"Bound by Destiny"

Chapter 22: The Aftermath of Trust

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Previously (Summarized):

During a clan gathering, an elder secretly slipped Lan Wangji a drug that heightened his desires, causing him to almost act on it with Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji, though deeply affected, managed to regain control and stop himself before anything harmful occurred. Wei Wuxian, only 14 at the time, was confused and frightened by the sudden change in Lan Wangji's behavior.

The aftermath was difficult for both of them. Lan Wangji felt guilty, ashamed, and horrified that he almost hurt the one person he cherished most. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, didn’t fully understand the nature of what happened but knew something was wrong. He became wary, and the distance between them grew.

To heal from this event, Lan Wangji made a vow to himself never to let anyone manipulate him like that again and devoted his time to rebuilding Wei Wuxian's trust. It was a long, slow process, full of small, cautious steps, and Lan Wangji's constant reassurances of respect and care. Despite the challenges, their bond slowly began to heal, though the scars of the incident remained.

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After months of careful distance and growing understanding, the trust between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had begun to mend, though their relationship had irrevocably changed. Wei Wuxian, now fourteen, was more cautious than before, often watching Lan Wangji with curiosity but also with a hint of fear when they were alone together.

A Growing Distance

At the start of the next season, Wei Wuxian sat on a hill in the Cloud Recesses, fiddling with a blade of grass, watching the afternoon sky. Lan Wangji stood nearby, quietly observing him. The silence between them had become more natural over the months, but it still held traces of uncertainty.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian called, breaking the quiet.

Lan Wangji turned his head, his heart skipping a beat at the sound of his name. “Mn?”

Wei Wuxian hesitated, then glanced up at him with those wide, curious eyes. “Do you still think about… that night?”

Lan Wangji’s heart clenched. Of course, he thought about it — every day. The guilt, the horror, and the realization of how close he had come to breaking something precious gnawed at him constantly. He never wanted Wei Wuxian to carry that burden.

“I do,” Lan Wangji said softly, lowering himself to sit beside Wei Wuxian. “But I think more about how to make things right.”

Wei Wuxian fiddled with the grass again, his expression contemplative. “You didn’t mean to,” he said, though there was a slight question in his voice.

Lan Wangji felt the weight of those words. “I didn’t mean to,” he agreed. “But that doesn’t excuse it. I should have been stronger.”

Wei Wuxian fell quiet again, but this time he leaned a little closer, resting his head against Lan Wangji’s shoulder. It was a small gesture of trust, but one that made Lan Wangji’s chest tighten with emotion.

Rumors and Pressure

As time passed, rumors began circulating among the clans. Elders, including Lan Qiren, had grown concerned that the marriage between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian still hadn’t produced any children, and whispers of the marriage’s failure began to spread. Though they tried to ignore the rumors, the weight of the expectations began to affect both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

The pressure from the elders grew, with several attempting to intervene by suggesting “remedies” or potions to “help” the situation. One evening, Lan Wangji overheard several elders discussing whether the marriage should be annulled due to the lack of an heir. His anger simmered, but he remained silent, knowing that confrontation would only make matters worse.

Wei Wuxian, though outwardly unaffected, began to withdraw more and more. He noticed the looks, the murmurs behind his back, and felt the weight of the judgment from the clan. He became more self-conscious, especially as his body matured but remained small and lean compared to other boys his age.

One evening, after another awkward dinner where the subject of heirs had been subtly brought up, Wei Wuxian sat by the cold spring, staring at his reflection in the water. He frowned, feeling a wave of insecurity wash over him.

“What if there’s something wrong with me?” Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath, kicking a pebble into the water.

Lan Wangji appeared behind him, his footsteps soft on the stone. He had seen the growing distance between them, and the weight Wei Wuxian carried, though the younger boy never said anything directly. Lan Wangji approached slowly, kneeling beside Wei Wuxian, who didn’t look up.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said quietly, “there is nothing wrong with you.”

Wei Wuxian flinched, as though caught. He didn’t respond immediately, but after a long silence, he said, “Then why do they look at me like that? Why do they keep asking when we’ll… when we’ll have a child?”

Lan Wangji’s chest tightened. He had always known that this day would come — when Wei Wuxian would start questioning himself because of the cruel whispers of others.

“Ignore them,” Lan Wangji said gently. “They do not know you as I do.”

Wei Wuxian finally looked up, meeting Lan Wangji’s gaze with a mix of confusion and hurt. “But what if they’re right? What if I’m not… not enough?”

Lan Wangji’s heart ached at the vulnerability in Wei Wuxian’s voice. He reached out, gently taking Wei Wuxian’s hand in his. “You are more than enough, Wei Ying,” he said, his voice low but filled with conviction. “I love you, not because of what they expect of us, but because of who you are. And we are not bound by their expectations.”

Wei Wuxian looked away, biting his lip. “But what about you? Don’t you… want more? An heir, a family?”

Lan Wangji paused, his hand tightening slightly around Wei Wuxian’s. “I want what you want,” he said softly. “And you are still young, Wei Ying. We have time. We are not in a rush.”

Wei Wuxian looked at him, blinking. “But they don’t think so.”

“They are wrong,” Lan Wangji said firmly. “Our lives are our own. We will decide together, not based on their timelines.”

A Moment of Understanding

For the first time in what felt like months, Wei Wuxian’s shoulders relaxed, and the tension in his body eased slightly. He wasn’t entirely reassured, but hearing Lan Wangji’s words, knowing that Lan Wangji didn’t expect him to change or to be something he wasn’t ready for, brought a sense of comfort.

The bond between them, though tested, was beginning to heal once more. With time, they could rebuild the trust and understanding they had lost, and perhaps even begin to forge a future on their terms, not dictated by the pressures of the outside world.

As the moonlight shimmered over the cold spring, Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian closer, their hands still intertwined. Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, one step at a time.

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This chapter dives deeper into the emotions surrounding the pressure of expectations and the growing insecurities between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.