Wild Creatures

Chapter 42

Wei Ying wakes early in the morning. He's alert for once, and that in itself is strange, because this rarely happens to him.

He has jerked awake in Lan Zhan's arms, and even now, the sliver of moonlight illuminates golden eyes staring back at him, concerned.

"Sleep, Wei Ying. It is still early for you." Lan Zhan says, in a coaxing manner.

He's worried for Wei Ying, even if he doesn't vocalise his thoughts. Ever since Wen Qing had told them about the biopsy, Lan Zhan has been researching what it is, and what it could mean.

Just the thought that something could be physically wrong with his Wei Ying, it was a terrible idea. He hated it. This bright, beautiful man, so loving and tender...and to have that threatened in any way was so abhorrent to Lan Zhan.

But the simple truth is, until they get the results, all of this worrying and thinking is useless.

And it's enough that Wei Ying is worrying enough for the both of them. Lan Zhan knows that one of them must remain calm.

He puts aside his concerns and focuses on Wei Ying.

"I don't think I can sleep any more, Lan Zhan." He says quietly, sure of his words. "And I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Mn?" Lan Zhan pulls him closer, content to be able to do just this.

"Well, you know how you mentioned that you don't need to actually sleep? So how come you are? Like, here? If you're not sleeping, that is."

Lan Zhan can feel the heat from his blush. He can imagine what Wei Ying would look like as his cheeks go pinker than normal, a smattering of freckles generously dusted over his nose as if an angel went to town with freckle glitter, just on Wei Ying's face. Maybe the angel tripped...

He smiles at the thought, and this time, it's Lan Zhan who cuddles closer, taking a deep breath and inhaling that beautiful, mouth-watering (in a non-hungry way), lotus flowers and vanilla fragrance. It's so natural and seems to be concentrated in the space between Wei Ying's neck and shoulders.

It is tantalising, and fresh, and Lan Zhan feels like he would be in heaven if he got to smell that forever. He nuzzles even closer, his nose tickling Wei Ying, enough to make him giggle. His arms tighten around Lan Zhan's body.

"Not that I'm complaining. Far from it, actually. I sometimes wonder how on earth I slept by myself, before." Wei Ying continues.

Lan Zhan remembered that there was a question previously.

"I like this." He murmurs, softly.

Those three words didn't seem enough. He loved this, lying next to Wei Ying, closing his eyes next to the safest person in his life. Wei Ying knew what he had become, and yet his love had overflowed like a fountain, regardless. Wei Ying wasn't scared of him, even in the times that Lan Zhan was scared of himself, of what he could do. Especially if anyone threatened his family.

There was so much uncertainty around them, a sea of it surrounding them, and Wei Ying was his island of refuge. The only safe place, and now that was in jeopardy too. In that second, Lan Zhan vowed to himself that no matter what happened, he was going to keep Wei Ying safe.

"You like this?" Wei Ying echoed, kissing his hair. "Really?"

"Mn."

"So, I'm not calling you out on that, but Sweetheart, isn't it ... boring?"

Lan Zhan's teeth grazed Wei Ying's collarbone, his favourite place.

It was a warning.

"Only because you're so active during the day, and I just thought, if you felt you had to stay -"