CW: Blood mentioned, beware and please skip if this bothers you.
Everything was red. Wei Ying looked around wildly, searching, searching, looking for someone ...
He was dizzy, hungry and nauseous, nothing made sense anymore, and where the fuck was Lan Zhan? Wei Ying had to keep him safe, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Images flashed before him, and he saw his grandfather's face, he saw his mother and father, hands outstretched towards him, he saw Wen Qing and Wen Ning, covered in blood, ghastly ghouls chasing him down, and then he saw Wen Zhong, mangled and beaten, but still not dead.
They were back in that terrible shower room, sprayed with blood, and when Wei Ying looked down at his hands, they were covered in the red liquid, growing ever thicker, sticky and viscous.
He was cold and scared, the shadows on the walls creeping him out, stretching, writhing to catch him, their sharp talons in a death grip towards him, blood dripping from their fingertips...
Wei Ying was so tired, there was no way out and then something grabbed him and he screamed.
"WEI YING!"
Lan Zhan was lying next to Wei Ying, who had fallen asleep after his crying jag. He had been exhausted and when Lan Zhan began humming to him, the lullaby that his mother had taught him, Wei Ying settled into a deeper sleep.
But some minutes ago, his heartbeat had changed and like the drumbeaters of old on ships setting sail, it got faster and faster.
Lan Zhan switched on the bedside light, wanting to make sure Wei Ying was alright, but he was covered in sweat, restless and little whimpers left his mouth. Behind his eyelids, his eyes moved frantically, and for a second, Lan Zhan didn't know what to do. He held Wei Ying's arms down and that's when he screamed, a piercing sound that lanced through Lan Zhan like a spear.
Wei Ying's beautiful eyes opened then, unseeing and wild, like a feral beast pierced with darts.
"WEI YING!" He doesn't mean to shout, but he's afraid anything less than that won't get through to him, past the dreadful panic on his face, the awful fear in his terrified eyes.
Wei Ying stops thrashing around, and his vision clears as he blinks slowly, coming back to himself. He's exhausted, out of breath and dazed, unsure of where he is until he sees Lan Zhan hovering over him. With a cry, his arms wrap around Lan Zhan's neck in the tightest hold, his trembling body pressed up as close as he can to the anchor of safety that Lan Zhan has become to him.
"Hush now," Lan Zhan soothes, his fear mirroring the man in his arms.
Wei Ying whimpers, and something breaks in Lan Zhan's chest. His arms are already around Wei Ying, but he shifts them to a sitting position, pulling the blanket around their shoulders so that they're cocooned in a fluffy igloo of comforting softness.
Lan Zhan reaches for the glass of water on the bedside cabinet and makes Wei Ying take small sips, and when he's done, Lan Zhan brings him back into his embrace.
"Bad dream?"
"Yeah..."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The shudder that ripples through Wei Ying's body is enough of an answer.
"You do not need to." Lan Zhan tells him, his voice but a whisper in the stillness of the night.
Wei Ying rests his cheek against the soft cotton of Lan Zhan's t-shirt, closing his eyes. As his breathing evens out, he thinks that it is okay. This is all that is required of him, he can just be here, lying against Lan Zhan and feeling safe.
"Don't leave me?" He whispers it back, too tired to open his eyes when it comes out like a question.
"Never," Lan Zhan promises him, his big palm pressing up tightly on Wei Ying's back, rubbing up and down in a soothing circular motion. "Wei Ying is safe." His deep voice continues to reassure Wei Ying, a low murmur that only settles when he can smell Wei Ying's blood smelling like normal, seconds before he falls asleep once again.
Perhaps it is to be expected, Lan Zhan thinks to himself. They had just endured a terrifying battle with beings that could only be described as monsters, creatures of the night, their humanity slipping away from them until they were simply animalistic. The trauma of being in such an extraordinary situation, fraught with danger not only for Wei Ying, but those people that he cared about, so no wonder his fears manifested into dreams.
These past few days, Wei Ying had sunk into a dreamless sleep out of his exhaustion, and miraculously saved himself from the backlash of his subconscious mind. But now that his body thought it was recovered sufficiently, his sleeping mind wanted to revisit everything he had gone through, when Wei Ying wasn't awake to be able to tell the difference.
Maybe if Lan Zhan played soothing music for him, just before Wei Ying went to sleep? It might help, and Lan Zhan made a mental note to mention it later.
******************
Wei Ying is vaguely aware of being lifted up, and he whines at leaving the warmth of their bed. He nuzzles against a cool chest, and belatedly realises that there's no t-shirt dividing the smooth skin from his cheek. He hears a huff of amusement and he smiles, but it's just before he's suddenly sitting in hot water.
His eyes don't want to open though, and it feels so nice that Wei Ying falls asleep again.
Lan Zhan can't believe this! He doesn't know anyone who can sleep whilst taking a bath, and he hopes Wei Ying won't mind it too much. He wouldn't have disturbed Wei Ying at all but it was getting close to the time they would have to leave home to take the children to school.
After the drama of last night, Lan Zhan was even glad that Wei Ying could rest, because Wei Ying was the kind of person who needed his full eight hours of sleep, and it had been interrupted so terribly.
He squeezes his body wash onto a soft cloth and washes away the sweat of last night from Wei Ying's body, and his own too, letting the hot water ease Wei Ying's tense muscles. Hair is washed and dried once they exit the bathroom, and Lan Zhan has to laugh, because Wei Ying has somehow managed to stay asleep.
It's the smell of strong, sweet coffee which does the trick, and the aroma of fresh pancakes placed in front of him, that Wei Ying is roused from his slumber.
Uncle Qiren and the children have already eaten; they're in the library, reading, and waiting for their parents.
"How did I get here?" Wei Ying asks, looking around in a daze.
His tummy answers before Lan Zhan can, and he thinks that's a better response instead.
Ten minutes later, they're on their way to school in Lan Zhan's white Sports car, and Wei Ying is finally awake.
On the school playground, Wei Ying takes special care to kiss the boys three times each, once on both cheeks and then their foreheads.
For once, JingYi lets him, and A-Yuan stays still as usual. Too soon, they're waving goodbyes and then Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are walking back to the car.
They drive back to the manor and Wei Ying is surprised when Lan Zhan leads him back to their bedroom.
These past few days have passed in a haze of blissful normalness.
After Monday's bunking off school, it's with reluctance that the family has returned to the adherence to their normal patterns of living, but since Wei Ying came into his own money and got fired from bartending, and left the life of a barista behind, he's just getting used to not having to rush around.
The past two days had been spent perusing the vast amount of texts and scriptures hoarded in the library, with Wei Ying offering up his interesting opinions on whatever he chose to read, to an enthralled Lan Zhan who was only too ready to put down his work.
Wei Ying waits for Lan Zhan to say something, all the way up to their room, but he's silent, only squeezing their hands now and then, as if making sure Wei Ying is still with him.
Wei Ying is even more shocked when Lan Zhan pushes him down on the bed and follows, holding him close.
"Talk to me," he says, his nose buried in Wei Ying's hair.
"About what?" Wei Ying asks him, too distracted by the pleasant fragrance of sandalwood surrounding him.
"Your nightmare."
Wei Ying stiffens at the mention of his bad dream. It's a conscious effort to relax again, but he sincerely tries, caught off guard. He knows why Lan Zhan is doing this, too. He knows it's important to talk about it, to face his fears as it were, and he wishes it was easier.
But Lan Zhan is being so kind, so understanding about it, that he wants to try.
"It was dark," Wei Ying says slowly, unwilling to relive it. "And it wasn't anything specific, just blurry images. And blood. I felt like I was trapped, and I couldn't find the way out."
Lan Zhan hums in his ear sympathetically.
Wei Ying lets go of a deep breath, and with it, the stress of last night seeps away, leaving him loose-limbed and quieter.
"You know what was worse?"
"Mn?"
"I couldn't tell what was real, and what wasn't. And then I couldn't differentiate between what I knew had already happened, and what I was seeing, whether or not it was another prophetic dream. God, I was so scared! And then I couldn't find you." A whimper breaks free from his lips.
Lan Zhan holds him tighter. He can hear Wei Ying's heart beating faster, and it's not for a good reason.
He's so quiet now, that Lan Zhan would think he was asleep, except he has gotten so used to the sounds of Wei Ying when he's resting, that he knows he's awake.
They listen to the soothing sounds of the house getting ready for the day; people working far away in the kitchen, the muffled sounds of utensils moving about, of hot water rushing through pipes, of clocks ticking away at the time. The general domestic nature of life stirring into action is comforting, while they are protected within their own bubble of peace.
Even this is healing for both of them. They haven't really discussed what had happened over the weekend, and neither seemed ready for it. Lan Zhan didn't want to push for it, and thought or rather, he hoped that Wei Ying would say something when he was ready. For himself, he didn't feel the need to - it was something that had happened, and now it was over.
"I was so scared," Wei Ying says suddenly, as if he has read Lan Zhan's mind.
"Mn?"
"When they took you away from me. I'm not a violent person, but I was ready to kill people to get to you." Wei Ying sniffs. "And then I saw you in action. Lan Zhan...Lan Zhan, you were amazing!"
Of all the things Lan Zhan expected him to say, THAT wasn't it.
He hides his face in the curve of Wei Ying's shoulder, breathing him in.
"I never believed you when you said you could fight, but it makes me feel so good inside, that you can!" Wei Ying continues. "Sweetheart, I love you."
Lan Zhan is silent for a while.
He thinks about them and their lives, about how much everything has changed for them.
Then he sits up, bringing Wei Ying with him.
"If you could do anything you wanted to, what would it be? For today?" Lan Zhan asks him, as another idea grows inside his mind.
"Just for today?" Wei Ying thinks about it. "I want to go and see my grandmother," he says quickly.
Again, Wei Ying has managed to surprise him.
Lan Zhan smiles and hauls Wei Ying up so fast, he crashes into Lan Zhan's chest. Lan Zhan remains standing, steadfast and solid.
"I love you, my Wei Ying."
Wei Ying wonders at the power of those six words, that they have the ability to make him blush so hard. He can't get away from the intensity in Lan Zhan's beautiful golden eyes, the way he's staring back at him as if Wei Ying was his whole world.
And Lan Zhan doesn't let him hide his face, either. His lips are captured in a searing kiss, intoxicating and rejuvenating, a celebration of their love. It's sweet, it's hot and it's everything in between, as Wei Ying struggles to process each emotion and then he gives up. Kissing Lan Zhan is simply marvellous, and that's all there is to it.
*****************
The red book is on his lap, carefully wrapped inside that soft black t-shirt to protect it.
With one hand resting upon it to keep it safe, Wei Ying looks outside, watching the red and gold leaves swirling in the autumn breeze, as Lan Zhan drives them to the Parks and Rec building.
He's simultaneously happy and excited to see his grandmother again, and yet he's grateful for the downtime he and Lan Zhan shared just now. It had given him a much needed calmness, and as a result, he felt more in control. Wei Ying knew that part of the battle in fighting his nightmares lay in his day to day life, while he was awake.
The nightmares might not go away immediately, but even if it took a while, Wei Ying knew that he had to fight the possibility of them while he was awake by bolstering positive thoughts and reassuring himself that he, and his loved ones, were safe.
Now, he was looking forward to seeing his family again after an absence of four days. His grandmother had texted a few times and Wei Ying knew she was busy, but he was also confident that she would make time for him.
"Grandmother wants to see the room under the fountain," Wei Ying says softly, turning back to see Lan Zhan's amazingly hot forearms on the steering wheel, at precisely the ten and two o'clock positions.
Wei Ying bit his lip to stop a moan from coming out. He was definitely licking those tonight, he promised himself.
"Mn?"
Oh.
Lan Zhan had been talking.
They stopped at a traffic light, and Lan Zhan smirked at him, as if he knew exactly what Wei Ying had been thinking.
"What did you say?" Wei Ying cleared his throat, not at all ashamed about his thoughts dancing on the wicked side of life.
"Obviously nothing important," Lan Zhan replies, with a quiet laugh.
"We can both agree on that! My fiance is one attractive man, and I will be showing him exactly how much, tonight." Wei Ying promises, primly.
They park the car in the underground car park, but Lan Zhan stops him moving with a hand on his arm.
"Sweetheart?" Wei Ying turns back to him.
"Did you mean it?" There's a fire smouldering in his lovely eyes, when Lan Zhan looks back at him.
"Did I mean what?" Wei Ying thinks he's going to suffer from whiplash with the way Lan Zhan can change subjects.
Lan Zhan doesn't wait for him to answer, instead, crashing their lips together in the fiercest kiss yet. His mouth is urgent, hot and demanding, swallowing every moan, every sweet whimper, and stealing his breath. His insistent tongue invades Wei Ying's mouth like a captain in charge of his cavalry, winning every battle with ease, and then biting his bottom lip, licking away the blossoming drops of blood with gusto.
His Wei Ying is a temptation that Lan Zhan is too weak for, and proud of it.
"Wow!" Wei Ying leans back in his seat, trying to calm his racing heart. "What was that for?"
"Because I can," Lan Zhan tells him, smugly.
In a second, he's out of his seat and opening Wei Ying's door, helping him out.
And then he sees Xiao XingChen waiting for them by the elevator.
Lan Zhan waits until their closer, and then he makes sure he can be heard by all present.
"Come on, darling."
Wei Ying lasts exactly two seconds before he starts giggling, and the frown on Xiao XingChen's face is worth it.
They travel down to the floor where Baoshan Sanren's office is located, all the while Wei Ying tries to calm down, but the stand off between Lan Zhan and his uncle is way too funny, with both of them glaring at each other in the dark reflection of the elevator doors.
Wei Ying's grandmother is waiting for them on the other side, and she rolls her eyes at the other two, grabbing Wei Ying and pulling him into a fierce hug.
"How are you holding up, my boy?" She asks him.
Wei Ying holds onto her with everything he's got. "Not bad, grandma, not bad."
But they don't let go of each other for a good few minutes.
When they do part, they are looking at each other with thirsty eyes, needing to see and reassure themselves that the other is truly alright.
Baoshan Sanren had been stabbed, and Wei Ying had suffered exhaustion.
They are only too aware of how badly that weekend could have ended, and neither is going to take each other for granted.
"Come," she says, taking his hand.
She leads them into her cosy office, with the merrily crackling fire burning in the grate.
"Drink?" She offers, cackling when Lan Zhan throws her an irritated look. "It's just tea!" She protests, nudging Wei Ying and not bothering to lower her voice. "In HIS cup."
Wei Ying giggles and plops himself down on the sofa opposite her, as Lan Zhan sits down super elegantly next to him, wrapping his arm around Wei Ying's waist, and giving him back the t-shirt wrapped book.
Baoshan Sanren pours out the drinks, and it's really only tea, despite her remarks, and only after they've made themselves comfortable, does she look at what is in his lap.
"What's that?" She asks him, carefully.
Wei Ying gently takes the book out and gives it to her.
"I was worried about it, because I've only looked at it a few times but the edges are already crumbling, and you said we could laminate it ..." his voice drifts into silence, watching his grandmother.
Her eyes are red-rimmed again, as she realises what this is.
The last messages her daughter wrote with her own hand, for her son. With the sure knowledge that she was going to be parted from him, and not going to be there when he read them.
For a few minutes, she lets herself absorb this.
It's such a precious book, because of what it contains.
"Have you read all of these?" She asks him, surprised that her voice comes out even and quiet.
Wei Ying shakes his head at her.
"I didn't want to do it alone. Lan Zhan was with me for two of them. But then I thought, maybe we could read some of it together."
He's holding his breath even as she's nodding at him, her face illuminated by the brightest smile.
"Let's do that."