Lan Zhan is lying in bed next to Wei Ying…well, 'next to' implies a false description, because Wei Ying is mostly lying on his chest. Lan Zhan loves this though, because ever since his change, he misses warmth. And Wei Ying is that and so much more.

Lan Zhan feels cherished and grounded by his natural proximity, and it's concentrated because Wei Ying isn't scared of him.

The scent of lotus flowers and a touch of vanilla…and there's definitely baby powder.

Wei Ying smells like home.

His heat spreads around Lan Zhan, surrounding him like a comfortable blanket. It's like finally being able to sleep in his own bed after months of sleeping elsewhere.

So when he hears Wen Ning get up and start rummaging around in the kitchen, he feels responsible enough to go and help him out. Reluctantly, Lan Zhan slides out of bed and quickly replaces himself with his pillow so Wei Ying won't wake up missing him.

Then he goes into the kitchen.

Wen Ning is unsuccessfully hunting for a bowl.

Lan Zhan feels better about this young man now, especially since he helped Wei Ying yesterday with their visitor…and ended up staying the night.

So he brings out the milk and gets Wen Ning what he needs.

They are sitting on the little table and Wen Ning has just finished his breakfast, when XiChen comes in, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Lan Zhan pours out more cereal and pushes the bowl towards his brother, and Wen Ning waves bye at the door before he leaves.

XiChen eats quietly, slowly, looking around the small kitchen.

Lan Zhan hopes he doesn't say anything else derogatory about Wei Ying’s situation. Wei Ying will wake soon, and Lan Zhan doesn't want him to overhear anything that might upset him.

XiChen sits back when he's done, his sharp gaze scrutinising Lan Zhan.

"You can imagine…what you told me last night…it's pretty far-fetched." He starts off saying. "What are you doing for nourishment?"

"At the beginning, I was using my own blood. A few drops was enough…every few hours." He tells XiChen of his disastrous encounter with a rare steak.

XiChen makes a face; he's also a vegetarian, and they've been this way since birth. He cannot imagine wanting to eat meat, let alone what Lan Zhan did.

"Have you felt as if you wanted to have…more?" XiChen inquired. "I mean…is it the same as when you used to get hungry?"

"Similar…the same discomfort is present…" Lan Zhan wonders whether or not to tell him about the difference between his own blood and that of Wei Ying's.

But he decides against it.

He's not sure why, but it feels like it's his own secret for now, and he wants to keep it that way for a little while longer, if it's possible.

"But Didi…you said you've changed into a vampire fully…right? Doesn't that mean you can't drink your own blood now? I'm confused." XiChen asks him.

He's unaware of this, but in that single comment, he is highlighting Lan Zhan’s very real worry.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it. The worst case scenario is buying blood from a blood bank. Or we could go the Stephanie Meyer way and go hunting deer. We'll see." Lan Zhan only just refrained from making a face at how unappetising that sounded.

XiChen did not have any such filter and his grimace remained on his face long after Lan Zhan stopped talking.

A change of subject was needed.

"Any idea on who could have done this to you?" XiChen asks.

They briefly discussed this last night…but Lan Zhan knows how hard all of this is for his brother; so he answers as best as he can.

"We went back to the alley later…and we found this." Lan Zhan pulls out the button they had discovered near the pools of dried blood on the ground.

XiChen studies it carefully.

"You think this came from your attacker?"

Lan Zhan nods.

"I don't know for sure…but I feel like I've seen it somewhere before…" XiChen remarks. "Do you mind if I hang onto it a while longer? Just to see if I can find something."

"Sure." Lan Zhan tells him. "I keep coming back to two things, though."

"What?"

"Well…I find it really hard to believe I'm the only one. That's the first thing. The second thing is, who bit me? Did they know this was going to happen to me? Or did they just think it was okay to leave me there to die, all alone?" Lan Zhan’s fists clenched in anger.

No matter how much he thought about it, that thought was the worst one.

That someone was cruel enough to bite him mortally and then not take responsibility.

But he forced himself to concentrate.

"And it bothers me that there might be more people like me around…and if there are…where are they? Who turned them? And why is it, nothing has come out into the open?"

"You've been really thinking about this, haven't you?" XiChen felt proud of him.

His brother was taking charge of his new situation in such a good way…it was admirable how he wasn't simply…wallowing in misfortune.

"The one thing I have in abundance is time." Lan Zhan replies.

"I would like … no." XiChen shakes his head as if he's clearing away something. "I want to go there too, that alley. In the daytime. We might find something you missed. When did you go?"

"At night."

XiChen nods to himself.

There's a noise by the door and they both look to see A-Yuan still dressed in his baby blue bunny pyjamas. His top has a hood over his head, complete with bunny ears. He yawns and makes his way to Lan Zhan, and stretches up his arms.

Lan Zhan picks him up without thinking, unconsciously kissing the top of his head as A-Yuan promptly falls back to sleep. This is another bundle of warmth, and Lan Zhan feels almost normal.

He looks up to find XiChen staring back at him in shock.

"What?" Lan Zhan murmurs in a low voice. He doesn't want to wake the sleeping child.

"I…um…you…you're really going to do this…" XiChen still seems to be lost for words.

Lan Zhan lets him process for a few more minutes.

There is something priceless about these morning moments, something utterly domestic and ordinary, and yet because Lan Zhan has never had this, it is even more precious.

"It's just…I never imagined you, Hanguang-Jun influencer extraordinaire, to…" XiChen gestures towards Lan Zhan cradling the sleeping form of A-Yuan.

"And?" Lan Zhan doesn't mean to sound sharp but doesn't understand his brother either. "What are you getting at?"

XiChen smiles suddenly.

"Nothing…it's cute, that's all." He says, sitting back. "I mean, it's obvious that you care for him…both of them. It's nice to see." He doesn't say anything else for now.

Lan Zhan thinks about how natural this feels, all of it.

He hadn't expected anything like this, and A-Yuan kind of wormed his way into Lan Zhan’s heart, all by himself. He was such a lovely kid…how could Lan Zhan not like him?

He looks down into the flushed face of this child, his cheeks round and squishy, soft and smooth. His thick lashes curled in the most beautiful way and just the hint of a smile resting on his lips. A-Yuan looks happy.

That emotion was so elusive, as delicate as a transparent bubble. One touch, and it was gone…and yet everyone wanted it.

How silly!

When it was ever present, all around him!

Lan Zhan feels as light as the bubbles he's thinking about, with this sudden epiphany.

Happiness was all around him, had always been all around him, if he just opened his eyes. It was right here, with this warm child in his lap, in the knowledge that he could keep this child safe. That he was already feeling love towards him, a protective, fatherly love. That he would do anything in his power to keep this little kid safe.

Happiness was also basking in the glow of his brother's love too.

And he knew that what XiChen promised him last night, that no matter what, their bond would remain intact…and he knew that same love was shining from his own eyes right now, reflected back towards both his brother and this sweet, big-hearted child in his embrace.

"Zhan Gege….hungwy." A-Yuan mumbled.

"What does A-Yuan feel like eating?" Lan Zhan whispered, as his eyes were still closed.

"Bunny pancakes." A-Yuan says, the smile wide on his lovely face.

Lan Zhan cannot help but smile down at him. He kisses that cute button nose and rises.

He takes A-Yuan to Wei Ying and settles him as close as he can to each other, so that they're still dozing. He bends and kisses their cheeks.

"I shall come and get you both when they're ready." He whispers.

A-Yuan nods in his sleep, and Lan Zhan pulls the comforter over them both.

His heart is so full of love right now…and it's no use telling himself that he hasn't got a functioning one right now. His chest would say otherwise.

XiChen smiles at him as Lan Zhan goes to the refrigerator to retrieve the necessary ingredients for A-Yuan's request.

"It's a good look for you, Didi." XiChen beams at him. "And I didn't know requests were available. I'm feeling a bit peckish myself."

"Then make yourself useful." Lan Zhan grins back at him. He tosses a few eggs at his brother, who catches them effortlessly, just like they used to do.

He rises and takes the mixing bowl from Lan Zhan and begins to work.

They've always been a team. For a small time, it was just the two of them against the world. And as they grew up, more people joined their team.

First, MingJue….and now…possibly, A-Yuan and his delightful father, Wei Ying.

"Are these the same bunny pancakes I used to make for you?" XiChen asks as he whisks the mixture together.

And just like that, Lan Zhan is transported back to that first morning, back from hospital…after his mother passed away. This was the first meal XiChen made for him…after those two horrible weeks.

As Lan Zhan passes him the chocolate chips to add later, he realises something else:

Food is just as much a language of love.

A-Yuan is sitting up when Lan Zhan goes to fetch him. He picks the boy up and settles him with a plate of three bunny pancakes and a fork, letting him scatter the chocolate chips and watching them melt.

XiChen is making Wei Ying’s breakfast, when Lan Zhan goes to wake him up.

Wei Ying is gorgeous to look at, even as he sleeps.

There's a rosy tinge across his lovely cheeks, and his thicker lashes resemble those of A-Yuan too, hiding his captivating stormy eyes. His lips are in a sleeping pout, as if he already doesn't want to wake up.

Lan Zhan cannot resist.

He slides into bed and covers Wei Ying with his body. His lips trace the soft, smooth expanse of Wei Ying's forehead, and then a warm kiss is placed upon his lovely eyelids. His lips travel a path of love across a smattering of freckles that exist like the stars scattered across the night sky. A kiss on each round cheek and then, there's a longing whine.

Lan Zhan discovers that while he was lost in worshipping this wonderful creation, Wei Ying was awake and pretending to be asleep.

Those gorgeous lips lift into a sulky pout.

Lan Zhan loves him so much.

How is this level of affection even possible?

It is like an arrow to the heart, this second…no, third realisation of this extraordinary morning.

Silver eyes snap open, the longer Lan Zhan takes in not kissing him on his lips, where he has been waiting patiently (in his own opinion), for Lan Zhan to kiss him where it matters the most.

"Lan Zhaaan….!" His warm arms wrap around Lan Zhan’s neck, bringing him even closer.

Lan Zhan gives in.

Their lips meet in the sweetest of kisses. Sweet at first, but like a spark to gasoline, need explodes and bursts into fiery passion.

Wei Ying wriggles under him, and Lan Zhan has to hold him down, his fingers digging into naughty hips rolling dangerously. He gasps and Lan Zhan delves in, sucking on his bottom lip before his teeth clamp down and just like that, there is an explosion of taste in Lan Zhan’s mouth.

His tongue greedily licks away any blood, and he feels guilty, because it hadn't been his intention to bite Wei Ying…but Wei Ying tells him with his hot eyes, blazing with desire as he presses himself up for another scorching kiss.

Wei Ying’s hands wander and they're just going to slip under the elastic of Lan Zhan’s pyjamas, when his alarm goes off.

He really wants to ignore the noise.

Lan Zhan stretches out a hand to slam the button on the top of the poor piece of mechanism.

And Wei Ying giggles at the look on his face; he had to let go of Wei Ying's body to perform that small action.

"Like I said…" Wei Ying yawns and stretches. "We're secretly conditioning ourselves to kiss every time that thing goes off."

Lan Zhan has discovered the softest spot of warm skin, tantalisingly smooth and tasting of vanilla and lotus flowers. His teeth graze that sensitive skin, inducing a shiver out of Wei Ying, who is wide awake now.

"I don't suppose we have time now…?" He questions as more noises come from the kitchen. Wei Ying’s eyes widened in surprise. "A-Yuan?" He scrambles out of bed, and Lan Zhan catches up with him, just by the door.

"It's my brother. He stayed the night." Lan Zhan explains. "I should have asked first, but I did not want him to walk out there in the dark."

"That's fine…" Wei Ying waves a hand at that, choosing to fold himself into Lan Zhan’s embrace. He's melting with relief. "I must have fallen asleep. So much for being supportive of my boyfriend."

Lan Zhan’s arms tighten at that word.

His lips are smiling already, resting against a warm forehead.

"Wei Ying was a very supportive lump." He says, amazed at himself for being able to tease him.

The old Lan Zhan would never have been so bold.

"That comment needs payment, mister!" One silver eye opens with fake ire. "Your boyfriend isn't a lump."

"The very definition of lump is a compact mass of substance, one without a definite or regular shape…" Lan Zhan quotes. "I carried a lump back to bed."

"I have a shape!" Wei Ying mock glares at him, wriggling away to stand affronted with his hands on his shapely hips.

"A tempting one at that." Lan Zhan glides closer and rests his hands on Wei Ying’s shoulders. "One I'd love to explore in detail…but Wei Ying will be late…"

They both look disappointed at that.

"I'm not forgiving you." Wei Ying insists, taking his hand and walking into the kitchen with him.

"Good morning!" He greets the people there brightly, going to kiss his son first.

"Look, Baba! Zhan Gege made me bunny pancakes! And Uncle too." A-Yuan looks uncertainly at XiChen. "Is that okay?" He carries on in a loud whisper. "Uncle says I call him that now."

Lan Zhan knows that had he been normal, his ears would have given him away.

It seems XiChen had been talking to A-Yuan while he and Wei Ying were….busy.

XiChen's ears readily give him up. His ears are redder than a beetroot.

"Thank you!" Wei Ying says, easily. But then he too, blushes. "What should I call you?" He asks, looking at XiChen.

"I wanted to ask you that, too." XiChen admits. He turns around by the sink. "Let's see, MingJue's younger brother calls me XiChen-Ge…I think that would work for us too." He smiles warmly at Wei Ying.

Wei Ying still feels bad about not telling him before where Lan Zhan was. He apologises again, but this time, XiChen waves it away with another smile.

"Extenuating circumstances…no one can blame you." He says lightly.

And that statement seems to dissipate any remaining tension.

"You can call me A-Xian." Wei Ying says, as Lan Zhan pushes him into a chair with a plate of bunny pancakes and a fork.

Both brothers watch in mild horror as Wei Ying douses the still warm breakfast in syrup and chocolate chips, and demolishes the food in minutes.

"I've heard, chewing helps." XiChen grins at him.

"No time, if we want to catch the bus." Wei Ying explains.

"Ah…I see." XiChen glances at Lan Zhan before ploughing on. "Actually….I was wondering…could you please accompany me to that place? The alley where you found my brother?"

And just like that, the tension floods back into the room.

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

A/N

Dear Lovely Readers,

Thank you so much. Today seems to be one of numerical pats on my back, because WILD CREATURES has reached 9K this morning!!!!

I'm squealing (internally) and happily biting into my chocolate supply.

I hope you like it so far!

Charlie.