【Wednesday, April 11】
Lan Xichen found Jiang Cheng sitting on the laundry machine with his legs hanging over. It somehow reminded him of his uncle's cat, the one that likes to sit on Roomba vacuums. It was adorable. The dryer hummed beneath him and the boy looked deep in thought.
Their clothes were being tumbled dry- or rather Jiang Cheng's was. They were in Lan Xichen's apartment and the older went to change his drenched clothes and he also gave Jiang Cheng something to wear while his clothes were being dried. It was a grey sweater and maybe that was why it made Lan Xichen think of a cat. Jiang Cheng's shorts didn't really get wet and by the time they pulled up in front of Lan Xichen's apartment, it was dried so he was still wearing them. Their little escape to Lan Xichen's car went smoothly although Jiang Cheng swore that Meng Yao had noticed a disturbance in the rain-soaked air.
Lan Xichen cleared his throat, getting Jiang Cheng's attention. He walked over and handed him a glass of water. Leaning back against the wall, he didn't know what to say. Neither did Jiang Cheng, who quietly took a sip of water and then choked.
"*COUGH* *COUGH* ahem- *COFF*" Jiang Cheng wheezed, nearly spilling water all over himself. Letting out one extra rough cough and he felt like he had ruptured his lungs.
Shocked, Lan Xichen quickly moved to pat him on the back, he didn't know what to do- he can't tell the younger to 'have some water' if he was choking on it! Taking the glass from Jiang Cheng, he smoothed the younger's back, thinking he'd probably touched Jiang Cheng way more than he was supposed to in the past few hours. It wasn't his fault though, considering the circumstances.
Jiang Cheng's coughing eased and Lan Xichen asked gently, "Are you alright?" Jiang Cheng was reminding him of another one of his uncle's cats (he has three), the one that sometimes coughs out hairballs and you'll need to stroke them on the back afterward or else they'll pretend to have died from excessive coughing. Lan Xichen's eyebrows furrowed slightly, okay, maybe he should stop comparing Wanyin to his uncle's cats.
Jiang Cheng nodded, letting out a quieter cough, and took a deep breath and swallowed. He said thickly, wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, "Are... are you alright?"
Lan Xichen blinked, me? He seemed to be asking.
Jiang Cheng stared at him for a moment and then let out a hiccup.
"..."
"*hic*"
Lan Xichen handed him the glass of water.
"Don't choke this time," Lan Xichen said worriedly.
"I won't." Jiang Cheng was embarrassed. He shut his eyes and drank the whole glass. Lan Xichen took it back when he finished and set it on the dryer, beside Jiang Cheng. They waited for a moment and Jiang Cheng seemed to be back in a normal state.
Jiang Cheng looked at Lan Xichen and asked again, this time without interference, "Um- Xichen-ge, are you alright?"
Lan Xichen smiled, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, your best friends are going abroad," Jiang Cheng said, fidgeting his hands on his lap.
"They are," Lan Xichen replied in a collective tone.
"Are you not sad? They are going to leave you and... you're going to be alone..."
Lan Xichen blinked and then laughed. "Wanyin, do you think I don't have any other friends? I'm not going to be alone."
Jiang Cheng was embarrassed but argued, "But you are still going to be upset... Right?"
Lan Xichen smiled softly and nodded. "Of course. They are my closest friends after all. But I shall be supportive of their decisions. And I still have you, don't I?" Lan Xichen didn't want to talk about it anymore and decided to tease Jiang Cheng, tapping him on the knee with a finger.
Jiang Cheng immediately tensed up, flustered. "Um- um..."
"Or maybe I don't," Lan Xichen's face fell, half pretending and half not. It was just a joke but it was on him because Wanyin doesn't like him.
"N-no! No, of course you'll still have me!" Jiang Cheng protested.
"Oh?" Lan Xichen knew he probably shouldn't but he let his hand rest on the younger's knee.
Jiang Cheng nodded vigorously, trying to ignore the fact that HOLY SHIT, HE'S TOUCHING ME- and instead said, "And- and... And you like me, right?" he blurted out.
Lan Xichen's expression froze on his face and for a moment Jiang Cheng regretted what he said, shit, what if he was wrong? He won't be able to take either the embarrassment or rejection and he will jump out of the window in Lan Xichen's fourth-floor apartment and-
"Yes, I do," Lan Xichen said softly.
"..."
"Wait- what?"
Jiang Cheng's eyes grew round. "You... you what?"
Lan Xichen stared at him, a bit puzzled. The younger did just ask him if he likes him, right?
Jiang Cheng's mind whirled and his breathing sped up. In almost a whisper, he asked uncertainly, "You... like me?"
Lan Xichen was about to respond but he noticed the younger's flushed cheeks and excited eyes and something felt off. It wasn't anything bad but... this shouldn't be the way he should be responding, right? Unless... Lan Xichen's gaze settled on Wanyin's lovely face.
"I..." Jiang Cheng breathed, "Xichen-ge, I..."
Lan Xichen's heart took a leap and he squeezed the knee his hand was still resting upon and asked, "Hm? You what, Wanyin?"
"I... I like..."
Lan Xichen's hand moved on its own, up the younger's thigh. Jiang Cheng's eyes widened and he stammered, "I-! I!"
"I like you!" His heart might have literally skipped a beat. At the same time, Lan Xichen's hand had managed to make its way up his thigh and pinched his waist. He let out a squeak.
Jiang Cheng didn't know when but his hands had subconsciously clutched onto Lan Xichen's shoulders- maybe to push him away or pulled him closer- it seemed like his arms hadn't decided yet.
They stared at each other for a moment, facing each other, one sitting and one standing. Then Lan Xichen removed his hand from Jiang Cheng's shorts and asked innocently, as if his hand wasn't literally in Jiang Cheng's pants a moment ago, "Can I hug you, Wanyin?"
Jiang Cheng bit the inside of his cheek and nodded, deep red already spreading across his neck like wildfire. Lan Xichen hugged him, one arm around his shoulder and the other wrapping around his waist. Surely they can both hear each other's beating hearts, thumping like crazy.
Lan Xichen smiled, suddenly so so happy. He whispered in Jiang Cheng's ear, "Can I kiss you, Wanyin?"
A sharp gasp. "Xichen-ge!"
Lan Xichen pulled away and laughed, stroking the younger's hair and beaming. "You are so cute," he said.
Jiang Cheng was both flustered and speechless. But also so so happy. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Lan Xichen's neck and shut his eyes. He gave him a peck on the nose.
"..."
"I'm so happy you like me back." Jiang Cheng mumbled, wanting to rub his face against Lan Xichen's neck (which will remind Lan Xichen of his uncle's third cat).
"No, I'm the one happy." Lan Xichen corrected. "And relieved actually." He smiled.
Jiang Cheng looked up at him, confused. Relieved? Was Lan Xichen scared that he liked someone else?
"Wanyin..." Lan Xichen sighed melodramatically, "Why would you put someone you didn't like romantically as a future husband in your contacts? I thought you liked Huaisang!"
Jiang Cheng blinked. Once, twice.
...
Ohhhhhhh.
Oops.
"You got me so so confused, and heartbroken," Lan Xichen complained. His arms dropped around Jiang Cheng's waist and the man actually pouted. "How are you going to take responsibility?"
"Wait- no- but that's because I use to think you liked Meng Yao!" Jiang Cheng protested.
Lan Xichen looked mightily confused. "A-Yao? Where is he coming from? How does that connect to your contact list?"
"Well- uh- it's a long story... But uh- did you not see the disappointed emoji I added after Huaisang's contact?" Jiang Cheng asked hopefully.
Lan Xichen looked at him, confused. "No... my god, Wanyin, you also added an emoji- for what?"
"To prove myself! I don't like Huaisang- it's a stupid joke we made- why would I- here, I can show you-" Jiang Cheng fumbled around, trying to find his phone in his shorts when Lan Xichen chuckled and hugged him tighter- "Forget it, Wanyin. I rather know what you saved me as."
Lan Xichen pulled away and looked at Jiang Cheng expectantly like an eager puppy. "So, what was I saved as?"
Jiang Cheng stared at him like a deer caught in highlights or a housecat caught by the flashlight of a cell phone. His mouth moved but no words came out.
"Umm..."
Lan Xichen tilted his head, waiting.
"It's..."
"Huan-ge..."
"..."
"..."
Something snapped inside Lan Xichen's mind. He moved closer to Jiang Cheng who let out another squeak. "Say that again?" he asked.
"..."
"Call me Huan-gege."
"..."
Jiang Cheng's lips were pressed into a thin line and he quickly shook his head.
"Wanyin, come on, let's hear a Huan-gege." Lan Xichen seriously tried to coax him.
Jiang Cheng was stubborn. "Xichen-ge."
"Huan-ge."
"Xichen-ge."
"Wanyinnn." Lan Xichen gave up- at least for now. He dropped his head into the curve of Jiang Cheng's shoulder.
"..."
"Xichen-ge?"
"Hm?"
"Well, I-
beep beep beeeeeep!
The sound of the dryer finishing startled the both of them. In fact, Jiang Cheng, who was sitting on the dryer, suddenly hopped off and onto Lan Xichen- like a cat jumping to clung onto a tree. They both stared at each other for a moment and Jiang Cheng got embarrassed and he let go of Lan Xichen. The older chuckled lightly and patted him on the shoulder.
They took out the clothes and put them in a bag. Jiang Cheng can keep Lan Xichen's sweater if he likes (he will).
Jiang Cheng's phone rang as they walked into the living room. He took out his phone and opened it, and there was a text from Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuqian
Jiang Chenggggg. Y r u not back yet. R u milking the cows urself and plucking the strawberries fresh from France? I want my strawberry ice creammmmmmmm
"..." Oh yeah. It's still Wen Ning's birthday. Somehow that seemed ages ago.
"Uh, Xichen-ge, I have to go."
Lan Xichen nodded, remembering something. "Oh right, Wanyin, you were doing something before, weren't you? I had placed the ice cream in the freezer."
Jiang Cheng nodded, appreciatively, "Thank you, Xichen-ge, it's for my drunk and half-dead friends. Would you like to join us?"
Lan Xichen smiled, "Maybe next time. But would you like me to drive you there?"
Jiang Cheng grinned and shook his head. "No, it's alright. I have a feeling you might need to stay here. Besides, it stopped raining."
Lan Xichen was a bit concerned, "Are you sure?"
Jiang Cheng nodded, "Yes!"
Lan Xichen smiled. "Alright then. But remember to text Huan-gege when you get home."
Jiang Cheng immediately flushed and quickly hugged Lan Xichen to hide it. "Okay then, see you, Xichen-ge!" He hurried to leave the apartment, though when he reached the door, he turned around and grinned with sudden courage, "I really really do like you, Xichen-ge!" then he left the apartment.
Lan Xichen stood there for a moment like a fool. Then he tilted his head towards the ceiling and covered his face. Wanyin is so so cute that he wanted to run after him. Lan Xichen closed his eyes and smiled happily. Lan Xichen couldn't be any happier. Although, he was hoping to get a goodbye kiss. Was that too fast? Maybe he was thinking too fast. It was okay, they got all the time in the world. Though, he was rather impatient when it comes to the younger.
And now...
Lan Xichen's smile faltered as he thought of something. He slowly opened his eyes. Now that Jiang Cheng was gone, he couldn't be distracted anymore.
A-Yao and Mingjue...
The doorbell rang. Lan Xichen was surprised. Was it Wanyin? Did he forget something? Like his goodbye kiss?
He opened the door and to his surprise, Meng Yao and Nie Mingjue stood there, side by side. Holding hands.
"A-Yao! Mingjue."
Meng Yao and Nie Mingjue were still soaked from the rain and Lan Xichen wondered just how long they stood there, hugging in the middle of that sudden spring shower.
Meng Yao smiled tiredly at Lan Xichen. "Hi, Er-ge. Can we come in?"
Nie Mingjue added in that deep voice of his, "We got some explanations we need to give you."
Lan Xichen smiled. He swung the door wide open and said, "Of course, A-Yao, Dage, come on in. You guys are always welcome." He beamed. And he also has something of his own to tell them.
☆★彡
argh, finally author
😩
wat took u so long
also, let me bless u with one of the cutest xicheng fanart i found-
MeOw Cheng x Roomba Xichen
mwah.