Jiang Cheng sinks on the ground next to Jin Ling and lets himself relax a bit for the first time in what feels like a decade. He can’t remember the last time when he didn’t have to be the strict and unyielding Sandu Shengshou and could instead be just Jiang Cheng (just himself).
Ever since his parents died, he’s had to put on a mask, a mask of a strong and steadfast sect leader Jiang, but as time passed, there were fewer and fewer opportunities to take that mask off and be himself, and nowadays, when both of his siblings are dead….
There’s no one who knew Jiang Cheng anymore, only people who ever knew the terrifying Sandu Shengshou.
Jin Ling is now sitting on the floor, playing with the wooden animals that Jiang Cheng bought for him. Jiang Cheng is sitting next to the boy, watching him play.
He grew up so much… He can walk now (apparently). He also babbles sometimes, but it's only nonsense, he hasn't spoken his first words yet, Jin Guangyao had said. Getting Jin Ling here was hard, and cost him a lot, but goddamn it, was it worth it (every piece of land surrendered to that old lecher).
"You have your mother’s eyes." Jiang Cheng notes quietly to no one in particular, when Jin Ling suddenly looks at him. A couple of tears roll down his cheeks at that thought, but he stubbornly ignores them. "J-ji-ju!" Jin Ling chirps, stands up and takes wobbly steps towards him. Jiang Cheng wipes his tears and tries to pull himself back together. "What?" he asks sharper than he intended but luckily Jin Ling isn’t scared at all. "J-j…jiu-jiu!" Jin Lings says and clumsily reaches to pet his uncle's head. Did he just say jiu-jiu? No, probably just my imagination, he babbles like this all day long. Besides where would he even- "Jiu-jiu. Jiu-jiu. Jiu-jiu." Jin Ling repeats in a gentle, comforting tone as he gingerly strokes his uncle's head.
It takes a minute for the astonished Jiang Cheng to process what just happened. "A-Ling! A-Ling, your first word!" He breathes out and overcome with emotion, he pulls Jin Ling into a tight hug. "I promise you, A-Ling…" He takes a shaky breath because his voice is thick with sobs. "I promise you, that you will always be safe, that I will always protect you and be there for you." He lets himself let go of the mask and be sentimental, just this once, just for his nephew, and plants a kiss on Jin Ling's forehead on top of the red dot. "Jiu-jiu!" Jin Ling reciprocates.
Uncle
He can’t remember the last time when he didn’t have to be the strict and unyielding Sandu Shengshou and could instead be just Jiang Cheng (just himself).
Ever since his parents died, he’s had to put on a mask, a mask of a strong and steadfast sect leader Jiang, but as time passed, there were fewer and fewer opportunities to take that mask off and be himself, and nowadays, when both of his siblings are dead….
There’s no one who knew Jiang Cheng anymore, only people who ever knew the terrifying Sandu Shengshou.
Jin Ling is now sitting on the floor, playing with the wooden animals that Jiang Cheng bought for him. Jiang Cheng is sitting next to the boy, watching him play.
He grew up so much…
He can walk now (apparently). He also babbles sometimes, but it's only nonsense, he hasn't spoken his first words yet, Jin Guangyao had said.
Getting Jin Ling here was hard, and cost him a lot, but goddamn it, was it worth it (every piece of land surrendered to that old lecher).
"You have your mother’s eyes." Jiang Cheng notes quietly to no one in particular, when Jin Ling suddenly looks at him. A couple of tears roll down his cheeks at that thought, but he stubbornly ignores them.
"J-ji-ju!" Jin Ling chirps, stands up and takes wobbly steps towards him.
Jiang Cheng wipes his tears and tries to pull himself back together.
"What?" he asks sharper than he intended but luckily Jin Ling isn’t scared at all.
"J-j…jiu-jiu!" Jin Lings says and clumsily reaches to pet his uncle's head.
Did he just say jiu-jiu? No, probably just my imagination, he babbles like this all day long. Besides where would he even-
"Jiu-jiu. Jiu-jiu. Jiu-jiu." Jin Ling repeats in a gentle, comforting tone as he gingerly strokes his uncle's head.
It takes a minute for the astonished Jiang Cheng to process what just happened.
"A-Ling! A-Ling, your first word!" He breathes out and overcome with emotion, he pulls Jin Ling into a tight hug.
"I promise you, A-Ling…" He takes a shaky breath because his voice is thick with sobs. "I promise you, that you will always be safe, that I will always protect you and be there for you." He lets himself let go of the mask and be sentimental, just this once, just for his nephew, and plants a kiss on Jin Ling's forehead on top of the red dot.
"Jiu-jiu!" Jin Ling reciprocates.
When 3SF ends I will post this to my AO3: