Chapter Text
“You know,” says Jin Ling while perching on top of Jingyi who is currently not crying into his pillow, thank you very much! “If you could, I don’t know, not be an idiot and actually confess to this stupid secret crush of yours, that would a very welcome change.”
Jingyi says something back but it sounds like a cacophony of a few sobbing cockatoos being aggressively eaten by a hippo. Jin Ling translates it as: “Thank you for you input, oh wise one, I shall reflect on my actions.”
But being (unfortunately) Jingyi’s friend for the most part of their young lives, Jin Ling knows that he expects too much from the universe. And his idiotic friend proves him right when the wailing slowly morphs into words that are more or less coherent.
“It’s not that easy! He is so perfect! And amazing! And his cheekbones!” The last part was not that clear, but Jin Ling, Lan Sizhui and Ouyang Zizhen know the qualities of this secret crush of Jingyi’s perfectly and in order of importance. And cheekbones are number two (what is number one? Jingyi confessed to them once that he saw his amazing devilish crush at a local swim pool and those swim shorts hid nothing, help me climb him like a tree and swing! After that Jingyi passed out because Lan’s tolerance of alcohol never disappoints but those three thanked every possible deity that it happened so the number one spot can still be a mystery since nothing was explicitly said, but their imagination knows. It knows!).
“Hey, Jingyi,” Zizhen quips in. “We can help you, just tell us who this person that captured our dear friend’s heart is! There can be flowers and fireworks and love!” Zizhen’s eyes start to spark dangerously and Jin Ling knows where this is going.
“Please, don’t encourage the idiot,” Jin Ling says while massaging his temples. He can feel the headache worsening. Whaling wailing Jingyi was already too much, but now Zizhen in his romance!!! mode? Please someone kill him before an accident happens and those two perish.
“Now, now. I think it’s about time that Jingyi gets his happiness.”
Ah yes, of course, angelic Sizhui and his endless patience and love towards everyone in this group. How the hell can he not see that two years is a little too long for this nonsense to be going on?
“I just,” Jingyi says quietly, which is very strange, and this catches everyone’s attention. “I just really love him. And I know I act like a lovesick fool,” his face falls a little and he curls a little on himself. This dejected form of Jingyi does not sit well with anyone in the room. “But he’s just so amazing and I’m just a child for him and I’ve loved him for the past few years and… I don’t know to stop. I don’t even want to stop.”
Jingyi hugs his knees and buries his face in his arms. The next sentence is said very quietly: “Sometimes I hate being a Lan.”
Sizhui slowly sits next to his friend and puts his hand on Jingyi’s head, slowly carding through his hair.
“Jingyi, I know that everyone says a tragic love is every Lan’s destiny, but I don’t believe that. I know some secrets are not meant to be shared but please, let us help you. You were not yourself these past few weeks and I know it has something to do with your loved one. We are here for you and we want to help.”
Jingyi slowly looks up and is reminded how much he really loves and cherishes his friends, especially Sizhui with his soft words and non-judging character.
“Thank you, Sizhui,” Jingyi says a little more tearfully than he would like but only his best friends are here with him, so he does not have to hide.
“So, about those fireworks…” Zizhen says carefully and suddenly has a pillow smashed into his face.
“No fireworks, you idiot! You want to have something even more dangerous than Jingyi around someone else?! You want us all to die?” Jin Ling almost screeches and is in the process of suffocating Zizhen when a loud music interrupts them.
“Jingyi, it’s time for us to go home, it’s almost eight,” Sizhui slowly rises from the bed and helps Jingyi up as well. They pack their things ignoring still struggling for his breath Zizhen and murderous Jin Ling.
Jingyi trails after Sizhui like a lost puppy, nearly sending himself down the stairs express style. Thank every deity for Sizhui who grabs his elbow, for the nearly dislocated shoulder is much better than a concussion. That would only mean spending time in a hospital, which would mean more time to think about how life is unfair, which then would lead to fantasies about his crush and then the nurses would kill him for real because they would need to do the laundry like every hour or so. So, thank you, Sizhui, for existing.
They say goodbye to Jin Ling’s parents and Jingyi thinks only one more hour and then I can sleep and dream about a perfect life, I can survive until then, when he realises that maybe he won’t survive. Because there he is, in his perfect glory, glowing and glaring just like always, his cheekbones and nose and eyes so beautifully royal that Jingyi knows this person is a god from ancient times because those modern ones are just simply not that magnificent.
“Goodbye, Uncle Cheng, see you at tomorrow’s dinner.” Sizhui says brightly. Jingyi’s breath catches in his throat, Jiang Cheng’s eyes are gazing upon me and help what to do in this situation, Zizhen, un-suffocate and vomit some sweet serenades into my brain, halp!
Jiang Cheng nods at Sizhui and then looks once more at Jingyi who, in all his Lan glory and elegance, crashes into the heavy oak door of the Jin household.
Well, at least he looked at me thinks Jingyi, fingers on his forehead as he squeaks out something that could be considered a goodbye and promptly leaves, following Sizhui and pretending that the past minute did not happen.
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A very good distraction from a very messy love life is a notification that you have an essay due in two hours, thinks Jingyi a bit hysterically as he gulps his fourth coffee of this afternoon down, while aggressively trying to form sentences and not sound like a complete idiot with a dancing monkey instead of a brain.
His better half, Sizhui, sits beside him, not commenting on Jingyi’s lack of academic survival skills and dutifully brings him even more coffee. Jingyi desperate for coffee is dangerous Jingyi, and they all learned that it is better to leave Jingyi to his own caffeinated hell and then crash, than to try and regulate his intake. They tried once and Jin Ling still has a scar on his arm where Jingyi bit him.
The café where they currently are is one of their favourites simply because of the fact that the owner and baristas know Jingyi and his addiction to caffeine. And they know it is very dangerous to comment on it. Jingyi is very protective of his coffee, especially when he tries to do school projects on the same day they have to be handed in. In short, they know that Jingyi bites.
Just one more page, you can do this, Lan Jingyi! Just write a conclusion, that’s easy, parrot everything but shorten it! In his panicked caffeine fuelled nightmare Jingyi didn’t notice Sizhui leaving him and talking to someone else.
Jingyi reaches for his coffee but finds it empty. The sound he lets out alarms Sizhui and the baristas. The end is near!
“Coffee. I need coffee, where is it and who drank it?” Jingyi screeches out still aggressively trying to write the conclusion. What can he say, he’s good at multitasking.
A new cup of sugary sweet coffee is handed to him and everyone lets out a breath of relief. We are cancelling the apocalypse.
Feeling like he just put every last bit of his guts and brain scraps and even the damn dancing monkey into this essay, Jingyi saves the document. He enjoys the minute when his brain completely shuts off and he can only focus on the beautiful message your project has been uploaded meaning he made it before the deadline. Jingyi feels like a world champion and slowly lets out a long breath, hugging the coffee close to his chest.
“So, I take it my coffee’s good enough, huh? You owe me one, kid.”
That voice! Mid sip, Jingyi slowly turns to Jiang Cheng who stands there, smirking at him. Jingyi looks at the paper cup he is holding (paper cup? Sizhui always brings him normal ceramic cups, not these take-away ones) and there it is. Jiang Cheng. Written in black sharpie.
This coffee is Jiang Cheng’s. Jiang Cheng drinks his coffee very sweet, just as Jingyi liked his. That was the only thought left in Jingyi’s monkey free head and that meant his survival instincts were absolutely non-existent at this moment.
Sizhui must have also noticed because he was walking quite quickly towards Jingyi and Jiang Cheng, mission written in his eyes. Stop, Jingyi, do not talk, just stay quiet, help is on the way.
But Jingyi ignores everything at this moment and opens his mouth.
“Hey baby, so I heard you like your coffee sweet.”
And then promptly passes out because the monkey returns and mercifully shuts his system down completely.
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The first thing Jingyi notices when his systems are online again is that he’s in a bed. His bed, most likely, because he has the most comfortable fuzzy blanket that is wrapped around him. He feels quite happy and content. The project was sent on time and there should be no more essays for the foreseeable future.
…
Wait. Project. Essay. Coffee. Jiang Cheng!
Jingyi shoots up in his bed and frantically looks around. Yeah, that is his room. He’s in his normal clothes, so mercifully nobody undressed him (important aspect of his observation simply because nobody knows about a secret little tattoo he has on his person and it should stay this way). What happened after he sent the project, though, Jingyi has no idea.
“Sizhui? Sizhui!” Jingyi yells clutching his blanket. He has questions!
The door opens and there stands Sizhui with tea in his hands like an angel and is smiling. Smiling Sizhui is good, that means that nothing that bad happened, right?
“Ah, Jingyi, I’m happy to see you up. You drank too much coffee, and the adrenaline didn’t help much, so you passed out. But nothing a day of rest won’t help with.”
Jingyi lets out a sigh, glad that nobody actually punched him or something like that, which happened a few too many times since Jingyi can’t keep his mouth shut. And he still has questions.
“So, um, did something else happen?” Like me saying anything to Jiang Cheng? Jingyi doesn’t say that part out loud in fear of Sizhui having questions in case he only dreamed meeting Jiang Cheng. Again.
Sizhui smiled in his I want to smirk really bad, but I have manners way. “Well, I talked to Uncle Xichen for a while and then you talked to Uncle Cheng…,” he trailed of and Jingyi felt mortification take over his body. So, it wasn’t a dream. Heaven help him, now he has to move cities, countries or even planets.
“He didn’t talk to jiujiu, he called him baby and then collapsed on him, spilling the hot coffee all over because he is a royal idiot!”
Ah, Jin Ling, what a welcome surprise. He can sniff when Jingyi embarrasses himself and then uses it to further prove his point that Jingyi is a complete lost case of a functioning human. Which, he is not wrong.
“And how did I get here? I would expect to wake up in a funeral home or something.” Said Jingyi clutching his safety blanket. Spilling coffee on Jiang Cheng? He was wearing a lavender wool sweater for fuck’s sake! How is Jingyi even alive?
Jin Ling scoffs and crosses his arms. “Yeah, I would expect that too. But jiujiu carried you here. I don’t know what possessed him, that sweater is one of his favourites.”
“Carried me?” Wow, Jingyi had no idea his voice could go that high. Maybe he should think about having a career covering Mariah Carrey songs.
“It was romantic!” Zizhen literally dances in, imaginary butterflies and birds dancing around him like a Disney princess (come to think of it, Zizhen should definitely be a Disney princess with his whole romance gag).
“He carried you while mumbling about troublesome people that should know better than to do idiotic things, then drove you and Sizhui here, carried you some more and tucked you into your bed! After taking of your jacket off because it had spilled coffee on it! It was so heart-warming!” His eyes were shining like a supernova’s children and it kind of freaks Jingyi out.
But what freaks him out even more is the sudden move from Jin Ling who parks himself extremely close to Jingyi and squints at him.
“My jiujiu never does these things. He breaks legs, he doesn’t carry someone who just drank and spilled his coffee, home. How did you do it?”
“Honestly, I have no idea,” Jingyi nervously laughs. Forget funeral house, he’s six feet under and dead. And he’s gonna be double dead because Sizhui has this pensive look on his face as he hands Jingyi the tea.
“Jingyi, I’m sorry if it’s asking too much, but… Is Uncle Cheng the one you love?”
If Jingyi could sublimate and just fly away from this situation through his window, that would be great. Sizhui waits patiently for his response while Jin Lings keeps squinting and Zizhen is… in a faraway land of yesterday’s romance.
But Jingyi knows that he should probably inform them of the truth. This secret of his is slowly killing him since keeping his mouth shut was never one of Jingyi’s strong traits.
“Yeah, I do love Jiang Cheng,” Jingyi mumbles and Sizhui smiles and nods in thanks.
Jin Ling is blinking very slowly.
“So, let me get this right. You are in love with my jiujiu. Right?”
“Well, yeah, that’s… Yeah,” Jingyi nods hoping and praying that Jin Ling doesn’t try to murder him. Which is a very real possibility considering Jin Ling is very protective of his Uncle. That is actually one of the reasons Jingyi didn’t want to tell him.
Zizhen keeps sparkling in the background.
“My jiujiu! Jingyi! You said it was a crush! And now you are in love! You idiot!” Jin Ling sounds five seconds away from a mental breakdown, and Jingyi turns to Sizhui trying to tell him to help Jin Ling. Jingyi is not good at helping other people when they have a breakdown, he can’t even help himself when he has one! Sizhui sighs and puts his hand on Jin Ling’s shoulder which is shaking slightly. Jin Ling sniffs a little. “I knew you were strange but this… Jingyi, you really like making your life difficult.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jingyi says quietly and sips his tea. Nobody talks for some time, each of them absorbing the newest development.
The sun is slowly setting, and the walls are coloured a pretty pink and gold. Somewhere a car honks disturbing the quiet atmosphere.
“Well,” Jin Ling starts and Jingyi looks at him not knowing what to expect. “At least you have good taste, my jiujiu is great. Even though he has his darker moments. But Jingyi,” Jin Ling looks at him seriously without any speck of disdain or mockery. “Are you sure it’s not just a passing fancy? Are you seriously in love?”
Jingyi smiles a little. “Yeah. It surprises me too, but I’m a Lan. A shitty one but still a Lan, so this is my one and only shot. I like to be difficult, huh,” he chuckles lightly to himself, a tone of self-deprecation very evident. How many times did he sit here and thought to himself why does his life take such unexpected turns and is the universe that entertained by his misery?
“Jingyi,” Sizhui hugs him tightly. “You can’t help who you fall in love with. You can’t control your heart to that extent.” A gentle hand cards through Jingyi’s hair and suddenly he feels like a child, one touch and his feelings try to escape through his eyes in the form of neverending waterfalls.
“Sometimes, sour and hard beginnings lead to sweet and happy stories of love. We will make sure your story is one of these,” says Zizhen and smiles brightly at Jingyi. God bless Zizhen and his optimism when it comes to love.
“You know,” Jin Ling starts. “It’s a little weird, you’re just two years older than me and my jiujiu is much older than you, and your personalities spell a total catastrophe and he’s my jiujiu and you’re my…friend… so it is weird, but…” he trails of looking intently at Jingyi as if looking for something in Jingyi’s eyes. “I don’t like him being lonely and miserable and you’re not a bad choice of companion for him. So, uh, I guess we can help you get together.”
Jingyi stares open mouthed at Jin Ling not believing what he heard. His little Jin Ling is growing up and considers him a friend and wants to help him! Jingyi untangles himself from Sizhui and jumps at Jin Ling who starts protesting and kicking Jingyi lightly because how does he dare to touch him like that!
Even if his story ends up in tragedy, Jingyi knows that these three will always be there for him and will support him through anything. And he loves them for that so much.
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“You know, when you said you will help me, I didn’t exactly imagine this,” Jingyi says with wide eyes as he stares at the various equipment on the table. Earpieces, walkie-talkies, binoculars, sunglasses, and something distantly looking like a taser.
“When we said we will help you, we meant it, Jingyi,” Sizhui smiles, his eyes forming those cute crescent moons, but Jingyi is not deceived. Sizhui is an angel, but underneath that he hides a mischievous streak comparable to Jingyi’s.
Jin Ling punches Jingyi’s arm. “What he said! The mission is simple, you owe jiujiu a cup of coffee. In order to get together with him you should also talk to him, not just stare at him like the lovesick fool you are. You work in that coffee shop bar thing, so you will prepare him his coffee and you will talk to him. Simple,” he shrugs as if it was that simple. Maybe in Jin Ling’s world it is, but this is Jingyi we are talking about. Who knows what will fly out of his mouth the moment he sees Jiang Cheng.
“I talked to Uncle Xichen. He and Uncle Cheng will go to the shop.”
Jingyi turns his wide eyes to Sizhui. “You, you talked to Uncle Xichen? About this? Does he know?” Ah, here we go again with the Mariah Carrey impression.
Sizhui smiles even more and now Jingyi’s hair on his arm stand in horror. “He has known us since we were little, he knows you and he guessed it on his own. And he agreed to help us.”
Zizhen claps his hands and takes out a paper, a very large paper. “This is The Plan, it’s a very simple plan. You are working this Friday, right? Of course, you are! So Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng will arrive in the afternoon, you will prepare Jiang Cheng’s coffee, Sizhui will then go in and talk with Lan Xichen, and this will leave you and Jiang Cheng alone, so you can talk! And then, of course, this will turn into your first date and you will be in love and it will be so romantic!” his eyes sparkle and Jingyi honestly believes than Zizhen lives in a Disney world because this is not how reality works, and have you met the walking disaster named Jingyi? He’s gonna set something on fire. Preferably himself, if he’s lucky.
“Yeah, right, as if it’s going to be that simple, considering we are talking about Jingyi and jiujiu here,” grumbles Jin Ling and shakes his head.
Jingyi points his finger at him, wide eyes never leaving Zizhen. “What he said! I love the fact you trust me so much, but what the heck, Zizhen, have you met me?”
“Don’t worry, Jingyi, we will be there, helping you,” Sizhui smiles, his angelic persona on point once again, and Jingyi knows he is screwed and not in the good way. Burying his head in a pillow, he grumbles and gives a thumbs up in resignation.
“Yeah, whatever. Though, I still don’t understand what’s with all this stuff on the table.”
“This,” says Jin Ling importantly. “Is for us to inform you when jiujiu is on his way. And in case you will need our help, we can communicate through all of this. And Zizhen will help you with the talking part since you’re hopeless in that regard.”
Jin Ling looks very satisfied with himself, and Jingyi knows he lost. This will be a disaster starring Jingyi, and Jiang Cheng will either hate him or will never again take him seriously. The monkey in his head agrees with him.
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Friday comes too fast for Jingyi’s liking. He feels like an undercover agent with the earpiece, something akin to a panic button installed in the pocket of his uniform trouser,s and the plan written on a piece of paper firmly stuck to the back of his phone. There is also the fact that he can see Jin Ling pretending he is a bush outside the cafe (really, Jin Ling? Sunglasses, dark coat, dark hat and binoculars? People can see you, idiot), Sizhui sitting serenely on a bench further out and Zizhen acting like he’s not giggling into his lemonade sitting on a table in the farthest corner from which he still can see Jingyi. There is a laptop in front of him which is connected to the shop’s speaker system (the Disney princess energy and his ability to sweet talk the manager into letting Zizhen play his ‘love is here’ playlist is truly terrifying), and is currently playing the whole SNSD sweet love concept. Jingyi wants to drown himself in the foamed milk he is just preparing for an elderly woman who just smiles at him like she knows something he doesn’t. Jingyi wouldn’t be surprised if she was also somehow connected to The Plan.
“Hey, sour face, look at least a little happy,” Jin Ling’s voice reaches Jingyi through the earpiece.
“Try to be in my shoes, you idiot, and then try to act like everything’s good!” Jingyi whisper yells back. The old lady smiles even more as if it is completely normal for a barista to talk to the coffee machine. Maybe she worked in a café before and knows that sometimes, the coffee machine is the only one who understands you.
“Guys, ETA five minutes,” Sizhui says and Jingyi’s soul leaves his body just as he is handing the lady’s order to her. He must have made a very interesting impression of a dying seal because the lady pats his hand and leaves him a big tip.
“Don’t look like a fucking dying sponge two hundred years old, imbecile!” Jin Ling hisses and Zizhen giggles a little.
“Shut up, asshole! My life is literally flashing in front of my eyes, I think I’m gonna puke into someone’s order,” and Jingyi truly does feel a little bit faint.
“Not Jiang Cheng’s, Jingyi, vomit before he arrives,” Zizhen says and tries to mask his laughter but fails miserably. Jingyi looks up at the ceiling and prays to every deity to just kill him on the spot. He never liked being nervous, he’s usually not like that, but his love for Jiang Cheng takes him on this nauseating emotional roller coaster adventure.
“ETA two minutes, I can see Uncle Xichen’s car,” Sizhui informs them and Jingyi’s heart apparently also peaced out and now he’s just a walking shell with a dancing vomiting monkey in his head.
“Jingyi, remember the plan, smile and you’re good,” Zizhen waves at him a little from his table and Jingyi sends him something akin to a smile. Which did not go that well seeing as Zizhen smiled very painfully back.
“You really think that this can go well with this idiot in the starring role?” Jin Ling grumbles and yeah, Jingyi agrees wholeheartedly.
“They just parked the car and are exiting,” Sizhui comments casually, and lord help Jingyi, he can feel his lunch making its grand comeback. Zizhen becomes even more giddy and sends him finger hearts.
“Breathe, idiot, they are here.”
Wow, thank you, Jin Ling, way to go, just the encouragement I need! Thinks Jingyi a little more hysterically than is probably socially acceptable and turns to look at the door. And lo and behold, Uncle Xichen and the most amazing man that ever lived are here. Lan Xichen looks at Jingyi and sends him a secretive smile while Jiang Cheng looks around and apparently likes what he sees because he nods and looks expectantly at Lan Xichen.
Jingyi, soulless, with a non-beating heart and with a monkey for a brain, knows he is not prepared for the beauty that is Jiang Cheng.
“Alright, I told Uncle Xichen to sit at the bar, so be ready, Jingyi. It will be alright,” Sizhui’s soft voice calms Jingyi down a little bit and he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for just a moment.
“Hello, Jingyi, I am very glad to see you. Sizhui told us we would find you here,” Lan Xichen says as he sits at the bar, leaving the seat directly across from where Jingyi is standing free so Jiang Cheng can sit there.
Jingyi tries very hard to compose himself. Very, very hard. So hard he thinks his voice chords turned to stone. So, he just smiles and waves a little (“Way to go and look more like an idiot, idiot,” Jin Ling mutters and Jingyi has an urge to strangle him with the branches of a tree nearby his bush) and slides two menus in front of them. Lan Xichen smiles wider and thanks him. Jiang Cheng merely stares at Jingyi for a few seconds and thank takes the menu.
Jingyi turns to the coffee machine and starts foaming even more milk, which he always does when he’s stressed. “Zizhen, help me!” He quietly squeaks out and sends a quick pleading glance Zizhen’s way.
“Deep breath, turn back, smile and ask what they want to drink. You can do this, Jingyi!”
So Jingyi mentally prepares to do just that, he takes a deep breath and stops the foaming.
“Hey, Jingyi,” Jingyi braces himself because Jin Ling sounds like he’s in the process of uncovering the most embarrassing story of Jingyi’s life. “I have this feeling jiujiu is checking out your ass.”
Jingyi stops dead in his tracks, blush covering his cheeks, nose and crawling down his neck.
“You may be right, Jin Ling,” Zizhen agrees cheerfully. “He is most certainly not reading the drink list!” Jingyi can feel the hearts, stars and birds flying around Zizhen. Damn Disney energy.
“Jingyi, concentrate, it will be fine, just ask them what they want to order,” Sizhui quietly says and it calms Jingyi down. Thank you, Sizhui, for being my friend.
When Jingyi turns back to the bar, his smile is in place, maybe the blush is still there, but somehow, he successfully doesn’t look like he wants to go milk diving anytime soon.
“So, what would you like to order?” Jingyi mentally pats himself, that sounded almost like his normal voice. Smiling, he can feel his brain monkey quiet down a little bit too. Maybe he can do this!
“I would like to try this matcha coffee, Jingyi, Sizhui said you make it the best out of everyone here,” Lan Xichen smiles gently.
“Ooooh, yeah, brownie points for you from your love’s best friend, that’s amazing!”
“Zizhen, shut the fuck up, they can hear you!” Jin Ling snaps, and Zizhen is lucky Jin Ling is still outside, because that tone of his voice promises pain.
Jingyi smiles and preens a little at the praise and then turns to Jiang Cheng, who is smirking a little bit.
“Surprise me,” Jiang Cheng says, chin resting on his hand and Jingyi considers himself blinded by beauty.
“Ok, sure, one Jingyi style surprise coming your way!” Jingyi can hear Jin Ling gagging in the background, but he still feels victorious because Jiang Cheng seems amused and the smirk morphs into a tiny smile. Lan Xichen smiles widely at Jingyi and nods as if to say he is doing great.
Turning back to the working space, Jingyi starts preparing their orders. Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng converse softly behind him and although Jingyi can’t hear them clearly, he knows Uncle Xichen’s teasing voice. Peeking quickly to the two men, Jingyi is surprised to see Jiang Cheng blushing a little bit and looking like he wants to take the nearest foamed milk and drown Xichen in it. Or maybe break a chair over his head. Jingyi stops in his tracks and stares at the rosy blush adorning Jiang Cheng’s cheeks and wishes to touch it, kiss it, caress it.
As if feeling Jingyi looking, Jiang Cheng turns to Jingyi and the blush spreads to his ears. Even though he’s glaring at Jingyi, it somehow feels a little different than when he’s glaring at people in anger. Maybe it’s because the blush adds a soft quality to that glare. And Jingyi wants to see more of it.
Smiling at Jiang Cheng, he quickly turns to his work and honestly, seeing an embarrassed Jiang Cheng helps with Jingyi’s own nervousness. For a little bit he does not see the almighty untouchable god of beauty, but just a man who has feelings just like Jingyi, a mere human, does.
“You’re doing great, Jingyi,” Sizhui compliments and Jingyi happily hums in reply, smiling widely.
“Yeah, he does, doesn’t he,” sighs Zizhen happily, sipping his second lemonade.
“Please don’t fuck this up, idiot,” grumbles Jin Ling and Jingyi can hear something happy in his voice too, so his chest is filled with even more fluffiness and love.
Putting some finishing touches to the orders, Jingyi turns to the two men and presents them with their beverages.
“One matcha coffee and one Jingyi style surprise coffee, enjoy!” smiles Jingyi widely, proud of his work.
Lan Xichen nods in thanks, takes a deep breath and savours the aroma. Sipping, he says: “Thank you very much, Jingyi, this is delightful. I will make sure to recommend this to others.”
Jingyi fiddles a bit with his fingers, staring at Jiang Cheng, excited to see his reaction.
“I hope this is not gonna kil me,” grumbles Jiang Cheng while looking at his cup. Inside his coffee cup, there is something invoking a void, deep, darker than black with some mild foam. But the smell is sweet, not overly so, but pleasantly mild.
“I wouldn’t kill you, don’t worry,” grins Jingyi, stepping a little bit closer and leaning towards Jiang Cheng. “It’s my secret recipe, celebratory and comforting drink.”
Zizhen squeals a bit in the background seeing those two so close and Jingyi honestly hopes that nobody heard it. Even though he normally wears his hair in a high ponytail, today he braided them and tried to cover his ears because of the earpiece.
Jiang Cheng’s blush is still present, his eyes pinned on Jingyi. Reaching for the cup, he takes a sip and there is surprise clearly written in his eyes.
“This is… actually quite good,” says Jiang Cheng, looking between Jingyi and the cup. “What exactly is in it?”
“Well,” now it is Jingyi’s turn to blush a little as he looks to the floor. “It’s coffee mixed with cocoa, mint and some lotus syrup.” He mumbles the last part, knowing the relation between the Jiang family and lotuses. It is basically Jingyi saying he created this drink with Jiang Cheng in mind. Which, it is not wrong, it is exactly how it sounds.
“And here I thought you couldn’t be sappier,” says Jin Ling and imitates sounds of vomiting. “This is so disgusting.”
Jingyi wants to throw something at him, but seeing as he is outside, that would mean blowing the whole cover. Which would make everything extremely embarrassing, so Jingyi decides he can listen to some more Jin Ling’s comments without snapping at him (quickly sending a prayer above to lend him more patience because it’s Jin Ling we are talking about).
“I think it’s very sweet,” Sizhui sounds pleased and Zizhen seconds this opinion. “I am going to talk to Uncle Xichen right now, so Zizhen, get ready to help Jingyi if he needs it.” There is some rustling and a quiet ow from Jin Ling, who was apparently too obvious, so Sizhui helpfully shoved him deeper into the bush.
Jiang Cheng looks intently at Jingyi who gulps, the nervousness even worse than it was before.
“Alright, I’m coming in, Jingyi, get ready,” says Sizhui and just as he finishes, the door opens and there he is, happily making his way to the bar.
“Hello, Uncle, I am glad you found this place,” Sizhui greets Xichen, winking at Jingyi who is still very much aware of Jiang Cheng’s stare on him.
Lan Xichen turns to Sizhui with a smile and stands up. The two then go to a nearby table, leaving Jiang Cheng and Jingyi alone.
“To the phase two, Jingyi,” says Zizhen quietly. “Now is your chance to speak with Jiang Cheng privately. You can do it!” he adds with cheer in his voice that Jingyi absolutely does not share.
“So,” Jiang Cheng clears his throat, still staring intently at Jingyi. “Where did you get the idea for this drink?”
His heart beating about two hundred kilometres per minute, Jingyi looks at him. There is a genuine interest in Jiang Cheng’s eyes, no trace of mockery, so Jingyi gathers the crumbs of his courage that are left.
“Well, coffee, cocoa and mint are always a good combination for the autumn weather, and I wanted to add something sweet, but not too much sweet and well, lotuses are sweet, but just the right amount.” The longer he talked, the quieter his voice became. Not because of embarrassment but because of the way Jiang Cheng was still intently looking at him. Jingyi felt warm and tingly all over, he wanted Jiang Cheng to look at him always and forever.
Jiang Cheng lets out a short hum, drinking more. “Yeah, lotuses are always a good choice. I have to say, this surprise of yours is a good one,” he lets out a quiet laugh and suddenly, Jingyi wants to make this concoction by the hectolitres only for Jiang Cheng to drink. He’s gonna call this the Jiang Cheng coffee, nobody else can drink it. And he’s gonna add lotuses everywhere, into everything, hell, he will bathe in lotuses and wear them as his clothes, just so Jiang Cheng can laugh and say that Jingyi is also a good choice.
There is silence for a minute, but it is the kind of comfortable silence, like they can understand each other’s feelings even without words. Jingyi softly smiles, maybe blushes a bit and looks at Jiang Cheng, who is sipping on his drink. But it looks as if he is trying to hide the tiniest and most beautiful smile in the world.
“Hey, Jingyi, try asking him about those lotuses. Like, what is his most favourite colour, or lotus item or something,” Zizhen whispers through the earpiece.
“Ah, and, well,” Jingyi tries to do words here, appreciate this, Zizhen! “What is your favourite colour? I mean, of a lotus. Your favourite lotus, uh…” Yeah, words, great, they have meaning.
Jiang Cheng chuckles into the cup and then sets it down. “Every lotus is my favourite, but I would say those light purple ones are the best. Or maybe white with purple ends, those are also pretty.”
Jingyi can hear Zizhen trying not to start spewing some romantic nonsense in the background and honestly, Jingyi’s monkey is also kind of fried. It’s so unique and just so simply Jiang Cheng.
“Ah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a lotus like that, but I bet it’s the most beautiful one out there,” Jingyi grins and suddenly has a simple fantasy of going to a lotus lake with Jiang Cheng, the morning sun warm on their skin, and the lotuses just starting to open.
“If I see one like this, I will take a picture for you,” Jiang Cheng says and Jingyi’s eyes widen in surprise and then laughs happily. Sizhui gives him a thumbs up from where he is sitting with Lan Xichen.
“This is so cavity inducing,” grumbles Jin Ling, but for Jingyi he’s only a little fly in the background and he’s concentrating on the bigger picture here. Like the fact that Jiang Cheng promised to take a photo of his favourite lotus just for Jingyi!
“Ah, thank you! That would be amazing!” Jingyi cannot get giddier and this day can’t get more perfect.
“Maybe you can go to Lotus Pier, I saw a lot of lotuses like that there. Maybe I could take you. Or you can just go with your friends, I don’t care,” Jiang Cheng quickly and loudly adds that last sentence like that is the ideal scenario.
But Jingyi doesn’t pay that much attention to that, because Jiang Cheng offered to take him to Lotus Pier! Just the two of them! That fantasy will surely become reality if Jingyi has any say in this situation at all. “I would like that very much. To go there with you, I mean,” he adds with hope in his voice, shyly looking at Jiang Cheng through his lashes.
“Damn, friend, you can sell that blushing maiden act well, I’m impressed,” says Zizhen and Jingyi could not get mad at him, because nothing would get him angry now.
“Shit, shit, shit! Guys! Abort the sweet talking, I can see Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and I have no idea why, but it looks like Wei Wuxian is planning something bad,” Jin Ling’s panicked voice reaches them.
Sizhui tells something to Lan Xichen and he looks a little bit wary and shakes his head.
“Uncle Xichen and I also have no idea. Baba-Wei didn’t mention anything about today being somehow important.”
“Well, doesn’t matter, Sizhui, can you find out what they want?” Zizhen gets up from his seat and moves to Sizhui’s table, ready to let out his inner Disney villain in case anything should go wrong.
Jingyi looks at them a little bit impressed and thankful that they don’t want anything to go badly either. Jiang Cheng quickly turns his head towards Lan Xichen and raises his eyebrows when he sees Zizhen and Sizhui furiously conversing.
“Do you know what’s going on with them?” Jiang Cheng asks when he turns back to Jingyi. “Are you okay?” He adds when he can clearly see panic on Jingyi’s face.
Jingyi jinxed it. He knows it. Wei Wuxian storms into the café with his patented evil maniac smile in place and heads straight to Jiang Cheng. Sizhui, bless his heart, tris to stop him but he is in turn stopped by his other father, who floats to their table seemingly out of nowhere.
This is bad, this is really, really bad! Thinks Jingyi as he watches Jiang Cheng’s mood go from good to Wei Wuxian is here kind of bad.
“Shidi! Why did you not tell me that joyous news?” Wei Wuxian exclaims loudly and drapes himself all over Jiang Cheng who tries to pry the other off himself.
“Let go of me! What kind of nonsense are you sprouting?” If looks could kill, Wei Wuxian would be a well-done steak that would go well with the most bitter coffee Jingyi can make.
“Aw, Jiang Cheng, do not be a sourpuss. I’m talking about that date you promised you will get for the gala!” Wei Wuxian’s grin grows even bigger and there is that glint in his eyes that spells trouble.
There are multiple gasps Jingyi can hear through the earpiece and he himself does not fare any better. Date? What date?
“I did not do such thing,” Jiang Cheng frowns and succeeds in prying Wei Wuxian off.
“But you did! And then I gave you my blessing ‘cause you know, you’ve been pinning after this person for some time. And you said today is the day you’d ask them!”
Sizhui looks at his father in alarm and then shifts his focus on Jingyi who stands there frozen with wide eyes. Jin Ling can be heard spluttering while trying to extract himself from the bush.
“There is no one, Wei Wuxian, so don’t go spitting that shit out of your mouth,” Jiang Cheng growls and takes a slow step towards Wei Wuxian, ready to throttle, or at least choke him.
“But you said something totally different yesterday! And you were not even drunk!”
Lan Wangji steps towards Wei Wuxian trying to shield him from Jiang Cheng who looks positively murderous now. Sizhui leaps into action and tries to shush his father, all the while keeping one eye on Jingyi who is still silent and in complete shock.
“Jiujiu!” Jin Ling barrels into the café, sunglasses and hat and all. “What the hell is this about? What date? Who is it?” He marches towards Jiang Cheng who looks at him and frowns even more.
“It’s none of your business. And that the fuck are you doing here dressed like that? Are all of you complete lunatics?” His voice rises and then his eyes shift to Jingyi. “Did you plan this circus or what?”
Jingyi shakes his head not saying anything. There is only the feeling of his chest squeezing and not being able to breathe well.
“Jiujiu! Answer me!” Jin Ling shouts and grabs his Uncle’s arm, shaking him slightly.
“Stop it,” Jiang Cheng yanks out his arm from Jin Ling’s grip. “There never was, is and will be anyone, do you understand?” Ignoring everyone he stomps out of the café, slamming the door for good measure.
“Hey, what was that about? Why is he so angry?” Wei Wuxian grumbles and turns to his son and Lan Xichen. “What is this gathering here, anyways? You all conspiring?” He pats Sizhui on his shoulder and ignores the heavy atmosphere in the café.
Lan Wangji does, however, not. “Wei Ying, let’s go.”
“Aw, Lan Zhan, why? It was so entertaining!” He laughs but stops when he hears Jin Lings cry of “idiots!” and sees him dragging still speechless Jingyi towards the back door. “Hey, why is everyone looking so angry?” He asks perplexed and silence is the only answer he gets.
Zizhen dashes out the way Jin Ling and Jingyi vanished. He finds them in the kitchen, Jingyi sitting on the floor near the freezer, and Jin Ling walking around mumbling something about idiotic Uncles. Zizhen crouches before Jingyi and tugs him into an embrace.
“Hey, Jingyi, it’s fine, that may have meant absolutely nothing. Just Wei Wuxian being his obnoxious self,” he whispers.
Jingyi’s tears finally escape his eyes and so he buries his face in Zizhen’s chest. “I just, I just don’t know what happened. A date for a gala, that’s fine, but I thought that there was at least something between us. Do I truly not have any chance?”
“Don’t be an idiot, it’s enough that jiujiu is one!” Jin Ling plops down next to Jingyi. “They are a bunch of imbeciles, there must be an explanation.”
Zizhen hums in agreement and cards his hand through Jingyi’s hair. “We will find out what’s this all about. But for now, let out all your feelings, Jingyi, it will be better tomorrow. We promised we will help you and Jiang Cheng get together and that is what we will do.”
Jingyi chuckles wetly but does not raise his head. “I love you guys so much.”
“Yeah, yeah, just be grateful you have us,” Jin Ling says but without any bite in his words and puts his arm around Jingyi’s shoulders.