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Chapter Text

Chapter One

Right at this moment, Jiang Cheng is your typical spoilt rich brat. Glaring at servants left and right an sighing like there's no tomorrow.

He has been dragging his feet around the Jiang Mansion with a perpetual thunder cloud over his head for the past week, and the storm just grew more and more severe the closer they got to the dreaded day™. The first day of their joint vacation with the Jin family. (Or well, the legitimate members of the Jin family anyway, God knew Jin Guangshan had AT LEAST ten other kids who even he himself probably didn't know about.)

The ONE legitimate heir he did have though, was, for all his good looks and talent, an absolute dick and a bonafied jerk . One of the most arrogant, pigheaded annoyingly beautiful fuckers Jiang Cheng had ever met and that was saying something. He also happened to be the guy that both his mother and Madam Jin hoped and prayed would marry his shijie. The mere thought of his beloved shijie having to spend the rest of her life with a jerk who didn't appreciate her AT ALL never mind as much as she deserved, only served to darken his mood.

Of course, HE couldn't afford to pick fights with the peacock over how he treated his Shijie, his mother would skin him alive. His adoptive brother Wei Wuxian however, had been missing a fear gland for the entire time Jiang Cheng had known him. That and his father Jiang Fengmian would never allow for Wei Wuxian to be thrown out or be punished too harshly. This, and the very fact that Wei Wuxian had even been adopted into the Jiang family, was one of the main things his parents argued about. One of the main things they WOULD be arguing about for the next month while on Vacation in god knows where, when Wei Wuxian decides to act like an idiot.

Jiang Cheng groans. He really doesn't want to go on this trip.

"Don't frown so much A-Cheng, your face will end up stuck like that," Jiang Yanli comments, laughter in her voice and a teasing glint in her gentle eyes. Jiang Cheng feels his frown melt in the presence of his sister.

-Only to go right back up again when he feels and annoying weight latch onto his back. 

"Get off me you utter nuisance" Jiang Cheng scolds, trying in vain to shrug off his adoptive brother. Wei Ying makes a clicking sound in the back of his throat. "Tsk. Shijie's right A-Cheng! You don't want your face to be stuck with a scowl now so you? No girls gonna want to marry you then!" ' That's more than fine by me' Jiang Cheng thinks as he FINALLY managed to detached the annoying parasite off of his back. "I'm not five anymore, like I'm going to fall for that crap" he says rolling his eyes and making a show of dusting imaginary dust off his cloths.

Wei Ying sticks his tounge out. Typical.

Jiang Cheng had no doubt that his idiot brother was going to cuase him no end of trouble, where ever in the world they were going.

Seeing that her brother was once again going into emo mode, Jiang Yanli patted his head, "Don't worry so much about this trip A-Cheng. It will be fun. We'll all get to relax and spend time togeather, and we don't always have to be around mother and father so when they do start fighting we might not even be there. It'll be fun, trust shijie!" Her smile is sincere and both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng wonder how such a gentle person could like the peacock Madam Yu and Madam Jin wished for her to marry.

But maybe she was right, with both his family and the JIN family of all fucking people coming in this trip, no expense would be spared and there would undoubtedly be plenty of things to do. Jiang Cheng could maybe start to like this vacation. Maybe.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Jiang Cheng hates this vacation.

He's just three hours into it and it feels like an established fact.

Wei Ying had already been caught trying to bribe the captain of their luxury yatch to take them to the Bermuda triangle, his parents had already had a fight and were currently ignoring each others existence and would likely do so until they got to where ever they were going and Jin Zixuan was already being a jerk and giving shijie one syllable answers as she tried to make conversation with him. He wished shijie would stop trying to please mother...He wished she could just stop liking that brat. Just looking at the latter scene, his sister's earnest eyes and Jin Zixuans indifferent ones, and then at how his mother and Madam Jin gave each other knowing looks (were they fucking blind?! Couldn't they see how bad a match they were?) -it just made Jiang Cheng angrier than he already was. It seemed that not even Wei Yings plans on how to castrate the bloody peacock could me him feel better.

"A-Cheng stop looking at them like that! People will think you're still small and are jealous that shijie is paying attention to a boy that isn't you" Wei Ying said teasingly, nudging him even as he himself shot Jin Zixuan a dirty look.

Jiang Chengs head snaps away from the would be couple, a cursid blush creeping up his neck. "I'm..w...I'M NOT JEALOUS!! " He splutters indignantly. Wei Ying laughs, clapping Jiang Cheng on the back. Jiang Cheng scowls, turning away as his eye is once again drawn to Jin Zixuan. And his shijje. The peacock was at LEAST looking at her now. There was that weird feeling in his stomach again, it was this slowly spreading fog of something that left a bitter taste in the back of his mouth. This stupid... Emptiness in his heart.

It's hate, he tells himself.

Hate and anger on behalf of his sister. Jin Zixuan didn't deserve her. It has nothing to do with how the first time he had met Jin Zixuan when he was still a small child, he'd thought he was the prettiest person in the world, even prettier than his shijie.

On the other side of the deck, Jin Zixuan tries his best to pay attention to Jiang Yanli, even as his eyes keep straying to the violet eyed boy who remained oblivious to his longing gaze.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Jin Zixuan feels sorry for Jiang Yanli.

She's nice, he knows she's nice. A bit mild and quiet, but any guy would be lucky to have her. He should be happy to have her talking to him, trying to get to know him to see if they could like eachother. The problem is, he just doesn't want her.

He knows that both their mothers are watching them, he can practically feel their expectant hawk like gazes trained in the side of his head and he has no doubt that Jiang Yanli feels it as well.

As has been routine for the past half an hour in which he has been talking to the eldest Jiang sibling (Or in which the eldest Jiang sibling had been talking to him), his eyes once again stray to the other side of the deck. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng stand there, looking out at the ocean. Wei Wuxians arm is slung over Jiang Chengs shoulders and the latter has an adorable scowl on his face. His beautiful purple eyes are narrowed as he listens to whatever it is that Wuxian is saying. His hair is up in a bun, only his bangs free from their hold and thus swaying in the wind. He's come a long way from the tiny chubby little kid he had been all those years ago.

Time is a strange thing, as is the heart.

He remembers the first time he met Jiang Cheng. No that's not right, he had first met Jiang Cheng when he was a squishy looking infant, but Jin Zixuan can't really remember much from that visit. He just remembers that Jiang Cheng had been really frowny and hadn't giggled at all or acted sweet like the babies in the movies, so he had lost intrest in the bundle of squish. He could barely move anyway, and thus couldn't play with him. That's basically all he remembers.

The NEXT time however, he remembers clearly.

He had been six and Jiang Cheng had been four. It had been for some dinner, one that was just between his family and the Jiangs. The younger Jiang Cheng had been shy, perhaps not as shy as seven year old Jiang Yanli, but shy all the same.

The children had been left to their own devices. The Jiang Mansion was big, and the adults figured that there would be no lack of things to occupy curious little minds.

He remembers Jiang Yanli doing her best to try and suggest games that they could all play, but Jin Zixuan hadn't been interested in half of them and Jiang Cheng had rejected the other half. So they'd ended up wandering around the mansion instead.

It was pretty boring for him, so he figured it must have been extra boring for people who lived there any way.

Jin Zixuan had eventually wandered off into one of the gardens. This one had a lotus pond in the car corner, and nearly known grass, stretching out around the area. Disrupted here and there by perfectly cut trees. He's wandered into the middle of the garden and had started doing handstands and cartwheels just for the hell of it.

A little while into this, he'd noticed Jiang Cheng had been watching him from behind a pillar, naturally Jin Zixuan had called him out.

( "Hey! Didn't your parents teach you that it's rude to sneak around?" Jiang Cheng crosses his arms over his chest, big eyes shining in defiance even as his face burns scarlet in embarrassment . "This is my home! YOU'RE the one sneaking!!" The little boy wandered closer. "What are you doing anyway? " he asks curiously, peering up at Zixuan. "I'm doing cartwheels" "Oh..." " Yeah... " "That's cool..." Jin Zixuan blushes for some reason, feeling stupid at being so flustered by the praising words of a four year old. " C...could Zixuan -gege teach me? " )

He had.

Jiang Cheng had latched onto him for the rest of the night, and he remembers with a warm feeling and vivid clarity how the younger Jiang Cheng had looked at him and told him that he was cool. He's pretty sure they'd both fallen asleep watching T.V with Jaing Yanli, but he'd woken up the next day in his own room. Like the night before was merely a sweet dream.

(And maybe by now he would actually think it was a dream, if not for that one picture somewhere in his house, of Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng and himself asleep on the couch, Jiang Chengs hands clutching at his.)

It seemed stupid and slightly pathetic at this age, when he was nineteen, an adult basically- but that was one of his fondest memories.

Something he had held onto, even as they'd both grown older, even as their relationship has become whatever it was now. This cold and snappy back and forth, like the only thing that they have to do with each other any more is Jiang Yanli, and even that, Jiang Cheng seems to prefer that it never happen.

(He knows he doesn't help anything with how he ignores Jiang Yanli, how he picks fights with Wei Wuxian. He really just can't HELP it, Jiang Cheng paying attention to him seems better than being ignored. Even if it's not the adoring gaze from when they were younger, he prefers it to not being acknowledged at all.)

He realized that Jiang Yanli has stopped talking, and tears his gaze away from the younger Jiang sibling only to be met with Yanlis surprisingly knowing gaze.

He blushes, scowling in his panic. He gets up and walks away.

He can feel Jiang Cheng glaring at his retreating back.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Apparently they'd be spending their vacation on one of the world's most renouned island retreats.

Quiyan island is beautiful. It's surrounded by crystalline water of the purest shades of blue and green, fluffy froth ridding on the tips of the waves that caress the soft golden sand of the shore. There are sunset coloured coral reefs in the eastern shallows of the island, filled with colourful shoals of fish, and strange ocean life. There are no dangerous predators to be found for miles, making the oceans the perfect place for snorkeling and even scuba diving for those rich vacationers who'd prefer to explore the underwater caves a few miles off shore. Not only the ocean but the island itself was the perfect paradise for vacationers to enjoy themselves.

A forest of palm trees line the shore, their lively green branches dancing to the whispered melody of the wind, dipping teasingly into the waters. The palm forest turns into a luscious variety of tropical trees the further inland you travel. Quiyan was famous for both its rock pools and it's hotsprings, as well as the breathtaking waterfalls that fell into the ever flowing gentle river that carried the water as it made its slow descent down the island and into the ocean.

The Kaigane Resort was the only resort on the island, it was built sparing no expense, intended for people who would spare no expense. It was the epitome of luxury, each room has a different unique interior designer by some of the world's most rebound interior decoraters. The food was prepared by Michelin star chefs and the food was rumoured to be some of the best in the world.

It was the vacation destination for those who could afford it.

So really, it wasn't surprising that they'd run into some familiar faces.

It just so happened that the Lans and the Nies were also on Vacation in Quiyang, effectively booking up the whole resort. (Although, how coincidental this whole thing was was up for debate.)

All their families knew each other through buisness, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian were actually friends with the younger Nie brother, Nie Huaisang. However Wei Wuxian hadn't met the Lan brothers before this.

Jiang Cheng has photographic evidence that he'd played with Lan Xichen when they were younger, before Wei Wuxian had joined their family. Wei Wuxian would have met them a few months after being adopted at an annual charity event that both their families attended, but both Lan brothers had gone abroad to study under their uncle's care after the passing of their father.

Jiang Cheng warily eyes how Wei Ying talked a mile a minute to a stotic faced Lan Wangji, who looked more and more like he wanted to just leave right there and then, but was unable to do so because that would be rude and his family prided itself on their godsent manners.

Great, now there were two people- THEIR age- for Wei Ying to annoy(and Jiang Cheng didn't think for even a second that Wei Wuxian wouldn't annoy Lan Wangji.)

He could feel another headache coming on.

As expected, the parents very subtly hinted that the lot of them should spend time togeather, and by subtly hinted Jiang Cheng means that each family undoubtedly pulled the kids aside to tell them to 'strenghten future business ties', like his mother had done with them.

(With all three of them separately before taking Jiang Yanli aside to encourage her to talk to Jin Zixuan more. Jiang Cheng tries to chase away the inexplicable irritation that flares up in his chest, he fails and resorts to hitting Wei Ying repeatedly on the arm, citing some dumb reason in order to get his anger out. His older brother whines like he's been mortally wounded and Jiang Cheng feels just the slightest guilty. Oh well,Jiang Cheng will consider it as compensation for the future trouble that Wei Ying is going to give him. He swears there will be an incident at dinner. He bets his prized collection of puppy stickers on it)

"A-Cheng! Let's go hunt phesants!" Wei Ying exclaims, like it's the most brilliant idea in the world. "I don't think they have phesants here, " Huaisang pipes up from behind his fan. "Fish then," Wei Ying compromises without missing a beat.

Jiang Cheng sighs. Maybe even before dinner.

" Killing animals on this island is prohibited, " Lan Wangji says, his face cold as he directs his unimpressed gaze to Wei Ying.

(He's not frowning exactly, Lan Wangji doesn't frown, he barely shows any emotion at all. His face is supposed to be beautiful but akin to ice, like it has been carved from the finest jade. Expressionless in most every situation.

Heh.

Jiang Cheng also bets that that record is going to crumble in the face of the hurricane of chaos that is his brother.)

"Even if it weren't i doubt either of you could manage to catch anything," a voice sneers. The voice is beautiful but the words make annoyance prick at Jiang Chengs mind as he glares at Jin Zixuan.

"And I suppose you could?"

He finds himself snapping. His dad would be disappointed, but he's tiered okay? 

So what if it's a vacation? He's been making sure Wei Ying doesn't enrage his mother any more than he already has with the Bermuda fiasco, not to mention the fire incident while they were still on the yatch. He is NOT a patient person and the last thing he needs or wants right now is for the guy he can't stop staring at Jin Zixuan to start throwing shade at them for no reason what so ever.

"Now, now," Lan Xichen cuts in calmly, trying to diffuse the situation so that it so that it doesn't end up with someone getting punched in the face ( that too was inevitable.)

"Its getting too late to do any of that anyway,why don't we go down to the beach and swim a bit before we go to dinner?" Everyone agrees to this and they head to their separate rooms to change.

It was just as Jiang Cheng was walking down to the beach with Wei Ying at his side, and the sand soft and pleasantly warm beneath his toes that it hit him; he'd be seeing Jin Zixuan shirtless Jin Zixuan would be seeing his shijie in a swimsuit. He swears he'll kill him if he looks at her creepily!

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

Jin Zixuan is scared.

For all the years that he has known Jiang Yanli, never ever has he felt this scrutinized by her. She's a gentle, understanding and accepting person, and regardless of how rude he ends up acting towards her,she rarely if ever says or does anything to show annoyance or judgment towards him.

But this.

Jin Zixuan swallows, glancing at the older girl who sits in front of him. The two of them, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen are sitting on a blanket they'd layed out on the sand, sipping lemonade while the others fool around in the water.

(Read;while The others have a sand war in the water, started by Wei Wuxian)

Jiang Yanli looks innocent enough, watching her brothers fondly, her long hair flowing slightly at the light cool breeze,the rays of sunset casting shadows over her features, the lilac fire of the sky reflecting off her eyes....She's not looking now, but Jin Zixuan could have SWORN that he'd felt her gaze on him....

Sighing internally he looks over at the sky. The Sun sinks into the ocean like a ball of fire dipping into an endless blue expanse. Surrounded by bright hues of yellow and orange, fading into pink and purple the higher you looked. The stars were slowly becoming visible, little specks of Crystal dust scattered here and there. It was beautiful, Jin Zixuan had to admit.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT YOU WANNA DIE???"

Jiang Chengs enraged voice drew Jin Zixuans attention away from the sky, and towards the duo. Wei Wuxian was doing his best to slosh run through the waters, Jiang Cheng got in his heels. Nie Huaisang yelped and dove out of the way, laughing at Wei Yings dramatic cries for help.

The older of the two scrambled out of the water, screaming at the top of his voice as he ran towards the four seated on the blanket.

"NOOOO GET AWAY FROM MEEEE! LAN ZHAN HEEELLPPP!!!"

He practically wails as he covers behind the startled second Jade of Lan. The Lan bothers were well known among the elite society as the future of the Tech industry. Lan Xichen would inherit the Lan Cooperation but it went without saying that with there being two of them, the Lan family's power and influence would only grow. I'm addition to being insanely promising, Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were also known for their jade like beauty and their remarkable resemblance , this combination having earned them the title of 'The twin Jades'.

The younger of the two Jades looks hilariously confused, like he's torn between throwing Wei Ying a few yards away from him (which is something that Jin Zixuan doesn't doubt he's capable of) and just staying still and ignoring the pest till he goes away. Lan Xichen smiles, amused at his brothers dilemma. Jin Zixuan would probably find it funny too if it weren't for how grating Wei Yings voice was.

A shadow falls over them and Jin Zixuan looks up, only to regret it instantly.

Jiang Cheng stands there, arms crossed over his chest,swim trunks sticking to his legs and tiny rivuelets of water trickling down his perfect skin. His hair is damp, but still up in its usual bun, the pure electric energy of life in his eyes puts the sun's vibrancy to shame and yes Zixuan knows he's starting and he should probably stop looking at Jiang Chengs legs - he should probably stop thinking that he should stop because he knows for a fact that when he thinks you hard about something he ends up looking like he's glaring then and he really doesn't want Jiang Cheng to think-dammit.

The violet eyes not catches his gaze, and he looks momentarily startled. Not that Zixuan can blame him, he would be startled too if someone was randomly glaring at him.

"What?" Jiang Cheng asks, Zixuan glances to the side mind racing to find an awnser. He feels a blush creeping up his neck under Jiang Chengs questioning gaze .

"You're blocking the sun," he mutters finally, still glaring off into the distance. Jiang Cheng jolts, like the information had physically shocked him and then moved sideways hastily , voicing small but steady sorry and Jin Zixuan instantly feels guilty.

Why did he have to make everything awkward?

"Its sunset, there isn't even any sun left!" He hears Wei Ying mutter. Before he can retort though JiangYanli gets up.

"I want to take a walk, Zixuan come with me? " she holds out her hand, which is honestly a rather bold gesture, not common for Jiang Yanli. At all.

"Whatever," He says, taking her hand and getting up. Jin Zixuan will tell himself that he agreed becuase he wanted to stretch his legs and get away from all of Wei Yings screeching.

( "Lan Zhan!! Don't let Jiang Cheng get me-huh wait! LAN Zhan! !!" )

But in reality he knows that it's because he is suddenly very aware of the hidden strenght Jiang Yanli possesses, and how he's completely caught off guard by it and this pretty wary of Yu Ziyuans daughter and he's sure that she's knows this as well.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Jiang Cheng's eyes are fixed to where Jin Zixuan and his sister's hands meet,the sight of them holding hands, slender pale fingers clasped in slightly darker ones, seema to sear itself into his mind accompanied by this weird gutt wrenching feeling. He hates it, it confuses him and he wants to hit something-

Oh look. Wei Ying. That will do.

The idiot tries to hide behind Lan Wangji but the second Jade moves out of his reach, thus leaving him at Jiang Chengs mercy. After play fighting in the sand like utter children for a few minutes they both lay on their backs and stare at the darkening sky.

Lan Wangji had left a few minutes after Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying had started rolling around and pulling at each others hair,spraying sand everywhere. Now Nie Huaisang was building a sandcastle (endearingly engrossed in his work) while Lan Xichen spoke with his lifelong friend Nie Mingjue who had also wandered down to the beach at some point. The heir of the Nie cooperation was just an year older than Jin Zixuan and Lan Xichen, but he still preferred to stay with the adults and didn't often interact with 'the children' except to talk with Lan Xichen.

Jiang Cheng is torn away from his thoughts by the sound of his best friend and brothers voice.

"I can't believe the peacock actually went for a walk without saying shit," Wei Ying says, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them. "Shijie must really like him if she invited him for a walk like that. Jjust him too! " Jiang Cheng clenched a fist in the sand, not exactly sure why the sand slipping through his fingers made him feel oddly melancholic. He squeezed tighter, like that will stop the soft powder from spilling from his grasp, he doesn't even know why he's doing it.

He doesn't understand this weird annoying feeling that buzzes at the back of his mind. He doesn't understand why he has to stop himself from getting annoyed at his shijie for asking the peacock out for a work. (He can't do anything about the fact that she likes him, and he may not agree with it,he may think that she deserves better, but...it still doesn't warrant him getting annoyed at her)

"Do you think he'll try anything? Should we try follow them?" Wei Ying wonders out loud. "Too late to follow them now, they're probably heading back. And I don't think he will." Jiang Cheng says calmy. The waves crash in the background, a soothing melody that calms the mind. Beneath them the sand is cool now. Wei Ying rolls into his stomach, propping his head up with both hands as he looks at Jiang Cheng.

"What makes you so sure?" He asks

In truth, even Wei Ying knows that Jin Zixuan wouldn't DARE try anything with his shijie if she didn't want to. If only becuase of the bad publicity a lawsuit between two major cooperate families would bring. But Jiang Cheng seemed very sure, sure in the way where it felt like he was defending Jin Zixuans character and Wei Ying was curious .

Jiang Cheng himself is silent as he tries to formulate an awnser. When he can't think of one he just sighs out an 'I don't know' before getting up. "We should head back" he says, holding a hand out for Wei Ying. As they walk back to their rooms in silence Jiang Cheng has a distant thought about how Jin Zixuan had been wearing a shirt. He can't decide if he's disappointed or not.

*****

A little away Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan walk in silence.

The sea breeze is cool and blows at his hair but he feels uncomfortably warm. Sweatng, he realizes. He's fucking sweating. And Jiang Yanli hasn't even said a word yet.

He's honestly not too sure what she'll say, maybe she wouldn't say any of the things that kept echoing around Zixuans own head. Maybe she hasn't noticed him staring at her brother. Maybe she wasn't going to chew him out and tell him to leave Jiang Cheng alone. Maybe she wasn't going to tell him that he had to pass some sort of set of trials to earn the right to ask Jiang Cheng out -

Yeah, Jin Zixuan acknowledges that he's maybe going a tiinnnyyy bit too far with that last one.

(BUT THE REST ARE TOTALLY VALID!)

He nearly jumps three feet in the air when Jiang Yanli clears her throat politely. She hides an amused smile behind her hand and starts talking, her voice soft but loud and clear enough to be heard over the crashing of the waves.

"You don't like me." She says. It's a statement not a question and Zixuan finds himself scrambling to awnser, to say SOMETHING, it's like her green gaze compels him to speak.

" No! ...I mean yes! But no not-it doesn't have anything to do with you, it...i don't dislike you i just -"

"You like my brother more," Jiang Yanli says smoothly. She thinks that the flush that creeps up Jin Zixuans neck is adorable, and she's slightly disappointed that her tiny little crush isn't reciprocated but honestly she hasn't really been expecting anything. Much less that the heir of the Jin family had a sweet little crush on her darling little brother.

(Who is so very obviously gay for Jin Zixuan and has been for a while though he seems all but incapable of acknowledging it.)

She's brought out of her thoughts by Jin Zixuans sputtering words of denial. But Jiang Yanli sees right through him and at one point the younger boy seems to realize that as well because he just stops talking and instead crosses him arms over his chest as he looks away.

Silence hangs between them, and Jiang Yanli waits. Patience has always been one of her best and strongest virtues.

"Yes," Jin Zixuan finally admits, his voice is so quiet that it's almost carried away by the sea breeze and Jiang Yanli might have missed it if she weren't waiting for the verbalization of what she already knew.

The oldest Jiang sibling smiles as she places a delicate slender hand over Jin Zixuans arm. It's only for a moment but it makes him look at her. Her eyes are soft and kind, and Jin Zixuan sees why her brothers are so protective of her.

She seems so sweet and innocent that her next words nearly have him coughing up blood. 

 "I'll help you seduce him out of the closet."

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

Jiang Cheng stared in horror as the sizzling hot pot flew through the air, right towards Jin Zixuan's pretty face. Said man was frozen in shock . Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, multiple cries of 'look out!' Chairs scraping against the floor, the waiter screaming in the background -and honestly Jiang Cheng hadn't even realized that he had moved.

But he had.

Before his brain could catch up to his body he was shooting out of his seat and pushing Jin Zixuan out of the projectile hot pots path, successfully sending the both of them crashing onto the floor and the poor hotpot sailing into the wall.

There was a moment of stunned silence before yu ziyuans enraged shriek tore through the room like a bolt of lightning tears through the skies.

"WEI WUXIAN!!!"

(Of course, this is all background noise to Jiang Cheng, whose world has zeroed into nothing but every point of contact between his body and Jin Zixuans...)

The fucking disaster that was dinner started out like this.

One of the staff members, who had introduced himself as Meng Yao (There's a story behind why Jin Guangshan had frozen at the name, Jiang Cheng's sure of it) -had led the families to the dining room. The long table was set with beautiful Crystal glasses and the gorgeous silver and China wear that Jiang Cheng is sure is sickeningly expensive.

Jiang Cheng was going to sit down next to Wei Ying, and was surprised when his sister suddenly swooped into the chair. She smiled sweetly at him and Jiang Cheng just blinked before shrugging it off and taking the seat next to her.

He looks past Jiang Yanli to Wei Ying who has an alarmingly pleased expression in his face and Jiang Cheng feels uneasiness settle in his heart. He has no idea what his brother has planned but he knows there's something. (Jiang Cheng regretfully wonders if he should have prayed before leaving his room)

He sweeps his eyes over the table, Madam Jin and his mother are chatting quietly and Jiang Fengmian and Lan Qiren are deep in conversation and Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue are talking, their hands on the table nearly brushing.

Jiang Cheng's eyes zero in on that, in how close their hands are. And no matter how much a voice in his head is missing at him to stop fucking staring he can't read his eyes away from the sight. His gaze travels upwards, jumping between the warm look in Lan Xichens eyes to the pleased smirk on Nie Mingjue's lips. How they look at eachtoher.

Surely it's just closeness that comes from being friends for so long. He's probably just reading too much into things, and it's stupid. Who says that guy friends can't be really close?

Either way he should definitely stop looking. He tears his eyes away to look at the ornate Crystal chandelier,but his eyes keep flirting down, stealing glances at the two men. His earlier worries about his brothers shenanigans are forgotten as he watched as if I'm a trance as Lan Xichen covers the older boys hand with his own, his smile bright and laugh like a tinkling bell. Jiang Cheng swallows and looks towards Lan Qiren who doesn't seem to have noticed. In fact no one seems to have noticed, he thinks frantically as his eyes dart all around the table in increasing-i

He's not sure if it's panic or what to be honest.

His gaze catches that of Nie Huaisangs, who's face is mostly hidden behind one of his fans. This one is made green with delicate gold patterns. The others eyes look at him curiously and Jiang Cheng looks away. Only to finally notice that the seat next to him has been occupied.

By non other than the peacock.

Jim Zixuan looks as handsomely put together as always. He's wearing designer jeans and what Jiang Cheng is pretty sure is a yellow cashmere sweater which slips alluringly pretentiously off his shoulder. His silky brown hair is tied in a ponytail with his bangs delicately framing his face. A vermilion jewel decorating his forehead.

Jiang Chengs face flushed ,he doesn't know why in anger.

The mere sight of the annoying prick makes Jiang Chengs stomach sick with this weird swirling feeling. Like he's at the edge of a cliff and swaying, one too strong title away from losing his balance and falling off the edge.

He internally groans, of all the people he could be stuck next to. A small sign escapes his lips, at least this way his sister wouldn't feel obligated to attempt to talk to Jin Zixuan. And he won't have to ruin his blood pressure watching him ignore her and watching their mothers look proud at their frankly terrible matchmaking abilities. He's about to look away from the boy next to him when Zixuan glances at him out of the corner of his eyes.

Violet eyes meet Olive gold and Jiang Cheng breath hitches. For all his shorty personaloty, Jim Zixuan is painfully beautiful. They hold each others gaze for what could have been minutes or seconds, but Jiang Cheng pulse quickened at an rather alarming rate.

Jiang Cheng snaps his head away to resolutely admire the Crystal workings on the base of his water glass, desperately trying to get His heart to calm the ever loving duck down. Anger management problems were supposed to be a health issue for the Nie's not the Jiangs!

Because of his sudden interest in fine China the youngest Jiang sibling misses the faint hue of pink that spreads across Jin Zixuans cheeks and how he turns to look at Jiang Yanli helplessly. The older girl only gives him a look which seems to tell him, very patiently to 'talk to him', before she runs to speaking to her other brother. 

They got through the first course with little to no incident save for Madam Yu reprimanding Wei Wuxian for something or the other, probably one of his shameless comments aimed at the younger Lan brother (his new favourite victim) which had caused Lan Qiren to choke on his caviar.

Jiang Cheng had mostly been quiet, his shijie didn't talk to him much and instead exchanged pleasant words with Lan Xichen who sat across from her, and like hell was he going to talk to Jin Zixuan.

So...

To say he was bored was an understatement.

Oh well, the lack of distractions meant that Jiang Cheng was able to fully savour the frankly amazing food. He especially liked the chillies chocolate popsicle that they'd been served as a light entry into dessert.

Its towards the end of the evening, when they are about to be served chocolate fudge hotpot and Quiyan islands infamous sedha tea, brewed from a indigenous flower that grew around the hot springs of the island, that Jiang Chengs 'Wei Wuxian has done something sense'- which had been forgotten for the better part of the evening- started tingling.

Jiang Cheng is instantly on edge.
One of the waiters was pushing a serving cart around the table, setting the delicious smelling hot pots in front of them while they sipped on their tea. The smell of sizzling dark chocolate wafted through the air, merging with the breezy swet aroma of the sedha tea. The tea apparently had calming properties amongst other things, but sadly Jiang Cheng was unable to enjoy it's much needed affects.

Three things happened then.

A waiter was setting the hot pot in front of Jiang Fengmian, when Lan Qiren broke several of his family rules by letting out a shriek that shook the heavens, making most present at the table jump in their seats. Everyone whipped their heads towards the source of the sound, only to see a frog leaping out of said man's cup and onto the waiters face. The waiter screamed and instinctively tossed the hot pot, as he scrambled to get the frog (which seemed to have struggled into his shirt through his collar) off of him.

The hot pot went flying, all eyes wide with shock, instinctively following is trajectory... towards Jin Zixuan who had just returned from the washroom.

The events which followed where what lead to Jiang Chengs current predicament.

The youngest Jiang sibling is hyper aware of the erratic rise and fall of Jin Zixuans chest, of the flush that creeps up his neck, a beautiful contrast to the pale skin of his shoulder that has become exposed by the stupid useless sweater which has refused to stay ON and has slipped further down his shoulder. Jiang Cheng swallows, and Jin Zixuans eyes follow the bob of his adams apple. They both realize they're staring, perhaps longer than is appropriate, but neither has ever been this close to the other before, not since they were children.

Jiang Cheng coughs, his face scarlet and eyes looking anywhere but at the boy under him.

'Oh fuck no that sounds wrong!' He screams internally.
Jiang Cheng moves to get up, the action causing his hands to press against Jimt Zixuans chest and-

'Oh God he works out. Shit. He works out.alot. Fuck.'

Jiang.Cheng exe.has stopped working.

(The reason the taught muscle under his fingers is distracting messing his brain up so much is because he feels the need to go be better than Jin Zixuan. It's definitely NOT because the fact that Jin Zixuan -still currently under him- being fucking ripped makes him feel things)

Jiang Cheng grabs all these thoughts and yeets them out of his mind and instead focuses on scrambling to his feet. He then holds a hand out to the other boy before he can even really think about it.

He's been doing that alot today, doing stuff without thinking.

It's fucking annoying. Jin Zixuan accepts the offered hand with a dazed look. "Uh...Thanks," he says , turning his head away as soon as the words leave his mouth.

Jiang Cheng belatedly notices that they're still holding hands and quickly let's go, crossing his arms defensively over his chest and turning his attention back to the ongoing disaster.

The thing with Wei Ying is that he never thinks things through, and therefore though he starts his shenanigans off as a harmless prank, he doesn't consider how they could escalate.

"...insolent little brat! Have you no shame!!?? For ONCE could you-"

"My Lady," The nickname is one that his father had used on his mother for as long as Jiang Cheng could remember, and he remembers that once, when he was very small it had made her smile instead of glare bitterly. He thinks it's a remnant of long ago, a piece of a time when they used to be in love.

"Perhaps now is not the time, " Jiang Fengmian's soothing voice cuts into Yu Ziyuan's yelling, making her turn her livid amethyst eyes to face her husband. Normal people shrink when faced with his mother's wrath, but his father, through what Jiang Cheng assumes is years of experience, remains unphased, and even dares to place a hand over her shoulder. "Let 's sort this out privately."

Jiang Cheng tenses, stealing himself.

Normally, any interference his father makes to his mothers verbal lashings against Wei Ying (they were usually aimed at him anyway) was met with a scalding retort about how Jiang Fengmian favoured the son they had adopted into the family over his actual children.

However, surprisingly this time, his fathers reminder seemed to make his mother hold her tongue, realizing that revealing their families internal problems (as well known as they were) in the presence of others was inproper. Taking a deep breath , Yu Ziyuan gave Wei Ying one final glare before sweeping out of the room, letting her husband take care of the damage.

Jin Guangshan laughs nervously as he rises from his seat. "Well that was an eventful end to dinner, " he says. Lan Xichen ever the ray of sunshine laughs, "Perhaps we should all retire for the night? It has been a long day, and A -yao tells me that there's a boat ride out to the oceans planned for tommorow."

"Ah yes! There are some underwater caves that I thought would be interesting to explore, " Nie Mingjue's father says, as they file out of the dining room.

After everyone leaves, and Jiang Fengmian has apologized and made Wei Ying apologize profoundly to the traumatized waiter and Meng Yao, they leave and start the quiet journey back to their rooms.

"A-xian," Jiang Fengmian starts, his voice is gentle and as soft as always when he's dealing with his adopted son. "You really should be more thoughtful, young master Jin could have gotten hurt, " Wei Wuxian, to his credit, looks slightly guilty.

"I know, I'm sorry Uncle Jiang," he says, and Jiang Fengmian smiles softly and Jiang Cheng's heart twists with a familiar bitterness. His father always forgives Wei Ying so easily , where as when Jiang Cheng makes so much as a tiny mistake he suffers through a disappointed gaze that lingers for at least a day or two.

Wei Yings moment of repentance ends when a mischievous smile creeps onto his lips. "At least if it did hit the peacock it would have fixed his ugly face" he says mirthfully, and Jiang Cheng can't help but snort in amusement, even as his mind wanders back to said 'ugly face' and how close he had been to it just a bit ago.

"A-Xian don't be mean" Jiang Yanli chides gentley. Wei Ying just gives her an innocent look. They're about to turn a corner when-

"Jiang Yanli! "

They all turn to see non other than Jin Zixuan awkwardly walking up to them. Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying simultaneously turn to look at their big sister who pays no heed to them and instead waves at the approaching Jin heir.

She turns to look at her father, "You go ahead, I have something to discuss with young master Jin," she says. Jiang Fengmian nods and pats Jiang Yanli's head, making her giggle . "Goodnight A-Cheng and A-Xian," she says, before turning and walking towards Jin Zixuan. The two of them head out towards the direction of the lotus pond and Jiang Cheng has to resist the urge to follow them.