Chapter Text
Returning to school is… Awkward, to say the least.
Thankfully, things between him and Lan Zhan barely change. In fact, things between him and everyone barely change.
That is, everyone except for Jiang Cheng.
When they first see each other (read: stop avoiding each other) after fourth period, Wei Wuxian skips right over to him. He’s only been gone for a week, which is the longest he’s had an impromptu sleepover for, so Jiang Cheng should be fine about this. Right?
Well, Lan-Xiansheng had made it very clear that he didn’t want Wei Wuxian to return to the Jiangs’ estate. Now, don’t get him wrong, of course he was incredibly distressed about it at first, still is, but he somewhat understood where the old man was coming from. Did it mean he wanted to run away from the Jiangs? No! Not at all! Just, Yu-furen would surely like this progression of events, and he’d still see Jiang Cheng at school and Shijie whenever they wanted to meet up. Not every day, of course, but… still! Jiang-shushu… He’d be a bit indifferent, he guessed.
Anyway, the point is, he’s probably not going back to the Jiangs’ house any time soon, so he should tell Jiang Cheng about it.
But, the problem is… telling Jiang Cheng is hard.
Whenever he looks at him he’s immediately flooded with guilt from head to toe. How could he leave him? Jiang Cheng was avoiding looking his way at all costs, so on one hand, he must be really upset and feel betrayed. But, on the other, Jiang Cheng might be avoiding him because he hates him. Because he’s grateful that he’s gone and unable to ruin his life any more than he already has, and he doesn’t want to see him ever again. Both are equally devastating thoughts to Wei Wuxian, and he can’t bear either.
Unfortunately for him, he has to, since he can’t just not tell him, no matter how tempting the idea is.
When he gathers up the courage in the empty stairwell, he says-
“So. Aha, Jiang Cheng. Hi.”
Jiang Cheng glares at him- which he’s incredibly grateful for, thank goodness he’s not avoiding him anymore -and crosses his arms.
“What do you want?”
“So, like… Uh- The Lans, right? Im staying.”
Apparently, these are not the right words to say, because Jiang Cheng erupts like a volcano.
“What?”
“I’m-“
“I know what you fucking said!” He shouts. “You’d better be joking! You’re just staying to sleep over, right? To harass Lan Wangji again?” He sounds almost desperate, gripping his arm with the kind of strength that can only be brought out by panic.
“I-I’m not joking, Lan-xiansheng won’t let me go back home, so, I’m staying with them-“
“But you can’t! Lan-xiansheng hates you, you have to be lying, I- I don’t believe you! You’ll have to tell a-niang, and a-die, and they won’t let you-“
“Jiang Cheng, please,“ He begs, and he’s so desperate, but- “Just drop it. I tried to negotiate already, and I’ll try more. Just tell Jiang-shushu and Yu-furen.” He pauses, “And shijie, please.”
“Just drop it?! Wei Wuxian, are you kidding me?! How can I-“ His face suddenly falls- “You won’t even tell shijie?”
“I can’t,“ His voice cracks, “Please, just-“ His eyes blow wide as he’s cut off by two arms holding him tightly in a bear hug, and a forehead on his shoulder.
“I can’t tell her. She’ll be so upset, I can’t- I don’t- I won’t be able to see it.” He says after recomposing himself, backpack pressed uncomfortably into his spine.
“Just- fucking take care of yourself, okay? You’re my big brother.” Jiang Cheng demands with a watery voice that makes it impossible to take him seriously. “A-And, who says she’ll be upset? S-She won’t even miss you, probably.”
“Y-You’re right,” Wei Wuxian laughs, “Only you will. My shidi will definitely miss me the most.”
Said shidi smacks him on his back immediately, “Who says I’ll miss you?!”
They stay like that, comforted in each other’s arm until the bell rings, and a bit after.
Nasally, “Stupid idiot. Sit with me at lunch.”
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Wei Wuxian shows up predictably late to fifth period, with his signature smile etched on his face, as always, and no red, puffy eyes or cheeks from all his crying. Lan Wangji can still tell that something is off, though, as always, and asks (with a respectful whisper, of course) about it as soon as the teacher is done scolding his soulmate.
“Did you speak to him?”
Wei Ying could laugh at the adorably concerned expression on his dream man’s face if it wasn’t so earnest. With a huge grin, he says, “Mm! It went well. We’re sitting with him at lunch.”
Lan Wangji doesn’t know whether to be happy or sad.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
By the time lunch rolls around, Jiang Cheng has already fully mapped out what he’s going to say to that stuck-up Lan Wangji in his head.
Ha! That’s right Wei Wuxian, who says he’s scared of student council president Hanguang-jun?! He’ll say whatever he wants to him!
When he gets to table 12, he’s faced with Lan Wangji shamelessly hand feeding half of his lunch to Wei Wuxian in an absolutely sickening show of affection. He could just gag.
Making sure to drop his lunch on the table extra aggressively today, he slams himself down onto his seat, unzips his lunchbox and uncaps his thermos, and takes an unnecessarily aggressive bite of lotus root and pork rib soup.
They still don’t stop feeding each other.
“AHEM!”
Wei Wuxian’s attention instantly turns to him (his lunch).
“Ohh! Jiang Cheng, is that what I think it is?!” He sniffs the thermos- “Ah! Shijie’s soup!” -and makes a move to chug it before Jiang Cheng snatches it back from out of his hands.
Jiang Cheng scowls, holding the thermos close. “Eat your own damn lunch!” Lan Wangji gives him his signature icy glare and Jiang Cheng glares right back. What, you think you’re in charge of everything Wei Wuxian now? Hah! Good luck with that!
“Pleeease Jiang Cheng? Just one rib? For your most favorite brother in the world-“
He doesn’t even need to beg that much before Jiang Cheng is shoveling half of his pork ribs and, like, a quarter of broth into a corner of his lunch container. Did the Lans buy him that? They seriously got caught in public buying something that’s not blue or white? Wow. Maybe he should rethink their dedication.
Lan Wangji gives an approving nod, and Jiang Cheng swears he can even see the tiniest hint of a smile appearing on his face. Ugh, this is freaky, he can’t do this!
But then Wei Wuxian laughs and both of them, Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng, would hang the stars in the sky for him. It’ll be different, sure, but, maybe he can do this, and he’ll do it with his brother. He’ll bear this strangeness for him, and they can make this work.