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Lan Wangji whimpered.
Lan Xichen swayed until he slid down the door, eyes never leaving the woman he called his mother, the woman he had mourned, the woman he was still mourning.
She smiled sadly, kneeling to the ground she cupped Lan Zhan's face who had begun to cry, the sight so shocking, yet so heartbreaking, all Wei Ying could do was watch and weep.
Madam Lan sniffed, her own tears like drizzling rain, "A-Zhan..." She whispered, in that voice. That motherly voice that brings even the strongest of men down to the toddlers they used to be.
Lan Zhan sobbed, hit with shock stronger than lightning, "Mama..." He whimpered, trembling so badly, as if in a cool breeze, his tassels of hair began to sway too, "Mama... mama- MAMA!" He wailed, leaping into her embrace, arms around her neck sobbing shamelessly into her shoulder.
Madam Lan's heart shattered as her sons clung to her like children, even her A-Huan who had never been a fussy child, dived into her arms sobbing all his agony out until his chest ached from hyperventilation.
Interestingly, it was Lan Zhan who had been the more agitated toddler, he was fussy with certain fabrics, deathly afraid of insects, so much so that he refused to step outside for days if one would touch him. And god if his hands were sticky from treats, full-blown meltdown.
That behaviour was soon beaten out of him though, now, while the strongest of meltdowns still occur, they're internal.
But in seconds, after eleven years of flawless, constant, unyielding composure, Lan Wangji shattered, and returned to that sensitive, vulnerable child who couldn't function without his mother.
"MAMA!!" He screamed, the sound like breaking glass, having gone into complete and utter shock, he couldn't do anything else.
Madam Lan's heart ached as she pulled him closer, stroking his hair, "Oh A-Zhan... I'm here now A-Zhan it's me A-Zhan..." She soothed, smiling when Lan Huan did so too, wrapping his arms around his baby brother, both lay in the embrace of their mother.
Deja Vu hit them all, returning them to the days, the moments, where during one of Lan Zhan's breakdowns, they could curl up together until he calmed down and soon, she would read them a bedtime story.
Soon, however, the screams and wails gathered attention... and a while later, Lan Qiren appeared, like a moth to a flame he was drawn to the commotion.
His heart dropped, "You... what are you doing out of your cabin?!" He exclaimed, pointing at the woman as if she were vermin.
Blood as hot as fire ran through the jade's veins.
For over a decade, this man had looked them in the eye and denied their mother's active heartbeat, he had watched them mourn, he had watched Wangji scream and shout and throw tables everywhere, he has watched him cry himself to sleep for three years, and he had watched him break again and again and again.
And not once did he save him from that.
This man, their self-proclaimed uncle, guardian, let their mother live in solitude, kept her from them.
Lan Zhan's heart burned to ash and within his mother's arms, he peeked over her shoulder glaring with more hatred than anyone had ever seen ever.
"Wangji hates you..." He sniffled, trembling with rage, his nails dragging like a lion cub's claws across the wooden deck, "Wangji hates you Wangji hates you WANGJI HATES YOU!" He screamed, clutching as if for dear life a nearby stone before throwing it.
He wanted this man away from him- away from his mother he could not lose her again.
Madam Lan gasped, "A-Zhan!" She cried, bringing his face back into her neck and rocking him side to side.
Lan Xichen sobbed, hiding in her chest, he wasn't ready to face the world again yet.
Until his uncle sauntered over and gripped their mother's arm.
He wasn't sure if what his baby brother was going to do, but he pushed him further into their mother's arms, away from his Bichen before standing, "Get away from her- as sect leader since fourteen, that's an. order." He glared, turning to the disciples, "Get him in the dungeons for torture, kidnapping, and being an accomplice to assault." He ordered, watching without remorse as he was dragged away and his mother and brother stood.
Wei Ying watched, stiff, afraid to move.
But then, Lan Zhan crashed into him and wrapping his arms around him as if he were gift wrapping, "Thank you- Wei Ying thank you so much thank you thank you- W-Wei Ying..." He sobbed, hugging him tighter.
Lan Zhan whimpered, whining, he wanted his mother, but... he was hugging Wei Ying and that felt unbelievably good.
Reaching out for his mother, he kept his arm around Wei Ying's waist, clearly suffocatingly overwhelmed and unsure what to do or how to choose.
Madam Lan's eyes softened, "Oh A-Zhan..." She murmured, turning to Wei Ying who had tears rolling into his hair and his arms around Lan Zhan's neck, she mouthed, are you okay to come with us?
Wei Ying nodded, guided into the Hanshi, where Lan Zhan kept his arms around him as if he were a stuffie. He felt tiny in Lan Zhan's arms, but he loved it.
Madam Lan and Lan Xichen shared a knowing look before the two brothers dived into her arms again, refusing to let her go.
Soon, they fell asleep, Lan Zhan laying in his mother's arms and Gege's arms, he fell asleep with his fingers intertwined with Wei Ying's.
Madam Lan chuckled softly, shaking her head, "So, when should we plan your wedding date to A-Zhan?" She asked.
