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Jiang Cheng startles when the couch suddenly dips. He opens his eyes and is surprised to see Lan Xichen next to him, a pleasant smile on his face. It takes a while for Jiang Cheng’s somewhat inebriated brain to properly register the other’s presence.
“Weren’t you... I thought you’d left?” The words come out somewhat slurred and Lan Xichen chuckles.
“I only accompanied Wangji and Wei Wuxian to the door.”
Jiang Cheng looks around and notices that barely anyone is still there. Nie Huaisang’s party has been going on for hours now, he’s not surprised to see that most people have left. The fact that Lan Xichen is still there though, that is unexpected. Jiang Cheng doesn’t quite know what to make of that.
“I hadn’t realized.” He lifts his beer bottle to his lips again and frowns when he realizes it’s empty. “Where did the others go?”
“Huaisang and Mo Xuanyu went to take a dip in the pool while Mingjue and A-Yao went upstairs. I believe we are the only ones left down here.” He pauses and there’s something in the way Lan Xichen looks at him that makes Jiang Cheng’s pulse speed up. “Would you like something more to drink?”
“Hmm, maybe just some water.” Now that he is more aware of himself, he can sense the beginning of a hangover creep up on him.
“A good choice.” Lan Xichen quickly returns with a glass of water which Jiang Cheng gratefully accepts. They sit in silence for a few minutes. Jiang Cheng keeps sneaking glances at the man next to him, who seems to sit slightly turned towards him, but maybe that’s just his imagination. The oldest Lan looks amazing as usual, in a prim, baby blue button-down shirt and well-fitted black slacks. Lan Xichen has amazing thighs. Jiang Cheng tears his eyes away from where they have strayed. He needs to find something, anything to say to make this strange silence between them disappear. So, he just blurts out the first thing which comes to mind.
“Hey, let’s play twenty questions.”
“Sure.”
“What’s your favorite color?” Jiang Cheng knows it’s a lame question, but it would appear that the part of him that wants to know everything about Lan Xichen, has taken control of him tonight. Lan Xichen’s eyes go from smiling playfully to being intently focused on Jiang Cheng’s, his gaze bores into him and makes him squirm. Shit, is the question really that lame?
“Blue. So, tell me, are you into guys?”
Jiang Cheng almost spits out his water when he hears Lan Xichen’s reply. It’s not what he would ever have expected from the always prim and proper Lan. Lan Xichen’s hand comes to pat his back as he coughs but the warmth of it through Jiang Cheng’s thin t-shirt only makes it harder to collect himself again. He pats his chest a few times, then looks over at Lan Xichen. He is still looking at him, clearly expecting an answer.
“So?” Lan Xichen’s smile is as gentle but something tells Jiang Cheng that this man will not let him get away without answering.
“Uh, yeah.” Then, because clearly there’s something in the water he just drank, he asks, “Are you?”
Lan Xichen’s smile now looks more like a smirk and he leans in closer to answer, a simple,
“Yes.”
“O-oh, uh, cool. I guess we have that in common,” Jiang Cheng says and immediately wants to punch himself in the face.
“I guess we do. Are you interested in anyone at the moment?”
As soon as Jiang Cheng hears the others question, his fight-or-flight response kicks in. Yes, he is interested in someone, would even say he’s in love, but there is no way he’s ever admitting that, when the person in question is sitting right next to him. Sitting so close that their things are almost touching. When did that happen? He briefly considers running away from this strange conversation but growing up with Wei Wuxian has made him anything except a quitter and so he forges on, undeterred by the screaming in his brain.
“Yes.” Jiang Cheng decides to leave it at that and instead attempts to bring the questions into a less uncomfortable area. “What’s your favorite animal?” he asks instead.
The attempt is futile because while Jiang Cheng would love to hear more about Lan Xichen’s love for bunnies, he apparently has other ideas.
“Don’t you want to know if I like anyone? Go on, ask.”
Jiang Cheng feels like a deer caught in headlights. “Tha-that’s not how the game works,” he splutters. “You don’t get to decide what questions I ask!”
“You mean you don’t want to know?” How dare Lan Xichen ask Jiang Cheng something like that while pouting? Who in the world allowed this man to be this adorable?! Whoever it was, Jiang Cheng was going to find whoever it was and strangle them.
“Wanyin?” Lan Xichen’s deep and melodious voice drifts to his ears and Jiang Cheng realize that he hasn’t answered yet. He clears his throat. Alright then, if this is the way Lan Xichen wants to play, then so be it. Lan Xichen won’t know what hit him.
Jiang Cheng leans his head on his hand and looks at Lan Xichen with a playful smirk on his face. “Alright, do you have someone you like?”
His smirk is wiped clean off his face the next second at the sight of Lan Xichen’s tender smile. Something ugly twists within Jiang Cheng’s chest. What he wouldn’t give to be the one that smile is directed at.
“Yes. I more than like him in fact, I’m in love.”
Again, that feeling. “Good for you, I guess.” Lan Xichen smiles and nods his head.
“He is an amazing person.”
Jiang Cheng reminds Lan Xichen that it’s his turn and the man taps his chin a few times before he appears to make up his mind.
“This person you like, what’s his best quality?”
“Why would you want to know that?”
“Humor me.”
“Fine.” Jiang Cheng pauses then, because how to pick just one quality of Lan Xichen’s? Everything about him is so good. “He’s... He’s very kind. I know I can be prickly, and I’m often rude without meaning to be, but he never takes it to heart. Somehow, he seems to see past that and take me for who I really am. I feel like I can be myself around him.”
For some reason, that tender smile has returned to Lan Xichen’s face. Is he thinking about the person he likes again? Jiang Cheng would like him to stop doing that, please. Still, Jiang Cheng must be a masochist because his next question is going to achieve the direct opposite of that.
“What about you?”
“What I like most about him? Hmm, where to start. I suppose it would be how he always does his best even when things don’t go his way. Regardless of the final outcome, he always gives everything his best shot. He’s the strongest person I know.”
Jiang Cheng doesn’t know what to say that. Should he congratulate Lan Xichen for finding such an amazing person? He doesn’t think he can do that. Better ask something safe this round instead.
“My turn now, Lan Xichen. Have you ever broken one of those Lan rules?”
“Yes. Can I call you A-Cheng?” What is with this guy, why does he keep asking such weird questions? Can’t he get the hint that Jiang Cheng is doing his best to keep a distance between himself and Xichen, so he doesn’t fall in love with him even more? At this point Jiang Cheng can’t help but wonder if Xichen hit his head on the way to the couch. Jiang Cheng buries his face in his hands and groans.
“...Why?” He’s sure Xichen can hear his exasperation at the other’s question.
“I want to.” Jiang Cheng flinches slightly when a warm hand touches his, tugs them down and away from his face. “I would like for us to be closer. Please.” Xichen’s gaze is so honest that Jiang Cheng can’t find it in himself to deny him.
“Only if I can call you Xichen.”
The man in question chuckles at his answer. “You can call me anything you want. Though I recommend ‘yours’.”
Jiang Cheng had read about qi deviation for class recently. This must be what that feels like. Being around Xichen has never been this stressful before. It’s somehow worse than when he went to the pool with Wei Wuxian and ran into Xichen. That had been bad for his heart, but this? This borderline flirty behavior? Jiang Cheng is afraid he’ll forget himself and do something stupid.
They continue the game with Lan Xichen asking about the person Jiang Cheng likes. Jiang Cheng tries to keep his answers short and avoids asking about whoever Xichen likes but somehow, he manages to twist all of Jiang Cheng’s questions to be about his love interest. It’s absolutely infuriating and Jiang Cheng can feel himself getting increasingly jealous and therefore grumpier.
“...and he doesn’t laugh often but when he does it sounds like the sweetest music. I could listen to it all day.” Lan Xichen has such a disgustingly dreamy smile on his face and Jiang Cheng can’t fucking stand it anymore. He explodes.
“Then why don’t you fucking go to him then instead of talking my ears off about him! Do you think I’m interested in hearing you talk about other men around me? Cause if so, you’re dead wrong.” Jiang Cheng is standing now, staring at Lan Xichen who has a somewhat shocked expression on his face and the reality of what he just said sinks in.
Fuck. Has he just confessed to Lan Xichen?! That’s it. Jiang Cheng is never drinking and never playing twenty questions every again because clearly it turns him into an absolute idiot. He turns to leave but as he does, Lan Xichen grabs his wrist and no amount of tugging and pulling will make him let go.
“Lan Xichen,” Jiang Cheng growls. “Let. Go.”
“No. I still have one question left.”
Jiang Cheng stares at the man in front of him as if he’s suddenly grown a third head.
“You still want to play that stupid game? Well, tough luck, cause I don’t.” Jiang Cheng makes another attempt to dislodge Lan Xichen’s grip on his wrist but clearly the man has muscles made of goddamn iron.
Lan Xichen’s voice when he speaks is calm but there’s an edge of desperation to it that catches Jiang Cheng off guard, makes him go still. When he’s tugged back on the couch again and Lan Xichen takes his hand, Jiang Cheng allows it without complaint.
“Wanyin, A-Cheng,” he begins, and his voice is so, so quiet. “Do you like me?”
Jiang Cheng stares down at his lap. He wants the ground to swallow him up because how dare Lan Xichen ask him that. How dare he when he already has someone he likes and most of all, how dare he give Jiang Cheng false hope. He stays quiet.
“A-Cheng, please answer me.” At this point, tears are burning in Jiang Cheng’s eyes, he wants to leave but he has always known he can’t truly deny Lan Xichen anything. Not if he asks with such a small voice.
“Yes,” he whispers. There’s a sharp inhale from Lan Xichen and then,
“Ask me, A-Cheng. Please.”
It takes an ungodly amount of effort to force out the words. “Do you like me?”
The next second, Jiang Cheng finds himself in a warm embrace, strong arms are wrapped around him and he’s pressed against a warm chest. Above him, Lan Xichen exhales shakily.
“Yes! Yes, I like you so much, A-Cheng. I’ve liked you for a long time.” Lan Xichen’s hand comes down to cup Jiang Cheng’s cheek and tilts his face up. The sight that greets him steals Jiang Cheng’s breath away. Lan Xichen has tears in his eyes and he’s looking at him with so much love it makes Jiang Cheng blush violently.
“A-Cheng, I’m in love with you. You have no idea how happy it makes me that you feel the same way.” He gently caresses Jiang Cheng’s cheek and Jiang Cheng leans into the touch while simultaneously wrapping his arms around Lan Xichen’s back. Still, he can’t quite believe it.
“You better not be lying about this”
“I would never,” Lan Xichen assures him and he sounds so earnest, that Jiang Cheng’s doubts disappear.
“X-Xichen-ge?” The name feels a little strange on Jiang Cheng’s lips but something tells him he’ll have more than enough time to get used to it.
“Yes, A-Cheng?” Lan Xichen smiles at him and Jiang Cheng’s heart flutters wildly in his chest.
“Wanna play twenty questions?”
Lan Xichen tilts his head.
“Again?”
“Humor me,” Jiang Cheng huffs, fervently hoping that the idea which suddenly hopped into his head isn’t going to ruin whatever this is.
Lan Xichen tugs a strand of hair behind Jiang Cheng’s ear and chuckles, which is a very nice sound.
“Alright then, do you want to start?”
Jiang Cheng takes a second to gather his thoughts.
“Xichen-ge, will you be my boyfriend?”
The largest smile Jiang Cheng has ever seen spreads on Lan Xichen’s face, then. The man looks so happy he could burst.
“It would be my honor,” then, “A-Cheng, can I kiss you?”
Jiang Cheng grins up at him. “There’s nothing I’d like more.”