Dearly Detested: Grooms in Hate

What is scarier: Dogs or Bankruptcy?

Finding pretty gemstones wasn’t a problem in Yiling, affording them was.

Because, for all his infamy in the Cultivation world, Wei Wuxian was basically penniless. 

“Lan Zhan! May I borrow some money from you? I’ll return it soon!” Wei Wuxian coaxed, while making big round pleading eyes at Lan Wangji. 

Yeah, right, as if. Either way, the only time Lan Wangji would accept money from Wei Wuxian was if he was giving his heart back too. Which was impossible. He handed him his money bag without hesitation and would have looked for more money on his person if Wei Wuxian had asked for it.

“All yours. No need to repay.”

Wei Wuxian, however, seemed uncomfortable with that.

“Lan Zhan, it’s my sister’s wedding gift. I refuse to be incapable of paying for that. Anything else, and I would consider it, but not this time! ”

Lan Wangji thought about it. He knew of Wei Wuxian’s current financial state, which was almost as bad as an animal, so he thought better of receiving monetary compensation from the man.

“Mn. Later.”

Wei Wuxian brightened up instantly. Was it just him or did Wei Ying have too many mood swings? Lan Wangji found it amusing, but chose not to comment as usual.

While Wei Wuxian picked out gemstones at the local jeweller and had them adjusted to his design, Lan Wangji roamed the aisles, while keeping his eye on Wei Wuxian. However, something  caught his eye. Carved with china roses as a motif, it was a pair of matching bracelets, made of fine green jade. It had gold filigree and shone with a translucent glow. Lan Wangji couldn’t help but imagine him and Wei Wuxian wearing those.

His train of thoughts stopped abruptly when Wei Wuxian snuck up on him.

“Lan Zhan! They’re so pretty! Who are you buying them for?”

Lan Wangji's brain malfunctioned.

“Shufu.” His voice was calm as always, but his brain was plummeting into chaos, only the many years of a cold and collected face saved him from showing his regrets right after he had opened his mouth. 

Wei Wuxian was shocked for a moment, looking from Lan Wangji's eyes to the bracelets and back, waiting for a sign of joking, but then burst into a wicked cackle.

“I CAN TOTALLY SEE IT! They’d look amazing on him, but would he wear them? After all, excess embellishments are also prohibited in the Cloud Recesses, no?”

An image of his Shufu teaching a class of unruly brats while wearing the jade bracelets kept trying to enter Lan Wangji’s head, but he pushed it away so as to not scar himself for life.

“Would Wei Ying like one?”

Wei Wuxian absentmindedly answered, “Oh, gods, ye-no! No, it’s okay. Green is not my colour.” He twirled, as if to prove his point.

Lan Wangji, who had seen Wei Wuxian in green robes once before, starred at him intently, “…”

“Ugh, fine, they’re really pretty, but I can’t possibly afford them. It’s okay. I’d rather buy seeds and livestock with the money.”

Unacceptable. Wei Wuxian wanted the bracelet, so he would get it at any cost. In fact, if Wei Wuxian wanted to buy all of Yiling, Lan Wangji would arrange to buy it. Money would never stand before Wei Wuxian’s happiness, if it could be helped.

While Lan Wangji paid for the jewels and the making, he also bought the bracelets on the sly. By the time he confirmed that the order would be prepared by night, Wei Wuxian had already run off somewhere.

He stepped out of the shop and into the street, wanting to look for the man, but he didn’t have to wait long before Wei Wuxian came running towards him, screaming profanities and crying. He was followed by a pack of dogs, barking menacingly as they gave chase.

“Lan Zhan! Run!”

Without a second thought, Wei Wuxian grabbed onto Lan Wangji’s hand and dragged him off before any protest could be made. Yes, Lan Wangji could have gotten rid of said dogs in a minute, but who was he to deny the Heavenly Officials’ rare blessings? So he grabbed onto Wei Wuxian’s hand even tighter, and ran with him, ignoring how undignified it looked and the thrill it sent up his spine, imagining them eloping.

They ran through many twists and turns before they finally lost the dogs. Panting, Wei Wuxian reclined against the nearest wall. Lan Wangji noticed that Wei Wuxian had actually been weeping. His nose was red due to all the sniffling, as he pouted a little, streaks of tears still shining on his flushed cheeks. 

Oh, and how the view stirred up Lan Wangji’s insides and made his ears flush. His heart beat uncontrollably fast, as he thought guiltily of how Wei Wuxian looked after crying, thinking about other things that could achieve the same look. His 

 It took all of his self control to tear his eyes away from Wei Wuxian at that moment, which made him realise that they were still holding hands. At some point, their hands had become so comfortable in each other’s grasp that they both hadn't realized it and none of them seemed inclined to change it. 

“I’m sorry, Lan Zhan. I dragged you all around the place in such a strange manner, for my insignificant fear of dogs. I couldn’t help it. Whenever I see a dog, I get so scared. Since my childhood, when I was bitten by dogs while living on the streets, I’ve dreaded them and their sharp canines. I’m so stupid, huh? I’m so terrified I can’t even stop blabbering-”

“Not stupid.”

“Huh?”

“Wei Ying’s fear. Not stupid.”

“Oh no, I know it is, don’t console me. I should be too powerful for fears like that. But thank you for understanding.”

“Next time, don’t run. Dogs sense fear. Chase it away.”

“Believe me, if I could, I would.”

“Then I will. Don’t run.”

Lan Wangji offered his handkerchief to Wei Wuxian, who received it gladly, wiping his face. 

“Speaking of which, any idea where we are?”

Lan Wangji looked around, then shook his head noncommittally. He had been too busy in his thoughts to actually pay attention to their path or destination.

“Oh. We’re lost. Fu*k.”