#yes this spawned because I thought of Xichen teaching Mingjue how to braid Huaisang’s hair

[dark-elf-writes]

Nielan modern au where they were childhood friends that lost contact after high school and only meet again when they are picking up their significantly younger brothers (Huaisang is officially adopted by Mingjue. Wangji was technically adopted by Lan Qiren but Xichen does all the actual parenting) up from the same daycare and immediately bond over how hard it is to be father, mother, and older brother.

This includes notable moments such as:

Xichen calling Mingjue in tears because Wangji bit a boy (Wei Wuxian) at daycare and clearly this means Xichen failed him somewhere (“Da-ge stop laughing!”)

Mingjue FaceTiming Xichen at fuck off early in the morning with Huaisang crying becuase his brother really wants his hair braided but Mingjue can’t figure out the stupid fucking video (“Xichen I will drive over there if you don’t stop giving me that look I swear to god.”)

Xichen has to drag Wangji over to demonstrate because he can’t explain it right so they go to daycare with matching hairstyles. Huaisang is thrilled. Wangji seems like he’s chill about it but he did try to bite a different kid for trying to mess up his hair so clearly he likes it more than it seems.

Both of them tripping into an impromptu older sibling support group after Yanli, who is parenting both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng (pray for her honestly. I don’t think both A-Ying and A-Cheng have been out of some kind of cast at the same time since she adopted them and they will not stop dating each other to do things that end in hospital trips) makes Wei Wuxian apologize to Wangji and lets slip that she and Wen Qing get coffee and compare notes for being SIbling Parents

Wangji giving both of them a very impressive presentation (for a preschooler) on why pets are good for growing children as a reason for why he needs bunnies and A-Sang needs birds. Neither of them will admit they were already going to say yes before A-Sang started crying.

Drunken Lan shenanigans on the one (1) night they could all get babysitters

Xichen calling Mingjue in tears again because Wangji made a friend (“A-Sang doesn’t count da-ge he’s an inherited friend. A friend in law. Yes it’s the same child he bit, why do you ask?”) and clearly this means Xichen is learning how to move past generational trauma and oh god does this mean he will find a new way to fuck Wangji up?

Drunken Lan Shenanigans extend to adult strength cold medicine which was only learned after a very sniffly and miserable sounding Wangji called Da-ge for reinforcements.

Wen Qing is 🤏 this close to locking these two idiots in a room until they get catch up to the program and realize the entire parenting group for the day care has been assuming they’re going to get married any day now. She’ll even provide free childcare. What do you mean she has something going on with Yanli? Clearly they’re just very close friends supporting each other through raising their younger brothers.

Nie Mingjue and his bitter rival That One Auntie who keeps grabbing the last pack of the specific snacks he likes at the grocery store no matter what time he goes or when the store restocks. (“She’s doing it on purpose Xichen! I don’t know how but she is!”)

And more :)