The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 7 - Comfort

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They had to stay in Caiyi City for a couple of days for Wuxian to regain enough strength to travel. During that time, Wuxian enjoyed drinking Emperor's Smile and eating as much spicy food as he can fit in his stomach. He will miss all of these when they get back to Cloud Recesses, so Wangji indulged him and bought anything he thought the other might enjoy.

They retrieved Apple on the way out and started the day long journey back home. Wuxian was talking non stop about all the amazing things he wants to invent, the weather or how he thinks that the bunnies back home should have names. Wangji just listened with a smile and allowed the one-sided conversation to go on as they walk.

All of a sudden, Wuxian noticed that Wangji is no longer next to him and looks back. Wangji stopped walking and was turning around like he's looking for something. Wuxian raises his brows in wonder: "Did you drop something?" Wangji gets closer to him and his eyes widens. Before Wuxian could question his actions, he's enveloped in a crushing hug, with Wangji's nose under his ear. The breath was knocked out of Wuxian: "What are you doing! Lan Zhan! Too tight! Too tight! I can't breathe!" That only succeeded in making Wangji loosen his hold slightly but not let go. He kept sniffing Wuxian like his life depended on it. Wuxian felt his face heat up and started tapping Wangji's shoulder: "Lan Zhan! What has gotten into you? Why are you sniffing me like a dog?" The last part earned him a squeeze as a reprimand and was forced to wait in silence until Wangji was done doing whatever he's doing. After a few minutes, Wuxain realized that this might take awhile and pushed Wangji to get his attention. Wangji reluctantly let go enough to face Wuxian but kept his hands around his waist.

Wuxian laughed awkwardly: "What is happening?"

Wangji just blushes and stares back.

Wuxian smiles mischievously: "Is the great Hanguang Jun blushing?"

Wangji lets go of Wuxian but grabs his hand to sniff his wrists: "Your smell.."

Wuxian frowns: "What about it?"

Wangji keeps sniffing: "Your smell feels like a warm ray of sunshine after a rainy night."

Wuxian: "How does one 'feel' a smell?"

Wangji keeps going: "You smell like my mother's embrace, like swimming in a sea of bunnies, like drinking a warm cup of tea in winter, like reading a new exciting book, like.."

Wuxian is freaking out so he cuts him off: "Stop! I don't understand what you mean!"

Wangji's eyes fill with joyful tears and he smiles. Wuxian has never seen such an open expression of emotions on Wangji's face and stares back in shock.

Wangji lets out a small laugh and says: "I've never felt like this before. Your smell brings me so much comfort, I don't know how to deal with it."

Wuxian just stares back and whispers: " .. comfort?"

His mind flashes back to the Mother Tree's words: 'I will grant you the ability to know who's on your side, come what may. Your presence will comfort them like no other so let them embrace you without hesitation.'

The memory zaps him into action and he cups Wangji cheeks and demands: "You said 'comfort'? I, Wei Ying, smell like 'comfort'?"

Wangji closes his eyes, sniffs Wuxian one more time and nods while smiling.

Wuxian is filled with a warm feeling: "You believe in me."

Wangji opens his eyes and looks at Wuxian: "Hm?"

Wuxian: "She said that those who trust and believe in me with no limitation will find comfort in me."

Wangji frowns: "She?"

Wuxian: "The Mother Tree. She granted me a wish for helping her: Those who trust and believe in me no matter what will find comfort in me. The she-devil failed to mention the smell and sniffing part. How shameless." Wuxian laughs.

Wangji frowns back at Wuxian's statement: "People who believe in you will find your smell irresistible?" That made Wuxian stop laughing and stutter back: "Um.. I.. I guess?"

With a murderous look in Wangji's eyes, he turns back and drags Wuxian towards Caiyi City. Wuxian starts to panic. He tugs at the hand dragging him and tries to stop Wangji: "No No No.. Lan Zhan! Calm down! It's a gift! You cannot take back a gift! Stop dragging me and let's talk about this.. Lan Zhan STOP!" At his demand, Wangji stops and stares back at Wuxian in anger.

Wuxian takes a deep breath then looks into Wangji's furious eyes: "Lan Zhan, you're the only one who actually believes in me. I'm sure no one else will find my smell remotely comforting. In fact, most people find me annoying or scary." He laughs awkwardly while tapping Wangji's shoulder. Wangji was not impressed. His sharp gaze lingers at Wuxian: "No one else."

Wuxian swallows fearfully: "No one else what?"

Wangji tightens his hold on his wrist: "No one else will get to feel this comfort but me. You let anyone else near you without my knowledge and I will strike them dead."

The dark aura surrounding Wangji scares Wuxian into nodding until he feels Wangji tug him close and once again settles back into sniffing under his ear.

After a few minutes, Wuxian's heart settles down and he pushes Wangji: "The sun will set, we need to keep moving if we want to reach home before it's too dark. You can sniff me all you want once we're back." The last part was said with a mischievous smile.

Wangji huffs: "Shameless." and walks back towards Cloud Recesses.

Wuxian follows him: "I wasn't the one sniffing another grown man like a dog in heat!"

That earned him a glare and the silent treatment until they reached the gates on Cloud Recesses.

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