Work Text:
Although they had been together for several months now, it was still in no discernable way different for Song Lan in his day to day life. He had always been wrapped around Xiao Xingchen’s little finger, and they both had always known it.
So when the cutely pleading voicemail had been left at lunch time asking him to come to pick Xiao Xingchen up from his shoot later that evening, and take him out to dinner, he was arranging reservations almost before he had even disconnected from his mailbox.
The little minx could quite easily have asked him that morning while they lay twined together in bed, or at any time over the last week, but Xiao Xingchen seemed to like to keep him on his toes.
And Song Lan, who was irrevocably, completely in love, didn’t care how much of a tease Xiao Xingchen was.
In fact he liked it about his impish lover, that he was, and had always been comfortable enough with Song Lan to be like that. With most other people he was polite, infinitely kind, yet still kept a little something of himself back, only with friends was he comfortable enough to let his guard down completely, and only with Song Lan did he tease.
As he checked his diary to see what time his final meeting of the day was he was suddenly stunned to realise it had been six months to the day since that lunch in New York.
The one where Xiao Xingchen had literally made his dreams come true.
That was a very good reason to celebrate tonight.
Because it was, and because he was a smitten fool he finished up as soon as he possibly could and called home first to shower and change suits.
He paid a visit to the florists to collect the bouquet he had ordered as soon as he’d realised what the day signified and arrived at the studio as the last of the shoots were taking place.
This latest photo shoot was for an up and coming clothing line called Fresh. Aimed at a young and trendy, yet monied crowd, the styles were definitely something Xiao Xingchen might choose to wear himself. He looked good.
Song Lan never minded being early to meet Xiao Xingchen while he worked, because that meant it left him with time to watch.
A lovestruck fool would always take any chance he could to watch the object of his devotion at any activity.
Yes, Xiao Xingchen was quick and efficient, he seemed to always know what his photographer wanted from him, yet he was still delicately elegant and measured; he always moved beautifully.
There were several other models today, male and female, some from Song Lan’s agency who he knew by sight to be able to nod to.
Xiao Xingchen seemed to be more animated than he normally would be in company; and that seemed to be down to the slightly shorter man with the dark, piercing eyes and striking features.
Song Lan vaguely recognised his face; he had probably worked with Xiao Xingchen before. That was likely as his boyfriend seemed a little more relaxed than he would normally be with a stranger.
Song Lan wouldn’t lie to himself and pretend he wasn’t a little jealous, it was his nature to be so, but he also wasn’t the kind of person who tried to control the lives of those close to him. He’d just bear it in the secrecy of his own heart.
Once the shoot finished up Xiao Xingchen waved to him, then dashed off with the models who were still there to change back into the street clothes and having the professional makeup removed.
It wasn’t too long before he bounded over, a well of inexhaustible energy as ever. The darkly handsome man trailed along behind, without a trace of a bounce.
“Zichen” he trilled, and Song Lan waited for his cue.
For obvious reasons their relationship was kept entirely private from everyone but their friends; they had more excuse than most to be seen in public frequently together as Song Lan was his manager, but they had to judge their shows of affection.
It became obvious Xiao Xingchen trusted this man, as he stepped into Song Lan’s personal space and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Zichen, do you know Xue Yang?” he asked indicating the other model, who held his hand out to Song Lan.
“We haven’t met personally, but I’ve seen some of your work” Song Lan used the diplomatic answer, and the other smiled.
Xue Yang made murmurs expressing how flatteredhe was, and other pleasantries.
“We shared some lectures at university” Xiao Xingchen shared their previous connection.
“Ah I see, and have you worked together before?”
“Not for a few years, unfortunately” Xue Yang informed, and Xiao Xingchen nodded.
“We lost touch, but it was nice to work with you again” his eyes fell to the bouquet Song Lan held then. “Are they for me?”
“Yes, unfortunately I only brought the one though, I’m sorry”
Xue Yang clutched his heart, “Well, I’ll have to settle with being second best to Xingchen, it’s completely understandable”
Xiao Xingchen laughed while he sniffed at the flowers; honestly Song Lan could understand why he found Xue Yang such entertaining company. He had a kind of feral-feeling charm about him.
“Wait” Xiao Xingchen noticed the arrangement of white orchids and red roses, “What are these for? Is it our six month anniversary?” he suddenly sounded upset, “I completely forgot. Oh no, Zichen, I invited A-Yang to have dinner with us tonight. And I haven’t gotten you anything. I’m an abysmal boyfriend”
Xue Yang waved his hands, “Don’t worry, Xingchen, we can do dinner another time”
At the same time Song Lan said, “That’s fine Xingchen, I only realised myself when I booked the restaurant, we’ll do something another night and there will always be more anniversaries, we should catch up with your friend”
****
And that was how the three of them ended up at dinner together.
Xue Yang was charming and entertaining; he also spent most of the meal sizing Song Lan up. What he thought couldn’t be guessed. He watched Xiao Xingchen carefully too, especially when he interacted with Song Lan.
When Xiao Xingchen excused himself to visit the bathroom it left the two of them alone.
“Ironically, I am sorry I crashed your anniversary dinner” Xue Yang said eventually.
“It’s fine, it’s nice to reconnect with friends, and it was a very last minute arrangement”
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Song Lan did him the honour of not pretending to not understand his meaning.
“A little, I’m a jealous person. But I’m not going to stop Xingchen from having his own friends, I’m not like that”
“So you’re saying if I did keep in touch with Xingchen it wouldn’t bother you?”
“I’d be bothered, but that's definitely my problem, not his” he reached for his drink.
Xue Yang chuckled then, shaking his head.
“Fair enough. He loves you to distraction, anyway. I’ve watched him over dinner, and even if I wanted to try to to get between you both it would be pointless” he twisted his mouth in a brief grimace, then it settled back into it’s little boy smile as he lifted his own glass. “Don’t think I won’t be waiting in the wings if you ever hurt him though”
“I don’t intend to give you that opportunity. But if I ever did hurt him, I’d deserve nothing less.”
“Then we understand each other”
“Implicitly” they each raised their glass to the other in a silent toast.
****
Honestly, in terms of an anniversary celebration the evening itself had been a bust, but Song Lan didn’t mind as he curled around Xiao Xingchen's back that night and pulled him close. This was all he really needed after all.
The other snuggled back against him, humming his pleasure at the feeling of being held.
“I feel like we should...you know...Zichen, but I’m exhausted from today’s shoot”
“Don’t be silly, Xingchen, go to sleep” he murmured and placed a gentle kiss against Xiao Xingchen’s jaw. “We can have the obligatory anniversary sex another night instead” he murmured, and Xiao Xingchen snorted his amusement as Song Lan’s unexpected tease.
“Dork” he accused, squeezing Song Lan’s forearm in punishment before drifting off to sleep.