Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian was very, very ungracefully aroused from his sleep, his dream of being fed lotus pork ribs soup made by his Shije being broken. He cracked his eyes to see Jiang Cheng hovering next to his bed, his permanent scowl in place as he stared at his adopted brother as if he were a polluting corpse. Wei Wuxian groans as he stretches, his spine popping, his messed-up robe slipping off his torso.
He yawns widely as he narrows his eyes at his brother who still scowls at him. "Why did you wake me up at this ungodly hour?" he demands, sitting up on his bed. Kicking the sheets off, he swings his legs over the edge of the bed; using the momentum to jab his brother’s chest with a finger.
Jiang Cheng bats his hand away with more force than strictly necessary. "It’s seven," he says, frowning at Wei Wuxian distastefully. Wei Wuxian gasps as if his entire life was being stolen away without warning. Though Jiang Cheng doesn’t stay long enough to hear Wei Wuxian. Exiting the room with, "the Lan, Nie and Jin clans are arriving" and enough flourish to outweigh the local courtesan.
Wei Wuxian scrambles to freshen up and dress, not keen on engaging in another round of whipping with Zidian. Shije waits for him outside his room, promising to sneak in breakfast which he eats the moment his robes are sitting properly. She ushers them towards the dock with teasing smiles and pinching fingers.
Sect leader Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu are already awaiting there, with a cluster of Yungmeng Jiang disciples and Jiang Cheng standing behind them like loyal dogs. Madam Yu glares at Wei Wuxian as he enters the crowd and stands next to his brother, Jiang Yanli on the other side. Wei Wuxian catches Madam Yu giving him a glare that can be easily translated to "you are late". Wei Wuxian flinches and gives Madam Yu an apologetic smile, she scoffs and ignores him, turning to see the horizon carpeted with water.
Wei Wuxian was getting bored of waiting. He was about to yawn as he daydreamed about his bed, when a disciple shouted "They have arrived!"
The crowd turns to see a silhouette of a boat floating towards the pier. Wei Wuxian waits until it's near enough for him to gouge which sect it is. The boat comes to view, filled with young masters of the Nie clan. The sect leader, Nie Mingjue stands in front of the boat with a frown that makes him look permanently ill tempered. His younger brother, Nie Huaisang, shrunk by his brother's side. Hiding behind his fan to steal terrified glances at his brother who kept glaring at him for his timidity. Nie Huaisang barely reached his brother's shoulders.
Wei Wuxian grins at the younger of the two, waving his hands madly in greeting. Nie Huaisang returns the gesture and almost hits Nie Mingjue with his enthusiasm. One look from Sect Leader Nie and Huaisang's arms are back against his sides and he shoots a timid smile to the Jiang siblings. The boat finally reaches the dock. The Nie cultivators descend from the boat and greet the Jiang entourage. Madam Yu dispatches the cultivators with the servants to their guest quarters. Nie Huaisang chooses to wait for the other sects’ arrival with them. Wei Wuxian takes that opportunity to catch up, squabbling with his brother, and delighting in the presence of another person to tease his brother with.
The Jin sect arrives next with their heir, Jin Zixuan, perched at the front of their boat like a peacock. His confidence gives off an almost arrogant air. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng give collective sighs at the sight of him, glaring with distaste. Jiang Yanli elbows them, a silent warning to behave. She is smiling at the retinue, her cheeks dusted pink. When the boat reaches the dock, Jin Zixuan ignores the two but he sneaks a glance at Jiang Yanli. They don’t linger for conversation though, choosing to rest in their rooms. Wei Wuxian is grateful for it.
Wei Wuxian watches as the final sect's boat comes floating into view. Just like the rumours said, the Lans commanded attention. As someone who had never seen the Lans anywhere, all Wei Wuxian knew about the sect was from others. Jiang Cheng knew of them; he had gone with his father to the meetings unlike Wei Wuxian who was not allowed by Madam Yu to go. Wei Wuxian craned his neck as his eagerness quickened. He has heard of their beauty and that they were trained to have perfect discipline, with three thousand rules to rule each action and thought. It astonished him that people could remember these rules let alone follow them. He had jokingly said that if he were to even remember six rules, he'd have a constant headache.
The boat came into view and Wei Wuxian froze. In the front were two almost identical men in pristine uniforms. They almost seemed to shine in the gentle sunlight. They were similar enough to pass for as twins, but the more Wei Wuxian looked closer, the more he picked apart the stark differences. One of them was taller than the other, he had dark eyes and a friendly smile. The other had a cold face, giving him an unapproachable air, he had golden eyes and sharp features. Both of them were beautiful. The Lans stepped down onto the dock, the taller man greeting Jiang Fengmian. Wei Wuxian guessed that would be the Sect Leader Lan Xichen. Wei Wuxian was more intrigued by the other boy though. The old feeling of mischief itching under his skin.
He nudges Jiang Cheng who scowls at him. "Hey, Jiang Cheng, who's that boy next to Sect Leader Lan?"
His brother gives Wei Wuxian a weird look, "You seriously don't know the Lan Wangji?"
Wei Wuxian grins, winks dramatically and says, "Now I do."
Jiang Cheng just roughly elbows him and turns away. Wei Wuxian shifted his attention to the Sect Leaders and Madam Yu. Lan Wangji was listening to something his brother was saying when he felt someone staring. Wei Wuxian grinned when the pretty boy turned to him, but pouted just as quickly when Lan Wangji proceeded to ignore him.
Madam Yu looked impressed by the orderly Lans as she ordered the servants to show their guests to their rooms. Jiang Fengmian leads the sect leaders to his study.
Madam Yu turns to Wei Wuxian, glaring with hard eyes as she warns him using that strict tone specially reserved for Wei Wuxian, "You, Wei Ying, will not tarnish the dignity of the Jiang Sect. Understood?"
Wei Wuxian bows low as he answers "Yes, Madam Yu.”
She stomps away with her husband and the sect leaders. Turning away from them, Wei Wuxian notices Lan Wangji standing a little away from them. He grins and begins to greet him but is cut off by Jiang Cheng who says, "Second Young Master Lan and Nie Huaisang, please follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."
Wei Wuxian pouts at his brother but he is ignored. The two follow Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian and his Shije is left to trail at the back. He turns his pout at Jiang Yanli, "Why is A-Cheng so rude to me? I just wanted to talk to Second Young Master Lan."
His Shije laughs and pats his cheek. "Maybe he knew A-Xian will just annoy Young master Lan."
Dramatizing his pained gasp, Wei Wuxian clutches her arm and wails, "I would never!"
Not getting any more sympathy from his sister, Wei Wuxian trails after his brother and bites back a proud smile at his formal Sect-Leader voice as he bosses around the servants and points out all the right parts of Lotus Pier. Instead, he teases Jiang Cheng and tries to sneak as many glances he can at Lan Wangji, hoping to get his attention. The efforts are in wain, though. Wei Wuxian just pouts at his sister who pinches his cheeks and promises lotus cakes. After ensuring all guests were in place, Wei Wuxian separates from his siblings to go to his room and prepare for morning training. His mind lingers on a certain golden eyed youth.
Wei Wuxian was locked in his room because apparently everyone in Lotus Pier thought that if Wei Wuxian was set loose he would wreak havoc on the first day of their guests' arrival and would disturb the work with mischief. He can't blame them, he was planning to do so either way. Only disappointment being all those planning had gone to waste.
The worst betrayal was when Jiang Yanli patted his cheeks with her honey sweet voice apologizing as she gently pushed him into his room. Wei Wuxian's lips have been in a permanent pout since then.
He was bored and had nothing to do within his rooms. Even Suibian, his sword, had failed to entertain him. He flitted around his rooms, snooping around each nook and cranny he already knew of and hoped to find something new. When he had refamiliarized himself with his room for the third time, he walked around gathering up discarded robes and trinkets strewn across his room only to push into his wardrobe in a messy heap. Wei Wuxian sighs deeply after he gives up trying to entertain himself.
He dropped down on his window sill feeling bad for himself. He thought of just climbing out of the window and running off into the town without anyone knowing, but he quickly dashed the idea as he thought of all the disappointed looks he'd get if he were to actually follow through. Wei Wuxian sighs deeply again, his eyes gazing over the water that surrounds the pavilions set around the sect area.
Wei Wuxian just stares at the familiar looking pavilions and tries to think up ideas to stave off his boredom. Just as a plan to experiment on a talisman bloomed in his mind, he caught something white from the corner of his eye. His searching eyes land on a figure standing in one of the pavilions closest to Wei Wuxian's room. Recognition filled him with joy as the figure turned out to be Lan Wangji.
The boy was staring out into the horizon, enjoying the warm weather and cool breeze and, though it was hard to read Lan Wangji's expression, Wei Wuxian could see the relaxed posture. Wei Wuxian shamelessly stares until the beauty of the horizon falls away as he just stares at the wind displacing ink black hair and the white Lan forehead ribbon fluttering. Wei Wuxian almost wished he was there just to admire the beauty of one of the Twin Jades of Lan in proximity.
Lan Wangji must have felt the prickle of a gaze; he turns his head and locks his eyes with Wei Wuxian's grey ones. Wei Wuxian grins when the Young Master looks at him, a questioning frown creasing his skin.
Wei Wuxian yells, "Second Young Master Lan!" his voice carrying over the still water. Lan Wangji looks at him waiting for the reason why he was being called for. Wei Wuxian continues to grin at him, and thinks of a subject he could use to get Lan talking. His mind was strangely silent though. Without thinking he shouted, "Do you like it here?"
Lan Wangji realized Wei Wuxian was aiming for small talk, so he nodded politely and turned his back on the boy sitting on the window sill, clearly expressing his distaste to continue the conversation.
Wei Wuxian stared at the broad back and pouted, realizing Second Young Master Lan was not a fan of talking unnecessarily. He tries not to feel too disappointed at the fact that Lan Wangji ignored him so blatantly. Wei Wuxian tries to call for his attention, but Lan Wangji continues to give him the cold shoulder and stare ahead at the sunlit waters and waving lotus pods.
Wei Wuxian gives up after a few tries. Instead he opts to just stare at Lan Wangji. He continues to look at the immaculate robes and the long hair. Wei Wuxian is almost disappointed when a servant comes to call Lan Wangji away.
He watches him go away until he's out of his range. Sagging against his window as he continues to stare at the empty pavilion. He surmises when he'll be able to see the intriguing boy again. Wei Wuxian jumps when his door is opened and Jiang Yanli calls for him to join her for lunch. Wei Wuxian happily follows, glad to be out of his room. Maybe, he might get to see Lan Wangji at the banquet.