Contrary to popular belief, Wei Wuxian takes very little for granted. His attitude may make him seem carefree, ungrateful, like nothing but a troublemaker, but it's not true, not really. It's just that he always feels a bit like he's living on borrowed time, so he might as well make the most of it.
He's the kind of person who savors what he gets, who ends up deeply touched by gestures of kindness, even if he doesn't know how to express how much they mean to him.
There is almost nothing that Wei Wuxian treasures more than his siblings. If there's one thing he's grateful for above all else, it's Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli.
His sister is the most loving person he knows, someone he truly aspires to be like, but at the same time, there's no denying how much he enjoys being spoiled by her. He'd lost his parents at such a young age that Wei Wuxian hardly remembers being doted upon, but Jiang Yanli has worked to fill that hole in his heart with her tender support and attentive, generous manner.
His brother is more complicated, but no less loving. Jiang Cheng is prickly on the surface, but he's given up perhaps more than anyone for Wei Wuxian and come to love him anyway, despite that. Wei Wuxian knows this -- it's hard to forget, hard to push aside the guilt he feels for how he's impacted Jiang Cheng. He got his pet dogs sent away, ended up the cause of his mother putting so much pressure on him, but still, his brother loves him.
It may not be displayed in such overt ways like Jiang Yanli's love, but it's there in the way he'll carry Wei Wuxian around whenever he's injured, the way he's so easy to trick every time Wei Wuxian just pretends to be hurt, how he'll grumble about being woken up in the middle of the night if Wei Wuxian can't sleep but sit with him anyway and talk about nothing.
Jiang Cheng follows the rules so much more than Wei Wuxian ever could, but he still lets Wei Wuxian drag him into trouble, on adventures, and even if he complains most of the time, he never really lets Wei Wuxian go alone.
They're inseparable as kids, training together, spending their free time exploring Lotus Pier, going swimming, trailing behind their older sister and vying for her attention.
On Wei Wuxian's eleventh birthday, they sneak out to stargaze, laying on the pier, looking out at the sky. Wei Wuxian lies with his hands behind his head, smiling brightly up at the twinkling stars, then at his brother.
"Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng," he calls, moving an arm to nudge his side. "You still haven't told me happy birthday!"
He looks at Wei Wuxian with skepticism, half a frown on his expression, though that's nothing new, and sighs. "Didn't I? Well, happy birthday, anyway..."
Wei Wuxian wiggles closer to him, his grin expectant, digging his elbow into Jiang Cheng's ribs again. "Eh? That's it? Jiang Cheng, that's not fair! I've been waiting all day!"
'For what?' Jiang Cheng wants to ask, but simply sighs again.
"What am I supposed to say?"
"I don't know!" Wei Wuxian whines at him, closing the distance between them even further, until Jiang Cheng can feel the warmth of the other boy, sort of comforting against the cool night breeze. "Be nice to me, it's my birthday!"
Jiang Cheng seems to give this some serious thought, probably fighting with his discomfort over showing affection versus the fact that he can actually see Wei Wuxian's point.
After a few long moments of silence, he reaches out to place a hand on Wei Wuxian's shoulder, looking flustered.
"I'm glad you're my brother," he settles on finally, and his voice is warmer than Wei Wuxian ever remembers it being before. It fills his whole heart and there's simply no way that Wei Wuxian could resist practically tackling him, then, beaming in unabashed delight.
"Jiang Cheng!!" he exclaims, nuzzling his cheek against his brother's, "me too, you know!"
Of course, Jiang Cheng tries to push him off, which ends up in the two of them wrestling playfully, but Wei Wuxian doesn't mind at all. It's a moment he won't forget, a sentiment that he'll hold onto for the rest of his life.
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He's the kind of person who savors what he gets, who ends up deeply touched by gestures of kindness, even if he doesn't know how to express how much they mean to him.
There is almost nothing that Wei Wuxian treasures more than his siblings. If there's one thing he's grateful for above all else, it's Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli.
His sister is the most loving person he knows, someone he truly aspires to be like, but at the same time, there's no denying how much he enjoys being spoiled by her. He'd lost his parents at such a young age that Wei Wuxian hardly remembers being doted upon, but Jiang Yanli has worked to fill that hole in his heart with her tender support and attentive, generous manner.
His brother is more complicated, but no less loving. Jiang Cheng is prickly on the surface, but he's given up perhaps more than anyone for Wei Wuxian and come to love him anyway, despite that. Wei Wuxian knows this -- it's hard to forget, hard to push aside the guilt he feels for how he's impacted Jiang Cheng. He got his pet dogs sent away, ended up the cause of his mother putting so much pressure on him, but still, his brother loves him.
It may not be displayed in such overt ways like Jiang Yanli's love, but it's there in the way he'll carry Wei Wuxian around whenever he's injured, the way he's so easy to trick every time Wei Wuxian just pretends to be hurt, how he'll grumble about being woken up in the middle of the night if Wei Wuxian can't sleep but sit with him anyway and talk about nothing.
Jiang Cheng follows the rules so much more than Wei Wuxian ever could, but he still lets Wei Wuxian drag him into trouble, on adventures, and even if he complains most of the time, he never really lets Wei Wuxian go alone.
They're inseparable as kids, training together, spending their free time exploring Lotus Pier, going swimming, trailing behind their older sister and vying for her attention.
On Wei Wuxian's eleventh birthday, they sneak out to stargaze, laying on the pier, looking out at the sky. Wei Wuxian lies with his hands behind his head, smiling brightly up at the twinkling stars, then at his brother.
"Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng," he calls, moving an arm to nudge his side. "You still haven't told me happy birthday!"
He looks at Wei Wuxian with skepticism, half a frown on his expression, though that's nothing new, and sighs. "Didn't I? Well, happy birthday, anyway..."
Wei Wuxian wiggles closer to him, his grin expectant, digging his elbow into Jiang Cheng's ribs again. "Eh? That's it? Jiang Cheng, that's not fair! I've been waiting all day!"
'For what?' Jiang Cheng wants to ask, but simply sighs again.
"What am I supposed to say?"
"I don't know!" Wei Wuxian whines at him, closing the distance between them even further, until Jiang Cheng can feel the warmth of the other boy, sort of comforting against the cool night breeze. "Be nice to me, it's my birthday!"
Jiang Cheng seems to give this some serious thought, probably fighting with his discomfort over showing affection versus the fact that he can actually see Wei Wuxian's point.
After a few long moments of silence, he reaches out to place a hand on Wei Wuxian's shoulder, looking flustered.
"I'm glad you're my brother," he settles on finally, and his voice is warmer than Wei Wuxian ever remembers it being before. It fills his whole heart and there's simply no way that Wei Wuxian could resist practically tackling him, then, beaming in unabashed delight.
"Jiang Cheng!!" he exclaims, nuzzling his cheek against his brother's, "me too, you know!"
Of course, Jiang Cheng tries to push him off, which ends up in the two of them wrestling playfully, but Wei Wuxian doesn't mind at all. It's a moment he won't forget, a sentiment that he'll hold onto for the rest of his life.