#*iywdas

[amedetoiles]

In another installment of things I should absolutely not be adding to my already large collection of unfinished google docs, I once more have absolutely no self control, so about that post on wedding planner!WWX.....

Set in the same verse as this. Very on brand of me to start writing a sequel for a fic I have yet to finish. Post-canon, post-reconciliation, and WQ is alive because I say so.

---

In retrospect, Jiang Cheng probably should have predicted this.

Jiang Cheng has grown up with Wei Wuxian. He knows exactly the level of ridiculousness his brother can reach. Nearly all of his childhood was dedicated to learning this exact fact. Compounded with that is how fully Wei Wuxian always throws himself into any project that catches his brother’s attention. For a long time, that had been a-jie’s wedding.

All those late nights he and Wei Wuxian had spent planning together, mapping out detailed seating charts, and designing elaborate challenges for the groom. Wei Wuxian, practically delirious with childish excitement, had proposed and demanded in equal measure extravagance after extravagance because their sister only deserved the very best in the world.

Even still, Jiang Cheng can’t say that he had expected exactly... this.

Three days after Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing tell their family about their betrothal, Wei Wuxian bursts into Jiang Cheng’s office mid-morning, his hair still uncombed and sticking out in multiple directions. His arms are full of scrolls, which he proceeds to unceremoniously dump across Jiang Cheng’s desk.

Wei Wuxian ignores Jiang Cheng’s indignant squawking and speaks rapidly, all of his words running together, and practically vibrating on his feet with a frenzy that brings Jiang Cheng abruptly back to their childhood, laying on the floor of their shared room with scrolls strewn all around them and listening while Wei Wuxian raves enthusiastically about his latest idea for a challenge.

Lan Wangji stands at the doorway, alternating between looking worried that Wei Wuxian might asphyxiate with how fast he is speaking and giving Jiang Cheng a look that says this is under no uncertain terms completely Jiang Cheng’s fault as usual.

(In the three years since his brother married Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji have formed an extremely respectful and productive relationship of tolerating each other’s presence for the exact minimum duration it takes to make Wei Wuxian happy. It is still too long for either of them.)

“The Mao and Guo sects are still feuding so they need to be seated as far apart as possible,” Wei Wuxian is saying, barely pausing for breath as he flits from topic to topic with a speed that leaves Jiang Cheng feeling faintly dizzy. “Fan shushu says he will share his recipe for Qing-jie’s xi bing. The head of the lotus harvesters will arrange to have water lilies transported from the southern borders. I have some designs for the invitations that you and Qing-jie can take a look at. And – Oh!”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes light up suddenly with an unholy fervor that has never, ever boded well for Jiang Cheng, and then Wei Wuxian turns, calls I have to go! over his shoulder, and leaves as quickly as he came. Lan Wangji makes sure to shoot Jiang Cheng one final accusatory glare before following after his husband because Wei Wuxian couldn’t have married someone that wasn’t a huge petty bitch.

Jiang Cheng sits, shocked still, his desk looking like a storm had blown by, and stares at the empty space where his brother was just standing.

He may have slightly miscalculated.

---

A month later, Jiang Cheng contemplates taking Wen Qing and running away to a deserted mountain. (Who says Wei Wuxian is the only one allowed to do that anyway? At least his mountain won’t be prone to murder.)

He won’t of course. He is the Jiang sect leader, and since his birth, his wedding has always been expected to have the pomp and circumstance befitting that of a leader of a great sect. He would never run out on that responsibility no matter how fucking crazy Wei Wuxian is driving him.

But Jiang Cheng does think about it, very wistfully.

He even brings it up half-seriously with Wen Qing one morning after a disciple comes to inform him that Wei Wuxian had had his schedule completely cleared without Jiang Cheng’s knowledge or permission. Jiang Cheng is now expected to meet his brother at the gate in a quarter shichen’s time for who knows what because his brother is as obnoxiously forthcoming as he has always been.

Wen Qing laughs at him because she is terrible, and he has clearly made a huge mistake.

She also presses a light kiss to his cheek and promises to threaten Wei Wuxian with needles later if he doesn’t sit the fuck down and rest before leaving to have tea with Luo Qingyang because she’s also pretty fantastic, and Jiang Cheng has made the best decision of his life.

Even if it means standing in the middle of the tailor shop while Wei Wuxian darts around him like a deranged bird, dangling various fabric samples in front of Jiang Cheng, frowning for some obscure reason he doesn’t deign to tell Jiang Cheng because who cares what Jiang Cheng thinks about his own wedding, tossing the piece of fabric onto the growing no pile, and then picking up yet another.

On the eleventh turn of this, Jiang Cheng feels a sharp throb against his temple and takes a deep slow breath, then another, and another, so he doesn’t scream, or strangle his brother with the fabrics.

“You do realize that this is my fucking wedding?” Jiang Cheng growls with frustration.

“Of course,” Wei Wuxian says immediately, nodding in a way that feels like he’s actually taking Jiang Cheng seriously even as he picks up yet another fabric sample. Jiang Cheng bites his tongue to keep himself from shouting and glares.

Wei Wuxian continues before Jiang Cheng can speak (yell), moving to hold the fabric against Jiang Cheng’s face, “But you’re my little brother.”

Jiang Cheng blinks, opens his mouth and then closes it. His throat feels suddenly inexplicably tight. An embarrassing warmth expands rapidly beneath his rib cage, and he thinks he might actually choke on it.

He looks at the fabric instead of his brother’s face because he will not cry. The red silk is a shade lighter than Wei Wuxian’s customary color and of exceptionally high quality. (That Wei Wuxian has been choosing from the most expensive of silks has not escaped Jiang Cheng’s attention. He has been trying and failing to not have feelings about this.) The patterning is beautiful, the soft, gentle swirls reminiscent of the lakes surrounding Yunmeng.

It isn’t something Jiang Cheng would have chosen on his first glance through. It is, he realizes with a swoop in his stomach, something a-jie might have picked out.

Jiang Cheng has, until now, avoided thinking too hard about all the empty spaces at his wedding, still riding the steady wonder that fills him every time he looks at the comb tucked neatly against Wen Qing’s hair. And after these last few years of having his brother beside him again, of their misshapen family relearning to fit together with all its new pieces, it is almost, almost, unfamiliar to feel that old aching loss rise within him.

He wonders how much of Wei Wuxian’s frenzied insanity is because he is feeling it too.

After all, Jiang Cheng remembers the months of spreading himself thin between sect obligations and wedding preparations, of tracking down the finest fabrics and jewelry that Jiang and Jin gold could buy in between meetings and conferences, of trying and trying and trying to make up for an absence that creased the edges of a-jie’s eyes in sorrow, even when she stood, radiant in red and gold on her wedding day.

“Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian asks, his voice and gaze softening with concern.

Jiang Cheng swallows several times, his eyes prickling along with his nose, and he stares at the spot above Wei Wuxian’s head. You don’t have to do this, he wants to say. You don’t need to do this. “It isn’t atrocious I guess,” is what comes out.

Even in his periphery, he can see Wei Wuxian’s eyes crinkle with a familiar fondness. His brother nods and lays the fabric gently down on what Jiang Cheng supposes is now the yes pile.

“As expected of Jiang zongzhu,” Wei Wuxian says in a teasing tone that he only uses when he wants to piss off Jiang Cheng.

“Shut up,” Jiang Cheng says swiftly, without any heat. Then, adds, “Yiling Laozu.”

Wei Wuxian laughs and shoves him. “Fuck off,” he says, but he’s smiling as he turns and picks up the next sample, and Jiang Cheng feels his own lips curve in an answering smile.

Okay, he thinks. Okay. He can do this.

He can let his brother have this. Maybe they can both have this.

[amedetoiles]

Have an excerpt with no context from my (mildly) slow burn yunmengbro reconciliation WIP because we were talking about this @winepresswrath

/

Wei Wuxian starts to lower himself onto the chair too quickly and stumbles with a barely concealed wince. Jiang Cheng’s hand jerks automatically forward before he has time to stop himself, but Lan Wangji, who is closer (and always, always frustratingly faster) catches his brother by the arm and steadies him.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji asks with a concerned look.

“Ah,” Wei Wuxian says and sits down at a much slower pace. He pats Lan Wangji’s arm and smiles reassuringly with a shake of his head. “It’s nothing, Lan Zhan. Thank you.” He glances over at Jiang Cheng. “Jiang Cheng, come sit.”

Lan Wangji looks simultaneously unconvinced with Wei Wuxian’s reassurance and like he very much does not want Jiang Cheng to sit. Setting his sword on the table, Lan Wangji sits down and without any preamble parts the skirt of Wei Wuxian’s robes.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian whines exasperated as he tries to swat away Lan Wangji’s hands. But Lan Wangji has gone abruptly still as he stares at the large gash on Wei Wuxian’s leg and Jiang Cheng’s purple handkerchief tied around it.

“What happened?” Lan Wangji says. His tone is calm, but the temperature in the room cools several degrees as he turns to look directly at Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng stiffens and feels his hackles rise.

“It’s just a scratch, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says hastily, eyes flickering to Jiang Cheng and back. “I’m fine.”

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says, not looking away from Jiang Cheng as he rises to his feet, pressing his hand down on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder to keep him from standing, too. “I would like to hear from Jiang-zongzhu what happened to your leg.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says helplessly.

Jiang Cheng grinds his teeth, jaw clenching. “Lan-er gongzi,” he growls, hand curling tightly around his sword. “What are you trying to imply?”

“I am not implying anything,” Lan Wangji says. “I am asking why Wei Ying is injured.”

“Lan Zhan, stop,” Wei Wuxian says, tugging at Lan Wangji’s sleeve.

“When is he ever not getting himself into trouble?” Jiang Cheng snarls, irritation and outrage making Zidian spark purple fire around his clenched fist. “You’re the one who let him go off on his own. Again.”

“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian says, turning to him.

Lan Wangji’s eyes narrow minutely. “Wei Ying was not injured earlier. He has now returned with you injured.”

“And?” Jiang Cheng spits back. “Lan Wangji, if you have something to say to me, then just say it!”

“Alright, alright, you two, stop it,” Wei Wuxian interrupts again with a little more urgency. He sounds so much like their sister that Jiang Cheng momentarily falters and stares at him. Wei Wuxian tries to rise to his feet, but Lan Wangji keeps his hand firmly pressed on his shoulder.

“You attacked Wei Ying last year in Qinghe,” Lan Wangji continues. Jiang Cheng absolutely does not flinch. “It would not be unfounded to think that you did so again.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian hisses, tugging harder at Lan Wangji’s sleeve. “That’s enough.”

Ignoring him, Jiang Cheng shouts, shaking with fury, “You dare accuse me! What the hell do you think I would do to him?”

“What,” Lan Wangji says, each word clipped and sharp like a knife, “have you not done?”

Jiang Cheng feels like he’s been slapped. The anger shrivels up and dies in his throat as a horrifying churn of guilt blooms in his stomach. He staggers back, choking on air that is suddenly no longer there. His ears ring with screams, and they sound like his own.

Wei Wuxian surges to his feet, knocking away Lan Wangji’s hand. “Lan Wangji!” he barks.

Jiang Cheng freezes. Lan Wangji freezes. Wei Wuxian goes very still. For a long, long time, nobody speaks.

It’s Wei Wuxian who naturally breaks the silence as he lets out a weak nervous chuckle. He looks as shocked as Jiang Cheng feels. “Hah… look at you two,” he says with a forced sort of cheer. His voice wavers unsteadily, and there’s an unhappy tightness to his face. “Arguing like– like children. Is this how two leaders should be acting?”

His brother turns to look at him. Jiang Cheng doesn’t know what his face is showing, what his brother sees on it. He can barely work his own frozen muscles to do more than breathe. There is an odd tightening warmth beginning to spread through his chest as he stares at his brother’s face, at the furrow in his brow, the concern in his eyes. Jiang Cheng is startled to realize it’s for him.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji says with a thread of distress. He looks suddenly unraveled, more overcome than Jiang Cheng has seen him in a long time. “Wei Ying, I–”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says quietly. Jiang Cheng isn’t entirely sure he imagines the shudder that runs across Lan Wangji’s shoulders. “It wasn’t Jiang Cheng. He wouldn’t– I ran into some cultivators from the smaller clans when I was taking a walk. Jiang Cheng was helping me get back. You… shouldn’t accuse him like that.”

There’s a distinct protectiveness to his stance, in the way that Wei Wuxian has maneuvered himself next to and in front of Jiang Cheng. Lan Wangji looks wholly unsettled to be on the receiving end of it. Jiang Cheng isn’t sure his own expression is doing much better. His ears are still ringing, echoing with the thunder of his brother’s voice, the anger that only a couple of months ago had been directed at Jiang Cheng in defense of Lan Wangji. That their positions are now reversed, that Wei Wuxian is defending him against Lan Wangji sends a dizzying spin through Jiang Cheng’s head that he doesn’t know what to do with.

His brother who has always put himself in between Jiang Cheng and every bully, every obstacle, every damned impossible thing with nothing but his infuriating grin even if it meant his own destruction. His brother who is doing so even now, after everything, because Jiang Cheng is his little brother.

Jiang Cheng blinks, then blinks again, and again, rapidly trying to erase the sudden sharp stinging in his eyes. The odd warmth in his chest expands, spreading so wide that he thinks he might choke on it.

Wei Wuxian takes that moment to give an impressively alarming wobble on his injured leg. Lan Wangji startles and reaches for him, but Jiang Cheng is closer this time, catching his brother by the arm and lowering him back down onto the seat.

“Idiot,” Jiang Cheng mumbles around the thick lump in his throat. “Can’t you ever just be still?”

Wei Wuxian looks up at him, surprised, but whatever he still sees on Jiang Cheng’s face softens it to a small genuine smile. “I can’t annoy you that way,” he says.

“You annoy me every other way,” Jiang Cheng snaps roughly. Wei Wuxian looks like his own laugh startles him. Lan Wangji has an unhappy line to his lips as he kneels down to take a look at Wei Wuxian’s wound again.

“Ah, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says, his tone light and exasperated again. “It’s fine. It’s not a big deal.”

“Shut up,” Jiang Cheng tells his brother before Lan Wangji can speak and pointedly ignores the narrowed look he receives. “If you didn’t go around antagonizing everyone, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Hey!” Wei Wuxian yelps indignantly. “Did you see me antagonizing them?”

Jiang Cheng opens his mouth to shout again but he’s interrupted by the sound of rapid footsteps. Jin Ling bursts through the doors without knocking, Sizhui, Jingyi, and Zizhen falling through after him.

“Wei-qianbei,” Zizhen, naturally, shouts loudly aghast. “What happened to your leg?”

[amedetoiles]

Bai, L. “The Silver Age: Twin Heroes of Yunmeng.” The History of Cultivation Volume II: 600-1200. Translated and edited by Y.C., Oxford University Press, 2020, pp. 735-976.

...Perhaps the most prosperous years of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect came at the helm of one of its most famous sect leaders, Sandu Shengshou Jiang Wanyin (b. Jiang Cheng). Alongside his sworn-brother Wei Wuxian (b. Wei Ying)—the famed 护法笛 hùfǎdi of Yunmeng Jiang and husband to the Third Chief Cultivator Lan Wangji (b. Lan Zhan)—Jiang Wanyin catapulted the Yunmeng Jiang Sect into what historians have auspiciously considered The Silver Age of Cultivation. Together, Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian were belovedly known as the Twin Heroes of Yunmeng, their prominence highly regarded to eclipse even that of the distinguished Twin Jades of Gusu (see Sec. 4 Ch. 1)...

...Heralded for their reputation as mavericks, Yunmeng Jiang under the careful tutelage of Wei Wuxian led the sects in the expansion and augmentation of spiritual cultivation with teachings on the principles of channeling resentful energy. The movement was supported by the leaders of the Four Major Sects and Chief Cultivator Lan Wangji. Jiang Wanyin, in particular, vocally defended his brother against the initial rebuke with more than one dissenter coming into contact with his fearsome spiritual weapon, Zidian. Wei Wuxian’s extensive work and research into the constructive applications of resentful energy laid the foundation for the modern day utilization of both spiritual and complementary demonic practices in multiple fields of cultivation, including music and medicine...

...The brotherhood of Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian was not always one of unity. Much speculation surrounds their decades long estrangement after Wei Wuxian famously defected during the early years of Jiang Wanyin’s tenure. His abrupt shift to demonic cultivation at the height of the Sunshot Campaign (see Sec. 2, Ch. 2) and subsequent rise as the then-infamous Yiling Patriarch is a topic of broad academic interest. A widely proposed hypothesis amongst historians posits that Wei Wuxian secretly sacrificed his golden core for his brother after Jiang Wanyin lost his own early in the war against Qishan Wen. If true, then the advent of core transplantation was in actuality much earlier than the first officially recorded procedure performed decades later by Wen Qing, the most renowned physician of Qishan and later wife of Jiang Wanyin.

After the tragic loss of their sister, Jiang Yanli, during the Siege of Nightless City (see Sec. 2, Ch. 5), Jiang Wanyin’s staunch repudiation of demonic practices through the years of Wei Wuxian’s disappearance was a well-known fact amongst cultivators in that time. The exact details of what later prompted Jiang Wanyin’s reversal of his stance remain unclear, but many credit the influence of their nephew, Jin Rulan (b. Jin Ling) of Lanling Jin Clan.

Wei Wuxian’s reappearance sixteen years after his alleged death at the hands of Jiang Wanyin has been the subject of much debate. In particular, the question of how Wei Wuxian later returns to spiritual cultivation is hotly discussed amongst today’s youths if one were to ascribe to the belief that Jiang Wanyin carried his brother’s original golden core. Whimsical theories on soul resurrection and body sacrifices as potential arms of demonic cultivation are greatly expounded upon despite being largely denounced by medical cultivators. Interestingly, the missing sections in Wei Wuxian’s research archives which may shed light on these practices are thought to be entombed with him in the Jiang-Lan mausoleum...

...Despite their rocky history, Jiang Wanyin’s and Wei Wuxian’s loyalty to each other became unquestioningly absolute following Wei Wuxian’s official reclaiming of his position as the Lead Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect. One of the most formidable and renowned duos in cultivation, their partnership was rivaled only by Wei Wuxian’s relationship with his husband and cultivation partner, Lan Wangji. Their marriage set the unorthodox precedence for dual sect associations with both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji maintaining their ranks in Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan Sects, respectively, at the blessing of both Jiang Wanyin and Lan Xichen. The alliance that grew between Yunmeng Jiang Sect and Gusu Lan Sect continues even into today...

(inspired by x)

[amedetoiles]

LISTEN I just read your yunmeng bros reconciliation fic and I could legit kiss the ground you walk on!! Like wwx actually defending his baby brothers name against lwj and jc just being so warm about it. I have SO many feelings about that whole fic but I dont have enough brain cells to word to them so I'm just gonna say I loved it

(Regarding this excerpt I posted.)

≧(´▽｀)≦ YOU ARE SO NICE!!!!! Please excuse me for a moment while I embarrassingly flail over this validation sd;lgk;sg ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎ Thank you!!!!

Wei Wuxian might be in his bruised rejected feelings right now, but there’s five people left in the world that he would fight against anything for, and Jiang Cheng is still, in my humble very correct opinion, one of them. Something that I wholeheartedly want Jiang Cheng to realize. Will it fix everything? Certainly not, but I think it goes long way toward making our angry grape come out of his own bruised and rejected feelings so that these idiots can TALK AND COMMUNICATE LIKE ADULTS GDI.

Thank you for the love!!!!! ♥︎♥︎♥︎ I will keep writing!! Just, for everyone to be aware, this is my lengthy post-canon Yunmengbro-centric fic project. My outline for this WIP is... very long lol (like right now I’m guestimating to be needing at least 30-40K+ ? words, I’m already at 16K lmao), so I really don’t know when I will finish. BUT I’M WORKING ON IT!! Everyone’s love over my little snippet has been very encouraging! (◕ᴗ◕✿)