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"What. Is. He. doing here" Jiang Cheng snapped out. His brother was always, ALWAYS, wrapped around Lan Zhan and he promised just for today that they could spend the time together, just the two of them. For Jiang Cheng’s birthday.
"Look. I'm sorry I'm sorry! I know what I said, and I promise Lan Zhan's only here for an hour or however long you need, and then he’ll go home and it’ll be you and me and, but--but look. Look I need him here because. Because it's better. It really is but I'm not." Wei Ying scratched his nose. Ran a hand through his hair like he does when he's nervous. He should be nervous, bringing his boyfriend on Jiang Cheng’s birthday," Look I have something planned. For you. For your birthday. I've been. I've been working on it for months. I ran it by Mingjue-ge. Please. Please just come with me. I promise it'll be just us but I really can't. I'm not..." his brother took a breath held it, let it out all at once, "I need the support and, Didi, you won't be able to support me because it's not fair to make you do that when this is for you. And I promise I'll be better with whoever you pick but... Please come with us."
Jiang Cheng looks at his brother hard. He's not quite shaking but is nervous as hell and not in the way the gets when he's forgotten plans or Lan Zhan is involved it’s more like...
His suspicions are confirmed as Wei Wuxian walks him through a nondescript brick door and straight into a kennel. "I have everything set up. I want to get you a dog for your birthday." Wei Ying says gripping Lan Zhan’s hand so hard it's gone white but still speaking in coherent sentences which makes Jiang Cheng's eyebrows shoot all the way up. "I know you haven't gotten one yet because you're the best Didi. You live alone, and you could, but you didn’t. Because of me. Even though you love them. So,” He’s scratching his nose again, avoiding eye contact, ”I've been in exposure therapy for a year and a half. And" he breathes deeply, "And I am going to be a great uncle to whichever fur baby you bring home today. No matter what kind of ridiculous name you give it. And. And Mingjue-ge is going to meet us to make sure your pup can get along with your boyfriend." he spits it all out quickly. Jiang Cheng is surprised his brother has any air left in him to wheeze out when he launches himself at his brother and crushes Wei Ying in a hug. They stand there for a while before Jiang Cheng holds his brother arm’s length away and really looks into his eyes, scans his whole face.
"You're sure? You're really okay with this? "
"Didi. You always protect me. But I don't want you to miss out on anything, even if I don't understand why anyone would find these creatures appealing. I will be the best Shushu to your fur baby. He or she will be just as spoiled as A-Ling."
"Wei Ying was able to sit with his therapists dog on his lap for an hour all month. He has been working very hard to give you this." Is was possibly the longest sentence Lan Zhan’s ever said to him that didn't make Jiang Cheng hate his future brother-in-laws guts.
"I'm happy to assist you with meeting the dogs whenever you're ready, sir." said a woman in her early 20s and a "Yunmeng Animal Rescue" polo. Her name tag read Lydia".
Wei Ying squeezed his shoulders and said, "Go on, go on. Go meet my fuzzy nibbling! Lan Zhan's got me."
Jiang Cheng spent an amazing next hour of his life absolutely mauled in licks and cuddles. His heart broke for a puppy (boxer mix? Pit?) who needed a little more rehabilitation before she could go home, had been rescued from a dog fighting ring. Exactly the kind of pup he would love to work with but couldn't take anywhere near his brother for at least a year, if not more. He regretted walking away from the pup, glancing between its face set in a permanent glare as it hesitantly sniffed his fingers through the cage, to where his brother was buried in Lan Zhan’s neck, calmly rocking in a slow dance so out of place in a kennel but clearly doing wonders for his trauma. When he said as much to the worker she smiled sadly, "It's a shame. You're the first person other than our volunteer she's gone anywhere near since she arrived. Poor things a little skittish."
They moved along through the dogs. And Jiang Cheng fell head over heels for a sweet seven year old mix who looked like a Great Pyrenees except for that her fluff was all brown. She'd been here for a while now; older dogs were harder to place and her being closer in age to life expectancy than not for large breeds.... Jiang Cheng was in love. He sat on the floor of her kennel stroking her fur and muttering sweet nothings into her ear. "Sweet Pea was a family dog before. She came here with a puppy... We typically don't like to separate bonded pairs, but the puppy was able to find placement by himself while Sweet Pea just... Wasn't." Lydia explained. Before Jiang Cheng could open his mouth to reply, Mingjue's booming voice entered the space, “I see my heart has had his stolen."
"I love her." he said, burying himself in her thick fur.
"She's going to shed like crazy." Mingjue warned.
"Then I'll buy a better vacuum." Mingjue smiled and both dimples popped out beneath his mustache.
"’Jiang Sweet Pea’. Has an excellent ring to it!"
"Of course, it does." Mingjue said, reaching out to rub between Sweet Pea's ears. "How’s the girlfriend, Lydia?"
"She's just dreamy." the kennel worker sighed, "I'd ask how your Beau was but I can see he's just peachy. He's exactly as you described!"
Mingjue's grin only increased in wattage.
"What. Grumpy and dog-obsessed?"
"Excellent with animals and adorable."
"You--!" Jiang Cheng started, ears bright red. He stopped pre-rant to avoid startling Sweet Pea. "You're not off the hook, mister."
"I wouldn't dream of it, my heart." Mingjue sighed with that dreamy look he sometimes gets. Jiang Cheng might actually trust it some day if his fiance keeps making that face in his direction.
"How do you two know each other anyway?" Jiang Cheng asked, eyes squinted in suspicion.
"Your boyfriend here is our best volunteer! He's been here most of the month, really does excellent work with all the pups!" Lydia supplies.
Jiang Cheng raises an eyebrow, still firmly planted in Sweet Pea’s fluff.
Mingjue blushes, looks off to the side and coughs once, "Like hell I was gonna fail compatibility with my future husband's fur child." he gruffed. And before you ask, yes we can both come here to volunteer at least weekly."
"I fall in love again every time you open your mouth." Jiang Cheng says, slaps the hand not tangled in Sweet Pea's fur over his face.
Mingjue beams. "Another thing we have in common, love."
Eventually, they make their way towards the front to sign the paperwork and make things official. Wei Ying has already paid all the fees and has pre-paid a small
shopping spree at the small local pet supply store for all the basics.
" I have to say, love, I'm a bit surprised you didn't pick Tater Tot over there." Mingjue says, indicating the intense care pup who'd been rescued from a dog fighting ring.
"What moron gave the pup that name? Hasn't she suffered enough?" Jiang Cheng grumbles, sighs, and leans in to whisper, "It's my brother. He could never be around a dog like that, maybe even with years of work. SweetPea's obviously an angel and she's already big enough on her own. I can't do that to him... Besides. Sweet Pea needs a home and my apartment will only allow for one pet if they're over 70lbs."
Mingjue considers for a moment. "But you'd get Tater Tot too if you could, right? If you had room to work with her where she wouldn't run into your brother?"
"Well obviously. But--"
Mingjue holds Jiang Cheng's hand close. "What if we both adopted her? Together. SweetPea would be an excellent role model. She's good with other dogs."
"Really?" Jiang Cheng lights up, "You really wouldn't mind? Having her at your place by yourself? She'll be a terror. You could get bit."
"It's the same risk I take being in love with you," Mingjue winks. "I want to start a home with you. And besides, the beast's grown on me. She really does need a lot of work if she wants to find a forever home. I'd offer to foster her even if I didn't know in advance you'd be a foster fail."
"What should we name her? Let's pick together--I obviously can't change SweetPea's name. She already knows it and it's too perfect for her. But Tater tot just got that name when she came to the rescue, right?" Mingjue nods, "Let's name our girl together." Jiang Cheng says.
“Hmmm. Well, I always thought I’d name something Baxia. I like the sound of it.”
“She's obviously a princess.” Jiang Cheng says.
“Princess Baxia. Obviously. “Mingjue agrees in his most serious tone. He winks and Jiang Cheng tries not to blush, probably fails at it if the heat in his ears is anything to go by, and they turn their attention back to their captive audience.
Mingjue is all dimples again. And Lydia has been very patient about the whole thing. They agree that they’ll come to the kennel to work with Baxia before bringing her to Mingjues home. The kennel is, of course, very on board to accommodate offloading two of their trickiest placements by reserving Princess Baxia; since Sweet Pea was just getting adopted the rescue explained that she needed time to adjust before dropping a high-maintenance pup on her, where her fathers' attention would be solely on the new arrival, and her care may suffer. It would be at least a month until they could take her, but the rescue was willing to give it a shot because of Mingjue’s reputation volunteering.
Jiang Cheng tried not to be too visibly offended at the thought that he would neglect his perfect girl. But the shelter was right; it was only fair to let her get settled and focus on Sweet Pea’s needs to make sure she was taken care of. And if he was being honest…Jiang Cheng looked over his shoulder at his brother, clearly doing some kind of breathing exercises into Lan Zhan’s shoulder, well…It was asking a lot for Wei Ying to adjust to one dog, sweet and harmless as she was.
“Ming-ge.” Jiang Cheng says, “Can you tell Lan Zhan to take my brother outside? He doesn’t need to wait in here while I finish up. We’ll come out the same door we came in when he’s ready.”
“Sure, love.” MIngjue brushes against his shoulder as he leaves and Jiang Cheng feels warmth crushing his heart.
“WE’RE COMING OUT NOW!” Jiang Cheng shouts through the cracked open door. Sweet Pea heels beautifully, butt fully plopped against his heel, waiting patiently. “Last chance. You can still head home and I’ll see you once we’ve got her settled. “
“Screw you, I’m meeting my fur-niece!” Wei Ying shouts back in the voice he uses when he’s pretending to be braver than he is.
“Alright then.” He tugs the leash gently and coos at Sweet Pea so she knows it’s time to walk. They’re out the door and there Wei Ying is, standing his ground as Lan Zhan rubs his back. “Meet Jiang Sweet Pea.” He says bringing her back to sit beside him six feet away and with a firm hand gripping the leash, most of the length wrapped around Jiang Cheng’s wrist. It was more for Wei Ying’s comfort than his own, but he is introducing a pup he’s unfamiliar with to someone else for the first time, so he wouldn’t take any risks.
“Hello, Sweet Pea. Aren’t you actually kind of cute? For a giant monster you seem…pretty okay.” His brother gets out. It’s probably as polite as he can manage so Jiang Cheng lets it slide. This time. His brother is now speaking to him but his eyes are firmly on the pup, “I wanted to pet her today, but…”
“Wei Ying has used all of his coping skills in the shelter.” Lan Zhan explains needlessly. Obviously Wei Ying’s done a literal ton of emotional labor; he’s his brother. Jiang Cheng knows when the guy looks like he’s gonna crawl out of his skin.
“You can try next time.” Jiang Cheng tells Wei Ying. “I’m gonna take this sweet girl shopping and then home.”
“Lan Zhan and I’ll stay with Sweet Pea while you two spend the day together.” Mingjue the most amazing boyfriend in the universe no matter what Wei Ying and Jie try to sell him about their respective idiots, tells him. Jiang Cheng doesn’t want to be away from his new baby…but his brother deserved a break and he does still want to spend what’s left of the morning with his brother. He’ll have all night for Sweet Pea and Ming-ge.
Jiang Cheng beamed at everyone, “I’ll see you in an hour, then.” He tells the other couple, heads in the opposite direction with Mingjue. They’re almost out of the lot when he hands the leash to Mingjue to hold like his life depends on it so he can shout “wait!” and run back to hug his brother.
“Thank you. For giving me this.” He says just between the two of them.
“You’re my brother.” Wei Ying tells him like it’s nothing life-changing, “I’d give you my heart if you needed it. What’s trauma therapy between us?”
“You’re only allowed to donate non-vital organs. I’ll bring you back and kill you again if I end up with any of your organs Lan Zhan has a claim to.” Jiang Cheng growls out, whacks his brother’s arm. It’s an old argument rooted in a history they can’t discuss without actual violence breaking out. “Idiot.”