[ Wei Wuxian absolutely takes the silence as Lan Wangji trying to think of how to let him down gently. He panics a little, heartbeat speeding up and mortification rising. He didn't want to admit this, didn't want to be so vulnerable — but then again, if he can't be vulnerable with Lan Wangji, who can he be vulnerable with? He closes his eyes, trying to steady his own breathing as he braces himself for the rejection.
The rejection that does not come. Instead, there is Lan Wangji's voice, teasing him lightly and he's so surprised by it that he lets out a laugh, shocked.
He'll pull back his head to look up at Lan Wangji, to meet his eyes and smile, a little wobbly. ]
... Ah, well, maybe we can trade off duties?
[ Lan Wangji in the morning, Wei Wuxian does everything in the afternoon— ]
[ At least the straight face doesn't give away the mild panic within— is he submitting himself to a lifetime of overly spiced rice bowls?? ....He would do it, though. Hidden away on a quiet piece of land with the donkey, night hunting from time to time, just the two of them.
He looks up at last from the little spot over Wei Wuxian's shoulder where he had been staring to finally make eye contact, lips parting as he stares intently, as if he has more he wants to say....
But it doesnt come and his mouth closes, lips pressed together until he does finally speak. Not about how he really feels about it, the idea- the dream- of spending a life with awei Ying amd only Wei Ying, but instead something more practical. ]
I do not intend to do it forever. Chief Cultivator. It was necessary, but not desired.
[ He cannot run off to their honeymoon farm yet, even if he wants to. ]
[ The reply to that comes easily, excited even — ]
Of course!
[ Being able to cook for Lan Wangji would be such a dream. Waking up every day next to each other, cooking for each other, working the farm together, night hunting together. It would be a dream come true for Wei Wuxian and he knows it's such a silly desire, wanting to settle in one place and just have Lan Wangji at his side but... god, how he wants it.
When Lan Wangji lifts his head to look at Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian can only stare back, curiosity on his face as he waits for whatever it is that Lan Wangji wants to say. He can tell that he's thinking about it, about to speak before... he withdraws and doesn't say anything. It leaves Wei Wuxian puzzled. What could be on his mind?
But then he is speaking and Wei Wuxian decides this must be what he wanted to say, struggling to admit maybe. It would be a rejection of cultivation society in a way to admit that he didn't want the role, and Wei Wuxian can understand the difficulty behind putting words to that.
He always wondered why Lan Wangji accepted it. He was never one for politics. But he must have felt he had to, on some level. After everything with Jin Guangyao, he knows people craved the stability that would come from a Lan and Lan Xichen was indisposed so... Hm. ]
Yeah? [ Something giddy rises in him at that. ] And then you'll come back to me?
[ He finds someone right for the role, someone who could properly be the Chief Cultivator and give their time and energy to cultivation society. And then... then his life is his own again, and he is free to spend it wandering the countryside with Wei Wuxian again. ]
[ They never talked about it when it happened. How he stood there on that dirt track and looked Wei Wuxian in his watery eyes and announced that he would be staying. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to. A void in power and influence needed to be filled by someone who would not abuse it, who could actually provide guidance and support and be on the side of justice as they had once promised.
It really only left the Lan, but with Xichen broken by betrayal, he had no choice but to step into his place, to take on responsibility in his stead as duty and filial piety required it of him.
Of course Lan Wangji never talked about it, he never does, always acting on things yet rarely speaking a word of as to why, but perhaps because of their time spent here and the new type of closeness they share, the thought of mentioning it is not as absurd as it once was. ]
It was necessary. After Jin Guangyao, Jin Guangshang, the Chief Cultivator could not be a Jin. Nie Huaisang lacks both clan and public confidence, nor did he volunteer. Jiang Wanyin is Jiang Wanyin. Was assumed that Xiongzhang would assume the role.
[ Yet he remains in his self-imposed seclusion, for the foreseeable future. Wei Wuxian knows well enough the burden of duty to your family and your clan, how even if he wasn't asked to do it, Lan Wangji would have offered because that is what is expected of him, what is owed to the Lan.]
[ It was what was expected and honestly, Wei Wuxian knows that. Of the options available, there were so few that felt like they could assume the position and as Lan Wangji lays it out, Wei Wuxian nods his head and breathes out slowly, knowing the truth of his words even if he doesn't want them to be. There was no other option, other than to leave the power vacuum open. But there needs to be a Chief Cultivator, right? ... Right?
Of course, only Wei Wuxian would have that thought, his opinion of cultivation society is mixed and mostly negative. Maybe they would do well without a focal point of power for a bit, until they got their own affairs sorted and could be trusted to uplift someone into that position once again. That's his opinion on it, at least.
But no, Lan Wangji did the right thing by taking up the title. Even if it meant he could not be at Wei Wuxian's side any longer. It was upsetting, it's still upsetting, and all these months they've had together at the Golden Peacock has just made Wei Wuxian even more unhappy with not having Lan Wangji at his side back home.
If only Lan Xichen were able to take it up properly... ]
I understand. It makes sense, really. You were the only one who could at the time.
[ He goes quiet then, thinking. How in the world will they get Lan Wangji out of this role? ]
I will wait for you. When you're ready, I'll be there.
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no subject
Date: 2025-06-15 04:45 am (UTC)The rejection that does not come. Instead, there is Lan Wangji's voice, teasing him lightly and he's so surprised by it that he lets out a laugh, shocked.
He'll pull back his head to look up at Lan Wangji, to meet his eyes and smile, a little wobbly. ]
... Ah, well, maybe we can trade off duties?
[ Lan Wangji in the morning, Wei Wuxian does everything in the afternoon— ]
no subject
Date: 2025-06-15 09:43 pm (UTC)[ At least the straight face doesn't give away the mild panic within— is he submitting himself to a lifetime of overly spiced rice bowls?? ....He would do it, though. Hidden away on a quiet piece of land with the donkey, night hunting from time to time, just the two of them.
He looks up at last from the little spot over Wei Wuxian's shoulder where he had been staring to finally make eye contact, lips parting as he stares intently, as if he has more he wants to say....
But it doesnt come and his mouth closes, lips pressed together until he does finally speak. Not about how he really feels about it, the idea- the dream- of spending a life with awei Ying amd only Wei Ying, but instead something more practical. ]
I do not intend to do it forever. Chief Cultivator. It was necessary, but not desired.
[ He cannot run off to their honeymoon farm yet, even if he wants to. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-06-15 11:12 pm (UTC)Of course!
[ Being able to cook for Lan Wangji would be such a dream. Waking up every day next to each other, cooking for each other, working the farm together, night hunting together. It would be a dream come true for Wei Wuxian and he knows it's such a silly desire, wanting to settle in one place and just have Lan Wangji at his side but... god, how he wants it.
When Lan Wangji lifts his head to look at Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian can only stare back, curiosity on his face as he waits for whatever it is that Lan Wangji wants to say. He can tell that he's thinking about it, about to speak before... he withdraws and doesn't say anything. It leaves Wei Wuxian puzzled. What could be on his mind?
But then he is speaking and Wei Wuxian decides this must be what he wanted to say, struggling to admit maybe. It would be a rejection of cultivation society in a way to admit that he didn't want the role, and Wei Wuxian can understand the difficulty behind putting words to that.
He always wondered why Lan Wangji accepted it. He was never one for politics. But he must have felt he had to, on some level. After everything with Jin Guangyao, he knows people craved the stability that would come from a Lan and Lan Xichen was indisposed so... Hm. ]
Yeah? [ Something giddy rises in him at that. ] And then you'll come back to me?
[ He finds someone right for the role, someone who could properly be the Chief Cultivator and give their time and energy to cultivation society. And then... then his life is his own again, and he is free to spend it wandering the countryside with Wei Wuxian again. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-06-16 03:32 am (UTC)It really only left the Lan, but with Xichen broken by betrayal, he had no choice but to step into his place, to take on responsibility in his stead as duty and filial piety required it of him.
Of course Lan Wangji never talked about it, he never does, always acting on things yet rarely speaking a word of as to why, but perhaps because of their time spent here and the new type of closeness they share, the thought of mentioning it is not as absurd as it once was. ]
It was necessary. After Jin Guangyao, Jin Guangshang, the Chief Cultivator could not be a Jin. Nie Huaisang lacks both clan and public confidence, nor did he volunteer. Jiang Wanyin is Jiang Wanyin. Was assumed that Xiongzhang would assume the role.
[ Yet he remains in his self-imposed seclusion, for the foreseeable future. Wei Wuxian knows well enough the burden of duty to your family and your clan, how even if he wasn't asked to do it, Lan Wangji would have offered because that is what is expected of him, what is owed to the Lan.]
no subject
Date: 2025-06-18 04:15 am (UTC)Of course, only Wei Wuxian would have that thought, his opinion of cultivation society is mixed and mostly negative. Maybe they would do well without a focal point of power for a bit, until they got their own affairs sorted and could be trusted to uplift someone into that position once again. That's his opinion on it, at least.
But no, Lan Wangji did the right thing by taking up the title. Even if it meant he could not be at Wei Wuxian's side any longer. It was upsetting, it's still upsetting, and all these months they've had together at the Golden Peacock has just made Wei Wuxian even more unhappy with not having Lan Wangji at his side back home.
If only Lan Xichen were able to take it up properly... ]
I understand. It makes sense, really. You were the only one who could at the time.
[ He goes quiet then, thinking. How in the world will they get Lan Wangji out of this role? ]
I will wait for you. When you're ready, I'll be there.