To be Free of Envy

To be Family

『 Day 1,2,3: dad!Xian, dragon!Xian, Xianxian's parents 』

Wei Wuxian's cavern shakes and trembles as a colossal intruder breaks through his wards.

Wei Wuxian bares his teeth and growls, "Get lost."

"WEI WUXIAN!" the female dragon roars.

A man slides off from where he was sitting on the female dragon's head and pats her snout. "Calm down, my love."

He turns to Wei Wuxian and gives him a soothing smile. "A-Ying. You know we are only worried sick about you. Please do not shut us out."

He slowly steps closer to Wei Wuxian while the latter defensively coils himself tighter. His handsome face twists with worry. "A-Ying, what's wrong?"

From Wei Wuxian's dark mane pops up a tiny dragon noodle. "chirp!"

Wei Wuxian's eyes widen in alarm and he quickly shifts into his human form. He tucks the noodle between his chest and arms, curling protectively to hide it from view. He loses balance and falls to his rear. But he looks back to the intruders with a threatening glare.

The female dragon also shifts to her human form and slowly approaches Wei Wuxian. Her eyes are wide with surprise. "A-Ying... A baby?"

The now soft voice of his mother cracks Wei Wuxian's walls. He bites his lips as his eyes glistened with tears. He nods.

"Your mate?"

Wei Wuxian chokes on a sob as he shakes his head. "A human. He doesn't know."

"Oh, Baobei," Cangse Sanren flops beside him and pulls his son within her embrace.

And like a damn broken, tears stream down his cheeks and soft whimpers and sobs spill from his throat. "A-Niang , A-Niang, I'm so sorry- I... and- and I've been aggressively territorial-" Wei Wuxian hiccups "It's just- instincts."

"Hush, hush... I understand."

"I-... I don't know what to do!"

Wei Changze sits on his other side and engulfs the two of them in his arms. "It's alright, Baobei. A-Die and A-Niang are here to support you."

˜*★‧₊._

Contrary to human belief, dragons actually age at a rapid pace. A little too rapid.

Within thirteen months, his baby noodle, A-Yuan, already gained his human form. His pudgy form can be comparable to that of a three-year-old mortal.

And all the chaos that age entails.

A-Yuan giggles as he scampers away from his father-his tail (still too large for his body) dragging behind him. Wei Wuxian is hot on his heels, playfully growling and snapping his teeth. He reaches out to grab the toddler, but A-Yuan slips away. Instead, Wei Wuxian captures his tail, and A-Yuan stumbles.

But before he falls to the ground, Wei Wuxian's tail wraps around his torso and tosses him into the air. The toddler squeals and laughs as his father catches and cradles him in his arms. Wei Wuxian smiles as he looks at his child, fondness melting his heart.

The dragons freeze when they hear Cangse Sanren's menacing growl.

She never uses that unless it's a serious threat.

Wei Wuxian quickly tucks A-Yuan into the bed and sprints out of the cavern.

Outside, her mother's dragonic form looms over the intruder.

An intruder donning white robes...

...and a face he knew intimately well.

"Lan Zhan..." Wei Wuxian softly gasps, frozen in place.

A tiny dragon nyooms past Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji helplessly watches the small dragon whirls around and around him before it turns to a little boy and hugs his leg. "Hello!"

He looks up at Lan Wangji and flashes a smile so achingly familiar. The boy's sparkling golden eyes makes Lan Wangji's breath hitch.

"A-Yuan!" Wei Wuxian scolds and scoops him into his arms.

Now that their faces are side by side, Lan Wangji could see the features the toddler had inherited from Wei Wuxian.

And the features that are surely from Lan Wangji.

A-Yuan is undeniably Wei Wuxian's and Lan Wangji's child.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji calls, his voice thick with emotion. He steps closer to Wei Wuxian, holding on to Wei Wuxian's elbow. "A-Yuan..."

Wei Wuxian bites his lips and looks away. "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan... You- Why are you here? I thought-"

Lwz softly cups his cheeks. "I have failed to return soon. Please forgive me."

"You really... intended to come back?"

"Mn. My home is Wei Ying."

Lan Wangji kisses away the tears at the corner of Wei Wuxian's eyes. Then the tip of his nose. And finally presses his lips against Wei Wuxian's. Wei Wuxian softly gasps and closes his eyes, leaning closer to Lan Wangji.

But Cangse Sanren sweeps in and snatches away A-Yuan. She tuts. "Not in front of a child."

Wei Changze steps in and wraps an arm around Cangse Sanren's waist, chuckling. "We'll tuck this baby to nap, while you two sort things out, won't you?" he says and flashes Lan Wangji a cyanide sweet smile.

The threat sent chills down Lan Wangji's spine. He bows his head, acknowledging his silent demand. Beside him, Wei Wuxian giddily giggles and entwines his fingers with Lan Wangji's.

"Lan Zhan..." Wei Wuxian calls his name with wonder, as if not yet fully believing this is happening.

Lan Wangji's lips quirks up as he squeezes Wei Wuxian's hand. He's never letting go again.

-‧*‧ end ‧₊.-