#he understands Wangji but did wangji ever understand him half as well?

[acequinz]

Hey do you think pre-sunshot LXC was so supportive of LWJ getting along with WWX, so he would have at least one friend who isn't outright intimidated by him because he didn't want LWJ to be as lonely as he was?

Because while LWJ was also an heir, it was very much fixed that LXC would be the next sect leader, so obviously they beat down on him harsher than they would LWJ.

Every time we see LXC pre-sunshot is either him with LQR or on a night hunt or preparing for some sect related things and unlike LWJ who is comfortable by himself he clearly does not exactly love it.

Of course he's still gonna do it because of responsibility but that doesn't mean LWJ has to suffer the same loneliness he does.

So what I am thinking it pre-sunshot LXC doing the typical eldest sibling stuck in a strict family not wanting his younger sibling to have to put up with the same frustrations and giving him a way out.

Like yes, go on befriend that little chaotic boy who is actually very talented and adept and can hold his ground in front of you. You know you finally met someone who is your match so don't be afraid to get close, you have the option so don't waste it.

And then do you think LXC felt like he met his own match when he met Meng Yao on the run? Not just because he saved him but because they could understand each other's defense mechanisms where they both politely smile even when they want to stab people.

[battleguqin]

There were those who would so soon judge a man for his loyalty and his dedication long past the point that he had been punished and taken it willingly. All they wanted was to have something to stir up trouble over. There was one thing about the Lans there is next to nothing they would not do for their fated one. It was just how it was. Sizhui did not expect anyone not from the Sect to understand that. He did expect them to have some decorum though.

Even now it was always exciting to get to spend time with his baba. To have him traveling with him. He wanted to hunt down the texts that had belonged to wen Qing to better his healing, he wanted to know if there was a way to expand a golden core, to help it grow if it was not a strong core. He had found texts that he had read and than placed in the Lan Secret Vault on how to destroy one. He knew that secret but could not imaging using it ever.

Sizhui always made sure to handle the arrangements since it wasn't comfortable for Lan Wangji he could do it. Sizhui preferred too. Especially when they were traveling together through towns. He wanted to make sure it was taken care of. From his meals to his tea. No spices because Lan palattes did not handle them well. Hot tea brought to the table so he could prepare it properly.

He had heard so many accounts in his travels, and the worst ones angered him. Sizhui had long since gotten a hold on his temper it was very Wen and burned brightly. It was tempered however by his strict Lan upbringing which was a blessing. He had corrected people but the stories would always come and always be something wild. Since people wanted to believe what they would believe. To buy into those things would diminish his parents love story. It was a love story as well, which other's didn't seem to understand or was willfully ignorant of.

The Cultivation World needed to change, it had to have someone to be the bad guy. It had to have some villain and rather than look into themselves to better their situation they would have to single out and vilify someone. Sizhui had a sneaking feeling that it could have been him had his dear family not protected him from all things like this.

Sizhui has silenced people for speaking ill of his parents. The spell is better than a fist. Though there was that one time, and the hurt look on Wei Wuxian's face though he had quickly hidden his pain. The yelp that followed had caused the black and red clad man to turn back to see the spewer of such filth clutching his face. As Sizhui had decked him. He had been vehement about it. Sizhui had wanted to to do worse. It was a fleeting thought but he had turned and left the man to nurse his wounded pride and face. Lan's do not gossip, Sizhui didn't start that fight but he had certainly ended it. A filial son would protect his father.

He knew that his Lan Zhan could handle this and he would have been fine until the drunk touched him. He could feel the disdain from where he stood how dare that man. That was when the boy holding the black guqin, took strides across the room. Sizhui clenched his fists. Had this man been under a rock ? Did he not know of the reputation of the cultivator he was pawing at ? It doesn't matter to Sizhui which person the word traitor is tossed at. He has to hold his tongue because he would give the man a full piece of his mind if it were not for the fact it would do no good.

Than he is a target of the man when he stands beside his father. He can't even understand half of what he's saying what he does understand is this man is so drunk he's stupid drunk and since he was an idiot to being with--He wants to make sure there is no fighting though he is sorely tempted to hit the man. Sometimes its the only thing that works. Jingyi would have already done so. Every single one of the juniors group would have defended them ; all of his peers even Jin Ling. Violet eyes narrow as his father pulls his behind him and he is moved. Years of being trained to listen first and act second.

Stay close. Some might bristle at such instructions. Not Sizhui he moves to be near. "He is very drunk." Sizhui said in a soft voice. "Are you sure you don't want me to knock him out ?" he asked his gaze turned to glance at him. These days Sizhui carries the needles like his aunt. His are only for healing though. "The man is a threat to himself and others." he continued in a low voice "Can't fix the sheer stupidity he has, but might make he less likely to end on the business end of another cultivator's blade."

@guqinstrings

-ˋˏ🌥 ┈┈ @battleguqin inquired ; " is this person bothering you? "

   NO MATTER HOW MANY YEARS PASS the world never forgets what happened with Wei Wuxian. They never forget the lengths that Lan Wangji went to in order to protect Wei Wuxian and save him. They don’t get that after slaughtering three thousand cultivators at Nightless City, Lan Wangji rescued an injured Wei Wuxian and carried him away. They don’t forget, but they assume. 

   The most common belief was that Wei Wuxian somehow bewitched Lan Wangji, the honorable Hanguang-Jun, and tricked him into everything that happened. They can’t fathom that Lan Wangji had done what he did because he wanted to. Because the idea of losing him and seeing him fall and die had been the worst possible outcome for Lan Wangji. That he didn’t care who Wei Wuxian killed that night, all he had wanted was to protect Wei Wuxian. 

   Everything he did, was done willingly, and the Cultivation World can’t understand that. 

   Despite how much the cultivation world assumed things of him, very rarely was there ever an instance where someone dared to speak against him. His status and title usually was enough to make them keep their lips shut. But there are some people that just can’t do that. That look at him and have to open their mouth and say something because of the rumors that they heard. He’s used to it, he knows what they say about them. Even if Lans don’t gossip, they can’t turn their ears off. The things people say will reach them and be heard. 

   Like this man across from him now, clearly a bit inebriated, and eyes on fire as they glared at him. In public, Lan Wangji tends to find himself unsure in what he should do when people flip off on him. Silencing their lips, especially of someone he doesn’t know, is a bit more than offensive. On top of that, Lan Wangji already finds himself uncomfortable in social situations, being placed in one with an angry, possibly drunk man? 

   It’s a bit more than disconcerting. 

   He does try to leave. Turning away from the intoxicated, hate spewing man, he manages to get a handful of steps away before they grab him.  Fingers tangling in his long white robes, incomprehensible babbling, something about a “traitor” and he can’t tell if the slurred words were directed at him or Wei Wuxian. Eyes narrowing he yanked his robes from their filthy hands and then tucks his hand behind his back, watching the way they swayed and babbled at him. Honesetly, part of him was considering knocking them out (ignoring decorum), when he hears the sound of Lan Sizhui’s voice. 

   Bright eyes blinked and then slowly turned to look at the younger man, his gaze settling on Lan Sizhui as he stepped up beside him. Immediately his hand reached out, grasped the young boy’s wrist and tugged him back as the drunken man launched into some sort of drunken spew at them. He gets maybe the start of his insult out before Lan Wangji seals his lips, his hand sliding along Sizhui’s arm to cross his chest and shield him from the man. 

   They can throw their insults at him as much as he wants, he doesn’t permit anyone doing such things to the boy he considered a son. 

   “It’s nothing.” He tells Lan Sizhui quietly, watching the man still as he tries to pry his lips open. If he manages, he’ll probably bleed to death, Lan Wangji doesn’t sense very high cultivation within him. "Stay close. I will handle it."

[stiltonbasket]

Here's a prompt for you - character sect changes! In this case, Wen > Lan > Jin > Nie >Jiang > Wen. Every character from one sect is now from a different sect (ie JC and JYL are now Wen Cheng and Wen Yanli and always have been, LWJ to Jin Wangji, etc). Nothing else changes. What changes do you think happen because of this?

(a/n: I didn’t change the characters’ names, but I did change their sects; for example, Yunmeng Jiang is now Yunmeng Nie, home to NMJ and NHS).

“Wangji, how many times must I repeat myself?” Lan Yanjian says, after the fifth time Lan Wangji is forcibly retrieved from a night-hunt in some far-flung region of Lanling and given a months’ grounding at the Yuelintai. “You are stooping below your station when you go to such places. Worse yet, you are damaging your brother’s reputation.”

“Brother goes where he is needed just as often as I do,” Lan Wangji remarks drily—because where else could he have gotten it from? Shufu rarely night-hunts, in the poorer villages of Lanling or otherwise. He prefers to teach, due to the chronic effects of an old night-hunting injury, and Wangji’s late father has been dead for over thirteen years.

“And besides,” he continues, choosing his words carefully. “Elder must know that Xiongzhang’s reputation can fall no further than it already has.”

“There is nothing that can be done about Xichen’s—preferences,” Lan Yanjian bites out. “Now that they are known, no respectable maiden would take him anyway. But you must maintain proper respect, so as not to make things more difficult for him.”

Even at the age of nineteen and a half, Lan Wangji cannot understand why his elders insist that respect means maintaining his distance from the common folk. After all, the Lanling Lan take civilian gold as tribute, so why must Wangji hold himself aloof from the very people who send taxes to his clan in exchange for protection?

He excuses himself from Lan Yanjian’s presence, more irate than ever, and goes to the Fragrance Hall to see his brother, whom he finds in the middle of an audience with a pair of farmers. Xiongzhang only recently won the right to accept petitions to the sect twice every week, and the rest of the clan has not yet ceased fighting him on the matter: but his changes have been well-received by the middle and lower classes, as evidenced by the relief on the farmers’ faces when they finally take their leave.

“Lan Yanjian reprimanded me again today,” Lan Wangji announces, stepping up onto the peacock throne to sit beside Lan Xichen. “He seems to think I can spare your reputation by throwing my weight about in the city as our cousins do.”

“Oh, did he?” Lan Xichen retorts, with a smile plucking at the corners of his mouth. “What words did he use to describe you this time?”

Lan Wangji shrugs. “Just one. Stubborn.”

His brother laughs. “Did he mention me at all?”

“Only your preferences, as usual,” Lan Wangji murmurs, reaching out to the drowsy infant nodding on his brother’s lap. “I could hardly bear to listen to him, Xiongzhang. Allowances can be made for a want of understanding, and heaven knows Elder Yanjian understands very little, but—when it leads to the disparagement of a marriage, and his own zongzhu’s family—”

 “He will never see me as the master of his clan,” Lan Xichen says gently, patting Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “His fears make sense when one takes my age into account. But for now I am content with Mingjue and A-Yi, and what little good I can do with the power the elders have granted me.”

“En, I know. You have often told me so, but I wish it were different.”

“Things rarely become different, A-Zhan. We have to make them so,” his brother reminds him. “I will change our clan for the better in my way, and you must do the same in your own.”

Lan Xichen falls silent for a moment, letting baby A-Yi poke at the round vermilion mark between his brows, and then he turns back to Lan Wangji and passes him a crimson envelope stamped with the double-phoenix blazon of Qishan Jiang.

“Perhaps you can begin a little farther away from home,” he suggests, when Lan Wangji opens the letter and flushes up to his ears at the sight of Wei Wuxian’s slanting calligraphy. “Jiang-zongzhu is holding a group hunt in Qishan for his own cultivators, but the members of the inner clan may invite whomever they wish. I suppose that young master Wei has invited you?”

I would like to invite Lanling Lan’s xiao-gongzi, so he can meet my Shijie’s Jin Ling, Wei Ying wrote—in a hand so bold that Lan Wangji can almost hear its owner’s laughter, as if Wei Ying were there in the flesh and not two hundred miles away. But if the little master’s age prevents his attendance, I’d like to invite Lan Zhan. I haven’t seen him since we went to the Wen lectures in Gusu three years ago, and letters have been a poor substitute for my dear fuddy-duddy’s company. Zewu-jun, do say you will let him come, or I’ll embarrass myself by flying to Lanling and petitioning you in person!

“Well?” Lan Xichen asks, as Lan Wangji’s blush spreads downwards to his neck. “Will you go to Qishan, then? I fear that he really might come here as a petitioner if you refuse.”

Lan Wangji folds the letter into his robes and rises from Xichen’s throne.

“I will go,” he says stiffly, desperately hoping that the tumult in his heart is not visible on his face. “Wei Ying and I are friends, and it is just as he says—we write one another at least once a fortnight, but we have not met in person since we went to study in Gusu. He must have missed me dearly, and I—there is no friend closer to me than Wei Ying, as you know. Should I notify anyone besides Shufu before I leave?”

“You might tell Lan Yanjian that you are going back to the borderlands,” his brother muses. “Or perhaps you should tell Shufu about the invitation tonight and leave after dinner, and I’ll have Elder Haijing start a rumor that you ran away to hunt in the villages again. Then Elder Yanjian will spend the next week or so looking for you, and when you return, you can inform him that Jiang-zongzhu invited you up to Qishan.”

Lan Wangji fights the urge to laugh. “Mn, very well. Let it be just as you say.”

After that, he bids his nephew and brother goodbye and goes back to his chambers, retreating into the quiet of his study to compose a missive to Wei Ying.

My dearest friend, Lan Wangji writes, with his zhiji’s red and golden letter still tucked against his heart.

Be patient for a little while longer, Wei Ying. By this time tomorrow, or on the day after, I will be back at your side.

[bloody-bee-tea]

Beetober 2022 Day 3 - Paper-thin

Nie Mingjue dreads going to dinner with Jiang Cheng to his sisters. Jiang Yanli is a perfectly likeable person, but dinner at her place means Wei Wuxian is going to be there as well and as soon as that constellation comes together, Jiang Yanli forgets that Jiang Cheng is her brother as well.

Not to mention all the stupid shit Wei Wuxian spouts all day long.

So no, Nie Mingjue is not a big fan of meeting those two, but Jiang Cheng likes going to sibling dinner—for whatever reason—and so Nie Mingjue will happily trail along with him.

Because he loves spending time with Jiang Cheng and there’s never too much of that, no matter the circumstances.

“Thank you for always accompanying me,” Jiang Cheng says on the car drive there and Nie Mingjue reaches over to take his hand.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” he wants to know but when Jiang Cheng levels him with a look, Nie Mingjue grins sheepishly at him.

Of course Jiang Cheng would notice his feelings about siblings dinner.

“Okay, point taken,” Nie Mingjue sighs.

“And that’s why I’m saying thank you,” Jiang Cheng says and raises their hands to press a kiss to the back of Nie Mingjue’s. “I know you kind of hate it, but you come with me every time anyway, and I can’t be thankful enough for it.”

“It’s siblings dinner. I should be honoured to even be invited.”

“What the hell, Mingjue. You’re my soul, of course you’re invited. As if I’m going there without you.”

Nie Mingjue wants to argue about that, because of course Jiang Cheng would still go to see his siblings even without Nie Mingjue but he understands what Jiang Cheng means.

Sometimes it’s hard for Jiang Cheng as well, especially if Wei Wuxian is in one of his moods. Jiang Cheng never learned how to handle those and Nie Mingjue has proven himself to be a good buffer between them.

“As if I would let you go in there alone, anyway,” Nie Mingjue gives back with a smile and they spend the rest of the drive in silence.

A silence with Jiang Cheng has never been uncomfortable and Nie Mingjue is beyond grateful for that.

Nothing is ever as easy as spending time with his heart.

“Here we go,” Jiang Cheng whispers when Nie Mingjue brings the car to a stop in front of Jiang Yanli’s house and gets out of the car, Nie Mingjue following close behind him.

Jiang Cheng uses the key his sister gave him a while back but he hesitates when he hears Wei Wuxian all the way through the house from the backyard.

“Sounds like he’s having fun,” Nie Mingjue mildly says, putting a reassuring hand to Jiang Cheng’s lower back. “You wanna see what he’s up to?”

“Not particularly,” Jiang Cheng sighs out but he does make his way to the backyard.

“Chengcheng!” Wei Wuxian yells out when Jiang Cheng steps out of the house. “You’re finally here.”

Nie Mingjue does wonder how Wei Wuxian has arrived before them because he’s not known to be someone who arrives on time. Ever.

“You’re here early,” Jiang Cheng remarks as well and Wei Wuxian immediately pouts.

“What is that supposed to mean? I’m always on time!”

Jiang Cheng’s only answer to that is to snort out a laugh because Wei Wuxian has never been on time before.

“Where’s a-jie?” Jiang Cheng asks instead of encouraging this topic any further and Nie Mingjue looks around as well.

Neither Jiang Yanli nor Jin Zixuan seem to be at home.

“The peacock’s father wanted something so they all had to leave. Shijie said we should make ourselves at home and start with dinner if they are not back in half an hour.”

“I see,” Jiang Cheng mutters and shares a gaze with Nie Mingjue, who can only shrug. 

He hasn’t heard anything from Nie Huaisang so this must be a family matter. If it were business related Nie Huaisang would have heard about it beforehand.

“Did you check what’s for dinner?” Jiang Cheng asks but he loses Wei Wuxian’s attention when Lan Wangji steps up behind him.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian yells out and immediately throws his hands around Lan Wangji’s neck, shamelessly snuggling in and it’s not long before they lose themselves to their heated kiss.

It’s kind of nauseating to watch.

“Ugh,” Jiang Cheng also says and turns away from them. “Would it kill you to keep the PDA to a minimum for one evening?” he demands to know and Wei Wuxian flips him the bird without taking his tongue out of Lan Wangji’s mouth.

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes at that and steps closer to Nie Mingjue as if he can protect him from the sight. If Nie Mingjue could do that, he would and gladly so, because he’s also not a big fan of seeing them make-out right in front of them.

“It would actually,” Wei Wuxian says once he finally parts from Lan Wangji.

“How can you have such a thick face?” Jiang Cheng wants to know but Nie Mingjue knows the answer. 

Wei Wuxian is simply completely shameless and on top of that lacks the ability to understand social cues. Nie Mingjue really is not at all surprised that Wei Wuxian doesn’t realize his behaviour is upsetting people but he would have thought Lan Wangji would speak up eventually and not simply go along with Wei Wuxian’s every whim.

“How can yours be so paper-thin?” Wei Wuxian shoots back and Nie Mingjue immediately narrows his eyes at him.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jiang Cheng asks but Nie Mingjue already doesn’t like where this is going to go.

“I mean that you could stand to be a bit more affectionate with Mingjue-ge over here otherwise he’ll think you don’t care about him at all.”

Jiang Cheng can only stare at Wei Wuxian, his mouth widely open and Nie Mingjue steps closer, to let him know that he’s there, that he has support.

“I know how much Wanyin cares about me, I don’t need his tongue in my mouth for that,” Nie Mingjue mildly says and then smiles slightly at Lan Wangji when he narrows his eyes at him.

He saw Lan Wangji in diapers. He can’t scare Nie Mingjue.

“Ah, but come on Mingjue-ge, you can admit to it,” Wei Wuxian needles him as he slides up next to Nie Mingjue. “You’d love to take Jiang Cheng and simply kiss him stupid, right?” His eyebrows waggle in a way that shouldn’t be possible and Nie Mingjue is more weirded out than anything.

He still feels Jiang Cheng tense at his side.

“But Wanyin wouldn’t want that,” Nie Mingjue gives back, a slight furrow in his brow now and that only gets more pronounced when Wei Wuxian doesn’t seem to get his point at all.

“So? I bet he’ll be okay with it once you get started.”

That makes Nie Mingjue freeze.

“Excuse me?”

Jiang Cheng is crossing his arms in front of his chest in a way that lets Nie Mingjue know that he’s deeply uncomfortable with this topic, but Nie Mingjue can’t let it go now.

“What the hell, Wei Wuxian?”

“Oh, come on, you wouldn’t be forcing him, if that’s what you’re thinking right now. You are in a relationship, right? Affectionate gestures are to be expected there.”

Wei Wuxian says it with a small nod as if it’s the most normal thing in the world and Nie Mingjue can only stare in horror at him.

“It would be forcing him, though,” he finally gets out. “And I would never do that to him. He doesn’t like PDA, so we don’t do it. It’s not actually that hard.”

“But how can you be sure that he really loves you if he doesn’t even want you to kiss him?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jiang Cheng flinches at Nie Mingjue’s side.

“I have to–” Jiang Cheng points at the house and takes off without waiting for anyone to reply.

Nie Mingjue stares after him until he vanishes in the house and then he turns his glare towards Wei Wuxian.

“I know Wanyin loves me because he tells me so. The amount of time his tongue spends in my mouth has absolutely no bearing on that fact and I don’t appreciate you implying something like this. I’m sorry if you can only believe that Wangji loves you when you’re sucking face but not all of us are like that. I would even believe him if he never touched me again but still insisted he loves me. Because I trust him and I would never–and I truly mean never–force him to do something he doesn’t want, since that would be non-consensual and our relationship is not like that. Now, if you would excuse me, I think Wanyin and I are going to find dinner somewhere else.”

Nie Mingjue turns around on his heels and walks off before Wei Wuxian can find his voice.

Just like he expected he finds Jiang Cheng at the front door, his shoes already put on and clearly only waiting for him.

“I’m coming, my heart,” Nie Mingjue promises and briefly touches their hands together before he hurries to get himself dressed again.

They are out of the house in under five minutes but it isn’t before they are in the car that Jiang Cheng speaks.

“Is he right?” Jiang Cheng whispers and Nie Mingjue immediately reaches for his hand.

“No, he’s not.”

“You don’t even know what I mean,” Jiang Cheng huffs out but there’s already the beginning of a smile on his face and Nie Mingjue counts it as a win.

“Doesn’t matter, Wei Wuxian is never right, and especially not when it comes to you or our relationship.”

“So you don’t mind that we don’t do–that in public?”

“I’m sorry to inform you but you’re not the only one against that level of PDA. Sure, I wouldn’t mind a kiss here and there, but that? Hell no. I wouldn’t want to do that either.”

“And the fact that you don’t even get a kiss from me when we’re out?”

“Is perfectly alright, my heart,” Nie Mingjue reassures him. “I know you love me, those actions don’t have any bearing on that and I know how uncomfortable it makes you. I would rather never get a kiss from you again than make you uncomfortable in any way.”

Jiang Cheng slowly lets out a breath.

“I love you,” he then says and turns towards Nie Mingjue with a smile.

“See, that is better than any kiss anyway,” Nie Mingjue says, the same big smile on his face. “And I love you, too. Now let’s get something to eat, alright?”

“Please,” Jiang Cheng agrees and squeezes Nie Mingjue’s hand.

And really, that is everything Nie Mingjue needs.

Link to my kofi  

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

I've been seeing a lot of people in fandom saying the WWX treated LWJ cruelly in his first life and kept harshly rejecting him after he returned from being thrown in the Burial Mounds up until his death. I never really agreed with this opinion, but there could be something I'm overlooking. I've always seen it as WWX "throwing" in a sense LWJ's own words and behavior back at him. Kind of like a reversal of sorts.

LWJ was the one who started the divide by constantly rejecting WWX and calling him annoying, boring, shameless, ect. Telling him "get lost" and that they're not close. WWX just continued and grew that divide when he returned, drawing deeper lines in the sand.

People in fandom tend to reference the scene in the courier station as an example WWX's cruelty towards LWJ feelings and concern. But, I've always read the scene as WWX saying something along the lines in subtext of "How could you possibly know my heart when you've never taken the time to get to know me? The only person who knows me is me. You rejected my friendship in the past so how dare you try to say you know me and my heart."

I also never understood people saying that he was cruel after the Bloodbath of Nightless City. Yes WWX told LWJ to "get lost", but once again it's using LWJ's own words against him. From WWX's perspective LWJ had always disagreed with him and his intentions. In that chaotic state where he is essentially suffering from a mental break and not in the right state of mind, he is only thinking of their negative encounters. No one knows exactly what LWJ said to WWX in that cave either and either way WWX is not registering those words. It doesn't help that he truly believed LWJ hated him and he's never really been shown otherwise until his second life.

As I said, I could be completely overlooking or missing something as I've only read the English translation 3 times not the original. I could be wrong in how I'm personally seeing things, so it would be nice to get someone else's opinion on WWX's supposed cruelty towards LWJ. Especially from someone who write meta and has analyses about MDZS.

Hi there anon, I think a major point of the work itself is that in Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's youth, both were unintentionally cruel to each other.

Lan Wangji who essentially was far too cold and stiff when he first judged Wei Wuxian because he was not used to that sort of energy, so he tried to tell himself that Wei Wuxian was nothing more than a shallow, vapid person that he couldn't ever be close to. And Wei Wuxian, who purposely picked on Lan Wangji's boundaries and essentially bullied him a bit because he did not understand that he had a crush. They both were so guarded with each other that it did come off as cruelty towards the other. They had to work with half truths from each other and came to wrong conclusions.

Lan Wangji during the courier station acted the same as always towards Wei Wuxian, outwardly, judging Wei Wuxian's choices and thinking the worst of him, this is their reunion after the Xuanwu cave, were Wei Wuxian's lasting impression was that Lan Wangji did really despise him. And Lan Wangji despite coming to terms with how he felt love for Wei Wuxian saw it as something that would be unrequited, because to him Wei Wuxian flirted with everyone and his flirting towards Lan Wangji was not actually special.

They both man up to what their mistakes were in their youth eventually.

Lan Wangji had the grace of being able to mature as an adult, and actually listen to Wei Wuxian. Something he refused to do until it was too late in the past because of his own stubborn confusion. He chose to go with the path he hadn't before, which is opening himself up to different tactics, seeing that bending the rules is not breaking them, and a little indulgence is not bad especially when it is with someone you love.

Wei Wuxian's nasty habit is sometimes, saying and doing things impulsively even as well intentioned as he is with his words and actions. He is terrified once he realizes what his playful actual harmless actions can look like from an outside point, even though he does love Lan Wangji.

Do not leave others in chaos, is huge arc-sentence for these two and needing to push past their own hang-ups about trust and allowing themselves to protect the others heart. They are willing and they are able to push past their fears of the idea of rejection from the other to understand the self-defense mechanisms both had developed around the other were not done with the intention to harm. But they needed to actually communicate and have that thrown in their face that both reacted the same way with each other. And why, when they do reciprocate each others feelings, it is not based on anything but mutual desire understanding and yearning.

[robininthelabyrinth]

Prompt day hurray! What does BaXia think of ChenQing? They would have crossed paths in the war, right? What do all the other weapons and instruments think of WWX apparently setting aside SuiBian for ChenQing? Can THEY tell he's got no golden core?

ao3

You seem kind of evil, Baxia remarked when she first met the flute.

Yeah? The flute responded without first bothering to extend her perceptive aura out to see who was talking to her, sounding like a little punk, arrogant and bold. Well, you seem kind of – oh fuck oh fuck you’re terrifying!

This was true. Baxia was terrifying.

Please don’t destroy me! My master needs me!

Baxia said nothing, enjoying how the flute squirmed, and nudged her own master pointedly.

Do not destroy the flute, her master responded with a sigh. He knew Baxia well. Her master is on our side.

Truly, war made for strange bedfellows. Baxia mourned the loss of the easy, straightforward night-hunt.

She nudged her master again.

Yes, fine, you can chase.

Her master - loving, wonderful, understanding master that he was - very casually walked across the room, unhooked her from his back, and put her down next to where the flute was hanging off her master's belt.

Chase, Baxia said happily, the aura of her power already spreading beyond the confines of her blade. Chase, chase, chase –

Someone help meeeeeee!

-

You’re kind of a dick, Chenqing said, having finally realized that Baxia had no intention of destroying her incipient spiritual soul. Anyone ever tell you that?

Yes.

…really? Who dared?

My master.

Your master is badass. Chenqing contemplated for a moment. So is mine, he's very brave, even suicidally brave, but not – you know – that much.

Baxia considered this, and accepted it. Her master was indeed a superior sort of human.

Why do you smell of death? she asked, mildly curious.

My master uses me to direct resentful energy, so I’m affected by its aura. You?

I bathe in it.

…you're so badass.

Yes. Baxia was.

You’re not bad, she told Chenqing, which almost predictably got a little huffy.

I raise armies of the dead! I am terrifying! They call me the phantom flute! I am more than 'not bad', okay?!

Baxia ignored Chenqing's nonsense. It would not take long for her to realize that being called ‘not bad’ by Baxia was a very high compliment, as such things went.

-

Are there any swords that aren’t afraid of you? Chenqing asked. She was very chatty. Or sabers. Or musical instruments…

Which musical instruments have you met?

Uh, mostly Wangji? Wangji’s cool.

Baxia occasionally wished for eyes so that she could roll them. Her human got a great deal of relief out of doing that, according to him. Wangji has a temperament of ice, yes.

No, I mean, that’s not what I meant, I – wait. Are you making a joke right now?

Baxia said nothing.

You have a sense of humor?!

Baxia said nothing.

This is ridiculous. It’s like meeting a hurricane with sharp teeth and finding out it also likes to sing bawdy brothel songs.

You’re kind of stupid, Baxia observed.

Well, yeah. I mean. Have you met my master?

Baxia had.

He’s only scary by accident, Chenqing said ruthlessly, which was only to be expected – no one dunked on a human like their spiritual weapon. Inside, he’s a big soft squishy meatball.

My master cries when he has feelings.

My master too! Humans, am I right?

Baxia supposed Chenqing was, in fact, right.

Perhaps she could stay.

-

It’s not that I don’t appreciate everything Wei Wuxian is doing for us, Baxia's master remarked to her one day. But didn’t he have a sword at one point? The one with the ridiculous name – Suibian.

At the next meeting, Baxia asked.

Suibian? Yeah, master doesn’t use him anymore, Chenqing said. It's a bit sad, actually. He can’t access the spiritual energy in the blade anymore.

Baxia didn’t like the sound of that. How come?

Master doesn’t have a golden core, Chenqing said. I think he used to, but he doesn’t anymore.

Seems careless.

Hey, I’m pretty sure it’s not his fault! Anyway, it’s a whole big secret. Why do you ask?

My master wanted to know.

Hah, Chenqing said. Nice of you to ask on his behalf, since you can’t tell him what the result of your question was.

Baxia said nothing.

You – can’t. Right? Masters can’t hear what swords say.

I, Baxia said, am not a sword.

…oh shit. Shit, no, you can’t –!

-

“We need to talk,” Baxia’s master said to Chenqing’s. “In private.”

You’re a rotten tattletale, Chenqing said.

Why do you care? He won’t know it was you that squealed.

Yeah, well, I know that I did it!

It’s for the best. My master will be nice about it, and your master will feel better for it. Baxia considered. There may be tears.

There were many tears.

Master really does seem like he feels better, Chenqing observed. I wouldn’t have called that.

Told you so.

-

So, Chenqing said. This hunt is probably the last time we’ll be able to hang out.

Probably, Baxia agreed.

I was hoping to ask for some advice.

Bichen is amendable to your flirting, and Wangji follows where she leads, so you have a shot.

I – what? That wasn’t what I was going to ask.

Baxia waited.

…wait, are you serious? Will that work? I could do that –

-

The flute’s an idiot, Baxia told her master. But maybe she and that master of hers can help you here.

It would be inappropriate for me to ask, her master said, rubbing his eyes. The Jiang sect kicked him out, remember? It would be stepping on their face to approach him despite that.

Okay, Baxia said. So step.

Baxia…

You share a secret with him, at his request, she pointed out. He owes you for keeping it secret for him. At minimum, even if he can’t help you right now, he can help protect your brother when you’re gone.

Her master was silent. That was his weak spot, and had always been.

No one would be able to know, he finally said. And Meng Yao comes every week.

Is our home so small that we can’t hide someone from Meng Yao’s sight? Baxia said scathingly. Since when is he the master here, not you?

I just meant that he’s a sneak that’d sell me out to his father given half a chance, her master sighed. All right, I’ll see if there’s anything that can be done. Wei Wuxian is a musical cultivator, and a genius; maybe he can tell me why Clarity doesn’t seem to be having the impact we hoped it would.

Sure, Baxia said. Whatever. I don't really care. Just get help.

-

Well, that worked, Baxia said to Chenqing. Sort of.

How are you this badass? You just -! Singlehandedly -! I can’t – how?!

Calm down, Baxia advised. What are you, human?

How dare you.

You’re the one acting like you need air to speak.

…so I’m looking forward to seeing the Lotus Pier again now that we're not banished any more, Chenqing said, pointedly changing the subject because she was wrong and she knew it. Thanks for that.

Thanks for figuring out that the evil meat was poisoning my master.

That’s. uh. Sure a way to call someone.

Why not? He’s evil, and he’s made of flesh, and he’s going to be nothing but meat as soon as I have an opportunity.

I thought your master was thinking of some sort of confinement…?

He certainly has thoughts, Baxia allowed, purposefully broadcasting.

I have very strong thoughts, her master replied pointedly. Do not kill him on your own – I’ll only get the blame for that.

Oh no, Baxia told him insincerely. How terrible for you.

Baxia. Please.

Fine. What about Jin Guangshan?

…what about him?

Me and the flute are going to take care of him.

We are? Wait, are you talking to your master right now? Oh that’s so cool. Tell him to tell my master that I said hi.

Baxia would tell her master no such thing.

That’s probably not the right way to do that, her master said, but in that wavering tone of voice that suggested he was open to being convinced. Though it would be easier to sell Meng Yao as being only collateral damage in the scheme if Jin Guangshan took the lion’s share of the blame, which would only happen if he wasn’t around…that doesn’t seem right, though.

Sure it is, Baxia said soothingly. He’s the one who wanted to play with resentful energy, right? All we want to do is play with him back. Who can say no to that? He’s practically volunteered!

-

“Okay, I have a weird question,” Chenqing’s master said to Baxia’s. “Please don’t judge me. But…did we happen to work together to drive Jin Guangshan into a resentful energy backlash?”

“We did not,” Baxia’s master said.

“Okay. Right. Got it. Sorry, stupid question.”

“Our spiritual weapons did.”

“…what?”

“If you’re wondering why your Chenqing shows signs of use in the manner that would be associated with Jin Guangshan’s untimely demise, it’s because the resentful energy you’re using has been sufficient to allow it to cultivate in the direction of a guai,” Baxia’s master explained. “It has a will of its own now, just as Baxia does. You will need to account for that when you master it in the future.”

“Wait. Are you saying that my flute has, what, a personality? Can think and talk and do things on its own?”

“Yes.”

“That’s…that’s so cool. Can you tell Baxia to tell Chenqing I said ‘hi’?”

Why are they like this, Baxia’s master asked Baxia.

I don’t know, you’re the human expert, she replied, ignoring the way that Chenqing was happily chirping answers to her human’s questions even though he couldn’t hear her. Why are you all like this?

I don’t know, he said. I really don’t know.

-

It’s nice to meet you, Suibian said, sounding appropriately respectful. I appreciate your master finding a way for my master to continue to wield me.

It’s through resentful energy, Chenqing said gleefully. Lots and lots of it, refining the sword like a saber – my poor master’s going to have to stay up late and learn so many techniques, his hair’s all going to fall out.

Yes, Baxia said. I can see the resentful energy. There’s a lot of it.

Lots and lots, Suibian said proudly. I drew in everything I could.

Without sorting out the evil?

…isn’t it all evil?

Mm, not really, Baxia said, and began to extend out her aura.

Uh, Suibian said. What’s going on.

I told you to be more patient! You shouldn’t have taken the evil parts, Chengqing said. It makes you a little bit evil, too, and that makes you Baxia’s prey.

…prey?

Chase, Baxia said. Chase, chase, chase –

Help! Help – somebody help!

I would, Chenqing giggled. But master doesn’t speak flute. Sorry!

[theres-a-goldensky]

30 More The Untamed Fic Recs

Here we go again. Another Wangxian rec list. Are you bored of me yet?

Were these recs helpful to you? If so, you can check out my other Wangxian rec posts:

Part 1 - 40 recs

Part 2 - 23 recs

Part 3 - 23 recs

As ever, feel free to reblog.

You can also head over to my bookmarks on AO3.

(All recs are complete) (I’ve noted pairings, length, and rating, but not any warnings or additional tags.)

** denotes personal favorite

1. say it's here where our pieces fall in place by Lirelyn - ~69,000 words, explicit - Modern AU where Lan Zhan meets Wei Wuxian after he adopts a small A-Yuan, because Wei Wuxian also has a past with him. Lots of adorable family feelings and emotional hurt/comfort.

As often happened, Wei Ying’s voice preceded his entrance, calling to his co-worker through the open door, “Frankie, they forgot to order spoons again, can you hold down the fort a little longer while I —”

Lan Wangji was already looking to his entrance, head turning as if magnetized toward the voice, so he saw the moment when Wei Ying’s eyes landed on A-Yuan and the smile fell from his face. He looked stricken, and Lan Wangji immediately looked to his son in alarm. A-Yuan seemed fine. His small eyebrows were pulled together in a small frown as he looked back at Wei Ying, but that wasn’t surprising, given the expression on Wei Ying’s face. Lan Wangji had seen that face beaming, laughing, whining, wheedling, and occasionally angry, but never like this. He looked blank and hollow and it stirred something fierce in Lan Wangji: he wanted to rise up and obliterate whatever was making him look like that. Then his eyes lifted to Lan Wangji and there was a flash of something almost like betrayal, before he pressed his lips together and turned his back.

“I’m going to run out to the store and get spoons,” he said in a flat voice to his co-worker, and left without looking their way again.

2. the breaking of your soul (upon my lips) by sunsandships - ~41,000 words, mature - This is an AU of the novel where Wei Wuxian puts two and two together when Lan Zhan sneaks that kiss from him. It changes a lot of things.

Against his own will, Wei Wuxian found himself glancing at Lan Wangji’s hands. They were… certainly large enough that one of them could wrap around both of his wrists. And Lan Wangji was certainly strong enough, tall enough, broad-shouldered enough to bodily pin him against the trunk of a tree with no chance of him breaking free. Lan Wangji was the first person he’d come across in his slow comb through the vicinity of where he’d been so headily kissed.

Wei Wuxian drew a sharp breath. There was a connection to be made here. He didn’t think he was crazy enough to make it. Perhaps he truly was going slightly insane with demonic cultivation if he could believe Lan Wangji, the paragon of virtue and respectability, who lived unflinchingly under Gusu Lan’s three thousand edicts, who had at best only tolerated his presence as children, would sneak up to him while he was blindfolded, pin him against a tree, and steal a kiss from him in broad daylight.

3. and his wanting grows teeth by yukla - ~25,000 words, teen - This is a very interesting AU where Lan Zhan is a traveling cultivator and runs into Wei Wuxian and the Jiangs looking for shelter during a snowstorm. No spoilers, but this fic goes to a pretty dark place that genuinely shocked me, but I enjoyed. (Still ends well though.)

Without further ado, they are hustled past the entrance and into a smaller greeting area. Huang-bobo approaches the brazier in the center with his hands outstretched, warming his fingers in the heat, but Lan Wangji hangs back. As he carefully brushes the snow free from his shoulders, he feels the burn of a curious gaze trailing up and down his body, lingering at the guqin still strapped to his back; when the sensation pauses at his face and stays there, he lifts his head.

The boy with the ribbon lights up at the eye contact, flashes another dazzling smile, and gives a little wave.

“You must be new here,” he whispers, something like laughter threaded into his voice, eyes scrunching into winking half-moons. “All dressed up in white like that! You might lose yourself in the snowstorm!”

Something stirs to life in Lan Wangji’s chest. It’s—uncomfortable, he decides, and so he steps away. Teasing should not be encouraged with a response.

4. Ghosts Shouldn't by ShanaStoryteller - ~15,000 words, not rated - After Wei Ying's death, his spirit seems to linger. The story is told from Lan Xichen's point of view. I love an outsider point of view. I also love the way the author fleshes out his character as well.

Lan Xichen means to force his way inside, angry ghost of the Yiling Patriarch or no, but then his brother lets out slow breath, settling, the pain easing from his face as he falls back into a more peaceful sleep.

His hair is moving on its own, so subtly Lan Xichen might not have noticed it if he hadn’t been looking at Wangji so intently. It’s like someone’s running their hand through his hair.

The window frosts over suddenly, thick enough that he can’t see through it. Anxiety spikes through him so quickly he’s nauseous with it, but then the frost melts away and the opening notes of Healing start up again.

He can’t tell if it’s a warning or not. Maybe it’s just an acknowledgement. Wei Wuxian knows he’s there.

5. **leading tone by silencemostofall - ~32,000 words, general - This is a modern AU set in a world where people who love you leave a mark of color on you the first time you touch. Wei Wuxian has no color on him. So much emotional hurt/comfort. So much of Wei Wuxian's terrible self-esteem.

He can cover up his palms with his gloves, so that the blankness does not draw stares. But he has no marks on his fingertips, which he cannot easily hide, and none visible on his face or neck, the blankness of which is even more difficult to hide. People look at him and, with a single glance, understand the single most devastating truth that he knows about himself.

They assume that he does not have very many marks. He may be an eccentric, dramatic person, but the likelihood that an individual has all of their marks on, say, their feet or their torso or other places that are not immediately obvious-- that probability goes down as your number of marks increases. He can laugh as much as he wants about how he loves touching people for the first time with odd places, like the knee or the elbow, but it doesn't quite mask the feeling of other that he knows he exudes.

They assume that he does not have a lot of marks. This, while a heavy weight, is not unbearably so. It is okay that they think he is not much loved. It chafes a bit, and feels occasionally like something he has to furiously push down within himself, but it is not unbearable. What would be unbearable is if they knew the truth: that he does not just have very few marks, but none. That he is simply an individual who is not loved at all.

6. **pastel by antebunny - ~7,000 words, gen - This is a remix work of the above fic. It's from Lan Zhan's point of view and just different enough to be interesting. Still lots of emotional hurt/comfort. I love this concept a whole lot, and both of these fics are great.

It’s a simmering day in May, and Wei Ying is wearing long sleeves, long pants, and gloves.

His choice of dress isn’t unusual for many reasons. For one, there’s plenty of people who don’t like strangers seeing their soulmarks. There’s plenty of people who wish to keep them private by covering them up. For another, Wei Ying spends most of his day in various chilly computer science department rooms, He could just be wearing long sleeves for that.

7. one good thing by Yuu_chi - ~27,000 words, teen - Wei Wuxian has died (or did he??) and is haunting his old home. Lan Zhan moves in. This story has a happy ending! And so much yearning!

To the flowers struggling to grow on the other side of the glass, he says, “We’re getting a new roommate. Well, I’m getting a new roommate - you’re getting somebody who might actually be able to water you for a change.” The flowers outside sway a little in the breeze, and Wei Wuxian nods contemplatively. “He can’t be any worse than the last guy who lived here. Remember when I spooked him while he was cooking and he nearly burnt the house down? Of course you don’t. You’re fucking foliage, your memory is worse than mine. I remember though, so it’s cool.”

There’s the sound of shuffling behind him and Wei Wuxian looks up to see the stranger has entered the kitchen, setting the last of the boxes down on the table. Disgustingly neat handwriting declares the box kitchen - homeware. The stranger carefully brushes his hair back from his face and, without so much as a second of hesitation, cracks open the box and begins unpacking.

“Wow, you really don’t waste any time, do you?” Wei Wuxian marvels. “You literally just got here - who cares about unpacking? Sit down for a moment, breathe, have something to eat. It’s not going anywhere.”

8. with you, I am home by tellthemstories - ~47,000 words, mature - Modern AU where Wei Wuxian is being forced to return home to entertain marriage proposals. So naturally instead he "convinces" Lan Zhan to pretend to date him. I love a good fake dating fic, and this one hits all the right beats.

Lan Zhan does that almost-smile thing that Wei Wuxian takes to mean he’s happy, or at the very least not-mad. “You don’t have any money.”

“Not true. I have the money from our last job, when we settled the vengeful spirit for the flower shop girl.” (He doesn’t. They have Lan Zhan’s money. Wei Wuxian spent his on a pack of loquats and three bottles of Emperor’s Smile wine.)

“Fine,” Wei Wuxian says. “Do it for me.”

Thinking back on it two weeks later, standing alone in the middle of Jin Ling’s graduation banquet and watching Lan Zhan walk away from him, Wei Wuxian realises that this, this was the moment when he should have known. He should have realised in the way Lan Zhan doesn’t hesitate or negotiate and just says with that half-fond, half-exasperated tone he gets sometimes, “Fine.”

9. and in the spring i shed my skin by wvlfqveen - ~11,000 words, teen - Modern AU where Wei Ying can't find Lan Zhan, but hey, there happens to be a rabbit here instead. Features a very slow Wei Ying, emotional hurt/comfort and accidental love confessions.

Immediately, his heart settles and he grins down at his new friend. “Oh, hello there,” he coos, reaching out to pet the fluffy ears. The bunny is very, very still under his hand.

“Did Lan Zhan bring you today?,” he continues cooing. “I’m sorry I missed that, but your Dad didn’t tell me he was bringing you.”

Lan Zhan rarely brings his rabbits to work since they are as tolerant of crowds and unnecessary noise as he is. They were probably relevant to today’s lesson but…

Wei Ying frowns. “Why would he leave you alone? And where is your cage?”

10. how, or when, or from where by sarahyyy - ~10,000 words, gen - Wei Ying wakes up in the hospital with amnesia and can't remember the last few years of his life, including his best friend and the guy he's in love with.

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes so hard Wei Wuxian is surprised his eyeballs don’t just fall out of his eye sockets. “That’s the worst part. He did. Whatever mating ritual you both have going on is so fucking weird, Wei Wuxian.” He snorts. “If you’d stayed asleep for any longer, I’d have lost my shit and thrown my myself out a window just so I wouldn’t have to talk to Lan Wangji again.”

Wei Wuxian blinks at him. “Is this a good time to ask who Lan Wangji is?”

Jiang Cheng glares at him. “Your Lan Zhan,” he says, annoyed. Wei Wuxian must look as confused as he feels, because Jiang Cheng’s annoyance bleeds out into concern. “Your Lan er-gege? Your soulmate, Lan Wangji?”

Wei Wuxian shakes his head. “No bells are ringing.”

11. ** a shared plate by yukla - ~26,000 words, teen - This is an absolutely gorgeous fic about Wei Wuxian traveling the world post-canon to rediscover himself and restore his faith in humanity and eventually find his way back to Lan Zhan. The whole thing is great, but the last two chapters are just *chef's kiss*

Lan Zhan,

Just as the mountains stand unchanging and the green rivers flow ceaselessly, we will meet again — and between then and now, you cannot hope to avoid my letters, either! Haha! Lan Zhan, I’ve seen so many things and met so many people, and it’s only been a month!

I miss you already

It’s so hot that I find myself missing the wind in Gusu’s mountains. Your poor Wei Ying is I’m melting away, Lan Zhan...

I’m realizing now, sixteen years is a long time to be away — the world is vast, and quite a bit different than I remembered. And in sixteen years, a child can also grow up into a man! It’s your job to catch me up on A-Yuan’s fun childhood stories! I do remember hearing something about a pile of rabbits...

12. with your arms outstretched to me by annemari - ~14,000 words, teen - Lan Zhan finally gets up the nerve to ask Wei Ying on a date, but things don't go as expected. Features emotional hurt/comfort (are we sensing a theme with these recs??) and just regular hurt/comfort.

"Oh, man, I was hoping you had some water with you," Wei Ying says. "I totally forgot to bring any for myself. Stupid of me."

"There is enough for both of us," Lan Wangji says. He has another bigger bottle in the car, as well.

Wei Ying hums but he only takes a few sips. He presses it back into Lan Wangji's hand. "I don't need any more."

Lan Wangji is considering arguing, but then Wei Ying shifts a bit, moving his ankle, and gasps very, very quietly.

13. ** A Lot of Edges Called Perhaps by hansbekhart - ~22,000 words, explicit - Wei Wuxian has finished traveling and returned to the Cloud Recesses and Lan Zhan. But their lives never do run smoothly.

“Lan Jingyi,” Wei Wuxian says, recognizing him after a moment. His heart slams against his rib cage. “Where is Lan Zhan? What’s happened?”

Lan Jingyi flaps a hand at him, gulping air. Wei Wuxian hands him the water, and leans back against Little Apple’s side as he waits impatiently for the boy to get his breath back.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Jingyi gasps, just as Wei Wuxian is about to throttle a proper answer out of him. “Hanguang Jun was in such a state when he woke up, we didn’t know if you’d come and gone already.”

“Where is he, Jingyi,” Wei Wuxian says, as evenly as he can. “What happened?”

14. So Why Not Crack Your Skull When the Mind Swells by greenteafiend - ~14,000 words, explicit - Wei Wuxian is cursed to feel extraordinary pain unless he's touching Lan Zhan. Yet more of Wei Wuxian's self-esteem issues and Lan Zhan's steadfast devotion.

“Are you hurt, Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks, pressing his hand to Wei Ying’s forehead to feel his temperature. There is no fever, but that doesn’t do much to mitigate Lan Wangji’s worries.

“No—I’m not hurt,” says Wei Ying, sagging forward to lean his weight into Lan Wangji’s hand like he can’t help himself.

It’s so strange—Lan Wangji can feel what Wei Ying is feeling. Although the relief is still very profound, wisps of other things are making themselves known; happiness; wistfulness; guilt. It’s all so fleeting that Lan Wangji can’t even begin to deduce what has provoked those feelings, but he wishes he knew their source.

15. puzzle pieces by Anonymous - ~6,000 words, teen - Modern AU where Wei Ying and Lan Zhan are roommates, and Wei Ying has started borrowing Lan Zhan's clothes.

“Hm? Oh.” With sleepy eyes that does— things to Lan Zhan’s heart, he blinks and tugs at the lower hem of the shirt, which is riding just above the curve of his thighs. Does Lan Zhan’s mouth water? Maybe. Yes. Absolutely. “Ah, yeah, sorry. Laundry day caught up to me before I could catch up with it. I saw this shirt left in the washer a few days ago, and—“ He blinks up at Lan Zhan through dark eyelashes that Lan Zhan wants to kiss, maybe, and gives him an uncharacteristically hesitant smile. “Do you mind?”

I mind the fact that we are not married, Lan Zhan thinks. But he can’t say that, and his tongue doesn’t know how to say anything else. So he stays silent.

“Oh,” Wei Ying says after a moment. “If you—oh, damn, I should’ve known, this is like real silk, must’ve been super expensive. Fuck. Okay, here, uh, I’ll take it off—“

16. ** Nothing But Trouble by brooklinegirl - ~60,000 words, explicit - Modern AU where Wei Ying is trying to be a good brother and get Jiang Cheng laid. Somehow this plan involves pretending to date Lan Zhan.

"I won't!" Wei Ying insists. "I'll ask out someone...high stakes. I'll find someone. I'll...okay, how's this? I swear that I'll ask someone out and keep at it for at least two dates."

"No."

"Three dates."

"Nope."

"Okay, okay, five. That's fair! That's more than fair! One person, five dates." He points at Jiang Cheng. "You have to do it, too. That's how a pact works."

Jiang Cheng stares at him. "Five dates," he says flatly. "Five. And yours can't be Nie Huaisang."

17. i'm the one for your fire by occultings (microcomets) - ~43,000 words, explicit - This is a Modern AU and a Cherry Magic AU! (Side note: GO WATCH CHERRY MAGIC IF YOU HAVEN'T.) But in short, Wei Ying turns 30 without losing his virginity and gets the power to hear people's thoughts when he touches them. He gets more than he bargained for with Lan Zhan. The author does a good job of translating the story to these characters. Wei Ying is not forced to be like Adachi, the main character of Cherry Magic. He's still himself, and the same goes for Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan’s voice is so clear, so sudden that it’s as though it’s spoken, the slice of a sharp object through velvet.

He’s touching me.

Wei Ying startles for a moment, wonders if he’d somehow heard his own thoughts instead, but — no, that had definitely been Lan Zhan’s steady, factual baritone, loud and clear.

God, this is still so weird. It still doesn’t seem totally real. But how else can he account for hearing Lan Zhan’s voice in his head, as clearly as if he’d spoken to Wei Ying directly?

18. like blue flame over my fingertips by tangerinechar - ~37,000 words, teen - Modern AU where Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are roommates, and Lan Zhan just finds himself wanting to take care of Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji’s roommate. Is a problem.

He doesn’t get an answer to the roommate problem until the next morning, when Lan Xichen texts him telling him that the apartment he’d suggested (and helped pay rent for) to Lan Wangji said in the small text that it’d be two people per apartment, the second bedroom wasn’t actually a guest bedroom, sorry, Wangji, you can move in with me if you want, I have space —

No. Thank you for your kind offer, Brother, but I will be quite fine, Lan Wangji texts back.

19. ** some impulse of delight by handclaps - ~20,000 words, explicit - College AU where Wei Ying decides he needs to help Lan Zhan get used to touching people. Lan Zhan agrees. Wei Ying is dumb and in love. Lan Zhan is less dumb, but still as in love.

Lan Zhan shakes his head and fumbles, tries to push the cotton wool into Wei Wuxian’s hand.

“Sorry,” Wei Wuxian says, realising. “Touching people, I know.”

He feels dumb. He thought he’d worn Lan Zhan down more than this, that they were friends now and that his whole no touching thing was mostly overcome. He took Wei Wuxian’s hand easily, right? He looks down at his belly full of scratches, dabbing at them moodily.

“Sorry,” he says, again.

Lan Zhan makes some kind of noise, but he is busy packing the first aid kit back, placing everything exactly where it was before.

“Lan Zhan, you’re going to have to do something about this,” Wei Wuxian complains. “I know you don’t like touching people and usually it plays as a kind of gentlemanly thing, but what about emergencies?”

20. And I Will Call You Home by Spodumene - ~43,000 words, explicit - Wei Wuxian returns after a year of traveling and rejoins Lan Zhan in the Cloud Recesses. He's doing a good job of pining and ignoring the obvious. Look, at this point, it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm a sucker for stories where Wei Wuxian deals with his ~*~issues~*~ and Lan Zhan takes care of him, whether he asks for it or not. This story has lots of that. I also enjoyed the case fic aspect of it.

“I do, I think,” Wei Wuxian admits. “Would be nice to see his face again after so long. And at least this time, I’m going to show up draped in finery. What do you think, Lan Zhan? I can’t possibly disgrace him—or you—wearing a cloak like that.”

“You could never disgrace me,” Lan Wangji says gently, that soft, affectionate look back on his face.

Wei Wuxian grins, warmed to the tips of his toes.

“I’ll remind you of that later. The next time I’m three jars deep and feeling especially shameless, you’ll have to remember those words, Lan Er-gege.”

“Of course,” Lan Wangji says simply.

Wei Wuxian smiles some more, overwhelmed by fondness.

21. darling, am i a chore? by martyrsdaughter - ~7,000 words, explicit - Wei Wuxian really, really wants Lan Zhan to call him 'gege'. Lan Zhan knows a trump card when he sees one.

“You know what I want,” Wei Wuxian purrs, reaching up on his tiptoes to throw his arms over Lan Wangji’s shoulders. “Call me gege, won’t you? Call me and I’ll stop.”

Lan Wangji knows he will not stop, regardless of what he calls him. Still, he thinks about it. If there really is a way to make Wei Wuxian stop, should he not consider it? He doesn’t have any real interest in curbing his husband’s insatiable mischievousness, but he does like knowing things about him—everything there is to know.

If there’s something that persuasive in the world, that it can bring Wei Wuxian into submission when no one is under threat, could he stop himself from seeking it?

22. your name, safe in their mouth by astrolesbian - ~11,000 words, gen - Wei Wuxian & Lan Sizhui fic with the Wangxian in the background. Lan Sizhui wants another dad and Wei Wuxian wants a son, they just don't know how to explain that to each other.

“Hush,” Wei Wuxian says, in a low croon, like someone quieting a baby. Then he blinks, and looks away, awkward. “I mean—you shouldn’t speak. You’re tired. Rest if you need to.”

Lan Sizhui tucks his chin into his uncle’s shoulder, and lets his eyes fall closed.

“It doesn’t hurt too much, does it?” Wen Ning whispers to him kindly.

Lan Sizhui takes a deep breath, and takes stock of all his aches, his ringing ear, his hollow chest, the way he had selfishly wanted Wei Wuxian to keep speaking to him in that careful voice, like he was just a child to be soothed and there was no real danger. How dangerous, to pretend. “No,” he lies. “It doesn’t hurt that much at all.”

23. when you're doing all the leaving (then it's never your love lost) by tardigradeschool - ~26,000 words, teen - AU where Lan Zhan with Wei Wuxian to Jin Ling's one-month celebration. Things go down, and it leads to Lan Zhan discovering Wei Wuxian's missing golden core. This obviously will not do, and oh look, the best doctor in the world just happens to be right here.

“How—“ Lan Wangji chokes. “His core —?” He looks at Wen Ning, half accusatory in his shock. “Jin Zixun could not have—“

“No, no!” Wen Ning says, holding out his hands. “He hasn’t had one for years, don’t worry!”

This is not as reassuring as Wen Ning seems to think.

“Please explain,” Lan Wangji says, pained. He feels for Wei Wuxian’s pulse instead; in the absence of a golden core, it will have to do as reassurance that he’s still alive.

Wen Ning is so anxious that the story comes out in a ramble, out of order. Lan Wangji wants him to hurry up, but he’s also not confident in his own ability to speak, so he just keeps quiet and lets him talk. His heart feels as if it’s about to fall from his chest, beating nearly twice as fast as Wei Wuxian’s does under his fingers.

24. A Match in the Making by lareine - ~30,000 words, teen - A Modern AU where Wei Wuxian sees his single and bad ass friend Lan Zhan and his single and bad ass friend Mianmian and gets some very dumb ideas.

To return to the point: Lan Zhan was peak adulting. Mianmian was peak adulting. And if they were both at the peak, then they were on the same level. What level? That mysterious level thing that everyone mentioned when it came to dating.

Whatever level it was, Lan Zhan and Mianmian were on it together. Wei Ying nodded to himself. So, Lan Zhan and Mianmian were allowed to date each other. The next question was: were they compatible? Did they have chemistry or whatever the fuck people called it?

25. Crack me open, pour you out by Tenillypo - ~16,000 words, explicit - Lan Zhan gets cursed to say whatever he's thinking. So his worst nightmare. Mutual pining, first time, all good stuff.

Lan Wangji freezes with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, lifting his eyes to stare at Wei Ying.

"I know! Just completely paralyzed." Wei Ying mimes being still as a board. "I don't know how long I lay there. It must have been two days at least. Good thing for Little Apple. He wandered back to the village when he got hungry, and eventually a few of them got brave enough to come look for me. When they rolled me over, the figure fell out of my hand and I could move again. Cunning little thing." He shakes his head. "I was weak as a kitten for a little while after they took me back to the village, and by the time I recovered, they'd burned the whole place to the ground. Such a waste."

Lan Wangji slowly lowers his chopsticks, heart racing unpleasantly. In his head, a picture of Wei Ying slowly wasting to death alone in the middle of the woods, with Lan Wangji a hundred miles away and none the wiser.

26. Crazy, Rich Cultivators by ShanaStoryteller - 13,000 words, no rating - Lan Zhan wants to bring his boyfriend home to meet his family. There are some things he definitely didn't realize about Wei Ying.

“He has a life here,” he says down the line. He doesn’t say that he has a life here too, one he likes a lot more than the one he had before. He misses home. He’d miss Wei Ying more. But he doesn’t say that, doesn’t say how vibrant he is and how beautiful and how little interest Lan Zhan has at seeing him among the high society he grew up with.

“Well, your life is here, Wangji,” his brother says. “You can’t stay away from home forever. You’re going to have to see how he does with the rest of us sooner or later. It might as well be sooner.”

It might as well be never, as far as he’s concerned. His family can meet Wei Ying at their wedding.

“I’ll ask,” he says.

Wei Ying has no interest in cultivation politics. They’re horrible, the five clans have an iron tight alliance that’s thirty seconds away from collapsing in on itself the moment someone from one sect steps on another sect’s toes. It’s the worst and he hates it. Surely even just the idea of it will be so horrifying to Wei Ying that Lan Zhan will be able to tell his brother no.

27. just our hands clasped so tight by electrum ~4,000 words, teen - Lan Zhan really, really, really just wants to give Wei Ying everything he wants.

“Despite your best efforts,” Wei Wuxian agrees. He shakes his head in mock-dismay. “How much longer do you think that will last if you keep buying everything I look at?” When this, too, fails to soften Lan Zhan’s resolve, he tries a different tactic. “We couldn’t even afford potatoes,” he says. “Back when I was with the Wens, at the Burial Mounds. Only radishes! If I survived that, I can certainly survive without another pretty comb.”

Lan Zhan’s expression is at once unmoved and yet somehow stricken. “I would have bought Wei Ying potatoes,” he says, like Wei Wuxian doesn’t know, by this point, that Lan Zhan would buy him anything. “If I had known…”

28. ** Rotten Work by ShanaStoryteller - ~64,000 words, no rating - Jin Ling & Wei Wuxian with Wangxian in the background. Jin Ling is the best boy! And as he tries to rehabilitate his sect and his family and keep himself alive at the same time, he realizes, horrifyingly, that he has to be the mature one.

29. ** an act too often neglected by Ariaste - Lan Xichen / Meng Yao, ~61,000 words, explicit - The Wangxian is in the background here, but the main story is about Lan Xichen meeting Meng Yao on a dating app and getting immediately dickmatized. Meanwhile. Meng Yao refuses to be won over by Lan Xichen's charm. It goes as well as you'd expect for him.

The caption below is equally sparse: “5’6. Demanding.”

Lan Xichen feels a low simmer of arousal kindle in the pit of his stomach, and he gazes at that word-- demanding --for nearly as long as he’d stared at the photograph. He swipes right.

A few minutes later, a notification pops up: < Hm, the size of your hands is promising.

This is familiar. This is the flirtation stage. Lan Xichen knows the steps to the dance.

30. My Land Beneath Me by longleggedgit - ~30,000 words, explicit - Modern AU where Wei Wuxian is cast out of his sect and out of China to America. And Lan Zhan just...follows.

Lan Zhan always waited for his tea to cool before drinking, which meant he had nothing to do but give Wei Wuxian a judgmental look. “No more McDonald’s.”

“You’re just bitter because you get indigestion from anything that actually tastes good,” Wei Wuxian grumbled.

Because Lan Zhan was insufferably mature and patient, he didn’t rise to the bait. “We have time to stop somewhere before class,” he said.

“Fine. But you’re paying this time.”

It was a bad joke, and predictably, fell flat; Lan Zhan was, after all, paying for everything, every time. Wei Wuxian frowned into his mug.

“You know,” he said, after another swallow, “you really don’t have to be here. I’m going to figure something out.”

*

Interested in 86 more The Untamed fic recs?

Part 1 - 40 recs Part 2 - 23 recs Part 3 - 23 recs

[besanii]

Hi!!! 😃 93 for the prompt thing, please!

#93 - “You’ve hurt me again and again, but I can’t stop coming back to you.”

He arrives at a little town north of Pingzhou in the middle of winter. Snow blankets the ground like carpet, thick and soft, tracking the footsteps of the townspeople in nonsensical patterns crisscrossed over it's surface.

It's not a place he had ever expected Wei Wuxian to choose to settle, recalling how bitterly he had complained about Gusu winters and its ceaseless snow; it seems his understanding of Wei Wuxian is even poorer than he had believed it to be. The thought unsettles him more than he’d prefer to admit.

No one he asks seems to have heard of the name Wei Wuxian, or Wei Ying, but when he describes his appearance, the innkeeper’s daughter exclaims: “You must be talking about Yue-gongzi!”

“Yue-gongzi?” The name is unfamiliar, but the girl nods insistently.

"Yue-gongzi is an artist!" she tells him, eyes shining with excitement. "He paints the prettiest pictures! Look!"

She thrusts a piece of paper under his nose despite her parents' protestations, waving it eagerly until Lan Wangji takes it from her. It's a fine rendering of two butterflies in blue and yellow, hovering above a magnificent red peony in full bloom. He recognises the brushwork instantly, the bold strokes and soft lines, so masterfully executed. He would know this work anywhere.

"Where does this Yue-gongzi live?" he asks.

--

He's thinner, Lan Wangji notices with a familiar pang of guilt as they stare at each other across the threshold, frozen.

His cheekbones are more prominent now, with none of the boyish charm and flush of health he'd had when they first met. His lips are paler, thinned, pressed together so tightly they may well fuse together; there are dark shadows under his eyes. He looks haunted, sickly—so frail, wrapped in a white, fur-lined cloak that almost dwarfs him in size.

"Wei Ying…" His name falls from Lan Wangji's lips in a hoarse whisper.

The sound jars Wei Wuxian out of his frozen stupor; his fingers tighten around the door until his knuckles turn white.

"What are you doing here?" he asks. His voice is quiet; Lan Wangji is taken aback by the frostiness of his tone.

"I…" he hesitates. "I've been looking for you."

For a long moment, Wei Wuxian looks at him in silence, as if assessing the truthfulness of his words. But Lan Wangji does not lie, would never lie—not to Wei Wuxian. Not even when he should have, when it would have saved them both. And Wei Wuxian knows it too, because he sighs and averts his gaze.

"Zhanshen-daren found me," he says without humour. "What business has Zhanshen-daren lowering himself to grace my humble home with his presence?"

The bitter mockery in his words slices through Lan Wangji's heart like a knife, colder than even the ice that gathers on the furs of his cloak. It is more than he deserves.

"Are you…" He swallows, clenches his fist. "Have you been well?"

A muscle tightens in Wei Wuxian's jaw.

"As well as can be expected," he replies stiffly. "Thank you Zhanshen-daren for his concern."

An awkward silence falls between them, putting Lan Wangji at a loss. Wei Wuxian had always been the one to fill the silences in the past, chattering and laughing about anything and everything that came to mind, undeterred by the lack of response. He had always had a way about him that bridged gaps between people. Lan Wangji doesn't know how to fill silences. He doesn't know how to bridge the chasm between them.

He opens his mouth, and closes it again. After a few more times, Wei Wuxian sighs heavily and moves to close the door. Sharp panic rises in his throat and Lan Wangji takes a step forward, only catching himself when Wei Wuxian freezes.

“May I...” He sucks in a breath and tries again. “May I come in?”

For a moment, he’s afraid Wei Wuxian would refuse. He would be well within his rights to as well. But Wei Wuxian only gives him a glare full of wary mistrust and reluctantly steps aside to allow him entry.

The cottage is simple and rustic, but sturdy nonetheless; all the furniture looks to be handmade, from the small table near the window to the simple bedframe barely visible behind the cloth partition. It’s a far cry from what Lan Wangji is used to, but it is clean, well-kept and spacious. He stands in the middle of the room and takes it all in, unsure of himself now that he is here.

“I live but a simple life,” Wei Wuxian tells him. “I’m afraid I have very little to offer that would meet Zhanshen-daren’s standards. If Zhanshen-daren is looking for somewhere where lodge, I would suggest the inn back in town.”

A clear dismissal. But Lan Wangji has never been one to give up that easily. He turns back to Wei Wuxian lingering in the doorway.

“Have you been here this whole time?” he asks. Wei Wuxian shrugs.

“More or less.” He stares at a spot on the wall over Lan Wangji’s right shoulder rather than meeting his eyes. “As long as you don’t cause trouble, and help out every now and then, the people here are happy to let you be.”

He coughs into his fist, thin and raspy. Wen Qing had warned him that Wei Wuxian would likely be severely weakened; the Seal was forged by the Demon God, imbued with the essence of his demonic energy—no matter how strong he is, Wei Wuxian is only a yao. Such high levels of exposure to that much demonic energy would have burned him up from the inside had his golden core not been as powerful as it were.

The very thought sends a chill down Lan Wangji’s spine. He reaches for Wei Wuxian’s wrist to check his pulse without thinking, only for it to be jerked away; he looks up to see Wei Wuxian staring at him, wide-eyed and fearful.

Wei Ying. Afraid.

Afraid of him.

“Zhanshen-daren please restrain yourself,” Wei Wuxian says stiffly, expression shuttering closed. Lan Wangji curls his outstretched hand into a fist and brings it back to his side.

“My apologies.” He opens his mouth to continue, but Wei Wuxian is already turning away, moving further into the cottage with his back resolutely facing him. “Wei Ying, I—”

He breaks off, suddenly at a loss for words. He’d thought of a thousand different scenarios that could possibly occur should he ever find Wei Wuxian again; he’d had a plan for every single one. He’d ask for forgiveness for his actions, for his misjudgment, for his naivete and foolishness, explain that they’d been mislead by Jin Guangyao, that he had believed in Wei Wuxian’s innocence all along—but all of it sounds flimsy and inconsequential now that he’s here. 

“I’m sorry,” he says. Wei Wuxian inhales, hands freezing over the shelf by the window on the other side of the room. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t—didn’t protect you. I should have spoken out, done more—”

“You did what you had to,” Wei Wuxian corrects him. His hands curl into fists. “I don’t blame you for it. You have responsibilities to your sect, to your identity as the God of War in eradicating the likes of us.” He exhales, bows his head. “We were destined to be on opposing sides, you and I. And I should have told you who I was—what I am—much sooner. Before either of us got in too deep.”

“No.” The denial comes swiftly, harsher than he’d intended, as he crosses the room in three long strides to stand behind Wei Wuxian. “You did what you had to,” he continues in a gentler voice. “You had to protect your clan. I don’t blame you for it. I never should have. I should have—”

I should have believed you, hangs between them.

Wei Wuxian shakes his head.

“You had no reason to,” he reminds him gently. “I gave you no reason to. I made that choice myself.”

Lan Wangji reaches out a trembling hand to rest on his shoulder, only for Wei Wuxian to slip away at the last moment, ducking past him towards the area partitioned off as sleeping quarters. Once again putting distance between them.

“You should go.” The dismissal cuts through the air like an arrow, straight into Lan Wangji’s chest. “It won’t be good for someone to see you here.”

“No, please!” He stumbles forward a step towards him before he catches himself, hands balled tightly into fists by his side. “Please don’t send me away, Wei Ying. Wen Qing says you are not well. I-I want to help you. Please.”

A shudder runs through the line of Wei Wuxian’s shoulders; he hunches over, hands coming up to pull his cloak tighter about him as if to ward off the chill. Lan Wangji watches him, desperately hoping that the sincerity of his of plea is heard and understood. That he would once again be able to stand by Wei Wuxian’s side and protect him, as he should have from the beginning.

The laughter that follows is soft, rueful, and it hurts Lan Wangji more than if he had thrust Bichen through his own heart.

“Lan Wangji, ah, Lan Wangji,” Wei Wuxian sighs. He half-turns, tilts his head to look back at Lan Wangji sadly. “You’ve hurt me again and again, but I can’t stop coming back to you. What grievous misdeeds have I wrought upon you in my past life that I must continue to atone for it in this one?”

He turns away again.

“It would be best for Zhanshen-daren to leave now.”

--

Translations

Zhanshen-daren (战神大人) - My Lord, the God of War

--

Notes

The Demon God is a mo (魔) demon, an evil spirit, whereas Wei Wuxian is a yao (妖) demon, a spirit formed from a non-human living creature (in this case, a vermilion bird). Yao are not necessarily evil, but they tend to be portrayed as thus in the majority of folklore—in the original drama, one of the main responsibilities of the righteous sects is to eradicate yao to prevent them from hurting humans.

The “yue” Wei Wuxian uses is 乐 from 音乐 (yinyue, music), which can also be read as le (pleasure, enjoyment, happy/cheerful)

--

buy me a ko-fi!

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previous parts here

[ibijau]

Persuasion AU pt9 / On A03

The first thing that Lan Qiren asked his nephew after Lan Xichen returned to the Cloud Recesses was whether he would resume his seclusion or not. It struck Lan Xichen as a rather odd question, when his uncle had never doubted that he would isolate himself again on those two previous occasions he’d been forced to be into the world. But perhaps Lan Qiren merely saw what Lan Xichen himself felt: that this excursion had not been like the previous ones, that he was returning home filled with an energy and desire to live that he’d long thought fully lost. Before, seclusion had felt like the only natural option for him. Now, it was distasteful, the mere idea of it oppressing him.

And yet before making any decision, Lan Xichen decided to meet with his father, and ask for his approval in putting an end to that seclusion. It had been Qingheng-Jun who had originally ordered that punishment, and though he’d never quite asked for it to last this long, Lan Xichen knew his father would take offence if he was not consulted regarding its end.

It was always awkward for Lan Xichen to be around his father. While he had long ago overcome any resentment that he might have felt toward his uncle for the advice given regarding the possibility of a marriage, the same could not be said about his father. Where Lan Qiren had worried that Nie Huaisang might not be the right cultivation partner for his nephew, that both boys had been too young for such a serious decision, that their tempers might not be compatible in the long run, then Qingheng-Jun had given more the impression that he did not care for anyone’s happiness, that he simply had grown to dislike the very concept of a love match for others, when his own had failed.

But his father was in a pleasant mood that day, and appeared satisfied to hear about what his oldest son had done while away from home. Although he still deplored Lan Wangji’s marriage as a regrettable decision he would come to regret, and he expressed some mild concern for Lan Jingyi while also blaming him for putting himself in danger, Qingheng-Jun was happy to hear that Lan Xichen had met with Jiang Cheng, and with Jin Guangyao even more.

“Qiren has told me about that boy,” he stated. “The circumstances of his birth are against him, but for being the son of such a woman, he has proved himself worthy of entering the cultivation world. The honourable Jin zongzhu did well in favouring that boy, no matter what stains his blood carries.”

Lan Xichen had not known what to answer. His only thought had been a cruel one. Occasionally, and ever since he'd first learned how unhappy their marriage had been, Lan Xichen wondered at the fact that his mother had tried to refuse his father, even though most women would have been flattered to cause such passion in a young, universally well loved sect leader. But then Qingheng-jun would call Jin Guangshan an honourable man, without the first hint of irony, and Lan Xichen would understand his mother's attempt to escape such a suitor.

But that mattered little now that she was dead, and Qingheng-Jun’s good friendship with the honourable Jin Guangshan meant that he was so pleased to see Lan Xichen walking in steps that he easily granted his son the permission to finally leave his seclusion. In a surprising demonstration of interest in the affairs of the sect he was meant to lead, Qingheng-Jun also ordered Lan Xichen to report to Lan Qiren about what additional duties he might take on, now that he would no longer be restricted to his own house.

Lan Xichen, who had always intended to do such a thing, thanked his father for the suggestion and went to find his uncle. He was surprised to find that Lan Qiren already had all manners of ideas for what he might do, as if he had long hoped that Lan Xichen would not be quite as dramatic as his father when faced with disappointed love. They spent the better half of an afternoon discussing that matter. It was eventually decided that Lan Xichen would keep most of the duties given to him these past thirteen years, that he would now accompany his uncle to various conferences whenever Gusu Lan was invited, and that he would help teach the younger disciples once his own skill had recovered from the long inactivity.

That last part had been Lan Xichen’s own request. If nothing else, his stay in Yiling had reminded him how much he loved martial arts, and reminiscing the past had reminded him that he once enjoyed teaching and sharing what he knew. Lan Qiren, who loved teaching above all else and only took on the duties of a sect leader out of necessity, was more than happy to grant that request and already suggested that this or that weak student could certain use the help of a tutor, if Lan Xichen wanted to start with something less daunting than instructing a full class.

When that topic was exhausted, Lan Qiren asked about the people his nephew had seen. He was happy to hear that Lan Wangji was doing well, happier certainly than Qingheng-Jun had been, even though Lan Qiren had had more reasons to doubt the success of his nephew’s marriage to Wei Wuxian who had been a rather obnoxious student. But Lan Qiren loved his nephews enough to see that he had been wrong, or at least he did in Lan Wangji’s case. 

Yet when Lan Xichen mentioned that Nie Huaisang had been visiting as well, he saw his uncle’s expression darken. He had never been impressed by Nie Huaisang as a boy, and perhaps blamed him for having caused in his oldest nephew the sort of unreasonable passion that was their family’s doom and blessing at once. Lan Qiren made it clear that he took Lan Xichen’s willingness to end his seclusion as proof he’d always been right about the chances of success of such a match, showing that he’d gotten over whatever feelings he’d once held. 

Lan Xichen did not contradict him. It might have upset his uncle to hear that if anything, it was the hope of renewing his friendship with Nie Huaisang that had given him the last push to return to a more normal life. Until he’d met Nie Huaisang again, until they had spoken more, until he knew where they stood, Lan Xichen saw no reason to cause his uncle renewed distress.

Instead Lan Xichen went on to talk about the other people he’d met. Jiang Cheng was an old favourite of his uncle, a serious student when nobody was distracting him, and a very competent sect leader who would have done his parents proud, if they could have seen how well he was doing. As for Jin Guangyao, Lan Qiren’s opinion of Jin Guangyao was just as positive as Qingheng-Jun’s, but his reasoning less biased. He had noticed Jin Guangyao to be hardworking and serious, respectful of his elders, always happy to learn about aspects of cultivation that his late introduction to it had prevented him from learning like his peers. On a few occasions, at discussion conferences, Jin Guangyao had humbly sought out Lan Qiren to ask questions of etiquette and patiently listened to an answer which, if Lan Xichen knew his uncle, must have been more extensive than Jin Guangyao had bargained for.

“That could be a friendship worth cultivating,” Lan Qiren had concluded. “And you can see him next month in all likelihood, at that conference in Yunmeng. His father usually takes him along as a secretary.”

Since Jin Guangyao had given a generally good first impression to Lan Xichen, he promised to try. The man’s odd interaction with Nie Huaisang still lingered in his mind, but there would be time at the conference to bring things to light, either by asking Jin Guangyao about it, or by asking Nie Huaisang himself if he accompanied his brother. Lan Xichen hoped that he would.

-

Time passed quickly before the conference, and more pleasantly than it had in a long while. Lan Xichen was learning again how much he enjoyed being active, being helpful. Then, raising his spirits even further, news had come from Baling that Lan Jingyi was doing well, that he had recovered from the wound he’d sustained and now only needed to rest a little more before he might come home.

It was in very high spirits that Lan Xichen headed with his uncle for Yunmeng and the Lotus Piers, where they were greeted by Jiang Cheng who, recognising them as honoured guests, insisted on personally taking them to the room prepared for them. As they walked there, Lan Qiren lost no time in inquiring whether Jin Guangyao was to accompany his father, which Jiang Cheng confirmed, before complaining that he wished they’d brought his sister along, or some of her children at least. Jin Ling certainly was old enough that coming to this sort of conference could have been educational to him, so why not bring him?

“And who is coming from Qinghe Nie?” Lan Xichen asked, feeling his uncle’s disappointment upon hearing the question yet still needing to know.

“Most likely nobody,” Jiang Cheng replied. “I sent an invitation, but I don’t think anyone will come. The Nie just don’t do conferences anymore. They haven’t forgotten that nobody stood with them against the Wen, and I think they’re just not interested in the affairs of other sects anymore. And with the Jins here…”

“Is there bad blood between Lanling Jin and Qinghe Nie?”

“Something happened during the war,” Jiang Cheng said. “I don’t know the details. But you might ask Jin Guangyao if you’re curious, he used to work for the Nies before his father recognised him.”

That information was new to Lan Xichen, and apparently to Lan Qiren as well who remarked once Jiang Cheng had left them alone to greet his other guests that he’d never thought to be curious as to why Jin Guangshan had finally accepted one of his illegitimate son, and simply assumed that the young man’s outstanding quality had been enough of a recommendation.

Thinking again of the way Nie Huaisang had reacted upon seeing Jin Guangyao, of the way Jin Guangshan used to always side with Qishan Wen if given a chance, Lan Xichen found himself more determined than before to understand this mystery.

The chance for it came on the first night of that conference, which was set to last a few days. Still unused to having so many people around, Lan Xichen had needed a moment of quiet to collect himself while everyone prepared for dinner. He had gone to take a walk by the lake, where it was quieter, only for Jin Guangyao to seek him out and ask if he might be allowed to offer Lan Xichen some company. The offer was gladly accepted, and they chatted a little about the conference before Jin Guangyao gave his congratulation regarding Lan Jingyi, then laughed amiably when Lan Xichen confirmed that his cousin’s health had improved.

“Certainly that’s worth celebrating as well,” Jin Guangyao said, “but I meant his upcoming engagement to the son of Ouyang zongzhu. I understand it will not be official until the young man is fully recovered, but Jin Ling spoke of it as something quite certain?”

It came as a surprise to Lan Xichen, who wouldn’t have thought that someone as brash as Lan Jingyi would fall for a young man as sensitive and romantic as Ouyang Zizhen had appeared to be. But to spend a few weeks in one another’s company must have helped them find common ground, and it was no more odd than the sort of couple Lan Xichen himself had formed with Nie Huaisang. They too must have seemed too different to get along, and yet those differences had only ever brought them closer.

“Jin gongzi knows more than me,” Lan Xichen said. “But if it is so, I am happy for my cousin.”

“It is part of my tasks to know things,” Jin Guangyao explained with a pleasant smile. “And Jin Ling assured me it was so. I’ve never known that boy to lie or gossip, so I must take him to his word.”

“He seems like a very serious boy,” Lan Xichen agreed. “He is a credit to your family. And so are you, I’m sure. My uncle was full of compliments when I mentioned having met you, and he is not an easily impressed man.”

Jin Guangyao smiled again, a little more shyly now, while protesting that he wasn’t worthy of such praise, that he knew he must have bothered Lan Qiren so much with his many questions, that he must have seemed so foolish, asking about such simple things, but having entered the cultivation world late meant that he had so much to catch up with, and of course he’d thought it wise to ask the most famous teacher around. In short he was full of compliments for Lan Qiren, to a degree that even Lan Xichen, who loved and respected his uncle’s competence more than anyone, found a little exaggerated. Lan Qiren was an excellent teacher, but a few encounters here and there couldn’t have produced such an impact as what Jin Guangyao was describing.

“It is noble of you to be so eager to improve yourself,” Lan Xichen said with utmost sincerity. “I know cultivators are not always welcoming to those who join us at an older age, and it must mean many men and women of talent are turned down who would have brought us much skill and wisdom. I am glad Jin gongzi was luckier than most. I have heard you used to be a disciple of Qinghe Nie?”

Jin Guangyao, with a trace of hesitation, confirmed that he had once been part of that sect.

“Then I am less surprised at your being given a chance,” Lan Xichen said. “Qinghe Nie has always accepted disciples that other sects would refuse, and it has always been its strength. Though it can’t have been an easy time for you, with the war against Qishan Wen.”

“It was a very stressful time, and I was not well suited for war,” Jin Guangyao cautiously replied. “It was something of a relief when my father let me know he was willing to welcome me into his own sect, after I had proven myself in Qinghe. I was of some service to Nie zongzhu, who had named me his right hand man until I left. We were on friendly terms, and I owe him so much.”

“And were you friendly with his brother as well?”

“Very much so. Sadly, I fear Nie gongzi never understood why I left his brother’s sect to join my father's instead, and so he still holds some resentment on that topic. You might have noticed when we met in Baling that he was somewhat upset to see me. Still, I hope we might reconcile someday. He can be a charming young man when he feels like it.”

Lan Xichen readily agreed regarding Nie Huaisang’s charm, but felt a little uneasy about that explanation of the two men’s brief encounter in Baling. That Nie Huaisang could hold a grudge when he felt that a friend wasn’t living up to his expectations, Lan Xichen had experienced it first hand. He remembered Nie Huaisang’s anger at him over the rejection of his proposal, over Lan Xichen refusing to fight in the war, and yet that great anger was nothing compared to the raw hatred he’d shown when he’d seen Jin Guangyao. There had to be something more, something that Jin Guangyao wasn’t telling him, counting perhaps on the fact that the Nie had been seen so little in recent years, on Lan Xichen’s infamous isolation. This, combined with the fact that few people knew how close Lan Xichen and Nie Huaisang had once been, would have made Jin Guangyao feel he could twist facts as it suited him.

Made more curious by that half truth than he’d been by a mystery, Lan Xichen tried to ask for details about Jin Guangyao’s time in Qinghe Nie. The other man charmingly deflected most questions to instead tell about his life before he joined Nie Mingjue’s sect, or his time after being finally welcomed by his father. He was a expertly good at turning the conversation to topics that pleased him, Lan Xichen thought after this happened a few times. In fact Jin Guangyao was skilled enough that Lan Xichen might not have noticed it at all, had he not been so eager to hear about the Nie sect. 

If Lan Xichen had not been on his guard after witnessing Nie Huaisang’s anger, after Jiang Cheng’s hints regarding bad blood between the Jins and the Nies, then he might have been completely taken in by that soft spoken, gentle young man with such pleasing manners, who seemed so careful to say exactly the right thing to make himself well liked. And while Lan Xichen was more than willing to like him, having been encouraged to do so by his uncle and father, he still wondered how anyone could expect any friendship to develop with a person so guarded, who never seemed to let any real emotion be exposed for the world to see.

[antebunny]

Parent Trap AU Part 2

...with a side of on-the-run hacker!wwx AU and celebrity!lwj AU. Full series here).

“It’s not going to work,” Wei Sizhui says when they corner him after breakfast the following morning.

The three boys fold their arms and block the path, as if Wei Sizhui can’t just walk around them on the grass.

“Why not?!” Ouyang Zizhen wails.

“You don’t understand,” Lan Jingyi wheedles. “This is the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to me. Yeah my uncle is a celebrity, but he’s so boring.”

Jin Rulan huffs. “Why do we even need his help? We can just find him on the last day of camp!”

Wei Sizhui pinches the bridge of his nose with two fingers. He can feel a headache coming on. “Guys. No. They really cannot meet,” he says.

“But why not?” Ouzang Zizhen says again.

“Because,” Wei Sizhui says patiently, “my dad is wanted for kidnapping. Kidnapping me. From my other dad.”

All three of them just stare at him.

“So if your uncle met my dad while I’m there…” Wei Sizhui shakes his head. “That’s really just bad.”

Lan Jingyi plonks himself down on the paved path right there. “Okay, wait, wait,” he says. “Explain this to us again.”

“We have class in twenty minutes,” Jin Rulan complains, but he sits down too.

“Yeah!” Ouyang Zizhen hurries to scoot in between them. “Tell us the story, Sizhui.”

“I told you yesterday,” Wei Sizhui protests, but when none of them so much as blink, he sighs and sits down as well. “My dad was in prison,” he begins, and they all nod along. “Someone hired by the Jins attacked him in prison and he realized that he wasn’t safe, and I wasn’t safe.” They’re still nodding along, so Wei Sizhui continues. “So he broke out of prison,” he finishes, “and took me from my other dad’s house, and we’ve been on the run ever since.”

They stop nodding.

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Jin Rulan says plainly. “Why didn’t he go to my mom? Or my uncle?”

“Or Jingyi’s uncle?” Ouyang Zizhen puts in. “Why didn’t he go to Jingyi’s uncle?”

Wei Sizhui shrugs helplessly. It seems rather straightforward to him. He doesn’t understand what they’re confused about. “Why would he? That makes no sense.”

“And why wouldn’t Lan Jingyi’s uncle be a target if you were?” Jin Rulan demands. “They were married! That doesn’t make any sense!”

Once again, Wei Sizhui can only shrug in the face of their questions. “Maybe he thought nobody would expect him to care about an ex who abandoned him.”

“My uncle would never,” Lan Jingyi says, face red. “You take that back! That’s–not what happened!”

Wei Sizhui is indeed taken aback by Lan Jingyi’s insistence. His dad doesn’t talk much about his ex-husband, it’s true. Well, his dad really doesn’t ever talk about Wei Sizhui’s other dad, but Wei Sizhui knows that even after they divorced, his dad still carries their wedding photo around every country they go to, so he supposes he just assumed.

“Yeah, why would Lan Wangji keep a photo of your dad in his wallet if he doesn’t care?” Ouyang Zizhen challenges.

Wei Sizhui rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands. It’s too early in the morning for this. He just wants to go to class and stop thinking about his dad’s former love life. “Can we please just go to class?” He begs.

“No!” Jin Rulan refuses. “Until you explain why we can’t get them to meet!”

“Even if everything does go well, my dad is still wanted for forgery and hacking in half a dozen countries,” Wei Sizhui argues. “What would them meeting do other than make them both sad? And even if Lan Wangji didn’t divorce my dad, he can’t be happy that my dad just ran off with me. It’s been nine years! They’re probably both over each other.”

Wei Sizhui has precious few memories of his other dad, and he’s never quite worked up the courage to ask for more from his dad. Lan Wangji is a tall, sturdy giant in his memories. He recalls large, warm, gentle hands, a deep voice that sung him lullabies, and a steady presence that watched him stick his tiny toddler hands through the bars to pet their two pet bunny rabbits.

But the most vivid memory Wei Sizhui has of his other dad is his warm, steady presence carefully lifting Wei Sizhui away from the glass and blocking his view of his dad. His large, warm hand came down to pat Wei Sizhui’s head, but he was talking to Wei Wuxian.

“I am sorry,” he said. “You cannot see Sizhui anymore.”

“Whose decision was this.” Dad’s voice was distorted through the glass, but even then, Wei Sizhui knew he’d never heard his dad so angry before.

Wei Sizhui clutched his dad’s leg. Pat pat, went the hand.

“I am sorry,” his dad repeated.

“Whose decision, Lan Wangji.”

“...Mine.”

Afterwards, after the yelling was over and Wei Sizhui went home with Lan Wangji, he remembers gripping his dad’s hand with all the strength in his chubby little fingers, like he might disappear at any moment, and asking; “When are we gonna see Papa again?”

Wei Sizhui was too small to see his dad’s face at that moment. Too young to remember whether it was sidewalk or carpet he walked on, what shoes he wore or what the name of the city he lived in was. What he remembered was the way his dad squeezed back, even tighter, and said never.

Wei Sizhui remembers never once considering that his dad could be lying. Not even when he woke up months later, in the middle of the night, to find his dad back and in the middle of a very intense game of hide-and-seek.

It’s been nine long years since then, and Wei Sizhui doesn’t think he wants to see his other dad again.

If only his friends could be convinced of the same.

“That…sounds like a whole lot of excuses,” Jin Rulan says, rubbing his eyes as well.

“He’s not guilty of any actual crimes, just cool crimes,” Lan Jingyi asserts. Wei Sizhui wants to scream.

“Your dad doesn’t have to be alone anymore!” Ouyang Zizhen says enthusiastically.

“Hey,” Lan Jingyi says. “Don’t be mean, he has Sizhui.”

Wei Sizhui instantly forgives him for everything. Still, he thinks his dad could be perfectly happy without Lan Wangji. Maybe without the Jins after him, and the FBI, but the idea still stands.

“Guys,” Wei Sizhui intervenes, trying to stave off the coming argument, “it doesn’t even matter, because my dad’s not gonna be here on the last day of camp.”

“What? Why not?” Jin Rulan squawks.

“He’s picking me up two days early,” Wei Sizhui explains. “So that he’s not seen by any of the other parents.”

Summer camps care far less about identification than they do about money, which is a bit of a problem because it’s far easier for Wei Sizhui’s dad to forge identities for them than to open a bank account. If there’s one time that someone actually manages to track down his dad, it’ll be through the money he’s spending on Wei Sizhui’s summer camp. So just in case, they’re disappearing two days early.

The plan is for his dad to break into the camp two nights before the end of camp. Wei Sizhui’s been keeping him updated on the best ways to do so.

The three of them are staring at him again.

“The campus security is pretty terrible,” Wei Sizhui adds thoughtfully.

“So…you’re just going to disappear?” Jin Rulan asks blankly. “When were you going to tell us?”

“Tell you?” Wei Sizhui asks, equally blank. “Why would I–that ruins the whole point of sneaking out two days early! We have to ditch everything. Phones, the fake bank account, the passports, everything.”

“But then how would we keep in touch?” Lan Jingyi asks plainly. “How would we text?”

“We wouldn’t?” Wei Sizhui says uncertainly. “We wouldn’t stay in the country after disappearing from a summer camp. I mean, I don’t know where we’re gonna go, but–somewhere. Probably Thailand,” he adds pensively.

There’s complete silence for one stunning moment.

“Wow,” Jin Rulan says flatly. “Is this is how Jingyi’s uncle felt when Sizhui’s dad disappeared?”

“Probably,” Ouyang Zizhen says.

“No, no, we can work with this,” Lan Jingyi declares. “We just need to get my uncle here two days before camp ends.”

“And how are we doing that?” Jin Rulan asks.

“Easy,” Lan Jingyi says cheerfully. “I do something that gets my uncle called down here.”

“So, expelled,” Ouyang Zizhen says, nodding along.

“Wait, what?” Wei Sizhui says, baffled, but nobody’s listening.

“Exactly,” Lan Jingyi says, beaming. “My uncle will forgive me once he learns why I did it!”

“But what is he getting expelled for?” Jin Rulan asks curiously.

Lan Jingyi grins, and a shiver runs down Wei Sizhui’s spine despite the heat of the morning summer sun shining behind him. It's a smile that says there's little he won't do to see Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji reunite. At least Jin Rulan and Ouyang Zizhen also look a little apprehensive.

“Hacking."

[featherfur]

I would love a Fix-it Au where Nie Huaisang fails to kill Jin Guangyao (maybe he slips through his fingers, maybe he just slits Lan Wangji’s throat the second he has the chance and Su She never has a moment to go get Huaisang because he has to hold back Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian so Huaisang can’t maneuver the playing field). So he goes back in time and just stabs Jin Guangyao and blames Xue Yang.

(More below the cut)

Huaisang’s not an idiot, he knows he’s not the smartest person in the room he’s just the best at adapting. Jin Guangyao can set up all the pieces but if something doesn’t go right he flounders, but Nie Huaisang has grown up as a Nie and no one in the Nie make sense or follow predictable patterns so he adapts easily. He had a back up plan, of course, if things went south but he wasn’t expecting things to go so south. So he approaches Wei Wuxian, grieving at Lotus Pier where Jiang Cheng brought him when he found him and Jin Ling frozen at the temple. Wei Wuxian hadn’t said a word since, clutching Bichen and Lan Wangji’s headband so tightly even Lan Qiren didn’t have the heart to pull it away.

Huaisang sits beside him, wondering how Jiang Cheng is handling his newly mute brother but he doesn’t worry too long, if things go right this time he won’t ever have to feel that. If things go wrong… well, he’ll be dead anyways so why not try?

He quietly passes him the spell he found in the Lan Forbidden Library (Jin Guangyao isn’t the only one who had Lan Xichen wrapped around his finger all these years, Huaisang was always his didi the moment they met even before he and Mingjue were sworn brothers) and says “let me fix this, please.”

Wei Wuxian doesn’t know why Huaisang thinks he needs to fix it, he doesn’t know that Huaisang is the reason the feared Yiling Patriarch is back instead of an actual demon, doesn’t know he sent the sword arm to Mo Village, doesn’t know he set up the meeting in Yi City, doesn’t know anything. But he takes the papers and stares at them and he knows and part of him, a fierce bold part of him filled with empathy and love and hope, wants to fight Huiasang on it. If this spell failed Huiasang would be torn apart, his soul reduced to nothingness. But he’s tired, he’s so very tired. It has been 16 years for everyone else but for him, he’s lost his family with the Wen’s, his sister, and the love of his life all within the span of six months. He doesn’t have the strength to argue, not when the only reason he eats is because Jiang Cheng comes over three times a day and feeds him, the only reason he sleeps is because the Head Disciple (Liu Xiolan, his sisters best friend and that hurts too) brings him to his room and waits for him to sleep, the only reason he moves is because Sizhui needs him to stay alive.

So he takes the papers and he writes the rest, focusing all his energy on something that will distract him. He writes and writes until he can wake up on his own again, until he shovels food in his mouth at a pace that actually has Jiang Cheng trying to stop him after a month of forcibly pushing chicken in his face. Because this could save Lan Zhan, his Lan Zhan.

He finishes it finally, three months later with Jiang Cheng passed out beside him at three am, Jin Ling and his posse only a few feet further all curled up like a bundle of kittens from the night hunt they’d just completed to get the blood of a ghoul for the spell. When he passes it to Huiasang he isn’t expecting the hesitation when he reads it over.

“You… do understand you can’t go back right?” Huiasang says quietly, “this needs a golden core on both sides and you won’t be able to go back far enough with your current core.”

Wuxian doesn’t even bother to think about how in the hell Huiansang knows he gave up his core, since Jin Guangyao’s disappearance he’s been different and Wei Wuxian has come to realize he’s smarter than he was ever given credit for.

“Your core isn’t much stronger,” Wei Wuxian snaps but there’s no fire as he nods tiredly. “I know, I can send you back to before I died though, if your past self is willing to give in and let you merge with him. If you can save all of this from happening, I’d do anything.”

Huiasang eyes him and tucks the papers away. He doesn’t say “you know this will create an alternate timeline and you will continue to live in world without him.” Wei Wuxian knows, and he’s tired but he won’t strip Sizhui of another father.

“I’ll take care of everything, Da-Ge will stab anyone who tries to stop me.” Huiasang says as jovially as he can even though he knows it comes out flat but Wei Wuxian gives him an appreciative smile.

“Good luck,” is all he says before he’s turning around and walking wordlessly towards the Head Disciple who waits patiently for him. Huiasang makes a note of her, wondering if he can find her in the past and wiggle her into the Jiang Sect, he never met her before and he isn’t sure where exactly to find her but if he can it’ll make it much easier to have someone hold Jiang Cheng back if he starts barking and biting. (Though, he remembers with a gentle feeling of fondness, Jiang Yanli had been good at that too so if he does this right she could help him get those two idiots to being brothers again)

It takes almost two weeks to prepare the spell but he doesn’t mind taking the time to get his affairs in order. The Nie Sect never truly loved him, not after Da-Ge’s death (they used to adore him, he thinks bitterly before tossing the useless emotion away). But he had the most trustworthy members by his side throughout the whole plan against Jin Guangyao, so he assigns his heir and orders them to say they found his body dead on a night hunt. He thinks Lan Xichen will be the only one who will grieve for him, there’s only a flicker of guilt for that after all Xichen led to his brother’s death because he was too kind to listen.

He does the spell and the world goes dark and he thinks it failed, until he opens his eyes and realizes he can see. Then he feels the other consciousness rouse beside him, confused at first then absolutely pissed. He almost laughs at the indignant emotions in his past self at the idea that a ghost would be so brazen as to attempt to posses him.

It doesn’t take long to convince his past self to merge with him, he wouldn’t be dying only becoming one with his future self. Really it would just be like growing up really fast since they are the same person. It does take longer to convince him that they are the same person, nearly half a day before he gives in.

The merge is, easy honestly. Huiasang faints in the middle of walking through the fields, and wakes up a day and a half later after living through all of his memories on fast forward to a pissed (worried) Da-Ge.

He doesn’t even speak at first, he just sobs, he sobs and sobs and sobs as he holds onto him, until Da-Ge gently soothes him and the awkward strokes become gentle caresses through his hair like Huiasang is five again.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” Da-Ge asks when Huiasang can breathe again and Huiasang cries softly again and burrows into his chest and Da-Ge doesn’t ask again. He just pets his head and cradles him close until Huiasang is nearly asleep again.

Xichen visits once and Huaisang has to force himself not to bare his teeth and scream, but 20 year old Huaisang wouldn’t do that. Xichen looks so young too, his touches on Mingjue’s shoulder are full of affection and Huiasang hates him, hates him so much that he wishes Xichen died at the temple instead of Lan Wangji. He did this, because he didn’t listen to Mingjue because he fell in love with someone even though he already loved Mingjue. How could he-

Then Xichen lays a hand on his head, and 28 years of affection from his Er-ge wells in him and he throws himself forward into his arms. He wants to hate him, but this is his Er-ge. Who held him through nightmares when he visited, who went through night hunts protecting him when Da-ge couldn’t, who snuck him treats and paintings and gave Huaisang his first painted fan, who loved it when Huaisang called him Ge-ge and called him didi and spoiled him almost as much as Da-ge did.

And Da-ge loves him, loves him only less then Huaisang himself. So Huaisang can’t hate him, even if he loathes his choices and won’t ever be able to fully trust his decisions again, he can’t hate him.

Xichen takes his crying better than Mingjue did and murmurs to him quietly until he does actually pass out. Nie Zhongui almost makes him cry too but Huaisang manages not to, instead he gives him the prettiest fan he can buy because that’s how 20 year old Huaisang would say “you’re my favorite” even if 36 year old Huaisang would have just said it.

It’s two weeks until the ambush at Qiongqi Path and that’s all Huisang needs. He convinces Mingjue to take him to the celebration (much easier now with his fainting spells, and the almost full day of sobbing that Huiasang won’t explain). Thankfully Xiao Xingchen hasn’t captured Xue Yang since his escape and it provides the perfect excuse.

He quietly asks Jin Zixuan if he could go and meet Wei Wuxian at the base of the Burial Mound with Jiang Cheng before Jin Zixun even has a chance to leave, Huaisang didn’t think it would be so easy but when he mentioned being worried because of Sect Leader Yao and Ouyang, staunch haters known for screaming for Wei Wuxian’s blood, they’d both agreed immediately and Huaisang has to trust them not to be morons because he has something else that needs to be taken care of. Su She would be too late with Jin Zixun failing to arrive in time to ambush and Nie Huisang could discredit him (and possibly have him executed) immediately by showing the hundred holes curse on him. But Jin Guangyao? That was going to be personal.

A few crudely written demonic cultivation talismans (curtesy of Wei Wuxian’s Sunshot rampage where he left them fucking everywhere) and a knife shaped like Xue Yang’s familiar sword, where all Huaisang needed. That and alone time with Jin Guangyao.

That was probably the easiest bit, convincing Jin Guangyao to walk with him so Huiasang could show him his new fans. He was eager to walk with him, and Huaisang wonders as he plunges the knife through his back and into his heart between the ribs if Jin Guangyao still held affection for him in the end or if he simply wanted another pawn to use to keep Lan Xichen close.

Huiasang wished he took pleasure in the betrayal on Jin Guangyao’s face, but really? He’s just tired. It’s been 16 years of this, 16 years of loss and pain over and over again and it’s finally over.

Well nearly.

He slices his own face too and slips the knife into a qiankun pouch where he knows no one will look, after all Nie Huaisang was no good at being a cultivator much less a killer, and shoves a few talismans into Jing Guangyao’s clothes to be found later (maybe they will be, maybe they won’t but that’s not what he’s worried about).

Then he screams, he howls, he cries for Da-ge as he runs toward the gates and he’s almost surprised at how fast he gets there (he shouldn’t be, he was Da-ge’s most precious thing in the world but it’s been 14 years without him and some things he’s forgotten like the feeling of safety that comes with his brother’s rampaging steps storming to protect him from anything and everything). He throws himself into his brother’s arms and sobs, swiping through the air at the dead Jin Guangyao.

“Da-ge! He’s dead! He’s dead! San-ge!” He wails as Mingjue presses him against his chest with all the force in the world, Baxia ready to destroy anyone. “I was just showing him my fans and I only turned around to look at a bird and- and- Da-ge he…”

He sobs and dramatically yanks at Da-ge’s robes like he’s beside himself with agony and grief, and maybe he is, not for Jin Guangyao but for everyone else who lost everything because of his need to get his father’s approval.

“What? Huaisang stop crying and just spit it out.” Da-he’s harsh in such a familiar way that the tears spill out more. He’s not angry, he’s worried and he wants to hunt down his sworn brother’s killer but he won’t leave his didi behind.

“He tried to protect me, San-ge! San-ge!” There was no point in tarnishing his reputation, he hadn’t done anything yet beyond be a disgusting snake who killed the Captain and freed Xue Yang but that would be so much harder to prove when Mingjue had let the bastard go. “But he got stabbed instead! Da-ge please.”

“Who was it? Did you recognize them?” Theres louder shouts behind them, Xichen’s voice is worried but still soft as he moves to comfort him as well.

Huaisang nods frantically, reaching out to tug on Xichen’s robes like he’s terrified.

“It was Xue Yang! He said he was going to kill me then Da-ge and the rest of the Nie for imprisoning him. But San-ge pushed me out of the way and- and- and he-“ Huaisang cut himself off with another wail and his brother’s hands are firm as they tilt his head up to look at the deep cut on his face. “I screamed and he ran after taking something from San-ge.”

Mingjue tries to step forward and Huaisang sobs louder.

“Da-ge no! Please! Don’t leave, what if he comes back? He killed everyone at the Chang clan!” He howls and he’s shoved into Xichen’s arms that fold around him immediately. Huaisang ignores the tears on Xichen’s face, the tears on his brothers because their grief is nothing now compared to the future. The future of Mingjue’s death and Xichen’s loss of every brother he had.

He lets himself collapse into Xichen’s embrace as Mingjue kneels beside his sworn brother and slides his hands through the messy robes and finds the notes, written in what Huaisang would consider pretty good renditions of Jin Guangyao and Jin Guanshan’s hand writing. He hadn’t though he could actually get them to look but he was nothing if not adaptable.

Mingjue’s face is unreadable as he passes the talisman’s to Lan Xichen and Xichen’s eyes darken. Huaisang knows he won’t be there to track down Xue Yang, he doesn’t want to be at 20 years old and he doesn’t want to be there at 36 years. He wants to sleep.

He sobs until Nie Zhongui is called and then latches onto him instead, listening to him promise to protect him no matter what. He wrings out promise after promise until Nie Zhongui owes him atleast another century of personal protection and two hours a week for the next month of painting together and finally allows himself to be quieted.

He’s taken back to his quarters and only an hour later, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are bursting through the doors like they’re fifteen again. Both are yelling questions and he wails as he hugs them, this time it’s not fake. They’re alive and they’re not grieving messes and he has his best friends with him for the first time in sixteen years and he cries and almost laughs as they panic trying to comfort him.

He has a lot more to do, he knows. He has to protect Wei Wuxian, has to save the Wens (though he’s certain a small baby A-Yuan will make that simple, Da-ge was weak for babies), he has to make sure Jin Guangshan is either dead or discredited so Wei Wuxian can’t be hunted down, has to shove Wei Wuxian back into the Jiang Sect and let Jiang Cheng’s insane protection streak go wild, and he has so so many fans to make to give his brother after he chews him out for not telling him about the Sabers and getting him to let Wei Wuxian help. He has so much to do and he is so tired.

But he’s lighter than he’s been in ages, his brother is safe, everyone he cares about is safe and he is happy.

(This is just a very rough draft of an idea lmao)

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 06 part two

(Masterpost)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Bathing Boy Beauties

So, now we and Wei Wuxian get to see Lan Wangji with his shirt off. Eventually Lan Wangji will realize that his brother set this up, and will think of some way to get back at him, possibly by spending three years being stubborn in a cave or maybe by chopping an arm off of someone his brother cares about. 

This is A+ Yibo fanservice but it's also a male-male version of a trope that's ubiquitous in c-drama, in which the male lead takes a bath and the female lead sees him. The purpose of the scene is almost always so a woman can look a man’s body over and decide, not to put too fine a point on it, whether she wants to fuck him. 

Examples:

The Pillow Book - “Which part of Shen Ye is better than me?”

Women’s sexual agency is not often at the forefront in c-dramas, but the bathtub scenes are an acknowledgement of the female gaze, and of male objects of desire being subject to evaluation & approval.

Tientsin Mystic is a show with a lot of muscley swimming in it, In case you’re looking for your next Netflix show. 

As a CGI artist I have to mention that water does not reflect or refract 100% of light. If you look at a naked dingle-having person in a bathtub full of clear water you will definitely be able to see their dingle. But C-drama water is magic and nothing is visible below the waterline, to the point that Bai Yu is modestly covering his thoracic surgery scar chest in Detective L while leaving his lower half uncovered.

Note: that caption isn’t fake; she is really saying this on her way out the door, after having a long chat with him in the bathroom. You can find the whole series on YouTube.

Seen in this context, The Untamed’s two bathing scenes are saying quite a lot. Wei Wuxian, being a boy, doesn’t display any female-encoded shyness or modesty, but he and his sword pause for a moment of admiration.

(more after the cut!)

16 years later, Lan Wangji will sit quietly in this pool and let Wei Wuxian examine his wet body thoroughly from multiple angles, in a more prolonged invocation of this C-drama mating ritual.

Carrying on - was Xiao Zhan supposed to kick his boot in the water like that? Because if not, he rolls with it like a champ.

Wei Wuxian starts trying to be direct with Lan Wangji, giving him the worst, most neg-filled compliment ever, bless his heart.  

Then he says that there are benefits to being his friend, and starts taking off his clothes.

Wei Wuxian here takes his first step into the bold new world of respecting Lan Wangji’s boundaries, asking Lan Wangji to stay and saying he will keep his clothes on. 

Lan Wangji actually does stay, so he's apparently not too angry with Wei Wuxian about the drinking. Wei Wuxian invites him to visit Lotus Pier sometime (see my gifset here), but the promise of lotus pods doesn’t impress him. Then Wei Wuxian tries to tell him that the Yunmeng chicks really knock me out, they leave the rest behind. This also doesn’t impress him. 

You could read this macking-on-ladies talk as a sign that Wei Wuxian is oblivious to LWJ's feelings for him. But I read it as a bisexual boy being horny on main with a boy he likes, not  understanding yet that some boys don’t share all of his turn-ons.

Lan Wangji is sort of mildly startled when Wei Wuxian disappears under the water. His eye makeup is good here, isn’t it?.

Ice Cave

They end up in an ice cave and both spend the rest of the episode showing how good they look with wet hair. 

When the guqin starts attacking, Lan Wangji is only mildly perturbed about Wei Wuxian getting his shit rocked over and over.

Eventually he sends Bichen to protect his very bedraggled date. Lan Wangji’s sword is faster than the speed of a very slow sound wave.

Beauty's where you find it not just where you bump and grind it 

Gusuship Down

I feel like there are a couple of things in this show that are so problematic the fandom has silently agreed to never discuss them. Well, I’m here to talk about this one:

There are rabbits in this ice cave and they are wearing headbands. HEADbands. On RABBits.  

EXCELLENT FUCKING QUESTION, LAN WANGJI

*deep breath*

Are these rabbits lineal Lan descendants? Who makes the headbands? How do they stay on because “headband” here means “glowing cloud on forehead” without any actual band.  When rabbit babies are born, how do they stay safe while they’re waiting for someone to make them baby-sized headbands? Do these rabbits adhere to the other 3499 Lan Clan principles or just the headband one? Is any ol' rabbit allowed to touch a rabbit’s headband or is it limited to parents and significant others and is that even relevant when presumably these bunnies are all fucking each other like...bunnies?

The characters are like “oh, the rabbits are wearing headbands; killer guqin problem solved.” And then they move right the fuck along with their lives and the rabbit headbands are never seen or discussed again and I just want a hit of whatever the author or creative team was smoking when they came up with this whole idea.

Headband Sharing

When Wei Wuxian tells Lan Wangji to hand over his headband, Lan Wangji understands his entire rabbit-based thought process without asking

Gen-X Joke Alert

Wei Wuxian is awfully impressed by this sword-recall trick, considering that he did it himself when they went to the lake.

I see you know your way around a sheath

Killer Guqin

When they approach the guqin I hope that the subtitles are mistranslated, because Wei Wuxian keeps promising not to touch it and then says he can't look at it without touching it. I'm not going to touch it, I just need to touch it. 

Lan Wangji is going to teach Wei Wuxian some goddamn boundaries no matter how many times he has to make him fondle his sword.

Nothing suggestive here

Lan Wangji sits down to play the guqin and immediately goes off into the ether where there are seagull noises and plenty of fans. This is either a state of pure bliss, or he just really likes seagulls.

Did Lan Wangji just have a stealth orgasm?

Speaking of getting off, get your ass off of my desk

The Yin Iron

Lan Wangji does some spirit whispering, and suddenly the cave starts yelling at them. A bunch of clans are chanting in unison about a plan, which is the cultivator version of a battle cry.

Lancestor Lan Yi shows up. She is elegant and has a combination of sweetness and gravity that is similar to Lan Xichen’s. And none of Lan Qiren’s douchiness.

Search Party

Lan Qiren is worried and Lan Xichen is worried and they have sent people to look for the boys. It's really too bad nobody around here knows magic.

All these powerful cultivators search for missing people by running around outdoors yelling for them. 

Yanli is excused from PE class because she’s not feeling well, so she sits on a rock in the woods instead of, you know, staying home in the first place. She gets bored sitting down and unwisely decides to walk two or three steps. Xuan Lu, seen here competing in a gymnastics event, gamely pretends she can’t climb a small rock. 

Yanli falls into Jin Zixuan's arms and they gaze at each other for a long heterosexual moment. 

No homosexual explanation possible

This means two things: 1. he isn't looking very hard for her brother if he's hanging out here catching wobbly girls 2. soulful longing looks from him ain't shit, because he's going to dump her in the next episode.

Lanny Granny

Lan Wangji intros himself to Lan Yi and does a full prostrate bow. Wei Wuxian does a standing bow since he's not a descendant, just a future in-law.

No I mean come on, HEADBANDS

Lan Gran explains the entire history of the yin iron. It's bad, it's full of resentful energy, no-one should use it. She’s going to dump it on a couple of 16 year old boys, one of whom has a woody for using resentful energy, because it’s destiny and her battery is about to run out. 

Props to the Prop Department; this thing does look pretty cool

Xue Chonghai was the most problematic cultivator back in the old days. He killed a lot of dudes and fed their resentment to...a turtle? To the disk? I don’t know; I literally am unable to pay attention when anyone is explaining the intricacies of the unobtanium Yin Iron. 

Anyway there’s a disk and it’s soaked up a lot of resentment.  

Using it makes people evil. Well except..clearly this dude started off evil, yeah? If he was feeding people to his turtle.

Side effects may include: being fucking crazy

Here Wei Wuxian brings out his "resentful energy is awesome" theory and has an experienced grown-up grand master tell him that she also thought this, and has spent 100 years locked in a cave with headband-wearing rabbits because she was super fucking wrong. Does this deter him? ...nope

Baoshan Sanren

Now she name checks Baoshan Sanren, and Wei Wuxian has a big reaction and Lan Wangji has a big noticing of Wei Wuxian’s reaction. He’s very attuned to Wei Wuxian’s emotional state, in the moments where WWX lets his actual feelings show through the sass and swagger.  

Lan Gran talks about her search for the Yin iron, and Lan Wangji wisely says, if you can't neutralize it, why look for it? And she says, I was filled with hubris just like ya boi Wei Wuxian.  Lan Wangji points out the exact same shit he will later point out to Wei Wuxian.

So now we have a parallel in which Lan Yi is just like Wei Wuxian and Baoshan Sanren is just like Lan Wangji, yeah? Which is kind of sweet; it shows how these types are drawn together and how your clan doesn't determine your personality. Also it shows how the Lan clan has room for an unorthodox clan leader. Also it shows how the Yin Iron causes some really bad breakups. 

These boys are standing on snow barefoot which has got to take a pretty high cultivation level. Look how short Lan Wangji is without his stilettos, aww.

Flashback to Baoshan Sanren, just long enough to appreciate how beautiful she is.

Did OP give up on recoloring that flashback-blue-hazed image and just start fucking around with random filters? Yes she did. 

We also get to see that Lan Yi and Lan Wangji have more common than just guqin, because they both like to solve problems by kicking them.  

So after breaking up with her girlfriend, Lan Gran became invisible in this cave for 100 years while trying to contain the Yin iron and put headbands on rabbits. 

Soundtrack: Vogue by Madonna Writing prompt: Watership Down rabbits meet Lan rabbits

Bonus extended bath clip:

Bai Yu, Detective L

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

Request (from this post):

@scarlet-gryphon suggested: Modern pre-3zun AU where for whatever reason, Meng Yao is challenged to do a tough rock climbing wall. Cue the italicized ‘ohs’ from Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue at his flexibility. (also posted to Ao3)

This kind of thing is very much outside of my usual wheelhouse of ideas so thank you so much for the challenge, it was super refreshing! Hope you like it ^_^

--

Fucking work retreats.

“ ‘It’ll be fun’ he says,” Meng Yao grumbles to himself as he plasters an extremely fake (perhaps slightly manic) smile on his face. “ ‘Lighten up, A-Yao’ he says,” he mocks again, his grin twisting into a mocking sneer for just a split second before he smooths it away again.

The benefit of being wildly unpopular is that no one milling around stops him on his hunt to try to chat, and finally after a few minutes of prowling he finds his prey.

“Nie Huaisang,” he says icily and he has the immense pleasure of seeing the Jiang Corporation heir and his brother look sharply at him over Nie Huaisang’s shoulders in (slightly eerie) synchronicity, both of them looking sufficiently aware of whatever it is they see on his face that promises danger for Nie Huaisang. Of course it’s in their own ways, which means Jiang Wanyin glares first at him and then at Nie Huaisang, and Wei Wuxian’s usual happy grin goes a bit manic as well, eyes glittering as he scents fresh mischief.

“A-Yao, there you are!” Nie Huaisang cries far too cheerfully as he turns, his ever-present fan already fluttering nervously in front of his chest. Why he insists on carrying that thing everywhere he goes Meng Yao doesn’t understand whatsoever, but he’s currently wishing he had the guts to tug it from his hands and snap it right in half.

“Could I speak to you for a moment?”

The fluttering of his fan gets a little faster. “Ahhhh hah, but we’re about to get started!! You know how da-ge is, hit the ground running and all that. Can’t it wait?”

“No,” he says with such a poisonously sweet smile and a faux-innocent little tilt of his head that even Wei Wuxian takes a step back, the brothers leaving their best friend high and dry to face his wrath alone. Sensible of them.

He holds his arm out for Nie Huaisang to take and, with no safe alternative options, the other man reluctantly takes it and lets himself be led away from listening ears.

“Now, A-Yao -”

“When were you planning to inform me that my father’s company would also be present at this retreat?”

“Oh good, you already know! So now the answer doesn’t matter, does it?”

“I’m going to murder you in your sleep, A-Sang. I’m in charge of our company’s hotel assignments. I know exactly where to find you.”

“Aiyah you do not, who in the world stays in their own hotel room during company retreats? Well I guess some people have to, But I definitely don’t. I’ve already found myself better accommodation,” he says breezily, flicking his fan shut to tap him on the forearm a couple of times. “And you’ll lighten up a little if you do too! I heard the Lans are coming~,” he adds, his glance at him out of the corner of his eye far too sly. Meng Yao can’t quite resist glaring at him right back. Nie Huaisang just walked headfirst into dangerous territory, but part of him (a very small part of him) can admire that his sort-of-friend, sort-of-employer is daring enough to tease him when he’s clearly irritated.

“You’re horrendous,” he replies sweetly and Nie Huaisang laughs as he turns them around to head back towards where everyone else is gathered.

“Oh hush, stop glaring at me and go find Xichen-ge, stare at him until you feel better. I’ll bet he’s dressed casuallyyyy~~,” he teases as he snaps his fan open again to flutter it and add to the flirtatious lilt in his tone.

“Lan Zhan!!!!” Wei Wuxian suddenly cries loudly enough to carry over the general chatter and in the next instant he goes flying across the spacious hotel lobby, a blur of black and red as Jiang Wanyin shouts after him for him to stop. Nie Huaisang giggles at his side behind his fan as heads turn to watch Wei Wuxian’s progress to where the Lans have stopped to check in.

“Oh perfect timing, and you won’t even have to waste any time searching! Wei-xiong is so useful, don’t you think?”

Meng Yao says nothing, just glares at Nie Huaisang until the man winks over his fan and carefully extricates himself from where their arms are linked to return to Jiang Wanyin’s side to pat his shoulder as the man fumes. Meng Yao sighs and after a moment he follows in the bemused wake Wei Wuxian had left behind himself on his way to his boyfriend. Though the retreat isn’t being held on any participating company’s actual properties, the Nie Corporation is still technically hosting it so it’s not entirely out of character for him to go and greet the new arrivals.

And if Lan Xichen’s smile when their eyes meet makes his frustration with Nie Huaisang and the presence of his own family melt away like snow in spring, then that’s his own business.

----

A few days into the retreat, Nie Mingjue’s patience is at its limit. He hates these things, he can’t remember just why the hell he let Nie Huaisang talk him into hosting this bullshit, but he can’t change it now. At least the Lans agreed to come - without Lan Xichen here to force him to enjoy himself he really would have become too miserable to bother staying for the whole retreat, he would’ve already packed up and dragged Meng Yao home with him to get back to work. Not that it would take much dragging, most likely. Meng Yao is as much of a workaholic as himself, maybe even more of one (which he hadn’t thought was possible prior to meeting him), and the Jins have been extra insufferable to him on top of that. It wouldn’t surprise him at all if Meng Yao was looking for an easy out of the whole affair.

“Oh dear,” Lan Xichen says softly at his side and Nie Mingjue pulls himself out of his ruminations to glance at him and then look at where he’s focusing on only to sigh as he spots Meng Yao being harassed by his horrible cousin - again.

“How long has that spoiled brat been talking to him this time?” Nie Mingjue growls as he pushes his sleeves up to his elbows and flexes his fingers a few times. God he’d like to use that asshole’s face as a punching bag. Mostly because he feels like Meng Yao would appreciate it and Nie Mingjue is maybe slightly too interested in doing things that make Meng Yao get that pleased little smirk on his face. But in his defense it’s also because he’s seen that smirking face far too many times to not want to rearrange it a little. If it happens to be because he’s bothering Meng Yao then that’s the perfect excuse, just two birds with one stone.

“About a minute, but it seems that’s long enough to behave unpleasantly,” Lan Xichen sighs, crossing his arms over his chest in a rare show of open disapproval, his lips turned down in an uncharacteristic frown. “What could he and his friends possibly have to bother him about now?”

“Don’t know, don’t care. I’m gonna beat the shit out of him, I’m tired of this.”

“Mingjue!” Lan Xichen cautions with a sudden grip on his arm. “Please, don’t embarrass A-Yao and make a scene, it won’t help him.”

“Well what do you want me to do?! We can’t just leave him over there.”

“Ah...I believe we are not his only knights in shining armor,” Lan Xichen says, suddenly sounding amused and Nie Mingjue follows his gaze again to see Wei Wuxian, of all people, shoving his way through the crowd looking positively gleeful at the sign of trouble brewing, Lan Wangji trailing along behind him as serenely as ever. Such a weird pair, in his opinion. And of course, because it’s Wei Wuxian, his voice carries perfectly over the general hubbub of people chatting and the clink of carabiners from the people currently scaling the rock wall they’re all supposed to be taking turns climbing.

“Meng Yao!” Wei Wuxian cries and Nie Mingjue can see the man in question’s shoulders tighten all the way from here as Wei Wuxian throws his arm around them to lounge against him. “Are you holding back to spare the rest of us from having to watch you kick our asses without breaking a sweat? Oh. Hey asswipe.”

“Wei Wuxian!”

Nie Mingjue snickers just a little at the scandalized tone in Jin Zixun’s voice, and even Lan Xichen chuckles softly next to him.

“Yeah? Hi uh...hm. Can’t say I remember your name, Jin something-or-other, right? No, don’t tell me, it doesn’t matter and I want to keep thinking your name is ‘Asswipe’.”

“What the fuck is your problem?!”

“Problem? I don’t have one. What’s yours?”

Lan Wangji says something then, far too low to carry the way Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixun’s voices do, but whatever it is makes Wei Wuxian laugh and turn to Meng Yao. He lets go of him to turn and face Meng Yao fully, putting his back to Jin Zixun, but whatever he says next is lost in the noise of someone reaching the top of the wall and hitting the buzzer. 

“Are you sure we should trust whatever Wei Wuxian just did to solve this?” Nie Mingjue grumbles, already knowing what his best friend’s answer will be.

“He’s a good man,” Lan Xichen replies, because of course he does. “I trust him wholeheartedly, and it’s a good solution don’t you think? Everyone expects him to make a scene anyway, A-Yao need not be embarrassed about being rescued if it’s him.”

“Are we sure he even fixed whatever’s going on?” Nie Mingjue watches Meng Yao square his shoulders and step up to take a spot next to one of the employees at the rock wall and he can’t help but frown, still concerned. “A-Yao didn’t want to participate.”

But then he’s quickly strapped into a harness around his hips and thighs and maybe it wouldn’t hurt to just….watch...for a second...

Lan Xichen’s slightly choked noise at his side is all the confirmation he needs that they’re in agreement. 

Nie Mingjue tears his eyes away from Meng Yao just long enough to see that he’s lined up with the rest of the Jin employees that are in attendance and he blinks as he realizes what’s going on.

“This is Wei Wuxian’s solution?” he snaps. “To put A-Yao up against his stupid cousin and his cronies? He’s supposed to get A-Yao away from them!”

“Patience, Mingjue, trust Wei Wuxian’s methods, he knows what he’s doing,” Lan Xichen soothes, returning his hand to his arm though he still hasn’t looked away from Meng Yao as the man listens to the instructions and allows himself to be fitted with a rope attached to the front of the harness.

“You just like seeing A-Yao tied up.”

“Mm. Multiple things can be true at once.” 

Nie Mingjue snorts at that but shakes his head in defeat and goes back to watching, staying still as Lan Xichen subtly steps closer to him and tucks his hand into the crook of his elbow as the start timer counts down from five.

Whatever Nie Mingjue was expecting before the competition started, it certainly wasn’t what ends up happening as soon as the buzzer sounds.

His eyes go wide as he watches Meng Yao instantly take the lead by putting his foot above his head and launching himself a full body-length up the wall while everyone else is still trying to find their first handhold.

“Oh my god,” Lan Xichen breathes at his side and Nie Mingjue is in full agreement. Meng Yao practically flies up the wall, taking the lead by miles simply by virtue of skipping over at least five footholds at a time to get to the highest one he can reach - which is never lower than rib- or shoulder-height.

Nie Mingjue has never seen anything like it and he can’t take his eyes off him. He doesn’t even hesitate, he just makes these impossible jumps and pulls until he smacks the buzzer at the top and turns to sit on the top of the wall, feet dangling and the dimples in his cheeks visible even from this distance as he grins down at the others still halfway down the rest of the wall.

“Oh shit,” it’s Nie Mingjue’s turn to exclaim as Meng Yao wiggles his fingers in a little wave while Jin Zixun slips and falls a few feet before tension gets applied to his rope, leaving him dangling in front of the hardest course on the wall like a sack of turnips.

“That was..oh my.”

“Uh-huh.”

“So flexible,” Nie Huaisang pipes up suddenly from his other side and Nie Mingjue doesn’t yelp but he comes close.

“Huaisang!!”

“Hi da-ge, er-ge. Enjoying the view? It’s very scenic.”

“Don’t be crude, A-Sang,” Lan Xichen chastises without any heat and Nie Huaisang snorts.

“I’m not the one checking out Meng Yao’s ass like a couple of creeps. He’ll want a drink this evening, by the way - he hates dealing with his family.” Nie Huaisang leans forward to look up pointedly first at him and then at Lan Xichen next to him. “Maybe even two drinks.”

“I can feel you winking at me, A-Sang,” Lan Xichen says with a smirk without taking his eyes off Meng Yao and Nie Huaisang laughs behind his fan. 

“Good, then we’re on the same page! Does this mean I should tell Wei-xiong not to talk him into going up there again or do you need more convincing?”

Nie Mingjue coughs at that and does his best to glare. “No one said he has to stop. If he wants to go again to prove his point to that smarmy jackass cousin of his then who are we to stop him?”

“Subtle, da-ge,” Nie Huaisang drawls. He stretches his arms above his head with a little sigh before he steps away to look at them over his shoulder with a sly wink. “As many times as he’s willing to go, then? Noted, I’ll let Wei-xiong know right away,” he teases and then he’s off with a laugh.

“Well. That was..”

“We’re definitely buying him drinks tonight, right?” Nie Mingjue checks and Lan Xichen’s responding hum is perfectly easy to interpret as they watch Meng Yao rappel down the wall and set up to go again. “Good.”

[stiltonbasket]

yet another preview with very little context...

set in @sweetlittlevampire’s Cat Fic verse!

"You found a cat?" Lan Wangji repeats. "What kind of cat?"

"A white one?" shrugs Nie Mingjue. "It jumped through my window with a kitten in its mouth, and it won’t leave. I've been taking care of them both since yesterday."

From the corner of his eye, Nie Mingjue spots the kitten crawling up onto the table, and then—to his utter horror—into the steaming hotpot, where it vanishes under the hot red soup with a soft, bubbling splash. Nie Mingjue drops the receiver, frantic, and throws himself forward in a desperate attempt to stop the tiny cat from drowning in his dinner.

"Hotpot is not for kittens," he screeches, while Wangji wheezes like a dying radiator on the other end of the line. "You could have drowned, and I've already fed you three times today!"

The kitten falls to the floor, writhing as if Nie Mingjue had tried to shoot him instead of rescuing him from a soupy end, and rolls around pathetically until his father (?) comes padding over with a resigned look on his face.

"First time?" Nie Mingjue asks the cat, while it takes the kitten by the scruff of its neck and lugs it away to the cat bed in the living room. "Don't worry too much, Ming Yue. A-Sang's done worse, and it's harder when they're more than six inches tall."

Ming Yue twitches his fluffy tail, apparently in agreement, and stares at Nie Mingjue for a moment before dousing the kitten in his water bowl. The kitten wails at the top of its lungs, trying to squirm out of Ming Yue's grip; but Ming Yue refuses to let go, and washes his son (?) clean with his paws before bundling him into his own silky fur to dry. 

“What happened?” his would-be brother-in-law demands, after Nie Mingjue goes back to the kitchen and redials Lan Wangji’s phone number. “Is Ji—is the kitten all right? And what about the cat?”

“The kitten is...wet,” Nie Mingjue says lamely, watching as a minute paw emerges from Ming Yue’s coat before being unceremoniously stuffed back inside. “It fell into my dinner. I was having a hot pot, so...”

“He fell into your hot pot?” Wangji cries, distraught. Nie Mingjue sympathizes, because Miantiao-bao has been driving him and Ming Yue half-wild for the past twenty-five hours. “Where is he now?”

“In Ming Yue’s fur. He’s breathing all right, so he should be fine. I think.”

Lan Wangji sounds more dismayed than ever. “You think?”

“Well, I can go check,” Nie Mingjue suggests, wondering if Lan Wangji might have a weakness for all small creatures, and not only the rabbits he raised with Xichen when they were children. He puts Wangji on hold and hurries back into the living room, where he finds Ming Yue brooding in the cat bed like a hen sitting on eggs, with Miantiao’s impossibly small gray tail sticking out from underneath him.

The tail seems to be moving, though. Miantiao must be alive and well, and Nie Mingjue tells Wangji so before disconnecting the call. 

“How did you get saddled with a kitten, anyway?” Nie Mingjue asks. “You two don’t look alike.”

In answer, Ming Yue turns over and curls up around Miantiao, making a soft nest for the kitten out of his own furry body; and Nie Mingjue tries again, oddly certain that the cat might be able to understand him. “What happened to its mother?”

Ming Yue rolls his eyes, or does something very close to it, and lays a tender paw on Miantiao’s head.

“Are you his mother?” After all, Mingjue was guessing when he decided that Ming Yue must be a male cat, and he might very well be wrong; but Ming Yue and A-Tiao are both fast asleep, so Nie Mingjue switches the lights off and checks his messages before getting ready for bed.

Lan Xichen has not contacted him since the day before yesterday.

A-Huan, please answer, he writes again, wishing that Ming Yue and little Miantiao were in the bedroom with him. Be well, my heart. I miss you.

[bloody-bee-tea]

Joke

This starts out as Xicheng, but they break-up. The endgame is Mingcheng.

When Jiang Cheng steps into the café, he’s calm and collected and he inwardly laughs at his own thoughts, because the only thing he truly is is numb.

But he at least hopes it comes off as calm and collected.

He doesn’t have to be a genius to know why Lan Xichen asked to meet him here, what today’s discussion will be about, and if Jiang Cheng is being honest, he expected it to happen a lot sooner.

Because of course Lan Xichen would want to break up with him. 

It was only a matter of time—always has been, really—and the only truly surprising thing about their relationship besides the fact that Lan Xichen had been willing to enter one, was the fact that he endured Jiang Cheng for this long.

So really, this talk is long overdue.

“Wanyin,” Lan Xichen greets him with a smile when Jiang Cheng finally makes it over to his table and he’s surprised to see that Lan Xichen already ordered his favourite for him.

Jiang Cheng didn’t expect Lan Xichen to waste anything on him anymore, but then again, Lan Xichen is unfailingly polite.

“Xichen,” Jiang Cheng replies as he slides into the booth and for all that he pretends to be calm and collected he can’t quite meet Lan Xichen’s eyes.

“You seem—tense,” Lan Xichen starts with and Jiang Cheng can’t help himself, he snorts into his coffee.

“Shouldn’t I be tense when you call me here to break up with me?” he shoots back, momentarily forgetting that he wanted to come off as calm and collected and when he drags his eyes up to meet Lan Xichen’s gaze, he seems honestly surprised.

“You know?” Lan Xichen breathes out, and he does seem apologetic but it doesn’t change the fact that this will probably be the last time they will ever speak like this.

“Of course I know,” Jiang Cheng scoffs. “I expected it much sooner, to be honest,” he then adds, always unable to keep even a single thought from Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng only drops his gaze again when he sees Lan Xichen wince.

“Wanyin, don’t,” he pleads and Jiang Cheng knows that this is at least half the reason Lan Xichen is breaking up with him.

His self-deprecation is simply too much for him and Jiang Cheng can’t even fault him for that.

“You are lovable,” Lan Xichen says and it’s a bold enough lie that Jiang Cheng laughs straight in his face.

“Just not enough to be loved by you, right?” he gives back and he knows that he’s making this unreasonably hard on Lan Xichen, but he can’t help himself.

He can never help himself.

“Wanyin, sometimes people just don’t fit together,” Lan Xichen whispers and Jiang Cheng scoffs, because he knows that better than anyone.

He sees that day after day after day with his parents, and in hindsight he should have never gotten together with Lan Xichen.

He’s too much like his father—gentle and soft and peace-loving—and Jiang Cheng is too much like his mother—sharp and cruel and angry.

Their relationship was always doomed.

“You will find someone who is better for you,” Lan Xichen whispers and Jiang Cheng has to give it to him, he almost sounds like he believes it. “You will find love again.”

Jiang Cheng’s mouth twists, because he knows it won’t happen.

It was already a fluke that Lan Xichen fell in love with him; it’s unlikely that Jiang Cheng will get this lucky twice over. 

Sure, Jiang Cheng will fall in love again, eventually, that much he’s certain about—he always did love too easily, too quickly—but the reverse is much harder to come by.

And Jiang Cheng is definitely not going to hold his breath for it.

“Sure,” Jiang Cheng says and then rubs his forehead. 

“Wanyin,” Lan Xichen says and he sounds pained.

“I’m not—it’s okay, Xichen. We both knew this was coming, after all,” Jiang Cheng says with a sigh and a small shrug, because they had known. 

Jiang Cheng even expected this much earlier. 

“I don’t want us to part on bad terms,” Lan Xichen says into his tea and Jiang Cheng even manages a small smile for him.

“We won’t,” he promises, because if they do, it would just be unnecessary hard.

They have to see each other regularly, because of work and because of their brother’s, and if they are constantly fighting that would just put a strain on everyone.

Besides, it’s not like Jiang Cheng can be mad at Lan Xichen for realizing his enormous mistake and getting out of dodge before Jiang Cheng’s temper can erupt and ruin something between them that cannot be repaired.

“Thank you,” Lan Xichen earnestly says and despite how much it hurts, Jiang Cheng knows that he could never be mad at Lan Xichen.

He will need some time, that’s for sure, because he loves Lan Xichen, but he will get over that.

Jiang Cheng dealt with his crush and unreciprocated feelings before. He can do it again.

And when Lan Xichen smiles at him, he knows that it’s worth it.

~*~*~

Love finds Jiang Cheng a little bit quicker again then he expected it to.

But one day he’s hanging out with Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue and everything is fine, and then the next day there are butterflies in his stomach when Nie Mingjue laughs.

Jiang Cheng freezes for one second, before he shakes it off.

He’s used to dealing with unattainable crushes-mostly because for him, everyone is unattainable—and he honestly enjoys Nie Huaisang’s and Nie Mingjue’s company too much to let this ruin anything.

Jiang Cheng very deliberately does not think about the fact that by now, those two are like the only friends he has left.

It’s not a thought Jiang Cheng enjoys.

Jiang Cheng excuses himself for a moment nevertheless, pretends that he has to use the bathroom, when really he just needs a moment to let it sink in that he’s in love with Nie Mingjue, and then he very heartfelt says “Fuck me.”

“And here I thought you’d rather have my brother fuck you,” Nie Huaisang suddenly says from the door and Jiang Cheng startles so badly he lets out a little yelp.

“What the fuck, Huaisang!” he hisses, but Nie Huaisang only smiles at him.

“And again, I think you should rather say that to my brother,” he easily says and Jiang Cheng’s stomach drops.

He barely accepted his own crush; he’s not ready for anyone else to know about it.

“No,” Jiang Cheng tries, shaking his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Nie Huaisang gives him a judging look, and despite having to endure Lan Wangji for entire evenings sometimes, no one gives judging looks like Nie Huaisang.

“I saw how you used to look at er-ge,” Nie Huaisang says and Jiang Cheng goes cold. “And I see how you look at da-ge now.”

“I don’t look at him any kind of way,” Jiang Cheng rushes out and then walks past Nie Huaisang to close the door behind him.

“Sure,” Nie Huaisang easily says, but he’s judging Jiang Cheng and his every life-choice and Jiang Cheng knows it.

“How can you even know?” Jiang Cheng desperately says. “How can you possibly know when I just realized it a few moments ago?”

“You always were slow on the uptake,” Nie Huaisang says with a shrug but it’s not unkind, not mean. “You’ve been looking at da-ge like that for a while now.”

Jiang Cheng wants to protest, wants to deny everything but Nie Huaisang silences him with a look.

“Do not even try to play dumb,” he threatens and Jiang Cheng deflates.

“Don’t say anything,” he pleads with Nie Huaisang, because the thought that Nie Mingjue should find out about his feelings is the single most terrifying thought Jiang Cheng has had in his life.

“And why not?” Nie Huaisang says, narrowing his eyes at Jiang Cheng. 

“Because you’re the only friends I have left,” Jiang Cheng whispers. “Because I don’t want to lose this, too.”

He didn’t completely lose Lan Xichen after their break-up, but it was understandably a bit awkward and they never got over that stage. They are polite to each other and are able to do small talk, but that’s about it.

And now that Lan Xichen is dating Jin Guangyao it even got worse, in Jiang Cheng’s opinion, which has a lot to do with Jin Guangyao’s glares, but it didn’t fundamentally change anything.

That change happened before Lan Xichen’s new relationship and so now Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue are the only ones Jiang Cheng has left.

Alone for that, he would never say something, the fear to lose this as well too great.

“You’re not going to lose anything,” Nie Huaisang says with a frown. “You would only gain something.”

“And for how long?” Jiang Cheng says with a bitter laugh. “Until I confess and Mingjue regrettably tells me he doesn’t feel the same and then it gets awkward?”

“He might say something different,” Nie Huaisang says, but the thought that Nie Mingjue might reciprocate his feelings makes Jiang Cheng panic almost more than the thought of him saying no.

“And then what? He endures me for a while, before he too realizes that I’m too much? Too angry and too stupid and too sharp and not soft and good enough? You think I want to do that again? If Lan Xichen couldn’t stand me, you think there’s anyone out there who could?”

“I can stand you,” Nie Huaisang says and he honestly sounds a little bit hurt. 

“Yeah, because you can tell me to fuck off when I get on your nerves. It’s different in a relationship, Huaisang. Mingjue would have to endure so much of my shit and he’s not going to like it.”

“You don’t know that,” Nie Huaisang tries, but Jiang Cheng only laughs in his face.

“Please. Not even Wei Wuxian can stand me for longer than a week,” Jiang Cheng says and his mouth twists bitterly when he remembers how Wei Wuxian flees their apartment more often than not lately.

“That’s because he doesn’t know how to properly appreciate you,” Nie Huaisang gives back.

‘There is nothing to appreciate about me’ is already on the tip of Jiang Cheng’s tongue but then he swallows it down.

He’s too tired to have this fight with Nie Huaisang today and so he simply shrugs.

“Just don’t say anything,” Jiang Cheng whispers instead and Nie Huaisang looks about as unhappy as Jiang Cheng feels. “Please,” he adds, when Nie Huaisang doesn’t say anything for the longest time and Nie Huaisang deflates.

“Fine,” he agrees, but he doesn’t seem happy about it at all and Jiang Cheng wonders if this is already enough to break this friendship as well.

He doesn’t know what he’s going to do if it does.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng is not entirely sure how he ends up with Nie Mingjue kissing him, but he figures it must be a dream. 

A dream now and a nightmare later, when Nie Mingjue inevitably realizes his mistake and that’s the thought that makes Jiang Cheng push Nie Mingjue away.

“Wanyin,” Nie Mingjue says and he looks at Jiang Cheng with such an intense feeling that Jiang Cheng can feel himself blush, but he still shakes his head.

“No,” he gets out and he hates himself a little bit for how his voice shakes. 

“No what?” Nie Mingjue asks, a small frown now on his face and Jiang Cheng gets up from the couch to put some distance between them.

He wants nothing more than to repeat what they just did, but he knows they can’t. Right now there’s still a chance they can somehow salvage this; if they continue then that will be lost as well.

“You’re confused,” Jiang Cheng says and presses his hand to his mouth. “You didn’t mean to do that, I know,” he reassures Nie Mingjue, tries to somehow make this situation more bearable, but he can tell that Nie Mingjue is not convinced by anything he says.

“I’m giving you an out here,” Jiang Cheng hisses when Nie Mingjue tries to reach for him again, and Nie Mingjue shakes his head.

“I don’t want an out, Wanyin,” he says. “I am not confused and I absolutely meant to do that,” Nie Mingjue tells him and Jiang Cheng’s stomach drops.

So it will be like with Lan Xichen; he will be happy for a short while only to lose everything in the end. 

“This is the worst decision you have ever made in your life,” Jiang Cheng tells him and he watches as Nie Mingjue’s face falls.

“You’re not a terrible decision, Wanyin,” Nie Mingjue tells him, but Jiang Cheng shakes his head.

“Of course I am. I am the worst decision. You should ask Xichen all about it, I bet he has many a thing to say about that.”

“Yes, he does, actually,” Nie Mingjue says, and Jiang Cheng was not prepared for how that hurts. “He warned me that it would be hard,” Nie Mingjue goes on, but before he can even properly finish that sentence, Jiang Cheng scoffs.

“If it’s so hard to love me, why even try? Don’t strain yourself on my account,” he hisses out but Nie Mingjue shakes his head.

“He said it would be hard to make you understand. To make you believe that I love you.”

“Hard enough that he’d rather not have anything to do with that at all,” Jiang Cheng presses out. “Maybe you should take his example and get out while you still can.”

“Wanyin, it didn’t work out between you because sometimes it just doesn’t. It has nothing to do with how lovable you are or if Xichen was willing to put in work. Sometimes it’s just not right.”

“And sometimes I’m just too much trouble.”

“No offense, but I think the most trouble in my life is Huaisang,” Nie Mingjue says with a wry smile and it’s surprising enough of a joke that it startles a laugh out of Jiang Cheng. “You’re welcome to try for second place, though.”

Jiang Cheng understands what Nie Mingjue is doing; he’s subtly letting him know that even though Nie Huaisang is the most trouble in his life, Nie Mingjue still values him above everything, but it’s not the same for Jiang Cheng.

There are blood ties tying Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang together; it would be different with Jiang Cheng.

“Let me love you,” Nie Mingjue says when Jiang Cheng kept silent for too long. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

There are a billion things that can happen but only one worth speaking out loud: “I’m going to lose you and Huaisang when this inevitably ends.”

“And you think that after everything that already happened we can just go back to normal?” Nie Mingjue curiously asks and Jiang Cheng realizes with a sinking feeling that no matter what Nie Mingjue’s answer to that is, his is no.

Nie Mingjue talked about love; Jiang Cheng will not ever forget that and he will not be able to be just friends.

“Then what’s the harm in trying?” Nie Mingjue asks, clearly reading the thought right off Jiang Cheng’s face. 

“The harm is that I end up with a broken heart again,” Jiang Cheng hisses, but he sees Nie Mingjue’s logic and his self-preservation instinct isn’t strong enough to simply walk away from this now.

“Maybe you’re going to break my heart,” Nie Mingjue says with a shrug. “Or maybe we end up very happy, all hearts unbroken.”

It’s a nice thought, that, but Jiang Cheng thinks it’s highly unlikely that he should end up that lucky.

But  maybe Nie Mingjue is right. Maybe Jiang Cheng should take this chance, even if he does end up unhappy; at least then his pain will have meaning instead of simply breaking everything off now.

“Fine,” Jiang Cheng huffs out after long moments of deliberation but Nie Mingjue shakes his head.

“Fine what? You didn’t yet say how you feel about me,” he says and Jiang Cheng knows him well enough to see the teasing glint in his eyes. 

“Fuck you,” Jiang Cheng says with feeling, but then he steps closer to Nie Mingjue. “You know how I feel.”

“Do I?” Nie Mingjue asks, tilting his head in consideration. “It seems to have slipped my mind. You should remind me.”

Nie Mingjue is already 100% more asshole than Lan Xichen ever was and Jiang Cheng has to admit that he’s delighted by that.

“I’m in love with you,” he admits, almost easily with that new revelation, and Nie Mingjue rewards him with a huge smile and a sweet kiss.

Jiang Cheng figures that this is worth it, just for that combination. 

(When they pass their one, five, ten year anniversary Nie Mingjue very pointedly does not verbally tell him “I told you so”. He saves that up for the wedding.)

Link to my ko-fi on the sidebar!

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Once again, as a reminder, Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji are the text's literary mirrors to each other, in all adaptions. I am not a fan of the plot shift for CQL so this will mostly just be talking about the novel for this rant.

Lan Wangji is the positive pillar of maturity growth, while Jiang Cheng is the stagnant regressive one. They are the opposing points of moral conflict for Wei Wuxian to choose from and is the classic set up even with choosing the childhood friend (that nice false romantic lead reading) and the Love Interest that beat for beat follows the main character's subconscious yearnings and ideals of morality.

The most blatant tellings of this are the way Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji choose to deal with Wei Wuxian when he is faced with the backlash of the cultivation sect's anger.

“Wei WuXian, have you still not realized what the situation at hand is like? Do you really need me to say it out loud? If you insist on protecting them, then I won’t be able to protect you.”

Wei WuXian, “There’s no need to protect me. Just let go.”

Jiang Cheng’s face twisted.

Wei WuXian, “Just let go. Tell the world that I defected. From now on, no matter what Wei WuXian does, it’d have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect.”

Jiang Cheng, “… All for the Wen Sect…? Wei WuXian, do you have a savior complex? Is it that you’ll die if you don’t stand up for someone and stir up some trouble?”

Wei WuXian stayed quiet. A while later, he answered, “So that’s why we should cut ties right now, in case anything I do affects the YunmengJiang Sect in the future.”

Or else, he really couldn’t make any guarantees on what he’d do in the future.

“…” Jiang Cheng murmured, “My mom said that you do nothing but bring our sect trouble. It’s true indeed.” He laughed coldly, talking to himself, “‘To attempt the impossible’? Fine. You understand the YunmengJiang Sect’s motto. Better than I do. Better than all of us do.”

He sheathed Sandu. The sword returned to its scabbard with a clang. Jiang Cheng’s tone was indifferent, “Then let’s arrange for a duel.”

Three days later, the leader of the YunmengJiang Sect, Jiang Cheng, arranged for a duel with Wei WuXian.

They fought quite a fight in Yiling. Negotiations failed. Both resorted to violence.

Under Wei WuXian’s command, the fierce corpse Wen Ning struck Jiang Cheng once, breaking one of his arms. Jiang Cheng stabbed Wei WuXian once. Both sides suffered losses. Each spat out a mouthful of blood and left cursing the other. They had finally fallen out with each other.

After the fight, Jiang Cheng told the outside that Wei WuXian defected from the sect and was an enemy to the entire cultivation world. The YunmengJiang Sect had already cast him out. From then on, no ties remained between them—a clear line was drawn. Henceforth, no matter what he did, they’d have nothing to do with the YunmengJiang Sect!

Jiang Cheng chooses to exasperate what Wei Wuxian had told him, he chooses to stage a fight in order to display the fact that he is not in connection with him. It is a staged fight but he does go in for a dramatic blow that wasn't needed as Wei Wuxian says later, covered in a jest to downplay Jiang Cheng's violence. Jiang Cheng only secretly visits Wei Wuxian once and with no other's knowledge as he is still committed to staying in favor with the other sect's for his own safety within the cultivation world.

Contrast that to Lan Wangji's stance at Koi Tower.

Suddenly, somebody came from behind him. It was Lan WangJi, who had followed him without speaking a word. Wei WuXian’s reputation had always been terrible, so it wasn’t his first time in such a situation. In this life, his mindset was different from how he was in his past. He could already face these situations calmly. He should get away first. There might be a chance of a counterattack in the days to come. He wouldn’t push it even if no such chance came. If he stayed, all that would come out of it were more than hundreds of slashes from the swords. Saying that he was actually innocent was even more of a joke. Everyone believed with utmost certainty that he’d return to seek revenge sometime in the future. Having destroyed countless sects, nobody would listen to his explanation, especially when Jin GuangYao would be there fanning the flames. Lan WangJi, though, was different from him. He wouldn’t even have to explain, and people would explain for him, such as how HanGuang-Jun had been deceived by the YiLing Laozu.

Wei WuXian, “HanGuang-Jun, you don’t have to follow me!”

Lan WangJi looked straight in front of him, saying nothing in reply. The two left behind them a crowd of cultivators shouting to kill. Amid the chaos, Wei WuXian spoke again, “You really want to go with me? Think carefully. After you walk out this door, your reputation will be destroyed!”

The two had already dashed down the steps of Koi Tower.

All of a sudden, a coldness passed through his stomach. As he looked down, Jin Ling had already pulled the white blade—now red with blood—out of him.

He didn’t expect that Jin Ling really would come at him.

The only thought that passed in Wei WuXian’s mind was, He could have been like anyone, yet he just so happened to have taken after his uncle Jiang Cheng. They even like to stab the same places.

He couldn’t quite clearly remember what had happened next. He felt that he tried to attack. Everything around them seemed frenzied. Not only had it been noisy, their escape seemed to bump and jolt as well. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but when he hazily opened his eyes again, Lan WangJi flew on Bichen, while he was carried on Lan WangJi’s back. Blood had spilled onto half of his snow colored cheeks.

In truth, the wound at his stomach didn’t hurt too much. But it was still a hole in his body, after all. In the beginning, he had managed for a while, as though nothing happened. It was likely, though, that this body hadn’t received many injuries before. As the wound bled, he couldn’t help but feel light-headed, and this wasn’t something that he could control.

Wei WuXian called out, “… Lan Zhan.”

Lan WangJi’s breathing wasn’t as placid as usual, feeling somewhat rushed. It was probably from carrying Wei WuXian while fending off attacks and being on the run for too long.

The way he replied though, was still the usual single syllable, as steady as ever, “Mnn.”

After the “mnn”, he added, “I am here.”

Hearing those words, made something that Wei WuXian had never felt before sprout within his heart. It was like sorrow. His chest hurt, but also felt a bit warm.

He could still remember how, back in Jiangling, Lan WangJi came all the way to assist him, yet he didn’t appreciate that kindness at all. With all kinds of disputes between, the two of them often parted with disapproval.

But what he hadn’t expected was that while everyone feared him or flattered him, Lan WangJi scolded him right to his face; when everyone spurned him and loathed him, Lan WangJi stood by his side.

It is an exact replica of the situation Jiang Cheng had faced with Wei Wuxian. But Lan Wangi neither condemns or speaks for what Wei Wuxian should do. He only wordlessly protects him and stays by his side in support that he does believe Wei Wuxian. His reputation is not worth the continued condemnations against Wei Wuxian and he very publicly solidifies his standing with Wei Wuxian where Jiang Cheng said he stood against him with that duel. Lan Wangji several times even when they had been young tried to stand with Wei Wuxian knowing his intentions were meant well, and Jiang Cheng further alienated Wei Wuxian placing further blame on Wei Wuxian and calling him self-serving with a savior complex.

Years later, Lan Wangji is able to take actions finally for Wei Wuxian that makes him understand that Lan Wangji is fully willing to stay with him and is a safety net. Jiang Cheng has cemented himself as an enemy without the deception for Wei Wuxian's complacency.