Archive of Our Own

“Shufu, have you given any further thought to moving out of this old apartment and closer to A-Zhan and I?”

Lan Qiren frowned. “I quite rather like this apartment.” His voice carried that distinct tone which Lan Zhan remembered from childhood, when their uncle would have to patiently repeat something for the umpteenth time.

Lan Zhan exchanged a look with his brother, but stayed where he was seated on a cushion at the low tea table. He focused on carefully scooping the right amount of tea leaves, very much unwilling to involve himself in the conversation.

“It’s three stories with no elevator, shufu. What happens when you’re no longer able to walk up and down the stairs?”

“These legs still work just fine,” Lan Qiren grumbled. His back was turned as he watered the many potted plants in his apartment.

Lan Huan tried again; Lan Zhan had to give him credit for trying to out-stubborn their uncle, even though he knew it wouldn’t be successful. “We’re just worried about you, shufu. And we would prefer you move in with one of us. It would be easy enough to convert a part of our houses into a separate apartment so you still have your own space.”

“There’s no need to be worried, A-Huan. Worry about that brother of yours instead. What’s he doing all by himself in that big house of his?”

“A good question indeed.”

“Shufu,” Lan Zhan stated with a frown. He shot his older brother a disappointed look.  This was not supposed to be about him. “Please stop with this line of inquiry.”

Lan Qiren tsked. “You say you’re worried about me. I also have the right to be worried about you. You should be long settled down with a nice boy.”

“I’m perfectly happy with my life as it is,” Lan Zhan contradicted his uncle.

“Nonsense,” Lan Qiren insisted. He finished watering his plants and accepted a cup of tea from Lan Zhan, thankfully falling silent for a moment.

The conversation turned to more innocuous subjects. Lan Huan spoke a bit about work and Lan Zhan added a few sentences when prompted by his brother. They had both taken over the real estate development firm when their uncle had retired but he liked to be kept apprised of any new projects they were planning. The firm had been started by their father and uncle and over the years had grown into one of the most lucrative businesses in the burgeoning real estate market of the city. Which made it all the more ironic that Lan Qiren was still living in one of the apartments in the first building the firm had ever bought, before it branched into new development projects.

Besides being a talented engineer and successful businessman, Lan Qiren was also very stubborn. With age, he had only grown more stubborn and crotchety. After listening to his nephews’ updates and providing them with a few pieces of unsolicited advice, he griped for a few minutes about his terrible upstairs neighbour. This also, was very typical.

As it began to darken outside, Lan Qiren escorted his nephews to the front door. “I will see you both next week for dinner,” he told them as they said goodbye.

———

Wei Ying frowned at his laptop. The music editing software was open and a half-finished track was playing through his earphones as he fiddled with the mouse and keyboard. It had sounded fine just a minute ago, but now there was this faint thumping rhythm that had seemingly come out of nowhere and was just out of sync enough with the beat to be noticeable. Maybe he had accidentally clicked something? He scanned the different layers, not noticing anything unusual. Pressing play again, everything seemed to be in order again. Maybe it had just been a bug in the system.

Several bars later, he could hear the odd rhythm again. He grabbed his headphones and threw them across his desk in frustration. “Ahhhhh,” he half-yelled, half-whispered, conscious of his extremely fussy downstairs neighbour who had already voiced several noise complaints.

The thumping was suddenly much louder, and Wei Ying abruptly realized it was coming from the door of his apartment which was neatly tucked beneath the gabled roof of the old building.

He pushed back his desk chair and stood up, nearly tripping over several of the cords connecting the various pieces of equipment and his laptop.

“Coming!” he called, extricating his foot from a loop in the power cord. Freed at last, he jogged to the door and yanked it open. 

Standing outside on the tiny landing at the top of the stairs was Wei Ying’s nemesis and downstairs neighbour, looking as disgruntled as he always did.

Wei Ying bit back a sigh. “Hi, Lan Laoshi. I was using my headphones, I swear!”

“I am not here about the noise,” Lan Qiren responded. He cleared his throat. “Not this time, anyway. Are you free tomorrow evening?”

“Tomorrow? What’s tomorrow, Tuesday?”

“Tomorrow is Wednesday.”

“Oh shit, already? Shi— sorry, sorry, didn’t mean to swear. Ummm, so yeah, sure? I don’t think I have any plans? Other than microwave some ramen and work a bit on the latest pieces I’m producing.”

“In that case, please present yourself promptly at 5:30pm. I do not tolerate tardiness.” Lan Qiren smoothly turned and descended the stairs, leaving Wei Ying staring after him with his mouth gaping.

“Present myself? Present myself where? What does that even mean?” he called, but his neighbour had already vanished. An instant later, he heard the sound of a door opening and closing.

Wei Ying rolled his eyes and closed his own door. Why was his neighbour so weird? he asked himself as he grabbed an already open bag of chips and stepped outside. The one saving grace of his apartment was the relative spacious rooftop terrace which led out from the living room. Aside from that, the sloping roof in his bedroom meant he was constantly banging his head against the rafters, the water pressure in his bathroom was annoyingly weak, and he had to contend with the fussiest neighbour he had ever encountered. Wei Ying prided himself on being able to make friends with pretty much anyone, but so far Lan Qiren had eluded him.

Lan Qiren was of that indeterminate age between 50 and 150 - a few streaks of grey in his otherwise black hair and beard gave him a distinguished, timeless aura. His hobbies - as far as Wei Ying could tell - were spying out his window and tracking Wei Ying’s comings and goings, and making the short trek up the flight of stairs to knock on Wei Ying’s door and complain about the noise. Apparently Wei Ying even walked loud. Whatever that meant. It probably just meant that the building was poorly insulated.

It seemed that Lan Qiren’s latest hobby was delivering mysterious, possibly threatening invitations. Had he finally had enough and was planning on murdering Wei Ying? He was tempted to run downstairs and ask some clarifying questions, but was also afraid of interacting any more than strictly necessary with Lan Qiren.

Wei Ying flopped down onto one of the cushioned palettes which he and his brother had built themselves. The cozy atmosphere of the terrace was slightly ruined by the withered potted plants which filled the spaces in between the palettes. He was going to have to apologize to his jiejie - apparently his watering strategy of let-the-rain-do-the-work had not been very successful. He finished the bag of chips, then returned to his music. As he slipped the headphones back on, he pushed away any distracting thoughts about the following day. 

The next evening came far too quickly for Wei Ying’s liking. He still had no idea what he was getting himself into, so he just shrugged on an old, faded red sweater over his black tank top and ripped jeans. His hair was tied up in a messy bun, several of the strands having already come loose and framing his face. He glanced at his phone which said 5:32. With a loud yelp, he hastened to the door and shuffled downstairs in his house slippers. He slipped on the last step and almost fell, just catching the bannister at the last second to keep himself mostly upright.

Lan Qiren’s door opened and this time Wei Ying did fall. He fell to the floor with a loud thunk as his legs gave out. Standing in the doorway, was someone who was most definitely not Lan Qiren. Although judging by the slightly narrowed eyes and the downward turn of the mouth in disapproval, this someone was a close relation. Only a Lan could level such a frown of disappointment.

Wei Ying sat up on the floor. At least if this was going to be his last night alive, he would be spending it in very attractive company. He waved and flashed a grin. “Hi!”

———

Lan Zhan stared at the sprawling mess of limbs on the floor in front of him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes; so this was his uncle’s loud and clumsy upstairs neighbour. He definitely lived up to the reputation.

“Hi!” The young man spoke up, in a tone too bright and chirpy for someone who had just tripped over their feet and landed on their rear. He scrambled up and dashed forward, crowding into Lan Zhan’s personal space. Lan Zhan instinctively took a small step back.

“You’re not Lan Qiren. Or if you are, I must’ve hit my head as well. I’m Wei Ying!” he stretched out a hand.

Lan Zhan ignored the hand, which he knew was rude, but he also did not particularly care. For some unfathomable reason, this was the guest which Lan Qiren had sent Lan Zhan to the door to greet. He realized he was still blocking most of the door and took another step back, turning his body to let Wei Ying into the apartment.

“Come in,” he said in a cold and stilted manner. He was still trying to figure out what had possessed his uncle to invite Wei Ying, of all people. The same Wei Ying about which he had complained so much last week. On top of that, his eyes kept being drawn back to Wei Ying’s bright smile. It was extremely distracting and Lan Zhan forcibly glanced at a random spot on the wall instead.

“Oh, okay! Coming in!” If Wei Ying was thrown off by Lan Zhan’s attitude, he did not show it. He began looking around curiously as he was inside. “No visible murder weapons yet,” he murmured to himself.

Lan Zhan heard the words, increasing his confusion. Both his uncle and his uncle’s neighbour were acting extremely strange. Maybe it was the building. Maybe Lan Huan was right and the building was too old - some lingering asbestos in the walls perhaps?

Lan Qiren appeared. “You are here. Good. Dinner is getting cold.”

“Dinner?” At the question, Lan Zhan’s eyes moved back to Wei Ying who was looking at him questioningly. “I was invited for dinner?”

“What did you think you were being invited for?” The question slipped out before Lan Zhan could stop it. He watched as Wei Ying took off his slippers, then realize he had been wearing slippers and not outdoor shoes all along, and finally slide them back on.

Wei Ying looked up and noticed that Lan Qiren had disappeared again. “I was just told to show up at 5:30!” he stage-whispered dramatically to Lan Zhan. “Nothing else! I still don’t know anything. Also who eats dinner at 5:30? I just had lunch like an hour ago.”

Lan Zhan had no idea how to respond to any of that, so he simply did not bother. He walked into the large living room, (“Woah, an actual dining room table!” Wei Ying whispered loudly at his side), and sat down at his usual place to the left is his uncle, (“I’m sitting beside you!” Wei Ying whispered even more loudly, sticking to Lan Zhan like a barnacle and plopping down in the seat beside him.) Lan Zhan found another spot on the wall to focus his eyes on.

Lan Huan walked into the room carrying a tray with a variety of vegetable dishes, both hot and cold. Wei Ying did a double take.

“Are there more of you?” Wei Ying asked with wide eyes, his whisper loud enough to be heard in the kitchen. Lan Zhan was starting to feel a very distinct, very painful pressure in his temples.

Lan Huan smiled at Wei Ying, evidently not suffering from a similar headache. “I’m Lan Huan, this is my brother Lan Zhan. And you already met our uncle.”

“Uncle, huh?” Wei Ying leaned forward on his elbows conspiratorially. “And do you know anything about why I’m here tonight? Zhan-ge here has been very tight-lipped.”

Something lurched within Lan Zhan at the flippant and familiar tone, though he was not sure if it was annoyance or something else. He schooled his expression, keeping his voice emotionless. “Elbows off the table.”

“Okay, okay,” Wei Ying’s eyebrows were raised as he showed his palms in a gesture of surrender, leaning back so his elbows were no longer resting on the table.

At that moment, Lan Qiren walked in with a steaming bowl of rice which he set on the table before taking a seat at the head, his two nephews on either side of him.

The dinner progressed as it usually did in the Lan household - in absolute silence. Lan Zhan tried to enjoy the food - the foot-long beans in particular were steamed to the perfect texture - but there was constant movement in the corner of his right eye which kept distracting him. Wei Ying was either wiggling in his seat, fiddling with his chopsticks, or swinging his ponytail back and forth over his shoulder. He seemed completely incapable of sitting still, and even worse, of staying quiet.

Something jabbed Lan Zhan in the side which he ignored. The poke came again, harder this time. He turned his head slightly, shooting a reproachful glare towards Wei Ying. For his part, Wei Ying simply grabbed Lan Zhan’s sleeve and pulled him closer.

“Why is everyone so weirdly quiet? Is this supposed to creep me out? Because it is definitely giving me imminent murder vibes.”

“No talking at the table,” Lan Zhan whispered back, snatching his arm away from Wei Ying’s grasp and reaching for another piece of tofu.

Wei Ying grumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “How many of these stupid rules are there?”

Lan Zhan elected to ignore him. Again. Unfortunately, ignoring Wei Ying was at best not very effective, at worst downright impossible.

———

Wei Ying very much would have preferred to have been murdered than sit through this excruciating dinner. If it were not for the occasionally click of the chopsticks against the rim of the porcelain bowls, he could have sworn that he was eating alone. Absolute silence reigned over the table. A silence that was apparently not just voluntary, but also strictly enforced. Wei Ying had the childish urge to poke Lan Zhan again, just out of spite.

Instead, he fought back a grimace and shoved another mouthful of rice and vegetables in his mouth. The food was appallingly bland; the vegetables were primarily steamed, without a trace of sauce or seasoning. Even the tofu carried only the lightest hint of soy sauce and garlic. Wei Ying swallowed the mouthful only half-chewed, suppressing a shudder as it slowly worked itself down his esophagus.

On the verge of causing a scene - preferably one involving the flinging of vegetables across the room - Wei Ying glanced around for a distraction, something to amuse him. He shifted in his chair again, but this time he moved the entire chair a tiny fraction. He sat back, ate another mouthful, and did it again. In tiny increments, he began to move closer to Lan Zhan. For his part, Lan Zhan subconsciously shifted in his chair as well, distancing himself from Wei Ying’s encroaching invasion in his personal space.

Wei Ying kept his eyes on the food in front of him as he continued to subtly shift closer and closer. Finally Lan Zhan’s elbow brushed his. Out of the corner of his eyes, Wei Ying saw Lan Zhan glance at him and suddenly realize that they were sitting so close together their arms were touching. Confusion, annoyance and anger flitted across his eyes.

Wei Ying could not help but smirk as he laughed innerly. He still refused to look at Lan Zhan, letting him stew in frustration about what to do next. In a flash of inspiration, he half-stood and reached for one of the bowls across the table just beyond his reach. As he sat back down, he deliberately let his thigh press against Lan Zhan and trailed his foot against Lan Zhan’s ankle.

Lan Zhan flinched. Wei Ying’s smirk widened. Suddenly the dinner had become much less boring.

After dinner, Lan Qiren cleared the table while his two nephews and Wei Ying moved to the living room and sat down around the tea table. It had not gone unnoticed to Wei Ying, that the tips of Lan Zhan’s ears were now a bright pink. It was adorable, and well-worth the terrible food that was sitting in his stomach and already promising to give him indigestion problems later. Lan Zhan still refused to look at him, much less talk to him, his mouth set in such a straight line and jaw clenched so hard that Wei Ying was afraid his teeth were going to crack under the pressure. He graciously decided to give Lan Zhan a break, and turned his attention to the older brother instead, striking up a conversation with Lan Huan.

Thankfully, the no-talking rule did not apply to the after-dinner tea session. Wei Ying and Lan Huan chatted about music for a bit, before Lan Qiren came back and took over the conversation. Wei Ying was happy to hear that apparently Lan Qiren’s discontent extended to all of the residents in the building, not just himself. It extended even further to most of the residents in the neighbouring buildings, as well as someone who lived down the street and apparently never picked up after their dog.

After tea, Lan Qiren waved his hand and requested Lan Zhan escort Wei Ying to the door. Lan Zhan complied with a nod and wordlessly walked down the hallway, leaving Wei Ying to scramble a few hasty goodbyes before running after him.

“Thank you for dinner, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying remarked innocuously as he slipped out the door. He turned and grinned. “Your presence tonight was an absolute delight.” Eyes firmly fixed on Lan Zhan’s ears, he was delighted to see them flush pink again.

“Goodnight.” Lan Zhan punched out, closing the door just a hint too forcefully for it to be an accident.

Wei Ying laughed quietly to himself as he ran up the stairs back to his own apartment. He still had no idea why he had been invited to dinner; in fact, Lan Qiren had mostly ignored him throughout the evening. But Wei Ying hoped this was not going to be the last dinner invitation. As long as Lan Zhan was there, he would suffer through any number of bland food and silent meals.

He fell asleep dreaming of that perfect jawline and those exquisite cheekbones.

———

Lan Zhan opened the door to the building of his uncle’s apartment, making his way down the dimly-lit hallway and up the stairs. Lan Qiren was away for a few days on a fishing trip with a few old colleagues of his and had asked his nephew to stop by and water his plants. It was not an unusual request and something Lan Zhan had done a number of times over the years.

This time however, he paused as he reached the apartment door. He leaned closer and frowned. There were sounds coming from inside the apartment - shuffles and bumps, followed by muted exclamations. Lan Zhan took out his phone from his pocket, ready to dial 9-1-1, although currently he was more curious than afraid. He tested the door handle; it was unlocked. As quietly as he could, he opened it and slipped in. Nothing seemed to be amiss in the entryway, but Lan Zhan grabbed the sturdy wooden stick his uncle used when hiking and began tip-toeing down the hallways. His uncle would have a fit if he saw him now with his shoes on, but Lan Zhan figured a possible home invasion was a reasonable excuse to break the house rules.

The sounds of someone moving around were now coming from the kitchen. Lan Zhan approached the doorway, holding the stick firmly in his hands. Just then, someone came rushing out, colliding straight into Lan Zhan. Both fell down. Lan Zhan’s stick fell to the ground with a loud clatter. Oddly, the front of his button-up shirt and dress pants felt wet, and his hand almost slipped in a puddle of water on the floor.

The other person had shrieked loudly in surprise and fright, and was now continuing to exclaim loudly in protest. “What was that all about? Trying to scare me death? And what’s with the stick? Is this really necessary?”

Lan Zhan finally looked up. Across from him sat Wei Ying, gesticulating wildly as he continued to yell at Lan Zhan. An upturned watering can lay beside him, the front of his t-shirt and sweatpants as drenched as Lan Zhan’s. That would explain why everything was wet, Lan Zhan remarked idly. It did not explain, however, why Wei Ying was in his uncle’s apartment.

“What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m trying to avoid being murdered by you and your uncle! First the weird dinner invitation and now you sneak up on me with this, this bludgeoning stick? Next time Lan Laoshi asks me to come, I’m saying no!”

“Shufu asked you to come.”

“Of course! It’s not like I’m here watering plants because I thought of it. I can’t even keep my own plants alive.”

“You’re here to water shufu’s plants.”

Wei Ying rolled his eyes. “Stop repeating everything I’m saying.” He grabbed the watering can, stood up, and looked down at his clothes with a sigh. “Are there any towels around? I don’t think your uncle is going to be very happy about this mess.”

Lan Zhan watched Wei Ying disappear into the kitchen. He took several deep breaths to regain his composure. Ever since the dinner last week, he had been waking up in the middle of night, the memory of Wei Ying touching him a ghostly memory. Although the Wei Ying in his dreams had gone beyond just a few teasing touches to his ankles and arms. The current vision of Wei Ying in a wet t-shirt and sweatpants clinging to his lanky frame was not helping Lan Zhan’s state of mind.

Wei Ying came back out carrying several towels. He tossed one at Lan Zhan, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow when he saw him still sitting on the floor. “You alright?”

Lan Zhan nodded once. “I’m. Fine.” The words came out abrupt and stilted. He took the towel and began mopping up the water which had spilled all over the hardwood floors. If they were in luck, Lan Qiren would never find out what had happened; Wei Ying was right when he said Lan Qiren would not be happy if he saw the current state of affairs of his apartment.

“So what exactly are you doing here?” Wei Ying asked casually. His mopping efforts were half-hearted at best and Lan Zhan carefully went over the entire spill area again to make sure the last droplets of water had been cleaned up.

“Shufu had asked me to water his plants. As well as asking you, it would seem.”

“Do you always carry a heavy wooden stick around with you when watering other people’s plants?”

Lan Zhan focused his eyes on the floor, re-wiping the same area few more times. “I heard noises in the apartment. It seemed odd. So I grabbed shufu’s hiking stick when I came in.”

Wei Ying laughed. The bright noise caused Lan Zhan to look up at last. Wei Ying’s eyes were almost closed, the corners creased in amusement. His mouth was open, teeth flashing, bright red lips grinning widely. Lan Zhan felt the corner of his own mouth turn up slightly in response.

Wei Ying smiled even brighter. “Is that a smile, Lan Zhan?” he teased.

Lan Zhan immediately ducked his head, feeling his ears burning. A familiar feeling, unfortunately, whenever he was near Wei Ying. He walked in to the kitchen to hang up the towels, hearing the soft sound of Wei Ying’s laughter trailing after him.

———

Despite the uncomfortable feeling of wet clothing sticking to his skin and a bruise forming on his tailbone, Wei Ying was in a very good mood. After the initial surprise of Lan Zhan’s sneak attack, he had taken advantage of the situation to see if he could make Lan Zhan’s ears blush pink again. To his delight, he could.

Still laughing quietly to himself, he followed Lan Zhan into the kitchen. Working together, they finished watering all of Lan Qiren’s plants. To make up for Lan Zhan’s silence, Wei Ying talked twice as much, greeting each individual plant and asking about its day. He was engaged in a particularly riveting conversation with a large bushy fern, when he felt someone come up behind him. One hand firmly gripped his shoulder, the other untangled the fronds which had somehow worked themselves into Wei Ying’s messy ponytail.

Wei Ying had momentarily stopped breathing. Lan Zhan’s hand was warm and steady on his shoulder. Then it disappeared and Wei Ying felt oddly unbalanced.

“Now you leave him alone,” Lan Zhan admonished the fern, adjusting its fronds back into place.

Wei Ying stared at Lan Zhan for a second, at his serious expression and stern gaze, and burst out laughing. “I wasn’t expecting such a deadpan sense of humour,” he chuckled. “You’re hilarious.”

Lan Zhan looked at him in surprise, then the same soft, half-smile tugged at his lips. This time Wei Ying refrained himself from making a teasing remark, hoping the smile would stay a bit longer. They both stared at each other stupidly for a long moment, not saying a word. 

Finally Lan Zhan looked away, clearing his throat. “I am going to go. Go home.”

“You can’t!” Wei Ying exclaimed without thinking. His brain was suddenly on panic mode, although he didn’t fully understand why. He only knew that he didn’t want Lan Zhan to go. He floundered for an excuse. “You, your, your clothes are still wet! You can’t go home like that.”

Lan Zhan nodded slowly. 

Pressing the advantage, Wei Ying continued, “You can borrow some of my clothes, if you want to wait until yours are dry.”

Lan Zhan hesitated, before nodding again. Wei Ying nodded as well, more frantically. “Okay, perfect! Let’s do this! I mean, let’s go. To my apartment. To change our clothes.” He was rambling and he knew it, but Lan Zhan’s firm grip on his shoulder had somehow disabled his brain-to-mouth filter. At least he was going to be able to spend a bit more time with Lan Zhan. 

And then what? a small voice asked him. Wei Ying ignored it. Whatever was going to happen, was going to happen. 

They put away the watering cans and hung up the used towels to dry. Lan Zhan carefully set the hiking stick back in its place beside the hallway closet, glaring at Wei Ying who was laughing to himself again. After Lan Zhan had locked the door and triple-checked it, Wei Ying led them up the stairs into his own apartment.

He felt oddly self-conscious, standing in the middle of the chaos of his living room which doubled as his working space. He was unable to read Lan Zhan’s expression, who was looking around attentively. He suddenly felt unsure. A part of him knew exactly where he wanted this to go, now that Lan Zhan was in his apartment, but he pushed those thoughts away. Who was he that anybody might actually want him, not to mention the extremely gorgeous man standing in front of him right now? Not for the first time, he told himself not to want something beyond his reach.

Wei Ying cleared his throat. “Right, clothes.” He looked Lan Zhan up and down, dressed in bespoke business attire. “I don’t have anything as fancy as that, but sweatpants and a t-shirt should be fine, right?”

Without waiting for an answer, he scurried into his bedroom, hoping that he had recently remembered to do laundry. He did manage to find a clean change of clothes and tossed them at Lan Zhan. “We’re about the same height, so they should fit. Bathroom’s through that door over there.”

Once Lan Zhan disappeared, he quickly stripped and threw on a dry pair of briefs and sweatpants he grabbed from the pile draped over his chair. He slipped a ratty old band t-shirt over his head. When he opened his eyes, Lan Zhan was standing in front of him again. Wei Ying swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

Lan Zhan cleared his throat awkwardly, his hands twisting the shirt in his hands. “Too tight. Across the shoulders.”

I can see that, Wei Ying thought to himself, failing to tear his eyes away from the sight of Lan Zhan’s bare torso. Not that he was trying very hard. Who knew that carefully buttoned dress shirt had hidden such broad shoulders, well-defined pecs and chiselled abs? All his efforts at not wanting Lan Zhan suddenly vanished. He did want. Very much. 

“You can always just keep the shirt off,” he said blithely, finally raising his eyes to look back up at Lan Zhan’s face.

———

To say Wei Ying’s apartment was messy was an understatement. In the bathroom, Lan Zhan carefully navigated between a pile of clothes on the floor and an empty laundry basket turned upside-down and used as a makeshift table for a pile of mangas. He removed his work clothes, draping them over a cord which had been strung diagonally across the bathroom and which he assumed was meant to be used to hang up clothes. He slipped into the borrowed sweatpants. The idea of wearing someone else’s clothes was uncomfortable, but the idea of wearing Wei Ying’s clothes was an entirely different feeling of discomfort.

Lan Zhan was still not quite sure how he had ended up in his current situation. Every time Wei Ying smiled, his brain seemed to malfunction. Wei Ying laughing was even worse. And so here he was, standing inside a stranger’s bathroom and changing into his clothes. He tried to pull the shirt over his head but realized it was going to be a tight fit. Wei Ying’s tall but slim body and narrow waist came to his mind.

He decided to ask if maybe there was a larger shirt he could wear instead and exited the bathroom. The door to Wei Ying’s bedroom was still wide open, and he caught a tantalizing glimpse of that narrow waist just as Wei Ying slipped into a t-shirt. Lan Zhan took a deep breath through his nose. His fraying composure was on its last thread when Wei Ying looked up, his eyes dark, pupils widened.

“You can always just keep the shirt off.”

Well. Maybe he would. Maybe their remaining items of clothing should be removed as well. All the complicated feelings he had felt towards Wei Ying over the past week coalesced into a surge of pure want. He stepped forward into Wei Ying’s space. “And then what?” he asked, his voice low and rumbling.

Wei Ying’s mouth opened but no words came out. Lan Zhan raised an eyebrow. So despite Wei Ying’s flirtatious teasing, he now seemed to have been caught off guard. Lan Zhan took another step forward, enjoying how the tables had suddenly turned. He had not known how to respond to Wei Ying’s banter nor his bright, disarming smile, but he knew what to do with that look in his eyes.

One last step brought him within reach of Wei Ying. Reaching out with his left hand, he grabbed him by the waist and pulled him closer. Wei Ying squeaked in surprise.

Lan Zhan repeated his question. “And then what?”

Wei Ying bit his lower lip. He tilted his head slightly and looked Lan Zhan in the eyes. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he smiled. “Kiss me?”

Lan Zhan complied, closing the last distance between them, his other hand slipping underneath Wei Ying’s shirt. Wei Ying responded eagerly, opening his mouth instantly to deepen the kiss and running his hands all over Lan Zhan’s chest.

They kissed for a while, Lan Zhan only faltering once when his wandering hand skimmed across a metal stud. Wei Ying chuckled against his mouth and pulled back long enough to be able to take off his shirt. Both his nipples were pierced, the stainless steel bars glinting in the light. Lan Zhan swiped his thumb over one nipple before tugging lightly at the piercing. Wei Ying groaned, head falling back, exposing his throat.

Darting back in, Lan Zhan licked across his collarbone and then placed an open-mouthed kiss where his neck met his shoulder. He continued higher, biting gently at Wei Ying’s ear lobe before mouthing along his jawline. Wei Ying turned his head to meet his mouth in a frenzy of lips, teeth and tongue.

“Fuck, Lan Zhan, I can’t believe this is happening,” Wei Ying gasped when they paused for air. “Is it actually happening or am I just having a very vivid wet dream?”

In response, Lan Zhan pinched both nipples. Hard. Wei Ying’s gasp turned into a moan. “Okay, okay, this is really happening. Fuck. Do that again.”

Lan Zhan did so. He leaned closer, lips brushing Wei Ying’s ear. “Anything else? I won’t even make you beg this time.” 

He felt Wei Ying shiver against him, then chuckle softly. “I knew it. I knew there was more to you than just your cute blushing ears.” His fingers gently traced the shell of Lan Zhan’s ears and this time Lan Zhan felt a shiver run down his own spine.

“Did you?”

Wei Ying shifted backwards to catch his breath and look Lan Zhan in the eyes. The bright smile was back on his face, his mouth even redder than before, flushed and swollen from kissing. “At least I hoped. Although your face gives away basically nothing. I tried so hard to get a response and all I got was your ears turning red.”

“We were having dinner with my uncle. And you were being annoyingly inappropriate,” Lan Zhan responded, though his voice was more fond than upset.

Wei Ying laughed, which was exactly the reaction Lan Zhan was hoping to illicit. “And then you basically kicked me out of the apartment. Good thing your uncle accidentally told us both to water his plants, otherwise we wouldn’t have seen each other again so soon. And without your uncle around.”

“Mn.” Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying back towards him to kiss him. The last thing he wanted to think about right now was his uncle. Although, there was a niggling thought in the back of his head that maybe them bumping into each other earlier had not been an accident after all. He pushed the thought away, focusing on Wei Ying. The feel of him in his arms. The taste of him.

Lan Zhan shifted his legs, chasing some much-needed friction to relieve his throbbing cock. He had been hard for a while now, Wei Ying as well, their arousals tenting the front of their sweatpants. Wei Ying thrust his hips against Lan Zhan’s thigh, grinding against him.

“This is going to be over embarrassingly quick,” Wei Ying panted into Lan Zhan’s mouth. “It’s your fault, Lan Zhan. You’re too fucking hot, my body can’t take it.”

“I’ll take full responsibility,” Lan Zhan responded. He ran his hands down Wei Ying’s side, dropping to his knees and pulling down Wei Ying’s sweatpants. He was wearing red briefs underneath, a large wet spot staining the front. Lan Zhan swallowed at the sight.

Wei Ying’s knees buckled, but he caught himself before falling, supporting himself on Lan Zhan’s shoulder with one hand and grabbing a fistful of his hair with the other. “Okay, fuck, this works too. Not what I had meant but I’m not complaining. Are you sure?”

Lan Zhan didn’t say anything. He looked up at Wei Ying beneath his lashes, mouthing at the head of Wei Ying’s cock through the red fabric. Wei Ying thrust forward involuntarily. “Yup okay, I’ll take that as a yes.” He scrabbled at the waistband of his briefs with one hand, trying to push them down.

Hearing his faltering voice, Lan Zhan took pity on him and helped him out. He hummed in appreciation as Wei Ying’s cock sprang free, the head flushed dark red and the vein underneath outlined starkly. His eyes travelled up and down the full length of Wei Ying’s naked body. At some point his ponytail had come lose, and the messy black strands now fell loosely around his shoulders. Lan Zhan kept his own hair shorter, but it was still long enough for Wei Ying to get a good grip. He now tugged at the strands, pulling Lan Zhan suggestively closer.

“You’re clean?” Lan Zhan asked.

Wei Ying nodded. “Haven’t gotten any action since my last test. But I do have condoms in my nightstand if you want.”

Lan Zhan shook his head and leaned closer, Wei Ying’s musky heat enveloping him as he took his cock in his mouth.

———

”Fuck,” Wei Ying groaned and clenched his fingers even tighter into Lan Zhan’s hair, forcing himself to keep still and not thrust forward deeper into the heat of Lan Zhan’s mouth. Lan Zhan’s skilled tongue teased the length of his cock before he hollowed his cheeks and began sucking in earnest, pulling him deeper and deeper. Wei Ying could feel his balls tightening and heat coiling tightly in his gut. 

This entire day had gone from one unexpected moment to the next and he still couldn’t quite believe what was currently happening. Wei Ying was a notorious flirt, prone to flirting with anyone who struck his fancy, but he rarely expected anything to happen. Lan Zhan had been an absolute delight to tease, blushing so easily and quickly, and Wei Ying had been eager to push and prod further, seeing how far Lan Zhan would let him. Pretty far, it seemed, judging by the way his cock was currently bumping against the back of Lan Zhan’s throat. Lan Zhan pulled back slightly, moving back to focus his attention on the head and wrapping his hand around the rest of Wei Ying’s length.

Wei Ying gasped as the sensations became too much. He tapped Lan Zhan’s shoulder. “Fuck, Lan Zhan, you’re too good. I’m close.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan grumbled in the back of his throat, the sound shooting straight through Wei Ying’s cock which thrust forward wildly. 

Lan Zhan removed his hand and went back down as far as he could comfortably could. With a strangled shout, Wei Ying came, spilling into Lan Zhan’s mouth, who swallowed greedily. This time Wei Ying’s knees did buckle and he collapsed to the ground, slumping against Lan Zhan’s firm body.

He saw Lan Zhan lick his lips, catching a few drops which had escaped his mouth. His spent cock twitched, and he surged forward, tasting himself on Lan Zhan’s lips.

“Can I return the favour?” he asked, stealing another kiss.

Lan Zhan shook his head, reaching for his hand and guiding it to his crotch. “Next time,” he replied, a soundless groan escaping his lips as Wei Ying reached into his sweatpants and freed his cock.

“Next time for sure,” promised Wei Ying, already thinking of a number of things he wanted to do with Lan Zhan’s gorgeous cock. It rested hot and heavy in his hand as he swiped his thumb across the slit and spread the generous pre-come up and down its length. He began to stroke, hard and fast. Before long, Lan Zhan’s body stiffened and then he came, silently and with his eyes closed, streaks of come splattering his own abdomen and spilling across Wei Ying’s fist.

Wei Ying raised his hand to his mouth to lick it clean. Lan Zhan’s eyes darkened further, and Wei Ying smirked at him. This bode well for next time.

For now though, he grabbed his earlier discarded shirt and wiped Lan Zhan clean. “Guess I have to change again,” he remarked with a laugh.

“Or just keep your clothes off,” Lan Zhan responded, echoing Wei Ying’s previous remark which had set off the whole chain of events resulting in them spent and mostly naked on Wei Ying’s bedroom floor.

A thought suddenly struck him. A terrifying thought which almost made him forget what had just happened. “Say, Lan Zhan, how mad is your uncle going to be when he finds out I lured his nephew into my apartment and defiled him? He already hates me. Now it’s going to be even worse!”

“It was more of a mutual defilement,” Lan Zhan replied with a shrug.

“That’s not my point! Your uncle is going to actually murder me this time!”

Lan Zhan seemed unfazed. “He doesn’t need to know. Besides, it’s not his business.”

“Okay, okay, yeah. But your uncle has a habit of making everything his business.” Wei Ying’s thoughts were back in full force, causing a panicked riot in his brain after they had been momentarily distracted and silenced by Lan Zhan’s clever tongue and fingers. “But. You mentioned a next time. Will there be a next time? Because I want there to be a next time. But these apartment walls are ridiculously thin. Do you know how many times your uncle has complained about me making too much noise? What if it’s you and I making too much noise?”

“I’ll bring a gag,” Lan Zhan suggested, which did not put a stop to Wei Ying’s thoughts and imagination. Quite the opposite, rather. “Or you can come to my house. And yes, I am also hoping there will be a next time. Many more next times.”

“Okay, good. I like the sound of that. All of that,” he repeated with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

Lan Zhan leaned in and kissed him. More gentle and tame than before, but a kiss full of promise.”I really should get going. I had only planned on stopping by shufu’s apartment for ten minutes to water his plants.”

Wei Ying made a noise of complaint, stealing a few more kisses before reluctantly letting Lan Zhan go. He accompanied Lan Zhan to the door. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he slumped against it, his legs still weak. He wanted nothing more than to run down after Lan Zhan and pull him back into his apartment. Not just for another round of sex, although he definitely wanted that, but he also wanted to just sit on the couch with him and watch a movie. Or snuggle against him outside on the terrace and watch the sunset. Or even just do mundane house chores together. Wei Ying realized he wanted Lan Zhan to become a permanent part of his life. It was a terrifying, exhilarating thought.

———

“Everything went well with the plants?” Lan Qiren asked Lan Zhan innocently. 

They were both in the kitchen to set the dinner table. Out in the hallway, the front door opened and Lan Huan and his husband came in. Nie Mingjue wasn’t able to come every week, due to his work, but his presence always livened up the atmosphere in the apartment.

Lan Zhan looked suspiciously at his uncle, but Lan Qiren turned his back at that exact moment to root around in a kitchen drawer. As if he did not already know were the cutlery was.

“Mn.” A pause. “I bumped into Wei Ying, though. Did you ask both of us to water your plants?”

“Huh? Oh, maybe I did.” Lan Qiren finished inspecting all of the utensils and selected five sets of chopsticks. “Speaking of Wei Ying, why don’t you go invite him to dinner. There’s enough food for five.”

Lan Zhan nodded, holding back several questions on the tip of his tongue. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his brother sent him several looks followed by a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows. Lan Zhan elected to ignore both his uncle’s obvious scheming and his brother’s invasive curiosity and walked out of the apartment. 

He knocked on Wei Ying’s door.

“Lan Zhan? Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying slouched lazily against the doorframe. “Miss me already?”

Lan Zhan did, in fact, miss him, despite having seen him less than an hour ago. In fact, Wei Ying had spent the last night at Lan Zhan’s house. They had seen each other every day since ending up naked on Wei Ying’s bedroom floor. Although, Wei Ying had insisted on coming over to Lan Zhan’s house instead, because he was terrified of Lan Qiren finding out about the details of their encounters. Neither of them were able to get enough of each other. It had been both the best and most stressful week of Lan Zhan’s life. He wanted more than just a few stolen moments or hours with Wei Ying. He wanted him 24/7. He never wanted to be away from him again. He wanted everything.

He pushed those thoughts away, afraid of scaring Wei Ying away if he let him know the depth of his feelings. “Shufu would like to extend a dinner invitation to you. If you are available.”

Wei Ying straightened abruptly, a look of panic flashing across his eyes. “Wait, does he know?”

“I don’t think so.” Lan Zhan recalled his uncle’s odd behaviour. “But I do think he is trying to set us up. He is not very subtle.”

“That’s even worse! How do we tell him now that we’re already . . . umm, well . . . whatever we are.”

“Fucking?” Lan Zhan supplied helpfully. Personally he thought Wei Ying was being a bit too dramatic but he had also come to realize that Wei Ying never did anything not dramatically. If it were up to him, he would march down with Wei Ying in tow and announce to his uncle and brother that they were getting married on the court house’s next available date.

Wei Ying blushed furiously. “Lan Zhan!” he hissed, half-scandalized, half-aroused.

Lan Zhan could not help but dart in and nip him on his collarbones, where the flush was beginning to spread down his neck and to his chest. “We’re going to be late,” he murmured against Wei Ying’s skin. “And shufu hates tardiness.”

“Fine, fine.” Wei Ying pawed at Lan Zhan, in a half-hearted attempt to stop him from sucking a mark into the soft skin between his neck and shoulder.

Hand-in-hand, they walked down the stairs. Wei Ying pulled away once they reached Lan Qiren’s apartment and Lan Zhan let him go reluctantly. For someone who was usually rather touch adverse, it was strange how much he craved Wei Ying’s presence. Lan Zhan knew it was not just the sex he was addicted to - as great as it was - but he had somehow fallen head over heels in love with Wei Ying.

The thought hit him rather abruptly, although if he were honest with himself he would have to admit that his heart had been hopelessly lost the moment he first set eyes on Wei Ying. Distracted as he was, he missed his uncle’s greeting and invitation to sit down and begin eating.

“A-Zhan.” Lan Huan’s gentle voice brought him back to the present. “Sit.”

Dinner was excruciating. Normally Lan Zhan enjoyed the silence and being able to enjoy the food rather than engage in tiresome conversations. Currently, however, the number of silent conversations going on around him were driving him crazy. Lan Qiren kept gesturing at Lan Zhan to place more food in Wei Ying’s rice bowl. Meanwhile Wei Ying was eating at the pace of a moving glacier and politely refusing being served more food. At the same time he kept poking Lan Zhan in the side which meant anything from ‘Why is this food so terrible’ to ‘Get me out of here’. Across from Lan Zhan, Lan Huan had a permanently amused expression on his face as he observed the entire proceedings. Only Nie Mingjue was focused on eating, already on his third bowl of rice.

Finally, everyone had eaten their fill. Or in Wei Ying’s case pretended to be full. As they cleared the table, Lan Huan pulled Lan Zhan aside.

“I didn’t know you were hooking up with Wei Ying,” he said quietly with a laugh. “When did that happen?”

“Ge.” Lan Zhan shot him a murderous glare.

Lan Huan held his hands up in surrender, though the amused twinkle in his eyes remainder. “Fine, fine, I won’t ask. I’m just glad shufu is bothering you instead of me.”

“Was he this insufferable when you were going out with Mingjue?”

“Even worse. He got Huaisang involved in his matchmaking and you know how relentless Sangsang can be when he gets an idea in his head.”

Lan Zhan shuddered. The thought of his uncle and Nie Huaisang plotting something together was indeed terrifying.

———

Wei Ying was a quivering ball of nerves. Caught in between Lan Qiren’s scowling gaze and Lan Huan’s knowing smile, his stomach was tying itself into a series of ever-tighter knots. Not to mention that he was still starving, after having only had a few mouthfuls of the terribly bland food served at the table. He had caught Nie Mingjue’s eyes once during dinner, and the two had shared a moment of mutual commiseration. 

He nervously gulped down several mouthfuls of tea. Lan Qiren’s eyes were back on him as began to interrogate him about his job, his family, and his future plans. Wei Ying stuttered a few answers in response, grateful for Lan Zhan’s steady presence by his side. He felt, rather than saw, Lan Zhan shift closer, pressing his thigh against his. The warm pressure helped settle his nerves as he did his best to respond to Lan Qiren’s questions.

“So you’re single?” The question he was dreading. “Not married? Or betrothed?”

Wei Ying mouthed the word ‘betrothed’, wondering how old Lan Qiren really was. Then he realized that he hadn’t answered the question yet. “Umm, yes?” he answered, the pitch of his voice rising slightly in a question. 

Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Lan Zhan. They really should have talked about the status of their relationship, instead of just spending most of their time together with their mouths otherwise occupied.

Lan Qiren frowned. “Yes or no?”

Wei Ying gulped. He desperately wanted to escape this conversation. “Well, I guess I’m technically single, although you could say I’m also not really available at the moment.”

Across from him, Nie Mingjue looked very confused. Lan Huan patted his arm comfortingly, himself fighting back laughter.

Lan Qiren managed to look even more disgruntled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ummm . . . .” Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan with wide eyes, silently asking for help.

He felt Lan Zhan take his hand; he intertwined their fingers and set their joined hands on the table. Well. He supposed that meant that he was now longer technically single. He looked up at Lan Zhan. As their eyes met, he suddenly realized how much he’d fallen for him. How much he loved him.

“Wei Ying and I are . . . seeing each other,” Lan Zhan responded, not looking away. He smiled softly and Wei Ying caught his breath. Since when was he this lucky? Lan Zhan continued, “We have not yet made our relationship official.”

There was a long moment of silence. Lan Qiren looked from one to the other, his gaze unreadable. Finally he cleared his throat. “Well. What are you waiting for?”

Having expected something else entirely, Wei Ying was caught off guard. He didn’t know what to say, and Lan Zhan also stayed quiet beside him. It was Lan Huan who spoke first, congratulating them warmly and with barely disguised glee. Nie Mingjue followed suit, although he was clearly still confused as to what was going on.

Lan Qiren harrumphed and stood up. He was back a few moments later carrying a large three-inch binder with colour-coded dividers and annotated pages. He placed it on the table between Lan Zhan and Wei Ying. This time Lan Huan couldn’t hold it back any longer; he burst into laughter, leaning against Nie Mingjue as his sides heaved.

“What’s this?” Wei Ying asked. Lan Zhan looked equally puzzled.

Lan Qiren answered. “This binder contains all of the required information and details needed to successfully plan your wedding.”

Wei Ying’s eyes widened at the word ‘wedding’ and he looked at Lan Zhan in alarm. He had thought the two of them were moving far too fast with their relationship, but clearly Lan Qiren was light years ahead of them. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to feel relieved or terrified at that thought.

Lan Zhan was still holding his hand and Wei Ying felt him squeeze it tightly. “Thank you, shufu. We will study it carefully.”

Wei Ying spent the rest of the evening in a bit of a daze. He hadn’t realized how worked up he had been about Lan Qiren finding out about him and Lan Zhan. Realizing that not only did the grumpy old man not disapprove of him, but in fact that he also fully supported his relationship with his nephew, was almost too much to handle. He needed to tell his jiejie. And his brother. He knew his sister would approve of the binder. Maybe he could give it to her and ask her to plan the wedding for them.

He was walking up the stairs to his apartment with Lan Zhan when he suddenly stopped abruptly. “Lan Zhan. Are we getting married?”

Lan Zhan stopped. He was carrying the binder and set it carefully down on the steps. “Does Wei Ying want to get married?”

“Yes? I mean, I think so? I just, does this mean we’re engaged?”

Lan Zhan pulled him into a tight embrace and Wei Ying let himself meld into his warmth and solid strength. “Would you prefer I get down one my knees to propose?”

“I do like seeing you on your knees,” Wei Ying mumbled against Lan Zhan’s neck. He felt Lan Zhan shiver.

“Mn.” Lan Zhan pulled away and set the binder down. Wei Ying was momentarily confused, and then his body swung sideways. With a startled yelp, he threw his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck. Lan Zhan adjusted his arms around Wei Ying’s back and the back of his knees, carrying him bridal-style up the rest of the steps. 

The binder remained forgotten on the steps.

———

Lan Zhan carried Wei Ying into his apartment, not putting him down until they were in his bedroom. Wei Ying was flushed and breathing heavily and Lan Zhan pulled him closer again, capturing his mouth. With a muffled moan, Wei Ying responded, opening his mouth as Lan Zhan licked inside.

Keeping his hands and mouth on Wei Ying, Lan Zhan slowly manoeuvred them towards the bed. Hitting the edge of the bed frame, Wei Ying fell backwards onto the mattress, pulling Lan Zhan down on top of him. Their lips met again.

Lan Zhan finally pulled back, breathing heavily. He took in the sight of Wei Ying sprawled beneath him, with his red, kiss-bitten lips, and dark hair spread in a halo around his head. He was ravishingly beautiful. And he was his.

“Will you?” he asked. He had been annoyed earlier at his uncle’s meddling, especially since he had felt Wei Ying’s nervousness and unease throughout dinner. But now, with Wei Ying’s body just inches from his, he could admit that maybe neither of them would be in this position if his uncle hadn’t almost literally shoved them together. Although he felt that sooner or later they would’ve ended up together anyway. It just felt right. Him and Wei Ying. As if everything had been slightly out of tilt before they knew each other, and everything now felt as it should be.

“Will I what?” Wei Ying asked in confusion.

“Marry me.”

“Is that a question or a demand?” Wei Ying’s eyes sparkled, his mouth curving into that smile Lan Zhan couldn’t get enough of.

Unable to help himself, Lan Zhan bit Wei Ying’s lower lip, dragging his teeth before pushing himself back up. “Wei Ying. Will you marry me?”

Wei Ying raised himself up on his elbows, closing the distance between them. “Yes, yes,” he whispered against Lan Zhan’s lips. “Always, yes.”

Before long, all their clothes were somewhere on the ground beside the bed, and Lan Zhan was working Wei Ying open with his fingers. Wei Ying gasped and writhed beneath him, trying to push himself down on Lan Zhan’s fingers as a steady stream of words spilled from his mouth.

“I’m ready, I’m ready, Lan Zhan. Come on, get on with it.”

Lan Zhan scissored his fingers instead, earning himself a startled gasp. He curved his fingers, feeling for the spongy spot inside Wei Ying and pressed.

“Fuuuuuck!” Wei Ying’s back arched. “Is this how you treat your fiancé? Keeping me waiting, begging for your cock?”

Lan Zhan growled, more affected by Wei Ying calling him fiancé than he thought he would be. He wondered what it would be like to be called husband, and the mere thought had his cock twitching, pearly pre-come beading at the tip. He had planned on pulling Wei Ying apart slowly, exquisitely, but now he was suddenly desperate himself. He pulled out his fingers and grabbed the bottle of the lube, slathering a generous amount on his cock.

Wei Ying wined again. With his legs spread and a pillow beneath his hips exposing his opened hole, he already looked wrecked. “Lan Zhaaaaaan.” He reached for his swollen cock, but Lan Zhan slapped his hand away.

“You’re going to come untouched tonight,” he told him, his voice low. Wei Ying moaned, eyes falling shut and legs spreading further.

Lan Zhan positioned himself, the head of his cock pushing against Wei Ying’s entrance. The ring of muscle resisted him at first, but then he slipped inside, groaning at the feel of the tight, wet heat all around him. He thrust in further until he bottomed out, closing his eyes as his body adjusted to the assault of sensation of being fully inside Wei Ying. Beneath him, Wei Ying was already urging him to move, but Lan Zhan paused for a moment, dropping himself down on his elbows.

“Say it again,” he mouthed against Wei Ying’s lips.

Wei Ying’s hands raked down his back and he tried to shift his hips but Lan Zan had him pinned. “Say what?”

“Fiancé.”

“You like that don’t, you?” Wei Ying grinned at him. “You like claiming me, marking me, don’t you?”

Lan Zhan forced himself to stay still, eyes proudly noting the new and fading purple blooms along Wei Ying’s neck and collarbones. “Mn.”

“Well then. Make me yours, fiancé. Husband-to-be.”

The words tore through Lan Zhan’s last shred of control and he snapped his hips, thrusting into Wei Ying, faster and faster. Wei Ying met his thrusts at first, before falling back and letting Lan Zhan simply pound into him. Lan Zhan felt a wave of pleasure build up and crest suddenly, his rhythm breaking into faltering thrusts. He buried himself as deeply as could as he came, his entire body shuddering with the release. Below him, Wei Ying drew his arm over his mouth to stop himself from screaming out loud as he came as well, his untouched cock spurting white ropes of come over his abs.

Having finally stopped trembling with the aftershocks, Lan Zhan pulled out. Wei Ying whimpered at the loss. Lan Zhan grabbed a few wet wipes and cleaned both of them up, before settling down on his back beside Wei Ying and pulling the covers over both of them. He watched Wei Ying stretch sleepily and curl up into against him, head resting on his chest.

“Fiancé,” he whispered, looking fondly down at Wei Ying, whose lushes fluttered at the sound. He kissed Wei Ying’s forehead. “Wei Ying. I love you.”

Wei Ying mumbled something indistinguishably in response. Lan Zhan kissed him again, feeling sleep pull his own eyes closed as a soft smile spread across his lips. He was going to be able to have this for the rest of his life. Every day.