Work Text:
Jin Guangyao was trapped. In his own house nonetheless. Most of the guests had already left so there were few to witness his misery. A glimmer of hope filled his vision when the younger Twin Jade walked past the open living room door tailing the never stopping chatter flowing from Wei Wuxian’s mouth. However, this hope was short-lived when after a quick glance at Guangyao’s state Lan Wangji kept moving onwards but not before throwing a quick grin towards the troubled man. A grin ! From Lan Wangji ! Unbelievable!
As the front door clicked shut, Guangyao came to a dreadful understanding. He was trapped and there was no one to help him. Trying once more to free himself, he placed his hands flat against the soft fabric and pushed with all his might. Still, he was no match to the crushing mass on top of him.
The man groaned loudly as he lowered his head backwards against the sofa’s backrest. Was this it? He was just gonna sit here the whole night? He had a meeting to attend tomorrow morning for goodness sake! A sigh escaped the lips.
However, it didn’t belong to Guangyao.
A moment later the sky blue clothes draped over the immobilised man shifted and a pair of drowsy eyes looked up at the dark gold ones. A moment of silence passed as the heavy head rested on Guangyao’s chest but the intense gaze seemed to be full of life. Good. Maybe Guangyao didn’t have to spend the whole night sitting there in someone else’s house and later complain about his stiff back while running late to work.
Raising his only free limb, Guangyao patted the right hand on the sturdy shoulder urging the other to wake fully. “Hey. Would you move aside a bit? I gotta get up now.”
The nudging made the other man react and Guangyao felt his left arm be freed as well. Only for a pair of foreign hands to wrap themselves around him.
“No.” The grip securing him in place strengthened quite a bit leaving the smaller man borderline breathless.
Guangyao straight up stared at the fussy man on top of him. “Excuse me?”
Silky hair brushed over his torso as the older man nuzzled his head into Guangyao’s chest, not unlike an attention seeking cat. “No, you don’t.”
Of all things waking up today Jin Guangyao didn't expect that attending his new coworker’s birthday party would end like this. The birthday child squeezing the life out of him while firmly stating that actually Guangyao didn’t have to go anywhere. Ridiculous !
Golden eyes glanced at the many glasses on the low table. The closest to them was still half full. Who would have known that such a big man like Lan Xichen had such a low alcohol tolerance. Even his little brother tolerated the alcohol much more elegantly! The guy had neatly made his way towards the front door by himself even after all the shots that Wei Wuxian had personally served him. Other than that grin everything looked perf-. ...Actually, now to think about it, that facial expression was too much after all. For Lan Wangji at least.
Hah! Guangyao would have chuckled at the seemingly only weakness that could break the brothers’ usual solemn mask if only his lungs wouldn’t have been compressed at the moment. Instead, he let out a pitiful wheeze and gently attacked the others head. “Please, Xichen, I can’t breathe!”
As if only now understanding the situation, the other released a surprised gasp and instantly loosened the grip. Finally, Guangyao felt relieved with the oxygen filling up his lungs once again. Even when the arms stayed put around him. One victory at a time he guessed.
His brain being able to function properly once again, Guangyao observed the man on top of him a bit more carefully. Thanks to the alcohol Xichen’s mind seemed to be in a very different state than usual. Instead of the modest and respectful coworker he was looking at a man whose actions could be deemed as childlike even. Interesting. Guangyao decided to try another tactic.
“Did you know that I was once a fairy?” The melody of the question was light but the golden eyes gave it a chilling serious quality.
“Really?”
Guangyao met the astonishment with a pair of honest big eyes. “Yeah. Didn’t you know?”
The Lan silently shook his head, his mouth uselessly agape.
“Mm. Yes. I got big shiny wings and wherever I flew fairy dust would always trail me.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Xichen listened intently while his eyes wandered over Guangyao with a seeming purpose. Probably looking for fairy dust because the next time he opened his mouth Xichen sounded rather disappointed.
“But I don’t see any fairy dust...”
Guangyao sighed theatrically, gaining the other’s worried attention. “In the beginning I had nothing against people wanting to touch my fancy wings or the sparkling dust. But after some time I discovered that the more hands stroked my wings the more damaged they became.” Looking to his side then, Guangyao put on a hurt expression that Xichen couldn’t help but cradle in one of his hands.
“I asked people to stop touching my wings but they didn’t understand why they should as before I’d allowed them to do so. In the end, my fairy dust vanished alongside my wings...”
The thumb that had been stroking Guangyao’s cheek stopped abruptly and a moment later Xichen sat up freeing Guangyao in the process. Tears started pouring from his terrified eyes before they were hidden behind a pair of quivering hands.
“I destroyed your wings! Because of me you can never fly again!!”
Guangyao watched the grown up man cry over his coworker’s lost wings and sighed deeply. What an evening. Still, even though he was free now and able to go home he couldn’t dare to leave Xichen in such a state. Who knew what the man could do while still influenced by alcohol.
Therefore, Guangyao stood up but lowered his hand on Xichen’s back to rub reassuring circles there. “It’s all right.”
“No it’s not!” The shout had been unexpected and left Guangyao gaping at the now red eyed face looking up in his direction. He hadn’t intended for his obvious lie to wreck Xichen that much!
“You told me to move but I didn’t! And now you have no wings or fairy dust! It’s all because of me! I’m such an awful person!”
Guangyao hadn’t definitely expected such a reaction. Making a mental note to never let Xichen drink again if he could help it, Guangyao bowed down a bit to see the devastated man face-to-face and took a hold of the broad shoulders.
“Hey. It’s really alright. Look at my face. I’m smiling.” With some effort, Xichen dared to look the other in the eye and then moved his gaze downwards to the widely smiling lips. Assessing them a bit, the Lan looked up again with his sad eyes though the tears had stopped flowing now. “But you can’t fly anymore. Because of me...”
Before the tall man could drown into his own tears once again, Guangyao shook the shoulders still in his grasp and stated firmly. “Yes. I can’t fly. But I don’t need to fly! There are so many options for me to choose from! I can take a bus or train or even call a taxi! Or you could give me a lift with your car when I’m in need, right?”
Evaluating all the possibilities available for Guangyao, Xichen finally started to calm down before he nodded decisively. “Yes. I can give you a lift!”
“That’s good to hear.” Guangyao smiled, this time less widely but more sincerely because the situation seemed to be solved for now. “But not today,” he added, back still bowed downwards. “Today I want to go home by myself and you promise me that you will go to sleep now.”
For a moment it seemed that Xichen was about to argue but then he probably remembered the earlier story and decided to honour Guangyao’s decision. “Alright. I promise.”
Relieved, Guangyao closed his eyes for a moment before giving the forehead before him an approving peck. “Good. I’ll see myself out now.” Wide eyes followed him as a hand slowly rose to touch the spot where Guangyao’s praise had landed.
Before disappearing behind the corner, Guangyao looked back for a moment before continuing on his way with a tiny smirk gracing his features. He was very curious how much of this his coworker would remember tomorrow.