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Wei Wuxian had said “It’ll be fun,” with such a bright light in his eyes and such a wide smile stretching his soft-flushed cheeks, that Lan Wangji forgot what they were talking about before, didn’t care what came after, and vowed only in that moment to do whatever Wei Wuxian wanted for the rest of his life.
Now, he stood at the edge of the lotus pond under Yunmeng’s scorching sunlight, shirtless beside an equally and distractingly shirtless Wei Wuxian, who was explaining something about what he called a “backstroke.” Unfortunately, such a maneuver did not entail either of them stroking each other’s backs, so Lan Wangji had no interest.
Wei Wuxian gestured widely, arms flailing as his mouth moved -- it was pink, his mouth. And his skin was warm-hued and tawny and bare down to his waist. And his hair was tied so loosely it tumbled against his long neck, teased by the tassels of his signature red ribbon. Lan Wangji was grateful they were otherwise alone on the rickety planks of this disused dock, because only Wei Wuxian could miss the look of naked adoration in Lan Wangji’s eyes. Only Wei Wuxian would keep talking, despite Lan Wangji’s obvious inattention. Only Wei Wuxian could have gotten him here in the first place.
Lan Wangji knew how to swim, in theory. That was, he knew how to keep himself afloat in the cold pond, and was familiar enough with his body that he was confident any additional technique would come to him as it was needed. But according to Wei Wuxian, this was not enough, and he was determined to teach Lan Wangji how to swim “properly,” whatever that meant.
This entire visit so far had been dedicated to fulfilling Wei Wuxian’s every wish. Lan Wangji would have it no other way.
When Lan Wangji had finally accepted Wei Wuxian’s invitation to visit him at Lotus Pier, it was only after a great many sleepless nights staring at his ceiling and convincing himself he was not actually in love with the infuriating troublemaker and his wayward hair and the white shine of his teeth and the righteous heart in his chest. It was months after Wei Wuxian had been kicked out of Cloud Recesses, and Lan Wangji was certain his ravenous obsession had faded with distance, and certain he could approach Wei Wuxian as nothing but a friend if they were to see each other again.
Yet mere days ago, he had arrived at Lotus Pier to Wei Wuxian’s undying grin and wide open arms, and that rising feeling of excitement and terror and fury and wanting and devotion that Wei Wuxian continued, unfortunately, to inspire in him.
“Make sense?” Wei Wuxian said finally, dropping his arms to his side. Lan Wangji had not heard a single word out of Wei Wuxian’s mouth in minutes. And no, nothing made sense. Wei Wuxian made Lan Wangji insane.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded.
“Great!” Wei Wuxian crowed, and soon his sweaty palms were wrapped around Lan Wangji’s bicep, clenching into the flesh of him. Every muscle in Lan Wangji’s body went taut as a bowstring. “You’ve listened well to your Wei-laoshi, but now it is time for him to see what you’ve learned.”
Lan Wangji seriously considered fainting at the words “your Wei-laoshi,” but didn’t have time to do so before Wei Wuxian exerted his considerable yet surprising strength, and threw Lan Wangji bodily into the pond.
A mighty splash, a spray of water up his nose, the sting of his bare skin slapping the surface -- hard as stone. Then, for a moment, silence, the muffled rush of water past his ears.
When Lan Wangji rose, broke the surface of the water to gasp a wet breath of air, the sound of Wei Wuxian’s laughter rang out against the still pond. Lan Wangji squinted through a curtain of sopping hair at Wei Wuxian, who was standing at the edge of the dock, clutching his stomach, doubled over with mirth.
“Shameless,” Lan Wangji grumbled, likely too quiet for Wei Wuxian to hear. But Wei Wuxian would get the hint. Paddling through the water with only a little effort, Lan Wangji reached up to the pier, grabbed Wei Wuxian around his slender ankle, and yanked.
“HahahahaOOHA!” Wei Wuxian’s laughter cut itself short on a shout. His limbs went akimbo, arms circling wildly as if to balance himself even as he sailed through the air, his eyes wide and his mouth open -- before he smacked into the water and sank with a splash.
By the time Wei Wuxian sputtered and heaved his way to the surface, Lan Wangji had already set himself to rights -- slicking back his hair and steadying his breath.
Wei Wuxian wore an expression that struck a strange balance between a pout and a glare. With thick strands of black hair plastered to his face, water running in rivulets down his cheeks, droplets like diamonds caught in his eyelashes…
Lan Wangji’s ears went hot, and he hoped Wei Wuxian was too distracted to notice.
“You!” Wei Wuxian shouted, flinging up an accusing finger to point at Lan Wangji. “You pulled me in!”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji said, unrepentant.
Wei Wuxian glared at him a moment longer, but as if the sun were determined to shine its way through storm clouds, a reluctant smile overtook his features. “You pulled me in!” He said again, tone completely different this time, amused and almost proud. “Wow, Lan Zhan! I didn’t think you had it in you! Haha! You!”
“Are you alright?” Lan Wangji decided to ask, politeness overtaking his intense and deep-seated desire to bully Wei Wuxian until he cried.
“Oh, fine,” Wei Wuxian said, flinging his wrist around in a dismissive gesture. “But look at you! Swimming like a real Yunmeng boy! See, I was right to throw you in.”
Lan Wangji nodded. “Wei-laoshi was right,” he agreed. This seemed to make Wei Wuxian very happy.
“That’s right!” He swam closer, effortless as a fish. How was he even more graceful here than he was on shore? Or leaping over rooftops? Wei Wuxian belonged in the water, it seemed. Lan Wangji didn’t know why he believed visiting Wei Wuxian in Yunmeng would diminish his feelings. Seeing Wei Wuxian in his element was like a potent aphrodisiac. And he knew he would think about this moment -- Wei Wuxian so close to him in the water that he could feel the radiant heat of his body -- for the rest of his life.
“Now, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said, his voice soft. Almost like a murmur, but with an edge of playfulness that was never truly absent from his tone. “Will you listen to your Wei-laoshi one more time?”
Lan Wangji swallowed hard, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hide the bob of his throat, especially with their proximity. But Wei Wuxian didn’t comment on it. He just looked at Lan Wangji expectantly. Earnestly.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji agreed, eventually. He could deny Wei Wuxian nothing, but the sunrise-grin he got in return was always reward enough.
“Then race me!” Wei Wuxian said brightly. Before Lan Wangji could ask where, how far, and other such logistics, Wei Wuxian had slipped almost soundlessly into the water, the kick of his feet above the surface the last thing Lan Wangji saw before his figure disappeared into murky water.
“Wei Ying!” Lan Wangji admonished, flinging himself forward with much less grace than he was used to exhibiting. Fighting the water, he paddled forward as quickly as he could, following a faint line of rippling wake -- the only indication of where Wei Wuxian had gone.
It was fruitless, though. Within moments, he lost sight of the trail of ripples. And moments after that, Wei Wuxian’s head rose into view at a line of lotus plants a few chi away -- apparently their finish line. He was laughing again, the sound stirring birds from their trees back on shore.
Lan Wangji took his time swimming to Wei Wuxian’s side, unjustifyably annoyed that he lost his first ever swimming race. This annoyance was made worse by Wei Wuxian’s continuing laughter. “Haha, oh Lan Zhan, your face! It’s okay, it’s okay.” He slipped forward to grab Lan Wangji by the shoulders -- his bare, wet shoulders -- hands running up and down Lan Wangji’s heated skin as if he meant to soothe him.
This was not soothing.
“Don’t worry,” Wei Wuxian said. “Wei-laoshi will teach you well, okay?”
“Okay,” Lan Wangji said without thinking. He was devoting every brain cell to suppressing any reaction he may have to Wei Wuxian’s gentle touch.
“Good. Now keep treading water. Good. Now hold my hands, and I’ll show you how your arms should move.”
Perhaps the heavens were testing him, Lan Wangji considered numbly.
Desperate for relief from Wei Wuxian’s smile, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the water around him, the breeze on his wet hair, the slight prickle of hunger in his stomach, the movement of his legs -- any sensation that wasn’t Wei Wuxian’s hands, especially as those hands moved down Lan Wangji’s arms. The touch was gentle, a caress, a tease, something profound and awakening.
“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian asked, curious and concerned at how still Lan Wangji had become. He stopped his journey at Lan Wangji’s wrists, fingertips just grazing Lan Wangji’s palms. “We don’t have to --”
Lan Wangji grabbed Wei Wuxian’s hands in his own, eyes shooting open and holding Wei Wuxian there where he wanted him. This morning, Lan Wangji would have done anything, given anything, to have the opportunity to hold Wei Wuxian’s hand. Now, with Wei Wuxian seemingly lost for words as Lan Wangji’s grip tightened around his already crushed fingers, holding hands was not enough.
Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian forward, ducked his head and landed his lips on the corner of Wei Wuxian’s shock-open mouth. Wei Wuxian apparently forgot to paddle or kick, his hands seizing in Lan Wangji’s grasp, his body going rigid. But Lan Wangji kept him afloat, instinct kicking in as he pulled Wei Wuxian close and kissed him.
They kissed and floated together for what felt like days, fingertips going pruny, Lan Wangji determined to suck in every one of Wei Wuxian’s frantic exhales. At first, Wei Wuxian tried to protest, or to talk, or to presumably do something that wasn’t kissing. Lan Wangji would not allow that. Every time Wei Wuxian went to pull away, Lan Wangji chased his lips, biting and sucking at them until they were red and bruised and blessedly silent.
At some point, Wei Wuxian stopped trying to pull away, stopped trying to talk. At some point, a leg wound itself around Lan Wangji’s thigh under the water, Wei Wuxian tilted his head to deepen their kiss, and they sank into each other while the wind whistled though the lotus and cast ripples over the lake.
By the time Lan Wangji came back to himself, Wei Wuxian had gone limp in his arms, holding tight to Lan Wangji’s shoulders and staring dazedly into Lan Wangji’s eyes. He was so seldom silent, so it was no surprise that the first thing he tried to do was speak. “Whu?” Wei Wuxian breathed. It was almost a word. Lan Wangji felt smug, and he didn’t care if Wei Wuxian could see it on his face.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji did not know what he himself was agreeing to, or what Wei Wuxian had been trying to say. It didn’t matter. He ran his hands down Wei Wuxian’s slick back. Wei Wuxian shivered in his arms, despite the heat of the day. Lan Wangji felt it in his whole body.
“Huh,” Wei Wuxian finally said, a little more coherent but undoubtedly breathless. “Looks like you got the hang of it.” Wei Wuxian looked down between them to Lan Wangji’s still kicking feet. Oh. Right. He had been teaching Lan Wangji to swim.
And Lan Wangji had… oh no.
For a moment, Lan Wangji’s grip around Wei Wuxian’s waist faltered. Was this Wei Wuxian’s way of saying he didn’t want to talk about what had just happened? Wanted Lan Wangji to forget their kiss? Wanted to pretend they were just continuing their swimming lessons? Something must have shown on his usually unreadable face, because Wei Wuxian raised a hand to Lan Wangji’s cheek and gave him the softest, most reassuring smile Lan Wangji had ever seen.
“One last lesson from your Wei-laoshi, okay?” His voice was tender. It made Lan Wangji want to cry. Lan Wangji couldn’t speak, so he only nodded. His heart was lodged firmly in the back of his throat.
“Swim me back to shore.” Wei Wuxian wrapped his arms around Lan Wangji’s shoulders tighter, ducked his head into the crook of Lan Wangji’s neck. He mumbled his next words into Lan Wangji’s skin, wet lips grazing his racing pulse. “Then maybe my Lan-laoshi can teach me how to kiss?”
Now was not the time to waver, but Lan Wangji was so lightheaded with joy, so delirious with wanting, he feared he’d pass out with Wei Wuxian nestled in his arms, drowning them both in the lake.
Instead, somehow, they made it back to shore. In fact, they made it back so quickly there was barely time for a breath between Lan Wangji’s first stroke, and Wei Wuxian’s bare back hitting the dock. Trying to speak between fervent kisses, pressed between Lan Wangji and the rough wooden planks that would no doubt give him splinters, Wei Wuxian couldn’t seem to stop smiling. He lifted his arms to wrap Lan Wangji in an embrace, looking a little delirious with joy himself.
“Ah, Lan Zhan,” he giggled. “I’ve never seen anyone swim so fast!”
Lan Wangji was powerless but to kiss him again.