Warm Hearts

Xue Yang

He was sat under a three, hearing the message sent by butterfly to him. Something big was happening back in the floating islands, as they expected and the chosen twelve were going to be part of it. Meng Yao had already trapped in his web a stupid member of the Moling Su Clan. Just a few words of flattery and the idiot was spilling the beans of everything happening within the islands.

Poor bastard, he was now just dancing in the hand of a mastermind that will make him feel like a King, then bite him in the butt if needed. It was basically the same way (although more of a special case) with Lan Xichen for a few years now, because Meng Yao had enchanted with words the older Jade the last time they north joined forces with the south to help the Unclean Realm with a sudden and unexpected 'increase of fierce corpses' in the area, that almost overwhelmed the Clans of the south.

The truth was that the increment in the fierce corpses at that particular time, was not sudden at all, but carefully planned for years under the watch of the southern Clans. They had make the arranges to attract the fierce corpses from the east to attack Nie Mingjue, which was the strongest, to make the north vigilance weaker, so they could try find the whereabouts of Yang, who was rumored to be asleep somewhere inside the islands.

However, even if the Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen along with some elders went out of the islands to help out the fellow cultivators of the south with which they had a friendly relationship, the islands were not left unguarded and the protection was even stronger. There was even an extra layer of protection for unorthodox ways of teleporting, which was odd, meaning that probably the old woman was preventing them once again for attaining their goal.

Meng Yao was not part of their hidden dark Clan in the west, but revenge against his biological father the current leader of the Jin Clan (who didn't want to recognize him, been the illegitimate son from an affair with a prostitute), he had joined the cause to bring down the Clans and his arrogant father along with them. The man was not only smart and had an excellent memory, he was also the best performer he had seen in his entire life.

Xue Yang laughed just remembering of how many he had already fooled with his innocent act, of a mistreated bastard son that only wanted to be accepted. Nie Mingjue had been one of those first fooled, then Lan Xichen, although he had a feeling that Meng Yao had a thing for the older Jade, which is all politeness and acceptance, despite Yao's low birth. Nonetheless, he was still making Lan Xichen dance in the palm of his hands without any suspicion from the older sworn brother.

Their real problem was the old woman that was always a step ahead of them, blocking their attempt to get either Yang or Yin, with the later been way too dangerous to be approached, so they could get their powers of control over the energies. They had already develop a way to transfer the powers, but it was yet to be proven, as both energies only responded to either Yin, Yang or that old woman who was as old as the world itself.

However, he had his eyes put on an apprentice, one of the chosen twelve called Wei Wuxian. There was something about the guy that he couldn't put his finger on it, but that it attracted his attention. Despite been a fool by fearing street dogs, he could tell that the young cultivator was strong in a different way than Lan Wangji, for example. He had follow the bunch of fools to the Inn, then a bit out of town, but lost sight of them quite unexpectedly when inside a village forest. Nonetheless, now that they had a mole inside the chosen group, they will observe this Wuxian and perhaps find out what felt so odd about him.

"This year gathering is going to be so much fun..." Yang told himself, as he smiled wickedly, completely unaware that close by, there was someone who was looking at him from the shadows, always tailing his every move and intervening when necessary.

As she watched him, she thought that the one that laugh last will always laugh the better and as long as she lived, she would make sure that her family will not be harmed by those wicked decadents of the mad Rohan.

She had already wasted so many years away from the ones she loved most and missed with everything she got, but to ensure her son will not fall in the hands of the wrong people she would sacrifice even her own life if necessary without a second thought, and as hard as it had been leaving behind her family, it had proved to be worthy, because the seer had been absolutely right. Her son was touched by darkness since birth, thus his fate was sealed for either good or evil and to make sure it will be for good, no sacrifice done in his name will ever be in vain, of that she make sure.

Lan Wangji

Wei Ying had felt bore almost the whole day, so he showed him the different islands that were open to the members of the gathering and one that should have been prohibited to visit to none members of his Clan, but it was not a place that held a Clan secret and giving the fact that Wei Ying was getting tired easily in the last few hours, he thought the small island will benefit his sudden fatigue.

It was a lovely evening and he was sure his brother will not mind the use of their personal magical island, just this once. Thus, he put a hand over Wei Ying's shoulder and teleport him to their magical spring lake. The island had a lone huge magnolia tree that bloomed all year long, the rest was cover with magical flowers that glowed at night and a small warm lake that shined fluorescent when something penetrate the crystal water.

"Lan Zhan, what's this place? The magic here is quite strong..." Wei said as he follow his lead.

"It's a magical island, with more white energy than most places in the north." He said, making his way to the small lake close to the bloomed tree.

"Shouldn't this be forbidden to outsiders? It's a place for high cultivation of white energy." Wangji smirked. Wei Ying was too smart for his own good. The place was indeed used for cultivation for the higher up members, but he only intended for the energy inside of Wei Ying to stabilize again.

"It is forbidden to outsiders." He admitted and Wei was instantly in front of him smiling like a mischievous kid.

"Lan Wangji, oh Lan Wangji... how could you broke your own rules like that? Aren't you the perfect role model in this islands?" Wei asked.

"It's for the good of the Clan that you stabilize your energy." He simply said, ignoring Wei Ying amused stare and walking pass him.

"Why so? I'm not a member of the Lan Clan, just a guest." Wei Ying refuted, of course.

"You had an important role in the coming mission." Was his answer and Wei Ying went ahead of him again wanting to see if he could get an emotion from him.

"But that's months away. My energy will be just fine by then." Wei insisted.

"The training begins tomorrow morning, you need to be fine by then." Wei Ying laughed.

"My, my... I gained such a caring partner. Who would had thought that the ever serious Lan Wangji, was this cute...?" Wei laughed.

"Nonsense." Wangji said, but there was a faint tint in his face.

"Oh, are you blushing? How isn't that cute, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked as he walked backwards, right in front of his cute target.

"A man is not cute, be careful..." Wangji warned his partner, who moved his head to one side in confusion of what he must be careful with in such an ethereal place, making his long silk hair fall in a cascade at his left, enchanting Wangji's view of him even more.

"Of what?" Wei Ying asked, still walking backwards, which make Lan Zhan smirk at his partner. A second later, Wei Ying find out that he was no longer over solid ground, but falling backwards over a sudden deep lake, that burst into a bluish fluorescent color as he was submerged under the surprisingly warm water.

His partner, taken by surprise struggle to get to the glowing surface and Wangji hide a smile, but as he saw that the struggle stopped midway, he got worry and fearing there was something wrong with Wei Ying, he dived in to rescue his partner.

Giving that the water was crystal clear despite the glow, he could see Wei Ying with his eyes closed and his arms extended, floating in the water and when he was close to him, just reaching his hand to grab Wei Ying's white robes to pull him up, Wei open his eyes and winked at him, moving up to surface on his own.

"You mischievous little..." Wangji thought as he follow Wei Ying up, to surface right beside him. Wei Ying laughed, splashing water on him as soon as his head was out.

"Wei Ying... that was..." Wangji begin saying.

"Fun! You should have seen your expression... did you really panic?" Wei Ying asked while smirking. The few sun rays of the dying day with the typical red orange of a sunset were illuminating the small island, making the drops of water over the mischievous young man shine like diamonds over his skin and once again, he found himself mesmerized with him to his very core.

"Lan Zhan?" Wei asked swimming closer.

"Idiot." Wangji whisper, getting out of his daydreaming and looking the other way.

"Isn't badmouthing forbidden inside the islands?" Wei keep up the teasing, as he moved even closer to the flustered Zhan.

"It's not badmouthing, you are an idiot." He insisted, trying to ignore Wei Ying's proximity, but in vain, as Wei Ying swum so close that he could feel the border of his robe graze his own. Then the mischievous young man simply stared at him without apparent reason, other than to make his heart race and his ears to be tinted with red.

"What?" Wangji asked, miraculously holding his gaze.

"Your eyes had a hint of gold, didn't notice that before... so pretty..." Wei Ying whisper, moving his hand to remove a wet lock of hair from his forehead that honestly make Lan Wangji skin kindle on fire. Thus, he hastily swung away from Ying, giving him his back, then go out as Wei Ying laughed more.

However, quite unexpectedly, as Lan Wangji was getting out of the small enchanted lake, Wei Ying was unable to stop himself for admiring the handsome man, as his white wet clothes stick to his skin, like a second layer, molding his figure in white.

Seen that Wei Ying had stopped laughing, Wangji, now out of the water, turned to look at him and saw him stare, just the same way he had done before, thought this time there was a hint of something more than just mischievousness in those dark brown eyes of his and they were staring at... his wet body in general, which only make his heart race faster.

"Shameless. Stay there until your white energy gets to balance your dark one." Wangji said, walking away, but still in sight and set a fire under the huge blooming magnolia tree to sit close to it. Wei Ying turned and swum a bit more, then he finally got serious and focus on cultivation the higher concentration of the white energy.

Wangji simply looked at him float over the fluorescent lake for a few minutes, then also focus of cultivate the same energy in order to keep his mind busy and away from a fresh memory of soft lips over his and dangerous stares.

A while later, Wei Ying got out of the still warm water to join Lan Zhan and his magical fire. He sat in silence quite close to him, but make sure not to disturb his cultivation, and stare at him a lot more under the light of the fire. Yet, at the end he could no longer hold his sleepiness, as he was still tired and the place was getting darker, with moon flowers beginning to bloom and release some kind of small crystals that vanish in the soft breeze soon after.

"Lan Zhan... I'm drowsy... let's go back..." Wei Ying whisper, but his partner was deep in cultivation, thus not hearing him. Bored, he just look at the beautiful shining flowers and their little magical crystals, soon falling over Lan Zhan's lap, completely lullaby by the crystals.

Right then, feeling the extra weight, Wangji open his eyes to find Wei Ying asleep, once again over his lap and after caressing his long half wet hair for a minute of two, he took him in his arms bridal style and teleport them back to the main island, then walking the small distance to their room, leaving the precious cargo over his bed.

After taking out his boots, he cover Ying with the warm sheet and unable to help himself, he bend down to kiss Wei Ying's forehead, then went out to have some more meditation before going to sleep as well. Inside the now empty room, Suibian sighed, now really sure of his Master, Lan Zhan's feelings.

"He likes him..." Suibian whisper, looking at his sleeping oblivious Master.

"Indeed." Chenqing whisper back, at his side.

"I told you, but who listen to me these days?" Xuanyu said from deep within Ying.

"Shut up, who ask you?" Suibian said.

"My lovely Suibian, don't treat me like that just because you fancy Bichen now." Xuanyu protested.

"I never fancy you, idiot." He said and Chenqing sighed.

"Kids..." Xuanyu laughed.

"It will hit him too, Wei Ying will come to realize he likes another man in due time, so get accustom to the idea of having a homosexual Master soon." Xuanyu advised him, then Suibian sighed.

"It's his choice." Suibian added.

"Of course and the fact that Lan Zhan's sword spirit is the one you like had nothing to do with you accepting a possible relationship between them, right?" Xuanyu pushed.

"Ah, damn, you are so annoying. I leave him to you, Chenqing. He is all yours..." Suibian said. Going back to his blade.

"As he had always been..." Chenqing told himself internally, also disappearing back to Xuanyu's inner world, then back to his flute. Xuanyu smiled.

"Let's play a lovely tune to lullaby the kid even more." Xuanyu whisper.

"You know the tune..." Chenqing said from within the flute.

"Indeed." Xuanyu agree, beginning to play an old tune of a forgotten time and love.

AN: Thanks for reading and sorry for the wait. Hope you like this Christmas treat. Happy Christmas, may all of you gain what you desire most. Be happy always, with love, until next time.🎄🎄 😄😉💖💙❤😁