Remember who you belong to (Between a rock and a hard place 1)

Chapter 12

Jiang Cheng was suddenly woken up. He did not know why; he had been having the sweetest dreams and he did not want to leave them behind just yet. He had been feeling warm in his brother's arms after they had finished their third round that evening. He distantly remembered that this was not real, this was only a dream. Wei Ying had not been that tender with him nor did he seek Jiang Cheng out on his own. But still, a man was allowed to dream, was he not?

It was only that the universe had apparently decided that he was not allowed to finish his dream since someone had just thrown the door open as Jiang Cheng realized the next second when his sleepy mind finally caught up to the reality.

At once, Jiang Cheng felt two things.

He realized that he was very much naked and laying side by side with his brother who was still tied up to the bed. He knew he should probably feel embarrassed, or bothered, or fear a punishment for his actions. He understood that in the Cloud Recesses this kind of behaviour would most likely not go unpunished. Did Lans even make love? Was that not forbidden as well? But all he felt was a slight irritation that someone dared to come inside uninvited and ruined his perfect morning.

His irritation was however short lived when he finally opened his eyes and was immediately blinded by the sun coming inside from the window. It must have already been way past the usual Gusu Lan sect wake-up call, perhaps he had even missed the start of the classes, not that he actually cared right now. Though, his sluggish mind supplied, it was probably the reason of that someone coming to fetch him and his brother.

Once his eyes got used to the light, he stared at the person who was standing in between the door, frozen solid with his mouth slightly open and a somewhat horrified yet maniacal glint in his eyes. He realized that it was the ever proper and esteemed Second Jade, Lan Wangji himself.

For a split second, Jiang Cheng wondered what was the best behaved and ever polite Gusu Lan sect disciple doing barging into his room like this.

But before he could do anything or continue his train of thoughts, he found himself being grabbed by his shoulder and flying back first out of the bed. He felt like his flight was taking forever as he was finally understanding the situation in its full glory. Lan Wangji had the most furious expression he had ever seen on him and he had just thrown him off the bed so he would be able to reach Wei Ying. His Wei Ying! How dared the Second Jade touch something which belonged solely to Jiang Cheng? Surely there must have been a rule or two about not taking someone's possessions away from them, about not stealing and not barging into someone's room the first thing in the morning and disturbing their intimate moments with their lovers.

Then, Jiang Cheng's back hit the wall and he fell down onto the ground. It hurt and his head went all hazy, the world was spinning around him. For a moment, darkness took over his sight and he could only hear what was happening in the room. Not that there was much going on beside Lan Wangji muttering something under his breath and a sound of rustling clothes. And then a single whimper coming from Wei Ying. It must have been him; Jiang Cheng would never mistake his brother's voice for anyone else's.

With that last sound, Jiang Cheng's eyes cleared and he saw how Lan Wangji was sitting on the bed, untying the ropes around Wei Ying's limps and then cradling the still unconscious Yunmeng Jiang sect's head disciple closer to his chest as if he was a priceless treasure. Wei Ying was now wrapped in the blanked which had been stripped from the bed, only his head and his closed eyes were visible in a sea of white. The Second Jade stopped looking at Wei Ying for a second and he glared at the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir instead.

Something about that image disturbed Jiang Cheng to no end. He knew he should have probably been angry that his brother was being held by someone else, but he could not find it in himself. He was frozen to the spot by Lan Wangji's glare.

It was not only furious, there was also another emotion, and it was only now that Jiang Cheng understood what it had been since the beginning. It was possessiveness, greed to have Wei Ying in his arms and to have him all too himself, it was lust after his body. He knew that emotion only too well, it was his own. He often saw it in his own eyes and in his own expression when he looked into a mirror or reflected in the surface of the countless lakes in Lotus Pier.

There was also threat in Lan Wangji's eyes. It was so intense and piercing that Jiang Cheng would not have been able to find it in himself to oppose the man even if his body was strong enough at the moment for him to stand up and actually do so. He was still laying on the hard and cold ground and felt like he could not move a muscle. Not that he tried to, he was not sure what Lan Wangji would have done if he moved right now.

The Second Jade slowly stood up with Wei Ying in his arms. His eyes never left Jiang Cheng and the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir started shivering despite himself. No, he was not cold, it was fear. A raw and open horror which he had never felt before, not even while facing the toughest and most dangerous of opponents on night hunts. It was keeping him pinned down and having trouble breathing. He wanted Lan Wangji to stay as far from him as he possibly could.

He did not move a muscle nor said a single word of protest when Lan Wangji informed him in an even and hollow tone: "I am taking Wei Ying with me."

Lan Wangji's eyes finally left Jiang Cheng alone and he could breathe again. Even though he was no longer frozen, he still did nothing to protest, he did not want to attract the Second Jade's attention back to himself. He could tell that they were fundamentally the same. And he knew what he was capable of when he was as angry, just as the Second Jade now seemed to be. Better to not push his luck. He could get Wei Ying back at a later date. He would, he swore solemnly to himself.

Lan Wangji kissed Wei Ying's forehead gently and whispered so low key that Jiang Cheng was not even sure he had heard it right: "Wei Ying is mine."

And it was somehow making a twisted sense. Perhaps Wei Ying truly was Lan Wangji's. After all, Jiang Cheng had seen them together and he had never seen his brother as happy as during those few and far between moments. Wei Ying gave himself to Lan Wangji willingly, he had not been taken by force like Jiang Cheng had done.

Still, it did not mean that Jiang Cheng wanted to throw the fight just like that. He did not want to let Wei Ying go, never. He had been his obedient lover all this time, he would not let someone else take him away from his arms. Yes, as soon as he would shake that terrible horror off of himself, he would do something about all of this. Lan Wangji had no claim on something which was Jiang Cheng's alone to enjoy.

Yes, he would not give up. He would prepare his blow and let Lan Wangji enjoy a short moment with his brother. It would be so much sweeter to see them both shatter once he would separate them again. As the saying goes, revenge is a dish which is better served cold. He would definitely make his brother, and Lan Wangji as well, remember who Wei Ying belonged to.

And that is a wrap for the first part of the series. I have always wanted to try writing some dark relationships and so I have started this series. Next up, we will have Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian and continuation of the story line.

It was pretty dark and I hope you were not too disappointed in the ending. If you feel like it, I would be happy to hear what you have thought about the whole story :)