Chapter Text
“So you got ditched?”
“Yeah, she ah…” Nie HuaiSang said with a pained expression, “she just canceled on me via text and told me we should stop seeing each other.”
“Ouch,” Meng Yao slid back his chair and sat down, “well that isn’t very nice of her.”
“I know, right? After all this trouble to look my best.” Nie HuaiSang faked a sniff, and dabbed at his eye.
“You look stunning,” Meng Yao gave his companion a quick once-over. Form-fitting turtleneck; stylishly cut blazer, opened; quirky zodiac lapel pin, enamel; oxfords; whiffs of cologne and signs of make-up. Whilst HuaiSang clearly went for stylish without being too formal, he definitely overdressed. “You know, dressing too well may have the side-effect of making your partner self-conscious.”
“True,” Nie HuaiSang said with a shrug, “You wouldn’t mind, would’ja?”
“I guess not,” Meng Yao said while petting Nie HuaiSang on the hair, “I’m glad you called me over. I’ve wanted to try this place for a while now, but never managed to get a reservation.”
“Hey, so, to console me from getting dumped, why don’t you pay today, Yao-Ge?” Nie HuaiSang asked, shamelessly.
Meng Yao snorted. “Sure.” He gave Nie HuaiSang’s hair a gentle pat.
“Hey, Meng Yao.” Nie HuaiSang pointed at the appetizer, “can I have a taste of that?”
“Sure, why not?”
Nie HuaiSang opened his mouth.
Meng Yao blinked, before chuckling a bit, “Am I your replacement date now?”
“Ahhhhhhhh.” Nie HuaiSang just opened his mouth wider.
Meng Yao grinned and stuffed a shrimp into Nie HuaiSang’s mouth, fingers brushing against Nie HuaiSang’s lips as Nie HuaiSang closed his mouth.
“Mmm, it’s good!” Nie HuaiSang said, licking his lips.
“Oh my god!” Meng Yao couldn’t help but laugh, “Is this what you do on your first dates? No wonder she ditched last minute.”
“Well this was supposed to be our 5th one…” Nie HuaiSang grumbled.
“5th one, eh, I guess you liked her, then.”
“Yeah. Yeah I did.”
“There there.” Meng Yao fed his companion another shrimp.
“Say, Yao-ge,” Nie HuaiSang asked, “we’ve known each other for a while now, right?”
Two lifetimes is technically longer than anyone had the right to.
“Yeah, we have,” answered Meng Yao.
“You know what they say, can’t settle down with someone until you’ve seen them at their worst, right?”
“We had a moment there, now you’ve killed it.”
“I think,” Nie HuaiSang said, “I’m ready to like you again.”
It’s easier to like people before you know them very well, but liking someone after knowing their worst is like handing over a knife for them to stab you with.
Meng Yao absently rubbed a hand over his chest, where ShuoYue had once stabbed through him. It hasn’t hurt for a very long time.
“I think we can give it a try.”