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1.
“Ridiculous.”
“Come on, Lan Zhan. Do you even know what Instagram is?”
The stoic man gave no reply, which came as no surprise to Wei WuXian, who knew of Lan WangJi’s unfamiliarity with technology quite well. He once laughed for ten minutes straight after watching Lan WangJi type “Yes” into the field that prompted him to confirm his email.
Wei WuXian whipped out his phone and opened Instagram, showing Lan WangJi his profile. “Look, it’s a social media app where people post pictures and videos. And others can follow your account so they get updates on all the things you post. When I said I wanted to be ‘Instagram Famous,’ I meant that I wanted to get a ton of followers. Hundreds! Thousands! MILLIONS!”
Someone turned around and shushed him. He ignored them.
“But, as you can see, I only have thirty-two followers right now, all of which are just friends. If I want to be famous, I have to pick some sort of gimmick and stick to it!”
Lan WangJi stared at the screen, slowly dragging his finger to scroll. His eyes caught sight of one of the thumbnails and he promptly flicked his fingers back.
“Shameless,” he declared, clear disapproval in his voice.
“Aw, don’t be like that. I’ll delete that once I start committing to this! Don’t wanna ruin my image right at the start.” Wei WuXian searched up a name before showing Lan WangJi his phone again. “Okay, maybe I can give you a better idea of what I’m going for. See, this lady reenacts celebrity photos, but badly. On purpose! She’s so funny. Oh, and,” he pulls up another account, “this guy’s a buff model who gave up his citizenship to become a gardener in Japan. Look at those guns! Lan Zhan, do you think I can do the same thing?”
His companion was silent once again, seemingly unimpressed. Wei WuXian pouted. “Jeez, way to boost a guy’s confidence. Fine, fine. Well, I was thinking more along the lines of this anyways.”
Colorful foods and desserts filled the screen and Wei WuXian scrolled enthusiastically through the collection. “This girl’s boyfriend takes her out to eat everywhere and she posts a bunch of pictures of the food! And that’s why,” he raised his arms grandly, “we came here today! This cafe has really nice pastries, so it’s the perfect place to start off!”
“Mnn,” Lan WangJi hummed. “Is that why you ordered ten different pastries?”
Wei WuXian beamed at his companion’s understanding. “Hell yeah! What kind of food blogger would I be if I don’t do my research before posting?” He took a bite of another pastry, chewing as he spoke. “Looks can be deceiving! Something can look pretty, but taste awful! Like fondant. It’s so smooth and fancy but you might as well be eating toothpaste that’s dried after days on the bathroom sink. I’m only posting pretty and delicious foods.”
He was making a mess, so Lan WangJi handed him a pile of napkins with a light scolding about talking with his mouth full. Wei WuXian gratefully accepted them and continued polishing off one treat after another.
Finally finished, he leaned back in his chair to think. “Hmmmmm I think the best one was definitely the raspberry tart. But the other one was pretty good, and had such a cute little bunny macaron on it...okay, yeah, you can’t beat bunny macarons.”
Wei WuXian eyed the line for the cashier, contemplating the wait when a devious thought crossed his mind. He turned back to his companion. “Lan Zhan...I’m so full from eating all of those desserts. I don’t think I can stand up. Can you please go buy me another one of the cute little carrot cakes? I need to take a picture!”
Lan WangJi pursed his lips. “You did not think to take a picture before eating it?”
“That’s so many pictures! I’ll be a grandpa by the time I’m done!”
“Ridiculous.”
“Lan Zhaaaan, pretty please?” Wei WuXian pouted, resting his chin atop hands folded over the table.
Exhaling softly, Lan WangJi stood up and walked to the end of the line. Wei WuXian watched him go. If nothing else, he could happily count this as one great success for the day.
Upon his companion’s return, Wei WuXian beamed and chirped, “Thanks Lan Zhan! You’re the best friend I’ve ever had!”
At a glance, Lan WangJi’s expression soured even more, but since the man always had some stern expression on his face, Wei WuXian figured it was nothing out of the ordinary.
The following thirty minutes were spent taking photos of the cake. He showed Lan WangJi each one as if to ask his opinion, only to delete the photo before the man could get a word in edgewise. In the end, he finally took a photo he was satisfied with and excitedly posted it after filtering it to oblivion.
—
Jiang Cheng was not impressed.
“I can’t even tell what this shit is supposed to be. The colors are so fucked up,” he spat.
A few days later, Wei WuXian retaliated with a photo of a steak, filtered with bright rainbow hues and captioned “#screwyoujiangcheng.” Still, he toned down on his filter usage afterwards.
Wei WuXian began to go on frequent food escapades, dragging Lan WangJi to each one. His salary simply could not keep up with his newfound dream, so he was relieved that Lan WangJi always offered to foot the bill. He promised to make it up to him somehow, but the man just shook his head.
“You’re like that Instagram boyfriend, but for me!” Wei WuXian laughed. Lan WangJi turned away at this, so he quickly amended, “But seriously, I really appreciate all of this.” Heart full of gratitude, he smiled warmly. “Thank you.”
—
A new crêperie that specialized in decorating the ice cream scoop toppings with animal faces opened in town. Of course, Wei WuXian was there on opening day with Lan WangJi and spent forever deciding which crepe to get. As he gazed at the little vanilla bunny he chose, an idea came to him. He handed his phone over to Lan WangJi, eyes shining. “I want you to take a photo of me with this crepe!”
Lan WangJi stared at the phone and slowly took it in his hands. Sensing his confusion, Wei WuXian gave him a quick tutorial on how to focus and press the button. Armed with this revolutionary knowledge, Lan Wangji snapped a few photos before handing back the phone.
“Wow, Lan Zhan! These are amazing!” Wei WuXian placed his hand under his chin, examining the photo like fine art. “You really have an eye for this. We should do this more often!”
The photo generated more likes and comments than before, most of which praised his looks. Beaming with pride, he showed the compliments to Lan WangJi. “Look, this person said I have ‘luscious locks!’”
It was a slight movement, but Wei WuXian caught a twitch of his companion’s eyebrows. Never one to turn down an opportunity to tease his friend, he smirked. “Is Lan Zhan jealous that I’m becoming famous? You can join me too! Start your own Instagram. I bet you’d get way more compliments on your looks than I would.”
“Shameless.”
Wei WuXian clutched at his heart. “My best friend won’t support me in reaching my dreams,” he cried dramatically. “What meaning is there if my photographer doesn’t even believe in the work he produces?”
The look that Lan WangJi returned was one that he could not quite decipher. The man closed his eyes; it was gone as fast as it came. “I am happy for you.”
Eyes twinkling, Wei WuXian gave his companion a hearty slap on the shoulder as he said, “Let’s expand beyond food! People want to see this beautiful face and these luscious locks, so let’s give ‘em what they want!”
Each photo garnered more attention than the last and Wei WuXian felt like he was finally gaining some traction. Money that previously went to food now went to gas for trips to scenic photoshoot locations. To his delight, Lan WangJi seemed to have taken his new role to heart, conducting research on photography in his free time. Wei WuXian eagerly had him take photos from various angles and positions, sometimes requiring him to lay on the ground to get flattering shots against dazzling landscapes. Lan WangJi never uttered a word of complaint.
“Which angle of my face looks the best? This side? Or the other side? Or maybe from the front?” He tilted his head as he spoke, looking expectantly at his friend. “You’re good at this, so what do you think?”
Without missing a beat, Lan WangJi answered, “All of them.”
Wei WuXian did not realize how long he stood slack-jawed before he snapped out of it, lips pulling into a coy smile. “Oh, Lan Zhan! So you do know how to say something other than ‘shameless’ or ‘ridiculous!’ My, my, I’m flattered.” He slung an arm over his shoulder. “Since you love taking my photos so much, I can’t wait to see what else you come up with!”
“Mnn,” came Lan WangJi’s soft reply, and Wei WuXian felt his smile widen.
2.
The Lan family estate was one of Wei WuXian’s least favorite places, the embodiment of everything he was not: tranquility, organization, and discipline. Lan WangJi’s uncle, Lan QiRen, was the head of household and seemed to have taken it upon himself to criticize Wei WuXian for every breath he took. He was convinced that the old grouch would be absolutely thrilled if he just dropped dead.
The only place that Wei WuXian liked was the gorgeous, expansive garden. It was Lan QiRen’s pride and joy, one that he tended to with utmost love and care. The floral wonderland was the perfect place for a photoshoot and Wei WuXian was not shy about asking permission.
“Absolutely not. You will leave at once.”
As expected, he was harshly rejected—but he had come prepared, armed with a basket of fruit and a polite smile.
“I promise that no harm will come to the garden at my hands. I’ll just be taking pictures and nothing more. Please, I humbly request of you to give me this chance,” Wei WuXian asked smoothly, bowing for added measure.
He could see the fight slowly drain from Lan QiRen’s eyes, so he dealt the final blow. “Lan Zhan is my photographer, so he’ll be there.”
A new voice spoke up, “I am interested in what they are doing. I will watch as well, Uncle.”
An unexpected ally in the form of Lan XiChen appeared. “Hello, Wei WuXian,” he greeted cheerfully.
Wei WuXian grinned. “Lan XiChen! Long time no see!” He turned back to Lan QiRen, awaiting his answer.
With a heavy sigh, he relented, “Fine. Take your photos. But not a single plant out of place, or you will never step foot in my house again. Do you understand me?”
Wei WuXian saluted cheekily. “Aye aye, sir.”
As soon as Lan QiRen left, he made a beeline for his favorite apple tree and laid down on the low branch. Without prompting, Lan WangJi started taking photos, telling Wei WuXian to make small adjustments as they went along. Several poses later, Wei WuXian leapt down from his perch to see the results.
“Oh, the side profile looks good on the pictures where I’m playing with the apples,” he hummed as he flipped through. Upon reaching the last set of poses, he let out a delighted laugh. Those were taken from up close, with him lying on his stomach. The focus was especially good and Wei WuXian felt like he was getting the hang of making photogenic expressions. He turned to Lan WangJi. “Which one’s your favorite?”
Lan WangJi looked at his phone, silently scrolling back and forth, his eyebrows furrowed. He was taking a while to choose, so Wei WuXian teased, “What, it’s not the one where I’m making bedroom eyes?”
Lan WangJi paused his scrolling for the briefest of moments, eyes flickering up to meet Wei WuXian’s. He did not grace that question with an answer and continued to scroll.
Lan XiChen, who had been silently watching, peered over his brother’s shoulder. “These really are good photos. WangJi, it seems you found yet another talent of yours.”
Wei WuXian had completely forgotten that the older Lan had been watching this whole time. Sheepishly, he asked, “Is this boring for you, Lan XiChen? I know you came to watch, but it’s just me and Lan Zhan doing our thing.”
Lan XiChen smiled so sweetly that Wei WuXian sometimes wondered how the two brothers could be so different in temperament. “Not at all. I find this all very fascinating. Do you intend to use all of these photos?”
“Nah. I just pick a couple of the best ones to upload. Though it’s insanely hard because Lan Zhan is a photography master extraordinaire!” Wei WuXian closed his eyes and wailed, “It’s so unfair! He didn’t even know how to take a photo and they came out flawless the first time.” He peeked at Lan WangJi out of one eye, and sure enough, the tips of his ears had turned pink. An embarrassed Lan WangJi was one of his favorite sights in the world.
Turning to his brother with absolute mirth on his face, Lan XiChen laughed. “Is that so? Well, I do not wish to interrupt. I am only here to observe.” Lan WangJi glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye.
Having mercy, Wei WuXian allowed the subject change and turned to Lan WangJi. “Alright then. Where to next?”
With his usual composure, Lan WangJi started to walk off, a slight tilt of his head serving as invitation to follow. The group stopped at a small pond and Lan XiChen said, “Let me turn on the waterfall.”
“There’s a waterfall?” Wei WuXian exclaimed, looking at the pond. All the times he had come here, he had never seen running water.
“Yes. Uncle only turns it on when he has guests over,” Lan WangJi explained just as the waterfall started up.
“Do I not count as a guest? I’ve never seen this waterfall even though I’ve been here so many times,” he pouted, petulantly whacking the water with his hand.
“Do not take it too personally. Uncle has been turning it on less now. What do you think?” Lan XiChen reappeared, taking a seat off to the side.
Quickly brushing off his bad mood, Wei WuXian thanked him. “It’s awesome! Okay, let’s do this!”
They continued like this for a while, with Wei WuXian striking poses, Lan WangJi snapping photos, and Lan XiChen offering suggestions every so often. Wei WuXian thought the older Lan had a knack for aesthetic just as much as his brother did and was taking mental notes.
“If you stand here, I will sprinkle water to create a spray effect in the foreground,” Lan XiChen offered, holding up a watering can. “Then WangJi can take a close-up shot and use the focus to blur out the background.”
“Lan XiChen, you’re brilliant! I should hire you to come up with this stuff for me. Except for free, because I’m poor.” Wei WuXian earned a laugh from the older brother for that.
Lan XiChen hummed thoughtfully as they were going through the photos, commenting lightly, “The close-up shots are honestly the best. I think you should do more of those. What do you think, brother?”
“...Mnn.”
“Well, I definitely don’t disagree—my face is the best. What did you have in mind?” Wei WuXian looked at Lan XiChen, who was already walking over to a large, leafy plant. He pulled down one of the leaves with a loud snap, alarming Wei WuXian.
“Wait wait wait! Uncle said not to touch his plants! He’ll ban me forever! And then kill me!”
“You promised to not touch his garden, and have honored it. I was the one who broke off the leaf. Do not worry, I do this from time to time, for my floral arrangements.” Lan XiChen beamed, waving the leaf. “Come over here and stand so half of your face is covered.”
After a moment of hesitation, Wei WuXian did as suggested. Lan XiChen continued to cut flowers and leaves for him to use as props. Because Lan QiRen had yet to show up to execute him, he finally managed to relax. He was posing prettily with a particularly large sunflower, when he heard an enraged roar of his name.
Face paling, he turned to Lan XiChen, who smiled softly. “I will talk to him. It might be a good time to wrap up, though.”
With a nod, Wei WuXian handed Lan XiChen the sunflower and slid behind Lan WangJi, not in the mood to deal with their uncle’s wrath.
“You are never coming back here, you good-for-nothing delinquent, rapscallion, thief-“
Wei WuXian rolled his eyes, plugging his ears with his fingers.
—
“I want to start my own Instagram.” Lan XiChen announced.
With a bright smile, Wei WuXian pulled out his phone. “Let’s be friends! We can like and comment on each other’s posts!”
Lan XiChen returned his smile twofold.
—
That night, Wei WuXian was showing Jiang Cheng the fruits of their day’s labor, and even he had to admit the photos were getting better. That Lan XiChen was really something. However, Wei WuXian had a question he was dying to ask of his adoptive brother.
“Jiang Cheng, have you ever seen the pond in their garden before?”
“Yeah, of course. Jin Ling loves that thing. Why?”
“Did you know it’s got a waterfall in it?”
Jiang Cheng gave him a strange look. “Well, duh. Hasn’t it always been there?”
Wei WuXian only gave him a sad pout in response.
3.
Lan XiChen had placated his uncle enough that Wei WuXian was not completely banned from the Lan estate, but he was not allowed to step into the garden without express permission.
Fine by him, since he got enough good shots to post for weeks. Plus, he had a new obsession: aerial views. He had Lan Zhan climbing trees to take photos of him from above.
It was one of the milder summer days when two of Lan WangJi’s younger cousins, Lan SiZhui and Lan JingYi, invited his nephew, Jin Ling, over to the Lan estate to hang out. Wei WuXian had known the kids since they were toddlers, so he often treated them like his own sons. Lan SiZhui embraced it wholeheartedly, Lan JingYi pretended not to, and Jin Ling vehemently rebuked any affection from him.
He decided to accompany Jin Ling, and, upon hearing that Lan QiRen was out on a business trip, Jiang Cheng begrudgingly followed along, convinced that the entire estate would combust if he did not chaperone.
As he did not actually come to hang out with the kids, Wei WuXian immediately pulled Lan WangJi away by his sleeve to the backyard to start their photoshoot session.
“Aerial shots again! The ones where my hair’s fanning out were really well received, so I want to try some variations.” Wei WuXian appraised the backyard, spotting a tree that suited his purposes. “There’s bits of sunlight that shine through the leaves there, so let’s see if we can capture that!”
Lan WangJi had gotten rather adept at climbing trees and was perched on a branch not long after. He had recently purchased a DSLR camera, much to Wei WuXian’s excitement, and skillfully snapped on the zoom lens and took aim as his subject arranged himself on the ground.
Wei WuXian pondered the photos later and frowned. “It looks good but...I feel like it could be...more. I don’t know.” He sighed. “I wonder if your brother has any ideas?”
Lan WangJi hummed, playing with his zoom. “I can try taking closer shots.”
“Okay, let’s try that.” Wei WuXian flopped back onto the ground as Lan WangJi ascended the tree once again.
After a few shots, however, Lan WangJi called out, “I am coming down. I am not able to get the focus I want.”
“Okaaaay.” Wei WuXian replied, closing his eyes. The weather was perfect for outdoor naps and laying down for so long made him sleepy. He heard the camera click and opened one eye. “Sneaking pictures, huh?” he teased.
Lan WangJi lowered the camera away from his face. “Candids.”
Laughing merrily, Wei WuXian rolled over to his side, peering up to the camera through half-lidded eyes. “But what if I look bad in them?”
Click. “You always look good,” he insisted.
Wei WuXian stared at him for a moment before groaning, placing one arm over his eyes, “Only because you’re taking the pictures. Anyone would look good in front of your camera.”
Lan WangJi kept taking photos as his subject talked, though he frowned at each photo preview.
“The angle is not quite right.” Lan WangJi sat down next to him, flipping through the photos.
“Let me see.” Wei WuXian sat up, leaning against his companion to peer over his shoulder. “Hm, yeah, I see it. It just means you need a more straight-on angle though? Just take it from right above!”
Lan WangJi’s eyebrows furrowed. “How would I do that? I would need to stand directly above you. My feet would get in the way.”
How indeed? Wei WuXian laid back down, pondering a solution. As an idea formed in his head, the corners of his mouth lifted deviously.
“Since we are just taking bust shots anyways, it’s fine if you just stand right over me. Like this.”
He motioned for Lan WangJi to stand and laid back down. “Now stand over my hips, one leg on each side of me.”
“I will not,” came his immediate reply. “Ridiculous.”
“Aw, come on, Lan Zhan. Didn’t you want the perfect angle? You gotta go outside of your comfort zone sometimes to achieve greatness!”
Lan WangJi hesitated, “This is not appropriate.”
“It’s just a photo. Not like we are doing anything crazy. Can we at least give it a try, please?”
It was too easy to get Lan WangJi to agree. Soon, he was in a standing straddle over Wei WuXian, ears bright pink.
Ah, there it was. Embarrassed Lan Zhan.
Slowly, he raised his arms to snap photos. He looked at the preview and admitted, “It looks good.”
“See! That wasn’t so bad. Okay, let’s keep going.”
They moved to different spots and Lan WangJi assumed the same position above Wei WuXian each time.
“These are good, but maybe we can try close up shots again?”
“The zoom lens might not work well.”
“Then just get closer.”
They stared at each other, silence filling the space. Wei WuXian giggled, “Lan Zhan, we’re already here. What’s a little more?”
“...Mnn.” Relenting, Lan WangJi got onto his knees, shuffling forward so he can get the same angle again.
Just as he clicked the button, a loud shout came from the side and his hand shook. He frowned down at the blurry photo before looking at the source of the voice.
“Jin Ling, please, I’m doing a photoshoot here!” Wei WuXian whined impatiently.
“Doesn’t mean you need to burn my eyes out with this disgusting crap! Do you have no shame?” his nephew screamed, face beet-red.
Lan SiZhui smiled uncertainly. “We were curious about what you two were doing for this photoshoot and decided to watch-“
“And then things just got really weird between you two,” Lan JingYi cut in. “What are you even doing?”
“Getting the perfect angle!” Wei WuXian cried, “You kids wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re so gross!” Jin Ling screeched.
Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue. “Do that shit somewhere others can’t see you.”
—
“Jin Ling gets his nasty streak from Jiang Cheng. He shouldn’t spend so much time around him. He’s a terrible influence!” Wei WuXian grumbled, stomping to Lan WangJi’s room.
After being bullied into leaving the backyard, the two decided to find a quiet room to finish the photoshoot. Lan WangJi had some ornate rugs that would make for a nice background. Wei WuXian at least wanted to know if the angle would work and insisted that Lan WangJi try again.
With a barely audible sigh, Lan WangJi complied, kneeling down as the two arranged themselves accordingly again. He snapped a photo and showed Wei WuXian, who cooed at it.
“I really like it! A few more please? And maybe a little closer?”
Lan WangJi nodded, adjusting his position to be more comfortable. He placed one arm down, holding the camera with the other. However, his long hair started to fall over his shoulders, cascading down and pooling around the both of them.
Wei WuXian felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared up at Lan WangJi, the black curtain of hair blocking out everything but the man before him. Lan WangJi paused too, glazed golden eyes staring back at stormy greys.
“Closer,” Wei WuXian swallowed, finding that his throat had suddenly dried up.
Lan WangJi leaned in, camera completely forgotten, and his face was getting so close, too close-
“Are you quite done in there? We promised A-Li we would meet her and The Peacock for dinner.” Jiang Cheng’s annoyed voice came from outside. Lan WangJi immediately straightened up, sweeping his hair back behind his shoulder. The spell was broken, and Wei WuXian could only blink to clear his disoriented head.
“That’s...enough for today,” he told Lan WangJi.
His companion opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, before finally murmuring, “Mnn.”
4.
“Hey, are we there yet?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Are we there y-”
“Do you want to die?”
The murderous energy emitting from his brother and nephew did nothing to stop Wei WuXian from bursting out in laughter. He would never be too old to get excited about going to the beach. “Hey, just asking. No need to get violent!”
“You asked twenty-three times,” Jin Ling snapped.
With a snort, Wei WuXian turned around and smirked at the teen, “You kept count?”
“Yeah, for each time I wanted to punch you in your dumb face.”
“So mean! Jiang Cheng, you turned our nephew into such a mean person!”
Just as he said that, the sparkle of the blue sea caught his eyes and he forgot all about teasing his family.
“Thank god we’re here...I’m never driving your ass anywhere again,” Jiang Cheng heaved a long-suffering sigh.
“Hey, it’s going to be a great day! Swimming, eating, and ph...fun,” Wei WuXian said, grinning to himself when Jiang Cheng did not catch his slip of tongue. “Remember when we used to build sandcastles at the beach? A-Li would decorate it with shells and those little crabs under the sand.”
“Yeah…” A rare smile graced Jiang Cheng’s lips. “Those were the days. My favorite memory was of the time when we buried you in the sand and you started to cry when some dog started getting too close. You wouldn’t stop until I chased it away.”
“H-Hey, that was torture and abuse, and you know it!” Wei WuXian cried as his brother laughed. However, he soon joined in, and the two reminisced about their childhood beach trips. Wei WuXian glanced in the rearview mirror at one point and caught Jin Ling smiling softly.
They arrived shortly after, spotting Lan WangJi and his cousins setting up their picnic spot further off. Jin Ling immediately ran towards Lan SiZhui and Lan JingYi, even as Jiang Cheng yelled at him to help with the bags.
“We brought marshmallows!” Wei WuXian announced, dumping their bags on the sand.
Snatching his bag up, Jin Ling screeched, “How dare you just drop my stuff on the sand! Do you want to die?”
Lan JingYi rolled his eyes, “Your bag will not suffer from a little sand, Mistress Jin.”
Jin Ling chucked his bag right at him and he ducked with a yelp. Though the bag missed its target, it hit Lan WangJi instead, who had been unpacking beside Lan JingYi.
“Hey, you brat!” Jiang Cheng smacked his nephew upside the head. “Don’t throw your shit around! Apologize to Lan WangJi right now!”
Face pale, he stammered, “I’m s-sorry, Lan WangJi.” He subconsciously inched closer to Lan SiZhui, who smiled sympathetically at him.
Lan WangJi held up a hand, “I am fine. No harm done.”
As Jin Ling attempted to regain his composure, Wei WuXian sidled up to Lan WangJi’s side. “You okay? My nephew can be a real handful sometimes,” he smiled apologetically. He knew a beach bag was not going to hurt him at all, but he felt the need to check anyways. Lan WangJi nodded in reply, which satisfied him.
With everything set up, the teens ran off towards the ocean. Jiang Cheng was sitting on his blanket and watching the kids when a pair of legs obstructed his vision. He glared up at the grinning face of his brother and grunted, “What?”
“Soooo, why don’t we go do something too?”
“Like what?” he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
Wei Wuxian’s grin widened as he tugged Jiang Cheng to his feet. “So I’ve been looking online-”
“Nope.”
“You didn’t even give me a chance to finish!”
“This sounds shady as fuck.”
“Okay, hear me out please.” Wei WuXian clapped his hands in front of him. “I found these really, really cool photo ideas online, but I need someone to help me with the effects. Lan Zhan is behind the camera, so I need someone else. And no one better than the best brother in the entire world, right?”
Jiang Cheng snorted, “Why not ask Lan XiChen? Didn’t he help you last time?”
“He’s out on a business trip right now.”
“And you couldn’t wait until he came back?”
“Jiang Cheng, pleeeease?” Wei WuXian begged, clinging onto him. “I’ll make it up to you! I’ll buy you coffee for a week!”
“Ugh, get off of me. Okay, fine. I’ll humor you for a bit.” He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. Opening one eye back up, he repeated, “Coffee for a week, got it?”
Nodding vigorously, Wei WuXian wasted no time in starting. He handed Jiang Cheng an umbrella. “Can you hold this up? Now tilt it a bit more. The angle has to be just right!”
Jiang Cheng stared at him, but did as he was told. Lan WangJi snapped a few photos, glancing at them before looking up at him.
“A little more downwards, please.”
—
Jiang Cheng was asked to do a number of exhausting and tedious things to create effects for the photoshoot. He seemed to enjoy flinging sand and water in high arches, occasionally “missing” and hitting Wei WuXian instead, who would screech something about his hair every time water splashed on it. Eventually, Jiang Cheng stopped teasing him.
It was when Wei WuXian started looking for props that Jiang Cheng found his patience waning quickly. He was extremely picky about the seashells, requiring them all to be in absolute pristine condition. He made Jiang Cheng wash them of sand and arrange them in certain designs. If the shell failed to meet his standards, it was thrown out and a replacement demanded.
Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue in disapproval as he watched Wei WuXian drape himself all over Lan WangJi while checking photo previews. “Can’t you sit like a normal person?”
Wei WuXian spared him a glance before looking back at the photos. “This is more comfortable. It’s getting kinda chilly and Lan Zhan is so warm.”
He turned away, not giving a reply, trudging out to scavenge for the next set of silly props. He returned shortly after with a pile of seaweed and was spreading them out when Wei WuXian exclaimed, “No, Jiang Cheng, that piece of seaweed has too much brown on it. We need the completely green ones!”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he hissed, holding up the offending strip of algae. “Just edit it out.”
“But why do that when you can just find another piece?”
“Hell no.”
“Come on, Jiang Cheng. There’s another one here that’s not green. I won’t have enough!”
Jiang Cheng glared through narrowed eyes. “I’m not going to get more. Make do with what you have.”
With a pout, Wei Wuxian relented and rearranged the seaweed to exclude the pieces he did not like. Lan WangJi went over to help him, and his frown morphed into a bright smile. Jiang Cheng sulked off to the side, radiating impatience. When they paused to check the photos, he announced, “I’m leaving.”
“Wait!” Wei WuXian exclaimed, gripping his brother’s arm. “I’m not done yet!” At his withering gaze, he quickly added, “Almost done! I just had a couple other things I wanted to try.”
Groaning, Jiang Cheng ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Fine. Fine! What’s next?”
He found himself picking up driftwood in the next few minutes. “Driftwood?” he drily remarked.
“It’s very aesthetic,” Wei WuXian reassured him, placing the pieces on the sand. He looked at his arrangement, eyebrows furrowed.
“What?” Jiang Cheng mocked, “Driftwood not to your liking?”
“This driftwood isn’t pretty enough.”
“...Pretty,” he deadpanned.
Wei WuXian winced, “Yeah, I think this piece is actually rotting?”
“Uh huh.”
“And this one is huge. It’s totally out of place with the rest.”
“Hm, I see,” Jiang Cheng said, strangely calm. Wei WuXian recognized the dangerous tone in his voice a second too late. The large piece of driftwood collided with his shoulders and he yelped.
More pieces of driftwood continued to bombard him and he cried out in distress, “Ow! Jiang Cheng! Jia-stop!”
His brother stopped his onslaught, breathing heavily. He yelled, “I’m so done with your shit! All day you’ve made me cater to your ridiculous demands in the hot sun. A week of coffee is not worth this! Do you do anything but take fucking photos anymore?” Wei WuXian could only stare in shock as Jiang Cheng continued.
“It’s just you, your face, your photos, your aesthetic. You’re always doing as you please without any regard for others. We can’t even have a decent meal without you obsessively checking your phone!” He threw his hands up in frustration, “This was supposed to be a fun day at the beach. You invited me with the intent of asking me for help with your stupid photos all along, didn’t you?”
Unable to hold Jiang Cheng’s furious glare, he looked away in shame. “I...yes,” he admitted quietly.
An uncomfortable silence settled. Moments passed, and Jiang Cheng started to walk off, parting words hoarsely spoken.
“I’m leaving.” A pause. “And think about what you’re making Lan WangJi go through too.”
The crunching of sand faded off, replaced by the roaring of the sea. Wei WuXian groaned, flopping backwards into the sand, eyes squeezing shut.
“Wei Ying?”
He slowly opened his eyes, Lan WangJi’s face coming into focus. He noted the concerned knit of his eyebrows, and his stomach dropped. Sitting up, he sighed, “I’m sorry, Lan Zhan.”
Lan WangJi lowered himself to sit beside him. “Why?”
“Jiang Cheng...had a point.” Lips curling, he muttered, “I might have gone too far this time. Have I really been taking advantage of people for this?” His stomach churned as he thought about all that Lan WangJi had done for him - free meals, long car trips, endless photoshoots, all while enduring numerous bouts of teasing.
Lan WangJi deserved more than a diva attitude and countless hours lost to his whims.
“Do you enjoy this?” He glanced at his companion, “You’re always so nice, Lan Zhan. Always helping me, going along with whatever I ask, but I never really thought to ask if you wanted to. I just…” he swallowed, “assumed you were fine with it.”
Golden eyes bore into him. “I enjoy spending time with you. I enjoy seeing you smile. I enjoy taking photos and capturing your happiness. Wei Ying,” he smiled slightly, “there is nothing to apologize for. Nothing to forgive.”
His heart pounded, sending blood rushing to his head. His eyes snapped away, fingers digging into the sand. “I thought the sun was going down, but it’s still so bright,” he teased weakly. Lan WangJi was shining so brightly, too brilliantly for him to handle. “That’s unfair, Lan Zhan.” I don’t deserve this, words unspoken.
Lan WangJi shook his head as if he heard them anyways. He stood up, offering a hand to Wei WuXian. With a crooked smile he accepted it, allowing himself to be hauled to his feet. Neither let go of their hands as they slowly walked back to the campsite.
Jiang Cheng was poking at the fire quietly while the teens sat nearby, roasting marshmallows as they chatted. The group looked up, but their greetings fell flat when they saw the linked hands.
Lan SiZhui broke the silence first. “Welcome back,” he said with a smile.
“Ah! You guys started roasting marshmallows without me! No fair!” Wei WuXian whined, hand slipping out of Lan WangJi’s.
“Well you were taking so long and we were hungry, so we decided to eat your marshmallows,” Jin Ling grumbled, taking a chomp out of his.
“Hey, you’re not even apologetic about this, are you?” Wei WuXian glared at his nephew, but the teen shamelessly grabbed another one.
He heard a quiet snort and turned towards Jiang Cheng, who was roasting his own marshmallow. He would not look up, so Wei WuXian sat down next to him.
“You going to apologize?” Jiang Cheng asked after a moment.
“Well, damn. You know, I was going to, but if you’re going to be like th-”
The marshmallow that Jiang Cheng had been roasting was unceremoniously thrust into his mouth. “Ow, hot! Jiang Cheng, how could you!”
Jiang Cheng only rolled his eyes, but his face was devoid of animosity. Wei WuXian deflated, chewing in silence. Finally, he said, “I’m sorry. I’ve been kinda shitty, haven’t I?”
“Yeah, you have.”
“I’ll get you the week’s worth of coffee.”
“Two weeks.”
“Ten days.”
“...Deal.”
Wei WuXian chuckled, bumping shoulders with Jiang Cheng. “I really am sorry. I promi-I’ll try my best to not let this stuff get in the way next time.”
Jiang Cheng did not speak for a while. “I...was frustrated. But I said some stuff that was uncalled for. So, I’m sorry too.”
“Aww, Jiang Cheng,” Wei WuXian ruffled his hair. “You do love me!”
He clicked his tongue, “You’re the world’s shittiest brother.”
“This world’s shittiest brother loves the best brother in the entire world.”
Jiang Cheng groaned, “Okay, this is too much for me. I’m going to throw up before I even have my dinner. I’m going to start cooking.”
Dinner was an amiable affair as they shared stories about their day. Wei WuXian kept his phone in his pocket the whole time, chatting and laughing with his friends. After dinner, Lan JingYi brought out some sparklers, and soon the trio of kids were chasing each other with them.
Lan WangJi snapped a photo while the teens were playing and showed it to Wei WuXian.
“Oh, that’s super neat. You actually captured the sparkler’s trail!”
“Would you like a picture as well?” Lan WangJi asked.
Wei WuXian hummed, leaning against his arm. “You know what? I’m content where I am right now.”
5.
A month before Wei WuXian’s birthday, Lan WangJi surprised him with an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland. Throwing his arms around Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian cried, “This is the best birthday present anyone’s ever gotten me! Lan Zhan, you’re amazing! Thank you!” He pulled away, eyes twinkling, “You’re coming too right?”
“Of course.”
Wei WuXian glowed. Though he and Lan WangJi often hung out just the two of them, they had never gone overseas for a trip. Just the thought of it thrilled him.
He could not help but think of how things had changed between them throughout the years—especially as of late. Though replies to his endless chatter were scarce, he knew his companion always listened. He found himself yearning for the closeness and casual touches that Lan WangJi had withheld in times past but gave so freely now. The indescribable feeling of warmth that settled in his chest every time he was with Lan WangJi was all he craved now; he was greedy for it, his every waking thought consumed by Lan Zhan, Lan WangJi.
With those thoughts in mind, the week of the trip arrived before he knew it. Disneyland was so incredibly overwhelming for Wei WuXian that he kept bouncing from one place to another like a hyperactive puppy. “Look! It’s Mickey! Oh my god, look at this town! It’s so cool! What time is the 3 o’clock parade? Wait, don’t answer that. Is that Space Mountain? Let’s get in line!”
Lan WangJi held onto Wei WuXian’s hand to stop him from running off to the next thing that caught his eye. “Wei Ying, calm down. We have a week here. You will be able to see everything.”
“But everything is so cool! I can’t just look at one thing,” Wei WuXian whined, leaning against him dramatically. “How could you do this to me, Lan Zhan! You knew I would explode from joy, didn’t you?”
“Mnn,” he hummed, squeezing his hand. “You are happy then?”
“Practically dying from happiness,” Wei WuXian laughed, pulling him along.
He took a few opportunities to ask Lan WangJi to take photos, especially with cast members they met. Each time, he offered to take photos for him as well, but the man would shake his head. “I prefer to be behind the lens.”
“You always say that,” Wei WuXian pouted. “You don’t like having your photo taken?”
Lan WangJi opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when Wei WuXian shouted, “Ah! Mulan!”
Hearing her name called, the princess turned around, her smile blinding. “Hello there!”
He bounded over. “I finally found you! You’re my favorite princess!”
“Oh my, how flattering!” she giggled. “I’m glad to be here then!”
Lan WangJi sidled up to his side quietly and Mulan turned to him. “Hello! Are you his friend?”
He stiffly nodded. Wei WuXian thought his gaze looked a little cold, but if Mulan noticed, she did not say anything.
Instead, Wei WuXian started chatting animatedly with Mulan. He asked her to strike her warrior poses and she did so with such grace and swiftness that he could not help but clap. “That’s so cool! I love that you’re a princess who can dish out and protect herself.”
“Thank you! Are you a warrior too?”
“I know a few things,” he replied, humorously striking a few stances from his limited martial arts training. Mulan laughed and applauded him.
Knowing she could not stick around for too long, Wei WuXian asked for a photo. “Let’s do our warrior stances! It’ll look awesome!”
Lan WangJi was ready with the camera, face blank. Wei WuXian and Mulan posed for a few photos before he thanked her. With a smile and thanks of her own, she turned around to greet the small child who had been waiting patiently.
He walked over to his companion to look at the photos. “She’s so cool,” he sighed. “I’m so glad I got to meet her.”
“...Mnn.”
Wei WuXian opened the library, squinting at the first photo. “This looks….blurry.” He started flipping through all the photos. “Actually, all of the ones with Mulan are blurry. The others seem fine.” He frowned, looking up at Lan WangJi. “What happened?”
Lan WangJi took a moment to answer. “My hands were unsteady.”
Eyebrows raised, he asked, “Why?”
No answer came, so he sighed. Lan WangJi usually took flawless photos, so this was very uncharacteristic of him. “It’s fine. We can take more!” He turned around, but Mulan was already gone. “...Or not.”
“Sorry,” Lan WangJi murmured, eyes downcast.
Caught off guard by his apology, Wei WuXian quickly waved his hand. “Please don’t look like that! You’re making me feel bad. No worries at all! It happens. Besides, we will probably run into her again.” He looked at his face, frowning at the guilty crease of his eyebrows. “Are you okay? It’s not like you to have trouble taking photos like that.” He picked up his hands. “Are your hands still shaking? Are you tired? Do we need to rest?”
“My hands are fine. I am not tired.”
He narrowed his eyes, “Lan Zhan, you aren’t lying to me, are you?”
“No, I speak the truth.”
“Then why were your hands shaking? What, were you so jealous that you couldn’t hold the camera steady?” He laughed at the absurdity of it, but upon seeing Lan WangJi’s perfect, stoic mask drop for a moment, he gasped, “No way! You were jealous? Of what?”
Seeing Lan WangJi attempt to hide his embarrassment, Wei WuXian tried and failed to stifle his laughter. “Lan Zhan is jealous! What a sight! Hey, hey, what are you jealous of? Wait, I got it!” Eyes half-lidded, he teased, “You wanted a picture with her after all, didn’t you? Lan Zhan, you shouldn’t be so stubborn about things that you want! Keeping everything repressed is no good!”
Stiffening, Lan WangJi huffed, “Ridiculous!” before turning around and walking off.
Wei WuXian blinked in surprise, as Lan WangJi’s fits were much rarer these days. Giving chase, he shouted, “Wait, Lan Zhan! Slow down! It’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Everyone wants a picture with their favorite princess!”
Lan WangJi walked faster.
+1
Wei WuXian eventually caught up with him, latching onto his arm. “Got you! Lan Zhan, for someone who doesn’t run, you sure are hard to catch!”
“But you caught me.” Lan WangJi did not try to pull away, his fit seemingly over.
“Don’t run off again,” Wei WuXian whined, “I’ll cry.”
“Please do not cry.”
“I will if you leave me alone again!”
“I will not leave you alone.”
“Promise?”
With a nod, Lan WangJi repeated, “Promise.”
Satisfied, Wei WuXian relinquished his hold with a sigh. “Lan Zhan, you should tell me if you want to do something. This is the happiest place on earth! You’re allowed to have fun too.”
“As long as you are enjoying yourself, that is enough for me,” Lan WangJi insisted.
“Lan Zhan! You’re always saying embarrassing things like that without batting an eye! Come on, let’s keep going. Maybe we’ll find something you’ll enjoy doing.”
It seemed like nothing piqued his interest and Lan WangJi was truly content just following Wei WuXian around. They visited the store and Wei WuXian insisted that they buy a pair of matching Mickey and Minnie ears. Before Lan WangJi could pay, Wei WuXian had already handed the clerk his credit card.
“You already paid for everything. Let me get this much at least.” He placed the Mickey ears on Lan WangJi’s head before donning the Minnie ones for himself. “Perfect!”
Eventually, they reached the Sleeping Beauty Castle and Lan WangJi was taking his camera out again. “You read my mind,” Wei WuXian laughed, striking a pose.
Lan WangJi expertly snapped photos without the crowd visible in the background and Wei WuXian continued to be impressed by his skill. The photos were possibly better than all the others that Lan WangJi had taken. Still, something was missing. As his gaze wandered to a couple off on the side, heads touching and grins as bright as stars dancing across their faces, his heart stuttered in realization.
Perhaps it was precisely because he was alone in the picture that it felt empty. He had had so many photos taken of himself, but he had never paused to think about it until now. Lan WangJi had always been there, and Wei WuXian loved his company. He did not seem interested to be anywhere but behind the camera, so Wei WuXian did not press him.
But even the gorgeous castle of dreams in the background could not bring brightness to the photo. No amount of filters could bring color to the dullness that he saw. He shuddered as an overwhelming feeling flooded his body, and with his next breath, he recognized it as longing.
“Hey, Lan Zhan!” He handed back his camera and pulled out his phone. “I know you don’t really like getting your picture taken but…” In the back of his mind, he realized that he was fidgeting from nerves. Nerves? What was he nervous about?
“I was wondering if you would like to take a selfie with me? We’ve been doing this for so long and haven’t taken a single picture together. I think it would be nice.” Their eyes met and he grinned, holding up his phone. “What do you say?”
He expected some hesitation, some resistance. He never expected Lan WangJi to nod immediately, taking the phone from his hands, his touch lingering as he spoke.
“I would love to.”
They scooted together, Lan WangJi positioning them so that the castle was in view behind. Wei WuXian leaned in closer and Lan WangJi snapped the photo. As they looked at it together, Wei WuXian exclaimed, “Ah, I knew it! Lan Zhan is more photogenic than me! It’s a shame for you to always be behind the camera!”
“No, you look better.”
“No need to be modest, Lan Zhan,” Wei WuXian sighed dramatically, “I’m okay with you being prettier than me. But only if it’s you.”
“Why?” Lan WangJi implored.
“Well, that’s because…” He paused. He was not sure how to put it into words. Could he? But before he realized it, his mouth was opening and he could not stop the words from spilling out. “You’re just...you. So pretty, so perfect, so generous, so kind. Anyone can see that. In face of someone like you, even I have to admit that I’m lucky...so lucky to have you as my closest friend.”
Lan WangJi was silent when he finished, staring at Wei WuXian with such intensity that he began to feel self conscious about everything that he just said. Though embarrassed, he held his ground. He meant every word and was never one to go back on it.
However, he was unable to meet Lan WangJi’s gaze straight on, so he turned away, looking at the castle instead. “How nice it must be to have a Prince Charming, though! Someone who will sweep me off of my feet, save me from my troubles, and-ah!”
His babbling was cut short with an indignant squawk when Lan WangJi lifted him without warning, one arm under his knees and the other, a comforting warmth, supporting his back. His arm circled Lan WangJi’s neck in reflex and he clung desperately, heart beating out of his chest. “Lan Zhan! That surprised me! What are you doing?”
“You wanted a Prince Charming to sweep you off of your feet.”
Wei WuXian found it unfair, honestly. No one should be allowed to look this good, with eyes of molten gold and a smile, hinting at a deeper fondness, that stole his breath away.
Speechless for once in his life, Wei WuXian could only laugh, hiding his face in Lan WangJi’s neck as if to escape from the whirlwind of emotions raging in him. He eventually met Lan WangJi’s patient gaze with sparkling eyes, voice mirthful. “And you’ve always been here. This whole time.”
“Mnn.”
“My Prince Charming.”
“Mnn.”
Wei WuXian laughed again. “Say, Lan Zhan, can we take one more picture? Like this?”
Lan WangJi nodded and Wei WuXian flipped the camera around to reflect their smiling faces. Only, as he moved his hand to press the button, he turned his head, kissing Lan WangJi on the cheek, capturing the moment in all of its genuine purity and joy.
He started to laugh when he saw Lan WangJi’s ears turning pink. “You know, I love it when you blush. But recently, I realized that I love it even more when you smile.”
“Wei Ying.” Lan WangJi murmured, the man in question humming in response.
“I also love the way your brows knit when you’re concentrating on something. You get so focused, it’s endearing. Oh, and your voice. You don’t talk much, but your dialect makes your voice so soothing. Lan Zhan, you’re blushing even more now!”
“Wei Ying,” he simply repeated, but Wei WuXian was not finished.
“I love it when you say my name. When you say it, it doesn’t sound like how anyone else says my name. You say it like it’s just for me, and me only. Then you let me tease you, and go along with all the crazy stuff I do. You’ll order spicy food and eat it because I want it even though I know you have no tolerance for it. You’re always supporting me, and-” he gasped. “Lan Zhan! I’ve never properly thanked you for everything you’ve done for me! I’ve never repaid you at all!”
“That is not necessary,” he replied with a shake of his head.
“No, I want to! You do everything for me, and I never do anything for you!”
“Your happiness is my happiness.”
Wei WuXian groaned, pouting up at Lan WangJi. “There you go, saying such unfair things again! There has to be something that you want! Anything! I’ll give you anything!” he declared.
“Anything?” he repeated thoughtfully. Wei WuXian nodded vigorously, eagerly awaiting an answer.
Wei WuXian faintly registered the searing golden gaze and subtle scent of sandalwood before his entire being was consumed by the sensation of lips capturing his own, all awareness of the world gone and returned in the form of the beautiful man kissing him.
Lan WangJi really was unfair; even when he got what he wanted, it was still something that Wei WuXian wanted just as much.
Oh well , he thought, smiling into the kiss.
I’ll have many chances to make it up to him.
+1.1
“Wait,” Wei WuXian paused. Lan Zhan stopped walking, waiting for his boyfriend to continue.
“If you’re my Prince Charming, does that mean I’m your favorite princess?” He beamed, “I guess you got a picture with your favorite princess after all!”
Lan WangJi gave him a meaningful look.
—
+1.2
“I posted the picture of us at Sleeping Beauty Castle! See?”
Lan WangJi peered down at the photo of Wei WuXian kissing him on the cheek. He slowly moved his hand to scroll the image up.
The man behind every photo! Couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime!
Wei WuXian grinned at him when he looked back up, then motioned at him to continue scrolling. Several of their friends and hundreds of strangers had left enthusiastic congratulatory comments, though two in particular seemed to catch his eye.
jiang.cheng: This is disgusting.
fairy.the.best.husky: Go die! I’m reporting you!
At the small frown on Lan WangJi’s face, Wei WuXian laughed and explained, “Oh, they just say that! That’s how they express their love for me. Don’t worry, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling called me after and congratulated me properly...Although, JieJie might have had something to do with that.”
Lan WangJi did not appear very placated at this, so Wei WuXian continued, “It’s fine, even if they didn’t approve, I don’t care! I love you no matter what anyone else says!”
He paused, heart pounding as he looked at Lan WangJi’s wide-eyed expression and the redness that tipped his ears. His own face seemed to heat up in response.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! You can’t just say nothing when I declare my undying love for you! Please say something!”
Lan WangJi only reached out to pull him into a tight hug, leaving little room for Wei WuXian to do anything other than sigh contentedly into his boyfriend’s shoulder.
—
+1.3
Lan WangJi was clicking through the various photographs from Disneyland that he had offloaded from his DSLR, when he stopped at the blurry sequence of pictures of Wei WuXian and Mulan.
“Ah, you can delete those, they’re too blurry to upload to my Instagram anyway.”
A few seconds passed, and Wei WuXian wondered why Lan WangJi seemed reluctant to drag the images towards the trash bin. “Lan Zhan?”
The other man looked up at him and asked, “Why is Mulan your favorite?”
“Hmmm, I like her because sword fights are awesome! And she totally kicked everyone’s ass, doing what she believed was right, even if it meant going against her family’s wishes. And...and…”
“And…?”
Wei WuXian quieted a little. “And, this is going to sound real lame, but...her name has ‘Lan’ in it...and it made me think of you.”
“Wei Ying…”
“...Anyway! You don’t need to be jealous, she’s just a character! Wait--jealous? Oh my god, I had said you were jealous back then, and I was right! But you were jealous of her, not me! Hahahaha! Oh, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, I can’t believe--”
Lan WangJi shut him up with a kiss.
(Later, Lan WangJi cropped the photos so only Wei WuXian was showing, and saved them to another folder. Any photo of his boyfriend was a treasure, even if it was blurry.)
—
+2
It was not long before Lan XiChen’s Instagram career really took off. His paintings, his xiao pieces, and even his looks were widely praised for their ethereal beauty. Wei WuXian would have been a little envious, if he was not also such a big fan of the older Lan brother. Plus, he was such a sweetheart--he definitely deserved his massive following.
At one point, Lan WangJi asked Lan XiChen for assistance in starting his own Instagram account. Both his brother and Wei WuXian were beyond excited at the prospect of him finally posting photos, but he never did. Instead, he only used his account to like every single post the both of them uploaded and leave very short compliments.
“Lan Zhan...how do you manage to be the first commenter on practically all of my posts? And it’s almost always the same: ‘Beautiful,’ or sometimes, ‘Very beautiful.’ I love it every time you say it, but I think you’re becoming a bit of a meme to my other followers.”
The next time Wei WuXian posted, he only waited a second for the ever-reliable notification to come.
Lan.WangJi: Absolutely breathtaking.
Wei WuXian never tried to change Lan WangJi’s posting habits again.
—
+3
“Look, Lan Zhan! This is that ‘speed posing’ thing I was talking about—see how these models keep changing their position while the camera keeps going? I wanna see you do that!”
“Ridiculous.”
“Aww, come on! You’d look amazing, and this will make up for all the pictures I never got of you this whole time!”
“No.”
“Please...?”
“...Fine.”
As terrified of dogs as he was, Wei WuXian had somehow perfected his Puppy Eyes™ exactly for moments like this. If there was ever anything that Lan WangJi could refuse him, there was certainly nothing the poor, whipped man would not do once his lover gave him that pleading look. Said lover tried not to take advantage of this. Much.
“Alright! Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll start the countdown! Maybe do one pose every three seconds? You don’t need to think too hard about it, okay?”
“Mnn. I am ready.”
“Okay, then...let’s start!”
Lan WangJi crossed his arms loosely, shifting his weight to one side. With the click of the camera, he faltered a bit before switching his weight to the other side.
“Lan Zhan! That’s hardly a different pose—do something else! Put a hand on your hip or something!”
The way Lan WangJi moved his hand towards his hip made it seem like he had never done such a thing in his entire life. Nevertheless, it was a new pose, so Wei WuXian pressed the button and waited expectantly for him to move again.
Evidently, asking Lan WangJi to change his pose every three seconds was asking a bit too much, because he only lowered his arms after several moments of intense concentration. Then he crossed them over his chest again.
“Oh my god, Lan Zhan, that was the first pose you did! It’s supposed to be different poses every time.” He clicked the camera anyway, because it was a slightly different angle—by maybe half a degree—and Wei WuXian was starting to feel desperate for any photo he could get of his stunning boyfriend.
Taking the snap of the camera as his cue, Lan WangJi silently moved a hand to his other hip, turning to Wei WuXian with a hint of challenge in his eyes.
“I—Okay, technically , it’s different, but not really! Lan Zhan! You’re just going back and forth between the same two poses! I can’t believe you’re practically sassing me— I don’t know if I should be proud of you or not!”
A tiny, satisfied smile formed on Lan WangJi’s face, as if he had earned some great compliment. He relaxed his stance and started to make his way over to where Wei WuXian was standing.
“Hey, we’re not done here! I still wanted to get more pictures of you—” Wei WuXian’s heart leapt a little when Lan WangJi gently took hold of his hand, then performed complete somersaults at his next words.
“If I am having my picture taken, I want it to be together with you.”
“Oh…” How was it possible that he still became so gobsmacked every time his boyfriend showed affection? Was he not the one who was supposed to be the expert at flustering others? “Well! Then! I guess I’ll have to give up on your speed posing, Lan Zhan—which, by the way, you are terrible at. Don’t worry, I’ll make a perfect model of you yet! On second thought, you’re already so beautiful just standing there, it really doesn’t matter what you do. You’ll always be top model to me!”
He looked up at his boyfriend and grinned at the deep pink creeping across his ears. Content with his teasing, he held up his phone and raised their linked hands.
“Smile, Lan Zhan!”
And he did.
—
+4
A year later, a new image from Wei WuXian showed up on everyone’s Instagram feeds. It was set in a familiar-looking cafe, with the poster and his boyfriend sitting close together to take a selfie. Their hands were raised between them, holding up a small carrot cake with two bunny macarons, the glint of matching rings on their fingers shining in the light. Underneath the image, the caption read, “My de facto Instagram husband is now officially going to be my actual husband!!!!! ♡ ♡ ♡ ”
—
+4.1
The first comment on the post was one that many were unsurprised to see:
Lan.WangJi: Mine.