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When Nie Huaisang hears the news, nothing more than a hurried whisper between two other disciples, he can’t believe it. Wei-xiong has been sent home?! Although, when he thinks about it, since his friend has always been fooling around, breaking rules left and right and causing trouble, it makes sense that his fight with Jin Zixuan was the last straw. The old man was probably looking for the first excuse to get rid of him, anyway, he reasons, recalling the countless times Lan Qiren looked on the verge of qi-deviating because of Wei Wuxian’s latest antic. However, he always thought that his friend would manage to get himself out of trouble no matter what, so hearing it didn’t work this time is kind of a shock.
His first reflex is to look around for Jiang Cheng. After all, since Wei Wuxian is his brother and the whole situation concerns their family, he must be the one who knows the most about it, and Nie Huaisang needs reliable information. There is another reason, though. Even if Jiang Cheng is always frowning and scolding Wei Wuxian when he is being too shameless, Huaisang knows that he cares a lot for his brother, so the announcement of his expulsion must have affected him.
However, Jiang Cheng seems to have disappeared. At first, Nie Huaisang thinks that he probably wanted to be alone, but as dinner is approaching and his friend is still nowhere to be seen, he starts getting worried. He wouldn’t have gone back home too, right? Huaisang shakes off the thought immediately, knowing that he would have heard about it if such was the case. Plus, he believes Jiang Cheng would at least have said goodbye. It makes sense Wei Wuxian didn’t, because he probably wasn’t allowed to talk to other disciples after being expelled, but there is no reason for the same thing to apply to Jiang Cheng.
Suddenly, Huaisang halts in the middle of the white gravel path, causing two disciples walking behind him to jump aside so they don’t bump into him. He ignores their annoyed look, focused on the thought that has just hit him. I know where Jiang-xiong went! Turning around, he hurries on the path leading to the back hills, then takes a few turns in narrower tracks, seemingly unused. The sun hasn’t set yet, but the high trees are blocking most of the light already and Nie Huaisang almost trips a few times. He keeps his pace anyway, only slowing down when he catches sight of a clearer spot a few meters ahead.
The hammock was Wei Wuxian’s idea. One day, he came back from Caiyi Town with an air of mischief and a large piece of fabric some merchant he flirted with offered him, and dragged Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng towards a remote part of the back hills, where he hung the piece of fabric between two big trees. Overlooking one of the many streams running through that part of Cloud Recesses, this had quickly become the trio’s favorite place to relax after spending the afternoon’s warmest hours catching fish –more or less successfully– in the torrent. If there is one place Jiang Cheng would go to be alone with his thoughts, it’s there. Or at least, Huaisang hopes.
As he approaches, he sees that his friend is indeed sitting in the hammock, legs propped up and chin resting on his knees. He doesn’t react to Huaisang’s arrival, gaze lost somewhere in the landscape in front of him. Nie Huaisang stays silent for a moment, standing beside the other boy as he observes the way the late afternoon sun turns the water into a sparkling blanket draping over the white rocks. The view from here really is gorgeous, he registers absentmindedly. He allows himself to bask in the moment. Peaceful. That’s the term to describe this place.
After some time, Nie Huaisang avert his eyes from the scenery to look at Jiang Cheng, who seems like he is still lost in his thoughts, judging by his lack of reaction and the hard crease between his eyebrows. Huaisang unfolds his fan and motions with it, clearing his throat softly. The sound makes Jiang Cheng jump and struggle to keep his balance in the hammock. Nie Huaisang raises a brow but doesn’t comment. He must be really preoccupied, seeing how he didn’t even notice someone was here, he thinks, worrying at his bottom lip behind the cover of his fan.
“Nie-xiong! Since when are you here?” Jiang Cheng manages once he has stabilized the hammock enough not to fall over. His tone is a bit frantic from the surprise, but it lacks the usual energy, and it makes Huaisang’s heart clench. He folds his fan again and takes a few steps towards his friend. “I just got here a moment ago”, he answers honestly. “I was looking for you, actually.” He marks a pause, considering his next words. “I heard the news about Wei-xiong”, he finally admits.
Jiang Cheng flinches. It’s subtle, but Nie Huaisang notices. “So you know he got expelled”, Jiang Cheng answers, voice oddly neutral. “I guess he had it coming, always looking for trouble as he was”, he adds, looking away. It sounds dismissive, yet Huaisang can tell that he isn’t blaming his brother, but himself. But for what? That’s what he needs to figure out. Shifting so he is facing his friend again, he pretends to ponder upon Jiang Cheng’s last statement, tapping his chin with the tip of his closed fan. “I don’t know… I think the punishment is a bit harsh, given that he was only defending your sister. In my opinion, Jin Zixuan deserved what he got”, he declares, carefully observing Jiang Cheng’s expression.
The other boy snorts. “Of course he deserved it! How does he have the nerve to insult my sister like that? And right in front of everyone! I should have beaten him up myself”, he ends with an empty laugh. Nie Huaisang finally connects the dots. Oh. So that’s what it is. He hums, moving forward and squeezing himself in the empty spot beside Jiang Cheng in the hammock. His friend gives him a look but doesn’t say anything. “You know, everyone saw that you were the first to react”, Huaisang starts after settling. “Sure, Wei-xiong was the one who punched him, but no one would dare say you weren’t as ready to defend your sister as he was.”
Jiang Cheng shrugs, glaring at the void in front of him. “Yeah, but in the end he was the one who defended her best, wasn’t he? It doesn’t matter if I tried.” His jaw clenches but the words keep spilling anyway. Huaisang watches him speak, knowing that the smallest interruption might make him clam up again. “I bet my father is only going to scold him to please my mother, but then he will tell him how proud he is, and I will be the one who disappointed once again. Not that Father would even have come here if I were the one who got into a fight, anyway, he would probably have more important to do.” Jiang Cheng punctuates this last sentence with a faint kick in the air, clenching his hands into fists on his lap.
Nie Huaisang takes a breath, closing his eyes briefly. He wants to comfort his friend but he is for once at a loss of words, so instead he puts his hand on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder and squeezes gently, giving the other boy a look of sympathy. He feels Jiang Cheng tense under his touch, side-eyeing him with a complex expression. “What a sorry sight, right? The future leader of the Jiang sect, not being able to stand up for his own sister, and even complaining about it! Ah, Nie-xiong, you must truly think I’m pitiful”, Jiang Cheng bites, disdain dripping from his voice.
Hearing Jiang Cheng talk like this makes Huaisang’s heart ache. If only you saw yourself like I see you, you would know you’re the exact opposite of pitiful, he thinks, but doesn’t dare speak the words out loud. “I don’t”, he says instead, looking Jiang Cheng straight in the eyes. “I don’t think you’re pitiful, Jiang-xiong. But I do think that you are being unfair. No one can meet the standards you’re setting for yourself, yet you never give up, and this is more than enough. You are more than enough.”
Jiang Cheng takes a sharp breath, eyes widening slightly. Nie Huaisang bites his lip, wondering if those were the right words. He reaches for his fan, seeking the familiar shelter as he ponders what he should say now. But before he can unfold it, two arms are wrapping around his shoulders and he is pulled into a tight embrace. He lets out a gasp in surprise. Jiang Cheng isn’t someone who usually initiates physical contact, so this is unexpected. Huaisang can hear the other boy’s breathing shake as he is crushed even further into the hug, as if Jiang Cheng was fighting against too much emotions.
After a moment that seems quite long, he chuckles lightly. “Please, Jiang-xiong, let me at least catch my breath! I’m not planning on dying from asphyxia”, he teases. Jiang Cheng pulls away a little, looking flustered. “Oh, right, sorry”, he mumbles hastily. However, Huaisang doesn’t let him go too far, and this time it’s him who wraps his arms around Jiang Cheng and pulls him into a hug, resting his chin on his friend’s shoulder. He feels Jiang Cheng tense and then relax, returning the embrace with hesitant gestures.
This feels good. Nie Huaisang lets himself be absorbed by his sensations. The warmth of the declining sun bathing them in golden light. The smell of pines around them, blending harmoniously with the faint scent of soap coming from Jiang Cheng. The chattering of the birds, and the roar of the torrent in the distance. The light caress of Jiang Cheng’s fingers as the other boy starts fiddling with the tips of his hair. Oh? This is new, Huaisang muses, heart beating somewhat faster.
As Jiang Cheng’s hands become more adventurous, combing gently through his hair, Huaisang’s own fingers reach towards the hair tie retaining the other boy’s ponytail. Smiling, he tugs lightly on it until it unfastens, marveling at how the smooth dark hair cascades immediately down to Jiang Cheng’s shoulders. Resisting the urge to bury his hands into it, he maneuvers so they are now lying side by side in the hammock, still hugging. The change of position pulls a small noise of surprise from Jiang Cheng, and Nie Huaisang huffs a laugh in response. He can’t help being curious about his friend’s expression at this moment, so he pulls away a little to look at him.
But as soon as his eyes land on Jiang Cheng’s face, Huaisang stops moving, holding his breath. A faint blush is painted on Jiang Cheng’s cheeks and nose, contrasting with the dark strands framing his jaw. His eyes are a bit red, as if he really fought back tears earlier, and slightly out of focus, but his features are more relaxed than they’ve ever been since Nie Huaisang found him in this hammock. Beautiful, Huaisang’s mind provides, unprompted. He scolds himself mentally, but it doesn’t stop his traitorous eyes from drifting towards Jiang Cheng’s lips.
Unconsciously, he inches closer, heart skipping a beat when Jiang Cheng doesn’t move. They are only a breath apart now, and Huaisang can’t focus on anything except the way those lips part, almost…expectantly?
But as he was about to close the distance, a bird takes flight with a loud cry right above the hammock, startling the both of them. They jump apart instantly, turning a matching shade of scarlet. Jiang Cheng lets out an awkward cough, looking away, while Nie Huaisang flops onto his back, cursing the bird internally. None of them talk for a while, until the awkwardness slowly fades and turns into comfortable silence. The sun is almost setting, now. Nie Huaisang shifts and props himself up so he can lean on Jiang Cheng, using the other boy’s chest as a pillow. Feeling Jiang Cheng tense slightly, he looks up. “Is this okay?” he asks, offering his friend a small smile. Jiang Cheng relaxes, nodding. “Yeah”, he manages. Huaisang covers his grin with his fan.
They stay like this, huddled together, watching the last rays of sun disappear behind the hills. Eventually, Jiang Cheng’s hands find their way into Huaisang’s hair again, and this, combined with the soothing motion of the hammock swinging lightly, lulls Huaisang closer to sleep with each minute passing. Close enough that he almost misses it when Jiang Cheng mutters, voice barely above a whisper: “Thank you, Nie-xiong”. Nie Huaisang only hums contently in answer, closing his eyes.
The moon is already high in the sky when they walk back to the disciples’ quarters, and Nie Huaisang finds himself smiling fondly when Jiang Cheng curses under his breath every time he trips, because neither of them thought of bringing a lantern.