Reader prompts

Go back with me -4

Wei Ying had woken up because of another nightmare. This was the fourth night in a row that this was happening. He tried sleeping during the night time as adviced by his sister. But no matter how much he tried, he always woke up in a cold sweat.

He was also having weird moments of just spacing out and thinking about Lan Zhan. It was getting way out of hand. 

They have small interactions throughout the day. And Lan Zhan seems to brush his hands every time he passes by him in the hallway. 

Thinking about it now, it also seemed like they pass each other at the hallways a lot these days.

He shook his head to clear it. 

The spring festival had started and it was in full swing. They Lan sect members had stayed back a few days to enjoy the festivities before they could head back to cloud recess. Most of them stayed back because could recess barely lets anyone hold any festivals or celebrations mostly cause of the noise. They juniors stayed back to enjoy themselves, even though they won't say it out loud.

Wei chuckled looking at the Lan juniors playing with the village children. In the small amount of time that they were here, they had gotten fond of the people here. Especially children. Even Wei Ying had gotten attached to a few of the Lan juniors. This place was going to be silent again after they leave.

There it was. The brush of fingers against his arms.

"Excuse me, master Wei." Lan Wangji walked passed him.

Wei Ying looked at him for a minute too long and said "Now this is just ridiculous!"

Lan Zhan looked at him with innocent eyes. 

"Oh do not look at me that way Lan Zhan! It's ridiculous the amount of time we seem to pass these hallways!"

"I do not understand." He had the same expressionless face while saying that. Wei Ying started to doubt if he was misreading into things.

"No! I know this is too often to be coincidences."

"Master Wei?"

"Oh just leave!" Everyone noticed Wei Ying walk away in a huff. But no one noticed the smile that Lan Zhan was trying so desperately prevent from appearing.

--------------------------

Soon a month had passed and the spring festival was almost coming to an end. The Lan sect people were getting ready to leave. Lan Zhan was gazing out of his room's window and watching the sunset. This will be the last sunset that he watches from lotus pier. 

He had gotten used to the warmth of Lotus pier. He had trouble getting used to the layers of his robes when he had first arrived. The heat was making his robes stick to him in a very uncomfortable manner before Wei Ying laughed and threw a basket filled with clothes at him.

It contained thin linen clothes and airy fabric that not only aided in movement but also with the heat. It was in pristine white which was in accordance with the sect rules. 

Lan Zhan was not used to sighing, but he seems to be doing that a lot these days. In the month that he has been here, he had grown unbearably attached to Wei Ying. He had lost days of sleep talking to Wei Ying.

The day he learned that Wei Ying had trouble sleeping at nights, he had diligently stayed awake, hoping. waiting. Hoping that Wei Ying would try to find him to talk to him or merely be in his presence. He had not.

So he had. Lan Zhan had hunted down Wei Ying every night and forced to him to spend time together. 

Some days it was awkward silences. Some days it was filled with voices and conversations. Some days it was laughter. Some days. Some rare days, it was filled with silent kisses in the dark. They did not go beyond kissing and they did not acknowledge the kisses in the morning. They both acted as if their lips were not bruised from kissing.

Neither had the courage to put a name to these intense summer nights. Where Wei Ying was hotter than the summer's heat.

It was almost a month now and avoiding had gotten them nowhere.

He has to go back, staying is not an option. As the direct in line for the inheritance of the Lan sect, he had responsibilities. His brother had already sent an official letter for calling everyone back.

He was packed and ready to go tomorrow morning. He heard a slight knock on the door.

He opened the door to find Wei Ying with darkened eyes. 

There it was. The darkness that he had not seen in days. It was back in those beautiful eyes again. There was something wrong and Wei Ying looked ready to explode. 

"They used my sister to trigger me, How dare they!" He exploded.

"They think they can test my patience and get away with it? How dare those old geezers." He finally understood what Wei Ying was speaking about. 

Wei Wuxian was giving legal counsel to Jiang Cheng for the rebuilding of the clan. Which resulted in bringing broad policies that benefit a lot of common people, that also meant that the aristocrats pay more taxes. This has not sat well with them and they had tried advising Jiang Cheng that his brother was unstable.

Truth to be spoken, Wei Ying was more capable of managing the sect. The only reason he is not the leader is his birth. He was not blood-related to the Yungmeng Jiang clan nor was he interested in the position. His demonic cultivation practice was also shunned.

But using his sister to trigger him during open court was the lowest they could go. just when he was about to comfort Wei Ying.

"You!!" He pointed at him with trembling fingers. "You act as if I don't exist. After... after everything to tell me and every time you k..kiss me. You act like it never happened!"

"Wei Y..."

"No. You are leaving tomorrow. The least you could do is acknowledge it!"

"I do."

"No you do not! And don't look so calm when I'm boiling inside!"

He gently pulled on his face and kissed the side of his face. He pulled Wei Ying's trembling form into his arms and rubbed his back. "Wei Ying. I am not ashamed of what we do."

"You're not? We're both men...."

"It does not matter."

"People will not accept this Lan Zhan. The elders will not. You're the second in line."

"It does not matter."

"But!"

"Shhh... It does not matter." He said this in a much lower breathy tone. The tone his voice took when they had a particularly intense session of kissing. "It does not matter."

"No?"

"No. You matter" Wei Ying widened his eyes and the darkness in Wei Ying's eyes seems to fade away with those words. Lan Zhan's heart broke the thousandth time for this man that no one seems to understand. Just as he was about to ask Wei Ying to stay...

Wei Ying... he heard his sister calling in the background. He was about to leave when Lan Zhan pulled him inside to give him a kiss that could be felt in the bones. A kiss that set his nerves on fire and made the ends of his hair stand up. He felt a bite on his lips.

Lan Zhan had never done that before.

"I... I have to go. its... Shije."

"Go. But come back."

Wei Ying nodded.

"Soon"

He nodded again before dashing off.

-----------------------------To be continued.