Too Kind For His Own Good (Xicheng)

Chapter 4: A Good Morning

The fragrance of a light green tea awoke Jiang Cheng. Did Jin Ling wake up early? Opening his eyes he was reminded of where he was. Looking around Lan Xichen was nowhere to be seen. The Lan's tended to wake up at the ungodly early time of five am so it wasn't shocking to find him no longer on the floor. Lan Xichen's cover which Jiang Cheng had wrapped around the man had been returned allowing Jiang Cheng to wake up warm. A gesture he much appreciated. Stepping out into the study he found Lan Xichen drinking tea, in front of a table where breakfast had been arranged.

"Good morning, sect leader Jiang. Did you sleep well?" Lan Xichen said with his usual smile. You're asking me? You're the one who slept on the floor. Jiang Cheng felt guilty, he had failed to make the sect leader say no. Had he declined even once Jiang Cheng could've returned, allowing the man to sleep in his own bed.

"Thanks Lan Huan, I slept very well" JC fought the blush entering his face. Yes, he'd used the other's given name yesterday too. But it didn't change how uncomfortable it made him. Lan Xichen however had seemingly gotten used to the new way he addressed him as he didn't comment on it. Instead he reached for the pot and poured a cup of tea for Jiang Cheng.

"Please, sit down" he gestured at the seat in front of him where a set of bread and soup was neatly arranged.

"What time is it?" Jiang Cheng asked as he sat down, mind still groggy from recently waking up, the sun seemed higher than it should be and they had meetings today as well.

"It's almost nine" Jiang Cheng coughed as the soup accidentally went down the wrong pipe. The meeting starts at nine. Was this sect leader Lan's revenge? Forcing him to either be late, or improper. If so then Jiang Cheng could do worse.

"Do my hair" he ordered. "We can't be late" Jiang Cheng would need to multitask.

"Mm" The Lan put down the half emptied cup of tea he was holding and went to get a brush from one of the shelves. As he ate Jiang Cheng's mind wandered. Was Jin Ling managing on his own? Probably, he wasn't a baby anymore. They had fought again, what was it this time? Perhaps his nephew had complained about the bland food. The Lan's had never had the best cuisine but the soup in front of him didn't seem bland. His nephew must have complained for nothing.

A tingling sensation shot down his back as a foreign object touched him. He spun his head around only to be faced with a startled Lan Xichen. In his hand was said foreign object, a hairbrush.

"Oh... please continue" Jiang Cheng turned around, partially to allow him access to his hair, partially to hide his embarrassment at the overreaction. He should have expected it, after all he had been the one to ask for it. He took a deep breath as Lan Xichen started to brush once more.

Jiang Cheng had a habit of doing everything himself. That included doing his own hair. But it never felt like this. Waves of pleasure flooded his brain with each stroke, tiny sparks of electricity shot through him each time Lan Xichen accidentally touched his scalp. Was this heaven? The brush moved smoothly through his hair, every now and then stopping to untangle a knot. Or at least that's what Jiang Cheng thought happened.

Lan Huan was being so careful, so gentle when working that he couldn't be sure if there been a single knot in his hair. Jiang Cheng closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the sensations even more. Once his hair was properly brushed the long slender fingers moved towards the side of his head. Jiang Cheng turned his head slightly to allow for better access, knowing what to expect.

Jiang Cheng would usually spend this time complaining to himself how braiding took way too long. But now he was very happy about the extended time of the process. Content with how close Lan Xichen's fingers had to be to his head, how often they would grace his head as they worked. Though it didn't take as long as Jiang Cheng had hoped. Too soon the braids, together with the rest of his hair was all tied up with his violet headband.

To finish off Lan Xichen was straightening the jet black hair using only his fingers, having the tips run across Jiang Cheng's back as he did. Did this need to end already? The actions felt so nice and yet strangely intimate. But despite that, it didn't feel bad, it didn't make him feel uncomfortable. It feels so good, can't you just keep touching my back?

He then felt the hands move lower, Jiang Cheng was certain his hair wasn't that long. In fact a large hand swept it away leaving his back empty. But the hands didn't leave along with it. Instead Lan Xichen started to massage his back. Had he absentmindedly spoken his thoughts aloud? Jiang Cheng knew he should be embarrassed, but how could he when he was rewarded with such pleasure?

It was pure ecstasy feeling Lan Huan's gentle yet firm hands move across his back. He had yet to get properly dressed and the thin robes didn't provide much of a barrier between them. Opening his eyes for just a second he was brought back to the sad reality. What was he doing? The tea, long forgotten, had gone cold. How much time had passed? It wasn't even close to as long as he might have wanted but he suspected it had been much longer than it should have been. Should it have occurred at all. Reluctantly he asked sect leader Lan to stop.