Chapter Text
"I cannot believe this is what I'm doing on my day off." Jiang Cheng threw his brother an annoyed glance while waiting for the stoplight to turn green.
Said brother was, currently, sitting in the passenger's seat with his feet resting on the dash. "I am ILL and you have the audacity to complain about driving me to the clinic. Honestly, Jiang Cheng, I'm shocked." He put his hand to his chest in mock offense.
"Fuck off Wuxian this is your own damn fault and you know it."
Although his brother's words seemed harsh, Wuxian paid no mind. He knew that Jiang Cheng struggled with expressing concern over him. "I could be dying and you're lecturing me about this? Jiang Cheng, be careful. What if these are the last words you ever get to say to me?"
"Wei Wuxian. You're not dying. You have chlamydia."
Wuxian made a face. "We don't know that. And even if I do, you don't have to say it like that."
"Sorry, is there another way you'd like me to put it?" Jiang Cheng asked as he pulled into the clinic parking lot, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yes."
"Damn," Jiang Cheng pulled into a parking space. "That sucks then." He turned off the car and reached over to push Wuxian's feet off the dash, earning himself a half-offended-half-pouting face. He motioned to the car door. "Let's go, loverboy."
They walked into the clinic, mostly empty since it was a Tuesday afternoon. A man sat behind the desk, gently smiling while talking with a patient. Another man who looked strikingly similar yet somehow more reserved stood behind him. His long, dark hair was kept neatly by a white ribbon and he was focusing intensely on something written on a chart held in his hands.
Wuxian lightly hit Jiang Cheng's arm without looking away from the standing man. "Damn," he said in a low voice. "He's really cute."
Jiang Cheng hit his arm back, a bit harder. "Are you kidding me? Have you forgotten why you're here in the first place?"
Wuxian ignored his brother and kept his gaze on the man. "Be my wingman."
"I absolutely will not."
"Next?" the kind-looking man behind the desk called, causing them both to look up.
"That's you," Jiang Cheng said, giving Wuxian a light shove forwards before he plopped into a waiting room chair and pulled out his phone.
Wuxian put on a bright smile and stepped up to the desk. "Hi, I need to be tested for chlamydia?"
"Sure thing." The man smiled kindly at him and turned slightly to look through a small stack of papers on his desk. Wuxian took the chance to take a glance at the nametag that hung on the man's shirt. In large characters it read Lan Xichen, with Lan Huan printed below. Xichen handed him a clipboard and a pen. "I'll just need you to fill this out real quick and then Wangji here will help you."
Wuxian smiled at Wangji, who hadn't once looked up from the clipboard in his hand.
Wuxian took the clipboard Xichen handed him and went to sit next to Jiang Cheng to fill out the form. "Cute guy's name is Wangji and he's gonna be helping me," Wuxian whispered in a sing-song voice.
Jiang Cheng didn't look up from his phone. "Please stop talking."
"He knows I'm here for an STD test so now he knows I Fuck."
"I can and will leave you here."
Wuxian laughed as he filled out the form. "You wouldn't, you love me too much. By the way, what's my blood type?"
"Wei Wuxian-"
"Kidding! I know I'm A negative," Wuxian said lightly as he got up to return the form.
"You're AB positive and you know it!" Jiang Cheng called after him.
He handed the clipboard back to Xichen, who looked it over briefly before motioning for Wuxian to follow Wangji.
They walked down a short hallway, a few eye-catching papers the only color against the otherwise bare, off-white walls. As they reached the examination room, Wangji, who had still yet to speak, motioned for him to sit down. As Wangji was gathering the appropriate medical supplies, Wuxian leaned forward slightly to read his given name. Lan Zhan. Wuxian nodded to himself as if he approved, only to falter as he looked up and realized Wangji was preparing a needle. "Ah...." Wuxian started, trying to get rid of the waver in his voice by sheer willpower. "I didn't know this would require a needle."
Wangji paused and looked up at him, speaking for the first time: "Are you afraid?"
Although he had said it simply, no hint of judgement in his voice, Wuxian tried to look nonchalant. "It's not that I'm afraid of them, I just... don't particularly like them."
Wangji held his gaze for a moment before giving a small nod and wordlessly turning towards the door.
"Wait!"
Wangji paused again, turning his head back slightly.
"Where are you going?" Wuxian asked.
"I thought you might feel more comfortable if the person you brought with you was here in the room with you."
Wuxian winced. "Okay, see, the thing is, that's very nice and also probably true but that's my brother and I will die before I let him know that I don't like needles."
Wangji stared at him.
"I've kept this secret for twenty-one years do not ruin this for me Lan Wangji he'll never let it go."
Wangji just continued to stare at him with an unreadable expression. Nevertheless, he stepped away from the door.
Wuxian sighed. "Thank you so much. Brothers, you know?" He gave a slightly embarrassed smile.
"Mn," was the only reply. "Is there anything else that would ease your anxiety?"
"It's not anxiety it's just... strong discomfort," Wuxian argued. "But..." He thought for a moment, debating on whether or not to say his next words. He had always been known as shameless, and why should that stop now? Besides, Wangji could always refuse. "...Is there any way I could like. Um. Hold onto your arm or something while you do it?"
Wangji didn't respond. Wuxian searched his face for anything that might convey how he was feeling but his look was as neutral as before. "You can like, say no," he assured.
Again Wangji gave no reply. He silently tied a band around Wuxian's upper arm and used a small wipe to clean the skin where the needle would go. Just as Wuxian was about to laugh it off as a joke, thinking he might've made Wangji uncomfortable, Wangji silently lowered his left arm in front of Wuxian. Wuxian looked up at him for confirmation before gingerly grabbing onto his wrist.
Wuxian closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then felt the prick of the needle in his arm. On instinct he winced and clutched Wangji's wrist tighter while quietly whining out of definitely-not-fear.
Once his blood was drawn and the needle was out he loosened his grip but kept his eyes firmly closed. He felt the pressure on his upper arm lessen as Wangji untied the band. He only opened his eyes when he felt a soft press on his arm, seeing that Wangji had pressed a small amount of gauze against the prick to stop any bleeding. Although he kept his face schooled as he placed a small bandage over the gauze, there was a certain gentleness in his actions.
For what seemed like forever Wuxian was unable to tear his gaze away from the cute, reserved man delicately bandaging his arm.
Wangji stood up and nodded. "You may leave."
Wuxian wracked his brain for any reason to stay another minute, any witty comment to get the man's attention, but came up empty. Whether from the awe of the man's beauty or the sudden... surprise... from an unexpected blood draw or maybe a combination of them both, Wuxian was, for once in his life, speechless.
He walked back down the short hallway to Xichen's desk to discuss payment and when the results would be back. Wangji silently followed, joining his brother behind the desk again. Jiang Cheng looked up at Wuxian. "You good?"
"Yeah, it was no big deal." He briefly caught Wangji's eye and gave him a wink. "You would've cried like a little kid though."
Jiang Cheng scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. Let's go."
After they left, Xichen turned to his brother with a small smile and one eyebrow raised in question. "What was that about?"
Wangji didn't look up. "Nothing."