Work Text:
When Jiang Cheng looks up, his mouth half-opened with the intention of giving his brother a piece of his mind for being late again, he finds Lan Wangji staring at him with a confused expression.
“Jiang Cheng.” The other man says, slowly, sliding on the chair across from Jiang Cheng when the waitress gestures for him to sit down. They both watch as she comes back with wine and a plate of crackers and fucking caviar. Jiang Cheng hates wine, but he hates being the centre of attention even more, so he takes a sip of the drink and promptly ignores Lan Wangji until the waitress leaves.
“Did Wei Wuxian invite you, too?”
Lan Zhan nods, slowly. He does not touch the wine.
“He did not say you’d be here.”
“Funny,” Jiang Cheng mutters between gritted teeth. It isn’t funny at all, “he didn’t say you’d be here either.”
The waitress comes back with a plate of oysters and Jiang Cheng watches Lan Wangji’s eyebrow twitch.
What the fuck.
-
“You-” Jiang Cheng throws the door open, marches inside his brother’s house with every intention of killing him, only to immediately come to a stop when he finds Wei Wuxian stuffing his mouth with ice cream, “are you fucking kidding me?”
“Jiang Cheng,” he drops the tube of ice cream on the coffee table, trying to hide his red eyes from Jiang Cheng, “why are you here?”
“Why are you here?” Jiang Cheng gives back, hands shaking with anger and humiliation and – most likely – hunger. “You invited Lan Wangji for dinner on the same restaurant, at the same time, you invited me to, and then you stood both of us up? Do you have a death wish?”
“It’s your favorite restaurant!” Wei Wuxian whines, raising his hands. “I thought I was doing you a favor!”
“A favor.” Jiang Cheng repeats, incredulous. “A favor.” Wei Wuxian, in a complete out-of-character gesture, nods seriously, eyes lacking all the mirth Jiang Cheng is used to seeing. He does not know what to make of this.
“Did you confess your feelings?” His brother asks.
“My feelings.” Jiang Cheng mouths, looking around the room for hidden cameras, perhaps expecting Nie Huaisang to come out of a closet yelling ‘gotcha’. When nothing happens, he searches his brain for a clue, a memory, anything that might explain what is happening right now. “My feelings—” he repeats, slowly, “for Lan Wangji.” Wei Wuxian nods, earnest.
Jiang Cheng throws his shoe at him.
-
“You always talk when we meet! Ouch!”
“That’s called being polite, you dipshit. Do you ever use your brain to think?”
“You said he’s smart and pretty and—Jiang Cheng, not the hair!”
-
“It was an honest mistake!” Wei Wuxian protests, wiping the blood of the corner of his mouth. They haven’t fought like this since they were fifteen, seventeen maybe, but he regrets nothing, the idiot deserved it. Jiang Cheng is still not entirely against the idea of locking him inside a room with Fairy.
“It was a dumb mistake.” Jiang Cheng growls. “You’re the one who always drags me along to your weekly lunch dates. It’s not like I enjoy watching him make heart-eyes at you.”
Wei Wuxian blinks, bewildered. “We don’t—I don’t—he—”
Jiang Cheng tackles his brother to the floor again.
-
“He doesn’t.” Wei Wuxian says, lying down next to Jiang Cheng on the floor.
“He does.” Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes, wincing when he touches his jaw. He’s gonna be sore tomorrow and Wei Wuxian will definitely be sporting a black eye this weekend. Their sister will kill them.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“He’s your best friend.” Jiang Cheng says. When Wei Wuxian doesn’t answer, Jiang Cheng risks a glance at his brother and sighs when he finds him pensive. “Hey,” he pokes him on the ribs, making Wei Wuxian squirm, “you don’t have to like him back, you know.” Wei Wuxian nods, slowly, and though his face doesn’t show any kind of emotion, Jiang Cheng sees it anyway.
His brother is the smartest idiot in the world.
“You self-sacrificing dumbass.” Wei Wuxian snorts, humorless, at his words, and if Jiang Cheng wasn’t so tired from all the wrestling they did minutes ago, he would have started pulling at his hair again. “Why didn’t you tell him?”
“He’s my best friend!” Wei Wuxian protests.
“And he could be your boyfriend as well!”
“But—what if it doesn’t—”
“So, what? You’re not even going to try?” Jiang Cheng says. “You’re just gonna keep lying at him? Playing matchmaker until he finds someone he wants to share oysters with?” He watches as Wei Wuxian’s eyes widen in surprise. “Did you know oysters are an aphrodisiac?” He teases. “You should try to set him up with Huaisang next, I bet he’d love to take Lan Wangji to that hotel next to the restaurant—”
It’s Wei Wuxian’s turn to hit him with a pillow.
-
“I love you.” Wei Wuxian says, sniffling against Lan Wangji’s shoulder. Jiang Cheng sighs from his spot on the couch, holding a package of frozen peas on his split lip.
This is ridiculous. His brother is ridiculous. Lan Wangji seems to love him like this thought, good for them.
“Thanks.” Wei Wuxian tells him when Jiang Cheng announces he’s leaving. They haven’t started making out yet, thank God, but that’s mostly because Lan Wangji has some shame. Wei Wuxian was born shameless, the idiot.
“For what?” Jiang Cheng gives back. “Punching some sense into you, or stealing your phone and calling him—” he indicates Lan Wangji with his head, “while you were eating more ice cream?”
Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. From his place next to Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji rolls his eyes as well. They deserve each other. “Both, I guess.”
Jiang Cheng shrugs. “I’m telling our sister you punched me first.”
When Wei Wuxian laughs, loud and carefree, Jiang Cheng smiles back.