Ch 58 – When everyone else…..
(I got this title from one of my favourite quotes from both the novel and TV series 'But what he hadn't expected was that when everyone feared and flattered him, Lan WangJi scolded him right in his face; when everyone spurned and loathed him, Lan WangJi stood by his side.')
'Wei Ying we are going to be late!' Lan Zhan very nearly shouted over the room divider in exasperation.
'Why do I feel you have said that before?' Wei Ying responded laughing.
'Because I have!…...many times' Lan Zhan said, his exasperated tone now filling his voice. 'But no matter how often I say it you are still slow getting ready and we are still late!'
Wei Ying's childish giggle from behind the screen would have seemed out of place from a man of his age coming from any other person, but from Wei Ying it just seemed part of his personality. No matter how old Wei Ying got physically he would always joke around like a child. Lan Zhan rustled his perfectly tailored sleeves and fought the urge to pace. His husband was the only one in the world who could make him so annoyed he wanted to fidget and pace around the room just move. Of course his Husband was also the only person in the world who could help him relieve his stress so he couldn't really complain…...too much.
While Lan Zhan had been thinking Wei Ying had appeared from behind the room divider and was standing in the centre of the room. His dark blue outer robes offset the pure white under robes which could be seen peaking out from both his chest and cuffs. His now well worn headband was straight, one of the few things Wei Ying had actually been serious about since joining the Lan Clan, and the cloud pattern could be seen embroidered into each sleeve which swayed gently as he walked. Coming back into the room from his thoughts Lan Zhan looked over at his husband and his breath caught in his throat. Except for their wedding day Lan Zhan wasn't sure he had ever seen Wei Ying so handsome in some robes. The robes that had been made for him as the spouse to the Chief Cultivator had been extravagant but these ones showed off the man's figure in their sheer simplicity.
Shaking his head slightly, and fighting not to react to the smirk on Wei Ying's face that showed he was perfectly aware of the response he was getting from his husband, Lan Zhan walked forward and straightened the none existent slight rumple on the top of the robe before nodding his approval.
'Do I look good enough?' Wei Ying asked with a smirk.
Lan Zhan just nodded again and headed for the door of the JingShi, trying not to smile when Wei Ying grumbled behind him before following.
The main hall was full of the Lan Sects disciples. Outer disciples mixed with inner disciples who mixed with Clan members. All of them seemingly ignoring the strict class structure for one and intermingling as if they did it all the time. The noise was louder than usual, which to be fair wasn't hard considering the strict rules concerning the noise rules. Lan XiChen and the other elders were the only ones who seemed to be keeping themselves distant from the others, only speaking quietly amongst themselves. Another small group, including Lan JingYi had seemed to have settled themselves near the front opening as they spoke loud enough to be almost heard above anyone else in the room. The small group of young adults had grown up together, got into trouble together, and so even as adults they were still good friends.
Lan Zhan and Wei Ying walked into the chaotic scene, nodding to the young adults at the door, well Lan Zhan nodded politely but Wei Ying gave each young man a conspiratorial wink before facing forwards after his husband. There had been no announcement of the pairs arrival, however as they walked through the hall the various groups stopped talking amongst themselves and turned to give their attention to the Sect Leader. Moving up to the group of Elders at the head of the hall both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying stopped and bowed low to the Elders as a group and to Lan XiChen individually. Lan XiChen returned the bow, as did the other Elders. Meantime the other Lan members had already resumed their normal places in the class structure, with the Clan members separate from the sect members, inner disciples separate from outer disciples.
The Elders walked and created a semi circle behind both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan who just stood at the far end of the hall, Lan XiChen took his place almost in-between his brother and brother-in-law only two steps behind. The rest of the hall had split to both sides, leaving a wide isle down the centre. No one moved and no one spoke. It was if everyone was expecting someone else to speak and instead there was only silence. That silence dragged on for five minutes then ten, none of the people moved, although none of the disciples had been called to stand to attention and were stood relaxed they were still stood still like an army of statues. On the eleven minute mark a figure appeared at the open doors of the hall. The figure was wearing the Lan uniform of a senior Clan disciple. Still no one in the hall moved or stood to attention as the figure moved down the wide isle left by the other members.
Walking to the front of the hall Lan SiZhui knelt before his parents and kowtowed once, twice and a third time. Still in silence with not even a word or noise echoing in the hall. Silently SiZhui stood up from his final kowtow and bowed low to the Elders before raising his head to face his parents. With sideways glance to one another both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan silently held out their right arms in closed fists towards SiZhui. Neither man spoke nor nodded to their son as they simultaneously opened their palms, Wei Ying's was empty but in Lan Zhan's sat a forehead ribbon identical to the one he; Wei Ying and all the Elders wore. A forehead ribbon only worn by the leaders of the Sect. SiZhui moved his hands behind his head to untie his forehead ribbon before resting the ribbon in his baba's palm. Wei Ying then closed his palm without moving his arm, as SiZhui's fingers hovered over the fresh forehead ribbon before removing it from his fathers palm. As soon as the ribbon was removed Lan Zhan closed his palm but did not move his arm as SiZhui secured the ribbon in place.
Wei Ying tried to stop himself gaping at the ribbon on his son's brow. It looked exactly like the one Lan Zhan had always worn, even as a young child when the two of them where getting to know each other. Seeing SiZhui stood in front of him was almost like seeing back in time, like seeing Lan Zhan as he looked in their childhood. As SiZhui turned around to face the hall, his new ribbon in place, the first words of the process where spoken.
'I will take this responsibility to lead' SiZhui said loudly
'We will follow the successor disciple' came the chorus from the hall.
'I will take the responsibility to guide.' SiZhui spoke.
'We will follow the successor disciple' came the chorus from the hall.
'I take the responsibility to uphold the honour of my Sect, Clan and Ancestors.' SiZhui finished.
'We will follow the successor disciple' came the chorus from the hall for the third time.
Lan Zhan and Wei Ying lowered their arms and Lan Zhan even caught hold of his husbands hand quietly between their close bodies. The two locked eyes as the sense of joy and love flowed between them at their son finally becoming Lan Zhan's official successor.
While the others celebrated SiZhui's elevation to his father's successor, especially Lan JingYi who had been his friend since childhood, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying slowly walked through the Cloud Recess heading home to their JingShi. The two hand a nice relaxed pace, walking hand in hand through the now empty square of the normally busy Cloud Recess. The library loomed to one side of them as their shared office seemed to sit as an icon of power the other side of the square, with the classroom just hidden behind one of the building's to one end. As they reached the centre of the square Wei Ying and stopped and pulled Lan Zhan to a standstill. Lan Zhan couldn't help but turn and look back at his husband with a confused look on his face.
'Wei Ying?' He asked with voice half confusion and half concern.
Wei Ying just looked around the square making no sound and not responding to his husbands question. Lan Zhan turned and took a step closer, tightening his grip on Wei Ying's hand as he closed the distance between their bodies.
'Wei Ying?' He asked again, this time the concern evident in his voice.
This time Wei Ying turned his head and locked eyes with his husband, his lips curved up in a smile as he squeezed Lan Zhan's grip back just as hard.
'I'm ok Lan Zhan….' He said smiling 'I was just thinking about A-Yuan's new headband'
Lan Zhan's frowned, obviously confused at the turn the conversation was taking. The fact that he wasn't following Wei Ying's current thoughts were obviously written on his face, to someone who knew him as well as his husband anyway, as Wei Ying just smiled and stepped forward until the two stood toe to toe. Wei Ying reached up and ran a finger over the metal cloud pattern on Lan Zhan's forehead band. It was something Lan Zhan was so used to by now that he had no reaction to the movement. Wei Ying kept brushing his finger over the metal while smiling.
'You have always had this type of headband Er-ge, for as long as I have known you…..the large metal cloud on your forehead…..it's so much part of you that I can't imagine you without it. Now our son has it as well….I'm proud of him.'
Lan Zhan smiled but still looked a little confused as he spoke.
'Wei Ying we can speak about this at home' he said carefully.
Wei Ying though stayed in place and shook his head.
'Er-ge look around here…...the library where you had to supervise my punishment when we were fifteen…' Wei Ying laughed gently. 'Where you got mad at me and nearly drew Bichen in a room full of priceless books just to get me out of your sight. The classroom where Uncle threw the scroll at me for speaking about demonic cultivation…..'
'You always managed to get him mad' Lan Zhan interrupted with a smile.
Wei Ying laughed and nodded at the memory before resuming his thoughts.
'I remember you promising me one time that you were going to bend me over my old desk and teach me the right way to be noisy in a classroom…' Wei Ying lowered his voice and winked.
Lan Zhan's ears went their normal shade of pink, something that had not changed over the years despite how much time he had spent with his shameless husband. As if trying to change the subject Lan Zhan nodded over to the office and asked.
'The office?'
Wei Ying grinned so wide that even Lan Zhan immediately got a feeling he had said the wrong thing.
'No you never promised to bend me over that desk…...it's too full of paperwork it would be too uncomfortable'
'Wei Ying!' Lan Zhan's growl came out as a warning.
Wei Ying just laughed and stroked his free hand up his husbands arm soothingly before taking a deep breath and speaking in a serious tone.
'In all seriousness Lan Zhan seeing what happened to A-Yuan today made me remember just how much I have gone through in my life. How many times I have nearly died, how many times my own family has turned against me, how many times everyone has hated me, hunted me. Even how many times I have stopped believing in myself and thinking the world was better off without me just as everyone else believed. But no matter what anyone else said, you have been their with me making sure I never gave up, that I was never alone. From that day in the library when we were kids, even though we didn't know each other very well back then, you have always had my back. I know it cost you back then, and I know sometimes it still does but you still do it anyway.'
'Lan Zhan moved and hugged Wei Ying tight.
'I always will my love' He said quietly into his ear.
Wei Ying smiled snuggling deep into his husbands embrace. The two stood quiet for a few moments, looking out on all the places that they had spent time as children. Eventually though Lan Zhan relaxed his hold and hand in hand the two turned back towards the JingShi.