Mistaken Love And Hate

12. Fragile Reunion

Lan Wangji's breath hitched as he stood at the edge of the Jin mansion's garden, his heart pounding in his chest. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the manicured grounds, and there, sitting alone on a park bench, was Wei Wuxian. The soft golden light bathed his figure, making him seem almost ethereal, as if he had become a part of the very landscape around him.

Wei Wuxian was thinner than Wangji remembered, his once-lively eyes dull with exhaustion, but there was a peacefulness about him now that Wangji had never seen before. His face was pale, the shadows under his eyes deeper than they used to be, but he seemed... at ease. As if he had found a space where the weight of the past no longer pressed down on him.

Jiang Yanli and Jin Ling stood nearby, their faces etched with concern, though they made no move to interrupt the silence that hung in the air. Wei Wuxian's gaze remained fixed on the sky above, watching the stars appear one by one, the cool breeze tousling his dark hair. He looked so far away from everything Wangji had ever known, and yet, the sight of him grounded Wangji in a way nothing else could.

As Wangji stepped closer, his footfall barely making a sound, Xue Yang's voice echoed in his mind—"You're too late." The words stung, but Wangji could no longer focus on them. Wei Wuxian was here, and that was all that mattered.

He paused a few steps away, his throat tight with unspoken words. How had he never realized just how much Wei Wuxian had carried alone? The quiet resilience in the omega's posture, the way he held himself, told a story Wangji had never taken the time to understand.

The wind shifted, and Wei Wuxian turned his head slightly, sensing someone nearby. When his gaze fell on Wangji, it was a moment of recognition, a flicker of surprise followed by something else—an unspoken understanding.

Wangji's voice broke the silence, barely more than a whisper. "Wei Wuxian..."

The omega's lips parted, but for a long moment, he said nothing. There was only the sound of the wind rustling the trees around them. Finally, Wei Wuxian spoke, his voice soft but steady.

"Wangji..." His name sounded almost like a question, as if he hadn't expected to hear it again.

Wangji stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Wei Wuxian. The words he had practiced in his mind for so long now seemed inadequate. He had imagined this moment a hundred times—each time filled with anger, regret, apologies—but now, standing before the man he had once scorned, all he felt was a deep, aching sorrow.

"I... I've been searching for you," Wangji said, his voice thick with emotion. "I didn't know. I didn't know how much you had to bear."

Wei Wuxian smiled faintly, though it was a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm fine," he said quietly. "I've made my peace with it."

But Wangji could see the fragility behind his words. The way his hands trembled ever so slightly as they rested on his lap, the tension in his shoulders, all spoke of the battles he had fought alone, the burdens he had carried in silence.

Jiang Yanli, her face soft with concern, stepped forward then. She placed a hand gently on Wei Wuxian's shoulder, her gaze flickering between him and Wangji. "He's been through a lot, Wangji," she said softly. "He doesn't need more apologies or accusations. He's found his way, and we're just... trying to make sure he stays on the path."

Wangji nodded slowly, his chest tight. He could see the truth of her words in Wei Wuxian's quiet demeanor, in the peacefulness that surrounded him like an invisible shield. Wei Wuxian had built something for himself here—a life, a family, a place where he was no longer a victim of circumstance.

Xue Yang, who had been lurking in the background, sauntered forward, his usual playful grin replaced with something more somber. "Don't make it harder for him, Wangji," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "He's finally found peace in a way you couldn't give him. Let him keep it."