Chapter Text
Four Years Later
Even though Lan Jingyi braced for it each day when he stepped through the front door of his home, he was never quite prepared to be barrelled down by three large dogs.
“Love! Down, boy!” Lan Jingyi tried to say sternly, but a giggle slipping through his lips betrayed him. Love, a mutt mix of Weimaraner and an unknown breed, wriggled his whole body as he tried to show Lan Jingyi the rope toy he had in his mouth. Without fail, every time Love would greet one of his owners at the door, he had a toy in his mouth. It wasn’t until Lan Jingyi would give him a pat that he would let him in the door.
Once her chaotic brother was out of the way, Jasmine, a border collie breed, was next to eagerly ask from attention from Lan Jingyi. She would softly yip in excitement as she tried her best to hold still, so she could receive her hello pats. Once she was satisfied with the attention she received, she would bolt down the other end of the house to alert her other owner that he was home; Love usually hot on her heels.
Princess, like her name suggested, was the most reserved of the three. It wasn’t until her more energetic siblings were not at risk of barrelling into her that she would approach for a hello and inquire about the interesting smells on Lan Jingyi’s clothes. She was a sweet Irish Setter who always sat still when it came time for Lan Jingyi to brush her.
“I’m home!” Lan Jingyi called as he walked towards the kitchen, Princess following close behind.
To his surprise, he found Wei Wuxian seated across from Jiang Cheng in their living room. When Wei Wuxian spied Lan Jingyi, he beamed. “Jingyi! Hello!”
Lan Jingyi peeled off his suit jacket and tie to hang on the back of a dining chair, ignoring the glare that Jiang Cheng sent his way for doing so. “Wei Wuxian! I haven’t seen you for a while? Have you come back to terrorise Jiang Cheng?” he asked as he joined them in the living room, taking a seat next to Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng wrapped an arm around him and they shared a kiss in greeting. Princess darted outside through the dog door to join her siblings playing in the yard, knowing to keep her distance from Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian squawked. “I do not! Jiang Cheng, have you been telling Lan Jingyi terrible things about me again?!” Jiang Cheng pointedly ignored him while Lan Jingyi erupted in a fit of giggles. Wei Wuxian frowned and pouted. “You are a bad influence on him, Jiang Cheng.”
“He has always been a mischievous, brat.”
“I miss Sizhui. He would take my side,” Wei Wuxian said.
“I doubt it,” Jiang Cheng grumbled under his breath. Lan Jingyi hid a smile under his hand. Before Wei Wuxian could raise another complaint, Jiang Cheng directed the discussion elsewhere. “Where are they now?” he asked.
“Germany,” Lan Jingyi said as he opened his phone and brought up the latest picture Lan Sizhui had sent him to show Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui were embraced in a hug in front of the Brandenburg Gate, smiling for their selfie. “I think they are off to Amsterdam in a few days.”
Wei Wuxian sunk back into the couch. “I could use a month long trip across Europe with Lan Zhan myself.”
“Well don’t go making any plans until Wen Ning comes back, will you?” Jiang Cheng said.
Wei Wuxian gave Jiang Cheng a sheepish look. “Actually, Lan Zhan and I have made some plans for early next year. I was going to invite you two to come along.”
Jiang Cheng’s eyebrows furrowed. “If this is another invitation to go on a cruise with you, I decline. I refuse to be stuck with you on a boat for weeks after last time.”
“No. Actually, Lan Zhan and I were planning on getting married in Hawaii next year,” Wei Wuxian hesitantly said as he bit his lip.
The pair across from him froze in shock.
“Congratulations, Wei Wuxian!” Lan Jingyi cheered as soon as he snapped out of his stupor. “Of course we will be there! You are getting married!”
Jiang Cheng frowned. “But your marriage won’t be legally recognised here.”
Wei Wuxian twiddled his thumbs. “I know. But we still want to.”
“Well, if that is what you want to do. I’ll be there for you, of course.” Jiang Cheng said.
Wei Wuxian beamed. “Thank you, Jiang Cheng.”
A loud buzzing noise then interrupted the trio. It was Wei Wuxian’s phone, vibrating loudly against the coffee table. He picked it up. “Lan Zhan? Yeah, I am at Jiang Cheng and Lan Jingyi’s. Yeah. Oh? Okay, I will come back then,” he said to his partner on the other end, before he hung up.
“Sorry, I have to go. Lan Zhan needs me back for something. I’ll see you two for lunch next weekend, yeah? I heard jiejie is making her lotus pork rib soup,” Wei Wuxian said already escorting himself out of the house, weary to keep his distance from the dogs. “See you later!”
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Jiang Cheng grumbled, earning a slap to the shoulder from his boyfriend.
Lan Jingyi watched after him before turning back to Jiang Cheng. “Marriage, huh? I can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I. Even after all these years, I can’t believe Wei Wuxian found someone who would be willing to marry him.”
“Oh hush up will you. You are no better,” Lan Jingyi joked. Jiang Cheng grumbled.
Lan Jingyi settled into Jiang Cheng’s embrace. “Could you imagine our own wedding?” he asked, wistfully.
He felt his boyfriend tense. “What?”
“Imagine it! Wei Wuxian would probably be in the front row, crying about how you have grown up. Your family too. And I’m sure Jin Ling would be plotting in the corner, taking note of how he could convince Sizhui to get married as well.”
Jiang Cheng chuckled lowly. “I don’t think your cousin would take much convincing.”
“Well he doesn’t need to know that. I enjoy watching him stumble around Sizhui, even though they have been dating for years now.”
“Where would we get married?” Jiang Cheng asked, almost hesitantly.
Lan Jingyi hummed in thought. “Hawaii does sound nice. A honeymoon in the sun and on the beach? Sounds like a dream.”
“Mnn.”
“Europe sounds good as well. I have always wanted to go to Europe.”
“Yeah,” Jiang Cheng responded, clearly distracted by his own thoughts.
Lan Jingyi placed a hand to his boyfriend’s arm. “What?”
“Marriage… it’s just… did you want to as well?” Jiang Cheng watched Lan Jingyi’s expression, but when he didn’t receive a reply, the man began to fumble with his words. “I don’t mean now. Or we don’t have to. I just…” he trailed off awkwardly.
Lan Jingyi burst into a fit of giggles, hiding his face against Jiang Cheng’s shoulder. “You are too cute.”
Jiang Cheng’s cheeks reddened in a blush. “You aren’t being fair.”
He tipped his head upwards to meet his boyfriend’s glare, fluttering his big doe eyes. “Do you want to get married?”
Jiang Cheng flicked Lan Jingyi’s forehead. “Ow!” Lan Jingyi cried, rubbing his forehead.
“I asked first.”
Lan Jingyi pouted. “Fine. Maybe it would be nice one day. But right now, I don’t think we need to think about it.”
Jiang Cheng stared down at his boyfriend. Lan Jingyi frowned. “What?” he asked again.
Then, unexpectedly, Jiang Cheng tipped his head down so his forehead was resting on Lan Jingyi’s shoulder. Instinctively, Lan Jingyi wrapped his arms around Jiang Cheng in an embrace. “What’s wrong?”
“Jingyi,” Jiang Cheng whispered, his voice hoarse. “Have I been doing a good job?”
“A good job?” Lan Jingyi echoed in confusion. “A good job at what?”
“At treating you like you deserve to be treated? Am I being a good boyfriend for you?”
Lan Jingyi manoeuvred his body so he could hold Jiang Cheng’s face in the palm of his hands so he could look at the man in the eye. “Where is this coming from? I forgave you for your stupidity years ago. You and your stupidly endearing efforts made it impossible not to.”
“I know,” Jiang Cheng said as he leaned into Lan Jingyi’s touch. “I just want to always make sure.”
“I love you, you big goof,” Lan Jingyi said, and it was impossible to argue against the resolution in his voice.
Jiang Cheng smiled. “I love you too.”
“Now,” Lan Jingyi said as he pulled his phone out. “I saw this rose bush today. It has the most beautiful purple flowers. I was thinking this one might be nice for our four year anniversary.” He showed Jiang Cheng some images he found of a rose bush with delicately soft lilac petals.
Jiang Cheng hummed as he leaned into Lan Jingyi. “I like it.”
The two lovers continued to chat as they scrolled through pictures of rose bushes that they could purchase to commemorate their anniversary. Outside their dogs - Love, Jasmine and Princess - ran circles throughout their garden, yipping and chasing each other.
Along the fence to their garden sat a line of three rose bushes, each in full bloom. The pink, red and yellow flowers were Jiang Cheng and Lan Jingyi’s pride and joy. Each bush marked a year, symbolising the beauty they could cultivate together. The carefully pruned bushes kept their thorns, except for when they were brought into their home.
Each spring, a glass vase filled with the roses they had personally grown sat on their dining table as a centrepiece; every flower carefully pruned of each thorn with expert hands.
The End.