Amidst the mist, above the mountains, a serene and beautiful place, known as cloud recess.

The usually calm place was filled with murmurs and people walking around at a fast pace decorating the white walls with colorful Gentian flowers.

A little child around 4-5 years was holding the hand of his older brother by three years, was standing in front of a cottage, waiting for the door to open.

They were dressed in white Hangfu with a ribbon imprinted with a cloud sign on their forehead. Swords dangling on the side of their waist.

The little one had a bamboo sword as he was still too young to possess the real thing. He was looking at the door with impatience yet he didn't move, still waiting for the door to be opened.

Then the door opened, revealing a woman dressed in equally white.

Placing her eyes on the children her lips quirked up into a blooming smile.

The little one lets go of his brother's hand and trudges with his small legs to his mother's arm, "Mama!"

The woman knelt down to meet his height and spread her arms to welcome her child into a warm hug.

"A'Zhan" she lulls, kissing on his forehead, "Happy birthday my baby"

Yes. It was Lan Wangji's 5th birthday.
Generally, the children would be allowed to meet their mother only once a month and only in the secluded house but today was made an exception. She was allowed to go out to celebrate her child's birthday.

The older child also walked to his mother to greet her with a hug.

"A'Huan, how are you?" She asked placing a hand on his cheek.

"I'm well mother", he smiled.

They continued to talk. Asking each other about many things.

Two men standing a bit far away were watching over the parent-child interaction. Their heart warming up to the core.

Qiren spoke, "Brother, I'm glad you decided to come out. It's so rare to see Wangji so happy"

Qingheng-jun replied with a faint smile, "Mn...I'm glad too."

"You should forgive yourself and your wife already. You guys deserve a second chance. And the children- they deserve to be happy too. And for that to happen they need both of their parents around." Qiren said looking at his brother with a slight hope.

The section leader has grown thinner within the years of being in the seclusion, appearing frailer. With fine lines and crow's feet around the eyes, he looked much older than his actual age.

"You know I can't", he said solemnly with a look of longing.

Qiren sighed and averted his gaze to the children and their mother once again.

________

Lan Zhan was happy today- would be an understatement. He was beyond happy. If it was possible he would be floating on cloud nine by now.

He was not really interested in his birthday as a child should be, but he would not complain. After all, because of it, his mother & father was with him.

Today he woke up extra early not being able to contain his excitement.
He dressed himself up and waited for his brother to come and take him to his mother.

After a while his brother came to his room, wishing him a happy birthday. Though Lan Zhan would not show the happiness and excitement on his face, his brother knew him well to decipher all of his tiny expressions like- him being fidgety under the cover of his long dress, eyes opening a bit wider than usual filled with excitement and the last but not the least- the tiny uplift on the corner of his lips.

Lan Xichen smiled seeing his brother so happy. It surely was a good day for his brother and his whole family. He wonders what more things, he will get to see today.

_________

When The sun rose above their head, guests started coming into the clan flooding the place with people, chatters destroying the once silent atmosphere.

The sect leader and his brother Qiren were welcoming the guests in front of the gates & directing them to the ceremonial hall.

Madam lan was looking over the food's preparation with a tiny lan Wangji holding her sleeves and following her around.

He didn't want to miss even a moment with his mother. So no matter what anyone said he refused to let go.

As it was his birthday, no one pushed him much either. Letting the little one have his way for the day at least.

Later in the afternoon, almost everyone was gathered in the ceremonial hall.

The lan couple was greeting everyone while introducing them to the two lan heirs.

They were praising him while wishing him a happy birthday.
But he didn't feel comfortable with all these people who he didn't know at all. Yet he greeted all of them politely with a bow and replying with either a nod or tiny "Mn" if asked a question.

He was getting tired. He wanted to be left alone with his family already, so he could just go ahead and lie on his mother's lap and hear her sing while she combs his hair with her slender fingers.

But that seems to be not possible right now. He would have to wait for the ceremony to end before he could do that. So started to look around.
While he was gazing through the crowd, a sudden loud and boisterous laugh pulled his attention over a small figure.

Once Wangji laid his eyes upon the laughing boy, he recognized him immediately. It was the same boy, he met on the street wearing ragged clothes.

Lan Wangji remembers. The boy was sitting on the pile of snow In the dirty alley. His hair was roughed up, his face smeared with dirt. All the adults just passed by him, not even sparing a second look at the boy.

When Lan Zhan went near him, he saw the boy staring at his hand which was holding a toy his uncle just got for him.

So Lan Zhan offered up the toy to the boy and he was glad he did, as he instantly was rewarded with the most beautiful smile gracing the boy's tiny mouth.

Yes. The boy had the most beautiful smile Lan Wangji ever saw, even warmer and prettier than his mother's.

Now he is again seeing the boy. He was hanging over the shoulder of another boy dressed in purple and talking to a girl older than them by a few years while smiling. He was no longer wearing the rags, looking much healthier, cheeks fuller with a healthy flush to them. Hairs still a bit tangled up but not dirty anymore.

And with the unrestrained full-mouthed smile, he was looking simply ethereal.

Lan Wangji could no more take his eyes away from the sight neither he wished to do so.

.
.
.

A big cake was brought up in the middle. His mother and brother were holding his hands on the knife as he cut the cake.

Everyone was cheering for him, singing the birthday song while clapping their hands.

His mother took a piece of cake and fed him, not before taking a bit of the cream and smudging it over his nose and giggled. He only smiled at that, feeling warm & giddy. Ah- His mother really knew how to make him smile.

After that, the cake was passed around to the guests. With the call for the feast to begin, they were being guided to the dining hall.

But before they could move to the dining tables and start the feast, a tiny figure (only shorter than Lan Wangji by an inch though) made his way to Wangji.

"Wait", he called out. The sound came out a bit louder than the child intended to. So it managed to snatch all the guests' attention to the boy.

The boy bit down his lower lip. Maybe from nervousness.

A woman as far as he remembered the name- something along- Yu Ziyuan called out, "Wei Wuxian! What are you doing there? Come over here."

Her husband, the sect leader Jiang stopped her with a hand on her arm and shook his head while whispering something.

The boy- Wei Wuxian, now that he knew his name, after glancing at Madam Yu, once again set his eyes on Wangji.

He pulled out a flower from his behind and gave it to Lan Wangji, " A return gift as thanks from before". Wei Ying had an expectant look on his face, all the while he was fidgeting around.

Realizing the indication, Wangjis eyes lit up. 'He remembered!' Wangji rejoiced in his mind, though he didn't let it show on his face. He took the flower while murmuring a thank you.

His mother smiled at the exchange and crouched down. Taking the flower from his hand, she swiftly tucked it on his hair above the ear, "It's better now", she smiled cheekily. All this while the guests were watching the scene with interest. amusement shining on their faces.

*Gasp* hearing the soft sound, he looked at the boy again.

"You look so pretty!! Prettier than the flowers!" The boy exclaimed loudly, a look of clear awe glinting on the doe eyes.

Lan Wangji's ears became a scarlet shade of red instantly and all the guests along with his mother laughed out loud.

Lan Wangji though embarrassed couldn't be happier than this.

He broke into a gleeful smile.....for the first time.

Laughter still echoing through the hall made the atmosphere of the cloud recess livelier and much brighter than it ever had been over the years.

_______________

Lan Wangji woke up in his husband's warm embrace feeling a soft kiss on his forehead.

" Happy birthday, Lan Zhan", Wei Ying murmured before snuggling closer to Wangji, already fully clothed, contrary to his half-naked self.

Wangji hummed feeling blissful and wrapped his arms around Wei Ying's waist, tighter than before and inhaled the soft fragrance of lotus and spices emitting from his hair.

It was a dream. Only a wistful dream. Wangji turned 32 years old today. Married to the love of his life for over three years.

Though Lan Wangji would love to have the dream as the reality, he is contented with what he has now. He can not ask for more.

Wei Ying was in his arms, after all the struggles. But those were worth it. Of course his Wei Ying is worth everything that the world has to offer.

Having Wei Ying was better than any realities and dreams.

So he inched his face closer to Ying and pecked on his lips softly, basking in happiness as he felt it being reciprocated.

"Get up already, Birthday boy. We need to celebrate it properly" Wei Ying said with a fond look on his face.

"Mn" lan Wangi hummed but didn't show any sign of movement.

"Hey! Move already. The children are waiting for you outside", he playfully scolded.

Wangji grumbled a bit with furrowed brows at that before letting go of his husband, already missing the warmth but got up anyway.

He was about to dress up, but Wei Ying halted his steps pulling on his sleeves, "Ah! I'll do it today"

Wei Ying readily took the inner robe off of lan wangji, then bathed him before dressing him up again.

Drying his hair, Wei Ying made a half bun over his head and placed the silver crown on top of it.

He let a few strands of hair hang loose on Wangji's forehead and tied the forehead ribbon securely with a knot.

"Perfect", Ying breathed.

Then he pulled lan Wangji up and walked over to the door.

"Let's go", he said.

Wangji smiled letting his husband pull him along.

But before Wei ying opened the door, he stopped as if he thought of something, then turned around and pulled him closer by the collar of his robes, taking Lan Wangji by surprise with a sudden deep kiss. *smack*

Recovering from his shock, Wangji readily reciprocated the kiss with a deeper one of his own.

They went on like this for a while, indulging in the bliss for the moment before a knock on the door broke them up from their stupor.

Wangji huffed in irritation.

"Hanguan jun, Senior Wei! Hurry up already!" Jingyi shouted impatiently all the while Shizhui was trying to hush him.

Wei ying laughed out loud at the antics of the un-Lan Lan junior before opening the door. He proceeded to finally make his way out of the room, still holding Lan Wangji's hand and pulling him along.

Wangji's breath hitched.

'Ah'He really could go on like this for the rest of his life and still wouldn't have enough of his beloved.

The End

_____________________________________

Thanks for reading till the end. It's my first time publishing a fanfic.

It was written in a haste. So there might be lacking and other mistakes.

Feel free to point it out.
Constructive criticism is welcomed.

Lastly, Happy Lan Zhan day!

23.01.2021


Edited