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Wei Ying POV
After leaving Hanshi, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying returned to Jingshi to clean up before dinner. The blue flowers Wei Ying had picked the night before were all sitting in small vases, cups, or bowls around the room. Their fragrance was fading but that was alright with Wei Ying because he simply loved his husband-to-be's sandalwood scent which was slowly returning.
During their meal in the dining hall, Wei Ying tried to follow the rule of not talking while eating but he just couldn't do it. He kept chatting to Lan Zhan but at least he kept his voice down. Lan Zhan was listening intently to every word he said. It was evident in the way his eyes came back to Wei Ying's after each bite of food he lifted from his bowl. Wei Ying loved that his jade was paying attention to him but he wished his handsome mate would respond with even just a few words between bitefuls.
Mealtimes were meant to be a time to gather and share stories, to commune with your fellow clansmen and family. It was a time to laugh and be thankful for everything you had. Silence was lonely and cold. It kept you separated from the people around you, even if they were sitting right beside you.
Wei Ying kept glancing around the large room, hoping to meet some friendly faces that might at least smile back at him. But most eyes were turned down. The rest were looking at him but they were anything but friendly.
Wei Ying felt Lan Zhan take his hand, their fingers naturally intertwining and curling around the other hand. He took another bite of the bland dish in front of him before pushing it away with a gentle nudge.
"Wei Ying is not hungry?" Lan Zhan asked, his golden eyes wavering ever so slightly.
"It's okay. I'm just still getting used to the food here, that's all. I'm fine." Wei Ying answered.
He stared at his jade's perfect face and gave him a smile of reassurance. But when Lan Zhan let go of his hand and pulled it away, Wei Ying's heart dipped inside his chest. Watching Lan Zhan place the bowl back in front of him, Wei Ying knew he had to eat the food that tasted like bamboo leaves in order to keep his promise he made earlier that day.
"Lan Zhan, I-I didn't mean to offend you o-or your home. I'm sor..." he began to apologize but stopped when he looked up into Lan Zhan's sparkling gold orbs and saw.....
Mischievousness?
Wei Ying watched in disbelief as Lan Zhan reached inside his billowing sleeve and pulled out a small vial filled with red spice. Silver eyes wide with amazement stared as the youngest jade pulled the covering off and tapped the oil on top of the tasteless rice and vegetables until they were covered in the red spice.
Wei Ying's gaze shifted from the bowl to Lan Zhan, back to the bowl, and back to Lan Zhan. His mouth started to water at the aroma of the spice. He could already feel the heat of the spice and he hadn't even had one taste of it yet.
"Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying gasped quietly. "Where? How? When?"
"Does not matter. Anything for my Wei Ying." Lan Zhan murmured.
Wei Ying's smile brightened like the morning sun rising into a cloudless sky. He picked up his chopsticks and lifted the now spicy rice to his mouth. He put the small pieces of cooked grain stained red on the tip of his tongue, testing the intensity of the flavor. Closing his eyes, he ran his tongue over his bright lips and savored the heat of the exotic spice. A gigantic smile blossomed as he opened his mouth, the food disappearing in a flash.
A small moan resonated in his throat as the flavor exploded inside his mouth. Wei Ying chewed slowly before swallowing the last vegetable. For a moment, he just sat there, unmoving and quiet. He felt Lan Zhan's hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes.
"Good now?" his jade asked, his golden eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Wei Ying will eat?"
The man in black robes threw himself at the young jade and wrapped his arms around him. He buried his face against Lan Zhan's warm neck. Tears that he tried to hold back broke through his closed eyelids. Wei Ying could hear the whispers rising around them but didn't give a damn what they were saying. He pulled Lan Zhan even closer and placed a kiss just behind the blushing ear by his lips.
"Lan Zhan, I love you."
"Love Wei Ying." Lan Zhan answered back.
"I can see that."
"Xichen-ge!" Wei Ying squeaked, jumping back from Lan Zhan.
The Lan Clan leader sat down across the table and smiled at them both.
"I see my baby brother has found your weakness." Lan Xichen teased as he took a sip of the tea one of the servants poured for him.
"That's not my only weakness, Xichen-ge." Wei Ying said in a sultry tone, looking at his fiance.
He watched as Lan Zhan's ears darkened to match the color of the spice on his dinner and giggled playfully. Wei Ying leaned over, his head coming to rest on the young jade's shoulder.
"Wei Ying is guest. Guests should feel welcome. At home." Lan Zhan pointed out.
Wei Ying snuggled closer and said, "Only a guest? I thought I was the man you loved, Lan Zhan?" he whined, adding on a heavy pout for dramatic effect.
Lan Xichen grinned at his blushing brother and said, "Didi, is he always like this?"
Wei Ying waited for Lan Zhan's answer but when his future husband remained silent, he raised his head and looked at the frozen jade. His fake pout softened into a genuine smile as he turned to look into Lan Zhan's questioning eyes.
"Your brother just wants to know if I'm always this open with my affection for you." he explained, taking Lan Zhan's hand in his.
Wei Ying felt his jade's fingers slide between his and relished the warmth of their small embrace. It was such a simple gesture but one that spoke volumes of their love for each other.
"Always." Lan Zhan answered plainly. But Wei Ying could tell his fiance was smiling on the inside.
"A-Xian," Lan Xichen began. "I think it would be a lovely gesture of goodwill if you were to allow our fellow clansmen a chance to get to know you better. I'm sure they have questions about you and your home just like you do of ours. Perhaps, if you gave them an opportunity to learn about your clan then some of the stigma would be dispelled. I believe it would put many people's minds at ease. As long as you're willing, of course."
Lan Xichen took another sip of his tea and looked between the two men sitting with him. His eyes were a shade darker than Lan Zhan's but Wei Ying was still amazed at how alike the two brothers were. He was really beginning to like the clan leader and knew that one day, they would be family not only in marriage but in their hearts as well.
"I would love to, Xichen-ge." Wei Ying replied with a courteous head bow. "I learned at an early age that people fear what they don't understand. My family taught me to see that hatred is born of ignorance. The more people realize that, just because something is different, it doesn't make it dangerous or evil. Differences can be beautiful. I like to think of people as being unique, special in their own way. We all look, sound, and act differently. Every leaf has its own print, every animal its own pattern, and every river its own path. No two sunrises or sunsets are exactly the same. It's what makes this world so fascinating."
Lan Zhan couldn't take his eyes off Wei Ying who smiled back at him with the purity of a child. Even Lan Xichen had taken pause, his teacup frozen in time halfway to his lips. The longer the Twin Jades stared unblinking at him, the more nervous Wei Ying became.
"D-Did I say something wr-wrong?" he asked in a timid voice. His large doe eyes blinked innocently as he looked at Lan Zhan.
Lan Xichen broke from his trance and lowered his cup slowly. "No A-Xian. That was beautifully said. And we couldn't agree more."
Glancing past his soon-to-be brother-in-law's shoulder, Wei Ying began to notice a change in the people sitting around them. Most of them were now looking directly at him. But the hostility he had felt earlier was dissipating like the morning fog on Gusu's mountains. The air felt lighter, animosity replaced with curiosity.
Lan Xichen looked around them and ushered those that wanted to approach to come over. Wei Ying shifted in his seat. A sea of white slowly encircled him until he was like the Yin dot on the Yang symbol. One by one, Lan Clan members asked him questions.
"Do you all wear black robes?"
"What is your favorite food?"
"What does Yiling look like?"
"How many rules do you have to follow?"
"How did you meet Hanguang-jun?"
"Did you really kill a level 10 beast?"
Wei Ying was patient with each person and answered each question with enthusiasm. Each clan member whether young or old listened to all his stories with faces filled with wonder. There were times when they wrinkled their noses or furrowed their brows but that was to be expected. And as Wei Ying talked, more members gathered around them.
Lan Zhan never left his side. The more people that came, the closer Wei Ying could feel him pushing against him. He tried to comfort his possessive jade by not letting go of his hand but sometimes his tales were so fantastic that both his arms were flailing in the air. It was those times that had Lan Zhan wrapping his arm around Wei Ying's thin waist, his fingers sinking into the black robes.
"I believe that's enough for tonight. It's almost curfew. Now, off with all of you. Our guest must be tired from talking." Lan Xichen said gently.
"Uh, that's okay, Xichen-ge. I'm really not..."
"Wei Ying is tired." Lan Zhan said firmly.
Lan Xichen smiled lovingly at his little brother. Wei Ying's silver eyes still sparkled with excitement when they caught two flashes of gold eyeing him with hunger. Everyone bowed to Wei Ying as they took their leave until it was only him, Lan Zhan, and Lan Xichen remaining in the hall.
"Thank you, A-Xian. That was wonderful. Please, go with Wangji and get some rest. If you like, you may join our training class tomorrow to spar. You never know, maybe my little brother will even challenge you to a fight."
"Really?!" Wei Ying replied, his voice as high as a prepubescent boy. "Lan Zhan, can I? Will you?"
Wei Ying began trembling at the possibility of sparring with his jade. It would be like revisiting their first "date". He grabbed onto Lan Zhan's upper arm and shook it gently, smiling wider than the ocean.
"Would love to." his jade promised.
Wei Ying squealed with delight when Lan Zhan's lips turned up slightly at the corners.
"Well, then, I will leave first. Sleep well, A-Xian."
The couple stood and bowed to the clan leader before exiting the dining hall themselves. Wei Ying automatically wove his fingers with Lan Zhan's and began swinging their arms like a pendulum between them. His heart felt lighter than it had in a very long time. Everything felt....right.
The sky's velvety darkness spread over Gusu like a midnight blanket. Stars twinkled amongst the thin, sparse clouds like fireflies. Night creatures began their serenades to their mates. Hand in hand the two figures, one dressed in white like the moon and the other black like the night, moved through the cool mountain air at a slow, comfortable pace. Step for step they slipped away into the trees until the common buildings were nothing but shadows.
Lan Zhan opened the door for Wei Ying who couldn't help but giggle. Here was the man whom he was taught as a child would murder his family in their sleep and steal all their treasures. This was the great Hanguang-jun whose name put fear into the hearts of even the bravest men. Wei Ying's heart fluttered in his chest as his jade slid the door of Jingshi closed behind them.
Now, it was just them.
"Bath first, then sleep." Lan Zhan said in that deep voice of his that filled Wei Ying's veins with fire.
"Want to join me, Hanguang-jun?" Wei Ying asked in his own deep voice.
He had to curl his lips inside his mouth to contain the smile that threatened to ruin the mood he was trying to create. The blush that inflamed Lan Zhan's ears was just too irresistible. So, Wei Ying glided over, put his arms around his jade's neck, and brushed his warm lips across Lan Zhan's with a feathery touch.
Instantly, Lan Zhan dropped his sword and circled his arms around Wei Ying. He pulled his future husband flush against him, his strength that of a frustrated possessive lover. He crashed his lips onto Wei Ying's. Raw instinct flooded through Wei Ying as he threaded his fingers through his jade's silky hair. A small whimper left his mouth when Lan Zhan placed a single hand on his backside and squeezed gently.
Wei Ying was lost to the sensations consuming his body. He wanted everything Lan Zhan was willing to give to him and more. All of his fear and uncertainty from the day was burned away by his jade's passionate kisses.
Lan Zhan pulled away first. Wei Ying's knees almost buckled and he had to focus in order to not fall into his fiance's arms. Both of them were breathing heavily, both their faces heated with want.
"Bath first." Lan Zhan repeated.
"Okay." Wei Ying answered, his voice weak from the mind-numbing kiss he had just been given by the supposed Cold Jade.
He huffed a chuckle at that thought.
If only they knew the real Hanguang-jun.
Hidden behind a privacy curtain was the small bathing tub already filled with hot water. Wei Ying entered and pulled the curtain closed again. Thoughts of Lan Zhan sitting naked in the fragrant water had him suddenly wishing the water was cold like the mountain stream outside.
After he was clean and dried, Wei Ying came out to a Lan Zhan with no elaborate headpiece declaring his high status in the clan. Bichen and Wangji were placed on their respective stands, relieved from their duty for the day. A small smile graced his lips when he noticed that even Chenqing and Suibian had a place to rest in Lan Zhan's home.
But the best thing about this scene? His handsome jade sat on the bed which had already been turned down for the night holding a jar of Emperor's Smile.
"Lan...Zhan!" Wei Ying said enthusiastically as he rushed over and plopped himself next to his generous jade.
"I thought alcohol is prohibited in Cloud Recesses?"
"Mn." Lan Zhan answered with an adorable nod.
He poured a single cup for Wei Ying which was downed in a quick gulp. Wei Ying immediately held out the small cup for more, his eyes wide and shimmering with happiness. Lan Zhan filled the cup again and watched in amazement as Wei Ying tossed his head back and swallowed the intoxicating liquid. Placing the cloth cover over the mouth of the jug, Lan Zhan placed it on the floor.
"Lan Zhaaan! That's all I get? I could drink ten of those and still kick everyone's ass tomorrow! Including yours!" Wei Ying challenged as he reached for the small white porcelain jug.
He was practically laying across Lan Zhan's lap trying to get his hands on the delicious liquor his jade had tempted him with. When Lan Zhan pushed it farther away with his foot, Wei YIng groaned in frustration.
"Lan Zhan! Give it back! Do you know how long it's been since I had good wine? And Emperor's Smile is the best wine ever! Pleeeassse?" he begged.
When he realized that Lan Zhan was not going to cave to his childish demands, Wei Ying sat up ready to throw daggers at his husband-to-be. But instead of looking at a face that he expected to be serious and unmoving, he found golden eyes filled with nothing but love looking at him and the tiniest of smiles staring back at him.
Wei Ying blinked slowly once. His heart ached and a delicious warmth made its way through his body.
Forever. That's how long I want to look at him. That's how long I want to be with him. Nothing else will be long enough.
"Lan Zhan, I...."
The jade's hand reached around the back of Wei Ying's head and buried itself in the still damp hair, tenderly pushing his head down into his soft lap.
"Sleep." Lan Zhan whispered.
"But I'm not tired." Wei Ying whined. "I'm too excited. I can't wait to fight..."
"Mn. Sleep now. Fight tomorrow."
Long, elegant fingers began combing through Wei Ying's tangled mess of a mane. They massaged his scalp as they moved languidly through the strands and Wei Ying's body surrendered to the hypnotic caresses. Lan Zhan's hands expertly untangled each and every knot they encountered without pulling on the sensitive roots.
Wei Ying could barely keep his eyes open. Lan Zhan's fingers felt so good. He nestled into the crook of Lan Zhan's legs, breathing deeply of the sandalwood scent embedded in his mate's white robes. Without his permission, his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
The last thing he remembered was being lifted into Lan Zhan's strong arms and placed in the bed. A warm blanket was laid over him, tucked in around his exhausted body until he felt like a butterfly in a cocoon.
Safe.
Protected.
Loved.
His.