Sink or Swim pt. 1
For some reason, I’ve been thinking about Jiang Cheng teaching Nie Mingjue how to swim the whole day. CQL!Huaisang said Qinghe doesn’t have many rivers, which made me think of Nie Mingjue not knowing how to swim or just being very bad at it, while Jiang Cheng, as the Yunmeng boy he is, would be 1. horrified; 2. determined to make his bf a decent swimmer.
@br-disaster ask and you shall receive in an untimely manner, and in two parts. Thank you so much for sending this in, I’ve been meaning to write something like this for a while, and you gave me the motivation to actually do it lol
Nie Mingjue has conceded to many things in the name of love.
He’s allowed his brother consistently avoid training because of love; the brat spending time painting and gallivanting around rather than cultivating. He has acquiesced to that in hopes that his only family can live carefree and happy for as long as possible.
He entered a sworn brotherhood, with a person he only trusts as far as he can throw him, out of the love and respect he has for his best friend, Lan Xichen, who he knows only cares and wants the best for those close to him.
(And on nights he drinks too much, when his heart clenches and his throat burns, he’ll admit to the lingering affection he still holds for Jin Guangyao, and the hopes that maybe he was wrong.
He’d be willing to give that much, if only there was proof of the other man changing.)
Nie Mingjue may not give out his love freely, but when he does, he gives it out wholeheartedly, becoming what Nie Zonghui has called, ‘a complete and utter pushover that bends to even the slightest of winds.’
Nie Zonghui may have had to deal with the youngest and rowdiests of the disciples because of that remark, but Nie Mingjue admits he was probably right (another concession).
It certainly seems that way as he stands, rooted to the pier in the Jiang Sect’s private pavilion while he watches Jiang Wanyin dive seamlessly into the water, making nary a sound.
It definitely seems that way when Jiang Wanyin emerges from the water, arms stretched out as he beckons for Nie Mingjue to join him, and he almost does.
He can feel his feet shift forwards on the dock, inching his way towards what has got to be a scene straight out of fantasy because Jiang Wanyin is stunning, gorgeous in the early morning sun with only thin lilac robes covering his skin. Skin that is glistening from the water, practically shining.
Nie Mingjue can see droplets running from Jiang Wanyin’s hair down his temple; tracks the movement in it’s descent. His eyes shift back up, afraid to go too far and-
