Wings of Silence: Dark Knight Returns

2: Blackish Pale

The sun's exceptionally... un-bright today. But it isn't the rainy season yet either... Lan Wangji pondered as he walked out the kitchen to the main grounds and stood at the centre, hands crossed behind his back, waiting.

"Hello, Lan Er-Gongzi."

"Greetings, Lan Er-Gongzi."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded to all who passed by, greeting him more out of awe than courtesy.

"Lan Er-Gongzi, do you perhaps need anything?"

"No, it's fine. Thank you."

"Oh, Sizhui, right? Lemme go fetch him?"

"It is fine, he may come at his own pace. I don't mind waiting. Thank you, child," he inclined his head to the junior.

The Jiang boy nodded, bowed and hopped away.

Lan Wangji remained standing for six more minutes, determined to head to the classroom to check should his boy not walk out in another four minutes.

"Baba!"

"Sizhui, don't scream."

Weilan Yuan, now a tall and handsome twelve-year-old, grinned as he ran closer. "Come on Baba, you're the only one in all of Lotus Pier who doesn't shout a bit."

"I prefer not to," Lan Wangji smiled and ruffled his hair. "Your Diedie does my share too."

"How precise," Weilan Sizhui chuckled and hugged him. "You seem in a good mood, Baba?"

"Mn?"

"Mhm!"

"Well, you will too."

"Oh?"

"A-Ying went to fetch your shidi."

"Jin Ling!?"

"Mn."

"HURRAY!" Sizhui leapt up in joy and started dancing on the main ground.

"Sizhui."

"Baba?"

"What's going on there?" Lan Zhan pointed to the pier.

"Hmm?" Sizhui frowned at the crowd gathered there. "Dangerous for such a number to aggregate on a deck. Shall we go check, Baba?"

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, though his instincts told a lot about what exactly was going on at the deck.

Weilan Yuan strode forwards and tapped the back of a boy at the back, jumping high to catch a glimpse of the chaos.

Chaos...

Of course. I should have known, Lan Wangji smirked to himself. Master Walking Chaos has returned.

Ah, the entire Chaotic Lotus Trio? Splendid. Lan Zhan nudged Lan Sizhui to stand beside him, before clearing his throat a tad loudly.

"Lan Er-Gongzi!" The disciples at the back gasped and made way, passing forth the message by ramming those at the front in their ribs.

"Well, well, if it isn't my A-Zhan!"

"A-Ying," Lan Zhan nodded, stoically biting back the smile of pride.

"I was just asking after you two, Wangji," Jiang Yanli smiled.

"Shijie," Lan Zhan bowed.

Perhaps he respected Yanli for looking after Wei Wuxian and hence addressed her similarly... or perhaps (most likely) he simply loved to flaunt his husbandhood.

"Little Rulan," Lan Zhan patted the little boy's head peeking from behind Jin Zixuan's robes, Suihua's tassel dangling over his face.

"Jin Ling shidi!" Weilan Yuan rushed forth, purple robes flying in every direction. He bowed to the parents before looking up at Zixuan. "Jin Gongzi, may I play with him?"