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@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian was denied entrance into the teaching hall with a rather pointed stare from Lan Qiren. Getting the hint, he parted from Lan Wangji, letting him know he'd be waiting outside. The offering ceremony took a lot longer than Wei Wuxian remembered it, however, so he was left to his own devices with Chenqing. Not daring to play too loudly, the managed to squeak out some horrid sounding tunes before giving up and watching the sun set behind the mountains instead. Frank was it might sound, Cloud Recesses was /boring/.

Jiang Cheng was probably not coming at this point, Wei Wuxian thought as he watched the entrance, chin propped up on the heel of his hand. It was understandable, sort of. Barely a month had passed since the events at Guanyin Temple and the Chief Cultivator's death, throwing the cultivation world into shambles as everyone tried to figure out a new Chief Cultivator. After Jiang Cheng's involvement, YunmengJiang might need him there to sort everything out. Still, Wei Wuxian missed him. Of course he missed his younger brother. When was there even a moment he had not?

It seemed as though Wei Wuxian had lost himself in thought for a while. Disciples were beginning to stream out of the teaching hall. Wei Wuxian stood, catching sight of Lan Wangji's hair ornament rather quickly when it glinted in the last rays of sundown. He hurried over, pressing his shoulder into Lan Wangji's, and they made their way back to the Silent Chamber.

"For you." Lan Wangji said as he passed a package to Wei Wuxian. The latter took it gently, as if afraid it would break. It was rather light and soft, anyway. Lan Wangji hadn't explicitly given him a gift before. Wei Wuxian tore at the wrapping unceremoniously, letting the black cloth spill onto his lap. He slowed down, his fingers skimming over the silky material. For a cloth such as this, it was bound to be expensive. "Lan Zhan..." he murmured, holding up one of the outer jackets that was embroidered with delicate black swirling patterns. "You... you didn't have to. Thank you." On request, he changed out of Lan Wangji's clothes into his new outfit, feeling much more comfortable already. He twisted this way and that, admiring the way the candle light shone off the cloth. "I love it," he reassured the other. "How did you know? This is perfect for me. Even more perfect because it's from you."

Bouncing back towards Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian all but threw himself at the other, pressing his lips to Lan Wangji's in a swift and lingering kiss to express his gratitude. "It's the best. You're the best."

As he was about to draw Lan Wangji into another kiss, a loud shout rang across the Cloud Recesses, and Wei Wuxian stilled, cocking his head toward the source of the noise.

"You dumb child!" the voice roared. "Of course they would have locked us out by this time! The sun's gone down for so long, you'd be surprised none of them are asleep! You still want to complain?"

"It's not my fault!" a higher pitched, more youthful voice argued back. "How am I supposed to leave without my talisman?"

"You can live without your talisman for a few months!" The first voice hissed back.

Wei Wuxian perked up. He would recognize that voice anywhere, being loud and crass as it was. "It's Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian cried, tugging on Lan Wangji's sleeve. "He's here! Hanguang Jun, please let him in," he implored, his teeth digging into his bottom lip in anticipation. This was not Jiang Cheng's first time being late to an Annual Study, and Wei Wuxian knew Lan Wangji might not be on the best terms with Jiang Cheng, but he would hate for his shidi to spend the night out in the cool air. "I am sure he means no disrespect by arriving at this hour."

@Wei Wuxian "En." Lan Wangji replied, letting the smaller out of his hold once Wei Wuxian reminded him of his responsibilities. When they arrived, Lan Wangji and his Uncle shared a look, the elder seeming relieved all of a sudden when Lan Wangji appeared. It couldn't be, that he thought Lan Wangji had run off to play and neglect his duties? Whatever that look was, the elder soon turned around, greeting the other sect leaders once again. Lan Wangji would nod his head in acknowledgement of everyone who greeted him, very much upholding his elegant and stoic image.

The majority of cultivators had arrived by now, and Lan Wangji took his place at the head of the teaching hall, where his elder brother used to stand. His Uncle was seated in the center seat at the very front. Except for the change of faces, this was almost a replica of Wei Wuxian's first time here. By that point, he had to momentarily separate with the younger male. Since this was not his class yet, and his Uncle was about to receive the offerings from each individual clan, Wei Wuxian, who was not an actual part of the group of disciples, had to wait outside. Lan Wangji received the individual gifts from each sect, mimicking what Lan Xichen did in the past. However, when he was not doing that repetitve action, his eyes would scan the outdoors, wanting to see if the smaller male was out there waiting for him. Lan Wangji scolded himself for being so absentminded and not paying attention wholeheartedly to the task at hand, but it was difficult to just have to call a sudden break from Wei Wuxian.

The offering ceremony, due to the multitudes of sects and their various disciples joining this year, took place until it was almost sundown. Then, the official classes would start the next day. Once that was over, and the disciples had filed out to retire for the evening, and Lan Wangji was nowhere to be seen. He had gone off looking for Wei Wuxian, remembering that there was one more thing for him to do. "Wei Ying." he called, finding the other male, "Come." He then turned and started walking in the opposite direction. One of the disciples, upon seeing Hanguang Jun coming near the embroidery pavilion, hurriedly went inside to take a package wrapped in dark blue cloth. The disciple handed it over to him respectfully, and Lan Wangji thanked him.

Turning back to Wei Ying, he held the package out again, "For you." he said, then taking the other by his arm, "Silent Chamber. Try them out." Of course, inside the package was Wei Wuxian's new set of clothing. There were four outfits, all of varying shades of black, some embedded here and there with red seams and patterns. It was the maximum amount of robes a Gusu Lan cultivator could own up to at any point in time, and Lan Wangji had insisted that it be form fitting to Wei Wuxian's body and height, thus these were meant for the smaller male alone. Once they entered their room, Lan Wangji took a seat at his desk, looking up at Wei Wuxian expectantly.

@Lan Wangji Once Wei Wuxian had been given the go signal to sit in Lan Wangji's class, he perked up, beaming widely. "Great!" he said, taking his place latched onto Lan Wangji's arm again. "It will be fun," he reassured the older, in case he was doubting Wei Wuxian could sit quietly in a classroom setting.

Before Wei Wuxian could set off down the hill, Lan Wangji held him back by his waist. Warm lips pressed against his breeze-cooled skin, the ling pressure quite apparent. Wei Wuxian allowed a soft moan to slip past his lips, pressing his side into Lan Wangji. They probably would not have much time to be intimate or affectionate with each other anymore for the duration of the Annual Study. Sure, Lan Wangji had become much less reserved about showing him affection in public, but Wei Wuxian knew that the GusuLan elders especially did not approve of it. Not wanting Lan Wangji to be shunned by his own family, Wei Wuxian tried to keep their touching to a minimum.

"Wei Ying."

"... Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian said softly, just because he could. He let himself relish in the moment until another breeze picked up around them. "Come on. Your uncle is greeting the Sect Leaders. You should be there." Reluctantly, Wei Wuxian peeled Lan Wangji off of him, only letting their shoulders and arms brush as they took the path back down to the entry gate. As much as Wei Wuxian wanted to shout at anyone who would listen that Hanguang Jun belonged to him, he knew he had to show some restraint for the sake of Lan Wangji's image.

The little Lan disciples were all lined up in the pavilion, waiting for the rest of the clans to file in. Lan Jingyi spotted them first, quick to bow. "Hanguang Jun. Senior Wei." The rest of them followed suite, murmuring their greetings. Wei Wuxian waved their formalities away casually, but was quick to greet Lan Qiren. He peered past the elder Lan, hoping for a glimpse of YunmengJiang, or at the very least, Jiang Cheng. He could not pick up a purple robe anywhere in the sea of whites, golds, and blacks. Feeling rather disheartened, Wei Wuxian shrank back to Lan Wangji's side. It wasn't like Jiang Cheng had loved the Annual Study during their year, either, but Wei Wuxian thought he would at least save the GusuLans some face and accept their invitation. It was not as though Cloud Recesses had any reason to skip YunmengJiang, either. Well, there was no knowing what was going on in Jiang Cheng's mind. Perhaps Wei Wuxian just held on to too high of a hope.

@Wei Wuxian Lan Wangji was standing at the back of the Cloud Recesses with Wei Wuxian, at the top of one the mountains, where if they peered down, the road that others took to enter the Cloud Recesses was visible. He was standing there, watching as a stream of students, possibly the most of any year he'd seen so far, filed in, some accompanied by their sect leaders, who had come to pay their respects to Lan Qiren for accepting their disciples into the annual study. Busy as it was, Lan Wangji still had the calm aura about himself, giving a glance over at Wei Wuxian every once in a while.

"Not nervous." Lan Wangji replied in his monotonous voice, looking over at the smaller male when the other tried to get his attention. There Wei Wuxian was again, always finding ways to make Lan Wangji lose his stoic demeanor. Even if it was only for a brief moment, the other always succeeded.

"Do you think I could sit in your class, too?"

"En." Lan Wangji said, once again smiling without realizing it.

By now, it had been clear to all the disciples that Wei Wuxian was their Hanguang Jun's cultivation partner, thus he was on the same level as Hanguang Jun. Lan Jingyi, who Lan Wangji noticed had been moping since Lan Sizhui's temporary leave of absence, was the head of the group in making sure everyone knew the clear relationship between the two, lest they offended Lan Wangji by saying something wrong. That being said, Lan Wangji had taken the liberties of becoming more physical with Wei Wuxian now, finding it comforting when he could hold the smaller male in his arms as he worked, or if he got to sit in front of the other, watching his little expressions as he painted rabbits for Lan Wangji.

That being said, as they were out in the open, and there was a slight breeze, Lan Wangji wrapped his arms around the smaller male suddenly, pressing a kiss to Wei Wuxian's jawbone, right under his ears. He would continue to trail his lips down, but there were plentiful markings there already, the wound around the smaller's neck now having disappeared and replaced with Lan Wangji's bites instead. "Wei Ying." he murmured lowly, taking in a deep breath of the smaller's scent. He didn't have anything else to say, but he just knew that he would be busier now. So, to answer Wei Wuxian's question, Lan Wangji was pretty annoyed to say the least. Though he wasn't separated from Wei Wuxian or anything, the time he'd have to dedicate to the smaller would decrease for the next three months, and he already wasn't liking the thought of it.

Wei Wuxian thought that if he retired to bed right after dinner, he could escape Lan Wangji's obsession with their now nightly activities. How very wrong he was. Even though he pretended to be sleeping, Lan Wangji had rolled him over and began to have his way with him instead. Wei Wuxian tried to gently push him off. It wasn't as though he hated being intimate with Lan Wangji, it was just that he was trying to cull the habit before it got too bad and it became an addiction for Lan Wangji. Of course, Wei Wuxian's attempts were futile. He wound up just as exhausted and sore as he was before healing at the Cold Spring.

The next half a month passed rather uneventfully. Wei Wuxian would accompany Lan Wangji to the library pavilion so the older could brush up on topics and prepare lessons. Wei Wuxian at first tried to follow along or be helpful in creating summary notes for Lan Wangji, but it was not so easy to channel all his energy into something as trivial as reading. He would often tire of his task and begin to draw or doodle (mostly of rabbits or Lan Wangji), but nothing satiated his desire to get up and moving.

Somehow, the weeks passed by, and Wei Wuxian found himself with Lan Wangji at the edge of the pavilion, watching as disciples from sects of all over the land arrived. The awe painted over their faces made Wei Wuxian want to laugh, something he hid behind the white-blue sleeve of his robe. The outfit still did not feel right on him. The GusuLan robes were associated with calmness and other peaceful attributes, but Wei Wuxian was too wild. He was always jumping or running (though forbidden in Cloud Recesses), his eyes bright with a fiery energy and the hair in his ponytail often becoming dishevelled so stray hairs stuck out along his hairline. One look at him, and most could tell he was not truly from GusuLan.

"Well, Teacher Lan," Wei Wuxian teased, elbowing Lan Wangji in the side to get his attention. "It's your first day today. How do you feel?" Come to think of it, Wei Wuxian was not really sure what Lan Wangji spent his days doing before Lan Qiren gave him this position. "Don't be nervous," he said, patting Lan Wangji on the back, just in case the latter was getting jitters of some kind even if he didn't show it. "Do you think I could sit in your class, too?" Wei Wuxian threw the idea out, a playful grin on his face. He was only playing around, since he could not think of how to entertain himself without Lan Wangji, but it would certainly be nice if he could just watch the other.

@Wei Wuxian Inexplicably, when Lan Wangji heard Wei Wuxian bringing up maidens in Yunmeng again, his lips jutted out in what could best be described as a scowl, however unnoticeable it might have been. Wei Wuxian had offered to bring him before, to which Lan Wangji rejected him. However, if they were to go now, he would accept. In fact, he might just /have/ to accept because he didn't need any of Yunmeng's maidens to go about luring his Wei Ying. There was a reason that males and females didn't study together in the Gusu Lan Sect.

Lan Wangji continued eating when the other told him to, nodding his head once, "En." Wei Wuxian was still as naive sometimes, having not picked up why any of Lan Wangji's hobbies were what they were. But then again, Lan Wangji wouldn't even be surprised if Wei Wuxian forgot that when he had started practicing the Demonic Arts, Lan Wangji had been furiously learning new spirit calming melodies on his end, fearful that one day Wei Wuxian would go overboard.

As awkward as Lan Wangji was about speaking about dinner, it did bring about a change of pace for him. It probably wasn't even all that obvious to the smaller male, since Lan Wangji didn't talk /that/ much more. But come to think of it, no one really asked Lan Wangji about his interests before. To have to think about it, Lan Wangji found it somewhat interesting, but also intimidating.

That night, after some teasing, Wei Wuxian's waist was naturally also unable to get away untouched, and Lan Wangji's mind flashed back to the smaller's question once more. He might have to add this nightly thing to his list of hobbies.

For the coming half month, Lan Wangji had spent the majority of his days planning the lessons that would take place on a day by day basis. As he wasn't the type to talk much to begin with, having to talk so much for such a long period of time was also going to be a new experience for him. Maybe it was beneficial to have Wei Wuxian pushing his limits after all. And any time that Lan Wangji was not busy with his work, he had dedicated it to Wei Wuxian. He did not have time to bring the other down the mountain as of recently, but Lan Wangji had desperately been trying to pamper the other, trying to be dutiful and not neglectful. Then, the disciples from various sects began arriving, and the annual study officially began.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian could see that it was an enormous struggle for the other. Did Lan Wangji even realize he had anything he liked? Still, he waited patiently, taking his time to chew up the vegetables laid out before him since he could not bear to swallow unless it was ground into a pulp. Revolting. Wei Wuxian washed it all down with gulps of wine.

"Raising rabbits...Practicing music...Meditating."

'But those are not real hobbies,' Wei Wuxian argued. Lan Wangji just did them because he had to. Or did he? Wei Wuxian managed to hold his comments to himself. He was in no position to judge Lan Wangji's (much too tame) activities of interest. Perhaps it did bring joy to Lan Wangji too... meditate. Wei Wuxian smiled instead. "How interesting!" he said, even if he still hadn't convinced himself of what he was telling Wangji. "I could tell, since that's all you do. That wasn't so hard, was it? Good boy, Lan Zhan." And like a mother rewarding her child, Wei Wuxian reached his free hand across the table to Lan Wangji's head in praise.

Lan Wangji was still as awkward as ever when he opened his mouth, but it was a start. Wei Wuxian could not help the proud smile he wore watching Lan Wangji struggle to hold a conversation. He nodded encouragingly for Lan Wangji to continue, but it seemed as though he had used up his speech quota for the day.

"What about you?"

Wei Wuxian paused his his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, gaping at Lan Wangji with wide eyes. Of course, Wei Wuxian was being dramatic, but it was just that...

No, he wouldn't question it further. Finishing the piece of tofu he held, Wei Wuxian swallowed before he answered. "Of course, I like to run around outside. Back in Yunmeng, I was out the moment I woke. Jiang Cheng was always jealous, because Uncle Jiang expected him to stay back, but I could do whatever I pleased. There's so many things to eat in Yunmeng," he said dreamily, nearly salivating at the image of all the restaurants and vendors lining the streets of the village just a short walk off Lotus Cove. "So many wines to taste, and so many pretty maidens to serve you. I wish I could show you...." Wei Wuxian trailed off wistfully, swirling his chopsticks in soup.

That would be impossible now. Even if Jiang Cheng might have begun to let go of his grievances towards Wei Wuxian, there was no way Wei Wuxian would be allowed back into Lotus Cove after all he'd done toward it. Wei Wuxian shrugged, almost casual. "Well, you might not have liked it though," he said cheerfully, picking up the last piece of tofu and placing it in Lan Wangji's bowl. "Let's eat."

@Wei Wuxian "Ey, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian chirped, "You know, you've broken so many rules already. What's one more? Talk to me. What do you want to talk about, huh?"

"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji began, opening his mouth to tell the other that he should not speak when eating.

"Don't you like to have conversations about what you like? Do you only open your mouth to talk business?"

His open mouth closed again and Lan Wangji sighed softly, blinking slowly as he kept his eyes focused on the food in front of him. "En." he finally said after a while of thinking, Lan Wangji didn't really know what else to talk about. He was shabby at picking up conversations and even shabbier initiating them. Luckily for him, Wei Wuxian was the only one who had ever realized this, or even tried to make him talk beyond his comfort zone. Obviously, there was one thing - or one person - of great interest to Lan Wangji, but he didn't really have a need to talk about that person because first, Wei Wuxian was literally always next to him, and second, he didn't see the point in talking about Wei Wuxian to Wei Wuxian. Still, he tried to answer the question again, "Wei Ying, you." he said, then quickly put a piece of vegetable in his mouth, chewing so he wouldn't have to give any more clarifications.

All the things that Lan Wangji had to say to Wei Wuxian had already been said. He didn't think that words were all that necessary to express his devotion to the smaller male, but since it was entertaining for the younger, Lan Wangji tried his best to bring up other points of interest for himself, "Raising rabbits...Practicing music...Meditating." Except for the last one which he had been taught to do since his youth, the other two were also revolving around Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji wouldn't have raised a field of rabbits and developed a liking for them had it not been for Wei Wuxian trying to gift the two rabbits to him sixteen years back, then threatening to roast their meat when Lan Wangji initially refused to accept them.

"Ehm...what about you?" he asked the smaller male, though Lan Wangji knew clearly what Wei Wuxian's hobbies were. The smaller liked to drink wine, chase chickens, catch fish, go walking in the streets to visit different vendors, and crafting his own talismens amongst other things. Still, Lan Wangji would much prefer hear about Wei Wuxian than talk about himself. It was just more natural to be the listener and give Wei Wuxian his undivided attention.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian was only joking about sitting in on Lan Wangji's classes, but if he could get in without Lan Qiren ever finding out, he would be happy with that. Lounging casually, Wei Wuxian threw one leg over the other, crossing them haphazardly. Even the entry of the two disciples did not faze him. He simply smiled in greeting, nodding when they greeted him. Wei Wuxian could tell they were nervous - serving Lan Wangji was already somewhat of an honour, but now they had the Yiling Patriarch to deal with, too. Wei Wuxian sympathized with them. It was obviously not going to be an easy job.

Rolling off the bed, Wei Wuxian sat himself across from Lan Wangji over dinner, grinning in response to Lan Wangji's almost shy smile. As he sat, he was once again struct by how nice Lan Wangji looked.

"Ey, Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian began as he ate, talking through his chewing. "You know, you've broken so many rules already. What's one more? Talk to me. What do you want to talk about, huh? Don't you like to have conversations about what you like? Do you only open your mouth to talk business?" Wei Wuxian's words came out rather blunt, borderlining rude if Lan Qiren heard, but he was actually genuinely curious. Besides playing the guqin from time to time, Wei Wuxian was not sure if Lan Wangji had any hobbies, if he ever did anything for the sake of bringing himself joy, or if he just moved when he needed to.

@Wei Wuxian ”In half a month." Lan Wangji replied when they returned to the Silent Chamber. He began to tidy the area around the little desk, where there were not many items to begin with. Rather intrigued with Wei Wuxian's question, he nodded his head, "En. That should be fine." he said. Afterall, his Uncle had never said Wei Wuxian /wasn't/ allowed to sit in on the lessons. And since Lan Wangji would be the teacher, he was the one who would have the final say. But he didn't need to explain this to the younger male, just suppressing his internal amusement at Wei Wuxian's nonstop ideas.

Soon, there came two taps at the door. "Enter." Lan Wangji said, standing in the direct line of sight between the door and the bed, where Wei Wuxian was lounging in his untidy robes. Two disciples entered, greeting him politely, "Hanguang Jun."

"En." he replied, taking a step back so they could enter. They had brought with them a the dinner basket, which contained soup, two simple dishes, and two bowls of rice. Lan Wangji had made it known that he was no longer the only one residing in the Silent Chamber, thus the extra set of utensils. Seeing Wei Wuxian lying on the bed (in a rather improper way), the two young disciples quickly tore their eyes away, bowing their eyes and greeting, "Wei Gongzi. Your dinner." they said before hurriedly backing out. Lan Wangji turned his head over, eyeing Wei Wuxian from the corner of his eyes. Wei Wuxian was indeed Wei Wuxian, and no body could do anything about it.

Lan Wangji felt he had been talking a lot lately. He noticed this in his own change of demeanor, first calling Wei Wuxian to come eat dinner, then asking if the younger was thirsty. Lifting up the loose floorboard (the same ones Wei Wuxian had discovered before), Lan Wangji took out a jar of Emperor's Smile. He had only hidden away a few, but was also unaware that Wei Wuxian had drank some the first time he found about these. He held it out to the smaller male, a small smile on his face. He knew what Wei Wuxian's tastebuds were like, and it wouldn't be easy for the younger to adjust to the blander tastes of their sect food. Lan Wangji had been ordering spicy dishes since he began travelling with Wei Wuxian, but he never found any issues with going back to the simpler palate. Hoping that the alcohol would add some flavor to the meal for the younger, Lan Wangji picked up his rice bowl, starting to eat silently again.

@Lan Wangji Once more tomorrow? Wei Wuxian scowled. Now he was really being treated like a delicate flower. Honestly, Wei Wuxian would not mind having a line of a scar spanning his neck. As unsightly as it would be, Wei Wuxian thought he would feel more comfortable in his new, unmarked body. Still, seeing how determined Lan Wangji was to heal him, going as far as spending days on him, Wei Wuxian could not complain or resist his efforts.

Inside the (rather musty) medicinal building, Wei Wuxian pressed closer to Lan Wangji, his chest bumping into Lan Wangji's. They kissed softly, slowly, tasting each other and forgetting that they were in such a sacred place. Wei Wuxian could not help the whimper that escaped him when Lan Wangji's teeth tugged hard on his mouth, his hand up the front of the other's robes. It ended all too soon, though, with Wei Wuxian unsuccessully chasing after Wangji's lips, teetering on the tip of his toes.

With all his moving around and the shifting of his oversized robes, Wei Wuxian noticed some of the grey-green gloop had stained the collar of his previously pure white robes. He laughed sheepishly, rubbing at it with his fingers, which did nothing but push the stain further into the material. "Oops," he said simply, grinning as he latched back on to Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian realized he hadn't come in contact with anyone at all other than Lan Wangji the few days he had arrived at Cloud Recesses. He wasn't sure if he preferred it. With a sigh, Wei Wuxian undid the sash of his outfit, letting the fabric fall to the ground. His robes loosened and billowed out around his figure as he retreated to the bed, lying down on his side. "When will you begin lessons?" he asked aloud, though he was already lost in thought. The annual study at Cloud Recesses was where he first met Lan Wangji - just the mention of the lessons brought Wei Wuxian a sense of nostalgia he lost himself quickly in. He sat up, grinning. "Would your uncle let me sit in on lessons, Hanguang Jun? I have much to catch up on, don't you think?"

@Wei Wuxian "En." Lan Wangji replied stoically, making sure he covered everything in the dark grey paste. The color wasn't all that pretty, and the odor was pungent, but he had hoped that the effects would take place quickly. Just as he finished brushing on the last part, Wei Wuxian had taken hold of Lan Wangji's wrist, stopping the bigger male from moving from him.

"Where will you kiss me if you've covered all that up, then?" the younger male asked, the tone in his voice sounding like he was bringing up a legitimate concern.

/"Mischievous."/ Lan Wangji thought to himself. /"I'd kiss you everywhere else."/ though of course, in a very Lan Wangji like manner, he only kept those thoughts to himself. Rather, he sighed softly, leaning closer to the smaller male again, and Lan Wangji easily answered the question with another deep kiss on Wei Wuxian's plump lips. By now, Wei Wuxian should have probably gotten used to the fact that Lan Wangji liked to nip on his lower lip before pulling away, but if one did not know the origins of those mark, they might assume Wei Wuxian's lips had been abused, or he didn't drink enough water.

The paste somewhat seeped into the wound, taking its effect rather immediately as Lan Wangji had hoped. Seeing that it worked, he began to collect the ingredients for another batch, deciding that he would keep the formula until he saw no traces left of the wound around Wei Wuxian's neck. Even if meant he would have to hold off from kissing the younger there until it healed, Lan Wangji had been practicing patience since he was able to form coherent thoughts. Waiting a few days wouldn't kill him, though they would indeed pass by slowly.

Once the paste had cooled and seemed to become watery again, Lan Wangji carefully wiped it off the smaller's neck with a cloth, dipping it in water and cleaning the area once more. "Done." he confirmed, "Once more tomorrow." he determined without asking for Wei Wuxian's opinion. As it was dinner time, Lan Wangji took the smaller by his wrist, helping him off the table and leading him to their room, where the younger disciples usually delivered their meal.

@Lan Wangji They stood in the running pool for a long time, but not nearly long enough when Lan Wangji's voice broke the quiet. "Do you feel better?" the taller asked. Wei Wuxian did not answer, did not move for a long minute before humming his affirmation. In truth, he did not feel much besides the relaxing of his muscles and the ease of the soreness that plagued his body, but he attributed it to something like spending the days sleeping and relaxing without much strenuous activity.

Lan Wangji led him elsewhere across the Cloud Recesses. The sky was pink now, meaning they had spent a large portion of Wei Wuxian's waking hours at the Cold Spring. It was weird - it definitely didn't /feel/ like several hours had passed. Time flew with Lan Wangji, he realized. What was he to do without him? Wei Wuxian clung to Lan Wangji's arm as they walked when he saw not too many disciples milling about. He felt like a little maiden (which he would usually hate), but to have Hanguang Jun hover over him protectively was worth the degrading feeling.

Wei Wuxian had never been to the medicinal chamber before, having no reason to ever venture even close to there. He let go of Lan Wangji to do a once over the the room, taking in the musty smell and large inventory of healing supplies. He waved waggling fingers over objects or displays that were left out, skimming his finger over them.

"Don't fool around."

Wei Wuxian retracted his hand immediately, whirling around to find that Lan Wangji had his back to him. That man had eyes on the back of his head, Wei Wuxian swore. Sulkily, he returned to Lan Wangji's side, clasping his hands behind his back to stop himself from touching anything else. Obediently, he let Lan Wangji tilt his head back and apply a goopy mess of something that smelled suspiciously strong. Whatever it was, it was the most pungent thing at Cloud Recesses - even their meals did not smell of anything. Wei Wuxian grimaced at the slight burn of the sensation. "Do I have to?" he complained, referring to the paste. Of course, there was nothing more he appreciated than Lan Wangji taking care of him, but he enjoyed teasing Lan Wangji way too much. "Where will you kiss me if you've covered all that up, then?" Wei Wuxian asked with a grin, his fingers closing around Lan Wangji's wrist and pulling it away from his neck.

@Wei Wuxian "Maybe you don't remember. I have never blamed you for anything. I will not. So do not think that... that I will ever, because you can't do anything wrong in my eyes. Y-you've done so much because of me, for me, it's time you start doing things for yourself, isn't it?"

Lan Wangji managed yet another smile upon hearing those words. His Wei Ying was so understanding of him and always treated him so well. Lan Wangji just wanted to clarify though, that caring for the younger male was indeed doing things for himself. As Jin Guangyao had mocked him before, Wei Wuxian was literally Lan Wangji's life. Though it should have pretty obvious to anyone who saw them, the previous chief cultivator had stated the obvious, being the first to do so, such that it became an unavoidable reality.

Although the back mountains of the Cloud Recesses were tall enough such that the sun was hidden behind them, when Lan Wangji peered up at the sky, he could see that quite some time had gone by already. "Wei Ying." he called the other, finally releasing the smaller male in his arms, "Do you feel better?" he asked. If the younger male didn't, they would return again. Even if he did, they could most definitely return again. Lan Wangji caught a glimpse of the days ahead, where he would probably spend most of his time meant for cultivating in the Cold Spring to make up for lost time with Wei Wuxian.

That night, despite all of Wei Wuxian's protests that they should do nothing again, Lan Wangji had brought the smaller to the medicine room, where there were the most basic of dried herbs that were used for various purposes were stored. He had brought the scrolls with him, laying them out and studying them meticulously. "Don't fool around." he gently scolded the younger male, who had never been to this place before. As Lan Wangji went around the cabinets collecting various herbs into a bowl, he looked over at Wei Wuxian, who could always entertain himself through anything. It took some time to mash up the leaves and boil them down to form a paste. It was still warm when he completed it, and Lan Wangji had made it right before dinner time. "Wei Ying." he called again, holding the bowl up, "Come." Waiting for the other to settle down, Lan Wangji reached out, carefully tilting Wei Wuxian's head back, revealing that reddened line across his neck. "Don't move." he murmured, applying the paste onto the other's wound.

@Lan Wangji The sigh that Lan Wangji gave him in response at first told Wei Wuxian something was not right. He dragged his fingers in reassuring patterns over the small of the other's back, pressing his mouth to the spot just above the brand mark on Wangji's chest. He could not help but become a little crestfallen, a little too silent when he realized what Lan Wangji was trying to imply. He would become busy, much too busy to entertain Wei Wuxian all day and every day. As much as he tried not to, Wei Wuxian immediately began to question what could he possibly do to fill his days from now on. As handsome as the concept of Teacher Wangji was, Wei Wuxian did not want him to be /other's/ teacher.

It was not as though it was coming as a surprise to him. Wei Wuxian already knew as such a prominent figure of the GusuLan Sect and even the cultivating world, Lan Wangji would have much to keep him occupied. That piece of knowledge did not stop Wei Wuxian from wilting a little, though.

"Will you...blame me?"

"Blame you?" Wei Wuxian repeated incredulously. "Of course not," he answered without a beat of hesitation. his head tilting back a little too fast to look up at the other. 'Why would you think that,' Wei Wuxian wanted to ask. Never had Wei Wuxian held Lan Wangji accountable for anything, and he didn't plan on ever starting.

Lan Wangji's kiss was soft and so full of affection it warmed Wei Wuxian to the core, despite being submerged in running cool water. He clung a little tighter, his arms squeezing tight around Lan Wangji's lower back. The skin was a little uneven there, too, lashes running too deep to ever heal completely. Lan Wangji had sacrificed so much for him, Wei Wuxian realized again. The least he could do was return the sentiment in tenfold. "I have said before," he began lowly, ducking his head so Lan Wangji would not have to see the glimmer in his eyes. He found himself extra pathetic and emotional ever since coming back through Mo Xuanyu, but it was getting ridiculous. "Maybe you don't remember. I have never blamed you for anything. I will not. So do not think that... that I will ever, because you can't do anything wrong in my eyes. Y-you've done so much because of me, for me, it's time you start doing things for yourself, isn't it?"

@Wei Wuxian When the smaller male wrapped his arms around Lan Wangji, the bigger couldn't help but turn around, pulling Wei Wuxian's body close to his. It was an interesting experience, to have the cold water surrounding them, but also sharing each other's body heat. Lan Wangji sighed softly as the other asked what he was thinking. He wasn't sure how he should tell Wei Wuxian that he might be a little busier than expected. He knew that his elder brother had been deeply affected by Jin Guangyao's (betrayal and) death, but for things to suddenly turn out this way, he couldn't help but feel sorry for asking Wei Wuxian to stay with him, as the other was obviously going to feel like a caged bird here.

"Uncle wants me to take over some classes. Originally, it was meant for elder brother." he stated in his deep voice, sighing against the smaller male. Looking down at Wei Wuxian, who seemed to have his eyes trained on Lan Wangji, the older felt his heartbeat picking up its pace again and another wave of apologies built up in his throat. "I...will be busier." he said. The annual study would begin in about half a month's time, leaving Lan Wangji little time to review the material that he would be teaching for the next three months or so.

He raised a wet hand out of the water, brushing the hair on Wei Wuxian's face back, the slightest twitching of his lips insinuating his deep concern for the young during that period of time, "Will you...blame me?" he asked, not wanting Wei Wuxian to think Lan Wangji would suddenly stop caring about him as a result of getting what he wanted. Lan Wangji was also one who ate his own words, as he remembered very distinctly that sixteen years back, he had sternly told off Wei Wuxian for trying to initiate contact with him, stating, "I don't make physical contact with other people." but now, Lan Wangji couldn't help leaning down again, pressing a soft kiss on Wei Wuxian's forehead, words unnecessary to describe his feelings at the moment.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian was almost caught off guard when Lan Wangji passed the small white ball of fur into his hands. He cradled the bunny awkwardly at first, forcing the small animal to curl up in his hands on its back. It's beady little eyes glared up at Wei Wuxian's beaming face. When it overcame the shock of behind manhandled so roughly, it thrashed in Wei Wuxian's hands. "Eh! Don't try to run," he warned playfully, the words and tone he used similar to when one spoke to an infant. Finding that rolling the rabbit around in his hold. "Be good, stay here!"

"Wei Ying, let's go."

Reluctantly, Wei Wuxian set the little rabbit back down, who scampered away the moment its legs touched the floor in what was probably relief. Carefully, Wei Wuxian lowered himself on a platform rock, sticking his legs out for Lan Wangji to attend to him. Easily, he remembered the first time he had been directed to the Cold Spring by the suggestion of Lan Xichen after he and Lan Wangji were both punished (rather severely, in his opinion) for breaking a couple of the rules. Lan Wangji looked as though he were about to murder the younger for disturbing his peace at the Spring, but Wei Wuxian was all too casual about it. It was just a bath, wasn't it?

"Wei Ying. Here."

Now, all of a sudden, Wei Wuxian was shy as he dipped into the Cold Spring. It might have been the shock of the cold water, or the look Lan Wangji was giving him while he waited for him to join him, but Wei Wuxian couldn't help but shrink down and try to appear smaller. He took small, timid steps to where the taller was. It seemed as though Lan Wangji was suddenly more interested in... well, Wei Wuxian was not sure what, but possibly just enjoying nature. Taking care not to create big splashes with his movements, Wei Wuxian lifted his arms out of the water and wrapped them loosely around Lan Wangji's waist, attracted to his bodily warmth when he was surrounded by freezing water. "Lan Zhan..." he prodded softly, his voice low enough to be a purr. Not that it was intentional. All of a sudden, Wei Wuxian just wasn't in a very talkative mood. "What are you thinking of?"

@Wei Wuxian "It was ripped and some of the seams were coming apart. I sent it to get washed and fixed." Lan Wangji replied, referring to Wei Wuxian's clothing. He had sent them there the day they had gotten back, but it would definitely take some time because the material of Wei Wuxian's clothing was different than what they used in, and the seamstress was not even sure if they would find this material in the Gusu street vendors. However, Lan Wangji had insisted that it be mended back to as close to its original state as possible.

Wei Wuxian had eventually come up to him again, tickling the little rabbit behind the ear and cooing at it affectionately. While the smaller had his eyes trained on the rabbit, he probably failed to realize that Lan Wangji had his eyes trained on Wei Wuxian. The little rabbit shifted in his hold, which drew his attention back as Wei Wuxian suddenly complained "They only love you." to which Lan Wangji quickly handed the rabbit in his hand over, holding it out and placing it in Wei Wuxian's palms. /"But I love you."/ he responded silently, smiling lightly as he watched Wei Wuxian playing with the animal. Indeed, the other rabbits had began to crowd around his feet, and Lan Wangji looked down at them, eyes half-lidded as he just observed, deciding that wouldn't pick them up for now. Lan Jingyi must have fed them already today, as the majority of the rabbits looked like they were on the verge of falling asleep, a habit they had developed after they were fed.

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji called after a while, drawing the other's attention back to him, "Let's go." he said, looking over towards the Cold Spring. The longer time they spent in there, the more healing effect it would have on Wei Wuxian's body. By the edge of the Cold Spring, there were a few smooth rocks, usually where the cultivators put their robes before going in. He remembered the first time, when Wei Wuxian had hastily thrown his boots to a side, one landing in the water as he waddled close to Lan Wangji. This time, the older male crouched down, holding his hand out, "Come." he said, "I'll take off your shoes for you."

Once they were both undressed, Lan Wangji stepped into the water, wading over to the spot he usually went to. It was close to the waterfall, but not close enough for water to splash on him. "Wei Ying. Here." he said. Usually, he meditated and practiced his cultivation when he was in the Cold Spring, so initially, that was what Lan Wangji resorted to. He closed his eyes, concentrating his energy as he meditated and controlled his breathing. This was usually a great time for self-improvement and self-reflection, but with Wei Wuxian here now, Lan Wangji would have much harder time focusing on himself than on the smaller male next to him.

@Lan Wangji "You slept very early last night. When did you have time to think about it?"

Wei Wuxian's features first contorted into surprise, then glee followed shortly after. So Lan Wangji /did/ have a sense of humour, somewhat. "You caught me," Wei Wuxian said, deciding to let Lan Wangji have his first victory rather than banter. Begrudgingly, he also had to let Lan Wangji fix his robes, though there was nothing much they could do about the size. Wei Wuxian made an attempt to try and help tie the sash a little tighter around his waist, but the cloth still /draped/. Again, the feeling of attending a funeral was back. "Where are my clothes?" Wei Wuxian wondered aloud, referring to the outfit he'd arrived in. He did not really expect an answer, but he just liked that particular outfit a little more than the rest. Of course, after coming back through Mo Xuanyu, Wei Wuxian no longer had an extensive wardrobe, so he didn't have much to compare to.

The path they took to the Cold Springs was the exact same as over a decade ago, with the addition of Lan Wangji's (probably unauthorized) pets. Wei Wuxian could not help the high pitched cooing noise he emitted when he caught sight of the field of them. They were snowy white, standing out in the greenery that surrounded them. Wei Wuxian bent to reach for one, but it hopped almost defiantly out of reach. Unable to keep his lower lip from sticking out into a pout, Wei Wuxian ambled towards Lan Wangji, who had successfully scooped one up.

"Little rabbit," Wei Wuxian called, scratching the small animal behind its ears like he would to a cat. He couldn't resist pinching its long, soft ear, a small grin making its way on his face as he played with it. Maybe he was rubbing it a little too aggressively, since the rabbit burrowed further into the crook of Lan Wangji's elbow, refusing to expose its head. "What? It reacts like that after I touch it." Wei Wuxian's pout deepened. "Who would've thought Hanguang Jun would be so good with animals? Look," he said, his voice painted lightly with envy as he gestured to the rabbits beginning to gather around Lan Wangji's feet. "They only love you."

@Wei Wuxian He had expected to see Wei Wuxian up and about, but upon entering, Lan Wangji was rather surprised that the smaller male was still in bed - and sleeping in such an usual position for him too. He figured Wei Wuxian must be really tired, thus silencing his steps as he went over to his small table, placing Bichen at the edge. Just as he placed his sword won, Wei Wuxian had come bounding over, throwing his arms around Lan Wangji's neck coquettishly. "Wei Ying." the bigger male greeted, the corner of his lips curving upwards again as he replied, "I went to the Hidden Library Chamber. And I met Uncle for a little while." he said. He wanted to hold Wei Wuxian in his arms just as the other was doing to him, but the scrolls in his hand were in the way, thus he opted to put them down.

Wei Wuxian took them out of his hands, helping him set them down. Lan Wangji's hands, now free, reached out, pulling Wei Wuxian against him. "Are we going to the cold springs today?" Wei Wuxian asked, which surprised Lan Wangji that the younger male remembered.

"En." he said.

"Hanguang Jun, do you still want to... bathe with me...?" the smaller male continued, the tone of his voice seemingly hinting at something again. "I was thinking about it all night..." Wei Wuxian continued to tease and prod at him.

However, Lan Wangji couldn't help but reply with the slightest hint of amusement in his voice, "You slept very early last night. When did you have time to think about it?" Noting that the younger had dressed himself in some of Lan Wangji's spare robes, he sighed, helping Wei Wuxian collect the loose ends and tidy up the white sash around his waist, "I will get you new clothes soon." he murmured, then holding the other close after the little ministrations, "Let's go. To the Cold Spring."

When they got there, the Cold Spring was indeed empty. Whereas Wei Wuxian used to ask Lan Wangji why he showered in a cold place, and the older would coldly reply that people didn't go there to shower, rather it was to tend to their wounds, he now had no objections to whatever Wei Wuxian wanted to call it. As they approached the spring, the sound of the natural waterfall coming from the rocky mountains in the back of the Cloud Recesses could be heard. Nearby, the little field of rabbits came into view as well. The rabbits were just a little ways away from the Cold Spring, but Lan Wangji decided they could stop there for a detour first.

Leading Wei Wuxian over there, Lan Wangji stopped and placed Bichen on the ground again, reaching for one of the rabbits that was sitting idly in a patch of grass, nose twitching as if it had caught the scent of something new. It was a pure white color, the soft coat of its fur shining with the help of the sunlight that spanned across its body. Experienced, Lan Wangji caressed it in the crook of his arm, stroking gently. It had been a while since he had last spent time with the rabbits, especially since he had been gone so long. But it seemed they remembered him well enough, as the one in his hand seemed rather content with the treatment.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian heard the door to the Silent Chamber slide open and stilled himself, his hands folded over his stomach, his position resembling the GusuLan sleeping posture. Out of his peripheral vision, he noticed Lan Wangji walking into the chamber, numerous scrolls held in his hand. Wei Wuxian intended to playfully ignore the other at first and play dead (something silly, anything to get Lan Wangji to smile), but seeing Lan Wangji, he realized he missed the other miserably in only a span of a couple hours. Sitting up, Wei Wuxian threw his legs over the edge of the bed. He'd forgotten he had Chenqing laid over his lap and the flute clattered to the floor noisily, but he didn't stop to pick it up.

"Lan Zhan!" he cheered, bounding towards the taller man and throwing his arms loosely around Lan Wangji's neck. He finished his loud greeting with a gentle kiss to Lan Wangji's cheek. "Where did you go?" He debated on if he should let the other know if he didn't like to wake up without him, but it sounded a bit too clingy after he said it in his mind first. Instead, he took the scrolls from Lan Wangji's hands, helping him set them down on the table as neatly as he could. Silently, he scorned them. Just one last day, he told himself. One more day of doing nothing with Lan Wangji before he let the other off to do his duties.

"Are we going to the cold springs today?" Wei Wuxian tried to bring up casually, not wanting to sound over eager. At least there was one thing in Cloud Recesses that excited him. No one in their right mind would bother Hanguang Jun while he bathed, so Wei Wuxian had Lan Wangji all to himself there. Plus, the little rabbits were there, and Wei Wuxian missed them terribly. "Hanguang Jun, do you still want to... bathe with me...?" His eyes hooded slightly and a corner of his mouth pulled up sleezily. "I thinking about it all night..."

@Wei Wuxian Lan Wangji had spent a good part of the morning looking through the medical books within the Hidden Library Chamber. He had read through many formulas that taught about how to prevent scarring. In fact, he was sure that their own sect had a type of medication that was pretty good at its job. However, he didn't want just any time of medication. He needed the best type that would surely work. Deciding that he would take a variety of formulas and experiment, Lan Wangji headed back out with a stack of scrolls in hand. He was sure that he had only been gone for a while, but once he stepped out, the sun was in the middle of the sky by then. Wei Ying must be awake, he thought, heading in the direction of the Silent Chamber.

However, before he made it back, Lan Wangji came face to face with his Uncle. Bowing respectfully, Lan Wangji greeted the elder, "Uncle." Lan Qiren nodded his head in return. It seemed like without the sight or conversation of Wei Wuxian, the demeanor that his Uncle had towards him was reverting back to the old days. Those were the days where Lan Wangji had been everything Lan Qiren was proud of.

Deciding not to ask what his nephew was doing, since he figured it had something to do with that Wei Wuxian, Lan Qiren instead prodded, "Wangji, come with me." he said, heading towards the same direction he was going earlier, presumably to his study. On the way, Lan Wangji had put the medical books in his robe, to keep it out of sight and out of mind from his Uncle. Once they arrived, he bowed respectfully again, "Uncle, did you have any orders for me?" he asked.

"En." his Uncle replied, stroking his beard with a hand, "Come inside." he said, then going to his own sitting mat and taking a seat, "Sit." he said. Lan Wangji did as he was told, instinctively reaching out to brew some tea leaves for his Uncle with the little teapot that was on the side. As he was busying himself with the task, Lan Qiren explained, "We will have our annual study again as usual, though Xichen will be excused from his duties until he returns. And until he does, Wangji, I need you to teach some of the classes this year."

"Hm? Elder brother never taught classes before." Lan Wangji replied, a little confused by his Uncle. He gently placed the cup in front of the elder, earning yet another nod of approval.

"He didn't. But I was planning on having him start this year. Ai...I'm old now. So there is a limit to what I can do. You are old enough now, and experienced enough. You will begin with some of the easier classes, can you do that?" his Uncle asked, expectations clearly very high for his nephew.

"Wangji understands." Lan Wangji respectfully answered, accepting the duty.

"Good, you can...go now." his Uncle said, sighing again. He knew very well where Lan Wangji was going and who he was going to after this conversation.

"Yes, Uncle." Lan Wangji said, standing up and taking three steps back, bowing before turning and heading out. He didn't expect for such a change in this year's sect study, but it was true that his Uncle was getting older now. Lan Wangji had a responsibility to share. He just hoped it wouldn't take away too much time that was reserved for Wei Wuxian. "Wei Ying." he called, sliding the door to the Silent Chamber open, "I'm back."

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian's eyes closed before he even felt Lan Wangji's warmth slide out of him, a soft whimper leaving him as his legs were let down gently. In the haze of his sleep-blurred eyes, he thought he saw something like a smile on Lan Wangji's lips and returned it with a lazy grin. The next thing he noticed when he found the energy to open his eyes again was a damp cloth being dragged down the expanse of his chest and abdomen. When his stomach was cleaned, Wei Wuxian laid his hand over it, mumbling about how much it hurt even as he was on the verge of drifting off.

"I don't want to shower," Wei Wuxian said. "But I love you," he recalled himself mumbling before knocking out cold, breathing softly through his swollen, parted lips. It was another good night of deep sleep after exhausting himself to the core. In the few moments of near conciousness he had during the night, Wei Wuxian shifted about in bed, bumping and cuddling up against Lan Wangji regularly.

When he woke, the sun was high in the sky again, just like the previous day. The chirping birds put Wei Wuxian in a good mood (though he suspected much of it had to do with how thoroughly ed he was the previous night. Of course, Lan Wangji was missing already. Wei Wuxian stumbled out of bed to clean himself up. The robes he came in were still nowhere to be seen, the unsightly thing either taken to be mended or incinerated. He would ask Lan Wangji about that later, but for now, he layered himself up in Lan Wangji's spare sets of uniform, never mind that it was a little big on him, hanging off his shoulders and dragging along the floor when he walked.

The moment he stepped out of the Silent Chamber, his keen eyes spotted Lan Qiren walking directly across the pavilion, and Wei Wuxian promptly ducked back into the Silent Chamber, his heart thudding ridiculously fast in his chest. He shouldn't be afraid, but the reflexive move of hiding the moment he saw Lan Qiren worried him. Was he supposed to live out the rest of his days in Cloud Recesses, terrified of the Elder Lan?

It wasn't that he was scared of Lan Qiren, he thought. He was scared of the repercussions for Lan Wangji, which he knew the older would take without a word.

Resigned, Wei Wuxian settled down inside the Silent Chamber, twirling Chenqing out of boredom. He debated on playing tunes to pass the time, but in the silence of Cloud Recesses, he would only be drawing attention to himself. He rifled through the stacks of books Lan Wangji left in a neat pile on his desk, but they were /boring/. Defeated, Wei Wuxian lay himself flat on the bed, mindlessly staring up at the ceiling as he waited for Lan Wangji to return.

@Wei Wuxian Wei Wuxian was eventually reached his release also, which came after a few more of their combined tugs of his . Lan Wangji's gaze was locked on the other's chest, which was now splattered and covered in the other's own release, thick ropes of white painting the canvas that he had recently marked up. Even though Wei Wuxian was obviously exhausted, he still found it in him to tease the older male, which Lan Wangji could only slightly smile in return, one that was equivalent to an apology. Carefully, he removed himself from Wei Wuxian, then sitting back so the other's legs could finally stretch themselves out after being held up in the air for so long.

"I... I'm tired... so tired, Lan Zhan..." Wei Wuxian whined to him, his eyelids already threatening to fall shut. Lan Wangji reached for the pillow that had been pushed to the far corner of the bed from all of their incessant shuffling. Carefully cupping Wei Wuxian's neck and propping him up slightly, Lan Wangji set the pillow right under the crook of the other's neck, then laying Wei Wuxian back down and removing his hand again.

"Sleep then." he gently urged the other, sliding off the bed. This time, he didn't want Wei Wuxian to think he was leaving, so he gave the simple explanation, "I'm going to help you clean up." he said, going over the bathtub where they had discarded their washcloth earlier. Wringing it out, Lan Wangji first wiped off the small droplets of release that had gotten on his body from Wei Wuxian's earlier, then he cleaned the cloth again, bringing it over to Wei Wuxian.

Sitting by the edge of the bed, he tenderly ran the cloth down the smaller's chest and abdomen, taking care to precise so the other wouldn't feel too icky while sleeping that night. He had gone back to wring the towel another time, this time wiping the corner of Wei Wuxian's lips, "Tomorrow we will shower." he noted, then set the cloth to a side and helping Wei Wuxian pull the ends of his robe together again. "Wei Ying..." he murmured gently when the other's eyes were closed. He didn't know if Wei Wuxian was asleep or not, but Lan Wangji couldn't help muttering softly again, "Love you." Whether or not Wei Wuxian could hear it or not, Lan Wangji hoped the younger male could understand his heart.

Lan Wangji fell asleep very soon after as well, since it was well past the time for rest. He didn't think time would go by so quickly when he was so engaged in such activities with Wei Wuxian. Throughout the night though, regardless of how Wei Wuxian's sleeping position changed or how much the other clinged to him, Lan Wangji kept his very straight posture, the rest of the night coming and going with ease.

The next morning, his eyes opened before the sun came up. He had immediately remembered what his original intention was - that was to find some medical books in the Hidden Library Chamber. He had made sure to be as quiet as possible to not disturb Wei Wuxian, who was very worn out last night, and probably had been forcing himself to wake up alongside Lan Wangji's schedule for the past few months that they had been traveling. He didn't want to wake Wei Wuxian, preferring that the other naturally awoke when he got enough sleep. Lan Wangji pulled the covers that were kicked off last night over Wei Wuxian's sleeping figure again before brushing his hair and washing his face. Once he dressed himself in decent robes, Lan Wangji grabbed Bichen and headed for the Hidden Library Chamber.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian met Lan Wangji in an open mouthed kiss, desperate to convey his deep rooted affections for the other in any way, shape, and form. Sounds of saliva smacking and skin slapping against skin filled the Silent Chamber, sinful and defiling in every way. The thought of doing something so forbidden in Cloud Recesses with not just any GusuLan disciple, but one of two most prominent ones, only aroused Wei Wuxian even more. He felt his manhood tighten and stiffen even harder, if that was possible.

His chest and shoulders were covered in a thin sheen of sweat. The dim glow of candles threw a glow off Wei Wuxian, and looking between them, he found it to be quite an alluring image. Past that, Lan Wangji's large hand was wrapped around his , stroking him to the edge. His legs were still in the air, moving back and forth to the rhythm of Lan Wangji's increasingly erratic s. Just as he was about to compliment the older for working so hard, the familiar feeling of being filled came back. He inhaled sharply, high pitched enough to be a gasp, his hands gripping Lan Wangji's biceps for something to hand on to. As Lan Wangji's movements began to slow down and still, Wei Wuxian still tried to himself to finish on Wangji's softening , warm white ion smearing between them.

Wei Wuxian's hand joined Lan Wangji's on his weeping and angry red , stroking with the older. He came shortly after with a low pitched cry, throwing his free forearm over his mouth and biting into his clothed arm to muffle the noise. "Lan Zhan," he cried pitifully, obviously looking for comfort and coddling again. "Look what you've done," he accused vaguely, a mischievous yet worn out grin taking over his face. Inadvertently, he yawned. "I... I'm tired... so tired, Lan Zhan..."

@Wei Wuxian Lan Wangji heard Wei Wuxian's complaints, but it was a challenge to control himself and slow the pace down. At this point, there was another release building inside of him again. Racking his brain for an idea he suddenly remembered when Wei Wuxian had been crying out in pain last time. The younger had told Lan Wangji that if he kissed him, then it would make him feel better. Though he wasn't sure how true Wei Wuxian's words were, Lan Wangji resorted to that method again, leaning down and pressing their lips together. The angle in which he was ing shifted slightly from the way he bent down his body, but it didn't really do much to affect the speed that he was going at.

Though Lan Wangji would never be the type to initiate this kind of act on his own, he had seen Wei Wuxian doing it multiple times, thus it probably wouldn't be considered taboo anymore - he reached a hand between their bodies, where Wei Wuxian's was scraping against his abdomen. Taking the shaft in his hand, Lan Wangji applied some pressure around it, giving it a light squeeze as he tried to replicate the movements that Wei Wuxian had been doing to him earlier. Kissing and massaging, one of them was bound to work, he hoped to himself.

By the time he felt the familiar feeling getting closer, Lan Wangji pulled his lips away from Wei Wuxian, murmuring in his raspy voice, "Wei Ying-!" he warned, wanting to ask the smaller male to release at the same time as him. However, the both of them didn't even know how to control when they released, much less plan for it to happen at the same time. Still, the furrowed eyebrows and sweat droplets on his forehead were probably a good indicator to the smaller male of what was going to happen. After a few more s, Lan Wangji arched his back, gripping his knuckles tightly until they turned white as he shot his load into Wei Wuxian's once more.

@Lan Wangji Lan Wangji was such an animal. Wei Wuxian could no longer hold back all the moans and cries he'd been trying to suppress, at first not wanting to get in trouble with Lan Qiren in his first day at Cloud Recesses. Before, he would not have cared, but he knew it went without saying what he did affected Lan Wangji, too. But now, as Lan Wangji drilled into him relentlessly, Wei Wuxian found his mind emptying of trivial worries.

Barely registering what Lan Wangji uttered, Wei Wuxian brought himself up again, his lips brushing against Lan Wangji's warm earlobe. "Ge," he breathed, his breath hitching with a particularly hard . He squeezed his eyes shut, the back of his head slamming back into the bed as his expression contorted between pleasure and pain. He felt it in his stomach, unsurprisingly, his abdominal muscles tensing and seizing up. Each deep had him subconsciously whining and whimpering loudly. Though just a minute ago he'd been encouraging the older not to hold back at all, he was beginning to eat his words quickly. "Lan Zhan, you're too much- too deep... did you hear me? Ah-" Another groan cut off his words, and Wei Wuxian opted to just close his eyes tight and enjoy the stretch each time Lan Wangji slid inside him. His hands began to travel again, raking through Lan Wangji's perfectly done hairdo and down his back, his fingernails pressing through the delicate silk cloth. "My stomach hurts," he complained as he was thoroughly ed, beads of sweat forming at his temples. "Ow! Lan Zhan!"

@Wei Wuxian Lan Wangji couldn't help it, marking Wei Wuxian's body up had become somewhat addicting to him. He liked to know that after all these years that he had been waiting, the only person who he had been playing inquiry for had responded to him. That thought alone gave him even more of a reason to attack Wei Wuxian's skin brutally, showering the love marks across the clean skin. He didn't even want to leave single unmarked spot, as if without that physical evidence, Lan Wangji wouldn't be able to believe how fortunate he was. Thus, when he felt Wei Wuxian returning the actions, Lan Wangji didn't complain. He gladly accepted it, instead giving a few encouraging s as if reminding Wei Wuxian that all of him belonged to the smaller male.

Lan Wangji felt goosebumps forming on his arms and back when Wei Wuxian called him "Lan Er gege" in such a lewd tone, one that was combined with his series of moans. "Lan Zhan, I love you so much." the smaller male complimented him, which only drove him wilder as his hips ferociously slammed against Wei Wuxian's buttocks. This was indeed the best position, thus like last time, Lan Wangji made no attempt in shifting their position out of his own accord. He liked to look at Wei Wuxian's face, the way the male's face would contort as the slightest of sensations and his lips parted to release such sinful moans that Lan Wangji couldn't resist. "When did you learn, Lan Zhan? Am I, perhaps, not Hanguang Jun's first-?" Wei Wuxian suddenly asked him, earning a particularly hard from Lan Wangji out of distaste for that question.

"Mischievous." Lan Wangji scolded the other for even bringing up that possibility. Ever since the first time Lan Wangji got drunk, which coincidentally was also induced by Wei Wuxian, the other's laughter and words of, "Only your wife can touch it? Which unlucky maiden would want to marry you, Lan Zhan-ah? Just be single for the rest of your life." when Lan Wangji had tried to explain the importance of the forehead ribbon around his head. That young Wei Wuxian probably had no idea that he'd eat his own words one day.

@Lan Wangji Wei Wuxian bit down on his lower lip, holding back a squeak when Lan Wangji rocked into him. All of a sudden, though he'd been quite loud and vocal about his intentions the entire time, he seemed to remember that Lan Qiren had just returned, and there were other disciples in Cloud Recesses at any given time. Though the Silent Chamber was slightly set apart from the rest of the buildings, sounds carried in the silence and quietness of the GusuLan's residential place.

Opening his legs so he could hook them around Lan Wangji's lower back, Wei Wuxian lifted his head to attach his mouth to Lan Wangji's neck. He knew he shouldn't be marking the other up and down - Wei Wuxian himself did not mind and would gladly display his love bites for all of Cloud Recesses and the cultivation world to see, but Lan Wangji was different. He was supposed to have an image to uphold. Wei Wuxian wanted to be selfish for a moment, though. He wanted the world to see Wangji belong to him, too. Muffling his moans against Lan Wangji's skin, Wei Wuxian nipped and bit at his lover's neck, happy to see bruises blooming. He did, however, try to avoid looking down at the brand mark burned into Lan Wangji's chest.

Of course, Wei Wuxian could not go long without talking. "Gege," he began in a sultry tone, panting in rhythm to every powerful of Lan Wangji's. "Lan Er gege, you feel so good... Ah," he moaned, dropping his head back down on the bed with a /thud/. His back arched up, tight and taut, his bare front and leaking rubbing up against Lan Wangji. "Lan Zhan," he gasped, savouring the name in his mouth. "When did you learn, Lan Zhan? Am I, perhaps, not Hanguang Jun's first-?"

@Wei Wuxian All of the delicious moans that came from Wei Wuxian's lips, Lan Wangji swallowed - almost to the point of being greedy, which was strictly forbidden in the Gusu Lan Sect teachings. Never in his life would he have thought of using his tongue and lips for such a purpose, but at the present moment, Lan Wangji's tongue and been mingling with Wei Wuxian's, exploring the other's warm cavern in an attempt to distract the smaller from the possible pain coming from down below.

He looked at Wei Wuxian with his brows slightly creased. Only if they were quiet enough would Wei Wuxian be able to tell that Lan Wangji had been somewhat out of breath from the kissing. However, given he other's permission to let himself go, Lan Wangji nodded his head, replying, "En." he said, starting to move his hips, pulling himself almost all the way out before ing back in. The bed frame creaked slightly under the weight of the two combined bodies being so frivolous above, but it soon faded into the background noise, as Lan Wangji was much more interested and focused on drawing out moans from Wei Wuxian.

As the penetration became smoother, the pace picked up too, and Lan Wangji soon reverted to a rhythm that was quick paced and successive, leaving very little room for Wei Wuxian to shift or move underneath him. As his orchestrated movements continued, the robe that was sitting on his shoulder earlier had begun to slip off, the silken material not having much of a grip to begin with. Similarily, underneath him, Wei Wuxian was being scantily covered by the robe that Lan Wangji had pulled out for him earlier. Wordlessly, a hand traveled to the flouncing robe, and Lan Wangji made sure that none of it was blocking the other's body from his sight. Once the canvas of the other's body became fully visible, Lan Wangji leaned in, starting to leave bites and on the soft skin again, not giving the previous marks any room or time to recover.