The White Phoenix

Chapter 19 - Sickness

Lan Wangji has been having a rough few days. It's just the start of the winter season, and Wei Ying has come down with temperature, vomiting, body aches, and some fatigue. Being a toddler, it wasn't really a nice feeling. Although, no one liked to be sick. Lan Wangji has been watching him around the clock, barely leaving his side. Lan Qiren took over Sect responsibilities for the time being so Lan Xichen could help out whenever possible.

Lan Xichen was actually pretty good at cooking. So he made Wei Ying a healthy soup but only gave him the broth to start with so see if he can keep it down. Lan Wangji, just like Wei Ying's past life, hated seeing him in such a mess. He didn't like seeing Wei Ying feeling weak and vulnerable. He would miss Wei Ying's smile when he was feeling under the weather.

At the moment, Lan Wangji was sitting on the bed beside Wei Ying, applying a cold cloth to his forehead, and occasionally rubbing his fingers against Wei Ying's scalp. It would calm him down for a little while, but it did not last. It lasted longer when Wangji started to hum to him. As Lan Wangji hummed the song he wrote for Wei Ying, he could see him calming down again. Just in time too, as Lan Xichen had finally come with the broth.

Wangji held Wei Ying in his arms and helped him hold the little bowl of broth as he drank it. Wei Ying seemed to have kept it down for the moment, but they did not want to push it. Once Wei Ying was done, Wangji was just about to lay him back down when he started to make a slight fuss.

"Can A'Zha hold me more?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji sent a gentle, warm smile as he cradled Wei Ying more comfortably in his arms, "of course," he answered.

"Can you sing more?" Wei Ying asked, "you sing pretty."

Lan Wangji couldn't help but smile more at the little toddler in his arms and nodded. He started to hum again, but this time, it was soul calming music. It helped Wei Ying relax fully and fall asleep so he could try to sleep some of this sickness off. Lan Xichen had taken care of the dishes and had another disciple take them to the kitchen to get clean. Xichen then went to go sit with Wangji for a while.

"How is he?" He asked.

"Still has a temperature," Wangji answered.

"I haven't seen you this worried about something before," Xichen said, "little A'Ying has stolen your heart, huh?"

Lan Wangji looked up at his brother and nodded, "I think he had some sort of grip on my heart since the first day we met...I just...did not want to accept it."

"Your feelings are real, Wangji," Xichen told him, "you have a right to feel, to be happy, to feel loved and to give love. You also do not need to have others acceptance in order for you to accept yourself. It is who you are, and you are free to love whoever you want."

"I remember reading something that said that we do not choose who we fall in love with...it just happens," Wangji said, "it comes when we least expect it to."

"Exactly," Xichen said, "though A'Ying is only a toddler at the moment, you have to consider his future. He is an important figure for the celestial realm. If you two are together, you two can create an alliance with the cultivation world and the celestial realm."

"As he is still young, we can talk about that later," Wangji said, "though, have you heard anything from them at all?"

"Not recently," Xichen replied, "but Uncle might have."

"I suppose he would be the one to keep in touch with them," Wangji said.

"Well, they would probably want to check in one Wei Ying as he is Tian Jun's grandson...so he is technically a crown Prince...as well as a phoenix," Xichen said.

"Oh yeah," Wangji said, "I think the phoenix is what sounds most interesting. He is a white phoenix. The only white phoenix...as compared to a regular one."

"I imagine there is more to him then we know right now," Xichen said, "we would have to be careful."

"I know," Wangji nodded, "but at the moment. He is sick."

"Has his temperature gone down?" Xichen asked.

"A little, but he is still warm," Wangji said, "I don't like seeing him like this."

"No one likes seeing a child sick, Wangji."

"I know, but Wei Ying seems more vulnerable than normal," He pointed out.

"He will be fine, you do not need to worry so much," Xichen said.

"If I were sick like this, you'd be just as worried," Wangji told him.

"Okay fine, I'll stop teasing you," Xichen said.

"A'Zha?" Wei Ying asked.

Wangji looked down at the toddler cradled in his arms, "hey sleepy-head."

"I thirsty," Wei Ying said quietly.

Xichen poured Wei Ying a cup of water and handed it to Wangji. Wangji helped him take a drink, "how is your tummy?" Wangji asked.

"Okay," Wei Ying answered, "but my head hurts."

"I know," Wangji said, "you must be feeling sore."

"I still tired," Wei Ying said.

"You can sleep more if you want. I am here and I will not go anywhere," Wangji told him.

"I don wanna," Wei Ying whined.

"Why?" Wangji asked. Wei Ying did not answer, "you won't miss anything, I promise."

"But, I wanna see you more," Wei Ying told him.

Wangji laughed a bit, "try to dream about me then."

"When I do that, you get hurt," he whined and pouted out his bottom lip.

"I will not leave you. That is my promise," Wangji told him and placed his pointer finger on Wei Ying's chest above his heart, "I will always be here. As you will always have mine."

"A'Ying loves A'Zha," Wei Ying said.

Wangji placed a gentle kiss on Wei Ying's forehead, "A'Zha loves A'Ying."

Lan Xichen was quite taken aback by his brother's actions. He was happy that Wangji was so calm and open with Wei Ying. Lan Xichen has not seen his brother act this way before but he liked seeing him this way. To calm as always, but he had a new sense of gentleness. He could see just how much Wangji was willing to give for Wei Ying. It worries Xichen a little bit as well, as he now had to pay extra attention. He did not want anyone or anything to get in the way of his brother's happiness. Xichen was determined to do what it takes to keep it that way.