Much like Lan Huan, Wanyin was an early riser but not as early as the first toll bell. When he did wake up, the sky had started to colour and he could hear the sound of water splashing. Bathing. Keeping the image of what happened between them yesterday, he woke up and sat on the bed. How long has it been since he had been able to sit in bed leisurely, doing nothing? Never or maybe too long. He couldn't remember enjoying such a simple thing.
He smiled as the memory of the previous night filled his heart to the brim. Lan Huan had not asked to take things further, neither of them had done any more serious talk, it was just conversation of what was going on around them, their sect, some memories of their childhood and so on. He had not talked that long, again, in a really long time. It was easy, falling into a comfortable, peaceful slumber listening to his recent night hunt activity only to find himself waking up in an awkward position, sitting by the bed, his arms around Lan Huan, while the man too had fallen asleep with his head back and holding Wanyin, in a sitting position.
Wanyin had gently nudged him, The other had woken up and groggily nodded, laid down and pulled Wanyin beside him, before falling into dreams again. So, Wanyin too went back to sleep.
Now, he felt awkward and unsure of what to do. He knew he had made the right choice, moved forward, he needed to move forward, he could not keep living in anguish. But what now? He looked about for something to do but there was nothing much in the room. When Lan Huan came out in a thin inner robe and shining aura, Wanyin felt even more awkward. He could not utter a word, not knowing what to say and fearing to make the awkwardness worse if he spoke anything at all. More so, he couldn't tear his gaze away as Lan Huan walked to him and sat beside him.
"You want to clean up? You can come to my seclusion abode or here or I will take you to a guest room. Whatever you prefer." At Lan Huan's words, Wanyin knew his embarrassment was creeping up on him but he also did not miss the awkwardness emitting from his side. Then, he saw slow smiling creeping up.
"You. You are teasing me." Lan Huan only laughed and pulled him in a hug which, if anything embarrassed him more. He pushed the man away and walked out calling, "Put on some clothes."
He didn't realise that the good times were coming to a painful parting, no matter how temporary. It seemed like they had only found each other yesterday only to be pulled apart. As he sat with Jin Ling in the Elder Hall to listen to Master Lan and Sect Leader Lan's report of Jin Ling's progress, he could see Lan Huan avoiding his eye. It made him feel pained all over again like those days when his smiles were reserved for another. His only solace was that he knew the reason and could cater to it now.
They will have to eventually learn to part, though. He looked up from his tea and began.
"Master Lan?" The older man waited for him to continue, "I have a night hunt that requires Sect Leader Lan's expertise."
Jiang Cheng saw the Grandmaster was still waiting so he elaborated, "Jiang Sect does not practise music cultivation and the case requires a certain amount of music cultivation to subdue the spirit because we cannot capture the spirit due to a few circumstances surrounding its death. Moreover, he has been a witness to the case previously and we require his testimony to apprehend the people who wronged the spirit."
"The Jiang Sect surely works differently in terms of spirit resolution than the Lan Sect." Jiang Cheng only bowed in his place with the utmost respect and said nothing in return. Looking at Lan Huan was the last thing he did and the man only gave him a light smile, so adapt to hiding his emotions when needed. This was Sect Leader Lan, the Lan Huan he knew was avoiding his eye, teasing him and had been clingy. Jiang Cheng knew he could never be the one to pull such composure as Lan Huan.
"How long?"
"Seven days at most."
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Lan Xichen with all his years of practice suppressed the sense of giddiness that rose in his chest and finally looked at his Wanyin. The man looked calm, waiting for his uncle's answer. Lan Xichen was feeling the weight of their parting only having gotten Wanyin just a day before. Not even a whole day's time had passed between them before they had to part. He was especially upset with the fact that Wanyin looked as unaffected as ever with it.
In this moment, when he looked at the man, he still looked the same but the sudden request made him realise that the other too was affected. Here he was thinking too much over nothing. It made him realise that even though he was sure of Wanyin, he still had a lot to learn about him.
"It is alright with me." This also surprised Lan Xichen, even though little. The bond between his uncle and Wanyin had grown day by day and the old man seemed to rely heavily on the other's words, not to mention, Wanyin was always courteous and forthcoming to his uncle.
This only made him wonder how his uncle would react if he asked for blessings with Wanyin.
"Sect Leader Lan." Lan Xichen felt his body bundle up at being called by such an honorific from Wanyin, a part of him liked it in an intimate way while another felt too detached.
"Let me know when you can make the journey, the earlier the better."
Lan Xichen bowed in acknowledgement and discussed sect duties with his uncle as Wanyin excused himself from the place. He could leave immediately and that made him happy. He went about Cloud Recess looking for the man but not a trace of him was to be found. When he came about the students' area and found Jin Ling he enquired, "Sect Leader Jin. Have you seen your uncle?"
Lan Xichen smiled as the young man still looked uncomfortable with the title. He bowed and spoke, "He was here some time ago, he had gone to speak with Grandmaster Lan."
Thinking that it must have been something to do with Jing Ling, he didn't think much about it and went back to the elder hall. Only when he stepped inside did he realise that it wasn't about Jin Ling at all, but perhaps about him. Wanyin smiled slightly, not exactly a smile but a battlefield smile, a little victory, a little madness, the smile that still managed to weaken his insides while his uncle frowned, deeply, disapprovingly, not at Wanyin but at him.
"What is it Xichen?"
"I was looking for Wangji." he lied, not his first time but rarer than rare. The last time he did it was when he was going into seclusion and said to his uncle that he will revise the sect rules everyday.
"I last saw them going to the arena for practice." Lan Xichen bowed in thanks and went back out. The feeling inside was that of being talked about him behind his back.
No gossip. Surely his uncle wouldn't break a rule. What were they talking about him?
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Lan Xichen could tell that Wanyin was taking great pains not to look at him as a vein often popped in his neck at the retaining effort. Every once in a while, he would look at Jin Ling riding his sword behind them and let their eyes meet in passing. Was it perhaps because of Jing Ling that he was not looking. For whatever reason, Lan Xichen was not feeling good about it. He wondered if that was how his week at Lotus Pier might be like but he did feel relieved to have more time with the other, besides, he still had something to confront him about.
Upon landing in Yunmeng, he had wanted to have a private moment but that too was impossible because Wanyin was immediately called upon to solve an urgent issue. What surprised him was Wanyin's words right before he hurried away.
"Settle well. Take any room you like. I will be back as soon as possible." Wanyin placed a gentle hand on his arm and looked him in the eye.
Lan Xichen was left looking after the purple streak hurring away without realising what happened. There was nothing special about the words themselves, it was just the casual tone of voice. The words came naturally and quickly before he left. It was the little public display of casual touch that struck him more than their stolen moments.
It wasn't just him, this had not gone unnoticed by the people around him either. Jin Ling looked puzzled and jumped in quickly as a few elders who had come to inform of the situation, stood a little distance away talking in hushed voices, looking at him.
"Sect Leader Lan. I apologise for my uncle's rudeness. Please this way, I can show you to the guest quarters."
Lan Xichen smiled and placed a hand on his small shoulders hunched in courtesy, "Speak freely Sect Leader Jin. For the rudeness is no rudeness at all. Sect Leader Jiang and I are acquainted enough."
Lan Xichen wanted to say friends or good friends but he thought it would be misleading the nephew. But his words helped the young man relax. He felt the tense shoulder ease under his hand and smiled wider.
"Still, let me show you to guest quarters." Lan Xichen silently followed to the quarters and on Jin Ling's persistence picked the room closest to Wanyin's. Lan Xichen wondered if the young man knew or if it was just the largest room, as he said.
Unaware, he settled in with his things, freshened up and went to look for the man that had set his heart racing with everything he had been doing. He had never seen this side of Wanyin, that spoke casually, that touched casually, that smiled more, the one concerned for him. Just as he was approaching the enterance, he heard a loud crackle and raised voice of Wanyin.
"Through him behind bars.'' The sight was truly fearsome, as even daylight could not surpass the purple glow of Zidian in sharpening Wanyin's anger streaked face. Begging and thrashing, the man was taken away and their eyes met, He saw the instant change and Wanyin gave him a nod of acknowledgement and dispersed the other around him before Lan Xichen approached.
"Have you settled well?"
"Yes." Lan Xichen continued his slow circuit and Wanyin joined him silently. Lan Xichen just enjoyed the moment, putting the question away for later.
"You can say what you want to say?"
"Later."
"I may not have time later." Lan Xichen knew what Wanyin meant but he couldn't help let loose a little teasing, He loved doing that to Wanyin.
"So, I can't spend the night with you?" As expected, an easy red creeped up his neck and climbed onto his cheek making Wanyin frown and press his lips together. He bent slightly and kissed the blush.
"Shut up."
"But I thought you lied to uncle because you wanted to spend more time with me."
"I... did." Lan Xichen's brows pulled up for he didn't expect a truthful answer. More along the lines of shut up or revenge but not a bashful 'yes.'
"If you keep looking like this, I can't help but want to kiss you right now Wanyin." Lan Xichen knew that kissing this man out in the open would probably earn him a Zidian strike.
"You-" Wanyin turned to face him but stopped. Lan Xichen didn't know what happened until, Wanyin had held his lapels, pulled him down with a jerk and kissed him. No not kissed, knocked his breath out. Lan Xichen breath caught as Wanyin pulled his lip between teeth and went to bit, flick and suck that one spot. One when he felt a slight pain of the second bite on the same spot did he pull away to realise what had happened. Wanyin let him go with a very self-satisfied smirk.
In a daze, Lan Xichen brought his fingers to the throbbing part of his lips and realised that it would bruise. Wanyin had marked him on his lips. There was no way he could hide it. It was his turn to go red, beyond the roots of his hair.
"I told you, don't tease me." Wanyin's deep, lustful voice was little solace compared to the embarrassment. Then, he turned and walked away. Lan Xichen matched his step and spoke quickly, even more embarrassed, "I can't go around like this."
"I'll take you back to your room," Wanyin still had the same grin on his face and Lan Xichen wanted to wipe it off, so much so that he couldn't even smile anymore. Well, the smile part was due to the throbbing at his lips.
When they reached his quarters, Lan Xichen felt a little relieved for not having met anyone on their way. It was early evening and Wanyin bowed to retreat and Lan Xichen gave in to his urge and pulled the man into the room along with himself as he shut the doors slid.
"Lan Huan. I have to go meet some ministers and trade people. I will be back before dinner."
"Okay." With that, he kissed back the man he had wanted to since they stepped out of his room this morning. He savoured the taste of the other with abondance and raked his body as if the clothes didn't matter. When the two parted, breathing heavy, he leaned in, held Wanyin's neck and waist to pull him close to himself.
"I.. have to... Go." Wanyin was panting into his ear as he caught his breath at the bottom of Wanyin's neck.
"In a while," saying he moved back and let Wanyin be trapped in between the door and his body. When he felt Wanyin hard down below, he let go.
Wanyin's eyes widened and he realised what happened. Lan Xichen was ready to have a curse flung at him but the man just laughed, laughed out loud, throwing his head back, turned and left, leaving Lan Xichen a little shocked.
For one Wanyin rarely smiled, let alone laugh. Second, he had expected to tease the man not set him alight in laughter. Lan Xichen realised that life with Wanyin in it was always going to be a mess of emotions.