*Goth BrIdget Ordering 20 McDoubles, 10 orders of 20 piece McNuggets, 6 orders of Large Fries, and 2 Vanilla Shakes for the both of them to share.*
“O-oh, they put the pickles on the burgers. It’s no big deal, I can just take them off and put some extra ketchup- W-where are you going?”
“HEY! She clearly said ‘No Pickles’ on her burger! Don’t make wobble over this register and show you how it’s done! Make our burgers again! No Pickles! Extra cheese!”
What really happened when Steve got back in the time to be with Peggy - in other words, Peggy’s fuckin’ mad ‘cause Steve’s just selfish asshole who only thought himself and what he wanted, not what was best to her. Peggy had her own fuckin’ life, husband who she loved and kids, she was happy! And Steve just went and ruined it all. Also, you had thing with Peggy’s niece, Steve. Did you forget her?
As you can see, I’m still pissed of about that plot twist. If you ask me, it didn’t happen.
Wei Wuxian found that he noticed many things on his way to the Jingshi with his husband.
He noticed the dirt on his knees from kneeling. He noticed the same on his husband’s.
He noticed that he must have been crying, though he didn’t remember doing so. His eyes were tender and must be rather red and puffy still. He hoped he hadn’t cried in front of Lan Wangji. This whole experience had been terrible enough without adding that to the list.
He noticed that Lan Wangji did not let go of his hand the entire time. That he had even laced their fingers together. It had been hesitant at first, but the gesture grew more confident when Wei Wuxian did not try to pull away. He noticed that Lan Wangji gave him the opportunity to do so, and also noticed the gentle brush of his husband’s rather large thumb back and forth across his own.
He noticed the stares of the few people they passed. He noticed that rather than shying away as they passed, his husband seemed to hold onto him that much tighter.
He tried not to notice the small swoop he felt in his belly every time.
He noticed the light slowly fading and realized how much time must have passed as he hid in that hollow tree. It had been just past midday when he had fled. Consequentially he noticed the ache in his joints and limbs for being cooped up for so long.
He noticed that his husband was taking the long way back to their home. There were several other paths they could have taken that would have gotten them there sooner despite their leisurely pace. Was it because he wanted to enjoy the stroll? Or because he was reluctant to return to their shared space. He wished it was the former, but didn’t dare hope for it. He wouldn’t let himself hope.
He noticed the spot where his gift had shattered on the floor. He noticed that the spot was empty, not a single shard to be found. He felt a tightening in his chest as he wondered if it had simply been swept up and thrown away. He felt the feeling sink lower when he realized that it didn’t matter anyway. What would Lan Wangji want with two poorly made decorative rabbits anyway? What would he have done with them? It’s good that he never saw them. It had been such a bad idea to begin with.
He noticed his husband tense slightly when they reached their home. Why was he hesitating? Was it really so bad to live there with him?
He noticed how cold his hand felt when his husband finally let go to open the doors.
But what he noticed after that drove everything else he had noticed far from his mind.
At first it was too dim to really take anything in, which was strange. It was still twilight and the windows of the Jinshi were large enough that the light from the outside lamps should provide some illumination.
Lan Wangji shifted slightly and the familiar glow that always accompanied the use of light magic flared within him just behind his sternum. Most of it was hidden by his clothing, but Wei Wuxian would honestly never tire of seeing the dim light illuminate his husband’s clavicle and neck with a soft, golden pulse of light.
The glow only lasted an instant though as all the candles of the main room were lit at once. Wei Wuxian’s hands went to his mouth as he gasped at the sight before him. The whole main room of the Jingshi had been transformed. Elegant, rich-colored silks hung from the walls and windows, creating a warm and welcoming backdrop for the normally sober room. Cheerfully flickering lanterns had been hung to add to their warmth and light. The silk over the windows were no doubt placed there to add to the lanterns’ effect during the bright day.
Laced together with the normal scent of sandalwood was the achingly familiar scent of lotuses. His eyes stung anew as he saw the beautiful flowers of his youthful home arranged decoratively all around the room. Wei Wuxian suspected that the incense that was now burning again was amplifying the scent.
The table in the center, used most often for study and occasionally tea, was completely filled with flaming red meals. All of his favorites were there, though they would all be stone cold by now. In the middle of the table there was even a pot of his beloved lotus root and pork rib soup. He wondered with a pang if it was his dear shijie’s recipe.
And in front of that were….
“The… the rabbits. You fixed them?” he choked out when he eventually found enough of his voice to do so. He stepped inside fully and crouched down to examine them. They had indeed been repaired, though he could still see the soft glow of his husband’s magic where the cracks had been. The small, subtle lines of magic made the figurines pulse with a life they hadn’t had even before they were broken.
“The flowers…” Lan Wangji said after a moment of letting Wei Wuxian take in his surroundings. Confused, Wei Wuxian straightened and turned to his husband who still lingered in the threshold. Were Lan Wangji’s ears red? No, it must be the glow from the lanterns.
“The flowers?” he asked, gently prompting him to elaborate.
“The woman you heard. She was helping me arrange the flowers. I had hired her to grow them for you and when she delivered them today she helped me place them.”
Lan Wangji averted his gaze, looking anywhere but Wei Wuxian. His ears really WERE red!
“I… had wanted to surprise you…” he admitted softly.
Wei Wuxian had never felt like more of an idiot. “Surprise me…?” he asked thickly around the lump in his throat. For the first time in a long time Wei Wuxian was the one who slowly stepped closer to his husband.
Lan Wangji’s eyes found Wei Wuxian’s again. “It is our anniversary,” he said flatly.
Wei Wuxian choked out a laugh. “I hadn’t..I hadn’t expected you to even remember that at all,” he said. “Let alone prepare all.. All this-- Lan Zhan, this is too much!”
Lan Wangji’s golden gaze softened at the use of his birth name. “This is your home,” he said. “I know it has not been easy; I know I have not made it easy, but I want this to FEEL like your home.”
He took a step closer to Wei Wuxian, meeting him half-way.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian sighed affectionatley. “How am I supposed to live like this?” He laughed when his husband frowned slightly. “You keep out-doing me! It was all I could do to make those silly rabbits and they just ended up shattered on the floor. All the while you create this.. This masterpiece!”
Lan Zhan visibly relaxed, and even graced Wei Wuxian with a small smile. Finally close enough, his hands slowly slid to Wei Wuxian’s hips. In turn, Wei Wuxian slid his own hands up Lan Wangji’s arms to rest on his strong biceps.
“Thank you for the gift. I shall cherish them always,” Lan Wangji said softly. Wei Wuxian could feel his breath against his lips as he spoke.
“They were just silly little trinkets,” Wei Wuxian said modestly. He could count Lan Wangji’s every eyelash if he wanted to.
“Not silly. Perfect.”
Whatever response he might have had was lost in the press of his husband’s lips against his own.
It was a gentle kiss. A timid kiss. Neither was willing to push too hard against the delicate boundaries they had set. But unlike before, this kiss was more than welcome.
As far as kisses between married couples went it was still rather chaste, but Wei Wuxian nevertheless felt the earth around him shift a bit - though he knew nothing could have moved. Maybe it was just his knees going weak.
He liked this kiss. He liked this moment. He liked his husband. He liked that when the kiss ended, his husband made no move to pull away from him.
“Lan Zhan,” he said once he was able to speak again. His tone was infectiously amused and it brought another small smile to his husband’s perfect lips. “I’ve never seen you so unkempt.”
Lan Wangji blinked at him, clearly, though silently, confused. Wei Wuxian chuckled and reached up carefully to brush the small crumbs of dirt that were hidden in the delicate silver circlet that decorated his husband’s regal brow.
“What were you thinking bowing so low to me?” he asked warmly. He moved to remove the circlet, but caught himself just before doing so. His fingers twitched with his hesitation.
He couldn’t stop the soft, sharp inhale of surprise when his husband’s hand joined his own at the circlet, removing it himself and pressing it gently but firmly into Wei Wuxian’s hand. He gulped but chose not to comment on the incredibly intimate gesture. Instead he pulled back only slightly, just enough so that he could polish the beautiful adornment with the soft silk of his shirt without leaving the warm circle of Lan Wangji’s arms.
“It was long overdue,” was Lan Wangji’s only response, which drew another small laugh from Wei Wuxian’s lips.
“I’m sorry that this glorious feast was left to go cold because of my own stupid assumptions,” Wei Wuxian said instead of responding. He carefully replaced the circlet on Lan Wangji’s forehead. “It’s a shame. It looks delicious.”
“I will make it again tomorrow,” Lan Wangji assured him, causing Wei Wuxian to splutter.
“M-Mak-- You MADE this?” he asked in disbelief.
Not able to find the right words when his husband nodded the affirmative, he did the only thing he could think to do instead.
He kissed him again, finding great joy when his kiss was returned.
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Once again thanks to @untamedramavore for all your help!
