[pfsb]

[acrookedpath]

Lan Zhan, he writes, I'm swimming in the lake! I love you -- Wei Ying. After a moment's thought, Wei Wuxian adds a smiley face to the bottom like Madam Bar so often does with her napkin notes.

It's unseasonably warm today, more early summer than late fall. The trees have dropped enough of their leaves that Wei Wuxian knows such days will depart for good soon enough. And frankly, if he stares at his latest iteration of the energy-revealing array much longer, his eyes will cross and stick that way. He needs to clear his head.

After leaving one copy of the note in their room and another with Madam Bar, he requests some swimming attire; she provides a black short-sleeved shirt much like the one he wore to London Above, the fabric smooth as silk but much stretchier, and loose red trousers that end just above his knees. A little revealing for a lake shared by many, perhaps, but they'll do.

He changes in the public washroom and walks to the shoreline. Stepping onto one of the larger rocks, he eyes the water with a smile.

Then he backs up, sprints forward to spring off the rock, and cannonballs into the lake with a loud whoop.

Comments

[acrookedpath]

The smirk grows. Idly, Wei Wuxian gathers his hair and sweeps it over one shoulder, baring the side of his throat to Lan Zhan; he arches his neck ever so slightly as he moves.

"Is that all you plan to do?"

[lightamidchaos]

"No," he says, his tone mild. It does not match the look in his eyes.

"But you have a choice to make, first."

[acrookedpath]

"Oh?"

Both eyebrows rise, now, as he studies Lan Zhan with avid curiosity.

[lightamidchaos]

"Since you have misplaced your robes," he observes, "then as I said before -- your choice is between wearing anything of mine you wish, or nothing at all."

He waits, then, to see what Wei Ying will decide.

[acrookedpath]

Oh. Well, then.

Fresh heat blossoms in his cheeks and his belly. His throat shifts, visibly, as he swallows; there's a dark eagerness to the way he watches Lan Zhan now, still smiling.

"We are in private," he says, a little hoarse. Without breaking eye contact, he brushes his fingertips over the ties of his robes.

[lightamidchaos]

"Don't stop," he murmurs, as he closes the distance between them once more.

He settles one hand at the base of Wei Ying's neck, tangled in his hair, holding his head at the angle and with the arch that he had presented so teasingly before, and takes his mouth in a kiss before pressing another to the side of his throat, marking him there - and scraping lightly with his teeth over Wei Ying's pulse as he does.

[acrookedpath]

He gasps. Unbidden, he forgets the ties of his own robes and sinks his fingers into Lan Zhan's clothes, pulling him closer.

"Yes," he whispers. "Lan Zhan -- "

[lightamidchaos]

He breathes out, his breath warm against Wei Ying's skin, hand firm in his hair, then raises his head and looks him in the eye.

"You stopped."

[acrookedpath]

His eyes widen. Exhaling a small, nervous laugh, he lets go of Lan Zhan's robes and smooths them down.

Still, he can't help himself: "Can you blame me," he asks, with all the innocence he can muster despite the rasp to his words, "when you are such a distraction?"

[lightamidchaos]

"Mn. Then I shall not distract you."

He lets go of his hair and takes a step back once more.

"Show yourself to me, Wei Ying."

Both his words and the look in his eyes are dark with promise.

[acrookedpath]

The look in Lan Zhan's eyes ignites an answering fire in Wei Wuxian's blood. He would do -- a lot, really, to keep Lan Zhan looking at him like that.

Anything.

His smile has gone smaller, faintly dazed under the weight of Lan Zhan's intent focus. "Yes," he whispers. He moves his hands back to the ties of his robes, only fumbling a little as he unfastens them.

The first layer hardly makes a noise as it drops to his bare feet.

[lightamidchaos]

As he watches, he is paying close attention, alert to any indication of reluctance. He wants Wei Ying to be nothing but comfortable and happy in this new sort of play between them, and is relieved to see no sign of unease.

"Beautiful," he murmurs, his admiration clear in both expression and tone. "My Wei Ying. So beautiful. Let me see you."

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian laughs a little, a giddy release like steam escaping a pot. He slips one palm into the fold of his robes, widening what it reveals: only a slash of his black swimming shirt, at first, then the red trousers as he finishes untying the robes with his other hand to let them hang loose from his shoulders.

One sleeve at a time, he deliberately sheds the second layer to join the first.

Then, crossing his arms, he grasps his shirt at the hem to pull it over his head.

[lightamidchaos]

He draws in a sharp breath, ragged with desire, as his eyes darken further. He takes a step forward, and reaches out toward him -- but stops before he touches Wei Ying's skin, his hand held flat in the air over his chest, teasing and tempting.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian has never had the impeccable self-control of a Lan disciple. And Lan Zhan is so close. Surely, if it would only take half a step to reach his hand, just one brief touch to quiet the buzzing under his skin --

He sways forward on his feet, intent on pushing himself against Lan Zhan's palm --

and lets out a small, frustrated whine when Lan Zhan nimbly steps out of reach.

"Lan Zhan -- "

[lightamidchaos]

"Wei Ying."

Unruffled, at least in tone, and steady, although his eyes are nearly black now, pupils dilated with the intensity of his feelings.

He lets his gaze wander deliberately down the other man's body, then back up to meet his eyes once more.

"Patience brings reward."

[acrookedpath]

He wrinkles his nose at Lan Zhan, but only half-heartedly; his pulse is already speeding up again as Lan Zhan's eyes rake over him, possessive, admiring.

Patience. All right. He'll make Lan Zhan be patient.

Slowly, he hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his trousers. Watching Lan Zhan's face the entire time, he pushes them down, a slow centimeter at a time; when they are low enough to drop free, he lets go and steps out of the pile of clothes surrounding his feet.

[lightamidchaos]

He looks, he looks, letting everything that he feels show in his eyes, in his expression, in the way his lips part on another ragged breath, desire raging through him and a passionate promise in every line of him.

Slowly, he comes forward, reaching out with both hands to cup Wei Ying's face and hold him still for a kiss. He licks at the seam of his lips, coaxing him to open his mouth.

[acrookedpath]

It does not take much coaxing at all.

He yields beneath Lan Zhan's mouth, letting him deepen the kiss with a soft, shaky breath. Chancing his luck, he slips his arms around him and presses both hands flat against Lan Zhan's back. One finger hooks in the back collar of his robes as he presses closer, a single fingertip ghosting over the hot skin of his neck.

[lightamidchaos]

A shudder runs through him at the touch, and this time, he does not pull away. Instead, he gathers Wei Ying in, wrapping one arm tight around his waist and sliding his other hand back into his hair, taking hold again as he had before.

"Wei Ying is beautiful," he whispers against his lips, following each word of praise and adoration with another kiss. "Wei Ying is brave. Wei Ying is beloved --"

[acrookedpath]

"Lan Zhan," he manages between kisses and breathless laughter, "is a shameless flatterer."

He curls a few more fingers beneath Lan Zhan's robes.

[lightamidchaos]

He smiles against the other man's mouth.

"Lying is forbidden," he reminds him.

[acrookedpath]

"Then tell me, zhiji." He slides one hand up to fist in Lan Zhan's hair, keeping the other at the neckline of his robes. "Will you let me take these off you soon?"

[lightamidchaos]

"Yes."

He tilts his head back slightly as Wei Ying takes hold of his hair and loosens his own grip rather than holding him immobile, curious to see what he will do.

"Whenever you want."

[acrookedpath]

Well, now that he has permission...

His smile grows wicked. He dips his head to nip at the base of Lan Zhan's throat, then drags his hand around to start untying his robes. Swiftly, they join Wei Wuxian's clothes on the floor; he yanks the swim shirt over Lan Zhan's head, muffles a yelp and a laugh when it briefly catches on his hairpiece, and fumbles to untangle it with a, "Sorry -- sorry -- !"