WangXian: The Arrangement ✔️ [Untamed Fanfic]

13-Pandora's Box -- Part 1

A/N:  So... this story is rated "Mature" for a reason. If you are following this and want to only read the wholesome parts, you'll want to skip this chapter and the next. 

*do I have any followers who expect me to only do wholesome? probably not*

*winks* Enjoy!

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Wei Wuxian scrubbed until his side was raw, trying to remove the ink characters Wen Ling had put on him. At some point, he realized there were actually three characters - a smaller one, the symbol for 'chaos' hung onto the trailing stroke of Wen Ling's name. Fitting, he thought, rubbing harder. It was certainly causing chaos for him. 

It took hours, but he knew Lan Zhan had been serious. He couldn't go back with them still visible. 

By the time he felt sufficiently clean, it was almost dark. Nevertheless, Wei Ying decided to take a lap around the pool. He loved to swim. It made him think of Lotus Pier as he stretched out and glided through the water.

In the center of the pool, he took several large breaths, and then dove. Down. Deep. Deeper. He and Jiang Cheng used to compete to see who could hold their breath the longest. They had both gotten past the three-minute mark. Wei Ying could sometimes make four. 

When he finally surfaced, he dressed and headed back to his room. The cold seemed to help clear his head, and he felt he knew what to say to Lan Wangji.

***

Not finding him at the pool had Lan Wangji worried, though he was loathe to admit it. He'd felt guilty all through dinner, knowing Wei Ying was still in the water, scrubbing. 

Maybe he'd just gone to his room?

He slid the door open without announcing himself, but it didn't take long to see the place was empty. He noticed the parcel from the fortune teller sitting on the bed, still unopened.

He undid the knotted cloth wrapping, then slid back the lid on a small wooden box. Inside were two items. He picked up a stoppered ceramic jar and read the handwritten label: "Wedding Wine." The other was a small jar with a lid, and inside was a jelly-like substance that smelled of... he sniffed closer... flowers and sandalwood? It too was labeled. "To Ease the Passing." No... "passage."  

To Ease the Passage? Lan Wangji stared at it for a moment in puzzlement, and then awareness dawned. He felt heat flush his body, starting with his face. He dropped the jar into his pocket. No one else could see this! 

He thought of the old woman who'd given it to them and blushed again. Really! She thought they would... Do that!?!

He unstoppered the wedding wine and took a gulp. When his hands stopped shaking, he took another for good measure. Oddly, it too tasted of flowers and sandalwood.

He had just returned the bottle to its box and re-wrapped the entire package when Wei Wuxian came in.

***

"Lan Zhan!" he said, surprised than Lan Zhan would have let himself in. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"I was looking for you."

Wei Ying moved closer. "Lucky you. Now you've found me." 

He saw Lan Zhan swallow hard. "Is everything okay?" he asked, thinking that Lan Zhan's gaze looked a bit more distant than usual.

"Fine." He looked at Wei Ying's side. "Is it gone?" 

Wei Ying nodded and raised his arms overhead. "I'm as clean as any man ever has been, Lan Zhan. All your soap is gone, but so is the ink. Not to worry. And it gave me an idea. I'd like to give you something."