The dream starts off outside.

Wei Ying can't explain it, but he knows for sure that it is a dream, but he also knows that it's a special one.

There's an alley, a dirty one, and a newspaper flies by him, with the date: 24th November 2023. He hears a sound and it's like the mewling of tiny little kittens. He has to go in there, and his feet are being pulled into that alley. To say it was unclean and smelly would be kind, because it definitely is the kind of place to be scavenged by nocturnal creatures. Bits of fish and open sandwiches litter the ground and maybe it's foxes? Or raccoons? They've made a real mess of someone's rubbish.

It's as if Wei Ying is right there.

He can smell the decaying food spilled around him, and the air is too warm, filled with the pungent smell of frying onions. He's not alone but he can't tell who's with him. And still, his feet are pulling him further into that mucky, filthy alley.

Towards that sound.

It's pitiful, their crying noises, tugging at his heart until he's almost running towards it. There's a box wedged in between the vents for the air conditioning for that building.

His hands shake as he crouches down, and he can see his hands reaching for the flaps of the cardboard box, and he's just about to open it-

Wei Ying jerks awake suddenly, shivering.

Strong arms quickly gather him close, stroking his hair and wiping his wet cheeks.

"Wei Ying!!?"

"I...it was a dream." Wei Ying tells him everything, committing it to memory, every little detail. "It's going to happen on the twenty-fourth of November. Today's the first of September, so we have nearly two months to figure it out, right?"

"Mn." Lan Zhan is more worried about him. Wei Ying is still trembling in his arms and he's not sure what it could be about a couple of kittens that could make Wei Ying so disturbed, so jittery.

He hums his mother's lullaby and gradually, Wei Ying calms enough to fall asleep again.

It had been shocking at first, to hear and feel the spike in Wei Ying's heartbeat, and then feeling his uneasiness, his erratic breathing, and Lan Zhan knew this wasn't normal.

He thought it was another nightmare; Wei Ying had his fair share of those after the events at Wen Laboratories, and each one was traumatic for them both. But this was perhaps included in the handful of prophetic dreams that Wei Ying had experienced which weren't bad, but made him feel a certain way.

Lan Zhan had his doubts on whether or not Cangse Sanren's gift could be called one, because in his opinion, knowing about events before they happened, sucked.

Big time.

If it was for something harmless like a surprise party, and the recipient found out, that just spoiled it for everyone, but if it was for something frightening like, say a car crash for example, that would stress everyone out to no end. Plus, what if the prophetic dreams led people to behave differently, making the trajectory of events different to what was written in Fate?

For his part, he hates Wei Ying feeling troubled in any way.

He feels helpless that he can't take away any of the suffering Wei Ying undergoes, that he has to stay on the edge of it all, watching his mate go through his pain, or the stress of whatever he has seen will come to pass, and it's terribly frustrating for him.

But he can do this:

He pulls Wei Ying closer, making sure to wrap himself around him, hoping that the strength in his body makes Wei Ying feel safer.

Whatever Wei Ying needs and wants, he is going to make it his mission to be that for him.

Forever.

***************

Lan Zhan refused to let Wei Ying tidy up, surprising both of them. It was a role reversal in the most peculiar way because Lan Zhan was usually the tidy and conscientious one, the one who made sure all food stuffs were appropriately sealed and stored away, yet he was forbidding the messy one to tidy up after the party from yesterday, stating that since his brother had hired a company to come and clean up, Wei Ying would be depriving them of a job if he persisted.

Weirdly, it made sense.

Wei Ying had been quiet after he woke up properly. Not even commenting on their special breakfast that Lan Zhan made him eat, consisting of hot, strong coffee and birthday cake, still as delicious as the day before.

He didn't mention his dream and neither did Lan Zhan, who had written it all down in the notes section of his phone with the intent of preserving all the details, only until the twenty-sixth of November, when he could safely delete it if nothing from it came to pass.

They're just about to leave the apartment when Wei Ying's phone goes off.

"Hello?"

"Ah, am I speaking to one Wei WuXian? I'm from the department of Social Services."

Immediately, Lan Zhan is by his side, and Wei Ying leans into his body.

"Yeah, that's me," he says, aiming for a lighthearted reply but struggling with it.

"This is to inform you that the Department has submitted your request to formally adopt Lan JingYi with Lan WangJi to the Magistrates Court. They've scheduled your hearing for the twenty-fourth of November, twenty twenty three, which you and your partner are expected to attend. We've contacted your lawyers and expect them to get in touch with you soon." She goes on to say that these things take time and she wishes it wasn't so, however they have nothing to worry about, and she just wanted to tell them the good news first, so they wouldn't continue to worry.

"Thank you," Wei Ying breathes out, clutching Lan Zhan's arm as he ends the call.

As soon as his hands are free, he throws his arms around Lan Zhan's neck, hugging him tight.

"WE DID IT! WOOHOO!" He shouts gleefully, not caring about anything else for now.

Lan Zhan whirls him around in a few circles, delighted with the news as well.

"The hearing," he suddenly frowns, putting Wei Ying down. "On the 24th."

"Of November. That's the day," Wei Ying admits, sobering up. "The day we save the kittens. Is it a school day?"

Lan Zhan checks his calendar. "Mn. Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. We can write to their school and request a day off for both of the boys. It is a special day, after all."

"Okay, let's do that. Now I wanna go home and tell them! Lan Zhan, I'm so excited!!" He smacks their lips together in a celebratory kiss, and too soon, he's pulling away from Lan Zhan and marching towards the door.

On any other day, Lan Zhan would have pulled him back and kissed him thoroughly, a lesson to not shorten any kisses from now on. But Wei Ying is smiling again, and that's all he really needs.

**************

It's a Friday and there's no school, so the children are allowed to sleep in. When they wake up, Wei Ying tells them the good news and that today, they are going to celebrate it as much as they can.

He and Lan Zhan help them get dressed and then they're down for breakfast.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan inform Uncle Qiren of their good news after the meal.

"Hmm. Both of you make good parents. I am proud of you," he tells them, stroking his whiskers.

And that's reason enough to hug, Wei Ying thinks, throwing himself at him.

Luckily for Uncle Qiren, Wei Ying has spontaneous plans and he's left in peace quickly.

Lan Zhan gets the call from his lawyers, and then he informs XiChen about their good news as well.

"That's fantastic, Didi! Congratulations! What are you going to do, to celebrate?" He asks, a smile in his voice.

Wei Ying grabs his hand and brings his beautiful mouth closer to his, sharing the phone. "It's a secret, XiChen-Ge! But expect tons of pictures!! We'll send them as soon as we take them!" He yells enthusiastically, making the kids whoop and cheer.

Today is going to be all about fun!

***************

The first place they visit is the cinema. It's a matinée showing of the Lion King, JingYi's favourite film, on the big screen. The theatre is empty save for them, and so Wei Ying encourages the children to sing along loudly. They're having a fabulous time of it, drinking Pepsi and eating popcorn, when Wei Ying has to visit the bathroom.

He whispers where he's going to Lan Zhan, before bending past the kids not to disturb them and get in the way of the screen. Outside of the theatre, he searches for the bathroom and finds it nestled away at the far end of the building. It's a change from the darkness of one area to the brilliance of another, and Wei Ying is washing his hands when he's hit with the strangest feeling.

Goosebumps break out all over his skin, and he looks up to see dark eyes staring back at him.

"I didn't think it would be this easy to get you away from him," the man says, laughing cruelly under his breath.

It is Vladimir, the blond vampire.