fact or fiction

Wei Wuxian finished the remaining liquor from his jar of Emperor’s Smile and then laid back, resting his head on his husband’s lap. He sighed, content. He had good liquor, a warm room, and the company of his favourite person, what more could he ask for? Well, there was definitely more if he were in the mood to despair, but as it was, he was not. Nope, right now he was perfectly content as Lan Zhan stroked his fingers through his hair.

An idea sparked.

“Lan Zhan, let’s play a game,” Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan paused stroking Wei Wuxian’s hair. “Mn?”

“Two truths and a lie.” Wei Wuxian had overheard Jin Ling and some of the Lan junior disciples playing it earlier in the week, when the Lan sect hosted a conference for all sects to attend.

“Lying is forbidden.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian pleaded, “I’m basically forbidden! Overlook this rule for now. Please.”

When Lan Zhan didn’t immediately answer, Wei Wuxian sighed and sat up. “Okay then. I’m going to bed,” he said, pulling away from his husband. It wasn’t even Lan Zhan’s bedtime of 9PM. Going to bed at this hour was unheard of for Wei Wuxian. He wasn’t tired in the slightest—he would fully admit he was just being bratty.

Lan Zhan caught Wei Wuxian’s wrist. His eyebrows furrowed. “Wei Ying.”

“Yeah?”

Lan Zhan pulled Wei Wuxian close, planting a soft kiss on the inside of Wei Wuxian’s wrist. “I will play.”

Wei Wuxian’s cheeks warmed up the way they did everytime Lan Zhan was tender with him. “Lan Zhan! It’s no fun if you feel forced to play,” he said. He fell back on the bed and tugged on Lan Zhan’s sleeve to come down with him. “I’m sorry for being childish. How about we just lay here and I’ll be the one saying three things and you have to guess which one is factually incorrect.”

“Mn.” Lan Zhan made himself comfortable on the bed and then pulled Wei Wuxian close to him, his head on Lan Zhan’s chest, looking up at the ceiling. Wei Wuxian smiled dopily when he felt Lan Zhan kiss the top of his head.

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat. “Okay. Let’s start off easy. Emperor’s Smile is my favourite liquor. The pork rib and lotus soup my Shijie made was the greatest. Dogs,” he repressed a shiver, “are my favourite animal.”

“The last one is incorrect,” Lan Zhan said. His tone was light, a sign that he was amused.

“Yep, you got it. Next one! Lan Zhan’s favourite animal is a bunny. I love Lan sect’s bland food. Nie Huaisang paints better than he fights.”

“The second.”

Wei Wuxian gasped, affronted. “What would Sect Leader Nie think!?”

“He would most likely agree.”

“Yeah, probably. Okay how about this then… Lan Zhan is my husband. Lan Qiren hates me. You secretly enjoyed the porn I hid in your books all that time ago at Cloud Recesses library.”

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said, in that admonishing tone he always used when Wei Wuxian said something he didn’t like.

Wei Wuxain grinned. “Well? Which one is it?”

“Only the first one is true. Uncle does not hate you.”

That made Wei Wuxian laugh. If that was true, Lan Qiren sure had an interesting way of expressing himself.

Lan Zhan sat up, pulling Wei Wuxian with him. He tilted Wei Wuxian’s head to meet his gaze. Wei Wuxian’s laughter simmered down. “Uncle does not hate you. He disapproves of your method of cultivation, yes. But he has grown fond of you as part of our family and appreciates how happy you make me.”

Wei Wuxian considered this. It sounded outlandish to him but his husband did not lie, after all. He thought back. Madam Yu had been different too, in that she had expressed her love for Jiang Cheng and Shijie in more subtle ways. Maybe it wouldn’t be so farfetched to believe Lan Qiren liked him. Just a little.

“Okay. Maybe Lan Qiren might like me a bit more than he used to. However…” Wei Wuxian smirked and he slowly pushed Lan Zhan down, leaning over him. “You still got the answer wrong. You enjoyed the porn in your book. Didn’t you, Lan Zhan?”

“Wrong.” Lan Zhan hooked a finger on Wei Wuxian’s collar and pulled him down, barely any distance between them. “Did you forget what I like? Do I have to show you?”

Shit. Wei Wuxian bit his lip. He forgot how easily Lan Zhan could fluster him, even while married. Lan Zhan’s gaze dropped to Wei Wuxian’s mouth. Want stirred in Wei Wuxian. So without missing a beat, Wei Wuxian closed the gap, connecting their mouths.

Everyday was everyday, after all.

—

Later, when Lan Zhan wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian, pulling him in close, he spoke up. “It is my turn,” Lan Zhan said, his voice low. Wei Wuxian’s eyes opened wide. Lan Zhan was still thinking about the game? This could be interesting.

“Alright then, go,” Wei Wuxian said.

“I love Wei Ying, Wei Ying is a great husband, and Wei Ying is my favourite.”

Wei Wuxian frowned, his body slightly tensing as he turned around to face his husband. “Huh? Which one is the lie?”

“Ah. Oops. There isn’t one,” Lan Zhan said before pressing a kiss to Wei Wuxian’s forehead. He rested a hand on Wei Wuxian’s hip and Wei Wuxian relaxed into the touch. He had no reason to doubt Lan Zhan, he felt silly getting nervous over nothing.

But he relaxed only for a moment before he proceeded to whack Lan Zhan on the shoulder. “Boo! That’s not how you play the game!”

Lan Zhan let out a small chuckle, which always led to Wei Wuxian laughing too. It was one of his favourite sounds.

“Love you,” Lan Zhan eventually mumbled against Wei Wuxian’s lips.

“Love you too,” Wei Wuxian mumbled back before capturing Lan Zhan’s mouth in a gentle kiss. He turned over and let Lan Zhan pull him in close. The feeling of Lan Zhan’s solid body behind him was, as always, a comforting presence to fall asleep with.