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Wuxian was nervous. He has been looking at himself in the mirror for the last half hour, psyching himself to get a grip and man up. Keeper Daozi and the Master of Ceremony just left after making sure that he was presentable and aware of the rituals he's about to partake in. Wen Ning couldn't hide his grin ever since Wuxian wore the red robes: "You look breathtaking."
Wuxian turns around and throws a candle stick at him in anger: "I AM NOT A GIRL!"
Wen Ning kept grinning: "That doesn't change the fact that you look beautiful."
Wuxian picks up his Chenqing and aims it at his guardian: "Don't make me hurt you!"
Wen Ning bites his lips but his eyes are still sparkling. Wuxian groans and turns around to look at himself in the mirror again: "How am I supposed to walk in this? I feel like I'm wearing all the fabric and jewelry they can find in the market!"
At that moment Jingyi pokes his head into the room. He was about to say something but pauses in awe: "Wow! You look beautiful!" Wuxian turns his glare at him: "Prepare to die!"
Jingyi puts his hands up in surrender: "You can kill me later! I was sent to fetch you. The ceremony is about to begin."
Wuxian swallows hard. He's starting to shake from nervousness until he feels Wen Ning holding his hand and guiding him outside the room. He was escorted by Wen Ning and Jingyi until he reached the main hall gates where Wangji was waiting for him.
The moment Wangji laid his eyes on Wuxian, he stopped breathing: 'How can this man be anything but a mythical being!'
Wuxian was visibly nervous and when Wen Ning handed his hand over, Wangji kissed it tenderly and whispered: "Wei Ying, you look perfect."
Wuxian lets out an awkward laugh: "Can we get this over with. I can barely breathe with all the layers weighing me down. Lan Zhan, if I fall, your first job and my official soul-bond is to catch me before I break my handsome face!"
Wangji nods and they walk in together once they are announced. After giving the oath, bowing and completing the Soul Bond rituals, Wangji presented Wuxian with an old tassel: "Wei Ying, this is the only thing I have left from my mother. It is the greatest treasure I own." Wuxian smiles when Wangji places it on his belt: "I know how much you loved you mother and I will take care of it and keep her memory alive for as long as I live."
Wuxian grabs Bichen and unsheathes it partially to draw blood from his fingers. He grabs Wangji's hand and writes a spell on his palm, then places his hand on it and yells: "LOCK!" A light glows around their hands and Wuxian looks at a confused Wangji: "Lan Zhan, I know how much you have sacrificed for my sake and the only thing I can offer you is ease of mind. This spell connects to our soul-bond and will warn the other if any one of us is in danger. I made it just for you."
Wangji grabs the hand in his and pulls him into his embrace. The room erupts chanting: "Congratulations to his Excellency! Congratulations to the Treasure!"
Wuxian hugs Wangji back and whispers: "Now you're stuck with me permanently."
Wangji takes in a comforting breath then lets go: "I've never made a wiser decision."
With the ceremony complete, the party was just starting. Even though alcohol was not served, all clan leaders were having a good time. Wuxian just got up to mingle when he's tackled into the ground by what feels like an oversized puppy: "MASTER WEI! I MISSED YOU! YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL! HOW ARE YOU EVEN REAL?" Zizhen yells into his ear, clinging and laying on top of him. Wuxian chokes out: "How are you.. even.. human!"
He was yanked off by a fuming Wangji and handed over to an equally angry Jiang Cheng. He grabbed him by the robes when he tried to go back in: "NO TOUCHING!"
Sizhui helps Wuxian up and dusts his robes: "Zizhen, some discretion would be advisable."
Wuxian huffs: "That boy's name and the word 'discretion' cannot be in the same sentence."
Wangji glares at the young man: "Today it will."
Jingyi and Sizhui grab Zizhen's arms and drag him away as he sulks.
Jin Ling sits a few tables away, looking at the scene in silent jealousy. He heard the other disciples talking the other day about how well Wuxian smells. Jingyi was bragging that only those who believe in him can share this comforting blessing. Ling doesn't smell anything. He kept trying to convince himself that he didn't care but watching how openly the other disciples were able to express their connection to Wuxian makes him feel incompetent and excluded. When the Jin Clan went over to pay their respect, he followed and bowed in silence.
Jiang Cheng, who was standing beside his brother, said to him in an angry low voice: "You still have nothing to say?"
Wuxian grabs Cheng's arm to stop him and then goes close to Ling and smiles warmly: "Thank you for coming to my Bonding Ceremony. I hope you enjoy your time with your friends." With a pat on the shoulder from Wuxian, he bows and hastily takes his leave.
Wuxian looks at his nephew's back and a sad smile graces his face. The men around him see it and before any of them react, Nie Huaisang barrels through them to grab both Wuxian's shoulders and says enthusiastically: "I knew you guys would end up together! How have you been brother Wei?" He leans closer and whispers: "I snuck in alcohol and peanuts for the after party!"
He hears a sword being unsheathed and steps back a few paces to see a glaring Wangji and says: "Oh look.. food over there.." and runs away before Wuxian could utter a word.
Qiren takes Wuxian to mingle more with the other clan leaders to show off the new Clan Treasure. When Qiren feels like Wuxian has reached his quota of people calling him 'beautiful' and 'gorgeous', he sets him free.
Wuxian drags Wangji and Zewu Jun to the Silent room to meet Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang for an after party with wine and peanuts. Wangji tapped out after one cup, Nie started dancing to no music after four, Jiang kept sniffing Wuxian who was telling the only sober one, Zewu Jun, about all the times he got Wangji drunk. Wen Ning listened to their antics while drinking and laughing silently. A few hours later, Zewu Jun left the drunk bunch to return to his room: "Master Wen, would you please make sure they don't leave or do anything regretful?" Wen Ning smiles: "I will try."
Next morning comes, Wuxian wakes up to a bunny sniffing his face: 'Why am I sleeping on the floor?'
He sits up and looks around in shock. Jiang Cheng was sleeping half on the table, half on the ground with burn marks on his clothes and purple paint all over his face. Nie was sleeping under the window with no shoes and his hair was cut short to his shoulders. Wangji was sleeping half on top of Wuxian, sword out and missing half of his ceremonial clothing. Wuxian started to laugh so hard the men around him were starting to wake up. Cheng whined: "Stop yelling so loud. My head is melting."
Nie clutched his head in pain then yelled: "MY HAIR! WHO DID THIS TO MY HAIR?"
The only one who doesn't seem to be waking up was Wangji, who scooted closer to Wuxian and hummed. Wuxian tried to stand but Wangji was too heavy. Wuxian tried to push him off his legs: "Lan Zhan, wake up before grandmaster sees the mess we've made!"
Wangji groaned but refused to let go. Wuxian tried again: "Lan Zhan, look! Bunnies!" Wangji sat up so fast and with bleary eyes looked around: "Where?" Wuxian snickered and patted his arm to get his attention: "You got drunk again last night. I should probably ban you from ever drinking again."
Nie kept on yelling: "MY HAIR IS GONE!" And Cheng yelled back: "STOP YELLING OR I WILL CUT THE REST OF IT!"
A disciple walked in: "Your Excellency, Treasure Wei, Grandmaster wishes for you to join him and the clan leaders for breakfast." He looks around and sees the mess then adds hastily: "Should I inform him that you're indisposed?"
Wangji stares back at the disciple with blank eyes until Wuxian says: "Tell Father that I'm not feeling well. Wangji and I will join them for an afternoon tea later."
Nie stumbles to where Wuxian and Wangji are sitting in the middle of the room with tears in his eyes: "Wei.. My hair.. It's gone!" Wuxian tries to hide his laughter and fails: "You don't remember what happened?" Wangji aims his blank stare at Nie and whispers: "Redemption." Nie looks confused: "Eh?" Wuxian pats his shoulder and tells him: "You confessed your involvement in exposing Jin Guangyao and asked 'the wise and justful Hanguang Jun' to exact punishment for your deception. I think he wanted to cut off your arm or something but was too drunk and chopped your hair instead. You should be thankful."
Nie looked miserably at Wuxian until he took pity on him and said: "Look at the bright side, it's a small price to pay to gain our favor back." Nie sighed in resignation and looked at his feet: "What about my shoes?"
Wuxian frowned and rubbed his nose: "I don't remember that part.."
Cheng stumbled over, still holding his head: "How did I burn my clothes?"
Wangji: "Angry at Nie."
Wuxian: "Yeah.. You tried to jump over the table to grab him and your robes caught on fire from the candle."
Cheng wiped his face in disgust: "What is this purple stuff?"
Wuxian shrugged and Wen Ning chimed in on his way into the room: "You thought the flowers outside were pretty so you decided to paint your face with them."
Wuxian looked at Wen Ning: "Where are the rest of Lan Zhan's clothes?"
Wen Ning laughed and stared at him: "You're wearing them!"
Wuxian looked down and noticed the extra amount of layers he's wearing: "Why?"
Wen Ning: "You said you were cold.. so he made you wear it. He was going to strip naked but I was able to stop him before he went too far."
Wangji blushed and got up, pulling Wuxian with him. Wuxian swayed but Wangji pulled him close to steady him.
Wuxian looked at his feet and saw the one bunny: "Little bunny, how did you get here?"
Wen Ning went to pick it up: "You sobbed and none of us were able to stop it so I brought one of the bunnies to cheer you up. It worked." Wuxian rubbed his neck: "Oh.. Weren't you drinking with us? How are you remembering all of this?"
Wen Ning smirked: "Alcohol doesn't affect me."
Nie looked everywhere for his shoes but couldn't find it: "Wen Ning, did you see what happened to my shoes?" Wen Ning looked confused and shook his head. Nie threw his hands up in frustration: "I'm out! This has been fun. Let's never do this again." He walks out, shoe-less and with half of his hair.
Wuxian tugs the arm around his waist and whispers: "Lan Zhan, let's go. I need to wash up and lay down for a bit before we meet Father." He looks at Wen Ning: "Can you make sure Jiang Chen gets back to his room safe." Wen Ning nods and ushers a confused looking Cheng out.
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