Wuji: A Promise Kept

88

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had some alone time. Wuxian finally felt it was time to share everything with him. He kept it hidden long enough and the only person who knew the whole truth was Lan Qiren. Wei Wuxian wanted Wangji to know everything.

Wuxian sat down with Wangji in his workshop as they had teleported back to Cloud Recesses. The kids were back in class so now Wuxian and Wangji had time for now. They did have to work on the fight with Tan Lan but there was still a couple months left to go.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Wangji asked.

"I am ready to do Empathy with you," Wuxian told him, "I feel like it will be easier to show you than to tell you. We can stop from time to time to take a break but I want you to know everything. You deserve to know, especially because you have always been there for me since I have returned...maybe even before then."

"Are you sure?" Wangji asked.

"I am, but I understand if you need time, it will be a lot to take in," Wuxian replied.

"I am okay with it," Wangji said, "should we have someone sit in?"

"I am expert enough in Empathy to know when to pull us out," Wuxian said, "but if you feel safer with another person here, I am okay with it."

"What about Hua Cheng and Xie Lian? They know your story so they will be able to help," Wangji suggested.

Before Wuxian could reply, the two appeared, "I don't mean to pry, but my butterflies are with you all the time with this Tan Lan situation," Hua Cheng said.

Wuxian giggled, "it saves us a trip," he said, "you two don't mind watching over us?"

"Not at all," Xie Lian said.

"Thank you," Wuxian said and turned to Wangji.

(I'm not going to write about Wuxian's backstory, you should all know it by now. Whether you read the novel or watched The Untamed. I'm saving some time.)

For the next few hours, Wangji sat through Empathy, watching his husband's life play out. Hearing about his hardships was one thing but seeing it with your own eyes is another. It was incredibly painful and difficult to see but Wangji fought through the struggle of it. He came to realize that Wuxian was a lot stronger than he could ever imagine. To be able to go through what he did and even after being resurrected to keep going, was hard and he did it for a reason.

Wangji also realized he had a huge impact on Wuxian too. He didn't realize how much Wuxian thought of Wangji. So much so that Wuxian would bring Wangji up in almost any conversation with his martial siblings. By the end of it all, Wangji was in tears. His heart ached and he realized his husband's pain was so much deeper than he ever imagined.

Pulling out of Empathy, Wangji stared at Wuxian for a good minute before he pulled him into a tight but comfortable embrace. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian left them alone as they felt they needed it. They left to continue to set up the plan on going after Tan Lan.

Once alone, Wangji finally managed to say something, "I love you so much, Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan?" Wuxian questioned.

Wangji pulled Wuxian back and held his face in his hands, "I see you, and I will always be here to protect you from now on. I know you can protect yourself but let me just have this moment?"

Wuxian smiled softly, "I know you will always protect me even when I don't expect you to. We are married, we are always going to love and protect each other. My past is not the best but one thing that never changed is how much I want to be there for the ones I love. Even if I have been wronged, I still fight back."

"I misunderstood you for a while," Wangji admitted, "but I only meant to help you as I was worried. I was lost when you fell from that cliff and I spent years trying to figure things out. When I saw you again, I felt it was my chance to make things right."

Wuxian nodded, "can I ask a favor from you?"

"..." Wangji tilted his head slightly.

"May I see your past?" Wuxian asked, "I understand if you say no, it's just that, I want to know everything about you."

Wangji nodded. Even though they noticed Hua Cheng and Xie Lian had left, the two felt it was okay to run Empathy one more time.

Upon the start of Empathy, Wuxian started at the first painful moment of Wangji's life. The first time he knelt outside his mother's door, hoping it would open again. He watched, even for a place like Gusu, Lan Wangji was bullied. Some rules were not in effect yet, and Wuxian only noticed that they came to be due to how Wangji was once treated.

Gossip is forbidden came into existence after rumors went around about why Wangji would kneel all the time or why he would be punished. Alcohol is forbidden is actually due to Wangji's father, as he came out of seclusion once so drunk he took his anger out on both of his children. He blamed them for his Wife's death. That blame stuck with Wangji for a long time after that day. Respect your elders but also respect your young came into be due to that day too.

Bullying came to a stop once it came into effect in the precepts. Wangji became head of discipline by the time he was twelve. He became a model student because Lan Qiren had conditioned him into it. Wangji's world had shifted so much the day Wei Wuxian came into the picture.

Wuxian witnessed the pain he endured during the time of his death. He watched his husband take those thirty-three discipline whips, and kneel to repent. It seemed Sizhui really did save Wangji's life as he was the only person keeping him going. Wangji had lived pain just as Wuxian had. Wuxian knew now why the two matched up so perfectly. Though they were both different in a lot of ways, they still had many similarities to live from.

Wuxian let go of Wangji to end Empathy and all he could do was crawl into the man's lap and cuddled with him. The rest of that day was of them embracing each other and feeling so grateful that they crossed paths again when they did.