Inevitable

How strange…

So, this is the power of a half-breed…

I almost pity them…

Such beautiful children though, too bad they’re polluted…

They’re lucky to hold half the bloodline they do; I’d have abandoned them…

Quite shameful, the way it all came about, but blood is blood…

How strange…

So, this is the power…

Half-breed…

Polluted…

Shameful…

Old, painful memories swirl at the forefront of Lan Wangji’s mind as he frantically pushes through the thick brush of the forest. The back of his throat scalds, and he finds himself willing to settle for any sort of small animal if it will quench this onslaught of thirst. Other than the sound of his own chaotic breathing- quiet to some, but thunderous to a man overly familiar with silence- the forest is absolutely still. No birdsong, no scurrying shadows, no scrambling under the bush. He can’t even find a chipmunk. The animals are smart, heeding their instincts- they know not to come out on a night such as this.

Distracted, he trips over a thick tree root and falls into one of the few openings in the canopy. The remnants of the golden hour light, beautiful to anyone else, sears his pale skin. Demoralized, Lan Wangji chokes out a pained laugh into the dirt- ‘power of a half-breed’, indeed. Just like the entirety of his immortal life, the sun won’t let him die; he’ll just slowly grow more and more uncomfortable until he feels suffocated, tortured, and trapped by its presence. He scrambles to his feet, his loose white pants now filthy below the knee, and keeps searching. This is his own fault, really; he should have been preparing for this night in advance. Instead, all he’s done is foolishly stew in his own turmoil, throwing off his usual routine and leaving himself more vulnerable than he’s ever been. His uncle would be horrified to see him out here in casual slacks and a loose undershirt, hunting for food like some feral creature.

At least the shock of the fall has stunned him out of his earlier thoughts. Instead, forced into a faux calm, he hears his brother’s light voice rising from neat calligraphy on parchment.

It’s not so awful, out here.

I think I made the right decision.

I’ve found ways to manage my thirst...

Mother’s suggestion is quite effective.

I’m sure you’re still managing it.

I miss you.

I’m here if you want to meet me…

Lan Xichen has always struck a balance where he had not, allowing him a sense of freedom that Lan Wangji has always secretly envied. Despite this, he will never truly resent his brother for taking the out when he found it. Perhaps it was due to his jovial nature, his innate ability to assimilate, but Lan Xichen has always been more welcome, received more grace from all kinds. Even their uncle- firm, unbending, and determined to right the embarrassments of his own brother- simply accepted Lan Xichen’s plans as ‘learning the ways of diplomacy’.

One of us has to stay and maintain our ancestral home, he’d proclaimed after Lan Xichen conveniently made off to ‘study the aristocratic world’. As I have to represent our interests in our sect and our society, this important responsibility falls upon you, Wangji. I trust you will be effective; you have always been very steadfast and disciplined. We will one day bring our family back into its original, rightful state of being. 

Be damned what he might have wanted; the cage door was slammed shut, and Lan Wangji became the unofficial keeper of the Cloud Recesses manor. The Lan aristocracy was never the type to host extravagant parties, preferring their philosophic role as a salon, but his father’s self-imposed isolation had driven the manor into a sad disuse, no longer a sign of presence or power. It simply stands, still eerily beautiful, as a monument to what once was. Unsure of what else to do with endless time, Lan Wangji has helped keep it pristine, the lands and its animals protected and plentiful.

As for intruders, well- the townspeople have long warded off strangers from going up the mountain of trees toward the empty mansion. The deal is simple, like a ritual: once a season, they drop off rations requested at the gate, in return they receive the baseline, seemingly endless funds that help keep the small town afloat. Any interaction beyond that is considered rocking a dangerous boat. They warn of a long-held evil, of swift ghosts, of mournful music wafting from the windows, of blood-drinking monsters that lurk in wait for someone just foolish enough to go up there.

So how, why then, had someone managed to come into his life and completely throw everything he knew, everything he’d accepted, off kilter? Why would someone crack into the sense of calm he’d finally convinced himself to believe in, gift him a hope that only emphasized the acute presence of his misery?

The snapping of a branch.

Lan Wangji almost misses it.

He freezes, instincts peaked, leaking incisors lengthening with giddy desire. Not just one creature- multiple. Relief spreads through him at the thought of solving all of his problems at once. Ear attuned, he slowly crouches toward the sound. The sun has finally fallen beneath the horizon, the protective night empowering him in its darkness.

The movement in the brush lacks care, chaotic in the way their feet hit the ground. This isn’t the movement of animals, this is greedy, directed, aggressive. His excitement quickly solidifies into a mix of fear and annoyance as he covers his mouth and nose- humans. Why, why did they have to show up now? Lan Wangji sprints in the opposite direction.

“There he is!”

“I see him!”

“Get him!”

Despite the townspeople’s best effort, this isn’t the first time that human hunters have encroached on his territory. Many an avaricious man has desired the land; others the opportunity to make a name as a vampire hunter. Lan Wangji doesn’t usually have a problem with chasing these annoying poachers away. Most times a couple well aimed shots towards the feet and warning shots to trees by their heads serves to send them running. He’s faster, stronger, and more lethal than they could ever be. Tonight is different- he’s unarmed, ravenous, further away from the manor, and is nursing an unfortunate guilt.

A flash of bright white blazes past his head, smashing the tree in his path to bits, and Lan Wangji immediately rolls for cover in the bushes. The men chasing him have stopped, their heavy footfalls no longer audible, and he takes the chance to breathe. The full moon is bright in the sky, giving a pearlescent sheen to the ‘blessed’ silver bullet buckshot on the forest floor, and Lan Wangji is unsure if he wants to roll his eyes or cry. Vampire hunters, confirmed. These ones have chosen both the best and worst night to do this!

The moment he rises to run, a sickening smell wafts in his direction. One of the hunters must have an open wound, perhaps inflicted on purpose, because the smell of the blood sings to every part of him. Saliva pools in his mouth, his irises a golden rim around gigantic, desirous pupils. A familiar itch rushes under his skin, demanding he do something to put out the fire. Lan Wangji claws into his arm, sorely tempted to gnaw it off.

No, this isn’t what you want, this isn’t what you want-

A crackle of thunder cuts his turmoil short, a blossom of agonizing pain splitting his left shoulder. Another bullet grazes his upper right thigh and nearly knocks him off his feet, the rim of burned, hole-ridden flesh around the wound emitting an unpleasant smell. The local myths think that praying over these bullets adds an extra boon in murdering him. It doesn’t work- he’s not a werewolf, a creature invented by fearful commonfolk. Still, it is incredibly painful to be shot, and it will diminish his strength for quite some time- especially on this night. Lan Wangji flees, no longer running a familiar path towards his home because of the double pronged attack. He has no idea where he’s going, scattering like a panicked animal. It’s ironic, really, the way he’s been thrust so quickly into the role of prey.

Maybe, he thinks, as his energy slowly leaves him, maybe I should just stop.

Maybe I should just let them catch me.

Who would really care that I’m gone anyway? I already chased him away, he’s not coming back, why should I-

Just as he slows to accept his fate, another pair of faster, desperate footfalls come from his side. Lan Wangji turns, unable to help steeling himself against whatever is approaching with such force. The sound of gunfire thunders as a heavy body hurtles into him. Their bodies roll over one another for some distance, stopping at the edge of a cliff. The moonlight gleams on the face of his attacker, sprawled out underneath Lan Wangji.

What? “But you- how?”

Before he can demand answers, the soft ground beneath them crumbles. They tumble ingloriously down the steeper part of the mountain, slamming into rocks and sliding through bushes. The fall is endless, Lan Wangji unable to catch his bearings, watching the sky and the ground constantly interchange with each teeth-shattering impact. Finally, there’s one last stomach-churning collapse, and then silence.

For a few moments, the only indication that either of them is alive is the sound of pained heavy breathing. When Lan Wangji’s eyes finally peel open, they’ve fallen down a pit somewhere in the midst of the landslide, the moon a piercing spotlight over them. It’s too deep for the average human to simply climb out, and unfortunately for a disoriented Lan Wangji, who’s been shot, is covered with bruises, and is starving, he’s not going to be getting out any time soon either.

To make things even worse, a luscious, savory scent settles like a cloud of perfume, spreading hunger under his skin like an inflamed infection. Lan Wangji bites his lip, swallowing back a cry of agony. To be so deprived on a regular night is already hard enough, but tonight there is going to be a blood moon, leaving Lan Wangji at his most vulnerable, instinctive, and lowest control.

And across from him lays a twitching Wei Wuxian, half-conscious, injured, and bleeding.

The gentians this year are flourishing, and it brings Lan Wangji much needed joy as he meditates amongst them in his mother’s side garden. The wind blows gently and coolly, the waning moon offering just enough light for the flowers around him to glow. Tonight, he’d even decided to be spontaneous- he wears a light blue silk shirt, as though he too were one with the flora. Nightly meditation is one of the few things that brings him peace amongst such a lonely existence. If he tries hard enough, he can even imagine his mother and his brother by his side, telling him stories of dragons, handsome princes, and daring escapes. He sighs longingly.

A bush shivers, and Lan Wangji’s shoulders fall with an irritated exhale.

Once again, his precious peace is interrupted by those same light, sneaky footsteps. Prepared, Lan Wangji rises from his meditative position, aggressively lifting his staff. In years past, he wielded a sword, but as time passed and the hunters evolved, he now adeptly wields a pistol and a shotgun. But Lan Wangji has some unsettled business with this particular visitor. The moment the steps creep close enough, he whips around, the end of the weapon frozen directly at Wei Wuxian’s throat. If the man even swallows, Lan Wangji will feel the vibration.

Wei Wuxian raises his hands, grin ever present on his face. His fluffy, yellowed shirt and loose black pants are sloppy, the red velvet vest he wears to keep it all together full of scuffs and marks. His hair is always in a messy ponytail, the baby hairs slick to his forehead indicating that he’d run all the way up the mountain just to be a bother!

“Now, now, Lan Wangji, there’s no need to be like this! You know I’m your favorite visitor!”

With a snarl, Lan Wangji thrusts forward, over and over, growing increasingly annoyed as Wei Wuxian deftly deflects every blow without losing his coy smile. This ‘favorite’ visitor was never meant to be a visitor at all, and yet Lan Wangji has unfortunately found himself acquainted with more details about him than he cared to know.

Wei Wuxian: wanderer, trickster, self-proclaimed genius, inventor, scientist, and one-time assistant apothecary. Jack of all trades, at your service, he’d teased, once he was sure that Lan Wangji wasn’t going to kill him. Lan Wangji still isn’t sure that he can return the trusting sentiment.

“Why do you do this,” Lan Wangji demands with a grunt. Don’t you care about your safety?

He hooks onto Wei Wuxian’s valued messenger bag, and Wei Wuxian quickly sacrifices the bag rather than watch his own arm be cracked. It flies to the other side of the garden, and Wei Wuxian pouts.

“Because it’s fun, gege?” he teases, still dancing in between Lan Wangji’s flurry of attacks. “Because I like to see such a handsome, stoic face all flustered? Maybe it’s because I consider us good friends, even though friends don’t hit friends with staffs?”

“Flustered? Friends?” replies Lan Wangji, astounded. He doesn’t know what’s worse- the fact that this impudent man keeps showing up on his property and claiming that Lan Wangji wants him here, or the fact that he might actually be stimulated by this challenger’s skill! Wei Wuxian must see it on his face too, because his dimples deepen, silver eyes flashing with mischievousness.

“See? You think so, too! You gave me your name; you even stopped trying to shoot me! That’s a start! Truly, we could just go drinking instead of doing this song and dance every time. Not that I don’t like dancing with you!”

Lan Wangji pauses, yanking the staff to his body. “You tricked me to find out my name, and I only tried to shoot at you once.”

Wei Wuxian scoffs. “Well, Lan Wangji, once is enough with a shotgun!”

The strangest thing is, this confuses Lan Wangji most of all. He’d done everything as normal to chase this man off, and yet he continually shows up- purposely in Lan Wangji’s path, even! He’s always trying to worm his way into Lan Wangji’s good graces, begging to use his highest tower for ‘stargazing’, utilizing his ‘secret basement labs’ for studying medicine. He’s never been inside the manor, as far as Lan Wangji knows, and he’s just throwing guesses at the wall for what could possibly be inside like it’s a child’s game! He’s been less baffled by the men who overtly aim to kill him!

When Wei Wuxian shows no sign of begging for his life or acquiescing, Lan Wangji lets the head of the staff fall to the ground.

“Has no one told you to stay away?” He hates how frustrated, weak, and unsure his voice sounds. Wei Wuxian shrugs.

“Eh. Sure they did! Spooooooky manor,” he teases, waggling his fingers, “haunted by a man older than time itself that eats humans!”

Lan Wangji is not older than time and he does not eat humans, but the point remains that Wei Wuxian was warned and chose to ignore it.

“And yet you are here, because…”

Relieved to be out of immediate danger, Wei Wuxian struts over to his bag, dusting it off and checking the inside for damage.

“Well, at first, I might have been here to sneak inside and rob a dusty old manor. But the people started talking, and I got curious. I know what it’s like to be an outcast,” he explains, still rustling through his things, “To have a whole bunch of rumors spread about you. Thus, I don’t usually trust those. I like to see the truth for myself and make a judgment on my own. And to my delight, when I got here, I found a big house, gorgeous land with all the plants and animals I could ever study, and a really handsome gege in nice clothes guarding the whole thing. Personally, sounds like my kind of life!”

Lan Wangji’s ears burn, a frustrating human trait that he could never seem to rid himself of. As flirtatious as the delivery was, the sentiment is unusually close to heart. An outcast. He takes a step back, eyes downcast.

“This is not a life anyone should choose,” he murmurs. This man ought to be lucky he’s fully satiated and has strong self-control when it comes to humans. Many of his kind would have simply devoured him. “Please leave. I will not ask again.”

At first there’s no movement, and Lan Wangji glares reproachfully. Finally, the frustrating man shrugs once more.

“Yes, you would. From what I’ve seen, you’re a good man. But fine. You might not like seeing me, but I always like seeing you.” Despite his nonchalance, his eyes dim and his expression shadows over, and Lan Wangji is repentant at the sight. “Anyway, I should warn you- there’s some sections of land out there that have been collapsing on themselves. Seems like this mountain gets loose soil after the storms, so make sure you’re careful out there, gege.”

Wei Wuxian walks past Lan Wangji, his chin held proud despite the dejection in his shoulders, and Lan Wangji is not sure what prevails upon him to speak.

“I am the second brother, not the first,” he admits, refusing to turn around and see Wei Wuxian’s expression. Still, he can hear the delighted gasp, the smile in his voice, the offer to continue the game.

“I’ll see you later then, Lan er-gege.”

He knows- slippery as a fox, Wei Wuxian cannot be captured, cannot even be seen when he melds into the forest. Lan Wangji’s lip upticks into a small smile.

He’s being burned alive, the flames licking through every vein. The storms of the past week, once an annoyance to Lan Wangji for their destruction of his gardens, would be a blessing compared to such excruciating pain. He claws at his arms, his chest, his throat, pleading with himself not to succumb.

The easy solution to his problem continues to shudder, his unusually delectable blood pooling in multiple places across his body. Wei Wuxian is growing increasingly feverish, the sheen of sweat across his forehead giving him an opalescent look under the light.

Consume him.

Drink.

You need to drink.

Instinct demands he save himself- no matter how sufficient animal blood is, human blood has healing properties that far surpass it, and on this night specifically… It would do wonders for Lan Wangji’s ailing body. But something stronger screams back at instinct, a growing pain in his heart that would rather he suffer than hurt Wei Wuxian. Summoning herculean will power, he stiffly moves across the ditch, searching for anything that can be used to help.

With pinched fingers, he yanks the messenger bag back across to himself, searching inside. The one-time apothecary seems to be low on medicines or herbs, but he at least has some bandages and his water canister with him. Lan Wangji tears a piece of his sleeve, soaking it in the water and using it to wipe away the blood on Wei Wuxian’s forehead. The smell of blood is thickest near Wei Wuxian’s lower abdomen; he’s not sure what it says about him that he can still feel shame in such a desperate situation, but Lan Wangji tries not to glance too long as he tears away the ruined velvet vest, the chipped golden buttons smacking him in the face. The moment the vest is removed, he hisses for multiple reasons.

Some of the shrapnel has lodged into the flesh of his lower stomach, jagged flecks of deep red pooling. Biting his lip to distract from temptation, Lan Wangji tries to rinse away the excess blood, takes the piece of shirt and presses it onto the wounds. He wraps the bandage around Wei Wuxian’s torso, tying it uncomfortably tight. With the last vestiges of his control, he tries to bury the lingering smell of rinsed blood with some soil, scrubbing his hands with dirt and water until the smell is dampened.

By the time he pushes himself back across the hole, forcing himself to breathe slowly through his teeth, Wei Wuxian awakens. Deep circles surround his eyes, but he’s still quick to analyze what’s happening around him. He glances over Lan Wangji, gaze ferally sharp.

“Lan Zhan… Are you okay?” he mutters, worry cut by a voice raspy from pain and exhaustion.

Lan Wangji realizes how this must look- Wei Wuxian had only been hit once and was suffering immensely from the gunshot and the pain of the landslide. Lan Wangji on the other hand, is visibly tormented, but not nearly out of commission despite being shot multiple times and undergoing the same fall. He’s trying to determine if this is worth a lie, or if he should just say nothing, when Wei Wuxian continues.

“I know the silver bullets can still do some damage even if they don’t work the way everyone says they do. You seem to be slowly healing though; that’s good.”

The statement shakes him to the core.

“You…you knew?” Nothing else needs to be specified. Wei Wuxian blinks, flinching from his own furrowed brow tugging at the head wound.

“Yes…?”

“How?”

The shameless man has the audacity to roll his heavy-lidded eyes at Lan Wangji!

“I have eyes, and I was throwing myself at you daily, Lan er-gege,” he quietly whines. “They consider me a genius in some places, you know. I’d have picked it up at some point.”

His nonchalance infuriates Lan Wangji, and his nostrils flare.

“If you knew what I was, why would you risk yourself like this? I may not be as vulnerable to bullets, but you still are!”

Wei Wuxian’s silver eyes pierce him just as much as the bullets they resemble.

“I couldn’t help it!” he weakly replies. “I saw you were hurt, that they were chasing you, and I leapt. I didn’t think about it.”

It’s so bewildering to Lan Wangji that he falls speechless. He doesn’t know what to say; what else can he say? He’s grateful for the care but… can the man not see the way the blue glow of the moon is slowly bleeding into red? Can he not understand that the moon is showing him the consequences of his actions? Perhaps that was the end of his self-proclaimed genius?

Lan Wangji’s skin quickly takes on its bloody pallor, the irritation now a rash. He’s overwhelmed, in agony, and dread screams in his mind, quickly subduing any logical thoughts. 

He’s dying

I’ve hurt him

What will I do if he dies

I’m in so much pain

It burns

What if I can’t save him

I can’t save him

I’m a monster

Not him

Either ignorant or uncaring of Lan Wangji’s distress, Wei Wuxian still finds some energy to weakly joke.

"I see smoke coming from your ears over there. It’s okay. I’ve had numerous scrapes with death before; I’ll be okay.”

Lan Wangji does not favor his blasé tone about death, not when he values Wei Wuxian’s life so much.

“Besides, if it really comes down to it, we could both just be vampires."

He shouldn’t react to it. He should accept it as the shameless ramblings of dying, brilliant man. He should be thinking of a way to get out of here. There are many things Lan Wangji should do. But his shoulders could only carry so much weight, and this was just too far. The contained mask slips away, revealing a horrific panic garish on Lan Wangji’s features.

“Enough! Do you even dare to know what you’re asking of me? Do you know the reality of being a vampire? Do you not see what is occurring in front of you, the way my mind and body painfully yearns to end your life, and how much I do not want that? Could you ever fathom the true cost of giving someone immortality, of surviving immortality? Of forcing yourself, every single day, to abstain, trying to retain what little humanity you have left?”

He remembers how his father ruined his mother’s forced transformation. How day after day she put off his attempts, how she schemed and planned to escape with her children, how she cajoled them with assurances. Of how he stormed into her chambers and attacked her when he discovered the plot, how her veins turned black and her skin turned blue, how she slumped to the ground dead. He remembers his father choosing to disintegrate in the sunlight around her body, to die together, rather than go another day without her.

He remembers two pale little boys who stopped aging around twenty-five, raised to be perfect by an aristocratic clan that both revered and were revolted by them. Of how no one understood why they refused to drink human blood the way the Lan drank from the rich like fresh wine. Of how they simply pretended that they weren’t there at all, when they couldn’t force them to take their ways. How Lan Wangji in particular has spent what feels like eternity in self-repentance and isolation, forced to live with the guilt that he’d accidentally told on his mother, had accidentally murdered her.

Wei Wuxian knows not of what he’s asking.

“Your words are thoughtless, Wei Wuxian, and if you will not change your perspective, then for once, just be silent!”

Bang bang bang!

Thunder roars outside the manor walls, the wind and rain crashing against the front door like a horde of ravenous demons demanding to be let inside. Draped in robe over his loungewear, Lan Wangji curls into his sitting chair, the warm fire roaring in his candlelit room making it the coziest space in the cavernous home. He delicately lifts his teacup to his lips, taking a long sip of the warm jasmine and foal blood mix. Lan Wangji is not one to boast of his own accomplishments (and who would be there to hear of them anyway?) but this had been quite an inspired idea. The warmth and gentle taste of a perfectly brewed jasmine tea, with a creamer pot filled with light, aerated, young blood for energy- perfect for a night like this, when he reclines in his room with a good book. The night is his to do with as he pleases.

Bang bang bang!

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang-

Okay, perhaps tonight will not belong to him to do as he pleases. Lan Wangji drops the book on his side table, sighing through his nose in aggravation. How annoying, that one of the few times he feels safe and secure, he cannot rest. The shadows and sudden bright flashes of light do not inhibit Lan Wangji from making his way through the dark home, the same way the darkness won’t inhibit his aim when he shoots at whoever is causing such a ruckus right at his front door. Shotgun fully loaded and in hand, Lan Wangji heaves the gigantic door open a sliver. There is no sign of any lantern light; perhaps whoever it was had intentions of a sudden attack. Before Lan Wangji can fire off a warning shot, a quiet, shaky voice comes from the bottom of the door.

“L-Lan er- g-g-ge-ge… D-don’t p-panic, it’s me.”

Lan Wangji lowers the barrel at the same pace as his gaze, taking in a hunched over and soaked Wei Wuxian. His vest is wrapped tightly around his bag, leaving him only in his white shirt and pants. It’s a pathetic sight for a man who seemed so untouchable.

“H-hel-p me o-out here, p-please?” Despite the dangerous quivering in his face, Wei Wuxian offers a smile.

A small moment of conflict unfurls in Lan Wangji- for so long he has been alone, guarded the home like a dragon, and everything in him commands that he follow propriety and shut the door. It’s suddenly a very cruel thought, once he thinks it, and he cannot see himself following through. Before he can talk himself out of it, he lifts a stunned Wei Wuxian into a princess carry, unfortunately soaking through his own clothes, and kicks the door shut behind him. The foyer looms high overhead, and Wei Wuxian stutters out a whistle.

“I-I c-can hardly s-see anyth-thing, it’s s-so high and d-dark. No c-c-candles?”

Lan Wangji quickly walks up the grand staircase, trying not to react to the ever-astute man shivering in his arms.

“I prefer to leave most of the candles out when it storms,” he explains, swiftly moving through the dark halls.

The other rooms in the manor are clean, their attached bathrooms scrubbed and ready for use, and yet Lan Wangji finds himself charging for his own master bathroom. The sparkling white floors are marred with mud and rain as he drops Wei Wuxian’s bag on the floor; the cream-cushioned seat soaked when he sits Wei Wuxian down. As he swiftly runs a bath, lights the candles, and finds soaps and towels, Wei Wuxian’s eyes try to take in all the luxury.

“Wow,” he whispers, genuine awe overcoming his shiver. The warm glow of the multiple flames glimmer against the large clawfoot tub, which is so pristine that he can see his reflection in the side. “I haven’t bathed like this in such a…” He bites his tongue, suddenly humiliated. Luckily, Lan Wangji does not press the issue. The steam from the hot bath quickly fills the room, and Lan Wangji shuts off the water, pulling the privacy screen out.

“Bathe,” he commands. “When you’re done, there will be some fresh clothes for you on the side table here.”

Wei Wuxian playfully pouts. “Don’t you want to stay in here with me?”

It gets him exactly the reaction he wanted- Lan Wangji’s ears turn bright red, and he swivels around, leaving the bathroom. Wei Wuxian speaks just before he slams the door shut.  

“Thank you, Lan er gege. Really.”

The moment the door is closed, he’s sprinting to prepare one of the guest rooms. They were already clean, so all he needed to do was fluff the pillows and prepare a fire. Why, why had he walked to his private bathroom? Perhaps it had been muscle memory? If so, why had Lan Wangji felt so territorial about it? Strange, and he doesn’t want to entertain the idea further. It’s just kindness. He’s just brought up the kindling for the fire when he hears a crash from the other room.

“Wei Wuxian!”

He throws the doors to the bathroom open, and freezes. Leaned over his fallen chair, Wei Wuxian gapes back at him. The silk pajama shirt Lan Wangji gave him was on the muddy floor, leaving his still wet hair clinging to his shoulder and back. A pretty pink overtakes Wei Wuxian’s cheeks as he slowly rises, offering a view of a toned abs, a broad, pliant chest and Lan Wangji is not looking, he is turning around and walking back out of the bathroom-

“Do not worry about the first shirt,” he mutters automatically. “I will replace it.”

The wave of emotions he feels upon seeing Wei Wuxian shirtless is so overwhelming that Lan Wangji forgets what he’s doing, death gripping a shirt to his chest in front of his dresser. Every time he blinks, he can’t get the narrow waist and brown nipples and-

“Er gege, the shirt please? I mean, I don’t mind staying like this, but I’m sure that you- oof!”

Wei Wuxian stumbles backwards, face full of well-aimed nightshirt. It’s enough of a reminder for Lan Wangji to change his own wet, muddy clothes. The moment he steps foot from behind his privacy screen, the man is vaulting for his bed, diving in, and curling under the sheets.

“Shameless!” Lan Wangji hisses, scowling. “There are guest rooms!”

Despite the clear wrath in his tone, Wei Wuxian only groans, pulling the covers up to his eyes and batting his pretty lashes.

“But I want to stay with you! I might have been a little out of it with cold and exhaustion earlier, but I saw the rest of this house. If I stay in another room, I might become one with the shadows or something! This is nothing like the fairy tales! Er gege!”

Lan Wangji closes his eyes to avoid rolling them, or worse- capitulating to the adorable pout. “There is a fireplace in the guest room. I will start it for you.” The last thing Lan Wangji needs is the imagery in his mind plus Wei Wuxian in his bed. He’s about to forcefully lift the man out of his room when Wei Wuxian sighs in defeat- and says something that knocks Lan Wangji right off kilter.

“Fine. No fun. Can I at least have a cup of your tea before I go? I like mine with extra cream.”

Lan Wangji’s pupils shift in horror to the pot of ‘cream’ on the table. It would be unexplainable- not to mention rude- to not offer tea upon welcome into his home. When he freezes, Wei Wuxian scoffs.

“Here, I’ll get it myself then-”

“No!” cries Lan Wangji, pushing Wei Wuxian back onto the bed. “You stay here. You can… stay here. I will make you another pot of tea. That one was- improperly brewed and is now cold.”

Wei Wuxian’s gaze flickers from the table to the large hand Lan Wangji has firmly splayed in the middle of his chest. He raises his hands, slowly falling back into the soft sheets.

“Okay.”

Mortified, Lan Wangji quickly sweeps the tea set out of the room and rushes down to the kitchen for fresh water, brewing a darker, black tea that he knows would go well with a cream. He gulps down the pot of blood, followed by another cup of tea, hoping it will sate him for the time being. Nothing seems to soothe the embarrassment he feels as he shoves his head into his hands.

Foolish, how foolish! He’s just given Wei Wuxian permission to sleep in his bed, he put his hand on his chest, it was soft, and now- If Lan Wangji didn’t know the screams would echo up the stairs, he would fill the kitchen with wails of mortification. This is fine, he tells himself, putting the entirely new tea set on the tray and heading back to the room. His bed is very large, more than enough room to support two grown adults in it. Besides, Lan Wangji knows how scary it can be to spend the night in his home when it feels so empty- he is simply showing good will!

When he enters the room, Wei Wuxian has relaxed into the covers, reclining back on a pillow. The warm light softens his expression, melds him into the imagery as though he’d always belonged there. A strange comfort suffuses through Lan Wangji at the sight. Wei Wuxian graciously takes the cup offered, sipping slowly.

“Mmm…” he moans, the soft hints of mint soothing his chest and relaxing his breathing. “This is so good, Lan er gege. I bet it’s some delicacy from somewhere. Don’t tell me- I want to imagine a far-off land where this is a magical plant.”

Lan Wangji was too caught up in the sound of Wei Wuxian’s moan of pleasure to reply anyway, fingers gripped to his own cup of tea, warm and ignored in his hands. When he can finally remember how to move, he pulls a chair to the side of the bed.

“Why are you here?” he suddenly whispers. It’s so different from the last time they spoke, inviting rather than frustrated, and Lan Wangji watches as Wei Wuxian’s entire demeanor collapses into something smaller, heavy with exhaustion.

“Because I don’t have anywhere else to go, Lan Wangji,” he whispers, voice melancholic. “Because if you hadn’t answered that door tonight, you might have found me there dead in the morning.”

Lan Wangji’s slow beating heart aches at the thought. It would be a pitiful death for any man, but the idea of finding Wei Wuxian lifeless at his door hurts him in an inconceivable way. He would… he would miss him.

“You’re not from here?” It’s less of a question and more of a statement- surely, Lan Wangji would have noticed him by now, otherwise. Wei Wuxian gulps down the rest of his tea, obnoxiously slamming the china back onto the plate.

“I am not! I am a wanderer. Genius, inventor, scientist, one-time assistant apothecary…and wanderer. I’ve never really lived anywhere, not really. My parents died when I was young, and since then, I’ve lived on the outskirts of towns, roughing it. I make it by on my wits and scraps. I’m sure if I’d been born rich, I could have been attending real lectures, reading fresh editions of textbooks and probably adding my wisdom to them… Instead, all my worldly possessions are in my shoulder bag.”

When Lan Wangji gives him a piteous glance, Wei Wuxian stiffens.

“Don’t look at me like that! It’s not a bad life! I’ve met people and learned things that the average person can’t even fathom! I just… some days are harder than others, is all. But I live. I find kind people like you who are willing to take in a nice guy for help on the property, maybe keeping away infestations or helping their plants grow, and I get a room and some drink. Granted, I’ve never received such finery as this, but I’ve also never had to annoy people so much to get that far either!”

By now, Wei Wuxian’s regular grin has spread across his face, and Lan Wangji can’t help snorting in amusement. It quickly drops away when Wei Wuxian shifts towards him, leaning his face into his hand in curiosity.

“What about you? You are a far cry from the ghost or demon that the townspeople claim is here. Why are you here?”

Why are you here? Why are you here? Why are you here? All different forms of the same question that Lan Wangji has refused to dwell on, for fear that he’ll lose his resolve and perhaps his mind.

“This is my family home,” he simply tells, sipping his tea.

“And your family…?”

“My brother and uncle are away, and my parents are dead.” It’s curt, and yet it’s the most anyone has ever bothered to get out of Lan Wangji about his past. Having stepped on a sensitive topic, Wei Wuxian presses his lips together.

“Sorry.” He pauses, searching for a lighter topic. “So, how do you manage such a giant place by yourself? Are there really ghosts in the rafters doing your dusting?” He flicks his fingers for extra effect, and Lan Wangji wrinkles his nose.

“There are no ghosts,” he firmly replies. At least, not ones we can see. He’d like to think his mother’s spirit wasn’t trapped in eternal torment- he’s not so selfish so as to wish her discomfort for his own sake.

“Oh, boring. Tell me all about what really happens here, then.”

If Lan Wangji weren’t certain he’d taken no medicine, he’d think he was having an out of body experience. Someone- a handsome rogue, no less- in his bed, asking him about his nonexistent life. Truly, genuinely asking! No one had outside of his mother and his brother had ever cared about what he thought or felt. And yet, here was Wei Wuxian, cozy in his blankets, eyes solely on him as though he was going to tell him the grandest of bedtime stories.

“Once a month,” Lan Wangji starts, unsure. “Hired servants come and do the deep cleaning. I maintain the estate the rest of the time.” The hired hands are dispatched from the Lan elders, and it’s as though he really is a ghost, the way they work around him and whisper about him like he’s not there. After a long time, he stopped bothering to acknowledge them at all.

“I’ve never left this property. I do not have any outside experiences. My family is old, aristocratic, and anything I might need I obtain seasonally. There are deals that my family has made with the townspeople far before I was born.”

Wei Wuxian frowns, perturbed. “Never left? You’ve really never- oh Lan Wangji, you’ve got to get out more!”

“Lan Zhan.”

Both of them jump at Lan Wangji’s audacity. Shy, Lan Wangji is the first to turn away. He’s not going to repeat himself. Luckily, Wei Wuxian is feeling gracious.

“Wei Ying, then. Tell me more, Lan Zhan.”

When Lan Wangji opens his eyes to the painful light of day flickering behind his heavy fabric curtains, he’s stunned to find that he’s fallen asleep in his chair. Wei Wuxian sprawls across his bed, deep in sleep. Lan Wangji is nocturnal; he sleeps from 9am to 5pm. For him to be in such a state of peace that it corralled him into rest- what is this shameless man doing to him?

It gets even worse- next, Lan Wangji offers Wei Wuxian carte blanche to the entire property, with the exception of his mother’s old rooms. The most important reason is that they are private- no one but Lan Wangji is to enter them. The most constant reason is, as predicted, because Wei Wuxian is a troublemaker. More often than not, he finds himself calling ‘Wei Ying!’ in various intonations at the raucous man’s behavior. The moment the man understood his nocturnal schedule- attributed to a disease that made sunlight painful against his skin- he’s gone out of his way to greet Lan Wangji with chaos every night he wakes.

My clothes are muddy because I was searching for a special root!

I brought you a bouquet from the flowers outside!

I know the kitchen looks bad but look! I made a brand-new dish!

Lan Zhan, this Emperor’s Smile is the finest wine I’ve ever had! Do you drink?

Lan Wangji doesn’t drink wine, he didn’t even know there was alcohol in the manor until a cat-like Wei Wuxian wormed his way into each and every room (except his mother’s), finding a secret cache.

Worst of all, the urge to drink blood has been suppressed in lieu of another, equally scalding feeling that Lan Wangji cannot under any circumstances unleash. He wonders if it would be better to want to drink Wei Wuxian’s blood, instead of the many lewd, unconscionable things he actually desires. He’s grateful for decades of well-built self-discipline, because if seeing a flour-covered mess of a man holding inedible flame-hot noodles makes him want to bend said man over a table, he’s not sure what else he’s capable of.

One day, Lan Wangji is awakened from his rest by a loud crash. He normally can sleep through the noise that Wei Wuxian makes, having adjusted quickly enough, but something about this puts him on edge. Grimacing at the glimpse of late afternoon light coming through the side of the curtains, he dresses himself in a white button up that goes to his neck, long pants, and ivory gloves. Putting on a full veil might be too revealing, so he decides to try his luck and makes his way into the hallway.

Ethereal, is the first word Lan Wangji breathes as he walks toward the noise. He hasn’t seen the house in the daylight in so long that he’s forgotten just how colorful it was. Refreshing shades of blue on the walls, gorgeous silver mantelpieces and candleholders, the spotless marble floors reflecting all the magnificence. The indirect light filters in from high ceilings, cascading down from above. It’s so magnificent that he hardly cares about the discomfort it brings.

This home was never meant for vampire kind, he thinks. It’s perfect for someone like Wei Wuxian, who deserves to stand in the light. If only a vampire artist that could work with a human and in the light existed, he’s so tempted to have a grand painting commissioned of him. It could hang at the top of the grand staircase, where a large hole gapes in the space where a portrait of his mother once hung.

A loud crash pulls Lan Wangji back down to earth- first, he needs to see what the real man was doing. He’s halfway down the stairs when he can finally take in the chaos in its totality. Wei Wuxian is flushed from drink, a saber in his hand as he wildly swings it around. The loud noise is from one of the suits of armor, now crumbled to the floor from mistreatment. Wei Wuxian continues to swing, muttering to himself before hopping around in a show of clumsy showmanship.

“Wei Ying.”

With a yelp, Wei Wuxian stands at attention towards Lan Wangji’s voice. When he actually sees Lan Wangji giving him an imperially disappointed look, his pupils widen in awe.

“Lan Zhan! Out during the daylight! Wow!” Lan Wangji blushes at Wei Wuxian’s unabashed observation. “I don’t think anyone could wear full white and be so handsome. Truly, what a vision. Like a crowned swan, or something. You ought to have a painting done!”

It’s uncomfortably close to what Lan Wangji had thought earlier, especially now as his eyes crawl over Wei Wuxian with his shirt unbuttoned to the belly button. He swallows subtly and painfully as he descends the stairs.

“Wei Ying, what are you doing?”

Wei Wuxian shrugs. “I was bored, and I was curious to know how to use one of these. I’ve only ever fought with less classy things to get out of many a brawl- not that I can’t give anyone a run for their money. Meanwhile, you just have fancy weapons attached to the wall, going unused. I figured I’d give it a try!”

“While drunk?”

“Excuse me, Lan Zhan. I’m never drunk. Besides, a sip of wine always makes things better.”

Exasperated, Lan Wangji holds out a hand. “Give me the saber.” He starts when Wei Wuxian pointedly moves the saber out of reach.

“No.”

“Wei Ying!”

“Race me for it.”

“I will not-”

Wei Wuxian takes off down one of the adjoining halls, waving the saber around wildly.

“Come play, Lan Zhan!”

Frozen, Lan Wangji’s mouth gapes open in shock. Outside of home defense, Lan Wangji has never run in this house. No one has ever run in this house for something as silly as…as play! He’s moved to action when Wei Wuxian slams into another suit of armor at the end of the hall, smashing it to the floor.

“Oops.”

Lan Wangji’s feet move before he can even think about it, his heart actually speeding up- only due to exertion! In an instant he’s by Wei Wuxian’s side, reaching across his body for the saber. His biggest concern is that Wei Wuxian will hurt himself, leading to an open wound, but the frustrating man doesn’t seem to care that Lan Wangji is trying to protect him! He dodges, left and right, unusually wily for a human being with a belly full of wine. They dance further down the intermittently lit hallway, Lan Wangji’s skin starting to sting with the irritation of the occasional light. In one unfortunate moment, Wei Wuxian slips from his hands and falls into a window. The curtains give way, and a full blast of sunlight sears into him. Hissing, Lan Wangji stumbles backwards into a small haven of shadow near the opposite wall.

It seems that this is enough to dull Wei Wuxian’s excitement; it seems he’d gotten so caught up in his fun that he’d forgotten how sensitive Lan Wangji was to the light. He runs a quick view of the hallway, settling on a small wooden door. Expeditiously, he tugs Lan Wangji’s long sleeve towards it.

“Damn, Lan Zhan, let’s go sit down in some shade. I’m sorry, I was playing too much.”

He opens the door to what turns out to a sufficiently dark broom closet, when a firm hand hurtles him inside. At the same time, the saber is yanked from his hand, so Wei Wuxian just barely manages not to smash face first into the cool brick.

“Lan Zhan, what are you-?” he cries, scowling. Casting a shadow across the wall looms a furious Lan Wangji, seething as he tosses the saber to the floor. Lan Wangji lunges for him, and Wei Wuxian dips under his arm, aiming for the door. His escape vanishes like the light as Lan Wangji reaches around him, forcing the door shut by pushing him into it.

“What,” Wei Wuxian hisses, “is your problem? I said I was sorry about the sun-”

His words are cut off as Lan Wangji’s lips overpower his, sucking just hard enough for him to open his mouth. A slick, heated tongue slips inside the moment he does. It’s not Wei Wuxian’s first kiss, and it’s clearly Lan Wangji’s, but Wei Wuxian finds himself melting into the heat of the embrace, no sunlight necessary. His fingers curl in Lan Wangji’s hair, tightening so hard that he receives a low hiss in response.

“Stop,” Lan Wangji growls, wrapping his hands around Wei Wuxian’s thighs and lifting him off the ground, “tempting me.”

There’s a small bite of pain as Wei Wuxian’s back collides with the door, but it’s quickly overridden by pleasure as Lan Wangji ruts into him, the burning friction against his dick delectable.

“Someone as aristocratic as you, pinning a commoner in a mere closet. Careful,” Wei Wuxian teases. “If there were people here, they’d think we were up to something.”

It’s clear that he’d be delighted by the idea, and Lan Wangji can’t bring himself to care either as he presses in closely once more. Wei Wuxian throws his head back in pleasure, moaning salaciously.

“Let me,” he whimpers. He’s already so close to the edge that he might pop. “Lan Zhan, er gege, I’ll do it, just let me, please.”

Unbuttoning his stupid pants has to be the most difficult thing he’s ever done, tipsy and horny out of his mind. When he finally springs free, he’s soaked at the tip, near red it’s so hard. At least it’s easy enough to pull down Lan Wangji’s lounge pants, but Wei Wuxian has to pause when he reaches for the prettiest, longest dick he’s ever seen.

“Damn, er gege,” he gasps, licking his lips. “Who needs any other weapons when you’ve got this one right here?”

Lan Wangji only squeezes him tighter. “Hurry up.”

Heated silver locks on molten gold as Wei Wuxian slowly lifts his hand and licks it from palm heel to fingertip, a trail of spit connecting his long tongue to his palm. He shoves it in between them, gripping them both together and squeezing tight. Lan Wangji shoves his head into Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. From here he can experience two things- the pleasure of Wei Wuxian’s tantalizing grip, and the temptation of the blood running through his veins. It’s never smelled so mouthwatering before as it does now, flushed just underneath his skin. Wei Wuxian’s moans get louder, and Lan Wangji feels his hips jumping- it won’t be too much longer.

Fuck him.

Bite him.

Do both.

The taste of his life and his lust- how divine.

They messily come together, evidence of their pleasure all over Wei Wuxian’s exposed chest. Spent, they collapse to the floor, Wei Wuxian breathing so loudly that it nearly drowns out Lan Wangji’s rising anxiety at what he’s done. The venom pooling in his mouth proves it- he’d been ready to bite. How stupid of him, to risk Wei Wuxian’s life over temporary satisfaction? 

“Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji hadn’t realized he’d turned away from Wei Wuxian until the small, unsure voice draws his gaze back.

“Is everything-”

Lan Wangji rushes to stand, pulling his pants up. Wei Wuxian scrambles out of the way as he pulls the door open, at once bombarded by the harsh light. He turns to flee, only giving the crushed man on the floor one last look.

“I- I’m- I’m so-”

“I’m so sorry.”

The words are fragile, plaintive as they slip from Lan Wangji, but for all their honesty they do not erase the dejection from Wei Wuxian’s shrinking shoulders, both then and now. Lan Wangji had fled from the closet after merely glimpsing such an expression, unaware of the true extent of damage he’d caused until every sign of Wei Wuxian had vanished from his home upon his return from hiding in his mother’s room. The master bedroom no longer showed signs of mess; the bag that was normally filled with plants and trinkets and books missing. It was as if Lan Wangji was back to being a ghost, the door to his gilded cage locked once again.

Now, trapped inside this collapsed hole now halfway red as the blood moon ascends, there’s nowhere to run and nothing he can do but watch as Wei Wuxian sinks with rejection, misery, and then pain as he starts to cough. They quickly become phlegmy, sharp heaves, blood dribbling from the side of his mouth. Wei Wuxian swiftly covers it with his arm, trying to prevent the tempting liquid from falling within Lan Wangji’s small range of cool light. When Lan Wangji reaches over, fingers sizzling in the red light, Wei Wuxian slaps his hand away.

“No!”

Lan Wangji recoils, both at his tone and at the concerningly large splotch of blood remaining on Wei Wuxian’s dirty sleeve when he pulls it away.

“Wei Ying, please forgive me, I- I just wanted- I thought I should-” Help? What could he even say? Why would Wei Wuxian want his help after he just berated him so cruelly? “I should not have presumed. I apologize.”

Wei Wuxian shakes his head. “It’s not that. The light will hurt you.”

Even in the midst of his own suffering, he’d noticed something as small as- Lan Wangji can hardly bear it. The man is driving him mad with love, mad with worry, and most frighteningly, mad with hunger. 

“You are the one who is hurt. I will call for help.”

“If you call out for help, assuming anyone on this mountain can hear you, they’ll probably shoot you.” Wei Wuxian’s lips are painted a beautiful, awful crimson as he smiles. “Were my heroics not impressive enough for you?”

“Do not tease. We are running out of time. We need to find you a doctor.”

It’s a risk that Lan Wangji is willing to take to save Wei Wuxian’s life. What feels like thousands of fire ants burrow beneath his skin, crawling to find sustenance, and the familiar, judgmental voices in his mind increasingly grow louder and more seductive with every centimeter closer the bloody light moves. If he doesn’t do something soon, he fears he won’t be able to do anything at all.

There is no need to yell for help.

He forces himself up the wall of mud using his right hand and left foot, flinching at the pain of the shrapnel embedded inside. His left shoulder has swollen into uselessness, his right thigh getting close to, and his adrenaline has long run out.

You have everything you need right here.

“Someone! Please! Help!”

There is no one out there anyway. You have always been alone.

“Lan Zhan, your wounds-”

Even if you call for help, even if they do choose to save you-

“We are trapped!”

You’re just as likely to kill them as thanks.

“Er ge, listen to me-”

Lan Wangji sobs silently as he claws against their enclosure, terror as thick as the dirt beneath his nails.

“Lan Zhan. If I don’t make it, if it gets too bad… I still want you to drink from me.”

It all is too much, and Lan Wangji collapses back to the ground.

“No… I do not want to lose you again,” he whimpers, but Wei Wuxian is calmly merciless.

“You don’t have to turn me. I understand how that could be upsetting for you, and I’m sorry for asking. Just… take care of yourself.”

“Wei Ying, I-”

“Lan Zhan!” Finally, finally after overcoming so many things that should have struck fear into his heart, there is pure anxiety in Wei Wuxian’s voice. “Please, I don’t want to die as pointlessly as I lived, please-”

His words are cut off by a harsh shiver that rattles through his body and jerks him around, his eyes rolling up in his head before tightening shut.

“Wei Ying!”

Watching Wei Wuxian seize against the wall is so horrifying that Lan Wangji reaches deep for his last bit of strength, launching himself over. His left arm slams into the wall, so excruciating he almost blacks out. Nauseating fear, guilt, and heartbreak pushes him to straighten up enough to pull Wei Wuxian into his weakening embrace.

“You are not pointless. Your life means so much to me, Wei Ying, I love you, you cannot die, you cannot leave me here again!” Lan Wangji’s voice cracks with emotion. “I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for me, I just want you to stay…”

Still rattling, Wei Wuxian grins, tears clearing a path through some of the dirt on his cheeks.

“We were always chasing around each other then, Lan Zhan,” he croaks. “You love me, too. Who knew?”

Lan Wangji can’t make himself smile, but he squeezes Wei Wuxian’s arm gently.

“En. Not a genius, then.”

Wei Wuxian giggles, though it turns into dry-heaves as he seizes again, though this time he has Lan Wangji’s soft, bloody torso to soften the impact. Silence overtakes them when Wei Wuxian slumps back into Lan Wangji’s embrace, peaceful sigh at odds with Lan Wangji’s bamboo stiff demeanor as his tears land on Wei Wuxian’s forehead. He wraps an arm around Wei Wuxian, a sob shaking in his chest when a grateful, limp head cuddles into it.

Burning alerts Lan Wangji to the red moonlight finally filling the pit, his skin searing in the spaces unprotected by Wei Wuxian’s body. It’s humorous in a way- he’s feeling so defeated, so exhausted from the anxiety, that it’s almost a relief for the source of his dread to have finally arrived. His mind is otherwise silent, his demons conveniently vacated.

Perhaps, if he’s lucky, they’ll both die here. Wei Wuxian from his injuries, Lan Wangji from his injuries and a broken heart.

“Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji’s heart can hardly take it, the weakness in that still-hopeful whisper. Still, he peels his eyes open, trying to control his grimace for Wei Wuxian’s sake.

“One more?”

It clicks when Wei Wuxian licks his drying lips- if he cannot have anything else, he at least wants this from Lan Wangji. Surely, he can summon enough self-control to give him this, to not drop his lips lower towards the sluggish moving blood in his throat. Lifting his hand to Wei Wuxian’s chin, he tilts him closer, eyes closing as their lips come together, tongue gently scooping inside-

And tries to pull away, horrified upon the mouthful of hot, savory blood that spills into his mouth. In the time it took Lan Wangji to pull him close, Wei Wuxian has near bitten through his own tongue. As though determined to die, his last amount of strength goes into locking Lan Wangji into the macabre kiss, forcing the scalding liquid down his throat. The worst part about it isn’t that Wei Wuxian slowly fading in his arms, or the way he chokes on his own blood.

It's the way Lan Wangji has no desire to stop, the way every part of him triumphs at relief from the pain and the thirst. It’s the way he pulls away from Wei Wuxian, mouth dripping with blood, and tearfully lunges for his throat to drink from his dying lover’s neck more efficiently. Meanwhile, he hears Wei Wuxian gurgle a laugh, and a small spark of fury burns within him at the man’s trickery.

At the same time, something selfish and stubborn kindles from that flame- necessity has forced his hand. He cannot let Wei Wuxian go. He will not. He refuses to be left alone with a dampened thirst and a dead body and an empty house and an empty existence. Glaring with determination, Lan Wangji clamps down harder, injecting as much burning venom as he can into Wei Wuxian’s arteries. This time, it is he who holds tight as he simultaneously drinks and injects the painful serum, Wei Wuxian’s skin paling as he writhes from the oncoming pain and blood loss. If the context weren’t so gruesome, his low moans and whimpers would travel right to Lan Wangji’s loins.

As for Lan Wangji’s injuries, he can feel his bruising shrinking, his skin knitting back together, dissolving the shrapnel into petty silver liquid. His body feels more alive and alert than ever, the effect of human blood incomparable. The hated sanguine light of the moon no longer burns him; what had served as his overseer all night now goes completely ignored as he gulps down the blood it so desperately wanted him to have. Soon, crisp blue light begins to return to the pit, as though it has done its diligence.

It is halfway gone when Wei Wuxian stiffens, his feet and hands all stretching to the tips, before going completely limp in Lan Wangji’s lap, head lolling. Lan Wangji slowly pulls away, witnessing the livid bite mark left behind on Wei Wuxian’s neck- bruised blue and surrounded by black veining. The world begins to quake around them as he realizes what he’s done.

He’s failed.

Wei Wuxian is dead.

Manic laughter overcomes Lan Wangji, and he curls around Wei Wuxian’s body, hiding his face in shoulder. He doesn’t even get the chance to step out into the sun and avoid the consequences of his actions, like his father. In fact, he’s more powerful than he’s been in ages- fate wants him to live fully aware of the terrible gift Wei Wuxian has given him. The red moon shifts back into the blue, and he’s never felt more dead inside.  

“Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji’s choked sobs cease at once. No, it can’t be- A gentle hand tilts his head up to a divine sight, and Lan Wangji wipes away the leftover tears so that he can properly bask in it. Lips still painted in blood, a pale, moonlit Wei Wuxian blinks at him with confusion at his renewed life.

“I’m- you did it? I don’t feel any more pain anywhere, but you said you wouldn’t-”

Lan Wangji jabs him in his torso where the shrapnel had once torn into his insides, and Wei Wuxian flinches in anticipation of the pain, but there’s nothing.

“Ai! How could you? Lan Zhan, you bully! I was just-”

His whining is cut off by a tight embrace.

“Never do something like that again.”

Wei Wuxian chuckles breathlessly, running his fingers through Lan Wangji’s hair in a soothing motion.

“Okay. I promise. Don’t think it could happen twice, anyway.” He snickers when Lan Wangji reveals one glaring yellow eye. “Joke! It’s a joke. Thank you for… saving me. For choosing to save me.”

There are so many things Lan Wangji could say. I’m furious at you for choosing such a way to die. I’ve experienced life without you for mere minutes, and it was miserable. I thought I killed you. Thank you for freeing me from my eternal loneliness. Thank you for choosing me. No one has ever chosen me. I get to live a new life, if you are here with me.

Instead, he settles on “Every day.”

Wei Wuxian frowns. “What?”

“If you choose to stay with me, I will love and hold you, every day. I will make your sacrifice worth it, every day.”

“It wasn’t that much of a sacrifice, I-”

Lan Wangji’s gaze doesn’t waver as he gently shakes Wei Wuxian out of his doubtful thoughts. This time it’s Wei Wuxian who pinks with the little bit of blood left in him, covering his eyes.

“You will never want for anything that I have the power to give.”

“Lan Zhan!”

“You will never want for a home, ever again.”

“When did you become so eloquent?”

Lan Wangji smiles, his first real, full smile in his living memory, and he kisses Wei Wuxian’s hand.

“Listening to Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian scoffs, but it follows with bubbly giggles that grace Lan Wangji’s rejuvenated spirit. “Fine! I’ll accept your promises, but if you don’t do everything I want, every single day, I’m going to whine and complain, and you can’t get rid of me because I’m not going anywhere!”

“En. Acceptable. Will never get rid of you.”

Wei Wuxian licks his lips, jolting when he tastes his own blood. His eyes narrow in suspicion, thoughts racing through his mind, but then his expression settles on mischievous. He tilts forward into Lan Wangji’s space, tapping his messy chin and lips.

“I think you missed a spot, er gege, and it seems that I am all out of water.”

He doesn’t expect Lan Wangji’s ferocity as he sweeps Wei Wuxian into straddling him, fisting a tight hand in his hair, and licking his lips open before surging in for a deep, breathless kiss.

The metallic taste of his own blood registers as something that should be uncomfortable, especially as his last living memory is of forcing himself to choke on a mouthful of it. Instead, Wei Wuxian relishes in the combination of the headiness of Lan Wangji’s tongue and the subtle, numbing sting of the venom from their dripping incisors. In the midst of the euphoria, a hand greedily slides up his torn shirt and happily cups one of his breasts. He giggles as another hand suddenly cups his ass, Lan Wangji purring like a happy kitten as he kneads both.

“Are you happy, Lan Zhan?” he teases, allowing Lan Wangji to nuzzle into his neck.

“En.”

“Do I feel that good that you have to squish me? Ow! Lan Zhan, don’t bite me again! Ow- is this a vampire thing? Biting? Or are you just weird? Lan Zhan!”

Wei Wuxian’s neck and collarbone are covered in love bites by the time he manages to pull Lan Wangji away, squeezing his cheeks together as he gives him a reproachful look.

“Can we at least do this somewhere more comfortable, er gege?” He’s only half kidding- Wei Wuxian is not above a roll in the literal hay, especially with the fine specimen of a man in front of him. But after everything that has happened tonight, he feels grimy. He’s become spoiled by the rare access to hot, running water.

“En. One more moment.” Lan Wangji wraps his arms around Wei Wuxian’s waist, squeezing tight. It’s endearing, and a little heartbreaking, so Wei Wuxian allows him to take his time, resting his hands on the firm shoulders. A couple moments later, a small tug on his hair draws his attention down to a soft, probing expression.

“Are you thirsty?”

There’s a small burn in the back of his throat, but nothing too painful. He’s gone without in his life, before. “Not yet.”

“I will bring you blood. The animals should have returned to the forest by now.”

“Is that what you were searching so desperately for?”

“En.”

“So it’ll be deer or something, right?”

“En.”

“Can I still eat the deer?”

Lan Wangji snorts. “If you’d like.”

“What about a stir fry with beef? Extra, extra spicy?”

“I will find you a cow.”

Wei Wuxian is excited now, cogs in his mind turning a mile a minute.

“You’re a vegetarian, right? It’s okay, I can make it extra spicy with vegetables too.”

He misses Lan Wangji’s queasy expression, quickly molded back into calm acceptance.

“…En.”

Wei Wuxian points up towards the moonlight, now moving toward the horizon.

“Is the ability to not burn in sunlight passed on?”

It throws Lan Wangji- he’d been so caught up in the overwhelming throes of warm love that he’d forgotten that time hadn’t frozen. Apologetic, he releases his grip around Wei Wuxian and lifts them both to standing.

“Pure vampires will disintegrate upon contact with direct sunlight. As a half-blood, I cover my skin completely as direct contact is very painful, but I have not perished. I do not know what will happen to you.”

Already, he’s brought someone into his world and isn’t giving him proper protection! How could he be so foolish? He is ready to beg forgiveness, but Wei Wuxian is not paying attention at all, now looking at his pale limbs with renewed vigor.

“Intriguing! So being half-blood made you more powerful and durable than the regular vampires. I bet they were all so jealous of you.”

And just like that, the last of the chains of self-doubt restraining Lan Wangji to his blood, to his status, and to his ancestral home shatter, like pristine crystal onto tile. He has never been considered ‘weak’ per se, but at no point in his life has anyone ever considered his existence more powerful outright. Even if they had been jealous, it would have been veiled with barbs and side remarks, which would have been veiled with false deference. Perhaps it’s because of who it’s coming from, that Lan Wangji feels so empowered. 

Unaware of the life-altering moment Lan Wangji is experiencing, Wei Wuxian continues theorizing. “I’ll have to test it. Do you disintegrate completely, or do you just lose what’s exposed to the light? Or maybe, I’ll-”

Even Wei Wuxian’s babbling grounds him. He’s not upset, hurt, or resentful- he is legitimately happy to be by Lan Wangji’s side. Contentment- a feeling so precious that he’ll never risk it again- warms his heart. He wants to give this man the world in exchange for his heart- and that means it’s time to leave this one behind. Determination solidifies within him, and he smiles softly. Wei Wuxian notices the smile and beams, rushing into his arms.

“Lan Zhan!”

“Wei Ying.”

“I love you!”

“Love you too.”

“You have to say it forever- we have that now!”

“I will. Every day.”

“Lan Zhan.”

“Wei Ying.”

“Let’s get you away from this town. See faraway lands together.”

“I agree.” Where Wei Wuxian goes, he will follow. It has all become so simple.

“And that means getting out of this hole first, yeah?”

“…okay.”

“Don’t laugh at me!”

Strength renewed, Lan Wangji decides to show off a little. He moves away from Wei Wuxian, making sure his eyes are fully on him, and crouches. With one perfect leap, he rises from the collapsed earth, landing on the ground silently and softly. A quick observation of the forest reveals no threat, which is good because a second later, Wei Wuxian is right by his side, having perfectly replicated his form. When Lan Wangji’s lip quirks, Wei Wuxian huffs proudly, flipping his hair over his shoulder.

“As though it was hard,” he comments. “Now, follow me- I studied this entire mountain, I know just how to get back from here.”

Clothes half-torn to shreds, barefoot, hair wild, and bodies exposed to the waning moonlight, they sprint hand and hand through the night. It reminds Lan Wangji of chasing Wei Wuxian through the sunlit halls, except this time, it is more like a consensual, loving dance as they weave in between the trees, stopping every now and then for an impassioned kiss in the shadows. When they finally make it to the estate, Wei Wuxian leads him to the small side door that he’d used to escape the home.

“I didn’t want you to hear me sneaking out of the big doors at the front, so I found this one. Thank goodness, because otherwise we’d have to break one of your expensive windows to get inside.”

“Don’t care about the windows.”

Wei Wuxian pokes Lan Wangji in his nose. “Rich people, really.”

Lan Wangji swiftly grabs the finger, licking the pad, and Wei Wuxian yanks it away, flustered as he scrambles into the dark house. The moonlight still shines through many of the looming windows, allowing no issue as they make their way through the house. It only takes an instant to toss off their permanently ruined clothes, barely turning on the hot water before they’re rutting against one another on the side of the filling tub. Wei Wuxian sucks one last time on Lan Wangji’s tongue before he pulls away.  

“I guess I won’t be able to just jump right on you,” he asks, firmly gripping the hardening member pressed against his thigh. “I’ll still feel pain and all that?”

Lan Wangji flushes, the fresh blood in his system pinking his cheeks. He’s never done anything like this, though he has read about it in his singular and well-worn cutsleeve erotic novel. On top of the embarrassment, the mildest of vinegar taints his tongue that someone else has made Wei Wuxian feel good- what if he doesn’t measure up?

“You have…done this with others?”

Wei Wuxian pulls back. “Is…is that going to be a problem?”

The faint yet genuine disgust in his tone quickly makes Lan Wangji shake his head, quick to offer apology for the offense. “No! No- I worry about myself. I am not…experienced.”

“Oh. Don’t worry about something like that!” Assuaged, Wei Wuxian offers him one more kitten lick before gently pushing him to the side to get into the tub. The small hiss he releases as the hot water touches his skin somehow hardens Lan Wangji more, and he itches to move forward, but something about Wei Wuxian’s pointed slow movement commands him to stay still. As he sinks low, Wei Wuxian looks at the small table of soaps and toiletries- herbs, towels, aha- he grabs the glass jar of oil, and next to it, the small ivory muscle roller. When he waves the small tool at Lan Wangji with a knowing grin, Lan Wangji flushes with both embarrassment and lust.

“It’s for when my muscles hurt after exercise,” he mutters defensively, but he doesn’t dare look away as Wei Wuxian stretches his legs- one foot over each side of the tub- and pours the oil onto his fingers. His fingers, now slick, slip beneath the bubbly water, sighing with pleasure moments later. It’s agonizingly intense, the way Lan Wangji cannot see what is happening behind the curtain of bubbles, and yet just the awareness that Wei Wuxian is touching himself is nearly driving his senses up a wall. His hand twitches toward his member, but Wei Wuxian freezes him with a look.

“Not yet,” he whispers, eyes gleaming in the candlelight. Biting his lip so hard he might draw fresh blood, Lan Wangji summons all his willpower to not move as Wei Wuxian places more oil on more fingers, until four of them have been used to stretch him wide open. Just when he’s had enough, Wei Wuxian reaches for the ivory pin. Lan Wangji nearly faints as he pours oil on that too and submerges it. Even Wei Wuxian can’t control his luxurious cries, the stretch and burn of the pin just enough to pretend it’s his lover.

“Let me,” Lan Wangji growls, ready to burst. He’s not sure when he stepped into the water, when he leaned over Wei Wuxian’s body, when his voice was right next to his ear while he held that impertinent hand. But it’s enough for Wei Wuxian to desist his teasing, dropping the heavy tool to the bottom of the water so that he can wrap his arms around Lan Wangji’s neck. Before he can say something smart-aleck, Lan Wangji smothers his lips with his own, simultaneously lining himself up. When he pushes inside- and he does, all the way, partially from impatience and partially to punish- Wei Wuxian moans so loudly and so filthily that he almost comes right there.

“Ah, fuck er gege,” he breathes, voice choked from the size. “How’d you hit right there, first try? Not even the roller comes close, you’re so-”

Lan Wangji can’t let him keep talking or else he’ll lose his focus on his lucky first try, so he thrusts, drinking in the next cry. Over and over, each cry just as delicious as the last one. Water splashes onto the floor with each move, making a mess that he’ll have to eventually clean, but he couldn’t care less as he pistons inside of his tight lover. Wei Wuxian has fallen apart in his arms, nails clawing at his back as he sobs in ecstasy into the ministrations. The acoustics of the room only amplify the sounds of skin slapping, water splashing, and every babbled command to ‘fuck me harder’, and Lan Wangji realizes something new about himself- he really couldn’t care less if there had been servants or guests to hear them. Somewhere deep inside him, he wants the world to know how good he treats Wei Wuxian, how good he feels inside Wei Wuxian, that there is a joy in such pleasures.

Wei Wuxian bites into his collarbone as he comes, brand new fangs piercing skin, and it drives Lan Wangji right over the edge.

“Question,” sighs Wei Wuxian, as he finally slips from around Lan Wangji and into the now half-empty tub. “How much do you care about wasting water tonight?”

Lan Wangji’s brow furrows, and Wei Wuxian gives him a lazy, post-coitus grin.

“Because I wouldn’t mind bathing again after another round in the bed. And… based on how quickly you just hardened again, I don’t think you would either.”

Vampire reflexes stop Lan Wangji from slipping on the wet, tile floor as he swiftly exists the tub, finds towels to dry them off, and sweeps Wei Wuxian off his feet and into the bedroom. Mischievous as ever, Wei Wuxian rolls onto his stomach, wiggling just enough to tempt Lan Wangji into mounting him. Instead, Lan Wangji takes the opportunity to slowly kiss the top of his foot.

“Lan Zhan? What are you doing?”

“Teasing.” 

“No, only-” Wei Wuxian shivers as Lan Wangji kisses behind his knee. “Only I can tease, er gege! You’ve got it confused!” He yelps as Lan Wangji nips at the inside of his thigh, before moving to a curved cheek and biting there too.

“En. Shush.”

Wei Wuxian continues to whine playfully as Lan Wangji leaves kisses on every exposed part of his back, until he reaches the still-healing bite mark on his neck. Suddenly, they both tense, as though they’re both unsure of what Lan Wangji will feel upon seeing it. Then, he laves his tongue across it, sucking at the skin so hard that it swiftly bruises back up.

“Lan Zhan, and here I thought you were going to be unreas-” The shock of sudden re-entry forces Wei Wuxian into silence, and he collapses onto the soft sheets. His insides are still slick with oil and release as Lan Wangji slowly takes him, this time more overbearing as they move chest to back, skin to skin. The slow press burns deep in Wei Wuxian’s belly, the grind of the covers against him and Lan Wangji’s constant love bites enough to drive him into delirium fairly quickly. He wants to go, go, go like before, but this time, now that the most pressing lust has been sated, they are moving at Lan Wangji’s pace.

“Lan Zhan, I’m begging, it’s too much-”

“En. Good.”

“Can I at least see you?”

With a smug smile, Lan Wangji flips him over so that they are face to face. Wei Wuxian deeply reddens, and he covers his eyes.

“Never mind! I didn’t mean it! Turn me back around!”

Lan Wangji gently grabs his wrists, stretching them over his head and onto the pillow. This vision- this is something else he’ll have to have painted. Still, he can feel himself reaching the end of his own patience. Wei Wuxian giggles as he finally gives in, delivering hard, fast and accurate thrusts that tighten Wei Wuxian’s grip around him. They both end up orgasming so hard, Lan Wangji’s quiet moans swallowed by Wei Wuxian’s screams, that they faint right afterward.  

Wei Wuxian always considered himself nocturnal, but he never thought he’d have to take the term seriously. When he peels his eyes open at his regular morning hour, he feels like he’s experiencing a miserable hangover. His throat is tight, his body sweetly sore. A sliver of sunlight peers through the curtains, a line of light bisecting the nightstand. Morbidly curious, he moves a heavy arm towards the light, pointing his fingertip. Just before it can touch him, a growl freezes him in place, one firm hand around his waist and the other around his wrist.

Grinning, Wei Wuxian lazily turns into Lan Wangji’s embrace, ignoring the way the golden eyes sear into him.

“Good morning to you too, Lan Zhan.”

“No.”

“It’s a safe way to find out.”

“Wei Ying.”

“Support me?” His voice is soft, unusually vulnerable eyes revealing that if he doesn’t have to do something so dangerous alone, he doesn’t want to. When he says it like that, Lan Wangji can’t help but oblige him, and after a couple moments he nods. He maintains his hold on his wrist as Wei Wuxian bravely moves his finger into the light, taking a deep breath when it finally connects.

“Ouch,” Wei Wuxian hisses under his breath. Still, he doesn’t move, observing. The skin sizzles as it reddens, a clear irritation forming on the surface, but it does not crumble into black dust the way Lan Wangji remembers. He breathes a soft sigh of relief, and gently moves Wei Wuxian’s wrist back, affectionately kissing the burnt finger.

“Well,” croaks Wei Wuxian, “that solves that. I’m like you!” He coughs to clear his throat, but Lan Wangji is not fooled. He rises, quickly tossing on a white robe.

“Where are you going?”

“You are finally feeling the effects of thirst. I am getting you something to drink.”

Oh- perhaps the ‘hangover’ wasn’t from being fucked senseless.

“I thought you were out of blood?”

“Went out while you were asleep to hunt. You will eventually adjust to your new schedule.”

When he returns with a full jug of thick, dark blood and a teacup, Wei Wuxian licks his lips. His hands greedily reach out when Lan Wangji hands him the cup.

“Drink slowly.”

The pain in his throat quickly subsides as he drinks, and even his muscles hurt less. He reaches for the jug itself, but Lan Wangji frowns at him, so he petulantly accepts the next cup.

“I will buy you a new wardrobe next time the servants return.”

Wei Wuxian chokes on the blood, punching at his chest. “What, are you tired of sharing your clothes with me already? Is this how we are starting forever?”

He pouts when Lan Wangji only snorts at his tease; already, he’s getting used to him!

“It is not that. You have your own style that you prefer. And…” Lan Wangji blushes, but he holds Wei Wuxian’s gaze. “You look lovely in red. You like it, and if so, you should wear it always.”

The heat of his gaze makes Wei Wuxian’s fall to his cup, and then away.

“Well, that’s… something we don’t need to handle right now. Besides, there’s going to be plenty of things that I’ll like. Are you sure you want to buy all of that?” He knows he’s asked this before, but he has to know for sure, otherwise he’ll never feel secure. To his credit, Lan Wangji patiently answers.

“En. Will spoil you.”

No matter how many times he says it, it will always tickle Wei Wuxian, and he jumps into Lan Wangji’s lap as he undresses and gets back into bed.

“Then once I have my new clothes, we can go anywhere we want to go. Is there something you want to do first?”

“Find my brother.”

“Oh.” Wei Wuxian is subdued; he’s heard only a little about the mysterious Lan Xichen. “Do you think he’ll be… okay, with us?”

“I think he will be delighted.” Lan Wangji can hear his affectionately pushy brother now; oh Wangji, you’re here! And you’ve brought a friend- no, more than a friend! You both absolutely must try this new thing, and here are some things I’ve discovered on my journeys, tell me everything and anything about yourselves…

For the first time, rather than thinking about the interaction with regret and longing, he is filled with hope.

“Is there something you would like to do?”

Wei Wuxian leans back into his arms, fidgeting slightly. “I’d like to visit my hometown; visit my parents’ graves. They deserve to see me after so long; maybe I can clean up their stones and light fresh incense. They ought to know that I’ve finally settled down, that I’ve found somewhere- someone- I consider home.”

Lan Wangji wraps a hand into Wei Wuxian’s hair, kissing his forehead.

“En. That will be first, then. I would like to pay my respects. I would also like to find and commission a painter once we find my brother.”

“For what?”

“I want to commission a grand portrait of us. It will serve as a reminder that here, or wherever we may lay down roots, is both yours and our home.”

Wei Wuxian is so overcome with emotion that he’s speechless- a rarity, indeed. Instead, he just pulls Lan Wangji into a kiss, sloppy with happy tears, and they pick up where they left off in the night.

The townspeople are baffled.

When ragamuffin Wei Wuxian had arrived in their town a year ago, they’d realized fairly early on that the man lacked any sort of fear. And when he’d vanished after ‘adventuring’ up into the mysterious Cloud Recesses manor, the one that generations of their families had pointedly avoided, it was seen as an unfortunate scenario.

So when he suddenly strolls through town during the low twilight hours like nothing had ever happened, everyone reacts like they’ve seen a ghost. At first, they didn’t even recognize him. Where he’d once wore sloppy, yellowed shirts and loose pants, he’s now covered from head to toe in well-fitting crimson shirts and black pants, thin velvet gloves, and a wide brim hat that keeps his face shaded despite the dimming light. His hair hangs loose under the hat, well combed and neat, bouncing everywhere as he speaks to everyone he comes across.

Whenever someone has the nerve to ask him where he’s been, he holds out a chain from his neck with a beautiful gold band hanging from it.

“I got married, you see!”

He’s always holding and constantly drinking from a flask, so it could explain his constant state of celebration. The next curious question might be who the lucky lady is, except that whenever one sees Wei Wuxian in town, behind him there is another man. Dressed in similar finery, he is a brilliant light blue to Wei Wuxian’s blood red, a stunning show of wealth. This gentleman’s face is covered in a lace veil, though if you ask the people who peer close enough, there are striking amber eyes behind it, always watching Wei Wuxian. He rarely speaks, except to purchase items and to thank the people for them. He is much more suspicious, but by the time anyone is ready to confront this mysterious newcomer (or Wei Wuxian about bringing this mysterious newcomer) both have vanished into the night.

They don’t know that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are busy riding in a luxurious train car on their way to visit an ecstatic and apologetic Lan Xichen, who waits for them with promises of excellent dinners, delicacies of blood, nightly parties, university lectures and talks, and anything else they might ever desire. They don’t know that for the foreseeable future, absolutely no one guards the manor that they fear so much. Lan Wangji has packed the most important of his mother’s things and brought them along, so frankly, he no longer cares what happens to it. If it burns, he’ll find a new home. He’ll commission new paintings, buy new clothes. Lan Qiren has been sent a letter relinquishing his duty- he will not receive it in time to prevent this move.

Wei Wuxian cuddles into his side, still not fully adjusted to their nightly schedule, and of this, Lan Wangji is sure- all he needs is his husband by his side, and he will remain free.