Chapter Text
The large metal door shut with a clank as he stepped out into the fresh air. Meng Yao took a deep breath as his gaze swept over the barren landscape outside the enclosure. Behind him, he was leaving the high-security prison that had been his home for the last three years and two months. He was finally free, working his way through the system and modifying his behavior to demonstrate good conduct. He was happy to be out of prison, but he was also grateful for the connections he’d made in that hellhole, as well as the trust he’d gained from some of the prison guards.
Perhaps someday those connections would be useful to him, but until he acclimated back into the real world, he’d keep those favors on pause. In the meantime, he had to create this new life, while also working on achieving the one goal he had ruminated over for all these years.
He had to get Lan Xichen back on his side, and even better, he had to get the man back into his bed. Knowing his past crimes and reputation, this would not be an easy feat. Though Meng Yao was confident that his past with Lan Xichen, as well as his persuasiveness, would gain the heart of his former lover and convince him that, at present, he was a changed man.
He was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when a blue SUV approached him at the front gate. He smirked, recognizing a familiar face. The driver got out of the car and smiled at him in relief. He grabbed Meng Yao’s things and tossed them into the trunk of the vehicle. He opened the passenger door so that Meng Yao could get inside.
“Su She, so very good to see you,” Meng Yao told him as the other man returned to the driver's seat, and they were buckled in. “I gather you’ve made all the necessary arrangements for me?”
His friend nodded with a satisfied smile. “Everything is ready per your orders. I am confident you will be happy with what I’ve set up for you, sir.”
“Excellent,” Meng Yao said. “And what have you found out about Lan Xichen lately?”
“The last I checked, he was still single, sir, and might I say, alone in his own place as his brother has gotten married and moved out,” Su She answered.
“How fortunate for me,” Meng Yao said, grinning. “He will no doubt be more than happy to give me a place to stay, as I am a poor, reformed felon in need of a home and a warm bed.”
“Indeed,” Su She said. “I do not see any impediments where he would refuse you, sir.”
“Would my dear Er-ge refuse me? Perish the thought,” Meng Yao said confidently, and he settled comfortably as Su She drove them toward the city, his many plans swirling in his head, just ready for him to make the first strategic move.
--
Wei Wuxian paced back and forth in their living room while the two almost identical Lan brothers watched on. Lan Xichen was, of course, pouting with a dejected look on his face, while his brother was poised and seemingly unbothered. With his eyes following his swinging ponytail, he watched his husband make a trail in their gray carpet as he’d taken up the request from the older Lan to help with his current dilemma.
“Wei Ying,” he finally said, pulling his husband out of his thoughts. “The carpet…” And Wei Wuxian stopped, looked down, and then met his husband’s face with a cheeky grin and adoring glance.
“Right, so what are we going to do about your ex? You clearly came to us because you cannot handle him on your own,” Wei Wuxian said to Lan Xichen, who looked ashamed that when it came to Meng Yao, he was quite weak-willed. He carded his fingers through his clean-cut hair and sighed, unable to form a proper response.
“It is not my brother’s fault,” Lan Zhan defended him, patting his brother on the shoulder. “He deeply loved him for a long time. It is hard to say no to someone you love, no matter what they do.” He gave Wei Wuxian a pointed look, and he knew that he’d do the same for Wei Ying if he were in his brother’s position. Wei Wuxian didn’t have the most stellar record with the law either.
“I get that, but…” Wei Wuxian stopped himself before he could say any more. Lan Xichen was already feeling anxious and worried, so bringing up the reason Meng Yao went to prison was hardly helpful. The three of them both knew that Meng Yao had some involvement in the death of Xichen’s best friend, Nie Mingjue, even if the jury of that case gave Meng Yao a lighter sentence.
No use opening old wounds.
“Are you certain he’ll come back to you? I mean, maybe he’ll have a change of heart?” Wei Wuxian said, but he’d already suspected he knew the answer. If there was someone Meng Yao could easily manipulate, it was Lan Xichen. It was like a bee to honey; all three of them were certain he was going to be a problem once he got out of prison.
Lan Xichen nodded. “I understand you’re worried for me, but it really is something I need to figure out on my own. I can work with my therapist, or even set up a restraining order…”
“Pfft!” Wei Wuxian immediately laughed. “None of that is going to stop Meng Yao, and you know it. No, we need something else to help you. Perhaps someone else… Are you seeing anyone?”
Lan Zhan cocked his head while Lan Xichen stared at him agape. “Um, not at the moment…”
“Good! It will be harder for Meng Yao to get his paws on you if you’re in a relationship, right?”
The two brothers stared at him as he continued. “I may just have the perfect solution for your problem, at least until Meng Yao gets the picture and leaves you alone. Especially if it gives you time to manage your own enabling shortcomings.”
Lan Xichen wilted slightly, but Lan Zhan was nodding, getting his husband’s meaning.
“Like a bodyguard?” he asked his husband.
Wei Wuxian nodded with a grin. “That’s one way of putting it, but what about a bodyguard and an intimidating lover that will keep Meng Yao away from Lan Xichen? Someone so formidable, taciturn, and straightforward that he is impervious to Meng Yao’s mind games?”
“Does such a person exist?” Lan Xichen asked with awe.
“Ha ha ha ha, I know the perfect person,” Wei Wuxian said, and Lan Zhan’s expression soured.
“Wei Ying, you’re not thinking of asking…”
“Of course I am! He’s the perfect person,” Wei Wuxian said, but Lan Xichen was still ignorant of who he meant.
“As a bodyguard,” Lan Zhan insisted.
“Sure, sure, and he’d have no problem acting as your boyfriend too,” Wei Wuxian said, beaming with pride for his genius idea.
“Um, who… would act as my boyfriend? Like a fake relationship?” Lan Xichen finally gathered from their exchange.
“That’s right,” he affirmed. “And you already know him, which helps, but the guy is straighter than an arrow, so there’s no likelihood you guys will fall for one another. You can just put on the act, and at the same time, he can guard you in case Meng Yao tries something nefarious. I mean, if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s fighting and cutting through bullshit.”
“Could you possibly be talking about… your brother, Jiang Cheng? Why… he’d never agree to it!” Lan Xichen said, alarmed. His brother was nodding in agreement next to him.
“He certainly will,” Wei Wuxian said with confidence. “It’s a family matter anyway. Why wouldn’t he help his brother-in-law? And he only fancies women, so it’s not like he can’t fake it with you. There will be no romantic feelings!”
“Wei Ying, no…” Lan Zhan scolded with a sigh. His husband was not convinced, and Lan Xichen wilted into the couch even further.
Wei Wuxian snorted, not backing down from his idea. “Besides, he owes me… I’ll make him agree!”
--
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” his brother complained to him as he took a huge swig of his beer. Wei Wuxian had rung up his brother for a drink and to call in that favor he was owed. Jiang Cheng didn’t turn down a drink, but he begrudgingly met his brother at their usual watering hole.
“Come on, you’d be helping out family, and you know how Lan Xichen is…” Wei Wuxian said. “He’s a gentleman in every respect, but he has some mental problems. He can’t fight off his psycho ex alone.”
“He’s not the only one with mental problems,” Jiang Cheng retorted, and Wei Wuxian cackled, undeterred by Cheng’s attitude. “What about the ball and chain? What does he think about this?”
“He doesn’t think you could do it,” Wei Wuxian teased, gauging his brother’s predictable reaction.
He watched as Jiang Cheng’s lip curled, and his brow furrowed. He was already planning on using his brother’s rivalry with his husband to convince Jiang Cheng to agree. He knew that if Lan Zhan didn’t think Jiang Cheng could rise to the task, his brother’s pride wouldn’t let him say no. He was certain Jiang Cheng would jump at the chance to one-up his husband so he could rub it in his face.
“But I believe in you, ChengCheng, so what do you say?” He gave his brother the puppy dog eyes, and he got a scowl in return.
“I must be crazy, and it’s all your fault,” he said, taking another big gulp of beer.
“I can’t believe Lan Xichen would go along with this either,” Jiang Cheng complained. “What the hell is his problem anyway? Get a restraining order on that asshole and be done with it. Or better yet, he’s big and muscular, just punch him in the face or threaten to toss him off a building.”
“Well, Lan Xichen has a gentle heart. He’s not you,” Wei Wuxian snickered.
“He should come to the gym; I’d teach him some moves that he could use,” Jiang Cheng said.
Wei Wuxian sighed. His brother was always promoting his martial arts gym, where he was training the newest crop of UFC fighters. Unfortunately, Jiang Cheng was no longer able to fight himself. He had been an outstanding MMA fighter in the past, with several wins to his name, and was renowned for his signature submission move. Then he’d injured his neck, and the doctor said if he broke it again, he’d be paralyzed. He at least had enough sense to stop fighting, but that didn’t stop him from training newbies.
“Listen, you know Lan Xichen isn’t much of a fighter,” Wei Wuxian said. “He could learn your methods, if he were interested, but you know he’d rather do yoga or pet kittens or something. Let him be good at what he does, and that’s making shitloads of money for the Lan Corp in medical technology.”
“I guess,” Jiang Cheng said, sighing. “Doesn’t hurt to know the basics.”
“He knows the basics, but he’s just mentally incapable of resisting Meng Yao. I think he’s still in love with him,” Wei Wuxian said with a frown.
“What a moron,” Jiang Cheng said, and Wei Wuxian smacked him in the arm.
“Will you help or not? Consider us even in the favor department,” Wei Wuxian said.
Jiang Cheng grunted. “I never thought you’d cash in that favor, not for something like this.”
“This is important to Lan Zhan,” he said. “He’s worried about his brother.”
One of Jiang Cheng’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh yeah, how can you tell?” Wei Wuxian pouted at him. Jiang Cheng finally relented. “Okay, fine, I’ll help, but I’m telling you right now, I may not be good at this fake relationship stuff. I can help Xichen with his stalker problem, but I don’t know about the other stuff.”
Wei Wuxian continued to wheedle him. “Could you at least try? I think Meng Yao will finally fuck off if he sees Lan Xichen is in a relationship with a better guy, someone he can’t manipulate or influence.”
“Hmph,” Jiang Cheng said. “I’m going to say this now, but I have a bad feeling about all of this. I’ll help Lan Xichen, but I know I’m not going to be convincing when it comes to romance.”
“Yay!” Wei Wuxian cheered, and he waved over a waitress to bring them another round. “So, should I tell Lan Xichen to come down to your gym so you guys can talk this out?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jiang Cheng said, finishing the rest of his beer.
Despite his brother buying him more beer, Jiang Cheng still didn’t seem happy about the whole deal. He was starting to feel the pressure from the weight of their agreement, and he mulled over the possibilities. As Lan Xichen’s fake boyfriend, would he have to kiss him? Would they have to do more? Not that he hated the guy, but how could it look real? Did it need to look real all the time to convince Meng Yao they were an item? Jiang Cheng was worried, mainly because he’d been single for a long time. He knew he was going to suck at this relationship stuff, even if it was all fake and with another man.
And what if Lan Xichen was unhappy with him? Well, it would mortify him. He always liked Lan Xichen; he was a good guy, and with all his accomplishments and generosity, Jiang Cheng found him quite admirable.
Jiang Cheng remembered him from their time together at school. He was a few years ahead of him, a senior when he was a freshman, but he was always kind and helpful. He was beyond handsome, too, and even Jiang Cheng could admit that.
He drank more beer and started to feel flushed as he thought about Lan Xichen. He’d have to pretend to be the boyfriend of such an amazing guy, and Jiang Cheng was starting to feel he wasn’t up to the task.
Well, if it all turned out to be a mistake, at least Jiang Cheng could guard him from the likes of his crazy ex.