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"A-Cheng i know you are there!" Came a shout from outside the door. Jiang Cheng didn't need to think to know who the voice belonged to. He could recognize his brother from a mile, a simple door would never be able to stop the force he came bearing. He was also pretty sure he knew why the other showed up, judging from the notifications he got not that long ago.
The university planned a small music themed event- a music festival if you will - for the night. Instrumental performances, food and drink booths and most importantly: alcohol. Lan Wangji was also rumored as a possible performer. Not a chance Wei Wuxian would ever miss out on an event like this. It's as if it was directly made for him, all his interests compressed into one night of fun.
Their sister was also going, which meant the two teaming up and bullying (it was very much manipulation if you ask him) and dragging him out too. To be entirely honest he did not mind it as much as he showed. He was due to some social activity and alcohol consumption after all the shit that went down when he finally decided to change majors and being holed up in his room making sure everything was working out just fine. As for a more private reason; Huaisang was going to be there too. Never tell his sibling that's the bigger reason he decided to attend though. Jiang Cheng would rather die than live through that experience ever.
And not even just be there, the other not very subtly implied wanting to have a dance with him. Which he didn't really know what to think of. Jiang Cheng was pretty sure it was just the younger's play flirting but he will never admit still wanting to try and take a chance just to see.
He heard two more shouts and a threat to break in on the short walk he took to reach the other end of the room. It seemed like his brother was about to knock again the exact moment he finally opened the door to let him in.
"Didi! You're dressed up! That means you're coming right?" Beamed the man.
"Yes, yes.. don't get too excited, i can still change my mind if you decide to deliberately annoy me in your free time" Jiang Cheng huffed as an answer as he walked back to his mirror to continue putting on the eyeliner he was struggling with for the last five minutes. If only it would cooperate. "Why are you even here? I thought you were already at the venue to help set things up or whatever stupid thing you usually do."
"Just stopped by to make sure my precious Didi listened to his very very wise older brother and came to the festival as he promised." He singsonged with a bright grin.
Jiang Cheng only let out a scoffed answer "I promised you nothing" Not even looking up from the mirror.
"You didn't? Oh, well you will be there anyway" Thought out loud Wei Wuxian, making laps around the room, looking at the hanged up pictures and the finished assignments piling up on the desk, before reaching the entrance once again. "But you are right. I should get going so i might get a chance to meet Lan Zhan before his performance to wish him good luck. Bye a-Cheng! See you there!"
He was out of the door before Jiang Cheng could mutter a word but he didn't really care. He had more important things to focus on; like his damned eyeliner.
He had to admit, the venue was very aesthetically pleasing with all the fairy lights and music playing in the background. A good first sign in his book, but he had pretty low expectations to begin with so he wasn't sure if that even counted, but oh well. It was easy to find people he knew in the crowd. The stand containing all the alcohol was surrounded by the lot of them. Not for the first time he asked himself why he was even acquainted with such a group but unfortunately for him, it was already too late to back out.
Approaching the table he made eye contact with the very person he hoped to see tonight. Huaisang gave him a cheerful wave as he finally made his way over, nodding in return.
"Jiang-Xiong, you made it! I was almost starting to think you wouldn't show, but i knew my charms would work on you" Greeted him Huaisang with a small giggle, seemingly not on his first glass of wine.
"Don't flatter yourself. It would have been a pity to just waste a great outfit." He tried to cover his smirk with the glass Huaisang offered him but he clearly did not succeed considering the look the younger gave him.
"Did i miss anything important?" He fumbled awkwardly changing the topic.
"Ah you know just the usual. The Lans giving a fire concert, Wei-Xiong unknowingly fangirling about it. Yanli-jie listening to him telling odes about how the Lan talent is extraordinary." Listed Huaisang in an animated manner, playing a perfomingly nonchalant persona before breaking the act to laugh as if he just told the perfect joke. "You really should have been here, I'm sure you would have loved to bully him for it." He stopped for a secund to think. "Or on an other thought, maybe it's better this way, please don't bully him Jiang-Xiong." He shook his head, exaggeratedly showing how the thought of his best friend getting picked on botherd him."
As the night progressed everything became a bit more blurry. Not even in a drunk way necessarily, (he was definitely tipsy but that's different thank you very much!) but more of a combination of different things. The heat, the crowd, the noise and okay maybe the alcohol too. It was starting to get a bit too much for him. It was hard enough to get out of the crowd let alone finding an empty spot to sit down but it felt like pure heaven when he finally stumbled upon one.
Sitting down he took his time going through his memory and remembering back to the night's events. He knew he took some pictures somehow and if they only turned out nice on accident and not because he actually wanted to do some aesthetically blurry photos that's no one else's fucking business.
He could definitely remember starting an argument with his brother over the rules of uno. Not sure who won the round but Wei Wuxian was absolutely in the wrong. There's no suck thing as 'the rule of cool' in uno and he will die on that road.
As the haze started to clear from his mind he suddenly realised how long ago that was actually. It's been a bit since he saw anyone after the uno disaster. He did not have time to feel alone though as a loud 'ping' rang through the silence of his secluded corner. The sound definitely did not startle him of course.
He forgot the app even existed since he's only been using it for a few days now, after the excessive nagging he have been put through and finally making an account. Probably not his smartest decision to give in but he couldn't complain as he saw the post behind the notification. It was Huaisang sharing a picture and complaining about not having company. Turns out he also lost Wei Wuxian somewhere along the way.
It must have been the alcohol in his system that made him send a reply right away. But what's done is done. The night is far from over so who knows what could still happen. With that thought he shut his phone and leaned his head back to the concrete wall behind him, waiting for the night to show it's nature.