Work Text:
Jiang Cheng had just finished his morning rounds, ensuring the Yunmeng Jiang disciples were training properly. He was about to retreat to his office to deal with the never-ending pile of sect paperwork when it happened,a sharp, tingling warmth flared in his lower dantian.
He froze.
That was not normal.
His golden core had been stable for years—ever since Wei Wuxian had… No. He wasn’t going to think about that. But this sensation wasn’t painful, just… strange. Like a spark of restless energy, buzzing beneath his skin.
And then a burst of golden light erupted from his chest, so bright he had to shield his eyes. When he lowered his arm, there, standing on the wooden walkway of Lotus Pier, was
A tiny Wei Wuxian.
No taller than his hand, clad in miniature black and red robes, with the same unruly ponytail and that infuriating grin.
“Jiang Cheng!” the tiny menace chirped, waving enthusiastically.
Jiang Cheng’s eye twitched.
This had to be a nightmare.
----
Jiang Cheng’s first instinct was to yeet the tiny nuisance into the lake.
His second instinct was to march straight to the big Wei Wuxian and demand answers.
Unfortunately, before he could do either, the miniature Wei Wuxian scampered up his robes like an overexcited squirrel and perched himself on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder, swinging his little legs.
"A-Cheng, A-Cheng!" he sang, tugging at Jiang Cheng’s hair. "Why so grumpy? You should smile more!"
Jiang Cheng swatted at him. "Get off me!"
The tiny menace dodged easily, laughing. "No way! I just got here!"
Jiang Cheng groaned. This was definitely Wei Wuxian,same cheeky grin, same endless energy, same infuriating refusal to listen to him.
The Yunmeng Jiang disciples, predictably, lost their minds.
A crowd gathered in seconds, whispering and pointing as Jiang Cheng stormed through Lotus Pier with a tiny Wei Wuxian clinging to his shoulder like an overly affectionate barnacle.
"Sect Leader Jiang, is that—?"
"Why is he so small?!"
"Did he get cursed?!"
Jiang Cheng ignored them all, making a beeline for the Cloud Recesses. If anyone could figure out how a miniature version of his idiot brother had spawned from his golden core, it was said idiot brother.
Lan Wangji, predictably, was unreadable as ever when Jiang Cheng barged into the Jingshi. Wei Wuxian (the original, full-sized one) was sprawled across his lap, lazily sipping wine.
"Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian sat up, grinning. "What brings you—Wha!" He nearly choked when he spotted the tiny version of himself waving enthusiastically from Jiang Cheng’s shoulder.
Lan Wangji’s eyes flickered with the barest hint of surprise.
Jiang Cheng scowled. "Explain. Now."
Wei Wuxian scrambled up, poking at his tiny doppelgänger. "Aiyah, he’s adorable! Look at his little robes! Lan Zhan, isn’t he cute?"
"Mn."
"Focus." Jiang Cheng hissed
After much deliberation (and Wei Wuxian cooing over his tiny self), they pieced together a theory.
Somehow, a fragment of Wei Wuxian’s original golden core had reactivated or something, manifesting as this tiny, version of himself.
Wei Wuxian scratched his head. "Huh. I didn’t know golden cores could do that."
Jiang Cheng pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course yours would be the most troublesome core in existence."
Tiny Wei Wuxian beamed. "Because I’m the best!"
"No one asked you."
The biggest problem? Tiny Wei Wuxian refused to leave Jiang Cheng’s side.
If Jiang Cheng tried to set him down, the little menace would wail like a baby and cling to his sleeve. If anyone else tried to hold him, he’d kick and squirm until Jiang Cheng took him back.
Wei Wuxian (big) found this hilarious. "Shidi, he adores you!"
"Shut up."
Tiny Wei Wuxian nodded sagely. "Shidi is the best."
"Both of you shut up."
Jiang Cheng tried everything to get rid of the tiny nuisance.
Days passed, and against his will, Jiang Cheng almost got used to the tiny Wei Wuxian’s presence.
The little troublemaker was always there,chattering during meetings, cheering (loudly) during training, even defending Jiang Cheng when a visiting sect leader made a snide remark.
"Hey! Don’t talk to my shidi like that!" Tiny Wei Wuxian had shouted, shaking his tiny fist.
Jiang Cheng definitely didn’t feel a weird warmth in his chest at that.
(He did.)
Finally, Lan Wangji suggested a possible fix: since the tiny Wei Wuxian was born from Jiang Cheng’s core, perhaps Jiang Cheng could just will him back inside.
Jiang Cheng glared at the little troublemaker currently swinging from Sandu’s hilt. "You. Get back in my core."
Tiny Wei Wuxian pouted. "But it’s boring in there!"
"I don’t care."
Wei Wuxian (big) laughed. " Jiang Cheng, just admit you like having me around!"
"I don’t."
Tiny Wei Wuxian giggled. "Liar"
In the end, Tiny Wei Wuxian did return to Jiang Cheng’s core,but not before giving him a tiny, fierce hug.
"Don’t worry, shidi," he whispered. "I’ll always be with you!"
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes… but for just a second, his grip on the little figure was almost gentle.
And when the golden light faded, leaving only warmth in his chest, Jiang Cheng pretended he didn’t feel the slightest pang of loss.
(Wei Wuxian, of course, saw right through him.)
Days later, Jiang Cheng caught himself almost turning to say something to the empty space on his shoulder.
He scowled and muttered, "Damn idiot."
But if his hand lingered over his golden core for a second longer than necessary, well, no one needed to know.