Archive of Our Own

1.

Wei Wuxian sighed, the wind breezing through the layers of his white robes and providing relief from the strong run. Little Apple shifted lazily below him, treading through the billowing, overgrown grass. She obediently followed where Lan Wangji went, and that was something Wei Wuxian understood at the core of his being. If he wanted to, he could reach out his hand and run it through the inky black hair down Lan Wangji's back. It was just close enough to. Lan Wangji would let him, he thinks. There is very little that Lan Wangji could deny him. If he pressed his lips to the crown of his head, if he buried his face in the crook of his neck, he would smell the shampoo they shared (it was supposed to be lavender. Wei Wuxian thought it smelt like citrus, and Lan Wangji thought it smelt like mint. Maybe it just smelt like home.)

Today. It would be today.

It didn't have to be, no, Wei Wuxian knew better than to think there was bounds and limits for where they would go for each other. If not today, there would be another day. Lan Wangji waited 16 years. The thought didn't burn as much anymore, so much as it quietly ached. He had waited 16 years, and there wouldn't be a day more, when they had the rest of their lives to live just like this. Lan Wangji led Little Apple up that grassy hill, somewhere in the far corners of Cloud Recesses, just like Wei Wuxian had asked.

Today, Wei Wuxian would propose.

"The reason I'm bringing you here is a surprise," he smugly announced. Lan Wangji tilted his head over his shoulder, slowly blinking at him like a distant, golden star.

"Mn?" Lan Wangji seemed to try and agree, a little confused. Wei Wuxian pouted.

"You're not even going to ask me a little?"

"… Why did you bring me here, Wei Ying?"

"Not telling!"

Wei Wuxian grinned brightly. Lan Wangji smiled back, a small and quiet thing, but no less brilliant. It wasn't like the sun, or anything so grand and blinding, but closer to warming your hands by a firepit in the dead of winter, letting the heat seep through your bones until you can forget, for just a moment, the storm raging outside. He'd already braved the storm, and he came out of it blooded, bruised and hurt (technically dead, too), but he knew that if he had to, he would follow Lan Wangji straight back into the thick of it. He would bear it all again, if it was for him.

The proposal wasn't off to a good start earlier that morning, when the pastries he was trying to make for their picnic ended up as ash in the wind, almost along with the kitchen. In his defence, it wasn't like he had the misguided idea that he could do it alone! He took A-Yuan along to help, who said, with a calm, easy smile, that he'd never really tried before, but Jingyi liked to bake when he was stressed and it didn't look that hard. Lan Qiren had levelled him with a vicious look, while Lan Wangji looked utterly fond, and Wei Wuxian's insistence that cooking skills were not genetic and it was not, in fact, his fault that A-Yuan turned out like this, fell on deaf ears.

Lan Wangji would have made something instead, had he asked. He'd never actually asked if he knew how to bake, but he was nothing if not scarily competent. Wei Wuxian didn't ask, even though his heart fell a little flat that the first part of his plan had failed. If he made Lan Wangji do this too, how could he prove his dedication? Wei Wuxian wanted to be the one putting in the work this time, he wanted to make Lan Wangji feel special, to show him that he was prepared to give him everything that he had, and everything that he was.

Unfortunately, the package of everything he was didn't include basic skills in the kitchen. So, a foodless picnic it was. He could recover from that! It wasn't all he had planned. He was a complex creature. He contained multitudes. Wei Wuxian tapped Lan Wangji's shoulder a little further up to stop him, hopping off the saddle for the steeper climb to lessen Little Apple's burden. He also figured it was a good time for the second stage of his plan to propose.

"Hold on, Lan Zhan, I wanna grab something…" He murmured, starting to shift through her saddle bags. Distracted, he didn't notice Lan Wangji walking a little closer, until he felt one hand slipping around his waist and another lightly gesturing his chin upward. The kiss was light and soft, only lasting a few seconds before Lan Wangji pulled himself away. Uncharacteristic for the two of them, generally, unless they were in a rush. Wei Wuxian hummed happily, "What was that for?"

"No reason. Wanted to kiss Wei Ying."

"I'm so kissable you just couldn't resist?"

"Mn. Always."

Wei Wuxian was so dazed he completely forgot that he had been looking for something, in favour of sighing sweetly and throwing himself at Lan Wangji for a deeper kiss. He wrapped his arms around his neck until his hands were tangled in the back of his hair, tugging lightly and enticing Lan Wangji to pull him closer, harder. No! He had a mission! Wei Wuxian suddenly pushed him away with a gasp, and then pointedly shoved him back a few extra steps. It wasn't a shove so much as a nudge, and even with his full strength he probably couldn't move his brick of a soulmate, so he knew that Lan Wangji was simply indulging him.

"No! Stay back. I have a thing. To do. Don't distract me."

Wei Wuxian did his best to stay serious, but fond, gentle amusement never left Lan Wangji's eyes.

"I'm serious."

"Alright."

"It's going to be very romantic. Prepare yourself."

"I look forward to whatever Wei Ying has planned." 

Wei Wuxian turned away and went back to digging into the saddle bags. He checked. He double checked. He took everything out and dumped it on the ground to be absolutely sure, and only then did the dread truly settle in. Chenqing wasn't there! He knew he had trouble remembering things sometimes, so he'd even made sure it was already in her saddlebag the night before, just so there was no way at all he could forget.

… Then he forgot to check it before they left.

"… Jingyi swapped her saddle out again, didn't he?" Wei Wuxian slowly realized in horror. "It's a Wednesday. He swaps it every Wednesday."

They were still in the boundaries of Cloud Recesses, and with Lan Wangji there, it was more than safe. That wasn't the issue. In a horrible kind of irony, this was actually progress. He realized, at some stage, that perhaps his obsessive need to be able to defend himself, and the horrible, gut-wrenching anxiety he felt without a weapon nearby wasn't actually all that reasonable, or healthy. Wei Wuxian had finally gone a whole day without thinking of his flute, the only day he needed it…

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji firmly spoke up, concerned that Wei Wuxian had gone quiet.

"Nope, no, it's fine. Okay. Scrap that," Wei Wuxian shook his head, and clasped the bag shut. He didn't need food, or a serenade of their love song, to ask this. He wasn't worried about the answer, anyway. They had been on the same page about this for a long time, but neither of them saw any point in rushing. So, it wasn't that he thought Lan Wangji would say no. He could probably ask him in the middle of one of their 'everyday' roleplays, and Lan Wangji would still unflinchingly say yes. It was just…

Well. Anyway.

Wei Wuxian took Lan Wangji's hand to drag him up to the path by the mountain's edge, overlooking everything below it. The same place that Wei Wuxian had turned his back and left, and Lan Wangji had turned the other direction. Wei Wuxian faced him, and steeled himself to just push through it, when he felt a comforting squeeze against his palm.

"Lan Zhan. Uhm, look, I know the whole… the food and the serenade didn't exactly work out, but listen. This was where we parted when I went travelling, remember?"

Lan Wangji nodded, his single minded focus all on Wei Wuxian, like he could study him for an eternity and never lose interest. Wei Wuxian really hoped so, because he wouldn't be satisfied with anything short of an eternity beside him.

"This was where we met, when you returned."

Wei Wuxian melted into a smile, and stepped closer, putting their interlocked hands up between their chests. That was so sweet, he wasn't even mad that Lan Wangji was beating him at his own game. Lan Wangji must have figured out what was happening, because the grip on his hand tightened.

"Yeah, yeah it was. No matter how far I go, I'll always find my way back here. I'll always come home to you, in this life and the next. I knew it then, and I know it now. You're stuck with me, Lan Zhan, for as long as you'll have me."

"Always. Always want you. Will always have you."

Wei Wuxian laughed wetly.

"Lan Zhan, will you marry…"

Little Apple, utterly uninterested in the development, started to chew on his robes, and accidentally actually closed her teeth around his elbow. Wei Wuxian yelped halfway through his sentence, instinctively swiping his elbow back toward her face. She loudly groaned at him when he hit her square in the face, huffing dramatically and throwing her face around like a spoilt child in a tantrum.

"Oh my god, shut up," Wei Wuxian hissed, trying to bring her back under control. Little Apple stomped, almost landing on Lan Wangji's feet if he hadn't swiftly stepped out of the way in time. "I am going to SELL YOU. Do you hear me? I will."

The edge of his white, Gusu-Lan robe was a little torn. It wasn't a particularly strong material to begin with, nor did it have many layers. He didn't wear it often for those reasons, but… He just thought that today…

"It's alright, Wei Ying. I will get you another," Lan Wangji kindly said, noticing his gaze and putting an arm on his shoulder, gently thumbing circles into his back. "I am not upset."

"Any sane person would be, at having a donkey interrupt their proposal," Wei Wuxian grumbled, a little childishly. He shot a pointed glare at Little Apple.

"No. She is yours. I love you, Wei Ying. I want everything that means."

"… Even my stupid donkey? And bad cooking skills?" Wei Wuxian half-joked, winding down easily enough. He knew the answer already.

"Yes. Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan."

"Yes."

Wei Wuxian smiled up at him, but something unpleasant started to creep up on him. The smile slipped off his face, and he quickly shook his head, making up his mind in the split second.

"No," Wei Wuxian said, resolutely. Lan Wangji looked confused. "No. You're not allowed to say yes yet! I want another go. I can do much better than this! Lan Zhan, sweetheart, I am going to woo you so hard you won't know what hit you."

"… Wei Ying does not have to?"

"Wei Ying wants to. Ah… If you're okay with giving me just a little more time?"

Lan Wangji reached out again to pull their hands up to his chin, bending his neck down to place a kiss on the back of Wei Wuxian's hand. He didn't need to say any more. Wei Wuxian lunged at him with a hug, knowing the full force of his body would be caught, knowing that Lan Wangji would never let him drop. He couldn't help laughing to himself, the joyful sound mouthed against the skin of Lan Wangji's neck.

"You won't regret it! Next time, I'll definitely get it right!"

2.

Wei Wuxian lay across their bed, flushed red in a vicious fever and quietly blowing out tiny wisps of air. Lan Wangji knelt beside him, holding his hand across the wet cloth on his forehead. He did all he could do (namely, he fretted). He replaced the water by his bedside every so often, just to make sure it was fresh if Wei Wuxian was thirsty. He paced the Jingshi, their home, and lit a few extra candles, just to make sure it was bright enough for Wei Wuxian to recognise the surroundings in his random and fleeting moments of lucidity.

There were fresh bandages wrapped around his thigh, and another for a small wound on his side. The only way to keep it there was to wrap it around his chest, and though he knew logically that it was small, he couldn't see it. He might as well have been bleeding from every spot out of his sight. Lan Wangji itched to change the bandages again, to feel that he was alive beneath him, to feel useful, but a professional had done these only recently. He would restrain himself. Lan Wangji was known for his discipline. His self-control.

In moments like these, it felt like those things were hanging by a very thin thread.

He heard a mumbled, sleepy noise from the bed. It was searching. Lan Wangji quickly returned to his side, from where he had been pacing (again, for good measure). Wei Wuxian went quiet again, but he was not unconscious. He had just found what he was looking for.

"Mmmm… Zhan. Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan."

"I'm here."

Wei Wuxian's eyes were wide and dark, and seemed to light up in joy when they found his own. Lan Wangji let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Lan Zhan… I have to… There's a…" Wei Wuxian tried to say, his sentences trailing off and mashing together incoherently. Lan Wangji put a hand on his chest to gently push him back down, refusing to let him sit up.

"Rest. What do you need?"

"I need to… Uhhh…" Wei Wuxian blankly said, lying down and zoning out for a few minutes. Lan Wangji waited, patiently, and selfishly kept his hand where he could feel his beating heart. "Paper. Write."

Lan Wangji highly doubted his ability to write anything legible in this state, especially since his handwriting was… dubious, even while perfectly coherent. He indulgently nodded along anyway. Unprompted, Wei Wuxian put his hands out on Lan Wangji's arm, scrunching his robes up into a fist, loosening them, and repeating the process a few times with a dazed fascination. He eventually continued.

"Survey. For feedback. I need your… opinion. Lan Zhaaaan. Lan Zhan you have to… tell me, with a lot of detail, okay?"

"Wei Ying. My thoughts are yours. What would you like to know?" Lan Wangji stood up, to the protest of Wei Wuxian, who weakly tried to grasp at his robes. He quickly soothed him, running a hand over his burning forehead and tucking a stray hair behind his ear, before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Not leaving."

Wei Wuxian hummed, satisfied, and curled around him with his head tilted up to face him.

"Proposal. Give me… suggestions, feedback. I need to uhhh, I need to work out the kinks. Not that kind of kink. I like those kinks. You should blindfold me next. I think that… Uhh…" Wei Wuxian's addled mind got off topic, and lost that train of thought. He frowned, as if trying to drag it back. Lan Wangji took the cool cloth off his forehead and wiped it down the side of his face, exhaling in relief as Wei Wuxian smiled again at the sensation, leaning into it.

The proposal must be Wei Wuxian's next project. Whatever he was working on never left his mind until he was satisfied. It sounded like he was trying to take the same steps with perfecting his inventions, because that was just what he knew, how he knew to fix something until it was right. He always dedicated everything he had to the things he loved, the things he deemed important, and Lan Wangji loved it, he loved him. Between them, others would assume Lan Wangji took the lead. He usually did, in… some places, but in others? Wei Wuxian was a hurricane, a beautiful, destructive force to be reckoned with. Lan Wangji loved him. He was so hopelessly in love with him.

"What was I… Lan Zhan, I was saying something…"

"The proposal."

"Right. Yeah. Too dramatic? Not enough? Too many working parts?" Wei Wuxian thought aloud, voice half-muffled by the pillow as he wiggled around uncomfortably. "Rate it out of… 5? No. 10. Out of 10. It's gotta be perfect for Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan is perfect."

"Wei Ying is perfect," Lan Wangji responded without even thinking. Wei Wuxian suddenly sat up, too fast for Lan Wangji to stop the motion until he was already sitting up right, albeit unsteadily, and staring intently up at him for his review. Of his proposal. He wanted Lan Wangji to fill out a performance survey on his proposal. It was so ridiculously Wei Wuxian. "10/10."

Wei Wuxian pouted, adorably, "Noooo… That doesn't help… It needs to be better…"

"Apologies. I cannot help it. 10 is the highest mark I can give. Anything Wei Ying does is already enough," Lan Wangji replied, distinctly unapologetic. He reached up a hand to his forehead, feeling that it had cooled down a little during their conversation, and smiling just slightly. Wei Wuxian watched the motion of his lips intently, and the next thing Lan Wangji knew, he had swung himself over into his lap. Wei Wuxian's knees were on either side of him as he braced himself against his shoulders, half a head above him from the position's advantage.

"Lannn Zhan. Lan Zhan is perfect. I love Lan Zhan. So so much. Did you know? Do you know? More than… Uhhhhh… More than… Lan Zhan what's something big?"

"… The world?" Lan Zhan helpfully supplied, gentle fondness seeping through his eyes, and reaching up to steady him.

"The world!" Wei Wuxian parroted excitedly, though he gave the impression he'd already forgotten the context. "Marry me. You should marry me. We should get married. I want to be your husband. Lan Zhan, call me husband."

"Husband," Lan Wangji whispered, and the word held more weight than any sentiment he could describe. Wei Wuxian started to fall to the side, only kept upright by Lan Wangji's cautious hold. "Wei Ying, be careful-"

"Husbannnnd… Lan Zhan, you have to marry… You know… What was I…"

Wei Wuxian's weight slumped against him, and a quick look down showed he'd fallen asleep midway through. Lan Wangji gently laid him back down on the bed, and leant across his body, resting his face over his chest. His breathing was steady, and Lan Wangji… couldn't stop smiling. How strange, to think he had once been a distant statue of ice, reciting its practiced lines and only human in the barest sense of the word. Wei Wuxian, he thinks, is whole. But Lan Wangji is only half a man, half a heart, without him.

Lan Wangji cannot live without him again.

Wei Wuxian was managing a lot better the next morning, and the fever had mostly died down overnight. Lan Wangji had woken up even earlier than the Lan rules dictated to play soothing spiritually-infused music. Perhaps an hour too early, given he'd only fallen asleep a few hours ago, when he felt Wei Wuxian's temperature going back down, but nonetheless. He was halfway through a set when Wei Wuxian groggily came to, mouth hanging open and drool coming out of the side. Lan Wangji huffed in amusement.

"Good morning, Wei Ying. How are you feeling?"

"It's like a hangover, but worse, ughhh. I'm never going to get sick again Lan Zhan, I swear," Wei Wuxian grumbled, burying his face into his pillow and whining.

"Mn. I would like that."

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I was careless. Rain and monsters don't usually make for a pleasant evening…"

Lan Wangji finished the song he was on, before stopping to rest. Wei Wuxian sat up, stretching out his limbs and blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

"Last night," Lan Wangji began, unsure how to finish. He did not have to. The realization set in quickly, and Wei Wuxian gasped in embarrassment.

"Ohhh no, no, absolutely not. That one doesn't count!" He protested, pointing his finger aggressively at Lan Wangji. He serenely ignored it.

"Hm…"

"Lan Zhan. Don't even say it."

"I would be happy with anything Wei Ying did. 10/10."

Lan Wangji gracefully ducked to avoid the pillow flying toward his head. Ah. To smile involuntarily, casually and effortlessly, to smile and think you may not be able to stop if you tried. A strange thing indeed. He would not trade his love for anything in the world.

3.

Lan Wangji finished his chief cultivator duties early. This wasn't strictly true, because there was never nothing to be done, so it went more like deciding he was going to leave, and leaving with a confidence and certainty that no one could challenge. Wei Wuxian, who was full of nervous energy all day, had asked him very nicely if he could finish early and meet him back at the Jingshi. He had a feeling he already knew what this was about.

The Jingshi was empty. A quick sweep revealed a small note on top of his guqin, in the centre of the room. Lan Wangji exhaled a small, fond sigh, and picked it up. Undoubtedly, it was Wei Wuxian's handwriting. It had been… unique, even since they were teenagers, making it that much harder for a smaller Lan Wangji to get him out of his mind. Now, Lan Wangji basked in the space he occupied in his head. He would never let him go.

'Hello, Lan Zhan! Surprised? I still want to see you, but you have to find me first. You'll have to hurry, I'm sure I'm already bored by now. Boring, boring, boring. It feels like I can't say anything else.

Well. Maybe extremely boring! That's your first clue. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Lan Wangji neatly folded the messily scribbled note, and tucked it safely into his robes with a warm feeling in his chest. Of course he remembered. How could he ever forget? There was a time those old memories of him were all he had left. He left their home again, and headed back towards the Cloud Recesses Library. When they first met Wei Wuxian was insufferable, he stirred him up like no one ever had, and Lan Wangji was scared of everything that meant.

They would marry soon. He was going to marry Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji wasn't scared of loving anymore.

The library was empty, aside from a few young adult Lans quietly independently studying. They nodded their heads down in deference as he entered, and he returned the favour. A lot had changed, when it had been rebuilt. Things were slightly more practical, where the organisation system had been nothing short of a mess before. The elders were against change, and couldn't admit their system was faulty, so it remained until… The original was in ashes, and there was no choice but to grow, to be built up again.

Still, it seemed like Wei Wuxian did his best to find a place that replicated their old arrangement, and another note had been left behind on the desk.

'GO AWAY IF YOU'RE NOT LAN ZHAN, LAN WANGJI, HANGUANG-JUN.

I once replaced the poetry book you were trying to read with something else… Do you remember what poetry book it was? Go find it! (If you don't, I'll only be mildly disappointed, but I guess it's fine since you didn't spend ages trying to plan out how to swap it with a porn book without a certain very diligent noticing. It's written on the back, if you can't think of it.)'

Lan Wangji tucked that note away too, the hint of a smile on his face. The name of the book didn't come to him instantly when he remembered that time, but he did remember the talk he had with Lan Qiren afterwards and the title came to him again. The smooth new organisation of the library made it no hassle to find, and he noticed an obvious slip of paper sticking out from one of the pages.

The first thing he did was make sure none of the Lan students were close enough to see it. Lan Wangji gently opened the book, and felt a wave of adoration and longing so strong that he had half the urge to drop the game so he could find Wei Wuxian and marry him right then and there. There was a portrait of him, just like the one he'd done as a teenager, but evidently with a more developed style. On his shoulders, was their A-Yuan when he was a child, curly haired and wide eyed. Their Sizhui, ever smiling and patient. Their son. In the corner, there was a hasty note.

'HAHA. Bet you thought it was gonna be porn! And you opened it anyway! Shameless, Hanguang-jun!!! What am I going to do with you?

The next clue is on the page I put this in. I had to read sooooo much boring really old poetry to come up with this, you'll have to reward me tonight! <3'

Lan Wangji's heart ached. How long had he been preparing this? How many moving parts were there? Wei Wuxian was brilliant. He read the first page it was open on, and then read it again when he didn't understand. It was definitely a love poem, but what was it…

Oh. The other page. A fated first meeting under moonlight. The roof, then.

He found himself strangely moved by curiosity, an anticipation for what moment of their lives Wei Wuxian would bring him to next. The small parts of his home that made up their story. On their first meeting, they fought, Lan Wangji broke his jar, and then sent him for punishment. There is nothing anyone could do to make him give that up in exchange for a normal, pleasant first meeting. He wanted Wei Wuxian, the stupid things he'd done, the stupid things he still does, and all the silly, but wonderful ideas he has, just like this one.

Lan Wangji flew straight up to the roof and landed delicately on the tiles, uncharacteristically impatient, without bothering to go through the watchtower pathways. When he started to wonder where the clue would be, he heard a surprised squeak and a dull thud from the guard post. He stared impassively, as a boy not wearing the Lan colours scrambled up, leaning over the railing to see him. This was… The Ouyang boy? Ouyang Zizhen? It took him a moment to recall the name, from when Sizhui brought up his friends.

"So sorry, Hanguang-jun! I expected you'd come from the other direction, so I was a little surprised…" He bowed quickly, sounding sheepish. Since… when had he been a guest at Cloud Recesses?

"I apologize for the lack of hospitality. I was… unaware, the Ouyang Sect had arrived."

"Oh! We haven't. I'm not a guest here, so don't worry."

Lan Wangji would be more concerned about this development were he not a child, and Sizhui's friend. Wei Wuxian might have invited him. That was alright. This was his home, he equally had the right to invite or decline guests. He waited in silence, until the boy seemed to remember his cue.

"I'm here to give you your next clue! I wasn't really a part of this before, but I just happened to be night hunting nearby and I remembered Jingyi was on gate duty these days, so I went up to say hi, and heard the news. I had to beg Senior Wei for a part!" Ouyang Zizhen rambled on, unprompted.

"… Mn."

"Yeah, except he said no. Bummer. But I started crying and he said fine! He didn’t want the note to fly away in the wind, so here I am!"

Lan Wangji slowly nodded, confused. He wondered if the note was still left lying around somewhere. Perhaps that would be faster?

"Anyway, so, to find the next part of your valiant and romantic search, you have to search for the one that is everything in the things he is not, with brown, golden orbs like sunlight, and a talented archer with rough, calloused fingertips, and stunning inky black hair that is always soft to the touch, although the way he wears his hair is not as cool as he thinks it is, and…"

Lan Wangji highly doubted that was what Wei Wuxian had said, verbatim. It would be a questionable choice to wax poetry about another man to the one you want to propose to. He stared blankly, waiting for him to finish.

"I am afraid I do not understand."

Zizhen sighed.

"Alright. He told me to tell you to find Jingyi. I just thought it was too easy, and improvised from there. My poetry has room for improvements."

"Thank you." He had the vague impression that Wei Wuxian had planned a more romantic speech, but gave it up in favour of giving Zizhen something to do. That was alright. This was enough, more than enough.

"Good luck, Hanguang-jun! We're rooting for you!" The boy cheered with a smile, and Lan Wangji allowed himself a moment of fondness. Wei Wuxian's general charm attracted people like a magnet, and the children he took under his wing looked at him like he'd hung the stars in the sky. It was the very least he deserved.

At one stage, Lan Wangji had been deeply respected by his peers, but he had also been feared. No one would risk going near. He wouldn't let them try, either. But just the memory of meeting Wei Wuxian, of knowing him better than he knew himself, had changed something in his soul. His son's friends would excitedly ramble on at him, just for the sake of it, not bothered with appropriate decorum and distance. He found that in itself, was a far greater form of respect.

He… was unsure whether finding Jingyi was supposed to be a search, but Zizhen had already told him Jingyi was on gate duty, so he didn't have to consider it for long. He flew down the path, landing just a little bit behind to smoothly walk the rest of the way. Jingyi hadn't noticed his presence, and was pacing around nervously in a circle, muttering something to the other Lan on duty.

"A-Ah! Hanguang-jun! Yes! Hi!" He sprung up, flustered and smiling widely like a deer caught in a trap. The one beside him respectfully bowed, and disrespectfully sighed in Jingyi's direction. "Your clue is, uhm, there's a thing and you have to, you know uh, the place where you…" He floundered, gesturing with his hands. Lan Wangji just minutely raised his eyebrow, but the movement was caught anyway, and Jingyi looked utterly crushed.

"Hanguang-jun… I'm sorry… Senior Wei said it really quickly and I just said yes I got it on instinct, and then I thought it's okay, Sizhui will remember, but I forgot I had guard duty, so I couldn't go and find him to ask!" Jingyi despaired, big, puppy dog eyes staring up at Lan Wangji for judgement. He shook his head lightly, dismissively.

"I am not upset, Jingyi."

Jingyi sagged in relief. "Senior Wei definitely will be though. Uhm, I'm pretty sure Jin Ling was the next person. Please pretend you figured that out on your own, I can’t handle it when he's disappointed."

Lan Wangji wouldn't lie to his soulmate (soon-to-be husband). But he couldn't be blamed if he was caught up in the excitement of the trail, and simply forgot to mention it. Cloud Recesses was a large place, but fortunately for him, he knew where Jin Ling's guest rooms were, as he had to visit now and again for Chief Cultivator business. He never seemed to stray far without his uncle or a friend by his side. That would be the ideal place to start. If not him, there would be a Jin disciple who could probably point him in the right direction. Hm. That should be within the rules. Wei Wuxian did not explicitly outline them when this trail began, so he could only assume.

"Thank you, Jingyi," Hanguang-jun said with a firm nod. He remembered Zizhen's description… When he thought about it, it seemed rather romantic in detail. Wei Wuxian would be better equipped to handle this information. It should not be his place, but Jingyi had been raised beside Sizhui like his own, and when he thought about how things may have gone differently if someone had just nudged Lan Wangji in the right direction back then…

"Ouyang Zizhen sent me here. His description of you was… very flattering." Nothing showed on his face, but he couldn't help an internal cringe. Indeed, he was unsuited for this.

Jingyi seemed unsurprised. "Oh, yeah, probably something really romantic about my hair and my archers hands, right? He's just like that. He isn't actually a cutsleeve, he just does this with everybody."

… Hm.

Lan Wangji left it at that. His son's friends were strange, but they were good.

He came across Jin Ling on his way to the guest rooms, finding him with a pair of garden scissors near the classrooms, where the disciples had grown white Chrysanthemums in a line of soil around the building. They were well-tended to, and growing nicely, even in Autumn. Lan Wangji made a note to praise their efforts in the future.

"H… Hanguang-jun?! I wasn't, this isn't-" Jin Ling dropped the scissors on the ground, and quickly took multiple steps back. Lan Wangji inclined his head, confused. "… That Wei Wuxian told me to do it, I wasn't trying to steal!"

"There is no issue." The statement didn't come across as a question, but Lan Wangji intended it as one. "They are growing in many spots. If you would like one and are cautious to only take what you need, we would not punish you."

"A-ah… He really did ask me though…" Jin Ling visibly sunk in relief, though he still seemed to cower slightly. Lan Wangji… didn't understand it. Had he antagonised him? Perhaps he had been unnecessarily overprotective at first, but given that Jin Ling had once stabbed Wei Wuxian, he felt he was somewhat justified. Nonetheless, it was in the past. Whenever he tried to broach the subject, Jin Ling panicked, when he had only wanted to convey that he held no judgement toward him, not anymore. Any lingering fear was Lan Wangji's problem alone. It was not the fault of a child.

The world had given Wei Wuxian back to him. He no longer saw it through the lens of what was taken from him, bitter and waiting and grieving. He saw the world through Wei Wuxian's bubbly laugh in the back of his mind, knowing he would return home, home to the Jingshi and home to him. Wei Wuxian's happiness was the greatest kindness Lan Wangji had ever been shown. His soulmate was by his side, and he was allowed to be better. Lan Wangji could afford, now, to forgive.

"Uhm… Did you need me for something, Hanguang-jun?" Jin Ling tentatively asked.

"Mn. The next clue."

Jin Ling paled.

Ah.

None of them had learnt their lines.

"I… I didn't think I had a clue. I was just supposed to get flowers!" Jin Ling burst out, looking very suddenly upset. "Right? I wouldn't get that wrong. Of course I wouldn't. I would know if…"

Jin Ling puffed out his chest, like a baby bird fluffing out its feathers. He tried to look prideful, but slowly started to look close to tears. Lan Wangji loved Wei Wuxian, and he loved this elaborate, romantic game, but he truly wished he had given him an advance warning about crying children. Wei Wuxian pat Jin Ling's head sometimes. Should he try that? Lan Wangji stretched out his hand briefly, before changing his mind and bringing it back.

"Hanguang-jun… I mean it… I…" Jin Ling started to sniffle.

"It is… no issue. We will find the next clue without it."

Jin Ling rapidly nodded, wiping his eyes with his forearm. He didn't seem to really have an idea on where to start, but he proudly picked a direction to search, and Lan Wangji indulgently followed. It was in the central courtyard. Ideally, they would run into Sizhui (because Lan Wangji raised a diligent, attentive boy), or someone else involved in the plan who knew where to direct him.

They walked onto the wooden decks, which creaked lightly under them. The colder months of late must have been wearing it down. He looked for any particularly obvious spots to place a letter, or anywhere that held some kind of memory for them. Jin Ling randomly ran around checking under rocks.

Not much further was the place where Wei Wuxian accidentally called him 'sweetheart' outside of a jokes. He didn't think he would remember that like Lan Wangji did, though. In the pathway to the left, there was a small alcove where Lan Wangji first thought about kissing him. Did Wei Wuxian even know that? He should tell him, one day. He walked down a few wooden steps to a stone square, where Wei Wuxian kneeled for fighting with Jin Zixuan.

There was a small scrap of paper lying to the side. Maybe it was meant to represent when Lan Wangji visited him out of concern. His heart warmed.

'- [Indiscernible] … new with black… [Indiscernible]… tassel thing.
- carrots

- !!!!!!!!!!!

- talisman??? wu xieren.'

Lan Wangji stared blankly at the note. At the same time, Jin Ling had come running over, relieved that he'd found it. He peeked over and read it as well, but didn't appear noticeably worried.

"Um… I don't really get it, but I'm sure you will!" Jin Ling confidently said, assuming the note referred to some inside joke between them. Lan Wangji understood Wei Wuxian, after all they had been through. Or at least he usually did. He… truly was at a loss this time.

Wu Xieren was a travelling cultivator, alongside Zhou He. Wei Wuxian had met them on a night hunt months ago, and they apparently immediately hit it off. If that's what you call pretending not to be Wei Wuxian and listening to a fan ramble about how cool Wei Wuxian is.

… Anyway.

They were staying in a guest room. Lan Wangji was unsure where the talisman fit in, but tucked the information away, along with the other strange items. It may be a part of a later puzzle. When he left in that direction without a word, Jin Ling quietly trailed along like a lost duckling. Lan Wangji was fairly sure he didn't need to be there, but he didn't particularly mind, and so, said nothing.

He knocked on their door politely, and it was Zhou He that answered. Lan Wangji inclined his head in a half-bow, and the other man repeated the action, respectful but casual. There was a straightforwardness to him that Lan Wangji admired. It was also convenient that he didn't ramble on about Wei Wuxian being his idol, like his partner.

"Hanguang-jun. Can I help you?"

"Wu Xieren?" He asked, cutting the unnecessary words. Zhou He leaned his head back into the room, swiping up a blanket roll that had been messily strewn across the floor and throwing it across the room.

"Get up! It's like, afternoon, lazy ass."
 

Lan Wangji heard a mumbled groan from the bed.

"You're the… one that sleeps in until 10, I get up at 8… If it wasn't for someone dragging me on a night hunt until late morning. Someone should've taught you they don't literally mean night," Wu Xieren grumbled out of sight. "Bitch."

Zhou He grinned.

"By the way. Hanguang-jun's outside, he wants to see you. He's with the Jin sect leader." There was a loud tripping noise.

A few seconds later, Wu Xieren hastily entered view, wearing appropriate, light travel attire that was clearly just put on. He straightened up, while Zhou He smirked. Lan Wangji's expression remained neutral.

"Are you involved in Wei Wuxian's… plan?" Lan Wangji slowly asked, uncertain of how to put it. Wu Xieren's eyes went wide.

"Huh? There's a plan? If it's something bad, I swear I had nothing to do with it."

"It's a marriage proposal."

Lan Wangji was just reminding him, in case. There was no aspect of jealousy that led him to clarify that statement.

"Oh. Then honestly no, I'm not. Congratulations though!"

Lan Wangji frowned lightly, nodded his head and left without another word. Jin Ling quickly thanked them before hurrying off after him.

"That wasn't it?" Jin Ling asked, confused. Lan Wangji felt similarly. It could be a distraction…? That felt too insidious, for a simple proposal trail, aimed to lead him around places that held memories for them. Wei Wuxian liked a challenge. Was this a challenge? Lan Wangji liked them better when they did them together.

He re-examined the list. If he ignored the other items, they fed the bunnies carrots as a treat on special occasions (never frequently, it wasn't a natural part of their diet). The rabbit field…?

Lan Wangji changed directions. He wanted to ask if Jin Ling really had no inkling into any of the other parts of the plan… but it may make the issue he had of being misunderstood, worse. He couldn't use Wei Wuxian's proposal plan to worsen his relationship with the nephew he adored. Who was still following him. For some reason.

He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Jin Ling happily trailed along, unintentionally starting to walk like a teenager, and not a sect leader. Hm.

"I am…" Lan Wangji tried to begin speaking before he figured out what he wanted to say, uncharacteristically. Jin Ling turned to him, looking a little worried. No. That wasn't it. He wasn't trying to scare him. "Not mad. About this, or anything from the past. Wei Ying and Sizhui care for you, deeply. I never intended to frighten you. I apologise."

Jin Ling gaped dumbly, and Lan Wangji uncomfortably waited until he came to his senses. Unfortunately, that also meant he began to tear up. Had he gotten it wrong? He had never been suited for this. Perhaps he should have waited for Wei Wuxian's help…

But then Jin Ling was smiling.

As soon as the boy realized that himself, he looked away, an embarrassed flush creeping over his cheeks as he quickly sped up his pace. Lan Wangji's bigger strides easily kept up.

"I-I wasn't frightened, you don't have to apologize."

"Mn."

"… It's just, being a sect leader is hard, and I'm worried all my relationships will affect the whole sect, and you and my uncle are always together, so if you're mad at me, I can't see him, and…" Jin Ling cut himself off, his cheeks burning even redder. Lan Wangji noticed he tended to react with aggression in the face of embarrassment. It must be tough for him to restrain himself, as they spoke.

"Thank you for telling me," Lan Wangji settled on. He would make an effort to check in with him more frequently. This was never his strong suit, but Wei Wuxian's family were worth the effort. Mostly. Jiang Wanyin was a lot more effort, and his value was greatly up for debate, but nonetheless.

They approached the rabbit field, and were met with a chorus of voices. Lan Wangji suspected this was the right place, and the wrong time.

"What do you mean you lost him, he's a grown man! A very grown man!"

"It's not my fault, I sent him to Jin Ling!"

"To Jin Ling?! He wasn't even one of the options! He's bad at lying!"

"He wasn't? Where did Hanguang-jun go, then?"

"That's what I'm asking you, Jingyi!"

"Jingyi was supposed to send him to me, but he never came. I got worried, which is why I went searching for them," a softer voice, Sizhui's, cut in.

"Well I, for one, did my job perfectly, and I wasn't even in it until this morning," Zizhen proudly announced. "Senior Wei, are you proud?"

"I am many things, Zizhen. Many things. Mainly, I'm wondering where the hell you guys sent Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji huffed in amusement, unnoticed. He continued to walk quietly, waiting until they saw him. Wei Wuxian was the first.

"Wei Ying," he affectionately called.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian despairingly whined back.

Behind him, Jin Ling whispered, "Shit, I forgot about the flowers."

Lan Wangji smiled. That, at least, managed to cheer Wei Wuxian up. He managed a smile back at him, resigned, but in a content and soft way. That was good. He wasn't too devastated. Lan Wangji wondered if he could have followed the plan better… He supposed he only had so much knowledge, and it would've been impossible for him to predict how it had actually been planned, but Wei Wuxian made him want to do impossible things.

"Wei Ying. Love you."

Wei Wuxian buried his face in his chest.

"You. Shut up. You're not allowed to be romantic after this disaster. I'm heartbroken. You have to make me Yunmeng dumplings for breakfast tomorrow to cure me. Also, stop me from dropkicking a child."

"Mn."

Lan Wangji looked down, and Wei Wuxian looked up.

"There was supposed to be flowers, you know. And Sizhui was gonna take you to where that old guest disciple room was, where I got you drunk and we talked about our families, and you told me what the headband meant."

"… You remember?"

"Right? Isn't it funny, it's a memory that I have, and you don't, for once! It came back to me in pieces, the other day. Hey, how did you end up here, anyway?" Wei Wuxian asked, and Lan Wangji pulled out the note. He blinked at it slowly, before clutching his side and dissolving into laughter. "That wasn't a clue! It's some old shopping list!"

That…

That would explain a few things, actually.

Wei Wuxian continued to laugh at him, smiling like everything he needed was right in front of him. Well. Almost.

Sizhui slid up next to them, carrying one of the rabbits that had partially grown up with him, and was easily the friendliest of the group. He grinned, toothy, like he did when he was a small child with chubby, round cheeks, and he moved the rabbits paws to make it look like he was waving.

Wei Wuxian wrapped an arm around the two of them, and brought them into the loose hug, mindful about not squishing the bunny. Jingyi jumped at the chance for a group hug, speed running over and almost bowling Wei Wuxian over in the process. Before he settled in, he ran back around, grabbing Jin Ling's hand roughly and yanking him over, until Jin Ling was a part of their huddle too. At some point, Zizhen had snuck in under Wei Wuxian's arms.

"Senior Wei, are you gonna ask now?" Zizhen asked with a gasp. "Are you going to tell him that you can't live without him, and that you would die fighting for his hand, and then run away together?"

"They're running away? No! You can't do that!" Jin Ling was quick to cut in with his opinion.

"They're not running away, obviously… It'll be more like, 'I promise I'll make you happy for the rest of your life!' 'You already do…' 'Oh!' And then they'll lie on the roof to look at the stars at night, but they're really looking at each other," Jingyi said, with exaggerated voices to differentiate them.

Lan Wangji listened, as curious as he was confused. Where… had they gotten those ideas? Is that what Jingyi thought his voice sounded like? He didn't mind what anyone other than Wei Wuxian thought of him, but it was… rather unflattering. Wei Wuxian snorted.

"Alright, settle, enough. We're not running away. Why would we run away? And I think I've died enough for one lifetime, wouldn't you say?"

Zizhen coughed awkwardly.

"And I'm not saying Jingyi's script either, though it was a better try," Wei Wuxian met Lan Wangji's eyes, his own crinkling into a smile. "I don't need to promise anything. Lan Zhan already knows."

Before the atmosphere could get too comfortable, Wei Wuxian waggled his eyebrows and followed it up with, "Also, trust me, I will be seeing stars tonight, but it won't be on a roof," earning him a chorus of groans and gagging noises. It was a very effective and quick way to get the juniors to disperse. Wei Wuxian snickered, leaning into Lan Wangji again.

"Are you upset?" Lan Wangji asked. Wei Wuxian must have worked hard for this. It would be justifiable.

"Hmmm… Did you have fun, Lan Zhan?"

"Mn," Lan Wangji agreed, without hesitation.

"Then no. How could I be?" Wei Wuxian laughed, light and free. The sound rang like a bell in his head, and he wanted to keep it there forever. "I guess I should finish the attempt then, huh. Lan Zhan, I would die fighting for your hand, let's run away together, and whatever, will you marry me?"

"… May I answer?"

"Nope. This is just a trial run. It wasn't perfect. I'm gonna work on it, and it'll be incredible, just you wait!"

Lan Wangji knew waiting, and this was not it. He had everything he needed, bundled in his arms and determined to show him the best proposal in the world, because he thought Lan Wangji deserved it. Lan Wangji thought Wei Wuxian deserved even more than perfect.

"Alright. 10/10."

"I can do better than that."

Lan Wangji sighed. Wei Wuxian laughed under his breath, something in between a dark chuckle and a child's giggle.

"Wei Ying. There is nothing better. That is full marks."

"Math is subjective."

It was not. But Lan Wangji nodded along indulgently anyway, and Wei Wuxian leaned up to kiss him.

4.

Wei Wuxian threw a talisman toward the large beast, but it easily broke through the restraints and charged toward him. He flinched backwards in preparation for impact, when Lan Wangji flew through the air and sliced Bichen straight down the monsters neck, landing on the ground in one swift motion. Without staggering or pausing in momentum, he lunged to stab its side only moments after his feet touched the ground, his sleeve falling backwards to reveal his straining, well-defined muscles.

He lightly stepped out of the way when it struggled and fell. Blood spewed through the air, and not a single drop landed on his pristine white layers. Lan Wangji's beautiful golden eyes looked at the creature with unruffled indifference, power and strength in every sense. A drop of sweat glistened down his neck, as his throat bobbed. Wei Wuxian's mouth hung open, his mouth suddenly feeling very, very dry.

"Oh my god, marry me."

Lan Wangji blinked at him like an owl, raising one eyebrow. Wei Wuxian gasped as his own words caught up with his brain, throwing his hands over his mouth and muffling a frustrated yell.

"That doesn't count! That was an accident, don't say anything!"

"… 10/10."

Wei Wuxian buried his face in his hands.

"Sweetheart, baobei, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

Lan Wangji sheathed Bichen, and hummed noncommittally. He absolutely was. Wei Wuxian hated him. He loved him so much.

5.

If you counted the both the delirious fevered proposal and the night hunt accident, this was his fifth attempt. Wei Wuxian didn't want to count those, so he would consider it the third try. He had learnt his lesson from under planning, and then from over planning. This plan should be perfectly in the middle, and he had timed it just with the Lantern Festival.

Over the multiple day-long celebrations of the New Year for the past week, Cloud Recesses had been more lively than ever. Wei Wuxian expected to have a good time, and perhaps, to get away with some day drinking in front of Lan Qiren. He hadn't expected to find that he was already considered a part of their family, and having to excuse himself to tear up around the corner. He wanted it, wanted this family to be real and his almost more so than he had ever wanted anything, and the urge to just throw his stupid plans away and get married then and there had a strong grip on his thoughts.

But Lan Wangji deserved better than a proposal like that, and Wei Wuxian didn't know how to do anything but dedicate himself, wholly and fully, to him. His love, his soulmate. The one who stood by him in the storm, who stands by him in the spring.

He finally managed to squirrel himself and Lan Wangji away after a long day of trying to figure out the appropriate address for Lan Wangji's distant relatives, sitting through the Lan elders long stories (entertaining himself with their awkward stumbling whenever the Yiling Patriarch came up), and trying to make a good impression on Jingyi's judgemental aunt. He didn't bother with any special attire this time, staying in his comfortable travelling black and red robes when he dragged Lan Wangji down past the gates.

He liked the Lan robes, he liked the statement of claim, and he liked how they drove Lan Wangji mad. But in the end, he would never be a perfect Lan. The black and red hid the dirt he liked to roll in. The traveller in him, his reputation, they were things he would never be able to truly separate himself from.

Lan Wangji looked at him like he was perfect anyway.

"It would be faster to ride there," Lan Wangji pointed out, as Wei Wuxian continued to lead him down the path, twirling Chenqing in his hand.

"True, but it's not quite dark yet. They're still probably setting up. It's nice weather, we can take our time," Wei Wuxian replied, tilting his head with a toothy grin. Lan Wangji hummed, softly.

"You wanted to escape Jingyi's aunt."

"Lan Zhan! Slander," he gasped through a widening smile, because, yeah. He really had. "Who taught you to be that shameless?"

"Mn. You did."

Wei Wuxian happily nudged into his side as they walked, swinging his arms next to Lan Wangji's perfect and imposing posture. At first, it had been an unsettling visage of how different his body was. Where he had once equalled Lan Wangji in height and build, he now fell a head shorter, and his small frame was evident against Lan Wangji's muscle. Now, he had grown into this body as his own, and he liked the way he perfectly fit against him, as if they were made to be this way. As if everything they had been through was for this. That even in his darkest moments, their happy ending had been planned from the start.

On their way, the sun truly began to fade through the trees, and the path was quickly darkening. Lan Wangji reached into his robes, but Wei Wuxian quickly stopped him.

"Ah-ah! Let me," he proudly said, gripping his wrist, as Lan Wangji pretended he was unable to break free. He had planned to bring this out later, but it might not be as noticeable once people started to release lanterns into the sky, and he was impatient to show it off. To start his plan to woo Lan Wangji with a perfect, romantic, unforgettable proposal.

Wei Wuxian took out a talisman from his sleeve, a handcrafted one he had been working on over the past few days whenever he had gotten a chance. Holding it up in front of him, he crossed his other hand over the characters on the back, pouring a small amount of energy into his palm and urging it forward.

The paper collapsed, shooting forward and exploding into a swarm of golden, glowing butterflies, dispersing out in a straight line down the path for as far as they could see. It was reminiscent of small, moving lanterns. Wei Wuxian subtly looked over, delighting in the way Lan Wangji's eyes widened just the slightest.

"What do you think?" He excitedly asked, and Lan Wangji's eyes instantly snapped back to him, loving and intense in a way that was so uniquely him. "Honestly, it doesn't have many practical applications, and I pretty much designed it for a long stretch of empty space since it poses a small fire risk. I can modify how far they go, but they're really complicated to replicate, so I just took a random guess for this one. This wasn't really the ideal place, actually, so I'm glad no trees lit on fire-"

"I love you."

Wei Wuxian exhaled, fondly. He slipped his hand into his, intertwining their fingers and taking him down the lowly lit path. Lan Wangji's hold was indescribably gentle.

"I was asking about the talisman, not me."

"I love Wei Ying. Your talisman is beautiful."

"You're hopeless," Wei Wuxian said, breathy and quiet. In the dim glow of the butterflies, Lan Wangji smiled at him. "I adore you. You're beautiful. I want to marry you, and that's not a question, so don't you dare answer yet. That was my internal monologue, and you didn't hear it."

"Mn. I heard nothing," Lan Wangji agreed. Wei Wuxian thought he could make the most outrageous claim in the world, and Lan Wangji would undoubtedly support him. It made him giddy, like a teenager with a crush all over again. Lan Wangji must have seen it in his eyes, because he then said, "Wei Ying. Please, do not light anything on fire tonight."

He barked out a laugh, shaking his head, and holding up their clasped hands.

"No promises! You chose me, and all my disasters, remember?"

His breath stuttered as Lan Wangji leant down to kiss his knuckles.

"I will always choose Wei Ying."

The two of them eventually reached the festival at Caiyi town, taking in from a high point the wooden stalls of handmade goods, the red lanterns hanging over the bridge and reflecting in the water, the colourful baskets of fruit and the smell of fresh street food cooking. It was busy enough that the chatter of families carried around, but there was no difficulty in walking through. Their two footsteps echoed quietly against the cobblestone, crossing the bridge to the main strip where the festival was held.

Wei Wuxian immediately lost himself in his childish curiosity, dragging Lan Wangji behind him to flutter about between stalls, and pretending not to notice the way Lan Wangji stayed a second behind to buy anything his eyes strayed across with vague interest.

Some things never changed.

"Ah, Lan Zhan, give me your money! Wait here, I'll buy us some tangyuan!" Wei Wuxian turned to him, patting him back toward the water's edge where it was less crowded. The sounds of the river flowing were soothing, just barely perceptible over the people and the distant upbeat folk music. Lan Wangji handed over his purse without hesitation, still using that small, pink pouch from all those years ago and starkly contrasting his intimidating image. It was very endearing.

He bought two premade ones for the two of them, bringing back the rice balls to where Lan Wangji patiently waited, barely having moved an inch from the spot Wei Wuxian left him in. Oh, he was so very endearing. Wei Wuxian couldn't stop himself from pushing onto the tips of his toes and landing a soft kiss to his lips.

Who knew that one day, even someone like him… could have something like this? Who could have thought, back when he lost everything, and all the family he knew were dead or standing against him, that it would be possible to feel this happy again? He laughed against Lan Wangji's lips, and found that they tasted like relief.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji questioned, a small frown creasing above his nose. Wei Wuxian handed him his tangyuan, and smoothed out the crease with his thumb.

"It's nothing. Come on, let's check out the rest, we still have the whole night! Is there anything you want to do?"

Lan Wangji shook his head, and Wei Wuxian privately smiled, because he knew the answer, and he knew why. Lan Wangji truly meant it when he told him he could enjoy anything, if he was there with him. He was much taller and Wei Wuxian had to look up at him, but he still wanted to pat his head like a small child. Wei Wuxian had plans for the end of the night, but until then, it didn't matter what they did. Just as long as it was fun. As long as Lan Wangji had a good time.

"I am happy with Wei Ying."

"Okay, Lan Zhan. Alright."

They wandered further down through the streets, ending up a little closer to wherever the source of the music was. Wei Wuxian's attention was piqued by a divination advertising call, sliding his eyes over and slowing Lan Wangji down by the arm he had linked with his. An older man sat cross-legged on the ground of one stall done up like a tent, a low wooden table in front of him. Wei Wuxian curiously tugged Lan Wangji over.

"Oh, young men, you have a good eye! Would you like a reading? You won't find more affordable prices in all of Gusu!" He boasted, ushering them closer. Wei Wuxian was well aware of the marketing tricks, but upon self-inspection, found he didn't really care all that much. It was a night of fun, for just the two of them. Who cares? If it looks interesting, what was so bad? No one would dare cheat Hanguang-jun, anyway.

"Hey, let's get one!" He excitedly said, nudging Lan Wangji in the side, who obediently took out his coin purse. "Lan Zhan, you go first."

"A palm reading for you, esteemed cultivator?" The man checked, to which Lan Wangji tightly nodded. He put out his hand flat on the table, palm facing upwards. He had such long fingers, his calloused palm still managing to look so elegant and quietly powerful… Wei Wuxian sighed happily, resting his elbow on the table. The man took a moment to trace a few of the lines, humming to himself as he lifted it up and tilted his hand around.

"You have a big hand, sir! You must be very fortunate," he commented, putting on a voice of awe. A classic technique, to make the customer feel particularly unique. Lan Wangji nodded seriously anyway, and looked pointedly at Wei Wuxian.

"I am."

Wei Wuxian hopelessly smiled.

"You have excellent health, although you will have one, grievous injury that will sometimes cause problems for you," the man explained, tracing down a line. Wei Wuxian's mood slightly dampened at the reminder of the whip scars on his back, something tight gathering in his chest. It uncoiled slowly as Lan Wangji's free hand reached over to his shoulder, rubbing comforting circles there, all without even looking.

"You were born into a unique social status, although, not necessarily wealth…" He then pointed out exactly where that was shown, and why the colliding lines gave that impression. That fact was probably a given, with Lan Wangji's evident Lan robes and the reputation of their sect for living frugally, but there was definitely a science to it. Wei Wuxian leaned in a little, fascinated.

"And finally, your future looks very bright, esteemed cultivator! You will have great fortune and happiness, though not necessarily achievement. The line for marriage is very pronounced, if you are married, or when you marry in the future, your relationship with them will be very strong and loving. I would advise against any actions that would upset your wife, she will be very important to your long-term good fortune."

Wei Wuxian snorted loudly, and had to quickly cover it up as a cough. He barely managed to get himself under control, when his eyes met Lan Wangji's, equally bemused. He had a single eyebrow raised, and it made Wei Wuxian break into giggles again.

"Thank you. I have already dedicated my life to him. There is nothing I wouldn't do to keep his smile."

The old man's eyes widened, nodding very quickly in understanding as his eyes darted between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. He must be a travelling physiognomer, because there was no one in Caiyi who wouldn't have heard of Lan Wangji's inclinations. He certainly made no secret of them. He made no secret of Wei Wuxian.

"Ah, ah, yes, forgive me. This one misspoke…"

"Don't worry about it! Now me," Wei Wuxian jumped in, grinning and putting his own palm down. He let him examine his hand, occasionally pressing his thumb down to feel the bumps or lifting it up to check the general shape of his hand.

"Ahh, your hand is a lot smaller, and curves around this edge, you must be adventurous and generous!" He proclaimed confidently. Wei Wuxian smiled again, but a little sadder. It wasn't that it wasn't accurate, it was vague enough that it generally applied to most people. Yes, it was true enough, but…

He wondered whether it would have fit Mo Xuanyu better. He had forgotten, for a moment, that this hand was not his to begin with.

"This line is very faint, so you must have a short attention span. This is both a strength and a weakness. Your health is not bad, but you appear to be vulnerable to the colder months. Your love life is…" The man seemed to pause, blinking, before coughing, "good, very good. You will be satisfied."

Wei Wuxian wasn't totally sure whether the reading was meant for him or Mo Xuanyu, but listened curiously anyway. Mo Xuanyu must not have had a love life, or had a chance for one, so the man panicked and lied to satisfy the customer. Well, with Hanguang-jun sitting there, a hand protectively rested over his shoulder, Wei Wuxian didn't blame him. Still. It was nice to hear that in some ways, perhaps he and Mo Xuanyu weren't all that different. He didn't think about him often, but he hoped he would've liked the person that he sacrificed everything for.

"And your future…" The man idly began to trace another line, before stopping. He looked pale. "Your future is… Apologies sir, this truly is unusual, I…"

"Does it say I'm dead?" Wei Wuxian asked, interested, and amusing himself with the other man's sudden spluttering.  

"Ah, this, sir," he chuckled nervously, unable to say anything of substance. Wei Wuxian laughed, not nervous in the slightest. His palm was right, whether it was for Mo Xuanyu or him. Neither of them had survived, technically. It was all a bit of an odd mess. He wondered whether the man had seen anything like it before.

"That reading makes sense, actually. Thank you sir, for your effort," Wei Wuxian bowed his head respectfully, and Lan Wangji did the same. The man somehow looked more incredulous, but quickly scrambled to return the effort. Definitely a traveller, to not recognize the Yiling Patriarch's trademark black and red. While they were sitting, the crowds on the street started to part to the sides. They stood up from the stall, and Wei Wuxian peered out to see where the excitement had come from.

Accompanied by musicians down the street was a long lion model, shaking and swaying its head to the beat. It was controlled by ropes, and people in grey robes to the sides, and was wonderfully colourful and alive. Wei Wuxian clapped his hands along to the beat of the music, bobbing his shoulders up and down with a light-hearted laugh in Lan Wangji's direction. He did it again, more pointedly, wiggling his eyebrows expectantly. In the atmosphere of the music, the colours and the lights, Lan Wangji did a small shoulder shrug, with a still neutral expression.

Wei Wuxian laughed so hard he almost cried.

The lions large face turned to their side of the crowd, and Wei Wuxian brightly waved at it with a gasp. He was too distracted to see Lan Wangji duck in front of him, sweeping his thighs up off the ground and around his waist, picking him up into the air on his back. Wei Wuxian squealed, tightly grabbing onto him.

"Hey! Lan Zhan! A little warning!"

"Mn. Apologies," he said, not sounding very sorry at all. Wei Wuxian, crowded over his head, quietly laughed again into the crown of his hair. As it turns out, Lan Wangji's back gave him a better view of the red fireworks exploding into the darkened sky. They were beautiful.

The small smile on the corner of Lan Wangji's lips was even more beautiful.

Lan Wangji kept him like that while the lion passed through the crowd, and then carrying him a few stalls over to buy a candied hawthorn stick. The stall owner tried to pretend they weren't staring, as Lan Wangji handed it up to him. Wei Wuxian took a bite, before holding the sick down near Lan Wangji's mouth. Lan Wangji obediently took a small bite, and Wei Wuxian happily grinned. The lion had gone up a little further ahead of them, and was starting to move around in circles, its body shaking and ruffling along to the beat.

"Hey, let's follow it for a bit!" He suggested, and Lan Wangji easily began to follow the bright red and orange model, with Wei Wuxian's legs wrapped around his waist, and his arms wrapped around his neck. They really made quite a pair. Avoiding Lan Wangji's silver hairpiece, he rested his chin on the side of his head. "Everyone's looking at us, you know. This is how you carry children."

"Hm. I believe Wei Ying told me he was three?"

Wei Wuxian knocked his shoulder lightly, leaning back in laughter. "No! That's only when it suits me!"

"This does not suit you?"

Wei Wuxian could see Lan Wangji watching out of the corner of his eye. He was joking, but if Wei Wuxian indicated he really wanted to be put down, he would do it within a second. He was so painfully considerate. Wei Wuxian wanted to look after him forever.

"It suits me," he quietly answered. They circled around the small town, and crossed over another bridge when Wei Wuxian noticed a popular stall with lots of long, red lanterns hanging from its wooden overhead. Wei Wuxian tapped Lan Wangji's shoulder to be put down, not wanting to tire him out, even with his seemingly stupidly endless strength. "Wanna do a riddle with me, Lan Zhan?"

"Wei Ying is better at riddles," Lan Wangji smoothly replied, following him to the stall. When they were greeted, they were informed of the rules, and given the chance to pick any lantern they wanted. Wei Wuxian looked to Lan Wangji, who walked up and picked a random lantern from the middle, taking a slip of paper hanging from inside.

"Which is faster, the hot, or the cold?" Wei Wuxian read out loud, over his shoulder. It wasn't a particularly difficult one. They probably tried to make them family friendly. He looked over to Lan Wangji, mischievously, and leant in to whisper, "If you can figure it out, I'll obey your every order later tonight…"

Lan Wangji's grip on the paper tightened, and he put it back down on the stall table with a little more force than necessary. Wei Wuxian put his hand over his mouth to muffle snickers.

"Hot. You can catch a cold."

"Ahh, congratulations Mister! Would you like to pick a prize?" The little girl at the front of the stall happily answered, while the supervising adults busied themselves around her. Lan Wangji looked at Wei Wuxian, who shrugged and took another bite of his candied stick.

"It's your win. You pick. The real prize is later, anyway…" He vaguely said as he finished chewing, conscious of the very small child in front of them. Lan Wangji picked a cheap rattle drum, and predictably gave it straight to Wei Wuxian anyway. "You silly man, you're supposed to pick something for you!"

"But I only need Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji answered, sincere. Wei Wuxian sighed. There was truly no winning against Hanguang-jun, but Wei Wuxian hoped his romantic plan tonight would be just enough to be his equal. The thought made him light up in excitement all over again. Wei Wuxian looked up as another round of fireworks went off above them, and thought that it was probably dark enough to he could get started.

"Hey, come on, I have something to show you."

Lan Wangji obediently followed Wei Wuxian down the stone steps leading to the canal, where he had organized to rent a boat for the night in advance. Wei Wuxian thanked the man that directed them to their small wooden boat, and then got in first. Lan Wangji held his hand as his weight unsteadily shook the boat. He giggled at the funny feeling, and because of how easy it was, now, to be loved.

They both helped to paddle with the oars, since it was only a small boat, and Wei Wuxian didn't want a stranger ruining his romantic moment. The waters were calm, so it wasn't difficult at all to push through the streets where the lanterns lit up the water and the festivities carried through the night air. Their boat found itsel a quiet spot in the wider lake just outside of Caiyi town, but still close enough to hear the faint echo of laughter, drums and music.

Lan Wangji patiently waited, and Wei Wuxian shuffled away from the side to put down the oar and face him. Then, Lan Wangji reached out his bigger, calloused hands and gently took Wei Wuxian's into his own, tenderly holding them between their bodies like they were more precious than all the wealth in the world.

"I can't show you the thing I made if I can't use my hands, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian fondly pointed out. Lan Wangji didn't even look up at him, childishly pretending he couldn't hear him. "Come on, you'll like this! There's plenty of other nice things I can do with my hands after, too…" He teased, leaning in with a spark in his eye. Lan Wangji hesitated, but let his hands go anyway.

Yep. Worked every time.

Wei Wuxian reached into the inner pocket of his robes, pulling out a folded, white round lantern. He took either end and pulled it out to its proper form, grinning happily as he showed it off under the dancing and moving lights of the distant town.

On it was a black painted rabbit, as similar to the one Wei Wuxian had made for him all those years ago as he could manage. It was with a lantern like this that he wished to be someone who stood up for justice, who protected the weak. Wei Wuxian fulfilled that until the end. Even all that he had been through hadn't changed that wish, and he would never stop trying, he was tired, and right now all he wanted was to wish for Lan Wangji. For his Lan Zhan.

If he could stay by his side, he would gladly forsake everything else he had. The best part was that Lan Wangji would never ask for it. Wei Wuxian was lucky enough to be able to have him and everything else that made up the life around him, too.

Unlike last time, Lan Wangji didn't try to hide his smile. He was unashamedly endeared, the rare expression warmly lighting up his face.

Wei Wuxian quickly fumbled around for a small flame talisman, using it to light up the inside of the lantern. The bunny he drew glowed over the skin where their clasped hands gently released it into the sky together. Lan Wangji leaned across the boat to kiss him, his hands found their way across his collar and around the back of his neck, pulling him insatiably closer. Their lips separated, and Wei Wuxian could spend an eternity looking at his dusted pink face and bitten red lips.

"I wish that I can always be beside Wei Ying," Lan Wangji quietly said, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against his. Funny. Wei Wuxian was thinking the same thing.

"There's no point wishing for something you already have," he said instead, climbing onto Lan Wangji's lap even as it rocked the boat around, "I, for one, wish that we'll be together through all our lives."

"Mn. Already true."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot I died!"

Lan Wangji instantly frowned, glaring sharply at him, because that wasn't what he meant at all and he hated Wei Wuxian's dying jokes. Wei Wuxian knew that, and he laughed along brightly anyway. He settled his knees on either side of him, and used his finger to tilt Lan Wangji's chin up to him.

"How about this? I wish my husband and my son will always know how much I love them," he whispered, reverently. Lan Wangji nodded, and kissed him again. Neither of them noticed that the lantern was already long gone.

"Mn. I will spend my life making sure of it."

"I love you. I love you, I love you."

"10/10."

Wei Wuxian's kiss drunk mind took a second to remember what that meant, and he instantly burst out laughing. Lan Wangji hadn't forgotten for a second the promise of a proposal.

"I think I can do better," he said, just to get under his skin.

"Wei Ying. There is no higher number, that is the maximum-"

"-Shhh, didn't I say I'd show you the other nice things I can do with my hands?" He cheekily interrupted, one sneaky hand already skilfully making its way down Lan Wangji's chest. Everything else forgotten, Lan Wangji flipped their positions so that Wei Wuxian was lying under him. He excitedly laughed again, wrapping his legs up around his torso and pouring everything that he had, everything that he was, into that moment.

It still felt like a scary thing, to be seen, really seen, and to be loved for it anyway. Lan Wangji had loved him before, and he had loved him after. There was no question to ask, and no decision to make.

+1

Wei Wuxian's hands gently removed his silver hairpiece, combing his hands through Lan Wangji's hair with his weight solid and warm against his back. Then, those hands slid down his temple to his forehead ribbon, tenderly untying it. He closed his eyes in content. Here, Lan Wangji felt safe. It was the feeling of trust in every form it came, the feeling of waves rolling over his ankles, and lying in a warm patch of sun.

"The festival was nice. We should take our A-Yuan, next time," Wei Wuxian lightly said, finishing his work and rolling back onto the bed. Lan Wangji turned to watch him, his skin clean and pink from the bath, hair fluffed up where Lan Wangji had dried it. He was just in loose underrobes, lying against the pale sheets with the moonlight from the window making him glow. There wasn't the usual feral, urgent desire, although desire was an almost constant undercurrent around him. Here, there was just love. So much of it that Lan Wangji was drowning.

He would never breathe another day, if he could keep this.

"Mn. I sometimes took him, as a child. He liked the toys."

Sizhui had been so small then, his tiny hands wrapped around Lan Wangji's finger. It had been hard to go, at first. He wasn't ready for the crowds and families, for the overwhelming joy radiating from the holiday, still grieving a weight he couldn't carry alone. Wei Wuxian was gone. But his little boy wasn't, and he wanted to do right by him, no matter what it took.

One of those festivals, on the year he was released from seclusion, had been the first time he smiled since Wei Wuxian had left.

Wei Wuxian listened intently, and did not ask for more than he was ready to give. Lan Wangji couldn't help leaning over to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. He wondered what his past self would have thought, if he knew that one day he could attend the festival together with both his son, all grown up into someone he couldn't be more proud of, and Wei Wuxian, alive and his.

Lan Wangji pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, and Wei Wuxian opened up into a smile like a sunflower facing the light.

"Lan Zhan. Marry me."

Lan Wangji waited for Wei Wuxian to take it back, to admit it was just a slip up, and that he'd try again another day. He didn't. Wei Wuxian pulled him down into their bed, and snuggled into the crook of his neck. Lan Wangji no longer felt overwhelmed by the reminder that he was there and real in his arms, the feeling of relief no longer shaking him to his core. He no longer doubted that Wei Wuxian would be there beside him when he woke. There was growth and there was healing beyond words, in the small place they carved for the two of them.

Here, Lan Wangji was seen. Here, Lan Wangji was loved.

"It was fun, trying to propose in some grand way and impress you. Honestly. I don't regret it," Wei Wuxian admitted thoughtfully, sighing over his skin. "But… It doesn't even really matter. I guess I just realized that this is already the most romantic thing I could possibly think of, being able to do this, to have this. Our home, you… It's already so much more than I ever could've asked for. I want to comb your hair every night. I want you to always dry my hair after a bath. I want this, for the rest of my life, Lan Zhan."

It was perfect. Lan Wangji smiled helplessly into his soft hair. It smelt like home.

"Mn. 11/10."