shangba: (02.00)
蓝忘机 ([personal profile] shangba) wrote in [community profile] wuding2024-03-20 10:24 pm

a home.


They fall together, like fresh snow off the mountaintop: first, in measured, patient, cultivating reunion after an extended dinner at their inn. Then, with passion. Then, syrupy and slow, with morning. In a rare, turn, after bathing, Lan Wangji denies himself the rigors and discipline of morning and coaxes them back abed, to hold his lover throughout his rest near sunrise, until halfway to midday.

He stirs them, inevitably, when the blinding bright white of the day overwhelms, and they must set for the road to make good pace to Cloud Recesses while still enjoying their stroll. They arrive, meandering, in the depths of a trickling, golden afternoon, when much of the clan is distracted with the latest lecture of a visiting hermit — they say, an aspiring immortal — and neither Uncle nor Sizhui can be politely parted from his wisdom. First, a brief stop with Liang. Secondly, for Lan Wangji, yet slowed by his fading wounds and bruises, to test the recovery of his disciples.

Lastly, facing the dregs of an afternoon together with no duties, no assignments, no occupation — curiosity wins over. With the packed necessities of a quick meal in his qiankun pouch, he steers Wei Ying to walk the winding, if peaceful path toward the peripheral territories, past the liminal, isolated quietude of the jingshi and into the periphery of Lan Wangji's inherited grounds.

A short walk, yet they may have breached the threshold of a brave new world. He had chosen the space for its proximity to river water, cunning, lively spikes of rice stabbing the field, alongside feral flowers. Already, the builders and architects have marked a path to make a road, but they have yet to set down wood or stone for steps. These, he knows, are still young days for their home, Wei Ying's house, rising on strong, sprawling bones that stretch out over a considerable territory: a number of rooms, some superfluous, including an isolated study for Wei Ying's pleasure and a music chamber. A large kitchen, for all much of the house yet misses its roof. A segment for the archery post Lan Wangji had bidden. The house, designed to host an inner garden, even boasts the allocated space for a pond men had been digging until mere hours prior, when their toil ended.

"To grow lotus," he murmurs, nodding ahead where the pond is yet to glisten and crest, where its waters are short of rising. And he does not ask, Do you like it, what it can be? But his gaze flickers between Wei Ying's face and the home in desperate, hungry study.

emperorssmile: (pic#16611978)

[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-25 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
“But you said you’re not sated,” he points out. “If you don’t want another go, then how can I help make sure you go to sleep feeling satisfied?” He’s confused more so when Lan Zhan mentions that this longing isn’t of the flesh. He knows how to help out with those sorts of desires, but he has no idea how to help with whatever Lan Zhan needs tonight.

Maybe it’s lingering grief? After thirteen years of loss and mourning, it just makes sense for it to come creeping back in. Especially after a fight. His heart aches for his husband, so he takes his hand again and brings it to his cheek and holds it there, pressing his face against it.

“What about… if I’ll hold you and kiss you until you feel whole again?” And if it leads somewhere deeper, they can decide what to do about it then. “Or I can just keep talking to you until you have to put a pillow over your head so you can fall asleep. We could stay like this, too. Anything you want is what I want too!”
emperorssmile: (pic#16099396)

[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-26 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
He understands the wordless communication about their arrangement and he kisses Lan Zhan’s hand one more time before pushing himself back up to a sitting position. He crawls up to the head of the bed so he can slip under the covers and wait for Lan Zhan to lay himself down next to him before closing the space between them. As nice as laying his head on Lan Zhan’s lap had been, the full body cuddles are his favorite.

“Does this help?” He asks, meaning the new cuddling position. Under the blanket, their legs are already tangled together. His cold toes finding comfort in the warmth his husband’s ankles and calves provides. Only now he thinks about it after being teased, but it doesn’t make him move his feet away.

“Want to kiss some more?” He brings his face closer to Lan Zhan’s and brushes their lips together. “I’m here for you no matter what you need, okay?” His arms are bent between them. He leaves one arm like that and touches Lan Zhan’s cheek with the other.

He can’t shake the feeling that he’d left his husband lacking even though Lan Zhan said it isn’t anything he’d done or not done. No, he shouldn’t take the blame for something like this. It would only make Lan Zhan feel like hiding this sort of thing from him.
emperorssmile: (pic#16236854)

[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-26 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
He doesn’t think to hide the pout upon those words. He’d been too eager to please and now Lan Zhan will hide from him this sort of thing in the future. When had he become so insecure? Probably around the same time he left the Jiang clan, come to think of it. Or maybe it was before that. He’d lost a lot - though not nearly as much as Jiang Cheng and his shijie - when Lotus Pier had been under siege.

It’s hard to keep sulking when he has his lovely husband kissing him. He gradually relaxes, kissing back and chasing when Lan Zhan teases his lips. A smile slowly spreads across his face as they take turns leading and following.

“No need,” he answers, resting his head and taking the time to just look at Lan Zhan. “I’m a problem solver. It’s only natural that I’d want to do something to help you, but if there’s nothing I can do, then I won’t worry about it. You shouldn’t either.” He leans forward and presses his forehead against Lan Zhan’s.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-26 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
He smiles at his husband, nudging his nose closer and sparing him a few more kisses before he speaks. “We wouldn’t have to do it the normal way. I have hands and a mouth,” he points out and kisses him again to punctuate it. “But you’re right. I would have invited you inside me again if it’s what you were craving.”

Telling the truth isn’t so bad, even if there’s a part of him that wanted to deny there’s any discomfort for the sake of pleasing Lan Zhan physically. This way… it feels more intimate, despite the lack of sexual intimacy. Maybe he’s finally growing up some.

“I just love you so damn much, Lan Zhan. You feel the same about me, too. I’d be upset if you were doing something that hurt you just to make me happy, so… I’ll try not to put either of us in that position anymore. I guess I almost broke that vow I made on our wedding night. Thanks for setting me on the right path again.”

He traces Lan Zhan’s cheek and jaw, then his throat and collarbone. “If you change your mind and want my mouth again, just let me know. I’m always up for some more fun.”
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-26 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Who knew kissing could be both stimulating and relaxing? He feels like his whole body is ready to melt under the attention. Of course, he’s still a younger man than Lan Zhan and his interest in deepening the affection between them into something more sexual is only natural. And the way Lan Zhan looks at him now makes him wonder if Lan Zhan is still up for another round tonight.

His hand wanders over Lan Zhan’s chest, just enjoying the act of touching his husband and being touched too. He pouts for just a moment at the idea of getting up early, but he does like the idea of giving Lan Zhan that sort of intensely pleasurable experience again. He knows that the real reason is that Lan Zhan wants to give his ass a chance to rest before dual cultivation while still fulfilling a need for both of them. “How early?” He’s going to end up falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon if it’s too early.

But it’s worth it.

“Deal,” he says, regardless of Lan Zhan’s answer. He usually wakes up half hard anyway, so it wouldn’t take too much to get him in the mood come morning.

“You just want to keep me in bed with you tonight.” It’s a playful accusation. He likes the idea of sleeping next to Lan Zhan all night long, but he’s just not built to lead a Lan schedule. When he tries to go to bed early, he ends up spending hours in bed staring at the ceiling or at Lan Zhan depending on how full the moon is or if they have braziers burning. Regardless of how successful his attempts are, he just wakes up feeling like he’s a walking corpse.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-27 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Lan Zhan acting so intimidating may scare a lesser man, but he just laughs and squirms under him until he finds a comfortable little nook for his arms. Gods how he loves this man. “As if I could resist you,” he corrects, nudging a cheek with his nose. Once they’re settled again, he meets Lan Zhan’s gaze, eyes traveling to his husband’s lips as he speaks.

“Two days,” he says thoughtfully, then his smile turns impish. Shortly after cultivation, he might be able to hold his own against Lan Zhan for a short while like when they first met. If it’s an endurance battle, he’d have no chance whatsoever. But a quick bout where he doesn’t need to conserve his qi? Well, maybe he can remind Lan Zhan why he fell in love with him in the first place. “I won’t go easy on you.”

He closes the gap between them with a kiss, gentle at first but prying. They still haven’t faced off with the bow yet. He’s only tried archery a few times in this new body and he’s been frustrated by it. But they’ll have an archery yard at their new house. He knows Lan Zhan won’t judge him for his short comings and he doesn’t like leaving the jingshi while Lan Zhan sleeps any more… “And maybe tomorrow we can find somewhere private for some target practice.”
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-28 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
“Should we invite him?” He knows Sizhui, too, would never judge him on his shortcomings, but for some reason it still strikes him as more embarrassing when it’s Sizhui who sees him. Still, it would be nice for Lan Zhan to spend some time with him. Only time can heal the hurt of Lan Zhan’s disapproval of Sizhui’s choice in suitors. And time spent together will hopefully heal more quickly than time spent apart.

He wants to touch Lan Zhan’s face and when his husband moves to grab the healing salve, he takes the opportunity to work one arm free so he can do so. His fingers comb through Lan Zhan’s hair, working out any tangles that attempt to form from laying down before his hair’s dry. There are far fewer in Lan Zhan’s hair than the mess of his own.

“I’m not picky,” which is a lie, but truth in this specific case. He works his other arm free and reaches for the jar so he can open it. He takes a sniff of it and the scent is pungent and medicinal. Good, it hasn’t gone off yet despite the age of it. “Do you want to?”

Lan Zhan’s already inspected the damage, so it’s not like he will discover something new to feel bad about. If he’s the one to medicate himself, he’ll have to get out of bed to wash his hands and he’s so comfortable that he’d rather stay in bed. He offers the opened jar to his husband, grinning a little.

“Is that monk going to be lecturing tomorrow?” He asks, wondering if Sizhui would rather attend that than spend time with his dads. And… well, he’s curious, too. Though, if he attends a lecture, he’ll likely interrupt with his own questions and commentary.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-28 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
He hums his agreement, thinking it is probably best to invite Sizhui after he gets a feel for the bow again. Back in his first body, the bow felt like an extension of himself just as the sword had. Even after the separation between his self and his qi, he’d been able to perform perfectly. He’d always enjoyed the sport and often hunted pheasants and other critters to bring home for his shijie to prepare. Part of him would love to do it again, but he thinks Lan Zhan’s heart wouldn’t be able to take such a thing.

He hisses when Lan Zhan’s fingers enter him the first time, but he wills himself to take it without further complaint. While the salve eventually numbs and encourage healing, it stings quite a bit at first.

“I have a few questions for him,” he admits. He feels like he’s already found the key he needs to reach immortality with Lan Zhan, but there’s always the possibility of discovering something more efficient by looking at it from another’s perspective. “All of what we’re working on are Lan secrets, so I’ll be careful what I share.” Not that any dignified cultivator would consider mixing spiritual and resentment qi even if it meant living forever.

Most Lans will consider it blasphemy and he doesn’t expect it to catch on. For the very least, it would take a generation or two to neutralize the stigma of demonic cultivation. Over a decade later, it’s taboo unless it’s too convenient not to use (like some of his inventions).
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-28 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
“No, it’s good,” he answers, letting Lan Zhan finish up the treatment. He’s pretty sure he has enough circulating qi to help with the healing, too. At least enough to prevent some sort of affliction that could prove troublesome or even fatal to a regular, non-cultivating person.

“Don’t worry, Lan Zhan. I’ll be gentle,” he says with a little laugh. He’ll try to stay respectful, at the very least. As long as he isn’t full of pomp and pride, anyway. “I just want to compare methods.”

Once Lan Zhan finishes medicating him, he lets his legs fall closed. He’ll get comfortable again once Lan Zhan washes the salve off of his hands. The sensation burns still, but it’s starting to pass into a comfortable sort of numbness. He wonders how close the composition of herbs are to the balm they use to help Lan Liang’s teething pains.

“Hey, Lan Zhan, do you think we should tell anyone about the immortality thing? Other than the kids, I mean.” Because the kids deserve to know how he’s doing it. Really, he’s mostly concerned about Jin Ling. And Sizhui if he were to lose him.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-28 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
He only sits up long enough to down the cup of water before laying on his side facing Lan Zhan again with his arms open wide, inviting his husband to cone close enough to cuddle again. He feels better after having a drink of water. Between drinking a jug and a half of Emperor’s Smile, sleeping with Lan Zhan, and having two hot baths, he’d been feeling quite parched.

“Right, right. I was just thinking that I’d like to share it. At least among our family, and maybe further. Once it’s perfected, anyway. What I’m doing for me could be dangerous for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Your way, the traditional way, is… cleaner, but it can take a lifetime to achieve and even then, it’s not a guarantee.” He’s rambling, isn’t he?

“I guess I’m just tired of loss, too.” And they won’t know whether Lan Liang has the potential to form a core for a while. Even if he can, it might not be a powerful one. And he promised not to teach the kids demonic cultivation.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-29 12:27 pm (UTC)(link)
He nudges his nose against Lan Zhan’s chest, arms curling around his husband’s middle while allowing himself to be cradled close. The immediate need to feel close after their lovemaking has passed, but this feels nice. Comfortable and comforting. His worries feel a little more distant in his husband’s embrace.

“I don’t want him to be shunned,” he admits, “I want to keep him safe and give him the tools needed to protect himself, but not if that puts a target on his back.” Core formation and spiritual cultivation would be the best outcome for everyone. But what would the sect say if the second son and potential sect leader allows his treacherous husband to teach their son demonic cultivation? No, the only way they could do that would be to leave the safety of the Lan sect and become wandering cultivators.

He sighs, slipping a knee between Lan Zhan’s thighs. It’s not meant as a seductive gesture, but one to bring them that much closer together. “No point in dwelling over something that might not be necessary.” Even though he was the one to bring it up in the first place.
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[personal profile] emperorssmile 2024-04-29 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
He sighs against his husband’s skin, wishing he could somehow crawl inside him where he can feel safe and whole. Curling up together in a tangled mess of limbs is the closest he can get, so he treasures that. Once they’re settled, he closes his eyes and lets himself relax until he feels like molten wax.

“We’ll keep him safe. Teach him that he’ll always be able to rely on us to love him unconditionally and to fight for him with more vigor than we’d fight for ourselves.”

As soon as he feels the comforting warmth of his husband’s calves, he twists his ankles to gain as much surface area as possible. Lan Zhan is always so much warmer than he is, especially when the weather turns cold.

“I love you so much, Lan Zhan,” he says with a small smile. “I know I’m never going to have to face something like that again. And if for some reason, I do, I know I won’t be facing it alone.”

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