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Lan Wangji steps off Bichen at the bottom of the Burial Mounds and takes a moment to stretch out his wings, his snowy white feathers ruffling in the light breeze. It has been a while since he first—mostly accidentally—visited Wei Ying in Yiling, and he figured it was time he dropped in again, this time with no pretence other than he wanted to; well, perhaps he will say he wishes to be of help in some way.
With that decided, Lan Wangji steps up to the wards Wei Ying set up and brushes his spiritual energy against them, signalling that he is here. It’s not long before he sees two figures approaching.
Wen Qionglin looks far better than when Lan Wangji last saw him. He is alert and very much himself, though his wings are rough and more like those of a bat rather than a hawk; it suits him still. Lan Wangji lets his gaze shift to the other figure, taking in the sight of him. Wei Ying seems well despite it all, though Lan Wangji catalogues all the little things—he seems to have lost more weight since he last saw him, his eyes seem more tired, and his once lush raven wings have lost much of their lustre. But Wei Ying’s face still lights up when he realizes that it’s Lan Wangji at the wards.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying calls once he’s closer. He has a smile on his face, but Lan Wangji feels a pang at how tired it seems. The bright warmth and joy that Wei Ying exuded only a few short years ago have been lost to war and his change in cultivation style.
Lan Wangji bows. “Wen Qionglin, Wei Ying. I apologize for the sudden visit. I was in the area and figured I should see if I could be of any help.”
He rises from his bow to see Wen Qionglin bowing in return. “Hanguang-jun.”
Wei Ying, on the other hand, just smiles at them—though Lan Wangji notes that it doesn’t reach his eyes like it used to. “Well, who would we be to turn away the illustrious Hanguang-jun? Come, Lan Zhan, I’m sure A-Yuan will be very excited to see his Rich-gege again,” he laughs, turning with a flourish and walking back up to the settlement.
Wen Qionglin and Lan Wangji swiftly follow along.
Sure enough, once they reach the settlement proper, there is the sound of a childish exclamation followed by tiny feet hitting the ground at a rushed pace.
“Aiya! A-Yuan, you’ll trip going that fast!” Wei Ying calls out, voice mirthful and warm.
Lan Wangji watches the small child run up to him and deftly catches the boy, lifting him up into his arms before he plows into his legs and hurts himself. “Hello, A-Yuan.”
Wen Yuan smiles widely at him, his little wings quivering in his excitement. “Rich-gege! You came back!”
“Mn. I missed you,” Lan Wangji replies truthfully. He feels eyes on him and looks over to see Wei Ying looking at him with a complicated expression.
“I missed you too!” Wen Yuan exclaims. He then leans closer and whispers, albeit poorly, “But not as much as Wei-gege did.”
The sound of Wei Ying’s squawk of indignation echoes around them. “Oi! You sneaky little radish, you!”
Lan Wangji watches a blush rise on Wei Ying’s face. “I missed Wei Ying as well,” he whispers to Wen Yuan, keeping his eyes on Wei Ying. He’s rewarded with the sight of Wei Ying fumbling and flushing completely, his eyes blown wide.
“Well,” Wei Ying says, clearing his throat. “Does Rich-gege want to help A-Yuan go down for a nap?”
“Nooooo!” Wen Yuan whines, squirming in his arms before settling when Lan Wangji begins gently rubbing his hand over the child’s wings.
“Does Hanguang-jun want to help Wei Wuxian go down for a nap as well?” a female voice suddenly says.
Wei Ying yelps, and they turn to find Wen Qing walking towards them with a sharp expression aimed at Wei Ying. Her eyes slide to Lan Wangji; she bows. “Hanguang-jun, it is nice to see you again.”
Lan Wangji bows his head, unable to greet her properly with a child in his arms. “Wen-yisheng.”
“Qing-jie—” Wei Ying starts, but cuts off when Wen Qing returns her glare at him.
“No.” She points at him. “You were up all night with A-Ning doing research instead of sleeping, so you will be going to sleep now. No questions.”
After a moment of squabbling, Lan Wangji follows Wei Ying as he sulkily stomps off to the cave he has taken over as his home, muttering under his breath. Wen Yuan is nearly asleep in his arms by the time they get there. Wei Ying plops down in his nest with a put-upon sigh, shuffling around until he gets comfortable (in a position that frankly makes Lan Wangji cringe internally). Wei Ying holds his arms out, and Lan Wangji places the nearly asleep Wen Yuan into the nest. Wei Ying wraps the child into his arms and holds him to his chest, pressing a soft kiss to his head. Lan Wangji’s chest constricts at the sight of sweet domesticity, and a part of him yearns to be able to do that as well to both Wen Yuan and Wei Ying himself.
He takes a bracing inhale and pulls back from the nest, but is stopped by a grip on his sleeve. “Wait,” Wei Ying murmurs. “Are you staying for a while?”
Lan Wangji stares down at the man who holds his heart. “Mn, I will be here when you both wake.”
“Rich-gege,” Wen Yuan whispers. “Stay.”
Wei Ying chuckles. “You don’t have to stay here while we sleep, but I am glad to know that you will still be in the Burial Mounds when we wake.”
Wen Yuan whines, wriggling in Wei Ying’s hold to face Lan Wangji with wide, beseeching eyes. “Stay,” he repeats.
Lan Wangji runs a hand over the child’s hair, “If you wish, I will stay.” He watches as Wen Yuan smiles widely, Wei Ying stunned and staring with complex emotions burning in his eyes. Lan Wangji sits on the ground beside the nest, brings out Wangji, and begins to quietly play. He ends up playing Wangxian until he hears the breathing of both boys even out into sleep. As he plays, he looks over at them, and his heart squeezes painfully. Wei Ying looks so young and peaceful, something that has been lost to him for years. He continues playing the entire time they sleep.
Eventually, there’s a quiet sound of shuffling, and Wei Ying says, “Lan Zhan?” His voice is low and thick with sleep.
Turning to him, Lan Wangji hums noncomitally. “Hello, Wei Ying.”
Wei Ying blinks slowly, processing as his eyes scan Lan Wangji’s face. Then, warm and real, he smiles. “You stayed.”
“I promised I would.”
“That you did,” Wei Ying agrees. “Thank you. Though I fear A-Yuan will struggle to sleep after you leave.”
Lan Wangji casts his gaze to the still sleeping child and ponders. “I could add some of my feathers to your nest, that may help.”
Wei Ying stills. Lan Wangji looks back at him, scanning his face carefully, looking for signs that he overstepped or made his feelings too visible. “Oh,” Wei Ying breathes. “I uh—I mean, yeah, that could work.” He clears his throat, and a faint dusting of blush forms on his cheeks.
“Very well,” Lan Wangji replies carefully. He takes a few loose feathers from his wings and hands them to Wei Ying. “You may add them wherever you wish.”
“Thank you, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says, holding his feathers with something bordering on reverence.
Lan Wangji smiles, nodding his head. “You are welcome, Wei Ying.” He continues playing Wangxian as Wei Ying tucks his feathers into his nest carefully to avoid waking Wen Yuan. He meets Wei Ying’s gaze, and warmth suffuses him as he allows himself to imagine a life where he gets this every day. If only.