Work Text:
1.
Fang Shiqian never thought he'd see the day when Wang Jiexi asked for his help preparing for a first date.
"It's not a date," Wang Jiexi says for the umpteenth time, as Fang Shiqian goes through Wang Jiexi's cupboard for something that can be worn on a not-a-date-but-sounds-suspiciously-like-a-date.
"If it's not a date then why am I helping you pick out an outfit but not allowed to tag along?" Fang Shiqian points out.
"It's a… private initial meeting of fellow B City captains to discuss the potential formation of an increased partnership between our teams."
"Then why have you been asking around for the best get-to-know-you questions to ask at the start of a relationship?"
Wang Jiexi pointedly elects not to answer and instead buttons up the coat that Fang Shiqian had picked out, before checking himself out in the mirror once he's done. He stares at his own reflection critically then unbuttons the first two buttons again. With a final nod of approval at Wang Jiexi's outfit - just the right mix of classy and casual - Fang Shiqian follows Wang Jiexi out of his room and prepares to head back to his own room.
"Have fun at your - what did you call it again? Private initial meeting of fellow B City captains to discuss the potential formation of an increased partnership?" Fang Shiqian calls out after Wang Jiexi's rapidly departing back, even as he takes out his phone to gleefully update Lin Jie on Wang Jiexi's not-a-date.
2.
Fang Shiqian knocks on the door to Wang Jiexi's new apartment. To his surprise, it's Tian Sen who opens the door and lets him in, calling to Wang Jiexi to come get his guest and handing Fang Shiqian a pair of slippers before disappearing into another room.
"Didn't know you and Tian Sen were in the living together stage of your relationship now," Fang Shiqian remarks as Wang Jiexi comes and brings him into the living room.
"It made sense, we were both looking for a place to live so thought we might as well get a place together. Tian Sen is a good friend and roommate."
"Right, just a good friend and roommate," Fang Shiqian raises an eyebrow, "nothing to do with the fact that you've been boyfriends for a couple of years now."
"We're not boyfriends. We haven't had that discussion yet."
"You haven't gone on a date with anyone else other than Tian Sen for six years already, and from what I can tell, Tian Sen hasn't either. You've told him that you love him, and he's told you the same - I know because you wouldn't shut up to me about it for a week after it first happened. I'm not sure how to tell you this but I'm pretty sure you and Tian Sen are boyfriends."
Rather than respond, Wang Jiexi just takes a sip of tea. Fang Shiqian wants to reach out and shake Wang Jiexi until he says something - preferably not another useless denial - but resorts to just taking out his phone and messaging Lin Jie a string of exclamation marks instead.
3.
"Dinner next Thursday at 7PM at my place, partners are invited as always," Fang Shiqian says, when Wang Jiexi finally picks up his phone.
There's a moment of silence from Wang Jiexi before he answers. "Tian Sen doesn't have anything on on Thursday evenings so we should be able to make it. Also, Tian Sen isn't my partner."
Fang Shiqian is silent for a three whole seconds to convey his disbelief at the sheer audacity of the statement before responding.
"Gao Yingjie accidentally called Tian Sen stepdad during the last dinner."
"That doesn't mean anything, He Weitang calls me dad all the time during the Royal Style get-together dinners."
Fang Shiqian stares at his phone for a moment, mouth open to respond but nothing coming out. Fang Shiqian wonders if Wang Jiexi is being deliberately obtuse or has really gotten stupider and stupider over time.
"Are you sure you and Tian Sen aren't already married? You've already got the apartment and the gross domesticity and even shared children."
"Don't be ridiculous, I think I'd know if I was married," Wang Jiexi says calmly. "Tian Sen's just my roommate who I get along with very well."
"Roommates with benefits who exclusively sleep together, go everywhere together, and are actively planning a future together? Who get called dad by each other's juniors?"
Wang Jiexi pauses as he thinks it over. "It's complicated."
"It's not that complicated, you're just a coward. Just admit Tian Sen's your partner and be done with it," Fang Shiqian tells Wang Jiexi with the most flat and unimpressed voice he can muster before hanging up. Sighing with frustration, Fang Shiqian calls Lin Jie - who picks up on the first ring, as he always does - to complain.
+ 1
"Were you going to tell me you got married to Tian Sen," Fang Shiqian asks aggressively, "and why did I have to find this out from Zhang Xinjie, of all people?"
Wang Jiexi puts down his cup of tea, seemingly confused. "I thought you already knew. You were there at our wedding dinner after all."
"What wedding dinner?"
Wang Jiexi goes from looking confused to concerned. "The one last month where you arrived late, saw Lin Jie crying, said that you weren't drunk enough for this then proceeded to drink half a bottle of baijiu?"
Fang Shiqian only remembers it, if only for the aftermath - waking up the day after in Lin Jie's bed in Lin Jie's apartment, which was nice, with a splitting headache, which was decidedly not so nice. There had been jokes about Wang Jiexi and Tian Sen being married in the group chat, but they had been joking about that for at least two years at this point.
"I thought you were still in denial about your relationship with Tian Sen or having commitment issues! Three months ago you refused to admit you and Tian Sen were partners and now you're married!"
Tian Sen - Wang Jiexi's husband - comes by and drops off a cup of tea for Fang Shiqian. Tian Sen and Wang Jiexi exchange besotted smiles before Tian Sen wanders off again into another room, leaving them to chat in peace.
Wang Jiexi has the temerity to leverage a look of disappointment at Fang Shiqian. "Don't be ridiculous, I've always known I shared a non-platonic relationship with Tian Sen."
Fang Shiqian very valiantly fights the urge to scream. Instead he picks up his cup of tea so helpfully provided by Wang Jiexi's husband, takes a sip, puts it down, then pulls out his phone to message Lin Jie who would be nice and sympathetic and understanding of his rage.