Jiang Cheng, at least, cannot feel too much shame in admitting that he has seen the rabbits before. It wasn't necessarily something that was his fault; it is part of the whirlwind that Wei Wuxian had been in his life when he was much younger, when his brother had been the guiding force in almost everything that he had done. So much has changed over the years; he has his clan, now, his links to Lanling, his nephew, clinging to him and finding peace in the arms of his irritable uncle.
For now Jin Ling seems happy enough to cuddle into his uncle and not make a fuss, one finger hovering near his mouth as if he might start to suck on it. A terrible habit, but not one that Jiang Cheng has the heart to try and deal with right now, not when his little one is still so young. There are more important lessons for him to learn, especially when his youth will be taken so quickly by training and preparation to become the next leader of his clan.
The smile that settles on his face is fond enough, though, as Lan Xichen continues. Of course pets are not allowed, that is one of the rules, but who could remove the rabbits from the hillsides? Who could separate them from one another? Breaking a family is a cruelty no one could bear, surely - and he would know; he has seen it happen in practice, more often than just the once. It still stains his heart even today.
"The rabbits are not within the control of Gusu, of course. They are wild creatures." The smile that prickles on his face is enough to show just what he thinks of that notion; they're pets, or as close to pets as the Grandmaster might allow his nephews and the clan members to have without completely breaking the rules. There are worse crimes in the eyes of the Lan, after all, and rabbits are sure to be the least of their concerns in this new world they're venturing into.
Seeing Lan Xichen with Lan Yuan, seeing the two of them... It makes his chest feel tight and warm all at once, makes him feel overwhelmed, and he has to turn his head away to gather himself. He can feel the burn of the petals, the boil in his blood, and he has to force himself to stay calm, to not let himself completely fall apart - because if he does then Xichen will know the truth, will learn just how he feels, and that will destroy the friendship that he has come to cherish so desperately.
He is desperately afraid that if Xichen finds out...
"Won't that be nice, a-Ling?" Jiang Cheng smiles, letting himself press a soft kiss to the side of his nephew's face. "Young Master Lan can show you the rabbits. The two of you can learn to take care of them, perhaps, so that when you're older and grown up you can take care of something of your own." Perhaps a dog, or something like that. A dog would suit the growing Jin Ling just fine.
Stepping closer, he lets himself embrace the moment, lets himself have warmth, to pretend that he can find some kind of joy in this.
"It is a task that a-Ling must learn, too. He will be trained at Gusu one day as well."
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For now Jin Ling seems happy enough to cuddle into his uncle and not make a fuss, one finger hovering near his mouth as if he might start to suck on it. A terrible habit, but not one that Jiang Cheng has the heart to try and deal with right now, not when his little one is still so young. There are more important lessons for him to learn, especially when his youth will be taken so quickly by training and preparation to become the next leader of his clan.
The smile that settles on his face is fond enough, though, as Lan Xichen continues. Of course pets are not allowed, that is one of the rules, but who could remove the rabbits from the hillsides? Who could separate them from one another? Breaking a family is a cruelty no one could bear, surely - and he would know; he has seen it happen in practice, more often than just the once. It still stains his heart even today.
"The rabbits are not within the control of Gusu, of course. They are wild creatures." The smile that prickles on his face is enough to show just what he thinks of that notion; they're pets, or as close to pets as the Grandmaster might allow his nephews and the clan members to have without completely breaking the rules. There are worse crimes in the eyes of the Lan, after all, and rabbits are sure to be the least of their concerns in this new world they're venturing into.
Seeing Lan Xichen with Lan Yuan, seeing the two of them... It makes his chest feel tight and warm all at once, makes him feel overwhelmed, and he has to turn his head away to gather himself. He can feel the burn of the petals, the boil in his blood, and he has to force himself to stay calm, to not let himself completely fall apart - because if he does then Xichen will know the truth, will learn just how he feels, and that will destroy the friendship that he has come to cherish so desperately.
He is desperately afraid that if Xichen finds out...
"Won't that be nice, a-Ling?" Jiang Cheng smiles, letting himself press a soft kiss to the side of his nephew's face. "Young Master Lan can show you the rabbits. The two of you can learn to take care of them, perhaps, so that when you're older and grown up you can take care of something of your own." Perhaps a dog, or something like that. A dog would suit the growing Jin Ling just fine.
Stepping closer, he lets himself embrace the moment, lets himself have warmth, to pretend that he can find some kind of joy in this.
"It is a task that a-Ling must learn, too. He will be trained at Gusu one day as well."