.
"No."
Wuxian sighs and rubs his head: "Let me explain."
Healer Shi slams her hand on the table between them and with a loud voice expresses her displeasure: "I don't care. There is nothing you can say that can change my mind!"
Wuxian purses his lips, starting to get annoyed: "It's my body! My choice!"
Healer Shi points her finger at him: "It mine too as long as I'm in charge of keeping you alive!"
Lan Ran who was sitting between them puts her hands up and says in a soothing voice: "Both of you, calm down. We can talk this out rationally and come up with a compromise."
Wuxian: "What's there to compromise? I'm the one who has to suffer!"
Healer Shi: "My future depends on you! How can you be so selfish!"
Wuxian slams his hand on his chest, feeling frustrated: "YOU THINK I'M SELFISH? You're not the one who is bonded to so many people that the thought of dying brings you to your knees in panic! DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME SELFISH!"
Healer Shi was taken aback by his angry outburst. Wuxian is normally calm and collected, sometimes even depressed, but he never raised his voice on anyone before: "You're anxious."
Wuxian lets out a long sigh: "I don't want to do this.. But I asked him to leave Shenhua Clan and this was his condition. They're weak without him. I gave him my word and he honored his. It's the only thing keeping the previous ugly fate from ever happening again."
Shi: "There has to be another way! We're almost done. Just a few months."
Wuxian puts his head in his hands and leans his elbows on the table: "You think I'm a masochist? That I enjoy excruciating pain and being dependent on others for protection? That my daughter cries more than she laughs because she thinks I will die every time a weird symptom pops out and freaks the hell out of her?"
Shi sighs: "I didn't mean to be forceful. I just.."
Wuxian: "I know. I just need a few hours to get this done and you can do whatever you want with me. I wouldn't ask if it was not necessary."
Shi stays silent for a few minutes then groans: "Fine. I can give you two hours tops. Any more and we will be looking at significant delays and damages."
Wuxian smiles sadly at her: "Thank you."
Shi huffs: "Don't thank me. This will not be pleasant for you."
Wuxian: "I know."
That night, Wangji took him to the banquet, accompanied by their children. After toasting to their new ally, the rest of the evening was spent mingling. Unlike last time, Wuxian chose to stay and had a few pleasant conversations with some the clan leaders before spotting a sulking Nie in the corner, drinking tea and pouting. Wuxian sat in front of him: "You didn't find your fan?"
Nie sniffs: "No."
Wuxian: "My daughter made you a new one."
He took out a new fan from his robe with a cute drawing of a cat on it: "She said that you've been moping all over Cloud Recesses and she wanted to make you happy. She likes cats so.."
Nie examines the fan: "Her drawing is not bad."
Wuxian scoffs: "She's the greatest artist to ever live!"
Nie looks sadly at Wuxian: "Brother Wei, you will find my fan for me?"
Wuxian pats his shoulder: "We found the shoes. We will find the fan. Don't worry. Enjoy this one while you wait."
Hweiru makes her way towards Wuxian's side and smiles at Nie: "Uncle Nie, did you like my gift?"
Nie tests her fan by opening it and closing it a few times: "I love it. Thank you."
She bows to him and bounces back to her brother's side.
Nie smiles while watching her: "I can't wait to have a daughter like yours."
Wuxian smiles: "Can I name her?"
Nie: "You can name all my children if you find my fan!"
Wuxian smirks: "Deal!"
A few tables away, young Zizhen was playing with his dessert while sulking too. His father forbade him from going anywhere near Wuxian and he was moping. A few hours into the banquet, Wuxian notices him and crouches in front of his table: "What's wrong? Normally, you would be all over me by now."
Zizhen glares at his fellow disciples that are guarding him: "Father threatened me."
Wuxian takes the chopsticks from his hand and eats a few pieces of sweets from his dish: "For what?"
Zizhen sighs: "I tried to tell him about Lijian but I.. I chickened out and he ended up scolding me for being weird towards you. He said that I make you uncomfortable."
Wuxian reaches over and cups the sad boy's cheek: "I will let you know if I'm uncomfortable. Just be your amazing self."
Zizhen's eyes widen: "REALLY?"
Wuxian chuckles: "Yeah. Just don't do something stupid and get killed by my soul-bond. His patience is stretching thin these days."
Wuxian stuffs a few more pieces of dessert in his mouth and Zizhen narrows his eyes at him: "Why are you eating my food?"
Wuxian looks around cautiously and whispers: "Your food tastes better. They serve me Lan Clan bland food so I walk around and casually eat from others so save face. Don't tell anyone!"
Zizhen chuckles at him while pushing more dishes towards him: "You're too skinny. Eat as much as you want."
Wuxians smiles at him then asks: "Why did you chicken out?"
Zizhen looks down in shame: "I don't know how to tell him."
Wuxian looks blankly at him: "Just do it."
Zizhen: "How?"
Wuxian turns to look at his soul-bond who's clearly bored, listening to a one sided conversation. Wuxian winks at Zizhen and whispers: "Watch and learn.."
Wuxian stood up and walked briskly to his soul-bond. As always, Wangji tracked him with his eyes and turned towards him when he approached. Without a single word, Wuxian pulled him into a passionate kiss and stole his breath away.
The world around him stood silent and faded away. Wangji felt his soul sing a unique tune, matching the rhythm of his other half. Those soft lips, wonderful smell, the feeling of his small body against his and the hint of a sweet taste lingering on his lips. Every fiber of his being was vibrating with joy. A wide smile bubbled to the surface and he pulled the smaller man closer to taste more.
Wuxian forgot that they were in public. The fact that he can feel Wangji smile even though his eyes were closed was enough for him to greedily want more. A loud cough awakens them and he pulls away slightly to break the kiss. He hears Yuxio from a distance drop her cup and say in a breathy voice: "I think I just lost my virginity.."
It was followed by a loud smack and a cry of pain.
People were more shocked to see the broad, unrestrained smile on Wangji's face than the kiss itself. They didn't know the taller man had the facial muscles for it.
Wangji kept his hold for a few more seconds to plant small kisses around Wuxian's lips then whispered lovingly: "Thank you."
Wuxian chuckles: "Father is going to be so pissed."
Wangji nuzzles his nose: "I will take a million punishment for a single kiss from you."
Wuxian opens his eyes to smile back at him: "I love you."
Wangji's smile widened more: "I love you more."
Hweiru moves closer to them and pulls Wuxian's robes: "Mama, I love you more too!"
Wuxian chuckles as Wangji carries the girl into his arms. People around them awed over the girl's cuteness and then returned to mingle around like nothing happened.
Wuxian brushes a few crumbs of food from around Hweiru's mouth: "Are you having fun?"
Hweiru nods: "Yeah! I'm winning."
Wuxian frowns: "Winning?"
She leans closer to him to whisper: "Eating contest! Hwieru: two. Brother Jingyi: zero."
.