Yin And Yang |WangXian| Avatar AU

9| Cold Pond

Morning struck. The sun rose from the east and shone brightly with its golden light again. The sun's heat steadily dried up the remains of yesterday's rain.

Wei Ying's eyes fluttered open. Once he was awake, he instantly remembered the events of last night. He got up swiftly and observed the mess they had made. He heard a thud from behind him and looked to see if it was Lan Zhan. He had rolled over and fallen from the bed. Wei Ying's mouth went ajar, looking at him in worry and fear. Until he stifled a laugh at seeing Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji, and the Second Jade of Gusu sleeping on the floor, looking awfully hungover.

Lan Zhan's eyes suddenly opened. He was now awake. He slowly got up and observed his surroundings, trying to see where he was. He couldn't remember much from last night.

"Lan Zhan, now you're awake! You drank alcohol too; we'll both be punished now." Wei Ying grinned cheekily.

Lan Zhan stood up. He looked at Wei Ying and didn't say a word. He simply walked toward the door to leave.

"But rest assured, I won't tell anyone about it. No one else knows besides you and me." Wei Ying added with a wider smile. He was thinking that now that the airbender was dragged into their rule-breaking, he thought Lan Zhan wouldn't be insisting on them receiving their own punishment. But-

"Kneel!"

Wei Ying was forced down to his knees with two Lan Air Clan disciples holding him. They were now gathered in the ancestral hall, where he was to receive his punishment.

"Lan Zhan! You're going to punish me now? I won't yield." Wei Ying kept smiling despite his unfavorable circumstances at the moment.

Nie Huisang and Jiang Cheng stood at the entrance of the hall. They watched everything transpire. With Lan Wangji getting drunk, he had forgotten most of the night's happenings. He forgot the two were involved, so it was only Wei Ying receiving punishment. The two were willing to take part in the punishment, but Wei Ying just shook his head at them, telling them to just let him be. When Wei Ying did this, Jiang Cheng had an idea why the older waterbender did not want to involve him. The only idea that came to mind was that Wei Ying perhaps did not want the news of Jiang Cheng's punishment to reach Yunmeng Jiang, where Madam Yu was waiting. It made him tensely clench his fists. He hated it every time Wei Ying did this. He hated how overly selfless the older Pride was, while Jiang Cheng felt he was too much of a tongue-tied coward whenever the need for it came. He hated his mouth because it only spoke harsh words and was completely incompetent at uttering anything soft-spoken. And, just like right now, he could only shut his mouth again while his head was wildly full of thoughts.

"Bro Wei really has some guts. He can smile even at a time like this." Nie Huisang cowered.

"Even if the sky collapsed, he would still be smiling." Jiang Cheng hissed.

"The 530th rule of Gusu Lan Air Clan Be strictly just and impartial. I wasn't the only one who drank alcohol last night. If you practice favoritism towards him, Wei Ying stopped talking as he watched Lan Zhan flip his robes out of the way and kneel down alongside him. Wei Ying began to struggle against their hold on him.

"Wait, hold it! I concede."

He didn't expect Lan Zhan to actually receive punishment with him. He didn't like it when he dragged others along.

"Hit." Lan Zhan ordered

"I'm wrong! Lan-"Wei Ying tried to reason.

He could not say anything more as the first strike hit him. Pleading cries escaped from his mouth each time the thick wooden stick hit his back. His pained sounds would erupt and reverberate throughout the high walls and distant ceilings of the room. Lan Zhan received the same repeated infliction of pain on his back but kept quiet. Beads of sweat formed all over his face as he silently endured each hit, his hands tightly clutching to the garments of his robes.