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satonthelotuspier · 5 years

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Turnabout Is Fair Play - Part 1

OK guys so hear me out. I saw this AU mention on @sadcindrrella‘s blog, and I liked it, but thought, WHAT IF IT WAS LAN WANGJI AND WEI WUXIAN THEMSELVES. So I channelled our good author friend Airplane-bro (see Scum Villain), invented a poison plot device that would do the trick, and went to town (the cure IS NOT papapa - see Scum Villain again).

Basically please enjoy 5.8k ish of dumb crack featuring Lan Wangji being a little shit.

Part 2 is now up

Part 3 and Part 4 are up

Lan Xichen rubbed wearily at the spot between his eyes, smothering his sigh of disbelief.

His companion had no compunction in reacting in his usual, more outspoken manner.

“What the fuck-” Jiang Wanyin, Sect Leader of the Yunmeng Jiang sect exclaimed, and the loud noise made both of their immediate problems stir.

The two child-like figures curled up sleeping in piles of robes, black and white, that looked to have been discarded, but in truth, just didn’t fit the bodies wearing them anymore.

“Is that really-?” Jiang Wanyin demanded as a pair of light amber eyes and a pair of darker grey eyes blinked sleepily at them both.

“I’m afraid so, Sect Leader Jiang” Lan Xichen moved forward and sank to his haunches beside Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian who had, inexplicably, been turned into four year old children!

“Xichen-ge” a soft sweet voice whined, surprisingly Wei Wuxian who held his arms up indicating he wanted to be picked up.

Lan Xichen blinked, and smiled gently down at the young boy, cheeks adorably flushed from sleep. Unable to resist, Lan Xichen scooped the child up, robes and all, making sure he was bundled up warmly in the overlarge folds, and set the child against his shoulder. Wei Wuxian laid his head on said shoulder, caught a handful of hair in his sturdy little hand, and closed his eyes again.

Lan Xichen glanced across at Jiang Wanyin, who wore a complicated expression while he looked at the small boy in Lan Xichen’s arms.

“Perhaps the first thing to do would be to take them to safety” Lan Xichen suggested. “Then we can worry about the how and what to do about it”

“Fine” Jiang Wanyin went to pick up Lan Xichen’s (now much) younger brother, but he exclaimed and snatched his hand back, “You little shit” the tone was disbelieving. Lan Wangji had sunk his teeth into Jiang Wanyin’s arm.

And then Lan Wangji hissed at him.

Jiang Wanyin threw an utterly surprised look at Lan Xichen, who was equally as confused.

“Wangji!” Lan Xichen admonished sternly, which seemed to settle the stubborn set of Lan Wangji’s deceivingly soft young face a little.

It was that moment that a horde of snake-demons burst into the clearing.

Jiang Wanyin drew Sandu, scooped up Lan Wangji with his free arm and began to fight off the demons so they could retreat, all as Lan Xichen swapped Wei Wuxian to his left arm so he could draw Shuoyue and do the same.

The safety of the helpless youngsters was their first responsibility.

***

Later, having joined their respective disciples at the nearest town’s inn, they could begin to deal with the odd situation they’d found themselves in.

Lan Xichen had asked a shocked Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi to buy clothes that would fit their charges while the Jiang Sect’s physician examined Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian.

They currently sat on the edge of a bed in Jiang Wanyin’s rooms, holding each other’s hand and Lan Wangji whispered something behind his free hand into Wei Wuxian’s ear while the adults talked.

The physician could do nothing but report that there didn’t appear to be a problem, except the visually obvious one. Both were healthy and whole and hadn’t suffered a qi deviation as far as he could tell.

“That probably leaves some kind of poison or plant cause” Jiang Wanyin said, considering, “Is there anything with known or similar properties?”

“I have heard some tribes of the snake-demons have a poison that can cause unusual effects on the body, especially when it comes into contact other demonic techniques” the physician mused, and Jiang Wanyin looked over at Lan Xichen.

“Snake-demons” Jiang Wanyin’s fist clenched as he played with the ring that held Zidian in agitation. “We were attacked by snake-demons shortly after finding them” he informed the physician.

“Then we seem to have a reason, if not a solution” Lan Xichen mused. “Wei Wuxian must have used Chenqing when they encountered a pack of those demons prior to our arrival, defeating them but causing them to change.”

Wanyin turned to the physician again, “What can we do to reverse the effect?”

“I would think the same as any poison, flush it from the bloodstream. Qi circulation and taking some certain herbs should do it, if slowly. I might be able to develop something to speed the process up if we managed to get some of the venom glands to test”

“I’ll assign disciples to clear some nests” Jiang Wanyin said, arms folding over his chest as his agitation faded.

Lan Xichen bent and scooped up a Lan Wangji who had tried to sneak past him to exit the room and held his struggling form securely against his chest, “Thank you Sect Leader Jiang”

***

The rest of the afternoon and evening was taken up in beginning the process of cleansing the poison from the youngsters, having the evening meal and bath and bed routines.

It wasn’t long after he’d set his head down in his own bed that Jiang Cheng heard the commotion that started from the rooms next to their own.

He glanced over at the second bed to check on the young Wei Wuxian, who was just beginning to stir from sleep.

There was the muffled sound of a door slamming open, and a strident, small voice began to yell “I want Wei Ying. I want Wei Ying”

It came closer and closer down the corridor, and Jiang Cheng could hear the rest of the inn begin to stir at the unholy racket.

That Lan brat. He really had become a little monster.

He heard Lan Xichen admonishing his brother outside Jiang Cheng’s door, heard the small hands begin to bang on the wood before the sound was cut off. But that only began the shouts for “Wei Ying” again.

He jumped out of bed and hurried across to pull open the doors, the shouts of “Quiet down” and “Shut that child up” ringing out from the other guests of the inn.

Lan Xichen held a squirming Lan Wangji in his arms, both of them only dressed in their inner sleeping robes, the latter’s face flushed from his tantrum.

“Wangji!” Lan Xichen exclaimed with the closest tone to exasperation Jiang Cheng had ever heard the Lan Sect Leader use. “Sect Leader Jiang, my apologies, but perhaps we could let them stay together to ensure everyone else in the inn may sleep?” he held his brother out like a sacrificial offering to Jiang Cheng, who eyed the child like we was being handed a viper.

Why did Jiang Cheng feel like he himself was the sacrifice, offered up for the greater good?

He snorted his annoyance, because if he was to be the sacrificial lamb then everyone else had to know what an inconvenience this was, that was just Jiang Cheng’s personality, much as he didn’t like it about himself.

But he still reached out and grabbed Lan Wangji by the armpits, having learned his lesson earlier not bringing him within reach of his own body; the little brat could kick and bite like an animal.

Lan Xichen smiled his thanks while readjusting the collar of his inner robe, which had become slightly skewed during his tussle with the mini whirlwind that was Lan Wangji. Jiang Cheng tried so hard not to notice that flash of elegant collarbone, of luminous, unblemished skin. Lan Xichen was indeed the first jade of Lan.

He dragged his eyes back to the little monster swinging free in his grasp. Lan Wangji bared his teeth at him, and Jiang Cheng felt the flare of his temper, having to fight the urge to just toss him back at Lan Xichen, close the door in their faces, and leave them to it.

Perhaps sensing this, Lan Xichen smiled again, murmured a “Goodnight, Sect Leader Jiang” which sounded more like a “Good luck, Sect Leader Jiang” tugged the door closed from the outside and retreated.

“I want Wei Ying” there was such bad temper in the voice of the child he held Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Yes, we all heard you, repeatedly. Causing such a fuss. So much for the elegant, refined Hanguang-jun” he scoffed, then realised that verbally bullying a small child, even one who hadn’t been a small child yesterday, was perhaps too mean even for him.

He let out a heavy sigh and carried the youngest jade of Lan over to the second bed in the room and plonked him down.

Wei Wuxian moved over and made room for him, and Lan Wangji reached out to grab his hand immediately.

Wei Wuxian patted the other’s hair soothingly with his free hand, “Lan Zhan, you’re so noisy” he told his friend, who had the effrontery to look abashed only when told off by this mini Yiling Patriarch, the wild, untamed demonic cultivator of legend now packaged into a small, sweet, obedient little boy.

The world was upside down. Jiang Cheng threw his arms up in despair.

“Go to sleep. Both of you. If I hear one more sound out of either of you before dawn tomorrow I’ll break your legs” he didn’t examine what a bad person threatening two four year olds with broken legs made him seem; in reality he meant the threat as little as he did when using it on Jin Ling.

He returned to his own bed but not before noting both of them lay down and burrow into the blankets, back to back and finally blessedly quiet in the case of Lan Wangji.

#mdzs #mdzs fic #lan wangji #wei wuxian #lan xichen #jiang cheng #Xicheng if you squint #the untamed #set post canon novel #thanks airplane-bro #shay's stuff #crack #told from LXC and JC POV #mdzs fanfic #wangxian #but not wangxian #for obvious reasons #turnabout is fair play

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darkandstormyart · 5 years

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it’s all about the little things

#mdzs #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #the grandmaster of demonic cultivation #dark and stormy art #jiang cheng #lan xichen #jin ling #if you squint there's xicheng #jc:can't i just be happy because i'm spending time with my boyfriend?

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kinsdura · 3 years

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kitty jc

#jiang cheng #jiang wanyin #mxtx #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #and some xicheng if you squint #i think. he deserves to be kitty #my art

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starshinegoblin · 5 years

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Is It Broken?

@ruensroad - I wanted to make a gift for you and I hope it’s okay that I used your Witch au again! Here’s you some NieYao with a kiss because of the world ending or at least feeling like it.

—

“A-Yao, it’s going to be okay.” Nie Mingjue said trying to calm his husband. Who is currently in his familiar form burrowing into his chest as he was driving them back home. He can feel the little huffs, anxious shaking, and he doesn’t need to check to know there are several scratches too. Nie Mingjue doesn’t blame him though. The call he’d gotten from Jiang Cheng letting him know that a terrible storm had passed through while they were gone at the convention. His mind remembering the call that led to this.

Nie Mingjue grunted in displeasure at the sound of their phone in their room at the inn they are staying at ringing. Blindly he reached out grasping the phone. “Yes.” He sleepily growled, the sound stirring his husband. Meng Yao nuzzled his chest, eyes fluttering open as he tried to wake up.

“Sorry to disturb you Mr. Nie. We have a call from a, Mr. Jiang that says that it is urgent.” the concierge informed him.

“Put him through.” Nie Mingjue ordered, gently running his hand in slow motions up and down Meng Yao’s back to get him to go back to sleep. Blearily, he can make out the alarm clock that read that it was just a quarter after five in the morning. No, reason for him to be up too. Feeling the other huff in sleepy compliance he knew that it was working.

“I am sorry, Nie-ge, I normally wouldn’t bother the both you but I tried your cell phone and that didn’t work. I wanted to let you know that we got a bad storm in the area last night. Since you were out of town, me and A-Huan went to check on your shop. You might want to come home. One of the trees has fallen onto your home.” Jiang Cheng informed, blessedly not beating around the bush. He didn’t have time to say anything before his husband shot up suddenly.

“WHAT? Where did it fall?!” Meng Yao demanded clearly upset and no longer sleepy. Of course he would have been able to hear the conversation with his enhanced hearing.

“Near the back over the solarium.” Jiang Cheng answered him not needing to repeat the question, “The shop in the front looks still intact though.”

“Thank you, Jiang Cheng.” Nie Mingjue replied, his eyes on his husband. Through their bond he could feel the fear and anxiety rising in the other. The location of the tree was awfully close to Meng Yao’s beloved music room.

“No problem. If you need help let us know.” Jiang Cheng stated before ending the call.

“We have to go home.” Meng Yao stated hurriedly tossing back the sheets, getting up.

Nie Mingjue was stirred from his memory at the feeling of Meng Yao moving underneath his sweater. His tiny clawed paws crawling up to a more comfortable spot on Nie Mingjue’s shoulder. He didn’t come out though and Nie Mingjue understood. If he saw how badly the weather had gotten in other places Meng Yao would get even more upset.

How far are we? Meng Yao asked, the first words he’d spoken for miles. Not since he had a panic attack half way back transforming into his sugar glider form. Too on edge to shift back he’d stayed that way and crawled under Nie Mingjue’s sweater through his sleeve.

“We will be there in about ten minutes. Do you think you can shift back?” Nie Mingjue asked. Their town had been hit hard. Debris from trees, businesses, and homes littered everywhere. He hoped that Jiang Cheng’s Cafe was okay.

Maybe. Meng Yao answered sheepishly.

“It’s okay, babe, if you can’t.” Nie Mingjue reassured him leaning over to press a kiss on the bundle beneath the sweater on his shoulder.

I love you. Meng Yao replied.

“But you love your boxes more.” Nie Mingjue teased, earning a nip on his shoulder from tiny teeth.

Not true. Meng Yao argued but they both knew that Meng Yao’s greatest treasure besides his husband was the boxes. They are the literal physical manifestation of their love and devotion. Each one is unique with the exterior and interior designs, songs they play, and sheer size. In his familiar form he is able to be inside the boxes comfortably and move around.

“We are here.” Nie Mingjue announced as the shop came into view. Jiang Cheng had been right. The front of the shop looked good, but the back of the house had fallen prey to the Willow tree from the neighbors yard. Nie Mingjue sighed as he carefully parked in the parking spot in front of the store front.

The small weight he’d felt on his shoulder disappeared as a golden shimmering smoke lifted out of his sweater moving to take human form in his passenger seat. The moment he was materialized, Nie Mingjue reached over taking his husband’s hand. A thin smile on his face letting Meng Yao know that he was proud of him for being able to shift back.

“Let’s go.” Meng Yao said letting out a shuddering breath before the two of them got out of the car. They went through the store front, locking up behind them, before heading into their private residence behind. The living room was a mess of leaves, water, tree limbs, and glass on everything. The two looked up to find the tree protruding from the skylights but the beams were holding strong to keep it from crushing in.

Nie Mingjue was about to say something to his husband when the sound of the music boxes playing their songs started. He looked back to find his husband standing still with his eyes closed. In his human form he had to concentrate more to get the boxes to play like that. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide, tears starting to form.

“NO!” Meng Yao cried out, staying in his human form darting past Nie Mingjue into their house.

“Wait!” Nie Mingjue called after him knowing where the other was going. Fear setting in his bones, their bond feeding his worries. They didn’t know what the rest of the house looked like and in his mind he knew that if any of the boxes are broken that he could fix them.

Meng Yao shoved the door open not caring about the state of the room. The windows were blown out, water and glass all over the floor. Most of the boxes were fine but the ones closest to the windows were askew and a few on the floor. His mouth dropping open in fear as he spotted his seashell music box busted open on the floor at the edge of the carpet.

“A-YAO!” Nie Mingjue called after him watching his husband rush into the room. By the time he got to the doorway, Meng Yao was on the ground cradling what looked like the seashell music box. He glanced up seeing that the ceiling looked stable as he made his way over to his husband. Sure enough that’s what it was in the other’s arms when he moved to his side. The music box was about a foot and a half tall crab shell. It was decorated with hand painted gold leaf starfish laying on the shell with rubies and diamonds with mechanical swimming fish.

“A-Yao, is it broken?” Nie Mingjue called to his husband wrapping his arms around him.

“Yes.” Meng Yao whimpered holding it up to him. The mechanized fish were broke off and the starfish was gone, keeping the lid closed. He peered inside checking to see if the clam that held Meng Yao’s hoard was still there. It was but the remaining pieces such as the laying rock and a lot of the inner mechanized fish were gone. In its glory, Meng Yao would slip inside lay on the rock and watch the fish dance to the lovely song set while the clam opened up to allow him to put his treasures in.

Of all the boxes to break it had to be the the first one and the only one that didn’t have a pendant. It just opened magnetically. Nie Mingjue knew that he should have pushed more to let Meng Yao allow him to modify it to accommodate the others. This one was even more precious because it housed the first thing that he’d hoarded from Nie Mingjue. The peach pearl that had supposed to go into a ring meant for him. He reached in tapping the clam. It opened up easily revealing that the pearl and the ring. A small smile spreading across his face that they were both still there.

“It’s okay, my love, it’s not the end of the world and I can fix it making it even better.” Nie Mingjie said trying to comfort his husband, taking the music box out of his hands setting it aside. He cupped Meng Yao’s face, tilting his head to look at him. Meng Yao gave him a thin smile leaning into his touch. Nie Minjgue smiled brightly, leaning in kissing his husband in promise that he’d keep his word.

#nieyao #not my witch au #a gift for ruensroad #i hope you enjoy it #it was fun #mdz kiss promts #nie mingjue #meng yao #sugar glider familiar! meng yao #witch! nie mingjue #if you squint you’ll see the xicheng #mentions of lan xichen

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textsfrommxtx · 5 years

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(620): I just wanna fuck your brother. Sorry if that’s a crime.

#lan wangji #jiang cheng #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #xicheng/wangxian double feature if you squint #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #gdc

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ruensroad · 5 years

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a nephew for keeps

I blame @bloody-bee-tea for this one, since we were talking about Jingyi and it sparked this headcanon.

Featuring Lan Qiren and the un-Laniest Lan boy who he considers family (with background Xicheng because I am basic.)

------

“You seem in a good mood, shu-fu,” Xichen remarked with a smile as he carefully lay his reports on Lan Qiren’s desk. His new Jiangshi wedding bell swayed on his hip in the movement, the only sound in the otherwise quiet.

“Do I?” Lan Qiren asked, noncommittal at best, and sipped his tea. He didn’t have to look up to know Xichen was smiling even wider now. The perks of being an uncle, such knowledge of his nephew’s habits.

“I heard the Night Hunt was successful,” Xichen tried a new angle. Not surprising. Lan Qiren hummed in response. “The Juniors will be returning soon.”

So, he knew then. Lan Qiren let his eyes drift to his nephew’s sweet face, not much changed from the time he’d been a child. Always a happy baby, always content to sit and play in Lan Qiren’s lap or listen to stories. Wangji had been more his mother’s child, harder to reach, but Xichen was as close to a true son as he’d ever had.

Heart swelling with pride, he waved his grinning nephew off before he could wheedle. “I am pleased by their efforts,” he allowed and it was true enough. “They will appreciate your presence upon their return.”

Xichen’s chin dipped in a soft laugh, but he bowed and took his leave at that dismissal. Perks of being a nephew, he figured, such knowledge of Lan Qiren’s own habits. But he’d gone and that was all Lan Qiren needed. He got up to move the reports and put on a fresh kettle, then got down an extra cup. A slightly chipped, badly doodled on cup, from a time when Lan Jingyi was three and had gone through a stint of vandalism. Lan Qiren had curbed the habit quickly, but the damage had been done. No amount of washing had faded the ink from the clay.

Now, it was Jingyi’s favored cup and so Lan Qiren set it on the table. The boy had lost his parents at an early age, leaving Xichen and himself to raise him as best they could in their absence. He hated to admit that who he saw in Jingyi’s smiles and warm eyes was not his brother like Xichen no doubt believed, but Lan Qiren.

A young, prideful Lan Qiren to be fair, flustered out of perfection on the whims of a laughing girl, who’d shaved part of his mustache and stolen a part of his heart. He didn’t think there was anyone who’d met Cangse Sanren even in passing that hadn’t fallen a little in love with her. Jiang-xiong certainly had, and they’d followed her as obediently as ducklings in their schooling days. Just as Wangji followed her son now. Just as Jingyi followed Wangji’s son.

A knock sliced through his thoughts, perfectly level but with a bit of a flutter to it. He didn’t even look over as the kettle started to whistle, perfectly on cue, and Jingyi let himself in with a low bow. He looked well, Lan Qiren was relieved to note, grinning and vibrant as ever, a scrape on his jaw but otherwise unscathed.

“One piece, then,” Lan Qiren said and gestured for him to join him. Jingyi easily slipped into their usual routine, grabbing the kettle and setting it on the table, then folding neatly in the seat across from him to pour and serve them both tea.

“Old Master Lan has taught me well,” Jingyi told him, laughter in his eyes, and saluted him with his beloved cup. “How can I do nothing else but return to prove his faith in me correct?”

He was growing into a fine man, Lan Qiren noted, almost wistful to see the last of the giggling boy fading finally into sharper features, though that sweet kindness had only grown more stubborn. Lan Qiren nodded once back and they both sipped their tea, in sync with one another in setting down the cups.

“Do not twist your wrist so,” Lan Qiren chided his poor tea holding form, but there was no heat in it and Jingyi only grinned as he adjusted his hold.

“I fear I need a larger cup,” Jingyi sighed, lips twisting a bit in displeasure of the idea. Lan Qiren couldn’t help but agree.

“You do,” he said, because it was true enough, though they both knew that tomorrow, when Jingyi visited for his daily bothering of Lan Qiren out of paperwork, the cup would still be there, doodled on and slightly small, and Jingyi’s wrist would still twist around it and he would still be chided. The same dance, daily. A beloved pattern after so many years.

His nephews were sons he could not keep. Xichen was a leader, his own man, and needed to bloom on his own. Wangji had always done the same until Wei Wuxian, and now revolved solely about him. They had never truly been his to have, only to support and raise and set off into the world.

He wondered why it felt different with Jingyi. He wasn’t blood, wasn’t truly a nephew, or a son, but he was. He belonged to Lan Qiren the way he belonged to Xichen and to Shizui. He was family. They were family.

And seeing himself in those smiling eyes, Lan Qiren wondered if this time he could keep a nephew just a little longer and be a part of a youth so like his own, back in that golden time, hand in hand with a laughing girl and an awestruck boy. Before wars, before marriages, before heartbreak. Before tragedy.

For that smile alone, he was determined to try.

#ruenwrites #lan qiren #lan jingyi #just let them be happy okay #xicheng #if you squint #lan family #lan xichen

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allmydokkuns · 3 years

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Y'all where are the NMJ and JC polyshippers at like can you imagine the kind of lovely fanart that we could have if more of us jumped on the bandwagon like

Mingjue in cord wrapped or ribbon wrapped braids instead of just the coils, or if it's one of the Jiang sibs doing his hair like small wrapped braids in his ponytail if you're leaning more towards donghua Mingjue

The wrapped braid style is something I remember seeing on both CQL Yanli and WWX but not on Jiang Cheng and I'm a bit sad about that tbh

Actually just like let Mingjue have hair ribbons too like I know that's WWX's kind of thing design wise but I feel like da-ge could rock it too? Like it can even be black or gray ffs but with subtle gold or bronze colored threads to catch the light depending on which design you prefer

But also like JC in the Qinghe Nie coiled style with specially commissioned floral hairpins sounds cool too... It's hard to imagine him in a color that isn't purple but I feel like properly reimagined it could work! Like the small hair ornaments that pin da-ge's braids to the sides in CQL do look floral to me, though it's hard for me to tell squinting at my phone but!! In an AU where Nie bros gift him smth, my bet is it's gonna be some kind of hair ornament I mean Huaisang gave MY one of his own... This is all in some kind of vague polyverse where no one gets betrayed and dies btw but I feel like JC could use a bit of love and affection in the form of somebody other than himself doing his hair for him

Also I know some people have done sect swaps for fanfic with Xicheng but I feel like doing it for MingCheng, NieLan, etc would be a really cool challenge tbh. Not just the writing of it but seeing what other ppl come up with would be so cool??

#there is a space in my head thats occupied by thr idea of sectswap designs and man #i wish i could get off my ass and concentrate long enough to draw it #MingCheng (MDZS)#Nie Mingjue #Jiang Wanyin (Jiang Cheng)#Nie Huaisang #on character design and costume #is this post me having a lot of feelings on the nuances on why nie braids and jiang braids are different in a verse where they coexist? yes #Nie braids and Jiang braids #mdzs #cql #penny for hina's thoughts #penny for my thoughts but a dollar for my canons

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unpeumacabre · 3 years

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soaring dragon dancing phoenix - 龙飞凤舞: chapter one

Yunmeng is no longer home for Wei Wuxian, for he is no longer welcome. And so when he visits he can always count on Jiang Cheng descending upon his head with the full strength of heaven's fury, to chase him out. But one day when he sneaks into Yunmeng again, days go by without Jiang Cheng making an appearance. Something has happened to Wei Wuxian's prickly shi-di, something that - once they reunite - they will find is far greater than they could ever have anticipated. Accompanied also by Wei Wuxian's dear friend (?) Lan Zhan and a Lan Xichen who has only just reluctantly left isolation, the four of them set out on a journey that will bring them across the greater part of China to the mystical Kunlun mountains of mythology - and more importantly, may bring them love, healing, and reconciliation.

If only Wei Wuxian could take his head out of his oblivious arse and start putting himself in other people's shoes for once...

Rating: Mature

Relationships: Wangxian, Xicheng, Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng

Read on AO3 (bc tumblr might mess up the formatting + more extensive author’s notes on the story)

Count: 8k

<- previous

Wei Wuxian woke in darkness, and it was a darkness he did not recognise.

He sat up, groaning as the movement jarred his bones and made him ache in places he’d not known existed. There was something clouding his thoughts, draining his energy; after a few moments wherein he tried to get his bearings, he sensed the presence of a suppressing array designed to repress spiritual energy and sap his strength.

It was not a man-made array. Instead, it had the hallmarks of something far more ancient and terrible.

The amount of resentful energy in the air was so thick that he almost choked on it. In fact, if not for the suppressing array, he would have had trouble stopping the energy from churning through his body and sending him into a state of backlash.

As he stumbled to his feet, there was a crunch underfoot. Something sharp poked into his hand as he steadied himself against the ground. He felt for the object, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realised he had stepped on and broken the jaw bone of a skull.

“Ah – “ reflexively he recoiled. Then he relaxed as he realised it was likely the skull of a deer.

As he blinked and looked about the room, slowly things came into focus. First he saw around him walls made of dark, dank stone. There was a sour, mossy smell in the air; the air felt thick with moisture, and he wrinkled his nose in response. His head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton, and there was a faint ringing in his ears, likely from the blow to his head he’d received to knock him out before he’d been dragged into this chamber.

“At least whatever took me left me mostly intact,” he muttered to himself, fishing a talisman out of his robes and lighting it with a brief spark of spiritual energy.

He looked down, and realised that the floor was littered with more bones – animal bones, human bones, and unidentifiable shards which were coated in a thin layer of something shiny. When he nudged one of the fragments, it made a squishing noise under his foot, and Wei Wuxian instantly regretted his curiosity.

This must be the lair of the human-eating monster, he thought to himself, and this is where it chucks the remnants of its meals…it must have deemed Mo Xuanyu too skinny and underfed to be worthwhile fare, and tossed me in here for storage instead. It’s not my fault his isn’t a body which builds muscle easily! Why, if I only had my old body…

As he continued to stew indignantly over the monster’s disrespect of his physique, he returned his gaze to the walls, and suddenly realised that there was a passageway carved into the wall, leading into the next room. With one last glance around the chamber he was currently occupying, he deemed there to be little else of note therein, and trotted over to the aperture in the wall.

As he walked cautiously through the passageway, feeling his way with his hands and trying not to cringe at the thin layer of sticky moisture which gathered on his palms, suddenly the corridor opened out into a large chamber. More bones crunched under his feet, and now he found he had to pick his way carefully across the floor without falling over.

Abruptly the faint light from his talisman revealed a purple-clad body on the ground, and Wei Wuxian tripped.

Thankfully, he caught himself before he managed to fall on the body, and once he had regained his balance, he squatted over the body and squinted balefully at the face of the unfortunate person.

Jiang Cheng?! Wei Wuxian exclaimed mentally. What luck!

- Or, lack thereof, depending on how you looked at it. It was supremely lucky that he’d managed to find Jiang Cheng – alive, judging from the steady shallow rise and fall of his chest – and with all limbs and his head still firmly attached. But also supremely unlucky in the sense that they were now alone in a room with both their spiritual energy severely depleted, and without other Yunmeng Jiang sect members/Lan Zhan as buffers.

“Oh well. The rice is now cooked; what’s done is done, and there’s no way around it,” Wei Wuxian sighed. “I’ll just have to deal with his bad temper when he wakes up.”

Wei Wuxian leant over Jiang Cheng and scanned his body. There were faint lines on his temples where dried blood had trickled down from a wound on his head, similar to that on Wei Wuxian’s own forehead, but there didn’t seem to be much lasting damage. His spiritual energy was worryingly low, however, and it could barely be felt through his pulse point. Hurriedly, Wei Wuxian yanked open the collar of his robe and undergarments and placed his hand against his chest.

Thankfully, the thrumming of his spiritual energy was still present – very faint and weak, but still there.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING,” Jiang Cheng said weakly.

“Aaaahhh!” Wei Wuxian yelped, falling backwards and dropping the talisman. They stared at each other for a moment.

“Why are you the one yelling? I’m the one who woke up to being groped by a goddamn cut-sleeve!” Jiang Cheng shouted, albeit a bit feebly.

“Even when you’re half-dead you’re still so noisy,” Wei Wuxian said peevishly. “I was just checking your golden core! As if I’d want to touch you. Gross. And I’m not a cut-sleeve,” he added quickly.

Jiang Cheng ignored him, lifting himself up on his elbows and attempting to get onto his feet. He slapped away Wei Wuxian’s outstretched hand and managed to hobble upright on his own.

“My golden core,” he said suddenly, and looked up at Wei Wuxian with wild eyes. “I can barely feel it. And my senses feel dulled. I can’t think properly. What the hell’s happened to me?!”

“There’s a suppressing array in place,” Wei Wuxian answered. “Can’t you feel it? It’s suppressing your spiritual energy and sapping your strength.”

“Why don’t you seem affected then?” Jiang Cheng said, his tone mildly accusatory.

Wei Wuxian paused. “I don’t have a golden core, remember. And I’ve gone so long without one, I suppose it’s easier to get used to operating on lower spiritual energy.”

He kept his tone breezy and light, but even he felt that it was slightly over-played. Jiang Cheng’s jaw clenched and he turned away.

Wei Wuxian sighed. “Come on, Jiang Cheng,” he tried. “You know it doesn’t matter to me anymore. It’s an old wound, and I was the one who chose to give it up anyway. It wasn’t your fault at all.”

When Jiang Cheng turned back, there was so much guilt and anger in his eyes, Wei Wuxian found he could no longer stand it. He broke their gaze and looked around instead.

“We’re going to need weapons for defence,” he said, thinking out loud. “Spiritual weapons won’t work, since you’re low on spiritual energy, so Sandu and Zidian are out. Oh, how about this!” and he skipped over to the corner of the room, where a bunch of corpses were haphazardly piled on top of each other, covered in sparse cobwebs. A giant hairy spider crawled out of one of the skulls’ mouths and scuttled sideways into the shadows.

From their garb, the bodies had apparently been farmers or fishermen, and accordingly, there were various tools scattered on the ground next to them. Wei Wuxian picked up a few of the items and scrutinised them.

“Here, Jiang Cheng!” he called, and held them out. “Hoe, spade, pitchfork; time to play farmer for the day! Take your pick?”

Jiang Cheng grabbed the pitchfork without looking, his eyes trained on their surroundings and scanning the walls with what little light from the talisman remained. He clenched his fist, and Zidian crackled weakly, but otherwise there was no response, as expected.

“What do you remember before you were knocked out?” he said finally. “How did you find me here?”

Wei Wuxian was relieved to find that Jiang Cheng’s demeanour was back to normal.

He dropped the tools carelessly. “Hmm… I’ve been in Yunmeng for a while, and I went to – I met some Yunmeng Jiang disciples in Yunmeng and they told me you’d taken a group of your cultivators to the area outside the city where there had been a monster causing trouble and eating humans,” he said. “Since you’d been gone for quite a while, I figured it might be an interesting monster, so I came to have a look. I found the entrance to a cave in the area the disciples mentioned, but just as I entered, something knocked me out. Though I didn’t see what.”

“It was the same for me.” Jiang Cheng’s brow darkened, and his jaw clenched. “We must find the Yunmeng Jiang cultivators who came with me – whether they be dead or alive.”

Wei Wuxian nodded grimly. “I came from another room in which there were also many bones and remnants of clothing. There must be other rooms in which they may be found.”

They made their way sombrely through the various passageways and tunnels into other rooms which also reeked of dampness and decay. One by one, they found the distinctive bright purple robes of the Yunmeng Jiang disciples, covering bodies with the flesh only recently gnawed off the bones. For all of them, Jiang Cheng knelt by their sides and covered their bones with their robes, and arranged their remains tidily as best he could.

As he stood up from the side of the last corpse of the Yunmeng Jiang cultivators who’d accompanied him on his night hunt, his eyes were red with unshed tears. Wei Wuxian tactfully remained silent as Jiang Cheng took a few moments more to compose himself.

“We should get out and find reinforcements,” Wei Wuxian said at last, when Jiang Cheng’s colour had returned, and his grip on Sandu’s handle had loosened.

At Wei Wuxian’s words, he stiffened, and said suddenly, “What about the monster? It’s somewhere in here causing havoc. Who knows how many more people will killed in the time it takes for us to get back to Lotus Pier and fetch more people to help?”

“Our spiritual energy is so diminished, and we don’t have any useful weapons on us,” Wei Wuxian answered exasperatedly. “With this suppressing array in place, what damage can we possibly do to the monster?”

“Even if we bring reinforcements, they’ll be hit by the suppressing array too,” Jiang Cheng said stubbornly

“This creature is clearly a dangerous one, if our experiences have taught us anything, and one not to be taken lightly. We won’t be able to do much to it!” Wei Wuxian protested.

“Didn’t you kill the Xuanwu even while starved for three days, and heavily injured?” Jiang Cheng rebutted angrily. “Are you saying I’m not as competent as Lan Wangji?”

When Jiang Cheng was like this, it was difficult to deal with him. Wei Wuxian let his exasperation get the better of him. “Fine! Have it your way then!” he snapped. “For the record, I still think we’re going to our death. But since you’re being so pig-headed about it, we might as well try and find the monster and do what damage we can before we end up dying.”

They walked for a bit in a stony silence. The talisman, previously already on its last embers, soon shrivelled away into nothingness. Wei Wuxian wordlessly fished another yellow sheet from his robes and lit their way once more.

In the few moments in which darkness had reigned, Jiang Cheng’s expression had changed.

He quickly schooled it back to his familiar frown, however, and Wei Wuxian would have thought it a trick of the light, if he had not seen it plain as day.

“At least… let’s at least scope out the terrain so we know it better,” Jiang Cheng muttered, with a curious scraping noise, as if he were grinding his teeth. “Then we’ll know it better the second time when we come back with reinforcements.”

“… Are you feeling alright?” Wei Wuxian asked cautiously, with concern. “You don’t have a fever, do you? Why are you agreeing with me all of a sudden?”

“Shut up! Don’t make me change my mind!” Jiang Cheng said huffily, and walked a little bit faster.

Now I remember why Jin Ling’s princess-like temper seemed so familiar, Wei Wuxian thought to himself. He’s a carbon copy of Jiang Cheng as a child! No wonder, what with the way Jiang Cheng raises him.

Of course he would never dare to say such a thing to Jiang Cheng’s face, so they continued ambling on in more silence. Suddenly, Wei Wuxian stopped in his tracks.

“What is it?”

“I can sense something different,” Wei Wuxian said, turning his head from side to side as he attempted to trace the thing which had caught his attention. He closed his eyes and focused his mind.

It took him much concentration and mental capacity, but finally he sensed what had distracted him – a tendril of energy which differed from the constant thrum of resentful energy that threatened to overwhelm him at every step, the latter which likely came from the multiple corpses that they had left behind in the previous rooms. This new energy felt more similar to the force that sustained the suppressing array, but at the same time, curiously unlike. Wei Wuxian tilted his head to the side as he tried to sort out the tangled coils of energy in the air, into a more coherent map.

“I think I can sense the spiritual energy of the monster,” he said, after a few moments. “That is, if this creature is indeed the one that set up the suppressing array. Following its energy should lead us to its location.”

“There’s such a thick cloud of resentful energy. You can tell the monster’s energy apart?” Jiang Cheng asked in disbelief.

“Master of Demonic Cultivation, remember?” Wei Wuxian said, mustering up a grin. “I lived and breathed resentful energy for a while before I, er, before the siege on the Yiling Mounds.” He rushed on quickly before Jiang Cheng could become maudlin again. “It’s nothing to me, to tell apart different sources of resentful energy.”

“I’ve never before heard of a beast that was able to cast a suppressing array,” Jiang Cheng said, thankfully too preoccupied with the matter at hand to be easily distracted by talk of the past. “It must be a human-like monster then – but no, those were clearly the marks of an animal’s teeth on the bodies of my cultivators.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. “My line of thinking was the same as yours. I don’t think this thing is purely beast-like nor human-like, and it’s probably a mix of both, such that it’s able to cast a suppressing array, and yet attack people with such ferocity and strength. We’ll have to trace the energy to its source to find out.”

With a grunt of acknowledgement from Jiang Cheng in response, they continued trudging on in a firm, painful silence. This was a foreign concept to Wei Wuxian; even in his time with Lan Zhan, that taciturn rock of a man, he’d been able to fill the void between them with his aimless chatter and the playing of Chenqing. But something between him and Jiang Cheng still felt too raw, too new and vulnerable, to risk damaging with his usual frivolous antics.

This is so awkward, Wei Wuxian thought. Should I make the first move? But he might yell at me again. Hang on, since when have I been so afraid of Jiang Cheng’s scoldings? Anyway, what would I even ask him? ‘How are the lotuses doing in Lotus Pier?’ Um, no…

Surprisingly, however, Jiang Cheng was the first to break the silence.

“How – ahem. How is Lan Wangji?”

Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure he’d heard him right at first, but as he looked at Jiang Cheng incredulously, the question forming on his lips, Jiang Cheng flushed, and looked away.

“Oh! Er, Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian asked, loudly to cover up both their discomfort. “I haven’t seen him in a while. He’s Chief Cultivator, you know! Isn’t that amazing?”

Jiang Cheng muttered something that sounded suspiciously like I’m the Yunmeng Jiang sect leader, of course I know who the fucking Chief Cultivator is, but then he harrumphed and cleared his throat. Wei Wuxian magnanimously decided to let him off and pretend he hadn’t heard anything.

“I thought you two were inseparable?” Jiang Cheng asked, darting a sideways glance at Wei Wuxian. “And yet you haven’t seen him for a while?”

For some reason, that particular question grated at Wei Wuxian’s skin, and the light of the talisman flickered in response to his annoyance. “Well, he’s busy,” he said airily, “and… and I’ll see him soon. I’m sure of it. As if he could go a day without my presence!”

“He seems to be getting on perfectly fine without you,” Jiang Cheng pointed out, detestably reasonable as always.

“With Lan Zhan’s poker face, how can you tell?” Wei Wuxian returned quickly. This time it was he who walked a little faster, just to be spiteful, and just because he could.

“You look like you’ve been tramping through the wilderness,” Jiang Cheng said, abruptly switching the subject.

“I’ve just been living wild for a while. You know, living off the land, eating only fruits and berries, surviving by my abundance of wits as usual…”

“Hah!” Jiang Cheng snorted. It was not a nice snort, Wei Wuxian thought crossly, and in retaliation, he decided not to respond.

Jiang Cheng finally spoke up again, after a long while in which Wei Wuxian had been distracting himself with thoughts of a new classification system for demons of the five elements. “We’ve been going in circles!” he said, and his tone bridled with frustration. “I recognise that rock formation over there. I caught my hand on it earlier – look, my blood is still fresh on the stone.”

Wei Wuxian looked at the rock, and indeed, Jiang Cheng’s blood still glistened on its surface. He wondered how he could have gotten so completely turned around – hadn’t he just been following the tendril of malevolent energy? He could’ve sworn he’d felt it getting stronger, too, which should have meant that they were nearing its source. How was it that they’d ended up circling back to where they’d started?

“I thought we were following the energy from the creature,” Jiang Cheng said irritably.

“Shhh,” Wei Wuxian said, not paying attention to him. “There’s something else at work here. Something I’m not getting.”

Surprisingly, Jiang Cheng quieted down, and leaned against the wall. He did so surreptitiously, as if to escape Wei Wuxian’s sight, but of course he noticed.

Jiang Cheng must be more drained than I thought, Wei Wuxian thought, if he’s stopped arguing with me. Especially since he’s been here for a few days more than me already, and with no food or water. I must find a way to get us out of here - and quickly.

He mustered what little spiritual energy he had left, and focused. In his mind he pushed aside the suppressing fog that clouded his thoughts and distracted his attention, concentrating only on sensing the pulses of energy emanating from every wall in the passageway around him. There was the faint tendril of energy from the creature responsible for the suppressing array, yes, and overwhelming amounts of resentful energy pouring from the corpses of the creature’s meals, and underneath it all… underneath all that energy…

“There’s a maze array in place,” he realised suddenly, his voice echoing in the stillness of the corridor. “It’s cleverly buried under the other layers of energy in this cave, but it’s there. It must have been cast a long time ago, for I could barely sense its presence. And it was not cast by the creature maintaining the suppressing array.”

“That’s what’s confusing your sense of direction?” Jiang Cheng asked despairingly. “Then how are we supposed to get out of here with little spiritual energy and our only lead a complete dead end?”

Wei Wuxian shook his head, mustering a small smile. “Don’t lose hope so easily, Jiang Cheng! We’ll find a way out. We just need a way to overcome the maze array – then we can follow the creature’s malevolent energy without being confused. We just need some way of maintaining our sense of direction.”

“What do you suggest we do? Is there any way to track our steps, perhaps?” Jiang Cheng said.

Wei Wuxian tapped idly at the side of his nose as he thought, pacing back and forth in the confined space. Jiang Cheng’s eyes, lit up by the flickering light of the paper talisman, followed him back and forth.

“I could cast a tracking spell… no, but with my depleted spiritual energy, that wouldn’t last long… I have the Compass of Evil which I worked on to improve last week, but this creature doesn’t consume souls, and so it wouldn’t work… Oh?”

The unravelling hem of his ratty travelling robe had snagged on a shard of rock protruding out of the wall, and had caused him to pause in his steps. Wei Wuxian stared down at the little loop of thread curled around the stone protrusion.

Suddenly, an epiphany came upon him.

“I have an idea!” he said, excitedly, and began picking apart the hem of his robe. Jiang Cheng lifted himself off the wall and came over to inspect what he was doing.

“What’s that supposed to do?” he asked sceptically. “Is it just another excuse for you to go naked again? Oi, just because it’s just me down here with you - ”

“It was one time, and I was eight,” Wei Wuxian said exasperatedly, “and don’t tell me you’d never seen a penis before that! I don’t know why you had to act like a blushing maiden and try to stab me with your brush. We’re both men, aren’t we? Nothing you haven’t seen before!”

While he’d been going on, and Jiang Cheng had started spluttering and turning interesting colours, he’d managed to unpick the thread from his robe, and tied it around a sturdy stalagmite on the ground. He gave the limestone pillar a few experimental pulls, and it didn’t budge.

“Now we just have to follow the thread, and we’ll know which routes we’ve walked, and which routes we haven’t!” he said brightly, as he straightened up.

“That’s… actually a good idea,” Jiang Cheng said grudgingly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at the stalagmite.

“I always have good ideas. Don’t you know?” Wei Wuxian said, grinning. “Come on, let’s hurry. I don’t know how many days have passed, but surely it’s been too long already. We should quickly find the monster’s hideout and then figure out a way to escape.”

It was indeed a good idea, if Wei Wuxian said so himself (and he did, multiple times, very smugly, so much so that Jiang Cheng started ignoring him again), and with its aid, they managed to find their way out of the maze of corridors that surrounded the rooms containing the corpses. Wei Wuxian heaved a sigh of relief as he finally felt the thick fog of resentful energy that had been giving him a massive headache, fade away into the background and eventually disappear.

Now, the passageways they walked were a little less damp, and a little less foul-smelling. There were even lamps embedded in the wall, unlit and covered with cobwebs, but obviously made by a talented craftsman. Wei Wuxian stopped to inspect one of them, and the style of its carvings and the technique of its forging marked it as a craft belonging to the dynasty of six centuries ago.

“Whatever inhabits this cave must be ancient indeed,” Jiang Cheng said grimly, as Wei Wuxian shared this insight with him.

They stopped abruptly as a carven wooden door appeared beside them, looming out of the darkness, leading into an enclave that branched off from the main tunnel.

The frame of the door extended high above their visible range, and as Wei Wuxian guided the talisman as far up as he dared without losing his tenuous hold on the charm, they realised just how large the tunnel was beginning to run. All they could see above them was darkness, and there was no observable ceiling. They exchanged glances, and with a mutual nod of acknowledgement, Jiang Cheng placed his palm on the door and pushed firmly.

It creaked open with a loud sound of protest. The noise made both of them wince and glance around sharply to see if the clamour had attracted any undue attention. But thankfully, even after a few moments of silence, they were still alone in the tunnel, with no foes in sight. Jiang Cheng pushed the door open all the way, and they peered into the darkness cautiously.

“It’s a library - !” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, his voice hushed, as the talisman floated into the room and lit up shelves upon shelves of crumbling, decaying books and scrolls. Jiang Cheng scanned the titles, trying to make out the words on their spines.

“Vegetarian Dietary Principles,” Jiang Cheng read out, “Journey to the West, Classic of Poetry, Classic – Classic of – Music?”

Wei Wuxian expelled a surprised breath and shook his head. “Whoever owned this library must have been a great patron of the arts - he’s even managed to acquire books which no one’s ever had a copy of before! It’s a collection to rival even that of the Gusu Lan library. But such a valuable hoard would usually be maintained zealously by its collector, not left to rot away in such a sorry state.”

The talisman settled on a pile of objects arranged neatly in the corner of the library, and Wei Wuxian felt his brows shoot up even further.

“A guqin, guzheng, pipa, dihu, yangqin – truly an impressive collection of instruments from all across China!” he said admiringly. “They’ve been left to gather dust as well, and they haven’t been maintained in a while. Things are becoming curiouser and curiouser indeed.”

“Perhaps the owner of the collection was eaten by the monster,” Jiang Cheng suggested.

“Perhaps,” Wei Wuxian said doubtfully. I feel that there’s something here we’re still not getting…

They left the library behind, unable to see much in the darkness and with their limited light source. Wei Wuxian had to light another talisman, for the previous one flickered and shrivelled to dust. Just as he did, his stomach let out a loud sound of dissatisfaction, and he automatically pressed a hand to his abdomen.

“I’m hungryyyyyy,” he whined. “Jiang Cheng, do you have any food?”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Jiang Cheng retorted sharply. “If I’d had any food, I’d long since have eaten it up already!”

“Ugh,” Wei Wuxian groaned, leaning dramatically forward as they walked. “I’m going to die of hunger. Who knows how many days and nights we’ve spent in here! It’s not like you have a set sleep schedule so we can count the days. We’ve probably been walking for a few days without rest already – and who knows how much longer it’ll take to get out.”

He felt his coat slip off his shoulder, and he looked down at it. Because of the unravelling string, his already-raggedy outerwear was falling apart, and it no longer resembled anything coat-like. Wei Wuxian shrugged it off and tucked it under his right arm, and was left only in his underthings.

“I feel the wind blowing through places I didn’t know existed,” he complained, shivering.

Jiang Cheng looked at him and immediately averted his eyes, a dull flush colouring his cheeks. “Shameless!” he spluttered. “What wind?! There’s barely any wind, we’re underground! Wei Wuxian, you’re truly shameless as always!”

“Now you’re starting to sound like the old Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath. “One of him is good enough, thank you very much…”

Suddenly, there was an ear-splitting crash, and it was only their quick reflexes that caused them not to be buried under a large column of rocks that suddenly came pouring down on them. Both of them leapt to the side, and stared, bug-eyed, at the spot in which they had been standing just moments ago.

“Agh, my eyes,” said Jiang Cheng loudly, as the fog from the avalanche cleared, and piercing sunlight shone down on them from the large hole which had suddenly opened up in the ceiling of the tunnel, far above them. Wei Wuxian shielded his eyes with his hand and squinted blearily up at the hole.

…

“LAN ZHAN!!!!” he cried out happily, as he made eye contact with a very dear, familiar figure. Lan Zhan peered imperiously down at them, the sunlight making it seem as though his head was glowing.

“Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao will arrive,” Wei Wuxian said, bouncing excitedly up and down on the spot. “Didn’t I tell you Lan Zhan could be counted on to rescue us?* Huh? He’s reliable, isn’t he?”

*A/N: (he didn’t)

“Did you really have to invoke his name?” Jiang Cheng said grumpily, following his gaze upwards. “I always feel like he’s looking down on me, but now he’s actually literally looking down on me.”

Another figure appeared beside Lan Zhan and peeked cautiously over the edge of the hole. After squinting for a while more, Wei Wuxian realised it was Lan Xichen.

“Are you two alright?” Lan Xichen called down to them, his gentle voice filled with concern. “I’m afraid we went a little, ah, overboard in trying to get down to you two…”

“We’re fine, Zewu-jun, thanks for your concern!” Wei Wuxian hollered back up at them. “Won’t you come down and join us? We’re depleted of spiritual energy and unable to join you up there!”

Lan Zhan immediately flew down, but the moment he alighted and laid his eyes on Wei Wuxian, his finely-sculpted eyebrows shot up towards to his forehead.

“What – what happened to your outer robe?” he said, sounding faintly strangled.

“Oh – this? I used the string from my hem to track our progress through this cave,” Wei Wuxian replied cheerily. “There’s a maze array in place, although it’s quite difficult to detect, and with our limited spiritual energy there wasn’t any other way to stop ourselves getting lost. Jiang Cheng will tell you it was quite a clever idea. It must have been quite cold outside, Lan Zhan, your ears are turning pink! Here, rub your hands together…”

Jiang Cheng, predictably, ignored him and lifted his hands in a salute to Lan Xichen, who’d descended as well to join them. “Sect Leader Lan,” he said formally, and Lan Xichen returned the gesture. Jiang Cheng turned to Lan Zhan and repeated the gesture, a little more unwillingly.

“Here, take this,” Lan Zhan said, pulling a qiankun pouch out from his sleeve. Sticking his hand inside the pouch, he drew out an overcoat with the designs of the Gusu Lan sect and placed it securely around Wei Wuxian’s shoulders.

Wei Wuxian whistled in surprise and appreciation. “Lan Zhan, you came prepared! It’s one of your robes, isn’t it?” A thought occurred to him which made him laugh out loud in pure delight. “Ooh, Lan Zhan, are you embarrassed by my lack of clothing? You know I’m shameless, I don’t mind even if I’m just parading around in my underwear or even if I’m stark naked.”

“As you can tell, Hanguang-jun, he’s doing perfectly fine,” Jiang Cheng said acrimoniously. “The days of starvation and lack of spiritual energy haven’t done anything to dampen his personality.”

Wei Wuxian pouted. “Lan Zhan knows that,” he replied peevishly. “We killed the Xuanwu together under the same circumstances, remember?”

A soft laugh from the side reminded him of Lan Xichen’s presence, and he spun around to face him.

“Sect Leader Lan, what’re you doing here?” Wei Wuxian asked curiously. “I thought you were in seclusion. What brings you here?”

Lan Xichen smiled. “I was in seclusion, but Wangji came to me today and told me of your and Sect Leader Jiang’s disappearance. He was quite distressed by the news, and asked me for help to track the two of you down. And when I heard that A-Yao – that Jin Guangyao had been seen in the area…”

He hesitated, and said no more. None of them pressed him further.

“How did you manage to find us?” Jiang Cheng asked quickly, directing his question at Lan Zhan.

“Jin Ling wrote to me when he found that you were missing,” Lan Zhan answered. “We followed your trail to this place. And I could sense Wei Ying’s energy coming from here, so we entered here.”

“You could sense my energy?” Wei Wuxian asked, bewildered by this new turn of events. “But – how? Plus the suppressing array – “

“Where is the human-eating monster?” Lan Zhan asked abruptly, cutting him off. “Have you already killed it?”

After a pause, Wei Wuxian shook his head, and relayed the events of the past few days to them. It turned out that Jiang Cheng had been missing for nine days, and Wei Wuxian for three – that explains why Jiang Cheng looks so exhausted, he thought to himself; nine days without food or drink will do that to you.

Lan Xichen passed them water in a flask and two bags filled with baozi, steamed buns, which Jiang Cheng immediately started scarfing down ravenously. Lan Zhan took the other bag and held up the flask to Wei Wuxian’s mouth.

“Drink,” he said softly. One of his hands came up behind Wei Wuxian’s back to steady him.

Wei Wuxian drank obediently, thinking, I am so loved.

When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Lan Zhan immediately fished one of the baozi out of the bag and held it up for Wei Wuxian to take a bite. The meat inside the bun tasted truly delicious to his starved palate, and he couldn’t stop himself from letting out little ‘mm’s of enjoyment as he chewed.

Only when Wei Wuxian had finished munching on the baozi did Lan Zhan exhale and relax, although his hand still remained on Wei Wuxian’s lower back.

“Thanks, Lan Zhan,” he said, smiling widely. Something about Lan Zhan’s presence always left him feeling refreshed. “I knew I could count on you. You’re such a reliable friend. No wonder you’re the Chief Cultivator, indeed!”

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Jiang Cheng said indistinctly, and Wei Wuxian whipped around to look at him.

(If he was being perfectly honest, he’d forgotten Jiang Cheng – and Lan Xichen – were there.)

The two of them were staring openly at him and Lan Zhan, the bag of baozi dangling loosely from Jiang Cheng’s hand and Jiang Cheng’s cheeks still stuffed with bites of baozi so that he looked like a squirrel. Lan Xichen’s smile looked like it had ossified on his face.

“What?” Wei Wuxian said in confusion. He looked at Lan Zhan for reassurance that he wasn’t the only one bewildered in this situation, but Lan Zhan seemed to be trying to do something with his face, alternately widening and squinting his eyes at the two other people.

Lan Xichen coughed. “Never – never mind, Young Master Wei,” he said, his smile back on his face, although now it looked a little bit forced. “If you’ve finished your meal, we should proceed with your original plan to find the human-eating monster. Wangji and I have spent only a few moments in this cave, but already I can feel the effects of the suppressing array. Wangji, you feel it too?”

Lan Zhan inclined his head, his face back to its usual expressionlessness. “It was not cast by a human,” he replied. “The energy is different. Staying here longer than necessary will result in full depletion of our spiritual energy.” He materialised his guqin and played a few complicated sounding notes. Blue light flared as he cast the pathfinding spell, and it formed a faint line on the ground showing the direction in which they were to go.

“We must hurry,” he said brusquely, “or my energy will fail and the spell will disappear.”

“Got it,” Wei Wuxian said, nodding decisively, feeling much more comfortable and at ease now that he was no longer alone with Jiang Cheng, and Lan Zhan was here at his side. As they walked, Wei Wuxian filled the silence with his usual chatter, speculating about the origins of the creature and how it could possibly have cast a suppressing array, interrupted only by Lan Zhan’s ‘mm’s of acknowledgment and the occasional offered insight.

If he was speaking a little louder than usual, it was only because he could feel the supreme awkwardness radiating off the two sect leaders walking behind them. It wasn’t coming off Lan Xichen, no – Wei Wuxian had previously turned around surreptitiously to check on the two of them and Lan Xichen had looked perfectly at ease and his usual composed self. Rather, it was Jiang Cheng who was blatantly trying to avoid everyone’s gaze, and who’d answered Lan Xichen’s initial attempts at conversations with curt, albeit polite, rejoinders.

That’s strange, Wei Wuxian mused to himself, as he chattered on to Lan Zhan about his theories regarding whether or not beasts had souls akin to that of humans, Jiang Cheng’s used to silence and isn’t often fazed. I wonder if something happened between him and Zewu-jun? Or maybe he’s just tired. Or maybe he feels left out of the conversation between me and Lan Zhan? But that’s not my fault! He’s the one being all grumpy and crabby. I mean, I know things aren’t exactly back to normal between us, but I’d thought after the Guanyin Temple events he’d started to hate me a little bit less…

“We’re here,” Lan Zhan said, stopping abruptly, as the faint blue line on the ground ended and they were faced with a large door.

This was different from the door that had led into the library, for it was carved out of granite and not wood, and gems were embedded deep into the stone in a pattern that radiated out from the centre, where two large knockers were located. The faces of two door gods glared at them out of the darkness, painted as they were on either panel of the door.

It must have been a glorious sight, Wei Wuxian thought to himself, when the lamps had been lit. But now the gems only gleamed dully in the limited light from the talisman, and the paint of the door gods was chipped and peeling. Now their stares looked mournful, rather than stern and majestic, as they would have been before.

Words were carved into the upper frame of the door, large, sombre characters in ancient text. They looked as if they had been etched into the stone by a great claw, the edges of the words were still clear and relatively unchipped by time.

“Cave of… Cave of Dormancy?” Wei Wuxian read with some difficulty, for he had not practised reading ancient scripts to any significant extent.

“There is a great well of yang energy beyond this door,” Lan Xichen said from behind them, his voice almost awestruck. Wei Wuxian concurred. As they had been following the path indicated by Lan Zhan’s pathfinding spell, he too had felt the presence of a boundless amount of yang energy emanating from some unseen force, that now apparently lay behind this door.

Even in his weakened state, it felt ponderous and overpowering; he could not imagine what it felt like for Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen, whose reserves of energy were mostly intact. True to his thoughts, Lan Zhan staggered slightly, and the blue line on the ground faded. Wei Wuxian dropped the ratty overcoat tucked under his arm, and steadied him with a hand on his elbows.

The faint crackle of Zidian echoed throughout the space as Jiang Cheng clenched his fist, and he strode forward, placing his palm on the handle of the door.

“Sect Leader Jiang, we must be cautious,” Lan Xichen said, and in his gentle voice it did not sound like a rebuke. Jiang Cheng spared him a sideways glance, then nodded shortly. It took the both of them to push the heavy doors open, and Lan Zhan levered himself out of Wei Wuxian’s grasp to peer carefully into the chamber.

It was the light that hit them first, and blinded them.

Jiang Cheng grunted in surprise and cast his head away, for he had been the first one to gain entrance to the chamber. Wei Wuxian pushed his way forward and squinted into the blinding light.

Once his eyes had stopped metaphorically bleeding, he made out lamps on the walls, larger than the ones in the passageways, and this time, these were lit, with a curious iridescent flame that flickered and danced even though there was no wind.

As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he began to make out more features of the room. It was a vast chamber, with the ceiling towering high above them, and every panel of the walls inlaid with gold and jade. Golden dragons snarled motionlessly at them from the corners of the room, their presumably-once-gleaming surfaces now flecked with dirt. Two thrones sat at the far end of the room – which was more like a hall – one enormous and golden, the other slightly smaller and carved in jade. A thin layer of dust covered every single object and surface in the room.

Except for the centre of the chamber, a shining golden pedestal, upon which lay a great slumbering long.

There was a sharp intake of breath from behind Wei Wuxian from Lan Zhan that told him he’d noticed the long as well. Very slowly, not daring to take even a single breath, Wei Wuxian stepped backwards and back into the passageway.

Once he was no longer in the hall, he spun around, his eyes open so wide he felt they were about to fall out of his skull.

“It’s a Shenlong. A heavenly dragon,” he hissed frantically. “The nine resemblances were present: the stag’s horns, the camel’s head, the demon’s eyes, the snake’s neck, the clam’s belly, the carp’s scales, the tiger’s paws, the cow’s ears, and most distinctive of the Shenlong, out of all the types of long – the eagle’s claws, of which there were five on each foot.”

Jiang Cheng’s were equally wide. “Is it… is it the real thing?” he managed. “Or is it a deformed copy, like the Xuanwu of Slaughter you and Lan Wangji fought?”

“He is a true Shenlong,” Lan Xichen spoke, and there was a subtle tremor in his voice. “He had the chimu atop its head, without which he may not ascend to the heavens.”

“That explains how he was able to cast the suppressing array, and the non-human aura of his energy, given that a Shenlong is a fully sentient being and not merely a mindless beast. But what’s he doing down here, though?” Wei Wuxian wondered aloud. “A Shenlong belongs in the heavens or in the body of water he governs, not under the ground where he has no access to the water which sustains him.”

Lan Xichen shook his head, his gaze equally uncomprehending. “Before we left the chamber, I observed that there were large lacquer panels on the walls with accompanying text, which likely depicted the Shenlong and his story,” he said quietly. “I did not get a close enough look at the words, however. But there is one thing beyond doubt – this Shenlong is unlike his more benevolent peers, and is responsible for the disappearances of the people of Yunmeng. We must find a way to observe both the Shenlong and the panels on the walls, which may give us a clue as to how to combat him.”

“According to the stories, it has superior sight and smell,” Lan Zhan spoke up. “It will be difficult to evade its notice.”

“It did not notice us when we first entered, however, and we were rather noisy,” Jiang Cheng said. “If we are careful, we should be fine.”

Given that none of them saw any other way to proceed, it was on that note of caution that they entered the chamber once again. Wei Wuxian kept his eyes firmly trained on the Shenlong, but even as they eased themselves slowly past the door and into the room, he did not wake. The lines of his magnificent, serpentine body rose and fell in tandem with his breaths, and the silky tendrils of his beard fluttered in the air that whooshed out of his nostrils. A pearl glimmered faintly from where it was nestled underneath his chin.

Wei Wuxian could not help but stop and admire his majestic beauty. It was truly a sight he’d never thought he’d see in his lifetime, for long were said to be mere figments of imagination, myths of the past.

But… I suppose, if there’s a Xuanwu, why not a Shenlong? It was a perfectly reasonable line of logic, he thought, and besides, unless he and the other three were having mass hallucinations, the proof of truth in those supposed legends lay before his own eyes.

It was only when he was sure that the Shenlong was deep in slumber, that he finally turned his attention to the four lacquer panels on the wall. These were clearly done by a great artist - like the rest of the statues and art pieces of the chamber - for the panels were carefully inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold leaf carved into the shapes of miniscule birds and flowers that fluttered in and adorned the background of the scenes. Below each panel were lines of ancient script, carved deep into the rock by the same great claw which had labelled this cavern the Cave of Dormancy.

The words were not clear to him, given his inability to read ancient text, but thankfully, the pictures were evocative enough that he was able to get the main gist of the story. In the first panel, the Shenlong perched atop a mountain, watching as the towns and people in his purview were washed away by strong wind and rain. In the next screen, he was depicted swooping downwards into the fray and picking off various unfortunate victims from the deluge of water below. His large bulging eyes, created with carven jade gemstones, glimmered malevolently in the light. Blood gushed from his cavernous jaws.

Then, in the next panel, a Fenghuang – a divine phoenix - had descended upon the scene, and was tussling violently with the Shenlong, her long, sharp beak digging into the flesh of the Shenlong’s leg where it was buried. The artist had captured their likenesses so perfectly that the extended claws of the Fenghuang seemed to leap out from the painting at viewers, and her vibrant feathers appeared soft and inviting to the touch.

The scene depicted in the final screen was set in a familiar location: here, in the Cave of Dormancy, the Fenghuang presided over the Shenlong, the iridescent plumage on her wings spread wide as she cast her shadow on the slumbering Shenlong. His long body was now marked heavily with the scars of battle and blood, and he lay in exactly the same position as he was in now, atop the golden pedestal, feet tucked under his body and tail curled round his head; a curiously docile posture.

The only difference between then and now, Wei Wuxian reflected, as he glanced back to the actual Shenlong, was the array of bones now scattered haphazardly around his pedestal – some animal, some human.

The old stories only tell of the Shenlong as a noble and wise creature, who bestows rain upon peasants as a water god, Wei Wuxian thought to himself. This Shenlong must be a rogue one, akin to the black dragon of Jizhou which was killed by the goddess Nüwa. This Shenlong must have brought calamity to the surrounding towns and abused his power to consume human flesh.

All this information he recalled from dusty textbooks and boring lessons on rainy days that seemed a lifetime away – well, he corrected in his mind, for him at least, they were a lifetime away. But there was no time to dwell on his sad past, now. The important thing at hand now, was to find a way to defeat this Shenlong, and stop it from killing any more Yunmeng people. The only thing was – how? Wei Wuxian could see from the grim look in the eyes of his companions that they were similarly nonplussed.

In the stories, there were few who actually fought a long, and even fewer who survived, Wei Wuxian thought, his brain working furiously. Of those few, most were deities or gods like the Monkey God Sun Wukong, or the Third Lotus Prince Nezha. Long have few weaknesses and many strengths, and it will be difficult to conquer it without external, godly help…

Then, all of a sudden, came the clear, sonorous ring of a bell.

Immediately, all four of them froze. Slowly their gazes turned, from the four panels on the wall, and landed on the Shenlong sleeping atop the golden pedestal.

Wei Wuxian’s last thoughts?

…

We’re fucked.

#wangxian #xicheng #upm works #upm #cql #wwx #lwj #jiang cheng #lxc #jc #mdzs #mdzs fanfiction #cql fanfiction #wei wuxian x lan wangji #jiang cheng x lan xichen #wei wuxian #the untamed #lan wangji #lan xichen

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littlemdzsdump · 4 years

Text

swim between the lotus pods

another little xicheng tribute because it’s summer and i think these two are great in summer. ~

“Jiang Wanyin…” Lan Xichen tries to excuse himself as politely as he can. But the Lotus Pier sect leader is not having it.

Jiang Cheng stands, shirtless among the little clumps of floating lotuses, arms akimbo, and face stern.

“Zewu-Jun” Jiang Cheng answers just as politely, though there is a slight teasing glint in his eyes. At the edge of the dock, Lan Xichen stands very very hesitant. He is also very very torn. Is it worth it to drown, if he could get close enough to Jiang Cheng’s broad, toned chest?

Maybe.

Lan Xichen wrings his hands, biting his lip ever so slightly.

“I…” Lan Xichen doesn’t know how to finish his sentence.

Jiang Cheng stands to his full height. From a little ways in the river, Jiang Cheng moves closer to the dock. Droplets of water run down the crevices of his muscles and the side of his face, where he had swum in circles before. Despite the scars that marked his chest from a time past, Jiang Cheng now walks with the confidence of those hardships. If anything, those scars bring out a tough and admirable air to him and Lan Xichen can’t take his eyes off. So he stands where he does, watching as Jiang Cheng wades right up to the edge of the dock, pulling his upper body up to lean against the edge comfortably.

Jiang Cheng stares up at Lan Xichen, water droplets racing down the toned biceps holding him up.

The 4000 Gusu Lan Sect rules seem to have all disappeared from his memory, completely.

His tongue-tied-ness is saved by Jiang Cheng’s hand reaching out and tugging lightly at the edge of his long robe, a small pout on his face. Lan Xichen doesn’t know how to feel. Jiang Cheng’s too cute face doesn’t match his incredible NOT CUTE body.

“I know you want to take all those layers off; the weather now is perfect for it” Jiang Cheng persuades, flipping a piece of wet hair over his shoulder mindlessly.

It shows more skin.

Lan Xichen is hot for more reasons than just because it’s summer.

“I don’t know how to swim” Lan Xichen explains weakly, for the fifth time since Jiang Cheng had tried to convince him to come into the water.

“I’m here, it’ll be okay” Jiang Cheng reassures, leaning his head on his arms. The longer that Lan Xichen stares, the faster he feels his resolve dwindling. Jiang Cheng pulls on the edge of his robes one more time, exaggerating his pout.

Too easily, Lan Xichen found himself slipping off his robes though he still hesitates when he sits down at the edge of the dock. Lan Xichen swings his legs along the edge, as Jiang Cheng leans on his arms near his legs. Lan Xichen swings his legs mindlessly, taking in the summer breeze that he’s finally able to feel on his skin.

As he’s enjoying the cool of the small breeze, he feels hands making their way up his leg and landing softly on top of his thigh. Lan Xichen sends a look down at Jiang Cheng, who is suddenly found pressed right up against Lan Xichen’s leg.

“Let’s go for a swim” Jiang Cheng coaxes, giving Lan Xichen’s thigh a quick squeeze. Lan Xichen barely manages to swat him off. Lan Xichen was just opening his mouth to retort to him, when he felt hands grabbing onto his waist and pulling him into the water. Lan Xichen lets out a yelp as their bodies hit the water.

For a second, all he can see, feel and taste is the cold river water. In the following second, he’s gasping for air, flailing his arms around wildly. It takes him a third second to finally notice the hands around his waist and his own legs wrapped around a sturdy hip. Lan Xichen splutters out the extra water from his mouth as Jiang Cheng’s laughter rings in his ears.

“This is why people close their mouths when they dive,” Jiang Cheng says, wiping the water from Lan Xichen’s squinted eyes and around his mouth. Lan Xichen lets out a tiny huff, dabbing his face slightly before opening his eyes fully to stare deadpan at Jiang Cheng.

That gets another loud laugh out of the sect leader.

“What?” Jiang Cheng teases in return, smiling as Lan Xichen tightens his arms around Jiang Cheng’s neck.

Is this another reason for him to press closer to the sect leader’s toned abs?

Pssh...maybe.

“I wouldn’t have had to scream if you told me we were going into the water” Lan Xichen replies, still in wonderment at the fact that they were both floating.

“Would you have gotten into the water if I told you we were going to jump?” Jiang Cheng asks, tilting his head at the man in his arms.

Hmm… Touche…

“Hey...Where are you going?” Lan Xichen asks in alarm when he feels Jiang Cheng walking farther away from the dock

“Well, if you want to keep staying like this, then we should go deeper into the water, no?” Jiang Cheng asks. Lan Xichen feels the smallest pat on his lower back.

Lan Xichen wants to swat Jiang Cheng again, but he’s paralyzed by the prospects of deeper water. So instead, he holds on tighter as the water level reaches their shoulder.

“Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng the water here’s good enough, right? Right?” Lan Xichen asks helplessly as the man continues to stride determinedly farther into the river. When it feels like Jiang Cheng is floating with him, Lan Xichen completely loses his composure.

“Jiang Wanyin I can’t swim!!” Lan Xichen shouts when Jiang Cheng attempts to dip them both under the water. Lan Xichen wraps his legs even tighter around Jiang Cheng. Though that does the opposite of his intended purpose and almost drags both of them under the water. Lan Xichen yelps, spluttering as water gets into his mouth from all the moving.

Jiang Cheng (sadly) removes his legs from around his waist, though his hand is still on him most of the time. He looks like he’s trying really hard not to laugh.

“A-Cheng you know I can’t swim” the Gusu sect leader pouts, clutching onto his boyfriend’s shoulder. Jiang Cheng laughs softly at him, though he doesn’t move his hand.

“I know you can’t. That’s why I’m going to teach you” Jiang Cheng says. He floats as gracefully as ever. If Lan Xichen was known as graceful in his strides, people had yet to see Jiang Cheng in the water. Jiang Cheng holds Lan Xichen’s hand over his shoulder, and slowly intertwines their hands. The warmth between their palms is a small comfort.

It’s the only thing that keeps him grounded. Which is why he panics when he realizes that Jiang Cheng is slowly letting go of his hand.

“Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng” Lan Xichen repeats helplessly when Jiang Cheng lets go of his right hand.

Jiang Cheng hushes him, bouncing a little bit in the water as Lan Xichen clutches to the only life line that he has.

“Jiang Cheng, don’t do this.” Lan Xichen pleads, staring at Jiang Cheng fearfully.

“Just float for a little A-Huan,”

Jiang Cheng sounds all the more like he’s teasing him.

“Jiang Cheng” Lan Xichen whines, because his boyfriend is beginning to look a lot more like he’s about to ditch him alone in the water.

“It’s just a little bounce from the bottom to the top of the water babe,” Jiang Cheng pacifies when he sees Lan Xichen shake his head hard and pout harder.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you-” Jiang Cheng doesn’t get to finish his sentence before he suddenly dips under the surface. His hand is let go so fast that Lan Xichen doesn’t even have time to process. Lan Xichen flails wildly, worried about where Jiang Cheng had gone and if he could stay afloat long enough to get to him.

“Jiang Cheng!” Lan Xichen shouts loudly, even though the water gets into his mouth. Lan Xichen bounces in the water, feeling the tips of his toes graze the floor of the river and pushing himself up like that again. He calls out his boyfriend’s name a few more times, and when he doesn’t get a response, he begins to search around.

Sure, he didn’t know how to swim but what if something happened to Jiang Cheng?

He couldn’t let that happen.

Lan Xichen flailed around for a little bit in the water, shouting the other sect leader’s name at the top of his lungs. After a while, he managed a small doggy paddle, but it wasn’t long before he stopped feeling the dirt ground beneath him. More and more water kept getting into his mouth.

Lan Xichen flailed around again, bouncing up and down as much as he could. He gets one prepared bounce in and gulps a deep breath of air as he sinks down under the surface again. He’s petrified as he comes up gasping for air. Just as quickly he’s being pulled down under the surface, so he chokes a bit on the water.

He knows it won’t be long before he runs out of breath. Suddenly, he remembers the small times that Jiang Cheng’s helped him float in the water.

Just lay back, let the water do it’s work. Just trust the water; pretend like you’re sleeping, Jiang Cheng had prompted as he helped him lie on the water.

Lan Xichen gulps.

So he calls in all the meditative techniques that he had spent so much time perfecting in Gusu and lets himself fall into the flow of the current naturally. He closes his eyes when his entire body faces the sky on the river’s face, breathing a small tentative step. He floats there, feeling the sun warm his pretty flushed face. He begins to breathe fully, stretching his arms out wide. There is a moment where he does not worry where he ends up.

It is nice to just float.

Lan Xichen closes his eyes.

While he’s enjoying the cool of the water against his back, he feels something wrap around his legs.

Immediately, his meditative state is broken and he opens his eyes to look up Jiang Cheng’s broad form. He’d ended up in his arms. Lan Xichen stops flailing when he feels the arm hooked under his knees and supporting his back lightly.

“Look at how you were floating by yourself” Jiang Cheng praises when Lan Xichen throws his arms around the other man’s neck.

“That was so mean; I was worried about you” Lan Xichen whispers as he rubs his nose against Jiang Cheng’s neck. When he pulls away, his boyfriend has the decency to look a little sheepish.

“Sorry love; but hey, you floated by yourself” Jiang Cheng comments happily. Lan Xichen feels like he’s accomplished the biggest impossibility of the world when Jiang Cheng smiles at him like that.

Lan Xichen beams.

His legs have found themselves wrapped around his waist again and his arms hold loosely around Jiang Cheng’s neck. Lan Xichen takes in Jiang Cheng’s wide smile and they bathe in the sight of each other. Jiang Cheng breaks first, moving in to rub his nose against Lan Xichen. It gets a surprised giggle out of Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng finds himself joining in easily.

The two lovers are too wrapped up in each other to notice the three younger disciplines standing by the dock.

“That was disgusting” Jin Ling comments, huffing in a way his father would have done similarly in his youth.

“Do you think Uncle knew that the water was shallow-”

“Obviously not” Jin Ling interrupts Jingyi quickly, shaking his head as both of their uncles begin to splash each other in the water.

“But how could he not?” Jingyi asks confusedly, “...the water-”

“Maybe if your shu-shu wasn’t too busy ogling my shu-shu’s abs-”

“You don’t get to say that! My uncle is a dignified man!”

On the side of his friends, Sizhui snorts.

hi there! (ˊ•͈ ◡ •͈ˋ) yet another little drabble drabble. i’m sorry if this formatting is a bit weird. i’m still working around something that would look okay for me and haven’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. but i hope you all don’t mind bearing with me for a few more posts. thank you so much for stopping by and reading!

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ao3feed-xicheng · 1 year

Text

amidst our darkest storms (you're my summer sun)

by nonachan Throughout the years, there is a park near the areas of Yunmeng and Gusu that is mostly forgotten by many, saved by two. Its liveliness from its past festivities had long died out, with the only thing that remained to prove that those had once happened were the almost leafless trees that stood tall for who knows how long, the lamp posts which were now mostly out of commission, and a six feet pond that became green. Yet, it didn't hinder Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen from visiting the place. Because what had really mattered for them was that the park was theirs - theirs to make their own safe escape from all unpleasantness that plagued them outside of it. ((or, xicheng unexpectedly encountered each other in a very unlikely place and promptly found peace at each other’s uncertainties)) Words: 9849, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen, M/M Characters: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Background & Cameo Characters Relationships: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín & Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Minor or Background Relationship(s) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Trigger and Content Warnings Ahead, suicide ideation, Suicidal Thoughts, Mental Health Issues, Low Self Esteem, Angst, Implied/Referenced Family Issues, Bordering Codependency, Coping Mechanisms, probably unhealthy coping mechanisms for some, Some Fluff, no actually this became fluffier than i originally intended, Physical Touch is their go-to comfort, possibly a 'oh no they were roommates' au if you squint, Jiang Cheng POV, Jiāng Chéng Needs A Hug, Lan Xichen needs a hug, both get those hugs w/ each other, but there will be casual conversations of death between them first before those hugs happen, they are too comfortable with dying, Hopeful Ending via https://ift.tt/fVglnjQ

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #xicheng #jiang cheng #lan xichen #mdzs #cql

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uweiy · 5 years

Note

Can you do Xingchen with Sentence 38?

Soooo I’m assuming you meant Xicheng ?? If you meant Xiao Xingchen just tell me I’ll try to think of smth with him !

From this prompt list

38 - “You just feel really good. Soft and warm…”

His head is throbbing.

Lan Xichen squints his eyes, tring to bring his blurry vision back in focus.

He doesn’t know where he– wait. This luminous square, no, window, surrounded by curtains, seems familiar. He is lying on a red sofa covered by a blanket.A basin and a glass of water are waiting on the table next to him.

This is his home.

He has no idea how he got back. And he has no clothes on, save for a pair of briefs.

What in the world happened last night ?

“Did you just swear ?”

Lan Xichen’s muddled mind stutters.

1. He had no idea he had spoken out loud.

2. Jiang Cheng is here. Why is Jiang Cheng here, shirtless and freshly showered, holding a cup of tea. The hot water must’ve brought out the veins running along his forerarms, and his hair is mussed and Lan Xichen is dying.

He hasn’t gotten his composure and his manners back yet and looking like this is just unfair.

Jiang Chengs’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts, as if reading his mind.

“There is a basin next to your sofa because you kept throwing up. You’re on your sofa because at least I could watch stuff while I kept an eye on you.

“As for why I’m here and what happened last night well…” Jiang Cheng trails off.

Lan Xichen swallows.

Jiang Cheng continues “… Are you sure you want to know ?”

Lan Xichen nods.

Jiang Cheng sighs and pulls out his phone. “I did warn you.”

The video is low quality but Lan Xichen can recognize the people on it.

“my head is so heavyy …

He sees himself giggle.

“If it’s so heavy, why don’t you let someone else carry it ?” The voice holding the phone says.

Probably Wei Wuxian.

“Ooh good idea !”

And Lan Xichen in the video drops down on the floor.

Present Lan Xichen is mortified. But the video goes on and he hears himself speak.

“Ooh Jiang Cheng … You just feel really good… Soft and warmmmm.”

The camera turns to Jiang Cheng who is looking exasperated. “That. Lan Xichen, is Fairy.”

“You’re the fairy ! “Lan Xichen giggles

“Hey wanna know a secret ? I really like– ”

“Okay that’s it. stop filming you arse”. Jiang Cheng says to the camera.“

The video ends.

Jiang Cheng puts his phone back in his pocket.

"Wei Wuxian has some more, but ‘blackmailing a representative of another faculty is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity hahahaha’ he said.”

“I really can’t hold alcohol” Lan Xichen says in a small voice. “and your brother is… a…a scoundrel.”

Jiang Cheng sighs. “That’s putting it lightly. And yeah, you were pretty hammered.

"After that I decided you had had enough to drink, so I took you home. Also you were insisting that I carry you so…

"Then on the way to my car, you tried to dance with a street pole, and when it didn’t answer you said ‘sorry for bothering you sir’ and almost started crying.”

“Oh my” Lan Xichen says. He had thought this couldn’t get any worse.

“And THEN when we got here, you threw up. On my shirt.” Jiang Cheng sounds positively pissed “ So yes, I used your shower.”

Then the murderous glance disappears and Jiang Cheng finishes matter of factly

“So I took off your clothes so you wouldn’t puke all over them, put you on the sofa, basin, glass of water, and voilà.”

Lan Xichen wishes the floor would swallow him up whole. But he has to ask

“So we didn't–”

“No you idiot, have you seen the state you were in ? Of course we didn’t DO anything.”

“Did I… Did I say something ?” Lan Xichen presses on.

Jiang Wanyin looks at him flatly. “As you just saw, you said a lot of things. What else would you have said ?”

Well that’s a relief.

Lan Xichen slumps back against his pillow. “Nevermind. Thank you for bringing me home.”

Jiang Cheng nods"You should be thankful we had so many gatherings for the student committee I won’t ever be able to forget where you live.

“Since you seem alright now I’ll get going. I have a T-shirt to wash.” He adds.

“Take one of mine.” Lan Xichen says before he can think, because he’s absolutely positive the sight of Jiang Cheng in one of his shirts would kill him. “It’s the least I can do to repay you.”

Jiang Cheng considers it.

“Okay.”

___

Wei Wuxian calls out to him when they run into each other at University.

“Heyy, class president, did you and my dear little brother sort things out ?”

Lan Xichen’s brows furrow in confusion. “I thanked him for bringing me home.”

“So he didn’t tell you ? You said some pretty … Meaningful things.”

Lan Xichen’s blood runs cold.

Wei Wuxian sighs “He’s going to murder me.”

“Oh well.” Wei Wuxian shrugs, resigned “Jiang Cheng said you told him you liked him and tried to kiss him like, multiple times.”

“Oh.” Lan Xichen manages to articulate, despite the knot in his throat.

“But it seems like he hasn’t gotten the memo.” Wei Wuxian adds. His gaze bores into Lan Xichen’s.

“So man up and tell him properly, Lan Xichen.”

___

“Here’s your Tee.” Jiang Cheng says as he stands by Lan Xichen’s doorframe. “Try to be easier to find at Uni, I had to drive all the way over here. ”

“I’ll… Try ?” Lan Xichen answers. Not very eloquent, but the visit caught him by surprise.

“Goodnight then.” Jiang Cheng says as he turns on his heels.

“Wait !” Lan Xichen just has the time to grab Jiang Cheng’s wrist.

“I’m sorry for… what I said the other night. When I was… When I was drunk.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widen and he clenches his fist “That little– I am going to have a word with him.”

Then Jiang Cheng pinches his eyebrows. “Look, I know you were drunk, and I was there and It was convenient. I won’t hold it against you. Good Night.”

“Please wait. Jiang Wanyin.”

That Jiang Cheng could believe Lan Xichen would have said that to just anyone, that he would use Jiang Cheng in such a way makes Lan Xichen’s stomach churn with revulsion.

He can’t let Jiang Cheng believe this one second longer. Even if it involves losing him.

“I meant it when I told you I liked you.”

Jiang Cheng instantly grabs Lan Xichen by the collar. “Don’t. fuck with me.” He snarls. But his voice is strangled.

“I’m not.”

“You said you’re fucking sorry. What are you sorry for if not for telling me… that, and not meaning it.”

This is horribly horribly wrong, Lan Xichen thinks. How can Jiang Cheng be so unaware of his own worth he can’t believe someone genuinely likes him.

Lan Xichen gently wraps his hand over Jiang Chengs’s clenched fist.

“I was sorry for possibly making you uncomfortable. I was sorry that I told you this way. And now I’m sorry this is what you were thinking all along. ”

Jiang Cheng shook his head. “You were drunk. There were a lot of people you could have–”

“And yet I didn’t tell any of them, I told you.” Lan Xichen insists. “Alcohol doesn’t make me … horny, it makes me honest.”

Jiang Cheng exhales sharply.

Lan Xichen needs him to understand. Needs with every fiber of his being. So he continues.

“There is no one else I wish to eat with at lunch. There is no one else with whom I turn meetings into movie nights. There is no one else I would tell ”I like you“ to. ”

Jiang Cheng’s fist finally loosens.

“You… Like me ?” He says, disbelieving.

“Yes.” Lan Xichen repeats.

“You –!” there was the fist again and Jiang Cheng sounds furious. He is going to walk away, Lan Xichen thinks. Walk away and never come back.

Instead, Jiang Cheng’s head hits Lan Xichen’s chest and he murmurs

“Do you know how hard I… I tried to stay away because I thought… ” His voice breaks “I thought I couldn’t have you.”

Oh, Lan Xichen thinks. Oh.

He doesn’t know what to say, but he has one last thing to confess.

“I was avoiding you at University because I would have combusted on the spot, had I seen you in my shirt.”

Jiang Cheng lets out something like a a half-laugh, half-sob.

Lan Xichen tilts Jiang Cheng’s head up. “I’m going to kiss you now, If that��s alright with you.”

Jiang Cheng’s voice is thick when he answers

“Okay.”

Lan Xichen inches closer and, very softly presses his lips to Jiang Cheng’s. His hand slides to the back of Jiang Cheng’s neck as he increases the pressure, capturing Jiang Cheng’s top lip.

A needy moan escapes Jiang Cheng’s lips and Lan Xichen takes advantage of the slight opening of his mouth to deepen the kiss.

When they break apart, they stare at each other, breathless.

“Would you mind pursuing this inside, I have a couch much more comfortable than my front door.” Lan Xichen suggests.

“wouldn’t you know.” Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes. “But sure.”

___

“So,” Lan Xichen starts, as they are comfortably sprawled against each other on the couch “you’re still as ’,soft and warm’ as I recall– ”

Jiang Cheng elbows him “please do not confuse me with a fucking dog.”

Then he gets up and Lan Xichen misses the contact immensely.

Jiang Cheng comes out of the shower wearing a pair of briefs and Lan Xichen’s sweater and Lan Xichen’s heart just jumps our of his chest.

This is definitely vengeance. He’s not that pained.

A.N : I just watched Fullmetal Alchemist so my characterisation is all over the place. Ed kept popping in my head at random moments but ehh

I don’t know how universities work so hope the depiction of the student body elements isn’t too out of place hahaha

#xicheng #the untamed #lan xichen #jiang cheng #modern AU #university #AU

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