*lies down on the floor*
I want modern AU lqr welcoming teen wwx into his home after madam yu got mad at wwx and kicked him out for the night.
because look, LOOK, lqr may be the strictest, most judgemental uncle in existence, but one thing he would never ever EVER do is abandon a child.
I just want wwx knocking on lwj's door and then startling with it's lqr who answers instead of lwj. I WANT THAT AWKWARD SILENCE.
I just want wwx knocking on lwj's door and then startling with it's lqr who answers instead of lwj. I WANT THAT AWKWARD SILENCE.
maybe lqr is wwx's teacher. he KNOWS how much chaos wwx can create, and he absolutely loathes how wwx distracts lwj, lqr's best and brightest student.
but he will, grudgingly, admit that wwx is well-loved among his peers. surely such a child would be well-loved at home, right?
but he will, grudgingly, admit that wwx is well-loved among his peers. surely such a child would be well-loved at home, right?
so when wwx shows up at the Lan household at 10pm, lqr nearly loses his mind with rage. it is bad enough that wwx doesn't pay attention in class and doesn't turn in his homework and bothers lwj all day, but now? here? past BEDTIME?? unacceptable. inexcusable.
"Wangji is already asleep," he snaps at wwx when wwx asks. "And you should be too. Go home, Wei Ying."
"Of course." wwx hurries off of the porch and walks away.
lqr grumbles and closes the door. some kids, honestly. what in the world was wwx thinking, coming all the way here?
"Of course." wwx hurries off of the porch and walks away.
lqr grumbles and closes the door. some kids, honestly. what in the world was wwx thinking, coming all the way here?
lqr is about to go back to bed, but… something doesn't quite feel right. maybe he's worried that wwx will egg their house, or maybe because it's a bit cold outside, but he goes to his window to check.
and wwx is just. sitting there, on the curb, huddled into himself.
and wwx is just. sitting there, on the curb, huddled into himself.
an awful thought occurs to lqr. maybe wwx just… doesn't have a home to return to, or maybe that home is no longer safe. it is not as uncommon as people think, and as a teacher, he always keeps an eye out for these things.
he opens the door. "Wei Ying."
wwx sees him and RUNS.
he opens the door. "Wei Ying."
wwx sees him and RUNS.
lqr is too old for many things. chasing after a 15-year-old at night is definitely one of them.
he does it anyways.
he does it anyways.
when he finally catches up to wwx, he drags him back to the house with a firm grip on his arm.
wwx is already spewing apologies. "Ah, Lan-laoshi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay. I'll be going now. Just let me—"
"Wipe your shoes," lqr orders once they enter the house.
wwx is already spewing apologies. "Ah, Lan-laoshi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay. I'll be going now. Just let me—"
"Wipe your shoes," lqr orders once they enter the house.
wwx shuffles his feet on the welcome mat as lqr hunts around for an extra pair of house slippers.
"Look at you," lqr scolds as he offers one of lwj's jackets. "You're wearing so little. Have you no regard for your own health? What if you catch your death of cold out there?"
"Look at you," lqr scolds as he offers one of lwj's jackets. "You're wearing so little. Have you no regard for your own health? What if you catch your death of cold out there?"
wwx opens his mouth to respond, thinks about it, and just laughs uneasily instead.
lqr doesn't like that. not one bit.
still holding wwx by the arm—because his running away is still a possibility—lqr drags him into the kitchen and sits him down at the dining table. "Wait here."
lqr doesn't like that. not one bit.
still holding wwx by the arm—because his running away is still a possibility—lqr drags him into the kitchen and sits him down at the dining table. "Wait here."
there's leftover rice and vegetables from dinner, so lqr sets about making fried rice. when wwx starts to protest, lqr glares at him and says, "You will eat, or you get extra homework."
wwx eats the fried rice when it's set in front of him without further protest.
wwx eats the fried rice when it's set in front of him without further protest.
"Eat more. You need the nutrients and energy," lqr orders as he piles more vegetables in wwx's bowl. "You're too skinny. What have the Jiangs been feeding you?"
at least wwx swallows before answering, "They feed me enough, Lan-laoshi. I'm rarely hungry."
at least wwx swallows before answering, "They feed me enough, Lan-laoshi. I'm rarely hungry."
something angry rises in lqr's chest. "'Rarely' is too many. You should never be hungry. Look at A-Zhan and A-Huan; they've both grown so tall because I always feed them."
"I think that's more genetics, Lan-laoshi," wwx can't help saying.
lqr puts more vegetables in his bowl.
"I think that's more genetics, Lan-laoshi," wwx can't help saying.
lqr puts more vegetables in his bowl.
by the time he's finished and lqr goes to wash the dishes, there's movement upstairs. soon enough, lwj comes down the stairs.
"Shufu," he greets, voice slow with sleep. "…Wei Ying?"
"Surprise." wwx waves his hands for effect. "I'm here, for some reason."
"Shufu," he greets, voice slow with sleep. "…Wei Ying?"
"Surprise." wwx waves his hands for effect. "I'm here, for some reason."
"Wei Ying is going to stay here for the night, perhaps more," lqr declares as he stacks the bowls. "Wangji, go prepare the guest bedroom and lend him some pajamas."
lwj nods and leaves.
wwx sputters. "You don't have to—"
"I don't have to," lqr agrees. "But I will."
lwj nods and leaves.
wwx sputters. "You don't have to—"
"I don't have to," lqr agrees. "But I will."
after handing wwx a brand new toothbrush and cup, lqr passes him over to lwj to care for the night. then he goes to bed. he has a little difficulty falling asleep, plagued by his shifting opinions and thoughts about the jiang family.
he always thought the jiangs were a decent family—a bit discordant, perhaps, as most families were—but not BAD people. jfm doesn't seem the type, and yzy is very devoted to her children.
perhaps, lqr thinks with a dropping stomach, wwx is not as well-loved as he thought.
perhaps, lqr thinks with a dropping stomach, wwx is not as well-loved as he thought.
he cannot wrap his mind around it. children should be loved and cared for. cssr and her husband were of humble origins and had no enemies. wwx himself is boisterous, but a far cry from a criminal. there is no reason for him to ever go without food or a warm bed for the night.
lqr loathes to think about what could have happened to lwj and lxc if his brother had been an only child. of course the lan family would have taken care of them, but would anyone have loved them as much as lqr does?
he cannot imagine any parent being in the same position.
he cannot imagine any parent being in the same position.
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