Been thinking a lot about post canon #wangxian I’m which one day LWJ wakes up in the middle of the night and finds that his husband isn’t in bed.
*slightly angsty but mostly comfort; deals with grief and mourning.
Curious, he gets up and searches for him around the Jingshi wondering if he simply fell asleep while working on a new invention.
A quick search reveals that his husband is not home at all. LWJ tries to remember if his husband had told him of any plans to night hunt or go out that night but comes up empty.
Unable to go back to sleep with the uncertainty of not knowing where his beloved is, he decides to
Unable to go back to sleep with the uncertainty of not knowing where his beloved is, he decides to
take a quick stroll through the grounds of the CR to see if he can find him.
He looks for him in all the usual places; the library pavilion, the back mountains, the cold springs but has no luck finding him.
Some disciples on patrol give him strange looks but LWJ has long since
He looks for him in all the usual places; the library pavilion, the back mountains, the cold springs but has no luck finding him.
Some disciples on patrol give him strange looks but LWJ has long since
learned from WWX that if you act like you are supposed to be there, people rarely stop to ask what you are doing.
As the night progresses LWJ becomes anxious and he is just about to double back and see if maybe he missed some sign of his husband when movement catches his eye.
As the night progresses LWJ becomes anxious and he is just about to double back and see if maybe he missed some sign of his husband when movement catches his eye.
He can see the edge of a shadow moving through the kitchen windows.
Curious as to why someone would be in the kitchens so long after curfew, LWJ makes his way to the entrance of said kitchens and stops, taking a moment to sigh in relief.
He finally found his husband.
Curious as to why someone would be in the kitchens so long after curfew, LWJ makes his way to the entrance of said kitchens and stops, taking a moment to sigh in relief.
He finally found his husband.
Said husband, has made a mess of the kitchen. There’s an assortment of chopped vegetables, a boiling pot that is overflowing, a plate of chilli’s that could potentially be weaponized and all in all, an utter disaster.
WWX has his sleeves rolled up, forehead shiny with a sheen
WWX has his sleeves rolled up, forehead shiny with a sheen
of sweat, his tongue poking out in concentration as he…as he peels some lotus roots.
“Wei Ying?” He calls out softly and WWX seems to jump in place but doesn’t turn around fully to face him, just looks to the side and gives him a guilty smile.
“Aiyo, what are you doing here
“Wei Ying?” He calls out softly and WWX seems to jump in place but doesn’t turn around fully to face him, just looks to the side and gives him a guilty smile.
“Aiyo, what are you doing here
Lan Zhan? Oh, were you looking for me? I should have left a note. Woke up feeling a little hungry. I should be done here soon. You can go back to bed okay?” During his whole talk, he doesn’t once look LWJ in the eye and LWJ knows, if only by the glint of candlelight, that WWX’s
eyes are red rimmed.
Choosing to ignore WWX’s attempt to get him to leave, he walks in and starts rolling up his sleeves.
“How can I help?” He asks and is rewarded with a slight smile.
“You are ridiculous, you know that? Aiyo, you should be sleeping, I’ve got things under
Choosing to ignore WWX’s attempt to get him to leave, he walks in and starts rolling up his sleeves.
“How can I help?” He asks and is rewarded with a slight smile.
“You are ridiculous, you know that? Aiyo, you should be sleeping, I’ve got things under
control. Besides, have you ever had Lotus root and pork rib soup? Do you know how to make it Lan Zhan?”
LWJ goes to the kitchen heart and lowers the roaring flames so that the pot goes from a roaring boil to a simmer.
“I have not. But I have sufficient cooking experience to
LWJ goes to the kitchen heart and lowers the roaring flames so that the pot goes from a roaring boil to a simmer.
“I have not. But I have sufficient cooking experience to
be able to help.” He says and is this time rewarded by WWX taking a step back from where he was cutting the vegetables and leaning his head against LWJ’s shoulder.
“Yeah okay. I may have underestimated the complexity of the dish just a bit”
“Mn. What do you need?”
And so,
“Yeah okay. I may have underestimated the complexity of the dish just a bit”
“Mn. What do you need?”
And so,
the two work together to make the dish. LWJ helps his husband to season gradually instead instead of dumping it all on the pot while WWX taste tests every so often in order to see if they’ve gotten it right.
“It doesn’t taste right” WWX says with a saddened expression. LWJ
“It doesn’t taste right” WWX says with a saddened expression. LWJ
takes a small taste of the fragrant dish and finds nothing wrong with the flavor itself.
“Maybe I should start over, it’s not right.” WWX says and LWJ looks out to where the night has slowly given way to dawn.
They are both exhausted but he knows just how headstrong WWX can
“Maybe I should start over, it’s not right.” WWX says and LWJ looks out to where the night has slowly given way to dawn.
They are both exhausted but he knows just how headstrong WWX can
be when trying to get something right, so he resigns himself to a few more hours of experimenting in the kitchen.
Just as they are gathering the needed ingredients, LSZ walks into the kitchens holding an empty basket. He quickly drops into a respectful bow.
Just as they are gathering the needed ingredients, LSZ walks into the kitchens holding an empty basket. He quickly drops into a respectful bow.
“HanguangJun, Senior Wei, I did not expect to find you here.”
“Ah, A-Yuan! Don’t mind us, I was just feeling in the mood for a midnight snack. But what about you? What are you doing here past curfew?” WWX asks seemingly unaware that curfew has long since ended.
“Ah, A-Yuan! Don’t mind us, I was just feeling in the mood for a midnight snack. But what about you? What are you doing here past curfew?” WWX asks seemingly unaware that curfew has long since ended.
When LSZ points that out WWX looks guiltily towards LWJ.
“Lan Zhan! I kept you up all night and still you were going to help me start this again? You fuddy duddy, I told you not to spoil me like this!” LWJ merely shakes his head in fondness.
“It’s important to Wei Ying.”
“Lan Zhan! I kept you up all night and still you were going to help me start this again? You fuddy duddy, I told you not to spoil me like this!” LWJ merely shakes his head in fondness.
“It’s important to Wei Ying.”
“Seniors, might I ask what it is you are making and why you need to restart it?”
WWX blinks twice at LSZ before looking towards the ground with a sad face.
“Ah well that’s, I’m trying to make lotus root and pork rib soup like the one my shijie used to make.”
WWX blinks twice at LSZ before looking towards the ground with a sad face.
“Ah well that’s, I’m trying to make lotus root and pork rib soup like the one my shijie used to make.”
LSZ turns a surprised look towards LWJ knowing full well that even years after WWX’s return, that is one topic he rarely ever talks about.
“I see.” LSZ says before walking towards their previous attempt and pointing to it “may I try this? It’s not too spicy is it?” The second
“I see.” LSZ says before walking towards their previous attempt and pointing to it “may I try this? It’s not too spicy is it?” The second
question he directs to LWJ who shakes his head knowing full well just how traumatized the boy has been by WWX’s previous attempts in the kitchen.
“Ah go ahead. I mean, it’s not bad it just doesn’t taste the same as hers.”
LWJ stares as LSZ takes a small spoonful of the soup
“Ah go ahead. I mean, it’s not bad it just doesn’t taste the same as hers.”
LWJ stares as LSZ takes a small spoonful of the soup
And tastes it. His face turns thoughtful and before anyone else can do or say anything, LSZ starts adding things to the pot. An extra pinch of salt, two of dried chili, he chops up some scallions and finally, takes another spoonful. This time he smiles and motions for them to try
it too.
WWX looks bewildered but grabs another spoon as does LWJ and they both try it. LWJ can immediately taste the subtle shift in flavor. Not a huge difference, but enough so that he wonders if it will now be closer to whatever WWX was trying to recreate.
WWX looks bewildered but grabs another spoon as does LWJ and they both try it. LWJ can immediately taste the subtle shift in flavor. Not a huge difference, but enough so that he wonders if it will now be closer to whatever WWX was trying to recreate.
He hears a gasp and looks towards his husband and finds tears streaming down his face.
“Wei Ying?”
“H-how did you-“ he asks LSZ who looks worried about seeing his senior’s expression.
“It tasted familiar. I think I had this once before, when I was little? I remember thinking
“Wei Ying?”
“H-how did you-“ he asks LSZ who looks worried about seeing his senior’s expression.
“It tasted familiar. I think I had this once before, when I was little? I remember thinking
It was the best thing I’d ever eaten.” LSZ looks a little lost in the memory and is therefore unprepared for WWX suddenly pulling him into a hug.
“Of course it was! It’s the best dish in the world…”
“Of course it was! It’s the best dish in the world…”
Later that day, the three of them sit down together and share a meal. That’s not unusual, nor is it unusual that WWX talks through the entirety of their time there.
What is different is that for the first time in a long time WWX talks about JYL.
About the first time
What is different is that for the first time in a long time WWX talks about JYL.
About the first time
he had her lotus root pork rib soup, about how she brought some with her in her visit to the BM and that’s why A-Yuan tried it.
He talks and talks and sometimes his eyes tear up but LWJ and LSZ don’t stop him. They listen to the man talk about his beloved sister.
He talks and talks and sometimes his eyes tear up but LWJ and LSZ don’t stop him. They listen to the man talk about his beloved sister.
By the end of the meal, WWX is more subdued. Quiet and tired so LWJ convinced him to go get some rest, a short nap.
“Will you stay with me?” He asks.
“Always. I’m here.”
So they lay down side by side with LWJ carefully carding his fingers through WWX’s hair.
“Will you stay with me?” He asks.
“Always. I’m here.”
So they lay down side by side with LWJ carefully carding his fingers through WWX’s hair.
“I miss her” he whispers and LWJ kisses his temple.
“I dreamt of her, she asked me if I was happy” he says, this time with an edge of tears to his words and LWJ can’t do anything else than hug him right. “I said yes.”
There’s a moment of quiet where LWJ doesn’t know what to
“I dreamt of her, she asked me if I was happy” he says, this time with an edge of tears to his words and LWJ can’t do anything else than hug him right. “I said yes.”
There’s a moment of quiet where LWJ doesn’t know what to
say. He can only hug WWX tight and hope he knows that he is happy too. That they are both loved and safe.
“Lan Zhan, about the leftovers…”
“Does Wei Ying want more?”
“No it’s just…maybe we could offer some to your brother and to your uncle. Someone should teach these Lans
“Lan Zhan, about the leftovers…”
“Does Wei Ying want more?”
“No it’s just…maybe we could offer some to your brother and to your uncle. Someone should teach these Lans
what proper food tastes like”
LWJ can only smile at that.
“Mn. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it”
Suddenly LWJ feels a soft press of lips against his cheek.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Get some rest Wei Ying, I’ll be here.”
And soon enough, WWX drifts off to sleep.
LWJ can only smile at that.
“Mn. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it”
Suddenly LWJ feels a soft press of lips against his cheek.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Get some rest Wei Ying, I’ll be here.”
And soon enough, WWX drifts off to sleep.
LWJ stares at him and in the silence of the Jingshi, he whispers a vow and a promise;
“I’ll keep him safe. I’ll make him your soup. I’ll do my best to keep him smiling.”
(If WWX was still awake enough to hear it, he doesn’t mention it.)
“I’ll keep him safe. I’ll make him your soup. I’ll do my best to keep him smiling.”
(If WWX was still awake enough to hear it, he doesn’t mention it.)
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