Untamed/MDZS catch-all

[ze_uwu_jun]

WHO: The Untamed / MDZS cast and friends (enemies, etc)
WHERE: Anywhere, everywhere, including their assigned lodgings and around all towns
WHEN: March
WHAT: Catch-all because the emotions never end
WARNINGS: The Untamed / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation / Mo Dao Zu Shi spoilers; canon-typical violence; event-typical violence. Will add more if it becomes necessary

ooc: Go forth and do the things as they come.

Comments

[secondjade]

Like a spectre out of no where, Lan Wangji suddenly lands between them, Bichen drawn, gaze calm.

Had he been watching this whole time? Had he just appeared? Did he have a tracking device on Wei Wuxian or a sixth sense to know where he was? Who knew.

The fact was, he was here.

“Jiang Wanyin.” Hard, warning.

If the man didn’t stop running after Wei Ying, then Lan Wangji would make him.

[yilingdaddy]

Wuxian laughs as he runs, only to stop abruptly when Lan Zhan appears. He quickly ducks behind him, sheathing Suibian as an after thought. He is a bit breathless from exercise and the thrill of having managed to hug his grumpy, angry brother again, and doesn't even try to restrain the grin as he peeks over Lan Zhan's shoulder and Jiang Cheng.

He does, however, reach out to rest a light hand on the wrist with Bichen drawn, not enough to seriously hamper his friend, but...a request, anyway.

"He wasn't going to actually hurt me, Lan Zhan." But there's a grateful smile for the defense anyway.

[angrygrape]

He stopped when Lan Wangji suddenly appeared before him. He didn't lower his sword since the other man was pointing Bichen at him.

"My business with Wei Wuxian is my own."

But he didn't pursue his brother now that he was hiding behind Lan Wangji. He had a feeling, knowing his brother, that this wouldn't be the last time Wuxian hugged him.

[secondjade]

Lan Wangji has had years to know Jiang Cheng after Wei Wuxian’s death. With barely a word spoken between them, he still knows his reputation, has seen the merciless way he attacked someone he didn’t even know for sure was Wei Wuxian.

He knows what Zidian’s primary use has been for.

He trusts Wei Ying, but he doesn’t trust his brother. He has never forgiven him.

He should have helped him save Wei Wuxian.

Three months they fought side by side to find the man, only to have that bond shattered at the edge of a cliff.

So though the tip of his blade points to the ground as Wei Ying’s hand rests on his wrist, he does not sheathe it. His eyes are fixed points on Jiang Cheng’s face.

There is only one reason that he has never demanded blood from Jiang Cheng, and that was solely based on Wei Wuxian’s love for the man. Even in his darkest, bloodiest moments, he could not hurt something Wei Ying loved.

But this wasn’t home, and Wangji has already lost Wei Ying’s heart once in the last few weeks. Nothing will touch him. Not even his brother.

“Your business is concluded.”

[yilingdaddy]

Nope, definitely not the last time he hugs Jiang Cheng. It's just fact and something his brother will have to accept.

Lan Zhan's response has him smile before gently squeezing the wrist he'd latched onto in silent thanks before letting go. He turns to his brother and bows, though the smile he turns on Jiang Cheng is a little more teasing than the warm one Lan Zhan had earned.

"Thank you for the spar, Jiang Cheng. I'll do better next time." Because face it, there will be future spars, future fights. That's just how they are now.

He returns his attention to Lan Zhan with a question in his eyes. "Let's go?"

[angrygrape]

Jiang Cheng slowly lowered his own sword when Lan Zhan lowered his. He wasn't going to apologize for anything and he wasn't going to justify anything.

He turned his gaze to Wei Wuxian, his eyes narrowed. "I won't go easy on you next time."

He turned a pointed look at Lan Zhan, a silent challenge to say anything to him before turning to walk off, sheathing his sword as he did.

[secondjade]

He watches Jiang Cheng turn, before finally sheathing his own blade and turns fully to Wei Wuxian. He doesn’t mirror the smile, in fact there’s a visible, if small, concerned frown on his face. He lets Wei Ying lead them away, but once he’s sure they are well out of Jiang Cheng’s sight, he stops, and puts a hand out to press two fingers against Wei Ying’s throat, testing the strength of his core.

“Wei Ying,” he says quietly as his hand drops. “Do not trust solely to your brother’s mercy. He has little, where his temper is great.”

[yilingdaddy]

Jiang Cheng just gets another grin and jaunty little two fingered salute before the man turns and stalks off.

Wuxian wasn't expecting an answering smile from Lan Zhan, but the worried little frown has him blink. He doesn't protest the fingers checking him, though knows he's only tired from the workout. Little by little he's working on strengthening his new core.

"He could have killed me today, Lan Zhan. If he'd wanted to. He didn't fight with his full strength."

[secondjade]

Wangji, characteristically, doesn't answer. Wei Ying isn't hurt, it's true, and Jiang Cheng well could have, if he wanted to.

But one afternoon won't dissolve sixteen years of mistrust and doubt.

"Mm." Is all he says, instead. An acknowledgement that what Wei Ying has said is true. Then, after a moment:

"He knew you were here?"

[yilingdaddy]

There's a lot of work to be done all around, and maybe Wuxian isn't fully aware of the sheer depth of it. But all he can do is continue to be himself, and try. Try to heal. Try to mend. Try to help those he cares about to do the same.

He shakes his head. "No, I didn't call him here. I think he was just exploring and came across me by accident."

[secondjade]

He’s not sure how he feels about that - the concept that Jiang Cheng might appear at any time, without notice or warning. He misses Gusu more than ever in that moment - misses the gates that could be barred against all intruders.

Well. All save Wei Ying.

“Rest,” he says finally. “Then we will train.”

If Jiang Cheng turned up again, Wangji wanted Wei Wuxian to be as ready as possible. Wei Ying night trust his brother, but the man’s temper was legendary. It would only take a second’s slip to turn a confrontation between the two of them to become something they would both painfully regret.

[yilingdaddy]

In some strange ways that he will not mention...Wei Ying also misses Gusu. Misses the quiet, innocent days spent there, not the mountain of rules that threatened to crush him.

"Mm," he agrees quietly with a slow smile. Then reaches out to tug on one of Lan Zhan's sleeves. "Lan Zhan. What were you doing before you appeared to save me this time?" Fully aware that is exactly what Wangji'd done, despite the teasing glint in his eye.

[secondjade]

He glances side ways at Wei Ying, his expression neutral though he could see that glint in his friend's eyes.

The truth? He never wanted to be far from Wei Ying when he could help it, but tried to give the man space. Especially after-- well.

Sometimes being close was difficult.

But he was never really that far.

He looks away again.

"I knew your intention to train. I planned to join you." There. That was true. Maybe not the whole truth, but still true.

Ignore if you want <3

[yilingdaddy]

He likes being close to Lan Zhan too. It's one reason he hadn't moved back to his room in De Chima after Jin Ling vacated in favor of Sizhui's apartment.

So hearing Lan Zhan was already intending to help him get stronger again delights him, and there's a very brief, minor attempt to hide it from his sudden bright grin...

Well. He fails.

"I can wait until you're done with work each day so we can train together. Saves time."