#bc cloud recesses GANG as a whole included jzx jyl wq wn for me

[randomprose]

title: the one where jiang cheng is the Mom Friend (and says the L-word) | AO3

summary: jiang cheng absolutely hates it when he is forced to be the Adult to make wei wuxian do Adult Things like do homework or eat or shower or do his fucking laundry that’s been piling up for weeks.

characters/pairings: jiang cheng, nie huaisang, wei wuxian, lan wangji | wangxian (pre-getting together)

more of this series: here

“Wuxian, what are you doing?” Nie Huaisang asks, phone in his ear. He’s talking to Jiang Cheng and asking him to grab some milk and eggs from the store but Jiang Cheng says he’s far off so he tells him to tell Lan Wangji instead. 

Jiang Cheng asks what else do they need. Didn’t Wei Wuxian said he was doing laundry? Do they still have enough detergent after he’s finished? Nie Huaisang adds detergent powder to the list to send Lan Wangji for good measure.

“I’m trying to teach my son how to be a gamer,” Wei Wuxian says from the couch where he’s lying on his stomach and playing AC on his Switch. Said son is Suibian, a black cat he rescued a month ago and took home despite their apartment building’s no pets rule, currently napping in the circle of his arms. Beside him, on the floor, is a huge sack of what looks like probably a month’s worth of dirty clothes. “I’m doing laundry right now I swear.”

[“He’s not doing laundry, is he?”] comes Jiang Cheng’s staticky voice from the phone. 

“How did you know?” Nie Huaisang’s tone is wry.

There is a sigh and Nie Huaisang removes the phone from his ear at the heavy static noise it makes. 

[“I’m on my way home. if I catch him there with his sack of rotting clothes I’m gonna throw his ass out the window.”]

They live in the fourth floor. Jiang Cheng makes the same threat at least five times a week.

Later when he gets back to the apartment, Jiang Cheng tries to haul Wei Wuxian off the couch and out the door along with his sack of laundry.

Suibian has leaped to Nie Huaisang’s lap on the adjacent arm chair. He instinctively pets the cat and turns up the volume of the TV to drown out the racket his roommates are making. Adventure Time is on.

Jiang Cheng truly hates this part of himself and truly hates how Wei Wuxian always brings it out of him. The one where he has to be the Adult because someone has to be in their group and Nie Huaisang is currently not being helpful. Jiang Cheng hates how he’s almost always the one making his brother (his older brother, by just months but still—Wei Wuxian is older, ergo should be more responsible, but chose not to be) do the Adult Things like do homework or eat or shower. Sometimes Lan Wangji helps but more often succumbs to his brother’s will because he’s so fucking whipped.

“Why do you insist on making me suffer?!” Wei Wuxian whines as he clings to the couch. 

“How is making you do your laundry making you suffer?!” Jiang Cheng shouts as he pulls at his brother’s shirt stretching it out. “I’m doing this because I love you and I care about you!” 

Well, it’s a stretch—a long stretch—but it works well on Wei Wuxian. At least it used to. 

“Shut the fuck up! You only say you love me when you actively plan my demise!”

“Demi—what are you talking about?!”

This is the scene Lan Wangji comes home to:

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian caught in a tug-of-war as Wei Wuxian clings to the couch in earnest. They’ve managed to pull the couch halfway out of the living room space and it’s now in an awkward diagonal angle. Wei Wuxian’s sack—a large black garbage bag he snagged from the kitchen to put the clothes normally just scattered around his room—of dirty laundry has come untied and his clothes have spilled halfway out of it. Jiang Cheng is stepping on his boxers. 

Wei Wuxian let’s go of his hold on the couch. Jiang Cheng slips on his boxers and they both fall back. The large garbage bag of clothes cushions Jiang Cheng’s fall while he cushion’s Wei Wuxian’s.

“Hey, Wangji,” Nie Huaisang greets from where he’s seated not bothering to turn away from the TV. Peppermint Butler has just summoned a demon to possess Cinnamon Bun. “Did you get the things I asked?”

“Yes. I also bought bread and coffee. We ran out this morning.”

“Mhmm. Great. Thanks.”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian calls leaping off of Jiang Cheng who throws the boxers he slipped on at Wei Wuxian’s back. “Let’s do laundry together.”

“I already did mine two days ago.

“Oh,” Wei Wuxian visibly depletes. “I don’t like doing laundry alone.”

“That’s what you get for always putting it off.”

“I’ve been busy okay! Finals was hell!”

“It’s been two weeks since finals. You aced all your exams.”

“Your point?”

Jiang opens his mouth to argue before closing it and narrowing his eyes upon realizing who he’s talking to and feeling stupid for trying to reason with a sociopath. 

“I will accompany Wei Ying to the laundromat,” Lan Wangji says striding into the living room after putting away the groceries. “If you want?” He asks Wei Wuxian.

“Stop spoiling him Lan Wangji.”

“It is fine. I do not mind.”

“Yes, I want!” Wei Wuxian beams and throws his arms around Lan Wangji. “You’re the best Lan Zhan!”

Wei Wuxian crosses the living to where Jiang Cheng is in two quick strides. He picks up the boxers Jiang Cheng threw at him earlier and gathers the other clothes that spilled out before abruptly snatching his garbage bag of dirty clothes from under Jiang Cheng in one swift tug. 

Jiang Cheng lands on his ass on the floor with a dull thud and a curse kicking Wei Wuxian in the shin as the latter stuffs the clothes back in his garbage bag. Wei Wuxian just pokes his tongue out at him with a ‘bleh’ pulling down the skin below his eye like the five-year-old that he actually is. Jiang Cheng makes a face and pokes his tongue out at him like the other five-year-old he is too. Wei Wuxian just laughs.

Lan Wangji appears from the bathroom holding their container of detergent powder, the bottle of fabric softener, and his own hamper, no doubt for Wei Wuxian to put his clean clothes in afterwards because he’s Lan Wangji and he thinks of these things.

And because he’s Lan Wangji, he offers to help Wei Wuxian with his sack of dirty laundry, too.

Wei Wuxian declines but his smile is wide when he links an arm around Lan Wangji’s—the one that isn’t holding the hamper and the detergent—and drags his sack of laundry with his other hand as he guides them out the door.

The ending theme song of Adventure Time rolls on the TV. There is the sound of shuffling as Nie Huaisang transfers to the couch—which is still in an awkwardly askew position in their living room space.

“Do you think they’ll ever figure it out?” Nie Huaisang asks as soon as the door closed, leaning over the back of the couch and looking down at Jiang Cheng. 

“That’ll be the day,” Jiang Cheng, who is sprawled on the floor behind the couch deciding to lie there for a while, lifts the arm he’s put over his eyes to stare back up at Nie Huaisang. “That’ll be the day for sure.”

“It’s been seven years. I hope they figure it out soon,” Nie Huaisang says with a sigh turning back to face the TV. “In this lifetime preferably.”

“Preferably.” Jiang Cheng continues to lie on the floor. The rug feels soft against his back. “For all our sakes.”

Suibian has come to rest on Jiang Cheng’s torso and his hand comes up on instinct to pet it.

#mo dao zu shi #mdzs #魔道祖师 #wangxian #sangcheng #wei wuxian #lan wangji #jiang cheng #nie huaisang #mdzs modern au #i'm gonna start calling them #cloud recesses quadruple #for now #bc cloud recesses GANG as a whole included jzx jyl wq wn for me #writing #mdzs fanfic #and they were roommates au