"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." Thomas Jefferson

(Although ironically this IS the last one...)

********

One fine day when cherry blossoms were floating all around them, and the warmth of the spring sun gladdened their hearts, Wei Ying, Lan Zhan and A-Yuan drove to their second home, the Lan Manor.

A-Yuan was sitting in the back of their sports car because Lan Zhan couldn't really give those up, but he knew he was an excellent driver and would never put his family in danger, besides the Mercedes chassis was one of the strongest out there. Lan Zhan checked on their four year old son who had a big smile on his face, because today, he was going to spend the day with his uncles and more importantly, his grandfather.

Lan Zhan had dressed him in their favourite bunny hoodie too, and his white fluffy ears stood proudly on his hood. There was even a little tail at the back, also very fluffy. Lan Zhan had been browsing online looking for an adult version of the same thing, and what he had found first was a birthday present for his Wei Ying...at first glance, he was skeptical too, because just that couldn't be a whole costume, right? It was only when he imagined Wei Ying wearing it, that his ears had gone red and he'd ended up buying three. In different colours.

Bizarrely, and maybe because the theme was bunnies, he found much more innocent versions of a hoodie for their child and proceeded to buy them for up until A-Yuan was ten, fully confident that his boy would still be liking rabbits.

Right now, it never failed to bring home to him how lucky he was. As they drove down the avenue winding to the Manor, he brought Wei Ying's hand up to his lips and kissed his ring first, and then his soft, warm skin.

Feeling it tremble in his hand, he risked a glance over at Wei Ying, who was looking at him full of love. His gaze, and all the emotions in his starlight eyes were so obvious, and so much, Lan Zhan felt humbled.

"Love Wei Ying. Forever." They pulled up outside the fountain.

Wei Ying unclipped his seat belt in a flash and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Later...I'm going to show you exactly how much I love you." He promised, not a whisper of a joke on his features. He was completely serious.

Lan Zhan suppressed a shiver, his golden eyes alight with love.

"Baba! A-Dieeee! Come on!!" A-Yuan, used to this by now, knew it would go on forever without some prodding. "I wanna see Yeye!! Pwease!!!"

Yeye was actually coming down the long steps to their car already and A-Yuan once released from his confinement, bolted up them to meet his grandfather.

Lan Zhan stood with one arm wrapped around Wei Ying’s waist, proudly watching his uncle and their son meet for the first time this week.

When Uncle Qiren had met A-Yuan for the second time, for both of them, something had changed. Yeye as he told A-Yuan to call him, was suddenly less grumpy, and more prone to laughter, which both of his nephews found just plain weird.

A-Yuan loved to play with his whiskers, his infectious laughter making the older man happy. Many a time, either Lan Zhan or Wei Ying had walked in to find both just sitting together, not even talking. When they spent time together, they did a variety of things, including colouring, singing and story telling, which A-Yuan loved the most.

Today was Yeye's birthday, and they were holding a party for him that weekend, but it was the holidays and A-Yuan had already asked them three times this week when they were going to visit him again.

Lan Zhan knew his uncle was lonelier these days, now that both of his nephews were happily married, and while this meant more people in the family, they weren't actually there.

Lan XiChen, Nie MingJue and Jiang Cheng had bought a house together, and Wei Ying and Lan Zhan living with A-Yuan were already settled in a home that lay between the Manor and his Shijie's house. Today, everyone was going to eat dinner together, in honour of their Uncle.

Wei Ying smiled up at Lan Zhan when they had waved goodbye to the other two.

"What is Wei Ying thinking?" Lan Zhan turned him fully in his arms, struck again by how beautiful Wei Ying looked like this. The soft sunlight slanted across his face, making his usually silver eyes appear like liquid mercury, a dusting of freckles across his pink nose.

How could Lan Zhan resist?

He bent and captured those plump lips, always demanding to be kissed. Wei Ying opened for him like a flower, the sweet nectar of his taste tantalising and addictive, and Lan Zhan could never get enough.

Wei Ying pressed up against his hard body, shivering in delight as Lan Zhan held him even tighter, their kiss becoming heated in a matter of seconds. Hot tongues tasted, licked and fought for dominance, while Lan Zhan’s hands reached under his shirt to mold Wei Ying's body closer, feeling the warm expanse of his smooth back, while feasting on his mouth.

Wei Ying was dizzy with love for this sweet, sweet man, who had proven again and again, that he was here to stay.

He swayed on his feet as Lan Zhan reluctantly let him go, and then grabbed him quickly, alarmed.

"Wei Ying!"

"I'm okay! But it's your fault for being too hot...I can never hold back with you." Wei Ying leaned his forehead against Lan Zhan's shoulder, taking steadying breaths.

Lan Zhan smiled and kissed his messy bun.

"Can we go see the rabbits, my love?" Wei Ying looked up at him again, the silver jewels of his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Lan Zhan filed that picture away for later and smiled indulgently.

"We can do whatever Wei Ying wants to do."

Happily, they walked hand in hand towards the fields where the bunnies were hopping from place to place. And they were not alone.

Jiang Cheng was brushing the excess fur from his clothes, and he shared a look with Lan XiChen before turning to Wei Ying.

Lan Zhan was already frowning.

It was no secret that he had no patience for the Grape, since the man was always wearing something purple, and maybe it was a vicious cycle; his own dislike led to the Grape hating him back, something that Lan Zhan did not care about in the least.

But his attitude towards Jiang Cheng was affecting his own brother, and since Lan XiChen was one of the few people who could tell how annoyed he really was, Lan Zhan felt a teensie bit of regret about his feelings. XiChen was already looking upset...with him, and Lan Zhan thought that was a little unfair, seeing as he had done nothing...

Yet.

And then, the Grape had to open his mouth.

"Wei WuXian...I'd like to talk to you."

Both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan froze.

Lan Zhan glared really hard at Jiang Cheng, for suddenly coming out with something that sounded so serious, and then at his brother, who didn't seem to understand why this wasn't a good idea.

Wei Ying was getting flashbacks to their big fight. It was bad enough that his super eidetic memory did not allow him to forget a single nuance of their encounter, and the consequently worse fights that happened after that, until Wei Ying had walked out with A-Yuan, but even now, his hand was trembling in Lan Zhan's, and that was not something he could forgive.

Wei Ying was not frightened of Jiang Cheng.

More, it was the bad memories were resurfacing and he did not want to relive any part of them, nor have a repeat performance. He had a hard time repressing that time anyway, and Lan Zhan knew he still suffered from nightmares now and again. But he was getting better...

"Wei Ying does not have to do anything he does not want to." Lan Zhan turned him so Wei Ying could only see his face.

His warm hands cupped Wei Ying's face, looking deeply into troubled eyes filled with hurt and confusion.

This pair...this pair he would not ever be painting.

"Wei Ying! Listen to me...do you want to go?"

"Didi...please, and A-Xian...please, give him a chance to explain. He's been just as hurt by the past as you have..." XiChen's warm voice implored both of them to hear him.

"Not now, Gege." Lan Zhan bit out, trying to keep his tone civil.

"If not now, then when?" XiChen had a tone, and it wasn't friendly. "How long are you going to keep letting them stew over this? They're both hurting and it's unnecessary!" He ended up shouting. "They need to fix this!"

Lan Zhan had never heard his brother shout before, and certainly not at himself. He looked up into blazing topaz eyes, lit with a fire from deep within him. XiChen's chest was heaving with the effort to not say everything he was feeling.

Only Wei Ying's cool fingers on his wrists brought him back to his husband.

"My love...he's right. We need to clear the air between us...and look, so much has changed in our lives...we're also different people now." But there was uncertainty in his eyes.

"Is Wei Ying sure? We don't have to stay here...." His voice trailed off. They could easily spend time in his old room, or the attic, his studio...

Wei Ying closed his eyes, taking deeper breaths, trying to calm himself. When those silver eyes opened once more, they were filled with determination.

"No. I'm not sure, but I think XiChen-Ge is right. Let's do this." He turned around to face Jiang Cheng properly, smiling when he didn't really feel like it.

Lan Zhan squeezed his hand tightly, offering silent support.

"I am here. Will stay with Wei Ying..." Lan Zhan said, quietly.

Jiang Cheng gave his husband an imploring look.

"Actually Didi, we've run out of fresh carrots for the bunnies and WanYin and I were just going back to the kitchen to get some more. Why don't you come with me instead?" It wasn't a question.

Wei Ying put a braver smile on his face. Most of his life he had spent faking bravado, what was one more day?

But Lan Zhan hated it.

"I'll be fine." Wei Ying was telling him. "He's my brother, I have nothing to worry about."

But it felt as if those words were more for himself than Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan was already holding his hand; now he pulled Wei Ying to the centre of the field and put two fingers in his mouth, letting out a single noted whistle. They heard rustling and the tall grasses moved out of the way to reveal the largest, fluffiest black rabbit Wei Ying had ever seen.

Lan Zhan made him sit down, and then placed the big, cuddly bunny into Wei Ying's lap.

"This is Wu." He told Wei Ying.

Wei Ying was utterly delighted with this gorgeous bundle of the softest fur he had ever felt under his fingertips. He dug both hands into the thick fur, and decided to bury his own nose in it too, wrinkling it just like the other bunnies.

"Wu, this is Wei Ying. Look after him." Lan Zhan lifted one floppy ear to whisper all this. "If that guy upsets Wei Ying at all, you may bite him. Hard." Lan Zhan pointed at Jiang Cheng, not bothering to lower his voice at all now.

He was mildly pacified at the way Jiang Cheng was having trouble swallowing.

"Don't worry, WanYin, he's just kidding." XiChen told Jiang Cheng.

Lan Zhan waited until his brother had turned his back, before fixing Jiang Cheng with a stern glare. "Not joking." He mouthed. Then he got his index and middle finger, pointed at his own two eyes, and repeated the gesture towards Jiang Cheng, all in the space of a few seconds, and definitely in a threatening way, before striding off to get the carrots and put an end to this stupid charade.

XiChen waited until they were out of earshot.

"You need to give Jiang WanYin a chance, Didi. He's not a bad person."

Lan Zhan snorted, but refrained from voicing his opinion.

"I mean it." His voice was tinged with frustration. "People change, you know Didi. And trust me, he has. His progress has been made in leaps and bounds...but this thing with his brother...it's stopping him from moving forward. They need to sort it out."

Lan Zhan thought there was no point in talking to the spouse of that man. Even if that spouse was his blood brother, XiChen had already made up his mind about the whole situation, mostly because he had only heard Jiang Cheng's version.

It made Lan Zhan angry.

XiChen noticed the way his brow furrowed, the tightening of his eyes harder than they had ever been, and the slight curl of his lip on one side.

"Why don't you tell me what's bothering you about WanYin, then?" XiChen smiled at him kindly, and Lan Zhan had to admire this trait of his brother's.

Even though he knew what Lan Zhan was going to say would be hurtful to him, he was willing to listen.

So Lan Zhan stopped in the middle of the road and gathered his thoughts, trying to find the right words.

"Betrayal." That was the first word that came to his mind whenever he thought of Jiang WanYin.

"Why?" XiChen prodded.

"Wei Ying wanted to adopt A-Yuan...Jiang WanYin tried to stop him. No support, only animosity. Wei Ying was alone. No one with him except A-Yuan." Lan Zhan clenched his fists, only getting angrier. "No brother would do that. Xiongzhang would never."

XiChen had not expected such a frank revelation from his baby brother, and it made him both proud and humble. He enveloped Lan Zhan in a hearty hug, holding him tight.

"Thank you, Didi. I...I guess I always worried about you. I'm glad you know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what." XiChen stroked his hair lovingly. "You know, I still remember the day our mother put you into my arms. She was telling me that I had to look after you, trying to explain to me the role of what a big brother was supposed to be like...and I don't think I heard half the things she was telling me. Do you know why?" His voice had become so much softer, and XiChen smiled when he felt Lan Zhan's head shake in a 'no' gesture.

"Because right then, you took hold of my finger and opened your eyes. You looked straight into my eyes, and I fell in love with you. Right at that moment, I knew that if I could save you from anything at all, I was going to give it my all. I was going to be the one that stood in between you and anything threatening your happiness."

He sniffed and Lan Zhan knew he was crying. His arms came around XiChen's shaking shoulders, holding him tight.

"So what do I do, when standing in front of you, when you could be wrong, and it's hurting me so much?"

Lan Zhan was shocked. Out of all the things XiChen could say, he hadn't been expecting anything like this. XiChen was someone who kept his hurts inside, not willing to risk hurting anyone else if he could help it.

"What does Xiongzhang want from me?" He asked, haltingly.

This wasn't fair. If XiChen thought he was going to decide between Wei Ying and him, that was a question which should never be asked.

"I'm not asking you to choose." XiChen told him, correctly predicting the way his mind worked.

"Then?"

"I'm asking you to give WanYin a chance to explain to Wei Ying. If they end up patching things together, you have no reason to hate him anymore, right?"

Lan Zhan felt played.

He could not agree...and he could not disagree...

"Mn." But Lan Zhan didn't think he could ever forgive Jiang Cheng for abandoning his Wei Ying either.

"All I'm saying is, just do your best. I'm not expecting you to turn around and go hug the man, welcoming him into our family, and all that..."

Lan Zhan tried not to gag.

He kept a hold of his brother, so XiChen wouldn't be able to see his face.

"Just do your best, Didi. Okay?" XiChen did move away then, and smiled at him full of proud love. "Thank you, Didi."

Lan Zhan nodded, thinking about the most obvious loophole in this conversation: XiChen wanted him to do his best to accept Jiang WanYin...and sure, he could do that.

It was just unfortunate for Jiang Cheng that both his and his Xiongzhang's standards of his best were vastly different...

Lan Zhan would have to find another, more covert way to keep his dislike under wraps...maybe he could even make Jiang Cheng think it was only in his mind....

Lan Zhan smiled genuinely at his brother as they continued on towards the kitchens, making plans in his head...

**************

Jiang Cheng sat across from Wei Ying's lap, eyeing the black rabbit with concern. He risked edging closer, and that thing bared its teeth at him.

The transition from cute and cuddly to I'm-going-to-bite-you-and-it's-going-to-hurt was a matter of seconds, and Jiang Cheng blinked, wondering if he had imagined the whole thing.

He eased away, the rabbit and he maintaining eye contact...

Wei Ying felt tense.

Talking to his brother always felt tense, and he didn't know how to un-tense it, how to not be on edge whenever he was around. Muscle memory and mind memory were similar experiences and now he was afraid that past traumas were colouring his each interaction with this man.

So he sat, outwardly calm but inside himself, he could feel panic rising. A knot of nerves like boiling spaghetti was simmering in his stomach and trying to overflow but Wei Ying was desperate for that not to happen.

"I hate this." Jiang Cheng kept his voice low. "I hate how you don't really talk to me...not like before. I mean, I could always tell what you were thinking...back then...but nowadays, I feel like you're only speaking to me out of politeness."

Wei Ying stayed quiet. It wasn't as if it wasn’t true...but the thought of any real conversation filled him with stress. And who's fault is that? Wei Ying wanted to say...feeling a little bitter about that.

"I'm sorry, you know. I've said it before, but I don't think you believe me." He added.

"Jiang Cheng...it's not that. I believe you...I mean, I can see you're sorry...but at this point, it no longer matters whether you are or not." As Wei Ying said the words, he realised how true they were.

"It matters to me."

"But you're making this about you...and I don't think it ever was." Wei Ying looked up into sincere amethyst eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"That time has gone. When I needed you, heck when I needed anyone, someone, not to tell me, "don't do it", I needed someone to tell me that everything would be okay, and that I could do it, you know what I'm saying? That's what support is. It's being there for someone...if they're important to you."

"You are important to me!" Jiang Cheng insisted. "I was too young to know anything then. All I could think about was the fact that you were throwing your life away, and I was going to be alone. I could see very clearly in my mind, that our paths were going in two different directions...and I didn't want you to leave...me." He sighed deeply. "And a part of me knew you were doing the right thing ...and I hated you for it."

Wei Ying's head shot up at that.

"What? Why?"

"I'm trying to be honest with you. And did I really need a reason? Yet another one?" His fingers reached out to tear blades of grass from the ground, the ripping sound bizarrely satisfying.

"I...I don't...know what you mean..." Wei Ying had certainty that he wasn't going to like Jiang Cheng's next words.

"You were always better than me at everything. Always. And you were so nice about it too. You aced every test, and every day, I had to hear it from my mother. And don't think I don't know about your later test results...I saw you trying to forge a lower mark. It was pointless...my mother has eyes sharper than a hawk. She knew it too." His fingers found a stray dandelion.

Wei Ying winced as it too was shredded.

"I didn't mean to be." He said quietly.

"Oh, I know that!" Jiang Cheng bit out, still annoyed about it. "My point is, you made everything look so easy, the tests, working, the way you lived your life, the way you could extract affection from my father...effortless. I felt like you were there, trying to steal my life from under my feet. There was a time when I really hated you..."

What could he say to that?

Jiang Cheng was full of insecurities, and ironically, put there by the very people who wanted him to be more confident, assertive and bold.

"So when you said you were going to adopt this little kid, whom you did not know, didn't even know his parents...I felt like you were choosing a stranger over me. And it hurt. We had already cut off ties with mum and dad...and now you were going to leave me too..."

"You could have come with me."

"What? Are you suggesting I should have dropped out as well?" Jiang Cheng laughed scornfully. "Surely that's compounding the actual problem?"

"No, I don't mean leaving school. Jiang Cheng, you still don't get it. None of this was about you. Like, at all. My one single thought was A-Yuan...I didn't think past that."
Wei Ying tried to calm down.

Wu could feel his hands shaking and he nuzzled closer, butting his head against Wei Ying’s palms, demanding his attention.

"When I said come with us, I meant by standing with us. Jiang Cheng, I really needed you to say to me, "yes, you can do it"...but instead of that, or even silent apathy, you actively blamed me. That last fight...it was the end of us you know, because you asked me to choose between you and A-Yuan. That's why I walked away. You didn’t get it then, and you still don't get it. You're letting your guilt eat away at you." Wei Ying thought about the fact that they were supposed to be being honest with each other, right? Then he should use this opportunity to tell Jiang Cheng what was really going through his mind.

"The thing is, Jiang Cheng, my A-Yuan was all alone. He had just turned two...and he didn't understand anything then. He didn't know where his parents were, or his mum, and do you know? He was still calling out to her, even in his sleep. And I used to think, no matter where they were, I hoped they could see that he was happy now. You seemed to forget that I was also in the system for a while. It's not something...you can forget easily...especially for me. My condition does not allow me to forget a single thing, remember?" Wei Ying swallowed past the huge lump in his throat, but the tears gathered in his eyes anyway, mocking his efforts.

"So, not only was I making a monumental change to my life, and A-Yuan's life, I knew exactly the risk I was taking by giving up my education...I knew. But I had no other choice."

"I know that now." Jiang Cheng gave him a small smile. "After you left...it took me some time, but I realised you were right...heck, maybe I always knew...it was me who was wrong, who didn't know."

Wei Ying patted his knee.

The black rabbit opened one eye.

"I never thanked you for sending off my manuscript." Wei Ying said, after a while.

"You had forgotten it in our room." Jiang Cheng blushed.

As if he could forget anything...

Wei Ying had left it there on purpose, not having the time to even dream about doing writing as a profession. He had left it there because he was saying goodbye to his own life, to everything he had built up until then, because there was no space in his new life to think about his old one...and it would have just been painful...

"Listen...all of that...just...just forget about it. Let's not think about any of it, Jiang Cheng. It's all in the past...and neither one of us can change a single thing about it." Wei Ying listened to the purring animal in his lap. Wu was a big boy...

"I'm not sure if I can." Jiang Cheng admitted.

"You're going to have to find a way. Have you considered therapy? It might help you if you talked about this with a random stranger." Wei Ying smiled at him gently. "The first step must be learning to forgive yourself. Everything else should fall into place by itself."

The sound of grass being trodden on was heard and Wei Ying saw Lan Zhan striding towards him then, with XiChen following behind him, trying to keep up.

Jiang Cheng stood up.

"See you at dinner then."

Wei Ying nodded, watching him go.

Lan Zhan, safe in the knowledge that XiChen couldn't possibly see his face, glared particularly hard at him, and stormed past, eager to reach his Wei Ying. He heard XiChen asking Jiang Cheng how he was...and frankly, Lan Zhan did not care. He slid down next to Wei Ying, his arm already around Wei Ying’s waist.

Wu butted his head against Lan Zhan's hand.

"Thank you, friend. You may go now."

Wu seemed to kiss the centre of Wei Ying's palm, before bounding away.

Lan Zhan reached over and with his index finger, he lifted Wei Ying's chin and looked deeply into his eyes.

He frowned deeply.

"Wei Ying has been crying..."

"Well...considering what I had to look at..." He tried to make a joke, but more tears fell.

Lan Zhan kissed them away and lifted Wei Ying into his lap, holding him close.

Cocooned by the warmth of the arms surrounding him, Wei Ying burrowed into his chest, feeling better already.

"Does Wei Ying feel better now?"

"Much." He snuggled closer, taking in lungfuls of the sandalwood scent.

"Talking helped?"

"Not really..." Wei Ying waved a hand in the general direction of where Jiang Cheng had gone. "All that...it was just for his peace of mind. I hope he feels better now...or finds a way to."

"And Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan let his lips rest on Wei Ying's temple.

"I think...my love...I'm over it. It's in the past now...and I don't see any reason to drudge it up. I just want to look forward now." He kissed the underside of Lan Zhan’s jaw. "You and A-Yuan...you're all I need. I love you so much."

Lan Zhan kissed his mouth then, the beautiful mouth capable of saying such wonderful things. There were times when he felt that parroting those words was okay...but demonstrating his love like this, was a far better way to show Wei Ying that he was loved.

Hot lips stole across hotter ones, warming each other up. Again, Lan Zhan let his palms run wild, easing under the soft cotton of Wei Ying's shirt, his throat making a new noise of approval as Wei Ying shuddered under his hands.

Lan Zhan's hands were always warm, but like this on his bare skin...was the best feeling. Wei Ying felt himself be lowered down into the soft grasses, with the full weight of Lan Zhan’s body covering him. Their lips had not stopped kissing, and even now, Lan Zhan was providing the best distraction to a rough morning.

This position exposed the creases in the hollows of his neck, and Lan Zhan was powerless to resist, he bit down on the soft skin, and Wei Ying moaned, a sound that came from his soul, thrilling both of them.

Afterwards, Wei Ying lay on Lan Zhan’s chest, feeling content and relaxed.

"I have a surprise for Wei Ying...cannot wait for his birthday." Lan Zhan admitted, stroking his back.

"Who says you have to wait?" Wei Ying opened an eye to look at him. "And what kind of a surprise?" He heard a laugh rumble out of Lan Zhan’s chest.

Wei Ying's energy levels were just recovering and he sat up to straddle his husband.

"Aren't you going to tell me?" He raised a mischievous brow.

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise." Lan Zhan loved this playful side to Wei Ying.

It came out whenever he was stress free and happy, the joy leaving his body in waves of good vibes.

"I can...make you tell me." Wei Ying wiggled where he was sitting on something quite sensitive.

Lan Zhan held his hips still and firm so he was unable to move. The grin of delight blooming on such beautiful features was worth every second. Wei Ying looking down at him with so much love sparkling in his beautiful eyes, that for a second, Lan Zhan was dazed. And then he sat up so fast, his lips locked on the target that was Wei Ying, and he was kissing and kissing those lovely lips, with the sole intention of reciprocating his love.

Wei Ying curled around him, enjoying the ride, this roller coaster reaching heights of unimaginable pleasure, as wave after wave rolled over him. Lan Zhan was a drug, a natural addictive high that he just could not get enough of. Lan Zhan moved down his neck, leaving kisses and bites, until he got to his collarbone.

This was his weakness...

His teeth clamped down on this softest of skin, his tongue coming out to soothe and taste, and he felt lightheaded by the scent of delectable lotus flowers.

Chortling laughter rang out in the silence of the day, and reluctantly, they drifted apart. Lan Zhan was able to hand a few rabbits to Wei Ying and quickly put a few in his own lap, to hide....any evidence.

A-Yuan came running towards them with Uncle not too far behind.

*******************

Too soon, it was time for dinner.

This time, XiChen was no longer sitting on the other end of the table, he sat in between Nie MingJue who had just arrived, and Jiang Cheng on the other, opposite A-Yuan sitting on one less cushion this year, with his parents on either side. Jiang Cheng was directly opposite the IcePick.

He hadn't forgotten that afternoon, neither the encounter with said IcePick nor what he had gotten off his chest with his brother, and he was feeling marginally better. At least the tension had left his shoulders. He looked up into calculating golden eyes, watching him over a glass of water.

He gulped.

He wasn't afraid of Lan Zhan...it was just that the IcePick was so...weird. And okay, a little bit frightening...

"A-Die...tatoes?" A-Yuan asked him.

Jiang Cheng did a double take at the way Lan Zhan changed when his cold gaze fell upon his kid. The warmth that was visible in those golden eyes could have melted polar ice caps a few times over...and oh, God...was that a smile?

He watched the IcePick serve the little boy more mashed potatoes, even helping him use his chopsticks.

It was...unnerving.

And then the frosty glare was back.

Jiang Cheng reached for his wine, swigging it down like it was water.

XiChen glanced at him once before refilling his glass.

Although the dinner rules were slightly more relaxed now mostly because of A-Yuan, silence was still encouraged at least until dessert. The cook brought out a cake with a single candle lit, playing a melody.

Everyone cautiously wished Uncle Qiren happy birthday and then the cake was cut. They drank a toast to the birthday man and settled down to enjoy the sweet treat.

THE END

HONESTLY...NO MORE.....

Alright, this is a bonus:

                   The Birthday Surprise

Shijie and the Peacock left with A-Yuan and A-Ling on the day of Wei Ying's birthday for another sleepover.

Lan Zhan stood behind Wei Ying, arms wrapped around his torso as they waved goodbye to an excited little rabbit who was going away for a night of fun. When they closed their door, Wei Ying turned around in Lan Zhan's arms and kissed him lightly.

"I do believe, my dear husband, that some time back, you promised me a surprise on my birthday..."

Wei Ying beamed when he got two quite fierce reactions: first, the blazing of fire in those golden eyes...his Lan Zhan could go from naught to sixty in less than a second, and then the classic reddening of his ears.

And then his adorable husband mumbled something.

Wei Ying was so busy enjoying the view that he didn't catch what Lan Zhan said.

"Huh?"

"It's for Wei Ying...but..." His ears were very red now. "It's actually for both of us..."

His voice was so low, Wei Ying knew he was embarrassed...but then, a present for both of them...? He was puzzled.

But fortune favours the brave, and remembering this he grinned, holding his hand out, palm up.

"Okay, I'm ready."

He yelped as Lan Zhan picked him up and raced up the stairs. He was pushed into their adjoining bathroom and a package thrust into his waiting hands.

"What's this?" He asked, but he was talking to the back of the bathroom door.

Meanwhile, Lan Zhan placed the plastic sheet on their bed and laid out the spray cans of edible paint like a graffiti artist, ready to do his magic.

He waited for Wei Ying to come out, wearing his birthday present...

And waited....

And waited...

Finally, there was the sound of the bathroom door opening, and a voice called out.

"Um....my love?"

Lan Zhan moved closer to it.

"Mn?"

"Are you sure...that you haven't forgotten anything? I mean...Where's the rest of it?"

"Mn. It's all there."

Wei Ying heard him right on the other side of this door and was mortified at what he was being asked to wear. He shivered...feeling goosebumps at both the sound of his husband's voice...and the cold...because he was practically naked. He touched the rabbit ears on the headband...feeling terribly vulnerable...before setting back his shoulders, making sure the tail, a white fluffy soft thing, was in place, and then he walked out of there.

Lan Zhan took one look at him...and pounced.

********

A/N

Thanks so much all of you for your lovely comments and encouragement and your suggestions. I too loved these versions of our beloved characters so much that I couldn't stop writing about them...but sadly, this one really and truly is the last one...

This one was especially requested by Itookthebluepill

But have no fear!! More different adventures await, right here in this book!

Have a great day everyone, and eat more chocolate on my behalf!

Charlie