#meanwhile lan jingyi or lan sizhui are like THIS IS WHAT ART SOUNDS LIKE

[thatswhatsushesaid]

re: this follow-up poll on my dopey little post about lan xichen and all his sad flute solos, i'm so mad that i can't draw to save my life because the image of post-canon lan xichen in the gusu lan banquet extra going full harry du bois on karaoke night singing 'the smallest church in saint-saëns' (where you fail your drama check and it's the limbic system who has the wheel) just sprang fully formed into my head, and i really wish i could make this vision a reality.

[estelwenadia]

Drunken Confession

- An entirely self-indulgent Yunmeng bros fix-it fic -

YunmengJiang Sect was holding a family banquet in two weeks and to Wei Wuxian's delight, he received an invitation from Jiang Cheng himself.

"Look, Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian waved the parchment at his husband's direction. "It's a letter from Jiang Cheng! He invited us for their annual family feast at Lotus Pier! He also said Jin Ling insisted we bring A-Yuan and JingYi with us! Eh, and Wen Ning too? Hmm. Poor boy must have missed them terribly."

Lan Wangji deftly plucked the letter from Wei Wuxian's hand before interlacing their fingers together. He glanced through it briefly before setting the letter aside. "Mn. We will go."

"We can get Jiang Cheng jars of Emperor's Smile on our way!" Wei Wuxian continued excitedly. "You know, after your family feast I really wanted to bring you to YunmengJiang Sect's family feast so I can show you how grand it is! Then Jiang Cheng sent this letter and I'm so happy! It's like my wish is coming true!"

Smiling softly Lan Wangji folded Wei Wuxian in his embrace. "Anything for Wei Ying."

---------

YunmengJiang Sect's family banquet was indeed a lively affair, much to the Lan juniors' amazement. There were songs and dances as well as elegant martial arts performances, competitions, fun and games abound. Dishes were cooked in the open under the moonlit sky around the dining area in the training grounds, which was lavishly decorated.

After tasting Wei Wuxian's incredibly spicy dishes, the Lan juniors found that the Yunmeng food were tolerable and delicious. JingYi was contented to be stuffing his face with chicken drumsticks and even SiZhui had his bowl filled with various Yunmeng desserts. Jin Ling looked very proud of himself.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng were having a drinking competition, just like in the past. Only now Jiang Cheng had his entire Sect rooting for him to win, and Wei Wuxian had Lan Wangji and his disciples cheering him on.

"Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian was laughing, "I don't have this in mind when I bought you the Emperor's Smile!"

Jiang Cheng leered at him. "What, are you regretting it now?"

"Never!" Wei Wuxian ripped the cloth away from a jar of the wine. "But you should know that l can hold my alcohol better than you!"

Jiang Cheng smirked. "We'll see."

It was nostalgia all over again for Wei Wuxian. His smile became soft before he realized it. "Same prize and forfeit?"

Jiang Cheng nodded. "Same prize and forfeit."

Jiang Cheng was older now and his alcohol tolerance was better, but still could not hold a candle to Wei Wuxian's. Six jars in, Jiang Cheng was flushed and Wei Wuxian was already nursing his tenth jar, when Jiang Cheng said loudly, "Wei Ying."

Startled at being addressed by his birth name, Wei Wuxian's hazy mind sharpened. Jiang Cheng rarely called him by his birth name! Wei Wuxian wondered if he was hearing things.

"That day when I was captured by the Wen dogs."

The entire training ground abruptly fell silent. Jiang Cheng was being loud, afterall. Too loud.

Wei Wuxian stiffened.

He had forgotten that drunk Jiang Cheng was an emotional, truth-baring drunk.

"I was captured not because I went back to Lotus Pier to seek vengeance for what had happened," Jiang Cheng's gaze were astonishingly sharp, his voice strong as though he wasn't drunk at all. His flushed cheeks were the only indication. "I was captured because that's the only way for them not to find you."

Forcing a lump down his throat, Wei Wuxian rasped out a strangled "What?"

"When you left me in that alley to buy supplies for us," unflinchingly Jiang Cheng went on, "Wen dogs were patrolling the area, and you were almost sighted by them. I did what I had to."

"You were captured by the Wen dogs..." Wei Wuxian breathed, aware of how broken his voice was. "Because of me? To save me?"

Jiang Cheng reached out to grasp Wei Wuxian's lapels with both hands, as though his grip was the only thing keeping him upright. Keeping them upright. "When I woke up, I was mad not only because of my golden core." Jiang Cheng shook him. "I was mad because you were with me and you were not supposed to be with me, captured by the Wen dogs! You were supposed to be safe and free! I was mad because my sacrifice ended up to be a waste!"

"No, Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian grabbed both of Jiang Cheng's shoulders, giving them a desperate shake. "It is not a waste! I would still have gone in to save you from the Wen dogs anyway, because you are the Sect Leader of the YunmengJiang! YunmengJiang needed its leader to rebuild it from its ashes, and it needed you, not me! You were the Sect Heir! I'm just the son of a servant!"

"You are my brother!" Jiang Cheng roared, tears unashamedly streamed down his face. "Other than Shijie, you are the only family I have left! Now that Shijie is gone, you are the only family I have! So please, Wei Ying..."

Jiang Cheng collapsed against Wei Wuxian and started sobbing. All the years of pent-up grief, frustration and anger, of loneliness and guilt and despair, were released in seemingly endless rivulets of tears.

Wei Wuxian clutched onto Jiang Cheng just as desperately, his tears were flowing.

"When I said that I needed you by my side, when I said about your promise to support me when I became the Sect Leader of YunmengJiang, the Twin Heroes of Yunmeng, I don't mean your golden core in me," Jiang Cheng whispered brokenly.

"I'm sorry, Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian said, finally pulling away from Jiang Cheng's hug. "I'm so sorry. But I will definitely help you with anything, you just gotta say the word, Jiang Cheng, and I will be there at your side in an instant, and you are not alone anymore, because Lan Zhan is your brother in law and we will help you."

Jiang Cheng's face may still be wet with tears, but the smirk was sharp. "Be merry with your husband. I don't need your help."

"But Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian pouted.

Jiang Cheng sighed. "Fine. I promise to call on you if I need help. Are you happy now?"

"Hahaha!" Wei Wuxian laughed, then crossed his arms and said, "No."

Jiang Cheng's eye twitched in annoyance. "No?"

"You haven't do the forfeit yet!" Wei Wuxian announced. "You only drank six jars, and I drank ten! You lost, Jiang Cheng! Do your forfeit now!"

Shamelessly Jiang Cheng stuck out his tongue. "How about no."

Wei Wuxian broke into indignant sounds of protests and proceeded to tackle Jiang Cheng to the ground. "Jiang Cheng, you!"

In that moment, they were not Jiang Cheng, Sect Leader of YunmengJiang, or Wei Wuxian, husband of Lan Wangji.

In that moment they were the head disciple and the only son of the Clan Leader Jiang, brothers, comrades, friends. Family.

Reforging and strengthening the bond between them, that might have weakened over the years, but was not completely destroyed by the trials of time.