Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Come Back To Gusu With Me Part 2

Wei Ying nearly chokes when a kid tugs on his sleeve, because that sleeve is currently connected to the arm that's attached to the hand holding the jar of wine to his lips. He eyes the purple uniform of his Sect that the kid is proudly wearing dubiously, the first warning tingles of something bad on the horizon ghosting over his skin.

"ShiXiong, this one respectfully has a message from Jiang-Zongzhu requesting your return to the training grounds!" He salutes, and he's just a kid, maybe not older than twelve.

Wei Ying is pleasantly buzzed at the moment, too lazy for anger and kind of heartbroken about that whole message. Jiang Cheng probably wants to chew him out, again, for not training their disciples, for not sitting next to him while he does important sect-leadery-stuff. In general, not being useful. These days, being sober is hard enough, and he really doesn't want to go back with this kid.

It's nice sitting here in the top room of this colourful tavern with his ghost girls, people watching. The kid is too young to see his friends, and his girls aren't in the mood to terrorise a child. It's not something they like doing anyway, and Wei Ying is reminded again of the old adage, that birds of a feather flock together. They haven't actually sat around in a circle and admitted their preferences or dislikes, but they've spent enough time together to know what is and is not acceptable behaviour among themselves. (It's also nice to be accepted, period, because these girls understand what it's like to not fit in. To be a social pariah.) So, no thanks, Jiang Cheng, he'll just stay here until the sun sets and people stop hurrying past him, and the tavern owner shares one last drink with him before he's asked to leave.

"Why don't you run along, hmm?" He sees the determination on the kid's face and realises that this is a stubborn one. Interesting...because he'd thought Jiang Cheng had chosen him for his childish cuteness - everyone knew Wei Ying had a soft spot for babies, even if they weren't that young. But seeing piles of bodies will do that to you, he muses, taking another deep and hearty swallow.

"I'm to bring you back with me, ShiXiong, otherwise Jiang-Zongzhu said he'll break my legs!" There's genuine fear behind his bravado.

"Ah, well I hate to disappoint you, but I'm a bit too deep in my cups to be able to train anyone," Wei Ying replies. The regret is real, a festering tapeworm unwinding in his gut. But what's the use of wishing things were different? Wei Ying made his choice years ago and there's no point in wallowing. He almost misses the kid's next words.

"It's not for training!" The kid protests vehemently, stepping forward and whispering closer to his ear. "Someone from the Lan sect is here!"

Lan Zhan. It must be.

Wei Ying stands up too fast, and the world swims in front of him. The kid lunges to help him as the blurriness fades into solid images. To his credit, he isn't judgy about the state of his ShiXiong. "Are you alright?" The kid asks, holding his shoulders to keep Wei Ying upright.

"Yep, les go. Can't keep Lan Zhan waiting, can we?" Wei Ying replies, feeling another kind of buzzing like fire licking into his veins. He hasn't felt like this...in such a long time. Too long. He'll have to tell Lan Zhan off! Why did he wait for months before coming to see Wei Ying? Ooooh! He's so excited to see him! He can't wait to show off how beautiful Lotus Pier is, even though they're still rebuilding. Jiang Cheng has so many plans about the place, and what he's going to do. It's like he has a blank piece of paper in front of him to draw whatever he likes. Maybe Wei Ying can take Lan Zhan out on a boat and they can see the beautiful lakes? Nothing beats lying in a boat and gently swaying from side to side, watching the fluffy white clouds turning pink with the sunset as dusk approaches. He bets Lan Zhan has never eaten fresh lotus seeds before. Maybe he'll even let Wei Ying teach him how to do it.