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It had been a normal day, Jiang Cheng had been up for a little bit now and was sitting in the living room on his computer. It was the weekend and he had no place to be and planned to have a lazy day, even if his crazy partner did like to wake up early in the morning –“It’s a childhood habit, Jiang Cheng.”– Jingyi would tell him every time he mentioned it.
Jiang Cheng smiled as he thought about Jingyi, his crazy blue-haired, amazing partner, Jiang Cheng never thought he would find something like them, and he is sure that he never would again. Which makes him appreciate Jingyi that much more.
said partner was in the shower after their breakfast, while Jiang Cheng entertained himself, reading up on what all of his friends were doing by stalking their twitters. Zeus was curled up on the ground, half laying on one of Jiang Cheng’s feet, his snores filled the air alongside the occasional tap of Jiang Cheng’s keyboard.
About 15 minutes later Jiang Cheng heard the water from the shower turn off, and then 5 minutes after that a loud shriek.
Concerned Jiang Cheng turned his head towards the bathroom and set his laptop on the coffee table. However, before he could make any other moves Jingyi rushed out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around their waist and their hair going every which way.
“Oh. My. God! I am hideous!!! I’m ruined!” Jingyi started raving his arms flying around as he got closer to Jiang Cheng. Who, was even more concerned as well as confused, as visually he could not see anything wrong about Jingyi,
“What are you talking about?” Jiang Cheng asked, finally standing up and meeting Jingyi in the middle of the room.
“What’s wrong?!?” Jingyi asked hysterically as their hands came up and they roughly gripped and pulled at their hair, “My roots are showing!!” They tilted their head down slightly and shoved their head towards Jiang Cheng to display the dark brown roots that were starting to show up contrasting with the electric blue of the rest of their hair. Jingyi wailed and flopped forward, wrapping their arms around Jiang Cheng.
“A-ah, Jingyi, Jingyi it is okay. It’s not that bad they are hardly coming in” Jiang Cheng tried to reassure them patting their back with one hand while the other held them up.
“It’s not okayyyyyyy.” Jingyi whined into Jiang Cheng’s shirt before they pulled their head back and pouted up at him. “We need to fix it! I can Not be seen like this.”
Jiang Cheng smiled and nodded, leaning down he pressed a soft kiss to Jingyi’s forehead.
“Okay. Go get dressed and then we can get some supplies from the store.” Jiang Cheng instructed as he shifted Jingyi into a proper standing position. Jingyi sighed and then nodded turning around and headed back into the bedroom. While they were getting dressed Jieng Cheng put away his laptop and grabbed his wallet and keys.
A few minutes later Jingyi came out wearing a pair of skinny jeans, some layered shirts, and a beanie hat pulled down all the way over the ears.
“Let's go!” they said walking over and grabbing Jiang Cheng’s hand and pulling him towards the door. Jiang Cheng smiled fondly.
“You’re being dramatic Jingyi, it is not as bad as you think.” he hummed softly kissing Jingyi’s temple before they both slipped into their shoes.
An hour later the pair returned to the apartment, bleach and hair dye newly acquired, as well as some coffee, iced for Jingyi, hot for Jiang Cheng, to soothe them.
“Okay, so, I use to have Sizhui help me do this, sooo, I guess now you will,” Jingyi said as they pulled out the supplies, including a box of plastic gloves. Jingyi then bit their lip before looking at Jiang Cheng shyly “that is...if you don’t mind?”
Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow as he reached over and took the gloves out of Jingyi’s hands.
“You really think I wouldn’t?” he asked unimpressed.
Jingyi giggled and cheered!
“Okay okay, let's change into less nice clothes!” Jingyi said before they quickly surged up and pressed a feather-light kiss to Jiang Cheng’s lips and then dragged him to the bedroom.
Ten minutes later the pair were sitting in the bathroom. Jingyi sat on the toilet seat, a small bowl in hand as he mixed up the bleach while Jiang Cheng leaned against the sink next to him waiting, plastic gloves already on.
“Here you go, looks like it is all mixed now,” Jingyi said handing the bowl and brush to Jiang Cheng. After taking the bowl Jiang Cheng moved so he was standing in front of Jingyi.
“Alright. Look down, I’ll start from the back,” he explained to Jingyi before he gently started to apply the bleach. Using the brush and his hands to make sure he got a complete and even application to all of Jingyi’s roots.
“Thank you for this Cheng-ge. I know it’s probably silly getting worked up about my roots showing but….my hair color, it’s like… one of my things. It feels wrong not to have it colored right.” Jingyi spoke softly as they held their hands folded in their lap gently twisting and untwisting their fingers together.
Jiang Cheng smiled as he continued to work.
“Jingyi, you don’t have to thank me or feel bad. You have shown me so much about what it is to express yourself. You know I love you, and how bright you are in every way. I’m glad to be able to help you with this, with continuing to express yourself fully.”Jiang Cheng finished putting the bleach in and set the bowl down so he could kneel in front of Jingyi. They looked into each other's eyes for a minute before Jiang Cheng leaned forward and kissed Jingyi’s hands.
“God, why are you always such a sap” Jingyi blushed, looking away as they smiled widely, their hands moving to cover their face. “Like of all the times, right now when my hair is crazy and full of bleach and now I have to sit like this for at least an hour! You have the worst timing with all your...feelings” they continued babbling from embarrassment now. Jiang Cheng laughed and shook his head before he leaned back.
“Sometimes it feels like you are the only person who even believes i have feelings.” Jiang Cheng sighed and leaned his head back “I think I am allowed to at least express them on occasion.
They passed the hour with chatter and after a moment Jingyi moved to Jiang Cheng’s side and they started to watch Tiktok.
Soon enough it was time to wash the bleach out.
Jingyi quickly jumped up once the timer went off.
“Oh my god finally, get this stuff out of my hair!” Jingyi gasped in relief as they quickly stepped into the shower and turned on the showerhead.
“Jingyi! Goodness at least take your shirt off, you are going to be soaked.” Jiang Cheng chided. Though Jingyi simply ignored him. Rolling his eyes, Jiang Cheng simply stood up, grunting slightly with the effort from having been sitting on the floor for an hour. “Remind me next time to at least bring another chair in here.”
While Jingyi was washing the bleach out of their hair Jiang Cheng plugged in the hairdryer before he started to mix the blue dye.
“Ah, Gege! Will you get a towel?” Jingyi asked as they turned off the shower. And just as Jiang Cheng left the bathroom he saw Jingyi’s now completely soaked t-shirt thrown on to the towel rack. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes and then shut the door behind him so that Zeus wouldn’t get in.
“Here you go.” Jiang Cheng said, tossing Jingyi the towel once he was back in the bathroom. “Dry off as much as you can, they rest, we can use the hairdryer for.”
“You know... You sure know a lot about this process for someone who doesn’t color their hair.” Jingyi mused looking at Jiang Cheng as they rubbed the towel over their hair. Jiang Cheng smirked.
“Whoever said I had never dyed my hair before? Also, you have seen the old pictures of Wei Ying, you are not the only ‘rebel’ I know” Jiang Cheng explained. “Now come on. Let's finish this.” he picked up the hairdryer and comb quickly descending on Jingyi’s hair once they were sitting down again.
Another hour and a half later Jingyi was once again stepping out of the bathroom after their final shower. Jiang Cheng once it was time for the final rinse had left, he was changed and now in the kitchen starting on dinner.
Jingyi quickly skipped over to Jiang CHeng and wrapped their arms around one of Jiang Chengs and leaned into him grinning.
“Ah! I feel like me again!” they cheered and nuzzled their face into Jiang cheng’s shoulder, “and it is all thanks to you.” they kissed Jiang Cheng’s shoulder and then took a large sniff of the air, “mmm...it already smells so good, man I really lucked out with you.” they laughed before pulling away, “I’ll start the tea.”
Jiang Cheng glanced over at Jingyi as they walked away and he smiled. No matter what Jingyi said, Jiang Cheng knew he was the lucky one.