WangXian Forever 7

Chapter 9 Worry

Just before they had left the banquet, Li XiWang had asked Shui if he also wanted to join them. It sounded like a good idea, and since Daden Yaonu was going along, Wei Ying had given his permission. Shui had given him one last hug before leaving with his sister.

Now that they were alone in this room, Wei Ying pushed Lan Zhan over to the bed. When he sat down, Wei Ying climbed into his lap, resting his ear against the strong solid chest.

"We are completely alone now. Tell me, my love." He said, softly.

"I wish to use our mind connection." Lan Zhan told him. "Wei Ying can see my thoughts. It will be easier."

"Very well." Wei Ying closed his eyes.

Wei Ying, are you happy staying in Cloud Recesses? When Tiaopi De Long said he was restless, I thought of you. If you are not happy, we can do something else.

Wei Ying's eyes snapped open. He threw his arms around Lan Zhan's neck.

"That's what had you worried?"

"Mn."

"Then let me tell you the truth. Lan Zhan, I haven't thought about leaving home in such a long time, I honestly can't remember. The trips we've had to take, they don't count, right?"

"Mn."

"And the thing is, we've actually spent more time outside of Cloud Recesses than staying there." He sighed, and kissed Lan Zhan's warm neck, snuggling closer.

Lan Zhan held him tighter.

"I don't think I feel restless any more. Do you want to know the real reason why I left after GuanYin Temple?"

"Mn?" Golden eyes stared back full of curiosity.

"Well, the thing is, after we left together, and SiZhui went off with Wen Ning, I thought...I thought you would have come with me. I know XiChen-Ge was going through a tough time, and to be honest, I really didn't know how you felt about me. I think...no, I know that I've loved you since we were teenagers. But you were always so cold against me...and I didn't want to bother you any more."

"Always, always loved Wei Ying." He said firmly, the shock of Wei Ying's words still reverberating in his eyes.

"Yeah...you'd think one of us would have had the guts to confess, right?" Wei Ying laughed awkwardly. "It doesn't matter any more. My family is in Cloud Recesses, but I promise you, my home is where you are. You don't need to worry about me wanting to go anywhere, because I'll always tell you." He leaned up and their lips met, soft and sweetly. "This...this feeling..." He took Lan Zhan's hand and placed it on his heart. "Can you feel what you do to me?"

He swallowed hard when those amber eyes darkened. Lan Zhan took his hand and placed it upon his own heart.

"Same as Wei Ying."

"You...you are so hot right now!" Wei Ying tackled him down and kissed him hard.

Lan Zhan allowed it for a few minutes before flipping them over.

"We're supposed to be resting." Wei Ying giggled, clinging on as if his life depended upon it.

"We can rest later." Lan Zhan ripped open the ties which hid that beautiful body.

"Agreed!" Wei Ying threw silencing talismans all over the room.

******

Jiang Cheng was gloomily cleaning his sword, while XiChen paced slowly, trying to help Li Li sleep. He stopped by his husband and kissed the top of his head.

"Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?" He asked, after Jiang Cheng sighed for the tenth time.

"Nothing!"

XiChen handed the baby over to him, and she immediately settled, holding his robe in a tight-fisted grip. She yawned once and promptly fell asleep.

XiChen tried not to gape, but at least Jiang Cheng had returned to good humour.

"It's just that...my idiot brother will want to go look for that stupid plant. You know what he's like."

"You don't want him to go?"

"Of course not! But it's not like he's going to listen to me, is it?" Jiang Cheng laid back on the bed, cradling his daughter.

XiChen laid down next to him, so little Li Li rested between them, cocooned by both of their bodies.

"WanYin, have you ever told Brother Wei how you feel?"

"What's the point? He'll still go ahead and do what he wants anyway." Jiang Cheng closed his eyes in a huff.

He felt those soft lips land on his forehead, and for a second he was reminded of his elder sister. She often kissed both him and Wei Ying there, just before sleeping, when they were kids. Her unconditional love was much like XiChen's, in that his husband never failed to support him.

"You know, it might be beneficial to you both just to clear the air." XiChen suggested, throwing his spare arm over Jiang Cheng to pull him closer.

"I'll think about it." Jiang Cheng returned to his normal scowling face.

"We can't make people do what we want...but we can feel better that we at least tried to help." XiChen said softly, just as Jiang Cheng fell asleep.

*********

Jin Ling was kissing SiZhui silly.

"Have you ever thought about being a father?" SiZhui asked him, trying to get the words out in between long kisses.

Jin Ling kissed his nose one last time and flopped onto his back.

"Not really...but I'm guessing you have?" He opened an eye to check out his husband.

Husband. It was such an innocuous term, perhaps taken for granted by some, but Jin Ling knew it would never be so by himself. He had a shot of pride every time he thought it, the word producing happy tingles inside his chest.

SiZhui rolled over and straddled him.

"You know, the last time we came here, father and I had to visit the main town. Being here, so far away from the other towns, this one seems to be worse off. There are many children without parents and I was wondering if you wanted to adopt one." He smiled sadly. "I miss looking after the rabbits."

Jin Ling sat up, holding him close.

"Why didn't you say anything? I told you before, if it's important to you, then it's important to me." He leaned back so he could look into those warm chocolate eyes. "I meant it."

"I know you did," SiZhui rushed to reassure him. "I guess it must have been playing on my mind...I had no idea that's what I wanted. But then father and Shui..."

"Yeah, Uncle has a talent for picking up strays." Jin Ling laughed, but he stopped at the hurt look in SiZhui's eyes. "What?"

"I'm a so-called stray." SiZhui said, but his lip quivered. "Is that how you see me?"

"No! No, that's not what I meant. SiZhui, please forgive me. I had no idea what I was saying." Jin Ling pulled him into his arms, not letting him go. "My sweet, sweet SiZhui, I'm so sorry. I should not have been so flippant." He tipped up SiZhui's chin and gasped when he saw tears.

"My fathers never made me feel as if I did not belong." SiZhui said, the lump in his throat making it hard to talk. "And while I was growing up, a part of me wondered why I could never remember my early years...maybe I always knew? My people were killed in the most brutal way, all for having the wrong surname. I don't blame your family...even after everything that happened at the temple...but I just thought, wouldn't it be nice if we could give just one kid a better way of life? Don't you think so?"

Jin Ling kissed his eyelids and then his cheeks, and lastly, his lips.

"You are so much more noble than me." Jin Ling whispered. "You take the time to think about other people...and I...I'm just a terrible person. How did I get so lucky finding you?"

"You're not terrible." SiZhui smiled through his tears. "Just a busy one. Promise me you'll think about it?"

"Deal." Jin Ling kissed him again, happy that he had been forgiven.