The White Phoenix

Chapter 41 - From Talking to Teasing

Wei Ying sat snuggled up in Wangji's lap, his face hidden in Wangji's robes. He was still trying to calm down. It was nearly the time for when Wangji's internal clock would wake him, but he had been up half the night with Wei Ying, just trying to help calm him down. To help soothe him more, Wangji started circling his fingers in Wei Ying's hair, emitting a light amount of spiritual energy. The spiritual energy was to help give Wei Ying a comforting touch and soothe him, lul him into a more peaceful state.

Lan Xichen stayed up with Wangji to help him in any way he could. He honestly just got him tea to drink. He also got a blanket for the two of them and wrapped it around Wangji and Wei Ying. Lan Wangji didn't want to for Wei Ying to talk if he was not comfortable but he had to try to see if he will say anything at all. Wei Ying was pretty shaken up and tired, but refuses to sleep. No matter how tired Wangji was, he refuses to sleep until he knows Wei Ying is okay.

Wangji was about to say something but Wei Ying just started talking very quietly. Wangji could barely hear him but he managed to figure it out, "I am always afraid I am going to lose you A'Zhan. I fear that I will be alone or thrown away. I cannot bare to hear you and GeGe keep arguing over me. I am so sorry if I am not doing a good job or if I am being bad. Just do not leave me. I do not want to be alone."

Lan Wangji's heart started breaking upon hearing Wei Ying sound so broken and vulnerable. He knew Wei Ying would talk things to heart if he heard his name briefly mentioned during a discussion. Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen have discussions and disagreements often or they have their own opinions on certain situations. It was never their intention to make Wei Ying think that he was solely responsible for the disagreements between the two.

"A'Ying, you are the sweetest person I know. I could never throw you away or abandon you. GeGe and I have our moments of disagreements but it is not on you. You are not to be blamed for our problems. GeGe and I worry about you, and we tend to have different opinions about how to help you or on what we should be teaching you," Lan Wangji explained and then placed a kiss on Wei Ying's cheek, "you are not alone, A'Ying and you never will be. You have my word. You are not bad and you are more that good enough, in fact, you are amazing."

Wei Ying looked up at him, "A'Zhan, you said way too much. Does your throat hurt?" He teased quietly.

"Mnn, maybe," Wangji answered.

Wei Ying shoved his face into Wangji's neck and placed a soft and gentle kiss on his skin. He then pulled his head back and looked back up at Wangji, "Did that help make it feel better?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji chuckled, "a lot better," He answered, "but are you feeling better?"

"A little, I feel really warm and tired," Wei Ying told him.

"I could have a cool bath made for you. You are warm because of the fire that you were consumed of. Once you cool down, you should feel good enough to try to sleep for a bit. You were up half the night," Wangji told him.

"I do not want to leave you though," Wei Ying said.

"You are a little old to share a bath with me," Wangji teased.

"But...you said we are soulmates," Wei Ying said.

"Your fifteen," Wangji told him, "I'm in my thirties."

"Don't take your clothes of then if you are feeling shy," Wei Ying teased.

Lan Wangji sighed and stood up with Wei Ying in his arms like a bride, "you are being naughty," Wangji said, "therefore I shall have to punish you."

"How?" Wei Ying asked with a smirk on his face.

Lan Wangji carried Wei Ying outside and to the river beside the house and tossed him into it. Wei Ying screamed upon impact and popped out of the water laughing. Lan Wangji stood there with a smug look on his face and his arms folded across his chest. He liked that he managed to help Wei Ying loosen up a bit after such a stressful night. Though, it was very early in the morning, Wei Ying was enjoying his time in the water. It helped the heat that consumed Wei Ying cool down immensely.

"A'Zhan, you should come in, the water feels nice," Wei Ying told him, "I will be sad if you do not come in."

"Mnn, then be sad, I was punishing you for being naughty. Me going in is not punishment but a reward. Not giving in, or going in," Wangji told him.

"Fine, maybe you don't actually love me after all," Wei Ying said pouting.

Lan Wangji smiled, "it's called tough love, A'Ying."

"Why?" He asked, "how come you don't like my teasing?"

"Did not say I do not like it," Wangji said, "you are just too young to be this kind of naughty."

"But what is the difference between loving me when I was younger to loving me now?" Wei Ying asked.

"Love is the same, but love between parents and children are also different from love between two people. Either way, if you love someone, you would always love them no matter what," Wangji said.

"But why is it different? I am fifteen, I think I can understand what you mean," Wei Ying told him.

"Falling in love means you are attracted to them in a way you are not attracted to anyone else. They are your everything, friend, partner, family. You don't mind them touching you, holding you, kissing you, whatevering you," Wangji said.

"Whatevering?" Wei Ying questioned.

Lan Wangji blinked. He questioned how he was going to explain to Wei Ying what he meant by that, "well, being intimate," Wangji managed to say.

"Intimate?" Wei Ying asked, "like, dual cultivation?"

Wangji nodded.

"So do you love me that way? To whatever me?" Wei Ying asked.

"Not at this moment in time," Wangji answered, "you are too young."

"How old do I have to be to try it?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji sighed and rested his face in his hand before answering, "eighteen."

"Three years from now?!" Wei Ying asked, "even kissing?"

"Yes," Wangji answered.

"But what is that like?" Wei Ying asked, "you can't kiss me?"

"I have been," Wangji said.

"Not that kind of kissing. I mean on the lips," Wei Ying said.

"Not today," Wangji told him.

"Then when?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji really didn't know how to get out of this situation. To be honest, he would love to finally kiss him, but he was too young. If you say he is his god form, he is fifty thousand years old, but his current self is only fifteen. So now he has gotten himself into a predicament.

"Eighteen," Wangji answered.

"Are you serious?" Wei Ying asked, "I can't do anything like that with you for three years?"

"You are too young," Wangji replied.

Wei Ying sighed as he knew he was not going to win this debate. He thought maybe he could talk to Xichen about what he could do.

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Uh-Oh, Wangji is in a predicament 😂