I Am The Yiling Patriarch (Mo Dao Zu Shi AU)

You Belong With Us

Wangji appeared to have been severely affected. He quickly snatched the germ mask back, not stomping but seeming like so, as he maneuvered through the crowd of dancers and disappeared into the hall. Wei Ying brought both of his eyebrows up in some stance of shock before he repeated the incident in his head, attempting his best to realize how it was he offended the other yet again.

"Maybe he's angry at the fuddy duddy," he said aloud.

"Or the fact that you ran out there and he had to compensate!" Jiang Cheng hollered, throwing a punch into his back. Wei Ying flew forward with three steps, but didn't make as if it startled his composure in the slightest.

"Yeah, but I only did it because you fell," Wei Ying pointed out, still rummaging his thoughts for what it could've been. "It can't have been the germ mask. He can't be that sensitive."

"I didn't fall!"

"Well, you slipped and, sure, you didn't fall, you were falling," to himself he said, "it has to be the fuddy duddy. He's so sensitive, I swear. Like I legit just made that up."

Before he could validate the remainder of his intellect, Manager Lan stomped inside in the same manner that Wangji had originally lacked. The man marched up to Wei Ying and gripped him by the shoulder, turning him to look in his face.

"Just what happened today, Wei Wuxian?" His voice was raised enough to have been yelling, so close to his face that Wei Ying could've kissed his forehead if he wasn't so interested in specifically women.

"I wanted to boogie next to brother Lan?" Wei Ying responded in a questioning tone, asking if it was alright. The last thing he wanted was for Manager Lan to realize Jiang Cheng fell during such a significant performance, which included all of them. He would most likely question Jiang Cheng's status and bring that peacock to take his place as second lead.

"You disgrace of a – Wei Wuxian! Just what are you trying to do?" And then it struck him that Wangji was not present, and that unsettled his brow. With his hands raised, he began to lower them, taking to priorities before he could submit to the trivial topic of his worst recruit.

"He went into the hallway," Wei Ying answered for him. "He was pissed because Wen Chao wanted a promotion."

"Wei Wuxian!" Wen Chao hollered, earning a laugh from the other man.

"I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I snatched off his germ mask and he went for the door." At this, Manager Lan hit him in the shoulder and marched out in search of the other. Wei Ying rolled his eyes with a laugh, straightening his clothing and making to follow them when Jiang Cheng stopped him.

"It's a family thing. You stay here," he ordered.

For some reason, this displeased Wei Ying. He pursed his lips and obeyed, but the nervous twitch of annoyance slivered in his stomach. Did the others too, even Wangji's family, did they understand that the man was not a cough drop? And a bit of him wanted the world to see Wangji's face. No one spoke about Wangji in a way that they spoke of the others, the names they knew, the faces, they knew. Wangji was simply Lan Xichen's little brother and excellent lead dancer, but they didn't know anything else about him.

Perfectionist. To perfect the routine.

Lonely. Because he scared them away.

Stubborn. To give in.

Caring. To keep the group intact.

Protective. Of his brother.

Did other people see that? If Wei Ying could see that with a mere glance, why couldn't he stalk into the hallway and confront the other? Why couldn't he say something along the lines of, "dude, it's just a germ mask,"? Wei Ying wasn't one to comfort others, certainly not for reasons that made not a smidge of sense to him. He lamented for a moment that became an obvious vexation on his brow before Jiang Cheng nudged him again for behavior. If Wangji was going to be stubborn, he was going to be more so.