Chapter Text
Wei Ying didn't think very highly about people who used their kids to get views on their videos. At the same time, he didn't want a-Yuan to feel like he was being left out of what Wei Ying was creating. So when his son wanted to make his own video, Wei Ying prepped everything so it was just fun for them both.
"You have a secret agent name for the video," Wei Ying had explained the first time. He didn't want strangers to be able to recognize his son in public and call him over to them. Maybe he was a little paranoid, but he didn't take any risks when it came to his baby.
They were sitting in his office now with a camera, lights, and microphone setup. A-Yuan was smiling as Wei Ying started, "I have a special guest today! Since a lot of you ask about dinosaurs given my interest in extinct birds, I wanted to bring in a local expert. My son, Sizhui, will be giving you his list of favorite dinosaurs."
A-Yuan holds up two of his toys: a stuffed triceratops and a plastic pterodactyl.
"He's also brought visual aids!" Wei Ying beamed at A-Yuan. "Where do you want to start?"
A-Yuan looked thoughtful. "Dinosaurs aren't reptiles," he said, looking at the camera. A-Yuan had been asking Wei Ying to read him nothing but dinosaur books for months and he memorized a lot of facts. "And no people ever met dinosaurs!"
All these were pretty basic facts, but A-Yuan was leading this video. “A great place to start!”
A-Yuan beamed and continued on. He was so cute and excited. He'd been a part of one other video so far, one of the makeup challenge videos (A-Yuan had done a very good job putting makeup on Wei Ying), and if he wanted, Wei Ying would let him help with more. They just needed to be careful.
Another thing Wei Ying tried to be careful about was what A-Yuan watched. To say he had read a lot of parenting articles and books when A-Yuan came into his life would be an understatement. He tried to balance keeping aware without being overbearing about it.
But right now A-Yuan was being suspicious. "What are you watching?" Wei Ying asked, moving to sit beside him on the couch. A-Yuan startled and looked guilty, turning wide pleading eyes up to his dad.
"It's okay!" A-Yuan said, tipping the screen away from Wei Ying.
Wei Ying felt his eyebrows raise, and he took the tablet from A-Yuan. He saw there was a paused video. "A-Yuan, you know you can't watch YouTube on your own."
"It's okay, Jingyi showed the channel to me!" A-Yuan added a pout to his wide eyes. "It's just a channel about bunnies."
"About bunnies?" Wei Ying didn't know what to think of this. "Since when do you like bunnies?" Was he going to need to get some books on rabbits to put beside the mini dinosaur library?
"Always! They're cute!" A-Yuan said, then scrambled up into Wei Ying's lap. "Also our class is getting a bunny and I want to know how to take care of it."
"Okay, but you still broke a rule," Wei Ying said. He hated to discipline, but he would hate it more if A-Yuan stumbled on something terrible. Before A-Yuan could protest though, he added, "We can watch these together."
A-Yuan tilted his head to look up at his dad, his smile growing, "Really?"
"Really," Wei Ying said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Time to learn about bunnies."
A-Yuan nodded as Wei Ying gave him the tablet back. Wei Ying leaned against the couch and A-Yuan leaned against his chest so that they could both see the screen. A-Yuan started the video from the beginning and Wei Ying saw the most beautiful man he had ever seen.
He didn't even process what was being said for a good minute (the video was over 8 minutes long) and only then because it switched to voice over on videos of some very cute rabbits. This was apparently a video on how to set up your house so that bunnies could roam mostly free. Once that was done, A-Yuan selected the next video which was how to properly feed your rabbits. So now the very beautiful man was back on the screen, sitting there with a bunny on his lap. The bunny jumped off a few times and the man didn’t stop her, but she always came back, seeming to like being pet.
A-Yuan and Wei Ying ended up consuming over an hour’s worth of bunny content. A-Yuan was very excited about the bunnies and Wei Ying could guess what his birthday ask for the next three years was going to be. Wei Ying was much more interested, he had to admit, in the person (who went by the username hanguang_jun) who ran the channel.
Later that evening, after A-Yuan had gone to bed (and had yet to come looking to sleep with Wei Ying in his bed as happened sometimes if A-Yuan had a bad dream), Wei Ying decided to social media stalk this guy. He had to know that his son would only see appropriate content, after all. He was just a concerned parent, no other additional curiosity. Nope, no other motives.
Wei Ying was quick to figure out several things. First, the guy didn't seem to have a Twitter but did have an Instagram that was 90% pictures of his rabbits and 10% pictures of his musical instruments, which included a guqin and a violin. There were absolutely no pictures of his face. Wei Ying had to admit to himself that he was a little disappointed by that.
Next, Wei Ying found out that all the music in the videos was his own music. They were mostly compositions by others, but there were a few original songs. There was a very cute if very short Q&A video, where Hanguang-jun mentioned this. Wei Ying was thankful for the other watchers who then asked if Hanguang-jun could put that music up on Bandcamp and that he had.
But that was really it for the guy. His profiles on these three sites were small and about the work he presented on them. Anything personal had been mostly left out. Which made Wei Ying feel a little weird about being so drawn to him. There was something about the kind way he handled his rabbits and the soothing way he played his music that spoke as if, and Wei Ying knew how cheesy this sounded, Hanguang-jun was someone with a kind heart.
And that's when Wei Ying quickly closed up the apps and decided he better do something else to distract him from this. He did follow the mysterious Hanguang-jun on them all before he had closed them though. Wei Ying thought that was that he'd watch the videos with A-Yuan and have a vague crush on this Hanguang-jun because, what was the harm, and that'd be it.
"We need to contact the bunny man," A-Yuan announced after Wei Ying picked him up from school two weeks later. His hand was in Wei Ying's as they walked back to their apartment. A-Yuan usually talked even faster than Wei Ying when he told his dad about his day, but today had been silent until that announcement.
"Why's that?" Wei Ying asked, trying to think about what could have come up during the school day to prompt this.
"We got our class bunny and the teacher isn't taking care of her right!" A-Yuan said, sounding so distressed Wei Ying stopped walking and knelt in front of him. A-Yuan sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. "She shouldn't be left in the little cage and she will be alone in the evening! That's when bunnies need attention!"
Wei Ying was first struck by feeling so proud of his sweet boy, but then the sinking feeling that this was going to be a tricky situation. It made sense that a classroom pet probably wasn't necessarily given the proper room. And from the videos A-Yuan had him watch (and Wei Ying did pay attention to the content!), bunnies needed a lot of special care that often no one thought about.
"I want to ask the bunny man what I should do!" A-Yuan said, seeming to pull himself together with Wei Ying's attention. A-Yuan trusted him to make things right and Wei Ying really hoped he would actually be able to do that in this situation.
"Okay, we can try to send a message to the bunny man," Wei Ying agreed. "But we need to do our own thinking and research too, okay? Because the bunny man might be busy."
A-Yuan nodded in understanding. "He needs to take care of his bunnies."
"Exactly," Wei Ying couldn't stop himself from smiling. He scooped A-Yuan up and settled him on his hip, even though he was probably far too old for such treatment. A-Yuan didn't complain though, just snuggled closer.
The bunny man apparently didn't have an email posted anywhere, so Wei Ying messaged his Instagram. Deciding to start off as professional as possible, he typed and edited the message about ten times before sending it.
the_wei_ying: [Hey there! My son loves watching your videos.
His kindergarten class recently got a rabbit as a classroom pet and he's really worried that they won't be able to take care of it properly. He asked me to message you (as a bunny expert) and ask if you had any suggestions?
Totally get if you're busy (you probably get a lot of messages asking for advice) and can't respond, don't worry! We're looking for ways to help the bunny on our end as well. But if you do have any tips, that would be amazing!
Thanks for your work!]
Wei Ying put his phone down after that and turned his focus to making dinner. A-Yuan was sitting at their little dinner table, coloring and sometimes chatting about the rest of his school day. Apparently, it wasn't just a day of worrying about bunnies. Jingyi had laughed so hard he shot grape juice out of his nose at lunch and other such exciting things.
It wasn't until after he had gotten A-Yuan fed, bathed, and quietly playing in his room as he wound down before bed, that he checked to see if "the bunny man" had responded.
hanguang_jun: [Hello. I would be happy to help if I can. Are there any specific concerns? -HJ]
He signed his message. Wei Ying needed a moment to process if that was adorable or hilarious (this guy had to be Wei Ying's age) before sending back the list A-Yuan had gone over with him at dinner:
the_wei_ying: [Thank you so so much! He's worried that the bunny is being kept in a hutch, which is no doubt too small and is only being given pellets for food. He also is worried that no one will be at the school during the early morning and evening when the bunny will be awake and want to play. So... kind of all the standard concerns that you've gone over in the videos but I'm trying to figure out how to bring these up to the teacher who probably doesn't know any better and certainly doesn’t mean any harm.]
hanguang_jun: [Rabbits are not good pets for young children. Rats are probably a better small animal for a classroom as they are social, fish even more so as they calming to look at. But as there is already a rabbit in the classroom, I'll send you some articles that can be shared with the teacher. That way your son can bring them in and hand them to the teacher. If the teacher is able to do what is laid out in them, the rabbit should be happy and the students will learn proper pet care. However, if the teacher isn't able to do that, I am unsure what the next course of action would be. - HJ]
the_wei_ying: [Thank you so much! That would be very helpful. I have a sinking worry I’m going to have to kidnap a bunny...]
the_wei_ying: [just kidding! but my son will not let this rest until the bunny is okay, so i’ll have to figure something out. would an email work to send the articles?]
hanguang_jun: [I may be biased, but if the rabbit is not being taken care of, I believe you would be right to... liberate it and find it a better home.]
hanguang_jun: [Yes, an email would be best.]
the_wei_ying: [ha! well i'll keep you apprised of the situation. you can email me at weiying@ gmail.com]
A few minutes later, an email came through. It took Wei Ying a moment to realize it must be a personal email.
[Wei Ying,
Please find attached as .pdfs, as well as some links, to articles I hope will help.
Also, please thank your son for being a good friend to rabbits.
Sincerely,
Lan Zhan]
Oh no. He's adorable. And now Wei Ying knew his real name.
A-Yuan was absolutely thrilled that the bunny man thought he was a good friend to rabbits. He was also happy that he had things to bring to the teacher. Wei Ying walked him to his classroom and hovered. Usually, A-Yuan would run off to find his friends as soon as they got there and Wei Ying could head to work. But in case the teacher had a question he wanted to be there. He really hoped he hadn't offended the teacher, because he liked her and A-Yuan seemed to trust her with everything except a bunny, apparently.
Qin Su knelt when A-Yuan came up to her and listened as he talked. She accepted the papers and glanced over at Wei Ying with a raised brow. He waited for A-Yuan to finish talking to her and once he'd run off, she approached him.
"He's really worried about the rabbit?" Qin Su asked, glancing across the classroom. Wei Ying followed her gaze to where a little grey bunny was peeking from a cage in a corner out into the classroom.
"Yes, he's been watching this YouTube channel religiously and it’s mostly about rabbit care," Wei Ying explained. "And I probably should have said something, because I've looked into it for him as well and it doesn't seem like a rabbit would be good for kids his age. At least not a classroom’s worth."
Qin Su frowned, but she seemed more concerned than angry. "I have to admit I didn't do too much research. Rabbits were recommended to me from the administration, but I should’ve looked into it more closely."
"Apparently rats are actually better small animal pets," Wei Ying said, and then hoped she wouldn't ask him to back that up. He was just going off what the bunny man, what Lan Zhan, had said.
Qin Su nodded, glancing down at the paper in her hands. "Well, I guess I have some homework. I'm not really sure what I can do, since the class pet is something expected..."
"Just thank you for listening," Wei Ying assured. "And if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know."
Wei Ying debated messaging Lan Zhan. But as he got on the bus to head into the work studio he shared with his sister (it really was mostly her’s though), he decided he should. He’d told Lan Zhan he'd keep him updated.
the_wei_ying: [articles have been delivered! my son's teacher sounds like she will definitely read them and take them into consideration. so no need to kidnap any bunnies... yet.]
Wei Ying moved to put his phone away but was surprised to see that Lan Zhan was typing back a response already.
hanguang_jun: [I'm glad to hear that.]
the_wei_ying: [yeah! a-yuan is taking his duty as a friend to bunnies very seriously. thanks for saying that, btw, he really appreciated it!]
hanguang_jun: [A-Yuan?]
the_wei_ying: [oh, my son's name!]
hanguang_jun: [Of course. Sorry for the confusion, you call him by a different name in your videos.]
Wei Ying stared at the screen of his phone for long enough that he almost missed his stop. Lan Zhan had seen his videos? Getting off and wandering towards his favorite little cafe, he responded.
the_wei_ying: [yeah i do, for privacy. i don't mind my face and name being thrown around, but i’m an adult choosing to put myself out in the world with full knowledge of what that means. i don't want him to be embarrassed or upset when he is older.]
hanguang_jun: [That makes sense. The internet is... interesting.]
Wei Ying snorted with laughter. Understatement of the century.
the_wei_ying: [tell me about it. we just do videos that a-yuan wants to because he wants to be included in what i'm up to sometimes. so i try to keep it fun for him! if he's not having fun with it, shooting stops.]
hanguang_jun: [It is the same for my rabbits].
A second message quickly followed that.
hanguang_jun: [Not that I am comparing your son to a rabbit. I apologize if I have caused offense.]
Wei Ying stopped himself from laughing out loud as he stood in line at the cafe.
the_wei_ying: [no worries, i got you! it’s clear they are your babies and a-yuan would probably be thrilled to be compared to a bunny. he has the cutest pjs that have a hood with bunny ears!]
hanguang_jun: [That does sound cute. I am sure when I was his age that I would also enjoy rabbit pajamas.]
the_wei_ying: [truly the wonders of current kid's fashion is just never-ending! i let a-yuan choose what he wants (because i’d have loved that kind of control over my expression as a kid) and i think if he wants he’d make a fantastic fashion designer. i might be biased though!]
hanguang_jun: [It is only right for a parent to be proud of their child's accomplishments.]
the_wei_ying: [agreed! and thanks! now i need to go help my sister shoot her new video. oh you might want to check out her stuff! she's amazing. very professional. her channel is Lotus Pier Chef!]
Wei Ying had managed to make his order for coffee for both himself and Jiang Yanli while chatting with Lan Zhan. Now though, he needed both his hands to carry the drinks from the cafe up to their studio.
Once he arrived he called, "Jiejie!" and kissed her cheek while handing her the big cup of coffee he'd procured. While his nephew was now out of the terrible twos he was still a very... active child and tended to wear his moms out. Jiang Yanli accepted the drink gratefully.
He checked his phone quickly before putting it aside. Looked like Lan Zhan had responded with a simple, "Thank you for the recommendation, I will check out her work."
"What are you smiling at?" Jiang Yanli asked, not hiding her knowing grin well behind her coffee.
Wei Ying made a face at her. "It's nothing."
"Alright," Jiang Yanli's voice was full of laughter. "Well, I do need focus on this project today."
"Always," Wei Ying slipped his phone away and turned to look at the lighting set up in the studio's kitchen. "Let's get to it!"
Wei Ying left the studio after Jiang Yanli because her daycare closed before A-Yuan's school did and it was her turn to pick up Jin Ling. Locking up, Wei Ying glanced at his messages and tried not to get excited to see a new one from Lan Zhan.
hanguang_jun: [I was able to watch several of your sister's videos. Her vegetarian recipes will be wonderful to try out.]
the_wei_ying: [she's so talented! i just help with the shooting and editing of her videos, though I can be mostly trusted to find my way around the kitchen after her much dedicated teaching effort. i like being able to guest star as test taster though, best role imo]
hanguang_jun: [She seems to have quite a following.]
the_wei_ying: [yeah her cookbook sales are big! which is awesome, it means her wife got to cut ties with her shitty family and yanli can support them and their son.]
hanguang_jun: [That is very fortunate. It can be hard to try and find your way if you have had a strict upbringing.]
the_wei_ying: [tell me about it! which, i also mean actually if you need to talk. i know you don't share much about your personal life on your channel, so of course no pressure. but... anyway yeah. i am here to listen!]
Oh boy, that was definitely overstepping. Wei Ying chewed on a nail, bad nervous habit and he regretted it because he had painted them for just that kind of deterrent. Settling on a seat on the bus, he was relieved to see that Lan Zhan was typing.
hanguang_jun: [Thank you. I don't tend to be comfortable talking. Which might seem silly, given part of my work. I also teach music lessons, but the children I work with tend to respond better to a quiet presence who listens to them.]
Lan Zhan the bunny man also worked with kids? Wei Ying should scold himself for any further crushing but... cute!
the_wei_ying: [of course! you’re helping me and a-yuan after all with our bunny adventure. what ages do you teach?]
hanguang_jun: [Mostly those in middle school, though I have a few students closer to Wei Yuan's age.]
Wei Ying got off the bus and jogged to the school. A-Yuan was out in the yard playing with some of the other waiting kids, one of the teachers keeping watch. He spotted his dad and ran over right away, his little backpack bouncing.
"Dad!" A-Yuan said and took Wei Ying's hand when it was offered.
"Did you have a good day?" Wei Ying asked, not sure if he should bring up the bunny.
"Yes! And Miss Qin thanked me for the papers and said she would talk to me in the morning about the bunny," A-Yuan dove right into it. That answered his question.
"That's good!" Wei Ying said, giving his tiny hand a gentle squeeze. "Miss Qin is a very good teacher, right?"
"The best!" A-Yuan said, before looking thoughtful. "No second best."
"Oh yeah, who’s the first?"
"You are!" A-Yuan beamed up at him.
Wei Ying wondered where he got so lucky to have such an amazing kid.
When Qin Su saw Wei Ying come in with A-Yuan, she motioned for him to stay. She greeted the kids but moved to the doorway to be able to speak and be slightly outside the kids' hearing. Seeing her look of concern, Wei Ying asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Su sighed. "I read the stuff A-Yuan gave me yesterday and did some additional research. I can't believe the administration recommended a rabbit for a classroom pet."
"It seems like rabbits are one of those pets there is a lot of misinformation about," Wei Ying offered. It wasn't her fault she was given the wrong information.
"Apparently," Qin Su said. "I don't know if it’s possible for me to take care of the rabbit. I think the stress alone of a preschool classroom would be bad, even if I was able to meet all the physical needs." She crossed her arms, looking over at the bunny. A-Yuan was peaking at it, shushing Jingyi when he made a loud noise and startled it. "The problem is I already spent the school money on it. I don't think they would understand me rehoming it."
Wei Ying did something that his brother was always telling him he did too often and he spoke without fully thinking things through. "What if I was able to pay for a more appropriate pet and could take the rabbit?"
Qin Su looked hopeful but said, "It’s really my mess to fix."
Wei Ying gave a small smile. "A-Yuan won't let this rest. And I think he’s responsible enough for a pet."
"I’d say so," Qin Su agreed and they both looked over at A-Yuan. He seemed to be explaining to some of the other students what bunnies like to eat.
"Fish?" Wei Ying asked, looking over at her and raising a brow. "Rats? I guess I’ll be shopping for pet supplies."
"You really don't have to," Qin Su politely protested, but they both knew that there really wasn't any other way to fix the situation. "I guess rats? I think they need friends. I better do the research this time before I decide for sure though."
Wei Ying smiled and nodded. "Sounds good. I'll work on buying supplies and won't tell A-Yuan until we're sure."
"Thank you," Qin Su said. "This is... weird but important."
"Yeah," Wei Ying agreed, shrugging. "Kids keep us honest."
"I sometimes feel like I learn more from them than they do from me," Qin Su said thoughtfully. "Alright, I won't keep you any longer." She made her way back into the classroom with a little wave.
the_wei_ying: [well sounds like i’ll soon be the proud owner of a rabbit.]
hanguang_jun: [You are going to kidnap the rabbit?]
the_wei_ying: [no but i might be taking the bunny in. but i promised to replace it with a more kindergarten friendly pet. also i need to buy bunny supplies and figure out how to fit it in my apartment. oh shit i need to ask my landlord too]
hanguang_jun: [Is there anything I can do to assist?]
the_wei_ying: [maybe? any places you recommend to order the needed supplies and food?]
hanguang_jun: [I'll email you some links.]
the_wei_ying: [thank you so much! i’m sure you have them posted in your video descriptions]
hanguang_jun: [I'm happy to help. Do you know how old the rabbit is?]
the_wei_ying: [ten weeks, give or take some days]
hanguang_jun: [Just a kitten then. That is old enough to be on solid foods. It will grow larger than it currently is though. You will also want to make sure it is spayed or neutered.]
the_wei_ying: [god i'm going to have to find a bunny vet. also kitten???]
hanguang_jun: [Baby rabbits are called kittens. You will want to find a more specialized vet. Usually, they are listed with vets who care for more exotic pets.]
the_wei_ying: [oh my god i can’t wait to tell a-yuan that baby bunnies are kittens!!!]
the_wei_ying: [okay, okay, back to the serious. this is super helpful! oh what an adventure. i should have known i’d have a bunny at some point with a-yuan hah.]
hanguang_jun: [They are very lovely pets. Once it trusts you, it will be a good companion for both you and Wei Yuan.]
the_wei_ying: [yeah, i am kind of excited as much as nervous! i’m really excited to be able to tell a-yuan. he’s going to be thrilled. i want to make sure it’s all set first though. i couldn't get his hopes up only to find my landlord won't allow it and we have to bring the bunny to the humane society.]
hanguang_jun: [That would be unfortunate, but will be better than the alternative.]
the_wei_ying: [am i a friend to rabbits now too?]
hanguang_jun: [Yes, Wei Ying is a friend to rabbits.]
the_wei_ying: [thank goodness! okay, i need to get this lecture done, then i can go back to focusing on bunnies]
hanguang_jun: [Lecture?]
the_wei_ying: [i'm a lecturer at a couple of the local colleges in their biology departments. gotta use my degree for something! well besides making fun and informative youtube videos lol]
hanguang_jun: [Ah. Makes sense. I'll send you those links so you will have them when you are free.]
the_wei_ying: [you’re a lifesaver! thank you lan zhan]
Wei Ying stopped himself before he ended that message with a heart, quickly sending it. Slipping his phone in his pocket, he grinned at his students. He loved teaching these undergrads, even if only about half of them really wanted to learn. It just meant he needed to be extra persuasive on the rest.
He had to keep up those fun teacher marks. Wei Ying had learned a lot from doing YouTube videos, though he didn't quite know how to explain that to his employers. He convinced them to hire him anyway.
After the class, Wei Ying found a spot in the campus library to grade and do research on bunnies. It was a pretty easy multitask, and he only had to put it aside a few times when students found him for his unofficial office hours. Because he wasn't a full teacher, let alone a tenured one, he made do with the fact he didn't get to have an office.
From campus, he walked to pick up A-Yuan. He was lucky the preschool A-Yuan went to served a lot of the professors’ kids because it was easy to get to. A-Yuan spotted him and ran over, beaming as always. Wei Ying didn't think he would get over how, no matter what, A-Yuan was always happy to see him. He’d give this kid the world.
And what better place to start than by giving him a pet bunny?
"Are you still talking to the bunny man?" A-Yuan asked over dinner, full of childhood innocence.
Phones and electronics were not allowed at the kitchen table and Wei Ying always modeled his own household rules. Nevertheless, he looked to where he’d put the phone on the counter. "Yes," Wei Ying answered honesty.
"Would you ask him to send pictures of his bunnies?" A-Yuan asked.
"After dinner I can," Wei Ying said. He could probably just show A-Yuan what Lan Zhan had posted, but that seemed like cheating. There was also part of him that was curious to see if Lan Zhan would indulge A-Yuan in this.
His response came quicker than Wei Ying expected. The image was of a bunny sleeping on what must have been Lan Zhan's lap. The other was flopped happily next to him, also seeming to be asleep. The caption was "They are taking a nap after dinner."
A-Yuan was very excited about the picture. He beamed at the bunnies, tapping the screen. "They're friends!"
"They seem to be," Wei Ying agreed, ruffling his hair.
"Wait! I have an idea!" A-Yuan said, handing Wei Ying the phone back before running off to his room. Wei Ying listened with mild concern as it sounded like A-Yuan was opening and closing the drawers of his little bureau. He came out about five minutes later, in his bunny pajamas (the hood with the ears up) and his favorite stuffed rabbit toy. He then climbed into Wei Ying's lap.
"Ah, you want to send a picture back to Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, trying to think through if that was an okay thing to do. He didn't see why not...
"Yeah!" A-Yuan said. "I'm your bunny!"
"Yes you are,"' Wei Ying chuckled and pressed a kiss to Yuan's cheek. He snapped a picture of both himself and A-Yuan smiling, A-Yuan hiding part of his face behind the rabbit plushie. He sent it off before double thinking it and because A-Yuan would look at him with the widest eyes.
hanguang_jun: [Wei Yuan?]
the_wei_ying: [yeah the family’s all here :D ]
hanguang_jun: [Very cute.]
the_wei_ying: [he was really excited to see your bunnies that he ran off and insisted on our own picture!]
hanguang_jun: [You should convey to him that I like his pajamas]
the_wei_ying: [he says thanks and also thinks you should get some "because you would match your bunnies"]
hanguang_jun: [Hm, they might like that.]
the_wei_ying: [i suggested that your bunnies need human pjs and a-yuan did not agree with my genius.]
hanguang_jun: [I admit to agreeing with Wei Yuan. That is a rather alarming thought.]
the_wei_ying: [fine fine, no one appreciates my brilliance!]
the_wei_ying: [time to get this little bunny ready for bed. thanks for sending the picture!]
hanguang_jun: [Good night Wei Yuan.]
the_wei_ying: [he says "good night bunny man!" :D ]
hanguang_jun: [I hope he sleeps well.]
Wei Ying decided that he had to film when he told A-Yuan that they would be bringing home the class rabbit. He set his phone up in a stand where it wasn't obvious (A-Yuan would end up distracted by it) before sitting him down on their couch.
"A-Yuan, I have something to tell you."
A-Yuan's eyes went wide. It was Sunday, and he and Qin Su had agreed to meet at the school and get the bunny. Wei Wuxian had spent all of yesterday doing final rabbit proofing, getting anything else he needed, and trying to hide it while A-Yuan had been on a play date with his cousin.
"It's a good surprise, don't worry!" Wei Ying hurried to say. "Or at least I hope you think so. I know you’ve been worried about the class rabbit-"
"Smokeytail," A-Yuan interrupted. "I named her that because no one else was naming her."
"Yes, Smokeytail." Wei Ying nodded. "Well I’ve been talking with Ms. Qin and she decided that we should take care of Smokeytail."
A-Yuan's eyes went even wider and he gasped, beginning to bounce slightly in his seat. "Smokeytail is coming to live with us? Forever?"
"Yes, she's going to be a new part of our family," Wei Ying smiled, and soon found himself with an armful of A-Yuan, hugging him tight. "Your class is going to have some nice fish instead. But Smokeytail will be here with us."
A-Yuan pulled back enough to nod, staying seated on Wei Ying's lap. "We need to get her everything!"
"Don't worry, I have it all," Wei Ying assured. "I got the help of the bunny man. You can find it in my bedroom."
A-Yuan scrambled off his lap and dashed into the bedroom. Wei Ying followed, snagging his phone to stop the video on the way. "We need to set it up! When are we getting Smokeytail?"
"In just a couple of hours, so we better work quickly!"
Later, as A-Yuan lay on the floor quietly reading so that Smokeytail would grow to trust him, Wei Ying sat near him, leaning back against the couch. So far Smokeytail was very skittish, but she seemed to like A-Yuan. Wei Ying couldn't stop a smile whenever he saw his son interact with the bunny. He was so careful and considerate, talking softly and only offering small pets if she allowed it. Wei Ying had a good feeling they would be fast friends.
Wei Ying watched the video and sent it along to his siblings. It was a good way to say "Hi! Got a bunny!" and show off how cute his kid was. He paused when he saw Lan Zhan's name come up. After thinking for a moment, he sent it along to him too, and then a follow-up picture of Smokeytail sitting a foot away from A-Yuan, which was good progress for only a day.
the_wei_ying: [bunny acquired! son happy! probably no way i'm getting my deposit on my apartment back tho]
hanguang_jun: [Wei Yuan is very happy. He is taking good care of her I see.]
the_wei_ying: [yeah he's the best! he's sad we can't really bunny proof his room, but i told him i'd think about if that would be possible. i also have my office off-limits, but the little outside folding pen should work for her to come in there with me if needed.]
hanguang_jun: [Good. It sounds like Wei Yuan is not the only one who has taken to rabbit care.]
the_wei_ying: [well she's family now! and you always take care of family. even if you have to litter box train them. your bunnies are your babies]
hanguang_jun: [Indeed.]
the_wei_ying: [don't worry, more bunny updates to come! but first, I think I should get both the little bunnies off to bed.]
Lan Zhan's new video started with a little shout out that had A-Yuan grinning. "A young friend of mine recently had a rescue rabbit join his family. With this in mind, I wanted to go over the best ways to help your new rabbit feel at home and begin to trust you."
Both Wei Ying and A-Yuan watched intently, Smokeytail coming to sit close to them and stare (or fall asleep with her eyes open, Wei Ying was still working on telling the difference). Most of the things that Lan Zhan went over they were already doing, but that was because Wei Ying kept asking him little things.
He pulled out his phone and sent: [a-yuan loves your new video]
hanguang_jun: [I am glad.]
the_wei_ying: [he's taken my tablet now and is propping it up to show smokeytail]
Wei Ying takes a picture and sends it to Lan Zhan with the caption: [they are the cutest! your cutest fans]
Chapter Text
Lan Zhan had a problem. It all started when he looked into who was this person who had messaged him. He received a good number of messages of all different kinds, mostly in two categories: people who had genuine questions about caring for their rabbits or people who wished to have some sort of relationship with him. Most frustrating were those who posed as the first only to reveal themselves to be the second.
Wei Ying's message seemed to fall securely in the first category, but he knew it was best to be certain. When he found that Wei Ying had an equal following for his own videos, Lan Zhan relaxed. Surely he could understand the same frustrations Lan Zhan did. Curious, Lan Zhan watched one of Wei Ying's videos, and then another. After nearly a full hour had passed, Lan Zhan decided he quite liked Wei Ying. He also found and watched the two videos that Wei Ying had his young son on.
In hindsight, he probably should have realized then that one of the feelings that had settled in him was longing.
Instead, he returned to Wei Ying's message and carefully worded a reply. He hoped Wei Ying wouldn't notice how long it took him to type up the short message, but Lan Zhan always liked to be careful with his words. It was one of the reasons he liked recording videos: he could always make edits, always redo the parts that didn't work. He wished more of life could be like that.
That message was how it all started. Now Lan Zhan rarely saw a day go by that he and Wei Ying didn't trade messages. Somewhere updates about the rabbit he now had, sometimes it was just talking about the videos they were working on, or maybe a visit of a family member. As if they might be friends.
Lan Zhan was fairly certain that some of his feelings towards Wei Ying were not what would be categorized as platonic. He had been meeting with a friend when Wei Ying sent a picture of Wei Yuan and Smokeytail napping together on the couch, boy and rabbit completely content in each other's company.
"Is it him?" Nie Huaisang grinned, before sipping their iced coffee. They held their hand out making a grabbing motion, one brow raised. "Let me see."
"He sent a picture." Lan Zhan did admit. He wanted to talk the situation over with someone, and Nie Huaisang was the best option, despite the... challenges they sometimes brought (such as the name they set for his YouTube channel).
"Ooooh then you have to show me," Nie Huaisang leaned over the table and Lan Zhan had to stop them from knocking over their drink. Nie Huaisang used that distraction to grab his phone.
"It is of his son," Lan Zhan explained.
"Oh no you have it real bad, don't you," Nie Huaisang clucked their tongue, and seemed to now be scrolling through the message thread. "You have baby fever on top of a big crush."
Lan Zhan frowned but didn't deny it. That wasn't the way he would have put it, but Nie Huaisang wasn't necessarily wrong.
"How long have you been talking?" Nie Huaisang asked next, their finger pausing now and then on Lan Zhan's phone.
"A little over two months," Lan Zhan said. In fact, it had been two months and five days. But Nie Huaisang didn't need such specific details.
"Interesting, interesting." Nie Huaisang took a long thoughtful sip of their coffee. Lan Zhan carefully stirred his own green tea. "And he's cute too, I watched some of his videos after you sent me the link to his page."
"Mn," Lan Zhan offered. That seemed to go without saying. "He is also kind and caring."
"Yeah, and smart if he's doing those videos and teaching at colleges!" They gave a little whistle. "So what I’m to take from this is not just that you have a big crush, but that it’s completely justified because the guy is perfect?"
Lan Zhan didn’t acknowledge that and instead tried to focus them on what he wanted. "I was wondering what you might suggest I do."
Nie Huaisang passed his phone back and looked thoughtful. "I think from those messages he has some kind of feelings for you too. Do you know if he's single?"
"I have seen no indication otherwise," Lan Zhan said.
"Meaning you stalked him on social media," Nie Huaisang grinned. "Then what do you need me for? A game plan for asking him out?"
"I would not put it in such a way." Lan Zhan straightened his cup and napkin so they were perfectly aligned on the table.
"Oooh, this is like when we set our brothers up!" Nie Huaisang pulled out the sketchbook they always carried with them. Flipping to a clear page and snagging a pen, they turned back to Lan Zhan. "Step one, confirm the hot single dad is actually single."
Wei Ying had noticed that it seemed Lan Zhan had started messaging more on his own. At first, it was mostly Wei Ying sending messages to engage him in conversation, but now he would ask after how Wei Ying or Wei Yuan's day had gone or to send a compliment or question about Wei Ying's newest video. Rabbits still came up a lot, which made sense. But Wei Ying realized with a warmth that it seemed they were friends now, not just internet acquaintances.
Wei Ying did wonder if... well if he was reading into things. He decided to risk his siblings' teasing him by bringing it up at their monthly family dinner. The kids had already asked to be excused and gone off to play, which left just himself, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and her wife, Jin Zixuan, at the table.
"You're talking with some random stranger on the internet?" Jiang Cheng sounded concerned.
"Yes, people do it all the time, welcome to the 21st century," Wei Ying mocked and then had to dodge a chopstick.
"Set a good example for the kids!" Jin Zixuan scolded, and Jiang Cheng just rolled his eyes at her.
Jiang Yanli laughed softly at them all, before focusing on Wei Ying. "What do you really want to talk about, a-Ying?"
"I'm trying to figure out if... well if maybe the guy is interested in more than friendship," Wei Ying said, pulling out his phone. He saw there was a message from Lan Zhan, asking after how family dinner was going. He couldn't help but smile at it.
"Oh you're already pretty far gone, aren't you." Jiang Cheng's tone was teasing and he reached across the table to try and snatch Wei Ying's phone. Far too used to such behavior, Wei Ying dodged out of the way and pulled a face at his brother.
"I think it's sweet! Wei Ying, you haven't dated much since you adopted a-Yuan, right?" Jiang Yanli said.
"Try not at all," Wei Ying said. He wasn't really upset with that though. His life was really full between doing work that he loved and taking care of his little family. Plus, there were now a whole new set of things to look for in a partner such as if they would be good with kids and would they get along with A-Yuan specifically.
"So this is big!" Jiang Yanli beamed. "You have feelings for him?"
"Yeah, kinda." Wei Ying tried to put it into words. Not usually something he struggled with. "At first I noticed he was really attractive, but then I saw how kind he was at least in his videos. Talking to him makes it seem that’s who he really is."
"You should meet him," Jiang Cheng said, leaning back in his chair. "I mean, that's the obvious thing, right? Or at least ask him if he would want to meet."
"But what if that makes things awkward," Wei Ying pouted.
"That's how dating is! It’s being awkward and hoping that the person actually likes your brand of awkward." Jiang Cheng stood and started clearing plates from the table.
"Why is my little brother actually giving good advice?" Wei Ying squinted at him. "Have you been possessed?"
"Seems the most likely explanation," Jin Zixuan muttered.
"Hey, I get to make fun of him, you don't," Wei Ying reminded. "Those are the rules."
Jin Zixuan looked at Jiang Yanli, who just tried to cover her laughter and said, "Sorry dear."
"It's fine, I love to hear you laugh," Jin Zixuan said as she pressed a kiss to Jiang Yanli's forehead.
Wei Ying huffed and turned back to his phone. He was glad that his sister had someone who loved her so much, but he still remembered how much of a dick Jin Zixuan had been. To be fair to her though, she was going through some stuff, and so had Wei Ying. They were both better people with their parents now squarely in their past.
the_wei_ying: [my sister of course made an amazing meal and my brother made a passable dessert. a-yuan liked it at least!]
Wei Ying chewed on his bottom lip and decided to go for it and follow Jiang Cheng's suggestion. No time like the present!
the_wei_ying: [maybe one day you'll be able to come along!]
"You look like you just went bungee jumping," Jiang Cheng said, coming back into the room and grabbing more plates. "Come help me instead of agonizing about whatever you just texted."
"Wait, wait, he's typing back!" Wei Ying held up a finger. Jiang Cheng came and leaned over his shoulder to watch the text bubble and read what Wei Ying had sent.
"Hmm, so smooth," he snorted but continued to lurk behind Wei Ying's chair.
"You're an asshole."
"An asshole who might’ve helped you get a date," Jiang Cheng reminded.
hanguang_jun: [I am glad to hear that. And I would like that.]
"Ha, told you!" Jiang Cheng moved now, going back to the kitchen.
the_wei_ying: [yeah? i wonder how long of a journey that would be, though i can say my sister's soup would be worth any pilgrimage.]
hanguang_jun: [I trust you on that. I live in Brooklyn.]
the_wei_ying: [oh not that far than! definitely worth it. we both live right outside of boston.]
Jiang Cheng was back at his shoulder, reading. "Look, what did I tell you?"
"If you say I told you so, I am not speaking with you for a week," Wei Ying made a face.
"Oh if only," Jiang Cheng said, causing Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan to laugh while Wei Ying kicked at Jiang Cheng's ankles. "Hey!"
"Thank you for helping me, a-Cheng," Wei Ying said, trying to ruffle his brother's hair. Jiang Cheng wisely dodged out of the way.
"Yeah whatever," Jiang Cheng said. "If you start dating this guy, I better make sure he's okay for my nephew."
Wei Ying decided not to comment on the fact that, as A-Yuan's father, he was probably the best judge of this. Jiang Cheng took his duties as an uncle very seriously, which Jiang Yanli and Wei Ying have quietly agreed was adorable. It was also not a thing Wei Ying would ever tell his brother though, so he just tried to trip him.
Nie Huaisang was laying on the floor of Lan Zhan's apartment, getting their weekly "rabbit therapy" as they called it. Lan Zhan wasn't going to argue with them on whether this matter was true, especially as Bichen was a registered emotional support animal. Both Bichen and Cloud liked Nie Huaisang when they were being quiet and Nie Huaisang did make sure to be calm for the rabbits.
They had their sketchbook out (which had some rabbit chew marks on it), going through the "Wei Ying Plan." "So, we've confirmed he is indeed single, that he lives within a half days drive or bus ride, and that he's into guys." Nie Huaisang checked off the points as they went through.
Lan Zhan was sitting on the floor as well, petting Bichen where she had flopped in his lap. "It would seem this is a possible endeavor."
"More than just possible," Nie Huaisang tapped their pencil against their lip. "We need to figure out the next steps."
"I could... come up with a reason to be in Boston," Lan Zhan said. "Though it is not good to lie."
"I'll go on a trip to Boston with you! I can go hang out in the art museums while you romance your man," Nie Huaisang winked. "Your brother could watch the rabbits right? Bichen could even come with us!"
"Do you have the time and funds for this?" Lan Zhan asked because he felt an oddly large amount of hope at the idea. As well as nervousness about an idea becoming an actual possibility. Things becoming reality didn't always tend to go as well as one might imagine.
"Yeah, yeah," Nie Huaisang said, rolling onto their back. Cloud took that as an invitation to climb on their chest. "I don't have any big local projects at the moment, though I'm working on some smaller commissions. A change in scenery might even help!"
Lan Zhan nodded. "I can look into it."
"Okay, or just let me do it," Nie Huaisang had their phone out in one hand, the other petting Cloud. "Pet-friendly AirBnB or the like should be good, yeah?"
"Mn," Lan Zhan looked down at Bichen and she nudged his hand gently until he started petting her again.
"Hmm, three weeks from now? How long do you want to stay?" Nie Huaisang was mostly talking to themself now. They tended to plan out loud so if Lan Zhan didn't like something, he would be able to protest, but otherwise, he didn't have to say anything. "Let's do a long weekend, and we can always come back or extend it. You can do a video on traveling with a bunny maybe!"
hanguang_jun: [I'm visiting Boston at the end of the month for a few days.]
the_wei_ying: [oh really? that's cool! would you want to meet up if you have the time? i know a fantastic tea shop i think you'd like!]
hanguang_jun: [I would like that. I am free to make my own schedule, so let me know if there is a good time for you.]
the_wei_ying: [okay! let me look at my calendar.]
Wei Ying had planned to get to the tea shop before when he was supposed to meet Lan Zhan. He had also planned to have plenty of time to get ready and even have help choosing what to wear, but Jiang Cheng had an emergency come up at his work, and thus hadn’t been able to come over to watch A-Yuan. So instead Wei Ying was now just on time, certainly not as put together as he hoped, and he had his kid with him.
Not the first impression he had hoped for but... it was an honest one. He spotted Lan Zhan seated at one of the window seats and waved. Then he scooped A-Yuan up and asked, "Alright, remember what I said?"
A-Yuan gave an exaggerated nod. "Not to call the bunny man, bunny man."
Wei Ying sighed. That was one of several points he’d told his son, so he’d take it. "Yes. Okay here goes nothing."
A-Yuan patted his cheek. "I want a cookie."
"You can have as many cookies as you like if you're good," Wei Ying said, which isn't a promise he should make, but this was already turning out not at all how he planned.
Lan Zhan stood when they approached. "Wei Ying," he said, and oh. His name sounded really good in Lan Zhan's voice.
"Lan Zhan," he smiled. "It's wonderful to see you. Sorry, I needed to bring a-Yuan... he was supposed to be with his uncle today, but something came up."
"It is no trouble." Lan Zhan looked at A-Yuan, who was trying to both hide by pushing his face against Wei Ying's shoulder and peek to stare at the bunny man. "Hello Wei Yuan, it is nice to meet you."
"Come on a-Yuan, nothing to be shy of," Wei Ying tried to prompt and remind himself at the same time. He moved and set A-Yuan on a chair at the little table Lan Zhan had been sitting at.
"Nice to meet you," A-Yuan said back to Lan Zhan, who returned to his chair. "Where're your rabbits?"
Lan Zhan tipped his head slightly to the side, giving A-Yuan his full attention. "Cloud is staying with my brother and Bichen is here but sleeping at my hotel room because it is daytime."
Wei Ying slipped into a chair between them trying to contain his smile as A-Yuan nodded seriously back at Lan Zhan. "Smokytail is sleeping too. I gave her fresh water in case she woke up and was thirsty."
"That is very important," Lan Zhan said and A-Yuan beamed at him. Wei Ying felt his own smile grow and his heart do something funny. Either bringing A-Yuan was going to turn out to be the best or worst thing he could have done.
"Do you have a big brother or a little brother?" A-Yuan asked. "Baba has a little brother and a big sister! They're my aunt and uncle."
Wei Ying covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh at A-Yuan's serious explanations. He’d been learning about family in school and was very earnest about it. Wei Ying was happy to be able to give A-Yuan all the family he could.
"I have an older brother," Lan Zhan answered. "His name is Lan Huan."
"And he likes rabbits?" A-Yuan squinted, crossing his arms.
Wei Ying spotted a little smile coming to the corners of Lan Zhan's mouth. "He does."
"Good," A-Yuan said, arms uncrossing. "That’s important."
"Very important," Lan Zhan agreed. He looked over at Wei Ying. "I have not ordered yet-"
Wei Ying hopped up. "Oh let me get us all something."
Lan Zhan blinked up at him before the small smile came back to his face. "I was going to offer the same."
"Ah," Wei Ying couldn't stop his answering smile. They might have just continued to stare at each other if A-Yuan hadn't leaned over and tugged on Wei Ying's shirt.
"Baba, can I have a cookie now?" he asked once Wei Ying turned his attention to him. A-Yuan made his eyes go as big as possible (Jiang Cheng claimed this was a bad habit he had learned from Wei Ying himself).
"There were some shaped like rabbits," Lan Zhan said, and A-Yuan gasped before somehow making his eyes got wider as he turned them towards Lan Zhan. "I can get you one if your baba says that is okay."
A-Yuan turned to look up at Wei Ying, practically vibrating with excitement now. "Baba?"
Wei Ying was having a moment with Lan Zhan being so good with A-Yuan. Apparently, that was where his weakness lay, treating his kid well, which made sense. A-Yuan was the center of his world. He would do anything for the kid. And if Lan Zhan was good with him...
"Yeah, yeah that's okay," Wei Ying said, and A-Yuan cheered. Lan Zhan's smile grew, transforming his whole face. Lan Zhan was beautiful, but that smile made Wei Ying wonder if it would be too soon to dedicate himself to making sure Lan Zhan always had a reason to show it.
Wei Ying when smiled at him, Lan Zhan hadn't known that was all it took for him to fully fall in love with him. Wei Ying was real... and even more bright in person, grinning from across the little table as his son sat in his lap. He listened to Lan Zhan intently, as if his words were the most important things in the world. Lan Zhan could see him turn that shining presence on anyone, from Wei Yuan to the waitress who brought them their drinks and food, making them feel important.
How did he catch the attention of this special man?
"How long are you staying?" Wei Ying asked, bringing Lan Zhan to the moment that felt more like a dream. "In Boston that is?"
"Five days," Lan Zhan said. He didn’t add that he was already planning on visiting again soon.
"Awesome! I'd love to spend more time with you if you’re free?" Wei Ying gave Wei Yuan a little bounce. "Maybe without this guy."
Wei Yuan pouted but was laughing in a moment when Wei Ying blew a raspberry on his cheek.
"I would like that," Lan Zhan said and felt something in him relax. He didn't have to ask. Wei Ying wanted to see more of him.
"Are you up to anything now?" Wei Ying asked.
Lan Zhan shook his head. "I have plans for dinner, but nothing until then."
"Come meet Smokeytail!" Wei Yuan said, perking up.
"That’d be too much of a drive," Wei Ying said before Lan Zhan could agree. Of course, that would be unwise. "But maybe some time."
Wei Yuan nodded, seeming content with that, and turned to finish his juice.
"I can give you a little tour of the area," Wei Ying said, glancing down at Wei Yuan. "Well, we can."
"Yeah!" Wei Yuan cheered.
“I would like that.” Lan Zhan didn’t have to think before agreeing.
Wei Ying and Wei Yuan ended up spending the rest of the afternoon with him, parting after walking him to where he was to meet Nie Huaisang for dinner. He paused a moment to watch Wei Ying walk away, Wei Yuan on his shoulders, talking animatedly to each other. When he entered the restaurant, Nie Huaisang was seated with enough of a view of the street to have watched the whole interaction.
"Was that him?" Nie Huaisang asked as if they really didn't know. They’d watched a good number of Wei Ying’s videos and knew what he looked like.
Lan Zhan just raises a brow at them.
They rolled their eyes back before continuing to question, "And the kid? Did you spend this whole time with them? No wonder you asked me to check on Bichen and feed her."
"Wei Yuan was not meant to join us, but the childcare fell through," Lan Zhan explained. "It was nice to get to know him as well."
"So you just spent what, over four hours with them?" Nie Huaisang asked, once more about the obvious.
"Yes," Lan Zhan answered anyway. "It went very well."
"Okay, I'm going to need a lot more than just "very well" but let's order," Nie Huaisang said, passing Lan Zhan a menu. "You look happy."
"Mn," Lan Zhan looked down to read but knew they could see his slight smile. "It was very good to meet Wei Ying in person."
Nie Huaisang beamed. "I'm glad. If he’d been a dick, I had revenge already planned."
"Concerning," Lan Zhan said flatly, getting them to laugh.
"I think you should say oddly touching," Nie Huaisang countered. "A true sign of my friendship."
Lan Zhan didn’t dignify that with a response.
After they ordered, Nie Huaisang put their elbow on the table and leaned forward. "So, when you are seeing him again?"
"Tomorrow," Lan Zhan said and knew he was blushing.
Nie Huaisang made an excited noise, drawing the attention of the people next to them. They calmed themselves and said, "Oh so it went that well. Will Wei Yuan be there?"
"Most likely not."
"Alright, alright, we’ll make sure you’re dressed to impress," Nie Huaisang said. "This’ll be like your first real date."
"Mn." He very much liked the idea of being on a date with Wei Ying.
That evening, Lan Zhan found that Wei Ying had sent him a message. He opened it as Bichen nibbled at his clothes.
the_wei_ying: [i just wanted to say thank you so much for being so understanding about a-yuan! we both had a really great time spending the day with you.]
hanguang_jun: [Of course. I also had a very good time.]
the_wei_ying: [god you really are too perfect]
Lan Zhan frowned, unsure what to say to that, but saw Wei Ying was typing again.
the_wei_ying: [sorry sorry, that's... idk what i meant really but i’m really glad to get to know you! i should be honest that i haven't dated in a while so i'm feeling a little rusty at it]
the_wei_ying: [oh god i now just realized we never talked about what this is??? i hope i haven't fucked up royally]
Lan Zhan felt his heart rate increase. He quickly sent his response because he didn't want Wei Ying to worry, especially when his words were reassurance to some of Lan Zhan’s own worries.
hanguang_jun: [I have also not dated for a while. And I am glad to hear that you feel the same way I do, as I wish to have a relationship with you.]
the_wei_ying: [lan zhaaan!!!!! okay okay, i'm just really excited right now. um i can't quite believe this is working out the way it has?]
hanguang_jun: [Wei Ying is wonderful and I am also honored to have met your son. I know he is very important to you.]
the_wei_ying: [yeah, he's kinda the reason i haven't dated. kinda hard to even try visualizing someone who is perfect for me and for him.]
the_wei_ying: [i'm going to be bold again ah, i hope i don't scare you off but... yeah hard to picture and then you kind of fell into our lives]
Lan Zhan wanted to stare and savor the feeling of warmth, excitement, and pleasure at Wei Ying's words, but he also needed to respond so that Wei Ying didn't think that he’d upset Lan Zhan with his honesty. Especially when that was so far from the truth.
hanguang_jun: [I am honored by your words.]
hanguang_jun: [I am glad you decided to message me to ask about rabbits.]
the_wei_ying: [haha, me too! that turned out to be a very good call]
Lan Zhan found himself talking with Wei Ying long into the evening, falling back into the pattern they had, but it felt easier now. They both knew what the other wanted from this. It felt like the beginning of some life-changing in the best way.
It still felt almost impossible that Lan Zhan was going to be here with him. That things were changing, but the change was good. Better than good really, despite the faces, Jiang Cheng made about the whole thing. His brother was both noisy and unhappy to actually hear about Wei Ying's relationship drama. That's just how little brothers were, Wei Ying supposed. Or at least just how Jiang Cheng was. Wen Ning was always better at listening and offering advice, which was a fact Jiang Cheng hated when Wei Ying pointed it out.
And anyway, at the moment Jiang Cheng had A-Yuan over for a sleepover, so. He wasn't all that bad when it came down to it.
Wei Ying opened the door to his apartment with a smile, finding Lan Zhan outside. "Come in," he said, stepping aside.
"Thank you," Lan Zhan stepped in, and didn't quite hide the way he was curiously looking around. He focused back on Wei Ying with one of his small, soft smiles that Wei Ying wanted to keep to feel better on bad days. "I brought take out." He held up the bags in his hands.
Wei Ying took them, brushing his fingers across Lan Zhan's. He was real and he was here. "Thanks," Wei Ying said. "I can make some tea if you like? I know the spring weather is still just chilly enough to warrant it after a walk."
"Mn, that would be lovely," Lan Zhan said. Wei Ying added Lan Zhan's voice to his growing list of favorite things about Lan Zhan. So far, everything about him was Wei Ying's favorite thing.
"I'll start the water, and then I can show you around," Wei Ying said, and headed towards the kitchen. Lan Zhan followed close behind.
The apartment was much cleaner (though not more organized) than it usually was. Wei Ying and A-Yuan had both been motivated to make things look nice, knowing that Lan Zhan would see it. Wei Ying hadn't voiced the thought that had started chasing itself around his head since Lan Zhan had confirmed that yes, these were dates. That just maybe if Lan Zhan liked it enough, he would want to stay. Not now, or any time soon. But someday.
Right now he was going to savor having Lan Zhan in his home and ask something he’d wanted to all of yesterday. Putting the bags down and turning to face his guest, Wei Ying said, “Lan Zhan, would it be okay if I kissed you?”
Lan Zhan stepped close to him, warm hand coming to rest on Wei Wuxian’s side. “Yes,” he answered and leaned forward to capture Wei Ying’s lips.
Wei Ying added Lan Zhan’s kisses to his list of favorite things as his eyes closed and he pulled the other man closer.
...One Year Later...
New video posted by Hanguang-Jun. Title: Introducing My Boyfriend's Rabbit to My Own
[video description: Hanguang-Jun is speaking over a video of himself and his boyfriend, along with three rabbits. They are sitting on the floor and the rabbits seem to be staying close to their respective people. One is little and grey, with floppy ears. The other two are a black one, brown around her eyes, and a white one with little tan patches. Hanguang-Jun discusses the ways they let Bichen and Cloud explore to get used to the space and for Smokeytail to get used to their scent. Bichen is the first to hop over and investigate Smokeytail, her sister following close behind.]
|Comments (74)|
tellmesomethingnew33: oh my god. is that wei ying of science with wei ying?
radrabbits: !!!!! WHAT???? THIS IS. I. I AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS. Y'ALL ARE SEEING THIS RIGHT? does this like count as a coming-out video? he's just gonna drop this on us like this???
>reply to radrabbits by KorraL: It's not like he owes it to us to tell us about his personal life. He seems like a very private person.
>>replay to KorraL by radrabbits: i'm not saying he owes us, i'm just so happy for him!!!! this seems big!!! also, look at how cute the three bunnies are. my heart is gonna explode
SpookySkeleton: was anyone going to tell me that Science With Wei Ying and Hanguang-Jun were dating or was i just supposed to watch this video and die of cute overload myself?
>reply to SpookySkeleton by radrabbits: i haven't seen any videos by this wei ying guy but i guess i have to go binge-watch them now? EDIT: WAIT THIS GUY HAS THE CUTEST KID WAIT WAIT HANGUANG-JUN IS DATING A SINGLE DAD????????????????
>>reply to radrabbits by SpookySkeleton: YES RIGHT???? AAA!!! Wei Ying’s kiddo is the cutest ever!
>>>reply to SpookySkeleton by radrabbits: would it be weird to say i'm kinda really emotional right now???? because i am, this is seriously all so cute i wish the best for them!!!!!
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