The Bride of Dragon

14. Please don't go

There is something wrong with Lan Wangji. With quiet steps, Wei Wuxian searches for him through their snowy mansion, his fingers anxiously toying with the ribbon left to him after their last new moon. He's taken to wearing the ribbon,wrapped neatly around his right wrist, as he finds the smooth silk comforting. And with the myriad of emotions that swell within his heart at the flashes of memory he can't will himself to forget - all of which go unchecked or blatantly ignored - he's been depending on the ribbon more and more. They've yet to discuss their night together, as Lan Wangji is unable to speak and Wei Wuxian finds himself unable to even begin encroaching on such a delicate topic.

Did Lan Wangji regret it? Did itmean anything to him in the first place? Wei Wuxian can't imagine Lan Wangji being the type togive such intimacy away freely, but if he did have any feelings towards Wei Wuxian then surelythe curse should have—Wei Wuxian shakes his head and drags the broken pieces of his heart in closer. It does no one anygood for him to think of such things.He had tried to bring it up once, that night, after he woke alone to the keen winter wind and LanWangji's forehead ribbon wrinkled in his hands. However, when he moved to approach the suddenly elusive dragon, a fumbling laugh falling from his lips as he offered the ribbon back, Lan Wangji had simply turned his head and walked away. That was nearly three weeks ago.

Since then, Wei Wuxian has been unable to hold a conversation with the dragon lasting more than three sentences, and that is only when the dragon finds the time to even show himself.Wei Wuxian had been upset at first, with the sudden and cruel cold shoulder, but that has long since burned away into a sticky anger that is digging itself even deeper into his heart.

"Hanguang-Jun," Wei Wuxian huffs to absolutely no one. "How is it your communication skills still need so much work? If you just let me talk to you, I could apologize and...!" His fingerstighten where they've already begun to twine with the flowing ends of the ribbon. This would not be his first attempt at an apology, that had come the next time he found Lan Wangji again.

(Taking advantage of the other's drunken state truly hadn't been Wei Wuxian's initial plan.)

But it had gone as terribly as every other conversation they've had since, crumbling their relationship into tinier pieces. Pieces too fragile for Wei Wuxian to handle them without worry.He moves through his home like a ghost and finds the rest of the mansion haunted only by hismemories of it. Lan Wangji is not at the Jingshi, he is not resting at his favourite cottage or playingwith their rabbits in the open plain behind the mansion. He is not waiting for him beneath the library window or nestled into the crook of the roof where Wei Wuxian enjoyed playing for him.

He is nowhere in their home, so Wei Wuxian fights the stuttering of his heart and returns to hisgarden. Perhaps Hanguang-Jun is simply flying, giving himself the space he needs, and maybe tonight he'll return home with a gentle look and allow Wei Wuxian the time he needs to properlyexpress himself.Maybe they can be okay. 

Wei Wuxian returns to his garden crushed beneath his husband's claws."Lan Zhan...?" Wei Wuxian whispers as he watches Lan Wangji's gaze lift up, claws flexing inthe dirt. He's in the middle of the mess, vegetables and dirt all upturned and destroyed, and there isno remorse to be seen on his face. "Lan Zhan—! You—! How could you?!" Wei Wuxian races for him. He does not care that the golden gaze is no longer familiar or that his flesh is soft and weakunder a dragon's strength. His heart has been shattered too many times for him to care about hisown safety now. "Stop!!"

He pushes all his weight into Lan Wangji's chest, desperate to shove him back. His eyes areburning and the gasps breaking from him are too close to sobs, but still he tries to move the dragonaway. "We can talk about this!" he tries. His grip is slipping and Lan Wangji's only reply is a widesweep of his tail, razing the next plot nearest him. Wei Wuxian chokes on his words. "Lan Zhan!!!" He's left to fall to the earth when Lan Wangji suddenly pulls away and stalks back towards themansion, seeming satisfied with his work. The ground is hard and cold where it stabs into WeiWuxian's knees and the snow that had once been kind is beginning to fall in earnest."Why..." he asks softly, hunched over in the dirt. "Do you hate me that much, Lan Zhan? You've never been this cruel..."

The snow pricks like needles where it whips into his face.Lan Wangji doesn't reply, but he does pause, his back still to the other. Wei Wuxian staggers to his feet and turns to face him again. From the corner of his eyes, he notices the rabbits cowering neartheir now blossoming plum tree and the ache in his heart becomes unbearable."What happened to your manners, Hanguang-Jun?" He spits. His voice is as icy as the weather thats wirls around them.

"Or is it that you've finally gotten bored of me? Gods are known to be picky,after all. Would you like me to go down and ask for someone new to entertain you? Since LotusPier was last year, why don't I go to Yiling to find you a pretty new bride? Is that what you want, Hanguang-Jun?"

It's undeniably vicious. It's meant to be. Yet Wei Wuxian doesn't know what to make of thegnawing ache that hollows him out when Lan Wangji turns to him and he can see the faintest flashof pain cross his face. Wei Wuxian finds himself stumbling forward and reaching out, to wound or comfort he does not know, and refuses to let up even as Lan Wangji presses back."Is that just how you princes are? Or are you really just that desperate for me to get lost?" He lunges for and clutches Lan Wangji's face.

"Have you forgotten why I'm here in the first place?"Lan Wangji stills and with his wounded heart he does not take the time to see what else these words could mean and recoils violently.

Then go! Lan Wangji wishes he could shout, uncaring of the rules that strung him so tight withinthese walls. You never had to stay in the first place!Wei Wuxian does not listen to him either, refusing to exit the orbit of the dragon."You seem so desperate to make me leave. You've been pushing at me since the day I arrived,what makes you think today is going to end any different!" He grabs Lan Wangji's clawed arm.

"Why won't you let me help—!"(All wounded animals act on instinct when afraid.)

The blood that swells from the wound Lan Wangji's claws leave soaks easily into the black silk of Wei Wuxian's robe. Although he doesn't notice it right away, the shock of Lan Wangji ripping himself from Wei Wuxian's hold pins him to one spot. It's not until the scent of it catches hisattention and the warmth of it trailing down his left arm feels so out of place with the cold encasing the rest of his body that he bothers to look down and recognize the deep vermillion painting the icysnow below. Neither of them seem to be able to breath."Lan Zhan...?" Wei Wuxian asks weakly, bringing one trembling hand to press against his sleeve.It comes back bloody, but Wei Wuxian still can't seem to feel any pain from it.

"Lan Zhan,you..."

"Wangji!" A new voice breaks. Wei Wuxian stumbles back. Lan Wangji still hasn't moved. "Wei Wuxian!"Lan Xichen tries to approach them, worry darkening his usually bright features, but Wei Wuxian won't let him and he continues to move back as he shakes his head soundlessly.

"Fine," he says softly once he reaches the edge of his destroyed garden. "I get it."
"Wei Wuxian...!" Lan Xichen tries, but Wei Wuxian doesn't hear him. He lifts his hands in a finalsalute—a final goodbye—the blood from his arm spattering across the snow staining any new fleckthat tries to cover it and then leaves without another sound.His departure is echoed in the rage of the blizzard, and Lan Wangji turns to his brother and liftshimself high to assert himself. His show is wasted and Lan Xichen levels him with a stony look."That will not work on me, Wangji. I know what tonight is. I will not leave you."

Down the mountain, Wei Wuxian's body shivers as he continues through the snow and ice. When he bleeds out of the darkness of the forest and into the light of Lotus Pier, he easily terrifies the scant few villagers who have dared to leave in such a storm (inside, the other residents whisper,wondering what had they done to earn such a harsh winter) which gives him the space to make his way towards his home.

Once he gets to the doors, he knocks. Twice. It has been a year, it would surely be rude of him to just barge in unannounced.It seems as if rumours have already spread to the Jiang family complex, because a desperate looking Jiang Cheng is the one who flings open the door, eyes wide and familiar, and Wei Wuxian just manages to give him a small smile before fainting into his arms.

Another chapter here!!✨