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It was just for one night…
Lan Zhan had to repeat this to himself over and over again like some sort of meditation chant as he knelt on the floor of Puji Shine with Hua Cheng glaring at him coldly.
Only an hour ago he had been playing his guqin for Wei Ying. Hoping to entice him into a playful mood that might lead to more spirited activities for the night, when he sensed another presence. His fingers stilled on the strings and he stiffened as an unfamiliar voice sounded in his mind.
“I’m very sorry to bother you like this Hanguan Jun, but I need you to lend me your body for this night so that I can have an important talk with your husband. I promise it will be only just tonight, and you will not lack for company during this time! San Lang is an excellent companion.”
The words had come out in a rush as if the speaker was agitated, so Lan Wangji did not have time to to respond at all. The last thing he saw and heard was the concerned face of Wei Ying as he inquired.
“Lan Zhan? Is something wrong?”
Suddenly, he was in an unfamiliar place and a man in red was speaking with annoyance “Xie Lian… There is no need...”
Even in the strangest of situations, Lan Wanji could not break proper etiquette, and stopped the man’s words with a bow.
“Apologies, but I am not your Xie Lian... I am Lan Wangji, second master of the Gusu-Lan sect. I assume you are San Lang?”
The man’s face turned from a look of mild exasperation to an annoyed glare, but he inclined his head slightly to acknowledge the greeting.
“To you, I am Hua Cheng. Xie Lian will reverse the soul shifting spell and return you by morning.”
With that, he turned away and went to sit on the other side of the room and glare.
Lan Wangji was comfortable with silence. He understood the situation well enough, and the presence of Xie Lian in his mind had not been malicious, but he was anxious to get back to his husband’s side. He had been planning to have an intimate night with Wei Ying, and now he was here meditating on this phrase under the glare of an unknown man who clearly also wished that he was back in his own body.
Lan Wangji was steeped in annoyance and struggling to maintain his calm exterior, when a small child came running into the shrine with a ball of red yarn in hand.
“Scrap gege! Scrap gege! I found the string! You can teach me how to make that bracelet now!”
After a moment of confusion, Lan Wangji’s heart softened as the child flung himself into his lap holding the ball of yarn proudly. This declaration prompted Hua Cheng to move from the other side of the room, gently taking the string from the child.
“Gu Zi, daozhang cannot teach you this right now. But I will keep this safe for you until he can.”
As he returned to his previous spot, Hua Cheng was no longer scowling, but also still did not seem inclined to talk or interact.
Gu Zi’s face fell momentarily, but in the way of children, his mind changed direction quickly and he began chattering away at Lan Wangji telling him all about the bugs he found while playing that day and the things he learned. As the child babbled on happily, Lan Wangji was reminded of when Sizhui was young. Sizhui had given him a connection to Wei Ying and something to live for after his death, and now this child was similarly consoling him in this current moment of separation from his beloved.
Lan Wangji passed the evening in this way, playing with Gu Zi under Hua Cheng’s watchful gaze. Eventually, exhausted from the day’s adventures, Gu Zi drifted to sleep in Lan Wangji’s lap. His heart melted as he stroked the sleeping boy’s hair and thought fondly of raising a child with Wei Ying at his side this time. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine Wei Ying running around playing with a child in the Cloud Recesses. Getting into all sorts of trouble, terrorizing his rabbits, and trying to sabotage Lan Wangji’s attempts to teach the child proper manners.
“Lan Zhan! Are you back? You are smiling!”
Lan Wangji’s eyes flew open at the sound of Wei Ying’s voice. He was back in the Jingshi, and in his own body looking into the concerned face of his husband. It took him a moment to register the question, but before Wei Ying could worry more he responded with a nod.
“Mn”
At this response Wei Ying’s face broke into a delighted grin and he exclaimed
“There is my Lan Zhan! I have had the most interesting evening, but I missed you and your grumpy face!”
With this proclamation, he threw himself into Lan Wangji’s lap, much like Gu Zi had earlier. Despite his annoyance at being told he had a grumpy face, Lan Wangji couldn’t be annoyed at his husband in this state, and the small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth stayed in place.
“Lan Zhan! You are so happy tonight! I wonder what happened while Xie Lian was here spending time with me!?”
Wrapping his arms around his husband, Lan Wangji replied
“I am happy to be back with Wei Ying”
Wei Ying pulled back putting a hand over his chest in mock surprise.
“Lan Zhan! So forward of you! I also missed you! Xie Lian taught me how to make you a present though!”
With this statement, he grabbed Lan Zhan’s arm and proceeded to tie a bracelet woven of red yarn around his wrist. Lan Zhan stared down at the gift for a moment, and realized that Xie Lian had taught Wei Ying to make it instead of Gu Zi. It reminded him of the daydreams he was in the midst of when he returned to his body. His affection for Wei Ying surged and he pulled him in close to capture his lips in a hard kiss. He pulled away before the kiss could turn too passionate and distract him from voicing his feelings.
“Wei Ying. We should have a child together”
Dazed at the sudden loss of his husband’s lips, and confused at the topic that came out of nowhere, Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows bunched together. However, true to form, he took it with good humor.
“Lan Zhan… I know that I have said in the past that I gave birth to A-Yuan, but you know better than to think that I was seriously able to conceive a child!”
Of course he did, he didn’t mean it that way and Wei Ying knew it, so he simply replied
“Mn”
Wei Wuxian pondered for a moment before his eyes lit up and he responded.
“A child with you would be amazing Lan Zhan! We could adopt or maybe find a surrogate so that it could have your eyes!”
Seeing the excitement in his husband’s eyes matching that in his own heart, Lan Wangji was unable to contain it anymore and pulled Wei Wuxian into a searing kiss. After enjoying the kiss for a moment, Wei Wuxian suddenly pulled away with a mischievous smile on his face.
“Lan Zhan…. Even if I can’t actually conceive our child, that doesn’t mean we can’t ‘practice’…”
With a hard gleam in his eye, Lan Wangji responded simply with another “mn” before sweeping his husband up and carrying him, giggling wildly, to their bed.
---END---