Lan XiChen left the Jingshi to prepare in his own way for the coming day. The news that the metal was Yin Iron had shaken him badly and he felt the need for private meditation to consider the new information and try to sort out his thoughts. The stress from Lan QiRen's Qi deviation, the pressure of continuing to direct his Sect while also attempting to gather information and still conceal the Grandmaster's ailment... Lan XiChen already felt the weight of his world on his shoulders. The explosive revelation that Yin Iron was once more a threat, from some mysterious source in unknown forms and quantities... this was profoundly disturbing and finding the strength to contemplate what it could mean would require strength he needed to gather. Now.

And what of WangJi? he thought. And WuXian? The toll on them must be nearly as great as that he felt himself. WuXian did not look well, regardless of what he said. Even as unwell as he looked, haggard and skinny, he had not hesitated to offer himself and his skills to help Lan QiRen. He is a good man, he thought emphatically, remembering how he had sat silently while his own elders bad-mouthed Wei WuXian in the past, how he had been quiescent and permitted the poison of ill-thoughts to creep into his own sect for the sake of peace, and an unwillingness to risk confrontation with the elders. He turned his thoughts to his support for his brother's marriage and choice of partner, to the research and argument he had made on his behalf. It wasn't enough. He must do better in future. To be a good Sect Leader, he should not shy away from conflict but embrace the challenges that came with a willingness to learn and to lead. Lan XiChen straightened his posture further, and redirected his steps. He would just make one quick stop on the way to the Hanshi and his own meditation for the night.

Left alone in the Jingshi with his husband, Wei WuXian picked up the tiny dish and prepared to return it to his workroom. He hadn't gone more than two steps, carefully slow to conceal his still wobbly knees, when a strong hand on his shoulder halted his progress. The hand gently turned him about to face Lan WangJi and gold eyes sought answers from his own as a single crease between his brows betrayed his concern.

"Lan Zhan, let me just put this away properly and then you can lecture me about anything you want, yeah?" Wei WuXian slipped free of his husband's grasp. Moving as quickly as he felt able, still a little unsteady on his feet, he replaced the Yin Iron on his desk, with the other dishes holding pellets, before returning to the main room, where Lan Wang Ji had tidied away the tea and now waited patiently.

"Alright, alright, I'm all yours," Wei WuXian said, putting his arms around his husband's waist, and resting his head on his chest, the better to hear the heartbeat he adored. Lan WangJi's arms tightened about him, holding him closer, and Wei WuXian relaxed, humming quietly. Several long minutes passed before Lan WangJi sighed, and gently kissed Wei WuXian's forehead. Finally releasing his grip, Lan WangJi sat down and pulled Wei WuXian into his lap, resuming his earlier embrace.

"Wei Ying. Why do you pretend you are well?"

Wei WuXian snuggled a little closer in his favourite seat before replying. "I'm not unwell, exactly, my love. I just feel so tired so much of the time... even my bones seem weary and ache these days. I'm sure it's just getting used to Cloud Recesses, on top of all the worries of late. You know how hard it is to eat these days and I'm not sleeping well at all."

"Mn."

More time spent cuddling. I could stay here quite happily, thought Wei WuXian, starting to unwind and feel a little sleepy after the adrenaline surge from the earlier excitement wore away. He was drifting pleasantly in relaxation when Lan WangJi's quiet voice spoke again.

"Wei Ying must take greater care. Cannot be without him again." The arms about Wei WuXian's slight frame tightened, as if holding him in place could ensure his safety.

Wei WuXian lifted one hand and gently traced the edges of Lan WangJi's robes, where they crossed his chest. Idly he kissed his fingertips and slipped them inside, to press them on the brand beneath.

"Lan Zhan?"

"Mn?"

"Promise me something?"

"Mn."

"Lan Zhan, no matter what, even if you don't know where I am or what is happening, promise me you'll take good care of yourself? Keep yourself safe? I'm always going to find a way back to you. I'm never not going to find you."

A hitch in his breathing, and Lan WangJi swallowed, hard, before replying.

"Wei Ying thinks there will be trouble?"

"No, no, not that exactly," Wei WuXian frowned. "I just... I want you to take good care of yourself, too. I promised you could always be with me, but you're an important man and you have so much to do... HanGuang-Jun can't always be beside his husband. If you aren't there and something does happen, I want to know you'll be somewhere, waiting for me to find you again. I don't expect anything, but I didn't think Yin Iron was going to be a problem anymore, either." He sighed, contemplating the unfairness of the fates to have reintroduced such a terrible threat to their lives once more. Yin Iron, he thought. How is this even possible?

Long fingers slipped beneath his face and gently tilted Wei WuXian's chin up until gold eyes could look clearly into liquid silver. Lan WangJi bent his head forward as he sweetly kissed his husband, lips slipped perfectly into place over their ruby match. Wei WuXian's lashes fluttered and fell as he gave himself up to the kiss and one hand slid behind his husband's neck to draw him closer. A gentle insistence, and lips parted, allowing Lan WangJi's tongue to enter and claim the warm depths of Wei WuXian's mouth. A slow burn began to gather as the men kissed – deeply, thoroughly, longingly – until they broke apart with a small gasp for air, eyes meeting once more.

"I'll be careful, my love, I promise," said Wei WuXian.

"I'll be careful also, Wei Ying," promised Lan WangJi.

A knock at the entrance interrupted the moment and the men parted reluctantly, as Wei WuXian slid off his husband's lap to sit on his own. It turned out to be a servant bringing the evening meal.

"Sect Leader said you would be taking the evening meal here in the Jingshi tonight. A bath will be delivered shortly." The young servant laid the tray atop the table and bowed his way back out, drawing the door closed behind him.

Wei WuXian shared a side glance at his husband, whose ears were suspiciously pink.

"I think your brother has some ideas of how we may plan to spend the evening," teased Wei WuXian.

"Mn," was all the response he got, while Lan WangJi set forth the meal, and brought out the chili oil he kept handy for Wei WuXian's exclusive use.

The men enjoyed a quiet meal, always excepting Wei WuXian's habit of smacking appreciation and moaned bliss for especially tasty morsels. Few and far between they were in Lan fare, but each discovery and its musical appreciation played their usual havoc with Lan WangJi's self control. Perhaps because they were eating privately for once and able to spend as much time as they wished, Wei WuXian was able to do proper justice to the meal. The disapproving glances from sniffing elders and the looks of censure when the ubiquitous chili oil made its appearance in the Dining Hall did not create an environment where Wei WuXian's appetite would thrive. Lan WangJi was reassured to see him completely finish one full bowl of rice and also enjoy a few extra tidbits fed him from Lan WangJi's own chopsticks before faltering to a stop. It was more than Wei WuXian had managed to eat at a sitting in some time. Finally, he sat back, hand on stomach, with a satisfied groan.

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan. That was a good evening meal, indeed. Wherever this latest chili oil comes from, you must remember. It's the best so far, quite as good as the innkeeper's mother's chili sauce and I don't suppose we can have an unending supply of that." Wei WuXian smiled in happy remembrance of where and how they had discovered that particularly piquant and smoking hot chili sauce before he noticed his husband's ears pinking nicely.

"Lan Zhan, my dear. You have that look on your face... what are you thinking of?" he asked. "You're blushing!"

Lan Zhan reached guilty hands up to cover his ears and cleared his throat. "Wei Ying liked the sauce from the inn. Wei Ying will eat better when he has chili oil on his meal. I... I may have asked for the mother's name and asked her to provide her sauce to me for Wei Ying. Whenever she makes it. As much as she can spare."

Wei WuXian's grin lit the room as he let out a ringing peel of musical laughter. "Lan Zhan! You managed to arrange a secret supply of Popo's magical chili sauce? You truly do love me!"

"Mn. Do."

A quiet knock at the door was repeated with more force before it was heard over the merriment within.

"Come, come," cried Wei WuXian, trying to cease laughing, and only managing to downgrade to giggling. It was difficult to stop, when Lan WangJi's ears were so ridiculously cute in pink, and his heart was full to bursting at his husband's thoughtfulness.

Several servants moved in and out of the Jingshi, providing a large tub and filling it with steaming buckets of clear water, before shifting the privacy screens between the tub and entrance and bowing their way out once more, removing the evening meal dishes as they left.

"Lan Zhan, we should set up something to keep a tub here all the time. What do you think; can we figure out a way to bring water into the Jingshi?"

"Wei Ying can. I believe in you."

"What a vote of confidence! I'll have to add that to my list of Fun Things To Do When I'm In Danger Of Mischief," answered Wei WuXian. "I have a little list..."

He rose on his knees and leaned closer to his husband as he raised his lips to one perfect pink ear before whispering, "Actually, my darling Lan Zhan, my precious husband, I have several lists... some of them we keep adding to..."

Lan WangJi sat perfectly still for a moment and the pink travelled from his ears across his throat, while Wei WuXian watched in delight, before standing. He removed his robes until he was standing clad in only his red inner robes. Lan WangJi swallowed hard. This was his weakness, and Wei WuXian knew it all too well. Wei WuXian standing before him, only a single layer of thin red inner robes scarcely concealing his body, a sight never to be offered anyone but Lan WangJi. That special smile of infinite softness dawned on Wei WuXian's face, and he held his hands out to Lan WangJi.

"Husband? Shall we share the tub tonight?"

"Yes."