Strangers - LXC x JC fanfic

Distance

He didn't know why, but earlier, when he saw Jiang Cheng, he felt like his world and the time stopped. But, there's only one thing that still continued to move – his heart. It was beating, and faster and faster as he watched the man approached.

When did he start to have this feeling? He thought. As he remembered, he only saw him afar. Then, was everything changed because he finally saw him up close? He looked at the darkness that swallowed Jiang Cheng's figure. He remembered Lan Qiren's words.

"Sometimes, those people who are closest to you is actually the most distant to you." He said. "While those strangers, whom you thought are distant to you are actually closer to you more than you had thought."

He finally realized the meaning of his uncle's words. "It's the distance." He muttered as he lowered his head. He felt his beating heart that is now calm. Suddenly, a smile formed in his lips. "Seems like... I've taken for granted some things." He said and smiled as he closed his eyes, feeling his heartbeat.

The first time he met Jiang Cheng was during the other studied in the Cloud Recesses. He noticed him because of his stern face. He looked so strict. He realized that it was his upbringing by Yu Ziyuan, his mother. Then, he continued to notice him because he's with Wei Wuxian – whom Lan Wangji, his younger brother, likes. Then, their meetings piled up, slowly, but surely. He forgot how many meetings did they have. All he knows, wherever Wei Wuxian is, Lan Wangji follows, then he follows, and sees Jiang Cheng. Their meetings are too many to count, he had gotten used of seeing Jiang Cheng around. He had gotten used seeing him, his eyes became familiar with his sight. But, it was always from afar. The sight of Jiang Cheng he can only see afar. There's distance between them, always. However –

"... this feeling..." he muttered as he felt his beating heart that's picking up their pace, thumping against his chest, making his breathing heavy. He didn't even notice, just like the person, that he fell in love with him.

He felt secured since he knew Jiang Cheng would never leave him. He felt assured since Jiang Cheng will always be there when he'll find him. However, should he wait for the time when he would also lose Jiang Cheng, like his sworn brothers, so that he would feel that pain once again? Feel the loneliness? No. he wouldn't wait for that. He doesn't want that. Also, Jiang Cheng is entirely different from his sworn brothers.

Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng... he thought as he closed his eyes. "Wanyin is the love of my life." he muttered, feeling that his heart is beating wilder than ever. He never knew he had been coward all throughout his life. Watching Jiang Cheng from afar and felt satisfied with just that, he's very coward. He didn't notice, this person whom he thought was a stranger, actually he had been noticed for a very long time. He had gotten used to his sight and presence he thought he had never noticed him. In fact, he noticed him too much to the point that, every time, his eyes would always look for him to see if he's around.

Every time, his eyes saw him he felt comfortable. Every time he would see him he would feel secured. He doesn't know, and he never noticed, like the person, the feelings he had from seeing him piled up and became something that slowly but surely occupied his heart. He didn't feel lonely because of his sworn brothers, but because he knew Jiang Cheng is around. He finally felt lonely, not because his sworn brothers were gone, but because he finally realized.

He wasted so much time not to be with Jiang Cheng. Not to get close with Jiang Cheng. Now he lost his chance. His first thought of Jiang Cheng as a stranger is a lie. A lie to himself. Because he is afraid. He is a coward. He can't face the reality that he neglected Jiang Cheng. He became afraid and ashamed to see Jiang Cheng. To face him. That is why, when he saw the other up close, he was roundabout when he finally faced Jiang Cheng. It's not because he doesn't know how to approach him. It's because he very knew. It's not Jiang Cheng who is stranger to him, but he is the one who is a stranger to Jiang Cheng. That is why he wanted to make Jiang Cheng slowly get used to his presence, since he, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng's presence he very familiarized to.

It's not Jiang Cheng who is the stranger here. It's him, Lan Xichen, the one who is a stranger, to Jiang Cheng.

(A/N: I'm not scamming you. JC's sassiness will be next chap!)