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Jin Zixuan isn’t lurking. Definitely not. He is the heir of the Jin Clan. He doesn’t lurk, or sulk, or avoid, or hide, or any of the other things he is definitely NOT doing.
…He just wants to find somewhere quiet and dark …where he can think …in peace.
Yeah! That’s it! He’s just trying think in peace, that’s all.
Really.
Obviously he can’t stick around the Jin area of the abandoned manor the alliance has taken over since then some might come along and talk to him about …things and it’s not like he would mind talking about …things but well that would interrupt his thinking time! Obviously he also can’t be seen around the Jiang area of the manor for …reasons. And not the common areas either because …reasons ok!!
He has his reasons!!
Good respectable reasons!!
…That don’t have anything to do with lurking around an abandoned courtyard loosely claimed by the Lan clan so that he can regret every single life choice that led to him being no longer engaged to Jiang Yanli…
Yeah that’s definitely not what he’s doing.
And it’s definitely not what he’s been doing every night for last four days since… Well…
Jin Zixuan puts a hand to his cheek where he can still feel a slight ache where Wei Wuxian hit him. He can’t even find it in himself to be mad at the man, not when he, maybe kind of, sort of …deserved it.
The things he said about Jiang Yanli, Jiang Yanli who he may have sort of kind of completely misjudged, who has apparently been looking after him from the shadows, making him special home cooked meals even after he made it clear he wasn't interested in her years ago, who's been doing it all without ever expecting so much as a thank you in return, who might just actually be one of the kindest people in the world and he...
The sound a door opening nearby catches Jin Zixuan by surprise and he sinks back into the shadows where there's less chance he'll be seen ...not that he's hiding from people or anything. He just doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. Which is a totally normal thing that definitely doesn't having anything to do with Jiang Yanli!
"Thank you for listening to me."
The sound of her voice cuts across the abandoned courtyard as though Jin Zixuan's very thoughts have summoned her and he starts, peering through the dimness. No that's definitely her. But what is Jiang Yanli doing coming out of a room in the part of the abandoned manor currently housing the Lan sect?? He peers closer, trying to see who she's talking to and his eyes widen because wait isn't that Lan Wangji??? What was Jiang Yanli doing coming out of Lan Wangji's bedroom?? What...
"When it comes to matters of love I think it is best to be clear so that nothing can be misunderstood."
Lan Wangji inclines his head and Jiang Yanli returns the gestures before turning and walking away.
What the... What fuck??? What the.... WHAT
Jin Zixuan states after her unable to form a coherent thought because WHAT!??? Did... Did she just.... No. No no. NO. This... This CANT be happening. There's no way that... Jiang Yanli and Lan Wangji????? That's... That's....
It's not that he believes they were ...doing anything in there. They're both far too honorable to do anything without an officially betrothal he's sure but but BUT ...She said love.
She actually said the word. Love. She said the word love TO LAN WANGJI.
This... This can't be happening. He has to find a way to make it not happen. ...How did this even happen??? Was she so hurt by him that she went to Lan Wangji for comfort?? But why Lan Wangji of all people?? Unless he'd already been expressing an interest in her? And then Jin Zixuan's fuck up with the soup drove her right into his arms??? No, no, no. This isn't... That's... He needs to do something about this!! He needs to fix this before she and Lan Wangji... He needs to talk to her and... and... Fuck how does he even talk to her now???
...He's not sure. He needs time to figure out!! But with Lan Wangji in the picture he doesn't /have/ time, not anymore. He needs to find a way to talk to her. He does!!
***
It's with that thought in mind that he approaches her the next day in the dining hall but Wei Wuxian is with her the look the other man gives him suggests that he's trying figure out just how long it would take for his corpse army to tear Jin Zixuan into little pieces and well Jin Zixuan isn't scared of Wei Wuxian, definitely not, but he also isn't stupid. He knows how close the bond between the Jiang siblings is. He knows that getting into yet another fight with Wei Wuxian in front of her is going to do nothing to endear him to Jiang Yanli and so he backs away in what is defiantly not a retreat.
He needs to come up with a new plan. He needs to come up with a way of getting Lan Wangji to back off while he comes up with a new plan. He needs to find a way to convince Jiang Yanli that Lan Wangji isn't good enough for her ...Even though he's the second most hansom cultivator of their generation, one rank above Jin Zixuan himself. ...And the current heir to the Lan Sect after his brother ...And a war hero and... FUCKKK
There's got to be something bad about Lan Wangji, something he can use to by himself time to catch her without her brothers around, something....
Her brothers!!!
Inspiration strikes like lightning. Of corse! Wei Wuxian HATES Lan Wangji. Everyone in the alliance knows it! If he knew his sister was being courted by Lan Wangji well then he'd defiantly get into it with Lan Wangji, force him to back off. And ok sure it's not like Wei Wuxian or anyone else gets to tell Jiang Yanli who to fall for but surely seeing Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian fighting would make Jiang Yanli less likely to fall for him right?? or something?? Maybe it'll even make him look better in comparison?? ...ok it's not the most moral of plans. He gets that. He does. But... Look he just needs time and this... This can work!!
It's with that thought that he knocks on the door of Wei Wuxian's bedroom door that night. He wants this to be a privet conversation. He needs to tell Wei Wuxian about Jiang Yanli going to Lan Wangji's room after all and he doesn't want gossip about that getting out. The glow of lighting talismans shines under the door so Wei Wuxian is defiantly awake and inside yet when Jin Zixuan knocks there's no sound from inside. Nothing. Annoyed Jin Zixuan knocks again. Then he waits for a few moments. Still nothing. He raises his fist to knock yet again Only to have the door jerk open without any sound of anyone approaching it. There must have been a silencing talisman on the inside of it he realizes as he blinks in surprise then quickly lowers his hand so it doesn't look like he's about to punch Wei Wuxian in the face.
Wei Wuxian blinks back. He's standing with the door pulled open only just enough to be able to look out. He's bare to the waist, his upper body sweat streaked and covered in small bruises of a sort Jin Zixuan can't immediately identify. Has Jin Zixuan caught him in the middle of treating his injuries or something?
Wei Wuxian gets over his surprise first, his eyes narrowing. "Peacock?"
Jin Zixuan opens his mouth to snap at Wei Wuxian, remembers why he's here, and forcibly closes it again, gritting his teeth as he makes himself swallow the insult and incline his head in greeting. "Wei Wuxian. May I speak with you?"
"Nope." Wei Wuxian tells him and actually makes to shut the door in his face. What the hell???
Quickly Jin Zixuan grabs the edge of the door, holding it open. "It won't take long.”
"I'm busy."
Wei Wuxian looks as though he's considering crushing Jin Zixuan's fingers in the door jam.
"It's about Ms. Jiang!" Jin Zixuan blurts the words out and Wei Wuxian stills, his eyes going hard.
"What about my Shijie?"
"It's... Sensitive. May I come inside?"
"Why?" Wei Wuxian's voice is as hard as his eyes. "Done insulting her in person? Do you want to insult her in privet now too?"
"What? No! of course not!" And then, maybe because he wants to shock Wei Wuxian into listening to him and maybe just because that look has him a little rattled and he wants to see it directed at someone other than him he adds, "I want to speak to you about her and Lan Wangji."
"What about Shijie and Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian doesn't sound like he likes Jin Zixuan any more than he did a minute before but he does sound puzzled and that's progress at least. Jin Zixuan takes a breath then lowers his voice and asks, "Are you aware that they are courting?"
For a moment Wei Wuxian just stares at Jin Zixuan, and then, to his utter surprised the other man burst out laughing. "What? What the...??"
"It's true!"
Wei Wuxian glances behind himself into his room.
"Lan Zhan, hey Lan Zhan, are you secretly courting Shijie?"
"I am not." The door is pulled farther open and Jin Zixuan goggles because now standing behind Wei Wuxian and also dressed in nothing but his pants is ...Lan Wangji??? What the hell is he doing here??? In Wei Wuxian's room??? Stripped down to his pants??? Also covered in sweat??? With a silencing talisman on the door??? What... OH
Sudden understanding strikes Jin Zixuan like lightning from above. They were sparing!!
Of course!! It all makes sense now! Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were always about evenly matched back when they were all students together doing their time at the Cloud Reassess and even if they hate each other they've always been competitive and training is important during a war so of course they'd still be training together but not wanting to keep the camp up at night with the noise of clashing swords they chose train inside with a silencing talisman on the door. They must have been in the middle of a bout when Jin Zixuan knocked, hence the sweat and Wei Wuxian's attempt to get rid of him.
It all makes perfect sense!!
Jin Zixuan is distinctly annoyed. It never occurred to him that Lan Wangji would be here so he hadn't planned this as a confrontation, still, now that that's what it's become there's no way in hell he's going to back down.
"Isn't lying against the Lan Precepts?"
Lan Wangji's eyes narrow ever so slightly. "I am not lying."
"Yes you are!" Jin Zixuan snaps. "I saw the two of you coming out of your bedroom just last night! Are you going to pretend she wasn't in there!?"
Lan Wangji says nothing. "See!" Jin Zixuan points at him in triumph. "He can't deny it!"
"Hold on." Wei Wuxian's eyes narrow again and for a moment Jin Zixuan feels smug but then the man rounds that gaze on him and demands, "Are you trying to imply something about my Shijie?"
Jin Zixuan's eyes widen and he quickly shakes his head. "What!? No! No! I know both she and Hanguang-Jun are too honorable to do anything without a formal engagement!" Wei Wuxian's eyes stay hard but his lips quirk with something that looks strangely like amusement.
"Then what /exactly/ are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything! I'm /saying/ that I heard them talking and I know that they're secretly courting and at the very least he should have the decency not to lie about it!"
"I do not lie." Lan Wangji's voice is cool, as though Jin Zixuan is the one lying. The Nerve!!
"I heard you!! She was talking to you about love!!"
Lan Wangji goes very still.
"What?" Wei Wuxian stares between Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan.
"It's true!!" Jin Zixuan points accusingly at Lan Wangji "They're involved and if he's not more careful he'll damage her reputation and..."
Jin Zixuan stops abruptly as Wei Wuxian once again bursts out laughing, laughing so hard that he actually doubles over, leaning into the side of the door for support.
Jin Zixuan, highly offended, turns his pointing finger. on Wei Wuxian. "Why aren't you taking this seriously?? Do you really think that Lan Wangji's reputation is /so/ good that no one would ever suspect? Do you think he's incapable of ruining someone that way??"
For some reason this just makes Wei Wuxian laugh harder, tears of amusement running down his cheeks.
"WHAT!?" Jin Zixuan demands.
Wei Wuxian does his best to straighten up wiping at his eyes. "Apparently his reputation /is/ that good. What do you think we're /doing?/"
"Sparing, why?"
For some reason this sets Wei Wuxian off into convulsions of laughter again.
"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji sounds long suffering.
"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, he caught you in my room like this and he thinks we're sparing..." Another peal of completely unwarranted laughter.
"You weren't sparing?" Jin Zixuan asks, utterly lost.
"Peacock," Wei Wuxian straightens up again, this time leaning back against Lan Wangji, "Lan Zhan isn't trying to court Shijie, he's sleeping with me!"
...
.....
........WHAT-
Jin Zixuan stares at Wei Wuxian blankly for an uncomprehending moment. What is he talking about??
...Wei Wuxian is who is leaning against Lan Wangji ...who was in his bedroom ...at night ...mostly undressed ...covered in sweat ...with Wei Wuxian ...Who is is also mostly undressed ...and covered in sweat ...and bruises ...bruises that look a bit like...
Jin Zixuan's face goes bright red...
"W-what- That..." Had he just...
Had he just walked in on them... He stumbles backward, turns without another word, and runs, Wei Wuxian's laughter chasing him into the night.
His thoughts are a mess of embarrassed mortification but as the room and its occupants disappear behind him one thought manages to come clear. He /has/ to find a way to speak to Jiang Yanli soon because if she hears about this from her brother first he is /never/ going to live this down.