5:00 AM.

Lan WangJi awoke as usual, slipped carefully from his bed and tucked his pillow, still warm from his body, into Wei WuXian's seeking arms. He bestowed a kiss to his husband's forehead before gently tucking the bedclothes about his still slumbering form.

Every morning was much the same. An early rise, a quick tidy, personal ablutions then meditation. After about a full shichen Lan WangJi would obtain a tray for the morning meal at the kitchens and return to the Jingshi to wake Wei WuXian. Never a morning person, Wei WuXian would linger as long as possible in the comfort of their bed before reluctantly dragging himself to the table to eat, still cocooned in the bed quilt. Often enough Lan WangJi would be forced to start the process himself, pouring chili oil on bland rice congee and spooning the first few mouthfuls into Wei WuXian's petulant mouth until he woke sufficiently to feed himself. It had started as a bit of a jest, this spoon-feeding, but evolved into a token of their mutual fondness. The men kept it up largely because it truly was silly and without need, and that was the very reason they enjoyed it. They valued the nonsensical moments shared in this way, prior to the weight of the day descending upon them.

A full day was always in the cards for Lan WangJi - from responsibilities as Chief Cultivator to those due the Clan, to teaching, to research, to his own efforts of personal improvement on the Training Grounds or practicing the guqin, duty dictated morning, noon and night, day after day.

Truthfully, Lan WangJi didn't mind his regimented schedule. From childhood he had been habituated to rising at 5:00 AM and retiring at 9:00 PM. His daily activities had been thoroughly planned and progressed as he aged, gradually improving his stamina and concentration until he could meet his obligations without strain.

Day after day followed its course - proper, balanced nutrition (flavour being a disregarded non-essential), healthy physical exertion in adequate quantity, thought exercises in guided pathways of proven results. The days never seemed monotonous, despite their measured pace. The ceaseless demands for his time and attention came addressed in many ways - to the Chief Cultivator, to HanGuang-Jun, Lan-Er-Laoshi, Lan WangJi - no matter the form of salutation, Lan WangJi was only one man to respond to them all.

As Chief Cultivator, Lan WangJi's responsibilities within the Clan - whether business or educational - had been reduced to allow for his greater responsibilities to the Cultivation world at large. He was frequently in meetings with other Clans to hear grievances within the Cultivation world that could not be properly decided by those of the civilian world outside their gates. Lan WangJi would gravely listen to all sides of every argument, then calmly find the middle ground where the greatest benefit would be received by the greatest number. Although none would credit it had they known, he found his conversations with Wei WuXian often provided the unallied viewpoint he needed to better understand the consequences of certain actions and decision. Wei WuXian's time on the streets as a young child and his raising (admittedly a mixed blessing) with the Yunmeng Jiang meant he perceived things where Lan WangJi's personal history had left him blind. In all, it was an unforeseen advantage to the Cultivation world that their Chief Cultivator had a spouse with such a mixed heritage and perspective. Undoubtedly, any such benefit would have been denied in an instant, hands raised in genteel horror at the idea such an avowedly aberrant Cultivator could have anything of value to offer their refined world.

In his role as HanGuang-Jun, Lan WangJi dealt with periodic visits by outsiders, petitions received from civilians requesting assistance with hauntings or other needs only a Cultivator could fulfill. Whether to address a ghost, persistent supernatural beasts or suspicious, possibly unnatural disasters - everything seemed to be brought for his considered opinion and possible intervention.

As Lan-Er-Laoshi, Lan WangJi enjoyed most, perhaps, the teaching of the younger disciples. Their eager questions that he had chosen to encourage, rather than follow Lan QiRen's example of learning by rote, often inspired thoughtful conversations. Several times Lan WangJi had been sufficiently intrigued to follow up on a line of research sparked by the curiosity of a young and restless mind. The thoughts of youngsters not yet fully trained to fall into line and hide their divergent thoughts reminded him time and again of his husband, Wei WuXian. How different so many lives would have been, could have been, had he ever once been granted a listening ear and a heart open to receive him.

As Lan WangJi, the second of the Twin Jades, and younger brother to the Sect Leader, ZeWu-Jun, he often found himself dealing with the usual day-to-day minor upsets caused by active young bodies and their occasional collision with the realities of the world, whether a too-enthusiastic sparring session or the inevitable scrapes of a clumsy lack of temporal awareness... even the periodic clash of temperaments between the junior disciples as they vied to prove their burgeoning abilities, it was all precious to Lan WangJi. He was more than happy to take the mundane concerns from his beloved brother's shoulders and assist where and when he could.

Despite Lan WangJi's outer appearance of calm, cool grace, however, there were certain events that inevitably caused his heart to beat faster where it was caged in his ribs, behind the Wen brand so very few knew adorned his chest atop the racing muscle.

"Aaah!" Wei WuXian's short, sharp cry when unpleasantly startled - slipping out of a tree, falling into a creek, tripping over his robes - would always have Lan WangJi race to his side. He would gently pick up Wei WuXian from wherever he'd landed and attend to any injury, real or poutingly pretended, with equal gravity and gentleness.

"Aiya!" or "Lan Zhaaan" would see the golden eyes of Lan WangJi focussed intently on Wei WuXian within the span of a moment, his every thought turned to deciphering his current need. Was Wei WuXian whining for attention? Did he require a hand with a task? Perhaps he was bored and needed companionship? Regardless, Lan WangJi would seek to fulfill whatever the requirement might prove to be.

The clear, sharp notes of ChenQing raised at any time received attention automatically. Often it was simply a sweet tune, chirped out in the rabbit meadow to amuse Wei WuXian or, even more frequently, in the nursery to delight the youngest of the disciples and help turn frowns or tears into giggles. Despite this, there would always be the remote chance that this instrument of lullabies was preparing to wear its darker cloak and command resentful energy to do Wei WuXian's martial bidding, from confining those who thought to harm, to raising an army of fierce corpses once more... ChenQing was a spiritual weapon for all reasons and seasons and while her power was utterly at the disposal of Wei WuXian, her use could mean he was in danger. Lan WangJi would never ignore her sound, lest it cost him his husband once again.

The flash of dark robes out of the corner of his eye would have Lan WangJi checking to see if his husband were passing nearby... Lan WangJi's thoughts always flew straight to protective mode, knowing that if security were assured, everything else would be there for him to take more time to discover. It was needful to discern if perhaps he was in danger, running for his life, although far more likely his own classes were working outdoors, a habit all Lan QiRen's discouragement could not convince Wei WuXian to forsake.

"But Grandmaster," Wei WuXian had explained time and again, until even Lan QiRen had begun to doubt the utility of challenging Wei WuXian on his theories of instruction. "Better their talismans misfire out of doors - remember the tapestries lost when Ouyang ZiZhen had the hiccups? And I think they try harder when they know we're not heading in for tea until everyone has completed every exercise. It's even gotten the seniors to lend the juniors a hand, which is improving relations for all of them!" Wei WuXian had offered his counterarguments then gone on his merry way, leading his classes as he saw fit.

No matter the distraction, Wei WuXian was always firmly front and centre in the thoughts of Lan WangJi, regardless of time of day, but his favourite moment, by a far measure, came in the evening.

At the end of a long, regimented, thoroughly useful and satisfying day, Lan WangJi could finally close the doors to the Jingshi and activate the silencing that charmed the building and protected their private utterances from discernment by passersby. Fortunately, the Jingshi was in a comparatively remote corner of the Cloud Recesses main grounds so few would have occasion to pass other than the nightly rounds of the disciples on guard duty. Despite this, Wei WuXian's vocal appreciation of Lan WangJi's company was sufficiently loud - and disturbingly detailed - that the couple had been strongly encouraged to hasten the perfection of silencing protections at their very first opportunity.

Once sequestered, a private evening meal - frequently taken together in the Jingshi in preference to the communal Dining Hall - was enjoyed and often followed by a good, soaking bath together, often requiring multiple charges of the warming talismans before the men left their large bronze tub. Yes, the wooden bathtubs had been superseded by the provision of an oversize, thick bronze vessel permanently placed in an alcove added beyond the bedchamber of the Jingshi. The coopers had simply refused to make yet another tub after the failure of at least a dozen in short order. After a short but intense search for an appropriate and hardier substitute, Wei WuXian had the idea to cast a tub in bronze, modelled after the troughs Wei WuXian had seen used to feed and water large animals on the farms surrounding Lotus Pier in his childhood. The result had been unusual to the eye but served exceptionally well as a tub large enough for two full-grown men and sturdy enough for two strong men. Thus far the bronze tub had been in near-daily use for some months and had yet to show any signs of wear, beyond the polishing effect where hands or bodies rested most frequently.

Lan WangJi's secretly cherished part of the day came between the two usual evening activities in the Jingshi.

First came dinner. Lan WangJi maintained his silence while eating and Wei WuXian attempted to respect this, knowing his husband needed this time to leave behind his strenuous work day and recalibrate to participate in their mutual private life. Despite his efforts, however, Wei WuXian had not been raised to silent meals and the "oh" and "ah" and "mmm" that frequently escaped him had been known to cause an intermission of the meal more than once. After a vigorous interlude of mutual appreciation, and the second-hand revelation to Lan WangJi's delicate palate of the fiery heat of chili oil enjoyed by Wei WuXian, the meal would be reheated with talismans and completed.

After the meal, but before the bath, was Lan WangJi's most treasured moment of the day.

Before divesting themselves of their robes, and Lan WangJi's never-fading delight at seeing Wei WuXian's golden skin revealed before him... before the warm water of the bath welcomed the men like an embrace... before Wei WuXian placed hands upon him... before all this, came Lan WangJi's favourite part of the day.

After the meal, Wei WuXian would sit before his husband and turn his back, offering a comb. Lan WangJi would gently remove his leather and bronze guan and take his hair down from the usual half-ponytail arrangement. He would place the adornments on their bedside table and run the comb through Wei WuXian's hair, gently teasing free any snarls until the teeth of the comb met no resistance and the hair slipped easily between his fingers, without hindrance. The men would exchange places and Wei WuXian would provide the same service to Lan WangJi. The ornate silver guan, token of Lan WangJi's rank, would be removed and his hair let down.

Then, at last, came Lan WangJi's most treasured moment of every day.

Wei WuXian's nimble fingers would gently pluck apart the knot holding Lan WangJi's forehead band and slip it carefully off. Holding the cloud ornament at the centre in his hands, Wei WuXian would sweetly kiss the silver emblem, symbol of Lan WangJi's self-control, as Lan WangJi shivered at the sight. Even before Wei WuXian finished rolling the ribbon and laying the band carefully upon their bedside table Lan WangJi would quiver at the sensation as it left his skin.

This moment.

The removal of restraint.

The sight of Wei WuXian saluting the emblem of Lan WangJi's core values undid him every time.

Whether a usual, routine evening at home or in a tent on a night hunt or even late in the evening after a meeting that went so long the men tumbled into bed together, too weary for their tub... each time Wei WuXian removed the forehead band Lan WangJi felt his heart lighten and his soul cling more fiercely to his mate, beside him.

Little did Lan WangJi know his relief was noticeable.

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan...why do you shiver?" asked Wei WuXian one evening, having just barely completed the ritual of removing the Clan band. "Does it hurt when I remove your ribbon - was it tied too tightly?"

"I..." Lan WangJi sought words, uncertain how to express the cloud of emotions that he experienced.

"Lan Zhan, I understand it must feel strange to have the band untied...," started Wei WuXian.

"Not that," injected Lan WangJi.

Wei WuXian's eyebrows rose. To interrupt was against the Rules...

"Then what..."

Lan WangJi took a deep breath.

"When the ribbon is removed, you have taken my self control from me and set me free," he started.

"Yes..." encouraged Wei WuXian, reaching one hand to cup his husband's face, turning him to be face to face as he lifted Lan WangJi's chin to look him in the eye.

"I... it is only with Wei Ying...," Lan WangJi's forehead creased between his brows as he struggled to express his intent. "When the ribbon is not worn, I am without constraint. I am... able to be... I can..." Lan WangJi stumbled to a stop, his frustration showing clearly on his face (at least to Wei WuXian, although others might argue nothing had changed in the least).

"Only you call me Lan Zhan," he huffed, irritated that he couldn't seem to find the way to express how he felt.

"Yes, my love?" asked Wei WuXian softly. "You're my Lan Zhan. I love you. I love to say your name - Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan... my favourite name in the world." He leaned forward and gently kissed Lan WangJi's forehead, right where the emblem had so recently sat, and where the mark of it yet remained. "This is clearly important to you and I'd like to understand. What would my Lan Zhan like to say?"

Lan WangJi looked deep into the liquid silver eyes before him, filled with all the love he would ever want or could ever need in this or any other lifetime. The only thing he truly could not do without. The piece that made him whole. The reason for his being. His soulmate. All his titles - Chief Cultivator, HanGuang-Jun, Lan-Er-Laoshi - rolled away, taking his very name, Lan WangJi, with them as they evaporated, meaningless beside the only name he needed. The only name none but Wei WuXian used. The name by which Lan WangJi felt truly known, and knew himself to be loved, valued and needed.

"Lan Zhan?"

Finally, the words came. It seemed so simple somehow, why had he ever struggled to express himself when six small words said it all? Golden eyes looked into the silver that was all their world and the words slipped free.

"Only with you am I me."