( Kind enthusiasm, if misplaced. He knows so, vividly, burningly. And where they stood so close now, he must once more be the cold water quieting his husband's ardor, must once more take a step back and inject forcible distance.
Hear him. His hand goes up, palm outward. Stay put. Listen. )
Wei Ying. ( Sweetheart. ) He does not know us bound. ( Nor will he, to protect Wei Ying's dignity, his virtue. It was asked of Lan Wangji. He cannot complicate matters without thought, without reason. )
You do not know belong in plea-biding between brothers. ( Nor did Lan Wangji, whenever Wei Ying sorted his matters of the house with Jiang Wanyin. In the end, such is family. )
[Just as well that Lan Zhan forestalled any complaint on Wei Wuxian's part, when he opened his mouth to do exactly that. What he ends up doing instead is frowning with a mulish expression.
He hates relying so much on one person when he is responsible, should be responsible, and has so many debts piling up on his shoulders.
And... this is Lan Zhan, his husband. He doesn't want to use their marriage purely for transactional purposes, he doesn't want to be the only one receiving. But for now? All he can do is do as Lan Zhan says because he has no political sway.]
Fine. But I will still do anything. Even... that purification. [And, ugh, he hates it. The way it implies he's dirty solely for working with an entirely new cultivation.
He doubts it will ever work on him though. No core to corrupt, after all.]
I shall not offer it. ( Not purification, not Wei Ying. Perhaps some matters are misunderstood, and it pains him, slows him to speak the words, crawling out of his mouth: ) He will not hear me as Hanguang-Jun.
( This is, though it shames him, no matter of justice. This is no matter of demanding that Zewu-Jun should align himself with that which is righteous and correct. They both know Wei Ying's cause to be so and that mere summons on that count have failed him.
He must ask as himself, as Lan Wangji, Lan Zhan. As the lesser, younger brother of a blinding star. And he must hope that Zewu-Jun, who has refused him nothing before, will not learn to speak such words now. )
[Politics. Family politics. Even he was witness to it, back with the inner Jiang clan, like everything was a business transaction, entirely different from the way his parents acted with each other, from what he can remember with them.
Wei Wuxian doesn't like these sects, sometimes.
He reaches out once more, offering.]
Then I'll stay put and wait for you with our son. Probably pop out a new baby while waiting. [Only half-joking. He's sure that Gusu Lan keeps track of their children well, and the only way he'd ever find a new child to adopt is if he went down to Caiyi or neighboring towns.]
( He had thought, more fool he, that they might have the evening together. That the bittermost realities of their world could wait for a handful of brisk hours, shared. He should have known better. (And is this all that Wei Ying wants of him, perhaps? Has he nothing but value?)
He does not care to ask, to consider. His husband would surely not make so little of him, would not use him. It is not as if he came, bright-eyed and all-bearing, offering out his seduction and his smiles, cornering Lan Wangji —
...no. He must not think of this. Shakes his head again and starts, gently, to move aside and recover a further set of layers. On his way, then. )
Lan Zhan-- [He tries to grab at his husband before he leaves.
Typical Lan Zhan, always wanting to do things immediately instead of waiting. Instead of relaxing first. Some things are better done before tomorrow comes, but seeing Lan Zhan move away like that makes him feel cold. Bereft.]
Lan Zhan, I think it can wait! Just-- stay?
[He hurries to Lan Zhan's side, babbling. Hoping Lan Zhan would listen to him now without a fight.]
I'm sure it will be a long discussion, and you won't be able to sleep before dawn comes. Let it be for another day or two, and stay here with me in the meantime. We've had a difficult night, no need to make it worse on you.
( A difficult night. Yes. Despite Lan Wangji's finest efforts and Wei Ying's own best behavior, they have been — challenged on this day. Perhaps they were foolish to assume marriage would not be work, and certainly there are matters of dowry and obligations typically handled by families before a young pair unites its destiny.
They should have expected no better than this. He nods, and it's tentative, but the rigid line of his shoulders dissolves fractionally; he is himself, not stone. He is that which Wei Ying may approach freely. )
The day after, then. ( By which time, perhaps Lan Wangji would have better grasped both Wei Ying's needs and his intentions. )
Dear husband. My dear, dear husband, always ready to help me but not even thinking of himself. [Wei Wuxian wraps his arms around Lan Zhan's waist, a comforting hug.]
Let's retire to bed, all right?
[And Wei Wuxian can have a night to try and plan what to do. The day after tomorrow is a definite deadline, and a close one at that. He'll have to come clean to Lan Zhan about his core then.
He should have already, but he was nervous and wanted to give himself time. Now he has less time than expected.]
( ...retire to bed. Ah. Another disputed territory on which they've failed to reconcile their inevitable differences. Lan Wangji has conceded sleep, at a stretch, but the truth remains that he is uncertain if they align on other, more brazen needs.
He dare not speed the word, its requirement. Dares do nothing but turn his head, flushed, before slowly shedding his outer layers once more and settled them tame on the nearest coffer. He will do well to don them once more, with morning. For now, soft under candle light, he only draws nearer to their bed, one knee straddling the edge as he climbs in.
He waits, poised, calm, rolling to one extreme of the bed to allow Wei Ying the better part of the stretch. As guests should enjoy. )
[Wei Wuxian crawls into bed after Lan Zhan, and settles on his side, facing his husband. After some seconds of staring, he reaches out, and places his hand on Lan Zhan's chest.]
Good night, husband.
[He's never shared a bed with someone like this before. He remembers being a child, sharing a bedroom with Jiang Cheng, somwtimes even the bed if either of them had a nightmare or during the stormy season. He remembers dozing beside Lan Zhan in the cave, catching what little rest he can while still making sure they don't wake up in a monster's belly. He remembers sharing a bedroll during the war, martial brothers with their backs against each other, never truly resting until they have that small bit of security.
But this? This is intimate in a way he's never experienced before. Perhaps it's because of the nature of their relationship. Martial siblings are quite different from spouses, after all.]
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no subject
Hear him. His hand goes up, palm outward. Stay put. Listen. )
Wei Ying. ( Sweetheart. ) He does not know us bound. ( Nor will he, to protect Wei Ying's dignity, his virtue. It was asked of Lan Wangji. He cannot complicate matters without thought, without reason. )
You do not know belong in plea-biding between brothers. ( Nor did Lan Wangji, whenever Wei Ying sorted his matters of the house with Jiang Wanyin. In the end, such is family. )
no subject
He hates relying so much on one person when he is responsible, should be responsible, and has so many debts piling up on his shoulders.
And... this is Lan Zhan, his husband. He doesn't want to use their marriage purely for transactional purposes, he doesn't want to be the only one receiving. But for now? All he can do is do as Lan Zhan says because he has no political sway.]
Fine. But I will still do anything. Even... that purification. [And, ugh, he hates it. The way it implies he's dirty solely for working with an entirely new cultivation.
He doubts it will ever work on him though. No core to corrupt, after all.]
no subject
( This is, though it shames him, no matter of justice. This is no matter of demanding that Zewu-Jun should align himself with that which is righteous and correct. They both know Wei Ying's cause to be so and that mere summons on that count have failed him.
He must ask as himself, as Lan Wangji, Lan Zhan. As the lesser, younger brother of a blinding star. And he must hope that Zewu-Jun, who has refused him nothing before, will not learn to speak such words now. )
...this is politics.
no subject
Wei Wuxian doesn't like these sects, sometimes.
He reaches out once more, offering.]
Then I'll stay put and wait for you with our son. Probably pop out a new baby while waiting. [Only half-joking. He's sure that Gusu Lan keeps track of their children well, and the only way he'd ever find a new child to adopt is if he went down to Caiyi or neighboring towns.]
no subject
He does not care to ask, to consider. His husband would surely not make so little of him, would not use him. It is not as if he came, bright-eyed and all-bearing, offering out his seduction and his smiles, cornering Lan Wangji —
...no. He must not think of this. Shakes his head again and starts, gently, to move aside and recover a further set of layers. On his way, then. )
He will not be yet sleeping. Excuse me.
no subject
Typical Lan Zhan, always wanting to do things immediately instead of waiting. Instead of relaxing first. Some things are better done before tomorrow comes, but seeing Lan Zhan move away like that makes him feel cold. Bereft.]
Lan Zhan, I think it can wait! Just-- stay?
[He hurries to Lan Zhan's side, babbling. Hoping Lan Zhan would listen to him now without a fight.]
I'm sure it will be a long discussion, and you won't be able to sleep before dawn comes. Let it be for another day or two, and stay here with me in the meantime. We've had a difficult night, no need to make it worse on you.
no subject
They should have expected no better than this. He nods, and it's tentative, but the rigid line of his shoulders dissolves fractionally; he is himself, not stone. He is that which Wei Ying may approach freely. )
The day after, then. ( By which time, perhaps Lan Wangji would have better grasped both Wei Ying's needs and his intentions. )
no subject
Let's retire to bed, all right?
[And Wei Wuxian can have a night to try and plan what to do. The day after tomorrow is a definite deadline, and a close one at that. He'll have to come clean to Lan Zhan about his core then.
He should have already, but he was nervous and wanted to give himself time. Now he has less time than expected.]
no subject
He dare not speed the word, its requirement. Dares do nothing but turn his head, flushed, before slowly shedding his outer layers once more and settled them tame on the nearest coffer. He will do well to don them once more, with morning. For now, soft under candle light, he only draws nearer to their bed, one knee straddling the edge as he climbs in.
He waits, poised, calm, rolling to one extreme of the bed to allow Wei Ying the better part of the stretch. As guests should enjoy. )
Please sleep without trouble.
no subject
Good night, husband.
[He's never shared a bed with someone like this before. He remembers being a child, sharing a bedroom with Jiang Cheng, somwtimes even the bed if either of them had a nightmare or during the stormy season. He remembers dozing beside Lan Zhan in the cave, catching what little rest he can while still making sure they don't wake up in a monster's belly. He remembers sharing a bedroll during the war, martial brothers with their backs against each other, never truly resting until they have that small bit of security.
But this? This is intimate in a way he's never experienced before. Perhaps it's because of the nature of their relationship. Martial siblings are quite different from spouses, after all.]