WangXian: The Arrangement ✔️ [Untamed Fanfic]

11-It's Just Porn!

Back at Cloud Recesses, Lan Wangji parted company from the others in order to fill his uncle and brother in on events in the village.

"Wen Clan," his uncle spat when Lan Wangji reached the end of his tale. "Already making trouble right on our borders."

"It's lucky Wei Ying was with you," Lan Xichen commented. 

Wangji nodded. 

"Did you see the fortune teller?" his uncle asked. "Is there an auspicious date for this ridiculous wedding?"

"She gave us a date," Wangji told him. "The day of the new moon."

"So soon?" His uncle's eyes bulged.

Wangji said nothing. He wasn't in the habit of repeating himself.

"Right," his uncle said. "I guess that's when it will be. Heaven knows you are going to need good fortune being wed to that wild child. I'll start writing the invitations and send some runners with them today."

He departed for his study, leaving Lan Wangji alone with his brother.

"Was there something you didn't want Uncle to know?" Lan Xichen asked him.

Wangji hesitated. He should have known he couldn't hide anything from Xichen. And, truthfully, he didn't want to. He valued his brother's advice. "Wei Ying practices incantation," he said. "There weren't just a few bloodthirsty corpses. There were dozens. His magic is the only reason we escaped."

"I see." His brother looked at him for a long moment. "And the reason you didn't tell this to Uncle?"

"I don't see his actions as a reason to cancel the betrothal, but uncle might."

Lan Xichen nodded. "I see."

"There's something else," Wangji told him. "When we saw Wen Ling, he had taken the form of a large raven. Wei Ying called out to him. I don't know if he would have revealed himself otherwise. But I don't know how Wei Ying was able to recognize him in that form."

His brother studied him. "I won't say anything to Uncle, for now. Wei Ying is here so you two can get to know each other. Why not just ask him directly about these things?"

***

Wangji mulled his brother's question as he made his way to the Library Pavilion. He recognized that he was reluctant to question Wei Ying directly about these things. Why? Was he afraid of the answers? 

If so, which was he more afraid of - that Wei Ying was a powerful mage or that he was closer to Wen Ling than he'd let on?

"I don't feel that way about Wen Ling."

That's what he'd said.

But then he'd pushed him away. Something stood between them. If not Wen Ling, then what?

Raised voices greeted him as he opened the library door.

"What do you have to hide?" Jinling yelled.

"From you, everything," Wei Ying retorted. 

Lan Wangji turned down a row of books to see Wei Ying sitting on top of the shelf. Jingling had a hand around his ankle, trying to dislodge him. Wei Yin held a book over his head.

"You're up to no good," Jining declared. "Give me that."

Wei Ying caught sight of Wangji. "You're right," he said, slamming the book face down onto the shelf. "Guess you've caught me. But I can't give it to you. It's not for children."

"Who are you calling--"

Wangji cleared his throat. "Jinling, would you excuse us?"

"Lan Wangji," the boy said, turning. He released Wei Ying's ankle. "I surprised him, and he hid what he was reading." He glanced sideways at Wei Ying. "I think he bought pornography in the village."

Wei Ying's brows shot up. "That's right!" he cried. "You've really got me figured out. But it's just a few dirty pictures. Nothing to get so upset about." He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "They weren't even that good. I got ripped off, if you ask me."

"Jinling," Wangji repeated.

Jinling bowed and hurried out, but not without cutting Wei Ying a triumphant look from behind Wangji's back.

"That little..." Wei Ying muttered.

Lan Wangji came over and extended a hand to him. "You can come down now."

"Oh," Wei Ying said, still sounding nervous. "Right."

He hopped down without Wangji's assistance. "Thanks. I think Jinling is still getting used to the idea of me being your partner."

"I will speak with him," Wangji said. "He should treat you with the respect due a senior cultivator."

"Don't bother," Wei Ying said. "I mean... Just give him some time to come around."

Lan Wangji looked at him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Wei Ying hesitated and then kissed him softly on the lips. "Hello?"

A jolt of lust went through Lan Wangji, completely out of proportion to Wei Ying's brief gesture.

He raised his hand into the air, and the book Wei Ying had left on the shelf flew into it. "I meant this," he said.

Wei Ying's lips made a silent 'O' that drew Wangji's attention until he realized what he was holding.

"You can read this?" he asked, flipping the book open. Apart from the cover, all the pages were blank. But he knew it was a book of advanced incantations. Not something an amateur could read.

Wei Ying bit his bottom lip, and Wangji tamped down the desire to kiss it free. "Have you done something to me?" he demanded. "Some spell?"

"What?" Wei Ying's voice went high. "No. Of course not."

"But you can read this text?" Lan Zhan demanded.

Wei Ying nodded. "I can. I've been practicing in secret for as long as I can remember."

Lan Zhan recalled what he had said last night: that he was a natural at magic. He gave the book back. "Follow me," he said, turning and going deeper into the stacks. "There's something I want to show you."

***

Two turns brought them to what appeared to be a dead-end, but as Wei Ying watched, Lan Zhan put his hand through the 'wall.' He pulled it out, and the wall slid aside to reveal a narrow, descending staircase.

Lan Zhan showed him how to access the hidden lever and then started down the steps. Wei Ying followed him, not knowing what he was getting into. 

To his surprise, much of what was in the Forbidden Room were magical texts. There was also a large section devoted to music. "Why are those down here?" he asked. 

"All these contain songs deemed too dangerous for young disciples to see," Lan Zhan explained. "And almost all the magic books have been moved down here over the years."

Wei Ying walked down a row trailing his fingers over the spines. Power crackled out of some of them. "But so many?" he asked. 

Lan Zhan's lips tightened. "Magic wasn't always out of favor," he said. "Lan clan historically was agnostic to magic and had many cultivators who practiced incantation."

Wei Ying was moved by Lan Zhan's seeming trust in him. "Thank you," he said, giving in to the urge to kiss him again.

He pulled him close this time, and Lan Zhan came into his arms willingly, returning his embrace, though not taking it further. And so they stood, just kissing, for far longer than Wei Ying had intended.

He couldn't help it. Lan Zhan's kisses seemed to feed his soul.

"Shit," he said, putting his hand on his forehead. He looked up at Lan Zhan, who looked dazed and just slightly offended. "I ... There are some things I need to tell you, Lan Zhan. But I need a little time."

Lan Zhan looked at him and nodded. "I will wait for you."