Who: Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian What: Lan Wangji Arrives Where: Near Building Where He Arrived When: Saturday Afternoon/Evening Warnings: None Status: Closed and Completed GDoc
Wei Wuxian was done for the day and had decided to go out exploring Madison Valley a bit more. Not that he hadn't done that since he got there, he had. It was how he'd run into Noxeema. How he'd gone from being out of his element and sticking to the trees to an actual home. One that he enjoyed with Noxeema. Someone that he'd taken in as his shijie. He'd been there long enough that they'd gotten close and become family in this strange place.
Walking around the streets he twirls chenqing and stops short when he sees the flow of a familiar hanfu. Was that really...? He'd talked Noxeema's ear off about his husband. Enough that she wanted to meet him if he ever showed up. However, he needed to be sure that's who this was.
Further towards city hall, he stops again. Tossing decorum out the window he runs over, ignoring the men in suits and practically jumping onto Lan Wangji's back, arms wrapping around his neck.
"Lan Zhan!"
He didn't care what others thought at the sight. All he knew was that he was happy. His husband was there and there was a lot to tell him about.
One moment Lan Wangji is pouring tea for him and his beloved husband in the Jingshi… the next he is standing in front of a strange building while people that were dressed very strangely are trying to speak to him.
They are obviously not able to communicate efficiently, so he is not inclined to stay in front of this building. He needs to find who was in charge and get them to send him back home. He does not have the time to waste as he knows that Wei Ying would not react favorably to him disappearing.
He takes only a moment to decide which direction to walk in and begins his search. He has not gotten far from the building when he feels something hit his back and a familiar set of arms are landing around his neck.
He tucks Bichen away and shifts to get a better grip.
“Wei Ying.”
Of course it was. No one else but their son would dare and he could recognize his husband anywhere.
There's a part of Wei Wuxian that isn't sure if he'd mentioned his husband's touch aversion to Noxeema or others. If he hadn't, he could do that eventually. Just to make sure that people in the city didn't try to touch him. His husband wasn't, after all, as tactile as him. He thrived on touch while his husband preferred if it was only him or Sizhui.
"You're finally here."
He notes that he says it in a way that says he's been there for a while, and he has been. That was the strange thing about the place. How long someone could be there and not much or nothing changed back home. Or, well, that's how it was explained to him. It seemed complicated.
"Did they give you the envelope? There are coins on the plastic card." There would possibly be a key for an apartment there too, but he had no intention of his husband going anywhere except for with him. He knows that Noxeema wouldn't care, but he'd talk to her too.
"Be careful of the... cars. Metal boxes not that far from us."
Lan Wangji does not smile but that doesn’t mean he’s not happy as hell to see/feel his husband. However, the comment of finally does catch his attention. How could it be a finally if they had both just been back at home?
He moves away from the metal boxes Wei Ying pointed out and moves back onto the concrete road so that he can set his husband on his feet and turn to look at him.
“Mn.” Which translated means he does have the envelope he was given and how are there coins in there?
He does reach out to touch his face and then reaches out and pulls him closer to him.
“How long?”
Just because Lan Wangji did not smile did not mean the emotions weren't there. His husband's emotions had always been in those beautiful golden eyes that he loved so much. Eyes that could hold every emotion ever in them. If not the eyes then the hand that held Bichen's hilt.
He pouts, though it lacks much meaning, when he's set down on his feet and that noise his husband makes causes him to smile. He knows what it means. Same as whenever his husband calls his name. He knows what every tone of his name meant. It all depended on what kind of trouble he managed to get into.
"Almost eight months."
He's pretty sure it's been that long. It didn't feel that long and yet he's sure that it was.
“Ridiculous.” But as ever, the word is said with love. He tilts his head, obviously asking several pertinent questions. The first being How could you have been here for eight months? I would have torn apart the world if you had disappeared.
He reaches out to touch Wei Ying’s arm, making sure that he is well and then he gives a faint smile.
It makes no sense that Wei Ying has been here in this place and away from him for so long. They had been together back home and Lan Wangji is more than slightly confused right now.
“Safe?”
How safe is it here?
That singular word gets a bit of a laugh out of him. "How I've missed that," he tells him. Not that his husband needed to hear it, he'd know by the tone of his voice. Or the smile that was on his lips. Though, he knows that the man before him has questions too. He's not surprised by them.
"It's complicated, Lan Zhan." Or weird, he's not sure which. He feels that hand on his arm and that faint smile gets a brighter smile of his own. "When one is here, they're home too. As I said, complicated."
The question, however, gets a hum out of him," There's not as much need for cultivators here. So... safer than home." Then, as an afterthought, “ Clothing is different too.”
Lan Wangji gives another twitch of his lips at Wei Ying’s laugh. He loves the sound of his husband’s laugh -- which is why he usually tries to make him laugh as often as possible.
“We were having tea and discussing the Juniors,” he says, still a little confused. He’s not even sure what words to use about this, so he is glad that conversing with Wei Ying has never required that he search for words.
He listens to what Wei Ying says about there not being a need for cultivators here and that is so out of the realm of reality for him that all he can do is tilt his head. However, the knowledge that it is safer for Wei Ying here does get him to look his husband over again.
“Hm.” Meaning, the clothes I have seen are impractical, and Have you been alone all this time?
The idea of his Wei Ying being lonely and sad makes his heart hurt.
"What trouble did they get into now?" It's almost teasing. His little radish tended to keep Jingyi in line, but he knows that Sizhui had gone off with Wen Ning for a time too. Everything felt like such a long time ago.
He notes the look that he's being given and that laugh just bubbles up more," Aiya! This one has meat on his bones, don't look at me like that." It's teasing, but also serious. It allows his husband to know that even if it has been nearly eight months that he's been taking care of himself.
"I live in what's called an apartment," he tells his husband. "With someone named Noxeema. She's different from what we're used to, but she's like a shijie to me." That's how long he's been in this place. He's made familial bonds with someone outside of their culture.
That smile of his brightens," Wangji is here." He still isn't entirely sure how his husband's guqin showed up, but it had. It had also nearly knocked him out of his tree he'd been in at the time.
“No trouble. Planning Night hunt.”
The four best friends had asked him and Wei Ying to come and spend time with them away from Cloud Recesses and Lanling.
He raises an eyebrow at Wei Ying’s quick assurance of his well-being. “Will always look at you.”
He knows that he can understand everything he feels in that one statement. Then he tilts his head at the comment about his new Shijie. “Good?” Meaning She has been good to you, then? Their culture has not always been kind to Wei Ying and Lan Wangji thinks he deserves all the friends and family he can have.
“Wangji?” How had his instrument arrived here before him?
"Trouble then."
It's a bit teasing because when the four best friends get together, they manage to find trouble. However, having adults with them allows them to know that there would be no trouble.
He does, however, try not to laugh at that raised brow. Yes, he knows that his husband will always look at him. Even if it was only to make sure he was still there. That he wasn't going over another cliff. Wasn't losing his life again, because a third life might not be possible.
"Noxeema is good to me, Lan Zhan. She's one of the best people I know here," he tells him. Treated him well and introduced him to quite a few American foods.
He gives a half smirk," Don't ask, Lan Zhan. It's complicated. Though, Wangji did try to knock me out of my tree when it showed up." He thinks about it for a moment," Weird things do happen here. Chenqing, at one point, turned human. Wanting her wife. Wangji wasn't here at the time."
Lan Wangji’s smile is more evident at that comment. They both love their son and his three friends -- helpful since one of them was also Wei Ying’s no longer estranged nephew. They also enjoyed going on the night hunts with them so the youngsters could enjoy themselves while the adults keep a watch.
Lan Wangji will always look at his husband and watch him. He does not think he will ever get over the fear that something will happen and he will have lost him again.
“Mn.” Which translates to Good. You deserve friends that care. and I am glad someone was here to watch your back.
Lan Wangji just stares at him when he tells him that Chenqing had turned into a human. That just is a bit more than he can comprehend at this time.
Wei Wuxian, if asked, could and would go on and on about Sizhui and Jin Ling both. He loved that his relationship with his nephew was mended enough that he didn't think the young Jin sect leader didn't hate him anymore. That doesn't, however, mean he doesn't feel bad for what happened. It should have never happened.
He tries not to laugh when he sees the other stare at him over the comment about his ghost flute turning human. It had been weird to him. Someone had even mentioned their necklace turning human and harassing their customers in some bar they worked at. Something like that.
"Come on, Lan Zhan. We'll get you some tea and then get you settled. We're going to need new stuff in the apartment anyway." Food-wise, that is.
As much as none of this is making sense to Lan Wangji, the main thing that matters is that Wei Ying is here. He can deal with just about any aspect of this strange place as long as the two of them are together and he can make sure that his husband is safe.
There had been too many years where he had failed in that regard and he had vowed never to let it happen again.
Lan Wangji smiles ever so faintly at the idea of tea but the idea of having to get supplies is not something he wants to do as he wants to grab his husband and go home.
Wei Wuxian knows that his zhiji probably just wants to get somewhere safe. Somewhere for the both of them to spend time with one another. However, he doesn't know what food they have at the apartment. The other half of his soul was vegetarian, something that Noxeema nor himself were.
He does, however, take Lan Wangji into the little tea shop in town getting them both a cup of hot tea. It wasn't tea from Gusu or spice tea from Yunmeng, but it sufficed and was still good. To him anyway. There was nothing spicy about it.
"We'll go home after our tea, Lan Zhan."
Well, to the apartment that he shared with Noxeema, but the same difference. It was still home.
“Mm,” Lan Wangji says in response, meaning As long as I do not have to let you out of my sight for any length of time. He adjusts his sleeve and lifts the cup, taking in the scent of the tea. It is not what he is familiar with, but the scent and the fact that Wei Ying seems to enjoy it very much gets him to try it. He takes a small drink from his cup and he nods, pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of the blend.
He sets his cup down and looks at his husband. Wei Ying is at ease and relaxed and he can’t help but wonder when he last saw him so.
“Relaxed. Calmer.” He knows that Wei Ying will understand what he is remarking at.
Yet he wonders if he could convince him to return home with him -- or even if they should.
That soft sound has him giving a bit of a smile and he shakes his head. No, the other half of his soul wouldn't have to let him out of his sight any time soon. He would make sure of that. The only time Lan Wangji would have to do that is if and when he worked. Something that he didn't have to do until tomorrow.
The tea is, essentially, different than they're used to, but still good. Which is why he's happy when he sees his husband enjoying it. He would have to figure out their loose leaf teas, but past that he could avoid the cold brew stuff. Even if Lan Wangji might like that too.
"Aiya! Of course."
He wasn't villainized in Madison Valley, so there was reason to be calm and relaxed. He picks up his own cup to take a drink of his tea.
"I'm glad you're here, Lan Zhan."
The words are soft even as he watches the other for a moment. Tea and then home, where he could curl up against the other.