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“Lan Zhan, are you really sulking now?”
Wei Wuxian leaned forward to catch a glimpse of his husband's handsome, stoic face and snorted when the alpha remained silent.
“You do know that sulking won't change anything. We're already on our way and there's nothing to be worried about, I'm stronger than you think. Plus.. If things get critical, you'll protect me, right?”
The omega chuckled as he instinctively rested one hand on his belly while he held onto little apple's mane with the other.
“Wei Ying is supposed to rest.”
“I am resting. I'm not even walking, little apple does all the work.”
But Lan Wangji continued to stare ahead with this barely noticeable frown on his face.
He had always been a very conscientious person and he'd never dismiss a call for his skills and strength but he was not only the mighty Hanguang-jun anymore, he was also a loving husband and soon to be father.
And he was absolutely not happy that the elders had forced them to go on this mission together when Wei Wuxian should be resting and focusing on growing their little radish.
The omega wasn't as strong as he used to be with his old body so the pregnancy was definitely taking a toll on this new, weaker body.
But apparently the Yiling Laozu's presence and expertise was obligatory for this mission so Wei Wuxian had been forced to go.
‘There is nothing to worry about, I sense a powerful qi flow and the baby is developing well, this mission shouldn't be risky at all.’
Lan Wangji had wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.
Their healer was a liar, those words were exactly what Lan Qiren had probably told him beforehand so Lan Wangji had no arguments. Every mission was risky, there was always a chance of getting injured even on the way there.
Which was why Wei Wuxian found himself on the back of his donkey, the leash in his husband's hand and the little baby in his belly kicking lightly at the light cramps.
This child was a miracle considering the condition of Mo Xuanyu's body and the traces the years of starvation and abuse had left.
And Lan Wangji would do anything to make sure his husband could grow and have this baby safely just the way he had always longed for.
“But you should be in bed to rest your back too. Your back has been hurting more these days.”
It was a bit strange considering that their pup wasn't that big yet, the healer had said he was probably only around five to six months along judging by the size of his unborn baby and his bump so they weren't that heavy but these past days Wei Wuxian's lower back had been hurting more than normal.
Maybe it was this weak body's fault for already struggling or maybe it was because Lan babies apparently tended to be on the bigger side.
Or maybe it was the mixture of those two that made Wei Wuxian place a hand to support his aching back, a hiss escaping him as he stretched his back.
“Should we take a break? Maybe lying down will help and take the weight off your back.”
Lan Wangji halted and ran a hand over little apple's head when the donkey looked at him expectantly. But the omega only shook his head as his gaze trailed off to the dark clouds at the horizon.
“We don't have time for a break, we should start looking for a proper shelter before it starts pouring down on us.”
“Mhm, I think the next village shouldn't be too far from here but.. Are you sure you don't want to take a break?”
After all those years Lan Wangji truly knew him a little too well. He had picked up on the way his husband's breathing had gotten just a tad bit heavier just like the way the younger's left hand had let to of little apple's mane to palm his rounded belly, pressing his hand slightly against the taut skin as if he was trying to lighten some tension.
Anyone else would probably have not even noticed those little things or would have dismissed them as usual behavior of a pregnant Wei Wuxian, but the alpha knew better.
His Wei Ying was uncomfortable, he was just too stubborn to say anything.
“Wei Ying.”
A big hand came to rest right beside the omega's on his baby bump, feeling for anything suspicious but of course there was no magical revelation about what was going on.
Their pup stayed quiet but that wasn't something unusual, their little radishhad always been more on the quieter side and was normally only active in the evenings when Wei Wuxian laid down to sleep.
Lan Wangji couldn't feel anything strange about their child's and his husband's qi flow either but the moment he was about to retrieve his hand, he noticed the light tensing of the muscles under his palm.
“Lan Zhan, it's really nothing. Just light exercise contractions, I have them all the time.”
“You've had contractions?”
“Nothing strong, nothing to worry about. It's not like I'm due for another three months at least, right?”
Wei Wuxian tried to laugh it off as he patted his belly but his husband continued to observe him intensely.
Exactly because the ravenette wasn't due for at least another three more months, he shouldn't have any contractions at all yet.
After finding out that his beloved husband was with child, Lan Wangji had taken a lot of time to do research about what it actually meant to expect a child. Usual symptoms he should prepare for and ways he could help his husband with them, signs that the pregnancy was developing well and alarm signs he should look out for.
Of course exercise contractions would eventually occur but not this early into pregnancy, Wei Wuxian hadn't even entered his third trimester after all according to the healer.
Something must be wrong.
“Are they painful? How many of them have you felt today? When did you feel the first one?”
“They don't really hurt much, it's more my lower back than my belly. And I think they started yesterday afternoon.. Today I've had.. uh.. Maybe 20? They increased a little in the past two hours.”
The omega muttered as he caressed his baby bump, avoiding his husband's eyes. He didn't even need to look at his mate to know that Lan Wangji was frowning at him and absolutely not pleased with this news.
It was only feeding his worst nightmares he had already started to paint out the moment Wei Wuxian had been forced to go on this mission as well.
“Wei Ying! Why didn't you say anything?!”
Lan Wangji rarely raised his voice, he was well-known for always keeping his composure. Not when it came to his loved ones though.
“You're overreacting, Lan Zhan. Do you really think that I'd still be able to sit on this donkey comfortably if I was actually in labor?”
The omega patted little apple's neck to emphasize his words and only earned a grumpy grunt and a glare from the donkey.
“We'll take the first place we find and tomorrow we'll search for a doctor. I'll try to contact my brother so he takes over, we'll go back to Gusu when the doctor gives you a go.”
And Wei Wuxian knew better than to try to change his husband's mind, the older man's plan was not up for discussion judging by the tone of his voice.
He knew that Lan Wangji was not going to take any risk when it came to his loved one and their little radish. They've waited so long for their pup, there was no way he'd allow anyone to put this miracle in danger.
“Lan Zhan.”
“Mhm.”
The older's voice still carried the sound of upset from the news he had just gotten (or more from the fact that his husband hadn't said anything) but the moment he felt it too, his expression shifted into pure worry.
“It's starting to rain.”
The next village was still at least half an hour away from them and they couldn't move faster than the walking they did now because of Wei Wuxian's pregnancy. There was no way they'd reach the village in time without being drenched.
“Maybe we can find a shrine as shelter or.. do you see that?”
“The little hut?”
“Yeah, maybe we can wait there until the rain is over urgh-”
Lan Wangji immediately turned to his husband when the omega groaned as he clutched his baby bump and wrapped one arm around the younger's waist to stabilize him so he wouldn't accidentally lose his balance.
“Wei Ying. Do you need to lay down? Should I carry you?”
“N-no, it's okay. Let's hurry before we're completely soaked.”
The older male nodded and immediately took his outer layer of his robe off to wrap it around his husband.
Little apple snorted softly when they continued their way, Lan Wangji's steps now a little more hurried than before but his gaze constantly wandered back to his husband to check on him.
The hut they've been spotting from afar turned out to be a little goat stable, serving as a small, cozy shelter for the few goats grazing on the rocky terrain.
And the little animals were surely more than confused when suddenly a tall man in white, flowy robes carried his whimpering husband inside, a donkey following them closely.
“I don't think they get visitors often.”
Wei Wuxian chuckled through gritted teeth at the cautious bleats and big eyes staring at them but immediately pressed his hand back against his belly when a particularly strong cramp made his muscles tense.
“It's okay, it's an emergency. They'll survive.”
The alpha muttered as he carefully rested his husband in the straw and readjusted his robe around his loved one so the omega didn't have to sit in the dirt, it was a stable after all.
“Little apple, be nice. They're sharing their home with us.”
Wei Wuxian couldn't help but shake his head when his donkey snapped after one of the goats who had curiously taken a step closer to sniff on the omega's shoulder. But the donkey tilted its head before it snorted and began to nibble on a bit of hay on the floor.
“Wei Ying, how are you feeling?”
A big hand came to rest on the younger's round belly, caressing it lightly as if Lan Wangji was afraid to hurt his husband or their unborn baby.
“I could lie and say it's not so bad but.. I think we have a problem. It's- it's really not so fun anymore..”
The omega huffed as his hand joined his mate's, his face scrunching up again as another contraction build up. The time intervals between them have definitely decreased in the past hour but Wei Wuxian was too afraid to think about what this actually meant.
It was too early, their baby still had at least three more months to go.
“I'll go get a doctor.”
“Lan Zhan, n-no! Please.. Please don't leave me alone here, I- nnghh arghh-”
Lan Wangji immediately held his loved one by his arms when his husband suddenly leaned forward, curling around his aching baby bump as a painful cry escaped him.
And before the alpha could ask, the omega reached between his legs with a trembling hand, pushing the dark fabric of his robe aside to reveal the wet, bloody spot on his pants.
“M-my water broke..”
Tears had immediately gathered in the younger's eyes at the realization that he was indeed in labor and about to have their pup. Now that his water had broken, there was no way back.
“Have you.. Have you felt the baby move lately?”
But the Yiling patriarch could only shake his head as he held his belly, the first tear slipping down his cheek.
This couldn't be it, right?
They couldn't lose their little radish now after everything they had been through.
“B-but you said the p-pup's qi flow was okay, r-right?”
Lan Wangji nodded as he placed his hand on his husband's baby bump to feel for their baby again, a sigh of relief escaping him when he felt the strength of the tiny golden core pulsating against his palm.
“They're okay, they're.. alive..”
But the relief didn't stay long when Wei Wuxian began to whimper again as he hurriedly grabbed his husband's hand to squeeze it tightly.
“Breathe, Wei Ying.”
The alpha reminded his mate softly when he noticed how his Wei Ying held his breath as he fought the contraction. He couldn't even imagine how uncomfortable his husband must be right now.
“L-lan Zhan..”
A soft sniffle escaped the younger male when Lan Wangji carefully cupped his cheeks to brush the tears from the flushed skin once the contraction was finally over and pressed a soft kiss on the omega's damp forehead.
“I-it's too early.. O-our little radish, it's too early f-for them..”
It was useless to fight the tears when the realization finally got the best of him, a heartbreaking sob escaping the omega when his husband carefully pulled him in his arms.
Their position was absolutely awkward, Lan Wangji crouching down in front of his mate who's face was buried in the older's chest as he held onto those white robes for dear life, the baby bump hindering him from getting any closer.
But neither of them could care less at that moment.
They shouldn't have agreed to go on this mission.
Lan Wangji should have listened to his instincts and should have continued to insist that his husband should have stayed at home.
Maybe then.. he wouldn't be in the middle of giving birth right now.
“I'm sorry, Wei Ying. I'm so sorry.”
The alpha held his crying husband tightly, his own eyes stinging as he suppressed a sob. As much as he wanted to believe that their baby would be okay because of their strong golden core, nothing would change the fact that it was too early for them to be born.
How likely was it that a premature baby, born in a goat stable, would survive without a healer or doctor nearby?
“Lan Z-zhan, nghh.. I d-don't want this, I-”
Wei Wuxian struggled to finish his sentence as the next contraction hit him full force, the pressure on his hips increasing as their puppy made their way downwards.
“I know, Wei Ying. I know.. I've got you, I'm here for you.”
A soft kiss landed on the crown of the younger's head but the omega barely noticed it, too distracted by the pain that made him feel like his insides were ripped apart.
This whole situation was just a fever dream in some way.
Wei Wuxian would have never thought that when he'd give birth, it'd be in front of six curious goats and a donkey who all stared at him like they were seeing a human for the very first time, 14 big eyes staring at him as they chewed on some hay as if it was popcorn.
“I think.. I think I need to push..”
“Okay, let's get you out of these pants then.”
The omega immediately whimpered when his husband helped him sit up properly and pulled him up, Wei Wuxian's legs trembling from the exhaustion and pain but Lan Wangji held him tightly by his arms so he wouldn't fall.
“H-hurry, Lan Z-zhan..”
“I'm trying, Wei Ying.”
It wasn't easy to help his mate open his layers of clothes with his trembling hands. As much as he pretended to be as calm as always, as much as he wanted to give his husband the feeling that everything would be fine, he couldn't hide his shaking hands from Wei Wuxian.
The white robe that was originally wrapped around the younger's small frame to shield him from the rain now landed on the straw-covered floor to serve as a clean place for the omega to sit on.
“Is that okay? Or do you want to.. kneel? Crouch?”
But the ravenette only shook his head vehemently as he blindly searched for his husband's hand the moment his back rested against the wooden wall again, the muscles in his belly already tensing again.
Giving birth was truly a whole different kind of pain.
Wei Wuxian couldn't suppress his tears as he felt his baby's head starting to crown, his hand almost crushing Lan Wangji's hand.
But the alpha knew that this pain wasn't comparable to the pain his husband was enduring right now so he didn't say a word and only held the younger's hands as he pressed a kiss to the Yiling patriarch's damp temple when the omega slumped into his arms once the contraction was over.
“You're doing so good, Wei Ying. So good.”
Lan Wangji whispered as he held his sobbing mate, tears gathering in his eyes again at the sight of his whole world breaking down in front of him.
He could see how hard his Wei Ying was mentally fighting. His body was forcing him to have their pup while his mind screamed that it was too early, that he shouldn't give into the urge to push.
It wasn't time yet to meet their little radish.
But the contractions didn't show any mercy on the poor omega.
Even if their baby was still small, at least smaller than a full term pup, it still hurt so unbelievably much.
Having to push a small human through a very small hole of his body was not something Wei Wuxian would recommend. He didn't even know how anyone could give birth to a bigger child than his little radish, he already felt sorry for his husband's mother.
Apparently both Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji had been big babies, there was a reason everyone expected for the new Lan child to inherit a decent birth size as well.
And the alpha could only hold his husband's hands tightly, sharing his qi with his mate so Wei Wuxian could focus on pushing without having to worry about his energy level (which was absurd, it was still exhausting as fuck to give birth).
“O-oh my god, Lan Z-Zhan urghh-”
“Almost there, Wei Ying. You're doing so good.”
Lan Wangji had never been a man of many words, especially not of unnecessary ones but right now he knew that even though those words were just phrases of comfort and couldn't take the pain from his loved one, he knew that this was important for Wei Wuxian. Because he was doing good.
And after five torturing pushes a tiny body finally slipped into the white robes, the blood and amniotic fluids leaving red stains on the pure white but all the couple could focus on in that moment was their pup.
This tiny, helpless person. Their little radish.
“L-lan Zhan..”
Wei Wuxian barely managed to say anything as he instinctively reached down to pick up his child with his husband's help, tears streaming down his face at the tiniest whimper that reached his ear.
“I-it's okay, Wei Ying. They're okay..”
The alpha rested a big hand on their pup's tiny back, almost covering their baby's full body simply because their little radish was just so tiny.
But Lan Wangji was right, their baby was okay.
For being born three months too early, they looked surprisingly well-developed.
“Hi there, little radish.. A-niang's got you, shh. I'm here, I'm here..”
Wei Wuxian whispered through his tears as he rested his cheek against his baby's tiny head, cradling the little human as close as possible to his chest.
Instead of loud cries like he had expected from a newborn, their pup only sniffled and whined softly in his hold, tiny hands curling up so instinctively on their mother's warm chest.
And it only needed one single glare from the alpha to put the curious goats and little apple back into their places when they took a step closer to inspect the little, whimpering bundle on Wei Wuxian's chest.
“Lan Zhan..”
The omega tore his gaze from his baby just for a second to look up at his husband, his heart aching even more from happiness at the sight of the soft smile and the unshed tears in the older's eyes.
“Our little radish is a boy. We have a son, Lan Zhan..”
And the older male couldn't hold his tears anymore when Wei Wuxian pressed a soft kiss to their son's tiny head and their little one instinctively nuzzled their squishy face against their a-niang's warm skin, finding so much comfort in the calming scent.
“H-he's so perfect, Wei Ying. And so unbelievably tiny..”
He was tiny, Lan Wangji could probably easily hold his son in one hand.
But he was okay, there was absolutely no trace of him being a premature baby at all.
“I think he's just a tiny boy.. He's got tiny nails, working lungs and enough hair. I don't think he's early to be honest..”
It wasn't like they could have actually calculated their son's due date, the medical techniques only allowed an estimation judged by the unborn baby's size and Wei Wuxian's heats had always been irregular thanks to the years of abuse and starvation Mo Xuanyu's body had gone through.
And every day meant every day, there had simply been no chance to know exactly when their pup had been conceived. Apparently earlier than expected.
“You gave us quite the scare, little radish."
Wei Wuxian chuckled through his tears as his baby cooed and gladly accepted his husband's help to lower the fabric of his robe so their son could get his very first milk.
It was ridiculous to think about it now, the milk had been leaking for days, a clear sign that the birth had been approaching.
But the omega had shook it off and had blamed it on the food and the weather while Lan Wangji had rather enjoyed it. It was important to taste test their baby's food beforehand after all.
“He's so quiet, I thought he'd be louder..”
The omega smiled as he caressed his son's chubby cheek once the pup had finally latched on, the tiniest purrs escaping the baby as he suckled eagerly.
“He's a Lan, Wei Ying. He knows the rules by heart already.”
Lan Wangji chuckled softly, his heart skipping a beat noticing the smile widening on his husband's face.
“I don't think he really listened when you read the 3000 rules to him when he was in my belly. If he takes after me, he knows that this is good material to fall asleep.”
But instead of replying again, the alpha only smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind his husband's ear and pressed a kiss on his forehead.
Oh how much he wished for their little boy to take after his mother (minus the self sacrificing character trait).
But in the end it truly didn't matter as long as their child was healthy. And Lan Wangji would do anything to keep it that way.
“You're the first Lan to be born in a goat stable, you know that, A-Yuan?”
“I think if I had a choice, a goat stable wouldn't have been my first choice to give birth either..”
Wei Wuxian snorted but looked up when he felt a soft nudge on his arm.
“But I think it could have been worse too, right?”
He smiled at the curious, tiny goat which still kept its respective distance from the baby, too afraid of earning another warning glare from the mighty Hanguang-jun.
And it didn't even need the alpha's protection, when the tiny goat tried to take a step closer, little apple gently nudged the goat to the side to stop them. He had a baby to protect now after all.
“Uncle will faint when we return to Gusu and greet him with a baby instead of a finished mission.”
“That old man will survive, your brother can take care of the mission, right? You have a newborn son and a recovering husband to take care of, right?”
Wei Wuxian chuckled softly as he rested his head against his husband's shoulder when the alpha finally sat down beside him and wrapped one arm around the omega, his gaze glued to their little radish. He was so unbelievably cute.
“Right. My Wei Ying and our little A-Yuan are everything that matters to me.”
Lan Wangji smiled and pressed another long kiss to his husband's head as his hand joined the younger's, holding their little boy up so he could continue to drink his milk.
He would have never thought that one of the most beautiful moments of his life would be like this. In a provisional goat stable somewhere in the mountains, no people, just goats and Wei Ying's silly donkey and the sound of rain hitting against the wooden roof.
But in some way in this exact place, in this exact moment, this was the center of their world.
His Wei Ying and their little radish, right here, right now.
This was one of the most beautiful moments in his life.
And maybe he didn't want it any other way. Because at the end of this long, scary path thay had taken was the sight of Wei Wuxian cradling their beautiful, newborn son to his chest.
And Lan Wangji would never change this for anything in this world.