One of the visits Lan Wangji pays to the Unclean Realm has him quietly taking over the kitchen one evening. Enough to fix a meal for Huaisang - it's been an oddly stressful few months for the other man, and he's taking a few days to rest before moving on to another night hunt. Enough he'd heard about some of what's been happening on his travels.
Tray for two prepared, food and tea, and a bottle of liquor, and he carries it to his lover's rooms. All stares in his direction are deftly ignored with his usual aplomb. He knocks on Huaisang's door before stepping back to wait.
Huaisang is more than a little happy to see Lan Wangji. Things were a mess, partly by design now and partly because they actually were a mess and Huaisang was overwhelmed. There's still so much to grasp and there's still so many days that he doesn't want to get out of bed, that he wants Zonghui to burst through the door with some news about what Da Ge is instructing him to do that day. Those days are long over.
He knew Lan Wangji had been busy with his night hunts, he's sure there's other things he's doing too -- answers that he probably won't even stop searching for. But in his absence there's often a lack of comfort except for the messages sent between them now and then, not enough to be suspicious. At some point, Huaisang had stopped sleeping with other men and now this kind of comfort only came when he saw Wangji. He didn't dare tell him.
Huaisang knew the other is is in the Unclean Realm but he hadn't been sure what he was up to and had just about inquired when there's a knock and he goes to open his door to find the subject of his thoughts there. He smiles warmly and lets him in. He cares little for what others think, not too many rumors about the two of them have left this place either. Be it by some wisdom or some luck.
Wangji hadn't been aware of the numbers of lovers Huaisang had once entertained. It wouldn't have changed much if he did - only that Huaisang...stopped. He's started to enjoy his rare visits - more often than he otherwise might have made, but his brother seemed happy to know he's been checking on Huaisang when he can. Whether Xichen figured out why, he doesn't know. And he won't ever ask.
He just knows that he finds comfort when he spends time with Huaisang. And it seems to be mutual. That smile when the door opens is only reassuring and welcoming. He steps in with a bow of his head, and there's a slight lessening of severity about his expression. He makes his way to the table and sets out their dinner.
"I wanted to cook for you." He studiously does not look at his lover while he answers, only focuses on placing everything perfectly where they should be. "We will not be disturbed."
Huaisang bows as the door is shut and leaves them alone in the privacy of his rooms. He moves to the table as well and he feels at ease with Wangji. There's not much of a pretense put up for him. Huaisang the most honest now when they're alone. He doesn't need to act a part for Wangji and Wangji would see through him if he even tries but more so, Huaisang wants to be seen by the other so why would he hide?
"You wanted to cook for me?" Huaisang is surprised but pleased with the answer. It's been a long time since someone who was not a servant had made him a meal, something he can't think too long on. He lets the other place everything, lets him make the assurance of not being disturbed before he rests a gentle hand on his arm and leans in to kiss him softly and warmly. Not everything is soft between them but some of it is, some of it can be.
Behind closed doors, they can just be themselves. Wangji takes longer to relax, even then, but he tries. It's easier in bed, to give in to desire and need. But this is the first time he's really tried to do a little more.
Small steps.
He doesn't answer the question - he figures he already has! And Huaisang doesn't seem upset, which is the other thing that matters to him. Once everything is to his liking, he sits beside Huaisang, rather than across from him as he otherwise might. The hand on his arm has him finally look up, and the soft, sweet kiss as his cheeks and ears pink.
But he kisses back, keeping it just as gentle. What he's made will show just a little more of his attention to detail, as there are specific dishes he's noticed Huaisang to like. Meat dishes for Huaisang, vegetarian for himself. And seasoned perfectly.
Small steps is all that Huaisang could have expected and he is observant enough to notice each one of them. He can't help that the small smile widens into a grin with the other sitting beside him. It's impossible not to notice the food the other had prepared either, that the other must have chosen carefully, must have been paying attention to the little things that one might not think he would given how aloof he could seem at times (even if Huaisang knew better this is different than he would have expected even). This sort of thing makes Huaisang feel genuinely cared for, there is something real behind all the sex they had a friendship they'd nurtured and genuine affection.
Wangji wouldn't have cooked for him much less noticed the things he liked if he didn't care. It made Huaisang feel warm and he very much is not upset about the fact the other cooked for him. He takes in the pink that colored the other's cheeks and ears and his other hand moved to trace along the tip of one ear as he kissed soft and affectionate, lingering in it as his fingers traced downward along the other's jaw as he parted.
So many don't realize just how much attention he pays. Even to the little things - even when he doesn't understand them. But Huaisang...does. The gentle touch to his cheek and ear, the soft kiss, and the words tell him that.
"Mm." A flash of impulse has him kiss a second time, though he still keeps it light. Rougher, deeper kisses belong away from the table. But there's a promise in the second kiss, too. Wangji sits back, and there's a subtle sense of delight to how he sits. Even of satisfaction.
He pours Huaisang a drink from the bottle of wine, then tea for himself.
Huaisang smiles into the second kiss, a soft peal of laughter leaving him as they part and honestly sometimes he wonders how Wangji is the one that helps him the most to laugh anymore -- it's always simple things it seems, that draw it out, moments of pure happiness peaking out of the clouds of grief and stress. He knows that he brings some... happiness, or something close it to Wangji as well.
He likes this, sitting beside Wangji in front of a meal that he made, wine and tea respectively. He presses an affectionate kiss to the other's cheek before he reaches for the wine.
"I'm going to have to come up with a very good surprise for you now," he says, a sigh like it's a hardship but the sparkle in his eyes easily gives away that the prospect is anything but a hardship.
Each laugh is remembered. He manages to make so few make such a happy sound - Wei Ying had been special in that respect. But he manages to make Huaisang laugh sometimes, even though he never knows quite how. Only that small things bring out the sweet sound that makes his heart flip and make him want to hear more.
When they're alone, he feels a sense of peace. The nagging grief is lessened during these visits. He feels he can relax and not worry about anything outside of whatever room they've holed up in for the night. It's a gift he's never quite sure how to express, and so hasn't tried.
Wangji reaches for his tea when Huaisang picks up his wine, then pauses at the observation. He blinks at the sigh and words, giving his lover a perplexed look. "No need. You already give me much." He feels strangled, stilted in trying to reassure.
Huaisang takes a sip of the wine and he shakes his head at Wangji, leaning to press another kiss to his cheek, just because he can. He looks at the food again and it's not the what that touches him it's the effort and the way it shows Wangji notices him, really notices him and cares enough to do something like this. Somewhere along the line the other had become something more than just a distraction from grief, more than comfort.
"And I don't think you know how much you mean to me," Huaisang says softly, very tempted to tell Wangji that he's become far less promiscuous, that Wangji is his only lover now no matter how much time spans between visits. But he doesn't know how the other would react, if he'd push him away with that.
Laughter and cheek kisses. They've started to matter more than the sex, more than the physical comfort. But Wangji has never known how to express himself with words. Sometimes being blunt is too much, and so he says nothing at all.
The soft words have his ears pink and he lowers his gaze to his cup of tea - shy but...happy. Happy enough there's even a faint smile that makes a rare appearance. He swallows past his discomfort and uncertainty and raises his gaze back to fix Huaisang with an intent look.
Huaisang notes the tint of the other's ears and he smiles to himself as he reaches to start getting ready to eat. The food looks and smells delicious and the other had certainly done a good job preparing. He smiles at the sentiment but he doesn't think it will be enough. "Why is it enough of a gift?" he questions, but he doesn't expect an answer.
"Ah... Lan Wangji, how are you so good at everything?" Huaisang questions after tasting one of the dishes.
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You know what this is XD
Tray for two prepared, food and tea, and a bottle of liquor, and he carries it to his lover's rooms. All stares in his direction are deftly ignored with his usual aplomb. He knocks on Huaisang's door before stepping back to wait.
❤
He knew Lan Wangji had been busy with his night hunts, he's sure there's other things he's doing too -- answers that he probably won't even stop searching for. But in his absence there's often a lack of comfort except for the messages sent between them now and then, not enough to be suspicious. At some point, Huaisang had stopped sleeping with other men and now this kind of comfort only came when he saw Wangji. He didn't dare tell him.
Huaisang knew the other is is in the Unclean Realm but he hadn't been sure what he was up to and had just about inquired when there's a knock and he goes to open his door to find the subject of his thoughts there. He smiles warmly and lets him in. He cares little for what others think, not too many rumors about the two of them have left this place either. Be it by some wisdom or some luck.
"What is this, Hanguang Jun?"
no subject
He just knows that he finds comfort when he spends time with Huaisang. And it seems to be mutual. That smile when the door opens is only reassuring and welcoming. He steps in with a bow of his head, and there's a slight lessening of severity about his expression. He makes his way to the table and sets out their dinner.
"I wanted to cook for you." He studiously does not look at his lover while he answers, only focuses on placing everything perfectly where they should be. "We will not be disturbed."
no subject
"You wanted to cook for me?" Huaisang is surprised but pleased with the answer. It's been a long time since someone who was not a servant had made him a meal, something he can't think too long on. He lets the other place everything, lets him make the assurance of not being disturbed before he rests a gentle hand on his arm and leans in to kiss him softly and warmly. Not everything is soft between them but some of it is, some of it can be.
no subject
Small steps.
He doesn't answer the question - he figures he already has! And Huaisang doesn't seem upset, which is the other thing that matters to him. Once everything is to his liking, he sits beside Huaisang, rather than across from him as he otherwise might. The hand on his arm has him finally look up, and the soft, sweet kiss as his cheeks and ears pink.
But he kisses back, keeping it just as gentle. What he's made will show just a little more of his attention to detail, as there are specific dishes he's noticed Huaisang to like. Meat dishes for Huaisang, vegetarian for himself. And seasoned perfectly.
no subject
Wangji wouldn't have cooked for him much less noticed the things he liked if he didn't care. It made Huaisang feel warm and he very much is not upset about the fact the other cooked for him. He takes in the pink that colored the other's cheeks and ears and his other hand moved to trace along the tip of one ear as he kissed soft and affectionate, lingering in it as his fingers traced downward along the other's jaw as he parted.
"Thank you."
no subject
"Mm." A flash of impulse has him kiss a second time, though he still keeps it light. Rougher, deeper kisses belong away from the table. But there's a promise in the second kiss, too. Wangji sits back, and there's a subtle sense of delight to how he sits. Even of satisfaction.
He pours Huaisang a drink from the bottle of wine, then tea for himself.
no subject
He likes this, sitting beside Wangji in front of a meal that he made, wine and tea respectively. He presses an affectionate kiss to the other's cheek before he reaches for the wine.
"I'm going to have to come up with a very good surprise for you now," he says, a sigh like it's a hardship but the sparkle in his eyes easily gives away that the prospect is anything but a hardship.
no subject
When they're alone, he feels a sense of peace. The nagging grief is lessened during these visits. He feels he can relax and not worry about anything outside of whatever room they've holed up in for the night. It's a gift he's never quite sure how to express, and so hasn't tried.
Wangji reaches for his tea when Huaisang picks up his wine, then pauses at the observation. He blinks at the sigh and words, giving his lover a perplexed look. "No need. You already give me much." He feels strangled, stilted in trying to reassure.
no subject
"And I don't think you know how much you mean to me," Huaisang says softly, very tempted to tell Wangji that he's become far less promiscuous, that Wangji is his only lover now no matter how much time spans between visits. But he doesn't know how the other would react, if he'd push him away with that.
no subject
The soft words have his ears pink and he lowers his gaze to his cup of tea - shy but...happy. Happy enough there's even a faint smile that makes a rare appearance. He swallows past his discomfort and uncertainty and raises his gaze back to fix Huaisang with an intent look.
"That is gift enough for me."
no subject
"Ah... Lan Wangji, how are you so good at everything?" Huaisang questions after tasting one of the dishes.