Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji was looking forward to starting his new position. At 24 he was moving from the family home and to Yiling to take over the new branch of the family business. It offered a breath from the stifling rules of his home, the expectations of his uncle and brother. He looked forward to the space, the clean air, and the mountains. Yiling was smaller than back home, but still offered anything he could need.

He hummed to himself as he unpacked the last few boxes in his kitchen of his new home. It was his first house and he was enjoying making it his own. He started work tomorrow, he thought about his schedule as he broke down the boxes, carrying them out to recycle. It would be a full week, meeting with each manager and determining where the branch stood. Long days of dealing with people, not his best activity but one he could manage.

The days went by quickly, a routine being established between going to work and stopping for groceries and making meals. Occasionally there was time for rest, reading and practising his guqin. The weekend was a needed reprieve.

With a freshly stocked pantry and fridge from a morning of errands Lan Wangji is determined to not step foot off his own property this weekend. The backyard held an opportunity that needed nurturing, a small abandoned garden and flower plots he wanted to dig out. But he needed to work out the stress of the workweek, and what better for that than making fresh baked bread?

The kneading was relaxing, burning off the tension he carried from meeting after meeting. Things would slow down soon enough for him to acclimate. Once the bread was in the oven Lan Wangji opened the windows, enjoying the soft breeze of the warm autumn air. He sat in an armchair with a book as he waited for the timer to ring.

Taking the warm bread out of its pan, Lan Wangji set it on the windowsill to cool in the soft breeze. He moved around the kitchen, cleaning up the small mess he had made as he baked. He sat doing dishes, the only sound the gentle slosh of water as he scrubbed.

Leaning back on the counter and drying the mixing bowl, Lan Wangji paused for a moment, hearing a quiet sound coming from somewhere nearby. He put the bowl aside, looking around to make sure he didn’t leave the faucet on.

The bread was gone.

The bread was gone. The breeze hadn’t picked up, it wasn’t like it would just blow away. Then that small sound again, and Lan Wangji walked toward the window he had left the bread on where the sound was a little louder. May as well see if it fell over he decided as he stuck his head out the window and looked down.

He wasn’t ready for what he saw. Crouched under the window was a child, he could only guess under ten, not very accustomed to children. But this child was tearing and scarfing the bread down like it was the first thing he had to eat in weeks. And by the state of him, maybe it was. The boy was wearing ripped clothes, clothes far too small for him, they had holes and stains from brown to the more concerning red. His hair was long and wild, matted in places, his feet bare.

Lan Wangji made a small sound of his own, frowning at the state of the boy. This caught the child's attention and wide silver eyes shot up, the boy crouching down and backing away, never looking away from Lan Wangji as he hoarded the bread. He was thin, horribly thin. His arms and legs like little twigs, his cheeks sunken and dark circles pronounced under his eyes.

The boy looked away once, to look down at the bread then back up at Lan Wangji. And he made some sort of decision, moving and trying to shove the rest of the bread in his mouth as fast as possible, like Lan Wangji was going to come and rip it away from him.

“Slow down,” Lan Wangji breaks the silence, it was improper to eat that quickly and the rules long ingrained in him won out over anything else flying through his head at that moment.

The child froze, large eyes staring at Lan Wangji for a long moment in what he was starting to recognise as fear. This boy was afraid. “You’ll make yourself sick like that,” Lan Wangji tried to soften his voice, not making any move to take his head out of the window. He was rather convinced the child would vanish the moment he looked away.

The frozen boy started moving again, slowly this time, cautious as his eyes darted back and forth. He still took far too big and desperate bites of the bread but he was going slow. The child was sitting in a crouch, ready to bolt at any moment.

“I won’t take it away,” Lan Wangji says as he dares to move himself just a little, bringing an arm up to rest his chin on it as he watches the child. He stops as the boy flinches and backs another foot away toward the fence.

“I just moved here,” he tells the boy, because for some reason he felt like he should talk to him even if the child made no effort to acknowledge his attempts. “I don’t know much about the area yet. I’m not really great with people either. But the market seems nice. I was thinking about starting a garden back here,” he watches as the boy’s eyes flicker over to the weeded over plots. “But I haven’t really decided.”

The final bit of bread was gone. Lan Wangji watched as it disappeared, thinking that it was far too much bread for such a small child to be eating at once. Hopefully he won't get sick from all of it. Now that the food was gone the boy was backing away slowly, clearly wanting to escape.

“I think I may bake again tomorrow,” Lan Wangji makes sure to say a little louder as he starts to pull himself back out of the window. He didn’t know if he’d see the boy again, but he wasn’t going to try and frighten him off. Stretching a bit from being leaned over, Lan Wangji turned to look back outside through the window. The child was gone.

---

The rest of the day was spent wondering who that boy was, if he had family nearby. It didn’t look like he did, more likely he was homeless in some capacity. There was no guarantee the child would return, he had looked so frightened. Perhaps Lan Wangji shouldn’t have caught him and just let it go missing.

He starts early the next morning, not bothering to look outside as he blooms the yeast and gets to work on a filling. If the strange child was back he wanted to get something more than bread into him. So he went about making a large batch of steamed buns, unfortunately he had no meat which would be good for the horribly thin boy, but he fortified the filling with vegetables. He also prepped his meals for the week ahead.

Once the sun was high in the sky the first little handful of buns was finished steaming. He hummed softly as he worked, taking them out of the basket and putting them on a plate. The weather had held, it was still clear and warm so he opened the window and put the plate on it. He turned around to turn off the stove. If the child was going to turn up again he didn’t want to stare him down on the approach, the boy would never come forward then.

Lan Wangji listened this time, starting on his large pile of dishes. He’d finish steaming the buns after. And soon he heard it, the soft crunch of grass, the quiet rattle of the plate. Glancing over only two had gone missing, so he waited, drying his hands and watched.

Small bony fingers appeared quickly over the edge of the windowsill and pulled another bun down, quickly followed by another. He wasn’t eating yet, Lan Wangji noted. The plate was soon empty, all six small buns vanished in those small hands. He walked over, making sure to walk heavier than normal to give the jumpy child a warning.

Moving the plate off to the counter he rest his arms on the sill and looked out at the boy, the child who had retreated back from the window but not quite as far as the day before. The child stared at him for a long silent moment before looking down at the small bounty of food held in the ratty shirt he had on.

He was dirtier than yesterday, Lan Wangji noticed, not saying anything yet either. The boy’s lips parted, almost as if speaking, but Lan Wangji heard nothing. The child took one of the buns and glanced nervously at Lan Wangji before shoving it in his small mouth and taking a hungry bite.

Lan Wangji stands up straighter as the boy suddenly starts coughing, dropping the still sealed buns onto the ground as he covers his face before taking a loud breath. A drop of panic started in Lan Wangji, he hadn’t considered if the child was allergic to anything, he kept the seasoning pretty plain but what if it was too much. The thought stopped as he watched the boy.

Two little hand grasping at the bun with a bite out of it, eyes wide as can be as he stares into it. He brings it to his mouth again, slower this time, taking a smaller bite as well. And as he does his silver eyes look back up at Lan Wangji, sparkling like the night sky.

“Is it okay?” Lan Wangji asks, still a little worried. The response he gets is the child giving up his awkward crouch on the ground and plopping down. He holds the partially eaten bun with his mouth, while little hands rescue the others from the dirt, pulling them into his lap where he treats them like sacred things.

“You don’t need to eat those,” he tells the child, seeing the bits of grass stuck to them. “You can,” he hurries to say as he gets a scared look from the boy who started to guard the dirty buns from him. “I won’t take them. Promise,” he tries, and slowly the child seems to allow it, working at the buns slower than yesterday but still with a desperation Lan Wangji never wanted to see.

“You look…dirtier,” he says, not exactly sure how to put it, “Did something happen?” The child pauses on his fourth bun. Was he really going to eat them all? That was too much for him, Lan Wangji would need to start limiting how much he left out. The boy looked at him, then to the garden plot, then back.

Lan Wangji followed and froze himself. He blinked, glancing back at the boy who had just started eating again before looking at the plot. Just yesterday it was full of weeds, thick things with thorns and hard stems. Now it was nearly empty. There were stragglers, parts of thich roots that would need tools to get out.

“Did you,” he started, looking at the child who paused then continued eating. He did, Lan Wangji knew. He looked at the plot, the neat pile of the weeds off to the side. He had mentioned to the boy yesterday how he was thinking about starting to garden. When had he done this? How long did it take with just his little hands? Was he okay?

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji says instead, focusing back on the boy who was nearly finished with his meal. “I have to go to work this week, so for five days I will not be around during this time of day.” Once again there was only a blank stare, he could only hope the child understood.

The boy finished his last bun. “Suppose I should get started on the garden then hm? I think I can get something in before winter hits. I’ll take care of the weeds soon,” he tells the boy as the child stares at him. “Oh. My name is Lan Wangji. Lan Zhan,” he offers a small smile, hoping to make the boy less nervous.

The child’s lips part ever so slightly, his eyes widening again as he watches Lan Wangji. And he is suddenly greeted with the brightest smile he’s ever seen, the child’s eyes crinkling up as he smiles like the sun. Lan Wangji blinks, surprised by the change but relaxing. He looked so much better with a smile.

The timer went off on the next batch of buns and Lan Wangji turned, tending to them before they overcooked. By the time he came back to the window the little boy was gone again. He went about his day, looking outside occasionally. He didn’t see him again.

----

Before going to work the next morning Lan Wangji took two of the steamed buns he made and set them in the open windowsill. He wasn’t sure if the child would come by today, and he never saw him late into the day. But just in case.

Work was tiring, he had a lot to coordinate. Still when he came home he walked to the kitchen, pleased to see the buns had disappeared. He took a glance outside, there was no one. The child must have come earlier then. So he went about his night, shower, dinner, music and reading. He looked into what plants could be good to grow this time of year. Would the boy mind him being out in the garden? He had prepared it for him.

The next few days pass in a similar fashion. Lan Wangji leaving little gifts of food out for the child and going to work, coming home to them gone and no sign of the boy. He should probably ask around, the neighbours, someone. It was clear the child needed help, and to come so many days in a row, he had to be alone. But Lan Wangji didn’t. Maybe it was the look the boy gave him everytime he so much as moved, the fear that was ingrained into the child. But he wanted to help.

It was Thursday, only one day left for the week. He shrugged off his bag and went to start some tea, glancing at the window where the plate from this morning sat. Luckily the weather had been holding, a bit hot but not rainy. He hadn’t considered what he’d do on those days. With the kettle on he walked over, picking up the empty plate and taking his usual glance outside.

There wasn’t a child to catch his eye, but movement from around the garden. He tilted his head, leaning out to try and see better when he noticed a fluffy little thing. Lan Wangji returned inside and took the kettle off the stove, still in his suit he walked out into the backyard. He approached the garden plot slowly, stopping and staring down at what he finds.

Two bunnies. Black and white, both sitting in the pile of weeds that the boy had harvested nibbling on them. They stopped for a moment on Lan Wangji’s approach but promptly went back to eating. His head moved, eyes scanning the fence around his property. It was a sturdy wooden fence that went into the ground. There weren’t holes for these rabbits to get in.

Thinking of that, how exactly was the boy getting in? He looked back at the bunnies, kneeling down beside them as they didn't try and run off. They were used to people. They didn’t just get here on their own. He reached for one, letting the black rabbit smell his hand before it returned to its feast, unperturbed. This close he could see it, the braided vines carelly tied around their necks.

He let himself sit, uncaring of his suit as his fingers slowly moved over the white rabbit, between its ears. He gave it more of the thistle it seemed to be enjoying. Looking up he half expected to see the boy, but the yard was empty as it always was. He looked at the garden itself, the toughest of the weeds were scratched up from attempts to remove them. He could see the shape of hands in the dirt. The boy worked hard for this.

Reaching out, Lan Wangji finds little holes dug. He can see the marks of the boy’s nails scraping in the harder parts of the dirt. It was ready for planting, each little spot dug out with soil set aside to cover. “Did he find you too?” Lan Wangji asks, looking at the bunny trying to crawl over his legs to a still green leaf. “I told him I could take care of the weeds. Suppose he found his own solution, hm?”

The tension of the workday bled away easily as he sat there, enjoying the calm presence of the rabbits and the warmth of the early evening sun. “I’ll look into getting you two some proper food, wouldn’t want my gardeners to get hungry,” he teased them, a small smile on his lips. He hadn’t been this content in a long time, it was hard to remember the last time.

Eventually he got up, dusting off and giving the rabbits a goodnight before going back inside to pick up his nightly routine. The next morning he put out all the buns he had left and a bit of a green pepper for the rabbits, adding a slip of paper that said bunny on it so the child could know.

He went to the store before coming home that evening, stocking up to cook tomorrow, wanting to give the child something new. When he got home the steamed buns were gone but the pepper on top of the paper was still there. It had been moved, like it was picked up and investigated before being returned neatly. Maybe they hadn’t liked it, Lan Wangji decided as he put away his groceries.

Walking out into the back he took the pepper and found the rabbits near the garden again. They had made a dent in the weeds and at his approach came out of a little burrow in the ground. He knelt nearby, not missing the small clawed marks around the burrow. The child must have dug it for them. Lan Wangji broke small pieces off the pepper and after a few sniffs both were happily nibbling at the vegetable.

Strange, he considered as he fed them. Perhaps the boy just wanted to let Lan Wangji do it. He spent half an hour with them, petting after the pepper was gone and he was nudged for more. Then inside where he cleaned up and relaxed for his evening.

---

Waking early was easier than normal that morning, Lan Wangji getting up and starting to set things out for his meals. Bread was good for filling a stomach, so that was in the plans. He didn’t want to keep giving the boy steamed buns, he’d surely grow sick of them. Hand foods seemed like the best idea, the boy would often grab and run. He started a large pot of rice, wanting to make a variety of rice balls he could offer each day then. But for today he thought dumplings could do. Not the best hand food but nutritious and filling.

He set to work, making different fillings for rice balls, folding dumplings, baking a loaf of bread. It was soothing. Lan Wangji had always loved to cook, he used to cook with his mother before she had passed and it still made him feel close to her. He always cooked for himself. But now he was cooking for another, for that strange little boy who was helping him dig a garden and needed the meals. It felt good, sharing his cooking with another.

He opened the window, allowing the different scents to float out of the house. The bread was first done and needed to cool before Lan Wangji was going to slice it. He didn’t want the child eating all of it today, he had more for him. So he took a piece of paper and wrote ‘Please wait’. Placing that down then the bread beside it so it could cool.

Humming to himself while steaming the dumplings, Lan Zhan noticed the first sounds of his little friend. He looked to the window, watching the small hand reach up, grabbing the bread and the note. There is a pause, then the hand comes back, slowly putting the bread down with the note.

Lan WangJi smiled slightly, glad the boy was willing to wait and made his way to the window to greet him. The smile wavered as he saw the boy walking toward the fence, as if leaving. “Hey,” he called, regretting it as the boy visibly jolted, hunching in on himself as he slowly turned to see Lan Wangji, the fear and sadness so clear in that thin face.

“Sorry,” he spoke softer, trying not to further scare him. “You don’t have to go. I was just letting it cool so I could cut it for us,” he picked up the paper, “See, it says wait, not no.” The tension in the child started to relax a little, but he didn’t come any closer. He looked between the note and Lan Wangji, no recognition in his eyes.

The thought strikes him like a train, the boy can’t read. He didn’t take the pepper for the rabbits because he didn’t know what it was for. He put the bread back not because he was waiting but because he thought Lan Wangji didn’t want to share with him anymore. “It’s almost ready, okay?” He looks at the scared child, still in his same ragged clothes. “I have more too, I thought we could eat at the same time today. Is that okay?”

Silence, because he’s never heard a word from the child. There is a long look between them, the child considering the offer before slowly stepping forward, toward the window they communicated with. Lan Wangji would take that as a yes. He gave the child a small smile before ducking back inside to rescue his dumplings from becoming mush.

He started to make plates up, giving a dipping sauce to the side as well. Walking over to the window to take the bread he glanced out, the boy was closer now, sitting and looking around slowly. He was still out of reach, that was okay. Lan Zhan sliced the break into chunks, saving some for tomorrow and adding some jam to the ones they were going to eat.

Taking a cue from the boy he puts the finished plate on the window, walking away from it and waiting until little hands take it oh so carefully and disappear. He gives it another moment before walking to the window with his own, looking at the boy who has taken a seat a distance away and put the plate on the ground, staring at it with big eyes.

“Would you mind if I eat outside?” Lan Wangji asks, making the child look up at him again. The boy glanced between Lan Wangji and the sliding glass door used to go outside. “I don’t have to,” he tells him, not wanting to push. The boy’s hands squeeze a few times, nervous, thinking. But there is a sharp nod. It makes Lan Wangji stare a moment himself, it was the first time the child actually gave him an answer.

“Thank you,” he tells him, noticing how the boy was still waiting to eat. He picks up his plate again and walks to the door, sliding it open and leaving it open. He sits on the step, not moving any closer than that, keenly aware of the eyes glued to him. He keeps his plate in his lap.

“The dumplings are chicken and vegetable. Only a little chicken, I wasn’t sure how much meat you are used to. I don’t eat very much myself,” he explains, watching the boy slowly relax to his normal state as it is clear Lan Wangji is not coming any closer to him. This was already closer than they had been before. “Where I grew up it was a rule not to talk during our meals,” he explains, picking up a dumpling with his fingers. He wouldn’t normally eat like this, chopsticks preferred, but he didn’t want to make the child ashamed.

“I haven’t really decided if I like that rule or not,” he goes on, taking a bite. “I may change it,” he explains, looking at the boy who was holding a warm dumpling in his hand. Lan Wangji had eaten, that meant he could too, so he did, the dumpling disappearing into his mouth. Cheeks puffing out at the large mouthful as the boy’s eyes sparkled, looking at Lan Wangji.

“Do you like them?” He asks, earling an eager nod. It made Lan Wangji smile a little, the child was communicating, it was good. He dipped the dumpling into the sauce and continued to eat. He watched the boy, who was now looking at the sauce and the new dumpling in his hand.

The boy dips the dumpling and brings it to his lips before pausing, his lips part, and Lan Wangji is close enough to hear it, “Slow,” the child whispers, just barely audible, taking a bite this time instead of the whole thing. Lan Wangji stared, the child’s voice was soft, sweet. The boy’s face breaks into a small smile as he tastes the difference, dunking the remaining part of the dumplings and eating away at it.

Anything Lan Wangji had planned to say was gone, so lunch ended up being quiet, both of them eating calmly. There was a small gasp that caught his attention as the boy took his first bite of the bread with the sweet jam. He looked at Lan Wangji with such a warm smile, eating his piece of bread eagerly. He watched with his own small smile, finishing his own plate.

They both sat quietly after that, looking at one another. “You brought bunnies,” Lan Wangji pointed out, watching the child look over toward the garden then nod once. This was good, they could talk a little bit better now. “Thank you. They have been taking care of the weeds and are very cute.”

The child grins at that, little hands resting in his lap. “The pepper I left out yesterday was for you to give them as a treat. I didn’t realise that you may not be able to read. How about next time I draw a little bunny face?” The child leans forward, listening attentively before nodding.

“Do you know if there are any foods you are allergic to?” He asks, wanting to make sure if he keeps feeding the boy he isn’t hurting him. But he is only getting a blank stare in response. Ah, allergic could be a pretty big word, he still didn’t know how old the boy was. “Are there some foods that make you feel bad? Sick?”

That gets an answer as the boy’s eyes widen and he nods his head quickly. Lan Wangji pressed his lips together, concerned. He wasn’t sure how to go about asking about what foods make the child sick, the boy didn’t talk. “Has anything I’ve made you made you feel bad?” He asks to start.

There is a quick response, shaking of the head. Lan Wangji nods, understanding everything so far has been okay. That meant most vegetables were safe. He’d stay away from common allergens from now on to be safe. “Will you let me know if something makes you sick? I don’t want you to feel bad. Maybe…” Lan Wangji paused, trying to think about how he may know. “Move the plate? If the plate is upside down I will know not to make that again.”

This is considered longer before the boy slowly nods his head. He watches as the child practices, taking the plate he had cleaned and turning it over in the grass before turning it back, giving himself a small nod this time. Good, this was good.

“I have rice balls for this week. I don’t know what I’m making for tomorrow yet. Later today I was going to plant some seeds in the garden,” he shares, both of them looking over toward the dirt. Lan Wanji watches the boy a little more.

“Are you alone?” he asks, voice softer. It has an almost instant reaction, the child tensing up, glancing at the fence like he was thinking about running. “Sorry,” Lan Wangji says quickly, looking with worry at the boy. “It’s okay. I don’t have to ask anything else.” The child looks back at him, unsure but slowly settling again.

“I have carrots, cabbage, garlic, and some turnips. I think they’ll make it before the first freeze,” he talks instead, looking toward the garden to give the boy some space to feel safe. It helps.

Eventually Lan Wangji has to go back inside, and as he washes his hand the plate from the boy appears on the windowsill. By the time he goes to pick it up the child is once again gone. Lan Wangji finishes up in the kitchen, packing away the meals and gathering his things to garden as well as a treat for the rabbits.

With the garden already prepared for him it is easy. He adds a little fertiliser and the seeds, covering them and marking the areas. He then waters over them lightly and calls it a night. Settling in with a warm cup of tea and his book.

The sun set when he heard it, the first rumble of thunder rolling over the sky above. It felt louder than normal, never ending as Lan Wangji turned his head to the eternally propped window. The boy. Did he have somewhere safe? Could he stay warm and dry? It was hard to fall asleep that night, listening to the normally soothing sound of rain hit the windows. He had left the window open, laid out a few towels in case, but he couldn’t bring himself to close it.

---

He wakes a bit later than normal, feeling tired. He slept terribly. Walking to the kitchen he starts coffee, something he rarely indulges in but needed. He picked up the damp towels off the floor. The rain had stopped sometime in the early morning, but the ground outside was still wet and muddy. Would he see the boy today?

Watching outside as Lan Wangji sipped his coffee he worried. He should have checked the weather. He should have invited the boy inside. Who was he kidding, the boy wouldn’t sit in the grass with him, there was no way he was getting him inside. Still, he should have done something.

The buzz of the coffee shook him from the thoughts, focusing instead on cooking. He wanted something warm. Soup. Soup was warm. So he took out the large pout and began, soup took time to be good. He sliced the chicken thin, adding the meat to the broth, plenty of vegetables, and potatoes to help fill his stomach. He prepares the bread as well, toasting it to go well with the soup. Then to the side, he stares in the fridge for a moment before deciding on melon, taking it out and carving it open, cutting little cubes to eat with their fingers.

It took longer than usual, but he filled a bowl and made plates, putting a spoon in the bowl before moving to the window and setting each down. “The soup is full, be careful,” he spoke into the empty yard, just in case. He’d hate to cause the boy to spill hot soup all over himself. He moved back inside and made his own plate up, waiting as he watched the window.

Hearing the boy approach was easier in the soaked grass. He didn’t come as fast as the day before, Lan Wangji noted. Small hands took the bowl first, holding it delicately. He can hear the little gasp of surprise as the boy holds it. It is a little longer before the hands come back for the plate, he must have gone and set the bowl down somewhere.

Giving the boy another small break he moved to the window with his own things. Lan Wangji was powerless to stop the frown as he looked at the boy sitting in the mud, hugging the soup bowl. His long hair was wet at the ends, dry just on top where it had dried. His clothes looked like they were still wet and possibly had even more holes. The boy wasn’t even looking at him, staring blankly into the soup. He was paler than usual. The night had been hard.

“Can I come outside again?” Lan Wangji asked, finally getting those silver eyes on him and they looked so hopelessly tired. There is a small nod as he looks away again.

Lan Wangji doesn’t hesitate this time, leaving the door open and sitting on the step, not going to push anymore than he already has with the child in this state. “I thought something warm would be nice,” he speaks softly, watching how the boy just stares into the bowl. He hears the small sniffle.

“Lan Zhan,” the boy says, it is so quiet it could be missed if Lan Wangji wasn’t straining to notice everything about the child. His name. The child said his name, he sat up a little straighter, careful not to spill his meal.

“Yes?” He asked, trying not to sound too eager. He couldn’t scare him away now, not after everything.

The child frowns, looking into the soup with confusion. And silver eyes look at him, upset, lost, “Why.” It was stated not quite asked, a bit stronger than the name from before. And what was he supposed to think, why what?

“Why soup?” He asks, earning a deeper frown so he watches the boy a moment more, understanding slowly. “Why do I keep leaving you food?” The child doesn't have to answer, he knows it is what the boy is asking.

“Honestly. I don’t know. I’m not wanting for money. I’ve always enjoyed cooking and baking, it’s been nice to share that with someone. But I guess…I saw you with the bread and I’m really not great with people, but I knew I could help at least a little bit. And I’ve liked the work you did, it feels fair.”

The child listens, looking down at the bowl he was still clutching to again. He was trusting enough to look away. “Alone,” the boy finally says, answering the question from yesterday, the one that made Lan Wangji try to backtrack. “Cold. Hungry. So hungry,” his words are forced, like it strained him to just talk. His hands held the bowl in a death grip.

“Do you want more food?” Lan Wangji asked, he could start leaving more, maybe multiple times a day if the boy would come back more often from wherever he ran off to. But his question causes the boy to look back at him and now there is fear mixed in, a quick shake of no.

“Okay,” he said softly, trying not to push. If the boy didn’t want food that was okay. Lan Wangji held the silence and took a spoonful of his soup. It took the child longer today to follow him. He watched how his little hand fumbled with the spoon and balancing the soup. But the boy ate.

There were no sparkling eyes or smiles today, instead the child’s eyes closed after a few mouthfuls of warmth broth. His shivering stopped. Had he been shivering this whole time? There was another quiet sniffle, his eyes opening and he focused on eating. Lan Wangji ate slower, unable to look away. The boy appeared to be on the verge of tears and fighting them off desperately.

The soup was finished, the bowl set in the grass as the boy picked up the bread, holding it in both hands as he crunched at it. Ah, Lan Wangji should have explained it went with the soup. But it was hard to find words today for some reason. After the boy looked at the melon for a long time. Lan Wangji watched as he picked up a small cube and put it in his mouth, how his face grit and he swallowed harshly, and how he gagged after.

“You don’t have to eat it,” he spoke quickly, seeing the little hand go back for more. “Remember what we talked about?” He softened the tone as the boy’s hand hovered, body tight. “If you turn the plate over I know no more of that.” The boy doesn’t look at him but his hand falls into his lap. Lan Wangji relaxed just slightly, it wasn’t an allergic reaction but it was painfully clear how hard it was for the child to force it down.

The boy started to move and it was Lan Wangji’s turn to tense, trying not to move himself so he didn’t scare the boy off. He never did this. And Lan Wangji watched as the boy got up, picking up the plate with its little pile of melon and going to the garden. Some tension leaves Lan Wangji as he can see the boy coaxing out their little friends, feeding them the melon that he could not eat. He finished his own meal before the child came back and sat down again.

“I have to work again this week,” he says quietly, being looked at again. “You keep an eye on our garden, okay?” Finally, he gets a small nod, a bit of tension leaving the child. Lan Wangji looks at the boy, the rain having drenched him and cleaned off some of the dirt. His skin was thin over his fragile frame, he had bruises along many parts of his body that peeked through the small clothes.

He stands to go inside, putting his plates down and moving to get his phone, needing to know the weather, unable to think of the boy staying out in the rain like the night before. His head turned at the clink of plates on the window. He walked over but the child was gone again and this time a small sigh left Lan Wangji. He spoke today…that was progress, right?

The day passed quietly, there was no rain for a few days so it settled some of his worries. But as Lan Wangji tried to go about his day he couldn’t help but think about the child, if he could maybe get him some new clothing? Do anything more for him? The boy was afraid just from the idea of being given more food, how was he supposed to get him to take anything else?

Chapter Text

The next morning he put out a few rice balls and spent a moment just looking into the yard. Hopefully he’d make it to the weekend okay. With that he went to work. Things had settled, he was left alone in his office most of the day other than his occasional meetings. And it was better, there was less fatigue when he returned home.

But that didn’t stop the routine, cleaning up the plate, feeding the rabbits, spending time with them and making himself dinner. Spending the evening alone. It didn’t feel as right as it used to, his attention drawn toward the backyard more often now, to the window he always had open.

They make it to Friday before the rain starts, midday downpour with rolling thunder. It is a long one according to the office chatter. Lan Wangji still goes to the market after work, but is walking faster than normal. He knows, knows, the child isn’t going to be there when he gets home, that he is never there. But he can only stare at the rain pelts down and worry.

Walking inside he shakes out his umbrella and hangs it, setting his work bag on a chair and carrying the groceries into the kitchen. He moves, picking up the empty plate and tossing the water filling it outside. He leaves the groceries on the floor for now, getting towels to clean up the water on the floor. He should really close the window…really. Lan Wangji doesn’t. He keeps towels out and puts away the refrigerated goods, eyes closing for a moment as a loud rumble of thunder passes over them.

He had never feared thunder in his life, he usually was soothed by the sounds of rain like this. But right now? It made the hair on his neck stand on end, his chest tighten, that frail little boy was out there in this and he was here, inside and warm. As the groceries were put away he stood at the window, leaning out on it.

The boy was coming by each day, he’d seen the garden, how the child was carefully weeding it and using the water pail he left out to care for the plants. Lan Wangji closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool air. There was coverage from the roof, so it was only when the wind really picked up that the water was coming inside.

Looking at the yard it was dark, the clouds suffocating the sunlight as fat drops of rain fell into puddles with wet slaps. “Please be okay,” he said quietly, getting hit by a wave of rain himself as the wind picked up again. It was so cold. The poor child had no meat on his bones, no fat to keep himself warm.

Turning away from the window the sound was faint, but it stopped Lan Wangji. A cough, wet, harsh, and high enough to be a child. He should stop and think, he should do a lot of things, but he doesn’t. He moves instead, opening the back door and stepping out into the rain, his suit be damned. He couldn’t see him, but he walked toward the garden regardless.

Lan Wangji’s steps stopped as he rounded the corner. The boy was huddled into a tight ball against the side of his home, the overhang of the roof doing almost nothing as the boy was soaked to the bone. He was shaking, another cough leaving him. It was the closest Lan wangji had ever gotten to the child, the rain pelting down on him forgotten entirely at the sight.

He knelt, then sat, making enough of a splash that the boy’s squeezed eyes shot open and looked at him. So much fear, panic, pain, the child scrambling away a few feet more from the shock, he was shaking so badly.

“Come inside,” Lan Wangji begged, looking at the child, “Please.”

There was a rapid shake of his head, another few inches of space gained as the boy now sat pinched between the fence and side of the house. His long hair was obscuring his face, but those silver eyes still gleamed and they were watching Lan Wangji with so much fear.

“It’s warm. I won’t make you stay, I promise. It is against the rules to lie,” he tries, not getting any closer. His own hair was flattened to his head, longer than he usually let it get as he reached up to clear it from his eyes. “Just until the rain stops. Please. It’s so cold out here.”

The boy’s mouth opens like he wants to say something, but no words come out even as it opens and closes again. There is another harsh cough that shakes his body, arms tightening around himself. When those silver eyes meet his own again it is hard to tell if it is rain or tears in his eyes.

“Please,” he begs, hands clenching in his soaked trousers. “Just inside the door even, I’ll leave you alone. Just let me help…please,” his own voice breaks a little. He needed to help this boy, he needed to find that smile again. He couldn’t explain why, why he had to do this, why he hadn’t asked anyone else about the child, why he hadn’t called the police, why it had to be him.

The boy stopped shaking, staring at Lan Wangji for a long moment before slowly, very slowly, crawling forward through the mud and puddles. He still stopped out of reach, he still was in a position to bolt at any movement, but he was so close. “Lan Zhan,” his little voice was weak, shaky, “No cry,” he whispered, almost drowned out by the sound of rain around them. “No cry,” the boy said again, his own eyes brimming with tears as he begs.

“I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji whispered back, using his soaked sleeve to try and wipe at his own face, resulting in a defeated huff. “I’m not trying to force you. I’m sorry.”

The child looks uncomfortable, sitting back a little and trying to wipe at his own face, both of them too wet to make any difference. The shivering was back, only the shock of Lan Wangji crying had stopped it for a moment. The rain was soaked through his suit, he felt the chill, shivering once himself. How was this child okay? He wasn’t. That was the answer.

“I,” the boy tries, once again struggling to get words out, little hands clenching into the ripped remains of his pants, “I come,” he looks at Lan Wangji, the fear from before dimmed but ever present, now mixed with a determination he hadn’t seen before.

“Are you sure?” He asks, he couldn’t trap the boy, he never would think of it. But he desperately wanted to help him, to get him out of this as the child coughed again. Lan Wangji is given a small nod, clearly not as certain as some of the others he had gotten but he will take it. “Thank you,” he tells him, meaning it with every fibre of his being.

Lan Wangji moves first, well aware of the child distancing himself and scrambling up as if ready to run. He is also aware of the eyes trained on him, the hesitance. He’d not considered it before, but it was strange for a child to be so afraid of others. Lan Wangji shook his head lightly, unable to think on that now as he walked slowly, listening for the wet footsteps of the barefoot boy behind him. He walked into his home, leaving the door wide open behind him and stepping over the little mat to the outside.

He walked to the other end of the kitchen, giving even more space than they had outside, before turning to see if the child was truly coming. And there he was, arms wrapped tightly around himself, standing just outside the door and looking in, eyes jumping from one thing to the next. Lan Wangji didn’t dare say anything, not wanting to cause the boy to run on him.

The first step in it felt like the outside world had drifted away, the boy’s heavy breathing the only thing Lan Wangji could hear. And then he was there, two feet firmly planted on the welcome mat, dripping head to toe, shaking, but inside. Those silver eyes darting around, panic frighteningly clear. So Lan Wangji took a seat, soaking wet still, on a kitchen mat.

The movement brought those eyes to him, causing a movement backwards by an inch, back toward the open door he was only just inside of. There his eyes stayed, his breathing still far too quick. But slowly, the child copied him, taking a seat on the welcome mat under his feet even with the door wide open behind him, rain still buffeting his back with the wind.

“If you close the-”

“No!” It was loud, terrified. And it was the first verbal no he had gotten from the boy so he closed his mouth and raised his hands to show he was of no threat. The child stared at him with wide eyes, breathing heavy and fast as he hugged himself so tightly. They would not be closing the door then, that was okay.

The child needed to know he had a way out, Lan Wangji was coming to learn. He was scared of being trapped here. “Hey,” he speaks softly, “Can you breathe with me? In and out, like this,” he demonstrates, slow inhales and long exhales. It is a few before the boy’s brows start to pinch and he tries to follow, struggling a little at first but slowly able to fall into the rhythm. His erratic breathing finally starts to calm and with it his tension starts to seep away. Unfortunately, this only makes the shivering worse, his entire body almost vibrating from the force of the cold.

“I’m going to talk a little, okay? Whatever I say, you don’t have to do any of it. If you feel unsafe you can leave right away, is that okay?” Lan Wangji asks, hands settled back in his lap as he fights off a shiver of his own. He wanted a hot shower and change of clothes, but he would do neither until the child was settled.

The boy focuses on breathing for a little longer, his teeth having started to chatter together as he loses the battle to keep still. There is a small nod, but no words. That was okay, he didn’t need words.

“We could close the door just a little bit,” he explains, keeping his voice calm and gentle, “Enough where you can still get outside but it will keep the rain and cold wind off of you.” He watches as the child glances behind himself, looking perhaps a little confused at the door and then back to Lan Wangji. “It slides,” he explains, making a motion with his hands, “You pull a little and it moves, you can put it wherever makes you comfortable.”

Lan Wangji lets out a small breath of relief as the small hands move toward the door frame. They tug and the boy jolts as the door moves, his breathing picking up as he glances at Lan Wangji again, the fear refreshed. “It’s okay,” Lan Wangji soothes, “Go slow.”

“Slow,” the boy repeats quietly to himself, still shaking horribly as he grabs the edge of the door again and pulls at it. It moves slowly, and the child stops sometimes, sticking an arm outside as if testing if this is going to somehow seal him in. He closes it half way and huddles against it. Wind and rain still came in the open half, but the child was no longer taking the brunt of it, shaking now against the glass.

“Is that better?” Lan Wangji asks, suppressing his own shiver and moving dripping bangs from his face. There is a small nod in response, the boy hugging around his knees tightly to try and stop his shaking.

“I like warm food on cold days,” he continued, knowing the boy preferred listening to him speak. “I was going to make some rice and soup, would you like warm food?” The boy stares for a long moment, before his eyes flicker up toward the window. A look of guilt washed over him before he shook his head no. And oh, oh, of course he wanted warm food, of course he wanted more food, he was starving, cold, but he was afraid to say yes, afraid to take it.

“Okay,” he says softly, “Will it be okay if I cook? I’ll have to move around the kitchen a little, but I promise I won’t come any closer than there,” he points to the refrigerator which was still a good six feet from the boy. The child looks, then takes his time judging the distance, a few glances back toward the outside as well. Was he trying to think about how hard it would be to escape? But his eyes returned to Lan Wangji and he gave a single nod.

“Thank you,” he said with a small smile, the boy staring at him for a while at that. He started to get up, pouring two servings of rice into the rice cooker after washing it. He is keenly aware of the eyes on him, watching every little move he makes. He is also horribly aware of each little flinch as the rice cooker beeps, the sound evidently surprising the child.

Looking at the still shaking boy he kneels a little, getting the feeling that being so high above him didn’t help his fear, “My clothes are all wet. I don’t like that. I’m going to go to my bedroom and change. Is that okay?”

The boy’s eyes drag across him before he nods a little bit. Lan Wangji gives a soft smile, watching the boy visibly relax as he stands and moves to his room, away from the child. He’d put off the shower. As he peeled the wet clothes off himself he tried to think of what he could do to get the boy out of his own soaked clothing. The child wouldn’t even take another meal from him, how was he supposed to make him take clothes? And he had nothing the size the boy needed.

A sigh left him, sitting in now dry pants on the edge of his bed. He had the boy out of the rain, that was already good. He stood again, looking through his clothes, there had to be something. He paused on a shirt, it was old, too small for himself these days but still far too large for the boy. But maybe…

Lan Wangji walked into the kitchen, stopping still quite far from the boy, he let out an exaggerated sound of frustration. “Well this is a shame,” he muttered to himself, trying to fight down the brush creeping to his ears at his own horrible acting. “What do you think? Doesn’t seem to fit anymore,” he addressed the child from where he stood, one arm and neck through the small shirt, chest exposed as it was painfully clear his other arm stood no chance of fitting through.

The boy was still shaking, but lifted his head at the address and blinked. Then the smallest of smiles appeared and whatever embarrassment running through Lan Wangji at his exploits was lost because he made the boy smile. The struggle to get out of the shirt was not acting, he grunted softly as it finally popped off his head, taking a deep breath. There was a quiet sound, he could have sworn it was a snicker but the boy’s head ducked away so he couldn’t verify.

“Hey,” he started and paused for a moment, doing his own slow blink. He didn’t know the boy’s name. He hadn’t thought that far, how had he gone on for so long without actually addressing him? The child looked up, waiting as Lan Wangji stood like a fish with his mouth open. “I don’t know your name,” is what came out, and the boy’s head tilted just a little, but he said nothing. He had only gotten a few words from the child in weeks, he couldn’t really expect more.

“Mind if I name you then?” He asks, still standing there holding the too small shirt. The boy starts to frown a little, “Just a nickname, something I can call you by so you know I’m talking to you. You can keep whatever name you have of course,” he explains. The boy tightens around himself as another shiver shakes him, but his head nods a little bit.

Lan Wangji thinks, looking at the child, glancing at the open window. “Okay. Xiao Mianbao,” there is a pause then another concealed little giggle from the boy. Even though it is muffled it is a bright sound, one Lan Wangji wants to ensure he can hear freely one day. “I liked this shirt, but as you can see, I can’t wear it anymore,” the boy’s head picks up, that same little smile hiding on those lips. “And I really don’t want to have to throw it away,” there is a small nod, Xiao Mianbao was following, “So can I give it to you? That way I don’t have to throw it away and someone I like can still have it.”

The eyes watching him widen, flickering between the shirt and Lan Wangji with disbelief. His little mouth parts, looking for words before just closing. He looks down at himself then, at the tattered clothes sticking to his body. When he looks up those eyes are sad, “Dirty,” he whispers.

Ah, Lan Wangji takes a seat on the floor where he is at, so they can keep talking even if it is mostly himself. “I wouldn’t say that. The rain made you squeaky clean,” he tries, but the child only looks down, not finding any humour in it. “Xiao Mianbao,” he says, the boy’s eyes coming back up at the little name, even now a weak smile playing at his lips. “I think I’d like it if it got dirty,” he tells him, earning a look of confusion as he continues, “Because if it gets dirty, that means it is being used and loved by someone. And that’s better than sitting in a dark drawer, right?”

There is a long consideration, and he watches as the boy tugs at his own sticking clothing, his fingers wiggling through the many holes. “Those would be okay too,” he tells him, “It means it is helping protect you then, that it was brave with you.”

The room is quiet other than the occasional gust of wind and splatter of rain with it. The floor was damp. That was fine. Xiao Mianbao was uncertain, that much was clear, but he looked at the light blue cloth in Lan Wangji’s hands then up to his golden eyes and gave a slow nod.

He gave the boy a smile, “Thank you. Now I don’t need to worry about it,” he explains, “Do you want me to throw it? Or set it down? I have to go find something that fits me,” he explains, letting him know he would have time to change without Lan Wangji standing there. The child points toward the fridge, the point Lan Wangji said would be the closest he would go. So he nodded, standing and setting the shirt on the floor in a dry spot before leaving the room again.

He pulled on a sweater for himself and waited on his bed for a bit. Checking the rain it could go through the night, hopefully the boy would stay the whole time. He was taking the shirt, it was too big, but hopefully it would work enough. Once ten minutes passed he walked back toward the kitchen, a bit louder so Xiao Mianbao would be able to hear him.

The boy was back against the door, beside him was his own torn shirt, it was red, or at least used to be, and just slumped in a wet pile. He had put the shirt on, and Lan Wangji could tell from here it was backwards, but he was not going to say anything. It swamped the boy, the neck, even backwards, showed some of his pale chest. If he stood it would probably nearly reach his knees. But Xiao Mianbao didn’t appear to mind, his fingers were playing with the fabric, the short sleeves almost full length on him.

“Is it okay?” He asked, the boy’s eyes coming to meet him and there was a gleam to them. He liked it, his rapid nod only proved it. Little arms hugged himself and settled in again. Lan Wangji would like to get him out of all the wet clothes, but this was better than nothing. He returned his attention to cooking. He took out a few things, doing the prep work on the far counter to give the boy more space. Simple soup, premade broth and nothing too heavy going into it. The rice would make up for that.

Lan Wangji began to hum softly as he worked, moving easily in his kitchen. The rice cooker finishing caused Xiao Mianbao to flinch, but the boy settled quite easily after that. And soon enough dinner was put together. Lan Wangji took a deep breath, it was time for some more terrible acting on his part. He first made his own meal, a bowl of soup and another bowl of steaming rice. He then set them down and let out an exaggerated sigh, earning even more attention than he already had from the child.

“I did it again,” he lamented. He turned to look at the boy, “Can you believe me, Xiao Mianbao?” The name earned that small smile again, the shivering of the boy was getting better now that he wasn’t covered completely in soaked clothing. The head tilted, the child listening. “I made way too much,” he groaned, his ears turning a little red with how poor of performance he was putting on, “I’m never going to be able to eat all of this myself. I know I’ve already asked a lot of you but…would you mind eating a little bit? I can’t really save the soup and rice is always better fresh.”

The child stared at him again, eyes flickering between the bowls he made and the still steaming pot of soup. Lan Wangji could see the hunger in his eyes. “Will you help me?” he asks, prompting the child gently. And the boy bites at his lip, looking down for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji says, truly relieved. To get the boy into dry clothes and get warm food in him he was already feeling very accomplished. He got out two more bowls, ladling up the soup and a bowl of rice. He adds a spoon and turns, bringing both bowls to the space in front of the refrigerator before stepping back and picking his own up, moving to the kitchen mat he started on before.

It was only after he sat that Xiao Mianbao moved, the child using the door to help himself stand, and the shirt was oh so close to reaching his knees. He watches as he carefully walks around the little puddle on the ground from the rain, picking up the soup with both hands carefully and walking back, setting it down gently. The boy then returned and took the rice too, staring down at the full bowl for a moment before taking to the door and sitting with them.

Lan Wangji didn’t say anything more, taking a bite of his own meal. The warmth of it was needed after sitting out in the rain, he couldn’t imagine how the boy felt, how long he had been out there. Glancing up he watched as Xiao Mianbao ate, slow bites, but steady. He focused on the soup, at one point drinking the broth from the bowl itself and leaning back against the glass door with more weight than before.

Hopefully this would help warm him, Lan Wangji thought as he worked on his own meal, alternating between rice and soup. After the child finished the soup he went to the rice. His first instinct was sticking his hand in the rice, bringing a handful to his mouth where he ate it, a few grains dropping from his hand. Lan Wangi was using chopsticks himself. He didn’t really know how to go about helping the child. But evidently the boy was somewhat clever, not that he hadn’t noticed it already. Xiao Mianbao paused and looked between the bowls, picking up the spoon he had for the soup and scooping up a large pile of rice. His eyes widened and he shoved it into his mouth.

There was a small little sound, Xiao Mianbao’s eyes closing as a quiet little hum came from him before he started on the next scoop. Lan Wangji could only smile to himself, finding it easier to relax and eat.

When the boy finished he stood, stacking the bowls together and carrying them back to where Lan Wangji had put them before taking his position again. His arms wrapped around his knees, head resting on them as well. The shivering was stopped, he still coughed a little but it wasn’t as bad as outside.

Lan Wangji stood after he finished, picking up the bowls and washing them, clearing up from dinner. It didn’t take him long. He glanced back at the boy, he wasn’t used to seeing him for this long. He should give him space. Stepping out of the kitchen he walks back in a few minutes later, arms filled with far far too many towels. The child looks up at him, confused at the sight. He sets them down by the fridge and steps away.

“Would Xiao Mianbao help with one more thing? I don’t mind the open door, but it would be sad if the whole kitchen gets wet. Could you put a few towels down to help keep it dry? I’m going over that way,” he points to the room past the other side of the kitchen. From here one could see a few chairs and a bookshelf. “I like to read, I was going to do that and maybe play some music before getting ready for bed. You can do whatever you like, I promise I won’t be upset no matter what.”

The child looks between him and the towels with a glance at the slow growing puddle. Then toward the living area before looking outside again. He gives a nod, not moving yet. “Thank you,” Lan Wangji shared a small smile before leaving as he said he would, taking a seat so part of him would be in view of the child so he wouldn’t have to worry.

Lan Wangji resists the urge to lean over and look as he hears movement after he settled in with his book. He could hear the wet slap of a towel on the ground, he had put many there so the boy could take anything he wanted. Eventually the noise stopped and the boy must have settled down again. So Lan Wangji let himself relax and enjoyed his book.

After a few chapters and the dim light outside falling into darkness he stands, putting the book on the coffee table and taking out his qin, settling down on the floor to play. He doesn’t have anything in mind as he plays today, often playing was just a meditative thing, allowing him to express himself in a way words would not. The soft music carried through the home until Lan Wangji finished, stretching himself out as he stood and put things away.

He turns off the living room light and walks toward the kitchen to the hall down to his bedroom, pausing as he looks toward the door. Xiao Mianbao had laid out a lot of the towels, so there was little worry about the rain now. But the child had slumped over to his side on the hardwood floor, one of the many towels tugged over himself. He was asleep. Lan Wangji couldn’t help the small smile, glad the boy was getting a chance to rest.

His hand hovers over the light switch, hesitating before moving away. He didn’t want to wake the boy by turning off the light. And if he woke in the night he didn’t need to be scared in the dark. One night was fine. With that Lan Wangji moved quietly to his own room, taking a warm shower and changing for bed, falling asleep with more ease than he had in a while

Chapter Text

When Lan Wangji woke in the morning the rain had stopped. He got up, getting dressed before going to the kitchen, stopping in the door just in case. But he expected it, the boy was gone. The door is not quite closed but more than the night before. He turned off the lights, walking over and picking up the pile of wet towels to take them to the dryer. As he stood he noticed it, the shirt he had given Xiao Mianbao resting carefully over an arm of a chair at the dining table.

With a small sigh he picks it up as well, carrying everything to the washroom. He sorted out the towels, putting them in before looking at the shirt. A slight frown appears as he notices little orange stains. They were on the back of the shirt, along with the sides. His finger rubs over one slowly. It was a liquid that soaked into the fabric and thinned due to being wet. Hesitant, he lifted it to his nose, one of the larger spots was a bit more brown in colour, and there was a hint of iron to it.

Lan Wangji stares down at the garment in his hands as they tighten around it. The child was bleeding. Under all of that, he was injured. His body went about treating the stain appropriately and starting the machine, moving to the kitchen where he began to put together a meal for today. His mind felt a bit like static, he felt out of his depth. What could he do? He barely got the child to agree to sit inside in a horrible storm, there was no way the boy would let him touch him. Why had he left the shirt, why was he always running away?

Who hurt him? The thought brought his hands to a stop. Because he knew. He had known for a long time and had just been ignoring it. Because no child would act the way that boy did if no one had hurt them. It was why he didn’t ask around, it was why he never pressed for the boy to speak or even eat. Because he was afraid someone would come and put that child back in the place that had hurt him and he wouldn’t be able to save him. Because if the boy grew too afraid of him what if he ran away and withered in some dark alley forgotten and alone?

Lan Wangji leaned down, resting his head on the cool countertop. “Fuck,” he whispered, almost flinching at his own language. He never cursed, but what else was he supposed to do? Three weeks. Nearly three weeks spent with this child and he couldn’t even get his name from him. He barely knew anything.

The boy was woefully under-educated. If he had to put an age on him from his body size and the research he totally was not doing in the dead of the night when he could not sleep, he looked to be maybe seven. But he was malnourished, horribly so, so that age could range by years in a child. Children learn the basics of reading starting around age five, so he should be able to understand simple characters. Could he count? He didn’t even know.

Sinking to the floor of his kitchen Lan Wangji let his head lean back on a drawer. He needed help. But he couldn’t bring anyone else, the boy was barely starting to relax around him, he needed to keep him calm. Before thinking much of it he was on the phone, two rings in, to his brother.

He was silent as his brother answered, head falling forward against his knees. What did he even say? So there is this child that sometimes shows up in my yard and takes food off my windowsill and has been gardening for me oh and I think he is homeless and he seems to be alone and he doesn’t even have clothes that fit him and he’s hurt and bleeding and-

“Didi,” the voice of his brother rang through his ear, the concern laced in it saying this wasn’t the first time Lan Xichen had tried to get his attention.

“Ge,” he answered, voice strained. His breathing was heavier, the world felt like it was pressing down on him.

“Breath for me didi,” Lan Xichen tells him, and tears start to prick at the corners of Lan Wangji’s eyes as he takes a stuttering breath.

“I don’t know what to do,” Lan Wangji tells his brother, voice thick as he sniffles but keeps working on the slow breathing.

“Did something happen at work?” Lan Xichen asked. Because of course that is what would make sense. Lan Wangji never had much of a personal life, and the new position as head of the company was stressful to get used to and his brother knew people were not his specialty.

Lan Wangji took another slow breath, “Remember when I wouldn’t talk to anyone but you?” he asked his brother, voice softer as his eyes closed. He missed his brother. He was always the one who knew what to do, who helped him when no one understood him.

There is a slight pause on the other end, it was rare for Lan Wangji to ignore a direct question, even rarer for him to sound so distraught. “I do,” Lan Xichen answers, softening his own voice. “You wouldn’t even talk to Shufu for a while. He had to guess at your little faces. But it was okay didi, you weren’t ready to talk to everyone.”

“What did you do?” He asks, with some desperation in his voice, “What if I wouldn’t even talk to you? What if I was hurt but so scared to talk that I told no one?”

Lan Xichen is quiet again, starting to realise he is missing a lot of pieces. “I was patient with you,” he explains, wishing he could be there right now and not hours away. His poor didi was not okay. “It would have been frightening if you would not have talked with me, if I knew you needed help but couldn’t ask. But I would have been patient, because sometimes things have to be slow even if we wish they weren’t.”

Lan Wangji takes a shaking breath again. It was frightening. He was frightened. Those nights spent awake were in fear, his day at the office staring at the window as lightning flashed was out of fear. “I’m scared, ge,” he whispers.

“Oh didi,” Lan Xichen murmurs, shifting his phone to the other side and opening his laptop. He needed a plane ticket this instant. “Talk to me. Like we used to okay? Say anything you need, anything you want. I’m here, no judgement, no anything.”

It is Lan Wangji’s turn to hold silence, his hand tightening in his pyjama bottoms. “I don’t even know his name, ge.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes closed a moment, so many things falling into place. He purchased his ticket and stood, keeping the phone to his ear as he packed a bag.

“I don’t know anything. He…he just showed up weeks ago. I was baking and it was nice so I put the bread out to cool and when I looked back it was gone. You should have seen him, ge. He was like an animal shoving it in his mouth so fast he was almost gagging. I tried talking to him, but he looked ready to bolt. So I just kind of talked until he just disappeared. The next day I made extra, just in case. And he took it. He understands, I think, he slowed down when I told him he could get sick.”

Lan Xichen hummed a little, indicating he was still listening even as he moved around his own home. “I mentioned that I was thinking about gardening, I wasn’t really thinking, I just didn’t like seeing him so terrified of me. Next thing I know he must have come in the middle of the night and pulled all the weeds,” a shaky breath leaves Lan Wangji, “Fuck.”

It startles Lan Xichen into standing upright, this was worse than he thought. “Ge, he clawed the dirt away. There are still spots where you can see his tiny hands trying to dig away roots. He didn’t have to do that. I didn’t ask him. I wasn’t upset about the bread.”

“Breathe,” Lan Xichen interrupts, hearing the note of panic in his brother’s voice. He puts the phone on speaker for a moment to get himself a ride to the airport, listening as Lan Wangji takes a slow breath.

“I’ve been cooking for him for weeks,” Lan Wangji says, grip tight on the phone. “During the work week I make things I can leave in the window for him. I try to make something more filling on weekends. He’s so thin. He…he caught me rabbits.”

Lan Xichen makes a questioning sound, confused by the change in topic but not stopping his brother. “The garden,” Lan Wangji states, taking a deep breath. “The pile of weeds I didn’t get a chance to tend to right away. So he caught two rabbits. He dug them a burrow even. They eat the weeds he pulls. I…I give them treats sometimes after work now. Do I have pets? My god I have pets,” he breathes, “No telling Shufu,” he quickly adds, earning a small chuckle from his brother.

“It was fine I guess. He let me sit on the backstep and eat at the same time as him. He knows my name. I think I’ve heard like five words from him and it’s like he fights to get them out. It took over a week for him to even nod, he just kept watching me with this blank stare. And the rain…I don’t think he has a home. He was soaked the day after it first rained. And yesterday,” a small groan left him, he should have done better.

“I couldn’t even think for half my day. The storms rolled in and all I did was worry. I can’t even bring myself to close the window when it rains, ge. His visits are so short and he disappears so easily. I never expected…he was hiding against the house coughing and shivering. He looked so afraid when he saw me. I had to beg him to come inside. Even then I couldn’t close the door, I couldn't even get within five feet of him. And he refuses to eat more than one meal from me a day. I had to put on this stupid act of accidentally making too much to get him to agree to getting something warm in him. And he was gone, he’s always just gone when I look away.”

Lan Xichen is sitting, waiting on his ride to show up with a bag at his feet. He had many questions, namely why his brother wasn’t going to anyone for help for what sounded like a young man, but he would not judge, not when his brother needed him. “He came inside,” Lan Xichen repeated gently, “That sounds like a step forward to me.”

It was Lan Wangji’s turn to give a small ‘mn’. “You asked me about being hurt and not able to ask for help. Is he hurt?” Lan Xichen asks softly.

Another weaker ‘mn’ leaves Lan Wangji. “Severely malnourished,” he starts, “The clothing he wears is too small and so full of holes it is a miracle it is in one piece. I’ve seen bruises everywhere it feels like. And last night I was able to get him to wear one of my old shirts, he left it when he left so I was putting it in the wash and there was blood on it.”

So that is what prompted the call, Lan Xichen gathers as he stands to walk outside as his cab pulls up. “You’re helping already,” he tells his brother, “You aren’t hurting him.”

“Someone is. Or had. No one…no one is as jumpy as he is without a reason. He doesn’t trust anyone, anything. I think if I wasn’t here the rice cooker would have scared him off yesterday,” Lan Wangji sighs, rubbing his face.

“It kind of sounds like he is trusting you. If he stayed then he has some faith in you. Trust yourself, go slow,” Lan Xichen explained as he got in the car, he’d be there soon. His brother needed support.

There is another deep breath, no longer shaking as it once was. “I think I may just make congee today. I don’t know how much I can do right now.”

“I’m sure he will be delighted with anything you make, Wangji. You’ve always been a star in the kitchen,” Lan Xichen smiles as he talks, hearing the steadiness return to his brother’s voice. “I’m going to let you go so you can get to it, okay? Remember, breathe, go slow. Everything will be okay.”

“Thank you, Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji said softly as he lifted his head. “Sorry about worrying you.”

“Never. It’s my job to worry about my didi. See you soon,” Lan Xichen hangs up before Lan Wangji can question the last thing he said. He knew his brother, he’d tell him not to come and get all flustered over nothing. Well it was too late for that.

Putting the phone in his lap Lan Wangji takes time to breathe, sitting in his kitchen. Plain old chicken congee sounded good right now, easy on the stomach and the soul. He pulled himself from the floor, putting away yesterday’s clean dishes, and got to it.

---

It was a few hours later, a few cups of tea that helped settle Lan Wangji’s nerves. He changed the laundry into the dryer and dished out two full bowls of congee. He made sure to have plenty of chicken in the one for Xiao Mainbao, adding a little soy sauce, scallions, and just a tiny bit of chilli oil, not wanting to overwhelm him. He added the spoon and took a deep breath, it would be okay.

Placing the bowl in the windowsill he stepped away and made his own, looking over to see the other bowl already having vanished. He still waits a minute before moving to the door, taking his seat on the step and looking up at the child. He was closer than usual, still far, but closer. The edges of his clothes appeared still damn, but he was relatively dry.

Lan Wangji didn’t know what to say, the air of this morning still holding onto him. He takes a bite of his meal, letting his own eyes close for a moment as he chews.

His eyes open very quickly at the sound of a voice. “Lan Zhan,” the boy was watching him, frowning. He blinked, looking back at him. “Sad,” the child says after a pause, his bowl untouched in the mud, focused on Lan Wangji.

“No,” he says and then sighs a little, “I don’t really know,” he tells the boy, holding his own warm bowl a little closer. “I wouldn’t say sad,” he looks down at the bowl as he tries to think.

On the other side of the house Lan Xichen is getting out of a cab, slinging his bag over his back and walking up. Knowing his brother, the door was open. So he let himself in, as quietly as he could. His brother would get lost in the kitchen sometimes, he didn’t want to disturb him. So instead he took off his shoes and set the back down, walking quietly as he explored the house, following his brother’s voice as he heard it.

“When I was little I wouldn’t talk to anyone but my brother,” Lan Wangji says, looking up at the waiting child. “It was after my mother died. She was sick for a long time. And I didn’t understand at the time why I couldn’t see her anymore. We moved, my uncle took us in and did his best. But I…I don’t know what I wanted. I was just upset, confused, and kind of scared. It took a long time for me to talk again. Even now I don’t like it all that much.”

Lan Xichen stopped just outside the kitchen, lips pressed together as he listened in. Even these days they were hard pressed to get a murmur from his brother about their mother, their childhood. Whoever this boy was, Lan Wangji was attached.

The child’s eyes widened as he listened to Lan Wangji, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he looked down, frustrated. “I’m not saying that to make you try and talk,” Lan Wangji says quietly, “I just…understand I guess. It’s hard isn’t it?”

There was an aggressive nod, the boy picking up the bowl again and hugging its warmth close. “Do you think you’d be okay with steamed buns again this week?” Lan Wangji asks, trying to move past it as he takes another bite of his meal and the boy takes his first. “I was going to add a little meat this time.”

There is another nod and Lan Xichen looks around the corner, enough to see Lan Wangji’s back as his shoulders relax. “Perfect.” Lan Wangji takes a bite and motions to the side where Lan Xichen can’t see. He’s eating and talking, evidently breaking a lot of old rules since moving out, it makes him smile.

“So, Xiao Mianbao,” even Lan Xichen can hear the quiet little giggle at the name, his brother relaxing further, “Did our bunnies survive the rain?”

The child looked toward the garden and gave a firm nod, even a small smile was playing on the boy’s lips. “Wonderful,” Lan Wangji exclaimed softly. The boy took another bite, this time with the chilli oil. His hand paused and he blinked, Lan Wangji looking at him a bit worried. But soon those silver eyes were on him, sparkling as he grinned that wonderful sunny smile.

Lan Wangji couldn’t help the small laugh that left him, making the child’s smile only grow and dumbfounding his sneaking brother. Lan Xichen hadn’t heard his brother’s laughter since they were children. “You like spicy things?” Lan Wangji asked and smiled at the quick series of nods. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he promised and continued eating.

Silence fell between them and Lan Xichen took the cue. He stepped into the kitchen, looking at the open window. As he stepped forward he could see the child out in the muddy grass. And he really was just a child. Lan Xichen had figured it was a young man, not just a little boy. He was far too young to be on his own. And he was frightful, horribly thin, ragged clothing, long matted hair, dirty all over. It hurt to see.

But what was worse is what he saw when the boy glanced in his direction, when their eyes connected. What had been a somewhat relaxed child eating became a deer in the headlights, gripping so tightly at his bowl that it shook. “Hey,” Lan Wangji’s voice was soft, worried. And those eyes, they were full of fear, a terror that didn’t belong in any child.

The boy’s breathing was picking up, his eyes startling to flicker between the two men and the bowl of food in a panic. Lan Wangji leaned back, looking inside where the child’s eyes kept looking and Lan Xichen smiled meekly in the view of cold fury that radiated from his brother. “Xiongzhang,” it was deadly calm, warning, “Go. Away.” he tells him and Lan Xichen complies, stepping back, out of sight of the child.

Instantly his brother was focused back on the boy, the boy he could hear scarfing down the meal now. “Hey,” Lan Wangji tried, his own bowl being put behind him in the house. “Look at me, please,” he asked the boy, waiting. “He may be an idiot, but he will not hurt you,” Lan Wangji promises. “If you want he won’t even look at you. That’s my brother, he likes surprises. I’m not really a fan, how about you?”

The boy had cleaned the rest of the bowl, and was inching away, eyes still flickering toward the house. He looks at Lan Wangji at the question, it is an empty stare, too scared to properly think, to answer. “Do you hear me?” Lan Wangji asked as the boy continued to stare, and there was a slow nod. “How about this, will you come back for dinner tonight? Take all the time you need, but I’d like to share with you again. And my brother will probably want to say hi, but he will stay away unless you want him here, okay?”

It is a long stretch before any sort of indication that he was even heard by the boy. Then a very hesitant little nod, the child backing even further away, glancing now at the empty bowl and the windowsill where he always returns it.

“You can leave it today. I’ll pick it up,” Lan Wangji says quietly and for the first time he sees the boy run, how he breaks into a near sprint as he turns from the house, how his little fingers wedge into the smallest gaps between boards of the fence and how he throws himself over it all within a few seconds.

He puts his head in his hands as the boy disappears, letting out a groan of frustration. “I’m going to kill you,” he says without turning around. Lan Wangji stands, moving out into the grass and picking up the bowl, carrying it inside as he picks up his own on the way through.

“I’m sorry,” Lan Xichen said with a small frown, watching his brother start to do some dishes and move back toward the fridge to keep going. He’d not seen him this angry, especially at himself. “Will he be okay?”

“I don’t know,” Lan Wangji closes the refrigerator a bit harder than he needs to, taking a careful deep breath before turning to his brother. “I know you don’t mean anything by it, but you should have asked.”

“I know,” Lan Xichen admits quietly as he takes a seat at the table, starting to fold the towels Lan Wangji had set there to help. “You sounded like you needed the support.”

“I…yeah,” Lan Wangji murmurs as he moves around the kitchen, starting to make dough for steamed buns. “I could have warned him. You terrified him.”

“I’m aware,” Lan Xichen murmurs, holding the towel in his hand a little longer. His eyes drift to the sliding door, then the pile of towels. His brother really sat through a storm with his door open and towels on the ground, just to try and help that child. “He’s so small…I thought, I thought there was no way you could have been describing a child.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, moving to put together a filling. “From some research I think he may be around seven, but with how malnourished he is, who really knows. I haven’t been able to figure out if he knows his numbers yet. I know he can’t read.”

“He can’t?” Lan Xichen frowns, folding another towel. “That means-”

“I’m aware,” Lan Wangji answers this time, knife pausing and slowly setting it down. “I don’t think he can use chopsticks. The first few times with the spoon were messy. He…he’s been out there a long time.”

Lan Xichen looks down at the shirt in his hands, fingers running slowly over the little spots that did not come out in the wash. So many little dots. “I’ll look into it. Quietly. There has to be something, a child doesn’t just end up like this on their own.”

“Quietly,” Lan Wangji reaffirmed as he continued moving again, “I’m not even sure if he’ll come back right now. I can’t have someone running him off from the one place he can get a safe meal.”

“I understand,” Lan Xichen says quietly as he keeps folding, a silence falling between them. “So,” Lan Xichen breaks it to look at his brother who is steadily kneading dough. “Xiao Mianbao?” He says with a slight smile, teasing. He watches his brother’s ears heat with satisfaction.

“He doesn’t seem to want to give me his name,” Lan Wangji murmured. “I couldn’t exactly call him ‘boy’, and besides, it makes him smile.”

“I’m glad,” Xichen says softly, moving to stand beside his brother as he finishes with the laundry. “He made you laugh. That’s a rare gift,” Lan Xichen nudges him just a little. He was used to this, spending time beside his brother in the kitchen. It was his brother’s happy place after losing their mother. He watched Lan Wangji’s hands move, “You talked about mother with him,” his voice was gentle, well aware of the topic's effect on his brother. And even now he could see Lan Wangji tensing.

“I just…I want him to know he is okay. He doesn’t have to try when, I just know how hard it is.” Lan Xichen touched his brother’s arm gently, knowing his brother’s own aversion to contact. “I think you are doing really well,” Lan Xichen tells him, moving a little away so he can keep working.

Lan Wangji glances in his direction before looking back at his work and starting to continue. “If he comes back you’ll be eating on the windowsill if you are allowed.”

“I understand,” Lan Xichen nodded, moving to start on some of the dishes his brother was making. “Will you show me the rabbits?”

“Maybe tomorrow. I try to give him space in the yard, I think he stays close by because he always appears when something is ready,” Lan Wangji tells him and they fall into a comfortable rhythm. Lan Xichen takes over steaming the buns as Lan Wangji goes about making dinner. It was fried rice, nothing terribly special, but it used the extra pork and would fill the boy with lunch as well.

---

When all is ready Lan Wangji dishes everything up, three bowls filled. He walks to the windowsill and places the bowl with its spoon before walking back and adding spoons to theirs, passing one to his brother. Both are quiet, watching the bowl on the windowsill. Lan Wangji is a bit nervous, he’d never seen the boy so late besides yesterday, perhaps he had somewhere else he went? But sure enough, after a few minutes little hands appeared over the edge of the sill and snatched the bowl. It was quicker than normal, more jerky. The child was on edge.

Lan Wangji held a hand up, telling his brother to wait as he gave the boy a few minutes to settle himself down outside. He then walked to the door, opening it and taking his seat. Looking out at the child he was further than normal, the boy glancing nervously at him and the window. “He’s still here,” Lan Wangji tells him, voice gentle. “But he will eat in the living room if you aren’t comfortable with him.”

Lan Wangji watches and waits as the boy struggles to use his words, a hand grasping at the grass, clearly upset. “His name is Lan Xichen,” Lan Wangji starts, just trying to speak, give information so the boy doesn’t feel so pressured to talk, “Lan Huan. If he joins us he will stay at the window, inside. And he understands that talking is hard, he was the one that helped me.”

Silver eyes look at Lan Wangji, and they are sad, pained. But the tension the boy was carrying was starting to lessen. He looked at the window for a long moment before giving a small nod.

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji says softly, looking back at his brother and nodding. Lan Xichen took the cue, moving slower this time and leaning forward on the windowsill with his bowl. He offers a small smile to the child staring him down, it was hard when he could only see fear. “I’m sorry about before,” he says gently, “I was surprising my didi, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The child shrinks slightly, head shaking a little as the bowl is pulled tighter to himself. He didn’t appear to be moving away, but did look uncomfortable. “My brother said you brought him rabbits,” Lan Xichen tries with a small smile, the boy staring at him all the while. It was hard to keep talking, but he continued on. “You know, when he was little he had this little stuffed bunny and he took it everywhere.”

“Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji says, his ears starting to turn red. But the boy was staring at Lan Xichen still, his eyes widening. He glanced once to Lan Wangji then back, leaning forward just a little more.

“It was named Tuzi, it means bunny. I think it was black, right didi?” Lan Xichen looks at his brother, smiling a bit more as he sees the pink ears.

“Yes,” Lan Wangji mumbled, taking a bite of his food and nearly pouting. Lan Xichen chuckles a little, looking back at the child who was staring at Lan Wangji now, the smallest of smiles on his sunken face. “I think he always secretly wanted one but our uncle had a strict rule about no pets. So I think you made him very happy with them.”

The child’s eyes were wide, looking from Lan Xichen to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji could only sigh and give in, “I do think they are very cute,” he murmurs, “I like them a lot. It is nice to come home and see them,” he says, poking at his meal to cover his embarrassment.

The child’s eyes practically sparkle as they look at Lan Wangji and even back at Lan Xichen, his smile a bit wider. It suits him, looking so bright, Lan Xichen notes. He takes a bite of his own meal. And soon the boy follows, relaxing further as he starts to eat, at first taking large fast bites, to the point of coughing.

But the boy pauses, breathing a bit and looking at the bowl, Lan Wangji having stopped as well to make sure he was okay. “Slow,” the boy whispers, a reminder he seems to need often as he picks up another spoonful, smaller, eating slower. Lan Xichen ate slowly as he watched, the hunger and desperation so clear in the small child.

“Do you know how old you are?” Lan Xichen asked after a few minutes. “Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji tensed, hissing the name. And Lan Xichen realised why as he watched the child tense, the boy stopped eating for a moment. “You don’t have to answer,” Lan Wangji tells him gently, well aware how much the child guards information about himself.

The boy slowly takes another bite of food, looking down in the bowl. “Apologies,” Lan Xichen says softly, not wanting to pressure the poor thing. It would just make it easier trying to learn if there was anything out there about him.

The boy set his bowl down slowly, and both brothers stopped to watch him. The child started moving his fingers, like he was trying to count. He would frown and start again, it went on a few times before he hesitantly raised his hands. On them he had nine fingers raised, holding them up so Lan Xichen could see.

“Nine?” Lan Wangji asked, unable to hide the worry in the question. He was so dreadfully small for nine. “How long have you been out here?” he asked, unable to stop the question that had been eating at him from the day he met the boy. “Sorry. You don’t have to,” Lan Wangji quickly told him, holding his own bowl tighter as the child looked down at his food again.

Slowly a hand is raised, silver eyes meeting gold as the child holds up a full hand of fingers. “Oh my god,” Lan Xichen can’t help but whisper, horrified at the mere thought of it. Lan Wangji nearly dropped his bowl. “Five…years?” He asks, voice so quiet, afraid of the answer. Eyes closing a moment as the child gives him a single nod. He feels sick. A four year old, barely more than a toddler, left out here, alone, abandoned, starving and cold.

Lan Wangji sets his meal down, pressing his shaking hands to his face as he takes a slow breath. Five years. How did he even survive? How did no one do anything? How…how?

“Lan Zhan,” Lan Wangji’s head lifted quickly at his name, one of the few things the child seemed to be able to say. Even Lan Xichen sat up straighter. The boy looked nervous, little hands grasping at his ragged clothes again and again, “No cry,” he whispers, looking down, rocking a little in place.

“I’m not,” he says, rubbing at his face a little and watching the child, the poor thing breathing faster, struggling. “I won’t cry,” he speaks gently, “Can you breathe with me? So we can both feel better?” When the child gives a small nod Lan Zhan starts, exaggerating each breath until the boy is following, still rocking himself slowly, but calming down again.

Lan Wangji watches him, “I was sad,” he explains to the boy which makes the child frown more, “Sad because you shouldn’t have to be alone. It has to be scary.” The child started to deflate at that, staring down into his unfinished bowl of rice.

Lan Xichen watches the boy, still struggling with his own horror, paired with the fact that the boy was trying to calm his brother down. The boy nodded a little, agreeing to Lan Wangji’s assessment. He picked up his spoon, poking at his food, looking rather sad.

“You don’t have to be alone anymore,” Lan Xichen offered softly, the child looking up and frowning at him. “Wangji is here. He is quite fond of you,” he tells the boy whose eyes widen with surprise as they look at Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji’s ears flare up again, giving his brother a weak glare but looking at the child and softening almost immediately. “I am,” he admits quietly. “I worry about you. It’s cold at night, there is more rain coming, do you have a safe place to sleep, is what I make for you enough, are you in pain, what can I do? I just…I want to help. You deserve to be safe.” Lan Wangji says quietly, looking down at his own bowl.

Lan Xichen watches his brother with a soft smile, this was good for him, and hopefully good for the child as well. He looks at the boy who is staring, mouth parted and eyes wide open. Those silver eyes start to tear up, slowly brimming with water before the boy makes a small gasp and presses his hands against them. “No cry,” he whispers, to himself this time. And it makes Lan Wangji lookup, watching the boy with so much concern.

“You are allowed to cry,” he says quietly, being answered by a vigorous shake of the head as small hands press into his eyes. There is a loud sniffle, the boy’s lower lip wobbling as he fights it. It is evidently too much for the boy as he gets up, running.

“I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji calls as the child practically throws himself over the fence, putting his own head in his hands. Lan Xichen walks over, kneeling and rubbing his brother’s back.

“That was good,” he tells his brother gently, “He needs to know someone is out there for him. He’ll come back.”

“I don’t want to scare him off,” Lan Wangji says quietly still, feeling so frustrated. “I just can’t help it. I know he doesn’t want my help, but it is so hard watching him struggle so much.”

“I know the feeling,” Lan Xichen says as he stands and walks past his brother, picking up the bowl from the yard. “You took a long time yourself. Just keep going, slow and steady, he’ll come to you when he is ready.” He assures his brother as he picks up his bowl as well and starts on the dishes.

Lan Wangji comes in to help after a few minutes and the brothers settle for the night. Lan Wangji catches his brother up on work, showing him to the guest room later in the evening. Tomorrow was a new day, hopefully a better one.

---

When Lan Wangji woke he went to the kitchen, starting coffee for his brother and staring in the refrigerator for a while. He eventually took out the things for scallion pancakes and decided on mapo tofu. The boy had liked some spice yesterday and while he himself was bad at handling it he may as well let the child enjoy it.

Lan Xichen came out to the smell of fresh scallion pancakes, humming happily as he poured himself some coffee and took a seat. He watched his brother work away, smiling to himself.

They share a few pancakes, talking back and forth as the morning passes. When lunch rolls around Lan Wangji fills a bowl and a plate, mapo tofu with scallion pancakes and some plain rice. He sets it out on the windowsill and goes to make his own and his brothers. “I don’t know if he is comfortable enough for you to be outside,” Lan Wangji says as he hands his brother the meal.

“That’s okay with me,” Lan Xichen answers, watching with a small smile as the bowl vanishes, followed soon after by the plate. He follows his brother’s lead again as Lan Wangji sits outside, moving to the window as he did the day before. The boy was closer today, looking curiously down at the meal.

“It is a little spicy, since you seemed to like that,” Lan Wangji explains and the boy looks up, giving a small nod. His eyes turn to Lan Xichen who he nods to once as well.

“Good morning,” Lan Xichen says with a soft smile. “I'm heading home later, but I hope I’ll be seeing you again when I come visit my didi,” he tells the child who stares a moment before giving another small nod, glancing at Lan Wangji.

“I was going to show Xiongzhang the bunnies before he left, do you think he should give them a treat?” Lan Wangji asked, earning an enthusiastic nod from the child and Lan Wangji’s own small smile.

“Wonderful,” Lan Xichen smiles, “I heard they are very cuddly. I look forward to it.” With some small talk over the meal begins, a rather comfortable silence between the three as they eat. The child lights up at the first bite of the tofu, grinning at Lan Wangji, a sure sign he enjoys it. The dish was going on the approved list.

The meal continued on, “I work tomorrow again,” Lan Wangji informs the boy who gives a small nod. “It is supposed to rain.” The boy frowns a little, looking up at the clear sky. “Will you listen to what I am thinking? Remember, you don’t have to do any of it,” Lan Wangji asked, watching as the boy nods while nibbling away at the pancake.

“I don’t know when the rain will start. But I will always leave this door unlocked, okay? And the table right there,” he nods behind himself to the table the child was between the other night, “I’m going to leave all those towels out and the shirt that doesn’t fit me.” The boy has a hint of a smile as he remembers the shirt and Lan Wangji’s struggle with it.

“So if it starts raining and you get cold, you are more than welcome to let yourself in, okay? The door can stay open just like before. You can use the shirt and put the towels down. I trust you. You can look around the whole house if you want, but please, try to keep warm,” Lan Wangji asks him, trying so hard to get his point across. He didn’t care if the floors were wet or the wind came through, only that this boy was somewhere safe when the rain came down.

The child paused then took another slower bite of the pancake he had left. He glanced up toward the door, then back at Lan Wangji. “You don’t have to answer,” he tells him, “I just want you to know it will always be open to you, no matter what. Even if it isn’t raining. Even if you just want to say hello or get a treat for the bunnies, or for yourself.”

The boy looks down a little, putting the last of his meal in his mouth. He gave a single nod, he understood, it was not a promise of anything and they both knew it. “Thank you,” Lan Wangji still said softly.

Today the child stood, picking up the dishes and glancing a bit cautiously between the brothers. He walked to the very edge of the cement patio pad that Lan Wangji was sitting on and set his things down there, hastily retreating after. Lan Wangji gives a soft smile, “Thank you Xiao Mianbao.” The boy smiles a little as well, still amused by the funny name. He waves a little this time before climbing the fence.

Lan Xichen does indeed meet the bunnies, but even after treats they crawl into Lan Wangji’s lap as Lan Xichen teases him about it. He drove his brother to the airport, his visit was nice even if it started rough. Heading home Lan Wangji makes a quick dinner and settles down for the night after laying everything out at the table like he told the boy.

Chapter Text

It is a bit easier to fall asleep that night, knowing that there was even a chance the boy would listen. In the morning he puts out a few steamed buns on the windowsill and puts together his own lunch before heading into the office. A little after noon the first drops of rain fall. As Lan Wangji works on his lunch he watches it hit the large windows of his office. He could only hope.

The rain was more gentle than the last storm, but as he drove home it was still coming down enough to soak through. He walked in the front door of his house, taking off his shoes, setting his slightly damp bag down. Lan Wangji made his way to the kitchen, following his usual routine.

He stopped before even turning to the entryway. There were little damp footprints on the floor, not far, just to the very edge of the living area and leading back to the kitchen. Lan Wangji’s shoulders relaxed, relief almost flooding him as he realises that means Xiao Mianbao listened, he came inside. He finishes turning and his heart softens at the sight. There were towels carefully laid out by the window, the plate on the countertop nearby, more towels laid out by the door which was still open, but not as far as the other night.

The boy was under the table this time, a little further into the room. And he was sound asleep on the floor, wrapped in a throw blanket that Lan Wangji kept on the sofa. He looked back at the footsteps, understanding that the boy had gone just far enough to get a blanket and came back. He didn’t get closer, not wanting to wake him. But from here he could see he wasn’t as wet, meaning he came in before it really came down. And the red shirt that the boy wore was hung over the arm of a chair, dripping occasionally but not sopping wet.

Lan Wangji softened his steps as he went to his own room, taking a warm shower and changing for the evening. He sits on his bed, considering his options. The boy was asleep, he clearly needed the rest and he didn’t want to wake him. He could stay in his room, waiting out the last of the rain and letting the child make his escape. Or he could go out there and try to quietly put a small meal together for them and risk waking the boy.

Half an hour, he’d give him time first. Leaning back on his bed he sat on his phone, looking at a couple messages from his brother. Lan Xichen was looking into the area, focusing on events that happened five years ago to see if the child was part of anything. He thanked him and distracted himself until his self imposed timer went off.

Walking out to the kitchen he was quiet, the boy was still asleep, curled up under the table. He must have felt better with something above him. He moves quietly through the kitchen, not very hungry himself tonight. He starts the rice cooker with a wince, glancing toward the child who doesn’t even move. He then slices up some vegetables, just planning to cook them over the rice.

He is cooking quietly at the stove when he hears a whimper, turning around to look at the boy. He had curled up even further and was trembling. Lan Wangji set the pan off the burner, taking a small step toward the boy. “Hello,” he speaks quietly, not wanting to startle him. He could see his little hands gripping at the blanket, another whine leaving him as his face started to pinch.

Lan Wangji came as close as their agreed distance, sitting down and crossing his legs. “Can you hear me?” He asks, wishing he had a name right now as he watches the child curl in on himself.

“Mama,” the boy whimpers out, “No, no,” he murmurs and Lan Wangji’s heart sinks hearing the small pleas. The boy was trapped in some sort of nightmare. What could he do? The child would jump at the rice cooker, if he woke him right next to him he could only imagine what would happen.

“Xiao Mianbao,” he calls, because it is the best he has. “Wake up please,” he speaks a bit louder. Behind him the rice cooker sings its little song as it finishes and evidently that was enough. The child bolts upright with a scream. His head hits the underside of the table and his eyes search frantically, terrified of everything. He sees Lan Wangji and scrambles away, “No!” he cries, back pressed flush against the wall, shaking as he looks around himself before his eyes locked on the open door.

“It’s okay,” Lan Wangji tries, voice soft, calm. It is hard to keep calm when hearing the boy scream, watching him shaking in terror. “It is just me, Lan Zhan,” he says, seeing how the child is locked on the door. “You can go if you want,” he tells him, inching backward on the floor to give more space, trying not to make any rapid movements.

The boy’s eyes glance back at him, some of the haze of sleep starting to clear. His breathing is still too fast, his body still trembling in his panic and fear. The child starts to inch toward the door, glancing back and forth between it and Lan Wangji. Then he bolts, but he trips on the blanket wrapped around his feet and hits the hard floor with a thud that makes Lan Wangji wince.

There is a ragged gasp from the boy as he sinks into the floor where he fell, a horrible sob leaving him as he curls up against the wall. He gave up on running. Lan Wangji watches with an ache in his chest, unable to even comfort the child. “It’s okay,” he says quietly, “I’ll go to the living room, take all the time you need,” he tells him as he gets up slowly. The boy doesn’t even look at him, sobbing on the ground where he fell.

Lan Wangji takes a seat in his usual spot, leaning a bit so he can keep an eye on the boy. The crying becomes muffled as the child pulls the blanket up over himself, hiding completely from sight. It was so hard not to do anything, his leg bouncing in place with nerves he doesn’t usually have. He wanted nothing more than to pick the boy up and hold him, to promise him it would be okay from now on, that he would not be alone again.

But he couldn’t. Because the boy would be terrified of him, like he is of everything. So he had to take this no matter how much it hurt, he had to sit here and just be thankful that the child was inside out of the rain and not crying out in a storm. Lan Wangji put his face in a hand, taking a slow breath as another retched wail left the small boy. His appetite was gone.

It took almost an hour for the child to calm down, the loud wails settled earlier but there were hiccuping cries that lasted. Lan Wangji felt numb, it was horrible, the entire thing was horrible. And he was powerless to do anything which only made it worse. When the cries finally died out he stood, listening to the weak sniffles and whimpers. The boy was hiding under the blanket still, he walked heavily so he could know he was back in the room.

Pulling down a glass he filled it with water, setting it at the usual exchange point and backing away, sinking down against the drawers to watch. It takes another ten minutes for the child to move, to make any sort of effort to come out of his cocoon. He rolls over, his head coming out. His eyes are red and puffy, his entire face blotchy and damp with tears or snot. He looked wretched, more so than normal. It was like keeping his eyes open was a monumental effort.

Those eyes focused slowly on the glass of water, and his tongue unconsciously licked his lips. He struggles to get out of the blanket and crawls across the floor to the cup, taking it in both hands and gulping down the liquid. Some of it spills over him, dampening the large shirt.

Lan Wangji watches sadly. It had stopped raining a bit ago, but he wasn’t about to point that out. He wanted the boy to stay, especially after what just happened. How could it be safe for him out there if he was this worn out. “Do you want more?” He asked quietly, making sure to keep still. “You can use the sink, the handle toward you is for the cold water.”

Having emptied the cup the child looks up toward the sink. He looked so tired. He started trying to get up, but he was shaky. There were deep bruises on his knees from where he had fallen. He sank back down, staring at the empty cup and sniffling weakly.

It was horrific, seeing the child’s body just give out on him. Lan Wangji swallowed the lump in his own throat and looked at the boy. “I promise,” he starts, getting those sad eyes to look at him. “I can take the cup and refill it, and I promise not to touch you. I will set it in front of you and come right back here.”

The boy watches him, the old blank stare having returned. His eyes blink slowly, looking at the empty cup and then back at the sink. He looked defeated. A slow nod and Lan Wangi sits up. He moves slowly himself, and once he gets to their usual distance kneels, scooting forward slowly. The child braces himself as he picks up the cup, but just stares at where it had been and does nothing.

He moves back, filling it at the sink before carefully coming close again and putting it back in the same spot. Lan Wangji retreats back to his spot, turning to see the child again. The boy took the glass in both hands and drank it down with that same sickening desperation.

“I’m not very hungry tonight, you?” He asks quietly, planning to just put the meal away if no one is going to touch it. The child shakes his head, and Lan Wangji nods, planning to take care of it later so he wouldn’t have to move around the child.

After that second glass the boy sank back, moving back to the wall and tugging weakly on the blanket to wrap himself in it as he sank back into the floor. His eyes watched Lan Wangji, but they were empty compared to his normal liveliness, or even the fear that so often plagued him. “I’m going to put food away, okay?” He asked, waiting for the nod before standing and packaging it all away, putting it in the fridge. He fills the cup again for good measure, leaving it so the boy can choose.

“Stay as long as you want,” he tells him gently, starting to head out of the room. “Lan Zhan,” the child’s voice is raspy, scrubbed raw from his cries. Lan Wangji closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and turning to see the child curled against the wall. His lips were parted, he licked them slowly, fighting to keep his eyes open as he watched the man. “S-stay,” the boy whispers his plea.

“Okay,” Lan Wangji answers softly, “Can I go get a blanket? Then I’ll stay as long as you’d like,” he asks, looking at the weary face of the boy. There is a small nod and he moves, leaving the room and taking one of the larger blankets from the living room before coming back. He isn’t exactly sure where he should go, so he chooses a little past the water cup, so the boy can still feel comfortable getting to it.

Lan Wangji sits down and wraps himself in the blanket before laying down on his side to join the child. The floor was hard, it would hurt after a while. That didn’t matter. Right now all that mattered was the boy.

Those tired eyes blinked slowly at him. He was breathing through his mouth, body loosely curled up as if all strength had left him. “Lan…Zhan,” the boy managed out. It was the thing Lan Wangji was getting used to hearing the most, “Mn,” he answered, watching him. “Lan Zhan,” the child mumbles, eyes closing for a long moment before blinking open again.

“I’m here,” he answers, not minding that the boy didn’t seem to be able to say much else. If this helped him then so be it, he would always answer. The boy takes a long breath as his eyes close before looking at Lan Wangji again. “W-We-” the boy’s voice sounds like it hurts, his face screwing up a little with the difficulty of things. “Take your time,” Lan Wangji tells him softly, he’d never press, he would wait forever if it made the boy comfortable.

“Wei,” the child managed out, and that looked like it exhausted him on top of it all. Lan Wangji’s eyes widen slightly, an arm pushing himself up an inch as he realises just what the boy is trying to say. “Wei?” he asks, trying not to sound too eager, but it was a name, it had to be a name, be it the boy’s or someone he knew, it was the first real grasp he had.

A slow nod followed by slow blinks. “Yimg,” he mumbles out, slumping into the floor. “Yimg?” Lan Wangji asks, “Ying? Wei Ying?” he says, pushed up further, wide eyes watching as the child nods. “Who is that? Is that you?” Lan Wangji asks, trying not to sound as excited as he was. This was huge, the boy sharing with him, opening up for him. He trusted him enough for this.

The boy, Wei Ying, gave one more nod. And Lan Wangji sank back to the ground, taking a deep breath. “Wei Ying,” he murmurs to himself. “Lan…Zhan,” Wei Ying answers back. “Thank you,” Lan Wangji says softly, watching as Wei Ying fights to stay awake. “Sleep. I’ll be right here, I’ll call you to wake up before a nightmare can get too bad.”

That was all it took, Wei Ying’s head lulling to the side as sleep took over his exhausted body. Lan Wangji didn’t move, staying right there on the kitchen floor with Wei Ying. He searched his pockets and took out his phone, he took a picture of the boy’s sleeping form and texted it to his brother.

LWJ: [His name is Wei Ying.]

LXC: [Is he okay?]

LWJ: [He had a nightmare. He cried himself out.]

LXC: [Make sure he gets some water in him. How are you?]

LWJ: [I’m not going to sleep ever again.]

LXC: [Didi. Do I need to get on another plane?]

LWJ: [No. I’m okay. Tired. I may have to call in tomorrow.]

LXC: [That’s understandable. Take care of yourself.]

Lan Wangji set his phone down, pulling his own blanket closer as he watched Wei Ying sleep. He’d stay up as long as needed if only not to hear the child scream like that again.

---

An hour passes before he gets a text. It was starting to get late. He looked at it, a message from his brother.

LXC: [Call me.]

LWJ: [I can’t leave him alone right now. He begged me.]

LXC: [As soon as possible. Please.]

LXC: [No matter the time.]

He stares at the message from his brother. Lan Xichen never messages like this. He looked at the boy, still sound asleep not having moved a muscle from where he fell asleep. There was a bruise forming on his head from where he hit the table. He promised he’d stay, he has to wait. If it was absolutely urgent Lan Xichen would have called already.

Wei Ying sleeps a few more hours, definitely past Lan Wangji’s bedtime. But he keeps himself awake, not going to break his promise. The boy’s eyes open slowly, a small groan as a hand comes up and rubs at his head. Lan Wangji was sore himself, the ground was hard, uncomfortable. “Do you want medicine? It can help if it hurts,” he asks, then pauses, “I think I only have pills. Can you take those?”

His eyes focus on Lan Wangji and it seems to take Wei Ying a moment to process what he was being told. Then the boy shrugs. “Do you want to try?” He asks and gets a small nod as the boy rubs at his head again.

Lan Wangji suppresses the groan as he stretches up from the floor, he didn’t need the boy being guilty about it. He walks over to a cabinet and pulls out some over the counter pain medicine, to be safe just giving half the dose recommended for adults. He sets the white pill beside the glass of water and backs away as he folds the blanket up. “I put them in my mouth and then use the water to wash it down,” he explains.

Wei Ying crawls out slowly, sitting in front of it and picking up the pill, looking it over slowly. He places it in his mouth like told, face screwing up a little as it starts to dissolve. He picks up the water and drinks quickly, coughing as he comes back up for air, making a face.

“Yeah, they don’t taste good. But it works,” Lan Wangji says with a small smile. “Are you feeling a little better?” There is a small nod, the boy more slowly finishing off the glass of water and just sitting there.

“You can do whatever you’d like,” Lan Wangji tells him, prefacing his next question so the boy wouldn’t think he was being asked to go, “Do you think you’re leaving for the night?” Wei Ying looked out the still open door, the rain stopped and it was pitch black out there. He nodded once, starting to stand up.

“Okay,” Lan Wangji spoke softly, “Be safe. I’ll leave lunch like always,” he tells the boy, turning to leave himself. Knowing the last time Wei Ying changed before leaving, he’d need some privacy for that. So Lan Wangji set the blanket down in the living room and went to his bedroom, listening as Wei Ying moved around the kitchen before finally hearing the door slide closed.

---

He laid back, taking a deep breath and a moment's rest. He’d deal with the kitchen tomorrow. He was exhausted already and if he was up much longer he was never going to make it to work. But he had to call his brother, he couldn’t let the messages just sit.

So he rang, laying back on the bed, eyes closed as the line rang, once, twice, it picked up on the third. “Is he still there?” Lan Xichen asked, and Lan Wangji sat up. His brother was far too alert for this time of night. “He just left. He isn’t comfortable inside for very long.”

“I found him,” Lan Xichen says, then lets out a long breath. “Are you sitting down?” He asks, and Lan Wangji frowns, scooting up his bed to sit against the headboard, more alert than a few moments ago. “I’m sitting in my bed. What is it?”

“Wei Ying. Born October 31st, nine years ago. Only child of Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren. Missing.” Lan Zhan sits up more, starting to frown, “Missing?”

“Let me finish didi, please,” Lan Xichen says softly and the tone scares him even more.

“Wei Ying, age four, has been declared missing now a week after the gruesome murders of his parents, Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren while on a work trip to the Yiling area. No suspects have been brought in in connection to the crime,” Lan Xichen pauses, “That is an article dated a just over a week after his birthday. Wangji, it is so much worse.”

The phone felt like a lead brick in his palm as that feeling of numbness rolled over him anew. Wei Ying’s cries for his parents earlier rang in his ears, “He was there,” Lan Wangji says, voice flat, empty.

“They found his blood at the scene,” Lan Xichen confirms quietly, “Breathe for me didi,” he says, waiting until he hears the proper breath from his brother before continuing. “The father was shot in the face before being stabbed 23 times in the chest. The mother,” Lan Xichen has to take a deep breath, even just reading it was difficult, “She was sexually assaulted, multiple times. Her body was covered in cuts and bound. It was slow. Both bodies were found in their rental home. It took three days before they realised they had a missing child. There was no next of kin, he had no other family. They found enough blood from him that after a month with no sighting they declared him dead.”

Tears burned at Lan Wangji’s eyes, spilling over without even an effort at restraint. “Didi, are you there?” Lan Xichen asked, worry lacing his voice. “Mn,” is all he can say, all he can put together. He takes a sharp breath and Lan Xichen begins counting him through breaths across the line.

“They never found who did it,” Lan Xichen speaks softly, hearing his didi sniffle on the other end. “I don’t know how he made it out. I have no idea how he survived all this time. He’s a fighter,” Lan Xichen talks slowly, gently, hoping to help his brother.

“He’s terrified of being locked inside,” Lan Wangji says quietly after collecting himself. “He has to be able to fit through the door. He tests it, again and again. Like it is suddenly going to change,” his breathing is a little shaky as his legs pull up to his chest. “Send me it. Everything. Please.”

“Are you sure?” Lan Xichen asks, “It’s bad Wangji. He survived a slaughter. I’m amazed he trusted you enough to tell you his name. It is a miracle he can trust at all.”

“I’m sure. I need to know,” Lan Wangji answers, resting his head on his knees. “I need to help him. The world has given up on him, he needs at least one place where he can be safe.”

“I’ll email it to you,” Lan Xichen answers. “Be careful with him, okay? From what I’ve read, kids who have seen stuff like this can end up viewing the world in a worrying way.”

“He isn’t like that,” he says more firmly, “He is just a terrified little kid. He likes to smile and play with bunnies and garden, even backed into a corner he just tries to escape, never attacking.”

“Okay,” Lan Xichen concedes gently, “I only say because I worry. You call me if you need anything. Are we telling Shufu?”

“No,” the answer is easy, their uncle would be on a flight yesterday if he had wind of this, “You know how he is, if your smiling face terrified him imagine what Shufu would do. When Wei Ying is in a better position I’ll talk to Shufu.”

“Yeah,” Lan Xichen sighed a little, “Shufu can still make grown men run for the hills.” He paused for a moment, “There. All sent. Take care of yourself too. He needs you up and running for you to help him.”

Lan Wangji felt the buzz of his phone against his cheek and he nodded, even though Lan Xichen could’t see it. “Thank you,” he tells his brother.

“Of course. Get some rest, it is far past your bedtime,” Lan Xichen teased gently and Lan Wangji smiled, giving his brother one final goodbye before hanging up the line.

He sank into the bed, getting under the blanket and plugging in his phone. But sleep was not about to happen, instead he opened the email from his brother. There were dozens of articles linked, police files as well. The name had really been the key.

In the dark of his room Lan Wangji opened the first. The headline was big and bold, ‘Couple Brutally Killed on Trip. Child Missing’. He scrolled down and his fingers hovered over the picture. A man, tall with the same dark hair as Wei Ying, their eyes hauntingly similar. And beside him a woman, smiling with that smile he’d seen briefly on the child, the one that could warm him like the sun.

A soft exhale left him as he moved down, seeing the small child standing between the couple. He was so happy, Lan Wangji couldn't help but notice. His smile spread across almost his whole little face, his hair still long but tied up in a ponytail, and his cheeks soft and chubby, as any child should be. Without much thought Lan Wangji saved the photo.

He went through the articles first, the wild reporters takes on the events in the home. It was days before anyone checked on them, before anyone actually found them dead. And as he read through the reports he learns it was days between the death of Wei Changze and his wife, that he was killed quickly and they drew hers out.

Days before anyone noticed the children’s clothing in their bags, before they found blood at the scene with ropes that was tested to be a son of the two dead. They had searched, but from the way these were written they had assumed the boy dead before they even started searching.

The phone slipped from Lan Wangji’s shaking hand, landing screen down and plunging the room into darkness as he clenched his fist around nothing. Wei Ying had spent days tied up in a house with his mother being tortured and his father decaying. No wonder he was so terrified of being inside. No wonder he wouldn’t let anyone get near him. What would have happened if he hadn’t found him that day? If Wei Ying never came and took that bread, would he still be hiding wherever he disappears to at night? Would he decay away just like his parents had?

Picking up the phone he manages an email, taking the day off as he continues reading, not falling asleep until his eyes force themselves closed as the sun starts to rise.

---

Lan Wangji sleeps late that morning, emotionally drained from the night before. When he pulls himself from bed he is sluggish, moving slowly around the house. He starts the wash with the towels and shirt from the kitchen, he stares at the shirt for a while, part of him thinking that he needed to buy the boy clothes. But how would he get him to wear them? With a sigh he drops it in the wash and picks up the blanket Wei Ying used, folding it and setting it on the chair nearest the door in case he wanted it again. With some things cleaned up he laid on the sofa, falling back asleep.

He is woken by a sound, small, not enough to really wake him but to bring him back toward consciousness. He mumbles some nonsense, settling again. “Lan Zhan,” it is clearer this time, and his eyes blink open. “Wei Ying,” he answers without thought, eyes focusing quickly as they land on the boy.

Wei Ying stares at him, shoulders tight to his body as his eyes glance around before coming back. He was just outside the living room, little hands grasping the frame of the arch he is in as he strains to see Lan Wangji on the sofa. There is a deep frown on his face that has Lan Wangji sitting up, remembering in time to make his movements slow, even if there was plenty of distance between them. “Hey, I’m sorry. I meant to get your lunch out but must have fallen asleep.”

The boy shakes his head, looking around rather uncertainly again. “You don’t want lunch?” Lan Wangji asks, his own frown starting to appear as he watches Wei Ying shrink back a step.

“Lan Zhan,” he repeats, looking down a little. He points to Lan Zhan, then toward the window in the living room where sunlight streamed in through the glass. “Okay?” Wei Ying asked quietly.

It took a moment for him to piece it together, the pointing, the words, why Wei Ying would come inside of his own free will when he was so hesitant of it usually. “You’re worried about me,” he breathes, earning a quick nod from the boy. Lan Wangji closes his eyes for a moment, of course. He forgot to put out the meal, his car was still out front, he must have scared the boy after telling him he would be gone like he usually was.

“I’m okay,” he says softly as he looks at Wei Ying who is half hiding behind the little outcropping of the wall. “My brother called me late last night so I was up for a long time. It made me sleepy so I didn’t go to work today. But I’m not sick, I’m okay. Promise.”

He can almost see the way that Wei Ying starts to relax, giving a firm nod, “Good,” he whispers. Lan Wangji smiled a little at him, he was talking a lot more than usual. It was nice to hear.

“It is about time I make myself something to eat, let's eat together today,” he suggests, relaxing himself as he gets that small smile from Wei Ying. “Can you wait for me by the door?” He asks as he starts to stand, “I want to give you a treat to give our bunnies before you go back out.”

Wei Ying glances behind himself toward the kitchen, giving a nod and moving that way. Lan Wangji follows him, going into the fridge and thinks before picking up an apple. He holds it up to show Wei Ying, “Melons make you feel bad. Are apples okay?” He asks, watching as Wei Ying starts to pick at the tattered remains of his sleeve. A small shake of the head.

“Okay, then I’ll eat it,” he smiles at the boy, letting him know it was okay. He puts the apple away and instead takes out some berries, washing them quickly in the sink before setting them on the floor in their common exchange spot. “I put extra in there, so you can eat a few if you’d like.” He tells him, standing away so Wei Ying can comfortably pick up the bowl. He watches how Wei Ying picks up a berry and investigates it for a moment before putting it in his mouth. A bright smile soon appears on his face and he waves, running out the open door.

Lan Wangji chuckled to himself as he got out what he started last night, warming everything as he dished it all up. He added a bit of the chilli oil he picked up to Wei Ying’s, knowing the boy enjoyed it. He walks to the open window and sets the bowl down, blinking in surprise as another bowl presses upward to the sill at the same time.

They make eye contact, Wei Ying returning the empty berry bowl and Lan Wangji setting Wei Ying’s lunch out. It is the closest they have come outside of the water incident the night before, their hands separated by a bowl of space. Lan Wangji removes his hand from the bowl, going still to let Wei Ying control this, to back away. But Wei Ying blinks, his eyes moving from the bowls, to their hands, to Lan Wangji. And then he smiles, that warm smile that brightens the world, “Lan Zhan,” he chirps, and he never wants to hear his name any other way.

Wei Ying takes the bowl of food without hesitation, moving to the grass just outside the cement patio and crossing his legs under him. And Lan Wangji stares. He expected fear, maybe another horrible scream and haunted his dreams last night, not a sunny smile and greeting. “Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying’s head tilts, looking up as Lan Wangji doesn’t move.

He blinks, taking a deep breath and letting his own soft smile bloom. “Wei Ying,” he answers, earning another smile. He’d do anything to protect it. “Let me grab mine,” he tells the boy as he takes the berry bowl inside and sets it in the sink, picking up his own bowl and coming over to the open door, settling on his step with the bowl in his lap.

Wei Ying eats first this time, a change in the routine they have set. And it wasn’t desperate as it sometimes was, it didn’t need the reminder to go slow as he took his first bite and hummed as his eyes closed. “You like it?” Lan Wangji asked, his own smile refusing to go away as he listened to Wei Ying make noises, as Wei Ying allowed himself to have a presence here.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers and it only makes Lan Wangji smile wider, it was more than a nod. He started on his own bowl. Rice and vegetables, nothing fancy yet the way Wei Ying was excitedly eating them it may as well have been a five star meal.

Lan Wangji ends up talking about how well the garden is progressing, about some of the music he likes, about little things that Wei Ying now sometimes hums in response to, even after his bowl is empty and sitting in his lap.

“I’m happy you are feeling better,” Lan Wangji tells him softly after he’s finished as well. Wei Ying looks at his bowl as he pushes the spoon around for a little bit, then gives a nod. He looks back at Lan Wangji, giving him a small smile. He returns it, “I have a question,” he starts, watching as Wei Ying tilts his head. “You understand I will never force you to do anything, right?”

A slow nod, that smile slipping as Wei Ying starts to look more nervous. “I want to get you more clothes,” Lan Wangji explains, even if it doesn’t appear to help the nervous energy the boy was giving off. “I want to,” he says, “You should be able to have more than just what you have on. You can keep them inside with the shirt and blankets if it helps. I’ll wash them for you.”

Wei Ying is tugging at his own clothes again, a nervous habit. “Dirty,” Wei Ying whispered, glancing up at Lan Wangji. “That’s okay, we can wash them,” Lan Wangji answered, “Clothes are meant to get dirty, they are okay if they get holes. Will you let me bring you a few things? You can try them, if you don’t like them that will be okay too.”

The boy took a deep breath, pulling harder at his pants and stopping as a small ripping noise started. He stares at them for a long moment before small hands very gently pat the cloth to his skin again. A nod, one, not looking at Lan Wangji, but an agreement all the same.

“I’ll have them by this weekend,” he says gently. Wei Ying nods again, quieter than before but still listening. The child stands, picking up his bowl and carrying it over to the window where he presses it up as he stands on his toes.

“See you soon,” Lan Wangji says with a small smile, Wei Ying pausing and giving a small wave before gaining some momentum and leaving again. Lan Wangji staring after him before standing to do the dishes.

Chapter Text

The week picks back up to its normal after that day. Meals left out in the morning, long days in the office. The change comes in going clothes shopping the next day, standing in a children’s aisle looking so lost four different mothers have come up to him.

He was standing in the boy’s section in a full suit, looking at all the numbers and letters for the sizing with an increasingly furrowed brow. At the fourth he gave in, sighing a little, “I’m terribly sorry. I’ve not had to do this before. I,” he hesitates just slightly, trying to put it the right way, “Do you know what may fit a nine year old? Ah, I suppose smaller, he’s been sick pretty often so he is small for his age.”

The woman listens and gives a soft smile, “This way,” she leads and talks, her own boy sitting in the cart. “These are the T’s, they are meant for younger children.” Lan Wangji listened with rapt attention as the kind woman showed him a few opens that may work. He thanked her and gathered a small selection. He didn’t want to overwhelm Wei Ying straight away so he was starting small. A few soft shirts, warm pants, and some underwear. He considered the shoes for a while, but Wei Ying was used to being barefoot, he could offer them some other time.

He washed all the new things that night, folding them and setting them at his unused kitchen table for whenever he would see Wei Ying again.

His evenings were quiet. They had always been quiet, but they felt empty in a way they never were before. His books are distracting, unable to pull his attention like they used to, so he turns to music more often than not. Playing his qin into the evening as new melodies float into mind. He starts composing again, something he hadn’t done since his early years in uni.

Sleep was on and off. Sometimes he’d wake in the night, breathing a bit heavily with the sound of Wei Ying’s cries fading in his ears. He’d calm himself down, sometimes standing and opening the window. The fresh air was good, it helped. And he’d settle in again.

Thursday morning he placed the steamed buns on their usual plate and a treat for the rabbits beside it, along with his usual paper with what he tried to make look like a bunny but was more so a circle with two longish ears. He smiled a little at it, the rabbits had settled in well and didn’t bother the garden. And Wei Ying seemed to like looking after them.

Picking up his bag and his keys he walks out the front door, down to the driveway where his car is parked. Unlocking the door he puts his bag in the back and then opens the driver door. His head lifts, a slight frown as he thinks he heard something, something feels wrong. But when there doesn’t seem to be anything Lan Wangji gets in the car. Just as the door closes he hears it, a faint scream.

He gets out, standing beside the car and looking around more closely now. He knew that scream, it was haunting him. “Wei Ying?” He calls out into the open street, silent at this time of morning. Lan Wangji leaves the car, striding down to the pavement, looking each way, straining to hear more.

And he hears it. The echo of bare feet on hard ground. He starts walking that way and there is another scream, his breathing picks up as he moves faster. Before he can think of it he is running, unsure where just anywhere closer to that cry. “Wei Ying!” he calls out again, louder, more panicked.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying shouts, his little voice straining. Lan Wangji turned quickly, he was off to the side. He runs, following a little pathway that leads behind buildings, narrowing. “Lan Zhan!” The child screams again and Lan Wangji is almost sprinting.

“I’m coming!” He yells back and turns a corner. Wei Ying is running, running toward him. And he is being chased, a pack of street dogs right behind him. “Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying cried out again and Lan Wangji hurried to close the distance.

Wei Ying trips, rolling forward on the ground as his knees and hands scrape against the asphalt. His arms instantly pull up around his head as he curls into as small a ball as possible and that piercing scream leaves him again. Lan Wangji is sprinting to get to him before the dogs can, but they are fast. One pounces, its jaw clamping down on Wei Ying’s frail arm as the child screams, trying to shake it off.

Lan Wangji is next, he doesn’t hesitate to kick the animal. The impact causes its jaws to unlock and whine as it starts to back away. “Shoo!” He yells, standing between the boy and the feral things, “Get out of here!” The dogs lower to the ground, stalking backwards at the intimidating presence before turning tail and running.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji drops without hesitation, turning to see the boy. And suddenly he goes still. Wei Ying was barely up off the ground when he turned and now, now the boy was clinging to him. His little feet stepping on and kicking at Lan Wangji’s knees and legs as his small hands grasped onto his clothes and hoisted himself up off the ground.

He keeps completely still as Wei Ying almost wraps himself around his head, as a deafening scream rips from the child right into his ear. He could feel the wet warmth of Wei Ying’s blood on his neck. “I’m here,” he says, soft, slow, carefully lowering himself the rest of the way to the ground. “They are gone, they are all gone now. It is okay.”

“Go away!” Wei Ying cried out, and he was shaking, Lan Wangji could feel every tremor. “Dog bad! Go away!” His fingers were digging into Lan Wangji, he didn’t care. He wanted them there, if they were hurting him it meant Wei Ying was here.

“I’m going to have to touch you to move Wei Ying,” he keeps his voice steady, trying to explain. “Go away!” Wei Ying shouts again and Lan Wangji takes a deep breath. “Okay, we will go,” he answers, his arms moving slowly, giving plenty of time for Wei Ying to move first or escape if he wanted to. But the boy only clings tighter as Lan Wangji moves.

It takes some effort, Lan Wangji has to be able to see if he wants to get them anywhere, and Wei Ying did not like the idea of losing elevation. What ends up helping is Lan Wangji standing, the extra height allows Wei Ying enough sense to let himself slip to Lan Wangji’s torso. He kept Wei Ying tucked against his chest, the boy’s hands fisted in his suit, still bleeding on it.

“Can we go home?” Lan Wangji asks as he takes the first steps forward, Wei Ying’s face is tucked away against his neck. He could feel the heat of tears and the slime of snot. There isn’t an answer, so he takes it to be a yes because he doesn’t know what else to do.

The walk is mostly quiet, Wei Ying occasionally gasping for air, soft sobs leaving him. Lan Wangji is trying to find the balance between not dropping the boy and not squeezing him against himself. Wei Ying was always so frightened of being trapped, he had never even been within arms reach before, Lan Wangji felt out of his depth. But those small hands, and my god they were so small compared to his own, this close he could see the bones, they held onto him with all the strength the little man could muster. He was shaking still, his entire body had a tremor going through it that Lan Wangji could feel every effect of. That paired with just how sharp the boy was, no fat softened his bones and skin, he was sharp to hold.

He was never letting him go again. His cheek came to rest on Wei Ying’s messy hair, he smelled of dirt and smoke, of damp things and iron, of tragedy written into his skin. His eyes closed for a few steps and then he focused on the path home, humming softly to him as fingers rubbed a slow circle on his back.

The loud screams were over, and as they gained distance from the dogs Wei Ying became heavier. His feet would twitch by Lan Wangji’s side, he’d sniffle and hiccup, sometimes his grip would tighten before suddenly becoming loose. But he wasn’t pushing away or asking to be put down so Lan Wangji kept going.

In his driveway he uses a foot to shut his car door before moving to the house. He pauses on the front step, a hand coming up as he stops humming, cupping the back of Wei Ying’s head gently. “Deep breath, slow,” he instructs, waiting until he feels the boy’s chest expand to walk inside.

The sound of the door closing causes those small hands to grip with new strength, but it doesn’t stop Lan Wangji who is walking swiftly. Wei Ying was terrified to be trapped inside. So they shouldn’t be inside, he used his shoe to get the traction to open the sliding door an inch, then stuck his elbow in and shoved it open, walking into the backyard with Wei Ying still in his arms.

He went by the garden, taking a seat beside the rabbit burrow and loosening his hold around Wei Ying now that the child could rest in his lap rather than fall. “We’re outside,” he tells him, well aware Wei Ying had not moved his head from its hiding place in the slightest. “We are by the bunnies. Maybe they’ll come out and say hi to us,” he tries, and receives a shake of the head instead, causing him to frown in concern, one hand moving still over his back, feeling his rough breathing.

“Dogs,” Wei Ying whispers, it is raspy after all the screaming, “Stay away. Stay safe,” he sniffles, hands tugging at Lan Wangji’s suit. “Run.”

“They are gone,” Lan Wangji tells him gently, “They can’t get in the yard. You don’t need to run from them here. You are safe here.” The words earned another quiet sob, Lan Wangji tilting his head to try and see the boy but his hair was covering his face. He instead looks at his arm, not touching it, but looking at the ragged marks dug into his skin still fresh with blood. They weren’t alone. This close he could see other similar ones. Ones that are starting to line up with the little blood stains he finds on the shirt Wei Ying borrows.

Dogs. Feral dogs were what was hurting Wei Ying. How many times had they chased him down before? How many times did he not get away? He was so small, they were fast, mean, he’d never be able to fight them off. Lan Wangji’s eyes drift to movement nearby to the two rabbits climbing out of their home and hopping on over. One already jumped onto his leg.

“Xiao Mianbao,” he calls softly, it ears a sniffle, a little more movement as Wei Ying tries to peek up at him because of the name. “The bunnies want to make sure our Xiao Mianbao is okay, they want to say hi,” he tells him, giving a soft smile to the blotchy face that is finally uncovered just a little bit. He was mostly trying to warn him before Wei Ying felt fur against his skin and went into a full panic.

But it was helping, the boy sniffling and turning slowly, looking at the two rabbits that were sniffling around them. “H-hi,” Wei Ying manages out, his weight sinking into Lan Wangji as he watches the bunnies hop up over them. Lan Wangji pets one, not saying anything when Wei Ying’s arms lay motionless against himself.

Lan Wangji watches as Wei Ying’s eyes fight to remain open, his cheek pressed against Lan Wangji’s chest, slumped into a pile in his lap. He starts to hum again, something slow and soft, his hand keeping gentle contact on his back, a reminder he was here. And it only takes a few minutes for Wei Ying to be completely asleep against him.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, looking at the sluggish drop of blood down Wei Ying’s arm, the wound’s bleeding starting to stop. “I should have been there faster,” he says, even knowing Wei Ying is asleep. Because he should have, he should have sprinted the whole time, he should have known.

He doesn’t dare move, even as the rabbits finish their exploration and return home, even as the time to be in the office has come and gone. Wei Ying was here in his arms, sleeping after being scared to death, he was not going to dare mess that up. Lan Wangji rest his head back against the house, letting his own eyes close as the sun beat down on them. It wasn’t exactly warm out, the fall was growing colder each day. But the sun helped.

It is hours before Wei Ying starts to wake, his first movement to snuggle further into Lan Wangji and relax again. Lan Wangji looked down at him, letting the boy wake on his own. He was preparing himself for it, for Wei Ying to wake and see him and run. Even if he wanted to ask him to stay, to treat the bite on his arm. But Wei Ying always approached things with fear first, he would take what he could get.

Lan Wangji is partially right, when Wei Ying’s eyes slowly blink open he looks confused. And then his body starts to tense, as if preparing for movement. Lan Wangji made sure his hands were off him, made sure the boy could run without any worry. But the child, even tense, just slowly looks around them. “Lan Zhan?”

“I’m here,” he answers, his arms at his side, head tilting a bit awkwardly to be in Wei Ying’s line of sight. He could feel him shift, the places where his bony hips had dug into were sore. “It’s okay if you want to leave. I understand,” he tells him, watching Wei Ying’s hands clench and unclench the fabric of his own torn shirt.

Wei Ying took a shaky breath, his face suddenly pressing into Lan Zhan’s chest with force. It hurt, the headbutt he received, but he sucked in a slow breath and raised a hesitant hand to pat his back lightly. “Hey. It’s okay. You’re okay. I know it has to be scary. It has to hurt.”

There is a small nod, Wei Ying’s breathing still shaky. He sounds like he is close to tears again and that is only solidified when he hears the child whisper, “No crying,” to himself. So Lan Wangji lets him settle again, lets his hand rub slowly, trying to give good safe contact.

“I have things to help your arm,” he starts slowly, waiting for Wei Ying for any cues. “I can give you some medicine if it hurts,” he offers as well. Wei Ying’s breathing is starting to slow again, his face not lifting from Lan Zhan’s chest. “Stay,” Wei Ying says quietly.

“Okay,” he answers, “I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to,” Lan Wangji explains as he watches Wei Ying sink down into him again. He’d get up when Wei Ying was ready. “May I hug you?” He asks, still trying not to make the boy feel trapped.

Another little nod and Lan Wangji relaxes, his arms coming up and loosely wrapping around Wei Ying. “Take all the time you need,” Lan Wangji whispers, “Nothing is more important than my Xiao Mianbao.” He feels it, the small huff of hair from Wei Ying. And part of Lan Wangji can settle again, knowing the boy is still capable of laughter.

The two sit in silence for another stretch of time, Lan Wangji having lost track a while ago. But eventually Wei Ying shifted. And the moment he did Lan Wangji moved his arms, letting him move as freely as he liked. Wei Ying sits up, hands trying to wipe at his face as if the damage wasn’t already done from the snot and tears drying to it. Lan Wangji lets the boy lead, and Wei Ying moves a little, sliding off Lan Wangji’s legs and into the grass, their knees still touching.

Wei Ying takes a deep breath as he looks up at Lan Zhan, his eyes trailing over him with his small frown deepening. The boy’s mouth parts, licking over his dry lips slowly as he looks down between them, hands gripping his pants as he puts himself together.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Lan Wangji tells him, recognising the struggle, the build up to it. “I’m not upset with you, I’ll never be upset with you, Wei Ying. I’m sorry. I should have ran faster. I didn’t know…”

“No,” Wei Ying’s voice is small, a bit rough still but his face is determined, frowning at Lan Wangji. “Lan Zhan…good,” the boy’s face screws up as he looks down again, frustrated. “Safe,” Wei Ying says softly, his fingers slowly reaching out, gripping the extra fabric of Lan Wangji’s suit by his calf. “Wei Ying safe,” he says as he looks up again. “Lan Zhan safe,” he tells him, “Lan Zhan,” he trails off a little and Lan Wangji is quiet, giving him time. It was already so many words for the boy, and he knew just how hard it could be to find those words especially when you never use them.

“Out,” he says, gesturing a little with his free hand around them. “Lan Zhan knows. In, in hurt,” Wei Ying frowns as his hand lets go of Lan Wangji and he scrubs at his face. He looks up at Lan Wangji again and Lan Wangji recognises the desperation in his eyes, the child begging to be understood.

“Inside has hurt you,” he clarifies, earning a quick nod. Wei Ying’s hands grasping his pant leg again, tugging. “Keep going. Take your time, I know what you are saying,” Lan Wangji tells him, a hand moving and gently resting atop Wei Ying’s.

“Alone,” Wei Ying frowns, looking at their hands. “Long time. Scared. Always always always,” the child repeats, his tugs a bit more forceful until Lan Wangji squeezes his hand gently.

“Slow,” the boy whispers, taking a long breath to calm the erratic breathing. “Wei Ying scared,” he says quietly, looking up at Lan Wangji again. “Wei Ying alone,” the boy says, voice getting softer as his shoulders fall. “Tired. Hungry. Cold. Hurt. Scared. Bad. All bad,” his head falls once again, his fingers slowly releasing Lan Wangji’s pants.

Instead those little fingers wrap around Lan Wangji’s hand, holding his fingers tightly. “Lan Zhan good,” he almost whispers, the tight hold loosening as his hands move Lan Wangji’s, Lan Wangji allowing him to do whatever he’d like as cold little fingers explore. “Like Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying smiles, a barely there thing amidst everything else. “Fun. Nice. Warm. Safe.”

It was Lan Wangji’s turn to fight back his own waterworks as Wei Ying spoke to him. It was clear how hard he was trying, how important it was to the child that Lan Zhan understood that Wei Ying thought he was safe, that Wei Ying was trusting him. “Wei Ying is fun, warm, safe,” He speaks softly, earning those silver eyes back on him again. “Wei Ying’s smile is one of my favourite things. Wei Ying makes me very happy,” he explains, smiling at the boy.

Wei Ying stares at him before his own small smile grows. “Lan Zhan smile nice,” he murmurs, squeezing Lan Wangji’s hand before letting go. “Still scared. Lots,” the boy murmurs, looking around them at the empty yard. “Wei Ying…work,” he frowns a little, as if the word didn’t feel right but he didn’t have another. The boy just sighs and itches at his injured arm, looking down at the red and brown. His eyes linger on it, dimming.

“Take all the time you need,” Lan Wangji tells him, “I know you are working on it. I know you don’t want to be scared all the time. It is okay to still feel scared. Even I am scared sometimes. We can stay outside. I’ll keep you safe from dogs. You can do whatever you feel is right to keep feeling safe.” He receives a small nod at that, and he watches the boy pick at the dried blood. “Will you let me clean that up?”

When he looks up it is tired again, but he gives a slow nod. Wei Ying stands first, holding his injured arm to himself and moving toward the patio where he sits himself down, on the side of the step Lan Wangji does not use. Lan Wangji follows, stretching out his sore body. He makes sure he doesn’t linger too long by his side, not wanting to make him uneasy after everything.

It takes a few minutes, digging out the first aid kit and taking the medicine with him as well, grabbing a cup of water too. “May I sit by you?” Lan Wangji asks, waiting inside at their normal distance. He was going to have to get closer to treat him, but he knew better than to assume.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers, watching Lan Wangji from his perch outside. He walks over, starting by giving the boy the cup that he takes, starting to drink. “I brought medicine as well,” he tells him as he takes the seat beside him, holding out his hand with the little white pill. Wei Ying stops drinking to look at it with a frown. But he takes it, gulping down the rest of the water and making a face again.

“Did it help last time?” Lan Wangji asked, opening the first aid kit and opening a wet cloth. Wei Ying nodded, holding his injured arm out and watching Lan Wangji look for things. “Good,” he murmured, “I’m going to start by cleaning away the blood, okay? Then I need to put some spray on it that may hurt a little, but it keeps bad things from getting in it and making you very sick.”

Wei Ying looked at his arm, frowning but slowly nodding again. Lan Zhan was gentle as he took Wei Ying’s hand, never holding it so firm he couldn’t pull away. It took some time to wash away all the blood, under it were layers of dirt that mixed with it, making it difficult to clean. Wei Ying needed a bath, but Lan Wangji knew he was lucky to even get this far.

After it was cleaned of the extra blood he picks up the spray, “This will hurt a little, I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji tells him, spraying the bite marks. At first Wei Ying just watches it, before his eyes widen and he jerks his arm back, lips parting as he looks down at it, the wounds bubbling a little. “Sorry,” Lan Wangji repeats, frowning himself as he watches. “I know, I hate it. It should stop soon.”

His little fist tightens, clenched at the pain laced along his arm as it burns and sizzles away. Wei Ying taking a deep breath, glancing at Lan Wangji and much more hesitantly offering his arm back out to him. “Thank you,” he told the boy as he looked at the options he had. He would probably wrap this with gauze and a bandage, but knowing that Wei Ying spent most of his time somewhere off in the outdoors that wasn’t going to last well. “It’s going to be a few band-aids, is that okay?”

Those silver eyes watched everything he was doing curiously. He nodded at the question, wiggling his fingers as he waited for whatever would come next. Lan Wangji set a few of the band-aids out, holding his arm gently as he opened the first and carefully applied it over the rip in his skin.

It is the third baid-aid in when he notices it, the minute tremble to Wei Ying’s arm, the sniffle. Lan Wangji stops immediately, looking at Wei Ying, “Hey,” he speaks gently, watching Wei Ying’s arm drop like a weight to his lap. Wei Ying sniffled as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Does it hurt? I’m sorry, I should-” Wei Ying’s head shook so quickly so Lan Wangji went quiet.

The boy pressed a hand to his eyes, Lan Wangji watching as his toes curled against the cement. Another little sniffle. “Mama,” the boy whispers, teary eyes looking back at Lan Wangji. “Member…Wei Ying get ouch lots,” the child takes in a shaking breath, his fingers of his good arm slowly moving over the baid-aids as if they were precious things.

Lan Wangji’s chest hurt. “You’re mom would give you band-aids for your ouches,” he fills in, his own voice thickening as he swallows the growing lump in his throat. Wei Ying’s little head nodded as he sniffled again. He looked at Lan Wangji and gave a small smile, even as tears slipped down his cheeks. “Good mama,” he says quietly, looking down at his hands again, “Gone.”

He wasn’t ready for this talk, he would never be ready for this. But if Wei Ying wanted to talk he would listen. He gently takes Wei Ying’s arm again, continuing to apply the band-aids over the remaining marks. “She sounds like she was good,” he agrees softly, feeling Wei Ying’s fingers tighten around him. “Do you want to talk about her?”

Wei Ying sniffles again as his hand tries to wipe away his tears, head shaking no. Lan Wangji would not push, he hummed a little in understanding and continued working. “There. All done,” he whispers. The boy looks at his arm, picking it up and searching over it for where the marks were. He then looks up at Lan Wangji. A blink, then the boy is moving.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks, lifting his hands as Wei Ying crawls right over him. But Wei Ying doesn’t answer him. Instead he picks up the towel used to clean his arm and kneels on Lan Wangji’s lap. And, oh, do those pointy little knees apply a lot of pressure in one place. “Wei Ying,” he tries, but the boy frowns at him so he shuts his mouth.

Next thing he knows the damp cloth is moving on his neck. Lan Wangji tilts his head, the cold cloth quite the surprise to his warm skin. His lips part, wanting to say something, but he takes a deep breath instead. He remembered now, the warm wetness of blood dripping down him when he first was climbed by the child. Wei Ying, albeit a bit aggressively, was trying to clean the blood off of him.

Wei Ying stands on his legs and hops off onto the patio, Lan Wangji can’t help the slight loss of air at the force. “Got it all?” He asks, trying to pretend he was not just jumped on top of. “Mn,” Wei Ying answers, placing the cloth in the first aid kit with the other things Lan Wangji had been using.

Lan Wangji wipes at the dampness on his skin, sitting up again and watching Wei Ying consider his options. The child still looked tired, but he often was worn down. “Are you hungry?” Lan Wangji asks, and Wei Ying’s eyes widen, nodding as he moves over to take the plate with his daily meal.

Well, it was good to know that the boy was apparently over his aversion to touch. At least for Lan Wangji. He rubbed over his thighs where Wei Ying’s knees dug into him. He needed to get used to it himself, especially if Wei Ying was going to continue to climb all over him like this. Wei Ying sits in the grass, plate on the cement, picking up a bun and starting to nibble away at it.

“I’m going to change,” Lan Wangji tells the boy, picking up the things he brought out. “I’ll make my own lunch after that. It’s nice out so I’m leaving the door open, okay?” Wei Ying watches, taking a pause from his meal. And he gives Lan Wangji a smile, not as bright as always, but a soft little thing.

He returns it with one of his own, comfortable in knowing that Wei Ying would be okay at least until he came back. He stood and went inside, putting away the first aid kit and refilling the cup of water, placing it on the windowsill before going to his room.

When he came back out the plate was back, the treat for the rabbits still there, and the cup empty. He glanced outside, then leaned out the window a bit more, sighing softly. Wei Ying had pulled one of his vanishing acts.

He cleaned up, getting his lunch and bag from his car, handling the emails sent his way and phone calls he had to make for not showing up. Ah. Shufu wanted to talk. Wonderful.

Chapter Text

First item on his agenda was sending out the emails to the teams. After that was done he could stare at his uncle’s text message and build the confidence to handle whatever that was going to be. A deep breath, he just had to calm the man down and get him to listen to reason. Easy, right?

He pressed call, putting the phone to his ear and wishing for it to just keep ringing. But alas, his uncle was as punctual as ever. “Wangji,” the man started, voice gruff, “I hear you’ve missed work twice this week, are you ill? I contacted Xichen but he would only tell me to speak with you. What’s wrong?” Years have let Lan Wangji learn when there is concern in his uncle’s voice. It didn’t make it easier.

“I’m okay,” he starts, because that was the simplest answer he could give. “Xiongzhang knows nothing about today Shufu, let him be.”

There is a slight pause, Lan Qiren most likely shifting topics himself. “You’ve never just not shown up before Wangji. Clearly something is wrong,” he tried again, knowing one had to be patient with Lan Wangji.

“There was…an incident this morning. I was unable to comfortably use my phone to call in,” Lan Wangji explains, being as vague about the whole thing as he can. It really was only a matter of time before his uncle would know, he’d drag it out of Lan Xichen or just show up one day. A real issue with family privacy.

“An accident? You aren’t hurt? Is your car okay? The other driver?” Lan Wangji sighed as his uncle went into a spiral of assumptions. Was it really a wonder he never talked much with the man when he could hardly get a word in?

“I am not hurt. My car is in perfect condition. There was no other driver,” Lan Wangji took a deep breath, taking advantage of the moment of silence from his uncle. “Some…thing under my care was hurt today. I heard the struggle and stepped in, my morning was spent caring for it,” he did not like that, reducing Wei Ying down to an it. But he didn’t know what else he was supposed to do to keep his uncle from truly overreacting.

“Wangji,” the name was level, making Lan Wangji wince. He knew that tone, his uncle always knew when he was breaking a rule, even if he was just trying to stretch them. “Explain.”

A deep breath, then a pause. “I have a pet. Two actually. Rabbits,” he blurts out, because he can’t do it. He can’t explain Wei Ying over the phone, he can’t expect his uncle to understand. His uncle would probably tell him to take the boy to the police, he’d make it so Lan Wangji would never see him again. And he couldn’t risk it.

“Pets,” Lan Qiren’s voice flattened, as if disbelieving of it. “You have missed work, to the point of no call no show, because of a rabbit?”

He was going to lie. That was it. He had to lie to his uncle. Lying was wrong, he didn’t lie. “Yes,” his voice was calm, startling even himself how easily the word came out. He froze, his uncle would know, he always knew.

A sigh came from the other line and Lan Wangji tensed, ready for the reprimand, “Wangji. This is why I have the pet rule,” it isn’t a reprimand, in fact Lan Qiren almost sounds understanding. And that is more of a jolt to his system than anything. “You’re on your own now, I understand you can choose your own rules but taking care of animals can be challenging. Is the thing okay? You said it got hurt.”

Lan Wangji’s heart was pounding. His uncle believed him. He lied to Lan Qiren, successfully. And his uncle sounded…worried? About the animal? “I…yes. I think. The bleeding stopped and I treated the wounds. He’s very skittish, this was the first time he accepted me being so close to him.” Wei Ying did sound very animal like when he put it that way, but at least he could talk more easily about it.

“Wounds? What happened? Does he need to go to a vet?” Lan Qiren asked, and Lan Wangji couldn’t help the small smile. His uncle was worried, he always had a soft spot no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

“No, he doesn’t need a vet. There are apparently some feral dogs in the area and they chased him down. He needs rest more than anything, I’m trying to take care of him,” Lan Wangji explained, his own voice softening without thought as he spoke of Wei Ying.

Lan Qiren went quiet for another moment, “You are very fond of him,” he remarks, because just hearing him speak of it Lan Qiren could tell. “Alright then,” his voice was more resolved. “These rabbits are still getting settled, no? Go to work tomorrow. I’ll be there by dinner on Sunday and stay for the week so you can focus on work.”

“Shufu, no,” Lan Wangji sat forward, the conversation had shifted so quickly, “You can’t.”

“Ah, no telling your elder what to do. I’m retired Wangji, I can do as I like. Now be good and pick me up from the airport. Goodbye,” with that Lan Qiren hung up the line, satisfied with his choice. He’d help with the animals for a week to ensure Lan Wangji could focus on work, and he’d get some time with his youngest nephew again. Not that he’d admit to missing him.

Lan Wangji sat on his couch, mouth hanging open to protest even after the line closed. His hand and phone fell to the sofa as he sank back slowly. Well, that couldn’t have gone much worse.

---

The last day of the workweek goes smoothly. He comes home to the emptied plate waiting for him and there is little sign of Wei Ying that night. But it was normal and he would take normal.

The next morning was getting everything out of the refrigerator, determining what to make for them. He wanted to see if he could get Wei Ying to agree to dinner as well. He started with lunch, simple rice and vegetables for the two of them and got to preparing a filling for some pork and vegetable dumplings. They would last the week. After a few hours he was comfortably humming and folding the dumplings, distracted in his kitchen as he went about working on a few different things at one time.

The sound of the sliding door moving caught his ear and he glanced over, giving Wei Ying a warm smile as the child opened the door all the way. His little head did a glance around before he stepped inside. “It’s nice out today,” Lan Wangji commented as he continued cooking.

Wei Ying was becoming more comfortable with the house. He’d ventured to the living room twice now, even if one of those was to check on Lan Wangji. He was proud of the boy, they were good steps to take even if he still kept a distance. “Mn,” Wei Ying’s soft voice replied, watching Lan Wangji from afar.

“You can come closer if you’d like,” Lan Wangji tells him, moving and cleaning off an area of the counter a little ways away. “If you sit up here you’ll be able to watch everything,” he tells him, moving back toward the stove and focusing as he pulls some dumplings from the steaming pot and starts to layer in new ones.

Even without looking he can hear Wei Ying moving, kicking at a drawer as he hauls himself up. Lan Wangji glances at him and offers a soft smile. Wei Ying gives a nervous little smile back. He wouldn’t push the distance between them, even if this was closer than they usually got there was no knowing if the dog incident was a one time thing or not.

So he talked, explaining what he was making and each step he was working through. “Catch,” he smiles and tosses a slightly cooled dumpling to Wei Ying who gasps softly and manages to catch the slippery thing, looking at it with wide eyes. “Will you be my taste tester? I want to know if you think it is good.”

A growing smile and a quick nod answered him. Wei Ying takes a bite and blows on the other half as he eats it. “So, does Xiao Mianbao approve?” Lan Wangji prompts, waiting with his hands on his hips, a small smile as he watches Wei Ying try not to laugh. “Mn,” the child answers, stuffing the other half in his mouth and smiling with chubby cheeks.

“Wonderful,” Lan Wangji exclaimed softly, putting more into steam and adding some sauce to the vegetables for lunch. “I have an idea. Want to hear it?” He asks, not looking at the boy right now as he focuses on not burning their meal. “Mn,” the small voice chirps so Lan Wangji continues on.

“I got some clothes for you. I was thinking after we eat lunch I’ll sit outside and you can try them on to see what you like. Does that sound okay to you?” This time he does look to Wei Ying, knowing he was hesitant about the new clothes to begin with. The boy is watching the stir fry bubble, considering the offer. A small nod.

“Thank you,” He tells him with another gentle smile. “Lunch is just about ready, I’m going to have to move around more,” he shares with him as he watches the timer on the last batch of the dumplings. It was a warning, he would be getting closer to Wei Ying if he didn’t move, but he didn’t want to tell him to move either.

Wei Ying doesn’t answer that, but also doesn’t get down. Lan Wangji is still careful moving around him to grab down two bowls. Wei Ying’s eyes on him, looking rather curious as he gets everything ready. “Do you want it to be spicy?” Lan Wangji asks as he scoops them each steaming heaps of rice.

“Mn!” The boy chirps, smiling a little as his feet dangle. His hands gripping the edge of the countertop and leaning to watch Lan Wangji add the vegetable mix over each of their bowls. Lan Wangji huffed a small laugh at the enthusiasm, moving and pulling down the chilli oil. “Here,” he says, definitely within arm reach of Wei Ying, setting his bowl and the chilli oil a foot from the boy. “I’ll let you put how much you’d like on.”

Those silver eyes almost sparkle in excitement as the boy shifts, seemingly unbothered by Lan Wangji’s presence as he picks up the bottle of oil and starts to pour it on his food. And he just keeps pouring. Lan Wangji’s eyes widening in barely masked horror as his lips part, he wants to stop him, but Wei Ying looked so happy. Thankfully he stopped, but not before there was a sure layer of red over the top of the bowl.

“You…like it,” he tries, giving a weak smile. Wei Ying sets the oil back where Lan Wangji has placed it and looks at him, head tilting a little at the look he was being given. “Ah,” Lan Wangji picks up the oil and puts it away again, “I’m not very good with spice myself,” he explains, earning a silent ‘oh’ from the boy who then just smiles.

“Should we eat outside?” Lan wangji asks, making sure all the burners are turned off and picking up his own bowl. He hears the thud as Wei Ying jumps to the ground, turning and watching the boy pick up his bowl and walk outside with it. Well that was an answer, he followed the boy with a small smile. Wei Ying sat in the grass at the edge of the patio again and he took his spot on the step.

“Did our bunnies enjoy the treat yesterday?” he asks, mixing his own bowl together a little as he talks with Wei Ying. The boy smiles and nods before putting a big, very red, bite into his mouth. Lan Wangji can’t help but be worried that much spice would have him coughing for air. But Wei Ying’s eyes just lit up and he let out a loud ‘mmm’ before digging in for more.

A little chuckle left Lan Wangji as he started on his own meal. Talking during meals still wasn’t easy to him, but he didn’t feel like he had to anymore either. Wei Ying was content just eating with him so that is what they did.

When finished Lan Wangji walked inside to rinse his bowl and put it in the sink, taking the bowl that appears on the windowsill as well and adding it to the pile of dishes. He dries his hands and walks to the door, looking down at Wei Ying who was standing on the patio and looking back at him. “Want me to show you everything?” He asked, earning a nod and walking into his dining area.

Wei Ying creeps toward the door, standing on the step and watching as Lan Wangji sorts things. “These,” he pulls one chair out and sets a small pile on it, “Are shirts. I didn’t know what colours you liked so I got a few, I kept with the long sleeves.” He looked toward Wei Ying whose eyes were wide, staring at the pile and back to Lan Wangji.

“This one,” he went on, moving another chair, “Pants, I don’t know what size you are so some may be a little big or small. If they are too big I can sew them so you won’t trip.” He places a small pile beside it, “This is some underwear,” he picks one up to show Wei Ying, “I went with bunnies.”

The boy was staring at him, mouth slightly parted. There wasn’t the smile Lan Wangji expected at the bunnies, he set them back in the pile gently. “Is it okay?” He asks, hoping he didn’t do something wrong.

“Lots,” Wei Ying whispered, his hands starting to wring together. Lan Wangji looked at what he got, it wasn’t enough for a week if you changed everyday. But glancing at Wei Ying the poor thing looked overwhelmed. So Lan Wangji sat down, with the step they were almost eye level, Wei Ying a bit taller. He had to remember, Wei Ying was nervous about eating two meals a day from him. The boy didn’t like to just take.

“It is a lot compared to what you have now. But I have lots and lots more than this. You’ve seen all the different things I wear, right?” Wei Ying’s eyes go between the clothing and Lan Wangji, nodding slowly. “So it isn’t too much. Just enough for you to wear and change sometimes. Clothes stay warmer when they are able to be washed sometimes,” he explains. “You don’t have to wear all of it.”

Wei Ying tugs a little on his own shirt, his nerves showing. He is wiggling a little, uncomfortable and not sure what to do about it. “How about this,” Lan Wangji starts gently, “You don’t have to keep any of it. But I think it would be fun to at least try it on. Would you mind putting one on and showing me?” He picks up a red shirt with bunnies on it, “I think this one would make you look very cute.”

Wei Ying squeaks, causing Lan Wangji to blink. He looked at the boy whose face was turning red. He couldn’t help the small smile, Wei Ying was cute already. “Will you do that for me?” He asked, knowing Wei Ying found it easier to let himself do something if Lan Wangji asked in such a way. And with the small nod he was given he relaxed, “Thank you.” He set the shirt down again, getting up from the floor.

As he walks toward the door the boy darts back out to the grass, still pink in the face and gripping at his own shirt. Lan Wangji walks slowly so Wei Ying can move around him, settling out in the grass himself, stretching his legs out with a soft sigh of contentment as he watches Wei Ying go inside. One outfit, it would be a start.

He entertained himself by looking up at the clouds, at the sparse bushes along his fence. His eyes closed as the sun came down on him. There was a chill to the breeze, not entirely unpleasant. Were the nights getting cold? Hopefully the new clothes would keep him warm.

Knocked out of his thoughts by the sound of little feet, Lan Wangji looks back at the patio. There Wei Ying stands in that red shirt and a pair of black pants that both fit surprisingly well. He smiles, even when Wei Ying is too busy looking at himself to look at Lan Wangji. The boy keeps feeling the shirt fabric, playing with the sleeves.

“Is it okay?” He asks softly, catching Wei Ying’s eye. The child nods quickly, arms tucking in closer to himself, “Soft,” Wei Ying says quietly, the beginning of a smile playing at his lips.

“Soft things are very nice,” Lan Wangji agrees, sitting up and looking the boy over. The shirt was perhaps a bit large, but Wei Ying would fill it out. He was already looking better than when Lan Wangji first found him. “Will you show me the other side?” He prompted, and Wei Ying nodded, spreading his arms out so Lan Wangji could see and turning around slowly.

“I knew it,” Lan Wangji says, smiling at Wei Ying when he finishes his rotation, “Xiao Mianbao is adorable.” The boy’s cheeks instantly start to pink up, and his hands clamp over his face to hide. But Lan Wangji can hear the tiny giggle. “Does it fit well?” He asks, getting a nod but Wei Ying was still hiding away. “Do you like it?” Another nod.

Slowly, those hands came down. Wei Ying’s face still softly blushing but a small smile on his lips. He points to this chest where there was a black bunny on the shirt, as if trying to show Lan Wangji. “I think he is very cute as well,” Lan Wangji answers as his gaze softens. “Do you want to show me another?”

Wei Ying’s eyes sparkle, his cheeks a bit warm still and his lips pressed into a wide smile that he is fighting off, “Mn!” he answers, almost running inside. A soft laugh leaves Lan Wangji, it was so good to see Wei Ying happy like this. He looked like a proper child.

It isn’t long before said boy jumps out of the kitchen and lands on the patio, holding his arms up, “Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying calls, grinning. He had put on a blue shirt this time, this one had little patterns of animals, not dogs, Lan Wangji had checked many times, travelling around it. The pants were blue as well.

Who was Lan Wangji to deny the boy a chance at a game? He gasped dramatically, even if it caused his ears to warm. It was worth it. “Is that my same Xiao Mianbao? Look at him!” He couldn’t do it with a serious face, chuckling as Wei Ying spins for him without prompting. “The flair, the style! I’ve never seen such a handsome young man!”

The spin stopped as Wei Ying put his hands over his mouth, the corners of his eyes crinkling up as he laughed quietly. Lan Wangji relaxed, his heart softening. He really didn’t know what to do without this boy. That small laugh was so soft and sweet, he could only imagine if Wei Ying ever really laughed. He took a breath, “Does the fabulous model have more looks he wants to show us?” He prompts, causing Wei Ying to grin at him again and run back inside.

He felt so warm, no breeze could take that from him. Wei Ying was being a child, he was excited and happy, he looked so good like this. Lan Wangji ran his fingers over the phone in his pocket. He wanted to take a picture, but he hadn’t asked if Wei Ying was okay with that yet. He only had the one of him asleep under the table.

Pulled from his thoughts there was another call of his name, his smile easily returning as Wei Ying struts across the patio in another new outfit. The legs were a bit long on the pants, he made sure to note that for himself later. “Unbelievable, he’s done it again,” Lan Wangji announces. It was silly, something he would never let himself do if not for Wei Ying. But seeing the boy smile, watching him twirl around and hide little bursts of laughter, it was good to be silly sometimes.

“Before we get to our next outstanding outfit,” Lan Wangji starts, Wei Ying looking at him with a wide smile. “I was wondering if Xiao Mainbao would be okay if I took a picture of him? I wouldn’t send it to anyone,” He adds, softening his voice a little from the announcer type voice he had been using. The boy’s head tilts a little, the smile turning into pursed lips as he thinks. “Okay,” the boy answers and flashes a smile before running inside again.

It was a weight off Lan Wangji’s shoulders. He pulled out his phone and opened the camera. He had worried it may cause Wei Ying to close up again, but he appeared rather unbothered by the idea. Once again the boy announced his presence and showed off the next outfit, and Lan Wangji took a few pictures of his poses, announcing all the same.

They continue until they are out of new outfits, Wei Ying quiet laughter and bright smiles filling the yard. “All done!” The boy announces after Lan Wangji finishes his commentary on the last look. “I was lucky enough to see them all,” he smiles back at the boy, “I think they all suit you very well, Wei Ying.”

The child’s hands play together for a moment, cheeks warming again. Then he takes a deep breath and breaks into a run. Lan Wangji sits up straighter, eyes widening some. “Lan Zhan!” The boy shouts as he barrels right into Lan Wangji. Wei Ying collapses to his knees as he slams into Lan Wangji’s chest, forcing the breath out of him.

“Wei Ying,” he answers, hesitating a moment before putting one arm around the child hugging him. “Thank you,” Wei Ying whispers, looking up at him with a smile. He feels like melting away into a puddle, how was he supposed to handle such cuteness? His other hand came up and lightly pressed a finger to Wei Ying’s nose, watching it crinkle up with a small huff. “I don’t need any thank yous. Wei Ying’s smile is more than enough.”

The boy laughs quietly, pressing his face into Lan Wangji’s chest where he takes a deep breath and settles, content by all appearances. “Do you want to see the pictures?” Lan Wangji asks as Wei Ying relaxes into him. There is a nod against his chest and he lets the boy move while he opens his photos, starting with the first image he took.

Wei Ying sits between his legs on the grass, leaning back into him still wearing the last outfit he tried on. Lan Wangji lets him settle in place and starts with the first, “As you see here, Xiao Mianbao was looking extraordinarily cute in his black shirt and pants. Just look at that smile,” he puts on his announcing voice again as they go through them. Wei Ying’s hands are clamped over his mouth as he squirms in Lan Wangji’s lap giggling away.

They go picture by picture, Lan Wangji making sure to find something to comment about on each one, be it the pattern on the clothing, Wei Ying’s smiling face, or his poses that he had done. And by the end of it Wei Ying is panting from his little laughs, grinning ear to ear and looking up at Lan Wangji with adoration. “Lan Zhan is funny,” Wei Ying tells him, making Lan Wangji’s ears warm slightly.

“I’m glad you think so,” he answers with a soft smile, pocketing his phone again. “Is there anything else Wei Ying would like to do?” Lan Wangji asks, wondering if the boy was going to run off soon, as he usually does. He still had to ask him for dinner.

Wei Ying appears to think for a little bit about the question, before his face breaks into a grin and he scrambles up from Lan Wangji’s lap. He lets the boy up without resistance, tilting his head as Wei Ying turns back toward him wondering what he was up to. But then Wei Ying leans in, a mischievous glint in those silver eyes, and he pokes Lan Wangji.

A blink, looking down at the finger pressed against his chest. Just what was Wei Ying doing? He looked up, preparing to ask when Wei Ying spoke, “Lan Zhan it,” he said with a grin and suddenly turned heel and ran. Lan Wangji was left sitting for a moment, it? It. His eyes widened, Wei Ying wanted to play tag with him. He got up from the ground, smiling as he looked at Wei Ying who was back against the fence, grinning at him.

“I have longer legs, I’m quite fast you know,” Lan Wangji stated as he took a step forward. Earning a quiet giggle from Wei Ying. Had he ever played tag? He remembered Lan Xichen trying to may with him once when they were little but he preferred to stay inside with his books and drawing. That didn’t keep him from hesitating as he ran forward to try and tag Wei Ying.

He may have longer legs, but Wei Ying was slippery and he learned very quickly. Just when he’d get a few paces away Wei Ying would duck straight under him and bolt away. “How are you so fast?” Lan Wangji breathed out, getting a bit breathless as he chased Wei Ying around the yard. The only response he got was Wei Ying’s giggling, the sound moving through the yard as the child evaded every attempt of being tagged.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying called, somehow already across the yard from him as Lan Wangji panted, having missed the boy for the umpteenth time. Lan Wangji could only laugh, his own soft laughter making the child’s smile brighter. “Ah, Xiao Mianbao taking advantage of my old age,” he laments, even as his ears warm.

It is worth it because Wei Ying’s lands fly up to cover his small snickers. Opportunity. He sprints, and Wei Ying gasps as he runs again. But there was enough of a delay this time and Lan Wangji was determined. “Got you!” He called as he wrapped his arms around the boy’s running form and hauled him into himself. The boy’s feet are just barely still touching the ground.

The sound Wei Ying makes is loud, so jarring that Lan Wangji instantly releases him and straightens up, stepping back. “I’m so-” the words die on his lips, he cold feeling of fear that he had hurt Wei Ying fading as he takes in the boy. The child doubled over, holding his stomach and laughing. It is a loud thing, shrieking laughter that is so uncharacteristic of the usual small sounds Wei Ying makes.

But it is right in some way. Lan Wangji’s momentary panic settles as he laughs a little himself, leaning down near the laughing child. “Aren’t you supposed to chase me now?” he questions, grinning as the boy laughs harder. Wei Ying gasping for air as he calms down again. He is still laughing, grinning as he looks at Lan Wangji. “Run.”

So Lan Wangji does, picking himself up and running across the yard, letting Wei Ying chase after him. The loud laughter of the boy now ringing out, joined by Lan Wangji’s own laughter, unrestrained in a way it had never been.

Unfortunately, Lan Wangji is not very good at tag he learns. Wei Ying gets him in the corner, how did the boy manage to corral him? But he can’t slip by as easily as Wei Ying so it is inevitable he would be caught. What was more of a surprise was Wei Ying tackling him, “Lan Zhan!” He shouted as his arms wrapped around Lan Wangji and they tumbled into the grass. Lan Wangji turns to make sure he falls first, cushioning Wei Ying with his own body.

“You got me!” He pants, arms landing at his side as he laid on his back. “Got you!” Wei Ying parrots out happily and he laughs again, loud and unrestrained himself as he rolls off of Lan Wangji, sprawling out in the grass beside him. They both are panting, trying to catch their breath, little bursts of laughter bubbling up from them.

Lan Wangji closes his eyes, his cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing. He never wanted this to end. He’d never been so happy, never felt so free to just be himself with someone. When he opened his eyes again he looked at Wei Ying, who was already looking at him, grinning ear to ear with the brightest smile the world offered. He reaches up and pats his head, ruffling that wild mess of hair. “Thank you for having fun with me.”

The way Wei Ying’s eyes light up at the touch makes Lan Wangji smile again. What was he going to do with this boy? Wei Ying licks his lips and presses them together, clearly working to say something. But he just rolls over and hugs Lan Wangji, “Mn!” he answers. Lan Wangji’s smile softens, letting his hand rest on Wei Ying’s back. He didn’t need more, this was enough.

“Will you stay for dinner?” Lan Wangji asks, looking down at the relaxed form of Wei Ying laying in the grass with him. “I like sharing with you.”

Wei Ying looks up, nodding a little and rolling away again to stretch out in the grass. He lifts his arms up above himself, and looks at the sleeves of his new shirt, a small smile playing on his lips as Lan Wangji watches him. He should get back to cooking. He had dishes to do and needed to put away the dumplings to start something for dinner. But another moment here wouldn’t hurt, watching Wei Ying hug himself and the new shirt.

Eventually he sits up, stretching out himself and getting up from the grass. “I’m going to work in the kitchen. You’re welcome to do whatever you’d like,” he tells Wei Ying with a soft smile before walking back inside. A small chuckle leaving him as he picks up the stray clothing items on the ground.

It seems Wei Ying had been rather excited as they tried on the new outfits. He rest them back in the chairs to fold later and his tattered clothes just to the side. He would try and wash them tonight, they would need to be hand washed by the feel of them. He may need to ask, worried they would fall apart.

Standing in the kitchen he decided to pack away the dumplings before starting dishes. As he puts the container in the refrigerator there is noise behind him, from the sound of Wei Ying trying to climb something. And when he turned back there he was, the boy sitting back on the cleared spot on the counter, smiling at Lan Wangji as his legs kicked in front of him.

“Welcome back,” Lan Wangji says to him as he moves to the sink. First filling a glass with water and placing it near Wei Ying before taking one for himself. The boy giggles at the greeting and picks up the water glass, drinking calmly. A comfortable quiet falling between them as Lan Wangji washes the round of dishes from earlier.

He should discuss his uncle with Wei Ying, but he didn’t want to upset him today. It was good to see Wei Ying so comfortable and happy for once. So he pushed it off, there was time tomorrow. Instead he had Wei Ying help him pick out dinner, listening to his little ‘mn’ for the ingredients he likes as he would hold them up from the fridge.

They ended up with curry, it was the best way to fit in all the things Wei Ying had picked. Lan Wangji cut the vegetables down with ease that had Wei Ying marvelling at him. He scooped a handful of onion into the pot before starting to talk again. “You’re old clothes,” he prefaced, glancing at Wei Ying who was paying him all his attention. “I want to try and wash them, but they look fragile. I’d be very careful but they may start to fall apart soon.”

Wei Ying blinks at him and then looks over toward the clothing in the kitchen. Between the clothing, blanket, and towels it was looking less and less like a dinning room by the day. The swinging of Wei Ying’s legs had stopped, indicating he was really thinking about it. The boy then looked down at himself, the new outfit he had on and took a deep breath. “Mn,” Wei Ying answers, nodding a little bit.

“It’s okay?” Lan Wangji asks as he adds carrots and potatoes. “Are they special to you?” There is another pause from Wei Ying and Lan Wangji moves to get down his spices. “Mn,” the answer is quieter this time. He looks over at the boy who is looking aimlessly at the cutting board. “Then I’ll be as gentle as I can,” he says, moving back over and tapping the top of Wei Ying’s head with his forearm as his hands were dirty.

The child looked up at that, for a moment the smile was gone but it slowly returned, a hand coming up and rubbing his head. “Lan Zhan good,” Wei Ying answers, collecting himself back up and giving an easier smile. “Wei Ying good,” Lan Wangji counters and smiles back.

Together dinner is prepared, Lan Wangji humming his soft melodies as he works. Wei Ying making small sounds of curiosity and Lan Wangji explaining what he was doing. Two steaming bowls are filled and they eat outside together as always. Wei Ying taking his place in the grass and Lan Wangji the step.

Distance between them was shifting, changing. Lan Wangji was leaving it to Wei Ying to find and set his new boundaries. Sometimes the child was content keeping to their old range, other times he was climbing over Lan Wangji. But this was good, he no longer feared if he needed to reach out to the boy that he would be pushed away. Wei Ying was accepting of small touches, allowing close distances in between the larger ones. He was getting better.

When dinner was over he walked inside to put his bowl away. The other bowl appeared on the windowsill and sure enough, Wei Ying was gone once again. Lan Wangji chuckled softly and washed the dishes. At least he got two meals in him.

Later that night after some time on his qin and preparing the guest room for his uncle, he filled the kitchen sink with warm water and soap. He walked by the still open patio door to pick up the tattered clothing Wei Ying left behind. First was soaking them. They had been wet plenty before, Wei Ying getting caught in the rain countless times.

As he pushed them around in the soapy water his throat tightened. The white bubbles were turning pink then a rusty brown as the cleaning agent started to pull the blood and dirt from the cloth. The fabric was thin, it probably did little for protection at this point. He picks them up, changing out the murky water once, twice. The red of the shirt brightened somewhat as the grime was slowly stripped away from it.

Wei Ying needed a bath. He needed that unruly mane of his combed out and cleaned. That was going to be a battle in itself. The bathroom had no windows, and even with free range Wei Ying barely went past the kitchen. Small steps. There were warm clothes on the boy now.

Once the water was running almost clear he wrung the fabric as much as he dared. He would usually hang something like this, but he didn’t want to risk the weight of the wet cloth causing tears so he laid it flat on top of the washing machine to air dry. As he spread out the shirt he smiled a little seeing the pattern that had been long lost, if he squinted it was a horse or donkey of sorts. Maybe he could ask.

Before falling asleep he got a message from his uncle indicating his arrival time. Tomorrow was not going to be a fun day for any of them.

Chapter Text

The morning was warm, the sun coming through the windows. Lan Wangji got up, moving about his morning. He folded the clothing Wei Ying had tried on yesterday, stopping and sitting at the table with a small sewing kit to hem up the pants that had been too long for him. He decided what he was making today. Something simple for lunch and something a bit more traditional for his uncle for dinner.

First, the rabbits. He cut up a few pieces of apple and some other greens before walking outside and coaxing them from the burrow. They readily hopped over to him and he let them nibble away at their treats as he pet them. They were really quite well behaved. Wei Ying must spend a good deal of time with them for them to be so comfortable around him.

He bids them farewell, leaving them to hop about the yard and explore to start making lunch. There is no surprise guest today, even with the door wide open. So he just hums to himself and cooks, plating up the meal and drizzling chilli oil over one plate before putting it on the window still and going to make his own.

When he turned back the plate was gone. Smiling to himself he walks to the door and takes his seat on the step. “Good morning,” he greets Wei Ying who is sitting in his usual spot, waiting with his plate. Wei Ying grins at him and waves.

He returned the soft smile and started to eat, Wei Ying following easily. After lunch, he told himself, then he’d sit and talk with Wei Ying about his uncle. He had to warn him. Just another person around could make Wei Ying so much more hesitant. And it wasn’t like Lan Xichen, Lan Qiren was gruff, judgemental, he didn’t smile.

“Okay?” Lan Wangji blinks, looking up from his plate to where Wei Ying was watching him. “Lan Zhan okay?” the boy asks again, head tilted. He looked down at the plate, and it turns out he had just been poking at the food and not doing much eating. “Yeah,” he answers, looking at Wei Ying again. “My Shufu is coming today. I…he wants to visit and didn’t really let me say no. I think he is staying all week.”

Wei Ying has stopped eating, his plate almost clean already but now the spoon was set down on it as well. He could see the way Wei Ying’s shoulders were tightening toward himself, the boy already more on edge than before. “I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji spoke softly. “He’s stubborn. I know you don’t feel comfortable with other people.”

The child was frowning, a deep set thing as he looked down at the cement in between them. “No,” Wei Ying mumbled, his hands pulling at the long sleeves of his shirt. “Lan Zhan no sorry,” he muttered, still frowning.

He watches the boy. He should have at least let him finish his meal. If Wei Ying runs off now, who knows when he’ll eat next. “You’re still welcome here. You will always be welcome here, Wei Ying. My Shufu won’t change that.”

A deep breath, Wei Ying’s eyes lifting to him and not the ground. “Nice?” He asks, voice quiet, his little hands fisting in the fabric of his pants. “Lan Xi-Xichen nice.” Lan Wangji looks at Wei Ying, a little surprised. He had given the boy his brother's birth name thinking it would be easier for him, like Lan Zhan seemed to be. But he could think about that later, Wei Ying was asking him a question now.

“He is a good man,” he answers, well aware that Wei Ying is wound up in a way he hadn’t seen him in nearly a week. “His name is Lan Qiren. He took me and my brother in after my mother died. He raised us. He can appear scary,” he isn’t going to sugar coat it, Wei Ying doesn’t need any surprises. “He doesn’t really smile. And he looks a little angry almost all the time. But he is good, he cares about me and my brother, he just is not very good at showing that. And you are going to be a big surprise to him, he doesn’t really like surprises.” Wei Ying makes a small sound, Lan Wangji watches as the boy sinks into himself.

“He will not hurt you,” he quickly tells him. “He would never harm a child. I’ll make sure he won’t go outside either. I’ll tell him to leave you alone.” Wei Ying glances back toward the fence, thinking about escape, something he hasn’t done in so long. “You don’t have to meet him,” Lan Wangji gentled his voice further, “You never have to do anything for me, okay? I was just hoping that if you met tonight it would make it easier for you to get your lunch when I’m not here.”

Wei Ying took a slow breath, his hands still fisted into his new pants. He clearly didn’t like this and Lan Wangji couldn’t blame him. Wei Ying was still just opening up to himself and it had taken a month to get here. “Try,” Wei Ying’s voice was small, a little shaky.

“Thank you. That is all I ask,” Lan Wangji answers, looking at the unfinished plate in front of the boy. “Are you done with lunch?” he asks, trying to move on from the topic. Wei Ying looks at the plate almost as if he had forgotten its existence. He picked up the spoon and prodded at the little pile of rice he had left before setting it down again and nodding.

“Okay,” Lan Wangji says softly and starts to get up, “He’ll be here for dinner,” he tells the boy as he heads inside with his own mostly full plate. He watches Wei Ying’s plate slide across the windowsill and waits a moment. Well aware that when he picks up the plate Wei Ying will have already run off. It doesn’t stop his small sigh at seeing the empty yard.

Not having much of an appetite himself anymore he cleaned up from lunch and settled down in the living room to wait until he had to go to the airport. Would Wei Ying eat tonight? He ate with Lan Xichen here. But the boy hadn’t finished his lunch, he couldn’t remember a time Wei Ying turned away food other than the night he had his nightmare.

The time was spent entirely unproductive, worrying rather than doing anything. He had opened the window in the living room. The air today was warm and humid. With this window open and the ones in the kitchen there was a good flow through the home. He was leaving the back door open for the most part now, in case Wei Ying wanted to venture in.

When it was close enough he got ready and grabbed his keys, driving to the airport in silence. What was he supposed to say to his uncle? Lan Qiren wasn’t always the most understanding of people. He wouldn’t risk Wei Ying being taken away, he couldn’t risk that. The questions and possible answers were still circling through his head when he saw the man walking toward the car. He should get out and help him with his bag. He should open the door for him and properly greet him. He does neither, he sits in the driver seat and is silent as Lan Qiren puts his bag in the back and gets in himself.

After the click of the buckle Lan Wangji pulls off. “Shufu,” he says stiffly. He had turned off the radio so it was an oppressive silence that hung over them. “Wangji,” Lan Qiren answers. His tone makes Lan Wangji’s hands tighten on the wheel. It was a mix of concern and some discontent. He didn’t answer. He didn’t know how to.

Lan Qiren watched his youngest nephew. Even for Lan Wangji his posture was stiff, his body tight. Something was wrong. If that wasn’t evident enough from the way he hadn’t bothered to greet him. And it was quiet. He was used to quiet from Lan Wangji, but this quiet was speaking volumes. “Did something happen?” he asked, looking away from his nephew, knowing prying eyes sometimes made it worse.

“No. Yes. I,” a sigh, frustration in Lan Wangji’s voice and silence as he takes a breath and focuses on the road. “You should have given me an option. He’s not ready. I’m worried he’s going to regress. It’s taken so long to get here-”

“Wangji,” Lan Qiren interrupts, looking at his nephew who was breathing heavier than before, holding the steering wheel with white knuckles. He hadn’t seen him this shaken in years, something was truly wrong. “It is a rabbit Wangji, I’m sure he’ll forget quickly enough. Take a deep breath, I’m only here to help.”

“You’re not helping!” Lan Wangji snaps, and a deafening silence falls in the car. He’d never talked back before. And to raise his voice, Lan Wangji pulled into a neighbourhood a few blocks down from his and parked the car on the side of the road. The moment the car was in park his hands stretched out and a shaking exhale left him.

“I’m trying so hard Shufu,” his voice was quieter, Lan Qiren giving Lan Wangji his full attention with no intentions of interrupting. It was clear he needed to talk. “It took him a month to let me touch him. He laughed yesterday, actually laughed. I’d never heard him laugh before. I don’t know the last time he was safe enough to do so. And I…I don’t know what to do. Because I’m finally, finally, getting to take steps forward with him and I know it’s going to be so easy for all of that to just disappear.”

Lan Qiren takes a deep breath, there were many questions, many inconsistencies. One thing was clear, Lan Wangji had lied to him. And if he had lied, it meant this was bigger than he knew. “You don’t have rabbits,” he says, unsure where else to even begin.

There is a small chuckle, the sound enough to make Lan Qiren’s eyes widen a fraction. Since when did his nephew laugh so freely? “I do. Two. They live out by the garden in a burrow. He caught them for me to eat the weeds from the garden. But I think they mostly eat what we give them now.”

“They were not attacked by feral dogs?” He questions, having been worried at first that perhaps his nephew’s state was due to his new pet succumbing to its wounds. Dogs were much larger than rabbits after all.

“No. They are both perfectly content. Perhaps a bit coddled by now,” Lan Wangji answers and takes a deep breath, hands resting in his lap as he turns to look at his uncle. “His name is Wei Ying. He is nine. I was on my way to work and I heard him scream. The dogs bit him but I was able to clean the bite afterward. He hasn’t complained about it.”

A child. Lan Qiren takes his own small pause. The number of questions had multiplied but he needed to stay focused. “Wangji,” he starts, closing his eyes a moment and pinching his brow. “Explain.”

Lan Wangji watched his uncle, he didn’t look angry, perhaps resigned but he would accept that. “A little over a month ago he showed up in my backyard. He took a loaf of bread from the windowsill where it was cooling and was eating it like an animal. Since then I feed him, I leave something out everyday when I go to work. I’m trying to get him up to two meals a day but he feels guilty about accepting so much.”

Lan Qiren listened to his nephew, watching as his body language relaxed, as he spoke so easily. “Wei Ying doesn’t really talk. He’s been doing better, small words and phrases. He’s been alone for over five years just living on the streets so I think sometimes he doesn’t know the right words for what he wants to say. He likes spicy foods. I was able to get some new clothes on him yesterday and made a game out of it,” Lan Wangji smiles as he thinks back on it. Unaware of his uncle staring.

He went on, about Wei Ying’s smile, about his interest in soft things, the way the boy tends to the rabbits and garden. Good things, the things that make Lan Wangji smile. And Lan Qiren takes it all in. This child was very important to his nephew. Important enough Lan Wangji was missing work, that he would risk lying about him. “Why do you not want me here?” He asks as Lan Wangji pauses, wanting to get to the problem. Because if this child was being put under his nephew’s care there should be no issue with him being there, he could help. He raised two boys before.

“He’s terrified,” Lan Wangji answers simply. “Just learning you were coming today was enough to make him not finish his lunch. He’s living in terror, he is always afraid. Xiongzhang’s smiling face made him panic and nearly run. He only gave me his name a week ago. He still won’t really come inside. And I’m afraid that having someone here is only going to make him worse again.”

“He isn’t coming inside?” Lan Qiren questions, having assumed he was moving to the sofa because from the way Lan Wangji spoke about this child he was already part of the family.

A small shake of the head, “He panics. He is afraid of being trapped inside. He was hurt before, someone hurt him and his parents and now it is just him. He views the world through that. He’s called me safe. I don’t know if he’s had someone to be safe since it happened.”

There is a small frown that graces Qiren’s face, he didn’t like the implications of Lan Wangji’s statement. But if he wasn’t being given more information there was a reason. “Alright,” Qiren faces forward again, taking a deep breath. “Give me the rules. I will attempt to make a good impression.”

Lan Wangji looks at his uncle, rather disbelieving. He had expected more anger, demands of calling someone, doing something, not this, this acceptance and willingness. “Okay,” he murmurs, taking a deep breath and facing forward himself. “No raised voices. You are not allowed in the backyard, that is his safe space. No touching. He is allowed to let himself inside whenever he likes. Maintain a five foot distance unless he is the one to change it. No forcing him to speak. He is mostly independent, he’s taken care of himself for this long, if he wants help he will find a way to ask.”

Lan Qiren gave a hum of understanding and nodded once. Other than a few small differences it was rather similar to the rules Lan Wangji had when he first took custody of him. Keeping space, letting the boy come to him, letting him use his words as he saw fit. He could do those things. The car started again.

“He’s small for his age. Malnourished. His cheeks have started to gain some colour since he eats with me. I’ve added more protein into my diet to help him. He is deceptively fast. Absolutely crushed me in tag,” Lan Wangji comments as he drives the rest of the way home.

Glancing at his nephew again, Lan Qiren had a few things to get used to. Apparently his quiet little Lan Zhan was playing games now, smiling and laughing more than he had ever seen from him. The child was helping Lan Wangji in a way as well.

When they arrived Lan Wangji did take his bag, perhaps an apology for earlier. And walked him into the house. The first stop was the guest room, letting his uncle get acquainted with the space and telling him he was going to start dinner.

So Lan Wangji may have glanced outside before starting to cook. There was no Wei Ying in sight but he still hoped the boy would show up. He liked yesterday, cooking with the boy at his side had been nice. He nodded a bit to himself and got to work. He would make enough for Wei Ying to have a portion, though he had some doubts about being able to get food into him tonight.

Lan Qiren walked into the kitchen twenty minutes later, pausing in the doorway to take in the scene. The window was open, that was understandable, it was warm today, but the door was wide open as well. And the table was not truly a usable table anymore, piles of towels and other things were on it and the chairs.

“Plates are to the right of the sink. Can you get three down?” Lan Wangji interrupted the investigation. “Ah, if you want tea you’ll have to start the kettle,” he adds and Lan Qiren gets to work. He put the three plates beside the stove where Lan Wangji was cooking and filled the kettle before putting it on for himself.

With the two of them dinner is soon ready. Lan Qiren leaning on a counter and sipping his fresh tea, Lan Wangji finishing up a plate with a generous drizzle of chilli oil. Lan Wangji walks over, placing the plate on the windowsill and stepping back beside his uncle, waiting.

Lan Qiren raises a brow and looks at his nephew, unsure what they were doing. But before he could part his lips to ask a small hand reached up and over the sill, taking the plate before disappearing. “Give him a minute,” Lan Wangji tells his uncle as he picks up his own plate. “You’ll probably have to eat on the windowsill if you are going to join us.”

“You eat outside?” Lan Qiren asks, looking between the window and his nephew. “Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, picking up his own plate. “He hates being inside. I don’t mind the fresh air. Wait until I tell you,” he instructs and moves to the door, taking his normal seat.

Wei Ying is further away, like he had been at the beginning. He was holding his plate nervously in his lap, glancing at Lan Wangji then the window. “He’s here,” Lan Wangji confirms for the boy, speaking softly. “He knows your rules. He won’t hurt you,” he promises. It is hard seeing Wei Ying so unsure again, seeing him so scared that he wouldn’t even come closer. “He will go eat in the living room if you don’t want to see him,” Lan Wangji offers.

The boy takes a deep breath, focusing on Lan Wangji, on his words, less glancing toward the window. He puts his plate in the grass, readying himself. Lan Wangji gives him time, “Ready?” He asks after Wei Ying looks back at him. There is a small nod. So Lan Wangji leans inside and tells his uncle to join them.

Lan Qiren waited as he listened to his nephew talk, he was giving Wei Ying the control, letting the child navigate. It was a good choice, it would help him feel more secure if everything was his own choice. So the slight frustration from waiting settled, listening instead to Lan Wangji’s gentle tone, the patience he had.

When cued he moved to the window, settling his own plate down and getting his first look at the boy in question. He was very small for his age. His hair looked to be a mess, he needed a good bath and scrub. But that was not what he was focused on at first. First was the silver eyes of the child, widening as they locked onto him. Fear. It practically emanated from the boy. He frowned just a little, it wasn’t right seeing a child so afraid.

There is a whimper, Lan Wangji’s plate is set aside quickly. “Wei Ying,” he calls, seeing the rising panic, the way Wei Ying is glancing back at the fence as his body tightens up to bolt. The child doesn’t look at him, he doesn’t look away from Lan Qiren, scrambling backward another few feet, away from the plate of food this time as well. He was on the bush line, only a few feet from the fence, his breathing rapid, his chest moving quickly. “It’s okay,” Lan Wangji says, reistsing moving forward himself. He hates this, he hates watching Wei Ying be so frightened again, he wants to go, to help.

“Hello,” Lan Qiren finally speaks, well aware of all the attention on himself and using a softer voice than Lan Wangji knows, causing him to look at his uncle. “I’m Wangji’s Shufu. But I think he’s told you that.” Lan Qiren pauses, watching as the child heaves for air. And slowly, to Lan Wangji’s surprise, Wei Ying gives a small nod.

“I’m a bit old to be eating in a window,” Lan Qiren continues, keeping his voice calm and gentle, “So if it is okay with you I may go sit inside?” Wei Ying’s eyes finally move away from Lan Qiren, glancing toward Lan Wangji. “It’s okay with me,” Lan Wangji answers, understanding what was happening. “Is that okay with you?” He prompts Wei Ying who slowly nods again.

“Thank you. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon,” Lan Qiren tells the boy, picking up his plate and moving to the living room without any hesitation. Lan Wangji watches his uncle go for a moment. His uncle who removed himself from the situation without making it seem like it was because of Wei Ying. He looked back at Wei Ying who hadn’t moved, but was staring at the g⁵5thround, breathing as if he had just run a mile.

“Can I come closer?” Lan Wangji asks softly, watching as Wei Ying struggles to calm back down. Scared eyes meet him and there is a small nod. Dinner is abandoned, Lan Wangji getting up and walking across the yard near Wei Ying. He settles down just arms length from him, not touching. From this close he can hear the shaking breaths, he can see the trembling. “Are you okay?” He asks.

He was getting used to this, the slight loss of breath when Wei Ying threw himself at him. The boy always came with a surprising amount of force. There is a furious shake of a head against his chest as Wei Ying gasps softly against him and clings. “S-scary,” the boy manages and Lan Wangji holds him close, rubbing his back slowly. “Shh, it’s okay. I know,” he answers, cradling Wei Ying to him as the child shakes.

Why did seeing Lan Qiren cause such a reaction? He had to wonder, but it really wasn’t worth asking when Wei Ying was struggling to breath in his arms. “Hey,” he spoke softly, “Let’s breathe together,” he tells the child and starts slow deep breaths. It takes a few tries before Wei Ying joins him, little hands gripping onto his shirt.

After Wei Ying’s breathing starts to regulate itself Lan Wangji looks down at him. Wei Ying’s head was resting against his chest, the trembling had stopped, he just looked tired now. But the child often looked tired. Did he sleep okay at night? He moves his hand, moving some of Wei Ying’s hair from his face. “He does look sort of scary.”

There is a small nod, Wei Ying blinking and looking up at Lan Wangji. “Do you want me to ask him to stay out of the kitchen?” he asks, willing to do anything to let Wei Ying have some feeling of security again.

“No,” Wei Ying’s voice is small, his eyes closing as he sinks into Lan Wangji. His hands no longer are holding on as tightly. “Not mean,” the boy murmurs. Lan Wangji runs his hand over Wei Ying’s back, letting him talk, “No, he is not mean, he can just look that way.” He pauses, watching Wei Ying take deep breaths, “Did he remind you of something?” He asks, voice soft. It was the only thing he could think of for Wei Ying’s reaction to be so strong when Lan Qiren had done nothing more than stand there.

Another small nod and Lan Wangji gives the boy a small squeeze. “Bad man,” Wei Ying whispered against him, tightening up again. So Lan Wangji ran his fingers through his hair, careful as they got caught in knots. “You don’t need to explain if you don’t want to,” he tells the boy who only nods and works on his breathing again.

It was enough of an answer. Something about Lan Qiren, be it his build, face, features, something about it scared Wei Ying. So Lan Wangji stayed, sitting with him until Wei Ying wanted to pull away. The boy hadn’t cried, that was a good sign he supposed. He let go as Wei Ying scooted off his lap, the child looking at the plate in the grass.

“Are you hungry?” Lan Wangji asks, letting his hands rest in his lap as he watches Wei Ying, letting him make his choices. There is a shake of his head and Lan Wangji nods, “Okay. I’ll leave lunch for you tomorrow when I’m at work.”

“Thank you,” Wei Ying whispered, walking back into Lan Wangji’s space to get one last hug that he gladly gave the child. “No need,” he tells him, giving a small smile as the boy pulls away. “Xiao Mianbao is my favourite taste tester.”

It earns the first smile from Wei Ying tonight, some of the tension in the boy dropping. With a small wave he clambours over the fence and Lan Wangji hears him drop to the ground on the other side.

With a calming breath of his own Lan Wangji stands and collects both their full plates, bringing them inside. He packs his own for lunch tomorrow and saves Wei Ying’s just in case. “He’s gone,” he tells his uncle from the kitchen as he starts dishes.

Lan Qiren gets up from the sofa and walks in, adding his plate to the sink. He had closed the window in the living room as the air took on a chill, the weather was changing. “Did he eat anything?” Lan Qiren asked, taking up drying duty to assist.

“No. I had the feeling he wouldn’t,” Lan Wangji answers, passing the first plate over to his uncle. “He said you look scary. But it sounds more like something about you reminds him of a bad person who hurt him. He said you weren’t mean. I think it was just the surprise of it. I’ll have to try showing him pictures first next time.”

“I think that could be good,” Lan Qiren confirmed as he put the plate away. “You’ve said he’s been alone all this time. Has he told you about what happened?”

“He isn’t ready to talk about it,” Lan Wangji hands another plate over. “He tells small bits and pieces sometimes,” there is hesitation, he didn’t know how much to share with his uncle. But so far he had been more understanding than expected. “I can’t risk him being taken away,” he starts, holding another dish out for his uncle to take. “If he disappears now, I don’t think he’ll ever come back.”

“Which is why you did not want me to know,” Lan Qiren surmisses, being directed to where things are supposed to go. “I’m not a fool, Wangji. I can tell he means a lot to you. And the look in his eyes speaks enough for itself, he’s seen things no child should. He trusts you, and I’m assuming there is no one else for him to go to.”

“No,” he answers, carefully washing his knives. “When he gave me his name I told Xiongzhang. We had an age already, we knew how long he says he has been alone. He found him. I haven’t talked with Wei Ying about it. He lives with it, he doesn’t need to be reminded by me.”

“Tell me,” Lan Qiren insists as they both dry off and move toward the living room. Lan Qiren taking a seat and Lan Wangji settling down where he still has a slight view of the kitchen and the door.

“He is believed dead,” Lan Wangji starts, turning his attention from the darkening skies to his uncle. “His parents were killed. From the reports his father was killed first and his mother slowly tortured until she too died days later. And he was there. His blood was at the scene. I don’t know all of what he saw, I know it is enough that he suffers from nightmares that make him scream. I know he was trapped somehow. That he is terrified of coming inside and being locked in. There is no family. No one ever stepped forward looking for him. Everyone just gave up on him and he was too afraid to risk being found.” His voice was calm, almost detached. Because it was easier that way, because he couldn’t think of those reports and that photo, of the screams and the cries for his parents, he couldn’t think about that or he would break too.

Lan Qiren had sat forward as he listened to his nephew talk, his hands clasped. When Lan Wangji stopped, his eyes closed for a moment, taking a slow breath. It explained the fear, it explained why the child didn’t look away from him even as Lan Wangji tried to distract him. He was a threat, why would the boy ever turn his back on a threat. “How long has it been?” He asks, looking back at his nephew. His nephew who was breathing a little heavier, clearly not unaffected by the information.

“A little over five years. He turned nine just after I met him,” he answers, folding his hands and looking down as he takes a calming breath. “I’m doing what I can. He’s so slow to trust. The day with the dogs he climbed up my shoulders like a tree trying to escape. It was the first time I was within arms reach of him. I carried him home and he fell asleep crying against me. It wasn’t his first run in with dogs. I’ve seen scars on his arms.”

“You couldn’t get to a phone to call in,” Lan Qiren fills in, better understanding why his nephew was missing from work. He knew it was something big.

“Mn,” he nods, leaning back over and looking out the cracked door at the dark clouds. “He’s been more touchy since. Small things mostly. He still keeps his distance when he eats but he’s hugged me a few times. I’m afraid he’s going to get scared again and go back to running away.”

“It may happen,” Lan Qiren leans back again, “Even if you want it, it is not always a straight path forward. Mistakes will happen, he may distance himself again. But if he came to you once, you have to trust him to do it again.” He watches his nephew looking outside, frowning just slightly, “What’s wrong?”

“It wasn’t supposed to rain today,” Lan Wangji stands, too distracted to continue this talk. “The weather can change quickly near mountains,” Lan Qiren explains, standing and walking after his nephew.

A flash of lightning comes before any rain has yet to fall. Lan Wangji opens the sliding door further, standing in it. “Come now Wangji, it is just a storm. Close up and we can settle in with a few books.”

“No,” Lan Wangji answers, ignoring his uncle’s prompting, not bothering to look at him as he scans along the fenceline for any hopes of Wei Ying jumping over. They talked about this, Wei Ying knew he had a place when the rain came down. Sure, Lan Qiren had shaken up the boy but he wouldn’t sit through a freezing storm because of that, would he?

Lan Qiren watched his nephew, the worry he was carrying and looked out the open window, a question forming. “Where exactly does that boy stay when he isn’t here?”

“I don’t know,” Lan Wangji answers, forcing himself to step away. “Living room. He may let himself in if no one is in here,” he takes one last look outside as the rain begins to fall and turns away, back to his seat from before where his leg bounces ever so slightly. “He shows up wet. Wherever it is, it doesn't have cover.”

“You expect him?” Lan Qiren asks, settled back into the sofa, watching his nephew radiate nervous energy. It was unlike him. But then again when he first was given charge of two young boys he was much the same.

“We’ve talked about it. I don’t care if he needs the door wide open the whole time, I just want him somewhere dry. The first time I had to beg to get him inside. Since then he’s been okay about letting himself in even if I’m at work. He puts out the towels and usually falls asleep.” Lan Wangji rubs his temple slowly. “It’s getting cold out. I don't want him to get ill.”

“Take a deep breath Wangji,” Lan Qiren instructs. “You have to remember he’s spent years before you with this. You may not like it, but he can handle it.”

“He shouldn’t have to,” Lan Wangji answers before doing as told, letting his eyes close, tension slowly starting to lessen. “I’m sorry. It’s just been so much.”

“You are taking on a very large responsibility. It is natural to be worried about him and overwhelmed sometimes. I was terrified when I took in you and Xichen. I knew so little about children and you especially worried me. I worried I wasn’t doing enough, that I was being too strict on both of you, I know I made mistakes,” Lan Qiren spoke, and Lan Wangji looked at his uncle rather surprised.

“Shufu,” he murmured, but Lan Qiren continued. “I had support. My coworkers, the family in general supports us, supported me. It sounds like Xichen has been trying to support you. I’ll do what I can as well. But he, Wei Ying,” Qiren corrects, wanting to use his proper name, “He’s going to be difficult. Not in a bad way, but he is going to cause you to burn out if you don’t have anything to support yourself with. I understand right now it isn’t exactly possible, he’s too jumpy for us to really step in, but we will be here Wangji.”

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji murmured, his eyes drawing back toward the open door as the storm continued on. “I just want to take away his pain. He shouldn’t have to be so scared that he would rather be soaked in the cold than in here with me. And I know I can’t force it. I know that if he isn’t here already I don’t think he is going to come. But I want him to. I want to hope that he will.” A small sigh, “Would you like to play a round of weiqi?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Lan Qiren agrees, wanting to distract his nephew for now. Lan Wangji sets the board out and while Lan Qiren sorts the pieces between them he moves to the kitchen, half closing the door and laying out the towels, just in case. He returns and sits across from his uncle.

They spend the evening in a similar fashion. The storm raging outside as the two play a few rounds and then settle in with books. With one last look in the empty kitchen, they head to bed. It is still hard to fall asleep knowing Wei Ying is out there, knowing that if he had been more firm and kept his uncle away perhaps he could be inside. But he still finds sleep eventually.

Chapter Text

The rain is still coming down when he wakes, just a light drizzle now. He cleans up the wet towels and put a few dry ones out even if it was supposed to stop in a few hours. He gathered his things for work and placed a plate of dumplings, including a few extra, on the windowsill. He glanced out, knowing full well he’s never seen Wei Ying this early but still looking.

With that he has to go to work, taking the time to start the coffee machine for his uncle when he wakes. He had to reassure himself it would all be fine, one day wouldn’t change everything. So he goes into the office and works, dealing with people, watching the sun break through the clouds and the rain fade away. He had to stay focused. If something was truly wrong his uncle would know to call.

There was no call. He drove home, the sun warming his car. Even with the radio still off it wasn’t as bad as the day before. Wei Ying will have had his meal, he probably wouldn’t see him today but that was okay. It was normal, he could do normal.

Walking inside he set down his bag and removed his shoes, taking his usual route through the kitchen where his feet stopped. “Shufu?” He calls, getting an answer from the living room. He walks toward the windowsill where the plate sits, completely untouched. He turns, Lan Qiren having walked over. “Did you see him? He’s never just left it before.”

“I was keeping an eye on him,” Lan Qiren tells his nephew, frowning at the concern the other was showing. It was just a small meal. “I heard someone watering the garden. I told him it rained and he was going to flood them. He ran off after.”

“Why would you? What did I tell you?” Lan Wangji takes a deep breath, fighting down his anger. “You know how scared he was of you yesterday, why would you think it was okay?” He turns, needing to think, to look away from Lan Qiren. He picks up the plate and warms it up for a few seconds in the microwave. “Go. Living room, bedroom, I don’t care. Get out of the kitchen.”

It is cold, an anger Lan Qiren is unused to in his nephew, an anger never before directed toward himself. He doesn’t argue, turning and going back to his book on the sofa. He listens as the sliding door he had closed opened again.

Lan Wangji walks out, the patio is almost completely dry but the grass was wet, it soaked through his socks and he didn’t care. “Wei Ying!” He calls out, he doesn’t know where the boy is, where he runs off to. But Wei Ying is always nearby when he puts something out, he has to stay close enough. He sets the plate down on the wet ground, “It’s in the grass!” He calls, retreating. If Wei Ying was jumpy enough to not take food, who knew if he’d accept Lan Wangji close.

He walked back inside, standing at the window and staring out, looking for any sign of movement. Ten minutes and nothing, not a rustle of a tree or bush. The lone plate sitting out in the grass. What if that was enough? What if Wei Ying didn’t feel safe anymore, what if he wouldn’t come back? All sorts of things ran through Lan Wangji’s mind, and all of them fell into silence as a small form struggled to get over the back fence.

With a wince Lan Wangji watches Wei Ying flop ungracefully onto the ground where he lays for a moment before slowly getting up. The boy walked to the plate and squatted down, not quite sitting, still able to run Lan Wangji realises. So much like that first day all over again. And he was soaked. That long hair was sticking to him, the new clothes looked heavy with the weight of water they carried.

“Wei Ying,” he calls, voice soft and those eyes meet him, scared, just as fearful as always. He hates it. He has to remember to keep his own face calm. “May I come outside and talk?” He asks. Wei Ying shoves an entire dumpling in his mouth with that sort of desperation he hadn’t had in so long now.

He moves to the patio door, stepping out, staying on the cement to give Wei Ying plenty of space. But getting closer allows him to see the shaking, Wei Ying is shivering down to his bones in the soaked clothing. “Thank you for watering our plants,” he says as he sits down, well aware of the way Wei Ying’s eyes flicker back and forth between him and the food. “You work very hard to take care of them for us.”

Another full dumpling disappears. And Lan Wangji frowns just a little, “Slow,” he tries, “I would be sad if Xiao Mianbao got sick.” The child holds his gaze a little longer then, looking at the next dumpling in his hand. “Slow,” the boy repeats quietly, taking a bite this time, less rush to it. And Wei Ying’s feet slide across the slick grass from under him, his squat turning into a sit.

He chewed slowly, swallowing down the bite. “Wei Ying bad,” the boy murmurs, putting the other half of the dumpling in his mouth. “You are not bad,” Lan Wangji tells him, watching as another shiver runs through Wei Ying and wanting so badly to wrap him in a blanket.

“Upset. At Wei Ying,” Wei Ying picks up another dumpling and looks at Lan Wangji. “Scary man.” Just what tone had his uncle used? What exactly had he said? Lan Wangji controlled himself, Wei Ying did not need to see his anger, “He was not upset. Shufu didn’t know that Wei Ying takes care of the garden, he was just worried. No one is upset with Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying takes another bite of food and covers his mouth with his hands as he coughs, shivering again. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji starts, needing to take a slow breath, “Why didn’t you come in last night? Was it because of Shufu?”

The half eaten dumpling gets set back down as Wei Ying hugs himself, a cool breeze blowing by that bites at Lan Wangji’s skin. There is a small nod. “Lan Zhan…busy,” Wei Ying struggles out, picking up the dumpling and shoving it in his mouth as he slowly chews.

“I am never too busy for you Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji tells him, because it is the truth. He’d give anything up for Wei Ying. “It doesn’t matter if anyone else is here, the kitchen is yours. Nothing is more important to me than keeping you safe.” Wei Ying’s knees are slowly drawn up, his cheek resting on one as he slowly works on his mouthful, body shivering again. He looked exhausted.

“Will you come change into something dry?” Lan Wangji tries. “You have more clothes now, remember? Maybe you can get warm again if you change.” The boy watches him, eating the last dumpling on the plate. Lan Wangji can only sit and wait, Wei Ying wasn’t talking, wasn’t really answering either.

“Mn,” the boy finally made a sound now that the food was gone. Though he made no move to get up. Lan Wangji still felt himself relax slightly. “I’ll go into the living room, okay? You can put the wet clothes anywhere. Maybe if you are feeling comfortable I can make us a hot drink? I may have some hot chocolate, that always makes me feel warm.”

Another shiver racks the boy’s body, a cough he muffles with his hands. “Cold,” Wei Ying admits quietly. It isn’t really an answer, but Lan Wangji still stands, starting the kettle before standing just inside the living room with his back to the kitchen.

Lan Qiren looked up at his nephew, he heard small bits and pieces. Mostly Lan Wangji’s side of things. But Lan Wangji isn’t looking at him. He can’t afford to be angry when he goes back to Wei Ying.

There is a wet slap that causes Lan Wangji’s shoulder to tighten, soon followed by another as Wei Ying strips himself of the soaked clothing. “You can use the towels to dry off,” Lan Wangji says loud enough for the boy to hear. There is some sound of movement before it is quiet again. Lan Wangji waited, it was all Wei Ying’s choice.

“Lan Zhan,” the quiet voice of the child drifts through and Lan Qiren’s brow raises, but he stays quiet. Lan Wangji turns back toward the kitchen, “I’m here,” he answers, like he always does. Wei Ying had slipped into another outfit but his arms were still wrapped around himself as he shivered. It was hard to get warm again. “Did you want to share hot chocolate with me?” Lan Wangji asks, keeping distance today for Wei Ying’s sake.

“Mn,” comes the soft answer and Lan Wangji nods, as he moves to take down two mugs he finds Wei Ying’s plate on the counter, the boy having brought it inside. He sets it in the kitchen sink and pours some hot chocolate powder into each mug. “Is your blanket in here?” He asks the boy, glancing over toward the table. Some things had been moved, Lan Qiren must have been doing something.

The child’s silence was enough of an answer. “I’ll go get it. When the water is hot it will make a noise okay? I’ll come and stop it quickly, but it can be a little loud.” Lan Wangji waits this time for a small nod before moving back to the living room. He finds the blanket folded over the armrest and picks it up. He then pauses a moment and picks one up from his chair as well. On his way back the kettle starts to beep and sure enough there is a squeak from Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji quickly turns off the kettle. He looks at Wei Ying who is shaking slightly, he looks pale. He goes to the old distance between them and sets down Wei Ying’s blanket then moves back, making the two mugs up. When he turns back around Wei Ying has tucked himself up against the wall behind the table, wrapped up so barely his face peeks out of the blanket. If he weren’t shivering so much his teeth chattered it would have been adorable.

“Can I come close today? I’ll just set this down and back up,” he offers, holding both their mugs, his own blanket tucked up under his arm. Wei Ying looked him over, he was still in his work suit, he hadn’t bothered with changing yet. There is another nod. So Lan Wangji makes his way around the table. He set the mug down a little bit away from Wei Ying, moving to pull away when a small hand shoots out, grabbing onto his sleeve. “Stay,” Wei Ying pleads, the hand letting go as the boy coughs again.

“I’ll stay,” Lan Wangji answered easily. He set his own mug beside Wei Ying’s and sank down to the ground, unfurling his blanket and wrapping himself up like Wei Ying, just a face peeking out. He then snuck an arm out and picked up his drink. There was still a foot of space between them, but he was here.

Wei Ying watched him, as Lan Wangji wrapped the blanket up around his head a small smile started to form on the boy’s face. “Silly,” Wei Ying whispered as he picked up his own drink, holding the hot mug in his shaking hands.

“Silly?” Lan Wangji answers, his own small smile forming. “I am simply learning from Xiao Mianbao. The greatest blanket wearer I know,” he praises a bit dramatically. It was silly, he knew it, his ears burned red under the blanket. But it was worth it for the little huff of laughter that left Wei Ying, for the smile that graced his small face. He could handle being silly if this was what it earned.

He drinks his hot chocolate, noticing it is a while before Wei Ying actually takes a drink. The boy seems to like the warmth it was giving off. But when he takes a drink his eyes widen and he looks up at Lan Wangji, surprised, “Mmm,” he announces. Lan Wangji smiles, taking another drink of his own. “It is sweet. Can you keep a secret?” He asks. Wei Ying’s eyes start to take on a bit more of that glint, that sparkle that was so very Wei Ying as his head nods.

Lan Wangji leans closer to him as Wei Ying leans toward him as well. “You can’t tell my Shufu. But I really like sweets,” he whispers. Wei Ying grins, nodding his head quickly. “Do you like them too?” Lan Wangji asks, and the nods continue, “Good. We can like them secretly together, okay?” A little giggle comes from the boy, “Okay,” he whispers back.

Wei Ying ends up closing the distance between them. Scooting until he could lean up against Lan Wangji’s side, drinking slowly at his hot drink. The shivering had mostly stopped by now, some colour returning to his cheeks. “Will you try to come next time it rains?” Lan Wangji asks after a little while, looking down at the head of Wei Ying. “No one will bother you without your permission, I promise.”

“Try,” Wei Ying answered after a little while, and Lan Wangji ruffled his damp hair gently. “Thank you.” It gets him a small smile, the boy sinking into his side again. They finish their drinks and Lan Wangji carefully takes Wei Ying’s cup as the child’s hands start to drop it when he falls asleep.

He was ready to be stuck here for a while. He’d seen Wei Ying after storms, they wore the poor thing down. Wherever he stayed must not let him be safe for him to crash so hard after each rainfall. He set the cups to his side and slipped his phone from his pocket, making sure not to shift too much so as to wake the boy.

LWJ: [He’s asleep. If you need something you can come in but be very quiet.]

He sends the message to his uncle, well aware of the man just a room away, that he most likely heard everything. He could explain later if he must, making sure Wei Ying warmed up, trying to get him to smile, that had been more important than being proper.

It isn’t long before Lan Qiren stands in the kitchen doorway, looking at the two of them. Both wrapped up in matching blankets, the small boy tucked up against Lan Wangji’s side, sleeping with his mouth slightly parted. He moves quietly, taking down a glass to get water.

“The kitchen is his,” Lan Wangji speaks softly, knowing Wei Ying tended to wake less to voices and more to strange sounds. “His blanket can stay here, his things are fine at the table.”

“I understand,” Lan Qiren answers quietly, resting as he watches the boy slowly breathe. “He calls you Lan Zhan,” he points out.

Lan Wangji lets his arm rest around Wei Ying, the boy snuggling into him further. “I gave him options. It is what he is most comfortable with,” he explains, watching as Wei Ying settles again.

“You called him a name,” Qiren starts to question. “Xiao Mianbao,” Lan Wangji answers, even as his cheeks warm at it, “I needed to be able to call him something before he trusted me with his name. It makes him smile, so I still use it sometimes.”

“You are very good with him,” Lan Qiren finally tells him, looking at the boy again. “You give him a feeling of control, you work him out of the panic he gets stuck in. Those are hard things.”

“Not when it’s him,” Lan Wangji tells him, looking up at his uncle. “I don’t care how strange or silly I need to be. He was meant to smile, I’ll do anything to help him do that.” Wei Ying shifts a little and Lan Wangji looks back to the boy, moving his hand slowly over his back.

Qiren watches his nephew, some of his own worry draining away. Lan Wangji could do this. The boy was already attached to him and it was the same the other way around. “Do you need me to make dinner?” He asks, setting his water aside.

Lan Wangji agrees, keeping quiet with Wei Ying on their side of the kitchen as Qiren moves quietly himself. He puts together a simple meal, setting two bowls near enough for Lan Wangji to grab them before taking his leave of the room. When Wei Ying finally starts to wake it takes him a moment to collect himself.

He gives him space, and then they eat together, Wei Ying going slow, better than before. Lan Wangji sees him off after dinner, Wei Ying looking brighter again as he hops the fence. Another quiet night passes with his uncle, enough was understood between them about what happened.

---

Lan Qiren gets up to make himself coffee the next morning, standing in the kitchen and sipping from his mug as he looks at the plate his nephew set out. Before he went to work he cleaned up, the washing machine was running with the towels and clothing from the child the day before.

Yesterday he had interrupted Wei Ying’s routine, he wasn’t as gentle as he should have been when talking with him. He had startled him then made it worse. Today he’d try to leave the boy be. He wanted to help, he wasn’t cruel, seeing a child so scared and hurt was jarring, there had to be something he could do. But unfortunately the boy wasn’t trusting enough to let himself be helped.

He spent the morning finishing his book he had brought along. He takes his mug into the kitchen to wash it after he finishes, stopping what he was doing as he heard sounds outside. Small footsteps, Wei Ying was back. He glanced at the clock, it was lunch time he supposed. But he learned, give space, don’t initiate anything.

So instead he watched. Those footsteps got closer and soon small hands reached up, picking up the plate and wandering away. Lan Qiren took his own steadying breath and walked to the window, making his footsteps heavy to give the child warning. And sure enough, scared eyes were on him. The boy out in the grass, clutching the plate of food close to himself.

He was a lot like Wangji in a way, hesitant, quiet, and untrusting of others. It took years for his nephew to open up to him, to allow himself to interact with other people. Even then it was always with a distance. So few people saw through to the truth of his nephew, the kind man behind the cold exterior. “I can heat that up for you,” Lan Qiren offers, voice gentle. He doesn’t stay to wait for an answer, knowing he wouldn’t get one. Instead he backs away from the window to give him space.

And slowly, the plate returns. Once it is on the windowsill he hears running. Waiting a moment he walks over, seeing the child staring at him again. “Do you like it really hot?” He asks. There is a small shake of the head and he nods, stepping inside with the plate. Soon enough he sets it back down and moves inside again. And a few minutes later the plate disappears.

He doesn’t bother him again, well aware of the boy’s hesitancy around him. But when the plate comes back clean he gives it a moment before moving to pick it up and Wei Ying is standing in the grass, waiting for him. He waits, wondering what the boy was waiting for. “Th-thank..you,” the child stammers out, his hands tugging at his sleeves nervously.

“No need,” he answers, nudging the plate aside to lean on the windowsill and watch Wei Ying. “You don’t need to force yourself for me. Wangji used to try as well. I think he felt bad sometimes, he’s always been able to talk with his brother more easily than me. I understand it. He was scared,” Lan Qiren says, well aware of the eyes on him, following as the child’s body language started to slowly unwind.

“Lan Zhan scared?” Wei Ying asked quietly, the boy frowning a little bit like the very idea of it didn’t seem right. But Qiren gave a nod, “Mn. He was always a quiet boy. Then his mother died and he wouldn’t speak with anyone. It took him time to understand she wasn’t coming back. It was okay for him to be scared, it was a scary thing.”

Wei Ying was frowning, and he slowly sat down, looking up at Qiren. “What..happened?” The child asks, with a bit more confidence coming to his words. “She was sick,” Lan Qiren answered, watching Wei Ying settle in. “She got sick quickly and she died from it. It was hard for him to understand when she was okay just a little before that.” Wei Ying’s small head nods slowly, looking down at the grass.

“He started talking more after he was less scared. But it took time. So don’t force yourself, we all understand. Wangji didn’t like being touched either. But he seems to like your hugs, so keep up the good work, okay?” Lan Qiren tells the boy, aware that the far away look in his eyes is likely about his own family.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers quietly. Lan Qiren watches him a moment more before starting to get up, giving him space. “Ah,” the boy makes a noise, so he pauses, looking at him. Wei Ying licks his lips and frowns a little. Lan Qiren settled again, watching the boy search for words much like Lan Wangji used to, knowing to give him time. “Bunny,” Wei Ying starts, glancing toward the garden and then back to Lan Qiren. “Hungry,” he explains.

“Hm. Wangji did say they were coddled,” Lan Qiren answers, leaning a bit to look toward the garden. “Do you need something to feed them?” He asks, looking back at Wei Ying. “Mn,” Wei Ying nodded his head, thankful he was understood. “I’ll prepare something for them, do you feed them?” He asks, earning another nod. “Then I’ll set it back on this plate so you can give it to them.”

He goes into the refrigerator, pulling out a few options. So he may have done some research on rabbit care after his call with Lan Wangji. He was planning to help after all, he needed to be knowledgeable. So he made a plate with a variety of small things for their diet and set it out for the boy before going to clean up. The plate soon was gone.

Things were better after that, both of them doing better. Lan Wangji was just relieved that Wei Ying had eaten. He was surprised to hear that they had talked, but it helped him to relax as well. Over the next few days Lan Qiren would heat the boy’s lunch up for him, he’d talk a little, about Lan Wangji, about the book he was reading, about work, just things to fill space and the child would sit and listen. Each day Lan Qiren would make a plate for the rabbits and Wei Ying would feed them. He still didn’t show up in the evening. Dinner was a rare thing for the boy.

Chapter Text

It was the last day of the work week. Lan Qiren would be flying home the next day. He started his morning with the usual cup of coffee and looked outside. The sky was dark, a storm was rolling in. He knew what that was supposed to mean. Wei Ying was supposed to come inside. He glanced at the door, the plate on the windowsill. It wasn’t raining yet. He had a feeling Wangji would be calling around lunch if the rain began before then.

He settled down with his current book for the time being. Later returning to the kitchen to rinse out his mug. It had started to rain, not very heavy yet but still enough. There is a flash of lightning. Movement at the door catches his eye. Against the flash of light there is a shadow of a boy just staring at him through the closed door.

A hand moves to his chest, “My god,” he mutters, because that was terrifying. But he raises both his hands, speaking a bit loudly so he could be heard, “I’m going to go back to reading my book,” he gives Wei Ying a small nod before turning. The boy was already wet and shivering from the glance at him. He retreats to the living room but takes Lan Wangji’s spot as curiosity gets the best of him, he wants to see what the child will do.

He listens as the door opens, the cold wind of the storm following the child inside. He watches as Wei Ying closes the door slowly, how he sometimes sticks out an arm to make sure he still fits. The door ends up remaining part way open. His next step is collecting the towels from the table, the child carefully laying them out in front of the door and window.

Wei Ying takes down the plate of food and sets it aside. Once the towels were on the floor he picked up a large shirt from the little pile of clothing and Lan Qiren looked away, giving him privacy to change. He looks back after a while and finds that the boy had curled up in his blanket under the table facing the outside.

The child can have his space, Lan Qiren remembers to text his nephew that Wei Ying had come inside before picking up his book and resuming where he left off. It was better, knowing the child was safe in here than out in that mess.

A few hours passed. Lan Qiren was hungry. It was well past his lunch time and he knew he shouldn’t bother the boy. But perhaps he could just grab something from the fridge. He stands, walking to the edge of the kitchen and looking toward Wei Ying. The boy’s breathing was slow and even, he was asleep. So he just needed to be quiet.

Everything was fine until the fridge opened and the rattle of things inside startled the child awake with a quick scared breath. Lan Qiren quickly stepped backwards, giving more space. “I’m sorry,” he said gently, Wei Ying’s wide eyes focused on him. It was the closest he’s been to the boy. “I was just getting hungry. Could I make something to eat? I promise to stay over on this side,” he asks, keeping his hands visible. The child is watching him like a threat, looking toward the door like he may need to run, he doesn’t want to scare him off. “I can go back to my book, I can wait.”

There is a small shake of Wei Ying’s head. “May I stay then?” Lan Qiren asked for clarification. And there was a quick frightened nod. Wei Ying sitting up and scooting himself further under the table. “Thank you,” he tells the boy, taking a few things from the fridge and moving to the far counter to keep as much space between them as he could.

It was already late. Lan Wangji would be home within the hour. Lan Qiren was preparing a small dish for himself, cutting up an apple currently. He glanced toward the plate that Wei Ying had moved, all the food on it was untouched. Would he be willing to eat? Perhaps if he left the room again. A hiss of pain came from the man as the knife slipped, cutting into his hand.

Lan Qiren moved, the cut welled up with blood quickly, he took a step toward the sink as blood started to drip down his fingers and landed on the floor. He freezes in place as he hears the sharp intake of air from the table. Wei Ying had been watching him the entire time, he knew as much. But when he looked at the boy now it was different. He hadn’t been watching him like this, frozen, staring down at the floor.

He should wash his hand, but Wei Ying doesn’t even look like he is breathing. He held it with his other hand, it wasn’t bad enough to really need treatment it just looked bad. Lan Qiren slowly gets down on the ground with Wei Ying, not any closer, just exactly where he was, trying to minimise his presence.

“Wei Ying,” he calls softly, but the boy doesn’t even blink, he doesn’t look up from the blood on the floor. “It’s okay. I’m okay. Just a little accident, alright?” He tried, but there was no answer to any of it. It was like he wasn’t even there.

That is what Lan Wangji walked in on. He stopped, taking in the scene of Wei Ying barely taking shallow breaths and unfocused on the floor, his uncle sitting, hand bleeding and trying to talk with the boy but getting nothing in return.

“What happened,” he demanded as he walked into the kitchen, his eyes focused on Wei Ying, looking for any sign of movement, of anything. “I don’t know,” Lan Qiren admits, glancing toward his nephew. “I was just making something to eat and cut myself. He was nervous but fine until I went to wash up. It’s like he can’t hear me, he’s barely blinked.”

“How long?” Lan Wangji asks, kneeling down as well, trying to follow Wei Ying’s eyeline to find what has him so transfixed. “No more than ten minutes,” Lan Qiren answers, letting his nephew take over. It takes a moment, but Lan Wangji finds it, the little puddle of blood on the ground between the two of them. And Wei Ying’s eyeline fixed solely on that, even as unfocused as he looked.

“Oh,” he breathes, “Wei Ying,” he calls the boy with a bit more urgency and moves between them, blocking Wei Ying’s line of sight with the blood and injury. “Can you look at me? Breathe with me?” He tries, slow deep breaths. But Wei Ying is staring through him, unresponsive to anything Lan Wangji is trying to say to him. “Wei Ying. It’s okay. It’s safe. No one is hurt, no one is going to hurt you.” When there is nothing again Lan Wangji turns toward his uncle.

“Get me a warm blanket. Clean up the blood on the ground. The first aid kit is in the bathroom under the sink,” he directs before focusing on Wei Ying again, trying to reassure him, to talk even if there is no recognition.

Qiren moves. He is careful to keep his blood off anything, tossing a blanket into the dryer and starting it before moving to the bathroom and bandaging up the cut on his hand. It had stopped bleeding already, but he covered it to be safe. He then came back, wiping up the blood from the floor and after a few minutes handed the warmed blanket over to his nephew and stepped back to give space.

Lan Wangji crawls toward Wei Ying, “It’s all cleaned up now,” he speaks softly as he moves eventually under the table with him. “See, everyone is still safe. No one is leaving, no one is hurt,” Lan Wangji keeps talking as he wraps the warmed blanket around the bundle that Wei Ying was already in.

With the boy unresponsive to even his touch he started to lean him over, together laying on their sides where Lan Wangji watched those hazy eyes. “I’m here. You’re safe,” he repeats. Wei Ying’s small form starts to tremble, that is when Lan Qiren recognises it, the child is in shock. Lan Wangji just keeps talking, gentle words and reassuring things. He doesn’t touch more than was needed, but he stays close.

When Wei Ying breaks from his near catatonic state it is with a painful gasp for air and a horrible scream. Lan Qiren flinches at the sound but Lan Wangji remains still. “It’s okay,” he repeats, voice calm and gentle, “Wei Ying is safe. Everyone is safe.” The child curls in on himself as a sob pulls from him.

“Lan Zhan!” The boy wails so Lan Wangji reaches out, hand moving slowly over the floor so Wei Ying knew he was there. Resting that hand on his cheek. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” And Wei Ying is shaking, fighting to get out of the blankets he is wrapped in until his hands are free and they desperately grab onto Lan Wangji as Wei Ying cries his name again.

Lan Wangji helps him close and tucks Wei Ying against himself, rolling slowly so he is on his back, Wei Ying laying on his chest. Wei Ying’s hands pulled at his suit, trembling against his chest. Lan Wangji remained calm, pulling the discarded blankets up over them to ensure they covered Wei Ying to keep him warm. He ran his hand over his back as Wei Ying cried.

The child cries for his mama and baba, he calls for Lan Zhan, and Lan Wangji answers every time. He holds him as the child cries that it hurts, that he is scared. Lan Wangji hums, and when Wei Ying struggles to hide in the blankets he helps pull them over both their heads. Sometimes it is saying soft words, quiet assurances, other times humming the song he is working on and giving gentle touches. And eventually Wei Ying gives out, scared, tired, and cold, he cries himself to sleep holding onto Lan Wangji like he was all he had.

Lan Wangji carefully surfaced his own head, needing fresh air. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and hugging Wei Ying close for his own sake. At least he could hold him this time, at least he didn’t have to sit and watch him suffer all alone.

Lan Qiren stood silently as he watched his nephew work so hard to calm the child. He was calm, exactly what the boy needed. He didn’t think he could have done that, he couldn’t imagine trying to calm a little Lan Wangji down from something of that magnitude. He moved to sit on a kitchen mat while he waited for his nephew to catch his breath.

Lan Wangji opens his eyes again after a few minutes, looking toward his uncle. He was well aware they were being watched, but that didn’t change the fact that Wei Ying needed him. There is a long silence between the two of them, unspoken questions, before Lan Wangji sighs and gives in. “Wei Changze was found in the bathtub of the home with a gunshot to the face and nearly two dozen stab wounds to the chest. The list of injuries on Cangse Sanren is longer. They found enough of Wei Ying’s blood to declare him dead.”

He closed his eyes another moment to clear his thoughts, Wei Ying’s screams still ringing in his ears. “He was quiet when it was his own blood. I didn’t think much about it, he was scared of the dogs I…He doesn’t seem to sleep well. The blood and how hard this week has been with him, he’s seen too much.”

“Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren?” Lan Qiren repeats, trying as well to not think of the scream of the boy. It was no wonder Lan Wangji was so certain he was there with the way the child cries.

“I knew them,” he shook himself of the thoughts, “A long time ago now. They were a few years under me in university,” Lan Qiren sits back against the cabinets. “I didn’t see much of Wei Changze, he was an engineering student and was often busy. But Cangse Sanren was a brilliant woman, loud and rather shameless, but brilliant.”

Lan Wangji lifted his head somewhat, listening to his uncle. He rest it back down again, not wanting to wake Wei Ying. “He hasn’t talked about them. I don’t know what he remembers. When I put band-aids on the dog bite he told me his mother used to do that for him and she was good.”

“She would have been a good mother. She laughed often. She rather enjoyed teasing me,” Lan Qiren spoke softly, looking at the bundle of blankets on his nephew’s chest. “They were good people. I had no idea they had a child. They would hate to see him like this.”

“I’m trying,” Lan Wangji answers and stares up at the ceiling. “He was starting to laugh, he smiles with me sometimes. I hate seeing him like this as well. But at least he’s reaching out and not hiding wherever he runs to.”

“You’re doing well,” Lan Qiren tells him, “I’m sure they would be happy to know someone is looking out for him.”

Lan Wangji runs his fingers down Wei Ying’s pronounced spine, “When he is better, when he can handle talking about this. I think he’d like to hear about them.” Lan Qiren nodded, getting up from the floor to get the both of them water. “I’ll be here. Let’s just focus on getting him healthy. I worry about him out there come winter.”

“I know,” he answers, “He’s not going to eat dinner after this. I can’t blame him but it is hard getting weight on him.”

“I’ll look into suggestions. Perhaps a certain diet will be able to help,” Lan Qiren offers, setting two cups near Lan Wangji. “I’ll try to stay out of the way, the poor thing looked exhausted.”

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji murmured as he let his own eyes close. He listened to his uncle’s footsteps leaving the room and focused on the sound of Wei Ying’s slow breathing. He was safe, he wanted Lan Wangji here when he was so frightened. It was good, even if he had barely been able to hold himself together in the face of Wei Ying’s tears.

It is a few hours before Wei Ying starts to wake, as he shifts Lan Wangji looks down, carefully lifting the blanket from his head. Wei Ying’s red face lifts a fraction as he slowly blinks and looks around. “We’re in the kitchen,” Lan Wangji whispered, watching as Wei Ying blinked and his head fell against Lan Wangji’s chest again. “Shufu is in the living room. He is okay, just a little cut.”

Wei Ying’s hands squeezed at the reminder, the boy not saying anything but tugging the blanket closer. So Lan Wangji helped, making sure it was nicely tucked around the both of them, pulling it back up over both their heads. He waited, even if his shoulders and hips ache from laying on a hardfloor for so long, he would keep waiting.

In the muted silence of the blanket he can hear Wei Ying’s slightly raspy breathing, watching as Wei Ying’s eyes closed again and the boy took a deep breath. “It was scary, wasn’t it?” Lan Wangji asked after a minute, hand slowly moving over Wei Ying’s back. There is a nod against his chest, the child turning and resting so he can look up toward Lan Wangji.

Lan Qiren was right, Wei Ying looked exhausted. And with that exhaustion there was a sorrow that clung to him, settling into that face that is meant for smiles. Lan Wangji moved enough to use his hand to clear some of Wei Ying’s hair from his face, looking down into those silver eyes. There was less fear than normal, Wei Ying not flinching away from him but just watching with a resignation that felt wrong.

“Do you want to stay like this a little while more?” Lan Wangji asked, trying to figure out what may help. Wei Ying was usually more active than this, this was sluggish, like it was going to take the child effort to move. His question is answered with another little nod as Wei Ying’s eyes slowly blink up toward him. “Sounds good to me,” he responds, resting his head on the clump of blanket he had tucked behind it. The kitchen light filtered through the blankets, but it was dim making it dark and warm under their cover.

They lay together in silence for another while, Lan Wangji feeling Wei Ying occasionally wiggle and settle again. He wanted to offer him water, but Wei Ying didn’t seem ready to move that much yet. He let his own eyes close, giving as much time as needed.

“Lot of red,” Wei Ying whispered, Lan Wangji’s eyes opening at the sound of his small voice. He lifted his head to see him, staying quiet to let Wei Ying talk. The boy licked his lips as he paused, not looking at Lan Wangji but just into the darkness the blanket offered. “Baba cold. Red.”

Lan Wangji’s eyes closed a moment as he followed Wei Ying’s words. “Blood,” he says quietly, the red was blood. Wei Ying nods his head, looking up toward Lan Wangji again. “Gone. All gone. Alone,” Wei Ying’s eyes start to tear up but he sniffles and rubs at them with one hand. “No crying,” he whispers to himself.

“It is okay if you cry,” Lan Wangji tells him, hand resting on his back again. “They are gone now. But Wei Ying isn’t alone anymore. I’m here. I’ll be here as long as you want me to be.” Wei Ying sniffles again and squirms, moving up to hide his face against Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“Stay,” the boy whispers. Lan Wangji wraps his arms around him gently, giving a small squeeze. “I’m staying right here,” he answers, letting his head lean against the child. Wei Ying needed him, he had needed someone all these years. He was never going to be left alone again if Lan Wangji had any say in the matter.

It takes a few minutes for Wei Ying’s breathing to settle again. When it did he spoke softly, “Can we come out of the blanket? Shufu left us some nice water to drink.” Wei Ying’s head shifted on his shoulder, then a nod. So Lan Wangji moved slowly, pulling the blankets off their heads but trying to keep it mostly wrapped around them as he sat them up. Wei Ying sitting in his lap, resting against his chest.

He picked up the first cup of water and held it out for the boy. Wei Ying let go of him and pulled his arms out of the blanket to take it in both hands, drinking slowly. Lan Wangji waited to make sure he had it before taking his own and taking a few sips.

Outside the rain had passed and it was starting to grow dark, a cold breeze blew in from the open door. He took the glass from Wei Ying as it was emptied and handed back, the child sinking back into him, arms tucked back into the blanket. “Do you feel okay?” Lan Wangji asked, tucking the blankets closer around Wei Ying as the boy looked around the room.

A shrug was the answer, which was fair enough. It was hard to be okay after such things. “Do you want more water? Maybe some food?” He asked, eyeing the full plate of lunch that Wei Ying had not touched.

“Stay,” Wei Ying repeated, his hands finding Lan Wangji’s suit again to grab at it. “Okay,” he answers gently, running a hand over Wei Ying’s arm to let him know he was still here. “I won’t go anywhere. I just wanted to make sure you are taken care of.”

They share silence again as Wei Ying clings, wrapping himself around Lan Wangji’s torso. Looking down at him it was hard to think that Wei Ying had been adamantly avoiding touch only a week ago. It was clear how much he craved it, how much it helped to settle him. And Lan Wangji found he didn’t mind it all that much. Wei Ying’s weight against him was comforting rather than suffocating.

“Soup,” Wei Ying finally speaks, and Lan Wangji blinks before looking at him. “Soup?” He asks, wanting to make sure he is hearing the child correctly. “Warm food,” Wei Ying answers, lifting his head from Lan Wangji’s chest to look at him, waiting. And it takes a moment, “Ah, warm food is good on cold days,” Lan Wangji says and Wei Ying nods his head.

“I’ll have to get up to make soup,” he informs the boy, who has already let his head settle back down. But he is still visible enough for Lan Wangji to see the frown at the idea of it. “I could carry you,” he starts to offer and Wei Ying immediately nods his head. “But,” the child pauses his nodding, “I can’t do everything. I could ask my Shufu to help, but then he will have to come in here with us.”

This time it takes Wei Ying longer to answer, the child considering the options being given to him. “Lan Zhan hold Wei Ying?” The boy asks, looking up again. “Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, giving him a small squeeze. “Okay,” Wei Ying agrees, his arms moving to latch around Lan Wangji’s neck.

It was somewhat of a surprise. He knew Wei Ying and his uncle had been distantly getting along but he didn’t think the child would be comfortable enough to have him so close. Then again, he had asked if Lan Wangji would hold him, so he was trusting Lan Wangji to protect him in case something happened.

“Hold on for me,” Lan Wangji tells him, getting a soft ‘mn’. He then stands, using an arm to support Wei Ying and taking a moment to tuck the blanket around him so it wouldn’t hang in the way of anything. He was a bit big to be carried so much but Lan Wangji had the strength to spare. With Wei Ying well supported he took the chance to stretch himself a little. After he walked toward the living room, ensuring he stayed well within sight of the door for Wei Ying.

Lan Qiren looked up from his book, a little surprised at the sight. “Shufu,” Lan Wangji greets and there is movement, Wei Ying’s face turning to peek out toward the man then away again. “Would you be willing to assist us in making some soup? Seems my hands are a bit full.” They both see the hint of a smile on Wei Ying at the comment, the child letting Lan Wangji support him.

Closing his book he set it on the coffee table and stood, “Tell me what you need done,” he agreed, following a few steps behind Lan Wangji back to the kitchen. He remains still as Lan Wangji moves, watching as his nephew supports Wei Ying easily with one arm and pulls out ingredients from the refrigerator.

“These need to be cut up,” Lan Wangji informs him, having set up a station for his uncle to work at as he moved to get a pot out and adding some stock into it. Lan Qiren moved to the place set for him, glancing toward his nephew where two silver eyes were watching him over Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“Okay?” A small voice asks, and both men stop what they are doing. Lan Wangji glanced down at Wei Ying, but the child wasn’t looking at him. When there was no answer the boy tried again, “Hurt. Sh-Shufu okay?”

“I’m okay,” Lan Qiren answers, lifting his hand for the boy to see it. “Only one band-aid. It was just a small cut.” He glances at the cutting board he was in front of. “I’ll be more careful,” he looked back at the boy, “Are you okay?”

Lan Wangji slowly added something to the pot as they talked, paying close attention to Wei Ying in his arms. He wasn’t tensing up, so he was at least somewhat comfortable with the conversation. Wei Ying takes a little time to answer, most of his face hidden from Qiren’s view, “Mn,” the child hums, “Lan Zhan good.”

“I’m glad he is helping you,” Lan Qiren nods to him and Wei Ying nods back. “Thank you for checking on me.” With a small ‘mn’, from Wei Ying he started his task. Each item he would cut then they would shift so he could drop it into the broth that Lan Wangji was building.

A comfortable rhythm was settled, Wei Ying going back to his quiet self as he tucked his face into Lan Wangji’s neck and closed his eyes. Eventually it is just left to simmer with the occasional stir, both Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji are leaning against the countertop.

Lan Qiren watching his nephew, how he shifts Wei Ying’s weight easily across his body, ensuring not to disturb the tired boy, how he is always aware of the child, anytime the boy moves a hand resting on his back to help settle him. The man was still in his work suit, he hadn’t even taken a moment to change into something more comfortable. He laid on the hard floor for hours just to keep Wei Ying calm and to let him sleep. Even now he was watching his nephew balance a blanket with the child just to keep him bundled up and warm.

“Wangji,” he starts, getting the attention of both boys. His shoulders relax slightly, “Good job. I’m proud of you,” he tells the man. His little nephew had always tried so hard to do well and find his place in things. But this, he didn’t have to try for, it was a hard thing, but he was taking to it without hesitation.

The comment is a surprise, Lan Wangji watching as his uncle settles and shares, swallowing down the soft rumble of emotion from hearing those words. It was a validation that he was doing the right thing, that at least some of what he was trying was working and good. He needed to hear it. “Thank you,” he answered, his hand moving slowly over Wei Ying’s back as the child blinked between them.

Lan Qiren looked at the boy and gave a small nod, “I’m proud of you as well Wei Ying. It can be a very hard thing to trust someone like you have with Wangji. You’re a very brave boy.” Wei Ying’s eyes widened slightly, the child glancing between the two men before settling a little again, “Mn,” he answers, cheeks a soft pink.

The timer buzzed and Wei Ying jumped slightly, before blinking and looking up at Lan Wangji, “Soup,” he exclaimed softly. “Mn, it should be ready,” Lan Wangji answered, fingers running over Wei Ying’s spine as the child settles again. Sudden noises were still hard on him. “Will Shufu get bowls ready for us?” Lan Wangji asked, looking at his uncle. And as he did Wei Ying followed, “Soup,” he announced again.

With a small shake of his head and a fond little huff Lan Qiren moved, taking down bowls for them. He looked back toward Wei Ying, “Do you want a full bowl?” The child thought about it, while he was doing that Qiren portioned out his own and Lan Wangji’s dinner. “Hungry,” Wei Ying eventually answered, so Qiren filled his bowl well.

Lan Wangji moved with Wei Ying, back down to the floor. He sat back against a wall and helped Wei Ying get settled sitting between his legs. When Lan Qiren carried the bowls over, Lan Wangji reached for them, both men giving Wei Ying as much space as they could. The child was focused on his blanket, he had to take his arms out of it but he was spreading it out as well, tucking it over Lan Wangji’s legs so they were both covered by it.

He held both their bowls, thanking his uncle silently as his uncle took his own bowl to the living room and gave them space. He waited as Wei Ying finished getting them settled, the child looking even smaller in the large shirt he was wearing from Lan Wangji. “Careful,” he warned Wei Ying as he passed over the bowl. It was hot and he didn’t want it to spill over them.

Wei Ying was careful, lowering the bowl down to his legs where he supported it. “Warm,” Wei Ying murmured, moving the spoon slowly through the broth. “I like warm things,” Lan Wangji said, his own bowl had to be more carefully balanced as the child in his lap took up most of his space. He didn’t mind it. Wei Ying still usually kept distance for meals, protective of the food he was given. It was nice seeing him so calm tonight, especially in the face of things that used to scare him.

The boy took a bite, humming a happy little noise as he took another. Lan Wangji started slowly on his own, but would stop occasionally to watch Wei Ying’s head do a little sway back and forth as he made his happy noises. It brought a smile to his face. It was hard to imagine the boy was crying only a few hours ago.

“Is it good?” Lan Wangji asks after a little while, smiling at Wei Ying’s little movements. “Mn!” The boy answers, head craning upward to see him and give a blinding grin. “Yummy!” He announces happily, taking another bite. He was doing better with utensils as well, having gotten practice over the weeks. Perhaps they could work on getting some new skills soon.

“Good. We have to make sure we thank Shufu then. He helped us make it,” Lan Wangji instructed, and Wei Ying’s head nodded quickly. He looked around, just now realising that Lan Qiren had left the room. He had been too focused on tucking both of them in to pay attention. “He is eating in the living room, just over there,” Lan Wangji explains, pointing with his spoon as he takes another bite himself.

“Mn,” Wei Ying nods, understanding. He then takes a deep breath, “Thank you Shufu!” The boy yelled, Lan Wangji coughing as he nearly chokes on his spoonful. Wei Ying was loud, it was so easy to forget just how loud a child could be when Wei Ying’s normal volume was so small.

There is a similar coughing from the living room, Lan Qiren also surprised by the sudden outburst. Lan Wangji can’t help it, a small chuckle leaves him causing Wei Ying to look up at him, smiling wide. He can only laugh, gently tapping Wei Ying’s head with the bottom of his bowl, earning a giggle from the boy.

“You’re welcome,” Lan Qiren’s voice drifts to them as the man clears his throat. Lan Wangji can only imagine his uncle freely breaking his own rules, “Good job,” he tells Wei Ying, smiling. Wei Ying just giggles again and goes back to his own meal.

When they were finished he stacked the two bowls and set them down beside them. It was dark out, near his own bedtime. He glanced down at Wei Ying who was leaning back against him, body relaxed. Would he run off again? He’d been insistent on not leaving Lan Wangji’s side since earlier but Wei Ying never stayed the night unless it was actively raining. He didn’t know how to go about asking, afraid Wei Ying may take it as him trying to make him leave.

Lan Qiren walked into the kitchen, glancing over at them. “Do you want me to take care of the dishes?” He asked, looking at the bowls beside him. Lan Wangji glanced down again, Wei Ying’s head fell back against him, eyes closed. “Please,” he answered, nudging them toward his uncle who walked over and picked them up, starting to fill the sink with water.

“Sleep on the couch,” Lan Qiren said as he packed away the extra soup. “Move it so he can see the exit. He clearly doesn’t want to let go of you yet.” Wei Ying’s eyes slowly blinked open at the conversation, watching Qiren move around them and yawning. “Stay Lan Zhan?” the boy asks quietly as he looks up to Lan Wangji.

“Of course you can stay,” he answers, Wei Ying’s head falling against his chest again. “Is Shufu’s idea okay? Will you feel okay if you can still see the door?” Wei Ying turns his head to look at the door, staring out into the darkness. There is a small shrug, “Try,” Wei Ying murmured.

“Okay,” Lan Wangji responded as he ran his hand over Wei Ying’s arm. The warm meal had settled the boy and now Wei Ying was ready to sleep. “I’m going to pick you up again,” he warns, waiting for the confirmation from Wei Ying before moving. It was still tricky with the blanket but they would need it for the sofa. “We won’t be able to see the door for a little bit until I get the couch moved, will you be okay?”

Wei Ying’s arms circled around his neck, it took some time for him to answer. He clearly didn’t want to be put down, but he was tense. Lan Wangji understood that he feared being trapped inside, even with good people, so he waited, letting Wei Ying figure it out. A small shake of his head, Wei Ying letting go of him. “I’ll be quick,” Lan Wangji tells him as he kneels down to set Wei Ying’s feet on the ground, aware of his choice.

He gets back up and goes to the living room, having to move a few things to make it so he can move the couch. Wei Ying just stands there in the kitchen, he wraps the blanket tighter around himself, shoulders pulling in toward himself. He eyed Lan Qiren as well, a layer of confidence taken from him now that he was without Lan Wangji.

“Wangji is a good young man,” Lan Qiren broke the silence, setting a bowl aside to dry. “Mn,” Wei Ying answers softly, watching the back of the man as he was talked to. “Thank you for making him so happy,” Lan Qiren continues, glancing back at the boy who looked perhaps a little confused. “He never used to smile easily. His laugh is still something I rarely hear. You’ve been helping him.”

Wei Ying looks toward the living room where they can hear things moving, the edge of something coming into view and leaving again. “Lan Zhan,” he trailed off, lips pressing together as he tried to think of what he wanted to say. “Safe. Happy here. I…” The boy sighs a little, his arms hugging his blanket closer. “I want to stay. Scared. Bad man. Hurt Wei Ying. Hurt Lan Zhan too.”

Lan Qiren stopped washing as Wei Ying spoke, turning and drying his hands as he let the boy take his time. Wei Ying spoke very little with him, it was important to pay attention when he was talking. “You’re afraid to stay because of the bad man?” He asked, clarifying. Wangji had not told him of the outcome of the police investigation. Was the perpetrator caught? Did Wei Ying know?

The child nods his head a little, Lan Qiren could see the rise and fall of his chest getting faster. “He hurt you?” Lan Qiren softens his voice, seeing the rising panic. This time Wei Ying’s head nods more vigorously. “You’re afraid he will hurt Lan Zhan,” Qiren follows, earning yet another quick nod as the child shifts between his feet, glancing toward the living room again.

“Wangji,” Lan Qiren calls, looking back at Wei Ying. “He isn’t going to hurt either of you,” he tells the boy, even if Wei Ying wasn’t paying him much attention anymore. The moment Lan Wangji stepped into the kitchen Wei Ying bolted toward him, tripping a little over the blanket and falling into Lan Wangji’s arms as he knelt to catch him.

He looked up at his uncle, frowning toward him as he hauled Wei Ying up into his arms. The child wrapped his arms around Lan Wangji’s neck, his breathing shaky as he buried himself against Lan Wangji. “It’s okay, deep breath for me,” Lan Wangji focuses on Wei Ying first, running his hand over his back.

“He is happy here,” Lan Qiren shares, watching the child trying to calm back down. “He said he is afraid of staying because he fears the bad man coming back and hurting you.” Wei Ying’s hands dig into Lan Wangji, a soft whimper leaving him. “Me?” Lan Wangji asks, glancing down at Wei Ying, giving a gentle squeeze as a hand comes up to hold his head.

The boy nods, still trying to take slow breaths. Lan Wangji looks at his uncle who just gives a small nod. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji speaks softly, stroking his head gently, “No one is going to come here. I’m safe here. So are you.” It was all he could really give and he knew it wasn’t enough. Wei Ying should have been safe with his family, he should never have experienced whatever it is that haunts him.

“Scared,” Wei Ying whispered, muffled further by Lan Wangji’s suit. “It’s okay to be scared,” he tells the boy, “We are okay, you don’t need to do anything too scary right now. I’m happy that you are happy here.”

Wei Ying starts to relax again, his breathing evening out. Lan Wangji looked back toward his uncle, “Would you get a pillow from my room and something for me to wear tonight?” Lan Qiren nods, moving past the two as Lan Wangji rocked slowly, letting Wei Ying take his time and breathe. “I’ll be here, no matter how long you need. I just want my Xiao Mianbao to feel safe.”

The boy’s head starts to lift, resting on his shoulder as he looks up at him. “Silly,” he mumbles. Lan Wangji gives him a small smile, “I’m going to have to change for bed. You can stay, I just need to put you down for that.” Wei Ying nods, starting to unwrap himself from Lan Wangji and letting himself be put back on the ground. Wei Ying swayed a little as he stood, eyes fighting to stay open.

Lan Wangji thanked his uncle as he was handed his clothes, the man stepping out as he changed. Wei Ying wasn’t watching him, but he still made it quick as he folded his work clothes and set them at the table to handle later. “Do you want me to carry you?” he asked as he looked down at Wei Ying’s tired face.

Wei Ying nodded and held his arms up. Lan Wangji knelt and picked him up again, gathering the blankets pooled about him. “Ready for bed?” He asked, Wei Ying already rather limp against him. “Mn,” the boy mumbles, and Lan Wangji holds him close as he carries them out to the living room.

It was the furthest Wei Ying had been in the house he realised as he laid them back on the sofa. His uncle had brought out pillows and an extra blanket. Wei Ying was content laying across his chest so he moved around him, layering them with blankets as he listened to his uncle returning to finish the dishes.

He ensured Wei Ying was tucked in well, the boy’s cheek was pressed against his chest just over his heart. Resting a hand over his back he took a deep breath. “Goodnight, Wei Ying,” he said softly. Wei Ying blinked up toward him, looking half asleep already. “Lan Zhan…sing?” He asks quietly. “Sing?” Lan Zhan asks in return, he didn’t really sing but he would try for him if wanted.

Instead Wei Ying demonstrated, humming quietly the song that Lan Wangji had been composing recently. “Ah,” he murmurs, smiling a little. He picked up where Wei Ying left off, humming softly to him as he felt Wei Ying relax and fall asleep against him.

Remaining awake he listened to Wei Ying’s steady breathing. Wei Ying was sleeping, inside, with him, without there being rain outside. He was talking more, with him, with his uncle, even after everything today he was eating and smiling. He was growing here, opening up to him and starting to learn other people could be safe. They could be okay, progress was slow but it was progress.

Lan Qiren turns off the kitchen light and walks to the living room entryway. He looks over the two of them, today just solidifying his trust in his nephew, “Do you want me to turn the light off?” He asked softly, not wanting to wake the boy. “Mn. Thank you,” Lan Wangji looked toward his uncle, “He’s never stayed before.”

“He’s had a rough day. You make him feel safe, it’s one of the few things he keeps telling me,” Lan Qiren answers, eyes falling on the child. “Did they arrest who killed his family?” He asks, thinking about the child’s fears.

“No,” Lan Wangji takes a deep breath, “From the reports they made it sound like a random attack. I don’t think he’s in danger, it’s been so long and he’s believed dead. But I can understand his fear either way. He should have been safe and it was taken from him.”

“It will take him time to learn. But he appears to be rather bright. Just keep being a support for him, children need structure around them. I’m here to support you, you know Xichen is as well. Let us know what you need,” Lan Qiren moves and turns off the light.

“Thank you, Shufu,” Lan Wanji murmured, hand moving over Wei Ying’s back slowly as he looked up at the ceiling. His uncle moved to the guest room for the night. He began to hum softly again and slowly found his rest with Wei Ying’s weight on his chest.

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji woke the next morning with a yawn and opened his eyes slowly, looking around to recognise his living room. Ah, he looks down at the weight on his chest. A small smile blossoms across his face at the sight. Wei Ying lay on top of him, cheek pressed into his chest, mouth slightly parted, and his unruly hair sprawled over them.

It was adorable. He slowly moved, working his fingers carefully through the ends of his hair to start to work at it. Wei Ying was sound asleep, he had stayed all night, inside, with Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji moved slowly, he was in no hurry to get up today. Wei Ying should sleep as long as his little body wants him to.

After an hour Lan Qiren appears, glancing at the two on the couch and nodding in a silent greeting to his nephew before moving to make his morning coffee. Lan Wangji is well aware that Wei Ying didn’t tend to show up until the late morning, as he watched the slow rise and fall of Wei Ying’s chest he wondered if the boy slept in like this regularly. Was his windowsill Wei Ying’s first trip of the day?

He greeted his uncle on the man's way back to the guest room after getting his coffee, settling down to be here until Wei Ying woke. It turned out to be a few hours later, around nine when he looked over at the clock. Wei Ying’s first sign of wakefulness was a deep breath and small sound as he snuggled into Lan Wangji further.

Lifting the blanket he brought it up to better cover Wei Ying, feeling his body relax again. The boy was waking slowly, he kept still so as to not cause him to jump. Wei Ying was rather prone to flinching or jolting at sudden movements and after a deep rest Lan Wangji was aware he may not wake well.

Wei Ying’s eyes slowly blinked open later, opening wider as he looked around, his body getting tense as he started to move. But then he looked up, and Lan Wangji offered a soft smile to him as Wei Ying’s search stopped. “Lan Zhan,” the soft voice was hazy with sleep still as he spoke.

“I’m here,” he answered softly, moving a stray lock of hair from Wei Ying’s face. At Lan Wangji’s response he felt Wei Ying’s body lose its tension, the child settling back down into him and letting his head rest against Lan Wangji’s chest again. Wei Ying took a deep breath and yawned after. “Did you sleep okay?” Lan Wangji asked softly as Wei Ying settled back in.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answered, “Lan Zhan warm,” he goes on with his voice slow from sleep. Lan Wangji continued working at his hair, glad Wei Ying wasn’t trying to leave right away. “Wei Ying is nice and warm as well,” he tells him. He would start something for lunch when Wei Ying was ready to be up for the day. He had to bring Lan Qiren to the airport as well.

“Does Wei Ying have any ideas for meals today?” He asks, planning to make a run by the shop on his way back home. Wei Ying hums a little in response, still relaxed against his chest. “Lan Zhan make yummy food,” Wei Ying mumbles, moving some so he can look up at Lan Wangji easier.

“I’m glad you think so,” Lan Wangji fixes his hair, laying it out behind him. “How about lunch we keep it simple, rice and veggies? I’ll cut extra for our bunnies as well.” Wei Ying started to smile, nodding as he rolled onto his stomach and let his chin rest on Lan Wangji’s chest.

“For dinner I was thinking something a little spicy,” He continued on, Wei Ying’s eyes widening as his smile grew. “You like chicken, right?” He asks, earning another eager nod that digs Wei Ying’s chin into his chest with each dip. It only made him smile, ruffling Wei Ying’s already messy hair. “Perfect. I was going to make some bread for us tomorrow then.”

“Bread,” Wei Ying chirped happily, arms hugging Lan Wangji’s torso. The man chuckles, “Yes, my Xiao Mianbao likes bread, doesn’t he?” There is a soft giggle, Wei Ying’s face pressing into his chest as he gives a strong “Mn!”

“Any requests during the week? Shufu is leaving today so he won’t be here to warm things up. But I could teach you how it works if you liked that?” He asks as Wei Ying looks back up to listen, the boy’s wide grin turning into a press of the lips as he considers the questions. “What…what Lan Zhan eat?” Wei Ying asked, unsure of the options.

“I tend to take the leftovers from dinner the night before to work with me,” he explained, “If you are happy with the idea of that I can start making sure I have enough to leave for you too.” Wei Ying started to nod again, “Same as Lan Zhan,” the boy answers, a hand coming up to rub at his eye as he yawns a little again. “Warm food,” Wei Ying mumbles, looking at Lan Wangji.

“I can show you how it works later. If you are comfortable with it I have no problem with you using the microwave. How about I leave your chilli oil out too? I’ll set it on the table so you can make your lunch exactly like you want it,” Lan Wangji offers him, smiling as the boy relaxes again, Wei Ying was comfortable like this.

“Yummy,” Wei Ying answers, snuggling back into Lan Wangji like he may consider trying to sleep again. “Thank you Lan Zhan,” he whispers, blinking up toward him. “No need,” Lan Wangji tells him softly as he runs a hand over his back, “I am happy to share with Wei Ying.”

The child hums in response, still loose limbed and slow with sleep. Wei Ying smiled, pressing his face into Lan Wangji’s chest, “Help make lunch?” He asks as he peeks up again. Lan Wangji chuckles, Wei Ying was quite squirmy when he was awake. “I would love your help,” he answers, tapping Wei Ying’s forehead with a finger. “Do you want to start now?”

Wei Ying giggles and wiggles down further on Lan Wangji’s chest, letting Lan Wangji sit himself up on his elbows. The boy nods, scrambling a little to sit up and wrap himself in his blanket.

Lan Wangji slowly was able to get out from under the child, stretching out his legs with a soft groan. He had to think of what Wei Ying could be able to help with. Giving him a knife was out of the question, he’d have to find simple little tasks for the boy. “Let’s go pick all the veggies we want to eat, okay?”

The boy nods and gives a wide smile as he slips off the couch and into the kitchen. Lan Wangji watches him drag the blanket behind him, able to see almost all of the kitchen from how he had moved the couch the night before.Wei Ying was comfortable here, inside. He was still nervous about being able to see his exit but he was moving easily around the space instead of hiding.

Walking out behind him Lan Wangji opened the fridge, pulling out the vegetable drawer. “What would Xiao Mianbao like today?” He asks, looking down to the boy who had appeared quickly at his side. Wei Ying’s eyes were wide, looking up and down in the fridge. It was getting a bit low for Lan Wangji’s standards, but taking in the look of awe on Wei Ying’s face this was likely more food than he was used to seeing. “Lots,” Wei Ying whispered, only solidifying that idea.

“Which is why I like to share,” Lan Wangji tells him as he takes out a few of their staples. “Wei Ying is allowed to have anything in here, you can help yourself,” he explains as he places items on the counter top. Wei Ying watched him go in between, a hand emerging from his blanket wrapped form and picking up a zucchini before carrying it over and adding it to the pile Lan Wangji got out.

He glanced at the boy, not exactly expecting a response but glad Wei Ying was picking something out. He knew Wei Ying didn’t always like accepting things freely given, he’d never take more than he needed, his parents must have raised him well. “Is there anything else you want added to our lunch?” He asks, letting Wei Ying stare in the fridge another moment.

There is a quiet shuffle of feet, Wei Ying clearly considering something so Lan Wangji walks over, crouching down to look along with him. Wei Ying glances at him and slowly raises a hand, pointing up toward a carton of eggs. “Egg-cellent idea,” Lan Wangji tells him, standing and picking up the carton before shutting the door.

The sound of quiet giggling followed him to the counter, Wei Ying still wrapped up in his blanket. Lan Wangji looks down at him, “Do you want to sit and watch? Then you can stay all wrapped up,” he offers. The boy considers it, but shakes his head, “Help,” he decides and Lan Wangji watches with a small smile as the boy marches himself to the table and piles his blanket up on a chair before coming back.

Lan Wangji had cleared a spot beside the sink for him and Wei Ying kicked off the cabinet to get himself up, taking his seat and looking at Lan Wangji. “Would you wash these for me?” he asks, pressing the pile of vegetables close to Wei Ying. “I’m going to start the rice and I’ll cut them up after,” he explains.

“Mn,” Wei Ying nods, crossing his legs and turning to face the sink. He turns the faucet on and starts to wash the vegetables, being very thorough with each one. As he worked Lan Wangji started the rice cooker and joined Wei Ying on the other side of the sink where he took each washed veggie and cut it into bite sized pieces before putting it into a pan.

“Do you want the egg mixed in or on the side?” Lan Wangji asked as they worked together. Wei Ying was taking long enough with each item he had plenty of time to cut. The boy hummed at the question, weighing the options given to him. “Side,” he answers as he holds out a carrot.

“Sounds good,” Lan Wangji agrees, making sure to keep a pile of the scraps for the rabbits. “Do you want to make the sauce we use today?” He asks Wei Ying, noting how the pile of vegetables to wash is nearly gone. It was hard to find something for the boy to work on when he didn’t want to have him mess with knives or heat.

“Lan Zhan help?” Wei Ying asks, handing over the last piece and turning off the sink. “Of course I’ll help,” he smiles to the boy, “Will Wei Ying get me a glass of water? I’m thirsty.”

Wei Ying nods eagerly, looking around a little before remembering where he’s seen Lan Wangji get water from before. He opens a cupboard and pulls out two glasses, turning back on the water and filling both. He sets one beside himself and holds the other out with both hands, “Lan Zhan,” he chirps to him, smiling.

“Why thank you,” Lan Wangji smiles back as he takes the glass from Wei Ying and takes a drink. He sets it down and moves to get a mixing bowl, bringing it over by Wei Ying and then moving around to get everything they could need.

Wei Ying was drinking his own glass of water just watching him. If Lan Wangji came close he didn’t flinch, he only smiled, a wide grin that crinkled his eyes and showed his teeth. He didn’t have to warn the boy about moving, Wei Ying felt safe enough to just let himself be here.

“These are what I like to put in it. You can mix anything you like together and try it,” he starts to explain, watching Wei Ying nod along. “I usually add more of this,” he holds something up, “and this,” he shows the boy another item. “But I think it will be fun if we try something new. Make whatever you like, if you want me to be your taste tester let me know, okay?”

The boy looks between the items around him, the wide grin put away for a more serious expression as he focuses. “Okay,” he answers, picking up one of the items Lan Wangji had shown him. “I try?” he asked, looking up for an answer.

Lan Wangji moved, turning the stove on so he could start cooking down the vegetables. “You can try each and every one of them. But sometimes they taste a little strange alone so only taste a little bit and keep your water close.” With that explained, Lan Wangji focused on the stove, preparing the vegetables and the eggs.

A small smile came to his face as he listened to Wei Ying move around. The boy made small sounds, hums when he enjoyed the taste of something and almost audible pouts when not. Lan Wangji has to stifle his laughter when Wei Ying tastes something and makes a sound before drinking his water followed by a quiet, “Ew.” Glancing toward the boy he smiles at the jar that has been moved far from the bowl.

He has to look back a moment later because when did the chilli oil get put into the mix of things? He has to suppress the shiver of fear that goes through him as he remembers watching Wei Ying’s use of chilli oil in his own food. Was lunch going to be edible? He couldn’t not use what Wei Ying made after he was trying so hard. Maybe if he used a lot more rice than usual he could manage to get through it.

The egg timer going off caused both of them to jump. Lan Wangji turned off the heat and moved the pot to the sink to start running cold water over the eggs. “Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying smiled up at him, his eyes little crescents with his wide grin. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji answered, knowing full well he would stomach any amount of spice to keep seeing that sunshine smile.

He earned a giggle with his response, Wei Ying holding up the spoon he was using to mix. “Taste,” the boy directs. Lan Wangji looks at the spoon, suspicious of the lack of red he sees coming through the other ingredients. He leans down, tasting from the spoon as Wei Ying holds it, the child giggling as he pulls the spoon back and waits.

Lan Wangji was braced, he expected a significant amount of heat and little else. So when he could still taste and his nose wasn’t running he was surprised, licking his lips a little to focus. There was a bit of heat in the background but it was bearable, it was too salty but also strangely sweet. He cleared his throat, looking down to meet the expectant expression of Wei Ying.

“How about a little bit of this?” He picks up something to help with the salt. Wei Ying nodded and took it from Lan Wangji, “Too hot?” Wei Ying asked, head tilting a little. “No,” Lan Wangji answered, ruffling his hair gently, “Thank you for remembering.” The boy smiles and goes back to his sauce mixture while Lan Wangji checks on the stove.

Wei Ying once again calls him to taste it, and it is better, still a little sweet but bearable. “Perfect,” he tells Wei Ying who beams at him. “Want to watch me cook it?” He offers, putting a few things into the sink and wiping down the counter for Wei Ying to move. The answer comes in the form of the boy crawling over to his new spot closer to the stove.

He added the sauce to their vegetables, cooking it down with them. Wei Ying watched closely as Lan Wangji added some starch to the pan to thicken things up. “Do you want to invite Shufu to eat with us?” He asks, glancing toward Wei Ying. As far as he knew the two had become civil, but this was the last chance for them to eat together.

“Share,” Wei Ying nodded. Lan Wangji gave him a small smile, “Think he can sit outside on the step with me?” Wei Ying pursed his lips before nodding once, legs kicking slowly against the counter. “Thank you,” he tells him as he pulls the pan from the stove.

“I’ll add the rice, but do you want to do the rest?” He asks, moving to get bowls out for their meal. “Mn!” Wei Ying smiled, staying where he was as he watched Lan Wangji fill three bowls with a layer of rice and returned to the boy. He gave him a serving spoon, “Careful, the pan is hot.” Wei Ying took the spoon with a nod and his determined little expression as he carefully ladled out the vegetables into each bowl as Lan Wangji held them for him.

They moved together, Wei Ying picking up the eggs and putting one on top of each bowl before crawling over as Lan Wangji follows to pick up his chilli oil and flooding one bowl with the red spice. “All done!” Wei Ying smiles as Lan Wangji adds utensils to each bowl. “It smells very yummy,” Lan Wangji comments as he holds Wei Ying’s hand, helping him down off the counter before passing him the red bowl.

Wei Ying nods his head quickly, holding his bowl with both hands and smiling up toward Lan Wangji. “Get Shufu! Lunch!” He announces and turns, Lan Wangji watching him march right out the door. A soft chuckle leaves the man as he goes down the hall to the guest room, knocking before opening the door.

“Wei Ying helped make lunch, he is waiting for us,” he tells his uncle who looks up from his laptop. “How is he?” Lan Qiren asked as he closed the computer and stood.

“Happy,” Lan Wangji answers, letting his uncle gather his coffee mug. “He likes being able to help,” he explains as they walk toward the kitchen, “It is a bit sweet, I let him make the sauce. You’re welcome to sit on the step with me to eat.” Lan Qiren takes the offered bowl from his nephew with a raised brow, “Outside?” he asks, wanting to make sure he heard right.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, getting them both a glass of water. “He wants to share. He will probably keep some distance still but he doesn’t appear to be scared of you anymore,” he passes over the glass before picking up his own bowl. Lan Qiren stood there a moment, he had heard the soft laughter from the guest room, Wei Ying’s small voice now and again. He walked after his nephew to the back door, his eyes meeting Wei Ying’s as the boy sat out in the grass with his legs crossed.

Wei Ying smiled at him. It was a warm thing that caused his whole face to light up. “Good morning, Wei Ying,” Lan Qiren greets as he moves to sit beside Lan Wangji on the step, looking back at the child. He had grown used to the nothingness in the child’s eyes, the way fear clung to the boy, the silence that he carried around with him. In small moments he had seen more, when Wei Ying would cry and cling to Lan Wangji he saw a hurt child, a lost boy who didn’t know what to do.

He wasn’t used to this, a smile so bright there was none of the usual fear. There had been hints of this, but it was only in things he heard from other rooms when Wei Ying was left alone with Lan Wangji. It was like seeing a whole new child as Wei Ying smiled so easily, as he chirped out, “Morning Shufu!” He was happy today Lan Wangji had said, as if it was not abundantly clear as Wei Ying and Lan Wangji started a small conversation about how they cooked together and the boy stifled his small laughs.

Little hands lifting to cover Wei Ying’s mouth, failing to hide his laughter as Lan Wangji recounts his scare of the chilli oil. His eyes are crinkled up, joy shimmering in those silver eyes. “You look so much like her,” Lan Qiren finds himself speaking without meaning to, interrupting the conversation happening around him.

Things become quiet, Lan Wangji looking at his uncle with wide eyes. Wei Ying looked between them, confused. “Apologies,” Lan Qiren cleared his throat, looking down at his meal. “Who?” Wei Ying asks, head tilted as he watches Lan Qiren. The man looks to his nephew, planning to follow whatever he decides. He knew Wei Ying better, if they needed to lie he could.

“Lying is forbidden,” Lan Wangji answers the silent question softly. He takes a deep breath and looks toward Wei Ying. They hadn’t eaten anything yet, he didn’t want to watch that smile disappear again.

Lan Qiren looks back at the waiting boy, taking his own steading breath, “Your mother. You smile and laugh like she used to.” There is a blink before Wei Ying’s eyes start to widen and his posture straightens up, “Mama?” He asks as the smile fades, sounding more confused than anything.

Of course he would be confused. He didn’t know what they knew, that they may know more than him in some places. Lan Qiren gives a small nod, “Cangse Sanren. She was a colleague of mine a long time ago when I was in school. I suppose she was a friend. I hadn’t talked to her in a very long time.”

Wei Ying’s eyes start to blink a bit quickly, tears threatening to well up in them. “Mama gone,” he murmurs quietly, rubbing at his eyes with a small frown. “I heard,” Lan Qiren answers, softening his voice. “I’m very sorry.”

There is a sniffle, Wei Ying’s bowl of food forgotten on the grass as he hugs his arms around himself. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji speaks softly, setting his bowl down. “May I sit by you?” he asks, watching Wei Ying try not to cry. There is a small nod and Lan Wangji gets up, moving over to Wei Ying and sitting beside him. He was ready this time when Wei Ying crawled into his lap and curled himself into a ball. “Miss mama,” Wei Ying whispers.

“She was a very kind woman,” Lan Qiren tells the boy, “She liked to laugh and cause trouble.” There is another sniffle, but a small nod and a little snotty huff of laughter. “Laugh lots,” Wei Ying agrees, his hand grasping at Lan Wangji’s shirt and holding tight. Lan Wangji runs his hand over Wei Ying’s back. Had Wei Ying ever had a chance to grieve the family he lost? Did he understand that they were never coming back?

“I didn’t know that much about her, but I think she would have been a good mother,” Lan Qiren tells the child, wanting to help but knowing the best thing he can do is let Lan Wangji handle this.

“Best mama,” Wei Ying answers, his free hand rubbing at his face again. It only smears the wetness around his eyes. “Smile and laugh and play w-with A-Ying,” Wei Ying’s small voice started to shake, the tears no longer held back as he talked. “Gave A-Ying lots of kisses and, and made A-Ying laugh and made lots of red food that made baba cough,” his tears fell freely, streaking down his face as he took a shuddering gasp for air. “Held A-Ying. Warm,” he presses into Lan Wangji, his hands trembling and Lan Wangji wastes no time in tightening his hold, squeezing the crying boy.

“Kissed A-Ying’s ouches,” Wei Ying sniffles loudly, “Saved A-Ying from bad man.” Lan Wangji feels Wei Ying trying to rock himself and follows the motion, trying to soothe the child. “Don’t want to leave,” Wei Ying cried, “Mama made A-Ying leave. Mama crying. Mama hurt. A-Ying all alone.” His words get louder as he sobs, as they stop making any sort of sense and he just cries.

Lan Wangji’s breathing is tight, controlled to keep himself calm as he rocked back and forth with Wei Ying against him. What was he supposed to say? Could he even say anything? There was a tightness in his throat he was struggling to swallow around.

“A very good mother,” Lan Qiren speaks softly, seeing the rising panic in Lan Wangji and stepping in. “She liked spicy food too?” He asks, trying to coax the child out of the dark memories and into lighter ones.

Wei Ying tries to answer but it comes out in another sob, his head nodding as his face pressed into Lan Wangji’s neck. Lan Wangji takes a slow breath, letting his eyes close and pulling Wei Ying tighter to himself knowing he wasn’t going to pull away. “Wei Ying is not alone anymore,” Lan Wangji tells him, his own voice is rough, but he looks to his uncle and nods his thanks as he continues to rock them and starts to hum like he often did when Wei Ying was struggling.

The soft humming and rocking start to help, Wei Ying’s sobs coming back down to softer tears and weak sniffles as he remained curled against Lan Wangji’s chest. “Miss mama,” the boy repeats from earlier, head heavy as Lan Wangji slowly stops rocking them. “I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji tells him, hand moving over his back slowly. “Are you okay?” He asks, looking down at the sniffling child.

The boy blinks slowly, taking a deep breath and not answering. Lan Wangji pets his head gently and gives him time, Wei Ying had used a lot of words in his little outburst. The child slowly pulls himself up, not getting out of Lan Wangji’s lap but looking toward Lan Qiren again. “Mama nice?” He asks quietly, Lan Wangji continues a steady hand over his back.

“She was very nice,” Lan Qiren answered, “She teased me often. She was very smart.” Wei Ying rubbed at his face again, a weak little chuckle leaving him. “Play games,” Wei Ying murmured, leaning back into Lan Wangji and relaxing again.

“Wei Ying is very good at games,” Lan Wangji comments, earning a small smile from the child. He was proud of him for staying and trying to smile again, even if he could feel the heaviness of exhaustion that pulled at Wei Ying after these small episodes. “Does Xiao Mianbao think he will be able to eat the lunch we made?” He asks, getting a little huff of laughter at the name.

“Mn. Try,” Wei Ying answers but makes no move to get out of Lan Wangji’s lap. Lan Wangji combed his hair from his face, “Do you want me to stay?” He asks, getting a nod in response from the boy slumped into him. “Okay,” he murmurs, Wei Ying’s clinging was always accepted. “Can Shufu bring me my bowl?”

Wei Ying blinked slowly and looked toward Lan Qiren, “Mn,” he answered quietly. Lan Qiren takes the cue, standing and carrying Lan Wangji’s bowl to him before returning to the step himself. Lan Wangji leaned over and picked up Wei Ying’s bowl, holding it steady on the boy’s lap.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel like eating right now,” Lan Wangji tells him as Wei Ying’s hands wrap around the bowl and he pulls it closer to himself. “Hungry,” Wei Ying whispers, his voice softer with his waning energy. Lan Wangji runs his hand over Wei Ying’s arm, “Eat as much as you like.”

The boy takes the first bite, his eyes closing as he chews slowly. Lan Qiren eats as well, pausing after the first bite, it was strangely sweet as Lan Wangji said, but he continued on, washing the sweetness away with water. Lan Wangji took a bit longer to begin eating, making sure Wei Ying was doing okay as the boy heaved spoonfuls into his mouth and sank back into his chest. But he soon worked at his lunch as well, the trio falling into silence as they ate.

Wei Ying cleaned his bowl, a good sign Lan Wangji thought as he stacked their dishes together and looked down at the boy. Wei Ying looked tired, his face was messy from his crying but he didn’t look upset like before, even if there wasn’t the bright smile of earlier. “Do you want to feed the bunnies?” Lan Wangji offers, finding it easier to relax as a small smile pulls at Wei Ying’s lips and he nods.

“I’ll get their plate, okay?” he asks as he rubs Wei Ying’s back. The boy was quiet again, but moving as he climbed from Lan Wangji’s lap and stood. Lan Wangji got up, taking their bowls and following his uncle inside. Lan Qiren went to pack his things while Lan Wangji set their dishes in the sink and filled a plate with the scraps from earlier, setting it on the windowsill.

He smiles to himself as Wei Ying’s hands reach up and take it, moving to work on the dishes. When he looks over the plate is back, emptied and he walks to take it. Leaning outside Wei Ying is nowhere to be found, having done one of his vanishing acts again. He couldn’t fault him as he took the plate back to the sink to join the others. It was the longest Wei Ying had stayed and it was clear the boy was worn down. Perhaps he just needed some time. They had planned dinner together after all.

By the time the kitchen was cleaned up and towels were thrown into the wash, Lan Qiren was packed and ready to leave. Lan Wangji left the back door open and helped to carry Lan Qiren’s bags out to the car. He didn’t expect to see Wei Ying again, but he did catch his uncle looking out the back window once before they moved to the car.

Lan Qiren got in first and Lan Wangji had started the car, just about to pull away when the both of them saw feet dangling down from a tree in his neighbour’s yard. Both sit in silence as they watch those feet turn into kicking legs and they share a wince as a figure falls out of sight out of the tree. “What is he doing?” Lan Qiren questioned, Lan Wangji rolling down his window to call out to the boy.

But before he can open his mouth, hands appear over the fence and Wei Ying’s face is pulled over next until he is leaning his weight on his chest on top of the wooden fence. “Wei-” Lan Wangji’s words are cut off by Wei Ying. The child took a big breath, “Bye Shufu!” He shouted, wiggling in his precarious balance to wave an arm at them.

Lan Qiren can’t help it, a small huff of laughter leaves him and a barely there smile forms on his face. He leans toward his nephew and the open window, “Goodbye Wei Ying. Take care of Wangji for me.” The child smiles a wide grin toward them, “Mn!” He announces and falls back behind the fence.

Lan Wangji sits still for a moment as Lan Qiren returns to his proper position, staring at his uncle. Lan Qiren, who had smiled, had laughed even. He took a deep breath and rolled the window up, backing the car down the driveway. The first few blocks are just the quiet of the radio between them. “He’s a good child,” Lan Qiren breaks the silence, looking at the road ahead.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, relaxing again. “Thank you for helping him this week.” Lan Qiren nods, “I didn’t have to do much. You’re the one he relies on.”

“You helped me,” Lan Wangji insists gently. “And he talks with you. He’s talking so much more than before.”

“You just needed a little support. He’s decided to trust you, you’re going to be seeing more of the strange little boy hanging over a fence and shouting the more comfortable he gets,” Lan Qiren looks out the window to hide his small smile, “He’s been good for you. I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.”

“It is hard not to be with how much he likes to smile,” Lan Wangji smiles himself, knowing his uncle was trying to hide. “It has been good getting to see more of him. And he lets me in now when he is afraid, he’s learning how to be safe again.”

Lan Qiren looked toward his nephew, the young man he had raised was doing well. “I’m sorry about earlier. I should have minded my words more carefully, he looked like he had a good morning.”

“He did,” Lan Wangji agreed, “He didn’t run. He tried to talk about her…it. I expected him to hop the fence.” His thumb moves over the steering wheel, thinking about the way Wei Ying fought back against his tears. “She’s the reason he’s alive, isn’t she?”

Giving up on watching the road, Lan Qiren looked to his nephew, watching Lan Wangji’s hands play at the wheel. They were thinking the same thing. “It sounds like it,” he says softly, “You can be upset with him, but you need to be strong for him. You’re his support now, if he has those nightmares or feels like he needs to talk, you need to be ready to listen and to remind him of good things.”

A deep breath and a nod, “I’m aware,” Lan Wangji answers, “I’m getting used to it. I know what works to help calm him. It is just hard learning each little piece.”

“Call us,” Lan Qiren directs, “Myself, Xichen, either of us are willing to do what we can to help. You know I have time and Xichen hardly takes a day off, we can be here if you need us.”

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji says quietly as he pulls to a stop at the terminal drop off. “I’ll send a few photos of him and keep in touch.”

“That’s all I ask,” Lan Qiren tells him and gets out of the car, Lan Wangji joining him and passing his bags over. “If you have any questions, I did manage to raise two fine young men.”

“Thank you Shufu,” Lan Wangji tells him again, a small smile on his face at the compliment. “Travel safe.”

After making sure Lan Qiren made it into the airport Lan Wangji made his shopping trip and drove home. He locked the car and walked inside and went about moving the towels over to the dryer. After putting away his groceries he stood in the living room, it was in disarray after shoving everything around last night. But he wanted to keep it somewhat, just in case Wei Ying wanted to stay again.

So he set about rearranging, books coming off of shelves to move them around and resort. Chairs trading positions, ensuring the couch had a great view of the kitchen and back door, his chair still was able to see somewhat. He kept the coffee table close so he could play his qin and stacked a small pile of extra blankets in his extra chair.

Looking at the time he should get dinner going and he wanted to surprise Wei Ying with a treat the next day that required some work. He started with the yeast, blooming it in some warm milk to the side as he cut down the chicken. He promised Wei Ying something spicy for dinner, and he was working on some cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow.

Occasionally Lan Wangji would glance toward the door, expecting Wei Ying to have snuck his way inside. But it was quiet tonight. He let himself get lost in the motions of cooking, humming to himself as he moved about the kitchen and between his projects. The rolls only needed to get to the point of their overnight rest. He worked on rolling them up as dinner simmered for the flavours to blend.

The pan went into the fridge for the night as he portioned out their meals and added a little extra chilli oil for Wei Ying. He set the plate on the windowsill. It was nearly dark as the winter rolled in and the sun set earlier and earlier. He stepped away to finish getting his plate together and something for both of them to drink.

When he turned back the plate was gone, a good sign. He walked to the door and stopped, surprised to see Wei Ying sitting on the step instead of out in the grass. But he continued on soon after, “Here,” he says softly and hands Wei Ying a glass of water before taking his seat beside him.

Wei Ying leans into him soon after he gets settled, the boy’s head pressing against his arm. Lan Wangji moved his arm so it went around Wei Ying, ruffling his hair gently as he watched the boy’s eyes close. “Okay?” He asks. Wei Ying gave a small nod to answer, looking down at the plate of food and taking a small bite.

It helps Lan Wangji relax when Wei Ying makes one of his happy noises at the taste of the food. He was just tired then, and Lan Wangji could understand that. So he started on his meal, ending up causing Wei Ying to giggle as he quickly finished his water due to the spice of the dinner.

When they were finished Wei Ying remained leaning against Lan Wangji and he made no efforts to move the both of them even if it was dark now, the light of the kitchen came out behind them. “I think we may be able to harvest some of our vegetables tomorrow,” Lan Wangji starts, looking down to meet Wei Ying’s eyes. “You’ve been working very hard on our garden, won’t it be exciting to see what we grew?”

Another small nod this time with a smile, Lan Wangji fixing some of the hair he put out of place earlier with his own small smile. “I have a surprise for breakfast. Come find me when you first wake up, okay?” Wei Ying’s eyes widen, a certain glimmer picking up in them as he bites at his lip to hide his smile, nodding quickly.

“I’m going to do the dishes, you can do what you’d like,” he informs the boy as he takes their pile of dishes and begins to stand. He is aware of Wei Ying’s eyes on him as he walks back to the sink but when he turns the boy is gone again. Part of him had hoped Wei Ying may follow him in, that maybe he’d choose to stay inside again. But he knew it was unlikely.

The dishes were done in silence. The quiet of the home was broken by his guqin as he settled down to play, working on his piece until he felt the tug of exhaustion himself. He closed the door half way to keep the biting wind out and turned off the lights before going to bed.

Chapter Text

When Lan Wangji woke it was earlier than normal, he tugged the blankets closer around himself as a shiver ran through him. It was cold, much colder than usual inside. Curling up to keep warm he rolled over to pick up his phone and check the weather. It had fallen below freezing, during the night the temperatures had plummeted.

He shivered as he got up, slipping into some soft slippers and pulling on a robe as well. He kept his arms close to himself as he turned on the heat and moved to the kitchen. Looking outside there was a layer of frost that sparkled on the grass in the early light of the sunrise.

Tea, he decided, putting on the kettle and preheating the oven as he takes the tray of rolls from the fridge. A cold breeze blew in the door and he pulled his robe tighter around himself, walking over and closing it a fraction more. He did stick his head out, glancing around to see if Wei Ying happened to be close by.

It couldn’t be good to sleep out in this sort of cold, especially with as little fat as Wei Ying had to keep himself warm. He’d feel better if he knew Wei Ying had some protection from the elements, but he’s seen the sopping wet child before, he knew that wherever Wei Ying went it wasn’t going to be warm.

He went about making his tea, leaning against the counter by the oven to warm himself up. Wei Ying would be okay. He’d show up around lunch like usual and he could maybe get him inside for a little while to warm him up. Once the oven was ready he slid the rolls in and went to the living room, pulling a blanket over his lap on the sofa and warming himself with his tea.

Focused on what he could make for lunch and when he should start today's loaf of bread, Lan Wangji missed the first signs of Wei Ying’s approach. The kitchen light had gone on when Lan Wangji woke, bright compared to the soft light of the sun. And now there was a shadow of a boy slipping in through the cracked kitchen door.

Lan Wangji notices him as he looks up, seeing Wei Ying’s shaking hands as the child tries to unfold his blanket by the table. How Wei Ying drops it twice when his fingers just don’t seem to be listening. “Wei Ying,” he calls softly, getting the boy’s full attention. He hadn’t expected him this early, Wei Ying seemed to sleep in from everything he had been able to gather.

“Come here,” he says quietly and Wei Ying hesitates before moving toward Lan Wangji. He had been to the couch before, it was in his range. Lan Wangji can’t help his small frown as he takes in Wei Ying. The child was shivering from head to toe, his teeth chattering against each other. His hands were tugging his blanket along with him, the tips of his fingers, ears, and nose a stinging red that had to hurt.

Lan Wangji set his tea down and moved forward as he saw Wei Ying stumble, his feet just as red as the rest of him. Wei Ying caught himself but Lan Wangji leaned down and picked up his blanket for him, when his eyes met Wei Ying’s he could see the dark circles under his eyes making them look sunken, his usual bright eyes were somewhat bloodshot. Wei Ying had not slept.

“May I pick you up?” Lan Wangji asks as he kneels before the stopped boy. There is a sniffle, a weak cough, then a nod. He picks Wei Ying up, carrying him the last few feet to the couch and sitting down with him. He adjusts them, leaning on the arm rest and pulling both of the blankets around them as Wei Ying sinks against his chest, shivering.

He is cold to the touch as Lan Wangji runs his hands over him under the blankets, trying to coax some blood flow back into the boy. He wanted to ask why he didn’t come inside, to tell him he should have come, he should have stayed. But he knew better, it already proved difficult to get Wei Ying to come in on the days it rained, he couldn’t press too hard.

Wei Ying’s pale lips part, his breath shaking as he curls his body up against Lan Wangji. He doesn’t say anything so Lan Wangji won’t either. He instead works on warming Wei Ying up again, ducking both their heads under the blankets to not let any of the warmth escape. His hands moved over Wei Ying’s head, the ends of his hair were frozen from the morning dew.

The violent shivering starts to give way to more minor little jerks, Wei Ying squeezing tighter as he sniffles and coughs. Lan Wangji ran his hands over his arms, down to rest over the hands that had found and grabbed at his robe, thumbs moving slowly as he warms the child. The tension that came with fighting the cold started to unwind, Wei Ying getting looser as he began to warm up again.

The house was beginning to smell of cinnamon as their breakfast baked, the heat was on and warming the home as well. “Good morning,” Lan Wangji greets softly as the last of Wei Ying’s shivering stops, as the boy just remains laying against him.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying murmurs back quietly. He had looked so tired the day before after everything, even his voice carried it now. “You didn’t sleep,” Lan Wangji points out, lifting his hands as Wei Ying wiggles around to find a new spot on him to rest. There is a shake of his head, “Cold. Dangerous,” Wei Ying mumbles as his face presses into Lan Wangji’s stomach now that he has sunk further down on the couch.

The boy had half rolled off of him, so he just made sure the blankets stayed wrapped around him and pet his head. “Dangerous?” Lan Wangji asked, a little confused and hoping Wei Ying would explain for him. “Sleep,” Wei Ying murmured to him and yawned, collecting the smaller blanket closer to himself as the larger one still covered both of them.

“You can sleep,” Lan Wangji agrees gently, but when Wei Ying shakes his head he goes quiet, waiting for him to explain. “Sleep…dangerous,” the child says quietly, his eyes closed. “Cold. Wei Ying seen it. Dogs. Sleep under Wei Ying tree. No get up.” Lan Wangji’s hand in Wei Ying’s hair stops for a moment before he continues.

Tree. Wei Ying was sleeping in trees. No wonder he was so good at getting over the fence if he was used to climbing into trees. And dogs, Wei Ying climbing him to get high from the ground, like he would normally climb a tree to escape from them. A slow breath, “It’s dangerous to sleep in the cold,” he summarises, earning a small nod. Looking down and meeting Wei Ying’s tired eyes, “When do you sleep then?”

There is a slow blink as Wei Ying settles himself in, he is slowly pushing Lan Wangji off the couch, most likely by accident. “Sun. Sun is safe,” Wei Ying answers and Lan Wangji nods slowly. Wei Ying waited for sunrise to try and sleep, for when things would warm. It explained why the child slept so late into the day and the exhaustion that followed him around.

“Why did you come here?” He asks, curious as to why Wei Ying would show up instead of falling asleep like he normally does. “Lan Zhan awake,” Wei Ying answered, yawning again. “Surprise,” the boy murmured. Lan Wangji smiles a little, “It is almost ready,” he tells him as he shifts a little himself for Wei Ying’s weight to fall onto the couch cushions.

A soft hum is what he gets in response. He had told Wei Ying to come and find him when he woke up, though he had meant Wei Ying and not himself. But it was rather cute, Wei Ying was excited for the breakfast surprise and came when he must have seen the lights turn on. A warm cinnamon roll would do him some good and perhaps Lan Wangji can coax him into a nap afterwards.

Lan Wangji sits quietly with him until the oven timer goes off. At the sound Wei Ying jumps, blinking quickly. Lan Wangji rests a hand on his head and settles him back into the couch. “The surprise is done. Can you wait here while I get it?” He asks, moving the blanket so their heads are back in open air. The sun had come up more and it was getting lighter around them.

Wei Ying stares a moment at him before nodding and sinking back into the couch. Lan Wangji moves, letting himself slide off the cushion and turning, tucking the extra blanket around Wei Ying as well and moving an arm pillow over under Wei Ying’s head. He gets a few quiet blinks, but Wei Ying wasn’t fighting any of it.

When the boy was all snuggled in, Lan Wangji walked into the kitchen, well aware Wei Ying could watch him the whole time. He turned off the timer before it beeped again and put on his oven mitts before pulling their breakfast from the oven. He went about making the icing, letting the rolls cool a little before pouring it over.

Soon enough he came back to the couch with two plates and forks, sitting on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. He didn’t want Wei Ying getting up if he could help it, he wanted to try and keep him down so it would be easier to get him to sleep. “Cinnamon rolls,” he smiles at Wei Ying who eyes the plate and licks his lips.

“Smell yummy,” Wei Ying murmurs, still curled up under his blankets as he watches. “They are sweet too, so it is a treat,” Lan Wangji shares, cutting Wei Ying’s into smaller pieces for him and placing the boy’s plate on the cushion near him. “They are warm still,” he tells him as he watches Wei Ying sneak an arm out of his blanket and pull himself up slightly. It was good, Wei Ying wasn’t really getting up but was doing enough to eat safely.

The boy used the fork and took his first bite, eyes turning wide and looking at Lan Wangji. “Yummy!” He says in an excited whisper. It earns a small chuckle from Lan Wangji who takes a bite of his own. “I thought my Xiao Mianbao may like them.”

“Mn!” Wei Ying nods, a sparkle to his eyes that was missing earlier. “Later I’ll teach you about the microwave. There are extra so every morning you can come have one for breakfast when I am at work. Does that sound okay?” Lan Wangji offers and Wei Ying’s eyes widen impossibly more, a grin breaking across his face. “Thank you!” he says it a bit loud, his excitement evident. Lan Wangji can only laugh which earns another bright smile.

They both finish their breakfast, Lan Wangji piling Wei Ying’s plate with his own and settling against the couch. “What now?” Wei Ying asks, slowly sliding back into the cushions as he watches Lan Wangji. “I was going to rest a little while,” he tells the boy, hoping that will help encourage Wei Ying to do the same. He was fairly sure if he stood right now he’d end up with a tail in the form of Wei Ying.

“Here?” Wei Ying asks. Lan Wangji turns, resting his arm on the couch cushion and resting his chin on it to face Wei Ying. “Mn,” he agrees, giving the boy a small smile. Wei Ying eyes him, a little suspicious but his head starts to fall again, landing on the pillow Lan Wangji had given him. Whatever battle Wei Ying was fighting to stay awake was quickly lost as Lan Wangji used his special weapon, his humming. It only took a few minutes of the soft sounds for Wei Ying’s eyes to fall shut and his breathing to steady.

“Rest well my Xiao Mianbao,” Lan Wangji whispered, turning so his cheek rest against his arm as he watched the child sleep for a few minutes. He was still pale, but his shivering was gone and the burning redness of his fingers and ears faded into something more normal. Wei Ying had picked up a bit of a cough, but it could do with the runny nose from the cold.

Maybe he should try to get him to come inside. Wei Ying understood sleeping in freezing temperatures could be dangerous, it would be a good place to start. He’d have to try and bring it up. At the least he could get Wei Ying inside a warm house early in the morning with the bait of a cinnamon roll.

After knowing Wei Ying wasn’t going to wake and letting himself get his fill of the child’s calm face he stood, taking their plates out. He cut the rest of the rolls and packaged them individually for Wei Ying, putting some dishes in the sink for later before starting the promised loaf of bread.

It turned out rearranging so the couch could see the kitchen worked both ways. Lan Wangji found himself looking over to check on Wei Ying every few minutes, almost to ensure that Wei Ying hadn’t managed to somehow disappear on him. He checked the fridge, deciding the leftover soup from the other night would do well for lunch and warming Wei Ying.

When the bread had to sit for its last rise he came back to the living room, moving as quietly as he could so Wei Ying would not wake. He wanted to stay within sight. The few times Wei Ying woke up inside he always searched around himself first and each time it had helped him to find Lan Wangji, so he would be here when Wei Ying woke.

Taking his phone out he takes a picture of the sleeping boy sending it in a group chat with his uncle and brother.

LWJ: [He came in with frozen hair. If he won’t agree to coming inside more I’m going to be building something out back for him.]

LQR: [Keep him warm, keep an eye on signs of hypothermia.]

LXC: [He is in nearly five blankets Shufu. Wangji is keeping him warm.]

LQR: [I am just offering wisdom.]

Lan Wangji smiled at the messages, it had become rare for them all to talk since Lan Xichen had moved out of the family home. Leave it to Wei Ying to manage to get them together on something again.

LWJ: [He’s okay, very tired. Thank you Xiongzhang.]

A few more messages pass between his brother and uncle and he watches on with quiet amusement as he leans back against the couch and his legs slide under the coffee table. He could rest until the bread needed to go into the oven so he let his eyes fall closed as his head lay back onto the couch.

---

A hand pokes at Lan Wangji’s cheek, he yawns softly, eyes starting to blink open. “Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispers and that wakes the man up fully. He lifts his head, looking around a little. He had fallen asleep against the sofa, there was a crick in his neck from how he was sleeping that made him wince and stretch slowly.

“In living room,” Wei Ying’s soft voice spoke again and Lan Wangji settled, turning to face the child still laying on his side. “We are,” he agrees with a bit of rasp in his own voice. Usually he was the one letting Wei Ying know where he was when he woke. “Did we fall asleep?” Lan Wangji asks, yawning a bit and moving to look at his phone.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers, still all snuggled up where Lan Wangji had left him. “Have you been awake long?” He asks the boy as he starts to get up, the bread was going to be over-proofed if he didn’t get it in the oven. Wei Ying shakes his head, sitting up and unravelling himself from a few of the layers.

Lan Wangji gained a Wei Ying when he went to the kitchen, the child having cut down to the one blanket he favoured and keeping all wrapped up in it as he followed. He smiled at the boy then checked the dough. It was still salvageable so he put it in the oven and set the timer. “Is it lunch time?” He asks as he stretches out.

The boy watches curiously as Lan Wangji puts the bread in, shrugging a little at the question. “Do you want to wait for the bread to eat?” Lan Wangji asks instead, ruffling Wei Ying’s hair and going to get a drink. He doesn’t miss the small smile from Wei Ying, the boy trailing behind him toward the sink. “Mn,” Wei Ying agrees and a hand comes out of his blanket to take the cup Lan Wangji hands him.

Both sit quietly and drink, waking up from their naps at their own pace. Lan Wangji takes the empty glass when Wei Ying offers it back and sets it on the counter with his own. “While we wait, why don’t we check on our garden? Last night was the first big freeze so we should harvest what we can.”

At the suggestion Wei Ying’s eyes lit up, his head nodding quickly. The boy had been working hard on the garden for them, he was excited to see what they could get. “Then I’m going to go get dressed. If you want to change you can as well,” Lan Wangji tells the boy as he ruffles his hair and walks by him.

A robe and slippers didn’t work well for being out in the garden. Putting on something comfortable and warm, Lan Wangji comes back to find Wei Ying’s blanket and his set of clothes on a kitchen chair. He sets the clothing on top of the washing machine for later and walks out the open door.

Now that the sun was up it wasn’t that bad out, the warm rays combating the chill of the breeze. It also helped that he was greeted by Wei Ying’s brilliant smile and a chirp of his name. “Let’s see what we have here,” Lan Wangji sas as he joins Wei Ying on his knees beside the small plot.

“Our herbs are all doing very well. Maybe we can pick them and dry them.” Wei Ying listened, looking between Lan Wangji and the plants. He nods along, even if Lan Wangji suspects Wei Ying doesn’t really know what he means. “Will you get our little basket?” Lan Wangji asks and Wei Ying runs off around the corner of the house.

He had put together a few supplies for gardening he left out for them, Wei Ying was really the only one who used them but the boy appeared to like taking care of their garden. The child soon returned, placing the basket down between them and looking to Lan Wangji for instruction.

Lan Wangji starts with the herbs, showing Wei Ying how to pick each of them and together they start to pile stems into the basket. Next was the bigger items, the few squash they planted were well developed and it was a team effort. Lan Wangji wielding the cutters and Wei Ying stabilising the vegetable with a determined little pout.

They move in the garden together for a while before Wei Ying whispers, “Dirty,” looking up at Lan Wangji with a mix of concern and fear. He sets the cutters down, looking at Wei Ying with his own small frown, “What is dirty?” He asks. Wei Ying slowly raises his hand and points at a dirt stain smeared across his shirt from all their digging.

“Oh, suppose I am a bit dirty,” he agrees, and looks back at Wei Ying. But Wei Ying was frowning, doing that nervous pull at his sleeves again. “I don’t mind being dirty,” Lan Wangji tells him gently. Wei Ying shakes his head, “Lan Zhan no dirty,” he declares, a familiar hint of fear settling in his voice.

Lan Wangji sits back on his heels, giving Wei Ying a little breathing room and watching him. Wei Ying had been worried about being dirty in their first days together, he had hoped that since accepting the clothing he was doing better about it. “Why not?” He asks, voice soft, “What is bad about me getting dirty?”

Wei Ying’s face goes through a few things, settling in a confused sort of distress as his mouth opens and closes a few times. “Lan…Lan Zhan good,” Wei Ying tells him, tugging at his own sleeves and looking at the ground between them. “Wei Ying dirty.”

“You aren’t dirty,” Lan Wangji says gently, getting a frown in response. Wei Ying looked at him then huffed and looked down, unable to explain. “Can you tell me what dirty means?” Lan Wangji tries, seeing the struggle, wanting to help.

“Wrong,” Wei Ying answers more easily. “Bad,” he continues on, hands clenching and releasing. “Wei Ying dirty,” he repeats, “Bad. Wrong. Lan Zhan good. No dirty. No make Lan Zhan dirty.”

“Hey,” Lan Wangji interrupts softly, scooting closer as Wei Ying’s face starts to pinch. “Wei Ying is not bad,” he tells the boy, earning a quick shake of the head. “No,” Lan Wangji fights back on this, a hand reaching out and resting over one of Wei Ying’s closed fists. “Wei Ying is very good.”

“No,” Wei Ying refuses, but he doesn’t pull away from the touch. “Wei Ying bad,” the child insists. “Wei Ying dirty and bad and wrong and-and,” his breath was coming in short bursts, Lan Wangji recognising his panic as the child started to hyperventilate. “Hurt. Wei Ying fault. Bad Wei Ying,” the child’s voice losing its strength and Lan Wangji moving in, setting into a proper sit as he tugs Wei Ying toward himself.

The child falls into his lap without resistance, hands grasping at him for purchase as they often do. “Breathe with me,” Lan Wangji speaks gently. He couldn’t argue, he didn’t want to make Wei Ying work himself up even more because he was trying to refute things. So he instead focused on calming the boy back down.

Deep breaths, slow and steady. “No crying,” Wei Ying whispers a few times as he tries and fails to match Lan Wangji’s breathing. Lan Wangji waited patiently for him to fall in with him and start to settle, only when Wei Ying was starting to relax did Lan Wangji touch the topic again.

“Wei Ying,” he started gently, waiting until he had the boy’s eyes on him. Lan Wangji put his hand in the mud nearby and lifted it, pressing his hand to his own face and leaving mud all over his skin. Wei Ying starts to frown at him but Lan Wangji doesn’t let him start to argue, “Am I bad now?” he asks, keeping his voice soft.

“No,” Wei Ying frowns, “Lan Zhan good,” the child announces like it is a fact. “But I am dirty,” Lan Wangji points out, causing Wei Ying’s frown to deepen. “Yes…” he answers slowly, “But Lan Zhan good.”

“So being dirty doesn’t make me bad?” He asks, watching as Wei Ying struggles with the conflicting ideas. “No,” the boy finally whispers, “Lan Zhan always good.”

“Wei Ying is always good too,” he says softly, pressing his mud covered finger against Wei Ying’s nose and leaving some there. “A little dirt isn’t going to take that away.” The child wrinkles his nose up at the touch, a hand coming up and wiping at it. “Lan Zhan silly,” the boy mumbles.

“Maybe I am,” he concedes, using his clean hand to run over Wei Ying’s back, “But I think Wei Ying is a very good little boy. He is polite and kind, he smiles and laughs very adorably, and he makes me very happy. No amount of dirt is going to make me think Wei Ying isn’t good.”

Lan Wangji chuckles a little when Wei Ying’s face slams into his chest to hide. He saw the pink that was rising on those cheeks. Giving Wei Ying a firm hug and squeeze he looks down at him. “Are you feeling better?”

Wei Ying nods slowly against his chest and peeks up toward him, “Still don’t like Lan Zhan dirty,” he murmurs, a little hand coming up and wiping some of the mud away from Lan Zhan’s face.

“I’ll wash up before lunch, promise. Do you want to finish picking the vegetables with me?” Lan Wangji asks, trying to redirect them so Wei Ying wouldn’t fall back into that line of thought. Wei Ying considers it for a moment and nods, crawling out of Lan Wangji’s lap and resuming his job, tugging up the grown vegetables by their stems.

Lan Wangji joins him, together the both of them clearing everything that was ready from the soil. He carries the basket, letting Wei Ying carry an armful of carrots behind him as they go back into the house. Piling everything up on the counter Lan Wangji checks the bread. A few minutes left on the timer.

“Do you want to help wash everything?” He starts to ask but chuckles to himself as Wei Ying is already climbing up onto the counter by the sink. “I’m going to wash up and change then get lunch ready.” Wei Ying nods to him, a small smile on the boy’s face as he focuses back on their haul.

He makes sure to change quickly, scrubbing the mud from his face in his bathroom sink. The oven timer was loud and he didn’t need it scaring Wei Ying. He made it back with 20 seconds left on the countdown. He turned off the timer and picked up an oven mit, pulling the hot loaf from the oven and walking past a wide eyed Wei Ying to place the pan on the windowsill to allow it to cool.

On his way back he takes off the mit and lightly taps Wei Ying’s head with it earning himself a small giggle. “Look at all this,” Lan Wangji smiles, leaning on the counter to be closer to Wei Ying’s height. “For dinner we should use some of this, what do you think?”

“Mn!” Wei Ying answers, grinning at him as he washes another carrot and adds it to the pile. “Do you have any ideas?” Lan wangji asks, trying to coax Wei Ying into being a more active participant in his own care.

The question causes Wei Ying to pause for a moment before he continues his washing. “Lan Zhan make before, yellow, lots vegetables,” the boy starts to explain and Lan Wangji smiles as he listens. “Curry? I think I put some chicken in it that time.” Wei Ying’s head nods quickly, “Yummy,” he smiles.

“I think that sounds like a really good idea,” ruffles Wei Ying’s hair with a hand as he stands again. “We can make lots of extra so we have lunch too.” Wei Ying giggles quietly as he sets back to his task as Lan Wangji gets the soup out and puts it into bowls for them.

The sink turns off, “All done!” the boy chirps and looks to Lan Wangji expectantly. “Perfect timing,” he praises, “I was just going to warm up our soup, want to learn?” There is an eager head nod before Wei Ying navigates the countertop to be beside Lan Wangji. He looks from the man to the microwave. “Warm?”

“It can warm up food, but only food,” Lan Wangji tells him, opening the door and placing a bowl inside. “No spoons inside. Only the bowl and the food, otherwise it can make scary noises.” Wei Ying is watching with rapt attention. “Can hurt?” Wei Ying asks a bit more cautiously as he looks at Lan Wangji.

“No,” he assures the boy, closing the door. “We don’t want it to be very very hot, so we are going to use this button,” he points out the add 30 seconds button. “When we press the button it will turn on and spin the bowl. It makes a noise and when it is done it will beep at us.” Wei Ying nods slowly, watching Lan Wangji’s hand. “Then warm?” He asks quietly.

“Then we check it, I’m going to press it now,” he warns and lets Wei Ying nod before he does. Wei Ying still flinches slightly but glances at Lan Wangji and then watches the bowl. When it beeps Wei Ying braces for a moment, staring at the machine. “Check?” he whispers.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, opening the door, “Tap the bowl,” he shows him, “Sometimes it gets hot and we don’t want to burn ourselves. If it is too hot just wait and it will cool again.” He takes the bowl out, placing it between them and stirring a few times with the spoon before taking a small bite. “Hm. Still a little cold. What do you think?” He asks, passing the spoon over. Wei Ying takes it, dipping it into the soup and taking a small bite. He nods his head once, “Cold.”

“So we put it back in,” Lan Wangji explains, placing the bowl in and once again pressing the button. Wei Ying doesn’t flinch this time. When the bowl comes back out it is steaming gently and Lan Wangji mixes it again. “Perfect,” he smiles, passing the spoon over for Wei Ying who takes another bite, “Perfect,” the boy parrots.

“Do you want to warm yours up on your own?” Lan Wangji asks and Wei Ying nods, picking up his cold bowl of soup. The child is focused as he opens the door and places the soup inside. He hovers at the buttons for a moment before pressing the right one and snatching his hand back to himself quickly. It starts and Wei Ying’s eyes widen. “I did it!” He whisper shouts at Lan Wangji.

“You did,” Lan Wangji smiles, “Remember to check it,” he reminds him and the boy nods, focusing on the slowly spinning bowl. When it beeps he opens the door, “Tap tap,” Wei Ying murmurs as he lightly pats the side of the bowl. When he deemed it safe he pulled the bowl out carefully and looked for his spoon, mixing slowly and taking a small sip. “Well?” Lan Wangji asked, aware it would probably need another go but leaving the decision up to Wei Ying. The child is taking this very seriously, looking at his soup a long moment before announcing, “Cold.”

“Then we do one more,” Lan Wangji instructs, watching Wei Ying go through the motions again. The boy smiles as it starts, watching his soup spin. “Tap tap,” Wei Ying whispers again as he pats at the bowl, “Oh,” he murmurs, “Hot,” he says, looking up at Lan Wangji.

“Then we wait a little bit, it will cool down,” he tells the boy and the both of them stand there, watching the bowl as it steams. A minute passes and Wei Ying squirms, “Now?” He asks. “Tap it again,” Lan Wangji tells him.

“Tap tap,” Wei Ying chants, Lan Wangji’s smile softening. Wei Ying would be fine doing this without him, he was plenty cautious. The bowl was no longer too hot, Wei Ying took it out and mixed before taking a bite. “Perfect!” He grins, looking up at Lan Wangji like he had hung the stars themselves.

“You did very well,” Lan Wangji praised, taking in the toothy grin of the child and picking up Wei Ying’s bowl. “I’ll carry this outside for you so you can get down safely, okay?” Wei Ying was already starting to wiggle down from the countertop when he stopped, his smile fading as he looked at Lan Wangji.

“Is something wrong?” Lan Wangji asked as he watched Wei Ying’s brightness dim. “No,” Wei Ying answers quickly, resuming his hop from the counter and landing with a soft thud onto the kitchen floor. The boy didn’t make for the door, instead standing still and pulling at his sleeves.

“You can tell me anything,” Lan Wangji says softly, kneeling down beside Wei Ying to pass the boy his soup. Wei Ying took the bowl carefully, supporting it close to himself with both hands and looking at Lan Wangji. He could see the nerves, Wei Ying was thinking about something, he had to give him time.

“Can…” Wei Ying trailed off, looking down from Lan Wangji who sat still, letting the boy gather his courage. “Can we eat inside?” He asks in a rush of air, pulling his soup closer to himself to brace after he finished asking. Lan Wangji blinked, he had expected perhaps something about chilli oil or the bread.

“Of course,” he hurries to answer. Wei Ying so rarely tried to ask for anything, he wouldn’t say no. Especially when he had been trying to get the boy inside more with how the weather was. “I’m happy to eat anywhere with Xiao Mianbao,” he softens his voice again and watches as some of the tension in Wei Ying starts to relax. “Is there a reason you want to eat inside?”

“Cold,” Wei Ying mumbles, looking down into his soup. Lan Wangji gives a gentle nod of understanding, “It is getting very cold outside, eating inside is smart. Do you want to sit by the table?” Wei Ying glances up at him, still looking nervous but nodding his head.

“Then can I trust you to bring my bowl over too? I want to cut the bread up for us,” he asks with a small smile and Wei Ying nods much more readily as he adjusts his hands to take another bowl. Lan Wangji carefully passed his bowl over and let Wei Ying take off to wherever he felt comfortable eating.

Standing he pulled the bread from the window, cutting it into slices and bringing a handful of them over on a small plate. Wei Ying had pulled his blanket down from the chair and laid it out over the ground before placing the two bowls on it and sitting with his own. Lan Wangji took his spot with the other and set the bread between them.

He picked up a piece and passed it to Wei Ying who grinned, “Thank you,” he said before stuffing the bread in his mouth causing Lan Wangji to chuckle. “No need. I’m glad you like it.” Wei Ying gives a happy “Mn,” continuing to work at the meal. Lan Wangji joined him.

At one point Lan Wangji dips a corner of the bread into his soup before taking a bite. There is a small gasp from beside him, head turning he finds Wei Ying with eyes sparkling. “Lan Zhan smart!” Wei Ying proclaims as he picks up a piece of bread and does the same, a loud hum of happy sounds leaving him.

Their lunch slowly disappears, Lan Wangji letting Wei Ying take more of the bread. He wanted to make sure he was eating his fill and there was still plenty for dinner. When the boy finished off the last of his meal he let out a loud sigh and fell back, laying sprawled out on the kitchen floor. “Yummy,” he mumbled.

Lan Wangji smiled down at him for a moment before making a similar dramatic sigh and following to the ground. “Very yummy,” he agrees. Wei Ying giggles quietly as he looks over at Lan Wangji. “Lan Zhan.”

“Wei Ying,” he answers with a smile that has Wei Ying turning on his side and laughing. It was hard to imagine that he didn’t always have this, a bright child with smiles and laughter floating around him. Wei Ying’s presence was warm, it made him feel like he was home. He’d do anything to keep it this way.

Wei Ying’s laughter slowed and stopped, the boy just smiling toward him as they laid together in the kitchen. “Does Wei Ying want to help clean up?” Lan Wangji asked. This was usually when Wei Ying would disappear, always right after the meals. But Wei Ying had asked to eat inside, he hadn’t even glanced toward the parted door during their meal. Maybe he could get him to stay around just a little longer.

“Mn. Help,” Wei Ying smiles and sits himself up, stacking the bowls like he has so often watched Lan Wangji do. Lan Wangji pushes himself up and let Wei Ying carry the bowls as he folds the blanket back up and places it on the chair. He takes them from him and places them in the sink while Wei Ying clambours up to join him.

“Will you dry for me? Then we can put them in piles to be put away,” Lan Wangji asks as he gets out a towel for Wei Ying to use. The boy nods quickly, “Mn!” He smiles and starts to fill the sink with warm water, adding in some dish soap and it starts to bubble.

“Bath,” Wei Ying smiles, looking at the bubbles coming up from the sink. Lan Wangji looks at it, never having thought much of it before. “It is a little like a bath isn’t it?” He looks at the boy who is already poking the foam with a giggle. “We have to give our dirty dishes a bath now,” he tells Wei Ying who laughs and hides his face in the dish towel.

Lan Wangji turns off the water, starting with the small things like their spoons. Wei Ying still poked at the bubbles and Lan Wangji noted down needing to purchase some bubble bath in the future. He rinsed each item before passing it to Wei Ying who stopped his play to ensure he carefully dried each and every drop of water from what he was given.

The way his small face tightened in concentration was rather cute, especially when it was broken by little smiles and laughs when Lan Wangji lifted some of the bubbles and blew them toward Wei Ying. The bubbles landed in his hair and the child would try and hold back his laughter but wasn’t very successful.

“Lan Zhan!” He almost whined and Lan Wangji would feel worse about it if it wasn’t for the wide grin he was getting. “Yes Xiao Mianbao?” He asked, feigning his own innocence. “No fair!” Wei Ying laughs, his loud and warm laugh that could make Lan Wangji melt.

“I suppose Xiao Mianbao could do the same to me when he finishes drying that bowl,” Lan Wangji suggests, trying to hide his own small grin. Wei Ying’s eyes turn sharp, his grin back as he quickly works at the bowl he was washing.

The moment the bowl was stacked with the others Wei Ying reached over and took a handful of bubbles before taking a big breath and blowing them everywhere. The child was laughing before the bubbles even settled. Lan Wangji was trying to hold back his own laughter and failing.

Wei Ying had managed to get them everywhere along with some water. They were in Wei Ying’s hair, in Lan Wangji’s hair, all over both their clothes, and even on the cleaned dishes where the bubbles were settled and slowly popping. Lan Wangji’s shirt was almost dripping from the water in it.

“Xiao Mianbao got me!” He exclaimed dramatically, causing Wei Ying to clutch at his stomach as the boy continued to laugh. Lan Wangji laughed softly as he pulled the plug in the sink, saying goodbye to all the water and remaining bubbles.

The boy pants for air as he grins and Lan Wangji reaches over and pats his head, “Good job. I’m going to go change out of these wet clothes.” Wei Ying tilts his head under the hand, “What now?” he asks, still smiling up at Lan Wangji. “Now we relax for a little while until we start making dinner.”

With a nod Wei Ying grins, wiggling under Lan Wangji’s hand and hopping off the counter. Lan Wangji watches as Wei Ying starts to dry the floor before moving to his room to change out of his wet shirt, unable to stop his own small smile.

Chapter Text

The kitchen was empty when Lan Wangji returned. “Wei Ying?” he called as he walked to the back door, already aware that if Wei Ying wasn’t here he had run off again. He smiled a little, he didn’t know why Wei Ying always ran but at least he had been smiling and laughing just moments before.

He turned back, putting away the dried dishes and starting a wash with the clothes and towels between the two of them. The next few hours were spent dealing with their harvest. He puts the vegetables away and ties the herbs together before stringing them up between cabinets in order to dry. He’d use what he could of them fresh but it was a decent haul.

There was a little time for rest as Lan Wangji stretched out on the couch, tossing one of the blankets that were left there over his legs. Curry didn’t take long and they had a later lunch than planned so he sat down and checked the weather. The next few nights were all supposed to fall below freezing.

Maybe he could get Wei Ying to accept a blanket if he wouldn’t stay inside. Maybe he could just get him inside. If he said it was for himself Wei Ying was usually more willing to give in to new things. But he didn’t want to force it, it was a big step for Wei Ying to spend more time inside as it was.

With a sigh he opened his book, trying not to think too much about it. Surely he could bring it up in conversation somehow. He had to try something. But for now he tried to focus on his reading.

A few chapters later he sets the book down, deciding he may as well get the rice going. Standing and flicking on the kitchen light as it starts to grow dimmer outside he washes a few cups of rice. He wanted leftovers so he could make Wei Ying and himself lunch for a few days.

With the rice cooker set he pulled out their harvest and began to cut down the squash. He started to hum to himself as he worked, cutting all the vegetables before looking in the fridge for some protein. Fat. He wanted to get some fat on Wei Ying’s bones. According to some of the reading he’s been doing in the night, red meats were the way to go.

He took out the lamb, breaking it down and getting that in the pot to brown off. When the vegetables made it in he took a moment to stick his head out the window. The air was already biting at his skin and there was still no Wei Ying in sight. He moved back to the stove. Wei Ying had asked to eat inside earlier, surely now that it was even colder he’d want to again.

Soon enough dinner was done. He portioned out their meals for the night, adding a little chilli oil to Wei Ying’s portion and moving to the window. He set the bowl down and picked a blanket from the sofa before coming back and laying it on the dining area floor like Wei Ying had done earlier. It was too cold to eat outside, he’d do what he needed to to get Wei Ying in.

Turning back to pick up his own bowl he noticed the empty windowsill. Carrying his bowl with him he moves to the parted door, finding Wei Ying standing on the edge of the patio and hugging the bowl close, shivering already. “Come-” he didn’t need to finish his words, Wei Ying was already slipping through his legs and into the kitchen.

Lan Wangji turned and watched as Wei Ying set his bowl down and started to tug at the folded blanket on the chair. He moved, placing his bowl beside Wei Ying’s and picking up the blanket, unravelling it and wrapping it around Wei Ying’s shoulders as the boy clings onto it. “It is only going to get colder,” Lan Wangji whispers, Wei Ying not looking at him as he sank to the ground, huddling in his blanket for warmth.

He watches the boy for a moment before he takes his own seat, he picks up his bowl then Wei Ying’s, holding it out to the child. It takes a moment but two shaking hands take the bowl, Wei Ying muffling a cough into his blanket as he sits with his warm food clutched close.

The bread was forgotten as Lan Wangji sat quietly with Wei Ying, letting the boy shake off the chill that had caught him. Wei Ying wasn’t coming closer tonight, he was sitting more stiffly as well even after his shivering started to get more manageable. Something wasn’t right, Wei Ying wouldn’t meet his eyes.

Instead of pushing he takes a bite of his dinner. Time, Wei Ying often did well when given time. Lan Wangji is a few bites in before he sees Wei Ying start. Once the boy is consistently eating he breaks their silence, “It is almost all our vegetables,” he remarks quietly.

“Yummy,” Wei Ying whispers back, not looking up from his bowl. He pokes at it before taking another bite, another worrying sign. “You worked very hard for our garden. So thank you,” Lan Wangji tells him, watching for Wei Ying’s response.

The boy shakes his head back at him. “No thank you. Lan Zhan work hard too.”

“Okay,” Lan Wangji agrees softly, “No thank yous from either of us then, alright?” That gets the first look from Wei Ying of the night, somewhat upset if Lan Wangji had to guess. “It is only fair,” he tries even as Wei Ying looks back at his bowl again. There is a slow nod, “Okay,” Wei Ying agrees back to him, taking another bite of his meal.

Silence falls again, both of them cleaning their bowls without much way for conversation. Unlike usual there was something more in it, something that had Wei Ying nervous and Lan Wangji trying not to worry.

Lan Wangji’s bowl was set down first and when Wei Ying’s bowl joined it he knew he had to try and say something. He couldn’t let Wei Ying pull his vanishing act and go back out into that cold. It was dangerous. He didn’t even have socks, what if he got frostbite? What if his hands get so cold he can’t grip right and he falls out of whatever tree he apparently lives in? What if his little body starts to give out on him?

The spiralling thoughts are stopped by Wei Ying’s small voice, “Lan Zhan?” It is tenuous and it has Lan Wangji’s full attention as he focuses on Wei Ying. Wei Ying who is wrapping himself tightly in his blanket and still not meeting Lan Wangji’s eyes.

“I’m here,” Lan Wangji answers, turning to face Wei Ying. He could tell this wasn’t a moment to try and lighten things. Wei Ying was trying to say something, something that made him feel this small. He was here.

“I…it cold,” Wei Ying starts, his hands pulling at the blanket in a nervous sort of way. “Very cold. Very hard stay warm. Hard stay awake.” Wei Ying takes a pause, breathing a little fast. So Lan Wangji gives a soft “Mn,” letting him know he was listening. These were all things Lan Wangji was aware of, things he wanted to help with.

Wei Ying glances up toward him for a brief moment and Lan Wangji can see the apprehension. He settled with his own worries, he had to be strong, he had to have a calm face no matter what Wei Ying felt like he had to say. “L-Lan Zhan warm,” Wei Ying tries, glancing at him again, almost as if he is waiting for something.

“Wei Ying…want,” the boy pauses, “Want warm,” it is quieter, Wei Ying’s shoulders hunching in on himself as he dares to speak, “I want stay with Lan Zhan.” The words are barely a whisper. The moment they leave Wei Ying the child braces as if expecting some sort of retaliation for his request.

Lan Wangji reaches out, a hand resting on where Wei Ying’s arm hides under the blanket and the boy jolts, looking up at Lan Wangji with big fearful eyes. But Lan Wangji doesn’t move away, instead he runs his thumb slowly over the area, “I want Wei Ying to stay with me,” he tells him, his own voice gentle.

Wei Ying starts to frown a little, “Stay inside,” he clarifies, as if that was going to change Lan Wangji’s answer in any way.

He gives the boy a soft smile, “Inside,” he nods, “I want Wei Ying to stay inside with me. I want Wei Ying to know he is always allowed to be here with me. I always want him here.”

The boy blinks, looking away to process this. Lan Wangji sits patiently, trying not to think about the fact that Wei Ying was so prepared for rejection he didn’t seem ready for acceptance. “Lan Zhan…promise?” He asks, looking back at Lan Wangji.

“I promise Wei Ying,” he says softly, “I will always want you here.” Wei Ying’s face starts to change, the confusion and fear washing away and Lan Wangji doesn’t need Wei Ying to throw himself at him again to know. He closes the distance between them and hugs the child, scooping him up into his lap where Wei Ying’s breathing shook.

He had been so tense all through dinner because he was afraid to ask. Lan Wangji gave him a gentle squeeze as Wei Ying held onto him. Wei Ying asked. Wei Ying wanted to be here, to stay here. It was his choice, not Lan Wangji’s begging. Wei Ying felt safe enough to come here.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks quietly, waiting until Wei Ying looks up at him and smiling softly at those watery silver eyes. “Can I share another secret?” Wei Ying sniffles just a little and nods, waiting for Lan Wangji to speak.

“My house is not a home without my Xiao Mianbao,” he says softly, moving a messy strand of Wei Ying’s hair from his face as the boy’s lips part in surprise. “This home is just as much yours as it is mine. I like you being here. I want you here. Anything you want you can have, anywhere you want to go you can go. All I want is for my Wei Ying to be comfortable enough to smile with me.”

There is another harsh sniffle and Wei Ying’s face pressed against Lan Wangji’s chest where he holds him close. “Want home,” the boy cries quietly, “Want Lan Zhan.” Lan Wangji began to lightly rock them back and forth, “I’m right here,” he tells the boy, letting his chin rest on his head. “I will always be right here.”

Wei Ying was just overwhelmed, Lan Wangji knew it was a lot for him to manage in one day. He’d been making such big progress all week, one little outburst wasn’t the end of anything. It was easier to get him to calm down as well, soft touches and humming worked the trick as Wei Ying relaxed.

The boy lifted his head slowly, sniffling again and squirming from Lan Wangji’s lap where he was easily freed. Lan Wangji watched as Wei Ying wiped at his face, clearing away his tears and making his red eyes worse. “Okay?” He asked as he gave a small smile. Wei Ying nodded slowly in return, yawning a little bit.

“You can sleep if you are tired,” Lan Wangji offers, “You know the kitchen and most of the living room. You can sleep anywhere you are comfortable. I have another bedroom that can be yours, but it is down the hall a little bit so you would be farther from the doors.”

A shake of a head, Wei Ying holding his blanket a little tighter. “Stay here please,” he murmurs. “Of course. You don’t have to go anywhere,” he tells him as he starts to gather their dishes. He ruffles Wei Ying’s hair as he stands. Wei Ying relaxes slowly at the touch and Lan Wangji goes to put the dishes in the sink. He ducks down to fish out containers for portioning out their meals.

“Oh, I need to show you where I put the cinnamon-” Lan Wangji’s words stop as he stands back up. Wei Ying’s blanket was laid with the other one and the kitchen was empty. He walked to the open door, “Wei Ying?” he called out, a little worried. The boy had just asked if he could stay, why would he be leaving?

There was nothing in the yard and it was too dark to see past the shadow of the fence. He closes his eyes, head resting on the doorframe as he takes a deep breath. It would be fine. Wei Ying would come back before morning this time, everything would be fine.

That is what he kept telling himself as he packed away their meals and set them on a low shelf of the fridge. It was what he kept saying in his head as he washed the dishes from the meal and saved the scraps to feed to the rabbits. It was what he kept thinking until there was the sound of little feet on the cement outside.

“Wei Ying,” he calls, the relief apparent in his voice as he turns to find a chilled boy slipping through the parted door. Wei Ying looks up at him and that is when Lan Wangji notices it, Wei Ying is carrying something. Whatever it is Wei Ying is clutching tightly against his chest, the child shifting between his feet nervously.

Lan Wangji dried his hands off one more time before coming over, kneeling down so Wei Ying would have a few inches on him and giving a gentle smile. “I have to show you where the cinnamon rolls went and where our lunch is for tomorrow, I was wondering where you ran off to.”

Wei Ying chews at his lip, whatever is in his hands is pressed so tightly to himself that Lan Wangji can’t make much of it out. “Had-had to get…” the boy trails off, squeezing the object impossibly closer to himself.

“What did you get?” Lan Wangji speaks gently, sitting down fully and looking up at Wei Ying. Whatever he was holding was making him anxious. Wei Ying looks down at Lan Wangji, “Good,” the boy whispers, more to himself than Lan Wangji, “Safe.” He sat still as Wei Ying took his time, he’d wait forever if Wei Ying needed it.

The boy started to move, hands slowly starting to release their death grip on the item. “Had to get him,” Wei Ying whispered as he carefully held out his hands, presenting the object. Lan Wangji looked from Wei Ying’s face to the item.

It was a small stuffed animal, a little donkey by the look of it. Brown in some areas, grey in others where it must have been sunbleached. Tied around the donkey’s neck was an old and tattered red hair ribbon, faded in similar ways to the toy. What truly caught Lan Wangji’s eye was the spots, the dark rust of dried blood that was caked to parts of the stuffed animal and its ribbon.

His eyes flickered up toward Wei Ying again, at the child who was convincing himself it was safe here, safe enough to bring this toy. This little toy that so clearly meant so much to the boy. “What is his name?” Lan Wangji asks softly, Wei Ying’s arms pulling the donkey back into a tight hug now that Lan Wangji saw it.

“Li-little Apple,” Wei Ying whispers out, “He stay with Wei Ying. Mama said he watches Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji swallowed the small lump forming in his throat, he needed to focus on the now and idle chatter and not what Wei Ying’s words told him.

“That is a very good name,” Lan Wangji gives a soft little smile, hoping to help ease some of Wei Ying’s nerves. He was pointedly trying to not think about an even smaller Wei Ying lost on the streets and clutching a bloody stuffed animal, likely starving and afraid. “He has done a very good job of watching over Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying’s head nods at that, looking down at the animal and stroking his fingers over the ribbon slowly. “I am happy to welcome Little Apple here just as much as Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says softly, “Is there a reason you had to go get him?” He had seen Wei Ying sleep here during storms, even the other night when he chose to stay. Why had he never brought his donkey if it meant so much to him?

The boy was looking a little less nervous, still hugging Little Apple close but not in the sort of desperate way as when he first walked in. There was a small nod, Wei Ying glancing around them. “Show Little Apple new home,” he whispered, his small voice stopping any sort of thought from Lan Wangji at those words.

Home. New home. Two simple little words that caused such a strong wave of relief and hope to wash over Lan Wangji that he found his eyes getting wet, a sniffle leaving him as he looked down to try and collect himself.

“Lan Zhan?” The small voice asked, “Bad?” it continued slowly, and Lan Wangji lifted his head, even as a tear fell he gave Wei Ying a full smile. “No. Not bad. Good, very good.” He used his sleeve to wipe at his eyes, “I’m sorry. I’m very happy. I want this to be Wei Ying’s new home. I’m so glad Little Apple gets to see it too.”

Wei Ying stares at Lan Wangji for a long moment before stepping closer and slowly holding out the donkey again. “Lan Zhan hug?” He asks softly, “Crying good?”

“Can I hug Wei Ying and Little Apple?” Lan Wangji asks with a small smile, sniffling as he clears the wetness from his eyes. “Crying can be good, I didn’t mean to worry you.” Lan Wangji stopped talking as a hand fell on the top of his head, his smile only softening as Wei Ying patted him a few times.

“Hug,” Wei Ying nodded and without hesitation crawled right into Lan Wangji’s lap, donkey in one hand as he wrapped his little arms around Lan Wangji’s neck and squeezed. Lan Wangji wrapped his arms around the thin boy and squeezed back, letting his cheek rest against Wei Ying’s head as he took a deep breath.

His eyes closed for a moment. Wei Ying saw this as a home, his home. It didn’t matter if the boy was too nervous to venture into every room, Wei Ying called this home. Wei Ying pulled what had to be his only possession out of wherever he hid away and brought it here. He takes another slow breath and moves to look down at Wei Ying, seeing waiting eyes look back up at him.

“Well we better show Little Apple around so he can feel safe here too,” Lan Wangji says with a small smile and Wei Ying starts to smile as well. “Mn,” the boy nodded, wiggling until he was out of Lan Wangji’s lap and getting up.

Lan Wangji got up as well, looking at Wei Ying who went back to lightly hugging the donkey. He wasn’t carrying the tension of before, perhaps now that he knew Lan Wangji was okay with Little Apple he was able to relax. “Do you want to show him or should I?” He asked, giving Wei Ying a pat to the head like he had done earlier.

The boy smiled and put his face down into his donkey, hiding for a moment, “Me,” Wei Ying nodded, “Lan Zhan help,” he amended, glancing up at the man. Lan Wangji gave his own nod, “I will follow Wei Ying’s lead.”

Wei Ying walks ahead, toward the table, “Little Apple likes bunnies too,” Wei Ying shares, his voice a little stronger than earlier. “Is that so?” Lan Wangji asks, trailing the child, “Has he liked your bunny shirt?” Wei Ying’s head nods quickly, “Mn. Lots.”

“Clothes,” he points out, holding Little Apple out a little as he does, “And warm blanket. Lan Zhan says mine,” he tells the donkey as he hugs it again. “They are yours,” Lan Wangji agrees softly, watching with a small smile. Wei Ying had only had Little Apple all these years, it was nice hearing Wei Ying talk to it like it was an old friend.

The boy glanced up at the comment, but continued on. “For rain,” he shows Little Apple the towels. Wei Ying looks around a little, leading them over into the kitchen more. “Lots food,” Wei Ying tells the donkey when he faces the fridge. Lan Wangji opens the door to help show it, “And Wei Ying and Little Apple can have any of it,” he tells them, pointing to the low shelf. “This is the lunch for tomorrow, you just come in here and warm it up and it is all ready.”

“Warm,” Wei Ying chirps, looking at the containers Lan Wangji had made up and turning to match over toward the microwave. He holds Little Apple up over his head so the donkey could get a view of the whole counter. “Warm,” he tells the donkey, “Only food,” Lan Wangji smiles as he watches Wei Ying turn to show the sink, “Water. And bath for bowls,” the child explains.

“The microwave warms up food,” Lan Wangji tells him, giving Wei Ying the proper name. Wei Ying gives a firm nod in response and pulls Little Apple back down, marching to the stove. “Lan Zhan make yummy food here,” he shares with his donkey, pointing up at the stovetop. “Bread here,” he points to the oven.

“I cook on the stove and make bread in the oven,” he explains, enjoying the little show and tell going on. Wei Ying was paying attention to a lot of things he realised, the boy picking up little pieces of information and adding them to his own collection of knowledge. He needed to be better about sharing, if he explained things to Wei Ying he had no doubts the boy would understand.

“The cinnamon rolls,” Lan Wangji says, almost having forgotten as he watched this, “They are on the counter next to the microwave. You can just put one on a plate and warm it up.” Wei Ying’s eyes widened, his smile growing, he looked down at Little Apple, “Yummy sweet. Surprise.”

“They were a surprise,” Lan Wangji agrees as Wei Ying takes a look around. He covered the important things in the kitchen and Wei Ying really didn’t go anywhere else in the house so the tour would be coming to an end soon. But Lan Wangji dutifully follows Wei Ying as the boy creeps toward the living room.

“Different,” he listens to Wei Ying talk, “Lan Zhan move,” the boy explains to his donkey. They don’t go far into the room but Wei Ying points at the couch, “Soft. Very soft. Sit with Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying’s fingers stroke over Little Apple’s matted little mane, looking up toward Lan Wangji. “All done.”

“A very good job,” Lan Wangji nods in approval, making Wei Ying smile a little, “I think Little Apple will be comfortable tonight, do you?” Wei Ying looks down at the donkey then back up, “Mn,” the boy answers, trying to hide his smile.

“Is it bedtime then? Or do you stay up late?” Lan Wangji asked, checking the time. He had about an hour until his own bedtime rolled around but he would retire early if it made it easier for Wei Ying to relax.

“No sleep lots,” Wei Ying answers, glancing toward the kitchen again. Lan Wangji takes a small step to the side, giving Wei Ying space that the boy takes to walk past. “Is it okay if I stay up a little with you?” Lan Wangji asks as he watches Wei Ying pick up his blanket from the floor, tugging it around himself with one hand while holding his donkey with the other.

“Mn. lan Zhan stay,” Wei Ying answers easily, padding back toward him half wrapped in his blanket. Lan Wangji knelt down as he got close, helping to wrap the blanket better around the boy who smiled at him for his efforts. He really needed to go to the store for him again, Wei Ying needed warmer clothes, he always seemed cold.

“At night I sometimes read or play music. Is that okay?” Wei Ying’s eyes start to widen as Lan Wangji speaks. “Mn!” He nods, excitement clear in those sparkling eyes, “Lan Zhan pretty music!” Lan Wangji tilts his head, “Have you heard it before?”

Wei Ying’s head nods quickly, “Listen sometimes.” Lan Wangji blinks, then nods a little. “Would you like it if I play now?” He asks and earning another quick nod he walks them further into the living room and starts to set up his qin at the low table.

He shouldn’t be surprised that Wei Ying had heard him. He hasn’t closed the kitchen window since he met Wei Ying and the door was open more than half the time now as well. As he adjusted the strings he watched Wei Ying sit on the couch, curling into the corner of it and hugging Little Apple to himself while adjusting his blanket to stay warm.

How often was Wei Ying waiting just outside and he didn't know? He ran off often but was he coming back and just not coming in? Or was this before Wei Ying would let himself in? Wei Ying had a tendency to hesitate on the step sometimes. The thought that he could have been doing that at night, last night, shivering from the cold and waiting just outside, too scared to let himself in. Lan Wangji silenced the strings and with them those thoughts.

Looking at the boy again, Wei Ying was settled in, curled up and watching Lan Wangji’s hands with his little smile. Wei Ying was here, he would be staying here in his new home. He took a deep breath and began to play simple songs he knew by heart that may entertain the child.

He would glance toward him from time to time, watching as the excitement settles into something like contentment. As Wei Ying’s smile softens and his head slowly starts to fall against the couch for support. The boy may usually stay up late but he looked rather tired right now. So for the next song Lan Wangji switched, moving to the song he has been humming to Wei Ying, the song he has been writing for him.

And it does the trick. The familiar song goes until Wei Ying’s eyes fall shut and Lan Wangji watches him start to slump over asleep. He quiets the instrument and slowly stands, moving over and carefully helping Wei Ying lay out on the sofa. He pulls over the pillow, tomorrow he’d bring some of the blankets and pillows from the guest room out. But he tucks the boy in, adding a few more blankets to keep him warm even if the breeze in the kitchen reaches him.

He goes into the kitchen and turns off the light. His guqin can sit on the table for one night as he comes over once more, fingers lightly combing through Wei Ying’s hair. “Goodnight Wei Ying,” he whispered, leaning down as he pressed a kiss to the boy’s head and made sure Little Apple was bundled up with him.

---

Walking out for work in the morning, Lan Wangji stops for a moment, looking at the sleeping boy on the couch. He could admit he worried overnight, but those worries seemed unneeded as he watched Wei Ying’s chest rise and fall slowly with each breath. He moved quietly into the kitchen and gathered his lunch as well as making himself some tea.

So maybe he stands in the kitchen and watches Wei Ying sleep as he drinks his morning tea. There was just something so settling about seeing him here, seeing him rest and not having it be the result of a storm of nightmares. His lips tick upward at the reminder that Wei Ying thought of this as home.

Cleaning his tea cup he sets out some vegetables to feed their rabbits with the little drawing and leaves for work. It was a meeting heavy day, including a long few meetings with this idiot who kept pestering him. Su Minshan, not very good at his job but clearly wanting to be recognised for more.

When he finally got home that day he was tired and very glad to be home. He walked in, dropping his things and moving through the kitchen as usual. There he paused, tilting his head and bending down to see better. There was a Wei Ying under the table, his smile came easily as he looked at the boy soundly asleep.

Wei Ying has put both his lunch container and the veggie plate in the sink he noted as he walked by to go change. He carried out with him the pillows and blankets of the guest room, setting them on the couch. He’d have to tell Wei Ying the couch was for him. He didn’t mind Wei Ying sleeping anywhere but from the way he introduced the couch to Little Apple he liked the softness of it but was apprehensive about being alone.

Lan Wangji snuck out the back door to go sit with their bunnies, their soft fluff and little nudges always making the stress of the day roll off his shoulders. When he came back in he took a seat in the living room and pulled out his laptop. His uncle had sent him some articles on health for small children and he added it to his own research. The few hours before he would start dinner were spent reading and starting to make a cart of items he wanted to get for Wei Ying.

He moved into the kitchen and tried to be quiet as he started to pull things out for dinner. Fried rice was the plan with the amount of leftover rice still from the day before. He made it pretty far into the dish before turning and nearly falling over the child that had appeared behind him. Catching his breath and his balance, Lan Wangji gives the boy a smile. “Hello there.”

Wei Ying was still wrapped in his blanket, in one hand he was clutching the blanket close and the other was carrying Little Apple. He stands there, blinking slowly as his hand moves and rubs at his eyes, a yawn leaving him. There was a red mark on his cheek from where it had been laying. “Lan Zhan,” the boy greets, still looking half asleep.

“Did you sleep well?” Lan Wangji asks, kneeling down and picking Wei Ying up. The boy makes a small noise of surprise but Lan Wangji sets him on the counter near the stove and he settles easily, looking at what was being made. “Mn,” he answers, nodding slowly along with it.

“I’m making fried rice. Was your day good?” Lan Wangji asks as he continues his cooking. Wei Ying was slow to answer, blinking down at the cup of water Lan Wangji sets next to him before picking it up and drinking. “Mn,” the boy finally answers, “Surprise yummy. Bunnies happy. Warm food good.” Lan Wangji smiles at the summary of Wei Ying’s day, cracking the eggs into the wok to join the rest of it.

“I put out the pillows and blankets from the other bedroom on the couch. You can sleep on that all the time if you’d like,” he tells the boy, turning off the heat and moving to get them bowls. Wei Ying doesn’t really answer, watching Lan Wangji make dinner instead. “Do you want to eat inside?” He asks, addings spoons to their bowls. Wei Ying didn’t have to answer, as long as he understood.

Wei Ying nods a little, “Cold,” he murmurs and wiggles until Lan Wangji comes over and helps him down. He was still wrapped in his blanket so getting around was a bit more effort. “There was frost again this morning, it has been very cold,” Lan Wangji agrees as sets Wei Ying down and the boy shuffles over to where they usually eat on the floor.

Lan Wangji brings their drinks and bowls before finally coming with the chilli oil. Wei Ying smiled at that, pouring it over his meal before starting to eat. Lan Wangji watched Wei Ying as he ate, the boy starting to come back to life as he woke up properly now.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying chirps out, much more of his normal cheeriness in the call. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji answers as he finishes a bite of his meal. “Day good?” Wei Ying asks, smiling before taking another large bite of food and swaying happily side to side.

“Yes, good day,” Lan Wangji tells him with a soft smile. Those annoying meetings and people didn’t matter, seeing Wei Ying, coming home to their bunnies, it was a good day. “I had to talk to a lot of people today at work. It is tiring, but I played with the bunnies and feel a lot better.”

“Need nap?” Wei Ying asks, cleaning his bowl and setting it down. Lan Wangji shakes his head, stacking his bowl with Wei Ying’s as he finishes, “I’m okay. I was going to relax and read a little bit after the dishes.”

“Help,” Wei Ying nods and unravels himself from his blanket, Little Apple having been sat on a chair before Wei Ying started to eat. Lan Wangji follows Wei Ying up but the boy has already taken the dishes and went to the sink, adding them in. He watches as Wei Ying pulls down the towel he used yesterday and climbs up into position.

“Thank you,” he tells him as he starts to fill the sink. It was nice to have the help and Wei Ying did a good job. The dishes were done quickly and they put them away together as Wei Ying started to learn where things belonged.

They moved to the living room, Wei Ying picking up his blanket and Little Apple to follow. Lan Wangji took a seat on the couch after picking up a book and it only took a few minutes before there was a Wei Ying crawling into his lap and laying half on top of him. He held his arms up and Wei Ying didn’t say anything as he got comfortable.

The boy rested with his back against Lan Wangji’s chest, sitting between his legs. Wei Ying had made sure the blanket went over the both of them before he relaxed back. When Lan Wangji’s arms returned down he was somewhat surprised when Wei Ying wrapped around his free forearm, hugging it to his chest with his donkey.

“Okay?” Lan Wangji asked softly, setting the book down for a moment to comb through Wei Ying’s hair. He got a small nod, Wei Ying looking up at him and smiling so he smiled back. He picked up the book again and continued to read to himself, idly thinking about the clingy child in his arms.

It was only sometimes but Wei Ying would latch on and not let go. It was better than when he couldn’t be within arms reach of him, but part of him worried about it. He knew Wei Ying worried, that some of Wei Ying’s fear stemmed from the idea that Lan Wangji could get hurt. But sometimes he just wondered if the boy was touch starved with how he would cling on. Especially when he was scared or hurt, it was as if separating from Lan Wangji would make him fall apart.

“Lan Zhan?” The soft voice broke his line of thought. He hadn’t read a full line in his book in minutes. He looks down, meeting those bright silver eyes, “Yes?” He coaxed, rubbing Wei Ying’s chest gently where his arm was held. “Can…Lan Zhan read?” the boy asks in a murmur, playing with Lan Wangji’s fingers as he does so.

Lan Wangji’s face softens, “I’d be happy to read for you,” he answers, catching Wei Ying’s hand and giving a squeeze. The child giggles quietly and snuggles in more, waiting expectantly. “I don’t know if it is a book you may really like,” he warns, setting it down and moving back toward the beginning.

“Want to listen Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying answers so easily, his head rolling on Lan Wangji’s chest as he watches Lan Wangji flip through the pages back to the start. Lan Wangji gave him one more squeeze and began to read. He wasn’t used to reading out loud, his voice ending up rather monotone.

As he flipped a page he glanced down at Wei Ying who was looking at the pages along with him, seemingly unbothered by the quality of reading. So Lan Wangji continued, his flow becoming smoother as he went on, relaxing himself. Wei Ying didn’t care how it was read, he just liked to listen.

He lasts a little over an hour before his voice is ready to give out. He finishes the chapter and gently closes the book. Wei Ying’s eyes had been fighting to stay open for some time, but when Lan Wangji stopped they blinked open a little more. “All done?” He murmured, shifting slowly to his side, Lan Wangji’s arm released as he hugs Little Apple closer.

“For tonight,” Lan Wangji tells him, stroking his head gently as the child squirms. “It is just about my bedtime. We can read more tomorrow if you like?” Wei Ying starts to sit up, letting Lan Wangji get out from under him. “Mn. Like reading,” Wei Ying agrees softly.

Almost as soon as Lan Wangji got up from the couch Wei Ying fell back down into it, yawning. Lan Wangji moved the pillows, Wei Ying snuggling in as he placed more blankets over the boy. “Goodnight Wei Ying,” he said softly, kneeling down to see the little face poking out of the blankets.

“Night night Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying murmurs, giving a sleepy smile up toward the man. Lan Wangji brushed the hair away from Wei Ying’s face, thumb stroking slowly over his forehead. He gives the boy a soft smile in return and stands, turning off the lights and going to his room.

Taking a shower Lan Wangji settled on the bed with his laptop. Finishing out his online shopping list he checked out and read through a few of his emails. He opened the messaging app on the screen, looking at the family group chat. Lan Xichen had inquired about the rabbits, Lan Qiren answered him for Lan Wangji as usual. He should update them.

LWJ: [Wei Ying is sleeping inside. He brought in an old toy his parents gave him to show it his new home.]

He closes the laptop and sets it aside, not expecting a response right away as he moves around his room and settles for the night. Once he turns the light off he opens his door, wanting to be accessible to Wei Ying even if the boy has shown no interest in coming this far into the house. Going back to his bed he lays down before checking his phone.

LXC: [I expect pictures!]

LQR: [How is he doing?]

LWJ: [I believe he was mostly inside today, a rather big change for him. He has been sleeping quite often.]

LQR: [Keep an eye on him. Environmental changes can be hard and he has been under significant stress.]

LWJ: [Thank you Shufu.]

He plugged in the phone and laid down. Wei Ying had been tired all day, he had checked his head but the boy hadn’t felt warm. The weekend was long for him, learning to feel safe with a new person, coming into the house, asking to stay and working through that fear. One day of rest was warranted. He’d just have to watch closely for now.

Chapter Text

The next day went much the same, Wei Ying sound asleep as he readied for work, leaving the bunnies snack out, and driving into the office. He had barely sat in his office when there was a knock on the door, a quiet sigh leaves him as he turns to it in his chair. “Come in,” he called.

Su Minshan walked in, giving a smile that made Lan Wangji want to roll his eyes, but he was a professional. “Good morning, Mr. Lan,” The rather annoying man greeted and Lan Wangji nodded in his own greeting, “What do you need?” He asked, trying to get started on his own day.

“Oh nothing really,” the man smiled, “I just wanted to say hello. You don’t seem to really talk with anyone around here and I wouldn’t want you to feel lonely.” Lan Wangji forced on a tight smile, “Thank you. But you do not need to waste your efforts. I can assure you I do not feel lonely.”

“Really?” Su Minshan asked as he let himself further into the office, coming closer to the desk. “But you just moved here a little while ago now-”

“Six weeks,” Lan Wangji corrects.

“Yes, yes. But that is not too long. And you came from the big city, headquarters and all. Has to be hard adjusting,” Su Minshan continued.

“I have found the adjustment quite pleasant. Now it would be best if we both get back to our work, Su Minshan,” Lan Wangji tells the man, trying to be polite but firm with him. The man laughs a little, “You can call me Su She, I’ll see you around Mr. Lan,” and with that he leaves the room.

Lan Wangji rubs his temple, trying to get back into his routine. It is easy to forget the morning as he answers emails and works, easy until it comes to lunch. He had stacked Wei Ying’s and his own meals in the fridge so they would be easy to reach, trying to get Wei Ying to learn to help himself more. Well in doing so there was a small mix up.

When he opened the container in the employee lounge he was staring down at a bright red mess of spice over the meal. He had accidentally taken a portion he made for Wei Ying. Lan Wangji stands there in front of the microwave for a long moment, staring down at the bright red meal. He couldn’t eat this, he’d be down for the rest of the day.

“Is something wrong Mr. Lan?” that same slimy voice cut into his silent deliberation, his eyes closing a moment as he tried not to sigh. He glanced toward the man, “It seems I took the wrong container today. This is not my lunch,” he infomed, placing the lid back on the meal. He’d just wait until he got home, maybe Wei Ying would like having an afternoon snack.

“What’s wrong with it?” Su Minshan asked, Lan Wangji tensing as the man neared him. “I can not handle spice,” he tells the man as he takes a step away. “Apologies for blocking the microwave, I will be going back to my office.”

“Well you shouldn’t let it go to waste,” Su Minshan stepped closer again, that same smile on his face that Lan Wangji was starting to find irritating. “I’d be happy to give you my lunch, I am good with spice.”

“I doubt you can handle this much,” Lan Wangji said without much thought. The spice tolerance he’d seen in Wei Ying was unrivalled, he was fairly confident he would see Wei Ying drinking his chilli sauce from the bottle if given the option.

“Of course I can,” the man says with a bolster of pride, reaching over and placing a hand on the container. Lan Wangji pulls it back, away from him, “No. It will not go to waste. I will bring it home where it will be eaten.”

Su Minshan pulls back just a little at the direct refusal, “Ah…so there is a Mrs. Lan then? Well, tell-”

“No,” Lan Wangji states, not wanting to even think about that sort of rumour spreading even if it was against their company policy. “You are reaching too far Su Minshan, keep your place.” The man stops, Lan Wangji turning and leaving the room before he can see the anger that flashes over Su Minshan’s face.

Sitting at his desk he looks at the container. Wei Ying didn’t need spice, but he also knew where to get it to add some for his own lunch. He’d have to see if Wei Ying would eat this. He put the conversation out of mind and hunkered down.

Lan Wangji felt exhausted when he got home, sitting in his car for a moment to take a deep breath and relax. He could talk with people but it was draining, he was not the social butterfly his brother had always been. And today had been mess after mess. Usually on days like this he’d come home and curl up with a book and let the night pass him in silence.

Today, he got out of the car and took his things inside, slipping off his shoes and putting his bag next to them on the ground. Walking through the kitchen he set the full lunch container on the counter beside the sink, noticing the dishes neatly stacked. He turned to go change and made it to the hall before stopping at the sight of the living room.

He walked slowly, moving on his toes to not wake Wei Ying. He couldn’t help his smile, the tension that just rolled off of him as he knelt near the boy. Wei Ying was on the floor asleep, a pile of blankets and pillows seemed to have made their way down as well, surrounding the boy.

But what was really making Lan Wangji smile was the books all around Wei Ying. He glanced toward his bookshelves seeing they have been sufficiently raided of things on the lower levels. They were spread out all over the coffee table, couch, and floor. All of them open, most of them pages that had some sort of image on them but others just to text.

He started to close a few quietly, stacking them up. He’d have to reorganise the shelves again. He didn’t care. Wei Ying had gone through things, he had pulled items from shelves and let himself explore, he was letting himself have a presence, letting himself exist in this home that was now his. After clearing enough space to settle beside Wei Ying he runs a hand through the boy’s hair, a soft little laugh leaving him as he notices Wei Ying is currently using a book as a pillow, as if he fell asleep in the middle of his browsing.

“Wei Ying,” He calls softly, gently lifting Wei Ying’s head to pull the book out from under him and add it to the small stack he was collecting. There is a small sound in response, Wei Ying’s head falling back into the blankets as he took a deep breath.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying’s tired voice answered, his eyes squinting open before he let them close again and snuggled into the warmth of his blankets. “Lan Zhan home,” Wei Ying mumbled, a hand coming up and rubbing at his face to help wake up. “I just got home,” Lan Wangji agrees, watching Wei Ying wake with a soft smile.

“Looks like you have been quite busy,” he comments as he looks around again. Little Apple was on the couch with a book as well, this book opened to a picture of other animals. Most of his reading material was rather formal, informational and research based texts he had enjoyed over the years. There was the occasional fiction piece he kept on hand, but they were few.

None of that appeared to bother Wei Ying who had picked out the diagrams and images of the texts just for looking. Wei Ying started to sit up, looking around himself and then toward Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji watched as Wei Ying started to chew at his lip, “It looks very fun,” he tells the boy, not wanting to have Wei Ying worry about having touched anything. “What were you doing?”

Wei Ying looks at him a moment, looking for anger or something else, but when there is none he starts to relax again, his small smile coming more easily. “I read!” He announced proudly, and Lan Wangji was helpless but to laugh. “I can see that,” he ruffles Wei Ying’s hair. “Did you find anything good? Something we can read together?”

The boy nods quickly, his smile and eyes bright as he is fully awake and squirming out of his cocoon. He stands and looks around himself, Lan Wangji sitting back on his heels and watching with a smile. Wei Ying picks up a book from the couch, one that is open to pictures of different plants, bringing it back to Lan Wangji and holding it out. “Garden,” he says with a smile.

Lan Wangji takes the book, closing it to read the cover. “It is about how to take care of plants and different uses for them,” he tells Wei Ying whose eyes only widen in excitement. “Read!” He proclaims and proceeds to try and crawl into Lan Wangji’s lap. He laughs softly, having to gently keep Wei Ying off him.

“In a little bit,” he tells the slightly pouting child, “I need to change and eat something. I accidentally brought your lunch to work and it was far too spicy for me. I was thinking we could have a snack time together?”

Wei Ying was frowning a little, first at Lan Wangji not letting him climb on him then at the fact that he hadn’t eaten. But he blinked and then nodded, holding his hands back out for the book, “After snack time,” he decides for them. Lan Wangji handing the book back over to Wei Ying who puts it on the couch and sets Little Apple on top of it.

“Do you think we can clean up a little so we can sit on the couch together?” Lan Wangji asks, not planning to make Wei Ying put everything away. He kind of liked the mess, like the kitchen table, it made it feel more like a home. Wei Ying nodded, “I clean. Lan Zhan change.”

“Are you sure?” He checks, getting a determined little nod from Wei Ying in response. He smiles at him and starts to stand, “I’ll be right back then,” he tells him as he starts toward his room, glancing back at Wei Ying who was carefully picking up the books on the couch and closing them, adding them to the coffee table.

After changing he joins Wei Ying, helping clear a few on the floor away so they wouldn’t trip. “Do you have an idea for a snack?” He asks as he stands, Wei Ying following him out to the kitchen where Lan Wangji places the uneaten lunch back in the fridge for Wei Ying to have tomorrow.

They both look in the fridge for a little while before Wei Ying looks up at him, “Surprise?” he asks. “Surprise?” Lan Wangji repeats, a little confused as he looks down at Wei Ying. But the boy just nods and turns away.

Lan Wangji pulls out a few things of fruit and follows, watching Wei Ying hoist himself up on the countertop and he soon understands. “Surprise,” Wei Ying holds out a nicely wrapped cinnamon roll. He chuckles, getting down two plates and moving to join Wei Ying by the microwave. “A very good idea.”

Wei Ying beams up at him, unwrapping the treat carefully as Lan Wangji starts to cut some fruit up for each of them. “They are called cinnamon rolls,” Lan Wangji informs him, a bit surprised when Wei Ying shakes his head, “Surprise.”

“Okay,” he concedes, letting Wei Ying have one of the plates. “Can we share the surprise?” he asks, watching Wei Ying put it in the microwave and press start. He wasn’t jumpy like before, he had adjusted to it rather well. Wei Ying glances back at him with that bright smile again, “Mn. Share.”

“Will you pick out the fruit you like?” Lan Wangji pushes the other plate toward him, so far he had found Wei Ying to only push away melons and apples. The child had eaten anything else given to him, so he worried about some sort of fruit allergy and was letting Wei Ying mediate it.

The boy turns to face the plate, starting to pick and separate each little pile Lan Wangji had made. Distracted, when the microwave beeps there is a slight jump but only a grin as he turns back to check on it. Lan Wangji pulls some juice from the fridge for them as he listens to Wei Ying’s little ‘tap tap’ as he takes their treat out.

Coming back over he sets the glass beside Wei Ying who has returned to his sorting. He knew the apple was a no, it was more for himself. He could wait until dinner with a few snacks. Wei Ying poked at the berries, narrowing his eyes at them before slowly taking a few of them for himself. He didn’t seem to question the grapes or orange slices.

Lan Wangji cut the warmed cinnamon roll in half and helped Wei Ying in making both their plates. He had more, but Wei Ying had eaten a full lunch so he wasn’t worried. Letting Wei Ying hop down from the counter he handed him his plate but carried his juice for him.

“Where does Xiao Mianbao want to eat?” He asks, glancing outside. It was starting to get a bit warmer again and the sun was out today. But the giggling Wei Ying turned and took them to the living room without hesitation. Lan Wangji dutifully followed behind, sitting on the floor on the blankets Wei Ying had left there from before.

They start to eat, Lan Wangji passing Wei Ying the juice and chuckling as Wei Ying’s eyes sparkle at the taste. “A treat,” he tells the boy, not wanting to give him too much sugar. Wei Ying nods, “Treat,” he copies and starts pulling apart the cinnamon roll to eat.

Both start with the warm treat, Lan Wangji listening to Wei Ying’s happy little hums with a small smile. He couldn’t be bothered to think about what made the day so long when he had this to focus on. Wei Ying was happy to eat the grapes as well, but when he picked up the berries he was quieter, examining them before slowly eating them. Once he did he popped back up, just as content as before.

“Careful,” Wei Ying’s little voice interrupts his small meal. Lan Wangji has just picked up an apple slice to eat himself, but stops and looks at Wei Ying. Wei Ying had said apples were a no, “I need to be careful?” He asks, trying to coax more from the boy. Wei Ying put a blueberry in his mouth and nodded. “Careful apple,” he tells Lan Wangji, even as he continues picking at his own meal, pressing on a berry before eating it.

“Why do I need to be careful?” Lan Wangji continues, trying to keep the light tone of the conversation going. Wei Ying was relaxed, he didn’t need to do anything to make that stop. “Sick,” Wei Ying answers, looking up at Lan Wangji, “Lan Zhan no sick.”

“I won’t get sick,” he promises the boy, seeing the crease of worry on his face, setting the apple slice back down for now. Wei Ying didn’t look convinced of that, eyeing the apple like it would do something. “Do apples make you feel sick?” He asks, eating a grape instead which helps with Wei Ying’s worry.

The boy shrugs a little, “Sometimes,” he answers, finishing his plate and sitting with his juice held close now. “Find apples. Some yummy. Some make Wei Ying sick,” the boy’s face scrunches up at the idea of it, drinking his juice as if to wash it away. “Where do you find them?” Lan Wangji asks, his own nibbling slowing as he listens to Wei Ying.

“Ground. Trash. Hard to tell safe,” Wei Ying mumbles, a bit of a pout, “Get sick lots,” he continues, poking at an apple on Lan Wangji’s plate to try and test it. “That is why you don’t like to eat them?” Lan Wangji clarified, watching Wei Ying give the apple slices a glare.

“Mn,” the child nodded and sipped his drink. “Is that why you don’t like melons either?” He had to ask, because it was making some sense. Wei Ying only turned away fruits, and only more common things to be found outside. Even now he had been testing the berries, checking if they were bad.

“Mn,” Wei Ying agrees again, unaware of Lan Wangji’s silent discovery. He had tried not to think about what Wei Ying had been eating before he appeared. Somehow it was easier to think he was just going hungry than having to picture the child scavenging for rotting scraps.

“The dogs?” Lan Wangji asked softly, pieces all falling in as Wei Ying frowned at the idea of them, “They steal. Bad.” Lan Wangji nodded a little as he looked down at his own apple slices. Wei Ying interacted with dogs often because of food. Because he was just another animal on the streets to them.

Lan Wangji picked up an apple slice, very aware of Wei Ying’s eyes on him as he collected his thoughts. “I can promise this one is a safe apple,” he tells the boy, who just pouts a little as Lan Wangji takes a bite of it. He breaks off part of a slice, offering it toward Wei Ying, “Fresh. Only old apples make you sick,” he explains, the child staring at the offering warily.

A small hand takes it and two silver eyes watch Lan Wangji eat, the next time Lan Wangji takes a bite of the apple Wei Ying puts the piece into his mouth. Lan Wangji watches as Wei Ying takes two firm bites, his little face starting to wrinkle up, shoulders tightening. The disgust was clear on his face, Wei Ying didn’t like it. But it was at the first little gag that Lan Wangji held his plate out, “Spit,” he instructed quickly and Wei Ying did, the chewed lump of apple of spit landing on the plate as Wei Ying drained his cup of juice.

He pressed his cup toward Wei Ying who accepted it, taking another mouthful before shaking his head, “Bad,” the boy says with a frown. “I see that,” Lan Wangji says in a more gentle voice, “I won’t get sick from it. But you don’t have to make yourself eat things that you don’t like just because I give them to you.” Wei Ying glared back at the pile of apple mush, “No make Lan Zhan sick,” he tells it.

“I’m going to put our dishes in the sink, will you get our book ready while I do?” He asks the boy who instantly brightens up, “Yes!” He answers, moving to get up already while Lan Wangji picks up their things. Once in the kitchen he finishes his last slice of apple and clears the plate into the trash.

No apples, that was an easy decision. And based on that no melon either, with close attention to the berries. He knew that the apple wasn’t bad, it was crisp and juicy. Wei Ying admitted he was sick a lot, and it must have been enough to where just the taste of the apple was enough to trigger his gag reflex. He’d take them to work for lunch and not get another bag after this. He could give up apples.

He washes his hands and brings a cup of water, chuckling as he walks in before coming over to help as Wei Ying pulls the pile of blankets up onto the couch for them. A few books fell out of the sheets that made Wei Ying giggle. “Sit,” Wei Ying instructed and Lan Wangji did as told with a small smile.

He held the blankets as Wei Ying climbed into his lap with him, the boy dragging the book and Little Apple over. “Okay,” Wei Ying nodded and Lan Wangji pulled the blankets over them, this time helping Wei Ying go about tucking them in.

All settled, Lan Wangji held the book out in front of both of them and started them off. There were a good number of pictures for them to look at, Lan Wangji reading the page of text and then Wei Ying commenting on the pictures, reading as he liked to call it. The stress of his day was gone as they relaxed together and enjoyed the book.

Dinner was simple as well, Wei Ying watching and talking, more active than the day before. They eat in the kitchen this time, Wei Ying helping with the dishes before they go back into the living room. Lan Wangji took a seat and watched a still energetic Wei Ying move about the space.

Wei Ying had decided he was going to help put the books away, he also decided he could do it alone. So Lan Wangji let him, watching Wei Ying pick up one or two at a time from the table and take them to the shelves, stacking them nicely in a row. The boy hummed to himself, moving around so easily.

As the pile of books to shelve started to dwindle down, Wei Ying looked across the room to the other shelves. Lan Wangji was perfectly content just watching Wei Ying move around but he watched a little more intently as Wei Ying started to venture over. Those shelves had not been touched by Wei Ying today, they were out of the line of sight of Wei Ying’s exit, his comfort.

But as Lan Wangji sat quietly, Wei Ying moved toward them. He watched Wei Ying’s glance backwards, and when a look came to him he gave a soft smile to reassure the boy. Wei Ying picked a book from the shelf and came back with it, distracted from his cleaning up by the temptation of new things. He knelt at the coffee table as he flipped through it before leaving it on a page with a picture of a bird and going back to the shelf.

It continues, each time Wei Ying is more comfortable, less hesitant in his steps. Until Wei Ying is just plopping down to sit in front of the shelf itself and looking through the books there. Lan Wangji stays still for a few minutes, wanting to give Wei Ying space. But after he gets up and helps put the last books away, coming over to join Wei Ying who smiles up at him.

“Anything good?” he asks as he sits next to the boy, looking himself to be sure this was out of view of the exit. Wei Ying nods, “Mn. Birds,” he holds a book up to share and Lan Wangji smiles. “Very pretty,” he tells Wei Ying, watching as the boy continues to flip through the pages.

It was a start. Wei Ying was exploring, pushing his own limits. Lan Wangji’s goal was the guest room, one day. For now the whole living room was a good start. Maybe he’d be able to get Wei Ying to his own bedroom soon, it was the first door in the hallway.

They talk about books for a while, making a little collection of ones to keep out for their reading together. It is getting late, Lan Wangji starting to feel the pull of his normal bedtime even if Wei Ying was wide awake.

When Lan Wangji sits back and yawns, Wei Ying looks up, “Sleep?” He asks, and Lan Wangji nods his head in response. “Mn. It is my bedtime,” he tells the boy as he ruffles his hair and stands up. “Wei Ying can stay up as long as he likes. I don’t mind the light being on.”

Wei Ying gets up from the floor with Lan Wangji, holding his arms up. Lan Wangji takes the cue and picks him up. Wei Ying’s arms wrap around Lan Wangji’s neck as he hugs him. “Night Night Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says softly. Lan Wangji smiles to himself, hugging Wei Ying as well, “Goodnight Wei Ying,” he answers, holding him a moment more before setting him back down.

Lan Wangji gets ready for bed and when he turns off his bedroom light the living room light is still on. He climbed into bed and got comfortable after setting his alarm. Wei Ying had a strange sleep schedule, they could work on shifting it slowly but for now he could rest whenever he needed. Listening to Wei Ying’s small sounds as he moved around, Lan Wangji found sleep with little interference.

---

After ensuring he takes a safe container of lunch to work, the day is rather uneventful. A few meetings, no unwelcome office visitors today, just his usual routine. It gives him time to think. He had been wanting to go to the store for a few days now, Wei Ying needed a few clothing items.

His last meeting of the day was just after lunch so if he worked and ate he could leave a little early and get that shopping done. It could be nice to bring Wei Ying a surprise home. He closed out the last email and smiled a little to himself as he gathered his bag. Maybe Wei Ying would be awake when he got home today.

Lan Wangji didn’t talk with anyone as he passed through the office to the parking garage. He had looked up stores beforehand and had his phone with directions to one nearby. His goal today was clothing again, some socks perhaps if not shoes, maybe some nightwear. Wei Ying deserved more.

Walking into the store he took a cart and looked around, slightly less intimidated than the last time he had bought Wei Ying clothes but still overwhelmed. At least he knew what size the boy wore now. He pushed the cart along, walking to the children’s section and letting his fingers run across some of the fabrics.

Wei Ying called his clothes soft. His favourite blanket was one of the softest ones Lan Wangji had. He found a section of sweaters, holding one up he couldn’t help the small smile. It was red, thick and made of a fine thread. The sleeves may drown him just a little but that was manageable, it went into the cart.

The process continued, sweatpants with linings, patterned shirts and soft sweaters, anything with rabbits was a good sign, anything with dogs was instantly rejected. He sat for a while in front of the coats, wanting to get one for Wei Ying but not sure if he would use it. He settled on a heavy sweatshirt he found instead, it had a hood and was in a dark blue. It looked more like something Wei Ying would like.

Socks were almost fun to look at, it had been so long since he thought of buying anything that wasn’t just a white ankle height for himself. They had bunnies, multiple pairs of that went into the cart, including one his own size. Then some with animals and dinosaurs, they were just as easily picked. As he walked toward the nightwear he stumbled upon some slippers, soft and fluffy with little ears on them, white rabbits. They were his own size. They went into the cart as well.

Nightwear took a bit longer, making sure the clothing was nice and warm. The fabrics weren’t always the softest he was finding; they were rather scratchy. He looked down at the cart. Wei Ying was still getting used to the idea of having on a new outfit each day, often wearing the same thing for a few days at a time. Perhaps just the warm sweatpants and his shirts could get him through the nights.

With that he turned to check out but only steps later stopped as his eyes caught something. It was perfect. He put it in the cart and checked out without a second thought. Driving home he smiled a little, excited to show Wei Ying his new things.

He picked up the shopping bags with his own work bag and carried them in, taking off his shoes and walking into the kitchen. He glanced out toward the living room, no Wei Ying in sight. Looking around he frowns a bit, confused as to where the boy could be. Then little feet pad onto the patio outside and a soft gasp, “Lan Zhan home!” Wei Ying’s voice called as the feet picked up.

Lan Wangji turned and smiled at Wei Ying as he came inside, carrying the plate with the rabbit's snacks on it. Wei Ying must have had a late start. “Just got home,” he agrees, watching Wei Ying hurriedly put the plate down before running over and hugging Lan Wangji. He chuckles, leaning down to give the boy a proper hug.

“I got a surprise for you. Can I change first?” He asks as he straightens up, looking down at Wei Ying whose eyes were almost sparkling. “Mn!” The boy agrees and Lan Wangji ruffles his hair as he goes to his room and changes out of his work clothes.

Coming back Wei Ying had put the plate properly in the sink and was rocking on his feet by the table, already glancing at the bags and trying to see what it was. Lan Wangji chuckled at the sight, he was rather adorable sometimes. “Xiao Mianbao is impatient,” he teases as he walks over to the boy.

“Mn!” Wei Ying smiles at him, “Lan Zhan give good surprises!” Lan Wangji smiled and picked up the two bags, taking a pair of kitchen scissors and moving to sit on the floor where Wei Ying eagerly joined him, watching closely.

“I got some new clothes for you,” Lan Wangji told him, looking at Wei Ying whose eyes widened, looking at the bags. “They are warmer. And then you’ll have enough to put on a different one everyday.”

Wei Ying looks from the bags to Lan Wangji, “Warm?” he asks in a softer voice, that bright excitement having dimmed a little, being replaced instead with a sense of awe. While doing better about accepting and taking things, Wei Ying was still learning. “Mn, warm things so you can be more comfortable.”

He takes out a pair of pants first, “There are a few of these,” he explains as he sets them on the floor after carefully cutting off each tag. Wei Ying hesitated a moment but picked up a pair, his fingers rubbing over the fabric, a soft ‘oh’ leaving him as he sticks his hand in the pant leg and finds the soft fleece inside. “You can try them on while I cut some tags off if you’d like,” he offers the boy who nods quickly.

Lan Wangji smiles to himself as Wei Ying runs off into the living room and out of sight. He was comfortable here. He started to take out the shirts that were like what Wei Ying had now, taking those tags off and folding them into their own pile when Wei Yign came back in. “Lan Zhan!” the boy called and when he looked up he was met with such a bright smile.

Wei Ying did a spin, the new pants fit well, not too long or riding up. “Fabulous,” Lan Wangji comments with a smile of his own, loving Wei Ying’s laugh as the boy comes back to join him, putting the pants he took off to the side. “So soft. Warm,” Wei Ying agrees with Lan Wangji as he moves to look at the shirts Lan Wangji is showing him.

“Bunnies!” The child laughs, hugging a shirt to himself, “Try?” he asks, looking at Lan Wangji. “The wonderful Xiao Mianbao can try on anything his heart desires,” Lan Wangji tells him as the boy runs off in a fit of laughter. It was good hearing Wei Ying so loud, the soft laughter coming over even as the boy changed.

“Lan Zhan! Bunnies!” Wei Ying called again as he ran in, almost barreling into Lan Wangji but stopping to sink to the floor on his knees and look at the other options. “Very cute little bunnies for my very cute Xiao Mianbao,” Lan Wangji comments as he takes the tags of a sweater.

There is a whine, Wei Ying hiding in a new shirt. It doesn’t keep Lan Wangji from smiling at the pink to his cheeks when he surfaces. “These are good when it is very cold like the other day,” Lan Wangji explains. “But you can wear them whenever you like, they are warm,” he passes Wei Ying the red sweater, watching his mouth fall open at the feeling of it, “Soft,” Wei Ying breathes out.

“Do you want to try it on?” Lan Wangji asks, smiling at Wei Ying’s reaction, glad he was correct. The boy nods and scrambles to get up, going back into the living room to change. Lan Wangji takes the tags off all the sweaters and the hoodie before Wei Ying comes back in. It is less loud this time, the boy moving more slowly as he stares down at himself, fingers playing with the sleeves like he couldn’t leave them alone.

“Is it okay?” Lan Wangji asks softly as Wei Ying comes back to him, the boy sitting at his side and leaning in to him. “Mn,” Wei Ying answers, a soft little smile playing on his lips. “So warm,” he murmurs, arms hugging himself, “Soft. Like lots and lots.” Lan Wangji puts an arm around him, giving a half hug as the boy giggles. “I’m very happy you like it.”

Wei Ying smiles and leans into Lan Wangji more as he looks over, “More?” he asks, a little confused. “Mn, just a little,” Lan Wangji tells him, showing him the hoodie he bought. “This can be for when it is very cold, you can put it on when you go outside and feed the rabbits,” he explains, letting Wei Ying take it.

The boy plays with the hood and pocket on it, “Nice,” he murmurs, but makes no move to get up and try it on. Lan Wangji watches as Wei Ying just holds it to himself, he liked it, but the sweater was more appealing as it was. “I know you don’t wear shoes right now,” Lan Wangji starts, earning a small nod from Wei Ying who wiggles his toes. “I did get socks, they can be for inside if you like, but they will help you stay warm.”

Lan Wangji picked up a few of the pairs he had cut apart and Wei Ying’s eyes widened. “Bunnies,” The boy grins, letting go of his sweatshirt to reach out for the socks. Lan Wangji passes them over, “Guess what,” he says and Wei Ying pauses his investigation of the socks to look up at Lan Wangji again who pulls out the pair for himself. “Now we can match.”

Wei Ying’s eyes widen, his grin growing as he laughs, “Lan Zhan has bunnies too!” he says, his energy levels back to before. “Try,” the boy instructs, already moving to put his socks on. Lan Wangji chuckles and takes off his own socks, putting on the new pair.

He set a leg out beside Wei Ying’s and gave his toes a wiggle, causing the nose of the bunny to move. Wei Ying falls against his side, laughing as his own feet wiggle. “Look at all our little bunnies,” Lan Wangji teases as he listens to Wei Ying laugh. The boy reduced to happy little giggles at his side as he cuts the rest of the socks free.

“The bunnies are my favourite, but there are lots of options,” he sets them with the pile of shirts for now. Wei Ying looked up from where he had rolled to lay over Lan Wangji’s leg, a smile still on his face. “Thank you Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says as he looks down at his feet and wiggles them again. “Happy.”

“I’m glad you are happy,” Lan Wangji tells him, stroking his head. “I actually have one more surprise for both of us,” he tells the boy, who starts to sit up in anticipation. “I got these for me,” he tells Wei Ying as he pulls out the fluffy slippers. He waves them a bit, making them hop and Wei Ying falls back against his leg.

A loud screech of laughter leaves the boy as he clutches at his stomach, eyes pressed into tight little crescents as he laughs. Lan Wangji laughs as well, setting the slippers down and stroking Wei Ying’s hair as the boy rolls back over him. “I thought you may like them. I think they are quite nice,” he tells Wei Ying after the loud laughter starts to settle.

“Cute,” Wei Ying grins up at him, panting a little from his laughter. “Very silly,” Wei Ying tells him, saying it all with a wide smile that makes Lan Wangji warm. It was good to be silly. “Is Wei Ying ready for his own surprise?”

At that the boy sat up, readying himself after seeing the slippers and being caught off guard. He looks at Lan Wangji and gives a nod. “Surprise.” Lan Wangji chuckles and pulls the last item out, holding it up so it is fully visible.

It was a footless pair of onesie pajamas. They were light blue except for a white tummy area and the hood which had rabbit ears sewn to the top of it. Wei Ying’s eyes widened as his mouth fell open. Lan Wangji turned them around for him to see the other side which included the little rabbit tail. “For sleeping,” he tells Wei Ying, setting them down to look at the boy.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying called and Lan Wangji was once again surprised by the force of the hug Wei Ying threw himself into. He chuckles as he hugs the boy back, “Do you like it?” He asks and Wei Ying pulls away, picking up the onesie and nodding quickly. “Yes! Try.” He says and runs out of the room, leaving a laughing Lan Wangji behind.

He returns quickly, hopping his way into the room as laughter preceded him. “Lan Zhan! Bunny!” Lan Wangji could only grin, the bunny socks really completed the outfit as Wei Ying wore the hood and all. “Wei Ying has become a bunny,” he tells the child who falls against him laughing once again.

“Can I take a picture to show Shufu and Lan Xichen?” he asks the boy after Wei Ying’s laughter starts to settle again. “Show Shufu!” Wei Ying exclaims happily, scrambling to get up and posing for the camera, arms spread wide above his head and bunny ears flopping to the side. Lan Wangji picks up his phone and takes a few photos.

“Help me choose the best,” he tells Wei Ying who hurriedly comes over, crawling over Lan Wangji’s legs to be able to see the screen. He scrolls the photos until Wei Ying decides and sends it right there for him. Wei Ying staring at the screen, “What now?” He asks, looking at Lan Wangji.

“We have to wait for them. Sometimes they are busy and can’t look right away. I’ll tell you what they say later, promise,” Lan Wangji tells him as he ruffles his hair. “I’m going to clean up a little now, okay?” Wei Ying nods and crawls off Lan Wangji’s legs, helping by picking up the things they are his and bringing them to the chairs where his other clothes are kept.

Lan Wangji throws the trash from the plastic and the tags away before picking up his things and carrying them to his room. He sets the socks on the bed, pairing them up and folding them before they go into the dresser.

---

A sound makes him look up and he slowly sets a pair of socks down as his eyes meet Wei Ying’s. Wei Ying. Who is in the doorway, peeking around the doorframe and looking around the room. “You can come in,” Lan Wangji tells him softly, moving slowly toward Wei Ying, watching for any movements.

This was far past Wei Ying’s current safe space. His room was down the hall, while it was the first door there was still a good amount of space before it. Wei Ying watched him, his fingers curling a little as they grasp the doorframe. Lan Wangji crouches down to be eye level with him, well aware of how tight Wei Ying looked.

Wei Ying was nervous, afraid. He was pushing himself and Lan Wangji wanted to do whatever made it easier. “I can show you from here,” he offers, not expecting Wei Ying to come further in, further from the safety of the open door. There is a small nod, no words. So Lan Wangji settles himself next to Wei Ying, facing his bedroom.

He explains the furniture, the door that leads to the closet and bathroom, his bed. He talks about the colours of his sheets, the little trinkets he had kept at his desk, his calligraphy things. He just talks. Because Wei Ying was scared and Wei Ying liked listening to him talk, Wei Ying didn’t have to talk, he could just be here.

Lan Wangji looked toward him after finishing some of his explanation and Wei Ying was staring into the room, “Lan Zhan…sleep?” Wei Ying asked softly. He nodded, “I sleep there,” he pointed at the bed, neatly made with its blankets all in place. He looks at his room for a moment longer, looking at the window. It would be just about level with the bed if he moved things, a window was a viable exit. Would that help Wei Ying?

It was for later, now he looks back at Wei Ying who was no longer just curled around the doorframe but standing at the door, looking around the space. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says softly, holding a hand out for him. Wei Ying’s eyes focus on him and the boy takes his hand, squeezing tightly. Lan Wangji does the same, offering support. “Do you want me to show you the rest of the house? So you can know?”

Wei Ying looks at their hands, considering the question. Even at the beginning of this week he would have immediately said no, Lan Wangji knew that, it was why he was careful to never offer. Right now Wei Ying was trying, and it was still clear it scared him, but maybe just seeing it would help. “I’ll be right here with you the whole time,” he adds gently.

He watched Wei Ying’s chest move, it was faster. He didn’t want to overwhelm him either. “O-” Wei Ying’s voice faded, the small sound all he mustered before just nodding his head a little bit. “Do you want to walk or be carried?” He asks as he starts to stand then looks down at Wei Ying who appears to be struggling with his words right now. “Walk?” he asks instead, making it a yes or no for him.

The boy’s head nods quickly, his hand not letting go of Lan Wangji, tight in his hold on him. “If you need to let go and walk away you can,” Lan Wangji tells him, “I won’t be upset.” He waits until he gets another small nod, before leading him out of the bedroom doorway. He takes another step away from the living room.

Looking at Wei Ying as he shuffles along, still dressed in his bunny onesie. He looked like a frightening little bunny kit, the wide eyes, slight twitching. It was really his hand wrapped in Lan Wangji’s that was keeping him settled. So Lan Wangji tries to talk, to fill the tense silence with some senseless chatter as he had learned to do from the day he met Wei Ying.

Maybe some paintings for the walls, he suggested, or painting it a new colour. Perhaps a plant, something inside that would last all year round. Maybe a look at the book they are reading will help that choice.

There were two other doors in the hallway, the bathroom, and at the end of the hall one to the guest bedroom. That was where Lan Wangji was hoping to reach, but it would be on Wei Ying’s time if it was today or not.

“This is the bathroom,” Lan Wangji announced as they reached the doorway, he reached inside the dark room and flipped on a switch. Light floods the bathroom and Wei Ying puts a hand up at first to squint before staring. Lan Wangji continues, “It is for guests and us to use. I have my own so I don’t use this very much but Shufu said it was nice.”

Wei Ying had taken time to relax in the doorway to his own room so he wasn’t surprised that the boy was standing tight. “I keep it stocked with toilet paper and soap,” Lan Wangji goes on, trying to talk through Wei Ying’s nerves even as the hand on his own went from clinging tightly to holding in a near death grip.

Giving a small break he looked down at Wei Ying who was staring still, unmoving as his chest moved quickly up and down. He crouches down slowly, wanting to help, but Wei Ying’s eyes glance at him and there is only fear written in them. Part of him knew it wasn’t right but he stood calmly.

Lan Wangji turns off the light and starts to move back toward the living room. Too much, Wei Ying needed breathing time, maybe Wei Ying should lead next time, whenever that could be. As they venture into the living room Wei Ying drops his hand and surges forward to the couch where Little Apple had made his home in the sheets and pillows.

The boy clung to his toy, face pressed into the couch. Lan Wangji could hear his breathing, fast, panicked. He settled on his knees a few feet away, giving Wei Ying some space to try and breathe. “You were very brave,” he says softly, “I know it is hard to feel safe.”

Wei Ying lets out a ragged sob into the blankets, his body shaking with it. Lan Wangji reaches out, “I’m here,” he tells the boy, carefully resting a few fingers on his arm to not scare him. It doesn’t get Wei Ying out of the blanket but when he isn’t pushed away Lan Wangji settles in a little closer and rubs along Wei Ying’s back.

It takes a little while before Wei Ying slumps into the couch, his breathing slowing and some of the tension starting to fall. His face is picked up slowly, Little Apple clucked tight to his chest as he looks at Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji opens his arms silently and the boy crawls into his lap, curling up against him without a word.

They stay like that until dinner, Wei Ying silent against Lan Wangji. There is no more crying, just occasional sniffles. Lan Wangji talks about dinner options, things he plans to make, anything really to be able to distract Wei Ying, to help him. They pushed too far tonight.

It takes careful questioning from Lan Wangji to know what Wei Ying may want for dinner, even more careful questioning to learn that Wei Ying wanted to stay on the couch and not help tonight. Lan Wangji didn’t question it, giving Wei Ying the space and working in the kitchen.

Both kept an eye on one another. Wei Ying was watching Lan Wangji as he moved around the kitchen. Lan Wangji was glancing toward Wei Ying, not missing when the boy would glance away and stare down the hallway. He tries to hum, because sometimes that can help, it can soothe Wei Ying in some way.

But not even that appeared to help much. Lan Wangji delivered dinner to the couch where Wei Ying ate quietly. Lan Wangji wished he’d speak, even just his name again would make him feel better, make him feel like there wasn’t something wrong hanging right over him. But Wei Ying wasn’t speaking and he couldn’t make him. Time. He had to keep reminding himself to give Wei Ying time.

That was what he had to sit and fight to remind himself later as he stood in the open doorway to the backyard, holding Little Apple as the night set in and Wei Ying’s feet disappeared over the fence.

Chapter Text

There was no sleeping child on the couch when he got ready for work the next day, no bundled up boy under the table either. He had found the onesie left behind as well. He only went to his room for a few minutes, he never expected Wei Ying to be gone. At least the boy had changed, the warm pants, a sweater, and the sweatshirt were all missing. Wei Ying had prepared for the cold.

No frost today, the first cold spell of the season wearing off and leaving them with still unpleasant but not terribly dangerous temperatures. That didn’t make Lan Wangji feel much better as he set a plate of lunch out on the windowsill. He had to hope Wei Ying would at least come and take it.

At work all he could think about was Wei Ying. His silence in meetings was normal, but it was different today. Occasionally someone would call to him and he’d have to catch himself back up. It was hard to focus.

Wei Ying had been doing so well. He had been smiling and laughing before the sudden fall. Lan Wangji knew of course that it couldn’t always be good. Perhaps he had been getting too comfortable with the happy times, the small step backs that only took a hug and some humming to fix.

Walking in the door to his house he just had to keep optimistic that it was only a day, that Wei Ying would come back and things could fall into a new normal. The plate was empty, but still on the windowsill. Wei Ying wasn’t coming inside. He changed, giving Little Apple a small nod before doing the dishes and seating himself with his computer.

They pushed too far, that was all he could think of. Wei Ying had been fine before they tried to explore. He should have never even offered. That look of fear from Wei Ying was stuck in his head. It would be fine, he just had to start again.

Dinner was quiet, Lan Wangji standing against the counter as he ate from his own bowl and watching the bowl on the windowsill not move. Even as he finished his own meal he wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t take it away, Wei Ying deserved to be fed still even if he wasn’t coming inside. So he left it, just waiting.

The evening was Lan Wangji in his chair with a blanket, Little Apple on his lap as he read quietly to himself. “He’ll be back,” he tells the stuffed animal, fingers slowly petting over the stains on it. Wei Ying would want Little Apple to be well cared for if he wasn’t here.

The next morning there was no child once again. The bowl on the windowsill had been emptied at some point so he replaced it with the plate for lunch. Wei Ying was still out there. As he drove to work he couldn’t help but look up at the trees, wondering where Wei Ying was, if he was sleeping okay, if he was staying warm enough.

Moving through the day was a bit of a haze, working was routine, easy. It was the bubbling worry that was eating away at him. He had to remind himself that he used to go the full week without a glimpse of the boy, that this was normal in a way. Tomorrow was the weekend, he’d be able to see him at lunch at least.

He missed him, Lan Wangji decided on the way home. He had meant it when he told Wei Ying without him it didn’t feel like home. Lan Wangji had grown too used to the sunshine smiles and sneaky little patter of feet and now that it had left again he wasn’t sure what to do.

There were packages outside today, the things he had ordered for Wei Ying. Even if it was a reminder of the boy running off it was good to have them for when, not if, when he came back. He opened the door and carried them inside, leaving them in the kitchen as he changed and took care of the empty plate on the windowsill.

No Wei Ying today. That was okay. It had to be okay. He sat in the kitchen with scissors and opened each box and bag, pulling everything out to put away. First was a comb and brush for Wei Ying’s hair, followed by hair care products. Next a container of bubble bath, causing him to smile somewhat as he remembered the dishes with Wei Ying.

He sat with the bubble bath in his hand for a long moment. He had wanted to open these things with Wei Ying, to see his bright smile and hear his laugh as he was given things to make him at home here. But Wei Ying was gone. These things could still be a surprise when he found them, so he continued on.

He opened a few other small things, learning chopsticks, colouring and drawing supplies, some picture books and light chapter books for them to work on together. A handful of items his uncle suggested to start and help Wei Ying get back on track. Then a little set of child safe kitchen items as Wei Ying was always eager to help and he wanted to encourage Wei Ying to do anything that made him happy.

The last thing to unpack was larger, he cut the box away and set it on the kitchen floor with a nod. It was a moveable washtub, he got the large one so Wei Ying could have plenty of space in it. Even before the other day he knew getting Wei Ying into a bathtub was going to be quite the challenge and this was a viable solution. Wei Ying could bathe right in the kitchen where he felt the safest.

Lan Wangji set about putting things away, the tub moving to the corner of the kitchen behind the table, the bath supplies staying close to it at that side of the table. He washed and added the kitchen things to the appropriate drawers and started to sort the books to add to his shelves. He ended up leaving them on the coffee table, wanting Wei Ying to see them sooner rather than later.

It had helped him, he decided as he looked around. Having little things here and there for Wei Ying was a reminder that he was coming back. Little Apple sitting on the new stack of books just waiting for him. Whenever he came back it was all ready for him, Lan Wangji would be ready as well.

With that in mind he went to his bedroom and rolled up his sleeves as he set to work. Nightstands and desk pulled out to be dealt with later, bed pulled inch by inch over until it was sitting where one side was up against the wall right under the window. He crawled across it and opened the window, letting in the cool breeze as he moved everything else around now to fix the room back up.

There was no guarantee it would do anything, but if there was a chance that seeing an available exit would help Wei Ying feel more comfortable he could get used to sleeping in a new place. Once finished he goes about making dinner, prepping some things for lunch tomorrow as well.

The night is just as quiet, Lan Wangji going to bed with an uneaten bowl of rice on the windowsill.

Getting up in the morning he starts on a loaf of bread and a hearty meal for the day after picking up the empty bowl. He would see Wei Ying at lunch, he could wait that long.

So he hummed and worked, keeping himself busy as the morning passed him by and the sun rose behind the clouds. It was getting cold again. Wei Ying had warmer clothes now, but it didn’t make Lan Wangji’s worry lessen.

He sat anxiously as he set the plate on the windowsill for lunch, staring at it with a hope he wouldn’t let himself have at dinnertime. A breath he didn’t realise he was holding leaves him at the sight of small hands picking up the dish and disappearing with it. He gives Wei Ying a minute before carrying his own plate to the windowsill and leaning on it.

Wei Ying was seated already in the grass. He gives him a small smile, “Hi.” The boy’s eyes meet him for a moment and look away, a small hand coming up and giving a quiet wave. “I’m not upset,” Lan Wangji tells him as he sees that look of guilt on Wei Ying’s face. “Can I come outside to eat with you?”

The boy looks back at him, slowly nodding. Lan Wangji thanks him and moves out to the step, settling into his spot. He knows better than to push, so Lan Wangji just starts to eat. He keeps an eye on Wei Ying who eats slowly, the boy dipping the fresh bread into the sauce and smiling just a little to himself at the taste. He was okay, that was all that mattered.

“Little Apple has been keeping an eye on the house for me,” Lan Wangji tells him as he finishes off his own meal. “He is very good at the job.” Wei Ying looks toward him, nodding a little and looking down at his own plate.

“S-sorry,” the boy’s voice was quiet, but Lan Wangji was giving him all the attention he had. “No,” he answered gently, “You don’t have to always stay. I’m not upset that you left. I was worried, but I worry often about you.”

Wei Ying blinks at him, “Lan Zhan worry?” He frowns a little bit as if the idea of that didn’t sit right with him. Lan Wangji gives a nod, “I do. Because I care about you lots and lots. I want to make you feel safe and happy and I know no one can be those things all the time. So I worry sometimes, because I want to do what is best for you and I don’t always know what that is.”

“Lan Zhan good,” Wei Ying says quickly, leaning forward a little as he hugs his plate closer to himself. “Always good for Wei Ying,” the boy murmurs, “Wei Ying bad. Scared.”

“You aren’t bad for being scared,” Lan Wangji answers softly, looking Wei Ying over. He was bundled up, he had been staying safe at least. “I’m sorry it was scary. You were trying very hard and I’m proud of you for that. But you don’t have to, if you want to stay in the living room forever I am more than happy to make that a bedroom for you.”

The boy starts to tug at his shirt sleeves, “Want to be good,” he mumbles softly, “Lan Zhan try hard. Wei Ying should try hard too.”

“You are trying hard for me already. You are very good,” Lan Wangji repeats to him. It was hard watching Wei Ying struggle sometimes, the boy so convinced that he was the problem, that somehow it was him making bad things happen. “Wei Ying makes me very happy.”

Wei Ying looks back at the ground, pulling more harshly at his sleeve. “D-Does I have to go inside?” Wei Ying’s question was quiet, shaky. Just the idea of coming back inside had him showing signs of distress. “No,” Lan Wangji answers quickly, “Wei Ying can come and go as he likes. You are always welcome inside but you do not have to stay.”

He watches as Wei Ying starts to relax a little again, still looking nervous but no longer like he may cry. “Do you want me to keep looking after Little Apple?” Lan Wangji asks softly, if Wei Ying wasn’t going to come inside he may want his friend back. There is a quick nod, “Safe with Lan Zhan.”

“Okay,” he gives the boy a small smile. “I’ll keep him safe,” he agrees and starts to get up. “Will you eat dinner with me tonight?” He asks, looking toward Wei Ying who is still sitting in the grass. There is a small nod so he just gives a smile and goes inside to clean up, soon taking the plate that appears on the windowsill and adding it to the sink.

After cleaning he checks outside just in case Wei Ying stuck around but the yard was empty. It was easier resting today, knowing Wei Ying was okay, that he just needed some time before he felt comfortable enough to come back.

Dinner is similar to lunch but Wei Ying is sitting closer, still keeping distance between them but calmer than earlier. There is less tension and fear knowing Lan Wangji wasn’t angry, that he wasn’t going to be forced back inside until he was ready. They finished eating and he looked at Wei Ying, offering a small smile that is returned.

“Do you want to take a blanket with you? It may get cold again tonight,” he tells Wei Ying, wanting to at least try to help if the boy didn’t feel like coming inside yet. Wei Ying considers it for a moment before shaking his head a little. “Hard to carry,” he answers standing and putting his plate up on the windowsill.

“Alright,” Lan Wangji gives him a small smile. He hadn’t thought about Wei Ying trying to drag a blanket up a tree but it did sound rather difficult. “You know where to find one if you need it.” Wei Ying nods a little. Lan Wangji is sitting still as the boy shuffles closer. He’d ask but Wei Ying looks nervous again.

“Hug?” Wei Ying almost whispers and Lan Wangji smiles more, setting his dishes aside and opening his arms, ready for when the boy thuds against his chest. His arms wrap around Wei Ying and the boy clings just as tightly back.

“Night night Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispered against him and Lan Wangji ran his hand over his back slowly. “Goodnight Wei Ying. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” There is a nod against his shoulder before Wei Ying starts to pull away. He lets the boy go, giving a wave to him as he watches Wei Ying climb over the fence. Not long after going inside himself.

---

The first thing he hears when he wakes up is the loud roar of thunder. It was raining. Wei Ying. He pries his eyes open, greeted by darkness. It was still the middle of the night. There wasn’t supposed to be a storm; it was too cold for that. Lan Wangji started to roll over to look out into his bedroom, knowing he should get up, he should try to find Wei Ying.

A small cry leaves him as he jolts at the sight, a child standing at the edge of his bed, staring at him silently. “Wei Ying,” he croaks through his dry voice and tries to collect himself, his heart racing. Wei Ying was soaked through, water dripping from his hair and clothes as he stood there and shook in place, arms wrapped tightly around himself.

At the recognition Wei Ying moves, climbing up into the bed and over until he is on top of Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji froze for a moment, trying to work out if he was dreaming. Wei Ying had never come into his room like this before, to be so bold as to climb into his bed?

It didn’t matter if it was a dream when he heard the first sob, Wei Ying’s face pressed into Lan Wangji’s neck as his trembling form rattled atop Lan Wangji. He wrapped his arms around the soaked boy, he felt so cold, even his face against his skin was chilled to the touch.

Lan Wangji started to move under him, pulling out the blankets and wrapped them around the both of them, uncaring if they were getting wet. Part of him knew he needed to get Wei Ying out of the soaked clothes, but he wasn’t going to dare separate from the boy when he was crying like this against him.

“What happened?” Lan Wangji asked quietly, cradling the boy close and trying to rub along his arms to get some blood to flow. Wei Ying’s head shook quickly against him, so he had to settle for not having an answer until Wei Ying could talk. Instead of talking he hummed, trying to rock them and suppressing his own shivers as the near freezing water that soaked Wei Ying started to seep into his clothes.

The cries started to settle but Wei Ying made no effort to move, almost limp against Lan Wangji where he still shook. “B-bad d-dream,” Wei Ying’s voice shook with that chatter of his teeth. Lan Wangji gave him a squeeze of acknowledgement. Wei Ying woke up from a nightmare. He had only seen the boy have a nightmare once or twice, but they were horrible. Often causing the boy to scream and beg. No wonder he was here.

“I’m here,” he tells him, kissing his head as Wei Ying chokes back another sob. “I’ll protect you,” he tells the boy, hand running carefully over his back. Wei Ying was still crying, quieter, weaker, so he held him close. “You’re cold,” he tells the boy who slowly nods. “You need to get some dry clothes on, it will help. Do you want to move to the livi-”

“No leave!” It is panicked, Wei Ying’s hands that had started to relax clamping down on Lan Wangji with even more force. “Okay,” Lan Wangji says quickly, pulling Wei Ying in tighter as the boy’s shaking gets worse again. “We aren’t going anywhere, we can stay right here. I’m right here,” he assures Wei Ying as the child hyperventilates against him.

They don’t move for a long while. Lan Wangji doing his best to help Wei Ying settle down, Wei Ying shaking against him like a leaf and unwilling to even relax his grip. He’s going to have to change his sheets, a shiver running through himself as his own clothes are sticking to his skin.

“C-Cold,” Wei Ying stutters out as another shiver racks his small form. “Are you ready to change?” Lan Wangji asks gently, “I can go with you if you want.” Wei Ying’s head nods, wrapping himself further around Lan Wangji as the man takes the blanket off of them.

Both of them shiver as the air runs over their wet forms and Lan Wangji stands, picking out an outfit from the dresser nearby to carry with him as he takes Wei Ying out to the kitchen. He hits the lights as he picks up a blanket and tosses it into the dryer, turning it on before settling down on his knees in the kitchen next to the table. “Do you want me to pick something out?” When Wei Ying nods he moves through the piles, getting out another set of the fleece lined pants, a pair of underwear, a warm sweater and then socks.

“How about I close my eyes?” Lan Wangji offers, trying to get a look at Wei Ying’s face but the boy was still sticking tight against him. “Then you can close your eyes and I will change and we can go cuddle with Little Apple on the couch.” There is a hitch of breath, Wei Ying shivering violently once before nodding and starting to peel himself away.

Lan Wangji closes his eyes, listening to the wet slap of Wei Ying’s clothing hitting the ground and the sniffles from the child. “All, All done,” Wei Ying whispers after a little bit and Lan Wangji opens his eyes to see that tear stained face, the red and swollen eyes, the blotchy skin, he looked miserable.

“My turn,” he says softly, and Wei Ying closes his eyes as he stands there, hugging himself. Lan Wangji changes quickly, letting his own damp clothing fall into the pile with Wei Ying’s. “Finished,” he tells the boy gently who opens his eyes and makes grabby hands at him so Lan Wangji does not hesitate to pick him up again and hold him close.

Moving around the table, taking a few of the towels and tossing them to the ground to handle the rain falling inside. He keeps one with him, wanting to dry Wei Ying’s hair. Before going to the living room he retrieves the warmed blanket from the dryer and carries it with them.

He sits, picking up Little Apple and draping first the warm blanket over the both of them. He then takes every other blanket within reach and wraps them up best he can. Wei Ying had already tucked himself against Lan Wangji’s chest so he was working around that. “Here is Little Apple,” he says softly, handing the donkey over to the shaking hand that snatches it and disappears under the blankets again.

He’ll let them hide under the blankets soon, but first he starts to dry Wei Ying’s hair, squeezing the ends to help keep them dry this time. Once it is done he lets the towel drop beside them and sinks down further into the couch until he is nearly laying, tugging the stack of blankets over both their heads.

Lan Wangji rubs slowly up and down Wei Ying’s arms and back, friction helping to pink the skin and get blood flowing to it more readily. He didn’t know what time Wei Ying woke him, but he knew it had been over half an hour and the boy hadn’t stopped shivering the entire time. Now that his crying was over there were sniffles and coughs.

Not knowing what else he can do, he hums to Wei Ying. He can only promise to be here, to work to keep him warm, he can’t take away the nightmares, he can’t make the world less scary, no matter how much he wishes he could.

Almost twenty minutes later Wei Ying’s constant little shivers are starting to settle into small bursts of tense tremors. His skin didn’t feel cold, rather far too hot. No words had been said, Lan Wangji well aware Wei Ying is still awake from the quiet whimpers and weak coughs.

“Do you want to tell me about it? Sometimes it made me feel better to talk to my brother about my bad dreams,” he explains to the boy whose head moves a little, listening to the offer. Wei Ying sniffles again, settling some into the warm embrace.

“Hurt,” Wei Ying whispered, Lan Wangji running his hand over Wei Ying’s back as the boy’s voice breaks. “It’s okay if you don’t want to,” he tells him, resting his cheek on Wei Ying’s now almost dry hair. The boy shudders again, clinging closer as he coughs weakly.

“Tired. Cold,” Wei Ying mumbles and Lan Wangji gives him a gentle squeeze. “Wei Ying can sleep. I’ll be right here for him. I’m not going anywhere,” Lan Wangji whispers to him. “Little Apple and I will watch you.”

“Miss them,” the boy whispers back, shifting and curling up into a ball against Lan Wangji’s chest. His elbow is pressing into Lan Wangji’s ribs, his hips pressing into him as well, but Lan Wangji just takes a slow breath and relaxes himself to those points of pain. “I know,” he answers, stroking over Wei Ying’s head as the boy sinks further into him.

It takes more time and soft humming for Wei Ying to finally sink away into sleep. His shivers come to an end as his body gives out into Lan Wangji’s hold. He kept them tucked under the blankets even if he was getting warm. Wei Ying had struggled to warm up; he didn't want to wake him with cold again.

Lan Wangji didn’t think he could sleep if he had wanted to, Wei Ying’s sobs still ringing in his ears. His eyes closed as he rested his face in Wei Ying’s hair and took a deep breath. He had to be grateful that Wei Ying came looking for him when he was so frightened, going as far as to come to his bed. He lets himself rest, listening to Wei Ying’s raspy breathing as the boy sleeps and waiting for the sun to rise.

---

The sun had been up for a few hours when Lan Wangji unearthed them from the blanket pile, taking a breath of the fresh air and resting his head back on the pillows again. Wei Ying was still asleep, Lan Wangji was feeling stiff in his legs and hips but didn’t want to risk waking the boy. He knew Wei Ying’s sleep was hard won most of the time, he needed it.

He played with Wei Ying’s hair, yawning a little himself as he looked up at the clock. He was lucky he had done some prep the day before so lunch wouldn’t take very long. Wei Ying was often hungry right after he woke up. As he looked down at Wei Ying’s face, the boy’s mouth parted as he breathed out of it, his cheeks were rosy but the redness around his eyes had faded away.

Looking up at the ceiling he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Wei Ying was inside again, even after that fear he saw yesterday he chose to be inside. His fingers trail through the boy’s hair and rest on his forehead where he felt the warmth it was giving off. It wasn’t quite to the point of concerning, but he needed to keep a close eye on him today.

It is another hour before Wei Ying even begins to stir, his face moving and pressing into Lan Wangji’s chest with a small groan as he curls up around Little Apple. Lan Wangji’s eyes flutter open at the movement, resting a hand on Wei Ying’s shoulder as he settles again. The boy’s face was pinched like something hurt or was uncomfortable.

“Wei Ying,” he called softly, usually willing to wait for him to fully wake but his worry was winning out. The boy responded with another quiet whine, his body starting to unravel as he woke. Lan Wangji tucked the blanket closer around him as he felt the slight shiver. Was he still cold?

He ran his fingers through his hair, watching as Wei Ying’s eyes slowly blink open and he started to look around. “Living room,” Wei Ying whispered. “Mn,” Lan Wangji answers, “We came out here after you were feeling a little better.” Wei Ying slowly nods, his head moving to look up at Lan Wangji. “Lan Zhan.”

“Wei Ying,” he responds, some of his worry starting to dissipate as the boy’s lips lift into a smile. “Do you feel okay?” He asks softly, Wei Ying rolling around on him and settling on his stomach to watch Lan Wangji. The boy seems to hesitate for a moment but nods, Lan Wangji fighting off his frown by taking a deep breath.

“If you let me up I can make us lunch,” he offers, Wei Ying’s eyes already starting to close again as the child gets comfortable. The idea of food has them fluttering open, considering before Wei Ying shakes his head and hugs Lan Wangji. “No go.”

“I’m not leaving,” Lan Wangji answers gently, wrapping his arms around the boy in a gentle embrace. “I would just be in the kitchen, you could see me the whole time.” He can almost hear the pout on the boy so he gives in and relaxes back with Wei Ying in his arms. “Are you not hungry?”

There is a shrug in response, Wei Ying relaxing and yawning against him, the yawn coming to a close with a cough and sniffle. “Want to be with Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying murmurs. Lan Wangji touches Wei Ying’s forehead again, searching his mind for where his thermometer is. “Is that why you came all the way into the bedroom last night?” He asks, voice gentle.

A nod, Wei Ying’s hug growing a little tighter. “Did you see it was different?” Lan Wangji asked, trying to talk with Wei Ying. There is another nod then a pause, “Why?” the boy asks quietly.

“I wanted to try and help,” Lan Wangji explains, watching Wei Ying’s eyes struggle to stay open. “It is right under the window now and the window is easy to open. It isn’t as nice as a door but it is a way out, I thought it would help the room feel a little less scary.”

Wei Ying blinks slowly at him, thinking about it. “Go look?” He asks, sniffling a little bit and slowly pushing himself up. “We can look,” Lan Wangji agrees as he sits up himself once Wei Ying’s weight is off him. “Do you want to walk?” Wei Ying sits on the sofa, Little Apple snuggled into his chest and swaying a little as he fights to stay upright.

The answer is clear enough, Wei Ying looked exhausted. He wasn’t getting lunch in him like this, he could settle on it being dinner instead. Lan Wangji stood, stretching out his sore limbs and rubbing at his hips before picking up Wei Ying’s favourite blanket and gently wrapping it around him.

It is an easy heft to lift the boy, Wei Ying resting his head on Lan Wangji’s shoulder without any fuss. Once he gets the blanket well secured as well as Wei Ying, Lan Wangji starts them toward the bedroom. Right now the boy was relaxed, he moved slowly and paid attention to it, not wanting to cause a repeat of the other day. But Wei Ying didn’t appear all that phased as they stepped into the hallway.

There is a moment when they are just starting to get to the opening of Lan Wangji’s bedroom that Wei Ying tenses, his head turning away from watching in front of them and tucking into Lan Wangji to hide. He steps into the threshold of his bedroom and waits, a hand moving slowly over Wei Ying’s back. “We are in my room,” he tells Wei Ying gently.

A head starts to poke back out, looking cautiously around them before Lan Wangji feels Wei Ying start to relax again. He takes a step forward and when Wei Ying doesn’t tense he continues toward the bed. He still needed to change the sheets, though things were dry enough by now. Lan Wangji takes a seat and lets Wei Ying look.

Bright silver eyes scan the room, looking behind them as well to look out the window where the sun was shining in the late morning. Wei Ying wiggles a little in Lan Wangji’s hold so he loosens his grasp on the boy. The child crawls onto the bed, a blanket being left behind him as he moves to the window. Two hands press onto the glass, a small part of Lan Wangji lamenting ever having clean windows again. “Press up. It lifts,” he instructs gently.

Wei Ying does, a small gasp of surprise leaving him as it opens so easily. Shortly after the boy shivering as a cold breeze of wind rushes inside. His hands press back on the glass and pull down, closing the window again. Lan Wangji blinks, staring at the closed window. Wei Ying had never closed an exit before, even when rain and cold came in through them his fear always kept them open.

His head swivels, having to look even though he knows there is no other exit directly visible from this room. He looks back at Wei Ying, at the child pulling his blanket over to himself and starting to try and burrow under the pile of sheets on the bed. He wasn’t scared. Exhausted? Quiet? Not feeling well? Yes, all of those looked about right. But Wei Ying wasn’t afraid.

Just days ago coming this far into the house had Wei Ying running, had him facing the elements and hiding away. But he was making himself at home right here in Lan Wangji’s bed. So was it not the bedroom that scared him?

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whined and the man shook his head. He could think about that later as he focused back on Wei Ying. “I’m here,” he answers, moving up to join where Wei Ying had snuggled in by the pillows. The boy reaches out, making little grabbing motions and Lan Wangji smiles at him.

“Okay,” he nods, lifting the blankets and getting under them himself, resting on his side facing Wei Ying. The boy was curled up facing him, head resting on a pillow and snuggled with all the blankets plus his own, Little Apple tucked under his chin. “Soft,” Wei Ying says quietly and pats lightly at the mattress.

He can only smile as he watches, reaching over and tucking the blankets a little closer to keep Wei Ying warm. “It is pretty soft. Do you like that?” There is a nod, Wei Ying yawning again. “Do you want to skip lunch today?” Lan Wangji asks, seeing sleep already starting to win the fight within Wei Ying again.

“Lan Zhan…eat,” Wei Ying mumbles, his words soft with sleep. “Wei Ying sleep.” Lan Wangji moves a strand of hair out of Wei Ying’s face, fingers lightly brushing against his warm cheeks. “How about I sleep too? Then we can eat dinner together later?”

Silver eyes blinked at him before Wei Ying smiled slowly, “Mn. Sounds nice.” The boy scoots closer and Lan Wangji rests an arm around him, feeling Wei Ying go slack as sleep wins over him. He presses a kiss to his head, the skin hot against his lips. Wei Ying wasn’t well.

He fished his phone out from where it had been left on the nightstand and opened a message to his uncle, asking what he should do for a mild fever. He detailed that Wei Ying appeared okay, just very tired and cold. Setting the phone down he watched as Wei Ying slept, his slow breathing eventually lulling Lan Wangji to sleep himself.

---

Lan Wangji wakes slowly, blinking his golden eyes open to find Wei Ying staring intently at him. He takes a sharp breath and yawns, blinking himself more awake. Glancing at the clock it had been a few hours, the afternoon rolling through. “Hi,” he murmurs, voice heavy from sleep.

There is a small smile, Wei Ying watching as Lan Wangji wakes up. “Hi,” the boy repeats. “Did you sleep well?” Lan Wangji asks, yawning once again as his eyes water. Wei Ying yawns as well, sniffling a little after. “Mn.”

“Me too,” Lan Wangji murmurs, settling in and giving Wei Ying a soft smile. Wei Ying stares up at him for a little while before looking down at Little Apple, fingers playing with the old ribbon. “Do you want to say something?” Lan Wangji asks, watching as Wei Ying begins to fidget.

“Lan Zhan…asked about bad dream,” Wei Ying murmurs to him, not looking up. “You don’t have to tell me,” Lan Wangji answers softly, putting his hand on the mattress between them and wiggling his fingers to get Wei Ying’s attention.

Wei Ying stops picking at the ribbon, his hand moving instead to Lan Wangji’s fingers and grasping lightly at them before tugging back toward himself. Lan Wangji let Wei Ying have his hand, squeezing gently. “Lots of bad dreams,” Wei Ying sighs a little. “I’m sorry,” Lan Wangji responds, paying Wei Ying more attention.

He looked better than earlier, the extra sleep had helped fight off that haggard look of exhaustion and now he was just a little flushed. Silver eyes flicker up to look at him before looking down again, “Bad night. Cold. Wet. Fell asleep. That’s bad. Wei Ying bad,” the boy pauses, taking a deep breath.

Lan Wangji wants to interrupt, to say something and correct the boy but Wei Ying was focused, trying, so he closed his mouth and listened. “Bad dream…bad man comes. Angry. Angry at baba. Angry at Wei Ying,” the little hand holding his tightens and Lan Wangji squeezes back, reminding him of where he was.

There is a shaky breath, broken by a cough that makes Wei Ying curl up a little more. “He hurt them,” Wei Ying whispers so quietly, “Bad hurt. Took them. I…I want them to come back. But all gone.”

Wei Ying sniffles, his free hand letting go of Little Apple to instead rub at his face. His breathing is more ragged, his coughs harsh as well. “No crying,” Wei Ying whispers to himself and Lan Wangji leans over, pressing a kiss to Wei Ying’s head.

“You can cry,” he whispers, looking down into watery eyes, watching Wei Ying trying to be so strong. “I waited,” Lan Wangji said softly, “When my mama died.” Wei Ying sniffled loudly again, but he was listening, blinking back his own tears.

“She got very sick very fast. And then she was gone. I wanted her back too. I didn’t want her to leave,” Lan Wangji’s voice thickens as he swallows down the lump in his throat. Even now it was hard to think about, those days had been a whirlwind of adults and meetings and talking and not understanding because all anyone would ever say was ‘I’m sorry.’

It is Wei Ying’s little nod that lets him take a deep breath, “Didn’t want leave,” the boy repeats quietly. “No,” Lan Wangji agrees quietly, giving Wei Ying’s hand a small squeeze. “I’d wait for her. I’d sit at the door and wait for her to come home, even when I knew she wouldn’t.”

“No wait,” Wei Ying murmurs, hugging Lan Wangji’s hand to his chest, letting him feel the quick ups and downs of the boy’s breathing. “Run. Mama told me to run. I keep running. Until Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying glanced up at the man then away quickly, as if ashamed. “I don’t…” Lan Wangji gave his fingers a gentle wiggle on that chest, reminding the child to breathe. “No more running?” It was a question, Wei Ying looking up hesitantly.

“You don’t need to run anymore,” Lan Wangji tells him gently, “You can stay, right here with me,” his own voice is a bit wet. He couldn’t imagine a world where he hadn’t found Wei Ying. “No more waiting for me either,” he says softly as Wei Ying sniffles.

He hadn’t waited in so many years, not like he used to where he would kneel by the door and hope that his mother would walk in it with her bright smile as she had always. But part of Lan Wangji had been waiting, waiting to open himself up again, waiting to find the warmth that he lost with his mother. And he didn’t need to wait anymore, because Wei Ying found him. Wei Ying ran right into his waiting arms.

Even now the child was trying to cuddle closer, Lan Wangji moving his hand from Wei Ying’s hold to wrap gently around him and lay together. Wei Ying liked to hide his face from the world, he liked to hide in general, but at least he was choosing to hide with Lan Wangji. “You said she was a good mama,” Lan Wangji says softly, “Do you want to tell me about them?”

Wei Ying responds with a sniffle and weak cough, the small jolt of it now something Lan Wangji could feel. His hand moved and touched Wei Ying’s forehead which was warm for his liking. “L-Lan Zhan first,” Wei Ying answered, peeking up at Lan Wangji.

“Me first?” He asks, tilting his head at Wei Ying. The boy nods, “Lan Zhan mama. Good? Like Lan Zhan?” Lan Wangji blinks, a hand slowly moving over Wei Ying’s back as he considers the question.

“I would say she was better than me. I can only hope to be as good as she was one day,” he answers, taking a slow breath to calm the swell of emotion at the memories of his mother. “Very good,” he says quietly, glancing down at Wei Ying. A small smile starts to pull at his lips, “She was good like Wei Ying.”

The child blinks and his brows furrow, “Like..me?” He asks quietly, not really believing it. “Mn,” Lan Wangji tells him, a finger gently poking his hot cheeks. “She had this wonderful smile that would light up a room. Just like you. When you smile it makes me happy, it is good, I know things will be okay.”

Wide eyes are now locked on Lan Wangji, Wei Ying listening closely with his lips parted in surprise. “And she was silly too. She would try to play games with me all the time. I wasn’t very good at touching, but like you, her touch was nice. Good,” Lan Wangji explained, smiling more as Wei Ying’s cheeks started to turn a bit more red.

“Lan Zhan,” the boy whined, hiding again but Lan Wangji didn't miss the quiet giggle. He waits until Wei Ying’s head surfaces again to poke his nose, “She was a very good mama. And you are a very good Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying crinkles up his nose but settles, a small smile on his lips even as he sniffles, his nose snotty. “Sounds like mama. Lots of smiles and laughing. Lots of games,” Wei Ying murmurs as he yawns a little again. “Baba silly too,” the boy shares, head falling onto the pillow so they could see one another. “Make mama laugh lots and lots. Play with me. Teach me. Baba read bedtime stories,” Wei Ying tells Lan Wangji who is giving Wei Ying his undivided attention.

For a little while they go back and forth, Wei Ying stringing together stories of playing in parks and going on trips. Lan Wangji learned that Wei Ying’s family travelled often, there didn’t seem to be a home in any of his stories. In return Lan Wangji would share stories of cooking with his mother and playing with his brother.

There are moments they are both chuckling, some where each of them choke up on their words. But it is good, the soft back and forth, Wei Ying’s voice gentle and his words growing in confidence as he uses them more. Lan Wangji can see the child’s energy flagging as they go on, his coughing getting more frequent and his nose stays congested.

Reaching out as their chats start to quiet, he picks up Little Apple where he had fallen in between them and places it in Wei Ying’s arms as the child snuggles down into the animal. “You should take a nap while I make us dinner,” he tells Wei Ying as the boy fights off another yawn. The yawn quickly turned into a pout.

“Are you hungry?” He asks instead of letting Wei Ying try to argue anything with him. Wei Ying had skipped lunch, if he didn’t want dinner either he really wasn’t doing well. The question has the boy thinking before he slowly nods. “Go with Lan Zhan?” He asks quietly.

“How about you lay in your blankets on the couch and watch me?” Lan Wangji counters, watching as Wei Ying pouts a little but considers the offer. “Okay,” he gives in and Lan Wangji smiles softly at him. “Do you want me to carry you out there?”

Wei Ying wiggles a little to get himself more uncovered from the blanket, holding his arms up in a way that says yes. Lan Wangji can’t help the small chuckle as he pries himself from the warm bed.

Lan Wangji pockets his phone to check later than carefully gathers Wei Ying and Little Apple up in his arms. Wei Ying helps somewhat, hugging his neck and snuggling his warm self in. With him well secured and taking Wei Ying’s blanket with them they go to the living room, Lan Wangji turning lights on as it is growing dark.

He sets Wei Ying on the couch, the boy quickly settling into the soft blankets and pillows, burying himself until just his face could peek out to watch Lan Wangji. Wei Ying hadn’t looked around much, not noticing the new things, and now he misses them too as his eyes start to drift closed until a cough leaves him and he blinks back into wakefulness to watch Lan Wangji go to the kitchen.

Looking out toward Wei Ying every few moments Lan Wangji was nervous about leaving him on his own, even if he was still within line of sight. Wei Ying’s moods had been rather high and low today with whatever was hanging over him so he resolved to cook quickly, moving and taking things out.

After everything was out and he had to wait on the water to boil he took a moment to look at his phone. There was a long series of texts from his uncle, many indicating his concern over Wei Ying’s sickness as well as dozens of different suggestions. Ultimately the best course looked to be to give Wei Ying a small dose of medicine and let him rest, keeping him warm and looking out for him during the night when fevers can be worse.

With that in mind he takes out a single pill for Wei Ying and sets it next to the waiting plates before getting back on with dinner. Soon enough he was carrying two warm plates of food and water out to the living room, setting them on the coffee table and taking a seat on the floor.

Wei Ying had fallen asleep fairly soon after Lan Wangji started dinner and he hated to wake him but it would be good to try and get something in his empty stomach. He pulled the blankets back enough to start to uncover him, “Wei Ying,” he called gently.

There is a small groan in response, Wei Ying’s face pinching before he sniffles again. “Dinner is ready,” Lan Wangji continues, rubbing Wei Ying’s shoulder softly as he curls up. Tired eyes start to blink open, narrowing to focus on Lan Wangji before looking for the food.

Lan Wangji moves, bringing Wei Ying’s plate closer for him, not wanting to make him get all the way up when he was looking rather miserable again. “I have some medicine too,” he tells Wei Ying as the boy starts to sit up, rubbing his eyes. “It may make you feel a little better.”

The boy makes a small face but looks quickly at the plate and picks up the pill, putting it in his mouth and taking the water, drinking quickly. He wasn’t feeling well, is what that told Lan Wangji, Wei Ying so willingly taking the bitter medicine. “Spicy?” Wei Ying asked quietly as he took the plate from Lan Wangji.

“No,” he tells him as he picks up his own, “It is pasta with red sauce. So not spicy. I can get your chilli oil if you’d like?” Wei Ying looks down at the dish, picking up a noodle with his fingers and slowly chewing on it. Then a small shrug as he just continues to eat.

Waiting a few moments, Lan Wangji joins him, keeping an eye on Wei Ying as the boy eats. It is slower than normal, Wei Ying’s bites small and he chews for a long time before he swallows anything. He is making small faces too. “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t like it,” Lan Wangji tells him gently, worried as Wei Ying was trying to do as he did with the apple.

But the opposite happens, instead of spitting out the mouthful he had Wei Ying swallowed with more force and shovelled another bite into his mouth. “Okay,” Lan Wangji said as he watched the way Wei Ying’s fingers tightened on the plate, he had to remind himself how insecure Wei Ying was about food sometimes.

Wei Ying ate more regularly the rest of the meal, cleaning his plate even if he was still making those small faces as he swallowed. The boy handed his plate over and Lan Wangji took it, ruffling his hair gently before standing. Wei Ying blinked slowly up at him before sinking back down into the couch as he went to clean up from dinner.

Chapter Text

Almost finished washing the last pot he heard a noise from the living room, it sounded like a cough Wei Ying was trying to muffle. He steps back from the sink to glance at the couch. Wei Ying was sitting up, both hands clamped over his mouth and looking green in the face. The sound happens again and Wei Ying’s body lurches with it.

Lan Wangji’s eyes widen quickly as he realises what is about to happen. “Bathroom!” He tells the boy, trying to figure out what to do as he goes to dry his hands off on a towel. He hears another strangled sound as little feet hit the ground running.

Panic, Lan Wangji was panicking. Wei Ying was sick. More than just a little sleep and a fever sick. His shoulders hunch up as he hears the first heave, it sounded bad, Wei Ying coughing and gasping for air. He looks around, as if there was an answer to find. Pulling out a cup he fills it with water, Wei Ying would need water after throwing up.

Trying to keep himself steady, Lan Wangji follows the noises down the hall to the bathroom. As he turned and looked in the room he froze. He hadn’t thought, he hadn’t bothered to consider it, sending Wei Ying further into the house, sending him here.

“Help,” it is broken, rough and cracked with a horrible sob. And it is what takes Lan Wangji out of his shock. The glass is set on the sink and forgotten as he kneels. Wei Ying was on the floor, he had made it to the toilet, most of the mess put away. The boy was shaking, his hands clawing at Lan Wangji the moment they made contact.

Wei Ying was a mess, the vomit dripping down from his nose, spit and bile from his mouth. His shirt was soaked as well. But what got Lan Wangji was the position of him, Wei Ying had been trying to crawl. He was too weak after emptying his stomach to even hold himself up on his arms, his body ready to just collapse but he was clawing his way toward the door.

The moment Wei Ying’s hands found him they dug in, it was painful, Wei Ying holding him tighter than even that day with the dogs. Lan Wangji thought he may be bleeding from the way those nails were digging through his skin. The mess was nothing, he lifted Wei Ying into his arms as the child coughed and gasped before a wail leaves him.

There is no more hesitation as Lan Wangji stands and carries Wei Ying out of the bathroom with rushed steps. His eyes were wide, cupping the back of Wei Ying’s head as the child let out a scream, as Wei Ying chanted the words ‘no’, and ‘it hurts’. The bathroom. It was always the bathroom.

He knew it that first moment Wei had stared into the bathroom the day he ran away, he knew it when Wei Ying crawled into his bed. It was never the bedroom that had Wei Ying so frightened, it wasn’t being overwhelmed. It was the bathroom. Wei Ying’s words echoing in his head, he said his baba was cold, his father who had been found in the bathtub. And Wei Ying who had been trapped inside that bathroom with him.

No report said where the boy’s blood was found, just that they found it. But Wei Ying’s tight hold, his shaking form, Lan Wangji knew. That room. Whatever had happened to Wei Ying had happened in a bathroom. He spent days locked inside a room with no windows, no exit, hurt, hearing what was happening to his mother, his only company being the cold corpse of his father.

As Wei Ying screamed in his arms he took them into the kitchen, the first safe space Wei Ying had found and stood there, trying to breathe, trying to think. Wei Ying wasn’t trying to run, not that he could with how weak his body was. He was holding onto Lan Wangji with all he had, and Lan Wangji didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t tell him it was okay when he could barely keep himself from falling apart.

Leaning back against a counter he pulled his phone out of his pocket, it was almost automatic as he called his Uncle. Using his shoulder to hold the phone as he squeezes Wei Ying, needing to cling just as much as the child.

“Wanji?” Lan Qiren’s voice comes through just as another wail leaves Wei Ying. At the sound of his uncle’s voice a small choked sound leaves Lan Wangji. “What’s wrong? What happened, Wangji?” Lan Qiren asks, voice more firm as urgency comes into it.

There is no answer, Lan Wangji can’t find the words. What is he supposed to say? What is he supposed to do? “Breathe,” Lan Qiren instructed, “Lan Wangji, you need to breathe.” He manages a small gasp for air as he pulls Wei Ying in tighter, the child coughing harshly.

“Lan Zhan, A-Zhan,” Lan Qiren softens his voice. It breaks the panicked hold on him as a quiet sob leaves Lan Wangji. “I don’t know what to do,” he starts, “He’s sick and scared and I should have known better and-”

“Breathe,” it is an instruction and Lan Wangji follows, taking a shaking breath. “Explain, is Wei Ying okay?”

“I don’t know,” Lan Wangji answers, Wei Ying’s screams dying out but the child was still gasping for air, sobbing against him. “I-I think he tried to force himself to eat even though he wasn’t feeling well and it didn’t stay down and I was so stupid Shufu. I sent him to the bathroom. I should have known he couldn’t-'' A sob from Wei Ying stops the talk as the boy tries to dig his nails into Lan Wangji again, just the name of that room causing another hoarse scream.

“It is not your fault,” Lan Qiren clears up first, still very lost but at least having an idea of the scene. Wei Ying was ill, it sounded like he had thrown up and then something else happened, something that was scaring Lan Wangji and the boy. “Can you video call me, Wangji?” Lan Wangji nods a little, even if his uncle can’t hear it. His shaking hand taking the phone from his shoulder and fumbling with the buttons until he could see his uncle’s face.

“Show me him,” Lan Qiren requests, Lan Wangji nodding a little and turning the screen around. Wei Ying was a disaster, his entire body violently shaking as he cried and tried to cling to Lan Wangji. “You need to clean him up, warm him up. A hot bath will help him regulate.”

“I can’t,” Lan Wangji starts, turning it to look back at his uncle. “He can’t go to the bathroom. He can’t be there,” his voice breaks a little, he was frayed, struggling and it was abundantly clear.

“You told me you ordered a moveable bath the other day,” Lan Qiren reminds him, using his more gentle voice like he used to when Lan Wangji would have his own hard days. The man in question nods slowly, glancing toward it. “Use that. Keep him warm, get fluids into him, medicine when he can keep water down. Deep breath.”

Lan Wangji takes the slow breath as instructed, nodding along as he is given an outline of what to do. He can follow tasks, he can do that. He can do this. “Do you need me to get a flight?” Lan Qiren asks and after another deep breath Lan Wangji shakes his head. “Not yet. I’m-I’m going to try and get him to calm down again.”

“I will be up, do not hesitate to call me. I expect an update,” Lan Qiren tells him before hanging up for them. Lan Wangji takes another breath and lets the phone sit on the counter, face falling into Wei Ying’s messy hair as the boy takes another gasping breath of air.

“Wei Ying,” he starts, knowing he wasn’t going to get a response right now. The boy was wet, rather disgusting really, and it was on Lan Wangji now too. That was fine. He had to focus. Calm Wei Ying, prepare a bath, clean him off, warm him up, get him in clean clothes, wrap him in blankets. There was a plan. He could follow a plan.

“I’m here,” he tells the boy, starting to rock them back and forth. “I have you. We are safe,” his own voice was still a bit shaky but it was growing stronger as he spoke, as he talked though Wei Ying’s cries until they too were starting to slow and the child was just shaking and breathing.

He could almost feel Wei Ying’s heartbeat against him, it was racing, his breathing shallow and tight. He was terrified. “Xiao Mianbao,” he calls gently and there is a hitch in the breathing of the frightened boy. Finally, some sort of response. “Can you look at me? We are in the kitchen, by the sink. You are safe.”

It takes time, but slowly Wei Ying’s head starts to lift, his eyes darting around them as he looks oh so close to tears again. “I bet you feel very yucky,” Lan Wangji talks, voice gentle as he lifts his hand and clears away a few tears from the flushed face. It was far too hot to the touch.

Wei Ying’s face screws up before he slowly nods. “A bath is going to make you feel better,” he starts and almost instantly Wei Ying is tightening up on him again, “Here. In the kitchen,” Lan Wangji tells him. The idea of it stops that next rush of fear in the child, replacing it with confusion. He had to keep calm, to keep Wei Ying calm. He was going to work himself sick again if he couldn’t calm down.

“Look over there,” Lan Wangji directs as he motions toward the corner. “It is a big bath. I’ll fill it with nice warm water and you can take a bubble bath right here. We can help get the yucky off of you.” Wei Ying’s head followed the finger, staring at the bath silently before his face fell back into Lan Wangji’s chest.

“Is that okay?” He asks softly, running his hand over Wei Ying’s back as another set of shivers went through the child. Lan Wangji had no expectation for Wei Ying to speak, he was having trouble finding his own words at the moment. Wei Ying’s breaths were coming out in little pants against his neck, there was a layer of tension that no amount of soft words could fix.

“I’m going to start moving, I’ll keep you close,” Lan Wangji warns gently. Wei Ying’s hands digging into him despite his promise. He allowed it, the boy was barely holding back tears, burning up from his fever and weak as his already fragile body tried to withstand shock.

First step was dragging the tub and everything in it out into the room. He leaves it closer to the parted door, trying to keep it from the wind but wanting to let Wei Ying see his exit, to let him know he wasn’t trapped. It was done holding Wei Ying to his chest with one arm firmly around him, Wei Ying’s tight hold on him helped as well.

Next he started the kettle. It was going to take time. He let it get going as he picked the items out of the tub, soaps and hair care items set aside for now, the little bath toys left inside. Lan Wangji popped open the top of the bubble bath, taking a sniff of the scent. It was gentle, a soft vanilla.

“Wei Ying,” he coaxed softly, “Do you think this is okay?” He asks, leaning back from the boy’s face and putting the container near him. The child sniffled a little bit, his face still showed evidence from him throwing up. His head dropped back against Lan Wangji.

It wasn’t a no, but to be safe he only added a little into the tub so it could foam. The first kettle went in and he began another as he filled a large bowl with warm water from the tap. It took time. Mixing the warmed tap water with the occasional hot kettle full he was able to get a comfortable warmth to the water in the tub and get the water high enough.

“Look Xiao Mianbao,” he used a soft sort of excitement, trying to do anything to bring Wei Ying back out of it. “It is all ready.” The boy coughs weakly, he had been shivering the entire process. Slowly his head turned to look. The bath was more than big enough for him and it held gently steaming water with small bubbles across the surface, an occasional floating animal dotted the white sight.

“I’m going to put you down,” Lan Wangji started, kneeling slowly. He needed to give Wei Ying privacy to change, he’d try to help with what he could but he didn’t want to overstep. He needed to change himself as well, the smell starting to get to him.

“No,” Wei Ying almost screams the word, he probably would have if his voice hadn’t given out on him. Being sick and screaming had caused him to nearly lose it. Those hands dig into him again, his legs wrapping around Lan Wangji all they can, “No, no,” Wei Ying starts to cry again.

Lan Wangji braces at the shout but takes a slow breath and lowers them both to the floor, hugging Wei Ying against him as he felt the child shudder with a sob again. “Okay,” he whispered, taking a moment to calm himself. “Okay. I am staying. I’m right here. I won’t let go until you ask me to,” he promised, rocking them slowly.

Wei Ying calmed faster than before but it was enough that Lan Wangji reached up and flicked on another kettle to keep the bath hot. He ran his hand down Wei Ying’s back, not knowing what to say anymore. How was he supposed to say something when he had no idea what Wei Ying had lived, when he likely would never know.

“L-Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying’s voice is so breathy, it must hurt to talk he thinks as he squeezes him in response. “I’m here. I’m so sorry,” he whispers, face falling into the dark mess of hair on Wei Ying’s head.

“N-no go,” Wei Ying manages, the words wobbling as tears threaten to overwhelm him once again. “I am not going anywhere,” Lan Wangji answers without a moment of hesitation. “I am right here.”

“No let go,” the child continues, his breath hitching before a rough cough pulls from him. Lan Wangji swallows the small lump in his throat, rubbing slow circles on Wei Ying’s back. “I’ll need to let go for a very short time so you can take off your clothes,” Lan Wangji tells him, feeling how the boy tightens at even that.

“I can hold one of your hands,” he offers quietly. “I’ll close my eyes. You can change and hold my hand and you can get into the bath.” Wei Ying’s breathing is unsteady, quick little bursts as terror still courses through him, head shaking quickly back and forth.

“No. Nonono,” Wei Ying croaks, “S-stay Lan Zhan. No alone. Lan Zhan said no alone anymore. No. No more. Baba no wake up. No crying. No crying. Hurt. No more. Please. No more.” The child’s small voice was raspy, each word followed with panicked gasps of air as he trembled.

“You aren’t alone,” Lan Wangji tells him, tightening his hold around Wei Ying with both arms as the boy begins to work himself up again. “Wei Ying is not alone,” he repeats, his voice thick as he fights off his own flood of emotions.

Lan Wangji can’t hum. His own breathing is too unsteady and his throat too tight to hold any tune. He can only rock them and whisper small assurances to the terrified child that has become his world.

“Together,” Lan Wangji tells Wei Ying as the child is reduced down to shudders and soft gasps. “We can get in together.” He could fit. There was room. He’d have to try and get Wei Ying’s clothes off somehow, maybe he could get his own shirt off but wet pants be damned, he was not letting this boy go for even a moment.

It was the first suggestion that didn’t get a rejection, it got nothing. And today nothing looked to be as close to yes as Lan Wangji was going to get. When he began to move Wei Ying tightened his hold, so Lan Wangji did the same. He stood, pouring the last kettle into the bath.

“I’m going to have to take some of our clothes off, okay?” Lan Wangji tried to get a look at Wei Ying’s face, but the child was aggressively hiding it. “Just say no, I promise to stop,” he tells the child. Both of them had to lose their shirts, they were stained with vomit. Wei Ying’s pants were wet with it as well.

He started with his own socks, then Wei Ying’s. Then into the tub they went. Wei Ying clutched to his chest as they sat down, the water rising but staying below the walls. It was warm, if it weren’t for the wet clothing sticking to him Lan Wangji would enjoy it.

It was easier now, even if the clothing stuck more. With Wei Ying resting in his lap the boy wasn’t as quick to panic. He did his own shirt first, Wei Ying settled against him and his arms free. “Thank you,” Lan Wangji said softly as Wei Ying started to slowly help him. The boy wiggling out of the heavy pants and Lan Wangji wringing them out somewhat before letting them fall onto the floor with his discarded shirt.

Lan Wangji let's Wei Ying undress as he reaches over the tub and pulls a bag closer. It had soaps and washcloths, hair products and brushes. He’d do what he could to clean the boy up, knowing there was a layer of grime stuck to him.

Looking back Wei Ying was struggling to get out of the wet shirt so Lan Wangji helped, easing each arm out of it before wringing it too and letting it join the others on the floor. “Does that feel better?” He asks as he looks back at Wei Ying, the small smile he wore for the child falling as his breath stopped.

All this time, when Wei Ying had a nightmare or an episode he said it hurts. Lan Wangji knew of course, there was his blood at the scene, Wei Ying openly told him the bad man hurt him. Perhaps it was a willful ignorance that kept him from thinking of what that really meant, that kept him hoping in some horrible way that Wei Ying had only been subjected to a harsh hand.

The child on his lap swayed, what little energy he had flagging as the warm water helped release some of his tension. Lan Wangji reached out and let Wei Ying fall against his chest again, his own breathing tight as he tried not to squeeze the boy too hard.

It forced him to look away, staring out the door instead as he took a deep breath and shuddered. Sitting on Wei Ying’s chest, right above his heart, was a large scar. It looked like a burn of some sort, the skin raised and white.

Taking another deep breath Lan Wangji prepared himself and looked back down at Wei Ying. His fingers started to trace the lines that ran across the boy’s back. There were so many, like someone had been trying to cut him open. Only one or two appeared to have gone deep, most just left lines that whispered of harm done.

Wei Ying whimpers, curling up against Lan Wangji as a shiver goes through him. Lan Wangji has to close his eyes a moment and remind himself Wei Ying is sick, he needs to be cared for. He picks up a washcloth, wanting to start with just getting some of the dirt off the boy.

Dipping it in the water he tilts Wei Ying’s chin up, the child blinking slowly at him, trusting him. He’d do everything in his power to keep that trust. He manages a weak smile of his own, but it doesn’t last, too upset himself to feign that expression. He works gently, the warm washcloth moving over Wei Ying’s face and taking away the tear tracks, the spit and bile, the small chunks of food, and beneath it the sweat and dirt.

His skin was flushed pink with the hot water, Wei Ying closing his eyes and letting Lan Wangji wash him. He went down, dipping the cloth to keep it damp and warm as he moved onto his shoulders.

Lan Wangji had to sit Wei Ying up to wash his chest, his eyes falling to the mark again and staring. It was a burn, a brand. His fingers slowly traced over the mark. It looked like it could be a knife. Something on hand that had been heated and pressed into the boy’s skin. There were small ridges raised in it, something that may have been in the blade and transferred to Wei Ying’s chest.

The child makes a small noise and Lan Wangji pulls his hand away, “I’m sorry,” he whispers, wetting the cloth again and moving it very gently over the scar. “Does it hurt?” He asks, struggling to look away. Wei Ying sniffles, his shoulders shrugging just a little as he takes a hiccuping breath.

Wei Ying would have this mark forever, this reminder that would never fade. Was it the same knife that had created those cuts on his back? Was it the knife that had helped in killing his father? A shaking breath leaves Lan Wangji, his hand stilling as he collects himself and continues to wash Wei Ying.

The layer of sweat and dirt that was part of Wei Ying was starting to peel away, his skin pale underneath before it reddened from the warmth and attention. Lan Wangji was careful to be gentle, Wei Ying was so close to falling asleep on him and he needed the boy to rest. He worked down both his arms, fingers stroking over the bite marks and scrapes that told of Wei Ying’s fight to survive.

As he worked down Wei Ying’s chest all he could do was let out a small breath as he found yet another mark on the child. His eyes closed a moment, when he opened them his fingers traced slowly over the long wound. It was just below Wei Ying’s belly button, a little to the right, a messy looking incision. Its edges uneven, the healing process took time and wasn’t pretty.

Lan Wangji’s eyes flicker up to the burnt outline of a knife. Had they plunged it into him red hot? Did it stop some of the bleeding but still let the child feel all the pain? Had Wei Ying screamed like he did earlier? Did he beg for help, for his parents?

The washcloth floats away from them in the water as Lan Wangji pulls Wei Ying in close to himself, wrapping the shaking boy in his arms and tucking him into himself. Wei Ying still clings, even as his body gives in and falls asleep he doesn’t let go. And Lan Wangji cries, silent tears that pass unbidden down his face.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, because he has no other words. He feels useless. He knows there was nothing he could do to have saved Wei Ying from this, but someone should have. Someone should have been there for the terrified child who lived in the trees. The little boy who fought with street dogs for rotten scraps of food. The one who shivers and is pelted with rain and frost alike, who carries the story of his pain written on his skin.

How did Wei Ying survive? What happened in that house? Who could do this to a child? To brand him, to cut him open and let him bleed, what kind of monster would do this? “I’m so sorry,” he chokes out, even if Wei Ying was asleep, even if he was too terrified to answer, he had to say it. Because someone had to be sorry for this, someone had to tell the child that this wasn’t right, that he should have never had to live this nightmare.

Lan Wangji is trembling himself as he finds the washcloth again and continues, his movements slow, sniffling as he fights back the tears that were unwilling to listen. He cleans Wei Ying’s back, he doesn’t know what made the marks there, he does know that the ribs he feels through thin skin is something he can fix with good food. He can fix something.

It helped to try and think like that. Because he had to be able to do good somewhere. Because everytime Wei Ying’s unconscious form let out a whimper he could only picture a small child stumbling through the trees, clutching at a bleeding wound on his waist with a little donkey toy, calling out for his parents who would never come. It never failed to pull a quiet sob from him.

As he washed Wei Ying he tried to think of good things. Wei Ying’s laugh, his smile, the way he spins and poses in every new outfit, how he is a champion at tag and his laughter screeches through the house. A weak little chuckle leaves Lan Wangji as he sniffles, thinking of the way Wei Ying had taken to books and cooking, how he has claimed to be reading as he looks at every little picture he finds in any book.

His face falls into Wei Ying’s damp hair, a shaking little breath leaving him. “I’m here,” he whispers, “I’ll fight to be here as long as you will let me.” Lan Wangji takes another breath, he could do good. He could make Wei Ying’s eyes light up and his smile rival the sun. He got to see the brilliant little boy that was hiding under layers of hurt and fear. He’d protect him with all he had.

Taking another few minutes to calm, he finishes scrubbing Wei Ying down. It was going to be a process to get him properly cleaned. Lan Wangji started on his hair, letting the already dirty water take away whatever was hiding in the knots.

Then he pulled over a towel, carefully cradling Wei Ying’s sleeping form and standing before quickly wrapping the boy in the towel to keep some of the warmth with him. He stepped out, part of him wincing at the amount of water flooding his kitchen floor but the larger part of him too focused on Wei Ying to care.

He started another kettle and warmed the sink water before dragging the tub toward the door, taking out the little bath toys. Once there he used his legs to help tip it and dump the rush of dirty water out onto the patio before sliding the door back to his half open position and going about refilling it.

By the time he sank back in with Wei Ying the child was shivering against him, but the hot water helped to stop that as Lan Wangji let Wei Ying rest against his chest and got the soap out.

First was over his skin, a new washcloth and soap for sensitive skin, just in case. He went back over Wei Ying’s body, giving a proper wash to the pale boy. He is more careful around his injuries, even if they no longer hurt he can’t bring himself to touch them for long.

Afterwards the water and the both of them smell gently of cinnamon. Wei Ying’s small whimpers have settled down into slow breaths, his shaking rare and his hands no longer digging into Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji looked down at himself, he had marks from the boy’s nails, bruises slowly forming in the shape of small hands. He’d hide them if he could before Wei Ying woke. Wei Ying would be upset at the sight of them and he didn’t think he could handle the child trying to apologise for it when he had seen just how terrified he was.

He wet Wei Ying’s hair again, careful to keep it from his face and reached over for the shampoo. The first wash went well, rinsing into the warm water and taking with it grease and oil that had built up for so long. The hard part was next.

Picking up a brush that was specifically recommended for tangled hair and the spray also meant to help. He started with the ends, his heart racing as he braced each section of hair with a hand to not tug on Wei Ying’s head. Lan Wangji was scared, he couldn’t hurt him. If he added any more pain to Wei Ying’s life he’d never forgive himself.

But, unless they were going to cut it all off, this had to happen. He had to make it as gentle and painless as possible. Still, every time it caught and tugged at Wei Ying’s head Lan Wangji would wince. The sleeping child didn’t seem to notice which was the solace Lan Wangji had to keep going.

It takes time. Enough time where he is reaching out of the tub to pour in hot water from a kettle. They’d have to do another wash after this, Wei Ying’s hair almost drinking through the bottle of detangler. But it was very much worth it as the stubborn tangles started to fall from his hair, along with a good amount of hair as well.

Lan Wangji can’t help the small smile as he drags his fingers slowly through the silky hair. It was long and soft, right now sticking to Wei Ying’s head and skin but he had no doubts it would bounce back up much like its owner.

The second round of shampoo goes much more smoothly, the hair relaxed and no longer fighting him and taking his fingers hostage. He rinses it out, planning to comb it out after drying it.

With Wei Ying finally clean he takes another towel and stands, wrapping Wei Ying’s curled form in the large towel and holding him close. He goes about dumping the water again and kicks off his soaked pants. Picking up the pile of wet clothes and towels he sets them in the washer and throws a few towels on the ground to handle the rest.

Collecting a few warm things to put on Wei Ying he went to the bedroom, picking out some of his own clothes as well before moving to the bed. He had to set Wei Ying down, they both needed to get dressed. At least Wei Ying wasn’t awake to scream.

Gently he lowered the boy onto the bed, letting go and moving swiftly. He takes off his soaked underwear and changes into something dry and comfortable. Moving back to Wei Ying he carefully unravels some of the towel to dress the sleeping boy. He chose the fleece lined pants, his new bunny socks, and a warm sweater.

Lan Wangji took a seat behind Wei Ying on the bed as he finished pulling the sweater over his head, making sure it covered him and then pulling his hair out of the neckline. A soft hum started to come from him as he pulled blankets up over Wei Ying, placing Little Apple right against his chest.

He started to dry his hair, squeezing the towel around it and ruffling it carefully. Once done he switched to a comb, the hair no longer fighting as it is combed back into obedience and falling over Wei Ying’s shoulders.

“All better,” Lan Wangji whispers, comb being set aside as he moves, lowering Wei Ying down to the bed and resting beside him. He’d be the first thing Wei Ying would see when he woke, he promised to stay.

---

Wei Ying’s exhaustion nap lasted another hour, it was well past Lan Wangji’s bedtime at this point. The boy’s hazy eyes blinking open slowly. There is a sharp intake of air, a momentary flash of panic as those eyes dart about but they see Lan Wangji, and Lan Wangji gives a gentle smile. That panic started to settle, Wei Ying reaching out, grabbing for Lan Wangji.

“I’m here,” he whispered, moving closer as Wei Ying’s hand grasped at his shirt. He needed to be touching, he had learned that much. “We are in my bed, is that okay? Do you want the couch?” Lan Wangji asks, trying to do anything to help, knowing there was nothing that could truly fix this.

The boy opens his mouth slowly, then licks his lips. He makes a small noise and then a face, a wince of pain. “Your throat must hurt,” Lan Wangji says softly, earning a small nod. “Shufu always had a secret to fix that,” he continues, watching Wei Ying closely.

There was more responsiveness than earlier, he wasn’t shaking with fear. There was still a tension, a sense of hesitation that Wei Ying struggled to let go of, but he was listening this time, Lan Wangji was able to talk and knew that he could still do something.

Wei Ying blinks slowly at the comment, looking a little confused for a moment before pressing his eyes together tightly and groaning. Lan Wangji gently strokes his head, “Breathe slowly, if your tummy can handle liquids we can try medicine again.” In response Wei Ying takes a long breath, pulling Little Apple in closer.

“Let’s try and help your throat first. We will go to the kitchen for that, okay?” Wei Ying nods slowly, his grip starting to tighten. “I’ll hold you,” Lan Wangji promises, “I won’t let go.” Wei Ying nods again, quicker this time. He was still scared.

They get up slowly, Lan Wangji helping Wei Ying crawl into his lap before trying to stand. It is hard to watch when Wei Ying tries to move and his arm crumples beneath him, the boy panting for air like moving is one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do. Of course he was terrified of Lan Wangji letting go, Wei Ying knew he wouldn’t be able to follow even if he wanted to.

Lan Wangji stood, adjusting Wei Ying in his arms so he was on his hip. He picked up Little Apple, the one thing Wei Ying could do was hold on, so he let him hold the toy. He had left all the lights on as they had moved around earlier, looking out the window it was pitch black.

When they left the bedroom Wei Ying pressed his face into Lan Wangji’s neck, holding on tightly. Letting him hide, he cradled his head and moved to the kitchen, trying not to have Wei Ying think about the room just down the hall. The poor boy had enough of that today.

He pulls the kettle over, filling it and setting it on as he leans on the counter with Wei Ying. The boy came out just a little to look around, staring over at the bath they had been using. “I think I remember his secret recipe,” Lan Wangji says quietly, getting Wei Ying’s attention again. “But maybe we should call him to ask, we want to make it right.”

Wei Ying’s head slowly tilts, a little frown of confusion coming to his lips before he looks around them. He opens his mouth to speak but instead of words two harsh coughs leave him, his hand tightening as they make the pain in his throat worse.

Picking up his phone, Lan Wangji opens it to his uncle’s contact page and presses the video call button. It was past midnight, far later than any Lan was normally awake. Lan Wangji smiled just a little as Lan Qiren picked up almost immediately, he looked a little ruffled, most likely having been reading in bed and waiting for this.

“Is everything okay? How is he?” Lan Qiren asks, straight to the point, looking Lan Wangji over for what he could see. His nephew was calm again, he looked worn down but there wasn’t the panic he had heard earlier.

“Everything is okay,” Lan Wangji confirms, angling the phone so Lan Qiren can see both him and Wei Ying. “Wei Ying’s throat hurts, I told him you have a secret to help,” Lan Wangji continued. Wei Ying stares up at the screen, his eyes widening and his already parted mouth opening further.

“Sh-Shufu!” The child croaks out, the word scratching its way from his throat. Wei Ying makes a small face at the noise but is ignoring it as one hand reaches up at the screen. Lan Wangji moves the phone closer, “You can hold it, just be careful not to drop it.”

Wei Ying’s hand wraps around the phone and he pulls it toward himself, giving Qiren a very close up view of Wei Ying’s face. “Hello Wei Ying,” Lan Qiren greets, watching as Wei Ying looks between the phone and Lan Wangji. The child was excited, but it was dampened by something heavier. He heard the screams earlier, he knew whatever happened was not good.

“Wangji said you may be sick,” he tries, wanting to engage with him to help take some of the burden from his nephew. There are some soft whispers in the background, Lan Wangji teaching Wei Ying how to hold the phone properly so Lan Qiren can see, also explaining that Lan Qiren was at his own home and not here with them.

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers, wincing at even that much. His head had fallen onto Lan Wangji’s shoulder again but he kept the phone with him, looking at Lan Qiren. “Wangji,” Lan Qiren addresses, “A little extra honey. I’m going to be sending an order to your place tomorrow with children’s medications and other supplies. I figured you wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.”

Lan Qiren almost instantly regrets his word choice as he sees the way Wei Ying’s eyes widen and how everything about the boy shrinks with a wave of panic. “I’m not leaving,” Lan Wangji says quickly, the phone getting pressed against his chest as Lan Wangji embraces Wei Ying for a moment, stroking his head and promising to stay.

“Thank you, Shufu,” Lan Wangji says quietly after a few minutes as things settle again. But the small bit of excitement Wei Ying had at discovering the call was gone, the child just looking miserable as he lay against Lan Wangji, staring at the phone. “I’m sorry you aren’t feeling good,” Lan Qiren tries, watching Wei Ying slowly nod in response.

“Did the bath help? Warm water can feel nice,” he continues, having picked up the idle chatter himself from his days with Wei Ying. The boy looks off to the side, presumably at the bath that they must have had in the kitchen. The boy looks back at the phone and shrugs.

Wei Ying’s tongue pokes out, wetting dry lips, “D-Don’t m-member,” Wei Ying whispers quietly, the words so breathy they barely came across. “Too scary.” Lan Wangji pauses his tea making to gently rub Wei Ying’s back, looking sadly at the tired child. It isn’t surprising Wei Ying can’t remember much of the bath with how terrified he had been.

“Scary?” Lan Qiren questioned softly, but he didn’t push for more. He knew whatever happened was worse than he expected for Lan Wangji to break in the way he had, he didn’t want to risk causing another scene between the exhausted boys. “I hope the tea makes your throat feel better and you sleep well tonight.”

After a small nod from the tired child he addressed his nephew again, “Wangji,” Lan Wangji carefully took the phone, Wei Ying’s eyes had closed, the boy wasn’t ready to talk. He looks at his uncle, “Just a little lemon juice, but if it looks like it stings, hold back. It sounds like he is pretty raw so as little talking as possible.”

“Mn,” Lan Wangji nodded, glancing at the boy resting against him, “I can try and talk with you tomorrow. Perhaps Xiongzhang too,” he answers to his uncle, the man giving a slow nod. “Focus on him first. Remember to call in. And let me know if you need me to help, it is hard being sick, for everyone involved.”

“I will, thank you,” Lan Wangji says quietly, “Warn Xiongzhang for me.” With another quiet goodbye the call ends, Wei Ying slowly blinking and looking a little confused but slumping back into Lan Wangji without a sound of discontent.

Two mugs of tea were ready, Lan Wangji carrying them carefully with himself and Wei Ying to the living room and settling into the cough. “Wei Ying,” he calls gently, the child awake as he was snuggling into place on Lan Wangji’s chest as usual.

“This will help your throat,” he explains as Wei Ying blinks at him, the boy then staring at the offered mug. Both hands grasp at it, cradling it carefully as the child brought it to his lips and took a slow sip. There isn’t much reaction outside of a small sniffle, the boy just continuing to drink.

“Slow,” Lan Wangji murmurs, stroking his fingers through Wei Ying’s hair as he sips on his own. “Your tummy was upset earlier, take your time, if you don’t feel well enough to finish it that is okay too.” At the reminder Wei Ying stopped for a little while, breathing slowly in and out of his mouth, his eyes half open.

The boy took another small drink, Lan Wangji gathering the blankets around them as they sat. “Is it helping?” He asks softly, earning a slow nod. Good, Lan Wangji thinks to himself as they sit together quietly and drink. Wei Ying didn’t look like he would last much longer after this.

It isn’t too much of a surprise when Wei Ying hands back the mug, still half full. Lan Wangji accepts it quietly and sets them both down as Wei Ying wraps around him again to sleep. Lan Wangji didn’t care where he slept tonight, so long as Wei Ying was comfortable and warm.

Keeping blankets piled up, making sure Wei Ying had Little Apple with him, he contented himself to lay on the couch with all the lights on, stroking through Wei Ying’s hair and humming gently. It takes mere moments for Wei Ying to fall limp, exhaustion winning over his fragile form.

Lan Wangji rest his fingers against Wei Ying’s forehead, he was still burning up. He didn’t get to properly thank his uncle for the delivery tomorrow, he had been quietly panicking to himself about how he was going to be able to treat Wei Ying.

For now it was keeping the boy warm, keeping his stomach settled, and letting him rest. It was hard letting him go without food knowing how thin he was, knowing how little fat he had to burn up in this fight. But if Wei Ying couldn’t hold it down it would be worse.

Before falling asleep he went about fishing out his phone. He sent a quick thank you to his uncle again before sending an email to the office indicating his need for sick leave. He didn’t know how long it would be, but he wasn’t leaving Wei Ying’s side for a moment until the child could laugh again.

Chapter Text

It was hard to tell if it was the sun or the sharp press of Wei Ying’s elbow into his ribs that woke him. A glance at the clock letting him know it was already nearing lunch. One hand comes up as Lan Wangji yawns, running through his own hair before he looks down at Wei Ying.

The boy was squirmy but still asleep. Touching his forehead it is still too warm, a light sheen of sweat across it. Lan Wangji ran his fingers through Wei Ying’s now dry hair, smiling just a little as it bounces up around his face. It fit him, far better than the tangled mess it had been.

Picking up his phone, there are a few emails from teams asking questions. He has time until Wei Ying wakes so he answers, keeping himself busy until Wei Ying rolls over again. He looked down at the moving child and watched those silver eyes pry open, looking around slowly.

“Living room,” Lan Wangji answers for him, phone set aside as he strokes the boy’s head and listens to Wei Ying yawn, a sniffle following soon after. “Did you sleep okay?” He asks, Wei Ying now looking up at him, slowly blinking as wakefulness comes to him.

A series of quick blinks later, Wei Ying nods once. He rolls again and snuggles into Lan Wangji’s chest, tugging the blankets up. Lan Wangji helps, covering Wei Ying better. “Still cold?” He asks, hoping the delivery from Lan Qiren would be arriving soon.

Wei Ying gives a small shrug as he settles back in. Lan Wangji’s body is ready to get up, stuck laying in the same position for so long making him stiff. “Does your throat still hurt?” He asks, shifting a little himself and settling his weight on his other hip.

There is a moment of consideration before Wei Ying holds up his hand, indicating a little bit. It makes Lan Wangji smile, Wei Ying was well enough to communicate, even if not with his voice. “Do you want more tea? Or just water?”

Wei Ying pouted a little as he thought about his answer, head heavy on Lan Wangji’s chest. “Water,” Wei Ying answers in a whisper, unwilling to strain his throat anymore than he already had.

“Mind if we get up then? I’ll carry you,” Lan Wangji offers, not certain if Wei Ying is still as desperate to hold on as the night before but not willing to test it either. Wei Ying gives another little nod in response. As Lan Wangji starts to get up he feels Wei Ying’s hands latch on with a bit more force. Seems neither of them were quite ready to separate yet.

Carefully carrying Wei Ying wrapped in a blanket, Lan Wangji walks to the kitchen, getting them both glasses of water before leaning on the counter. Little Apple was squished between them, Wei Ying using both hands to support the cup. “Slow,” Lan Wangji tells him softly, “Too fast could upset your stomach again.”

Wei Ying blinks down at the water, but takes slow sips of it. Lan Wangji drinks slowly as well, looking at the bit of mess he had made of the kitchen the night before. When Wei Ying was ready to be put down he could clean up.

The boy was also looking around the kitchen, he admitted to Lan Qiren that he didn’t remember much of the bath and he had been quite exhausted after everything. Lan Wangji tilts his head as Wei Ying points at the bath, “Yes?” He asks, trying to decipher the motions.

“New,” Wei Ying breathes out, voice a little stronger but still raspy. Lan Wangji nodded slowly, he’d have to get better at little signals, Wei Ying wasn’t up for much talking. “It is,” he answers, “I got it for you so you could have baths where you feel safe. I got some fun soaps and bath toys too, but we were too busy last night for them.”

Wei Ying takes another long drink of his water before nodding his head. Lan Wangji set his empty cup aside and moved with Wei Ying, kneeling by the bath and things. “I got bubble bath as well,” he comments as he picks up a rubber duck with rabbit ears, squeaking it lightly.

Lan Wangji watches as Wei Ying stares at it, balancing his cup in one hand to reach out and squeak it himself. There is a sniffle, Wei Ying going to hug his cup of water as he leaned more into Lan Wangji. “I think next time we can play with the bubbles,” Lan Wangji continued softly.

The small nod of agreement helps Lan Wangji take a deep breath, standing with Wei Ying again. They are quiet as they drink water, Lan Wangji giving Wei Ying time. He had hoped to see a hint of Wei Ying’s warm smile, but there was nothing.

Lan Wangji sets Wei Ying’s empty glass down as the boy coughs, one hand clutching at Lan Wangji while the other covers his mouth, eyes squeezed shut. Lan Wangji rubs his back through the little fit, carrying them back to the couch.

Wei Ying was weak, even in the way he held on Lan Wangji could tell he didn’t have much strength to spare. His forehead was still dotted with sweat, his face flushed and blotchy, his features somewhat sunken from dehydration, he needed rest. For how strong Wei Ying was to survive alone, seeing him like this was a reminder to Lan Wangji that he really was just a child.

Taking a seat again Lan Wangji rests himself back a little, keeping Wei Ying facing him in his lap. He wasn’t clutching to Lan Wangji anymore, content enough just being close. When there was a small sway of Wei Ying toward Lan Wangji he steadied the boy, a hand resting on his forehead a moment.

“Wei Ying,” he calls softly, moving his hand from the hot skin. Wei Ying blinks slowly, focusing on Lan Wangji. “Mn,” Wei Ying murmurs to answer, his arms pulling Little Apple to himself.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Lan Wangji asks gently and waits for an answer. Wei Ying stares for a long moment before slowly nodding. “You were feeling bad all day yesterday, weren’t you?” He asks, well aware of the answer. Wei Ying on the other hand looks down a little, shrugging his shoulders.

“Please, look at me,” Lan Wangji tells him, even as he feels Wei Ying tense a little, doing as asked. “You know I’m not angry with you for being sick?” He asks, a hand slowly rubbing Wei Ying’s arm. Wei Ying nods more quickly to the question.

“Then why are you trying to hide it?” Lan Wangji asks, frowning softly. Wei Ying squirms a little under the pressure of the question and Lan Wangji’s gaze. The boy’s eyes falling again and holding Little Apple tighter.

“Lan Zhan…sad,” Wei Ying whispered, his fingers playing with the ribbon around Little Apple’s neck. “N-No make Lan Zhan sad.” Lan Wangji’s fingers paused for a moment, then continued. He hadn’t accounted for just how much of an influence he had over Wei Ying.

“I may feel a little sad because you are sick,” Lan Wangji agreed, watching Wei Ying frown more, “But,” he continues, the boy looking up a little bit, “I am more sad when I can’t help. If you keep it a secret then it gets worse.”

The child seems to think about that, slowly nodding his head. It had indeed gotten worse last night. “I'd rather be a little bit sad but trying to help, than watching and not knowing if something is wrong. Do you understand?” Lan Wangji asks him. Wei Ying was very smart, he caught onto things quickly, but sometimes Lan Wangji worried about him. It felt like Wei Ying was taught otherwise when it came to caring about himself.

It takes a little bit for Wei Ying to answer, the boy weighing the options, but slowly there was a nod of his head. “Will you tell me the truth then?” Lan Wangji asks, touching Wei Ying’s warm cheek. “Yesterday was hard, I won’t ask. I am not upset. I understand there are things you may not be able to say. But little things, how you feel, will you try with that?”

The mention of the night before had Wei Ying hugging Little Apple tighter, glancing toward Lan Wangji to make sure he meant the words he was saying. “Mn,” Wei Ying answered quietly before another small, “No mad?”

“Never,” Lan Wangji tells him, giving a small smile to try and help. “I’m never going to be mad at you for being scared. I,” Lan Wangji pauses a moment, considering before continuing, “I understand something very very bad happened a long time ago.” Wei Ying’s body started to tighten up, his head nodding in small quick motions.

“I understand that is why you are alone. And that it hurt you very badly too,” There is a sniffle as Wei Ying nods quickly again, his eyes starting to get a little hazy with tears. “I don’t mean to remind you of it. I know nothing I can do will make it better-”

“Stay,” Wei Ying’s voice wobbles and he reaches for Lan Wangji who doesn’t hold him back, letting the boy fall against him and clutch at him. “L-Lan Zhan stay. Make better,” Wei Ying whispered out, sniffling. Lan Wangji wraps his arms around the boy, “I’m right here,” he promised, “I’ll always stay right here.”

Wei Ying’s little fright calmed easily, more of an over-tired and overwhelmed reaction than anything serious. Still, Lan Wangji lets the topic settle, Wei Ying in no place for it. When the boy is breathing more steadily he sits him up a little again, looking into those hazy silver eyes.

“Will you answer my questions?” LanWangji asks, waiting for the nod before continuing. “Are you cold?” Wei Ying very slowly nodded his head in answer. “Thank you,” Lan Wangji told him as he pulled more of the blankets up, wrapping them over Wei Ying’s shoulders. The boy struggled to get warm when he was healthy, it was going to be harder like this.

“Does your throat still hurt?” At this Wei Ying’s lips parted before his brows furrowed and he shrugged. “Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says gently, knowing there was more of an answer. Wei Ying pouted a little but licked his lips, “H-hurt to talk loud. But okay,” it comes in a whisper and Lan Wangji listens intently.

“When the medicine comes I can give you something to help with that,” he tells the boy who blinks then nods. “Will you tell me about your tummy? Does it feel upset? Are you hungry?” They both look down at Wei Ying’s stomach, Lan Wangji just following Wei Ying’s eyes. “No hungry,” Wei Ying answers quietly, “Feel…” The boy trails off, frowning as he tries to find the correct words. “Bleh,” he finally says, sticking his tongue out.

Lan Wangji smiles just a little at the description, a hand moving and gently patting his tummy. “Do you think you’re going to be sick again? I’ll get you a container to keep with you, so you don’t have to…” Lan Wangji trails, not wanting to say it and remind him of the bathroom again.

Wei Ying rests a hand on his own stomach and thinks for a while, poking at his thin form once. “Not sick. Just…yucky.” Lan Wangji nods, “I’m sorry you feel yucky. Hopefully the medicine will come soon so you can feel a little better.”

The boy nods, looking at Lan Wangji again, “All done?” He asks quietly and Lan Wangji nods back to him. “No more questions right now.” With that answer Wei Ying sighs, falling forward against Lan Wangji’s chest again and coughing, curling up against him.

Catching Wei Ying was second nature at this point, Lan Wangji pulling the blankets to follow the child and shifting up a little to make it more comfortable for himself. “You can rest if you are tired,” he tells the boy who answers with another sniffle.

It is quiet after that, Lan Wangji trying to give Wei Ying time to rest and Wei Ying tucked up in Lan Wangji and a stack of blankets as big as him. It takes a moment for Lan Wangji to notice the little hand poking out of the blankets, pointing at the coffee table.

Following the finger he sees the stack of new books and colouring supplies. Smiling just a little, Lan Wangji reached out, grasping the edge of the coffee table and pulling it close enough to reach. “They are new,” he explains to Wei Ying, watching the arm retreat.

“I got us things so we can draw. I need to work on my drawing of bunnies, my little note isn’t very good,” Lan Wangji continued, glancing down as Wei Ying shifted. It was only a small moment, but there was the barest hint of a smile on his face, so Lan Wangji continued.

“I also found lots of books for us. Little Apple was helping me pick them out,” this gets Wei Ying to look up, lips parting in surprise. Lan Wangji smiles a little and spreads them out with one hand. “They have more pictures, I’m sure you’ll be able to read them alone soon enough.”

“Bunny,” Wei Ying whispered out, making a grabbing motion toward one of the books. Lan Wangji picks it up. He mostly purchased children's educational books.

He had a few with stories, but when looking at the books often they ended up being about little animals getting lost from home, going on an adventure to come back to their parents, or fighting big bad monsters, all of which felt a little too close to home for reading with Wei Ying. So he stuck with safe things.

Lan Wangji flipped the book open, the pages had bunnies all over them, earning a small gasp from the boy in his arms. “Read?” Wei Ying asks quietly, looking up at Lan Wangji. “Of course,” Lan Wangji answers, positioning them a bit better.

He held the book closer, knowing Wei Ying liked the pictures. Starting at the beginning he read, speaking slow and steady, pausing between the little paragraphs. Wei Ying’s free hand came up, lightly running over the pictures of the bunnies and the grass they ran on. There is a sniffle, Wei Ying’s hand falling as he yawns.

“Lan Zhan…take care of bunnies,” Wei Ying whispered, sounding half asleep. Lan Wangji pauses his reading, one hand stroking through Wei Ying’s soft hair. “I will make sure they are happy and healthy until Wei Ying is ready to care for them again.”

There is a small hum in response but little else. Lan Wangji continues reading, but after a few pages it is clear Wei Ying fell asleep. So he falls quiet, marking the page to close the book.

“LnZhn,” it is all sort of mashed into one word, but Lan Wangji responds by gently tapping his head, “Mn?” He asks quietly, smiling a little at the sleepy mumbling of the boy. “R..read,” Wei Ying mumbles back out, making Lan Wangji huff a little laugh.

But he opens the book, continuing on. This goes for a while, evidently Wei Ying was refusing to sleep until he heard all the bunny facts there were to offer. Lan Wangji doubted he was awake enough to remember any of them, but continued until the book was through anyway.

---

It is right before Lan Wangji finishes the book that there is a knock at the front door. He looks up before a breath is forced out of him by Wei Ying jolting upright. “Hey, it’s okay,” Lan Wangji tried to speak to him.

Wei Ying was breathing hard, looking around them quickly. His hands having found Lan Wangji’s shirt and clinging, “Run,” Wei Ying says, fear and urgency wrapped together as he tugs at Lan Wangji. “Run,” He repeats again, this time flinching as there was one more knock.

Lan Wangji pulls Wei Ying close, sitting up more to wrap around him better, listening to the panicked breathing. “We don’t need to run,” he tells him gently, “It is just the medicine, they are already leaving.”

There is a whimper from the boy, face hiding in Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “Not safe. Run. Please,” Wei Ying begs him, the desperation clear in his voice. Lan Wangji takes a deep breath, he gathers Wei Ying up and stands, taking as many blankets with the boy as he can. He then walks through the kitchen and out into the yard.

He wanted to talk it through, Wei Ying would need to learn eventually not to fear something like a knock at the door. But with everything else, with the long night and the sickness, he wasn’t going to fight it. Wei Ying was in a fragile state both physically and emotionally, he saw the world as a threat and Lan Wangji had to remember that.

Wei Ying needed fresh air, perhaps they both needed the small break. The outside was where the boy truly felt safest. Lan Wangji walks in a slow circle around the yard, rubbing Wei Ying’s back and murmuring that they were okay. Wei Ying isn’t crying, he is tight, braced for something that was not coming.

It was cold out, the wind biting through Lan Wangji’s shirt. He pulled the blankets closer around Wei Ying, not wanting him to get any worse. “A-all gone?” Wei Ying asked in a shaking voice as some of the tension finally started to leave him. Lan Wangji stopped his pacing, looking down at the buried face of Wei Ying. The child looked about ready to start crying, shivering slightly from the chill of the wind.

“All gone,” he agreed softly, pulling the blankets to try and cover more of Wei Ying’s face. “We are safe,” he tells him as Wei Ying hides again. The slow confidence he had seen building in Wei Ying since those early days had been crushed so easily by one bad night. It was hard watching the progress drain away.

“May we go back inside?” Lan Wangji asks softly, leaving it up to Wei Ying. He knew if the boy was in good health he would have been over the fence and long gone by now. Was it wrong to be thankful Wei Ying didn’t have the energy to run?

Wei Ying fights through a violent shiver, followed by a hacking cough, shaking a little more in Lan Wangji’s arms. “P-promise safe,” Wei Ying looks up, that small face so worn down yet still so trusting. Even as scared as Lan Wangji could see him, Wei Ying was willing to trust Lan Wangji’s judgement.

“I promise,” Lan Wangji tells him, pressing a kiss to his hot forehead. “Can I take you to the front door to get the medicine?” He asks, already moving toward the kitchen, needing to get out of the cold as he suppressed a shiver.

“No let go,” Wei Ying murmured, tucking himself impossibly closer to Lan Wangji. “I won’t,” he assures the child as he moves through the home, letting Wei Ying hide his flushed face against his neck as he walks to the front.

Opening the door Lan Wangji was a bit surprised, it was more than expected. Then again, Lan Qiren was one to cover every possibility. He leaned down, one arm supporting Wei Ying while the other grabbed as many bags as he could in one go. He kicks the last one inside, closing the door and walking the bags to the kitchen.

Once everything is on the table he goes about unpacking and sorting. There was quite the pile of different medications, then a pile for first aid and other medical supplies, as well as simple foods and some fuzzy socks.

Lan Wangji put the food away before coming back, reading each medication in turn. He wasn’t quite sure what to give and didn’t want to risk mixing anything that wasn’t safe. While he was reading Wei Ying dared to poke his head out, looking at the collection.

“Lots,” Wei Ying whispered, getting a hum of agreement from Lan Wangji. “Shufu was very kind, he wants to help us be healthy,” he explains, shifting Wei Ying on his hip to rub a little along his back. “He got us new soft socks too. I think we should try them and send a picture.”

“Mn,” Wei Ying answered quietly, snuggling into his blankets and Lan Wangji, watching him wearily. Lan Wangji put down the current bottle of cough syrup, picking up and opening the thermometer. “Open up,” he directed Wei Ying.

The boy complies easily, letting Lan Wangji position the thermometer in his mouth and closing as directed. They wait together, Lan Wangji watching the number tick upwards slowly. He knew the blankets weren’t exactly helping, but Wei Ying’s body couldn’t keep up with a fever without the extra bulk.

Eventually the thermometer beeps, making Wei Ying jump a little before Lan Wangji takes it. He looks at the number as the beeping quiets, it is high but not enough to be an emergency. “Sick?” Wei Ying whispers, head resting heavily against Lan Wangji, eyes falling closed.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji tells him, continuing his investigation of their options. “Xiao Mainbao is sick. But we will make it better.” The use of the nickname gets a small huff of air from the sick boy but there is little else in response.

Lan Wangji sets aside what he needs to give Wei Ying now and later, focusing on getting his temperature down and helping his cough first. He gets a glass of water and then measures out little cups of the liquid medication for Wei Ying.

There is a temptation to give Wei Ying a nighttime medication, wanting to get the anxious child some chance at rest. But those medications could cause vivid dreams and he knew the nightmares Wei Ying had were already vivid enough. He’d just have to hope that after his fever started to fall he’d let himself sleep.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji called gently, feeling the heavy head of the boy lift a little. “I have your medicine ready. It probably won’t taste very good but it will make you feel better,” he explains, letting Wei Ying look down at the little cups. One was grape, the other orange.

The boy reaches out slowly, Lan Wangji giving him one first, watching Wei Ying drink it slowly and make an unhappy face before making a grabby hand for the other. He passes it over as well then replaces it with the water which Wei Ying drinks more readily. “Ew,” Wei Ying mumbled, letting Lan Wangji take the water and wrapping his arms around the man.

“You did very well,” Lan Wangji tells him, rinsing out the little measuring cups and placing them back on the table. He carried Wei Ying to the living room and paused, trying to decide if he should try and get him to sleep in the bed or not.

The decision is made as he walks to the couch. He would have to clean the kitchen and make some food if Wei Ying would release him, it was best to stay close enough Wei Ying could wake and be able to see him.

There is no request to read this time, just the two of them laying on the couch. Lan Wangji hummed softly, gently petting Wei Ying’s head. The boy snuggled himself between the back of the couch and Lan Wangji, holding onto Little Apple with one hand still grasping Lan Wangji’s shirt.

It takes time, Wei Ying was fighting sleep today. But when the medicine started to kick in it was clear, his body relaxing, the hand clutching Lan Wangji falling. Lan Wangji continued the soft song for a little longer, making sure Wei Ying was sleeping well, tucking his blankets up around him carefully.

---

Once Wei Ying was asleep Lan Wangji slipped from the couch. He paused a few times to make sure Wei Ying wasn’t waking. He didn’t want to scare him by being gone, but he needed to do things Wei Ying couldn’t.

That started with cleaning the bathroom. Bringing the left behind water glass out to the kitchen and taking cleaning supplies back with him. It wasn’t much, but it would have been easier to clean last night.

It isn’t enjoyable, but he cleans quickly. This was the one place Wei Ying wouldn’t be able to find him if he woke up, the one place he never wanted to force Wei Ying back into until he was ready. Once it was clean he washed his hands and carried everything back out to the kitchen.

Lan Wangji was working as quietly as he could, his head turning to check on the sleeping boy every few minutes. He couldn’t help it. Last night was hard on both of them, he needed the reassurance that Wei Ying was here and alright just as much as Wei Ying needed to know Lan Wangji was there for him.

Laundry is started, the bath moved to the side and everything is properly cleaned. His own stomach was growling having missed breakfast and lunch, so he started dinner. A few other dishes get started as well, he rather be able to heat things up than have to try and cook with a sick child on his side.

Tonight the goal was soup, something light, a broth with little else in it. Wei Ying’s stomach was sensitive and he wanted to be on the cautious side. But he also started a pot of chicken congee, it would be more filling for himself and was a good start when Wei Ying was ready for more solid foods again.

A small sound comes from the couch and Lan Wangji looks over. Wei Ying rolls over, curling back up. Taking a moment from his cooking Lan Wangji comes out, checking on the boy and finding him still asleep, but sweaty. He presses a soft kiss to Wei Ying’s head, waiting until he relaxes to stand.

Moving back to the kitchen, he lightly wets a hand towel and comes back, laying the cool rag over Wei Ying’s hot head. The child whimpers a little then calms, hugging his stuffed animal tight. Lan Wangji kneels there for a moment more, watching Wei Ying.

How often did he get sick all these years? Fighting off something like this curled up in some tree or bush, unable to get warm, unable to eat or defend himself. Lan Wangji leaned down, kissing Wei Ying’s head once more, “Thank you,” he whispered before he walked back to the stove.

With things a bit calmer he took out his phone, calling his uncle. He owed some explanation and a thank you. The quick answer wasn’t much of a surprise, but it still made Lan Wangji feel a bit better knowing his uncle was there. “Everything is alright,” he starts, wanting to calm things first.

“How are you? How is he?” Lan Qiren asks, having been worried himself since the calls the night before. It had looked and sounded quite bad. “I am a little frayed. Neither of us have much energy to pretend to be completely okay. But I am managing, trying to get some food going. He is asleep, finally. His temperature is high, he has a bad cough, his stomach is fighting him.”

“Did he sleep last night?” Lan Qiren continued, Wei Ying had looked exhausted when he saw him. “Yes, but he has been fighting it today. He’s weak. He can’t do much on his own right now, I’m just glad he is resting.”

Lan Wangji stirs the congee, taking a deep breath, “Thank you. For the supplies and last night. I…it was overwhelming.” Lan Qiren hums softly, agreeing. “I am more than willing to help Wangji. What happened?”

There is a small pause, Lan Wangji looking out toward Wei Ying to make sure the boy was still asleep. “Can we add Xiongzhang to the call? I’d rather not have to explain more than once.”

“Give me a moment, I told him Wei Ying was ill and had to stop him from getting a flight,” Lan Qiren murmurs as he looks at his phone, “I would have joined him of course,” he continues, as if it were perfectly normal for ones family to fly out at the slightest event. Still, it made Lan Wangji smile just a little, listening as his uncle struggled to start a group call.

“Wei Ying would have never gotten to sleep with the two of you here fretting over him,” he tells his uncle as he watches the pot of rice boil. “I am aware, but it is hard-”

“How is my nephew?” Lan Xichen interrupts immediately upon entering the call. Lan Wangji huffs out a small laugh, eyes closing for a moment. “He is not your nephew,” he tells his brother and looks out at Wei Ying. “He’s sleeping, feeling very yucky and quite scared.”

“No arguing, you’re his guardian making him my nephew. Don’t take this from me didi.” Lan Wangji sighs, he can almost hear the pout in his brother’s voice. “Fine. But don’t say it in front of him. He will choose what he wants us to be to him.”

“He calls me Shufu,” Lan Qiren pipes in, causing a huff from Lan Xichen at the smug sound of their uncle’s voice. “Are you two done?” Lan Wangji asks, unable to keep his amusement completely out of his tone.

“Sorry Wangji,” Lan Xichen apologises and goes on, “How are you? Shufu said it wasn’t good.” Lan Wangji turned down the heat and covered the pot, leaning back on the counter and watching Wei Ying.

“Tired mostly. He’s jumpier than he’s been in a long time, it’s been quite the effort just to get him to rest,” he explains, letting his shoulders fall slightly. “He had a small panic attack when the delivery man knocked. He kept begging me to run.”

“He made no effort to himself?” Lan Qiren asked, well aware of Wei Ying’s talent in disappearing. “Not truly. He’s too weak. The fever alone is taking everything out of him. He couldn’t even crawl last night.”

“That’s a little concerning,” Lan Xichen murmurs, “I know you can’t really take him anywhere but…” The man trails off and Lan Wangji sighs a little. “I am aware. He’s not getting worse. If it comes down to it, I’ll call you.”

“We will be here,” Lan Qiren soothes and takes a deep breath, “What happened. You’ve said he’s still afraid.”

Lan Wangji takes a moment, checking the dishes on the stove and trying to piece things together for his family. “He was trying to hide that he was unwell. He worries it makes me sad, I think he will do better with that now. But last night he forced dinner down. I tried to say something but I forget how food insecure he is sometimes.”

“You said he’s been staying inside lately,” Lan Xichen starts to ask and Lan Wangji answers with a soft “Mn. I would say he is comfortable for the most part. I don’t think he helps himself to snacks, even though I offer. He did run off for a few days, it’s what started all of this.”

He paused, staring at Wei Ying again. “He’s been struggling with something ever since he saw the bathroom. I didn’t,” a sigh, Lan Wangji rubbing his face. “I didn’t put it together until it was too late. I just thought he may have been overwhelmed with everything. I was foolish.”

“You can’t be expected to know everything Wangji,” Lan Qiren interrupts, “Whatever happened was not your fault. Wei Ying views the world with fear, you can’t always know what may scare him.”

“I should have known Shufu,” Lan Wangji breathes, holding the phone a little tighter. “You didn’t see him.”

“Wangji,” Lan Xichen speaks up, voice gentle, “I’m missing a few steps here.”

“Sorry,” he takes another slow breath. “He threw up. I wasn’t thinking clearly, I didn’t know what to do so I sent him to the bathroom. When I got there…ge, he was trying to claw his way out. His arms were giving out under him and he just looked at me and begged for help.”

The other lines are quiet, letting Lan Wangji explain. He tells them how Wei Ying held onto him and screamed, how he was clinging so tightly that Lan Wangji had bruises. He tells them about Wei Ying’s begging, about how he finally put together that the bathroom was where Wei Ying had been held, where he had been tortured.

He explains that Wei Ying refused to be let go, that he had to crawl into the bath with the boy just so he wouldn’t scream. Lan Wangji’s voice may waver as he explains the marks on Wei Ying’s body to his family, that he didn’t know if they still hurt him. And since then Wei Ying has been quiet, he hasn’t managed to get a smile. He can’t tell if it is just the fever or if there is more weighing the child down.

“Do you need us?” Lan Qiren asks as Lan Wangji finishes. It was a lot, a difficult time for both Wei Ying and Lan Wangji. Proof that the child has been harmed, all of the strain of it piled atop him.

“I don’t think it will help. He isn’t necessarily frightened of the two of you but I don’t think more bodies will make him comfortable. Especially when he is too weak to run,” Lan Wangji answers, getting a few hums of acceptance in response.

“Keep him hydrated, stay on top of the medicine,” Lan Qiren directs. Lan Wangji listens as he dishes out the finished meals and starts to put things away. “Is there anything I can do?” Lan Xichen asks, not having much advice to give. He felt horrible about what happened to Wei Ying and he saw just how important that boy was to his brother.

“I am not sur-” Lan Wangji’s answer was cut off. Through the phone the other men could only make out some of it but it sounded like a frightened call of Lan Zhan’s name.

“I’m here,” Lan Wangji speaks gently, the phone still tucked on his shoulder as he kneels down by the couch. Wei Ying sniffles, grabbing at him. “No alone,” Wei Ying tells him, voice wobbling. There is some shuffling as the child is picked up, Lan Wangji letting the warm boy rest against his chest. “I was in the kitchen, Wei Ying isn’t alone.”

“Wangji,” Lan Qiren calls, reminding him of the phone call. “We can let you go if you need to tend to him.”

“Shufu,” he answers, “Apologies, I can send-”

“Shufu,” Wei Ying murmurs tiredly, Lan Wangji looking down at him. “He is on the phone,” he tells the boy, “Lan Xichen is too.”

“Th-thank Shufu,” Wei Ying sniffles. Lan Wangji smiles just a little, sitting on the couch and moving the phone from his shoulder, putting it on speaker. “We do need to thank Shufu, he got us new socks.”

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers quietly, leaning heavily on Lan Wangji.

“Do you like them?” Lan Qiren asks, even with the warning there is a small jolt from Wei Ying at the sudden voice. His head picks up, looking at the phone. “We haven’t tried them on yet, but they look very soft,” Lan Wangji answers for him.

“Thank you Shufu,” Wei Ying’s nasally voice rings out, all stuffed up from his sickness. “You’re welcome Wei Ying,” Lan Qiren responds, “I hope you feel better soon.”

“Make Wangji let you watch movies,” Lan Xichen pipes in, causing a blink of surprise from Wei Ying. The boy is silent, looking up at Lan Wangji as if unsure what to do.

“Ge, he needs rest not excitement,” Lan Wangji admonishes, giving Wei Ying a gentle smile to try and put him at ease.

“Watch movie,” Wei Ying murmured, looking at the phone. There is a soft laugh from Lan Xichen, “One wouldn’t hurt Wangji.” Lan Wangji sighs, they outnumber him at this point and if Wei Ying really wants it he wouldn’t be able to say no. “We can try.”

There is a small tug on his shirt, getting his attention as he looks back down at the tired boy. Wei Ying points to the phone, “Where?” He asks quietly. “Where what?” Lan Wangji prompts, bringing the phone closer in case Wei Ying wanted to look.

The child frowns a little, poking the screen. “Shufu. Where?” He asks again, the empty call screen coming up as he pokes at it. “I am still here,” Lan Qiren answers, but Wei Ying frowns deeper. Lan Wangji watches Wei Ying for a minute, before he tilts his own head.

“Are you wondering why we can’t see their faces?” He asks Wei Ying. So far he’d only had Wei Ying see video calls and he had been a bit confused by that as well. The question earns a nod and a sniffle, Wei Ying staring up at him and waiting on his answer.

“This is just a normal phone call, no video. So they can’t see us either,” Lan Wangji explains, not expecting the frown on Wei Ying to stay. After a moment of silence from all sides he asks, “Do you want to see them?”

“Mn,” Wei Ying answers, nodding and poking the phone screen again. Lan Wangji holds back his sigh, looking at the phone. “Would you two be okay with that? If you are busy-”

“A wonderful idea. Why don’t you call from your computer to make it easier?” Lan Xichen interrupts, “I’ll be waiting didi,” he warns before hanging up. “I’ll also wait,” Lan Qiren adds and he too hangs up the call. Lan Wangji this time doesn’t hold back, sighing softly.

“They seem excited,” he says, looking down at Wei Ying. The boy bites lightly at his own lip, smiling just barely. Lan Wangji relaxes a little, a hand touching Wei Ying’s forehead. The medicine was helping, Wei Ying wasn’t terribly hot anymore and clearly was feeling a little better even if he was still anxious.

“Are you excited too?” He asks, standing with Wei Ying in his arms and moving across the room to pull his computer out from its resting spot on a side table. “Mn,” Wei Ying answers softly as they sit back down, this time in front of the coffee table where Lan Wangji sets up.

Wei Ying crawls into his lap, pulling his blankets around them and hugging Little Apple as he watches Lan Wangji use the computer. Lan Wangji opens the contacts and scrolls down to his uncle, pressing a few buttons before a call starts for the three of them.

It barely rings once before two faces appear on the screen looking at them. The suddenness of it makes Wei Ying flinch, his gaze flickering between the two faces with fear for a moment. But Lan Wangji rests a gentle hand on his head, letting him adjust as he speaks to his family.

“Can you see the both of us?” He asks. The others seem to have picked up on Wei Ying’s little fright. That or they were just looking at the fevered haze the boy had going on. “I can see both of you just fine,” Lan Xichen answers.

“Hello Wei Ying,” Lan Qiren greets, the boy taking a slow breath and then waving a little. “Hi Shufu,” the child answers quietly, glancing up at Lan Wangji after to make sure he was doing well.

“Do you want to thank him again?” Lan Wangji asks gently, playing with Wei Ying’s hair as the boy starts to relax again. “Mn,” Wei Ying nods a little, looking back at the screen. “Shufu,” he calls first, waiting for Lan Qiren to hum in response, “Thank you. Like warm things,” Wei Ying tells him, trying to smile but it falls and he just looks exhausted instead.

“You are welcome. I hope they help keep you warm,” Lan Qiren answers, starting to better understand the weight that Wangji had described.

“Hi Wei Ying, or do you still go by Xiao Mianbao?” Lan Xichen speaks up, watching the boy check with Lan Wanji.

The use of the name from someone else makes Wei Ying blink, but then his lips twitch upward just a little. It was the closest Lan Wangji has seen to a real smile all day. “Lan Zhan calls me that,” Wei Ying murmurs, looking down at Little Apple and playing with his floppy ear, “It’s silly.”

“I think it is rather cute,” Lan Xichen smiles gently, “Just like your little animal there. Does he have a good name?”

Wei Ying brightens up as his head lifts and he nods, “Little Apple,” Wei Ying announces as he holds up his prized possession. “Mama helped pick,” he explains, another brief smile on the boy's face as he hugs his donkey again.

“That is a very good name indeed,” Xichen answers, Lan Wangji rubs small circles on Wei Ying’s arm. It was good seeing Wei Ying start to come back to himself, he was just watching to make sure he didn’t crash.

“Do you remember my name?” Lan Xichen asks, the screen on his side moving slightly as Xichen takes a screenshot of his baby brother and new nephew together.

The boy sniffles again, nodding his head at the question. “Xichen-ge,” Wei Ying announces easily, snuggling back against Lan Wangji. There is silence for a moment, Lan Wangji watching his brother’s silent reaction to the declaration with some worry. “Ge?” He asks softly.

“I need a moment,” Lan Xichen’s voice wavers, causing some concern from everyone present. “Xichen?” Qiren asks. Wei Ying frowns slightly and looks up at Lan Wangji, “Xichen-ge sick?”

There is a sound from Lan Xichen’s side at the words, Lan Wangji frowning a little himself. “Xiongzhang. You are worrying him,” he tells his brother, not certain what is happening.

“He called me ge,” Lan Xichen says, wiping at what was apparently a tear in his eye. Wei Ying makes a small sound, Lan Wangji patting his arm gently, “Are you upset by that?” He asks his brother, knowing better but wanting Xichen to tell Wei Ying himself.

“No!” Lan Xichen hurries to clear up, sniffling a little, “No, I like it,” he smiles at them again, “Thank you Wei Ying.” The boy stares a little longer, as if deciding if Lan Xichen was telling the truth before he nods slowly.

Soft conversation continues, Lan Qiren asking about the rabbits and Lan Wangji answering. Wei Ying occasionally adds something but is still rather subdued. Lan Xichen holds small talk with Wei Ying, impressed with how far he has come from the silent and fearful child he saw in his brother’s yard. All of them relaxed as Wei Ying started to more freely give weak smiles.

In one of these little talks Lan Xichen is sharing embarrassing stories about Lan Wangji with Wei Ying staring with wide eyes to take it all in. His lips are parted and at one point the boy gasps softly. The sudden breath turns into a cough which soon starts a coughing fit.

Wei Ying’s face goes red, harsh coughs for his little body leaving him. Lan Wangji turns him so he can pat his back, holding him as one of Wei Ying’s hands grabs at his shirt as each cough makes him jerk. When it finishes Wei Ying is panting softly, looking so very tired, and the other two are quiet, watching the weak boy curl up against Lan Wangji’s chest.

“That may be enough excitement for today,” Lan Wangji says softly, stroking Wei Ying’s hair and taking a nearby tissue to clean the boy’s face. Wei Ying just makes a quiet sound, not agreeing or disagreeing.

“I can finish the story next time we call, okay Wei Ying?” Lan Xichen offers gently. There is a nod in answer from Wei Ying, a hand raising to give a tired wave as his head sinks into Lan Wangji’s chest. “Rest up, Wangji will take good care of you,” he tells the boy, smiling a little at the faster nod before giving goodbyes and hanging up.

“Give the medicine with food if you can, it may help his stomach,” Lan Qiren instructed Lan Wangji, both Wei Ying and Lan Wangji nodding along to the instructions even if Wei Ying’s eyes were closed.

“Wei Ying,” the child blinks his eyes open at the call of his name from Qiren. “Shufu,” he acknowledges softly. “Sleep is very important when you are sick, make sure you get lots of it. And tell Wangji if something is wrong, he wants to fix it.” Wei Ying nods a little as he is given his own instructions. “Try,” Wei Ying answers.

There is another round of goodbyes before the call ends and silence falls back over their home. Lan Wangji rubs small circles on Wei Ying’s back as he crumples into him. “We have to take medicine,” he tells the child gently, “And I made us some soup if you think you can try it.”

“Soup,” Wei Ying murmurs, eyes closing again. “Can you wait on the couch while I get everything ready?” Lan Wangji asks, knowing Wei Ying hasn’t been up for separation yet. And the first response is Wei Ying’s hand tightening their hold, eyes opening again and a frown pulling at his lips.

Lan Wangji nods, giving his understanding that he would be carrying Wei Ying again until Wei Ying starts to slowly let go. The boy doesn’t try to go anywhere, “Okay?” Lan Wangji asks, a little worried.

“I stay,” Wei Ying murmurs, hugging Little Apple close to himself again. “Wait for Lan Zhan.” Lan Wangji moves a long strand of hair from Wei Ying’s face, “It won’t be long and you can see me the whole time. Are you sure?” He asks, wanting to make Wei Ying as comfortable as he could.

After a nod of affirmation Lan Wangji shifts, lifting Wei Ying back onto the couch and tucking his blankets up as the boy tugs at them. He waits a moment for Wei Ying to settle before moving into the kitchen.

There he puts away the dishes he finished earlier and pulls out the soup, preparing two bowls. One was a little less full for Wei Ying, hoping to keep him from pushing himself. He then measures out the next dose of medicine and water for the both of them before putting it all on a tray to carry.

Coming back he was well aware of Wei Ying’s eyes on him. He set the tray down and sat on the ground. “Do you,” Lan Wangji didn’t have to finish his question as Wei Ying slid himself off the couch and crawled back into his lap. He helped the child adjust and settle before starting with the medicine.

Wei Ying takes it without prompting, reaching for the water afterward to clear the taste from his mouth. Lan Wangji lets him drink for a little while before passing him his bowl of soup. “Careful,” he tells him gently, helping set it in Wei Ying’s lap. It would be best if neither of them were covered in soup tonight.

Lan Wangji waits a moment before starting his own meal, quite hungry himself. Wei Ying takes longer, but he doesn’t try to push. The boy stares at the bowl before taking a small sip. There is none of the happy humming, no smiles, just a tired child drinking the broth for warmth.

They eat quietly, Lan Wangji making sure Wei Ying wasn’t going too fast and watching for signs that he may not feel good. Once the bowls were empty they went back on the tray, Wei Ying slumping into Lan Wangji.

He already decided to take the next day off. It is only reaffirmed as he gets up with Wei Ying in his arms and balances the tray back into the kitchen. He puts a few things away and goes to lay down, it was only the early evening but Wei Ying looked ready to sleep.

Settled into the couch again, Lan Wangji piled up the blankets like Wei Ying enjoyed it, letting out a slow breath as he relaxed too.

“Lan Zhan?” It is small, but Lan Wangji opens his eyes and looks down at Wei Ying. The child’s voice was sounding better, no longer raspy but holding a tiredness he didn’t like seeing. “Wei Ying,” he answers softly, smiling as he sees Wei Ying’s own little flicker of amusement.

“Movie?” the boy asks, “Xichen-ge said…” he trails off slowly. Lan Wangji watches Wei Ying a moment, surprised that the boy appeared to want this. “You don’t have to watch one for Xichen,” he clarifies, “But if you’d like we can put something on.”

Wei Ying seemed to think for a little while before giving a nod. “Okay, do you…have ideas?” He asks the boy, a little unsure still himself but pulling the laptop across the coffee table to them. Wei Ying’s head shakes no, not much of a surprise.

Lan Wangji starts to scroll slowly, trying to think himself. It made sense that Wei Ying wasn’t used to phone calls, with no family and what seems to be few good friends he doubted Wei Ying’s parents were having their four year old on the phone. But children like television, surely Wei Ying had something he used to like watching.

Fingers move gently through Wei Ying’s hair. Would Wei Ying even remember what he used to like? He was so small. Even now there were moments where Wei Ying had to think to describe something about his parents. If he was starting to forget them he probably didn’t remember much else.

“Bunny,” Wei Ying’s voice shakes Lan Wangji from his thoughts, focusing back on the screen. Sure enough, it was a bunny. “It is a documentary,” Lan Wangji explains, it wasn’t going to have the bright colours and music for a children’s show or movie. “That means it is for learning, this one is about arctic hares. They live in very very cold places far away from here.”

As he explained he watched Wei Ying’s eyes widen, that familiar spark coming back to them. “Bunnies,” Wei Ying repeats, a hint of a smile pulling upward. Lan Wangji huffs a small laugh, “Okay, bunnies win,” he agrees as he selects the short documentary.

He turns down the sound a little and they lay together, watching the screen. His hand moves slowly over Wei Ying’s back, feeling the child’s steady breathing. Of course Wei Ying would pick this. Some of his favourites they had been reading were all educational texts. He was curious, wanting and ready to learn.

The narrator speaks and Lan Wangji finds himself more interested in watching Wei Ying than the movie. The boy was relaxed, watching the laptop and hugging his stuffed animal close. Occasionally his lips would part in awe, his eyes would light up just a little.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said quickly, pointing, “Look,” there was an excitement to his voice that Lan Wangji had missed today. He looked and there was a screen full of bunny kits hopping around. When he heard a quiet little giggle from Wei Ying at the sight he had to take a slow breath. It was okay. They were okay.