Work Text:
It was early in the morning. Lan Wangji was checking some documents in the living room of the Jigshi while his husband Wei Wuxian slept in the bedroom. The only sound in the air was his pen scribbling on paper until Wangji heard a knock on the door.
He looked at the bedroom and Wuxian was as still as before, hugging Wangji’s pillow, so Wangji went to answer the door.
“Shufu. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Wangji. You are needed to assist the juniors.” Lan Qiren was direct.
Wangji straightened minutely.
“Where?”
Lan Qiren summarized the mission this group of juniors had been sent in and where the signal of support was spotted. Wangji nodded and went back inside as soon as Qiren left him in order to pack his qiankun bag and leave a message for Wuxian.
Wei Ying,
I am needed.
I will be back in a day or two.
Be well.
Yours.
Lan Zhan.
He left the note at the guqin table and left.
~*~
Wei Wuxian knew he had overslept as soon as he woke up. The sun was too strong on the window of the Jingshi. That meant Wangji had gone somewhere and wasn’t back yet, or he would have awakened him already. Wangji always let him indulge and sleep in, but only to a certain extent.
Wuxian fussed around the bed for a while, until he couldn’t take it anymore.
As he got up and grabbed his outer robe to dress up so he could go out for a meal, a token lit up on the table in the living room. Wuxian went there and found Wangji’s note. His thoughtful, sweet husband had left the luminous token so he wouldn’t miss it. Wangji was so cute Wuxian cooed just thinking about it.
“Ayah, Lan Zhan, you should have woken me up to go with you!” Wuxian sighed after reading the note. “Old Man Lan must have told you didn’t have time to wait for me. Hunf!” He crossed his arms and looked at the front door as if Lan Qiren was there.
Wuxian was going to have a little chat with Wangji when he came back. They needed a new rule in their marriage: no more traveling without the other.
Now he would have to deal with boredom and missing his beloved husband for who knew how many days. He plopped up in front of the table and buried his chin in his hands, sighing loudly. Wuxian didn’t want to go out anymore. But he was hungry.
At that moment someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Wuxian grumbled.
“Wei qianbei?”
The door opened and a head popped in.
“Jingyi? I thought you were out on a mission.” Wuxian got up and waved the boy inside.
“I came back this morning, just as Hanguang-jun was leaving, and he asked me to bring you breakfast.” The young one said as he entered the house with a tray in his hands.
“Oh!” Wuxian perked up. “Do you know where Lan Zhan went?”
“No.” Jingyi shook his head and sat in front of Wuxian. “Only that he went out to rescue a group of juniors. We didn’t talk much.”
“Ah...” Wuxian sighed.
Jingyi bit his lower lip. He admired the couple so much, but they were insufferable when they were apart. When they were together too, but then they were kind of cute showing their love for each other so openly, so that was okay.
Jingyi was thinking of leaving already, but Wuxian held his hand.
“Tell me how your mission went.”
“Ah... Okay.” Jingyi got comfortable and told Wuxian everything.
A couple of hours later Wuxian was alone again. He had held Jingyi in as much as he could, but the boy had his obligations to fulfill and Wuxian had grown to avoid being the reason anyone was chastised most of the time. Not that Jingyi didn’t give Lan Qiren reasons to be chastised on his own — Wuxian chuckled — but Wuxian did his best to be involved only in half of them, at the most.
Letting those thoughts go, he decided to go to the small room they had built behind the Jingshi where Wuxian did his little experiments with talismans and inventions. When he missed Wangji it was best to keep himself busy, that way Wuxian stayed out of trouble.
For the next couple of days, Wuxian stayed mostly in his lab. Jingyi brought him food, so he wouldn’t forget to eat, and in those moments Wuxian also washed up, changed clothes, and rested a bit.
It was the second night without Wangji home, and Wuxian was finally tired enough to sleep properly — or so he thought.
Wuxian bathed and dressed in one of Wangji’s inner robes because he wanted to be surrounded by his husband’s smell, and because he couldn’t find any clean one between his own. Wuxian laid in bed and covered himself, hugging Wangji’s pillow. He sighed, and closed his eyes, letting sleep slowly come over him.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open and Wuxian sat back up.
“Did I use all the clean robes? Lan Zhan will come home and won’t have any clean robes to dress in!” He slapped his hands on his cheeks in astonishment.
Wuxian threw the covers away and got up, lighting up the room and going to kneel in front of their dresser. There was only one other white inner robe, which meant he really had dirtied all of his robes and at least one of Wangji’s already.
That was not good. Lan Zhan needed clean robes to change to after he arrived and bathed — Wuxian thought. He needed to wash their clothes. He needed to. Wangji shouldn't come home and find everything a mess. He got up in a frenzy and collected the dirty clothes, throwing them in their bathtub.
As he looked around, Wuxian realized the Jingshi was a little messy, so he forgot about the clothes and started to tidy the place. He put books back on shelves and stacked up his talismans and paper men. Wuxian piled up by the door the few dishes he had made Jingiy leave around when he refused to eat before the boy left. Then he grabbed a broom and cleaned the house.
It was close to dawn when Wuxian deemed the Jingshi was clean enough for Wangji. He hoped Wangji would be proud of him for taking good care of their home while he was away.
Wuxian stretched and yawned, satisfied with his work. Until he laid eyes on the bathtub and remembered their clothes were still there, unwashed. He decided to soak them in soap water right then and there and in the morning Wuxian would wash them and hang them outside to dry.
After doing that, Wuxian went back to bed and fell asleep immediately.
He woke up unusually early the next day, especially considering how late he had slept. Wuxian was a little confused about why he woke early until he remembered he needed to finish cleaning the Jingshi before Wangji arrived. Even if he wasn’t sure he would arrive today. So he got up and went to take their clothes off the water.
Only, when Wuxian took out Wangji’s robes, he noticed he had made a mistake. Oh, Wuxian was screwed. He was in so much trouble! Lan Zhan would be mad at him!
Wuxian let go of the clothes and started pacing around. He had to think of something. There must be something he could do to make those robes pristine white again!
He hugged Wangji’s robes and ran to the river. After an hour of effort, nothing had changed. Only his hands were sore.
“No. No, no, no!” Wuxian screamed.
“Wei Wuxian.”
Wuxian heard the voice, bit his lower lip, and looked up.
“Shifu.” Wuxian pouted as he saw Lan Qiren.
“What is going on?” The old man asked softly.
It had been a long time since he had gotten used to Wuxian being around. And seeing how much he made Wangji happy did wonders with Qiren’s tolerance of him. But no one would catch Lan Qiren attesting he liked Wei Wuxian any time soon.
“I made a big mistake, Shifu.” He sighed. “Lan Zhan will be mad at me.”
“Wangji could never be mad at you, Wuxian.” Lan Qiren sat on a rock close to Wuxian.
“You definitely will be mad at me, Shifu.” Wuxian said sadly.
“Why is that?”
“I stained Lan Zhan’s robes.”
Wuxian showed Lan Qiren the once-white-now-pink robes. Qiren discreetly took a deep breath.
“How did that happen?” He asked.
“I wanted to tidy everything in the Jingshi before Lan Zhan comes back. I think I was sleepier than I thought when I took care of the clothes and I soaked his together with mine. And I can’t! Clean! Them!” He emphasized the words by slapping the robes against the water.
“Well...” The Lan Qiren from the past would immediately punish Wei Wuxian, but today’s Lan Qiren was different. “I am not pleased about it, but I will provide new robes for my nephew. Although I am sure he will not be mad at you. However, please, do not do it again in the future.” Lan Qiren looked pointedly at Wuxian, who nodded, lowering his head. “Now, get out of the water and go back to the Jingshi. Wangji will be back later today.”
“Did he contact you, Shifu?” Wuxian perked up.
“A short message through one of the juniors he rescued. He is coming behind with a few injured juniors.”
Wuxian got out of the river, gathering the clothes to take them back home.
“Are they badly injured?” He asked, worried.
“No. They will recover with the right treatment.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
“Yes. Now, go back to the Jingshi.”
“Yes, Shifu!” Wuxian jumped up and started to walk away, but then he stopped and turned back. “Thank you, Shifu!”
He smiled and left in a fast walk, running as soon as he was out of Lan Qiren’s sight. The elder stayed back, shaking his head at Wuxian’s antics.
Back at the Jingshi, Jingyi was waiting for Wuxian with a tray of breakfast.
“Wei qianbei, your clothes are wet!”
“I know! I know! I’m gonna change!”
Wuxian passed by Jingyi and went to the back of the house, where he spread the wet clothes he brought back from the river. Jingyi followed him and his mouth fell open when he saw the pink robes.
“Don’t ask and don’t tell.” Wuxian said to him when he noticed Jingyi behind him.
“O...kay...”
The boy could only imagine what had happened but would surely tell Shizui that. His friend would love to know what his parents were getting into while he couldn’t witness it.
“Do you need anything else, Jingyi?”
“To see you eating, Wei qianbei. Hanguang-jun says we need to be sure you stopped and ate before we leave you when he isn’t around, and yesterday I already let you slide without watching you eat.”
“Awn...” Wuxian cooed. “Lan Zhan takes such good care of me! He is the best husband!”
He got distracted thinking of Wangji, and Jingyi sighed, rolling his eyes. The things he had to deal with... It would be good if Hanguang-jun came back home faster. Jingyi shook his head and held Wuxian’s arm, taking him to the food.
The young one only left after Wuxian had eaten all the food.
With Jingyi gone, Wuxian focused back on making the Jingshi perfect for when Wangji would arrive. He put everything in place, folded the clothes, and put them away. Wuxian would deal with Wangji’s (possible) disappointment when he couldn’t escape it. For now, he was just happy to know that his husband would be back soon.
After a couple of hours passed and Wangji hadn’t arrived yet, Wuxian decided it would be best to distract himself outside, so he dressed up in Wangji’s remaining white inner robe and one of his deep purple outer robes and went outside.
He started his walk by going to check on the juniors first. The ones who were at Cloud Recesses went to him as soon as they spotted Wuxian coming and followed him to check on their friends at the infirmary. After Wuxian made sure the injured juniors were going to be okay, he went back outside, followed by a few of the juniors who had numerous questions for him, as usual.
Wuxian was walking towards the bunny meadow, still talking with a couple of juniors, when he saw him.
Lan Wangji was climbing the last steps of the entrance to the Cloud Recesses, supporting an injured junior who was limping. Another one was walking a step behind, with an arm in a sling.
Wuxian stopped and the smile he had on as he talked to the kids slowly changed to the full soft smile he reserved only for Wangji and Yuan.
The juniors went to Wangji and their friends, relieving Hanguang-jun from helping the hurt young ones, and leaving him free to rejoin Wuxian.
“LAN ZHAN!” Wuxian screamed, giggling, and ran to his husband.
Wangji turned to him, opened his arms, and just waited for Wuxian to jump into his arms.
Every member of the sect who was outside watched them. They were more used to it after the years they witnessed the couple being lovey-dovey everywhere around. However, they still watched Wuxian and Wangji with certain strangeness, especially the older members of the sect.
The couple couldn’t care less about the stares.
“Hi, Lan Zhan.” Wuxian said in a low tone, staring at Wangji’s eyes and smiling widely.
“Hello, Wei Ying.” Wangji answered back, smiling softly.
“I missed you so much, Lan Zhan! You can never leave me for so long again!”
“I will not.”
“Two and a half days is too long for us to be away, Lan Zhan! I hated it!” Wuxian lent a peck on Wangji’s lips and laid his head on his shoulder. Then he whispered. “I’m sorry I was away for so many years. You are so strong, Lan Zhan.”
“Wei Ying is strong too.” Wangji said as he walked toward the Jingshi with Wuxian still in his arms.
Wuxian let himself be carried back home. He loved when Wangji carried him around. (Maybe he loved even more when Wangji carried him in front of others.)
When they arrived in the Jingshi, Wuxian remembered he had a plan to prepare a bath for his husband to welcome him in the best way, so he let his legs down and Wangji put him on the floor.
“Wei Ying” There was a slight question in the tone Wangji spoke.
“I’ll prepare you a bath, Lan Zhan. You can undo your qiankun bag and rest. Don’t worry about anything!” Wuxian beamed.
“I must help Wei Ying.”
“No, no! Let your dear husband take care of you! You just came back from a rescue mission!” Wuxian insisted. “I cleaned our lovely house. I will get food for you as soon as you’re in the bathtub. You just need to rest and relax.”
Wuxian fussed around Wangji until he accepted to be taken care of and was led to the bathtub, which Wuxian filled with warm water and flower petals to make it smell nice.
With Wangji settled and the incense burner burning sandalwood in the Jingshi, Wuxian left to pick up food for his husband. He came back and put the table for Wangji with only his favorite foods. Then, Wuxian chose clothes for him.
He had to pick one of the white-turned-pink inner robes because Wangji had put the ones he had traveled with in the basket they put their dirty clothes in. So Wuxian didn’t have a choice, really. And now he was left fearing Wangji’s reaction.
Wuxian decided to check on his husband and found Wangji washing his hair, so he took the task into his hands and finished washing it for him, which almost lulled Wangji into a nap — hopefully, Shufu would never find out about that.
Wuxian helped Wangji out of the bathtub and dried his body, hugging him with a dry towel and insisting he should eat before the food got too cold. While Wangji ate, Wuxian dried and brushed his hair, whispering softly about what he had done during the days Wangji was away.
When Wangji finished eating Wuxian didn’t have any other excuse to stop him from dressing up, so he fell awfully quiet as he followed his husband to their bedroom. Wangji sensed something was wrong and looked at Wuxian with concern in his eyes.
“Wei Ying?”
Wuxian nibbled on his bottom lip and Wangji turned fully toward him. Wangji touched Wuxian’s face softly.
“Wei Ying, is there a problem?”
“I did something very bad, Lan Zhan!” Wuxian couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I did my best to keep the Jingshi clean and perfectly organized for you, but I made a big mistake!”
“I am sure Wei Ying did not do one thing wrong.”
“But I did, Lan Zhan! I messed up your clothes! I stained them forever, Lan Zhan!” Wuxian whined.
“I can order new clothes, Wei Ying. You do not need to worry so much.” Wangji assured his husband, smiling softly, and caressing his cheek with his thumb.
“I know! Shifu said he would do that already. But still! Lan Zhan, you would never do that! You would never wash our inner robes together and make yours pink!” Wuxian said loudly.
Wangji’s eyebrows did a micro movement that told Wuxian he had almost made Wangji laugh.
“Lan Zhan! Don’t laugh at me!” Wuxian shoved his husband. “I’m really sad I messed up! I don’t want you to be mad at me!”
“I am not mad at Wei Ying.” Wangji said directly.
“You didn’t even see your robes yet! You need to be mad at me!”
“I did not. I do not need to. I am not mad at Wei Ying.” He retorted firmly.
Wuxian held Wangji’s arms and turned him around so he could see the clothes on the bed.
“See, Lan Zhan? I totally messed up!”
Wangji gave up on trying to assure Wuxian with words and proceeded to dress up in the clothes on the bed. Wuxian had chosen one of Wangji’s whitest outer robes. They emphasized the pink of the inner robe, but it didn’t bother Wangji in the slightest. When he was done and turned back to Wuxian — who hadn’t stopped saying how much wrong he had done —, Wuxian fell silent.
“Wei Ying?” Now Wangji asked with a slight tone of curiosity, observing the shine in his husband’s eyes.
“Lan Zhan” Wuxian murmured. “I never imagined you would look so beautiful in pink!”
Wangji’s ears reddened immediately, making Wuxian swoon.
“Lan Zhan, I’m really sorry I stained your robes, but you look so, so beautiful in them I kinda don’t regret it anymore.”
Wangji didn’t have an answer for that. So Wuxian hugged him, sliding his hands around his neck and pulling his face down to kiss him.
“Hi, Lan Zhan.” Wuxian said again after a few minutes of heated kisses.
“Hello, Wei Ying.”
They were incapable of averting their eyes from each other. It was just their luck that — knowing the couple — no one in the sect would disturb them for the rest of the day unless it was a real emergence. Not even Lan Qiren. The old man would wait for the next day to receive a proper report on his nephew’s mission.
So Wuxian could help Wangji out of the clothes he had just put on and spread kisses around until Wangji took matters into his own big, strong hands, which drove Wuxian mad.
The pink robe was the last one to reach the floor before they fell into the bed.