Together

13. Lanterns

That evening, everyone went near the cliff of the mountain and started making lanterns. Wei Wuxian, who was sitting in between Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng, started painting on his lantern. After finishing, he spoke up to Lan Wangji. "Lan Zhan, shall we set a lantern together to make a wish, since we have experienced life risks together." Wei Wuxian asked. "I'm used to being alone." Lan Wangji replied. "You can change your habits. Besides, my lantern is made specially for you, Second Young Master Lan. Look." Wei Wuxian said pouting as he showed Lan Wangji his lantern. Lan Wangji glanced at it once and saw a beautifully drawn rabbit on Wei Wuxian's lantern. 

Looking at the rabbit on Wei Wuxian's lantern, Lan Wangji's lips turned upward slightly, but enough for Wei Wuxian to notice. He grinned. "You smiled!" Wei Wuxian said smiling as he looked at Lan Wangji. Feeling embarrassed, Lan Wangji angrily picked up his sword making Wei Wuxian hurriedly get up and move backward. While doing so, he ended up kicking Nie Huaisang's lantern and burning it. "Bro Wei! Mine is the best of the best. I made it with efforts. How can you just burn it?" Nie Huaisang cried as he saw his lantern burning. "Bro Nie, relax. I'll make you a new one okay?" Wei Wuxian offered. "This paper was produced in Cheyun works in Qinghe. It is as slight as the wings of cicada, as fine as jade and worth thousands of gold. You can't afford it." Nie Huaisang cried as he sat down and started making a new lantern with Wei Wuxian's help.

After finishing the lantern, everyone released their lanterns into the air. "Look. Mine went so high." "Look at mine." "So lovely." Everyone said as they looked at their lanterns fly high into the sky. After flying high enough, everyone clasped their hands together and made a wish, with only a few saying it out loud.

"I wish I can graduate successfully and not come back here again." Nie Huaisang said. "I wish my little brother can be safe and sound his whole life and no danger in his life." Wen Qing said. "I wish Wei Wuxian can one day fall in love with me, and live happily with me." Jiang Cheng said.

Lan Wangji looked at the sky and thought of his wish, his timing coinciding with Wei Wuxian saying his wish. 'I, Lan Wangji, wish I can always stand with justice and live with no regrets' "I, Wei Wuxian, wish I can always stand with justice and live with no regrets." Wei Wuxian said. Hearing Wei Wuxian's wish, Lan Wangji stared at him in shock, his eyes wide while his mouth was slightly open. He slowly turned away, blushing slightly, for he never expected Wei Wuxian to wish for the same thing he did. 'We are polar opposites, is what I heard people say. But, I think that's only on the outside. Looks like... deep down... we both have the same beliefs.'

"Wei Ying!" Jiang Cheng said as he walked towards him. "Jiang Cheng." Wei Wuxian said, smiling. "What did you wish for?" He asked him. "You know it Wei Ying." He said smiling. "You?" Wei Wuxian sighed. 'Of course Jiang Cheng would wish for me to fall in love with him.' He thought. 'Too bad for him, that's never gonna happen.' "Saving the weak and the poor." Wei Wuxian replied, making Lan Wangji's ears turn red to what he just said. 'I honestly never expected Wei Ying to wish for the same thing I did.' As he thought about it, a small smile formed on his lips for a fraction of a second before melting away. Lan Wangji breathed in deeply once, before picking up his sword and walking away.