Chapter Text
Jin Ling was standing at the entrance of the Demon slaughtering cave, his arms once again draped around the shoulders of Wen Sizhui, his body flush against Fairy boy.
Earlier that morning, when they woke up, A-Yuan had asked him if Jin Ling preferred having breakfast in bed -he would have gone and fetched it for him- or if he wanted to join the others.
The suggestion had been unexpected, with how the prospect of a Jin amidst his people had upset Wen Sizhui the previous night. Yet in the morning, with the warm rays of sunshine filtering through the old gauze at the window, the suggestion had dropped so naturally from A-Yuan's lips that nobody would have ever believed the boy to be anything but the most gracious and kind host.
Something he actually was, even though his social condition restricted him greatly in such a role, but Jin Ling wasn't there to complain.
Much.
So he agreed to meet A-Yuan's family, of course. Jin Ling was young, and in a new place; curiosity could only be expected from him, not to mention -he was actually interested in getting to know the other people who were his new friend's family. The father was a weirdo, the aunt a doctor; honestly Jin Ling was unsure about what else to expect from those people but he was open to the new experience.
After all, his own family wasn't the most balanced, nor the sanest one he had ever seen, just as well. It came with being the best of two of the most important families of the cultivational world, he guessed. It was baggage.
On one side, an iron-willed uncle who single-handedly governed over YunMeng after having rebuilt it from scratch. And it showed. On the other, an infinite series of quirky bastards who also had the honour of being his uncles.
… ah, it was nice for once to be away from all that drama!
With some help from A-Yuan, Jin Ling managed to sit up but his legs and back didn't feel like cooperating yet.
Fairy boy's face had looked uncertain for a while despite his composure, enough that Jin Ling could see just how much he was regretting the offer in the first place; A-Yuan was supporting him with one hand on his shoulder, the other smoothing the wrinkles in the clothes that used to be his own.
The boy was taller than him. Not by much, as Jin Ling's head reached just under Wen Yuan's eyes, but it was still an unnerving fact; too used to spending time with his siblings, all of whom younger and way shorter than he was, Jin Ling had needed to look up only when dealing with adults, people he had to keep a certain, polite distance with. A-Yuan was supposed to be his friend, yet he was taller!
It made him feel upset, but A-Yuan’s sweet smile that lit up his entire face… Jin Ling realised just then that he would forgive Fairy boy many a nefarious thing in the face of such a smile, and he would like to do so for the rest of their lives.
Once Wen Yuan deemed Jin Ling presentable, the two boys finally made their way out of the shack. Or at least tried to, as it was difficult for Jin Ling to walk. His hands - even the bandaged one- were holding onto A-Yuan's robe, gripping onto the threadbare fabric like it was a lifeline.
On his side, Wen Yuan too was supporting Jin Ling, one arm around his waist, being mindful not to put pressure on his healing back, while the other weighted down Jin Ling's arm around his neck.
And if Jin Ling accidentally brushed against warm skin, no one would know how much that made his heart race in his chest.
The place where Wen Yuan brought him was thankfully not too far away. It still felt too far, though.
In front of them was what in another life could have been a public square, stone tables and chairs scattered around, occupied mostly by elderly people.
As soon as the two boys got spotted, all the old ladies present gasped. It took Jin Ling a moment to understand why; it became clear only when somebody made space for them to sit at one of the tables. The old ladies, something like half a dozen of them, gathered inconspicuously around them and as Wen Yuan presented him under the name of A-Ling, cooed loudly over his beauty and young age.
Back at home, whenever one of them got attention, it was always his siblings’ turn to get spoiled, the youngest being the luckiest, while the oldest one was, the less coddling they’d receive. Jin Ling was the oldest of five, and was already treated as an adult, people expecting much from him as the heir of Lanling Jin. It was enough that sometimes he couldn’t breath under that much pressure put upon his shoulders.
This change, though, was nice.
The old ladies of Wen Yuan's family put plates in front of them and piled rice and fruits on them, accompanied by a bowl of thin broth. Whenever Jin Ling finished something, more was added on his plate.
With gentle, croaky voices, the old ladies swarmed around Jin Ling, drowning him in questions; even if Wen Yuan chided them with a tone of utmost respect, they still did not let up, while the old men sitting at the other tables glanced over at him with a mixture of pity and also some curiosity.
Jin Ling answered every question from the flock of ladies, some with answers that weren’t true, but he felt compelled to humour his interviewers, seeing the wrinkles on their faces deepen with every smile and laugh.
Next to him, Fairy boy was smiling, pleased with the comfortable atmosphere, bringing a berry to his lips every now and then, and it sent warmth through Jin Ling's chest.
When Jin Ling admitted his age, all the grannies emitted squeals so high that for a moment he was left dazed. The old men on the other side of the square too were covering their ears.
"So you're younger than our A-Yuan! Such a good boy you are! Please, still take care of him, he needs a friend."
Stealing another glance at Wen Yuan and his red cheeks as he tried to calm down his family members, clearly embarrassed, Jin Ling found himself smiling too.
So... Fairy boy was older than him? Jin Ling could work with that.
Technically, Jin Ling should be the one to show respect to A-Yuan, but at this point he was dying with the desire to call the other boy gege. Would he blush at that too?
Lost in his thoughts and pleased by the attention he was receiving, Jin Ling picked absentmindedly at the food in front of him. The berries tasted sweet but his belly still felt empty, as much as the plates of the people surrounding him.
"You've got to eat some more A-Ling, you're still healing and growing," one of the old ladies fussed.
The intention behind those words was extremely kind and Jin Ling was grateful for it, yet at the same time he couldn't stop the wave of guilt. He was taking resources away from these poor people. Jin Ling had noticed.
If Wen Yuan's home hadn't been a dead giveaway, it was impossible to ignore everything else. The few buildings they had passed on their way to the square were in no better state than Wen Yuan's shack. The fanciest decoration they sported were old slabs of wood coloured in chipped paint, hanging on the moldy boards of poorly devised houses. It certainly would have been a quaint place once upon a time, but no longer.
The people he had seen all seemed thin at best and malnourished more likely, in threadbare and mended peasants clothes. The smiles on their faces couldn't hide the emptiness of their cheeks.
And the way they looked inquisitively at Jin Ling, like they hadn't seen a stranger in a long while.
If not for what the doctor had said the previous night, he would seriously doubt to be in Yiling anymore. That place didn't seem to belong anywhere near civilization.
All those details that he had picked up were unsettling him. Jin Ling stopped eating his fruits in favour of answering more questions from the old ladies.
After their polite curiosity about him dried up, they moved on to more general inquiries about a world those people seemed removed from, giving Jin Ling an odd idea of what was going on in that place. It was… protected. Secluded. His theory that Wen Yuan was actually a fairy had some grounds still... Wen Yuan, who sat next to him, a comforting presence and guardian of Jin Ling's secret.
In the periphery of his vision Jin Ling could see him, exchanging some words with one of the old ladies, brushing a lock of dark hair behind his ear without paying attention to the beautiful picture he offered, unaware of how mesmerising he looked right there and then, the precious child of a lost people.
Lost in his musings too, Jin Ling didn't notice somebody walking close to their table until Wen Yuan spoke.
"Good morning auntie Qing!"
The doctor he had been thinking about mere moments before appeared behind the gaggle of old ladies, looking down at the show, her hands holding each other in front of her. There was a stern expression on her face, no matter the finesse of it, fitting perfectly with her sombre clothes mended over again and again. They must have been an intense colour many years ago, and she must have been a beauty in them. If Jin Ling studied her attentively, he could see the resemblance that linked her to Wen Sizhui in her big eyes and full lips.
"Have the two of you finished breakfast?" her tone was even more strict than her appearance. When the boys nodded with hesitation, she continued,"then your father will see your friend in the Demon slaughtering cave A-Yuan."
Seemingly done with it, she moved to turn around but stopped halfway, calculative eyes pinned on Jin Ling.
"And later, stop by at my office. I have more medicine for your friend."
She went away swiftly and the old ladies grumbled at the loss of their novelty pastime. The fact that A-Yuan's father wanted to meet Jin Ling seemed to have dampened their mood but apparently not enough to hold the two boys there with them.
The old men at the other tables looked on unaffected, as if they knew that eventually they too would have their turn in interrogating the outsider.
Wen Yuan rose up and offered his hand to Jin Ling.
And then they were there, the Demon slaughtering cave in front of them and perspiration dripping down their foreheads at the effort it took them to reach it walking as one person while clinging to each other.
"What? It takes so little to make you break a sweat?" the man he’d met the previous night emerged from the shadows of the cave, the sleeve of his robe raised in front of his face as protection from the tepid sun.
If he were up to his usual standards, it would have taken more than just that for Jin Ling to even feel the first tendrils of fatigue, but he was in no state to be considered at his normal condition, his golden core working hard to recharge and heal his injuries.
Now that Jin Ling could see him better, the man seemed just as thin as all the other people he’d met so far, but the man wore his gauntness in an even worse way. There were dark, heavy circles under his eyes, which burned like embers, darting around, taking in everything they could, and his lips were set on a grin that seemed to split his gaunt face. The robe he wore was a dark cloud around his tall body, but he did not seem to get lost in it due to his proud, strong stance. The air of attractiveness that Jin Ling had picked up the previous night was definitely still there, but it felt muted, as if the man had nobody to preen for.
With every step closer to the man, Jin Ling felt anxiety grow in him without any clear reason; it wasn't like that man could know how Jin Ling had been admiring his son more than he should ever since he met him... right?
Except that… the way his eyebrows creased, the intensity of his hawk eyes growing, it felt like the man knew far too well about Jin Ling’s lack of integrity.
The hand that reached out to touch Jin Ling's shoulder was extremely cold, as if there was no warm blood running through the man's veins; avoiding a yelp by sheer stubbornness, so not to show his fear -though Wen Yuan's father probably could smell it on him- Jin Ling looked the man right in the eye, meeting his gaze right on. He felt that that instant was enough for the man to study every shape on Jin Ling's face.
"A-Yuan doesn't your aunt have some medicines for your friend here?"
"She said so," A-Yuan's chest vibrated with every word under Jin Ling's hand.
"Perfect then! You can go fetch them while A-Ling and I talk," there was a carnivorous grin taking over the man's face and Jin Ling was sure he was going to be his next meal.
"Dad, I do-"
"Don't worry you little worrywart. He'll still be here when you return. I promise," he raised three fingers to the sky. There was a hint of playfulness in that voice, something that spoke of familiar habits, and knowing someone so well that he knew in advance what to say.
With visible hesitation, Wen Sizhui let go of his hands, making Jin Ling suffer at the loss of comfort; the insecure crease of Fairy boy's eyebrows had no place on those features.
"Dad please don't…" but the sentence trailed off. Wen Yuan turned his back to them after sending an intense, meaningful gaze to his father, then walked away, leaving Jin Ling alone with the man and none the wiser of those unspoken words that probably were part of a well rehearsed dialogue between family members.
"He's a good child," the man sighed with fondness at the retreating back of his son. Jin Ling wasn't sure if he was supposed to answer that, so not to be on the wrong side of the conversation, he nodded.
"And now, to the two of us!" The enthusiasm was unexpected… the happy grin accompanying it even more so.
The man helped Jin Ling inside the cave, his hands less gentle than his son's ones but a difference in height that made things smoother.
The interior of the cave was without a doubt the eeriest place he had ever seen. Ropes, talismans and candles were more than mere decorations, they were an integral part of the structure, covering every surface that wasn't already occupied by strawn textbooks and flying papers and weird, foreign knick-knacks. It made Jin Ling wish his maids were here to see with their own eyes this complete mess, so they would stop scolding him about how untidy his room was when an adult man didn’t care at all about his own evil lair.
With a quick movement of his arm, the man freed a slab of stone for Jin Ling to sit, dumping him on it soon after. If not for the coldness of the rock he was sitting upon, the shiver running up and down Jin Ling's back would have been because of the atmosphere of the place. Was that… was that a pond filled with blood?!
Not bothering to pick it up, the man pushed a wooden stool with his foot right in front of Jin Ling, but before sitting down on it the man took something down from a high nook in the cave.
It was Jin Ling's sword, wrapped in an old cloth. He could recognise the gold pummel finely carved, shining gloomily in the candles' low light. The glimmer of relief for not having lost his sword out in the woods was immediately replaced by worry. Wen Sizhui's father finally sat down on the stool but seemed to have no intention of handing back the weapon to its owner, crossing his arms in front of the chest and trapping the scabbard right in the middle.
On the man's face, the grin had widened even more, like a predator that had found a very vulnerable prey.
In order not to show any more weakness in this man's territory, Jin Ling decided it was time to talk. "Wha-"
"So you're the stray boy that my son picked up."
But he got interrupted. It was hard for him not to pout.
"It see-"
"Maimed by a monster that I had to finish off."
"That was-"
"And now you're here in my house, taking advantage of my food and family," shit-eating grin in place, the man was well aware that he kept interrupting Jin Ling.
He had started the previous night and was going on strong, terribly unnerving Jin Ling, enough that he didn’t think it was his fault he lost his cool and yelled "I'm not taking advantage of anyone, for the love of the gods! Let me finish talking before opening your mouth!"
It seemed impossible for that smile to get even bigger and bolder, but it happened. The man was chuckling at Jin Ling's expenses and his lack of control, barely keeping down a full out belly laugh, the sword pressed even closer between his arms knocking stuff off of a nook with its point.
"Glad to see that you're actually recovering, young boy," the man said, not turning for whatever fell off and broke, scattering pottery pieces all around. "Well whatever, it's not like I needed it."
It had seemed to him that the man’s attitude had been uncaring, but now Jin Ling could see through that act -the man did everything on purpose. In this case, getting under Jin Ling's skin.
"I'm not a young boy! I am…" and there his words trailed off, realising that he had fallen right into the man's trap. "A-Ling. But you already knew that. Not to mention… it's ill-mannered to not offer your own name first."
Imitating the man's pose in everything but the expression - Jin Ling was still pouting, though nobody was around to scold him for it-, he knew that he had gotten the upper hand on this one. Jin Ling was sure of it.
"Ah. Aaah," the man hummed tapping his nose with his finger, scabbard held in the other hand now. "You're right. Your name is A-Ling. I had... forgotten."
Gods above, Jin Ling knew the man was mocking him, but he hoped his disdain was clear enough through his side-eyeing.
"But... I'm not as rude as you might think me to be. I'll tell you my name. It's Wei Wuxian."
The man said it with such theatricality that the absence of any reaction from Jin Ling had him huffing in disappointment. "I see I see, that's how it is."
If his feelings were hurt at not being recognised, he deserved that. This Wei Wuxian was grating on Jin Ling's nerves, who couldn't understand how his perfect A-Yuan could be the son of such a man. And also, why did they have different family names? He would have to ask Fairy boy later, perhaps, or maybe Jin Ling didn't actually want to know, just out of spite for this man. Though… the man’s name caused a weird feeling in his guts, something that rumbled in the back of his mind, bubbling deep down, but Jin Ling refused to focus on that feeling, else he ended up awakening something terrible.
He knew he would have to think about it soon, but… not right now. There were more important things to deal with.
"Well, Wei Wuxian," Jin Ling stressed on the name like it was something obviously fake, "you have my sword."
Just this once, he gave up on being respectful towards his elders. Petty as it might be, he thought that Wei Wuxian probably didn't deserve it.
Smile back in place like a good actor, Wei Wuxian spoke. "I do. Don't you think it would be unwise to let a foreigner with a weapon walk around freely in my village, though?"
He was right, but Jin Ling hated to admit it. They didn't know his intentions, Wen Sizhui's cautious words about cultivators still echoing in his mind. Yet, he spoke to be contrary. "It's still my sword."
"That it is. And you'll have it back in the same state I've found it the moment you walk away from here."
Jin Ling gasped loudly.
"I'm not kicking you out... now. You're still healing. But as soon as you're back to full health, I want you gone. Forever."
The previous goading had shifted into a menace, cold sweat taking over Jin Ling's body. What was Wei Wuxian on about?
"You're a cultivator, don't think I don't recognise one when I see one," there was a very pointy canine peeking out between the pale lips of the man. "And this definitely is no place for a cultivator."
"So I'm allowed to stay. Temporarily," Jin Ling breathed out, gaze pinned on his sword that called him to be held as it was supposed to be.
"The time necessary for you to heal. I'm very generous you see."
Considering the conversation done, Wei Wuxian rose and slid the weapon back in the same high nook he had removed it from earlier. "In the meantime, this will stay safe here. This way, nobody gets hurt." When he turned around there was once again that playful smile on his face.
It irked Jin Ling. And the heavy smell of the candles made it more difficult for him to breath, his back hurting under each heaving of his body.
"I wonder… Which sect did you say you came from?" the man faked forgetfulness to get information out of Jin Ling who had not yet disclosed them.
"I didn't say anything. You can keep calling me A-Ling," Jin Ling was almost tempted to show Wei Wuxian his tongue.
"Oh, with a personality like that I bet you're from YunMeng. How's that old sect leader of yours?"
"He's not old!" the outrage that Jin Ling felt on behalf of his uncle died at the same moment as when Wei Wuxian laughed, finally letting out his loud belly laugh, his hands getting lost in the dark fabric that fluctuated around the thin body.
"He's not young anymore for sure…" a distant, fragile smile was there on those pale cheeks and Jin Ling found it absolutely out of place. Wei Wuxian had been an impossibly impolite person up until that instant, a total jerk to use words that Jin Ling had been warmly discouraged to use, that seeing the veil of a real, genuine emotion on his face felt wrong, making him doubt if that wasn't just another mask that the man wore to destabilise him, to hide something else under it.
Jin Ling rose up, breath short and Wei Wuxian's eyes focused on him once again.
"I think we've talked enough. I have my own stuff to work on. And probably A-Yuan is already outside there waiting for you. Unless you have something else to add…"
The stare that Jin Ling cast him was enough for Wei Wuxian to understand that their conversation had ended.
"Well, I'll help you get out of here."
With reticence Jin Ling accepted the arms of the man around him. They walked in silence, but with every step it was easier for him to breathe, leaving the grim atmosphere behind. Even the weak rays of sunshine on his face felt refreshing.
A-Yuan was outside of the cave waiting for him, a pouch hanging over his hip and a red flower in his hands. He had been playing nervously with it, passing it from one hand to the other and back again. When he saw Jin Ling and his father, his whole face lit up, brighter than the sun. The flower went behind his ear, like it wasn't a big deal for a boy to decorate his hair in such a way. He was mesmerising to look at. Jin Ling's heart beat faster.
Smiling at his father, Wen Yuan relieved him of the weight of Jin Ling, his hands finding their positions around his body once again, full of care. Touching Jin Ling as if to make sure that he was real, that his father had not actually damaged the boy as per his promise.
When Fairy boy was satisfied, Jin Ling secured in his arms once again, one wrapped around his shoulders, they both moved away from the cave, their steps slow but their conversation flowing quickly.
Wei Wuxian observed their backs with apprehension.
The inside of the Demon slaughtering cave was dark. Wei Wuxian had blown out most of the candles.
He didn't need that many to work on his projects, just the one at his table, but he had lit all of them up to impress his morning visitor. The result he had obtained wasn't that satisfying though. A-Ling, if that even was his name, clearly had some problems breathing during the entire meeting, overwhelmed either by his surroundings or by his words, he didn't know, though Wei Wuxian liked to think that his words still held some power.
The boy hadn't seemed to react to his name, so he guessed his moniker hadn't been transformed into a cautionary tale by the other sects, an example of what not to follow, a paradigm of what happened if one abandoned the rightful path.
It almost made him happy to be forgotten that way. At least the surviving Wens would be able to live the rest of their days in peace, left alone by the people who had exterminated their families.
Before Wei Wuxian could further wallow in his personal misery, Wen Qing joined him in the cave.
"So what's the deal with that boy?" she questioned him. She too had been suspicious about that unforeseen visit. If it really had been an accident as it appeared at a first glance or if it was an artfully set up trap.
"He's a Jin," sighing, Wei Wuxian hid his face between his hands. There was a sour taste on his tongue.
Wen Qing's hand stilled mid-air as if something had pricked it. There were too many things that could have been the cause of it to make an exhaustive list. "Are you sure? He doesn't have the mark."
"A red dot can be cleaned up. Even without it… The sword. It's definitely too ostentatious to belong to anyone but a Jin. And one high up enough in the ranks."
After a moment of silence Wei Wuxian kept going, the fight seeped out from his voice. "Yesterday I saw a golden tunic half hidden under some scrolls in A-Yuan's house."
A gasp and Wen Qing got closer. "A-Yuan would never-"
"Well, apparently A-Yuan did!" Wei Wuxian slumped against the table. "I don't know what's going on in the mind of that boy. Is this what's called the age of rebellion?"
A hand patted him on the shoulder.
"I don't know how to react to this. I was never like that when I was young. Certainly, I wasn't perfect, some mishap here and there, but I've never befriended the enemy."
"You certainly did," Wen Qing reminded him and Wei Wuxian chuckled. "What are we going to do then?"
"He's just a boy. Probably he wasn't even born when this ordeal took place. I can't make him accountable for his whole sect."
Hands in his hair, Wei Wuxian gazed at the trembling flame of the candle without actually seeing it.
"I… Let's give him time to heal. How long is it going to take? Two, three days more? Then, I'll throw him out."
Wen Qing burrowed herself in her robe, hugging her middle.
"You've always been too kind. And A-Yuan has taken after you. I hope this is not going to become more trouble than it's worth."
"Oh, what could happen?" Wei Wuxian laughed bitterly, one of his hands covering his eyes. He was already tired, and it was barely midday...