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“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian loudly declares as he barges in through the door and Jiang Cheng couldn’t care less for whatever mess his brother has gotten himself into now.
“I need your—help,” Wei Wuxian trails off when his eyes fall on Lan Xichen, who sits on the couch, reading a book and looking generally very much like he belongs just in that spot.
Which he does. Because Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen have been dating for a few weeks now and Jiang Cheng just didn’t find the right moment to tell his brother.
Well, maybe that time is now.
“Wei Wuxian,” Jiang Cheng says and sticks his head out from the kitchen. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Why is he here?” he demands to know and then turns apologetically towards Lan Xichen. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Lan Xichen says with an amused smile and Jiang Cheng aches with the need to go over and just press a kiss to his temple.
So he does. Because he can and because he’s allowed to do that.
“You two are together?” Wei Wuxian screeches and then just unceremoniously drops himself onto the couch.
“We are,” Lan Xichen says, as if it isn’t evident by how he leans into Jiang Cheng.
“And you didn’t tell me?” Wei Wuxian asks, and he turns on his puppy eyes and brings out the pout. “And you didn’t tell your brother?” He turns his eyes on Lan Xichen at that.
And maybe it would even have worked but neither Lan Xichen nor Jiang Cheng are Lan Wangji and so they are practically immune to Wei Wuxian by now.
“We thought we’d tell you once you get your head out of your ass and ask Lan Wangji for a date,” Jiang Cheng says with a shrug, even though it’s not true, not even a little bit.
They wanted some more time for themselves, before they came out to their whole families, and Jiang Cheng just hopes Lan Xichen will play along.
“We would have told you next week though, because we are getting exceedingly impatient,” Lan Xichen adds, and Jiang Cheng hides his smile by pressing another kiss to his temple.
“Impatient? I told you, there is nothing—Lan Zhan doesn’t—we are not—” Wei Wuxian stammers out and Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes.
“Yes, there is something between you, Lan Wangji definitely wants, and you might not be yet, but you could be, so please, put us all out of our misery,” Jiang Cheng gives back and he does quite enjoy the way Wei Wuxian’s eyes get bigger and bigger with every word.
“You are always so mean to me,” Wei Wuxian complains and Jiang Cheng knows his evading tactics by now.
It won’t work.
“Only because you’re the most oblivious dumbass this planet has ever seen,” he tells him and Lan Xichen huffs out a laugh.
“I can assure you, Wangji very much does want.”
“Nonsense,” Wei Wuxian mutters before he straightens up. “I’m going to shijie, she will not be so mean to me.”
“She’s too polite to tell you to your face how dumb you are being,” Jiang Cheng agrees with a nod and then dodges when Wei Wuxian reaches out to slap him over the head.
“I’ll never ask you for your help again,” Wei Wuxian declares and that’s like music to Jiang Cheng’s ears, but Lan Xichen is too good to just let him hang like that.
“What did you need help with?” he inquires and Wei Wuxian takes a minute to glare at them before he brings out his phone.
“Lan Zhan sent me this message,” he says and holds the phone out for Jiang Cheng to take, “and I don’t know what it means.”
Dinner and a movie? My place, I’ll cook. I have your chili flakes the text reads and Jiang Cheng wonders how any sane person could mistake the meaning of this.
“That SOOO classifies as a date,” he tells Wei Wuxian with a laugh and hands the phone to Lan Xichen to read the message as well.
“It does not! I bet there’s another meaning behind this.”
“This is a date,” Lan Xichen says without hesitation and Jiang Cheng wonders if he could get his phone out quick enough to capture the look of utter betrayal on Wei Wuxian’s face.
“Are you really taking his side right now?” he wants to know and Lan Xichen shrugs before he links his and Jiang Cheng’s hand together.
“I’m actually taking the side of my brother. Who has been trying to ask you out for weeks now.”
“He has not,” Wei Wuxian says with a gasp. “I would have noticed.”
Jiang Cheng sends a meaningful glance down at the phone still clutched in Wei Wuxian’s hands and greatly enjoys his brother searching for words for once.
“Here, let me,” Lan Xichen says and gets his own phone out where he pulls up a conversation with his brother.
Have you asked Wei Wuxian on a date yet? he types and it doesn’t even take a minute for Lan Wangji to answer.
I have, but no answer yet is the prompt reply and Wei Wuxian goes a very distinct shade of red.
This is better than any movie, Jiang Cheng decides.
What if he misunderstands like the last times? Lan Wangji asks next and Lan Xichen holds the phone out for Wei Wuxian to see.
“He wants a date,” he breathlessly says. “He wants a date with me!”
“Of course he does, you idiot,” Jiang Cheng says but it’s not as harsh as it could have been.
The pure and utter wonder and joy on his brother’s face makes it hard to be angry with him.
“I have to go,” Wei Wuxian yells when he checks the time and notices that it’s approaching the usual Lan dinner time. “Thank you!” he says as he hugs both Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng before he rushes out of the door.
“I hope we never were this hopeless,” Jiang Cheng mutters and Lan Xichen kisses the back of his hand.
“We managed on our own, didn’t we?” he wants to know and then suddenly reaches up and pulls Jiang Cheng over the back of the couch, right into his lap.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng asks, but he can’t help his laugh, doesn’t even want to because he’s happy and he loves this man so much.
“Kissing my boyfriend,” Lan Xichen replies and leans down to do just that.