The sun hung high in the sky, burning hotly, and Xiao Zhan squinted against the glare, shielding his eyes with his arm. A lot had happened in the last twenty-four hours. It was midday, and he didn't get much sleep due to the terrible nightmare plus what happened after that. The memory of last night flashed in his mind and his face turned beet red. He fanned himself to calm down.
Lan Wangji shifted closer to Xiao Zhan's side. "Wei Ying, are you alright?"
Not again.
"I'm fine." Xiao Zhan replied curtly before turning to look his lover in the eye and said pleadingly, "Now, please stop asking me every 5 minutes."
"You look flushed." Lan Wangji pointed out the obvious.
No shit, Lan Zhan!
"It's a hot day." Xiao Zhan gestured at the innocent sun.
Lan Wangji brushed off his snappish answer, his gaze still trained on Xiao Zhan, "Are you sure you're okay?"
You asked me that like a hundred times already! It's no longer cute.
"Lan Zhan, I swear to God, if you ask me if I am okay one more time, I will really kick you." Xiao Zhan grumbled grumpily.
"Alright. I'll stop." Lan Wangji's voice was soft but there is a hint of amusement in it, lips curved upwards faintly. "I'm just worried about you."
"Shit." Xiao Zhan cursed under his breath as he distractedly took a wrong step and stumbled slightly over a root of a tree. He regained his footing almost instantly but that did not stop Lan Wangji from wrapping an arm around his waist to ensure that the man stayed upright.
"Wei Ying, do you want me to carry you?" Lan Wangji asked gently.
"What?!" Xiao Zhan rejected in an instance, his ears turning red. "No!"
"But..."
"Nope! No way!" Xiao Zhan quickly cut him off and shuffled away.
Lan Wangji grabbed onto Xiao Zhan's wrist before he could move away further, "Wei Ying, stay close to me."
With a resigned sigh, Xiao Zhan whispered, "You're being ridiculous. Please let go of my hand."
"..." Lan Wangji pretended like he did not hear that and continued walking with an iron grip on the slender wrist, leaving Xiao Zhan no choice but to follow along his strides.
"Lan Zhan?!"
"..."
"Are you ignoring me?"
"..."
"Second Young Master Lan."
"..." Lan Wangji squeezed his wrist slightly as a warning.
Xiao Zhan scowled, "Come on. Don't be stubborn. Let go now."
"No." Lan Wangji said firmly, ignoring the pout he knew was plastered across his boyfriend's face.
"Seriously?" Xiao Zhan exclaimed and threw his head back and groaned loudly.
"Mn."
Knowing that Lan Wangji would not budge, Xiao Zhan eventually gave up on trying to talk some sense into the hard-headed lover of his. "Fine! Fine! Do as you please."
At his declaration of defeat, Lan Wangji's face brightened considerably, and the corners of his lips turned up into a tiny smile that made Xiao Zhan's heart skip a beat.
Damn it. Is there a vaccine against that smile? I need immunity against it, or I'll end up waving white flags each and every time.
Noticing Xiao Zhan's body temperature slight warmer than usual, he offered kindly, "Want some water? "
Xiao Zhan nodded gratefully before taking a long sip of the cool refreshing water and sighing happily. "Thank you."
Lan Wangji smiled fondly at his boyfriend's content expression.
Yep. This smooth fella is going to be the death of me.
And with that, Xiao Zhan trudged beside Lan Wangji without further complaint and completely forgetting that he was annoyed by his lover's assertiveness just minutes ago.
Nie Mingjue felt like the hair behind his neck rise as he watched the scene before him unfold. This was definitely getting weirder by the day, and he had seen some weird shit in his life. He already noticed that the duo was close but seeing those two men interact like this made his head spin a little. What was up with them?! Also, why would the second Jade of Lan worry about that crazy strong person who had singlehandedly shredded a beast to pieces? He even treated the other man like a delicate flower. And did these brats realize that they were on the front lead?
After a considerable period of enduring the public display of affections from the duo, Nie Mingjue couldn't take it anymore and cleared his throat loudly, making his and his subordinates' presence known.
Both of them whipped their heads around to face him simultaneously. Finally noticing the many eyes directed towards them, Xiao Zhan looked slightly embarrassed while Lan Wangji maintained his impassive expression as he released his grasp with great reluctance.
"Young Master Wei, how did you managed to keep up with the beast yesterday?" Nie Mingjue posed a question that he had been dying to ask after a beat of awkward silence.
Well... I got demonic drones in the sky.
Xiao Zhan answered ambiguously, "With a lot of focus, I guess."
Nie Mingjue frowned slightly, clearly annoyed at his vague answer. He probed further, "Focus? On what?"
Hmm. how should I twist this one? Half-truth? Should I share some tricks?
"Agility." Xiao Zhan stated with a serious face. "You can move much faster if you concentrate your qi to your feet."
This is basically Yunmeng Jiang mobility enhanced with parkour and the idea from Ironman's repulsor. Haha. Being stuck six months in Cloud Recess sure gave me a lot time to think of weird ideas.
Nie Mingjue and the rest of his team looked between him and Xiao Zhan in complete confusion before the senior disciple spoke up, "But, won't it be hard to balance yourself if you dense the qi only at one part?"
A small smirk appeared on Xiao Zhan's lips before he responded smoothly, "Not if you make use of momentum."
Nie Mingjue raised a brow as he processed the words carefully. "Momentum?"
Xiao Zhan nodded curtly, "Yes. It's actually just a simple physic. If you take velocity and mass into account, you can gain more momentum and increase your speed. Just like how you have more momentum when you're you running than walking. For each force there is an equal and opposite force. If you direct your energy flow to your soles of your feet and release it from there, you will create a large backward force and therefore you'll exert an equal reaction force forward that-"
"Huh?" Nie Mingjue interrupted. "Hold on. What?"
"It's the conservation of momentum. " Lan Wangji interjected. He took a glance at Xiao Zhan before adding, "Wei Ying is simply utilizing the recoil generated from the impact with the ground to help him accelerate faster. All you need is to apply the right amount of force at the proper timing and control your trajectory properly. It's the fundamental principle of generating and redirecting momentum. "
That's my smart boyfriend and my best student.
Xiao Zhan gave him a thumbs up and flashed a brilliant smile towards his lover, "To put it in simply, it's like making a pebble skip across the water. In normal circumstances, rocks are heavy, and they sink in water. However, if you control the angle of your wrist enough, you can send a pebble flying and bouncing across the water. In the same manner, if you focus the qi flow from one point and redirect it to the other, you will gain an advantage over gravity and propel yourself along a path with greater speed. Basically, you get a boost from your spiritual energy to bounce yourself off one surface to another surface which allow you to maintain your momentum."
Nie Mingjue looked between the two boys blankly.
This... this was just... too much for a single human brain to take in at once. Did they eat books for breakfast? These two brats were on different plane of existence. He shook his head slightly trying to dispel the thoughts swirling through his mind and glanced behind him to see his subordinates were just as confused as he was, trying to understand exactly what they were explaining to the rest of them. After all, they weren't fans of books.
Xiao Zhan paused when he realized everyone from the Nie Sect was staring at him like he grew a third head. He coughed awkwardly, "Sorry. I got carried away."
Nie Mingjue's head was spinning. He could tell that these two weren't kidding at all but his mind couldn't handle any more physics concepts right now. He muttered, "Forget I asked."
Oh. Would you look at that. Looks like I found a way to shut him up. Should I let Huaisang know about this?
Xiao Zhan smiled, satisfied with his newfound method to deal with Nie Migjue. He then added, "It's easier if I just show how it's done."
"I have no qualms with it. Show us then." The older cultivator said gruffly. His eyes, however, held a spark of curiosity.
The Nie Sects members listened intently to Xiao Zhan's impromptu lesson on the basics of controlling the movement and directing it forward. Lan Wangji was a perfect demonstration model as he followed every instruction flawlessly while Nie Mingjue and his disciples struggled to keep up due to the fact that their physiques were more on the bulkier sides. Besides, they were more used using their muscles power to charge forward in straight lines rather leaping off surfaces to perform stunts or flips in midair. That, and the weight distribution was completely wrong. Their Berserker-like fighting style relied heavily on brute strength fueled by anger. They weren't trained to do something complicated and delicate like balancing act or aerial acrobatics that required precision and control.
"You all will get a hang of it soon. Just don't let your momentum go stagnant," Xiao Zhan said as he stretched his limbs.
"What are you planning to do now?" Lan Wangji asked as he noticed a familiar expression that Xiao Zhan often wore when he was about to do something impulsive. His tone was not one of approval nor disapproval at having Xiao Zhan do something rash but one of concern.
Xiao Zhan's lips stretched into a wide grin as he heard the question and he turned to look at the Second Jade who was already sighing. He proposed cheerfully, "Should we race to our destination?"
Lan Wangji's eyebrows furrowed together, and he murmured softly, "Wei Ying, should you be exerting yourself so soon?"
Xiao Zhan shrugged, "Have you forgotten that we used to spar for hours daily during our training sessions? This isn't much."
Lan Wangji knew full well that Xiao Zhan would not change his mind once he made it up, so he might as well follow suit. Besides, he too wanted to be alone with his lover for a bit. He nodded, "Alright."
"Great!" Xiao Zhan exclaimed with glee. He then turned his head towards Nie Mingjue and asked, "Chifeng-Jun, you don't mind if we make our move first, right?"
Nie Mingjue stared at him with creased brows. From the tone of his question, it was obvious that he was not asking his permission. There wasn't anything he could really do to stop this person or the other even if he wanted to. Both of them were not his subordinates but rather, people whose skills he acknowledged. He finally voiced, "Do whatever you want."
"Awesome!" Xiao Zhan said high-spiritedly. He paused for a brief minute to estimate the time required before suggesting to his partner, "Should we set three hours as the time frame?"
"Mn." Lan Wangji agreed readily.
Nie Mingjue glanced between the pair and spoke up, "Wait a minute. Impure Realm is five more hours away and you can't ride your swords. The air is too dense at this altitude and with the harsh wind blowing from the mountains, you'll lose balance."
Xiao Zhan shrugged lightly, unconcerned, "Chifeng-Jun, we never intended to fly with our swords. We're just going to apply the earlier theories into practice and train ourselves while we are at it. You're not against training, are you?"
The taller man was rendered speechless. He couldn't deny it as he was someone who was strict about practicing diligently after all although his focus was solely on training his skills in wielding his saber.
Xiao Zhan continued rambling, "Besides, it's a good workout too, you know? You can gain even more momentum and maintain it for a longer period when you have better stamina and endurance."
Nie Mingjue didn't want to hear about this particular dizzying academicals topic anymore and decided not to push it. With a short sigh, he said with resignation, "We will meet you back at Impure Realm."
"Okay! See you guys later!" Without further ado, Xiao Zhan and Lan Wangji dashed across the forest, smiling happily as they ran through the wild foliage. They were going so fast that no matter where they went, hoping from one tree to another like birds flitting across the sky, it was impossible to keep up with them. Nie Mingjue and his team were left speechless watching their backs disappear into the distance.
The pair reached the border of the Qinghe Nie Sect territory about a couple hours later. Xiao Zhan slowed his pace to a stop and stood still, looking towards the vast landscape in front of him. Lan Wangji looked back and called out, "Wei Ying."
"Hmm?" Xiao Zhan turned to face him.
"Can we talk now?" Lan Wangji asked seriously as he stood in front of him.
"Sure. We have plenty of time to talk." Xiao Zhan cocked his head to the side curiously, "What is it?"
Lan Wangji closed his eyes briefly and exhaled before answering calmly, "Last night."
"Oh... We do have to talk about it, don't we?" Xiao Zhan mumbled slightly embarrassed and looked around. They were right at the main road leading to Impure Realm which was not too far away. He suggested, "But, should we go somewhere more private?"
"Come with me." Lan Wangji took his hand and led him to a secluded area far out of sight. It wasn't his first time at Qinghe Nie's territory and he happened to know a spot.
They continued to walk silently until they finally reached a hidden clearing by a clear stream in the middle of the mountain range. They both sat down on the soft grass, resting their backs against the tree trunk. They gazed at the tranquil surroundings in silence. Neither man seemed keen on breaking the quietness.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, blowing loose strands of hair in front of their faces. Xiao Zhan tucked a strand behind his ear absentmindedly, watching the sunlight glimmering off of the clear water of the nearby stream. A large flock of birds flew overhead, chattering away to one another, and Xiao Zhan tilted his face back, listening to their melodious song. He sighed, closing his eyes to savor the sensation of wind brushing his cheek and broke the long stretch of silence with a wistful comment, "It must be nice to be a bird."
"Why do you say so?" Lan Wangji inquired inquisitively.
"Don't you think that they are living a free life? "Xiao Zhan pondered softly, opening his eyes and turning his gaze to stare at the golden eyes. He smiled ruefully, "They can soar above the clouds freely and without restraint. Free from worries and responsibilities"
Lan Wangji pulled Xiao Zhan close, wrapping his arms around his waist tightly. He rested his chin upon Xiao Zhan's shoulder and murmured, "I wish I can give you the freedom to do whatever you desire."
"Hmm... That's sweet of you." Xiao Zhan smiled softly; his cheek pressed against his neck as he nestled there comfortably with a content smile. "You know, there is a saying that goes like this. With great powers come great responsibilities."
" Who said that?" Lan Wangji wondered; his tone laced with interest.
Xiao Zhan smirked, "Spiderman's uncle."
Lan Wangji's eyebrows furrowed. "Whose uncle?"
Xiao Zhan chuckled, looking at him fondly as he answered, "Peter Parker's. A superhero."
"...Superhero?" Lan Wangji 's expression grew even more perplexed.
"He fights evil people and saves people. He received superhuman abilities after being bitten by a spider." Xiao Zhan said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Lan Wangji gave him a puzzled stare, "What kind of ability does a spider possess? And how does the bite have anything to do with it?"
"Maybe I should start with the fact that he's a fictional character." Xiao Zhan stated.
Well, I am currently living in a fictional world too. What if Spiderman really exists somewhere in another universe? Marvel universe? I wonder if the Avengers exist too.
Lan Wangji pressed his lips on his temple and declared, "Wei Ying, hero or not, you are truly a righteous person, and I am proud to call you mine."
Xiao Zhan smiled, "I would say the same thing about you, Lan Zhan."
Lan Wangji returned the smile as his hands wrapped protectively around Xiao Zhan's slender frame. A comfortable silence hung in the air as his mind reeled with the memory of last night.
Flashback:
"I love you too, Wei Ying."
And with those words, all inhibitions vanished leaving no space for hesitation. It seemed the only thing left in the world was the two of them. The need that had grown between them since the beginning of their relationship was finally released by their combined force of passion.
Xiao Zhan smiled as Lan Wangji nuzzled on his palm before placing a gentle kiss on it. He closed his eyes again as he felt Lan Wangji's lips trailing kisses over his skin and his body trembled under Lan Wangji's ministrations. He shuddered as he felt a small nip on the shell of his ear, followed by Lan Wangji whispering in a tone full of longing, "You're mine, Wei Ying."
"Yours..." Xiao Zhan breathed hoarsely. His body tingled and he let himself be devoured by the love that was consuming him right at that very moment, allowing everything else to slip aside. All that mattered now was how badly he wanted Lan Wangji, and nothing could have ever stopped him from feeling that way.
The sound of their frantic breathing filled the air as they began to lose control of themselves, unable to hold back the intense passion coursing through their veins. Their bodies moved impossibly closer to each other as their hands roamed freely across the exposed flesh of each other's body. Lan Wangji moved further on top of his lover, pressing his body down on him, their legs intertwining together underneath them. He had never felt more contented and complete than right here with Xiao Zhan beneath him.
He kissed away the tears forming in the corners of Xiao Zhan's eyes, gently stroking the pale skin of the other's cheeks with his thumbs as he whispered worriedly into his ear, "Does it hurt?"
Xiao Zhan took a deep shuddering breath and shook his head slightly. He managed to mutter a shaky whisper, "No..."
"Do you want me to-" Lan Wangji stopped mid-sentence when Xiao Zhan shook his head vigorously.
"No, no, I can endure it..." Xiao Zhan said breathlessly before pressing a kiss to Lan Wangji's lips to distract himself from the stinging discomfort.
Lan Wangji returned the kiss with fervor and tenderness, wanting nothing more than to soothe his lover's pain. He felt Xiao Zhan relax significantly with each passing moment and he began to move slowly and carefully, allowing the other to adjust to his movements before picking up the paces.
At one point, Xiao Zhan let out a sharp gasp as he felt intense pleasure rush through his body, making it quiver. This made Lan Wangji halt for a few second, but immediately resumed his movements once he realized that his lover wasn't reacting negatively. Instead, soft moans escaped Xiao Zhan's parted lips and he felt like his entire being filled to the brim with bliss. The sound he produced was enough to spur Lan Wangji on and soon, the couple was lost in an all-encompassing haze of pleasure, their tongues and fingers intertwining, their breaths coming out in shallow pants.
Lan Wangji's heart thudded madly against his ribcage, when he heard Xiao Zhan calling his name in a muffled cry as his body trembled and convulsed under him, sending waves of heat through his veins. He could not help but release a grunt from his own chest as he was hit by waves of pleasure. He buried his head into the crook of the other's neck, taking comfort in the way Xiao Zhan clutched at his shoulders and whimpered softly. They stayed like that for a long while until they finally came down off of the high that had just overtaken them.
Lan Wangji pressed a kiss to Xiao Zhan's forehead, nuzzling it tenderly and murmuring quietly, "I love you, Wei Ying."
"Me too, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan mumbled sleepily, snuggling closer. He closed his eyes, feeling Lan Wangji's arms tighten around his waist protectively as he drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Lan Wangji held his lover closely in his arms for the remainder of the night, as he thought about what would happen to them in future after this. They just had their first time, and he couldn't help but to wonder if he had taken advantage of Xiao Zhan's vulnerable moment because he knew that he couldn't afford the possibility of Xiao Zhan having regrets later in life. If Xiao Zhan did, he would never forgive himself. He could not take back what had happened between them. He tightened his arms, burying his face deeper into the silky hair and praying silently that Xiao Zhan wouldn't regret it later on in life and that he would always be able to call him his. His last thought as he fell asleep was about how beautiful Xiao Zhan looked when he was sleeping, and how perfect it would feel if this man woke up beside him every day for eternity.
A slight frown was etched into Lan Wangji's features as the uncertainties began to weigh on his mind. He needed to hear Xiao Zhan's take on this matter. Right away.
"Wei Ying, about last night..." Lan Wangji mumbled, staring at Xiao Zhan who was leaning comfortably against his chest. He blurted out an apology, "I'm sorry."
Sorry?
Xiao Zhan's body stiffened at the remark. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Huh?"
Lan Wangji spoke solemnly, " I will take responsibility for-"
"Stop there." Xiao Zhan cut him short. He frowned slightly, "Don't make it sound like you made a terrible mistake."
Lan Wangji swallowed audibly before admitted haltingly, "But I did. I took advantage of your situation and your trust."
Xiao Zhan's voice wavered slightly, "Are you saying that you regret what happened between us? Was it a mistake to you?"
"No." Lan Wangji denied vehemently. "I don't regret it."
"Then why are you apologizing?" Xiao Zhan questioned quietly.
"Because..." Lan Wangji faltered for a moment. He lowered his gaze and murmured with remorse. "I hurt you."
Xiao Zhan shook his head, placing his hands on either side of Lan Wangji's face as he gazed at him tenderly, "You did not."
Lan Wangji couldn't help but frown deeply, feeling a twinge of guilt within himself at what he had done. "What if you regret it later?"
"Let me put it this way," Xiao Zhan said, giving him a warm look before continuing in a sincere tone, "It only happened because I wanted it to happen, and you didn't force it. I made a conscious choice, and I don't regret it. Not one bit. Okay?"
Hearing that, Lan Wangji felt an immense sense of relief flood through him. The knot in his heart loosened slightly and a smile blossomed on Lan Wangji's lips as he gripped Xiao Zhan's waist tightly before pulling him closer to press a firm kiss to his forehead. He vowed sincerely, "Wei Ying, I promise that I will cherish you always."
"You better. If not, I'll kick your ass." Xiao Zhan warned playfully, smiling as he leaned his head against his.
Lan Wangji smiled lightly as he lifted his arm to hug Xiao Zhan tighter, burying his nose in the crook of Xiao Zhan's neck. "Wei Ying, we should really fix that habit of using violence as threat against the one who loves you."
"Oh, okay. Since my Lan Er Gege got a complaint about it, there's always a non-violent method to settle the dispute." Xiao Zhan said with devilish grin. He pushed Lan Wangji's chest slightly, trapping him against the tree bark.
"Wei Ying...? W-what are you going to do?" Lan Wangji stuttered out nervously. His eyes widened comically as he felt Xiao Zhan's fingers slowly creeping to his waist where they traced along his sides.
"You see Lan Zhan; this is what happens when you don't keep your promises." Xiao Zhan whispered seductively into Lan Wangji's ear causing shivers to run down his spine. He smirked and added with mischievous tone, "It's called, tickling."
Lan Wangji's eyes widened in alarm, "No, don't do it!"
"Why not?" Xiao Zhan asked innocently as he continued to trail his fingers teasingly.
"Wei Ying!!" Lan Wangji squirmed, trying hard to hold back a chuckle but unable to completely stop himself from laughing. He pleaded breathlessly, "I concede... Stop."
"No." Xiao Zhan continued his incessant attack.
Lan Wangji couldn't hold it anymore and grabbed onto Xiao Zhan's wrists firmly before pulling them towards him to pin them between their chests. "Stop." He insisted firmly while trying to catch his breath.
"This is the first time I see you laugh freely, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan remarked, tilting his head and smiling brightly.
"I didn't know how to." Lan Wangji admitted bashfully, averting his gaze.
"Well, now you know! Should I continue?" Xiao Zhan teased, wiggling his fingers from the captive of Lan Wangji's grasp and attempting to get away from him.
"No. That's quite enough. Please stop." Lan Wangji held his hands captive.
"Laughing is good for health, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan countered teasingly as he fought back to regain the independency of his wrists. His bright laugh resounded throughout the area as they childishly battled to escape each other's clutches.
Lan Wangji ended up spinning Xiao Zhan around and pinned him against the tree, holding his wrists above his head to immobilize him. He asked in a low voice, "Have you had enough fun, Wei Ying?"
Xiao Zhan's cheeks were flushed red with remnant of the laughter, and he was panting hard. His silvery colored eyes sparkling with mirth and his lips parted slightly as he gasped for the much-needed oxygen. He nodded as he couldn't form any coherent response for the time being and leaned back to the vertical surface behind him to rest a little.
Lan Wangji stared down at Xiao Zhan who had his head tipped back, exposing his throat, his beautiful Adam's apple bobbing. His eyes flickered to the marks he had left on his neck, and he couldn't help the desire welling up inside him. How could he resist such an enticing sight? In a swift move, he captured Xiao Zhan's soft lips in a hungry kiss.
Xiao Zhan gasped loudly in response, struggling slightly against Lan Wangji's grip. However, he quickly relaxed under his touch as the heat of the moment overtook him and he melted into his lover's warmth. He closed his eyes, enjoying every sensation, relishing every taste they shared together.
Just when his arms were getting numb and he was getting all lightheaded, he felt his back touched the soft grass of the forest floor and Lan Wangji's lips left his which then trailed across his jawline. As they reached his ear, Xiao Zhan heard Lan Wangji's husky voice murmuring in soft voice, "Wei Ying..."
Oh God, I'm screwed.
*****
A/N: Age of consent is China is 14 years old. Also, technically the two of them are already considered as adult (they already have their coming of age ceremony).