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Oh no, Wei Wuxian thinks as he walks his last patient of the day to the door. No, no, no. Absolutely no way is he letting this happen.
He calls a half-hearted farewell to his patient and races to the check out counter with the speed of a man attempting to stop a horrible tragedy – because he is.
Right there, in the middle of his own business, the most beautiful man in the entire, literal world is about to buy the most hideous glasses any incompetant, fashionably challenged manufacturer has ever dared to create.
It all happens like a dramatic slomo scene from an action movie. As he approaches the counter, arm out stretched, the patient and his optician, Nie Huaisang, turn to him with wide eyes. He thinks he hears Nie Huaisang call his name in alarm, but it barely registers through the haze of desperation.
“No!” He cries and finally, finally reaches the counter. In one fell swoop, he snatches the patient’s credit card and glasses in his hand and steps back out of reach.
“I cannot not let this transaction happen, not in my store.”
From the corner of his eye, he swears he sees Nie Haisang heave a sigh of relief, but when he checks, the man looks as anxious and confused as he always does. The patient, a serious, professional looking man, glares at him.
“Please return my card and glasses,” he requests, an edge to his voice. Wei Wuxian eyes him wearily. With the glasses out of the way, he supposes it should be safe to return the card. Carefully, he extends the card (a black card, the former broke ass college student in him notes) out to the man, keeping the glasses hidden behind his back.
The man takes it. When it becomes clear Wei Wuxian is not planning to give him the glasses, he raises a brow.
“The glasses as well. Please. I will not ask again.”
"Gege," Wei Wuxian drawls. "You can do much better than these clunky things! Come on, let's go try on some other frames."
He walks towards the display, but stops when the man doesn't follow.
"Those frames are fine,” he clips. “Now, return them so I can be checked out."
Wei Wuxian scoffs indignantly. "Gege, if I let you buy these, that's the only kind of checking out you'll be receiving for awhile."
The man's impassive expression doesn't shift, but Wei Wuxian clocks a subtle eye twitch with no small amount of amusement. Pretty, mean and fun to tease. Crazy how a man with so little taste can somehow still check all of his boxes.
"I am not buying glasses for appearance sake, I am buying them to see," he bites out. "Those frames are sturdy and comfortable for the occasional times I will use them. I do not care how they look."
Wei Wuxian eyes him, taking in the crisp, light blue button up and dark grey slacks. Both are well fitted and entirely uncreased, despite it being late afternoon. When he shifts, his sleeve moves up just enough for Wei Wuxian to catch a glance of a very expensive looking watch.
Wei Wuxian quirks a brow. The man clears his throat quickly tugs the offending sleeve down.
"That outfit altogether must cost no less than $500 and you're trying to tell me you don't care about appearances?"
The man glares at him. "My clothes are professional," he says with a pointed look at Wei Wuxians own work clothes – a comfy red button up and black ripped skinny jeans.
Wei Wuxian laughs loudly at the blatant jab. "That they are," he allows. "But, won't these glasses ruin the whole wealthy businessman-possibly-a-sugar-daddy vibe you got going on?"
The man's eyes narrow. The stony glare from before shifts into something more murderous.
"Ridiculous."
Wei Wuxian swallows down a delighted noise. Teasing him is turning out to be the most fun he's had all week.
He tries (and mostly fails, going off the guy’s unimpressed expression) to mold his face into something resembling concern and holds up the frames in question. The frames are a hideous shade of brown and bulky with round lenses.
"These look like they're made for a 13 year old going through their 'I’m so different and quirky' phase because they saw it in a movie, not a handsome professional like yourself."
The man storms over, snatches the frame from his hand and slams them back on the counter by Nie Huaisang
"I would like these," he snaps. Wei Wuxian groans loudly.
"Okay, gege -"
"Don't call me that."
"Okay, not-gege, let's make a deal. I'll pick out five frames and if you don't like any of them, you can buy those."
"I can buy these now," he points out with a sniff. Wei Wuxian gives him a look.
"I know you can, but please at least look at other options before you buy the most atrocious pair we sell."
The man straightens. "How do you know I didn't look at other pairs before?"
Wei Wuxian crosses his arms and leans back, unimpressed. "Did you?"
He looks away. Wei Wuxian glances at Nie Huaisang, who subtly shakes his head. Wei Wuxian smirks and looks back at the man.
"I didn't think so. I bet you just grabbed the first sturdy looking pair you saw and called it good, didn't you, not-gege?"
"There is nothing wrong with wanting to choose a sturdy pair," he answers, still not looking at him.
"Of course not," he soothes. "But, the technology is pretty great these days. We have several options that look flimsy, but are just as strong as the ones you picked.”
The man throws him a suspicious look, then turns to Nie Huaisang. "Is that true?"
Nie Huaisang nods frantically. "Yes, yes, Dr. Wei is correct."
He faces Wei Wuxian again, who lifts a hand as though to say 'see?'.
"How about it then, not-gege? Will you give me a chance to blow your mind?"
The man scoffs, but moves to sit at the fitting table. "You may present five pairs. If I do not like them, then I will buy the original ones."
Wei Wuxian grins brightly. "You're on," he agrees, then sets off to work.
He flits about their display cases, looking closely at each pair. When he finds one he likes, he has Nie Huaisang pull up their information sheet to check their ratings in strength, comfort, flexibility and long term fit. He puts back the ones that don't line up with the man's - Lan Wangji is his name, he has recently learned - preferences.
It takes several minutes, but eventually he ends up with five pairs he thinks will work. He lines them up on the table in front of Lan Wangji and carefully presents the ratings for each pair. Lan Wangji, suddenly picky despite his terrible first choice, immediately axes two of the pairs based on color and shape. Wei Wuxian allows it without comment, though he's admittedly irked he didn't even try them on.
"Not-gege," he interrupts when Lan Wangji begins to speak unfavorably of another pair without trying them. "You agreed to give me a proper chance. At least test them before throwing them out!"
Lan Wangji studies him for a second, then exhales in a way that Wei Wuxian assumes is a heavy sigh for him, though its barely heavier than a typical breath. Wordlessly, he slides on the pair he was about to reject and faces Wei Wuxian.
"Happy?"
Wei Wuxian fumbles for words. He is, at a minimum, very happy, edging closer to completely stunned.
Despite Lan Wangji not liking the color, it looks fantastic on him. Wei Wuxian knew it would – that's why he picked them – but it's a whole different feeling to see him actually wearing them.
The gold of the frames perfectly matches his skin tone and brings out the gorgeous golden flecks in his brown eyes. Wei Wuxian feels himself getting lost as he stares. It takes significant effort to tear his gaze away and check the overall appearance and fit of the glasses on Lan Wangji.
The thin, lightweight, square frames highlight his sharp cheekbones and his even sharper jawline. They do a lot to enhance both Lan Wangji's professional and naturally gorgeous appearance.
If he was a 10 before, he's at least a 100 now. "Dr. Wei?" Lan Wangji questions when the silence stretches.
"I - um," his voice comes out embarrassingly hoarse. He clears his throat and continues. "Yes. Those look very nice on you, Lan Wangji."
Lan Wangji blinks in surprise. Wei Wuxian kicks himself under the table. Could he be more obvious? It's not like him to get this flustered, especially with one of their patients of all people. Hot guy or not, Wei Wuxian needs to pull himself together before he lands himself a harassment suit.
"I think gold is definitely the way to go," he declares, tone thankfully level. He gives hands Lan Wangji a small mirror. "What do you think?"
Lan Wangji studies himself. With some reluctance, he nods. "Mn. Gold is good."
Wei Wuxian cries in victory. "Ah ha! I knew I could pick something you'd like!"
"It's not over yet, I still have not picked a pair," Lan Wangji snaps, but his heart isn't in it. When he looks away, Wei Wuxian notices the tips of his ears have turned an adorable shade of red. He bites back a smile, a pushes another pair towards him, also gold wire frames, but a touch shinier with boxy-round lenses.
"These are similar, why don't you try them next?"
Lan Wangji sets aside the previous pair (in a different spot than the rejects, Wei Wuxian notes gleefully) and puts on the offered one. For all his efforts at being professional, Wei Wuxian can't help the little gasp that escapes when he looks at him.
"What do you think?" He asks, as though he hasn't just changed Wei Wuxian's entire definition of beauty.
"I think you better get those and hope I never see you wearing them outside the clinic or else I'll have no choice but to ask you out to dinner."
The words slip out before he can stop them. He immediately wants to bang his head on the table. Lan Wangji's mouth opens and closes again, at a loss for words.
"I see," he lands on. The blush on the tip of his ears crawls onto his cheeks and he shifts awkwardly in his seat. Wei Wuxian bites down a groan. He's clearly made Lan Wangji uncomfortable. He isn't sure if the fluttering in his ears is his heart, tinnitus or the sound of his job flying out the door.
He opens his mouth to apologize, but Lan Wangji speaks first.
"I will get these, then." Wei Wuxian reels back. "You will? But you haven't even seen how they look!"
Lan Wangji picks up the mirror, quickly looks, then puts it back down. "I will get these," he repeats, then turns to where Nie Huaisang has been watching the whole ordeal from behind the desk. "I believe they need to be fitted now?"
"Yes, yes, of course," Nie Huaisang hops up and rushes over to shoo Wei Wuxian out of his seat.
Wei Wuxian watches in a confused daze as Nie Huaisang fits the glasses, discusses an add ons, like a blue light filter, and charges Lan Wangji for everything.
"They'll be here next week," Nie Huaisang finishes and hands back Lan Wangjis card.
Lan Wangji nods and turns to Wei Wuxian. "Thank you for your assistance today," he says. "You have proven to be very helpful."
Wei Wuxian might be – definitely is – losing his mind, but he swears Lan Wangji checks him out before he walks out the door to the parking lot. Wei Wuxian balks at Nie Huaisang. "Did he just - ? What even happened?"
Nie Huaisang waves his hands wildly. "I don't know, Dr. Wei, I really don't know."
"Huh," Wei Wuxian says and rests his hands on his hips.
He thinks about the encounter the rest of the week. It drives him a little crazy if he's being honest. Usually, he's able to brush off encounters with pretty people that are obviously not interested in him - but that's the thing.
Was Lan Wangji really not interested in him? It certainly seemed that way in the beginning, but then Wei Wuxian had shoved his foot in his mouth and Lan Wangji had... bought the glasses. The ones he said made him want to take Lan Wangji on a date. Then there was whatever look Lan Wangji gave him before leaving. He is almost certain Lan Wangji was checking him out – but was it like an 'I think you're sexy' or an 'I could take you in a fight' kind of check out?
By the time Lan Wangji's glasses arrive, Wei Wuxian is barely holding himself back from violating several HIPPA laws to get Lan Wangji's number and demand he lay his intentions out clearly to spare his poor heart. As luck would have it though, he's stuck in an appointment when Lan Wangji stops by and misses him entirely.
He groans and drops his head on the desk when Nie Huaisang tells him. Nie Huaisang pats him on the back.
"There, there, Wei-xiong,” he soothes. “He did ask about you, so maybe he'll come back?"
Wei Wuxian's head shoots up, narrowly missing bumping heads with him. "He did? What did he say?"
Nie Huaisang flutters a hand. "Oh I don't remember exactly."
Wei Wuxian glares at him. "Oh you don't? I thought you said he left less than 15 minutes ago. Maybe you should get your head checked out."
"Ah ah ah, Wei-xiong," Nie Huaisang waves a finger. "There's no need for all that, I have a perfectly respectable doctor right here who knows exactly what medicine I need to cure my bad memory." He wiggles his brows.
Wei Wuxian sighs. He will absolutely regret this, but desperate times call for desperate measures. "Fine, I'll pay for drinks Saturday night."
Nie Huaisang raises a brow. Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. "And next Saturday."
Nie Huaisang' face lights up. "Oh! I suddenly seem to recall now!"
Wei Wuxian throws him an unimpressed look. "It’s a miracle,” he deadpans. “What was it?"
"He asked if you’re here and what time you get off," Nie Huaisang answers with a grin.
Wei Wuxian's brows furrow. "What time I get off? Why would he want to know that?"
Nie Huaisang shrugs and lifts his arms in surrender. "Now that, I really don't know. I told him you work until closing, he thanked me, then took the glasses and left."
Wei Wuxian hums thoughtfully. He can think of a few reasons Lan Wangji might want to meet him after work, but again, the man is too much a wild card for him to feel certain about them.
Though confused, he also can't help but feel excited at the mystery. Lan Wangji may have seemed boring, but he sure is keeping him on his toes.
He checks the clock, crying internally when he sees there are still around 3 hours before he's off. As though cued by his thoughts, the door chimes, signaling the arrival of his next patient. With one last longing sigh, he heads off to prep the exam room while Nie Huaisang checks them in.
It's a relatively busy day, thankfully. All his patients pepper him with obscure questions that require his full attention to properly answer. In what feels like no time, he's packing up his things and rushing out the door, excited to see what's waiting for him.
And what he finds makes every second of the wait feel worth it. Directly across from the door, leaning against a light post is Lan Wangji, wearing his new glasses and looking even more incredible than Wei Wuxian remembers - which should be impossible, but somehow he's managed it. He straightens at the sound of the door opening, focusing the full force of those intense, brown eyes on Wei Wuxian.
Still uncertain of the nature of this impromptu meeting, Wei Wuxian stops a couple feet away. His heart rabbits in his chest as the door falls shut with a soft thud behind him. The world seems to fall silent as they stare at one another. As though it too is eager to see what will happen next.
Wei Wuxian reaches for something to say, but words evade him. Thankfully, Lan Wangji has it covered.
“Oh no,” he intones. “You saw me wearing these glasses outside the clinic.”
Wei Wuxian blinks at him. His three remaining brain cells scramble for an explanation of what the hell Lan Wangji is talking about. Finally, one finds the answer. He chortles. Incredible. This man is incredible.
"I guess I have no choice but to take you to dinner then, huh?" Lan Wangji nods remorsefully and steps closer.
"Unfortunately, it seems there is no other option."
Wei Wuxian meets him halfway, not stopping until their toes are scant inches apart and he can see every fleck of gold in those enchanting eyes.
"Well, I did warn you," he reminds with a grin. Lan Wangji grabs his hand and laces their fingers together.
"Mn. I was careless."
Wei Wuxian squeezes his hand. "I don't mind. After all, you're the one being punished here."
Lan Wangji smiles softly. "Preferably with vegan food."
Wei Wuxian laughs and tugs him in the direction of his car.
"Vegan food it is, gorgeous."