Archive of Our Own

One week before

Zhiwei swoops into his room and swats the top of his bedside alarm clock. He watches as it misses the faux fur carpet and crashes to the lacquered solid mahogany floor. There’s definitely going to be a dent on that. He’d been busying himself around the house long before his usual waking hour.

He sighs as he picks it up. Yeah . The gold plating of the clock had been scratched and there is also a mark on the floorboard. 

“-’s that?”

He hears Gu Wei’s voice from the attached speakers in the hallway to his room. Zhiwei has gotten them installed a month ago. 

Ever since the rights to the Zhai mansion and all other properties under Zhen Foods Corporation were formally transferred to his name, Zhiwei had been relentless in converting the structures into more inviting spaces. Not one building at a time, but all of the branches at once. 

He’d gotten so much shit for it from dearest Aunt Qin Zhen and other members of the board, all of them being resolute in their belief that they should retain the current state of their restaurants. But Zhai Zhiwei had been firmer than all of them combined during that one meeting that he’d attended(he was the one who called them in), where he flashed a two-slide PowerPoint forecast (the first slide being a statistical graph, the second slide only saying: by ZHAI ZHIWEI☺) showing how much more money the company could possibly make if only the tacky restaurants are given a more modern touch. So of course, when it was time to vote, Zhiwei was eventually given all control to transform the restaurants and offices as he saw fit. He’d smirked smugly at Qin Zhen then, saying “ Better get used to this new power.”  In Zhai Zhiwei’s intellectually-informed god-like opinion, that statement should make it to the Hall of Fame for puns. 

As for his home, it needs to have its very own entertainment features, aside of course, from the billiards room and bar at the very basement of the house. And so, going along with what was trendy, Zhiwei had furnished the Zhai mansion with only the best surround sound system available in the market. He’d tried it out a week ago along with New Power’s recent game for beta testing. Needless to say, it converted the house into an audio warzone. It was awesome . 

But it wasn’t because he was currently in the business of changing some things with the other properties that Zhiwei had chosen to also renovate some spaces in the mansion, no. As corny as it may sound for someone like him who is usually more pragmatic, this move in his life hadn’t been something that he’d thought about years prior. Well, at least, not since the first hour of meeting Gu Wei; the elegant, gentlemanly, sometimes corny, doctor. Zhai Zhiwei’s fiance.

They’ll be living in this mansion, the very house that Zhai Zhiwei had lived in up until his teenage years, the very place Zhiwei didn’t consider to be of much importance--not until the past few years. Now, he’s determined to make it even more comfortable than it is, make it a home . 

“Wei-di?” Gu Wei calls out again, and it’s due to the man’s sweet voice that Zhiwei manages to pull himself out of having zoned out.

“Yes, ge!” Zhiwei runs to the second floor entertainment room where Gu Wei’s face is displayed on a massive seven by twelve-foot screen installed on the wall.

Zhiwei grins at the widescreen--the first thing he sees upon entering the room of course--before Gu Wei makes a tsk sound, making Zhiwei face the laptop at the side of the big screen. 

Yes . Zhai Zhiwei connected his video call to the biggest screen in the house. What of it? Gu Wei is so good-looking, the man deserves to be on-screen just like this! Plus maybe revered and worshipped and given offerings…..okay. Maybe that’s a bit exaggerated. But. Zhiwei’s point still stands; It’s rare to have even god himself feel the adoration that Zhiwei has for his beloved.

“It’s gonna be weird when the movers come in later, Wei-di.” Gu Wei says. He’s in his hospital office; an assortment of books and some unused medical equipment in the background. He’s in his white coat, complete with the nametag clipped at his left breast pocket. 

Indeed, some furniture movers would be coming in later to replace several of their home pieces. Zhiwei and Gu Wei had agreed they wanted modern furniture with minimalist designs, quite a contrast to the elaborately carved antique sets the mansion had housed over the decades. It wouldn’t be a waste, anyway. Zhiwei had an aunt obsessed with antiques who will surely take care of them properly. 

Gu Wei adjusts his eyeglasses and Zhai Zhiwei nearly dies on the spot.

“Gege, why aren’t you a jaw doctor?” Zhiwei loosely clutches at his shirt, the area right above his heart.

“ What?” Gu Wei, the gorgeous, gorgeous man, is visibly confused.

“My jaw keeps dropping just from how handsome you are.”

----

Three months before 

“ Wei-di, ” Gu Wei blinked at the flower which stem he was holding. “How did you even manage to get a fresh rose inside an airplane ?”

True enough, they were inside an aircraft, already thousands of feet above the ground, on its way to beautiful Hawaii. It was when the pilot had declared that it was safe enough to stand up and walk around that Zhiwei had excused himself to go to the ‘bathroom’. Although in reality, he had gone to the staff room to retrieve the red flower.

Zhiwei rubs his nose and grins proudly as he sat down beside Gu Wei once again. “Zhen Foods Corp. provides the meals for this deluxe plane.”

“Huh.”

It was Gu Wei’s seventh rose. 

Exactly a week ago, Zhiwei had started giving Gu Wei one fresh rose each day, much to his perfect boyfriend’s delight and confusion. Gu Wei has always liked flowers--or plants, in general--and Zhiwei is always glad to relish in the man’s joy.

“Wei-di.” Gu Wei nudges him once he’s settled on the seat.

“Mm?” Zhiwei turns to face him, neck cradled in a plush travel pillow. He blinks when Gu Wei passes the rose to him, gives his hand a little squeeze before letting go.

“Will you kindly hold onto that for me until we get to Hawaii?”

Zhiwei didn’t think this through enough. The flight time to their destination is ten hours. 

Flower in hand, Zhai Zhiwei rotates his wrist. He had dutifully held the rose for more than ten hours. They’re in the rented villa now, and he’s eager to give his arm a rest, or something.

Gu Wei chuckles as he takes the rose by its stem from  Zhiwei. He’d found a vase and a clipper from somewhere, though Zhiwei wouldn’t tell him that he was actually the one who had requested for those. 

As Gu Wei busies himself with the lone flower, Zhiwei scrolls through his phone to check their itinerary and his other plans.

Without fail, Zhiwei gives Gu Wei one rose for the next two days. Then comes the third day of their vacation, and Zhai Zhiwei kneels in front of his love, multi-color rose in one hand, a ring in the other.

Gu Wei says yes .

And even though Zhai Zhiwei had already anticipated this outcome, he still can’t help but be elated and glow and sniff . Now the petals of the rose are wet. 

Gu Wei gently pokes the head of the flower. “Wei-di, did you paint this?”

Zhiwei sniffs again, but he nods. “ I know it’s kinda ugly,” he starts, because it was his first time dyeing flower petals with food coloring, and he’d used some three colors, and the dyes bled into each other, resulting in a rainbow. 

“It’s not ugly, Wei-di.” Gu Wei caresses his cheek. “I love it. And I love you.”

Somehow after that, they’d ended up getting some local streetfood. And then--and this isn’t planned--somewhere in the distance, there is a long whistle, followed by a loud boom . A myriad of colors burst and sparkle in the night sky, melding into one another like the colors in the rose Zhiwei had given his Gu Wei, his fiance .

Gu Wei moves beside him, and Zhiwei nearly drops his chalice of shaved ice when Gu Wei brings their lips together.

In their short walk going back to the villa, Gu Wei decides to replant the roses in the back garden. Silently, Zhiwei makes a mental note to text his secretary later to set up a meeting with the current villa owner. Zhiwei is looking forward to signing a property ownership in the near future.

-----

Three days before 

Zhai Zhiwei checks his reflection on the full-length mirror for the nth time.

Jiaxin sighs exasperatedly behind him, “You look at yourself more than I used to check my face back when I assumed I was dating you.”

“It’s my wedding,”  Zhiwei emphasizes and rolls his eyes at her, making sure she sees through the mirror. But his face softens just the tiniest bit, remembering the time years ago when neither he nor Jiaxin had been a good friend to each other. He’s glad that this time around, they’d both grown into better people, albeit still managing to keep their occasional banter.

“Ah, Zhai Zhiwei,” she lifts a finger, obviously having noticed the change of expression on Zhiwei’s face. “Save all your sentiments for your wedding day. I want to see you cry so much and then I will film you.”

“Maybe I should keep you out of the hall, then.” Zhiwei scrunches his nose, actually facing her this time. He turns to look at the mirror again. 

Jiaxin groans. “You look good! The clothes look good! They’re very stylish and they fit nicely…. and yes.”

Zhiwei stares at her. “Yes what?”

“Yes, your handsome soon-to-be husband will definitely think your ass is very snug in those pants.” she finishes, “Happy?”

Zhiwei suddenly found the button at the cuff of his suit very interesting.

Before Jiaxin could even speak, because god knows she’s self-congratulatorily smug like that, Zhiwei mumbled, “Of course I look impeccable. Duh.”

-----  

Three weeks before

“What are those blankets and pillows for?” Gu Wei asks him from the couch, feet up on an elevated cushion in front of him. In his gray hoodie and dark blue sweatpants, plus the 2D animation film on the television, Gu Wei looks so soft like this.

Zhiwei adjusts his hold, the puffed pillows bouncing once before he tightens his arms around them. 

“Uh, transferring them to the bigger room?” he offers. These aren’t all of the things that he needs to transfer. He’ll have to move his clothes too, or at least some of them, and some other things. 

“Why?” Gu Wei turns his body to him, feet now slipping into his comfy indoor shoes, about to stand up, ready to help Zhiwei with carrying stuff. 

Just as Zhiwei guessed, Gu Wei does stand up, making grabby hands towards him and Zhiwei almost passes him a blanket, if not for Gu Wei suddenly breaking into a small frown.

“Does your bed need to be repaired?” the man asks, sounding so sincere, so concerned .

Zhai Zhiwei whacks him with a pillow, uncaring that the other things in his arms have fallen. (They conveniently land on an armchair.)

Gu Wei catches the pillow and manages to wring it out of Zhiwei’s grip. The latter concedes, but only in favor of grabbing one of the fallen pillows so he could whack Gu Wei again.

“Not sure if you’re trying to hurt me,” Gu Wei laughs. “Or trying to give me a rib massage.”

“Damn right, these pillows are soft.” Zhiwei grumbles, giving Gu Wei one last whack to the side. He gathers some of the blankets and leaves the rest for Gu Wei to pick up.

Gu Wei trails beside him, just follows Zhiwei into one of Zhai mansion’s unused rooms.

It was originally a guest room, but the ‘guests’ who had been inside the Zhai home had either been too intimidated or too unqualified to actually stay the night in, so there really hadn’t been any use for this room. 

Zhiwei tosses his armload onto the mattress, before going over there himself to arrange the pillows. He motions over for Gu Wei, takes the pillows and blankets from him, and arranges them too.

“My bed’s not broken.” Zhiwei snorts, finally acknowledging that it actually is funny. He fluffs a pillow against the headboard and rests his back on it. He fluffs another one, pats it until Gu Wei lies down beside him. When the man has settled, Zhiwei gestures a hand up, motioning like the air is something worth perusing. “What do you think?”

“What do I think?” Gu Wei repeats. He’s staring at Zhiwei, not at the spacious room that the latter has very vaguely motioned to. Hm. If he can’t help appreciating the beauty of god then Zhiwei would not stop him. 

“Think this would be a nice room for us?” Zhiwei faces him too. “Or, we could check the other rooms. The masters’ bedroom too. Though that might be a little weird ‘cause mom and dad used to stay there. But if you want--”

Gu Wei runs a hand through Zhiwei’s hair, fingers briefly grazing his forehead, halting the onslaught of words from his mouth. Grounding him. 

Gu Wei smiles wordlessly, likely at the formation akin to a magical coconut tree that is Zhiwei’s hair sticking out of the gaps of his fingers. 

They stay like that for a few moments, Gu Wei’s fingers on his hair alternating from lightly tugging or massaging his scalp. 

“Do you want to stay here?” Gu Wei throws the question back at him, softly.

“I’m asking you , ge.”

“How about your room?”

Zhiwei blinks. “You want to stay in my room?”

Gu Wei blinks as an answer. Deliberately slow. It’s almost a wonder how just that singular gesture is able to convey a Yes more than a verbal answer ever could.

“Why?” Zhiwei slowly blinks at him too. “I barely stayed there.” And in the instances that he did, Zhiwei didn’t really have anything to remember as a happy moment.

It’s one of his life’s biggest regrets; that he didn’t genuinely spend more time with his family, that he’d let himself be blinded by the initial anger he’d felt when he was first sent away to study overseas, to be successful. It’s still somewhat of a bitter topic to this day, even after he and his parents have reconciled, even after their passing. Some things just don’t heal up completely, even after time, especially that it’s something Zhiwei just keeps on burying instead of something that he tries to make peace with.

Wait--

“Are you--” he starts, but the rest of the sentence is muffled as soon as Gu Wei’s lips slot against his, the man’s hand still on his hair, tugging again. 

“We’ll change things.” Gu Wei says, face looming above him, his words looming over Zhiwei’s very soul.

A million other things are left unsaid, all of them important. But just because they aren’t verbally communicated does not mean that they aren’t communicated at all. 

Gu Wei’s expression remains soft above him. Soft and expectant, yet considerate.

“Thank you.” Zhiwei finally says. He’d meant to say I’d like that , but his love just keeps bringing out the most honest parts of him. 

Zhai Zhiwei is narcissistic and often self-absorbed. He knows that, has worked various ways around those traits of himself so that he’d be content but also manage to not hurt too much the people surrounding him. It’s always a work in progress, always a part of himself.

But this time, in this huge near-empty room, with Gu Wei in front of him, Zhai Zhiwei overflows with only gratitude.

-----

The day of.

Zhiwei is in a hotel suite being made up by his secretaries. It isn’t part of their job to continue--as his father had put it one time-- babysitting him. In Zhai Zhiwei’s perfect reasoning, it’s only logical to have his friends be the ones to be with him in the moments before one of the most important days in his life. 

Yes, friends .

They were the ones who had been there beside him during other important moments in his life. And there had been plenty of those instances. They had all grown together, alongside the expansion of New Power and Zhen Foods. They’re people Zhiwei can consider as family.

He’s staring at the mirror very intently while his brows are being groomed. From the balcony, he can hear Wang Zhenzhen talking via phone call to one of Zhen Foods’ investors. She’s insisting that Mr. Zhai must not be interrupted on this day. Zhiwei thinks he should give her a pay raise. Hm. Maybe he’ll give all of his employees a pay raise.

Jiaxin coats his brow with clear mascara while Zhiwei’s other secretary does his hair.

“Relax.” His friend says.

“I personally picked this seat.” Zhiwei retorts. It’s a gaming chair.

Jiaxin just looks at him.

“What.”

“I’m trying to come up with words of wisdom.”

Zhiwei squints. “That’s my job as your boss.”

Jiaxin nearly wheezes. “There’s the Zhiwei I know!” She squeezes his shoulders, but not too tight so she doesn’t crumple the fabric of his inner shirt. 

She grins at him through the mirror. “I’m happy for you.”

Zhiwei reaches one hand up, pats the back of Jiaxin’s. He returns her smile. “As you should be.”

-

There is a vase of at least two dozen roses in front of him. It is of different colors, arranged in such artfulness that it almost looks like a marbled something, if you look at it from afar.

Beside him, his uncle chuckles. 

“You’re just as nervous as both of your parents the day they got married.” 

Zhiwei gives up staring at the flowers in favor of blinking at his uncle. He is met with a smile, a pleasantly warm presence in the otherwise cold backroom of the hall where Zhiwei is waiting for the ceremony to start.

His mind latches on one word. “ Both?”

“Oh, yes.” His uncle chuckles again. “I was originally just going to put up with your mother’s nerves, but then your father called me in the middle of my conversation with her, asking if I had gloves because what if his hands were sweaty when he takes her hand.”

Zhiwei snorts.  He laughs even louder when his uncle produces a pair of silk gloves from the inside pocket of his coat. 

“Need these?”

“No, no.” Zhiwei dabs at the corner of his eye with the tip of his finger, taking away the tear before it even falls. 

His uncle shrugs, putting the gloves back inside his coat. It’s after a few more minutes before he speaks again. 

“I can tell he really loves you. And I haven’t interacted with the guy for more than an hour.” the man says. “That’s what I told your mother. That’s also what I’m telling you today.” he pauses. “I know, I’m just as non-present in your life as are the rest of our relatives. But do know, Zhiwei,” he smiles. “I’m proud of you. And I’m pretty sure your parents are happy for you, too.”

“Uncle,” Zhiwei tries not to whine. “The speeches are for the reception.”

His uncle just laughs in response. 

Several more minutes later, Zhai Zhiwei finds himself walking out of the backroom, his right forearm held lightly by his uncle.

For a moment, the entire hall is silent. Zhiwei takes a split second to absorb some of the details; the warm yellow chandeliers, the long tables decorated with rows upon rows of the same flower arrangement that there is in the backroom earlier, the scattering of more petals along the aisle, friends and guests combined anticipating the ceremony…

There is more. So much more. But half a second is the only time Zhiwei can manage to spare, before he looks to his far left, and finds that Gu Wei is already looking back at him.

Gu Wei is smiling, so brightly that Zhiwei thinks there must be some sort of cosmic explanation for how someone’s smile from several meters away is able to threaten to blind the light out of his eyes. Zhiwei only belatedly feels the welcome strain on his cheeks. He must be smiling so widely. 

The music starts and the grooms begin walking towards the center; Zhiwei’s arm held by his uncle, Gu Wei’s arms held by his own parents. Zhiwei tries his best to peel his gaze off of Gu Wei so that he could nod in the general direction of his friends and the guests. Best to acknowledge them now, because later he’ll surely be too preoccupied staring at his love.

The first music fades into a soft ending as the grooms reach the center of the hall. 

Uncle’s hand leaves his arm, giving him a final squeeze before fully letting go. Gu Wei’s parents do the same for their son. Mom, dad, and uncle nod at each other.

Gu Wei slips his right arm through the crook of Zhiwei’s left. 

This is it.

The singer starts singing in a capella, providing an air of intimacy and romance, and by the end of the first chorus, the grooms have already reached the end of the aisle.

They do as the officiator tells them to, exchanging quick glances and smiles in between.

When it’s time for the vows, Zhiwei reaches into his coat, produces another red rose. He hears Gu Wei’s smile before he sees it.

The officiator hands him a microphone, and for a brief moment, Zhiwei considers making a god joke. He decides against it, even when their ceremony is nothing to do with any religion. 

Zhiwei grasps the mic with one hand, red rose in the other. 

“Ge...Gu Wei,” he breathes, bites his lip while smiling at a Gu Wei who has raised one eyebrow at him, likely at the use of his full name. Zhiwei continues, “I’m sure you knew, on that first day, on the first instance that we met, that I was going to spiral towards you so willingly. I know you knew it.”

Gu Wei chuckles, the microphone only catching it softly.

“Such a handsome doctor, this man. He manages to be even more handsome when he’s just lounging at home in a faded hoodie. I don’t get it.” This, Zhiwei tells the guests. He turns to face Gu Wei again, the rest of his speech only for him. “Ge. It took me a long while, to believe that I deserve you. Each day, without fail, you remind me that I’m worth something--”

“The world.” Gu Wei says quickly.

“Quiet, gege. It’s not yet your turn.” 

The guests chuckle collectively, but Zhiwei only hears his Gu Wei’s sweet giggle. 

He resumes, “The world.”

Gu Wei laughs more, teeth showing this time. Zhiwei wants to kiss him now, but he must continue.

“There’s just so much that you made me realize.” He says with a nod. “One, that even a person with a heavenly ego could feel so humbled. Another, that there’s so much more to us people than our pasts. You’re a constant reminder that I could be better, that we could be better, and I bet that’s the one thing you didn’t know when we first met, when I nearly stumbled straight into the doors face first in your hospital because I was too captured by you.”

“You’re a sap.”

“Ssh. I’m nearly finished.” Zhiwei quips lightly. “I’m really glad we’re here today, ge. I love you.”

That was the end of his speech, and the officiator gently motions for him to pass the microphone to Gu Wei. He also takes the rose from Zhiwei’s hand.

Gu Wei waves the rose gently. 

“I love you, too.” he starts

Zhiwei feels like he might be frowning. He feels affectionately aggravated that Gu Wei starts his speech with a declaration of love. Zhai Zhiwei can’t help but bring a hand to his chest. To this, Gu Wei chuckles. Zhiwei does, too, but the laughter on his face is immediately frozen once Gu Wei reaches into his own coat.

“I figured I should also give you a rose on our wedding.” Gu Wei hands the flower to him. It’s rainbow- colored, actually rainbow-colored, not due to a bad dye job that Zhiwei had done to a white rose back in Hawaii, no. Gu Wei had probably dissected rose stems for this occasions. Zhiwei loves him so much. 

“You’re so extra .” Zhiwei mumbles, caressing a pale green petal.

“Says the one who gives me gifts nearly every single day.” Gu Wei retorts softly. “Always a generous person. Even Zhai Zhiwei himself doesn’t realize the extent of his generosity, of his purity.”

Once, during one of the many times that he’d snuggled to Gu Wei’s chest, late at night in the man’s apartment, when Zhiwei had voiced out something along the lines of Hm, gege is too good for me. I’m just a narcissistic brat, Gu Wei had told him the same thing. That Zhiwei’s ego is but a harmless facade obscuring the generous person that he truly was underneath. It’s the nicest compliment he’s heard.

“If you ask anyone in this room what you’ve done for them, your adorable facade will surely thicken up some more.”

Oh, Gu Wei is catching onto his thoughts, and is speaking as if Zhiwei is his only intended listener. Well then, yes. It’s a very good facade-thickener. 

Gu Wei proceeds with the speech, only looking at Zhiwei, as if they aren’t in a crowd-filled hall. He recalls how’s he’s already been thinking of marriage, only three months into their relationship. He’s overthought of it so much until Zhiwei himself had knelt for his hand.

Zhiwei already knows this story, but hearing it again now, on their wedding itself, makes it all the more meaningful.

Gu Wei vows to treasure him each day of their lives, and, as he covers the microphone, the man says, “I’m so lucky to have the honor of marrying a deity .”

Zhiwei laughs just as much as he’s (probably) crying.

Finally, the officiator holds a garland of roses and motions for the grooms’ hands. Zhiwei and Gu Wei need not look at each other to agree that they raise their hands holding the flowers they’d given to each other. 

The garland is tied around their wrists; hands now joined, lives now joined. 

Zhiwei tries to sweep Gu Wei off his feet in the literal sense, when the officiator has finally told them that they could kiss. But Zhiwei’s legs are jellier that he’d thought and he maybe probably still had some tears at the sides of his eyes, so his hand nearly slips.

Gu Wei saves the move for the both of them. Although it ends up with Zhiwei being the one swept off his feet; Gu Wei above him, the man’s hand on his lower back to support his weight. It’s one of those ultra-cliche fairytale kisses, overused by mid-2000s television dramas, and Zhiwei loves it so much. 

It brings him more delight when a song starts again, and there’s a loud snap from above.

It rains rose petals. Thousands of them, in every color. He makes a choked up noise at the back of his throat, and he willingly lets Gu Wei swallow down the sound with his own mouth.

They are to move to a different hall for the reception. As they exit the doors of the first hall, Zhiwei tries to save the pride of his arms and attempts to carry Gu Wei once more. 

He successfully makes it to a total of five steps before he staggers, and Gu Wei, his husband.... his HUSBAND!! What-- what was the thought again? Zhiwei has already forgotten. He’s just so happy that his most favorite man, his love, is now his husband, and that they will be spending the rest of their lives together. Comfortably, in the house that is of high personal significance to Zhiwei, and which they have arranged together.

The crowd around them is laughing, presumably because of something Zhiwei has done, but he doesn’t care, actually is laughing himself too, grinning, grinning, grinning so widely, up at a Gu Wei who looks absolutely immaculate while he also smiled at Zhiwei.

“Do you want me to carry you instead?” Gu Wei asks, and oh yes of course, Zhiwei wants that. 

But instead he grins even wider, takes his husband’s--HUSBAND! He takes his husband’s hand, and he starts running.

Gu Wei makes a startled little noise but he runs with Zhiwei anyway, and Zhiwei can’t help the boisterous laughter that bubbles out of him when he hears that the crowd behind them had also started running. That’s fine. And fun . They would have to be famished for the reception anyway. There is an absolute feast that awaits.

Wang Zhenzhen whisks them both to a big dressing room, while the guests are being settled in their seats. Jiaxin appears out of nowhere too, carrying their outfit changes. She leaves the clothes on the couch, then mutters something like Try not to eat each other’s face for too long. Guests are waiting.

Zhiwei hurls a rose from the coffeetable vase at her before she leaves with Zhenzhen, cackling. 

Although, in Zhiwei’s defense, it was Gu Wei who started attacking his lips first. Naturally, he would have to respond.

They only stop when there’s a loud knock on the door, and all Jiaxin says is “I AM HUNGRY.”

Gu Wei chuckles, peeling himself off of Zhiwei, and Zhiwei himself off the wall that his back has magically attached to.

“YOU SHOULD HAVE ORDERED DELIVERY THEN” Zhiwei yells back, but he and Gu Wei move to take their respective suits from the couch. There’s a silent agreement that they should actually make use of the provided two separate screens, lest the guests would have to wait for longer.

Five minutes later, the grooms step out of the room in their fresh suits, also matching as their previous white ones were, but this time they’re in a shade of light gray that gleams nealry lavender under the light. 

Entering the reception hall, Zhiwei blinks his eyes at several camera flashes, but he waves, grins, and then wordless follows the trail towards the humongous wedding cake at the center of the floor. Surrounding the cake, in large platters are diamond-shaped cupcakes, and macarons decorated with edible violet flowers.

“How is that thing even balancing itself?” Gu Wei whispers to his ear and Zhiwei leans in to him because they are married now. 

He shrugs as an answer. And Gu Wei chuckles and Zhiwei could feel his laughter.

Gu Wei holds the microphone as they took turns acknowledging their guests and thanking them for being witnesses to their wedding. After that, the crowd cheers, and the couple proceeds to cut the cake.

The hall erupts in applause and glasses clinking, when Zhiwei and Gu Wei fed each other a bite of cake. Zhiwei happily turns his face to his husband and closes his eyes, then he feels a chaste kiss on his lips. Then something on his cheek.

“Ge!” Zhiwei opens his eyes, already knowing that he has frosting on his face. 

Not to be bested, Zhiwei reaches a finger into their little plate of cake, only for his wrist to be stopped by Gu Wei. Gu Wei, his husband, who uses his hold on Zhiwei to pull him closer, angle them both so that the monster cake is obstructing the guests’ view, and then god . Gu Wei swipes clean Zhiwei’s cheek with a lick.

ZhaiZhiwei.exe has stopped working. Troubleshoot? Restart PC? 

Gu Wei has to steady Zhiwei’s other hand so that he doesn’t lose grip of the tiny fork he’s holding.

-

Zhiwei is itching to inch closer to his husband and perhaps maybe get away with sitting on his lap, but there’s at least two hundred people watching them.

As they gently nibbled on some food, and as the guests ate to their hearts’ content, their loved ones started to gather at the side of the platform, and then their speeches began.

Gu Wei’s parents went first, standing side by side, sharing the microphone. They’re sweet, like their son is, and by the time they climb down the platform they are teary-eyed. Gu Wei and Zhiwei stand up to hug them from across their table.

Zhiwei’s uncle keeps his speech short, and thankfully does not take out the gloves he’d tried to offer Zhiwei earlier. Gu Wei’s friends from the hospital go next, and although Zhiwei isn’t that much close to them yet, his thanks for them are all heartfelt.

Jiaxin comes up next, and boasts that she’d been responsible for at least half of the arrangements for this occasion. 

“I needed to make sure that my best friend only got the best,” she says, directly at Zhiwei, and oh wow . They’re both sniffling. 

Jiaxin sticks a tongue out at him before her gaze turns to Gu Wei. “And you, sir, are the best for him. Good luck.”

“What do you mean good luck ?!” Zhiwei half-shouts, because he doesn’t have a mic this time. The crowd good-naturedly laughs, and Zhiwei gives Jiaxin a tight hug.

The Game Dev guys from New Power then takes control of the giant screen at the wall, and the lights dim, presenting playable characters in New Power’s newest game that are modeled after Zhiwei and Gu Wei. It isn’t to be released to the public, but hm. Zhiwei is thinking.

Taking advantage of the already dim surroundings, a couple of entertainment numbers begin. After those, the guests chant for the newlyweds to dance as well, so, Zhai Zhiwei, ever the crowd-pleaser, leads Gu Wei to the floor.

The first music that plays is electronic, so Zhiwei does the best he can in his suit, while Gu Wei tries to mimic some of the tamer moves, not really trying to impress anyone. Zhiwei knows that Gu Wei is happy just being there with him. 

He requests for a slow song next, and beckons the guests to join them on the floor as well. It’s due to this that Zhiwei finally gets to see his now-husband up close, under the cool light purple lighting, and he gets lost in just staring at the man he’d married. He only comes back to present when Gu Wei kisses him and the guests who aren’t on the floor starts clapping.

-

Zhiwei is still in a trance, somewhat, even after they’d bid their goodbyes to family and friends. The rest of the guests are to be handled by direct staff and secretaries. Zhiwei can’t be bothered with them anymore when his husband--HUSBAND--is beside him. He stares at Gu Wei in the back of the car they’re currently in, about to be taken to their home, and Zhiwei knows that he’s thinking the same thing. 

Their other worlds--the one where Gu Wei is a doctor, and the one where Zhiwei runs two corporations--those other worlds can wait. Right now, they’ll be busy with their own.

-----

The day after their wedding, Zhiwei wakes up to Gu Wei’s hand stroking his hair, massaging his scalp. Its is reminiscent of the day that they decided their room shall be Zhiwei’s previous one, the day Gu Wei had promised that they will change things, together.

Zhiwei likes how he’d worded it. Change . Not an overwrite. Experiences, after all, aren’t something that could be overwritten. 

“What are you thinking about?” Gu Wei’s morning voice is soothing.

“You.” Zhiwei answers simply, leaves a peck on the chest he’d been using as a pillow. 

It’s true. Zhiwei’s line of thought was going to end with how meeting Gu Wei had probably saved him from spiralling into some misfortune and misery. But Zhiwei wouldn’t dwell on that more, not when his husband is here with him, a stronghold and inspiration towards self-beterment, as Zhiwei is sure that he is the same to his husband.

“Maybe you can think of me more, but over breakfast.” Gu Wei suggests. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Probably didn’t eat plenty last night after all.”

Same , Zhiwei thinks. But once again, just like all the other times he’d spent with Gu Wei, the most honest part of him wins the brain-to-mouth competition.

So he says, “Ge, you ate plenty during the reception.” He rises, gathers the blanket before adding, “You just over-exerted after-- AH !”

He gleefully skids back when Gu Wei also rises and reaches for him, but he manages to grab Zhiwei’s hand anyway. 

Ah, well .

Just like the world, breakfast, too, can wait.