#sangcheng month 2020

[ceilingfrogs]

The Hunt

SangChengMonth2020 (on ao3)

Day 30: Free Day!

“If we get caught, I’m breaking your legs,” Jiang Cheng threatened in the dead of the night, Lan Qiren hot on their heels.

“We’re not getting caught,” Nie Huaisang replied, lugging Jiang Cheng along, forcing him to walk faster. Nie Huaisang could move very quickly with the right motivation. And Lan Qiren methodically hunting them down was motivation enough.

“I refuse to get caught,” Nie Huaisang continued, panting, “I’ve actually bothered to put some effort into my studies this time and I refuse to return to this dump another year.”

“If we denounce ourselves now, maybe the punishment won’t be so severe,” Jiang Cheng said, like the naive soul he was.

“Where have you been these past few weeks? This is the Lan Sect. Do you honestly think they’re going to go easy on us just because we gave ourselves up? No. If Lan Qiren finds us out of bed, we’re either going to spend a great many painful hours locked up in the library writing lines or get expelled,” Nie Huaisang said, as they crept their way through Cloud Recess, “Lan Qiren didn’t see our faces; he doesn’t know it’s us. We just need to make sure he doesn’t catch us.”

This was not how Nie Huaisang had envisioned this night going. No, this night was meant to be spent staring lovingly into Jiang Cheng’s eyes, maybe even some light making-out if the mood struck them. Not this. Not sneaking around every corner and ducking behind every pillar, hoping the darkness swallowed them up and hid them from any nosy grandmasters.

Alas, the light making-out was no longer a viable plan.

Jiang Cheng continued to mutter about Nie Huaisang’s terrible ideas, but he was whispering quietly enough that Nie Huaisang allowed it.

Nie Huaisang heard the pitter-patter of footsteps nearby and dragged Jiang Cheng into the nearest conveniently placed bush, pressing his hand against Jiang Cheng’s mouth, before a shout of protest could be uttered.

Hidden amongst the underbrush, all manner of branches digging into his sides, Nie Huaisang prayed to whatever deity would listen that they remained concealed. He made sure to sound especially pathetic; that tactic usually worked on Da-ge.

Marching up the path, at a brisk pace, but not a run (never a run in the Cloud Recesses) was their pursuer, Lan Qiren. In the light of the lanterns, he appeared incensed.

Nie Huaisang kept his hand pressed against Jiang Cheng’s mouth, trying not to focus on how lovely Jiang Cheng’s back felt against his chest (he couldn’t wait for Jiang Cheng to get comfortable enough for long, lazy, and decadent cuddle sessions). Neither of them dared breath as Lan Qiren approached their hiding spot, fearing the slightest air from their lungs would alert the grandmaster to their presence.

Lan Qiren did not even glance at the conveniently placed bush, just kept on marching in the direction Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng had been heading.

They waited in silence for some time, before finally allowing their breathing to go back to normal. Nie Huaisang felt Jiang Cheng’s breath on his hand.

Reluctantly, Nie Huaisang removed his hand and unwrapped his arm from that very well-defined torso.

“Come on,” Nie Huaisang said, extracting himself from the branches, offering a hand to Jiang Cheng who took it without hesitation. “I refuse to spend the night in a bush, no matter how nice the company is.”

It was a shame it was too dark to see the blush no doubt colouring Jiang Cheng’s cheeks.

Nie Huaisang, with Jiang Cheng close behind, slunk away, in the opposite direction of Lan Qiren, turning a corner of a cabin only to abruptly step back, knocking into Jiang Cheng.

They peeked around the corner.

“How does he move so quickly?” Nie Huaisang hissed as they watched Lan Qiren—who should definitely be somewhere behind them—stride with all the vigour of a predator having caught the scent of its next meal.

“I don’t know,” Jiang Cheng hissed back, equally disturbed by Lan Qiren’s stalking abilities.

They tiptoed away, hoping beyond hope Lan Qiren would just give up. But neither of them were that lucky.

A loud crack shattered the quiet of the night, radiating out in all directions. They both froze and looked down at the broken twig under Jiang Cheng’s foot.

They looked up at each other in wide-eyed horror.

Without a word, they tiptoed away faster.

Farther off, they heard the tell-tale sound of footsteps on the pebbled path.

Nie Huaisang searched left and right for a hiding place and found none.

Until finally, he spotted a small shed, not far off.

Nie Huaisang veered towards the shed, hauling along a silently cursing Jiang Cheng.

He swung the door open. The footsteps drew closer. He threw Jiang Cheng into the dark opening and followed right behind, delicately closing the door just in time.

Jiang Cheng was stiff by his side, the type of Jiang-Cheng-stiffness usually attributed to sudden rage and/or annoyance.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. There was barely enough moonlight filtering in through the wooden roof to see Wei Wuxian—hair dishevelled, robes loose and hanging off a shoulder. He had one of his legs wrapped around Lan Zhan who was holding him up against the flimsy wall with a bruising grip on Wei Wuxian’s thigh. Lan Zhan did not have a single strand of hair out of place.

Wei Wuxian opened his mouth to speak. Nie Huaisang glared at him and signalled him to keep his trap shut, throwing in a few rude gestures to get his point across.

Wei Wuxian wisely closed his mouth, Lan Zhan wisely didn’t open his mouth at all, and everyone wisely stayed still and silent as the footsteps outside passed the shed.

Noone talked once the footsteps could no longer be heard, no one dared leave the shed either.

There was a very obvious hickey growing on Wei Wuxian’s neck.

It was going to be a long night.

[gekidasa]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you for tagging me, @jaimebluesq!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 50!

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 133,410

3. What fandoms do you write for? MDZS, fairly exclusively right now. Aside from that: Cardcaptor Sakura is the fandom I first wrote fanfic for. I’ve written some X/TB, Tenipuri, Kamen Rider, some others. But to be honest, in most fandoms I don’t write much, if at all.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

And I will stay with you / And you will keep me close, which I just call the Sangcheng Roommates AU. This has stalled for reasons, but I do want to finish it. It’s a fun concept.

When a secret isn’t really secret, a Touya/Yuki fic! It’s actually just Yukito and Fujitaka talking about Yukito and Touya’s relationship, Touya is barely in it 😂

Heart-opening flow, my sangcheng yoga au, the first sangcheng fic I ever wrote.

The Half-Eaten Peach Longs to be Filled with Cream. Okay, I love this one. It’s sangcheng, and it’s porn.

Stay, also sangcheng. Modern au, first time they have sex. Technically it has the same rating as number 4, but it’s nowhere near as filthy.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes, I try to, because while I write fic for me, the reason I share it is in the hope of getting to have conversations with others that like the characters and ship as much as I do.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I mean, I don’t really do angst, but I suppose Yaguruma’s Hell because it’s Yaguruma thinking about how he’ll take Kageyama away and they’ll be together, and that’s just before, well. Spoilers for Yaguruma and Kageyama’s story in Kamen Rider Kabuto. It doesn’t actually go into the ending, it relies on you knowing what happens.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I really don’t know. I mostly write fluff, and most of them have happy endings.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I never have. I feel like mostly you don’t get hate if you don’t write for particularly popular ships in popular fandoms. Although, if I’d gotten into MDZS just 6 months or so earlier, I might have gotten hate by the infamous troll that went around harassing sangcheng fans.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Sure do! And well… I suppose you could say I often write FLUFFY smut, because it’s about characters that have strong feelings about each other, but I’d also like to think I write fairly dirty smutty (but not particularly kinky). Probably the best example of what I mean is Hold the doors, which is a nielan fic about Lan Xichen giving his neighbor that he just met, Nie Mingjue, a blowjob. It has been described as both filthy and soft.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? Nope, not my thing, as a writer or reader.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Also nope.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship? Probably Touya/Yukito, because it’s about than the ship itself for me at this point. They’re what got me into CLAMP, and also what got me into shipping, and I made a fansite for them that was the first site I made of any kind and that is still online. They’re the reason I learned to code.

Or sangcheng. It maybe recency bias, but they've certainly gotten me to produce more fic than any other ship.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Isolated Incidents, a fic about Touya and Yukito kissing. It would have been fine if I had just made it a one shot about their first kiss, but instead I decided that it would have MORE, and that I'd explore the evolution of their relationship through different kisses. It was a good idea at the time, I'd just gotten actively back into CLAMP fandom, had recoded the Touya/Yukito shrine in modern HTML and CSS, and was rewatching Cardcaptor Sakura and writting short little fics for them again. But then December 2020 came, and I decided to read MDZS... and that pretty much took over my fandom life. There's MDZS fics I haven't worked on in quite a while, but since I'm still actively in this fandom, they aren't in "probably won't finish" territory.

16. What are your writing strengths? I think I write amusing stories, and I’m not embarrassed to write smut. Also, I think I tend to have fairly defined voices for characters.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Consistency in the sense of sticking with writing a thing. Actual plot. Those go hand in hand. It’s very hard for me to write long fics for those reasons. I often have IDEAS for fics I really like, and I might sort of… loosely plot them out, but in no way enough to actually write most of them.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? Unless you actually KNOW something of the language, just avoid it. You’ll probably make a fool of yourself otherwise.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Cardcaptor Sakura, Touya/Yukito.

20. Favorite fic you've written? I don’t have a favorite. Unsatisfying, I know.

Not tagging anyone,

Changed my mind! Tagging @mulberrylotus @telperintal @angie-s-g @revesdelimonade

Anyone else do it if you want to!

[mcgrillzdumpinc]

Safety Between Us

Summary: Nie Huaisang is awoken one night by a distraught Jiang Cheng. In the days that follow, Nie Huaisang comes to protect Jiang Cheng and, incidentally, finds his love requited.Written for SangCheng Month day 5 - family!

ao3 link

Pairing: Sangcheng

Rating: T

Warnings: Homophobia, parental abuse

Word count: 1756

“Please tell me you’re awake.”

Nie Huaisang groans into the phone receiver. He checks the time on the bedside clock. 2:18 in the morning.  He hears Jiang Cheng release a shuddering breath from the other side of the call.

“Yeah.  Yeah, I’m awake,” Nie Huaisang mumbles.  “Where are you?  What’s going on?”

“At the bus stop near—nearest my house.”  The wobble in Jiang Cheng’s voice makes Nie Huaisang sit up.  “Can you, I don’t know—can you pick me up?  I-I didn’t take my car keys.  I just stuffed a bunch of things in my backpack, I don’t even know if I grabbed my toothbrush, I—”

“I’m on my way, Jiang Cheng,” Nie Huaisang promises as he hurries out of bed and slips on a winter coat.  “Don’t hang up and stay where you are, I’ll be there soon.”

~~~

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jiang Cheng whispers as Nie Huaisang leads him into the house.  “I woke you up for nothing, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not nothing,” Nie Huaisang promises while he slips off his shoes.  “You needed help.  I’m glad you woke me.”  He idly plays with the hair at Jiang Cheng’s neck as he watches his friend remove his own shoes.  The bright red glitter on white faux leather betray that they belong to Wei Wuxian.  “Want to tell me what happened?”

Jiang Cheng bites his lip and shakes his head. There’s a pink mark against his cheek and bruising on his knuckles.  True to his word, Jiang Cheng is only carrying his stuffed purple backpack.  He isn’t at all dressed for the winter weather outside.  Nie Huaisang can easily guess what happened tonight.

“That’s fine,” Nie Huaisang promises.  His hand moves from Jiang Cheng’s neck to the middle of his back, pushing him into the foyer and then up the stairs.  “I won’t pry.  You can stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng mumbles.  Notably, he doesn’t argue when Nie Huaisang leads him into his bedroom.  Even more notably, he doesn’t relax until he’s curled up under Nie Huaisang’s sheets, encased in his friend’s scent.

Nie Huaisang doesn’t say anything.  He swallows down his own fluster, his own bursting feelings for Jiang Cheng, and settles into bed next to his long-time friend.

~~~

“Is Jiang Cheng with you?”

Nie Huaisang squints at the alarm clock.  11:31 in the morning.  Then he turns his head to check on his bed partner.  “Yeah,” Nie Huaisang answers, “he’s sleeping next to me.”

“You better not have taken advantage!” Wei Wuxian threatens from the other end of the call.

Nie Huaisang sighs.  “Who the fuck do you think I am, Wuxian?  I wouldn’t do that to anyone, let alone your brother.”

“Right.  Sorry.” Wei Wuxian doesn’t sound sorry at all. “Keep him at your place for a few days, okay?  A-jie and I will figure things out.”

“Good luck,” Nie Huaisang replies, meaning it. “Hey, before you go, answer me a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Which parent hit him?”

Wei Wuxian goes tellingly quiet.  Then, in a strained whisper, “Uncle.”

Nie Huaisang hums into the receiver.  “Don’t forget you have the Nies on your side.  We’ll be here when you need us.”

“…Thank you, Huaisang,” Wei Wuxian replies in a tight, broken voice.

“Stay strong, Wuxian.  I’ll keep your brother safe.”

~~~

Jiang Cheng sleeps most of the first day.  When he finally comes downstairs, the sun has already begun to make way for night.  He eats breakfast/dinner and only responds to Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue in short, conversation-ending sentences.  Neither brother bothers him about it.  When his food is done, he returns to Nie Huaisang’s bed, curled up but unable to sleep.  Nie Huaisang watches My Neighbor Totoro with him that night.

Jiang Cheng spends most of the second morning in Nie Mingjue’s training room.  He screams as he pummels training dummies and sandbags and very nearly breaks a wooden sword after using it like a bat.  When he finally tires himself out, Nie Huaisang treats his injured knuckles and cleans sweat from his face.  Jiang Cheng cries quietly into Nie Huaisang’s shoulder before dragging himself to take his first bath in three days.

That second night, Jiang Cheng finds himself under a blanket and sandwich between the Nie brothers as they watch Ponyo. He falls asleep with his head in Nie Huaisang’s lap and his legs sprawled over Nie Mingjue’s.

On the third day, Jiang Cheng finally tells the story.  A little over a week ago, Jiang Cheng defended Jiang Yanli’s decision to pursue a same-sex relationship in spite of their mother’s judgment.  Jiang Cheng’s argument was that their parents had approved of Wei Wuxian’s relationship with Lan Wangji.  Plus, with modern technology, Jiang Yanli could still carry on biological children if she eventually married Wen Qing.  Between the arguments of both her children, Yu Ziyuan eventually agreed to Jiang Yanli’s relationship.

They thought the issue was over with.  But then Jiang Fengmian said, “You two are not Wei Wuxian.”

The implication was clear.  Wei Wuxian, despite being legally adopted and cared for by the Jiangs, was, somehow, not beholden to the same rules as Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng.  That two decades of living as a Jiang son and brother did not grant him the same status as his adopted siblings.  That his freedom to love who he wanted was no different than an ostracization from his only family.

Moreover, Jiang Fengmian was aware of Jiang Cheng’s sexuality, even though the man in question had yet to come out to parents. What was worse, Jiang Fengmian would not accept Jiang Cheng’s orientation, because he was ‘not Wei Wuxian’. Angered, frustrated, but frozen, Jiang Cheng dropped the subject.  But the slight boiled under his skin, festering as Yu Ziyuan argued on her children’s behalf.

It all came to a head when Jiang Cheng snapped and demanded his father’s approval.  Only reprimands left Jiang Fengmian’s lips.  Jiang Cheng got up in his father’s face, demanding recognition for Wei Wuxian, approval for Jiang Yanli, apologies for Yu Ziyuan.  Jiang Fengmian slapped his son.

Broken, confused, exhausted—Jiang Cheng left his fist on Jiang Fengmian’s jaw and on the wall.  He left that night, ignoring his siblings’ desperate pleas for him to stay. He couldn’t remain in that home. Not anymore.

When Jiang Cheng finishes his story, Nie Huaisang holds him close while Nie Mingjue storms off to the training room.

“I won’t let him near you again,” Nie Huaisang promises.  Jiang Cheng is too tired to argue.

~~~

They manage to enjoy a relatively normal fourth day. They agree to go shopping to make up for whatever Jiang Cheng didn’t grab.  Jiang Cheng borrows clothes from Nie Mingjue and a coat from Nie Huaisang. Even in oversized clothes and an unflattering peacoat, he looks better than he has in years.

They travel to a shopping center one city over. At one point, Nie Huaisang spots one of his favorite stores and grabs Jiang Cheng’s hand to drag him in.  Nie Huaisang tries not to freak out when he realizes, nearly an hour later, that Jiang Cheng has not let go.

~~~

On the fifth night, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng are making s’mores over the stove.

“Okay,” Jiang Cheng suddenly says, “You have to pick one.  Wonder Woman or Deadpool?”

“So between my dominatrix mommy or my friend with benefits?” Nie Huaisang snarks.

Around a bite of s’more, Jiang Cheng says, “Absolutely.”

“Probably Wonder Woman, then,” Nie Huaisang answers as he grabs a handful of marshmallows and pops two in his mouth.  “Gal Godot looks like she would give the best kisses after sex.  I wouldn’t trust Ryan Reynolds to take me to dinner afterwards.”

Jiang Cheng snorts.  “Okay.  How about Ponyo versus Totoro?”

“For?”

“In general.  Who would you pick?”

Nie Huaisang laughs and makes a s’more.  “Totoro, duh.  Best cuddler.”

“I can cuddle better than him,” Jiang Cheng grumbles.

Nie Huaisang does his best not to think about cuddling Jiang Cheng.  It’s been hard enough sharing a bed with his friend the past four nights.  If he was given cuddling privileges, he might just skip right to kissing Jiang Cheng breathless.  “I’m sure you can,” Nie Huaisang says instead of begging for Jiang Cheng’s affection.  “You’ve got good arm muscles.”

Jiang Cheng goes quiet.  Stares at Nie Huaisang with an unreadable face.  Soon Jiang Cheng suddenly affixes his arm to Nie Huaisang’s waist and pulls him close, Nie shoulder colliding with Jiang chest.

“G-good?” Jiang Cheng asks, a noticeable squeak to his voice.

Nie Huaisang looks up at him.  He slips his arm around Jiang Cheng’s waist as well and tries, probably fails, to smile confidently up at him.  “It’s good.  Really good.”

Jiang Cheng stammers some more, unable to form any words, before he gives up and squeezes his eyes shut.  He doesn’t move an inch.  Eventually, Nie Huaisang realizes it’s an invitation.  He gladly accepts.

Kissing Jiang Cheng nearly makes his heart burst. But he powers on, pushing Jiang Cheng against the counter, stealing one, two, more kisses from the most perfect boy to ever exist.  Jiang Cheng pushes on, as well, meeting every kiss with clumsy but determined lips.  Soon the nervousness turns into unbridled joy, lighting up every pore in Nie Huaisang’s skin as he acts on so many bottled-up desires all at once.

When they finally break apart, Nie Huaisang bursts into laughter.  He hugs Jiang Cheng, rubbing his head against Jiang Cheng’s chest.  “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that!”

He hears Jiang Cheng swallow.  “Me too.  For a really, really long time, Huaisang.”

Nie Huaisang meets his eyes, drinks in the cherry red on Jiang Cheng’s cheeks.  “Well, now we’ll have plenty of time for this, huh?”

Jiang Cheng chuckles lightly and kisses him again. “I guess so.”

~~~

Wei Wuxian calls again a week later.  Things back home still aren’t looking good. Jiang Fengmian wants to know where Jiang Cheng went, but nobody will tell him.  At this rate, Jiang Yanli might move out, as well.  Wei Wuxian himself already has arrangements to stay with Lan Wangji.

Curled up against the sleeping form of his boyfriend, Nie Huaisang promises Wei Wuxian that he and his sister will always have a place with the Nies.  When the call ends, Nie Huaisang rolls over and watches Jiang Cheng’s face.  He is peaceful like this.  Happy.  Nie Huaisang will not soon let that end.

“I love you,” he whispers, a promise of safety etched into every word.

[softwired]

snake tattoo

fandom ◦ MDZS pairing ◦ SangCheng rating ◦ General word count ◦ 459

read on Ao3

Jiang Cheng had a snake tattoo. It was hidden away under his shirt most of the time (he was the kind of guy who never wore a shirt without sleeves) but since they’d started dating, Nie Huaisang was able to get a good look at it any time he wanted to.

“A-Sang.” Even a term of endearment could sound threatening coming from Jiang Cheng’s mouth.

“Relax, I just want to admire you a little.”

They were lounging on the couch in Jiang Cheng’s apartment, his living room maturely furnished but painfully spartan. The only impractical thing he owned was a 50” 4k TV that practically let you taste the claggy crumbs when watching the Great British Baking Show.

Jiang Cheng scowled, but Huaisang was close enough to feel the heat radiating off his blushing ears, so he ignored his boyfriend’s protests and kept unbuttoning his wrinkled dress shirt with one hand.

Jiang Cheng pretended he wasn’t being stripped, looking directly ahead and taking a slightly off-target sip from his beer. He felt the goosebumps rising over Jiang Cheng’s skin when he slid his palm under the loosened collar and pushed it down off his shoulder. Huaisang really had just wanted to take another look at the tattoo, maybe use it to draw some inspiration for his next art project. But Jiang Cheng’s bashful act was too enticing, leaving him with no choice but to take the shirt completely off. He was still wearing an undershirt, anyway. To anyone but Jiang Cheng that could count as still being fully clothed.

He draped the dress shirt over the back of the couch, within reach if Jiang Cheng suddenly fell into a self-conscious panic.

It was a beautiful tattoo. The snake undulated across his shoulder, passing through lotus stalks and flowers as it slithered from beneath his toned bicep to the dip and rise at the base of his neck. Its scales were washed in blue and violet tones, dark amidst a backdrop of elegant green lotus leaves and softly shaded pink flowers. Huaisang ran his hand over it, sure to be firm enough that it didn’t feel like a ticklish or teasing caress.

“Do you always use your hands to look at things?” Jiang Cheng sniped. Huaisang snorted.

“Only when they’re really—” he inched forward, “—really—” close enough to smell Jiang Cheng’s aftershave and notice he’d started holding his breath, “—beautiful.” He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and fell back to his previous position. Jiang Cheng exhaled loudly.

“Idiot,” he said.

Huaisang hummed happily, going back to memorizing his boyfriend’s tattoo with his fingers. “If you’re in love with an idiot, what does that say about you?”

“I’m an even bigger idiot,” Jiang Cheng replied without hesitation.

[misila]

Thursdays

Length: 2.9k words Rating: M Characters/Relationships: Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang || Jiang Cheng&Wei Wuxian Tags/Warnings: Modern AU || Introspection || Friendship || Romance || Friends with benefits || Family || Angst || Depression || Suicidal thoughts || PTSD || Abuse || Violence || Blood Summary: 

Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang met up on Thursdays, at a filthy café nobody quite know why it was still open to the public.

Read on AO3

[cqlfic]

Untitled.txt

link to AO3 AUTHOR: movingmoonlight E, 658 words, 1/1

RELATIONSHIPS: Jiang Cheng / Nie Huaisang, Lan Wangji / Wei Wuxian BLURB: things nhs has saved in his phone

SUMMARY:

Things Nie Huaisang has saved in his phone.

Alarm set for 6 hours and 37 minutes from now. Alarm sound: weiwuxianscreamingatme.m4a

mentioned nieyao, dirty talk, but only for like two lines, humor, alternate universe - modern setting, unconventional format, established relationship, nhs’s helping out with wangxian wedding planning, light BDSM, again for only like two lines, sangchengber’s sangcheng month 2020, day 5 - family, lighthearted

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[satonthelotuspier]

🐰 Untamed Spring Fest 2020 🐰

Day 13 - Tendril - 1.5k

Post-canon developing SangCheng - follows on from this fic from the winter fest. This story runs parallel to the WWX & JC reconciliation arc, which is still awaiting it’s finale! But you can read part 1 and part 2 of that at the links if the idea interests you.

A Man’s Reputation

Nie Huaisang worked diligently in the small garden outside his house in the Unclean Realm.

He knew his brother, if he had still been alive, would have rolled his eyes and called it more of his nonsense, but it was soothing and restful, and if he tended it well, ensured these new budding tendrils clung to the wooden trellising he had built, he would be blessed with a beautiful, fragrant backdrop of jasmine.

The sweet scent would float in through the windows when he opened them in the mornings, and, with the other plants he’d carefully picked, including the blue and purple azalea, it would create a gorgeous blend of colours which he could translate to his paintings.

He hoped Jiang Cheng appreciated the addition of the purple, something that had been made as a bow to the man he loved. Maybe in future a lotus pond would be something he added, then Jiang Cheng would always have a little something to remind him of Lotus Pier when he visited. Times like now, for example.

The fair-skinned Sandu Shengshou sat out of his way, in the shade. Nie Huaisang knew from that idyllic summer in Cloud Recesses the other was careful of too much sun when he could be. It invariably made his nose burn pink, or brought out his freckles; sometimes both.

Personally Nie Huaisang had thought that freckles on the younger man were ridiculously adorable; but apparently ridiculously adorable was something the Sandu Shengshou was averse to being thought of these days.

Some men were so precious about their reputations, Nie Huaisang thought.

Although, as he had discovered himself, a reputation was a useful thing; something to hide behind, to plot from the safety of. Perhaps, similarly, it was a safety net for Jiang Cheng.

Once upon a time the Jiang Sect leader had cared, Too deeply. And he had paid the highest price. Now he presented a cold, unfeeling and bitter facade to the world that had beaten him down; if he didn’t care for anything anymore then it couldn’t be taken away from him.

Nie Huaisang knew he did still care though, he had eyes, sharper than most, and had seen how Jiang Cheng had reacted to Wei Wuxian each time they had encountered the other.

It had been like an old wound freshly opened again for Jiang Cheng every time they had met, raw and bleeding and so much more painful because it had been assumed the injury had healed over, only to have it torn open again.

Nie Huaisang understood; he thought he had been prepared to face Nie Mingjue again at the Guanyin Temple, but it had been like a fresh stab through his heart; years of practice at killing his reactions had been the only thing that had kept the agonised keen of torment from his lips. So yes, Nie Huaisang understood.

He had tried to offer his well-meant advice many months ago, and suggested, in an indirect way, that Jiang Cheng consider repairing his relationship with his shixiong, in order to let the past go and begin to move on.

Nie Huaisang had thought, hoped, it was time both he and Jiang Cheng stopped living in the past and looked forward to a future.

It might have been selfish of him, but Nie Huaisang wanted that future, wanted to be the future Jiang Cheng, that snarky, grumpy, yet deeply caring boy he had fallen in love with in their teens, wanted.

He had buried those sweeter feelings many years ago, as deeply as Jiang Cheng had buried his own, in order to survive. Impossible to think of love, of passion and tenderness, when you carried a heart full of secrets; a heart full of poison; a heart full of schemes.

But now, all accounts were settled, everything had played out, the world, or at least a select few in it, had seen through his facade to his rotten core, and all revenge was had. It was time for him to return to the precious things he had put aside during his quest for vengeance, and live his life for himself once again.

Jiang Cheng deserved that chance too. If he wanted it to be with Nie Huaisang, then even better.

The Jiang Sect leader had been, and was still being, encouragingly receptive to the tentative overtures he had made.

His gifts hadn’t been rejected, and indeed Jiang Cheng had sent some in return. He actively sought out Nie Huaisang’s company still; they had spent a lot of time together at the Lotus Pier discussion conference earlier that year, where he had offered his unsolicited advice on Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Cheng kept up that part of their relationship. He had even visited Qinghe more than had been strictly necessary, but so had Nie Huaisang visited Yunmeng.

It was promising, if he continued to build up their relationship as carefully as he did the jasmine, urge the tendrils of their mutual respect and regard to cling to the trellis of their continued interactions, perhaps he would eventually have a love bloom as beautifully as the jasmine he planned.

Like that jasmine, nothing would be grown overnight, however, it would require patience and careful tending. Jiang Cheng was a damaged man, indeed they both were, although in different ways. But Jiang Cheng had to be allowed to heal and grow his own feelings for them to have any genuine chance at the future Huaisang wanted.

If time had shown anything, however, it was that Nie Huaisang was willing to be a patient man, and play every move carefully.

He brushed the dirt from his hands, Jiang Cheng had been allowed enough time to brood this morning in the shade of his magnolia tree.

Nie Huaisang moved to the water butt and washed the dirt carefully from his hands. He wore some of his oldest, least beautiful robes for digging about in his new garden, and he longed to be armoured in his finest, and for a fan in his hand to hide behind. Unfortunately he needed a bath, and he wouldn’t sully any of his prized, precious fans or sumptuous robes with dirt from the garden.

And he genuinely needed to stop relying on them, at least in Jiang Cheng’s company. It would help to show his sincerity. And it was too late to hide his regard, he had played that tile already and if the other wasn’t aware then he was as beyond redemption for stupidity as his shixiong.

He walked over to Jiang Cheng, untying his sleeves. The other didn’t notice his arrival, so deep in thought he was.

“Jiang Cheng” he wasn’t sure when in their relationship they had dropped formality in private, but he liked it; he’d always thought of the other by his birth name anyway, probably due to hearing Wei Wuxian use it constantly in the Cloud Recesses.

The other startled a little and looked up, “Huaisang?” he sounded like he’d just woken up, and Nie Huaisang might have thought he’d been napping, except he’d had sight of him all morning and his eyes had always been open, just staring off into nothingness.

“Want to talk about it?” he knew the answer.

“Not really. I just...I did try to talk things over with Wei Wuxian, but I think I said something I shouldn’t have. I think he probably hates me more than ever. I...forget about it, please. Maybe I’ll be able to tell you later, when I’ve had more time to think on it”

Jiang Cheng had actually said more than Nie Huaisang had ever expected him to. Perhaps he too was trying to be a little more open. Nie Huaisang hoped so.

“Alright” he agreed, and reached over to touch Jiang Cheng’s wrist lightly. “You received a letter from A-Ling this morning?” he changed the subject, and Jiang Cheng nodded.

“Yes, some ghost or ghoul someone petitioned the Jin clan to deal with. I’ll have to leave tomorrow morning”

Of course, Jiang Cheng wouldn’t allow Jin Ling to act unchaperoned, even if he only watched from the shadows. Again, Jiang Cheng cared too much, and his nephew was his whole world, even if they bickered and argued and threatened each other constantly.

“Of course. Where will you go, afterwards?”

Jiang Cheng shot him a look, dark eyes half masked, “Likely back to Yunmeng, I’ve been away a while, and there will be things that need my attention”

I’m one of those things, Nie Huaisang thought, although there was no resentment in it. There couldn’t be, they both had myriad responsibilities that weren’t to each other; balancing those, and their courtship, was going to be one of the many difficulties they faced.

But no one had ever claimed life was simple.

“I could likely make time in a few months to join you” he suggested tentatively.

A ghost of a smile touched Jiang Cheng’s normally harsh mouth, “Please do, Huaisang, I’ll be looking forward to it”

[ghost--houses]

Untamed Spring Fest 2020 Day 18: Breath

Posting daily a month late because I’m a slow writer!

read this one on AO3

read all currently finished prompts on AO3

Breath (SangCheng, Sometime during the period WWX is dead, 1.2k words)

"We're not doing this anymore." Jiang Cheng says, pulling on his inner robes as he sits at the edge of the bed. "This was the last time."

"Of course, Jiang-xiong," Nie Huaisang says from behind him. "Just like you said last time."

Jiang Cheng bristles and does not turn around. "The idea," he says, through gritted teeth, "is that if you agree with me, we both try to resist fucking each other instead of giving in the second we've had some wine."

"Oh, no, no, no, I can't be responsible for you, too, that's too much work." A hand appears to his right, making a lazy grabbing motion. "Speaking of wine, could you... ?"

Jiang Cheng finds the bottle on the ground and shoves it roughly into Huaisang's hand. To his disappointment, Huaisang does not fumble it.

"Thank you, Jiang-xiong." He says and Jiang Cheng grunts in response.

He has to stand to find the rest of his robes and accessories from where they've been scattered across the room. Once he's tied his belt, he turns back to pick up Zidian and his hair piece, both of which he had placed carefully on the table.

He had braced himself against the sight of Huaisang nakedly lounging on the bed, but Huaisang had put his inner robe back on at some point, and somehow that's worse. He didn’t even bother to tie it; it's barely covering anything -- Jiang Cheng can still see most of one thigh and the unblemished skin of his chest. Huaisang lowers the bottle of wine and wipes his lips, looking pleased and well-satisfied, and Jiang Cheng can't help but feel a thrill of pleasure and pride knowing that he had a hand in that.

Huaisang catches him staring and gestures with the bottle, "You want some more?" He asks, a single raised eyebrow emphasizing the double meaning.

And that is fucking it.

"Don't you have work to do?" Jiang Cheng demands, hands turning into fists.

"It's the middle of the night --"

"You know that's not what I meant! You think this is smart what we're doing? And not some big stupid distraction that's going to get us in trouble?"

"Who's going to punish us, Jiang-xiong?" He says, calmly.

"That's not -- We have sects to run, people to take care of. Maybe you don't give a shit, but I can't keep fucking off to Qinghe all the time just to -- "

"Jiang-xiong, you can't be mad at me for that, I haven't -- "

"I'm not mad at you," Jiang Cheng hears himself say, "I'm mad at..." Literally everything. That no one taught him how to be sect leader. That his nephew is an orphan. That the shadow of Wei Wuxian is still clinging to Lotus Pier, which is huge and empty. That there are still these massive fucking holes in his heart and the fact that it's been years and he hasn’t gotten over it.

That he shouldn’t need this to escape all of that, but nothing else works.

He's not sure when he sat down, but he’s made it to the edge of the bed again, head in his hands. Huaisang is combing through his hair, rubbing his back. He tells him when to breathe in and when to breathe out, and Jiang Cheng listens and obeys until he remembers how to do it himself.

Slowly, he comes back to himself. Maybe it's not that bad.

"This is about the lake thing you were telling me about, isn't it?" Jiang Cheng groans. "It's not a 'lake thing', it's a property dispute. And it's fucking stupid, the part of the lake these idiots are fighting over is minuscule and has no value for anything."

"Mmhmm." Huaisang says, hands moving now to massage the back of his neck. Jiang Cheng raises his head out of his hands and leans back a little.

"It's not even in a passage way or anything -- no strategic purpose, nothing."

"Hmm..."

"It's just that the banks shifted after this year's rainy season and now they both think it's part of their land and legally, they're both correct." Huaisang's hands have drifted down to one shoulder; one hand under all layers of his robes, so he can work on the ever-present knot in Jiang Cheng’s shoulder. "Are you really trying to fix this again?"

"You have so much tension in your shoulders, it would go away if you relaxed more."

"I can't fucking relax!" Jiang Cheng throws up his arms, which briefly disturbs Huaisang's work, but he settles down again and lets him continue. "I have all these idiots coming to me to solve their fucking problems all the fucking time."

And if he can't help them, they'll figure out he's a fucking fraud and no one will respect the Jiang name anymore and then --

"Why do they both have a claim to it?" Huaisang asks. "Aren’t there maps or something that show who owns what?"

"One of them can prove it’s part of his land but the other idiot's lotus plants also moved with the banks so he's claiming it because of his crop. And there's some legal precedent for that or something." He sighs and lets his weight fall completely into Huaisang's hands. "I'm going to have to just pick one and make him pay the other one for the land or something."

"Hmm... Well, it's too bad that lotus plants don't die every year or you could just solve it like that, right?" Huaisang laughs. "I mean, I don't know anything about farming -- "

Jiang Cheng eyes pop open. "Wait, what the fuck? That does solve it. He's going to harvest the roots, that shady fucker. And if he says he's not, I'm going to make him. He can have the land until after the harvest." He turns his head so he can give Huaisang a look. "How did you..."

"I didn't, I didn't! I was just guessing, I don't know how lotus plants work..."

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes. "Whatever, you can't fool me. You just act dumb so no one will give you work to do."

"And it works!" Huaisang says, proudly.

"Just think how great the Qinghe Nie sect could be if you actually tried."

"Oh, no, it's fine, it's fine." Huaisang laughs. "I don't want to change anything, Dage left everything in good shape," he adds, voice a bit quieter.

The silence stretches out long enough than Jiang Cheng feels he might be expected to fill the silence; he starts to form a sentence, something about the familiarity of loss, or maybe the pointlessness of getting attached when everyone just leaves you anyway.

But then Huaisang is leaning over his shoulders, reaching down to untie his belt. "Don't go back to your guest quarters yet."

"I said we have to stop doing this."

"Yes, yes, of course, that was the last time."

And then Huaisang is kissing him and Jiang Cheng isn't stopping him, and Huaisang’s hands are pulling open his robes and he isn't stopping that, either.

"But this is still the same last time, right, because you didn’t leave." Huaisang continues between kisses, pushing the robes off his shoulders while Jiang Cheng twists around to join him on the bed.

"Right." Jiang Cheng agrees, sliding a hand up the back of Huaisang's neck to hold him there. "Sure."

And if this is the last time, he thinks, feeling Huaisang's hot breath on his ear as he moves down to kiss his jaw, he might as well make it count.

[mcgrillzdumpinc]

Birdsong

Summary: In the months following Jin Guangyao's death, Jiang Cheng believes the world has finally settled down.  But then he suffers a panic attack.  Nie Huaisang comes to his rescue.

Written for sangchengber day 2 - birds!

ao3 link

Rating: G

Pairing: Sangcheng

Warnings: Panic attacks.

It starts, as so many things do in Jiang Cheng’s damned life, with a surge of panic.

He is in Lanling, attending the first cultivation conference with Jin Ling as sect leader.  The conference has taken a midday break.  Instead of loitering in the noise and waves of false laughter, Jiang Cheng has opted to travel through the nearby gardens.  Servants and Jin disciples pass around him, dutifully bowing when they notice his presence.  Completely in spite of the chaos inside Glamor Hall, the outside is perfectly serene. Flowers are blooming in the Spring warmth, birds are singing their mating songs, and there are no worries Jiang Cheng has to presently attend to.  It’s lovely. A breath of fresh air after the turmoil of the past few months.

Jiang Cheng finds a small pavilion.  It is only large enough to house two people in its marble and gold structure.  Jiang Cheng settles himself in a seat and looks out into the gardens, the small network of ponds and peonies and bushes.

Then the panic sets in.

It begins in his heart, beating mercilessly against his rib cage.  Lungs restrict around the force as everything in him focuses on the rapid thumping.  A tenseness seizes his head and back, some invisible force gripping the back of his neck like he’s to be taken to the chopping block.  He can’t breathe.  He can’t breathe.

No, his mind screams.  No no no. Why is this happening?  What’s wrong?  What’s wrong?  Nothing is happening!

He manages to get a hand on the pavilion railing. Stands up.  Still can’t breathe.  Help.  He needs help.

“Jiang-zongzhu!”

That’s Nie Huaisang.  Jiang Cheng has barely seen him since Guanyin Temple.  But he’s been—impressive.  He’s no longer the Headshaker.  No longer the boy he knew in the Cloud Recesses.  Someone new.  Someone strange.  Someone elegant and cunning.  But, right now, more than anything, he is someone welcome.

Nie Huaisang hurries into his view.  He looks worried, which is wrong.  There is no need for such a capable man to be worried about Jiang Cheng.  Nobody needs to worry about him.

That’s how it’s always been and always should have been.

“Jiang-zongzhu, I need you to breathe with me.”  Nie Huaisang takes Jiang Cheng’s hand by the knuckles and guides the fingers to his chest, where a steady heart lays and beats throughout layers of tissue and bone.  Nie Huaisang brings the palm to rest with the fingers, so that Jiang Cheng can feel the rise and fall of his chest.  The steady breathing reaches the nerves of Jiang Cheng’s hand, races through his arm, meets his own lungs and encourages him to match it.

“Good, you’re doing great,” Nie Huaisang whispers. Jiang Cheng looks up from where Nie Huaisang is holding his hand to meet the sect leader’s eyes.  Nie Huaisang is smiling softly, encouragingly, at him.  Jiang Cheng wants to crawl into his skin, into the safety promised by that smile.

Nie Huaisang looks around before offering his other hand.  Jiang Cheng considers, then takes it.  “Let’s go somewhere safe,” Nie Huaisang says as he helps Jiang Cheng stand.

Somewhere safe turns out to be Nie Huaisang’s own rooms. They manage to sneak in without notice. Quickly, Nie Huaisang ushers Jiang Cheng to sit at the dining table, hands fluttering around his form as he makes sure Jiang Cheng is comfortable.  Jiang Cheng, boneless and exhausted, allows the care, even leans into the warmth offered by a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.  Soon enough, Nie Huaisang sits at the table, too, eyes wide as he scans his companion.

“…I’m not dying,” Jiang Cheng manages to say. Nie Huaisang laughs, short and soft, in response.

“Yes, I know.  I’m no stranger to these types of attacks.”  Nie Huaisang begins to prepare the tea with a smile too calm for the revelation he just made.

“You’re not?”

The smile turns sad for a second.  “When I was a child, after my mother left us.  Then there was the time after da-ge… and Jin Guangyao.”  Nie Huaisang meets Jiang Cheng’s eyes.  “I am no stranger to loss, but my reaction is always the same.”

Condolences are on the tip of Jiang Cheng’s tongue, but there are miles and years yet before he can truly mean them for Nie Huaisang. They have both lost more than could ever bear to offer.  Any condolences between them would be empty, bitter like sea water at the back of their throats.  Instead, Jiang Cheng offers him a small, sad twist of the lips, an acknowledgement. Nie Huaisang offers the same in turn.

“Have you lost anything recently, Jiang-zongzhu?”

Shame immediately piles into his chest and shoulders, weighing heavy on his ribcage.  “No… I have not.”

“Not a brother for the second time?”

The shame quickly burns into anger.  “He has happily married into the Lan sect!  How is that my loss?!”

He cannot read Nie Huaisang’s expression as he says, “Then perhaps it is my loss.  While I had wished his happiness with Hanguang-jun, I had also wished to see my school-day friends reunited.”

The implication sets Jiang Cheng’s mouth into a snarl.  “You! I am not a pawn in your little scheme!”

“You all were,” Nie Huaisang counters.  “That is common knowledge, Jiang-zongzhu.  Granted, though, you never moved quite how I expected you to.”

Jiang Cheng slams his hand on the table. Without breaking eye contact, Nie Huaisang stands the teacups back up.  “And what do you mean by that?!”

“I guess you could say I idealized you.  I knew Hanguang-jun would protect him against all odds.  But I truly thought you would do the same.  That, if given time to talk, you two would have been able to put your old hurts aside.”

Jiang Cheng recognizes the sting of tears and the agony gripping his throat, but still he shouts out, “Are you blaming me?!”

Of course he’s blaming you.

Nie Huaisang’s hand shoots out to cup his cheek. Everything inside Jiang Cheng stills. No panic.  No anger.  Only stillness and a lovely touch.  “No, I’m not. I am telling you I was wrong.” His thumb glides against his cheek, wiping away a tear.  “I thought I had you and him figured out.  But that was only from a short time of studying together.  Everything else I knew was from rumors.  It wasn’t until after everything was done that I realized how deeply you two have been hurting.  It will take more than a revenge plan to reunite you.”

Jiang Cheng collapses into himself, becomes smaller in the blanket around his shoulders.  “What am I supposed to do?”

The hand on his cheek disappears, taking his heart with it.  Nie Huaisang pours their tea and the scent of honey fills the air between them.  “Talk to him, Jiang-zongzhu.  I can certainly mediate any conversations between you two. I will not tell a living soul of what I hear.”

Jiang Cheng mindlessly digs his thumbnail into his palm to focus on the pain and pressure.  He does not drink when Nie Huaisang offers him his cup.  “Maybe…”  Then, without even thinking of the words, “I thought I had let him go.”  The admittance breaks out from his teeth, shattering whatever was holding him together.  The tears fall, his heart hammers wildly in his chest, and he can’t breathe—he can’t breathe.  It hurts, it all hurts, like a million needles plunged mindlessly into his back. He sinks into the blanket, trying to find safety.

“Jiang-zongzhu, do you know how to whistle?” Nie Huaisang asks, calm.

Too calm.  He wants to hurt you.

Jiang Cheng manages to nod.

Small, delicate hands appear in Jiang Cheng’s vision. He focuses on them, on the gold and jade bracelets and rings.  Without touching him, Nie Huaisang guides Jiang Cheng’s chin up until they are eye to eye.  “Repeat after me, then.”

A whistle, sharp and fast, breaks into the space between them.  Jiang Cheng recognizes it as a bird’s call, though he cannot identify the species.

Jiang Cheng copies the sound best he can.  It is broken and too soft, but Nie Huaisang still smiles approvingly at him.

“That was a skylark!  I love its call,” Nie Huaisang explains.  “I found that whenever I had these attacks, repeating birdsong helps most of all.  I can teach you a few, if you would like.”

Jiang Cheng nods.  Boneless, he leans forward until Nie Huaisang catches him in his arms. Nie Huaisang’s chest is sturdy, much more than he would have thought, but it is soft.  Jiang Cheng finds strength in his arms to hold Nie Huaisang’s waist and bring him close.  “Thank you,” he breathes into green robes.  “Thank you,” he breathes to an old friend.

“You are more than welcome, Jiang-zongzhu,” Nie Huaisang whispers.  There is a break in his voice and it is all the more reason for Jiang Cheng to bury his face into Nie Huaisang’s chest.  “I hope you know I am not doing this for some ulterior motive.”

“I know it now.”

Nie Huaisang chuckles.  The resulting rumble is a welcome sensation against Jiang Cheng’s cheek.  “I guess you do.  Jiang-xiong an old friend to me, first and foremost.  I do not have those in great supply.”

As Nie Huaisang begins to bring his nails down Jiang Cheng’s back, he responds, “You would do this much for an old friend?”

“Those who have earned it, yes,” Nie Huaisang quips. “I do not lay my affections easily.”

“I must have much of your affections, then.”

Nie Huaisang pauses in his ministrations.  Jiang Cheng blinks and sits up so he can see Nie Huaisang’s face.  The expression that meets him is one of frozen fear.  He looks so young and small that Jiang Cheng nearly hits himself for hurting him.

But, then, “May I kiss you?”

The question has him curious enough to say, “Yes.”

The kiss is short, but there is intent in the way Nie Huaisang holds Jiang Cheng’s jaw, presses their lips together.  When he pulls back, he does not go far at all. Their noses touching, their breaths intermingling, Jiang Cheng can see the shades of green in Nie Huaisang’s eyes and, most importantly, the brokenness and loneliness and desperation.

“How long?” Jiang Cheng asks.

“Long enough to forget when it started,” Nie Huaisang replies.

They kiss again, and it is like nothing Jiang Cheng ever knew he needed.  He burns but it is better than anything he has known before.  He holds Nie Huaisang by the waist and kisses him with what little knowledge he has, brings him in until there is no space between them.  It’s amazing.  It’s perfect.  He doesn’t know yet if what drives him is affection or love or loneliness.  But, for the first time in a long, long time, Jiang Cheng wants to find out.

[mcgrillzdumpinc]

In Which Nie Huaisang Does Not Know How to Drop It

Summary: Jin Guangyao intercepts one of Nie Huaisang's trade deals.  Nie Huaisang won't rest until he gets his revenge.  Jiang Cheng would very much like his husband to drop it.

Written for sangchengber day 4 - Crime AU!

Rating: M

Pairing: Sangcheng

Warnings: Talk of sex

ao3 link

“I’m going to kill Yao-ge!”

His husband’s voice echoes through their apartment and into the master bathroom.  Until now, Jiang Cheng didn’t even know Nie Huaisang was home.

Sighing and removing the cucumber slices from his eyes, Jiang Cheng calls back, “Welcome home, A-Sang.”

“Hello my love!  I’m home!”  Nie Huaisang enters the master bath, still dressed to the nines.  “Know any contract killers I can hire?”

Jiang Cheng sinks further into his bath.  He’d been planning to take the day to himself, away from the family business.  But crime doesn’t sleep and, apparently, neither does the weird friend-enemy relationship between Nie Huaisang and Jin Guangyao.

“What happened now?” Jiang Cheng asks as he starts to chew on the cucumber slices.

Nie Huaisang begins disrobing with a significant sigh.  “You remember I was going to finalize that trade agreement with the Tang family? They’ll get top of the line ecstasy from the Nie and we’ll get access to their spy network?”  Off goes Nie Huaisang’s top, revealing the intricate and lace-like tattoo that encircles his waist.  “Well, take a guess at what Yao-ge did!”

Jiang Cheng watches in appreciation as Nie Huaisang removes his black thigh highs.  “He killed your contact in the Tang family?”

Then goes the pleated skirt.  “Worse!  He intercepted the trade and took the deal for himself!  Now the Jin will have everything my family was supposed to.” Finally, he removes his satin briefs, gloriously naked and unfairly sexy in front of Jiang Cheng.

“In that case, I don’t think killing him will fix anything,” Jiang Cheng counsels.  As Nie Huaisang approaches the bath, Jiang Cheng leans over the bathtub rim, reaching out a hand to grab his husband’s ass.

“Not right now, A-Cheng,” Nie Huaisang says, grabbing Jiang Cheng’s hand to leave an apologetic kiss on the inside of his wrist. “I need to think.”  Without bothering to remove his makeup, Nie Huaisang slips into the bath.  Thankfully, their tub is more than large enough to accommodate the two of them.

“About killing Jin Guangyao or taking a more civilized route?”

“Would you be mad if I said both?”

“I’d be very annoyed.  It’s hard enough making sure the Ouyang and Yao families stay loyal to only the Jiangs.  If you start a war with the Jin, I’ll be up to my eyeballs with internal conflict.”

Nie Huaisang clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. “Fine.  I’ll be nice this time.”

“Will you try to make a new trade agreement with the Tang?  Or weasel your way into the one Jin Guangyao finalized?”

Nie Huaisang sinks into the bathwater, the bottom of his hair floating with the soap bubbles.  “Probably see if I can convince Yao-ge to renegotiate.  First I should figure out why he wanted my trade agreement.  Then I’ll stick it to that bitch.”

Jiang Cheng smiles and slots himself between Nie Huaisang’s legs, hovering about his husband.  “That’s the man I married,” he says, doing his best to sound seductive.

It must work, because Nie Huaisang tucks Jiang Cheng’s hair behind his ear before bringing him in for a searing kiss. “That’s enough thinking for today,” he whispers against Jiang Cheng’s lips.

Jiang Cheng smirks before making himself busy.

~~~

A week later, though, the situation isn’t resolved.

“Little bitch won’t even talk to me,” Nie Huaisang grumbles as he types on his phone.  Jiang Cheng’s best guess is that he’s talking to a Jin contact, but he can’t be certain.  “The second I mention the Tang deal, everyone clams up.  San-ge won’t answer my calls, er-ge is leaving me on read, and now da-ge! My own da-ge!  Calls me this morning to tell me to drop the situation. Like I’m going to do that when they’ve got me curious!”

Jiang Cheng would very much like to watch this movie with his husband but, well, he’s used to disappointment.

Pressing pause on Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Jiang Cheng sighs and leans back in the couch.  “Want to talk about it?” he asks, putting on his best sarcastic tone.

“I’m sorry, puppy,” Nie Huaisang says without looking up from his phone.  He reaches out his hand and Jiang Cheng places it on his knee so Nie Huaisang can rub it apologetically.  “I can’t leave this.”

“No, I know.”  Sighing again, Jiang Cheng rubs the bridge of his nose.  He loves Nie Huaisang more than anything, but he won’t deny there are sides of him that Jiang Cheng can barely stand.  His stubborn desire to solve any mystery, for example.  Jiang Cheng will never forget what happened after he watched Inception with Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian when they were still in their teens.  In what was his first glance into his future-husband’s intellect, he saw his then-friend lose himself in Reddit theories about the movie’s ending and pick apart all the possible meanings.  That insatiable curiosity was insane then and it is insane now.

Jiang Cheng stands up and turns on the living room lights.  Nie Huaisang is still sitting on the couch, buried deep into his phone, his share of the snacks untouched and forgotten.  Restraining another sigh, Jiang Cheng decides then and there what he’ll have to do before his husband drives him mad.  He won’t like it, not in the slightest, but he’s willing to make due for love.

~~~

Nie Mingjue, Lan Xichen, and Jin Guangyao share an apartment in midtown.  Among the many swanky high-rise buildings and metro lines, the trio live in a quaint, three-storey building.  It is the last place one would think to look for three of the most powerful names in the criminal underworld as well as just cute enough to appeal to Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao’s cottage core tastes.

Jiang Cheng presses the buzzer for their apartment – room 303.  He knows there is a camera attached to the buzzer and that he didn’t bother wearing a disguise, so he is very surprised when he is allowed entry.  As he climbs the stairs, he runs through scenarios in his head.  He is wearing a bulletproof vest just in case, but he knows that winning the argument will ultimately come down to sincerity (or how well he can fake sincerity) and word-spinning (or how well he can mimic Nie Huaisang without betraying his pride).

When Jiang Cheng knocks on the door, he is greeted by Nie Mingjue wearing only baggy sweatpants with his long hair tied into a long braid.  All arguments immediately leave Jiang Cheng’s head, because it is simply impossible for a mere mlm to not fall victim to the intrinsic sexiness of Nie Mingjue.

“Huaisang sent you?” Nie Mingjue grumbles, sounding so much like a deeper-voiced version of his younger brother.

“Um—no, I came here on my own,” Jiang Cheng stumbles to reply.  “I wanted to talk to you.  On my own.”

Nie Mingjue rolls his eyes and steps back from the door, allow Jiang Cheng to enter.  “I’ll go get the other two.”

The other two arrive in short time.  Lan Xichen, as always, is dressed impeccably and like he just walked out of a photoshoot for Vanity Fair.  Jin Guangyao, meanwhile, is still in his pajamas, a mismatched set of yellow sweatshirt and light green pants, yet his make-up and hair are not a detail out of place.

“How can we help you, Wanyin?” Lan Xichen asks, serene smile in place as he fills a tea kettle with water.

“If it’s about the Tang deal, please tell Sang-di the answer is still no,” Jin Guangyao adds as he settles into the couch next to Nie Mingjue.

“You know he won’t drop it,” Jiang Cheng responds. When Lan Xichen asks him his preferred tea, he responds anything with chamomile, thank you.

“Neither will I,” Jin Guangyao retorts, smiling politely as Nie Mingjue throws an arm around his shoulders and pulls him against his side.

“I’ve lived with the brat for years,” Nie Mingjue argues, “he’ll drop it in a few weeks.”

“He’ll be a bitch about it for an extra month, though,” Jin Guangyao snarks.

“A-Yao,” Nie Mingjue scolds.

“He’s right, da-ge.  Sang-di is a bit of a bitch,” Lan Xichen says.

“I’m his husband and I have to agree,” Jiang Cheng adds.

Nie Mingjue rolls his eyes.  “Fine.  But you can use nicer language.”

“Here’s the thing, though,” Jiang Cheng starts as Lan Xichen pours hot water into four cups, “Nie Huaisang is a bitch and I love him so much, but this Tang deal is getting in the way of a happy marriage.”

“Suck his dick if you want him to pay attention to you,” Jin Guangyao immediately snarks.

“A-Yao!” Nie Mingjue nearly screeches.

“I have to agree with da-ge on this one, A-Yao. That was a bit far,” Lan Xichen says smoothly as he carries in the tea.

Jiang Cheng takes his cup first.  “The problem is that I have!  But then right after, it’s back to the Tang deal!”

“Please don’t talk about my didi’s sex life,” Nie Mingjue whines.

“Hm, he really sounds like a Nie alright,” Jin Guangyao says as he takes his cup of tea.  “Thank you, Huan-ge,” he adds sweetly to Lan Xichen.

“Please don’t bring me into this argument!” Nie Mingjue cries as he hides his face in Jin Guangyao’s hair.

“Maybe he needs a new project?” Lan Xichen tries as he sets his and Nie Mingjue’s cups on the coffee table.

“I’ve tried getting him interested in some Jiang affairs,” Jiang Cheng says as he settles into a loveseat adjacent to the couch. “He won’t pay them any attention.”

“Jiang affairs are probably boring to him now,” Jin Guangyao advises.  “He married into them, after all.”

“Perhaps ask Wei Wuxian?  There’s always something interesting going on with him,” Lan Xichen says as he sits down next to Jiang Cheng, looking every bit like somebody’s hot and nice school counselor.

“I’ll, um, I’ll try that,” Jiang Cheng replies. He turns his eyes onto the door, hoping he’ll be able to finish this cup of tea before he’s somehow roped into this weird polycule.

~~~

Lan Xichen’s advice turns out to work.  Wei Wuxian has somehow embedded himself in a tricky situation involving the Wen siblings versus the rest of their stupid family.  Getting Nie Huaisang involved proves a quick fix to both Wei Wuxian’s bullshit and the Tang deal.

“So was this san-ge’s idea, too?” Nie Huaisang asks after a night of long-overdue sex.

“Xichen’s, actually,” Jiang Cheng replies, curling up around his husband.  “But if you’re thinking about trying to weasel your way back into the Tang deal, I will leave you.”

“…Fine.  I’ll leave it be,” Nie Huaisang mumbles as he slots himself against Jiang Cheng’s body.

“Good.  I love you.”

Nie Huaisang laughs softly.  “I love you, too.”

[softwired]

Nie Huaisang introduces his black-naped oriole to Jiang Cheng.

the oriole

fandom ◦ MDZS pairing ◦ SangCheng rating ◦ General word count ◦ 359 read on Ao3

“You don’t have to be so afraid of him, Jiang-xiong.” Nie Huaisang’s laugh was soft and musical. The bright yellow bird hopping along his outstretched arm let out a trill that mirrored it.

“It won’t stop moving—” Jiang Cheng scowled and drew his face back as it flitted and came toward him, cocking its small head on Nie Huaisang’s wrist. “Why is it staring at me?”

Huaisang smiled at him, the sort of smile that was smug while being tender. It unfolded in Jiang Cheng’s chest like a fast-blooming flower.

“He’s curious,” he said.

Jiang Cheng watched as he raised his fist and unfurled his smooth fingers to offer up a speckled pile of seeds and blush-soft berries. The bird suddenly lost interest in Jiang Cheng, its wings whirring as it stabbed toward the food.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Nie Huaisang cooed, “this is a little treat for you.” The tone of his voice simmered across the exposed skin of Jiang Cheng’s neck, a steaming flush rushing up his ears. Huaisang’s eyes moved to connect with Jiang Cheng’s heavy gaze, then he smiled again and turned his head to face him. Now his voice carried another laugh. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

“Like what?”

A smirk. “Like you’re hungry too.”

Jiang Cheng’s throat sealed up. His face was probably as bright red as the bird’s scarlet beak.

Calmly, Nie Huaisang closed his hand, pulling it away from the Oriole. With a twist of his wrist, he shook a single red berry down to his fingertips, and, before Jiang Cheng could refuse, he pressed it against the blushing man’s lips. It was cold and damp, but soft. With Huaisang’s eyes watching him through the shade of his eyelashes, Jiang Cheng relaxed his jaw, allowing the fruit to breach the seal of his mouth. Nie Huaisang’s fingertips grazed his lower lip as it rolled past Jiang Cheng’s teeth and settled on his tongue.

Then, Huaisang turned away to continue feeding the bird with the seeds still tucked safely in his palm. Watching him, Jiang Cheng slowly chewed the berry. It was sweet.

[ceilingfrogs]

Lan Wangji: Ultimate Wingman

Sangcheng Month 2020

Day 6: Gusu Days

ao3

Nie Huaisang arrives on time for their scheduled teatime and promptly throws himself on the table almost knocking over the teapot. Nie Huaisang lets out a whimper Lan Wangji would call pathetic if he were a less generous person.

Lan Wangji pours the tea and waits for Huaisang to tell him what was wrong, taking a sip from his cup. It never takes long for Nie Huaisang to speak.

“Boys are so pretty,” Nie Huaisang says to the table, letting out another whimper. Lan Wangji silently agrees; boys are pretty (he tries not to think of one specific boy with a large smile).

“Is there a boy in particular?” Lan Wangji asks because Nie Huaisang doesn’t seem to want to do more than whimper at the table.

The whimpering stops, silence falls over the table as Nie Huaisang debates whether or not to tell him.

“Jiang Cheng,” Nie Huaisang finally mutters, sighing dramatically.

Ah, yes. Lan Wangji has seen Nie Huaisang making friends with Jiang Wanying (and also with Wei Ying which Lan Wangji tells himself he isn’t jealous over; lying is forbidden in Cloud Recess, but self-denial is not).

Nie Huaisang gets up from the table. There is a red mark on his forehead. He looks miserable.

“He’s just so pretty.” Nie Huaisang sighs even more dramatically.

Jiang Wanying is pretty, even Lan Wangji can see that (not as pretty as Wei Ying though Lan Wangji may be becoming biased; it’s a problem).

“I just want to kiss him so bad.” Nie Huaisang moans. “I’m a mess.”

Lan Wangji does not disagree with that assessment and pushes a cup towards Nie Huaisang; he could at least be a hydrated mess.

Nie Huaisang drinks the tea and returns his head to the table, hair cascading everywhere. Lan Wangji only barely manages to save his own cup.

He lets Nie Huaisang be and pours himself more tea.

He doesn't know how to deal with his own boy troubles let alone someone else’s.

Nie Huaisang is late. He is never late. Lan Wangji waits for him but the tea is getting cold and he starts to worry because Nie Huaisang is never late.

Lan Wangji gets up to look for him.

He goes to the most obvious places first. The Nie guest quarters, the part of the library where the poetry is shelved, the river where Nie Huaisang likes to paint. Nothing. He heads towards the kitchens, thinking maybe Nie Huaisang is trying to convince the cooks to add more seasoning to the meals again. He takes a shortcut through the training grounds because by this point, the tea will be cold and over brewed.

And that’s where he finds him, in the training grounds, the last place Lan Wangji would have thought to look.

It’s immediately obvious why Nie Huaisang is there, sitting on the sidelines. Jiang Wanying is training, sword in hand, going through routine forms, sweat coating his skin. Lan Wangji admits he looks impressive; his movements are fast and precise with a fluidity rarely found outside of Yunmeng.

Lan Wangji does not look over to the other side of the training grounds where Wei Ying is doing those same drills. Instead, he grabs Nie Huaisang’s arm and drags him away. Nie Huaisang screeches in indignation but one look from Lan Wangji and he goes quietly.

By the time they arrive at the pavilion, the tea is cold and unpleasant, and Lan Wangji has to make a new pot.

“He's so kind and considerate,” Huaisang says a few days later, “He helped me study this morning.”

Lan Wangji sips his tea, not having to ask who ‘he’ is.

“What were you studying?” Lan Wangji asks because that sounds like a safe question.

“I can’t remember. I was too busy staring at his eyelashes. Have you seen his eyelashes, Lan Wangji? They're beautiful and frame his eyes so wonderfully.”

Yes, Lan Wangji has seen his eyelashes, though he did not make note of their beauty nor does he feel inclined to.

Nie Huaisang’s infatuation gets to the point where Jiang Wanying is all Huaisang can talk about.

“We went down to Caiyi town today and I saw him hold a puppy. A Puppy. After seeing such a sight, I can die a happy man.”

“He passed me a note and our fingers brushed. I swear I almost fainted on the spot like some swooning maiden.”

One time, Nie Huaisang gets so distracted talking about Jiang Wanying’s biceps that he walks right into a wall (Lan Wangji did not warn Nie Huiasang of the upcoming wall; he does not feel guilty about that).

The worst part of it all, Lan Wangji finds out, is that Nie Huaisang’s feelings are reciprocated. Jiang Wanying isn’t the type of person to throw himself on any flat surface while sighing loudly (thankfully) but Lan Wangji has seen how his eyes always focus on Nie Huaisang and how his touch always linger on Nie Huaisang a little longer than propriety dictates.

Jiang Wanying and Nie Huaisang hold romantic feelings towards one another. And yet they do nothing. It’s infuriating.

Lan Wangji tries asking his brother for advice. Xichen says these things take time and to let them figure it out on their own. Completely ridiculous advice; Xichen isn’t the one who has to put up with all the longing looks.

Lan Wangji doesn’t have his brother’s patience.

He locks them up in a closet. He is not proud of himself. What he has done is shameful, but he just can’t take it anymore.

He walks away, ignoring the banging against the door, heavily fortified with talismans. He goes to the library to punish himself for his misdeed. He will release them after he's copied the rules a few times.

The next day, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Wanying walk around Cloud Recess holding hands.

Lan Wangji does not regret his actions. By the approving look Uncle sends him, Lan Wangji concludes that he did the right thing.

[ceilingfrogs]

The Fanciful Courtship

Sangcheng Month 2020

Day 8: Fake Dating

on ao3

Nie Huaisang made an unexpected visit to Lotus Pier. No letter of warning, he just showed up at Jiang Cheng’s front door and expected Jiang Cheng to let him in.

Jiang Cheng did let him in, but not without a large deal of complaining, mostly about Nie Huaisang’s lack of common decency.

“I have an idea,” Nie Huaisang said, as soon as they had sat down, not even waiting for the tea to be poured.

Jiang Cheng poured the tea anyway because, unlike some, he had manners, and forced a cup into Nie Huaisang’s hand.

“A brilliant idea,” Nie Huaisang continued. “Let’s enter a courtship.”

Jiang Cheng did not choke on his tea — he had grown far too accustomed to Nie Huaisang’s ‘brilliant’ ideas to be surprised anymore — but it was a close thing.

He put his cup down.

“It’s ingenious,” Nie Huaisang goes on, “It would make both our lives so much simpler.”

“The aunties have started harassing you about marriage, haven’t they?” Jiang Cheng guessed.

“Yes,” Nie Huaisang admitted, as petulant as a grown man could be, “They’ve completely given up on Da-ge, have sunk their claws into me and are refusing to let go.”

Jiang Cheng figured as much; Nie Huaisang had spent years laughing at Jiang Cheng’s attempts at warding off the matchmakers without lifting a finger to help. But now that Nie Huaisang had to deal with those very matchmakers, he was all in favour of aiding Jiang Cheng.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” Jiang Cheng took a sip of his tea.

“Come on, Jiang Cheng, don’t be like this,” Nie Huaisang whined, coming over to Jiang Cheng to clutch onto his arm and look pathetic. “This could be beneficial to us both. If we were to court, we would both get away from the aunties.”

“I’m already blacklisted by the matchmakers,” Jiang Cheng said, “I’m doing just fine on my own.”

“Yes, you’ve convinced the matchmakers you’re a horrible, irredeemable person unsuitable for marriage,” Huaisang said,”But what about all those nasty power-hungry old men, shoving their daughters in your lap? If you agree to court me, you won’t ever have to see another one of those daughters again.”

Nie Huaisang’s idea was good, unfortunately. Maybe not ingenious like he claimed, but definitely good. And Jiang Cheng was going to accept; he had known that the moment Nie Huaisang sat at this table and opened his mouth. Nie Huaisang had no doubt known too, long before he even set foot in Lotus Pier.

"Deal," Nie Huaisang said without hesitation, "I’m going to court you so well, you'll be begging to marry me by the end.”

“One condition.” Jiang Cheng said. Nie Huaisang already started bouncing up and down in his seat, screeching in victory.

“You court me.”Jaing Cheng continued over the screeching, “You do all the work. I am not wasting my time on this farce of a courtship.” Because fuck knows, Jiang Cheng had better things to waste his time on.

Already Jiang Cheng regretted his decision.

As far as the day to day aspects of his life, not much changed after the courtship was announced.

The aunties were finally leaving him alone; they had been ecstatic when they heard the news. Now everytime they saw him, they would smile at him and act all pleasant. Jiang Cheng had grown far too used to their bloodthirsty ways to find the saccharine smiles anything but creepy.

Of course, he also had to deal with Nie Huaisang’s more frequent visits, but he found he didn’t mind as much as he thought he would. Nie Huaisang was easy to deal with; give him some paints and seat him in front of a nice scenery and Jiang Cheng could have hours of peace.

He found himself with a lot more free time now that it wasn’t taken up by unwanted lunches with the sons and daughters of various allies. Sometimes, he found himself just sitting quietly by the lakes with nothing to do.

It was wonderful.

Having company was nice too.

Nie Huaisang held up his end of the deal. Whenever he visited, he would bring courting gifts. These gifts ranged from the practical like a new set of calligraphy brushes which Jiang Cheng appreciated, to the ostentatious which Jiang Cheng appreciated less.

“I don’t need a fan,” Jiang Cheng repeated for the seventh time.

“Everyone needs pretty things, Jiang Cheng. And I painted it especially for you,” Nie Huaisang moaned, brandishing the fan in question. On it was painted the Yunmeng lakes with lotuses scattered artistically on the water’s surface, the whole thing created in a subtle purple undertone. It was very pretty, but Jiang Cheng had no use for it.

“If you don’t take it, I’ll tell the aunties on you,” Nie Huaisang said because he was an asshole.

Jiang Cheng took the fan.

Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng’s relationship stayed the same. Though they would stand a little closer than they used and sit with their knees pressed against each other. Sometimes when they were out in public, they would hold hands which was kind of nice.

The aunties didn’t even give them a chaperone for those outings which Jiang Cheng found both relieving and insulting; it was like the aunties were hoping Jiang Cheng would throw himself at Nie Huaisang so that this courtship could move along faster and they would get married sooner, perhaps before Nie Huaisang realised whatever it was the matchmakers had realised.

But, in the end, Jiang Cheng didn’t regret the fake courtship.

During moments like this, when he and Nie Huaisang were both sitting out by the lake with not much to do, Jiang Cheng felt calmer than he had in years.

“This was the best idea I've ever had,” Nie Huaisang said, eating another lotus pod.

“You're not wrong.” Jiang Cheng replied.

Nie Huaisang continued painting and Jiang Cheng continued doing nothing, both enjoying a quiet lazy afternoon devoid of all matchmakers and nasty power-hungry old men’s daughters.

[ceilingfrogs]

Of Demon Ducks and Money Toads

SangCheng Month 2020 (on ao3)

Day 5 : Family

(somewhat of a continuation of day 2 (birds))

Nie Huaisang liked adopting creatures. It was a problem.

The problem started out small. A few birds here and there that would find a home in Nie Huaisang’s ever-expanding aviary. That was fine. Those small birds were easily dealt with.

Then Nie Huaisang went and found two large eggs from who knew where; he had just shown up one day with the eggs after he had snuck out for a walk.

A few weeks later, with the help of some gentle heating talismans, the eggs hatched into two of the ugliest baby birds Nie Mingjue had ever seen (and baby birds were notoriously ugly).

Huaisang would go on to call those two ugly birds Blossom and Dumpling because of course he would.

Blossom and Dumpling themselves weren’t a problem either at first. But then, they started to grow and grow and they didn’t stop. They kept growing until they could no longer fit in the aviary, until a bigger one had to be built just for them, until they outgrew even that cage. Until they were so big, they couldn’t stay in the Unclean Realm anymore.

Nie Huaisang had been distraught, thinking he would be forced to get rid of the birds he had started calling his babies (Dumpling and Blossom had been the first hatchlings Nie Huaisang had raised; Nie Mingjue wouldn’t be surprised if those birds really did think of Nie Huaisang as their mother).

Nie Mingjue hated to see Nie Huaisang cry and these tears had been the silent ones that Nie Huaisang only ever shed when he was truly upset, and so Nie Mingjue went further up into the mountains and spent a whole week trying to find a suitable cave for the birds that were apparently his nephews.

Huaisang had been elated when Nie Mingue had shown him the cave. He had thrown himself at Nie Mingjue and hugged him so hard that Nie Mingjue was barely touching the ground.

Dumpling and Blossom were moved into the cave and were as happy as ever, spoiled rotten by Nie Huiasang.

They never grew out of their ugly phase, but Nie Huaisang loved them and they made him happy, so Nie Mingjue was willing to love them too, even if no one ever quite figured out what type of bird they were (Nie Mingjue was certain they weren’t natural, but he never voiced that out loud).

The problem got worse when Nie Huisang befriended Jiang Cheng (they said they were just friends; Nie Mingjue didn’t buy it, but Jiang Cheng was a good and honorable person and wouldn't think of doing anything untoward with Nie Huaisang, no doubt much to Nie Huaisang's displeasure).

Jiang Cheng was a good ‘friend’ for Nie Huaisang but there was one glaringly obvious issue.

Jiang Cheng liked dogs, loved them. Yet, for some reason, he wouldn’t allow dogs in Lotus Pier. Unfortunately, that meant that whatever stray Jiang Cheng found would inevitably end up in the Unclean Realm. It was completely Nie Huaisang’s fault.

Nie Mingjue got used to the dogs like he had got used to the birds.

Jiang Cheng had asked Nie Mingjue if it was too much trouble having so many dogs in the Unclean Realm, and he had looked so concerned and somewhat guilty (even though, again, Nie Huaisang was to blame).

Jiang Cheng always looked so happy and relaxed whenever he spent time with the dogs, so different from the well-concealed uptight anxious mess he usually was, and Nie Mingjue had been incapable of saying that yes it was a problem. Instead, he had said that he was more than happy to have so many dogs in his home, and Jiang Cheng had looked so relieved that Nie Mingjue couldn't feel sorry for lying (maybe it was also somewhat Nie Minjue’s fault).

But it didn’t stop with the birds and the dogs. It was when Jiang Cheng started bringing mythical beings for Huaisang that the problem really got out of hand.

The first time it happened was a surprise. Nie Mingjue knew Nie Huaisang loved birds, but he thought Jiang Cheng had gone a bit too far with the phoenix which had apparently been named Firecracker.

“It’s an adorable name,” Huaisang said, gently clutching the baby phoenix in his hands, “Jiang Cheng came up with it.”

Nie Mingjue thought it sounded more like a fire hazard but he didn’t say that.

Firecracker got along splendidly with Blossom and Dumpling which meant the phoenix was here to stay.

Then came a rather fat three-legged toad (Huaisang insisted it wasn’t a money toad even with all the coins that kept appearing everywhere). There also were winged beasts that definitely shouldn't have wings, the odd fox with more than one tail, a duck that may or may not be a demon and so many more mythical and apparently-not-extinct beings.

(Nie Mingjue wasn’t sure whether or not these beasts were unofficial courtship gifts; he hoped they were because, if not, Nie Mingjue didn’t want to see just what legendary creature Jiang Cheng would unearth for an actual courting gift.)

By the time the juvenile dragon arrived, Nie Mingjue had gotten used to even the legendary creatures. Though, he really did wish Lychee (the dragon) would stop shedding her skin all over the place.

(Gods help Huaisang and Jiang Cheng’s future human children; Nie Mingjue didn’t imagine the naming process going well.)

Nie Mingjue tried explaining to them that they couldn’t adopt every creature they thought looked cute (which turned out to be all of them). He tried. He did not succeed. And, unfortunately, if the longing looks Huaisang and Jiang Cheng kept throwing at each other were anything to go by, this was a problem that wouldn't be leaving Nie Mingjue anytime soon if ever.

Nie Mingjue would just have to get used to having dragons and money toads and demon ducks in the family.

It wasn’t the weirdest thing to happen in the Unclean Realm, but it was up there.

[ceilingfrogs]

Violet Scales

SangCheng Month 2020

Day 3 : Snakes

on ao3

Nie Huaisang was used to weird. He was a cultivator from the Nie Sect after all; weird things happened every day at home. He had grown up around weird. Weird was his normal.

Staring down at the snake in front of him, he thought he wasn’t as used to weird as he had believed.

The snake was exactly where Jiang Cheng had been seated moments ago. Jiang Cheng could turn into a snake. That was a thing apparently. Jiang Cheng had said it was normal, that he got it from his Mother’s side of the family. It was most definitely not normal.

And yet Jiang Cheng had transformed as easily as taking in his next breath. He had transformed into what was objectively the most gorgeous snake Nie Huaisang had ever seen. Okay, so maybe Nie Huaisang wasn't all that objective, but Jiang Cheng was still beautiful. All shimmering purple scales and deadly-looking. Like one bite from those sharp fangs would be enough to bring anyone down.

Frozen, Nie Huaisang looked down at Jiang Cheng and quietly changed his world view because even for the Nies this was weird.

Nie Huaisang must have stayed frozen too long because the snake slithered forward and gently nudged Nie Huaisang’s knee.

Jiang Cheng in snake form couldn’t be considered little, but at that moment, he seemed so much smaller than he was. Nie Huaisang didn’t know how emotions translated into a snake’s body language, but Jiang Cheng seemed unsure and maybe just a little scared which just wouldn't do at all. Because this snake was apparently Jiang Cheng and Jiang Cheng should never be scared, especially not because of Nie Huaisang. But Nie Huaisang knew how Jiang Cheng's brain worked, he knew of all that doubt that plagued Jiang Cheng day in and day out. The feeling of inferiority that quite frankly no one as amazing as Jiang Cheng should ever feel.

And so when Jiang Cheng nudged him again, Nie Huaisang carefully, so very carefully reached out his hand, placing it on Jiang Cheng's head and gently stroked his hand along the warm dry scales.

"Aren't you a pretty little thing," Nie Huaisang cooed.

Nie Huaisang continued moving his hand, quietly repeating how beautiful Jiang Cheng was. After a few moments, Jiang Cheng stopped looking so small and pressed his head more firmly against Nie Huaisang's hand.

The more Nie Huaisang stroked those purple scales, the closer Jiang Cheng got until finally Nie Huaisang couldn't help himself and picked Jiang Cheng up, placing him directly in Nie Huaisang's lap. Jiang Cheng seemed perfectly okay with that as he pressed up against Nie Huaisang, soaking up Nie Huaisang's body heat.

Snake Jiang Cheng was apparently as cuddly as human Jiang Cheng. Good to know.

* * *

Jiang Cheng was having a bad day. And no, he did not want to talk about it. Or at least that's what Nie Huaisang assumed from the silently sulking snake draped around his shoulders, pressed up against the warm skin of his neck like a particularly extravagant and flashy scarf.

Jiang Cheng was sulking. No other word for it. Though he hadn’t appreciated Nie Huaisang calling it sulking if the hissing had been anything to go by. But Jiang Cheng hadn't moved from around Nie Huaisang's neck, so he couldn't have been that upset.

Nie Huaisang didn't mind the new scarf. Jiang Cheng didn't get in the way of his painting and they got to spend time together even if Jiang Cheng wasn't all that chatty in snake form.

If Nie Huaisang were to hazard a guess as to the reason for Jiang Cheng's tantrum, he would figure it had something to do with the meeting Jiang Cheng had been forced to have with Sect leader Yao earlier. They were in Qinghe for a discussion conference, and Sect Leader Yao had insisted on a meeting even though Jiang Cheng’s schedule had been full; Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng had planned on going to see a play but then Sect Leader Yao had spit all over their plans like he was prone to do.

Jiang Cheng was not happy. Nie Huaisang hadn't been that happy either but seeing Jiang Cheng sulk in such an adorable fashion had brightened his mood drastically. And anyway, Nie Huaisang had already come up with a suitable punishment for Sect Leader Yao; all he needed to do was send an anonymous letter to Sect Leader Yao's wife informing her of her husband's gambling addiction (an addiction Sect Leader Yao had promised his wife he would stop).

Now he just had to deal with Jiang Cheng.

"You can't sulk forever, you know," Nie Huaisang said.

A faint hiss came from somewhere in Nie Huaisang's hair.

"Come on." Nie Huaisang gently pried Jiang Cheng away from his neck "Off you get." Jiang Cheng resisted, tightening his coils against Nie Huaisang. Nie Huaisang grabbed him more firmly.

The hissing got much louder and more indignant, but Nie Huaisang finally got the snake off his shoulders and into his lap.

"Now, how am I to tell you about my upcoming trip to Lotus Pier if you're too busy sulking?"

The hissing stopped and all thoughts of Sect Leader Yao were discarded from Jiang Cheng’s mind (that was fine; Nue Huaisang would deal with Sect Leader Yao).

The trip was a spur-of-the-moment idea to make Jiang Cheng happier; Nie Huaisang hated seeing Jiang Cheng upset. First, he would need to get his brother’s permission to go. Nie Mingjue liked Jiang Cheng; it shouldn't be a problem. Maybe.

Worse comes to worse, Nie Huaisang could always sneak out.

A few days later, after the last guests from the discussion conference finally left the Unclean Realm, Nie Mingjue went to hunt down Nie Huaising for saber practice. In Nie Huaisang's room, Nie Mingjue found no brother, only a letter stating that Nie Huaisang would be back in a month and asking Nie Mingjue to feed the birds. Nie Mingjue was not amused.

[ceilingfrogs]

The Lotus Child

Sangcheng Month 2020 ( on ao3)

Day 9 : Lotus

Madame Yu was lonely. It was a loneliness that followed her day in and day out, plaguing her every step, finding her even when she was surrounded by people.

She had a husband who she didn’t understand. She had a daughter who she loved so much but who was sometimes as incomprehensible as Jiang Fengmian was. She had Lotus Pier which she’d learnt to love in her own harsh way.

But she was still lonely.

Her husband brought home a child, a child he insisted wasn’t his yet who he treated like a son, and that boy, Wei Ying, was bright and smart and friendly and Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Yanli loved him within days of meeting him.

The loneliness pulled her farther under.

She wondered what it would be like to have a child who was just hers, a son maybe, who reminded her more of herself than of Jiang Fengmian. To have someone she could actually understand.

It sounded nice.

Maybe she wouldn’t be so lonely after that.

One night, when everyone else had long since gone to bed, when she herself was looking out towards the farthest waters of the lake, she let herself have a moment of weakness, just the one because it was dark and she was alone and she wanted so desperately to not be alone.

During that moment, she wished for a son.

And on that night, a fairy heard her wish.

Long ago, that same fairy had been saved by Madame Yu, who hadn’t been the Madame of anything back then but who had been simply Yu Ziyuan, nothing more, nothing less. That fairy owed Madame Yu its life.

Fairies were creatures of mischief and trickery (as far as humans were concerned), but they were also principled and held their own particular kind of honor. If nothing else, fairies could be trusted to keep their word. And they believed in debts paid.

A life for a life. Yu Ziyuan had saved that one fairy’s life and now it was time for that fairy to give a life back to Madame Yu.

The next morning, Madame Yu walked along the same pier she’d walked along the night before, the same pier she’d walked along for years, and a miracle happened.

As she passed by some lotuses, one of the flowers, the most beautiful and most vibrant lotus, bloomed, and inside that lotus, protected by the delicate pink petals was a little boy, no larger than her thumb.

Suffice to say, it was an interesting day.

The boy (because he was definitely a human, albeit a very small one) looked like her, all sharp angles and wary eyes.

He called her Mother, and she decided to call him her son. Zidian recognised him therefore he must be hers. And that was all that mattered. He was her son and she wouldn’t let anyone tell her otherwise.

Life in Lotus Pier continued.

Her son, Jiang Cheng, grew older, he never got taller but he never let his height impede him. His sword was no larger than a needle and yet he acquired the skill to take on men thirty times his own height. Madame Yu was very proud. The boy was small, tiny even, but he was strong, stronger than most. Maybe he would even one day be stronger than her.

He was magnificent; he was made by the fairies after all, how could he be anything less?

Rumours reached Yunmeng, rumours of Wen Ruohan murdering the King of the Nie Fairies. Everyone knew to not anger the fairies especially the Nies, but it seemed Wen Ruohan had forgotten that.

The Jiang Sect stayed well away; they didn’t want to be in the way when the Nie fairies struck back.

She gave Jiang Cheng Zidian. He was probably still too young for it, but he was small and the world was cruel and she would do anything to see him safe.

He was a natural with Zidian.

News came of Wen Ruohan’s demise. The rumours had been true, and the fairies had exacted their revenge. Wen Ruohan hadn’t stood a chance. It was said he’d been butchered beyond recognition.

One day, Jiang Cheng came up to her and asked if he could talk to her.

“I met someone. A boy,” he said, voice weighed down with hesitation.

At first she was wary; after all nobody was good enough for her son. But she held her judgement for now.

Jiang Cheng asked if she would like to meet this boy of his and she said yes.

He asked her to follow him into the forest, and she did, holding her tongue as best she could.

And that was where she met Nie Huaisang, crown prince of the Fairy kingdom and brother to the new King of the Nie Fairies, Nie Mingjue, Wen Ruohan’s butcherer.

Nie Huaisang was even smaller than Jiang Cheng. The wings adorning his back were thin and delicate as though one touch would shatter them. He looked fragile.

But that delicacy was an illusion. Nie Huaisang was related to Nie Mingjue, the Fairy King who’d slaughtered one of the strongest cultivators of her generation. She didn’t doubt for a moment that Nie Huaisang was capable of doing something similar. Fairies were dangerous creatures after all. But they also protected their own with a viciousness Madame Yu could understand.

And, if the way he looked at Jiang Cheng was anything to go, Nie Huaisang already considered her son his own.

Fairies weren’t to be trusted; it was common knowledge. But Jiang Cheng was smiling at Nie Huaisang and his eyes were bright and filled with something that could easily turn into love if it hadn’t already.

She would not have her son be lonely too, and, fairy or not, this Nie Huaisang made her son happy. That was enough for her.

And if he ever hurt her son, well even she was stupid enough to stand up against the fairies for the right reasons.