Chapter Text
It’s a blessing when it comes.
The problem with the Burial Mounds- aside from the resentful energy, the bodies of the dead, the blood, the constant threat of extinction, and the overall downer atmosphere- is that there is never enough food. One would think that because of the aforementioned corpses the soil would be ripe for planting. Even mushrooms would be something. But the soil is thin and blows away easily in the wind. It’s not too bad for the adults. Wen Qing still has a core and can put off her food needs, Wen Ning needs no food any more, and the older people and Wei Wuxian can manage with less food despite the harsh physical demands of the day.
‘But poor little A-Yuan,’ Wei Wuxian thinks almost daily. His baby, no matter the fact that he didn’t actually birth him. A-Yuan is a good boy, he never complains and rarely cries but that makes it all worse somehow. Wei Wuxian can tell his baby is hungry. They don’t starve in the Burial Mounds. At least they don’t starve as Wei Wuxian did those years ago but there is a sharp edge of hunger to their days. Wei Wuxian remembers the first time he ate after Jiang Fengmian picked him up off the streets: he gorged himself at the inn they were staying at then promptly threw it up because his stomach wasn’t used to the rich foods. Uncle Jiang has to stop his crying younger self from eating the vomit off the floor in shame and fear from wasting the food. Wei Wuxian does not want his baby to undergo 1/10th of the distress he had gone through as a child but he doesn’t know what to do .
When it comes Wei Wuxian weeps with relief.
That morning as Wei Wuxian and A-Yuan went to Yiling his fears weighed heavily on his mind. A-Yuan excitedly babbled on about the shapes he sees in the clouds creating a story about the creatures that lived in the sky and all the adventures they got up to. Wei Wuxian half listened while in his mind he tried to solve the Wen Remnants food crisis. He was not having much success.
‘If we buy more root vegetables we can use the remains to fertilise them and hopefully get a bigger crop yield. There are so many trees along the way, maybe we should take some dead logs and try growing mushrooms? If I can sell some more talismans in town then I can get some extra dried meat for A-Yuan and if I pout enough at the nice farmer maybe I can get some milk for him as a treat. Ah my poor child I have to beg for what I should be able to give him naturally.’
“Gege!” A-Yuan shouted, stopping Wei Wuxian from spiralling any deeper in his thoughts. “Gege were you listening to my story?”
“Ah sorry A-Yuan. Gege got caught up in his thoughts.” Wei Wuxian was a little embarrassed to be caught out by a toddler.
“What were you thinking about Gege?” A-Yuan demanded.
“Food!” A-Yuan pouted, this was not a good enough excuse for ignoring his story which was one of the best he’d come up with in his opinion.
“Gege up!”
Wei Wuxian laughed, swinging the boy into his arms. “Alright my little radish I suppose this is sufficient punishment for ignoring your story. Ah, now you’ve definitely got my ear!”
As the two continued on their journey the word punishment almost reminded Wei Wuxian of someone who he associated intimately with that word. Wei Wuxian deliberately did not think of that person as they approached Yiling. After all it wasn’t like he was ever going to see him again.
Wei Wuxian truly could not believe his luck sometimes. There standing before him with Wei Wuxian’s crying child attached to his leg and looking almost as distressed as the child was Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian felt like A-Yuan’s scolding on the road to Yiling was a warning. Don’t ignore A-Yuan to think about food! Your punishments will be unexpected and creative.
Wei Wuxian had scarcely spent any time haggling with the merchants to discover his baby had run off! He’d been going out of his mind searching for him and now look where he’d found him. He couldn’t believe his luck. In the afterlife Madam Yu must be putting in a bad word for him.
Wei Wuxian pushed his way through the crowd to pick up his baby. After comforting the child, he steeled himself.
“Hello Lan Zhan.”
Wei Wexian couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Lan Wangji over lunch. The man had been the paragon of a doting father all afternoon. He spoiled A-Yuan with toys and carried him as much as he wished. Now the three of them are seated around the table having lunch and Wei Wuxian can’t help thinking they would make a nice family.
“Ah Hanguang Jun is too good,” Wei Wuxian teased, “Taking mother and child out for a meal after a long day. Let it not be said the Second Jade is not a kind father and a considerate partner.” Lan Wangji scoffed but the tips of his ear blushed faintly. This made Wei Wuxian unreasonably happy that his teasing could still get to the other man. He wanted to maintain any connection he could to Lan Wangji.
“Papa?” A-Yuan said, confused. He’d probably only paid attention to half of what Wei Wuxian had said.
“Don’t you know who has the money is the father A-Yuan,” Wei Wuxian joked, “And whoever has the milk is the mother.”
‘And I have neither,’ was what Wei Ying tried not to think. In theory he should be able to provide one of them. Since meeting A-Yuan his small breasts had developed to the point where he had to layer his robes more carefully and his nipples had darkened. He’s spent the first couple weeks after the changes eagerly waiting for his milk to start but so far nothing had happened. Wen Qing had told him not to lose hope. Wei Wuxian thought it was another way he had failed to provide for someone he loved.
Wei Wuxian tried to lose himself in the flow of conversation and the information that his sister was now engaged to the peacock. Outwardly he was upset but on the inside he rejoiced. His sister deserved happiness even if it was with that idiot who finally realised her worth. Wei Wuxian was content, his and his son’s stomachs were full and he got to sit at a table with the only person he cared for as deeply as he did his siblings. All he wanted was for this moment to continue on forever.
Of course that’s when the warning talisman goes off.
_______________
‘Well that happened,’ Wei Wuxian thought. After running back to the Burial Mounds with Lan Wanji, fighting back Wen Ning with Lan Wangji, restoring Wen Ning’s consciousness with Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian decided to sit down. He’s earned it. Besides, now he has the best vantage point to watch the Wen siblings reunite.
“Are you alright?” Lan Wangji knelt in front of Wei Wuxian. If asked Wei Wuxian would have said this was the only thing that would improve the view.
Wei Wuxian swallowed. “Never better.”
Lan Wangji’s brow furrowed. He looked like he wanted to say something else when A-Yuan came running up.
“Xian-gege! Ning-gege is back!” Wei Wuxian smiled and pulled A-Yuan into his lap.
“Yes A-Yuan, he’s back.”
“Good now that he’s back and Papa is here we’re all together.” We Wuxian couldn’t bring himself to correct the child. ‘I wish that were true but I don’t think Lan Zhan will stick around after this.’
A-Yuan wriggled around in Wei Wuxian’s lap for a moment before pulling at the front of his robes. “Hungry mama.” Lan Wangji looked mildly scandalised but Wei Wuxian was unphased. The ceiling of the cave they were in could probably fall in and it would do little to distract a hungry toddler. Unfortunately, the best way to dissuade A-Yuan from trying to get milk from him was to show him that despite his scent Wei Wuxian was not producing any milk. Wei Wuxian had heard demons that screamed softer than A-Yuan did if someone told him no while he was hungry. Wei Wuxian sighed, Lan Wangji would just have to put up with being a little more scandalised.
“Sorry A-Yuan,” Wei Wuxian said as he undid his belt and opened his robes, “Mama doesn’t have any-”
“Milk!” A-Yuan squealed happily.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji gasped.
Wei Wuxian looked down in shock. It really happened. There were two trails of milk making their way down his front. It was a miracle and Wei Wuxian knew how to take advantage of miracles. He held A-Yuan closer to him.
“Here A-Yuan, Mama has milk for you.”
Wei Wuxian couldn’t stop smiling as his baby nursed from him. When Wei Wuxian was happy two things happened: he couldn’t stop smiling and he couldn’t stop talking.
“Lan Zhan can you believe it! I’ve been hoping for weeks for my milk to come in. I know A-Yuan is a bit old for it but he’s still so small for his age and anyway toddlers can still nurse. Wen Qing said so! And A-Yuan was deprived of his mother’s milk for a while anyway so really now I’m just making up for lost time. And the food we have now- well it’s not bad but not enough for a growing child! I’m happy I’m able now to fill in the gaps. Ah but I wonder how this happened? I’d begun to think my milk would never come in. Maybe it was all that food you gave us?” Wei Wuxian looked up from his baby to grin at Lan Wangji, “Truly you are a good Papa Lan Zhan, providing for mother and child this way.”
Lan Zhan’s eyes darkened at this. ‘Perhaps I went too far with my teasing?’ But then Wei Wuxian caught the smell coming off Lan Wangji, it was the faintest hint of arousal.
Perhaps Wei Wuxian hadn’t gone far enough with his teasing. Who knew the honourable Hanguang Jun would be into something like this? “Ah Lan Zhan do you like to see yourself as the patriarch of your own happy family? Or do you just like seeing your child feeding from their mother and know that you made it so?” Wei Wuxian laughed, “Is my milk another symbol of your great abundance? Poor poor future Madam Lan, you’ll have your spouse’s hands full with children to keep you satisfied.”
“No.” Lan Wangji said. Wei Wuxian giggled nervously. He realised the entire time Lan Wangji had not taken his eyes off of himself and A-Yuan. He didn’t think the man had blinked .
“Lan Zhan what are you saying?” Wei Wuxian tried to scold him. “You can’t keep coming here to watch me feed A-Yuan to get your satisfaction. I’m not your wife and soon A-Yuan will be too big to feed from his mother.”
Before either of them could continue A-Yuan popped off Wei Wuxian’s chest that he had thoroughly drained. “Sleepy Mama,” he mumbled and promptly nodded off in Wei Wuxian’s arms.
One look at Lan Wangji told Wei Wuxian that the conversation was not over. He sighed. “Alright let's put A-Yuan to bed and then we can continue this.”
Wei Wuxian carefully lay A-Yuan on the stone slab he used as a bed, using what few blankets he had and his spare robes to try and soften the surface for the child. Without a word Lan Wangji removed his own outer robe and placed it on A-Yuan. Wei Wuxian liked that. With the mix of colours it was as if they were marking A-Yuan as their own.
“I do not want any spouse.” Lan Wangji spoke suddenly.
It was a good thing A-Yuan slept very, very soundly. “Yes you said that -”
“I do not want any spouse that is not Wei Ying.”
Wei Wuxian didn’t know if Lan Wangji breaking the no interrupting rule or declaring that he wanted Wei Wuxian as his spouse was more shocking. It was too much for him to separate at the moment.
“I’m sorry what.”
“Wei Ying there are many things I should have done much sooner. I should have told you I loved you. I should have stood by you when you helped the Wens. I should have said goodbye after we killed the Demon Tortoise, I should have spoken with you, held you, eased your pain and comforted your worries.”
As Lan Wangji made his confession he moved closer to Wei Ying. Carefully, as if he would spook Wei Wuxian, as if Wei Wuxian was the most delicate thing in the world, he took Wei Wuxian’s hand and pressed it to his lips.
“I want you to be my spouse. I want A-Yuan to be our son. I want a life with you Wei Ying, if you want one with me.”
There was no way this could work. “Here? In the Burial Mounds?”
“If Wei Ying wants we can go back to Cloud Recesses. If not we can go somewhere else with our family.”
“I won’t leave the Wens”
“I will bring them back to Gusu with us.”
“Your Uncle won’t like that”
“That’s too bad for him. I will like it very much.”
“The other sects won’t like it!”
“The other sects think the Yiling Patriarch is forming an army to take over the world, not raising his child and protecting the elderly and abandoned.”
“I’d make a terrible wife.” Wei Wuxian was running out of excuses. He was trying to think of anything that would convince Lan Wangji that this decision wouldn’t do anything but blow up in their faces.
“I disagree.” Lan Wangji had let go of his hand which was good, but he’d wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian’s waist now which was delightful but only helping his case. “Wei Ying is talented, intelligent, charming. He speaks well and always has clever ideas. He is loyal, kind, and fierce in his defense of his family. He has already shown himself to be a wonderful parent and-” Wei Wuxian could not believe he was pausing for dramatic effect, the bastard. “Wei Ying will be the most beautiful bride.”
“I am going to die. I’m going to qi deviate right here and we’ll never make it to the Ancestral Hall.”
“Mn Wei Ying is strong. He can take it.”
“Did you come here with all this planned out Lan Zhan?”
“No I didn’t. I don’t think I knew how to say it. But when I saw you with our son,” Wei Ying’s heart skips a beat, “I knew that I would do whatever it took not to leave either of you again.”
“Ah so Hanguang Jun wants a wife and heir ready made? If only teenage me had known all he needed to do to get your attention was to have a child”
“No.” Wei Wuxian had not known Lan Wangji’s eyes could burn so bright. It was peculiarly thrilling to have his attention focused on him like that. “Since I was a teenager I wanted Wei Ying in whatever way I could have him.”
“Which means?”
“If you don’t want to marry me you don’t have to marry me. If you want to marry me but never touch you I won’t touch you. But if you do want me to touch you.” A pause. Oh when did the air in the cave get so hard to breathe?
“Yes?”
“I will touch you, every day, every morning, every night.” Lan Wangji glanced down to make sure A-Yuan really was asleep. “I’d eat you out every morning to wake you up. I would fuck you full of as many siblings for A-Yuan as you want. I want to feel the way your hole clenches around me when I bite into your neck. I want to drain your tits when they’re heavy when our children are full. I want to make you cum over and over and over and over.”
It was a good thing Lan Wangji was holding him up right now. Wei Wuxian could feel the back of his trousers grow damp but hey, they were filthy already.
“Is that all?”
“I’ve been having fantasies about you since I was fifteen Wei Ying that is definitely not all. I want to rub your shoulders when your back hurts. I want to hear all of your ideas, I want you to never stop talking to me. I want to spend an afternoon sitting with you, A-Yuan and the rabbits. I want to wash your hair and comb it out for you every night. You have beautiful hair.”
“Not as beautiful as Lan Zhan’s” It was the reflex answer. “You really love me don’t you.”
“I do.”
“We have a lot more to talk about than just this. There are -” Wei Wuxian didn’t know how he could do complete honesty but if Lan Wangji could do it with him, “-things I should tell you.”
“Mn.”
“I might not be able to tell you right away.”
“I can wait.”
“And I have to talk to the Wens.”
“You should.”
Wei Wuxian gave up. He never had truly won an argument against this man.
“I love you Lan Zhan. I’ll marry you.” And then he kissed him for good measure.