For Wei Ying - Courting Take 3

[lan_wangji]

Lan Wangji would be the first to admit that he knows little of courtship or marriage, not the details at least. It had not been a subject he'd received any instruction or advice on so he must rely on what little he has witnessed in his youth outside of Cloud Recesses. The hair pin and comb had been the obvious choice but the second is less so. He provides Wei Ying with food and drink daily so there would be no great gesture in such gifts.

The idea had finally come to him as he had flown home one evening and array of animals in the countryside.

It had not been hard to conceal the building of a small structure by Bunny's own hutch as Wei Ying rarely noticed such things or took part in the maintenance of the home. He had smuggled them home under the cover of night when he'd known Wei Ying would be in the city, fraternizing with Klaus and likely speaking of all manner of subjects Lan Wangji would rather not know of. The four chicks, two yellow and two black had seemed cozy when he had left them that night and again when he'd checked as the sun rose the next morning.

He opens the door to their room and smiles softly at the still sleeping bundle of blankets now in the middle of their large bed. He kneels onto the bed, pushing his fingers through the mess of black hair half buried by blankets. "Wei Ying. Wake up."

Comments

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian's mouth parts in surprise, and he reaches forward, scooping the tiny chick into his own hands. The creature had been so small and silent he hadn't noticed it at all. "Poor little darling. No one wanted you, hmm?" Wei Wuxian does know something about that, and he holds the tiny creature to his chest.

"It is so small, Lan Zhan. Will it be alright out here in the elements?"

[lan_wangji]

"Mm, will install a cooling system when it grows too warm and they have shade," he murmurs, leaning in to watch the little check burrow against Wei Ying's dark robes. "Sisters keep her warm at night." The property is already warded against Bunny's natural predators and he will extend that protection to ones who could harm the chicks.

"And what of her name?"

[yiling_laozu]

"Mèimèi," Wei Wuxian murmurs, a warmth in his chest blossoming already where the little chick is burrowing. If not for Jin Rulan watching with marked interest from the kitchen window, he would take the little thing into his office to watch him work.

"We must build them a proper coop," he says. "One with lots of room where they will be comfortable and happy."

[lan_wangji]

Lan Wangji scoops up Bunny to give Mèimèi a curious sniff, feet kicking against Lan Wangji's hands in excitement.

"Certain Wei Ying could design a very good home for them," Lan Wangji says, kissing Wei Ying's cheek. "Do you want breakfast? I can bring something out here to you. Would be a good day to swim."

[yiling_laozu]

"Breakfast!" Wei Wuxian lights up at once. Breakfast and swimming and his Lan Zhan and now these tiny babies to care for - if he'd known the day was going to be so wonderful he would never have hesitated to wake. "If you prepare it, I will bring my papers out here and sketch, and then after we swim perhaps we can go to town and fetch supplies!"

[lan_wangji]

"Mm," he agrees, giving Bunny a few soft pets before setting her down and Wei Ying another kiss on the cheek. "Take your time with the chicks and I will start food."

He leaves Wei Ying surrounded by their animals after watching for several long moments. Times like these he does not understand how his heart could hold anymore fondness and then it simply must make room, regardless of the ache it causes.

It does not take long to prepare tea and to re-steam red bean zongzi he had prepared the day before and it gives him time to contemplate wearing the ridiculous swim short pants Wei Ying had purchased him. He is feeling truly hopeless for Wei Ying, today.

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian hurries to grab his papers and a brush, spreading them out on the ground before the cage. He makes it only one moment before reaching in and taking Meimei, allowing her to flit clumsily across his body until she settles on his shoulder. Only then does Wei Wuxian dip his brush into the ink, setting it to the papers at once until a rough sketch of their future coop is outlined.

"It's rather large," he calls to Lan Wangji when he hears the door opening, a wide smile on his face as he looks up. "But we have plenty of room here."

[lan_wangji]

"I will build whatever you wish," he answers, carrying out the plate of sticky rice dumplings and fruit and tea for both of them. "I think you have found your favorite," he says as he settles, watching the tiny chick burrow into Wei Ying's wild hair. "As has she."

He pulls a piece of apple off of his own serving and gives it to Bunny who happily settles in Lan Wangji's lap as she often does during his morning meditations. "Your structure looks very good."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian beams. "We ought to carve it nicely, also. Some clouds and swirls on the beams, perhaps some lotus blossoms as well." He pauses in shoving half a dumpling into his mouth to quickly sketch a few with his brush.

In his ear, Meimei peeps. "Ah, this one is wisely more concerned with her own breakfast," says Wei Wuxian, lifting a sticky finger to brush her tiny beak. "I wonder if there is a charm to summon grubs as if they were malevolent spirits..."

[lan_wangji]

"If there is, think it is best practiced outside of our property," he counsels, easily imagining the ways in which such a thing could go wrong. He holds a piece of orange up to Wei Ying's lips and studies the coop with its multiple levels and tunnels.

"Thank you for accepting my second gift," he murmurs, a little flushed with the pleasure of having both gifts accepted and appreciated. He was uncertain he would be good at this part of it.

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian accepts the orange, experiencing the burst of sweet juice over his tongue with the same wonder that often follows simple acts from Lan Wangji. "Of course I did, the chickens are wonderful," he says, remembering despite his good mood Lan Wangji's first attempt to court him that he'd soured so spectacularly. His only comfort is that Lan Wangji knows all of him now, and the things that had bothered him that day can never be worse than what they once were.

"Even if it were baffling instead of wonderful, I would be glad to have it if it came from you." Wei Wuxian reaches for his hand. "But Lan Zhan, this can't be only the second gift. Have you been courting me since you purchased this house?"

[lan_wangji]

"That was not formal," he protests, squeezing Wei Ying's hand before kissing his sharp knuckles.

"But intention has long been the same. Since I first saw you in the park, the first night I arrived. Longed for you, wanted you with me, intend to marry you now that we have a home."

[yiling_laozu]

"Even then," Wei Wuxian murmurs. "I don't remember that night very well," he admits. He remembers the spirits leading him towards the river. He remembers fear and longing and anger and remorse, and he knows these must be from when they spoke, but the Seal had such a grip on him then. He can't be sure what feelings belonged to the Seal and which to him. How had Lan Wangji wanted to marry him in such a state?

"I don't think I was very kind to you."

[lan_wangji]

Lan Wangji reaches out to touch Wei Ying's cheek, setting his tea down to offer his full attention. "You did not turn me away when I deserved it, when I no longer deserved your loyalty. You cleaned my wounds when I was in pain and weak," he corrects, thumb swiping along the sharp cut of Wei Ying's cheekbone.

"Not your fault you did not know of feelings I had never spoken."

[yiling_laozu]

"Perhaps so," Wei Wuxian murmurs, allowing Lan Wangji's warm touch to dispel the worst of the anxiety crawling in his stomach. Still, Lan Wangji's silence is not insurmountable. Many remarked on their relationship before they were ever intimate - somehow, everyone simply knew.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian says, "I am very smart sometimes. But I think I must also be very stupid. I did not know you cared for me in such a way at all. When did it begin?"

[lan_wangji]

"In your defense, who would have believed Hanguang-Jun to harbor such feelings for anyone?" he points out, face a little pinched as he pictures it from any perspective but his own.

"Respected you at the lantern festival, gained affection when we journeyed with the Yin Iron. Affection grew in your absence to love by the time we were trapped in that cave. Told brother I wanted to hide you in Cloud Recesses."

[yiling_laozu]

"Yes, but I was very proud to be close to you and know more of your thoughts than most," Wei Wuxian huffs, for a moment jealous even of Lan Wangji's own brother, though the ridiculous thought has the decency to dissipate almost at once.

"You wanted to hide me?" he asks, turning towards him. "When? Ah." Wei Wuxian's expression sours, though not because of Lan Wangji. "When I stood against everyone and took the Wens?"

[lan_wangji]

"Before that, after Sunshot campaign but before that. Knew they would never leave you alone after you used the Stygian Tiger Seal in such a way," he answers, fingers plucking a piece of apple out for Wei Ying to eat, as always attempting to keep him regularly fed.

"Knew you would not leave them, was banned from seeing you after you had left. When I came, was under false pretense. Was not brave enough to stay."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian also knew this, but he had hoped somehow that righteousness would prevail over greed, and that he would be allowed to do what he did because it was what should be done. He opens his mouth automatically for the apple, tasting nothing until he smiles all at once.

"I wondered," he says. "You came for a hunt, yet did no hunting. Instead, you ate with A-Yuan and I and even bought him toys. I was so happy to see you then, Lan Zhan. It hurt so much when you left, but even so, I knew that the short time was a gift." His grin widens. "Lan Zhan came because he missed me."

[lan_wangji]

"He did, very much."

He picks up the other half of Wei Ying's discarded zongzi with his chopsticks and holds them to Wei Ying's mouth, determined to have him well fed before they start their day in earnest.

"Uncle was furious. More so when I offered no remorse or apology. I feel regret for how strange it must have been for him, to find me so changed in a matter of a few years."

[yiling_laozu]

His Uncle. "Did he beat you then, also?" Wei Wuxian huffs, though he knows if he had, it could not have been as egregious as the beating Lan Wangji took later. He would have no back left to speak of.

"I did wish you would come," Wei Wuxian says. "The Wens were lovely, but there was no one I could talk to in the way I'm accustomed to enjoying besides Wen Qing, and she was very busy taking care of all of us. She would chase me with needles if I took took too much of her time. But it must be better that you didn't."

Wei Wuxian smiles, sad but not entirely mournful. "They would have only turned against you as well, and we would both be dead."

[lan_wangji]

"Did not beat me," he says, choosing to leave out details of the actual punishment as it would only rile Wei Ying further. It no longer matters. It had been well worth it.

"Eat," he commands, holding the sticky rice up again to Wei Ying's mouth. "Then enough sad memories. It is a courting day. Day for swimming or going to town. Both."

[yiling_laozu]

The answer is vague enough that Wei Wuxian resolves to ask again later. For now, he eats his breakfast, reaching towards his shoulder again to lightly ruffle Meimei's downy feathers. "We should do both," he says. "These babies need room, so we'll get started on their coop, and then reward ourselves with swimming after."

Wei Wuxian grins. "Lan Zhan can wear his new little pants."

[lan_wangji]

"Just today. Because it is a day for Wei Ying. Not other days," he clarifies, looking over Wei Ying's plans once more to calculate the need for lumber and wire. He thinks they have enough left over from Bunny's hutch construction to do Wei Ying's vision justice.

"If Wei Ying wants work before play, we can do that. You can direct, I will build. How does that plan find you?"

[yiling_laozu]

"Fine, fine," Wei Wuxian breezes, consumed with thoughts of Lan Wangji in his little pants. Why does the idea somehow seem more scandalous than Lan Wangji in nothing at all? "But I think we shouldn't build it all today," he says, rallying. "Just the bones. I want to carve the beams, and they should be done before they go up. And - "

Wei Wuxian's eyes slide sideways. "I want to cook your dinner."