant.
“I need to feel like I can trust myself with my life again,” Lan Xichen said, nodding to himself. “Do you two want to visit as well? You should bring my nephew, as well!”
Lan Wangji turned to look at his husband to find him looking back with a smile. They nodded at each other.
“We’d all love that, A-Yuan has missed his bófù!” Wei Wuxian said. “I will drop by to say hi, but won’t stay in the room if it’s alright with you.”
“A-Xian, no, I don’t want you to feel unwelcome because of Baobao, I can put her in the other room, it’s spacious, enough!” Lan Xichen said, eyebrows furrowed in worry.
“Nonsense! You just got Baobao. She needs to have the entire space to get used to her new home!” Wei Wuxian said, as reassuring as he could. “I’ll stay once she gets more used to the place, it’s absolutely okay!”
Lan Xichen hummed, still unsure.
“I will bring a foldable table, to eat in the garden,” Lan Wangji offered. “Baobao can still have the house.”
“That’s a great idea, didi! Actually, I’ll buy a new table for the garden, give me a second!”
“Oh, Xichen-ge, there’s no need, we already have a-”
“Done!” Lan Xichen exclaimed triumphantly.
Wei Wuxian laughed nervously, and Lan Wangji sighed softly.
That was that, Lan Wnagji thought.
“Call me when you need me at the table, my loves, okay?” Wei Wuxian said once he was certain he parked correctly.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek, making Wei Wuxian giggle and their little treasure gasp in surprise.
A-Yuan carefully got out of the car and reached the driver’s door, opening it clumsily and went to kiss his baba on the cheek as well.
“God, I love you both so, so much,” Wei Wuxian groaned, kissing Lan Wangji on the lips and drowning their son’s face in kisses.
A-Yuan giggled, turning his face away from the sudden attack.
“Baba, we’ll be late! No good,” A-Yuan said with a whine.
“Oh lord, you sound like a little Lan Zhan, come here you baby.” Wei Wuxian got out of the car and started faux-chasing A-Yuan. Lan Wangji watched them with love in his eyes and heart, before grabbing Wei Wuxian’s car keys he forgot on the ignition, locking the car after he closed all the doors properly.
“Not baby!” A-Yuan said as he kept on insisting after he started second grade. “I’m a big boy, zeng zufu said so!”
“Well, if your zeng zufu said so then it must be true!” Wei Wuxian said with a wild smile, turning to Lan Wangji, amusement painting both of their faces. Lan Wangji nodded in approval.
“A-Yuan, big boys get to ring the doorbell. Do you want to?” Lan Wangji asked his son, smiling at A-Yuan’s immediate excitement. A-Yuan raised his hands towards Lan Wangji, giggling when he was easily lifted in his arms.
“Big boy, my behind!” Wei Wuxian huffed, crossing his arms and biting down his smile. “He can reach it on his tip-toes, can’t he?” Lan Wangji did not deign it important to mention how he still carried their son on random piggyback rides around their house.
“Easier with diedie,” A-Yuan shrugged, and Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but laugh. At this point, they wouldn’t need the doorbell.
The barking was immediate, as they both imagined it would be, although that didn’t stop Wei Wuxian’s full-bodied flinch.
They heard a couple of low voices from inside, and after that Lan Xichen opened the door, Baobao still barking but not joining him, somehow keeping her out of their sight, for his poor brother-in-law’s sake.
A-Yuan didn’t take long to go hug his bófù, who crouched to the boy’s height, to hug him back, tightly.
“How’s my little dragon, hm?” Lan Xichen said causing A-Yuan to grin excitedly.
“Fox, now!” A-Yuan responded, and Lan Xichen nodded excitedly, before looking up at Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian.
“We got out of that phase for now. He watched a show with a little fox and he’s obsessed with them now,” Wei Wuxian explained, ruffling A-Yuan’s hair.
“The film you recommended,” Lan Wangji added.
“Well,” Lan Xichen said with a small smile and a kiss on his nephew’s forehead. “We should play foxes after, then!”
A-Yuan gasps and claps his hands loudly. “Mn!”
“Say hi to zeng zufu first,” Lan Wangji said gently, his smile widening when that got more excitement out of A-Yuan, who immediately ran to the house looking for his grand-uncle.
“Call me, okay?” Wei Wuxian asked his husband, giving him a peck on the lips when he nodded and gave him back his keys. “See you later Xichen-ge!” Wei Wuxian gave Lan Xichen a quick hug and did a quick jog back to their car.
Lan Wangji looked at his brother carefully, who sighed and smiled at him gently.
“You know I’m happy for you,” Lan Xichen said.
“I know,” Lan Wangji said, honestly believing him.
His breakup cost him a lot those past couple of months, and, especially at first, it was tough for him to look at other happy couples. Lan Wangji understood that and never held that against him. He was just happy Lan Xichen was slowly improving.
Lan Wangji rested his hand supportively on Lan Xichen’s shoulder, making him blink in surprise at him. Lan Xichen chuckled a little and patted his brother's hand softly, leading him inside the living room.
Lan Qiren was sitting on the sturdy armchair he had long claimed as his own, during his visits. A-Yuan was already sitting on his lap, talking a mile a minute, encouraged by the consistent and earnest nods he was receiving from his grand-uncle.
“Good afternoon, Uncle,” Lan Wangji greeted.
“Wangji.” Lan Qiren nodded. “Tell your brother to keep the dog out of the living room, if you please.”
Both Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen sighed.
“I am right here, Uncle. Please be patient with Baobao.” Lan Xichen went out of the room towards the continuous barks and before long, he heard the fast tap-tap of paws running across the floor.
A-Yuan gasped in delight and got off Lan Qiren’s lap, going on and off his tiptoes, giddily.
Baobao was a very cute dog, Lan Wangji had to admit; she was a small cavoodle with thick brown fur and sweet beady eyes. She immediately went to A-Yuan, tail going back and forth in happiness faster and faster, especially when A-Yuan started to properly pet her.
The little dog seemed to notice Lan Wangji staring, so she stared right back with what appeared as a big, sweet smile. Lan Wangji’s face softened and scratched behind her ear, before going to sit on the couch, close to his uncle.
“It’s a good dog,” Lan Wangji told him.
Lan Qiren scoffed. “Don’t let your husband hear you say that. I won’t be spending hours on the phone with A-Xian about how you ‘betrayed’ him.”
Lan Wangji dipped his head, hiding his small smile.
Every single time his family called Wei Ying affectionately, his chest expanded infinitely. It would never get old, he thought.
“I still do not understand, why you got a dog right after I told you I’d be visiting, Xichen,” Lan Qiren continued his rant that must have been going on that entire morning; and Lan mornings are long ones, his husband had informed him plenty of times. Lan Xichen poured tea for all four of them, staying quiet.
Baobao decided to spend her time resting her head on Lan Qiren’s shoes, licking on their strings occasionally. Lan Qiren sighed, long suffering.
“No,” he told Baobao.
Baobao whined, but obeyed, before her tail started moving fast again, getting up, as if expecting for Lan Qiren to join and play with her.
Lan Qiren did not groan, but it was a near thing.
“God, she’s like A-Xian as a teenager.” His face scrunched as if he ate something sour. “More obedient, however.”
“Do not let my husband hear that,” Lan Wangji said with a small smile. He earned a pointed glance from Lan Qiren, which was a little unfair. Wei Wuxian would have laughed.
“Xichen, does she not have enough toys? I do not have the energy for this and her barking-”
“I know she barks a lot, but try to be understanding. She already adores you, try being civil.”
Lan Qiren huffed but said nothing. Lan Xichen must really be tired, for him to not only scold their uncle but interrupt him in the first place, Lan Wangji thought, sipping on his tea elegantly.
It’s a good one. He needed to remember the brand to get one for their house as well.
A-Yuan kept calling Baobao ‘good girl’ which she absolutely appreciated, and Lan Wangji could see Lan Qiren’s eyes soften at how gentle they were with each other.
“Well, she will need more toys, if she is to stay here,” Lan Qiren grunted thoughtfully. “And many different types of treats, she’s simply too young to know what she likes.” Lan Qiren nodded to himself. “Yes, she needs options.”
If Lan Wangji saw Lan Qiren glance at where Lan Xichen had disappeared in the kitchen and write several things on his pocket agenda, he said nothing of it.
Lan Wangji also stayed silent when Lan Qiren fed Baobao a couple of the apple slices Lan Xichen brought when he wasn’t looking. Lan Qiren put a finger close to his lips when A-Yuan looked at him in confusion. With a soft gasp, A-Yuan nodded quickly and giggled at himself for being part of the secret.
When Lan Qiren looked at Lan Wangji, he turned away.
“I am being civil,” Lan Qiren explained.
Lan Wangji couldn’t wait to tell Wei Wuxian about it.
“Yes, Uncle. Lunch?”
“It’s ready,” Lan Xichen said with a small smile. “It won’t be as good as… other times, but I tried.”
“It will be lovely Xichen,” Lan Qiren said and Lan Wangji nodded.
“Bófù made his carrot cake too?” A-Yuan asked, eyes wide.
“A-Yuan-”
Lan Xichen smiled and shook his head at Lan Wangji.
“Why of course! After lunch, though!”
A-Yuan exclaimed loudly, exciting Baobao into barking as well. Everyone looked at them lovingly, Lan Wangji’s eyes lingering on his son’s smile. He took out his phone and texted Wei Wuxian that they’d be out in a minute or two, quickly receiving a reply that had many, many heart emojis.
“I told Wei Ying we will be out soon,” Lan Wangji told his brother, who nodded in understanding.
“You go on ahead, I will stay with Baobao and close the door on the way out. Wangji, stay close to the door, just in case.”
Once all plates were set on the garden table and they made sure Baobao was safe inside the house, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen properly took their seats at the table.
Wei Wuxian was in a deep discussion with Lan Qiren on their current book club topic but still turned his cheek towards Lan Wangji, so that he could kiss it easily when he sat beside him.
“Are you alright?” Lan Wangji asked his husband after he was done making his point. He already knew the answer by the hand squeezing his, gently.
“I’m alright. Now that I’m with you and our family, though? Perfect,” Wei Wuxian said and leaned forwards, knowing fully well that words like that would earn him many kisses and a clingy Lan Wangji when they got home.
Lan Wangji felt a tug on his sleeve and turned to find A-Yuan looking at them with a pout.
“Diedie, baba, can we get a dog?”
Wei Wuxian froze. He turned to Lan Wangji slowly and shot him a warning look.
“No, A-Yuan, baba is scared of dogs,” Lan Wangji explained, feeling his chest squeeze at the sad look on A-Yuan’s face.
“Oh…”
Wei Wuxian’s warning glance got replaced with soft eyes, patting their son on the head comfortingly.
“Sorry little buddy, anything but dogs,” Wei Wuxian said, immediately regretting it when A-Yuan’s eyes brightened immediately.
“Anything? Even foxes?” A-Yuan said, bouncing at the balls of his feet.
“Uh. No, foxes aren’t a house pet,” Wei Wuxian said, smiling nervously.
He had an inkling of where the conversation was going.
“What about a hippopotamus?”
Lan Wangji hid his proud smile at his son saying big words flawlessly, already feeling the return of Wei Wuxian’s warning glances. He tried to open his note app as discretely as possible.
“Where would we find the place for one, hm?”
“What about-”
“And no horses either! We have no place to put them and- Lan Zhan are you taking notes?!”
Lan Wangji closed the app and looked away.
“Aiya, you two will be the death of me! Either a cat or more bunnies, those are my rules,” Wei Wuxian said with a tone of finality, although he kept mumbling to himself about everyone he knows being a ‘horse girl’.
Lan Wangji had no clue what he meant exactly, but he made a mental note to look into buying stables and a couple of horses as near to their city as possible. He had always wanted a pony.
“Xichen-ge, Uncle, tell them!” Wei Wuxian, whined, pointing at his husband and kid. Lan Xichen hid his smile behind his glass of water and Lan Qiren ran his fingers through his goatee.
“Well, equitation is a graceful art-”
“Uncle, please!!!”
“Also, Xichen,” Lan Qiren said, completely ignoring Wei Wuxian, earning him an indignant ‘hey!’ from his nephew-in-law. “Please do look up in that book marketplace you’re so fond of, for more toys for Baobao.”
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji looked at each other in confusion. Lan Xichen sighed but was unable to keep a small smile from his face.
“It’s called Facebook marketplace, uncle.”
“Same thing. Baobao has too much energy for either of us, she needs stimulation.”
Wei Wuxian hid his grin behind his hand, lest he gets scolded as he once would have been.
“Wasn’t he completely opposed to having Baobao just some minutes ago?” he whispered to Lan Wangji.
Lan Wangji inclined his head.
“Baobao is a good dog,” he explained. “And uncle has always been soft on new family members.”
Wei Wuxian chuckled, looking toward their family, fondly. Lan Xichen was explaining to Lan Qiren about one of the toys he had indeed ordered for Baobao, and A-Yuan was sitting on a chair,
watching them, feet going back and forth above the ground, and giving his opinion when Lan Qiren asked him about colour choices for the gifts.
“He is, isn’t he,” Wei Wuxian said with one of Lan Wangji’s favourite smiles and leaned on Lan Wangji.
Neither of them had touched their food yet.
They would; it would be rude not to.
For the next few minutes, however, they’d busk at the domesticity and happiness of it all.