I Am Me // JC x LXC

Tired

Xichen walked into the throne room, having given Jiang Cheng a couple of days to calm himself down. He had dealt with the corpse of the devilish man and sent Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian to stay the night in an inn.

Jiang Cheng looked up from his paperwork, hearing the footsteps and glanced over at his nephew.

Jin Ling was struggling not to fall asleep as he re-read the same document he'd been reading for the past hour, his face falling off the palm of his hand being the only thing keeping him conscious.

"Go to bed."

Jin Ling looked up, noticed Lan Xichen, and immediately stood up.

He was always worried about his uncle; they were the last family each other had. This was different. Jin Ling could sense the power difference here: Lan Xichen was more powerful, yet his uncle held control over the room.

There was nothing for him to do here.

He left.

Jiang Cheng waited for the door to close before he dropped the pen and parchment onto the desk next to him.

"I didn't mean to insinuate you were incompetent or incapable of handling your own affairs."

"You held a trial without me. That's fine," Jiang Cheng spoke, "You passed judgement without me. That is questionable. But the execution? That is mine."

Xichen bowed his head.

"I apologize. I wished only to keep you safe."

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth to let the words "I can take care of myself" leave his lips but swallowed back the words.

Xichen had always been looking out for him, careful to make sure he wasn't overstepping his boundaries. Sometimes too carefully.

"It's...fine."

Xichen lifted his head and stared at the man in front of him with a soft smile.

How he's grown, this man he'd known for too long.

Jiang Cheng looked it had physically pained him to say those words, and Lan Xichen was incredibly grateful he was garnering the acceptance he had sought after.

Jiang Cheng glanced around, looking for something that would provide a distraction. He didn't have anything else pressing in terms of leadership, and the hall itself was emptied.

Jin Ling was with his friends somewhere out in the wilderness, and the ministers and guards had all taken the hint when the word rang out Lan Xichen was here.

There was nothing for Jiang Cheng to change the subject to.

"I am proud of you."

His eyes went back immediately to Lan Xichen's noble silhouette.

"What?"

His voice was hoarse, a result of his mouth having suddenly become impossibly dry. When had he last heard that? When was the last time someone said that to him at all?

Lan Xichen's smile was warm and comforting, something slightly scary to Jiang Cheng. He didn't feel that was normal.

The elder man stepped forward carefully, leaving his sword and flute on the base steps of the throne. His voice was melodic and calming, low so no one else (had they been listening) would hear.

"I am proud of you, Wanyin," Xichen murmured, kneeling on the top step, and looking up at Jiang Cheng with sparkling eyes, "You have grown so much and done so much more, and everyone can see it but you."