Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

-PART 1-

Wei Wuxian is good at soccer. Really, he is. 

No matter what Jiang Cheng says about him having two left feet and being way too lanky to actually coordinate all his extremities. He is good and he’s going to prove that.

Just you watch Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian is gonna score the most amazing goal you’ve ever seen. He’s gonna leave a hole in those enormous and ridiculous gloves Jiang Cheng insists on wearing. And really, why are those so big? Surely that’d make the whole grabbing the ball thing even more complicated, right?  

Anyways. 

Point is, Wei Ying might prefer swimming, but he’s still good at other sports and he’s going to prove that now.

It’s only his disastrous luck that just as he’s about to kick the ball he spots him.

Him .

The most gorgeous boy he’s ever seen.

Even Wei Wuxian, with his big ego and still unsure sexuality has to admit that the guy is truly a sight for sore eyes.

The boy is shorter than him, but he carries himself with a surety that makes up for those few centimeters he lacks. 

All serious and formal, his hands folded neatly behind his ramrod straight back- and really , what kind of high schooler stands like that? Like a ninety year old preceptor?

And- most importantly- what does it say about Wei Wuxian that he likes the fact that the newcomer stands like that?

But none of that matters. Not when he makes eye contact with the boy and his eyes are light colored and his lips full and his nose straight- and- and he wants to keep to eyes on him forever and-

-And Wei Wuxian is so startled by his train of thoughts and the beauty in front of him that he kicks the ball. 

He just- he just kicks it. No conscious thought behind the action, just impulse and muscle memory.

And the ball -well, someone must really hate him up above- because the ball goes straight to the boy’s face just as he turns around to look at Wei Wuxian.

And- yeah, well. It’s just his luck that he’s met the most intriguing and pretty boy and he fucked it up.

Things happen in slow motion.

Jiang Cheng’s face does something funny. Something between amusement and panic.

The teacher that was accompanying the boy shouts something.

And Wei Wuxian sees the ball going straight towards that perfect face.

Look. The thing is, Wei Wuxian is strong.  He’s been swimming since he was eight and he’s developed muscle. And in his competitiveness to win against his brother he put all that muscle to work in that single kick- hoping to maybe hit a face, yes, but Jiang Cheng’s smug face, not the newcomer’s handsome one.

The ball reaches its destination and the new boy falls down. 

Thank the gods he was being accompanied by a teacher that managed to catch him before he actually hit the ground and ruined that light blue sweater he’s wearing. That would’ve been a shame. It’s a nice sweater. Maybe not Wei Wuxian’s style, but it suits the guy.

“Shit” this is not what he meant when Wei Wuxian thought he had to get the boy’s attention.

Now the boy’s steel cold eyes are on Wei Wuxian, and he seems to be trying to incinerate him with the fury of a thousand suns. Or something like that.  

Wei Wuxian almost doesn’t mind. What with finally seeing that face showing an ounce of emotion. Even if that emotion is hatred and even if it is aimed at him.

A few seconds pass and the newcomer, somehow, looks even more offended. And he realizes -way too late- that he probably has to apologize so the beautiful boy doesn’t hate him for the rest of their life.

Way too late though. The boy is already turning around and walking away.

“Sorry” Wei Wuxian yells, but he isn’t sure if the other actually heard him.

—————————————

The next day, when Wei Wuxian barges into class, disheveled and running late, he makes eye contact with the boy again. Thankfully there aren't any balls around to hit his face with. But he almost trips.

“Who’s the new boy?” He asks Nie Huaisang as soon as he sits down in his usual seat next to his friend.

The teacher sends them a nasty look but Wei Wuxian has never in his life been a rule abiding student and he’s not going to start now.

“Lan Wangji, apparently he was sick last week and had to start the year late”

“Wait- Lan? Like Old Man Qiren?”

Nie Huaisang gives him a look “His uncle”

Of course. 

Well, Wei Wuxian loves challenges.

He’s ripping a piece of paper to throw at Lan Wangji when Huaisang stops him, unsure and a bit flustered.

“Ah, Wei-xiong, you sure that’s a good idea? He seems… responsible, I don’t think he’d take it well if you start harassing him now. And you really don’t need to get into more trouble”

True. But Wei Wuxian is nothing if not impulsive, so he scribes a quick greeting, crumples it in a ball, and throws it at Lan Wangji.

As soon as the paper leaves his hand he regrets it.

Lan Wangji turns around and locks eyes with him, very pointedly throwing to the floor the paper that landed on his desk.

It was only a second or two, but the feeling of having those eyes on him makes him shiver. He wants to do it again, just to see if he can get a stronger reaction.

Huaisang doesn’t seem to agree with him because the next time he rips off a page of his notebook to throw to Lan Wangji, he yanks it from under his hands, gives him a stern look and starts folding it to make a fan.

Rude.

Ah, no problem. He’ll just harass Lan Wangji after class.

—————————————

And that he does.

He had watched him throughout the whole two hours of literature, and now he’s entranced by way more than just his beauty.

Despite the boy’s obvious quiet and shy nature, he engaged in class with the confidence of someone that only knew how to get As. With every intervention he managed to be critical as well as respectful of the material and the teacher loved him.

Wei Wuxian wasn’t really interested in literature, he had never been, really. But- as he watched the long hand raise over Lan Wangji’s head with a grace no thirteen year old should have and listened to his calm but firm voice express his opinions… Well, he found himself even more fascinated. 

The new boy clearly had a good head on his shoulders, clever and quick. Intelligence was something Wei Wuxian admired even more than looks- it was just lucky, and kind of unfair, that this boy excelled in both areas.

So, even more intrigued tha before, he sprinted off his seat towards Lan Wangji’s desk as soon as the final bell rang.

“Lan Wangji, Lan Wangji!” 

The boy doesn’t even lift his head from where he’s putting away his books in his bag- because of course he’s the kind of student that doesn’t start to pack until the bell rings and the teacher dismisses them-.

“Hi! I'm Wei Wuxian, but you call me Wei Ying, alright? You’re new right? Ah, you probably don’t remember me but I’m the one that hit you with the ball yesteday!” Okay… maybe he shouldn’t have reminded him of that if he wanted Lan Wangji to be his friend “But I’m very sorry! Really! Are you okay?”

At this, Lan Wangji finally looks up at him, a dubious look on his face.

“Really! I tried to apologize yesterday but you walked away so quickly! Didn’t even gave me a chance to redeem myself, so it’s kind of your fault actually”

“Two minutes”

If hearing that voice in class was something, then having it directed at him was on a whole other level.

“What?”

“You stared at me for two minutes” and with that, he takes his bag and stands up.

It wasn’t that long.. was it? 

Well, in his defense, Wei Wuxian had been pretty busy admiring the boy’s good looks to think clearly. Lan Wangji should be flattered.

Except- when he voices this thought aloud Lan Wangji just turns sharply towards the door and starts walking away.

“Aiya! Wait! Lan Wangji, come back! It was only the truth”

Lan Wangji doesn’t turn around and, in fact, he starts walking away faster.

“Just you wait, I’ll grow on you eventually!” but Lan Wangji had already disappeared from view.

When he turns to check if Nie Huaisang is waiting for him to go to their next class, he finds his friend looking at him with an odd expression hidden behind his makeshift fan.

—————————————

And that’s how everything started.

—————————————

After that conversation Wei Wuxian made it his life mission to get Lan Wangji’s attention again. 

It was the first step in his plan to befriend him. After all, how could they become best friends if the other boy barely even acknowledged his existence?

In the next few weeks Wei Wuxian tried everything, from apologizing again, to complimenting him, to inviting him to join the swimming team, to teasing him. 

But the most efficient method to get a reaction out of Lan Wangji, he found, was to antagonize him in class.

Lan Wangji was the kind of guy that took his studies very seriously, someone who’d probably end up valedictorian and in a prestigious university studying something complex like neuroscience or diplomacy or one of those careers with long and complicated names. So when Wei Wuxian actually managed to get his full, uninterrupted attention was when he started to question everything he said.

Well, not everything . He couldn’t exactly argue against which was the second law of Newton or the fact that x was 23. 

But, if there was something to argue against, Wei Wuxian was there to do it, be it in philosophy or literature or social studies.

And it was fun! Wei Wuxian started to actually enjoy class, now that he had someone to challenge him and something to actually work for.

Lan Wangji met him at every turn and even anticipated his arguments before he even voiced them. It was so refreshing that Wei Wuxian didn’t even care if he lost.

This also had the added bonus of him getting into less trouble, now that he wasn’t as bored in class, and of his grades improving.

Though he didn’t really care all that much about it.  He had always been the smartest person in class, and it wasn’t ego or false confidence, it was just a fact. He didn’t need a number to prove that. 

But now, there was Lan Wangji. Uptight, responsible, clever and critical Lan Wangji. 

Someone to match him in wits without even trying. 

He had never felt like this, and he probably would’ve given up on trying to befriend the guy if Lan Wangji was anyone else. But, as it was, Wei Wuxian knew all his efforts would be worth it.

It also helped that he once caught Lan Wangji making a particularly witty and sarcastic comment about Wen Chao when the boy had said something that surpassed the terrain of “misinformed” and entered the domain of “offensive”. And there was also the fact that he had seen him more than once doodling in his notebook. And that he once caught him stuffing his pockets with sweets. And, once, he even managed to see something written on his wrist- not a tattoo, he was sure, but some kind of reminder maybe?

So Lan Wangji, it turned out, wasn’t as boring or uptight as everyone said. 

He wasn’t a studying machine. Wei Wuxian knew there was a human being behind that cold exterior, no matter what his other classmates thought.

Wei Wuxian knew better, and he wanted to get to know Lan Wangji even better. 

He wanted to know if those figures with swords he drew in the margins of his notebooks were characters from a book or a show. He wanted to ask him about his favorite subject and what he wanted to be when he grew up. He wanted to hear more of those sarcastic comments and he wanted to know if he had a sweet tooth.

So he kept antagonizing the boy until everyone in school was whispering not so subtly about the growing rivalry between the troublemaker and the goody two shoes.

But it had already been a few weeks, and he hadn’t made any progress in getting to talk one on one with Lan Wangji, without a teacher and the rest of their classmates as their witness, and Wei Wuxian was getting frustrated.

That’s why he decided, when his shijie made meatloaf, to ask her for an extra piece to give to his hopefully new friend. His shijie’s cooking was the best, and there wasn’t a soul on this earth that could resist it. His plan was foolproof! 

… or maybe it wasn’t. 

No, it really wasn’t foolproof, Wei Wuxian decided. 

Lan Wangji was looking at him with a kind of constipated look on his face and he still wasn’t accepting the gift. 

“I’m vegetarian” the words were curt. The last time Wei Wuxian had seen him this uncomfortable was when a girl asked him out last week and he wasn’t interested.

“What?”

“I don’t eat meat”

“No, no- I know what it means I just-“ he looked for words but he really didn’t know how to express his disappointment. This was going completely opposite to how he imagined this scenario.

At his floundering Lan Wangji looked even more constipated and Wei Wuxian was quick to get the meatloaf away from his line of sight, berating himself all the way.

Of course he looked constipated! He was vegetarian and he had just offered him a dish that had “meat” in the name. He was probably thinking about all the cows that had to die for his shijie to make the food. Or something like that. Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure how vegetarians' minds worked.

“I’m sorry! I really didn’t know! I just- my shijie, Jiang Yanli, made this for me and she’s the best chef ever and I thought maybe you’d appreciate it and maybe you’d finally forgive me for throwing a ball at your perfect face and that we’d be friends or something” for the first time in a long time, he felt himself blushing.

He turned around embarrassed.

“Wei…” Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji, and it was the other boy’s turn to look away “Wei Ying. I forgive you. You don’t have to keep doing this”

“Doing what?”

“This whole… being nice to me. In class you’ve made it clear that you do not like me ” he averted his gaze, as if embarrassed, just for a second, but Wei Wuxian had long since trained his eyes to the other boy’s minuscules changes in expressions “I forgave you, your conscience is clean, it is not necessary”

Wei Wuxian gaped. How could his intentions have been read so wrong by someone so smart?

“Lan Wangji! That’s not it! You’re cool! And good looking! And super smart! And kinda funny! That’s why I tried so hard to be your friend. Not because of my conscience or politeness or whatever” Wei Ying took a deep breath, frustrated that his message had been so wrongly received “And- and well, I only argue with you in class because you’re so clever, I thought we both were having fun trying to one-up the other, I never meant to come across as mean”

They looked at each other until the bell rang. Lan Wangji still looked kinda constipated but at least he didn’t seem offended or annoyed anymore. 

Then, Lan Wangji finally gave a curt nod in understanding before turning around to go to his next class.

Wei Wuxian was kind of disappointed to see him go without even acknowledging verbally his confession but then Lan Wangji turned around and said in that collected voice of his:

“Lan Zhan”

And Wei Wuxian was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

——————————

Things didn’t change as much as Wei Ying would’ve wanted after that conversation but now he could call Lan Zhan by his birth name -and such a beautiful one too!- and Lan Zhan actually greeted him back in the hallway, and sometimes, when Wei Wuxian was extremely lucky, he would even look at him in class when Wen Chao or one of the other idiots made a particularly idiotic comment, as if saying “You hear this too, right?” And Wei Wuxian would roll his eyes or make a gagging motion and spend the rest of the day smiling to himself.

They still argued in class and Wei Wuxian still tried to get Lan Wangji to race him in PE but that competition was held with the knowledge that there wasn’t any real animosity between them -unlike what Wei Wuxian realized Lan Wangji had thought before- just the thrill of being so at par that most of the time there never was a clear winner.

And the thing is, as the weeks passed and they navigated this new dynamic, Wei Wuxian found himself being an expert on Lan Zhan. 

Sure, he always knew kind of instinctively which buttons to push to get the best reactions-or the worsts, depending on who you’re asking-, but now he is starting to learn how to read the the minuscule tightening of the corner of his mouth or his averted eyes and barely there fidgeting.

Or the long, unblinking look Lan Zhan is giving him now, after their biology professor announced they’d be working as a pair for the next assignment. 

Weeks ago he would’ve thought that Lan Zhan was displeased with this arrangement, but now he knows it’s just his version of a knowing look shared between acquaintances.

So, in the spirit of their new acquaintanceship, after class Lan Zhan -Lan Zhan!- asked him to exchange phone numbers so they could coordinate their schedules and plan the presentation- even though they’ve got a whole month to do it, because of course Lan Zhan never procrastinates-.

And well, Wei Wuxian is Wei Wuxian, so the second he got his phone back- now with Lan Zhan’s number in it!- he started to plan how to totally abuse the new power that had been granted to him.

After he got home from class he sent a quick “hiiiiii!!!!!” and when Lan Zhan answers him with a much more discreet “Hello.” -period and all- he started sending him all kinds of images and videos he thought Lan Zhan might enjoy.

And Lan Zhan, to his surprise, was always quick to respond, even if his answers were vague and way too formal. 

Anyhow, texting Lan Zhan was as fun as talking to him.

Not the kind of fun he felt when roughhousing with Jiang Cheng or when winning a race. No. It’s something lighter, something that left him breathless.

Wei Ying is so, so glad he never gave up on befriending this boy that’s quickly becoming his best friend.

So, taking into account the growing importance that Lan Zhan had had in his life, Wei Ying thinks they should excuse him for being just a little bit nervous about going to Lan Zhan’s home and meeting his family.

Well- not nervous, Wei Wuxian doesn’t get nervous. Just a bit apprehensive- which is totally sensible considering Lan Zhan’s uncle is Lan Qiren.

Lan Qiren hates him. He’s sure of that. 

The man is tall and stern and with an awful beard. The only excitement in his life is grounding and berating Wei Wuxian.

It’s not Wei Ying's fault that he’s always making a ruckus. 

Truly.

He doesn’t mean to, it’s not like he wants to be in detention when he could be instead swimming laps or listening to music or doing literally anything else.

It’s just that he suffers from an awful combination of poor memory, bad luck and a short attention span.

And sure, he doesn’t usually care about what others think of him. Much less of what some old teacher whose class he won’t be taking for quite a few more years thinks. 

But.

But it’s Lan Zhan’s uncle. What if he forbids Lan Zhan from talking to him? What if he deems Wei Ying so unworthy he decides to pull Lan Zhan off the school and send him to one of those expensive boarding schools in Europe? Lan Zhan would hate it there and he’d surely blame Wei Wuxian. What then? Lan Zhan would hate him.

“You must be Wei Wuxian!” 

A cheery voice stopped him from spiraling and he looked up.

He was looking at… Lan Zhan but older. And more bubbly. And with blue eyes. And- 

Now that he actually paid attention, maybe Lan Zhan and his brother weren’t all that similar. Like, yeah they’re both handsome and graceful, with the same flowing black hair and thin eyebrows and straight nose, but that’s just that.

“Yes! Lan Xichen? Lan Zhan’s brother?” He asked, just to be sure.

“That’s me!” He moved away from the door “Come in, come in. A-Zhan is in his room”

“I’m not”

Wei Ying whipped around- an unconscious response to that soft voice- and beamed.

“Lan Zhan!”

“Wei Ying”

“Lan Zhan! I met your brother! And you’ve got a really beautiful house! And a garden and flowers!”

Way to state the obvious. Shut up Wei Wuxian, don’t embarrass yourself even more.

“Wei Ying” Lan Zhan paused in that way he does after saying his name, as if he’s either stopping himself from calling Wei Ying an idiot or trying not to smile. You never know with Lan Zhan “My room’s upstairs”

“Well, lead the way, we have to be responsible students after all”

Lan Zhan looked at him as if saying Wei Ying has never acted like a responsible student in his whole life- but more politely- and Wei Ying bursted out laughing.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Wei Wuxian. Lan Zhan’s been talking a lot about you lately” Lan Xichen smiled and it looked like Yanli’s smile when she knew something he didn't. Did all older siblings have the same vibe? 

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying gasped dramatically “You? You talk about me?”

By the time he finished talking, Lan Zhan was already rushing up the stairs in a very un-Lan Zhan fashion and Wei Ying was cackling to himself in a very Wei Ying fashion.

“I like your room” Wei Ying decided as he lefthis backpack and jacket on the hanging rack, closed the door and looked around, trying not to mess up anything.

He wasn’t usually this careful, but it’s Lan Zhan’s room and Lan Zhan looked like the kind of guy that’d probably have an aneurysm if he messed up his space.

“Mn”

“I mean it! You don’t have to share with your brother like I do and your walls are blue! Very calming. And! You’ve got this super big window!”

“It’s my favorite color”

Wei Ying got distracted by the big bookshelves on the walls, but he put this new bit of information inside the folder named Lan Zhan he built in his heart.

“You’ve read all of these?” Wei Ying let out a low whistle, his eyes racking over the hundreds of books “I could never”

“I like reading” Lan Zhan looked at him hesitantly and added “You don’t? You always have something to say in literature”

“Ah, well-“ Wei Ying looked for the right words “It’s not that I don’t like stories or learning, I love it! But I just can’t get my brain to focus long enough to actually read more than a few pages”

Lan Zhan looked at him expectantly.

“For assignments I always listen to the audiobook” he explained and then added, not wanting to seem like an idiot in front of Lan Zhan “I also listen to books for my own enjoyment but I don’t read them”

“That makes sense”

“It does?”

“Mn. Your mind’s always working” Lan Zhan said “I imagine it’d be hard to concentrate for someone that smart”

Wei Ying squeaked at that, feeling himself flush. People usually assumed he was just too lazy but Lan Zhan didn’t. 

And not only that! He called Wei Ying smart! Lan Zhan! The most brilliant guy he’s ever met!

It made something warm unfold in his chest and he looked around for a distraction.

“Oh my god! Is that baby you?”

Wei Ying looked at a framed picture on Lan Zhan’s desk. There’s a woman, beautiful and with the same golden eyes as Lan Zhan, she looked frail but happy as she held a chubby baby in her lap with one hand while with the other she brought closer a bigger boy.

Suddenly, Wei Ying realized that even though Lan Zhan had talked about his brother, and sometimes even mentioned his uncle, he had  never said anything about his parents.

“That’s my mom with my brother and I” Lan Zhan murmured “She passed away when I was six” 

Wei Ying would have liked to have a photo of his dad and mom.

“I’m sorry Lan Zhan. She was beautiful”

“Mn”

For a moment neither of them said anything.

Wei Ying was never good with silences “You were the cutest baby!” And with the familiar sight of Lan Zhan’s blushing ears the strange tension dissipated “Seriously! Look at those cheeks! And the flower in your hair! It’s really too much for my fragile heart”

“Wei Ying will survive” 

With that, Lan Zhan left Wei Ying clutching his heart and swooning into a wall, all too familiar with his theatrics by that point, and started laying down his studying material in a neat line over his desk.

“Alright, alright” Wei Ying said when Lan Zhan shot him an expectant look “I’ll behave. Should we start?”

Lan Zhan looked dubious at that, but nodded nonetheless.

The project was simple if a bit time consuming. They had to choose a mammal and make a presentation detailing all about its biological functions, as well as record their behavior during the same time of day for three days straight.

They had been lucky the teacher assigned them mammals. Nie Huaisang had to do his presentation about arachnids and the boy almost started crying when he heard he’d have to get within a twenty foot radius of a spider.

“What’s your favorite animal, Lan Zhan? Mine are dragons but I imagine we’d have a hard time finding a zoo with one of those”

Lan Zhan looked towards his bed, a kind of conflicted expression on his face.

When Wei Ying followed his line of sight he gasped, completely enamored with what he saw.

There, sleeping peacefully over Lan Zhan’s bed, was a small white rabbit plushie, a blue scarf around its neck.

“Bunnies?” Wei Ying had a big grin on his face “You like bunnies, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Zhan’s jaw locked and he nodded, challenging Wei Wuxian to say something about it or about the plushie.

“That’s the cutest!” Wei Ying clapped "Well! It’s decided then, we’re gonna do rabbits and I’m not taking a no for an answer”

“Are you sure?” Lan Zhan looked at him for some time before adding “You don’t have to indulge me”

“Ah, Lan Zhan! But I want to indulge you” Lan Zhan hesitated, the tips of his ears red, but Wei Ying was the best at cajoling and he waved in the general direction of the bed “And bunnies are so cute, can you imagine seeing this little fluffball alive? I think I’d die”

“Please don’t”  

And that’s how they found themselves learning about rabbits' sleeping habits, food habits, mating habits and all kinds of other habits the creatures might have. Who knew rabbits were this complex.

It was… kind of fun? Kind of. Wei Wuxian enjoyed spending time with Lan Zhan even if they spent it pouring over books - well- Lan Zhan poured over his uncountable collection of books while Wei Wuxian googled. Still. His point remains. He kind of liked the quiet companionship.

Of course, as much as  Wei Wuxian enjoyed his time with Lan Zhan he was still Wei Wuxian, and he still grew restless after a few hours of research and immobility.

“Lan Zhan” Wei Ying whined once again when Lan Zhan ignored him the first four times “What’s the point of having a backyard like that when you don’t use it. And! Scientifically it’s proved that taking breaks makes you more efficient in the long run. Also if we go out now I promise to stop pestering you once we come back inside again!”

Lan Zhan looked at him unimpressed, easily seeing through his bluff, but, to Wei Ying’s delight, still closed the book with a sigh and carefully marked the page.

“Alright”

“You’re the best Lan Zhan!”

Once in the living room, Lan Xichen asked if they’d like something to eat, to which Wei Ying had to ask himself, once again, if it was something about being the older sibling that made you have a certain vibe or if it was just their siblings that had the same energy.

Anyways, he wasn’t saying no to food.

Look, Wei Ying didn’t mind staying inside -actually, contrary to popular belief, he quite liked it- but still, if he spent too much time in one place he became restless and bored, his mind short circuiting until he moved his body, kind of turning it off and on again. After hours doing research, he was glad for the change in scenery.

“Come” Lan Zhan grasped his sleeve.

Wei Ying almost jumped, flustered for some reason.

However, his surprise at Lan Zhan starting physical contact quickly morphed into glee and then curiosity as they walked towards what Wei Ying thought to be the end of the backyard, dense foliage making a natural barrier between the Lan property and their neighbors.

Still clutching his sleeve, Lan Zhan maneuvered them to the bushes and trees and then, to Wei Wuxian’s surprise, through the bushes and trees.

To Wei Yings excitement, the natural wall was not separating Lan Zhan from his neighbors but rather it led to a more secluded part of the backyard.

And- wow. The Jiangs were well off and had a pretty big property, with a small, artificial river and everything, but the Lan territory was on a whole other level.

There were rows and rows of purple and blue followers neatly arranged next to a white stone path, and an artificial pond where Wei Ying could see at least two frogs and some fishes.

A little further away there were two blue swings hanging from a big loquat tree.

It was beautiful.

“I thought Wei Ying would like it” Lan Zhan said, but there was a hint of a question there, something doubtful and timid.

“I do. It’s beautiful. You Lans got good taste”

“Mn. Good” Lan Zhan sounded way too smug at that and Wei Ying burst out laughing.

They spent the rest of the afternoon and beginnings of the evening there, only interrupted by Lan Xichen bringing them tea -because apparently that’s something the Lans did, they had tea at five- and looking way more pleased than the situation called for in Wei Wuxian’s opinion, considering they were skipping on schoolwork to play.

Lan Zhan told him the name of the frogs -there were three, Quixote, Sha Wujing and Iago, and much like their namesakes, the three frogs where quiet the chaos bringers- and they spent the rest of the afternoon chasing them so Wei Ying could see them better.

Well, Wei Ying chased them while Lan Zhan looked at him amusedly, only intervening when Wei Ying almost fell into the pond.

By the time his shijie arrived to get him back home they hadn’t gone back to the project, but Lan Zhan didn’t look as annoyed as Wei Ying thought he’d be, only saying that they’d have to meet again to finish their research before moving into the practical aspect of the work. Wei Ying took that as a win.

———————————————

It took them two more meetings to finally finish all their research but, in Wei Wuxian’s defense, they would’ve finished it earlier if not for Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang hanging out in his house when they decided to study there.

After an accident involving orange juice, one of Huaisang’s fans, lemon loaf cake and a lot of shouting, they agreed that it’d be better if they kept on meeting in Lan Zhan’s home. And they did one more time until they had everything settled to go to -finally- see the bunnies for themselves.

Lan Qiren, not a fan of Wei Wuxian but a fan of schoolwork and deeply fond of his nephew, apparently knew someone that knew someone that knew someone that had a rabbit farm, and that’s how Wei Ying found himself inside Lan Qiren’s car, with Lan Qiren’s younger nephew, being driven by the man to a farm full of bunnies. Add that to the list of things Wei Wuxian  never thought would happen.

And it was great. Nevermind that Lan Qiren glared at him every time his voice raised even slightly above average or that a rabbit bit his finger and another ate his school notes.

Wei Ying was really glad he came because now he knew how Lan Zhan looked when he was truly happy.

Yes, the rabbits were cute and all but the little fluffy things seemed to have taken a liking to Lan Zhan so nothing compared to Lan Zhan’s small smile and soft eyes as he carefully petted all the rabbits that tried to get into his lap and took notes of their behaviors.

On the third day, when they finished the project and knew they wouldn’t be coming back, Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan’s averted eyes and sad mouth, and he promised himself that he was going to get those rabbits for his best friend one way or another.

The opportunity to keep his promise presented itself at the end of august, when Lan Zhan invited him to have tea in his house: Lan Zhan’s idea of a birthday party, apparently.

Wei Ying was very glad Lan Zhan was the kind of person to plan these kinds of things weeks in advance. It gave him plenty of time to put his plan in action.

He got Lan Xichen’s number from his shijie and then proceeded to blow up the man’s phone with messages about why it was the best idea ever to get Lan Zhan those bunnies for his birthday.

Wei Ying didn’t know how, but somehow Lan Xichen worked his magic with their uncle and, a few days later, he had permission from Lan Qiren to buy the rabbits.

It was a joint gift. Lan Qiren would get Lan Zhan the necessary enclosure and Lan Xichen the food for the animals as well as some toys while Wei Ying got his savings and asked his shijie to drive him to the farm.

The tricky part was managing to convince Madame Yu to keep the rabbits for the whole two days it took Lan Zhan’s birthday to arrive.

Finally though, with Jiang Cheng’s, Jiang Yanli’s and even Uncle Fengmian’s help, she relented.

That’s how Wei Ying found himself in Lan Zhan’s house without Lan Zhan, helping Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren to organize everything before the boy got back from guitar practice- because apparently Lan Zhan played the guitar. Wei Ying found the fact that this piece of information had been withheld from him this long very, very offensive.

He was about to give voice to this thought when he spotted Lan Zhan through one of the windows, making his way to the house. Wei Ying was vibrating from excitement.

It was as if everything happened in slow motion: they heard the key turning in the lock, saw the door handle move and then the door opened slowly.

“Surprise!” Wei Ying and Lan Xichen shouted at the same time and Lan Qiren didn't even scold them for their loud noises.

Lan Zhan freezed as his eyes zeroed in on Wei Ying and then on the two rabbits held in his hands “What?”

“Happy birthday Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying shouted again and then held the bunnies to Lan Zhan.

“For me?” He asked, voice small and hopeful and Wei Ying was very, very happy.

“Yes!”

“…can I keep them?” The question was directed to his uncle, who smiled fondly.

“Of course” said Lan Qiren at the same time Lan Xichen exclaimed “Well, it’d be a shame if you didn’t considering we already bought all of this”

Then Lan Zhan looked past the three of them to where they had put all the other gifts  and lets out a small “Oh”

He truly looked beautiful like that, Wei Ying mused, with his mouth forming a shy smile and his eyes sparkling.

“It was Wei Wuxian’s idea” 

Lan Xichen, the traitor said apropos nothing, and Wei Ying got the full weight of Lan Zhan’s gratitude and it really was too much for his poor heart.

“Thank you Wei Ying”

Someone should really tell Lan Zhan to be careful because one day he’ll give someone a heart attack with that smile.

“I-“ Wei Ying cleared his throat and tried again “Well, I couldn’t just leave them there after they told me they missed you!”

“They told you?”

“Yeah, they got my number, called me and everything”

Lan Zhan didn’t deign that with an answer, instead thanking his uncle and brother while promising to take good care of the bunnies. As if he’d ever do anything but his best in any aspect of his life. The overachiever.

After that Lan Zhan decided they needed a name for his new pets, leaving the black one to Wei Wuxian to name.

“Aiya Lan Zhan” Wei Ying whines “I’m not good with names and they’re yours! Name them whatever”

“Okay. Bichen and Suibian”

“Wha- Lan Zhan that’s not what i meant and you know it”

“Wei Ying said Suibian so Suibian it is”

“Lan Zhan!”

Well, it might not have been as grand as Bichen but at least it was original.

Also, Lan Zhan thanked him by letting him hear the song he had been composing so it really was all worth it. 

—————————————

After that Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan became even more inseparable. Where one was, usually the other wasn’t too far behind.

And just like that, they developed a tentative routine, planting the seeds of what could become a great friendship if only they took the time to water it. And water it they did.

They started to walk back home together from school and Wei Ying invited Lan Zhan to his swimming practices, where the quiet boy sat far enough from the pool to not get his new book wet but close enough to talk to Wei Ying when he had time off. And, in turn, Lan Zhan let him stay in the room when he practiced his guitar while Wei Ying delighted in the music and started to teach himself how to code, just because he could. It was great.

Wei Ying knew, deep in his bones, that the seeds of their friendship would turn into a wonderful garden with enough time, and he couldn’t wait to see it in full bloom.

He didn’t even care about Jiang Cheng’s teasing or his shijie’s knowing looks when they found him with his earphones on, trying to make sense of the audiobook of Romeo and Juliet or Pride and Prejudice because they were Lan Zhan’s favorite books and he’d be damned if he didn’t at least try to listen to them- it was the least he could do when Lan Zhan took the time to watch his favorites movies just so they could discuss them together.

So, between Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan, Nie Huaisang, the months passed in a blur of swimming competitions, friendly banter, videos about programming, coffee outings and cooking with his sister. 

Before he knew it, Christmas had passed and New Year was just a day away, and suddenly Wei Ying found himself more alone than ever in the last few months.

New Year was always lonely for him. 

His sister and brother went away with Madame Yu after Christmas to spend the rest of the holidays with Madame Yu’s parents, who weren’t all that fond of the whole concept of adopting children, so it was better for everyone if he just stayed behind with Uncle Jiang.

But now Uncle Jiang had to go away on an impromptu business trip and Wei Ying was left alone to bear the weight of the whole new year before him. 

And although he won’t ever say anything, he kind of hated it.

He also hated cooking.

That’s why he was at a tacky diner having lunch on New Year’s Eve.

A hand on his shoulder distracted him from his brooding and he jumped so high a few fries ended on the floor.

“Wha-“ he took off one earplug and turned around to be met with kind, blue eyes.

“Sorry, Wei Wuxian” Lan Xichen smiled.

It was so different from Lan Zhan’s smile. Lan Xichen was all teeth and friendly cheeks, while Lan Zhan smiles were all nice eyes and demureness, his smiles were far rarer but much more valuable in Wei Ying’s opinion. 

He was also more handsome than his older brother, even at fourteen, but he might be a little biased on that.

“Lan Xichen! What are you doing?”

“Just buying lunch for A-Zhan and me”

Wei Ying flushed. Of course he was at a diner to buy food. What a stupid question.

In his defense, he was still a little starstruck by the sight of a Lan at a tacky diner on New Year’s Eve. It was like seeing a fish walking on land, it just didn’t match with his previous knowledge of the species.

“And Lan Zhan will eat the food? The other day he refused a pizza because it was too greasy”

Lan Xichen laughed “Well, he’s pretty fond of the salad here. And the milkshakes” then he leaned in as if he was about to tell Wei Wuxian an important secret “You see, he’s got quite the sweet tooth”

“I’ll take that into account next time I try to tempt him away from a healthy diet”

“You do that”

The woman on the counter called Lan Xichen’s name and he went briefly away to retrieve his order.

It really was weird seeing him here. He wondered how Lan Zhan would look in a place like this. It’d probably be like watching a football match being played with a tennis ball. 

“What are you doing? I’d think Jiang Yanli would be over the moon to cook a New Year’s Eve meal” he asked when he came back, balancing two containers and a pink milkshake on his hands.

“Ah” Wei Ying didn’t know how to explain it all without sounding pathetic. Well, now wasn’t the time to develop his sense of shame “The Jiang’s are all away and I really, really didn’t wanna cook”

“Oh” Lan Xichen looked pensive “But they’ll come back for the New Year?”

“No, no. Just me” he laughed awkwardly “It’s okay though! Every year it’s like this, with my sibling visiting their grandparents and me staying with Uncle Jiang- just this year he had to go on a business trip and I don’t really like the road so I stayed”

Lan Xichen looked at him appraisingly and then beamed “Well, come then! I’m sure Lan Zhan will be thrilled to have you”

“What?”

“If you want, of course” the older boy quickly added “It’s just us, we don’t really have anymore family around here, so we’d be very pleased with the company. The more the merrier”

“What? No” Wei Yin shook his head “No. I won’t crash your celebrations. Thank you but I really couldn’t”

“If you don’t want to, it’s okay. But I meant it. You’re always welcome with us, and Lan Zhan would be really happy to have some company”

“I-“ Wei Ying hesitated and that’s all Xichen needed to keep pressing.

“In fact, why don’t we ask him?” Then he went towards a window and started making weird hand signals at his car.

Wei Ying saw the door open carefully. A doubtful Lan Zhan stepped out.

They hadn’t seen each other in some time, and Wei Ying would be lying if he said he wasn’t overjoyed at seeing him again, even if he was frowning.

The frown, however, quickly left his face when he spotted him, his whole face softening.

“Wei Ying”

“Lan Zhan!”

Lan Xichen chuckled “See what you miss out on for staying in the car?”

Lan Zhan just looked at him impassively and grabbed the milkshake before repeating Wei Ying’s name in that same soft tone he always used.

“I was just telling Wei Ying we’d love to have him for the New Year, right A-Zhan?”

“Mn. Wei Ying is always welcome” then he tilted his head “The Jiangs?”

“They’re away- but really!” Wei Ying shook one of his french fries in front of Lan Zhan’s face and promptly burst laughing at his offended expression “It’s no big deal, Lan Zhan. I don’t want to impose”

“You wouldn’t impose”

Wei Ying knew how to pick his battles and he also had enough self awareness to know he’d really like to go.

“You Uncle wouldn’t mind?” He asked just to be sure.

Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen shook their heads at the same time and his brain short circuited for a moment at their uncanny resemblance.

“Well then, if you’re sure…”

“We are” Lan Zhan said and walked away, no doubt happy to get out of the sticky diner.

A few hours and a stern look from Lan Qiren after, Wei Ying found himself sitting next to Lan Zhan with a table full of healthy, green and flavorless food in front of him. 

He had to change his clothes for something more formal, because Lans didn’t do anything halfway. He was draped on one of Lan Zhan’s white dressing shirts, hoping against hope to not spill anything on it- or on Lan Zhan’s caqui pants that were just a little too short on him. Or a lot. He was tall for his age- at least, that’s what shijie and his swimming coach said-.

The Lans, unlike the Jiangs, apparently don’t talk during meals. 

It was kind of awkward. Well- a lot awkward. He never did well with silences after all.

Maybe he should’ve just stayed at home, that way he’d be in his pajamas and watching a movie or eating greasy takeout or doing literally anything else.

But.

But then Lan Zhan got up from the table and came back with a bottle of spicy sauce clutched in his hand and Wei Ying’s heart warmed. No , he amends, there’s nowhere he’d rather be. 

Yeah, Wei Ying was an easy man, at least when it came to his best friend.

It was somewhere around half past ten when Lan Zhan yawned once again, his eyes never leaving the tv screen.

“It’s way past your bedtime, huh?” Wei Ying nudged him with his shoulder “You can sleep if you want, I’ll wake you at midnight”

Lan Zhan just shook his head stubbornly.

It wasn’t the first time they had had this conversation tonight.

“Aiya, who knew Lan Zhan could be this stubborn!”

“I did!” and by Xichen’s amused face and Lan Zhan’s horrified one Wei Ying knew there had to be a story behind that statement and he’d be damned if he didn’t get it.

“Really?”

“Mn. He was a very… how to put it? Strong tempered child”

To Wei Ying’s surprise, Lan Qiren snorted “That’s one way of saying it”

“What? I really can’t imagine you misbehaving, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying exclaimed but he really could.

He could see a chubby cheeked kid with steely gold eyes crossing his arms in front of his food and refusing to eat. The image was strangely endearing.

“He bit” Lan Xichen stage whispered before adding “I still have some scars”

“Oh my god, Lan Zhan! You did what? You were a menace!”

“He was”

“Xiongzhang” his best friend’s ears were a truly alarming shade of red.

Lan Xichen laughed and then went to retrieve Bichen and Suibian from their enclosure, dropping them on Lan Zhan’s lap as an apology.

Lan Zhan still looked flustered, but the bunnies helped, and not long after he was falling asleep on Wei Ying’s shoulder -to Wei Ying’s delight- while the rabbits were falling asleep on his lap.

It was ten minutes before midnight when Wei Ying realized that the Lans were probably the most righteous people to ever exist. Or something like that.

Unlike the rest of the morally dubious mortals, including himself, the Lans didn’t light fireworks at midnight- instead they lit up biodegradable paper lanterns.

“Better for the environment,” Lan Xichen explained.

“Less noisy and prettier” Lan Zhan added as he gave a lantern to Wei Ying.

“Mom always said to make a wish” Lan Zhan started saying “But Uncle always said to make a resolution. So now we wish and then work to make that wish come true in the coming year”

When the clock struck midnight and the fireworks started, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan lit their lanterns and said their wishes.

Under the moonlight of the new year, with Lan Zhan at his side looking more handsome than ever with his tired eyes shining and his cheeks flushed, Wei Ying was very glad he accepted the invitation. 

He felt Lan Zhan draping his coat over his shoulders only to realize he was shivering.

“Back inside?”

“Okay, Lan Zhan”

————————————

“Wei Ying”

There was a voice calling his name. A nice voice, warm and soft and patient.

It was early though and he didn’t want to leave the comfort of the bed “No” he said and put the knitted quilt over his head.

“Wei Ying” that was definitely amusement in the voice.

It was also definitely Lan Zhan’s voice.

“Lan Zhan, it’s too early”

“Wei Ying. It’s half past ten. You should wake up”

“Too early”

“It’s not”

“It’s too” and Wei Ying opened his eyes just so he could glare at Lan Zhan “When did you wake up?”

“At seven”

“Seven?! You always wake up at seven? Even during the holidays?”

Lan Zhan huffed a breath “I wake at seven during the holidays. The rest of the year I wake at six”

“That’s not normal, Lan Zhan”

Lan Zhan hummed “Uncle doesn’t let us drink coffee but I got you tea and xiongzhang made pancakes”

“Milk?”

“Milk, two sugars and cinnamon”

“You’re the best Lan Zhan” he really was, Wei Ying thought as he stretched himself out like a lazy cat.

“Mn” Lan Zhan looked away “When are you expected back?”

“Uncle Jiang will be back sometime tonight”

He had promised to have their first dinner of the year together after all.

“Uncle will drive us to your house and I’ll wait with you until he comes back”

“You don’t have to do that”

“I want to” He couldn’t bear the weight of Lan Zhan’s eyes on him, it felt as if they were lighting him up from the inside out.

And how could Wei Ying ever say no?

“Alright” he stretched some more, this way and that, and spotted a book on Lan Zhan’s desk out of the corner of his eye “Pride and prejudice! You rereading it?” 

“Mn”

“I’m in the part where Elizabeth realizes it was Mr. Darcy the one that helped find her sister”

“You are reading it?” Lan Zhan didn’t look as surprised as Wei Ying hoped, but he definitely looked pleased and that was far better.

“I’m listening to it”

“And… Do you like it?”

“Very much actually!” And it was true, he really liked Darcy’s character and Elizabeth and Bingley were fun to read. He said so and Lan Zhan’s small, smug smile meant everything to him.

————————————

After the holidays, school started again like every other year. And after school, came the summer, like every other year. And also like every other year, in the summer came their trip to the little seaside house Jiang Fengmian’s parents left him when they passed.

What was unlike all the other years was Wei Ying’s restlessness.

He wasn’t bored per se. He wasn’t nostalgic or depressed or dying either. But there was a little something bothering him. Something that itched in the back of his mind. A little bug crawling through his spine every time he turned to his left with Lan Zhan’s name on the tip of his tongue only to realize the other boy wasn’t there.

And yeah- maybe it wasn’t the healthiest thing to be so obsessed with his best friend but, in Wei Ying’s defense, he never claimed to be healthy. 

Also, with a best friend as perfect as his you really can’t blame him, can you?

“Will you stop sighing like that?!” Jiang Cheng had his usual scowl on his face even while laying on the beach.

“I would if you just came here and played with me”

“We're fifteen, not five! I’m not building sandcastles”

Wei Ying whined “You’re no fun” and then added “And sandcastles are for all ages, you’re just salty because my towers are taller than you, shidi”

“You-“

“I’ll help you, A-Xian” because his sister is the best person in the whole universe “No fighting while on vacation, boys”

“Lan Zhan would play with me” he grumbled, shoving a big handful of sand next to his tower to create a dungeon to lock up all the boring brothers there.

“Well, why don’t you ask him to be your brother then?!” Jiang Cheng snapped and then proceeded to throw his hands over his face, exasperated.

Wei Ying just made a face. Two years of being friends with Lan Zhan was enough time to realize his feelings might not be entirely platonic. Just a tiny little bit romantic. Possibly. Maybe. 

Anyhow, he definitely wasn’t going to ask Lan Zhan to be his brother any time soon, that’s for sure, it’d be too weird. Even more if he actually turned out to have romantic feelings towards his best friend. Which he probably, possibly, most definitely had.

Well. At least that’s what he deduced by the tightening in his chest every time he thought of the other boy or the swoop of his stomach whenever he caught a sliver of skin above Lan Zhan’s waistband whenever he stretched. 

It’s either he was just a little in love with Lan Zhan or he was suffering from serious heart issues.

At this point, he wasn’t sure what would be better to be honest.

Oh. And also the dreams. 

Yeah, dreaming about kissing and touching your best friend, waking up trembling with his name on your lips… It probably couldn’t be explained away by a simple physical ailment. Probably. He didn’t know, he wasn’t a doctor.

“A-Xian?” He felt his shijie’s hand settle over his own “You okay? You zoned out”

“Ah! Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry, shijie! Here” he shoved a bucket in her direction “Help me with this, will you?”

Anyways. No more thoughts about Lan Zhan. He’ll just keep ignoring this knowledge, like he’s been doing this whole time.

————————————

He kept ignoring that knowledge for the rest of the new school year too.

He ignored his fluttering heart whenever Lan Zhan remembered to bring coffee for Wei Ying alongside his morning tea .

He ignored the reason he made sure to stretch just a little more thoroughly when Lan Zhan waited for him during his swimming practices.

He ignored the heat in his stomach when Lan Zhan looked at him with hooded eyes and his soft smile.

Still. He didn’t pull away. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. 

He loved Lan Zhan too much for that, as his best friend or as something else, he didn’t care, he just knew he loved him.

But apparently he wasn’t being as subtle as he thought. 

Or maybe his shijie just knew him that well. 

In any case, the next year, when it was time for their little vacation again, she had a very knowing look on her face when she said:

“You know, with mom and dad staying here this year, you could invite a friend”

And of course he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to spend a whole two weeks with Lan Zhan.

Before he knew it, they were all settled in at the little house, him sharing a room with Lan Zhan as his sister shared their parents bedrooms with that peacock of a fiancé of hers and Jiang Cheng shared with Huaisang.

It was good. Really good. 

They swam and built sandcastles, they laughed and whispered good nights, they teased each other and joined forces to tease the others, they shared soft looks and even softer words.

Wei Ying was so glad his sister let him invite Lan Zhan.

You’d think that after years of friendship they’d already know everything about the other, but Wei Ying was delighted to find that untrue.

He learnt, for instance, that Lan Zhan developed faint freckles across his shoulders and back when exposed to too much sunlight. 

That he loved the ocean but hated the waves. 

That he looked handsome with his hair in a long braid cascading behind his back to prevent it from getting tangled by the water. 

That he looked even more handsome shirtless and with a streak of sunscreen across his nose.

That Lan Zhan had had a growth spurt at the start of the summer and finally caught up to Wei Ying’s height.

It was good.

The days passed slowly and sticky between the smell of sunscreen during the day and of mosquitoes’ repellent during the night.

Not that it meant they didn’t get burnt or bitten.

Huaisang, for example, ended up with half his face red and peeling off from sunburns, much to his distress.

“I can’t believe this” he looked at himself with one of those tiny mirrors he was always carrying around “Do you think it’ll scar Wei-Xiong?”

“Ah, don’t worry! I’ve had worse burns and look” he gestured to his face “Handsome as always”

Jiang Cheng snorted “I don’t think that’s saying much”

“What? You jealous, shidi?”

“Who are you calling shidi?!”

“Well I’m older, aren’t I?”

“By a month!” 

“Still older” Lan Zhan deadpanned, not looking up from the book on his lap.

“Hah! See? Even Lan Zhan says so”

“Of course he’d say so” Jiang Cheng grumbled “He’s biased though”

“A-Cheng, even I know that a month older is still older” Huaisang hid a smile behind his fan, putting away the mirror and finally abandoning his dramatics “It’s simple math, really”

“Shut up”

They continued bickering for a while but Wei Ying was too preoccupied with Lan Zhan.

He’d really damage his eyes if he kept on reading with his phone’s flashlight. He’d probably, definitely, pull off glasses- but still! 

So, he got up from the quilt they’d put over the sand and went to the tent they’d gotten to sleep in tonight. 

The outing was as much for them as it was for his shijie. Even if he didn’t like the peacock, for some reason his shijie did, and they deserved some time to be together without having to nanny a bunch of sixteen year olds.

He ignored the other’s questioning looks to go to retrieve a lantern and quickly went to give it to Lan Zhan.

“Thank you, Wei Ying” he gave Wei Ying a long, slow blink and a tiny smile before resuming his reading and Wei Yingvs heart skipped a beat. It really wasn’t healthy.

A few minutes later Jiang Cheng announced he was going to beat Huaisang at some computer game and both boys went back to the tent, hoping to prevent sand from getting into the computer by staying inside.

It probably was a futile attempt and they would end up damaging the computer anyways but it was Jiang Cheng’s, not his, and so Wei Ying let them have their fun.

“Lan Zhan” he drawled, hoping to get his best friend’s attention.

It worked because soon Lan Zhan was closing his book and staring expectantly at him.

Wei Ying looked for words, flustered under that loaded gaze. 

“I-“ his throat was dry “True or false?” He whispered and knocked their shoulders together, trying to get out of his strange mood.

Lan Zhan thought for a bit, forever willing to indulge Wei Ying’s in his games.

They developed this dynamic last year, when Lan Zhan refused to play truth or dare. 

Wei Ying thought to instead say something and have the other guess whether it was true or false. A compromise.

It started as a game but it quickly became something more. A way for them to get to know each other and to be known in return. A way of saying those things they wouldn't know how to say otherwise.

It was their thing. It was them asking the other for a secret.

“I think xiongzhang is seeing someone”

“What?! Really?!” Wei Ying’s eyes were wide. He had become really close with Lan Zhan’s family- it was bound to happen, what with all the time he spent at his friend’s house- but with Lan Xichen in particular.

“Mn”

“And? Don’t leave me hanging like that!”

“No gossiping”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying hit him with his book “You’re a cruel, cruel man”

“True or false?”

“Alright, alright, but don’t think you’ll get out of this one” he didn’t have to think about what he was going to say, he’d been waiting for some time to share the news with Lan Zhan but there had always been something stopping him. Still, he took a deep breath and said through the knot in his throat “When the time comes, I’ll try to get into Yunmeng University”

Lan Zhan looked at him “I’m glad”

“You are?”

“Mn” Lan Zhan looked somewhat hesitant but he also really seemed happy for him “They’ve got good STEMs programmes”

“I know, but I’m still not sure. I mean” Wei Ying’s hands fluttered in front of him “I’d have to get a scholarship and who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind about my career path in a year or two, there’s still time. But” he stopped “I think I’d really like to go there, they’ve got a really great mentorship programme and awesome facilities”

“You are the most clever person I know, Wei Ying. You’ll have no trouble getting in” Lan Zhan proclaimed with all the confidence of a man preaching his faith.

“Ah, Lan Zhan!” 

Wei Ying was glad for the low light hiding his probably reddening cheeks.

“I’m serious”

And he was, Wei Ying could see it in his face, in the set of his brows and the line of his shoulders.

“It’s a shame it’s so far away though” he finally voiced what had been on his mind ever since he looked up the university “I’ll really miss everything and everyone here. It’ll be hard, leaving it all behind”

“You’ll come back” it should’ve been a statement but it sounded small and vulnerable coming from Lan Zhan, doubtful.

“Of course! Lan Zhan!” He turned to him, suddenly serious and desperate “Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan. Of course I’ll come back. On every holiday, at every chance I get”

“Mn” 

Wei Ying sighed “I suppose you aren’t thinking of Yunmeng too, right?”

“I’ll go to Gusu, like xiongzhang, father and Uncle, and my grandfather too”

He had said it so sure too. 

Of course Wei Ying already knew this, but it had never sat right with him the fact that Lan Zhan had his whole life planned ahead of him, no saying in it whatsoever .

“Yeah, I figured” then he added with the tilt of a question “As long as you are happy”

“I’ll go into management” 

He dodged the question and Wei Ying’s stomach plummeted to the ground. 

They’d never talked about it, not really, just passing comments from Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen. 

He felt he had to say something. He had to let his friends know he had other options. Lan Zhan deserved to have the best life.

“Lan Zhan” still, he wasn’t sure if it was his place to say “You know you have a choice, right? It’s your life”

“Wei Ying” Lan Zhan looked at him sharply, stubbornly “Xiongzhang insisted on going into international relations, so I’ll take over Fuqin’s company when Uncle retires”

“But it’s that what you want?”

“Wei Ying” there was the hint of a warning in there, but he’d never shied away from pushing Lan Zhan’s buttons. He wasn’t going to start now.

“You’re my-“ he didn’t know how to finish that sentence “I just want you to be the happiest you can, Lan Zhan”

“Guitar got canceled, I wasn’t supposed to be home yet. A man dropped xiongzhang at home” Lan Zhan stopped “And then they kissed”

“Oh” Wei Ying took the distraction for what it was, knowing when a battle had been lost- he just really hoped to win this particular war someday “And you’re sure they were… that it wasn’t- well- that it wasn’t a one time thing?”

“I don’t know”

“Kissing doesn’t always mean something”

Lan Zhan pursed his lips “It seemed serious”

Wei Ying nodded, encouraging Lan Zhan to say more.

He gave him time to sort through his thoughts and, after a few seconds, Lan Zhan added “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Well” Wei Ying stopped to consider this “Maybe it’s new, or it isn’t all that serious. Maybe he doesn't want to get family into it until he’s really sure or comfortable with the relationship”

Lan Zhan nodded, but his hands were clenched and his jaw tight.

“Lan Zhan. Don’t worry, I’m sure that he’ll tell you when he’s ready. He just needs time, you know how private Xichen is”

Lan Zhan sighed “I know”

“Just trust him to know what he’s doing”

“I do”

They looked at the night sky for a bit longer, enjoying each other’s company.

It was late. Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang’s laughter had turned to hushed whispers and then to soft snores.

But there was something on Wei Ying’s mind, and he had to voice it one way or another.

“I wonder what it’s like”

Lan Zhan looked at him.

“Kissing” Wei Ying clarified.

“I don’t know” Lan a Zhan told him carefully.

“I mean. It must be good, right?” He looked at Lan Zhan and waved a hand in front of his face “Right. Or else there’d be way less people doing it”

“Probably”

“But like- what do you with-“ he scrunched his nose “With all the teeth? And noses! Wouldn’t they bump? Are you just supposed to know these things? And what if you both tilt your head to the same side and end up bumping foreheads and with a concussion or something?”

“Wei Ying” Lan Zhan sighed “I don’t know”

“But wouldn’t you want to? Why’s everyone so eager to do it? It sounds weird but it must feel good” he considered “Maybe I’ll ask Huaisang, he’s kissed a few people already, he’ll surely know. Maybe he’ll kiss me” he laughed at the mental image.

“Wei Ying” 

And then there was Lan Zhan’s face in front of him and a soft pressure over his lips.

They were like that for a few precious, devastating seconds, and then Lan Zhan straightened and sat back down at a respectable distance from him.

It took Wei Ying an embarrassingly long time to realize he’d just been kissed. By Lan Zhan.

By Lan Zhan, who was still sitting next to him and acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, putting his book in the school bag he brought to act as a beach tote.

Then he looked up again and at Ying’s questioning look: “You wanted to know what it felt like, now you do”

Wei Ying’s brain was still malfunctioning, trying to reboot after what happened, but he still managed to laugh it off “I guess I do”

He felt nauseous.

He felt elated.

He felt alive.

He felt lost.

“Mn” Lan Zhan nodded “I’ll do some more reading before bed”

“Okay, Lan Zhan. I’ll be there in a few”

Well. That just happened.

————————————

Nothing really changed after that, and Wei Ying wasn’t sure if he should be grateful or not.

There had been a few minutes of awkward tension when he finally went back to the tent and his eyes found Lan Zhan’s over the book he was reading. 

Wei Ying hated it. It wasn’t like them. 

They had been a lot of things around each other but awkward had never been one of them.

Yeah. Wei Ying hated kissing if this was the consequence. 

That’s what he told himself at least.

But then Lan Zhan got up to put his book back in his backpack and something fell from one of its pockets.

“Lan Zhan, are those the gummy bears I gave you when we finished the school year?”

Lan Zhan looked like a deer caught in red lights, it was just a little bit funny “…no?”

“Don’t lie, it doesn’t suit you”

“Yes, they are” he amended, head down and apologetic.

“I’m not mad Lan Zhan” he clarified. He really wasn’t, just kind of amused and confused.

“I’m vegetarian” the other boy said apropos nothing, as if Wei Ying didn’t know.

“Yeah…”

“I can’t eat them”

“What? Why? They aren’t meat” then he added, more hesitant than before “Are they?”

“They’ve got gelatin. It’s made from animal parts”

“What?” That was definitely news for Wei Ying. What the hell.

“Mn. Bones, cartilage, tendons and such”

“I didn’t know” 

“I figured”

“But you still kept them?” He asked.  He was still kind of confused by that part , it had been more than a month.

“I…” he averted his eyes “I didn’t want you to feel bad”

And it was such a Lan Zhan thing to do that all the previous tension evaporated alongside thoughts of kisses and kisses and lost opportunities.

He laughed.

“Of course you’d do that” Wei Ying shook his head, still smiling with fondness dripping from his every pore “You didn’t have to”

“They were your gift”

“Yeah! Which you couldn’t even enjoy!”

“They were Wei Ying’s. I treasure them”

Wei Ying chuckled again “How about you give me those and tomorrow I’ll get you some definitely veggie chocolate?”

Lan Zhan looked at him suspiciously “You won’t eat them, will you? They’ve been in my bag for weeks”

“I won’t make any promises”