#if someone wants to find some problematic nonsense that they force onto my intentions that never happened just touch grass

[tbgkaru-woh]

Having fun with MDZS's clan "uniforms"/ dresscodes

there are still hierarchies and some individuality in these that i will follow for the main cast, this is more like "place your OC here" lol

[ibijau]

Futures past pt4 / On AO3

Because his new friend isn't free, Nie Huaisang must spend time with Lan Xichen instead

Through some sort of miracle, Nie Huaisang managed to not get into any trouble for the second day in a row, mostly because Jin Zixun was still the problematic student of the moment. He really had a very unpleasant personality, that one, but with some of the rumours going around about him it wasn’t such a surprise. If even just one or two pieces of gossip that Nie Huaisang had heard were true… well, he wouldn’t have wanted to be in Jin Zixun’s shoes, for sure, but he also understood why he was like that. For someone in that position, the only options were to act important at any cost, or to make it clear one wasn’t a threat to anyone. Jin Zixun had made his choice, just like Nie Huaisang had.

But on that fine afternoon, Nie Huaisang wasn’t in a mood to think about Jin Zixun, except to silently thank him for attracting all of the teacher's annoyance to himself. Because Nie Huaisang, as it happened, had plans for the free time he had until dinner.

Having excused himself toward the other Nie disciples who didn't much care what he did anyway, Nie Huaisang headed toward the training grounds where he found a group of Lan disciples sparring in pairs. Normally he would have found such a display of excellence boring at best, depressing at worst, but for once Nie Huaisang watched with sincere interest. His eyes jumped from one pair to the other, until at last he found the person he was looking for. 

Su She was sparring with a boy a little shorter than him, and who looked slightly younger as well. Watching him like this, Nie Huaisang realised that his new friend hadn't lied the previous afternoon: he was clearly less at ease with an audience, and made a few mistakes here and there that got him scolded. He was still a better swordsman than Nie Huaisang would ever care to be, though, and clearly determined to continue improving. 

After a while, there was a lull in the lesson so everyone could catch their breath. Nie Huaisang saw his chance, and waved his arm high about his head to catch his new friend's attention. 

"Su-xiong!" he shouted, attracting more than just Su She's notice. "Su-xiong, hi!" 

Su She's face scrunched into a funny expression upon being hollered at that way, but he walked the distance to the edge of the training grounds, pretending not to notice how his fellow Lan disciples stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"So Nie gongzi really came," Su She said after quickly bowing to greet the other boy. "I thought you were just being polite yesterday." 

"If I knew how to be polite, I wouldn't need to be studying here. Are you done here? Do you have other classes after?" 

"Well…" 

"Because you said you let me hear you play music, remember?" 

Su She grimaced, a spot of colour rising to his cheeks as he glanced behind. Some of the boys in his group were preparing to leave the training grounds, but five of them looked as if they were going to stay behind. 

"Laoshi said I didn't perform well," Su She muttered. "So I have to practice some more. I'm very grateful for laoshi spending time on us less skilled students, of course. But I doubt I'll have any free time today, Nie gongzi." 

"Don't call me gongzi, it's awkward," Nie Huaisang complained, poking him in the shoulder. "We're friends now, so you can be more familiar than that. Right, Su-xiong?”

“It would be inappropriate,” Su She muttered, glancing at the leaving disciple who passed them by and kept throwing them curious looks. “Nie gongzi is the brother of a highly respected sect leader, I could not dare…”

“Nonsense! Come on, try calling me ‘Nie-xiong’! There’s really no need for formality. Isn’t there a rule about equality between friends?”

Su She shifted uncomfortably, while some of those other Lan disciples walking by were now sneering.

“We’re not friends,” Su She said. “We just met yesterday.”

At some other time, Nie Huaisang would have accepted that rejection. He was stupid, yes, but not completely devoid of good sense, and too lazy to pursue anyone who didn’t want him around. But he also didn’t like the way those other Lan boys looked at the two of them, as if they thought it stupid that anyone should even talk to Su She.

Nie Huaisang was very lazy, but that was nothing compared to how petty he could be.

“If we’re not friends yet, I’m sure we can become so,” he announced, a touch louder than truly necessary. “I really had fun with you yesterday, and I think you’re very interesting. Please, Su-xiong, give me a chance?”

Su She’s face went through a whole range of emotion, from suspicion to something that might have been gratefulness, before he nodded a little shyly.

“If… If Nie-xiong insists then… then this humble one is honoured by that offer of friendship.”

Nie Huaisang beamed.

“I still can’t spend time with Nie-xiong today, though.”

Nie Huaisang’s smile fell. His whole plan for the afternoon had been to spend time with his new friend. He’d wanted to make Su She play music for him, chat a little, and see if the other boy could be convinced to help him with his homework, since he’d been ignoring a mounting pile of those and was bound to get in trouble sooner rather than later. Jin Zixun wasn’t going to attract all the trouble to himself for ever, and Lan Qiren was going to be done with his other duties soon.

“I guess I’ll have to find something else to do,” Nie Huaisang sighed, glancing around for an idea. To his surprise, he spotted Lan Xichen not very far, who was looking in their direction with an unreadable expression. Nie Huaisang grimaced, and sighed again. “Well, there’s always that, I guess. If Su-xiong really isn’t available, I guess Lan gongzi will have to do… I probably need to apologise for yesterday, anyway.”

“Probably,” Su She agreed. “You… You’d rather spend time with me than him, really?”

“Sure,” Nie Huaisang distractedly said, already trying to figure out what he’d tell Lan Xichen. “You’re more fun, and by far. Listen, I’m leaving for now, but let’s try to meet again. Come find me after my classes if you happen to be free, alright? And I’ll try to look for you as well.”

Su She promised and shared some of his schedule for the coming days before his teacher called him back to the lesson at hand. Nie Huaisang then had no choice but to wave at Lan Xichen who nodded at him, and dragged his feet to the older boy, cursing his future self and his stupid brother for forcing the acquaintance on him.

“Good afternoon, Nie gongzi,” Lan Xichen greeted him. “How surprising to find you here. Did you have any business on the training grounds?”

“I came to see a friend,” Nie Huaisang explained, pointing at Su She. “But he’s busy, in the end.”

“You came to see Su She?” Lan Xichen asked in an odd tone.

“I met him yesterday, he’s good fun.” Remembering what else had happened the previous day, Nie Huaisang grimaced and bowed to the older boy. “Speaking of that, I’m sorry for what happened then. I was very rude, and I’m very sorry. You’re not the sort of person that tricks others, so it was wrong of me to accuse you of that.”

“Did you meet Su She after you ran away?” Lan Xichen insisted.

Something in his frown, when he usually looked as placid as a water buffalo no matter what went on, rubbed Nie Huaisang the wrong way. It was already a little annoying that other Lan disciples clearly didn’t hold Su She in very high regard, but that was not so unexpected. They might be from Gusu Lan, people were still people, and no amount of rules could stop teenagers from turning on whoever they thought they could bully without consequences. Su She, with his personality and slightly lesser skill, was an easy target for whoever wanted to feel superior. It only made sense, because people were like that.

But Lan Xichen wasn’t just people, he was the First Jade of Gusu Lan, praised by everyone for his good personality, and he really had no business saying Su She’s name in that particular tone, as if those two syllables might dirty his mouth.

“Yes, I stumbled onto him after leaving you,” Nie Huaisang confirmed. “And then we chatted a lot, and I think we get along fine, so I hope we can be really friends. Does Lan gongzi have a problem with that?”

“Not at all,” Lan Xichen lied, which Nie Huaisang could tell because the older boy was immensely bad at lying, his cheeks all flushed, his hands trembling. “I am very glad that Nie gongzi is… making the best of his time here. I’m sure… well. I’m sure you wouldn’t bestow your friendship onto someone unworthy.”

He absolutely thought that Nie Huaisang was stupid and would hang out with the wrong crowd, that much was clear.

If Nie Huaisang hadn’t promised his future self that he’d make an effort to get along with Lan Xichen, he would have left and found some other way to spend his afternoon. But this was for Nie Mingjue, who was going to die if Nie Huaisang didn’t behave himself.

For the sake of his brother, Nie Huaisang could put up with someone unpleasant here and there, right?

“So, about yesterday, would you still show me that good spot for painting?” Nie Huaisang asked. “I’m really, really sorry for reacting the way I did, I swear.”

Lan Xichen blinked a few times like a startled owl, and gazed a long moment at Nie Huaisang, his expression quite serious.

“Nie gongzi needs not apologise,” he said. “I understand how you might have misunderstood my intentions. After all, we have hardly ever spoken before, and Nie gongzi has no reason to trust me. I hope I can change that over time. Since your brother is dear to me, I hope the two of us can also learn to get along. It would be nice if we could all three rely on one another, right?”

“Sure,” Nie Huaisang said, a little puzzled. “Anyway, that place for painting?”

Lan Xichen pinched his lips, and looked up at the sky. “I fear there is a chance it might rain,” he said. “Today would not be right for it. Another time though…”

“Damn, then I’m back to square one,” Nie Huaisang muttered. “I really don’t know what I’m going to do until dinner, how boring.”

“Don’t you have homework?”

Nie Huaisang grimaced. He crossed his arms on his chest and shook his head.

“I do, but that’s even more boring than not doing anything. And anyway, I don’t really understand what it’s about, so it’s pointless. I guess I’ll just go hang out in the library and see if I can find something fun to read.”

“Or else,” Lan Xichen started, before pinching his lips again. “But no, I don’t suppose that would interest you.”

“Tell me anyway. I am so bored, I’ll at least consider anything.”

Lan Xichen, again, gave him a long hard look, as if trying to understand something about him.

“Nie gongzi, I have some work to be doing right now, but I wouldn’t mind having company,” Lan Xichen offered. “We can go pick up your homework, too, and that way if you have questions I can help you with them. Would that interest you?”

It absolutely didn’t interest Nie Huaisang. The only thing worse than doing homework or spending time with Lan Xichen was dealing with both at the same time. Even for Nie Mingjue’s sake, he wasn’t sure he could put up with such torture.

Hopefully, his brother might be properly grateful for his efforts someday.

He probably wouldn’t be.

Still, Nie Huaisang made himself smile and said: “Sure, why not try that!” with enough fake enthusiasm that Lan Xichen didn’t question him.

Having decided on this course of action, Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen headed for the cabin where the Nie disciples resided, so Nie Huaisang could grab some of the assignments he’d been given. They then walked silently toward the house Lan Xichen shared with his uncle and brother, both of which happened to be absent at the moment. Lan Qiren was busy leading his brother’s sect, while Lan Wangji was overseeing the punishment of some other juniors. Neither of those two were particularly dear to Nie Huaisang, but he'd have preferred not being alone with Lan Xichen.

While Lan Xichen prepared some tea, Nie Huaisang took the liberty of looking around the house. It was decorated in a simple but elegant manner, everything speaking of great taste and refinement, like the rest of the Cloud Recesses. It was a shame the Lan were so boring, because they had an amazing sense of beauty which appealed to Nie Huaisang. He would have loved to live in a house like this one, where aesthetics weren’t sacrificed to practicality like at home, where people could dress like scholars without getting yelled at because long sleeves weren’t good for fighting. There was an air of calm to the Cloud Recesses that appealed to him, and it was really too bad that the people who actually got to live there always looked like they didn’t properly appreciate the beauty of that place.

Adding to that feeling of near perfection, the tea Lan Xichen served was exquisite, light and easy on the tongue, perfectly refreshing and just the thing Nie Huaisang needed after a long day of ignoring lessons and repeated disappointments. If only the company had been better, he would have been delighted.

“I’m going to start working,” Lan Xichen announced, placing an ancient looking scroll on the table, next to some fresh paper and an inkstone. “But please do not hesitate to interrupt me if you have questions. I would really be happy to help.”

“Lan gongzi is too kind. I will try hard to not be too much of a bother, but I am grateful for the offer.”

Lan Xichen offered Nie Huaisang a strained smile, then started whatever work he had to do. Nie Huaisang felt his head and heart hurt at the very idea of homework, but still forced himself to at least look at some of the essays he was supposed to write. It was a question about a hypothetical situation at a Night Hunt, and demanded an explanation of how to best deal with the crisis detailed, as well as why that solution was the appropriate one. Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure it was something that had been discussed in class, though with how little he managed to actually listen, it might well have been. In any case, he was pretty sure that someone a little more used than him to Night Hunts would have known what to do from experience, but he never really went Night Hunting, unlike most kids his age.

Still, since he was trapped there with nothing better to do, Nie Huaisang tried his best to think of something to write. He picked up a spare sheet of paper and even dipped his brush in Lan Xichen's ink, ready to write down whatever stupid answer he’d come up with, but his mind remained desperately blank. It was such a waste of time. He should have refused Lan Xichen’s invitation, and gone out in the back hills. If the weather was about to turn bad, some birds might have been flying lower than usual. He could have seen them from up close, which would have been nice. He hadn’t yet figured out which species lived around the Cloud Recesses, but…

“Oh, that’s pretty,” Lan Xichen remarked.

Nie Huaisang startled, and looked down at the sheet of paper in front of him, where he had mindlessly started doodling a few birds. He hadn’t meant to do that, but it tended to happen when he was bored, and then teachers noticed and got angry, scolding him for wasting time and paper on something useless. Used to things playing out a certain way, and knowing how serious everyone in Gusu Lan was, Nie Huaisang braced himself for a scolding that never came.

“You have a very good sense of movement,” Lan Xichen said instead, leaning over the table to get a better look. “And a good eye for details too. Those are swallows, right?”

“Yeah,” Nie Huaisang mumbled, shoulders still hunched up. “I like them. They’re fun to watch fly, even if it’s not… da-ge says it’s a waste of time.”

Lan Xichen hummed quietly, and put down his own brush, extending his hand toward Nie Huaisang. Unsure what else to do, the younger boy handed him his doodles, which Lan Xichen observed with rather more attention than something so rushed really deserved.

“The time you spent observing those birds can’t have been wasted if it lets you paint them this way,” Lan Xichen noted, giving back the paper. “Nie gongzi is more skilled than I would have expected. Were you taught formally, or did you just pick up on your own?”

“A bit of both. When he figured I wasn’t going to be good at cultivation, my father decided I’d have to be good at something else. But then he died, and until da-ge marries I’m his heir, so everyone started insisting on me learning cultivation again.”

“Yes, I suppose that would have to take priority,” Lan Xichen conceded. “It’s too bad. You have real talent. If you’d like, I can see if it’s possible for someone to teach you while you are here. And you said you were interested in the guqin as well, weren’t you?”

Too stunned for words, Nie Huaisang could only nod.

“I’m sure something can be arranged,” Lan Xichen said with a smile that, for once, looked somewhat sincere. “As long as it doesn’t impact the rest of your studies.”

Whatever hope Nie Huaisang had allowed himself to feel crumbled instantly upon hearing that condition. It wasn’t that learning to paint or play music would change his capacity to learn other things, he thought, because he just didn’t have the head for cultivation or politics in the first place. But if he failed in his normal classes, everyone would assume it was because he only cared about those other lessons.

“Lan gongzi doesn’t need to take this pain,” Nie Huaisang sighed, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. “It’s fine, it’d just be a waste of time. I am a very bad student to begin with, so let’s spare everyone the headache. No teacher should have to bear with a student like me. Really, I pity your uncle already, so let’s not add to the amount of people I’ll disappoint.”

“Nie gongzi underestimates himself. With proper motivation…”

“Ah but that’s the problem, I have no motivation whatsoever,” Nie Huaisang proudly proclaimed. “Ask my brother, nothing works on me at all, I’m just too lazy to care about anything. No, really, I thank you for the offer, Lan gongzi, but don’t waste your time.”

Lan Xichen frowned, seemingly upset to have his generous suggestion declined, and out of pure laziness too. Nie Huaisang, used to his sect’s typical temper, would have expected an explosion of anger in reaction to his apathy. He would have known how to deal with a little shouting. Instead, Lan Xichen made himself smile again, and returned to his own work without insisting, as if it didn’t matter to him what Nie Huaisang did.

Probably because he really didn’t care, Nie Huaisang thought, trying to force his attention back to his homework. They were just too different. Even if they shared certain interests, like painting or music, at the end of the day they was a huge gap in their skills and personality that made it impossible for them to get along. Compared to how easy it had been to chat with Su She… definitely, Nie Huaisang preferred the new friend he’d made over the person he’d been ordered to become close to.

“What is your assignment about?” Lan Xichen asked after a while, putting down his brush again. “You seem to be struggling, perhaps I can help?”

Feeling quite depressed at the thought he wouldn’t befriend Lan Xichen and might thus cause Nie Mingjue to die an awful death, Nie Huaisang shrugged. Homework didn’t seem so important anymore.

“Show me,” Lan Xichen insisted. “I know you’re smarter than this, so let’s see what we can do.”

Fearing he would be rude again and get in trouble for it this time, Nie Huaisang gave in and pushed his assignment toward Lan Xichen. The older boy inspected it with more attention than it deserved, a slight frown on his face as he read the question.

“Is this really stumping you?” he then asked, in a tone of voice Nie Huaisang knew too well, the one people had when they realised they needed to lower their already non existent expectations.

“It’s just a very stupid question,” Nie Huaisang pouted, crossing his arms on his chest. 

His frown deepening, Lan Xichen glanced down at the piece of paper before him.

“Actually, you’re not wrong,” he said, startling Nie Huaisang.

“I’m not?”

“Hm. In an actual Night Hunt, you might not have the time to look for exactly the right person to notify,” Lan Xichen explained, “you’d just need to find someone to warn of such a situation, as long as they can help. This is what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

Nie Huaisang eagerly nodded, which elicited a small smile in the other boy.

“You are right to find the question… disingenuous,” Lan Xichen resumed. “Don’t think of this as something practical, but as an ideal. If you had the time, if you had the choice, who would you share this information with. That’s what is asked of you here.”

“It still sounds stupid, but a little less so,” Nie Huaisang conceded. “To be honest, I’d just go tell da-ge. The only reason I ever go to Night Hunts is if he’s forcing me, so of course he’d be here to, and there’s nothing he can’t deal with. So he’s the logical choice.”

Lan Xichen’s smile froze, something changing in his expression. Although he was looking at Nie Huaisang, it felt as though he was looking at something else, as if he could see right through the younger boy, and what he saw made him terribly sad. Before Nie Huaisang could ask if there was a problem, Lan Xichen got himself back under control, his face placid once more.

“To be fair, warning your sect leader is a very good option,” Lan Xichen said. “This assignment… it’s not just about saying who you would warn, it’s about judging your reasoning for it. You have to explain your choice.”

“I think I get it,” Nie Huaisang said, leaning over the table to get his sheet of paper back. “Well, somewhat, anyway. Fine, I’ll try again, but I still expect to get a very bad grade. Still, thanks for the help, Lan gongzi.”

Lan Xichen smiled as he picked up his brush again. “It’s no trouble at all. If anything it’s a good exercise for me, having to explain these things to someone not used to school work. Perhaps in the future you can come to me again if you encounter more problems. I’d be happy to give a hand.”

Nie Huaisang just hummed in answer, barely paying attention now that he finally somewhat understood what was expected of him. It was still a very stupid question, he decided, but knowing what it was supposed to mean helped a bit. He just wished the language used weren’t so obscure.

For a while after that, both boys worked in silence. Nie Huaisang still got distracted once or twice and doodled a few things or looked as Lan Xichen meticulously copied texts, but overall he managed to produce something he could hand back to Lan Qiren without shaming his ancestors too much. He even showed it to Lan Xichen, who agreed Nie Huaisang was making some good points while gently correcting a few mistakes here and there.

“Come find me and tell me if you get a good grade,” Lan Xichen then asked. “And maybe bring some of your drawings with you? I won’t force you to get lessons if you’re not interested, but I’m very curious to see what you can do.”

“If it pleases Lan gongzi, of course I will,” Nie Huaisang replied, who had no intention of doing such a thing.

He might have been a little unrefined, but he understood Lan Xichen was just saying that to be polite. Nobody wanted to see the sort of drawings a kid like Nie Huaisang produced, except much younger children, or maybe relatives trying to be kind. Even the earlier offer to help again with homework had to have been purely a matter of politeness… but in that case, Nie Huaisang might pretend to be stupid and actually pester Lan Xichen anyway. It was his only chance of spending time with the older boy after all, and so his only chance to get in Lan Xichen’s good graces like his future self had ordered.

How very boring, but at least if he got some decent grades, his brother might be a little proud of him.