Solstice Souls

A Spanner (Wrench) in the Works

"Mn." Lan Zhan stared at his own bracelet, touching the white Yang fish, the gold eye flashing at him, but nothing happened to him.

Wei Ying pulled him forward by his wrist.

Was it possible to burn by touch alone? Where Wei Ying's finger and thumb were holding onto his skin, the heat from his skin was simply scorching. Lan Zhan would gladly go wherever Wei Ying wanted to take him.

"Here, Baba. Touch this. Oh my god, I'm doing it again! I'm talking like you!" Wei Ying burst into cheerful laughter, clutching his sides.

"You must be joking!" Wei Changze told his son, but he had a smile on his face. "You want me to be the guinea pig? Why don't you touch it instead?"

"Nothing happens to me. Look!"

Wei Ying picked up Lan Zhan's wrist and before he could say anything, brought it to his mouth. Ever so gently, those beautiful soft lips kissed first the Yang symbol, and then he kissed the pulse, the place that moved with his heart, all the while watching him through his lashes, his alluring silver eyes unblinking, with a hundred percent of his attention.

Lan Zhan was burning up from just the look in his eyes. He wanted to-

There was a loud cough from behind them, and they jumped apart. Lan Zhan could hear nothing above the thud-thud-thudding of his heart in his ears, but then Wei Ying winked at him before shamelessly turning around to face his father.

"See, Baba?"

Wei Changze beckoned them forward and lowered his voice.

"While you were gone, I tried finding out if there was anything suspicious here."

"We were also wondering." Wei Ying put his arm around his father.

Lan Zhan looked at them and felt a pang in his chest. He couldn't remember the last time his father had done that to him...in fact, he knew it. His father had never sat with him like that, or spoken so affectionately with him, or joked, and they had never smiled together, either.

But instead of feeling jealous of Wei Ying and his relationship with his parents, Lan Zhan just felt extremely relieved. And happy for them. And, if they were to be related through marriage, he should make the first step to mending their bridges. So he stepped forward.

"Must apologize. Did not mean to hurt Lady Wei. First time injury." Lan Zhan bowed.

"He means when he actually attacked her...you know, when he'd just found out who I was, and who we were." Wei Ying translated for him.

Lan Zhan gave him a small smile.

"Second time, not me. But questions."

"Go on." Wei Changze kept his eyes on Lan Zhan, not looking away.

Lan Zhan also stared back, hoping to reassure him that he was innocent.

"Night hunt. We left, but Lady Wei-"

"Was right next to you, Baba. Why did she go? What happened?" Wei Ying finished for him. He came and stood next to Lan Zhan, reaching for his hand.

"Jiang Fengmian called me over to talk about trade routes. He was saying the road that leads to Yilling was becoming dangerous day by day, and we were discussing possible solutions. When I turned around, Madam Yu was there instead. I thought your mother had forgotten something... that's right, she mentioned it was going to rain, so I thought she went back to retrieve an umbrella. I had no idea she was chasing you two in the forest, or else I would have gone after her." He looked devastated.