Chapter Text
Wen Chao has kissed Wei Wuxian. Wen Chao has kissed Wei Wuxian. And he had touched his chest. Was the world coming to an end? If so, Wen Chao would die the happiest man on earth. He couldn’t believe it, but the memory of the kiss imprinted on his lips attested to its truth. It would stay imprinted on his lips forevermore. He could never forget such an unforgettable thing.
His escapades at the Cloud Recesses had come to an end, though. Gone and done with, like a memory left forgotten in the past. They had not had quite the make out as they had near the river since, but before they both left the Cloud Recessess, Wei Wuxian had mischievously pulled him behind a tree where they shared a sweet kiss that Wen Chao still got shivers from. Before he even registered it, Wei Wuxian was gone, laughing as he ran away to where Jiang Cheng was waiting with his father, breaking the Cloud Recesses rules one last time.
And then, miraculously, letters began coming again. A piece of paper folded into a bird, self-delivering; an invention of Wei Wuxian’s making, meant to avoid Madam Yu’s strict notice. Wen Chao poured over each letter that arrived, reading them while in the library with his brother, cooing over them as Wen Xu watched him with his steely gaze. Wen Xu said nothing during these times, though he probably had enough of Wen Chao complimenting how intelligent Wei Wuxian was.
Wen Chao had told him about the kiss, as if telling a forbidden secret, whispered behind his hand. Wen Xu had stared and stared and stared.
Without Wen Chao having realised it, the days passed by. He was consumed by his correspondence with Wei Wuxian, reading with his brother, and training to be better, stronger, more powerful. He would never be satisfied. More than a year came and went, passing by with the blink of an eye.
Near his seventeenth birthday, Wen Chao, as per tradition by now, went to the library in order to read with his brother. It had become something like bonding, now, to read together. Wen Chao had never felt so close to his brother.
To his surprise, Wen Xu was not there. A sinking feeling began to weigh down in his stomach, dread creeping onto him for some inexplicable reason. Something felt wrong , but he didn’t know what. Wen Chao shrugged it off as disappointment; Wen Xu had never missed one of their reading sessions without telling him the reason for it. Perhaps he had accidentally slept in, or had gotten called for an emergency situation, or even had to meet with their father.
Slowly, warily, he sunk down in his chair, picking up the book he had left off from the previous day. The dread still hung in the air, thick and tense, wriggling up his spine and setting his nerves on edge. The line he was reading blurred, the words meaningless to him, and no matter how many times he read the line it did not make sense to him. Sighing, he dropped the book, cradling his head as a sudden headache made itself known.
He took out a piece of paper and some ink, ready to write to Wei Wuxian, but he could not even muster up the same enthusiasm he usually showed. Something was seriously wrong.
Wen Chao rushed out of the library and caught hold of the first servant he found. “Where is my brother?” He demanded, and only remembered Wei Wuxian’s distaste of bullying after. “Please,” He added.
The servant flushed, her lips curling into a small shy smile. “He’s on a hunt, Second Young Master.” Her hand shamelessly settled on his arm. He stepped away.
“A nighthunt?” Wen Chao said, wondering how Wen Xu had forgotten to tell him. Even minor nighthunts were discussed over books. It was unlike Wen Xu to not tell him.
“Wang Lingjiao!” A feminine voice called from down the hallway, harried and urgent. The servant looked to and fro from the voice to Wen Chao, until she eventually bowed and hurriedly left before Wen Chao had the chance to ask her any other questions.
If it was a nighthunt, he would surely be returning soon. Wen Chao returned to the library, sinking down on his chair. He felt calmer now that he knew where Wen Xu was, but there was still an insistent buzzing at the back of his head. He settled down to wait, feeling every second that ticked by, minute by minute, hour by hour. Wen Chao had almost fallen asleep when Wen Xu returned, flicking him on the forehead to wake him up.
“Hm?” Wen Xu had sat down on the seat across from him. Wen Chao blearily observed him, blinking at his sudden presence. Wen Xu was sitting there, without a care in the world, a book open in front of him. A medical book, detailing the uses of needles.
What shocked him fully awake was the blood on his sleeves, the slight cut on his arm, and most of all, his ice cold gaze that looked far older than it did yesterday. He opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but no sound would escape him as he realised he was afraid to hear the answer.
A pregnant silence paused over them. The seconds ticked by.
“The war has begun, Wen Chao.” Wen Xu said vaguely, but it was enough. Wen Chao was frozen in his spot. His hands clenched onto his robes, his nails digging into his hands through the material.
“What. Did. You. Do?” Wen Chao managed to utter out, a mix of anger, desperateness and sadness filling him to the brink. “Who did you hurt?” Who did you kill?
The rage in Wen Xu’s eyes was apparent. It was like a burst of flames, heated and fuming in his normally cold eyes. “What did I do? I did my duty towards the sect, instead of going off to woo a boy that would never even think to marry into this sect. That Wei Ying is playing with you, don’t you see? He’ll never think to marry you, Wen Chao, would never accept it, because we are the enemies and we’ll always be the enemies. Especially now.”
“What did you do, Xu-ge?” He demanded, almost begged, his voice cracking on the words.
“The Cloud Recesses has been burnt.” Wen Xu simply admitted. The Cloud Recesses, that sacred three months spent there. It was where he had befriended Wen Ning and Wen Qing, where he sneaked notes in class between him, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, where he had caught fishes on the back mountain with the laughter of Wei Wuxian in his ear, the shouts of Jiang Cheng, the odd musings of Nie Huaisang. It was where he had spent time with Wei Wuxian, where he had his first kiss, his second kiss, his third. Had all those memories burnt away along with the Cloud Recesses? Would Wei Wuxian think this his doing?
He swallowed down the words he wanted to scream at his brother. Breathed in a gulp of air, attempting to calm himself down to coherency. Wen Xu was staring, staring, staring. Would he ever stop staring? Stop it, he wanted to shout. Instead, he slowly stood up from his chair and left for his room, leaving Wen Xu to stare at his retreating back.
As soon as he was out of sight, hearing the doors close behind him, his legs moved on their own. He sprinted down the hallways, hazardously turning around corners and almost knocking into servants, bursting into his room with an inelegance unlike him. He picked up a piece of paper and ground some ink at a record-breaking speed.
The letter was not so much a letter as more of a jumble of mixed words and pleadings, roughly crafted together into some form of Chinese. It was unlikely that Wei Wouxian would even understand the handwriting with how messy he had written it. The letter went like this:
I didn’t know. I didn’t know. I didn’t know . It wasn’t my fault, I promise. I’m not like them.
After, when the letter was flying away with its paper wings and Wen Chao was slumped in his chair with draining adrenaline, he questioned himself. Who were them ? Since when had Wen Chao separated himself from the Wen Sect entirely? Did he even want that? He shook his head at his own thoughts. It did not matter. He was careless. What had he just done? Wei Wuxian probably hadn’t even heard of the Cloud Recesses demise yet.
A knock on the door flung Wen Chao out of his thoughts.
“Yes?” He sighed, irritated. He wanted to rest in peace, in a soft bed with comfy pillows, preferably with Wei Wuxian in it, in a different world entirely so no one could disturb them.
“Second Young Master?” The servant poked her head in, showing a shamelessness and disrespectfulness he had never seen in a servant. It was the same servant he had caught in the hallway before: Wen Lingjiao, if he was remembering correctly. He glared at her, in no mood to amuse any guests. She shuffled in her place. “Um, Sect Leader Wen asks for your presence.”
It felt as if the sky had collapsed on top of him. His stomach dropped to his feet, his breath caught in his throat. The appraising stare of the servant was meaningless in the face of the pure dread that filled him.
Nonetheless, he stumbled to his father’s study, his mind surprisingly empty. The grand carvings decorating the door mocked him as he held up his hand to knock. It took exactly ten seconds for Wen Chao’s father to answer, probably knowing the fear coursing through Wen Chao’s veins and revelling in it. Wen Ruohan thrived on bloodlust and profited in conflict; a snake, never afraid to strike. Wen Chao almost tripped on his way in.
“Father,” He greeted. Wen Ruohan sat impassively at his desk, his fiery molten eyes keeping Wen Chao frozen in his place. His fingers tapped on the desk, the thudding echoing around the otherwise silent room.
“Wen Chao,” Wen Ruohan spoke at last. “I’ve got an assignment for you to do.” He was always so blunt, to the point. Sometimes Wen Chao found it relieving, other times not. This time it was the latter. There was a range of things he could do after Wen Xu burnt the Cloud Recesses, and none of them were nice nor beneficial for the other sects.
“An assignment?”
“Yes,” Wen Ruohan leaned forward, like a tiger assessing its prey. “You’ve been progressing surprisingly well in your studies, and, well, you’ve always been good at provoking people. It’s a simple task: keep the youth occupied with a training camp. There were rumours of a creature on Dafan Mountain; perhaps entertain yourself with that. I don’t particularly care what you do, as the only purpose is to provoke the other sects. I’ve already gathered a list of whose going and invitations have been sent. Oh, and bring Wen Zhuliu with you.”
It was a test. Wen Chao really had been too brazen recently. But that couldn’t have been the only reason; it couldn’t have been for a simple reason as to provoke the sects. Wen Ruohan never did anything useless. A scare, perhaps? Or, maybe, a chance to make an excuse for an attack. The possibilities could be endless.
“Wen Zhuliu?” There was only one reason Wen Chao would need to bring him, and it for that reason Wen Chao didn’t want to.
“A few accidents are always bound to happen, don’t you agree?” Wen Chao blanked at the casualness of his father’s words. Was he really implying that Wen Chao should melt the cores of those there? Was it possible for a person to be so cruel? Losing a core was worse than losing their life for a cultivator, and yet here was Wen Ruohan, who easily waved away their cores as if they were discussing the weather. A bad taste settled on his tongue, his stomach coiling at the thought.
“Of course, Father.” He swallowed, keeping his head down.
There was a lapse of silence as Wen Ruohan watched him with an unbidden curiosity. “You have your brother to thank for this,” Wen Chao’s head shot up, thinking his ears heard incorrectly. Surely, surely not. “I thought you were too soft, too weak to do much of anything, but Wen Xu attested and claimed you were best for the job. He also said you have a certain enemy amongst the Jiangs, but not to worry, plans are already being made.”
There was a ringing in his ears as his brain turned to mush. He attempted to grasp onto a thought, to take hold of the situation, but they slipped through his fingers like water. He couldn’t breath. His body was a separate entity as it bowed to Wen Ruohan and left the room, walking down the hallway with a mind-numbing calmness about it. With every step away from Wen Ruohan, his thoughts came back to him, until it seemed there was a hurricane of thoughts swirling around Wen Chao’s brain, bursting to be let out. There was adrenaline coursing through his veins and a fire flaming in his heart.
His calm pace quickened to a speed walk until it evolved into a light jog. Before Wen Chao knew it, he was sprinting down the hallways to his brother’s room, banging on the locked doors with a strength he didn’t know he owned.
“Wen Xu!” He shouted, kicking the door despite the pain that burned through his foot.
“Go away, Wen Chao, I’m not in the mood.” Wen Xu said, his voice undeniably calm in the face of Wen Chao’s anger, muffled from the walls separating them. Wen Chao could picture him there, unwinding in his seat, a book propped up in front of him, relaxing as if he was under the summer sun with those stupid, stupid, stupid, cold eyes of his.
“You bastard, you absolute bastard! What have you done!? I can’t believe you!” He punched the door, ignoring the pain as it fizzled up his arm, only getting angrier at the sight of blood pooling at his knuckles. “You promised! You promised me that you wouldn’t tell! I trusted you not to tell! And now…now Father knows and he’s planning something and it’s all because you told him, you bastard. I hate you! I hate you!”
The door burst open. “Stop with this childish temper tantrum, Wen Chao.” Wen Xu said, his expression one of chilled annoyance, as if he was dealing with a pesky fly. “Doing this will get you nowhere.” Wen Chao stared at his face for one second, two, three, raised up his fist and sent it flying towards him. It ended with a satisfying crack on Wen Xu’s face, his nose undoubtedly broken. Wen Xu never fought back, only stumbled backwards, his hand slowly coming up to his bleeding nose.
“I hate you.” He repeated plainly, all his anger seemingly having vanished. With those words, a fury gathered up on Wen Xu’s face, usually so calm and professional. They had switched places, forever opposites, brothers with nothing the same.
“I have already told you of my thoughts for that Wei Ying ,” He spat the name as if it was a curse, feeding the flickering flames that had been dying in Wen Chao’s gut. He straightened up, ready to fight back, but Wen Xu wasn’t finished. “Father is on a warpath and nothing will get in his way: not me, not you, and certainly not your love for that boy. It’s pathetic to even attempt to try. Getting rid of the boy is the best way to get rid of these stupid delusions plauging you so you can see what you should truly work towards: the Wen Sect. Because you’re in the Wen Sect, Wen Chao, not in a sect where you can have all the freedom you want.”
Wen Xu paused, his frosty eyes staring right at Wen Chao. “Besides, there is a way to save him.”
Wen Chao gaped. “What!? What could possibly save him now that you’ve made Father aware of him!?”
“Simple. Marry him.” Wen Xu said, as if it was as easy as picking fruit from a tree. “If you marry him, you don’t need to worry for Father’s attention. Father wouldn’t care, and then you’ll be married to the love of your life, and he would be safe from harm. It’s a simple solution that works out for all parties.”
A smirk grew on Wen Xu’s face. It was a dare. Wen Chao knew Wei Wuxian wouldn’t accept such a thing, Wen Xu knew Wei Wuxian wouldn’t accept such a thing. Wei Wuxian was too selfless, too kind. If Wei Wuxian married Wen Chao, it would mean leaving Jiang Cheng, his shijie, the rest of his family, his friends from other sects, the entire world , for the dogs to pick at. He always looked for others' happiness before his own. He would never accept such a deal.
“If he really loved you, Wen Chao,” Wen Xu said, as if reading his thoughts, the infuriating smirk still stretching his face wide. “He would marry you.”
“I hate you,” Wen Chao repeated, emptily.
They had herded the other sects into a large, barren area like cattle. Wen Chao was the shepherd, the other the Wen sect members the dogs. The one who owned the land was Wen Ruohan. Everything, in the end, all came down to Wen Ruohan.
The forest’s greenery was a sight to behold, a stark contrast to the dead and brown dirt staining their shoes. Infertile ground was the normal in Qishan, something to be expected rather than surprised at. They were made of hard rock and inhospitable grounds, sharp and dangerous and cruel. It was tricky getting around Qishan unharmed if you were not familiar with it. They naturally warned off enemies and friends alike; he supposed nothing liked living under Wen Ruohan’s rule, and would rather die off sooner rather than later, the inevitable.
Wen Chao didn’t want to enter this untouched piece of land, so bright and free and alive. He would taint it with only his name, cause it to die under his touch. But it is Wen Ruohan that wills it, and it is impossible to defy.
He was on a platform, dressed with finery and lace and jewellery meant for a king. The Wen Sect wasted no money in making sure they were the most splendid there. The material itched at his skin. He was sat on a soft seat, tucked into a glossy table. Wen Lingjiao placed vibrant fruit and steaming tea before him while batting her eyelashes, but Wen Chao only stared at the food blankly.
He knew the other sects were staring up at him, probably seething. Those were the people he had seen and met in the Cloud Recesses, who he had befriended and talked to, who he had eased the hearts of when met with the Wen Sect’s abuse. But they know of the minor sects’ demise, had heard of the burning of the Cloud Recesses. To them, Wen Chao was no better than even Wen Ruohan. Just another Wen. He was afraid to glance up, to meet their burning glares attempting to wither him into dust. Most of all, he was afraid to meet Wei Wuxian’s gaze.
He had no friends here. There was no Wen Ning or Wen Qing, only his father’s men, loyal to him and only him. He was being recorded, observed, reported on. He knew it with every fiber of his being, setting his nerves on edge for he knew if he made one mistake, his father would know. He would know and he would decide Wen Chao was a weakness, and weaknesses were not allowed.
The Wen Sect members stared at him. Wen Zhuliu's eyes were like a branding iron on his back. Even Wen Lingjiao, who was only there because she was dismissed from her mistress, who had no fighting ability whatsoever, had her own goal with this and would leave Wen Chao in the dirt if she felt like it. No one had loyalty towards him.
He wondered if Wei Wuxian would still stick by him if it came down to it.
An old man came forward, grey hair, low cultivation. “Hand over your swords,” He ordered the sects. Mass outrage spread like a wildfire.
“What?” Wen Chao slowly rose out of his seat, confused. How were they to fight without their swords? Besides, a sword was a source of pride for a cultivator. Not many would hand them over willingly, friend or foe.
The older disciple turned back to him, his hands waving down Wen Chao as if he were a child, attempting to calm down a tantrum. Perhaps he was, in their eyes. He had never taken the initiative to converse with members of his own sect, excluding Wen Qing and Wen Ning. “Second Young Master, please sit, sit. Let us servants take care of this, no need to bother yourself with them.” Wen Lingjiao grabbed his arm, attempting to sit him down as well.
A Qinghe Nie disciple complained. Wen Zhuliu readied himself. Wen Chao tore himself out of Wen Lingjiao’s grip and yelled.
“Wen Zhuliu, stop!” The man halted a hair’s breadth away from the frightened disciple, his hand crackling with the power burning in it, itching to melt anything away. “All of you, stop! These are guest disciples and they deserve to be treated with respect, not like prisoners.”
“But, Second Young Master-” The old man began.
“I’m the highest ranked here. That means you follow my words only; now stop with this nonsense and obey.” They were watching, staring, judging, but Wen Chao didn’t care. They could judge him as they wished and report him to Wen Ruohan, but he would not allow a life to be ruined because the boy spoke out against something unreasonable. Not even Wen Ruohan’s ire could stop him from this kindness Wei Wuxian had encouraged in him.
Obey they did, but Wen Chao never got a chance to speak with Wei Wuxian until they were out in the forest, searching for any resentful monster to beat. Everyone was spread out, mainly in groups of two or three, lazily poking at random bushes. No one had any motivation to do what they came there for, and the Wen disciples could do nothing about it as Wen Chao kept them in line, glaring at them when they attempted to harm anyone.
The one that he thought would cause the most danger was Wen Zhuliu, but he only stood around the edges, suspiciously peaceful. It set Wen Chao on edge and he made sure to keep one eye on Wen Zhuliu.
“A-Ying,” Wen Chao grasped Wei Wuxian’s wrist, pulling him towards him. Wei Wuxian laughed, bright and joyful.
“So eager to see me, ChaoChao?”
“Always.” Making sure the foliage safely hid them, Wen Chao leaned forward, catching Wei Wuxian by his lips. Wei Wuxian’s lips were soft but dry, and his body slotted with Wen Chao’s as if it was meant to be. The kiss was slow and chaste and perfect and Wen Chao never wanted it to end. It seemed to go on forever but ended after a few seconds. He wondered if he’d always have this breathlessness and if his heart would always be on the verge of a panic attack after he had kissed Wei Wuxian. Probably so, because the sight of Wei Wuxian caused spectacular things for him.
“I’m sorry,” Wen Chao said after they had separated, at least by the lips. Wen Chao’s arms were still around Wei Wuxian’s waist, grounding him in the moment. Even then, at the worst time to have them, dirty thoughts ran rampant in Wen Chao’s mind. Stop it , he ordered his mind. No , his brain responded, look at those lips . His eyes immediately drifted to his lips: cherry red and ripe for the taking. He wanted to kiss him again.
Wei Wuxian interrupted his train of thought. “Sorry? What for?”
“For this. For my sect’s behaviour. For everything .”
Wei Wuxian laughed at him with that perfect giggle of his, sunny and happy and buzzing with energy. “You have nothing to be sorry for; you do not control every individual’s actions from your sect. You should not be held accountable.”
Wen Chao could think up a thousand protests to that. He wondered if Wei Wuxian had even heard of the attack of the Cloud Recesses yet, if he would still say the same after, still look at Wen Chao with that gentle gaze he did not deserve yet greedily gobbled up. Wen Chao’s letter hadn’t been specific, just a ramble of apologies that could be interpreted as both everything and nothing at once. Wei Wuxian could be holding his blood-stained hands, ignorant.
He didn’t want to think of it. For the time being, Wei Wuxian would be having none of it. Instead, Wen Chao leaned forward, resting his forehead against Wei Wuxian’s shoulder despite the uncomfortable angle it put his neck at. There were arms around his neck, safely securing him, and a kiss on his head. It was so easy to fall into Wei Wuxian’s embrace and forget about the world.
The world, though, did not want to be forgotten.
“Second Master Wen!” Wen Lingjiao’s voice was irritatingly sweet.
“Ah,” Wei Wuxian said, with that teasing lilt of his voice that he got whenever he was thinking of something mischievous. “An admirer?” Wen Chao groaned both in confirmation and in pain of having such a person as Wen Lingjiao near him. “You have to give it to her,” Wei Wuxian peaked around the bush, where Wen Lingjiao was turning her head left to right to find Wen Chao, like a mouse scuttling about to find some food. “She’s quite stubborn.”
Wen Chao pouted and turned Wei Wuxian’s head back to him, missing his attention. Wei Wuxian giggled and gave him a peck in apology. He gathered Wei Wuxian up in a hug.
“I want you,” He mumbled into Wei Wuxian’s hair.
“You already have me,” Wei Wuxian laughed again, bright and fantastic and beautiful. Nothing could fully capture the beauty of Wei Wuxian’s laugh and smile; not even the heavens would fully be able to encapsulate Wei Wuxian as a whole. He was something otherworldly.
“If he really loved you, Wen Chao, he would marry you.” Wen Xu’s voice rang in his ears, taunting him, baiting him. He almost spoke the words, whispered into Wei Wuxian’s ears as if it were a forbidden secret, but his fear stopped him before they slipped past his lips.
Wen Chao had first caught sight of him when he was thirteen, Wei Wuxian twelve. He was fourteen when they properly met, and had five months of conversing in letters before they stopped. He was sixteen when he went to the Cloud Recesses, where they talked and played and kissed. He was seventeen now. That’s five years of Wen Chao knowing Wei Wuxian, with Wei Wuxian only knowing him for four, and less than a year of time being close enough to kiss.
Was that enough time to get to know someone properly enough to marry? People had married with less time - had married with barely any time at all, sometimes meeting them on the same day even. Wen Chao was beyond ready to marry Wei Wuxian and been so the day he met him, and would be incredibly happy for the rest of his life if he could do so. He didn’t think Wei Wuxian would be so sure, though. The concept of marrying had probably never even crossed his mind.
“What’s wrong?” Wei Wuxian asked, as if sensing his inner turmoil. Instead of answering, he kissed him once again, winding an arm around his waist to bring him even closer. “Mmf - Wen Chao, someone will-” Wen Chao kissed the complaints out of him. Yes, as long as he had this, he was fine, no matter Wen Xu’s words, he could protect him. His hands sank down to Wei Wuxian’s bottom. Finally. Even better.
A gasp is what shocked them out of their embrace, jumping away from each other as if they had been caught committing a treacherous act. In a way, they were. He had thought everyone had gone ahead, that the area had been cleared and reported clean of any monsters, yet it appears there were some wanderers.
It was a Lanling Jin girl, with red cheeks and wide eyes. She didn’t look disgusted, at least. Surprised, yes; mortified, perhaps; afraid, definitely. The fear was hidden under a layer of nonchalance, but Wen Chao has seen the signs enough to recognise it even hidden under a mask. She hardly even noticed Wei Wuxian; it was Wen Chao, who she was afraid of. Perhaps she was even thinking badly of Wei Wuxian now, having an affair with the supposed enemy.
Wei Wuxian’s hand clung on to his sleeve, as if he too, were afraid of Wen Chao doing something in retaliation. But no, Wei Wuxian thought better of him. The touch was a show of support. There was no jumping away from their relationship.
“Ah, my, my. Were you hoping for a show?” The girl’s cheeks burst into an explosion of red as Wei Wuxian pulled Wen Chao closer to him by the chest of his robes, a devilish smirk having overtaken his face. He was absolutely shameless, and Wen Chao loved him for it. “Ah, I think I heard your group before. MianMian, was it?” The amused lightness in his chance turned sour. He didn’t like it when Wei Wuxian paid attention to other people, especially girls. His jealousy was an ugly thing.
It made him want to have a tantrum and ruin something all at once. Ruin the ground, the trees, the girl who Wei Wuxian brought his attention to, everything. He was better than that, now, he reassured himself. Wei Wuxian deserved better than that.
Despite her fear and obvious embarrassment, the girl’s cheeks puffed up in anger, her stance straightening. “What right do you have to call me so familiarly without first introducing yourself?”
Wen Chao knew what was going to happen before Wei Wuxian had even opened his mouth. He could tell by the quirk of his lips, the mischievous gleam in his eyes, and could practically his brain working faster than any other normal human being's could have. “Of course, my name is Yuandao.”
Wen Chao could take it no longer. “A-Ying, stop teasing. Apologies, this here is Wei Wuxian of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, and I am Wen Chao of the Wen Sect.” He didn’t speak it proudly. “I hope you can...forget what you just saw. We merely had a reunion.”
“Quite a reunion,” MianMian said, her cheeks still stained pink.
“Jealousy is unbecoming, ChaoChao.” Wei Wuxian winked at him, his hands curling around his arm, hanging off him like a lovesick maiden. Wen Chao had absolutely no problems with it, his chest stuffing up with warm emotions until he felt like he would overflow. God, he wanted to marry this man. “And anyway, there is no reason to just forget. You should cherish these memories! After all, things like these are only portrayed in porn books, it's better to see it live!”
Sometimes, Wen Chao wished he knew Gusu’s silencing spell, and even felt compelled to ask Lan WangJi for it. Who else would speak such things in front of a maiden other than Wei Wuxian?
He still loved him for it.
With that, Wei Wuxian pecked him on the cheek and promptly left, skipping over to the group. After sighing at his back for a couple of moments like a besotted fool, Wen Chao turned back to MianMian, who was definitely judging him. Resisting the urge to just awkwardly walk away, Wen Chao bowed in apology to her.
“I am sorry for his words, he means no disrespect.”
If anything, MianMian judged him further. “It is rare to see a Wen disciple so respectful.” And then, as her brain caught up with her words: “Ah, I mean-”
“It’s alright,” Wen Chao said even before she finished. He bid his goodbye, slowly slithering away from the conversation, having not been able to endure it any further. It likely would have progressed into more apologies about speaking against the great Wen Sect, who had, admittedly, recently been crushing small sects one by one. It was a threat to what would come.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Wei Wuxian returning to the company of Jiang Cheng, who greeted him with his usual ire. Sighing, he returned to the men of his own sect, each and every one of them clamouring for his attention. They chatted about the low-level beasts that had been defeated, the plants and herbs found, the states of the other sects. Wen Zhuliu, as always, loomed in the shadows like a vengeful spirit, silent but deadly.
Already bored and missing his presence, Wen Chao discretely watched Wei Wuxian. He watched as he laughed at Jiang Cheng’s expense, spilling out of his mouth as beautiful music. He watched as the wind caressed his curls, how he tucked stray hairs around his ears. He watched as Nie Huaisang skittered over to the both of them, cautiously approaching with a fan in his hand, the latest information at his lips. He watched as Wei Wuxian’s lips were slowly pulled down into a frown.
He knew the exact moment where Wei Wuxian’s brain connected all the dots. Where the letter, Wen Chao’s hasty apologies, previously abandoned as nonsense, became prominent in his mind. Where the attack on the Cloud Recesses was acted out like a play.
That exact moment was when Wei Wuxian glanced back at Wen Chao, his expression unnameable.
Wen Chao’s heart dropped to his feet.
The remainder of the hunt Wen Chao spent in constant dread. They did not get any chances between them to talk, his own sect members being leeches unwilling to part. Yet, Wei Wuxian did not look his way. He remembered Wei Wuxian’s past words, where he should not be held responsible for other’s actions, and wanted to shove them back in Wei Wuxian’s face to see whether he still believed the words. Or, perhaps, it was his own fault. He should have been more clearer in his letter, and explain everything that had happened rather than blathering on about nonsense.
What’s done was done, and Wen Chao could now only focus on keeping Wei Wuxian on his side. If not...he didn’t know what he would do. He would like to say he would wish him happiness, but Wen Chao’s own character refused it now that it was a real possibility. He was a dragon, hoarding the treasure. He would not let it go.
Much to Wen Chao’s relief, the cave entrance housing the creature was soon found. What creature it was exactly, he didn’t know. He only hoped it was a swift kill, if only to escape from the headache lunging at him. He wished he could just push his own sect members down the hole and be done with it, ridding himself of the constant chittering.
The old man who seemed to want to take charge was at it again. “All of you, down there!” He ordered, pointing down the small dark hole, the space inside barely discernible. He spotted Jin Zixuan, puffing up his chest like a peacock which Wei Wuxian often compared him to, clearly angry at being ordered around like dogs. Wen Chao approached before it could escalate any further, casting the old man a scathing look.
“Nonsense, the Wen Sect will lead. It is our hunt, after all.” Wen Chao said, leaving no room for arguments. Without further ado, he jumped into the hole, casting himself into darkness. With only some reluctance, his sect members followed him, stumbling after him as he baited them further into the cave without waiting for the other sects.
The cave ended at a large lake, at what must have been hundreds of feet below ground. It faintly stunk, and even with the torches, it was difficult to see.
“We need to lure the creature out,” Wen Chao said, having seen no visible signs of any creatures in the cave. There were no other places the creature Wen Ruohan talked about could be; they must have checked the whole mountain by now. He turned to the group. He could faintly see Wen Zhuliu, standing at the very back of the group, emotionless as always. He reminded him of Wen Xu with his constant staring. Always, always staring. He didn't want to think of him now.
“Second Young Master Wen,” Wang Lingjiao’s sickly sweet voice cooed, like a crow pretending to be a songbird.
“ What? ” Wen Chao stressed, sick and done with Wang Lingjiao’s attention upon him.
“How about we pick her to sacrifice?” Her iron brand pointed to MianMian, a disgusted sneer upon her painted lips. MianMian stepped back in fear, her hands clutching at her skirt. The girl hurriedly hid behind anyone who would help her, ending behind Lan WangJi and Jin Zixuan. Wang Lingjiao must have been jealous of MianMian’s delicate beauty, though the most beautiful there was definitely Wei Wuxian. Wang Lingjiao must be blind.
“No.” Wen Chao’s voice was cruel and harsh, making the statement final. “We are not sacrificing anybody.”
“Young Master,” The old man returned once again. “The creature needs to be caught on Sect Leader Wen’s orders.”
“I know.” Wen Chao waved him away.
“We are here on Sect Leader Wen’s orders, that is.” Something in the tone of his voice made Wen Chao turn to face him, some amount of fear making his chest heavy. “The Sect Leader ordered us to watch over you and, if necessary, take action. Your actions have been deemed to be irresponsible as a Wen Sect heir, with your constant protection of the other sects. Hence, it will be reported to the Sect Leader immediately. We will take over from here.” Wen Chao didn't even have time to splutter. The man, suddenly looking much younger than before, turned to the back of the group. “Wen Zhuliu.” He said.
Wen Zhuliu stepped forward, his hand crackling with power.
Everyone held their breath in fear. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Wen Zhuliu’s blow. Yet, it seemed, they were all doomed. Even Wen Chao.
Suddenly, there was a scream, a sound of hot metal meeting flesh, a groan. Wen Chao spun around, his brain almost unable to keep up with everything that was happening, rushing from one thing to the next. There was MianMian, her arms raised to cover her face. Wang Lingjiao, iron brand ready and sizzling on unprotected flesh. And Wei Wuxian, protecting MianMian, always the saviour.
Wen Chao immediately saw red. “How dare you.” He seethed, his sword appearing in his hand as he approached Wang Lingjiao who was cowering away, suddenly looking both frightened and confused at the turn of events. His sword felt light in his hand, eager for blood and death.
The only thing that saved Wang Lingjiao from Wen Chao tearing her up piece by piece was the unexpected shaking of the ground, as if a horde of rhinos were trampling above them. An earthquake, his mind arrived at. But no, a landslide would not be what killed them. The lake rippled and split, like a black hole opening up to unimagined horrors, a giant shell advancing, rising above water.
It was the creature, and it’s feast was before it.
There were screams, but the majority stayed calm. The best of the generation were present in the cave, armed with swords and their cultivation. Without the swords it would be a different matter entirely, and Wen Chao thanked his foreknowledge to defend them. All was not in vain, after all.
Until, however, he saw his fellow sect members racing towards the entrance of the cave, desperately trying to get there before anyone else, unwilling to be stuck behind with the monster. Wen Chao knew their intentions before he even had to think: they would be leaving them all behind, cutting the vines behind them and blocking up the hole so they had no way out. It was what he would do, if he had stayed like them. If Wei Wuxian was not in his life.
Others, too, had recognised what the Wen Sect members were attempting to do. Wen Chao shared a glance with Wei Wuxian, and nothing else needed to be said. They all raced forward, aiming to be the first to reach the entrance.
Wen Chao thanked himself once again for leading the Wen Sect members first into the cave, resulting in them being behind. Like Wang Lingjiao, many of them had weak spiritual abilities and were unable to ride a sword, relying on strong spiritual weapons in order to get by. All others, however, zoomed past on their swords, flying up the hole with a certain ease. The Wen Sect members who had the ability to ride a sword were cut down, useless against the best of their generation, their cultivation simply not on par. Needless to say, the Wen Sect members were quickly left behind in the hole.
“Cut the vines! Cut the vines!” A Lan Sect member ordered, with several others being all too eager to do so.
“Wait!” Wen Chao shouted, yet he seemed to go unheard as the vines limply fell down into the hole, landing with a dull thump. Others had pushed over some rocks, successfully sealing the hole, locking both the Wen members and Wen Chao’s hope with it. “What are you doing!?”
“They would have done the same to us!” The Lan Sect member defended. It was the undeniable truth.
“Well, you aren’t them, are you?” Wen Chao shot back. Those who aided went quiet, knowing at least some shame. A fury burned inside of him, like the sun his Sect was so popular for. He was torn. Those were his Sect members that were trapped within that cave that they just sealed up, people who he was supposed to protect. He had failed them. Worse, he had been one of the people who kept them in that cave. He had sent them to their deaths.
“ChaoChao!” The childish nickname brought him back to the present. He looked up and found Wei Wuxian’s silver eyes staring back at him, concerned and panicked, his expression desperate.
“A-Ying,” He croaked. He glanced down and saw the blood congealing on Wei Wuxian’s robes. “Are-are you okay?”
“Nevermind about that, how about you?” Wen Chao could not focus on the question, however, with an injured Wei Wuxian in front of him. His eyes were glued to the wound, unable to look away. It was an ugly, red thing; a burn that would be permanently left on Wei Wuxian’s smooth unmarred skin. A wound that his own Sect had left on there. Secretly, horribly, he was glad that Wang Lingjiao was left in there for the crime of harming Wei Wuxian alone.
“It’ll…” He trailed off, his hand rising to touch the wound. He stopped a breath away, his hand quivering. Wei Wuxian’s hands caught his, squeezing.
“It’s okay,” Wei Wuxian assured him. “It reminds me of you.” Wen Chao did not know whether he loved or loathed that. He nodded instead of answering, looking towards the sealed hole once again. Everyone was either chattering away about the giant tortoise, or staring at Wen Chao with fear and uncertainty combined. They had no care for the Wen Sect members left behind.
“Oh God,” He cursed, sunk down on his knees, cursed some more. There was a pressure in his chest, threatening to expand. His breaths were coming in short bursts. “What am I going to do? Father will kill me.”
“I-I don’t know.” Wei Wuxian stumbled. He glanced towards Jiang Cheng, who stared at him with a small amount of fear. There was also concern hidden in there, hidden but visible. “You can come to Yunmeng Jiang,” Wei Wuxian offered up, ignoring the spluttering from Jiang Cheng, his tone lightly positive. “I’ve always wanted you to try shijie’s food.” He's always managed to find the light in a dark situation. Wen Chao's guiding star.
“That’s true.” Wen Chao gave him an exhausted smile. Wei Wuxian smiled back, small but present. It disappeared when Wen Chao shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. And I have to go back. I suppose, at least, there’s no witnesses to twist my words.” As soon as the words left his mouth, his stomach dropped, panic consuming him.
“Wait.” He said, twisting around to look every which way. Others stared at him, bewildered. “Where’s Wen Zhuliu?” He had been closer to the entrance than anybody in the cave, and disappeared after the monster emerged. There were no answers to his question, even as everyone glanced around, as if afraid the man would jump out of the bushes and steal their cores.
Wen Zhuliu wasn’t there; he was gone.
Wen Chao ran his hand through his hair, checked around one final time, and cursed.