Pitched Normal

Friends

Wei Ying liked Nie Huaisang. The other's brother was rather frightening, and Wei Ying had only seen him once. Nie Mingjue. He had never really met Nie Huaisang before, though he had heard of the boy. He was rather glad that he was nothing like his older brother. Huaisang was quite sweet. The boy liked the arts, painting and fans and such. He thought it was rather admirable. Nie Mingjue was very intense, whereas his brother was much softer and kinder, and Wei Ying could not help but feel much more comfortable when he was with Huaisang than he was when he was with Mingjue. Nobody could top the serene peace that he felt with Lan Zhan, of course, but he did feel comfortable with the Nie Sect Heir.

"I don't think Lan Qiren likes you much," Nie Huaisang stated simply. Wei Ying smiled softly; eyes downcast, he could not even really refute the other. It had been quite clear. They had not even had a class session yet, which left Wei Ying rather nervous for the first-class session, he just knew that it would not end well.

"Me neither," Wei Ying said softly, somewhat nervous, his fingers clutching the sleeves of his robes nervously. "I do not know why; we have not really spoken much. I did sort of get into trouble the first night here though." Nie Huaisang's eyes lit up, gleaming slightly as he looked at Wei Ying.

"Did you?" He asked, a small smile on his lips. "What for?" H e asked, clearly fishing for gossip. Wei Ying could not help but smile a little bit at that it was quite endearing, or so he thought personally. Wei Ying sat himself closer to Nie Huaisang on the edge of the river where they were currently speaking.

He was about to speak up, but ... got slightly distracted at the last moment. He heard something, not too far from where he was currently. His head jerked upwards, and over, towards the sound. His eyes blinked softly. Nie Huaisang looked at him curiously.

"What is it?" He asked softly. Wei Ying turned to look at the other, eyes bright.

"Come on, follow me," he said pulling Huaisang up by the arm and running with him towards where he had heard the sound.

The sound of an arrow being released into the wind. He was curious as to who it was. Huaisang was rather shocked that he was being dragged so suddenly by Wei Ying ... he did not even know where they were going; though that did not really seem to bother Wei Ying. He wondered ... had he been to the Cloud Recesses before? Huaisang had been here for a year already, while the Jiang disciple had only been here for a day at most and yet he seemed to know more about where he was going than Huaisang did. Which, if he was going to say, was just slightly more unfair.

"Hey!" Wei Ying Called out ... and Huaisang saw finally what the other had heard. It was one of the Wen disciples that had been left at the Cloud Recesses. It was the boy disciple who dropped his bow in fear and shock as Wei Ying called out.

"Hi!" Wei Ying said, stopping in front of him excitedly. The other's eyes were wide, and shocked, and seemingly confused, with a small head tilt. Nie Huaisang was distinctly reminded of one of those baby panda bears. It was the big eyes and expressive quality of them he decided, that reminded him so strongly of the creatures. "My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian. What is yours?"

"W-Wen N-Ning. Co-courtesy Qionglin." Wei Ying seemed to brighten at the response.

"You are pretty good," he said, hand waving towards where the other had dropped his bow. Nie Huaisang curiously watched the two interact. What exactly was the boy trying to do?

"O-Oh ... I-I am n-not. N-not really." Wei Ying shook his head, eyes suddenly becoming serious. It startled Huaisang for a moment.

"No need to speak such things I am really good at the bow and arrow. You did really well."

"Bu-But it m-missed." Wen Ning said softly. Wei Ying seemed to find something funny, laughing at that a little bit.

"True, but even experts make mistakes." He said simply. "It is your stance that is important. I doubt that you have had anyone teach you. You did well. You just need to adjust your stance a little bit." Wen Ning's eyes widened.

"R-Really?" He asked, his voice dubious. Wei Ying nodded.

"Here, I will show you." Wei Ying said softly. Wen Ning quickly picked up his bow and arrow, and Wei ying stepped up behind the boy. He whispered an encouraging come on, and began to adjust his posture with his own hands, carefully, with a light and gentle touch so as not to startle the boy.

Nie Huaisang watched everything with wide and shock-filled eyes. He had not thought that the infamous flirt of the Jiang Sect would be a cut-sleeve. Yet, there was something different with how Wei Ying handled Wen Ning than many would say was common among the flirtations which Wei Ying typically used.

His voice was gentle, and soft, not its usual loud and sarcastic and lilting teasing as it tended to be towards the female cultivators he flirted with. His touches were light and just on the edge of lingering, they were gentle. It was a totally different Wei Ying flirt than the stories told.

That was then Nie Huaisang realized, even if Wei Ying had not realized it himself yet, that the boy was a cut-sleeve. Sure, he may flirt with women freely, but that was the sort of teasing flirting. Looking back on the stories, it became clear that the boy probably did it as a teasing manner like he would to his friends, he did not mean it. But this ... This was almost ... too intimate for Nie Huaisang to watch.

With Wei Ying's help, the other's arrow flew. And hit its mark in the mountain across the river. The boy seemed so thrilled and excited. He rashly turned and gave the other a hug. Nie Huaisang saw the moment that Wei Ying froze in rapt tension and shock. He gave a small disbelieving smile as he gently wrapped his arms around the other, almost moved to tears over such a small thing.

It did not last long, however, as the boy's sister came into view, and Wen Ning, upon seeing her, rashly tore himself from Wei Ying, both flushed a light shade of pink, and laughing nervously.

Nie Huaisang was rather confused.