What About You?

8: persona

It was clear to see that the mercenary band favored Wei Kuo over Wei Wuxian, though they did exchange pleasantries with the boy and expressed their congratulations on obtaining a courtesy name before going back to rowdily chatting with Wei Kuo about totally random things.

Wei Wuxian was sort of used to it, but this was the first time that any of the Jiangs saw Wei Kuo in his element: among friends and genuinely smiling. It was like they were seeing a different person, and the one most shocked by this development was Jiang Cheng.

Wei Kuo had always been really nice to him, always went the extra mile, which had led to the boy softening up and opening his heart to the guy. But seeing him laughing and talking with the mercenaries, paying him no mind, made Jiang Cheng uncomfortably aware that he was not all that close to Wei Kuo. The way his gaze passed right over him, like he didn't even exist in that moment, made his heart hurt.

"I thank you for your hospitality and humbly ask that you continue to care for my younger brother in my absence," Wei Kuo bowed to the Jiang couple as they stood in front of the gates of Lotus Pier after breakfast was finished.

"We will continue to do so even without your request," Jiang Fengmian smiled reassuringly, glancing down at the boy at his side and patting his head. Wei Ying grinned up at him in response, which made Madame Yu tut and turn her eyes away. "In return, please come back to us in one piece."

"As you wish," The boy straightened with a grin that was a mirror image of his younger brother's. With that said, the mercenary troop set off.

"I've kept Juedui safe for you," Cao Shuren informed him once they were out of sight, ending by tossing the sword at its master, who caught it with a glimmer in his eyes. When they had seperated, it was Zi Xieren who suggested leaving Juedui with them since it might be weird for a barely 11 year old to have his own spiritual sword.

"Thank you! Aw man, it feels like it's been forever, partner!" He hugged Juedui with a huge smile on his face, causing a few of the mercenaries to laugh at how childish the actual child was acting for once. "Anyway," Wei Kuo murmured as he strapped his sword back onto his hip, "do we have any requests or are we just travelling for now?" he questioned as they rode.

"Just travelling for now," Zi Xieren answered. "But don't worry, you'll get to kill some things soon enough."

"You paint me to be such a villainnnn," The boy complained, which in turn caused laughter to fill the forest they were riding through.

"Since we're in the area," Zi Xieren continued once everyone had calmed down. "I was thinking we could go on a night hunt. I've heard the area ahead is a pretty decent place to hunt."

"Sounds good to me."

"I feel like we should wait," Wei Kuo protested, causing a few of the mercenaries to raise their eyebrows in confusion. "We're still in Jiang territory, and I feel like stealing prey here would directly impact them, and that isn't very good of us guests to do to our hosts, wouldn't you say?"

"You're too nice," The others rolled their eyes at him but sighed anyway. "Fine, just this once, we'll wait until we are out of Jiang territory before we have a night hunt, just for you little guy."

"I'm not little," Wei Kuo huffed. "I'm fun sized. Just wait till I hit my growth spurt, then we'll see who's laughing."

"Whatever," Meng Tian rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we'll be passing by Yiling so there will definitely be more prey with the amount of resentful energy there is around there."

"True enough," Zi Xieren agreed with a sharp exhale. "And up past Yiling is Wen territory."

"Wens," The group collectively groaned. Wei Kuo especially grimaced at the name for many reasons, mostly because of Wen Ning and Wen Qing and how much he pitied them. And just like the last time he thought of the future of the MDZS world, he reminded himself that he would just have to change it.

The group continued on, a bit quieter since most of the catching up had happened at the breakfast reception that morning. Soon, as it was getting darker, they stopped and set up camp. "I so missed this," Wei Kuo sighed in content as he sat in front of the fire, tending to it as the others went about doing their assigned tasks.

Eventually, the band of mercenaries finished their individual tasks and came together to have dinner and ended up having Wei Kuo recount some of the occurrences at Lotus Pier. "Wait, so you've gotten whipped by Zidian?!" Bai Zhenya demanded, his fists blooming white in anger. "How dare they hurt you-!"

"No, no, I promise, it was all in good fun!" The youngest placated him. "Madame Yu and I got along very well, which is why it was easy for us to mess around by picking fights and then running around Lotus Pier! Not to mention," He nudged Meng Tian with a cheeky grin. "It was good exercise, don't ya think?"

"You're a strange kid, you know that?" Zi Xieren muttered with a sharp exhale, causing everyone present to start laughing from the obvious statement.

"Like we didn't know that the second we met him!" They snickered. As he too finished laughing, Wei Kuo glanced around at his companions fondly. He really had missed this: the rambunctiousness, the feeling of being among friends, and the feeling of being free.

Lotus Pier was, in all honesty, kind of restricting. As much as Wei Kuo liked being with his brother and the Jiangs, the place just didn't vibe with him. There were rules--not as many as in Cloud Recesses, thank any and every god--and restrictions and looks full of contempt.

So many times had he heard whispers from the servants and townspeople about how he and Wei Wuxian were Jiang Fengmian's illegitimate children, or how they were acting too high and mighty for children of a servant. Just the thought of such words made Wei Kuo angry. It hadn't even been long since they got there, but the rumors were already blown out of proportion.

He just hoped his brother would be okay in his absence.