#aaaaa it tickles me so much that you are interested in her!

[voidtouched-blue]

In her discomfort, there was truly little she could form thoughts of when it came to the tall stranger. Other than his towering height, and from what she could observe in her wavering vision, his long hair. In the dim light of the Thaumaturge Sanctum it was even more difficult for her to discern specific features. What she did catch was nearly forgotten with each throb that shook her skull. If he hadn't caught her at a bad time, she would have at least granted him more than just social courtesy of an expression of gratitude for checking on her. Cyra may have been a hermit, but she wasn't rude. Blunt maybe, but never carried herself in a way that caused disgruntlement to others.

As she steadied herself on the edge of the table, her ear twisted towards her present company as he shuffled around the tomes that were stacked on the table. Initially, the anxiety in her chest swapped from the sudden headache to the soft sound of a heavy tome being closed shut. Her research was dipping into the realm of forbidden knowledge, and should he be able to make any sense of her scribblings...well...

She would have more than just questions to answer for.

What she listened for was less the quick packing up of her personal effects, but more of the familiar sound of paper scraping against paper. If he had flipped through her compendium, she would know. She turned her head slightly to glance in his direction. Only able to make out his long arms reaching easily across the table, she was satisfied with what little visual indications she could identify. Her book was closed in his hand, her inkwell, and her quill neatly stacked as he brought them to her. She wasn't concerned about the stacked knowledge that remained in it's place on the table. The Brothers had novices that worked at the Sanctum that would place them back in their proper nook at the end of the night.

At this point the pain had settled into a manageable level. Not that her little trick did much to ease the pain, but it was enough to keep her from collapsing. Or perhaps she had simply gotten used to similar to how one scorns the hot water of a bath before the heat settles into their aches and pains to provide relief. Pain wasn't a stranger to her, not like people were. It was more a distant friend, and it made it's visits rather infrequently. After all, how would she know if her skills were effective if she didn't use them on herself first?

"You're too kind- khsst!" Her attempt to express her gratitude for his efforts was met with a sharp, but short, pain that shot behind her eyes. With her left arm keeping her stable on the surface of the desk, she quickly brought her right hand back up to cover her eyes.

"What an awful time for a migraine." She sighed. Repeating the same trick from only minutes before, it offered her some continued relief for this unrelenting pain.

"Am I?" The healer couldn't keep her thoughts currently contained in her head. It was a fear that by putting the effort of keeping them to herself, it would backfire and send more pain radiating throughout her skull. Her shaking was absolutely a result of the splitting headache, but how she hadn't quite noticed her own symptoms was beyond her.

Perhaps I am truly in need of aid this time. I won't take more than I'm given, hopefully this shouldn't take long. She thought. With how disabling this condition was, she had no choice but to accept what was offered. If the Twelve truly were watching, they had absolutely granted her assistance this day.

"I...I hadn't made arrangements. Momodi is usually quite accommodating and keeps a room for me..." She winced and let out another sigh. "I had plans to take a chocobo porter back to my home...in the Shroud. Gods, I don't mean to trouble you to accompany me all the way home, ser."

Cyra swallowed. She never intended to put herself in a position to rely on a stranger for help. It didn't change the fact that she was beyond grateful for his concern. Her hand blindly felt around the edge of the table for her staff. At the very least she could keep herself upright and walk out of the Thaumaturge's guild mostly unassisted. She had no clue if she could even travel all the way there like this.

Aetherial manipulation was difficult at best, and dangerous at worst, so it was with an unspoken approval that the Elezen watched the way her ministrations soaked against grey temples, the beads of perspiration from the heat or pain he couldn’t tell, but to cast such direct alterations into the easily broken flesh of a skull with fleeting concentration was impressive; Especially if her gritted teeth were any indication. The woman’s voice was lighter than he had anticipated. Not in actual pitch mind you, but the lilt of her words (beyond the ichor of pain that seeped between them) held a tenure ill fitting for those serious eyes, one would have half expected a snarl to purse those lips by the way the Miqo’te had been so focused on her original task. Here, it was a mask of social convention easily recognized. Silvaire waited for a few moments, then a heartbeat more, relaxing his posture to hold his wrists behind his back as the taller figure leaned to study; to see (feel?) the pressure in her bones increase, the dense muscles of a well travelled frame coiling as pain seemed to throb, scald and pulse beneath her skin. Once more that voice spoke - this time to herself before any other - seemingly forgetting the stranger who waited; or those people beyond his eyes who had begun once more to question the situation. He hoped they wouldn’t think it was his doing. This time at least he was innocent of any misdeed within the city. Pretending he didn’t hear it, Silvaire offered a painted smile, eyes creasing with the expression as the façade played so naturally, speaking quietly as one would do to keep the privacy of another. “And in this heat no less.” There was mirth to his tone as he straightened, his eyes never leaving her own - the hidden warinesses towards the unknown he was so used to seeing - Turning on his heel Silvaire let a hand raise to brush the wayward strands of his hair away, speaking with that practiced casualty. “Just a moment.” Knowing the slightest movement of the woman would no doubt bring some secondary relapse of the dense ailment, He took one step towards the desk that had been abandoned in her misgivings; Taking the opportunity to sate the curiosity temporarily as to what her research had been to devour. Her penmanship was wanting, but legible nonetheless, scribbled notes and splotches of ink scratched this way and that - written for the eyes of her and her alone, all more questions than answers it seemed - nothing concrete in this child’s selection the brothers had offered. His brow furrowed for only an instant as the words took root. This was not simple study, this bordered on obsession. There were additional aspects to this book that lay across the table that caught his attention however. Mechanizations and locks primed across it. An item of value; perhaps not to a city-state, but quite obviously to the woman behind him. Pages tender to the touch from a well loved hand. Protection granted towards it with the same cherished attention one would their own selves. Interesting indeed. There was more to her than originally thought. All of these observations happened in an instant, it would not do to be caught snooping through the materials of a stranger after all. So, with slender fingers gliding across the tomes to move them this way and that, Silvaire was quick to pack up what he deemed as needed - capping the inkwell in time - and returned to her with her affects held with an honest hand towards her. “You’re pale and shivering, if I may say, are you staying nearby? May I accompany you?”

[x-i-l-verify]

Oh mannnnnnn, thank you so much! 🥺 I was definitely not expecting to get a full breakdown, aaaaaaah, this made my week.

Well, first of all, I'm happy you think all the forms fit!! That was my biggest goal with this, so I'm glad I seem to have succeeded! Wars Is a little weird puppy running on cat software, we stan. :D And yeah, for sure, I don't personally see Wild as a fox at all. I mean, I kinda get why people type him as one a lot, but naaaaaaah. It was either going to be an ungulate or raptor for him, and none of the ungulates fit, so RAPTOR IT IS. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

For all the absolute HEADACHES the mechanics of Four's splitting power gave me in this AU, he was an absolute cherub when it came to actually picking him a form. (◕ᴗ◕✿) Had one picked in like 10 minutes. Honeybee does work so well for him, and I'm always tickled to death when I get to type someone as a less common form like an insect, fish, or reptile. Variety is the spice of life!

Wind was always going to be some kind of bird, and I considered gull for a bit, but I found the parrots and I was like "SCORE" lmao. Oh fr though, macaws can be scary, do not underestimate. XD

Hyrule was bar none the hardest Link to type, I went through so many analyses. >.< I kept picturing him with something small and fuzzy and cute, though, and when I found the YBG, I kept coming back to it. Fun fact, it and Wild's wedge-tailed eagle are both Australian animals. Fitting, I think, for the two most feral Links, lol.

Not me cackling at someone calling Sky's 5-foot crane a small bird. X'D Look Psalm may be fierce af, but she's not a cucco for a reason. Cuccos seem to like her, though, nobody knows why she and Sky are exempt from their wrath.

ty for your interest! <3 I just have a oneshot in mind for right now, Worstie Duo (Warriors+Legend) focused b/c I love them lots and lots, BUT if I get ideas for something else set in this AU, I'm not opposed to writing it. Mostly juggling this and another WIP for whumptober rn, though, and that's enough for me. >.< Why is writing so haaard.

Awww, thanks, I do try to link the sources since those have way more info in them, and I simply don't have the time to go as in-depth about my typings myself.

Aaaaa, you're welcome! I'm glad it was well received, I do sometimes get self-conscious about sending people things. "HEY I WROTE A THING DO YOU WANT TO READ IT" has about a 50/50 chance of going over like a lead balloon if you don't know the person well, so I'm glad that in this case it did. ^^;

ty again for your time!! I hope you have a great week. :D

*shuffles into inbox* Um. So I saw you bemoaning the fact that people don't write detailed posts about what Dark World forms the rest of the boys would have, and I wanted to let you know that I kind of just wrote one? After a fashion? Thought you might want to check it out. (Insert the dots and get rid of the space, gomen for the formatting, tumblr wouldn't let me send this otherwise)

https:// www(DOT)tumblr(DOT)com/x-i-l-verify/762966857258041344/linked-universe-daemon-au-headcanons

Anywaysssss, have a good day, thanks for all your interesting analyses! *skitters*

HIIIII!!!!!

Thank you so much!!!! :DD

I actually love the amount of dark world form theories there are haha AND I LOVE YOURS TOO OMG

This is so cool!

Here's the Link >:) to the post

The first thing that stood out to me was you made Wars having a fox! I love that because normally I see Wild as a fox but Wars is a great fox. Introverted puppy.

Also Four as a bee is so perfect! I looked at the picture and was imagining the stripes of the bee beeing (hehehehe) the four colours and smiled so much.

I love Wind as a Macaw and the thought of the others trying to coddle a Macaw? Do not coddle a Macaw!! I love Macaws so much but they are not to be underestimated just like Wind hehe

Time's perfect and so are Twilight and Legend- I think the lore you've built handles somewhat knowing their forms already perfectly.

Raptor for Wild is gonna kill me it's perfect

Hyrule has a nocturnal glider? That's really cool I think :O

Sky's is obviously a bird which is great- I'm cracking up imagining him and the others freaking out about the cuccos and he's like but you don't freak out about my small bird! and they're all like but CUCCOS ARE DIFFERENT

This is so so cool I love the lore you've made with the daemons and you say you're writing a fic? Is it off this au and are you writing uhh oneshot or series?

ALSO YOU CITED YOUR SOURCES I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! I legit screamed when I saw you cited your sources is that normal?? Anyways I LOVE that you cited your sources lol

Thank you so much for sending me this!! I find it funny you ended your ask thanking me for my analysis and then I answered ranting about yours. Your thoughts are wonderful to hear and I love them thank you for sharing. It's very kind and selfless of you. And AGAIN I love all the forms you chose so much it's really genius :O

You are loved and you matter /gen

<33

[kanene-yaaay]

SQUEAKYYYYY MY BELOVED MY DEAR MY RAY OF SUNSHINEEEEEEEE!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 I know I already said that but I really, really, reaaaaaally love this fic so so soooo much like <3 <3 what a delight what a masterpiece!!!

I had to control myself so much to better appreciate it, I woke up like thrice during the night in excitment and I just keep smiling and giggling everytime I think about it. Truly, for me every single detail here is absolutely perfect <3 <3 You are always so soooooo on poin with your characterization that sometimes I could even HEAR the voice and tune of them when they scolded, teased and chatted. Really, I love every single part of this fic and if I could I would have you both on my arms rn so I could give you the BIGGEST and WARMEST of the hugs <3 <3 <3 I can't believe yet you wrote this for me like BRUH!!!! AN ENTIRE STORY??? FOR LIL OLD ME? You absolutely spoil me <3 <3 <3 <3 aaaaaaaaaa

Now! For the fic and all the spoilers:

THAT BEGINNING AND CONTEXT AAAAAAAAUGH!!!! PAIN AND SUFFERING AUGH AUGH I know I love the awesome, good old hurt/comfort but sometimes I forget that before the fluff comes the hurt so kjhgfdfghjklçlkjhg ouuuuuuuch!!!!!! However I do absolutely adore the new perspective this brings to Jiang Cheng's leardership, how much better is it that is so different yet his obligation to take it is just the same? How could his parents be still alive and that change everything and nothing at all about their story? Very very interesting in my opinion! The fact of having Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli (for now) on Lotus Pier must feel the biggest of the blessings!

Also!!!!!!! B R U H!!!!! HE AND LAN XICHEN EXCHANGING LETTERS (I know that is only mentioned later on the fic but shhhhh) AND LAN ZHAN AND WEI WUXIAN GETTING CLOSER??? TEHEHEHEHE THE BROTHERS IN LAW INDEED <3 <3 <3 PEACE AND LOVE ON PLANET EARTH GODBLESS

Wei Wuxian is also so real in throwing that rock. It's the Cain Effect you can't just see your sibling living in peace without IMMEDIATELY doing something to change that this is so so hgfdfghujikolokijuhyg perfect really, you blink and suddenly the rock that was in your hand just hit them in the middle of their face and now u gotta run

AAAAA THE MISCOMMUNICATION BORTHERS PAAAAAIN AND SUFFERIIIIIING I FORGOT THEY ARE STUPID WITH THEIR LOVE RIP

OOF How I do love the workaholic that is forced to have a break, realx and love trope- Squeakyyyy how come you always get everything so right?? <3

Jiang Cheng describing just how small he feels in front of his jiejie, just wanting to melt and snuggle on her embrace aaaaaa my heaaaaart, all I could imagine was him making himself the smallest as possible to fit nicely on her hug aaaaaa. Also kjhgfdfghujikolkiuhyg the way her radar is so good they just started getting their fight and then she immediately se materializou lá showing her sad face and eveything stopped IMMEDIATELY

Bruh not gonna lie I almost had a heart attack at wei wuxian wagged his fingers I fucking FROZE on the spot the fireworks on my stomach going crazy AND THEN nothing happened, thought I was going to breath AND THEN

THEM

THE TICKLES/LAS COSQUILLAS/COSQUINHAAAAAS

TIME FOR SILLY GIGGLY SILLY CUTE ADORABLE S I L L Y JIANG CHENG LET'S FUCKING GOOOO LIFE IS A GIFT IT'S AMAAAAZING

I freaking love the difference of Jiang Cheng being slowly send into absoluetly madness with tickles and his thought going all crazy and STILL he keeps being all cute and lovely with Jiang Yanli (<3 <3 <3 only thinks about threatning her ONCE) and going ABSOLUTELY FERAL KICKING SCREAMING THRISTY FOR REVENGE with Wei Wuxian it's so LKJHYGTFRGTYUIOKIUHYGTFDFGHJ The Yunmeng Sibs indeed <3

THE WALK OF SHAME MENTIOOON!!!!! FREAKING YEAH I WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU ACTUALLY SAYING NO TO YANLI AT LEAST ONCE MWAHAHAHAHAHA YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO BEING TICKLED SILLY BOY

<3 <3 Yanli and Wuxian teaming together to be absolutely MENACES to society I adore it sooooo so soooo much <3 <3 <3 the idea of 22 raspberries one for each year is so kjhgfdfghjk I am so normal about it I swear

AND!!!!!!! JIANG CHENG HAVING SO MANY SWEET SPOTS GIGGLING LAUGHING SCREAMING SQWACKING SNICKERING WITH ALL THE TICKLES AAAA I AM DYING

Squeaky I have no idea whatare you TALKING ABOUT with the tickles on the tags, I was fucking dying reading them, Squeaky, I was on the FLOOR, melting trying to not acually GIGGLE out loud while reading it, my cheeks were HURTING from smiling so much and !!!!!!!!!!!! I can count the amount of time this happened on ONE HAND only

The mix of both Yanli and Wuxian teasing and praising him, chasing Jiang Cheng across the woods and resorting to DIRTY TRICKS to catch him (AND JIANG CHENG NOT EVEN USING AN OUNCE OF QI NO WAYYYYYY), they using his own reactions to lead him to lovely traps <3 <3 (the one of hhim trying to push the hands away and having his own caught and brought up to his head is CHEF KISS ABSOLUTELY CINEMA and Wei wuxian making him squirm so much to get access and absolutely destroy all the spots on his back I am in heaven)

AND!!!! THE BLACKMAIL!!! KIUHYTRFDFGHUJKOLKJHGVFC They simply sharing secret spots and memories from his childhood I would've DIED automatically on the spot but my bro would never he is so resistant he is so strong he would never be destroyed by giggles and tickles right teheheheee <3 <3 <3 <3 Also the describing of him getting so realxed and happy and fuzzy and content what if freaking died on the spot what then

The way you describe every reaction and tease and tickle and everything, really, haunst my mind is so incredible and magnifecent I feel llike I won the lottery jhgfghujkolkjhg I still can't believe you created such a masterpiece for me Squeaky, I can't even kiuhytfrgyujik

AND THE PERSONAL ATTACK !!!!!! TICKLISH CHEEKS AND TICKLISH CALVES??????? RIP HIM <3 <3 <3 MAY YOU KEEP REACEIVING ALL THE TICKLY TICKLING AND TICKLY TEASES WHEREVER YOU GO JIANG CHENG <3 <3

Also love the bickering admist the tickles especially as they try to embarrass each other withi their crushes kjhgfdefghjk Jiang Cheng getting all flared up when Wei Wuxian mentioned sex like, mah bro, she was the first one of you to DEFLOWER another man like please she got to bases you both haven't even heard of, mah bro Wei Wuxian didn't even get a kiss before de ir de comes e bebes.

The contrast also the seer contrast of all his worst spots beinga ttacked by both Yanli's soft and maddeningly light tickles and Wei Wuxian destroying attacks like HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE HOW CAN YOU LOOK AT THEM WITHOUT IMMEDIATELY DESCENDING INTO LAUGHTER HOW

(I gave from writing something coherent I am just rambling and screaming at this point lkjhgfdfgh rip)

Hope you also know everytime you mentioned them being cute and tickling each other during their childhood I immediately ascended and blacked out from cuteness. I hope. You Know.

I also know I already talked about the fishes but. Squeaky. THE. FISHES!!!!!! I used to be so obsessed w them when I was a kid like kjhgtfrdefrghj me and Jiang Cheng are the same bro hand in hands two tickle trash

Also I at leats had One Daydreaming Hour picturing Jiang Cheng getting payback on Wei Wuxian tickling him on That Secret Spot right in front of Lan Zhan which means that Wei Wuxian never gets to know peace anymore which means that Lotus Pier will be randomly filled with loud crackling alughter DAILY but which also means that one day Lan Xichen will Know and will approach Jiang Cheng all smiley and happy and soft and with a Kind of Light in his eyes that will be explained very soon, A-Cheng, please join me to a discussion over tea on my quarters ^^

AND, TO END WITH A GOLDEN KEY, WEI WUXIAN CALLING HIM HIS DIDI AND YANLI HIS JIEJIE (I also almost died when Yanli said "Who's you Shijie") and Jaing Cheng showing his love thro killing tickles and shouting HI HI HIIIII IT'S HIMMMM IT'S THE SOUR GRAPE WE ALL LOVEEE <3

Also, the detail of them (after faling on water) trying to get on the pier again but being tickled on their unprotected armpits everytime lkjhgfrdefghyj it's just such a small but equally playful and chaotic detail <3 I really do adore the way you write your stories, everything make it so fun, so delightful to read, you can describe every scenario and every feeling so perfectly and I am truly very thankfull and incredibly honoured you wrote this for me. Seriously, you did everything so perfect here, I will cherish this gift every single day of my life

Peas In a (Lotus) Pod

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Characters: Lee!Jiang Wanyin, Ler!Jiang Yanli, Ler!Wei Wuxian

Warnings: Angst, mentions of death, mentions of suicidal ideation

Word count: 12.000 words

Summary: The children of Yunmeng Jiang persevered. Even in the face of adversity, joy could be found in the simplest of things. (It was going to be found whether it liked it or not. Jiang Wanyin's siblings would make sure of it. They couldn't let their brother be so upset on his birthday, could they?)

A/N: UMM HELLO??? WHY IS THERE NOT A PARTY GOING ON IN HERE?? UNACCEPTABLE. EVERYONE WAKE TF UP BECAUSE TODAY IS @kanene-yaaay 's BIRTHDAAYYY!!!! To celebrate this special day and the incredible, wonderful person and friend that you are, Kanene, have a little gift made with lots of love! May you have a fantastic birthday, mana, because you deserve nothing but the best <3 <3

Jiang Wanyin knocked on his father's door once.

Twice.

Thrice.

He made sure to call out for the man, asking him to please come out, so he'd know it was his son personally asking for him, and not some random disciple.

There was no response. No greeting, no footsteps from the other side of the door, not even the rustling sound of his father moving about in bed.

Time and time again, he'd gotten nothing. Hell, his only confirmation that his father was even alive in there were the empty dishes left on his doorstep after servants brought him meals.

Jiang Wanyin thought today would be different. He should have known better. But still, he hoped. And he felt ridiculous for it. He was a Sect Leader. (He had to be.) He fought in a war, had to take on the responsibility of rebuilding his ancestral home almost from scratch and he was an adult. Yet here he was, paralyzed in front of his father's door because he didn't bother to acknowledge him on his birthday, like some clingy child.

He couldn't afford to act like a child anymore. So why, why, did he feel frozen on the spot? Why did he feel transported back to that day, tossed into a boat and held down by Zidian, forced to watch as his home burned and his mother walked into an ambush?

Wanyin forced himself to turn on his feet. He could not take it personally. He could be mature about it. So what if his father didn't want to see him? The man didn't even ditch his seclusion for an incense stick's time to congratulate his only daughter, his eldest child, on setting an official date for her wedding— Which Wanyin knew he was aware of, because A-Jie wrote him an actual letter just to make sure he knew, instead of trying to talk to him through the door and hoping he was awake to hear it— So why would he grace his son with his presence?

It's been that way for nearly a year.

He understood, he did, that his father was dealing with far too much. He'd been captured by the Wen along with his mother that night they invaded Lotus Pier, then held captive in Nightless City up until the end of the Sunshot Campaign, being subjected to gods know what until he was rescued. ‘Far too much’ was an understatement. He couldn't imagine the kind of mental scars that would leave on someone.

But was it that selfish of him to wish he could have his father back? Scratch that, have his parents back.

Jiang Wanyin wasn't stupid. He knew his parents' treatment of him throughout the years was less than ideal. But they were still his parents, and he'd do anything to have them by his side. Especially now that he was suddenly pushed into the role of Sect Leader due to his father's seclusion. He wasn't a child, sure, but he still felt so terrifyingly young. Unprepared. At least if he had his parents by his side, maybe he wouldn’t be haunted by the feeling he had no clue what he was doing. He'd have some guidance, regardless of how inadequate (second-best insufficient not good enough never good enough) their counseling always made him feel.

He found himself missing even his mother's sharp words. She still sent letters, although visits were rare, but it wasn't the same. Even with his father holed up in his quarters, she refused to set foot in Lotus Pier if she could help it. Wanyin didn't know what was it that hit the final nail in the coffin to start off the divorce that's been looming over his family for years, (How would he? It's not like they told him anything) but those two were dead set on staying apart.

Which left him juggling the Jiang Sect by himself. Because what else was he supposed to do? Leave A-Jie and Wei Wuxian to shoulder his responsibilities while he ran off to Meishan Yu to whine to his mother?

Yeah, no.

He was handling it well enough on his own, given the circumstances. Too many of their friends shidis disciples were lost, and Lotus Pier literally went up in flames. Obviously everything felt like a huge fucking mess. It was, objectively, a huge fucking mess. Anyone would have trouble piecing together the broken fragments of post-war Yunmeng Jiang into something functional and respectable. The fact everything still felt scattered to the winds had nothing to do with his leadership.

Right?

Zidian crackled around his finger.

He didn’t understand why. He was fine, he was calm, he was taking it all in stride, as expected from someone of his station. He didn’t understand why some disciples scurried to get out of his way when he walked past either. What, was there something on his face?

Weird people. Who runs away from their Sect Leader like a frightened animal without at least a greeting?

Heavy footsteps came to a slow halt as he neared the main area of Lotus Pier, away from the sheltered part of the forest where his father’s seclusion home could be found. Actually, he’d gotten here quicker than usual. His body felt a bit more tense and his legs a little more sore than it did earlier this morning, too. Did he storm all the way here or something?

He hadn’t noticed.

Only when something small thrown with high speed collided with his forehead did he realize in the back of his mind that his face had been curled into a scowl. He scowled even further.

"Wei Wuxian!" He snarled up at trees towering above him, eyes darting between the leaves in search of the one person who'd have the gall to throw a lotus seed at him. Sure enough, Wanyin found him. Perched high up in a branch, wine bottle in hand and a stupid grin on his face like he didn’t have a care in the world. He grit his teeth. 'What are you- Get down! We have work to do and you're just lounging up there like a damn bird?!"

Wei Wuxian's playful smile slid right off, whatever dumb thing he was about to say dying on his lips. Jiang Wanyin regretted it almost instantly.

Maybe he wasn't so calm after all.

"Aiya- Jiang Cheng, the world won't explode if we take it easy for a day." Wei Wuxian forced casualness and joviality into his voice. Wanyin wasn't fooled. Ever since he came back from his three-month disappearance during the Sunshot Campaign, there was something off about him. Jiang Wanyin barely recognized him, at times. Even Lan Wangji was having more difficulty genuinely lifting his spirits when he stopped by, and that was saying something. Wei Wuxian must think Wanyin a fool as well as blind, to keep putting on that dumb facade where he pretended everything was fine, as if his face didn't turn hauntingly somber whenever Wei Wuxian thought no one else was looking. "Did you forget what day it is?"

Jiang Wanyin nearly missed his words, but the playfully mocking tone drew in his focus. Wanyin knew it was fake. He hated it.

Wanyin should have been there to protect him. Whatever happened during those three months, Wanyin should have prevented it. What was the use in delivering himself to the Wens on a silver platter to keep Wei Wuxian safe, if Jiang Wanyin wasn't there to keep him from becoming a shell of himself?

He should have recovered faster. They should have been side by side-

Bitterness built up in his chest, crawling up his throat, wrapping around his tongue and prying open his mouth like a snake.

"The world won't stop just because it's my birthday either! It's just a day like any other." He spat, the words sitting heavily in the air. He ignored the protests in the back of his mind and he especially ignored how the words stung as they forced their way out. That was the truth. How he felt about it didn't matter. "We don't have time to waste. The faster we're done with the renovations, the better."

Wei Wuxian had the gall to scoff at him as if he was the one who'd gone nuts. "What crap are you spewing? You never want to work on your birthday!" His brother jumped off the tree and bumped their shoulders together— grinning in that way that seemed almost right but not quite— as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder and tapped the wine bottle against Wanyin's chest. "Shijie's been looking for you for hours so we can go to the vendors like we used to. Stop looking like you swallowed a lemon, eh?"

"It's different this year!" The Sect Leader snapped. He didn't outright shove Wei Wuxian away, but he did slip out of his grasp. So much to be done, and his brother was out and about lounging and drinking and- "Our sect is in ruin, this place is a mess and it's not miraculously getting better the moment we turn our backs because it's not like we can expect A-Die to swoop in and fix everything like when we were kids anytime soon!"

His brother pursed his lips, understanding dawning on his eyes when he processed which direction Jiang Wanyin came from. "Did you-"

"Yes," Wanyin interrupted through gritted teeth. He surprised even himself with the venom in that simple word. "Not even you or A-Jie could get him out of that room, I don't know why I tried! Obviously he wouldn't bother with me!"

Wei Wuxian's expression was surprisingly patient given how many times they've revisited that argument. Or maybe patient wasn't the right word. Exhausted and with no will left to argue, perhaps, if the dark circles underneath his eyes that suddenly seemed far more noticeable were any indication. "Jiang Cheng, don't speak nonsense. You're his son and-"

"He seems to forget that a lot, doesn't he!"

Two brothers could only stare at each other after the outburst. Wei Wuxian wore a forlorn look that seemed so out of place on his face. Jiang Wanyin's throat felt unbearably tight, his chest rising and falling in a rapid rhythm. He wanted to yell. He wanted to punch something. He might have wanted to cry, a little. He did nothing, his whole body so tense it felt completely rigid.

The sound of leaves crushed over light, familiar footsteps drained the fight out of him. He sagged.

"A-Cheng..." Wanyin turned to the sound of his sister's voice, his own face mirroring hers as he caught sight of her crestfallen expression. Now he's upset not just himself but both his siblings. Great. Way to go, Jiang Wanyin.

"A-Jie," he was thankful his voice only trembled the slightest bit. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt that small in front of her. Part of him wanted to lean into it, to let the anguish roll off of him in waves and let himself be comforted by his older sister the way he'd never been comforted by his parents. But he couldn't do that to her, not when she already looked so heartbroken. He pushed down the urge. "I'm sorry, I can't- I shouldn't leave right now. There's too much to do and I already wasted too much time-" He put a stop to that line of thinking, lest bitterness creep into his tone again. "If you want something from the vendors, I can ask some disciples to take you. Or you can go with Wei Wuxian."

Wei Wuxian sent him an indecipherable look. Jiang Wanyin ignored it. He'd still prefer Wei Wuxian here lending him a helping hand, but if A-Jie wanted some time off from the chaos that was current Lotus Pier, he'd feel more at ease if she had their brother with her.

"Didi, you know that's not why we wanted to go. If the three of us aren't going, then we're not going either." Jiang Yanli took her youngest brother gently by the hand as she's done countless times since he was a toddler, guiding him to sit beside her by the tree trunk. She shot Wei Wuxian a pleading expression. Please stay.

The Head Disciple (or was he already the Second in Command now?) was sat beside Jiang Wanyin in an instant.

There was a furrow between the woman's eyebrows as she faced her brother.. "You went to see A-Die?"

Jiang Yanli's semblance grew uncharacteristically melancholic with each passing moment she awaited his answer. If Jiang Wanyin wasn't already feeling like utter crap, he'd slap himself for putting such an expression on his sister's face.

"Seeing him is kind of a stretch." He genuinely wasn't sure what he was even expecting from his attempt. Maybe a note slid underneath the door if his father didn't feel like talking? Maybe for the man to whisper something to himself from his bed at least? The bright golden core spinning in Wanyin's dantian made his senses far stronger than before, yet he heard no sign his father wished to talk to him or that he even knew what day it was. Not even a sharp intake of breath. "It was stupid. I shouldn't have."

He certainly couldn't have actually expected his father would come out of seclusion, even if just for a moment, to spend some time with him just for the sake of it. No, that didn't sound like his father at all.

The young Sect Leader didn't like the feeling of being proven right, for once.

He vaguely heard Wei Wuxian making some loud noise of protest, but ultimately letting their sister take the reins of the conversation.

"A-Cheng. Don't say that." Her tone was chiding and firm, every bit the eldest child of a prestigious sect. Every bit the daughter of the famous (infamous, too) Violet Spider. "This day is important to you, it's always been. There's nothing stupid in wanting to spend it with people also important to you."

Now more than ever, under her gaze, Jiang Wanyin felt like a child again. But he found that in her presence, he didn't quite mind. She's said it herself once that they would always be her baby brothers. If some parts of her would always see him as a kid, he could afford to engage a little every now and then when the mantle of Sandu Shengshou the Sect Leader weighed too heavily on his shoulders.

"You can't take it so personally. Jiang-shushu, he's-" Wei Wuxian wore a strange look of uncertainty that Jiang Wanyin assumed to be the result of the battle between the admiration he held for his father and the bitterness that festered inside each of them. "He's not in his right mind."

"Obviously!" Jiang Wanyin glowered. "He'd have to be out of his mind not to show his face to A-Jie when she tried!" They both generally brushed aside how he'd been so ready to take it completely personally when it was himself that his father turned down. Jiang Yanli didn't manage to disguise her exasperation when Wanyin turned to her, his face bordering in apologetic. "If he did open that damned door today but not when you went to talk about your engagement, I'd start questioning my filiality."

Now he was almost thankful his father gave him no response. He couldn't begin to imagine how A-Jie would feel. Birthdays rolled around every year, so what if he cared too much about his? It's not every year you announce you're getting married.

Jiang Yanli gave a fond shake of her head and spoke with far more certainly than she felt. "We just have to be patient. Give him time, and he'll come around." With a soothing smile she pushed aside her own doubts, her own fears. Her brother needed reassurance. And that, at least, was familiar. She clung to it. "It won't be like it used to, but It'll be... better than this."

Silence blanketed them as they willed themselves to believe. Or at least pretend like they did, for each other's sake.

Jiang Wanyin wasn't sure he could pretend, not even to himself. He knew, better than the two of them would ever know, what it felt like for someone raised as an heir to a Sect to be completely weakened.

Powerless.

Coreless.

Even so, he wasn't stuck in that miserable state for nearly as long as his father. At least he was given some hope shortly after Wen Zhuliu became a source of his nightmares.

Baoshan Sanren. The name inspired in him gratitude and anger in equal measure.

What use was there in cultivating to immortality, in having powers beyond mortal comprehension, if you'd hide yourself away in a mountain when your skills were needed by so many? What was the point in mastering how to practically give life back to a cultivator, restore their future, if you would do it for the son of a past disciple but not leaders of a great sect? Or anyone else that had no personal ties to you, for that matter? (Sometimes he wanted to drag his parents up that mountain himself, despite Wei Wuxian's insistence that it would be for nothing.)

If he hadn't lied about his name back there, what would have become of him?

Alive, he would be, he presumed. Though he believed his parents dead at the time, he still had his siblings. There were times he... considered. But if it came down to it, if he had the opportunity to try while under Wen-guniang's supervision, he wasn't sure he could put what remained of his family through that anguish.

He supposed that, too, was the case for his mother. Her pride was damaged beyond repair with the loss of her cultivation, but Meishan Yu didn't let go of its children. His mother might have lost much, but she still had her sisters to support her. That wasn't the same for his father, however.

'Attempt the impossible' was their sect's motto. Jiang Wanyin always believed his father was stronger than him. He hoped with all his might that was the truth. Because he couldn't imagine himself finding the strength to attempt to bounce back from this.

The three of them sat in silence, merely being there for one another, A-Jie holding onto his hand and Wei Wuxian almost leaning onto him.

Minutes later, oblivious to his solemn thoughts, Wei Wuxian decided he had enough of the tension.

"And he'll be heartbroken to hear you spent your birthday sulking and running around Lotus Pier like a workaholi-"

"I am not sulking!" Jiang Wanyin shoved his shoulder.

A finger was wagged teasingly at him as his brother laughed. "That's exactly what a sulking person would say!" That familiar playful grin adorned his face again. Relief lightened the burden on his heart at the sincerity of it, even if it was at his expense.

Exhaling sharply, Wanyin felt a pull at the threads of his resistance. He still couldn't afford to spend much time away from his duties. But he supposed he could spare a bit, if only to make his siblings quit looking at him like he's about to break into a fever from overworking. "I still don't want to stay away for too long." He conceded. "Just the trip to the vendors and back would take half a shichen."

"Aiyo, fine, we can just hang around here then." Wei Wuxian jabbed a finger on his side. "But no working! For at least a shichen! You were up so late last night reading trade agreements it's a miracle you don't look like a walking corpse!"

Bless the older man's chatter for making his gasp go unnoticed.

Yet neither of them missed the way he stiffened.

Wanyin made the grave error of making eye contact with his brother and thus saw the exact moment when an idea formed in his head. Which usually did not bode well for him.

Hands latched onto his sides and the squawk that left him was in no way dignified. "You-!" Another embarrassing noise and he sent his brother the fiercest glare he could muster as he once again shoved him away. "Stop being childish!"

His troublemaker brother was undeterred. If anything, he was encouraged. "Who's being childish?" The stubborn hands returned with a vengeance, playful fingers digging into his clothes until he doubled over. "If tickling was just for kids, we'd have grown out of it!"

Jiang Yanli gigged at their antics beside him. Wanyin sent her a half pleading look, which only resulted in her bringing up a hand to hide an amused smile, contrasting to the mischievous delight washed over Wei Wuxian's face like he just sneaked into the Cloud Recesses a jar of Emperor's Smile for each rule etched into the Wall of Discipline.

The beginning of a protest was interrupted by a shriek as his sides were tased. Wei Wuxian swiftly avoided a hit by Jiang Wanyin's head as the latter trashed on the spot. "Now you're starting to look like a birthday man! You can't be sad on your birthday, that's like, the rule!" The menace flashed his sister a toothy grin. "Look, look, Shijie, doesn't he look a lot happier now?"

Jiang Yanli clapped enthusiastically, the perfect picture of joy and innocence. "The happiest!"

"A-Jihihihie!" Jiang Wanyin didn't whine at the betrayal, because he does not whine, but he did guffaw and jump as nimble fingers poked too close to his ribs before returning to his sides. "Dohohon't ehehencourahahage him!"

The woman leaned in closer, her lips curled into a very particular smile Wanyin hasn't seen in a long time. "But it's been so long since we got to have fun like this!" He felt the ghost of a touch against his ribcage before the fingers even made contact, his legs kicking uselessly in front of him. "And you've been so stressed lately, you should get to let loose a little. I think this could be good for you, didi."

His face burned. He wondered just when was it that his treacherous body decided to give up and not ask for his input, practically letting the two do whatever. Get up! Fight back! At least make a run for it! Don't just sit there like a dog squirming without thought or directio- "AHAHAHAHASSHOHOHOLE!"

Wei Wuxian gleefully ignored the outburst and kept up the onslaught of pinches up and down one side of his brother's ribcage, while giving Jiang Yanli free reign over the other. "And! We still gotta give you your birthday gifts!" His grin was downright diabolical as the younger man's features conveyed his confusion and suspicion as best as they could. "I hid the actual gifts in your room, but we can whip something else up right now! Cuz A-Cheng deserves the best gifts!"

"I'll pahahahass!" Wanyin scooted towards Yanli, the current lesser of two evils. He would have liked to say he immediately regretted calling his sister such a vile thing even in his thoughts, but rationality was pushed aside as she took his approach as permission to simultaneously skitter up his ribs and reach around him from behind to squeeze his other side, making him flail from left to right like a fish.

"You're turning what, twenty two?" Wei Wuxian tapped a finger against his own cheek in mock pondering like he didn't know the answer by heart, grin unwavering as he leaned over until his face was almost pressed against his ribs. "I say we give you twenty two of these gifts then! One for each year!"

"Whahahahat are yohohohou- NOHOHOHO!" He screeched, pushing Wei Wuxian's head. The explosion of sensation puppeteered his body farther from the attack– finally it came to its senses!– until he backed against the tree. Mercifully, Wei Wuxian allowed himself to be pushed away and didn't go for another torturous raspberry right after the previous that still had his skin tingling underneath his robes.

A-Jie beamed, following after him with a grace which contradicted the rare mischievousness shining in her eyes that did not mellow down over the years as he thought. In a fit of compassion, or maybe delusion, he sent a prayer up for the Peacock and whatever lucky yet poor soul Yanli would befriend when they unleashed her into Koi Tower.

Jiang Wanyin surrendered himself to the inevitable. He wasn't going to fight against his sister and fall victim to those obviously fake but still powerful, saddened 'My didi doesn't want my affection..?' puppy eyes.

"Oh my!" Yanli chirped, burying her face on his exposed neck and going in for the kill with no hesitation. The loud cackles ripped from his throat would have nearly muffled her next words, were the feigned innocence in her voice not alarming enough to grab his attention. "Twenty two from each of us? A-Cheng, I think you'll break the records of how many birthday gifts any young master's ever gotten."

Mutiny. That's what this was.

Wanyin has grown so wary of Wei Wuxian's tricks since he was mostly the main instigator, that he forgot where the man learned it all from.

"JIHIHIEHEHEJIE! Pleheheahase!"

The aforementioned bastard snickered, more than happy to play along with the deliberate misinterpretation of his words. "Are you telling us Sandu Shengshou can't take a few raspberries?" With eyes theatrically blown wide he drilled into Wanyin's hipbones. "Oh no no no, Jiang Cheng, we can't have that! What if some yao figures out it can take you down like this? You gotta be prepared!"

The impish grin stretched on his lips did nothing to convince Jiang Wanyin of the validity of his argument. Which didn't bother Wei Wuxian in the slightest if the raspberry unceremoniously blown on the other side of his neck meant anything. "This shixiong will help you build up tolerance! Though we should probably start off small, better if we stick to just twenty two in general." Fingertips crawled over his stomach as Wei Wuxian sent Jiang Yanli a playfully apologetic glance. "Sorry, Shijie! Save the other twenty two for next year, then throw in an extra one for inflation!"

Wanyin's exclamation of both relief and affront went unnoticed amidst the trio's laughter. Mostly his, as much as it embarrassed him to admit. "A-Xian is Head Disciple. If he thinks it's best-" Yanli stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked, staring as Jiang Wanyin instinctively propelled himself forward as her hand ghosted over a spot on his back.

Jiang Wanyin stood frozen on his feet and dared to look behind him, expecting to be met with A-Jie's big sad eyes and carry out The Walk Of Shame back to his siblings.

What he saw was somehow worse.

Jiang Yanli stood up only a few footsteps away, lips ever so slowly curling into a wide grin as they held eye contact. Behind her, leaning against the tree but ready to break into a sprint at any moment, Wei Wuxian mirrored their sisters grin with one of his own that seemed to spell out 'You are so screwed.'

It unlocked things he'd unconsciously repressed for too long.

Memories of being much, much smaller than he was now, tucked underneath his sister's arm and giggling his heart out. The joy of dashing away with stubby little legs, smiling so widely it almost hurt. Then the comfort and warmth of lying on her lap next to his brother after they'd been thoroughly tired out, squeals escaping them as a hand running soothingly across their backs accidentally strayed too close to a sensitive spot.

It all came rushing back to him quicker than he could process and something he'd long forgotten how to name bubbled in his chest.

Jiang Wanyin, despite his faults, was a smart, well-trained man. A force of nature fated to prevail at all costs. The young Sect Leader knew what he had to do.

Gathering all his courage, he ran.

Twin giggles echoed behind him, leaves and twigs crushed beneath his boots in a rapid pace. They might have called for him, but it was all drowned in the waves of giddiness and playfulness he hasn't felt since youth, alongside his awareness of his surroundings. He let his body and instincts guide him, the layout of Yunmeng Jiang's Lotus Pier familiar enough he could navigate it in his sleep.

He didn't know where he was running to, all he knew was the strength of the light-hearted urge to put distance between himself and his siblings who were determined to make a fun, delightful mess out of him.

Jiang Wanyin let his legs carry him to the heart of Lotus Pier, only the sound of wood under his feet alerting him that he's left the forest as adrenaline clouded his perception.

He could make out a set of light running footsteps tailing his every movement (One? Why was there only one?), slowly and steadily growing closer. Jiang Wanyin pointedly ignored the mocking voice in his head that said if he truly wanted to escape his nearly coreless sister, he would have already circled qi through his body to make himself faster by now.

Wanyin wouldn't do it because he wasn't a dirty cheater. No other reason. (The voice, which sounded suspiciously like a mix of Wei Wuxian and Zewu-jun, responded with a disingenuous 'Yes, of course.')

A startled feminine yelp pushed him out of his thoughts and he acted on instinct, rushing back and reaching his sister just in time to keep her from plummeting to the floor. Only for him to end up on the floor as Jiang Yanli embraced him and guided him down like a straw doll.

He barely had time to blink before feeling wood planks against his back, his nose being playfully tapped as a cheerful grin and shining eyes were flashed at him from above. "Have more faith in your jiejie, A-Cheng. I'm not that clumsy."

The man couldn't even wrap his head around the betrayal before a pair of lips nestled in the center of his stomach had him curling up with a shrill shriek. "NOHOHOT THEHEHEHERE, A-JIHIHIHIE!"

"Not there?" Jiang Yanli innocently tilted her head and he braced for impact, shutting his eyes to cope with the terribly ticklish leftover sensation that still lingered on that spot as she aimed for his side. "Okay!"

Heat flushed to his cheeks at the embarrassingly bubbly giggles that flowed out of him like a stream from the devastating combination of a raspberry to his side and her nose nuzzling against it like a rabbit. Even as he writhed and tried not pushing her away, the gesture transported him back to a time he barely remembered, calling forth what he could only describe as nostalgia and child-like happiness. Until an unforgiving mouth blew on his belly button again.

"GAHAHAHAHAHAH WHY?!" Self-preservation took over and he shoved at the offending face with all the gentleness Jiang Wanyin could afford, the incessant jingling of his clarity bell audible over his booming laughter from how much he fidgeted. (He couldn't go as far as to, what, staying still and taking it? No one could possibly have that much of a thick face.)

He grew redder as he not only heard but felt his brother snickering into his stomach. His eyes opened to see Wei Wuxian's lopsided grin. "What? You asked Shijie, not me!" His tone was conversational like he was merely commenting on the weather rather than reducing his Sect Leader to hysteria. "Unless I'm your A-Jie now. I'd make a pretty woman!"

When he responded with a squawk plus a kick of his leg it was certainly due to Wei Wuxian's words, and not due to the calloused fingers now kneading the back of his thigh. "A frohohohog wohohohould mahahahake a prehehettihihier wohohohoman than yohohohou!"

Jiang Yanli let her mouth fall open in false shock, clutching a hand to her chest while the other traced senseless shapes on his side. "Didi, don't talk like that to someone teaching you such an important lesson. This could be a matter of life or death, you know."

'What lesson?! How to keep making all these brainless noises?! A baby could do that!' His mind cried out as manicured nails teased the area where his side met his waist, where he was ridiculously sensitive, then spidered upwards to briefly brush against his lower ribs- where he was, also, ridiculously sensitive. Jiang Wanyin didn't know who'd taught his sister to be so ruthless, but he had some choice words to say to them.

Wei Wuxian vigorously shook his head, fingers drumming all over the underside of Wanyin's thigh like one would with a dizi. "No, no, see, this is how you know he's learning! He'd insult everything he laid his eyes on back when we were learning sword forms." Never once pausing his attack, he heightened the pitch of his voice to imitate a younger Jiang Wanyin. "I would have gotten it right if this dumb rock wasn't in the way! I'll kill these damn birds if they don't stop swooping in and distracting me! Whose stupid idea was it to fight with a ponytail if your opponent can just grab it?!" His head was thrown back as he laughed (Genuine. Genuine. Wanyin's spirit cheered), beaming with fondness and what was unmistakably pride. "It was dumb this, idiot that, but he'd always be one of the first to get whatever we were doing right."

"A-Cheng was always a wonderful student." Jiang Yanli agreed easily, voice warmer than the warmth of her fingers scraping gently over his side, following his every squirm. "I have it on good authority that some Jin disciples really looked up to you at the Cloud Recesses lectures. If things were less tense back then, you'd have your own ducklings trailing after you."

Bafflement broke through Wanyin's joyful expression. Wei Wuxian snorted at the combination of puzzled eyes, a wide smile and a red face.

"Maybe it's not just the Peacock that has good taste. I bet you work harder in a day than they have their whole lives!" The older boy sat over his brother's knees, keeping him from kicking out too much as Wei Wuxian's relentless squeezes alternated between one thigh and the other. "Pretty sure I've never met anyone who works harder than you, actually. Gusu Lan is struggling almost as hard as our sect even with the Jin helping them rebuild, while the only thing keeping Yunmeng Jiang afloat is your leadership."

The young Sect Leader felt his throat tighten and his eyes sting, which he would have ruled off as tears of laughter were the timing not suspicious. Aiyo, what's up with this? You hear a few nice words and you start crying? You must be really at rock bottom if you're down to this level!

"I don't think I've ever seen you fail at something you set your mind to." Yanli's whole demeanor softened, the playful tilt of her voice fading into something much more earnest. The nimble touches on his side slowed to a caress that could almost be called comforting if it didn't have him twitching in anticipation of something more intense. "A-Die...A-Niang...even A-Xian. For all you knew, you lost them, and you still had the willpower to help lead a war and win." A hint of sadness lingered on her smile as she offered his side a slight squeeze. If the gesture was meant to be soothing, it missed the mark entirely. Wanyin tried not to squirm away from it either way. "That takes far more strength than you realize."

The soft touches overwhelmed his mind and demanded his undivided attention, barring him from truly processing what was said to him. But the words' effects were felt by him all the same, in the way his body sagged as the fight and anguish vanished out of him. It was strange– but not unwelcome, he supposed– to feel like he did after he'd had a long cry in his sister's arms as a child, but from laughing himself hoarse. He guessed it was nice, maybe.

Wei Wuxian huffed in open affection. That alone could have made Jiang Wanyin turn his head in poorly disguised flusteredness, though the jolting sensation of curious fingers rubbing lightning quick circles into his hipbones played a massive part in it. "He's got plenty of strength to spare." Unforgiving drilling was unleashed upon the sensitive areas, as if Wanyin's strength was his brother's personal invitation to torment him as he pleased. As Wanyin felt the diligent attack falter, he risked a glance up at his brother. The soft, tender smile directed at him wasn't something he realized his brother's face was capable of doing. It tugged at his emotions more than he'd have liked it to. "I never thanked you for getting back to the Xuanwu's cave so quickly, did I?"

He didn't. And Jiang Wanyin wasn't about to let him start now. (Wanyin would have done it again, for his brother. Would do more. Did do more.)

Through chortles and gulps of much needed air, he managed to grit out what first came to his head. "As if yohohou wohohouldn't shuhuhut yohohoursehehelf off in anohohother cahahave if Lan Wahahahangji was in IHIHIHIHIT-!"

Wei Wuxian's rose victorious from his brother's waist where he planted a raspberry without as much as a warning, Yanli snickering as his laughter jumped up an octave. "You're one to talk! Don't think I don't know about your new penpal Zewu-jun!" Wei Wuxian had the audacity to wait until their gazes met to waggle his eyebrows. "What, are joining their rebuilding team and helping raise Gusu Lan back into glory or are you raising other things?"

Wanyin's eyes bulged, pink hues washing over his cheeks. "Wei Wuxian!"

His attempt at swatting his vulgar brother in indignation were foiled by Jiang Yanli taking the window of opportunity where he'd raised his arm and ducking in to aim a raspberry in his underarm of all places. "You really think so?" She conversed gleefully over his backstabbed, disbelieving sputters and exclamations, reaching down to trace as much of his kneecaps as she could reach with the other man sitting over them. "I'd love for someone to look after my didi when I'm away at Koi Tower."

He was not- HE WAS NOT DEFLOWERING SECT LEADER LAN! Nor the other way around! And neither would happen anytime soon! So what if Wanyin enjoyed his company more than he did most people's and wanted some way to keep in touch frequently, given Lan Xichen didn't have time to swing by Lotus Pier so often like a certain other Lan he knew? Can't a man have a close male friend in his life without being labeled a cut-sleeve? Sect Leader Nie and that Jin Guangyao seemed close and Wanyin wouldn't assume they'd trail after each other with lovestruck eyes!

No, he knew other people who did that.

"Me?" He yelled out amidst a wave of sniggering, courtesy of his sister venturing too close to the underside of his knees, trying to sneak between them and the floor. "It's Wehehei Wuhuhuxihian you shohohould wohohorry abohohout! Lettihihing that stohohone wall Lahahan Wahahangji wahahalk all ohohohover him! He'd juhuhump off a clihihihiff if Lan Wahahahangji dihihid!"

A reprieve from Wei Wuxian absentmindedly trailing up and down his hips and thighs was granted to him as the man scoffed in dramatic outrage at the insult to his 'Lan Zhan'. (Gross, even in his thoughts Wanyin heard the name in his brother's weird flirtatious voice.) Silver eyes narrowed in warning. Wanyin tensed immediately the second his brother's head took a dive for his stomach and-

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!" His back arched and his entire frame convulsed, the ridiculous silliness of the situation dragging him further into that fuzzy, giddy state of mind with each obnoxious 'PFFFBBBT' his attacker let out, rubbing his face into the expanse of his stomach for good measure to drive him further into madness.

A millisecond of nothingness. He thanked the heavens. It was over, right?

Then another blow of quirked up lips against clothed skin. Wanyin jostled with enough force to nearly throw his brother off him. One more cruel, taunting pause. And then another, before that demon was forced to retreat as Wanyin's hands flew down pry him off.

Which, he realized with danwing horror the moment Wei Wuxian got a hold of his wrists and pinned them over his head, was not the smartest decision to make. (That smug bastard had better count himself lucky A-Jie was on his side, or he'd have used spiritual energy to break free and turn the tables ages ago. Just because it was fun didn't mean Wanyin had to be a pushover about it.)

Panting and through eyes almost crinkled shut with the width of his smile, Jiang Wanyin called forth the will to glare at Wei Wuxian, who wiped off his own mouth with his free hand. "Eugh-!" The black-robed man stuck out his tongue in mock disgust. "Tastes like vinegar!"

"A-Cheng." Jiang Yanli cut in warmly, successfully worming her fingers under his knees and wriggling like there was no tomorrow, the onslaught on his nerves sweeping an 'I'll show you vinegar!' from the tip of his tongue. "Do you remember, when you were very little and you saw me petting a dog's stomach, you'd lay down next to it and ask for the same?"

Above him, his brother choked with delighted laughter. Wanyin was positive his face was on fire. It must have been. There can't be any other explanation for the way everything from his neck to the tips of his ears burned. "JihihIHIHIE!" The youngest's squeals pierced through the air, blunt nails fluttering at his underarm, pressing down at the sensitive center with deadly precision. "THAHAHAHAT WAS YEHEHEARS AHAHAGO!"

As though to connect him with his younger and shameless self, Jiang Yanli switched her focus to his stomach, spidering gently yet relentlessly along the middle. He thought she'd forgotten that- Why did she still remember that? He barely remembered that! Why did she have to remind him of that? Where had his kind, merciful sister gone? Spare your didi's pride!

Fragments of several occasions of darting through the legs of people much taller than him, of spotting his jiejie and launching himself to the ground next to her, knowing she'd cradle his head before it reached the floor. Of gleefully clinging to her sleeves, shrill giggles wracking his tiny body, playful touches and wet snouts encasing him in delight. Joy and affection burning brightly within him, brighter than any golden core he could grow to cultivate. Simple happiness.

He hid his flaring face on his shoulder just in time to muffle a startled shriek as his sister landed two 'gifts' on the tender skin between the bones of his ribs.

Jiang Yanli peered down at her youngest brother, lost in cherished memories of easier times, lips curved upwards in such a way that was so inconceivably fond Wanyin couldn't bear to even pretend to be angry at her. Not even when she took to prodding lightly at his bellybutton, following after it no matter where he flailed. "And you'd dip your feet in the water and let the fish nibble your toes, giggling so much you'd almost fall off the dock."

Jiang Wanyin's ability to think straight had long since bid him farewell. He wasn't going to waste any mental energy wondering how in the world she knew that when he always made sure there was no one else nearby back then.

"Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian grinned like he'd never been happier than in this very moment. Scratch the grin, the man practically had stars in his eyes, gaze locked with his as he dug and vibrated blindly into his underarm. Wanyin swore, if he started cooing, he would throttle him. "Is that why sometimes you went to the docks alone, barefoot, and got prissy whenever I tried going with? Xiao A-Cheng was so embarrassed to ask his siblings to tickle him he had to resort to fish?"

Thirst for revenge sparked in Jiang Wanyin. If that was the game his brother wanted to play, he knew how to pay in coin. "Lihihike yohohou wehehere any behehehetter! You uhuhused to drahahahag mehehe to A-Jihihie and say we wahahahanted tihihicklehehes behehecahause yOHOHOU-!" Fingers sneaking to the back of his ribcage followed by a pair of raspberries over the crook of his neck were quick to silence him.

"Ah ah ah!" Wei Wuxian waved a finger at his face. For all his shamelessness, a faint pink dusted his cheeks. (Wanyin could accept this small victory.) "This is your 'losing face' moment, not mine!" Nearly having one of his secrets thrown at their sister's feet didn't deter him from kneading into his back ribs with renewed vigor, nor from sharing a conspiratorial glance with their sister, unbeknownst to the youngest, when he jerked hard enough to almost turn to lay on his side.

A light scribbling of nails up Wanyin's side from his sister- the same side of his torso Wei Wuxian was ruthlessly targeting- sent him trashing to the opposite side to evade the torturously playful sensation. "A-Xian, don't bully him." Yanli chided even as the grin plastered on her face showed she was anything but displeased. Said grin only widened when Jiang Wanyin trashed to the side and flipped over in his momentum as Wei Wuxian suddenly got off him, only to instantly sit over the back his thighs and pin him with his weight as Wanyin's front hit the docks.

Three fingers were held up to Wei Wuxian's temple, the customary 'I'm up to no good' grin radiant on his face. "I'd never, Shijie!" The aforementioned fingers signifying the promise he would not be mean to his brother quickly contradicted themselves by walking upwards to the evil spot between his shoulder blades where Wanyin couldn't reach. "I'm being so nice to our Chengcheng! Who wouldn't love this ugly face?"

Asshole. Ass. Hole.

"I'm gohohohonna breheheak yohour lehehehegs!" Squawks erupted from the youngest as his back was thoroughly (playfully, delightfully) assaulted with his siblings' combined forces, A-Jie scritching lazily at the small of his back while the older man took to prodding every single sensitive area on his upper back and laughing at each embarrassing noise forced out of him. (Squeaks, snorts, fucking squeals. He was never going to live this down.) The red on his cheeks could probably dye a dozen wedding robes.

An overjoyed gasp accompanied by wide, gleaming silver eyes countered his threat, and Jiang Wanyin was alerted that was the wrong thing to say. The worst possible thing he could have said. He could never criticize his brother for running his mouth ever again after sealing his fate like this.

"Shijie! Shijie!" Wei Wuxian beamed before Wanyin could protest, mischief written in every corner of his expression as he met the eldest's eyes while continuing to show less mercy to his beloved brother than he did to enemies on the battlefield. At least most of them died a quick death and didn't have to bear such humiliation- "Did we ever tell you how he came up with that threat?"

Fuck.

Jiang Yanli looked between them in open curiosity. Wanyin suddenly had a newfound appreciation for Nie Huaisang's tactic of hiding behind a fan.

"Dohohon't you dahahare, Wehehei Wuxihihian! Yohohou swohohohore!" Giddy panic flowing through him, reaching deep into his mind and taunting it, pacifying it, paralyzing it all at once, all he could do was writhe. Gentle wiggling fingers explored his lower back with precision, slowing or quickening their pace based on what got the biggest reactions from each spot. Incessant touches trailed up to the back of his neck, fluttering in such a way that had his hairs standing on end, made their diabolical way into the area between the back of his ribs and underarms and-!

Wei Wuxian's hands flew up to cover his own ears at the ear-piercing screech that echoed through the pier. A mere moment of respite for Wanyin's sanity before going back to tasing and tasing and tasing with single-minded focus. "Aiyah, stop trashing! You're gonna hurt Shijie!" Wanyin hadn't even registered whatever it is his arms were doing until his brother had them pinned with a 'tsk' and a torrent of vibrating digits over the bones of his ribcage.

He would have been thankful for Wei Wuxian staying rooted to the upper part of his body rather than drifting downward and unleashing hell, if he didn't know his brother held out purely for suspense. Jerk.

Quickly recovered from the near slap, Jiang Yanli chuckled into his lower back. The vibrations of the sound against covered skin eliciting from him a bubbly little giggle, descending into a hearty laugh as the spot became a target for a horrible, terrible, no good raspberry. "It's alright. A-Cheng will be careful, won't he?"

Wanyin, in his daze, very intelligently chortled wordlessly in return. The pair chose to take it as an affirmative.

"I don't know about that!" Wei Wuxian cackled, dragging fingertips teasingly down his ribcage, down his sides, down his hips and turning to trace past the sides of thighs. A giddy delirium settled in Jiang Wanyin's chest chest the lower those buzzing touches traveled. Instinct demanding he put effort into crawling away, pleading uselessly to a brain overpowered by warmth, fuzziness and a somehow mirthful, light-hearted brand of nervousness as the man neared the spot that would inevitably be his downfall-

Only to jump back to behind his knees.

"Shijie, there's this one spot on his legs I found when we were kids- I'll tell you, gets him kicking and screaming like he's being dragged to his death!" Stage-whispering to the woman over Wanyin's yells of relief and indignation over being tricked, Wei Wuxian leaned in closer to their sister. "He tried getting me there once, he was convinced I'd perish right then and there, because if he's that ticklish there, then everyone has to be at least a little ticklish, right?" Bearing an unfaltering shit-eating grin, Wei Wuxian's agile fingers curled and uncurled masterfully at the taut skin behind his knees. "Nope! Not a sound from me! You should've seen him, pouting like the universe betrayed him! Said if he couldn't get me back fairly he'd have to break my legs instead!"

Jiang Wanyin's face defied the laws of nature by having turned redder than what he thought possible as Jiang Yanli fell into ungraceful laughter. She had to actually withdraw her hands from him to focus on regaining her breath. Wanyin was thankful for small mercies, but at what cost? "No-" A wheezing giggle broke through her words. "No wonder you never took it seriously."

The Sect Leader decided to keep all his focus on not bending his legs– knowing from experience it would be infinitely worse if he trapped Wei Wuxian's fingers– to shelter his sanity from dwindling from both his siblings making fun of him to his face in such a way.

"Please, he's all talk!" The man taunted, each passing of fingertips against the unguarded spot making Wanyin wish he would launch himself into the lake rather than voluntarily sit through this. "I deserved it though. I got him good, he was almost crying!" Were Jiang Wanyin not laying on his stomach, he would have seen the demonic grin that split his face in half. "Like this."

Squeezes fell upon the deathly ticklish spot of his calves and Wanyin screamed.

"TRAHAHAHAHAHAIHIHITOHOHOR!" Overwhelming, overjoying, overbrutal, overpowering. That was all one could describe it as, as the electricity feeling bombarded his body, his nerves, his mind, his everything. Prods upon tases upon spidering sent the man over the edge of coherency, senseless blabbering and screeching spilling out of him like blood from an open wound. Wanyin knew how to deal with wounds, he didn't know how to deal with this.

The only coherent thought he caught hold of was Wei Wuxian better watch his back around Lan Wangji, when the stone-faced man suddenly acquired sensitive information regarding his brother and an uncommon, devastating spot Wanyin swore not to share, as long as Wei Wuxian didn't share his.

"A-Cheng," Jiang Yanli's glee shone in her eyes like the blazing sun. Wanyin looked back before promptly faceplanting onto the wood beneath him when he caught sight of her approaching. Their brother generously conceded her one of his calves, light fluttering joining unforgiving skittering in his gifted concoction of hysteria. "How come you never told me? I'm hurt, you know. I wouldn't have abused that knowledge."

'Because you'd get a kick to the face, that's why!' Crying out to himself he felt the moment the control over his legs snapped, only the fast wind against his pants making him consciously aware of his limbs trashing with no direction. Distantly, he felt his brother holding down his leg and his sister clinging into the other, arms wrapped around it and jiggling fingers pressing directly into it. It was incredible and horrifying, how the material offered no protection whatsoever. Up until now he'd never had reason to curse the thinness of the Jia- "GEHEHEHET OHOHOHOHOUT OF THEHEHEHEHERE!”

"Ah?" Wei Wuxian's speedy squeezes up and down the length of his calf didn't so much as halt as his target flailed. "But look at how much you're smiling! I haven't seen you that happy in- Ever! Maybe if you keep smiling long enough you won't make that ugly wrinkly sour grape face ever again!" The Second Tickle Monster of Lotus Pier earned himself a yelp of maybe annoyance, maybe sheer frenzy between thundering laughs. "Aiyah, don't yell like we're murdering you, we're doing you a favor! We're just looking after our didi's reputat-"

Abruptly, it all came to a stop.

Retracting his hands like they'd been burned, Wei Wuxian staggered backwards.

Jiang Yanli brought a hand to her mouth. Whatever she was hiding behind it, Wanyin couldn't see, couldn't care for it at that moment. His thoughts reeled. Over and over, that word echoed within him.

"Jiang Cheng-" The expression on Wei Wuxian's face was almost, almost blank. Carefully blank, with only the smallest tightening of his lips signifying the turmoil that lay beneath. He'd seen it before, plenty of times, when the other navigated his mother's temper to avoid her lashing out. It didn't belong on his face, not here, not now. Wanyin despised it, wanted to shake it out of him. "I-"

Jiang Wanyin growled. A pulsing strength from gods know where sparked through his muscles and, with a cry, and a gasp from their sister, Wei Wuxian was tackled to the floor.

"About damn time!" Wanyin barked. Panting and shaking from exertion, he dug viciously into the bewildered moron's hips. Wide and shocked silver eyes shut instantly with the force of uncontrollable laughter. The youngest's booming yells carried over it all, each irate-sounding sentence accentuated by a squeeze or vibrating fingers revealing the real care within. "What took you so fucking long?! Am I not good enough to be your brother? I get you out of trouble, I carry you on my shoulder when the Lans beat you, I don't let dogs anywhere near Lotus Pier for your sake, I searched the Middle Kingdom up and down for you for months, and when anyone asks, I'm just your sect brother?! You can rope me into your pranks just fine, but when you actually need help I'm just your shidi?! Wei Ying! Screw you!"

Wei Wuxian gawked dumbly up at him, arching and slithering and convulsing with the sudden attack, clearly not even possessing the presence of mind to actually get away. What's that shocked face for? Did you think I'd pull Zidian on you for hearing what I've been waiting years for? Stupid man!

"You think I can't tell you're going through your own crap and you don't tell anyone? Think you can just go around putting on a smile and I won't see there's anything wrong?" The mere idea had him full-out snarling, channeling each emotion (all the frustration, the love, the exasperation, the sadness) into targeting as many spots as he could reach like that would zap some sense into his brother. "I've known you for fourteen years! What do you take me for, a rock?! What do you take A-Jie for?! You don't think she might want to do more for you than feeding you soup?!" Eyes hardened into a glare bore into Wei Wuxian's while vengeful hands scratched into his underarms. "I'm telling you now, you blind idiot! Get your head out of your ass and quit acting like some forlorn hero doomed to suffer by himself because no one gives enough of a damn about him to want to know what's going on!"

When Wanyin re-opened his eyes post-rant, it was to be greeted by a beet red face and glistening eyes, so many emotions shining through them Jiang Wanyin couldn't even begin to figure them all out. Sentimental gazes locked for a too short yet too long moment, before Wei Wuxian turned tail. "SHIHIHIHIJIHIHIE!" A pleading squeal rung in their ears as Wanyin clawed into a particularly sensitive spot. "HEHEHEHEHELP!"

Jiang Yanli, who had sat silently off to the side, an array of bittersweet feelings visibly passing through her, had her lips curl into a smile that held so much love Wei Wuxian could almost feel it in the air. The woman looked off to the right, to the left, then blinked innocently at him. "Who's your shijie?"

Wanyin had the absolute pleasure of watching realization dawn on him like a sack of bricks. Fucking finally. He committed that gobsmacked look to memory.

"JIHIHIHIE! JIHIHIHIHIE, PLEHEHEHEASE!" Wei Wuxian forced out through sheer giddy desperation, cheeks redder than the ribbon in his now tousled hair. (Jiang Wanyin's was far worse in comparison, but he wasn't going to dwell into that.)

With that cue, quick as lighting, betrayal struck onto Jiang Wanyin in the form of arms wrapped him from behind. "Jihihie!" Wanyin arched uselessly from the wriggling digits latched onto his sides, the firm grip on his torso guaranteeing the hands wouldn't be dislodged even as he squirmed. "Yohohou hehehelp him buhuhut nohot mehehehehe?!"

The man gripped tightly onto the remains of his drive to keep Wei Wuxian subdued and laughing beneath him, switching erratically between spots to keep his brother down and following after him as he writhed. Wanyin's movements grew sloppy as he went through a similar treatment, but the youngest wouldn't let that stop him. Especially with the certainty that as soon as Wanyin let up, it would be him in his place.

"I am helping you!" Jiang Yanli's amused giggles joined their symphony of playfulness. Wanyin could almost hear her mischievous smile over the shriek derived from the surprise raspberry tingling at the center of his spine. "You still have the rest of your gifts!"

Light fingers with years of expertise jumped angles and techniques from one brief moment to the next. Swiping here, fluttering there, squeezing at far too many places and when Yanli resorted to the newfound knowledge she falsely said she wouldn't abuse, the self-control of the proud leader of Yunmeng Jiang broke. Nails ghosting over his calves sent flying his hold over himself and he toppled over, squeezing hard onto wherever his hands landed on Wei Wuxian to steady himself and with a panicked squeal the older man trashed so violently he fell off the dock.

The startled sound in Wanyin's throat hadn't even come out when he scrambled to turn around on his knees to hide his worst spot out of his sister's reach. A flash of her face, then something clasping onto his ankles and dragging him into the lake like a demon.

Feminine laughs resonated through the heart of Lotus Pier, accompanied by no less joyful snickers and shouts as the Two Prides of Yunmeng wrestled in the shallow water, aiming playful hands anywhere they could reach and bickering back and forth like teenagers. "The hell was that for?!" "I fell in because of you! My socks are soaked, Jiang Cheng! This is payback!" "You attack your Sect Leader and you want payback?! I'll show you payback!"

It was maybe an incense stick's time before the eldest coaxed her brothers into climbing back onto the pier, with each man digging into the other's exposed underarms each time they tried, which set them off into yet another round of bickering which progressed into a full-blown attack. Jiang Yanli couldn't bring herself to even feel exasperated. Let her brothers let loose where there'd be no repercussions, let them live out so many years of their adolescence they lost to war.

She worried. Sometimes daring to assume she worried more than her parents did, while they were still of sound mind.

Yanli was under no impression her brothers couldn't care for themselves. They didn't need her as much as they thought, no, but the thought of futurely leaving them to themselves concerned her nearly as much as it thrilled her to soon move into Koi Tower. Not to mention, as Jin-shao-furen she'd find all sorts of new responsibilities on her plate, which meant less time to spend on anything else, including maintaining regular contact with her siblings. If they didn't storm into Koi Tower in a fit of protectiveness if she couldn't make time to answer their letters, that is.

They could look after themselves, that much was true. But she knew, oh, how she knew, just how much they relied on her for much-needed levity.

It warmed her, to see they could still find it amongst themselves.

"Where's everyone else?" Jiang Wanyin gruffly questioned as he sat, pulling out a towel from the qiankun space in his soaked sleeve. (Only an idiotic Jiang cultivator would be caught dead without at least something to dry themselves, given Yunmeng night hunts could easily take them underwater. He didn't know why he was even surprised his brother seemingly didn't have one with him. Go figure! If he thought taking up demonic cultivation made him any less of a Jiang, the idiot can drip water wherever he goes for all Wanyin cares!) "Why has no one come in here while their Sect Leader was being ambushed?"

"Actually, some disciples saw you in, ah- 'a foul mood in the woods.' It's how I found you." The woman quoted what she'd heard with a slightly apologetic quirk of her lips as their brother cackled at Wanyin's not drama, thank you very much. "Word got around and everyone went to work on the other side of the pier. A little extreme, I think."

Jiang Wanyin scowled. "Cowards, all of them! Will they run from a corpse if it looks angry too?!"

Eyes rolling, Wei Wuxian dropped the towel his brother tossed at him in favor of repeatedly poking Wanyin's side. At a safe distance. With the dizi that commanded the dead and took the lives of hundreds. "There you go making that face again. Who the hell so looks angry on their birthday? Stop that!"

"YohOHOU'D-" Poke. "You'd uhUHUSE-" Poke, poke, poke. "You'd uhuhuhuse yohohohour spihihirihituhuhual tool lihihike this?!"

"What better way for Chenqing to meet her shushu?" Ruthless, grinning Yiling Laozu looked back at their sister like Jiang Wanyin's weakened attempts of grabbing his wrist as he kept poking weren't even worth considering. Wanyin wasn't about to grab the dizi itself out of its cultivator hold as if he had no respect for the spiritual weapon, like certain people. "Sh- Jiejie, how many left?"

Jiang Yanli held out her fingers into a number where Wanyin couldn't see– A-Jie, A-Jie, how can you leave your brother in this suspense?– and no sooner than he was about to voice his protests, the woman gasped. "Oh!" Flashing him a lively grin, she reached for his face. "I want to try something! A-Cheng, does that tickle at all?" A giggle muffled by Wanyin's stubbornly pursed lips as a gentle finger traced the spot behind his ear let them all know that, yes, it did tickle. Jiang Yanli looked utterly fascinated at the discovery. "I helped Luo-guniang with her hair once and she giggled when I touched her ear, I thought that was just her! I didn't know ears could be ticklish!"

Wanyin didn't know either and his pride would have liked him to remain ignorant.

Though the subtle tickly sensation was mild enough to bear with relative dignity and silence (He was not going to lose his composure to a little tickling on such a ridiculous spot. Stay still, stay calm, stay quiet. If Lan Wangji could do it, why couldn't he?), it turned out to be a lot harder when the demonic cultivator figured he didn't want to be left out.

"Luo-guniang... Luo-gunian- Mianmian?!" Wei Wuxian gaped whilst scratching lightly at the same area behind the other ear. "I wouldn't have thought, with that annoyed face she always has." The man snickered at the shudder that coursed through Wanyin's body at their sister's brief raspberry on the small spot, which he instantly mimicked. "Like you, didi! I think you'd be good friends!"

"Mahahaybe you ohonly ehehever see her annohohoyehed becahause you're around her!"

He saw Wei Wuxian actually pout from the comment. Xianxian is three indeed. Really, his shift to that babyish behavior around A-Jie (Lan Wangji, too- and wasn't that a disgusting thought?) should be studi-"Eheheek!"

Wanyin froze. He should have appreciated that childish pout more. He discovered he much preferred it over what came after.

Slowly, bit by bit, Wei Wuxian's lips curled into a diabolical grin. The finger that accidentally brushed over Wanyin's cheek as he squirmed now tapping his own in mocking contemplation. "Ooohh, what's this now?"

Jiang Wanyin blinked.

No way. There was no way. What was he, ticklishness on two legs?

Jiang Yanli, on the other hand, could not look more delighted and Wanyin dumbly let himself be pulled towards her as arms encircled him, holding him in place. "A-Xian." Mischievousness and affection washed over the woman's face, a combination that Wanyin knew did not bode well for him. "Do you want to see something I used to do when A-Cheng was still a baby?"

Through Wei Wuxian's enthusiastic affirmations, Wanyin felt fingers cradling his chin and gently tilting his head to the side. In that quick moment the action triggered something in him. A switch flipped, and even as he wasn't touched, he found himself fighting a wobbly smile. An instinct that felt strangely innate, like he'd had it his whole life and was only not rediscovering it. Which was unwarranted, because he was not ticklish there, surely. People just weren't ticklish there.

Right? "...Jie?"

"You were too little, you probably don't remember." Jiang Yanli simply kept on grinning, patting his shoulder consolingly at his questioning tone. "But you always loved it when I did it, sometimes it'd be the only thing that would get you to stop crying. Let me know if it rings any bells, okay?"

Her face was brought to his cheek and, oh- Oooh.

The mind might not consciously recall, but the body holds memories still.

"Whahahat the hehehell-" Against his will, Jiang Wanyin somehow, through means beyond his comprehension, felt himself relax. Under gentle nuzzling and butterfly kisses, pink blossomed in his cheek. Squeaks jumped gleefully from his tongue; it was unbecoming, but at that moment, it didn't matter. Overtook by a joyful calm, strange and foreign, which he couldn't bring himself to bristle away from.

Or could, yes. But he didn't want to.

Loved. Safe.

"Ihihit's weheheheheheIHIHIhird-!"

"Poor, poor Zewu-jun. Won't even get to kiss his future husband on the cheek without getting his eardrums pierced!" Yet again Wei Wuxian theatrically brought his hands to his own ears with a sharp laugh as the youngest squealed from the woman's lips blowing against his skin. Just for that comment alone Wanyin shoved his face away before he could even try doing the same. "Don't forget you still have two more! Ready?"

Oh so now he wanted to be considerate?!

"Now yohohou ask if I'm reheheady?" Wanyin realized the incredible feat of grumbling between giggles. Neither of them mentioned how it had absolutely no bite to it. "Gehehet it over wihihith!"

Sneaky glances exchanged, a plan formed without his knowledge, twin raspberries against each cheek and Jiang Wanyin saw stars.

An explosion of sensation. An overload of his senses. Head shaking wildly. Thoughts spinning. Mirthful snickers ringing in his ears. (Was that him?) Loosened hair flying in the wind. Fire on his cheeks. Obnoxious sounds from each side. Fragrances of lotus flowers and freshwater. Home.

So this is what it's like, to forget everything and let go.

Content Conflicted as he was, even the strongest cultivator only had so much stamina. "Fihihine, fihihihine!" He wheezed after his laughter neared on breathless and they just kept going. "Okahahay, enohough!"

With none of the grace and elegance of a renowned young master, Jiang Wanyin let himself collapse to the floor the moment he'd been released. A panting, disheveled, flushed mess of red and purple against hard wood.

Recovering his breath through shut eyes, he felt the two lying on each side of him, close enough he could feel their warmth heating his still damp clothes. Trusting his siblings not to strike again, Wanyin crossed his arms underneath his head, gazing up at the cloudless sky.

All in all, as far as birthday celebrations went, this wasn't the worst.

"A-Cheng." Jiang Yanli's soft hum broke through the lulling sound of lazy waves. Wanyin turned his head to look back at her in question. "How are you feeling?"

Blissful. Cared for. Exhausted.

He huffed a laugh. "Takes more than that to beat me, jie."

Beside him, Wei Wuxian looked far too plotting for someone within tickling distance. "NoteHEHED-!"

"Next year-" Jiang Wanyin's terrifying smirk would have sent shivers down anyone's spine as he retreated the clawed hand he'd used to fake lunge at the man. "You are so dead."

"Your birthday's only a few days from mine, there's gonna be no time for my thirst for revenge to die down. Think of that next year." The Head Disciple very maturely stuck out his tongue, shielding the spot that had almost been attacked.

Jiang Yanli wisely stayed silent, well aware she'd find a way to join in on both events and still walk away mostly un-destroyed. (It could be useful, sometimes, to be thought of as so fragile.)

Comfortable silence had reigned among them, until Wei Wuxian tapped Chenqing against his shoulder.

"Jiang Cheng..." The man trailed off with the same cautious tone he took after slipping up and calling him 'didi.' Wanyin raised him an unimpressed eyebrow. "You really don't mind?"

Nevermind respect. Wanyin was going to grab that dizi and bash his head with it. Even A-Jie huffed in exasperation.

"When have you ever cared about what I think? Don't pretend to start now!" Jiang Wanyin swallowed the sudden bashfulness that arose with a passing thought. Just this once. Just this once to get his idiot brother to finally understand. "....Ge."

Wei Wuxian squealed out in delight. "What?"

"Shut up! And quit with that face! I'm not saying it again!”

༺🪷 Extras🪷༻

Jiang Wanyin: You'd use your spiritual tool like this?!

Wei Wuxian, who's used Suibian for dumb things like cutting watermelons and will in the future do far more unholy things with Bichen: :D

Jiang Wanyin explaining to Lan Wangji how he drew genuine happiness out of WWX in his Yiling Laozu Era: Alright you better fucking take notes, because I am not explaining this again.

Jiang Wanyin: Sect Leader Nie and Jin Guangyao are close and I don't see anyone calling them cut-sleeves!

NMJ and JGY, somewhere, in the middle of passionately making out: Strange, my ear feels warmer all of a sudden.

Jiang Wanyin being wrecked without an ounce of mercy: Please, I can deal with tickling, I'm not a pussy.

Jiang Wanyin minutes later discovering the existence of melt spots: WHAT IS THIS SORCERY???