WangXian Untamed Together

Chapter 28 - Decisions, Decisions

The midday meal was its usual silent, brief (tasteless) efficiency and then the remainder of the day flew by. Lan SiZhui was more than happy to forward his father's note to his uncle, Wen QiongLin, and Wei WuXian found himself utterly exhausted but happily still on his feet and undefeated in the Practice Grounds at the close of the afternoon.

Lost in the heady sense of power that physical exertion without exhaustion brewed, Wei WuXian had just finished his final spar and bowed to his opponent when "Wei Ying," sounded closely behind him in low tones that caused his heart to skip a beat before resuming with a pounding cadence.

Wei WuXian turned, and his brilliant smile illuminated his face, glowing gold with the late afternoon sun and gleaming with good, honest sweat.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei WuXian called in response as he threw himself into his husband's arms, knowing he would be caught without fail. "Did you see? Were you here long? I went undefeated this afternoon! It's only a practice sword, I know, but no one got past my guard, and I stayed on my feet the whole time-".

Lan WangJi stemmed his husband's waterfall of words in the most effective fashion, by kissing him to silence, until the only sound from Wei WuXian was a soft sigh when the two men finally drew apart. Wei WuXian looked into Lan WangJi's golden eyes, his own silver just slightly hazed.

"Did you see?" he asked again, blinking as he recalled himself to his whereabouts. He stepped back and raised his practice sword before him. "I got through all the drills, all the practice forms and made it undefeated through the sparring...I can almost feel how much stronger I am. Feel!" Wei WuXian grabbed Lan WangJi's hand and placed it over his Core. "Can you sense how much stronger I'm getting?" Excited silver eyes looked hopefully to Lan WangJi.

Lan WangJi sent a trickle of Qi from his palm toward Wei WuXian's Core. The interference of the Yin Iron was an unpleasant, bitter tang in the energy but there was no doubt – the Core was clearly working to a much higher level than ever before. Even as they stood together and Lan WangJi checked his husband, he could see that Wei WuXian's breathing had already returned to normal, the sweat drying on his skin and the heated flush of activity quickly fading, leaving only the brightness of anticipation in his face, picked out in a flush across his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose and gleaming from the sparkle in his eyes. The sight was beyond encouraging, considering the despair of days barely gone past.

Lan WangJi moved one hand to Wei WuXian's wrist, who submitted it willingly for his pulse to be read. Sure enough, it had already returned to a steady, productive beat, despite Lan WangJi's unexpected arrival just at the close of his husband's final spar of the afternoon.

"Wei Ying is well," nodded Lan WangJi in his understated way, bringing a still wider grin to Wei WuXian's face.

"Isn't it great?" asked Wei WuXian. "Oh! Is it time for the evening meal already? Is that why you came, Lan Zhan?"

"Mn."

Chattering like the cicadas in the evening, at least on Wei WuXian's part, the two men returned to the Jingshi to freshen up. Wei WuXian had been so caught up in his work on the Practice Grounds he had skipped meditation that afternoon, breaking only for the prescribed tea and nuts, so he took the time to release the accumulated resentful energy. Lan WangJi watched as the dark mists gently passed from his husband to dissipate and vanish. It took a full ke, and Lan WangJi worked to keep his misgivings over the increase of time to himself. He was delighted when Wei WuXian finally opened his eyes, and the irises swiftly cleared from fiery red to the usual liquid silver.

At the close of the evening meal, Lan XiChen, Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian made their way to the Hanshi, where Lan SiZhui joined them in short order. All four men present, Lan SiZhui made and passed tea, and they settled in for the planned consultations together.