{Note :- Sub story arc Part 4. This will make a few things in the main arc clearer. This update is Part 1 of two parts.
Also, I can't promise anyone about including Phoenix hunt part in the book, but this update is kinda close to that.
This update is completely different from what happened in the show or the book.
}

*Cloud Reassess*
*16 years ago*
*Library Pavilion*

The days that Wei Ying had sat in the library pavilion with Lan Zhan supervising the younger boy seem to have flown away in an instant.

Good days go by faster than bad days... And Lan Zhan's days had been good....but of course he would never admit it to anyone.
About three weeks into the punishment, Wei Ying had come into the library pavilion as if buzzing with energy.

"Lan Zhan, now that we are friends, can I tell you a secret?" Wei Ying had asked excitedly.

Wangji had looked disintrerstedly at the younger boy and emotionlessly said, "Boring."

"Lan Zhan, come on... " Wei Ying had cribbed leaning towards the older boy. And then pouted.

Lan Zhan's eyes had fallen on the younger boys lips again for a split second.

'If I lean in just a little I can probably feel them.' Lan Zhan had thought  before leaning in subconsciously.

Wei Ying had stilled and looked into Lan Zhan's eyes. The younger boy had gotten intimidated and moved back.

"Ammm... Lan Zhan... Sorry I forgot for a second that you don't like getting close. Hehe.. Don't be mad OK?" Wei Ying had said smiling.

Wangji had realized what he had almost done. He had gulped and looked to the floor. His ears turning red.

When Lan Zhan had said nothing Wei Ying had felt encouraged to tell him what had had him all excited.

"Lan Zhan, we... I mean Jiang Cheng and Nie Bro are planning to go night hunting tonight. We heard some Jin clan members say that some monster is lurking there and harassing young maidens. Lan Zhan, will you come with us?" Wei Ying had asked softly, coming closer once again to reveal the secret.

'It will be dangerous for him. He should not go. Maybe I should stop him.'
"Night hunting is prohibited, unless supervised." Lan Zhan had said showing disinterest.

"That is exactly why you should come Lan Zhan... You are our senior and of Lan clan." Wei Ying had sat on Lan Zhan's bench scattering the papers he had been working on.

"No. Not going." Lan Zhan had said and added, "If you leave I will report you."

"Aigo Lan Zhan! Now you are not being fair. We are friends now right?" Wei Ying had said getting up from the bench when the older boy had given him a death glare.

"No. Not familiar." Lan Zhan had said trying to remove a sheet of parchment that had stuck under Wei Ying's feet.
That had been a mistake. Wei Ying had lost his footing.
The younger boy had yelped and fallen directly into Wangji's lap.

Both boys had been in shock and had stared at each other.

It was precisely at this moment that Wangji's brain had stopped working entirely. His one hand had come up hold nape of Wei Ying's neck and the other was on it's way to the younger boy's shoulder.
Wangji had had just one thought then.
'Closer.'

His heart had done a somersault in his chest at the contact.
His hand on the nape of Wei Ying's neck had felt good... All the blood in his body had started rushing below... His ears had turned red.

Wangji had widened his eyes at the realization of the effect Wei Ying was having on him.

But before he had had a chance to react Wei Ying had panicked.
He had felt Wangji's hand at the back of his neck and seen the other hand moving towards his arms... He had thought that Wangji would beat the hell out of him... Or... Stab him.

Wei Ying had thought wrong.

Wangji had just wanted him closer... much closer than he had the guts to admit even to himself.

Wei Ying had immediately gotten off Lan Zhan's lap.

"Lan Zhan, calm down. Sorry OK. If you don't want to come for night hunt it's fine." Wei Ying had said before turning and walking to his seat.

Wei Ying had not looked at Lan Zhan even once for the duration of the class.

On that day, Wei Ying had not bothered him at all, Wei Ying had not even looked at him and Wangji had gotten a lot of writing done...in peace and quiet... and yet... Lan Wangji had been miserable.

When Wei Ying had finally left for the day, he had not even said good bye to Lan Zhan... Wei Ying had just stood up and walked away.

Wangji's heart had hurt for reasons unknown to him.
'Maybe it's the curse... Maybe the curse is getting worse. I need to meditate and channel my energy.' Lan Zhan had thought before getting up to go to his jingshin. But at the last moment he had changed his mind.

'What if there really is a monster in the woods? What if it hurts Wei Ying?.. Maybe it's best if I accompany them... No... I can't do that... Not after I dismissed the idea.' Wangji had felt helpless.

Wangji had just decided to return to his jingshin again when he had seen the three boys sneaking out of the eastern pavilion. Wei Ying's hand had been on the Nie boy's shoulder.

'Unacceptable.' Wangji had thought.

'Mine.' his heart had screamed for the first time...
But Wangji had ignored it... Because how can one person belong to another so completely that the other person had the right to call him MINE.

So what his heart had just then screamed had to have been totally illogical.

Wangji had followed the boys outside cloud reassess.... Just to keep an eye on them of course. He had definitely not had any thoughts of pushing the Nie boy off the highest high cliff of Cloud Reassess.... Nope... Not at all.

After having followed the boys into the woods, Wangji had hid while the three had stated looking around for the supposed monster.

There was no monster.

But there were a few cultivators who apparently had been in the same condition in which Lan Zhan had found one a few weeks ago.
The only difference had been that these cultivators were as of that moment roaming aimlessly.

From Experience Wangji had known that approaching them would agitate them and they would attack.

Wei Ying had not known that.
Wei Ying had approached one.

'Damnit Wei Ying, they attack when disturbed.' Lan Zhan had thought before he had launched himself between Wei Ying and the Zombie which had suddenly attacked.
Lan Zhan had been ready.

'Swords" Wangji had shouted.

Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng had reacted immediately and had stated fighting off the Zombie cultivators. The Nie boy had freaked out and hid behind Jiang Cheng who had been standing closest to him.

"You can't kill them. You can only run.  They stop attacking once we go further away." Wangji had informed the boys.

But unfortunately for them, there were just too many of them and Nie Huaisang was pretty much useless... He had forgotten to bring his saber.

Wei Ying had noticed that.
"Jiang Cheng, take Brother Nie away." Wei Ying had instructed and had added,"Me and Lan Zhan will clear the way for you....if it's ok with Lan Zhan."
Wei Ying had looked at Lan Zhan as if to ask him permission.

Lan Zhan had nodded his approval without hesitation.

"If we are not back by sun down, send help....I don't want to be punished for sneaking out. So I will try my best to get back before anyone notices." Wei Ying had told the clan leader's son and the Nie boy had agreed.

"Wei Wuxian, take care. I will bring help if you don't return soon. A Jie worries too much so I will keep it a secret till you return." Jiang Cheng had shouted while stabbing a Zombie in the heart. The Zombie had just stilled for a second before attacking again.

"I will be forever greatful Brother Wei Wuxian." Nie boy had screamed before using Jiang Cheng as a shield and running away.

"You should go too." Lan Zhan had said as the two boys fought shoulder to shoulder...back to back.

"Lan Zhan, I know you don't think like I do, but in my heart I have already accepted you as my friend... Hehe... Lan Zhan you are stuck with me. Sorry." Wei Ying had answered fighting off two Zombie cultivators at once.

'In my heart I have already accepted you as my friend....I am his friend...I have a place in his heart.' Wangji had thought and even though they had been in the middle of a very bad...potentially dangerous situation...Wangji had felt...happy.

"Lan Zhan, you have fought them before right?" Wei Ying had asked and Wangji had been impressed with the younger boy's presence of mind.

"Mn."

"Do they have a weakness?" Wei Ying had asked.

"They only attack people who they can see or hear...at least that is what I observed last time." Lan Zhan had informed.

Wei Ying had put his hands in the front pocket of his robes and taken out a talisman.

'He is indeed a Mage!' Lan Zhan had thought while getting attacked from all sides.

"Lan Zhan I can distract them with a trick. By the way Lan Zhan, can they climb trees?" Wei Ying had asked and a mysterious smile had appeared on his face.

"I am not sure." Lan Zhan had answered.
'He wants us to hide on a tree till help arrives.' Wangji would never admit it, but he had thought that that had been a brilliant idea. Wangji also would not have admitted it, but in that moment, he had been impressed.

Wei Ying had enchanted a talisman and thrown it upwards.

A thick fog had enveloped them.
"Lan Zhan....Lan Zhan." Wei Ying whispered before Lan Zhan had found his arm and pulled him towards the tallest tree around.

They had flown up to a branch.
Lan Zhan had intended to pick another branch but Wei Ying had stopped him.
Wei Ying had pulled Lan Zhan close and whispered in his ears ,"We need to stick together...Lan Zhan I know you hate to touch people... but please endure."
Then the younger boy had then proceeded to pull them on a branch.
Wei Ying had sat with the bark against his back, with Lan Zhan sitting in front of him.

Lan Zhan had tried to maintain some sort of space between them, but Wei Ying had whispered,"Lan Zhan I need us closer. We can't afford to attract attention."

Then he had looked into Lan Zhan's eyes and spoken very softly, "Please don't kill me OK?"
Wei Ying had then proceeded to throw his arms around Lan Zhan's neck and pulled him close.

There was nothing else to be done at the time so Lan Zhan had endured it. He had however not known what to do with his hands, so he had just left them hanging at his sides.

"Lan Zhan, if you sit like this someone will think that I am molesting you... It's OK to hold me... Desperate times Lan Zhan...hold me. I am not a maiden." Wei Ying had whispered into Wangji's ears. Wei Ying's lips had grazed Lan Zhan's ear.

It had sent shivers down the older boy's spin.
Lan Zhan had gulped before pulling himself closer to Wei Ying and placing   his hands on Wei Ying's waist.

"Ah... Lan Zhan...not so hard!" Wei Ying had moaned in pain next to Wangji's ears. The force with which the older boy had held him had been too much.
Wei Ying had continued breathlessly , "Lan Er gege... I am not a maiden, but I do bruise easily...be gentler."

Wangji had loosened his grip then.
"Don't call me like that." Lan Zhan had whispered.

"Call you like what? Lan Er gege." Wei Ying had whispered back.

"Wei Ying stop!" Lan Zhan had whispered angrily.

"Hehe...Er gege..what will you do if I don't stop?" Wei Ying had mocked.

{Note :- As expected from a horrible person like me, I have once again left you at a cliffhanger.
I promise I will update soon.

Vote to show your support for the story and the update if you have enjoyed it.

Let me know how you found this update.

For those who care, the YiZhan fic will be a short story with a few chapters. I will publish it tomorrow....hopefully.

Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}