#ningchen

-lwj sees a sketch in one of wwx's notes that he recognises and he's like WHAT IS THAT. Wwx admits that it's a soulmark from one of the people at the burial mounds. Lwj says that it is also the soulmark of someone from gusu. He agrees to bring them to the burial mounds, and wwx agrees to introduce them to the person.

-lwj shows up with lxc to find wwx next to a very nervous wn who almost faints when he sees lxc. "that is the most beautiful man in the world, are you kidding me? There must be a mistake"

-wwx insists that there isn't, that wn is more than good enough for lxc. They compare the marks and it's unarguable that they are the same.

-lxc goes all "oh, my soulmate is one of these people? That means i must take all of them immediately into the cloud recesses :))) sorry i dont make the rules your fated one is a very big deal im obligated to do this :)))" while internally being like "thank fuck i have a politically sound excuse to help these people, no one can tell me shit, also he's kinda cute even if he's kinda dead". lxc isn't picky.

-for the first time since they broke up, nmj and jgy agree on something, and that something is "xichen, what the fuck"

-wangxian pining in the background. Lwj asks wwx about his soulmark (even tho that is super forbidden by the lan rules) and wwx says that a dog bit his ankle and ripped most of it off when he was young, and he doesn't remember what it looked like. Lwj is internally like "my soulmark is in my ankle, could it be..." But doesnt say anything bc he is a cowardly little shit.

-once everyone has moved into the cloud recesses, lxc talks to wn like "i dont expect anything from you, your family will be safe regardless, but i would like to at least be friends" while wn is silently chanting "top me, top me, top me" in his head. Lxc is just as thirsty, he's just good at hiding it. They are adorably cute together and they take things slow, going on dates, it's a big deal when they hold hands for the first time, etc. At some point they kiss and they have sex immediately after like oops how did this happen.

-maybe the other sect leaders (read: jgs and the boys (the boys being ouyang and yao)) are like "ok i guess the wens are untouchable now but what about wwx? He's still a menace! He still has the amulet! He still..."

-lwj: well he happens to be MY soulmate and im the brother of the sect leader so you all can go shut the fuck up.

-*crickets in koi tower*

-lxc, wwx, wn, wq, jyl, jc, you, me, my mother: WHAT

-Lwj explains to the pertaining parties afterwards that they can just pretend its true and it will save wwx if everyone goes along with it

-wwx is all like ":( but what about your real soulmate.... :( this will make it more difficult for you to find them... :( I dont want to cause you problems with them..."

-lxc and jc facepalm. Lwj insists that it doesn't matter. Someone (lxc) suggests that maybe ;) wwx should move into the jingshi ;) to make it more believable ;););)

-lwj: brother why are you like this

-lxc: *already gone to bang his brand new husband*

-wangxian share a bed and pine and eventually wwx sees lwj's soulmark and it triggers the memory of seeing his own soulmark when he formed his golden core when he was a child and they have a "it was you all along!" moment....

-then they fuck. The end.

Zewu-Jun had been in seclusion for far too long, or at least that’s what A-Yuan had said.

Wen Ning didn’t always know what to do in new situations, he was much more used to taking orders or following directions, but he was very determined to figure something out for A-Yuan’s sake. His little cousin was worried for Zewu-Jun, and so he did what he was best at when he had no other way to help: he stood watch.

Lan Xichen/Wen Ning, 9873 words, T, complete

So I imagine this happening a couple different ways.

1. Pre-Sunshot Campaign, either in order to maintain a tenuous peace with the Wens OR bc the Wens strong-armed them into it, a main family member from one of the other major sects has to enter into a political marriage with a Wen.

Even if Wen Ruohan's sons were both unmarried, there's no way he's letting another sect marry THAT closely into the family, so a branch family member it is. And Wen Qing is both too valuable and too strong willed, so Wen Ning is the one ordered to get married. WQ and WN are both fairly distraught, but know they can't really fight this.

The other sects get together to decide who will get the dubious honor. There's no way in hell Nie Mingjue is letting himself or his little brother marry a Wen, and that's final. Meng Yao hasn't been accepted into the Jin clan yet, and both Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli are protected by their sort-of engagement that the Wens don't need to know was technically called off. Jiang Cheng also utterly hates the idea of marrying a Wen. Wei Wuxian is basically willing to volunteer as tribute (especially if it means protecting JC & JYL), but there's the whole (rude) question of whether he REALLY counts as a Jiang enough to be acceptable. Lan Wangji is also willing to volunteer for the sake of protecting others, but Lan Xichen won't let him throw away his happiness like that since LWJ is already in love. Which basically leaves LXC as the only eligible match left.

Cue awkward blind marriage that both parties are sort of terrified about. From there it's all cuteness as LXC and WN get to know each other and both realize that they married possibly the nicest person ever, and slowly start to fall in love and have a genuine relationship. (Unsure how much canon events change or play out as usual in this version)

2. Post-Sunshot Campaign, where the Wen remnants are allowed to remain a sect with WQ as the new sect leader. This time the other major sects demand a political marriage as a show of loyalty and solidarity from the Wens. Since WQ is settling into her new role, it's decided WN is an acceptable candidate.

both are very kind, gentle people by nature

both are going to be looking for a new direction/purpose/path in life

Wen Ning is going to be hanging out with the Lan clan anyway because of Lan Sizhui (in the book he basically just lurks around Cloud Recesses so he can follow the juniors on their night hunts and make sure they don’t get into trouble)

I don’t think Wen Ning can have sex but let’s be real ace!Lan Xichen is not even a little bit of a stretch

and most importantly: they share the unique experience of having been used as a weapon against their will, and would be able to bond over that trauma

this is the best image omg

This idea might be out there already but I'm thinking of ningchen wingmaning too close to the sun and ending up falling for each other along the way.

And now I’m way late with the reply XD Hope you enjoy