CH 56 – A day in the life
'Wei Ying we are going to be late!'
Lan Zhan said with rising frustration, and a sense of deja-vous, the next morning. As usual whenever something important was happening Wei Ying was messing around throwing clothes all over the place, trying to find the right one to wear. No matter often this happened Lan Zhan could not get used to the last minute chaos in the house, or the mess that accompanied it. A soft laugh was the only response, which made Lan Zhan begin to pace the room. He had been so happy when his husband had returned last night, how had happiness turned to frustration so soon. Well he guessed that was one of the many unique skills this particular husband possessed and he just had gotten used to living with.
A quiet knock on the door drew his attention and in a few steps he was opening the door just enough to fill the space with his body, not allowing anyone to see inside. Outside stood, now a little confused, Lan XiChen. The smile on his face was a little crooked, obviously wondering why his little brother was guarding the front door of his home like some sentinel. Lan XiChen quickly managed to get his features under control though and spoke gently.
'All the Sect Leaders or their representatives are in the small hall. Are you ready?'
The question was meant to be a simple courtesy so Lan XiChen couldn't help but show the surprise he felt when Lan Zhan shook his head and said.
'I am a little behind today so brother would you please attend the hall and I will be there as soon as I am able.'
Lan XiChen opened his mouth and was just about to ask his younger brother if he felt ill when a crash came from inside the JingShi. Lan XiChen's eye naturally darted towards the sound but Lan Zhan's didn't move from his brother's face. It was then XiChen suddenly started putting the pieces together. No one would have been able to get into the JingShi without Lan Zhan knowing about it, also no one would be able to make Lan Zhan late to a meeting…..no one at least except one person….Wei Ying. Wei Ying must have returned at some point in the night and was now noisily getting dressed in the room, which also explained Wanji's protective stance at the front door. Nodding gently but raising his voice enough so that both men could hear him he spoke.
'I will say you got detained for a few moments, but it is important that you both get there as soon as possible.'
Turning and walking away from the JingShi Lan XiChen couldn't help but smile at the look on his brother's face as he had addressed 'both' men, and the grumbled response from inside the room that could only have come from Wei Ying.
In the end the two men were only a few minutes late to the meeting. Lan XiChen had hardly explained that his brother would be held up when the two arrived. Unlike when the two normally entered a room they were not side by side. This time Wei Ying walked in slightly to the side and a few steps behind his husband. Lan XiChen couldn't help but smile at the obvious politics being played out by the move, after all as Lan Zhan's cultivation partner Wei Ying was perfectly within his rights to walk beside his husband. However by walking behind Lan Zhan he was making the subtle but strong point that Lan Zhan was here today as the Cultivation leader and nothing else, not even a husband, thus adding weight to his words.
As the two men sat down on the dais Wei Ying noticed both his brother and nephew had indeed managed to make the trip to the meeting, although Jiang Cheng looked a bit more grumpy that usual. Probably from the lack of sleep, or too much wine…..Wei Ying mused to himself. As it was an informal meeting Lan XiChen did not open proceedings but rather Lan Zhan simply stood and began outlining his ideas to the small group. Once he done speaking some voices rose in agreement while others seemed to have problems with the implementation of the plan. There were however only seven men in the room so all problems and ideas were thoroughly spoken about and decided upon within three hours. All the high Sects present had agreed with Lan Zhan's proposal and agreed on a way to introduce it to the smaller Sects under their respective controls.
As the Jin, Lan and Nie Sect Leaders walked out the room to go get refreshments Wei Ying grabbed hold of his brothers arm, spinning him around.
'Are you ok, you look like crap' He asked with no subtlety at all.
Jiang Cheng simply rolled his eyes at his brother and spoke in his usual sarcastic voice.
'And whose fault is that for getting me so drunk I couldn't stand up?'
'I didn't forcefully pour it down your throat did I?' Wei Ying countered.
Lan Zhan cleared his throat behind the two, before they got into some kind of physical fight in the middle of the Cloud Recess.
'Sect Leader Jiang…..' He said pleasantly enough…...for him anyway…...'Please feel free to ask one of our healers if you are not feeling well.'
Jiang Cheng nodded in response and walked out the hall to follow his nephew who had been waiting just outside the door. As the Uncle and nephew disappeared from view Lan Zhan wound his arm around Wei Ying, pulling the shorter man into him tight. Wei Ying couldn't control the exhale of breath that came from the unexpected crush. Lan Zhan's eyes were on his, fixing their gazes together, as he spoke. His voice uncharacteristically deep and hard.
'That is what you were doing while you were at Lotus Pier was it?….' He asked, and Wei Ying tried to squirm away from those hard eyes but his hand kept him in place as he continued. 'While I was having trouble sleeping because I missed you so much, you were having fun drinking so much you are still hung over two days later!'
Giving up his struggle against his much stronger husband, Wei Ying tried a different tactic and rested a hand on Lan Zhan's clothed chest as he spoke.
'I was just having a little fun….I know my loving husband would not mind me enjoying myself before I had to face my sister's birthday.'
Lan Zhan's hand just tightened until it was becoming uncomfortable around Wei Ying's waist. Wei Ying also saw the small smile on his husbands face change and that subtle but significant shift in his eyes which always meant he was not going to get much sleep the night after. Wei Ying tried not to gulp to much as he spoke, his hand still resting on Lan Zhan's chest.
'I have a feeling you already have something in mind to let me make it up to you?' he asked coyly.
Lan Zhan either didn't trust himself to speak or didn't feel the need. He simply slipped his hand down to Wei Ying's ass and patted gently over his robes, as he nodded his head in a distinct movement, before removing his hand completely and walking out the door to go join their guests.
The rest of the day was taken up entertaining the guests until it was time to leave, well Lan Zhan entertained the guests, despite his hatred for groups. Wei Ying spoke in hushed tones with Jiang Cheng, occasionally looking over at the others before huddling back into their group of two. Even Jin Ling didn't seem to know what the two were talking about, however unlike the others he didn't seem concerned, instead he spent his time almost glued to Lan Zhan's side until Lan Zhan had had enough of his younger shadow and sent a disciple to go fetch SiZhui. As soon as his son arrived Jin Ling was perfectly happy to ignore the older adults and go to speak with his friend instead. This left Lan Zhan, Lan XiChen and Nie Huaisang speaking in a small group themselves. Of course thanks what had happened to Jin Guangyao (the first time he died), Lan XiChen had been a little weary of the man he once trusted, and know seemed on guard every time they spoke.
Lan Zhan couldn't help glance around the room while pretending he was paying attention. Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng were still speaking in whispers, over the other side of the room SiZhui and Jin Ling were not speaking quietly at all but rather trading stories over their recent night hunts. Despite himself Lan Zhan couldn't help but marvel at the similarities between his son and husband. Most of the time SiZhui was the perfect role model of a Lan disciple and yet when he got excited about something all that training seemed to vanish. When he got excited he seemed to turn from the mirror of one father into that of the other. He had to admit though that he wouldn't change the side of SiZhui that allowed his son to enjoy his youth, both for Wei Ying and himself. Maybe if he had been able to enjoy his own youth a little more things would have turned out better.
A subtle bump on his shoulder by Lan XiChen bought his attention back to his own group. The two men speaking seemed to be verbally circling each other as if trying to get information out of the other without giving away any of their own. Lan Zhan had always been a straight talker and hated this side of politics, which is why he was happy to have his brother there with him. XiChen, as always, seemed to know this and whenever Nie Huaisuang tried to speak to Lan Zhan XiChen would deflect the comment or question back to himself.
Eventually though the required hospitality was completed and the Sect Leaders returned to their respective homes. Unlike an official meeting it hadn't gone on too long so none of them needed to stay overnight. As Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling flew off on their swords after saying goodbye properly to Lan Zhan and Lan XiChen and, with a round of insults that Lan Zhan had come to learn served as a goodbye between the siblings, to Wei Ying. Lan Zhan felt his shoulders finally relax. For an informal meeting it seemed to have taken a lot out of him both mentally and physically. Wei Ying walked up to his husband and placed his hand comfortingly on his shoulder, but before he could open his mouth to speak Lan Zhan had caught his other wrist in an almost harsh grip.
'First you drink while you are at Lotus Pier then you ignore me all afternoon….' Lan Zhan whispered in his husbands ear.
Wei Ying froze for a second before he managed to smile and speak in a semi convincing manner.
'I was entertaining our guests….isn't that what a good host is supposed to do at meetings'
Wei Ying looked over Lan Zhan's shoulder for help from Lan XiChen only to find the elder jade had hurriedly made his exit at some point in the last moment or two. Coward …..Wei Ying thought to himself just as Lan Zhan's hand tightening further on his wrist bought his concentration back to his husband.
'Where are you looking?' Lan Zhan asked deceptively quiet, but his eyes blazed not with that look of fiery passion Wei Ying liked but with the one of icy determination that he only used around him when was jealous. And not the fun kind of jealously!
'Nothing...nowhere!' Wei Ying managed to say as Lan Zhan started walking at rapid pace towards their JingShi dragging him behind. 'Lan Zhan…...honestly I wasn't looking at anything…..'
As soon as they got into the JingShi Lan Zhan pinned Wei Ying against the wall with one hand as he shut and sealed the doors with the other. Despite it still being daylight outside Lan Zhan lit the candles by their bed as he dragged his, not really resisting, husband behind the privacy screen. The rest of the day and most of the evening was spent with Lan Zhan making his husband pay over and over again for getting drunk in Lotus Pier. As well as making him promise never to ignore him again, many times into the night.