#Ler!Lan Zhan

[kanene-yaaay]

The Intervention (Tickletober Day 11)

Kanene's notes: .....this was NOT supposed to be this long, really kjhgfdfghjkjhgf. Anyway, writing this made me realize how Wei Wuxian would THRIVE with "That's what she said" and "This would be the title of your porn movie". Is that relevant to the story? No, I just thought it while writing kjhgfghjik. I haven't written from day 4 to the last one so idk how the updating will be iuytgthyujuhyg let's see!

Day 11 - "Hug" (Tickletober) and "Favorite Character" (form MXTXtober)

Warnings: Some dirty jokes, comfort and lots of tickles. Ticklish!Jiang Cheng and Ler!Lan Wangji&Ler!Wei Wuxian. Around 5.000 words.

[~*~]

There was a sound of a door opening and in a blink he was standing, there was white and arms that suddenly embraced him. Before he could summon his sword, Zidian already sparking, the scent of sandalwood hit him.

"What do you think you’re doing?!" Jiang Cheng barked, heart still on his throat from the scare, even if his muscles kept trying to relax. “Fuck, Wangji, has knocking suddenly become a foreign concept for you?”

Looking up, golden eyes stared amusedly at him, making his face contort into a frown as he tried to pry himself from the embrace. Unsurprising, he was completely unsuccessful. Damn Lans and their stupid arm strength. "Let me go in this instant. "

Lan Wangji’s face explained him nothing and his arms simply pulled him even further on his chest, a small tilt of the corner of his mouth showing his smugness. "Hugging Wanyin." He ignored completely the other part of his sentence.

"Hugging, my ass!" Quick as lightning there was a pinch in that exact place, making Jiang Cheng yelp and twitch further on the hug. This fucker. Because he wasn’t above retaliation, Jiang Cheng pinched his side, watching with a grin his eyes widen the slight bit before narrowing in his direction. He raised his chin at the challenge. "What is this?"

Lan Wangji didn't answer, but his gaze traveled to somewhere behind him, right as the soft sound of a door being closed quietly stretched in the air. Jiang Wanyin froze.

This was a trap.

Before he could start to trash once more in the hold, another pair of arms encircled him from behind, warmth involving him from every angle and part, making his breath stutter for a moment. He suppressed a shiver and shoved the strong feeling of wanting to melt completely on the embrace even harder down in his chest.

"This is an intervention!" Wei Wuxian shouted way too excited and way too close to his ear. All the questions about Lan Wangji's strange behavior disappeared. Of course Wei Wuxian would be the one responsible for that.

"This is an attack." Jiang Wanyin replied and tried to headbutt the one behind him, who simply snickered in delight and dodged, never letting go of him. Jiang Cheng refused to feel happy about that. "What the fuck are you intervening for? Is Yunmeng's hospitality not good enough for you two?"

"It's more about Yunmeng's leader not showing his hospitality enough." Wei Wuxian twists his head just enough that his pout is visible. "Leaving his two favorite people in the world cold and lonely, abandoned, even! Every single morning without fail or a whisper of mercy. Such a cold heart and demeanor."

"What? Wangji wakes up earlier than both of us! Go trap him!"

"My Lan Zhan would never leave me cold and unattended in the morning." Wei Wuxian sniffed dramaticall. If he was not too preoccupied with securing, caham, I mean, hugging Jiang Cheng, he probably would be gesturing all around the place. "He stays with me for sichens until I wake up too." He sent those golden eyes a loving sigh and adoring gaze above the Wanyin’s shoulder. 

Jiang Cheng groaned in disgust and scoffed. "Your 'Lan Zhan' is a softie who bends down to you every whim."

Wei Wuxian snickered and Jiang Cheng’s mind immediately caught up with the dirty joke before he even opened his mouth. Quickly, he freed an arm and put on his mouth and continued before the other could go. "Besides, I have obligations and chores to attend to. Contrary to my esteemed guests,” only he could say this title with so much sarcasm and still so little heat, “I don't have the luxury to spend hours with nothing to do."

"Only because Wanyin is stubborn." Lan Wangji's face was close, openly staring at him like he could read every corner of his soul. Once, years ago, Wei Wuxian had said that Lan Zhan could look at you like he had all the time in the world to keep doing so and Jiang Wanyin had scoffed at it. Suddenly, he knew exactly what Wei Wuxian meant. "Were he to say this to us before, we would have started to help him sooner." The corner of his eyes crinkled the slightest bit. "Now we need an intervention."

“What you need is- GAH! Wei Wuxian!!” Tearing his arm away with a grimace, the one in purple bristled at Wei Wuxian, who laughed delighted. “Don’t lick me, you child! Jin Ling had better manners when he was three!”

Thankfully Wei Wuxian shoved down the other dirty joke, which was the only reason he was going to live another day, really, but the smug stare at knowing Jiang Cheng also thought it was there. Urg. It was horrible to be attuned to his mind.

“Aiya, A-Cheng, stop being so grumpy!” Impossibly, he squeezed even closer, Jiang Cheng could feel goosebumps spreading on the back of his neck where his breath hit him, his every move as hands and arms rested on his torso, right on his ribs.. 

A deranged thought filled his mind, one filled with warm touches, loud laughter, big grins and having nowhere to run from it. A tiny, quick twitch of lips took over him before he bit it back and turned into his usual frown, ignoring fervently Lan Wangji’s attentive gaze following his every move. 

“Aren’t you happy to have such caring people around you, huh?”

“Wanyin’s face shows his delight.” 

Wei Wuxian blurted in laughter at that and Jiang Cheng turned his full scowl into Wangji’s way, who basked uncaringly, absorbed into his husband’s laughter. Shameless. Why was he the one condemned to be locked with them and their horrible flirting?

“Ah, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, why doesn't anyone believe me when I say you’re the funniest person I’ve ever known?”

“It’s a wonder.” Jiang Cheng hissed through his gritted teeth, trying to subtly get away from Wei Wuxian, who seemed to focus his every single word, breathe and snicker on his neck, making him really regret the choice of styling his hair into a topknot, bearing the patch of sensitive skin to the world.

(It was never a problem, before. They knew better than to try… this with him. No one ever got close enough.)

Those golden eyes continued honed on him like fire.

“I am telling you, Jiang Cheng.” It took everything from him to not jump when the other unannouncedly draped himself on his shoulder. Angling his words just right to hit both his neck and his ear, again. Did he know? Was he even realizing what he was doing? Probably not, Wei Wuxian made getting on other’s nerves such an art that he probably could do it naturally, simply by being there. Jiang Cheng straightened his posture, holding himself tight. “You’re losing so much by being here all the time. Lan Zhan’s incredible humor, my winning charisma…”

There was no helping his snort at that.

“Hey!” Wei Wuxian bristled, jolting on his back and Jiang Cheng could feel him smiling beside the protest, his arm moving and oh no, no, no, no.

 His eyes widened.  He was going to do that. It was only natural, an usual part of Wei Wuxian’s affection, full of draping arms and playful pokes of teasing and pushing your buttons at any opportunity. He looked down with wide eyes and there it was, the offending hand going up and up, stopping a few inches from his face, one finger extended and…

And Jiang Cheng couldn’t help it, at the smallest movement, before he realized it was simply wagging at him, he squirmed away a tiny, almost inaudible squeak on his throat.

Lan Wangji’s eyes narrowed on him and he knew.

“A-Cheng?”

This time he covered his shiver by pushing himself away again, but with more purpose, as if this was his intention all along. “Don’t ‘hey’ me as if you didn’t put us all in this situation yourself! Let go, I have more important things to do.”

“Harsh! We can’t just let you go, yet! First you must listen to all of our extremely compelling and irrefutable arguments, then yield to our points and then we can snatch you away and enjoy your new break together.” As the leader of the sect opened his mouth to complain, Wei Wuxian quickly pulled his strongest, most convincing weapon. “Lan Zhan!”

Fingers pressed on his sides and Jiang Cheng froze. The Lan held no particular expression on his face and his voice out smooth and unbothered as always.

“Wei Ying gets displeased by your absence.” Thankfully, Wei Wuxian’s own squawk of protest drowned his own when those fingers began moving methodically, pressing purposefully on the skin and scratching softly, as if there were small spiders, restless vines crawling from each point of touch to his throat, making it fill with embarrassing giggles. Wangji continues as if he heard nothing. “During his tours of Lotus Pier, there is the constant mention of Wanyin’s name and shared childhood memories. At morning, we ask the servants for permission to join your breakfast and hardly succeed, since Wanyin is already working. When Wei Ying goes for our walks, there are plenty of detours to watch the advanced senior disciples classes taught by their sect leader. At night, Wei Ying trains with both Gusu Lan and YunmengJiang forms, growing in each. Partially unsupervised.” 

At this, he starts to pinch lightly his sides with determination, as if each point fuelled him, making Jiang Cheng take a quick breath and hold it in the fear that if he let the smallest thing go, his entire composure would be in scrambles. His entire body trembles with his force of keeping quiet. Wei Wuxian misinterprets it, of course he does. 

(They are one of the same.)

“Ah, Lan Zhan, there is no need to be so worried. I already trained these forms before so it’s only a matter of getting this new body used to it.” He let out a laugh with no humor and the other two immediately knew what kind of conflicting words would come out. “Besides, I am sure that Jiang Cheng already has so much to do, he doesn’t need to give me extra classes. I am quick to catch up, you’ll see! I will be with a fully formed core in no time!”

Jiang Cheng grabbed one of Wangji’s hands at the same time he stopped with his… musings. Good, they share the same objective then. He closed his eyes, the words from the other finally sinking in his head

“If you wanted classes, you should have said it, not lurk around my disciples like a criminal. That is why they have been so distracted lately, then, I should’ve known it was you.” He huffed, ignoring both of their reactions and pressing before he was interrupted. “After dinner, we’re going to spar and I will see in what class I will put you in.”

“Jiang Cheng, you don’t-”

“Shut it! Do you think that just because you died you can escape your responsibilities as their Da-Shixiong?” He scowled and ignored the fragile gasp behind him. “You better give your everything in these classes and then start to teach them. Unless you’re currently so weak that not even the little kids could learn from you.”

Wangji looked at him in both warning and something warmer. The other turned to the other side, refusing to acknowledge it.

“Okay.” Wei Wuxian sounded happy and small. “You’re not scared that I’ll turn all of them into incorrigible little demons?”

“As if they could become more unruly than they are.”

“A-Cheng! Are you doubting my abilities? I will let you know that in Gusu I-”

“Wei Ying.” Wangji lightly reminded.

“That is right, that's right, Lan Zhan. We are already missing the point of this intervention. Do you want me to share my arguments now?” Wei Wuxian rested on Jiang Cheng’s back, one arm extending to lay on Wangji’s cheek., who dutifully turned around and kissed  it tenderly.

Jiang Cheng batted the arm away. If those two wanted to be affectionate they could very well get out and do it in their rooms, very far away from his general existence. 

The good point of his actions: now there was no more shamelessness in front of him. 

The bad point: Lan Wangji’s entire attention was in him, looking much more focused and determined than normal. He didn’t gulp, because he wouldn’t give the other that satisfaction, but all his senses suddenly came to attention.

“Mm. Later.”

Then he went back to his attack, now ranking his nails from his sides to his belly, right below where Wei Wuxian’s arms crossed, and the knowledge that if his stomach trembled even the slightest bit he would be noticed (and the moment Wei Wuxian noticed it… there was no hope left for him) made the urge to laugh much stronger, obliging him to give up any pretense that he wasn’t being affected to press his mouth firmly closed and let out a tiny, uncontrollable smile.

“Wanyin is pleasant to be around.” He wanted to protest, “pleasant” definitely wasn’t a word that is normally used when talking about him, but Wangji must have noticed something because there was immediately a finger scratching and teasing the skin around his bellybutton, instantly erasing any other thought from his mind. “He is knowledgeable in many of the seven arts and cultivation. He is reliable and a comforting presence in conferences, as we often share the same opinion. All of those points would be increased and improved by Wanyin spending more time with us.”

It was too much, Jiang Cheng could think about hundreds of retorts that question each one of those arguments but his brain could focus in none of them, not when the rhythm of those wiggling fingers changed to a quicker pace, actually poking and scribbling on his belly, making him want to jump out of his skin.

Wei Wuxian was suspicious of his silence. “A-Cheng?” His voice was lower, in the fear that the other was truly upset or overwhelmed and his hand came to rest on his shoulder, brushing on his neck by mistake.

This was what broke the barrier.

Wheezing giggles began to fly in the air and it was so out of place, so surprising that Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but laugh too. 

“What is so funny, A-Cheng? Have you finally come to appreciate the refined humor from my husband?”

Jiang Cheng shook his head, his only free hand lowering and making the one in black and red robes look around him to his husband, who seemed to be… tickling him? His fingers were dancing on his belly, prodding at the most ticklish spots that Wei Wuxian knew by heart and tormenting them with fast scratching and poking in a truly unbearable sensation (said from own personal experience) until they were shaking with tickle laughter. 

Wei Wuxian’s eyes twinkled with interest. “What is happening?”

“Convincing.” Lan Zhan answered.

“Torture!” Jiang Cheng replied.

“Aww! Jiang Cheng, I didn’t know you were still ticklish.” Wei Wuxian beamed, snuggled closer, nuzzling the unprotected neck right in front of him and enjoying the way it added squeaks and giggles to the laughter. His hands creeped closer. He clicked his tongue and a positively evil smirk took over his face “Also, if you really think this is torture, then let me remind you a few instances of our childhood.”

“Wei Wuxian!” He tried to fight when a hand gripped his wrist and pulled it upwards. It was for naught, the two of them keeping a strong hold on him, each small touch and tickle making him feel weaker and weaker. Electricity and antecipation fought in his soul, putting his every nerve at attention, making him feel much more ticklish than normal. Wei Wuxian just chuckled which resulted in him giggling in mortification. “Wei Wuxian, don’t you dare!”

A single finger started to circle his unprotected armpit, making his squirms to increase, when the touch came to the center of the spot, it began scraping delicately on the skin. A voice sounded suddenly close to his ear. “Is that a challenge?”

Jiang Cheng wheezed before pressing his ear to his shoulder, a squeal locked in his throat. Still, it didn’t stop the pair of unresting hands from creeping across his sides until they were prodding and spidering on his lower back, so softly, nor the single teasing touch dancing on his pit. Jiang Cheng felt like jumping out of his own skin, like breaking apart, like the only thing holding him still was the grip force he had on his laughter, that loud, crackling one he hadn’t shown no one since he was a teenager. He snorted, huffed and giggled, but held it close, trying to ignore the coaxing touches from the others. 

“Isn’t everything to you?” He bristled with no heat, the giant smile on his face probably wasn’t helping it as well. A double attack on the back of his ribs and nuzzled on the back of his ears made him guffaw, stomping his feet in protest. “S-Stohohop this at once! Whahat are you evehen hoping for.”

“My, I am so glad you asked, A-Cheng!” The finger stilled and disappeared. There were danger signals booming all over his mind as LAn Wangji’s followed the lead and stopped his ministrations as well. 

Quiet. 

“Your laughter.”

A thumb pressed on his armpit and digged and those hands on his ribs drummed, there were raspberries attacking the base of his neck and bodies pressing so close he couldn’t escape and everything else disappeared in a flash with Jiang Cheng’s voice and mind.

Until his control broke and a crackling, squeaky, horribly snorting laughter began leaving his mouth. The tickles only increased then, seeming hunger for each one of his sounds, the fingers on his ribs poked and scratched at every bone, every space between them, not a single inch being left unattended before each one of his weak spot were found so they could rest on them and vibrate, over and over and over again until he was throwing his head back, uncontrollable laughter coming louder, a touch hysterical.

The attack on his armpit, too, hardly felt any more bearable, it drummed and plucked everywhere, with a skill and confidence of someone who had been playing this same instrument for years, who knew that when he changed for drawing circles around the pit with his blunt nails and a light scribbling, squeaks began taking over and if he suddenly changed to a energetic digging in the center of it a loud high pitched squeal would ring in the air again and again, each time he repeated that technique without fail.

Jiang Cheng was lost in laughter, feeling the ticklish sparks take over his every touch, every move, wondering if the years spent without it made him somehow even more vulnerable, wanting to throw them away and pull closer, questioning how could he feel secure when they were playing with his reactions, his expressions. A playful voice refocused his mind.

“Awww, Lan Zhan! Isn’t this cute? I think he got even more ticklish than before. We used to get into all kinds of tickle fights as kids. There isn’t a lot of ‘fight’ right now, though, is there?”

“LEHEHEHET ME GOHOHOHO!” He tried to pull his arm away from his grip, but he could already feel his strength start to falter. His endurance really used to be better. He would be caught dead and cold before he admitted Wei Wuxin was right, though. “I-IHIHI WILL SHOHOHOW YOU THE FIHIGH-HNK!” Three hands tickled him more at it and Jiang Cheng shrieked in protest, wiggling away from one just to fall further on the other.

“Very sensitive.” Wangji mused, sounding half puzzled and half smug, ranking two fingers across his spine to his shoulderblades, skittering there with no mercy. Jiang Cheng jolted and arched his back, falling onto his chest, not being able to put himself back to a standing position. “Extremely ticklish.”

“SHUHUHUHUT UP!” He used his free hand to bat at him, only to have it captured as well, another five fingers drumming on his newly unprotected armpit until he was burrowing his face on the other’s neck in an attempt to hide his hysterical crackles. Lan Wangji hummed in appreciation.

“Ohhh, wait, wait, is he weak already?” His hands were free and he jumped when twin firm touches rested on his sides, making him giggle uncontrollably when the tickling had stopped. “Bring him here, Lan Zhan. I want to show you something!”

“Fuck no.” He tried to pry those strong hands away. Unfortunately, his muscles already felt like wet noodles and those snorting snickers leaving his mouth made him want to use them to hide it. Before he knew it, his back was resting on another chest and there was a stupidly fond smirking face above his.

“Hi, A-Cheng!” He only dodged with an amused chuckle when the one in purple tried to push his smug expression away. “Do you remember the rules?”

A sense of dread took over his veins and his smile became more wobbly and there was a yelp in his words “Don’t.”

“So you do remember!” Their eyes were glued to his two hands, who appeared once more and were slowly approaching his torso, only to freeze dutifully at their gaze. “Do not look away or we will attack!” 

Jaing Cheng groaned at the stupid high pitched voice Wei Wuxian did, already feeling his face heat with such childish antics. “Stohop this! What ahahare we? Children?”

“No!” Wei Wuxian continued, ignoring his protests. “We are the Tickle Hands! Cursed to tickle-tickle-tickle every horribly ticklish human that appears in front of us for the rest of eternity. And we found you!” They clawed the air, making Jiang Cheng instinctively suck his belly in. For a second he looked up, to those pairs of attentive, shining gazes focused on him, but a blur of movement made him quickly go back to watching those offending fingers, now barely inches from his skin. A few snickers escaped him at the scare. 

“Almost. That was so close! We can barely wait to get you!” Wei Wuxian faked a sad tune, then a thoughtful one. “But where must we attack first? Those wiggling hips? They just keep squirming and squirming for our attention. Aw, but this nice belly seems so delicious too, I can feel the ticklishness from here!” Like magic, Jiang Cheng could almost feel the touch in each one of those spots and the heat began spreading from his cheeks to his entire face. “My fingers have been itching lately to play with some sensitive ribs, too. And look at this adorable reddening neck! So many choices, so many choices, how could I choose only one of them?”

“Gohoho awahahay, stupid.”

“Gasp! So harsh, so mean! The choice is made then, I will tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle all of them! I will claw at that wiggly tummy of yours, squeeze those ticklish hips, dance on each one of your ribs and then burrow myself in this so, so sensitive neck forever and ever, ChengCheng!”

“No!” Jiang Cheng jolted as a nibble hit his neck and only determination was what kept him from sending a scolding scowl to Wei Wuxian, who chuckled behind him, more than pleased that he was participating in the game. There was so many giggles, so many snickering jumping freely from his smile, so many ghost tickles attacking each one of his spots. “Thihihis ridiculohohohous. Stohohop it.”

“He always complains a lot.” Now in his normal voice, Wei Wuxian loudly whispered to Lan Zhan, who was softly smiling for a while now, his own ears prickling with the teases, even if they weren’t directed at him. His husband was truly merciless. “But have you seen him even trying to push me away this entire time?” The one in black robes preens, then, pleased, using his teaching tone. A pity he couldn’t free one of his hands to pretend to have a goatee, but leaving his Jiang Cheng in stitches was more important. “You can only tease him that much when you tired him before or it will not work! He will start fighting and complaining and probably attempt to make a break from it and then get all grumpy and protesting afterward.”

He will kill Wei Wuxian when he is done here, he really will. Wangji hums seriously, as if he would be taking notes if his hands were not busy holding him up. It was a surprise they haven’t fallen on the ground yet, the only good point is that, so focused on their torso, they wouldn’t think about…

Other places.

As if he could read minds, Wei Wuxian’s face brightened, then was taken over by a mischievous, evil look. His next words made electricity shot through his spine. “There is only one exception for this, a single spot that can distract him instantly and make him agree to anything, but it’s… ah, Lan Zhan, can you lower him to the ground? It’s easier to show than to say, really!”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened and his legs locked into place, eyes quickly darted to the Wei Wuxian’s face, only realizing his mistake when said face opened into a sharp grin and hands clung to his sides, spidering on them and clawing on his belly until his eyes were closed, squeaky laughter spilling from him once more and his legs were back into wet noodles.

“Wei Ying?”

“Don’t worry, Lan Zhan, just this one spot and then we’re done! It’s going to be fun.”

Jiang Cheng clung to those hands as they started to lower him to the ground, kicking at the playful fingers hiking up his ribs and scribbling on that truly awful spot under his chin until his huffs of laughter and snorts were almost successful in distracting him.

“Get his calves.”

“WEI WUXIAN!” Then those hands left his torso and rested on said spot, making him pull up his leg uu and being stopped by a hand holding his ankle still, locking his leg into that half curled, half extended position. With curiosity, Lan Zhan ran a finger from his ankle to the back of his knee, watching with a pleased surprise as he jolted on the same place, shaking his head as Wei Wuxian’s tickling continued to pry a high kind of snickering from him. “Lan Wahahahangji, you’re gohohohonna rehehehegret it!”

Lan Zhan looked at his face, the red in his skin, the smile in his lips, the melodious sound of his laughter. 

He watched as Wei Wuxian beamed at him, the mirth in his eyes, the expecting grin aimed in his direction. There was not even a choice to be made here. 

“It will be worth it.” 

As a squeeze hit his calf, a shriek left his lips, making Wei Wuxian stop his playful touches to better hug and adjust him, nearly being hit him when he quickly went to hide it on his neck, shoulders shaking with the force of his laughter, being pried from his chest in a uncontrollable, loud and unashamed manner. There was squeals adorning it every time those skilled fingers digged his flesh for a moment, only to disappear and attack another place again, squeezing and taunting and skittering. There were squeaks and guffaws when he suddenly decided to scratch at the ticklish skin under his knee and tittering snickers when he began poking the entirety of his calf, exploring every spot, every inch of skin, drumming on his thighs as a chance to let him breath and then going back to torment his weakest spot. Somewhere during this, his shoe was taken off and there were fingers wiggling and teasing under his toes, making him shriek once more and squirm as the cycle repeated over and over again.

When tears began flowing on his face, Lan Wangji stopped, rubbing on the skin and firmly massaging the muscles until there were only a couple stray giggles floating in the room and Jiang Cheng was jelly on his hands. Wei Wuxian fondly cleaned the tear tracks, snickering. “Aiya, Lan Zhan, it was only one spot more. Such a ruthless attack, how will we even tell Xichen-ge that you killed Sect Leader Jiang?”

“Hm. Wei Ying said ‘one more spot’. I didn’t.”

Wei Wuxian gasped at the smart, smug-sounding words. “When did you start acting so rebellious? Is the influence of the Yilling Patriarch truly corrupting the unmoving Second Jade of Gusu Lan?” 

“Not unmoving. Not with Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying squeaked in embarrassment. “Lan Zhan! Such a smooth talker.”

“Go flirt somewhere else.”

“A-Cheng!”

“Wanyin.”

Jiang Cheng finally opened his eyes, the last remain of his hysterical giggles gone. Unfortunately, the tiny grin on his face didn’t want to disappear so willingly. 

He scoffed, at his mushy feelings, at the relaxation of his muscles and the stupidly soft gazes aimed in his direction. His neck and ears burned and for a moment he almost succumbed to the want of hiding it in his hands or Wei Wuxian’s neck, like before, but since those two were the ones to blame about it, then they would have to deal with their consequences. Another pair of hands began, too, massaging his shoulders and his eyes fluttered close, grin growing bigger, face softer. Wangji came closer, took his hands and began softly massaging each one of his fingers, then his pulse, then his arm. 

Golden and gray eyes found themselves above Jiang Cheng’s head and Wei Wuxian’s crinkled. 

‘My favorite part.’ It said. Wangji nodded in agreement. There was something about how freely Jiang Cheng accepted their touch and care, now, pillant, willingly and smiling. Although having him squirming, answering at each one of their tickles, reacting so strongly at their teases, was an extremely good feeling as well.

“Did you like our intervention, A-Cheng?”

“ ‘m never lett’ ‘u hug me, ag’n”

Wei Wuxian snorted and Wangji fluttered his fingers softly on his palm, pulling sleepy, almost nonexistent titters, then massaging the spot dutifully.

Perhaps they should be making more interventions in the future.

[kanene-yaaay]

Hello, good morning, I am here to ask you the most important question ever

Have you read Tenderness today?

Studies shows that start you day by reading Tenderness you increase in 90% the chances of finding eternal happiness in the first hours of the day (the other 10% participants are outlivers who have ascended immediately and directly to the skies and couldn't be found to answer the questionarie).

9 out of 10 dentists approve Tenderness as a way to increase your life span since each reading of such a wonderful and well written story will bring you more 10 years of life.

Are you looking for the fluffiest romance you could ever lay your eyes upon? A little bit of angst that is so surrounded and cared by tons of comfort that will melt your hearts and water your crops? Are you searching for a sweet, lovely and heart-warming story that will leave you with a smile in your face for hours and a so well constructed writing that will make you just want to shake op by her shoulder and then hug her non stop??

Well, look for it no more because Tenderness is the right story for you! With plenty of tickles, softness, tickling, kisses, sentences and sentences about how CUTE they both are, more tickles, lots of teasings, Lan Zhan being a BASTARD (affectionate <3), Wei Wuxian flirting like his life depends on it, have i told you about the tickles yet? Because there is an entire new techinique here and I am STILL NOT OVER IT LIKE COME ONNNNN!! AN ENTIRE NEW TECHINIQUE??? SQUEAKY, HOW DARE YOU TO BE SO BRILLANT AND GALAXY BRAIN, YA WONDERFUL BEAN??

Tenderness.

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Characters: Lee!Wei Wuxian, Ler!Lan Wangji

Warnings: Mentions of death and grief, Wei Wuxian being Wei Wuxian (some suggestive comments but nothing actually happens)

Word count: around 8.300 words

Summary: There are days where all Lan Wangji wants is to shower his husband in his affections.

A/N: This is the softest, sappiest thing I've ever written. Fluff and feelings without plot. God bless. (THANK YOU @kanene-yaaay FOR SCREAMING BACK AND FORTH WITH ME ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS FOR AN UNHOLY AMOUNT OF TIME, INSPIRING ME TO WRITE THIS. A MILLION THANKS AND HUGS TO YOU.)

Slouching was forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.

Even so, the weight on his shoulders did not lessen.

Lan Wangji had always meticulously followed his routine, unless disaster struck and he had no choice but to deviate from it. He was a man of habits. There was a proper time and place for everything, a carefully constructed schedule that should be followed. There was a proper time to rise in the morning. A proper time to tend to the affairs of his sect. A proper time to train his disciples. A proper time to retire for the day.

Such a schedule was followed rigorously and with precision so long as Lan Wangji was within the boundaries of Cloud Recesses.

Every day. For longer than Lan Wangji was willing to reflect on, lest the metaphorical weight on his shoulders only worsen. For countless days he had gone through the motions like there wasn't a gaping, bleeding gash in his heart that was the absence of Wei Wuxian.

Those days were far too painful to remember.

But they were long past. He now had his husband (his husband) safely by his side each night, teaching his own classes and running around causing mischief all throughout Cloud Recesses in the daytime when he thought Lan Wangji would be none the wiser.

Things were much, much better. Infinitely better. Perfect, he would say. Yet with Wei Wuxian not in his immediate sight as he followed the same grief-coated routine he did for years, sometimes it was easy to forget he had his fated one back in his life. That the loving moments they shared were indeed real and not dreams that taunted him with what he couldn't have. Quite a few times he felt consumed by an inexplicable wave of sorrow, only for it to be dispersed as he caught sight of his husband or heard his uncle fuming about something the man had done.

There was not a single minute of the day when Lan Wangji did not yearn for Wei Wuxian. Did not yearn to be with him. Some days, not acting on that urge bordered on painful.

Which is why returning to his bedchambers at the Jingshi at nighttime, where he would be warmly greeted by the love of his life, was undoubtedly one of his most cherished moments of the day.

"Lan Zhan!" Chirped a cheerful voice as the door shut behind him. His favorite cheerful voice. "You're early today!"

Lan Wangji stilled as his gaze fell upon Wei Wuxian. The former Yiling Laozu stood by the bathtub in the corner of the room, his frame half-obscured by the privacy screen sectioning his living space. With a mere glance his eyes were drawn to the way in which the man's damp hair stuck to his neck and cascaded down his bare back. Dressed in nothing but his pants.

Lan Wangji had discovered, recently, that he was also a man of instincts, when he allowed himself to be.

Wei Wuxian's smile grew impossibly wider as Lan Wangji strode towards him, the Second Jade of Lan's eyes dark with a longing Wei Wuxian was intimately familiar with. He schooled his features into a teasing smirk, a playfully scolding tone edge his voice. "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, you're insatiable! I just got out of the bath- Lan Zhan!" An undignified sputter fell from his lips as Wei Wuxian felt hands pressing onto his back and slipping underneath his knees, hoisting him up into a bridal carry.

Rather than to be practically and enthusiastically tossed onto the bed as he occasionally was as they initiated their daily activities, which they had gleefully engaged in in the morning, Wei Wuxian remained cradled to Lan Wangji's chest. Nestled like a bunny, Wei Wuxian only blushed at the sensation of Lan Wangji's fingers on his back tracing small, light circles on the bare skin. 'Unusually gentle.' He mused, shifting in his husband's hold in an attempt to remove his pants as they approached their bed at a slower pace than Wei Wuxian would have liked.

"No need." Lan Wangji gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, setting Wei Wuxian down on the mattress with such tenderness he felt as if he were made of glass.

"You're always welcome to rip them off yourself." Wei Wuxian flashed him an impish grin, innuendo dripping from his voice. To his confusion and disappointment, his husband did not rise to the bait nor get that fetching blush that he oh so loved to cause. Lan Wangji's features softened to a point even someone unfamiliar with the art of reading Lan Wangji (Wei Wuxian had long mastered such art, he did!) would have been able to tell.

With a smile almost far too fond, Lan Wangji towered over his lover, who still stared up at him with a sultry gaze. "Shameless." He took off his boots and lowered himself next to Wei Wuxian, laying on his side as to face his love. His arms sneaked around the younger man's frame and pulled him close, holding him against his chest in a protective embrace. If Lan Wangji could have his way, his wish would be to never have to let go.

The soothing, familiar scent of sandalwood washed over Wei Wuxian as Lan Wangji's face pressed against the crook of his neck. Unmoving beyond that point. He could feel Lan Wangji's eyes drifting to a close, the man's eyelashes fluttering against his skin. Wei Wuxian felt his cheeks heating up slightly at the domestic affection and surrendered himself to the comfort of the cultivator's hold, sighing contentedly as he snuggled closer.

"Aiya, who would have guessed the mighty Hanguang-Jun was this cuddly? If you hold me any tighter I might cough out cotton since you're so insistent on making a stuffed toy out of me." Said the former boogeyman of the cultivation world, pressed snugly against Lan Wangji, clinging onto him as he too laced his arms around his beloved.

Bliss. He would have died a hundred deaths if it meant he could spend eternity like this afterwards.

"Only with you." Came the muffled response, Lan Wangji's face still tucked into Wei Wuxian's neck, hiding the pink that tinged his ears.

Only with his Wei Ying, and no one else.

He had waited thirteen years for this, if only to be able to hear Wei Wuxian's voice again if he couldn't have him the way he desired. Diligently and faithfully, despite his brother's knowing and consoling looks and despite young Lan Sizhui's cries for his Xian-gege. Those had stung more than the strike of any whip, had almost made him succumb under the weight of his loss, but he persevered. He had to. If Lan Wangji couldn't have hope, then he had nothing.

He tightened his hold on Wei Wuxian, just slightly. Thankfully, he didn't seem to protest.

"Are we going to sleep already?" Wei Wuxian nudged him with his nose after what, to Wei Wuxian, felt like prolonged silence. "It's not even Hai Shi yet, and you're still dressed. And we didn't put off the lights. How are we supposed to fall asleep like this?"

He couldn't fault Wei Wuxian for the assumption, though he wished his husband would stay awake so this peaceful, quiet (or as quiet as Wei Wuxian would allow. He couldn't say he wouldn't be content with endless chatter as well, if it was Wei Wuxian filling the silence) moment could be shared between the two of them. In the last few days, between their responsibilities, Wei Wuxian's shenanigans, night-hunts and passionate sex lives, they rarely got to spend time simply existing in their home within each other's arms that didn't include drifting off to sleep or waking up in the morning. That would not do. Lan Wangji would have to remedy that.

Even so, when the man beside him let out a long, dramatic yawn, Lan Wangji caved. With a flick of his hand and a stream of spiritual energy he extinguished most of the lanterns in the room, leaving only a couple to bask them in a warm, dim lighting. "You may sleep if you wish to. I... want to hold you for a while longer."

Wei Wuxian let out a tiny, fake sleepy sound in response, which would hopefully distract Lan Wangji from the color adorning his cheeks. He willed himself to stay as still as possible, certainly because he intended on going to sleep and not because wanted to keep enjoying being held by his husband. "Goodnight, Lan Zhan." Naturally, he failed. His hand reached out to play with the man's forehead ribbon, twirling it around his finger. He would get chilly soon, laying in bed without at least an undershirt in this time of year, but he wasn't backing down now.

"Mn. Sleep well."

Only then, with Wei Wuxian laying peacefully in his arms, did Lan Wangji allow himself to fully relax. He pulled back- only slightly so, though Wei Wuxian's dramatic whine of protest seemed to imply otherwise- so he could unabashedly stare at his husband. His eyes traced the younger man's features, lingering at the curl of his lips into a delighted smile as he undoubtedly felt Lan Wangji's gaze on him.

It had been jarring at first, seeing Wei Wuxian's smile- which he treasured above all else, tucked safely in his heart amidst a field of gentian flowers- on the face of another. But even in a body not originally his, everything he did screamed Wei Wuxian, and all nagging doubts or worries in his mind were washed away the moment that smile was directed at him.

Lan Wangji would always be thankful to Mo Xuanyu, but the body nestled in his embrace was his no longer. This was entirely, wholly and completely, Wei Wuxian.

Though he did wish he could have become this well acquainted with Wei Wuxian's original body. He wished for those silver eyes on him as he was caught stealing yearning glances as a teenager. He wished he could have held the man's cheek in his hand, transfixed by that youthful smile, untouched by war and loss. He did not understand how, even now, after all he had suffered through, Wei Wuxian continued to smile so brightly.

Wei Wuxian's delighted and delightful laughter rung pleasantly in his mind, the same sound he had heard since his youth transporting him back to that fateful night in the rooftops of Cloud Recesses. Loud, mischievous, carefree Wei Wuxian laughing in joy as they drew their swords. Even back then he knew that laugh, that smile, that troublemaker was his everything.

Lan Wangji was not his brother. Though his husband would firmly object, he did not have a talent for creating amusing, easy-going atmospheres where people were prone to smile. And so, every smile from his loved ones was a blessing. A gift.

Which is why, months after vanishing without a trace during the war, Wei Wuxian crushed him the moment Lan Wangji laid eyes on him. Neither the roaring, green flames nor the haunting sounds of the dizi mattered to him in that instant. Neither did the army of fierce corpses, as much as it had shamed him to admit it to himself back then.

Wei Ying was alive. Wei Ying's smile was cold, cruel and malicious.

Relief and horror had battled within him, the latter churning heavily in his stomach unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Lan Wangji held him a little closer.

The pain of memory was not something he would associate Wei Wuxian's smile with. Not when there were far more pleasant things to associate it to.

"Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan!" The demonic cultivator chirped a little too enthusiastically for someone who had supposedly gone to sleep.

"Wanted to know if you were still awake." He responded when Wei Wuxian eyed him questioningly. "...Are you not tired?"

"I am! Exhausted!" Wei Wuxian made a show out of stretching his limbs and yawning excessively loud. "Hanguang-Jun, what are you Lans feeding these disciples? Are you sneaking them anything other than that rabbit food you all eat when I'm not looking? I had to watch Jingyi copy rules while on a handstand today! For hours! And he didn't even fall once! I got tired just from looking! Where does that arm strength come from?"

Ah. So, not tired.

In that case, Wei Wuxian could not blame him if he kept him awake for longer.

He let his hand roam the expanse of Wei Wuxian's back, firm and warm as it made its way down. A content little noise escaped the smaller man at the skin to skin contact. He would have sunk further into Lan Wangji's embrace, if possible. "Lan Zhan, how can you ignore your dear husband?" Wei Wuxian pouted, yet ultimately succumbed to the pleasant feeling. "But this feels nice."

Lan Wangji hummed in response. Wei Wuxian hated to admit it, but he was turning into an old man. There was no other reasonable explanation as to why his husband's comforting voice and touch— as wonderful as they were— were enough to almost lull him to sleep before it was even Hai Shi, when he was brimming with energy mere moments earlier. He was almost thankful for Lan Wangji's touch gradually lightening, the goosebumps-inducing drag of nails over his skin enough to keep him awake and aware, instead of drifting off when he could be spending quality time cuddling with his favorite person.

He was perfectly happy lounging in Lan Wangji's arms and being on the receiving end of his care, until his breath hitched in his throat and the pressure of fingers exploring his back crossed the threshold of 'dangerously light' territory.

In his first life, Wei Wuxian was proud to say he was barely ticklish.

Okay, that was a lie. But he wasn't devastatingly ticklish. At least nowhere near Jiang Cheng's level, who barked with laughter as soon as he was touched and tried to disguise it as an annoyed yell. Or, gods forbid, Nie Huaisang's, who shrieked and flinched away before he was even touched. (Wei Wuxian took the blame for Huaisng's unwilling breaking of the 'Do not make loud noises' rule during their lectures at Cloud Recesses quite often. It was worth it.)

But, fate, as it seemed, took it upon its own hands to uphold karmic justice. Mo Xuanyu's body, in his far from biased opinion, of course, was insanely ticklish. Everywhere. A design flaw his beloved, endlessly benevolent yet merciless and cruel husband happily, constantly took advantage of. There was no way to tell if Lan Wangji was purposefully teasing him or if he had no such intentions, at least not without catching his eyes.

And, after happening many times, there were two things he knew by heart.

One, if he saw Lan Wangji was indeed provoking him, there would be no stifling a nervous giggle.

Two, the moment that first giggle was out, he was done for.

He needed a diversion and he needed to work fast.

"You know, usually by now you'd already be pounding me into the bed. Why the change?" He blurted out, preening in victory when the man grew still. Better yet, Wei Wuxian's hand playing with Lan Wangji's hair brushed against a suddenly very warm ear.

But his triumph was short-lived. Wei Wuxian sucked in a breath as the wandering fingers on his back curled and uncurled ever so slightly, slowly crawling up and down his spine. He forced his body to freeze, sheer will and flustered trepidation keeping him from arching away in a fit of squeals. A chorus of half-hearted protests rang in his mind, which he was pretty sure he could feel scurrying around in his skull and giggling in anticipation. He could talk his way out of this for sure, right? He's talked his way out of much worse situations before, so a potentially mischievous Lan Wangji should be no trouble, surely. All he needed to do was keep talking, even if it was to spew nonsense. "Lan Zhan! Have you been drinking? Without me? Is that why you're acting different?"

Lan Wangji, to his own credit, did nothing more than huff in that particular way Wei Wuxian knew meant he was being laughed at. "No."

"So if I peek under the floorboard, I won't find an empty bottle? Maybe I should check to make sure Hanguang-Jun wasn't parading around Cloud Recesses while drunk. How scandalous would that be, Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian shifted to rise out of bed and inconspicuously scamper from his husband's hold without making his intentions too obvious.

He tried, rather. He squirmed, he twisted, he shot Lan Wangji that slightly awkward smile he did after he'd been resurrected and didn't know exactly where they stood with each other. But the arms wrapped securely around him. Would. Not. Budge.

"I have not been in the Jingshi since morning, I could not have drunk. You know this." Lan Wangji noted, a sliver of amusement in his voice and ooh, Wei Wuxian knew he was screwed.

Skillful fingers between his shoulder blades drew out a gasp from him, which he promptly disguised as a forceful laugh. It was fine. No need to panic. He could hold in a few giggles, how hard could it be? "Right! Right, silly me."

Lan Wangji had to know what he was doing, that utter menace of a man. No one ever believed him when he said the Second Jade of Lan did, in fact, have a handful mischievous of bones in his body, contrary to popular belief. Apparently, not only was 'Sorry, Hanguang-Jun was feeling too affectionate and decided he had to tickle me silly' not a valid excuse for disheveled appearance, but earned him an extra glare from the Lan elders for 'lying'. Even when Hanguang-Jun himself admitted to it. Real unfair, in his opinion. Though he did always have as much fun as his husband when Lan Wangji got the best of him.

Maybe it was that thought that caused him to slack in his efforts. A single finger strayed too close to his side, and Wei Wuxian shivered. He couldn't have scooted more than an inch away, yet Lan Wangji caught onto the movement like a spiritual animal.

Lan Wangji merely stared, a ghost of a smile on his lips as his finger carried on. "Wei Ying. Stay still."

"I can't help it!" Wei Wuxian broke into a wobbly grin, his side muscles twitching. He glanced pleadingly up at the other, commanding a sultry tone into his voice even as his huffs bordered on giggling. "If you want to show love to yohour precious husband, thehehere's other ways you could use your hands."

Warm eyes took in every detail of his face, lingering on upturned lips. "Mn." Wei Wuxian heard, and yet before he could think of celebrating his victory- "No."

It happened so quickly Wei Wuxian barely processed it. With an agility rarely seen outside of battle, his upper body shot up and his hands flew to protect his side as an onslaught of touches ripped a laugh from his throat. Lan Wangji sat up and swiftly laced their fingers, just enough strength in his grip to have Wei Wuxian pause and glance at their joined hands with an honest to gods bashful expression. "Or you could- you could do that. That's fine too. Holding hands I mean."

For a lingering moment the two simply sit there, holding each other's hands and gazing into each other's eyes. Wei Wuxian would babble if his heart weren't beating so strongly in his chest he felt it in his throat. Without breaking eye contact, Lan Wangji released his hold only to instead clasp slightly below his partner's wrists.

Silently, Wei Wuxian watched his own wrist being brought closer to the man across from him. The pristine looking-cultivator, who he knew wouldn't look amiss among heavenly officials, his Lan Zhan, bent forward and pressed his lips against the skin of his inner wrist in a tender kiss. Wei Wuxian gawked. Lan Wangji repeated the motion with his other wrist. The demonic cultivator thought he might have accidentally activated a warmth talisman somehow- was the Jingshi warmer all of a sudden?

Wei Wuxian was brought back to his senses by something white and flimsy-looking moving in his field of vision. The sacred ribbon of the Gusu Lan sect slid off of Lan Wangji's forehead. Wei Wuxian hadn't even noticed the man letting go of him to untie it. Only when the white, cloud-embroidered cloth neared his wrists did Wei Wuxian's traitorous lips quirk upwards without his permission.

"Lan Zhan-" He squeaked and scooted backwards. "What are you doing-"

"You said you couldn't help it." Hanguang-Jun easily followed after him. Faster than a blink the sturdy fabric bound his wrists together, a knot- TWO knots- sealing his fate. "I am helping Wei Ying stay still."

With one light push, Wei Wuxian's back hit the mattress and blunt fingernails grazed idly along his top ribs. Any resolve he had been harboring in the past minutes abandoned ship, and it had the audacity to wave him goodbye too. "I dihihihidn't mehehehean ihihit lihihike thahahat!"

The look on Lan Wangji's face was deceptively innocuous as he happily and deliberately misinterpreted what he had heard. "Would you like them to be tied behind your back instead?"

"I thohohought yohou ohohonly dihid thahat whehehen yohohou're druhuhunk!" Wei Wuxian shot him the most betrayed look he could muster. It was promptly countered by his eyes nearly sealing shut with the force of his smile as a finger softly scratched at the skin between the bones. A faint tug on the ribbon binding his wrists had him snatching them away from Lan Wangji's reach. "Nohoho! They're fihihine lihike thihihis!"

Wei Wuxian wished he could kiss that smug microexpression off his face. Or better yet, morph it into that wide and radiant smile he ever got to see when the roles were reversed.

All thoughts of payback were pushed to the back of his mind by warm lips peppering kisses along his face. He swore up and down the only reason for his nonstop giggling was the electric sensation of his ribcage being skillfully played like a guqin and not at all because he swooned like a bashful maiden.

A musical cultivator indeed, his Lan Zhan. Long and slender fingers vibrated and practically plucked his ribs as if they were strings, the wide range of sounds being drawn out of him only adding to the comparison. The Second Jade of Lan was definitely focused as if he had his instrument lying in front of him, picking a spot and sticking to it regardless of any attempts to be pushed away. Wei Wuxian used to believe he had a thick face. That was before he knew the feeling of being under Hanguang-Jun's undivided attention and affections. He almost wished they were back in their teenage years, swordfighting on the roofs instead of this. (He did not say that part out loud. Lan "Lying is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses" Zhan could smell a lie from miles away, if it came from him.) At least that didn't have his heart doing somersaults in his chest or have his face flushing like a Lan fed peppers.

"Why tihihicklihihing?"

Lan Wangji did not answer, his mouth occupied trailing kisses on Wei Wuxian's jawline, which he deemed much more important than talking. His hands wandered up his ribcage, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake with his barely-there touch.

Wei Wuxian was raised in Lotus Pier, alongside Jiang Cheng and their martial brothers, who- in true Yunmeng Jiang spirit- were happy to roughhouse. It was the norm, actually. He was more than used to being on the receiving end of tickle fights, it was no big deal, honestly! He'd grown to expect quick, ruthless and overwhelming attacks where he felt as if his nerves were on fire- those that had him shrieking and flailing as soon as he was touched- aimed to weaken him so he couldn't turn the tables. He was limp and breathless within seconds, but it's not like it really affected him much. It was as fun as any other game he played, and that was it. No mushy-gushy feelings involved.

With Lan Zhan, it was a whole different story. Fingers prodding softly at his underarms made him all too aware of that.

Lan Zhan tickled like it was an art, with a grace that would have anyone believing he'd been trained in it his entire life. Gentle, loving touches drifted across his skin sweetly and reverently, like every inch was worth being committed to memory and doused in affection. Hands so strong they could probably punch through a tree made light and tender -doting on him, caring for him- with the sole purpose of making him let loose and giggle without a care in the world. Warm eyes tracking his every move like they've never seen anything more beautiful as he squirmed from the nuzzling behind his ear. The single-minded focus on each reaction coaxed out of him and the fondness seeping into him from every drawn-out touch until he almost forgot how to think.

Lan Zhan had him, and nothing could hurt him. Nothing bad could reach him while he laughed away under his husband's hands, while he was comfortably cocooned in their own little bubble of love, warmth and anticipation.

'Gross.' Said a mini Jiang Cheng in his head, rolling his eyes half-heartedly, before being swept away screaming alongside Wei Wuxian by a torrential wave of tingles by light nibbles on his ear paired with nails skittering underneath his arms.

"Husbahahand!" He squealed. "Nohohot so lihihihight!"

The wicked, dastardly man he married lightened his touch in response, humming in satisfaction when his squeaking grew more high-pitched and his trashing heightened. Wei Wuxian cursed the adoring, soft tactics he had no built-up resistance against. (Then turned back and apologized to it because he liked it very much.)

With the patience of a man who had all the time in the world, Lan Wangji's touch descended to the barely sensitive area between his chest and his stomach- drawing out the occasional huff but not much else- as to allow Wei Wuxian regain his breath. His intention was not to overwhelm him, there was no need to rush.

Wei Wuxian took several breaths below him, glancing up at him with a dopey smile. While Lan Wangji adored that dopey grin, as he did all others, he decided that at that moment it did not suffice when he could provoke a wide, euphoric smile whose brightness rivaled the sun.

Lan Wangji leaned down and pressed his lips to his neck in fleeting kisses, nose rubbing lovingly against the reddened area like a rabbit and Wei Wuxian broke into a stream of bubbly giggles, shoulders hunching up. Oh that was not fair. That was so not fair. He wasn't ticklish there at all in his first life, why did this body have to be ticklishness on two legs- "Dahahamn yohohou, Mo XuahahanyUHUHU-!" Steady nibbling showed Lan Wangji had strong issues with that statement.

"Wei Ying should thank him for helping you laugh so freely." Lan Wangji said into his skin, the chiding tone nullified by that slight teasing and playful edge only ever directed at him. He would have loved to shoot back a theatrical 'Lan Zhan! Are you teasing me?' if he wasn't a little busy with not melting into a giggly puddle by all the kissing and the nibbling and the nuzzling and those evil fingers caressing right above his stomach and did that spot somehow get more ticklish because oh man-

"I dohohon't neheheed any help to lahahaugh! I alreheheady laugh plehehenty!" He found it in himself to protest, battling his reflexes not to roll off the bed to escape the mischievous affection. Wei Wuxian caught a glimpse of his husband's expression shifting into something familiar and oh no- he realized with growing horror- the strength of his heart was about to get tested.

"Mn." Said the light of his life, the reason he might someday find out if a heart can burst from too much love, every inch of his normally jade-like features screaming Fond Fond Fond- "I am lucky to hear it every day. It is beautiful.

"You-!" He half-choked on air and dramatically clutched his chest, hands trembling against the bodily urge to swat Lan Wangji's away, and promptly shoved his face into the pillow to hide a flustered grin and cheeks that were definitely embarrassingly red. "Yohohou can't say suhuch thihihings wihihithout wahaharnihing! Yohour poor husbahahand's heart can ohohonly tahahake so muhuhch!"

His skin still buzzing, Wei Wuxian didn't even register his torso being left alone and a pair of hands focusing entirely on the exposed side of his neck had him arching forward in surprise. "Cheheheheater!" Stubbornly, he pressed his face further into the pillow.

"I do not recall setting any rules." With equal stubbornness he maintained his ministrations, alternating between skittering lightly and walking two fingers up and down the demonic cultivator's neck, poking slightly the way he remembered the feeling of his husband in paperman form strolling playfully on his own neck. "Do not hide your smile from me." He added his lips into the mix, ghosting over the reddened ear and nibbling softly.

Lan Wangji huffed lightly when there was no response aside from muffled tittering. "Wei Ying. You will not breathe well like this." He slid a palm between the pillow and Wei Wuxian's forehead, lifting the man's head just enough so his face wasn't so buried in, and returned to the mission of coaxing his cultivation partner out of hiding.

Wei Wuxian held his position for an impressive record of two minutes before he was forced to give in and turn his head to shield the vulnerable spot. (And seeing his husband's handsome face was always a priceless bonus.) He was rewarded with a very smug looking Lan and a chaste kiss to his lips. His whining at Lan Wangji pulling away went ignored and doubled when instead of gazing at his mouth, the white-clad man instead stared at his chin with a deeply pondering expression.

The way it was done to him so many times, Lan Wangji hooked a finger underneath his chin and scritched.

"Eeehehehehehehee nohohoho!" Understanding dawned on Wei Wuxian a second too late. All the blood rushing to his face was almost dizzying as squeal after squeal escaped from him, a sudden shyness tugging at him at having the affectionate gesture he so often dished out reflected back at him for the first time. He had half a mind to melt into the touch like a purring kitten, the foreign bashfulness it brought making him babble out mindless pleas. "Mehehercy, husbahahand! I'm mohohore tihihicklihish thahan you ahahare!"

That finger remained firmly in its place even as he twisted and turned, following behind as if on autopilot. Lan Wangji stared openly, transfixed, at the squirming man coming undone, shy-looking, with such a simple touch. His world reduced to sweet sight and sounds before him, gladly so. A flustered Wei Wuxian wasn't something often seen, and it swept him off his feet each time. If the wonder he felt upon driving the other to such state was half of what Wei Wuxian felt while pushing his buttons, Lan Wangji could understand why he was so fond of doing it.

By the point the melodic giggles had grown high-pitched and nearly frantic, he willed himself to pause- making a mental note to lavish the newly discovered spot in attention some other day.

His hands traced reverently down to the collarbones, slowly and appreciatively like one would handle fine, fragile embroidery. Like something enchanting with a magnetic pole to it. The Lan halted as he reached the spot over Wei Ying's heart. He pressed his palm to it. The warmth emanating from the skin and the quickened pulsing felt like gifts from the heavens. Not for the first time, Lan Wangji marveled.

Alive.

Wei Wuxian blinked at the change of pace and brought his bound hands to rest comfortingly over Lan Wangji's, which was still glued to his bare chest. Eyes caught his own, and any questions Wei Wuxian could have voiced were caught in his throat at the raw intensity of the look directed at him. Two decades of longing. Thirteen years of grief. A present thick with devotion and a promised eternity of love.

"Lan Zhan." His face softened, wishing he could cradle with care the emotions he was gifted with seeing, and tuck them safely away so Lan Wangji would never suffer again, least of all because of him. Gray eyes grew impossibly warm and he schooled his guise of pure adoration into one of dramatic swooning. "Lan Zhaaaaan!" He whined, falling back into the playful ambiance they had built. "You know I can't bear it when you look at me like that."

Obediently, the fervent gaze fell back to his chest, precisely at one spot which, in another lifetime, bore a mark mirrored in Lan Wangji's own chest. Lan Wangji traced a circle onto the naked skin. Followed by a smaller one inside. And an even smaller circle within it.

He bent forward and kissed the very center.

The demonic cultivator observed in awed silence as the faint touch then moved lower, tensing in anticipation as it advanced across his stomach and proceeded toward his side. But no frenzied laughter was ripped from his throat. Instead, a thumb sweetly caressed the scar his nephew had given him. The kisses came shortly after.

Then, a palm resting on his stomach. On his lower dantian.

The other surveyed the unblemished area closely, as if attempting to see something that was not there, that he had never seen and belonged on another body.

Wei Wuxian sucked in a sharp breath as he caught on. A trembling finger traced a line from below his navel up to the middle of his stomach. Then downwards, steadily, and up again. The touch so reverential it made his eyes prickle, so tremendously light it didn't even tickle. Wei Wuxian felt it all the same, oh he felt it, alright.

Lips brushed against the skin and the small golden core Mo Xuanyu had cultivated all but thrummed in response. He felt he could cultivate to immortality by simply laying there and surrendering to the moment, to the deep affection that every day he was pushed closer into believing he was worthy of. He tried to speak, but words failed him. Because Wei Wuxian understood now. He'd understood back in Guanyin Temple and it lounged happily at the back of his consciousness ever since, and now it all came spilling forth.

He understood the feeling of being completely, utterly seen in every single way. He understood being laid bare, every one of his vulnerabilities, mistakes and choices out in the open and being treated with compassion. He understood if Lan Zhan, of all people, would treat him in such a way and be thoroughly sure Wei Wuxian deserved it, maybe he wasn't so unworthy after all.

Lan Wangji's eyes were ablaze with emotions as they met his. Gah! It was official, he was only one more meaningful glance away from having his heart exploded. Or his body and mind turned to mush. Whichever came first.

That doting hand curled into a claw and that was all the warning he got before being thrown into cackles. "Hehehey!" Tips of fingernails dug lightly into his skin, barely vibrating yet still enough to get him hollering and pulling at his restraints. That right there was why the man was the most feared and favored tickle monster in his life. He lured you in with sweet, gentle touches until you were brimming with all sorts of fuzzy feelings, then he struck with even more gentle touches, but you're on the verge of losing your wits so everything feels at least three times as intense. "YOHOHOU MAHAHADE ME DROHOP MY GUAHAHARD ON PURPOHOHOSE!"

His husband, with his adorable and very kissable face, blinked owlishly down at him. There was a tiny furrow between his eyebrows and Wei Wuxian could have regretted the playful accusation if that subtle pout weren't so damn cute he wanted to scream. He got his wish when the other kneaded and squeezed all across his stomach with added speed to show his displeasure.

"Did not."

"WahAHAHAIT, I'm sohohorry! Dohohon't mIHIHInd whahahat thihis ohohone says, nohothihing good ehehever cohohomes out of his mohohouth!" Wei Wuxian giggled with reckless abandon, tipping into shrieks when Lan Wangji honed in to any spots he thought extra sensitive. He seemed to be enraptured in testing in how many ways he could make the muscles of his lower stomach jump and spasm with a measured fluttering of fingertips when he fixed Wei Wuxian with a glare.

"Not true." Lan Wangji was unrelenting, chasing his stomach no matter where he squirmed. Whenever he laid on one side, wiggling fingers readily greeted him until he turned to the other, where another hand waited patiently for its turn. Not to mention how many times the laughing bundle of joy curled in on himself, laid flat again when he realized that wouldn't protect him, only to return to the same position seconds after. The sect heir looked particularly endeared every time.

The demonic cultivator was nearly breathless when he was finally granted mercy. Or so he thought. As he pried an eye open, residual giggles still pouring out of him, a shudder ran through his body at the sight of thumbs poised over his hips and fingers hovering by his sides. Not touching, but close enough that the heat alone had him fidgeting away in bubbly snickers. His partner eyed him questioningly. "Nohoho, Lahan Zhan nohot yet! I'm gonna pahahass ohohout!"

Alright maybe that was an exaggeration, but it's not like he could be blamed! These were the only spots on his previous life that could actually send him into peals of laughter, and fate must have chosen for paying him back for all his pranks by unleashing onto him the ultimate prank of not only ensuring that ticklishness carried on to his current body, but making it even more sensitive. Wei Wuxian would not forget this betrayal.

Lan Wangji nodded, settling back onto the bare stomach. Then abruptly, the other noted in trepidation, his eyes were gleaming. "As you say." Hands latched onto each side of his navel, in precise places chosen with extreme calculation, and vibrated like it was their only purpose in life. Wei Wuxian had already thrown his head back and wheezed, sucking in his stomach to no avail, when he gasped at a foreign sensation.

The ex-Jiang disciple had both dished out and received a lot when it came to tickle fights. He was experienced and he flaunted it with pride. There was hardly anything he hadn't seen, felt or done. Hardly any dirty trick he didn't know.

Nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of spiritual energy flowing directly into his skin and below.

"WHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-" He screeched. His eyes bulged. His whole frame shook with unrestrained laughter as the qi dispersed through its immediate surroundings, searching for meridians to pass through, and dissipating when it found none. Again and again.

"I am transferring you spiritual energy. So you do not pass out."

"THAHAHAT'S NOHOT HOW YOHOHOU DO IHIHIHIT!" Wei Wuxian's voice had never gone higher in both lives. He'd pity the ears of anyone passing by if he was in any state to, which he definitely was not. The cool spiritual energy coursing through where it shouldn't be tickled more than what should even be possible, like it sunk down to his nerves to personally rub against them. Was he qi deviating? Was this what qi deviation felt like? What a way to go. Beats his first time any day.

His spiral into hysteria was met with only the teasing, miniscule raise of an eyebrow. "Wei Ying has always encouraged innovation."

"I TAHAHAKE IT BAHAHACK! I'LL BE THE MOHOHOST OHOHORTHODOX CULTIHIVAHAHATOR EVER, AND SO SHOHOHOULD YOUOHOU! NO TRYIHIHING NEW MEHEHETHODS! LAN ZHAHAHAHAN!"

Maybe the rumors were true and the virtuous Hanguang-Jun really had been corrupted by the sinful Yiling Laozu, to use his cultivation in such a way. Wei Wuxian would be seeing stars for hours. If he was lacking in incentives to work on his cultivation, he found one at the thought of his husband laughing frantically under that.

It did not end as quickly as it started. Even after Lan Wangji had stopped with a placating "No need", the remaining energy slowly trickling away into nothingness tingled like the after-effects of little shockwaves. If lightning could be baby proofed- and wasn't that a fun thought, he'd have to tinker with his talismans later- this was how he imagined it would feel like.

Gracious, kind and perfect Lan Zhan- and totally not evil whatsoever, when had Wei Wuxian said that?- dragged the hard part of his palms heavily across his stomach, massaging it back and forth until the ghost sensations simmered down. He snickered at the apologetic expression on the man's face and brought a palm to his own forehead to the best of his ability. "Hanguang-Jun has thoroughly defeated me. This Yiling Laozu surrenders. Whatever shall the illustrious Hanguang-Jun do to him, hm?"

Lan Wangji's lips twitched up, half in relief and half in fond exasperation, and soon Wei Wuxian was happy to get back to giggling. The electrifying touches had reverted to being tender and soft as they basked in the affection they spreaded through the room. The bell announcing Hai Shi had rung, and not even that was enough to stop them. Almost no ticklish area the Lan could reach was left untouched, and he had the pleasure of watching his beloved melt as he dutifully massaged each spot after it was targeted.

His not so calm reactions were equally cherished, of course. Like the way his heels dug into the mattress when Lan Wangji scribbled and traced senseless shapes on his thighs. Or when he tensed and babbled when he neared the inner thighs, collapsed in relief when he teased his knees just long enough to throw off suspicion, and bucked violently when he crept right back to the inner thighs and squeezed in rapid succession. He earned himself a glare for that as he soothed the skin. It was adorable.

Wei Wuxian had been reduced to a panting mess by the time the other massaged underneath his knees. ”You’re evil, Lan Zhan. How did you learn to be this mean? It couldn’t have been from me! I can barely tickle you for a couple minutes without you attacking me back like I kicked our bunnies!" Lan Wangji let the shameless lie slide and he gladly continued rambling. “I can’t imagine your uncle or even Zewu-Jun playing with little A-Zhan like this.”

He couldn't supress a quiver at the ghost of a touch traveling slowly up his legs, but ears reddening so swiftly they could combust seemed a lot more important. Lan Xichen's knowing smile when he once pinched Lan Zhan's ribs in his presence suddenly made a lot more sense. "Oh? Lan Zhan?" His grin widened when his husband ducked his head, and he was overtook with the need to coo. "Unless I'm wrong? Should I ask Zewu-Jun for some stories of giggly A-Zhan?"

Narrowed, flustered eyes rivaled a shit-eating grin. Lan Wangji struck.

A single, faint squeeze to his hips and down went Wei Wuxian. Any composure he still had bid him farewell as his entire body jerked. Hands jumped from his hips to his sides, then back to his hips in a dizzying loop. Whenever he thought he was getting used to the feeling of something, the other would change tactics to send him further into sweet lunacy. The Lan's body moved almost on its own as he traced swirls onto the man's sides, lightly and tenderly just the way he knew would fluster him most. Pinching, spidering and stroking his nails against the twitching skin no matter where his partner writhed. He wondered- and he had to restrain himself from standing and finding a brush- how much Wei Ying would squirm if he were to draw the swirling, elegant clouds of Gusu Lan robes on the sensitive spot. He would have to try eventually.

Lan Wangji stared fixedly, fascinated, at the enthralling sight that was his husband, at the joyous eyes curved into crescents and the beaming smile could ward off evil better than any talisman. He wouldn't dare try, yet at that moment he truly believed he was not capable of looking any other way.

'Fancy you, love you.'

Wei Wuxian was a hurricane. Chaotic energy in motion, incapable of keeping still on his own, even when he sometimes sought to. Lan Zhan's gentle, loving touches enveloped him in his entirety, slowing his mind down into a calm breeze. As paradoxical as it sounds, the buzzing, electrifying sensation coursing through him consumed him until he was completely pacified by it, despite his trashing limbs showing anything but. A state of complete bliss.

He looked up. If his laughter could have paused by itself, it would have.

Not even a thousand jars of Emperor's Smile could make Wei Wuxian crumble the way he did as he gazed into his husband's eyes. No heavenly intoxication in this world or the next could hope to compare to the warmth in his chest at the feeling of those golden eyes on him, shining with adoration. Or to the curl of his lips into a small smile, one that held so much love he could almost feel it in the air like energy. Wei Wuxian felt drunk in it.

'Want you, can't leave you.'

And after an eternity of circles being lightly stroked into his hipbones, curious pokes pressed to every possible inch of his sides, his legs kicking out for the umpteenth and a dozen cries for mercy both knew he didn't mean, Wei Wuxian's hands were freed. He hadn't even realized it, lost in his giggles and that mirthful sense of peace that encased him, until his wrists were being rubbed and he saw concern flashing on his husband's face.

His wrists weren't even red or so much as sore, and Lan Wangji still fussed over him every single time. Wei Wuxian had to huff a laugh.

'Whatever you.'

"It hurts, husband!" The demonic cultivator wailed and pouted in that way that let the other, who was very well used to his theatrics, know that it didn't hurt whatsoever. "Oh, it hurts!" He put on his best innocent, pleading look and lifted them closer to his husband. "Kiss it better?"

Lan Wangji didn't waste a second. Honestly, sometimes Wei Wuxian questioned just how much those eyes could soften after having already softened a bazillion times- a feat he was quite proud of, thank you very much.

With a gentle nudge he was encouraged to lay back comfortably. Wei Wuxian sighed contently as arms encompassed him, tugging him until their chests pressed against each other. Fingers carded through his hair, gently untangling the knots he'd gotten from his trashing as he sank into the warmth all around him. Against his better judgment, he yawned. For real this time.

A hand fell to his back, rubbing it soothingly. "Do you want to sleep now?"

Wei Wuxian felt his eyelids growing heavy, and stubbornly fought against the wave of drowsiness. He was getting the cuddling of his life and damn it all, he would be awake for it. Scooting backwards with intent into the hand sprawled on his back, he flashed Lan Wangji a toothy grin. "Tire me out a little more?"

His husband's eyes softened one more time. Score.

He was flung into airy, sleepy giggles as fingertips grazed the small of his back, fleeting and light enough he could easily relax into the touch and his mind was free to wander. Wei Wuxian grumbled, hiding his face in Lan Wangji's chest as he was stared at with open adoration, and wondered how in the world he got so lucky. What could he possibly have done so right to get to be loved with such fervor he could feel it in his bones, to be treated with such gentleness not because he required it as if he would break otherwise, but simply because to Lan Wangji, nothing less would suffice. He wasn't sure he would ever understand what his partner saw in him, but Lans only loved once. He would trust Lan Zhan's judgment.

Sleep had almost completely overtaken him, lulled by the sweet touches and the calm atmosphere of the Jingshi, when he felt the other had stopped. "Lan Zh'n?" He nodded in and out of consciousness, a sluggish whine escaping him. "Why'd you stop?"

Lan Wangji blinked, sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth and proceeded to shower Wei Wuxian's face in rapid kisses. Wei Wuxian screeched at the playful assault, scrunching his face and clutching tightly at the white robes while tickles rained down all over his back.

'Don't want anyone else but you...'

He was held as he squawked and sputtered, fingers prodding along his spine ane his head rendered still by a hand cradling his chin. Wei Wuxian blushed redder than his robes as Lan Wangji leaned in closer and he was unable to look away. "You asked why." His breath was hot on Wei Wuxian's skin as lips brushed against his forehead. "Wanted to see Wei Ying smile." A small peck to the tip of his nose. "Wanted to hear Wei Ying laugh." A lingering kiss and a nuzzle to his cheek. "Wanted Wei Ying to feel happy and loved. Wanted to cherish Wei Ying." A kiss to, well-

'...It has to be you!'

The giggly kiss was broken a while after, Wei Wuxian still squeaking into the other's mouth, foreheads leaning against each other. He had to bring a hand to his own lips to stifle yet another yawn. Traitorous body.

"Lan Zhan." He tsked with a lopsided grin before rolling and draping himself all over the cultivator much like he has the first night after he'd been resurrected. He was immediately embraced again. "Making me break the rules, laughing so loud at this hour? Such a rebel, Lan-er-gonzgi."

Lan Wangji turned to the window, as if surprised to see the darkness that had fallen over the back hills even when he deliberately ignored the ring of the bell announcing curfew. "Mn. I learned from the best." The corner of his eyes crinkled when Wei Wuxian's head was raised high in pride. "Will copy the rules in a handstand for punishment."

He would welcome more than a few exasperated pinches to his cheek if it got his husband to look at him with such tenderness for all time.

[erosphylos]

Querido diário,

Hoje tomei coragem de transcrever as palavras de um coração em ruínas, mas não para você desta vez. Não se ofenda; apenas preciso emprestar sua confidencialidade por alguns instantes.

Ei, você, que talvez jamais leia isso. E, se ler, sei que encontrará maneiras de me bloquear, de me apagar, como quem desfaz um erro. Quando se odeia alguém, tudo é possível para mantê-lo longe, não é?

Prometo não tomar muito do seu tempo. Quero apenas deixar registrado o que talvez nunca tenha conseguido dizer.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto muito.

Sinto por ter usado máscaras e me escondido sob identidades que não eram minhas. Por ter nos lançado em ciclos de brigas, alimentado pela minha inabilidade de compreender você, de enxergar além do meu próprio caos. Não sou esse homem que você conheceu. Não sou lobo em pele de cordeiro, mas talvez tenha sido algo ainda pior: uma contradição ambulante, sabotando nossa história antes que ela pudesse florescer, temendo o corte inevitável.

E, no fundo, sempre temi mais a lâmina do que o laço.

Lamento pelas lembranças que agora se tornam fardos. Pelas músicas que carregam nossos ecos, como “Ghost” e aquela discussão interminável sobre quais letras nos definiam melhor. Pelos livros e séries que amamos juntos e que agora se tornam feridas abertas. Lamento por Mo Dao Zu Shi, que um dia foi o nosso refúgio, mas que agora será apenas mais uma lembrança envenenada.

Desculpe-me por não ser Lan Zhan suficiente para o seu Wei Wuxian.

Você terá que suportar essas memórias. Elas são cruéis, eu sei. E pior: eu continuo existindo, respirando neste mundo que não parece saber o que fazer comigo.

Sei que deveria ter sido seu porto, sua fortaleza, mas tudo o que fiz foi oferecer desmoronamentos. Usei desculpas frágeis para justificar minhas falhas, mas a verdade é que eu estava quebrado. Ainda estou.

Não poderia mantê-lo aqui. Seria egoísmo. Você merece mais do que um amor que pesa, que sufoca, que te prende em um ciclo de angústia.

Sabia disso há muito tempo, mas negava. Não queria aceitar que você seria mais feliz sem mim. Sabotei tudo porque não sabia como deixá-lo ir.

Agora, toda vez que ver a cor verde, talvez pense em mim. Não queria isso para você, mas não posso apagar as cicatrizes que causei.

Você não vai me perdoar. Nem deveria.

Espero que, um dia, alguém te ame com a leveza e profundidade que eu jamais consegui entregar. Espero que o mundo te dê os frutos que você merece colher, que o futuro seja gentil com você.

Quanto a mim, encerro aqui mais um ciclo. Não há muito mais a dizer. Sou apenas alguém destinado ao limbo, à monotonia de uma existência sem ápices ou quedas. Não queria que você fosse condenado a isso comigo.

Com pesar,

Margery, Lysander, Nikolai, Nicolas, e todos os pedaços de mim que você conheceu.

[pazaryerigundem]

Genç mühendislerden en iyi 20 icat

https://pazaryerigundem.com/haber/188971/genc-muhendislerden-en-iyi-20-icat/

Genç mühendislerden en iyi 20 icat

James Dyson Ödülü’nün genç mühendis ve tasarımcılar tarafından yapılan en iyi 20 icadı açıklandı. Bu yılın kısa listesinde kemoterapi hastaları için taşınabilir, pille çalışan bir kafa derisi soğutma cihazı ve parçalanmış ev tekstili atıklarından yapılmış ses yalıtım panelleri gibi icatlar yer alıyor.

İSTANBUL (İGFA) – 2024 James Dyson Ödülü’nün ilk 20 listesi açıklandı ve dünyanın dört bir yanındaki genç mühendis ve tasarımcıların uluslararası finale doğru yolculuğu başladı. Listeden bir kişinin 13 Kasım’da Sir James Dyson tarafından uluslararası kazanan olarak ilan edileceği belirtilirken, icadının geliştirilmesi için 30 bin sterlinlik bir para ödülünün da sahibi olacağı belirtildi.

Yılın en iyi 20 icadı dünyanın en öncelik verilmesi gereken sorunlar ele alındı.

İrlanda’dan Olivia Humphreys, 2019 yılında annesi tedavi görürken kemoterapinin neden olduğu saç dökülmesinin bir kişi üzerinde yaratabileceği etkiye tanık olduktan sonra, taşınabilir bir kemoterapi sonrası kafa derisi soğutma cihazı olan Athena ile ilk 20 listesine girdi. 

Kısa listeye kalan Peter projesinin İngiltere’deki mucidi Jonathan Fisher, giyilebilir biyomedikal cihazı, Parkinson hastası olarak yürüyüşünde tutukluk yaşayan babasının yaşam kalitesini artırmak için icat etti.

Güney Kore’den bir öğrenci ekibi, gelişmekte olan ülkelere yardımcı olmayı amaçlayan elektriksiz bir oksijen jeneratörü olan Oxynizer’ı icat etti.

Avusturya’nın kısa listeye giren projesi finGrip ise, el becerisi düşük kullanıcılar için uyarlanmış bir kateter sistemi geliştirdi. 

Atık ve kirliliğin yönetilmesi konusunda da Avustralya’da genç mucit Sze Yek’in kız kardeşinin kullanılmayan ilkokul üniformasıyla yaptığı deneyler, parçalanmış ev tekstili atıklarından yapılan akustik bir panel olan Sorbet’e dönüştü.

Shane Kyi Hla Win ve Danial Sufiyan Bin Shaiful tarafından icat edilen Airxeed Radiosonde, radyosonde ile günlük hava ölçümlerini daha sürdürülebilir hale getirmek için düşen akçaağaç tohumlarından ilham alıyor.   

Ödülün Uluslararası En İyi 20 listesini belirleyen 14 Dyson mühendisi İngiltere, Singapur, Malezya ve Filipinler’deki Dyson Ar-Ge merkezlerinde çalışıyor.

İşte en iyi 20 icat ve mucitleri

İcat

Çözüm

Mucit(ler)

Ülke

Air Ring 48

İnşaat işçilerini ısı kaynaklı stresten korumak için bir baret soğutma aksesuarı.

Yu To Mak, Ze Fu Jeff Li, Jing Hymn Joseph Wong

Hong Kong

Airxeed Radiosonde

Hava tahminini geliştirmek için hava ölçümünden sonra tekrar kullanılabilen sürdürülebilir bir radyosonde.

Shane Kyi Hla Win, Danial Sufiyan Bin Shaiful

Singapur

Athena

Taşınabilir bir kemoterapi sonrası kafa derisi soğutma cihazı.

Olivia Humphreys

İrlanda

Cap Snap

Güvenli kıvrımlı conta kapağı çıkarma ve ampul kırma için tıbbi bir alet.

Jack Pugh

Yeni Zelanda

Co-Jump

Ergonomik ve yapay zeka tabanlı bir inme sonrası rehabilitasyon eldiveni.

Li Yuanjing, Zhan Jing, Guan Shunzi, Yu Tianlin, Li Junkai, Qian Qingyun, Wei Yi

Çin

Concavix

Az gelişmiş ellere sahip kullanıcılar için uyarlanabilir bir bilgisayar faresi.

Jonathan Lopez Calderon, Raúl Hernandez, María de Lourdes Zaldívar Martínez

Meksika

DysphagiaDynamics

Taşınabilir, non-invaziv bir akıllı değerlendirme ve ev tabanlı rehabilitasyon sistemi.

Zhu Zhaopeng, He Qi

Çin

finGrip

El becerisi düşük veya tekerlekli sandalye kullanan kullanıcılar için bir kateter sistemi.

Philipp Niechoj

Avusturya

Flying ear pressure regulator

Uçak kalkışları ve inişleri sırasında kulak rahatsızlığını gideren basınç ayarlı bir ürün.

Yi-Shan Zheng, Wen-Yeh Hsaio-Lin

Tayvan

Mammosense

Meme kanseri taramaları sırasında konforu artırmak için bir mamografi sensörü.

Luke Goh

Singapur

Moii

Kistik Fibrozisli ergenler için bir Hava Yolu Temizleme Terapisi eğitim kiti.

Yuchen Lan

İsveç

OcularSky

Uygun fiyatlı, akıllı telefon tabanlı bir fundus kamera.

Houssam Hammoud, Mohammad Yaman Al Aref, Mohamad Hammoud, Mayar Jabouli, Wessam Shehieb

Birleşik Arap Emirlikleri

Oxynizer

Gelişmekte olan ülkeler için elektrikli olmayan bir oksijen jeneratörü.

Kyeongho Park, Jiwon Lee, Jiwon Kim, Yeohyun Jung, Seung-Jun Lee

Güney Kore

Peter

Yürüyüş donması yaşayan Parkinson Hastaları için giyilebilir bir biyomedikal cihaz.

Jonathan Fisher

Birleşik Krallık

PulpaTronics

Metal madenciliğini ortadan kaldırmak için sürdürülebilir bir RFID (Radyo Frekansı ile Tanımlama) etiketi.

Adonis Christodoulou, Barna Soma Biro, Chloe So

Birleşik Krallık

Pyri

Biyolojik esinli ve biyolojik tabanlı bir erken orman yangını tespit sistemi

Richard Alexandre, Karina Gunadi, Blake Goodwyn, Tanghao Yu

Birleşik Krallık

Social Plast

Uygun fiyatlı bir plastik geri dönüşüm sistemi.

Johannes Kastner

Almanya

Sorbet

Parçalanmış tekstil atıklarından yapılmış bir akustik panel.

Sze Yek

Avustralya

TAILWIND

Hava akımı oluşturmak için tasarlanmış bir soğutma kaskı.

Youngki Kim, Jisu Kim, HyeonJun So, Seunghun Jeong

Güney Kore

The Reef

Su kütlelerindeki mavi-yeşil alg patlamasına karşı ekolojik bir filtre.

Anton Vervoort

Belçika

BU Haber İGF HABER AJANSI tarafından servis edilmiştir.

[fluffyweeby]

Day 5 - Magic

Yea it’s day five! I’m excited to post this one couse I made it quite some time ago. I decided to wait for the Tickletober and just put it under prompt that would suit it best so I think “magic” is the best in here even though what they were using wasn’t exactly magic 😅.

Yea anyway if they have a silence spell and the body locking one then who said there is no tickle one? And if there was then come on Lan Zhan would use it all the time on poor (well no so much but yk) Wei Wuxian!

Prompts by @lizzienaut 👇

[ticklish-v-93]

Tickle-Tober Day 5

Heya Ya’ll so Im participating in T-Tober when I can, won’t draw something everyday but at least getting in the spirit Lol. So going based on this prompt and this prompt list. I made two versions one with commentary and other with ghosties! Thank you both for coming up with such funstuff! @the-cutest-tickletoy​​ (Ghost) and @gigglymonster​​ (Hug) Notes: Click on Pics for better quality. And if shared or reblogged please give credit lovies.

[ticklygiggles]

Mo Dao Zu Shi tickle headcanons

That no one asked for but I've been dying to write for mdzs but I haven't given myself the time because I'm an awful procrastinator (also, I'm feeling really shy writing this omg idk what's happening) I'm only doing Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng for now, so LET'S BEGIN!

Wei Wuxian (Wei Ying)

Has one tickle spot and only one: right where his hips meet his thighs.

That's the most sensitive spot on is body (canon) so he's definitely pretty ticklish there

Not insanely, though, but enough to have him cackling and snorting if he's getting tickled for too long over there

His laughter is pretty cheerful, a bit high pitched but without being annoying nor agressive to the ears

It's pretty hard to catch him off guard, he knows his weak spot, so he's gonna try to protect it real hard

Probably the only person who can really catch him off guard is, of course, Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng back when they were young

Ruthless ler, will not stop tickling his victim until they're crying with laughter and begging for mercy

Wei Wuxian likes to poke people's sides to watch them flinch (it usually doesn't work with Lan Wangji), his favorite victim is Lan Sizhiu, the teen jumps like five feet in the air and flushes slightly and it always makes Wei Wuxian laugh

"S-Senior Wei, please don't do tha- EEK!"

Poking Lan Jingyi will end into a poking fight between the two

Wei Wuxian tries to cover his hips, but Lan Jingyi usually don’t touch that spot because well it’s a bit too low, but he does sneaks a poke here and there when he notices that’s the spot

The ponking war can only be stopped by Lan Wangji, Lan Jingyi will not fight against Lan Wangji

He doesn't mind being tickled, and he enjoys having tickle fights every now and then

Lan Wangji (Lan Zhan)

Knows what tickling is but has never been tickled before

Lan Wangji with his beautiful serious expression can't be ticklish... right?

Wrong! He's ticklish on his ribs, belly and hips, you can't change my mind

He definitely finds out when Wei Wuxian is being too handsy like always and too bubbly about finding Lan Zhan's tickle spot

Wei Wuxian just needs a soft squeeze to Lan Wangji's ribs to have him jumping away from him, chocking into a giggle

Both of them are very surprised

Especially Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji was not one to react this way at all

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Perhaps, you can't ignore the feeling because you didn't know how it feels?"

Wei Wuxian is satisfied only when he sees laughter induced tears in Lan Wangji's eyes

Lan Wangji doesn't have a loud laughter, it's quite deep and juuust slightly high pitched, just a little, but over all, it is very soft, it's truly a beautiful sound to hear and Wei Wuxian looooves it

Lan Wangji is all jumpy around Wei Wuxian after that attack, Wei Wuxian thinks it's the cutest thing ever

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji would warn

"I will not do it again, Lan Zhan! You had enough for today! Tell me, tell me, did you like it?"

Lan Zhan is not too fond of the feeling just yet, but he can't help but feel happy when Wei Wuxian tickles him, so he thinks it's okay

He's a clumsy ler, not knowing what to do or how to do it, he's just adorable

Tries to stay away when Wei Wuxian is on his playful mood, he'd rather not die laughing

Lan Wangji gets tickled a lot when he's drunk, it's probably the only reason why Wei Wuxian makes him drink

"I'm missing your laugh, Lan Zhan!"

Poor Lan Wangji

Jiang Cheng

Will murder you if you tickle him

He's ticklish under his arms and thighs

He's only left his sister and Wei Wuxian tickle him before

Doesn't like to get involved in tickle fights, but if he is, he's gonna go hard on his victims

It really depends on his mood and the people around him if he joins the fun of a tickle fight

Wei Wuxian was the only one able to make him cry with laughter, he still feels humiliated about it

He's a ruthless ler like Wei Wuxian

Not scared of revenge, he knows he'd win- unless it is Wei Wuxian, then he'd go carefully

His laughter is loud, he's the most ticklish out of the three, so his laughter tends to be loud and squeaky, still pretty cute

"Stopstopstop! I'm gonna fuhuhuhuhucking kill you!"

Can’t stop swearing while being tickled, and can’t hold his laughter at all, he’s really cute

He once managed to tickle Wei Wuxian to tears, but revenge was hard on him

You know that egg yolk thing on the knee? He dies, like d i e s

[tumitutscanlation]

Mo Dao Zu Shi - 109. Bölüm

Mega // MangaTr // veya “Okumaya Devam Et”e tıklayın (Hala tumblr öğreniyorum... Bunu daha önce keşfetseydim iyiydi...)

Uyarı: 111. Bölüm NSFW, +18. Yine +18 ve -18 olarak iki farklı versiyonunu yayınlayacağım. -18’ler uslu uslu -18 versiyonu okuyacağınıza inanıyorum.

Hatırlatma: Novel 113 + 14 ekstra bölümden oluşuyor. Yani son 3 bölüm kaldı. Ardından gelecek olan ekstralardan çevrilenlerin hepsi çok çılgın +18. Çevireceğim ama nasıl ben de bilmiyorum…

Gizlemek – Üçüncü Kısım

İttirmenin etkisiyle Lan XiChen birkaç adım geriledi. Neler olduğunu henüz anlayamamıştı. Bu sırada Lan WangJi tapınağın ortasındaki narin yüzlü Guanyin heykelinin arkasına vurmuştu. Heykel tabuta doğru düşerken titredi. Nie MingJue hala elindeki başı çoktan düşmüş olan cesedi inceliyordu. Ağır heykel ona çarptığında bir kez daha tabutun içine çöktü.

Wei WuXian Guanyin’in göğsüne atladı. Tabutun kapağı çoktan kırılmıştı. Nie MingJue ve öfkesini mühürlemek için kullanabilecekleri tek şey Guanyin heykeliydi. Altında, Nie MingJue dışarı çıkabilmek için tekrar tekrar heykele vururken Wei WuXian da tekrar tekrar sallanıyordu, o kadar sersemlemişti ki düşmek üzereydi. Sendeledi, üzerinde hiçbir tılsımın olmadığını fark etti, “Lan Zhan, çabuk çabuk, yanıma gel. Ağırlığı artırmamız gerek. Birkaç kez daha vurursa, heykel paramparça olabilir…”

Wei WuXian sözlerini bitiremeden aniden bedeninin ve görüş alanının titrediğini hissetti. Lan WangJi tabutun bir ucundan tutmuş ve kaldırmıştı.

Yani sadece sol eliyle ahşap tabutu, içindeki iki cesedi, tabutun üzerindeki Guanyin heykelini ve heykelin üzerindeki Wei WuXian’ı havaya kaldırmıştı.

Wei WuXian şaşkınlıkla yutkundu. Uzun zamandır Lan WangJi’nin güçlü olduğunun biliyordu, ama bu… biraz fazla şok ediciydi!

Lan WangJi’nin ifadesi değişmedi. Sağ eli gümüş guqin teline dokundu. Tel sanki kanatları varmış gibi tabut ve Guanyin heykelinin etrafında on kadar tur atarak ikisini sıkıca birbirine bağlamaya çalıştı. Ve ardından ikincisi, ve üçüncüsü… Nie MingJue ve Jin GuangYao’nun düzgünce mühürlendiğine kanaat getirdikten sonra ancak sol elindeki yükü bıraktı. Tabutun kenarı yere düşerek oldukça yüksek bir yankıya neden oldu. Wei WuXian da devrilmişti. Lan WangJi onun düşüşünü kollarıyla yarıda kestikten sonra nazikçe yere bıraktı. Neredeyse bin kiloluk bir yükü taşımış olan eller Wei WuXian’ı tutarken inanılamayacak kadar nazikti.

Lan XiChen yedi guqin teliyle sarılmış olan tabuta baktı. Hala düşüncelerini toparlayamıyordu. Nie HuaiSang elini uzatarak onun gözlerinin önünde salladı, çok korkmuştu, “…X-XiChen Ağabey, iyi misin?”

Lan XiChen, “HuaiSang, biraz önce, sahiden beni gafil avlayarak saldırmaya mı çalışıyordu?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Ben sanırım gördüm…”

Onun tereddüt ettiğini duyunca Lan XiChen bastırdı, “Biraz daha dikkatli düşün.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Şimdi böyle sorunca ben de emin olamıyorum… Sahiden öyle gibi gelmişti…”

Lan XiChen, “Öyle gibi mi gelmişti! Böyle bir şey oldu mu olmadı mı?!”

Nie HuaiSang zar zor cevapladı, “…Ben bilmiyorum, ben sahiden bilmiyorum!”

Çaresiz bir haldeyken Nie HuaiSang’ın verebileceği tek cevap buydu. Lan XiChen alnını ellerine gömdü. Sanki başı çatlayacakmış gibi görünüyordu, tekrar konuşmak istemiyordu.

Aniden Wei WuXian seslendi, “HuaiSang-xiong.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Hım?”

Wei WuXian, “Biraz önce Su She seni nasıl bıçakladı?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Kaçmaya çalışırken ağabey… Jin Sekt Liderini taşıyordu. Ben de yolundaydım, bu yüzden…”

Wei WuXian, “Sahi mi? Durduğun yeri yanlış hatırlamıyorsam, hiçte önlerini kesebilecek bir konumda değildin.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Bıçaklanmak için bilerek önlerini kesmiş olamam ama değil mi?”

Wei WuXian gülümsedi, “Ben böyle bir şey söylemedim.”

Nie HuaiSang, “O zaman ne söylemeye çalışıyorsun Wei-xiong?”

Wei WuXian, “Sadece aniden birkaç şeyi birleştirdim.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Neleri?”

Wei WuXian, “Jin GuangYao birisi bana bir mektup verdi ve tüm dünyaya yaptıklarımı açıklamakla tehdit ediyordu dedi. Yalan söylemediğini, gerçeği söylediğini varsayalım. O zaman bu kişi oldukça gereksiz bir hamle yapmış.” Devam etti, “Birisinin günahlarını anlatmak istiyorsan, doğrudan herkese ifşa etmek yerine neden gidip kişiyi elinde kanıtlar olduğu konusunda bilgilendirirsin ki?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Ağabey… Jin Sekt Liderinin kendisi, bu kişi benim özür dilememi ve kendimi teslim etmemi istiyordu demedi mi?”

Wei WuXian, “Uyan bakalım. Jin GuangYao’nun kendisini gidip teslim etmeyeceği son derece aşikar. Böyle bir hamleyi yapmasının sebebi neydi öyleyse? Amaçsız gibi görünüyor. Peki Jin GuangYao’nun eski sırlarını ortaya çıkarmış bir kişi anlamsız hamleler yapar mı? Böylesine gereksiz bir hareketin, ulaşmak istediği bir amacı olmalı, belki kışkırtmak istemişti belki harekete geçirmek.”

Lan XiChen irkildi, “Kışkırtmak mı? Neyi?”

Lan WangJi kısık bir sesle, “Jin GuangYao’nun öldürme isteğini.”

Eğer her zamanki ZeWu-Jun olsa, böyle bir olayın altındaki amacı hemen görebilirdi. Ama şu anda zihninde düşünmeye ayırabileceği tek bir yer kalmamıştı.

Wei WuXian, “Aynen öyle. Mektubun amacı tam olarak Jin GuangYao’nun öldürme isteğini emsalsiz bir seviyeye dek kışkırtmaktı. Ölümünün yedi gün içinde olacağını söylemiyor muydu mektup? O zaman ilk olarak kendisi saldıracaktı. Bütün ana kuvvetleri Mezar Tepe’ye çekerek yedi gün içinde ilk kimin öleceğini görecekti.”

Lan XiChen, “Yani mektubu gönderen kişinin amacı bu muydu? Onu harekete geçmeye zorlamak mı?”

Wei WuXian, “Bence öyle.”

Lan XiChen başını iki yana salladı, “…O zaman mektubu gönderen kişi bununla neye ulaşmak istemişti? Amacı Jin GuangYao’yu mu yoksa tüm sektleri mi yok etmekti?”

Wei WuXian, “Aslında çok basit. Kuşatma başarısız olduktan sonra neler oldu? Herkes Nilüfer Rıhtım’da toplandığında, heyecan doruktayken, SiSi ve BiCao içeri girdi – bu iki görgü tanığının gelişinin rastlantı olduğuna inanmıyorum. Onlar sayesinde tüm parçalar bir araya geldi.” Wei WuXian bir an duraksadıktan sonra devam etti, “Tek istediği Jin GuangYao isminin kirlenmesi değildi. Aynı zamanda Jin GuangYao’ya bütün dünyanın düşman olmasını istiyordu. Ölümcül bir darbe olmalıydı, geriye çevirmesi imkansız olmak zorundaydı.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Bu kişi tüm bunları uzunca bir zamandır planlıyor olmalı.”

Wei WuXian ona baktı, aniden sordu, “Sahi, ChiFeng-Zun’un bedenini korumaktan sen sorumlu değil miydin Nie Sekt Lideri?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Önce bendeydi, ama bu akşam aniden Qinghe’deki bedenin kaybolduğu haberini aldım. Yoksa neden Qinghe’den çıkıp Su She’ye yolda yakalanacaktım ki…”

Wei WuXian tekrar sordu, “Nie Sekt Lideri, sık sık GusuLan Sekti ve LanlingJin Sekti arasında seyahat ettiğini duymuştum, doğru mu?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Evet.”

Wei WuXian, “O zaman sahiden Mo XuanYu’yu tanımıyor muydun?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Ha?”

Wei WuXian, “Beden feda edildikten sonra seninle ilk karşılaşmamızda beni hiç tanımıyormuş gibi davrandığını hatırlıyorum. HanGuang-Jun’a benim kim olduğumu bile sormuştun. Sonuçta Mo XuanYu bir ara Jin GuangYao’nun canını sıkmıştı, üstelik Jin GuangYao’nun koleksiyonundaki kitaplara bile ulaşabilen birisiydi. Sen ise, sık sık yakınmak için Jin Sekt Liderini ziyaret ederdin. Mo XuanYu’yu yakinen tanımıyor olsan bile, sahiden onu daha önce hiç görmemiş olma ihtimalin olabilir mi?”

Nie HuaiSang başını kaşıdı, “Wei-xiong, Jinlin Kulesi çok büyük; oradaki her bir kişiyi görmedim, gördüklerimin ise çok azını hatırlıyorum. Dahası…” biraz utanmış görünüyordu, “Mo XuanYu’nun geçmişini biliyorsun. O biraz… LanlingJin Sekti olanların sır olarak kalması için çok çabaladı. Onu görmemem pek tuhaf sayılmaz değil mi? XiChen Ağabey de onu görmemiştir muhtemelen.”

Wei WuXian, “Ah evet. ZeWu-Jun Mu XuanYu’yu tanımıyor.”

Nie HuaiSang, “Dimi?! Ve sahiden anlamıyorum. Mo XuanYu’yu görmüş olsam neden bilerek tanımıyormuş gibi davranayım ki? Böyle bir şeye ne gerek var?”

Wei WuXian gülümsedi, “Hiç. Biraz tuhaf geldi sadece. O yüzden sordum.”

Ancak aklından başka bir cevap geçiyordu, Karşındaki ‘Mo XuanYu’nun gerçek Mo XuanYu olup olmadığını anlamak için elbette.

Herkesin çekingen ve korkak olarak tanımladığı Mo XuanYu, nasıl kendi canını alıp bedenini feda edecek cesareti toplamış olabilirdi? Neden ChiFeng-Zun’un sol kolu serbest bırakılmıştı? Jin GuangYao kazara mı kaybetmişti sahiden? Ve neden bedenin feda edildiği Mo Köyündeydi, neden Wei WuXian’ın yeniden doğduktan sonra karşılaştığı ilk şey olmuştu? Neden başka bir yer değil de orası?

ChiFeng-Zun’un bedeni QingheNie Sektinde gömülmüştü. Nie HuaiSang her zaman abisine hayran olagelmişti, geçen tüm bu yıllar boyunca sahiden bedeninin değiştirildiğini fark etmemiş miydi?

Wei WuXian başka bir ihtimal olduğunu düşünüyordu.

Muhtemelen Nie MingJue vefat etmeden önce, Nie HuaiSang sahiden hiçbir şey bilmiyordu. Ama Nie MingJue’nun ölümünün ardından, her şeyi öğrenmişti. Nie MingJue’nun bedeninin değiştirilmesi de dahil. Bir zamanlar güvendiği, abisinden ayırt etmediği kişinin gerçek kişiliği de.

Abisinin bedenini aramaya çalışmış ancak yıllar boyu elinden gelen her şeyi yaptığı halde sadece tek bir sol kola ulaşabilmişti.

Bu aşamada takılı kalmış, bir adım daha ileri gidememişti. Ek olarak sol kol anormal derecede vahşiydi, baskılaması çok zordu. Eğer onu yanında tutarsa eninde sonunda kan gövdeyi götürecekti. Böylece aklına birisi gelmişti. Böyle şeylerle, böyle problemlerle baş etmekte üstüne olmayan birisi.

YiLing Piri.

Ama YiLing Piri çoktan paramparça olmuştu. Şimdi ne yapacaktı? Ve bu noktada aklına başka birisi gelmişti. Jinlin Kulesinden kovulmuş olan Mo XuanYu.

Muhtemelen öncesinde bilgi almak için Mo XuanYu’yla bir kez olsun konuşmuştu. Mo XuanYu’nun kininden dolayı daha önce Jin GuangYao’nun koleksiyonu içindeki antik, yasak tekniği barındıran parçalanmış el yazmasını okuduğunu biliyordu. Kendi hane üyeleri tarafından yeterince aşağılanmış olan Mo XuanYu’yu yasak beden feda etme tekniği kullanarak intikam alması için kışkırtmıştı.

Ve çağırdığı korkunç hayalet kimdi?

YiLing Piri’ydi elbette.

Mo XuanYu artık yaşadıklarına dayanamadığı noktada kanlı rünü çizmiş ve Nie HuaiSang’da bu fırsatı kullanarak daha fazla elinde tutamadığı alevi serbest bırakmıştı: ChiFeng-Zun’un sol kolunu.

Ardından da başarılı planı başlamıştı. Artık tüm enerjisini Nie MingJue’nun kayıp olan parçalarını aramak için kullanmasına gerek yoktu, onun yerine bu tehlikeli ve zorlayıcı görevi Wei WuXian ve Lan WangJi’ye bırakabilirdi. Tek yapması gereken onların her hareketini gözlemlemekti.

Jin Ling, Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi ve diğer gençlerin yolda rastladığı tuhaf ölü kedilerle ilgili olayda da birisinin bilerek anomaliler yarattığı belliydi. Onlara yakındaki köyün yolunu gösteren var olmayan ‘avcı�� da hesaba katılınca belli ki amaç olaydan habersiz gençleri Yi Şehri’ne sürüklemekti. Eğer Wei WuXian ve Lan WangJi bir parça dikkatsizlik etseydi ve onları korumayı başaramasalardı, Yi Şehri’nde gençlerin başına gelen olaylardan da suçlanacak olan kişi Jin GuangYao olacaktı.

Her şekilde, Jin GuangYao ne kadar suçlu olursa onun o kadar işine gelirdi; dikkatli kötü adamı ne kadar çok hata yapmaya ve ardında iz bırakmaya zorlarsa, o kadar iyiydi; trajik bir ölüm yaşamaya onu ne kadar yaklaştırabilirse o kadar başarılıydı.

Lan WangJi Bichen’in ucunu kullanarak tabutun yanındaki siyah sandığı çevirdi. Wei WuXian’a dönmeden önce üzerine kazınmış olan efsunları inceledi, “Başı.”

Bu sandık muhtemelen Nie MingJue’nun başını koymak için kullanılmıştı. Jin GuangYao başı Jinlin Kulesi’nden aldıktan sonra buraya gömmüş olmalıydı.

Wei WuXian başını salladı, “Nie Sekt Lideri, bu tabutta aslında ne vardı biliyor musunuz?”

Nie HuaiSang, “Ben nereden bileyim? Ama Ağabey… hayır – Jin Sekt Liderinin ona nasıl baktığı düşünülürse muhtemelen önemli bir şey vardı değil mi?”

[tonyglowheart]

god I love the Lan brothers dynamic. I LOVE that the younger brother is the quiet scary one and the older brother is the more friendly one who Knows What’s On His Lil Bro’s Mind will speak up when his sibling is doing his intimidating silent stare thing XD

AND ALSO !!! I love that Wang Yibo is SMOL(ler) in comparison to a bunch of the cast!! He is 179cm/178cm, and Liu Haikuan (Lan Xichen) is 183cm! 

(incidentally, Xiao Zhan (Wei Wuxian) is also 183cm :3)

[zhancheng-ao3feed]

by Luluza

Prompts e pequenas fanfictions para ler e aproveitar e/ou desenvolver

Words: 1441, Chapters: 1/?, Language: Português brasileiro

Fandoms: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Multi

Characters: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian

Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī

Additional Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, for WangXian, prompt, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Fem Wei Wuxian, fem jiang cheng, Cheating, I don't know how to make tags

[kanene-yaaay]

Hc anon here, i was horrendously busy these last few days so i didnt get to send more asks But-!!

I absolutely, 100% Love your little additions, especially the 50/50 wreck or get wrecked by Lan Zhan thing, you're so real for that!!

Now I come bearing another idea, shorter this time though cause I didn't have the time to think about it as much (yet!), but AnyWay:

Since it's canon that WWX both absolutely can Not take what he dishes out in terms of teasing, and that he needs to look away and/or hide his face whenever he get's caught off-guard by someone teasing back (and how dare they act so shameless, he's fragile, can't they see he's a poor innocent soul etc etc)

So consider, if you may: Lan Zhan not letting him look away when he's flustered. And i mean full on holding Wei Ying's face in between his hands, intense eye contact (Hanguang-Jun trademark), not reacting to his whines or to the way his eyes flick to the side every two seconds because he can't. deal. with being looked at when he's flustered.

I just think that it'd be adorable if Lan Zhan were to ask him a very mean and rude question, like what Wei Ying would like him to do, since he's draped himself all over his lap and looks to be seeking his attention...

And Wei Ying is just trapped, unable to hide his face and forced to look at his cruel husband who just keeps looking at him with the same calmly amused patience until he somehow manages to convey what he wants without actually saying it outright (because if he had to, i think he'd actually pass out or start crying from how flustered he is, being perceived like that. Poor guy...)

In any case i think Lan "secret menace" Zhan holding Wei Ying's face and not letting him hide until he's a very specific shade of red and incapable of meeting his eyes anymore has a tonnn of potential

(And it's absolutely adorable!)

Oh, and bonus points if Lan Zhan uses the tips of his pinky fingers to trace along the skin just under Wei Ying's jaw and a little ways down his neck - like he isn't being mean enough, not letting his poor, fragile, flustered out of his mind husband hide in his shoulder at that very moment

No needs for apologies! I am happy to know that my hcs delights you just as much as yours delights me! :DD I get being busy so I hope you're taking a few breaks and taking care as well.

Now!! To the new hc that left me!!!! giggling kicking my legs twirling my hair omggg!! That idea of holding his face while barely tickling and teasing him and just watching as Wei Wuxian gets more and more blushy and cute is wonderful!!

I can only imagine!! Wei Wuxian is being the general tease as he normally is, not letting his husband work and poking, whinning, provoking, kissing and drapping himself on his lap to get his attention and then Lan Zhan finally lets his brush go and focus only and solely on Wei Wuxian.

He holds his face and start throwing back a few teases as well, watching delighted when the other start getting flustered and I can totally see Wei Wuxian trying to turn back the tables, flirting and pushing his face closer, hinting about their everyday means everyday but Lan Zhan just keeps looking at him, absolutely endeared and non moving and the fingers holding his face start moving just the slightly bit to make ticklish sparks dance across his nerves and, only when he tries to scrunch his neck and can't do it (rip my bro, the lan arm strenght keeps winning <3), wwx realizes in what predicament he literally walked, danced, complained and happily threw himself into because now his husband's eyes - sparkling with a rare kind of mischief - are focused on him, his reactions and nothing else.

Also! Imagine if he holds with one hand Wei Ying's face against his chest and now, while Wei Wuxian can't still move away, he gets a free hand to, well.... poke some fun as well And of course, since Wei Wuxian isn't seeing where he is going to attack next, the tickles and teasing becomes even more flustering! (Only Lan Zhan could make a simple 'hm' sound so teasy!)

<33 <3 peace and love! Bet Wei Wuxian will be giggling, protesting and complaining all the time about how mean, unfair and un-loving Lan Zhan is while loving the attention all the while (and knowing his revenge will be delightfully flustering to his Lan Zhan as well)

Aaaaaa!! All the scenarios! What a lovely idea, thank you so much for sending me them <3 <3 thinking about these characters being happy is everything to me <3

[kanene-yaaay]

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE SUN IS BRIGHT AND THE WORLD IS SINGING BECAUSE SQUEAKY BLESSED ALL OF US SIMPLE MORTALS WITH ONE OF HER MOST INCREDIBLE STORIES AGAIN LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO!!!!

All and every spoiler under the cut because I am SHAKING in excitment.

Okay I just started to read and I can not STRESS how much funny is for me to read all about Lan Zhan loving his routine and organization and order and everything when I just KNOW that Wei Wuxian - THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE TEHEEEE- will just come and like a hurricane leave any and everything out of place

AUGH THE ANGST AUGH I DIDN'T EXPECT IT

SHAKING LAN ZHAN BY THE SHOULDERS. HE DESERVES ALL THE LOVE, WEI WUXIAN COME HERE AND HUG UR HUSBAND

Bruh for a moment I just felt like Lan Zhan, all sorrowful and sad and the moment that he got into home and saw his beloved, teasing and being cute, I'm tearing up like in real life. Themmmm. They have so much love.

Me, reading the part where Lan Zhan carries Wei Wuxian in bridal style and starts carressing his back softly and full of love: <3 <3 <3 awwww <3 <3

Me, reading "'Unusually gentle.' He mused, shifting in his husband's hold in an attempt to remove his pants as they approached their bed": HEY HEY HEY CALM DOWN LET'S ALL CALM DOWN HERE

Mah bro literallly saw his husband walking to him and went like "Well, time to get back to work i guess. lemme just take out these pants-"

~~

"Shameless"

~~

[Wei Wuxian's delighted and delightful laughter rung pleasantly in his mind, the same sound he had heard since his youth transporting him back to that fateful night in the rooftops of Cloud Recesses. Loud, mischievous, carefree Wei Wuxian laughing in joy as they drew their swords. Even back then he knew that laugh, that smile, that troublemaker was his everything.]

SOBBING ON THE FLOOR AAAAA SO CUTE SO PRECIOUS SO MUCH LOVEEEEEE

You really didn't lie when you said that was the softest, fluffy thing ever like GOSH! I don't even have a comment for the entire cuddling moment because it's so soft, so sweet, domestic and cute that please just imagine me hugging my phone and occasionally tearing up and smiling and kicking my legst twirling my hair because GOOOOOSH HOW ADORABLY ADORABLE CAN THEY GEEEEET!!

Lan Zhan saying Wei Wuxian's name only to see if he is awake and Wei Wuxian answering with such energy and love aughhhhh i can'ttttt

~~

[Lan Wangji hummed in response. Wei Wuxian hated to admit it, but he was turning into an old man. There was no other reasonable explanation as to why his husband's comforting voice and touch— as wonderful as they were— were enough to almost lull him to sleep before it was even Hai Shi, when he was brimming with energy mere moments earlier. He was almost thankful for Lan Wangji's touch gradually lightening, the goosebumps-inducing drag of nails over his skin enough to keep him awake and aware, instead of drifting off when he could be spending quality time cuddling with his favorite person.]

OHOHOHOHOHOH WE'RE GETTING CLOSER!! I CAN FEEL IT!!! I CAN ALMOST HEAR THE GIGGLES AND SQUEAKS WER'RE GETTING CLOSER!!! THIS IS NOT A BAIT, I REPEAT: WE'RE GETTING CLOSER!!!

[He was perfectly happy lounging in Lan Wangji's arms and being on the receiving end of his care, until his breath hitched in his throat and the pressure of fingers exploring his back crossed the threshold of 'dangerously light' territory.]

VAMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TEHEEEEEE CARAI GIGGLING KICKING MY LEGS TWIRLING MY HAIR EHEHEHEEEEE RIP MY BROOOO WEI WUXIAN AHAHAHA YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET! DESTROYED! WITH! LOVE!!!!

~~

THE PART ABOUT WEI WUXIAN BEING HORRIBLY TICKLISH NOW IN MO'S BODY IS ONE OF MY FAV HEADCANOS AND AAAAA HOW HAPPY I AM TO SEE IT HERE AAAA <3 <3

[But, fate, as it seemed, took it upon its own hands to uphold karmic justice. Mo Xuanyu's body, in his far from biased opinion, of course, was insanely ticklish. Everywhere. A design flaw his beloved, endlessly benevolent yet merciless and cruel husband happily, constantly took advantage of. There was no way to tell if Lan Wangji was purposefully teasing him or if he had no such intentions, at least not without catching his eyes.]

Almost got feral at this paragraph and start bitting my pillow and shaking my head oof, thank god, essa foi quase, i hope that there won't be any more sentences like this in the fanfic oof, bet i will totally be able to maintain all the ounces of control here

~~

["You know, usually by now you'd already be pounding me into the bed. Why the change?" He blurted out, preening in victory when the man grew still. Better yet, Wei Wuxian's hand playing with Lan Wangji's hair brushed against a suddenly very warm ear.]

I ALMOST CRACKLED OUT LOUD CALMA LÁ WEI WUXIAN MY BRO HOLD OUR HORSES THERE ARE STILL CHILDREN WALKING AROUND

~~

HE TRYING TO WALK AWAY UNDER THE PRETENSE OF "CHECKING UNDER THE FLOOR FOR EMPTY JARS" OHOHOHO WEI WUXIAN YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWAHERE!! Look at Lan Zhan, your love, your husband, u think after 16 years he will be letting you go? e s p e c i a l l y if he is feeling mischiveous??? good luck good luck

~~

NO WAYYYYY, I AM READING THE PART WHERE THEY HOLD HANDS AND LAN ZHAN GRABS HIS WRITS AND I THOUGHT "If he kisses wei ying's wrists our dear patriarch yilling is going to DIE omg it would be so cute" AND GUESS WHAT Literally screaming!!!!! Those two!!!! I caaaant!!!!

~~

Bruh, I was going to go thro every few paragraphs and comment but when the tickling part got in I literally couldn't reading and I think I will combust at any moment now BUT STILL YOU WILL GET YOUR COMMENTS EVEN IF I END UP MELTING AND BEING WASHED AWAY BY THE RAIN. SING BALLADS IN MY FUNERAL, WILL YOU

~~

I already told you but I am going to tell you again: HOLY FUCK UR PACING!!! The way that it starts with just the lightest graze of fingers on his back and then we have Lan Zhan realizing (because of course he knows and is going to take ALL the advantages of his poor, awfully ticklish husband) and Wei Wuxian just letting go of his control when he gets bonded by the forehead ribbon AND DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO ESCAPE IT. HE WAS SO FROZEN BY THE TENDERNESS THAT FELL RIGHT INTO HIS TRAP

The part where he says "Lan Zhan, not so light!" AND THEM LAN FREAKING TICKLE MONSTER ZHAN STARTS TO TICKLE HIM EVEN MORE LIGHT KJHGFDFGHAAAAAAAAAAAA I HAVE NO WORDS!! LITERALLY NO WORDS BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lan Zhan tickled like it was an art, with a grace that would have anyone believing he'd been trained in it his entire life. Gentle, loving touches drifted across his skin sweetly and reverently, like every inch was worth being committed to memory and doused in affection.]HOW CAN YOU BE SO POETIC WHEN TALKING ABOUT TICKLING AND GIGGLING AND SILLYNESS I AM SHAKING YOU BY YOUR SHOULDERS!

["Wei Ying should thank him for helping you laugh so freely."

["Do not hide your smile from me."]

Literally shaking in the tune of shattering glass

Also! The kisses! The nibbles! The tickles under the chin (the fact that this is such a ticklish spot for him is literally the definition of karma. Seeing him just literally lose his mind with it absolutely held my soul and gave me like 30 years more of life. Not gonna lie, this fichas a LOT of moments that are the favorite of mine but this one... B R U H. AMAZING)

AND IN THE BEGINNING I WAS DEFENDING LAN ZHAN BECAUSE HE COUD NOT HAVE DISTRACTED WEI WUXIAN W KISSES ONLY TO ABSOLUTELY DESTROY HIS BELLY WITH TICKLES LATER BUT THEN I GOT ON THE END HE DID IT AGAIN LKJHGFGHJKGBHJ Lan Zhan you sneaky sneak

CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIS NEW TICKLING TECHINIQUE BTW??? Count on our dear Lan Totally Whipped And Maddly In Love Zhan to create an ENTIRE NEW FOR OF TICKLING just to make his beloved laugh and smile!! Poor wwx went right into hysterics immediately juhygtfrgthyjh so so sooooooooooo good! I never thought in using the passing qi thing as something ticklis, your mind!!!!!

And don't even get me started about the massage + tickling. That is what I am talking about!!! Wei Wuxian being absolutely PAMPERED as he deserves!!

["Unless I'm wrong? Should I ask Zewu-Jun for some stories of giggly A-Zhan?"]

I am. so normal. about this. totally normal thoughts. no internally screaming or going into the space. yeah. normal.

Then we get the very own patriarch yilling, the master of demonic cultivation asking for the tickles? I am dead on the floor. How can they both be so utterly in love and so so sooooft omg <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 my heart is absolutely melted with the domestic cuteness of all of it

Now, I know i already mentioned how much soft and cute is the moments where both Lan ZHan and Wei Wuxian describe how much they love and care about each other, and Lan Zhan's part being followed by so much dotting and caring, soft touches is absolutely delightful, truly. Each sentence only made everything much sweeter and amazing. I truly, truly loved this fic <3 <3 <3 thank you so much for writing and sharing it <3

Tenderness.

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Characters: Lee!Wei Wuxian, Ler!Lan Wangji

Warnings: Mentions of death and grief, Wei Wuxian being Wei Wuxian (some suggestive comments but nothing actually happens)

Word count: around 8.300 words

Summary: There are days where all Lan Wangji wants is to shower his husband in his affections.

A/N: This is the softest, sappiest thing I've ever written. Fluff and feelings without plot. God bless. (THANK YOU @kanene-yaaay FOR SCREAMING BACK AND FORTH WITH ME ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS FOR AN UNHOLY AMOUNT OF TIME, INSPIRING ME TO WRITE THIS. A MILLION THANKS AND HUGS TO YOU.)

Slouching was forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.

Even so, the weight on his shoulders did not lessen.

Lan Wangji had always meticulously followed his routine, unless disaster struck and he had no choice but to deviate from it. He was a man of habits. There was a proper time and place for everything, a carefully constructed schedule that should be followed. There was a proper time to rise in the morning. A proper time to tend to the affairs of his sect. A proper time to train his disciples. A proper time to retire for the day.

Such a schedule was followed rigorously and with precision so long as Lan Wangji was within the boundaries of Cloud Recesses.

Every day. For longer than Lan Wangji was willing to reflect on, lest the metaphorical weight on his shoulders only worsen. For countless days he had gone through the motions like there wasn't a gaping, bleeding gash in his heart that was the absence of Wei Wuxian.

Those days were far too painful to remember.

But they were long past. He now had his husband (his husband) safely by his side each night, teaching his own classes and running around causing mischief all throughout Cloud Recesses in the daytime when he thought Lan Wangji would be none the wiser.

Things were much, much better. Infinitely better. Perfect, he would say. Yet with Wei Wuxian not in his immediate sight as he followed the same grief-coated routine he did for years, sometimes it was easy to forget he had his fated one back in his life. That the loving moments they shared were indeed real and not dreams that taunted him with what he couldn't have. Quite a few times he felt consumed by an inexplicable wave of sorrow, only for it to be dispersed as he caught sight of his husband or heard his uncle fuming about something the man had done.

There was not a single minute of the day when Lan Wangji did not yearn for Wei Wuxian. Did not yearn to be with him. Some days, not acting on that urge bordered on painful.

Which is why returning to his bedchambers at the Jingshi at nighttime, where he would be warmly greeted by the love of his life, was undoubtedly one of his most cherished moments of the day.

"Lan Zhan!" Chirped a cheerful voice as the door shut behind him. His favorite cheerful voice. "You're early today!"

Lan Wangji stilled as his gaze fell upon Wei Wuxian. The former Yiling Laozu stood by the bathtub in the corner of the room, his frame half-obscured by the privacy screen sectioning his living space. With a mere glance his eyes were drawn to the way in which the man's damp hair stuck to his neck and cascaded down his bare back. Dressed in nothing but his pants.

Lan Wangji had discovered, recently, that he was also a man of instincts, when he allowed himself to be.

Wei Wuxian's smile grew impossibly wider as Lan Wangji strode towards him, the Second Jade of Lan's eyes dark with a longing Wei Wuxian was intimately familiar with. He schooled his features into a teasing smirk, a playfully scolding tone edge his voice. "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, you're insatiable! I just got out of the bath- Lan Zhan!" An undignified sputter fell from his lips as Wei Wuxian felt hands pressing onto his back and slipping underneath his knees, hoisting him up into a bridal carry.

Rather than to be practically and enthusiastically tossed onto the bed as he occasionally was as they initiated their daily activities, which they had gleefully engaged in in the morning, Wei Wuxian remained cradled to Lan Wangji's chest. Nestled like a bunny, Wei Wuxian only blushed at the sensation of Lan Wangji's fingers on his back tracing small, light circles on the bare skin. 'Unusually gentle.' He mused, shifting in his husband's hold in an attempt to remove his pants as they approached their bed at a slower pace than Wei Wuxian would have liked.

"No need." Lan Wangji gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, setting Wei Wuxian down on the mattress with such tenderness he felt as if he were made of glass.

"You're always welcome to rip them off yourself." Wei Wuxian flashed him an impish grin, innuendo dripping from his voice. To his confusion and disappointment, his husband did not rise to the bait nor get that fetching blush that he oh so loved to cause. Lan Wangji's features softened to a point even someone unfamiliar with the art of reading Lan Wangji (Wei Wuxian had long mastered such art, he did!) would have been able to tell.

With a smile almost far too fond, Lan Wangji towered over his lover, who still stared up at him with a sultry gaze. "Shameless." He took off his boots and lowered himself next to Wei Wuxian, laying on his side as to face his love. His arms sneaked around the younger man's frame and pulled him close, holding him against his chest in a protective embrace. If Lan Wangji could have his way, his wish would be to never have to let go.

The soothing, familiar scent of sandalwood washed over Wei Wuxian as Lan Wangji's face pressed against the crook of his neck. Unmoving beyond that point. He could feel Lan Wangji's eyes drifting to a close, the man's eyelashes fluttering against his skin. Wei Wuxian felt his cheeks heating up slightly at the domestic affection and surrendered himself to the comfort of the cultivator's hold, sighing contentedly as he snuggled closer.

"Aiya, who would have guessed the mighty Hanguang-Jun was this cuddly? If you hold me any tighter I might cough out cotton since you're so insistent on making a stuffed toy out of me." Said the former boogeyman of the cultivation world, pressed snugly against Lan Wangji, clinging onto him as he too laced his arms around his beloved.

Bliss. He would have died a hundred deaths if it meant he could spend eternity like this afterwards.

"Only with you." Came the muffled response, Lan Wangji's face still tucked into Wei Wuxian's neck, hiding the pink that tinged his ears.

Only with his Wei Ying, and no one else.

He had waited thirteen years for this, if only to be able to hear Wei Wuxian's voice again if he couldn't have him the way he desired. Diligently and faithfully, despite his brother's knowing and consoling looks and despite young Lan Sizhui's cries for his Xian-gege. Those had stung more than the strike of any whip, had almost made him succumb under the weight of his loss, but he persevered. He had to. If Lan Wangji couldn't have hope, then he had nothing.

He tightened his hold on Wei Wuxian, just slightly. Thankfully, he didn't seem to protest.

"Are we going to sleep already?" Wei Wuxian nudged him with his nose after what, to Wei Wuxian, felt like prolonged silence. "It's not even Hai Shi yet, and you're still dressed. And we didn't put off the lights. How are we supposed to fall asleep like this?"

He couldn't fault Wei Wuxian for the assumption, though he wished his husband would stay awake so this peaceful, quiet (or as quiet as Wei Wuxian would allow. He couldn't say he wouldn't be content with endless chatter as well, if it was Wei Wuxian filling the silence) moment could be shared between the two of them. In the last few days, between their responsibilities, Wei Wuxian's shenanigans, night-hunts and passionate sex lives, they rarely got to spend time simply existing in their home within each other's arms that didn't include drifting off to sleep or waking up in the morning. That would not do. Lan Wangji would have to remedy that.

Even so, when the man beside him let out a long, dramatic yawn, Lan Wangji caved. With a flick of his hand and a stream of spiritual energy he extinguished most of the lanterns in the room, leaving only a couple to bask them in a warm, dim lighting. "You may sleep if you wish to. I... want to hold you for a while longer."

Wei Wuxian let out a tiny, fake sleepy sound in response, which would hopefully distract Lan Wangji from the color adorning his cheeks. He willed himself to stay as still as possible, certainly because he intended on going to sleep and not because wanted to keep enjoying being held by his husband. "Goodnight, Lan Zhan." Naturally, he failed. His hand reached out to play with the man's forehead ribbon, twirling it around his finger. He would get chilly soon, laying in bed without at least an undershirt in this time of year, but he wasn't backing down now.

"Mn. Sleep well."

Only then, with Wei Wuxian laying peacefully in his arms, did Lan Wangji allow himself to fully relax. He pulled back- only slightly so, though Wei Wuxian's dramatic whine of protest seemed to imply otherwise- so he could unabashedly stare at his husband. His eyes traced the younger man's features, lingering at the curl of his lips into a delighted smile as he undoubtedly felt Lan Wangji's gaze on him.

It had been jarring at first, seeing Wei Wuxian's smile- which he treasured above all else, tucked safely in his heart amidst a field of gentian flowers- on the face of another. But even in a body not originally his, everything he did screamed Wei Wuxian, and all nagging doubts or worries in his mind were washed away the moment that smile was directed at him.

Lan Wangji would always be thankful to Mo Xuanyu, but the body nestled in his embrace was his no longer. This was entirely, wholly and completely, Wei Wuxian.

Though he did wish he could have become this well acquainted with Wei Wuxian's original body. He wished for those silver eyes on him as he was caught stealing yearning glances as a teenager. He wished he could have held the man's cheek in his hand, transfixed by that youthful smile, untouched by war and loss. He did not understand how, even now, after all he had suffered through, Wei Wuxian continued to smile so brightly.

Wei Wuxian's delighted and delightful laughter rung pleasantly in his mind, the same sound he had heard since his youth transporting him back to that fateful night in the rooftops of Cloud Recesses. Loud, mischievous, carefree Wei Wuxian laughing in joy as they drew their swords. Even back then he knew that laugh, that smile, that troublemaker was his everything.

Lan Wangji was not his brother. Though his husband would firmly object, he did not have a talent for creating amusing, easy-going atmospheres where people were prone to smile. And so, every smile from his loved ones was a blessing. A gift.

Which is why, months after vanishing without a trace during the war, Wei Wuxian crushed him the moment Lan Wangji laid eyes on him. Neither the roaring, green flames nor the haunting sounds of the dizi mattered to him in that instant. Neither did the army of fierce corpses, as much as it had shamed him to admit it to himself back then.

Wei Ying was alive. Wei Ying's smile was cold, cruel and malicious.

Relief and horror had battled within him, the latter churning heavily in his stomach unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Lan Wangji held him a little closer.

The pain of memory was not something he would associate Wei Wuxian's smile with. Not when there were far more pleasant things to associate it to.

"Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan!" The demonic cultivator chirped a little too enthusiastically for someone who had supposedly gone to sleep.

"Wanted to know if you were still awake." He responded when Wei Wuxian eyed him questioningly. "...Are you not tired?"

"I am! Exhausted!" Wei Wuxian made a show out of stretching his limbs and yawning excessively loud. "Hanguang-Jun, what are you Lans feeding these disciples? Are you sneaking them anything other than that rabbit food you all eat when I'm not looking? I had to watch Jingyi copy rules while on a handstand today! For hours! And he didn't even fall once! I got tired just from looking! Where does that arm strength come from?"

Ah. So, not tired.

In that case, Wei Wuxian could not blame him if he kept him awake for longer.

He let his hand roam the expanse of Wei Wuxian's back, firm and warm as it made its way down. A content little noise escaped the smaller man at the skin to skin contact. He would have sunk further into Lan Wangji's embrace, if possible. "Lan Zhan, how can you ignore your dear husband?" Wei Wuxian pouted, yet ultimately succumbed to the pleasant feeling. "But this feels nice."

Lan Wangji hummed in response. Wei Wuxian hated to admit it, but he was turning into an old man. There was no other reasonable explanation as to why his husband's comforting voice and touch— as wonderful as they were— were enough to almost lull him to sleep before it was even Hai Shi, when he was brimming with energy mere moments earlier. He was almost thankful for Lan Wangji's touch gradually lightening, the goosebumps-inducing drag of nails over his skin enough to keep him awake and aware, instead of drifting off when he could be spending quality time cuddling with his favorite person.

He was perfectly happy lounging in Lan Wangji's arms and being on the receiving end of his care, until his breath hitched in his throat and the pressure of fingers exploring his back crossed the threshold of 'dangerously light' territory.

In his first life, Wei Wuxian was proud to say he was barely ticklish.

Okay, that was a lie. But he wasn't devastatingly ticklish. At least nowhere near Jiang Cheng's level, who barked with laughter as soon as he was touched and tried to disguise it as an annoyed yell. Or, gods forbid, Nie Huaisang's, who shrieked and flinched away before he was even touched. (Wei Wuxian took the blame for Huaisng's unwilling breaking of the 'Do not make loud noises' rule during their lectures at Cloud Recesses quite often. It was worth it.)

But, fate, as it seemed, took it upon its own hands to uphold karmic justice. Mo Xuanyu's body, in his far from biased opinion, of course, was insanely ticklish. Everywhere. A design flaw his beloved, endlessly benevolent yet merciless and cruel husband happily, constantly took advantage of. There was no way to tell if Lan Wangji was purposefully teasing him or if he had no such intentions, at least not without catching his eyes.

And, after happening many times, there were two things he knew by heart.

One, if he saw Lan Wangji was indeed provoking him, there would be no stifling a nervous giggle.

Two, the moment that first giggle was out, he was done for.

He needed a diversion and he needed to work fast.

"You know, usually by now you'd already be pounding me into the bed. Why the change?" He blurted out, preening in victory when the man grew still. Better yet, Wei Wuxian's hand playing with Lan Wangji's hair brushed against a suddenly very warm ear.

But his triumph was short-lived. Wei Wuxian sucked in a breath as the wandering fingers on his back curled and uncurled ever so slightly, slowly crawling up and down his spine. He forced his body to freeze, sheer will and flustered trepidation keeping him from arching away in a fit of squeals. A chorus of half-hearted protests rang in his mind, which he was pretty sure he could feel scurrying around in his skull and giggling in anticipation. He could talk his way out of this for sure, right? He's talked his way out of much worse situations before, so a potentially mischievous Lan Wangji should be no trouble, surely. All he needed to do was keep talking, even if it was to spew nonsense. "Lan Zhan! Have you been drinking? Without me? Is that why you're acting different?"

Lan Wangji, to his own credit, did nothing more than huff in that particular way Wei Wuxian knew meant he was being laughed at. "No."

"So if I peek under the floorboard, I won't find an empty bottle? Maybe I should check to make sure Hanguang-Jun wasn't parading around Cloud Recesses while drunk. How scandalous would that be, Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian shifted to rise out of bed and inconspicuously scamper from his husband's hold without making his intentions too obvious.

He tried, rather. He squirmed, he twisted, he shot Lan Wangji that slightly awkward smile he did after he'd been resurrected and didn't know exactly where they stood with each other. But the arms wrapped securely around him. Would. Not. Budge.

"I have not been in the Jingshi since morning, I could not have drunk. You know this." Lan Wangji noted, a sliver of amusement in his voice and ooh, Wei Wuxian knew he was screwed.

Skillful fingers between his shoulder blades drew out a gasp from him, which he promptly disguised as a forceful laugh. It was fine. No need to panic. He could hold in a few giggles, how hard could it be? "Right! Right, silly me."

Lan Wangji had to know what he was doing, that utter menace of a man. No one ever believed him when he said the Second Jade of Lan did, in fact, have a handful mischievous of bones in his body, contrary to popular belief. Apparently, not only was 'Sorry, Hanguang-Jun was feeling too affectionate and decided he had to tickle me silly' not a valid excuse for disheveled appearance, but earned him an extra glare from the Lan elders for 'lying'. Even when Hanguang-Jun himself admitted to it. Real unfair, in his opinion. Though he did always have as much fun as his husband when Lan Wangji got the best of him.

Maybe it was that thought that caused him to slack in his efforts. A single finger strayed too close to his side, and Wei Wuxian shivered. He couldn't have scooted more than an inch away, yet Lan Wangji caught onto the movement like a spiritual animal.

Lan Wangji merely stared, a ghost of a smile on his lips as his finger carried on. "Wei Ying. Stay still."

"I can't help it!" Wei Wuxian broke into a wobbly grin, his side muscles twitching. He glanced pleadingly up at the other, commanding a sultry tone into his voice even as his huffs bordered on giggling. "If you want to show love to yohour precious husband, thehehere's other ways you could use your hands."

Warm eyes took in every detail of his face, lingering on upturned lips. "Mn." Wei Wuxian heard, and yet before he could think of celebrating his victory- "No."

It happened so quickly Wei Wuxian barely processed it. With an agility rarely seen outside of battle, his upper body shot up and his hands flew to protect his side as an onslaught of touches ripped a laugh from his throat. Lan Wangji sat up and swiftly laced their fingers, just enough strength in his grip to have Wei Wuxian pause and glance at their joined hands with an honest to gods bashful expression. "Or you could- you could do that. That's fine too. Holding hands I mean."

For a lingering moment the two simply sit there, holding each other's hands and gazing into each other's eyes. Wei Wuxian would babble if his heart weren't beating so strongly in his chest he felt it in his throat. Without breaking eye contact, Lan Wangji released his hold only to instead clasp slightly below his partner's wrists.

Silently, Wei Wuxian watched his own wrist being brought closer to the man across from him. The pristine looking-cultivator, who he knew wouldn't look amiss among heavenly officials, his Lan Zhan, bent forward and pressed his lips against the skin of his inner wrist in a tender kiss. Wei Wuxian gawked. Lan Wangji repeated the motion with his other wrist. The demonic cultivator thought he might have accidentally activated a warmth talisman somehow- was the Jingshi warmer all of a sudden?

Wei Wuxian was brought back to his senses by something white and flimsy-looking moving in his field of vision. The sacred ribbon of the Gusu Lan sect slid off of Lan Wangji's forehead. Wei Wuxian hadn't even noticed the man letting go of him to untie it. Only when the white, cloud-embroidered cloth neared his wrists did Wei Wuxian's traitorous lips quirk upwards without his permission.

"Lan Zhan-" He squeaked and scooted backwards. "What are you doing-"

"You said you couldn't help it." Hanguang-Jun easily followed after him. Faster than a blink the sturdy fabric bound his wrists together, a knot- TWO knots- sealing his fate. "I am helping Wei Ying stay still."

With one light push, Wei Wuxian's back hit the mattress and blunt fingernails grazed idly along his top ribs. Any resolve he had been harboring in the past minutes abandoned ship, and it had the audacity to wave him goodbye too. "I dihihihidn't mehehehean ihihit lihihike thahahat!"

The look on Lan Wangji's face was deceptively innocuous as he happily and deliberately misinterpreted what he had heard. "Would you like them to be tied behind your back instead?"

"I thohohought yohou ohohonly dihid thahat whehehen yohohou're druhuhunk!" Wei Wuxian shot him the most betrayed look he could muster. It was promptly countered by his eyes nearly sealing shut with the force of his smile as a finger softly scratched at the skin between the bones. A faint tug on the ribbon binding his wrists had him snatching them away from Lan Wangji's reach. "Nohoho! They're fihihine lihike thihihis!"

Wei Wuxian wished he could kiss that smug microexpression off his face. Or better yet, morph it into that wide and radiant smile he ever got to see when the roles were reversed.

All thoughts of payback were pushed to the back of his mind by warm lips peppering kisses along his face. He swore up and down the only reason for his nonstop giggling was the electric sensation of his ribcage being skillfully played like a guqin and not at all because he swooned like a bashful maiden.

A musical cultivator indeed, his Lan Zhan. Long and slender fingers vibrated and practically plucked his ribs as if they were strings, the wide range of sounds being drawn out of him only adding to the comparison. The Second Jade of Lan was definitely focused as if he had his instrument lying in front of him, picking a spot and sticking to it regardless of any attempts to be pushed away. Wei Wuxian used to believe he had a thick face. That was before he knew the feeling of being under Hanguang-Jun's undivided attention and affections. He almost wished they were back in their teenage years, swordfighting on the roofs instead of this. (He did not say that part out loud. Lan "Lying is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses" Zhan could smell a lie from miles away, if it came from him.) At least that didn't have his heart doing somersaults in his chest or have his face flushing like a Lan fed peppers.

"Why tihihicklihihing?"

Lan Wangji did not answer, his mouth occupied trailing kisses on Wei Wuxian's jawline, which he deemed much more important than talking. His hands wandered up his ribcage, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake with his barely-there touch.

Wei Wuxian was raised in Lotus Pier, alongside Jiang Cheng and their martial brothers, who- in true Yunmeng Jiang spirit- were happy to roughhouse. It was the norm, actually. He was more than used to being on the receiving end of tickle fights, it was no big deal, honestly! He'd grown to expect quick, ruthless and overwhelming attacks where he felt as if his nerves were on fire- those that had him shrieking and flailing as soon as he was touched- aimed to weaken him so he couldn't turn the tables. He was limp and breathless within seconds, but it's not like it really affected him much. It was as fun as any other game he played, and that was it. No mushy-gushy feelings involved.

With Lan Zhan, it was a whole different story. Fingers prodding softly at his underarms made him all too aware of that.

Lan Zhan tickled like it was an art, with a grace that would have anyone believing he'd been trained in it his entire life. Gentle, loving touches drifted across his skin sweetly and reverently, like every inch was worth being committed to memory and doused in affection. Hands so strong they could probably punch through a tree made light and tender -doting on him, caring for him- with the sole purpose of making him let loose and giggle without a care in the world. Warm eyes tracking his every move like they've never seen anything more beautiful as he squirmed from the nuzzling behind his ear. The single-minded focus on each reaction coaxed out of him and the fondness seeping into him from every drawn-out touch until he almost forgot how to think.

Lan Zhan had him, and nothing could hurt him. Nothing bad could reach him while he laughed away under his husband's hands, while he was comfortably cocooned in their own little bubble of love, warmth and anticipation.

'Gross.' Said a mini Jiang Cheng in his head, rolling his eyes half-heartedly, before being swept away screaming alongside Wei Wuxian by a torrential wave of tingles by light nibbles on his ear paired with nails skittering underneath his arms.

"Husbahahand!" He squealed. "Nohohot so lihihihight!"

The wicked, dastardly man he married lightened his touch in response, humming in satisfaction when his squeaking grew more high-pitched and his trashing heightened. Wei Wuxian cursed the adoring, soft tactics he had no built-up resistance against. (Then turned back and apologized to it because he liked it very much.)

With the patience of a man who had all the time in the world, Lan Wangji's touch descended to the barely sensitive area between his chest and his stomach- drawing out the occasional huff but not much else- as to allow Wei Wuxian regain his breath. His intention was not to overwhelm him, there was no need to rush.

Wei Wuxian took several breaths below him, glancing up at him with a dopey smile. While Lan Wangji adored that dopey grin, as he did all others, he decided that at that moment it did not suffice when he could provoke a wide, euphoric smile whose brightness rivaled the sun.

Lan Wangji leaned down and pressed his lips to his neck in fleeting kisses, nose rubbing lovingly against the reddened area like a rabbit and Wei Wuxian broke into a stream of bubbly giggles, shoulders hunching up. Oh that was not fair. That was so not fair. He wasn't ticklish there at all in his first life, why did this body have to be ticklishness on two legs- "Dahahamn yohohou, Mo XuahahanyUHUHU-!" Steady nibbling showed Lan Wangji had strong issues with that statement.

"Wei Ying should thank him for helping you laugh so freely." Lan Wangji said into his skin, the chiding tone nullified by that slight teasing and playful edge only ever directed at him. He would have loved to shoot back a theatrical 'Lan Zhan! Are you teasing me?' if he wasn't a little busy with not melting into a giggly puddle by all the kissing and the nibbling and the nuzzling and those evil fingers caressing right above his stomach and did that spot somehow get more ticklish because oh man-

"I dohohon't neheheed any help to lahahaugh! I alreheheady laugh plehehenty!" He found it in himself to protest, battling his reflexes not to roll off the bed to escape the mischievous affection. Wei Wuxian caught a glimpse of his husband's expression shifting into something familiar and oh no- he realized with growing horror- the strength of his heart was about to get tested.

"Mn." Said the light of his life, the reason he might someday find out if a heart can burst from too much love, every inch of his normally jade-like features screaming Fond Fond Fond- "I am lucky to hear it every day. It is beautiful.

"You-!" He half-choked on air and dramatically clutched his chest, hands trembling against the bodily urge to swat Lan Wangji's away, and promptly shoved his face into the pillow to hide a flustered grin and cheeks that were definitely embarrassingly red. "Yohohou can't say suhuch thihihings wihihithout wahaharnihing! Yohour poor husbahahand's heart can ohohonly tahahake so muhuhch!"

His skin still buzzing, Wei Wuxian didn't even register his torso being left alone and a pair of hands focusing entirely on the exposed side of his neck had him arching forward in surprise. "Cheheheheater!" Stubbornly, he pressed his face further into the pillow.

"I do not recall setting any rules." With equal stubbornness he maintained his ministrations, alternating between skittering lightly and walking two fingers up and down the demonic cultivator's neck, poking slightly the way he remembered the feeling of his husband in paperman form strolling playfully on his own neck. "Do not hide your smile from me." He added his lips into the mix, ghosting over the reddened ear and nibbling softly.

Lan Wangji huffed lightly when there was no response aside from muffled tittering. "Wei Ying. You will not breathe well like this." He slid a palm between the pillow and Wei Wuxian's forehead, lifting the man's head just enough so his face wasn't so buried in, and returned to the mission of coaxing his cultivation partner out of hiding.

Wei Wuxian held his position for an impressive record of two minutes before he was forced to give in and turn his head to shield the vulnerable spot. (And seeing his husband's handsome face was always a priceless bonus.) He was rewarded with a very smug looking Lan and a chaste kiss to his lips. His whining at Lan Wangji pulling away went ignored and doubled when instead of gazing at his mouth, the white-clad man instead stared at his chin with a deeply pondering expression.

The way it was done to him so many times, Lan Wangji hooked a finger underneath his chin and scritched.

"Eeehehehehehehee nohohoho!" Understanding dawned on Wei Wuxian a second too late. All the blood rushing to his face was almost dizzying as squeal after squeal escaped from him, a sudden shyness tugging at him at having the affectionate gesture he so often dished out reflected back at him for the first time. He had half a mind to melt into the touch like a purring kitten, the foreign bashfulness it brought making him babble out mindless pleas. "Mehehercy, husbahahand! I'm mohohore tihihicklihish thahan you ahahare!"

That finger remained firmly in its place even as he twisted and turned, following behind as if on autopilot. Lan Wangji stared openly, transfixed, at the squirming man coming undone, shy-looking, with such a simple touch. His world reduced to sweet sight and sounds before him, gladly so. A flustered Wei Wuxian wasn't something often seen, and it swept him off his feet each time. If the wonder he felt upon driving the other to such state was half of what Wei Wuxian felt while pushing his buttons, Lan Wangji could understand why he was so fond of doing it.

By the point the melodic giggles had grown high-pitched and nearly frantic, he willed himself to pause- making a mental note to lavish the newly discovered spot in attention some other day.

His hands traced reverently down to the collarbones, slowly and appreciatively like one would handle fine, fragile embroidery. Like something enchanting with a magnetic pole to it. The Lan halted as he reached the spot over Wei Ying's heart. He pressed his palm to it. The warmth emanating from the skin and the quickened pulsing felt like gifts from the heavens. Not for the first time, Lan Wangji marveled.

Alive.

Wei Wuxian blinked at the change of pace and brought his bound hands to rest comfortingly over Lan Wangji's, which was still glued to his bare chest. Eyes caught his own, and any questions Wei Wuxian could have voiced were caught in his throat at the raw intensity of the look directed at him. Two decades of longing. Thirteen years of grief. A present thick with devotion and a promised eternity of love.

"Lan Zhan." His face softened, wishing he could cradle with care the emotions he was gifted with seeing, and tuck them safely away so Lan Wangji would never suffer again, least of all because of him. Gray eyes grew impossibly warm and he schooled his guise of pure adoration into one of dramatic swooning. "Lan Zhaaaaan!" He whined, falling back into the playful ambiance they had built. "You know I can't bear it when you look at me like that."

Obediently, the fervent gaze fell back to his chest, precisely at one spot which, in another lifetime, bore a mark mirrored in Lan Wangji's own chest. Lan Wangji traced a circle onto the naked skin. Followed by a smaller one inside. And an even smaller circle within it.

He bent forward and kissed the very center.

The demonic cultivator observed in awed silence as the faint touch then moved lower, tensing in anticipation as it advanced across his stomach and proceeded toward his side. But no frenzied laughter was ripped from his throat. Instead, a thumb sweetly caressed the scar his nephew had given him. The kisses came shortly after.

Then, a palm resting on his stomach. On his lower dantian.

The other surveyed the unblemished area closely, as if attempting to see something that was not there, that he had never seen and belonged on another body.

Wei Wuxian sucked in a sharp breath as he caught on. A trembling finger traced a line from below his navel up to the middle of his stomach. Then downwards, steadily, and up again. The touch so reverential it made his eyes prickle, so tremendously light it didn't even tickle. Wei Wuxian felt it all the same, oh he felt it, alright.

Lips brushed against the skin and the small golden core Mo Xuanyu had cultivated all but thrummed in response. He felt he could cultivate to immortality by simply laying there and surrendering to the moment, to the deep affection that every day he was pushed closer into believing he was worthy of. He tried to speak, but words failed him. Because Wei Wuxian understood now. He'd understood back in Guanyin Temple and it lounged happily at the back of his consciousness ever since, and now it all came spilling forth.

He understood the feeling of being completely, utterly seen in every single way. He understood being laid bare, every one of his vulnerabilities, mistakes and choices out in the open and being treated with compassion. He understood if Lan Zhan, of all people, would treat him in such a way and be thoroughly sure Wei Wuxian deserved it, maybe he wasn't so unworthy after all.

Lan Wangji's eyes were ablaze with emotions as they met his. Gah! It was official, he was only one more meaningful glance away from having his heart exploded. Or his body and mind turned to mush. Whichever came first.

That doting hand curled into a claw and that was all the warning he got before being thrown into cackles. "Hehehey!" Tips of fingernails dug lightly into his skin, barely vibrating yet still enough to get him hollering and pulling at his restraints. That right there was why the man was the most feared and favored tickle monster in his life. He lured you in with sweet, gentle touches until you were brimming with all sorts of fuzzy feelings, then he struck with even more gentle touches, but you're on the verge of losing your wits so everything feels at least three times as intense. "YOHOHOU MAHAHADE ME DROHOP MY GUAHAHARD ON PURPOHOHOSE!"

His husband, with his adorable and very kissable face, blinked owlishly down at him. There was a tiny furrow between his eyebrows and Wei Wuxian could have regretted the playful accusation if that subtle pout weren't so damn cute he wanted to scream. He got his wish when the other kneaded and squeezed all across his stomach with added speed to show his displeasure.

"Did not."

"WahAHAHAIT, I'm sohohorry! Dohohon't mIHIHInd whahahat thihis ohohone says, nohothihing good ehehever cohohomes out of his mohohouth!" Wei Wuxian giggled with reckless abandon, tipping into shrieks when Lan Wangji honed in to any spots he thought extra sensitive. He seemed to be enraptured in testing in how many ways he could make the muscles of his lower stomach jump and spasm with a measured fluttering of fingertips when he fixed Wei Wuxian with a glare.

"Not true." Lan Wangji was unrelenting, chasing his stomach no matter where he squirmed. Whenever he laid on one side, wiggling fingers readily greeted him until he turned to the other, where another hand waited patiently for its turn. Not to mention how many times the laughing bundle of joy curled in on himself, laid flat again when he realized that wouldn't protect him, only to return to the same position seconds after. The sect heir looked particularly endeared every time.

The demonic cultivator was nearly breathless when he was finally granted mercy. Or so he thought. As he pried an eye open, residual giggles still pouring out of him, a shudder ran through his body at the sight of thumbs poised over his hips and fingers hovering by his sides. Not touching, but close enough that the heat alone had him fidgeting away in bubbly snickers. His partner eyed him questioningly. "Nohoho, Lahan Zhan nohot yet! I'm gonna pahahass ohohout!"

Alright maybe that was an exaggeration, but it's not like he could be blamed! These were the only spots on his previous life that could actually send him into peals of laughter, and fate must have chosen for paying him back for all his pranks by unleashing onto him the ultimate prank of not only ensuring that ticklishness carried on to his current body, but making it even more sensitive. Wei Wuxian would not forget this betrayal.

Lan Wangji nodded, settling back onto the bare stomach. Then abruptly, the other noted in trepidation, his eyes were gleaming. "As you say." Hands latched onto each side of his navel, in precise places chosen with extreme calculation, and vibrated like it was their only purpose in life. Wei Wuxian had already thrown his head back and wheezed, sucking in his stomach to no avail, when he gasped at a foreign sensation.

The ex-Jiang disciple had both dished out and received a lot when it came to tickle fights. He was experienced and he flaunted it with pride. There was hardly anything he hadn't seen, felt or done. Hardly any dirty trick he didn't know.

Nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of spiritual energy flowing directly into his skin and below.

"WHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-" He screeched. His eyes bulged. His whole frame shook with unrestrained laughter as the qi dispersed through its immediate surroundings, searching for meridians to pass through, and dissipating when it found none. Again and again.

"I am transferring you spiritual energy. So you do not pass out."

"THAHAHAT'S NOHOT HOW YOHOHOU DO IHIHIHIT!" Wei Wuxian's voice had never gone higher in both lives. He'd pity the ears of anyone passing by if he was in any state to, which he definitely was not. The cool spiritual energy coursing through where it shouldn't be tickled more than what should even be possible, like it sunk down to his nerves to personally rub against them. Was he qi deviating? Was this what qi deviation felt like? What a way to go. Beats his first time any day.

His spiral into hysteria was met with only the teasing, miniscule raise of an eyebrow. "Wei Ying has always encouraged innovation."

"I TAHAHAKE IT BAHAHACK! I'LL BE THE MOHOHOST OHOHORTHODOX CULTIHIVAHAHATOR EVER, AND SO SHOHOHOULD YOUOHOU! NO TRYIHIHING NEW MEHEHETHODS! LAN ZHAHAHAHAN!"

Maybe the rumors were true and the virtuous Hanguang-Jun really had been corrupted by the sinful Yiling Laozu, to use his cultivation in such a way. Wei Wuxian would be seeing stars for hours. If he was lacking in incentives to work on his cultivation, he found one at the thought of his husband laughing frantically under that.

It did not end as quickly as it started. Even after Lan Wangji had stopped with a placating "No need", the remaining energy slowly trickling away into nothingness tingled like the after-effects of little shockwaves. If lightning could be baby proofed- and wasn't that a fun thought, he'd have to tinker with his talismans later- this was how he imagined it would feel like.

Gracious, kind and perfect Lan Zhan- and totally not evil whatsoever, when had Wei Wuxian said that?- dragged the hard part of his palms heavily across his stomach, massaging it back and forth until the ghost sensations simmered down. He snickered at the apologetic expression on the man's face and brought a palm to his own forehead to the best of his ability. "Hanguang-Jun has thoroughly defeated me. This Yiling Laozu surrenders. Whatever shall the illustrious Hanguang-Jun do to him, hm?"

Lan Wangji's lips twitched up, half in relief and half in fond exasperation, and soon Wei Wuxian was happy to get back to giggling. The electrifying touches had reverted to being tender and soft as they basked in the affection they spreaded through the room. The bell announcing Hai Shi had rung, and not even that was enough to stop them. Almost no ticklish area the Lan could reach was left untouched, and he had the pleasure of watching his beloved melt as he dutifully massaged each spot after it was targeted.

His not so calm reactions were equally cherished, of course. Like the way his heels dug into the mattress when Lan Wangji scribbled and traced senseless shapes on his thighs. Or when he tensed and babbled when he neared the inner thighs, collapsed in relief when he teased his knees just long enough to throw off suspicion, and bucked violently when he crept right back to the inner thighs and squeezed in rapid succession. He earned himself a glare for that as he soothed the skin. It was adorable.

Wei Wuxian had been reduced to a panting mess by the time the other massaged underneath his knees. ”You’re evil, Lan Zhan. How did you learn to be this mean? It couldn’t have been from me! I can barely tickle you for a couple minutes without you attacking me back like I kicked our bunnies!" Lan Wangji let the shameless lie slide and he gladly continued rambling. “I can’t imagine your uncle or even Zewu-Jun playing with little A-Zhan like this.”

He couldn't supress a quiver at the ghost of a touch traveling slowly up his legs, but ears reddening so swiftly they could combust seemed a lot more important. Lan Xichen's knowing smile when he once pinched Lan Zhan's ribs in his presence suddenly made a lot more sense. "Oh? Lan Zhan?" His grin widened when his husband ducked his head, and he was overtook with the need to coo. "Unless I'm wrong? Should I ask Zewu-Jun for some stories of giggly A-Zhan?"

Narrowed, flustered eyes rivaled a shit-eating grin. Lan Wangji struck.

A single, faint squeeze to his hips and down went Wei Wuxian. Any composure he still had bid him farewell as his entire body jerked. Hands jumped from his hips to his sides, then back to his hips in a dizzying loop. Whenever he thought he was getting used to the feeling of something, the other would change tactics to send him further into sweet lunacy. The Lan's body moved almost on its own as he traced swirls onto the man's sides, lightly and tenderly just the way he knew would fluster him most. Pinching, spidering and stroking his nails against the twitching skin no matter where his partner writhed. He wondered- and he had to restrain himself from standing and finding a brush- how much Wei Ying would squirm if he were to draw the swirling, elegant clouds of Gusu Lan robes on the sensitive spot. He would have to try eventually.

Lan Wangji stared fixedly, fascinated, at the enthralling sight that was his husband, at the joyous eyes curved into crescents and the beaming smile could ward off evil better than any talisman. He wouldn't dare try, yet at that moment he truly believed he was not capable of looking any other way.

'Fancy you, love you.'

Wei Wuxian was a hurricane. Chaotic energy in motion, incapable of keeping still on his own, even when he sometimes sought to. Lan Zhan's gentle, loving touches enveloped him in his entirety, slowing his mind down into a calm breeze. As paradoxical as it sounds, the buzzing, electrifying sensation coursing through him consumed him until he was completely pacified by it, despite his trashing limbs showing anything but. A state of complete bliss.

He looked up. If his laughter could have paused by itself, it would have.

Not even a thousand jars of Emperor's Smile could make Wei Wuxian crumble the way he did as he gazed into his husband's eyes. No heavenly intoxication in this world or the next could hope to compare to the warmth in his chest at the feeling of those golden eyes on him, shining with adoration. Or to the curl of his lips into a small smile, one that held so much love he could almost feel it in the air like energy. Wei Wuxian felt drunk in it.

'Want you, can't leave you.'

And after an eternity of circles being lightly stroked into his hipbones, curious pokes pressed to every possible inch of his sides, his legs kicking out for the umpteenth and a dozen cries for mercy both knew he didn't mean, Wei Wuxian's hands were freed. He hadn't even realized it, lost in his giggles and that mirthful sense of peace that encased him, until his wrists were being rubbed and he saw concern flashing on his husband's face.

His wrists weren't even red or so much as sore, and Lan Wangji still fussed over him every single time. Wei Wuxian had to huff a laugh.

'Whatever you.'

"It hurts, husband!" The demonic cultivator wailed and pouted in that way that let the other, who was very well used to his theatrics, know that it didn't hurt whatsoever. "Oh, it hurts!" He put on his best innocent, pleading look and lifted them closer to his husband. "Kiss it better?"

Lan Wangji didn't waste a second. Honestly, sometimes Wei Wuxian questioned just how much those eyes could soften after having already softened a bazillion times- a feat he was quite proud of, thank you very much.

With a gentle nudge he was encouraged to lay back comfortably. Wei Wuxian sighed contently as arms encompassed him, tugging him until their chests pressed against each other. Fingers carded through his hair, gently untangling the knots he'd gotten from his trashing as he sank into the warmth all around him. Against his better judgment, he yawned. For real this time.

A hand fell to his back, rubbing it soothingly. "Do you want to sleep now?"

Wei Wuxian felt his eyelids growing heavy, and stubbornly fought against the wave of drowsiness. He was getting the cuddling of his life and damn it all, he would be awake for it. Scooting backwards with intent into the hand sprawled on his back, he flashed Lan Wangji a toothy grin. "Tire me out a little more?"

His husband's eyes softened one more time. Score.

He was flung into airy, sleepy giggles as fingertips grazed the small of his back, fleeting and light enough he could easily relax into the touch and his mind was free to wander. Wei Wuxian grumbled, hiding his face in Lan Wangji's chest as he was stared at with open adoration, and wondered how in the world he got so lucky. What could he possibly have done so right to get to be loved with such fervor he could feel it in his bones, to be treated with such gentleness not because he required it as if he would break otherwise, but simply because to Lan Wangji, nothing less would suffice. He wasn't sure he would ever understand what his partner saw in him, but Lans only loved once. He would trust Lan Zhan's judgment.

Sleep had almost completely overtaken him, lulled by the sweet touches and the calm atmosphere of the Jingshi, when he felt the other had stopped. "Lan Zh'n?" He nodded in and out of consciousness, a sluggish whine escaping him. "Why'd you stop?"

Lan Wangji blinked, sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth and proceeded to shower Wei Wuxian's face in rapid kisses. Wei Wuxian screeched at the playful assault, scrunching his face and clutching tightly at the white robes while tickles rained down all over his back.

'Don't want anyone else but you...'

He was held as he squawked and sputtered, fingers prodding along his spine ane his head rendered still by a hand cradling his chin. Wei Wuxian blushed redder than his robes as Lan Wangji leaned in closer and he was unable to look away. "You asked why." His breath was hot on Wei Wuxian's skin as lips brushed against his forehead. "Wanted to see Wei Ying smile." A small peck to the tip of his nose. "Wanted to hear Wei Ying laugh." A lingering kiss and a nuzzle to his cheek. "Wanted Wei Ying to feel happy and loved. Wanted to cherish Wei Ying." A kiss to, well-

'...It has to be you!'

The giggly kiss was broken a while after, Wei Wuxian still squeaking into the other's mouth, foreheads leaning against each other. He had to bring a hand to his own lips to stifle yet another yawn. Traitorous body.

"Lan Zhan." He tsked with a lopsided grin before rolling and draping himself all over the cultivator much like he has the first night after he'd been resurrected. He was immediately embraced again. "Making me break the rules, laughing so loud at this hour? Such a rebel, Lan-er-gonzgi."

Lan Wangji turned to the window, as if surprised to see the darkness that had fallen over the back hills even when he deliberately ignored the ring of the bell announcing curfew. "Mn. I learned from the best." The corner of his eyes crinkled when Wei Wuxian's head was raised high in pride. "Will copy the rules in a handstand for punishment."

He would welcome more than a few exasperated pinches to his cheek if it got his husband to look at him with such tenderness for all time.

[kanene-yaaay]

Bunny Fields

Kanene's notes: Hi hi hiiiiii!!! Good afternoooooon!!!! The fic is finally here, let's goooo!! This is a gift for @squeaky-n-blushy for being absoluetly incredible and almost making me scream out loud w her comments and hcs and fics. Tu é um arraso, mana!

Warnings: There's a bit of animals tickling someone, not sure if it counts as warning but besides that, nothing more! Just a light cheer up tickles <3. Ticklish!Jin Ling and Ler!Shizui. Around 7.000 words.

[~*~]

Lan Shizui smiled. His eyes closed as the cold wind caressed his hair and filled his lungs, muscles immediately relaxing, making his usual straight posture falter just a bit. There was the rustling sound of the leaves and birds singing nearby to help the calm, relaxed atmosphere that fell over him and confirmed his growing suspicion that it was going to rain later after the sun set. There was still plenty of time to enjoy and spend on his favorite place, however. 

It took a few moments and no time at all for the feeling of something soft and fluffy graze his fingertips. 

Shizui bit back a joyful giggle. Restrain was difficult when he felt so at home like this, but he was no longer a tiny child squealing and gasping in wonder at each new joy, letting instead delight and contentment be shown in his small smiles and the happy dance of his heart and soul. 

As he opened his eyes, he was graced with the image of a small bunny hopping even closer, past his hand and right to his robes,  smelling them before lovingly chining it.

An indignant sound ressounded behind him and the young boy quickly put the bunny on his lap before it was scared away, again, petting it with care and offering a slice of cucumber in an appeasingly manner. From a nearby bush, another bunny moved and looked at him, nose twitching with the promise of food.

“Why do they keep coming only for you?!” Jin Ling complained indignantly, his new round of protests only coming to a halt when a pair of fluffy ears perked just about his right. 

His eyes zoned to them like an arrow to its target, robes twirling around him as he fastly turned to the animal’s direction and hastily offered the vegetable, one hand supporting him on the ground, keeping his expensive clothes away from the grass as the other stretched the farthest away as it was humanly possible in his attempt to attract the bunny. Initially it hopped a few inches away in a wary distance, making him have to stretch even more.

Even as impatience began nicking at his mind, Jin Ling kept his stance, until the bunny was back and staring at the food with interest, nose twitching and ears turned in his direction, its tiny mind clearly calculating the pros and cons of getting close to The Loud Human and having some free delicious snack or go back to its quiet safety but with no fresh snack. It was black with a big white spot on the base of his left ear and every time it moved the spot fluttered around as well. 

After a few moments passed, the bunny hopped close.

A surprised, sharp gasp came out from the leader of the Jin Sect and both boys held their breaths, watching as it stopped momentarily with his noise before coming closer and closer. The slice almost trembled on his fingertips with his barely contained excitement when the animal stopped in front of it.

An experimental nibble was taken. Pride and warmth began filling Jin Ling’s chest and he prepared to crawl in its direction, already imagining how soft and fluffy that fur would feel when he finally got to hold and pet-

A white blur passed like lightning under him, not even faltering or stopping its dash even with the loud surprised shout from the young boy as he fell on the ground with the scare. It simply continued its path and barreled on the black spotted bunny, hopping like crazy around it and then running away in all its glory and speed, quickly being followed by the first one with energy.

Jin Ling watched as they went away, his eyes narrowing when he saw something suspiciously green and round in one of the bunnies’ mouth, only then turning to look at his hand and realize that his fingers were holding onto nothing, the fresh treat being successfully stolen away.

He felt his entire face burning with the knowledge that he just had been outsmarted by a tiny and fast bunny.

He turned around and laid on the grass with his arms crossed, pout evident on his face and growing stronger as he heard Shizui’s quietly concealed giggles of amusement.

“Stupids rabbits!” 

Bunnies, actually, but the Lan didn’t think his friend would appreciate his correction at the moment.

Jin Ling stomped his feet once in frustration and for a moment the image of a small, round bunny wearing the yellow robes of the Jin sect and with a tiny red spot on his forehead, angrily stomping his feet on the grass flashed in Shizui’s mind, which didn’t really help him with the whole ‘not-laughing-at-your-friend’s-predicament’ thing. Jin Ling seemed to get even more energetic at this.

“That is why dogs are clearly superior! Even before being trained, Fairy already knew how to recognize a strong and trustful cultivator from a threat. Those rabbits are just scared of everything.”

Shizui did not point out who had just been scared by one of them not even a niàn ago, nor rolled his eyes at the other, knowing that even the half amused and half annoyed huff he let out in answer to his complains already tip toed the line of self control his sect was known and respected for.

“Do not bully the weak.”

“Weak?! Wasn’t you watching how it jumped on the other bunny and stole my treat? The only one bullying the weak here was it itself. Maybe you didn’t explain your rules to them well enough.”

Shizui felt his cheeks prickle with a small bound of heat. Since Jingyi told Jin Ling about his old habit of reciting the sect’s rules to the bunnies as a kid in order to better memorize them, the Jin haven’t left him alone until he showered said special place and bunnies to him (with Hanguang-Jun’s permission, of course).

Usually, and especially since becoming the First Disciple, Shizui shouldn’t engage in senseless banter. For a moment, he truly intended to ignore his friend’s clear provocation… but the need to defend his younger self was stronger. “They are good listeners.” 

“And clearly bad learners.” Jin Ling grumbled, watching with envious eyes the bunny on his lap and the couple more surrounding him before turning around sharply, only to find the pair of black and white still jumping around the grass, the slice of cucumber now nibbled to half and in the other’s rabbit mouth. 

He bit back a curse and turned to look at the sky. “Isn't it your obligation as the First Disciple to handle punishments? Go teach them something.”

A snort rang in the air and Jin Ling turned around just in time to see Shizui’s surprised smile for a flash before a long white sleeve ran to politely hide it.

“Maybe this one should ask shifu for some little brushes and paper? Before herding all of them to the Library Pavillion to copy the rules in handstands?” 

Only then Jin Ling realized the absurdity of his words, the mental image of a bunch of bunnies following Shizui in line with tiny brushes and books as students with bad behavior eased his frown and thawed his moping into amusement.

He didn’t smile, but also didn’t snark back and instead turned back to the clouds, enjoying the scenery. 

Soon enough his eyes began prickling with tiredness and he yawned, blinks getting slower and slower as the gray clouds continued to accumulate in the sky. Since becoming a Sect Leader, there was always something to do, some problems to resolve, a meeting to attend, emergencies that were of the utmost importance and needed his attention right now. Therefore, it was no surprise that his sleep became seriously affected by it, with little time to truly rest and even less time when his nightmares would leave him alone. It was rare to have… this. Time to just close his eyes and joy, to oblige his muscles to relax and let his mind drift away…

Something heavy lays on his robes and he jumps on the same spot with a shout, stopping himself from scrambling away when he sees that it was just Shizui by his side, now holding a bunny protectively against his chest as he petted it into calmness again.

“WHAT-” The bunny squirmed in the Lan’s hold and Shizui stared at him with a serious sharp gaze. Jin Ling frowned back, although his voice lowered, begrudgingly. He grabbed one more cucumber slice from the porch attached to his hip and offered to his friend to calm down the animal. Eventually, the bunny settled again on Shizui’s hold. “What do you think you were doing!”

Shizui watched him with such a neutral and unimpressed face that Jin Ling instectevely shivered with how similar to Hanguang-Jun he looked in that moment. In answer to this thought Jin Ling only scowled harder. If they are showing off their heritages he might as well prove his.

“Stay still.” With the corner of his eyes, he saw Jin Ling opening his mouth. “And be quiet.”

That only made his friend bristle even more, taking a deep breath in preparation for what could only be the start of a mix of threats, complaints and protests, so Shizui ran to lay the bunny again on his stomach, successfully shutting him up. 

Interrupting was against the rules, but technically he was just finishing his previous comment and Jin Ling hadn't started to talk yet, so, with a lighter tune, he quickly continued before the other found his words again. 

“They get easily scared with sudden noises and movements. We need to be careful.” 

Jin Ling didn’t bat an eye at him and his words, currently too focused on the bundle of fluff that hopped to his chest and sniffed his fingers when he offered his hand, letting him pet it without a fuzz.

He let out a soft gasp when the bunny lifted itself to its hinder legs and began cleaning its face. Shizui was pretty sure that no emergency or obligation in the entire cultivation world could convince Jin Ling to move a single muscle now, his entire form melting back on the grass, completely attentive simply only to the cute animal on him. 

Shizui could relate.

He watched the small smile blossoming on his friend’s expression and how clearer that made the heavy shadows under his eyes and his previous sour mood stood out.

Since he and lan Jingyi met Jin Ling, he had been energetic, grumpy and not afraid at all to speak his every thought in a way that Shizui could only wish to understand, going into dangers and ideas head first, defending what he believed with his entire being and bickering or even fighting with anyone who disagreed with him and tried to cross his path.

In those last months, however, it had been clear that the stress had been taking a toll on him. It was not as bad as the first seasons when his entire world came crashing down around him in a single night and he suddenly went from heir to leader of his sect. 

Yet, lately he was still clearly jumpier and easy to startle than normal. His presence had became even more scarce than previously during their usual night hunts, his remarks more painful and his regretting silence after those louder.

Each and every one of those details accumulated and flashed in front of Shizui’s eyes like flaring signals, asking without words for immediate support.

To see him now, taking it easy, being full of excitement and softness, it only made Shizui’s determination to keep cheering him up like this even stronger. Quickly, he turned around, gray eyes fastly jumping around the field in search of more bunnies to bury the other under.

There was nothing better for lighting someone’s mood than being under a pile of cuteness and fluffiness, of that he was sure.

He had just successfully coaxed two more bunnies on Jin Ling and had just turned around to attract a fourth one when a barely concealed giggle froze him on the spot.

Jin Ling tried to scrunch his neck, but stopped mid movement when the rabbit just shoved its nose even more on the spot. It had spotted his brilliant red ribbon and got closer, wanting to give it a few experimental nibbles before the human quickly maneuvered the fabric away, hiding it under his head and hair from the curious bunny. Now, very much likely in a petty show of revenge, the small ball of fluff began sniffing his neck non stop.

As soon as the uncharacteristic sound was stolen away by the wind, Jin Ling turned around with wide eyes to stare at Shizui’s back, hoping that he hadn’t listened to the most embarrassing giggle he just let out. 

(Look! He had been caught by surprise, ok? You try to contain your reactions when a stupid rabbit discovers your weakness and decides to start exploiting it as revenge for you trying to save its life!)

The Lan, however, seemed much concentrated to continue his mission of determinedly gathering more and more rabbits to absolutely submerge Jin Ling with them, for some reason. He would’ve sighed in relief if the moving ball of fur hadn’t just decided to start nuzzling right under his chin, resulting in a brand new round of giggles to bounce back and forth on his throat, being held back only by his lips being desperately pressed in a thin line. 

“You dumb animal,” the heir of the grandious Jin sect refused to acknowledge the slight tremble in his voice, whispering his words so Shiziu wouldn’t realize the predicament he is in. If he, or even worse, Jingyi discovered about him being ticklish he would have to kill them himself in order to not die from embarrassment. 

Besides, he was a sect leader, now. Sect Leaders simply were not ticklish. 

As if actively contradicting him, the little tickly sensations continued to assault his nerves. 

“Cut this off or I’ll break your legs!”

The rabbit continued being a rascal and ignored his warnings, pretty much like he himself when his uncle used that same threat with him, knowing he was all talk. 

He bristled indignantly at being ignored and quickly lifted his arms, scaring one of the bunnies left on his torso to the ground

The other flinched and looked at his arms with suspicion, not far from following the other’s lead.

Swallowing a loud squeak - because the stupid little demon on his shoulder decided that his ear looked very interesting and began nuzzling it too - he changed his path to pet the second little fluffy ball on his belly because he wasn’t actually so petty - different of some animals as it seems - to scare the rabbits Lan Shizui left under his care just because of a few accidental tickles. 

The animal quickly calmed down again and went dutifully back to search his robes for more snacks since the four slices of cucumber Jin Ling gave to it had already been devoured.

(What a greedy thing!)

It had just started to sniff his porch with curiosity when a tiny lick hit his neck and the one in yellow robes had to use all his self control to stop an honest squeal to leave from his mouth, transforming it into a yelp as his hands flew to grab the sneaky little rascal out of his shoulder. His cheeks burned from interrupting the silence with his uncontrolled reactions once again.

“I am going to roast you.” He brought the  big, round thing next to his face, right in front of his eyes so he could glare at it better.

Once again, he must not have put too much heat on his mumbled threat because the rabbit only squirmed on his hold, obliging the grumpy, frowing leader move his hands to better secure it, supporting the torso and bun, before it went right back to to excitedly licking his face.

With a protesting and dramatic disgusted sound, Jin Ling pulled it away from him and made a face, showing off his tongue in what he knew was a childish move, but after so much blatant disrespect, he didn’t care anymore.

“Stupid rabbit, I will start licking you back, see how you like it!”

“Do not bully the weak.”

“Shizui!” The surprised expression made clear that the Lan had been successful in his attempt to not be discovered watching such a cute scene with the corner of his eyes, smiling fondly with drops of exasperation. Jin Ling’s face was slightly red and contorted in a scoff. “Shut up!I am not bullying anyone, this… thing here is the one that started everything. He hates me!”

Both boys turned to look at the bunny, still sitting comfortably in the other’s careful hold and totally taking advantage of his distraction to chin his cheeks energetically. Shizui very carefully did not lift one dubious eyebrow when he turned to stare at his friend again, but for the way that Jin Ling jolted on the same place and made a face, eyes staring back in defiance, he must have realized his true feelings anyway.

The one in golden robes opened his mouth to say something - probably a snapping remark - but immediately choked, his mouth quickly clamping shut as his entire posture became stiff as a board.

“Jin Ling?” 

Said one looked at him with wide eyes, hands coming down to hurriedly drop the bunny in his hold back on his shoulders, which seemed to be trembling a little. His moves were forced and unnatural. 

Immediately looking around to find the reason for his friend’s sudden silence, Shiziu found his gaze being promptly captured by his torso, squirming around and almost dislodging the other bunny on his stomach, who kept its unrelenting digging on the porch tied on his belt, missing the target most of the time and giving the sides and stomach under it the treatment of the soft, stubborn paws, uncaring for how the torso under it kept trembling and shaking under it.

His eyes changed their focus now to Jin Ling’s arms that jerked to his midriff. That was the moment the bunny he had just decided to put down began delivering licks and nuzzles back again on his neck, now free from any restraints and enjoying the opportunity present with the best of its ability. 

Jin Ling's hands went up to his shoulder and then right back down, clearly not sure of each animal to take care of first, face getting even more red as the moments went by and the attack simply continued, lips pressed so firmly that they formed just a straight line on his expression, his cheeks starting to poof.

So it was true, Jin Ling definitely was…

Shizui tried to not smirk with mischievousness, doing his best to keep in mind and reflect in his body the sect’s rules. 

(Do not bully the weak.)

However, Jin Ling was a very strong companion, a capable cultivator and admirable leader. No other word could be more unfitting to describe him than ‘weak’. 

(Cherish your companions and friends. Value your family. Stay honest to your beliefs. Do not treat outsiders of the sect differently.)

He was here to help Jin Ling to relax and cheer up. If a new opportunity to do so presented itself so perfectly in front of him, it would be foolish to not acknowledge the benefits that resulted from it.

“Let me help you, then.” 

Jin Ling could almost breathe in relief when he felt the rabbit on his stomach being lifted away, taking care of half of his attack. With mind and arms now free from the uncertainty, he moved to move the other one as well.

The moment of peace was soon over, however, when nimbly fingers took over its place and began digging and scratching on his sides with much more skill and precision than the animal. 

He jolted with a squeal and the giggles that were already trapped on his throat spilled freely, seemingly to only encourage Shizui’s attack even more. The Lan focused in exploring every spot of sensitive skin, pinching and skittering everywhere those skillfully fingers could reach, finding the weakest spots and attacking them without mercy all while he kept evading without even a blink the clumsy dance of his own hands as they tried to stop him from his tickling and pulling the most embarrassing sounds from him.

A squeeze hit his hips and the initial giggly fit quickly grew to a loud laughter, his reactions seeing much harder to control when as soon as his barrier broke. With interest, Shizui’s hand latched on the spot, kneading the flesh and scribbling on the bone, very much satisfied with the answering guffaws that it resulted.

Such sensations spreaded like fire across his skin, a buzzing feeling that went from his hips to his entire torso in ticklish sparkles and funny tingles,  mixing with the soft feeling of soft and fluffy nuzzles on his neck like a unbearable dance that made his smile grow wider and his laughter stronger.

“No!” He tried to growl in protest, but it came out more like a whine as he held the other’s wrist in reflex, briefly pulling it away from his torso when another high pitched squeak scurried away from his lips. In a flash, his friend’s other free hand (where was the rabbit?) had been quick to jump to the rescue, diving under the captured one and latching on his torso with energy. Fingers hopping from rib to rib, playing on each bone like they were the strings of a guqin until he was more focused in scurrying to hug himself than to keep the hand secure in his hold, squirming at every prodding and vibrating that attacked the spaces in between them as if the was dutifully tuning an instrument. “D-do not! Shizui!! Whahahat are you doing?”

“Helping you.”

“You are not! C-cut it out!”

Shizui’s next words were drowned by a shriek as another cold thing touched his neck. With a foreboding sensation Jin Ling realized that the other rabbit had joined the first one next to his shoulder, also sniffing and chinning him in a horrible, revengeful attack.

(What had he even done to this one?!)

“Get out, leav-eek! Leave my ribbon alone!” His voice wobbled and his words were completely taken over by plenty of snickers and chuckles, eyes closed from how much he was smiling, the sensations exploding behind his eyelids like flares. “Why do you keep licking me!”

He tried to scrunch his neck again in a poor attempt of protection, not really being successful since the bunnies simply deviated their attention and buried their stupid fluffy bodies and their stupid tiny, pink noisy noses behind his ears with energy and obliging him to move his face away, by instinct, which, of course, only opened even more places for them to explore, more tittering snickers and protesting squeals filling the air.

“Maybe it’s because of your… sweet personality?” Shizui cringed internally, then deflated, somehow glad that his friend was very much occupied laughing his heart out to point his thoughts out. Jingyi was much better at puns. 

The fact that Jin Ling’s face still pulled into a frown, a quite weird one since there was a gigantic smile on his face, was still equally amusing, though.

“That was horrible! Bunnies do not eat sweets.”

“Fruits are sweet.”

“I am not a fruit!”

A twinkle appeared on Shizui’s gray eyes and for a moment he looked so much like Wei Wuxian that dangerous warnings began blasting on his mind. “Maybe they confused you with a red bayberry?”

Jin Ling felt his already blushing face be set ablaze with stronger flames. A series of offended and incoherent noises fell like a snowstorm from his mouth, legs starting to kick with giddy energy and his torso to more energetically twist away. The offending hands simply kept following him, although, no matter how much he turned this or that way, drumming quicker and stronger on his higher ribs for the trouble.

He prepared to string a completely cohesive and strong argument that may or not contain a few threats of breaking legs or imminent death when said worming fingers decided to climb and shove themselves in his armpits.

A shot cut across the air as Jin Ling arched his back. It took a few moments for him to realize that such inhuman sound had been his, especially as more and more shrieks continued to be fished from his lungs.

Shizui faltered for a couple of moments, surprised with his sudden stronger reaction, fingers stilling and trembling as he stopped himself from chuckling out loud in amusement at the reaction. Guffaws and snorts continued to fill the air and he gave the - as it seems - absurdly, awfully ticklish skin under his nails a quick, light series of scribbles.

Another screech left Jin Ling’s lips and he jumped on the same place, giddy, anticipatory giggling escaping from him even when the other stilled his fingers again. The first disciple of Gusu Lan felt his own mouth twitching into a grin. 

“Shizui!”

Humming in lieu of an answer, Shizui started once more his skittering, now trying to add some stronger pressure as he scratched every available patch of skin. He watched as Jin Ling’s legs began kicking again with a new kind of fervor, moves growing quicker and more frenetic the longer he went.

His eyes squinted a little bit in thought. Freeing one of his hands, he pulled one of Jin Ling’s arms upwards, ignoring the yelp (and more tittering) that this resulted.

Making his touch light and soft again - not unlike the quick tracing of brush on paper or the quick plucking of a guqin’ cords -, the Lan ran the tip of his fingers on his inner elbow, watching as the other  descended back to a hysterical snickering, kicks going from trashing to a steady pace of stomps.

(Lan Shizui tried to wash away all his smug thoughts of how hard it would be to hit such a sensitive place when wearing all the layers required by the mountains' weather. Such a pity the Jin’s golden robes weren’t as thick and numerous as Lan’s, truly.)

Then, with no warning he dived back to his pits, clawing them until another round of shrieking started anew together with, to his immense delight, energetic and quick kicks that continued to follow the speed of his tickling.

It was almost impossible to distinguish the red Vermillion’s mark in Jin Ling’s forehead with how red his entire face was. “Stop playihihihing!”

Jin Ling clasped his arms tight on his torso, trying to protect himself way too late and succeeding in only trapping his hands closer and looking one step closer of completely losing his mind.

“Get out of there!” But the rabbits also kept him let out the most embarrassing yelps and squeaks and Jin Ling no longer knew to whom his order was directed to.

“Lift your hands up and I will.”

The sect leader scoffed. It came out sounding like a snort. “I’m not falling for that!” 

With a sort of amusement, Shizui watched as his friend’s reactions began fluctuate once more, according to the kind of tickles he delivered, going from a hysterical, loud giggly fit when he wormed his hands a little down low and decided to poke and prod his higher ribs, - quickly jumping from one spot to other to hear those funny, lovely squeals that appeared each time Jin Ling was caught by surprise, - to an uncontrollable round of crackles and screeches when he decided to vibrate non stop on his pits, making him kick and squirm and arch his back with no real way to escape the ticklish feeling that flooded his nerves in a fun kind of electricity that would put Zidian to shame.

(May his uncle never hear this.)

It took several tánzhǐs before Jin Ling’s mind stopped screaming and the next words of the Head Disciple of Gusu Lan finally sank.

The fact that the rabbits finally got tired from (all the movement and decided to look for food somewhere else) messing and attacking him might have helped.

“Lying is forbidden in Cloud Recessess.” Shizui reminded, watching him with an unusual playful gleam that didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in his words.

But Jin Ling wasn’t a little, easily tricked kid anymore. He had grown up with plenty of… experience to know a trap when he saw one.

“You’re just going to-”  His voice disappeared in a loud squeal and he tried to give the boy in white robes an annoyed glare before it faded in the smile on his face, especially as Shizui continued to focus on that spot between his armpits and ribs, pulling more and more squealing laughter. 

However, he was the nephew of Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, and no one could shut him up when he had something to say!

He took a breath and spilled everything before the other could stop him again.

“You’re only going to tickle me more!”

Instead of the surprised face of someone who was caught breaking his sect’s main rules by being a dirty liar, Shizui only smiled calmly at him.

“I assure you. If you put your hands up, I will not tickle your armpits anymore.”

Then, he kneaded on the flesh and digged his fingers, as if reminding him how absolutely unbearable and insufferable the tickling truly was, taking all the breath he had just gotten away in a wheezing crackle. “Which I can not promise if you keep me trapped here.”

For a while Jin Ling was too lost in laughter to concentrate, arms trying to go up only to go crashing right back down as the Lan just didn’t stop tickling him. 

The sadic Lan he called a friend continued to soften his touches to a light, maddening scribbling just after each attempt, only to go back to full on drumming  on his poor pits the moment he managed to lift his arms the tiniest bit, cutting off all his progress.

“Why are you doing this!”

“Doing what?”

“Tickling m-” He cuts himself just as his mind caught his words, again, he turns a (non effective) frown and a glare (without heat) to his friend, who now loses the battle against himself and begins to softly snicker.

Jin Ling frowns harder at how warm that makes him feel. It is still a funny image with all the smiling and laughing. “I already said I am not falling for that!”

“You only need to put your arms back up, Sect Leader Jin, and I will not tickle your armpits anymore.” His tune had… something. If it wasn’t Shizui, it would almost sound as if taunting.

Still, it made Jin Ling bristle and, with all the strength he could gather, shot both of his arms up at once. They shook and trembled with plenty of laughter frolicking across the grass, yet they were kept high up.

Shizui stopped immediately and Jin Ling waited, anticipation prickling on his skin, for the moment those tormenting fingers would go back to assaulting his pits. 

With wide eyes, he watches, instead, as the other simply pulls his hands away with a tranquil, almost knowing look in his face.

“Lying is forbidden in Cloud Recessess.” Shizui, once more, reminds him.

There is still… a kind of light in his eyes that keeps titters falling from the leader’s lips and a tingling to run across his nerves. 

A breeze of air passed through them, making the hair on his neck stand up and him to prepare for another attack. He quickly pulls his arms right back down and Shizui adjusts himself so he is sitting on his legs, watching Jin Ling as if he is as silly as the big smile that is still plastered on his face.

Jin Ling begins to relax.

That is when, in a beautiful, blurring and fast flash of white, two hands latch on his stomach and started clawing with energy, scratching any and everywhere, kneading up and down, spidering all around, scribbling and pitching from side to side.

“No, no, no! Not the tummy, not the tummy! Shiz-” Another high screech was out of his lungs, a surprised, belly laughter (ha-) following right after. His voice got completely taken over by the force of the sound, totally unrestrained and unstoppable.

Lan Yuan really couldn’t help it.

He kept on tickling, kept looking for the spots that brought the most high pitched reactions, the cutest sounds, the sensitive places that made him bang his fists on the ground and try to roll away from the ticklish touches only to feel sneaking fingers swiping across his spine and dancing on his back over and over again until he was back to pressing his back on the ground, kindly putting his stomach right back at his tickly attention again and again.

It took him three tries, but soon Jin Ling was able to pass coherent words in between his slow, giggly and continuous descent into madness.

“I already commanded you to stop!”

And, just like magic, the tickling actually stopped.

Jin Ling kept feeling the ghost of the scribbles and tickles jumping excitedly across his muscles and nerves. He hugged his belly and tried to squirm away, but a firm touch on his torso prevented him from doing so, pulling his attention back to his friend as he kept trying to reign all the snickers flowing from him. 

His smile dimmed a little when he realized that the other was frozen, as if stuck in a daze.

What was that about? Did he just get hit by a curse? Was someone approaching? Maybe Hanguang-Jun? Was that why he stopped all of a sudden? Jin Ling supported himself on his elbow and looked behind Sizhui, trying to see any hint of white robes, a guqin or Wei Wuxian. 

When nothing besides a bunch of bunnies and trees catches his eyes, he goes back to stare at his friend, brows furrowed in confusion.

“You didn’t.” Lan Sizhui replies, as if this explains something.

“What?”

He jolts on the place when his strong, watching gaze falls on him, looking determined. “You didn’t.”

He starts to smile, something bright and happy. Jin Ling squints his eyes.

“You didn’t ask me to stop.”

With a shock, this time the leader of the Jin Sect was the one who froze, eyes widening with realization, mind running across the moments since the attack began. He surely would… I mean, it wasn’t as if Jin Ling actually still liked… Shizui simply must have been confused!

The blush on his face grows darker and darker.

“That doesn't mean anything! Besides, I shouldn't even have to! I- I-” His tune is as squeaky as his laughter, words jumping out of his throat before he can think too much about it. 

Instead of giving up of whatever he was planning to do, however, Shizuis's face only continues to get fonder and fonder, transforming into something so utterly joyful and glad that it has Jin Ling stumbling to erase it before the other can start getting ideas. More sentences tumbles out of his mouth as his arms try to push him clumsily away. “You Lans shouldn’t even… We aren’t kids anymore!”

Shizui’s grin continues unchanging, shining in fondness and playfulness and Jin Ling continues to feel his neck getting progressively more and more hot.

“Animals still play as adults, especially bunnies.”

“What does that have to do with anything, we are not bunnies!”

“There is no age to have fun, A-Ling.”

Then his gray eyes got wide and panicked and the sudden change left Jin Ling so confused that, when the other hurriedly jumped in his direction, he only managed to defend himself in their wrestle battle for some moments before the mischievous hands were burrowing themselves once again on his armpits. Just the slight graze of the ticklish feeling was enough to turn his body into well cooked noodles until the other was able to bring him right back to the ground, kicking and laughing non stop as the drumming was right back.

“You said you wouldn’t tickle them anymore!”

His entire body shook with the peals of laughter, head being thrown back with the force of it. There was  nothing else his senses could feel except that it tickled. It really, really tickled, even more now that Shiziu seemed to catch on just how much he didn’t truly mind the playful attack at all.

There was still mercy in the world, as it seems, though. 

“That is true.” The digging stopped and Jin Ling barely had time to breath before his sides began to be attacked with some light and energetic spidering, rare pinches appearing here and there and making him buckle from one side to another with surprise. 

The sudden change caught him out of guard and his belly laughter to fall back to a series of his embarrassing snickery giggles. His shoulders hunched up and he pressed his face on them, trying to at least muffle a little bit of such undignified sounds.

Lan Shizui must have some kind of mind reader amulet with him because in the very next niàn the soft tickling went back to an unmerciful kneading that made him squeal and squirm uncontrollably until his face inevitably came out of its hiding place. He began kicking his legs with all his might, making the other one turn around to look at them with a critical eye.

“Very well.”

And, as if they just had an entire conversation and arrived to some sort of agreement, Lan Sizhui freed one of his hands to squeeze on his right knee, summoning a loud snort, more and more of them being successfully mixed with his now wheezing fit to Shizui's happy delight.  

The leader of the Jin Sect got stuck in a playful, tickly cycle of extending his legs in a poor and unsuccessful attempt to escape from the tickles, shaking them from a side to another since Shiziu discovered that scratching on the underside of his knees will get him wiggling and letting out an unending ‘eee’ sound and then getting his sides teased and scribbled on until he was a mess of giggles, pulling his legs up to another round of kicks only for his knee to receive even more squeezes.

Every step of the cycle kept being repeated over and over again, as thoroughly and carefully as possible, making him wheeze, yelp, squeal, snort (there was so, so much snorts, Jin Ling is never surviving this if Lan Jingyi ever finds out), snickers, guffaws and temporary barks of laughter that makes his shoulders bounce, his head to shake and his mind to go completely crazy with such a funny, unbearable sensation.

His core spinned and twirled with each moment, sending warmth and adrenaline across his every meridian, making every light touch, every poke and spidering much more ticklish than before. His smile is so big and there are so many memories of his childhood passing through his mind and he wants to pull and push the sensation away and…

And he giggles and giggles and giggles.

Finally, the tickling stops and Jin Ling just… melts on the grass. His mouth is still twisted in a smile longer after all his tittering and hammering heart calms down. Feeling so dizzy with adrenaline, giggly in joy and relaxed only highlights how much tense he was before. 

He closes his eyes and just stays there, catching his breath, enjoying the breeze and wondering if he should get his revenge right now or wait to first bribe Jingyi into spilling all of Shizui’s best tickle spots and then get him, perhaps even with his help.

When his eyes open, his friend is there, petting a bunny that got close with one hand and holding a porch with the other. Jin Ling moves to sit and glare when Shizui turns with a calm, happy face to offer him water.

He opens his mouth to say something - a promise, a threat, a complaint - but no words come out so he simply gets the poach and drinks the water greedily. 

Stupid noisy bunnies. 

Stupid attentive Lans.

“Are you feeling better?” 

Shizui at least has the sense of sounding a tad apologetic. As he should! Attacking someone (and a Sect Leader no less!) with such a… childish, unbecoming tactic. His uncle, Sect Leader Lan and not even Sect Leader Nie would be found fooling around like this in his place. Jin Ling almost bristles at him in answer.

The warmth and fact that he is the most relaxed he had been in days stops him. But still!

“What are you talking about?”

Shizui looks around and then at him, eyes catching his without fear or mockery and holding his gaze. They spend a moment like this until the other looks away with a soft sigh. 

“You seemed stressed, lately, so I-” 

(-thought to bring you to my safest space, where no worries can find you or matter.)

(-decided to tickle you until you looked and sounded so carefree that no problem would try to keep haunting your mind.)

(-remembered how easy and effortless it is to be playful around you.)

How silly would he sound should he say any of this. Words weren’t usually a problem for him and yet Shizui found himself not knowing exactly how to explain his motives.

“I wanted to show you the bunny fields. They’re always very effective to be calming and joyful.”

He decided to go with that.

“And since when do I need your help?” Jin Ling sniffed, “I am fine!”

Shizui blinked, stared at him, face showing no strong emotion. His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit.

He lifted one of his hands in a clawing motion.

“Wait! D-don’t! I just said that I am fine.” he made a noise between a scoff and a snickery sound. “Lying is prohibited here, isn’t it? As a sect leader, it would be unbecoming to disrespect your sect by not following them.” 

He crossed his arms and their eyes found themselves again. Without even meaning to, Jin Ling’s voice softened. “I am fine.” 

(Thank you.)

Shizui huffed, sounding both amused and relieved, smiling a little back. “Then I am glad.”

[kanene-yaaay]

Warm, Soft and all the other things that I can only be with you

Kanene's notes: Ok, I just had NO IDEA that I would come to like Jiang Cheng as much as I do when I first watched mdzs. Maybe I should've realized when his first apparition is LITERALLY coming right when Jin Ling is being defeated by Wei Wuxian and calls him saying that >:[[ his jiujiu will kill him and aaaaaa Wei Wuxian asks who his uncle is and then KJHGFDEFGH JIANG CHENG LITERALLY APPEARS FROM NOTHING SAYING "I'm his uncle. Any last words?" BRUHH. He just breaks me. aughhh ALL OF THEM MAKE ME GO INSANE!!!

Anyway this story isn't about any of this. It's about Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen being absurdly in love and playful and cute and silly <3 All the thanks and applause and hugs for @squeaky-n-blushy for spending literally HOURS screaming about mdzs+tickle scenarios with lil ol me because it helped me so much to brainstorm kjhgfdfghjk

Warnings: This is a bit of more intense story than the usual that I write, so be warned. There's angst and lots of fluff. Also a suggestive joke (LOOKING AT YOU WEI WUXIAN) and some making out in the fic but it's really not the main focus here and a quick thing. Lots of teases, tickles, kisses and more teases. Especially about losing control. Romantic setting. Around 13.000 words. Mainly Ler!Jiang Cheng and Lee!Lan Xichen.

[~*~]

Jiang Cheng was not jealous. 

He was fine. Great, even.

He was just... curious.

There were a plentiful of words that could be used to describe Wei Wuxian.

Insufferable. (Strong). Troublesome. (Joyful). Annoying. (Smart). Stupid. (Traitor). Stubborn. (Sacrificial). Careless. (Mischievous). Impulsive. (Brillant). (Genius). (Caring). (Important). (Family). (Stupid). (Stupid). (Stupid).

(Brother).

And, if needed, Jiang Cheng had all of those and much more that he used on a regular basis every time they got stuck in one of their usual bickering matches, both of them still learning how to tip toe the lines between hurt and healing, family and enemies. 

It was hard. Confusing. Good. Exhausting. Raw. They would fight and punch each other across the bonds during a heated match - that were actually growing less and less frequent, thankfully - or extend an olive branch in each other’s direction and not comment on how small it looked in the ocean between them. 

But both of them grew up in the Lotus Pier and no water body could ever scare them. Bandages and cuts decorating their hands as they kept building the bridges and boats to forgive and find each other someday. 

Day after day.

Jiang Cheng shook his head, dissipating those overly sensitive thoughts. All of that was irrelevant and not at all where he wanted to get. Unfortunately, by doing so there wasn’t anything else left to distract him from the little lightheaded, annoyed (flustered) feeling that was taking over all his senses after what happened.

(What just happened?)

He clenched his jaw and huffed, still confused, still annoyed. His steps sounded firm and clear as he kept his determined stride to the room he already knew so well, not even glancing at the young cultivators that knew better than to interrupt him when he looked like this, even if they seemed much more relaxed with his presence at the Cloud Recess after seeing it so often.

Never, ever Jiang Cheng could describe Wei Wuxian, the Patriarch Yilling, one of the most feared cultivators across all the sects, the black spot in Lan Quiren's golden record, the most irresponsible uncle and brother this world had ever seen, as embarrassed.

The scene had hit him like a brick and Jiang Cheng didn’t even mean to see it in the first place! He could pretty much actually go on with the rest of his entire life without ever picturing for a single second what Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan liked to do in their freetime together.

Nowadays, however, both of them spend more time over each other than away, absolutely shamelessly, with no care about who was watching or where they were. With Wei Wuxian drapping himself over his husband's lap during dinners and conferences and Lan Zhan spending every night when the other is away in a hunt or a visit to the Yunmeng sect playing his guqin melancholically through the night and the early hours of the morning to express his deep feeling of longing and pining.

(Thanks everything that Jiang Cheng was never actually there to witness the last one, being an information that Lan Huan shared with him recently with an amused smile on his lips. Because he was pretty sure that if he was living in Gusu Lan and had to endure their constant show of unyielding affection for each other he would end up breaking that damn instrument into pieces.)

So, it was no surprise that Jiang Cheng was forced to witness his brother’s love life first hand again. Because he had been a fool who accepted to have a tea over Wei Wuxian’s house and even more of a fool to believe that his brother, the very one who called him in the first place, would be actually prepared to receive him on the time he himself choose and perhaps be there to show him at least a hint of respect and hospitality that the leader of Yunmeng Jiang Sect deserved and open that goddamn door at once!

(And, yes, maybe he was still jittery about Wei Wuxian’s death. Maybe when he heard the cultivator of resentful energy shout - even though loud noises are forbidden in the Cloud Recess - and the sound of something heavy falling following suit his mind got somehow clogged and his knocking louder and more incisive the longer no one answered him. Maybe he forgot for a moment that they were in the Gusu Lan Sect and, for the first time in a long while, it was only him and Wei Wuxian against the world again. This time he would not run the fuck away.) 

However, when the door opened - a better description would be “was forcefully ripped away from his path, but that was irrelevant - the scene that greeted him had absolutely nothing to do with blood or pain or any kind of danger.

(Not one that Wei Wuxian wasn’t more than used with, at least.)

“What” his voice trembled, no longer with a jittery feeling, but with a barely concealed annoyance. The electricity cracking from Zidian danced now in his arm for an entire different reason than getting ready for a fight. “Is happening here?”

Wei Wuxian squealed on the floor, squirming on the ground like a worm on a rainy day as his husband’s hands danced dedicatedly on his torso at a tickly pace.

“Punishment.” Lan Zhan answered, stoic and direct as ever, totally impassive under Cheng’s blasting glare. Especially because he didn't see it, not even bothering to look up from his position, gaze clued on Wei Wuxian’s face almost hypnotized, as if it was the only image that could ever matter in the world.

(Urgh.)

“A-Cheng!” 

It was ridiculous, really, how only that (and who knew he still had in him to call Jiang Cheng in such an affectionate form) was enough to make his eyes immediately snap into Wei Wuxian’s direction, something relaxing in him when he acknowledged the usual playful tune he already knew too well.

“What.”

“Hehehelp me!”

Jiang Cheng could feel an artery pulsating in his forehead, they both falling easily in their usual push and dance. “Stop being dramatic, he is barely touching you. Get up and use your hands!”

“No, I can't!” His whine was quickly taken over by more giggles, his entire body contorting in protest at the playful attack as he kept his dramatic wailing. “I will rip Lan Zhan's forehead ribbon! Please, A-Cheng!”

Jiang Cheng almost had a whiplash at how quickly his head turned to look at Lan Zhan’s naked forehead and then at Wei Wuxian's hands, seeing that they were in fact bonded by the delicate, white band that the Lan Sect was known for. 

The forehead ribbon. A sacred symbol of resilience and restraint, an extension of yourself that could only be touched and freed by your close family and your significant other, being used as an illusion of a bondage in a meaningless punishment of a childish game.

Lan Zhan’s expression continued just the same as it always did, impassive and serious. Yet, he managed to look extremely smug all the same. He was fully aware of the trap he just put his husband into, knowing Wei Wuxian would rather endure far worse tortures than tickling instead of giving the ribbon left in his care a single strain or tear.

Shameless.

He scoffed. 

(Jiang Cheng ignored how he himself felt when Lan Huan let him touch his own forehead ribbon. He took the ends of the white fabric and freely gave them to Jiang Cheng in one of their quiet evenings, only so they could be woven into the braids of the Yumneng Sect he was occupied in replicating, eyes focused and movements certain as he styled the other’s long, beautiful black hair. How soft and small it felt in his palms. The meaning of that act. How reverent and careful Jiang Cheng was during the entire process, holding the white fabric into his calloused hands while his fingertips and soul trembled with emotion.)

And then those two were just playing around with theirs. They really have no shame!

“Always asking me to clean up your messes, fight for this one yourself! Don’t you remember that you called me here to have tea in the first place? Have you really lost all the sense of respect?”

Wei Wuxian only giggled harder. Whether it was because he always thought it was fun how upright Jiang Cheng was about both of their reputations and how easy it had always been to rile him up about it or because Lan Zhan now changed his absolute nonsense of a tickle attack to focus on his sides, it was uncertain.

“Don’t be so grumpy, A-Cheng!” He squeaked loudly when Lan Zhan tweaked his lowest rib (of course he discovered about that specially ticklish spot, Wei Wuxian had always been so obvious about it, crackling and squirming like crazy when Jiang Cheng did no much than just glaze over it). It didn’t take long before the new sound was completely engulfed by a new round of even more uncontrollable snickers, his legs kicking desperately with energy. “Your face will get stuck in a frown forever! Like a sour plum!”

And, of course he would use his every ounce of oxygen to tease him. Jiang Cheng opened his mouth to replicate.

“Mn.” Lan Zhan interrupted. (Was that an agreement?!) “You’re early.”

The leader from the Yumeng sect crossed his arms defensively, refusing to look too much into the meaning of the other’s words. Another scowl formed in his face. “Of course I am early. Like an actual adult that has more responsibilities and matters to attend to than to get into childish games like tickle fights.”

If that could even be considered a tickle fight at all. It was nothing like the wars he and Wei Wuxian used to get when they were kids, far away from their parents and with too much energy, time and laughter to spare. More often than not they would be rolling on the soft soil or giving the other a surprise ambush in the middle of the piers, squeezing, digging and tickling anywhere they could reach. Teasing, taunting and threatening each other with every sound and laughter. Using all the tricks and pages on the book to get the upper hand for at least a few giddy, breathless seconds. Big smiles, warm hearts and adrenaline running freely in their bones for hours with no end until they both laid exhaustively on the ground, accidentally rolled into one of the lakes or Shiejie came to call them for dinner.

Jiang Cheng watched as the delicate hands rested on the other’s sides and continued to softly scribble non stop on the lowest ribs over and over again, taking turns before quickening their pace and making We Wuxian trash from a side to another with a high pitched ‘eee’ sound until it slowed the rhythm to a light plucking of strings, lightly pressing each spot and barely vibrating there before jumping away.

“Not a tickle fight.” The Lan enlightened. “Punishment.”

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! No! Please, have mercy. Take pity on your poor husband!”

It was like Jiang Cheng couldn’t pry his eyes away, watching as Lan Wangji calmly run the tip of his fingers up and down the others’ ticklish sides, repeating the cycle for a couple more of times, like a boat letting itself being dragged by the slow pace of the river in a calm day, completely unfazed by his husband’s increasing maddened snickers, his tune starting to border on hysterical.

For a moment, the fingers curled into claws and Jiang Cheng thought that he would actually use an efficient, honest and true tickle attack, finally kneading on the skin and letting the crackles and squeals fill the air with their cacophony. 

His hopes, however, seemed unfounded when the Lan just continued his soft touches, now using more of his nails to create an unbearable, ticklish feeling than only his fingertips and successfully pull more squeals and squeaks with such a move.

(And, if his own ticklish sides tingled in sympathy that was literally nobody's business and a secret that will die and be buried with him.)

Jiang Cheng finally snapped.

“That is not even the proper way you do it!” He did not get close and demonstrated his point, of course. Because he… (surely wouldn’t be welcomed to) he wasn’t a kid anymore and knew he was right. 

Yet, his hands still gesticulated around, antsy.

(Wanting to grab, wanting to dig, wanting to squeeze, to attack and win and listen and never let go again. To feel the taste of the victory of a brawl that is meaningless and only in playful fun, again. To hear screams of laughter and not of fear, to perform with the crackles and shrieks and giggles as the only instrument he was ever actually skilled. An especial melody of affection that needed no words and even he could learn how to play.)

Jiang Cheng pushed those thoughts deep down and continued.

“You’re not even giving any attention to his hips! It’s his most ticklish, weak, defenseless and easy spot ever!” He ignored the protesting, giggly shout from Wei Wuxian and continued, forcing himself to focus on his words and not on the natural answering smirk trying to take over the corner of his lips. “You just need to knead there for a few minutes and then he will be gone. Besides, when you add raspberries to it he’ll laughs so much that you will actually be able to shut him up for once. That is a proper tickle attack. With this, you’re just being lazy!” 

Purposely, he pointed to Lan Zhan’s administrations that now consisted in sweetly rubbing his thumbs on Wei Ying’s highest ribs, happily following his torso as it shook with the barely concealed chuckles and tried to wiggle away from the touch. A lazy job indeed. “You’re barely even touching him at all! That is not even tickling!”

“Oh, it tickles!” Wei Wuxian whined, words were almost completely lost with how much he was giggling. His arms trembled with the force to not slam down when Lan Zhan used a single finger to calmly poke and scratch his armpits, more than unfazed at both of the Yunmeng siblings' outburst. 

Actually, if Jiang Cheng squinted his eyes, he could actually imagine a challenging glint when those golden eyes quickly stared at him for a second. 

“It really tickles! It tickles so, so much!”

For a flash Jiang Cheng saw himself marching determinately at him, sitting on the ground and then diving to dig on Wei Wuxian’s hips non stop. Remind him what is actually a tickle attack so he would actually agree with his point and not poke fun at him just this once. Use the techniques that he took years to perfect and his muscles still remembered perfectly even when his mind refused to. Watch as that smug air in Lan Wangji changed to surprise when he got Wei Wuxian to really laugh and show all of them how right he was.

He crossed his arms even tighter around himself, growling harder and looking in another direction. His feet continued locked on the ground.

Unfortunately, Lan Zhang took the silence as an opportunity.

“Wei Ying is very cute and beautiful like this. Red and happy.”

“Lan Zhan! Warnings! You can’t say things like that without warning me first.” 

Jiang Cheng stopped right in his tracks and slowly turned to look at Wei Wuxian, time slowing as he realized what Lan Wangji had just said, barely processing the rest of their conversation. 

“Besides, I can think of something else that makes me very red and happy- Lan Zhan, no!”

“Shameless.”

“Husband, please, you’re killing meee!”

“Wei Ying.”

“Wait, wait, not there!”

It was true.

Jiang Cheng's eyes widened, but the image in front of him didn’t change. The other was right. 

Wei Wuxian was blushing in embarrassment. 

The color was not a fruit of his loud, unrestrained laughter, because for the last minutes all he did was giggle and snicker non stop, with plenty of oxygen and teases filling his lungs. It was not the result of any kind of flirt because Wei Wuxian took those as a challenge that he knew he would always win. It was not a make up he tried with Shijie. A natural consequence of spending an entire day under the sun training with his sword. It was nothing else. No other explanation besides the fact that, after thirty years, Jiang Cheng finally saw his brother get flustered. 

Embarrassed. 

Shy, even.

For the second time in his life, Jiang Cheng found Lan Wangji leaving him without words.

With a whoosh, he was out of the room.

[~*~]

“Good afternoon, Jiang Cheng.”

As it always did, a pleasant shiver ran on his body when Lan Xichen called him. All of his previous thoughts disappearing immediately from his head, his usual frown naturally losing the heat and annoyance as he looked at the other. 

Lan Huan looked as ethereal and beautiful as ever, the white robes and blue hues pooling like waves at his feet and around his straight posture as he wrote on his desk, probably answering letters from other sects and solving administration matters. His hair was slightly messed and he was only in his inner robes, completely comfortable and domestic, not batting a single eye when Jiang Wanyin barged right in.

Even after being together so long, the scene still looked gorgeous as it always did. Like it came right out a scenery painted in a fan that you hid in your robes and carried close to your heart. A picture drawn straight from the purest jade. He had seen it plenty of times before and hoped to continue to do so for much more.

It left Jiang Cheng breathless.

“I see you’re back early.”

And just like that, his breath and frown were back again. The one in purple robes scoffed and closed the door. He headed to the bed, sitting there with a grunt. 

“Not in the mood to watch Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji declare their undying love for each other for the hundredth time of the day.”

Lan Huan chuckled. It rang sweet like the bells the Yunmeng sect used to expurge curses and clean the mind. “I see. Perhaps it’s time to start closing your eyes, then?”

But the light tease didn’t actually register for him, because for a moment he looked at the other and another scene appeared in his mind as a flash. 

Lan Xichen’s smile growing bigger, wobbling at the corners as his controlled chuckles were transformed into bubbly giggles and loud snickers, his entire face covered by a layer of red that spread in a beautiful hue from his cheeks to the tip of his ears, his eyes - teary and brilliant and so full of love and feelings - watching him in excitement, protests that held no true meaning falling freely from his lips and locking Jiang Cheng’s gaze forever on him with how melodious it was.

As it was usual, his body and mouth were already acting even before his own mind catched up with it.

“I want to try something new.” He listened his own voice saying. Steps steady and determined carried him to the sect leader Lan and pulled him to his feet, basically dragging him back to his bed.

Lan Xichen didn’t yelp, but let out a tiny surprised sound when Jiang Cheng shoved (much gentler than anyone could ever believe him of being) him on the mattress, quickly straddling him and sitting on his thighs, storming gray eyes looking at him intensely, watching his every twitch and expression in search for any kind of discomfort. 

Of course, realizing that only made Lan Xichen melt, following the other’s lead easily.

(Not blindly, of course. )

(He sometimes wonders if he will ever be able to do so, ever again, but those are thoughts for other moments.) 

So he tilted his head and questioned to those brilliant eyes. “What do you have in mind?”

“I want…” And his face morphed, never losing its lines of determination and decision, but now being tinted in red as Jiang Cheng looked away from him, a very lovely blush taking over his face. His jaw locked and words quieter, as if they were being pushed through his teeth. There was shyness in his tune. “To tickle you.”

“Oh.” 

Lan Xichen tried to not sound too teasy, but he couldn’t really hide the playful amusement taking over his tune, his expression, his gaze, his everything after such an adorable admission. 

He didn’t really know what sputtered his lover’s mood all of sudden, but interacting with Wei Wuxian and his own brother always left Jiang Wanyin’s emotions all over the place. If what his beloved needed after this afternoon was to have him laughing hysterically until he was a mess, completely putty and willing under his strong and trustworthy hands, Lan Xichen hardly had any opposition to this.

(Which wasn’t to say that he wouldn’t look into some sweet… justice, later. Revenge is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses, afterall.)

Tickling was always a concept that interested him immensely. The laughter full of joy and the touches that were both incredibly warm and completely unbearable, together with the playfulness of the teases and the care intertwined in every note of those steps made his heart softer and his stomach flutter pleasantly everytime such bonding activity was involved. Especially when it came to Jiang Cheng.

“Alright.” He said. “I won’t hold back, then.”

“You better not.” The one in purple bit back, but his words held no heat and there was a grateful line softening all of the hard edges in his body. He positioned his hands on Lan Huan’s ribs - a good starting point, not too ticklish so he would lose all his energy right in the beginning and yet effective enough that just with a few moments of drilling his laughter would already be bubbling out of his lips. 

Jiang Cheng felt how Lan Xichen tensed instinctively under him and he curled his fingers close, just enough for his nails would graze on his skin, actually giving him a reason to tense up this time and successfully pulling a squirm out of the Lan.

Perfect. He just needed to keep going like that. Soft and light. See for himself what is so special about this technique that it’s worth giving up the adrenaline of seeing someone become undone with only a few touches, to watch them get hysterical, loud, free with the more effective and energetic tickly ministrations. See how long would it take for his lover to become a total mess, to completely lose the battle against the sensations and just let himself be lost in a sea of giggles and blushes. 

Exactly. Just like that. 

Soft and light. 

Simple and clear as water.

His fingers didn’t want to move.

That was the thing, wasn’t it? 

Jiang Cheng wasn’t gentle. Nothing about him was soft, or light, or caring. His fingers were calloused and his skin thick after years of handling Zidian and its electricity, of carrying oars and rowing around the countless rivers in Lotus Pier and holding his weight in fights since he was a child, not at all skilled in the finest arts such as playing instruments skillfully like Lan Huan or painting beautiful landscapes as Nie Huaisang. 

His hands were the reason of more pain and tears than laughter and happiness. He was Sandu Shengshou and he carried that mantle with pride. It's what made him survive after the Wen’s massacre of his clan. It's what brought his entire sect rising back again, strong and new from the ashes and fire as he maintained every building, every alliance, every battle to prove their worth with his own sweat and blood, clawing, tearing and snarling his way up, up, up. Until Yunmeng was back to be one of the four most powerful and influential sects again. Until him, A-Ling and the entire world of cultivation had more than smoke and destruction to remember his family by. Until the other’s pity became respect and fear. It was what had been necessary at the time. He did what he had to.  

(It was what destroyed one of the last remnants of his family and pushed his brother far and away. What left him angry and frustrated behind, hitting back at anything that got too close, completely alone in the world except for a nephew that he had to raise, too young to even remember his parents. It was what consumed his every action and every thought and every lashing until there was nothing left except hope and resentment. 

And yet… He was still here. Trying. His nephew was now the leader of his own sect. Yet, he was blessed with Lan Xichen. Yet, his sect respects and grows under his direction and the rivers continue to flow and the lotus to bloom totally uncaring for the tribulations of his mind. Yet, his brother is finally back and they are still trying to fix all of that.)

(Trying.)

A hand pulled him right out of his merciless thoughts, smothering the hard lines of his frown. Lan Xichen’s eyes immediately found his own, staring at his surprised face for some seconds before lifting his torso and placing gentle kisses on his front, following the path of warmth and electricity that his touch had already started. 

The care and intimacy made Jiang Cheng scoff and frown again but now for an entirely different reason, momentarily rendered unable to move to hide his flaming face until the other decided that all the lines of his expression had been thoroughly kissed and smothered enough, no more darkness or doubt filling his gaze.

Clear enough from his previous thoughts, that only made him get even more determined about his decision, not shying away from the leader from Gusu Lan’s sect when those brown eyes focused on him, plenty comfortable to just lay there and exchange silences until Jiang Cheng could gather and organize his thoughts. 

“I want to be gentle.” He finally spit, words tumbling out of his lips before he could take them back. 

The eyes crinkled on the corners and seemed to shine brighter in understanding and then something else, so strong that made it impossible for him to keep holding his gaze, feeling strangely bashful under it. The feared Sandu Shengsou humphed and turned away his gaze, again.

…That wouldn’t work. He had to be able to watch and analyze his Lan Huan’s every tiny reaction, every quiet sound and every hint of movement to map all his best spots and what tickling worked best, with this new technique. He may not be totally sold to this entire idea of “soft touches” yet, but that was no excuse to not do a decent job. 

Jiang Cheng had never half assed any of the things he set his mind to do and he isn’t about to start doing that now.

He wasn’t sure of how successful he would be in that, however, when Lan Huan’s gaze kept capturing and rendering him defenseless with those beautiful stares again and again.

“Close your eyes.”

Lan Xichen arched an eyebrow, more amused than questioning, but he hesitated for half of a second. It was enough to make Jiang Cheng’s brain disconnect from his lips and words fall, blunt and true, from his mouth before he could stop them. 

“I can’t do it with you looking. It’s frustrating and distracting.” (Mesmerizing. Beautiful. The only thing I could look at for hours and hours at the time.)

Once more, the other’s brown eyes got filled with fun and something before he complied.

“Alright. I will be sure to give you my oral report in the most detailed and thorough manner as possible afterwards, of course.”

“Shut it.” Jiang Cheng digged on his ribs momentarily, a hot flush of pride spreading on his soul at how that made Lan Huan immediately jump, a surprised squeak filling the air and almost convincing the one in purple to throw away everything else and just dig more and more until those and other delightful sounds ran loud and free across the room.

But, no. Now, he had another objective.

He stopped pressing so firmly on the skin, leaving his fingers only resting on the spot before slowly running them up and down on his ribcage. 

Holding his breath, Lan Xichen waited. When no other attack came besides the soothing rubbing, his body inevitably relaxed little by little, melting with the ministrations. 

“That is very nice.” His words came out less jokingly than before, shining with genuinity. Of course, lying was forbidden in the Clouds Recesses, however, a direct honesty was a rare threat that Wanyin was more than happy to enjoy. “Mm.”

Jiang Cheng hummed in acknowledgement and continued with his touch. 

With no hurry, he took his time to let his fingers wander, lower enough to caress the dip of the other’s hips and then back up, deviating from his torso to massage his arms and shoulders and slightly press his thumbs in circling motions on the base of his neck. 

For a moment he mused letting his hands go even higher to cup his face so he could kiss it. That idea was fastly discarded, though, since Jiang Cheng was pretty sure he could quickly be dissuaded from his new experiment if they were to follow this path. Lan Xichen knew how to be very distracting when he wanted to.

His hands continued to wander on that very same path for a few more minutes and soon enough Lan Xichen felt himself even more relaxed, as if floating in clouds, not even bothered by the small sounds that kept being fished from his lips again and again as the soft touch kept slipping and brushing on every sensitive part of his body before continuing with its path. 

It was like Jiang Wanyin was mapping every single weak spot on his torso and purposely focusing on them with tiny scribbles and light scratches more and more. 

With each new repetition, Lan Huan could only feel the tingles spreading further across his nerves, teasing and tickling them for seconds after the caring, a tad unbearable touch of the other went away, only barely starting to subside before those playful fingers were back to alight them once more, making the tickly sensations grow stronger and never really end.

Therefore, his relaxed sounds quickly began being interrupted by huffs of laughter and tiny notes on the back of his throat that were starting to sound too much like high pitched giggles to be ignored or pushed away.

Lan Xichen was so lost in those thoughts that he barely registered as the hands came to a stop on his ribcage, spreading across his ribs and on those awfully sensitive places in between them. Not until small, extremely controlled and tiny sparks of electricity made him jump, pulling a surprised, and uncharacteristically loud shriek from him, his mind and body falling too quickly from the clouds for him to try to stop its escape.

Jiang Cheng chuckled darkly. 

“Oi, what was that?”

When he pressed his lips and didn’t answer, another spark of electricity teased the spot, and then another and another and another. Lan Huan felt himself grow giddier, not being able to help but squeak and yelp at each new attack on his poor ribs. 

“To think that only Zidian could have so much effect on the very own Zewu Jun. Maybe I should have tried to use it earlier if I knew it could make you squeal like that.” The feeling of giggles in the back of his throat came back with full force. He bit them back. “Tell me, Xichen, how much longer do you think you could take it before descending into madness? You’re barely surviving those few sparks as it is. What if I decided to wrap the Zidian around you and unleash all this new power. How much time do you think you would be able to hold your laughter back, then?”

His eyes were closed but Lan Xichen could feel the other’s gaze on him, staring unblinking and attentively, drinking up his every reaction. He knew he could see how the light burn of blush started to take over his ears and spread lower in his neck, how his torso squirmed instinctively with each word. In a desperate attempt of defense, he scrambled for anything before his brain, who was trying really, really hard to not think about Jiang Wanyin’s words or otherwise he would die, caught up into a cute, very special detail about this new tactic of his.

“Have,” he gulped, taking a few tries before his words could come out with just a slight tremble on them, hiding the persistent joyful energy that kept trying to take over. By the way that Jiang Cheng’s fingers digged on his ribcage and began vibrating in a low, warning pace, he wasn’t very satisfied with this. 

Still, no one could overcome a Lan in a battle of self control, even the most stubborn of their lovers. He continued.

“Have you been training harmless ways to use your Zidian lately, Sandu Shengshou?”

The fingers on his ribcage froze, and a very pointed silence followed his question. As a result, his smile got even bigger, making him want to open his eyes just to see the delightful effect of his words on his beloved. 

Lan Huan decided to push his luck a tad further, putting all the fondness and warmth he was feeling in his words and tune until it spilled in every syllable and letter. 

“To think my dear Jiang Wanyin could be so attentive and cute. Must have taken a lot of time and practice to achieve a fine skill like this one.” Then, with a more innocent tune. “I would love to hear all about how you accomplished such a dangerous feat to perfection all by yourself. How much restraint it must have taken.”

The implications were clear, even if he didn’t say anything else out loud, pulling his sleeved hand up to cover his playful grin. 

Jiang Cheng felt his entire body, from his tip of his nose to the end of his fingers, burn, flustered, when he remembered all those times he had to test the technique on himself, learning how to control the power he could use in each attack. It took weeks until he had perfected the new tactics and made those tiny sparks spread a maddening, tickling feeling across every sense and a giggle sprouted in his mouth. 

Only then he allowed himself to try it on others. Sneaking a few electric pokes and jabs to hit his disciples once or twice while correcting their forms during the training and watching them or jump away surprisingly or try to hide their initial squeaky reaction, especially under his usual frowning, serious gaze. It was the only way to be sure that it worked, of course. 

So much work only so he could surprise his family in a future tickle fight, having now a new trick under his sleeve to put in good use.

Jiang Cheng growled in answer to the tease and his fingers crawled higher, filled with electricity while poking and prodding all their way up the other’s torso until it stopped just a few inches from his armpits. He watched with satisfaction the way that just the hint of his hands there made Lan Xichen wiggle like a worm from one side to another. Plenty of poorly concealed snickery titters filled the room the entire time, his hand shooting down again, showing his smile once more.

(Really, who did Lan Xichen think he could fool with this? Hadn’t he been the one to say he wouldn’t hold back? And yet he kept concealing smiles and holding up his laughter in every way. Hmph.)

(Nevertheless, Jiang Cheng couldn’t really say that the prospect of breaking his barriers bit by bit until he could no longer hold back his every giggle, chuckle, crackle and squeal didn’t fill him with new fierce, unwavering determination to keep going.)

“You want to talk about restraint, then?” Jiang Wanyin snarked, getting closer and feeling incredibly smug when that succeeded in turning Lan Xichen’s grin much wobblier and shakier.

His smirk shone, taking over his entire expression, sharp enough for the other to feel it without needing to see. 

“I have a challenge. To see how much of your giant and stubborn self control will save you when you’re completely at my mercy.” 

His words were taunting and, still, Lan Xichen couldn’t even pretend to feel truly threatened by them. 

Somehow, his thoughts must have shown on his face because Jiang Wanyin let out those fond huffs he always did when he thought someone was being too cute for no reason and his tune got into a mix of soft and exasperated. 

“But, if you’re already giddy and giggling like this-” to highlight his words he suddenly pressed on the pits, making a snort explode from him, his bubbly snickers that the other just described jumping on his throat and begging to be set free. The burn of his ears was back. “When I have barely even done anything? Maybe it won’t be a challenge at all. I didn’t even get to start with the real tickling and you already look so close to losing.”

Maybe it was the playfulness. Maybe it was how at ease and safe he felt around the other. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the new game. The joy of seeing how much fun Jiang Cheng was having, how vocal he was being about it. However, for once, Lan Huan didn’t even think twice about the words that were falling from his mouth.

“I am still not laughing right now, though. Am I, Jiang Cheng?”

There was a quick, sharp intake of breath and some seconds of dangerous silence. Lan Xichen felt the hair on the nape of his neck standing and a small hum of electricity charged the air.

A low, raspy chuckle that sounded so close to him made a kind of energy that had nothing to do with the Zidian run like crazy across his spine, sending all his nerves into a frenzy and his mind to tip the abyss of incoherency. Two hands laid on his wrists and started to pull them upwards until they rested nicely above his head, leaving his entire torso free from any form of defense.

His voice was really, really close.

“Don’t you dare to put them down or I won’t hold back.”

Having already played too much with fire, Lan Huan only nodded, letting the other concentrate once again in his attack. He took a deep breath and buried his reactions and snickers deep inside, relaxing his muscles and reining his expression and soul back into a calm and serene appearance, as if he was just getting ready for another afternoon of meditating.

Very well, if this was a challenge, he might as well give his best.

(No one could overcome a Lan in a battle of self control, afterall.)

Jiang Wanyin went back to a more upright position and stopped for a few seconds, eying the arms in front of him with a concentrated consideration. 

Unexpectedly, he remembered a game that his Shiejie used to play with him when he was being too grumpy as a kid, which was, non-surprisingly, more often than not. The pang on his chest that always came when he thought about her didn’t feel as painful as it normally did, not when he was surrounded by Lan Xichen’s warmth and presence, when there was too much joy and happiness going around. It did, though, gave him an idea.

He laid one finger on the center of the other’s slender palm, and slowly started to swirl his digit over its lines and curves. The muscles under it trembled and his sharp attention was quick to capture how it made Lan Huan’s breath hitch for a moment before it went back to normal, face as calm as ever. 

Jiang Cheng felt like a predator, slowly backing his prey into a corner. 

Carefully, he continued drawing spirals on the skin, doing a couple of them before going up to lightly scribble at each finger, being careful to keep the touches light and soft as he went descending to the wrist. Every single inch of it got a good skittering and a few more swirls, dancing fingers continuing to follow their path. 

Getting to the forearm, Jiang Wanyin changed the pace of his fingers and the pressure of his touch, now focusing and curling more his fingers and letting his nails drag themselves freely across his skin. Goosebumps follows his tickles, especially as he decided to take a break on the inner part of Lan Xichen’s elbow and dance, scratch and scribble on the most sensitive spots he found until now, quiet as ever as he used every ounce of his attention to catch and internally cherish every surprised, barely audible huff and puff of snickers from his lover with the breakeaned pattern.

The path across his biceps was even slower, with him doing everything to drag the moment for as long as he could before arriving at his primer destination: the armpit. His hand rested there, not even twitching as he saw Lan Huan hold his breath, waiting in expectation for his next move.

Because it would be foolish to think he wouldn’t have another one prepared. That he wasn’t as expectant as Lan Xichen himself for the moment that the dam would finally break and his usual merciless and energetic tickle attack would be unleashed upon every single tickle spot. 

But Jiang Cheng was feeling mischievous. The game had barely begun, afterall. 

So, with his other free hand, he started repeating the same tickly treatment on his other palm, and thinking that was it, Lan Xichen allowed himself to exhale, gathering his strength to keep up with the challenge, feeling a bit more confident for it, since now he already had an idea of what was going to happen.

That was until the leader of Yunmeng sect began pinching his armpit and a sharp gasp was suddenly ripped from him. His arms twitched downwards and his head turned just half of an inch to the side, cheeks puffing just the tiniest bit with barely concealed sounds before it all turned back to normal, his face going back to a serene, unbothered mask. 

Still, no small details escaped Jiang Cheng’s attentive gaze: the way that his fingers curled every time he hit a sweet spot, how the skin around his eyes crinkled when a playful poke hit his pit, and, especially, how red his ears were getting, the color starting to spill to his neck with each passing second. 

This was fine. 

Jiang Wanyin could be patient. Precise. Unwavering. 

There was one yet to be born who was able to win against him when it came to stubbornness.

Therefore, he continued his double attack, assaulting the defenseless armpit with gentle, quick pinches that felt like tiny kisses on his skin at the same time that his other hand concentrated all the skittering and dancing on the other ticklish arm. 

The longer he went, the more his tranquil façade began to slip, each and every single occasion being followed by way too smug chuckles that made Lan Huan both want to kiss his lover, let everything go and let himself giggle non stop or even worse: whine in protest. 

The thing that Lan Xichen failed to consider when accepting this challenge was a very simple one: he did not realize how absolutely maddening and unbearably quiet this all would be. 

Silence had never bothered him, of course. Yet, right now it only left him with no other option but to concentrate on everything happening around him: on the way his lover kept scribbling, pinching and poking his tickle spots calmly without ever, ever moving away. On the soft tingling touches following his every twitch. In those attentive eyes that kept watching his every reaction, every move and smile. All of his sharky intakes of breath, gasps, yelps and quiet snickers seemed to resonate in his ears and across the room like they were being amplified. There was only one thing that interrupted them:

Jiang Wanyin’s teases.

“What?” Said one taunted as he finally, finally decided to move on from his poor armpits. His relief, though, was very short when he pressed on his higher ribs and vibrated. Lan Huan’s back arched and a snort almost broke his barriers. “You thought it was over? Not so soon, I still have much, much more places to explore. Is the challenge getting too hard for you already?”

He didn’t answer, too much concentrated in keeping his composure as those horrible, unfair and worming fingers quickly scrambled to wiggle on the base of his spine, their light scratches making him want to jump from his skin. His body tried to move both far away and much closer from the sensation. 

“I can see your arms coming down, Lan Huan. Keep them up, I said. Have you forgotten about my promise that quickly or are you testing me? Do you really want me to destroy you with tickles that bad?”

Lan Xichen held his breath and squirmed lightly in the same place. Usually Jiang Wanyin’s merciless teasing was accompanied by an equally ruthless tickling that would leave him laughing hysterically, too occupied with his own inelegant and extremely loud crackling to even think too much about his words. As they were right now, however, he was just unable to tune every provocation and every tickle out. 

Even if he stopped pressing his lips so tightly and let his control crumble, the leader of Lan Sect was pretty sure that his bubbly giggles and childish squeaks wouldn’t even come close to subdue his lover’s sentences. No one could ever dream of being able to outshout the very own Sandu Shengshou, afterall.

Those hands crept higher, jumping from his spine to press on each and every rib on its way for so quickly, so, so fast that the touch only lasted a few seconds before the fingers scrambled away as if his skin was made of fire. The pokes came one after the other in a rapid succession that teased and left more ticklish sparks across every nerve. At this point he couldn’t even distinguish if Jiang Cheng was using the Zidian or if all the anticipation and gentle scribbles made him infinitely more ticklish, muscles tensing and trembling with every touch.

Lan Xichen found himself on the brick of letting his control go and his snickers and chuckles free. His arms and armpits still tingled from the previous attack and every instinctive twitch of his torso made a new wave of phantom tickles tease them, his entire body feeling just like a giant, ticklish spot. 

His lips were wobbly and a smile was finally able to blossom on them.

His arms went down.

“Lan Huan,” Jiang Wanyin warned once more. 

A single finger began scribbling and prodding at his spine, way too close from his shoulderblades too be a coincidence and Lan Xichen wanted to kick out the pent up energy that didn’t stop flooding his veins. His back once more arched a piece of time longer than the previous time. Lan Huan caught himself and forced it to relax again into the laying position, bringing it right back to the assaulting finger. It was quite counterproductive, since it made him want to squirm away all over again. “Put your arms back up.”

Lan Xichen felt like he had all the reason for the pout he showed the other, still he hid it all the same behind one of his sleeves. 

There was simply no warning before the hand on his spine pressed on and drummed in a full attack on the spot, making his entire body spasm with the force of the crackle he had to hold, torso squirming away but unable to truly escape from the tickles.

Jiang Cheng’s previous other free hand latched on his side and began squeezing. His entire body now bounced, cheeks puffed out with all the laughing being held inside. Still, no sound left him. Thoughts and feeling zig zagged in his mind in a totally undignified frenetic manner that would certainly make his uncle and the elders of the clan go into qi deviation if they knew.

“I told you, didn’t I? Arms up, Lan Huan.”

Lan Xichen kicked, pressed his hand firmly on his mouth and squirmed on the same place, feeling like laughter was about to break and fill the entire room in any second now. He managed to endure a total of half of a minute before his arms were shooting upwards again and, just as fast, the hands there were just now mercilessly assaulting his ticklish with all the kneading and drilling of an energetic tickle attack, went back to caressing softly at his skin. 

He quietly muffled a tiny, surprised squeak. Somehow the light, sweet scratches felt even more awfully tickly now than before and Lan Huan barely had any willpower left to keep his bubbly, high pitched reactions inside as he tried to take his breath back.

“I can see your barrier cracking.” Jiang Cheng’s voice was suddenly horribly close and he hummed in response to the teasy words. No matter how giggly and silly he sounded now or how fireflies batted their wings like crazy in his belly or how his lips couldn’t stop curling upwards and his face started getting redder than ever. It was only a hum. “I can see how your eyes crinkle and how your smile grows bigger and bigger with every tiny, smallest move of my fingers. I can feel how your muscles tremble under them, before you regain your control and force them to relax. I can hear your giddiness and how you hold your breath every time I find a new defenseless, sensitive spot. I know how it’s taking longer and longer for you to gather your restrain and hide all of these little details.”

At that, he purposely focuses his attention in prodding and wiggling his fingers in the place where Lan Huan’s stomach and side meet, pulling another loud snort from him. 

“And,” Jiang Cheng continues, his usual rough tune coming out like a pleased purring of a predator that circles his prey. “Above it all, I can see how you try to move your face away from me, Lan Huan. But you’re not getting away. No. Not after all the effort I used here and not until I get to see how much of a laughing, blushing mess I can make our elegant Zewu Jun to be. Until you won’t be able to look at me without feeling giggles filling your throat and a smile taking over your face. Until I get to hear every squeal, every snicker, every delightful, uncontrollable reaction you have to offer.”

Lan Xichen felt like he was going to explode. The gentle tickling continued as slow and as light as always, sweet and lovely as if nothing had happened at all, in a total contrast from the absolutely unmerciful and on point that it was every tease. Each word seemed to hit his sensitive ears and coax him closer to giving up from a challenge that he never really cared about in the first place. 

Jiang Wanyin seemed very aware of all of this. The leader of the Lan Sect wondered when did they become so crystal clear to each other.

“And then, when all of your barriers break, when your self control and restraint can no longer save you from me, I will keep on tickling, keep on teasing and keep on getting all of your smiles, squirms and giggles, over and over and over again.”

A quick pinch kissed his hips and Lan Huan let a giggle escape from his lips.

And then another and another and another. Suddenly, the room was filled by a high pitched, quick and loud giggling fit that he hardly indulged in his daily life, making his ears feel like they were on fire when, with each passing second, they only continued to grow more uncontrollable and ring louder, being interrupted only by a couple of snorts before continuing their song and dance.

A white flash suddenly appeared in Jiang Wanyin’s field of vision and in a blink those long sleeves were concealing his lover’s smile again. 

Jiang Cheng huffed, rolling his eyes at the sudden bashfulness of the other and Lan Xichen didn’t need to open his to see the fondly exasperated grin that always accompanied those moments. 

After a few pieces of second when he saw that the other wouldn’t really move, the one in purple robes tried to take his arms away from his face. However, the Lan simply dodged from his grip, giving Jiang Cheng only a glimpse of that full dazzling smile before it was gone again, sleeves fluttering skillfully in and out of his hold when he kept trying to push them out of the way.    

"Stop hiding your face!" For once his exclamation didn’t even pretend to sound annoyed, the threat hidden in his words losing any and every heat as it got mixed with a bark of laughter. “Wasn’t you the one who was all about not holding back just minutes ago?”

Lan Xichen merely chuckled. Jiang Cheng kept fighting to pin, once more, his energetic arms.

In the end, he was successful, of course. 

His lover had been barely trying, afterall.

Still, he felt a tad breathless, little from the quick roughhousing and much more because he was suddenly hit by the full image of Lan Huan’s handsome, gorgeous face. He could feel his own skin heat up as he momentarily froze in the same place.

Lan Xichen lightly pulled his arms in protest, unaware of the other’s struggles. "It's stronger than me!" He giggled a defense and the way that it sounded like it was only two seconds from becoming a screech broke Jiang Wanyin out of it.

Once again, a huff left his mouth.

The hands stopped their dance on his hips. It took three heartbeats, but Lan Xichen felt his pinned wrists being pressed a bit stronger on the mattress and the weight on his thighs shifted forward. If that hadn’t indicated that the Yumeng sect leader moved closer, the voice hitting his absurdly red ear certainly would. 

“You know who else is stronger than you?”

There was a hint of a growling in his tune that made bells ring in alarm in his mind, nerves getting alight with electricity. 

For a moment he almost gave up and opened his eyes, wanting to see what was happening, but the anticipation on the air was already stronger and Xichen wanted to hear where it would go if he didn’t tip it any further. The hands on his wrists gave them a squeeze that was both too much of a warning to be a purely comforting touch and way too soft to match the threatening tune that fell from Jiang Wanyin's lips. 

“Me.” 

His breath now teased the skin of his neck, making electricity to fly across the tickle spots to his mouth, expanding his smile. "So I will repeat myself just this last time: keep your arms here, nice and far away from that pretty face, or I will do it for you. Deal?" 

Lan Xichen’s snickering now had less to do with the tickles and, just for the fun of it, he tipped his head to the side, as if thinking about his answer. 

(If that opened the path of his neck for more attacks, it was simply a coincidence. He hummed a not-so-controlled giggle when his lover caved to the cute sign and laid a quick kiss on the base of his jaw. Good, he was starting to think he would have to pout for it.) 

He could feel those gray eyes glued on him as the silence stretched and the squeezing of his hands quickly changed to a firmer hold of his wrists in an answer of a question that hadn’t even been voiced in the first place. 

"Oi, I am going to break your legs!” This time, Lan Huan really couldn’t help the playful tilt of his tune as the snickers grew to full chuckling, his reactions being totally unleashed and all over the place. They sounded just the tiniest bit hysterical, but the teasingness of it couldn’t really be ignored. Jiang Wanyin made it too easy. “Tsk. I thought it was against the great Gusu Lan's rules to be impolite. Disrespecting and leaving another Sect Leader without an answer is an offense that is not taken lightly." 

Truly, the words had slipped from Lan Xichen’s lips even before he could truly ponder about them.

"Maybe some people just like to think before answering, Wanyin." 

(Lan Xichen ignored the irony.)

Before the other's growl could become stronger and his hands got free for the only purpose of absolutely destroying him with tickles until he took every single syllable back, Lan Xichen quickly lifted his torso and planted a giggly, placating kiss on his cheek, opening his eyes just about time to see that lovely red blossoming across Jiang Wanyin’s entire face. 

With his expression completely relaxed, the surprise and fluster successfully whipped away the frown that naturally appeared anytime he was provoked. 

With this, truly, Lan Huan couldn't really be blamed for the other couple of pecks he stole before the feared Sandu Shengsou came back from the surprise and turned away, hair falling in front of his face in a poor attempt to hide it while his hands continued to rend him immobile. 

"I will keep my arms up." He chipped, because even with his pokes of fun, the feeling that he would never be able to see Jiang Cheng’s hands getting close again without breaking into a sea of crackling snickers and the phantom tingling that kept playing with his nerves like a guqin, he was still having too much fun playing with this new side of his lover and he would actually hate to take the teases too far. 

"Feeling very confident today, aren’t you?" Lan Xichen felt his eyes widen. There was simply no other way to describe it, but when the other’s gaze fell on him, it could only describe them as hungry. 

"Let's see how much breath you'll have to tease me when we're done." 

Just like that, those hands were back, making him want to curl into a ball when, even after everything, no energetic, quick and destroying tickle attack assaulted his hips in a kneading, clawing and drilling dance that he knew so well and prepared for. A kind of attack that would have him lose control and laugh immediately, not caring at all about rules or pretenses for minutes at time.

Instead, this touch was light, traveling across his sides. It wiggled and scratched at any and every inch of skin, careful to not forget a single spot. 

Remembering Jiang Wanyin's first request, he closed his eyes, trying his best to not take the other's example and try to hide his own blushing face behind the curtains of his own hair. The tiny, unusual giggles flooding and spilling from his lips hysterically were back. 

They continued like that for a couple of minutes, Jiang Cheng actually feeling impressed with how Lan Xichen kept his arms - shaking in a far image from the how composed they were in the beginning of the game - up the entire time, especially as his pokes and pinches now deliberately focused on the most ticklish spots, wiggling and skittering more and more frequently as the seconds ticked by.

It didn’t take too long before he started feeling antsy. With all his lover’s most sensitive and weak spots being successfully mapped out so he could focus entirely on them and with the challenge no longer running there wasn’t a lot to focus besides the extremely cute reactions of his beloved, which was something he could indeed watch forever, but also something that he knew he could make it become even more adorable. That nagging feeling that he just needed to do something kept him agitated.

Usually, with his usual ruthless attacks, that would be the moment he would find himself spilling how precious and important Lan Huan was to him. How his presence warmed the coldest of the nights and his smiles brightened the greyest of his days. In those moments, though, his words were accompanied by a loud crackling or hysterical laughter, making it impossible for the other to even see how much vulnerable he decided to be. 

It was easier this way, when he was sure that his beloved wouldn’t take the chance to start praising him and make him freeze, or even worse, stutter over his words, quickly turning the tables about who the blushing mess was. 

(Gods, Huan was simply merciless when he stuttered, throwing one praise after another in a quick succession before he could even think of getting his footing again, refusing to not let the full extension of his own affection to show with his, as well.)

Jiang Cheng was definitely not a fool to even think to start, in that sweet, calm pace of the melodious giggling fit, a battle he knew he would not win.

Technically, he knew that Lan Xichen in no way minded the silence, he was the brother of Lan Wangji, after all. Yet, he found himself thinking about some other tease, a game or anything he could say or do to see which more reactions he could get.

At the sudden thought of his brother in law, an idea appeared in his mind. A kind of… provocation he saw him using earlier, if he could even call it that. 

It was silly, but it was worth a try.

He lowered his voice in a tune he knew that it affected the other immensely, raspy and paused. 

“Lan Huan.”

“Yes?”

The answer was as quick and eager as ever, no tilt of playfulness of flustering falling from it. Embarrassedly, Jiang Cheng felt his face get on fire.

(How would he know that this wouldn’t work! When he himself still felt as defenseless and soft as the first time Sect Leader Lan used his given name when he continued using it every single day?)

“Wanyin?” Lan Xichen tried again when no answer came, opening his eyes only to see the other quickly deviate his gaze, blush deep in his face, a giant pout resting on his lips. It only made him laugh harder, albeit confusedly.

“Nothing.” He grumbled. “Doesn’t matter. It’s not important.”

Lan Huan opened his mouth to disagree that there wasn’t anything unimportant when it came to Jiang Cheng when the assaulting hand decided that this was the perfect moment to claw on his belly, drumming and scratching fingers way too close to his bellybutton to be a coincidence. A shriek cut his thought process and opened the gates for all the high pitched series of squeaks that left his lips, snickery fit growing up a notch.

“Jiang Wanyin!” He protested at the clear attempt of distraction, refusing to break contact and close his eyes again. 

That is how he managed to see the exact moment Jiang Cheng faltered for a second with his words. Suddenly the redness of his face was painting from the tip of his ears to the tip of his nose and a shudder clearly went through him. Tiny pinches, much quicker and persistent than before, as if demanding his attention, began traveling all across his stomach.

He giggled hysterically. Yet refusing to stop until he discovered what was that about.

“Jiang Cheng!”

His eyebrows furrowed in pure concentration, which gave the Lan a fun contrast with the giant smile plastered in his expression. 

“Sush. It was nothing.”

Why was he reacting like this? Nothing had happened in those last moments and all Lan Xichen did was…

Wait. Could it be…

“Jiang Cheng?” He pushed the words through his high pitched giggles again, not caring how each syllable was completely consumed by his giddy, bubbly and quite silly reactions.

Jiang Wanyin couldn’t stop the way that his blush worsened at this crawling to his neck. His lover’s entire face brightened in understanding.

“Jiang Cheng!” Lan Huan looked like a kid being presented with his favorite toy as a gift. His voice was absolutely delighted, joyful and completely unbothered about how adorable and sweet he made Jiang Cheng’s name sound like this. His tittering and chuckling painted every syllable and sound in a maddening manner that made Jiang Cheng feel like he could keep tickling and listening to it forever. 

It was a dangerous weapon. 

He sticked his finger on his bellybutton in retaliation, scratching the walls and prodding the spot in a way that he knew would make the other go insane with ticklish sensations.

Those chuckles quickly evolved to a loud, belly laughter. 

Lan Huan’s back arched with the new attack and slammed back on the mattress, legs kicking uncontrollably at the sensations. In an alarming sign, Jiang Cheng saw him opening his mouth and quickly sent his other free hand to dig and drum on the rest of his stomach, spidering, squeezing and kneading everywhere he could touch in hopes of making him lose his breath. 

And still… 

“Jiang Wanyin! Jiang Cheng! Cute Cheng!”

Each word was shouted in joy, nothing like the usual calm and proper way Lan Xichen usually held himself. With his heart melting and his chest feeling just like it would explode, Jiang Cheng decided, he has no other option, truly. 

In a swift and quick movement, he freed his hands and turned around, latching on his knees and squeezing.

The sound that came out of the other’s mouth cut across the entire mountain chain, a mix of a shriek and loud crackling filling the air immediately. Jiang Cheng almost stopped right on his tracks with the sheer volume and force of it, quickly turning back to see Lan Xichen completely boneless on the mattress, head thrown back, mouth open wide and eyes crinkling in the corners as squeals and chortles mingled with his unstoppable laughing fit.

It did nothing to stop the warmth filling his soul.

Lan Huan could barely think about anything else but the tickles, how they demanded every ounce of his attention, took over his every thought and danced in every nerve, especially when those playful hands decided to wiggle their way to under his knees and scribble on the horrible, awfully sensitive soft skin there as if their lives depended on it, drumming and scratching non stop.

Well, he had quite asked for this.

Still, when a couple of curious tickly sparkles touched his knees and made all of his senses explode in tingles and laughter and tickles and snorts and tickles, his body automatically jumped to a sitting position and his arms engulfed the other, face immediately hiding on his back in a poor attempt to muffle a loud screech. 

The sparkles, squeezing and drumming continued for gods know how long. Lan Xichen could feel his entire body bounce with the force of each one of his crackles, giggling and squeaks. Jiang Cheng’s own amused chuckles accompanied his, even if the Lan wasn’t really able to make out the teasing words he uttered from time to time and made his back rumble, too occupied in feeling like he was going mad with tickling.

His body moved before his mind, once more. In a blink he was crackling too much to keep himself upwards and in the other he was smashing his lips against Jiang Cheng’s and muffling his laughter until the assault of his worst spot stopped and his reactions lowered to a string of non-stop snickers.

Jiang Cheng scoffed, but turned himself around and adjusted his pose so they could continue the new activity more comfortably.

Lan Xichen jolted and grinned in a truly ungraceful manner when those two hands came to rest on his sides, but they only rubbed firmly on the skin, the new giggles created by the scare being quickly kissed away as the other refused to let Lan Xichen be distracted by anything else that wasn’t him.

It didn’t take long before he melted completely again, his arms coming to rest on Jiang Wanyin’s shoulders and the blush painting his ears now for a completely different reason.

They separated to take a few gulps of air, lingering smiles and shining gazes focused on each other for a few moments. Already recovered, Lan Xichen found himself diving right back in, locking their lips together and pressing closer and closer.

That is, until the traitors, lying hands on his sides, digged on the sensitive spot with all their might. His arms came crashing down and his body tried to curl in a defensive ball, but it was already too late. A new round of loud laughter spilled from his lungs and jumped excitedly from his tongue, filling the room once more in a high pitched tune.

He couldn’t really help the squeal and trashing when Wanyin made sure to whisper the teasing growl next to his ear, again, voice still breathless from all their kissing. “You really thought that that would work, huh? That it would be so easy to distract me? Just a few pecks, then I would forget everything and you would be free to go and be a teasing bastard all over again.” He chuckled and rested his mouth on the base of his neck, every word rumbling and tickling. “I told you before, didn’t I? You will be at my mercy until you have no more breath left to provoke me ever again. I never go back on my word.”

And then he promptly began delivering a giant, unending raspberry on his neck.

Lan Xichen laughed and laughed and laughed for some more minutes until there were tears prickling the corner of his eyes and hiccups began ringing together with his giggles.

The very moment those appeared, though, the playful hands immediately stopped their playful assault to massage and rub softly until the leftover tingles disappeared. The raspberries metamorphosed to pecks and kisses all over his face that got him melting on the spot in no more than a couple of seconds, shoulders still lightly bouncing with the ligering tittering that followed them.

Silence stretched across them like dogs and bunnies usually do, on their lazy days.

“Jiang Cheng.” 

“Hm?”

Lan Xichen waited until those gray eyes were on him and let his smile shine unashamedly. His lover huffed, fond.

“Should this one give you the report now, Sandu Shengshou?”

“Oh, shut up.”

The sect leader Lan chuckled.

That was the only warning Jiang Cheng had before, in an elegant flash of white, he found his entire world spinning until his back hit the mattress and his hands were firmly held above his head. A weight settled on his thighs, pinning him on the spot. Those brown, crinkling eyes were now just inches from his face.

He tried to squirm and pull his arms down, but the grip was as moving as the mountains that surrounded the Cloud Recesses.

“Since my report won’t be necessary, maybe I can explore other… techniques to show you my observations and feelings?”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened with understanding. He tried harder to free his arms to at least have a lieu of a shield to protect his currently defenseless tickle spots. His mouth was already betraying him, his lips wobbly turning upwards.

Lan Xichen kept watching him, serene, no hurry at all. 

“They do say that there is no stronger way to bond than to share similar experiences and I would be happy to assist in yours .”

“Lan Huan! Don’t! Do not dare!”

He trashed and buckled, squashing as much as he could the already bubbling titters filling his chest, the kind face above him seeing right through his frown - in the way that he called Lan Xichen by his birth name, how the Zidian didn’t crackle or activate like it did when his master was in danger, in the softness still lingering on him, the excited glint in his gaze, in the very same way that they already had this song and dance plenty of times before - and so effortlessly continued to pin him on the mattress, winking before starting to lower his face, bit by bit.

“Lan Huan, I’m warning you! I will-”

“I love your smile.” The sentence was calm and playful, but Jiang Cheng’s voice still got caught in his throat, frozen. Both because of his words and the tiny, careful and light nibble that hit the ticklish back of his ear, barely pecking the skin over and over again. “I love how beautiful and cute it is, when it’s tiny or big,” Another nibble. “When it’s soft or determined.” Another one. “When you’re aware of it or not.” Another. Another. Another.

“Shuhuhut up!”

Amidst his demand Jiang Cheng let out an uncharacteristic snort.

An answering chuckle rang like a bell and set his cheeks ablaze, stretching his grin wider as he turned his face to press it firmly on his shoulder. The other’s breath made him lift his shoulder in an attempt of defense, only for the ministrations to change to his other ear, more praises and loving teases pouring like rain and making him feel more and more silly, tickly, shy.

(Loved). 

He endured exactly three more compliments (he had to put a stop when Lan Xichen started to point out how he went out of the way to take care and make little nice gestures that should go unnoticed because they’re not a big deal at all!) before snapping, again, with no heat.

“Why don’t you stop saying nonsense,” he tried squirming and scrunching his neck, but the other only hummed dangerously in warning, making tingles and tickly shocks spread like flames on his nerves. He attempted to control the snicker painting his words, unsuccessfully. “And put your mouth to good use?”

“So demanding…”

Still, Lan Xichen acquiesced and took a deep breath. Jiang Cheng closed his eyes, preparing for the killer raspberry that would come and finally put him out of his suffering.

Only for a continued, light gush of air hit his skin, pulling those low, anticipatory giggles from him.

“Soon, Wanyin. First, I must tell you all the endearing, lovely things about you that keep making me swoon and fall in love all over again while I watch this blush take over your beautiful, adorable face. Then, after I’m done, you're going to tell me all of your favorite spots for the day and I will tickle every single one of them, maybe using that delightful technique you just spent so long teaching me all about today, maybe testing how loud and carefree I can make you sound. What do you think?"

Lan Xichen yelped and jolted away when harmless sparks hit both of his hands, making them tingle and automatically let go of the other, which was enough for him to dislodge the Lan from his spot with a hard buckle, throwing him back on the mattress and quickly turning around to run away from the bed.

Before he succeeded, however, Lan Huan jumped and locked his hand on his wrist, maintaining his grip even when Jiang Cheng twisted it left and right and pulling him closer and making the one in purple robes lose his footing.

He then quickly adjusted himself on the bed so the other would fall right on his side and Lan Xichen could quickly finish this game of cat and mouse. 

However, Jiang Cheng used the impulse to turn around and barrel him on the mattress, limbs getting entangled as both of them get lost in giggles, playful growls and some non heated pushing and pulling each other around.

It took a few minutes until he finally had the opening he was waiting for. Brown eyes shone when Jiang Cheng got distracted, too proud of managing to get on top of him during the brawl. With a fast swipe, one of his hands captured the other’s wrist and pulled upwards. His legs did a quick word in locking themselves around the other’s one pair. Unbalanced, Jiang Cheng fell on his chest with a shout and his free hand held his waist close, body rolling and putting Lan Xichen right on top, again. 

Hair fell on his face in a mess of untamed strands as his erratic breath matched Wanyin’s, smiles shining bright. He could feel the way that his ribbon was crooked on his forehead and his usual pristine robes got wrinkles. None of those details went unnoticed by Jiang Cheng, who smirked at him with a sharp smugness, even if his general state was just as bad.

Lan Xichen almost kissed him again.

Instead, though, he took a deep breath, reigning the joyful smile in his face and the childish snickers playing in his throat. 

When he opened his eyes, there was now a honed resolutioness on them, his smile became a smirk and his face got closer to the other. 

"Do that again and I will have to put my sect’s ribbon and spells to a good use.” As always, his voice rang light and sweet, but with an undertone of something low and dangerous that made the very own Sandu Shengshou shiver. “Alright?”

It was not a question.

Lan Xichen nuzzled his neck sweetly. “Thank you for expanding my collection even more with all your wonderful reactions.” 

Oh, gods, Jiang Cheng realized with wide, excited eyes. He was going to die, wasn’t he?

“Shall we begin?”

[~*~]

Random Thoughts:

Jiang Cheng, watching Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan: urg, look at them, so head over the heels for each other, absolutely shameless, no respect at all for anyone who is near. It’s like they have no sense of self preservation at all

Lan Xichen: a

Jiang Cheng: Oh my goddd it’s Lan Xichen hi hi hiiiii <3 <3 :3 <3

~~

Jiang Cheng to me is just aaaaa! The fact that he hates Wei Wuxian and keeps guarding his flute even after 13 years. The way that he follows Jin Ling in his every night hunt. How he was the only one to not chase Wei Wuxian when his identy was revealed. He handing Jin Ling the Zidian just like his mother did to him

I keep thinking about a continuation where, while they're still starting to get closer, Wei Wuxian start having more tickle fights in front of Jiang Cheng - both attacking Lan Yuan, Lan Jingyi or his own husband - until he finally has enough of him looking so gloom and doom everytime he does so and decides to take the matter into his own hands <3

Look, I'm going to be honest, I just need more of everyone in mdzs laughing, playing and being silly, okay? I need more of that happiness and if for that I need to write my own content and spend hours daydreaming about them in cute tickle scenarios so be it <3 <3 peace and love on planet earth

Maybe I will write something with the juniors in the future? Add some pure, playful and joyful fluff in the story. They are just way too precious and def deserve some more laughing in their lives. And Wei Wuxian just have such perfect, amazing tickle monster vibes iugtfrdefrgyu

Also, enjoy this amazing video of Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen that I can't stop thinking about.

[kanene-yaaay]

I have a great many ideas about the sillies buzzing in my head at all times buT I've been thinking about the mischief of Wei Wuxian, certified talisman genius, could create with the creation of tickle talismans for a While

First things first, there's the question of when in the timeline he'd create them, either before the Cloud Recesses lecture era, or later in his second life, after the plot concludes (both have their merits but for the sake of making all my hcs make sense I'm choosing to go with the first scenario, in which Wei Wuxian, as the Yunmeng Jiang head disciple always keeps a few of his pre-prepared tickle talismans in his sleeve, ready at a moments notice. Sometimes he wonders if ordering his shidis to catch him off-guard as training for both of them maybe wasn't his brightest idea, but he and his martial brothers are in to deep to stop now. They have Jiang Yanli tallying wins and everything!)

So consider, if you will, Wei Wuxian as a guest disciple in the Cloud Recesses, getting caught by Lan Wangji that night on the rooftops with his Emperor's Smile. And as is to be expected they fight. And yes, they are quite evenly matched and could go on and on with just their swords, but Wei Wuxian is a filthy little cheater and he's proud of it too. Rules exist to be broken, the Second Jade of Lan's composure exists to be cracked, it's as easy as that.

And so, he draws one of his tickle talismans out of his sleeve, quick as a snake, and throws it at Lan Wangji. He really did expect him to dodge, all his shidis would have. Everyone knows he likes to fight dirty, except, it seems, Lan Wangji. (Who for his part is quietly seething that not only did Wei Wuxian break curfew, and the rules about alcohol and fighting in Cloud Recesses, but now he's also broken the universal rules of a clean duel by sword! Unheard of! Absolutely shameless!!).

The talisman attaches to Lan Wangji's chest since the move is so unexpected that he didn't even think to dodge it, too focused on Suibian's blade, and both of them stop to gape at it. Lan Wangji because how dare Wei Wuxian use talismans in their sword duel, and Wei Wuxian because: What the fuck why didn't he dodge?? He genuinely did not expect that move to work, not on someone as skilled as Lan Wangji!

In the few milliseconds he takes to debate whether he should snatch it away or let it be, curious to see if the impeccably polished Second Jade could even be affected by such petty tricks, the talisman burns up and releases the magic stored within. Oops, too late now, Wei Wuxian guesses.

And then he watches as Lan Wangji's righteously incredulous microexpression give way to open shock, and then panic, and then shutters in embarrassment. It's dark, but Wei Wuxian's golden core is well developed so he can still see the tips of Lan Wangji's ears growing red, followed by a pink tint stealing over his cheeks and washing down his neck. Wei Wuxian knows from unfortunate experience (the first and last time he'd ever let Jiang Cheng get his hands on one of these talismans), that by now the tingly feelings it evokes have traveled to the spots the magic identifies as most sensitive, all the better to get his victim to forfeit.

Indeed, Lan Wangji looks to be struggling. Anyone else would have collapsed to the floor (or well, rooftop) by now, squirming and laughing their head off, but Lan Wangji is still holding on tight to the last threads of his composure, however futile the attempt. Wei Wuxian can hear the little huffs and barely audible whines he can't hold back, and knows that it's only a matter of time before Lan Wangji, too, will crumble under the influence of his talisman.

With anyone else, he would have jumped at the opportunity to tease until they begged him to shut up through peals of laughter. And it's not that he doesn't want to hear Lan Wangji laughing and trying to scold him uselessly all throughout, but Wei Wuxian just can't seem to open his mouth. He's too busy staring as the world's most beautiful man loses his composure at Wei Wuxian's proverbial hands, shaking now, hair doing nothing to cover his bright red ears as he slowly sinks to his knees on the roof, Bichen long forgotten hanging loosely in his grip.

And then, and then! He looks up at Wei Wuxian, cheeks pink and mouth twitching, biting his lip and shooting him the most flustered, baleful glare he's ever seen, like the moonlight isn't reflecting on the tears of mirth in his eyes and making him look ethereal and... and then he closes his eyes in defeat and his lips stretch into the most brilliant smile Wei Wuxian has ever seen... and then he curls into himself and starts laughing quietly, the embarrassed undertone clearly audible.

The sight of his smile makes Wei Wuxian dizzy, and he doesn't know why. All of sudden he knows that he needs to get away, that he can't take the picture of Lan Wangji falling to pieces beneath the moonlight if he doesn't want to go insane. There's absolutely nothing on his mind except the look Lan Wangji sent him before breaking into that beautiful smile and okay yeah he needs to get away, like right now, before the way his heart is thumping in his chest makes him fall to his knees right along Lan Wangji.

He thinks he might've stuttered out a helpless direction, meant to sound teasing but coming out embarrassingly breathy, about not falling off the roof in the quarter of an incense time the talisman will take to fizzle out, before he turns tail and flees to the guest disciple quarters, Emperor's Smile forgotten on the roof.

Lan Wangji watches him go through teary eyes, before finally relinquishing the threads of control he'd clung to to keep himself from laughing loudly while in Wei Wuxian's earshot. He can feel the heat in his cheeks intensifying as he thinks of the way he'll have to confess this to Lan Xichen, so his brother can mete out punishment for Lan Wangji breaking the rule against loud laughter in the Cloud Recesses. While endlessly embarrassing, it was still better than confessing it to the elders at Minghsi Pavillion. The thought makes him shudder and squeeze his eyes shut once again. No one had taken such liberties with him in more than a decade, only blurry memories of Lan Xichen smiling down at him while hiccups and giggles shake his body, so much smaller then than now, serving as proof that he'd ever even had to suffer through an indignity such as this before.

... and yet, even as he can't keep his laughter down and himself from leaning forward until he is resting his forehead against the cool roof tiles in his bid to make the horribly ticklish sensations just a little more bearable, he can't help but think about Wei Ying's wide eyed, astonished stare, and about the way he'd swayed forward subconciously, like he'd wanted to take Lan Wangji into his arms, hold him and fold his giggles into his heart.

Maybe, if this is what it takes to get Wei Ying to look at him like that, he'll bear it gladly, again and again.

----

Oops got carried away an insane amount and wrote half a fic help. I have more ideas but this ask his already long enough lmao so that's it for now, i hope you'll like it!!

EVERY SINGLE ONE WAKEEEE UP AND LOOK AT THIS!!!! THE SCENARIO!!! THE CREATIVITY! THE JOY AND FUN AND SILLINESS! THE SLOWLY CRUMBLING OF BOTH LAN WANGJI AND WEI WUXIAN! THE DELIGHTFUL ENDING!!!! I DON'T THINK I CAN SURVIVE THIS!!!!!!

Tumblr is being unfair to me and I can't send reaction images but please imagine all the screaming, kicking legs, rolling on the floor, giggling, hugging my phone and slowly descend of madness that was me reaidng your ask over and over again because it!!! only!!! gets better!!!!!

I love love looooove how slowly Lan Zhan starts to lose his composture and, while he is the one wanting to giggle and laugh his heart out, Wei Wuxian is the one Almost Dying because my bro just realized he is Very Vey Gay AND!!!! DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ABOUT THE EXCHANGE OF GAZES WHEN LAN ZHAN DECIDES TO FREE HIS GIGGLES AND LOWER A BIT OF HIS BARRIERS AAAAA <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 And Wei Wuxian wanting to fall and hold him . I don't think I will ever be able to think about anything else ever again fr fr. Juno!!! Your scenarios are everything!!

[kanene-yaaay]

The Collection (Third Chapter)

3. Love

Kanene's Notes: I DID IT KJHGTHYUJIK LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE???? AAAAAAA Almost didn't manage to post today because I was resting oikuytyuj but it's here!!! Yay!!! :D

Warnings: Light Self Depreciation, Mouth Tickles (like, lots of it), Light Angst and mostly Fluff. Ler!Xichen + Ticklish![SURPRISE] Around 8.000 words.

[~*~]

In the end, for him, tickling was a way to show love, care, trust. To have someone’s vulnerabilities right in your hands and decide to hold them so tenderly and freely that your love could not ever be mistaken. To analyze someone’s reaction and discover what they like and didn’t like, to bring a bit more of playfulness and brightness to their days. It meant to show respect and at the same time create a song so unique as both of them danced to it. His collection was meant to hold someone, to laugh and relax and, above all, to strike happiness and love, whichever was the form the person decided to show him.

(...)

Wei Wuxian kept running.

He knew it wouldn’t be enough. No matter how far he pushed himself, for how long he kept running even when his body pleaded for a break, Wei Wuxian knew it was just a matter of time until he was caught. Mo Xuanyu’s body wasn’t nearly closer to be as strong, resistant and great as his original one, which could hold his breath underneath water for minutes and escape for days if necessary. However, by the sheer determination and power of his pursuer, even if he had his original stamina and velocity, maybe even so it would be a long battle to outrun the other. 

(Maybe he was simply doomed from the beginning)

He was panting, struggling already as he jumped over rocks and roots, taking wild turns and twists in the middle of the forest in an attempt to confuse. It still wasn’t enough. He would be caught. 

He would be caught.

Thinking back, it had been foolish, truly, to think he could face this without Lan Zhan. He was too far from his location now, without even realizing what kind of plight Wei Wuxian was trying to survive. 

At least… at least he had the chance to be his husband before his fall.

And fall he did. With a loud shriek Wei Wuxian collided with the grass, claws curling around him when he shouted with the despair of a man trying to buy one single more moment of life.

“We can make a deal!”

The claws stopped inches from his skin, right above his stomach, too close to all his fragile organs. They twitched and he could feel a shadow of electricity escaping from the points where it barely brushed the skin.

“A deal?” He sounded amused, not even worried, as if he already imagined them both in this outcome, as if capturing the former Yilling Patriarch was nothing but expected. Wei Wuxian couldn’t even complain, his attention too caught in the claws getting dangerously closer and closer, twitching and brushing and making him feel more and more each movement. Even if he wanted, he wouldn’t be able to look away.

“What is your offer?” “Lan Zhan’s secret spot.”

A chuckle ressounded across the yard and the hands immediately came down. Wei Wuxian shrieked once more and waited for his end. Those hands, however, simply rested on his belly, no further movement coming, being successful in only making his nerves prickle and buzz with anticipation and adrenaline. Wei Wuxian could listen clearly as the amusement grew bigger in his captor’s voice. “I have known Wangji since we were kids. There is no secret spot when it comes to me.”

“Even the one on…”

“The back of his lower ribs, the closer to the sides the quicker the giggles get? Yes.”

Wei Wuxian pouted. Although a quick digging on his stomach immediately exchanged it for a wobbling, giant smile that made the tickles stop automatically. 

Xichen-ge was such a tease. 

Besides, this one wasn’t even the spot he wanted to trade, but he slotted the information in his mind to explore more later.

Suddenly an idea appeared in his mind. The nervous smile in his face gave its spot for a wicked smirk.

Feeling the smugness on the other, Xichen’s attention honed in with interest.

Also aware of the Benefits of Teasing and Being a Little Shit, Wei Wuxian relaxed completely on the ground, stretching and put his arms behind his head, completely calm, as if there was no more danger to fall upon him after the next offer was out, a proud grin on his lips.

“You are absolutely right, Xichen-ge! You both grew up together and the two of us are the only ones who can truly read and understand Lan Zhan,” He stalled and Lan Xichen narrowed his eyes in suspicious, an amused light shining in them, although. “But I must give to you the merits you deserve for the extra years of experience you have. When it comes to you and Lan Zhan, there is no doubt that you know your didi wonderfully.” 

This was a pause for a bigger effect, Lan Xichen recognizes. He could tell Wei Wuxian is just trying to buy time, but both of them know how patient and stubborn Lans can be. It is only a matter of time before he gets what he came for anyway. 

Then, Wei Wuxian went for the kill.

“And yet so do I. If you let me go, I can tell you a special tickle spot that will transform Jiang Cheng into a laughing, flustered mess in seconds. 

Lan Xichen froze. Wei Wuxian’s smirk only grew, like a cat about to jump on his prey, knowing precisely how priceless and unmatched  his offer was. 

Got you.

“So, what do you say, Xichen-ge, my favorite brother in law? Will you let me go? From one big brother to another.”

Lan Xichen reflected quietly, fingers still tapping on the ticklish belly under them, as if deep in thought,  fingertips barely gracing the skin before going away, the little tickles just enough of present to keep the anticipation going and the bubbling giggles alive.

In the end, he sighed and Wei Wuxian beamed, already knowing what he was going to say. “Very well, you share this information with me and I let you leave for today.”

“Only today?! Why, why, Xichen-ge! Don’t be greedy.” He wagged his finger in front of his face and Lan Xichen’s hands digged a bit more on his stomach in reply. He wiggled, a triumphant grin still clued on his face. “The moment you attack Jiang Cheng there, he will know who betrayed him immediately! His bad temper will fall on me and I will certainly not survive such a vicious revenge, you see, especially after an attack of yours! Lan Zhan has shared plenty of information about his own falls in your claws.” He pouted and looked at the older with big eyes. “I will need at least three weeks to recover after his visit.”

In one week Wanyin would be visiting the Cloud Recesses to discuss sect matters, which would grant more than one month before Lan Xichen was allowed, by their deal, to take his revenge on him. The date fell suspiciously close to Jin Ling’s birthday, a celebration that would oblige Lan Xichen to travel away from the Cloud Recessess. Truly a brilliant mind his brother in law had.

“One week, at most. You did attack me in front of my students, afterall. It wouldn’t be well for them to know I granted you more mercy than that trick deserved. A punishment for breaking the rules must be given.”

The snickers that came out of his mouth had nothing to do with the tickles, but more with him remembering the other’s shriek at the surprise tickle attack. His next squeal, however, had, since Xichen decided to claw a bit on his sides. “One week and half!”

Lan Xichen hummed, and once more Wei Wuxian beamed. After being so close with Wangji, it was no surprise he hadn’t problem reading his tells. “Very well, one week and three days, but I retain the right to break the deal if when I try the spot no reaction is found or if you decide to tickle me again during this time, even if by mistake. If any of those cases happen, then I will come collect my original payment and bring Wangji with me for help.”

Wei Wuxian crackled, bowing at him with the best of his ability. “So little trust in my words, Xichen-ge! This lowly one would never dare to trick the almighty Zewu Jun, please have the mercy my dear husband won’t give!”

“You won’t have to worry about it if the information you share is true.” Letting him go, Lan Xichen got up, offering a hand for Wei Wuxian to bring himself up as well. He took a few leaves and dirt out of his still pristine robes, hesitating before the question came out in a low voice. “Wanyin truly won’t mind if I know?”

“Mind?” There was a mix of amusement and confusion in his face, then Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened as he came to a realization. “Xichen-ge! Don’t tell me! You never tried to tickle Jiang Cheng before?”

“I have not yet, no.”

Mischievous shine in his eyes, Wei Wuxian came close resting an arm on his shoulder, making him huff a laughter at the comic position, with their very present height difference. The other shook a finger next to his face. “Give me one more week free of your revenge, Xichen-ge, and I will share this one more secret with you, also! He will thank me for it anyways, later.” He scratched the bridge of his nose. “Probably.”

Having the feeling of what the secret was, Xichen simply shook his head, a smile on his face.

“I think this one I shall find by myself, young master Wei.” 

(...)

Lan Xichen rubbed the shoulders under him, feeling the way those muscles tensed unrelentlessly under his touch. Equally unrelenting, he pressed a soft kiss on each shoulder, feeling the other jolt under his lips in alarm before forcing out a tight sigh.

He didn't say anything, just kept rubbing those tensed shoulders, arms, hands and fingers, even taking his time as he trailed down from his back to his hips, squeezing too firmly to be nothing but comforting, before going up and repeating the cycle again, letting his hands warm and accostume the cold skin under him.

There was no hurry for any of them, no emergency or matter that would require their attention for the rest of the day. It was just the two of them and a cold evening perfect to better enjoy the warmth of each other.

His hands traveled across every muscle, pressing on it lightly as his soft pecks followed the line of his shoulder until it arrived at the middle and travelled to the other’s nape. Goosebumps appeared across the caressed skin and Lan Xichen chuckled, half fond and half smug, at the physical proof of how his touches affected him.

Jiang Wanyin tched.

“To think this is what finally makes you get quiet in bed. Unbelievable.”

Xichen huffed, still too close to his skin, which obliged Wanyin to hold back a small jolt at the series of shivers that followed his action. “I apologize for the lack of talking. I am simply… too excited, too thankful for this.” He nuzzled him, taking in the delicious smell of lotus flower and wood from the other, controlling himself to not bite the spot. “Although it is quite nice to know you like as much as me the words we exchange in our intimacy.”

“Of course you would take this as an opportunity to be sentimental.” Jiang Wanying groaned. “Don't think that just because I accepted your offer it doesn’t mean that I won't be breaking your legs and getting out if you start with your thing”

“... My thing?”

Jiang Cheng huffed and scowled, shifting self consciously on the mattress. “You know what I am talking about. Besides, I already accepted doing this, you don't need to keep flattering me.”

Lan Xichen frowned, confused. “It’s not flattery, simply my feelings.”

“Stop it, I know senseless praises when I see one and you do as well. We’ve grown to deal with the same politics, even with our clear different strategies to deal with it.”

Ah, he sees what is happening now.

Effortless, Lan Xichen gets out of the bed and kneels right by Jiang Cheng’s head, who blinks surprised for a moment before tensing more and pushing himself up on his arms to better stare firmly at the other, as if he was about to be sent away. Knowing how Wanyin usually thinks, this option probably wasn’t far away from his head.

Xicchen would have to prove him otherwise, then.

“Wanyin, I have been eagerly waiting for this day ever since I read your letter accepting my invitation. Last night, I was barely able to sleep, similar to a junior preparing for their first night hunt, getting too excited only in imagining how delightful it would be to be here now. I am honored you trusted me enough for this moment.” Fire began lacing across his face, yet Xichen refused to look away from the ther’s wide-eyed stare. “More egotistically, too, I am even more happy because your laughter has been haunting me for seasons, since that very day on the Fifth Conference in Yunmeng Jiang, when after the banquet we all have been a little tipsy and I fell on one of your lakes. When I resurfaced and saw your face… you were laughing so hard while offering me a hand.” And I haven’t gone a single season by without imagining being once more the reason for your laughter, he didn’t complete.

Jiang Cheng looked pleased. “So you were not drunk enough that night to have forgotten it. I knew it, you froze that one time I mentioned it.”

“It was a very beautiful laughter.” Xichen defended himself.

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “It’s a normal one.”

“Not for me.” As a slight hint of a blush appeared on the bridge of Wanyin’s nose and Xichen found himself struggling to not focus at it. He had to set his point across. His voice lowered, a bit soft, a bit vulnerable. “I wish to hear it again, but you must trust me enough to know that a Lan does not lie and I would not deceit you. How you feel here is important, and so you have to be sure that I will take care of you above it all and honor the trust that you placed on me, Wanyin. Only if you want, of course.”

Jiang Cheng got quiet, his frown lessened to a more thoughtful expression. After a couple of moments when the nerves began gnawing at Xichn’s mind, he sighed. 

“Go on, then.”

Lan Xichen almost jumped with how jittery he was, a happy smile appearing on his face. “Will you, really, Wanyin? Will you let me take care of you?”

“I am here, am I not?” His hands grabbed the sheet with force, a flame of irritation flaring up, pulling the attention away from the vulnerable tune of his words. “Or you think I would just come here to back away so easily? I am no chicken.”

Lan Xichen engulfed the hands on his, staring seriously at the other’s silver eyes. “You can step away if you don't want this anymore. At any moment, the second you want you can get out, I would never hold this against you, Wanyin.”

The sect leader rolled his eyes at this. “Of course you wouldn’t! Come back with these words when you manage to carry a grudge for more than five days.” At Xichen’s displeased huff, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His demeanor softened and his hands turned around to grab his, eyes scurrying away from his searching gaze. “No. I don’t want to go away, Xichen, I meant it. If you’re trying to convince me to get out, then do it better.”

“Wanyin…” 

Jiang Cheng huffed, finally finding his gaze again. Somehow, he always found it a bit comforting, sometimes even amusing, to get a little on the Lan’s nerves. “Aren’t you being the stubborn one, right now, or is your hearing already becoming faulty? Do no make me repeat that again: I am still here, am I not?”

As if to prove his words, he suddenly pulled his hands closer, making Lan Xichen stumble and lay partially on the bed, inches from his face. When he tried another remark, he was promptly cut by the Yunmeng’s Leader. “Also, no. Don’t try to go back to all your teasing flattery again.” Lan Xichen huffed, now he was trying to be purposely obtuse.

Jiang Wanyin took advantage of his position to press a fleeting kiss to his knuckles of the hands still on his grip, his words no longer carried any heat or bother, but a more mischievous (and vulnerable) tune. 

“How could I forget,” Lan Xichen acquiesced, recognizing the victory and permission for what it was. How could he not, when it came to Jiang Cheng? “That my Wanyin is such a tease to his poor Xichen.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Get on with this at once because it's way too cold to just keep laying around with a bared torso.”

Lan Xichen chuckled lightly at that, his grin stretching when he felt a small, tentative, soft rub of thumbs on the back of his hands and his heart melted. He climbed back on the mattress, resuming his position on top of the other's legs, with those sifting, tensed muscles under his hands. This time, his determination was stronger than before.

Wanyin didn't allow himself to be fully relaxed under his ministrations, yet. Even with the permission and all his self reflection preparing himself for this moment, none of that erased the years of stress and exhaustion his body had survived under. He was no fool to not realize why Xichen had suddenly doubted his willingness to participate of this session, with the way posture continued to be held as if he was being scrutinized by a strict teacher and not in the presence of a dear friend, yet, no matter how much he tried to convince himself to relax, his muscles didn’t obey. 

The patience and stubbornness of a Lan must not be taken lightly, however. When his hands digged on his shoulders, Jiang Cheng tensed even further. Only to blink in astonishment when nothing happened. Lan Xichen… started massaging him. After a few moments of this, he turned his head slightly to his direction, a confused frown on his face.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving a good massage, I hope.”

“But you-” He looked at the gleaming shine in his gaze and his innocent smile, eyes narrowing. A trap. “You're planning something.”

Lan Xichen shook his head lightly. “My only plan is getting you to relax.” His words were completely  truthful, but he might as well have said the worst of the teases for the way that Jiang Cheng stared at him, a nice very weak shade of red painting his nose, then promptly shoved his face back on the pillow. An amused huff escaped Lan Xichen as he continued his ministrations, skilled and nimble hands finding every tense spot or unrelenting knot and pressing on them firmly until it became completely undone. 

He started at the base of his spine, thumbs sliding across its length and fingers squeezing (not the original type of squeezing he had been prepared to do, but alas) and digging on a tensed muscled until it relented to him before he continued to work upwards on another in the same rhythm, sometimes using his knuckles, his palms, his fingers, either be digging, kneading or pressing, always in a firm, soothing touch.

Some knots were too tense and old to completely disappear, still, by the moment he was back on his shoulders, pressing firmly on the base of it and sliding his thumbs up across his nape, following his spine, Jiang Cheng was like putty on his hands, melted and relaxed, an appreciative groan leaving his mouth unguarded, breathing slowly as if he was almost falling asleep. 

Lan Xichen rolled his tired wrists, smiling content and happy with the result, almost too happy to interrupt it with the next step of their session.

Again, almost.

In a lighter, but still firm touch, he ran his palms across his back, following a line on his middle and then letting his hands branch from the ribs until it rested on his shoulders, massaging it, fingertips almost brushing his ears and neck. Not even a twitch, a hilt or breathing or even a questioning word came from Jiang Cheng.

Perfect.

With just his fingertips and in even more of a lighter touch, Xichen roamed his hands to the base of the neck and then downwards in two paralleled lines. Goosebumps made their appearance and, if it wasn’t for his attentive eyes, he wouldn’t have noticed the way the other twitched to grip the mattress before relaxing and letting it go.

Lan Xichen smiled, lifted his hands just a little bit more, until only his short nails were grazing the sensitive skin, running to his ribs and swirling tiny circles across them, sliding down to trace uncaring patterns across his sides, scribbling so soft it was almost imperceptive on each one before gliding upwards once more and re-starting the cycle again until there was a tiny squirm and a forceful huff being pried from the other, his muscles tensing the slight bit at the touch.

True to his words, Xichen immediately stopped at that and went right back to massaging his back. He could almost see Wanyin’s confused frown, letting his tension go bit by bit as the moments passed without another soft, tickly attack from him.

The ke his guards were down again, the Lan immediately spidered his fingers across his spine, going from his lower back to his shoulder blades and deviating to skitter across them skillfully. The moment his nails grazed it, a hint of giggle was partially freed on the air before Wanyin bit and swallowed it down.

Interesting.

As previously, at the tension, Xichen went back to his massage.

Wanyin was having none of that. “What even is this!? Wasn't you going to…”

Lan Xichen couldn't help the amusement in his voice. “To…”

“Tickle me!”

Aw. How cute.

“Well, since you asked so nicely.”

He immediately latched back at that spot right between his shoulder blades, wanting to discover more about the spot that was able to make Sandu Shengshou giggle. Fingers dancing across it, his attentive eyes watched the way Wanyin squirmed from one side to another, a high sound being muffled and a giggly kind of tune taking over his voice.

“That is not what-” a snort broke free when he started tapping his fingers downwards, following the line of the bone gaze sharp and each scribble getting more and more precise as the giggles began growing quicker and louder the more he continued. “It’s not w-what I-” This time it was a squeak, a squeak and Xichen was beyond endeared. It was chased by airy titters. “NotwhatImeant! Fuck!”

Not even bothering to answer, too concentrated to find what exact place was pulling such delightful reactions, Lan Xichen stopped on the lower part of each shoulder blade and then moved a few inches to the side, pressing quickly. 

With a squeal, Jiang Cheng buckled.

They both froze.

Jiang Cheng must have realized just what happened at the same time as Lan Xichen, and he tried to lift himself to roll away just as the other pressed his thumbs on the same spot and digged. His arms wobbled and failed in the middle of the movement, body falling on the bed again in a soft impact as laughter poured freely and unstoppable from his lips.

There we go.

“S-stop it!” He continued squirming, louder, uncontrollable-er high pitched giggles and bubbling squeaks taking over the air as Xichen decided to try prodding and poking the same place, making his entire nerves get set ablaze, electricity running from every inch of skin that was tickled and racing across his meridians, making his Zidian spark in short bouts of useless of lightning that were unable to harm either of them (when did he get so soft for Xichen?). “How  snk-dihihihid you evhehen find out thihihis!” His eyes then widened as realization hit. “WEI WUXIAN!!”

Quick to divert his attention (Wei Wuxian really knew his brother well, Xichen sent his soul a quick prayer), Lan Xichen increased his tickles, successfully making Wanyin lose himself even more amidst snickers. 

“GEHEHEHeht oHOHOut!!”

Lan Xichen hummed, “Maybe my memory has been failing me afterall, because I do remember my Wanyin asking me to tickle him not long ago. He truly shouldn’t be surprised when I was quick to acquiesce with his request, then. Have I ever denied my heart from anything?”

“Yes!!” It was the immediate reply, another squeal painting his every word as he spidered downards to his lower back and got him into titters painted in a bubbly relief only to go back to that spot and unleash another unforgiving tickle attack the moment he recovered a bit more of air. “StohoHOHOP! Yohohohou’re lihihitEHEHErally DEHEHEHehenyihihing me- Dammit!”

“Perhaps my Wanyin is simply surprised by how ticklish he is?” Lan Xichen continued as if nothing had been said, musing out loud. “I must agree with such a feeling. It's been nothing but delightful to find just how sensitive every part of his body is. Afterall, my Wanyin is very kind and soft when you get to know…” 

Suddenly, he ceased his attack, letting his fingers trace the spot lightly and basking on the airy, fast and tittering like yelps and huffs of laughter that continued to flow from just a tease. Before he could get used to it, however, Lan Xichen jumped to his ribs and began kneading and clawing. 

“Right where to find it.”

Jiang Cheng shook his head, arms lowering themselves and twisting to his back in futile attempts to pry his hands away, snorts now mixing in a lovely melody with his laughter, even as Xichen slowed his ministrations to a soft kind of skittering running up and down his ribs, a kinder torment. With a few good nuzzles on his neck and lightly blowing air on his ears Xichen was successful in distracting those determined arms from trying to snatch his well deserved tickles away.

“Stohohohop sweet talkihihihing me!”

“Would you rather receive another kind of sweet, then?” He pointed his sentence with a raspberry on the side of his neck as his fingers climbed upwards to his pits, taking the opportunity of his laughing distracting at his raspberries to burrow his wiggling fingers on the spot. Since Jiang Wanyin was so fond of trying to pry his caring touches and playful nuzzles away, Xichen might as well give him an incentive to keep his arms down and nicely out of his way.

Just as he started to scribble and scratch quickly just the border of the pit, there was a loud screech and an even more delightful snorting laughter that made Lan Xichen laugh softly too. 

When the other simply shoved his face even more on the pillow at that, just like bashful maiden hide his blushing features away (and the Lan couldn’t wait to make his ears and neck at least half red as his face, later), Xichen captured his arm and held above his head, leaving his side, ribs and armpits unprotected, absolutely defenseless to his attack. 

Jiang Cheng squirmed once more, anticipation and adrenaline making his entire torso tingle in anticipation to the tickles, chuckles falling like waves from his lips even before he was actually attacked, planting a stubborn and way too silly smile on his face.

Lan Xichen scratched and drummed on every hint of skin around his unprotected armpit until he got next to the spot where his back connected to his armpit, leaded there by the anxious titters and protesting snickers that grew quicker and airy the closer he got to the place, immediately giving away to a short, strident screech when he drummed a single finger there. 

“So sensitive, so responsive for me…” He nosed the side of his neck, making sure to whisper the next words as close as possible from his ear, a playful tune jumping on his voice. “Tell me, my life, did we find another sweet spot?”

Since Wanyin refused to answer, Xichen would have to keep his conversation alive by himself. A pity, but, oh well.

“I think we did. It’s right here, isn’t it?” He traced the spot, watching with crickling eyes as the other controlled his jolt at the touch, muffling a tiny squeak. “So many places to enjoy, to discover, to tickle and tickle over and over and over again until we are satisfied. As I’ve said before, my Wanyin is really full of sweet and soft spots.”

He lifted his hand away from his back, in silence, patiently awaiting for the other to move his head to the side, a peaking eyes searching for the reason why he stopped. Only then, with a teasy, knowing grin, Lan Xichen formed a claw with his free hand and slowly began descending it towards the spot, wiggling his fingers plenty and letting them scrape the skin for a light, maddening seconds until giggles upon giggles were bubbling so much on his chest, begging to be free and Jiang Cheng closed his eyes, his already gigantic smirk growing even bigger at him.

He attacked. 

Instead of the previous strident giggles, a crackling kind of laughter exploded around the place and Jiang Wanyin hit the bed with his fists, his trashing increasing so much that Lan Xichen had to lock his legs more firmly around him to not have the risk of being knocked out, already tipping dangerously to one side with the movement. 

The more Xichen’s fingers danced on the spot, spidering and skittering, drumming and prodding, the louder his laughter sounded, the feeling exploding and taking over his mind completely, every thought, every doubt disappearing until there was nothing but a chant of “It tickles, it tickles, it tickles” in his head. 

Lan Xichen suddenly realized that his face was much closer to his torso than before, as his tickling hands slided to his armpits, stopping Wanyin’s arms once more from trying to pry him away (and to think Jiang Cheng was the very one who asked for those tickles…), an idea flashed in his mind and he was quick to jump to its execution.

Jiang Cheng jumped in the same place. “Do not-” His voice sounded higher than normal. “-Kiss me there!”

It was just a tad of too much panicked than normal that made Xichen stop, fingers stilling from the maddening tickles to a slower scraping. “You don’t like it?”

“No!” Jiang Cheng fumbled. “It’s not…” 

Lan Xichen lifted his head, tilting it so he could find the other’s eyes. It was both an unsuccessful and successful effort. The moment they met, Jiang Cheng seemed to relax a bit but the embarrassment in his face only grew. “It’s not a place to be kissed. It’s dirty.”

Everything went quiet and Lan Xichen froze, only when Jiang Cheng jolted once more under him he realized he was curling and pressing his fingers even more on the skin. 

Forcing them to lie flat again, he made himself start once more.

“Sect Leader Jiang…” Said one looked at him with a mix of feelings in his eyes, most weren’t pleasant. Lan Xichen pushed on, he laid his forehead on his back and took a deep breath, trying to not get too charmed by the way the other wiggled at that. When it came out, his voice had a purposeful calmness, with a hint of tightness. “Still smells like that lotus fragrance I gifted you on your birthday, perfect, delicious,” he let his teeth graze the bit of skin at the last word, happy at the goosebump this brought. His next words became softer, also grazing the sensitive spot he hadn't moved away for the entire conversation. “I am happy that you appreciated it. Convince me, then, Wanyin, why my hands, my attention, my lips shouldn’t be all over you.”

When he received no answer, he pressed his mouth in a circle around the spot, traveling to his armpit, kissing it with revence, softly, feeling each twitch, each shiver as he continued his way up and to the side,  pressing kiss after kiss until it grazed his neck - a safe ground - and then continued to follow to his other armpit, letting it greet as much of skin as he could. 

Jiang Wanyin pressed his face firmly on the mattress, feeling something in himself starting to lose the fight with the fear that protected his vulnerability. He wanted to smile, to huff, to push that stupid man with his stupid sweetness away and grab him closer. The feeling was only amplified as he felt two fingers drawing slow circles on his sides, tracing the skin as if there was nothing else they could ever wish to do with their time.

He suppressed a wiggle. “You shouldn’t-” he stuttered as the tickling changed the rhythm to something a little quicker, the hands now slightly pluckering and poking his side with tiny, playful tickles. It felt both soft and a warning. Watch your words. He pressed his smile even more on the soft bedding, swallowing giggles. 

A petulant snort escaped, its meanings clear. Sounds like a challenge.

“You’re being c-childish. You know I am right.”

“I can not in good conscience agree to this, Wanyin.” Jiang Cheng could feel the grin his answer elected. Gusu Lan’s example of self control, my ass. There was now the feeling of nails lightly scratching the skin, words being whispered on his shoulder, getting closer and closer to their target and yet stopping only enough to keep sending ticklish shivers across his spine until there were quiet, airy titter escaping from his mouth, bigger than his efforts to hide it. “Please, allow me to convince you otherwise.” 

…Dammit. Lan Xichen knew what he was doing, exaggerating his every move, asking softly, keeping his touches light enough so he could be just the slight amount of distracted… He was directing Jiang Cheng to a trap. One that would end up with him being honest.

“I know what you’re doing.” He accused, without heat.

Xichen hummed and then laid an playful nip and then a tiny apologetic on his back. And then another. And another. Soft touches of his lips as they moved and breathed and talked. “Don’t you like it?”

“Thahat is irrelevant.” Now he was snickering, great.

“Not for me.” Lan Xichen experimentally nipped that dammed spot that started all of this, smirking smugly at the sharp intake of breath and barely muffled squeal it created. He then stopped, holding himself tightly to not continue to pull such lovely sounds without the other’s answer first. “Do you like it?”

Silence. Jiang Wanyin frowned and pressed his lips together, now more less like holding laughter and more like holding words inside. There was no problem, Lan Xichen could distract him until they surfaced naturally.

His hands began fastening to a scribbling that fluttered upwards to his ribs, prodding and teasing each bone, lightly scratching in between them while he repositioned himself to whisper right behind his reddened ears.

“Or maybe is it something else that has you distracted? The tickling, perhaps. The way it keeps making you want to laugh, to let me listen to every one of your lovely sounds. Tell me, Wanyin, does it make it worse? Hiding your face and for doing so not being able to see where I will strike next? Knowing that I will continue to do it time and time again until you’re too occupied laughing under me to disagree?” 

“Xichen!” The Lan waited, but no further protests followed him.

He hummed, pleased, deviating his hands to his spine and spidering it, vibrating and pressing on each bone only the slight bit for maddening seconds before jumping away, only to poke another bone and continue his tickly treatment. “I am simply asking a few questions, Wanyin. Since you didn’t answer the first one I can continue to present more of them until  we find one of your liking.”

Jiang Cheng’s wiggles began  to get a tad more uncontrolled, too. From one side to another. One side to another. Lan Xichen smiled  at how lovely this was. He kissed his back, once more, a little far away from his armpit but still close enough to it so his next words wouldn’t be confused. Enough of teasing. “If you wish, I won’t press you anymore. Say the words and I will leave it alone and continue just the way we were before, but please be honest with me, Wanyin: Do you want me to continue?”

A moment of quietness, before his voice cut the room, more hesitant than Lan Xichen ever heard him being. “If you don’t think it’s dirty…” Lan Xichen dug on his ribs and began tasering in a stronger warning and Wanyin snorted in surprise, laughter pouring for half of a ke before he held it back again. “Damn it, Xichen. Yeah, I like it! Do whatever!” 

Lan Xichen stopped, warmth blossoming on his chest, and lifted his body until he could watch the other’s expression again. He wanted to be sure it was really okay. The moment their eyes found themselves, Jiang Cheng's entire demeanor seemed to soften a little.

“I am happy to find something else that you like, Wanyin.” He nuzzled his cheek. “Thank you.”

Ah.

And Jiang Cheng… Jiang Cheng melted. All his fight bleeded out from his muscles, the combination of such lovely words with all the caring and coaching touches from earlier, his massages, his teases, his light, soft, rough and maddening tickles, in the end it all culminated in him finally giving up to the warm, happy feeling on his chest that has been blossoming stronger and stronger at it small show of care from the other, mixing with joy and exploding like fireworks in his very soul. 

Seeing this, Lan Xichen sighed contently, adjusting his position to lay more comfortably. There was a tiny, expectant smile on his face.

Very well.

“My heart, my heart, then… May I?” He sounded as excited as his Yunmeng’s kids would when they came to their Sect Leader in a bundle, the braver one asking him to show them a cool trick with Zidian, like Jin Ling would sound when he called his Jiujiu to play with him and he accepted. The snort that left his lips held another kind of amusement.

“So dramatic. Tsk, since you’re being so stubborn about it, might as well do what you want.”

Lan Xichen grinned sweetly, kissing his neck. Appraisingly, he slowled his tickles once more to a soft drag of fingers and adjusted his position to lay cozily in Wanyin’s back. 

“What we want, Wanyin.”

Before the other could answer (or more likely, protest), he immediately closed his lips around the exact spot that made him jump before, nibbling on it with energy and making the other take a sharp intake of breath and let out a high pitched screech.  

“THAHAHAHAHAT IS NOT-” This time, the crackles were even louder, quicker than before, snorts and squeals chased each other across the room and Jiang Cheng couldn’t even trash anymore, both because of Lan Xichen draping his entire body on top of him and because the sheer force of his laughter, together with all the previous teasing and tickling, had been embarrassingly effective to transform him into a puddle of strident laughter and giggles. His tune changed to wheezy, almost silent snickers everytime when Lan Xichen noticed his crackles were slowing down a bit and then changed to the same spot on the other side, greeting it with reverent kisses before attacking with the real nibbles and nuzzling that made him let out another shriek. “NOHOHOHOHOHOT A KISS!!”

“Oh my, I apologize profusely for my mistake. Perhaps Sandu Shengshou, in his unyielding kindness will allow this lowly one to try again?”

“IHIHIHIH DO NOHOHOHOHOHOT!”

“Thank you, I knew you would understand.”

Pretending to not listen to the laughing protest, Lan Xichen lavished every tickle spot with all the nibbles, kisses and tiny raspberries anywhere he could reach. With one hand he took Wanyin’s right forearm and pushed above his head to enjoy the free reign of every inch of his unprotected torso, kissing his armpits with louds ‘mwah mwah mwah’ that would make Jiang Cheng squawk madly in protest, nibbling on his ribcage while doing all kind of silly munching sounds and even sneaking a lick once, which made the other shriek once more in protest and surprise, before finally settling on his side, shoving his face on the spot and blowing the biggest raspberry, shaking his head from one side to another until Jiang Cheng was  kicking his legs and hiccup amidst his uncontrollable belly laughter.

Pushing himself up, Lan Xichen adjusted his position so he could look at him. There was a wobbly, unending grin on his face, his eyes were closed with hint of tears on their corners and his face was painted with a delightful blush, even if it still didn’t reach his ears (something Lan Xichen would remedy soon, of course) and tiny chuckles just continues to fall and fall and fall non stop from his lips, body becoming completely pilant on the mattress, completely relaxed.

The Leader of the Lan Sect couldn’t even stop smiling, as well.

Seeing the snickers were already dying out, Lan Xichen rested his free hand on the lower of his back to adjust himself better and back to his straight position, but he was quick to pull his hand back in surprise when the other suddenly jolted and his chuckling went alive again.

Bright, grey eyes turned to look at him wide with equal parts of unbelief and surprise, Lan Xichen stared back with his own, fond ones.

“There too?”

Jiang Cheng scoffed with an amused and slightly-irritated huff. “How do you even keep finding them?”

“As I said before, my Wanyin is full of soft spots.”

“Rubbish.”

Twirling a single finger across the lower of his back, Lan Xichen simply looked smugly at him when another giggle quickly jumped from his mouth. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, still smiling, still melted like a relaxed (trusting) puddle in his hands.

“Just make it quick.” He grumbled and pouted (Xichen doesn’t know if he will survive this), which obviously made Lan Xichen fall from his back and drop on the mattress right by him, gathering Jiang Cheng in his arms and reverting their position. With Wanyin right above him, Xichen could kiss his cheeks and neck until that pout was rightfully replaced by a series of  giggles that were muffled when the Jiang hid his face on his neck (thankfully not noticing the way Xichen shivered and chuckled at that).

“It will be our last duet for today, then.”

At the small nod from the other, Lan Xichen began running the tip of his fingers on his lower spot, wiggling, skittering and scratching softly as he went from one side to another, keeping his tickles slow and soothing, giggled whispers dancing together across the room.

And more importantly, teasing those ears (and their owner) bright red with plenty of nuzzling and nibbling.

“If only I could, I would listen to this sweet melody of your laughter everyday.”

“Yohohohou want to kihihihiill me or whaahahat?!”

Lan Xichen huffed and gave a slight mean tasering on his lower back, closer to his side, in retaliation to his poke of fun, making him arch his back and guffaw on his neck as result. In reply, Jiang Cheng pinches his side and Lan Xichen snickers and lays a peck under his jaw in apology, going back to the lighter tickling.

“Finding your sweet, soft spots are a gift and to find and appreciate your reactions to every single one of them, over and over again, is something priceless. When you try to hide or expression and laughter but at the same time let me break you slowly, piece by piece until I can listen to your each giggle, each snort, each crackle or chuckle loud and free, that you trust me so much with them, with you means to me much more than I can ever express.”

“For fuhahahack’s sakeheheheee, Huahahan.” Xichen would probably spend the rest of his days replaying the way his name had sounded being giggled out like that, the mix of snickers and giggles already sounding completely loopy, airy and uncontrolled. He could watch the start of a blush creeping to Wanyin’s ears as Jiang Cheng held him even closer, as if he could disappear and snuggle forever in his embrace (and wasn’t that a nice thought?). Still, the Lan got more to say.

“Thank you, Wanyin, for letting me do that today. I love this and I am unspeakably amounts of happy that you enjoyed this just as much, as well, because it means that when you want, when you allow, I can keep giving you more and more of this joy. There is no scenario, there is no reality when I can see myself not loving to make you laugh, to find your every weakness and explore it while having you safe and sound in my arms for as long as you want it. When you let me pry, find every reaction and cherish it with my soul, my teases, my tickles, again and again and again. I love to tease you, Wanyin, love to tickle and discover what makes you smile more, what melts and leaves you so happy, so free… Thank you for allowing me that much, Jiang Cheng.”

“Ehehehenough, enohohohough, please.”

Lan Xichen stopped immediately and sighed happily. “Of course.”

One of his hands kept rubbing the other’s back, touch firm enough to chase every remaining tickle away as the other waited patiently to wipe those tears away. Lan Xichen couldn’t wait to look and caress every inch of Jiang Cheng’s blushy, smiley face, to try to commit it into his mind. He barely had time to do so, however, before the other was attacking every inch of his face with kisses, lips following the fabric of his (their) forehead ribbon and then pushing it up to kiss the cold skin under it. When the pecks began trailing to his cheeks, Xichen began tittering uncontrollably.

“W-wahahahayin, plehehease. Yohohou know, you knohohow Ihihi am the mohohost t-teheherribbly tihihihicklish there!”

“Serves you right.”

“Wahahahait, please hahahave-” oh my, his voice had already started to get high and giggly, how silly. “-Hahahave your wahahahater first! On the tahahahble, there is- oh, plehehehease, Wanyin!”

Jiang Cheng chuckled, amused, and teased him enough to put an equally wide smile and bright, slight teary eyes (which was quite easy when it came to Lan Xichen, something that would make him blush and pretend to hear nothing when mentioned) before they went sit at his writing table, enjoying the warm oolong tea (with honey for Wanyin) and a few snacks to replenish their energy so they could cuddle and enjoy the rest of the day without sleeping.

“I am,” Lan Xichen thought, when the night was already dark and the moon was shining, as he remembered about all his happy, giggly memories from earlier, warm, content and light as a feather that could be taken anywhere in the sky, “really, really lucky, for all the lovely people I have on his life, who let me share so much joy with them.” From his childhood, his worst and best days of life, all of this had only been possible for the wonderful people that were by his side who he saw grow up and whom he grew up with. Being lucky seemed an euphemism for them. 

Closing his eyes, Xichen thought about putting all of those memories on a book, so he could always remember and cherish them without any mistake or misremembered detail.

Perhaps he should. He could even call his friends and family to add a line or two about their feelings or thoughts in the part of their own memories.

He snorted softly, thinking about where he could hide it to not have curious eyes and outsiders wondering why Zewu-Jun, the First Jade of Gusu Lan, the actual Leader of the Lan Sect had pages and pages of such a playful, quite childish kind of mischievousness, thing so carefully registered on paper. 

If he actually wrote all of it down, it could make an entire story, with plenty of chapters and plenty of love. Perhaps those memories could fill more than a single book, even.

Nevertheless, he thought, a smile easing on his face as his thoughts were taken bit by bit by the unconsciousness of sleep, what a wonderful collection that would be.

[~*~]

EXTRAS

Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian only started to get into tickle fights because one day, while he was teaching about music cultivation to Wangji’s class, since he had to go to shufu resolve a serious matter, Wei Wuxian confused him for Lan Zhan and, in an unfair attack from behind, locked his arms in a hug and tickled his armpits. Of course, even after saying that he didn’t take the confusion to his heart and accept his brother in law’s apologies, his revenge was swift and merciless. Not one to be easily outdone, Wei Wuxian decided to compete to see who was the biggest tickle monster in Gusu Lan

This fic has exactly 26.022 words, crazy!!! The doc where I wrote it tho has 30.424 because I wrote there a all those extras, an extra scenario and The Only One Monser fica because I was procrastinating writing this fic kjhgfghujikjh rip