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Nie Mingjue just turned around and snuggled into Jiang Cheng’s embrace when he speaks.
“What do you want to do for your birthday?” he asks, carding his fingers through Nie Mingjue’s hair and it’s almost enough to make him go completely boneless against Jiang Cheng, ignoring the dreaded question.
“Mh,” Nie Mingjue hums, dropping a kiss to Jiang Cheng’s collarbone and going even heavier on top of him, all in the hopes that Jiang Cheng will drop it.
But of course Nie Mingjue has no such luck because Jiang Cheng is persistent when it comes to things like this.
“That’s not an answer,” he says with a little laugh and Nie Mingjue shrugs as best as he can in this position.
“Doesn’t matter. Be with you,” Nie Mingjue gives back, tilting his head just enough that he is able to kiss Jiang Cheng’s jaw.
“Silly,” Jiang Cheng chides him. “That’s a given. But what else do you want to do? Any plans? Is there anyone you want to invite, something you want to do?” he prods him and Nie Mingjue sighs as he sits up.
“I didn’t mean to make you pull away,” Jiang Cheng says with a frown and Nie Mingjue turns his face away from him.
“We’re not doing anything on my birthday,” Nie Mingjue tells him and he manages to not sound as bitter as he feels.
“What is that supposed to mean? If you want to do something on your birthday then we will.”
“Everyone will be too hangover to care about my birthday,” Nie Mingjue mutters, dragging a hand over his face. “And it’s fine. Let them celebrate the New Year properly.”
“What do you mean everyone will be too hangover?” Jiang Cheng demands to know and sits up properly as well. “Do you mean to tell me that no one ever celebrated your birthday with you properly?”
“I mean—I guess my parents made sure that I had a real celebration when I was still small but—” he trails off. “Afterwards I was more focused on letting Huaisang celebrate New Year’s properly to care about my birthday and it has been like that since then. He and Xichen usually drop by for dinner, so it’s fine.”
“That is so not fine,” Jiang Cheng grumbles and pulls Nie Mingjue back into his arms. “You deserve to celebrate your birthday properly as well, celebration and all, if that is what you want.”
“No, it’s alright,” Nie Mingjue says with a sigh. “Let them have their New Year parties. We can do something for my birthday the following weekend or something like that.”
“That sucks,” Jiang Cheng decides and kisses the top of Nie Mingjue’s head.
Nie Mingjue makes a non-committal sound to that, because this is like it has always been and he learned to live with it. To him it’s more important that Nie Huaisang has a proper birthday celebration anyway and as long as Nie Huaisang enjoys himself on the last day of the year, then Nie Mingjue can stand to sacrifice his own birthday to Nie Huaisang’s hangover.
It’s fine.
~*~*~
“What are we doing on New Year’s Eve?” Nie Mingjue asks Jiang Cheng a few days later over dinner and Jiang Cheng barely glances at him before he answers.
“We’re at my place,” he tells Nie Mingjue who nods.
He kind of expected the huge celebration to take place at Wei Wuxian’s and Lan Wangji’s place, but celebrating at Jiang Cheng’s place will be fine as well.
“Did Wei Wuxian talk you into this?” Nie Mingjue wants to know, because Jiang Cheng doesn’t quite seem the type to offer his own home for a horde of drunk idiots but who knows.
“Nope,” Jiang Cheng cheerfully says and Nie Mingjue gets the distinct impression that he is missing something here.
“It was your own idea?” Nie Mingjue tries to clarify but when Jiang Cheng glares at him, he wisely closes his mouth.
“What is it with this interrogation?” Jiang Cheng asks him and Nie Mingjue shrugs.
“Nothing. It just doesn’t seem very you to hold a celebration at your place willingly.”
“Well, it is very like me now,” Jiang Cheng says and Nie Mingjue can tell that he’s a little bit upset so he holds out his hand for him.
“I’m sorry. Of course you can do what you like,” Nie Mingjue amends and Jiang Cheng sighs as he immediately takes Nie Mingjue’s hand.
“I’m sorry I snapped,” Jiang Cheng also says and when they smile over their bowls, it’s already forgotten.
Still, a little doubt lingers in Nie Mingjue’s mind.
~*~*~
Jiang Cheng told Nie Mingjue to drop by around dinner time and Nie Mingjue has to hype himself up for the party.
He doesn’t feel like being around a lot of people and he doesn’t feel like having his birthday be an afterthought yet again, but he pushes it all away and let’s himself into Jiang Cheng’s apartment, smile firmly fixed on his face.
It slides off when he is met with silence.
“Wanyin?” Nie Mingjue calls out, taking off his shoes and he looks up when he notices movement.
“There you are,” Jiang Cheng says as he sticks his head around a corner. “Hi,” Jiang Cheng smiles, coming closer and pulling Nie Mingjue into a kiss.
“Where is everyone else?” Nie Mingjue asks when they part and Jiang Cheng gives him an innocent smile.
“There is no one else,” he tells him, which only makes Nie Mingjue frown harder.
“But you said the party is here,” Nie Mingjue says and Jiang Cheng shakes his head.
“No. You asked what we’re going to do and I said we’ll be here. I never mentioned a party and I never said someone else will come,” he clarifies.
“But don’t you want to celebrate?”
“I want to have dinner with you and have a relaxed evening leading into the New Year and then I want to celebrate your birthday with you properly tomorrow,” Jiang Cheng gives back and just that is enough to bring tears to Nie Mingjue’s eyes.
“I love you.”
“I love you,” Jiang Cheng says as he steps forward and brushes the tears off Nie Mingjue’s face. “Now come on, dinner is getting cold.”
“Alright,” Nie Mingjue whispers, but before Jiang Cheng can leave for the kitchen Nie Mingjue pulls him in for a kiss. “Thank you,” he mutters against his lips but Jiang Cheng brushes him off.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he tells him with a cheeky grin and it makes Nie Mingjue wonder what else he has planned for them.
But it’s clear that Jiang Cheng doesn’t want him to ask, so Nie Mingjue keeps his mouth shut and simply follows Jiang Cheng’s lead.
They spend a wonderfully relaxed evening with good food and even better company and by the time midnight rolls around they are curled up on the couch, the window in their line of sight and Jiang Cheng is lowly counting down the minutes until the New Year.
Right on the dot Jiang Cheng turns towards Nie Mingjue and takes his face into his hands.
“Happy birthday, my soul,” he whispers and kisses Nie Mingjue. “And a happy New Year as well.”
It’s enough to instantly bring tears to Nie Mingjue’s eyes again and when Jiang Cheng sees it, he frowns, clearly worried.
“What? Is something wrong?” he asks, even as Nie Mingjue shakes his head.
“Happy New Year, my heart,” Nie Mingjue roughly says, kissing Jiang Cheng again and then resting their foreheads together.
“What’s going on?” Jiang Cheng asks when the tears don’t quite stop falling and Nie Mingjue is so overcome with love for him that he has to hide his face in his neck.
“It’s just—never put my birthday first,” Nie Mingjue admits and instantly Jiang Cheng crushes him to his chest.
“Well, things are about to change then,” he promises him and Nie Mingjue laughs wetly.
“I can tell.”
“You deserve to be put first,” Jiang Cheng whispers into his hair and with how tight he’s holding him, Nie Mingjue even believes him.
~*~*~
Nie Mingjue wakes up well rested, which is only partly due to the fact that they retired pretty shortly after midnight last night and is more due to the fact that he’s still safely and warmly in Jiang Cheng’s arms.
He always sleeps better when Jiang Cheng is there, not that Nie Mingjue would ever admit to it.
“Good morning, my soul,” Jiang Cheng lazily says when Nie Mingjue snuggles closer and Nie Mingjue sighs, absolutely content in that moment.
“Morning, my heart,” he gives back, his voice still slurring the slightest bit with sleep and they continue to doze for a while longer, clearly on the same page regarding how they want to start this new year.
“We should get up soon,” Jiang Cheng says after a while, breaking the comfortable spell. “We’re getting company.”
“What?” Nie Mingjue asks, lifting up his head to look at Jiang Cheng, who is looking at the clock.
“Soon, actually, so get up,” he suddenly urges Nie Mingjue and almost pushes him out of bed, effectively ruining the lazy morning.
“What the hell is going on?” Nie Mingjue demands to know as Jiang Cheng gets washed up and clothed in record time.
“Well, I—” he starts but then someone is ringing at their door and Nie Mingjue sits up in bed, scowl firmly in place.
“Who is even awake at this time?” he grumbles, but he takes the hint—and Jiang Cheng’s urging glare—and dresses himself as Jiang Cheng goes to let whoever it is into the apartment.
“Happy birthday!” Nie Huaisang cries out, storming into the bedroom just as Nie Mingjue puts on a shirt and Nie Mingjue can do nothing but stare at him.
“You’re here,” he whispers and finds himself with an armful of Nie Huaisang a second later.
“Happy, happy birthday,” he whispers again and Nie Mingjue hugs him close.
“You’re not hangover,” he can’t help but to say and Nie Huaisang looks up at him.
“No, I’m not. Dage, you should have said that it bothers you that we don’t celebrate your birthday on the actual day,” he chides him and Nie Mingjue fights against some tears again.
“Didi,” he whispers but Nie Huaisang shakes his head.
“If I had known it bothers you so much, we could have done something differently years ago. But you said you don’t mind and I believed you, foolish me,” he chides himself and Nie Mingjue presses a kiss to his head.
“It’s fine,” he tells him.
“It’s not fine,” Lan Xichen suddenly says from the doorway. “Happy birthday, Mingjue,” he then adds with a smile. “Next time just tell us what you really want. Huaisang, come help me make breakfast,” he calls over his shoulder as he leaves for the kitchen and when Nie Huaisang follows him Nie Mingjue is grateful for the little break it gives him.
He needs a moment to process.
Nie Mingjue is still in the middle of that when Jiang Cheng comes back into the bedroom and immediately goes in for a hug.
“Good?” he asks and Nie Mingjue laughs under his tears.
“The fucking best,” he decides and pulls Jiang Cheng into a kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” Jiang Cheng breathlessly gives back when they part and then wipes Nie Mingjue’s tears away. “Now come on, I fear they are going to destroy my kitchen.”
“Alright,” Nie Mingjue whispers and threads his fingers with Jiang Cheng’s. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” Jiang Cheng says and kisses the back of Nie Mingjue’s hand. “And happy, happy birthday.”
And it is a very happy birthday indeed.