I am Here

Chapter 18 The Beginning of the End

The dawn finds Lan Zhan up and dressed, Wei Ying is still asleep. Their lovemaking kept them up till a short time ago. Having only a few hours of sleep, Lan Zhan feels he needs to meditate to focus and have a clear head when talking with his brother later.

Later in the morning, Lan Zhan is holding a sleepy husband and A-Yuan is sitting next to Lan Zhan eating his breakfast quietly. Wei Ying is refusing to open his eyes and presses himself further into Lan Zhan's lap while hiding his face against his husband's robes. Lan Zhan smiles down at his beloved and then looks over at A-Yuan who is also smiling. Lan Zhan's heart is happy and content with his little family and he thanks the universe for giving him this life.

Lan XIchen and a young disciple have walked into the inn and he finally sees his brother. His eyebrows rise up in a question as he approaches Lan Zhan but says nothing till he is seated with his little brother.

The brothers greet each other quietly and then Lan Zhan looks over to A-Yuan "Have you finished your breakfast?" A-Yuan looks back with a smile and says "Yes, father." Lan Zhan then nods and says "Then A-Yuan, please go with this disciple and visit the town while we discuss adult matters. Lan Zhan calls over the disciple and hands him his money pouch. "Please purchase whatever he wants, within reason." He looks again at A-Yuan, "I promise Baba and I will find you later and we will have lunch together. Be a good boy and do not stray away from him. Promise."

A-Yuan bows to Lan Zhan, "Yes father, I promise." He walks over to the disciple and takes his hand and they walk toward the door. He looks back and Lan Zhan nods and smiles at him. A-Yuan releases his hand from the disciple and walks back to Lan Zhan "Thank you father". He hugs Lan Zhan and walks back to the disciple and leaves.

Lan Xichen's head is spinning right now. "Baba? Father? What exactly is going on here?" He looks to his little brother for answers and they better be good ones. Lan Zhan looks once more towards the door and again at his sleeping husband and then finally to his brother. Quietly so as not to wake Wei YIng he says "His name is A-Yuan he is our son and we want to formally adopt him to make him truly ours."

Before he could compose himself, Lan Xichen shouted "What did you just say? Your what?" thereby finally waking up Wei Ying.

Wei Ying was so startled, he almost fell off Lan Zhan's lap before Lan Zhan fully caught him.. Lan Zhan frowned at his brother while trying to help his husband adjust his robes properly.

Poor Lan XIchen found himself apologizing profusely to the both of them while internally snickering to himself. It really was a funny scene seeing them flustered like that.

Finally once everyone had settled down, Lan Zhan retells the story told to him by their relative Lan Chen. As he is speaking, he carefully watches both Wei Ying's and his brother's face. He understands the disbelief showing on their faces. "Did he not also have the same look while listening to Lan Chen?" Wei Ying is silently crying and it breaks his heart. He reaches for his husband and wraps his arm around his waist. With fierce determination showing on his face Lan Zhan holds Wei YIng tightly and says "I will never let such a thing happen to you!!"

Wei Ying nods to Lan Zhan but still he's thinking "What if I get to that point to want to end my life? What if you can't stop it or me? Will you be able to save me, my dearest husband, my Lan Zhan?"

Sensing his thought Lan Zhan cups Wei Ying's face and forces him to look into his eyes "Do you still not believe me that if you did such a thing I would not follow you? What is the point of being on this earth if you are not here? I cannot be where you are not. I will follow wherever you go, even death."