Chapter Text
As Nie Mingjue restocks supplies, Lan Xichen asks him questions about the moon festival. He knows most of what Nie Mingjue tells him but embarrassingly enough, Lan Xichen likes to hear him talk. Nie Mingjue is a stoic man, at times as quiet as Lan Wangji, but Lan Xichen is sure he has worn his tough exterior down. Nie Mingjue seems to genuinely care for Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji’s wellbeing.
It’s apparent in the way Nie Mingjue’s nose flares and his eyes widen when Lan Wangji makes a reappearance in a cloak that was given to him by a ‘kind werewolf’.
Lan Wangji’s eyes dart between his amused brother and a vexed Nie Mingjue, seemingly confused. Nie Mingjue doesn’t comment on it right then, but brings it up not long after Lan Wangji has retired to bed.
“You do realise an alpha has taken serious interest in him?” Nie Mingjue asks. A vein pulses in his neck. “I recognise the scent, it’s one of those purebred alphas, Wei Wuxian.”
“Is he nice?” Lan Xichen asks, unconcerned by the undercurrent of irritation in Nie Mingjue’s tone.
“That does not matter,” Nie Mingjue grumbles. When Lan Xichen remains silent, he adds, “Yes, he is well-liked and respected.”
“That’s good.”
“Purebreds are not known for their loyalty.” Nie Mingjue’s jaw clenches. “They will fool around with humans but will mate an omega wolf in the end. Tradition dictates them.”
“I don’t think Wangji—“
“I will keep an eye on Wei Wuxian, don’t you worry,” Nie Mingjue promises. “If I smell a single omega on him, he will never come near Lan Wangji again.”
“What—“ Lan Wangji gasps in surprise. “What are you doing?”
Wei Wuxian is too busy checking if they’re truly alone to notice how he has Lan Wangji pressed flat against the wall of the alleyway. When he turns back to look at the human, they’re nearly nose-to-nose. Wei Wuxian should put some distance between them but getting a whiff of his own scent on Lan Wangji freezes him in place.
Lan Wangji must not have worn the cloak often for the scent to linger this long. It pleases his alpha to no end. Wei Wuxian only has a second to feel mortified before giving up altogether. His instincts have been going absolutely haywire since the moon festival.
Lan Wangji is not an omega, Wei Wuxian has reminded his wolf over and over. Everything about him should go against Wei Wuxian’s instincts.
There are werewolves in the pack who have human partners, so a union between the two species isn’t abnormal, no matter what Wei Wuxian was taught by his old pack. However, Wei Wuxian doesn’t recall any wolves mentioning their instincts nagging at them to scent, bite, or claim humans. That’s not supposed to happen.
“Are you sure you’re human?” Wei Wuxian blurts out.
“I think I would notice if I spontaneously turned into a wolf every now and then,” Lan Wangji answers with a completely blank expression.
Wei Wuxian fights it for a second but a laugh slips past his lips. He steps back and tilts his head at Lan Wangji teasingly. “Maybe it needs to be scared out of you—like a bird into flight.”
“Is that what you were attempting to do?” Lan Wangji asks.
“…Yeah,” Wei Wuxian lies. “It didn’t work though, did it? Congrats, you’re fully human!”
“I am aware.”
Lan Wangji then makes a little ‘oh’ sound and retrieves an oddly-shaped pouch from his robes. It’s long and narrow, made of embroidered cotton.
“What’s this?” Wei Wuxian asks when Lan Wangji holds it out.
“To store your dizi.” Lan Wangji gestures to Chenqing which is tucked into Wei Wuxian’s belt. “For protection against dust and other elements.”
Wei Wuxian blinks in astonishment at Lan Wangji and the pouch in turn, then takes it in his own hands. At closer inspection, the embroidery is very fine; comprising little black animal silhouettes against the shocking red backdrop of a sunset.
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says, “this must have cost you a lot. I can’t just take this.”
“It did not.” Lan Wangji doesn’t look Wei Wuxian in the eye.
“Of course it did!” Wei Wuxian protests. “Look at how well it’s made! The summer market just came and went and I never saw anything like it. Where did you even get it from?”
Wei Wuxian watches in fascination as Lan Wangji’s ears turn bright red.
“I made it,” Lan Wangji admits reluctantly.
“You—wow.” Wei Wuxian’s words only seem to fluster Lan Wangji further, so naturally, Wei Wuxian ramps it up. “Well now I’m embarrassed about the cloak, my craftsmanship isn’t nearly as good as yours!”
“It is a great cloak,” Lan Wangji says sincerely. “Thank you for letting me keep it. It was very kind of you.”
It’s Wei Wuxian’s turn to blush. His wolf is positively glowing at the praise and Wei Wuxian awkwardly laughs it off, only realising later that Lan Wangji couldn’t have smelled his elation.
“How did you know these were my favourite colours?” Wei Wuxian asks, redirecting the conversation. “And did you carry this around waiting to give it to me?”
Lan Wangji ignores the latter question, answering it just the same with his silence. “You always dress in them.”
“Ah.” Wei Wuxian grins. “So you’ve observed me often?”
“Nonsense.” Lan Wangji huffs and turns to leave.
Wei Wuxian grabs him by the elbow and pulls him back. He forgets that Lan Wangji can’t withstand a werewolf’s natural strength, so what was meant to be a gentle tug makes the human stumble right into Wei Wuxian’s chest. Wei Wuxian automatically catches him around the waist.
“How do we always end up like this, hm? You’ve got to fix your balance Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian says, because he is nothing if not shameless.
“It is your fault,” Lan Wangji states matter-of-factly.
He’s not wrong. Wei Wuxian had deliberately spooked Lan Wangji by walking up behind him the other day, nearly making him topple into a well. If Wei Wuxian didn’t have the reflexes of a werewolf, he wouldn’t have caught the human in time.
“Me?!” Wei Wuxian gasps dramatically. “I am but an innocent—“
“Wei-xiong?”
If there’s a compromising position to be caught in, this is it. Werewolves are tactile by nature but it usually amounts to roughhousing and scenting between people close to them. Holding someone as intimately as Wei Wuxian is at the moment, is not something he ever does. He’s always careful, especially with omegas, to never breach the small gap that turns a friendly touch into a suggestive one.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji jump apart at the same time, incriminating them even further. Nie Huaisang certainly thinks so, if his eyebrows climbing further up his forehead are any indication.
“Ah, what are you doing here?” Wei Wuxian asks, making a poor attempt at shifting the attention off of Lan Wangji and himself.
“I came to get Lan Wangji actually. Da-ge has been looking for you,” Nie Huaisang says to Lan Wangji, who nods in return.
“Why is Nie Mingjue looking for you?” Wei Wuxian asks with a frown.
Wei Wuxian thinks he sees a sly smile on Nie Huaisang’s face but it disappears too quickly for him to be sure. “He heard Lan Wangji was looking for a job and wanted to help,” Nie Huaisang says.
“He has already helped a lot,” Lan Wangji says, looking abashed. “I do not want to burden him.”
“Ah Lan Wangji—'' Nie Huaisang throws an arm around Lan Wangji’s shoulders, which is just as quickly withdrawn at Lan Wangji’s glare. Wei Wuxian can’t deny that he’s gratified by it—that he is allowed to touch so freely when others aren’t. “Ha ha… Anyway, you don’t need to think of it that way because Da-ge certainly doesn’t. He cares about you.”
“You should work for Mianmian,” Wei Wuxian blurts between tracing the clean lines of Lan Wangji’s embroidery with his sharpening nails. “She makes robes and has been looking around for helpers. I can take you to her shop and you can decide if that’s something you’d be interested in.”
Lan Wangji seems to think it over, then looks at Nie Huaisang. “I will go with Wei Ying. Please tell Mingjue-ge not to worry about this matter.”
Wei Wuxian’s wolf is over the moon.