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It’s a surprisingly busy day in their sect.
A slow morning of daily drills with the disciples and another round of checking letters turned into a rush of preparation when both the Jin and Jiang sects showed up at their gates. The moment Luo Qingyang announced their arrival, A-Qing immediately ceased training the younger disciples when she made a beeline for her friends, practically tackling the three of them into a tight hug that they couldn’t get away from. While their party was small, both Jin Zixuan and Jiang Wanyin were there, and Xingchen never passed up a chance to cook for the younger sect leader.
And so here they were, him and Xingchen, along with Jiang-guniang and Luo-guniang who offered to help alongside the other disciples who were on cooking duty today, preparing food for today’s lunch. Song Zichen himself isn’t a great cook, so he just busies himself with cutting up some fruits and brewing tea.
While he’s plating up the fruits, Song Zichen turns to both Xingchen and the lady of Jin as they cut tofu and peel carrots. They’re deep in conversation, talking animatedly about the recent engagement of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. He finds his thoughts drift to Jin Zixuan, who he talked to once before about a somewhat similar topic.
“Jin-zongzhu,” Song Zichen begins as he finishes pouring the tea. “I have called to ask for assistance.”
At this, the younger sect leader’s eyes widen. “What might this inexperienced cultivator aid with for a daozhang such as yourself?”
“I… wish to seek advice regarding marriage proposals.” Song Zichen takes a long sip of his tea. “Being one of the only people I know who has actually experienced being involved in an arranged marriage, I would like to ask how to deal with it.”
“With… being betrothed?”
“With the proposals in general,” he clarifies. “Frankly, I am getting tired of having to write rejections every other day, and I think Xingchen is, too.”
“Song-zongzhu, perhaps it is not my place to suggest this, but…” Jin Zixuan’s cheeks turn pink as he looks down at his own cup of tea. “Perhaps you and Xiao-zongzhu could wed each other? That way, both of you would no longer have to entertain marriage offers.”
“I have thought about that, yes,” The older man says. “But I cannot allow myself to do that to Xingchen. He deserves to be wed only to someone he loves, rather than to someone convenient for him or for the sect.”
Jin Zixuan frowns. “But Xiao-zongzhu already--” He cuts himself off, draining his cup. “Never mind, forgive me for attempting to overstep.”
Song Zichen frowns back. Xingchen already… what?
“So… in line with the problem of proposals, only one of you has to get married, yes?” It was unusual for a sect to have two leaders, after all, but Xiao Xingchen and Song Zichen couldn’t really see only one of them as head of the sect, and everyone else only deemed it appropriate for both of them to lead their growing family of cultivators.
“Correct.”
“And you would not want to busy yourself with the burdens of betrothal.”
“Correct.”
“So ultimately it would fall on Xiao-zongzhu to marry someone he loves, should he choose to want it as well.”
“Correct-- wait, that’s an entirely different topic--”
“So if he were to wed earlier, your dilemma would be solved.”
“I-In a sense, but Xingchen doesn’t have anything to do with--”
“So if you were to find someone that Xiao-zongzhu likes, everything would be alright.”
“Of course not--”
“Alright, I think I know how to advise you now.” Jin Zixuan moves to refill his cup, doing the same for Song Zichen. “First, you must know if Xiao-zongzhu already has someone he likes. Think if he’s been around someone lately, and if that someone has made him smile so bright that it rivalled the Sun. Has that someone been allowed into his personal bubble, do they touch often, hug, hold hands, or just lean into each other naturally? Does that someone make Xiao-zongzhu forget the world around him because he’s too busy focusing on the person with him? Try thinking about those first.”
And Song Zichen does.
When has Xingchen smiled brighter apart from when with him? Who else does Xingchen lean to, who else does he feed fruits to on hot summer days, who else does he look at like they’re the only other person in the room?
“Anyone come to mind?”
Song Zichen pauses.
“No, not really.”
“What the fuck,” A-Qing says, glaring at the Jin Sect leader as he finishes his tale. “Father can’t honestly be that stupid.”
“Unfortunately, darling girl, he is.” She, along with the three junior cultivators beside her, turn to meet the fan-concealed face of Nie Huaisang, who is flanked on both sides by Jiang Wanyin and Meng Yao.
“Nie-er-gongzi!!” A-Qing gets up and bows, the other boys following suit. “Jiang-zongzhu, and Meng-gongzi! You’re here, too!”
“Of course we’re here!” the smaller man replies. “Today is a very special day for your fathers, after all.” As if to cut off the question the girl is about to ask, he holds up a hand. “But I interrupted you in order to continue Jin-xiong’s story over here! Now scoot over, make space for me and Jiang-xiong and A-Yao, and let me tell you another story, that, unfortunately, will tell you that your father is quite dumb...”
“Xiao-daozhang,” Nie Mingjue greets, an unusually big smile stretching his lips. “You should have told me you would be accompanying A-Yao back here. Please wait here, I’ll make you some tea.”
Xiao Xingchen laughs. “Nie-zongzhu, there is no need. My apologies for the intrusion as well, I merely wanted to make sure Meng-gongzi made it back safely. He has been overworking himself again as of late,” At this, he glances towards Meng Yao, and the deputy at least has the decency to look guilty. “And I just accompanied him back in case anything happened to him.”
“Meng Yao!” Nie Mingjue barks out, turning to face the duo as he’s finished setting a small pot atop an equally small fire. “Did you disobey my orders again while you were away?”
“Nie-zongzhu, really—”
“To your quarters.” The big man holds up a hand as Meng Yao tries to protest. “ Now .”
The Nie sect deputy’s second attempt to explain himself is cut off by Nie Huaisang bursting into the hall, with Song Zichen in tow.
“Da-ge, I’ll take A-Yao back!” he says, practically running over and grabbing the shorter man by the wrist. “Meanwhile, you should catch up with Song-zongzhu, too!”
And with that, Nie Huaisang drags Meng Yao out of the main hall.
__________________________________
“Umm… Nie-er-gongzi, why are we just hiding here?”
“A-Yao, A-Yao,” Nie Huaisang tuts. “We should always be around for the latest happenings, especially when they concern my Da-ge!”
“That doesn’t really answer--”
“Da-ge made tea, A-Yao. Tea!! He never makes tea!! Not even for himself!”
At that Meng Yao has to agree, because it’s usually him who makes it for the sect leader.
“Something’s going to happen, and we’ll be the first to know.”
And something actually does happen, surprisingly. Even if it occurs an hour later and both Nie Huaisang and Meng Yao were close to falling asleep while slouching against the wall. Quickly, they adjust themselves in their position behind the potted plant, and hold their breaths as Xiao Xingchen and Song Zichen stumble out of the room.
“Zichen, let go!” Xiao Xingchen says as he shakes off Song Zichen’s grip on his wrist.
Song Zichen relents, releasing his hold on the other man.
“You and Nie-zongzhu,” he says. “You were getting very familiar.”
“Is that not how I’m supposed to be with fellow sect leaders? With friends?”
“It’s not like that!” Song Zichen says. “He was much too close to you! And he hasn’t even proposed to you!”
“Wh-- Proposed?!” Xiao Xingchen’s eyes go wide. “Zichen, who said anything about a proposal?!”
“He likes you!”
“Of course he does! We’re good friends! We haven’t seen each other in weeks!” Xiao Xingchen explains, crossing his arms. He frowns as he looks up at the taller man. “What, am I not allowed to travel to the homes of my friends and have tea with them anymore? Am I not allowed to check up on them, or to ask about sect duties and how to improve our own?”
“Xingchen, that’s not what I--”
“Then what, Zichen?” The shorter man uncrosses his arms to place his hands on his hips instead, tilting his chin up in annoyance. “Do you think that just because we’re co-leaders it means that you get to boss me around, too? I have a life outside our sect! And who I talk to and have tea with is none of your business!”
“Of course it is!” Song Zichen moves closer until he’s practically looming over the other man, and puts his arms on Xiao Xingchen’s slender shoulders. “I’m jealous!”
“Wait.” The growing group of cultivators surrounding A-Qing and the storytellers turn to meet the Wen Sect Leader, her younger brother and nephew in tow. “Is that why Xiao-daozhang asked me if I was interested in marrying Song-daozhang?”
“Wen Qing!” Luo Qingyang says, holding a tray with several pots of tea. “I-I mean-- Wen-zongzhu. We apologize for not meeting you at the entrance.”
“It’s alright, Luo-guniang,” Wen Qing says, smirking at the slip of the other woman. “We just arrived, after all, and this is an impromptu visit.” She moves to help out with the pots, with Wen Ning and Wen Yuan following shortly.
When they’ve settled down as well, Jiang Wanyin suddenly asks, “Wen-guniang, I don’t get it. What would Song-zongzhu’s jealousy have to do with you?”
“Xiao-daozhang, I love and respect you as one of my closest friends, but are you blind?”
“W-Why would I be? I’m just trying to make Zichen happy!”
“He said he was jealous . And your solution was, somehow, to set him up with me.”
“Because he should be with someone he can get along with!”
“And that somehow has to end in marriage?”
“He thought that Nie-zongzhu was going to propose to me, so I suppose so…?”
“...And that thought didn’t bother you at all ?”
“Of course it did! That’s why I need your help! I don’t want Zichen to feel anything negative towards me anymore!”
“...”
“At least try! Please? For me?”
“Fine. But I’m not proposing. I’m just making friends.”
“Xingchen, I think we may need more food and tea.”
The gossip chain dies down as heads turn to the entrance of the hall, where the two sect leaders being visited have just arrived. The next few moments are spent on a series of hurried bows and murmurs of greetings, the walls echoing the sounds of disciples fumbling on their robes and knocking into each other’s shoulders in their rush to make themselves look presentable to their hosts.
A-Qing, ever the good senior disciple, runs up to her adoptive fathers and gives them a big hug. “Father, Baba! You never told me that today was the day you founded this sect!”
At this, both men frown.
“Was that today?” Xingchen asks, smiling sheepishly. “I-- we don’t really keep track…”
Song Zichen turns to gaze towards the Jin sect leader. “Jin-zongzhu… was that the ‘important matter’ you wished to discuss today?”
Jin Zixuan flinches. “It was, yes… but you must believe me when I say that I didn’t mean for so many people to be here as well! They just started arriving, one after the other, after you and Xiao-zongzhu headed to the kitchens!”
“The topic of your engagement does seem to attract a lot of attention…” A-Qing giggles.
Song Zichen can see Xingchen flinch.
“A-Qing, you shouldn’t bother yourself with such gossip,” Xingchen says, ruffling her hair. “It’s not nice to tell lies about people, you know that.”
“Is it still gossip if it’s true, though?” She looks up at her baba. “Everyone says you and Father like each other and should get married. So why don’t you?”
“Zichen should marry someone he loves, my dear,” Xingchen says to the girl. “It doesn’t have to be me, especially since he doesn’t see me in that way.”
The absence of a response makes Xingchen look in the direction of his best friend.
“Zichen?”
Silence.
“Ziche--”
“You think,” Song Zichen forces out. “That I don’t love you?”
Xingchen blinks. “Of course you don’t.”
A-Qing chooses this time to slink back to the tables, where everyone is watching intensely at the scene unfolding before them.
Song Zichen puts his hands on Xingchen’s shoulders and turns him so they’re face-to-face.
Xingchen keeps darting his gaze anywhere except towards him, his hands are clenching and unclenching beneath the sleeves of his robes, and his bottom lip is almost swelling with the way he chews on it (and if that does… things… to Song Zichen, then no one will know). His pale cheeks are slowly flushing pink, and Song Zichen can almost feel the racing beat of Xingchen’s heart.
“Hey.” Song Zichen moves his hand under the shorter man’s chin, tilting his face up and forcing him to look. “Don’t be scared. I’m not going to reject you.”
“Zichen, you don’t have to just because we’re in the same sect.”
“Xingchen, we roamed the land together.” He moves his hand up to cup Xingchen’s cheek, wiping a thumb over the tears forming at the corner of his eyes. “When we gathered the resources and support, we founded our sect. And while it was developing, we raised A-Qing together. Xingchen, I don’t know how much more I can prove to you that I love you.”
Xingchen opens and closes his mouth, the words stuck.
“I—” he croaks. “I thought that was just you being nice!! A-And we aren’t necessarily her guardians , just her sect leaders—”
“She already calls us her fathers—”
“I thought that saying our titles was too much of a mouthful—”
Song Zichen kisses him.
Sweet , is the first thing that comes into Song Zichen’s mind as he touches Xingchen’s lips. Of course he is. The kiss lasts only for a moment, but the taste of sugared strawberries will probably stay on his tongue for a long time.
“Oh,” Xingchen exhales.
“If anything,” Song Zichen says when they part. “I thought you were the one who didn’t love me.”
“That’s silly,” Xingchen laughs. “I think anyone who’s met me knows I’ve been in love with you since the day I saw you walk into that bush because you were distracted.”
“Isn’t that supposed to be my line? Except that I walked into that bush because you were bathing in the river and you had the nerve to look that beautiful?”
He leans in once more to kiss his love, but Xingchen pulls back just as their lips are about to meet again.
“Wait, so when you said a few months ago that you were jealous… it was towards Nie-zongzhu and not me?”
“Why would I be jealous of you ?”
“B-because I had a friend who was from another sect! That’s why I invited Wen-zongzhu over the week after we got back home!”
“You summoned another sect leader to help you just because you thought I was lonely ?”
“Zichen, that’s not—”
“Xingchen, really—”
“When you put it that way—”
In the background, cultivators of all ages grumble as they pass money to Nie Huaisang, Meng Yao, A-Qing, and Luo Qingyang. Couldn’t these daozhangs have gotten together at least until after the surprise party they were planning later tonight?