Chapter Text
To many people Lan Wangji seemed obsessed with his husband, paying attention to him most of all, listening to him above anyone else, taking care of him day and night.
The truth of the matter was that when it came to taking care of people and their problems, both he and Wei Ying were of one mind. However, whereas Lan Wangji was taught to care for himself as much as other people, Wei Ying, from early age, was taught that him having needs was burdensome. He disregarded his own pain with frightening ease and offered up every part of himself for others to use with no reservation.
Thus, Lan Wangji was content to leave worrying about others to Wei Ying but in return made sure that his husband's needs were never overlooked, his hurts never unadressed.
So it was that when they purified an ancient temple and its goddess benevolently offered them each a wish in return, Wei Ying asked for his family: for Jiang Cheng to never have lost his parents and his core, for Jiang Yanli to never have lost her husband and her own life because of him; Lan Zhan asked for Wei Ying.
--
He woke up. There was a weight on his chest and something tickling his nose. Lan Wangji opened his eyes.
There was his husband, sleeping like always, with his head pillowed on Lan Wangji's chest and his hair, in its customary ponytail, was what was tickling Lan Wangji, like every morning.
What was not like every morning was the fact that they were laying on the floor of the purified temple and Wei Ying was...
... was in his fifteen-year-old body. As was, a quick look confirmed, Lan Wangji himself.
He closed his eyes and breathed for a few seconds before continuing making observations.
Both Bichen and Suibian were laying neatly nearby, Wangji and Chenqing next to them, tassels spread on the pristine ground, blue mixing with red.
In his arms, Wei Ying was warm and comfortably heavy. Lan Wangji had gotten used to his husband's body always running a little colder than his own due to Mo Xuanyu's past starvation, which they hadn't managed to fully bring his body back from. Now, Wei Ying's cheek was radiating healthy warmth where it was pressed against his chest - right where he'd pressed the Wen brand in a fit of grief.
Now, he could tell already that his chest bore no such mark and his back was free of the heavy scarring caused by the discipline whip.
Wei Ying stirred. Never one to wake up fast, he took his time, scowling against the rays of sun kissing his eyelids and burying his head more fully against Lan Wangji's chest.
Lan Wangji raised one hand to gently card it through his husband's hair and softly spoke, "Wei Ying. It is time to wake."
Wei Wuxian jolted up like a startled rabbit, eyes growing wide when sight confirmed what hearing insisted was reality - Lan Wangji was in his fifteen-year-old body.
Wei Wuxian gaped for a heartbeat before he jumped to his feet and looked down on himself.
The familiar ease of his movements turned his attention inwards and he staggered, almost falling right back into his husband's lap.
His golden core. His, his own, original core, the one Suibian resonated with, burned merrily in his dantian, spiritual energy coursing through his body in ceasless circles. With but a thought, the red streams manifested around his body and he could have wept at the ease with which he called them.
"Wei Ying," his husband said joyfully, clear eyes radiating warmth and affection.
"Lan Zhan, it's back. My core is back, my body is back!" Wei Wuxian could barely believe it. "Pinch me, Lan Zhan! I need to know this is true!"
Lan Wangji's lips curved into the smallest smile as he rose from where he had been checking on their spiritual tools and walked towards his husband, who was practically vibrating with energy and power and the force of his emotions.
Wei Ying held his hand out for the pinch he'd requested. Lan Wangji took the hand in his own, squeezed it gently and leaned in to kiss Wei Ying straight on the lips.
...They refrained from succumbing to the burning need inside them from deference to the goddess responsible for their situation.
Offering her statue bows full of respect and gratitude, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji gathered their things and made their way out into the sun, soon discussing which year it was and which clan to visit first.
Naturally, it wasn't much of a discussion. Lan Wangji proposed Gusu Lan and Wei Ying latched onto the idea with desperate fingers clutching it to his chest and trying not to think of another fiasco that would be going ro Lotus Pier. He wasn't yet sure what had the goddess given him and he would rather not risk his newly reclaimed body's health to Zidian's cutting lashes.
--
Gusu Lan almost threw a celebration in gratitude for Lan Zhan's safe return. No one batted an eyelid at his appearence.
They noted Wei Wuxian as Lan Zhan's companion and, to his utter shock, gave him as much respect as his husband but not a hint of recognition.
Wei Wuxian was back in his fifteen year-old-body and he had a clean slate. So far the sects knew him as Yunmeng Jiang's head disciple and a promising youth.
He was in the past. He and Lan Wangji were sent back to the happier times.
Wei Wuxian bit his lips bloody, determined to leave a good first impression on the clan of his (future?) husband. With whom, he just realized, he might need another wedding ceremony to be considered spouses this time again.
But first things first. It was time to put all those years among them to good use - it was time to get get these wishes granted.