Work Text:
“Sorry, sorry!” Zizhen wheezes as he drops into a chair across from Jin Ling. He is monstrously late, but Jin Ling doesn’t so much as complain, which somehow makes Zizhen feel worse. “Let me buy you a drink.”
“No need,” Jin Ling says. He waves toward the counter, and Zizhen sees Sizhui and Jingyi in line. Jingyi nods back.
“I thought they were busy,” Zizhen says, dread creeping up his spine.
“They made time.” Jin Ling taps his phone screen and then puts it in his bag.
“Is everything okay?” Zizhen asks.
“Let’s wait for the others.”
“Dude, if I did anything --”
“No!” Jin Ling takes a breath. “No, it’s not that. Just, let’s wait, okay?”
Zizhen fiddles with the friendship bracelet on his left wrist while they wait. Thankfully he is spared too much time as Jingyi and Sizhui arrive with bubble teas and bags of various salty snacks. Sizhui hands Zizhen his favorite combo -- strawberry milk tea and spicy shrimp sticks -- and Zizhen’s stomach drops when not one of them tease him for it.
“Okay guys, something’s wrong,” he starts, but Sizhui lays a hand on his arm.
Jingyi takes a slurping sip of his brown sugar tea. “Okay,” he says around a mouthful of tea, “here’s the thing. We love you, right? But we’re concerned.”
“Why?” Zizhen says, stricken. Concerned is bad. It’s like when you get in trouble and your favorite extra uncle says I’m not mad, I’m disappointed. Tears prick his eyes.
“We all have our reasons,” Jingyi begins, but Jin Ling elbows him.
“A-Qing,” Jin Ling says. “You’re, like, super in love with her, right?”
Zizhen splutters. “What! No I’m not! Gross! Girls are gross!”
Jin Ling rolls his eyes and Sizhui hides a smile.
“Zizhen, bro,” Jingyi says, then coughs as he chokes on a bubble. “Bro,” he coughs, “you’ve got it bad for her. And there’s gonna be that stupid dance at the next conference because her dads are like formalizing their new sect and everyone’s getting fancy for it, and bro, bro, we are begging you, ask her to be your date for this thing!”
“I can’t do that!” Zizhen says, horrified. “Her dads are gonna be in the spotlight, which means she’s gonna be in the spotlight, which means I would be in the spotlight, and I don’t like her.”
“Mama says A-Qing thinks you’re cute,” Jin Ling interjects before Zizhen can fully melt down.
“Really?”
Sizhui laughs as Zizhen perks up. Jin Ling rolls his eyes.
“Yes. She told Auntie Su when they all went dress shopping, and Auntie told Mama, and look, the point is that she’d be down to go with you.”
“Maybe you could try a more low-key date first,” Sizhui suggests gently. “You could take her to a movie. And you could officially meet her dads in a more chill setting.”
Zizhen’s eyes widen. “Oh shit! I’m gonna meet her dads!”
“Her dads are chill,” Jingyi scoffs. “It’s their boyfriend you have to worry about.”