To Wei Wuxian's alarm, Lan Wangji was still a dead weight. One cup of alcohol and the man collapsed onto the inn table, softly snoring. If his previous experience with a drunk Lan Wangji was anything to go by, the man would wake up soon, seeming normal yet disoriented beyond comparison.
Sure enough, when Lan Wangji woke up, he looked completely sober with the exception of his eyes, which had glossed over. That and his slightly stuttered breath were the only signs something was off.
"Lan Zhan?"
"Mn?"
"Are you okay?" Wei Wuxian had his head tilted to the side and waved at Lan Wangji's face to see his reaction.
"Mn."
"Did you know that you were sleeping on the table a moment ago?"
Lan Wangji stood up, straightening his clothes and looking into Wei Wuxian's eyes intensely, then walked over to Wei Wuxian's side.
"It is 9. We must sleep." He grabbed the other man's hand and tried to pull, to make him lie down.
"Must sleep," he repeated.
After multiple unsuccessful attempts at making Wei Wuxian sleep on the restaurant floor, Lan Wangji gave up and laid down by himself. Watching the tall, usually dignified man in his pristine white robes lie on the floor of a temporarily set up eatery, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but laugh.
Wei Wuxian poked him to get his attention. "Hey, Lan Zhan, you can't sleep! We have to go see the fireworks!"
At this, Lan Wangji perked up excitedly and Wei Wuxian could almost imagine his puppy ears and wagging tail from how his eyes shone with excitement.
"Fireworks! Where?"
"Just outside. Let's go join the crowd, or we'll miss the best spots."
"Now! Fireworks! Wei Ying, Go!"
Then he immediately ran out of the restaurant, leaving Wei Wuxian to pay for the food and hurry after him.
They made their way up to the common area, where the firecrackers were to be lit, but found it already occupied with many people, blocking any sight of the spectacle.
Wei Wuxian sighed, "Aw, no good spots for us. What a pity. Well, it's okay, we'll just stand here and watch as much as we can."
Lan Wangji frowned unhappily.
"But fireworks…"
"Next year? We can always come back."
"Yes! And fireworks now! "
Just then, Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian out of the crowd into an empty alley.
"Lan Zhan, wait! What are you doing?"
Without explanation Lan Wangji swiftly unsheathed Bichen and stepped on it, pulling Wei Wuxian onto the sword by his waist.
"No. Watch Fireworks."
The finality in his tone and seriousness of his face, combined with the childish insistence made Wei Wuxian giggle, until he realised how close they were. Lan Wangji's hand was retaining its place on his waist, his face nestled right next to Wei Wuxian's ear, breathing lightly but audible. He could feel how Lan Wangji's entire body leant onto him and then he realized they were practically close enough to kiss. The thought made Wei Wuxian heat up and his cheeks flush lightly.
"Up!" Seemingly oblivious to all that, Lan Wangji followed his plan and sternly directed his sword to rise.
And so Bichen went up in the air, taking its two riders along. Lan Wangji roamed around in the air a bit, before finally deciding on their destination, the roof of the tallest building in Yiling.
They got down from Bichen and right away Lan Wangji went and laid on the red tiles, folding his hands over his chest and looking up at the sky. After a second of catching his breath and regaining his wits, Wei Wuxian joined him on the tiles.
Just then, the sky exploded with a million shades and colors of the universe, glowing bright, lighting up the night sky as if it was noon and filling their ears with the noise of the fireworks and the excited exclamations of the crowd below.
The firework display was so stunning that Wei Wuxian couldn't look away, reveling in the beauty of the view before him and the happiness he felt, which he thought he had lost forever.
Finally, realising that he had company, he glanced at the beautiful man next to him, fully expecting to see his awe and happiness at the show. However, as he found the expected facial expression on the other man's face, it seemed not to be directed at the fireworks lighting up the sky. Lan Wangji had turned his head to the side and moved his arm under it, resting his cheek on the pristine white fabric of his sleeve, looking intently at Wei Wuxian, his mouth slightly agape. Lan Wangji's face was aglow with the last spectacular lights of the firework, making Wei Wuxian forget how to breathe for a second, before being able to voice his wonder over the others behavior.
"What?"
"Pretty."
"I told you! Fireworks in Yiling are unparalleled. Why else do you think the months of punishment after Jiang Cheng and I went were worth it?"
"No. You."
Was it the fireworks that heated up the atmosphere? Wei Wuxian couldn't tell as he felt a rush of heat overcome him.
Scratching his neck and lightly laughing, he replied, "Haha thank you! You're also very pretty. After all, the great Hanguang Jun is famed for being a beauty."
"Wei Ying is prettier."
"Aiyah, don't say such things! I never knew you were such a flirt. You've been hiding yourself, huh?" Wei Wuxian waved his hand around and tried to swat at Lan Wangji lightly, trying to distract him from his reddening cheeks.
"Only the truth." Lan Wangji grabbed Wei Wuxian's flailing hand.
"Look. Pretty nails. Pretty fingers. Pretty thumb. Pretty wrist. Pretty skin. Pretty-"
"I get it, I get it! I'm pretty."
Finally, Lan Wangji looked satisfied.
"Mn. Wei Ying is pretty. But don't tell Wei Ying."
A giggle bubbled up in Wei Wuxian's mouth, but he kept quiet and tried to calm his face as well.
"Why not?"
"Shush. Secret."
He held onto Wei Wuxian's pinky, entangling his own with it and looking seriously into the other man's eyes.
"You promise. Shhhh."
Finally losing control, Wei Wuxian burst out laughing, doubling over slightly, earning a confused look from the other man.
"Lan Zhan. Did you know you're so cute when you're drunk?"
Lan Wangji's entire face turned red, as he turned his upper body, talking to no one in particular. "Wei Ying called me cute."
Wei Wuxian really couldn't help himself. After all, the man he loved was in front of him. Bullying him was so much fun!
An idea struck him and a small mischievous smile spread over his face. In the most authoritative tone he could muster, Wei Wuxian said, "Lan Zhan, hug me!"
While he hoped the other person would listen to him, he didn't actually expect to be gripped so fast by these strong, sturdy arms and pulled into a muscular and comfortable chest.
He let out a tiny squeak as his face made contact with the general vicinity of Lan Wangji's heart, enabling him to hear the man's fast heartbeat.
"So soft" Lan Wangji mumbled, stroking Wei Wuxian's hair, as he held him close. Slowly, all the tension seeped out of his muscles as he snuggled into the hug, reveling in Lan Wangji's warmth and sandalwood scent. He had to admit, Lan Wangji was a really good hugger.
They stayed there like that for quite a while. At some point Wei Wuxian started poking Lan Wangji's cheeks, pulling his ears, playing with his hair and even messing with his ribbon, after realising that Lan Wangji had fallen asleep while hugging him.
He fell asleep just like that?! Wei Wuxian couldn't help but laugh. He somehow managed to get out of the vice grip Lan Wangji had on him, and unsheathed Bichen.
"Lan Zhan." he called loudly, poking Lan Wangji with Bichen's sheath.
"Mn?" came a sleepy reply. Lan Wangji opened his eyes sluggishly a few times, seemingly disoriented and confused as to why his arms were empty suddenly.
"I don't want you to ride when drunk, but I can't possibly lug you all the way to the Burial Mounds! Can we please go home?"
Lan Wangji got up, his eyes now focused on Wei Wuxian again.
"Yes. Go!"
That was how Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian got stuck in the branches of the oldest and biggest tree of Yiling, a very popular tourist attraction, and ended up demolishing half of it partially. After untangling themselves from the branches and fleeing the gathering crowd of onlookers, they just barely made it to the burial mounds and collapsed on their pushed together beds.
The next day, rumors spread all over the Cultivation World that Hanguang Jun valiantly tried to stop the Yiling Patriarch from destroying a heritage site, but unfortunately lost and was unable to catch the culprit.