equivocations | open rp post

It is a little ridiculous, to immediately melt when Wanyin brings up marriage - they are already bonded, of course marriage would be in the picture - and yet he does anyway. Lan Xichen can't quite help himself, and he leans in to press a kiss to the crease in Wanyin's brow.

"I had already intended to court you as an alpha, I could simply continue to do so. Initially, I planned to ask if you would allow me to spend one week a month with you at Lotus Pier."

He suspects they are quite past the need to ease into a courtship, however.

"For the longer term, I had considered proposing a rotating schedule. One month in Lotus Pier and one in Cloud Recesses, perhaps, or half a year in each. If others wonder how two alphas could marry, could be bonded so closely-" He raises and lowers one shoulder, rolling it back in as close as he ever gets to such a careless gesture as a shrug. "Let them speculate that I am an omega, if they choose. It would not be the first time."

His reputation has protected him from such insinuations that his pacifying nature may have normally brought, but he has occasionally heard it before from those unsavory enough.

It was strange to see Lan Xichen shrug but, indeed, the Lan Sect Leader had truly shrugged in Jiang Cheng's presence as to how their world would react to their pairing. There has to be an easier way to go back and forth.

"...if a door through a mirror to another room could be created, then a door to either place could be created, couldn't it?" he asks quietly.

He is not one for wicked tricks. But this trick is hardly wicked, now was it? Jiang Cheng was careful not to mention Jin Guangyao by name, not wishing to bring up the pains of the past with Xichen.

How the world may perceive them, at least, is something that Lan Xichen had given some thought to. When faced with Jiang Wanyin and Lan Xichen in a partnership, for those who would be inclined to think no such bond could exist between two alphas and assume one must be an omega, Lan Xichen would be the natural assumption.

He doesn't care.

But he does still, for a moment, as he considers the suggestion.

"It is easy to seal or disguise an entrance. We have such a thing in the Library Pavillion, and behind our wards in the back mountains."

Well. Not easy, but easy enough for a cultivator like Wanyin or Lan Xichen.

He feels no hesitation in revealing the location of their forbidden texts, or their safe chambers in the back mountains. As far as he is concerned, Waynin is already his spouse, and has as much right to that information as he does.

"But... yes, I suppose it could, with the correct modifications. It would be a perfect solution."

He swallows.

"Would you truly be all right with people thinking that you are the omega? I can't think anyone who would think so." In truth, he would think that people assumed that he was the omega, figure his secret out quickly. That would mean potential challengers to take down and away Jiang Sect but if he was bonded, his heats should be far less frequent. Especially if they have their own children. His heats would be next to nonexistent.

He looks at Xichen, who seems so willing to do all of this, to make it all work and his heart thumps loudly in his chest. What if he thinks he's not worth it after a while? What if Xichen changes his mind?

"A-Cheng," he says, shooting him a soft, wry smile. "You are strong and stubborn, with a fierce temper and a deadly fighting technique. You wear command as though you were not only born with it but earned it, bit by bit as you rebuilt the foundation of your sect. Under your hand, you not only recreated what could have been lost forever but you made it better, and you did it by sheer force of will."

He gives Wanyin's hand another squeeze. "I prefer to avoid conflict, to find a compromise. I am known for my kindness, my approachability, my patience and understanding. There are few left alive who have truly seen me in battle. When you are angry, I want nothing more than to soothe it away. These are not qualities that are unique to alphas or omegas, but you know as well as I what the ideal of each is considered."

Lan Xichen brings their joined hands up so he can press a kiss to Wanyin's knuckles.

"We are a good match, in temperament, in leadership, in everything. And I love you. Wanting you as my omega, desiring you like this, being enraptured with your submission-" The tips of his ears go a little bit red, and he ducks his head briefly. "That does not mean I would not follow your lead without question on a night hunt, that I would not defer to you in a discussion conference, that I would approach you with any less respect. What do I care what others assume?"

He knows all of these things about Xichen. Zewu Jun, the man whose kindness and patience had known no bounds, the man who could change the world with his kind smile alone. He knows that Xichen is right. They're such a good match in so many ways. And when he speaks about being enraptured by his submission, Jiang Cheng's own face turns beet red, but he finds it sweet that even Xichen is embarrassed by his own passions.

For Xichen to promise such respect steals Jiang Cheng's breath away and, not for the first time, he finds himself falling deeper in love with the man--no, his bonded mate.

"Xichen..."

His blush deepens as he recalls what he had called him during the worst of the heats.

"...Huan-ge..."

The pair of them, somehow still managing to go red after everything they'd been up to the past two days. It's enough to make Lan Xichen shakes his head at them both, smiling fondly.

His smile grows when Wanyin calls him Huan-ge, expression lighting up, and he pulls him in by their joined hands to kiss him.

"My heart," he murmurs. "Will you marry me?"

What was that about courting? Especially after the last few days? He stares at Xichen in shock, not even registering enough to pull away. He automatically kisses him back and takes a few moments to process it. Process that...that Lan Xichen just proposed to him after fucking him six ways from sunday. He barely could properly and he's more than sure that Xichen's seed has taken hold at some point over the last few days.

Xichen who is kind and solid and warm. Xichen who sees him as him, getting to know him through their correspondences. That Xichen is asking to marry him.

"Yes," he says breathlessly. "Xichen, yes."

Really, the idea of a slow courtship went out the window the moment that Wanyin suggested a doorway between Lotus Pier and Cloud Recesses to allow for instantaneous travel, and Lan Xichen realized he was prepared to send a message to Wei Wuxian right now to start working on making it happen.

Perhaps it's still the lingering effects of the heat, or the newness of their bond, but he is not willing to spend another day without being at Wanyin's side.

If they are truly planning for the future, if, as Lan Xichen suspects, they will soon be expecting a child - he sees no point in waiting for what he wants.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, as he waits for Wanyin's answer, but when he gets it he smiles so widely it almost hurts his cheeks. "Yes?" he repeats, as if he's not quite sure he heard right, but he doesn't wait for a response before he's kissing him again.

He doesn't get a chance to respond before Xichen is on him again, kissing him and Jiang Cheng makes a pleased sound, letting go of his hand to pull Xichen impossibly closer and knocking both of them out of his seat and onto the floor. Jiang Cheng pulls Xichen over him, not caring,.

Yes. He mouths his affirmation against Xichen's lips and puts his arms around the man's waist. Marriage would simply be a formality. They've bonded, they potentially will have children just from this heat alone.

Lan Xichen laughs in delight as Wanyin knocks them to the ground and pulls him on top of him. The last time he had laughed like this was - when he was very young, probably, still able to get away with some lack of restraint where others could see, or possibly one of the handful of times he'd had alcohol without burning away its effects.

He can't ever remember being this happy.

Yes, Waynin repeats, and Lan Xichen kisses the corner of his mouth, his cheeks, his forehead, the tip of his ear, the line of his jaw.

Then he props himself up on one arm, just looking down at Wanyin with an impossibly fond smile.

"I love you."

"I--"

The words are stuck in his throat and a brief look of distress passes over Jiang Cheng's face. It's still difficult to speak the words. He kisses Xichen instead, convoying what his voice cannot and could not say: I love you.

When the kiss ends, he touches foreheads with him before pulling away, the heat's finally ending, much to his relief. They should head back, they should tell Jin Ling, they should...But he's distracted when he goes in for another kiss from Xichen, reaching up to cup the back of his neck.

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