Work Text:
Lan Yuan sighed, "Why would he-I mean, come on. You all saw how disgusted he was at Xian-ge's wedding with Hanguang-jun." He said, burying his head now. Jingyi just wasn't convinced, for some reason.
"I can feel it, y'know? There's definitely something there!" He said, shooting a glance at Zizhen, who facepalmed, shaking his head.
"It's too risky! A-Zhui, don't listen to him!"
"Don't listen to who?" A voice asked from behind him, and Lan Yuan turned, eyes widened. Jin Ling stood there, raising an eyebrow. He looked lovely as always, his hair tied in a loose ponytail with the red ribbon.
"A-Yi, of course." Zizhen said, as if it was nothing. Lan Yuan sighed again, and gave Jin Ling a smile. He didn't bother to return it, and sat beside him. It felt like a stab to the chest every time he did that. "What's he doing now?"
"Ah, you don't need to worry about that." Jingyi said, smoothly covering it up with a smirk. Lan Yuan decided to open his unfinished essay on ghouls. Might as well do it, he thought as he got to work.
"Lan Yuan, are you seriously doing an essay right now?" Jin Ling peered over at the characters he'd started writing. "I am, it's been unfinished for a while."
"Hanguang-jun gave it today, of course he's going to do it." Zizhen said, rolling his eyes. Jin Ling scoffed, crossing his legs.
Why was it that Jin Ling was only so mean to him? Was he really that... unlikable? He didn't want to think about it.
He continued writing, keeping his head down. "Anyway, have you heard?" Jingyi asked, inching closer to the other three. "That girl, Ding Yanshi-"
"Who?" Jin Ling interrupted, tucking his hair behind his ear. "You know, the short one. Aiya, the one who seemed to have some weird shit with Wei-Qianbei!"
"Oh yeah! What about her?" Zizhen butt in, suddenly interested. "She said she'd make a better wife than Hanguang-jun!" Jingyi said, breaking into a laugh. Lan Yuan looked up, raising an eyebrow. "What? Hanguang-jun isn't the wife." He said, which made the other three break into fits of laughter.
Even Jin Ling, who never really did. He looked even more beautiful with a smile on his face.
"That's what Wei-Qianbei also said! A-Zhui, no wonder you're his son!" He said, finally calming down from his laughter. Lan Yuan smiled, going back to his essay. He could feel Jin Ling looking at him.
Did he hate him or something? Why was he so cold to him?
Lan Yuan couldn't stop thinking about it.
Some time later, he walked towards the Cold Spring. Zewu-jun had told him to use it whenever he needed, and he did, very often.
It was so relaxing, sitting by the water. There were so many bunnies by the water body as well. It was an adorable sight.
He took one into his hands, giggling as he played with it. Trying not to think about Jin Ling. It was easy, he tried convince himself.
He just shouldn't think about Jin Ling smiling, that's all. His-no, not again.
"Why me?" He muttered to the rabbit, who kept shuffling around in his hand. "What do you mean 'why me'?" Jingyi asked, as he turned, gasping.
"I've told you not to sneak up on me like that." He said, sighing. Jingyi took a seat next to him, "A-Zhui, you've looked miserable since Jin Ling arrived. Is this about what I said earlier?"
"No, it's just-I want him to like me back."
"He definitely does." Jingyi said, grinning, putting an arm around his shoulder. "You don't know that. Did he tell you?"
"I have an idea." He said, out of the blue. He sat up straight, as Lan Yuan watched, raising an eyebrow. "So, apparently, if you tell someone who likes you that you're sad, they offer to give you a hug. Maybe try that?"
"He doesn't even like me as a friend, what makes you think he'll have feelings for me?" Lan Yuan slumped, leaning onto the tree behind him. "Aiya, stop sighing like an old man! Just try it! What if it works? Please!"
"If it doesn't, I'll tell Hanguang-jun that I wrote that essay for you."
"Done!" Jingyi nodded. He raised an eyebrow, "A-Yi, I'm serious." He said, getting up from the ground. "So am I. It'll work, alright. Nie-Zhongzhu told me it will."
"Since when have you been taking romance advice from a sect leader?" Lan Yuan asked, eyes widening. Jingyi shrugged, "He's good, I'm telling you. A-Zhui, just tell him you're sad. Tell him we fought or something."
"But lying is forbidden in-"
"Do you want to know if he likes you or not?" He snapped, scoffing. Lan Yuan glared at him. "I can't break the rules."
"Fine, then just tell him you're sad. That's not a lie."
"Alright, but if this-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." He said. "Now, go! Tell him!" He also got up from the ground, grinning mischievously. Lan Yuan turned and walked back to the library pavillion. Jin Ling was sitting there, writing something.
What could he be writing? He wasn't even here for classes, just as a guest. "Jin-Zhongzhu, is this a bad time?" He asked, as Jin Ling looked up, going red in the face. "You weren't supposed to come in here! I'm going to kill that little prick Jingyi!"
"I apologise for intruding. I'll leave if you want." He replied, trying not to sound dejected. Jin Ling shook his head, "No, no, it's not like that. It's just that I...I was writing your essay for you."
"What?" He blinked, confused.
Jin Ling was writing his essay for him? Why?
"I know it's not difficult for you or anything, I just thought you had too much on your plate. I've prepared all the main points for it, and I've started the explanations as well. Take a look." He said, holding the essay out for Lan Yuan to take.
He took it, still stunned. "This is far too kind of you....I don't know what to say. Thank you!" He said finally, reading through it.
Jin Ling's writing was a bit messier than he'd expected. But it was still legible and looked good. He was still red, getting up from the table. "Don't breath a word of this to anyone, okay?"
"Of course not. Jin-Zhongzhu can expect this disciple to keep his word."
"I'm not thirty-five. You don't have to be so polite." He said, as Lan Yuan chuckled. "Alright, then what am I supposed to say?"
"Just-God." He grumbled, before pulling Lan Yuan's wrists and securing him in a tight embrace. A soft gasp left his lips, as he held on to Jin Ling. "D'you feel better? I thought I might've upset you." He muttered, as he refused to let go.
Lan Yuan wrapped his hands around Jin Ling's waist, relaxing. He knew his face was red. "Yeah. Thank you."
He finally pulled away, reluctantly maintaining eye contact. "I don't dislike you, please don't think that."
Lan Yuan finally realised what was happening. "You-You overheard us, didn't you?"
"I think it was for a good cause." He said, smiling.
Lan Yuan forgot whatever the hell he was thinking about, and was now only focused on the curve of his lips. He smiled immediately, not knowing what to say.
And, maybe he didn't need to.
He just needed to see Jin Ling's smile.