Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lan Xichen was beside himself with happiness and he very much suspected Wangji was as well. Wei Wuxian seemed to be fluctuating between happiness, shock, and embarrassment at random. Uncle was looking distinctly pleased with himself. The four of them had walked to the dining hall to take the evening meal together, and as they sat in silence, eating their food, Lan Xichen thought back over the past few months.

That first afternoon, when Uncle Qiren had asked Lan Xichen for confirmation on Wangji’s feelings, was the first time he had ever really feared his uncle. Up until then, their uncle had always had their best interests in mind and had never been a frightening or imposing figure in their lives. However, he had been absolutely terrified that Uncle would force the two apart as he had not made his dislike for Wei Wuxian unclear in any way. Lan Xichen had, in that moment, easily been able to see a future where Uncle decided that Wei Wuxian was too much of an unorthodox heretic and a danger to Wangji’s future, and decided to force them apart. Before then, Lan Xichen had done his best to gently push Wangji toward Wei Wuxian, because as strange as it was, they seemed to get on excellently, and as much as the other boy drove Lan Wangji to distraction, he made him very happy.

But then Uncle had surprised him, admitting he’d already known about Wangji’s infatuation and that he wasn’t going to do anything about the situation except to encourage it. He’d asked for Lan Xichen’s opinion on the Jiang Clan’s head disciple, and once he had heard it, laid out his plan for the two of them. It was utterly spectacular and very thorough. Uncle had seemed determined to fashion Wei Wuxian into a highly functional member of society and then convince Jiang Fengmian that a marriage would be a good idea before Wei Wuxian could realise the truth of his fixation and Lan Wangji could act on all the feelings that were spilling out around him, embarrassingly obvious to his close family and nobody else.

Lan Xichen had attended some of their classes and Wei Wuxian was coming along very, very well. In their written lessons Wei Wuxian was attentive and animated, seemingly always ready to get into a theoretical argument with Uncle and was inhaling new information. In their physical lessons he was engaged and focused, easily working with Wangji and challenging him in a way very few other people were able to. Lan Xichen could very clearly see how Wei Wuxian had earned his title as the Jiang head disciple, even if he was a rather excessive character.

Beyond being tolerated, Uncle seemed to be warming ever more to Wei Wuxian now that they seemed to have reached a mutual understanding of one another. Uncle Qiren had even recently begun praising Wei Wuxian to Lan Xichen when they spoke privately together. Wei Wuxian was, unexpectedly, fitting in very nicely to their family. Of course he’d hoped for it, but he hadn’t seen a clear path to it happening. He wondered what his father thought of all this, and assumed Uncle had discussed it with him. Lan Xichen was sure their mother would be pleased.

Overall, Uncle Qiren had been spectacularly successful, managing to temper some of Wei Wuxian’s more wayward behaviours and very nearly broker an engagement between the two. He also had very strong suspicions his uncle had a hand in the little get-together that they had interrupted before dinner. Uncle had been very adamant that they go fetch Wangji for dinner. It was also very convenient given that Lan Xichen knew the letter with Sect Leader Jiang’s travel plans to formalise the engagement had come this morning.

Lan Xichen smiled over his food as the four of them ate in silence, though Wei Wuxian’s desire to speak and ask questions was almost tangible. Wangji barely lifted his eyes from Wei Wuxian the whole time, while Wei Wuxian in turn kept most of his attention on Wangji, but kept taking surreptitious little glances at him and Uncle.

After dinner, Uncle bid them all goodnight, Wei Wuxian doing the same and quickly walking off to his own quarters still looking a little embarrassed. Lan Xichen walked with Wangji back towards their residences. He suspected his brother would need some quiet to process the day as much as he clearly wanted to follow after Wei Wuxian.

Wangji’s voice cut through the silence. “How did you know?”

Xichen smiled. “Uncle and I know know you very well. Your feelings were a little obvious.” Wangji went stiff. “It was not obvious to anyone but the two of us.”

“Mn.” Wangji’s shoulders relaxed. “Why?”

“We want you to be happy,” Xichen said. He couldn’t speak for his uncle’s reasons, though that was sure to be one of them. Lan Xichen also suspected Uncle Qiren also saw a great potential cultivator in someone as bright as Wei Wuxian. Someone who would be an asset not only to Lan Wangji, but to the clan and the cultivation world as a whole. Xichen cared less about that but he understood where his uncle was coming from.  While standing in as Sect Leader for his and Wangji’s father, Uncle Qiren had to always make choices that would benefit the clan now and in the future. Lan Xichen would have to fully pick up the mantle of Clan Leader after his father passed and have to take such things into consideration as well, but until then he did not want to look at it that way and hoped he would not have to for quite some time. He just wanted to be able to support Wangji.

He considered his next move. He knew Uncle was going to be away for a few days and perhaps it might be a nice idea to get his brother and Wei Wuxian out of Cloud Recesses to let them adjust. Give them a day to settle themselves over a life-changing announcement away from the gazes of everyone here but still remain with a chaperone. Selfishly, it would also mean he could spend some time with Wangji and get to know Wei Wuxian a little better.

They paused at the gate to the Jingshi. “Uncle has to leave for Lanling tomorrow for a couple of days so there will not be classes. How about we go into town and look for a dizi with Young Master Wei?” Lan Xichen suggested.

Wangji inclined his head.

“Perfect, would you like to ask him in the morning or shall I?”

Wangji gave his brother a burning look. “I will do it.”

“Of course,” Lan Xichen replied, smiling. Ah, if nothing else, Wei Wuxian was right about one thing; teasing Wangji was always fun.

The next morning, Lan Xichen was up at the usual five am and pottered through his morning routine with a spring in his step. It was not often he could find the time to spend a day with his brother, now with the additional bonus of having the chance to get to know his future brother-in-law in a more casual setting. He dressed in pale aquamarines and affixed his hair piece carefully, not wanting to embarrass their clan while in town with a less than perfect appearance—he and Wangji had a reputation to uphold after all. Breakfast passed quickly as he finished off the urgent correspondence he needed to complete, sending Wangji a message that they should meet around nine o'clock. Then at the appointed time, Lan Xichen stood patiently, waiting on the stairs leading down the mountain for his companions to arrive.

He heard Wei Wuxian before he saw him, chirping away like the morning birds, before he and Wangji moved into his vision. Both were out of their disciple uniforms, Wangji in the blue robes with the loose ribbons he so enjoyed, and Wei Wuxian in a black ensemble with hints of a vibrant red layered beneath. He noted that Wei Wuxian’s collar was higher and a little tighter than usual, with more hair loose to cover up the marks Lan Xichen had noticed last night. He was caught between embarrassment and a weird happiness over them; on the one hand, it meant Wangji wasn’t keeping a barrier on his emotions for their relationship, which was excellent. On the other, it was a fact he never wanted to know about his brother.

They looked like night and day beside each other and Xichen somehow found it very fitting.

“Zewu-Jun,” Wei Wuxian greeted brightly, finally looking away from Wangji and spotting him standing by the gate. “I hope we weren’t keeping you waiting.”

Lan Xichen shook his head. “Good morning, Young Master Wei, Wangji. I was not waiting long."

“Good morning,” Wangji agreed.

“Shall we?” Lan Xichen motioned down the steps and, with agreement from the others, they headed off.

The walk took them the usual two hours, passing it in general conversation about their studies and some stories from Wei Wuxian about living in Lotus Pier, mainly seeming to be about stealing lotus pods and running loose with Jiang Wanyin. His sister, Jiang Yanli, also featured prominently, usually helping them after getting into trouble or cooking something warm for them when they came home sodden and cold.

They walked aimlessly for the first couple of hours after they arrived in town, Lan Xichen allowing Lan Wangji to walk his companion around and point out some of the more interesting locations of Caiyi and glaring at all the young ladies who called out to the three of them. He and Wangji were recognisable here, and Wei Wuxian had clearly made his face known in town enough that the young women were confident that he would return their flirtations. Today they were sorely disappointed as Wei Wuxian was friendly, but waved off their bolder assertions and laughed off their attention with excuses that Xichen and Wangji will be too jealous. Well, he was partially right, just not in the way the girls were assuming. Wei Wuxian kept himself very close to Wangji the entire time, Lan Xichen occasionally catching their hands brushing against one another as they talked.

Eventually, Lan Xichen led them away from the marketplace and into a music shop that he often stopped into for the musical needs of the sect and where Wangji would pick up new strings for his guqin. The old man who ran the store, who always insisted on being called Uncle Zhou, greeted the three of them with a bow.

“What can I do for you today, young masters?” he asked, looking mainly at Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen nodded his head toward Wei Wuxian. “Young Master Wei was looking for an instrument."

“I’m looking for a dizi,” Wei Wuxian said, smiling at the old man. “Nothing too fancy, I haven’t played for a long time. Just something I can practice with and then I can come back for something nicer when it doesn’t sound like a dying bird.”

“Mmmm.” Uncle Zhou nodded, smiling back, quickly put at ease by Wei Wuxian’s friendly nature. “I have a couple of options for you,” he said and motioned for Wei Wuxian to follow. “How long did you play for?”

Wei Wuxian hummed thoughtfully. “Five or so years I think, though I haven’t played for about three.”

Wangji was watching the whole exchange like a hawk, taking in the information while standing perfectly still beside his brother.

Uncle Zhou laid two dizi on the table in front of Wei Wuxian, he and Wangji moving across the room to stand a little closer and have a look. Both dizi appeared to be well made and carved from two different kinds of bamboo. The one on the left was made of a deep violet bamboo and carved with flowers near the mouth piece while the one on the right was made of white bamboo with carvings of fluttering birds.

“May I?” Wei Wuxian asked, indicating to the pair of instruments.

“Of course, of course, please try them out.”

“Thanks!” Wei Wuxian reached for the darker one.

Lan Xichen closed his eyes to listen. The sound was of course a little bit rusty, Wei Wuxian taking a few notes to get the hang of the dizi again. Slowly but surely, the tone evened out as he played a slow tune, occasionally jumping from the melody to run scales to test the range. This one had a deep woody timbre and a rich tone to most of the notes. Lan Xichen was quietly considering Wei Wuxian’s strengths and weaknesses with the instrument and how he might teach him when he stopped. There was a pause and a light clacking sound as Wei Wuxian evidently swapped dizi. The second one conversely had a lighter, brighter tone to it which was quite pleasant. Wei Wuxian played the same thing again, a melody and a scale, and Lan Xichen suppressed a wince at the shrill tones of some of the higher notes. Wei Wuxian stopped playing again.

“Zewu-Jun, what do you think? I’m leaning toward the darker one.”

Lan Xichen opened his eyes to see Wei Wuxian looking at him hopefully. He smiled. “I think the darker one suits you best as well.”

Wei Wuxian grinned brightly back at him and a minute of haggling was had with Uncle Zhou before a price was agreed upon.

“Would you like a tassel for the dizi?” Uncle Zhou asked, indicating to his small wall of tassels and adornments.

Wei Wuxian glanced at them for a moment and gave a little toss of his money pouch. “Not today. Just the dizi please.”

The shopkeeper nodded, and money and the dizi began to change hands.

“I want to look at guqin strings. Would you mind accompanying Wei Ying for a moment outside?” Wangji said softly.

Lan Xichen looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow. He knew Wangji would not be needing new strings for a long time yet, he’d picked some new ones up recently and his brother had been very pleased with them. “Of course.”

Wangji nodded and went to stand by the guqin section.

Wei Wuxian looked between them once he was finished, tucking the dizi into his belt, and Lan Xichen beckoned him closer and explained the situation.

“Oh, we can look at some stalls while we wait,” Wei Wuxian said and happily followed Lan Xichen out, only glancing back at Wangji once.

The pair wandered for perhaps ten minutes, Wei Wuxian flitting over a few stalls as their owners called for his patronage, a young lady at a stall for combs gaining the most of his attention as he lightly touched a few of them and spoke to her quietly. Lan Xichen looked over a few stalls of his own, a few young ladies smiling brightly at him. He ended up buying a small porcelain bird he thought Uncle Qiren might like. Then Wangji was back at his side.

“Successful?” Lan Xichen asked and Wangji nodded. “Let us go have lunch then.”

They found Wei Wuxian glancing at some spun sugar treats, his face lighting up at the suggestion of lunch, and Lan Xichen began steering the three of them towards a restaurant that he knew Wangji liked. Once seated he ordered the things they normally got and then looked at Wei Wuxian askingly.

“Anything that’s really spicy, please.”

The server gave him a few options which he quickly chose, and soon enough they were left alone, waiting for their food to arrive.

“How have Uncle’s classes been treating you recently, Young Master Wei?” Lan Xichen asked watching Wangji serve them both tea.

“Mn, really good,” Wei Wuxian said, placing his flute beside his sword on the table. “I think I’ve nearly got the hang of the move we’ve been working on—I don’t know how you do it so easily, Lan Zhan. I was also looking forward to going over a night-hunt with Teacher Lan when he gets back, I had some thoughts about it. Also I think I’m nearly at the end of your texts on talismans.”

Lan Xichen smiled. “Are we going to run out of books for you in the Library Pavilion?”

Wei Wuxian laughed, and then paused to think. “Not yet, but maybe eventually.”

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji briefly delved into a quiet conversation about the night-hunting report that Uncle had them read yesterday. Lan Xichen quietly sat and listened, the two of them getting into a quick argument about how they thought a spirit should have been dealt with, but they eventually agreed on a few things and slid onto the next point. Then their food arrived and quiet settled over them, the Lan because it was required, Wei Wuxian because his eyes lit up on the bright red dishes set before him and lost all sense of his surroundings as he tucked into them.

Both of them looked on in horror as Wei Wuxian then added more chilli oil to his bowl. He was beginning to see why the young man tended to complain about their food in the Cloud Recesses. It must taste like nothing to him, assuming he could taste anything after eating that much spice. Lan Xichen thought his eyes might be watering just from looking at it.

Wei Wuxian let out a happy little moan as he put the food into his mouth, Lan Xichen wishing his brother wouldn’t stare at him like that in a public setting. He was so glad Wangji was happy but really.

They remained sitting for a short while after eating, speaking quietly while drinking more tea before Lan Xichen left money behind, ignoring Wei Wuxian's protests that he could pay for himself, and headed out again.

They wandered the streets for another hour or so, slowly heading back towards the exit for Cloud Recesses as the sun sunk closer toward the horizon. A loud bark drew his attention and he turned toward where a market stall owner was attempting to unravel a dog from his stall. From what Lan Xichen could tell, the man had tied his dog up to the stall, but in its excitement and too much rope length, wrapped itself around the stall in fun and exciting ways. Lan Xichen couldn’t help let out a small laugh, watching this man wrestle with his dog and try to get it to re-trace its steps through the maze of rope.

“Wei Ying?” came the concerned voice of Wangji from behind him.

Lan Xichen turned back around to see Wei Wuxian white faced, wide eyed, and clinging to Wangji as though his life depended on it. Lan Xichen made an aborted move forward, years of instincts reacting to the young man’s fear, and quickly glanced around for the threat. Finding none, he refocused on the pair, Wei Wuxian frantically whispering something to Wangji and visibly shaking. He thought he caught the word ‘dog’ and then Wangji took Wei Wuxian’s hand in his and began guiding him toward the waterfront. Lan Xichen followed at a slight distance, remaining vigilant in case he had missed something important.

Soon the three of them were in a quieter section of town, just off of the water in the canal. Wangji had convinced Wei Wuxian to sit on the stairs to collect himself, Wangji even sitting on the ground beside him.

“Are you alright?” Lan Xichen asked.

Wei Wuxian laughed, a nervous, brittle thing, replying, “Yes, of course. Totally fine now.”

“Wei Ying,” Wangji pressed.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian bit back, hackles raised.

Lan Xichen quietly noticed the way his brother’s thumb stroked across the back of Wei Wuxian’s hand where they were still holding each other. Wei Wuxian relaxed in increments, staring out across the water, uncharacteristically silent but leaning in toward Wangji. Lan Xichen took a moment to move down to the edge of the water a few steps away, giving them both some space.

After a long breath of silence, Wei Wuxian’s voice carried lightly on the breeze. “It was maybe a year or two in-between my parents' death and Uncle Jiang finding me,” he told Wangji quietly. “Maybe more, and for all that time I lived on the streets of Yiling. Dogs made things hard.”

Lan Xichen let that information wash over him. He’d never considered that there was that much of a gap between the two events, but then he had only been aware of such things through common knowledge and gossip.

“Our mother is dead as well,” Wangji admitted quietly when Wei Wuxian went silent again and Lan Xichen felt his heart clench. “Father is in seclusion. We don’t see him.”

Ah, this conversation was definitely not intended for his ears. Lan Xichen took this as his cue to leave and watch from a polite distance where he could easily see them both but not eavesdrop on their conversation. He let himself settle into a comfortable position by a nearby building.

The pair of them talked quietly, still connected at their hands, trading words in the waning afternoon light. He glanced away as Wei Wuxian shifted closer to Wangji and rested a hand on his shoulder, seemingly in comfort. Wangji had always been so nervous of physical contact with others since their mother’s death. He would allow Lan Xichen to touch him on occasion, and he would feel deeply loved for these small concessions of fixing his little brother's collar or brushing his hair. Lan Xichen had never thought that Wangji would be so willing to let another person into his space the way he let Wei Wuxian in. Lan Xichen could not put into words how much relief poured through him every time he saw Wei Wuxian touch his brother. Mostly. Recently there was a little more embarrassment mixed in at some of them.

Leaving them to talk, but remaining within visual distance, he began to look over some more stalls. Lan Xichen lingered at one of the nearby book stalls and flicking through a few before picking a couple to buy. He enjoyed the more common adventure stories that the street stalls pedalled. He loved the texts in the Cloud Recesses, but sometimes he wanted something light and silly to read; it helped that Nie Mingjue also enjoyed the stories and Lan Xichen would lend them to the serious man under the pretence of sect business. The one he had just picked up about a king being turned into a bird seemed like something he would like.

He glanced back to check on—and oh that wasn’t allowed.

He walked over and cleared his throat. “Wangji, Young Master Wei, I think it is time we returned home.”

The pair sprung apart, Wei Wuxian taking a moment to untangle his hand from Wangji’s hair, and Lan Xichen let him retain an air of dignity by pretending not to see it. Wangji was once again looking highly disgruntled at being interrupted and Lan Xichen pushed down a smile. He silently noted a bright red tassel with a small carved jade token now attached to Wei Wuxian’s dizi and a new comb perched in his brother’s hair that Lan Xichen was almost certain he’d seen Wei Wuxian looking at earlier.

These two.

They walked back up to the Cloud Recesses, Lan Xichen leading with Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian following behind, the latter talking quietly about whatever crossed his mind, while Wangji listened intently and occasionally chimed in. When they arrived back at the gate in he drew them to a stop.

“Wangji, could you return these things to my room?” Lan Xichen requested, passing his brother the items he had acquired in town. Lan Wangji glanced between Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian. “Do not worry, I will keep Young Master Wei company.”

The look on Wangji’s face suggested he did worry, but more about what Xichen was planning on speaking to Wei Wuxian about on his own than Wei Wuxian being left by himself. Regardless, Wangji nodded, took the offered items, and stalked off toward the family housing area, Lan Xichen smiling after him.

“So, Young Master Wei, you have a dizi now. Were you still interested in learning musical cultivation from me?” Lan Xichen asked, looking at the instrument tucked into Wei Wuxian’s belt.

Wei Wuxian’s face lit up, his hand going to rest on the dizi and absently fiddling with the tassel hanging there. “Absolutely!”

Lan Xichen smiled in return. “Wonderful, I will speak to Uncle then to see if he can spare you from his tutelage once a week.”

“Thank you, Zewu-Jun, I look forward to it,” Wei Wuxian said and presented him with possibly the most sincere bow he’d ever seen out of the young man.

“Please, call me Xichen,” he replied, offering a bow of his own in return.

That seemed to pull Wei Wuxian up short. “Uh, are you sure?”

Lan Xichen smiled. “Yes, you are to be family after all.”

Wei Wuxian pressed his lips together and nodded. He was starting to look a little rough around the edges.

“Are you alright, Young Master Wei?”

Wei Wuxian shook himself, smiling brightly at Lan Xichen. “Yes, sorry, please call me Wuxian then.”

“Of course.”

A pause.

“Oh, also, is the Waterborne Abyss still a problem?”

Lan Xichen was thrown for a second before replying, “Yes, it continues to be an issue. Why?”

“I had some thoughts about it,” Wei Wuxian said. “So, I mentioned I’ve been doing a lot of reading about talismans and I think I’ve come up with a way to deal with the problem without having to drain the lake, though it may take a bit of time.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, so, uh—” Wei Wuxian paused, fiddling with his hidden pockets before frowning. “Do you have any paper on you?”

“I do not. Why don’t we discuss it another day, Wuxian,” Lan Xichen said, smiling and resting a hand on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. “Perhaps if you brought your notes to Uncle’s class when he is back? I can also attend and you can present your idea to the both of us.”

“That’s probably a good idea. Okay, I will will do that.” Wei Wuxian began muttering to himself thoughtfully, rubbing his finger across his nose before he froze. “Ah, sorry, distracted. Did you want me for anything else?”

Lan Xichen shook his head. “No, I just wanted a moment with you without my brother glaring at me for monopolising your time.”

The laugh burst out of Wei Wuxian before he quickly covered his mouth. “Sorry, sorry! He does do that a bit though doesn’t he? Ah, so cute.”

“He likes you very much.”

“He said.” Wei Wuxian smiled to himself.

Lan Xichen felt another weight lift from his chest. “I would request, as Wangji’s older brother, that you please take care of his heart for me,” Lan Xichen said. “I take it he told you about our parents today?”

Wei Wuxian nodded.

“After our mother’s death, Wangji would spend the whole day we would have been designated to see her sitting in front of her house, waiting. He did so for years afterward always hoping she would come back, regardless of the weather and even after he knew that she would never return.” He paused to look at Wei Wuxian, who was listening intently. "We Lan only give our hearts once, and we give it wholly, Wangji more than most. Please make sure he has made the right choice.” Lan Xichen hoped this conveyed the seriousness to Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian nodded solemnly and a silence hung over them for a drawn out moment. He pressed his lips together and then asked, “So, uh, was it you who convinced Teacher Lan about me?”

Lan Xichen smiled. “Oh no. All of this was Uncle’s idea, I just agreed with it.”

“Huh.” A bell rang in the silence that fell. “Ah, dinner. We should…?”

“Let us go together,” Lan Xichen agreed and they walked towards the dining hall, his heart feeling much lighter than it had in a long time. “You also also might want to spend some time meditating on healing this evening, Wuxian,” he added.

Wei Wuxian looked at him in askance, and Lan Xichen tapped his own neck. Wei Wuxian blinked, flushed pink, and nodded.

Chapter Text

As Wei Wuxian walked away from Lan Xichen and sat down at a table with Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang, he turned over the many, whirling thoughts in his head. Today had been wonderful and had conveniently served as a buffer between him and having to face his extended world with the truth. It had been unspeakably nice to be able to switch off the spinning chaos of his thoughts and just remind himself of how much he liked spending time with Lan Zhan. Having Lan Xichen there was both a blessing and a source of quiet anxiety. He just seemed so…put together, and he was so nice, and he’d only mildly threatened him over never breaking Lan Zhan’s heart, and hadn’t pressed too hard about the fact they were so very nearly engaged—

He breathed out.

He should try to keep it under wraps, right? He didn’t want to curse the engagement before it even officially happened. If he could just keep it to himself until the end of the week when Uncle Jiang got here, then it would be fine.

He should tell Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng somehow though, right? He just wasn’t sure how, and maybe it was better for their father to tell them rather than himself? Would they think it was a prank? Jiang Cheng probably would, but shijie might believe him. Maybe he would start with her and see if she would help him with Jiang Cheng. It was as good a plan as any and he should be able to catch his shijie in the gap between breakfast and lessons tomorrow morning.

Otherwise, unless Lan Wangji or his family started shouting things from the rooftops, which he so very highly doubted, he would keep this to himself. At the same time, he kind of wanted to shout from the rooftops, though whether it was going to be an announcement or wordless screaming entirely depended on his mood at that exact moment.

He was happy, so happy, he knew that, but at the same time, the fact he was in love with Lan Wangji this whole time and that he’s now engaged to him was a lot to process…and he knew that he could do so much worse in a match than Lan Wangji. He’d watched Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu’s marriage with a looming sense of trepidation for years, never even dreaming to hope for a happy marriage like his parents’. He’d always expected to be married off to whoever made the best offer of an alliance, which was kind-of what was happening here, or to remain single and serve Jiang Cheng when he became the Jaing Sect Leader and not ever worry about women.

“Wei-xiong?” Nie Huaisang said, softly tapping his arm and drawing his attention as they ate.

“Hm?”

Nie Huaisang gave a little tug at his own robe collar before rubbing at his neck and raising an eyebrow at Wei Wuxian. What was he—oh! Wei Wuxian subtly tried to reposition his hair and pull his collar a little tighter, nervously glancing at Jiang Cheng and relaxing when he seemed to have missed the conversation, instead glaring at his food. Ah, he should have listened more closely to Lan Xichen’s warning and double checked his neck was still covered. He was spending at least an hour before bed meditating that away.

“After dinner, we are having a little chat, Wei-xiong,” Nie Huaisang informed him with a wry smile.

Wei Wuxian tried to slip away after dinner but Nie Huaisang was too wily, cornering him and then dragging him to sit on an out of the way bench beside a path.

“So, what happened to you?” Nie Huaisang asked brightly, shamelessly pulling Wei Wuxian’s hair out of the way and tugging at the collar of his robes to stare at his neck. “Wow, you look like you got mauled by a dog.”

“Aiyah, don’t bring dogs into this,” Wei Wuxian cried, scrunching his face up at Nie Huaisang and tugging his clothing back into place. He was already beyond embarrassed by his little meltdown in town today. The less dogs that were mentioned the better.

Nie Huaisang just smiled back at him. “So, who is she to attack you so? Did you insult her? I heard you went into Caiyi today, did you meet her there?”

“Not a girl,” Wei Wuxian muttered.

“Ah Wei-xiong, I had thought you might also appreciate a wider range of beauty,” Nie Huaisang replied, leaning forward and tapping his fan beneath Wei Wuxian’s chin.

“How!? I mean, I didn’t realise I was interested in men until Lan Zhan pinned me to the floor and kissed me within an inch of my life,” Wei Wuxian protested and then realised what he’d said. Whoops.

Nie Huaisang’s eyebrows rose, his fan immediately opening up to cover most of his face. His eyes were wide over the top of the paper as he stared at Wei Wuxian. “Wei-xiong!” he said, seemingly scandalised, though his cadence suggested he was grinning. “The unparalleled gentleman that is Lan Wangji, Second Jade of Lan, did that to your neck?”

“Mn,” Wei Wuxian replied, trying to look serious but could feel how a smile pushed into the expression. “You can’t tell anyone!”

“Bah, who would I tell,” he replied, “you think I’d tell old Uncle Lan what you and his nephew were getting up to? I would never sully our friendship in such a way.”

“Too late,” Wei Wuxian said. “Teacher Lan caught us.”

Nie Huaisang blinked. “And you’re not dead?” Wei Wuxian felt the fan poke his side. “No, not a spirit, but seriously Wei-xiong, how are you even alive?”

Wei Wuxian glanced around. “You can’t tell anyone, okay?”

Nie Huaisang’s smile just got wider and he nodded excitedly, leaning in.

“We’re engaged.” And goodness that statement didn’t feel any less surreal. It also felt weirdly nice to get it off his chest. Like saying it aloud made it real.

“What!?” Nie Huaisang exclaimed, his fan once again flipping wide to hide his face.

Wei Wuxian flapped his arms at his friend. “Nearly—nearly engaged, also, be quiet!”

“What!” Nie Huaisang whispered, hunching his shoulders as if trying to keep the excitement in. “What do you mean!”

“I mean that Uncle Jiang is coming to make it official in a few days. I don’t think I’m meant to be telling anyone.”

“Wow. Wow, wow, wow, only you Wei Wuxian,” Nie Huaisang murmured appreciatively. “Attempt the impossible indeed.”

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes at the other. “We have to have chaperones though, which is going to be so very annoying.”

“Ah,” Nie Huaisang breathed out. “That’s why Zewu-Jun went with the both of you today. I did wonder. Did you have fun?”

“Yeah—”

A shadow passed over the two of them, stopping the conversation in its tracks.

“Ah, Second Young Master Lan,” Nie Huaisang said nervously, fan fluttering back over his face and eyes darting between them.

Lan Wangji flicked his gaze over the both of them, saying, "Good evening."

Heavens he was too beautiful to comprehend.

"Good evening to you," Nie Huaisang replied, before he grinned at Wei Wuxian for a moment and added, “I was just complimenting Wei-xiong on his purple necklace. I hear you gave it to him.”

Wei Wuxian groaned and smacked him on the arm. “Shut up. You’re so annoying!”

“Mn.” Wei Wuxian could practically feel Lan Wangji’s gaze raking over his neck, a highly satisfied gleam in his eyes. He then looked up. “Goodnight Young Master Nie. Goodnight Wei Ying.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Wei Wuxian asked, half pushing himself off the bench.

“Library,” Lan Wangji replied, watching him. Now that he was aware of his feelings, that gaze did something weird to his knees.

“Oh, there were a couple of books I wanted to look back over before bed, mind if I come?”

Lan Wangji shook his head.

Nie Huaisang stood up as well. “Need an extra in case the library is empty?”

“Please,” Wei Wuxian replied.

The three of them wandered off from the garden and into the empty library, Lan Wangji lighting a few candles as the light was gone from the sky enough to need them.

Wei Wuxian took a few minutes subtly wandering around their usual working area, looking over shelves, between books, and under furniture for the dual cultivation book Lan Qiren had given him, but no luck. He cursed himself for not picking it up yesterday, but he’d been in too much of a state to even think of the damn thing.

“Damn,” Wei Wuxian whispered, moving back to where Lan Wangji was standing. “Lan Zhan, your uncle is going to kill me this time. I’ve lost the book he gave me.”

“He will not,” Lan Wangji asserted. “I have it.”

He must have heard that wrong. “What?”

“I have it,” Lan Wangji repeated.

Wei Wuxian blinked. “You have it…why?”

“You left it behind and I wanted to read it,” he said simply.

“Will you give it back?” Wei Wuxian asked slyly, voice low.

“Tomorrow,” Lan Wangji replied.

“Mm,” Wei Wuxian hummed thoughtfully, smirking at him. “Alright.”

Wei Wuxian sat down at the table, Lan Wangji shortly joining him, while Nie Huaisang pulled a book out of his sleeve and settled in his own corner. Wei Wuxian hid a smile, recognising the tasteful cover of flowers and birds as one of Nie Huaisang’s personal collection that he’d artfully redone the outside of.

Wei Wuxian chose to ignore it in the same way that Nie Huaisang chose to ignore the fact they were holding hands while reading and only pausing to wink at Wei Wuxian when Lan Wangji was not looking.

Wei Wuxian settled in with his book, reopening the text on talismans he’d been working out of and carefully writing down the key sections he wanted to present to Xichen—he really felt weird just calling him that—and Teacher Lan. He paused at the thought that Teacher Lan might soon be asking to call him Uncle and was caught on the fact that it didn’t make him feel as horrified as it might have a month or two ago. He let out a long breath, Lan Wangji’s hand tightening its grip for just a moment. He smiled into his book and went back to note taking.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said as they packed up their books just before the evening bell would ring. “I was going to come here in the morning to do some research and homework. After lunch though I thought you, Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang, and I could go relax on the back hill if the weather is fine?”

Lan Wangji nodded.

“Sounds good! Goodnight!” Nie Huaisang called obviously, waving at them both and exiting the library.

Wei Wuxian laughed after him before turning back to Lan Wangji and taking a long moment just to look at him, stood textbook perfect with his right hand behind his back and his sword in his left.

“Thank you for spending the day with me,” Wei Wuxian said, both his hands lightly touching the fabric on Lan Zhan’s chest and glancing up at the little wooden comb still in his hair, little carved rabbits and birds dancing around a tree. He’d bought it as a bit of a joke given how cute it was, but Lan Wangji had loved it just the same. He thought back to the lovely red tassel hanging from his dizi. “It was really nice.”

“You are welcome. I also enjoyed it.” Lan Wangji returned and then leant over, kissing Wei Wuxian’s cheek. “Until tomorrow. Good night, Wei Ying.”

He felt the way his own eyelashes fluttered embarrassingly at the contact. “Good night, Lan Zhan.”

For half a moment Wei Wuxian thought Lan Wangji wasn’t going to leave, his golden eyes fixed on his own, but then he tore his gaze away and strode out of the door. Wei Wuxian let out the breath he had been holding, collected up his books and sword, and headed for bed.

He meditated and focused on promoting the healing of his skin for an hour or so, laying on his back in bed and twirling his new dizi in his hand. He really liked it. In particular, he liked the red adornment hanging from it. He pressed the little circular jade piece hanging in the middle of it to his lips and smiled.

After an expectedly bland breakfast, and oh hadn’t yesterday's spicy lunch been such a treat, Wei Wuxian went looking for his sister in her rooms. He found her seated at the low table organising her notes.

“Morning, shijie,” Wei Wuxian greeted her, seating himself on the opposite side of the table.

“Good morning, A-Xian,” Jiang Yanli said, smiling up at him for a moment before looking back to her papers. “What have I done to earn you so early this morning? I would have thought you’d take the morning to sleep in with Teacher Lan away.”

“I wanted time to play this afternoon, so I need this morning for getting homework done,” Wei Wuxian explained.

“So responsible,” Jiang Yanli praised, briefly looking up and squeezing his cheek. “Who is this organised young man?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he groused at her, but was quietly warmed at her words. “Busy day?”

His shijie paused in her motions, finally properly looking at him, seemingly searching for something on his face. “Somewhat. Did you want me for a reason?”

“So Uncle Jiang is coming here in a few days.” Wei Wuxian said, aiming for nonchalant but very distracted by the way his heart was hammering wildly in his chest.

Jiang Yanli’s eyes brightened with a shining smile bursting from her lips. “Oh?”

Wei Wuxian narrowed his eyes. “You seem more excited than expected.”

“Does father coming here have something to do with you and Lan Wangji?”

“Yes? What do you know?”

“I may have mentioned to Father in my letters that you and Second Young Master Lan got on very well,” his shijie replied. “He also sent me a letter a little over a month ago asking if you might hypothetically be amenable to an engagement between the two of you. I hope telling Father yes was the right answer?”

“You knew?” Wei Wuxian asked. “That I liked Lan Zhan?"

“My dear A-Xian, you are many things, subtle is often not one of them.” She smiled. “Did I make the right choice?”

“Yes, absolutely yes. Thank you.” He let out a long breath. “Wow that was easier than I thought.”

“I take it you haven’t told A-Cheng?”

Wei Wuxian made a face and shook his head. “I thought you might help? I don’t know how to make him take it seriously.”

“How about we have dinner together tonight?” Jiang Yanli suggested. “I’ll make soup and we can both tell him, hm?”

He nodded. “Yeah, okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I need to go or I’m going to be late,” she said, standing up. “I’ll see you tonight, A-Xian.”

“See you later, shijie!”

He let out a long breath as he watched her hurry off. 

The library was pretty crowded today with many students either taking Teacher Lan’s absence as a chance to catch up on work or to recreationally read what the Lan library had to offer. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were sharing one table, Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang at another, quietly going over work together, with many others scattered around. Even Jin Zixuan was working, though his stupid face was frowning at whatever he was reading.

During a crest in the wave of soft conversations going on in the library, Lan Zhan pulled a book from halfway down his pile and set it in front of Wei Wuxian before going back to his reading. Wei Wuxian blinked, quickly recognising the blank cover and shoved it into his own pile of reading for later.

“Ah, Lan Zhan, did you enjoy reading this?” Wei Wuxian asked softly, glancing about to make sure they weren’t heard while leaning into Lan Wangji’s space. “Lan Zhan? Hm?”

Lan Zhan continued to stare at his book. “Yes.” His voice was soft but shook noticeably more than usual.

“So shameless, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian chuckled, running a finger over Lan Zhan’s hand where it held the book open, enjoying the twitch of his fingers. “Did you think of me?” he whispered.

Lan Zhan’s head whipped around to glare at him.

“I’m going to think of you,” Wei Wuxian said, patting his pile of books casually.

“Shameless,” Lan Wangji spat out, but now that he was looking for it, Wei Wuxian could see how dark his eyes were and how his hands shook, but not from anger.

“Mn,” Wei Wuxian agreed, winked at him, and went right back to his notes, feeling Lan Zhan’s burning gaze on him. Then a hand settled on his upper thigh, firm and possessive, just for a moment, before it was gone. Wei Wuxian shivered, stealing a glance at Lan Zhan, thrilled by the reaction. He smiled and kept working for a while longer.

“Hey, time for lunch,” Jiang Cheng said, suddenly appearing before their table, Nie Huaisang in tow. “You two done?”

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian replied, collating his notes and stacking the two books he wanted to take back to his room, discreetly checking that one was on the bottom. “Need to drop these off first.”

“Sure. Let’s go,” Jiang Cheng said. “We’ll meet you two at the dining hall.”

“Coming here, I never would have thought you’d end up such good friends with Lan Wangji,” Jiang Cheng said, glancing back at where they’d left Nie Huaisang and Lan Zhan. “Still don’t get why you like him so much though, but that’s your problem.”

Should he tell him now? No, he and shijie had a plan, best to stick to that. Jiang Cheng would think he was being too flippant about it if he did it now. “He likes you well enough,” Wei Wuxian said instead. “Wouldn’t keep spending time with all of us otherwise.”

“I suppose. He’s fine enough, just a bit uptight.”

It took every inch of Wei Wuxian’s self control not to make a joke about how absolutely not uptight Lan Zhan was.

“Alright, you put the books away,” Jiang Cheng said, handing Wei Wuxian his small pile, “I’ll find us some snacks for this afternoon.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and did as asked, placing his books on his side of the room, stealthy shoving the book under his mattress where Jiang Cheng wouldn’t find it, and putting his brother's things on the table in his room.

“Here,” Jiang Cheng said, shoving a bag of peanuts into his hands. “You hide these. My sleeves are full.”

“Any Emperor’s Smile in there?” Wei Wuxian asked, jostling his brother and doing as asked.

“How would I do that, and where would I even get some from? You went into town yesterday, why didn’t you get any?” Jiang Cheng shot back.

“Oh!” Wei Wuxian rushed back into his rooms and pulled out the dizi he had purchased yesterday. “I wanted to practice this afternoon.”

“I was hoping you’d remembered you had bought wine,” Jiang Cheng said, eyeing up the instrument. “What’d you get that for?”

“Xi—uh, Zewu-Jun offered to teach me some musical cultivation and I don’t want to sound like compete garbage in the first lesson.” And if he also wanted to play for Lan Wangji while they sat in the gardens of the Cloud Recesses, then that was no-one’s business but his own. He tucked the dizi into his belt, playing with the soft red tassels of Lan Zhan’s gift. “Come on, let’s go have lunch.”

“Bleh,” Jiang Cheng agreed.

Lunch passed without incident, all of them sitting quietly and eating, Wei Wuxian thinking longingly about the snacks he and Jiang Cheng had hidden away. He was also hopeful Nie Huaisang had something secreted in his sleeves but only time would tell. As they headed out, Wei Wuxian spotted Wen Ning loitering in a courtyard and convinced him to come out with them.

Then Xichen caught them on their way out the back gate.

“Wangji tells me you are spending the afternoon in the back hill,” Lan Xichen said, mainly to him and completely ignoring the little indignant huff Wei Wuxian heard from Lan Wangji beside him.

Wei Wuxian nodded. “Yes, we’re going to have a picnic.”

“Jiang Wanyin would you mind accompanying them for the afternoon?” the First Jade asked and Wei Wuxian could almost feel his soul leave his body.

“I was planning on it,” Jiang Cheng said, trying to be friendly but his tone slipping just a little. “The five of us are going.”

Xichen smiled. “Wonderful. Have fun!” he said and off he went.

“That was weird,” Jiang Cheng muttered as they walked away. “Did you drag Lan Wangji into trouble or something yesterday?”

“Nope.”

The look Jiang Cheng gave him said that he absolutely didn't believe that.

The five of them picked their way through the lesser trodden paths of the Cloud Recesses and made themselves comfortable in a wide open field with a small amount of shade. Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning laid out a few blankets provided by Nie Huaisang and they all settled down in a circle, Lan Wangji beside Wei Wuxian beside Jiang Cheng beside Nie Huaisang beside Wen Ning. From sleeve pockets came fruits, nuts, and boiled sweets all tossed together in a haphazard pile between them, Lan Wangji even producing a small bag of salted pumpkin seeds.

“Ah, the day is so nice,” Nie Huaisang exclaimed, tilting his head toward the sun and closing his eyes. It was a perfect afternoon; a warm sun with a cool breeze and no rain to be seen.

Wen Ning nodded his head in agreement and the group settled into comfortable conversation, though mainly between Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Nie Huaisang. Wen Ning seemed to be perfectly happy to sit and listen to the conversation, occasionally chiming in. Lan Wangji would join the conversations that interested him, and sat quietly through the others, dividing his time between observing the nature around them swaying loosely in the breeze, or watching Wei Wuxian talk animatedly with the others.

As time went on, Wei Wuxian found himself laying flat on the ground staring up at the sky, his hands cradled behind his head as he sucked on one of the boiled sweets. He wondered about the many changes about to hit his life. What was to happen after the guest disciples left? How long would it be until they actually married? He assumed he would have to wait until after shijie, but even that was so far off. The question that truly baffled him the most was how and why had this happened? Sure, it worked out very nicely for him; have a revelation about your very intense feelings for the person who had very quickly become your best friend, and then be swept up in a very convenient engagement. But what on earth was everyone else aside from himself and Lan Wangji getting out of this? He wasn’t anyone particularly special, he was talented, sure but—

“So Wei-xiong, are you going to play us a song?” Nie Huaisang asked, startling him back into focus. When Wei Wuxian sat up, Nie Huaisang was making a motion at where his dizi was laying in the grass.

“Play the one jie likes,” Jiang Cheng suggested around a mouthful of apple. “Y’know, the one she’d dance to.”

“Oh I think I remember that one. Give me a moment.” Wei Wuxian grabbed his dizi and settled into an upright cross legged position, subtly inching closer to Lan Wangji, leaving barely a hands width between their knees.

He took a minute or so to run through a scale, trying to get a feel for the instrument again.

Jiang Cheng flopped backwards onto the ground, arms wide on the grass as he began to play. Wen Ning tapped his hand lightly against his knee as he listened and Nie Huaisang vaguely conducted him with his fan. Lan Wangji was sitting perfectly still with his eyes closed, just listening.

Wei Wuxian winced as he flubbed several notes, occasionally stopping and starting in his rendition. His fingers still lacked their previous automatic memory, but by the third play through of the song he was hitting most of the notes pretty well. He really liked the tone of this dizi, it had been a good choice.

“Very nice,” Nie Huaisang complimented when he stopped. “I can see why you want to practice though.”

“Yeah, I’m very rusty, my fingers aren’t quite doing what I want yet,” he agreed.

“You feel the music well,” came the quiet addition from Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian ignored the silly little thing Nie Huaisang did with his eyebrows at that comment and put the instrument back to his lips.

He played through all the songs he could remember, and then followed along with Nie Huaisang as he hummed a song he loved, the youngest Nie brother promising to get him some sheet music of melodies he thought Wei Wuxian might like.

Lan Zhan kept staring at his mouth.

It was very distracting when he was trying to play. Eventually, it got to a point where he eventually gave up playing, shoving Lan Wangji on the arm and murmuring, “Stop it.”

“Hey, Jiang Wanyin,” Nie Huaisang began, poking Jiang Cheng with his fan and throwing a look at Wei Wuxian, “I think I saw a big frog back at one of the ponds. Wei-xiong said you were the best frog catcher in Yunmeng, would you show me?”

“That’s true,” Wei Wuxian asserted, “Jiang Cheng is excellent at catching frogs.”

Jiang Cheng lifted his chin proudly. “Yeah, okay. I can show you.”

“Oh, may I also come?” Wen Ning asked. “I’ve never been frog catching before.”

“You two coming?” Jiang Cheng asked as he stood up, nodding his chin at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

“I think you’re perfectly capable of catching frogs without me,” Wei Wuxian replied, “besides, I want wanted to talk more to Lan Zhan about some of Teacher Lan’s homework before tomorrow.”

“Boring,” Jiang Cheng muttered, dusting off his robes. “Don’t eat all the snacks while we’re gone.”

“I would never,” Wei Wuxian shot back, the both of them knowing it was a complete lie, and his brother shot him a glare to prove it. Then Jiang Cheng began walking back towards the ponds, Nie Huaisang and Wen Ning following behind him. Nie Huaisang winked back at them as they walked away.

“Nie-xiong really is a good friend,” Wei Wuxian noted softly when they were out of sight, glancing at Lan Wangji who was already staring at him. “Now what’s that look for?”

Lan Wangji leant across the space between him, one hand latching onto Wei Wuxian’s waist, the other to the back of his neck, and pulled him in, pressing thier mouths together. Wei Wuxian melted into the kiss, allowing Lan Zhan to guide him and give back as good as he got.

“Miss me?” Wei Wuxian asked against his mouth.

“Mn,” came the responding rumble and the hands on his body tightened their grip.

Time lost all sense of meaning as they kissed in the dappled sunlight. Lan Zhan's hand was strong and secure on his waist as they leaned into each other. His mouth was so warm and eager against his own, sighing peacefully as they were left to their own devices, no family members to shake them off one another. Tentatively, Wei Wuxian opened his lips to allow Lan Zhan in closer, letting out a soft moan as he felt a tongue against his own. He hadn’t been convinced that this was meant to feel nice, but after recent events he could definitely see the appeal and wished to do much more of it.

“Ah, this is not very comfortable long term,” Wei Wuxian muttered, already feeling his neck protest at the strange angle, no matter how much he didn’t want to stop kissing. Then he laughed, wrapped both arms around Lan Wangji’s shoulders and used gravity to his advantage, falling back onto the ground and pulling Lan Zhan with him, the smell of grass and sandalwood hitting his nose as they landed.

Lan Wangji leant over him, hair falling in a thick curtain and obfuscating Wei Wuxian’s view of the forest, though he didn’t want to look at it.

Wei Wuxian reached up and began playing with Lan Wangji’s hair, fiddling with his hair piece and tugging threads loose so they fell haphazardly around his face. He looked an utter mess and Wei Wuxian loved it. There was just something so terribly satisfying about messing Lan Wangji up, physically and emotionally.

Lan Wangji’s hands caught at Wei Wuxian’s wrists, dragging them from his hair pinning them against the soft grass. His hold was gentle, and he shifted his grip so that they were palm to palm, fingers twining together.

“Wei Ying. Stop,” Lan Wangji said flatly, though his eyes were soft.

Wei Wuxian just grinned at him, vaguely testing the hold Lan Wangji had him in. It sent a weird thrill through him when he found himself thoroughly trapped.

“I think you look cute like this though,” Wei Wuxian asserted, tipping his head to the side to try and get a look at a different angle. “I like getting you all messed up.”

“Mark your words,” Lan Wangji growled and Wei Wuxian felt it in his bones. He shivered, letting out a giggle.

“Why should I?” he laughed. “It’s gotten me exactly where I want to be.” Wei Wuxian tilted his head back and arched his spine, showing off his neck and feeling his hair shift in the grass while his wrists stayed put. He watched Lan Wangji follow this movement, his eyes dark and flicking over Wei Wuxian in a way that was very distracting.

He licked his lips and Lan Wangji focused in on his mouth.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian began, fulling willing to ask for a kiss, before Lan Wangji leant down and kissed him for a long moment more.

Lan Zhan's lips lifted away from his own and a hot bolt of pain-pleasure hit him as Lan Zhan bit and sucked at his neck again, slotting his mouth into the little dip just beneath Wei Wuxian’s ear and jaw.

“Ah, not the neck!” Wei Wuxian protested, squirming away. “I only—ah—only just healed from last time. Your brother will scold me again.”

“Lower?” Lan Wangji asked and Wei Wuxian felt himself go very warm.

“Yeah. That’s fine.” Oh that was more breathless and blatantly desperate than he wanted to sound. It did mean that Lan Zhan looked back up at him though and wasn’t that just a sight.

Lan Wangji’s touch was reverent as he released one of Wei Wuxian’s hands and slid his own along the skin of Wei Wuxian’s clavicle, deft fingers sliding beneath fabric. He felt all the breath leave his body at once in a desperate breath. Lan Zhan’s eyes flicked back up to his face at this, gaze absolutely scalding in its intensity. Slowly, he slid the hand up to rest against Wei Wuxian’s throat, not once blinking so as not to miss the way Wei Wuxian felt himself shudder. The hand continued to sit warm and firm on his neck as Lan Zhan leant back up to kiss him again, Wei Wuxian arching his body into the other, pulling at the back of his robes—

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” came a sudden angry yell.

Wei Wuxian groaned, feeling Lan Zhan’s mouth leave his, whispering, “Why?!” and then more loudly, “Jiang Cheng!”

Wei Wuxian quickly scurried to his feet when he realised Jiang Cheng had his sword halfway drawn, striding determinedly towards Lan Wangji. “Whoah, whoah, Jiang Cheng relax, everything’s fine!”

“It looked like he was holding you down and attacking you!”

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian replied flatly, “sometimes that’s how kissing works.”

“I don’t think Teacher Lan is going to like that,” Jiang Cheng said, looking a little wrong footed and not quite sure that was the bit he should be focusing on.

Wei Wuxian lost control of his mouth, “Teacher Lan already knows and so does Uncle Jiang and he’s coming in a couple of days because apparently they think its a good idea we get engaged, and shijie and I were going to tell you tonight, but then Xichen asked you to be our chaperone this afternoon and then you wandered off so here we are!” He finished with a flourish before adding, “Also, it’s not like he can get me pregnant so I don’t exactly see the point of us being followed around, but we are being good about it. Mostly.”

Wei Wuxian felt two sets of eyes on him then, Jiang Cheng with his mouth hanging open and looking absolutely scandalised, and Lan Wangji was staring at him with wide eyes and flaming pink ears. He could do nothing but laugh at both of them. “Lan Zhan, Lan er-gege,” Wei Wuxian began with a wicked smile, still laughing as he leaned over into Lan Wangji’s space and touched his cheek, “what are you thinking about, huh?”

“Stop!” Jiang Cheng said firmly, stepping in closer and shoving Wei Wuxian back, still cackling as he went. Wei Wuxian smiled at the glare Jiang Cheng didn’t see being sent his way from the Second Jade. “You, come with me,” Jiang Cheng said, sheathing his sword, grabbing Wei Wuxian’s elbow, and dragging him off. Wei Wuxian noticed an aborted movement from Lan Wangji, seeming to go to grab and rescue him from his brother.

Wei Wuxian shook his head and waved him off, calling, “I’ll be back!”

Lan Wangji gave him a short nod and returned to sit on the rug they had left behind, picking up a book, definitely reading it and not watching them leave. Wei Wuxian smiled and then refocused on where he was being taken.

They stopped walking when Lan Zhan was out of sight, with Jiang Cheng pulling him to a stop and very concisely asking, “What the actual fuck, Wei Wuxian?”

“Lan Zhan and I are getting married.”

“I got that much. How? Why? When?”

“Uh lets see. How; apparently Teacher Lan suggested the engagement a month ago to Uncle Jiang, which is still the most outlandish thing I think anyone has ever suggested to me. Why; not sure? Because our elders say so I guess, also it gives us good ties to Gusu Lan which is pretty great. When; we found out two days ago when Teacher Lan and Xichen caught us on the library floor but—” A hand was shoved over his mouth.

“—Ugh! Why are you like this?!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed.

Wei Wuxian shoved the hand off. “I wasn’t finished!”

“I don’t want to hear about it!”

“Fine!”

A beat.

“You said jie knew?” Jiang Cheng asked sullenly.

“Shijie knew before I did,” Wei Wuxian replied slinging his arm over his brother’s shoulder. “Uncle Jiang asked her about it before he agreed to the proposal. We were going to tell you tonight at dinner.”

Jiang Cheng frowned and shoved him off. “Why not sooner?”

“Shijie’s teacher isn’t away so she has classes, and do you really think you’d believe me on my own if I told you?” Wei Wuxian argued. “Oh, Jiang Cheng, my sweet and most favourite shidi, Uncle Jiang and Teacher Lan decided I should marry Lan Zhan; want to help me plan the wedding? How plausible does that sound to you?”

Jiang Cheng scowled. “Fine, yes, that does sound like some sort of bullshit you’d try on me.” A pause. “You want me to help plan your wedding too?”

“Of course! You had some great ideas for shijie’s wedding and obviously I want mine to be good, though not as good as hers of course, we’re never going to be able to top what we’ve got so far,” he said seriously.

“Fine.” Jiang Cheng punched him on the arm. “That’s for not telling me sooner and sneaking of to kiss your Lan Zhan and making our sect look bad for being so shameless!”

Wei Wuxian laughed and pulled his brother in for a hug.

“Teacher Lan really thought it was a good idea?” Jiang Cheng asked skeptically, face pressed into his shoulder.

Wei Wuxian hummed thoughtfully. “Apparently. I don’t get it either.”

“But it’s what you want?”

Wei Wuxian leant his head against his brother’s, pressing his lips together. Had anyone asked him a week ago what his ideal future would look like, it probably would have been wildly different. Now though? Now that he had seen the truth of things and he’d had Lan Zhan in his arms? He never wanted anything else ever again. “So much,” he said softly.

“I don’t get it, no matter how handsome Lan Wangji is, he’s too boring,” Jiang Cheng muttered.

Wei Wuxian shoved him off, laughing. “He is not, he’s just shy.”

Jiang Cheng shot him a skeptical look, rolling his eyes and his lip curling up just a little. “Come on, I need to go give Second Young Master Lan a threatening conversation.”

“Jiang Cheng, no! Lan Zhan doesn’t need one!”

“Has Zewu-Jun given you one?” Jiang Cheng asked.

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “Uh, like, a very mild one. It was very polite and earnest. Exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from him.”

“Well, Lan Wangji had better get used to your family not being like that!” Jiang Cheng asserted and continued on his war path back to their picnic spot, Wei Wuxian hurrying after him.

As they arrived, Nie Huaisang and Wen Ning had returned, the former looking a little sheepish.

“You!” Jiang Cheng began, striding up to Lan Zhan as he stood up from the ground with perfect posture and an even facial expression. Wei Wuxian threw him an apologetic smile. “Wei Wuxian is my brother. If you are to be married then I expect you to treat him properly, and that means respecting him and not fooling around”—Wei Wuxian shook his head vehemently at Lan Zhan from behind his brother, while Jiang Cheng continued, unaware of the silent conversation going on behind him—“and if you ever break his heart I will break your legs, Jade of Gusu or not, got it?”

Lan Wangji nodded seriously. “Mn.”

“Good.” Jiang Cheng let out a breath looking rather pleased with himself. “Remember it.”

“You given that talk to the peacock?” Wei Wuxian asked, pressing down the swell of affectionate tears that threatened to bead in his eyes.

“Not yet,” Jiang Cheng scowled, “but I will.”

“Congratulations, Young Master Wei, Second Young Master Lan.” Wen Ning said brightly.

“Ah, not yet, not yet, don’t curse it before it happens!” Wei Wuxian said quickly, walking over and leaning up against Lan Zhan. “Do it in like two days when it’s official — and don’t tell anyone, not even your sister, okay?”

Wen Ning nodded seriously.

Nie Huaisang watched the whole thing with fascinated eyes, and Wei Wuxian could see the wheels turning in Jiang Cheng’s head as he noticed that.

“You knew, didn’t you. That’s why you dragged us off,” Jiang Cheng said, narrowing his eyes at Nie Huaisang who was suddenly once again hiding behind his fan. “Why did you know?”

“He worked it out,” Wei Wuxian tried, exaggerating the truth a little. “That’s not my fault.”

“It wasn't hard. Wei-xiong’s neck looked like it had been attacked by a dog,” Nie Huaisang supplied helpfully. 

Jiang Cheng looked mortified and then glared at Lan Wangji who did not seem perturbed in the slightest. Wei Wuxian covered his mouth to hide his smile.

“Still think he’s uptight?” Wei Wuxian asked.

Jiang Cheng turned the glare on him. “I hate the both of you.”

Wei Wuxian just grinned right back.

Slowly, Jiang Cheng settled again and all of them returned to the peaceful atmosphere they had cultivated before everything went a bit off track, though Jiang Cheng kept throwing peanut shells at the pair of them whenever Wei Wuxian went to touch Lan Wangji or vice versa. Lan Wangji seemed disgruntled by this, but Wei Wuxian was just happy his brother had accepted it and was behaving in a way that said he was happy for them. He should probably provide Lan Wangji with some Jiang Cheng-to-regular-human-emotion translation tips. It also probably didn’t help that his and Jiang Cheng’s relationship was very different to Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen’s.

As the sun started to dim, the light stretching long and orange tinged across the field, the five of them packed up their things and headed back into the Cloud Recesses. Wei Wuxian tried to give Lan Zhan a quick kiss goodbye but he was thoroughly blocked by Jiang Cheng, who herded him off to see their sister, grousing about protecting their sect’s good name.

“You know, you’re doing yourself no favours here, Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian returned, poking his brother in the side. “What about when you have a pretty girl you like and I won’t let you have a moments peace, hm?”

Jiang Cheng sniffed. “We can re-discuss it after Father has been. You are not disgracing our sect before you’ve at least got the safety net of an official betrothal.”

Wei Wuxian hated when his brother made sense. “Fine.”

Shijie was sitting at the table in the courtyard, woven basket set before her as they walked over. “Good evening, A-Cheng, A-Xian,” she greeted, smiling warmly. “Did you have a fun afternoon? The weather seemed perfect; myself and the other girls were all very disappointed to have to remain indoors.”

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian agreed. “We had a picnic with Nie Huaisang, Wen Ning, and Lan Zhan.” The both of them sat down. “Also we don’t need to tell Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian began, not wanting his shijie to stress for any longer than needed.

Jiang Yanli brightened. “Oh, did you tell him already?”

“I caught them kissing in the grass,” Jiang Cheng grumbled.

“A-Xian!” she scolded, though there was the glint of a smile in her eyes. “Really, how scandalous.”

“Lan Zhan started it.” That was, at least, technically the truth.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at him, adding, “I have already had words with him and Lan Wangji about it.”

Shijie grinned playfully. “Ah, A-Cheng, were you protecting A-Xian’s innocence for him?"

“He doesn’t have any to protect,” Jiang Cheng said.

“Yes I do,” Wei Wuxian argued, indignant, “Xianxian is only a baby after all.”

“If you’re a baby you definitely can’t get married,” Jiang Cheng shot back, smacking his shoulder. “Stop trying to get jiejie to save you.”

“So horrible to me,” he grumbled, rubbing his arm.

Jiang Yanli patted her hand on her basket. “Alright, alright, enough of that. Let’s have dinner before it gets cold.” She passed out bowls to the both of them and then herself. She carefully scooped soup out of the container and into their waiting bowls, Wei Wuxian inhaling the familiar warm scent of pork rib and lotus soup. Oh he’d missed his sister’s cooking. They got so much more of it back in Lotus Pier.

Wei Wuxian closed his eyes as he took the first bite, savouring the flavour of the lotus root and the way the meat melted in his mouth. Ah his shijie really was the best at cooking. The three of them ate in silence and Wei Wuxian felt very irritated about the fact that they were still following Lan rules, but he also realised its because the food was too good to stop eating long enough to speak. The only word that was spoken was an inquisitive, “More?” from Jiang Yanli when both young men finished their first bowl, and was eagerly met with two sets of nods.

“Shijie, your soup is the best,” Wei Wuxian sighed happily, leaning on the table as she refilled his bowl.

The three Yunmeng Jiang siblings sat around the table in pleasant conversation as the light continued to fade around them. Then as it became difficult to see without any of them lighting a candle, Jiang Yanli said, “Teacher Lan will be back tomorrow, so the two of you best get some rest before class." They nodded in agreement, Wei Wuxian letting out a long yawn. She then went from Jiang Cheng to Wei Wuxian, petting each of them on the side of their head and pausing in front of him. “How soon is Father coming, A-Xian?”

“Not tomorrow. I think the day after?” He had not really been given a clear date, but all signs had been pointing to that.

Jiang Yanli nodded. “Alright. Well, goodnight you two. Sleep well.”

They both bid her goodnight and headed back to their quarters, Jiang Cheng sequestering himself in his room, and Wei Wuxian in his. He grinned and started fishing beneath his mattress.

He had a book to read.

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji sat on his bed shortly after five am, cross legged and staring at the wooden comb in his fingers, his breathing a little ragged. He ran the pad of his thumb over the small carvings, feeling the grain of the wood and the little carved faces of the rabbits against his skin. It was very cute and not something he would ever allow himself to buy, yet he loved it very dearly. He pressed the gift to his lips and closed his eyes for a long moment, chasing away the last remnants of the dream that had woken him. Then he began to comb his hair.

The past three days had been like a dream.

He had kept expecting to wake up or for Xichen to tell him it had all been an elaborate and tasteless joke the first evening their engagement was announced. It was just absolutely too good to possibly be true, but no-one ever called the bluff. Then there had been a very real fear on that first night that he would wake up and it hadn’t happened. Or perhaps it had and Wei Wuxian had changed his mind overnight and wanted nothing to do with Lan Wangji ever again. He’d slept very poorly that night, for once his rigid bedtime abandoning him to lay in the dark and fret over every possible way this could fall apart in one rotation of the moon.

Then he had done as his brother had asked, seeking Wei Wuxian out the next morning and inviting him to Caiyi with himself and Xichen to find a dizi. Wei Wuxian had been unabashedly thrilled to see him, if a bit nervous. He had also immediately reached out and twined their fingers together with a questioning glance, apparently feeling some of the same fears. Lan Wangji had curled their fingers closer and kissed his hand and everything had settled into place. Their excursion with Xichen felt suspiciously like a date, but one with his brother lurking in the background, which was less than ideal. However, he was still very willing to take it if it meant spending time with Wei Wuxian who kept smiling at him like that.

He also hadn’t intended for Wei Wuxian’s (their?) friends to find out quite like they had, but he also didn’t regret any of it either. The bruises Nie Huaisang had spied on Wei Wuxian’s neck had brought him an unexpected amount of pride and a surge of possessiveness. The compromising position Jiang Wanyin had found them in didn’t phase him; Wei Wuxian had teased him about that book when he had given it back, and he had wanted to show him exactly what he thought of that. He’d had to push that urge down in the library, held that emotion tight to his chest until they were alone, and then Wei Wuxian had been so very responsive to his advances and Jiang Wanyin could dislike that all he wanted, it wasn’t going to stop them—

He let out a breath.

Uncle was back today, which meant classes would return to normal. On the one hand, it had been pleasant to have a couple of days to readjust to the sudden and new changes to his life. On the other, Lan Wangji liked his routines, most of which currently involved Wei Ying, so he was also very glad for things to be back to the way they were.

He carefully began putting his hair up, keeping it to the more casual style he wore at home and cinching it together with the comb, foregoing any silvered decoration for today. He wanted to wear this one today, so he would. He then quickly finished getting dressed, already having wasted enough time with his hair and calming his mind after his dream last night. Wei Wuxian haunted him in both his waking and sleeping hours, and while he absolutely had no wish to change that, it was a very distracting.

He was waved down by a Lan disciple on his way to the dining hall and redirected to his Uncle’s home. He was greeted by both Uncle and Xichen standing and speaking within the house, food set out on the table. From the quick snatch of conversation he heard, they were discussing the warded section of the back hill again.

“Good morning Wangji,” Uncle Qiren and Xichen said in succession, turning to greet him, with Lan Wangji returning the courtesy, before the three of them sat down. Breakfast was served and the three of them ate in their usual companionable silence.

“How have things been since I was away?” Uncle Qiren asked of Xichen when the last set of chopsticks had been put down.

“Good,” Lan Xichen said and relayed a quick summary of the goings on within the sect and the behaviour of the guest disciples, none of which was new information to Lan Wangji.

“I hear you both went into Caiyi with Wei Wuxian?” He felt his uncle’s gaze briefly light on the wooden piece in his hair.

“Mn. Found Wei Ying a dizi,” Lan Wangji said.

“Which speaking of, I was hoping to be able to steal Wei Wuxian once a week for musical cultivation lessons?” Xichen asked, drawing their Uncle’s attention.

Uncle hummed thoughtfully for a moment and then said, “Take him from one of the morning guest disciple classes. Any day that suits you. He needs to be there about as much as Wangji does.”

Xichen let out a little laugh and nodded. “I will let you know then once I’ve had a look at my schedule for next week. Now, it must be time for classes, right Wangji?”

He nodded and took this as his cue to leave, picking up his sword and walking briskly to the Lanshi to watch as the other students arrived.

“Morning, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said brightly, appearing in the doorway and bounding over to stand beside him.

“Good morning, Wei Ying,” he replied taking a quiet moment to look him over. He appeared tired, a few strands of hair out of place and his robes a little crooked. He definitely looked like he had thrown himself out of bed very hastily this morning. He noticed as Wei Wuxian eyes flickered over his own face and up into his hair.

“Dressing down today?” Wei Wuxian asked, subdued. “You know you don’t have to wear it in public. I know it’s a little silly.”

Lan Wangji did not care that the carving was frivolous. It was beautiful and a gift from Wei Ying, he was going to wear it. “I like it.”

“Alright.” Wei Wuxian smiled more earnestly. “You know," he whispered, stepping in too close to be proper and sliding his hand over Lan Wangji’s chest to dip into the fold of his robe, getting one layer closer to skin, “I thought of you, last night. That book was fascinating and I can’t wait to finish it tonight.”

Lan Wangji had never been so glad that the room was still mostly empty so that no-one was witness to how suddenly flushed he felt. His ears burned as he glared at Wei Wuxian who was blithely grinning back. Wei Wuxian had played this particular game with him yesterday and already his words had plagued his dreams enough.

“Wei Wuxian,” Lan Qiren said, striding past them both to reach his desk, “return to your seat.”

“I swear he can read my mind,” Wei Wuxian muttered, pouting. He removed his hand and, doing as asked, called out, “Good morning, Teacher Lan!” which Uncle returned.

Lan Wangji watched Wei Wuxian go, chest still burning where his hand had rested. He placed his own hand over it and sat down, willing his heartbeat to settle. One day soon Wei Wuxian was going to have to take responsibility for his words.

Class resumed as usual once everyone else arrived, Uncle lecturing the guest disciples as they took notes and asking questions at random. Wei Wuxian was clearly not listening. He was furiously scribbling when they were meant to be having a discussion, and staring into space when everyone else was taking notes. A short period into his blatant inattention, Uncle Qiren paced the floor as he often did and paused by Wei Wuxian’s desk to peer at his work. Uncle appeared to read a few of his notes, to the complete obliviousness of Wei Wuxian, and then nodded his head in interested approval. He said nothing, allowing Wei Wuxian to keep working on whatever it was he was chipping away at. He wondered at the contents.

Lunch passed and soon enough Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were sitting down again, though Wei Wuxian was much more focused on organising the notes at his table. Lan Wangji turned his head as two sets of footsteps entered the Lanshi and saw both Uncle and Xichen coming to join them.

Lan Wangji sent his brother a questioning glance, though Xichen just smiled back at him and glanced toward Wei Wuxian where he was now looking excitedly at Lan Wangji’s family.

Hm.

Wei Wuxian was practically vibrating in his seat as he waited for Lan Qiren to sit at his table, with Xichen moving to seat himself on another edge, looking down at the both of them.

“Xichen said you had an idea you wished to share,” Uncle Qiren said.

“Yes!” Wei Wuxian said, bouncing up from his seat, his hands behind his back. “Okay, so, I’ve been thinking about the Waterborne Abyss, and I think I have an idea that might be able to get rid of it without having to drain the lake, which as we know, is very big and going to cause a lot of problems.” Lan Wangji noticed his Uncle’s brow furrow interestedly. Xichen was smiling at him the same way he often smiled at Wangji. “So my idea centres around two things—and I’d like everyone’s input once I’m done but—the nature of a Waterborne Abyss and the nature of protective talismans and resentful energy.” Wei Wuxian paused.

“Please continue,” Xichen pressed.

“Ah. A Waterborne Abyss comes about from too many water ghouls in one body of water, and water ghouls come from human drownings,” Wei Wuxian laid out, leading them through his thinking. “So it’s the combined resentful energy of many smaller spirits which create a much larger entity, yes?”

All three Lan clan members nodded.

“So my thought is that we can undo it in the same way!”

“Undo it?” Xichen asked, frowning.

“Okay, okay, let me keep going, there’s a few steps between here and there,” Wei Wuxian said and grabbed the papers he had been fiddling with earlier off of his desk. “So, I’ve been thinking about protective talismans and how they work by repelling resentful energy—”

“You want us to repel the Abyss?” Lan Wangji asked, frowning.

“Lan Zhan, shush, I’m getting there,” Wei Wuxian replied. “It’s forbidden to speak over people you know.”

Lan Wangji’s mouth clicked shut.

Xichen pressed his lips together, edges of his mouth quirking. Wangji did not glare at him.

“What I’m thinking is instead of repelling the energy with a talisman, we pull it in.”

“There is no such talisman,” Uncle Qiren said because it was true.

“There is now!” Wei Wuxian said excitedly, placing a piece of paper in front of his uncle. “I’ve been doing a lot of reading and I think this should work to pull resentful spirits toward it.” He started placing more papers down and pointing at them. “I also think I’ve worked out how to adjust the strength, depending on what you want it for.”

Lan Qiren picked it up, eyes focused and stroking his beard as he read.

“I’ve included most of my research notes with it,” he added, slapping down another, slightly thicker pile of papers. “Also, haven’t fully tested it yet, I didn’t want to do that alone,” he laughed.

Lan Wangji stood up, unable to resist any longer, and moved to stand behind Xichen to have a look at the papers. Lan Wangji read as much as he could over his brother’s shoulder, but everything he read made sense, the research behind it thorough and clearly explained. The basic talisman itself was also an incredible feat, neat and only a few strokes different from warding ones, making this a very easy thing for cultivators to learn and almost an insult to the cultivation world for never coming up with such a thing. It read Wei Wuxian all over. The other sheets with talismans of varying strength were highly comprehensive.

“Wuxian, this is incredible work,” Xichen said, echoing Wangji’s thoughts—and that pulled him up short for a moment, when had the familiarity between Xichen and Wei Ying happened?

“Ah, thank you, but you know, it interested me, so,” Wei Wuxian said waving his hand and drawing Lan Wangji out of his head. “Anyway, bringing this all together, the idea is to use the talismans to lure the water ghouls out of the Waterborne Abyss in more manageable numbers, so you can kill them safely, and slowly whittle down the larger issue. Thoughts?”

Xichen handed Lan Wangji the page he had finished reading and discreetly leaned over towards Uncle for a glance at what he had. Lan Wangji focused in fully on the page he now held.

“Amazing,” Lan Wangji said, when Wei Wuxian looked at him in askance as the silence remained hanging over the room. Wei Wuxian flushed pink.

Lan Wangji decided he could read the papers later. Placing the one he had back on the table, he walked over to Wei Wuxian who watched his slow progression with smiling eyes.

“Amazing,” he said again, though softer this time as he stood close, his hand reaching out and curling around Wei Wuxian’s. He was rewarded with a flutter of eyelashes and a smile.

“Was this what you were working on in class earlier?” Lan Wangji asked, absently playing with Wei Wuxian’s fingers.

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “I had a thought over breakfast about an old cultivation device I’ve been working on adjusting. I was writing it up before I forgot.” His voice dropped lower. “I hope Teacher Lan didn’t also notice I wasn’t listening.”

“He did,” Lan Wangji said simply. “He didn’t appear to mind. He seemed interested.”

“Ah.” Wei Wuxian seemed taken aback.

“Wangji,” Lan Qiren said from his seat, “take a step back. Rule four hundred and seventy-six.”

Lan Wangji scowled and felt a burning sensation in his stomach. He stepped closer, cupped Wei Wuxian’s face with his hand, and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, Wei Wuxian swaying into the touch.

“Wangji!” Uncle barked and Lan Wangji stepped back as asked, head held high as he stared his uncle down.

Xichen was smiling at him, and then looked at Uncle and muttered, “You brought this upon yourself.”

“I am aware,” Uncle responded flatly. “Sit down, both of you.”

Lan Wangji glanced back to Wei Wuxian who was alternating between looking shocked and utterly thrilled on all accounts. Wei Wuxian winked at him as they sat down.

“May I look at your notes from this morning?” Lan Wangji asked when Uncle and Xichen continued to read in silence.

“Mn,” Wei Wuxian agreed, nodding his head and flipping through a few pages, picking out a selection and leaning across the gap between their desks. Lan Wangji took the papers carefully, laying them out and marvelling at how utterly disastrous Wei Wuxian’s handwriting was.

Lan Wangji took a long moment to read through the notes and enjoy the little scribbled asides and doodles around the edges. These notes were a far cry from the intentionally collected and clearly laid out ideas that Uncle and Xichen were reading; these were messy, highly disorganised, and read like the the path of a bird hopping from branch to branch.

In essence, Wei Wuxian seemed to be trying to recreate an old barrier array that previously was used for protecting small camps and have it affixed to a device that you would then be able to turn off and on at will. It was a highly ambitious project, and judging from the notes and the various different ink hues and textures, it was one he had been playing with for a while.

When Lan Wangji next looked over at him, finished with his reading, Wei Wuxian glanced at the other two Lans and, evidently deciding they were well enough preoccupied, slipped across the floor to sit on an adjacent side of Lan Wangji’s table.

“Followed it?” Wei Wuxian whispered.

Lan Wangji nodded.

“Okay, so I’m stuck here”—Wei Wuxian pointed to a section of the paper with a half scribbled idea on a loose page—“I can’t decide which symbols are going to make this section of the array work best to then be inscribed on the wood.” He continued on, explaining his thoughts in a hushed voice, the both of them often glancing up at the teaching desk and being relieved at finding them occupied.

“Perhaps if you swapped the positions of these two symbols, and changed this line like so?” Lan Wangji suggested, drawing his finger across the page, redirecting the path that the spiritual power would take.

“Ah Lan Zhan you’re so smart! This is why I’m marrying you,” he said decidedly, leaning forward on the table with his arms crossed, staring up at Lan Wangji. It so strongly reminded him of their first month together in the Library Pavilion, Wei Wuxian doing everything in his power to drive Lan Wangji mad with want and confusion. The overlay of the two nearly knocked the breath from him. How things have changed. “You’re also very handsome,” Wei Wuxian added softly after a moment of consideration.

Before Lan Wangji could reply, Wei Wuxian's focus was back on his notes, pulling the sheet they had been looking at back toward him and reaching for Lan Wangji’s brush, already adding to his notes and redrawing the idea.

Lan Wangji was perfectly content to watch him work. He had a habit of chewing on his lower lip as he worked and it was very distracting.

Finally, Lan Qiren cleared his throat and both he and Wei Wuxian looked up.

“This is excellent work, Wei Wuxian,” Uncle said, and Lan Wangji watched as Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened in surprise. “I cannot see any major errors in your notes, and think the talismans and your theory are worth testing.”

“Thank you.” Wei Wuxian offered a small bow of his head where they sat. “I look forward to it!”

“Would you let Xichen copy these notes now and he can return your pages to you later?” Lan Qiren asked.

“Oh, I made that copy for you,” Wei Wuxian asserted. “I have my own copies. They’re just…not particularly neat.”

Lan Wangji thought he saw a faint smile on his Uncle’s lips. “Thank you. Now, let us begin class proper. Wei Wuxian please return to your desk.”

Lan Wangji felt a warm hand squeeze his own, before Wei Wuxian was up and back in front of his desk.

“Thank you for inviting me,” Xichen said, gathering the papers and standing. “I will have think on how to present this to the clan.”

Lan Qiren nodded and Xichen took it as permission to leave.

“Let us begin with reviewing the reading I left you both with.”

Class settled back into normalcy, he and Wei Wuxian rehashing some of the discussion they had over lunch in town, now with the addition of Uncle’s arguments and pointed questioning. The afternoon sped by and soon enough they were both set free again.

“Wait for me?” Wei Wuxian asked as they tidied up. "I want to talk to your uncle for a minute.”

Lan Wangji nodded in assent and moved to stand at the base of the stairs to the Lanshi, assuming Wei Wuxian would like some privacy. The afternoon was beautifully temperate and Lan Wangji closed his eyes to feel the cool breeze on his face and inhale the smell of wood and grass floating through the buildings.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian was back, his hand grabbing his and leading him away from the Lanshi, out along a disused path to one of the more forested areas of Cloud Recesses.

“Chaperone?” Lan Wangji asked. There was no way Uncle was letting them both just run off like this.

“I swore to him that we’d be good for half an hour, then he’s coming to get us,” Wei Wuxian replied, smiling. “Please don’t make me a liar and have your uncle break the engagement before it even happens. Come on.” Wei Wuxian continued to drag him a little further until he found a clearing and sat them both down.

“What were you speaking to Uncle about?”

“We should talk, about this engagement and about what we want,” Wei Wuxian said softly.

Lan Wangji felt a sharp prick of anxiety pierce his heart.

“Ah, don’t look at me like that,” Wei Wuxian said quickly, shuffling into Lan Wangji’s space, knees just touching and taking his hand in his own, “I want you and I want this, but everything has happened so fast and I just…want to know what it all means. For us. I tried asking Teacher Lan but he told me to speak to you, so…”

Lan Wangji squeezed his hand and nodded. “Mn.”

“Ah too cute,” Wei Wuxian muttered and pecked a kiss to his chin. “Okay, okay, Lan Zhan, what do you want?”

Lan Wangji took a long moment to bask in their closeness. Their knees were just touching, their hands were intertwined, and Wei Ying was leaning in close, allowing Lan Wangji to look at him and the way his hair fell and his eyes shone. “I want whatever Wei Ying is willing to give.”

“Lan Zhaaan,” Wei Ying whined, curling forward and smashing his face into Lan Wangji’s knees, muffling his words with his robes, “you can’t say such things! You have to warn me! My heart can’t take it! You don’t want your betrothed dying before we can even get engaged properly do you?”

Lan Wangji felt a smile tug at one side of his mouth as he petted Wei Ying’s hair. “No.”

Wei Ying sat back up suddenly, face flushed. “Good.”

“What does Wei Ying want?” Lan Wangji asked.

“I…nothing. Just you.”

Lan Wangji stared at him pointedly, hoping to get his point across to Wei Wuxian.

“Wei Ying what are you worried about?” Lan Wangji pressed when he was not forthcoming.

“What’s going to happen when us guest disciples have to leave?” Wei Wuxian began nervously. “I have to go home, and I want to go home, but I also want to stay here, with you, and I know we won’t be married until after shijie and the peacock, but who knows how far off that is and then also what happens after we get married because both our brothers are going to be sect leaders and I promised Jiang Cheng I would support him and I’m sure you’ve said the same to your brother and—” Wei Wuxian deflated, seeming to run out of words. He shrugged. “I just, I don’t know.”

“We can spend time in both Gusu and Yunmeng, before and after the wedding,” Lan Wangji said, feeling that Wei Wuxian was clever enough to have had this thought as well. He suspected he had not yet found the source of Wei Ying’s worries. “We also do not have to decide everything now.”

A smile. “You’ll come visit me in Lotus Pier?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want you to forget me,” Wei Wuxian said with a laugh, clearly trying for a light tone but Lan Wangji could see it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Here was closer the heart of it. “Never. I will write. I will visit.”

“Promise?”

“Of course. I want to marry Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said as clearly as he could. “I love you.”

“Are you sure?” Wei Wuxian said in a voice much quieter then he had ever heard, eyes fixed on Lan Wangji’s chest. “It’s no secret, but I’m not exactly high born like the rest of you. I am just the son of a servant as Madam Yu likes to remind me. Are you sure you want me? I’m sure you could do much better, have a more advantageous match for your family, or someone who could give you children—”

Lan Wangji felt his whole body go cold the longer Wei Wuxian went on. He cut in, “No."

Wei Wuxian huffed. “Lan Zhan, let me finish—”

“No, Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji carefully grasped Wei Wuxian’s chin in his hand, tipping his head up to make Wei Wuxian meet his eyes. He continued to look elsewhere. “Wei Ying,” he repeated, very happy to wait until he conceded. He had had not expected to find quite so much insecurity hidden behind all this bravado.

Wei Wuxian took a breath, pressed his lips together, blinked, and then looked up. “Mm?”

“I do not want an advantageous match. I do not care about the level of your birth. Wei Ying is not 'just' anything. Wei Ying is Wei Ying who is clever and beautiful and ridiculous—”

“And shameless?”

Lan Wangji nodded, tucking some stray strands of hair behind Wei Wuxian’s ear, his heart fluttering with the knowledge that he was allowed to. “Very shameless. We can adopt if we want children.”

“Ah, I really do think I might love you,” Wei Wuxian said, blinking quickly.

He leant forward and kissed Wei Ying’s cheek, the hand that had tidied his hair coming to cup his other cheek.

“Aiyah, Lan Zhan, I promised,” Wei Wuxian said, stuttering as Lan Wangji trailed a hand down his neck. “Stop it!” He laughed, batting Lan Wangji away with his hands, though pressed a brief kiss to his knuckles. “What I don’t get is why your uncle is letting this happen?” Wei Wuxian continued, still holding the hand he’d kissed. “I mean, you might be okay with marrying me but, your uncle? Your family? I don’t see what they get out of it besides ties to the Jiang Yunmeng sect, which yes, sure, is all well and good, but again, I’m not a blood relation of the Jiang clan and—your uncle hated me the first month I was here.”

“Uncle has since changed his opinion. He quite likes you now. Xichen has always liked you. He always encouraged our friendship to me. Also”—Lan Wangji looked away for a moment—“they both realised I was in love with you.”

Wei Wuxian blinked at him, seemingly waiting. “Wait, that’s it?” he asked after a long pause. “Your family went, oh, Lan Zhan is in love, guess we have to get them married even though it gains us very little politically?”

How to explain how deeply lonely he had been for so long, the inability to connect with others and the depths and strength of his emotions and how much easier it was to just shut it all away. How he hadn’t really known the notes of happiness until four months ago, and he’d discovered new unexplored chords in the past few days. How to explain the family history of fathomless devotion and the futility of steering Lan Wangji away from the sirens call of Wei Wuxian.

He settled on, “You are my fated person. They want me to be happy.”

Wei Ying let out a short, nervous laugh, and then looked up at him through damp lashes, a smile still on his lips. “I make you happy?”

“Extremely happy.” Lan Wangji leant their foreheads together, pressing the metal of his headband against Wei Wuxian’s skin and feeling a thrill at the line he was toeing.

“Wangji,” Uncle Qiren called, startling them both. Clearly their time was up. “Rule two hundred and eighty-six.”

“Soon,” Lan Wangji breathed, just pulling back. Wei Wuxian looked at him with a mixture of confusion and excitement, his eyes darting over Lan Wangji’s face.

He had a plan. Once the engagement was official, he knew a few places where they could go where it would be difficult to be found. He very much disliked being watched by people he neither knew nor trusted, and he suspected that Uncle Qiren was going to make good on his chaperone promise, especially once the engagement was finalised. Lan Wangji wanted to be able to just be Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, and to do so they were going to have to be proficient in slipping away.

“Wangji,” his uncle repeated, closer now, his footfalls having stopped a few feet away.

“Yes, Uncle.” Lan Wangji stood up, offering a hand to Wei Wuxian who took it and allowed himself to be pulled up.

Uncle Qiren inclined his head toward the path and the three of them began their walk back to the main buildings.

“Did you do as I suggested?” Lan Qiren asked Wei Wuxian, who trotted up to walk beside him. Lan Wangji remained a short distance behind, just listening.

“Mn,” Wei Wuxian agreed, nodding his head.

“Did it answer your question?”

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian replied, and then made a huffing sound when Uncle Qiren shot him a look. He still smiled as he tried again. “Yes, Teacher Lan.”

“You are very like your mother,” Uncle said after a moment of silence, returning his gaze forward.

“My mother?” Wei Wuxian asked, hopping forward, trying to catch Lan Qiren’s eye again. “You knew her? What was she like?”

“We were classmates. Why don’t we discuss it when we next have class,” Uncle said. “I have business after dinner tonight. I must discuss your suggestion with the Waterborne Abyss with other key members of the clan. Then we will be very busy with the Yunmeng Jiang party for a few days.”

Wei Wuxian pouted, but nodded, dropping back to walk with Lan Wangji, discreetly catching his hand. Lan Wangji could not help twining their fingers together and stroking his thumb along the soft skin.

Uncle Qiren cleared his throat and they both dropped their hands, Wei Wuxian grinning mischievously as they did so. “See?” Wei Wuxian whispered at him. “He can read our minds!”

The next morning passed as so many others had, with breakfast, guest disciple classes, and lunch. Then he and the others were left to their own devices as they waited for the Jiang contingent to arrive. He wasn’t needed there to welcome their guests, with Xichen and Uncle completing that duty. So instead, he, Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang, and some of the Jin disciples including Jin Zixuan were working in the library.

Lan Wangji was focused on the book he was copying, but his mind kept slipping sideways to the young man beside him. They were once again sharing a desk, partially out of necessity, but mostly because Wei Wuxian had sat down beside him and Lan Wangji did not have it in him to make him move. Either way it meant there was a long line of warmth against his leg where they were pressed together. His desk partner appeared to be continuing his previous efforts on the warding device with three books open in front of him and his notes slowly encroaching on Lan Wangji’s side of the desk. It was a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

“There!” Wei Wuxian said with a dramatic flick of his brush as he put a finishing stroke on his work. Unfortunately, this meant spraying Lan Wangji and his paper in a light rain of ink.

“Careful,” Lan Wangji admonished, quickly dabbing at the ink in the hopes it wouldn’t stain too badly.

“Aiyah! Sorry, sorry! I got too carried away!” Then Wei Wuxian was attempting to help him clean it up, pressing up against his side to reach his things. They managed to get most of it, but some splotches still remained, ink too deep into the paper to be removed. “Ah, I really am sorry,” Wei Wuxian said still leaning up against him and bumping his head against Lan Wangji’s. “At least I missed your clothes.”

“Mn.” He turned his head to look at Wei Wuxian, who was suddenly pressing his lips together and bursting into laughter.

“Ah, Lan Zhan, I think I got ink on your face,” he said, expression far too pleased about the fact. “You must have rubbed your hand on it.”

Lan Wangji half raised a hand to his face, only now noticing the stain there, and then frowned, not knowing where the ink was to be able to fix it.

“Let me, let me,” Wei Wuxian said, pushing his hand aside. He bunched up the hem of his sleeve and very carefully dabbed at Lan Wangji’s cheek. Of course, instead of looking at what he was doing, Wei Wuxian spent the long moment staring right into his eyes. There may have still been a good distance between their faces, but that gaze felt like a touch. Lan Wangji swallowed, clenching his hands where they rested on the desk.

Then Wei Wuxian’s eyes slid to the side and lit up, his whole body sitting straighter as his demeanour shifted from flirtatious to excited. He pulled away, moving swiftly up from his seat. Lan Wangji followed the movement and found Uncle Qiren and Sect Leader Jiang standing at the door to the Library. He felt his ears burn.

“Uncle Jiang!” Wei Wuxian said excitedly, striding over and quickly bowing. “You made it!”

“I did.”

There was an exchange of pleasantries and Lan Wangji took the moment to tidy their things and make a pile on the desk. Then he stood and made his way over to properly introduce himself. He noted Nie Huaisang and Jin Zixuan openly watching with interest, the other guest cultivators clearly listening, but not overtly looking.

Sect Leader Jiang was flanked by four Jiang senior disciples, all of whom looked very well put together. It was a proper diplomatic party and Lan Wangji felt relived that this was being taken seriously. He hadn’t doubted it, and yet. He'd never had much to do with the Jiang Sect Leader before but he thought he had an open, genial face.

He paused beside Wei Wuxian, who turned his head quickly, grinning brightly and quickly introduced them. “Uncle Jiang, this is Lan Zhan! Actually, you’ve probably met each other before, huh.”

Lan Wangji offered him a highly respectful bow. “I am pleased to meet you again, Sect Leader Jiang.”

“Ah, Lan Zhan you don’t need to be so formal,” Wei Wuxian whispered, bumping against him. Lan Wangji ignored him.

Sect Leader Jiang bowed in return. “You as well, Lan Wangji.”

“There was something you wanted to request?” Uncle said, prompting him.

“I would like to speak privately with A-Xian and Lan Wangji,” Sect Leader Jiang said, his eyes glancing over the both of them.

“Of course. Would you like a room?” Uncle Qiren asked.

Sect Leader Jiang shook his head. “No. How about we take a walk.”

Wei Wuxian perked up, nodding and hurrying to follow his uncle out, Lan Wangji following behind as his heart rate kicked up. Wei Wuxian turned back once he reached Sect Leader Jiang, offering Lan Wangji an encouraging smile and a tilt of his head.

“Any paths you recommend?” Sect Leader Jiang asked as the three of them left the building.

Lan Wangji nodded seriously, extending his hand and indicating to their left. He did not often care for people's perception of him, but he very much cared for what Sect Leader Jiang would think of him. Wei Wuxian had always spoken highly of his adoptive guardian and Lan Wangji wanted him to approve. He still had the power to call everything off and Lan Wangji was not sure that he wouldn’t convince Wei Wuxian to elope if that happened.

The three of them paused in a grove of bamboo, the light filtering in between the stalks.

“I have only heard about your stay from A-Li’s letters,” Sect Leader Jiang said to Wei Wuxian. “How has it been?”

Wei Wuxian launched into a long, exited spiel about what he’d been up to in the Cloud Recesses. He linked his and Lan Wangji’s arms together, elbow’s slotted as he talked about their lessons together. He told his uncle about some of the more interesting books he had read, the fact he’d picked up the dizi again to learn from Xichen, the fun afternoons he has had with Jiang Cheng and the others, a prank he’d played on his brother a few weeks back, and their adventure with the Waterborne Abyss with an abridged version of his idea to deal with it. Sect Leader Jiang nodded through the telling, asking the occasional question while Lan Wangji’s arm swayed as Wei Wuxian teetered back and forth as he spoke, stones crunching breath their feet.

“You have been happy here then?” Sect Leader Jiang asked when Wei Wuxian ran out of words.

“After we got past the first month,” Wei Wuxian agreed. “Teacher Lan and I had a rocky start.”

“So I have heard. Lan Wangji, I hear from many sources that you are a highly accomplished young man,” Sect Leader Jiang said, turning his attention onto him.

Lan Wangji felt his back straighten and he inclined his head, unsure of what to say, settling on, “Thank you, Sect Leader Jiang.” He felt Wei Wuxian sway closer into his side and, without looking, could imagine the smile there.

“Lan Zhan is the best,” Wei Wuxian asserted.

“Tell me about their visit from your perspective,” Sect Leader Jiang said, watching him.

It felt like a test, but there was only one way he could answer, and that was honestly. Lan Wangji spoke at length about their time here. Of initial misbehaviours that Sect Leader Jiang seemed unsurprised by while Wei Wuxian smiled sheepishly at him, and of how everyone settled in. He spoke of classes indoor and outdoor with all of the disciples together and then of just he and Wei Wuxian’s evening classes, extending their learning with his uncle. He spoke of how impressed they all were with Wei Wuxian’s eager intelligence and inventive mind, and how much he enjoyed his company.

“Lan Zhan you don’t have to talk me up so much,” Wei Wuxian murmured, cheeks flushing prettily.

Lan Wangji stared back at him. “Lying is forbidden.”

Wei Wuxian punched him in the arm.

“I was very surprised to receive Master Lan’s letter,” Sect Leader Jiang said slowly drawing both their attention. “If not for A-Li’s letters telling me how close the two of you were, I think I would not have believed it and thought Master Lan to be having a qi deviation.”

Wei Wuxian went still beside him.

“After speaking with Master Lan, through correspondence and over tea this afternoon, it is clear that he thinks highly of the both of you. He tells me you complement and challenge each other well and that you have grown rather attached to one another. So far I have seen nothing to the contrary of these statements.”

Lan Wangji nodded, staring at their connected arms, his heart fluttering nervously.

Sect Leader Jiang spoke in a measured tone. “I only have one question for you, A-Xian; your parents would have wanted you to have a happy, loving marriage, like theirs. I don’t want you agreeing to this out of a sense of obligation. Is this what you want?

Lan Wangji watched as Wei Wuxian pressed his lips together, seeming to weigh his words. Then all he said was, “Please.”

Sect Leader Jiang nodded, smiling gently and holding his hand out in front of Wei Wuxian who leapt forward and wrapped his arms around his uncle. The two exchanged quiet words that Lan Wangji tuned out, knowing they were not for his ears. Instead he watched the bamboo sway and accidentally fell into thought about all the ways he would like to touch Wei Wuxian’s hands.

“Lan Wangji.” Sect Leader Jiang’s voice drew him out of his head. Wei Wuxian was back to standing at his side. “I would like to formally invite you to stay at Lotus Pier after my children have finished their learning here in the Cloud Recesses.”

“I would be honoured,” he replied. “I will ask Uncle.”

Sect Leader Jiang smiled. “He has already agreed.”

Lan Wangji nodded, bright excitement bursting into fireworks in his chest. Wei Wuxian was smiling radiantly at him and Lan Wangji could not push down the quirk of happiness at his lip.

“Ah, Uncle Jiang, look, you made him smile!” Wei Wuxian crooned, stepping into the gap between them, thumbing at Lan Wangji’s cheek.

“A-Xian,” Sect Leader Jiang scolded and Wei Wuxian stepped back without argument, his finger only briefly trailing down his neck. Lan Wangji already missed the touch. “Let us return. I should like to see A-Li and A-Cheng before dinner.”

“Is Madam Yu here?” Wei Wuxian asked hesitantly as they walked back.

“No, she was needed in Lotus Pier,” Sect Leader Jiang replied.

A pause.

“What did she think?” he asked.

Sect Leader Jiang offered him a smile. “She seemed pleased.”

Wei Wuxian stopped walking for a half-second and mouthed the word ‘pleased’ mostly to himself, a deep frown creasing his brow. Wei Wuxian did not speak of her often, and so far Lan Wangji had only been able to infer that Madam Yu did not much like Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji was sure there were gaps in his understanding of Wei Wuxian’s family and he resolved to learn more on his visit.

Wei Wuxian threw Lan Wangji a questioning look, clearly still trying to pick apart Sect Leader Jiang’s words, but he could only stare back, unable to provide any input on the words of a woman he barely knew of. He assumed she was likely to be pleased about the alliance and security it would bring. Having one child married to Lanling Jin and another to Gusu Lan would be incredibly advantageous, especially with the both of them being high status members of their respective clans.

“Ah it will be so good to have you at Lotus Pier, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian began, shaking off the mood, linking their arms again and leaning into his side. “I can show you all the best places!”

Lan Wangji listened to him talk all the way back.

That evening found curious eyes on the Jiang family in the dining hall. Lan Wangji spied many inquisitive looks from both outer clan members and guest disciples as to why Clan Leader Jiang was visiting his children when none of them had caused any known disturbances recently. He noticed most glances landing on Wei Wuxian, assuming whatever it was, it was likely his fault. While true, Lan Wangji didn’t like the immediate suspicion and proceeded to glare at any disciples seen whispering over dinner. Given the threat of punishment, it ceased.

Afterward he took some time to find a quiet spot in the garden to meditate. He’d been neglecting it the past few days, too caught up in Wei Ying and the way things were changing.

“Second Young Master Lan!” a bright voice called and Lan Wangji paused and turned to find Lady Jiang walking towards him.

He bowed as she did, her eyes bright and excited to see him.

“Good evening, Lady Jiang,” he greeted.

“Please call me Jiang Yanli.”

He nodded. “Of course. Call me Lan Wangji.”

“It is a beautiful evening, is it not, Lan Wangji?” she asked, turning toward the garden before them, taking in the blooms of the blue flowers.

“Mn,” he agreed.

“I have heard that A-Cheng has already given you a talking to about A-Xian?” Jiang Yanli pressed and Lan Wangji nodded. “He likes you very much. Please take care of him.”

“Of course.”

“A-Xian was very excited to tell us you will be coming home with us at the end of our lessons here,” she said, turning back to look at him. “I hope to get to know you better during your stay.”

"You as well."

“I wish you both a smooth engagement and I hope my marriage to Young Master Jin does not keep you from yours for too long,” she said with a smile. “Mother keeps suggesting next year for us.” She looked at him pointedly. It was very kind of her to let him know. He offered her a small nod of his head in thanks.

“We shall see each other tomorrow afternoon,” she said, bowing once more. “Good night, Lan Wangji.”

“Good night, Jiang Yanli,” he replied and bowed in return.

He watched her leave and let out a deep breath.

It had been a very long day.

He headed back to the Jingshi, hoping to find some solitude and quiet there to meditate.

Perhaps he would continue working on his song.

There was a constant thrum beneath his skin today. A sharp anticipation that was entirely distracting and making him hyperaware of the goings on around him. He did his best to treat it like any other morning and flew through his routine. Morning classes passed as they normally did, except this time he could barely listen, too taken with the way Wei Wuxian kept glancing at him. He couldn't even find it within himself to care when Uncle cleared his throat at him reproachfully.

Lunch passed in a blur and then Lan Wangji was sent away to change into something that was not his training robes. He settled on a set of white and ice-blue robes that Xichen had always told him he looked very handsome in. He then set aside a small piece of paper, carefully inked a note on it, and tucked it within his sleeve. As he began to tie his ribbon back into place, Xichen’s voice called through the door.

“May I come in?”

“Come,” Lan Wangji called back, and Xichen was suddenly standing behind him in the small mirror.

“Let me?” Xichen asked, hands hovering by Lan Wangji’s where they held his ribbon nearly in place.

“Mn.” He carefully passed his brother the ribbon.

Xichen brightened, carefully tying it into place and stroking his fingers though the loose sections of Lan Wangji’s hair so it would fall correctly. If he took longer then he needed to, Lan Wangji chose not to mention it.

“Ah, look at you,” Xichen said with a wistful smile. “Who would have thought this is how this year’s guest disciples would change things.”

He hummed in agreement and looked sideways, turning to look at his brother. “Is Father coming?”

Xichen’s smile dimmed a little. “No, I don’t think so. I’m sorry, Wangji.”

He looked away. “It is no matter.”

A moment of silence fell.

“Ready?” Xichen asked.

“Mn.” He picked up Bichen and they walked back together.

They entered the Yashi and Xichen sat down beside him where the Sect Leader, their father, would have sat, pulling a stack of papers from his sleeves and placing them carefully on the table. Uncle Qiren was already there and seated on the slightly raised platform at the head of the room, apparently acting as matchmaker for them, which was...not entirely inaccurate. A selection of key clan members took their seats beside and behind them.

Then the Jiang Sect arrived; Sect Leader Jiang led the group with his children just behind him and their disciples following at the back. Wei Wuxian looked beautiful in a set of robes he had not seen him wear before; deep blue with flashes of red and black, and highly flattering in their shape. Both Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin were dressed formally as well, both in lighter shades of the same Jiang purple as their father. Sect Leader Jiang must have brought the clothes with him. Wei Wuxian sent him a quick, tiny wave with a wriggle of his fingers.

They all stood and formally greeted each other before the Jiang contingent took their seats on the opposite side of the room. There was a brief exchange of pleasantries between the two clans and then a hush fell over the Yashi as Uncle Qiren stood up.

Lan Wangji watched as Uncle approached Xichen, who offered him the small pile of papers Xichen before him. "Thank you, Uncle," Xichen said as he took them.

Papers in hand, Uncle turned towards the Jiang Clan, bowed, and placed the papers on the table in front of Sect Leader Jiang.

“A formal letter from the Lan Clan of Gusu to the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng, requesting a betrothal between Second Jade of Lan, Lan Wangji, and Yunmeng Jiang’s Head Disciple, Wei Wuxian,” Uncle said clearly, and Lan Wangji’s heart rate suddenly doubled. He sucked in a breath.

Sect Leader Jiang took the letter with a smile and Uncle Qiren returned to his seat.

There was a lasting period of silence as Sect Leader Jiang read the letter. It was a long document from the looks of it. Lan Wangji considered that given their high statuses within their clans and the fact they were both men, it was likely a very complex betrothal with careful of discussion of assets, succession, and potential adopted children. 

Sect Leader Jiang put the papers down and said, “We, the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng, formally accept the proposal.”

It was very anti-climactic and all too much all at once. He let out the breath he had been holding, his whole body suddenly relaxing. He hadn't realised how tense he had been until it all just dropped away.

Wei Wuxian was beaming at him from across the room and he felt a small smile find its way onto his own face as well, the air feeling just a little too thin. He dearly wished he could cross the room and be with him; wrap his arms around his waist and just breathe. But they cannot. Not yet.

The first part of the afternoon passed with celebratory tea and talk, still of the more formal variety, with Wei Wuxian still much too far away on the other side of the room. He was smiling though, whenever they caught each other's eyes, otherwise Wei Wuxian was whispering with his siblings. Lan Wangji occasionally spoke quietly with Xichen, his brother offering him a quiet congratulations.

Eventually, the tone of the room relaxed, and Lan Wangji noticed the moment Sect Leader Jiang nodded his head at Wei Wuxian and he came skidding across the room to sit beside him and Xichen.

“What do you think I was worth? Jiang Cheng thinks at least three fat Yunmeng ducks,” Wei Wuxian began, apropos of nothing, his eyes sparkling.

“The letter was very long. Worth much more that three ducks,” Lan Wangji replied, watching him.

“Five ducks?” he pressed, leaning against him, their shoulders knocking.

Lan Wangji sighed. “At least ten.”

Xichen let out an unexpected laugh, just as Wei Wuxian did, both of them looking surprised at him.

“It took a lot of correspondence between our uncles to come to that arrangement,” Xichen said around his laughter. “I can promise you it is more than that. I know there was a last minute addition with regards to your inventions.”

Wei Wuxian hummed consideringly. “What was the deal on them?”

“Both sects get copies of anything you choose to share.”

Wei Wuxian frowned. “Well obviously.”

Xichen smiled. “It has to be on paper. You know how it is.”

They both nodded and then Xichen was dragged into a conversation with one of the Jiang disciples who had wandered nearby.

“You want to sneak off?” Wei Wuxian asked, voice low and eyes darting over to Xichen to check he wasn’t listening. 

“Too obvious,” Lan Wangji replied. “Later.”

Wei Wuxian raised an intrigued eyebrow at him, cocking his head sideways. “I’ve been a terrible influence,” he said sadly, patting his hand against Lan Wangji’s chest and leant back. “Come sit with me and shijie and Jiang Cheng.”

He did. They were boisterous but their company was undeniably pleasant, enhanced by the way his and Wei Wuxian’s fingers brushed on the floor between them.

Dinner, once everyone relocated, was a more extravagant affair than usual, though certainly not to the standards of the other clans. Even if he had never been to any formal occasions at other sects, Jin Zixuan’s face said it all. The Jin heir also seemed confused at the fact speaking was permitted for this meal, and he appeared to be trying to find out why this was happening. He got nowhere as none of the Jin disciples could tell him anything, and his attempts at speaking to Nie Huaisang were laughable, the other hiding behind his fan and lying through his teeth that he didn’t know anything. Clearly desperate and not wanting to speak to any of the Jiang, he approached Lan Wangji who was back to having to sit with his family.

Jin Zixuan walked over, head held high and paused before their table, Lan Wangji standing up out of courtesy.

“Good evening, Young Master Jin,” Lan Wangji said, bowing.

“Good evening,” Jin Zixuan replied politely, bowing to both him and Xichen. “To what do we owe the occasion?”

“My betrothal,” he replied.

Jin Zixuan looked startled, quickly frowning and looking to where the Jiang family sat. He said, “Lady Jiang is engaged to me,” and there was something odd in his tone, but Lan Wangji did not know him well enough to decipher it. Nor, really, did he care to.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed.

Jin Zixuan now looked less worried, and more confused, still watching the Jiang family, all politeness having fallen away. “Then who…?"

“Wei Wuxian.”

Jin Zixuan's head whipped around, staring at Lan Wangji for a long moment with his mouth slightly open, then back to Wei Wuxian, and then to Xichen, who nodded in confirmation.

“Hm,” he said, off-put. “Congratulations.” Then he turned and walked over to stop in front of the three Jiang children, his hands fiddling nervously behind his back. He offered a bow, what sounded like another congratulations, and then immediately went back to sit down at his seat.

Jiang Yanli was smiling, Jiang Wanyin looked confused, and Wei Wuxian had a hand slapped over his mouth, clearly trying not to be rude and laugh at what had just happened.

Lan Xichen sighed, mostly to himself. “Ah, our generation of cultivators truly are something.”

"Mn," he agreed.

As they left after dinner, Lan Wangji walked beside Wei Wuxian and gently pressed the paper he had written on earlier into his hand. Wei Wuxian didn't look at him, but his eyes widened and he let out a smile.

They went their seperate ways under the eyes of their families.

They were not running, but it was a close thing.

Wei Wuxian had met him at the eastern gate as requested in his note after feigning an early retirement for the evening.

“What’s that?” Wei Ying asked as they went quickly past the gently floating mist over the water in the springs.

“Cold spring,” Lan Wangji answered, not slowing for a second, even as he felt Wei Wuxian lag in his grip for just a moment. “Will show you later.”

“Exciting!”

They climbed up and up, Lan Wangji following a path he had known most of his childhood, chasing the path of the waterfall far into the hills behind the Cloud Recesses. It was not an unknown location, but it was not one he often frequented and would not be the first place to be searched should anyone come looking for them.

“Oh wow,” Wei Wuxian murmured, taking in the clearing Lan Wangji had hidden them in. It was arguably one of the more beautiful locations on the mountain, if out of the way. Most of the small field was surrounded by a thick copse of trees, limbs curled together with low hanging leaves. Flowers were scattered around, gathered in thick, dewy bushes or loose and solitary in the long grass. The light was low, given how late they’d snuck out, washing the clearing in a soft evening light.

Lan Wangji focused his energy and lit a small, floating spiritual light, just enough to see by as the light continued to fade.

“Ah, I see you noticed that spell in my notes,” Wei Wuxian said, sidling up to him and wrapping his arm about his waist. “Let’s hope you did a better job than me. Last time I tried it it exploded.” Lan Wangji let out a small huff of laughter and then, before he could reply, he was firmly pressed to the side of one of the trees, Wei Wuxian crowding him in and slotting their lips together, tossing Suibian off to the side.

Wei Ying let out a happy little hum as Lan Wangji kissed him in return, dropping his own sword to frantically reach forward and grasp at his betrothed’s clothes and pull him in. Lan Wangji felt hot hands in his hair, on his face, at the back of his neck, clutching and pulling at him in a way that made him feel obscenely wanted. Lan Wangji could barely hear past the blood pulsing in his ears, but still able to pick out the pleased sounds Wei Ying made against his mouth, soft and insistent. His kisses fell like raindrops, frequent and heavy, soaking his skin and yet doing nothing the bank the fire in his heart.

He wanted to ravish him.

Wei Wuxian pulled back and Lan Wangji let him go.

“You’re shaking,” Wei Wuxian said gently.

He was. He could feel his whole body trembling from the overwhelming emotions wracking his form and the sheer strength it was taking him to not just let go and have his way with Wei Ying.

“Scared?” Wei Wuxian asked, no sign of teasing in his voice.

Lan Wangji shook his head.

Wei Ying ran a hand over his hair and down his cheek, ever so gently cupping his face. “What is it?”

“I am…trying not to take what is not given,” he admitted, fists still clenched in Wei Wuxian’s robes, not pulling any closer, but not allowing him to move back either.

Wei Ying let out a tiny laugh, eyes darting over Lan Wangji, a smile there and gone on his face in an instant. “What if I want you to take?” he asked in a whisper. “What if that’s exactly what I want?”

Lan Wangji’s eyes snapped up to Wei Wuxian’s. “Is that what you want?” He had to be sure.

There was no hesitation in Wei Wuxian’s grey eyes as he nodded and whispered a breathy, “Yeah.”

“You will tell me if you want to stop.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and Lan Wangji moved. Letting out a low growl he pulled Wei Ying to him, crushing their mouths together and manhandling him so that Wei Ying was pressed against the tree and Lan Wangji was keeping him there. Wei Ying groaned appreciatively into his mouth and Lan Wangji felt his heart skip several beats. He was consumed by all the ways Wei Ying was hard and soft against him, hands skating over skin where he could reach it, and cloth where he could not, though he was slowly finding gaps in fabric, methodically discovering his way through to Wei Ying and all of his gentle secrets. He mouthed along the long line of Wei Ying’s neck, careful not to be too hard and leave a trace of this evening where their families could easily find it. Wei Ying was shivering and whispering words of encouragement, hands always tugging closer, closer.

“May I?” Lan Wangji asked, his hands loose in the dip of Wei Wuxian’s belt.

The babbling stopped immediately, their eyes meeting as he muttered, “Please.”

Lan Wangji watched breathlessly as he slid a hand around for the clasp of his belt, Wei Ying laving kisses to his jaw as he did so, teeth occasionally scraping over skin. Finally he got the belt loose and tossed it behind them with Wei Wuxian laughing at his pleased hum. Lan Wangji bit at his lip in response which did absolutely nothing to dissuade him. Wei Ying’s laughter melted into a weak moan, his whole body going limp for a moment as Lan Wangji took advantage of the discarded belt and reached past Wei Ying’s robes to grasp at skin, soft and pliant in his grasp. He felt as Wei Ying hiked his leg up, attempting to wrap it around Lan Wangji’s waist or leg, but it slipped down before he could catch it. Wei Wuxian let out a frustrated little sound.

This tree was inconvenient.

Wei Wuxian laughed as Lan Wangji picked him up effortlessly and deposited them both on the ground, the grass soft and damp beneath them. He had his arms wrapped around his shoulders, the sound of his laughter echoing in Lan Wangji’s ears, a mirror image of their last foray in the outdoors.

“This is better,” Wei Ying said between giggles, pulling Lan Wangji closer by the front of his robes, pressing their bodies together.

Lan Wangji loomed over him, hair falling over his shoulder and brushing Wei Ying’s clavicle. He was a picture beneath him, hair loose and lost in the grass, robes tugged open revealing new, unknown realms of skin.

“Want to start working our way through that book?” Wei Wuxian asked, tipping his head back playfully. “It gave me a few interesting ideas.”

“Let us start at the beginning then,” Lan Zhan agreed and the both of them allowed themselves to be lost in mouths and hands and skin on skin.

It was perfect.

There was nothing he wanted to change of these moments together, intense and outside of time. Wei Ying, beautiful beneath him in the grasses, panting into each others skin, their hands gripping tight. Lan Zhan never wanted anyone else to say his name again, he only ever wanted to hear it the way Wei Ying said it against his mouth, gasping and needy as he touched him. It took forever and felt like a moment as they wrung hot pleasure from one another with nothing but fumbling hands and a desperate yearning need for one another. Lan Wangji was sure it would be something that years from now the both of them would look back on with equal amounts of fondness and embarrassment, but for now it was utterly perfect.

After, Lan Wangji was laying on his back in the grass when he regained his composure, no longer eternally breathless and starving for any inch Wei Ying could give him. Wei Wuxian was wrapped around his side, his head resting on Lan Wangji’s chest as his hand twirled a section of Lan Wangji’s hair around a finger. Lan Wangji had one hand resting on Wei Ying’s wrist while the whole of his other arm was looped around his back, keeping him close. Lan Wangji would be very happy if the rest of his life were to be like this, just wrapped up in one another. They were both still very scandalously clothed, all outer laters spread around them in a haphazard nest, the two of them only barely in their under robes.

Wei Wuxian shivered against him.

“Cold?” Lan Wangji asked, clutching Wei Wuxian closer to himself.

“Mn,” he allowed, “a little bit.” Wei Wuxian then propped himself up on an elbow and leant over with a crooked smile. “You could always warm me up again.”

Lan Wangji allowed himself a long moment to drag his eyes over Wei Wuxian, before sighing. “It is nearly nine, we should go back.”

Wei Wuxian laughed, falling forward and onto his chest, resting his chin just below his clavicle, a hand coming up to stroke his hair. “You’ll drag me away to illicitly get each other off in a forest where our families can’t stop us, but you want to go to bed on time?” Wei Wuxian dissolved into laughter again, pressing a kiss down against his chest. “Ah, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, you are so wonderful, I like you so very much.”

“Good.”

Then the light he had cast exploded in a shower of sparks, plunging them into darkness.

Wei Wuxian continued to laugh.