Thread by @skullysinner

#xicheng 🔪

About like 2 or 3 months ago, my mind provided me with a kinda sad xicheng au where Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen were dating during their teenage years when JC went to the CR to study.

Time passed and they were still very much in love with each other but then the Sunshot Campaign and things changed practically when the War finished.

LXC started to spend more time with JGY to the point that he started to trust more and more that man, sometimes more than JC.

JC was getting worried and more sad bcs his world was crumbling more and more.

His sister went and married, leaving him; his shixiong also left him alone and now the man he loves started to leave him too.

In a sect conference, after being 'ignored' by LXC again, he decided to retire early and went to walk to the garden of the place, to calm his broken and lonely heart.

After few minutes of looking at the pond in front of him, a loud voice called him, startling him.

It was NMJ who also decided to leave the place because it was getting annoying and the only person who could have a good time was with someone who he disliked.

JC sighed and told him that he could relate to that.

After that, both started to drink from the wine that NMJ had brought and went on and talked about random stuff.

With the pass of the minutes the two saw that the two of them could relate on many things.

But more importantly, both have similar likes and bcs that, nmj invited jc to spend more time together the next day.

"we are going to be left alone anyways" nmj told him while shrugging and snorting jc accepted.

That day become the first time, but then it was repeated many times and their friendship grow.

One day jc was staying on the Unclean Realm after nmj invited him to train together and now it was at night with him on only his inner robes.

Suddenly his usual room where he usually gets to stay with the Nies is being open forcefully and lxc comes inside, furious.

Quickly nmj arrives to the place and gets surprised because he didn't expect his best friend and sworn brother to be there.

Lxc furiously starts questioning jc about why is he in the Unclean Realm, which jc doesn't back off from the mean tone that lxc was speaking to him.

His 'lover' (if they can call it like that anymore), went on and accused him of sleeping with nmj.

It seems that someone started to spread that rumor after they started to see them a lot of time together.

Nmj surprised by the claim tried to speak up but lxc put him on a silence spell, unable to so it.

JC was in shock and the heart that was broken now was hollow.

At that exact moment he felt like he already lost it all.

With empty eyes, he turned around and started to change, not even caring if both men were watching him.

Lxc started to calm down when he saw that something was wrong.

"A-Cheng?", he calls.

When jc finished to put on his robes, he turns around and looks at lxc as if he was an stranger.

"We are over." he takes Sandu from the place it was resting and starts to walk towards the door.

Lxc looks at the shocked but dejected face of nmj and now understood.

He was wrong and misunderstood. He tried to call jc again many times but only once stopped and turned around.

From the inside of his robes, just where his heart was, he took out the forehead ribbon that lxc gave him years ago when they were teenagers and finally gave it back.

Lxc tears started to fall when the ribbon touched his hand and his eyes tried to focus on the leaving back of jc but the tears didnt let him.

—

They don’t know how long the two men where standing in the hallway of the Nie’s residency.

“I ruined it…” Lan Xichen murmured, tears continuing to fall from his bloodshot red eyes, right hand with his headband grasping the front of his robes where his heart is hurting.

“I just lost my soulmate and is all my fault.” His voice continued to brake from all the pain that he was feeling in that exact moment. “I need to go an find him and apologize!”

He was going to start running but Nie Mingjue’s hand stopped him.

“NO. You are not!”, he growled at his friend. “You are not going anywhere until we finally talk; at this point I will also not care if because of that we lose our brotherhood and friendship, do you understand?!”

Lan Xichen slapped his hand away, glaring at him. “If I don’t hurry up he will be gone forever! I cannot live without him, I love Jiang Cheng, Da-ge!”

“You love him so much that you believed on those stupid rumors?”, Nie Mingjue crossed his arms, voice so serious that the Jade jumped. “So in love that after you got became friends with that fucking rat you stopped to talk to him almost completely?

So in love that in all the conferences, all meetings, nighthunts, or other moments where you two can spend time together from your busy schedule you went with Jin Guangyao and not with Jiang Wanyin?”

The man stood in shock by his oldest friend’s words.

He started to recall his last memories after the war and Nie Mingjue was not lying, he indeed spends a lot of time with his friend because he was asked to by him so Jin Guangshan could look at him more.

He did start to see it so normal that he couldn’t notice that he was creating a breach in his relationship with his lover.

“Tell me. Who was the fucking ass who told you that rumor?”

“… A-Yao.” Lan Xichen whispered, making the other snarl.
“Of-fucking-course it was that rat”

Nie Mingjue sighed in sadness.

“You know, I do like him.” The man said with sincerity and Lan Xichen looked at him in shock.

“What?”

“I do like Jiang Wanyin. Romantically.”

The sad face of Xichen was starting to turn red in fury before his open mouth could start to talk, the palm of the oldest Nie stopped him.

“But I never tried to make a move on him.”

Nie Mingjue began to walk towards his own room and his friend too that to follow him. When they arrives, Mingjue sat on his place and poured the now lukewarm tea on two teacups, one for him and one for his friend.

The Jade took notice of the sign and sat in front on his friend.

“My feelings for him started to grow after we began meeting more times. At first I found cute his contrasting attitude, but then the days and weeks passed and suddenly I was already in love with him.”

Both men looked at their still untouched teas.

“But I did know that even if he was hurting, even if he was feeling like he was abandoned and forgotten, he still loved you with all his heart.”, he said dejected and his lips turned into an small smile.

“Wanyin always kept your forehead ribbon in his heart, quite literally and only take it out when he was feeling alone; when he was feeling lost.

At times when we were speaking about or past and present; about our duties and our family, he unconsciously took it out and caressed it with his hands in a form of comfort, just as if you were with him at that moment.”

Nie Mingjue looked up at his friend and finally spoke the words that he wanted to say for a long time.

“Why should I let you try to apologize, to amend your relationship with him if you are going to end hurting him again?”

“…”

Silence reigned the room for long seconds but Lan Xichen broke it first.

He squared his shoulders and with resolution told his friend.

“I will not. I will not lose him and now I saw my wrongs; I will not fail him again.”

Nie Mingjue looked directly at his eyes to see how strong his resolve was and smirked.

“Then go and get that Tiger. You fail again and I will not back off again.”

Xichen nodded and finally stand up, leaving his friend's bedroom and home.

He needs to have a plan to get his love back and this time he will not fail.

—

—
It has been more than 2 weeks after his breakup with Lan Xichen and he still feels as empty and hollow as when he left the Unclean Realm.

Just recently he started to notice that everyone on his sect was getting worried about him and he could see why.

He has not eaten well or nothing since that day, he spends most of his time closed up with paperwork or working on the repairs of the parts where his sect still needs it, he hasn’t even shouted to anyone or threaten to break anyone’s legs.

A huge red-flag.

But at this point does it really matters? He doesn’t think so.

“Sect Leader Jiang, another letter came from the Cloud Recesses.”, his new right hand came inside his office.

“Burn it.”, he told him, not even looking at him.
“… Yes sir.”

The man closed the door behind him and went to burn the letter.

On the way to burn the letter, he meet with Yunmeng Jiang current main Spider.

“You are going to burn another one?”, the Spider asked him with a frown. The man nodded and she sighed.

“I am really worried about him. Not because he is our Sect Leader but because we are his friends” she tells him.

“I know… Lately everything has been really harsh for him, his family, friends and that idiot of Sect Leader Yao annoying him.”

The Spider made an ugly face. “That ugly bastard is disgusting. I feel like lowkey he is trying to court our leader so he can step up here.”

“Agreed.”

“S-sir, miss!” A young disciple suddenly run towards them.

“What is it” she answered.

“Sect Leader Lan is on front of Lotus Pier.”

The two looked at each other and went towards the entrance, knowing that his could end good or bad.

“Don’t tell Sect Leader Jiang yet, we will announce it to him if we see is necessary”, the right hand told the boy. “Lets go”

Both Spider and right hand went together to speak some words to that man that dared to hurt their leader.

—

“Sect Leader Lan, how can we help you.”

In front of them, Lan Xichen was standing with a serious face. Behind him was multiple Lan disciples carrying many items.

“I came to see Sect Leader Jiang. Please let me come in.”, he said determined.

“Is Zewu-Jun here with an official matter or a personal one.” The Spider asked him more crudely.

“Personal one.”

“The please leave, Zewu-Jun, I doubt our Leader wants to see you at the moment.”

“Very well.” he says, but suddenly runs between them, surprising all the Lan and Jiang disciples on the way.

All the Jiang disciples tried to stop the man with white clothes but he was faster than them.

Without they know it the man has already entered to their leader’s office and sealed it with his cultivation.

Multiple voices resounded outside the door but Lan Xichen then put on another seal to eliminate the exterior sound.

“Why are you here, Zewu-Jun”, Jiang Cheng asked, eyes and hands not stopping from his paperwork.

“A-Cheng...”

“As far I am concerned we have no sect matters right now.” He said emotionless.

“A-Cheng, have you read any of my letters?”, Lan Xichen asked him with a downcast look

“All Lan letters that are not of official matters have been discarded and burned without exception.”

The Jade felt his lip tremble and eyes start to water, but he didn’t let them continue. Not now; is not the time.

“Very well, then I will tell you what it contained.”

Not even a second later, Jiang Cheng heard on front of him a *thud* sound, surprising him. He looked towards the sound and found that Lan Xichen got on his knees and pressed his forehead on the wooden floor.

“Wha-!”

“I AM SORRY.” The Lan shouted but continued lowly.

“I am sorry A-Cheng, I was dumb and blind and that only caused to hurt you”

Jiang Cheng was in shock, he has never seen Lan Xichen on his knees.

“My heart, my love... please listen to what I have to say; if you don’t want to speak to me anymore afterward then i will understand”

Lan Xichen took a deep breath to hold up the sob that wanted to come out

“I know what I did was wrong.

The bows that I made that time back when we started i broke them.”

Jiang Cheng looked down

“I promised you that I would never let you down. I promised you all my attention.

“I promised you that I would trust you with all my heart and that I would protect you for pain... All those bows I have broken them because of my insecurities and own weaknesses.”

Finally the man couldn’t stop his crying and a huge sob resounded on the quiet room.

“I, I let you get hurt, and just because I tried to help a friend who helped me back then.

Is not an escuse but is the truth and I regret that it made me stop looking where I should’ve.”

Jiang Cheng looked at the man in front of him and for the first time his hollow heart started to feel again, and once again was pain, but now for the prideful and bright man that he still continues to love.

Now that he is looking at him closely, Lan Xichen doesn’t look good.

His whole aura transmitted pain and desolation. He and sounds as broken as he feels.

“... Lan Huan.”, he says softly.

But that only makes the man cry harder; arms in front of his face that are still on the wooden floor.

Jiang Cheng bite his bottom lip and finally kneels in front of the man he so adores.

His hand touches the cheek of the man who is still crying.

“Lan Huan, please look at me.”

Finally, the man looks up and Jiang Cheng felt his heart once again shatter by how broken the other is.

‘It seems I am not the only one with a hollow heart right now.’ Jiang Cheng tought to himself.

“I love you, A-Cheng. I really do, please, PLEASE Forgive me.”

“Do you promise to not hurt me again.”, Jiang Cheng asks him slowly.

“Yes.”

“To be with me?”

“Yes.”

“To give me your whole attention?”

“Yes.”

“To love me?”

“Forever.”

He sighs and caress that wet cheek that his hand is holding and nods.

Lan Xichen open his amber eyes enourmously and finally jumps his soulmate, stealing that kiss that he was dying to give the other on those weeks that he wasn’t been able to be with him.

Jiang Cheng corresponds the kiss with the same fervor and finally his eyes start to cry.

After sharing multiple salty but at the same time sweet kisses, Lan Xichen places his forehead on his once again lover and looks him directly into his eyes.

“Marry me... no, let me marry you.” Lan Xichen ask him finally.

“What?”, Jiang Cheng asks surprised.

“I want to be yours forever, A-Cheng.” He whispers. “Would you let me?”

Jiang Cheng look directly at his eyes and finally after a long time he smiles.

“Only if I get to be yours forever too.”

Lan Xichen beams at him and steals another kiss from Jiang Cheng.

They are going to be each other’s heart from now on and forever.

—

“I am glad that you both finally work it out.”

Nie Mingjue was looking at his friend that was dressing himself in red clothes; his wedding clothes.

“I feel like in a dream Da-ge.” Lan Xichen beams at him.

“Well you are not, that is for sure.” He smiles cockishly at his best friend.

The Nie leader might have lost a love, but he didn’t felt bad about it because he knows that it wasn’t his place. As his friend told him; those two are soulmates and they deserved each other.

The man went up to towards his friend smacked loudly his back, making the other give a low groan of pain but smiled at him anyways.

“Hurry up, the bride must be already waiting for you sappy idiot.”

Lan Xichen’s eyes shined at the thought of looking at his future wife.

He hurried up and went where the ceremony is going to happen.

A few minutes later he saw the cart where Jiang Cheng was and finally arrived in front of him.

He extended his hand and his love’s grasped it tightly. Veil covering his face.

After their bows they went to their wedding room and he finally was able to remove the fabric that was covering his beloved’s face.

When he did he cried once again and kissed Jiang Cheng on his red lips

“Husband.”

“Wife”

They looked each other’s eyes, both with unfallen tears

And once again they sealed their lips; as sweet and tender as they did it for the first time below the magnolia tree.

Now nothing will broke them apart.

-End-

Extra notes:

-Yes JGY is still NMJ/LXC’s sworn brother, but his relevance gets less and less as LXC only has eyes of his new wife.
-JGY was extremely jealous of JC because he had the attention of LXC and then of NMJ, that is why he created those rumors. He wanted JC to be alone.

-After some point during their marriage, LXC gets frustrated for being so many time away from his wife that he gives up his position as sect leader to LWJ and continues to live his life on Lotus Pier as the husband of the Sect Leader.

-Suprisingly, LQR accepts it and even scolds him for not doing it before. He knew that he had an excellent wife and that he was in pain. After all his brother drama, he wished for his nephew’s happiness.

-WWX created a new sect with the surviving Wens. Him and JC still haven’t resolved their friendship.
-LXC and JC ends adopting an orphan Jingyi and becomes the next heir of Yunmeng Jiang.

-NMJ becomes the favorite uncle of the energetic Jingyi and he always brings him chicken (that he personally selects and butcher) when he visits.
-JL loves to visit LP everytimes and even if he or Jingyi doesn’t accept it, they become best friends -tho they still fight a lot-

-Wangxian happens, even if LQR almost gets a heart attack and WWX gives his position to WQ.
-Wangxian end adopting other orphans with the time and form a family in the CR.
-Wen Yuan is the heir of the new sect that WWX creates and he also becomes bffs with the other 3 juniors.