The Sorcerer's Revenge

Chapter Thirteen

Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Yuan had stopped in a town for a rest and food. After eating and drinking some tea, and liquor for Wie Wuxian, Yuan begged his father to let him walk around the town for a bit. Wei Wuxian really just want to get back on the road, but he was always weak to Yuan's pouty face.

"Alright, you can walk around but not for long, we need to get back on the road," Wei Wuxian said patting the boy's head lightly.

Yuan smiled giggling and pulled him along the road to look at the different merchant stalls. Wangji was following behind him a few steps watching the interaction and it only proved that Wei Wuxian was a doting father to Yuan. Wei Wuxian just wanted him to be happy and live his life. Of course, he knew Yuan had his own trauma, whether he could remember it or not, and he obviously hid it just like Wei Wuxian does, or well did. Always hiding behind these smiles and laughs and a fake sense of happiness he knew wasn't entirely true.

Wei Wuxian would just smile patting Yuan's head affectionately and then they stopped at a young woman selling children's toys. Yuan had set his eyes almost instantly on a little butterfly on a stick, memories filling his head. A man clothed in white robes with a white and blue sword at his side, handing him a butterfly just like it. He was too young to understand that he should thank the man and instead just grabbed the butterfly and began swinging it around, making it 'fly' in his hand.

Wangji watched him then looked at Wei Wuxian who was reaching into his robes and he quickly stopped the man by shaking his head. He pulled his own money bag out and said, "A-Yuan."

Yuan blinked from his memories and looked at Wangji, "Yes, Hanguang Jun?"

Wangji smiled handing the woman the money for the butterfly and grabbing it handing it to the child, "Here, a new butterfly."

Yuan slowly grabbed it staring at it for a moment then looked up to Wangji, he smiled wide and his eyes squinted in the process. Wei Wuxian was taken aback, he hadn't seen that smile in so long.

"Th-thank you Hanguang Jun!" Yuan squeaked out happily and began twisting the butterfly between his fingers looking down at it.

Wangji nodded with the tiniest of smiles on his face. Yuan was unable to catch it but Wei Wuxian sure as hell did. They continued their walk down the market, Yuan giggling happily holding his butterfly walking a few steps ahead of both Wei Wuxian and Wangji.

"You didn't have to buy him the butterfly, but you did, thank you," Wei Wuxian said a fond smile on his face at his son.

"It's alright, if he can't remember his childhood memories, then we'll just have to make new ones," Wangji told him then stepped up to walk next to Yuan.

Wei Wuxian watched them, Wangji staring kindly at Yuan who continued to thank him over and over for the butterfly. Maybe Wangji truly does care for them, maybe he should trust him and... believe him. He hasn't done anything to harm Yuan or himself, he's only ever protected them and defended them. Yuan seems comfortable around him as well and could tell Yuan's guard was down around Wangji. 

Yuan's hand wasn't itching toward his sword or his flute, and neither was Yuan tense in his shoulders or giving Wangji a guarded side-eye glance. He was relaxed and seems to unconsciously lean closer to Wangji's side.

They finished their walk an hour later and Yuan was yawning loudly, a few tears building up in his eyes. Wei Ying smiled softly patting his head as they walked back to the tea house to sit for a bit more.

He knew Yuan was tired but he didn't like staying in one place for long, especially being the famed Yiling Patriarch. He was thankful very few people knew what the Yiling Patriarch looked like and he was in the clear, but he could never be too careful.