When Wei Wuxian wakes up from his nap, the baby is gone.
For a moment, all he can do is stare at the empty crib in uncomprehending horror. He’d placed A-Hui in the crib next to his and Lan Zhan’s bed and tucked her in before he’d slumped in a heap and fallen asleep before his head hit the pillow. And now, the crib was empty and the baby was gone.
Wei Wuxian’s hands shake as he grips the sides of the crib. There’s no note, nothing, the mattress cool like A-Hui had never even been there. But she had. Wei Wuxian had placed her there himself, he had. This all wasn’t a dream, right? To make sure he’s awake, he slaps himself hard on the cheek and then on the other cheek just to make sure.
Nothing changes.
”How—?” He whispers.
The Jingshi looks as it always does, Lan Zhan’s papers and books in neat stacks and Wei Wuxian’s research in a barely contained chaos on his workspace. They’d babyproofed everything as soon as they’d brought A-Hui home even though she isn’t even crawling yet but they wanted to make sure. In fact, Wei Wuxian had lain on the floor and inspected everything with narrowed eyes, and Lan Zhan had patiently moved, warded, and shielded everything he’d pointed at.
A-Yuan had been three when Lan Zhan had brought him home. A-Hui is barely three months.
And now, she’s gone.
Wei Wuxian needs to— he needs— he—
He activates a talisman.
”Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan asks as soon as he opens the door. ”What’s wrong?”
”A-Hui,” Wei Wuxian says and swallows around a tight throat. ”A-Hui is gone and I don’t know how!”
Lan Zhan frowns.
”I woke up and the crib was empty! And it was cold! I swear I put her there and tucked her in with the purple blanket and then I lied down because I was so tired and I fell asleep and when I woke up she was gone and—”
”Wei Ying!” Lan Zhan says and grabs him gently from the shoulders. ”A-Hui is safe. She is with Uncle. Everything is fine.”
”What?” Wei Wuxian says weakly.
”I was with them when your talisman activated. Uncle said he stopped by and saw A-Hui awake in the crib. He said he told you that he was taking A-Hui for a walk and let you sleep for some more. He said you agreed.” Lan Zhan sighs. ”I believe Uncle didn’t realize you weren’t truly awake.”
Wei Wuxian shakes his head. ”No! I thought—” he pauses and swallows. ”I thought she was gone.” He feels his vision blur and bites his lip to hold back a sob.
Without a word, Lan Zhan draws him into a tight hug and holds him as Wei Wuxian feels like he’s shaking so much all his limbs must come off and fall into the floor in a heap.
”I thought— I thought it was a dream, that all this was a dream and that she was never here, that I’d imagined her,” he whispers pressing his face against Lan Zhan’s shoulder. ”I thought I’d made a terrible mistake and misplaced her and that she was hurt or dead somewhere and I was—I was here and did nothing but sleep and—and—and—”
”Sshh,” Lan Zhan hums in a low voice that reverberates through Wei Wuxian, reminding him where his limbs are and that he’s standing and he’s breathing and he probably also should breath out and—
”Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan says. ”Breathe. In…out…in…out…”
He matches his breathing to Lan Zhan’s and after some time, he no longer feels like he’s going to pass out. Which leaves him just mostly embarrassed. So, he draws a bit back from Lan Zhan and rubs his face with his sleeve, and then forces out a chuckle. ”I bet you think I’m pretty stupid, Lan Zhan,” he says with a wan smile.
”Never,” Lan Zhan says. He cups Wei Wuxian’s cheeks and kisses the tear-stained corner of his left eye, and then the right. ”You are not stupid, Wei Ying. You are smart.”
”Yeah, right, panicking like that—”
”Yes,” Lan Zhan interrupts and looks at Wei Wuxian with that burning intensity he sometimes holds in his eyes just for him. ”You had every reason to believe that A-Hui would be in her crib. When she wasn’t, you summoned me. You did the right thing.” He presses a chaste kiss on Wei Wuxian’s lips and then hugs him again.
He doesn’t say a thing about how Wei Wuxian is still shaky and how his other shoulder is also now a bit wet because Lan Zhan is awesome like that.
”Can we go get her now?” Wei Wuxian mumbles against his robes.
”Of course,” Lan Zhan says.
They find Lan Qiren walking slowly along the path near the orchard, reciting the Lan Clan principles, or so Wei Wuxian assumes. A-Hui is comfortably snuggled in the crook of his elbow, eyes wide as she stares up at her granduncle. Lan Qiren is probably convinced she’s fascinated by his recitation but Wei Wuxian is pretty sure she’s more drawn to the old man’s beard.
Wei Wuxian is about to hurry to them when Lan Zhan whispers, ”Wait,” and inclines his head.
Lan Qiren has stopped and is apparently having a very intense conversation with their baby girl. He asks her something and she babbles something back. Lan Qiren appears to consider this and then asks her another question. They go back and forth like that for a moment, then Lan Qiren nods, satisfied, and kisses her on the forehead.
”Holy shit,” Wei Wuxian mouths.
”Mn,” Lan Zhan agrees and starts forward.
Lan Qiren looks up and schools his face from a soft smile back to his stern self. ”Wangji, Wuxian.”
”Can I have my baby back, please?” Wei Wuxian says. He tries for the cheeky tone but he knows it’s a bit off. When Lan Qiren nods, he picks A-Hui up and cradles her against his chest, presses his nose on her soft, wispy hair, and just breathes her in for a moment.
”Did something happen?” He hears Lan Qiren ask.
”A misunderstanding, Uncle,” Lan Zhan says. ”Wei Ying wasn’t properly awake when you picked A-Hui up and when he woke up he was concerned.”
”Oh,” Lan Qiren says. ”That was never my intention. I merely thought to help and let him sleep for longer. I know she’s been keeping you up lately.” He sounds like he’s genuinely sorry. ”I will make sure that won’t happen again.” He pauses and then adds, hesitant, ”That is, if I’m allowed.”
Wei Wuxian lifts his head. Lan Qiren looks troubled. What Wei Wuxian just saw him do, kiss A-Hui like that and smile at her like that…he doesn’t wish to take that away from the old man. After everything they’ve been through, he can’t deny that Lan Qiren cares deeply for his nephews and adores his grandniece. Wei Wuxian is many things but he isn’t cruel, not when it comes to family.
”Of course you’re allowed,” he says. ”Isn’t that right, A-Hui? If Granduncle wants to take you for a walk, he can. Just…leave a note next time? I have a habit to talk in my sleep so…”
”I will,” Lan Qiren says. He watches them for a moment and then nods. ”I’ll be on my way then. Wangji, Wuxian.”
Wei Wuxian opens his mouth to say his goodbyes but when A-Hui smacks her hand on his cheek, he just laughs instead.
A couple of weeks later, Wei Wuxian wakes up to see an empty crib again. This time, there's no need to panic because there’s a note pinned to the mattress that says,
Wuxian,
I have taken A-Hui for a walk.
We won’t go far but if you wish to, activate this talisman so that I know you’re awake and we will head back to Jingshi.
Take your time. Today, A-Hui and I have plans to discuss the principles described on one of Lan An’s early scrolls.
—Uncle Qiren