Chapter Text
The next morning they met in the hallway once more. Lan Zhan suppressed a smile at the sight of Wei Ying bundled up in the garments he had purchased for him. Wei Ying twirled for him. “See Lan Zhan? I’m going to be so cosy on my walk to work today and all thanks to you!”
Lan Zhan nodded and they headed to the elevator together. As Lan Zhan pressed the button Wei Ying swayed on his feet a little and put a hand to his head. He was in no danger of falling as that wasn’t part of his little ploy but Lan Zhan predictably leapt to his side anyway and placed an arm across his back, the other hand grasping his elbow. “Wei Ying?” he asked with concern.
“Oh it’s nothing Lan Zhan! Please don’t worry!” Wei Ying said as Lan Zhan ushered him into the lift. He didn’t let go which left Wei Ying delighted. “I didn’t have time for breakfast this morning. I rarely do. I’ll be fine! I’ll grab a coffee on the way!”
Lan Zhan frowned which Wei Ying found very cute now that he knew the real reason behind the expression. “Coffee is not food,” he said sternly.
“What do you suggest, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying asked, looking up at him with big innocent eyes.
Just as Wei Ying had hoped, they ended up eating together at a nearby cafe. Lan Zhan ordered fruit and porridge for them both and made sure Wei Ying ate every drop. He ordered two teas to go and Wei Ying was so happy that everything had worked out as he wanted it to, he didn’t even complain about it not being coffee. He beamed as they said their goodbyes at the door. “I’ll see you later, Lan Zhan!” he said happily as he headed off. Lan Zhan nodded once and set off in the opposite direction, one arm firmly set behind his back. Wei Ying thought it was adorable.
When Wen Qing saw Wei Ying approach with a to-go cup already in hand she waited patiently for an explanation.
“So this is why you didn’t text me your coffee order today,” she said.
Wei Ying nodded.
“Are you celebrating successfully kicking your neighbours ass?” she asked.
Wei Ying shook his head. “That was all a big misunderstanding. Turns out Lan Zhan is actually the best person I know! He’s just not very good at communicating but that’s okay because as we know I do enough talking for ten people.”
Wen Qing nodded in agreement. “I like the new look by the way.”
Wei Ying grinned. “These were gifts from my woefully misunderstood hot neighbour. He wasn’t frowning at me because he hated my clothes, he was actually just worried for me because he doesn’t want me to get sick from the cold…”
“Damn. It sounds like you’ve got yourself a sugar daddy.”
Wei Ying frowned. “What? No. It’s not like that…I don’t want to take advantage of him…”
“Did he buy you that tea?” Wen Qing asked.
Wei Ying blushed.
“Sugar daddy,” Wen Qing said, tapping her nose.
“He is not my sugar daddy!” Wei Ying exclaimed a little too loudly.
Shit…it was appealing to think of Lan Zhan looking after him though…
“Don't fight it, sugar baby,” Wen Qing murmured as she walked off.
Wei Ying headed to his desk and guiltily chewed the tops off all his best pens. Was he taking advantage of Lan Zhan? But he just wanted to spend more time with him! And as he seemed to be invested in Wei Ying’s well-being the only way he could think of to do that was to play on his concerns. The last thing he wanted was to scare Lan Zhan away again and as much as he hated to admit it…the sugar daddy idea was so…hot…
He decided to stay with his plan for the moment, just until he could be sure he could hold Lan Zhan’s attention without the need to play on his good nature and if it gave him a thrill to think of Lan Zhan as his unofficial sugar daddy, well that was just something for his own private enjoyment.
**********
“So you bought him a coat, a scarf, some gloves and breakfast?” Lan Huan again asked.
“Mn,” Lan Zhan confirmed.
“It sounds a lot like you’re his sugar daddy, brother.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s when a slightly older individual lavishes gifts and money on someone they wish to spend time with and the younger recipient usually reciprocates with…sexual favours.”
Lan Zhan spat out his tea on the other end of the phone. “I am not a sugar daddy,” he growled.
“Hey no judgement here! I have two boyfriends, do whatever makes you happy brother of mine.”
Lan Zhan rolled his eyes. “I don’t think Wei Ying is interested in me that way but we can perhaps be friends now, which is acceptable.”
“Well that’s nice too, you need a friend and he sounds like he is a lot of fun.”
“Mn.”
“Okay I gotta go check on my gluten free muffins. Keep me posted on your progress?”
“Mn, I will. Goodbye brother,” Lan Zhan hung up the phone and researched sugar daddies on the Internet. He was ashamed to find that the idea turned him on. But then what was the harm? He liked Wei Ying and he had enough money to spoil him. Money was nothing but an object, Wei Ying was flesh and blood. They were not comparable by worth. Wei Ying was simply priceless. But wouldn’t it be bad to deceive Wei Ying? After all, his pretty neighbour wasn’t looking for a relationship…Lan Zhan decided that as long as Wei Ying didn't seem uncomfortable there wasn’t any harm in him playing the role of his sugar daddy secretly in his head, Wei Ying never needed to know. He closed down his sugar daddy research material and returned to his online grocery shopping. He planned on making a meal for Wei Ying that evening after the man had let it slip at breakfast that he had no food in the house. Honestly Wei Ying made it so easy for someone to ‘sugar daddy’ him, it was almost as if he really was open to the idea…
**********
A few weeks later, Jiang Cheng picked up his sandwich and took a big bite. He looked across the lunch table at his co-worker Lan Huan who smiled up at him as he ate his salad.
“So…basically,” Jiang Cheng said after he swallowed. “Your bro is happily buying my bro things and my bro is happily accepting them but they both feel guilty because they think they are taking advantage of each other even though they are both quite happy with the situation?”
Lan Huan nodded.
“Wow. So they're both idiots.”
Lan Huan nodded again.
“What should we do about it?”
Lan Huan sighed. “I believe we need to hold some sort of intervention, perhaps if we calmly sit them down and…what are you doing?”
Jiang Cheng held his phone to his ear waiting for it to connect. “Wei Ying? I’m sitting with Lan Zhan’s brother. He says Lan Zhan has no problem being your sugar daddy so stop being dumb. You aren’t taking advantage of him. He likes buying you things so go suck his face or whatever else you wanna suck about it and no I do not want to know the details. Bye.”
“Or we could do that…” Lan Huan said.
“When it comes to Wei Ying, you gotta be blunt or the wanker will never see the wood for the trees…”
Lan Huan nodded. “I have much to learn from you especially if all goes to plan, then we’ll be family soon!”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “That depends on if those two idiots can actually sort their shit out long enough to realise they're in love with each other.”
**********
Wei Ying stared at his phone for a good few minutes after Jiang Cheng had hung up. Lan Zhan reappeared in front of him carrying their drinks and a scone for Wei Ying that he hadn’t asked for but had looked longingly at through the cafe glass counter display. Lan Zhan set about preparing Wei Ying’s coffee just as he liked it. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he stirred.
Wei Ying blinked. “Nothing’s wrong.” He replied. “It’s just that…Lan Zhan, do you…enjoy buying me things?”
Lan Zhan’s ears reddened. “I’ve wanted to confess for some time…I really do enjoy providing for you, Wei Ying. My brother introduced me to the concept of a sugar daddy, and even though I knew it was wrong…I have imagined myself taking on this role in regards to you but I want to stress I do not expect anything in return. I apologise for doing this without your knowledge…and if you wish to leave…”
Wei Ying grabbed Lan Zhan’s hand across the table and squeezed. “I don’t want to leave…I…I like being your sugar baby, Lan Zhan. I like it a lot. Almost as much as…I like you.”
“You….you like me?” Lan Zhan almost whispered.
Wei Ying giggled. “Of course I do! Have you seen you? Now I have to confess I’ve sort of been using your concern for my well-fare as an excuse to spend more time with you. Are you mad?”
Lan Zhan shook his head. “Why would I be mad? Wei Ying likes me and I like Wei Ying.”
Wei Ying smiled at him and Lan Zhan felt his heart overflow with that special energy he only felt when Wei Ying beamed at him.
“So…” Wei Ying said, his thumb now rubbing suggestively over Lan Zhan’s hand. “You’ve more than lived up to your end of this bargain…but I’ve been woefully lacking in my sugar baby duties.”
Lan Zhan swallowed hard. “I don’t expect…”
“I know you don’t expect, Lan Zhan. But I want to. I really want to,” he murmured with a loaded look.
“We can be at my apartment in precisely ten minutes and sixteen seconds,” Lan Zhan said, already standing up and holding Wei Ying’s coat for him.
“See? I think it’s hot that you know that. I have no idea why but I do,” Wei Ying replied as Lan Zhan slipped him into his coat.
Lan Zhan leaned over Wei Ying’s shoulder and kissed his cheek. “You have no idea how hot I find you wearing the coat I purchased for you,” he whispered close to his ear.
Wei Ying shivered. “You can show me in ten minutes and sixteen seconds,” he giggled back, taking Lan Zhan’s hand and pulling him out of the cafe.
**********
Another few weeks later…
“Arghhhhhh!” Jiang Cheng screamed, slamming his phone screen down on the table.
“What’s wrong?” Lan Huan asked, pausing his fork load of tofu right outside his mouth.
“My idiot brother will not stop telling me the details of his sexual exploits with your brother!” Jiang Cheng screamed.
Lan Huan smiled. “I think it’s sweet! They’re so in love! Also I’m slightly jealous…Lan Zhan offers me very little information.”
“Count yourself lucky…” Jiang Cheng muttered.
Lan Huan laughed. “You love him really, why else would you make him your best man?”
“Lack of other options,” Jiang Cheng growled.
His phone beeped again and Jiang Cheng tentatively picked it up then quickly slammed it back down again and put a hand over his eyes.
“Do I want to know?” Lan Huan asked.
Jiang Cheng shook his head. “No. You don’t want to know.”
There was a pause while they ate in silence, then Jiang Cheng spoke quietly. “They’re moving in together and they're getting bunnies.”
“Oh how lovely! Wait, why did that news warrant a hand over your eyes?”
“He also asked me where he could purchase a stripper pole for their bedroom.”
“Ah…I see. But why would he ask you for this information? Jiang Cheng do you have a….”
“NO COMMENT!”