The party was in full swing.
Everyone was having a great time.
Tables had been set outside so Suanni wouldn't feel left out, and Jiang Cheng had laid on a spread as if he was making up for sixteen lost years' worth of birthdays.
It was getting late, too.
Either he was getting too accustomed to Gusu rules for sleeping, or Wei Ying was losing his touch. He was standing next to the juniors talking about night hunts and something else, but he was feeling lower and lower, and with a start, he realised what it was.
Panicking because Lan Zhan wasn't near...and he turned and crashed into his body. Strong arms came around him, worry in those golden eyes.
Lan Zhan led him discreetly away; he had felt an echoing panic inside himself and knew something was off, only their close proximity to each other the balm that both needed. There was a gap between buildings and they ended up there, arms wrapped around each other.
No need to speak, just to feel.
Slowly they calmed, their hearts returning to a regular beat.
"Isn't it the oddest feeling, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying whispered against his neck.
"What is?"
His deep voice was a comfort.
"There are so many people here, I suppose because of me...and don't get me wrong, I love all of them...but..." Wei Ying tried to sort through his words. "It's just that feeling..."
"Of loneliness." Lan Zhan replied, his fingers threading through the long hair.
"Yes, exactly that! I'm grateful for their company, and thank you for organising all this...but really...all I need is you. I have a Lan Zhan shaped hole inside me, and nothing else will fit. I need you more than air."
"Mn."
He didn't need to say anything more than that, Wei Ying could see all his emotions are clear as day, reflected in those golden pools.
"Lan Zhan?"
"Mn?"
"Is it bad to ditch my own party?"
"Not at all." Lan Zhan didn't care what they did as long as Wei Ying was happy. "Where does Wei Ying want to go?"
"Home."
********
Jiang Cheng stood next to XiChen, watching his brother return to Gusu.
It said something for him that, when he said home, he no longer meant Lotus Pier, he meant Cloud Recesses instead. He didn't know why that made him incredibly sad now...and it shouldn't, because he himself was spending rather a lot more time there too...
Maybe it was nostalgic sadness that those days were over, and there was too much water under the bridge now, too many things had happened to change one's perceptions.
"Let's drink!" XiChen exclaimed loudly, taking another swig from the jar on the table nearest them.
"No-" He tried to stop him.
Jiang Cheng twisted it out of his grasp but he was too late, because XiChen was already leaning against him, eyes closed. He looked at the jar in his hand and thought, you know what? I'm going to get drunk too. It was better than facing his thoughts.
*******
Lan Zhan held on tightly to his husband, feeling much better. He had discovered a way of transferring his spiritual energy in the most subtle way, and it allowed him to access how Wei Ying was feeling at any given time.
Now, Wei Ying was tired and missing his home the most, so he landed outside the Jingshi. It was a lovely night, not too cold and not too warm either. Lan Zhan took his hand and led him to the back of their home.
The second secret moon tree was thriving here in this place. Lan Zhan sat down with his back against the solid trunk, with Wei Ying in his lap, leaning back against him.
"Did you have a nice time, anyway?" He asked, resting his lips upon Wei Ying’s head.
"Yes I did. It was lovely, my love." He suddenly sat up.
"What is it?" Lan Zhan asked, worried all over again.
"Hang on a minute." Wei Ying was looking through his sleeves, looking for something. He crowed when he found it, delighted that he had remembered.
He grabbed Lan Zhan's hand and turned it over, placing a lacquered box in the middle.
"Do you remember, that night we played for the night fairies and Wood nymphs? They gifted us this box and told us to open it when we are alone." He said, excitedly.
"I do not remember..." Lan Zhan tried to think back, but nothing was jogging his memory.
"Well, to be honest, you were out of it completely. But this is it. Shall we open it together?" Silver eyes looked into golden ones full of love.
Lan Zhan kissed him sweetly, just because he could.
Then together, he held the box while Wei Ying lifted the latch.
Inside the box, resting upon red silk, were two flowers. One was a vibrant blue orchid, the other a fiery red.
"Are we supposed to smell them?" Wei Ying asked, looking up at Lan Zhan.
Before they could do anything else, the white flowers newly blooming above them began to rustle and hum, floating off the branches to form a shape like before.
"Young Masters, if I may? I have valuable information for you."
The air was filled with the sweetest scent from her blooms...it was intoxicating.
Wei Ying found himself nodding and smiling.
"It is a divine gift, and the rarest acknowledgement of a service rendered. The flowers must be consumed." She said in her lovely voice.
Wei Ying reached for the red one, assuming it was for himself.
"You are correct in assuming it represents your spirit, but Young Master that one is for your mate, and likewise, the blue one representing him is for you." She bowed and vanished in much the same way as she had arrived. Her flowers swirled upwards and returned to their branches.
Wei Ying stood up. Looking at Lan Zhan, he decided to continue their conversation in their minds.
Lan Zhan, I think we want to go inside.
Mn. Whatever Wei Ying would like.
It's for two reasons. I don't think I want any witnesses, and...
Mn?
I think something is going to happen when we eat them, something that we really should be alone for. Wei Ying blushed.
Then first, I would like to do something.
They entered their room.
"What did you want to do?" Wei Ying asked him, innocently.
"This." Lan Zhan brought him into the safety of his arms. "I want to kiss you. You asked me for a kiss, for the birthday boy." He smiled, the tips of his ears pinking. "I would like to do it without being under the influence of outside stimulants."
"You know, that's the most you have said all day."
"Because it's your birthday. A gift."
Wei Ying grinned as his beautiful lips covered his own. The intensity surprised him, because Lan Zhan hadn't looked like he wanted to do this.
When they broke apart, he smiled.
"I always want to kiss you." Lan Zhan told him.
"You heard that?" Wei Ying blushed some more, but he was smiling.
Lan Zhan just smiled and held the blue flower against Wei Ying’s lips, watching him as he lifted the red one to Lan Zhan’s.
"Together." He whispered.
"Mn."
The flowers were incredibly sweet, with an underlying nourishing taste, something indescribable yet powerful.
The Jingshi had been dark before, but now, little fairy lights appeared like stars shining in the night sky. Lan Zhan only had eyes for his Wei Ying, drawing him closer so he could kiss him again and again.
A bright white light shone from their cores, merging, swirling together in that darkness until they were filled with light. Joy and happiness exploded in their hearts through every touch like a fire branding their skin.
Theirs was a unity that could not be broken, Soul Bonded forever.