Chapter Text
Jiang Cheng was annoyed, hunting for his idiot shixiong who couldn’t stop showing off like a cocky asshole and pissing everyone off. After that whole blindfolded archery debacle, the Jin contingent was being especially hostile toward YunmengJiang and refusing to accept their kills in the hunt. They thought it was unfair all the prey happened to go their way, and their unorthodox cultivator mysteriously went missing.
Of course, that had been the plan all along. There were no rules stating they couldn’t use other forms of cultivation to push prey a certain way. But of course Wei Wuxian had overdone it, made it too obvious, and did a good job of pissing the Jins off first so they would of course make a huge fuss about it.
Even if it was a pretty impressive trick and the Peacock deserved it. He just doesn’t know when to keep his head down and behave!!
So now Jiang Cheng has to go on a fetch quest in the middle of the hunt, trudging through the trees and shrubs and mud with no signs of the idiot anywhere!
After what feels like forever he finally catches a glimpse of black robes and heads towards a clearing. But before he leaves the tree line he notices white robes too.
He stands there, being as quiet as possible as he moves branches slowly out of the way just enough to see clearly.
What he sees is Wei Wuxian leaning against a tree, Lan Wangji bent over him, the two of them making out without an ounce of shame, right out in the open at a prestigious event!!
He knew it! He fucking knew it!
He knew those two were fucking around! He just could never seem to catch them. Wei Wuxian always played dumb when asked. But he knew something was going on!! They have never been normal around each other.
Now he was pissed wondering how long this had been going on. How long had they been hiding this?! Fucking around behind everyone’s backs!!
He thought back to the way they fought like exes during the war. The way Lan Wangji was also hunting for Wei Wuxian during those 3 months he went missing. He thought back to rescuing them both from the Xuanwu cave, finding a feverish Wei Wuxian with his head in Lan Wangji’s lap. God, that’s probably when it started. When they were trapped alone in that cave for so long.
All this time! All this time and not a word from either of them!!
He was too pissed to deal with this shit right now. Fuck the Jin and their complaints. YunmengJiang won fair and square by the rules. They can sort this out without the idiot demonic cultivator’s input. He’ll just say he couldn’t find him.
And so he goes back, without having been seen, and doesn’t say anything about it to anyone.
At least until they are already back in Lotus Pier. One day, several days after their return, he finally snaps, annoyed that Wei Wuxian has continued acting innocent. As if he isn’t having a secret cut-sleeve affair with the prestigious second jade of Lan.
“So should I be expecting a betrothal letter from Hanguang-Jun soon?” Jiang Cheng spat with venom, out of the blue.
Wei Wuxian nearly choked on his wine mid sip. “What? Why on earth would Lan Zhan send a betrothal letter for Shijie??” He squealed indignantly.
“Not for her you idiot. For you!” Jiang Cheng snapped. “Or is the honorable Hanguang-Jun too afraid of letting the cultivation world know he's a cut-sleeve.”
“Jiang Cheng, what on earth are you talking about? Lan Zhan's not a cut-sleeve. And neither am I for that matter. Why would he send me a betrothal letter?”
Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Sure could've fooled me with the way the two of you were sucking face out in the middle of the siege hunt!”
Wei Wuxian's blood ran cold “What—what do you mean? We didn't do anything like that. Lan Zhan would never–” He tried to run back over the kiss that day in his mind. There's no way it could have been Lan Zhan. Then again, he didn't tell a soul about the mysterious kiss. So Jiang Cheng must have seen something. Wei Wuxian shook his head “No, no, that wasn't Lan Zhan. It must have been some girl from the Lan sect that you saw.”
“That didn't look like any woman to me. Besides, there weren't any women in the Lan contingent this year, remember? Wait, did you really not know who kissed you?” Jiang Cheng asked, somewhat suspicious.
“No. I was still blindfolded. I have no idea who kissed me.” Wei Wuxian answered honestly with a shrug..
“So you're telling me Lan Wangji assaulted you?!” Jiang Cheng accused. All of his outrage suddenly shifted gears with this new piece of information.
“Whoa whoa whoa I wouldn't say I was assaulted! And we still don't know for sure who it was! There's no way Lan Zhan would go and do something crazy like that!” Wei Wuxian insisted.
“I am telling you it was him. I saw it with my own two eyes. I can't believe the esteemed golden child of the Lan Clan would assault my head disciple and think he can get away with it! In the middle of a public event no less! Oh, I am going to make sure Zewu-jun knows exactly what kind of person his precious baby brother is!” Jiang Cheng started to storm off in search of parchment.
“Whoa whoa let's not get too hasty now!” wei Wuxian yelled while latching on to Jiang Cheng's arm, trying to prevent him from writing any letters. “It's not like I'm some delicate maiden whose reputation has been tarnished here! And we don't know the whole story. Maybe it was a just prank!” He paused for a moment. “Um, well, I can't imagine Lan Zhan would pull a prank like that. Hmm. Oh! He must have been drunk!”
Jiang Cheng seemed to consider it for a moment before another thought crossed his mind. “Wait, weren't you hanging out with him for most of the siege hunt? Jie said you were already with him when you crossed paths with the peacock. Are you sure you aren't just embarrassed you were caught with your boytoy? Cause I really don't care if you are a cut-sleeve or not, you know.”
“Aiyah, I promise I'm not lying to you. I have no idea who kissed me! And I still don't think it was Lan Zhan. But if it somehow was, then he had to have been drunk.” Wei Wuxian insisted.
Jiang Cheng looked skeptical. “So since you were hanging around him later that day, tell me, did he seem drunk to you?”
Wei Wuxian scratched his nose “Um, no. I guess he didn't.” He deflated, unable to make sense of the situation. Then something else occurred to him. “He was acting kind of strange though.”
“Strange how?”Jiang Cheng sneered.
“He was punching trees when I first found him.”
“Punching trees?” Jiang Cheng asked incredulously.
“Yeah. He was punching trees and he kept yelling at me to get lost. Then he went back to acting normal out of nowhere, like nothing even happened. That's it!” Wei Wuxian clapped his hands together. “He must have been cursed! Maybe someone had it out for him and put a curse on him that could only be cured by kissing his worst enemy! It's the only thing that makes sense!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed.
“I still think he's just a weird dude and probably a cut-sleeve.” Jiang Cheng remarked. “But regardless, his sect leader should be aware of what happened, and Hanguang-Jun can answer for his actions and apologize to you.”
Wei Wuxian still tried to protest, but Jiang Cheng set to writing his letter anyway.
That night, while trying and failing to sleep, Wei Wuxian couldn't stop replaying the events of that day on Phoenix mountain.
He still couldn't place Lan Zhan as his mysterious kisser. He just couldn't see Lan Zhan being the passionate type who would hold someone down (someone blindfolded no less!) and kiss them within an inch of their life! Even if he had been cursed!
But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense that it must have been a man who had pinned his arms down in one large hand. And Jiang Cheng had witnessed that it was someone in Lan robes. And Lan Zhan was the first person he found afterwards. And he was acting a bit odd at the time.
More and more the evidence was pointing to Lan Zhan but he just couldn't believe it. He tried to imagine it. Lan Zhan pinning him against the tree. Lan Zhan kissing him roughly. Lan Zhan biting at his lips. Lan Zhan trembling with nerves. Lan Zhan desiring him.
But the more he imagined it, the more he felt himself growing hard. Once he realized the way his body was reacting he decided that was enough imagination for the night. So with that he rolled over and forced himself to sleep.
Soon Zewu-Jun sent a returning letter of apology on behalf of his brother’s behavior, and promised that Lan Wangji would take responsibility for his actions. He also sent along an actual, honest-to-goodness, betrothal letter.
Jiang Cheng was furious.
He tore up the letter before Wei Wuxian could even read it.
“What an insult to the Jiang Clan! Do the Lans really think they can do whatever they want with no consequences! They act all holier-than-thou than go around assaulting helpless people as they please!”
“Helpless?” Wei Wuxian interjected.
“And Lan Wangji is too chicken-shit to apologize himself! If he thinks he can just smooth everything over with a marriage offer after everything he’s done, he’s got another think coming! What an insult!” He raged.
He set to writing a letter directly to Lan Wangji this time, informing him to report to Lotus Pier to explain himself and apologize directly to Wei Wuxian, or else he will tell all of the Jianhu what kind of person he really is.
Wei Wuxian kept trying to stop him and tell him it was no big deal, but Jiang Cheng was on a war path now.
Soon Lan Wangji turned up in Lotus Pier as requested. Jiang Cheg insisted on talking to Lan Wangji alone before he would let him talk to Wei Wuxian, where he interrogated him and chewed him out until he ran himself hoarse. Eventually he released Lan Wangji to go make his apologies to Wei Wuxian, looking furious as he told him he had an incense stick time to talk to Wei Wuxian alone.
Wei Wuxian pulled Lan Wangji away quickly. He headed toward a secluded part of the pier, hoping for privacy. “I’m sorry about all this Lan Zhan, we’re just trying to figure out what happened that day. I know it couldn’t have been you.”
Lan Wangji stopped dead in his tracks.
“Lan Zhan?”
Lan Wangjij shut his eyes and let out a heavy breath. “It was me.” he confessed.
“It was?” Wei Wuxian asked. “So then you must have been cursed, right?”
Lan Wangji shook his head. “I was not.”
“Then surely you must have been drunk. Did someone switch your tea out with liquor?" Wei Wuxian tried.
Lan Wangji shook his head again.
“Was it some kind of prank or something then?”
Again Lan Wangji shook his head.
“I don’t understand. Why would you have done that then?” Wei Wuxian asked, feeling baffled.
Lan Wangji seemed very focused on staring at his feet for while before replying. “I wanted to.” He admitted softly.
“What?”
“I wanted to.” Lan Wangji repeated, slightly louder.
Wei Wuxian shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
Lan Wangji clenched his fists. “I kissed you—” He let out a sigh. “Because I wanted to.” He finally risked a glance up to Wei Wuxian’s face. A face that looked bewildered.
“But you hate me.” Wei Wuxian replied quietly.
“I do not.” Lan Wangji quickly replied.
“But” Wei Wuxian looked lost, still not understanding. "You're not a cut-sleeve.”
Lan Wangji simply looked askance at that, looking somewhat guilty.
“Oh.” Wei Wuxian replied. “..oh…I didn’t know.”
“Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji called before lowering himself into a low bow. “I am deeply sorry for my actions and any distress I may have caused you. I have dishonored you and your sect and I await any punishment you see fit.”
Wei Wuxian frantically tried to pull him up out of the bow. “Hey now, stop that. Stand up! There is no distress or dishonor here! And there will definitely be no punishments!!” He exclaimed.
Lan Wanji reluctantly let himself be pulled up straight. “Still, I have committed a wrong, and I would like to set things right. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you…”
Wei Wuxian sighed with his hands on his hips. He had to wonder just what Jiang Cheng had said to him. “If you must do something, you can buy me some of your Gusu’s Emperor's Smile. You can finally make up for the bottles of it you made me lose all those years ago! How does that sound, hmm? Maybe I’ll even make you drink a round with me! Then you'll lose some face and we’ll truly be even!” He slapped his hand on Lan Wangji's back as he laughed. “Ah, I’m only joking Lan Zhan, I wouldn’t really make you drink.”
“Mn. Perhaps it is best if Wei Ying does not see me… Uninhibited.” Lan Wangji replied in a low voice.
Wei Wuxian's hand froze on Lan Wangji's back. His eyes widened and pink dusted quickly across his cheeks at the implications. He coughed and let out a nervous chuckle. Lan Wangji definitely didn’t mean it like that.
Just then Jiang Cheng came sweeping into the area.
“Alright, times up Hanguang-Jun. And there better not be any funny business going on!” He shouted as he approached with a glare fixed on the Lan.
“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian squealed, affronted.
Jiang Cheng turned to Wei Wuxian, arms crossed against his chest. “So did he apologize properly to you?”
Wei wuxian groaned. “Yes, he apologized. So can we forget about this whole thing now?”
“Did he try to take advantage of you again?” Jiang Cheng accused.
“JIANG CHENG!” WEi Wuxian hissed. “Since when did you become such a mother hen! I told you, I'm not some delicate maiden who needs protection! Besides, Lan Zhan is the epitome of a perfect gentleman. Nothing to worry about.”
“Hmph.” Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Clearly not always.” He muttered under his breath. “Come with me Hanguang-Jun, I will escort you from here. Wuxian, go find something useful to do for once.” He said, waving his shixiong off.
Wei Wuxian stuck his tongue out and made a vulgar face at his shidi as he walked away.
Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji walked in tense silence for a long while. Once certain Wei Wuxian was long out of hearing range Jiang Cheng spoke, pulling him aside.
“One more stop Hungaung-Jun. My sister would like a word with you.”
Jiang Cheng brought Lan Wangji to a room where Jiang Yanli already sat waiting at a tea table, a tea set stationed in front of her.
Lan Wangji took his seat obediantly across from her. For the first time he could see her mother, the infamous violet spider, in her. Jiang Yanli was known for being meek and mild, but there was certainly a fierceness hiding under that when it came to protecting her own. He had caught a glimpse of it at Phoenix Mountain when she defended Wei Wuxian against the Jin heir.
“Hanguang-Jun, I had a few questions regarding your intentions with my A-Xian.” she said as she poured him tea and pushed it towards him. Her manner polite but her voice cold as ice.
Lan Wangji nodded and accepted the teacup courteously.
“Why exactly did you kiss my brother while he was blindfolded?”
There was no hesitation, she was going straight for the jugular.
Lan Wangji let out a long exhale of a sigh, staring deeply into his cup. After what felt like an eternity, but was surely only moments, he responded. “My apologies Maiden Jiang. I do not know what came over me.”
“No? Have you ever had thoughts of kissing my A-Xian before that?”
With the intensity of her eyes as she looked down on Lan Wangji, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she could see right through him. That she already knew the answer and was waiting to see how honest he would be. Lan Wangji continued staring at his teacup, brewing in his shame and unable to meet Jiang Yanli's eyes.
“Yes.” He eventually admitted.
“How long have you had thoughts like that about A-Xian?”
Lan Wangji exhaled softly and closed his eyes. “A long time.” he eventually replied.
“So why did you kiss him that day during the siege hunt? Why did you wait to kiss him only while he was blindfolded?” She asked, sounding terse.
Silence stretched as the moments passed.
“Because I thought it would be my only chance to.” He eventually responded in a soft voice.
“What makes you think you couldn't kiss him otherwise? Why did you feel the need to force it? Why didn't you want him to know it was you?” She continued.
“He would not have allowed it, if he had known it was me.”
“No? And what makes you think that?”
Lan Wangji lifted his head and blinked at her as if missing something. “We are both men.”
“And?” She retorted.
“And Wei Ying does not share my… proclivities. He had made his preference for women very clear.” Lan Wangjij replied, trying not to sound petulant.
“Hmm, yes he does think girls are pretty. But do you know who else he thinks is pretty?” Jiang Yanli asked, tapping her chin innocently.
Lan Wangji furrowed his brow in confusion, a frown growing on his face, not understanding where this conversation was going.
“You Hanguang-Jun. He's said so more times than I can count.” She insisted.
Lan Wangjij looked askance at that. “Ridiculous.” He uttered. But there was no heat to his words. His ears grew pink.
“It's true! Really, he talks very highly of you Hanguang-Jun. And very often.” She giggled.
“Wei Ying talks flatteringly of many. Wei Ying flirts with many. He does not mean anything by it.” Lan Wangji responded, vinegar dripping from his words.
“Hmm, A-Xian can be a bit of a flirt. But I have never heard him talk about any girl half as much as he talks about you, Hanguang-Jun. For months after he came home from the Cloud Recesses, all he could talk about was you! He's always thought very highly of you. But he's also always felt rejected by you.”
Lan Wangji turned to face Jiang Yanli, confusion deepening on his face. “Rejected?”
“Yes. He told me back then how hard he tried to be your friend. That he always said hello to you even if you wouldn't say it back. He said he invited you to join him in Caiyi town, but you always said no. He wanted so badly for you to visit Lotus Pier, but you rejected that too. Then, after A-Xian went missing, and he came back… changed,” She said with a frown. “You scolded him, and judged him, and threatened to imprison him. He was so hurt over it, even though he tried not to show it. A-Xian does not care what most think of him, but I think he cares about your opinion of him quite a bit.That's how much you mean to him.”
“I never wanted to imprison him.” Lan Wangji insisted.
“No? Then what did you mean by all those times you asked him to go back to Gusu with you?”
“Not imprisonment.” He said, seeming horrorstruck.
“So what did you mean then?”
“I wanted to protect him. Help heal him and cleanse him. To hide him from others who may harm him. Not imprison him.” Lan Wangji tried to explain.
“But you can see why, with all the ways you have rejected him before, and chastised him for his cultivation, that he would think that what you meant was that you wanted to punish him?”
Lan Wangji's fists clenched and he looked as if he was in pain, realizing how he had been presenting himself, even to outsiders.
Jiang Yanlil softened her voice to a whisper, her eyes now gentle and caring. “Is perhaps what you really wanted to ask was for A-Xian to marry you, but you were too afraid to ask?”
Lan Wangji sucked in a sharp breath. He suddenly felt so exposed. She truely did see right through him and was now cracking him open. He couldn't bring himself to answer.
He sat in shameful silence, unable to meet her eye. Eventually he responded with a single, barely visible jerk of a nod.
“Do you love A-Xian then?” She asked softly.
He squeezed his eyes shut. These feelings he had hid for so long and so carefully kept secret were being ripped open and exposed. Defeated, he nodded once again.
“Then you should tell him how you feel. Be clear in your intentions. Don’t leave room for misunderstandings anymore.”
Lan Wangji stared off in the distance, avoiding Jiang Yanli eyes. His jaw set stubbornly. “My advances would not be welcome. He is not interested in men romantically. He has told me so himself.”
“I don’t think A-Xian has ever given it much thought before. He might feel different once he considers it as an option. But even if he does reject you, that is his right to do so. But I know A-Xian, he would not be cruel to you about it. Tell me, how did your conversation go today? Did he seem upset with you? Was he cruel?”
“No, he was not.” He admitted.
“See? So what is there to fear?”
Lan Wangji hummed but still looked unconvinced.
“Hanguang-Jun, let me ask you a question. If the object of your affection had been a woman instead, would you have acted the same way? Would you have declined her offers to spend time with you? Would you have fought with her when you didn’t approve of her ways? Would you have kissed her when she was blindfolded and couldn’t know who it was that kissed her? Would you have kept your distance and refrained from ever telling her how you felt? Or, would you have tried to court her properly, make your intentions clear, spend time with her, show her that you care for her, and respect her autonomy?”
Lan Wangji felt like a monster as he thought of all the more scandal it would have caused if Wei Wuxian had been a woman.
To have acted like a brute and forcefully stolen a kiss like that. He could not feel like more of a loathsome person.
“You know, I do not think of you badly, Hanguang-jun. I only want for A-Xian to be treated with respect and care. He is more fragile than he seems. So please, if you still care for my brother, be kind to him. Show him how much you care for him. Make your intentions clear. Give him the opportunity for him to decide for himself what he wants or doesn’t want. Give him the opportunity to surprise you. If you do, then I will be rooting for you.” She gave him a sweet but watery smile.
Lan Wangji felt unworthy of her kindness and well wishes. But still he felt some optimism seep into him with her words. She had indeed made some very good points. He finally met her eyes and gave a bow. “Thank you Maiden Jiang. I will do my best to honor your wishes.”
She gave a brighter smile in response.
“Thank you Hangung-Jun.” she replied as they stood and parted ways.
With that she returned him over to Jiang Cheng who was waiting impatiently outside. With a huff Jiang Cheng escorted Lan Wangji off to his guest quarters. Just as Lan Wangji began to walk into his room Jiang Cheng stopped him with an outstretched arm with a scowl aimed at the distance. “If you really like him, court him properly. If he accepts it, I’ll think about not ripping up the next marriage offer you send.” He sat out gruffly.
Lan Wangji nodded stiffly in agreement.
“Good then.” Jiang Cheng dropped his arm to let him pass and launched himself off the wall. “And don’t be cheap!!” He called over his shoulder as he swiftly walked away.
With that Lan Wangji closed the door to his room, finally alone with his thoughts. Feeling quite out of his depth and wishing desperately he had brought his brother along to consult with.