Work Text:
“Watch out!”
Jiang Fengmian ducked smoothly and deftly at the shout. Wei Changze’s instinct was, unfortunately, to instead spin towards the sound, reaching for his sword. For his trouble, he earned a hard smack to his face.
He raised his hand, dazed, palm coming away from his nose, bloody. Jiang Fengmian remained bent over, though now kept down by raucous laughter.
“Your… Your face!” The Jiang heir laughed, pointing.
Wei Changze blinked numbly at his friend and turned slowly back towards the direction that the – he glanced down at the ground – that the apple had flown from.
Hiding behind one of the Cloud Recesses’ many corners, he saw the tops of two heads, two elaborate headpieces, quivering as their wearers giggled, as well as a third figure, not even bothering to try hiding, who was standing out in the open holding her stomach in deep-set, full bodied laughter.
“Cangse Sanren?” Wei Changze exclaimed as his eyes widened, quickly lowering the hand that was still rubbing at his nose, recognizing immediately the disciple variably dubbed star pupil or worst nightmare, depending on who you asked.
Her hand raised as she laughed, calling back, “That’s me, yes!” and wiping tears from below her eyes. A moment passed before she finally opened her eyes and properly looked over at the two Jiang disciples. Now it was her turn to blink her eyes in recognition, before bringing up a hand to stifle another snort of laughter.
“Ah, Wei-gongzi! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were there until after…!” she said, still laughing, face turning pink, even as she made her way over to her unintended victim, “I didn’t mean…” another chuckle, “I was aiming for the pillar,” she offered as an explanation, pointing with one hand even as she rummaged around in her sleeve with the other.
Wei Changze followed her gesture to the pillar. To the poorly drawn caricature of Lan Qiren, stroking an unflattering depiction of the beard the other teen was just starting to grow. Wei Changze squinted his eyes, walking closer until he could properly read the tiny line of dialogue above the hastily drawn boy’s head reading:
Dear Lan-ergongzi: If you are reading this, a quick reminder that sneering for no reason is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses.
Love, Cangse Sanren
Oh, and also: Do not be wasteful inside the Cloud Recesses. The back of this page is still good! You should keep it.
Even Wei Changze’s still aching nose couldn’t stop the lopsided grin that tugged at as his mouth as he turned back.
“Lan-ergongzi isn’t going to like that very much,” but he couldn’t maintain a serious tone, and he too let out a snort of laughter, only mildly regretting the shot of pain through his nose at this.
She shrugged, pouting, approaching the Jiang disciple again to share in his inspection of her work, one hand still in her other sleeve, “One must not tell lies in the Cloud Recesses,” she answered simply. Then, apparently finally finding what she was looking for, she pulled a cloth out, “Come here,” she said, her laughter ringing out once again, as she took a look at his now bloody face, “The least I can do is clean you up.”
This earned renewed giggles from the Nie and Lan disciples who had since emerged from their hiding spot, and a sly smile and raised eyebrow from Jiang Fengmian.
Wei Changze had until then all but forgotten the other three were there.
He blushed and shrugged helplessly, heart thumping rapidly, as Cangse Sanren tugged him away from the other three, towards the Back Mountain and its rivers, Jiang Fengmian offered only a wink and a wave, being of no assistance, apparently not to be trusted with Wei Changze’s drunken admissions in future.
“I’m sorry for the trouble,” she said quietly, sincerely. They sat alone by the river as she dipped the cloth in the water. She reached over and gently dabbed at his face, “I really didn’t mean…”
“It was worth it,” he blurted, his eyes meeting hers as she looked up to him, mouth open in surprise. The two had spoken before, of course, but never had they been quite this… alone. He felt his face redden even more deeply as their gaze lingered just a moment or two too long. Her hand remained frozen in midair, holding the cloth just barely off his face.
“I mean… I mean…” he continued bashfully, then laughed and ruffled his own hair, trying his best to ease the tension, “I mean to imagine the look on Lan-ergongzi’s face on his patrol tonight? Priceless,” he laughed.
And to his complete delight, she now laughed at something he had said, even if it was still based on her own joke.
“You’re right,” she said, smiling softly as she caught his eye again, “Definitely worth it.”