Work Text:
1 - Orchestra AU
Tian Sen arrives half an hour early to his first rehearsal with the Glory Symphony Orchestra, having taken an earlier bus to make sure he wasn't late. Given the issues he had getting to the venue last time for his audition, he wasn't about to risk it.
There was already someone there before him, violin case slung over his back. Although Tian Sen was a trumpet player and more across the world of brass musicians, even he could recognise the recently promoted concertmaster of Glory Symphony Orchestra - violin maestro Wang Jiexi, whose masterful technical ability and deftness at shifting and mixing tempos and styles gave rise to his title 'The Magician'.
In person, Wang Jiexi looks just like any other ordinary man. With casually messy hair and dressed in a button down shirt with green loose-fitting jumper over the top, slacks and a light scarf, it is difficult to match the Wang Jiexi before him with The Magician - a musician whose solo performances were so virtuosic, whose stage presence was so dominating, yet had chosen to seal his own musical style in order to be able to lead Glory Symphony Orchestra's string section.
In fact - even though it feels almost blasphemous to think such about a god-like musician - Tian Sen's first thought upon seeing Wang Jiexi is: cute.
Wang Jiexi looks up at the sound of Tian Sen's approaching footsteps. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed as tries to place Tian Sen, noting the trumpet case that Tian Sen was carrying. While he wasn't close to the members of the brass section in the orchestra, he was fairly sure he could at least recognise them by sight.
Wang Jiexi puts away the sheet music he was reviewing and greets the newcomer.
"Are you the new second trumpet?" Wang Jiexi asks, a light and welcoming smile on his face.
Tian Sen nods. "Yes - nice to meet you, I'm Tian Sen."
They fall into a light and easy conversation, starting with music but soon moving onto other topics.
As the conversation goes on, Wang Jiexi's smile becomes more lopsided and more real. Wang Jiexi finds that it's different, talking to Tian Sen. After the adulation and borderline reverence - or the jealousy and outright hostility - of some of his fellow string players, talking to a fellow musician who has no personal feelings either way is a breath air.
The fact that Tian Sen is cute is just an extra bonus, even if he hadn't known he was attracted to well-built people with an undercut before.
They are both almost disappointed to have to break off the conversation when more people arrive - Wang Jiexi's fellow string players call for his help, and Tian Sen is left to go greet his new fellow brass colleagues.
When Tian Sen gets home - after rehearsal, after drinks with the brass section to welcome the members - he finds the torn note page that Wang Jiexi has somehow slipped into his trumpet case, with a phone number written in beautiful loopy handwriting.
Tian Sen is smiling before he realises it, and he hurries to put the number into his phone. He can't wait until next rehearsal and to see Wang Jiexi again.
2 - Coffeeshop AU
Wang Jiexi's coffeeshop, Tiny Herb, opened with little fanfare - while coffee was beginning to become more popular in B City, it was still seen as fairly exotic.
Most of the customers were businesspeople who had acquired a taste for coffee while studying or working overseas. Some of his steadiest customers were employees from the Royal Style accounting firm, whose headquarters were just down the road.
It's a quiet period just past eight o'clock at night - too late for the post-dinner crowd, too early for the night owls - when Tian Sen walks in. Wang Jiexi pauses in teaching his new recruits Gao Yingjie and Qiao Yifan how to use the register, and goes to take the new customer's order.
Tian Sen rattles off a list of orders, which Wang Jiexi quickly notes down before handing it over to Gao Yingjie to make the drinks and decidedly ignores Gao Yingjie's pleading eyes to come help - Gao Yingjie has it all down, he just needs the practice and confidence in his own abilities.
"Late night?" Wang Jiexi asks, finally taking the time to check out the customer. The Royal Style lanyard is a dead giveaway for where he works, and the suit he is wearing is nicely form-fitting. Wang Jiexi has never met such an accountant with so many muscles before.
Tian Sen usually wouldn't say too much, but there's something about the coffeeshop and its owner - perhaps it's all the plants that make this place seem like safe haven away from the bustle of the city, or perhaps it's the slightly lopsided way the owner smiles - that compels him the answer truthfully.
"Higher ups requested last minute changes to a project, presentation is tomorrow. I suspect we'll be working through the night to get it all done." Tian Sen gives a slight shrug, as if to say what can we do. "If I'm going to make my team work late hours, I need to make sure at least that they're kept fed and even though I don't drink much coffee, I thought my co-workers might appreciate some to keep them going. Ren Junchi in particular insists that this place has the best coffee in B City and that the instant stuff in the office can't compare."
Wang Jiexi had noticed the take-out bags which Tian Sen was carrying, and takes a moment to curse the fact that the man before him was both cute and considerate.
"What do you usually drink then?"
"Black tea, sometimes barley tea. I'm more of a tea person than a coffee person."
Just as Wang Jiexi was about to answer, Gao Yingjie comes out with the drinks. Wang Jiexi and Tian Sen head back to the counter, where Qiao Yifan is still waiting at the register. Both recruits watch closely as Wang Jiexi processes Tian Sen's purchase.
"Come again sometime, I'll brew you some of my favourite tea next time," Wang Jiexi offers impulsively as Tian Sen turns to leave.
That gets a tired but very real smile from Tian Sen. "I might just hold you to that."
And then he's gone and the coffeeshop is quiet once more. Wang Jiexi wonders idly if Tian Sen will be back tonight for more coffee for his teammates - either way, he's fairly sure that he'll see Tian Sen again, if not for coffee then for some tea.