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The Jiang-Jin wedding was the event of the year, and normally, Lan Zhan would be dreading attending. It was not just that he had never liked the Jins, who he had always found to be too preoccupied with appearances and offered little else to society. He had no wish to spend hours surrounded by hundred of people for hours on end. Especially when more than half of those people actively disliked Lan Zhan’s husband, and were not quiet about it.
Hated him for not being what they expected of him, hated Wei Ying for his accomplishments. Many of them hated Wei Ying for marrying him, thinking Lan Wangji had somehow been tricked into it. Anyone that knew either of them knew Lan Zhan was the one that pursued Wei Ying, not the other way around.
Jiang Yanli, the bride, was everything from mother to sister to best friend for Wei Ying, and he was nearly as excited as she was for the wedding. Had it not been for him, Lan Zhan would have skipped the entire spectacle with polite apologies and a large check.
The Jins had rented out the entirety of a swanky hotel that had a stunning courtyard garden for the wedding. All of the invited guests, all six hundred or so of them, not just the wedding party, had been given a room for the weekend. So, for Wei Ying, he had checked into the hotel four days before the wedding, been surrounded by dozens, if not hundreds of people, every time they left the room. He had attended the tense rehearsal dinner, and bit his tongue at Wei Ying’s insistence every time someone made a disparaging remark at or about him.
With over an hour to go until the ceremony started, he wandered around the ground floor of the building. There was not enough time to justify going back up to his and Wei Ying’s room. The bar was crowded with what appeared to be half the guests trying to get a drink before the ceremony, not that that mattered to him, as he did not drink. It left him feeling out of place.
Lan Zhan had never done well with people in general, regardless of how large or small the group was. He never knew what to say, with multiple conversations happening at once, so he rarely said anything. Combined with his reserved nature, people often believed he was cold at best and rude at worst.
Before he could decide it would be better to retreat to his room, he spotted his brother sitting at a small table, waving him over.
“Tea?” Lan Xichen asked when Lan Zhan sat down in the free seat between Nie Mingjue, his brothers partner, and their uncle.
“Please,” Lan Zhan said.
“Where is that miscreant you married?” his uncle asked.
“Shufu,” Lan Wangji warned.
Lan Qiren had never been been a fan of Wei Ying, not since their first year of university. Wei Ying had taken his uncle’s class, and spent the entire time questioning Lan Qiren during lectures, often times those questions were only tangentially related. Of course, his uncle had taken a single look at Wei Ying’s tattoos and piercings and written him off. Their dislike of one another was mutual. Shufu and Wei Ying had both had a meltdown when they realized they would be related.
“It’s just a question,” Lan Xichen said. said.
“Wei Ying is with his sister,” Lan Zhan said.
Of course, the relationship between Lan Zhan and his uncle had been strained since then as well. His brother had been doing his best to mend the relationship between the three of them.
For the next hour, they sat in a tense silence, listening to Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue try to make small talk with them, until people began to slowly migrate towards the garden.
Stepping through the doors, he was met with the sight of thousands of white peonies, sparks amidst snow, creating a forest of white. A red carpet with gold and white trim led them down between the flowers towards the center of the courtyard. Rows and rows of white chairs sat facing the fountain in the center of the courtyard. A small gazebo had been erected on a short, white platform in front of the fountain with so many of the flowers cascading down it that it looked as though it were made from them.
Guests were seating themselves in the chairs on either side of the red carpet with no regard. Lan Zhan had been there, pulled to a tension filled planning session by Wei Ying, when Jiang Yanli insisted on throwing tradition out the window and letting guests seat themselves wherever they wanted. She had explained that both families knew the same people, and the friend group between both her and Jin Zixuan was all the same people, so there was no reason to have a “bride’s side” or a “groom’s side”.
Lan Zhan, however, was her brother-in-law, and it felt only right that he seat himself on the left. Somehow, this ended up with him seated at the end of the aisle, with Nie Huaisang next to him, and both Wen Chao and Su She behind him.
While he had been aware all of the Wens had been invited, he had not been aware Su She also had been.
“Interesting times, isn’t it?” Nie Huaisang said.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan said.
“I’ve never seen someone actually accept a pity invite,” he said, raising his voice only the slightest bit.
There was shuffling from directly behind him, and a displeased grunt. Lan Zhan did not look back to see who it was, he had learned a long time ago how not to play into Nie Huaisang’s games.
People filed in by the dozens, squeezing past others, talking loudly to friends. A dozen already drunk Jin cousins were yelling loudly as they took their seats, forcing others to move. At the same time, Nie Huaisang made comments about various people or the decor. Most of it was under his breath, but some was loud enough for others to hear.
Sitting next to Wen Chao was some woman. She had been impossible to miss when she entered hanging from his arm, wearing a skin tight red dress that showed off her very generous proportions. She giggled and laughed every few seconds when she did not have her face glued to Wen Chao’s. It took everything in Lan Zhan to not turn around and demand the two of them have some decorum.
Nie Huaisang had no problem saying something about it, which led to five minutes of the two going back and forth. It only ended because Nie Huaisang pulled a fan out of his pocket, and said “I have no idea what you’re talking about. How can anyone in this heat!”
The wedding was supposed to start at four thirty, but the minutes ticked closer and closer to five as guests continues to file in with no sign from the wedding party. Or Wei Ying.
Finally, a fill forty-five minutes after the stated time, music started up, and Jin Guangshan and his wife walked down the aisle, with Jin Zixuan walking between them. Then Jiang Cheng escorted his mother in, the both of them taking their seats in the front row.
Wei Ying, much to his displeasure, had ended up as one of six groomsmen for lack of any better options.
Earlier that morning, Wei Ying had lamented the suit he had been forced into.
“I look so awful in this,” Wei Ying whined as he looked at himself in the mirror.
The suit reflected back at him was expertly fitted, and the fabric soft to the touch. It would breathe nicely in the hot summer sun. Truthfully, it was a perfect suit — except for the color. It was gold. Horrible, gaudy, bright gold.
In his opinion, the worst color in the world. Presses against his lightly tanned skin, he looked washed out and sickly.
“You look lovely,” his husband said.
Lan Zhan, his perfect, beautiful husband of six months, who had just finished putting the jade cuff-links on his own suit, wrapped his arms around Wei Ying, and pressed a kiss to his check.
“Easy for you to say. You don’t have to wear something hideous,” Wei Ying said. He sounded petulant even to himself.
It was true though. Lan Zhan got to wear a nice suit in a perfectly normal black. That’s not to say Wei Ying’s style could be considered normal, but that was beside the point. Black was his signature color after all.
“Can we at least burn the suit after?” Wei Ying asked.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan chided softly.
To be fair, Wei Ying had done nothing but complain about the suit since the moment he saw it.
“Stupid Jins and their stupid gold. Jiejie wanted purple, you know,” Wei Ying said.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan hummed, having heard the rant at least a dozen times before.
“Everything would have been so pretty with what she wanted. But no the Jins had to have their way, so its gold and white with a bit of red. The least they could have done was stuck to a traditional ceremony,” he whined. “At least those colors are meant to go together.”
Lan Zhan’s thumb rubbed across the top of Wei Ying’s hand as his husband pressed kisses across his knuckles.
“But no, couldn’t have that. Big catholic wedding with the stupidest color scheme known to mad.” Wei Ying paused and met Lan Zhan’s amused eyes. “If we’d done something like this, the color would have been completely banned.”
A short huff of laughter left his husband. “Wei Ying.”
“Yeah, yea, it’s Jiejie’s day.”
“Put your shoes on, or we will be late,” Lan Zhan said.
“Late? We literally have to walk downstairs! How could we possibly be late,” Wei Ying said.
Their room was, thankfully, on the same floor as the rest of Wei Ying’s family. He was still undecided on if that was a good thing or not. Although, if he was going to run late, Jiang Cheng would be beating the door down. He wasn’t, so Wei Ying figured they had plenty of time.
As much as he loved his husband, Lan Zhan was always early. To everything. While Wei Ying had never been on time to anything, not once in his life. Until he started dating Lan Zhan at least, who always somehow managed to get them both dressed and out the door.
His beloved husband lifted and eyebrow and held the shoes out to Wei Ying. Grumbling, Wei Ying took them and shoved his feet into the uncomfortable shoes.
“And I would have made everyone wear converse,” he said, mostly to himself.
“Everyone?” Lan Zhan questioned.
“Not you, of course. I know how much you hate them, you would have been able to wear whatever you wanted.” He paused for a minute, then added, “Although…I would pay good money to see you wear a pair.”
“Mn. Come,” Lan Zhan said. He grabbed Wei Ying’s left hand, pressing a gentle kiss to his palm, lips just barely grazing the black and platinum band on his finger. The one that was an exact twin to the ring on Lan Zhan’s own finger.
Then he led Wei Ying out of the hotel room.
Wei Ying wore the suit well, as he walked down the aisle, escorting one of the Yu cousins after after one of the groom’s many half brothers, Mo Xuanyu. Both Wei Ying and the girl looked as though they wished to be walking with anyone else. Lan Zhan was surprised his husband managed to not wrinkle his suit or mess his hair up.
Then, Luo Qingyang was walking in on Jin Zixun’s arm.
Wei Ying had said they would all be better off if both Madam Yu and Madam Jin had allowed the couple to forgo having a wedding party. Judging by how miss matched each of the couples walking down the aisle were, Lan Zhan could not help but the agree. Almost none of them got along.
Wei Ying flat out refused to participate in any events for the groom, instead crashing (with her permission) Jiang Yanli’s bridal events. Sometimes, he even roped Mo Xuanyu into going with him. Mo Xuanyu was only there because Jin Zixuan and one of his other siblings had gotten into an argument, and they needed a body.
Lan Zhan turned to look at his husband as the bridal march started, while everyone else turned to look at the bride. He was glad he did, because the annoyed, mulish look on his face transformed into the blinding smile Lan Zhan loved so much. His husband’s eyes went soft with wonder, tears gathering in the corners, and he bounced slightly on his feet.
If Lan Zhan did not know better, he would think it was the first time Wei Ying was seeing her.
Jiejie was also just stepping out of the bridal suite at the end of the corridor, surrounded by a gaggle of Yu and Jin cousins. Wei Ying recognized none of them, but that didn’t matter. He couldn’t look away from his Jiejie.
Intricate white lace covered the bodice and rose into a high neckline before flowing down to her wrists. A white sash wrapped around her waist at the with a sparkling pin in the shape of a lotus flower on one side. Beneath the sash, layers of pure white silk cascaded to the floor. Antique golden pins with pearls draping off them held her long black hair up, and flowing down from the pins was a sheer veil with the same lace patters. Matching earrings hung from her ears.
He had seen the dress before, had been included when Jiang Yanli had picked the dress out. This was the first time he was seeing her in it though.
“Jiejie,” he whispered.
She smiled at him gently with red painted lips.
“You’re far to beautiful for that Peacock,” Wei Ying said.
She laughed. “A-Ying,” she scolded, but there was no heat behind her voice.
He wanted to crush her into a hug and never let go. It would wrinkle her dress though, and they couldn’t have that.
Seeing his indecision, she asked, “Walk me down?”
Letting go of Lan Zhan’s hand, he bounced over to her, letting her link their arms together.
“Can you even move in all this fabric?” he asked, doing his best not to step on it.
“Barely,” she said, sending them both into a fit of giggles as they stepped into the elevator.
Lan Zhan held the door open as the other girls piled her dress inside of it, making sure the veil’s long train wouldn’t get caught in the doors.
There was so much dress that only Lan Zhan and one of the girls could fit inside with them. The rest would have to meet them downstairs.
“Are you sure about him?” Wei Ying asked her. “It’s not too late, Lan Zhan will drive us away, just say the word.”
He flicked his eyes up to meet Lan Zhan’s amused ones. His perfect husband would totally drive the get away car for them, no questions asked. Okay, he might ask questions afterwards, but that was beside the point.
“I want to marry him,” Jiang Yanli said.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes, Wei Ying. I’m sure,” she said.
“Well, I’ll still beat him up if he ever makes you cry again,” he said.
“I expect nothing less of you,” she said, reaching up to flick his nose.
“AND! If he says anything mean about you.”
“He hasn’t done that in years, A-Ying.”
“And if he lets anyone in his awful family say something about you. AND I’ll —“
“If he hurts me or lets anyone hurt me, I know you will, A-Ying,” she said laughing.
“Good. I’ll have to remind him of that,” he said.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said.
“What?” he whined, looking back at his husband.
“You cannot ‘beat up’ the groom on the wedding day,” he said.
“Fuddy-duddy,” Wei Ying complained.
Jiang Yanli giggled, causing Wei Ying to giggle. Neither of them could stop, even as the doors opened and they were helping her out.
Madam Yu, Jiang Yanli’s mother and his foster mother, was waiting for them as they exited. She sneered at their giggling. She glanced at where their arms were linked and snapped, “Let go before you ruin the dress.”
“Mother,” Jiang Yanli said, refusing to let go.
“I told you wait until I came for you,” she said. Her glare never left Wei Ying, even as she spoke.
“The photographer said we were running out of time to get the right shots,” Jiang Yanli said.
“If you say so,” Madam Yu said.
“I do.”
Madam Yu looked like she wanted to say something else, but instead, turned and strode back into the garden ahead of them.
It had been a few years since Jiang Yanli had finally stood up against her mother’s horrible attitude, but it still took him by surprise every time.
Growing up, she had played peace keeper more often that not with the entire family. She spent most of their childhood and college years mediating fights, mostly between Wei Ying and Madam Yu. She never actually took a side, just tried to soothe hurt feelings.
Hurt feelings happened a lot. Most of his childhood was spent with him crying in her arms over something Madam Yu had said or done. As close as he was to Jiang Cheng, Wei Ying and Jiang Yanli had always had a special bond. She was the first person he came out to, the person he ran to the first time he got his heart broken at eighteen. She was the first person to know about Lan Zhan, and Wei Ying’s feelings for him.
When Madam Yu found out he was gay, it was the first time Jiang Yanli had truly taken a side. He had felt so guilty that night as she berated her mother for all of the abuse Madam Yu had hurled at him over the years while she bundled him and all of his things up. He was sat on her couch, a hot cup of tea in his hand, before he even realized what had happened.
She didn’t speak a word to her mother for six months after that, not until Wei Ying was allowed back into the family.
Then, when the wedding planning started, she insisted that he be included just as much as Jiang Cheng. Wei Ying loved his Jiejie, he really, really did. Even now, on her wedding day, she refused to allow her mother to treat his as anything less.
Unfortunately, that also meant that instead of enjoying an all expenses paid weekend at the fancy hotel to its fullest, Wei Ying had been pulled every which way with events. And that he was walking out into the hot summer sun in the awful suit to sweat his ass off while he stood around for pictures. All the while listening to Madam Yu snipe at every single person for the tiniest thing.
“I swear, if we had gotten married like this, I would have capped it at like, five formal pictures total. Everything else would have been candid shots,” Wei Ying quietly whispered to Lan Zhan while sneaking a swig of the whiskey from his flask.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan said. He turned his body slightly to block anyone from seeing what Wei Ying was doing.
Bless his beloved husband for always helping him out, even if it wasn’t for any real reason. Wei Ying just did not feel like sharing with Jiang Cheng, who would demand it if he saw the flask.
Really, Lan Zhan was only in like two pictures total, (four including the ones she managed to get of the three of them and the one of just him and Lan Zhan when everyone was distracted), so there wasn’t a lot of reason for him to be dying under the sun with the rest of them. Lan Zhan could have gone back inside, into the air conditioning with the other guests milling around the hotel. Instead, he chose to needlessly suffer, just so Wei Ying could use his impeccable manner (and reputation) to secretly drink without anyone noticing.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they were done, and being ushered back inside for final touches before the ceremony started. And while the guests and the uncountable number of Jins invaded the beautiful garden for the ceremony.
“I don’t see why you can’t come with us,” Wei Ying pouted as Lan Zhan started to break away from the group.
Lan Zhan glanced from him to the group of girls still giggling as they helped Jiang Yanli back into the elevator. “I must find my brother and uncle,” he said.
He was no fun sometimes. Not only would Wei Ying’s Jiejie have snacks and champagne in her room for them, it would also be their last chance to be together until after the ceremony.
“I will see you soon,” Lan Zhan said. He wrapped his arms around Wei Ying’s waist and pulled him closer. Lan Zhan pressed their lips together.
Wei Ying wrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, and fell into the kiss. He loved the way Lan Zhan’s lips felt against his own. They were warm and soft, and fit against his own perfectly.
Lan Zhan licked across his lips, and Wei Ying’s mouth fell open. He moaned softly as Lan Zhan licked into his mouth.
Before it could go farther, and exaggerated gagging noise from behind them had them splitting apart.
Of course Jiang Cheng had chose that moment to walk up to them.
“Can the two of you get anymore disgusting,” he said.
“You’re just jealous you can’t find anyone to give you the time of day,” Wei Ying shot back, sticking his tongue out.
“Jealous? Of what, you?” Jiang Cheng said.
“Of course! Look at my husband! He’s perfect, there’s absolutely no one better!” Wei Ying said, grinning.
The top of Lan Zhan’s ears turned bright red.
“Ugh! Just, come on!” Jiang Cheng said
“I love you,” Lan Zhan said, giving him another light kiss before Jiang Cheng pulled him away and up to Jiang Yanli’s room.
“Love you!” Wei Ying yelled, waving bye.
The dozen or so people milling around looked up at the disturbance, and Lan Zhan’s ears got even more red, which had Wei Ying cackling with laughter.
“You’re so fucking embarrassing,” Jiang Cheng said.
“See, jealous,” he said.
“Whatever.”
When she passed by him, Jiang Yanli had tears running down her face and her smile was soft ans wide. Her eyes never once strayed from Jin Zixuan, even while Jiang Fengmein had to help her move forward on visibly shaking legs.
For all the build up, the actual ceremony felt as though it lasted only seconds. When it came time for the bride and groom to kiss, Wei Ying’s nose wrinkled, but he never stopped smiling. Then, the bride and groom were leaving with the wedding party following them out. Wei Ying winked at him as he passed by.
The crowd of people began moving after that, flowing up to the ballroom for the reception, and Lan Zhan followed them up.
Dozens of tables stood around the room, with more of the white flowers artfully arranged at the center of each. His seat was at a table near the front, right next to the table the newlyweds would share with their parents. Yu Ziyuan’s parents sat across from him, the only other people currently at the table.
The elderly couple made small talk with him, asking after the Lan’s business ventures as cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were passed around the room on silver trays. Not everyone had taken their seat, preferring to stand around, talking until they were called to their seats for the couple to make their grand entrance.
Wei Ying flopped down next to him with a brightly colored cocktail in hand, and sighed.
“We had to do more pictures, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying whined.
“I am sorry,” he said.
“I’ve never taken so many pictures in my life! It was exhausting! And I had to stand next to the Peacock!”
Lan Zhan raised a singular eyebrow at his husband’s dramatics. Wei Ying was constantly taking pictures of himself to post on his various social media profiles. He could easily take hundreds in a day.
“I had to just stand there, Lan Zhan! And if Madam Yu wasn’t snapping at me for fidgeting, then the photographer was.”
Wei Ying took another sip of his drink, groaning at the gurgling sound it made as he finished the drink off. “Ugh! It’s empty,” he said, then he spotted a waiter carrying a tray of drinks. “Thank God!”
He snatched another brightly colored drink from the tray.
“You’re going to be drunk before dinner even starts,” Jiang Cheng, his brother said. Lan Zhan hadn’t even noticed him sitting down with them.
“Do you think so lowly of me? I couple drinks won’t do me in!” Wei Ying said.
“You finished the flask halfway through pictures!”
“And?”
“You didn’t even offer to share!” Jiang Cheng said.
“Maybe you should have thought ahead and brought your own drink,” Wei Ying said and stuck his tongue out at his brother.
“Or maybe you could have gone through the day without drinking,” Jiang Cheng said.
They both glanced to where Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan had taken their seats, and were sharing a soft, and grimaced.
“Ew,” Wei Ying said, dragging out the sound.
“You still should have shared, stingy bastard,” Jiang Cheng said bitterly, causing Wei Ying to giggle.
Lan Zhan would never understand the relationship between the two of them, with the constant bickering and threats. It seemed exhausting, but Wei Ying seemed to be enjoying himself. He had long ago learned that the insults and violent threats meant nothing, and learned to swallow back the need to defend Wei Ying against it.
The two of them went back and forth with one another all through dinner. All the while, Wei Ying drank. Not half as much as Lan Zhan had seem him drink at other events, but still more than most people. Occasionally, he would stop mid-sentence, to gaze up at his sister, a soft smile on his face, before going right back to arguing with his brother.
It gave Lan Zhan the excuse to not have to speak and instead focus on watching his husband. He could feel the happiness radiating off of Wei Ying. For all his words about how much he hated Jin Zixuan, about how the man was not good enough for his elder sister, Wei Ying was thrilled she was so happy.
For all that his husband was lovely, Wei Ying was exceptionally beautiful. Even in the suit, which he had expressed his hate for many, many times. His silver eyes sparkled like stars, and the smile never left his face. Every time he looked at his sister, it grew even wider.
Wei Ying had moved his chair closer to Lan Zhan’s and every time he stopped moving his hands, he was touching Lan Zhan. His hand would rest on Lan Zhan’s thigh, wrap around his arm, or come to rest on his shoulder.
“Do you think we looked that cute?” he whispered in Lan Zhan’s ear as Wei Ying rested his head on Lan Zhan’s shoulder.
Lan Zhan wanted nothing more than to pull him closer, to hold his husband in his arms and kiss him, but there were too many eyes on them. He had never done well with showing affection in public, and the subtle glares directed at them by the Jiang’s relatives had him keeping his hands to himself.
“Mn. You did.” he said, letting Wei Ying rest there as he watched his sister and her new husband.
“Lan Zhan! You can’t just say things like that!” Wei Ying said, blushing adorably. “I don’t have a thick enough face! What will people say?”
“That you’re disgusting and have no manners,” Jiang Cheng said, rolling his eyes.
And just like that, the two were back to bickering.
Once the speeches started, Wei Ying began to grow restless. He had spent weeks agonizing over what he would say. A dozen speeches had been written then thrown out before Wei Ying had decided to just wing it.
Jin Guangshan said a few words, but all Lan Zhan could pay attention to were the comments and insults Wei Ying whispered to him through the entire thing. He did the same thing through the best man’s speech as well. Wei Ying’s hatred of almost every Jin was well known, though that hate was mutual. Jin Zixuan was the only Jin that did not seem to hate Wei Ying, though from Lan Zhan’s understanding, the grudge between the three came from some insult he made against Jiang Yanli when they were all children. Wei Ying could forgive almost anything, except when it cames towards any perceived hurt towards those he loved. When that happened, he could hold a grudge.
The entire engagement was spent with Jin Zixuan trying and failing to earn Wei Ying’s forgiveness.
Wei Ying’s comments got even more disparaging when the best man got up. His speech was just barely appropriate, mourning his cousin’s lost bachelorhood and “ball and chain” jokes, that had both Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng growling at the audacity.
“Really, you’d think he was Jin Guangshang’s son, the way he behaves. He’s the worst, Lan Zhan. I could almost like the Peacock when he’s around,” Wei Ying complained. “I mean, just listen to the nonsense spewing from his mouth. Who even says things like that, at a wedding! My Jiejie’s wedding at that!”
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said when his husband’s volume started to rise.
“I know. No fighting Jin’s at Jiejie’s wedding. I would though, if it wouldn’t ruin her day.”
Luo Qingyang’s speech brought a lightheartedness back to everyone as she espoused her happiness at seeing her two closest friends get married. Tears and laughter echoed around the room, as the couple pulled the woman into hug at the end of her speech.
“Wish me luck!” Wei Ying said, and pressed a sloppy kiss to Lan Zhan’s cheek.
He bounced up to the microphone, and immediately launched into the story of how he came to hate Jin Zixuan, that had everyone laughing. Well, most everyone, the groom looked as though he wanted to disappear into his seat. Then Wei Ying started going into the reasons why he thought Jiang Yanli was the best person in the world, pausing only to say “Next to Lan Zhan of course!” and that absolutely no one was good enough for her.
He ended the winding, long speech by saying, “You better keep my Jiejie as happy as she is right now for the rest of her life. Otherwise, I’ll be waiting for you.”
His cackling laugh echoed into the microphone as he skipped away.
“How did I do?” he asked, dropping into Lan Zhan’s lap as opposed to his own seat.
“Wonderfully. I am proud of you,” Lan Zhan said.
“For what?”
“Not calling the groom a ‘peacock’ during your speech,” Lan Zhan said.
“You promised a reward if I used his actual name,” Wei Ying giggled.
Lan Zhan could not resist pressing their lips together. He intended to keep it chaste, but Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck, and they both fell into the kiss.
Jiang Cheng’s scoff had them breaking apart and Wei Ying laughing.
“Can you not?” Jiang Cheng said. “And sit in your own seat!”
“But Lan Zhan’s lap is so much more comfortable!” he said. Wei Ying wriggled around, pretending to get more comfortable.
“You’re so disgusting,” Jiang Cheng grumbled.
“I am not! Look at my husband! How could I ever keep my hands off him for a second! Someone might try to steal him!”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m getting another drink.”
“Get me one too!”
“Get your own!”
“But I’m too comfortable to move!” Wei Ying yelled after him.
It was drowned out by the music starting and the newly weds being called to the floor for their first dance.
“She looks so beautiful, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said as Jiang Yanli was spun around the dance floor.
Her dress floated out around her, weightless, and Jin Zixuan spun her around, but Lan Zhan paid little attention to it. He could not take his eyes off his husband and the enthralled look on Wei Ying’s face.
Wei Ying was on his feet, cheering and clapping louder than anyone else when the dance came to an end.
Jin Zixuan handed his new bride over to her father for their dance, which was awkward and stilted, but Jiang Yanli seemed pleased, which made Wei Ying pleased. He pouted a bit when she left the dance floor to allow her groom a dance with his mother though.
“He shouldn’t dance with anyone else,” Wei Ying whined quietly, displeased at the tradition. “Jiejie shouldn’t have to leave the dance floor for anything. I wouldn’t have let you leave for a second if we’d done anything like this.”
That sounded terrible to Lan Zhan, but he would have suffered through it, just to make Wei Ying happy.
When the dance floor opened up, Wei Ying grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. “Dancing! Come on! It’ll be so much fun!”
The song was fast paced and loud, a club song he guessed.
“Wei Ying,” he said reluctantly.
“Just one dance, er-gege. For me, plaese?” Wei Ying said, looking up at, eyes wide and pleading.
“Just one,” he relented.
“You really are the best!” Wei Ying cheered.
Lan Zhan could dance, but only traditional formal dances. He had never understood the swaying bodies, moving to the fast beats, with no direction or purpose. It felt like a mockery, mimicking something intimate or private. Wei Ying loved that type of dancing though. So Lan Zhan stood there, hands on Wei Ying’s hips, as his husband moved his body to the beat. Grinding and rubbing their hips together, while Lan Zhan’s thoughts spiraled, through one song then another. And another.
Four songs in, Lan Zhan pulled his husband closer, and whispered into his ear, “If you want to stay here and enjoy your sister’s reception, I suggest you stop now,” he said.
Wei Ying tilted his back and grinned mischievously. Then pressed their bodies closer, rolling his hips as he did.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan growled.
“I can’t help it er-gege! You’re just so hot, and all mine,” he said.
“Mn, and Wei Ying is mine,” Lan Zhan said.
“Then Lan Zhan should show me off, so no one forgets that,” Wei Ying said.
“No one will forget,” Lan Zhan said.
Wei Ying yelped when Lan Zhan spun him around. The sound was swallowed as Lan Zhan kissed him, delving his tongue into his husbands mouth. Wei Ying tasted like sugar and whiskey, and it was intoxicating. A moan slipped out of his husband as Lan Zhan deepened the kiss, sliding his hands up to tangle them in Wei Ying’s hair.
His husband pulled away, crying “No! You can’t ruin my hair yet!”
“Then behave,” Lan Zhan said.
“No promises,” Wei Ying giggled.
“Wei Ying,” he warned, tightening his grip on his husband’s hips, and pressed their lips back together.
When the song ended, Wei Ying pulled away, and complained, “Lan Zhan!”
Before he could continue with his dramatic complaints, something over Lan Zhan’s shoulder caught his attention. Wei Ying narrowed his eyes.
“Go sit,” Wei Ying said, “I need to do something.”
Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying back to him, and said whispered, “No fighting,” into his ear.
Wei Ying let out an exaggerated gasp, and said, “At Jiejie’s wedding? I would never!” He pressed his hands to his chest.
Lan Zhan raised his eyebrow skeptically.
“I won’t, Er-gege,” he said, a little more seriously.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan said. He pressed a soft kiss to Wei Ying’s cheek and made his way back to their now empty table, while Wei Ying bounced over to the Luo Qingyang.
The Maid of Honor was slowly backing away from the dance floor as the groom’s cousin, Jin Zixun tried to get her to dance with him.
Wei Ying appeared next to them, smiling brightly at Luo Qingyang, and completely ignoring the other man. Within seconds, he had her laughing at something as Wei Ying led her away from the other man and into the center of the dance floor.
Wei Ying was in his element, laughing while surrounded by a crowd. He was magnetic, drawing people to him with everything he did. His husband laughed louder and danced wilder as more and more people surrounded him and Luo Qingyang.
Two songs, then three. Then he was dancing with Nie Huaisang, the two of them feeding off the energy around them.
Lan Zhan watched as Wei Ying rushed out of the circle as a slower song started, just so he could drag Wen Qing into a dance. When their eyes met over top of her head, Lan Zhan smiled gently at his husband.
Then his husband was laughing again as Wen Qing smacked him in the head. He was too far away to hear what was said, but he knew Wei Ying well enough to hear the complains that had the people around them laughing.
Several songs later, Wei Ying wandered back to him. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and he stumbled. Lan Zhan reached out to steady him, and pulled Wei Ying into his lap.
“Having fun?” he asked, brushing the stray hairs that had fallen down out of Wei Ying’s face.
“Of course! I love dancing. Lan Zhan, if we’d have done something like this, you wouldn’t have been able to get me off the dance floor,” Wei Ying said.
“I am sure I could,” he said.
“Nuh-uh. You would even be able to drag me off. Not for anything. In fact, I’d have made you dance with me all night.”
Lan Zhan slid his hand from where it rested on Wei Ying’s hip down to the top of his thigh, and squeezed, kneading the flesh in his hand.
“I prefer dancing with you in private,” he whispered into Wei Ying’s ear.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying screeched, arching his back and pressing his hips back into Lan Zhan’s.
He pressed a kiss into Wei Ying’s neck and said, “What?”
“I-I came over here for a reason,” Wei Ying said.
“What reason was that?” Lan Zhan said.
“I wanted to know if you’d seen Jiejie,” he said.
“She and Jin Zixuan are sitting with their mothers,” Lan Zhan told him.
Wei Ying pulled away. “What? Of course the Peacock would keep her off the dance floor. You know if we had —“
“You would not allow me to sit,” he interrupted. “You have said.”
“I have. And I mean it.” Wei Ying laughed. Then he stood up and said, “Jiejie shouldn’t be allowed to sit for a moment. She’s too beautiful, and someone has to show her off, if the Peacock wont.”
Wei Ying bounced away with a shouted, “Love you!” to drag Jiang Yanli out to the dance floor.
The night wore on and Wei Ying alternated between the dance floor and various tables. More often than not, he had a half-full drink in hand that would sometimes disappear only to be back in his hand a few minutes later. Lan Zhan watched him closely, as his laughter got louder. The gold jacket had been lost at one point, likely left at a table. Without it, Wei Ying moved more freely.
If Lan Zhan did not know any better, he would have believed Wei Ying to be well and truly drunk when he stumbled back to the table in an attempt to drag Lan Zhan back to the dance floor.
Eventually, it came time for the bride and groom to leave. According to Wei Ying, carrying Jiang Yanli through the shower of red confetti and out of the room was the only thing Jin Zixuan had done right the entire night.
With the bride and groom gone, the elders began to leave, and the party got louder. Lan Zhan bid Wei Ying’s adoptive parents and Shufu a polite goodbye, and allowed Wei Ying to dance to two more songs before dragging his giggling husband away.
“You have to carry me,” Wei Ying told him as Lan Zhan led him to the elevator.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because its traditional,” Wei Ying said.
“It is not out wedding,” Lan Zhan pointed out.
“But it’s a wedding, so you should carry your bride back to our room.”
“Mn.”
Wei Ying squealed when Lan Zhan scooped him up. “You’re shameless, husband of mine! Carrying me around like this where everyone can see! What will people say?”
Lan Zhan ignored his babbling. He did not set Wei Ying down until they were in their room and the door firmly closed behind them.
“So strong, Er-gege!” Wei Ying laughed when Lan Zhan dropped him on the bed.
He took his own suit jacket off, and turnned away to hang it up. They never did find Wei Ying’s, not that he looked for it very hard. It would show up or it would not. It was doubtful that Wei Ying cared either way.
When he turned back, Wei Ying had taken his shoes off, but otherwise had not moved. The feverish joy had faded from his eyes, and he stared at Lan Zhan softly.
“Wei Ying?” he asked.
“What do you think it would have been like, if we did something like this?” Wei Ying asked softly.
“Stressful,” Lan Zhan said honestly.
The laughter that drifted from Wei Ying was soft, less enthusiastic than it had been for most of the day.
“Did you want a big wedding?” Lan Zhan asked him after a moment.
“What? Of course not! Our wedding was perfect! Besides, with our families, it would have been a disaster,” Wei Ying said.
“Wei Ying.”
“Lan Zhan. I wouldn’t have had half as much fun if this had been our wedding. Besides, you hate things like this. It wouldn’t have wanted our wedding to be anything but what it was.”
“Wei Ying.”
“It was perfect, Lan Zhan. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way,” Wei Ying said. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck. Then he said, “Now, kiss me, Lan-er-gege.”
So Lan Zhan did, hard and fast. He ran his hands beneath Wei Ying’s shirt, tracing his fingers up the warm skin.
“Er-gege,” Wei Ying whined, squirming beneath the touch.
Lan Zhan ran his hands lightly across Wei Ying’s chest. He felt as his husband shuddered. Then, he pinched Wei Ying’s pebbled nipple, hard.
Wei Ying gasped.
Pulling his hands away, Lan Zhan gripped the edges of the shirt and pulled until the buttons popped open. Then, it was a rush of hands after that, stripping the clothes away.
He shoved Wei Ying backwards onto the bed.
Wide silver eyes stared up at him, and Wei Ying said, “Are you going to fuck your wife now? Go slowly, Er-gege, I’m a virgin, and it might hurt.”
“Wei Ying is not,” Lan Zhan said, and bit down on Wei Ying’s neck.
“I am! I am! Er-gege! Please! Please be careful with your poor wife! I’ve never done this before,” Wei Ying screeched pushing at Lan Zhan’s shoulders. There was barely any force behind it though.
“Shut up,” Lan Zhan growled. He grabbed Wei Ying’s hands in his and pressed them to the bed above Wei Ying’s head.
“But Er-gege! I’m scared! What if it hurts?” Wei Ying said, even as he sank into Lan Zhan’s hold.
“Wei Ying.”
Then Wei Ying was laughing again, loud and wild. “I love you, Lan Zhan,” he said.
“Mn. I love Wei Ying.”