Wei Ying sleeps for a long time.

Lan Zhan decided to let him sleep, tired as he was, and cancelled the alarm on his phone. He made sure to get the children ready for school, and then to reassure them and not make Wei Ying feel any worse today, he brought them into their bedroom so the children could kiss Wei Ying's cheeks before they left.

"Bye, Baba, see you later," They both whisper.

Wei Ying stirs but doesn't wake up, and Lan Zhan is happy about that. He hopes Wei Ying will sleep until he gets back from dropping them off.

In the car, with the children sitting on their booster seats on the way to school, something makes the normally quiet kids cry out in delight.

"LOOK! It's Halloween on Thursday!" JingYi shouts.

The unexpected noise makes Lan Zhan swerve but he quickly recovers and turns to face them at the next traffic light.

"Would you both like to go trick or treating?" He asks them, smiling because they both look excited by his suggestion.

"Yeah!" They agree in unison. And then A-Yuan says, "it's Baba's birthday, then."

That's new information for Lan Zhan.

Their relationship is so new that they have yet to find out important things about each other, plus it's not as if they've been idle these past few weeks. Still, it will be an excellent opportunity to distract Wei Ying from the trauma inflicted by Wen Qing.

They pull up outside the school a few minutes earlier than normal, because Lan Zhan might have driven a bit faster than usual just so he can chat to them like this.

"If you want to go trick or treating, then you have to have costumes. What do you want to go as?" Then he has another brilliant idea. "Also, what if we surprise your Baba? As a birthday present? Let's not tell him anything about this!"

A-Yuan looks sceptical about that, but JingYi soon wins him over and Lan Zhan tells them to think about how they want to dress up on Thursday, and to tell him quietly before tomorrow so he can order costumes online.

Too soon, it's time for them to go inside and join their classmates, and Lan Zhan feels that warm wave of love as both kids hug his neck and kiss his cheeks, saying, "Bye, A-Die! See you later!"

Both of them are so cute as they hold hands and run into the school building, with the teacher shouting at them to walk, not run.

He nods at the security team assigned to protect his children, and then he's on his way back home with a solid plan in mind.

Wei Ying is still sleeping when Lan Zhan brings his tablet to sit next to him. He can safely guess that A-Yuan will want to be a bunny, and there are lots of options available for him; but it is JingYi who is the wild card, unpredictable about his choices.

Accidentally, his finger opens a new tab and he's looking at the cutest family set of costumes. They're lovely, quirky and just so happen to be in their sizes, so Lan Zhan orders them as well.

If for nothing else, they can dress up and take plenty of pictures as a family snapshot moment.

He closes tabs when he's done and tries to catch up on deadlines, just waiting for that moment when there's a change in Wei Ying's breathing. It happens faster than he expects, and Lan Zhan is already putting away his tablet by the time Wei Ying blinks awake.

He scoots down to embrace the yawning man who looks wonderfully messy and alive.

"Lan Zhan..."

It's the way Wei Ying says his name, full of reverence and love, joy and sweetness, tinged with danger and everything in between. Their lips meet in an unspoken agreement that this is the only way to greet each other every morning.

Something about Wei Ying, hard to pinpoint whether it's his indescribable lotus scent mixed with vanilla, or just the feel of his softness as the first thing in the morning, but he awakens the insatiable need inside Lan Zhan to show him how much he means to him.

They're kissing and kissing, and it seems to go on forever. Each taste, each lick and each careful bite means something different, an outpouring of their feelings. Wei Ying loves Lan Zhan like this, his skin cool and hard under his fingertips, pressing down on him, the weight of his body stirring other parts of himself.

But out of all his emotions, Lan Zhan can clearly smell his sadness. It's bittersweet and full of regrets.

So he doesn't act on his instincts, choosing instead to pull Wei Ying into a tight embrace.

"How is Wei Ying feeling this morning?"

His deep voice rumbles up through his chest to fill Wei Ying's ears. He snuggles even closer, letting his hands caress Lan Zhan's back with soothing warmth under his shirt, which his clever fingers have tugged out of the waistband of his trousers.

"Better." Wei Ying clears his hoarse throat. He still sounds sad, though.

Lan Zhan's hands are already stroking his hair. He loves Wei Ying's hair, it's so silky and wild, heavy and lustrous.

"Mn?" He doesn't believe Wei Ying.

"I am... kind of."

Lan Zhan lets him gather his thoughts.

"You know what the hard part is going to be? Explaining to A-Yuan. What do I even say? And whatever excuse I give him, nothing is going to stop him thinking it's something he's done for them to drop him, just like that. Both Wen Qing and Wen Ning have played such a large part in his life since he was little, and I just don't know how to make any of this easy."

"What about Wen PoPo?"

"See? That's another dilemma. I don't mind if she comes to us, but what if she's babysitting and then Wen Qing turns up? Or Wen Ning? Do you see?" Wei Ying sounds miserable about the whole thing.

What's worse is that Lan Zhan has no perfect answers for him. Nothing he can say to make any of it better for him, or the children.

Their best bet for now is distraction should either of the children mention their aunt or uncle.

It might not be the best solution, but it will work as a temporary one.

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

After breakfast, Lan Zhan takes Wei Ying back to his apartment.

They still have to pack things away and get their stuff ready for the removal company, plus Lan Zhan wants to make sure that the door to the apartment was fixed, because otherwise the apartment might be empty for completely the wrong reasons.

When he parks the car outside Wei Ying's apartment building, he turns to face Wei Ying and is surprised.

Wei Ying is turning a small key over and over in the palm of his right hand.

"I was thinking, maybe after we're done here, on the way back home, can we make a quick stop at the bus shelter?" He says thoughtfully. "I don't know if they have a time limit for collecting your stuff, and I don't want to risk it."

Lan Zhan covers his hands and squeezes them, nodding. He's out of the car and opening the door for Wei Ying in no time at all.

Memories flood both of them as they enter the building, walking up the four flights of concrete stairs and the warmth it gives them. Lan Zhan had only lived here for three short weeks and still he was filled with sadness at the thought of never coming back here again.

If he felt this bad, then what about how Wei Ying must be feeling right now?

They are both surprised when Wei Ying's door is fixed, and Lan Zhan allows himself a happy smile. His gift had come in useful for Wei Ying, and he couldn't be prouder.

He doesn't want to leave Wei Ying alone to brood though, so he sticks by his side.

"The apartment came with some bits of furniture, but I think I'm going to leave all of it here for the next tenant. What if...well, if they're coming to live here, they can't be that well off to begin with. So, whatever helps," he decides, thinking aloud.

They start folding and packing clothes into boxes; Wei Ying is fast and messy, Lan Zhan refolds each garment to his own satisfaction, putting each one carefully inside each container so there will be a minimum of creasing.

Wei Ying seems distracted, lost in thought, and Lan Zhan thinks it can't be anything happy because Wei Ying's blood would smell different if that was the case. For once, he doesn't mind talking first, if it will improve his mood.

"Husband-to-be?"

Wei Ying chokes on air.

He throws the t-shirt in his hands onto the bed and jumps up into Lan Zhan's arms, beaming down at him.

Much better, Lan Zhan thinks, mission accomplished. He's caught the best bunny of them all.

"I haven't thought about it," Wei Ying tells him, far too confidently.

"Summer? Winter? Here, or a destination wedding?"

"Is it bad if I say I don't care, not like you're thinking," Wei Ying hurries to clear the impending hurt that grows in those gorgeous eyes. "I mean, the most important part of that is marrying you. Us. We're going to be married."

"Mn."

Wei Ying lets out the loudest ear-splitting squeal, and attacks Lan Zhan's face with eager kisses, and they're both ignoring the person on the other side of the thin walls banging on them to be quiet.

"Together, forever," Wei Ying says when his mouth becomes free.

"Mn. I like the sound of that. But still, we will need to decide." Lan Zhan tells him, his lips upturned and twitching.

"Well, you're asking me, but do you have any preference? What about your dreams?" Wei Ying is absolutely serious, holding Lan Zhan's face in both of his palms, looking down at him.

"I never thought I would be marrying anyone." Lan Zhan says honestly. "I am not sad about it, it is just a fact."

"Ah, right. I guess we were both too busy to think about anything other than working. Okay, how about I ask you questions, and you can give it a number from one to ten, say? One being most desirable, and ten being a fuck-that-not-on-my-watch big fat no-no?"

"Wei Ying is making this extra complicated." Lan Zhan wrinkles his nose in distaste.

"Aww!! Is my bunny upset?" Wei Ying leans in to kiss his cute button nose. "What do you suggest, then?"

"Yes or no. Easy."

"Fine, fine, fine. Okay, first question: here or somewhere else?"

Lan Zhan shrugs after thinking about it.

"Lan Zhaaaan! Be serious!" Wei Ying ends up giggling.

"I think Wei Ying was right, at the start. Only being married to Wei Ying is important, nothing else." He pouts in defeat.

Wei Ying slaps a hand over his own hands, shouting, "not fair, Lan Zhan! Don't pull that face, because then I have to kiss you and then we're never gonna get anything done!"

"Maybe Xiongzhang will help us?" Lan Zhan suddenly is hit with that bright thought.

"Oh, that's a fantastic idea! He's sure to know because he's also engaged! Him and MingJue-Ge must have their shit together, right? I bet he has a colour-coded, alphabetised flowchart file with important steps written in thick bullet points!" Wei Ying taps his nose. "We could steal that file..."

"Mn!" Lan Zhan sounds really excited about that suggestion.

"It's a deal, partner! We'll interrogate them tonight, at home." Wei Ying puts his fist forward so Lan Zhan can bump it with his own. "And now, much as I don't wanna stop whatever this is," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively with the naughtiest smirk on his face, and stood up reluctantly, "we better make a real dent in our work."

Lan Zhan considers what he's saying seriously, mentally counting out the hours in between going to fetch the kids back from school and visiting the bus station to pick up whatever JingYi's mother had left for them, and returning home.

He looks at his watch; they have time.

Wei Ying is watching him back, the playful smile slowly vanishing from his face as he realises what Lan Zhan wants to do instead. He starts backing away with his hands out in a defensive stance, and Lan Zhan growls.

"Oh no, Mr Lan! We can't!" He edges away, feeling the first thrills of an imminent chase.

"We can." Lan Zhan replies, stalking him.

The most delicious whine leaves Wei Ying's mouth, and it's all over.

Lan Zhan pounces.

********

They are early, and Lan Zhan is smug about that.

They're so early in fact, that they can go to the bus station first, before picking up the children. Lan Zhan parks in the lot and they go inside, hand in hand.

"Don't be scared," Lan Zhan soothes him, calmly walking past the attendants as if he owned the place.

Wei Ying follows his lead.

But it's hard dealing with his sadness that Mrs Lan is no longer around, that she has done what his own mother had, all those years ago, and left a message for her child. Then and there, Wei Ying makes a promise to himself that JingYi will never, ever have doubts about how much his mother loved him.

Wei Ying will talk to him when he begins to ask his questions, and he is going to make sure that JingYi never forgets about who his mother was, and what she was like.

The lockers are around the corner from the turnstiles that lead to the platforms where people go to catch their designated buses. The little corridor is empty and Wei Ying fishes out the key that Mrs Lan had given him. He passes it over to Lan Zhan.

"You open it," he whispers, his silver eyes as round as dishes.

"Mn."

The door gives way, the lock cheaply offering no resistance at all, and then they peer inside the little compartment.