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Of course it all started with Wei Ying running his mouth.
Lan Zhan had managed to ignore Wei Ying in the library – mostly. He had been pleasantly surprised when Wei Ying offered to grind ink for him, but it quickly became clear he was using it as an excuse to invade his space and pester him to death.
“Lan Zhaaan,” he said, pouting up at Lan Zhan. “Haven’t I been punished enough? Look how much ink I’ve ground!”
Lan Zhan barely spared him a glance. “You could continue writing out the rules, if you prefer.”
“So cruel, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying whined, leaning into Lan Zhan’s space so he had to look at him. He blinked up at Lan Zhan innocently and Lan Zhan squeezed his pen so tight he was afraid it might break. He cleared his throat and continued writing and Wei Ying huffed out a sigh.
“You know I’ve memorized all the rules by now,” Wei Ying said, his pout drawing Lan Zhan’s attention to his mouth, and the freckle just below his bottom lip… No, Lan Zhan thought, dragging his focus back to the text he was copying.
“If you knew the rules so well, you would be able to follow them,” Lan Zhan said primly.
“Ah, Lan Zhan, you don’t believe me? Do you want me to prove it to you?” He sat up, his spine perfectly straight – which Lan Zhan hadn’t known was possible – and started reciting the rules. Which was somehow even more distracting.
Lan Zhan did his best to focus on his work, but he was actually surprised that Wei Ying knew the rules so well. He tried to remind himself that this meant that Wei Ying was willfully breaking the rules, which was hardly worthy of praise. But Wei Ying’s sing-song recitation was soothing… until he stopped.
“Lan Zhan! You’re not even listening!” Wei Ying protested. Lan Zhan gave him the glare reserved for Lan juniors whispering during Shufu’s lectures, or trying to sneak into the Forbidden section of the library.
Wei Ying smirked at him and picked up where he left off. “Do not say one thing and mean another. Do not take advantage of your position to oppress others…”
Lan Zhan turned back to his own scroll, trying to focus on his own work. Slowly Wei Ying wilted like a flower, until his elbows were propped on the table, his cheek resting on his hand. “Do not argue with your family for it does not matter who wins. Be fair and others will follow…”
Lan Zhan sat perfectly still, waiting for another interruption, but eventually he turned back to his writing.
“Do not make loud noises Do not walk too fast. Do not go out at night… Is that your favorite rule, Lan Zhan?”
“Wei Ying!” Lan Zhan scolded.
But Wei Ying just smiled. “It must be! You were so angry when you caught me that first night –”
Lan Zhan’s composure finally snapped. He reached out and grabbed the collar of Wei Ying’s white robes – and kissed him.
It was barely a kiss, really – it was over between one blink and the next. But he still felt Wei Ying’s plush bottom lip and the puff of warm breath as Wei Ying gasped into his mouth.
Lan Zhan jerked away, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. “Wei Ying –” he whispered, scrambling away. Wei Ying just stared up at him – silent, for the first time since Lan Zhan had met him. So that’s the way to make him be quiet, Lan Zhan thought hysterically as he fled the library.
***
Lan Zhan was meditating in the jingshi – or at least, he appeared to be, if anyone had been there to peek through the window. Internally, he was trying to think of a way to tell Shufu he needed to go into seclusion immediately – without telling Shufu why. But without success, so far.
“Lan Zhan!” A familiar voice called from outside, and Lan Zhan was tempted to hide, or pretend he wasn’t there. But then Wei Ying would just barge in to look for him.
He closed his eyes and took a slow, calming breath. And opened the door.
Wei Ying was standing there with his hands on his hips. “Wei Ying, I’m sorry –” he began, but Wei Ying ignored him.
“Lan Zhan! You were supposed to be an upstanding young master!” Lan Zhan felt his heart sink down to his toes. Wei Ying was right, he didn’t deserve to hide in seclusion.
But before he could say anything, Wei Ying continued, “You can’t just steal an innocent maiden’s first kiss like that! You need to take responsibility!”
Lan Zhan’s mind ground to a halt. “But all the girls in Yunmeng… you said –”
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying squawked, appalled. “How could you accuse me of being so cruel, kissing virtuous young ladies only to leave them behind?” As if he hadn’t bragged about doing so at least ten times in Lan Zhan’s hearing.
But Lan Zhan wasn’t thinking about that. All he could think about was Wei Ying’s voice saying first kiss, first kiss, first kiss, ringing in his ears like an echo in the mountains.
Wei Ying’s voice finally broke through his reverie. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Zhan stepped down from the porch. “Wei Ying is right. I’ll take responsibility.”
Wei Ying’s frown and furrowed brow disappeared, replaced by surprise. “You will?”
“Mn. I will,” Lan Zhan said, taking one step closer. “How can I take responsibility?”
Wei Ying stared at him. Clearly he hadn’t considered what he would do if Lan Zhan said yes. He spluttered for a moment and Lan Zhan waited patiently.
Finally Wei Ying smiled. “You can kiss me again,” he said, tilting his head and smirking at Lan Zhan. Expecting a scolding, or a punishment.
He squawked with surprise when Lan Zhan grabbed his hand and pulled him into the jingshi. “Lan Zhan, what are you doing?”
“Taking responsibility,” Lan Zhan said, leaning in to kiss him.
Wei Ying stood frozen for a moment, before he slowly reached up and clutched at the collar of Lan Zhan’s robes. Lan Zhan’s hands shook as he reached up and cupped Wei Ying’s face with his hand. Wei Ying sighed, so Lan Zhan tentatively licked into his mouth and Wei Ying squeaked, tugging on his robes to pull him closer.
When he finally pulled away for a moment, Lan Zhan felt a surge of pride at Wei Ying’s tousled hair and kiss-bitten mouth. Wei Ying blushed peony-pink when Lan Zhan gently ran his thumb along his bottom lip, and Lan Zhan suddenly understood why Wei Ying liked to tease him.
“You know, Lan Zhan – I think I like kissing,” Wei Ying said and Lan Zhan smiled.
“Lan Zhan! You smiled! You like me after all, I knew it!”
“Wei Ying, I kissed you,” Lan Zhan protested and Wei Ying laughed.
“You did. Really, it’s the least you could do after taking advantage of this poor innocent maiden,” Wei Ying teased, standing on tiptoe to kiss Lan Zhan again.
Lan Zhan smiled against his mouth. He had to admit, this was more enjoyable than copying out texts in the library.
***
Lan Qiren must be dreaming, or suffering some strange fever, because he could have sworn he saw that horrible boy hanging on Wangji’s arm as Wangji smiled at him? He knew it was impossible, but that didn’t stop him from stumbling on the pair everywhere.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, when they finally found the two after their mysterious absence, they walked out of the cold pond cave with Wangji’s head ribbon wrapped around that boy’s wrist. Unthinkable. Lan Qiren was seriously tempted to join his brother in seclusion, because he couldn’t bear to see his beloved nephew married to Cangse Sanren’s son. He was at risk of a qi deviation just considering it.
He sighed – and saw Wangji and that boy walking toward the library. He could collect the scrolls containing Lan An’s earlier writings later – for now he felt the need to meditate. His qi felt… unbalanced. He beat a hasty retreat, so he wouldn’t have to watch Wangji blush every time that horrible boy teased him.