"A-Xian," Jiang Yanli's gentle voice disrupted Wei Wuxian's train of thought. "I'll ask around tomorrow and see who we should talk to." Wei Wuxian stared at her disbelievingly.

"You don't think it's a bad idea?" Wei Wuxian asked nervously. Jiang Yanli gave him a gentle smile which meant she thought the notion was ridiculous.

"You were both so good with them today. I think they'd be lucky to have you." Jiang Yanli said, smiling fondly. "I'll see who you should talk to, but Nuan-er has done a good job of making it clear to everyone exactly where she wants to be."

Jiang Yanli continued to smile quietly for a few moments. She patted Wei Wuxian's head, hoping to soothe some of the confusion. Jiang Yanli could not be oblivious to the challenges this could create. Wei Wuxian was already the subject of countless rumours and gossip. There would be people who would look at Wei Wuxian, unmarried, with two young children, and begin a new string of scandalous gossip. Jiang Yanli couldn't care less. Her Da-di was kind and loving. If he wanted to adopt children, she would support him and spoil her soon to be niece and nephew at every opportunity.

"Make sure you get some rest A-Xian." Jiang Yanli said softly.

Jiang Yanli bid Lan Wangji good night, but Lan Wangji made no motion of acknowledgement. He had hardly processed any of the words she had spoken. Lan Wangji's mind had frozen the moment Wei Wuxian said he wanted to adopt. Lan Wangji felt dizzy with the idea that those small fantasies he had conjured of raising the two children with Wei Wuxian, might be a reality in the near future.

"Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian's nervous voice finally drew Lan Wangji out of his stupor.

"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji's words died before he had a chance to say more than his betrothed's name. Wei Wuxian waited for Lan Wangji to say more, but Lan Wangji was having difficulty forming coherent thoughts. Never mind trying to put those thoughts into proper sentences.

"I... Lan Zhan. I'm sorry. I should have talked to you first. I-I... I know we haven't talked about kids, and we're not actually properly married yet. But... A-Yuan. He's such a good boy. He's so sweet and caring. He's littler now than when I met him in my first life, but you've seen how sweet he is. I never got to meet Nuan-er last time. She died before I could save them, but...

"Lan Zhan, she loves A-Yuan so much! She's so caring and protective. She's had to do so much for A-Yuan already and she's still so little herself. I just... I want to give them a home. I want A-Yuan to grow up happy with his jie. I want Nuan-er to get to be a kid and not have to always be responsible. I... Lan Zhan, if you'd be willing... I'd really like to raise a..."

Lan Wangji silenced Wei Wuxian with his lips. He trapped Wei Wuxian in place on his lap and kissed him like he was going to devour him. Lan Wangji could not let Wei Wuxian finish that sentence. If he heard Wei Wuxian ask to 'raise a family with him' out loud, Lan Wangji was almost certain he would end up taking Wei Wuxian, on the floor, in the middle of the room.

That would not do. A-Yuan and Nuan-er were asleep, but that did not mean they would not wake up. So the only choice was to prevent Wei Wuxian from saying the words that would completely destroy Lan Wangji's self control. Eventually Lan Wangji needed to pull back to take a breath.

"Lan Zh-" Lan Wangji swallowed Wei Wuxian's words in another kiss. It was some time later that Lan Wangji was left leaning his forehead against Wei Wuxian's. They were both panting, trying to catch their breath.

"Was... Was that a yes?" Wei Wuxian asked between gasps.

Lan Wangji nodded his head. The motion was slightly awkward since his forehead was still pressed to Wei Wuxian's, but Lan Wangji refused to relinquish the extra contact. There could only ever have been one answer to that question. There existed no world in which Lan Wangji would not want to raise children with Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji was quite certain of that.

"I guess I got myself worked up again, huh?" Wei Wuxian asked, with a small smile.

Lan Wangji squeezed Wei Wuxian in an even tighter embrace. His heart had never felt so full. The last few years had been spent focusing on avoiding a nightmare. Lan Wangji had enjoyed every moment of peace he could find with Wei Wuxian, but there was the ever present reality that they were fighting to change the future. Avoid the worst outcome Lan Wangji could imagine.

There had been precious little time that Lan Wangji had been able to think about the future they were striving towards. A future where he and Wei Wuxian were married. Living peacefully with their children. Thinking about avoiding the death of his betrothed, and the family his betrothed had gained, was somewhat bleak. There was an edge of dread in every effort. There was a bright joy in imagining what the future might look like when Lan Wangji thought about, not only what they wanted to avoid, but also what they wanted to gain.

Slowly Lan Wangji loosened his hold on Wei Wuxian. He sat back slightly. Feeling calm enough that he could now answer Wei Wuxian's questions verbally. Wei Wuxian was prone to self-doubt. Even if he understood Lan Wangji's meaning, it would be good to say everything clearly. Lan Wangji took in a breath preparing to tell Wei Wuxian that, 'Yes, he did want to adopt A-Yuan and Nuan-er with him.'

Something in Lan Wangji's periphery caught his eye. He turned his head towards the inner part of the room where the two beds were in clear line of sight to where they were sitting. Nuan-er was sitting up in bed. Her arms held her legs against her chest and she rested her head on her knees. She was watching them without a trace of sleep in her eyes. She was wide awake, and had been wide awake for some time. Possibly the entire time.

It had never occurred to Lan Wangji to check if A-Yuan or Naun-er were pretending to sleep. He had no idea when she might have started listening to them. She at least had started out lying down, if not sleeping. At some point she had clearly decided to stop listening and began properly watching them.

Lan Wangji resisted a childish desire to hide. Had she seen them kiss? Lan Wangji could not have been more embarrassed. While he had witnessed couples kissing when he was a child outside of Cloud Recesses, his trips outside had been few until he began to leave for night hunts. Within Cloud Recesses itself public displays of affection were carefully regulated. Lan Wangji very much doubted he would have seen his own parents kissing even if they had lived together.

"Adopt. Is that like you becoming our caretakers?" Wen Nuan's tone was serious, her gaze studying them carefully. Lan Wangji had never found a four year old so imposing before.

"Ah, yes? We'd like to. Is that something you would want?" Wei Wuxian's voice was slightly higher than normal at the start. Perhaps he had been caught as off guard by Wen Nuan as Lan Wangji had.

Wen Nuan scooted over to the edge of the bed. She padded barefoot across the floor to scamper over to them. She stopped a bit sooner than Lan Wangji expected. She seated herself properly on the ground and looked at them with a serious and calculating gaze.

"You want us?" Wen Nuan asked. Her expression fierce and her tone uncompromising, as though she were conducting some sort of interview.

"Yes." Lan Wangji answered. Wei Wuxian nodded quickly in agreement. She did not seem to have any complaints that Wei Wuxian was still in Lan Wangji's lap as they answered her question.

"What if we're loud? What if A-Yuan has nightmares and wakes you up?" Wen Nuan asked, her tone just as serious as her first question.

"Ah, well, everyone has nightmares sometimes. It's alright." Wei Wuxian said, only slightly awkwardly.  He himself had to learn to willingly wake up Lan Wangji for support on those occasions that his nightmares woke him without disturbing Lan Wangji.  Though Lan Wangji was not certain if it would be helpful to tell Wen Nuan as much.

"Wei Ying is often loud." Lan Wangji added, since Wei Wuxian had not responded to Wen Nuan's first question.

"Hey!" Wei Wuxian said in mock offence. Lan Wangji kissed Wei Wuxian's cheek in penance as Wei Wuxian grumbled petulantly.

"For how long?" Wen Nuan asked, disrupting Wei Wuxian's playful pouting. Something seemed to slide into place for Wei Wuxian. His gaze softened as though he had understood something about this after that question.

"Nuan-er. We want to raise you both. Forever. Not just for a little while, and not just if you are quiet and well behaved. We want to raise you like your parents would have if they had lived." Wei Wuxian's voice was soft and gentle.

Wen Nuan's lip wobbled and Lan Wangji saw moisture glistening in her eyes before she scampered forward and threw herself at them. Wen Nuan was tucked in between them, surrounded by their joint embrace. Her hands were fisted, one in each of their robes. Her face buried from sight as she shook in their arms. It felt like she was sobbing, but Lan Wangji heard none of the sounds he would have expected from a child crying.

"It's okay Nuan-er. You can cry." Wei Wuxian said softly as he began to rub soothing circles on her back.

"I'm not crying." Her voice came out tight with tears. Her words rushed to fit between silent sobs.

"Okay," Wei Wuxian said in the same soft tone. "If you do want to cry, that's okay too." Wen Nuan shook a bit harder, her grip tightening further.

"Yes, adopt." Wen Nuan said in a tear choked voice.

"We'll talk to your family tomorrow to ask for their permission." Wei Wuxian said quietly.

"No." Wen Nuan did not shout, but that one word was firm and almost angry in tone.  Wei Wuxian looked slightly pained.

"They're your family Naun-er.  We need to ask them." Wei Wuxian said softly.  Wen Nuan glared up at them from her lap.  Her eyes were red rimmed and tears were still streaking down her cheeks.

"They chose.  Didi and I were left alone again and again.  I choose this time." Wen Nuan said with determination.  "You're strong." Wen Nuan said firmly as she gazed up at the two of them.  "You'll keep us safe?" Wen Nuan asked, although her tone was sharp and demanding.  Wei Wuxian seemed stunned.  Lan Wangji set one of his hands on Wen Nuan's back, covering Wei Wuxian's hand that had been resting their.

"We will." Lan Wangji stated seriously.  Wen Nuan gazed up at him for a long time, like she was searching his soul to confirm if he meant the words he had said.

"Good." Wen Nuan said firmly, even has her voice began to wobble out of her control and fresh tears spilled from her eyes.  "Then you adopt us.  No one else gets to decide." Wen Nuan's voice cracked as she tucked her face into the robes she was still gripping tightly, and she sobbed.