The Bride of Dragon

2. Home

Unsurprisingly, the sprawling mansion retains the same chill as the mountain air that ensnares it. Wei Wuxian makes sure to take his time in complaining about this as he tromps through thewooden building, seeking warmer clothes and a room to call his own. Hanguang-Jun trails him as he does so, a trace of his long dragon body evident through the windows Wei Wuxian passes.An amused smirk curls Wei Wuxian's lip at this, and he makes sure to raise his voice as he continues to fuss.

"It's so cold, Hanguang-Jun! I know you probably can't feel it but you could have at least prepared your house for your bride, you know!" A low huff sounds to the right of Wei Wuxian, beyond the thin wooden wall that separates them, and he has to smother a giddy grin with a disheartened sigh.

"Such a thoughtless husband I have!" He bemoans, "Leaving me to freeze in this big house alone!". The reply given to him this time is nearly a growl and Wei Wuxian almost laughs at it.

"At least the house is neat! I hope you know, dear Hanguang-Jun, I am simply terrible athousework! Who knows what will become of this poor house if I'm left in it for far too long!"There is no reply to this that Wei Wuxian can hear, despite him tilting his head to help him listenfor it. He lets himself pause and waits, wondering if he's irritated his husband away.

"Oh," he says suddenly when he hears the clamor of creaking and snapping wood, Hanguang-Jun now glaring at him from a gap in the hallway. "There you are, dear Hanguang-Jun. Tell me, am I going the right way to the bedrooms?"

Hanguang-Jun's claws curl into the railing he clings to and a shiver of fear and anticipation crawls up Wei Wuxian's spine. He smiles.

"Is this not the way then? Ah, no matter! I'll need to figure out the layout of my new home at some point. Might as well start now!"

They hold each other's gazes and Wei Wuxian works hard not to crumble under the searing golden eyes of his dragon husband. Had they been on a human, poets would run out of words to describe their beauty. As it is, Wei Wuxian simply decides to call them pretty. After a moment, something shifts in them and Hanguang-Jun releases the railing to fly smoothly over to another across the way. Here, he waits, still as a statue, and still watching Wei Wuxian.

"What is it?" He asks with a small frown. "Are you leaving or do you want me to follow? Youneed to be more clear about these things."

Hanguang-Jun flicks his tail like he had when he nearly swatted Wei Wuxian off the mountain.Wei Wuxian lets a sly grin come to his face."Oh? Are you showing me to the bedrooms? So bold of you, Hanguang-Jun! Simply can't wait toget me out of these wedding robes, can you!"

The wooden railing snaps beneath Hanguang-Jun's claw with ease as he lifts himself up to fullheight, expression easily perceived as murderous. With an unhurried gait, Wei Wuxian walks towhere the dragon glowers at him, completely at ease.

"Now, now, no need to be embarrassed. It's your wedding day too, after all!" A huff. Hanguang-Jun turns away to climb over the roof and wait for Wei Wuxian farther away; still leading himdespite it all. "I must admit I am grateful. I wish to be rid of these clothes just as quickly! Although, not quite for the same reason." He laughs and it echoes in the empty halls. 

"They're not meant for the cold, you see. I doubt any of them thought I'd be alive this long, after all."

He forces another laugh. He did not expect to be alive this long, after all.

Hanguang-Jun waits for him. This time he is unmoving as Wei Wuxian approaches and WeiWuxian swallows down his fear as they come face to face. His heart was no more a caged bird in his chest. Hardly a foot separates them. Wei Wuxian can feel the frost that clings to Hanguang-Jun's form slip past his thin robes and slide across his skin.He refuses to shiver.

"What's this? Are we here already?" Hanguang-Jun seems to search his face. Wei Wuxian can'timagine what he's looking for. "Well? Dear husband, I do believe your communication skills needsome immediate work." Golden eyes sharpen, quick like a blade, and Hanguang-Jun moves offagain. He does not look back.

(He still pauses at each turn. Waiting.)

They make it to a series of bedrooms eventually; tucked off into a corner, leaving Wei Wuxiansuspicious that he has been brought to some mere servant or guest quarters.

"Hanguang-Jun!" He goes to complain but he is greeted with the sound of a winter squall and the sight of the dragon taking to the sky from the courtyard Wei Wuxian had left him in. Wei Wuxian finds himself feeling rather put-out. "You could have at least stayed to keep me company."

The room is modest to the point of minimalistic but there is a bed and there is a desk and thickerrobes that Wei Wuxian is pleased to find uneaten by mice or moths. He wonders if it's the coldthat keeps them away or the dragon himself and smirks at the irony as he quickly strips and tugsthe new robes on.

They smell of stale wood and of winter's frost. It's not entirely unpleasant but they sit stiffly onWei Wuxian's shoulders, so he's left shivering despite the new layers. The color is plain: a dull white with wispy blue clouds sewn on as the only decoration. Wei Wuxian can only think todescribe them as mourning clothes. Oddly fitting, but he tells himself he's going to fade right into the snowy background at this point and can only wonder what sort of people once lived here to wear such dreadfully boring things.

With warmer clothing acquired, he bustles around his new room. It is actually quite large, but that may be more to do with the amount of space that lays open and bare. He spends a good amount of time picking things up and putting them down just to gain a sense of ownership and celebrates loudly when he discovers and starts an aged heater. He smiles and hums as he warms his hands and tries to evade the ache that's crawling deep into his bones.

The night is still young, after all, and it is only one of many.

Chapter End...

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