[♪♫♬]

[one_note]

[after Yi City and the second time Wei Wuxian gets Lan Wangji drunk, it takes about a day for them to reach the Garden of Annual blossoms. this curious incident takes place in the space of that day.

outside of appeasing the corpse pieces they've been collecting each night, it's not uncommon for Lan Wangji to take the time to practice on the guqin. he doesn't play entire songs, since he's not trying to interact with any spirits at the moment, but safely broken-up sections of Inquiry and Empathy (was Empathy always a musical technique? it is in this timeline, shut up) and the other songs he uses for battle hum through the walls of the rest stop they've paused at on the road.

it's partway through a passage of Empathy that there's a notable shriek of strings, and then silence; when Wei Wuxian goes to check, he'll find Lan Wangji half-collapsed over the instrument, his breathing harsh and a strange fluctuation of energy around him.

a qi deviation...? oh no.]

Comments

[one_note]

[he's pulled down, certainly less unyielding than the one who was just stabbed. but he doesn't -- kiss back immediately, though his faint trembling intensifies and he rests the hand not holding Bichen on Wei Wuxian's arm, not stopping him]

[weiyingdown]

[he drags it out just long enough to be awkward, needy and insistent when Lan Wangji doesn't immediately push him away. but he doesn't...really know what he's doing, and pulls back because he needs to breathe.

his eyes going straight to the ground, cheeks red as he tries to come up with a lame excuse if he needs to backpedal. haha, you know, friends do this kind of thing all the time! doesn't seem like it'll work given the context, but maybe...]

[one_note]

[oh






touches Wei Wuxian's cheek after another beat of silence, gently coaxing him to tilt his face up]

[weiyingdown]

[obliges; he's able to mostly pull himself together by the time he meets Lan Wangji's eyes, steeling himself and waiting for a response. if Lan Wangji is even going to say anything. it's Lan Wangji, he might not]

[one_note]

Wei Ying.

[his face is impassive, but his ears are bright red, his eyes searing]

Do you want this?

[weiyingdown]

[oh

grins a big, doofy grin as he reaches up to put his hands on Lan Wangji's cheeks]

You’re really great. I like you.

Ah, maybe I should've said that before I kissed you.

[one_note]

[lets out a soft huff of breath. his face is very hot.

leans down to kiss him again; he's actually gentle about it, but there's something as hungry there as Lan Wangqi's was.]

[weiyingdown]

[wrapping his arms around Lan Wangji's neck and kissing back properly. the smile doesn't leave his face and after less than ten seconds he tries to slip his tongue into Lan Wangji's mouth]

[one_note]

[it's pretty fortunate Wei Wuxian stepped around the body on the ground, because Lan Wangji is disregarding it entirely to wrap his arms around him and press him up against the wall again, all inexorable rather than violent; deepening the kiss with intense enthusiasm.]

[weiyingdown]

[going along with it with equal amounts of enthusiasm; a laugh bubbles out of his mouth as he tries to push himself flush against Lan Wangji and gives a light, playful tug on one of the trailing bits from Lan Wangji's forehead ribbon]

[one_note]

[a hard shudder runs through Lan Wangji, his teeth closing on Wei Wuxian's lip; it's a nip rather than a sharp bite. Wei Wuxian's pretty thoroughly trapped between the soft dirt of the wall and Lan Wangji's body at this point, oh no]

[weiyingdown]

[he arches his back what little he can to shift and stay comfortable. his hands move to explore down Lan Wangji's back, carefully feeling the muscles and bumps from scars under his robes. his wandering fingers only stop when they reach too far down and he grabs Lan Wangji's ass]

[one_note]

[goes still, and breaks the kiss to just

look at him]

...

[he's still super flushed everywhere but his face, though.]

[weiyingdown]

[his whole face is flushed and he takes the chance to just breathe, filling his lungs back up with air. he stares up at Lan Wangji before letting go of one (1) asscheek to reach up and poke Lan Wangji's cheek]

All of that and you still look as composed as ever, Lan Zhan.

[one_note]

Hm.

[picks him up]

[weiyingdown]

?! I can--

[pauses

he can walk by himself, but does he need to?

he wraps his arms around Lan Wangji's neck instead of finishing that sentence]

[one_note]

[he does stop briefly by Lan Wangqi's corpse and nudge it with a foot; it glimmers and disappears, leaving only a bloodstain in the dirt.

then proceeds to carry Wei Wuxian back up to the Jingshi, which has a bed,]

[weiyingdown]

[makes a light tsk sound and starts playing with Lan Wangji's hair]

And here I thought you could teleport in here. Do you just like carrying me around that much?

[one_note]

[makes a soft affirmative noise and sets him down on the mattress]

Feeling.

[weiyingdown]

[doesn't let go of him, insistent hands tugging him down onto the mattress with him]

The feeling is mutual. Feel free to pamper me to your hearts content, I won't complain.

[one_note]

Mark your words.

[murmurs it, though, not harsh; pins him down to the mattress by his shoulders and kisses him again, deeply]

[weiyingdown]

[his next sentence is cut off by that kiss, and he laughs into it instead of trying to babble on. instead, he responds by resuming his task of feeling up every single one of Lan Wangji's muscles, hands shamelessly roaming everywhere within reach]

[one_note]

[they're HARD AS ROCKS!!! how is one man so built. you tell us, MXTX

his mouth is burning on Wei Wuxian's, taking the breath out of both their lungs, and he's reaching for Wei Wuxian's sashes already, to pull them open and spread his robes out and feel his skin in turn. just because he's not as forceful as the other one Wei Wuxian encountered doesn't mean he doesn't want.]

[weiyingdown]

[a sharp, surprised noise escapes him when his skin is exposed to open air; part of him expected Lan Wangji to be too shy to do anything besides kissing, and the idea that he might be dead wrong takes a moment to right itself in his mind.

in the space of three rapid heartbeats his surprise is gone, though. he breaks off their kiss to reach for Lan Wangji's sashes in turn and tug open his robes, just so they're even.]

So bold, Hanguang-Jun. Are you really supposed to be doing this kind of thing before you're married?

[leaning in to kiss across his collarbone, light and teasing]

[one_note]

[his voice is as calm and even as ever, but a little roughened. he could be discussing the weather with a mild cough. it's the redness of his earlobes that put paid to that impression, and the heat of his skin, and the way he keeps reaching for him like he can't touch enough.]

...whatever Wi Ying desires.

[lets his robes slide free from his shoulders before going back to touching Wei Wuxian, sliding a hand through his hair and cupping his cheek as he feels those kisses, then tracing the line of his throat down to a spot on his chest...where the Wen brand should be and isn't anymore, left behind a body and a lifetime ago.]