Work Text:
Brothers, Brothers-in-Law and Husbands
It was snowing and most of the inhabitants of Cloud Recesses were in their rooms, lying under thick blankets and sleeping since it was past curfew. Everything was silent and still. Yet, there was a man with long brown hair that freely flew behind him as he tried to run on the slippery freezing substance sticking on the earth. There were barely any layers of clothes over his inner robe and his skin prickled like hundreds of tiny needles were on him but none of these things mattered to him. His silver eyes scanned the place for something, growing more desperate as his search seemed futile. Then, suddenly those moonlit eyes widened in horror and a gasp escaped lips that were slowly turning blue.
"Lan Zhan!"
There on the snow, close to the rabbit field, the love of his life lay unconscious. Beautiful ink-black hair was trapped beneath the fallen form and usually pale skin and lips looked even paler and almost blue. Blue and white were the colors of the Lans but Lan Zhan wasn't allowed to wear them on his skin that way. The inner robe he wore was thick but not enough to keep him warm and it was probably only his strong core that had kept him alive, even though his husband had quickly noticed his absence and had started looking for him immediately.
"My love," a choked sob left Wei Ying's lips as he shed the top layers of his robes leaving himself with a red inner robe that did nothing to protect his body from the cold breeze, and placed them around his husband, "hold on. You'll be fine soon."
Bracing himself for the strain, he placed his arms beneath the unconscious man that suddenly weighed twice as normal and picked him up bridal style. Wobbly steps took him toward the healers' pavilion. In his old body, Wei Ying would have been able to carry Lan Zhan easily. They had been the same height. The old body was strong even though it was often pushed to its limits. And even without a core, his new cultivation method would have given him strength. Mo Xuanyu's body was more delicate and he was shorter than the Lan second heir. After returning to Cloud Recesses and marrying Lan Zhan, the two had double cultivated and trained every day. Wei Ying's miserable core had become stronger but he still had years before he could reach his old core's level. Add to that they had returned from a difficult night hunt the previous night and that his husband had been insatiable before they slept and anyone could understand how such a fragile vessel was at its limits.
Still, Wei Ying refused to give up. He pushed himself and hurriedly walked toward the pavilion that held help for his beloved. He wished he could send a butterfly messenger to let Wen Qing know they were coming but his hands were quite preoccupied. When he reached the pavilion, he had to push the door with his foot to open it. Rushing inside, he was relieved to see his favorite healer there. It had been a dream come true when they discovered the Jins had kept her alive all those years, hidden in a dungeon. She hadn't been mistreated since they wanted her to secretly work on different medical matters but captivity and not seeing the sun for more than a decade had left its marks on her.
"Wuxian," she started but then she saw the man he was carrying and her breath caught, "bring him here."
Always professional, she moved so Wei Ying could place his precious bundle on a bed. She immediately checked his wrist feeling for his spiritual energy. Lan Wangji's levels were low and his qi was disturbed but there was nothing life threatening. Gently, she fed him some spiritual power to stabilize him. Her eyes moved to find the man that she loved as much as her brother and saw him hovering over his husband; an anxious look on his face.
"He'll be okay." She announced the truth to sooth him.
"This must have to do with yesterday’s curse. I thought he wasn’t affected but probably something lingered on him. He probably hallucinated and left the Jingshi following whatever vision he saw." Wei Ying's words were clear but his teeth clanked as he spoke and his whole form was shaking.
"Wei Wuxian! Go grab some blankets and pull them around you before I use my needles against you." She all but shouted at the sight of him.
She of course understood the panic the younger man had felt at not seeing his husband by his side and finding him in such condition but Lan Wangji's core was strong. Wei Wuxian's wasn't. A bad cold could bedridden him for weeks.
A chuckle followed her words as the man was about to follow her order when Lan Wangji opened his eyes as if summoned by the name. He quickly sat up and looked around with unfocused eyes. Wen Qing's eyes were on her patient again but she was well aware of Wei Wuxian's presence. Of course the brunette would come closer instead of doing what he was told.
"Lan Wangji, can you hear me?" She asked, her voice soft but stern. "You are in the healers' pavilion." She added seeing how disoriented the man was.
"Where is Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji asked, ignoring her question. Of course, the first thing he would ask about was his husband.
Giggling, Wei Wuxian approached the bed and placed a trembling hand on the cold cheek of the man he loved, surprised when Lan Wangji tensed. "I am here, love."
Wei Wuxian moved even closer, as if now that his husband was awake he couldn't not be in his private space. However, Wen Qing could feel that something was wrong. Lan Wangji's eyes seemed to shift from confusion to fury.
"Who are you?" He snarled, looking terrifying. "Where is Wei Ying?"
Wei Wuxian blinked. Maybe if he hadn't been so tired, so desperately trying to keep his body from shutting down after using all his energy, he would have registered the danger. But this was Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan could always recognize and feel him, even in his dreams. He would never hurt him.
"Husband, it is me." He said with concern, coming even closer and placing both hands on Lan Wangji's cheeks making him look at him. "You'll be okay, love. I promise. Your Wei Ying will take care of you."
Wen Qing saw the next part in slow motion and yet she was unable to do anything to stop it. The fury in Lan Wangji's eyes solidified and his lips turned into a thin line. Wrapping his big hands around the delicate wrists of the other man, he pulled the hands away from his face and then with a surge of energy, he pushed Wei Wuxian away sending him all the way to the other side of the room. Had the brunette had any energy left, he could have stopped it but a drained core and the shock of being rejected by the man he loved shattered his defenses. With a sickening crack, his back hit the wall. Wide silver eyes stared at the livid man on the bed as blood started running down his head.
"Lan Zhan." Even then, his husband’s name was what left his lips before he closed his eyes.
It was hard for someone or something to faze the Wen healer but the sight of Wei Wuxian's broken body had her trembling. With shaking legs she brought herself close to the man she loved like a brother. She knelt and placed her hand on his pulse point by his neck, relieved that he was still breathing; knowing it wouldn't continue being so for long if she didn't do something. She took a deep breath, trying to recenter herself and remind herself there was no time to panic. Quickly, she sent two red messenger butterflies the way Wei Wuxian had taught her; one to Lan Xichen and one to Lan Qiren. She would need capable hands and people that could handle Lan Wangji if he decided to come after them. The butterflies held no message but a call for help that would lead the men to her.
"You won't die on me." She whispered on the brunette's forehead, gently pushing away stray hair.
She was glad Lan Wangji hadn't moved from his spot. She was aware of his presence but she didn't want to face him. Feeding spiritual energy to the man in her arms, she waited. Soon, the two Lans entered the pavilion and stopped at their tracks at the sight in front of them. Wei Wuxian's body was in a wrong angle and he was deadly pale. He was also underdressed. Why was he in his inner robe? Then, their eyes took in Lan Wangji and their confusion became even greater. The man was pale, dressed in layers that didn't belong to him and most of all; he wasn't by Wei Wuxian's side.
"What happened here?" Xichen asked in a soft voice that barely trembled. He felt that gentleness was needed at that moment as if any raised voice could break the bubble they were in.
But that was the time Wen Qing's persistence ended. "Lan Qiren, I need you to restrain your nephew. Sect Leader Lan, I need you to help me move Wuxian to a bed. He must be moved very carefully. His spine is broken."
Horrified eyes took in the brunette's position once again. Lan Qiren moved to his nephew's side but didn't try to do anything, confused by why he had to restrain the man. Lan Xichen knelt down and instructed by Wen Qing placed his hands the way the healer showed him to move his brother-in-law in a way that wouldn't hurt him further. Each step he took was slow and measured; making sure his precious bundle was secure.
There had been some conflict between the Lans and Wei Wuxian when he had first followed Lan Wangji back to Cloud Recesses but Wei Wuxian was sunshine, laughter and brilliance. He was justice and mercy. And the Lans could do nothing but melt under the warmth he brought in Cloud Recesses.
"Who did this to Wuxian?" Xichen whispered, as he extremely gently placed the broken body on an empty bed far away from the one his brother was on. Wen Qing had pointed to that bed.
"He is not..." Lan Wangji started.
"Shut up!" Wen Qing shouted, a needle finding its way in Lan Wangji's skin, leaving the man unconscious once again.
"Wen Qing!" Both Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen were shocked by the words and actions of the healer. That was Hanguang-jun, the second master of the Lans. How could she?
But suddenly seeing the fury in the eyes of the woman and the protectiveness of her stance, they knew that whatever she would say would shatter their world.
"He did it." Her finger was pointed toward the unconscious man. "So, excuse me, if I don't want him wrecking more havoc as I try to put together my brother."
The Lans fell silent. They had never heard Wen Qing being so passionate about anything but her brother’s safety. They knew she held Wuxian close to her heart and thought of him as a sibling but she had never said the words aloud. That would have been the most shocking revelation if she hadn't just announced that Lan Wangji had been the one to hurt Wei Wuxian. It sounded so impossible and outrageous that neither of the two could believe it. Lan Wangji's love for Wei Wuxian had become a fundamental truth for the Lans; a certainty as the fact the sun set and rose every day. He would have never hurt Wei Wuxian.
They didn't push for more answers as the woman worked on the broken body of the brilliant man. Lan Qiren helped to the best of his abilities since he had some medical knowledge and Lan Xichen provided spiritual energy. Wen Qing kept Wei Wuxian in a healing bubble; a technique she had come up with during her captivity. It kept the patient unconscious forcing his meridians to open and his mind to meditate, strengthening his core. It required constant spiritual energy to be provided from an outside source and it allowed the healer to work on the patient's external injuries.
Lan Wangji was well-known for his strength. Even without spiritual energy he would have hurt the body he hit. He had fractured Wei Wuxian's spine and it was only Wen Qing's expertise that made it possible to reverse the damage. Nevertheless, she knew that Wuxian would need weeks if not months to fully recover and that was if he didn't also get a cold. They had frozen his body to the condition he was and she knew that his core, even with all the energy he received, wouldn't be able to fight everything at once.
The first rays of the sun found all of them exhausted. They were drained to the core but Wei Wuxian's state was stable. When the healers entered the pavilion, they were shocked by the scene they faced but their training and their Lan upbringing had them show discretion. They assisted to the best of their abilities and ushered Wen Qing to rest to the room reversed for healers to the back of the pavilion. Wen Qing didn't remove the needle from Lan Wangji and no one fought her decision. Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen decided to rest a bit so they could recover their energy. There were plenty of things each one of them had to do and they would need to cancel certain meetings and classes.
Wen Qing must have only slept for a couple of hours when loud voices pulled her out of her rest. She kept her eyes closed for a few more moments, trying to push away from her mind the events of the night. But the voices kept pushing through the haze of her brain and sighing she left the bed. She straightened her robes and walked back to the patients' room with movements that were more sluggish than she liked.
The sight she faced was heartbreaking. Her nephew, A-Yuan adopted in the Lan clan and named Lan Yuan, was sprawled over the seemingly lifeless body of Wei Wuxian, crying. His face was hidden in the red robe and his form was shaking with each sob.
"Wake up, dad, please."
A bit further away stood Lan Jingyi; his eyes moving from Wei Wuxian and Lan Yuan to Lan Wangji and back again. His mouth was open and he seemed not to know what to do or say. By his side, Wen Qing found her brother. The fierce corpse's face was stern but she could see the pain in those big brown eyes she loved so much. Her brother had taken the Lan disciples for a night hunt some days ago and they weren't supposed to return for another day or two, but Wen Qing knew her brother must have felt Wuxian's life being in danger and had rushed back.
"Jiejie," Wen Ning started hesitantly, "master Wei...how is he?" He was at a loss of words.
"Stable. He'll get better." She approached her nephew and gently started rubbing his back. "Don't worry, A-Yuan. Your dad will be okay. He's just sleeping. We may need to keep him asleep for some time to recover, and there may be complications but he is alive and he will recover."
A breath of relief left the young man's lips but he refused to remove himself from his father's robes. Everyone could understand why. They had already lost Wei Wuxian once. "And Hanguang-jun?"
Wen Qing couldn't bear telling her nephew the truth when he was so vulnerable. "He is just sedated. He isn't injured. We'll wake him up soon."
Everyone seemed to relax at that. Lan Jingyi moved closer to the man he admired so much and took a seat by his side. Wen Ning approached Wei Wuxian's bed to look at his friend better but something in his sister's stance made him feel there were some things unsaid. Gently, he led her away and she explained to him exactly what happened. Wen Ning had always been a gentle soul so he couldn't be mad at Hanguang-jun the way Wen Qing was. They both knew it was because of his vulnerable condition that Lan Wangji hadn't recognized his husband in the new body but Wen Qing wanted to be mad at someone so she held on to that anger. When Wuxian would open his eyes again, she would probably forgive the other man.
"Where is Jin Ling?" Lan Jingyi asked, his eyes looking around the room as if that could make the Jin Sect Leader materialize out of nowhere.
"Ah, we met with him during the night hunt." Wen Ning explained seeing the confusion in his sister's eyes. "He followed us when I said Master Wei was in danger. But he left the pavilion after seeing...after he saw him."
Jin Rulan and Wei Wuxian had a tentative relationship that was mostly nurtured by the older man. He adored his nephew and Jin Ling loved his uncle even though he didn't clearly show it all the time. It must have dearly distressed him to see the older male in such a bad condition.
"How did this happen?" Lan Jingyi asked the question the healer dreaded the most. "Was it a night hunt?"
None of the newcomers could understand what had transpired. Both men were in nightclothes. Wei Wuxian was severely injured. Hanguang-jun had no blood on him, no visible wounds. Wen Qing had said he was okay; just sedated. Everyone knew that no power on earth would make Hanguang-jun rest when his husband was hurt. There was something strange there.
"My patients need rest and quiet." Wen Qing decided to use her professional tone to send them away. "I understand you are concerned but you must all leave now and come back tomorrow." Seeing them ready to protest, she leveled them with a stern look. "Do as I said or I won't let you in again."
Knowing not to ire Wen Qing, they all left. A-Yuan was the most reluctant to go but he knew he could trust his aunt. She would tell them the details when she was ready. Meanwhile, they would rest so they could take over the responsibilities that Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian held. Both Lan Yuan and Lan Jingyi had been learning how to be more involved with the sect’s private matters so they could assist Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren with whatever they needed.
Everything was silent for a while and Wen Qing managed to rest a bit more before she was ready again to check on her patient. She knew that Wuxian wouldn’t wake up for days but she felt anxious being away from him. She also had to decide what to do with Lan Wangji. The other healers had got rid of the remnants of the curse. Wen Qing felt bitter thinking how she had insisted that Lan Wangji was checked after the couple came back from the night hunt. The Lan had been adamant on having Wei Wuxian checked but when it came to himself he said he hadn’t been affected. He had allowed his husband to provoke him with enough teasing that bedding him was more important than his own protection. How could he have been so irresponsible?
Sighing, she moved toward the man she had always respected for his efforts to keep Wei Wuxian safe during his first life and then all he had done for the brunette when he came back to life. She shouldn’t hold what happened against him. It was an accident. There was absolutely no way Lan Wangji would have done such a thing had he been in his right mind. It was probably unrealistic to believe that even soul mates feel each other every single moment of their lives; even if Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian gave that impression.
When the needle’s effects wore off and the amber gold eyes opened again, they were more focused. His core had fought the lingering effects of the curse and he was back to normal. “Wei Ying?”
If nothing had happened the previous night, Wen Qing would have found it funny how Lan Wangji slept and woke up with her friend’s name on his lips. Now, it just sent a new pang of pain through her system.
“Lan Wangji, I need to talk to you before you do anything else.” She said, seriously. She had placed a folding screen around Wei Wuxian’s bed so he wouldn’t been seen. “Last night, you left the Jingshi, probably under the influence of some vision, and wondered around Cloud Recesses in the snow. You passed out and your husband found and brought you here.” She searched for some recognizition in his eyes but they were unreadable. Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen were the only ones who read the man. “You are now healed by the effects of the curse; we could have done that if you had stayed to be checked two days ago.” That was the mildest way she could put it without blatantly accusing him.
“Where is Wei Ying?” He stubbornly asked, though his head was lowered, acknowledging the scolding for what it was.
“You…”
Wen Qing didn’t have time to continue her sentence because at that moment the door to the pavilion opened and the last person she could expect walked in; Jiang Wanyin. Wen Qing felt the beginning of a headache and the need to grab something and throw it at the Jiang Sect Leader’s head. She had been willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the man all those years ago when he visited the Burial Mounds but soon, he understood Jiang Wanyin cared more about his pride than his brother and justice. It was extremely hard for Wen Qing to be around the people who had led to her family’s deaths. It was already hard when she faced Lan Qiren, who had been the one to lead and approve the siege, but Jiang Wanyin was someone Wen Qing wished she could keep away from her little family. He hated Wen Ning and he kept causing Wei Wuxian pain because he couldn’t properly communicate his feelings for his adopted sibling.
It was so painfully clear that Jiang Wanyin still cared about Wei Wuxian but instead of taking the opportunities Wuxian offered so openly and merciful, he kept cloaking himself with the past and every act of care was balanced with words of pain. Why was he there? It couldn’t have been a coincidence.
“Where is he?” The man dressed in rich purple robes shouted. “Where is Wei Wuxian?”
“Sect Leader Jiang, this is the healers’ pavilion.” She said coldly, giving him a stern look that could have frozen a lake. This was her domain. “Moreover, shouting is forbidden in Cloud Recesses. Please, behave yourself.”
Once upon a time, there had been a spark between Wen Qing and Jiang Wanyin but that spark had been long gone. There was too much detestation and blood between them and they had never established a relationship to begin with. Their only link was Wei Wuxian.
It cost Jiang Wanyin to take a calming breath but he did it. “Jin Ling said he was severely injured.” His voice was trembling even though he tried to appear nonchalant as if he hadn’t flown all the way to Cloud Recesses after receiving a butterfly messenger. “I want to see him.”
Wen Qing tensed but not because of the Jiang Sect Leader’s words. She tensed because she felt the movement behind him. She heard the gasp.
“Wei Ying was hurt.” Wen Qing didn’t turn to face the man who had spoken. “Where is he?”
There was no way she could hide Wei Wuxian from them. Rubbing her temple, she moved toward the folding screen and they followed her with rushed steps. The screen was pulled and the injured man was revealed. Before either of them could touch him, she sent a small stream of spiritual energy to the healing bubble that had been deactivated for a while so the man could let his own qi circulate for a while. The bubble embraced the body like a cocoon creating a distance between Wei Wuxian and anyone else but Wen Qing.
Lan Wangji had seen the healing bubble before and he knew that it was only used on severe cases of injury. His eyes took in the state of his husband; eyes full of concern and pain. Wei Ying’s skin was pale and his lips were blue. His eyes were closed and he wore robes that were clean and light blue but were definitely not the ones he wore the previous night. There was a bandage around his head and his body seemed to have been arranged to be as straight as possible. That wasn’t how Wei Ying slept. Then, he noticed how the robes were slightly more open than he thought. He could see the marks he had left on his beloved’s body during their lovemaking; purple bruises that showed he had been exceptionally rough the previous night. And there was the hint of more bandages.
He closed his eyes trying to remember what had happened the previous night. He remembered that he had felt at the edge all day but Wei Ying’s presence was like a balm to his soul. He had dealt with the reports for their night hunt and late in the evening he sought his husband feeling ready to explode. Seeing Wei Ying was like being cold for too long and suddenly finding a campsite with a big fire. His husband had fed him, bathed him and then had let him do with him whatever he wanted. He had given himself to him and he took and took and took. They had fallen asleep in each other’s arms and Lan Wangji’s last thought was that he would have to pamper his husband the following night.
By his side, he felt Jiang Wanyin moving and asking Wen Qing questions about the healing bubble. He ignored them both. He hadn’t thought the curse had hit him when they destroyed the yao but he had let Wei Ying play a tune for him before they reached Cloud Recesses so he refused Wen Qing’s offer to be checked. All he wanted was to have Wei Ying for himself. He had been selfish. As he tried to recall what else had happened, he heard the door to the pavilion open and close again. He had dreamt of being in the Burial Mounds. He had dreamt of searching for Wei Ying after the first siege. Then, there was darkness and someone who kept insisting to be Wei Ying. There were hands that felt unfamiliar as the person kept calling him love and husband and touching him. He had…
“I hurt Wei Ying!” He exclaimed in horror, opening his eyes.
All around him the voices went silent and he could now see that the pavilion was full of familiar faces. His son, his brother and uncle were there as well as Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi. Their faces were equally horrified at the revelation. Then, all hell broke loose.
“What do you mean you hurt him?!” Jiang Wanyin snarled, his hands immediately wrapping around Lan Wangji’s collar and pulling him closer. “What did you do?!”
“Father, you couldn’t have…” Lan Yuan begged, his eyes pleading.
“Wanyin, release my brother!” Lan Xichen took a step closer to the two and then placed a gentle hand around the purple-clothed man’s wrist. “You know Wangji would never deliberately hurt Wuxian.”
“He did hurt him, though.” The eyes that held Wangji were full of hatred and pain. “How did this happen, Xichen? Why didn’t you tell me?”
In any other case, this exchange would have been amusing. Wen Qing knew that if Wuxian had been awake, he would have picked up on what was happening really fast. But at that moment, only Lan Qiren seemed to have noticed the informality between the two sect leaders. Lan Xichen ran a finger across Jiang Wanyin’s wrist, a really subtle move that Wen Qing noticed just because she was looking for it, and Jiang Wanyin released the second Jade of Lan.
Lan Wangji didn’t move from his spot. His eyes were full of pain and self-hatred. He had hurt his Wei Ying. He hadn’t recognized his love in the new body. He had pushed him.
“I thought I was back in the Burial Mounds and Wei Ying was lost. When he talked to me, I thought it was a sick joke. I didn’t recognize him and I pushed him.”
“A simple push wouldn’t have broken his spine.” Lan Qiren commented, before he understood what he had revealed.
He broke his spine. He had broken Wei Ying’s spine. He had almost killed his love. Sitting on the nearest chair, Lan Wangji hid his face in his shaking hands. He heard his brother calling his name but he didn’t answer. He heard his brother talking about how drained Wei Ying’s core had been which was probably why he couldn’t have avoided the push or withstand it.
“Wei Ying.” He whispered the name in anguish. He had let his lover down. He had almost taken his life.
Wen Qing gasped, and Lan Wangji opened his eyes. Everyone was looking toward Wei Wuxian’s bed that the healing bubble was quivering, slowly disappearing. There was a cloud of dark energy around it, pushing the membranous bubble and creating holes on it.
“Idiot! Stop!” Wen Qing shouted, channeling spiritual energy to salvage the bubble. “Stop attacking the bubble with resentful energy!”
“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Wanyin shouted at the same time Lan Wangji called, “Wei Ying!”
But the voices didn’t seem to register to the unconscious man’s mind. The energy kept attacking the bubble until it exploded in a show of silver dust and silver eyes opened revealing a whirlpool of emotions; agony, fear, pain, and distress. A slender arm rose for a moment and then helplessly fell back to its place. A groan of pain escaped blue lips and an already exhausted body tried to push tense muscles to work.
“Lan Zhan?” The name fell flat from those lips but there was no questioning the worry hidden behind it.
Of course Wei Wuxian would emerge from the only thing that kept him from feeling the pain of his condition to reassure his husband. There was no power on earth but death itself-and that was questioning at this point- that could keep Wei Wuxian away from the man he loved now that he knew his love was returned. Long fingers kept searching for the hand he longed to hold, getting more anxious with every moment they couldn’t find it.
“Lan Zhan!”
As if pulled by some invisible string, Lan Wangji pushed himself toward his husband. His strong hands were wrapped around the small hand immediately. No matter how much self-pity he felt, he couldn’t allow his husband to feel rejected again. Wei Ying was searching for him. Wei Ying was in pain. He would do whatever he could for him and then accept any punishment his lover deemed necessary for what he had done.
“Wei Ying. Don’t move, love.”
Wei Ying would have none of that. He was clearly distressed by the pain he could hear in Lan Zhan’s voice and kept trying to turn to face him, but his body wouldn’t obey him so he kept growing more and more frustrated. Tears started running down his face as he kept trying to move.
“Wei Wuxian if you don’t stop moving, I’ll break your legs.” Jiang Wanyin threatened, earning a growl from Lan Wangji and Lan Yuan.
Everyone was shocked to hear Lan Yuan produce such a sound as the boy moved closer to his parents and placed himself between the bed and the Jiang Leader.
“Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian was shocked and it was clearly heard in his voice.
“Wanyin, I don’t think this is the right approach.” Xichen sighed, rubbing his temple.
“The hell it is, Xichen! I receive a message that says my brother is seriously injured, probably dying in Cloud Recesses and it’s not from you, and then I come here and find out it is his fucking husband who did it; the man who swore to protect him! The man who has been judging me with every single breath inside and outside his lungs! Now I see my brother coming out of that bubble way too soon to soothe your brother and you want me to calm down?!”
Jiang Wanyin was so mad that he had no idea he had called Wei Wuxian brother twice or that his and Lan Xichen’s informality was slowly being noticed by everyone. He had flown from Lotus Pier pushing himself and he was tired and worried. A pained giggle coming from Wei Wuxian almost snapped the last of his restrains.
“Ah, Chengcheng, it seems like you made a good friend. Finally, I can rest in peace.”
Panic followed his words as silver eyes closed. Wen Qing instantly checked the man’s pulse, leaving a sigh of relief noting that he was just unconscious. “He used all his energy. This idiot.” There was no bite behind the insult; only relief.
Straightening her back, Wen Qing gave all of them a stern look. Upon her return to the world, she had been accepted in the Lan Clan as the head of the healers. No one could rival her knowledge. She had refused the Lan name and her refusal had been respected. That place was her domain and she had to use her authority if she wanted her brother to be properly healed.
“I need to ask you all to leave.” When they made to protest, she raised her hand. “I need to recreate the healing bubble and I’ll only need two people to help me with charging it. Most of you have proven unable to stay quiet and civil in a place for sick people so you must leave.”
Two people could stay. It was clear that both Lan Wangji and Jiang Wanyin wanted to stay but one raised eyebrow by Wen Qing made it clear that they would be the last people considered for the task. When she turned her eyes to Lan Yuan and Jin Ling, she could swear that the other two men almost pouted. Reluctantly, she allowed Lan Jingyi to stay too. She knew that Wei Wuxian considered the loud boy a son, too.
“I want to stay with Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji demanded.
“I am not leaving.” Jiang Wanyin refused to move from his spot with equal stubbornness.
When both men found themselves outside the locked doors of the pavilion, Lan Xichen couldn’t say who was more shocked. No one had noticed Wen Ning approaching them. No one understood when the fierce corpse grabbed both men from the collars and threw them out. No one dared speak when the doors were closed and locked from inside. For a moment, Xichen thought both Wangji and Wanyin would attack poor Wen Ning for what he had done but then they both sat on the grass outside the building, adopting the lotus meditation stance and closed their eyes.
Xichen chuckled, quickly straightening his body and hiding his mirth when Jiang Wanyin opened his eyes for enough time to give him a nasty look before closing them again.
“I’ll make arrangements for your rooms, Sect Leader Jiang. I assume you’ll want to stay with us for some days.” Lan Qiren said, sighing.
“He can stay in the Hanshi with me.” Xichen suggested without thinking too much about it. His eyes were on the elegant pose the man in front of him held. He could swear his brother’s lips twitched but he ignored it. “We can discuss sect matters together and he’ll be faster informed about his brother.”
“That’s acceptable.” He heard Jiang Wanyin answered, even though he was supposed to be mediating.
Lan Qiren quickly walked away whispering about how troublesome both his nephews were and how they would send him to an early grave. Xichen felt his cheeks take a soft red hue but no one but Wen Ning was around to see it, and the man seemed to be focused on the closed doors rather than him. After admiring the view for a while, Xichen walked away to make preparations for his guest.
Hours later, the three youngsters walked out of the pavilion, looking slightly shaken but smiling. Seeing the two men meditating, they blinked. Royal purple and amber golden eyes opened, making the young men swallow hard. They bowed to their elders before looking at each other nervously.
“Auntie said we should rest and come back tomorrow. No one but the healers will be allowed in the pavilion.” A-Yuan repeated Wen Qing’s words, feeling his father’s stare on him. “She also said…” Here he hesitated.
“… if anyone does anything stupid just to end up in the pavilion and make her life harder, she will make sure we will pay for it.” Lan Jingyi finished his sentence for him making sure to change some of the words the head healer had used because there was no way she would repeat word to word what she had said in front of Hanguang-Jun.
A long sigh left Lan Wangji’s lips. The idea that he would have to return to an empty Jingshi was terrifying. He couldn’t fathom leaving his husband’s side but staying outside the pavilion wasn’t going to do any good either.
“Father,” A-Yuan started and Lan Wangji’s attention was on him, “I was wondering if Jingyi and I could stay in the Jingshi for some days and assist you with your duties. There are also some notes dad wanted us to study for the lectures of next week.”
A soft smile found its way on Lan Wangji’s lips. A-Yuan was a good boy. They had raised him well. And he knew that Wei Ying dearly loved Lan Jingyi as well. Wei Ying had taught them well.
“You are both welcome to stay. I’ll ask for a cot to be moved to your room.” There was an extra room in the Jingshi that A-Yuan used as a kid and later on whenever he wanted to spend more time with his parents. Even now, it was his.
By his side, Jiang Wanyin stood as a Lan disciple reached them. “Sect Leader Jiang, Zewu-Jun asked me to inform you that your rooms are ready. You can return to the Hanshi whenever you are ready.” With a bow, the disciple returned to his duties.
There were some murmurs among the younger cultivators there but Jiang Wanyin said nothing. However, everyone could swear he was smiling. It was difficult to say, though.
“Uncle, I need to return to Lanling.” Jin Ling announced, clearly not wanting to leave. However, even two years after becoming the Jin Clan Leader, the situation at home was quite unstable and he couldn’t be away for a long time. He didn’t trust the elders enough. “If anything happens, let me know.”
Without waiting for an answer, he purposefully moved to the gates, not wishing to give himself an excuse to stay. He was really worried about his martial uncle but he knew that Wei Wuxian would survive. Wen Qing had explained the situation to them, muttering that they were more sensible than the men outside, and reassured them that Wei Wuxian wouldn’t leave that place in a condition worse than when they had last seen him; that meant in full health.
Jiang Wanyin stayed in Cloud Recesses for a week before he had to return to Lotus Pier for a week. Gossiping was forbidden in Cloud Recesses but there were whispers saying that when the Jiang Sect Leader wasn’t in the company of their sect leader or in the Hanshi, he was busy murdering Lan Wangji with his eyes. At the same time, Lan Wangji had taken to spending his time meditating outside the healers pavilion when he wasn’t busy with his duties. Everyone knew that Wei Wuxian was inside, recovering from a serious injury-news that had shaken everyone in Cloud Recesses since Wei Wuxian was adored there- but no one knew what their Jade Twin had done to ire the head healer and be denied entry.
Wei Wuxian was allowed to leave the healing bubble a day before Jiang Wanyin left to Lotus Pier for the first time. His spine was healed but his body was really weak and he was forbidden from leaving his bed. He immediately asked to see his family and reluctantly Wen Qing allowed it for a while. The first thing he did was to set straight that he didn’t blame his husband for what had happened. Clearly, that didn’t make Lan Wangji feel better but he had precious few moments with his beloved after not seeing him for so long that he didn’t say anything. He would spend the rest of his life making it up to him anyway. The second thing Wei Wuxian did was to ask Jiang Wanyin if he had missed his wedding while asleep.
“I still believe I got the best Lan, but Xichen is amazing, too.” He said, winking at his brother without any shame.
“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Wanyin screamed and Wei Wuxian laughed, until his body started hurting and their visit was cut short.
It took a whole month for Wei Wuxian to fully recover and be able to walk without someone’s help. By then, both Wen Qing and Jiang Wanyin had let go of their anger against Lan Wangji accepting the incident as the accident it was. Meanwhile, everyone had noticed how close Xichen and Wanyin had become, but of course it was Wei Wuxian that pushed those two the most; laughing and teasing with eyes that sparkled with joy knowing his brother had a chance on happiness. He also believed Xichen finally deserved to have a man by his side that wouldn’t hurt him or abandon him.
Always able to focus on the positives rather than the negatives, he kept saying his little adventure-as he called it much to everyone’s dismay-had brought two of his most favorite people closer. He was even more delighted when he found out that Xichen and Wanyin had started liking each other during the visit Wei Wuxian had forced on them to Lotus Pier half a year prior to the accident. He believed himself a matchmaker and no one could convince him otherwise. When the two sect leaders smoothed the details of how they could continue their relationship without creating a political scandal or one of them having to abandon his position, Wei Wuxian was the first to visit them and demand to be part of the wedding committee. He went as far as promising he would send Jiang Cheng a curse through a butterfly messenger if he refused.
Lan Wangji was amused by his husband’s antics and let him wreck havoc being even more lenient with him than usual. He’d even join him from time to time teasing his brother with some well-chosen words much like how Xichen used to tease him about Wei Ying.
“I entrust my little brother to you.” Wei Ying said, wiping fake tears from his eyes, as he looked at Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen. “You need to take care of him. It’d be such a pity of the first Jade of Lan went missing because he wasn’t careful enough.” The tone was teasing even though the words were threatening. “My Lan Zhan would be sad, too.”
A few years earlier, everyone would be on Wei Wuxian’s throat just for implying he would hurt Lan Xichen but now everyone just laughed; especially when Jiang Wanyin’s usual “Wei Wuxian” was a half chocked sound.
“Enjoy your wedding night!” Wei Wuxian shouted loud enough for everyone to hear and Lan Qiren to punish him with copying the rules three hundred times even though the wedding had taken place in Lotus Pier and they weren’t in Cloud Recesses anymore.
Wei Ying laughed and laughed, and filled his cup with more wine watching with mirth in his eyes his blushing brother being carried out of the hall by his smiling husband. Patting himself on the back for a job well-done, Wei Ying decided that since they were in Lotus Pier, he and his husband could re-create their own wedding night in his old room; an idea that found his husband very eager to follow. Scooping a giggling Wei Ying in his arms, Lan Zhan left the banquet with hurried steps that was definitely not running.