Work Text:
• Age 16 •
It’s another quiet peaceful day in Cloud Recesses as the guest disciples all bustle about their own duties to their respective sects. As the future leaders of their sects, everyone takes their education and cultivation with utmost seriousness and importance. This does not exclude Lan Wangji from the group. In fact, Lan Wangji is said to be the model student everyone in the Gusu Lan Sect should try to become: perfect, infallible, and impeccable. His white robes as pure as snow and his forehead ribbon in perfect pristineness, as it should be. It is as if a speck of dust would defile the virtuous visage of the Second Jade of Lan.
Lan Wangji berates himself as he focuses on the tasks at hand: serving punishment to a certain someone sitting just parallel to him in the Library Pavilion. The other wears colors contrasting to his very own; while Lan Wangji wears blue and white, the other wears the dark colors of red and black. A mismatched pair of disciples, indeed. As he diligently writes down the rules on the paper, he doesn't need to look up from his work to know what the other is contriving. It seemed that annoying Lan Wangji was this man's only goal.
It's probably because of his always monotone expression. He remembers the time when he last smiled was when A-Niang—
No.
He promised himself that whenever he thinks of A- Niang , it would nothing but the good and loving memories they shared. Mother deserves that, so does Lan Wangji. He will make A-Niang, Shufu and Xiong-zhang proud. He promised himself he'd serve his duties wholeheartedly and without fault. He promised himself he would put the Gusu Lan Sect first and above all else.
He shakes his head momentarily to focus back at the task at hand. The prankster—Wei Ying, courtesy name Wei Wuxian—never noticed the break in character of Lan Wangji as the other is still engrossed in his… paper. Lan Wangji still doesn't believe that Wei Wuxian could even stand being silent for more than a few seconds. Shufu had put him in charge of making sure everything is in place as Wei Wuxian takes his punishment in the Library Pavilion.
"Lan Wangji!" Wei Wuxian is always late when it comes to waking up for breakfasts or classes, even their schedule time spent together for punishment is not spared by his laziness. The only time he's on time for is when it comes to pestering Lan Wangji about anything.
"Lan Er-gongzi! Wangji-xiong~" Lan Wangji steels himself as the other continues to call out his name.
"Lan Zhan!"
Lan Wangji finally looks up to face Wei Wuxian. How could a man be so shameless? He's never seen someone so bold and so audacious, like the colors he wears. Is it possible for someone to always wear such a thick face? Throughout his whole existence, he has always favored order—until this is brilliant and cunning young man entered his life a moon ago. It's a breath of fresh air, he tells himself. It's refreshing to know that not everyone is as restricted and regulated as the Lan disciples that he's so familiar with. It’s uplifting, it’s refreshing, but above it all, it’s terrifying for the ever disciplined Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian makes an odd startled noise, confusing Lan Wangji. He knows he's not good with the social cues or human interaction in general, but he knows that Wei Wuxian shouldn't be surprised when he is calling out another person's name. Is it because Lan Wangji is the so-called Second Jade of Lan?
"Yo, Lan Er-gongzi, I only called you Lan Zhan because you were not responding to me. We're already so close, why don’t I call you Lan Zhan and you can call me Wei Ying?" Wei Wuxian leans closer to the man, now with one of his legs propped against the table.
Too close—Lan Wangji hopes his hitched breath cannot be heard . "Not close." Instead of sounding offended (like everyone else would when someone turns you down so bluntly), Wei Wuxian just lets out his good-natured laugh. It's as if he expected to be turned down (Hint: He did). Well at least he succeeded in getting Lan Zhan say a few words. One day at a time, Wei Ying is confident.
“Put your leg down.”
“ Aiyo, Lan Zhan... if you keep acting like such a fuddy duddy, how do you expect girls to come chasing after you when you're so uptight! Would you like some advice? I’m known in Yunmeng to have a skill or two—”
"Shameless."
“Hmpf, don’t say I didn’t offer you, Lan Zhan!” he pouts before he goes back to his seat and resumes copying the rules, rather lazily.
Lan Wangji’s eyes follow the man’s back until he turns around to face him once more. He finds it endearing, oddly enough. The way Wei Wuxian would make those little gestures that doesn't make much of a difference. He always has a soft spot for cute things. (He doesn't find Wei Wuxian cute at all… Maybe. He finds him annoying—annoyingly cute, or cutely annoying. Does it even matter anymore?)
Do not sit in a disgraceful pose, he thinks. He doesn’t look up to see the man, but instead, his golden eyes gaze forward. Wei Ying’s hair is blown by the gentle breeze that comes through the window behind him. The beautiful magnolia tree behind the man in red and black creates a beautiful and ethereal scene. No, the man is the only one that is beautiful. The flower cannot come close. The way the fallen leaves give the illusion of an immortal who has been sent down to the mortal realm to complete menial tasks.
Two shichen pass as quickly as they come, and Lan Wangji knows that Wei Wuxian can't ever stay that quiet for too long.
“Lan Zhan, here, a parting gift from me to you.” Wei Ying places a paper next to his hand. “It’s not the most beautiful drawing. Wait, that came out wrongly! I mean you are beautiful, but what I’m trying to say is—I may not have drawn it the way I wanted it to look like because you're just too good-looking that my skills can't even compare!"
Me? Beautiful?
“Pathetic,” is what Lan Zhan says but deep within his own subconsciousness—an entirely different story.
“Hahahaha just like I imagined your response to be. Look at how much I know you already from the time we had here together! Well anyway, I’m done with all the copying so I won’t be coming back”
No time is ever enough.
“Oh, and if you ever change your mind about learning a trick or two from me about the ladies, you know where to find me”
“Get lost.”
Don’t go.
"Alright, alright! Getting lost is my specialty, no need to see me out…" The other mumbles to himself as he leaves the doors of the Library Pavilion.
Lan Wangji thought that he would breathe a little better, without the man clouding his senses with just his mere presence. But he was wrong. The entire room became suffocating—unbearable. It's as if the solitude that he found so peaceful became a raging torrent of emotions. He's never felt this in all his life, not once had his emotions had gotten the best of him.
He looks at the piece of paper he was given and he traces along the lines, where Wei Wuxian's brush has touched. The art was rusty and it needed more improvement by how unsure and how Wei Wuxian traced his line over and over again. The work is not beautiful, but the artist is. These are words he can never say out loud, for he himself is afraid to admit. Saying it out loud will make it real, won't it? He carefully folds the paper and tucks it in his robes, right where his heart lies.
As the moon starts to ascend amongst the cool air in Cloud Recesses, Lan Xichen hears his brother play a new tune in the quiet walls of the Jingshi.
A knock is heard on Jingshi’s door, “Wangji?”
"Good evening, Xiong-zhang ."
Lan Xichen knows how poorly his brother carries himself when it comes to communicating with other people. He laughs and teases, "Shufu tells me that Wei-gongzi has finally completed his punishment. It seems that you had a good time with him this afternoon. How was it?"
"Frivolous," Lan Wangji's curt response does not startle him one bit. The only thing that peaked his curiosity is the way his brother's ears darkened from the mention of Wei- gongzi. Realization dawns on his face as his smile grows wider.
“Ah, he is a special one, isn’t he? It’s past 9 P.M. Get some rest. Good night, Wangji.”
“Mn. Good night, xiong-zhang.”
Lan Zhan is sure that his brother heard the music. How can he not? Everything the Second Jade does, the First can do better.
But it doesn’t matter whether he heard it or not, Lan Wangji's is always thankful his brother never finds a need to pry. Not that he needs to really, his brother knows it all. The Gusu Lan Twin Jades have always respected each other, their personal space and emotions. Most importantly, the two brothers have always had this uncanny ability to tell one another’s deepest emotions and feelings, with just one short glance.
He's happy and that’s all that matters, Lan Xichen notes as he walks away from the Jingshi.