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“Wangji,” Lan Xichen says, examining the (expensive looking) tin of limited edition jasmine tea his brother has just silently handed him, “it’s not that I don’t appreciate these gifts, but...what exactly is the occasion?”
“I saw it and thought it would appeal to you,” Wangji replies, voice toneless and face giving absolutely nothing away.
That is, to people who aren’t Lan Xichen, who smiles and says, “And I suppose this isn’t related to the calligraphy pen you gave me last week?”
Wangji shakes his head.
“Or the box of chocolates the week before?”
“You like sweets.”
Lan Xichen shakes his head. Something’s obviously up with his brother, but he knows that if Wangji really wants to keep a secret, he’ll probably take it to his grave. Lan Xichen will just have to resort to good, old-fashioned snooping.
The answer reveals itself a few days later when Lan Xichen invites himself over to Wangji’s apartment to spend some time with his darling baby brother (read: snoop). He ignores the disgruntled look Wangji gives him as he makes himself comfortable and starts rifling through his brother’s stuff as nonchalantly as possible. Which probably isn’t all that much, if the way Wangji sighs and says, “What are you trying to find?” is any indication.
“Oh, just searching for the remote,” Lan Xichen says cheerfully, spotting the remote in question and hastily shoving it under the couch. One of Wangji’s bunnies noses curiously at his hand as he does so. Thankfully, besides a strange abundance of rabbit-patterned post-it notepads, so far he hasn’t discovered anything suspicious, like drugs - not that he could possibly imagine Wangji doing drugs, of course, but who knows what he might gotten involved in all by himself off at university?
Wangji narrows his eyes, but before he can say anything, the doorbell rings. Wangji’s eyes widen slightly, and the tips of his ears go pink. Interesting.
“Well?” Lan Xichen asks, all innocence. “Aren’t you going to answer the door?”
Lan Wangji shoots one last glare at him, looking about as threatening as one of his rabbits. He slowly opens the door to reveal a young man dressed all in black and looking like the living embodiment of every single shady character from university their uncle had warned them to stay far, far away from.
Lan Xichen feels himself blanching. Is this…Wangji’s drug dealer?!
“Lan Zhan!” the possible drug dealer chirps. “Here’s your package...wow, this is what, the third time this week? How fast do you go through this stuff?”
Lan Xichen thinks he might faint.
Wangji takes the package quickly and says, “Where do I sign?”
“What, already, Lan Zhan?” the man asks. “No time to chat?” Wangji chats? With another person? Just what is going on here?
“I -” Wangji starts, but the man is already craning his neck to see around his shoulder. His eyes go wide when he spots Lan Xichen, and he says excitedly, “Wow, you must be Lan Zhan’s brother!”
“Wait,” Wangji says, trying fruitlessly to stop the man as he pushes past him and makes a beeline to Lan Xichen.
“Hello,” Lan Xichen says faintly. “I’m Lan Xichen, Wangji’s older brother. And you are…?”
“I’m Wei Wuxian!” the man declares, shoving out a hand which Lan Xichen shakes weakly. “Lan Zhan’s delivery man!”
Lan Xichen thinks he might cry - all his worst nightmares are coming true before his very eyes. He can already picture his uncle’s reaction - the anger, the disappointment, the twitching goatee...
“Is that a...drug thing?” he forces out. Wei Wuxian blinks at him, before dissolving into loud peals of laughter.
“What?” he gasps out. “Oh, god no. Haha, can you imagine someone like Lan Zhan doing drugs? As entertaining as that would be, I really am just a normal, boring delivery worker, here to deliver post-it notes for the third time this week. Seriously, Lan Zhan, what do you do with all of them? Eat them?”
Relief surges through Lan Xichen, followed by amusement as all the pieces begin to fall into place. The abundance of post-it notepads, the assortment gifts to both him and Uncle, the blushing...
“I use them for work,” Wangji mumbles.
Wei Wuxian snickers. “Well, try to ease up a bit, all these deliveries can’t be good for your wallet! Oh, and don’t forget to sign!” He hands a clipboard and pen to Wangji, then beams at Lan Xichen, who finally allows himself to smile back. Now that he’s been assured that this Wei Wuxian has not, in fact, corrupted his poor innocent brother, Lan Xichen supposes that he really doesn’t look like a bad sort, despite the all-black ensemble.
“You and Lan Zhan really look so similar, it’s crazy,” Wei Wuxian comments. “Do you go to Gusu University too?”
“I graduated last year,” Lan Xichen tells him. “Do you know Wangji from school?”
Wei Wuxian shakes his head. “No, I met him through this job, actually - somehow, I’ve never managed to run into him at school. Isn’t that weird?”
“Very,” Lan Xichen agrees. “You two should get together sometime - Wangji could do with some more friends!” Wangji aims a cold stare at him, which Lan Xichen blithely ignores.
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea!” Wei Wuxian enthuses. “What do you think, Lan Zhan?”
“I am done signing,” Wangji says in lieu of an answer, giving Wei Wuxian the clipboard.
Wei Wuxian blinks and says, “Oh, thanks, but what about the -”
“Do you not have other deliveries to make?” Wangji interrupts. Lan Xichen resists the urge to sigh. Oh, Wangji.
Wei Wuxian stares at him for a moment, then says, “Oh, shit, you’re right. Sorry, gotta run! I’ll see you later, Lan Zhan - and it was nice to meet you, Lan Xichen!”
“It was nice to meet you too, Wei Wuxian,” Lan Xichen says cheerfully.
“Goodbye, Wei Ying,” Wangji says quietly.
As soon as the door closes behind Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen raises his eyebrows significantly at his brother and says, “Wei Ying, is it? The two of you seem quite close...”
“Not close,” Wangji mutters.
Lan Xichen laughs. “Oh, if you really want to say so - you just seemed quite happy to see him!”
A blank stare. Lan Xichen sighs and says, “Oh, don’t be like that. If you’re not going to ask him out yourself, it’s my duty as an older brother to do it for you!”
“He doesn’t feel that way about me,” Wangji mumbles, ears turning red again. How cute! Lan Xichen reaches out and pokes his cheeks, and Wangji levels a stare at him again.
“Please stop interfering,” he says.
“Oh, but how can I?” Lan Xichen says. “My baby brother has finally fallen in love - I always knew this day would come! Oh, you’re all grown up!”
Wangji kicks him out soon after, but Lan Xichen doesn’t mind - the image of his usually stoic brother acting like a lovestruck teenager for the first time in his life is completely worth it.
Lan Wangji knows that what he’s doing is stupid, and pathetic, and more than a little creepy. But then he’ll see Wei Wuxian’s smile, and before he knows it he’s back online ordering something else he really doesn’t need.
The post-it notes on his desk are his favourite, blue and adorned with images of bunnies. They seem to taunt him every time he sees them. He uses them to annotate his notes, and they’ve drawn quite few stares in class, most likely because they seem so incongruous with the rest of his belongings. Thankfully, most people know better than to comment on it.
The first time Lan Wangji had met Wei Wuxian, it had been when he’d delivered Lan Wangji’s order of rabbit food, an encounter which had devolved into Wei Wuxian begging to see the rabbits in question, and subsequently Lan Wangji trying and failing not to melt into a puddle of goo at the sight of the other man gently stroking the ears of said rabbits.
“Hope to see you and your bunnies again!” Wei Wuxian had said, and Lan Wangji had immediately opened up Taobao and placed an order for the first rabbit-related thing he found.
Since then, he has ordered:
- four boxes of specialty tea, three boxes of flavoured chocolates, two books of dizi sheet music, one stationary set, and one calligraphy pen for his brother;
- one french coffee press, five tins of expensive Jamaican coffee, three scented candles, and one moleskine notebook for his uncle and
- three bags of rabbit food, six rabbit keychains, and forty novelty post-it notepads.
Lan Wangji feels guilty about all the money he’s spending on such frivolous matters, but he tells himself that he already buys the most economical foods, toiletries and household supplies for himself - he’s allowed to indulge sometimes , isn’t he? And, he thinks a little guiltily, it’s not like he’s exactly strapped for cash...
The voice inside his head mutters darkly that ordering useless stuff online just to have an excuse to talk to his crush hardly counts as a simple indulgence. Lan Wangji tries to ignore it.
But - Lan Wangji can’t bring himself to stop. He knows he’s not going to be able to ever actually ask Wei Wuxian if he wants to spend time together outside of this context - someone like Wei Wuxian probably has so many friends already, why would he ever want to hang out with someone like Lan Wangji? He’ll have to be content with the five minute conversations Wei Wuxian manages to drag him into each delivery.
Lan Wangji glances nervously out the window. The storm outside is rather intense - he hopes Wei Wuxian isn’t going to be forced to make deliveries in this weather. Wei Wuxian had told him once that he used his motorcycle to work (and had offered to give Lan Wangji a ride on said motorcycle, an offer Lan Wangji had politely declined). He’s not going to brave this storm, is he?
Lan Wangji’s heart sinks when the doorbell rings, only five minutes later than usual. He rushes to open it, revealing an utterly drenched Wei Wuxian, who still manages to smile despite the fact that he looks like he fell in a river and his teeth are chattering so loudly Lan Wangji can hear them.
“H-here’s your package, Lan Zhan,” he grits out, handing Lan Wangji the box which is somehow drier than the rest of him combined. “Really was an experience getting here, I’ll tell you that…”
“Why were you out in the storm?” Lan Wangji asks. Wei Wuxian raises an eyebrow.
“Well, it’s kind of my job,” he says. “Gotta work, rain or shine - the bills won’t pay themselves, you know!”
“Mm,” Lan Wangji says. “Do you have any other deliveries to make?”
“What, tonight? Nah, you’re my last, just gonna head home after this, thank god.”
“You should come in,” Lan Wangji says, before he can talk himself out of it. “Wait for the storm to end.”
Wei Wuxian laughs. “Thanks for the offer, Lan Zhan, but that’s not necessary - I’ve ridden in worse weather than this!”
Lan Wangji frowns. “You may become sick.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Wei Wuxian says blithely, which doesn’t exactly make Lan Wangji feel much better.
“Please,” he says. “At least let me make you a hot beverage.”
Wei Wuxian hesitates visibly, then says, “Okay, fine, if you insist. But only till the storm ends! And only so I can play with your bunnies!”
“Mm,” Lan Wangji says, stepping aside to let Wei Wuxian in and ignoring the pang of disappointment he feels - is the prospect of spending time with him really that unappealing to Wei Wuxian? Lan Wangji pushes the thoughts aside - this is only for Wei Wuxian’s own safety, not for any...other reasons.
Wei Wuxian takes off his jacket, and Lan Wangji frowns when he sees that even his shirt underneath is soaked through. “I will get you some dry clothes,” he says. Wei Wuxian chokes a little.
“Oh, you don’t have to,” he begins to protest, but Lan Wangji is already retrieving a spare sweater and pants, as well as a towel, and handing them to Wei Wuxian.
“The bathroom is there,” he says, pointing.
Wei Wuxian accepts the clothes, swallowing, and practically flees to the bathroom.
Lan Wangji goes to the kitchen, sets some water on the stove to boil, and then almost thunks his head on the cabinet above him as the sheer stupidity of what he’s just done begins to set in.
So much for not getting in too deep, he thinks, a bit bitterly, as he prepares two mugs of hot chocolate (with marshmallows; another impulsive purchase). Somehow, he’s pretty sure his brother is laughing at him right now.
“Oh, that smells so good,” he hears Wei Wuxian say from behind him. Lan Wangji turns, and almost trips over his own feet at the sight of Wei Wuxian in his sweater, hair adorably mussed from when he’d towelled it dry. The sweater is slightly large on him, and the tips of his fingers are barely visible past the hems of the sleeves. Lan Wangji swallows hard and hands one of the mugs to Wei Wuxian, before he does something even more stupid.
“Oh, wow, that’s amazing,” Wei Wuxian says, after he takes a sip. “You know what would make it even better, though?” Lan Wangji shakes his head. Wei Wuxian grins and says, “Chili! Do you have any?”
Lan Wangji isn’t entirely sure how chili and hot chocolate are supposed to go together, but he rummages around in his fridge for the small bottle and hands it to Wei Wuxian anyway. Wei Wuxian grins, and then, to Lan Wangji’s horror, proceeds to dump what has to be at least half of the entire bottle into his chocolate.
Wei Wuxian sips at it, sighs contentedly, and says, “Ah, hits the spot. Wanna try some, Lan Zhan?”
The chocolate is now a terrifying shade of red. “Mm,” Lan Wangji says, because he’s an idiot. He takes the cup, sips lightly, and then thanks the heavens for his stellar poker face, because is this what death feels like?
“Well?” Wei Wuxian says expectantly. “Is it good, Lan Zhan?”
“Mm,” is all Lan Wangji can say - he thinks he may have permanently damaged his mouth.
“Aha, that’s so good to hear,” Wei Wuxian says, taking the cup back from his hands. “Most people can’t tolerate my level of spice - it’s nice to finally meet someone who can! You don’t think it’s too spicy, do you, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Wangji shakes his head, blinking back tears.
The storm still shows no signs of abating, so they migrate to the living room. Wei Wuxian monopolizes the remote and switches the channel to some animated movie which he summarily ignores in favour of chatting about anything and everything. If he minds that Lan Wangji only responds with hums and nods, because he’s too distracted to think of anything else to say, Wei Wuxian doesn’t show it.
He’s sitting so close to Lan Wangji on the couch that their knees bump and their arms brush every time Wei Wuxian turns to him, gesturing animatedly as he talks. His hair is right there , so soft and fluffy-looking, and Lan Wangji grips his mug tightly to prevent himself from doing something stupid like petting it. Eventually, two rabbits come nosing around at Wei Wuxian’s feet, and he scoops them up into his lap to play with them, then teases Lan Wangji about all the post-it notes he’d forgotten to hide. (“You must really like rabbits, huh, Lan Zhan? Don’t worry, I like them too - to eat! Oh, don’t look at me like that, I’m just joking!”)
After about two hours, the storm recedes to a drizzle, then stops altogether. Wei Wuxian changes back into his now-dry clothes, and heads to the door. Lan Wangji follows, trying to pretend he isn’t sad to see him go - this has been the most enjoyable evening he’s spent in a while. Dejectedly, he thinks that Wei Wuxian probably doesn’t share the sentiment - after all, he’d only come in because of the storm.
“Well, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says, fiddling with his jacket, “this was pretty fun!”
“Mm.” Lan Wangji can’t help the happiness he feels at the words, even though he knows Wei Wuxian’s just saying that to be nice. Lan Wangji has been called many things, but fun is not one of them.
“Thanks for the chocolate,” Wei Wuxian says. “And the, um, clothes. And for letting me bother you all evening…”
“Wasn’t a bother,” Lan Wangji says.
“Oh, that’s good to hear. Um.” Wei Wuxian sounds strangely hesitant. “Do you think you’d like to...”
“To what?” Lan Wangji prompts, when it doesn’t seem like he’s about to continue.
Wei Wuxian laughs. “Oh, nothing, never mind. Anyway, guess I’ll see you later - if you’ll keep ordering your cute post-its!”
“Mm,” Lan Wangji says. “Goodbye, Wei Ying. Ride safely.”
“I’ll try!” Wei Ying says, which isn’t exactly reassuring. “Goodbye, Lan Zhan!” And then he’s leaning forward and hugging Lan Wangji, who doesn’t get the chance to do anything besides stand there, utterly frozen, before Wei Wuxian is shooting him one last grin and closing the door behind him.
Lan Wangji stands there staring at it for another thirty seconds, before reaching shakily for his phone. He is in so much trouble.
A-Zhan: Brother
A-Zhan: I need your help.
Brother: But of course! What’s wrong? Do I need to get Uncle?
A-Zhan: No.
Brother: So what is the problem?
A-Zhan is typing…
Brother: Wangji?
Brother: Wait…
Brother: Would this happen to be about a certain Wei Wuxian?
A-Zhan: …
Brother: Oh, I knew it!
Brother: Aw, this is so sweet!
Brother: (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ
A-Zhan: Please stop.
Brother: Aw, fine…
Brother: So what's wrong? Did he do something?
A-Zhan: No.
A-Zhan: He is
A-Zhan: Cute
A-Zhan: I don't know what to do with these
A-Zhan: Feelings
Brother: Awwww!!! Did you ask him out yet?
A-Zhan: No.
Brother: Well THAT'S what you should do!
A-Zhan: No.
Brother: Why not??
A-Zhan: He won't want to.
Brother: Hmmmmm
A-Zhan: What are you thinking?
Brother: Nothing, nothing, just...you DID ask for my help, didn't you?
A-Zhan: ...yes.
Brother: Great! So help I will!
A-Zhan: What are you going to do?
A-Zhan: Brother.
A-Zhan: Brother?
“So, I ran into your brother,” Wei Wuxian says the next time he makes a delivery, and Lan Wangji’s blood goes cold.
“Oh?” he asks carefully.
“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian says, smiling, “we had a very...interesting conversation.”
Oh, no .
“About what?” Lan Wangji asks, dreading the answer.
“Well,” Wei Wuxian says, “he did say that you’ve been buying an awful lot of gifts for him recently. And for your Uncle. Any special occasion, Lan Zhan?”
“...”
Wei Wuxian sniggers. “And, tell me, do you really need all those post-it notes?”
“I like rabbits,” Lan Wangji tries weakly.
“Yeah, I can see that,” Wei Wuxian says, “but. Fifty post-it notepads. Is that the only reason you ordered them?”
Lan Wangji ducks his head. “No,” he admits in a whisper. He can’t bear to see Wei Wuxian’s reaction. He’ll probably be disgusted, angry - after all, isn’t it invasive and pathetic all kinds of creepy to order stuff just to see the delivery worker? It sounds like a plot out of one of those crime dramas Lan Xichen is addicted to.
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says. “Look at me?”
Reluctantly, Lan Wangji does. To his surprise, however, Wei Wuxian doesn’t appear to be on the verge of storming out and possibly calling the police. Rather, he’s smiling.
“You know, Lan Zhan,” he says, “if you wanted to spend time with me so badly, all you had to do was ask me on a date.”
Lan Wangji stiffens, sure he must be mishearing. Is Wei Wuxian saying what it sounds like? He can’t be -
Except the longer Lan Wangji goes without responding, the further the smile slips off Wei Wuxian’s face, until he looks disappointed and crestfallen.
“Shit,” he mutters, “is that...not what this is about? I’m sorry, I thought - your brother said - look, just forget everything I just -”
Lan Wangji can’t bear to see Wei Wuxian looking like that, not because of him, so he scrapes up every last dredge of his courage and says, “No. I mean, yes. I would like that. A date.”
“Oh, really?” Wei Wuxian’s beaming, all traces of uncertainty gone. Distantly, Lan Wangji realises he’s staring, and then thinks, a little giddily, that Wei Wuxian probably doesn’t mind. “That’s great! I mean, I was kind of waiting for you to ask, ever since around...the twentieth post it note…”
“You...don’t mind?” Lan Wangji asks, just to make sure.
“Mind what?” Lan Wangji tries to think of a way to phrase his answer without coming off as some sort of stalker. Thankfully, Wei Wuxian seems to understand. Cackling, he says, “What, that you kept ordering crap off Taobao just to see me? Nah, I’m flattered - besides, I’m pretty glad that all the fights I got into with my supervisor just to get this route every night weren’t for nothing, you know?”
“Shameless,” Lan Wangji says reflexively, before remembering that he really has no room to judge.
From the way Wei Wuxian is smirking, he has come to the same conclusion. “I’m shameless? Well, so are you, Lan Zhan! Hey, now that we’re together, maybe our combined shamelessness will balance each other out - two negatives make a positive, right?”
Lan Wangji is pretty sure that’s not how it works, but he’ll take it.
Brother: You’re welcome! (* ^ ω ^)