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Jiang Cheng is checking his phone for the third time in five minutes when Nie Mingjue takes it out of his hands.
“Stop it,” he chides him and Jiang Cheng’s shoulders drop.
“He hasn’t called yet,” Jiang Cheng gives back and even though Nie Mingjue wisefully stays silent Jiang Cheng knows what he wants to say.
If Wei Wuxian hasn’t called until now then he will not do so at all.
“If you do not want to be late for your own birthday dinner then we have to leave now,” Nie Mingjue simply says and Jiang Cheng heaves out a sigh.
He knows that Nie Mingjue is right and yet Jiang Cheng is still hesitating. If they wait just a moment longer, maybe Wei Wuxian will call or even show up. And then they can go together just like they had agreed a few weeks ago.
“He said he’ll be here,” Jiang Cheng whispers, forlornly staring at his phone in Nie Mingjue’s hand even though he knows it’s stupid.
“I’m sorry, my heart,” Nie Mingjue says and steps close to pull Jiang Cheng into a hug.
“But,” Jiang Cheng starts because he knows Nie Mingjue too well and he just knows that he has more to say.
“But we knew this was a possibility,” Nie Mingjue carefully finishes for him. “You know how he is with agreements. I would be more surprised if he showed up on time.” Nie Mingjue hesitates. “I bet he will show up at the restaurant.”
At that Jiang Cheng snorts.
“You’re only saying that because you love me and you hate to see me hurt,” he mutters and leans up to press a kiss to Nie Mingjue’s cheek.
Nie Mingjue only shrugs but of course Jiang Cheng is right. Nie Mingjue is careful to not rant too much about Wei Wuxian but Jiang Cheng knows what he thinks of him. To say that he dislikes Wei Wuxian is an understatement and only the fact that Jiang Cheng still cares so goddamn much about his brother causes Nie Mingjue to swallow his anger most days.
They both startle when Nie Mingjue’s phone chimes in his pocket at Nie Mingjue winces when he pulls it out.
“Huaisang?” Jiang Cheng guesses because Nie Mingjue is not the only one who can read the other.
“Yeah. He’s already yelling at us to not be late.”
Because he knows too that Jiang Cheng would stall if Wei Wuxian didn’t show up on time.
Jiang Cheng sighs.
“Fine, let’s go then. I do not want to face Huaisang’s ire.”
“Oh when he says it’s time to go you go, huh,” Nie Mingjue mutters but he softens his words with a kiss. “I see how it is.”
“He’s simply that much more terrifying,” Jiang Cheng says with a teasing smile and opens the door, only to come face to face with Wei Wuxian.
“You’re here,” he breathes out once he overcame his shock and Wei Wuxian frowns at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Listen, I need to pick something up, you can drive me, right?”
And just like that Jiang Cheng’s stomach drops to his feet and he feels like crying.
“I don’t think–” he starts but Wei Wuxian interrupts him.
“Ah, come on, Chengcheng, don’t be like that, you know I have no driver’s license,” Wei Wuxian whines out but Jiang Cheng feels too numb to answer him.
Luckily, Nie Mingjue does not have the same problem.
“Because you lost it after one too many accidents,” Nie Mingjue says and pushes Jiang Cheng behind him. “I’m gonna have a quick talk with him, alright? You wait right here and then we’ll leave, okay?”
Jiang Cheng manages a nod for Nie Mingjue before he closes the door right after him. They just stepped outside into the hallway, so Jiang Cheng can still hear them through the door if he leans in close but it helps that he doesn’t have to put up a mask for Wei Wuxian anymore.
Jiang Cheng hates to appear too weak and caring in front of Wei Wuxian, mostly because it only ever leads to mockery but he can’t help the tears that gather in his eyes.
Wei Wuxian has forgotten his birthday. Again.
“Mingjue-ge, what is this supposed to mean? We do not have the time for this, the shop closes soon,” Wei Wuxian says and Jiang Cheng hears a brief scuffle on the other side of the door as if Wei Wuxian tried to go past Nie Mingjue who stopped him.
“You will listen to me now,” Nie Mingjue tells him and his voice has lost all its warmth.
Jiang Cheng is not at all accustomed to hearing Nie Mingjue like this and it sends a chill down his back.
“Your careless forgetfulness is going to cost you your brother one of these days,” he says and Jiang Cheng closes his eyes.
“What is that supposed to mean? Chengcheng knows that I’m not the best at remembering things.”
“Do you even have an idea what day today is?” Nie Mingjue asks him and Wei Wuxian’s silence is very telling. “It’s his birthday. And you were supposed to go to dinner with us, but you don’t remember, do you?”
“Haha, who can remember all these dates and appointments,” Wei Wuxian laughs out and Jiang Cheng sinks down at the door until he’s sitting on the floor.
He knows that this is Wei Wuxian’s stance on these things but it still hurts like hell to hear it.
“You do, whenever it’s not about Wanyin,” Nie Mingjue evenly replies but Jiang Cheng can tell that he’s burning with rage.
It’s comforting in a way.
“You remember every single important date for Yanli or Wangji. You have been to every school thing that Jin Ling has. Do you even know that Wanyin graduated yet? Where were you on that day?”
“He graduated?” Wei Wuxian breathes out and of course. Of course he wouldn’t remember that even though Jiang Cheng sent him an official invite to that.
“You really need to think about what you’re doing,” Nie Mingjue goes on, not answering Wei Wuxian’s question.
“Ah, but it’s alright. He’ll yell at me about it and then it will be fine again. That’s how it always goes,” Wei Wuxian laughs out but now it’s awkward in a way Jiang Cheng has rarely heard his brother.
“For now,” Nie Mingjue agrees. “But one of these days that’s going to change. One of these days he won’t care to yell at you anymore. Everyone has their breaking point and his is coming closer with every little thing that you forget. One day he will think of you forgetting about something as a given and that’s the day you will lose him.”
Jiang Cheng lets out a harsh breath at that because Nie Mingjue might not be wrong. It already doesn’t hurt as much as it used to when Wei Wuxian forgets about something that is important to Jiang Cheng or if he simply skips out on dates they set up and Jiang Cheng can see it.
One day he’ll simply not care anymore and on that day every connection he had with his brother will be lost.
“Don’t say that,” Wei Wuxian says and Jiang Cheng can imagine how he simply waves Nie Mingjue off. “I’ll just write him more often and then he can’t even pretend I don’t care.”
“Like you write him right now? When was the last time you reached out for Wanyin? It’s always him who starts a conversation and even that has dwindled down hasn’t it?”
Jiang Cheng stares at the phone in his hand because he truly can’t remember the last time Wei Wuxian answered one of his questions or wrote him first with anything other than Do you have time for me or I need something.
“That’s—I mean—” Wei Wuxian trails off, clearly not knowing what to say in face of all these rightful accusations and Jiang Cheng gets up again.
He opens the door and he comes face to face with a teary-eyed Wei Wuxian and Nie Mingjue’s broad back.
“He’s right you know,” Jiang Cheng tells Wei Wuxian. “One of these days. And it might be closer than we all think right now,” Jiang Cheng whispers even though it’s hard to admit to himself.
But he treated today as kind of a last chance kind of situation and Wei Wuxian missed it yet again. Like he always does.
“My soul, we have to go. Huaisang is going to kill us if we’re late,” he then says to Nie Mingjue and puts a hand in the middle of his back. “Let’s go.”
“Sure,” Nie Mingjue easily says and turns around to catch Jiang Cheng’s hand in his.
“Can I—come?” Wei Wuxian asks, clearly unsure if he should even ask it and Jiang Cheng gives him a tired look.
“No. I do not want you there today. And besides. You were busy right? Something that needed picking up?”
“But if you can’t drive me—” Wei Wuxian trails off with a shrug but Jiang Cheng shakes his head.
“I need a bit of time,” he tells Wei Wuxian. “You forgot my birthday. Again. I just—I need time,” Jiang Cheng weakly finishes and then turns his attention back to Nie Mingjue, who locked the door in the meantime. “You think Huaisang will be mad?”
“I think we can explain this perfectly and then it will be alright,” Nie Mingjue gives back and moves past Wei Wuxian without looking at him even once. He said his piece and that is all the interaction he can stand with Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng knows that very well.
“I hope so,” Jiang Cheng breathes out, his heart beating just a little bit faster in anticipation of what Wei Wuxian will do when they walk past him, but he simply lets them go. Jiang Cheng isn’t sure if he likes that or not.
“You weren’t supposed to hear all of that,” Nie Mingjue says once they are finally in the car and on the road and Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes even as he reaches out for Nie Mingjue’s hand.
“But I’m glad I did. Because you’re right. I think—you were just right, about all of it.”
“I’m sorry that I am, though. I know you wish for things to be differently.”
At that Jiang Cheng gives him a tired smile.
“I should wish for that,” Jiang Cheng thoughtfully say. “But I’m not sure if I do anymore. It’s just how it is. I know that he’s never going to remember, not when it comes to me.”
Nie Mingjue gives him a knowing smile at that.
“I’m sorry. I thought you two had more time to fix things before you stop caring.”
“It’s his fault, really,” Jiang Cheng gives back and closes his eyes. “I can’t uphold our relationship all on my own. If he doesn’t want it to work then it won’t. I have to accept that. I’m simply tired.”
“I understand, my heart. Do you want me to call Huaisang to cancel for today?” Nie Mingjue immediately asks and even though that is not at all what Jiang Cheng meant, he feels overcome with love for Nie Mingjue.
“I love you,” he breathes out and Nie Mingjue gives him a quick smile.
“That’s nice and all, but not an answer.”
“You’re rude,” Jiang Cheng laughs out. “But no, it’s fine. I’m tired of this—” he waves his hand in the direction of their home. “I’m not tired of meeting our family.”
“Okay, then,” Nie Mingjue says, this time with a much warmer smile and Jiang Cheng smiles at him in return. “And I love you, too.”
Things with Jiang Cheng’s family might not be okay, and he’s honestly not holding his breath for Wei Wuxian to change but at least he still has Nie Mingjue and their own little family to fall back upon. And that is really all Jiang Cheng needs.