Chapter Text
“Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian said as he ran into the library. He knew Lan Wangji was usually there at this hour slowly going through all the books and scrolls the Cloud Recesses’ library had to offer. He knew it was his duty as one of the young masters of the Gusu Lan sect to be knowledgeable on all things about their sect. But that didn’t mean Lan Wangji couldn’t have fun.
“No screaming in the library.” Wei Wuxian heard quietly as he approached his friend. He looked like a respectful cultivator, sat behind a low table as his eyes were glued on the scroll he was currently reading. He looked like a perfect respectable cultivator, a perfect twin jade, the envy of the other sects. Who would’ve believed he was only eleven?
Wei Wuxian rolled his fondly eyes at his friends’ words but kneeled before him. Lan Wangji continued reading, ignoring Wei Wuxian’s presence. The younger of the two waited as patiently as he could, his mother did say he was too hyper, but eventually became bored. He sneakily reached over the table and grabbed the scroll from Lan Wangji’s hands. The latter looked up at Wei Wuxian, eyes as wide as saucers making Wei Wuxian laugh.
“Lan Zhan you’re so dramatic sometimes.” He said through giggles as he looked down at the scroll in his hands. It spoke about an ancient Gusu Lan sect method, the Chord Assassination technique. Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes and closed the scroll, “Lan Zhan you already know all this! Why are you reading it again???”
Lan Wangji reached over the table and took the scroll from Wei Wuxian’s hands, closing it properly. “I must make sure I know it properly.”
Wei Wuxian laughed, “Lan Zhan! That’s ridiculous! You’re the best cultivator this sect has ever had. There’s no need for you to go over that scroll so much.”
Wei Wuxian could see Lan Wangji’s ears go bright red, something he’d learned over the years meant his friend was embarrassed. “Excessive praise is against the rules.” Lan Wangji quietly said.
Wei Wuxian pointed at Lan Wangji, “But Lan Zhaaaaan lying is against the rules too! If I didn’t praise you like this, then I would feel like I’m lying to myself for not saying what I really wanted to say. What can I do then?” He asked teasingly.
Lan Wangji rolled his eyes, “Ridiculous.” But Wei Wuxian knew his friend well, he could see the how the corner of his lips was raised more than they normally would.
“Anyways Lan Zhan I need your help?” Wei Wuxian said, remembering that he had a purpose for looking for Lan Zhan.
“Can’t it wait?” Lan Wangji said, opening another scroll that was on his table. Wei Wuxian immediately took it from his hands and hid it behind his back, “Absolutely not Lan Zhan! This is a life or death situation!”
Lan Wangji gave him a look of disbelief, “And you say I’m dramatic.”
Wei Wuxian stared at him in awe and began laughing, “Ah Lan Zhan! Why are you never funny around other people too? No one believes me when I say you have the best sense of humor! What a shame….”
“Don’t care for others.” Lan Wangji simply said.
Wei Wuxian stopped laughing and grinned, he leaned over Lan Zhan’s table and stared at his friend. “You only care about me, right?”
Lan Wangji stared at him for a minute before finally nodding making Wei Wuxian break into a fit of giggles, “Cause I’m the best, right?”
Lan Wangji rolled his eyes at that, “Wei Ying.” He said sounding slightly reprimanding.
Wei Wuxian sat back on his feet and breathed out, “Okay okay I admit it. I took it too far.”
Lan Wangji nodded and looked expectantly at Wei Wuxian, the younger boy sighed but reached behind him to hand Lan Wangji the scroll. Lan Wangji grabbed the scroll, but Wei Wuixan didn’t let go, he stared at his friend, eyebrows raised in question.
“I did take it too far. Cause how can I be the best when that title belongs to you!” Wei Wuxian said teasingly. He fell on his back from laughing so much at the mix of emotions shown on Lan Wangji’s face. A mix of shock, embarrassment, annoyance and even amusement. It always bothered Wei Wuxian when the other disciples their age would avoid Lan Wangji because they thought he was so serious all the time. Lan Wangji was one of the most expressive people Wei Wuxian knew, they just didn’t know him well enough to see it. They found him intimidating but Wei Wuxian knew the truth, he knew Lan Wangji wasn’t intimidating at all. Lan Wangji was his best friend and he loved him.
Wei Wuxian finished laughing and sat back up, wiping the tears of laughter from his face. He looked at Lan Wangji and grinned, the other boy returning it with a small smile of his own, one that you wouldn’t even know was a smile unless you knew him as well as Wei Wuxian did.
“What did you need help with?” Lan Wangji quietly asked, bringing Wei Wuxian out of his reverie.
“Oh right-” Wei Wuxian said, “I need help flying.”
At Lan Wangji’s raised eyebrow Wei Wuxian continued, “I was playing with Liu Gang and some other kids and they invited me to go flying tomorrow after class. I said no at first, but they all kept insisting so I ended up saying yes.”
Lan Wangji looked surprised at him, “I don’t see how this is a life or death situation.”
Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes but sighed, “Ok Lan Zhan I’m gonna tell you a secret.”
At his words Lan Wangji’s surprised expression morphed into a serious one, he nodded in understanding.
Wei Wuxian took in a deep breath, suddenly nervous about what he was going to admit; “Ok. The truth is that…. I panic when I go up too high! It’s scary!”
Wei Wuxian looked down at his hands, ashamed. How could he ever be a good cultivator if he was afraid of one of the most basic things, flying. Having begun cultivating a golden core at an older age than the rest of the kids his age, he always felt like he needed to train the most to catch up. It had been hard at first but slowly he’d started reaching the levels of his classmates. Especially because he’d had the help of his mother, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen. His progress had been impressive for only four years, he’d received much praise from his teachers, but he still wasn’t happy with himself. He wanted to be as good as Lan Wangji one day.
Wei Wuxian was interrupted from his thoughts as he felt a hand on his own. He looked up and saw Lan Wangji staring back at him with a kind look on his face. “It’s okay Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji said quietly, “I used to be afraid too.”
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened in shock, he never expected to hear that from Lan Wangji, “Really?”
Lan Wangji nodded.
“But Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said still in shock, “you’re the best of our class.”
Lan Wangji shook his head, “It doesn’t matter. I used to be afraid too.”
Wei Wuxian felt relieved at his friend’s words. If even Lan Wangji, the best cultivator he knew, had been afraid of flying at one point then maybe that meant he wasn’t a bad cultivator after all. “How did you get over it?” Wei Wuxian said through a whisper, something unexpected from him.
“Brother helped me. He practiced with me until I no longer felt scared.” He said simply.
Wei Wuxian nodded, that sounded like something Lan Xichen would do. He was a good brother like that.
Suddenly Lan Wangji stood up, Wei Wuxian’s hand still held in his own. Wei Wuxian looked up at him, unspoken question in his eyes.
“Let’s practice.” Lan Wangji said.
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened in surprise as he stood up, “Really Lan Zhan? You’ll help me? Even though I interrupted you and annoyed you?”
Lan Wangji nodded once, “This is important.”
Wei Wuxian grinned feeling ecstatic. He quickly hugged Lan Wangji, the other boy immediately returning the hug. Wei Wuxian separated and reached for his own forehead ribbon, knowing that it had become loose at the sudden movement, “why can’t I ever get these knots tight enough?” Wei Wuxian muttered to himself. He heard a puff of amusement beside him and stuck out his tongue at Lan Wangji, knowing his friend was making fun of him.
After fixing it Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji, “Ok let’s go!”
Lan Wangji nodded and led the way, Wei Wuxian following right afetr him. They made their ways towards the training ground and grabbed their swords, Bichen and Suibian. They were still young enough that there was no reason to carry their sword with them at all times. Lan Wangji led the way to a clearing near the back hills of the Cloud Recesses, a clearing he knew very well. On their way there they ran into Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue who were exiting one of the classrooms.
“Oh Wangji, Wuxian.” Lan Xichen said, smiling at the younger boys before him.
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian quickly saluted the two older boys, “Brother” “Xicheng ge” They both greeted at the same time. They then turned to Nie Mingjue “Young master Nie” they said.
Nie Mingjue returned the greeting.
“Where are you two going?” Lan Xichen asked, noticing the swords in their hands.
Wei Wuxian grinned brightly, “Lan Zhan’s helping me practice flying!”
Lan Xichen’s eyes widened, amused. “Oh, do you want me to help too?” He asked sincerely.
Wei Wuxian thought it over for a minute, hands on his chin in thought. The sight made Lan Xichen laugh, even Nie Mingjue beside him looked amused. Finally, the younger boy answered, “Xichen ge I really appreciate the offer but you need to focus on your studies.”
Lan Xichen’s eyes opened wider, surprised at the boy’s honest words. Nie Mingjue laughed loudly beside him and patted him on the shoulder “Xichen the boys right.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Lan Xichen asked as he smiled at Wei Wuxian. The boy smiling in return.
“Well Wuxian, Wangji” Lan Xichen said turning to both boys. “I wish you luck.”
The young boys bowed to the other two and turned to continue to their destination.
Wei Wuxian followed after Lan Wangji and was led to a clearing were the younger disciples usually practiced flying. There were only three other disciples there, but at the sight of Lan Wangji they left. Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes at them and grabbed Lan Wangji’s arm, pulling him further into the clearing.
“Here is enough.” Lan Wangji said, stopping them. Wei Wuxian stopped beside him and nodded. Lan Wangji quickly unsheathed Bichen and got in it. Wei Wuxian wasted no time in following to do the same on Suibian.
Once Wei Wuxian had mounted his sword he turned to Lan Wangji. The other boy wordlessly stuck out his hands. Wei Wuxian eyed them questioningly but grabbed them in his own.
“Don’t let go.” Lan Wangji said as he began flying up. Wei Wuxian nodded and did the same. The boys flew higher and higher until they could see the top of the trees surrounding them. Wei Wuxian began feeling a bit panicked, he didn’t want to see how high they were. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend everything was fine, but he knew he couldn’t. He felt so panicked he had begun trembling and unconsciously had even started descending from the skies. Until he suddenly felt the hands around his own tighten.
Lan Wangji slowly descended to his height and looked Wei Wuxian in the eyes. The younger of the two saw a familiar look in his friend’s eyes.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said, “I’m here.”
Wei Wuxian saw the comforting look on his friend’s face, the same one he always saw whenever they’d encounter a dog and Lan Wangji would have to scare it off. It was a look that always reassured Wei Wuxian that everything would be alright, because he had Lan Wangji there with him.
Wei Wuxian was lucky Lan Wangji was a patient person. They were both just calmly flying in mid-air, without moving any further as Lan Wangji made sure Wei Wuxian was okay. Wei Wuxian smiled at his friend’s thoughtfulness and squeezed the other boys’ hand. “Ok, I’m good now Lan Zhan.”
Lan Wangji nodded and slowly began flying higher. Wei Wuxian could slowly feel himself becoming panicked but then remembered he wasn’t alone. Lan Wangji was there and that was enough. The higher they flew the braver he began to feel, until he didn’t feel like he needed Lan Wangji to hold his hand anymore. He took in a deep breath and slowly let go of the hands holding his own.
He looked around him and felt the fear he had previously felt wash away. He knew everything would be okay, it suddenly wasn’t so scary anymore. He looked back at Lan Wangji and grinned brightly, the other boy returning it with a smile of his own.