Work Text:
~*~*~*~
It was a time of war, and war was... not pretty.
Nie Huaisang would love to be anywhere but near the front where the fighting was at its worst. He wasn't a warrior, but until his sect could retake the Unclean Realm, there was nowhere else for him to go, and so he remained by his fellow disciples' side (and his brother's, there was nowhere safer than near Nie Mingjue). He had kept himself busy and useful by learning some basic field medicine, and after a bit of time, he'd become the most familiar face in the battle camp's infirmary. It wasn't that his skills were particularly extraordinary, but he always managed to put a smile on the men's faces with a joke or some comment that reminded them of life beyond fighting and blood and fear.
It felt nice to actually be good at something that helped people.
He was sorting through a basket of bandages, trying to assess which were getting too worn to be useful anymore, when he heard his brother's voice outside the tent.
“No argument! You get in there and get that looked at – you won't be good to anyone if you lose your sword arm from an infection.”
Nie Huaisang smiled to himself. A soldier's pride was a thing to behold, and the irony was that while Nie Mingjue worked his hardest to make certain everyone under his command ate well, slept well, and received treatment for their every injury, he himself was the worst patient Nie Huaisang had ever met. He heard movement behind him and grabbed another basket of bandages he might need to attend to his newest patient.
When he turned to the new arrival, he froze. “Jiang-xiong?”
It was the first time he'd seen Jiang Cheng since the indoctrination camp in Qishan. A wave of emotion swept over him – relief that his friend was safe, grief over the family that Jiang Cheng had lost, and as he took in the bloody sword arm, dirty robes, and handsome face with too-deep bags under the eyes, concern.
“It's not as bad as it looks,” Jiang Cheng muttered, holding a hand over his wound as if to hide it from Nie Huaisang's sight. After several moments of staring at one another, Jiang Cheng broke the silence. “I'd heard you got away... We sent word to Chifeng-zun as soon as we could on our way to Lanling.”
“I know.” Nie Huaisang wondered at times if he was lucky to have missed the fight against the Tortoise of Slaughter, having passed out in the middle of the indoctrination camp before Wen Chao had led the others away – though considering the scars he wore beneath his robes, a testament to Wen Chao's anger at having been attacked by the unarmed hostages, he would have suffered no matter what had happened. “After he received your message, he sent our cousin to get me. With the rest of you gone, their security was down and he was able to sneak me out without alerting the guards.”
Jiang Cheng nodded and released a long breath. “Well, don't get separated from us next time or else I'll have to go find you and drag you out.”
Nie Huaisang chuckled at Jiang Cheng's familiar tone of voice – hiding worry and affection in a scolding tone. “I promise, next time we're being held as hostages by a hostile sect, I'll do my best to pass out at a more convenient time,” he teased as he stepped over to his friend and pulled his hand away from the wound. “This doesn't look as bad as some I've seen, but I won't know for sure until we unwrap it. Take off your outer robe and pull up the rest of your sleeves, then have a seat right here.”
He turned back to his table to give Jiang Cheng a moment of privacy, collecting bottles of ointment, a needle and surgical thread, and a pair of numbing talismans. When he returned to Jiang Cheng's side, his friend was seated as instructed, his upper arm exposed where a huge gash bled through a makeshift field bandage.
As Nie Huaisang sat next to Jiang Cheng, reaching to undo the bloody rag, he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't bring up memories of Jiang Cheng's family. He couldn't even joke about their days back in Cloud Recesses, not with Wei Wuxian's situation unknown. “So, not even Sandu Shengshou is immune from Nie Mingjue's mother henning, I see,” he joked, dipping a cloth in cleansing ointment to begin caring for the wound.
“I tried to remind him that I'm a sect leader too and can make my own decisions – he didn't like that. Stared me down as if I were a fresh disciple out of his first training session.”
“Yes, Da-ge does that.” The wound was cleaner now, even though it still bled out. A quick check of his friend's qi told him it was extremely low – expected from someone fresh from battle. Under normal circumstances a disciple's core would do most of the healing for them, but in war-time, the soldiers' qi was used up on offensive attacks rather than healing injuries, so they needed a little extra help while their qi replenished. He took a bandage and wrapped it around Jiang Cheng's bicep in a way that would help to keep the parted skin together but still left the wound itself exposed. “You could be the most decorated general in his army and he'll still treat you like an errant child.” He smirked, preparing the needle and thread.
“Well, it works.” Jiang Cheng winced. “I was worried I'd lose face because of it, at least until I remembered seeing him do it to a minor sect leader once and nobody thought any less of the man.”
“Well, I'll tell you a secret.” He stuck a numbing talisman onto Jiang Cheng's arm and activated it. “Nobody who ever tries to stand up to my brother loses face when they lose, whether it be over getting sent to the infirmary or fighting on the battlefield. Simply facing him without backing down will gain you everyone's respect, and you've already done that.”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, though Nie Huaisang noticed his cheeks went a little pink. “Maybe I'll have to repay him the favour the next time he gets injured.”
“Oh, I would pay to see that, Jiang-xiong.” Other than a slight twinge in Jiang Cheng's arm when the needle first punctured his flesh, the man didn't react as Nie Huaisang sewed the wound closed. “He's terrible when it's his turn, and when he's really bad and in pain, I'm the only one that can convince him to let me look at his injuries. Didi's privilege.”
“I'd love to be here to see that, too.” Jiang Cheng turned his head, meeting Nie Huaisang's gaze before moving on to focus on a point somewhere on the other side of the tent.
They chatted a little more as Nie Huaisang finished sewing up the wound and treated it with a pair of ointments before wrapping it up fully in a clean bandage to protect the sutures. It wasn't his best work, but it would do the trick until Jiang Cheng's core healed it the rest of the way.
“So, how long until Da-ge puts you in the field again?” Nie Huaisang asked as he cleaned the blood from his hands in a nearby bucket of water.
“He said to take a few days. What the hell I'm supposed to do with days of doing nothing, I have no clue.”
“Has he given you restrictions on what you can and can't do?” Jiang Cheng shook his head. “Well, I need to make a run to get some supplies tomorrow and I could always use some company.”
Jiang Cheng's shoulders relaxed. “Well... if you really need help, I suppose I could join you.”
Nie Huaisang smiled and helped Jiang Cheng to pull his sleeves down and dress in his outer robe. “Excellent. If you follow the smell of smoke outside, it'll lead you to the main fire. The hunters brought in some venison this morning that should be cooking as we speak.”
“When do you get out of here?”
“I've a few more things to check on, but I should be by later.”
“Good – you can show me where they keep the good liquor out here.”
Nie Huaisang chuckled and waved his friend toward the exit. Jiang Cheng stepped away but stopped just shy of the tent's flap.
“It's... really good to see you safe, Nie-xiong.”
“You too,” he replied softly.
When Jiang Cheng left, Nie Huaisang couldn't help but think the infirmary tent felt a little emptier than usual.
~*~*~*~
“So how long is your list?” Jiang Cheng asked as he and Nie Huaisang walked into the small village closest to the Nie campgrounds. There was a small marketplace, only half a dozen stalls including the blacksmith's, and the moment people saw them approach, they straightened up in anticipation of a sale.
“Not too long, just a few herbs for the ointments, some vegetables, and-”
“Get your beef here!” a man called out from a nearby stall. “Bloodiest beef in the North!”
Nie Huaisang wrinkled his nose and leaned toward Jiang Cheng so that he could whisper his way. “Stay away from his stall – we have no idea where he gets his meat, but we've heard... rumours.”
“Warning received.” Jiang Cheng tried not to stare, but the man's meat looked a little too bloody for his tastes (but then, in general he tended to prefer fish and seafood). He switched his focus to the blacksmith's stall and eyed a dagger appreciatively.
“Looking for some armour?” the blacksmith called out. “A weapon perhaps?”
“Not today,” he replied. “It's good work, though.”
“Here's where I should be getting most of what's on my list,” Nie Huaisang announced, leading Jiang Cheng over to where an older man was stirring a concoction behind a low table.
"Take a look at my supplies if you must,” the old man muttered distractedly, “but do hurry... I'm not getting any younger you know!"
Nie Huaisang nodded as he looked among the baskets spread out on the table, each containing different herbs and animal products. “I'll take some nirnroot, blisterwort, imp stool, and some of those blue dartwings. Oh! And bone meal and bear claws.”
As the merchant began fulfilling Nie Huaisang's order, Jiang Cheng looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. “What kind of ingredients are those?”
Nie Huaisang passed a chunk of silver to the merchant and accepted a cloth bag full of merchandise. “They're unique to the region. We had a rogue cultivator get caught up in a battle last week who came to the camp to rest and heal. She lives in the area and had knowledge of a few recipes we hadn't heard of. They've all worked as intended.”
Jiang Cheng nodded. He knew next to nothing about healing, so if he was told they worked, then they must work. All he knew was that his arm felt much better today despite feeling like it had nearly been cleaved through the day before, and if these strange herbs were responsible for some of it, he could only be thankful. He heard someone grunting at another stall – an old woman who was trying to pick up a heavy bag but couldn't get it off the ground. Without thinking, he walked over and grabbed the bag with his uninjured arm – it wasn't heavy at all, at least not for him.
“Where do you want it?”
She pointed to a small cart behind her, and with barely any effort, Jiang Cheng brought the bag over and placed it among other similar bags.
“Thank you so much, gongzi,” the woman said with a quick bow. “Come, let me repay you for your kindness.”
“It's not necessary,” he protested, but she would not be swayed. He sighed and walked over to her stall where she pulled a small box from beneath her table.
“I don't have much, but these are a few trinkets we haven't been able to sell.” He looked into the box and the contents looked like a mass of metal, various pieces of jewellery tangled all together. He began backing away but she stopped him with a raised finger. “Wait, I have just the thing.” She drew out a bronze disc on a leather thong and handed it to him. It was a rather simple amulet, what looked to be the character for 10(十) with a stone in the centre the same shade of turquoise his mother's robes had been. “This will bring you luck and love in these trying times.”
“Thank you,” he said for lack of anything else to say. The trinket was far from quality jewellery and he'd probably toss it out the moment he was out of the woman's sight... though, the stone was a nice shade, so perhaps he'd keep it for a little while. He pulled the leather thong over his head and slid the disc beneath his robes.
During a war like this one, he could use all the luck he could get.
“Jiang-xiong?”
He followed Nie Huaisang's voice to where his friend had claimed a basket of vegetables from a farmer's table. “Do you need a hand?”
Nie Huaisang shook his head and strolled over to Jiang Cheng's side. “I've got it. I'm all done, so unless there's anything else you needed...”
“No, I'm good.” Jiang Cheng glanced to the old woman one last time before following Nie Huaisang out of the village.
The moment they reached the campsite, they were met by Nie Mingjue and Nie Zonghui. “Good, you're back,” Nie Mingjue said as Nie Zonghui took the basket of vegetables from Nie Huaisang. “The doctor's treating five patients with serious wounds and needs your help with some idiot from the Yao sect who took an arrow to the knee.”
Nie Huaisang sighed but nodded. “I'm on my way, Da-ge.” He looked up at Jiang Cheng. “Thanks for coming along,” he offered with an almost shy smile. “Stop by later when we're less busy? I need to check your wound.”
Jiang Cheng nodded. As he watched Nie Huaisang walk away, he unexpectedly found that he missed his presence already. Maybe it had been far too long since he's spent time with someone who wasn't looking to him for orders or training. He shook his head of the thoughts and followed Nie Mingjue to the camp's war table for a strategy session.
~*~*~*~
Nie Huaisang had spent hours in the infirmary tent helping the doctor with various patients, and by the time they were finished, he was surprised to see that it was dark outside the tent. He yawned but still spared some air to convince the doctor to leave and get something to eat. As the man finally left, Nie Huaisang began the process of cleaning up the main surgical area, but before long he heard the tent flap open again. Please don't be another patient.
“Nie-xiong?” He looked up to see Jiang Cheng at the door with a tray held in his good hand and a frown on his face. “Chifeng-zun said you hadn't come out for dinner yet, and you should know better than to skip meals.”
He was surprised by his friend's considerate gesture – less so by his friend's gruff expression. “We only just finished a few minutes ago. I didn't mean to worry you.”
“What me, worry?” Jiang Cheng protested with a grimace. “I just didn't want to hear him complain about you not eating right for the tenth time.”
Nie Huaisang took the tray and brought it over to a nearby table, trying to keep a smirk from his face. “Well, since you're here, we can always save time and I can look at your wound while I eat.”
He was thankful when Jiang Cheng nodded rather than arguing. He turned his attention to the tray that was a simple bowl of congee and a pork bun. The bun was dry and the congee watery, but both were warm and cooked through, and the best they could get this close to the battlefield. Jiang Cheng made a small sound, drawing his attention – the other man had removed his outer robe and pulled his sleeves up as before without needing to be told, though his face was a little tight with lingering pain. Nie Huaisang stuffed his bun into his mouth and began undoing the bandage covering the wound.
“Mmmmphg,” he said through his full mouth, then lifted a finger and took a few moments to finish chewing. “It's looking real good – better than I thought it would, actually. You didn't use your qi at all today and lots of it went into helping to heal. Another day or so and you'll be right as rain.”
“Thank you Doctor Nie,” Jiang Cheng joked and Nie Huaisang chuckled as he re-wrapped the bandage. When Jiang Cheng pulled his sleeves down again, the motion dislodged something that peeked out from his robes where they wrapped over his chest.
Nie Huaisang tilted his head, his eyes opening wide. Without asking for permission, he reached out to touch the disc hanging from his friend's neck, surprised that Jiang Cheng would wear such a thing. “An Amulet of Yue Lao.” He looked up into his friend's eyes, a sudden surge of hopefulness entering his heart.
“You know what it is?”
He nodded. “The question is – do you?”
Jiang Cheng shook his head. “I helped a woman at the market and she gave it to me as thanks. Said it would give me luck and love. I don't know why I kept it.”
The hope in Nie Huaisang's heart began to dim and he pulled his hand away from the pendant. “Well, there's a story behind these amulets. It's said that once there was a small group of monks that worshipped Yue Lao, the love god, but who were also great warriors. During times of war and distress, they would swoop in to help those in need, and though their lives were fraught with danger and often very short, Yue Lao still wished for his monks to find and cherish romantic love in their lives. As you know, normally when two people will marry, there's a period of courtship and families getting to know one another and discussions of auspicious dates and birthdates and dowries and so on... but for the Monks of Yue Lao, who might die any day, they had not the time for long courtships. When they were ready to find a partner, they openly wore an Amulet of Yue Lao as a sign of their availability. Anyone interested in joining with them would notice the amulet and make an offer of marriage, and if the wearer agreed, they would marry within a day's time in a small, private ceremony. If the wearer refused, they went their separate ways with no hard feelings.”
“How do you even know about these things?” Jiang Cheng asked. “You couldn't even remember the first ten Lan rules, and that was after having to copy them a hundred times.”
He grinned. “I don't know about you, but the tale of the monks of Yue Lao is certainly more entertaining than the Lan rules of behaviour.”
“Admit it, you read about it in a spring book.”
“I will admit to no such thing.” Even if it was partially true. He'd first read of a similar story in a spring book but had done some research to discover that the monks of Yue Lao had indeed existed. “But either way, many amulets continue to be made and distributed in the world, and they always seem to make a resurgence around times of war and strife.”
“Well, this is certainly that,” Jiang Cheng replied.
Nie Huaisang's eyes kept straying back to where the amulet lay, a glimpse of Jiang Cheng's skin peeking around the bronze. It had perhaps been too much wishful thinking to imagine that his friend would know the legend and be interested in such a thing. “It's a romantic notion, one that brings many people comfort. When the world is falling down all around you, it's nice to know there's at least one person out there to reach out for, who will be there for you, and should the worst happen, mourn you and miss you when you're gone.” He couldn't help a small sigh before he reached for his spoon to finish eating his congee. “There are enough of us who know the story to be able to identify the amulet, so if you're not looking for a partner, I would suggest that it might be wise to hide it – unless you want to be inundated with offers, that is.”
Jiang Cheng scoffed. “You say that as if anyone would even be interested. Well, perhaps there might be a rogue cultivator who might want a way into the Jianghu through our sect. I suppose I'm good enough for that.”
Nie Huaisang nearly dropped his spoon. Oh, if they weren't dead, he would be tempted to seek out Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan and give them a piece of his mind over the horrible mess they'd made of their son's self-esteem. He took a moment to calm that small flash of anger, knowing Jiang Cheng felt enough of it already that he certainly didn't need any more from Nie Huaisang.
“I think you would be surprised,” he finally said. Two more spoonfuls and the congee was finished.
Jiang Cheng's narrowed eyes seemed to chastise him for even daring to give him false hope. “Name one,” he challenged.
Nie Huaisang stood up to carry his bowl over to a nearby bucket to quickly rinse it out before returning it to the tray, the whole time aware of Jiang Cheng's eyes following him, waiting for an answer. By the time he was standing near Jiang Cheng again, he had finally gained the courage to give an honest reply. He stood next to where his friend sat and waited until their gazes locked before speaking.
“Me.”
Jiang Cheng sat so still he could have been carved from a block of jade. After several more moments without any reaction, Nie Huaisang's shoulders dropped as his heart began to break a little bit.
“I'm sorry, Jiang-xiong,” he muttered taking a step back to turn away. “I shouldn't have said anything-”
A hand reached out to capture Nie Huaisang's wrist, the press of Zidian both hot and cold against his skin. When he dared look at his friend's face, there was an emotion there that he couldn't identify because whatever it was, he'd never seen it on Jiang Cheng's face before.
“Is this a joke?” Jiang Cheng's voice was soft but demanding.
Nie Huaisang shook his head. “I wouldn't joke about something like this.”
“But... why?”
He smiled sadly, instinctively reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from Jiang Cheng's temple with his free hand. His friend's insecurity was now naked upon his face, and Nie Huaisang wanted nothing more than to comfort him. “Because you're Jiang-xiong,” he began, speaking more openly and honestly than he ever had before. “You never made fun of me because of my low cultivation, you made me smile whenever you'd roll your eyes, you treat me like your friend - which I am and always will be as long as you allow it.” He prepared himself for the rejection that he had no doubt would come after his next words. “Because I remember meeting a boy in Cloud Recesses who was the most handsome boy in the room but didn't seem to know it, and even after he became my friend, I never stopped thinking him handsome or worthy of my affection.”
There was movement along Jiang Cheng's throat before he finally parted his lips to speak. “You never said anything before.”
“No, I didn't.” Nie Huaisang couldn't help but wonder why Jiang Cheng was delaying his inevitable rejection. “You never showed any interest in boys, and while I may match a few of the qualities on your list, I certainly don't match all of them.”
Jiang Cheng groaned loudly. “Wei Wuxian and that stupid fucking list. Do you know the real story behind that 'list'?” Nie Huaisang shook his head. “An Aunt came to visit from Meishan and she kept pestering me about finding a match like my sister did, and she kept asking me what I wanted in a wife so she could find one for me. I had no idea what to say and Wei Wuxian whispered in my ear to describe the girl I loved most in the world. So all I could think of was to describe Jiejie.” His fingers tightened slightly upon Nie Huaisang's wrist. “Wei Wuxian knows it's nonsense, yet he loves to bring it up just to torment me whenever possible.”
It was almost a relief to hear Jiang Cheng say Wei Wuxian's name. Nie Huaisang had been avoiding mentioning him, not wanting to bring him up while he was still missing. Jiang Cheng continued to speak of him as if he were still alive, which was all the reassurance Nie Huaisang needed that his other friend was still out there somewhere.
“And as for interest... when have you seen me show interest in anybody?”
Well, there Jiang Cheng certainly had a point. “So, Jiang-xiong... where do your interests lie?”
Jiang Cheng's shoulders dropped and for a moment he looked a little lost, yet his fingers never let go of Nie Huaisang's wrist, in fact his thumb rubbed unconsciously against Nie Huaisang's pulse-point. “I've spent years trying to figure that out,” he whispered so softly that Nie Huaisang could only just hear him.
Nie Huaisang's heart went out to his friend – such things could be very difficult for some – but those words were almost as good as a rejection. “If you don't know, Jiang-xiong, then how could you make a decision like this?” He sighed and took a step back, trying to pull away the hand that Jiang Cheng still held. “I will not enter into such a thing with someone who isn't certain about their decision.”
He was just slipping out of Jiang Cheng's grip when his friend tugged back, pulling Nie Huaisang to where Jiang Cheng still sat. He looked down into his friend's grey eyes, which seemed to plead with him to stay, and the next thing he knew, Jiang Cheng's other hand lifted, sliding to Nie Huaisang's neck. He was pulled down into a clumsy kiss that somehow felt more wonderful than the most skilled embrace. His eyes closed as he gave in to it, too weak to resist the chance to taste Jiang Cheng's lips if only for this one moment.
Their lips eventually parted, leaving Nie Huaisang wanting so much more – he wanted Jiang Cheng's everything, but he doubted a single kiss would give it to him.
And then the hand around his wrist let go... only to grab his hip and pull him down onto Jiang Cheng's lap. He went down willingly and was pulled into another kiss, and this time he wrapped his arms around his friend's neck, holding him as close as possible. He took control of the kiss, breaking up the clumsiness by easing into a gentle suckling Jiang Cheng's lower lip and brushing his tongue against his friend's. Jiang Cheng made a small, whimpering sound, and it took all the self-restraint Nie Huaisang had to keep his hands where they were rather than exploring the muscular body beneath him.
There was a sudden shout outside – it sounded like one of the men playfully insulting another one by the campfire – and it was startling enough to bring the two of them back to reality. Nie Huaisang caught his breath, his forehead pressing gently against Jiang Cheng's, and he waited for his friend's final verdict.
“I don't know if my 'interest' is like everyone else's,” Jiang Cheng began, voice soft and breath ghosting over Nie Huaisang's face. “But the moment you said 'me', my heart jumped into my throat and all I could think of was to pray that it wasn't just some joke. You're one of the only people in the world who can stand my personality for long-”
“You're not that bad,” Nie Huaisang countered affectionately.
“-and you're the only person who asks me how I am before asking about my family. And until today, I wasn't even sure I knew what it was like to want to kiss someone.” Jiang Cheng sighed, his hands tightening on Nie Huaisang's sides. “But I do. I want to kiss you, again and again, because when I'm with you, I feel like I don't have to be anyone but myself. Nobody gives me that feeling, not even Jiejie.”
“But is that enough to want to spend your life with someone?” Nie Huaisang didn't want to push away a good thing, but neither did he want to commit himself to someone who would only come to regret it. Life in the midst of war was far too short for regrets.
Jiang Cheng let out a low, frustrated growl. He released his hold on Nie Huaisang and reached up to pull the amulet from around his own neck... and slid it over Nie Huaisang's head, leaving it to hang right over his heart. Their eyes locked and there was determination in Jiang Cheng's gaze. “A friend told me that when a person wears the Amulet of Yue Lao, they are accepting petitions from potential spouses. Are you?”
Nie Huaisang didn't know what Jiang Cheng was doing, but all he could do was give a sincere nod.
“Then, would you be the person I reach out for when the world is falling down around us?” Jiang Cheng sounded earnest and Nie Huaisang's heart felt so very, very full. Would you be the reason I return from every battle? The one to remind me of all the good left in the world? And when we've won this fucking war... would you stand at my side as I rebuild my sect?”
It was so fast and sudden, and yet... it didn't feel that way, not completely, not when he'd dreamed of hearing words of affection from his friend's lips for so many nights. He really should say no, it was the sensible thing to do to protect the both of them... But Nie Huaisang only had one answer he wanted to give, and heavens help him, he could give no other.
“Yes,” he whispered, his lips but a hair's breadth from Jiang Cheng's.
“Yes?” Jiang Cheng looked as if he'd been expecting another answer.
Nie Huaisang nodded. “Yes.”
They fell into another kiss, but were just as quickly interrupted by another shout outside – this one was calling out for Jiang Cheng. “I... guess Sect Leader Jiang is needed,” Jiang Cheng sighed.
“I will only let him go if Jiang-xiong gives me a promise.” Nie Huaisang received a nod in response. “Meet me tonight when the moon is high and most of the soldiers are sleeping. I know of a clearing nearby where we can make our vows to the heavens and each other.”
When Jiang Cheng nodded again, Nie Huaisang leaned in to kiss him one more time before finally getting up onto his feet to allow his friend to leave. He watched Jiang Cheng walk away, fearing that his friend would change his mind before the allotted time, yet knowing that if he did, Nie Huaisang would not hold it against him.
Jiang Cheng looked back just as he reached the doorway flap, and the look on his face was so soft that Nie Huaisang wondered if he was hallucinating. Then the flap opened, and Jiang Cheng was gone.
Nie Huaisang was not a religious man, but at that moment, he prayed to Yue Lao and every god within hearing range that Jiang Cheng would show up when the moon was high, ready to make his vows.
~*~*~*~
Jiang Cheng had somehow managed to keep his mind on the business at hand when he'd been called into a quick meeting with Nie Mingjue and Sect Leader Yao. It was a simple update on the state of the war, as well as news of strange rumours out of Yiling about fresh activity in the Burial Mounds. The pressure of the Wen forces was too great to follow up on the rumours, but it was something to address at a later date when the Jianghu was more stable.
When the meeting was over, Jiang Cheng returned to his tent and lay on his cot, thinking over everything that had been said between he and Nie Huaisang. He had been taught from an early age to take his time with every decision, that he decided not just for himself but for his sect and everyone who relied upon their sect leader and heir. Even when he had to make a quick decision – such as seeing Wen soldiers approaching Wei Wuxian when they were on the run after the fall of Lotus Pier – it had not been made lightly. He was an angry man, but not a rash or reckless one.
And everything about this felt right. His more pragmatic thoughts focused on the advantage of having such an intimate tie between the Jiang and the Nie, but those thoughts were almost completely drowned out by the swelling of his heart whenever he thought of having Nie Huaisang at his side looking toward the future. He didn't know why such a good thing had dropped into his lap when he had lost so much, when he didn't even deserve it, but he swore to himself he would not risk letting go of the friend he had worried about for weeks even as he'd been running for his life and mourning the family he'd lost, the boy who'd been just as much a friend to him as he'd been to Wei Wuxian, and the young man who had been changed by the war all around them but who had still managed to keep a smile upon his face.
As the appointed hour approached, Jiang Cheng went through his meagre belongings to see if he had anything nicer to wear among the little gear he had after escaping Lotus Pier. There were no nicer robes so he used a cleaning talisman to at least make his current set more presentable, and he spotted a pair of ribbons in his qiankun pouch whose sight tugged at the strings of his heart. One was lavender and had belonged to Jiang Yanli, and the other was bright red, having belonged to Wei Wuxian. He wrapped the ribbons around his left wrist, tying them together securely so that he would have a reminder of his family as he devoted himself to someone new.
The night was quiet, with most of the camp's cultivators fast asleep but for a pair of guards who watched over the perimeter. He did his best to make as little noise as possible as he sought out Nie Huaisang's tent, and thankfully, his friend was waiting for him outside of it. Jiang Cheng was cheered by the sight of the other man, who wore a clean set of robes that were of a grey so pale they almost shined in the dark, and when Nie Huaisang spotted him, he looked both happy and relieved – perhaps he'd been afraid Jiang Cheng would change his mind.
The thought had never even entered his mind.
They exchanged a nod before Nie Huaisang grabbed Jiang Cheng's hand and began leading him away through the camp. Only once they were past the last tents did the man finally speak. “The clearing is just outside the camp.”
“I'm guessing you know what we have to do?” Jiang Cheng knew what was entailed in a traditional wedding ceremony, but he didn't know if something like this would be any different.
Nie Huaisang nodded. “We were lucky... while I don't think there are any monks of Yue Lao around anymore, there are still several people who worship him and know the old rites.”
Before Jiang Cheng could ask anything further, they stepped through a batch of trees and into a small clearing that was lit with a pair of white lanterns carefully decorated in black ink. In the center stood a disciple in Nie colours with their back turned to them – Jiang Cheng hadn't realized Nie Huaisang was going to tell anybody what they were doing and he couldn't decide whether he minded. There had been a certain intimacy in the idea of it being but the two of them. The man turned at their approach and Jiang Cheng recognized the man immediately.
“Cousin,” the man smiled at Nie Huaisang. “Jiang-zongzhu.”
“You remember my cousin, Nie Zonghui.” Nie Huaisang comfortingly squeezed Jiang Cheng's hand.
He nodded. “Won't your brother find out?”
“I'd have to tell him anyway, eventually.” Nie Huaisang then offered him a mischievous smile that made Jiang Cheng feel like he was a student again in Cloud Recesses. “I figured it would be easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. And my cousin happens to be a romantic... and a worshipper of Yue Lao.”
“I am honoured to be here to go through the rites with you,” Nie Zonghui said. “Yue Lao sees love in the midst of war as he would a light in the dark, showing the way to all that is good in people's hearts. Are the two of you prepared to step on this journey together?”
Jiang Cheng nodded, as did Nie Huaisang. Now that the moment had arrived, his stomach was doing somersaults, and yet the presence of his friend at his side helped to ground him.
“Then let us begin – I promise, it will be short and sweet. We gather here today, under Yue Lao's loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of these two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship. Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?”
“Yes,” both Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang replied in unison.
“Would you stand at each others' back, that the world might never overtake you?”
The words spoke to something deep within Jiang Cheng and he looked aside to Nie Huaisang. The man wasn't a warrior, and yet he knew that, aside from Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli, there was nobody in the world he would rather have at his side. He squeezed Nie Huaisang's fingers. “I will.”
Nie Huaisang's gaze went soft and his face broke into a fond smile. “As will I.”
“Then please kneel,” Nie Zonghui instructed, “and make your first bow to the heavens above who have blessed you with love for one another.”
Without letting go of each other's hand, Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang lowered to their knees and folded forward until their foreheads touched the cool earth.
“Make your second bow to those who raised you to be the men you are today, without whom your paths may not have crossed.”
Jiang Cheng's throat felt tight as he thought of his father and his mother. Their loss was still fresh, and though his relationships with them were... complicated, he still loved them, missed them, and mourned them. He also thought of his sister who was safe but far away in Lanling, who had been almost as much a parent to him as Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan. He looked aside at Nie Huaisang, who had also lost his parents many years ago. With another simultaneous nod, they made their second bow, their hands gripping each other even tighter than they had before.
“Now make your final bow – an oath to each other, to face the world at your beloved's side, to regard your partner above all others, to trust that the man next to you will care for your heart better than he does his own.”
Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang shifted their knees along the dewy ground until they were facing each other, and with one final look into each other's eyes, they folded forward into their final bow.
“Please rise,” Nie Zonghui said, approaching the pair as they moved to stand on their feet once again. “Now stand next to one another and lift the hem of your robes.”
Jiang Cheng's eyebrows lifted, wondering what to expect, but he still did as asked. His bared right ankle was now directly next to Nie Huaisang's left foot. Nie Zonghui pulled something from a qiankun pouch and lowered to his knees, and Jiang Cheng watched as the man wove a thin red rope around their ankles to hold them together, tying it off with a pair of knots along the length of cord that stretched from one foot to the other.
“May Yue Lao bless this marriage with joy and love, and may he protect these two men in these times of strife, so that they may be reunited when the fighting is over.” Nie Zonghui pulled out one of his sabers to cut the cord between the two knots, resulting in each ankle wearing a matching string anklet. “Some couples choose to keep the threads, renewing them when they become worn or broken, and others are happy to let them go, no longer needing an outward symbol of their union. The choice is up to you both.”
Finally, Nie Zonghui stood on his feet again and gave them both a fond smile. “Congratulations to you both. Welcome to our family, Jiang Cheng, and Huaisang, I will make sure Da-ge is distracted tomorrow morning. You have until tomorrow noon, at which point he will need to be informed.”
With a final pat to Nie Huaisang's shoulder, Nie Zonghui slipped into the surrounding woods and disappeared.
Nie Huaisang stepped toward Jiang Cheng and slid his hands around his neck. “What say you, husband? Shall we spend our first night together? I want to lie in your arms tonight, even if all we do is hold one another until morning.”
Jiang Cheng didn't know if he was ready for anything more than that and was thankful there was no pressure from Nie Huaisang. “I want that too,” he replied, leaning in for a short, heartfelt kiss.
Hand in hand, they returned to the camp and slipped into Nie Huaisang's tent, and for several hours, there was nobody in the world but the two of them.
~*~*~*~
The following afternoon, the disciples at the Nie camp were startled by furious shouting coming from the sect leader's tent. Thankfully, it did not last for long, and by nightfall, word had spread of a full, permanent alliance between Qinghe Nie and Yunmeng Jiang.
~*~*~*~
It was a time of peace, and peace was... boring at times, but much better than the alternative.
Nie Huaisang sat in the Sect Leader's office of the rebuilt Lotus Pier, going over some correspondence as he waited for his husband to return from a Night Hunt. He set aside letters from Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian, knowing Jiang Cheng would want to read them the moment he returned. There was little actual news from them – just an update on how little Jin Ling had finally begun to walk, and how Wei Wuxian had annoyed Lan Qiren by being a bad influence over some of the Lan juniors.
Everyone was happy and with people they loved, even if that meant that Jiang Cheng was the only one of his siblings remaining in Lotus Pier. Nie Huaisang empathized – even after two years, it was at times hard to forget that he wasn't still in the Unclean Realm and that Nie Mingjue wasn't a short shout away.
The door opened and he lifted his head, smiling when he saw a tired Jiang Cheng enter the office.
“Hello, my love. How was the Night Hunt?”
“Successful.”
“Of course it was.” Nie Huaisang knew it could be no other way with Jiang Cheng leading the hunt. “Everyone returned in one piece?”
“They did.”
Nie Huaisang was used to short answers from his husband, but Jiang Cheng seemed a little more tired than usual. His husband walked around the desk and stood right behind Nie Huaisang, placing hands on his shoulders and leaning down to press chapped lips against his ear.
“Have you made any money?” Jiang Cheng asked distractedly.
He nodded. “I sold one of the large paintings yesterday, and two days ago a merchant bought five of my fans. The funds have already been added to Yunmeng Jiang's coffers.”
“Mm hmm.” Jiang Cheng's chin rested on Nie Huaisang's head. “Could you make me something to eat?”
Nie Huaisang let out a loud laugh. “Who do I look like, Yanli-jie? You know where the kitchens are, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to make you something down there.”
Jiang Cheng didn't respond, and Nie Huaisang began to grow a little concerned. He lifted a hand to place over Jiang Cheng's on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.
“What's wrong?”
Jiang Cheng sighed into Nie Huaisang's hair. “Is it wrong that there are times when I miss the war? Not the fighting or the people around me dying, but the travelling. There was just a sense of adventure about marching or flying from one place to another. Fuck, I even miss sleeping under the stars sometimes.”
“How very human of you, Jiang-xiong,” he teased. “Of course there's nothing wrong with that. Despite the horrors of the war, there were some good things that came out of it.” He tilted his head up to lock eyes with his husband – the best thing that the war had given Nie Huaisang. “Perhaps you should take some time off and go on an adventure, not for work or trade but for yourself. The Head Disciple is more than capable of handling the training, and I can take care of the rest.”
“What if I don't want you to take care of the rest?” Jiang Cheng asked. “What if I want you to come with me?”
“You know I can't fight-”
“I don't need a sword and shield, Nie-xiong. I need my companion, and there is nobody I want to follow me more than you.”
Nie Huaisang's heart felt warm and light. He smiled up at his husband. “Then I suppose we should begin packing. Lotus Pier can run itself while we escape for a few weeks.”
“Excellent.” Jiang Cheng gave him a quick peck on the lips before letting him go, excitedly rushing out of the open door. “I'll fly and you can go on horseback so we have somewhere to load our bags.”
Nie Huaisang sighed to himself. “I am sworn to carry your burdens,” he teased while shaking his head.
Two days later, they were saddled, armed, and ready to face the world – together.
The end