The White Phoenix

Chapter 16 - Stop and Stare

After feeding Wei Ying, he slept through the night just fine. When Lan Wangji woke the following morning, Wei Ying was awake, staring at him. Wei Ying smiled when he saw the Young Jade looking back at him after a night's sleep.

"He has been fed already, I let you sleep a bit longer as you were up with him most of the night," Lan Xichen told Wangji when he saw his brother was awake, "even as an infant A'Xian seems to be fond of you."

Lan Wangji nodded, "even as an infant, only born hours ago, he just smiled all the time."

"It makes sense, as he was always known for his smile," Lan Xichen told him, "why don't you get up and go get something to eat? I will watch him."

"Alright," Lan Wangji stood up and made his bed before going to go bathe. Wei Ying whined when Lan Wangji walked further away from him causing Wangji to look back at him, "I will be back. You will have my brother here with you," Wangji said softly.

Wei Ying didn't stop whining. Lan Wangji walked over to him and picked him up, "what, don't want me to go anywhere?"

Wei Ying stopped whining once he was in Wangji's arms but stuck out his bottom lip as if he was pouting. Wangji let out a soft chuckle at Baby Wei Ying being upset.

"Seems like he really doesn't want you to leave his sight," Lan Xichen told him.

"Well, I need to bathe and go eat, and he is not necessarily ready to be out and about yet," Wangji said, "plus, other in the clan don't know of him yet."

"Why not place a bassinet in the room with you? He can hang out while you bathe, and I can go get breakfast for you," Xichen suggested.

"I guess that is something we can do for now," Wangji said.

Lan Xichen left to go get breakfast for Wangji and Wangji took Wei Ying to where the tub was and settle him into the bassinet nearby. After undressing and getting into the tub, he was yet again, being stared down by Wei Ying. Lan Wangji didn't know what to think of the situation.

"Do you have to stare at me?" Wangji calmly asked the infant.

Wei Ying smiled at him and let out a giggle. Something within Lan Wangji made him smile back at the little infant as he moved to the side of the tub closest to Wei Ying.

"If you stare at me, I stare at you," Wangji teased, "perhaps I should finish bathing first."

Lan Wangji kept glancing at Wei Ying as he washed his body and then his hair before getting out of the water and dried off. He dress into his pristine white GusuLan robes and tied his ribbon back on his forehead before picking Wei Ying up and taking him over to the table, setting him in a bassinet beside Wangji. Wei Ying whined as soon as he was in the bassinet, he didn't want to be there, he wanted to be held. Lan Wangji chuckled as he sat down and took Wei Ying back out of the bassinet and into the comfort of his arms.

"Better?" Lan Wangji asked

As Wangji spoke gently to him, he let Wei Ying hold his finger again. Wei Ying then put the finger in his mouth. Lan Wangji found the feeling to be very weird. A small slobbery mouth with no teeth just nibbling on his finger. He wanted to take his finger away but he didn't want to upset the infant and cause him to cry. Lan Wangji knew he had to get some sort of toys for him so Wei Ying didn't have to use Wangji's finger as a chew toy.

"Wangji," Xichen soon returned with Lan Wangji's breakfast and saw he was a bit preoccupied, "being a chew toy?"

"Unfortunately...I don't want to upset him so just let him be for now. We can get him some toys later," Wangji told him, "thanks for bringing me breakfast."

"You're welcome," Lan Xichen replied, "so, I have to ask, would you like to just lay low and watch over him? I don't really think the other sects would find it okay that your soulmate is currently an infant...though he is a fifty-thousand year old infant."

Lan Wangji smiled, "I don't mind. Though, when I take disciples out for night hunts, that may have to be postponed or someone else would have to do it. I also don't want the Jiang's in the sect unless it's for a conference meeting. They can't come in Jingshi anyway but still. With Jiang Wanyin's threat, I am more protective."

"As you should be," Lan Xichen said, "I will make sure that Jiang Wanyin isn't alone if he comes here. Though most of the conference meetings are hosted in Lanling or Qinghe."

"Mnn," Lan Wangji nodded and looked down at Wei Ying who finally let go of his hand, "thank you for giving me my hand back," he told the infant as he wiped his hand on a handkerchief.

"Is it weird to point out that parenthood might suit you?" Lan Xichen asked.

"Maybe a little bit," Lan Wangji answered.

Lan Xichen let out a chuckle. Wei Ying let Lan Xichen take him so that Lan Wangji could eat, but as soon as Lan Wangji was done, Wei Ying immediately wanted to go back to Lan Wangji.

"You know, you wanted nothing to do with me before, now you can't get enough of me," Lan Wangji said taking Wei Ying back into his arms.

"That is something to think about," Lan Xichen stated, "though, I wonder if he actually didn't want to push you way but did because of what he was put through."

"I don't think I'll ever really know," Lan Wangji told him.

"When he reaches eighteen, he gains all his memories back, his past memories and the memories of his family and godhood," Lan Xichen said, "so if you remember, you can ask him when he gains his memories."

"I suppose," Lan Wangji nodded, "um, I have to ask, is there books on raising a baby? I know nothing."

"Yes, I can go to the library to get them later. I am to meet with Shufu in a little bit. I can get them on my way back," Lan Xichen said, "I can also get a person from the nursery who will keep his whereabouts a secret, that can help you."

"That might be useful," Lan Wangji said.

Wangji looked down at Wei Ying in his arms again. The little infant was close to dozing off. Lan Wangji, for some reason, found it quite comforting to be holding him. After his brother left, Lan Wangji started to hum a tune he had been writing recently. The humming was soothing enough for Wei Ying to completely fall asleep. As he was falling asleep, his little hand rested on Lan Wangji's chest, gripping onto his robes. Lan Wangji smiled down at the sleeping infant before getting up and taking him over to his cradle for him to sleep.