Work Text:
"I'm not as artistically skilled as you, but I wanted to try my hand at it. I wanted to make something for you, Er-ge."
Despite the calmness of his words, Jin Guangyao was a nervous wreck on the inside. What if he'd messed up something on the piece? What if something didn't look right? Impossible! He made certain to triple-check, quadruple-check his work to make sure it was nothing but a fitting gift for his Er-ge. Now all he had left to worry about was whether or not Zewu-jun would be fond of it. What if he deemed it way too simplistic? What if he didn't like the colors he used? What if--
"It's beautiful, A-Yao."
The moment those words slipped out of Zewu-jun's mouth, Jin Guangyao released a small sigh of relief, a gentle smile teasing at his lips. It made him so happy that Zewu-jun approved of it, validating the hard work he'd put into his creation.
"Very beautiful," Lan Xichen repeated, this time looking into those lovely doe-like eyes. He briefly held A-Yao's gaze before discreetly setting his sights on a sidewall of his study. "It would fit in quite well right there, don't you think?"
Lan Xichen always liked getting A-Yao's opinion on things, especially now when it dealt with his masterpiece. Perhaps he'd envisioned where he wanted it placed. Or perhaps Lan Xichen was just overthinking things.
Jin Guangyao glanced around for other potential wall spaces on which the piece would look particularly good. He took such things into account like lighting, too much wall space as the painting was of smaller proportions, too little wall space because he wanted the piece to stand out and not blend in. His Er-ge had indeed chosen the best place for it, surely having taken those details into account as well. "That's perfect actually," he replied with a smile.
Zewu-jun nodded, returning a smile of his own. "I'm glad."
Again he held his A-Yao's gaze, so captivated by those gorgeous, brown eyes. And, like usual, he was the one to suddenly break the silence. "Shall we put it up together?"
Jin Guangyao didn't need to give it much thought before he nodded in response. "Yes, let's."
The pair stood up from the floor pillows they'd been seated on and made their way over to the sidewall. Once in front of the selected spot, Lan Xichen brought up the hanging scroll he held in his hands.
"Why don't you back up a little and tell me what you think?" he suggested, stepping to the side himself so he wouldn't obstruct A-Yao's view.
After taking a few steps back, Jin Guangyao eyed the layout, looking for any inconsistencies. He had a knack for even the smallest of details, always striving for perfection. "Hmm… Lift it up just a--No, no, that's too much! Yes, right there. Perfect."
Lan Xichen stayed right where he was, keeping the painting pressed to the wall exactly where A-Yao had indicated. He then instructed A-Yao on where he could find a wall hook so they could hang the scroll. Once A-Yao acquired the materials, he brought them over to Lan Xichen. The two then traded off tasks; Lianfang-zun held the scroll in place while Zewu-jun inserted the hook into the wall. After testing its sturdiness, Lan Xichen gave a go-ahead in the form of a nod. Carefully, Jin Guangyao rested the string on the hook, allowing the scroll to be displayed in its new home.
He took a step back to glance at it again, and he couldn't deny how lovely it looked. He recalled Zewu-jun's compliment from earlier, and it instantly brought a smile to his face. It pleased him immensely that his Er-ge adored the piece, so much so that he insisted on hanging it right away.
Jin Guangyao really poured his all into that painting, and Lan Xichen must have felt it. Just as Jin Guangyao had felt it when his Er-ge gifted him his stunning Four Seasons masterpiece, the very piece that hung in his own personal study back at Jinlin Tai.
"I never did ask," Zewu-jun began, drawing his A-Yao out of his thoughts. "What's the name of your painting?"
The question took Jin Guangyao back to the day he'd first found his inspiration for the piece. He was taking a stroll in the peony gardens when he became entranced by the beauty of the setting sun above the blooming bushes. He was not prepared to paint the stunning landscape then, but he came back the following day to get his start, returning day after day until he finally completed the piece.
Like always, Zewu-Jun had been at the forefront of his mind. How he would have loved to have his Er-ge accompanying him those days. He was certain Zewu-jun would have been equally inspired to replicate the scene. The two could have even made a session out of it, painting their versions of the gorgeous setting side-by-side. And thus, Jin Guangyao ended up dedicating his painting to him. Zewu-Jun wouldn't always get to see the peony gardens in person, but at least he could hold on to a small piece of it here in Cloud Recesses.
"Blossoming Flowers," Jin Guangyao ultimately replied. "I named it Blossoming Flowers."