[ a wordless sound escape him - it is one of frustration, of annoyance, flaring against the lips pressed to his ear, as wei wuxian nestles again close, closer to his back. he is forced to bend a little, his spine arching under the push, and jiang cheng turns his head to glare over his shoulder at the other. ]

Wei Wuxian—

[ they do, they do bring out the worst in each other. jiang cheng has always been quick to anger, quick to frustration and annoyance but nothing sets his temper alight as sparks to kindling as wei wuxian does - no one else could ever make jiang cheng want to punch in the face as much as wei wuxian.

though by now he knows - or does not, consciously - that it is not only anger that makes the heat gather in his chest. it is something more fierce, more savage and vicious that directs inward and out, to wei wuxian. it is something of the former protectiveness, some measure of that boyish promise made long ago, it is something, still, of the anger, of the almost hatred harboured for all of those years he remained here, caught in the flow of time. it is all of those things, wanting to hold onto him and wanting to push, both at the same time. ]

Yeah, I'm taking it back. You can piss off now, fucking take it and get out of my sight!

[ though the words are hissed out, though his expression is set in something like anger, as if he would set zidian once more on the other, all jiang cheng does is to try and shift his weight a little, pressing back against the grip to test wei wuxian's strength.

he is slighter, younger, now, his core not as strengthened - not his, jiang cheng corrects, to himself - but he has always been the one for sleight of hand and trickery. he has always been faster, more clever. ]

If I don't need them, you don't need to do anything, you brat.