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The sun was already setting, but the moss under them was still warm from the light of day. Sizhui shifted a bit to make room for Jingyi snuggling up to him. This was still new for both of them. It had started months ago with teasing and jokes, until the touches had become less and less clownish and more tender instead. They had to be careful not to blow their cover, though.
Jingyi’s head rested against Sizhui’s shoulder, his nose nuzzling against the other boy’s neck, his lips brushing ever so lightly over his skin. Sizhui let out a soft hum. “This is nice”, he whispered.
As Jingyi’s lips wandered upwards, ghosting over Sizhui’s jaw line, Sizhui tilted his head and brought his hands up to cup the face of his classmate. Looking directly at Jingyi, he smiled before placing a gentle kiss on his lips.
Jingyi shifted, climbing over Sizhui’s body without breaking the contact of their lips. Placing an arm to either side of Sizhui’s head, he intensified the kiss, pressing his lower body flush with Sizhui’s.
Sizhui gasped, body tensing. Immediately, Jingyi broke the kiss to look at his lover. “Too much?”, he asked, voice uncertain.
“Mhmh”, Sizhui managed, shaking his head. His cheeks were burning, sporting an intensive red. “No. Please don’t stop.” With that, he pulled Jingyi closer, their bodies aligning perfectly as if they were two halves, made to fit together.
In the advancing dark, Sizhui fumbled to loosen Jingyi’s robe enough to have the collar slide over the boy’s white shoulders. With gentle fingers, he traced along Jingyi’s neck, his left collarbone and the curve of his exposed shoulder. He placed a kiss there, lightly biting the smooth flesh, before returning his attention to Jingyi’s mouth.
Jingyi’s hips moved, pressing against Sizhui’s, which lured a satisfied sigh out of the boy under him.
“You’re so good at this”, Sizhui whispered against Jingyi’s lips.
“I’ve seen enough erotic drawings to have memorized a move or two”, the other answered, a low giggle forming in his throat. Sizhui couldn’t help but laugh as well.
“Young master Lan Jingyi”, he teased, “don’t be pretentious. I know for a fact that just a week ago you blushed like a coy maiden when I first kissed you.”
Jingyi looked at the boy under him with a furrowed brow but a sparkle in his eyes. As he leaned down to kiss him again, he heard a rustle behind them. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks, the horror of realization dawning on them.
“It’s past nightfall!”, the guard said as he stepped out of the underbrush. “What are you doing out here?”, he didn’t try to hide his irritated expression. “I will report this to Master Lan Quiren. Get dressed and return immediately.” With that, he turned and left the two distressed junior disciples frantically scrambling to their feet.
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“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so nervous”, Sizhui noted as they walked towards Lecture Hall to face the consequences of their evening. “Not even when we got surrounded by fierce corpses on our second mission and one almost bit you.” His hand reached out to subtly brush against Jingyi’s. “It’ll be okay.”
“I don’t think so”, Jingyi answered with a shaky breath and lowered his voice even more. “The last time I got punished Master Lan Quiren told me that he would be forced to take more drastic measures if I don’t behave. It’s only been a month.”
Sizhui reassuringly squeezed Jingyi’s hand for a second before letting go and straightening his back so as not to give any more reason for Lan Quiren to get angry.
When they entered the hall, Lan Quiren was sitting at his table, looking up from his paperwork.
“I was informed about your improper behavior.” he said coldly, disappointment visible in his eyes. “Lan Jingyi, I thought I had made myself clear.”
Lan Jingyi let himself ungracefully fall on his knees, hands in front of his forehead which was pressed to the ground. “Master Lan Qiren, please punish me as you wish, I will copy the sect principles ten thousand times, I’ll do anything. But don’t send me back to my father, he will cane me to death for this!”
Pain shot through Sizhui's heart like a bolt of lightning. He was taking half a step forward, his arms forming into a circle for a respectful bow. “Master Lan Qiren, please don’t punish Lan Jingyi for my wrongdoing. It was my fault, I initiated the kiss. I promise to never again act so shamefully.”
“What a horrible thing to promise”, a voice came from behind them.
Leaning on the doorframe with crossed arms, Wei Wuxian gesticulated at Sizhui with his flute. A sneering grin was plastered across his face. Standing right next to him, Lan Wangji looked untouched as always, if it hadn’t been for the tenseness in his temples.
“This is not your business. Leave immediately”, Lan Qiren ordered.
Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. “This is about my son, so I should have a say in the matter.” Lan Wangji shot him a look, but remained silent as Wuxian continued: “They are just two teenagers fooling around, cut them some slack. They’re traumatized enough by now.”
“They have broken the rules”, Lan Qiren answered, getting visibly aggravated that his authority was once again questioned by the man in the black and red robes.
Wei Wuxian huffed a breath through his nose. “Shouldn’t you be used to that by now, thanks to me?”
Lan Wangji stepped forward, bowing low to his uncle. “Master Qiren, as Lan Sizhui's warden I ask to handle this as a family affair. In private. I will seek out a fitting punishment.”
There was a long silence in which Wangji and Qiren didn’t break eye contact, until Qiren let out his breath in a silent sigh and answered: “My definitive verdict was already spoken. Lan Jingyi, you have broken the rules once too often. My words never seemed to reach you, so hopefully those of your father will. You will leave Cloud Recesses for 3 months to have time to think about changing your ways. I await your valediction tomorrow morning after breakfast.”
A muffled sob was heard from where Jingyi was still kneeling on the ground. Shoulders slumped, face hidden by his arms and the long, black hair flowing over his shoulders. He made for a pitiful sight.
Master Lan Qiren looked over to Sizhui. “As for you, Lan Wangji will find a suitable punishment for you, as requested.”
“I will not accept this!” Wei Wuxian shouted, pointing his flute towards Lan Qiren and stepping closer, but being stopped by Wangji’s hand closing around his wrist and pulling him back.
“Look at that boy, he’s scared to death!” Wei Wuxian continued, nodding towards the heap of misery on the ground that used to be Lan Jingyi.
“You can’t punish anyone for showing love and affection!”
Upon hearing this, Sizhui pushed his chin to his chest, eyes glued to the floorboards as his ears flushed in a hot pink.
“Do not commit acts of promiscuity” Lan Qiren started reciting the sect rules without missing a beat. “Do not go out at night. Be a filial child. Morality is the priority. Do not act impulsively. Make sure to act virtuously—”
Wei Wuxian freed his hand out of Lan Wangji's grip. “Harmony is the value! Be amicable and united “ he spit out the words, emphasizing the last word. “Love all beings. Nurture aspirations. Have affection and gratefulness.” Wei Wuxian had copied the rules often enough to know them by heart and for once he was grateful for this knowledge.
“Do not break promises”, Lan Wangji suddenly chimed in with a low voice, and the room fell silent.
Sizhui looked up at Wangji with wide, wet eyes. From the floor, Jingyi let out another choked sob.
“Lan Wangji, what is this supposed to mean?” Lan Quired asked with narrowed eyes.
“I—”, Sizhui answered instead. “Master Lan Quiren, Jingyi and I promised each other to always stay at each other’s side and never part ways.”
With that, he bent down to take hold of Jingyi’s elbow to help his classmate up. The boy was visibly shaken, his bloodshot eyes filled with tears of fear.
“As a disciple of Gusu Lan Sect I will keep my promise.” Sizhui said, raising his chin and locking eyes with Lan Quiren, still holding onto Jingyi who looked like he would collapse right again if it weren’t for Sizhui.
“Master Lan Quiren, I am sure you will understand the importance of keeping my word”, Sizhui finished with emphasis, a stern look on his face and the posture of a knight.
Wei Wuxian felt pride rising in his chest. Yep, that was definitely his son.
The tension in the room was palpable. While the silence went on, Wei Wuxian watched with a certain satisfaction how the muscles in Lan Quiren’s face tensed and relaxed and tensed again as the sect leader had to come to terms with the fact that he lost this battle.
“I understand and agree” Lan Quiren finally said calmly. “Lan Jingyi , you will stay in Cloud Recesses. You will receive the same punishment as Lan Sizhui which will be whatever Lan Wangji finds suitable.”
Lan Jingyi let out a final sob of relief. Carefully steadying himself, he pried himself free of Sizhui’s hands and bowed to Lan Quiren. Lan Sizhui followed suit and met Lan Quiren’s eyes again, this time with a softer expression. “Thank you.”
When the two boys turned to leave the room, they bowed to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji as well, before fleeing the room as fast as they could without running and therefore breaking another Lan Sect rule.
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“Will you actually punish them?” Wei Wuxian asked, as he walked next to Lan Wangji towards the Library Pavillion where they initially had been heading before they saw the boys hurrying to the Lecture Hall.
“Yes,” Wangji answered. "For the next three months the two of them will be on cleaning duty.”
“Huh.” Wei Wuxian paused. “That’s a lot of time they’ll spend together”, he noted with a grin.
“Yes.” Lan Wangji retorted, face unreadable as always and yet Wei Wuxian could swear that for a split-second, he had seen the ghost of a smile on Wangji’s lips.