The Teapot Plot

What Have I Done?

            Wangji didn't remember going to see Wei Ying the night before- but he had woken up beside him so he must have. He could have forgiven himself that misstep, because this war had been filled with so much fear, so many times where he had thought that he had lost his husband that it seemed natural to have found a way to the recovering man's side once he had woken. What he couldn't forgive was the state that his husband was in. Wei Ying had woken shortly after Wangji and it was during the other man's morning stretch that Wangji had seen the marks.

                 Bruises in the shape of Wangji's own hands littered the smaller man's body liberally, Bitemarks along his neck and shoulder all spoke of anger and violence. So much bare skin, enough to assume that the other man was as nude as Wangji was. What had happened last night? What had Wangji done to Wei Ying? Panic settled into his mind as he couldn't remember.

            Wei Ying smiled at him, and leaned forward for a kiss. No, Wangji obviously hurt him- he couldn't let this kiss happen. It happened without much thought- instead of allowing the kiss to land, Wangji pushed away from the man he had harmed, and Wei Ying tumbled from the bed. He was nude, and even his hips bore bruises in the shape of Wangji's hands- just how far had they gone?

              The almost happy look fled from Wei Ying's face as he hit the floor. Shame filled said face as Wangji's eyes darted over his form. When Wei Ying tugged at one of the bed coverings Wangji all but flung it at him, wanting his husband's form and those damning marks covered. As if he could read Wangji's mind, Wei Ying almost eagerly covered his nudity and the marks on his hips.

             "Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying murmured after he was done. "I Thought-"

              "I'm sorry. I do not remember. I must go" Wangji interrupted, the panic and guilt over the marks still visible overriding any other thought as he got out of the bed and grabbed his clothing. He could hear Wei Ying take a sharp breath as he moved to dress.

            "Lan Zhan? Look at me please." Wei Ying demanded, his tone turning panicked. Wangji didn't dare look at him. He didn't deserve to after he had put those marks on him. "Lan Zhan, don't leave. Don't just walk out after what happened last night. Just look at me please. Talk to me. Something. Just don't walk out." The demands turned to pleading and Wangji could hear tears starting. He still didn't look, didn't speak. He had dishonored and hurt Wei Ying. Even if they were married because he had tied their wrist together and they had bowed to his ancestor in the cold pond, this couldn't be forgiven. Worst of all, Wangji didn't even know how or why he had come to be here last night let alone do what he had. He knew nothing other than the marks on Wei Ying's skin.

             "I will make amends Wei Wuxian." Wangji finally spoke, his voice tense and guilty as he finished dressing, promising the man he had harmed that he would make this right, before rushing from the tent. He almost knocked over someone, but by then tears of his own were starting to blind Wangji. All he had ever wanted to do was protect Wei Ying, and he does this to him? He harms him in this way? It's unforgivable. Wangji must take responsibility and the punishments he had earned though, and to do so he must see his brother.

           Maybe... Maybe one day Wei Ying would forgive him for causing him more pain instead of showing him the love and care that Wangji had for him. Wangji could only hope that he could, but until then he would carry this shame, and do everything in his power to make sure that the other man felt none of it. Wangji had done this, so it was on Wangji to make it right.