Wei WuXian knew his husband didn't like crowds, but it was their first day out alone together in several weeks, and he had convinced Lan WangJi that the festival in Gusu would be fun. Looking at his husband's long-suffering expression - not that anyone else would see it on the composed face of the Second Jade - Wei WuXian wondered if he should have chosen another activity. He looked around at the crowds, the children chasing each other from stall to stall, the alleys teeming with vendor carts, and knew Lan WangJi was reaching the end of his tolerance. Where could they go for some peace? Even the inns were noisy and filled to the brim with merrymakers.

Off to one side of the main street, halfway into the opening of an alley, a small, gaily coloured tent caught his eye. A sign announced a fortune teller worked within. Perfect! A peaceful break!

"Come on, husband!" Wei WuXian commanded. "Let's get out of the crowds for a minute, yeah?" Grabbing Lan WangJi by the wrist, he dragged him over to the fortune teller's tent.

"Have you ever visited a fortune teller before, my love?" he asked.

"Boring," responded Lan WangJi.

"Aiya! You're so conservative," Wei WuXian stated the obvious. "Come on, Lan Zhan. It will be fun!" So saying, Wei WuXian dragged his husband into the tent.

Once inside the tent it was very dark, a sharp contrast to the bright day outside. As their eyes adjusted to the change, details began to emerge from the dim. Shielded lamps provided a small bit of illumination, casting intriguing shadows and well placed to conceal more than the light revealed. Curiosities were on several shelves around the perimeter and a table in the centre. At the table sat a crone, repeatedly turning a tea cup around in her hand. Her clothes were many-layered and strangely light; it seemed almost as if they floated about her. Multiple rings and bracelets winked and tinkled with her motions and a fringed scarf encircled her head. When she looked up the men were startled to see her white eyes. Wei WuXian reflexively grabbed Lan WangJi's arm, while Lan WangJi automatically reached for the hilt on Bichen, moving to place himself between the woman and Wei WuXian.

"Well met," said the woman. Her voice had an unfamiliar lilt, while being softened and mellowed with age. "Have you come to see your past, present or future?"

Setting aside his initial unease, Wei WuXian put a reassuring hand on Lan WangJi's shoulder. He was familiar with the usual opening gambit of a seasoned fortune teller and felt reassured to hear it now.

"We have no secrets from each other," answered Wei WuXian. He felt a slight shiver from Lan WangJi. Is he nervous? he wondered. "We know our past and our future is in the hands of the gods. What can you tell us about the present?"

"Be seated and we shall see," came the response.

The two men sat at the table, across from the woman. Putting down her tea cup, the woman placed her hands, palm up, on the table between then.

"One hand, please," she said. Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian shared a look, then each placed on hand on the nearest palm. The old woman's hands felt warm, a little soft, a little smooth. She moved her fingers to encircle their wrists, gently tasting their pulses. She traced down the tendons into the fingers, then turned the hands over and brushed her fingertips over their palms, the callused pads of their fingers, flexing the joints.

"Interesting," she said. "Your other hands, please."

Silently the men complied. Again, the old woman addressed the hands resting on her own, as if drawing forth the unknown from their very skin.

"You have a larger past than many have lives," she began. "Most interesting. You." She turned her unseeing eyes toward Wei WuXian. "I have not seen a life thread split before."

Wei WuXian inhaled sharply as the old woman continued.

"And yet...," the blind eyes turned toward Lan Zhan. "You have mended that thread. You have spun it back together and brought it within your own. Two lives entwined, neither separate from the other."

Gold eyes and silver held each other in silent communication. This was not quite the silly break from crowds and commotion that had been anticipated. How could this fortune teller see things so clearly they never discussed, even between the two of them? They returned their attention to the crone. "You are wise to leave the future to the gods. The future is many things for you both, and whether that is good or bad will depend on many other things outside your control. It's better to allow the gods to make decisions that are too heavy for your minds to handle. Only the gods know when black is white and wrong is right."

Another look between the men, as a slight chill ran down their spines. Those words. They had both used those phrases in the past, when making decisions they believed to be on the side of justice and righteousness, despite being the opposite of popular opinion.

"Your present is good," she continued. "Your lives are full. You have given much and had so much restored to you. You must not forget vows are for keeping. This truth is constant. Everyday..."

Another shared look. There was a lot of unspoken conversation going on between the two men.

"There is one wall. Walls hide things."

Wei WuXian's mind shot back to the Nie family burial site on Xinglu Ridge and the wall that had entombed his nephew, Jin Ling. He swallowed.

"Walls can protect or conceal. Walls may support a roof or imprison a body. Walls may hide things we do not wish known. Some walls are good. Some walls are bad. You must look behind the wall and share the secret. When the secret is known, it will not cast a shadow on the present. Secrets are the happiness killer. Secrets must be shared to lose their power."

With those words, the crone released their hands and took up her tea once more, although it must have long grown cold.

The men stood up.

"Thank you, old woman," said Wei WuXian. "May the gods keep you in health."

Lan WangJi simply took some silver from his purse and put it on the table, and the two men took their leave.

Once more eyes had to adjust to the difference in light. Momentarily dazzled, they made their way slowly back into the throngs of festival celebrants, the noise and brightness contrasting sharply with the dim and quiet within the tent.

"Well, that was something different," said Wei WuXian, giving a slight shudder. He took his husband's hand. "Have you ever heard a fortune like that before? All that talk about walls and secrets...I don't think we've held a secret from each other since the Guanyin Temple. Such a strange fortune. I don't think it's anything like I've ever heard, and we used to visit fortune tellers all the time for fun as a kid growing up at Lotus Pier."

He turned to look at the little tent once more but didn't see it. Puzzled, he drew to a stop and stood taller, to look above the crowd, but no colourful tent came in sight.

"Wei Ying?" asked Lan WangJi.

"Aiya, I seem to have poor vision today, my love. Would you lead this blind and starving man to food?" Wei WuXian teased, turning back to his husband, dismissing his sense of unease. The couple continued their day, shaking off the odd fortune teller experience and enjoying their rare time out without disciples to supervise or tasks to perform. They simply enjoyed each others company and returned home to Cloud Recesses that night feeling much improved for the short holiday.

Time passed, as it does, and routine filled all the days. Lan WangJi kept busy with Clan business and teaching classes and leading sword practise. Wei WuXian continued to tinker with his various inventions and talismans, sometimes locked away in his small workroom at the back of the Jingshi for days, only to emerge needing a bit of exercise and to create some educational mayhem on the Practise Grounds with his unconventional but effective sword style, weak as it was without much spiritual power to drive his actions.

It took some time, but eventually Wie WuXian noticed that Lan WangJi had been quieter than usual for a while now. Not so quiet that Wei WuXian noticed it quickly, but it had continued long enough to draw his attention.

What's on his mind? wondered Wei WuXian. He'll usually tell me if he's bothered about something.

Days at Cloud Recesses followed a relentless schedule from 5:00 AM rising until 9:00 PM bedtime. It had been very difficult for the two men to navigate the rigid order of the days and find time for each other, given that since he was a teenager, Wei WuXian's natural internal clock had him rising at 9:00 AM and retiring at 1:00 AM. Eventually a compromise was reached that had Lan WangJi awaken his loving husband an hour or two earlier than his preference every morning, and often in the sweetest fashion by kisses or a warm bath. In turn, Wei WuXian would keep his husband awake only an hour or two past his bedtime, although he did his best to be sure that time was well spent.

Wei WuXian thought about it. What could be on Lan WangJi's mind? He couldn't really pinpoint anything of note that had happened recently. The usual night hunts took place, and long days on the Practise Grounds or in the Lanshi (Lan WangJi) or the workroom in the Jingshi (Wei WuXian). Why was Lan WangJi preoccupied?

Finally, Wei WuXian had enough of wondering and decided a straightforward approach was required.

That night, as they prepared for bed, he simply asked Lan WangJi, "Husband? What is on your mind these days?"

"Mn?"

"You are often brooding. It's deeper than your usual silence and you seem preoccupied. What is the matter, my love? Can you tell me? Did I do something? Is there something I can help you with? What's on your mind?"

Lan WangJi looked at Wei WuXian. Silver eyes interrogated gold, which dropped in reluctance.

"Have a secret."

"Oh, Lan Zhan! Who would have thought? Here you seem all light and transparent and you're hiding a secret?" teased Wei WuXian, as he clapped his hands in impish delight. "Can it be for me?" he asked archly, slipping his arms around his husband and drawing him close. "Could it be something for us together, hmmm?" he asked, kissing one ear as Lan WangJi blushed.

"Yes. No. About us." Stumbled Lan WangJi.

"Aiya, this seems appealing," whispered Wei WuXian. "Shall you tell me now or will you whisper to me in bed, my love?"

"Now."

Wei WuXian stopped his teasing and stared at his husband. That was not the answer he had anticipated at all.

"Now? Really?"

"Mn."

Lan WangJi took Wei WuXian's hands in his own and sat them both back at the table.

"Must confess."

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, this is not like you." Wei WuXian shifted uncomfortably where he sat. "I admit you are scaring me just a little. What could you possibly have to confess? I think we know each other well, from teenagers until now, and our secrets have long since been shared."

"Not all."

Wei WuXian's eyebrows rose.

"Really? What possible dark secrets could you possess, husband?"

"Not just husband. First husband. And Second Husband."

Wei WuXian was puzzled. "I don't understand, Lan Zhan. You're my only husband. My forever and every lifetime husband. My soulmate."

Lan WangJi sighed. This was difficult.

"Married twice."

What on earth is he talking about? wondered Wei WuXian. Was he hit on the head, and I don't know about it?

"My love, I know you never married before me. And I promise you I've never married anyone else. Not in Yunmeng. Not in YiLing. Not on my travels. I've never married anyone but you. You know I never thought about marrying at all until you proposed. Remember?"

"Us. Married twice."

Maybe he really was hit on the head, worried Wei WuXian.

"Sweetheart, we got married at our apple tree. Remember?"

"Was second time married. Together."

He's hallucinating! An alarmed Wei WuXian wondered what he should be doing. Clearly his beloved husband was having a break from reality.

It was Lan WangJi's turn to move uncomfortably in his seat. For a man with very subtle facial expressions in most instances, he currently looked his version of miserable. Wei WuXian couldn't bear to see that look on the beloved face, so he tried again.

"My love, my husband, we did our three bows at the apple tree... how could you ever forget?"

"Wasn't our first three bows."

Wei WuXian's jaw dropped. Lan Zhan gently reached over and closed it for him. Wide mercury eyes looked deep into gold pools, currently dark with discomfort.

"Not our first three bows - of course they were! I'd remember bowing with you, Lan Zhan. This isn't funny, you know!" Yet even as the words left his mouth, Wei WuXian remembered taking two bows with Lan Zhan in the Ancestors Hall at Lotus Pier, praying to Jiang FengMian and Yu ZiYuan to please preserve Lan Zhan for him, and promising a third bow in the future... that final bow that was never made. No, that was just his own private thoughts and besides, there was never a third bow!

"I'm sure we didn't take three bows together any other time, my love. Of all the things my wretched memory has forgotten, I would never forget that."

Lan WangJi took a deep breath. Speaking was hard, and he was not sure how Wei WuXian would feel about what he was about to reveal.

"First was in the Cold Cavern. Bowed to Lan Yi."

Well, that's true, thought Wei WuXian. "I remember. But it was only two bows, and I thought you hated me at the time."

"Not just bows. Bow with Clan ribbon joining hands."

"That's right. You'd used your forehead band to connect our wrists so the Chord Assassination would stop trying to kill me. It was the most generous thing I think anyone had ever done for me," replied Wei WuXian.

"Bow done while connected by ribbon. Band can only be touched by one's parent, or Cultivation Partner."

"Well, I know that now," answered Wei WuXian, "but I certainly didn't know it then. And we didn't do three bows, only just two anyway."

Lan WangJi cleared his throat. "Was the only way to protect you but has meaning past that. When Lan forehead ribbon is used to join two unmarried people, it invokes a blessing and a promise both. That these two people intend... they want... they plan..." Lan WangJi was having more trouble finding his words than usual, until he finally overcame the blockage in his throat and they began to stumble out. "I was wrong. I knew and you did not. I wanted to protect you, but I should...I didn't..." A harsh swallow and he forced out the words. "When the ribbon joins two people, they are as good as married. It's promise and intent, and..." Another pause, another quick swallow. "It's considered legally binding."

Wei WuXian's eyebrows rose. This was news to him! "How so?" he asked.

"In times past, not everyone could be married properly when they wished. If they had to part, they were joined this way. Handfasted. Then they would be considered bound to each other until they could meet again and marry. We were bound. And we made our first bow to my ancestors."

"Well, my love, I wonder how many more surprising customs the Lan Clan have tucked away. Perhaps you should consider teaching me a few, yeah?" Wei WuXian teased his husband. "But even so, my love, it would only be engaged - although you might have told me about it! And still, it was only two bows."

"More than engaged, which is agreement. Handfast is contract. First bow to Lan Yi accepted the contract. Second bow was the start of marriage agreement. Took two bows later. Finished marrying. At Lotus Pier." By now Lan WangJi looked abjectly miserable, with pink tinting his eyebrows, not just his ears.

Wei WuXian sat staring at his husband. The Lotus Pier bows, replayed in his own memory a short time before, had been a completion, not a beginning! Events of the past drew themselves from his memory and paraded before his mind's eye. The Cold Cavern, shivering and frightened, grateful for rescue, overwhelmed by Lan Yi's presence. His own pleas to Jiang FengMian and Yu ZiYuan to consider the two bows the start of a formal marriage, believing they were only a start and were never completed... in feeble hope but still more jest, not knowing of Lan WangJi's feelings or even if men could marry.

"You mean, we've been married ever since Lotus Pier?"

"Mn."

Overwhelmed, Wei WuXian sank back, his head spinning with implications. So long ago... and they were already married? He had no idea and went on his merry way, blissful in his ignorance, but what must this have meant to Lan Zhan?

Very, very quietly, Wei WuXian asked, "Nightless City, when I died... you knew we were married?"

"Mn." Wei WuXian was stabbed through his heart by the weight of pain somehow carried in that simple response. How could a simple mouth noise, not even a word, convey such profound grief?

"When I was teasing you in Yunmeng, you knew we were married?"

"Mn."

"When I confessed in the Guanyin Temple...?"

"Mn."

"When I left... when I went on my travels, you knew?"

"Mn."

"Why, Lan Zhan? Why?" Wei WuXian's voice exploded from him. "Why would you carry that knowing alone?" His heart ached with hurt for his husband, and Wei WuXian hurled himself over the space between them. He threw his arms around Lan WangJi's neck, burying his face in that corner he so loved. The place where neck and shoulder met, perfused with sandalwood, and his go to place for comfort.

"Didn't want Wei Ying to feel badly."

"You carried the burden of knowing all that time and never told me? Or anyone?"

"Mn."

Wei WuXian knew he could never have kept quiet if their places were exchanged. He'd have made sure everyone knew their status. He'd have shouted it from the rooftops... but Lan WangJi wasn't Wei WuXian. He just quietly moved forward on what he believed to be a righteous path, not asking for help with his burdens, just offering of himself to others. Wei WuXian settled himself into his husband's lap, his head resting over that wonderful, true, strong heart, and allowed the beating to soothe his soul, as always.

"Is this your last secret?"

"Mn."

"You're not going to spring anything else on me, are you, my husband? No suddenly appearing offspring, no nasty little habit, nothing?"

"Mn."

"Is this why you've been so quiet lately?"

"The fortune teller. Wei Ying spoke of no secrets between us. I felt bad. I knew and you didn't. I didn't know how to tell you before and didn't want you to feel bad. I love you." Lan WangJi made his apology.

"I love you, too." Wei WuXian accepted the apology. "No more secrets now for real, yeah? All done?"

"Mn."

"Promise?"

"Mn."

"Alright then, my lovely first and second husband. Seeing as I didn't know and we never properly marked the occasion, I think you owe me a nice celebration."

"What does Wei Ying want?"

"Well, I think..." Wei WuXian leaned forward and whispered into his husband's ear.

Lan WangJi slowly turned his head to look Wei WuXian in the eyes, his ears now flaming red.

"N...now?" he stuttered.

Wei WuXian's silver eyes twinkled mischievously, and a grin grew across his face. Catching his bottom lip in his teeth, he nodded in response. "Uh huh. Right now."

A privacy talisman was swiftly affixed to the door as Lan WangJi carried his husband, kicking and laughing, across to the bed.

No one saw them until the following day.