#in my minds eye her hair generally tries to avoid entering solid water surfaces but if she like tried to lay back itd still be a problem

[chisatowo]

I love thinking abt Dodie biology worldbuilding not in the sense of fleshing out how it works realistically because it doesn't but in thinking abt how this bullshit effects her day to day life. For example, she pretty much only takes showers because she's less dense than water making baths a fucking nightmare to attempt

[satonthelotuspier]

Fur and Feathers

Honestly I’ve had so much lovely feedback about this, so unexpectedly because it was a stupid idea for an AU that got super angsty (it’ll get better!), its definitely a good motivation to write.

Please accept this angsty of a second part of XiCheng.

XiCheng Part 2

“How long are you going to bear a grudge, Jiang Cheng? Don’t you think you’re being a little too...catty?” Wei Wuxian asked him from the limbs of a nearby tree.

It was a hot summer’s day and Jiang Cheng had stripped down to his trousers, taken his hair ornament out, and paused on the bank, ready to take a cooling dip in the lotus lake.

“I’ve managed three or four years so far, Wei Wuxian, I’m going quite strong” with those words he launched himself into the water.

Honestly, his inner cat squirmed at being in the lake; it was particularly times like this that he wished he was a tiger like Jiang Yanli, an inner tiger would welcome a cooling swim on a summers day. His animal would prefer he stretched out on the grass and soaked up the sun, until he got too hot then did the same in the shade of a tree.

He surfaced, pushing his hair back and wiping the stream of water out of his eyes, “Inner cat me doesn’t understand freckles or sunburn on fair skin” he muttered to himself.

He yelped as he felt hands grab him around one leg, and he was pulled back under the water by Wei Wuxian, who had joined him.

Drawn by the Jiang Sect heir and it’s head disciple’s yells and shouts some of the other disciples made their way to the banks of the lake and were soon stripped and had joined them in their play.

It was a lazy afternoon. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng rarely got to spend their time doing nothing of any worth these days and it was a nice change of pace for them.

Later they moved to sit on the banks of the lake under the shade of trees, drying off in the warm air before they stirred themselves to return to Lotus Pier.

Wei Wuxian tried to talk to Jiang Cheng again about his stubbornness.

“Honestly, it’s been so long, why are you still avoiding Lan Xichen?”

“Does it look like that’s what I’m doing?” Jiang Cheng asked innocently. “I’m just going to see my good friend Nie Huaisang in Qinghe”

“At the same time as the Lans are planning to be at Lotus Pier on a diplomatic visit”

“Is that happening next month too? Unlucky timing” Jiang Cheng shrugged, and laid back against the tree roots. His cat wanted to take a quick nap in the warmth, and Jiang Cheng the human wasn’t averse to the idea.

“You’re so stubborn, Jiang Cheng” Wei Wuxian complained, settling down next to him. They cat-napped for a while, before stirring themselves to go back to Lotus Pier as the sky began to dim towards dusk.

“I really think you should reconsider going to Qinghe next month, Jiang Cheng, you’ve snubbed the Lans for too long now, its being noticed”

“You’re just unhappy because it’s upsetting your boyfriend’s brother” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes; when Wei Wuxian was giving him lectures on etiquette the world was upside down.

Wei Wuxian made an exclamation of annoyance. “Lan Zhan isn’t my boyfriend, we’re friends, Jiang Cheng”

Really? Jiang Cheng wondered if Lan Wangji knew they were just friends, because not from what he had seen of the second Jade of Lan, who was softly, quietly in love with his oblivious sibling.

“Friends would be something you’d know more about if you didn’t have such a terrible personality” Wei Wuxian continued, and he hip-checked Jiang Cheng off of the wooden walkway they traversed, and back into the lotus lake.

“Wei Wuxian!” he yelled as he surfaced. Once he got out of the water he was going to change into his cat body and claw Wei Wuxian into a million tiny pieces. He swam back to the boardwalk and hefted the bundle of now-sodden robes he’d been carrying onto it. He was about to heave himself up when a long, slender hand was offered to help. He took it without thinking, and he was lifted out of the water almost without any help on his own part.

He gained his feet, then followed the arm the hand was attached to, and up to a face he hadn’t expected he’d see in the next hundred years.

“You!” he exclaimed, his temper flaring at having been caught off guard, and incredibly vulnerable.

“Jiang Wanyin” Lan Xichen greeted him.

Rather than enact the respectful greeting he should give the First Jade of Lan, he bent to scoop his wet robes up, turned on his heel and marched off.

“Jiang Cheng, if I tell Madam Yu what a rude little wretch you’re being you’d be in serious trouble” Wei Wuxian called after him.

“That’s fine, Wei-gongzi, I caught Jiang-gongzi at a disadvantage, sodden and half-dressed is no comfortable state to greet guests in”

Jiang Cheng ground his teeth as he continued to stalk back to Lotus Pier, honestly couldn’t Lan Xichen have shown some of this forbearance in the Cloud Recesses when he’d verbally attacked Jiang Cheng for hiding his cat form when trying to offer comfort to the older boy?

“The only disadvantage Jiang Cheng has is his personality” he heard Wei Wuxian complain before he passed out of hearing.

***

Call him childish, but he had his things together in a pack and was ready to set out for Qinghe within the hour.

Except he couldn’t find Sandu. He had definitely had his sword with him when he entered his room yet it was now nowhere to be found. It was impossible that it had just grown legs and walked away.

Therefore there was only one, sable-flavoured possibility.

He stomped out of his rooms and went to bang on Wei Wuxian’s door.

“I want my sword back, Wei Wuxian”

“I don’t have it” Wei Wuxian told him shortly, throwing his door open.

“Who else could have taken it but you in your little weasel form?”

“I’m a sable, check the beautiful fur coat” he flickered between forms, knowing it would irritate Jiang Cheng. It did.

“I don’t care, I want to leave. Don’t pretend it wasn’t you”

“I didn’t say I didn’t take it, Jiang Cheng, I said I don’t have it. Look, it’s been so long, it’s time to let it go. All you’re doing is convincing everyone you’re a spoiled little brat at this point”

He was so angered by the fact he was trapped here, and by Wei Wuxian’s chiding, he was rendered speechless. He stalked back to his own rooms and slammed the doors shut.

He paced and he brooded.

He shifted to cat form, hoping to diffuse the feeling. He shredded his blanket and put some rather nasty scratches in his bed frame, then he began to angrily groom himself. Calmer after taking some of his frustration out on furniture and his own hygiene he sank into a crouch on top of his ripped blankets, tail still flicking back and forth with the remnants of his irritation.

***

Later he was asked to attend his parents in his father’s study. Jiang Cheng arrived to find, as expected, Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren in attendance too, as well as Wei Wuxian.

He had two choices; to act like the spoiled brat Wei Wuxian had accused him of being and no doubt draw his mother’s ire, or act like the perfect son of the perfect hosts.

He would probably take more personal satisfaction from the former. Until his mother had him whipped, that was.

Instead Jiang Cheng sat primly neat at his place, made all the correct shows of respect to their visitors, sipped tea, and looked like he was paying close attention to the exchanges.

In reality he considered the question of Sandu. It was highly likely his sword was in his mother’s possession, as Wei Wuxian had assured him he didn’t have it. He didn’t really like his chances of continued survival if he dared to try and steal it back, however. Which meant there would be no sword travel to Qinghe yet.

He could walk, or try to buy a horse at one of the farms on the way, but then he’d be travelling across country without his sword for defence and he didn’t enjoy that idea at all.

There was a sudden clatter of several cups in the study, which told Jiang Cheng he had missed something important. Or controversial.

He glanced at Wei Wuxian, who looked ashen, then at Lan Xichen, who also looked disturbed.

He wished he had been paying attention to understand what had shocked them both so.

“Respect Shufu, Jiang-zongzhu, Yu-furen, but Wangji’s heart is already spoken for” Lan Xichen had cupped his hands and lowered his head in a bow as he spoke the words. Jiang Cheng wanted to know what Lan Wangji being in love with Wei Wuxian had to do with whatever was being discussed amongst their elders.

Although he was beginning to experience a sinking feeling in his stomach as he had an inkling.

“Attachments hardly enter into a political alliance, Lan-gongzi” Madam Yu told him, her face impassive.

“Of course, Yu-furen. Forgive me, but it seems unnecessary to me to involve Wangji, who’s interest lies elsewhere…” there was an infinitesimal pause by Lan Xichen where he worried his lip in an unusual show of indecision, “...when I have no such prior reservations, and have as much to bring to the alliance as Wangji” his eyes darted to Jiang Cheng’s briefly, then away again just as quickly.

You have to be joking me.

Jiang Cheng sat in absolute stillness, if he had been in his cat form his tail would be flickering back and forth in irritation.

If his ability to fill in the gaps he had missed was accurate he was being offered up in sacrifice to a political alliance with the Lans, just as Jiang Yanli had been married off to Jin Zixuan to cement ties between the Jin and Jiang clans.

Jiang Cheng understood logically why the clans were forming strong alliances through his generation; show the Wens the other large clans were a solid, like-minded unit and it would keep their autocratic aspirations within check.

Perhaps it was also fair to say Lan Xichen was the sacrifice rather than Jiang Cheng; he had offered himself up in his brother’s place, most likely because he knew Lan Wangji loved Wei Wuxian.

And yes, Wei Wuxian loved Lan Wangji despite the odd friendship he imagined the two were in, Wei Wuxian just needed more time to realise friendship wasn’t the only thing that Lan Wangji wanted from him.

Jiang Cheng couldn't justify ruining Wei Wuxian’s chance at happiness just because of his distaste for the elder Lan brother. But did it have to be the Lans?

“What about Nie Huaisang of Qinghe Nie?” he spoke before he had time to judge the inherent insult in his words; and by the time he realised it was too late to retract them.

Despite the direct insult he had just offered the Lan clan, his suggestion was the ideal solution to Jiang Cheng’s mind.

An alliance with a large, influential sect, and marriage to one of his best friends. If he had to marry for political reasons why not to Huaisang? They got on well, they had fun together, they knew each other well enough for there to be few surprises. A solution that pleased everyone.

Except one person, as his mother was happy to tell him, “Nie Mingjue wouldn’t let you within a thousand Li of his brother for the purposes of marriage. He has been vocal enough of his unhappiness at your continued friendship. Considering what ill-breeding you continue to show I can hardly fault his objection” if Jiang Cheng had a sharp tongue it was learned entirely from one woman, and she excelled at using it.

Jiang Cheng flushed and lowered his eyes, neatly silenced.

He felt Wei Wuxian’s hand nudge his in silent comfort.

The Lans had borne the insult with their famed poise, but Jiang Cheng could see something a little like fire in Lan Qiren’s eyes. It seemed Wei Wuxian wasn’t the only son of Yunmeng who was able to anger the de facto leader of the Lan clan.

He knew what he had to do. “I beg Lan-laoshi’s and Zewu-jun’s forgiveness for my unintentional insult” he apologised, and Wei Wuxian squeezed his hand once in support.

Madam Yu hardly allowed them to respond before she returned to the initial topic.

“So, is it to be Lan Wangji or Lan Xichen who is given to the Jiang sect in marriage, Lan-laoshi?”

There was no doubt how torn Lan Qiren looked when confronted with the choice.

“Your nephew, whichever it may be, will be treated with the utmost respect and kindness as a member of the Jiang clan” Jiang Fengmian spoke for the first time in a while.

“I have no doubt, but thank you, Jiang-zongzhu” Lan Qiren inclined his head, then looked at Lan Xichen.

“Shufu, it’s the right choice to make” Lan Xichen urged, and eventually Lan Qiren nodded once in agreement.

***

The youngsters were dismissed shortly after the agreement had been reached, so discussions on the business side of a betrothal could be discussed, no doubt they were negotiating dowries and fixing a date for the wedding.

Jiang Cheng had been asked to escort the first young lord of Lan back to his accommodations, no doubt to give the newly betrothed a chance to interact with each other.

An opportunity Jiang Cheng intended to take.

He was rude, and followed Lan Xichen into his rooms, where he trapped him against the wall, a hand by his head.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” he demanded.

They were of a very similar height, so he should have only had limited ability to intimidate the other; but oddly Lan Xichen seemed to shrink away from him.

“I had no idea, Jiang Wanyin. I was merely told we were attending for diplomatic reasons” he seemed to remember his spine then, “I know you hate me, but you cannot blame me for ensuring Wangji has a chance at happiness”

“How very self-sacrificing you are, Xichen-ge” Jiang Cheng mocked as he back away.

The other sighed, “Can we not just put it to rest now, Wanyin? We will have to live with each other going forward, there’s absolutely no reason we can’t be civil with each other”

Jiang Cheng had a daily demonstration of how unpleasant an unhappy marriage was in his parents; he supposed he had no right to expect his own to be otherwise.

“I don’t intend to spend enough time in your company that it will matter” he shrugged, and on that rather abrasive note left Lan Xichen’s rooms.

***

They were married several weeks later, neither party was able to pretend enough interest to have any input into the planning process. Indeed, it hardly felt like a wedding at all to those few guests who attended; they being mainly family members of the grooms. Their marriage was finalised quickly and almost impersonally.

After a single night in the marital bed to fulfil the stipulations of the marriage agreement the young Jiang sect heir left Lotus Pier for an extended stay with his close friend Nie Huaisang in Qinghe.

His new spouse, Lan Xichen, formerly sect heir of Gusu Lan was left behind at Lotus Pier to begin his new life in a new sect in solitude.

Part 3 to follow, will be relationship development. With a Wei Wuxian twist.