#surprise! turns out LWJ has known for a while

[icyolive]

Fairy tale-ish AU where the Cloud Recesses arc still happens, but LWJ is widely known to be suffering some kind of stone heart curse that prevents him from Feelings. The Lan have tried everything, but their precious second jade cannot be thawed. They can't even identify the curse. It's tragic. And very Lan. He's probably acquired some ridiculous honorific about it because *slaps LWJ* you can fit so many titles in this bad boy.

Then WWX shows up, runs into LWJ, and like... this guy... is hilarious?

Like, WWX is immediately Fascinated by this guy that everyone keeps saying is a tragically frigid perfect upright Lan. Because the guy is clearly full of quiet simmering rage (okay mostly just annoyance) and deeply, deeply bitchy. He's fun to provoke. He gets all of WWX's literary puns. He's got this hilarious deadpan humor that... like... how is no one else seeing this?

Novel WWX was hooked pretty early, but with the mystery of this curse that no one can explain, WWX fixates hard and picks up on a lot of what he otherwise would've missed.

He tries a million different curse breaking techniques. Works on it in class and has less time to bother LQR with shenanigans. Drags LWJ to the library to research, instead of being dragged there to copy lines.

He talks to LWJ instead of provoking him (he still provokes him). Notices LWJ is sad. awkward. speaks like his friends are all books. Gives him the benefit of the doubt, at first, because the poor guy's cursed.

WWX asks what kind of curse it is: no one knows. They can't even find a curse mark. No purification ritual has ever worked.

What do they think it is? For a long while, it was thought to be a curse from his mother, and that she hadn't wanted to deal with such a fussy child. When did they tell him that? Around the time when he was taken from her, just after uncle told him that his crying was unacceptably disruptive. Being disruptive meant he would miss his monthly visit. (LWJ has no idea why this is all spilling out of him. He says it all with what he thinks is a blank face, so it's not like he's making a scene. WWX hears the bitter humor in his phrasing, the sadness in his thousands-yard stare. He shares what he can remember about his own parents.)

The current theory is a love curse; they've been introducing him to eligible young women for the last few years, to see if they could break it. (Because he's Paying Attention and LWJ's face does a Thing, WWX adds super gay to his mental list of LWJ's attributes.)

"Lan Zhan... u know ur not cursed right."

Turns out, and no one's surprised here (somehow everyone but WWX is surprised here) this so-called curse is just the cumulative effect of the Lan repeatedly traumatizing and isolating this kid in various ways more or less since birth.

Maybe it's a complete surprise. Maybe LWJ had some inkling. Maybe he knew, but couldn't find the words to explain to anyone. Maybe he's like "yeah no shit but it made them leave me alone."

So yeah I've been having a lot of Feelings about how WWX is just utterly delighted by LWJ. Not despite his personality, not trying to fix him--he's just a dork who's head over heels for his gorgeous bitchy husband who talks like a book.

[stiricidewrites]

All the Things We’ll Leave Behind: ch 27, pt 3

I hope everyone has had a good weekend! I'll see you with another update Tuesday!

Previously

~

“If it’s something that can help us find A-Zhan, I promise I won’t do anything that would get you in trouble,” jyl said so seriously it startled jzxuan. He had known the omega a long time and while he had, on a few rare occasions, seen her adopt a serious attitude for whatever reason—usually in defence of her dumbass brother—he had never been close enough to actually see the cold sincerity in her face, to smell the sparkle of a promise wafting off her.

The Lus paused in their badly whispered argument over whether to tell them whatever secret they were keeping before the omega-girl blurted out, “Bunnies!”

“Bunnies?” the alpha-girl asked, obviously as surprised by their answer as jzxuan and jyl were. She raised an eyebrow at her friends. “I didn’t know you had wild bunnies here.”

“We don’t,” jyl told her, her own eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

“We didn’t,” the omega-girl continued, “but, well…”

“But someone got two from the city,” came another voice, one of the alpha-girls who had talked about how horrible jwy was, jzxuan realized as she too stepped out of the restaurant, followed by the remainder of their group. “His parents freaked out though and told him to get rid of them. I think they expected him to kill the things—wouldn’t have if they knew him at all,” she scoffed, shaking her head, her waist length hair swishing around her as she muttered about parents who knew nothing about their own children. “Well, he couldn’t kill them, and he couldn’t keep them. So he let them go.”

“We all expected them to die!” another voice added, someone near them saying they still thought that should count as killing them, not the circle of life, and seemingly setting the group into an ongoing argument over ethics and where responsibility ended.

“But they didn’t!” someone else called over their friends’ argument. “And you know what happens when bunnies are left alone.”

A few of the teenagers snickered, before a timid omega-boy stammered, “I-I thought they were b-both girls!” sending more of the group into a fit of laughter.

“A-Zhan does like bunnies…” jyl said as she turned back to the woods.

“You think he’d run off into the woods chasing one?” the foreign alpha-girl asked.

jzxuan was already shaking his head in exasperation and looking off into the woods when he heard jyl confirm that yes, she did in fact believe lwj would run off into the woods chasing woodland creatures. Of course he would. He liked bunnies and he was drunk as a skunk��another woodland animal. Just great. Just what he needed, to have to explain to wwx how his mate had run off to join the creatures of the forest. Maybe the older alpha would kill him, rip his throat out. At least then he wouldn’t have to deal with inheriting the family business or getting married off to some omega he didn’t want.

Behind him, he could hear the group of teens discussing the situation, something about whether some of them should head to the more accessible areas around where lwj had disappeared to see if they could find the runaway alpha. Personally, he was rather done with this whole situation and wanted to go to bed. Could he just lay down right here, right in front of the sketchy crepe restaurant, and sleep? He doubted the old lady inside could move him, although she was likely to kick him until he moved himself.

Unfortunately, jzxuan couldn’t just let these random teenagers go off and find his lost, intoxicated friend, although he cursed himself for not being able to just abandon everyone. Maybe his father was right after all, maybe he did need to be a bit more cold-hearted. Leave the teenagers, stupid and still idolizing lwj after his fight with Chong-xiansheng, to find him. He could be their problem now! jzxuan would just have to figure out how to not care about his friend’s fate!

~

A/N: of course lwj spotted a bunny and chased after it. I wonder if he'll catch it 🤔

[truly-morgan]

[JC and OYZ bonding time]

Jiang Cheng + Juniors | Mo Dao Zu Shi 12-07-2021

[200 followers]  [#jiangcheng and #ouyangzizhen bonding time] 

What about oyz feeling slightly left out when they happen to be with jc? Like everyone else in the quartet somewhat has links to him.

The more obvious one is jl, as he is directly related to jc by being his nephew. He had years of knowing the man and being someone important to the sect leader. Of the four of them, he is the closest and the more familiar with jc.

Lsz is close to what wwx and lwj could call a son. Shuangjie has started to talk again, trying to get over some shit from the past by /actually/ communicating, and jc is starting to be to lsz an equivalent of what wwx is to jl.

Ljy, even if he stretches a bit, can also be seen as closer than he is to jc. The lan have more direct contact with the jiang than the ouyang do. By being one of lsz close friends for longer than them and probably even lxc adopted son. Plus, he has the feeling lan disciple might have gone to lp in the past a couple of times.

And it leaves him, oyz of the baling ouyang sect, kind of left somewhere he feels like he cannot really enter. He never really had the time to be left alone with jc or be around him much to get close to him. And they are often at lotus pier when they follow jl there!

He knows the man is nicer than he seems to be at first glance, that him being from a smaller and lesser-known sect (and being the heir of the said sect) wouldn’t be a problem either. He just feels like sometimes he cannot reach the older man because he doesn’t have any reason to, other than being one of jl friends (which he sometimes feels he is not the closest either).

He simply never had the time nor the “reason” to ask times from jc to better know him. Then one day, as he woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep, he decided to go see the pier. He has been in lotus pier many times before, but he never really got the chance to see them (and he knows many of them a commune pier).

But he does get a little bit lost since he’s not familiar to the place and ends up at a pier that seems strangely retreated from others, but the view here is pretty good so he does decide to stay a tiny bit longer to enjoy it before trying to go back on his track.

“ouyang zizhen?” 

He freezes when he hears the familiar voice, turning around quickly to see jc walking the pier towards him, his robes the most casual he has ever seen him in before. Looks like someone taking a morning walk, but even then, it looks a bit too casual for a sect leader walking around the place.

“S-sorry, I wanted to go see the sunrise at the pier and got lost, I am not sure where in lotus pier I am” he says, although he is starting to have an idea of which one it might be.

“You are at my private pier” jc points out, a small smile on his lips as oyz gets a bit more nervous about it, apologising again about intruding on his private pier like this. Jc gently waves him off about it.

“Why don’t you join me? I was about to have some tea while enjoying the quietness of the morning before duty calls me again”. 

Oyz isn’t sure if he should accept, but at the same time, he feels it would be impolite to refuse so he joins jc for his morning tea.

They first sit in silence, enjoying the warm tea, the rising sun, the gentle sound of birds chirping. It nearly feels surreal, sitting down with sect leader jiang to drink tea as the man is dressed so casually, hair fully down, a contrast to his usual tight bun.

“I heard you started taking more responsibility back at home, how are you doing?” jc asked, oyz a bit surprised by the sudden question. But it did help him calm his nerves a bit more, having the older sect leader being the one to start the contact like this.

“I’m slowly learning, my father was a bit hesitant at first, but I believe I am proving I can be a good sect leader too” oyz replied with a small smile.

He felt like he might not be as great as jc seemed to be, but he was trying his best and wanted to treat his sect disciple with the same care jc gives to the ymj disciples.

“Being a good sect leader is something that we learn with time, I am sure you will be able to do great” jc replied, smiling a bit. He felt like the sect leader wasn’t telling this simply to flatter him, he was being honest with him.

“If you ever need help, do not hesitate to come to me on a-ling" jc added with a small smile, turning to him, “I know you have the potential to be a good and kind sect leader”.

Oyz blushed a bit at this, not expecting to be praised like this, as he thought he was doing an alright job. “I will remember that,” he said, jc humming in response. This lazy and calm morning to idly talk at the pier while everyone else was still asleep managed to break to ice a bit, making oyz more comfortable around jc than he was before.

He slowly started interacting more casually with the man, a bit shy at first when asking questions about sect management (his father’s ways were a bit old-fashioned and he wanted to include newer ways of doing things).

More than once afterwards did oyz went to drink some tea with jc at the pier, something talking about things and events, other times simply enjoying the sound of the water running under them and the chirping of birds.

Oyz wasn’t feeling as out of place as he did in the past, more at ease now that this seemingly invisible wall had been taken down.

Original

[llycaons]

ep31: (2/2): they're bad! they're bad!

this moment is just done so well. the dramatic shots, the slo-mo falls, the shocking spurts of blood, wwx's trembling horror, this final shot of jzx dead on the ground. excellently made

xz's expression is killer here. he just nailed the sickening shock and horror and despair and terror of what just happened. jzx's death has both massive far-reaching political consequences and extremely painful and close personal ones as well

like this, this is devastating. they were waiting for him! they wanted to see him!

I saw a post ages ago about how 🥺 they were all dressed up nicely they planned this! and I think that's a bit dumb because obviously they're dressed nicely and what exactly did they even plan since jc and wwx's plan consisted of 'make it known that the jiangs and wwx are finished' and it was lwj who suggested the invite and jyl who requested her husband to go through with it so I'm not giving jc any credit here

was this meant to be comedic because omg

xl's performance here was also SO devastating. you can see the moment the rug is ripped out from under her - there's that sudden, sickening emptiness swooping in your gut that I think she conveys rly well. and jc is so concerned for her too oof

wwx being constantly badgered by the resentful spirits he controls...

wwx is truly at his breaking point here. he has never attacked wen ning, never been aggressive towards someone innocent. and it just shows how deeply upsetting this is - and not just for himself and jyl but for his baby nephew too!

he's also questioning his decisions. not reminiscing or regretting, but actively questioning himself and his choices. wwx has never had to wonder, he's always been so confident in the right path even when it hurts him

god, hearing him ask this like a lost child is really sad. the world just pushed him to this place

first of all who is a-shu second of all WHY WOULD YOU SAY THIS AND THEN EVERYONE LEAVES??? at LEAST tell him about the baby. this bothers me every time it is the single most annoying plot hole in this show

in the novel, there's some really unpleasant scenes in the beginning where wwx climbs into bed with lwj in hopes of being kicked out of CR and lwj slaps a paralyzer on him for it and they just sleep like that which I feel like would be a really awkward and uncomfortable situation to be in but after this scene I feel like it wouldn't be surprising if wwx has genuine trauma related to be made immobile

the last time this happened, myu tied him up and sent him away from his home, about to be destroyed, about to die. and now wn and wq are keeping him paralyzed while they tell him about their plans to turn themselves in, facing death and worse. and wwx is absolutely powerless to help them. I can imagine being paralyzed as trigger for him, putting him back into some of the most traumatic and guilty and grief-laden moments of his life. but of course nothing wwx and lwj ever do with each other is anything but mildly awkward at worst

I do remember that wwx liked being tied up later after they're together but I actually understand that. playing with something that can be/was used to hurt you in the past but it's something you have control over so you're able to play with it and make it something safe and fun. I do think a lot of fics go too far with it and I don't really see kinkiness for their cql selves but I get it in theory. anyway

wwx is still trying to survive this. he's not an optimist, really, he's just refusing to give up. and wq is more pragmatic. she knows the world she's living in. and she loves wwx

so so sad how even though wwx has sacrificed so much and hurt so much for others, he still bears guilt for not being able to do more. it's not fair! there's so much suffering in this series

this is also so fucking sad oh my god wen qing

the iconic words 😭 wq is very somber and gentle in this scene, much different than the brusque and sharp-tongued woman in the book. I think this suits the atmosphere much better. she's crying and so is he

we've seen this sleeping-tear before

and here she is, smiling at her family. what I gather is, they all decided to come with her and wen ning too. and since wwx was asleep, they couldn't tell him about a-yuan

but still, shouldn't ONE person have stayed? to look after the toddler? he was FEVERISH when lwj found him! to look after wwx? he's been paralyzed for days and he doesn't have a golden core

god you know I usually see these tragedies filtered through wwx's experienced because he's my focal point, but this is so fucking tragic just for their sakes. they're ready to die here. and the jins will scatter their ashes to the wind

back to jyl, who's looking miserable enough to make me sad too

the funny thing is, jyl's story is very sad but she still has a chance. she's of noble birth. she'll reincarnate. and yet it's her scenes with wwx that still hurt my heart

the wens met a more tragic end but I was so happy when they carved out a place for themselves and lived their lives with wwx. it was a joyful little community. maybe because by the end, their story seems resolved. even if there was no justice, wen ning and lsz are alive and they'll honor their memory. but the jiang siblings don't have a clean ending. there's still a bleeding wound there, even at the very end. one sibling lost, and one warped beyond all recognition into a hateful and vile thing.

I never really got over jyl's death. maybe it'll be different this time

the way he's imagining her nor finding fault with him...ough

wwx running out of the abandoned BM community to the gentle refrain of that song about missing the past...just kill me now

[besanii]

So in SM Mo Xuanyu always talks about how wwx gets worse in winter and I was wondering if maybe, could we maybe, get a little 🗡 🗡 🗡? as a treat???? Especially if we get any hint about what happened to wwx during the war, please and thank you - bows-

There is something wrong with Wei Wuxian.

He’s not sure what it is exactly, but there is something wrong in the way he holds himself as he stands on the wide landing of the grand staircase at the centre of the room—his fingers tremble ever-so-slightly around the dizi, and his brow is furrowed in more than just concentration. No one else in the room seems to have noticed, lulled as they are by the beautiful melodies he is coaxing from the fine instrument, but the feeling of unease remains with Lan Wangji as he watches the performance from his private table.

It isn’t often Wei Wuxian appears in public like this, without a veil to obscure his face from view, so Caiyun Pavilion is understandably more crowded than usual. Everyone wants to catch a glimpse of Wei Wuxian’s famed beauty without having to empty their purses for it, even if it is only for the scant few minutes it takes for him to play a song, so they cram themselves into the main hall as best they can, sharing tables, sitting on the stairs, leaning over the balconies from the upper floors. The space feels much smaller now, more enclosed, and even Lan Wangji, whose table has been cordoned off from the rest and placed closest to Wei Wuxian, finds it stifling.

The song ends on a long, tremulous note that lingers in the air even after Wei Wuxian lowers his dizi. A soft smile graces his lips as he dips his knee and inclines his head at the audience, but the muscles in his neck are taut and strained. Lan Wangji’s hands curl into fists on the table and he shifts in his seat, ready to head upstairs as soon as Wei Wuxian takes his leave, the disquiet growing louder in the back of his mind the longer they stay.

And then the room breaks into thunderous applause as the audience awakens from the spell of Wei Wuxian’s music. It’s overwhelmingly loud, punctuated by cheers and whistles and calls for more, and Wei Wuxian—

His eyes are squeezed shut, his face turned away to hide its sudden, ashen hue; his knuckles are white around the dizi held to his chest. Mo Xuanyu is at his side in an instant with a hand under his elbow for support as he turns to leave, climbing the staircase with slow, deliberate steps. The audience doesn’t notice the obvious strain in each of his movements, too busy falling over each other to get his attention, but Lan Wangji is out of his seat and heading for Wei Wuxian’s private room the moment the man himself is out of sight.

It’s quieter back here, darker, a stark relief from the bright lights and noise in the main room. One of the maids bursts out from the room at the end of the hall, expression frantic. She almost runs into Lan Wangji on his way past, but catches herself at the last moment, bowing low at the waist.

“Wangye,” she gasps, flustered.

“Is Wei Ying alright?” Lan Wangji asks instead. Her eyes dart back over her shoulder, but doesn’t respond. “Answer me!”

“Gongzi just needs rest,” she assures him. “Please, Wangye, it would be best for you to return to the main hall. I must go to the kitchens.”

And then she’s running past him and down the hall without a backward glance. Lan Wangji quickens his pace towards Wei Wuxian’s room, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach as he reaches the open door and steps inside.

The room is almost completely dark, save for the few candles placed strategically around the room casting just enough light to make out the two figures hovering around the bed.

“Dieyi,” Madam Zhang says without turning around, “put the extra coal on the brazier—”

She turns around and freezes when she sees Lan Wangji, grabbing Mo Xuanyu by the arm. He gasps when he turns and they both hastily sink into low bows, shuffling closer together to block the view of the bed behind them.

“Wangye,” Madam Zhang says, hurrying forward to put herself between him and the bed. “Our apologies, but Xian-er has suddenly taken ill and will not be able to entertain you further tonight. Please, follow me back to the main hall…”

But Lan Wangji easily steps around her—she can only do so much against the Emperor’s brother—and finally, finally sees what’s going on.

Wei Wuxian is writhing beneath the covers, his knees tucked into his chest. His hands grab at his own shoulders, those long, slender fingers bent like claws as he scrabbles for purchase against the fabric, gasping and shivering in the stifling heat of the room. The tendons in his neck are pulled taut, straining against the skin when he throws his head back with a gasp, his whole body twitching and convulsing.

The dread that has been building in him since Wei Wuxian had appeared in the main hall morphs into horror.

“Wei Ying!” He drops down to sit at the edge of the bed, his hands hovering over Wei Wuxian’s body, unsure of what to do. “What is happening to him?”

Madam Zhang and Mo Xuanyu exchange nervous looks.

“Wangye,” Madam Zhang ventures. “Xian-er has been feeling ill these past few days. It is an…old ailment. We can do nothing but wait for it to pass.”

“An old ailment,” Lan Wangji repeats flatly. He turns on the two of them, eyes blazing. “How long has he been like this? How did this happen?”

They drop to their knees, trembling under the force of his fury.

“Begging your pardon, Wangye,” Madam Zhang says. “We are not sure of the cause, only that he has been like this for as long as we have known him.”

Lan Wangji braces one arm on the bed to avoid falling over in shock. Beside him, Wei Wuxian lets out a guttural moan and goes limp; the twitching subsides, but the shivers begin anew, and he huddles beneath the blankets again. When Lan Wangji rests a hand against his cheek, he immediately leans into the touch, subconsciously seeking the warmth his body so desperately craves.

Madam Zhang looks him over carefully, resting a hand on his forehead and taking his pulse, before sighing.

“The worst has passed,” she says, relieved. “He only needs to rest now.”

“Wei Ying…” Lan Wangji whispers, stroking his thumb across his lax cheek. What happened for you to be like this?

“Wangye…” Mo Xuanyu says shakily from where he’s kneeling by the bed. His eyes are wet, and he hastily wipes his tears with the back of his hand. “Xian-ge is really sick. He wouldn’t let us tell you, but—”

“A-Yu!” Madam Zhang snaps. “Don’t!”

“Wangye deserves to know!” Mo Xuanyu protests. “If Xian-ge has agreed to let Wangye take care of him from now on, he deserves to know!”

He turns back to Lan Wangji with a determined set to his jaw.

“We don’t know what exactly happened to Xian-ge,” he says. “He won’t tell us the details. But all the physicians who have seen him suspect he has been tortured, extensively.”

Lan Wangji inhales sharpy. “Tortured...? But this doesn’t—what sort of torture can do this to someone?”

Madam Zhang closes her eyes and turns away.

“He was brought in by Wen soldiers,” she says heavily. “Broken, weak, barely clinging to life. The physicians at the time said that his symptoms are akin to someone who has been in water for too long: muscles wasted, open sores on his skin. But that isn’t all.”

She takes a deep, shuddering breath and looks down at Wei Wuxian, resting a hand on his head in a maternal gesture. 

“Poison,” she says, the flintiness of her tone belying the gentle way she brushes the hair from Wei Wuxian’s forehead. “Every physician, without fail, saw these seizures and agreed that they align with the symptoms of qianji poison.”

“Qianji…” Lan Wangji whispers, horrified, sickened. “But qianji poison doesn’t last this long. He should be—”

Dead. The word chokes in his throat, sharp and painful.

Madam Zhang laughs without humour, her face bleak.

“Yes, he should be, if they had been merciful,” she says. “But if it is given in small doses, it will only appear as you have seen here tonight. Spasms, twitches, fits, headaches. Painful, prolonged, but never enough to kill. Whoever it is wanted to prolong his suffering for as long as possible.”

Lan Wangji’s hand tightens where it is twisted on the bedsheets, his other hand trembling where it rests against Wei Wuxian’s clammy skin.

“What about the antidote?” he asks. “Surely there must be—”

Madam Zhang shakes her head.

“We have tried many different antidotes, all designed to treat qianji,” she says. “They have alleviated the worst of the symptoms, but none of them have managed to purge the poison from his body completely. Whoever created it must have added something different, changed it somehow, but none of the physicians we have asked can work out what was changed, what the formula is. Without it, they cannot create the true antidote.”

“Wangye!” Mo Xuanyu cries, grabbing the hem of Lan Wangji’s robe and pressing his forehead to the floor by his feet. “You have been so good to Xian-ge, please help him this time as well! Please help us find the antidote!”

Lan Wangji stares at Wei Wuxian for a very long time, not trusting himself to speak. Wei Wuxian’s breathing has evened out in sleep, but cold sweat still clings to his forehead, his brows furrowed in discomfort. Madam Zhang looks over at him seriously.

“Xian-er was very clear that he did not want you to know, Wangye,” she tells him. The admission sends a sharp pang through his chest. “Please do not mention this to him, nor that we were the ones to tell you. We only ask that you please take care of him in our stead.”

As if Lan Wangji would not have done so regardless. 

He nods.

“Thank you for entrusting this information to me,” he says sincerely, his eyes never leaving Wei Wuxian’s face. “I will take care of him now.”

Notes:

There may be some differences in symptoms that WWX demonstrates here compared with true strychnine poisoning. This is in part due to 1) creative licence, 2) qianji poison not only consisting of strychnine, and 3) WQ modifying the recipe under WRH’s orders.

// buy me a ko-fi //

Master Post is here

[dashofanxiety]

LWJ finds a fox in the forest one day, how did a fox get into Gusu? Normally the bunnies were the only animals that would get close to the dragon's clan but then he noticed the baby, was that a human baby? LWJ walks closer to the black lump of fur, kneeling to make sure that he did not just find two corpses. Only when he reaches for the baby is when the fox moved to bite the dragon as his fur puffed up to keep the baby hidden.

"I am here to help." Lan Wangji was never one to speak much but he felt himself in the need to comfort this young fox, not that it could understand him but he got a nod as the fox's striking silver eyes watched him carefully.

The child wasn't human but rather an albino sun dragon, normally these dragons had deep red horns and lived in the heat of Qishan. It was a Wen! But how? They were all killed thanks to the help of all the Cultivation world and a mysterious fox god so how was there one left?

Lan Wangji stares as he thinks about the possibility of who the fox is so he picks up the dragon younglin he heads toward his home with only a glance at the fox to tell it to follow. There was no way the second young master of the Gusu ice dragon clan was going to allow this young sun dragon to pass away during the coldest of winter.

"Will take care of...." Lan Wangji realized he didn't even know this infant's name nor who this fox was since foxes don't speak.

'A-Yuan, his name is A-Yuan. This humble one is known as Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian, class species fox deity.' The fox, Wei Wuxian, telepathically told Lan Wangji. It startled the dragon to hear the sweet voice in his head causing him to look at the animal shifter in surprise.

'What? Do I have something on my face....?' Wei Wuxian's beautiful, not beautiful since Lan Wangji didn't know this fox, silver eyes roamed over his fur only to widen, 'Oh! Apologies, I will revert later since it is too cold for me to walk around without fur.' The fox grinned, literally grinned!, at the dragon.

"Mn. Wei-gongzi does not have to worry." Ok, so he was setting new records of him speaking to people he does not know.

While the dragon and fox were staring at each other the infant had made a quiet whine as he shivered. With a graceful yet careful bounce, Wei Wuxian jumped onto Lan Wangji’s shoulders and wrapped his tail around the infant to keep him warm. Instantly the infant calmed as he grabbed the fox's tail with tiny hands. Lan Wangji hated being touched by nearly everything yet the warmth this fox had been producing was so comforting that the cold-blooded reptile swore that he could feel his heart beat faster. This has happened once before which scared him but he knew who he could speak to so he could figure out what he had forgotten, Lan Xichen.

Once they made it to the Jingshi the dragon found a Lan junior younglin walking on the snowy path in the direction of the classrooms. He looks between the infant and the junior before nodding at what he was going to do.

"Excuse me." Lan Wangji asks out loud to the junior which makes the junior tense and immediately turn, bowing.

"Good morning, Lan-er-gongzi. I apologize for not acknowledging you as I passed by, I had not seen you. Please forgive this lowly one." The younglin had said politely.

"Just arrived." Lan Wangji holds a hand up, "Am in need of Xiong-zhang, I request of you to summon him please." He hands the junior a letter so that his brother would know that he was being requested. The second young master normally did not ask anyone for help so it must have been important if he was unable to call upon his brother himself.

"Oh! I will go fetch him now! I shall return with him shortly." She quickly bowed before quickly, not running, walking away.

The dragon opened the door with his tail before walking into his house, it was much warmer inside the house than it was outside so the fox around his neck silently jumped down as if making sure it was safe for him and his baby to stay.

"Brother will be able to help, you may stay here." He said simply as he sits down at the table in the lotus position before creating a makeshift infant bed with his tail so the child could lay comfortably near the warm fire. The dragon had placed some robes on the privacy screen for the fox in case he needed them.

'Thank you, mister!' The fox ran behind the screen before a red cloud swirled around. Lan Wangji had not expected the handsome male that stepped out from behind the screen, practically drowning within his robes. He wasn't much smaller than Lan Wangji but it was enough that it was obvious the robs did not fit properly. If the dragon's heart had skipped a beat then he had simply ignored it.

The hot male, not hot Lan Wangji needed to remind himself that he just met the male, and sat next to the dragon's tail to stroke the infant's cheek softly, "Thank you for saving us, Lan-er-gongzi." Now that voice was going to haunt the dragon's dream more than the one he had heard in his head.

"Lan Wangji." The dragon introduced, staring intensely at the fox. The male had inky long black hair with silvery eyes that held so much joy and love, there were 3 black tails with red tips wagging behind the fox. His smooth skin looked so soft that Lan Wangji had to hold his hand to prevent himself from touching it.

A knock distracts Lan Wangji from his thoughts which causes him to look over at the door curiously, from the corner of his eye he sees the tails puff up.

"Wangji? It's Xichen. May I enter?" The clan leader announced worriedly.

"Enter."

Lan Xichen opens the door and enters before the cold can enter the little home. Lan Wangji went to stand but was stopped by his brother, "Please stay seated, I see your tail is a little...um...weighted down." He smiled softly.

Wei Wuxian stared at Lan Xichen as if he knew him, "Zewu-Jun..." He says quietly.

"What a surprise Wei-gongzi, I had been told you were killed along with the other Wen's." Lan Xichen says as he sits on the other side of the table, "I am glad that you have survived and have made it to Gusu." He smiled.

"I...I was able to protect one Wen...He is innocent and was not involved in the war. His family were just healers." Wei Wuxian was getting mad, "Yet they were all killed because they were Wen's!" His eyes glimmered with a red glowing shimmer of anger.

"I understand, I apologize for not being able to provide any aide." The clan leader went to how but was quickly stopped by the fox.

"No! No! It is not your fault, you had attempted to help provide for us the best you could without your clan knowing. We appreciated everything that you could have done." The fox tightly smiles, it is then that the two Lan's notice the dark circles under the male's eyes.

"We shall speak later, for now, please allow me to find you a room so you may rest." Xichen offers only for his silent brother to put his arm between the fox and his brother, "Ah! Of course, I apologize Wangji. I'll explain the situation once we get our important guests settled. You may join me and Mingjue for dinner to get informed of this situation." The older dragon brother explains, knowing that his brother would like to be informed but the older Lan normally ate with his husband, Nie Mingjue, not that Lan Wangji minded since he secretly liked his brother-in-law.

"Mn." That was all that Wangji said but still refused to move his arm.

The older brother smiles, "If Wei-gongzi would like to he may stay here to sleep, I can have a bed brought in along with some clothing and a crib for the younglin." Lan Wangji lowered his arm with a nod as he glances over at Wei Wuxian who grinned brightly.

"Yeah! I'll stay here! A-yuan will probably sleep for a while since he is not used to being in this cold, he is a healing dragon who grew up in the heat of Qishan but slowly his body is adjusting to the cold of Gusu! He is very sweet, like his Qing-Jie(a/n; I'm not sure what he'd call her but I think it's cute if he saw her as a sister.). Not to mention, I think he likes Lan Wangji!" He smiled softly.

"That sounds like a wonderful thing. I shall return soon with the items and I will bring food as well." Xichen stood before bowing then left to fetch the items that he had mentioned.

Hours after Wei Wuxian had fallen asleep, Lan Wangji had gone to Hanshi so he could have dinner with his brother and brother-in-law. Originally Lan Wangji wasn't going to even go since he did not want to leave the fox who he had come to find out was very mischievous when bored but also just full of energy which annoyed Lan Wangji since he did not want anything messed with within his house.

"Wangji? Come, come. It is too cold for you to zone out while being outside." Lan Xichen said from behind him as his tail gently wrapped around his younger brother to guide him into the house as if he was a child again, little things like this were silently appreciated by Lan Wangji since they helped his racing mind.

"One shall not show excessive amount of affection." Lan Wangji quietly reminded but did nothing to enforce the rule.

Nie Mingjue looked up from where he sat at the desk, brush in hand to show that he was replying to letters which were more than likely all to his younger brother, Huaisang. The XieZhi set the brush on the brush stand before standing to greet the two dragons, he was within his human form since his original form could be quite stressful to be within.

"Welcome home, Xīngān." Nie Mingjue softly kissed his husband's cheek before bowing to Lan Wangji, "Lan-er-gongzi, are you here to have dinner with us?" He asked.

Lan Wangji nodded as he bowed as well, "Xiong-zhang has said that there is something he must speak to me about."

"I will let you two begin while I go get dinner." Nie Mingjue use to be so close to qi deviation and still is but since Xichen often plays cleansing the XieZhi was no longer on edge as he use to be.

"That sounds amazing, Xīngān. We appreciate that very much." Xichen smiled at his husband, "When you return you'll have to tell me about your day."

With a grunt of agreement, the male left; leaving the Twin Jades of Lan alone. Lan Xichen gently squeezed his brother with his tail that was still wrapped around him before guiding him to the table that sat in the middle of the room.

"Would you like some tea?" Xichen asks as he removes his tail from his brother's tail.

"What is it that Xiong-zhang would like to speak about?" Lan Wangji was so on edge about what could be the problem with the cute fox that was back in the Jingshi.

Lan Xichen sighed as he sat across from his brother at the table, "Of course. Wei-gongzi is the fox deity that had helped during the Sunshot campaign but during the campaign, there had been a group of Wen's that were nothing but healing dragons who were just a branch of the Wen's and never joined the war. Wei-gongzi had decided to protect them but even though he had been summoned by the Cultivation world he was declared a traitor." Xichen explained.

"Mn. He is familiar." That was all Wangji needed to say for Lan Xichen to understand.

"That may have something to do with the fact that you had met him once when we were children, you swore you were going to marry the pretty fox child that you had met. When Shufu and I had met the child it had turned out to be Wei-gongzi." Lan Xichen covers his smile with his sleeve, "However when he had left with his mother and father you were so upset that you had locked the memories away because of the pain. The two of you were very close, some swore you were soulmates regardless of your species."

Lan Wangji blinks as he processes the information but with it, some memories popped up of a little boy with big silvery eyes as he followed Lan Wangji around calling out 'Lan Zhan!' nonstop in excitement, touching the dragon's white horns happily.

"I had not told the clan since I knew that he was hated by most but you had loved him with all your heart once before. I did not want anything bad to happen to my soon-to-be brother-in-law." The first of the twin jades stood as he walked over to grab a child's painting of two figures holding hands with one smiling brightly while the other just stared with a straight face, the smiling one had 2 tails with fox ears while the straight-faced one had a dragon tail with two white horns protruding from his skull.

"The fox child had left this for you which you had me take to get rid of since you did not want to remember the first heartbreak you've ever had." Xichen gave the painting to his brother, "I believe it is time for you to have it back." He softly pats his brother's head before sitting back down in time for his husband to return.

"Have you two spoken?" Nie Mingjue asked curiously as he sat the tray of food down.

"We have spoken, my brother remembers Wei-gongzi for the most part." The dragon looked at his brother fondly.

"That is great." Nie Mingjue said as he sat down next to his sweet husband, "Well let's eat then I will tell of how my day went."

Lan Wangji nodded as he put the painting into his sleeve to think more about later. Lan Xichen handed Lan Wangji the food bowels before handing his husband his food and then taking his food.

"Huaisang said hello." Nie Mingjue says.

"Mn, no speaking during meals." He reminded but didn't mind if his brother-in-law broke the rule or not, it was just a habit to remind everyone of the rules that are being broken. Nie Mingjue simply laughed but nodded and doesn't speak again after that.

//Thank you all for reading what may be the first part of this series! I will try to update it as often as I can. Special thanks to @jiaoji2//

[thedoubteriswise]

okay so. I am a smart adult with many important responsibilities. I have good taste and care about things that matter. for this reason, I’ve been trying to identify where in cql canon wangxian manage to fuck.

because they definitely do; I like a good post-canon getting together fic as much as the next guy, but it’s just not realistic.

allow them. it’s already been so long.

(just like this goddamn post turned out to be, let’s do a cut)

right. so initially it looks like you could place this right after the time skip in episode 33, because it shows us that wwx is with lwj in cloud recesses. we know that he spent the night in the jingshi because he wakes up there the next morning before he goes for a nostalgic tour of his old school.

and also visits the cold spring, where lwj is mostly naked. nice.

but wait! wwx is surprised by the scars on his back and chest. that seems like something he would have known about if they’d already been naked together the night before, so I’m going to say they did not fuck immediately upon wwx’s return to cloud recesses. okay, fine, they’re taking things slow, that’s cool.

maybe they could work it into the next night, then. oh wait, lqr is injured and... staying in the jingshi? for reasons?

I don’t know why. he must have his own house in cloud recesses, and it’s probably at least as comfortable as lwj’s, but here he is. he lives to stop his nephew from getting laid, I guess.

the next day they do some Q&A with the kids and determine that they need to head to qinghe to figure out what’s going on with this sword thing. great! we love a romantic road trip, plenty of alone time. but they also have to do their jobs, and then jin ling needs to get rescued from a wall of dirt, and jc is unfortunately there being himself, and then they have to grill nhs about his tomb full of angry sabers, etc. etc.

with all that going on, their next obvious chance is at the inn immediately after interviewing nhs. this evening has already included:

wwx gazing lovingly at lwj from afar

lwj carrying wwx on his back

lwj pawing at wwx’s robes trying to deal with his cursed leg

lwj helping wwx up the stairs, serving him wine, fixing his flute, and generally being at his beck and call

a very sexy and homoerotic duet

and now they’re alone and drooling over each other as usual. this seems like a plausible spot, right?

it does! but no. after they go back to the nie basement o’ swords and hear the backstory on nmj’s death, we see them walking in yueyang and lwj asks wwx how the curse mark on his leg is doing. wwx says it’s almost healed, which may or may not be a lie, but his inner monologue says:

he’s more concerned about the wound on his arm from the sacrificing curse, which lwj doesn’t know about, because wwx won’t tell him and they still haven’t been naked together.

also, this silly teenage shit doesn’t make much sense unless they’re still dancing around each other.

you guys love the sound of opportunities as they go flying past, don’t you?

right after this, lwj gets drunk. I’m aware that Stuff Happens in the novel scene that inspired this bit, and they do incorporate some of that into the show by having lwj commit petty larceny and admit that he “likes rabbits” as part of the softest and most loving conversation in human history oh my god

but lwj goes to sleep right on time, and the next morning, wwx is laughing and reassuring him that nothing happened.

after this, it’s time to go on a fucked up field trip with the kids in yi city, so they don’t really have any time alone for a few episodes until they’ve finished that and everyone is back at yet another inn. I wonder if they learned something about wasted chances and poor communication from this miserable songxiao story?

maybe! look, they’re being cute and domestic. there are currently no material barriers preventing them from having sex, nor will there be any specific evidence later on proving that they didn’t.

but they’re still firmly in mystery-solving mode and the juniors and lxc are floating around. the vibe isn’t quite there. if I were to pick the most solid reason why I think they’re saving room for jesus at this point, it would be the tension that happens when wwx again asks how lwj recognized him. lwj asks why his memory is so bad, and wwx replies that he wishes he had a bad memory. even though they’re comfortable and happy being together, there’s still some fundamental distance remaining. there’s no sense of romantic resolution. that was actually a point against all their previous opportunities as well; they’re all very sweet, but none of these feel like the place in a story where the romantic leads Officially Get Together.

okay, off to koi tower! shit is getting extremely real. everyone’s busy insinuating that they recognize wwx, but no one is saying it explicitly. wwx isn’t supposed to be here. the guy he’s pretending to be also isn’t supposed to be here. he and his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s brother are trying to figure out if his boyfriend’s brother’s boyfriend is a murderer. no one is comfortable and the political intrigue leaves no time for fucking in front of anyone’s salad.

I guess there’s plenty of time to make dozens of armed guards and like half the people they know wait while they have a romantic moment, though.

could they be more in love? And that sure feels like a romantic resolution that might be followed by narratively-earned sex.

ah. no, unfortunately wwx gets stabbed again. this certainly sucks, but it does have the helpful consequence of making lwj take him back to cloud recesses, where they are mostly alone and as safe as they can be in the circumstances. now there’s even more tenderness and also some plot-justified touching and skin exposure. plus, lwj just made a very public declaration of love.

too bad wwx has probably been unconscious since he started coughing up blood in the forest near lanling. he’s also still visibly in pain. fresh abdominal wounds tend to kill the mood.

but hey, the injuries on this show are only as serious as they need to be to move the plot forward and facilitate gentle h/c scenes, so by evening he’s looking perfectly healthy and walking around under his own steam like nothing’s wrong. I guess that problem can be ignored moving forward.

lxc then offers the the most devastating highlights of lwj’s backstory, like, all at once. it’s nice that he includes a flute solo to give wwx a second to process this mountain of terrible information. what the fuck.

there he is! the most devoted man in the whole world! turns out they can actually be more in love after all.

and then the following scene... look, I’m lazy and I don’t know how to make gifs, but screenshots cannot properly convey how good it is. you all know. the hesitant way wwx approaches, the slow and gentle piano version of wangxian, the two of them watching the snow together, it’s. ugh.

remember how I was talking about how the last scene with no material barriers was an unlikely candidate because of the lack of romantic resolution?

well, here’s wwx still being cagey at the beginning of this conversation.

and here they are in the middle of this conversation, having some epiphanies about the course of wwx’s life - I love this shot for a lot of reasons, but I extra love it because it shows wwx out in the snow, with lwj as the safety and warmth waiting behind him, god this show goes hard, holy shit

they both recall their vow to live with a clean conscience and internally say some very corny things about each other because they are both So Much, and then,

ah, what the hell. he can say it out loud after all. romantic resolution accomplished.

and then the camera slowly pulls away as wuji plays.

a slow zoom out? swelling music? listen, I am a connoisseur, I know a tasteful fade-to-black indicating a sex scene that won’t happen on camera when I see one. at last, we have a winner!

now you may think this post is finally over, but I actually have one more piece of evidence for you - the next scene shows the two of them the morning after, meditating behind a screen in the hanshi while lxc is waiting for jgy to show up.

before wwx got de-cored, he was a pretty powerful cultivator, right? the chances that he’s just bad at meditating or that he can’t stay focused on this task seem slim to me. so why does he keep falling asleep?

well. he had kind of a late night.

[vrishchikawrites]

Could I have a prompt? 🥺🥺 So WWX is taking bath in the Cold Pond to heal from the wounds by the discipline paddle (which I assume he was punished being clothed in his Black robe or in his Gusu Lan disciple robes or Head disciple Jiangs robes whichever fits). Before going to CR, wwx is whipped by mdm yu and LWJ notices wwx’s raw red scars and many scars across his back kinda overlapping and not yet being healed because maybe MDM yu sealed his core or something. LWJ, or with LXC saw WWX’s many crisscrossing scars and realize they’re still raw and kinda risking for infection because when mdm yu unseals his spiritual energy before going to CR, WWX never thought of healing it. Cue LWJ and LXC gets horrified and ask WWX why he had many scars on his back (or other parts of his body can also be included!) no pressure 💕 I love your writing! ❤️❤️

Anyway, it is set during the period in which WWX studies at CR. Lån Qiren, who is obviously not eyeing Wei Wuxian just in case the boy creates some trouble ends up realizing that he is too non chalant about  not eating (because the food there is for rabbits) and WWX is like "Oh, yeah. Nah its fine, I've been worse".

This one has trigger warnings for child abuse, negligence, and issues related to eating habits. Keep that in mind before proceeding. Nothing graphic, but I wanted to warn nonetheless.

I've merged two prompts here.

Please remember that prompts are closed. Also, remember I do not write self-deprication. All prompts that require WWX to have low self-esteem are not going to be written, apologies but the subject is very uncomfortable for me and I don't believe it is canon accurate anyways.

On to the prompt fill.

"That Wei child is entirely too careless." 

Lan Qiren closes his eyes and prays for patience. That boy has been a menace ever since he stepped into Cloud Recesses. Brilliant but wily and mischievous with absolutely no regard for rules. 

"What has he done?" He asks gruffly, reading over the reports from the kitchen staff. Cloud Recesses always monitors the food intake of their guests to make sure everyone is well-fed and no one is consuming more than their due. It wouldn't do for young cultivators to fall ill in their care, after all. 

The primary healer, a matron of some age, had brought the reports instead of the kitchen manager, which was quite unusual, "He forgets meals. Goes without food for days. Survives on small bits of fruit."

Xichen, who has been working on his own reports, raises his head and looks concerned. 

Lan Qiren crosses his arms, feeling a growing sense of ire, "He dislikes our meals." He's not the first one to skip meals because he considers them 'bland' and 'boring'. It's likely the child has been sneaking down to Caiyi town to have more extravagant meals. 

"I checked with our ward team. When he goes days without eating, he doesn't make any trips to Caiyi town either."

Lan Qiren pauses and studies her. Lan Mingyun nods curtly, "When I first noticed this behavior, I immediately put him on my list." Her list of children with food-related issues, he assumes, "His eating habits are very erratic, erratic enough that I wish to assign one of our senior disciples to keep an eye on him."

"You're that worried?" Lan Xichen asks in surprise while Lan Qiren frowns. It isn't unusual to do so but he wonders if it is really necessary.

"As far as I know, the child lived on the streets for quite a few years," She says and Lan Qiren narrows his eyes, inwardly reprimanding himself. He had forgotten about that aspect of Wei Wuxian's history, "The link between early childhood trauma and behavioural problems are well known to us."

Lan Xichen frowns, "I'll ask Wangji to keep an eye on him."

He glances at his nephew sharply, "Why Wangji?" He demands because surely someone else would be better.

"From what I understand, Wei-gongzi will not welcome an assigned senior. He seems to be someone who brushes injuries or illnesses off. He likes Wangji and will be more willing to accept his company."

While the argument is reasonable, Lan Qiren is loath to involve his precious nephew in this. He's already so bothered by the boy. 

But.

He thinks of Wei Wuxian with his sharp eyes and lingering smile and nods. 

---

Wangji listens to Xichen patiently even as his fingers curl into fists under his sleeves. 

He doesn't like Wei Wuxian. The boy is too disruptive, too bold, too distracting-

Too beautiful.

He doesn't like him, but that doesn't mean he's content to ignore his well-being. When Xichen asks him to keep an eye on Wei Ying's eating habits and general behavior, Wangji agrees. 

It will be taxing for him, but he agrees.  

What he doesn't anticipate is… everything that follows. When he starts consciously looking for them, the signs are alarming. Wei Ying doesn't just skip meals whenever he gets too distracted, he picks at the food even when he is eating. While Wangji is comforted to know the boy frequently seeks something richly flavored at Caiyi Town, he doesn't do it often enough to compensate.

There are also some concerning behaviors in the Jiang contingent. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that while Wei Ying does break the rules, the other Jiang Sect disciples are often complicit. Including Jiang Wanyin. 

They not only let their da-shixiong take the blame for all of their actions, but also encourage it. Wei Ying seems disconcertingly accustomed to it. He makes a scene while being punished but seems alright within an hour. 

Jiang Wanyin encourages mischief and reprimands him in turns. 

Wangji doesn't understand this.

"Xiongzhang, I am concerned," Xichen looks up from his tea, his attention immediately on Wangji, unwavering and comforting, "Wei Ying," He takes a moment to form his thoughts, "I am uncertain. I believe he is in an unsafe environment."

Xichen sets his tea aside, "How so?"

"I happened upon a conversation," He grimaces because it is eavesdropping even if his intentions are noble, "Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang requested and encouraged him to get alcohol into Cloud Recesses. When he complained about the punishment, Jiang Wanyin said 'at least, it wasn't Zidian'."

His brother sucks in a sharp breath, "Zidian? Madam Yu? Spiritual weapon? A high-grade weapon typically used against enemies?"

Wangji dips his head. 

"I'll ask uncle to stop assigning corporal punishments." Lan Xichen says, "They won't have the desired effect in any case and we don't want to damage him permanently. Tomorrow, ask him to practice Cultivation in the Cold Pond as punishment."

Wangji nods, "I'll assign Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang proper punishment as well."

"Wait until we have a better grasp on the situation." Xichen says solemnly, "If we act too quickly, things will escalate and may cause more harm to Wei-gongzi."

Wangji is reluctant because his sense of justice is not satisfied. He remembers how the Jiang disciples encouraged Wei Ying to accept punishment on their behalf. And then to know Jiang Wanyin was also complicit…

"We must approach this cautiously, Wangji."

He nods.

---

Red, irritated, scarred.

Wangji swallows as he sees the state of Wei Ying's back as the Jiang disciple steps into the Cold Pond. There are so many whip scars on his back, so many that have barely begun to heal, that he feels nauseous. 

"Wei Ying," He struggles to keep his tone neutral, "Your back." He cannot imagine the agony that Wei Ying would've suffered when he took more punishment on it the other day. 

Wei Ying glances at him and grins, "Aiya, Lan Zhan, is that concern I see on your pretty face?" He asks, spinning around eagerly, "Concern for little old me?"

His back is out of sight and the way Wei Wuxian is leaning towards him is meant to distract and fluster.

Wangji… suddenly understands. Wei Ying is naturally playful and mischievous, but he uses his personality for disguise and manipulation as well. Not maliciously, but in a way that harms him.

"Wei Ying," Wangji refuses to be moved. There is a significant shift in his mind. He no longer feels annoyed by the person before him. If anything, he feels furious. 

He feels protective.

"Wei Ying, your back."

The Jiang disciple shrugs, "Punishment, you know how it is." 

"For what?" He demands, catching Wei Ying's elbow and turning him around. The willingness to touch him stuns Wei Ying momentarily, enough for Wangji to get a good look at the brutal devastation written on Wei Ying's back. 

Wei Ying clears his throat and shrugs, "It's more of a preemptive punishment? Madam Yu knew I would cause trouble here, of course." He chuckles.

"Preemptive punishment?" He asks softly, the very notion troubling him. 

Wei Ying shrugs again but doesn't attempt to explain when it is clear Wangji isn't willing to indulge him.

"Wei Ying,"

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying starts to move towards the shore, "Don't worry about things that don't concern you. Your head will forever be burdened if you do."

Wangji feels something in him recoil at such a blunt dismissal. 

"Doesn't concern me? How can it not concern me?" He wants to ask but is unable to. 

Wei Ying has made him very uncomfortable with his forward personality and near constant teasing, but Wangji has seen the genuine offer of friendship underneath it all. 

He has always spurned it. 

As Wei Ying climbs onto the shore, his wounds red against his naturally pale skin, Wangji makes a decision, "Would you not feel concerned if it were me?" He asks but he already knows the answer.

He already knows this man enough.

"Of course," Wei Ying says and shrugs on his robes, hiding a wince but unable to help his body's reaction to pain, "But you and I are different." He glances over his shoulder at Wangji, "I consider you my friend," He says, "But you don't consider me yours."

His breath stills at the acceptance in Wei Ying's tone.

"And that's alright." The Jiang disciple waves and walks away, "Don't worry too much, Lan Zhan. This one isn't weak. The wounds will heal within a few days."

---

"The facts are these - Wei-gongzi is punished preemptively with Zidian, often enough that there are deep scars on his back," Lan Xichen explains, "I assume it is his Golden Core keeping him from sustaining permanent damage."

Lan Qiren is still bristling at the very thought of preemptive punishment. What a ridiculous notion! Of course, the child doesn't care about rules and upsetting people! He has already been punished enough to excuse everything but outright treason.  

How is such a method effective? How does it correct a child's misbehavior? 

"The Jiang Sect disciples are accustomed to their da-shixiong being punished in their stead. They actively encourage it. Jiang Wanyin has asked Wei-gongzi to sneak in alcohol. And he refused to come forward when Wei-gongzi was punished." Xichen takes a deep breath, "I believe any lingering issues he may have because of his early days as a street orphan-"

"Are ignored," Lan Qiren concludes grimly, "It is no wonder the child has such strong cultivation. He is facing strife constantly."

"Is there a way to rescue him?" Wangji asks after being grimly silent for the entire meeting, "Get him away from the Jiang Sect?"

Lan Qiren eyes him, "Wangji, the situation is complicated. He's still the Jiang Head Disciple and sects don't just part with their high ranking disciples."

Xichen smiles sympathetically, "We'll find a way to pressure Jiang-zongzhu into taking action. He'll lose face if the other Sects know how his lady is treating their Head Disciple." He shakes his head at Wangji's expression, "Let us think about it. Meanwhile, you just need to be there for your friend, Wangji."

Lan Qiren arches a brow, "Friend? Wangji, I thought you disliked the boy."

Wangji purses his lips, a stubborn light entering his eyes, "Wei Ying is my friend." He insists, resolve lining his every word. 

He looks at Xichen, who just looked amused, "According to Wei-gongzi, he considers Wangji a friend and will be very concerned if Wangji was in a similar situation," He huffs, "But Wangji doesn't consider Wei-gongzi his friend, so there's no need for Wangji to worry."

Lan Qiren closes his eyes and rubs his forehead in an uncharacteristic display of frustration, "That boy is a singular menace."

---

Wangji pursues friendship with all the dedication in his being. He learns to cook savory dishes and gives them to Wei Ying every day. Wei Ying, unable and utterly unwilling to deny, eats it all. 

He glares the Jiang disciples into submission whenever they attempt to draw Wei Ying into mischief. The Jiang Head Disciple is fully exempt from corporal punishment. Instead, he spends hours in the library either copying rules, rewriting classics, or transcribing Buddhist texts. 

All of these activities prove to be much more effective punishments.

Meanwhile, Lan Qiren attends a Discussion Conference and has word with Jiang Fengmian. 

The response is a gentle order from the Jiang-zongzhu for Wei Ying. He asks his disciple to remain in Cloud Recesses for Musical Cultivation training. He also mentions it is time for Jiang Wanyin to take up Head Disciple responsibilities and learn true leadership. 

Wei Ying eyes the smiling Lan Xichen and impassive Lan Qiren sharply but doesn't say anything.

In two years time, the distance between Wei Ying and the Jiang Sect grows. The distance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan ceases to exist. 

Just like that, Wei Wuxian's destiny changes.

[robininthelabyrinth]

lwj never really forgives his family's involvement in the siege, how does this manifest during the thirteen years?

If it had only been the pain in his back, the agony of punishment and icy chill of his family’s disappointment, Lan Wangji might have put it aside; he was accustomed to matters of discipline, and had known what he was likely bringing down on his own head when he had done what he did.

He knew his family loved him and only wanted the best for him, even if –

Even if.

But when Lan Wangji ran away from the jingshi to look for himself, finding only a small child, feverish but still capable of a little bit of babbling, still able to tell the story of what had happened – when he found the traces of blood on the ground, Wei Wuxian’s from when his power had backlashed on him – when he saw the bodies in the blood pool, already rotting –

They had kept this from him.

They had kept this from him on purpose.

They had all known.

For the first time in his life, Lan Wangji didn’t want to go home.

He knew he didn’t have a choice, of course. He had nowhere else to go, and the boy’s fever needed to be treated – but he didn’t want to go home.

“Is he all right?” a voice asked from behind him.

Lan Wangji turned, surprised: it was Jiang Cheng, who might very well rank at the top of people he didn’t want to see right now. He had led the siege against Wei Wuxian –

He looked awful.

Eyes full of broken blood vessels, with deep circles beneath them; skin sallow, even grey, as if he’d been stabbed and allowed to bleed out dry. He looked as though he was very nearly a corpse himself.

Jiang Cheng scowled when Lan Wangji didn’t respond.

“Is the boy all right, Hanguang-jun?” he asked, his voice raspy and harsh. “Is he – is he…”

His voice cracked.

“He lives, but he has a fever,” Lan Wangji said, ignoring the steadily increasing pain on his back. He had not been well when he’d escaped from the jingshi, not well at all; the doctors had estimated at least a year to recover, if he didn’t do anything to strain himself – after this outing, it would likely be three. The discipline whip was not kind. “Why do you care? Didn’t you execute the others?”

Jiang Cheng laughed, voice suddenly spiking into something high and horrible, and Lan Wangji abruptly became aware that Jiang Cheng was also, politely speaking, not well. No discipline whip for him, no, but something had gone wrong in the man’s brain – Lan Wangji might almost suspect a qi deviation, if only he hadn’t lived through a war.

If he hadn’t seen what grief could do to a man. How it could hollow them out while they still lived.

“I didn’t,” Jiang Cheng choked. “I didn’t – I told my people to gather them up, to take them back, we were going to interrogate them…at the time it happened, I was – not there.”

“Not there?”

“A coma, apparently,” Jiang Cheng admitted. “Not especially heroic, but then they do leave it out of all the stories: the great Jiang Wanyin, who took up arms against his own shixiong, then swooned like a blushing bride at the sight of – at the sight of –”

“The body.”

Jiang Cheng covered his eyes, shoulder shaking. “There wasn’t one left.”

Lan Wangji shuddered.

“Nothing to put in the memorial hall at home,” Jiang Cheng said. “Even his personal items, they fought over them like dogs, like they were trophies – someone stole Suibian, you know? I only managed to keep Chenqing because I fell on it. It rolled over to me. It was still –” He wavered, then laughed again, very nearly crossing the line between merely hysterical and actually insane. “I had to clean it.”

Lan Wangji had wished he had been there, at the siege, thinking that if he couldn’t save Wei Ying, he could at least die by his side, in his defense. He thought now, for the first time, that perhaps he was glad he wasn’t.

“Did you mean to kill him?” he asked, and Jiang Cheng shook his head mutely. “You led the armies so that you would have first rights to the spoils. To the prisoners.”

To one prisoner in particular.

“Nie Mingjue would have backed me,” Jiang Cheng admitted. “He obeys the rules of war – the largest faction leads, the leader claims the first prize. He didn’t want to be there, but I needed someone to support my claim to be the leader, I threw all those dead Nie cultivators at the Burial Mounds at him until he agreed…he cursed Sect Leader Jin to his face when he found out what they’d done with the rest of the Wens. I wish I’d done the same.”

“Your sect –”

“I wish I had done the same,” Jiang Cheng said, and there were tears dripping down his face. He didn’t notice them, didn’t bother to wipe them away; he had clearly become accustomed to the feeling. “At least then Wei Wuxian would be less burdened. He’s dead, you know.”

Lan Wangji knew.

“I think he must have died a long time ago, and I just never noticed,” Jiang Cheng said. “I was too blinded by my anger, by wanting to kill the Wens. I ignored it all. My shixiong died long ago, and in his place there was another person, the one who did all those things – I never understood why he did it, any of it. He once swore to me that he’d stay by my side, help me rebuild the sect, and then he turned his face away from me and never told me why, acted as if we were strangers, as if I meant nothing to him…and yet, when we were alone, he still talked as if he were the Wei Wuxian I knew.”

He shuddered, shaking hands reaching out to clutch at his sides as if he were suddenly cold.

“It never made any sense,” he mumbled, and maybe he really had lost his mind. “He said he’d stay by my side, but he didn’t; he said he wanted to do the right thing, but he – he killed all those people. So many people. He killed jiejie. He widowed her, then killed her, and – I don’t see how that’s doing the right thing. That couldn’t have been him, could it? Could Wei Wuxian, my Wei Wuxian, really have done all that?”

Lan Wangji didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to help – there was nothing he could do to help.

The only person who could help Jiang Cheng was already dead.

Thinking that, Lan Wangji decided to take his leave, but the barest hint of movement sent an abrupt spike of agony though his back, making him stagger; he had been standing too long, and movement was now a problem. He had promised himself he would only come for a moment, just long enough to see with his own eyes what had happened, and then he’d return – and then he’d found little A-Yuan, he’d known his time to stay was running out, he’d meant to leave, but then there was Jiang Cheng –

“Hanguang-jun? Hanguang-jun! Lan Wangji!”

The world went black before his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw – some incredibly ugly drawings, etched into a wooden bed frame as if with a blunted dagger. He had never before seen anything quite so immediately repulsive to every aesthetic sense he possessed and yet somehow still oddly charming.

“You’re awake, then?”

Lan Wangji turned his head.

Jiang Cheng did not look noticeably better, though he had at least changed clothing; he was drinking a cup of tea with calming herbs, the uncontrollable tremor in his hand sloshing the liquid inside.

They were at the Lotus Pier.

“You brought me back?” Lan Wangji asked.

“The boy wasn’t the only one with a fever,” Jiang Cheng said. “Thirty three lashes with the discipline whip, and you went into a place as rotten as the Burial Mounds – you were almost asking to get sick.”

Lan Wangji could feel that his back had been well-bandaged, well-cared for – Jiang Cheng must have called a doctor. People would know, then, what he had done and what had been done to him in return - his reputation would be ruined, his family’s attempt to save face by claiming that he’d retreated into seclusion would be exposed for the lie it was.

He wished he was petty enough to be bitterly pleased by the thought, but all he felt was sick.

“No one will know if you don’t want them to,” Jiang Cheng said, almost as if he could hear Lan Wangji’s internal debate – he couldn’t, of course. Jiang Cheng was no Lan Xichen: he couldn’t read Lan Wangji’s expressions at all. “My Jiang sect’s Doctor Qin might as well be mute, for all he talks; he’s never said anything to anyone about anything other than medicine in the entire time I’ve known him. But he did say you shouldn’t be moved. For – a while. A long while.”

Lan Wangji wasn’t surprised; that was about what he’d resigned himself to expect. “When will my family come to pick me up?”

Jiang Cheng snorted. “The doctor didn’t say anything about you being deaf. Didn’t you hear me? You can’t be moved. You’re not going anywhere.”

Lan Wangji stared.

“No one uses this room, anyway,” Jiang Cheng continued, purposefully ignoring Lan Wangji’s incredulous gaze. “It’s off-limits to everyone, for good – sealed off. Might as well put you here, where I can keep an eye on you and make sure you’re not getting into trouble; I’m just across the hall.”

Across the hall –

The ugly drawings, the style suddenly breathlessly and painfully familiar.

This had been Wei Wuxian’s room.

Jiang Cheng wanted him to stay here, at the Lotus Pier, in Wei Wuxian’s room.

He shouldn’t, of course. His duty was clear: he should return home.

Lan Wangji thought about returning home – to the cold and empty jingshi, where there was nothing left that reminded him of his mother but his memories; to his uncle who loved him but did not trust him, who had helped kill the one he loved; to his brother who had all but lied directly to his face about it.

He thought about not having to return.

His fingers relaxed. He hadn’t even realized they were tense.

“How is the boy?” he asked, and some of the tension in Jiang Cheng’s shoulders released; he had been afraid that he would refuse and insist on leaving at once, Lan Wangji surmised. For some reason, Jiang Cheng wanted him to stay.

Lan Wangji thought he might know why. They had spent all those months searching together, side-by-side, those months when Wei Wuxian had disappeared – thrown into the Burial Mounds, though they didn’t know it at the time. Being side-by-side with Jiang Cheng again felt almost like being back then.

When they still had hope of finding him.

“He’s fine,” Jiang Cheng said, then frowned. “Depending on your definition of fine, anyway. He’d had a very high fever for a long time – by the time I got you both back here, he’d fallen unconscious; the doctor says he’s lost his memory.”

Lan Wangji thought about the things the boy had babbled about, the stories he’d told of the last moments of his family, the things he’d seen…“Good,” he said. “Better that way.”

“Never use two words when one will do, do you?” Jiang Cheng grumbled in a tone that had faint ambitions of sounding disgusted. “I guess I’ll just have to adjust to that…I’ve told my people that he’s yours, you know.”

Lan Wangji blinked. “Mine?”

“I couldn’t tell them he was surnamed Wen, could I? So it’s Lan Yuan, at least for now. Up to you if you’d prefer to keep your reputation intact by saying he’s a cousin, but it’d be easier if you claimed him as your own – that way no one could separate you. You visited Yunmeng during the war, I could say the mother was someone here. It wouldn’t be hard.”

Lan Wangji’s first instinct was to protest – A-Yuan was Wei Ying’s son, if anybody’s, not his own – but…no. The boy could not live at the Lotus Pier with the surname Wei.

Lan Yuan. It wasn’t a bad name.

He nodded his assent, and Jiang Cheng finished his tea in a single grim-faced swallow, standing up.

“I don’t suppose you told your family where you were going, did you?” he asked, and looked bitterly amused when Lan Wangji shook his head. “I figured as much. No one saw me bring you in, and no one ever comes here; the only ones allowed in the family quarters are my people, through and through. Unless anyone asks, I’m not answering. Let your family worry for a while; it’ll do them some good. You’re the best they have – they shouldn’t take you for granted.”

Lan Wangji wasn’t the sort of person who knew how to be pleased at other people’s misery, the type to be warmed inside by the spite of you hurt me now I’ll hurt you.

It was fine, though. Jiang Cheng would do it for him.

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji said, and didn’t say anything about telling his family where he’d gone. Jiang Cheng’s lips twitched in a smirk for a second. “Can you pass me the pouch I had with me?”

Jiang Cheng huffed and passed it to him. “You can’t play that thing all day and night,” he warned when Lan Wangji pulled out his guqin. “I’m just across the hall, remember?”

Lan Wangji nodded.

“And…”

“I will wait until you have returned before playing Inquiry.”

“Like I even want to talk to him,” Jiang Cheng muttered under his breath, but he didn’t deny that that had been what he had been on the verge of requesting. “It’s just a nice tune, that’s all. Catchy.”

No one had ever described Inquiry as ‘catchy’ before, and Lan Wangji suspected no one ever would again.

“The boy’s still sleeping, but I’ll bring him here when he wakes,” Jiang Cheng said, changing the subject. “I’m hoping to bring Jin Ling here, once in a while – I think Sect Leader Jin will agree if I hint strongly enough that I’ll consider leaving my sect to him if he lets me. I don’t really know how to deal with babies, though.”

“We will figure it out,” Lan Wangji said, and allowed his (totally unjustified) confidence to sooth Jiang Cheng’s ruffled feathers. It wouldn’t be that easy, of course – Jiang Cheng was still walking the tightrope on the verge of insanity, Lan Wangji was nearly crippled, and his family would be frantic once they realized he wasn’t coming home. Staying here was a stupid idea. Stupid, and spiteful.

It felt good.

[neverdoingmuch]

Wait cql lawyer/law school AU

i got you my pal dont worry!!

law school, im gonna be honest and say i know like nothing about law or law school so pls ignore any inconsistencies or inaccuracies

lwj goes to law school and he is definitely the top student in his class. they’ve been there for like a month and everyone already knows he’s gonna be the best

his one and only competition is this dude called wei wuxian but lwj isn’t particularly worried about him

so far they’re still in the stage of the course where they do the fun things to sucker people into doing the class for the semester so there’s been some practise debates and arguments and stuff in their tutorial classes

wei wuxian has that Charisma and like yeah all of his arguments are perfect but also he has an amazing smile and people are like yes i can trust him 

(he’s definitely the sort to be like hm, the easy way to argue this case would be to quote some laws and use precedence to justify this but that’s boring)

lwj is also good at that sort of stuff because his arguments are perfect and everything is so perfectly researched that there should be no ground at all for someone to lodge a counterargument

(wei wuxian manages somehow and it makes lwj so mad)

but that’s whatever lwj thinks,, a lot of people join law thinking it’s gonna be like the tv shows and books and then get completely blindsided when it comes to the rote learning part or like the actual laws 

and for all of wwx’s confidence, lwj hasn’t actually seen wwx so much as touch the textbook/s and he always studies in the law library so he knows that wwx has probably never even been there bc he hasn’t seen him even once (why’s he looking? bc he needs to see which books wwx uses to study,, bc there has to be something going on there,, obviously)

then they do their first like proper written assignment and lwj and wwx tie for the highest scores and now lwj has a Rival and he refuses to lose to someone who thinks that putting a ‘-us’ sound at the end of a word makes it latin (did wwx say habeas corpus and then point at a soft drink and go  sprite-us can-us,,, maybe,,,,)

anyway! lwj and wwx are kinda rivals for the top spot and it’s one of those situations where one test lwj wins by a point but then the next test wwx gets full marks and they just keep exchanging the top spot in class

and this whole time wwx is like The Worst to have in class. he’s always interrupting to ask questions or just straight up not listening and spends the class doodling pictures of rabbits (they’re cute but wwx is terrible and he’s not allowed to make cute drawings)

so after a few months the most horrible thing happens.... they get put together in a project and lwj is like ugh. internally of course but his face is also saying ugh

the first time wwx and lwj get together to work on the project, lwj is prepared with a proper list of tasks to do all nicely split up between the two of them and a schedule for when they should get certain parts done by. 

needless to say, lwj does not expect wwx to be ready, but wwx is definitely on top of things

he rocks up and is like yeah let’s do this, this and this and have them done by this time - basically proposing to do everything that lwj has already written down

and lwj is pleasantly surprised and is like hm maybe i misjudged wwx and decides to like re-evaluate his opinion on him

in doing so he realises that when he’d never seen wwx studying, it wasn’t an exaggeration at all. he’s never seen wwx so much as touch a textbook or spend more than a minute on a laptop doing something that wasn’t minesweeper or solitaire

but wwx is also making all of their deadlines and even adds extra information and resources to their document that could be useful elsewhere and sometimes he shows up to their study sessions and he looks absolutely exhausted

eventually lwj manages to get the truth out and wwx is just like yeah it’s easier to get worse grades than a genius but if you both study and you still get lower grades, it’s not easy,, for jc or for me

so wwx usually studies at night when his brother is asleep and lwj is like that’s bad, you can’t keep that up and just when wwx is about to go off at him lwj is like you can come study at my place

and thus begins the wonderful time where everything is alright and lwj falls in love with wwx

they work really well together and wwx is strangely considerate and nice? when he finds out lwj likes rabbits, he goes out and buys bunny post-it notes for lwj and starts to always bring him a doodle of bunnies every time he comes over. he always gets his work done on time, early even, and his work is always so brilliant and every time wwx smiles at him, lwj feels warm inside etc etc

for a long while lwj is like yes (: this is friendship (: bc he’s never had a crush before but then on the day they submit their project wwx is like hey,, the two of us make a great team,, we should always work together,, now and next year and even when we graduate,, i want to help the innocent people who need our help and i think i’d like it a lot if you joined me and lwj has his oh moment

they get a perfect score on the project of course and even after it finishes, wwx keeps coming over to lwj’s place to study or just hang out and lwj is just falling more and more for wwx each day

they’re best friends now and everyone gets used to seeing them work together on projects and then turn around to try and decimate each other when they’re working one on one and lwj thinks that he might just be the happiest he’s ever been

but then one day wwx doesn’t show up to class. it shouldn’t be strange but wwx has never missed class even once and he ends up hearing from lxc who heard from jgy that wwx was caught sabotaging some other student’s work (the other student was jzxun, who had a fondness for playing devil’s advocate and other than wwx once telling him that his argument was shit, wwx never spoke to him or seemed to know who he was but lwj is a bit too angry to remember that)

he manages to find wwx outside of his dorms as he’s moving out and he’s just like why did you do that? and wwx is like oh y’know,, bc he’s not really sure what’s happening himself,, one second he was at the top of his class and the next he was being brought before a board and being told that he was being expelled but he’s not going to tell lwj that bc lwj would definitely try and stand up for him and then they’d both get expelled

but lwj is furious and just spits out well if our dreams meant so little to you then maybe it’s a good thing you failed now,, bc his mother was a lawyer who took all these little jobs that helped people who actually needed the help and lwj was looking forward to doing that with wwx and he doesn’t even seem to care that now they can’t do that 

wwx flinches and then smiles at him and just cheerily says, that’s me and leaves. he doesn’t look back and lwj doesn’t chase after him.

lwj doesn’t see him again for years (you can do 13 or 5 or however long you feel like)

lwj is a fully licensed lawyer and he’s working for the family company and he spends half of his time working on cases and uses the rest of his time to do like outreach programs where he goes and visits schools and runs sessions on what it’s like to be a lawyer, how to apply, and to provide assistance to any students who decide to study law at uni

and then at one of these programs he meets this kid, wen yuan, who is ridiculously bright and enthusiastic and has a smile that seems oddly familiar

at the end of the second session he comes up to lwj and is like mr. lan, is your name lan wangji? and lwj just says yes, expecting the kid to be a fan of one of his cases or something but then wen yuan is like oh wow! i thought i recognised you from my dad’s photo!

and lwj isn’t expecting much but he asks what the photo looks like and wen yuan pulls out this photo from his pocket and lwj immediately recognises it,, it’s the only photo he has of him and wwx

your father is wei ying? lwj asks him and wen yuan is like yes, hesitates, and then asks, would you like to see him?

and that’s how lwj finds himself following wen yuan to some dinky little office that has a plaque outside that reads wen and wei

(wen ning is the nicest and sweetest person ever and lots of people underestimate him but then he’s an absolute monster on court. he gets up and completely decimates the opponent and then at the end is like (: it was so nice to meet you!! i am baby!! and all that,, you know our boy)

anyway they walk in and wwx turns to greet wen yuan but then he sees lwj and is like woah! you! and he’s not sure whether to hide or go and hug lwj so he just gives him a fist bump,, like a bro,, and immediately wants to shrivel up and die

anyway they get the reunion stuff out of the way, swelling music, tender wrist holding, lots of staring, lwj silently declaring his wholehearted love for wwx and refusing to believe rumours about him again even though he doesn’t actually know what happened, you know how it goes

from wwx’s side of things,, after he got kicked out he went to some small uni. good in its own right but not known for their law program and ended up specialising in family law

the first case he ever won was for the wens to have the right to keep custody of a-yuan and the first case wen ning ever won was to let wwx adopt a-yuan bc i’m soft like that

so wwx has just been kinda vibing,, being a single dad, living with the wens and helping to make that difference he always promised he would

now this isn’t gonna be some au where lwj goes oh my! i must give up my high salary job and work with wwx! bc lwj has been doing good stuff at his current job and for all of his family’s stuffiness, they run a fair and just company 

but! he does end up helping wwx when wwx gets a letter with a bunch of information about the jins and how they’re actually super corrupt and evil (big surprise,,) and how wwx was maybe definitely framed bc he was doing some casual work on the side and stumbled across some bad shit on the jins back in uni

lwj ends up being the one to take the case officially but wwx is definitely the guy leading it and so lwj ends up spending most of his time at the wen-wei office

lwj definitely bonds with wen yuan, who also wants to go into law, and writes him recommendation letters and helps him edit his applications and stuff

(and one day wen yuan is like leaving you was the hardest thing dad ever did and i dont think you appreciated how much he cared about you. he really did think that he annoyed you ‘til the end and lwj is like no! he didn’t! and wen yuan is like yeah i know but you gotta tell him and lwj really does mean to but the time is never right or something like that but also wen yuan is all but calling lwj dad at this point)

anyway they end up going to court, side by side, working as a team just as they promised to do and just as they finish their final day on the case, ended with the jury ruling jgy guilty and wwx’s reputation all but saved, wwx turns around and flings himself at lwj

is he crying? is he laughing? a bit of both tbh but wwx ends up confessing right then and there, still on record and everything (is that how that works??? idk! let’s say it does)

and what can lwj do but make out with him?

did a news crew come in to film the results of this massive court case just to end up with five minutes of wangxian kissing?? maybe! but when it played on tv it meant wwx and lwj didnt have to actually tell anyone they got together

(and does lwj eventually pop the question using wwx’s bad latinification? yes and wwx is too busy laughing to accept at first but he does and they end up being the worst possible tutors for wen yuan as he goes through law school bc they keep being all gross and lovey-dovey and acting like law school is the most romantic place in the world)

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed Episode 06 (first part)

(Masterpost)(Episode 05)

Warning: This contains spoilers for All 50 Episodes

Bad Boys Bad Boys What You Gonna Do

Nie Huasang’s brought his nuts, and someone’s brought wine, so the boys are drinking in Wei Wuxian’s guest house. Finally he gets to drink some of the Emperor’s Smile wine that he’s been doing all those product placements for.

Boys, get a bowl or something for your shells, were you raised in a barn?

Wei Wuxian hits on waxes poetic about the wine, and Jiang Cheng tells him to shut up. 

Wang Zhuocheng’s raw-fish-eating face may have failed him, but his drunk faces do not disappoint.

Wei Wuxian teases Jiang Cheng about his list of standards for a chick: She should have natural beauty, be virtuous and caring, from a good family, not too talkative, with a gentle voice, and not too capable. Also she should not spend too much money. Drunken running ensues.

Cue Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin

(more behind the cut)

Much of the fandom has decided this list is a good fit for Nie Huaisang himself, and it sorta is. But he is both talkative and unvirtuous, what with all the current sneakiness, and all the eventual murders. 

This also definitely doesn't fit Wen Qing because she's capable as hell.  

This list is, however, a 100% a match for Jiang Yanli. Not in a weird, Jin Guangyao way--a lot of men want to marry a woman like their sister.  In a gender-divided and generation-divided society, a man’s sister might be the only woman he’s ever known well. Jiang Cheng adores Yanli and she’s his ideal model of a woman, as opposed to his mother, who...isnt.  

All these robes and talismans over the door do nothing to stop Lan Wangji from strolling in.  

Okay so - Lan Wangji is the senior disciple of the Lan Clan, yea? There is no way that patrolling the guest area is in any way his job. He is just walking around here at night specifically to see what Wei Wuxian is doing.

I already did a gifpost of the boys and their totally nonsexual horseplay, over here. I’ll just add, for sad factor, that Jiang Cheng is play-choking Wei Wuxian when they’re all on the bed, and later in the running-and-crying episode he is gonna for-real choke him. Foreshadowing! or maybe just coincidence!

One fun thread running through the young-cultivators episodes is that Nie Huaisang is legit terrified of Lan Wangji while also having a major aesthetic crush on him. Look at how flustered he is here, trying to act sober while also checking him out. 

Lan Wangji is shocked and visibly upset - what are you guys doing? This is not his busting face, this is, for a moment, his vulnerable and disillusioned face. He is super not used to what normal people are like. 

Wei Wuxian doesn't lie or otherwise try to get off the hook, which has got to have Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang grinding their teeth in frustration. He invites Lan Wangji to join them for a drink. LWJ cites a the “no drinking on campus” rule and WWX tries to convince him to chill. 

Then we have this lovely coordinated faint by the boys, to get out of going to get punished. Nie Huaisang has been practicing fainting in front of a mirror just in case he ever needs a skill like that in the future. 

Wei Wuxian keeps trying to turn this into a date. Eventually Lan Wangji is so upset he admits he can’t take all three of them by himself. 

Then the boys run away fake-barfing and Wei Wuxian hits Lan Wangji with a talisman. 

Steal His Agency That’s What You’re Gonna Do

What Wei Wuxian does to Lan Wanji here is definitely wrong. But it's not entirely a disaster.  It allows some crucial information to be shared between them, and it results in Wei Wuxian getting the utter shit beat out of him and never doing this again. I mean, he continues to mind-control his enemies and their eventual corpses, but he doesn't intentionally violate a friend or ally's autonomy in the future. Uhh not counting that whole golden core surgery-without-consent situation. And probably some other situations I’ve forgotten. He improves slightly, okay? 

It’s important to note, incidentally, that the Lan rules about drinking and other “vices” should not be viewed through a Christian lens. The Lans are neither puritans nor ascetics (look at their clothes, furniture, and jewelry, for starters). Being drunk is forbidden probably because it’s a loss of self-control. 

Speaking of self-control, mad props to Wang Yibo for being able to have zero physical reaction to fingers snapping in his face.

Drunk Lan Wangji

Under duress, Lan Wangji knocks back a cup of wine and promptly passes most of the way out. 

Wei Wuxian puts Lan Wangji into bed not unkindly, but pretty much like a sack of potatoes. Compare this to how tenderly he handles Lan Wangji the next time he’s drunk. 

WWX tells LWJ to call him Wei Gege, and giggles. Is this a term of endearment in this context? So far the various boys are calling each other -xiong, not -ge or gege.  In Western media, men calling each other “bro” is basically saying “no homo,” but brotherhood and sisterhood in C-Drama is often a way of indicating stronger love than friendship, without saying whether it's sexual or not. 

They finally start to have a conversation, and when Lan Wangji explains that no-one can touch his headband except, etc etc, Wei Wuxian stops trying to touch it. So at least he's not a handsy bastard in addition to all his other faults. 

Wei Wuxian tells Lan Wangji that his clan is boring and women won't want to marry him. Lan Wangji says that's fine. On one level this is the show acknowledging that he's gay, but I think he's responding in a gender-neutral way; he doesn't want to marry anyone. Marriage, from his perspective, is the literal worst. 

We don't know how he felt about his father, but he definitely loved his mother deeply, and she had a profoundly unhappy marriage, in which her husband did not provide companionship and her children were taken from her.

A note about all that: The dynamics of heterosexual marriages in The Untamed are not based on contemporary companionate marriage. Sex and reproduction is a wife's job in this world, and giving a gentry woman the option to choose her husband is radical. Wei Wuxian is the only one who dares say that Jiang Yanli should have a choice when Jin Guangshan casually tries to give her to his son in front of everyone.  

OP made this today but will totally reuse it when episode 23 rolls around

So Lan Wangji’s parents' marriage was extremely problematic but not necessarily for the reasons it would be in contemporary terms. Having signed on to marry Lan Dad, Mom would have expected to live together and get laid regularly (important for health, in some traditional views, regardless of love/no love) and to have the company of her children. Instead, she was isolated. Lan Dad wanted to have it both ways and so even though he loved her and apparently hooked up with her sometimes, he didn't do his duty by her. She didn't love him but she did her duty. 

Wei Wuxian continues to not get it, calling Lan Wangji dull and babbling about Lan Wangji’s parents until he realizes that LWJ is an orphan like him. 

A nice shift happens here. Once the penny drops, Wei Wuxian doesn't ask a single additional question - he just sees - by reading Lan Wangji’s face - what the deal is, and shares his own story to show he understands. 

This is the first time Wei Wuxian mentions being chased by dogs, which is kind of a big deal, because why was he left all alone when his parents died? 

Why didn't anyone take him in before Jiang Fengmian found him? How isolated are independent cultivators in this world? 

Tea Time

Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen are having tea, and the Lan Clan is so uptight they don't touch each other's teacups. I don't know what this thing is called so I'm going to call it a tea speculum. 

Lan Qiren is back from the cultivation conference and says the red crack plague is happening over in Qinghe where the Nie clan lives.  Lan Xichen fills him in on the water demon, specifically saying Wei Wuxian figured out the connection to the red crack dudes, and explaining who WWX is, as if Lan QIren hadn't already thrown stuff at him and threatened to eventually kill him. 

Fun fact that I just noticed this week so didn't make it into earlier posts: In Episode 46, when Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are in the Jiang ancestral hall, WWX says he was often punished to kneel there, and LWJ said that they heard about this in Gusu.  

So when WWX came to Gusu he already had a reputation as a troublemaker, and the Lan brothers were aware of it.   

Busted and Beaten

A Lan snitch comes in to say that Wei Wuxian has successfully corrupted Lan Wangji, which really shouldn’t cause as much surprise as it does.

“Wei Wuxian got drunk”

“Lan Wangji got drunk”

Lan Xichen takes a moment to consider carefully whether Wei Wuxian is a good friend for his little brother and whether perhaps he was too hasty in throwing them together. Ha ha ha no he doesn’t. 

On the punishment porch, Lan Xichen tries to lecture Lan Wangji in a calm way, but Lan Qiren wants to beat him and Lan Wangji wants to get beat. Wei Wuxian can’t understand why Lan Wangji doesn’t let him take the blame for the drinking. 

Lan Qiren goes way the fuck overboard with this punishment because he's angry--losing control and losing his sense of proportion--and Lan Xichen is shocked. The drone camera watching from above is also shocked.  

Lan Qiren has a few (very few) redeeming qualities, but his extreme rigidity and chronic resentment of anyone he perceives as bad are serious problems. His nephews are both struggling with complex moral quandaries as they get older, and he is absolutely no help to them in resolving their conflicts.

This is definitely...a style of parenting & teaching, but you can see how poorly it works, with Lan Wangji straight up saying “fuck it” after many years of conformity.  Lan Xichen is devoted to the middle path and tries to be obedient. But he is actually not walking anywhere near the middle path, as he gets pulled into colluding with a murderer at the same time as getting dragged onto his brother’s carnival ride. These men need parenting that isn’t so, uh, fucking stupid. (Yes, grown adults still need good parenting; watch Go Ahead if you doubt me) 

Wei Wuxian initially yells and falls down when he gets hit, but then he sees Lan Wangji is taking the beating without any reaction and he tries to do the same. 

Aftermath

Jiang Yanli gently lectures the boys, blaming Jiang Cheng for Wei Wuxian's drinking.  Jesus Christ, he's the younger sibling, could you just NOT, Yanli?  

Both boys ask Yanli not to tell their parents. The boys bicker about who's at fault and then Wei Wuxian shifts to baby voice and starts whining to Yanli about the pain. 

Yanli tells him to suck it up, and says after school she'll -- ok and I know this will be a surprise for everyone -- make soup for them. The boys immediately get back on the same team, which is team Please Put Meat In the Soup.

There's a nice character building moment for Wei Wuxian here. When he sees Lan Xichen he initially turns away to avoid running into him, but then he adults-up and goes to face him and greet him, giving him a half of a bow because of the pain, the pain. Rather than complaining about his punishment he meekly asks if he's broken another rule. 

Lan Xichen tells him that he did wrong but that Lan Qiren’s punishment was too harsh, and then in what is one of my favorite Lan Xichen moments, invites Wei Wuxian to use the cold spring to heal, but doesn't invite Jiang Cheng to go with him even though Jiang Cheng also was beaten. Lan Xichen, Matchmaker Auntie Extraordinaire. 

Then he answers Wei Wuxian’s question about his mom by saying she was just like Wei Wuxian and drove Lan Qiran up the wall. Jiang Cheng's reaction to that is really sweet. He does enjoy Wei Wuxian at the same time as being constantly irritated by him. 

Lan Xichen does his patented “breaking off in the middle of saying something and leaving out a chunk of the story” maneuver, although this time he doesn't include a flute solo. 

OP is mildly obsessed with Xuan Lu’s shoulders in this outfit. Also Yanli has an interesting sword, that's got some wood carving similar to Subian, but without the organic look, which OP only noticed because of screen capping Xuan Lu’s shoulders.  

Club Ruohan

Wen Qing continues to be pretty and slightly evil at this stage, sending magic fire notes to her boss using this talisman that is definitely floating in the air and not just hanging from a string. 

Wen Ruohan is in the mosh pit with his zombie groupies while he reads Wen Qing’s extremely vague status update and says "it all makes sense." 

Reach out and touch faith

Soundtrack

Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode

Writing Prompt

How did Wei Wuxian’s parents die?

Admin Notes

I’m going to start spacing out my “first part” and “second part” posts by a few days.  I’ll update this post to link up the second part once I post it, and my masterpost is always up to date. 

Also: if you want more of my original content but don’t want to follow my whole blog (not following is fine!), I keep a pinboard of fun stuff at the top of my blog. I try to post original content at least once a week.

Continued in the second part later this week!

[sarah-yyy]

i love your writing so much!!! i was just thinking for rp verse: does lwj know about wwx getting in trouble with madam yu every time lwj said he didn't want to marry wwx in the past? you mentioned waaay at the beginning that wwx gets in trouble, but like... how much trouble? is madam yu just chewing him out or is it angstier than that?? i figure lwj doesn't know since while he's kinda dumb he's not intentionally ~cruel~ but that then raises the question, does he/how does he find out??

“Er-dianxia,” Luo Qingyang says, coming into his study, “Jiang-fu has sent a messenger to say that Wei-gongzi will not be coming to the palace today. Wei-gongzi sends his apologies.”

Lan Wangji looks up from his reading at that. “Oh?” he asks. 

It’s not often that outsiders are granted access to the inner palace, and rarer still that Lan Wangji takes visitors, but the council of elders had ordered the monthly meetings between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, and Lan Wangji would not have been able to protest without offending the elders and the Jiang family. 

It is surprising for Wei Wuxian to miss their monthly meetings. He arrives on time every single month, cheery smile on his face, and never leaves early, no matter how much Lan Wangji ignores him.

The elders say they must meet; they do not say Lan Wangji must speak to him. 

It should come as a relief that Wei Wuxian has chosen not to come today. Lan Wangji has other things to do, better things to do, than to be wasting his time with Wei Wuxian.  

He tries to turn back to his reading, but Wei Wuxian’s absence is as discomforting as his presence is distracting. Lan Wangji hates that he finds it hard to maintain his usual composure when it comes to Wei Wuxian.

“Did the messenger say why?” Lan Wangji asks, and Luo Qingyang shakes her head. 

Lan Wangji should just leave it. He should be enjoying the reprieve Wei Wuxian has given him by not showing up, but...

It will be another month before Lan Wangji sees him again, and for some reason, the thought makes his heart constrict painfully. 

He briefly considers summoning an imperial physician.

“I got the feeling that Wei-gongzi was unwell,” Luo Qingyang offers. “The messenger looked uncomfortable when I asked.” 

Lan Wangji rises from his seat. “Have the servants prepare a carriage,” he tells her simply, and resolutely doesn’t comment on the smile that blooms on her face.

-

The servants at Jiang-fu don’t outright turn him away, but it is a near thing. 

“Do you know who he is?” Luo Qingyang demands angrily by his side. 

“This humble servant apologises to er-dianxia,” the servant says. “Yu-furen said before she left that da-gongzi was not to be allowed visitors during his punishm-” He cuts himself off abruptly, quickly realising that he’s said the wrong thing when Lan Wangji frowns. 

“Punishment?” Lan Wangji echoes. 

He feels a chill down his spine. Yu Ziyuan is not known for her leniency, and it’s not a secret that she holds Wei Wuxian in contempt. 

The servant drops to his knees. “Er-dianxia.” 

“I must see him today,” Lan Wangji says firmly. He takes a step past the kneeling servant. “It is the seventh day of the month. It is my right to see Wei Wuxian today. If you do not let me in, I will...” 

“Make a scene,” Luo Qingyang mouths at him.

Lan Wangji nods. “I will make a scene.” 

“I would pay money to see that,” Jiang Wanyin says loudly. He bows when he sees Lan Wangji, scowling. He is always scowling, just as Wei Wuxian is always smiling. “Er-dianxia.”

“Where is Wei Wuxian?” Lan Wangji asks. 

“What is it to you?” Jiang Wanyin asks snidely. He sounds angry, but Lan Wangji does not pay it much mind, because when does Jiang Wanyin not sound angry? “It’s not like you care very much about him anyway.”

Lan Wangji doesn’t bother to reply, just squares his jaw, and asks again, “Where is Wei Wuxian?”

“Asleep,” Jiang Wanyin says. And then, much softer, “Healing.” 

Lan Wangji’s heart skips a beat. “He is hurt? How did he get hurt?” 

The servant had said punishment. 

“He was disciplined,” Jiang Wanyin says simply.

“How?” Lan Wangji asks. 

Jiang Wanyin looks away. “Whip.” 

Lan Wangji feels fury curl deep in his stomach. He turns to Luo Qingyang, and says, “Send for an imperial physician.”

“That is not necessary,” Jiang Wanyin tells him. “A physician has been by. He will heal in a day or two.” 

Lan Wangji doesn’t know if Jiang Wanyin’s words are meant to reassure him, but it has the opposite effect. Jiang Wanyin looks at ease enough that it’s not hard to gather that this is not the first time that it’s happened. The thought of Yu Ziyuan whipping Wei Wuxian, of her inflicting blows strongly enough that Wei Wuxian requires medical attention...

“Why?” he growls. 

“Domestic discipline,” Jiang Wanyin says. He juts his chin out, as if daring Lan Wangji to question him, to question Yu Ziyuan’s authority in the Jiang household. 

“And what rule did Wei Wuxian break that would call for a whipping?” Lan Wangji asks. He clenches his fists to stop the tremble in his hands. 

“You are overstepping, er-dianxia,” Jiang Wanyin says mildly. “Wei Wuxian is a member of the Jiang household.”

He is not wrong - it is Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan’s right to discipline a member of their family. Just as a nation has its laws, every family must have its own rules. 

Lan Wangji knows this. He knows this, and he understands this, but it does not stop the fierce surge of protective instinct in him. 

He says, “He is my betrothed.”

Jiang Wanyin snorts. “And he can be your problem once you marry him,” he says. 

Jiang Wanyin’s logic and reasoning are sound. Lan Wangji has no right to call for Yu Ziyuan to be lenient on him. Wei Wuxian is not his. 

“I want to see him,” Lan Wangji tells Jiang Wanyin. 

“I told you he’s asleep,” Jiang Wanyin says. 

“I must reassure myself that his injuries are tended to,” Lan Wangji says. His tone brooks no room for discussion. “I will not leave otherwise.” 

A complicated expression passes through Jiang Wanyin’s face. “Fine,” he says eventually. “But you must be quick, and be seen by as few servants as possible. Mother will whip me and a-jie next if she found out that we not only got him a physician, but also let you see him like this.”

Lan Wangji grabs at Jiang Wanyin’s elbow just as he turns away. “You must let me know if this ever happens again.” 

Jiang Wanyin looks over his shoulder. “And what good would that do?” 

“Before, then,” Lan Wangji says. “If he gets into trouble, let me know before Yu-furen disciplines him. I will request that he spends some time in the palace.” 

The frown on Jiang Wanyin’s face softens just a tad. “Mn,” he agrees, and then leads Lan Wangji into the manor. 

*fu = 府 = manor

(buy me a kofi! // more rebuttable presumption)

[ouyangzizhensdad]

Correct me if I'm wrong but do we see in the novel during the archery competition in Qishan that LWJ is close with several members of his sect even if they remain unnamed? WwX pulls off LWJ's forehead ribbon and both LXV and several other Lans go over to comfort him before he leaves the competition. I just feel like some of the events are emphasized in CQL that show that LWJ wasn't a loner who only had LXC and WWX.

Hi Anon, 

I’m going to assume this is an out-of-the-blue ask because I can’t seem to figure out which post of mine you were responding to otherwise. 

I am not certain I can recall which events in CQL that you are referring to, but if necessary you can always specify later.

As for what is in the novel, it is indeed suggested that LWJ leads a lonesome life as a youth. He’s Lan Qiren’s proudest discipline, a prodigy of peerless beauty and manners, already far along in his cultivation studies and tasked with responsibilities that demonstrate his position within his sect (in charge of discipline, on top of doing night patrol) He’s revered, respected and feared by disciples of his generation, within and outside of his sect. 

Nie Huaisang spoke, “Wei-xiong, listen to a sincere advice of mine. [...] On this trip to Gusu, remember that there’s one person whom you shouldn’t provoke.”

“Who? Lan Qiren?”

“Not that old man,” replied Nie Huaisang. “The one you need to be careful of is his proudest disciple; Lan Zhan.”

Wei Wuxian spoke, “Gusu Shuangbi’s (姑苏双璧) Lan Zhan? Lan Wangji?”

The respectable title of Gusu Shuangbi had been bestowed upon the two sons of GusuLanShi’s current sect leader—Lan Huan and Lan Zhan. From the time they were barely out of childhood, they had been deemed by the elders of every sect as exemplary models against which to compare their own disciples. They were exceptionally famous among the juniors, it was as such only natural that anybody would recognize their names. 

“What other Lan Zhan is there?” spoke Nie Huaisang. “Yes, the one. My, he’s the same age as you and I, but he has none of the energy of a teen. He’s stiff and strict, even worse than his uncle.”

[...]

“You’re gonna die, Wei-xiong! Lan Zhan has never been at such a loss before. He’s probably after you. You should be careful. Lan Zhan will not be attending classes with us, but he’s in charge of punishments!”

Wei Wuxian was not frightened at all, waving his hand.

“What’s there to be scared of? Doesn’t everyone say that Lan Zhan is a prodigy? If he’s been accomplished from an early age, he’s probably done learning under his shufu and busy doing secluded meditation all the time.  How would he ever have time to come after me? I…”

From a characterisation standpoint, LWJ’s speech patterns also offer an interesting insight. While it makes him seem distinguished and well-learned, his erudite way of speaking frames him as someone who’s spent more time in the company of books, not of his peers. LWJ is reserved and dedicated to his cultivation, to his clan/sect and to the common good (”going where the chaos is”). He has known loss at a young age, and he is not inclined to volunteering or expressing his needs and desires. Based on all of this, we get a sense that even if other disciples of his generation did not act differently around him out of fear or deferrence or jealousy, young LWJ would have had his attention focused elsewhere than on fostering amicable relationships with kids his age. 

Still during the Cloud Recesses arc, the dynamics set up by LWJ being a prodigy/respected figure amongst his generation is further illustrated through Su She and the water ghouls incident. Su She clearly idealises LWJ and aims to emulate him, but LWJ does not appear to have a close or personal relationship with him or any of the other Lan Sect disciples who came in support. 

WWX is, seemingly, the first person to treat and try to get close to LWJ as his equal, as a friend of the same generation. The fact that they stop using their courtesy names so early into their relationship, considering how formal LWJ manners are, is not insignificant. This does not preclude that LWJ has no interactions with other disciplines of his sect as a teenager, but these interactions are formal and seemingly impersonal. Actually, the disciples seem to have more of a parasocial relationship with LWJ than an actual relationship, which explains their scandalized expressions when WWX takes LWJ’s ribbon during the Archery competition and the way they are protective of him without being seemingly close to him. If we look closer at how the archery competition scene is written, while there are other disciples around, LWJ is not standing with or alongside them. He’s just focused on doing what he came to the competition to do (until WWX distracts/angers him too much). 

Wei Wuxian let go the moment he snatched it. The rest of the Lan Sect’s disciples ceased with their attacks as well, and everyone came over. Arm around his younger brother, Lan Xichen talked to the unspeaking Lan Wangji in a low voice. All of the others seemed similarly serious, as though they were facing a powerful enemy. They shook their heads as they spoke, glancing at Wei Wuxian with odd, indescribable looks on their faces.  Wei Wuxian only heard a few vague terms, such as “accident”, “calm down”, “no need to worry”, “a man”, “the sect rules”, and so on. He felt even more confused. After glowering at him one last time, Lan Wangji turned around and walked alone toward the outside of the range.

Aside from disciples of his general, we can infer that LWJ was a valued and cherished member of the clan and the sect by his Sect Elders, particularly those who went to retrieve him from the cave after Buyetian. It is not surprising that this is how the audio drama has chosen to represent the scene when they wrote a flashback for it (which does not appear in the novel). 

This does not mean LWJ is a loner who only has relationships with his direct family and his spouse for the rest of his life. LWJ seems to find himself more comfortable establishing relationships as a senior toward the junior disciples (from his sect or otherwise) and more generally as a teacher. He is formal, but he is kind and supportive in his own way. LWJ finds his footing quite easily as a brother-father figure to LSZ. LWJ adores and cares for his bunnies. He has clearly kept a semblance of companionship with MianMian and, when he is not drunk 😉, he gets along well enough with Wen Ning. 

The question I would send back to the fandom is however the following: why is a portion of fandom so uncomfortable with the idea of LWJ being more of a “loner” or of WWX being his first friend, considering how he is positioned in the narrative as this unparalleled prodigy dedicated to his duty who did not stand easily and comfortably alongside his peers? Why do so many people claim that “LWJ needs a Friend”? I think part of the answer may be that many people still function with a “cookie-cutter” approach to media analysis: some people seem to have learned that a romance where the love interest has seemingly no life outside of his romantic partner is problematique or at least bad, particularly if that love interest is especially devoted to the main character. And while this critique comes from a good place, it needs to be applied with a consideration for the nuances and the context of each piece of fiction. MDZS is a romance, so it is contrived to a degree like all romance books, but LWJ is not a character that exists solely to love and be devoted toward WWX. LWJ has meaningful relationships (although it is true they tend not to be friendships with people of his generation), he has his own arc and his own life outside of WWX--heck, he’s lived 13 years while mourning him and built a life that has touched both those close to him and complete strangers. 

Also, while WWX was shown to get along very well with kids his age, and to have other meaningful relationships, if we think about it, he’s only ever opened his heart and allowed himself to be vulnerable with two people: his Shijie and LWJ. Is it then so different from LWJ’s situation, when we strip it down to its emotional core?

[killerandhealerqueen]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING MY FIC PROMPT OUT!!! I'VE BEEN LISTENING A LOT TO SANTA TELL ME AND I JUST COULDN'T STOP LISTENING AND PICTURING!?!?! AHHHHH and it was so well done ?!?! Thank you?!?!

If you dont mind I have another prompt ready to go? But you can obviously again decide against it or wait it out till you're ready:

Modern AU:

LXC and JC have been sleeping together for about 6 months now.. in secret... cause what would ppl say about 2 of the most successful company owners in the whole of china dating ?

JC is fine with it, since he isn't big on PDA etc. Unlike a certain brother of his - but he thought by now at least their friends and family would know. So when LXC cuts a date night short (hook up night) for a dinner with LWJ and LQR he offers to finally come along. LXC dismisses it since its "just a family dinner. No need for you to be there." Clearly seeing him as only a business partner with benefits. His brothers boyfriends brother at best. (He later hears WWX was invited)

JC realises that this is just a game to LXC. He is just his dirty little secret. A week later, not having talked to LXC as not to bother him, he goes to the karaoke evening with the whole group. (3zun, wangxian, wens, JYL+JZ NHS+his boy) Of course there he sees JGY flirting shamelessly with LXC, who isn't exactly opposed to it from the looks of it.

JC promptly decides to get on stage for once and sings "Dirty little secret" by the all american rejects. Everyone is surprised and entranced by it, especially since he is known for not singing. JC invited NHS on stage to sing along since he is the only who knows ( he is in a similar situation with person of your choice)

At first LXC is just "omg it's MY bf !!! And his voice !!!" But he quickly realizes that's not the case and the lyrics... are not what he wants to here from JC ... like ever....

So LXC is the last one to congratulate him on a stunning and emotional performance, asking if they could talk. To JC's surprise he asks: " So this is how you see us?"

It turns out LXC thought JC is the one, who wanted to keep it a secret, considering he is known for hating everyone coming too close. A baffled JC askes about all the nice dates and deed LXC had dismissed, about the presents and the soup he (JC) had brought him while he was sick etc. And the fact that everyone KNOWS he isn't the casual type.

LXC realises HE is the one who has been dismissive and distant.

(You can decide wether JGY was actually flirting or trying to make NMJ jealous or sth. )

I know this is very detailed sorry ! It's just a prompt so do what you want! Just another song fic I thought of!

Holy...shit, I am so late with this prompt!  I really hope I did it justice and that you like it!  Thank you so much for your patience!

The evening was going great.  Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng were lying in Jiang Cheng’s bed, just enjoying each other’s company, when Lan Xichen’s phone buzzed.  Both Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen cracked open an eye before they shut them again, going back to relaxing when Lan Xichen’s phone buzzed again.

“Huan…you should answer that” Jiang Cheng murmured.  Lan Xichen sighed as he pushed himself up and reached over, grabbing his phone before placing it to his ear.

“Lan” he answered.  He listened for a moment before he nodded.

“I’ll be there, don’t worry” he assured.  He then hung up and let out a heavy sigh before he slipped out of bed, making Jiang Cheng raise an eyebrow.

“Where are you going?” he asked.  Lan Xichen smiled and looked back at him.

“Family dinner” he replied.  Jiang Cheng blinked.

“Oh…should I come along?” he asked.  Lan Xichen shook his head.

“It’s just family dinner.  No need for you to be there” he assured.  Jiang Cheng blinked again before he nodded slowly.

“Okay” he replied, his voice soft.  Lan Xichen didn’t notice the difference as he stood up and quickly got dressed, Jiang Cheng slipping out of bed as well.  Jiang Cheng got dressed a little slower, slipping into some warm pajamas before he followed Lan Xichen to the door.  

“Sorry I had to cut our night short” Lan Xichen apologized, pausing to look back at Jiang Cheng.  Jiang Cheng smiled and shook his head.

“It’s okay; go have fun” he replied.  Lan Xichen smiled and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Jiang Cheng’s lips before he turned and headed out the door, Jiang Cheng watching him leave.  Once he was gone, Jiang Cheng let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair before he shut the door and turned around, heading back inside.  Since Lan Xichen was eating dinner with his family, Jiang Cheng would have to eat alone.  Of course, he was fine with that, he had eaten alone plenty of times before.  It’s just…this would be the first time in a long time that Jiang Cheng would have to eat alone since he and Lan Xichen had been dating.  As he was eating his dinner, he felt his phone buzz, making him frown and reached out for it, picking it up.

“The hell is Wei Wuxian texting me for?” he grumbled as he clicked on the message.

Wish you were here

Under the message was a picture of Wei Wuxian, his boyfriend Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen’s uncle, Lan Qiren, all sitting around a dinner table, a full spread out in front of them.  Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened.

“Wei Wuxian was invited…but not me?” he whispered.  He then slowly put his phone down as he looked off into the distance, not staring at anything, before he gritted his teeth and clenched his hand into fists.

“So…that’s all I am to him, hmm?  Just casual fuck buddies?  Friends with benefits?” he hissed, clenching his hand so tightly that his nails were starting to make his palms bleed from where they were pressing so deeply into his flesh.

“That bastard” he growled.  This was all a game to Lan Xichen wasn’t it?  He liked having the idea of having a warm body to come home to, but was too ashamed to take him anywhere or show him off because now that he thought about it, all of their dates or hookups had either been at Jiang Cheng’s house or in some small, discrete hotel.  

“I’m just…his dirty little secret” he growled, clenching his fist so tightly that the blood from his palm began to run down his arm and drip onto the floor.  At some point, he finally realized that his palm was bleeding and he quickly unclenched his fist to see the deep crescent moon shapes from his fingernails embedded in his skin.

“Aish” he murmured, pushing himself to his feet and walking over to the sink, running his bleeding hand under the warm water.  He let out a hiss, for the wound stung, but it was a nice distraction from the multitude of questions and accusations running through his head.

~*~*~*~*~

A week or so later, after Jiang Cheng essentially cut off all communication from Lan Xichen (he was still bitter, maybe just a little petty, and 100% angry), one of his friends from his sales department, Nie Huaisang, invited him out to karaoke because he noticed that he had been in a bad mood all week and that maybe some singing could make him feel at least a little better.  Jiang Cheng wanted to decline but then he realized that it might actually give him some more time away from Lan Xichen, so he agreed.  However, when he arrived at the karaoke parlor, he realized that this was a terrible idea because not only did Nie Huaisang invite Jiang Cheng, he also invited his brother Nie Mingjue and his brother’s boyfriend Jin Guangyao, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning and Wen Qing, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan, Lan Xichen, and his own fucking boyfriend.  When Jiang Cheng saw who was invited, he wanted to bolt, run away and hide, but he was stopped by a gentle hand on his wrist.  He turned to see Lan Xichen smiling at him and his stupid fucking god damn motherfucking smile made Jiang Cheng’s heart flutter like nobody’s damn business.

“Wanyin.  Are you coming?” he asked, his voice as smooth as butter and as sweet as honey.  Jiang Cheng blinked before he nodded.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming” he murmured, following after Lan Xichen and the others as they headed into a rather spacious karaoke room.  Since Jiang Cheng wasn’t entirely fond of large crowds, he decided to lean against the wall of the room so that he could breathe a little as well as keep an eye on things (what was he keeping an eye on?  No idea).  As he watched everyone perform, he noticed that Jin Guanyao and Lan Xichen were…uncomfortably close and Jin Guanyao kept placing his hand on Lan Xichen’s knee whenever he spoke to him and Lan Xichen was doing nothing to stop him!  Jiang Cheng let out a growl and clenched his hand into a fist, hissing when he realized that he was clenching the hand that was wrapped in bandages from the first time he hurt himself with his nails.  He unclenched his fist, just as Nie Huaisang walked over to him and handed him a mic.

“Come on, you an’ me.  I already have a song picked out” he stated.  Jiang Cheng blinked as he looked at Nie Huaisang, who just gave him a look, before he sighed and reached out, taking the mic.  Both men then took the stage and Nie Huaisang pressed “play”, the song soon blasting over the speakers.  Jiang Cheng knew the song (thankfully) and began singing, taking the lead.  Nie Huaisang joined in, adding his harmony as well as singing his own verses.  Meanwhile, Lan Xichen watched with pure pride and joy on his face because hello, that was his Wanyin up there singing his heart out.  However, the more he listened to the song, the more the small smile he was wearing slowly faded until he was replaced with a frown.

‘Wanyin…’ he thought to himself.  He continued to watch Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang sing and once they were done, he stayed silent, allowing everyone to congratulate the two men.  Since Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang were the last two men to sing, everyone decided to call it a night, since it was late and they all had work tomorrow.  While everyone was leaving, Lan Xichen waited until Jiang Cheng was close enough and he reached out, grabbing his wrist.  Jiang Cheng stopped and looked at him in confusion.

“Huan?” he murmured.

“Can we talk?” Lan Xichen asked softly.  Jiang Cheng frowned.

“What, here?” he replied.  Lan Xichen said nothing until everyone else was out of the room before he stood to his feet and looked into Jiang Cheng’s eyes.

“Is that really how you feel about us?” he asked.  Jiang Cheng blinked.

“The hell you talking about?” he demanded.  Lan Xichen motioned to the machine.

“The song” he explained.  Jiang Cheng shook his head.

“I don’t understand” he argued.  Lan Xichen sighed.

“I always thought that I was your little secret, since you’re not such a big fan of public affection and you’re so afraid of everyone getting so close to you” he explained.  Jiang Cheng looked at him in shock.

“You thought that you were my dirty little secret?!  I thought I was your dirty little secret because you never took me anywhere!  All of our dates were at my house and if we were going to hook up, we always did it in a hotel.  We never once went to your house for a date, Huan” he shouted.  Lan Xichen blinked as Jiang Cheng kept going.

“And what about family dinner, hmm?  You cut our night short to go to your family dinner, which I completely understand that’s fine, but you don’t even bother to invite me?  You really think I didn’t want to go?  Even my fucking brother went!” he screamed.  Lan Xichen was stunned into silence before he reached out to take Jiang Cheng’s hand, only to have Jiang Cheng yank away his hand.

“Don’t fucking touch me” he growled, turning and heading towards the door.  Lan Xichen’s eyes widened and he rushed after Jiang Cheng.

“Wanyin!” he exclaimed.  Jiang Cheng ignored him and continued walking when Lan Xichen reached out and grabbed him by the wrist.

“Wanyin, please—” he started.  Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth and struggled against Lan Xichen’s grasp, but his hold was too strong and as he struggled, he didn’t realize that there was water on the floor, causing him to slip and fall.

“Wanyin!” Lan Xichen exclaimed, falling as well since he was holding onto Jiang Cheng.  However, before Jiang Cheng could hit or crack his head on the floor, Lan Xichen cupped the back of his head and used it as a pillow to soften the blow.  As both men lay there, Lan Xichen on top of Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng’s head gently cradled in Lan Xichen’s hand, Jiang Cheng began to cry.  Lan Xichen blinked in surprise as he looked at the usually strong man sobbing beneath him.

“Wanyin” he whispered.

“Don’t…don’t just throw me away, Huan.  Don’t treat me like something to be treasured one day and then throw me out like trash the next.  I don’t…I don’t want to be friends with benefits.  I want to be something more than that” Jiang Cheng sobbed.  Lan Xichen was quiet before he smiled sadly.

“You thought we were friends with benefits?” he asked gently.  Jiang Cheng let out a sob before he looked up at Lan Xichen.

“Isn’t that what we are?” he croaked.  Lan Xichen smiled and shook his head as he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Jiang Cheng’s lips.

“No, of course not.  I love you, A-Cheng.  I was just…afraid that you wouldn’t want be seen with me.  That’s why I never went public with our relationship.  I didn’t realize that by doing so, I was hurting you more than protecting you.  I’m sorry” he apologized.  Jiang Cheng sniffled and lifted his head, trying to stop the tears from falling, but the damn things wouldn’t stop.

“It’s okay, A-Cheng.  You’ve probably been hurting for a long time; just let it out” Lan Xichen soothed as he carefully got off of Jiang Cheng and sat again the wall of the karaoke room, helping Jiang Cheng sit up as well.  As soon as he was sitting up, Jiang Cheng scooted back to sit against the wall as well before leaning over and resting his head on Lan Xichen’s shoulder, the tears still falling.  

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me” he whispered.  Lan Xichen smiled softly as he reached up to pet Jiang Cheng’s head.

“You’re angry and you have every right to be.  This is just you letting out your anger and frustration” he replied.  Jiang Cheng shook his head.

“I don’t know why you’d want to stay with me when I act like this” he murmured.  

“I like this side of you…it shows you’re not such a hard-ass and a stone cold CEO.  It shows that you have needs and emotions, just like the rest of us” Lan Xichen answered.  Jiang Cheng huffed.

“You always have the right words to say” he mused.  Lan Xichen chuffed.

“Not all the time” he replied.  The two men sat like that for a while before Jiang Cheng sniffled, wiped his eyes, then looked over at Lan Xichen.

“Huan” he started, making Lan Xichen look back at him.

“Hmm?” he replied.  Jiang Cheng smiled.

“Let’s go home.  I believe you owe me a date night” he stated.  Lan Xichen blinked before he laughed and nodded.

“Yes, I believe I do after so rudely walking out on you” he agreed, pushing himself to his feet.  He then held out a hand, helping Jiang Cheng to his feet.  Both men then walked out of the karaoke room, Lan Xichen silently tipping the worker at the front desk double for allowing them to stay in the room and talk things out.  The worker just dipped his head and headed in the back as Jin Guanyao and Nie Huaisang, who had been hiding in the shadows, stepped out and watched Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng head home.

“Such an elaborate plan to get their heads out of their asses.  You think it worked?” Jin Guanyao asked, looking over at Nie Huaisang.  Nie Huaisang huffed.

“It better have” he grumbled before he looked over at Jin Guangyao and handed him a sum of cash.

“Thanks.  For flirting with Lan Xichen” he thanked.  Jin Guanyao smirked as he took the cash Nie Huaisang handed him and placed it into his wallet.

“Mingjue certainly wasn’t on board when I first told him what I was doing, but I think he understands know why I did it and why you asked” he replied.  Nie Huaisang hummed.

“They’ll thank us one day” he mused.  Jin Guanyao chuckled softly.

“If they ever find out” he reminded.  Nie Huaisang hummed again.

“Which they won’t” he countered before he held out his hand for a fist bump, Jin Guanyao meeting him in the middle, small cunning smiles on both of their faces.  

[crossdressingdeath]

I can’t believe so many people missed the point of WWX and JC going their separate ways. It’s not just saying they don’t like it, they just think the author tricked them as if MXTX didn’t consistently show WWX getting more and more tired of JC’s attitude as the novel went on.

Guanyin Temple JC finally takes things too far with the things he said and WWX needs to tell him enough while hiding behind LWJ. Even JC himself realized how unfair he was being when he says even now he expected WWX to comfort him. JC himself realized how stupid he was being and it’s why he finally let WWX go and never told him about distracting the Wen’s. JC, even on a small level, realized he just guilts WWX and forces him to stay.

The kindest thing JC ever did for WWX at the end of the novel was letting WWX go without any comments and finally accepting they have their own lives to live. Which is huge considering the day before he literally kept preventing WWX from leaving the ancestor hall just to insult him and try forcing a fight out of him and even pushed WWX to minor Qi Deviation at the same time.

Can they reconcile one day? Maybe. But by the end of the novel and as we see post canon, it won’t happen for a long time and no one is forcing the issue of them not being in each others lives right now. Not even Jin Ling cares. Just because people don’t like it doesn’t mean it came out of no where and it’s ignoring the only step JC has taken to do something right by WWX.

Yeah. There’s an increasingly strong sense throughout the present day arc that WWX is just getting more and more done with JC’s shit every time they see each other; you can really feel how the time away from JC and with someone who treats him kindly and with genuine love and affection is showing him that JC doesn’t treat him well and that he does deserve better than JC gives him. And of course there’s other things, like the difference between LWJ’s treatment of the juniors under his authority and JC’s treatment of JL. It’s like... one of the most obvious markers of how much WWX has changed and come into his own since his childhood is that while he never approved of JC’s dickishness the things he found amusing and cute and maybe a little unpleasant at worst as a kid growing up in Lotus Pier he finds deeply annoying at best as a grown man facing his childhood playmate who hasn’t grown at all from those days. Which makes sense for multiple reasons; it’s WWX growing and realizing he doesn’t have to put up with JC’s shit, and it’s also a grown man seeing his childhood friend behaving exactly how he did when they were children and realizing in the way a child wouldn’t how pointless and cruel and childish that behaviour is and always was.

The lack of reconciliation is I think a mark of how different they’ve become. They were always different, but WWX has grown as a person. JC hasn’t. Take the scene where WWX says, almost fondly, “You haven’t changed a bit”; he’s not happy with JC’s behaviour, but this is the brother he remembers and he’s glad to see him. Then JC whirls around, says “I’ll show you who hasn’t changed”, and sics WWX’s worst fear on him for no reason. This isn’t all that far into the present day arc and WWX has yet to grow that much, but you can see even then how WWX is changing and growing and JC hasn’t and isn’t. And when WWX takes JC’s lack of change as a minor disappointment perhaps but also almost a relief the same way NHS’s apparent lack of change is JC flips out, turns around and accuses the man who was dead of not changing while he was dead and then attacks him. And of course that builds with every interaction they have, and every flashback shows us more evidence that these two are incompatible as people and that reconciliation would actually be a bad thing. Particularly for WWX, but they could never make each other happy. They’re just... too different and want mutually exclusive things from each other and from life. If you look at all the scenes with WWX and JC, really look at them without using the lens of “Aw Yunmeng bros so great”, you see two children raised together and told to be close from a young age who take opposite lessons from their experience and opposite paths in life and in the end can’t go back to that childhood. Even as early as the Xuanwu arc you can see it starting; WWX wants to step in and help, he sees it as their duty. JC actively stops him and would’ve forced WWX to be a bystander to MM’s brutal murder-by-monster if JZX and LWJ hadn’t stepped in. Nothing really comes of it at the time (except for JC’s temper tantrum later), but it’s a clear sign of the coming split in their beliefs with the Wen remnants; the split that turns out to be irreconcilable. 

There’s also things like the comparison to the Twin Jades with the “Twin Heroes” (or “Twin Prides” if you prefer, I have no idea which is a more accurate translation if in fact either of them are more correct) thing. The “Twin Jades” moniker is something the people gave to LXC and LWJ, because their relationship was so clearly as close as twins. And they’re beautiful and charming (...well, LXC is) and their public image is one of them being incredibly close brothers. The Twin Heroes moniker is something WWX invokes, using the example of another set of brothers who are known for being close. It’s not something that’s actually used, it’s something WWX makes up to bring JC down from his temper tantrum and that never really comes up again until JC uses it to guilt him later. Really think about that scene. WWX creates parallels to other, more loving and more successful (for lack of a better term) brothers, rather than focus on how loving he and JC are. “If Gusu has its Twin Jades, Yunmeng will have its Twin Heroes”, “we’ll be just like our fathers”... I don’t know, maybe it’s just me? But it feels kind of like WWX is... grasping at straws a bit. He says he’ll be loyal, but it feels less like a “we’re brothers and we love each other” and more like “look, we’ll be like these people who love each other!”

So... yeah, MXTX actually spends a lot of time on foreshadowing that Yunmeng bros are not a relationship that will survive the test of time. The biggest surprise in the Guanyin temple where they finally officially go their separate ways (I say officially because let’s face it, the two of them pretty much went their separate ways the day JC declared WWX a traitor to all the sects for not being down with genocide) is that JC does realize that he’s being incredibly unfair to WWX and lets him go without trying to guilt him over JC’s sacrifice, and even that was a good and satisfying point for his story to end on. This was a natural and well set up place for that relationship to end up, and like... people can dislike it all they want, but saying MXTX somehow “tricked” them or fucked up the story just because she disliked JC (which I’ve always found to be a generally stupid argument to level at authors anyway because as an (aspiring) author let me tell you if I hate a character enough to sabotage my own story to fuck them over I rewrite or remove the character) is an embarrassingly lazy analysis of the novel (and even calling it an analysis is a stretch but I can’t think of a better word off the top of my head) at best and at worst is an insult to MXTX and the novel she worked so hard to create.

[besanii]

omg the angst.... (clutches chest) i’d love to read lan wangji’s reaction to xixian please.... (laughs in pain) i love your works so much OTL

[ part one (LWJ) | two (LXC) | three (WWX) ]

They come to a halt at the lookout point halfway up the mountain that leads to the Cloud Recesses. It is a little after daybreak and the morning sun casts a sleepy light over the city spread out below them; the light dances over the river that runs right through the heart of the city, glittering in the remnants of the morning fog.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be tired of this view,” Wei Wuxian sighs, sitting back in his saddle. “Even if I have to get up early to see it.”

Lan Wangji hums in agreement. He has seen this view countless times in his past, ever since he was tall enough to ride, but it still takes his breath away. They spend a few moments taking in the view from their saddles, letting the peace and quiet of the morning settle over them.

Eventually, Lan Wangji shifts, turning his head slightly to look at his companion.

"I am leaving," he says. Wei Wuxian raises his eyebrows, surprised. “I am needed in Jinghai.”

“Ah.” Wei Wuxian nods in understanding, but his brow is furrowed in concern nevertheless. “When do you leave?”

“At dawn.”

Wei Wuxian exhales through his nose, tapping his fingers against his saddle, the reins held loosely in his grip. They’d both known the orders were inevitable—they had not been faring well in the war with Dongying and the troops on the front lines were in dire need of both backup and a morale boost. Lan Wangji, as a member of the Imperial Family and also an accomplished military strategist and commander despite his young age, is the obvious choice for the task.

He laughs under his breath.

“I would ask to come with you, but...” he breaks off with a helpless shrug.

Lan Wangji makes a noise of dissent and shakes his head.

“You are needed here,” he tells him. “I cannot ask you to come, no matter how much I wish it were possible.”

With the Marquess of Yunmeng bedridden and their relationship with Qishan growing increasingly hostile, Wei Wuxian would be put to better use here in the capital than on the front lines. It doesn’t make the thought of parting any easier.

“I suppose that’s that then,” Wei Wuxian agrees. 

Below them, the city stirs as the first boats arrive from the harbour, ferrying their goods along the river to the markets. The morning mist is starting to dissipate, bringing the cityscape into clearer view. Lan Wangji tightens his grip on the reins in his hand as he watches Caiyi come to life.

“There is one thing,” he says slowly, carefully. “Before I leave, there is one thing I would like you to have. Would you allow me to give it to you?”

He watches Wei Wuxian shift in his saddle out of the corner of his eye; his chest is tight, his breath stoppering his throat in his anticipation. The thin box feels too large in his pocket, its corners and edges pressing against him as if to constantly remind him of its presence. He grips the reins tighter and waits.

But Wei Wuxian shakes his head and waves his hands out in front of him vigorously, eyes wide.

“No, no, don’t give it to me!” he exclaims.

Lan Wangji’s heart sinks.

“Why—” He clears his throat. “Is there a reason why?”

A thousand reasons rush through his mind. Has he overstepped? Is the gift not welcome? Has he misread the nature of their relationship? They have never spoken of it before, but he had assumed there was an understanding—

He’s interrupted mid-thought by Wei Wuxian urging his horse closer so he can nudge him with the tip of one foot. It’s only then he notices the rosy tinge to those high cheekbones, and the way in which he rubs the back of his neck as he avoids eye contact.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks again. Wei Wuxian laughs, embarrassed.

“I just...” he trails off, clearing his throat. “I was just thinking you could perhaps...give it to me when you return. As a—a guarantee? A—”

“A promise,” Lan Wangji finishes for him, feeling suddenly lighter. The corners of his lips twitch as Wei Wuxian’s face reddens. “Yes, of course. When I return.”

--

The door to the study opens and closes with a quiet click.

It’s dark inside with only a handful of candles casting their flickering light around the room, but it is not difficult to spot Lan Wangji. His posture is slouched, his fingers laced together as he rests his elbows on the desk, his lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes are downcast, weary.

“You’ve seen him then,” Lan Qiren says without preamble.

Lan Wangji glances up at him and inclines his head.

“Huangshu,” he says hoarsely. The closer he gets, the more Lan Qiren can make out the tight lines and the redness in his eyes. “You knew?”

Lan Qiren sighs.

“I did,” he admits. “Though not in time to prevent it.”

He watches his nephew���s head drop into his hands with a haggard exhale, his own heart heavy and hurting for his sake. This was not the welcome any of them had hoped to give, not the reunion any of them had expected. 

“Would you?” Lan Wangji asks. Lan Qiren raises an eyebrow.

“Pardon?”

Lan Wangji raises his head just enough to stare at him over the top of his interlaced fingers.

“Would you have prevented it?” he asks.

Lan Qiren pauses. If news of Lan Wangji’s supposed death had not arrived when it did—if Jiang Fengmian, Marquess of Yunmeng, had not been deathly ill and unable to mediate between Yunmeng and Qishan, leading his son and Wei Wuxian to take matters into their own hands—if, if, if.

He says nothing.

Lan Wangji scoffs. In any other situation, Lan Qiren would rebuke him for his impoliteness. But his heart is not made of stone. His nephew sits before him, battle weary and heartbroken, looking so much like his father before him it is concerning. So he holds his tongue while Lan Wangji struggles to get his breathing under control.

“I had plans,” Lan Wangji says to the wooden desk, his face hidden from view once again. “I had it all prepared before I left for Jinghai. I would have done it before, but we—we had agreed it would be better to do it when I returned. As a promise.”

His breathing grows ragged. Choked. Lan Qiren’s own heart hurts to hear it.

“I came back,” he whispers brokenly. “I kept my promise. But I was too late. And he didn’t—couldn’t—wait for me. I was too late. It’s my fault. I did this.”

Lan Qiren swallows thickly.

“What’s done is done, Wangji,” he tells him. “We cannot change the past. The only thing we can do is learn to live with the outcome.”

He knows his nephews. He will survive this. Somehow. They all will.

They all must.

–

Translations

Jinghai (鯨海) - an old name for the Sea of Japan (lit. Whale Sea)

Huangshu (皇叔) - Imperial Uncle

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more paper-thin fic | verse

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Notes

Did I proofread this before posting? LMAO NOPE THIS WAS POSTED AT 1.45AM.