Chapter Text
Most people go to a wedding hoping that nothing will go wrong. A lot of people, in fact, try their very hardest to make sure the ceremony is flawless and without disaster. Weddings take a lot of hands and a lot of careful planning to make happen and no one wants that to be ruined. Even those sitting in attendance at the ceremony who didn’t have the slightest part in planning never dreamed to hope that something would go wrong.
Jiang Yanli’s deepest, darkest secret was that she wasn’t in the majority on this.
Every time she sat in stuffy formal robes awaiting the long, boring ceremony in a room that was almost always too hot, she secretly hoped for something to go wrong. Of course, she would never organize anything like that, and she didn’t necessarily want someone to end up heartbroken. There was just a part of her that longed for a disruption to the events for some reason.
Every wedding she attended, she would wait on bated breath for the bride to fall into a faint or the groom to spill his tea or someone to interrupt the proceedings with a dramatic love confession. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt or anything, just something to make the suffocating formal air of the ceremony crack a little.
Her mother had been the only person to know of this deep secret of hers. Every time she caught the way Jiang Yanli would shift in anticipation during a ceremony, she would tell her that she was wrong for wishing for disruptions like that. She warned her that she might wish for something to interrupt when it was someone’s else’s wedding, but during her own, she would be devastated if something were to happen.
And yet here Jiang Yanli was, hiding a giddy smile behind her hand as she stared after where her groom had just fled through the rain.
With her veil blurring the world into indecipherable red smears, she hadn’t seen Lan Wangji’s face when he knocked past her, but she had been able to tell that he hadn’t even turned his face towards her when he ran. She probably should have been hurt by that, but she just let out a sigh of relief when she realized that it meant there was no possibility that he was in love with her.
Now that there was a large likelihood that she wasn’t getting married, she pushed her veil back so that she could see everyone.
The congregation was in an uproar, people murmuring and shouting over each other, scrambling around, trying to fix things. As soon as Jiang Yanli had stepped across the threshold, however, everyone had stopped and a silence descended over the guests. The wave of pity emanating from them was so strong that it was almost physical, she was afraid for a second that it was going to knock her off her feet.
Then, everyone started shouting again and Jiang Yanli could relax her shoulders with none of the attention on her.
Jiang Cheng, who had been lost in a rage, shouting at Lan Qiren, pulled himself away and made his way quickly to her side. When he draped a comforting arm over her shoulder, she could feel the way he was so angry that he was shaking. She wondered if he thought the way she shook was from tears or anger instead of her barely contained laughter.
“I’ll kill him,” he growled, holding her closer, providing unnecessary, but appreciated, comfort. “I don’t care who he is, he’s a dead man for doing this to you.”
“You aren’t killing anyone, A-Cheng,” she said quietly, unsure if she was heard over the noise.
She dared not drop her sleeve, cursing the fact that she’d pushed back her veil. Though, if anyone commented on the fact that she was laughing, she could probably blame it on hysterics. Although, she didn’t need any extra attention as it was. Her brother doting on her was more than enough.
His eyes were blazing with anger.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t bloody up that pretty face of his?” He growled, Zidan cracking on his fist. He looked so much like their mother in that moment that it made Jiang Yanli’s heart swell.
It wasn’t like she could just tell him the overwhelming relief that she was currently feeling. Well, she would tell him, just not in a room full of people who might not take it the best way if she mentioned that she was inordinately relieved at her absent fiancee’s recent departure. He would undoubtedly calm down once he knew for sure that her heart hadn’t been shattered to pieces beneath Lan Wangji’s indifferent heel.
The more Jiang Yanli thought about it, the more she had to hide her smile. She’d been half-tempted to run away herself, but this way, at least she wasn’t the one that was going to have to answer for ruining the ceremony.
As everyone yelled and argued and raged around her, she looked around the room only to catch Lan Xichen’s eye. He was hiding his own face behind his hand as his Uncle, red-faced and looking seconds away from bursting into flames, raged. If she didn’t know better, and she most certainly did not, she would think he was hiding a smile of his own.
She wondered what he knew. She wondered if this meant Lan Wangji had been dreading the wedding as much as she had. She wondered if they’d both almost made the biggest mistake of their lives.
She put it in her mind to make sure to thank Lan Wangji next time she saw him.
Jiang Cheng’s arm was still tight around her shoulders and he was snarling and glaring around the room like he could will Lan Wangji to appear in front of him so that he could bring down Zidan onto his head. She thought it was endearing, but she didn’t trust her voice not to break with laughter if she said anything more, so she pulled away from his arm with a pat to his shoulder and a pointed look before she excused herself from the cacophony of all the noise around her.
It normally would have been very rude to excuse herself from an event like this, but seeing as she was the jilted bride, she didn’t think anyone would have the nerve to stop her. Besides, they were all too busy shouting to be paying any attention to her anyway.
She waited until she was away from anyone who might see her to let her laughter overtake her.
❁ ❁ ❁
The wedding was in disarray, and Lan Wangji was nowhere to be found.
Jin Zixuan didn’t really know what he was feeling, mostly because he was feeling a lot of things.
He was intrigued as to why Lan Wangji of all people would be the one to dramatically run away from his own wedding.
He was itchy in his formal robes, the embroidery of the collar digging into the tender skin of his neck making him want to fidget in a way that would no doubt earn him a dark look from his mother.
He was shocked. He’d never been to a wedding that had been anything more than absolutely boring. There had been the one, the wedding of a distant cousin, where the groom had shown up completely drunk, but that had been it. Never before had he seen either bride or groom abandon their partner before the ceremony had even officially begun.
He was upset that Lan Wangji had done that to someone as kind and lovely as Jiang Yanli, though it seemed like he wasn’t the only one, if the enraged rest of the room was anything to go by.
He was also relieved, though he wouldn’t admit that to anyone. He hadn’t really expected to feel that, but he couldn’t help but acknowledge it now that it was here. He hadn’t let himself entertain the possibility of Jiang Yanli not marrying Lan Wangji, but with the way Lan Wangji had stormed out, he assumed that was off the table.
He was almost ashamed when the idea of courtship popped into his mind so soon after the groom was departed. Of course it was entirely too hasty, but he was already composing embarrassing verses in his head to write to her and then regret after he’d already sent them. It was sad, but he held no illusions as to what kind of man he was.
So Lan Wangji was nowhere to be found, everyone was shouting, and no one but Jin Zixuan seemed to notice the way Jiang Yanli quietly slipped from the room into the garden. When her brother made no move to follow her, Jin Zixuan decided that he would go check on her.
She’d just been left at the altar, she probably shouldn't be alone.
When he found her, his heart broke a little to see that she was hunched over, wracked with sobs. She had taken shelter from the rain under the canopy of a large tree, and she had one hand braced against a trunk, with her back to him. He could tell, even from this distance that her shoulders were shaking with heaving sobs.
Jin Zixuan probably should have gone to get Jiang Cheng, but he was busy yelling at and being yelled at in turn by Lan Qiren, so he decided to help out himself.
His heart was thumping in his chest as he walked closer, and the choked-out sobs that were coming from Jiang Yanli made him even more angry at Lan Wangji.
When he placed a hand on her shoulder, she yelped in surprise and wheeled around so fast that her veil, weighed down with rainwater, slapped him across the face.
Once he recovered from the slap, his heart dropped in his chest when he saw the tears in her eyes. At least, until he realized that there was a wide smile on her face. Her eyes were crinkled in the corners, and she wasn’t fast enough to cover her mouth with her sleeve before a giggle made its way past her lips.
“Are you laughing?” He asked incredulously before he could think any better of it.
She was a vision in red, and her smile made it hard to breath, but he was finding it hard to linger on either of those things, especially when her eyes were wide with shock, even as they twinkled with what seemed to be relief. When she opened her mouth to speak, she was altogether overcome with helpless laughter.
Was this hysterics?
“Uhhh…”
He had absolutely no idea what to say to her or how to comfort her. Was she upset, truly, or was she happy? Was this something to cover up her tears or had she not wanted to marry Lan Wangji?
He tried to ignore the part of him that hoped for the latter.
Jin Zixuan reached a hand out to place on her shoulder and then thought better of it. She was too resplendent in her robes and her laughter for him to have the kind of nerve to reach out and touch her now that he had her attention on him, no matter how much he wanted to. And oh how he wanted to.
“Are you okay?” He asked, unsure of what else to say.
She seemed to get herself under control only to fall into another bout of uncontrollable laughter.
It was impossible to understand if she was upset or not, but after a moment, the laughter actually did turn into a hitching sob.
Jin Zixuan reached out again, but this time, when he made to pull away, Jiang Yanli caught his hand and pulled him close. He was unable to stifle the surprised choking noise that made its way from his throat when she lay her head on his chest to laugh or cry, whatever she was doing.
He hesitated for just a moment, unsure as to where he should place his hands. Her own arms wrapped almost too tightly around his middle gave him the courage to wrap his around her shoulders.
He’d never been this close to her before. Really, he’d never been this close to another woman who wasn’t his mother before, and he couldn’t help but notice how soft she was everywhere they were pressed together.
If anyone were to walk in on them now, there would be a huge scandal, no doubt, but he couldn’t quite find it in himself to care.
“Can you keep a secret?” She asked once she’d calmed down a little.
She smelled so good that he was almost too distracted to answer, but he managed to nod.
“I’m so relieved that he ran away.”
Jin Zixuan swallowed hard around the way his heart leapt into his throat. Then he panicked when he realized that she could probably feel it where her head was tucked under his chin.
“Oh?” He choked out, hoping beyond hope that she hadn’t heard the unmistakable and obvious crack in his voice.
For a moment he wondered if perhaps throwing himself onto his own sword might save him from all this embarrassment. But then he wouldn’t have Jiang Yanli pressed close to his chest.
...Able to hear the way Jin Zixuan’s heart was pounding in his chest at their proximity.
Obviously, throwing himself onto his sword was the only thing to do.
“Second Young Master Lan is great,” she said nuzzling her nose into the space between his neck and shoulder, just over where his robes met his skin.
He could feel her breath brush underneath his jaw, and her headpiece was digging into his cheek uncomfortably. He didn’t dare move, though. He honestly didn’t think he could pull away now even if the gods commanded it. It was worth the pain of that headdress to feel her arms around his waist and her dainty shoes pressed to the tips of his boots.
He was trying his best to hold in a shiver that he knew she would be able to feel.
She continued, “I just have no interest in marrying him. I am relieved that neither of us have to go through with this if we share that sentiment.”
“I’m glad to hear that he didn’t break your heart then,” Jin Zixuan said, pleased that his voice didn’t crack again.
She pulled back to smile up at him.
“Why, Young Master Jin? Would you fight him for my honor if he had?”
He probably should have tried to reign in his sputtering with her standing this close, but he hadn’t been able to.
When she raised her sleeve to wipe her face where he had spluttered all over it, he decided that falling on his sword was too quick a death for someone as despicable as him. He should be boiled alive, or at least stripped of his golden core and cast into the wilderness.
He jerked back and turned to the side in shame, intent on walking away and never looking at another young maiden again. His face burned red when she laughed again, and he turned to leave.
“No don’t go,” she said, catching his sleeve. “I appreciate the company.”
He peered back at her, almost hesitant, afraid she might laugh at him again or mention the way his face was flamed red, but she just gave a soft smile.
“I really don’t want to have to deal with them right now,” she said.
The sounds of yelling could still be heard from where they were, and he wondered if it was the most noise that had been made in Cloud Recesses since the Wens had invaded. Though he didn’t know if even the attacking and burning of the whole place had been louder than this mess.
“Then we’ll stay out here,” he said, equal parts nervous and excited.
He hoped she liked bad poetry because he was going to write so many verses to her if she agreed to let him court her.
❁ ❁ ❁
Wei Wuxian never truly understood what the word euphoria meant before, but here wrapped in Lan Zhan’s arms, he was absolutely lost in euphoric joy with every slow press of their lips.
He almost felt like he was in a dream.
Ever since Lan Zhan left him there at the base of the Burial Mounds, kissed breathless and shaky, he’d been in a daze.
He’d spent a full day pacing back and forth in a panic wringing his hands together and trying to understand what Lan Zhan had meant by kissing him. Had it been a goodbye? Was it some sort of well-wishes? Had it been to wish him good luck in his endeavors or to thank him for accepting him as Shijie’s future spouse?
Of course not. He knew what it meant, he was just too terrified to say it. Too terrified that if he thought it, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from charging in and stopping Lan Zhan from marrying Shijie.
Was Lan Zhan in love with him?
He felt himself flush to the roots of his hair as he dropped to a crouch and buried his face in his knees at the thought. He hadn’t even known he was making a distressed noise until Wen Qing told him to stop.
“You are worse than a woman in childbirth,” she said. “All this wailing and worry.”
He didn’t look up to look at her even when she nudged at him with the toe of her boot.
“What’s got you so flustered that you can’t even stand on your own feet?”
He didn’t want to tell her, too embarrassed, too hopeful, too guilty, giddy, terrified. But he needed a second opinion, and since he knew this would only cause Wen Ning to become flustered and worried for him, and he doubted A-Yuan would be any help, she seemed to be the best option.
She listened as he spewed the whole tale in a jumbled unorganized heap, stumbling through Lan Zhan kissing him, unable to keep that fond look from crossing his face as he told of everything Lan Zhan had done for him, everything they’d done together.
“Is your sister in love with him?” Wen Qing asked when he was done.
“Huh?”
“Will you break her heart and crush her future by breaking up the marriage?”
If he thought it would, then he wouldn’t dare, but Shijie told him once that she didn’t love Lan Zhan, and he doubted anything had changed to make her fall since they’d spoken of it. She had spoken of only keeping the marriage to save face for Jiang Cheng. Could he really think to steal her groom?
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Then go, stupid,” Wen Qing said with a fond smile. “It sounds like this boy is head over heels for you.”
His heart jumped in his chest at that, and he couldn’t help the way his fingers drifted over his lips like Lan Zhan’s kiss still lingered there. Apparently yes, he was going to go wedding crashing.
“You really think I should?”
He deserved the way she rolled her eyes, but he didn’t have it in him to care, too hung up on the emotions surging through him.
Wen Qing pulled him to his feet. “You can’t fly, so you’re going to have to hurry. You’re barely going to make it in time on foot.”
Oh yeah, there was one little fact he was missing.
“But I’m a fugitive for breaking all of you out, and I definitely wasn’t invited. How can I show my face there?”
“Wear a disguise.”
She glanced down at her own robes and queried an eyebrow at him.
At the time, he’d been horrified, but now, warm in Lan Zhan’s arms, breathing in his charming scent, reveling in every single kiss shared between them, he couldn’t help but think about how grateful he was to her.
“Mm, Lan Zhan,” he mumbled, just to say his name.
“Mn?” Lan Zhan answered against his lips.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian continued, heart swelling every time he said his name into Lan Zhan’s kiss.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan returned.
Wei Wuxian felt tears well up in his eyes at the thought that he got to have this. Something he’d wanted for so long, wanted since before he knew he did, before he realized that this was something he could dream of.
And Lan Zhan had agreed to join him. Lan Zhan wasn’t ashamed of him, Lan Zhan who knew his deepest secret, Lan Zhan who didn’t judge him for his dark cultivation, Lan Zhan who loved him back.
He didn’t know how to contain his joy.
Wei Wuxian wanted to do a thousand cartwheels. He wanted to beat his chest like a brute. He wanted to stand on the very highest point in the world and proclaim his love for everyone to hear. But all of that would require him to get up from Lan Zhan’s arms, and that was the last thing he wanted, so he channeled all of his emotion into the press of their lips.
He was going to have to have a long chat with Shijie and Jiang Cheng and probably every angry elder at Cloud Recesses, but none of that mattered with Lan Zhan pressed so close, whispering declarations of love into their kiss.
The perfect moment was only broken by Lan Zhan pulling his arms from around him.
He let out a whine, but stopped when he realized what Lan Zhan’s hands were doing.
Untying his ribbon.
Wei Wuxian’s heart raced.
❁ ❁ ❁
Lan Xichen had a strong idea as to where Wangji had fled. He knew he was right as he followed the trail of soggy robes, elaborate embroidery looking gaudy against the muddy ground. He made sure to pick them up as he went so that no one else could follow them, hoping to talk to Wangji alone before Uncle or the other elders, encourage him in his decision to flee, be happy with him for finally choosing himself.
However, one peak into their mother’s house had him turning on his heel and heading back the way he came.
He was helpless to stop the smile that spread over his cheeks.
Uncle was going to be furious.
❁ ❁ ❁
Wangji had the thought that he should marry Wei Ying, right here, right now.
He was sure his robes were ruined where he threw them into the mud, and Wei Ying was still in his disguise, but he didn’t care about all that. The main hall was still decked in red, he had his forehead ribbon to complete the ceremony with, and the guests were all here with a feast ready and prepared.
But no.
As much as he would love to marry Wei Ying as soon as possible, as much as he was dying to complete those three bows with Wei Ying beside him, as much as he longed to be bound to Wei Ying for the rest of his life, Wei Ying deserved more than the shattered remnants of his sister’s wedding.
That didn’t stop Wangji from pulling his arms from around Wei Ying to reach for the knot in the ribbon.
Wei Ying made a noise of discomfort when he pulled away, but he stilled when he looked up to catch what Wangji was doing.
The hitch in his breath was so loud in the quiet of the room, and it had Wangji’s heart racing as his fingers fumbled over the wet knot. The rain had made the ribbon almost impossible to untie, but his desperation made quick work of the stubborn knot.
Wei Ying’s hand was trembling when Wangji pulled his wrist between them, but so was Wangji’s when he brought the ribbon to lay over Wei Ying’s fluttering pulse.
Neither of them spoke as Wangji methodically wrapped the ribbon around his wrist. This wasn’t his normal forehead ribbon. It was made special for the occasion of the finest silk, the cloud embroidery stitched in the most elegant gold thread.
It looked divine on Wei Ying’s slender wrist, and once Wangji finished tying seven knots in the silk, he couldn’t help but lean down and press his lips over the fabric. He didn’t break eye contact with Wei Ying the entire time his kiss lingered on Wei Ying’s wrist, and he only broke his kiss away when Wei Ying pulled him up to crash their lips together.
“Yes,” Wei Ying breathed between them, answering the question Wangji had asked with the ribbon around his wrist. “Lan Zhan, yes.”
Lan Wangji wrapped Wei Ying back in his embrace and let out a breath of laughter against Wei Ying’s smiling mouth.
How had this day gone from being the most dreaded to the best of Wangji’s life?
He never wanted to move from this spot for as long as he lived.
As much as they wanted to, though, they couldn’t stay like that forever. They couldn’t keep ignoring the calls of people looking for them. Wangji had just ruined months worth of wedding plans and an engagement that had lasted almost his entire life. There was no way he was getting out of this unscathed.
With Wei Ying in his arms, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“We should go back,” Wangji said, pulling back only slightly.
Wei Ying buried his face in Wangji’s chest with a groan that Wangji couldn’t help but find endearing.
“Do we have to?”
Wangji could understand what Wei Ying wanted, but he knew it was better to just get it over with now.
“Mn.”
They gathered themselves to leave and strode from his mother’s house with one last reverent bow on the porch. It had stopped raining completely, and the sun was just peeking out from the clouds.
The chilly breeze still made Wei Ying shiver, so Wangji wrapped his arm around his shoulder to give him warmth. Wei Ying tangled the fingers of his ribboned hand with the one Wangji had on his shoulder and snuggled close immediately as Wangji planted a kiss onto his temple.
His heart beat steady even as it swelled in his chest.
The first person they met as they made their way back was Xichen.
Wei Ying burrowed deeper into Wangji’s arm as they approached and hissed into Wangji’s ear, “I just remembered that I am still a fugitive. It would probably be best for me to hide until everyone clears out.”
Wangji didn’t want to let him go, so he just squeezed Wei Ying’s fingers with his own.
“No need. I will protect you.”
And he would. To his dying breath, to the last stroke of his sword, to the last pluck of his guqin, he would protect Wei Ying from any threat that wanted to bring him harm.
“Is your brother going to be angry?”
Wangji didn’t even have to search Xichen’s face as he approached to know the answer, not with the way Xichen had tried so hard to preserve Wangji’s happiness.
“No.”
Xichen’s smile was wide and proud as he stopped in front of the pair of them.
Wei Ying pushed away from him to salute Xichen, but Xichen was looking at Wangji.
“I’m so proud of you, Wangji,” he said with something that almost looked like tears shining in his eyes.
Wangji knew his brother could read him better than anyone else in the world, even Wei Ying, so he was sure Xichen could tell how happy he was without him trying to put it into words.
Then Xichen’s eyes flicked up to Wangji’s bare forehead and then down to Wei Ying’s bound wrist, and Wangji’s heart trembled in his chest. As much as he liked to think himself independent, he still longed for his brother’s approval.
“Congratulations,” he said to Wangji and then to Wei Ying, “To the both of you.”
Wei Ying let out a nervous laugh and saluted again, probably for lack of anything better to do.
“Thank you, Sect Leader Lan,” he said, probably more formal than he’d ever been before. “I’ll try my best to make your brother happy.”
There was a twinkle in Xichen’s eye that made Wangji a little nervous.
“I doubt you’re going to have to try very hard. I think you could make my brother happy just by smiling in his direction.”
If Wangji’s heart wasn’t already filled to the brim with affection for Wei Ying, he might feel a twinge of resentment towards Xichen for exposing him like this. His hackles were soothed down when Wei Ying grabbed his arm with a laugh.
“Then I’ll have to make sure to smile for him for the rest of my life.”
Wangji liked the sound of that.
He lay his hand over Wei Ying’s on his arm and smiled down at him. If his brother wasn’t there he would have leaned down to capture Wei Ying’s still-smiling lips, but he figured that should wait until they didn’t have company.
“I’d suggest talking to Uncle now to get it out of the way,” Xichen said. “Though, be warned, he is not happy.”
Wangji didn’t outwardly wince, but his soul certainly did. He wasn’t scared of Uncle, per se, but he knew that this wouldn’t be pleasant. A small, childish part of him wanted to just avoid Uncle and the elders for as long as he could, but he knew he couldn’t.
Xichen turned to leave, but before he walked away, he tilted his head back to Wangji and Wei Ying.
“Oh, Wangji, by the way, you should probably think about getting dressed. We still have guests,” he said before continuing on his way.
Wei Ying’s eyes met Wangji’s before trailing down his body. There was only the barest hint of a pause before he burst out into peals of laughter.
Wangji felt a blush overtake him when he remembered his discarded robes. He had been so caught up in Wei Ying that he’d forgotten that he was in only his under clothes. He couldn’t remember the last time he was in public in such a state of undress outside of the coldsprings, and he had no intention of meeting anyone else dressed so now.
He tugged Wei Ying with him to his quarters so that he could properly clothe himself before facing everyone else.
Then, just his luck, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan rounded the corner. As soon as he caught sight of them, Wangji clutched at the front of his robes, all the more aware of his state of undress.
The two stopped when they saw him and Wei Ying, but before anyone could say anything, Wei Ying moved in a dramatic swirl of fabric to drape his outermost layer over Wangji’s shoulders.
The dark robe was too short for Wangji and didn’t close completely in the front, but it warmed him to know that Wei Ying had thought of that. When he turned to face Wei Ying, he was looking at him with a twinkle in his eye, and Wangji couldn’t help but smile at him in return.
“Got to preserve your honor, now don’t we?” Wei Ying giggled into his ear. “Can’t let just anyone see my fiance so indecent.”
Wangji flushed a dark red, and he hoped it wasn’t visible as they turned to face Jiang Yanli and her companion. She was still dressed in all her wedding layers, weighed down by the light rain, but she didn’t look devastated or heartbroken which was a good sign.
Wangji still felt almost sheepish in the face of the bride he’d just abandoned. He’d been so caught up in the emotions of everything that he’d almost completely forgotten about her. He felt bad for that, and he wondered if he’d broken her heart. Though, if Wei Ying had been willing to disrupt the ceremony, he figured she wasn’t in love with him. No doubt Wei Ying wouldn’t have wanted to get in the way of his Shijie’s happiness.
Wangji saluted lower than he probably ever had before in his life, and didn’t dare meet her eye. What would she do? What should Wangji say to lessen this shame and hurt?
“I apologize for my actions, Maiden Jiang.”
She caught the circle of his arms in her gentle hands and lifted him up to meet her eyes. When he looked up, she was smiling.
“No need, Second Young Master Lan,” she responded, smile deepening until it dimpled her cheeks. “It’s come to my attention that you’ve saved us both from being trapped in a loveless marriage.”
He felt his shoulders relax at her words.
“Shijie!” Wei Ying called from beside him, throwing himself into her arms. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for taking your groom.”
Wangji could barely take his eyes from Wei Ying. Without the outer layer of his robes, he seemed even thinner, but he looked so happy. He must have missed her at the Burial Mounds. He doubted she’d been able to visit him in the months between when he’d fled with the Wens and now.
When he pulled back, Wangji watched nervously as Jiang Yanli’s eyes caught on the ribbon missing from Wangji’s forehead and then down to where it was wrapped around Wei Ying’s wrist. He let out the breath he’d been holding when she swatted Wei Ying on the shoulder with her sleeve even as she let out another small laugh.
“A-Xian, why didn’t you tell me?” she scolded.
Wei Ying just threw himself back into her arms.
“Shijie I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Jin Zixuan’s eyes caught Wangji’s over their heads, and he had the most complicated expression on his face. He seemed to be trying to say something to Wangji with his eyes, but it was not working in the least, so Wangji looked away before he got any more confused.
“Sorry your wedding got ruined,” Wei Ying said to Jiang Yanli. “If you want me to challenge Lan Zhan to a duel for your honor, I will, even though I love him.”
Wangji only kept the fond smile off his face because Jin Zixuan was still looking at him and he didn’t want him to see it.
“Maybe later,” she said. “I’m just happy Lan Wangji stopped all this before we all broke each other’s hearts.” She grinned up at Lan Wangji. “Thank you for ruining our wedding, Hanguang-jun.”
Ah yes, Wangji had left his bride at the altar, and now he was going to have to deal with it.
He wondered if he and Wei Ying might just slip away to Yiling before he had to talk to Uncle.
That plan was shot down when he heard Uncle’s voice around the bend. Wangji straightened his back, like his posture would help Uncle be any less furious. Then, he remembered that he was still in his underclothes with only a too-small woman’s robe draped over his shoulders, and he knew nothing could save him.
“Lan Wangji, what has gotten into you?” Uncle demanded when he caught sight of Wangji.
Then he paused long enough to look from Jiang Yanli who was still wrapped in an embrace with Wei Ying, to Jin Zixuan who was standing awkwardly to the side like he didn’t know what to do, to Wangji, just shy of naked, hair in disarray, forehead ribbon gone, with someone else’s robe wrapped around him. Wangji had never seen him turn that interesting shade of purple before, and he certainly never expected to see it directed at him.
Jin Zixuan was the only one who saluted Uncle.
This was the first time Wangji had seen Uncle truly at a loss for words, not that he expected that to last very long.
Then, to add to the already boiling pot, Jiang Wanyin rounded the same bend, shouting. This didn’t surprise Wangji at all, because Jiang Wanyin’s default during crises tended to be shouting, but it still made Wangji straighten up, defensive. Wei Ying may not have punched him for interrupting the wedding, but Jiang Wanyin didn’t have the excuse of being in love with him to curb the anger. At least Wangji hoped not. He didn’t think he would be able to handle the drama if that were the case.
“Get back here, Lan Qiren, we weren’t done,” he shouted, Zidan crackling on his hand.
He stopped when he noticed the cluster of people there, his already fierce glare deepening when he noticed Wangji standing there.
Wangji was sure that if there hadn’t been anyone else standing near him, ZIdan would have already been whipping through the air. As it was, his glare turned into an intense expression of twisted anger, and he pointed an angry finger at Wangji as he stalked closer.
“You!”
It was not his best look.
Any lesser man might have cowered, but Wangji just pulled Wei Ying’s outer robe closer to his chest and met Jiang Wanyin’s angry stare with his own blank look. He might not want to deal with this, but he wasn’t going to run from it.
And then Wei Ying pulled back to face his brother and Jiang Wanyin and Uncle seemed to both realize at the same time who he was. With his face not hidden in Jiang Yanli’s shoulder anymore, it was clear.
“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Ying shouted.
At the same instant, Jiang Wanyin made a complicated face and took a half-step forward as his finger swiveled from pointing to Wangji to pointing at Wei Ying.
“You?” He demanded, still angry, but confused as well.
Wei Ying didn’t throw his arms around Jiang Wanyin like he’d done to his sister, he just shrugged and gave an awkward laugh.
“Surprise.”
Jiang Wanyin looked more annoyed than surprised by now, so Wangji took a step closer to Wei Ying in case Jiang Wanyin got any ideas of violence.
Though, of course, this brought everyone’s attention back to him.
Jiang Yanli put herself between Wangji
“A-Cheng, stop,” she said. “I’m not angry at Lan Wangji, so you shouldn’t be either.”
Jiang Wanyin crossed his arms to glare at Wei Ying.
“Wei Wuxian, why do I feel like this is all your fault?”
And then all eyes were back to Wei Ying.
“There is a very reasonable explanation to all this if you and Teacher Lan will just listen.”
Uncle actually did pass out when he noticed Wangji’s ribbon tied neatly around Wei Ying’s wrist, though he was quick to recover.
“Wangji,” he said, tone angry, face distraught.
Wangji knew that Uncle thought he was following in his father’s footsteps by loving Wei Ying, but Wangji didn’t care. He loved Wei Ying more than he needed Uncle’s approval.
“I’m sorry Uncle,” he said, not quite meeting his eye.
Wei Ying stepped closer to wrap a comforting arm around his waist.
“Is this what you’re choosing?” Uncle asked. “Is this who you’re choosing?”
Wangji could only nod. He didn’t want to go against his Uncle, but he would for Wei Ying.
At Wangji’s nod, Uncle seemed to deflate.
“Then I won't stop you,” he said. “I don’t like it, but I won’t stand in your way.”
Then he turned to Wei Ying.
“And you!”
Wei Ying let out a squeak and ducked behind Wangji’s shoulder.
“Yes, teacher Lan?”
Uncle sighed, the weary one he gave students who disappointed him.
“You better figure out how to clear your name because I will not have my nephew engaged to a fugitive.”
Wei Ying stepped out from behind Wangji and bowed low.
“I will do my best to make sure I’m worthy for Lan Zhan.”
Wei Ying didn’t have to do anything to be worthy of him, but Wangji figured now wasn’t the time to bring it up.
Uncle gave one last disapproving look at every single one of them before he stormed away with an over-dramatic flip of his robes.
“What did he mean, engaged to his nephew?” Jiang Wanyin interjected with an angry voice. “Since when are you two like that?”
“Yeah, when did that happen,” Jin Zixuan said. “And how did Lan Qiren know?”
Ah, so apparently neither of them knew about the significance of the ribbon. He’d seen their grades when they were students at Cloud Recesses, so he wasn’t surprised that they hadn’t retained that information, if they’d ever learned it in the first place.
Wei Ying just proudly displayed his wrist.
“This means that Lan Zhan wants to marry me!”
Jin Zixuan leaned in so that he could get a better look and Jiang Wanyin crossed his arms and scowled at Wangji. Wangji wasn’t sure if he was still upset about the ruined wedding or if this was new anger at him wanting to marry Wei Ying.
“And you want to marry him?” He asked sceptically.
Wangji didn’t have time to be offended before Wei Ying swatted Jiang Wanyin on the back of the head.
“Don’t insult my fiance,” he said. “And of course I want to marry him, who wouldn’t?”
“I wouldn’t,” Jiang Yanli said, with a teasing smile. “If that wasn’t clear.”
“Um, I also wouldn't,” Jin Zixuan said, which was a relief, not that Wangji had been worried about it.
Jiang Wanying rolled his eyes like Wangji wished he could.
“Yeah, yeah, no one but this idiot wants to marry Lan Wangji, we get it,” Jiang Wanyin said. “But since when?”
Wei Ying ducked his head and scuffed his toe into the muddy ground with an embarrassed laugh.
“I don’t know, since forever,” he said.
“Mn,” Wangji said. He would have put his arm over Wei Ying’s shoulders, but that would make his borrowed robe gape open and leave him exposed again. “Since forever.”
Knowing that Jiang Yanli wasn’t upset about the ruined wedding, Jiang Wanyin backed down, though he still glared at Wangji. Wangji wasn’t sure if he was still upset about the proceedings, if he was upset about him and Wei Ying, or if his resting face was just perpetually set into a scowl.
As Jiang Yanli and Wei Ying talked to their brother, Jin Zixuan sidled up to Wangji.
Wangji didn’t give him more than a glance from the side of his eye, not really wanting to engage in conversation currently.
“Remember that time I asked if you wanted to switch which sibling we were betrothed to and you refused?” Jin Zixuan asked.
“No,” Wangji said, even though he most certainly did.
He refused to give Jin Zixuan any reason to give him that smug look he wore too often.
“Well, you did, and I was right.”
As Wangji cut his eyes over to him, Jin Zixuan seemed to realize at that exact moment that he’d implied that just like Wangji had his ribbon around Wei Ying’s wrist, he had some claim over Jiang Yanli. HIs face blazed red so fast and so deep that it seemed to make him stagger for a second. He didn’t say anything else before turning on his heel and all but running away.
It was what he deserved for being smug anyway.
Wangji decided that while Wei Ying was with his siblings, he would go get dressed so that he wouldn’t have to be standing there in his under robes anymore.
When he made it to his room, Wangji paused for a moment to take a deep breath before he sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands to hide the smile on his face.
He hadn’t ever realized that someone could feel so happy, and he never wanted this to end. And it didn’t have too. Wei Ying loved him. Wei Ying wanted to marry him. Wei Ying said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.
Wei Ying who had apparently followed him to his room.
“Lan Zhan.”
Wangji lifted his head to meet Wei Ying’s smiling face.
He was so lovely that it took Wangji’s breath away, and he never wanted to look away again.
Wei Ying stepped close and cupped Wangji’s face in his hands. The laugh he let out was soft and happy.
“Lan Zhan, I love you so much.”
And what could Wangji do but pull Wei Ying close and press a kiss to those lips.
When Wei Ying laughed into their kiss, Wangji answered with his own huff of laughter, and that only made Wei Ying hold him closer and kiss him harder.
Wangji had dreaded his betrothal his entire life, ever since he was a child in his mother’s arms, confused as to what the word meant. But here with his ribbon brushing against his cheek where it was dangling from Wei Ying’s wrist, Wangji couldn’t help but be thankful it had led him here.