Ah ah, so scary! Jiang Cheng, isn't your touch going to be too heavy?
( Lightly pressing his hands to his chest again, over the line of his robes crossing over, but he loses the pout and sidles closer after Jiang Cheng stumbles. Being annoying, yes, but not wanting to see Jiang Cheng get any more injured for silly reasons, he can sacrifice... whatever he's sacrificing right now.
He'd say manly pride, but salves are grand, and so here he is, before Jiang Cheng and reaching out to steady him. )
You're not going to paint new bruises on my old bruises, are you?
( It's that pout. It's that pleading pout of a joking expression he gives Jiang Cheng now, lips twitching as they try not to curl up into a smile. )
[ But he manages to get himself a little steadier and he glowers at his brother, not really able to resist it. He has to swallow back the little ache of pain, but then he manages - leaning forward to just reach for Wei Wuxian properly.
It's frustrating, but manageable. ]
Just sit down, will you? There's no point one of us hurting when we have the right tools.
( He capitulates in a show of cheeky appeasement, but he's reassured Jiang Cheng only has the expected side effects of his evening, so he finally sits as demanded and gives him a look. )
The tools I brought.
( Hint, hint, you were going to go without, weren't you? The sacrifices made for those we love, let the melodrama commence--but he offers a half smile. He's also not balking at loosening the top layers of his robes, considering his shoulder was, in fact, as bruised as he claimed. Healing, yes, because they all heal. )
Where did you get the idea for trust falls in the first place?
( He makes a small hissing noise of appreciation, less so out of pain. It's only worth commenting on hurts to be comedic, not so when they're serious.
So he snorts, tossing a look back over his shoulder, brows arched. )
Oh, you think? What kind of muddled path was your drunk brain walking... falling out of nowhere, wanting to be caught? It'd be fine next to someone else, but you were wandering around.
( He really, really wants to tell his shijie, if only because he thinks Yanli would get that particular "oh, Jiang Cheng" look when she talks about her blood brother and her love for him, including his particularly more prickly or rash ways.
... Not that Wei Wuxian has much to say on the subject of rashness, just that his are slightly different in tempo, and she reminds him to have a better temper than he'd be otherwise inclined, perhaps. )
[ Surely that is one of the problems with him as a person; his immediate response to most things is a kind of aggressive need to prove himself, to be the best, to try and be better than anyone else. Perhaps it would always be impossible for him to attempt to outdo Wei Wuxian, no matter what his mother said, but he would always attempt it anyway.
Frowning, he focusses instead on what he's been doing, trying not to let his frustration get the better of him. ]
I don't know. I probably wanted to prove something.
[ That's how it always ended up, at least - wanting to prove himself, wanting to prove that he was... At least some kind of person, even if he can't quite express why to Wei Wuxian.
( Jiang Cheng needs to prove himself, and Wei Wuxian won't open his mouth to share any of the burdens he assumes he's supposed to take on. Why discuss? Why not think he knows Jiang Cheng well enough to know best?
Character flaws that all have their tells and endings, in a time that follows from now. Maybe one day, that also have their reconciliations, if either find the words.
For now, Wei Wuxian grins as he looks back over his shoulder. He has more faith in Jiang Cheng than his mouth makes it seem when it's the two of them alone. )
I know. Just don't go trust falling off any cliffs and we'll be good.
( He's kidding, he's kidding, he goes not trust falling off cliffs, you're fine )
Hey, thank you. Are we done here? I have a feeling someone's going to come around shouting sometime soon, and it proooobably is going to be at me.
[ Jiang Cheng wishes that things were easier, that he might be able to find the words to speak, to let Wei Wuxian understand what his mind goes through, but... His stomach churns at the idea.
All he has to do is be enough for his mother and father, but he has failed at the first hurdle on that front.
Breathing out, he pats Wei Wuxian's shoulder gently. ]
( Here's a sunny smile that by many rights should be less sunny, but he's at peace with it when he's finishing straightening out his robes. Last thing he needs is to look like he's fleeing Jiang Cheng's rooms disheveled, someone's going to presume (often correctly) they've been fighting again, ah? )
Oh, for getting caught making a ruckus when we came in last night. Don't worry, I'm fairly sure no one saw you slipping in too. Recover swiftly!
( He's about to bounce up and try to slip away before a certain Madam Yu finds him, wee )
[ It's a very nice smile, but all Jiang Cheng wants to do is poke it away. He's only half in the mood for smiling, still aching all over and a little frustrated. ]
( Robes caught, and motion checked, he gives a somewhat hopeless (still smiling, for the moment) look back down at Jiang Cheng. )
You're that eager to join me in kneeling? Mah, Jiang Cheng, at least one of us should remember there's gold under a man's knees.
( It truly is never going to be Wei Wuxian who does, though he knows that's not what this is about. Or so he suspects? Let him fail to reflect too deeply on that for now.
Anyway, it's nothing serious to him, and it's not the kind of thing he enjoys watching Jiang Cheng be talked down to over, but... he does sit, looking to disengage Jiang Cheng's hand from where he caught at his robes. )
What's there to protect me from? The anger blows over—it always does.
[ Jiang Cheng meets that look with a stern one of his own. ]
I would kneel with you again, yes. I committed the same crimes as you last night. We should both kneel.
[ It's not as if Jiang Cheng would ever really escape his mother's watching eye. She is too intense, too dangerous, and the idea of slipping under her radar is just impossible.
He frowns instead, shaking his head, letting his fingers slip away. ]
Mother will always know. There is no point trying to pretend, is there?
( He starts to make a sound of protest, then stops; Jiang Cheng isn't wrong, but he wants to think he can mitigate some of it, and not just have it turn into being his fault while Jiang Cheng is both insulted and held up like some kind of mirror to whatever Wei Wuxian is, as if he's really lacking.
It's not in his hands to that extent, but he can still wish what he wishes, and hold silent in the face of the rest. )
It's like a sixth sense for Madam Yu...
( Is his sighed statement, as close to resignation and agreement as he's inclined to get right now. )
Still, you might get another quarter shichen of peace if I leave.
( Sending him another askance look, lifting his eyebrows if not bringing himself to smile. )
[ It's easier to face his mother as a pair rather than it is alone - more often than not, anyway. In the rare case that she wishes to praise him then she might be better suited to isolation, but for punishment? It is best if they share her anger.
It's not as though his mother will ever really be pleased with him at heart. ]
She always knows. I am sure her two girls help her.
( Sometimes unhappiness is something perpetuated; sometimes it's not. There's little enough they can do for a situation lived by their seniors, other than weather it as they can.
His lips quirk, the smile there then gone, and he twists around to settle a hand on Jiang Cheng's arm. )
I'll stay. Don't blame me when your knees ache later.
( A wry sort of grin that doesn't address any of the other possibilities: more corporeal punishments that may or may not come down the line. )
And of course they do. Bodyguards, maids, informants, is there anything they can't do?
( Let's have a little shudder for dramatic effect; truly only less formidable than their mistress. )
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Stop being so irritating!
[ He almost ends up growling, stumbling up a little to try and get at his brother without hurting himself too much in the process. ]
Come here!
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( Lightly pressing his hands to his chest again, over the line of his robes crossing over, but he loses the pout and sidles closer after Jiang Cheng stumbles. Being annoying, yes, but not wanting to see Jiang Cheng get any more injured for silly reasons, he can sacrifice... whatever he's sacrificing right now.
He'd say manly pride, but salves are grand, and so here he is, before Jiang Cheng and reaching out to steady him. )
You're not going to paint new bruises on my old bruises, are you?
( It's that pout. It's that pleading pout of a joking expression he gives Jiang Cheng now, lips twitching as they try not to curl up into a smile. )
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[ But he manages to get himself a little steadier and he glowers at his brother, not really able to resist it. He has to swallow back the little ache of pain, but then he manages - leaning forward to just reach for Wei Wuxian properly.
It's frustrating, but manageable. ]
Just sit down, will you? There's no point one of us hurting when we have the right tools.
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The tools I brought.
( Hint, hint, you were going to go without, weren't you? The sacrifices made for those we love, let the melodrama commence--but he offers a half smile. He's also not balking at loosening the top layers of his robes, considering his shoulder was, in fact, as bruised as he claimed. Healing, yes, because they all heal. )
Where did you get the idea for trust falls in the first place?
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Hm?
[ That does make him stop, of course. Yes, he would've suffered otherwise, but... He sighs softly, shaking his head. ]
I don't know. Perhaps I was drunk.
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So he snorts, tossing a look back over his shoulder, brows arched. )
Oh, you think? What kind of muddled path was your drunk brain walking... falling out of nowhere, wanting to be caught? It'd be fine next to someone else, but you were wandering around.
( He really, really wants to tell his shijie, if only because he thinks Yanli would get that particular "oh, Jiang Cheng" look when she talks about her blood brother and her love for him, including his particularly more prickly or rash ways.
... Not that Wei Wuxian has much to say on the subject of rashness, just that his are slightly different in tempo, and she reminds him to have a better temper than he'd be otherwise inclined, perhaps. )
Give me warning next time, yeah?
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Frowning, he focusses instead on what he's been doing, trying not to let his frustration get the better of him. ]
I don't know. I probably wanted to prove something.
[ That's how it always ended up, at least - wanting to prove himself, wanting to prove that he was... At least some kind of person, even if he can't quite express why to Wei Wuxian.
He sighs, shaking his head. ]
I'll do my best. Okay?
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Character flaws that all have their tells and endings, in a time that follows from now. Maybe one day, that also have their reconciliations, if either find the words.
For now, Wei Wuxian grins as he looks back over his shoulder. He has more faith in Jiang Cheng than his mouth makes it seem when it's the two of them alone. )
I know. Just don't go trust falling off any cliffs and we'll be good.
( He's kidding, he's kidding,
he goes not trust falling off cliffs, you're fine)Hey, thank you. Are we done here? I have a feeling someone's going to come around shouting sometime soon, and it proooobably is going to be at me.
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All he has to do is be enough for his mother and father, but he has failed at the first hurdle on that front.
Breathing out, he pats Wei Wuxian's shoulder gently. ]
I didn't intend to, you -
[ But he nudges him gently. ]
Why? What have you done?
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Oh, for getting caught making a ruckus when we came in last night. Don't worry, I'm fairly sure no one saw you slipping in too. Recover swiftly!
( He's about to bounce up and try to slip away before a certain Madam Yu finds him, wee )
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Wei Wuxian, don't you dare -
[ He reaches out to grab at his robes. ]
Stay here. It'll be better and I can protect you.
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You're that eager to join me in kneeling? Mah, Jiang Cheng, at least one of us should remember there's gold under a man's knees.
( It truly is never going to be Wei Wuxian who does, though he knows that's not what this is about. Or so he suspects? Let him fail to reflect too deeply on that for now.
Anyway, it's nothing serious to him, and it's not the kind of thing he enjoys watching Jiang Cheng be talked down to over, but... he does sit, looking to disengage Jiang Cheng's hand from where he caught at his robes. )
What's there to protect me from? The anger blows over—it always does.
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I would kneel with you again, yes. I committed the same crimes as you last night. We should both kneel.
[ It's not as if Jiang Cheng would ever really escape his mother's watching eye. She is too intense, too dangerous, and the idea of slipping under her radar is just impossible.
He frowns instead, shaking his head, letting his fingers slip away. ]
Mother will always know. There is no point trying to pretend, is there?
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It's not in his hands to that extent, but he can still wish what he wishes, and hold silent in the face of the rest. )
It's like a sixth sense for Madam Yu...
( Is his sighed statement, as close to resignation and agreement as he's inclined to get right now. )
Still, you might get another quarter shichen of peace if I leave.
( Sending him another askance look, lifting his eyebrows if not bringing himself to smile. )
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It's not as though his mother will ever really be pleased with him at heart. ]
She always knows. I am sure her two girls help her.
[ Jiang Cheng looks chastised at least. ]
Don't leave. Please.
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His lips quirk, the smile there then gone, and he twists around to settle a hand on Jiang Cheng's arm. )
I'll stay. Don't blame me when your knees ache later.
( A wry sort of grin that doesn't address any of the other possibilities: more corporeal punishments that may or may not come down the line. )
And of course they do. Bodyguards, maids, informants, is there anything they can't do?
( Let's have a little shudder for dramatic effect; truly only less formidable than their mistress. )