Letting go of self-restraint 5 - Great happiness in a small package

Chapter 41

Lan Wangji was holding his husband protectively in his arms and willing himself to breathe in a steady rhythm so Wei Ying would be able to copy him and calm down faster. It had been such a shock to him when his fated soulmate suddenly stopped and looked terrified out of his mind. Lan Wangji had panicked together with him, unable to pinpoint the exact cause.

Luckily, he had managed to uncover it fairly quickly. Had it been a few years back, he would have had never been bothered by silence nor would he had noticed it too much. After living with the ever vocal and loud Wei Ying and their baby, he knew that silence was nothing good. It meant something was wrong, either with his husband or with A-Yuan. So, this time, he had noticed it only after several seconds.

As soon as he had though, it had been easy for him to understand what exactly had been happening. The talisman had gone silent and glowed in dim red light, indicating that it had been out of range. He had sighed in relief, closing his eyes for a brief moment, and he had helped his husband to go back where the talisman would work again. A-Yuan's happy babbling had reappeared and Wei Ying had calmed down as if by magic.

Lan Wangji continued whispering reassurances to the other through their mental bond, releasing his pheromones and rubbing his soulmate's back. In general, everything that he knew Wei Ying appreciated and that would help in calming him down. The question was what they should do from now on though.

"I am not sure it is a good odea to continue with the night hunt. I would hate for Wei Ying to experience any more panic or fear because he would not be able to hear A-Yuan anymore. This is the first time we are trying this, I am afraid of negative consequences. Even though those could arise from both continuing the night hunt and going back. It would not help if Wei Ying started to blame himself for not being able to do what he had set his mind onto. What should we do? Brother, I really need your guidance right now."

Lan Wangji was worrying all the while providing comfort to his husband. He had briefly panicked himself, but he was also feeling better now that Wei Ying was less stressed out. Still, he was not sure if they should continue or not. He dearly wanted to have his brother by his side now so he would be able to ask him for advice, like all the times he had been at the end of his rope. The problem was, that he was here alone with Wei Ying and had to make the decision himself.

Or, not all by himself as he realized immediately when his husband finally looked at him, his cheeks still stained in tears and his eyes puffy and red. They were husbands, bound by marriage and by the unbreakable fated soulmate's bond. They were as one, and they should also act in harmony.

"Lan Zhan, I am fine now..." Wei Ying reassured him still a little weakly. His eyes were calm though and that was the most important right now. He somehow managed to laugh as well, and made it not sound too painful or self-deprecating. "I never thought I would overreact so much with just going out of the talisman's range. That surprised even me. But I am alright now, we can continue with the night hunt. A-Yuan is sleeping peacefully, so there is no way anything will happen to him now, right?"

Lan Wangji looked at the Omega, judging how exactly he was feeling. It was true, he had to admit, A-Yuan must have gone to sleep in the meantime because all they could hear from the talisman now were soft, peaceful breaths. Nie Huisang and Lan Xichen must have tired him out and put him to bed in his very secured room. As Wei Ying was saying, Lan Wangji could not imagine anything going wrong at this point, not when his brother and the Qinghe Nie sect heir were keeping an eye on his son.

Still, he was not completely convinced that everything was indeed fine. Wei Ying had just had a scare of his life. Was he really willing to continue with the night hunt and lose even the last reassurance – he would no longer be able to hear what was happening on the other side of the talisman – he could fall back on in case of need?

"Wei Ying? Are you sure?" he asked, just to give his husband another chance to consider everything.

And it was just what Wei Ying did. He looked pensive for a while longer before he grinned at Lan Wangji confidently, taking reassurance from their joined hands: "Lan Zhan, I am hundred percent sure. Although I overreacted before, I do indeed believe that Brother Nie and Xichen will take good care of A-Yuan. And the sooner we are done here, the sooner we can go see our little radish again. We cannot let the poor people of Yiling be spooked by those pesky walking corpses any longer, right?"

Wei Ying even winked at Lan Wangji with his last sentence, a clear attempt at joking. This was what actually reassured the Second Jade the most. Knowing that his husband was feeling well enough to joke with him and to think about something else but their son gave him hope that perhaps they were truly over the worst part. He believed his fated Omega with all his might, if Wei Ying was telling him he was ready to take another step towards his recovery, who was Lan Wangji to stop him? And in the odd chance something would actually go awry, he would make sure to support his husband to the best of his abilities.

"Whatever Wei Ying wants and needs," was his only reply as he helped the other stand up.

He was rewarded by a sweet kiss and a hug from his Omega. Wei Ying never let go of his hand as he turned towards the direction they had been travelling in before this unfortunate incident. He took a deep breath and initiated the first step fearlessly. Lan Wangji could tell, he could feel everything that his husband did. And right now, Wei Ying wanted to believe so much in Nie Huisang and Lan Xichen, and also in himself. He wanted to do this.

The Second Jade squeezed his hand to show him that he would support whatever decision his husband made. Wei Ying looked at him again, calm and smiling. Though his previous excitement was all but gone, he was still determined to finish his mission and come back home to A-Yuan victorious. In more than one sense, he was out to face both the walking corpses and his own fears.

"Let us go, Lan Zhan, let us have some fun," he prompted in the end and led the way.

Lan Wangji followed gladly, marvelling at the fact that Wei Ying was so strong and so willing to always do better and become even stronger for his family and for himself. He would make sure that his fated soulmate would not regret his decision.