Work Text:
“Come on, let go of Lianfang-zun,” Wei Wuxian laughs, prying Wen Yuan’s little hands off the hem of Jin Guangyao’s robe. Today he’s dressed in something simpler than Jin golds, a more suitable outfit for navigating the unstable ground of the Burial Mounds. Something that makes him look more down-to-earth, more like the boy from Yunping; like Wei Wuxian’s Yao-di. Wei Wuxian hefts the little boy up into his arms and Jin Guangyao smiles mechanically. Today he has brought a puppet from Lanling’s craft markets. The boy squeals when Jin Guangyao pulls a string and makes it wave his arms.
He looks up from the thrilled face of the boy into the thrilled face of Wei Wuxian, open with affection and genuine delight despite the bags under his eyes, and he has to keep smiling. He has to. He reinforces his smile with steel, gives the puppet over to the child and watches him yank it around, limbs jangling.
His father’s voice echoes in his ears. How many are there? What are their defences like? Routes of entry, routes of exit? Yes, I know, A-Yao provided valuable information about the Nightless City. This is no less important, correct?
“I managed to get some new tea from Yiling! I know it’s not as fancy as what you have at the Jinlintai, but, ah-” Wei Wuxian smiles sheepishly and leans out of the way of Wen Yuan’s puppet-enhanced flailing. Jin Guangyao wants to scream. Instead he reaches into his qiankun pouch and pulls out a paper-wrapped sachet.
“Green tea from Yunmeng,” he says. Wei Wuxian’s expression softens. Jin Guangyao has a terrible urge to smack the puppy-eyed trusting look in Wei Wuxian’s eyes out of them. But if Wei Wuxian throws him out then the way is closed. If Wei Wuxian turns him away politely then the way is closed. Maybe this way he can still persuade his father that Wei Wuxian is not a threat. Maybe he can still persuade Wei Wuxian to give up the Wens. He slides into the skin of the boy from Yunping.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he says, rolling his eyes. “This year’s first flush isn’t even particularly good. It’s got that grassy flavour, I don’t know why you like that so much-”
“Wow! Listen to you. A few months in Lanling and you’re already so picky? Forget that I offered you Yiling tea, I’m terrified of what Lianfang-zun’s sharp tongue would have to say about it.” Wei Wuxian laughs and claps him on the arm. “Is Yao-di too good for my Demon-Summoning Cave too?”
“Only if you keep calling it that,” Yao-di replies dryly.
He pours out the same tea in Wei Wuxian’s unspoken name, after the siege.