this changes everything. ⟲ wangxian

21. Give & Take

It has been one week since Wei Wuxian arrived at the gates of Cloud Recesses, escorted by Lan Clan junior cultivators Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi, and Jin Clan junior cultivator Jin Rulan. All three juniors have undergone severe punishment, but from what's been observed the most Jin Rulan received was a scolding from uncle cheng cheng. After that he was probably given a cookie and a bowl of rose water to clean his baby face of all the bitterness of the world. Despite Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui's 500 whiplashes, and their scribes of the Lan Clan rules 250 times, and their kneeling in the Cold Pond Cave for endless days, they haven't sulked once out loud. Meanwhile, Jin Ling has proved himself to be an insufferable weakling through the numerou—

"Hey!" Jin Ling shouts.

Jingyi tears his focus away from his placid journal entry. He scowls at Jin Ling. His back still aches from kneeling, rod-straight, raising his sword to the sky, while freezing his butt off in the Cold Pond Cave for almost three days.

"What, what, what? What is it?"

"I can see what you're writing, asshole."

"I'm speaking the truth, asshole."

From the corner of his eye, Jingyi senses Jin Ling whirl around to face him, expression slapped with bewilderment and scorn. His jaw is agape, "Truth? Truth? It says right there that you haven't 'sulked once out loud', and that's a blatant lie! You sulk every hour of the day. And at mealtimes!"

Jingyi ignores this.

Jin Ling scoffs. He stares at Jingyi. Lips quivering in a furious pout, he tosses up an apple and catches it again, and repeats the action, "You're a crappy Lan Clan practitioner, you know that?"

"Shut up."

"If Sizhui was here, he'd tell you off real bad. He'd give you an earful," Jin Ling catches the apple mid-air and stops abruptly. He doesn't throw it again. Instead, he frowns. "Hey. Where is Sizhui, anyway?"

"Making up for lost time with Hanguang Jun," Jingyi says. "Or Brother Wei... or both."

•••

Ah Yuan plucks the chords of his Qin. He senses Hanguang Jun perk to attention as he reaches the climax of the song; he does the best he can to keep his fingers nimble while letting them stay on each note just firm enough to resonate through the air.

"Slower," Hanguang Jun says, his deep voice low. His eyes are half-closed, but Ah Yuan knows he is fully-awake.

Ah Yuan follows the command.

His hands glide across the instrument. To be honest, he's feeling a little anxious playing for Hanguang Jun today. This is the first lesson Hanguang Jun has had with him for at least five moons. It's only been one week since Brother Wei occupied one of the guest chambers in Cloud Recesses, and Hanguang Jun has already made drastic improvements. How can that be?

Ah Yuan smiles to himself. Whatever it is Brother Wei is doing, it definitely works better than any medicine. If this continues, Hanguang Jun will be fully recovered in no time.

Ah Yuan doesn't regret going after Brother Wei one bit, when he thinks of it like this. He just needs to avoid Jingyi for a while and that bastard's incessant whining, continue to bathe himself in pain relievers... and, of course, spend as much time with Brother Wei as he can outside of his classes. It's so nice that Brother Wei is here. Ah Yuan wonders, does it feel like home to him? Home, where Ah Yuan is? And Hanguang Jun?

Suddenly, Ah Yuan can't stop smiling.

"Stop," Hanguang Jun stays.

Ah Yuan stops himself at the next bar, laying his hands quickly over the instrument strings to soothe them. Pulling a poker expression, he turns to his senior, his heart plummeting into his stomach.

"Your Excellency," Ah Yuan says. "Did I play something wrong?"

A familiar softness enters Hanguang Jun's eyes. He replies gently, "No. Nothing is wrong. But why are you smiling?"

Ah Yuan blinks, "Oh.." he stifles a laugh and turns to his lap, resuming his smile, but, fainter now. "I was thinking about something. Forgive me. I'll keep composed from now on."

"Mind I ask what you thought of?"

Ah Yuan opens his mouth to answer, but a familiar voice sounds suddenly from the doorway of the Melody Chamber.

"Obviously, he was thinking about me."

Hanguang Jun stiffens.

Ah Yuan whirls around. Brother Wei stands at the doorway, leaning relaxedly against the doorframe and watching them. He smirks faintly. He looks dressed up like he is going somewhere, his money-pouch tucked into his waistband and Chenqing secure on his other side.

"Brother Wei!" Ah Yuan says before he can stop himself. Grinning, he shoots to his feet.

As Brother Wei makes his way over to them, the junior drops into a bow.

"Brother Wei. How did you know we were here?"

"Well, obviously, I heard the most enchanting, most exquisite music, of course," Brother Wei replies, arms folded cozily. He leans towards Ah Yuan, lips tugging into a grin. "You're getting much better, by the way. You almost sound professional. Bravo."

"I know, right? It's all thanks to Hanguang Jun—" Ah Yuan turns to face Hanguang Jun, and suddenly realises his senior hasn't even stood up yet. Hanguang Jun sits, straight-backed, every inch of him still with something Ah Yuan doesn't dare comprehend. "Your Excellency... do you... do you need help getting up?"

"No," Hanguang Jun replies without looking at him. "No... I'm fine."

Ah Yuan realises Brother Wei has also fallen eerily quiet. He is eying Hanguang Jun warily, "Are you sure?"

Hanguang Jun rises to his feet. It's slow, obviously, but there's a part of his pace that seems almost deliberate. When he is at his full height, Ah Yuan and Brother Wei flock to the Chief Cultivator, ready to give their support.

Hanguang Jun spares them quick looks. He says, "I'm fine."

Brother Wei laughs loudly.

They all turn to face him. Ah Yuan realises Brother Wei is gazing amusedly at Hanguang Jun There's a gentleness to the squint in his eyes.

"You," Brother Wei says. Even though he hasn't been asked yet: what are you laughing at? "I don't know how you put up with this."

Hanguang Jun stares at him, "Put up with what?"

"People walking on eggshells around you," Brother Wei's words are always careless. But today, he sounds more affectionate than rude. "You must know, at least, that you can't fool me. I know you have a lot of pride. Do you hate this?"

"Every bit of it."

Brother Wei laughs harder, and Hanguang Jun's lips flicker with the ghost of a smile.