~
the 8th of February, 2026
Wei Wuxian had no idea why Lan Zhan's answer to that question got to be:
- Asshole!!!
He also had no idea how and why his Da-Ge started laughing, too loud. It was genuine laughter too, and he again suspected that it was some inside joke between the brothers, something he knew nothing about, something theirs, and intimate, and so he now pouted.
He, though, soon gasped, as Lan Wangji now glared at his older brother and hissed:
- Make a plan! It's high time!!! I don't want to be staying here longer than necessary!
Wei Ying blinked, confused.
The house was beautiful. It wasn't really a house either, it looked more like a mansion. Compared to Wangji's plain and clean-cut apartment, it looked luxurious, too much even. But, as an architect, Lan Wangji was supposed to appreciate it, right?
- Ah, but my darling... - Lan Huan smiled blissfully at him, making his Di frown terribly; as far as Lan Wangji knew, this pet name was reserved mostly for the hookers in A-Huan's life!
- Darling... The plan is already afoot!
There was an audible gasp, coming both from Wei Wuxian and Estella, but – as Lan Xichen's face was indecipherable, and Lan Wangji's face expressed fury, mostly - they somehow naturally turned to Brent, who hadn't spoken a single word so far, and promptly got a confirming nod from him, a barely visible one.
- Umm... but... how...??? – Wei Ying tried, confused, getting no answer from Lan Xichen, whose eyes were firmly rooted in staring at his brother's person. – And... why??? Lan Zhan??? - he whined now, turning, logically towards his lover.
- Hmmpff!
was all Estella commented to all this, before getting back to cooking furiously too, but she was all ears, all the time, actually quite worried.
¡Caray! She had truly thought that she would be disliking the Master's new boy-toy forever! Alas, no. No, no, she actually worried, like any mother would, about her son.
- Lan Zhan? Why... I don't understand...
Sensing that things were wrong, and more serious than just a spat, Wei Ying got out of his chair with a small wince: today he was paying the price of last night's abundant love. He now stood really close, in front of Lan Wangji, trying to open up some space, so that he could sit in his lap, but the way Lan Wangji was sitting at the table made it difficult: his back – as straight as an arrow, elbows and knees at perfect 90ª angle with all surfaces, just as he had been trained to do, all throughout his childhood, frozen in place.
The dark-haired boy sighed a little and just placed his hands on his lover's shoulders, crooning the words:
- Why? Why, baby? The house is so pretty? Why... I thought you would be happy to spend time with your Ge? I thought you hated A-Cheng only. I thought you would be pleased that he was... is...
The youth blushed.
It had all sounded better in his head! Now, ashamed, he tried to go back to his seat and just give up untangling the mysteries of the Lan family, but a strong arm got wrapped around his waist, causing him to hit his knee against the table's leg, as there was truly no space between them to maneuver in. He bit his lips, and swallowed that pain, and it joined its sisters, down his throat, down his belly, deep down – into his core.
