Lan Zhan...was in heaven.
Sweet, hot lips were covering his, sliding across and then Wei Ying pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and sucked.
Lan Zhan was not prepared for this assault on his senses; that fresh, mouthwatering lotus scent was engulfing him, and the even sweeter citrus undertone made it all the richer.
Wei Ying was kissing him like there was no tomorrow and slowly, cautiously, Lan Zhan was learning to kiss him back. He had to be super careful because his new teeth were razor sharp...and this was difficult because he wanted to lose control.
With Wei Ying.
For the first time in his life, here was someone who accepted him. Not only before the "change" but after the "change" too.
Someone who called him sweetheart.
Someone who cared about him.
Enough to want to kiss him like his life depended on it.
And because it did, quite literally, Lan Zhan was cautious.
Instead he concentrated on the multiple sensations swarming his mind.
The feel of Wei Ying in his lap, the soft, comfortable weight of him, so, so warm and precious. That tantalising taste of lotus flowers made even more real, and then the scent! Like a marvellous perfume made especially for him, Lan Zhan felt his nose breathing in huge gulps of this heady aroma, wanting to absorb as much of it as he could.
Wei Ying was making the most delicious sounds too, quiet little moans that were affecting every cell in Lan Zhan’s body.
He had never kissed anyone before...but this...this was something else.
For Wei Ying...he had already been attracted to this gorgeous man...even before he laughed.
That sound? It did something to his insides that he just couldn't explain, and all Wei Ying knew was that he had to kiss him.
No other thoughts remained...not when it was Lan Zhan...
He was everywhere, under his fingertips, under him, those strong thighs supporting his weight, and then...Lan Zhan was kissing him back, and ever so carefully.
That sweetness alone, that in the throes of passion, Lan Zhan was trying to hold on to some kind of control because he knew how dangerous he was? That in itself was a bigger turn on than anything Wei Ying had ever experienced before.
And then it happened.
Quite by accident, Lan Zhan’s tooth nicked Wei Ying’s lip, and there was a groan...neither knew who made the sound but even as Lan Zhan licked it away...he immediately knew the difference.
Two things stood out in his mind as he struggled to make sense of all the information overload.
He was sorry for biting Wei Ying...it had not been a conscious decision, and only as a result of Wei Ying's lip not moving out of the way fast enough, combined with the super sharpness of his teeth now. Lan Zhan was a hundred percent sure this was a new development.
The second thing was...Wei Ying’s blood was just as gorgeous, just as tasty as he had fantasised about...except...except it was way better than he had first thought.
Not only the taste...but there was a supercharged feeling about it.
The only comparison he could make took him back to a day last year, when Lan Zhan had filled his unleaded car full of super unleaded petrol...and the result simply blew him away.
His car was faster, easier to drive and on that day, the best thing to happen.
Today too, after all the bewildering things to happen to him, Wei Ying...Wei Ying accepting him, all of him...it was the best thing in the world.
A light at the end of a long dark tunnel.
But all too soon, Wei Ying needed to breathe. They broke apart and Wei Ying gave him the naughtiest smile as his tongue came out to trace over his lip, where there should have been a cut...but there wasn't.
Lan Zhan stared at it, his tongue too, because Wei Ying was a picture of perfection sitting on his lap and exuding all that lovely warmth...but it bothered Lan Zhan that there was no cut.
"I'm sorry...I did not mean to-" Lan Zhan started saying, but Wei Ying covered his mouth with his own hand.
He shook his head too.
"No, Lan Zhan. One of the first things we're going to do, is the no apology rule. I forbid it. And it's because we're both learning about each other. I..tell me now if I'm being too forward...but you did kiss me back, right?" Wei Ying had been going to say something entirely different, but as the thoughts crashed into his kiss-dazed brain, he realised that he might be totally alone in feeling like this.
What if Lan Zhan did not take what they did as something serious?
What if...Lan Zhan was a playboy? He was good looking enough...
"Stop."
That one word put a halt on his spiralling thoughts.
Wei Ying looked down at Lan Zhan, into those stunning golden eyes. They were mesmerising, intense with something Wei Ying could not identify.
"Doubts?" Lan Zhan asked.
It was a guess because he was still learning.
But Wei Ying’s blood had changed from smelling like the most delicious taste in the world to something that was definitely...sour.
Wei Ying nodded but then the hurt in Lan Zhan’s eyes made him gasp.
"Not about me...not about kissing you." He hurried to clarify, not wanting to examine even to himself how much it hurt him, to see Lan Zhan hurt.
It was unthinkable.
"Then?" Lan Zhan asked, cautiously.
"Well...it's embarrassing to say." He admitted.
"Please?"
Yearning, bright, gold and intense swirled in those amber depths.
Wei Ying rested his forehead against Lan Zhan’s, closing his eyes.
"You're-so-good-looking-that-i'm-scared-about-us." It came out in a gush of air and worry.
"What about us?" Lan Zhan coaxed...his confusion deepening instead of dissipating.
"I mean..I just kind of attacked you...there was no discussion. I don't know how you feel about me..." Wei Ying was mortified.
It was one thing to have these kinds of thoughts in the privacy of your own mind, and another thing entirely to have to air them out loud whilst dying of embarrassment.
With a single long finger, pale and elegant, Lan Zhan raised his face so he could look into beautiful, captivating silver eyes. Entranced by how much he could see within those swirling mists, like smokey clouds battling against unmovable mountains, Lan Zhan could only stare back.
"I have never kissed anyone before." Lan Zhan said, as clearly as he could. "I have never found anyone I wanted to."
Disbelief was also a bad smell, Lan Zhan found out.
He wrinkled his nose once more.
"I find that really hard to believe." Wei Ying admitted.
"Why?" Lan Zhan was genuinely surprised. "You are my first. And Wei Ying must be blind if he has to question it. My feelings are genuine." The last part had an affronted tone. "Also, Wei Ying should know: Lans do not lie."
"That's ridiculous!" Wei Ying exclaimed with a flaming face.
But he looked pleased.
"It's just that...our situation is a little unfair..." He waved a hand between their bodies.
"I agree. Wei Ying is far more of a catch...but if he is willing to settle..." Lan Zhan hadn't even finished what he was saying and there was a squeal, so loud it hurt his newly sensitive hearing.
And then Wei Ying threw his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck, hugging him tightly.
Naturally, Lan Zhan hugged him back, loving this surrounding warmth, like a balm to his sluggish heart. That was another thing they were going to have to discuss. But for now, Lan Zhan let himself enjoy this all encompassing feeling.
There was a safety here...in Wei Ying's arms.
Lan Zhan did not feel so vulnerable, so exposed with him. And together with that, he felt reassured that no matter what, he could talk to Wei Ying about it, and the beautiful man would do his best to understand.
"You're so sweet to me...Lan Zhan." Wei Ying whispered.
"I like the way you say my name." Lan Zhan admitted.
"Then I shall say it more." Wei Ying kissed his cheek before leaning back so he could see Lan Zhan’s gorgeous eyes.
They were shining with another kind of warmth now...one that made Wei Ying feel a little bit smug because he was responsible for that look.
"But what I meant was...don't you think it's a little bit disadvantageous for me because you can sense how I'm feeling just through the way my blood feels...smells...whatever...and I...I can't tell what you're thinking. There has to be a balance for this to work out." There were other things to work out...but Wei Ying thought this needed to be addressed.
He did feel at a disadvantage...though it wasn't something bad, or something that couldn't be rectified...if Lan Zhan was willing to.
"I have never been in a relationship..." Lan Zhan considered this.
He had never been interested enough in anyone to even think about it, let alone explore any mutual gain.
"So I imagine it would require a vast pool of understanding between us. And as you said, this is new. For both of us. A learning curve."
Wei Ying nodded, suddenly shy.
"Has Wei Ying been with anyone?" Lan Zhan wasn't sure if he really wanted to know the answer. Suddenly, he was hit with a bolt of jealousy: anyone lucky enough to even be looked at by Wei Ying was lucky.
"No. My experience...has been strangely lacking." Wei Ying laughed awkwardly at that.
"Why?"
He shrugged, struggling to find the right words.
"I was in the last year of Uni when A-Yuan fell into my lap...literally. He was abandoned on a bus...and I just...I never got the time afterwards, to pursue a relationship. It was just pure luck that Wen Qing and Wen Ning offered to help me...otherwise I dread to think what would have happened to my boy." He shuddered.
Lan Zhan could smell a myriad of negative emotions, most of it fear, helplessness and disbelief.
When it wasn't directed at him, Lan Zhan found it wasn't as bad.
But he could share those sentiments because how could someone just leave their kid? On a bus? How heartless of the parent...
"How old was he?" Lan Zhan asked.
His hands naturally rested on Wei Ying’s back, coaxing him to relax further into Lan Zhan’s body, and he snuggled closer.
"Three. And Lan Zhan, he had the most adorable smile!! Captured my heart immediately, that rascal!" He said, fondly shaking his head. "He's six now...and such a joy. I was scared, not gonna lie...I mean, I was barely able to look after myself and to even think of taking on a kid? I must have been crazy."
"No. Wei Ying is a good person." Lan Zhan said firmly.
If there was anything he was sure about, it was this.
"Lan Zhan...we only met...today, officially. You don't know me that well." Wei Ying reminded him, with a smile.
"Yet." Of this, Lan Zhan felt even surer.
As if he was meant to find Wei Ying.
They were quiet for a while.
"This is nice." Wei Ying murmured, echoing Lan Zhan’s thoughts.
"Mn."
Time felt as if it was stuck in a syrupy gloop of molasses, hardly moving at all. Lan Zhan was listening to all the sounds around them.
There was the broken footsteps on the stairs outside, as people came and went in intervals, the lady next door with her cats, and they were obviously content because Lan Zhan could hear them purring. And even this apartment...it made noises. Water rushed through pipes, there was the almost constant murmuring of Wei Ying's refrigerator, the click of minutes passing by on the oven clock.
There was the calm, soothing beat of Wei Ying's heart, a melodious rhythm that Lan Zhan could get used to.
"How hungry are you?" Wei Ying asked him.
Lan Zhan was surprised.
"Not at all."
Wei Ying sat up at that, and Lan Zhan missed the heat from his body immediately.
"Really? Because you puked up your lunch..." He sounded doubtful.
"I'm not sure why, but I am satisfied." Lan Zhan reiterated.
He was also cautious about this....because who knew when his hunger would strike again?
"How bitey do you feel?"
Lan Zhan laughed quietly.
Wei Ying was looking at him with wonder again.
"Not at all. But...I am scared." Lan Zhan had promised, if not out loud then definitely to himself, that he would be honest. And this was the first step.
"Why?" Wei Ying cradled his face. "You can tell me."
"I do not know when the next urge will be. I think I can control it...and I have my blood for now."
"What do you mean?" Sympathy and hope bloomed together in those mercurial eyes.
Lan Zhan gently took one of Wei Ying's hands and rested it on his chest again, loving the faint blush that arose across the freckled cheeks of this lovely man.
Wei Ying was too beautiful for his own good, a Cupid's arrow that had pierced Lan Zhan straight in the centre of his heart.
"I think we tried this before." Wei Ying’s blush deepened, as he shyly ducked his head.
Lan Zhan smiled at the adorable picture he made. He reminded him of his bunnies.
"If you concentrate...you can still hear it...but it's very slow." He said, softly.
"And do you have a theory about that?" Wei Ying correctly guessed.
Lan Zhan nodded.
"I think it will only work as long as my blood lasts..."
"Okay...but...then, what happens afterwards?" Wei Ying asked him.
It was a legitimate question.
"I have no idea. I know I do not need to breathe...which makes it easier to do this."
So fast, Wei Ying was dizzy with how quickly he was placed ever so gently on his back, and soft lips fused with his.
This time, Lan Zhan was even more careful with Wei Ying, firmly keeping his teeth covered with his own lips, dragging out sighs of contentment from Wei Ying as he kissed him back.
His hands landed in Lan Zhan’s thick hair and he unconsciously tugged.
Lan Zhan growled.
They stopped completely, shock pulsing through Lan Zhan’s body.
"Oh my God...that was so hot!" Wei Ying shivered.
Lan Zhan was currently lying on top of him...and it felt good.
All of it.
Lan Zhan could smell how much he liked that. And it was fuel for his own desires...as if he was ready to burn, and every reaction out of Wei Ying was dry tinder to his flames.
He would have said more, but just then, Wei Ying’s alarm went off.
He struggled to get up until in one fluid movement, Lan Zhan stood up, offering him his hand. Wei Ying took it, a shy blush telling Lan Zhan how much he liked that.
For Lan Zhan’s part, he couldn’t quite believe he hadn’t been kicked out yet.
Wei Ying grabbed his phone and switched off the alarm.
"That's the one to pick up my kid from school." He said, carefully.
"Wei Ying does not need to worry. I am not feeling bitey."
That produced a small smile.
"Well...ordinarily...the meeting of the family would probably happen after we got to know each other a bit...but I guess neither of us has a choice today." Wei Ying leapt over the couch and grabbed his jacket.
Lan Zhan didn't think he'd ever get tired of watching him do that. Whatever blood was still in his system went straight down.
There was the clatter of keys as Wei Ying took them out of the bowl, and then he came back to Lan Zhan.
With the utmost of care, he put his hands on Lan Zhan’s shoulders, noticing how broad they were, before he reached up on his toes to give Lan Zhan one last kiss.
This one was bittersweet and Lan Zhan could feel how much Wei Ying did not want to leave him.
"Make yourself at home, Sweetheart. I'll be back soon."
"Mn."
Everything about that exchange left Lan Zhan staring into the distance long after the door closed.
*********
It took Wei Ying a little longer to reach school than normal since he was making the trip from their home rather than the Coffee Carousel, which was closer to where A-Yuan was waiting for him.
He was alone today, with just the teacher.
Wei Ying was out of breath since he had run straight from the bus stop.
A-Yuan made for a forlorn figure as he scuffed his shoes, his eyes not on his fidgeting feet.
But when he saw Wei Ying, he brightened immediately.
"Baba!" He cried out, and then looked at his teacher.
Only when she nodded did he run towards Wei Ying, who caught him in a bear hug. Then he tossed him up and down breathlessly laughing as A-Yuan chortled in his arms.
Wei Ying loved to do that to him.
It was the only thing that brought forth spontaneous laughter from his little angel, otherwise A-Yuan was too serious for a child.
"Where's JingYi?" He asked as they both quietened.
They were walking towards the bus stop now.
"His mom came and got him." A-Yuan explained. "And this is for you." He thrust a piece of paper at Wei Ying.
Wei Ying was happy about that today. Explaining Lan Zhan’s presence in their home would be way easier without that brat, he thought with affection. JingYi was...a handful on the best of days...
Wei Ying quickly scanned it for anything that were requirements for him.
"Next week is the last before half term. And Thursday is World Book Day." A-Yuan continued.
Wei Ying refrained from making a face.
The amount of times he'd had to make an impromptu costume out of tin foil and cardboard, with a costume made out of cotton sheets was too many to count. He wanted to be better prepared for it...but honestly, between his two jobs and barely looking after the day-to-day needs for both A-Yuan and himself...it was a bit of a stretch to have to cope with the extra things that the school expected him to deal with too.
He stuffed the note in his pocket, deeming it a problem for future Wei Ying.
It was only when they had sat down in the bus, that Wei Ying gathered enough courage to talk to his boy.
He reached over and took the way smaller, pudgier hand in his, marvelling at the dimples in his knuckles.
Everything about A-Yuan was beautiful and cute and oh, so adorable. He was a tiny package of delight, and Wei Ying loved that surprised smile or laughter which would make an appearance every now and again.
"A-Yuan..." He began, having rehearsed everything he was going to say, only to have it disappear like bubbles in the air.
A-Yuan was staring up at him in that unnerving way of his, full of trust.
The child could win, hands down, any competition that involved not blinking.
"So..." What? What?? "There's someone at home...who's going to be with us for a few days." Damn...that sounded so lame! Wei Ying berated himself.
A-Yuan continued to stare back, still not blinking and waiting for more information.
"He's nice." Wei Ying finished.
He could hear Wen Qing in his head, telling him he was only keeping Lan Zhan in his house because it was with the added incentive of getting laid.
But Wei Ying was quite surprised that it wasn't the case.
Wen Qing snorted full of disbelief, in his head. Bullshit, she exclaimed in a louder voice than the rest of his thoughts.
A-Yuan had been watching him all this time, and when Wei Ying stopped talking, he waited before nodding silently.
The bus ride was over too quickly and now they were walking home.
Wei Ying tried not to be terrified.
He wished desperately that he knew with rock solid certainty that he wasn't making a colossal mistake.
Lan Zhan said he wasn't hungry...not bitey, were his exact words...but how much could Wei Ying trust him?
It wasn't that he couldn't trust him at all, it was because all this was so new, for Lan Zhan. Yes for Wei Ying too, because it wasn't every day one got to take a vampire home, for dinner...Wei Ying added, feeling a hysterical laughter building up inside his chest.
But how much more had Lan Zhan’s life changed?
It was the total opposite of everything he knew.
If it was Wei Ying in his position, he would have been freaking out ... he berated himself for using that word again.
Lan Zhan was still a person...under that beautiful outer layer.
People had been cruel to him...and a part of Wei Ying felt incredibly sad at the way he had been treated. His heart hurt with the pain that Lan Zhan must have had to endure at the hands of his own family.
Wei Ying had only met the brother once and he seemed to care much for Lan Zhan...but Wei Ying understood Lan Zhan’s reticence in not feeling ready to face his family yet.
The tug on his sleeve had Wei Ying blinking awake, having been lost in his thoughts.
"Door, Baba." A-Yuan said, reminding him.
"Thank you, Baobei." Wei Ying bent to kiss his hair.
Then he pulled out his keys and took a deep breath.
It was showtime.
********
After Wei Ying left, Lan Zhan had not known what to do.
He looked around after sitting down...feeling out of place all of a sudden.
There were clothes scattered about the room...and he decides to make himself useful, while Wei Ying isn't there.
After all, Wei Ying did say to make himself at home.
The trail of clothes was more like a treasure hunt; one led to another like an obscure map of clues and Lan Zhan found himself in a child's room.
The walls were a powder blue with fluffy white clouds and bunny rabbits with the odd carrot here and there. A bed in the shape of a rocket ship was pushed against the wall, and assorted lego bits were scattered all over the floor.
As Lan Zhan tried to sort them out, his logical brain decided to build something out of the mess.
This was his job...after all.
He was so absorbed in his task that he did not hear the door opening until the keys clattered into the ceramic bowl, startling him.
He looked up to find a little boy staring back at him.
Wei Ying had been expecting Lan Zhan to be either in the living room or his bedroom...not in A-Yuan's bedroom.
And certainly not playing with legos.
A-Yuan went in towards him. He sat down next to Lan Zhan and smiled up at him.
"A-Yuan...this is Zhan Gege." Wei Ying had to think quickly and thought it was a nice save...especially when Lan Zhan’s ears reddened with embarrassment...that surely, was something to think about. "Lan Zhan...this is A-Yuan, my son." He couldn’t help but be proud of him.
"Hello A-Yuan." Lan Zhan thought he should say something...the child was quiet.
Too quiet.
"May I see?" A-Yuan inquired politely.
Lan Zhan handed over the helicopter he had assembled in the time Wei Ying had gone to fetch his son.
A-Yuan held out his hand and Lan Zhan balanced his creation in the centre of his chubby palm. With a careful pudgy finger, A-Yuan tested the rotary blades, and a look of incredulous adoration bloomed on his face when it worked and they went around and around.
Lan Zhan was mesmerised by the simple joy on his face. He looked back at Wei Ying, who gave him two silent thumbs up, backing away.
For a first meeting, Wei Ying thought it was going very well.
He went straight to the kitchen, and only a cursory glance in his bare cupboards reminded him that he still had to go shopping.
Luckily, PoPo had left a cup of noodles for him, and since A-Yuan didn't like spices at all, Wei Ying made them for him plain. He was too conscious of the time, knowing he would have to leave as soon as someone came to babysit A-Yuan.
He couldn’t skip going to the bartending job because it paid a little bit more than the one at Coffee Carousel, plus the tips made it worth while.
And Su She, the little bitch, would replace him in a heartbeat, if he didn't turn up on time.
Lan Zhan saw Wei Ying rushing around, even after he had served A-Yuan his food, and he frowned.
Wei Ying was looking around absentmindedly for something, when Lan Zhan planted himself in his way.
When he continued to be ignored, Lan Zhan held onto Wei Ying’s arms, stopping him from moving.
"What about your dinner?" He asked.
"Um...I'm not hungry now. I'll pick something up at work." Wei Ying said, wriggling out of his grasp. "Did you tidy up, Lan Zhan?"
Lan Zhan nodded, still frowning. It did not sit well with him that Wei Ying wasn't keeping up with steady meals.
"Would you perhaps know where my black jacket is? I need it for work." Wei Ying was becoming more and more agitated.
Lan Zhan returned to his bedroom where he had hung it up behind the door after finding no spare hangers. That's when he noticed the "Love Bites" name tag with "Wei WuXian" underneath.
He went back to the living room and handed it over, momentarily distracted by Wei Ying’s blinding smile of relief.
"Thank you so much. And you don't have to pick up after us, everything is much easier to find if it's right there." He said.
"But didn't you tell MianMian that you were sick?" Lan Zhan asked him, feeling confused.
"Yeah I did...but this is the other job." Wei Ying explained, distractedly.
"Wei Ying has two jobs?" Lan Zhan was appalled.
Just then, there was pounding on the door.
No subtle knocking.
Lan Zhan was even more disturbed.
Everything seemed to be happening too fast and he felt like Wei Ying was like water slipping through his fingers.
Wei Ying opened the door.
"Why didn't you use your keys? Anyway, Wen Qing, this is Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan, this is Wen Qing, the best JieJie!" Wei Ying knew he couldn't risk kissing her cheek, not when she was already seething. "Okay, listen, I gotta go. Don't kill each other!" He yelled...and left.
Lan Zhan was left looking at the angriest woman he had ever seen.
There was definitely smoke coming out of her ears.