Second Time Around

Chapter 18. Bedtime Rituals, Part II

"Yes, I'm awake."

Wei WuXian sighed and tried to not choke on his spit again. Lan Zhan was combing out his barely damp hair, and it was just as enthralling as it had been back in Lotus Pier.

Placing the comb on the workbench, Lan Zhan looked at the floor. "In Lotus Pier, after Jin GuangShan arrived, Jiang Guniang came to talk to me. She told me that you were punished whenever you did better than Jiang WanYin."

Wei Ying forced a smile and forced his voice to stay as light and airy as possible. "This again? It's all in the past. Nothing to worry over."

"Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan growled. "Let me finish. I assumed you were punished by the same measures we were at Cloud Recesses: kneeling in reflection, writing lines, running laps...."

"Oh, well, I got those sorts of punishments, too. You saw what happens when I have to write lines!" He forced a snort. "And kneeling." He shrugged. "It's not like I was a small child when I was whipped. I was at least 13 by then. Old enough to know better."

"Use of the discipline whip is reserved for crimes against the Sect that do not deserve death or expulsion. Zidian is nearly as dangerous as the discipline whip; why did they use it on you?"

"Leave it alone, Lan WangJi. I don't want to talk about it," Wei WuXian warned. "YunmengJiang Sect matters do not involve the GusuLan."

Lan WangJi wisely changed the subject. "Let me dry your hair; you'll get sick if you go to bed with it wet."

Wei Ying laughed. "You sound like ShiJie. She's forever telling me to dry my hair or I'll get sick." But he obediently sat on the floor where indicated and let Lan Zhan wrap his hair in a spiritual energy warmed towel.

"You will get sick wandering around with wet hair," Lan Zhan insisted from behind him, combing out the nearly dried locks.

Wei Ying twisted his neck around to look at his friend. "You don't actually get sick from having wet hair. It's just a thing moms say to show they care." Realizing what he had just said, Wei Ying blurted out, "Not to say you care about me like that!" He tried to turn away, but Lan Zhan caught his chin.

"I do care." Soft lips grazed briefly, then returned to press and hold.

Feeling shy, Wei Ying pulled away and tucked his head into his knees. "Lan Zhan? What are we doing?" he whined softly. "I feel like we're both dancing around a question that we don't want to ask and really don't want to answer for ourselves, and yet we really want to know the other's answer."

"Wei Ying... don't we already know the answer? I thought you did, at least. You told me once that you didn't think I'd be kissing you if I liked someone else. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't be kissing me if you liked someone else. I hope I know you that well. I just don't know if you like me the same way I like you."

"How are there different ways to like someone," Wei Ying groused at his kneecaps.

"When you dreamed of a future with me, it was a simple life where we are good friends. When I dreamed of a future with you... it was vastly different."

Wei Ying spun around on his bum to face his friend. "You dreamed of a future with me? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wei Ying... The future I dream of with you isn't the same as you dream of with me."

Wei Ying grinned. "I'll guess there was a lot more kissing in your dream than there was in mine. I didn't even know boys could kiss each other back then." The smile faded. "I'm glad it was you who took my first kiss. In both lives, I'm so very glad it was you."