Thread by @MusicMe_tc

LWJ is currently at a dream version of the forest on the back of the Cloud Recesses.

How does he know this is a dream?

Because WWX is there, peeking from behind one of the trees, looking at him as though he's surprised he's there.

But that's not right...

#蓝忘机0123生日快乐

WWX left the Cloud Recesses a little over a year ago, after his fight with JZX so there's no reason why he'd be in Gusu.

But there he is anyway, looking at the bunnies surrounding LWJ as he keeps them company with so much awe that it makes LWJ's heart skip a beat.

LWJ looks back at WWX, taking in the sight of this dream's version of him: wearing his sect's purple robes, unlike the white ones he'd been wearing during his stay in Gusu, his red ribbon and those bright eyes that shine under the sunlight.

LWJ really missed the sight of him.

He'd never admit that out loud, when he's awake, but ever since WWX left, he's noticed how /quiet/ Gusu is.

He grew up in this place, and knows it like the back of his hand. He is used to the calm atmosphere surrounding this place with thousands of rules and yet...

When WWX left, it suddenly hit LWJ like lighting how much /life/ WWX brought with himself wherever he went.

Even he could tell how JWY and NHS seemed more reserved and calm without him. Of course, NHS still tries to cheat during exams, and they both snuck a bit of alcohol every

now and then, but it wasn't the same loud, energetic feeling that came with WWX's company alone.

LWJ tried to forget about it. To brush it off and feel grateful that at least now he can finally have peace.

There's no longer that loud laughter that echoed through the entire

library, the constant chasing and teasing to get a reaction out of him, the rooftop fights and breaking of jars of Emperor's Smile under the moonlight...

There's no more playing with bunnies, or invitations to go to Yunmeng; there's no more portraits of him or flowers thrown

his way...

There's no more of that now.

LWJ /should/ be grateful, but he's not...

He feels the quiet has become more distracting than the noise, and more lonely than he ever was.

There's no one who'd talk to him like a peer and not like "the second Jade of Lan",

who'd be so eager to see him every day even if just to pester him to get a reaction.

His home is not the same since WWX left, so to see him like this, right in front of him, back in Cloud Recesses, it can only be a dream... One that his brain will use to fill that void.

If his brain is giving him this chance, then maybe he could try and correct his ways, to not feel as guilty for pushing away the person he'd come to miss so much for so long.

It is a dream after all. Nothing will come of it, so he might as well try.

"Do you want to pet them?"

LWJ asks his companion, noticing the way his eyes widen and his mouth hangs open.

"I- Can I?" WWX asks uncertain.

"Mn." He hums as he pats the grass next to him, placating the bunnies sleeping on his legs with soft pats on their backs.

WWX carefully moves closer and sits next to him. He's uncharacteristically nervous and quiet. What a peculiar version of WWX has his mind come up with.

LWJ takes one of the bunnies hopping close to him and places it on WWX's lap, who remains still, unsure of what to do.

"You can pet her. She's not leaving unless you make too much noise."

"Oh... That sounds like the opposite of what I'd do, huh?" WWX jokes as he moves to pet the bunny.

They both remain silent for a bit before WWX asks, "Isn't this one of the bunnies I gave you back then?"

"She is." LWJ replies, inwardly surprised that a dream would mention something like this.

"So you kept them? And you kept saying you didn't want them because it's against the rules." WWX teases him.

"It is..."

"Then why did you keep them if pets are not allowed in CR?"He grins

"They're... Not pets."

"Oh? Then what are they?" WWX leans closet and smirks obnoxiously, waiting for an answer.

This is more like the real WWX.

"They're... Family." LWJ whispers as he pointedly looks away from him.

WWX from his part, looks at him like he grew another head

before laughing loudly.

The bunnies that were asleep on their laps quickly jump away from them, sand the rest scatter around the two.

Yes, this is definitely a good impression of the real WWX.

"Oh wow, Lan Zhan, that's so adorable! You really are something else!"

He keeps laughing for a bit and LWJ sits there, not knowing how to respond or what to do.

"Ah Lan Zhan, I really missed you." WWX says as he wipes the tears that formed from laughing too much.

"Y- You... Did?" LWJ asks, more to himself.

"I- Yeah?" WWX finally calms down.

"Why wouldn't I?"

LWJ looks at WWX and doesn't find any indication that he's lying in his eyes.

If he didn't think this was a dream, he'd know now for sure. Of course the real WWX would never miss him.

It hurts to think of it that way.

"Why?" He can't help but ask.

"Well, for starters, Jiang Cheng isn't as fun to tease as you are." He leans close again.

Right... Of course.

"Haha, don't look at me like that! Although yeah, I do like teasing you but... I don't know. I've wanted to see you again. It's been so long and I just want to know if

you're ok. Maybe I want to fight with you again because it really isn't the same when it's not with you, or I miss your company when I have to study because you help me concentrate more even if just a bit. Or..." He trails off.

"Or?"

"Or... Maybe because I regret not

becoming friends with you..."

"Oh..." LWJ whispers.

"Silly, right? I did everything in my lower to make you hate me and I feel bad for not becoming friends with you." WWX looks down at his hands and fidgets with his robes.

The bunnies that had spread around the forest are

slowly coming back, and one of them gets close to WWX and starts chewing on his robes.

LWJ thinks of his words before admitting, "I also regret not giving you a chance."

"Huh?!" WWX instantly turns to looks at him.

"But I never hated you. I was... Overwhelmed by how different

"you are from anyone I'd known before you. But I never hated you."

"Even when I kept bringing alcohol so many times?"

"Mn."

"And when I talked about using resentful energy in LQR's class?"

"...Mn."

"Then how about when you were stuck with me for a month?

"Or when I changed your book to a porn book."

"No, Wei Ying, I didn't hate you." He says as he refuses to meet his eyes. "I was angry and annoyed, but I never felt hatred."

"Oh.."

"Mn."

"That's- that's so good to know." WWX admits quietlyx and when LWJ glances back to look

at him, there's a soft, incredulous smile on his face.

It's beautiful.

Then, LWJ wakes up. It's 5 am.

The dream came to an about end that LWJ sighed deeply before getting out of bed.

What a nice dream.

He wishes he could have more dreams like these.

(Aaand, time to pause hehe.
There'll be more of this later! ヾ⁠(⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠*⁠)⁠ﾉ)

*abrupt end haha

A couple of weeks pass and he doesn't dream of WWX again. In fact, he barely dreams anything.

He's thankful for that because most of the times, his dreams are truly weird and confusing, and he doesn't like that, but as he's doing work in the library or playing Wangji in his room

he wishes he could dream of WWX again. Not just any dream though, but that dream that felt so /real/, one that he could feel like he was talking to the real version of WWX and not a product of his wishful imagination.

He wishes to have more time to think of what could've been.

One day, he dreams of WWX again.

This time, he's reading in the library when he hears footsteps coming closer and closer, until someone puts their hands on his eyes. He's about to push away whoever it is when he hears that cheerful voice close to his ear,

"Guess who?"

His heart jumps a little not only because of who the person is, but because it's one of those dreams. Finally!

"Wei Ying..."

"Ah Lan Zhan, how did you know?" He asks as lifts his hands from LWJ's eyes and puts them on his shoulders.

"No one else would do something so ridiculous but you."

('Wow, good one LWJ.' he mentally scolds himself)

"Ahaha! Lan Zhan, you're grumpy again! And I thought we'd become friends already!" WWX laughs as he sits beside him.

"What?" LWJ turns to look at him.

Have dreams ever been connected to one another? Maybe they have but he doesn't remember...

But no, he must be imagining things...

"Don't tell me you forgot already. You said you missed me, are you really going to take it back?" WWX pouts at him,

but there's a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"N-No!" He says in an instant. "I haven't forgotten. And I still mean it."

"Oh." It's WWX's turn to look surprised by his words. "Wow..." He looks down and mumbles so mething to himself.

These dreams are really strange.

And not "strange" in the typical sense of having so many random things happening at the same time, but strange as in, why /isn't/ this dream like the rest?

Why does it feel like he's actually talking to someone who understands?

He must've been reading too many novels lately...

"Well, so... How have you been doing?" WWX tries to start a conversation again, atill looking confused, which is odd, because it should be LWJ who's confused.

He still replies though. He can't complain about these dreams when he can have WWX's company for as long as they last.

They talk about their days, their studies, their nighthunts. WWX tells him about the many mischiefs that have gotten him in trouble and the juniors he's helped train, and in turn, LWJ tells him about the elders in Caiyi he's helped, the new compositions he's written

(except for /that/ one), and the poems he's read to his bunnies.

He feels like he's never had a conversation this long with anyone. Maybe only with his brother and uncle, but never like this: a casual thing that he can enjoy asking and replying to without feeling too tired.

This time his dream feels slightly longer than the previous one, but just as the last one, it comes to an abrupt end as he wakes up in the morning.

He feels lighter somehow, like he's never been this well rested on his entire life.

But what's a bit more important is that he got

to see WWX again.

Just the thought of that makes his lips tilt up just a bit.

"Friends." Is how WWX refered to him.

Yes... These are definitely the best dreams. He hopes he can have another one soon, but if he doesn't, at least he's grateful for the opportunity to have this.

(small update before bed hehe. I've been too busy but I still wanted to add a little bit to this.

More coming soon! Hopefully at a better time though 😅😭

Ok goodnight! (Or day/evening, whichever applies to you))

(continuing this but I lost the thread hehe, so here's a link to the top just in case (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

https://twitter.com/MusicMe_tc/status/1617648238999506944?t=pPWa3MUvSgMOHR09YPnzfA&s=19

)

The next time he dreams of WWX, they're both leaving class with LQR.

Strangely, LQR never got angry with WWX, despite him playing with LWJ's hair all class and commenting all sorts of crazy things when asked to pay attention and participate.

LWJ thinks it's because that's what he would like: for LQR to like WWX, and maybe that way, it wouldnt be so hard to convince him to let WWX be a part of the Lan famil... No, no! What is he thinking???

No, that's too much. He shouldn't want too much when he has this!

This... Illusion.

This made up version of WWX who would like him no matter how rude he had been in the past.

This wonderful person who had missed him and wanted to be his friend...

This dream...

"Lan Zhan? Are you ok?" WWX asks as he follows LWJ to who knows where.

He'd been walking without thinking, and as he stops, he realizes he doesn't know where he wants to be right now. He just wants to be with WWX for as long as this dream lasts.

Or these dreams, rather.

As if noticing something in LWJ's expression, WWX takes his arm and pulls him along. LWJ follows without complain until they reach the CR's entrance, where he asks as he still follows, "Where are we going?"

"To Caiyi! I always wanted to go with you!" WWX replies cheerfully

LWJ almost wants to ask /why?/. Why would you want to spend time with me? Why would you want to be my friend? Why would you miss me?

But of course he would. This WWX is just doing what LWJ's heart desires most: to have his company and be appreciated by this boy.

It's very generous of his dreams to allow him to have this, to be honest.

"Lan Zhan." WWX turns to looks at LWJ, forcing him out of his mind and sad thoughts.

He looks at LWJ intently, like theying to decipher what's going on. But LWJ doesn't really want to explain.

"Yes?"

"Lan Zhan, whatever you're thinking, don't." WWX says a bit too seriously.

LWJ in turn tilts his head to the side, confused.

WWX sighs and pulls LWJ into a tight hug.

"Don't be sad. You're not supposed to be sad... I don't like it."

'Youre not supposed to be sad.' LWJ thinks.

What does that mean?

"I'm... Sorry, Wei Ying." But how can he not be sad when WWX is hugging him like this? Tight enough to take his breath away by just how close their hearts are to each other?

How can he not be sad when he /feels/ WWX's arms around him, moving soothingly on

his back?

'You're not supposed to be sad.'

Perhaps he shouldn't be.

"I'm ok Wei Ying. Thank you." LWJ says right next to WWX's ear.

WWX pulls back a little and looks at him intently again. He then smiles gently at him and takes his hand, probably without thinking.

"Then let's go. We don't have that much time left!" He exclaims happily as the continue going down the mountain.

LWJ feels like he should think about what that 'we don't have that much time left' means, but his mind is currently too occupied with the feeling of WWX's hand

holding his. The warmth and softness of it. The callouses and slight cuts on his palm and fingers.

This feels like too much.

Throughout the whole dream, LWJ's remains busy, trying to enjoy it as much as possible without forgetting this is just a dream.

-.-.-

He keeps dreaming.

What started as something that happened once every two weeks, became a weekly thing, then it happened on the weekend, then three days every week, then four, then five, and then, it was pretty much a daily thing.

He keeps seeing WWX in his dreams almost every day, and in those meetings, they mostly talk about their days, take care of LWJ's bunnies, or go to Caiyi.

WWX tells him a lot of things that sound too realistic to come from a dream, things about his time as a child on the streets,

about his parents and how little he remembers about them, about his stay in Yunmeng, about his own and everyone else's expectations, about his fears and what makes him happy.

LWJ in turn talks about himself too, and opens up to WWX like he wouldn't dare do to anyone else that's

not his bother or even his uncle.

It feels freeing to have someone to talk to like this, but more importantly, to be this honest with WWX.

But, sometimes, it becomes too hard to remember all of this is fake.

He's thought that maybe he's been under some sort of curse

that he had to have checked in case it got worse and corrupted his mind somehow, but there's no record of curses having this effect on dreams, and his brother hasn't found any problem in his meridians or spiritual energy.

It's not a curse, but then what could this be?

He doesn't want this, whatever this is, to ever end. He wants to have this thing that has become /his/ to enjoy. To have this piece of WWX that he'd never have in real life.

But at the same time, it's becoming too much.

His feelings are suddenly becoming too unbearable to keep

them bottled up like this.

He's fraid of how much he feels for WWX, and what's worse, probably a fake WWX.

It definitely doesn't help that WWX had also become more "thouchy", always holding his hand, twirling LWJ's hair, leaning against him, resting his head on LWJ's shoulder..

The Discussion Conference held by the Wend is coming up soon. He'll see the real WWX there for the first time in what feels like an eternity.

What will he think, or rather, what will he do when he sees the real WWX in front of him???

Knowing WWX (or from what he remembers),

he'll definitely go to LWJ to bother him and tease him until he gets a reaction he's satisfied with.

But... When there's this WWX right next to him, who's telling him about how much he wishes LWJ would visit Lotus Pier so they could go to all of WWX's favorite places,

while he pets a bunny and leans against his arm as he sighs contently, how is he supposed to keep his feelings hidden? Will he be strong enough? Smart enough to separate both versions of him?

Or is his heart going to win over him like he did the first time they met?

"We should." LWJ says outloud.

"Huh?" WWX looks up from where his head is rested on LWJ's shoulder and they're both so close it's just another test of LWJ's restraint he's worked on for a long time now.

"We should go to Lotus Pier. I would love to see it."

"Ah, Lan Zhan! You really want to? Oh, I promise you're going to love it!" And then m, he starts to ramble about where he wants to take him and what he wants to do.

'I already love it.' LWJ thinks, 'because that's where you are.'

(ok! I'm sleepy now hehe. Sorry if this got a bit sad hehe, but I promise it's not as sad as it looks ✨

Also! Sorry for taking so long to update as well! I've been super busy and had no time to write :( so if you're still reading, thank you so much!!! 💕

More coming soon...)

The day before he travels to Qishan for the Discussion Conference, he dreams of Lotus Pier.

It's the first time he's been in these dreams outside of Gusu.

For a moment, LWJ thinks of stoping this WWX, of telling him that he can't do this today, not when he's seeing the real WWX

soon and won't know how to react around him when he's been reliving their time in Gusu as friends this time. When it's becoming more and more obvious that his feelings go beyond anything purely platonic.
When he's ready to accept that there's no getting his heart back from him.

But then, WWX appears by the entrance of Lotus Pier, running towards him with the biggest smile he can muster that LWJ is sure his cheeks must be hurting.

He can't back away and take WWX's happiness away, can he?

"Lan Zhan, you're really here! Oh, I can't believe it worked!"

"It... Worked?" LWJ asks but is interrupted by WWX tackling him in a short, ight hug before holding his hand and pulling him along, talking about every single thing on their way.

WWX tells him stories about every single place and thing they see, feeds him some local snacks,

and introduces him to so many people (who don't react or talk much, in a very unnatural way, which serves as a reminder that this is still a dream after all), and through it all, WWX never lets go of his hand.

In fact, he's more touchy today than other days.

It's as though he can't be separated for even a second from LWJ, hugging his arm, bumping shoulders and even caressing his face after he's fed him something.

It really is the biggest test of self control LWJ has ever faced. All the previous times were nothing ocmpared to this.

All LWJ wants to do is to kiss WWX senseless. To take his face with both hands, look at him directly in the eyes and ask him what kind of crazy, wonderful dreams are these? Why does is it feel so real? Why /can't/ it be real? What does this mean?

Ho doesn't have to try too much though.

When the day is about to end (LWJ now knows how long these dreams usually last), they both sir side by side by a dock where the lake is full or lotuses.

WWX rests his head on his shoulder like he usually does and sighs.

"What I'd give for this to be real..." WWX whispers too quietly that LWJ almost missed it.

"What?" LWJ asks, feeling a little lightheaded.

WWX's hand looks for LWJ's inching closer and closer until their fingers brush. When LWJ doesn't pull away, WWWX intertwines their fingers.

WWX looks at their hands and LWJ marvels at the expression on WWX's face, one of wonder and happiness, but also one of... Yearning.

"What do you wish was real?" LWJ asks again, still as quietly as before.

WWX looks up at him and his eyes are shining.

"I- I wish..." WWX stutters, his breathing becoming ragged as he looks at LWJ in the eyes. Then, his eyes move to LWJ's lips, and LWJ feels drunk with just the way WWX is looking at him.

"You wish..." LWJ starts.

"I wish... This, all this was real. You, me. Not just a dream."

"Wei Ying..." LWJ exaheles painfully, but before he can process the implication of what WWX's words mean, he feels WWX's hand on his chest, holding his robes and pulling him forward, their lips meeting in the middle.

LWJ is only surprised for a moment before he returns the kiss,

just as eagerly as he'd imagined this whole time.

After a bit, WWX pulls away and whispers "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." But LWJ pulls him back in, kissing him desperately, trying to understand how can his mind make this feel so real when he's never kissed anyone before to know

what this feels like.

"I want this to be real." He whispers against WWX lips oncez but his mind keeps repeating over and over 'I want this to be real', 'I want this to be real'.

... But it's not.

He wakes up with tears rolling down his cheeks and his heart beating rapidly.

(ok, this seems like a good place to stop it haha oops!

The next update should be the last one hehe, and it won't be sad, Promise! (Or well, maybe a bit sad because it'll continue this, but BUT, it's going to be happy by the end heh

Anyway, good night!! Or day!)

The top!

https://twitter.com/MusicMe_tc/status/1617648238999506944?t=hhpGczXMjtduDBcXoNPQwQ&s=19

After years of not seeing (the real) WWX, he finally sees him there, in the distance, chatting with a Wen disciple most likely about archery. LWJ watches before he all but runs away.

He really can't do this.

He's been hiding in his inn room for as long as he possibly can, trying to meditate but always having his peace interrupted by the feeling of WWX kissing him, whispering how much he wants him by his ear, hugging him close.

His brother has asked him about his strange behavior,

but how can he possibly explain that he
dreamt of sharing his first kiss with WWXjust two days ago, that it felt so real he can still feel the tingle in his lips, and that he's afraid of what he might say or even do if he sees him in person after everything?

He's terrified of how much he feels for WWX. He really loves him, possibly since they met, but, eight now, how much of it is influenced by some dream copycat? A fake one?

So he avoids everyone before the archery competition, refusing to explain to his brother what's wrong, but

as they're all getting ready, he hears in the distance, "Lan Zhan!"

LWJ doesn't acknowledge him, hoping that'll drive him away, as if it ever had, and pretends to inspect his bow and arrows.

"Oh, how mean of you Er-Gege! We haven't seen each other in so long and this is how you greet me?" He teases as he skips forward, standing in front of LWJ.

WWX looks gorgeous in red.

He refuses to imagine another situation where they both could be wearing red...

That'd be a devasting image to have right now, especially after noticing how WWX behaves normally around him.

Of course he would.

"Lan Zhan... still so mean to me! And I thought you'd miss me!" WWX pouts and LWJ decides that's it, so he turns and starts walking away.

After a bit, he hears, "Hey Lan Er-Gege, your headband is crooked!"

He instinctively reaches up to his head band and feels that it's still properly put on its place, so he sighs and turns to glare at WWX, but as he does, he notices the red that decorates WWX's cheeks as he

offers a teasing smirk, not quite as confident as he remembers it being from their time in Gusu (nor his dreams).

Now that he looks at him, WWX looks a bit breathless? Shy?Why?

He takes in the sight before he turns away and stalks off. He really can't stay near him any longer.

The competition starts and they all go their separate ways to gain as much points as possible.

LWJ is glad for the distraction, since it helps him stay focused on something else.

He shoots every target with incredible precision, being both fast and effective.

He's getting into the mood and letting his mind slip away from his current predicament when he hears laughter in the distance.

A little further away, WWX is moving swiftly across the obstacles, shooting at every target on his way. As he's done, he stops to take a breath and

notices LWJ, looking at him.

LWJ gasps and quickly turns away.

"Hey Lan Zhan! Did you see that? Aren't I do cool?" He hears WWX ask behind him.

LWJ still doesn't reply and finds other targets, continuing on gaining points while sublty escaping WWX.

"You really are amazing Lan Zhan." He still hears behind him.

He turns to look at WWX, thinking he'd find that teasing look on his eyes, but all he sees is genuine admiration. That makes LWJ pause for a second.

"Wei Wuxian! Leave Lan Wangji alone!" JC says as he goes to stand next to WWX. "I'm sorry Lan Er-Gongzi."

"No need." LWJ replies before turning away once more.

"Lan Zhan, you're headband is crooked!"

"Wei Wuxian!" He hears JC whisper loudly to his brother.

"No really! here, let me help you."

It all happens so fast it takes a moment for LWJ to process it.

First, he's walking away and spots his brother and other Gusu Land disciples not too far away, then he hears footsteps getting closer, and finally,

he feels a light tug on his head, seeing how his forehead ribbon comes loose on his forehead before it's gone.

LWJ stays in place for a moment, holding his bow with so much strength he feels it snapping in his hand. He feels like he isn't breathing.

"Wei Wuxian!" JC scolds him again.

"Uh, Lan Zhan?" WWX whispers behind him.

LWJ turns to look at WWX as he feels his eyes burning. The bow finally snaps.

WWX is looking at him with wide eyes, seemingly holding his breath too. He clutches his forehead ribbon with both hands,

perhaps unconsciously.

"Wangji!" He hears his brother as he comes closer, but he doesn't pay anyone else any mind.

"L-Lan Zhan, I- I'm..." He starts, but then he stops, gasping in surprise. Why is he surprised?

WWX extends his hands with LWJ's ribbon and with a shaky voice whispers "H-here, I'm so-" before WWX is done, LWJ snatches his ribbon back and stalks off. He doesn't run, but oh does he want to.

He distantly hears his brother calling out to him, telling him it's all right,

while the rest of the Gusu Land disciples whisper amongst themselves. He also hears JC scolding WWX, but not getting any response.

"Lan Zhan! Wait!"

He doesn't. Instead, when he's away from the crowd, he runs as fast as possible.

LWJ finds a cave somewhere outside the competition's gorunds, and he sits inside, holding his ribbon with both hands as he sighs heavily. Then, the sigh comes out as a sob.

It's then when he notices he's been crying. For how long? He's still unsure,

but he distantly remembers the surprised look on WWX's face and figures that maybe that's why.

How embarrassing. He really couldn't keep it in.

And thus, he lets himself cry, clutching his ribbon close to his heart.

He remembers how in his dreams, WWX would touch his ribbon from time to time.

At first he didn't let him, never explaining why when asked (he figured WWX should know since he copied it multiple times during his punishment), but eventually, he allowed it.

It almost seemed like it was an unconscious thing WWX did: twirling it between his fingers, reaching up to it when he run his fingers through LWJ's hair, oh, and when WWX kissed him, he swears he felt how WWX tugged on it, when he put his arms round his neck to bring him closer.

Why did he have to be cursed to have such dreams?!

Why did he have such vivid images of moments where he could have WWX as a friend?

Why does he feel this way because of a dream?!

"Why can't the real WWX love me too?" He asks to himself.

"Lan Zhan!" He hears in the distance, and he can't do it. He can't see him, he can't... He can't.

Still, he doesn't move away. He doesn't hide. He just stays in place, hoping that if he stays still, WWX won't find him.

But of course he does, what did he expect?

"O- Oh... Lan Zhan." WWX says so softly he almost doesn't hear it with how fast he's breathing.

"What do you want?" He tries to sound aggressive, to see if that can push WWX away, to make him leave, but instead it comes out tired, exhausted.

"Lan Zhan, I-" WWX sighs, struggling to find the right words. "I'm sorry. I didn't- I wasn't trying to-"

"You weren't trying to do what?" LWJ asks harshly this time, and WWX closes his mouth.

When WWX doesn't say anything, LWJ continues, "Is this just a game to you?"

"No! No, Lan Zhan, it's not, I promise it's not! I just wasn't thinking. I mean yes, the first time I was teasing you, but the second time it was true, and I wanted to help! I just didn't think it through and it was more of an instinct, like out of habit..."

"out of habit..." LWJ repeats to himself.

WWX stays quiet, not knowing what to say.

LWJ looks at him for a moment and sighs. "Why are you behaving like this?"

"What?"

"What do you mean by habit? Why are you even here? Why are you acting like you..."

With each question, LWJ raises his voice, sounding more and more desperate.

"This isn't a dream," he whispers to himself again, "Why are you acting like you care? Just like..."

He hides his face in his crossed arms resting on his knees and sighs,

holding back a new wave of tears.

"A dream..." WWX says to himself too. "Lan Zhan, what do you mean by a dream?"

When LWJ refuses to explain, he sighs and sits next to him, his knees pressed to his chest. LWJ can hear he's breathing heavily.

"There was this one time..." WWX stats after a long time, " when you told me the bunnies I gave you weren't pets, but rather family."

LWJ's eyes open as he lifts his head form his arms just a little bit. It can't be...

"Then ther was this other time we went to Caiyi together,

and you showed me some of your favorite places to eat." WWX chuckles, "you also refused to teach me how to flirt or swear in the Gusu dialect."

LWJ starts to feels dizzy the more WWX talks.

"You told me about everything you've been doing these past couple of years,

about the nighthunts you've been to, how friendly Nie Huaisang had been to you when you went to Qinghe to visit Nie Mingyue, or how you helped some junior desciples to do handstands properly..."

Little by little, LWJ starts to sit up properly, still not daring to look at WWX.

"You told me about your mom, and shared with me stories she'd tell you and Zewu-Jun when you were little. About how much you missed her.

We went to Lotus Pier once, and I showed you every tree I've climbed and every mischief that has gotten me in trouble so many times."

At this, LWJ huffs a laugh, remembering all the crazy things WWX told him he and still does: stealing chickens, writing "Jiang Cheng was here" in some abandoned wall, gathering a group of juniors to compete on who can shoot the furthest kite...

From the side, he sees WWX turning to look at him, hearing him chuckle too.

"We became friends. I told you how much I missed you the first time, and how much I wanted to be your friend, and we did become friends after that."

LWJ let's a shaky sigh out.

WWX slowly reaches for LWJ's clenched hand resting on his leg. He hesitates for a moment before he holds it, running soothing circles on the back of LWJ's hand.

"Lan Zhan... I said I wanted all of it to be real, and then you-"

"I said I wanted it to be real too." LWJ whispers.

WWX gets closer, until their arms and knees are in contact with each other's.

It takes a moment for LWJ to find his voice again, but only manages to ask, "How?"

"Lan Zhan... Please don't be mad..."

At this, LWJ turns to finally look at WWX, but the other turns away this time.

(aaaand I'll be back in a sec haha. Time for dinner 🙈)

"As you may remember, I once told you I have trouble sleeping sometimes... But it got to the point where I could spend many nights in a row having nightmares..."

WWX pauses. LWJ turns his hand that's under WWX's to properly hold it, caressing just as WX had earlier.

He remembers.

"And, well, I experimented with a talisman I made that could help me sleep better. Or well, in this case, have better dreams. B-but I never tries to pull you in with me! i don't know how that happened! Back then, I thought about you because I..."

He clears his throat, and continues, "I missed you."

LWJ leans closer and intertwines their fingers.

"All this time, I thought you were in my dreams because of that. I never really questioned it and thought it was just a bunch of nice dreams or coincidence,

and since I enjoyed them, I kept using that same talisman, but I promise I didn't know you were pulled there too until you said it just now!"

WWX looks at LWJ with distress written all over his face so, LWJ does the first thing that comes to mind: he cups WWX's cheek with his

free hand and leans in, kissing WWX's soft lips gently.

Everything was real.

When he sits back, WWX's face matches the color of his robes and hair ribbon, and his eyes shine like the sun itself.

It's so endearing that LWJ leans in again and kisses his cheek, before resting his

head on WWX's shoulder.

"I thought I was going crazy." LWJ says against WWX's neck.

He feels WWX's hand slowly come up to pet the back of his head, running his fingers through his hair, just like he did in his dreams. /Their/ dreams.

"I thought I was cursed...

"I thought everything was a lie. That I spent all these night with a fake version of you, making up fantasies that would never become true." His voice comes out shaky by the end.

"Oh no, Lan Zhan, I'm so sorry." WWX holds him tighter.

"It's ok. It's ok now isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes Lan Zhan, yes!" He says she kisses LWJ's head, moving to his face and kissing every inch.

"It's real! Lan Zhan, it's real! You're real, this is real!" He cheers excitedly.

"It is. It is real. You're real Wei Ying."

"I promise I will never let you think it's a dream or fake. I'll show you how much I missed you and love you all the time!"

"Love?" LWJ feels his heart will leap out of his chest.

"Of course Lan Zhan, of course! I love you!" WWX kisses him. "I love you." He kisses him again.

He does it again and again.

"I love you Wei Ying. I really do."

WWX squeals and throws himself into LWJ's arms.

Every smile, every laugh, every hug, every touch. All of it was real, and now they know for sure.

It really is a dream come true.

✨ The end ✨

(wuu! I finished!!! I'm so sorry it took sooo long! I've been super busy! 😭 But it's finally done hehe, I hope it was worth the wait 🥺

And sorry for all the mistakes too haha, promise I'll clean this up for AO3.

If you read till the end, thank you so so much!!! 🥺😭💕✨✨✨)

Here's the link to the top!

https://twitter.com/MusicMe_tc/status/1617648238999506944?t=AH7_SuHPz1pzIw2EvV7vXw&s=19

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