Solstice Souls

Understand

Wei Ying POV

Silver eyes snapped open and grew as wide as saucers. Wei Ying stared at Lan Zhan's face, the jade's one eyebrow a thread higher than the other one. The pounding of his heart thudded in his chest like a thousand battle drums. And, no matter how hard he tried to inhale, his lungs failed to inflate.

"H-How did you f-f-find out?" he stammered as he sat upright on the bed, scooting backwards until his back hit the wall.

Lan Zhan did not say a word. He simply reached for the sack lying on the floor and placed it gently into Wei Ying's lap. The jade reached in and pulled out the make-up container, holding it in front of him on his open palm. Wei Ying looked at it with a broken gaze before closing his eyes and lowering his head.

"What are you going to do now, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, fearing the worst.

"Understand."

Wei Ying looked back at him. There was something in the jade's golden eyes that put Wei Ying at ease. The man may not say a lot but Wei Ying was learning that, when he did, each word was important.

"You know why I did it. The same reason I lied to you before."

"Why keep lying?" Lan Zhan asked. "Thought this," he said as he put his hand to first Wei Ying's chest and then his own. "was our safe space."

Lan Zhan tried to keep the hurt out of his voice but realized he had failed when he saw the large tears collecting in those silver eyes staring back at him.

Wei Ying gently pushed his way off the bed, shrugging off Lan Zhan's attempt to keep him there. He needed space. He needed air. Yet, when he looked back at the young jade still sitting on the bed, he paused. 

No more running. No more hiding. No more lies. He loved Lan Zhan too much to lose him now. Wei Ying didn't know how or when his love for his jade had taken root in his heart, only that he could no longer live without the man looking at him with a pained expression.

Pulling his robes up and securing them properly with his sash, Wei Ying turned and held out his hand to the questioning jade.

"Come with me. I need you to see something." Wei Ying said, his voice flat but hopeful.

Lan Zhan looked at him with a puzzled expression that Wei Ying thought was so adorable.

"So you can understand." 

When Lan Zhan took his hand and stood to follow him, Wei Ying's heart leapt in his chest. Without drawing attention to them, Wei Ying led his fiance to their carriage and untied a small black bag that was still secured to the back of the vehicle. He slung it over his head and one shoulder before unsheathing Suibian.

"Come." Wei Ying whispered so as not to draw any unwanted attention their way.

Lan Zhan followed suit and did the same with his Bichen and, within seconds, the two were flying towards Yunmeng. It was late by Lan Clan rules, but for the rest of the world, the party was just starting. As the two men landed safely just outside the still bustling city, Wei Ying once more took Lan Zhan's hand, entwining their fingers and squeezing the warm hand in his.

"Follow me." Wei Ying said with a playful wink knowing full well that his husband-to-be could not resist.

They had not gone far when Wei Ying stopped and took shelter behind some empty crates and started taking off his outer robe. A flash of white and a quick intake of air reminded him of how chaste His Jade was.

"Sorry, Lan Zhan." he giggled. "I forgot that you get embarrassed easily."

Actually, he was nowhere near sorry. Wei Ying loved  being the reason a lotus pink blush graced the jade's earlobes. It was so much fun teasing the older boy when Lan Zhan reacted like that. His body was buzzing with excitement as he secured the final piece of his costume.